Rich at High Level for Covid transmission

 Rich County just went up to High Level for Covid Transmission. It doesn't change much except to request a limit of gatherings of 10 or fewer. But it means there are more people getting covid and easier to pass. Stay safe everyone! https://coronavirus.utah.gov/utah-health-guidance-levels

Senior Services and Food Pantry

 Senior Services will be at the Garden City library at 2:30 on Wednesdays if you need assistance with Medicare, your smart phone, ordering online, anything! Ken Hull is glad to help! Masks are required.

Garden City Food Pantry above the library will be open today from 4-6 pm. Budgets are tight, come get assistance, so everyone can have a Merry Christmas! Masks are required.

For those wishing to donate food items, they are in need of seasoning packets (i.e. gravy mixes, taco season, sloppy joe seasoning, etc.), cooking oil, cold cereal, canned meats and canned fruits. "Kid friendly" food to help get families through the holiday break is helpful as well. Things like milk, juice, pudding, cheese slices, jelly, bread, fresh fruit and veggies, etc. will really help. Perishables need to be brought to the pantry during open hours (Tues 1-3 pm and Wed 4-6 pm). Non-perishables can be brought any time or left in the breezeway of the library.

Eighteen Wheeler Philosophy

 By Mel Hansen

And this is one of the many reasons my Grandma and Mum called me a “Damn Little Devil!” Sitting here listening to a local radio station as I’m getting

offloaded...the DJ is asking:

“What food dish that your mom...or spouse...made/makes that regardless of hurting their feelings did you refuse to eat?”

Immediately I had the answer for my sweet mother! It’s the only thing she made I just couldn’t bring myself to swallow!

Her...Christmas Fruit Cake.

I even tried to let mold grow on a loaf she sent with me to take back to college one time to see if that would make it taste better? It was so bad that even the mold wouldn’t grow on it!

Now to be fair to my sweet mother, my Grandma Hansen’s was just as horrifying, but my Grandma had this “secret Rum sauce”she would pour over hers! I would lick that piece of Fruit Cake until it was shiny enough to see myself in, and then suck on bites of it until it lost its flavor, and then look for the dog to see if he wanted what I was about to spit out!

Remember when your parents would tell ya, ”All you’ll get in your Christmas Stocking will be a lump of coal!”

I feared a loaf of Christmas Fruit Cake in my stocking way more than a lump of coal!  At least a lump of coal will burn and provide a little warmth!

Both my Mum and Grandma knew I didn’t like their Christmas Fruit Cake! I think that’s why they took particular delight in watching me trying to eat it!

Now as for my pretty little wife?  She’s still feeding me, and there’s nothing she makes that I won’t eat!

But she’s never tried cooking me a Christmas Fruit Cake either!

Snow Tracks

 

Photo by Eric Roman

Update on Matt Cluff

Several readers have asked for an update on Matt Cluff, the owner of Summit Pizza who had a stroke last month. He is making slow progress. Here is the latest report from his wife, Laura. Donations and prayers are so helpful.Venmo @Laura-Cluff (https://venmo.com/Laura-Cluff) or GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-matt-cluff or Tax-Deductible Donation use Venmo @Xtra-Mile-1 (https://venmo.com/Xtra-Mile-1)

By Laura Cluff

We brought Matt’s iPad today to see if that would work better for him to communicate with us, but he was super sleepy again so he couldn’t really do anything at first. I thought for sure having something electronic would make him excited, but he just kept falling asleep.

The respiratory team tried to do the speaking valve with him today but his coughing was too strong and the valve went flying off a couple times. They said that’s pretty normal for a first try though and they might come back again tomorrow and try.

After they left the physical therapy people came in and worked with him. They got him sitting up and he looked pretty darn good! Other than the fact that he looks sooo skinny. He’s lost about 35 pounds. We got to hug him and he started crying when he hugged me. It was the saddest but sweetest thing.

The Cluffs this summer

Then after they were done we were going to leave because we thought he’d for sure be worn out but he finally actually seemed awake. So we asked him if he wanted to try to do the iPad one more time and he did. He wasn’t coordinated enough to use the keyboard but he wrote using his finger and we were able to figure out another message! He wrote, “I need your help to stay kool!” Yes, cool with a k. And earlier he had written “hot”. They had just taken his temp and he was fine but I guess he just felt hot so we got fans blowing on him and he was super happy about that. Yay for more progress! #onedayatatime

Bear River Health Department Report

We are reporting 271 new cases on Saturday December 12. We currently have 12,324 total cases in our health district. 

NEW CASES TODAY: 271 in the Bear River Health District, Rich, Cache, Box Elder Counties.

LAST UPDATED: DECEMBER 12, 2020 10:00 AM 

Rich County has had 53 cases and no deaths

COVID testing

 

Bear Lake Ice Stars

Photo by Carol Ann Dyer

 

Letter from Rich School District

Dear Parents:

As we approach the end of the first trimester of the 2020-2021 school year, I wish to thank all of the students, parents and staff, that have made this first trimester such a success.  I am grateful that we are still meeting for face to face instruction. I hope daily, that we can continue to do so for the remainder of the year.  As a district, we are trying to be vigilant in doing what we can to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 within our school.  We are committed to doing so in the future.

I am appreciative of the teaching staff for their combined efforts to provide a hybrid model of instruction so that those students that are at home sick and/or quarantined, can continue to access instruction from the classroom teacher, access information, and submit assignments and assessments.  When we have had students quarantined, this model has been a great bridge for them to continue learning from home.

We have also had some parents/students who have chosen to use the hybrid model for the entirety of the first trimester.  To those parents/students we issue an invitation to join us for face to face instruction, at the school, during the second trimester.  We feel that the hybrid model has been effective and can continue to be effective.  It was intended to bridge gaps for students who were absent for a period of time, but we believe that face to face instruction has benefits that are difficult to replicate in a digital platform.  Therefore, we remind you that you are welcome to return to face to face instruction, at any time and would encourage you to do so if medical conditions allow.

Secondly, we had parents who opted to enroll their student(s) in online schools, outside of the district.  Again, we support those decisions and hope that your student(s) are having a quality experience.  If, for any reason, the online experience is not working for you, we would welcome your child back to Rich School District.

This is a very difficult time in our country.  However, our children still deserve the very best educational experience we can give them.  They deserve to acquire the requisite skills that will enable them to be successful in their future endeavors.  Rich School District is here to help students and parents in this process.  We look forward to our continued partnership.

Sincerely,
Dale Lamborn

Readathon Logs due December 15

December 15th is the LAST DAY to turn in your PBS Kids Utah November Readathon logs. Remember to submit your time online AND bring your paper logs to the Garden City Library to be entered into a drawing! You can also leave your logs in the book return or slide them under the front door. Keep Reading!

Angel Tree Giving

By Randall Knight

Have you seen the various Angel Trees in town with Christmas Wishes for some of the needy kids in the county?  The city has put them at the Shell, Ace and Chevron, possibly at other places too.

Anyway, if you can please stop by and choose one or more of the wishes and either buy the gift and deliver it to the city office or gift wrap the wish and donation to them.  Or if you don’t feel like picking out a wish but would like to donate, then that works as well.  The gifts and donations need to be delivered to the city this Friday.  Please feel the spirit of Christmas and help these kids have a Merry Christmas.  There are several wishes on the trees that still need to be filled.

 

Reflections on the Journey

 Ed Note:  Leslie struggles with brain chemistry issues and is sharing her amazing journey as a wonderful wife, mother, friend and colleague.

By Leslie Scott

"The best antidote I know for worry is work. The best cure for weariness is the challenge of helping someone who is even more tired. One of the great ironies of life is this: He or she who serves almost always benefits more than he or she who is served." -Gordon B Hinckley

Week 2 of my new medication took me to Richfield, Utah for the state basketball tournament. It was a good little break from the routine of everyday life, but it was also amazingly difficult.

Taking an anxious person and putting them in a highly anxious situation is like giving a child their favorite candy bar and telling them they can never eat it. It is sheer torture! And while NOTHING in this life would ever keep me from watching my son do what he loves most, I wanted to curl up in a ball and hide.

The boys didn't make it as far in the tournament as we would have liked, but our Rich Rebel girls made it all the way to the finals! I dreaded this game! From the moment they started announcing the teams, I knew I wouldn't make it. I was fighting the tears, and we had a full hour left to go.

I happened to be sitting right behind one of the coaches wives. In the moment I thought I would break, her sweet, 4 month old daughter started to scream. I knew exactly how she felt! I was reminded of this quote above, and asked if I could take her out in the hall for a minute. And my beautiful friend kindly said, yes!

The moment we got in the hall, this angelic baby girl fell asleep in my arms. I couldn't take a sleeping baby back into a loud arena, could I? We sat, the entire game, in the lobby of the Sevier Center. It was the best basketball game I've ever been to!

In that hour, my heart melted! The storms that were raging in my head calmed, and I thought about nothing but this sweet baby girl. Did I serve my superhero friend that was struggling at a basketball game with 3 small kids? I hope so! But the blessings were all mine! I benefited far more in that hour than I had hoped were possible.

I will never forget the calming of a storm by a four month old. And I will always try to remember to serve when I can, as I strive to take life ONE DAY AT A TIME.

Ice

Photo by Marta Maynard Matthews

 

Santa Visit

By Joey Stocking

Rich Civic Times

GARDEN CITY, Utah. December 3, 2020. Santa and Mrs Claus came to visit the children of the Bear Lake area today. The Garden City Fire District helped him out with a ride due to the lack of snow in town. The Town of Garden City and the Bear Lake Valley Chamber of Commerce helped pass out Mrs Claus cookie decorating kit and Santa's gift to the children. Thanks for coming to visit Santa and stay healthy for the 25th!

Garden City Fire District Board meeting

Leonard O’Reilly, Reporter

Rich Civic Times                             

GARDEN CITY, Utah. December 2nd, 2020. Randall Knight presided - two board members absent.

There was a short discussion and approval of the 2021 budget.  It was pointed out that the 3% increase in monies coming from the county via property taxes were unfortunately not included in this year's taxes but will be included in 2022 at 6%. This shortfall was due to the state assessor’s failure to include it thereby creating a need for an adjustment to the budget, a reduction of training expenses, noting that many will be cancelled anyway due to the ongoing pandemic.

Chief Wahlberg gave a construction update on the addition. Electrical is complete. Sewer hookup to be completed the week of 7th to 11th. They are working on all the interior finish work.

 

Bear River Association of Governments notified the chairman that the county has "Covid Cares Act” monies available for virus related personal protection equipment and related items.  The commissioners told the chairman that they could access between $6 - $7,000 dollars.

 

It is a regret of the board and the department that the annual Christmas gathering had to be cancelled due to the virus. They are adamant that it will be celebrated later in the year.

 

The responses for the month were:

3 - Medical calls

1 - Carbon Monoxide call

2 - Fire alarms