End of Summer Pickleball Tournament

 

Pickleball Tournament - Monday, September 14th at 5:30pm at the Garden City Office's Pickleball courts.

Just a fun family night pickleball tournament to end the summer season. Round Robin play with a championship game. All levels of ability welcome. 12 years old and older, but the whole family is welcome to come watch. Social distancing encouraged. RSVP on facebook here.

Colors of the Lake

Photo by Marcene Booth Littledyke

Truck crashes through intersection again

Bobbie Bicknell Coray, Reporter
Rich Civic Times

Photo by Carol Ann Dyer

GARDEN CITY, Utah. August 25, 2020.   These are the words of a witness to the fifth terrible crash at the intersection in the last couple of years.

 "As I sit here unable to sleep, I think back on the events of the last few days. There is no earthly explanation as to why we haven’t had mass casualties. A fire with some real fireworks and now another semi truck crash. We worked through some serious moments on the fire and when the smoke cleared it turns out our training saw us through a very deadly incident without one injury.

And today a concrete pumping truck crashes where Pugstones used to be and ended up busting out the wall of the gift shop while there was at least one person inside. The driver survived! But the scary part was only an hour or so before the truck crash there were people, kids, running all over where the truck came to rest. I don’t often say these words but I thank the Lord Above for the help. We’ve been blessed as a community that these horrible incidents haven’t claimed the lives of many."  Jason Wade Matthews. 

Tuesday night at 7 p.m. a heavily loaded truck lost its brakes and narrowly missed hitting other cars as it plowed through town into the gift shop at Raspberry Square. Witnesses said its brakes appeared to be on fire, according to Utah Highway Patrol.

FOX NEWS 13  reported  "The eastbound truck went through the intersection of U.S. Highway 89 and Bear Lake Blvd. (State Route 30) and crashed into Lighthouse Landing Gift Shop, according to Garden City Fire Chief Mike Wahlberg.

A truck driver was killed in a similar accident at the same intersection in October 2018. Three more trucks have crashed at the intersection since then: One on Aug. 15, 2019, another just five days later, and another in March of this year. 

Garden City Fire Chief Mike Wahlberg told FOX 13 that there have been three other instances where trucks' brakes failed and went through the intersection, but did not result in any damage."

The Utah Department of Transportation is working to complete a runaway truck ramp, a brake check and increased signage in the area, a project which they expect will be completed sometime next month.

Carol Ann Dyer, photographer, took pictures of the five crashes.

Addition of Center Turn Lane at 300 West

A detour will be in place through mid-September for southbound traffic through the project area (approximately 300 West to Sunrise Drive).

▪ Southbound traffic will be diverted south along 300 West and back to US-89 via 200 North.
▪ Logan Canyon can be accessed by continuing south on 300 West until intercepting US-89.
▪ Access to businesses and residential properties will be maintained throughout construction.

This project will widen US-89 from approximately 300 West to Sunrise Drive on the north end of Garden City. This project will improve the safety of this heavily used area by adding a center lane to the roadway (in front of the KOA). Construction is expected to be completed by the end of September.

Truck ramp project update

Beginning September 8th (the Tuesday after Labor Day) traffic will be taken down to one lane with a flagger in place for approximately a week while crews pave, stripe, install guardrail and rumble strips in the project area.

Until September 8, crews will continue to pour concrete on the truck escape ramp walls and construction work will continue to take place on the east side of the shoulder with minimal traffic impacts.

This project is anticipated to be completed by the end of the summer.

School Started Today!

Waiting for the school bus
Photo by Lauriann Wakefield

Pickleville Philosophy

By Jim Stone, The Pickleville Philosopher

Hi you guys.  It’s hard to believe us dogs have been away from home in Alaska for zooming in on a month.

It’s been a new adventure every day. The dogs don’t want to go back home they think they’ve become famous explorers.  We have just been writing a lot as well as being open minded to new things and experiences. I went to an Orthodox Church on Sunday, can you guys believe that?  I was hoping the church was paid up on its insurance. I thought for sure when I walked in a bolt of lightning would hit the building.

It was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen or done.  The building was 200 years old. Inside the building was magnificent; it was just mind blowing beautiful. In the Orthodox Church they sing their prayers as they pray to Heavenly Father.

We have had some close calls with bears. We were out picking wild berries one day and about 70 yards away a big brown bear stood up.  He meant no harm.  I’m bald as a bowling ball on top of my head but still have hair on my neck and it was standing straight up.  Us dogs very slowly backed up and went to find another berry patch.

One night I got up in the middle of the night to take a leak, when, way too close, I could hear pop pop pop noise bears make when they are upset.  They will pop their teeth and jaws at you.  I’m getting older but at that moment I moved like I was still in my twenties, pretty much diving back into the truck with the dogs. For a very sleepless night.

Us dogs have been fishing a lot and cooking some wonderful tailgate wild fish and berry dinners. I’m about half way done with a book I've been writing called The Legend of Big Boy. I’m hoping to have it finished in about a month. Then I will decide what us dogs are going to do next.

The people up here are amazing.  There is no drama or crazy stuff going on like back home.  I was sound asleep in the truck last night when a local man and his wife knocked on my truck window. They had brought a hot dinner and enough yummy snacks to last us dogs several days. Every time I turn around there are amazing people. I’m kinda thinking that if the dogs want to stay here and not go home that I’m going to agree with them on that one.

Us dogs are blessed and thankful to be you guy's friends.  We all hope you all are staying safe in way too much craziness in the world. Us dogs are sending the biggest smile we can send to all of you guys from all of us.

The Sun Always Rises

Photo by Gary McKee

Propane tank explosions and fire

Bobbie Bicknell Coray, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

Photo  by Mike Wahlberg

Photo by Jill Adams Hite

GARDEN CITY, Utah.  August 22, 2020.  At about 9 p.m. Saturday night, at least three loud explosions were heard, felt and seen from the Sweetwater Trailer Park hill and the fired glowed in the night sky.  Several people who were at the park were evacuated and power was turned off in the area.

Photo by Carol Ann Dyer

The Garden City Fire District responded quickly as did other departments from the county.  Eventually eight engines and 30 firefighters from the Garden City Fire District, Laketown Fire District and Bear Lake County Fire Department responded to the blaze.

The fire started at 3199 Nina Loop.  One witness said that it was believed to be a barbeque grill that caused the initial fire but that has not been confirmed by the fire department.  The witness said that the grill exploded and then fire quickly spread to the first trailer which had several small  five gallon propane tanks stored and boxes of ammunition which also exploded.  As the fire spread, a residential propane tank nearby exploded.

The first home was consumed quickly and the fire spread to the neighboring trailers destroying two more and damaging a fourth. A Garden City firefighter was within 50 feet of the biggest explosion but is fine.

Jason Wade Matthews, Garden City Firefighter explained it this way, "So tonight was crazy. Myself and one other firefighter jumped in the engine, we set out behind our ladder truck but none of us (5 firefighters) knew just what we were heading to. Upon arrival I stopped at the hydrant closest to the fire and dropped my rider off. He did exactly as trained, grabbed the line off the hose bed of the truck and started tapping the hydrant as I drove the engine up the hill to get uphill and upwind of the fire.

Immediately upon passing the fire the first explosion happened. Then the second larger explosion. I felt both explosions in my chest. I thought for sure my fellow firefighter was killed. There are no words to describe the feeling I had. I thought I had just lost a brother. Finally I got a charged line to feed the engine and the shock of what just happened faded.

Several other smaller explosions kept happening. I hear on the radio that we now have a bleve with a 500 gallon propane tank and it scared the hell out of me. Then suddenly I see the crew pick up and put out. I had firefighters running out the cross lays and attacking the fire even though things were blowing up all around us. I didn’t know the status of the firefighter who rode with me and I was afraid to ask. When I found out he was just fine I honestly had a tear in my eye.

I won’t embellish or sugar coat this, tonight all hell broke lose and we proved that our training works. This became a three agency fire and we could not have done this without Bear Lake County and Laketown's help. I saw things tonight that no FF1 or FF2 book will ever prepare you for. Brave men, brothers, who knew life was at risk put out and saved a neighborhood as well as themselves. And none of us got hurt."

Because the vacation trailer homes are so close together and propane tanks are near the trailers, fire presents a real problem.  But the firefighters were able to contain it and the fire was over by about 11p.m.  Thankfully, no one was injured.

Alicia Hobson, whose mother lives at the park said. "They evacuated part of the neighborhood again after the fire was out, because they found another propane tank was leaking. They let those guys back in at 4am."

Mike Wahlberg, Garden City Fire Chief said, "As most of the locals know by now, we had a very dangerous fire last night in the Sweetwater Trailer Park that destroyed 3 homes and heavily damaged another. The propane explosions were felt and heard as far as a few miles away. Our guys did an exceptionally good job of attacking the fire and keeping more propane tanks from exploding. There were no injuries and I can't help but think that the Lord played a big part in that. Our community is blessed with skilled volunteers who train hard and fight hard. I can't think of better people anywhere. A big shout out to Laketown Fire and Bear Lake County Fire. Our law enforcement and EMTs were there for us as well and kept us safe. You guys were there for us when we needed you most and you didn't disappoint! Everybody worked seamlessly together and by tackling their own particular tasks the firefight was textbook successful."

Photos by Bobbie Bicknell Coray

August Rich County School District Board Meeting

 
Kathie B. Anderson, Reporter
Rich Civic Times                                                                                   

RANDOLPH, Utah. August 20, 2020.  The Rich County School Board held its regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday, during which Superintendent Dale Lamborn introduced four new teachers:  Lex Cornia will teach English, Language Arts, Concurrent Instruction, and coach basketball at Rich High School; Andrea Carlisle will teach Kindergarten at North Rich Elementary; Ruby Hunter will teach Third Grade at North Rich Elementary; and Jackie Schulthess will teach Kindergarten at South Rich Elementary.

The new construction planned for 2020 is basically complete; financial goals have been met; safety precautions are in place; and handicapped requirements have been met in the schools and on the playgrounds.  Principal Motta stated that the “workmanship exceeded all expectations.”

School will begin on Monday, August 24, 2020, and face masks will be required.  Superintendent Lamborn stated that all the schools and buses have been disinfected “as required by the state of Utah.”  The schools and buses have all of the items that are needed to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.

Governor Gary Herbert has issued an Executive Order mandating that face masks be worn in all state facilities, including public schools.  (Executive Orders 2020-51, 2020-56 and 2020-57).  The Governor’s Order will be in effect until September 19, 2020, at which time it is expected to be re-evaluated, depending on the circumstances.

Several concerned parents were not allowed into the building to attend the School Board meeting because they weren’t wearing face masks, as mandated by Governor Herbert’s Executive Order.  The issue the parents wanted to discuss wasn’t on the agenda of the August 20th meeting.  However, the School Board members agreed to hold a public meeting to discuss the wearing of face masks on Tuesday, August 25, 2020 at the District office in Randolph.  Face masks will be required to be worn by those attending the meeting, as mandated by the Governor. The requirement that face masks be worn at school is for the students’ own safety and any possible exposure to others (including their teachers).  The mask requirement is so our children will be safer at school and will be able to participate in school activities.

The School District is making every effort to provide a quality education experience for every child.  By following best practices, the School District believes that the spread of the virus can be mitigated.  Questions may be answered and information can be found on the RichSchool.org website.