Good Stuff

A new TV series and Ruca’s 

By John Brown, The Man

I’ve been looking forward to watching Extinct, a brand-new TV series. I watched the pilot with my

wife and teenage daughter, and we enjoyed it. I watched the next episode, and then a few days later couldn’t help but binge-watch three more. And I’m happy to report it’s full of good stuff and interesting stories.

First of all, it starts with a killer concept. Aliens invade earth and wipe us out, but that’s been done to death. This story doesn’t start there. This story is set four hundred years in the future after the extinction of the human race, when a small group of humans is revived by an alien civilization.

But this isn’t Star Wars, Star Trek, Blade Runner, Battlestar Glactica or anything like that. It feels more like the TV series Lost or The Maze Runner. The heroes are three humans who have been brought back and are trying to figure out what’s happening and how to survive in a place that’s low tech and is the home to a dangerous band of other humans that were also brought back. They’re dangerous, by the way, because they have been taken over by spores that latch other their nervous system and use their bodies as a host.

This series transports you to a world of cool tech and alien stuff like the sparks that regenerate the humans in pools of water, two interesting drones, and alien ruins and glyphs. But the best part about this isn’t the spectacle of the technology. It’s the stories. There’s suspense and action, but also mystery and a lot of stuff that’s human and warm and, surprisingly enough, thought-provoking.

We try to hold a family night once a week to have fun together and discuss important topics. And I can see us easily watching one of these episodes and finding ourselves in a deep discussion about free will, or the creation, or whether Duncan, one of the skin riders, looks like someone right out of The Hobbit.

I liked episodes one and two, but it was episode three that kicked it into high gear for me. If you liked Lost or The Maze Runner or the series Once Upon a Time, I think you’ll really enjoy this. Right now you can stream the first eight episodes for free from byutv.org/extinct or extinct.tv. 

New restaurants come and go all the time in Garden City, Utah. Most of them don’t last more than a few seasons. Often this is because they charge lots of money for food that’s really not worth it. So it’s with great delight that I tell you about Ruca’s, a little spot on the block between the city park and Bear Lake Pizza on the main drag.

Not only are the prices reasonable, but the food is delicious. They have sandwiches and other stuff, but we have gone back multiple times for their ebleskivers (AY-bill SKEE-vurs). These are Danish pancakes in the shape of a ball that can be filled with all sorts of stuff. My wife and daughter love the ones filled with peaches and the others filled with Nutella and strawberries. I like the savory ones filled with bacon and cheese with eggs on top.

They’re going to be closing up for the winter, so if you want some great food for a great price, get over there now and enjoy a new delight. 

Snow Tipped Mountains

Lauriann Wakefield, Little Starling Photography, Garden City

Garden City Planning & Zoning

Randall Knight, Reporter

Rich Civic Times 

GARDEN CITY, Utah.  October 4, 2017.  The Planning and Zoning meeting began at 5:00 PM and the board members present were: Lance Bourne (Chair), Susan House, Joey Stocking, Jim DeGroot and Zack McKee. Jared Hislop and Tom Stevens were absent.  There were a few people in attendance besides the presenters.  There were no public comments so the commission went right into the regularly scheduled meeting.

Rulon Crosby asked for clarification for a conditional use permit for an existing structure that is an over- and-under duplex.  This is the only duplex in the county not a side-by-side duplex.  He wants to add onto the existing building to make it a larger duplex.  The board said he would be able to if he met the building and setback requirements.  He asked for clarification for a private street providing access to an area he wants to build 5 houses on.  The commission said they had already acted on that request and would not hear any proposals on that subject.   

Tonya Petersen was not present so Lance updated everybody on what he had done to review her request for storage sheds on a lot off of Highway 89.  The majority of the commission agreed it would require a zone change.  

Rusty Hart returned to request the possibility of changing the front and rear setback requirement for the Thornberg Subdivision.   He had done a lot of research and found the original agreements made in 1967 were made with the county because the city wasn’t issuing building permits at that time.  Some of the lots have less than 10 ft setbacks in the rear and less than 25 ft in the front.  The current requirement is 30 ft front and back.  He thinks the Thornberg Subdivision should be treated like a PUD because the development plans are very similar.  Hart would like to have the requirement for Thornberg be grandfathered into what was originally agreed to so each lot owner wouldn’t have to go to the variance board if they want to enlarge their cabins or add garages.  The majority of the commission said they will not change the setback requirement because it would open a can of worms.  By changing the requirement they would be flooded with other requests by people not happy with their setbacks.  They said requests need to be presented to the Variance Board on a case by case basis.

During the miscellaneous discussion  Gillies said the city council passed the minimum square footage for a dwelling to be 600 sq ft.  They will also recommend a zoned area be made for a tiny home subdivision.

Economic Development Needs

Bobbie Bicknell Coray, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

RANDOLPH, Utah.  October 4, 2017.  Mitch Poulsen,  Bear Lake Regional Commission and Bryan Carver, Bear River Association of Government  presented a proposal for an economic development plan as part of the Governors’s 25,000 jobs by 2020.

“Where do you see the county in 5 years or 10 years?” They asked commissioners.   Poulsen and Carver will also talk to the Chamber of Commerce about significant needs.

Commissioner Bill Cox said that high speed affordable internet to every residence and business in the county is needed.   Woodruff and Randolph internet is affordable and good, but Garden City is expensive and not as fast.  There is fiber optic cable in Garden City owned by CentraCom.  Carver asked if other providers could come in to provide competition. 

CentraCom put in the fiber with federal dollars.  Cox said the federal dollars were to provide low cost high speed internet, but now it is very expensive, basic service is around $100 a month.  It is not available at a low cost to Garden City or Sweetwater.

Cox also mentioned that the county needs Increased cell phone capacity especially during the summer months.  “And”, he said “ Adult Education classes would be good, especially in new technology."

Commissioner Tom Weston said that one of his goals is getting natural gas in the area.  Another is getting Rocky Mountain Power to add redundancy in the power lines.

Seasonal employees housing is needed especially in Garden City.

BRAG is working on a five year comprehensive plan, and will do a more  detailed plan. Enterprise zone 10% tax credit to businesses in the zone.  Rich County and Garden city are enterprise zones. 

Poulsen also talked about using a $25,000 grant to put in amenities along the beach including benches. And mile signs.  The $25,000 is flexible and can be used on the new proposed bike path to the Idaho line on the east side.  

Sunrise

Photo by Debbie Forakis, Laketown

No Bookmobile In Rich County

Bobbie Bicknell Coray, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

RANDOLPH, Utah.  October 4, 2017.  There will be no Bookmobile in Rich County because of changes in Summit and Cache Counties library use.   Rich County can’t use the Cache County library any longer and so their part of funding of the Bookmobile has ended. 

The Bookmobile came two times a week.  Then Summit County discontinued their contract with the Bookmobile, which meant that there was not enough funding for the Bookmobile without Cache County too.  The school district also pulled out of the Bookmobile funding.

The books that Rich County owned were put in a remodeled space in the Senior Citizen Center in Randolph creating a small library. 

Rich County has been using Cache County's database and cataloging system but now with Cache County developing their own system it means that the Rich Library no longer has a cataloging system. 

Laketown Cemetery Concerns

Bobbie Bicknell Coray, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

RANDOLPH, Utah.  October 4, 2017.  McKay Willis,  Chair of the Laketown Cemetery, and Dwayne  Robinson, board member, asked county commissioners  for advice on what to do with unmarked graves.  Willis said some families don’t put headstones even though there is a  rule that  a marker must be placed within one year of the internment.  Willis would like to put in a headstone on unmarked graves and put a lien on the family’s property.  He said a nice marker costs about $150.

There are two unmarked graves, one is from 1973, it had a temporary marker from Crandall Mortuary.  But there are no records about who is buried there.  

Commissioner Bill Cox said that markers are necessary to locate burials and grave, but sometimes there are family issues.   Cox said his father worked diligently to get markers on every grave in Woodruff before he died.

Cox asked about raising the lot fees or charging to open and close a grave.  Laketown spent a lot of money last year on opening winter graves.   There is a $100 cost for two graves  in Laketown.  

Opening and closing fee in Randolph is $300.  Woodruff is $100.  Cox suggested that there should be a grave opening fee in Laketown which would give them more income.  Cox suggested a $200 opening and closing fee.

The Laketown Board of Directors can set fees, but need to have a public hearing.  Willis said they will do it when the budget hearing is done.  Laketown is also going to make rules for flowers and other things to be removed within a certain period of time.  There should be nothing on the ground. 

Cox said that there should be a ordinance written spelling it all out.  Garden City Cemetery took all the shepherds hooks and disposed of them.  Because there was no ordinance in Garden City, said Cox, against shepherd’s hooks a family sued.

Norm Weston asked about reclaiming old plots that have never been used.  Willis said that they have bought some back. 

Need Tips On Moose Killer

RICH COUNTY — On Sept. 21, 2017, a concerned citizen contacted Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) Conservation Officer Dakota Pray about a poached bull moose in Rich County.

Officer Pray responded to the scene, where he located a small bull moose. The moose was less than 100 yards off the road on private property up Cottonwood Canyon in Round Valley. After investigating, Officer Pray determined the moose had been shot several times with a .22 caliber firearm.

If you have information about this illegal killing — or any other wildlife crimes — please contact the UTiP hotline at 1-800-662-3337 or email us at turninapoacher@utah.gov.

The DWR may offer a reward permit or monetary reward to anyone who provides information leading to the successful prosecution of the person responsible for this crime. A private individual has also contributed an additional $1,000 reward. Requests for confidentiality will be honored.


Officer Dakota Pray
dakotapray@utah.gov
385-245-0470

Dennis Stokes Miller 1931 - 2017

Our amazing, husband, brother, dad and grandpa, Dennis Stokes Miller, passed away Saturday morning, September 30, 2017, at the age of 86, returning to his Heavenly Father.

Dennis was born February 3, 1931 to Rudy Miller and Ethel Tressa Stokes Miller in Tremonton, Utah. Dennis attended McKinley Elementary School and Bear River High and was a graduate of LDS Seminary. He played many sports in high school including football, track and baseball.

As a student at Bear River High he met Lila Standing and together they were crowned Bear River High’s first Homecoming King and Queen in 1948.  High school sweethearts, Dennis and Lila married each other for time and all eternity on August 17, 1949 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. That was just the beginning of a 70 year love story.

Dennis was a devoted and faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served as a Bishop in the Tremonton 6th ward, was a member of the High Council, served as a stake and ward missionary, Scout Master and together with Lila served missions in St. George, Utah; Dallas, Texas and Paris, Idaho.

Dennis, along with his father Rudy, owned and operated Miller Gas Company in Tremonton, one of Tremonton’s oldest family owned businesses. Miller Gas Company is still owned by the family today. Dennis served in many civic capacities throughout his life and was President of the Jaycee’s and Bear River Valley Chamber of Commerce. He was a member of the Tremonton Kiwanis Club.

Throughout his life he enjoyed being outdoors hunting, fishing, camping, golfing, water skiing and snow skiing. His greatest adventure was spending time with his family at their cabin in Bear Lake, Utah. Many fond memories over the course of six decades were shared between several generations of family members and friends.

Dennis took his last trip to Daisy Bay on Bear Lake just last month for one more “I spy Bear Lake.” 

Dennis was known around the community as an honest and hardworking business man and was well-respected. He had a gentle spirit and was a friend to all that knew him. He complimented everything that was ever given to him with a smile on his face and was so grateful for all of his many blessings.

Among those blessings is his family. Dennis and Lila are the parents of four children Diana, Kathy, Cheryl and Roger. As a family they took many memorable vacations.  He would sing to his children in the morning, had plenty of great laughs and enjoyed those precious years before their posterity grew and grew.

Dennis is survived by his wife Lila of 68 years, sister Trudy Garfield, daughters Diana (Bob) Doutre, Kathy (Byron) Wood, Cheryl (DeeEll) Fifield and son Roger (Rachelle) Miller. They have 16 grandchildren, 40 great-grandchildren and four great-great grandchildren with one more on the way. All those infant grandchildren of Dennis were proudly held and comforted in the famous Grandpa Miller hold he made his very own.

He is preceded in death by his parents, a sister Raeola Wise, a grandson Nicholas Lee Doutre and a great-grandson Brayden Blaine Doutre.

A viewing was held Tuesday, October 3, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Roger’s and Taylor Funeral Home 111 N. 100 E. Tremonton, Utah and at the church prior to the funeral. The funeral was held on Wednesday, October 4, from 9-10:30 a.m. 

Cisco Sonar

The Deer Hunt
By Bryce Nielson

This is a column from October 2015 you might enjoy.

I was up before daylight this morning.  As I watched the daylight start to fill in I was thinking about deer hunting.  The light filled in and was soon there was enough to shoot.  This is the time of day when the bucks, who have been out all night, start to move into cover.  I stood on the deck listening for the first shots of the opening morning.  I heard nothing, no people in red on the ridges, no sense of excitement.  School wasn’t even let out early on Friday.

My thoughts slipped back to the 1960’s  and I thought about the 1964 deer hunt.  I had waited for this hunt for my whole life for this day after I turned sixteen.  I had always watched my Dad return to Salina where he had grown up to hunt deer.  I had never been able to go until now.  Deer hunting was serious  business.  He needed meat to feed his five hungry kids and now I could add to the larder.  My rifle was a war surplus Springfield 03-A3 bolt action 30.06.  I had been working on it all year trying to sportirize it after he bought it through the mail for $29.95.  It came wrapped in Cosmoline.  It took forever to get all the grease off and cut down the old military stock.  I removed a lot of wood and when I was through it was light, with open sights and kicked like a mule.  

I have hunted deer every year since.  After I left home the strategy was still the same.  Don’t worry about “horns” because you can’t eat them and knock down the first buck you see.  After I had a family that philosophy continued.  Fast forward 50 years.  Now my wife and daughters don’t eat deer meat.  My grandsons, however, love and request “delicious deer”.  They are the reason I will continue  to hunt.  Their Dad doesn’t hunt so I wan them to have the opportunity to experience what I did as a boy.  If they like it and continue, great, but it is fine if they don’t.  I will understand.

As for deer hunting today things are drastically different.  The big family tent camps with everyone from grandpa to the baby standing around a smoky fire and sleeping on the cold ground are gone. The death mall came when Wildlife Resources limited the number of permits busted up the State into 26 areas that you have to draw on.  

Today’s deer camps are different and new family traditions are being made.  Trailers and  toy haulers of all sizes, OHV’s and magnum four wheel drive jacked up trucks, big screen TV’s, little yapping dogs running all over and the kids are having a blast, making memories.  As far as killing anything, that is incidental and just causes issues with cleaning, skinning, processing and then (uck) eating it.  The point is, it has become a family event with the same core values that I had as a kid.

Do I pine for the old days?  Not really. It is a new generation and they need to do things that match their perspective.  Besides, I find deer hunting much easier on my side by side Ranger.

Coral Leaves

Photo by Taylor Sims, Paris, Idaho

Photo by Phillip Wait, Logan Canyon

Rich Middle School Honors

          Academic Students of September

Violett Taylor Bella Seamons  Hattie Cornia

Austin England Holt Argyle Ryker Conk

Citizens of September

Zailey Stocking Cree Green Hanna Rex

Klancey Huffaker Ryann Stapel Robert Sellers

Comercial Building

Anita Weston, Reporter

Rich Civic Times 

GARDEN CITY, Utah.  September 14, 2017.  Glenn Gillies, Commercial Building Inspector, reported that Water’s Edge will probably be approved this next week.  They are struggling for commercial help but are starting on building additional buildings.

Bridgerland Adventures building has been approved.  They will start building there is a couple of weeks.  There tall towers have been ordered.

Gillies has been working on the City’s ordinances.  He has been trying to clean up some of the wording on several of the ordinances where there are questions.  Water’s Edge’s entrance is on 150 and seems to be working okay.  The north end to their property needs to be opened.  If it is opened, it will reduce the pressure on 150 South.  Rulon Crosley did not win the court case but still has 30 days to appeal if he so desires.

Park models should only be allowed in RV park areas.  This needs to be added to the ordinance on little homes.  Gillies requested that even though P & Z had put the minimum size for a home at 350 square feet, he would like to see the City follow the State by setting the minimum amount at 600 feet or more.  He also asked the City to make an ordinance that would set the limits on any garages built next to tiny homes.

  

Garden City Public Works Report

Anita Weston, Reporter
Rich Civic Times

GARDEN CITY, Utah.  September 14, 2017.  Riley Argyle, Public Works Supervisor, reported that a land swap of property on the west side of the current site of the public works equipment be made in working with the Sewer District and the Fire District.  He suggested that the City purchase an additional 50’ of roadway.  This would allow at least 40 feet of buildable work space that could be used by the City.   The Sewer District has an easement access and has two bays.  The City should buy the two bays which would be very helpful.  Also, the Fire Department has a 123’ x 40’ easement access.

The road on the west still gives the Public Works Department the storage area and additional useable ground to the City.  The City currently can’t use some of this area.  If the City keeps 25’ of that area, there would still be access to the PUD from US 89, and the Public Works Department would be able to utilize the 50’ piece of ground. 

Argyle suggested that the City make arrangements to buy the two bays from the Sewer District.  Take care of that item first, then move forward with the other possibilities.

Argyle noted that there are lots of leaks in the water system.  There are two or three currently in that park that he is working on. 

Two fire hydrants have been shut down.  To fix the first hydrant, the water will have to be turned off between 150 South and 350 South. to repair one of the hydrants. The water will have to be off for most of the day because concrete will be needed to complete the job and requires time to set up. 

The other hydrant is in Cherimoya.  Argyle took the hydrant apart and thought it could be fixed easily.  However, new parts were required.  They have been ordered and will be here soon.

There is a water line that hasn’t been capped.  Riley has been digging down to where the water is coming to the surface and attempts to find the end.  He fixes what he can find and the water pops up again in another spot.  Hopefully, he will be able to find the end of this line soon.

Work will be started on Heritage Park this week.  The top soil will be piled up and other material brought in to fill in the low areas.  The top soil will then be put back on top.  There needs to be a large parking area there.

The City has hired two new people to finish the Boardwalk by Legacy Beach Subdivision.  We are waiting for lumber for the handrail.

There are about 1100 meters for water that are read each month.  Thirty of those meters are not working properly and need to be replaced.  The meters that are not reading properly are scattered all over the map.  Riley repaired some of the meters, and they worked for a short time then quit again.  He suggested that the city replace those that are not working.

Jason, who works with the Public Works Department, has been licensed for working at the treatment plant.  That will be a great help in working with the water system.

Riley and his workers have been pulling moss out of the fish pond.  They have cleaned the bubblers and are getting the fish pond taken care of.

There were some sandbags left north of the ACE Hardware.  They need to be picked up and taken back to the City.  A culvert extension has been put into the ditch next to Dorothy Stringham’s home.   There is a place where 690 feet of road needs to be repaired.  That will cost about $12,600.  The road at 74 North Blvd. will be closed to fix and patch a section of road at the cost of $8,300 plus the patch.

There is a section of culinary water where the piping is not large enough to handle the homes that are connected there.  There is only a ¾” pipe that has three homes already connected.  There are two more lots available in that area, so a larger pipe will have to be installed.  The length of pipe needed will be about 300’.  It is up a steep slope, and Riley requested that it be put out to bid.

In Little Switzerland, there is a water line that is going across a private lot.  It needs to be moved and taken down the road.  It will have to tie into the line at a different location.  It will require about 700 feet to run the line.  It is all in the County, but it is Garden City’s water.

The bike path is getting pretty rough in areas because of the trees.  They need to be cut.  The City also needs to tap into 950 South close to where Dorothy Stringham lives.  There is an 8” water line there that needs to be used for fire protection.  The plan is to put in a T and run the line to the needed area.

The sidewalk between 250 and 350 South is in bad shape.  Something needs to be done there.

The City are going to chip and seal the roads in Buttercup.  We have a contract so that the job will be complete and finished in the next week.

Thirty Two Building Permits Issued In Garden City

Anita Weston, Reporter

Rich Civic Times 

GARDEN CITY, Utah. September 14, 2017.  George Peart, Garden City Residential Building Inspector, noted that there are currently 32 building permits that have been given for residential homes—probably short-term rentals.  There are five more outstanding home permits pending and 12 permits that will be used for town houses in the Legacy Beach location.  This will make a total of 49 structures to be built in 2017.

Shundahi and Buttercup are the areas with the most building currently taking place.  All of the buildings in these two areas are for short-term rentals.  Snow Meadows also has some short-term rentals being built.  There may be a problem there concerning parking.  Most of the homes are 5,000 square feet or more in size.  The parking issue is becoming a real problem.  The Council should look at the possibility of estimating three people per car as compared to the current five individuals per car to determine the number of parking stalls required at the short-term rental buildings.

The Planning Commission did not want to follow the state law that requires an RV to be 20 feet or more in length.  Peart noted that he would advise the City Council to follow the rule of at least a 12-foot width for any building being moved to a new location.  With this size, a travel permit must be obtained, which would insure that the buildings being moved have some prior inspections before being moved.  Peart would like to see that no walls be less than 12-feet in length in the building and moving process.

Planning and Zoning set the square footage for building a dwelling be at least 350 feet in size to be called a home.  Peart noted that State of Utah requires that a home must be at least 600 square feet.  This is also the requirements for any manufactured home allowed in a trailer court.  All homes must be placed on permanent foundations.  A park model is actually a tiny home and is allowed in RV lots.  Peart asked that the City Council create an ordinance to control tiny homes and feels it needs to be done quickly.