Month: December 2018

This year the grand total raised by the Trees For Charity event is $266,281, beating last year’s total of $260,000. “I want to thank our community for coming together to raise so much for so many great causes,” shares 2018 Trees For Charity Chairman Jessie Barton. “Without you this wouldn’t happen. We live in a great community.” The trees garnered $218,000 dollars in donations during the auction gala in November. There were 46 trees auctioned with the tree for Corbin Dansie securing 6 bidders for a combined total donation of over $24,000 dollars, the highest of the night. Votes from the tree view were added up and the People’s Choice award was given to ‘The Sweetest Gift’ to benefit Kathy Reynolds in memory of Cal Dee Reynolds. The Kid’s Choice award was given to the Superman tree. 

Family and friends are mourning the passing of a valued member of the Vernal community. According to a press release from Idaho’s Bingham County Sheriff Craig Rowland, the Bingham County Dispatch Center was advised of a plane crash by the Aberdeen Airport on Monday at around 9:15am. “Officers from Aberdeen Police and Bingham County Dispatch Center were dispatched to the scene,” shares Sheriff Rowland.

Ashley National Forest has closed several roads. Red Cloud, White Cloud Loop, Taylor Mountain Road, Dry Fork and Whiterocks have been closed for the season. Do not let perceptions throw you off. The roads may look passable from a distance but they quickly become icy and deep with snow. Closing roads is not an arbitrary choice.

Paying off a library fine can come with the bonus of helping locals in need as Food for Fines continues at the Uintah County Library. Every year during the holidays, the library accepts canned goods in lieu of fines that will then be donated to the Ashley Valley Food Pantry. Bring in undamaged, unexpired, boxed or canned non-perishable food items to the Uintah County Library for a credit towards library card fines. This does not apply to lost or damaged items. Food For Fines runs through the end of the year. The neighboring Uintah Heritage Museum also has a simple service opportunity that could truly brighten the Christmas season for local elderly community members. A card making station is at the Heritage Museum during museum hours where homemade Christmas cards can be made. The cards will be taken to the Golden Age Center on Thursday and then delivered with Meals on Wheels and to other elderly locals who are homebound. Spreading the joy of the season doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive as the Uintah County Library and Heritage Museum are evidence of.

Yuletide logs make for a cozy fire but the Roosevelt Fire Department wants to remind people about the dangers of Christmas tree fires. It is estimated that an average of 200  homes a year suffered structure fires started by Christmas trees. Sadly these fires have resulted in a yearly average of 6 deaths, 16 individuals injured and $14.8 million dollars in property damage.

The Vernal Regional Airport has reached their goal of 10,000 departing passengers in 2018. Airport manager Doug Brown announced Monday that the goal had been reached and expressed gratitude for the support of the community and businesses. The numbers provided by SkyWest combined with the oilfield charter flights through Key Lime Air and the numbers from Boutique Air for the first half of the year come to 10,035 departing passengers so far this year.

Although struggles have hit Duchesne County, it hasn’t fallen on deaf ears. In a report to his constituents, Utah Representative John Westwood from District 72 shared that lawmakers recently visited Duchesne County to see the areas impacted by the Dollar Ridge Fire. Members of the Executive Appropriations Committee saw with their own eyes the impact of the fire this past summer.

What does Iceland volcanoes, a Tanzania safari, and Southern Africa mountain biking have in common with the Uintah Basin? According to Forbes magazine, they are all on the list for the greatest adventures for 2019. 150 years ago, in 1869, John Wesley Powell set out to explore the Green and Colorado Rivers. Now there is an opportunity to relive this monumental exploration. The trip will be a 466 mile, 28 day, fully-outfitted river trip running from Flaming Gorge to Lake Powell and will include such highlights as traveling through ancestral Pueblo ruins, hiking to a ranch where Butch Cassidy’s Wild Bunch stayed,  as well as a chance to run rapids. There are three different options that start in June 2019. In conjunction with the 150th anniversary, local leaders are planning events and activities that will bring tourists to the area as we celebrate J.W. Powell’s trek.