Pickleville Philosophy

By Jim Stone, The Pickleville Philosopher

This is kinda a fun story.   I had been saving my tips from guiding my whole life.  I’d wad up my tips in a sock and never touch them.  I would just try to live on my wage.

I had an old Jeep and loved to come and fish and hunt in Bear Lake.  I always came to the Pickleville Country Store when I came to the lake.  I loved the owners,  C.R.  and Marilyn Mathews.  C.R. was totally a big character, Marilyn was the business woman, she really knew how to have everything that everyone in Bear Lake needed.  C.R. was old school, he wore an old jumpsuit.  He must have had a bunch of them.  I still have one of them that he left here.  They were all blue.  That’s my favorite color.

I bonded with C.R., he was a fisherman, he handcrafted homemade lures to fish Bear Lake.  He took a lot of pride in his homemade lures to catch a big fish on Bear Lake.

One day I pulled into the Pickleville store and I was running on fumes.  I was out of gas and to boot I didn’t have my wallet.  I filled up my tank and I had no money.  

Well, C.R. wanted my gun, which was my grandfather's and father’s gun, for collateral to make sure he got paid for my gas.  I left the gun and ran back to Logan to get in my sock of tips and turned right back around to come back to pay my bill and get my grandad’s gun back. I came back and paid my bill.

I talked to C.R. and Marilyn and found out that they wanted to sell the store.  My socks were pretty full of tip money so I made an offer to them and they carried the loan.  That’s how I became the owner of the Pickleville Country Store.

C.R. has passed on now, but I have found some of his treasures. I had some water issues. Down under the building which was built in the late thirties or early forties,  I found a gold coin, some silver dollars, and an old ring with fourteen stones in it.  The real treasure was these old comic books. 

I took them all up to the bank today to put them in a safety box.  This old store has so much history in Bear Lake, Utah.  It makes me really wonder if there might be some buried treasure somewhere in this little old store.

Storm And Sun

Photo by Tierney Calder, Garden City

Bike Path Extension

Anita Weston, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

RANDOLPH, Utah.  March 12 2018.  Tyler Stuart, County Engineer, reported that the plans for the bike path to be made from Ideal Beach south to the lake shore is about 60 percent complete to be sent to UDOT (Utah Department of Transportation).  A wetland study must be completed which will cost about $700 to $1,000.  The County may have to bridge that small area.

On the Epic side of the road, there is a bit of a slope.  This will have to be filled to keep things level. The cutback may be needed from 10’ to 15’ on the south side of the highway.

The Commissioners said they would ask Mitch Poulson, Bear Lake Regional Commission, to get permission from the landowners in the area beginning with Sweetwater.  The current fence will need to be pulled out and then reinstalled with chain link.  Through the driveway area, the path will be 10’ with a two-foot shoulder.  Otherwise the path will be 8’ and one-foot shoulders, and all will be paved through that area.

The Commissioners also said that the home owner’s association will need to be contacted for their opinion and agreement.  It will take time to excavate the hill out which will increase costs.  Someone will need to be hired to come in and do that job.

Stuart noted that he will do a cost analysis with UDOT and get that information to the Commissioners.  A retaining wall 5’ in height is the maximum.  There will be no parking on this access or on the bike path, but cars will have to cross the path to park on the lake shore.

Stuart will get more information from UDOT and will then be able to move forward.  Poulsen will need to contact and talk with owners.  UDOT will need signed easements.  The Commissioners are glad this project is moving forward and will glad when it is completed. 

County Horse Arena Use

Anita Weston, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

RANDOLPH, Utah.  March 12, 2018.  Cally Leavitt, County Arena, requested that the Commissioners help in scheduling the two arenas in Randolph.  She noted that many times when people would like to ride in the arena it is scheduled, but no one is there.  Other times, when people are riding in the arena, they are told they must leave because another group has it scheduled.  Leavitt noted that it is difficult sometimes to be able to take advantage of the arena when you are unable to know when it has been scheduled.

The Commissioners discussed the matter trying to determine ways that would allow everyone to know when the arenas are scheduled.  They suggested that the schedule be put on a web site.  They thought that putting a white board up by the gate and having everyone use that to schedule when they would like to use the arena.  Also, it was suggested that perhaps the two arenas should be scheduled separately so that if one group was using one of the arenas, the other may be free.

The suggestion was also made that it would be nice to have some open nights where the public could take advantage of the arena.  A suggested was made that perhaps having those using the large arena, warm up in the smaller one and then leave the smaller one free during their activities in the larger one.

It was also noted that many times, people schedule the area for many times and many hours at a time.  Perhaps there should be a limit to the number of days and hours the areas can be scheduled by certain groups.   

Leavitt thanked the Commissioners for getting the special dirt that has been put into the arenas.  She said that it is nice ground for riding.  She noted that the Commissioners had also bought the machine that is used to work the ground in the arenas and how important it is that the materials get watered daily.  She noted that it wasn’t taken care of quite as well as it could be and asked if someone could be assigned to turn the water on and off on a regular schedule.  The Commissioners thought that maybe a timer could be attached to the sprinkling system so that the water would came on early in the mornings and automatically turn off after a certain amount of time.

Apparently, there are some rain birds on the sprinkling system that need to be repaired or replaced.  There are areas at are not getting wet at all when they do water the arena grounds.

The Commissioners thanked Cally Leavitt and Candy Cornia from bringing this item to their attention.  They said they would work on getting a schedule calendar and look into watering the arenas in the future.  They said they would also work with the County Extension Office to see if they had any ideas and ways to improve how the two arenas are used.

Branches And Birds

Photo by Lauriann Wakefield, Little Starling Photography, Garden City

More Money For County Fair Concession Stand

Anita Weston, Reporter
Rich Civic Times

RANDOLPH, Utah.  March 12, 2018.  The Cache County Fair Managers, wanted to know what the County was doing concerning a new concession stand by the City Park and Rodeo Grounds.  Randolph City received $40,000 grant from the TRT (transient room tax) tax and were putting that grant money toward the new Concession Stand.  The County noted that they, too, had $40,000 TRT money that they were putting toward the new Concession Stand.  The County Extension Agent said that he had some funds from the Extension Office that he would like to put into this project and would like to be involved with these plans.  The new concession building had been suggested to be 40’ x 60’.  If the 4H became involved with this building, he thought it could be extended to handle some of the 4H materials and activities as well. 

It was noted that the old concession building has not been demolished because all the power on the whole block is tied into the one side of this old building.  All that power will need to be moved before the building will come down.  It will be a challenge to get all the power moved to more logical locations

No decisions were made because more input from all parties involved need some time to determine exactly how much money they have and how it will work with building size and so forth.  

Rep. Wilde Update on 2018 Legislative Session

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of the 2018 Legislative Session

Hello All! Representative Wilde here. It’s been a crazy forty-five days, and I want to share a few of the highlights with the voters of District 53. There was a little bit of drama, wheeling and dealing, and of course, some unexpected highs and lows thrown in just for fun. Without further ado, here is the good, the bad, and the ugly of this session:

The Good

·       Taxpayers

With a decrease in our income tax rate to 4.95%, taxpayers will save around $20 million. Add in $84 million in early payoffs on current building debts, and our wallets should be celebrating.

·       Education System

The Legislature has upped the game on education, showing we are serious about our children’s future and opportunities for learning and growth. We increased the education budget by $300 million and increased the Weighted Pupil Unit as well. This will allow us to increase teacher salaries and provide more funding for teacher aides. This is a win for our students, teachers and parents.

·       Suicide Prevention

Teen suicide is on the rise in Utah, and we are worried about our youth. The governor created a community task force to help combat this epidemic. To support those who may be struggling, the legislature approved the creation of a Statewide Suicide Hotline and passed a Medicaid Waiver for Mental Health issues to help those who are at risk who may not have the resources to get the help they so desperately need.

·       Martha Hughes Cannon

A joint resolution to send Martha’s likeness to the US Capitol sailed through both the House and Senate. The first woman in the nation to be elected to the State Senate, Martha was an advocate for Women’s Rights and one of the first women to practice medicine in Utah. It was a privilege to honor her this legislative session.

·       Winter Olympics

The House and Senate passed a concurrent resolution to explore the possibility of once again hosting the Winter Olympics and Paralympics in the future. This opportunity will bring growth and tourism to our state, I was happy to support this venture.

The Bad

·       Property Tax

The Legislature passed an increase in property tax. This will be accomplished by freezing the current tax rate for the next five years. I am not in favor of this measure, I feel that it is unfair to property owners in our state.

·       The Plastic Bag Bill (aka The Bill Against Park City)

This bill would have prohibited municipalities and counties from creating legislation on the disposal of auxiliary containers (plastic bags, bottles or containers). I spoke against this bill on the Floor. I feel that we should let the municipalities and counties handle their own trash, in the way that works best for them. This bill didn’t pass, cities and counties can sleep easier, knowing their garbage is still in their own hands.

·       Private Attorney General Doctrine

This bill would have allowed individuals to be compensated for attorney fees when they bring litigation against the state government. I voted against this one. I think it has the potential to bring about many frivolous lawsuits.

·       Utah Lake Amendments

This bill allows for the creation of land peninsulas in Utah Lake that could then be used for more housing and building in that area. Two words: Algae Bloom.  This one passed the House and Senate, but not with my vote.

The Ugly

·       Donald J Trump Highway

President Trump has done a lot of good things for our state in the short time that he has been president. I am grateful for the reduction of both Bears Ears and Grand Staircase National Monuments. I just don’t think it’s time to name a highway after him.

·       Election Laws

What a mess! With the Count My Vote and Keep My Voice Ballot Initiatives, the SCC’s new by-laws, and legislation aimed at fixing SB54 or making preemptive strikes against whatever happens next, candidates and voters alike are frustrated and confused. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out in the November Election.

There you have it folks, the ups and downs of the legislative session. Of course, this is just a tiny bit of what happened on the Hill. If you have questions on a bill I didn’t cover, or just want to know where I stand on any of the issues that face us every day, please contact me at loganwilde@le.utah.gov. I will get back to you as soon as I can. As always, my family and I are so very thankful for your continued support. Thank you for trusting me with your vote. I hope to see many of you at your upcoming county conventions.

Rich High 'Beauty and The Beast' A Success

Beauty and the Beast on opening night.
Photos by Laura Stocking Cluff

Eighteen Wheeler Philosophy

The..NUGGET...caper of ‘78!

By Mel Hansen, Eighteen Wheeler Philosopher 

Boone Weston!  Remember back when you were a senior and I, a junior in high school and we came out here to play ‘Bendover in baseball?  After the game, of which we won, of course, we came to the Nugget to eat, on the Utah side of course, and afterward you, Rusty, Kris and I were standing on the Utah side of the casino watching an old guy shoveling quarters into the row of slot machines.

Coach came up to us and told us to make sure we didn’t cross the line into Nevada, and he went to pay for our meals.

Well, of course, one of us was going to cross the line and put some quarters into a one arm bandit.  After such a challenge had been issued not to. So we discussed it over for just a brief second or two and decided you were the man for the job. I mean, Hell, those slot machines were only 10-15 feet away.  Boone certainly was faster than Flash Gordon, no way in hell could your speed be caught on camera, let alone by the human eye.

So we each divvied up a Georgie Washington quarter for you to invest for us, and away you went!

 You were a thing of athletic beauty, the way you moved across the starting and forbidden line, put all 4 quarters in one slot machine, pulled the arm and back behind the line before the dials quit spinning!

And I’ll be damned if your speed wasn’t rewarded.  That one arm bandit started going ding! ding! ding!..and started puking out quarters like crazy! We four just stood there with our mouths open, wide-eyed, looking at each other.  Saying, "what in the Hell do we do now?"

The kind ol gent that was there looked at us.  Probably a little pissed, he had been dumping quarters into that machine with no luck, but said to us,  "Hurry up and throw me one of your hats, ya lucky little shits, and I’ll fill it up for ya so ya can get your...assets...out of here before security shows up and throws ya all in jail."

Again! With blinding speed and accuracy, off came your hat and a perfect throw to the ol boy. who was pretty damn quick his own self in filling it up and returning it back to you.  Then we four sprinted out to the bus with the returns of our investments! OK. “ill-gotten booty”.

Always felt bad that we didn’t give our man on the inside his share though, or Delford for being such a superb”Wheel Man!”

Or Coach!  For being the mastermind in issuing us such a challenge in the first place!

I believe we got a nontaxable return of around $45-50 bucks, on a $1.00 dollar investment.  Not bad!

Snow Morning Reflections

Photo by Kendra Hanson Bjoralt, Garden City

Bear Lake Corridor Study Map Online

The Bear Lake Corridor Study Survey map and discussion is online at http://richcountyut.org.  To provide feedback on transportation issues, select a pin and add it to the map. When you drop a pin, you will see a popup window with a field for adding comments. Feel free to include a comment with your drawing. To change the background imagery click the "Satellite" button.

To ensure confidentiality, comments are not visible to others. This means that your comments will be hidden when you visit again or refresh your browser window.

Preliminary alternatives that can be viewed online:

http://gis.fehrandpeers.com/BearLakeAlternatives/. Note that the concepts are not formal recommendations at this stage in the study; these are potential solutions that address the feedback received. We are interested to hear your thoughts - please submit comments on the Survey Map or email k.cook@fehrandpeers.com.

Positive Impacts

Rich Superintendent Dale Lamborn has initiated a news column in the Rich School District website. http://www.richschool.org

Positive Impacts is to inform parents and citizens of Rich County of the many things that are happening quietly in the schools that are improving the student's school experience.  Lamborn has invited staff members to recognize other staff members work by posting articles on the district home page. 

 The latest article talks about the extra efforts the school lunch providers have gone to help a newly diagnosed child with type 1 diabetes.

"A couple of months ago one of our students was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. It has been a huge learning curve for all of us involved. The lunch ladies have jumped right on board and gone out of their way to accommodate this student. Every day for breakfast and lunch they have a paper set out and ready that has all the food options and carb counts for this student. This makes it so easy for her teachers to count her carbs and get her insulin ready.

It cuts down on so much time we would otherwise have to spend every morning and afternoon doing ourselves. If the main meal isn’t something this student wants to eat they provide her with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich instead. I have been AMAZED at their kindness and efficiency with this
difficult situation. We are SO lucky to have such an amazing food service staff at SRE. Thank You!"

Lake Shine

Photo by Leonard O'Reilly, Garden City

Gorgeous Sunday morning sunrise

Fire District Impact Fee Resolution #R04-102

NOTICE OF INTENT TO AMEND GARDEN CITY FIRE DISTRICT IMPACT FEE RESOLUTION #R04-102 FOR PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITIES, GARDEN CITY, RICH COUNTY, UTAH

Garden City Fire District, a local Government Entity in the State of Utah, located in Rich County pursuant to the requirements of Utah Code sections 11-36a-502, 11-36a-504 and 10-9a-205, hereby gives notice of its intent to amend their Impact Fee Resolution for public safety.  The proposed Impact Fee(s) will be based on a GCFD Impact Fee Analysis in accordance with 11-36a-303 and -304 to increase the size of the current Fire Station required to accommodate the projected private and commercial developments within the district. 

The Garden City Fire District board will hold a Public Meeting and Hearing as soon as feasible after the analysis is completed in accordance with 11-36a-502. When scheduled, the meeting and hearing date will be posted and will be in the GCFD Fire Station training room located at 145 W Logan Road, Garden City, Utah. 

The purpose of the Public Meeting and Hearing is to receive input on, and consider approval and adoption of the proposed amended Impact Fee Resolution. All interested persons will be given reasonable opportunity to be heard. Copies will be published on the Utah Public Notice Website and placed in the Garden City public library in accordance with 11-36a-502 (1)(c)  If you have questions, please contact Randall Knight at (801) 602-1752.

DATED this March 9, 2018

Garden City Fire District

By: Randall Knight

GCFD Board Chairman