Mother’s Day weekend is promising to be memorable in the Vernal area. The sky will be colorfully decorated with the launch of the first annual Dinah “SOAR” Hot Air Balloon Festival. As this is a first time for this event there are a few things the community needs to know. First, it’s important to know that hot air balloons rise up and float down multiple times during a flight. If a balloon lands near your home, please do not be alarmed.
A celebration of the ‘World of Words’ is bringing together local reading and writing enthusiasts. Terry Hane is the brains behind the event happening Saturday at the Uintah County Library. “It was just a zany idea I had while helping my friend with her book signings,” shares Terry. “
The opioid epidemic stretches far and wide and with more distribution of a special drug overdose medication, more lives are being saved. Last week the drug Narcan was used to successfully mitigate a drug overdose in neighboring Sweetwater County.
A Uintah teacher was recognized this week in Washington D.C. as the Teacher of the Year for the state of Utah. English teacher Aaryn Snow Birchell was named the State of Utah’s 2018 Teacher of the Year last September.
Roosevelt City is making good on its word. Their ‘Improve My City’ competition wrapped up just last week having invited the community to enter areas of the city in need of improvement. On Wednesday, the city announced that the winner of the competition was Jon Wilson who suggested getting new billboards to welcome people into Roosevelt City.
There are plenty of places to fish in northeastern Utah but the DWR has a specific recommendation if you’re looking for peace, solitude and a beautiful backdrop. Randy Oplinger, sport fisheries coordinator, recommends Flaming Gorge when fishing to get away from it all.
The BLM Vernal Field Office is seeking public comment on two proposed treatment projects in Greater sage-grouse habitat. The Miners Draw project is located 6 miles east of Jensen and the Augusi Canyon project is 53 miles south of Jensen. Both are proposed in order to reduce hazardous fuels in the sage-grouse habitats. “Both projects will reduce fire frequency and limit large fire growth,” shares Fire Management Officer Chris Deets.
It should come as no surprise but the Uintah Basin economy relies greatly on the Extraction industry. As was shared during Tuesday’s Vernal Chamber luncheon meeting, 60 percent of the economy in the Basin and 50 percent of the jobs come from Extraction.
Local fans gathered at the Uintah County Library last Saturday as 12-year-old Vernal Middle School student Shelbi Webb debuted her comic book Sugar Glider during her hometown book launch. Shelbi and her dad Jason were talking one day in March of 2017 how it would be fun to create their own comic book character.
A judge will help settle the differences between Dutch John and Daggett County. The latest update from the Daggett County Commission states that “Dutch John has formally filed a Notice of Claim suing Daggett County to have a judge determine the language of the privatization of Dutch John.