Editor’s Note: The Observer published this column in its April 11, 1997, edition under the headline: “Texas: Laboratory for Lunacy.” That year’s private school voucher proposal narrowly died at the Lege Watch Texas spend more on prisons than it does on schools Thinking of making your tax structure more regressive Come to the Lone Star State and see how it’s done.  The latest brainstorm to afflict our friendly pols in Austin is school vouchers Consider the beauty of this nifty scheme as it might eventually be worked out under the guidance of the Texas Lege that’s how the advocates are advertising this lunacy):  ■We give vouchers to all the students who are already in private or religious schools around the state $1 billion out of the budget for our public schools ■We also give all the kids now in public school a voucher thus theoretically enabling these children to attend the schools of their parents’ choice: Unfortunately private schools might find themselves under no obligation to accept any of our kids; they could be rejected because of their religious affiliation on the grounds that they’re not bright enough because the school administrators don’t like their looks—any reason not specifically excluded by law trying to alert the citizenry to this dread downside of the school voucher idea “Proposed voucher legislation would allow private schools to recruit the best athletes and students at taxpayer expense.” Folks Quel horrifying thought: The whole high school football tradition is in dire peril the good private schools we’d all like to send our kids to already have waiting lists a mile long Mark’s in Dallas with a voucher clutched in his or her little hand; those schools cost $10,000 a year and our little school voucher won’t cover half the cost.  some upper-middle-class folks might be able to afford a fancy private school with a voucher to help but working-class and middle-class kids are going to be stuck just where they always were Why should we spend public money to help just that one thin slice of the population when it won’t improve the public schools?  The rural kids are really going to get burned by this idea Hundreds of rural school districts don’t have a single private school but because of the way state education financing works they’d still lose thousands of dollars from their budgets for the public schools without a single kid going to private school.  I realize this means nothing to our Legislature but it should be mentioned that the whole idea is rankly unconstitutional.  this concept is so bad that it has an excellent chance of passing the Legislature Much as we would like to help the rest of the nation by demonstrating once more just how stupid ideas work out in practice couldn’t we give this one a miss?  In case you’re wondering who is pushing this dingbat notion the same charmers who helped elect the right-wingers who now grace the state Board of Education If you haven’t checked in on the state board lately It’s a lot of fun—fruitcakes unlimited it’s gotten so bad that there’s even a bill in the Lege to replace it with an appointed board again.  You may recall that we’ve had this fight before In keeping with my Theory of Perpetual Reform What I really favor is the idea that no matter what we try it’s always a mess again and we need to try something else.  let me take on a sacred cow that is long past its prime: local control Have you noticed that the people who consider local control of the schools a sanctified arrangement are the same people who are always complaining about how terrible the schools are Have we considered the possibility that maybe local control is the problem?  A truism of the everlasting education debates is that someone somewhere has already solved whatever the problem is Someone somewhere is always doing a brilliant job of teaching physics to inner-city kids or teaching music to a bunch of rural kids in the 4-H who have heretofore considered Loretta Lynn classical music or getting bored suburban brats excited about Herman Melville.  The problem is that we can’t seem to replicate the successes in the schools across the board because there is no across the board Ask the folks in Dallas—they’ve had some lulus lately It seems to me just possible that maybe what we need to do is take education out of the hands of insurance salesmen Minute Women and other odd ephemera of the electoral process and put it in the hands of… well ’ official editorial run at the Texas Observer lasted six years it lasted a little longer—her syndicated columns appeared in these pages and she remained a stalwart advocate of the magazine until her death in 2007 Her irreverence and irrepressibility continue to help define the Observer today All of the Texas Observer’s articles are available for free syndication for news sources under the following conditions: You can chip in for as little as $3 a month Get our latest in-depth reporting straight to your inbox © 2021 The Texas Observer. All rights reserved. Site made in collaboration with CMYK Black Desert Resort is proud to announce the growth of its executive team with the appointments of Michelle Taylor as Executive Pastry Chef Michelle Taylor brings nearly 20 years of pastry experience to her role as executive pastry chef at Black Desert Resort Having studied at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Taylor found a passion for pastries at an early age which led to her baking for some of the most prestigious properties and golf events such as the US Open and the PGA Tour She previously managed the pastry and baking department for Pinehurst Resort a members country club and nine golf courses Taylor brings a passion for crafting both classic and innovative pastries to her role at Black Desert Resort emphasizing high-quality ingredients and artistic presentation All of Black Desert Resort's desserts are made in-house showcasing her commitment to quality and creativity Black Desert Resort is poised to become a premier destination for luxury hospitality The initial phase of the Resort Center is set to be complete this September and 45,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor meeting and event space Utah (KUTV) — The Black Desert Championship is bringing the top female golfers from all over the world to Ivins The green fairways winding through the lava fields while the sun sets over the red rock cliffs has made a major impression on the players David James spoke with several of the leaders to get their impressions of the Black Desert resort as they head into Sunday’s final round The top nine golfers hail from seven different countries Watch the interviews here and watch Talkin’ Golf Sunday night at 11pm for final round coverage George Police patrol unit responding to a scene off of River Road in St Stock image of courtroom inside of 5th District Court in St An Ivins man is back in jail after allegedly bilking a Provo business out of more than $7,500 one of several fraud and theft cases recently filed against the defendant was arrested by the Saratoga Springs Police Department and booked into the Utah County Jail on multiple charges filed at 4th District Court in Provo Tanuvasa faces three second-degree felony charges theft by deception and communications fraud; five third degree felonies two counts of possession of a forgery device and one count of theft by deception; and one misdemeanor count of theft who was released from jail in Washington County on April 3 was out of jail less than three weeks when Tanuvasa was arrested in Utah County The most recent arrest stems from an investigation into allegations of theft reported to the Provo Police Department on March 26 when the reporting party told police that Tanuvasa responded to an online ad for an open service advisor position Tanuvasa allegedly offered to provide "consulting services" to help generate more business for the company The reporting party paid the defendant $2,500 to an account under the name of "PDP Dental Pinnacle Denta UT,” which was one of Tanuvasa’s LLCs Tanuvasa reportedly told the complainant the payment went into the wrong account and that he would refund the money The reporting party said they paid with a check on March 14 then realized Tanuvasa never refunded the payment from the LLC Tanuvasa went to the complainant’s business to observe operations that visit was the first and only time Tanuvasa was at the business for the services he was paid to provide Tanuvasa was seen on security footage taking papers from the front desk and placing in a folder which the reporting party said were two blank checks belonging to the business made out to Tanuvasa and cashed later that same day at a bank in Orem for $2,500 allegedly had a signature on the draft that appeared to be forged The owner canceled the second check before Tanuvasa could cash it at the same Orem branch for $5,000 three days later also made out to Tanuvasa and signed in the name of the business owner’s wife Investigators said the attempt to cash the second check was foiled when Tanuvasa was unable to cash the canceled check Investigators later determined the signatures on the front of each check did not match the sample signatures provided by the business owner and his wife which included the $2,500 fee paid initially the $2,500 card payment that was never refunded and the forged check that was cashed for $2,500 The reporting party also told investigators Tanuvasa had a history of fraud a claim that was supported by “several news articles about previous arrests involving fraud and theft of thousands of dollars,” the officer noted in the report Investigators also learned of Tanuvasa’s recent arrest in Washington County on similar crimes and discovered the defendant reportedly used the same company to defraud other individuals of thousands of dollars The investigator went on to write that Tanuvasa has an extensive history with these types of crimes “and does not appear to be stopping despite being arrested on several occasions,” as noted in the report When detectives attempted to interview the defendant, Tanuvasa declined to answer questions without an attorney. He was arrested and booked into the Utah County Jail on April 15 facing the six charges related to the current case along with a violation of a restraining order charge At the same time Tanuvasa was involved in the incident in northern Utah, he was also charged in a case filed in connection with a $4,430 scheme involving a vacation rental in Hawaii that was reported to the Washington City Police Department on March 21 five days before the unrelated incident was reported to the Provo Police Department the defendant allegedly rented a vacation home in Hau'ula even though Tanuvasa did not own the residence a private home that police said was occupied by the owners Tanuvasa was arrested on one third-degree felony count of theft by deception and booked into jail in Washington County and charged with the offense the following day Tanuvasa has another open case filed in Washington County five months before the Provo incident, as reported by St. George News Tanuvasa was arrested for a check fraud scheme in which he allegedly passed more than $47,000 in bad checks at a credit union in St He was later charged with second-degree felony charges Tanuvasa remains in jail in Utah County on $7,500 bail He is scheduled to appear at 4th District Court in Provo on April 30 the defendant is scheduled to appear in 5th District Court in St George for a preliminary waiver hearing on May 30 In regards to the alleged bad check charges Tanuvasa is scheduled to appear for a preliminary-waiver hearing on July 3 This report is based on statements from court records police or other responders and may not contain the full scope of findings Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact Email notifications are only sent once a day summary of the weather details and news of any severe weather We'll send breaking news and news alerts to you as they happen Receive Sunday Local Offers Coupons from St Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page (Chris Samuels | The Salt Lake Tribune) Spectators watch play on the 16th hole during the first round of the Black Desert Championship PGA Tour golf tournament in Ivins When the first major of the LPGA Tour season came to a close in Houston this Sunday seven private jets were waiting to take off for Utah The Black Desert Championship — the first LPGA Tour event in the Beehive State since 1964 — is trying to roll out the red carpet for its players “I thought it was important to go a little bit over the top,” Patrick Manning and we’re sending private charters to go pick up the entire field and a plus-one there’s going to be custom Black Desert Championship Minky Couture blankets for them.” Manning believes Black Desert in Ivins is the only LPGA Tour event offering chartered jet travel to a tour event I’ve been told that there are no domestic charters doing that.” It is part of an effort for Black Desert to establish itself as a key stop on the tour. The southern Utah course opened last year, hosting a fall PGA Tour event in October. Lilia Vu plays her shot from the third tee during the first round of the LPGA CME Group Tour Championship golf tournament, Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023, in Naples, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Unlike the men’s event, which came after the PGA’s playoff had concluded, this LPGA stop will have many of the top players in the world. Lilia Vu, the tour’s No. 4 golfer, will tee it up. The field also includes Charley Hull (No. 8), Megan Khang (No. 22) and Allisen Corpuz (No. 30). Six of the top 10 golfers will head to Utah. The tournament has a $3 million purse, which is on par with some of the top events outside of the majors. For context, the Mizuho Americas Open in Jersey City has a $3 million purse. The Portland Classic in Oregon is $2 million. “I felt it was very important to really celebrate the women coming in. You know, they don’t always have the elevated experience that the men typically do,” Manning said. The field is notably missing the top player in the world, Nelly Korda. Manning said it was due to a scheduling conflict. “The only reason Nelly specifically [didn’t come] is because she’s defending a major the week before us,” Manning said, noting Korda won the Chevron Championship last year. Next year, Manning is hoping Korda will be on one of the planes taking players from Houston to St. George. But for now, he is planning on an elaborate reintroduction of the LPGA in Utah — hoping it attracts top players for the foreseeable future. On the grounds in Ivins, the players will stay for free and will have access to player dining. “Nowhere else on tour can they stay privately in a whole building; it’s just theirs,” Manning said. “And they can travel from the room to the locker rooms without public interface. They get from the locker rooms to player-only dining without public interface. So when they’re outside the ropes, they’ve got a pretty private experience if they want one.” (Chris Samuels | The Salt Lake Tribune) Practice holes at the Utah Tech golf team practice facility at Black Desert Resort in Ivins, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. Black Desert is offering two free youth tickets with every adult ticket purchased. It is an effort to get more fans out to the course and make the experience more affordable. A daily pass costs $60 for Thursday’s competition and $70 on the weekend. “We want to get as many youth out as we can and frankly, make it more affordable for families to be able to come,” Manning said. Utah hasn’t hosted an LPGA Tour event since 1964, when Riverside Country Club in Provo hosted an event. Courses in Ogden and Salt Lake also hosted LPGA Tour events in 1963 and 1962. For e-edition questions or comments, contact customer support 801-237-2900 or email subscribe@sltrib.com sltrib.com © 1996-2025 The Salt Lake Tribune Utah — The best players in women's golf are arriving in southern Utah for the LPGA's first tournament in the state since 1964 The women's Black Desert Championship begins Thursday in Ivins marking a historic return to the Beehive State after a six-decade absence Black Desert Resort is making history as the only course currently hosting annual PGA and LPGA events in the same year "It was the first time in 60 years to bring the men To bring them both in the same year is pretty amazing," said Manning WATCH: PGA Tour dreams become reality in weeks at new southern Utah golf course the final qualifying rounds took place with local talent competing George Pine View High School's Molli Mulhall and Utah Tech golfer Jane Olsen who had the advantage of playing on her home course Players encountered some unique desert hazards during qualification rounds including a rattlesnake that appeared near the 15th hole mentioned there had been concerns about having enough volunteers to staff the event we probably could have brought a few more dozen These cities are volunteer-ready," said Manning The LPGA professionals received VIP treatment upon arrival "I'm in my Jeep sitting on the runway at the airport watching the first of eight jets land bringing the ladies here from Houston and just rolling out the red carpet for them and sending the jets to pick them up," said Manning hosting them at the resort at no cost to them staying here It's just a lot of fun celebrating the women and showing them how much we appreciate the hard work they put in and how good they are." Organizers have made improvements based on lessons learned from the Black Desert PGA men's event last October particularly focusing on spectator movement around the course "We found a couple of things that we could improve upon one of which was we had a little bit of a bottleneck for spectators at 1 and 10 And so we've been able to move the tee boxes around and I think we will not see that be a pinch point here at the LPGA and future PGA events," said Manning The viewing structures have also been redesigned to enhance the spectator experience our builds were massive and they were very cool to look at So this year we decided to broaden the stands let the spectators really get that first-floor intimate feel up close to the players and not try to go so high It's also good for the residents because the residents didn't like to see the high buildings," said Manning Stay up to date on exclusive content from CBT News by following us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn Don’t miss out! Subscribe to our free newsletter to receive all the latest news insight and trends impacting the automotive industry CBT News is part of the JBF Business Media family Contact us: Info@CBTNews.com © Created by CBT News | Atlanta Web Design We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings we will not be able to save your preferences This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again is proud to announce the growth of its executive team with the appointments of Matthew Krueger as Executive Chef Resort Executive Chef Matthew Krueger is a culinary mastermind who brings nearly 15 years of experience to his role at Black Desert Resort Krueger led the culinary sector at World Equestrian Center in Florida as executive chef and also held positions throughout his tenures at some of hospitality's biggest names including Sea Island Resort in Georgia Krueger is tasked with crafting the overall menu concepts and sourcing ingredients through local purveyors for dish development a highlight of being a chef is guiding and inspiring his culinary team and his goal is to craft an authentic and unparalleled dining experience for guests and the local community This file photo shows a Utah Department of Public Safety Aero Bureau helicopter in St In this file photo shown for illustration purposes a Kane County Sheriff’s unit patrols near Lake Powell This file photo shows a Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter flying overhead This photo shows Pink Coral Sand Dunes State Park in Kane County An Ivins man who went missing in Kane County was found dead by rescuers Monday morning after a search by ground and air still parked at Pink Coral Sand Dunes State Park Mower was reported to the Kane County Sheriff’s Office as an overdue hiker just before noon on Sunday according to a statement released by the Kane County Sheriff's Office He was last seen Thursday morning when he visited the state park in a late-model Toyota Tundra with a white cargo trailer attached Days later, however, the truck and trailer were still parked near the entrance and Mower was nowhere to be found, according to a Facebook post shared by Mower's family The trailer had been modified for camping and typically hauled a green Honda all-terrain vehicle suggesting Mower may have taken it to explore the dunes Mower suffered from neuropathy in his legs and feet making it unlikely that he would hike very far on foot yet his camera gear was found inside the unlocked truck suggesting he wasn’t planning on being gone very long He was also a bug collector and would venture to remote areas to collect insects After a search of his vehicle and trailer failed to provide any new leads deputies spoke with other campers in the area to see if anyone had seen anything Deputies contacted the Santa Clara-Ivins Police Department to check on the hiker's residence and locate any family members or friends who might have relevant information emergency dispatchers in Kane County contacted Mower's cellphone provider to locate his device and reviewed the phone's historical data to determine where he may have traveled Kane County Sheriff's Search and Rescue team with assistance from Bureau of Land Management staff from Kanab conducted a ground search while the Utah Department of Public Safety launched a helicopter out of St Crews continued the search well into the night with no success he was deceased," Alldredge said in the statement The scene was processed by a medical investigator from the Kane County Sheriff's Office Mower was transferred to a mortuary in Kanab for transport to the Utah State Medical Examiner's Office in Salt Lake City for further investigation Alldredge lauded the efforts of the Utah Department of Public Safety Aero Bureau the Kanab Bureau of Land Management staff "and our tireless volunteer search and rescue members who took time away from their families and jobs to help search," he wrote The Kane County Sheriff's Office and Sheriff Tracy Glover extended their condolences to Mower's family and friends Ivins • Supporters of a beloved natural area in west Ivins are elated the land may no longer need to be submerged under 490 million gallons of treated wastewater Washington County Water Conservancy District general manager Zach Renstrom informed Ivins city officials in a Jan 16 letter that a $22 million reuse reservoir planned for the Dry Wash area is not necessary due to the strides the city has made in water conservation – at least for now Ivins’ per capita water use has dropped from 293 gallons per day to 166 gallons per day 1.2 million gallons a day or more than 1.3 billion gallons over that timeframe according to Ivins Public Works Director Chuck Gillette Ivins realtor Robert Bolar expressed relief over the district’s reprieve “This decision preserves not only the property values but also the unique charm and appeal of our area,” Bolar said “The decision not to build the reservoir in a luxury real estate area likely prevents potential declines in property values that would have resulted from the environmental and aesthetic changes associated with reservoir construction.” An acre-foot of water is approximately 326,000 gallons and is about how much water two households use in a year By storing treated wastewater for use in outdoor irrigation Dry Wash would free up culinary water that could be used to supply new homes cropping up in the county over the next two decades But those plans encountered stiff opposition from the Dry Wash Study Group an ad hoc group formed to oppose the reservoir which would hold as much as 1,500-acre-feet but be drawn down to a conservation level of 300-acre-feet during hot summers would expose 47 acres of lakebed dust that the wind could carry to the surrounding area Ellen Arch, a pediatrician and geneticist who lives in Ivins, warned city officials last April that the toxic elements found in the treated wastewater and windborne dust could trigger widespread outbreaks of respiratory and other diseases which would have been built on 90 acres between Kwavasa Drive and Highway 91 and could pose a safety risk due to its design and location in a residential area countering that many of the concerns were overblown or simply didn’t hold water Renstrom wrote that the district will put Dry Wash on hold and focus on building Graveyard Wash a $27 million reuse reservoir planned for the Santa Clara area near Highway 91 “While the district will work to preserve Dry Wash’s viability as a reservoir site the district’s current intent is to develop Dry Wash as a reuse reservoir only if Graveyard Wash Reservoir does not come to fruition or is inadequate to meet secondary [water] demands,” Renstrom told the mayor and council members in the letter If Graveyard Wash Reservoir gets derailed or doesn’t meet the demand district spokesperson Karry Rathje explained “the planning and design for Dry Wash Reservoir will resume,” though the district might opt to make it a drinking water reservoir a geophysicist and retired dean of engineering at Michigan Technological University hailed the district’s about-face on the reservoir saying taxpayers and rate-payers won’t “have to pay millions of dollars for a reservoir that has now been found to be redundant and unnecessary the return of this area to its original intended purpose -- an open natural space -- is now likely.” Ivins Mayor Chris Hart said Dry Wash Reservoir’s evolution from what many deemed a slam dunk to a long-shot possibility happened as a result of talks between the city and the district about possible alternatives to building the reservoir preferably one that would ease residents’ concerns Another important development occurred when the district contracted with the firm Stantec as the major engineering consultant for Dry Wash. Hart said when company officials began some new modeling to update the district’s westside reuse water storage needs, it asked for Ivins’ latest water use data, which was dramatically lower than the numbers the city provided several years ago. What they found, the mayor added, was that due to the city’s conservation efforts and strict water-use standards enacted in 2023, Ivins had the lowest per capita water use in the state and one comparable to Las Vegas, often considered the gold standard with respect to conservation. That meant the district did not need Dry Wash to slake its thirst for reuse water. Another major factor in putting Dry Wash on hold, Hart explained, is that the new homes being built in Ivins use far less water for outdoor purposes like watering lawns than their counterparts. That, in turn, frees Ivins from having to install a citywide secondary water system that city officials estimate could cost up to $50 million. “We made the decision ... that we were not going to go all the way with installing a full secondary water system because it’s not cost-effective to do it,” the mayor said. Instead, Ivins officials plan to build a much smaller system that will provide secondary water to municipal cemeteries, parks and new subdivisions that already have secondary systems in place – an outcome Pennington calls a likely “win-win” conclusion to the Dry Wash debate. is proud to announce the growth of its executive team with the appointments of Nicholas Gold as Managing Director As a well-respected leader with more than three decades of hospitality experience Nicholas Gold joins the Black Desert Resort team as managing director Gold is responsible for overseeing operations at Black Desert Resort and the award-winning Red Mountain Resort which are now managed by CoralTree Hospitality one of the top independent hospitality management companies in the United States Gold was vice president at 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay in Hawaii Gold has traveled around the globe and has held key leadership positions for several renowned players in the luxury hospitality industry including The Club at Kukui'ula in Kauai; Thompson Hotels in Playa del Carmen; Amangiri Resort in Canyon Point Ariz.; and Enchantment Resort & Mii amo Spa in Sedona multiple hotels and resorts have earned a number of prestigious awards and achievements and he has been instrumental in the launch of a number of esteemed events and initiatives L-R in this file photo: Ivins City Council members Mike Scott and Kevin Smith seen during the Ivins City Council meeting Ivins Mayor Chris Hart listens during the Ivins City Council meeting at Ivins City Hall Pictured is a map detailing the region of "Area four" in the Ivins City Annexation Plan's map of possible expansion areas Ivins Public Works Director Chuck Gillette speaks to the City Council of Ivins The Ivins City Council voted unanimously to approve an annexation plan draft with edits Thursday The council members discussed whether the new plan gave the council adequate power to set parameters on whether parties could make use of the city’s resources while residing on neighboring land Mayor Chris Hart ultimately asked the council to consider approval of an ordinance adopting the Ivins City Annexation Policy Plan as an amendment to the Ivins City General Plan we have a recommendation that’s come to us through the Planning Commission who has held their public hearing independently and come to this conclusion,” Mayor Chris Hart said of the draft the council considered Ivins resident Robert Roush, who lives on Red Desert Trail, approached the council on Thursday after submitting written comments expressing concern over “Area 4,” a portion of land marked as a possible expansion area Roush noted that four environmental protections are on the land; it was purchased with funding from the U.S it is located within the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve it is located within the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area and it is located within Snow Canyon State Park with the State of Utah Division of Natural Resources listed as the owner of the land Roush also cited statements from a public hearing on Oct where Hart said the council had “no interest” in developing the land which was designated as a “permanent open space” and “essentially undevelopable.” is for that to remain open space,” Hart said of the land during Thursday’s meeting Roush said that having the land marked on the map as an expansion area was like “the camel’s nose under the tent.” He said it would lead to parties trying to develop the land no matter how improbable the current situation appears with the city government as the only restriction Roush wanted the council to alter the language of the plan to strengthen land preservation Councilwoman Sharon Gillespie said she wanted to know they’d have to submit a petition to us and we have the power to say ‘No City Attorney Bryan Pack confirmed to Gillespie that the council would “have full discretion to say no.” Councilman Mike Scott said marking the land means the city at least has options on how to respond to someone who asks the city to annex them from that land “So that at least gives us the option to say because we want to deny them utilities and public safety and we’re not worried about the consequences if they try to go to the county,’” he said (we can say) ‘We will annex them because we are worried about the consequences if they go to the county.’ The city has the power at that point to go either way on that.” Hart asked Pack if a property owner can still request annexation even if the property in question is not marked in the annexation plan maps Pack said whether the land is marked or not any decision would come down to the same question of whether or not the city wanted to annex to a property owner on that land The council speculated that the Utah Trust Lands Administration formerly known as the School and Institutional Trust Land Administration could attempt to develop property on the land Several of them felt that it would be good for the city to have the land marked on their maps because the petitions for annexation would bring more conversation Councilman Mike Scott said that entities like the state officials are “going to go through whatever process they have to regardless of how many steps you put them through and whatever discussions you want to have about it.” “I think we have an astute enough staff and city manager legal counsel representing us up here that And I think I’d just prefer it with a little more control,” Scott said Ivins Public Works Director Chuck Gillette quoted the current draft of the annexation plan’s summary of Area 4 stating “It’s unlikely that this land would be annexed since it would require modifications to federal and state laws City population projections do not include any growth from this area.” Gillette said that the council “could strengthen that language up and say ‘The city discourages any development in this area,’ or something like that.” Scott said he would like to add a paragraph to the statement of purpose on page three and on the map itself “so it’s clear to people what this is all about.” Scott asked that new language to state the following: “This plan is not a declaration of intent to annex any land It is a proactive planning tool that allows Ivins to retain a voice in what occurs around its borders protect its character and prepare for future requests by property owners who may seek annexation The plan identifies land where annexation could be considered if requested by the property owner and if it aligns with city goals.” Pack clarified for the record that the city can initiate annexation “in certain situations.” Councilwoman Sharon Gillespie made a motion for the council to approve the Ivins City Annexation Policy Plan as an amendment to the Ivins City General Plan with amendments under map areas 1 and 4 indicating that “it is the city’s long-term plan to retain this area as open space.” And also including Mike Scott’s language as written above in Chapter One and on the map and as a third paragraph to the statement of purpose on page three This motion was seconded and then passed unanimously by the council members present The city’s annexation policy plan is in the process of being updated on the city’s website but it and other plans can be viewed there is proud to announce the growth of its executive team with the appointments of Brandon Hendricks as Vice President of Sales and Marketing As a multifaceted and driven leader with more than 30 years of experience in luxury hospitality Brandon Hendricks joins Black Desert Resort and Red Mountain Resort as vice president of sales & marketing Recognized as Sales and Marketing Leader of the Year for Marriott Luxury Hotels and Resorts (West) Brandon has led a distinguished career marked by leadership roles at premier properties ranging from small luxury boutique properties to one of the largest casino resorts in the world Hendricks served as Vice President of Commercial Strategy for Kohler Hospitality he held ranks as director of sales and marketing at Mauna Lani (Auberge Resorts Collection) Hendricks leads overall commercial strategy for Black Desert Resort and Red Mountain Resort including sales That's just one of the many messages promoted by the organizers of the “Take the Lead” Women's Leadership Conferences The group brought its one-day event to Black Desert Resort in Ivins to help women improve their lives in the areas of health Experts in a number of different fields gave talks on subjects ranging from risk-taking to holistic wellness to personal branding all with the intended goal of helping women live happier and more meaningful lives “This day will change your life if you let it.” That's the word from Angie Morgan creator of the “Take the Lead” conferences New York Times best-selling author and former member of the Marine Corps Morgan is uniquely suited to help other women rise up and meet their potential Women interested in learning from Morgan's experience were told that banishing doubt and low- confidence can unblock barriers to success Morgan said some people mistakenly think of leadership as a job title “I'm motivated to help people think of leadership as a behavior that can be applied to their lives,” Morgan said With change comes risk-taking which can place people out of their comfort zone Morgan points out that risks can be a bridge between where a person is now and where they want to end up thoughtful and methodical are the recipe for better futures positive change involves living with intention one step forward that will align them with what their life's true purpose is,” Morgan said juggling family obligations and a career can make them feel like they are being swept away in a storm owner of Confetti Kids Club and nine Runway Fashion Exchange stores Over the years as an entrepreneur and business executive Rowe has learned numerous skills for converting a whirlwind situation into a moment of clarity “Where I find success is when I'm able to step into the eye of the hurricane to find my inner peace “I make sure that my life is aligned so my hurricane has a purpose instead of just  destruction.” As one of the presenters at the “Take the Lead” conference Rowe inspired attendees with her wisdom and advice the more intentional a person needs to be about  harassing the power that storm can bring “More than anything I want women to find clarity in their path to success and perspective that they aren't doing this alone,” Rowe said Women encompass nearly half the work force in America according to the U.S Women also make the majority of spending decisions for their families Yet despite their combined earning and spending power women sometimes feel like they don't have a seat at the table when it comes to financial matters told workshop attendees a wealth mindset isn't about how much money a person makes it's about what they do with what they have “The ticket to success is taking full responsibility for your life and the events that happen around you,” Chastain said Chastain believes a robust wealth mindset involves building strong habits and being intentional with spending This doesn't necessarily mean investing in the market especially for those who are uncertain about the volatility that comes with it Women can grow wealth through things like investing in their own companies or real estate personal growth or high-yield savings accounts can shift financial outcomes over time,” Chastain said During Chastain's address at the “Take the Lead” event she assured audience members that women don't need to feel shame and guilt when it comes to spending women feel like they have to justify their expenditures or feel guilty if they're not constantly sacrificing Chastain said a “wealth mindset” includes feeling joyful powerful and aligned with financial matters Chastain hopes the women who attended the workshop came away with renewed hope, increased financial knowledge and a support system with other women wanting to build their own wealth. For more information about upcoming Take the Lead conferences, visit https://angieconnect.com/events/take-the-lead/ is proud to announce the growth of its executive team with the appointments of Ryker Brown as Director of Food and Beverage With more than 25 years of culinary expertise Brown oversees all food and beverage operations including menu creation for the seven dining venues on property Brown attended the world-renowned Le Cordon Bleu California School of Culinary Arts and has held multiple positions in almost every type of venue during the span of his career including luxury resorts such as Omni Hotels and Resorts and Waldorf Astoria Park City catering companies and even an equestrian facility where he was corporate director of culinary Brown is committed to crafting culinary experiences that transcend traditional dining reflecting the resort's unique blend of luxury His vision centers on creating a sense of place through high-quality and innovative dining concepts designed to captivate both resort guests and the local community who has been charged with first-degree attempted murder sits with his defense attorney during a preliminary hearing held in 5th District Court in St A preliminary hearing was held involving 46-year-old Frederick Stephen Mattinson who has been charged with first-degree attempted murder is facing first-degree attempted murder charge at a preliminary hearing held at 5th District Court in St 46-year-old Frederick Stephen Mattinson was charged with first-degree attempted murder following an incident in October 2024 reported at the Red Mountain Spa in Ivins Prosecutor Jerry Jaeger addresses the court in the case against 46-year-old Frederick Stephen Mattinson charged with first-degree attempted murder Further details emerged during a preliminary hearing for a Washington City man charged with attempted murder following an incident at an Ivins resort last fall who has been charged with first-degree attempted murder and second-degree felony property damage appeared for a preliminary hearing held at 5th District Court in St while the state was represented by prosecutor Jerry Jaeger; Mattinson was represented by defense attorney James Wright Santa Clara-Ivins Police officers responded to the resort and could hear guests yelling for help officers found a pool of blood near an injured woman who was unresponsive and transported to St George Regional Hospital in critical condition officers reportedly recovered suspected cocaine and marijuana along with luggage belonging to two individuals one of whom was reportedly the injured woman Mattinson was arrested later that same day and booked into Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility the aggravated assault charge was amended to a first-degree attempted murder charge in addition to the three misdemeanor drug charges prosecutor Jerry Jaeger said the enhanced charge was based on the nature of the attack and the “extreme level of violence that left the woman barely clinging to life.” It was only after the victim was being treated that the seriousness of those injuries began to emerge Jaeger went on to say the attempted murder charge also requires intent which did not surface until the investigation progressed which is when detectives determined that Mattinson “intended to kill the victim," and thought he did That 911 call was played during the preliminary hearing The injured party also took the stand and spoke of the extensive injuries she suffered that night which included fractures to both orbital bones and multiple fractures to her face and to the back of her head she said her head was “smashed so badly,” that it caused a brain bleed and large lacerations that required staples “If you saw me you’d think I was dead,” she said She spent several weeks in the hospital undergoing multiple surgeries to repair the damage she told the court she still requires follow-up care including another facial surgery that is scheduled in the next month She also said the assault left her with a brain injury that affects her memory she said she remembers seeing the Red Mountain Resort sign and she was with the defendant and no one else The next thing she remembered was waking up at the hospital and could not wrap her mind around what had happened “and I still can’t,” she said on the stand As far as how the brain injury has impacted her life she said the effects are “indescribable,” adding she no longer recognizes herself and the residual effects have prevented her from working going into public and has filled her with fear and anxiety the witness said she had known the defendant for more than 20 years and they had recently reconnected she never feared Mattinson and never knew him to be violent She testified that both were drinking beer that night and using marijuana and ketamine a substance they had both used a few times before Jessica Bate took the stand next stating she noted a great deal of blood on the landing where the injured woman was discovered She was told by the first responding officers that a male the officer testified she could see multiple signs of a struggle they found an AirPod case with a single earbud and a broken cell phone nearby they encountered a heavy duty entrance door that was severely damaged That damaged door played a role in the woman being discovered since it was equipped with a sensor that set off an alarm prompting a security guard to check the area During a search of the room officers also found a bag with victim’s ID and wallet In a backpack they found the Mattinson's wallet and ID also referred to as “ecstasy,” along with a plastic baggie of ketamine and a $100 bill rolled up on tray with cocaine residue In a bathroom trash can they found several empty cans of alcohol that matched cans found outside Bate said she spoke to Mattinson sitting in the back of a patrol vehicle and noticed an injury under his eye and scratches on his upper body She said the defendant told her he was from Spanish Fork and lives near Bryce Canyon the detective said since the incident took place in the middle of the night the scene was not well lit when the photographs were taken When they returned after sunrise the scene had been cleaned up by then Santa Clara-Ivins Police Detective Mike Pondoyo took the stand and said he met with the maintenance employee who told him there was more than $8,000 in damage to the door said preliminary hearings are not the same as they used to be the presumption is solely in favor of the state Wright told the court that while the judge would likely submit on two of the counts other than a "blanket conclusion," he did not believe his client was the one who damaged the door Jaeger went over the limited timeline that officers encountered that night when the maintenance employee found Mattinson first Further on they found the second AirPod in a case near the door along with the defendant’s shirt and other evidence that was found in close proximity to where the victim was found The judge ruled the state had met its burden on all counts and then bound the case over for trial and an arraignment hearing was scheduled in the case The defense asked the court to review the no-bail hold that was currently in place stating that while his client has a criminal history from years ago Mattinson is a business owner with strong ties to the community Wright went on to say his client is a divorced father and a good provider for his children and there is a 90-day inpatient treatment center that has an opening for his client the defendant could be placed on an ankle monitor Since it may take a while to gear up for trial Wright said he would like his client to get treatment during the process and asked that bail be set in the case Jaeger argued that Mattinson has a 20-page criminal history that consists of multiple felonies adding the defendant has a “serious drug problem,” and was kicked out of drug court on a prior case The prosecutor said Mattinson is a danger to the community and poses a flight risk so jail would not only keep the community safe but will also let the state know where the defendant is The state then he asked that Mattinson remain in custody without bail The judge said Mattinson is bound over on a serious charge and agreed the defendant poses a danger to the community and to the victim He then ordered Mattinson to remain in jail without bail This file photo shows the view of grandstands from the fairway at the Black Desert Championship golf tournament Ivins Mayor Chris Hart speaks at the recent city council meeting while Councilwoman Sharon Barton looks on L-R: Ivins Resident Greg Cherry listens to Black Desert Resort counsel Koko Head in Ivins The Ivins City Council approved a deal last Thursday intended to address concerns over a grandstand installed while Black Desert Resort’s golf course is used for upcoming PGA and LPGA golf tours This approval may mark the end of discussions which go back at least as far as late January when residents of Ivins’ Mesa Vista Drive voiced concerns over the grandstand's noisy construction and height which they say is tall enough to give spectators a view of the residents’ backyards approached the City Council during their meeting on March 6 to summarize the agreement so that any needed adjustments can be done at that time Head referred to this year as a “test year” for the agreement “It specifically addresses the construction time use and the removal of that grandstand,” he said “Our goal is to have the shortest construction time which I think is what the residents would like.” Head said that Black Desert’s subcontracted construction team may be able to reduce the grandstand’s height from three stories to two stories “We think that we’ve addressed all of the issues that were raised by the residents and done our best to make this fit,” Head said During previous discussions on this issue council members have been considering amendments to a city ordinance on land use permits and the construction of temporary structures Related to the noise issue was a question about how soon the construction team could start in the morning without bothering the Mesa Vista residents told the council that they would prefer Black Desert Resort prioritize “whatever we can do to shorten the time." resident Brian Sheffield approached the council to note that he saw the construction team remove the grandstand very efficiently last year He hopes that this means that the team will not need to make full use of the lengthy “cushion” of time provided for its construction and removal in the memorandum of understanding “I’m just hoping that we can replicate that same history of getting it up and getting it down again,” Sheffield said Mayor Chris Hart and other council members said they will be observing how this year’s construction efforts go compared to last year Councilwoman Sharon Gillespie then made a motion to approve the memorandum “with the altered condition that we start construction at 7 a.m with the maximums being 90 days for the PGA and 60 days for the LPGA.” Hart said he believed the discussion leading up to the motion was “thorough” and that “we have an understanding here.” The council then approved this motion unanimously Thick black smoke billows from a blaze burning through a large lot on Kwavasa Drive near the corner of 200 South in Ivins Heavy black smoke billows from a fire reported at a large lot on Kwavasa Drive near the corner of 200 South in Ivins Firefighters checking for burning material following a fire reported at a large lot on Kwavasa Drive near the corner of 200 South in Ivins Multiple engines and fire trucks line the roadway when a fire is reported at a large lot on Kwavasa Drive near the corner of 200 South in Ivins Fire crews battling blaze burning through a lot on on Kwavasa Drive near the corner of 200 South in Ivins Firefighters working with a ladder truck to fight a fire burning through a large lot on Kwavasa Drive near the corner of 200 South in Ivins Map of area where a fire burned through a large lot that is depicted by an orange pin on Kwavasa Drive near the corner of 200 South in Ivins vehicles and various items in Ivins sent thick smoke billowing into the air as multiple departments responded to the blaze Friday morning Santa Clara Ivins Fire and Rescue responded to a fire reported on  Kwavasa Drive near the corner of 200 South just before 11 a.m Crews arrived to find an active fire that sent heavy black smoke into the air from a large lot in an area surrounded by homes and thick vegetation lining the property nearest the street Santa Clara-Ivins Police officers responded and cordoned off the area Firefighters fought the active flames for nearly an hour crews remained at the scene for hours checking for any smoldering hot spots George News there was at least one trailer located on the lot where the fire was reported as well as other vehicles scattered throughout the property Tobler went on to say the scene is still being processed to determine the cause of the blaze and no other homes or structures were damaged The extent of the damage has yet to be determined and no injuries have been reported Crews from the St. George Fire Department and the Winchester Fire Department responded to provide mutual aid, along with firefighters from the Dammeron Valley Fire and Rescue and Utah Forestry, Fire and Lands, according to information posted by Santa Clara-Ivins Fire and Rescue No further information was available at the time of this report Washington County — Few cities in Utah have seen explosive growth over the past two decades quite like Ivins The outskirts of Ivins were rezoned for touristic development approximately 20 years ago in hopes of creating a commercial tax base to generate city revenue instead of relying on property taxes from residents "We've gone from being probably the lowest property value on average for a community in southern Utah 40 or 50 years ago to being now the highest," Hart said "The average cost of a home in Ivins is a couple hundred thousand dollars more than the average cost of a home in the next highest price city in the county so that makes it doubly hard for us to try and achieve some level of housing affordability." "Everyone knows that short-term rentals do nothing to help affordable housing It is our understanding that they do quite the opposite therefore driving up prices," said Mike Cook a representative of Defenders of Greater Ivins a community group that opposes what some residents consider to be irresponsible development The Defenders of Greater Ivins was founded to oppose the 2022 rezoning of 113 acres of residential/agricultural land on the outskirts of Ivins for mixed residential/commercial use Utah's School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration owned the property and sold it to Rize Capital to develop the resort and rental complex known as the Retreat SITLA is an independent state agency that is given four sections of land per Utah township and has a state constitutional mandate to sell or develop the land to generate revenue that funds public education in the state SITLA gains revenue in "a standard trust lands development contract we get paid a percentage of the gross selling price of lots and of homes," said Kyle Pasley managing director of real estate for SITLA there is also a clause that talks about receiving a residual income off rentals going forward of ongoing revenue from those rentals that come back to the trust beneficiaries," Pasley said "It was almost presented in a way that emphasized the state's ability to do this without city consent," Hart acknowledged "The resistance that the residents of the city put up led to SITLA working with the city to try to come up with a compromise design." "After hearing significant community feedback we undertook a comprehensive redesign that substantially reduced the project's density," Rize Capital said in a statement to KSL The revised design includes 603 units with 210 long-term rental houses and 393 resort units the retention of 20 acres of publicly accessible open space 2.5 acres of preserved lava rock formations and environmental and infrastructural commitments to Ivins "The economic benefits to Ivins will be substantial with independent analysis by Urban and Main projecting a $16.6 million net positive impact for the city over 25 years," Rize said the development is forecasted to generate over $1.9 billion in job creation and local economic activity through visitor and resident spending." (Photo: Ivins)A combination of nearby resort amenities and natural and constructed "buffer zones" will also encourage tourists to stay within the resort area and allow residents to use amenities without feeling encroached upon by tourists But in December of 2022, a survey of Ivins residents showed 46% disapproval and 27% neutrality for how the city had managed growth over the past five years The same survey showed over 70% of residents disapproved of high-density housing projects like condominiums and apartments "When is enough enough?" wrote Ivins City Councilman Mike Scott in a 2022 blog post titled "Why I'm Against Short-Term Rentals" he wanted to cite Ivins had 158 units of housing for tourists in three properties we have grown tourist accommodations more than tenfold And 1,700 units is very significant since all of Ivins has only about 4,500 residential units." Ivins may have more transient occupants in short-term rentals than permanent residents," said Cook "People will be leaving the property every day in their cars to go shopping They will be driving through the small residential town of Ivins to get to wherever they need to go." George grew more than 30% between 2010 and 2020 more than quadruple the growth rate of the entire U.S Hechinger Report)When asked about the future of short-term rental projects in Ivins "I dare say that most of them have been approved at some level "Black Desert is the biggest of the developments that we have and likely will be the biggest ever noting that construction on hotel units and amenities are slated to continue for years also has 25 acres of undeveloped land slated for additional lodging likely to be built when Black Desert is completed "But the sense around our community is that we got enough,' and most of the zoning that we have available for that use has been bought up and is in some stage of planning or approval," Hart concluded Utah — We found a teen in Ivins who is standing up for those who may not be able to stand up for themselves Snow Canyon High School student Ollie Robertson is also in her second year as part of the Ivins Youth Council a group formed three years ago as a junior version of the regular city council "We help organize a lot of the events that the city council would already be sponsoring but more focused on getting a youth demographic involved in," Robertson explained Robertson doesn’t have future political aspirations but wants to be involved in the community and include others and saw an opportunity in a sandpit next to the playground at UNITY Park "I do really like the idea of a more inclusive Ivins This is literally called UNITY Park," she explained It stands for Uniting Neighbors of Ivins Together Year-Round and everyone sometimes includes people with disabilities," Ollie explained "It's a little unfair that they don't have a swing set." "What the swing set would actually have would be maybe a platform for children in wheelchairs and they could swing back and forth on that," she said There are also plans for what's called a generational swing so parents can swing with their children In the case of an ADA-compliant swing set at Sandown Park in St the inclusivity is in the fact that a child can be in the seat with someone swinging alongside "[Ollie] came up with this idea a year ago And the stumbling block was the cost," said Ivins City Councilmember Mike Scott Ollie and the rest of the youth council went around the community to raise at least half the money "What we found last fall is there would be an opportunity for a grant that could match 50% of it," Scott explained The member of the "grown up" city council says the junior version may get things done better than the adults "I had no idea how rewarding it would be to see all the things that they're doing … the thoughtfulness the inquisitiveness of this group is really inspiring." CLICK HERE if you'd like to donate to the ADA-accessible swing set in UNITY Park are being dropped by their insurance companies due to wildfire risk despite no history of major fires in the area Some residents say their rates have skyrocketed while others report receiving non-renewal notices after what they describe as brief and inadequate inspections "The guy who came out to inspect the property had his mind made up in advance They are dropping everyone in Kayenta." Insurance Commissioner John Pike said insurers use their own risk models to determine coverage decisions “All insurance companies have their own models It might be called their ‘secret sauce,’” Pike said when or where insurance companies conduct inspections before dropping coverage “There’s not a lot that insurance companies have to do,” Pike said They are not highly regulated and we don’t overlook every step of their process While Utah is not yet seeing large-scale insurance withdrawals like California experts say the rising cost of coverage could force many homeowners to seek alternative providers Pike recommends if your policy is cancelled to “ask questions.” From there you may able to get recommendations or requirements from the insurance company for your policy to be renewed said homeowners in Kayenta have been using their services to create more fire-safe landscaping that could be closer aligned to what insurance providers are looking for “We come in and clear out any dead foliage Anything that is close to the house that would be considered a fire hazard,” Eastman said “We then replace it with stuff that is not flammable Pike also said wildfires in other parts of the country including the devastating fires in Southern California earlier this year and now the fires in South Carolina have and will reshape the insurance industry “When we have events such as we’ve seen recently in California those experiences are going to affect what insurers are willing to write,” Pike said “They are going to be looking at maps more carefully and reassessing how much risk they will take on.” that there is no place in Utah that is entirely uninsurable yet It’s more a matter of how affordable and how many companies are writing policies in higher fire-prone areas KUTV reached out Allstate and Farmers Insurance two companies some residents in Kayenta had policies with that were not renewed Allstate provided the following statement: inspections are done several months before the renewal to allow homeowners plenty of time to address any potential hazards and avoid nonrenewal we encourage customers to contact their Allstate agent or Allstate customer service to discuss their specific situation and any factors affecting their renewal We did not hear back from Farmers ahead of publication Santa Clara-Ivins Police Chief Jaron Studley explains the department's recent investigation to the City Council of Ivins This stock image shows a Santa Clara-Ivins Police patrol vehicle The Santa Clara-Ivins Police Department reportedly discovered that a St George man possessed child pornography generated by artificial intelligence resulting in the launch of a federal investigation when officers responded to a “report of lewdness” at a Santa Clara residence officers say they came to believe that 47-year-old Jared Marsh had recorded a nude person without their consent Marsh was arrested and taken to the Purgatory Correctional Facility investigators obtained a search warrant for Marsh’s cellphone where they found “multiple altered photographs using artificial intelligence technology to depict juveniles in a nude state,” Tobler wrote Investigators obtained a second search warrant for Marsh's St they reportedly seized electronics containing “additional AI-generated images of juveniles in the nude.” Marsh was released from custody while his initial charges were pending Investigators obtained a second arrest warrant reportedly listing 20 first-degree felony counts of aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor Marsh was found at his residence and taken into custody without incident He is currently incarcerated at the Purgatory Correctional Facility Tobler said no further details of the case will be released at this time to “protect the integrity of the case and the privacy of any potential victims.” Santa Clara-Ivins Police Chief Jaron Studley discussed the case at an Ivins City Council meeting earlier this month “I don’t know that we want to be famous for this but we’re bringing our first case in the region forward on the federal level for a case involving artificial intelligence and manipulation of images for that same type of material,” Studley said to the council that’s kind of a scary thing for people to be watching us model so I don’t know if I’m excited or if I’m nervous but we’re waiting to see how that plays out.” Tobler provided guidance on how citizens can recognize and respond to potential instances of child exploitation “Child exploitation can occur both online and in person and is often difficult to detect,” he said “Warning signs may include unusual secrecy about internet use sudden behavior changes or signs of fear or control around certain individuals.” Anyone who notices concerning behavior should not attempt to intervene directly and instead report it to a local law enforcement agency or call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) “The public plays a vital role in identifying and preventing child exploitation,” Tobler wrote “Prompt reporting can help protect children and potentially save lives.” A rescue helicopter lands near Red Mountain where a father and son were stranded overnight on Sunday Washington County Sheriff Search and Rescue crews work to aid a father and son were stranded overnight on Sunday Washington County Sheriff Search and Rescue team members sit on Red Mountain where a father and son were stranded overnight on Sunday The fire a father and son built while they were were stranded blazes on Red Mountain near Ivins A lost backpack aided a local father and son stranded overnight on the top of Red Mountain near Ivins Washington County Sheriff Search and Rescue Sgt George News the pair began their hike on Sunday at the Red Mountain trailhead on state Route 18 traversing over the mountain toward Toe Trail The pair made it near the edge of Red Mountain above Padre Canyon When the 33-year-old father and his 12-year-old son failed to show up when the boy's mother arrived to pick them up around 8 p.m. Crews didn't finish the operation until 9:30 a.m "It's a pretty difficult through-hike for people to do got off the trail and ended up getting lost," Paul said "While trying to find their way off and down they ended up getting stuck on a ledge and weren't able to go anywhere from that point." Paul said the two were very fortunate they stumbled upon another hiker's backpack which had been lost approximately a month ago in almost the exact same area took his pack off and tried to throw it across The pack didn't make it and ended up falling down to an outcrop "So he ended up losing that pack and didn't recover it," Paul said Paul added that the backpack could have fallen anywhere in hundreds of square miles on Red Mountain and just so happened to be where the father and son got lost "And it had all of his survival supplies in it food rations -- pretty much everything they needed," he said Paul said search and rescue sent a team from each side up to the top of the mountain Rescuers were able to pick up boot prints and follow them They ended up just above where the father and son were stuck on the ledge Paul said the canyon caused their voices to echo "all over the place and they couldn't really pinpoint exactly where they were." The operation was challenging because the local Utah Highway Patrol Star 9 rescue helicopter was down for maintenance So another helicopter was requested and sent from Salt Lake City which took a couple of hours to arrive in Ivins the helicopter's thermal cameras could spot the pair stuck on the ledge Search and rescue crews hoisted both them off the ledge and moved them to their incident command center the hikers were checked out in a Gold Cross Ambulance warmed up and treated; they declined transportation to the hospital Paul reminded hikers to bring enough supplies to survive if they were stranded such as appropriate clothing for the weather and supplies to start a fire for warmth Utah — A brush fire in Ivins started Friday morning after it's believed an attempt to burn reeds in the area got out of control Firefighters were seen attempting to douse the flames in a field near 475 West Bamboo appears to be what's burning in the field which is just yards away from nearby homes although they have yet to be touched by the fire Stay with fox13now and FOX 13 News for the latest on this breaking news story LOCAL NEWS 10:18 PM | Updated: Feb 10 FILE – A police vehicle flashes its lights in Philadelphia BY MICHAEL HOUCK Washington County — A woman was fatally hit by a vehicle Friday evening first responders responded to a personal injury accident at Pioneer Parkway and Jacob Drive it was discovered that an 82-year-old woman was stuck in a vehicle The area was closed off for several hours as police investigated the fatal accident Police said this fatal accident is still under investigation and are asking anyone with more information to contact them at 435-652-1122 This is a breaking news story and may be updated Follow @KSLMichaelHouck A bicyclist and their dog ride through an area once planned to be covered in water for a new reservoir Ivins Mayor Chris Hart delivers his State of the City Address in Ivins operations manager for the Washington County Water Conservancy District talks about safety inspections done at the district’s dams following a 4.5 magnitude earthquake Mayor Chris Hart speaks at Ivins City Hall in Ivins Ivins Mayor Chris Hart recently delivered his annual State of the City Address where he mentioned several goals and issues of concern for this coming year These included the newly drafted Ivins City General Plan new roundabouts and what Hart said was his “likely” retirement at the end of this year Hart said Ivins will soon see as many as 10 new roundabouts over the next several years “Roundabouts are both the safest and the quickest way to convey traffic if you have a volume of traffic that doesn’t overwhelm them,” Hart said “That’s never going to be the case in Ivins we have seven existing roundabouts across the city And we anticipate within the next three years — a couple of them coming online within the next year or two — the four new roundabouts.” He added that the city’s transportation plans also include “an additional six that are going to be cropping up at intersections across the city.” Hart said the draft general plan has required a two-year effort involving research and outreach to local citizens He noted that the city government received back 53% of the survey forms sent out “city-wide” to hear input or concerns about the plan so it now has “a pretty good idea of what our people liked and didn’t like.” Hart said one of the biggest — if not the biggest — concerns from local citizens was about the city’s water supply like the rest of the communities in the county wholly reliant on the Washington County Water Conservancy District for our water supply,” he said “We’ve got excellent services within the city there’s always need for anticipating how we are going to provide water and other services to the future residents of our community.” The district has considered building a reservoir in several areas Dry Wash is located in what Hart called a “pristine” area of the city resulting in “a lot of resistance to Dry Wash Reservoir actually being built.” Hart mentioned how a local group of city residents dubbed the “Dry Wash Study Group,” provided a thick binder full of data to support its belief that the reservoir should not be built There is also support for the ravine to become part of a trail system that would extend all the way from Hell Hole Canyon down to the Santa Clara River The water district reportedly sent a letter to Hart recently stating that it has employed the internationally recognized engineering firm Stantec Engineering to plan a major water reuse system This system is intended to provide water to the county for the next 20 years and would cost “over $1 billion” in order to conserve water “by re-using the existing supply,” Hart said He noted that other proposals for water conservation “This is the county’s plan B to try and provide water to Ivins City’s future residents along with those around the rest of the county,” he said Hart said Stantec’s modeling for this new system ultimately determined that Dry Wash will likely not be needed as a reservoir and that only Graveyard Wash Reservoir will be built Hart referred to this news as being like “manna from Heaven for many of us.” The proposed Dry Wash Reservoir would have reportedly cost $22 million and the reason why it is no longer necessary is because Ivins’ per capita water use dropped from 293 gallons per day to 166 gallons per day between 2020 and 2023; this means that 1.3 billion gallons have been saved over that timeframe Hart said it was “incredible that we as a city have been able to accomplish that,” but district spokesperson Karry Rathje told the Salt Lake Tribune that “the planning and design for Dry Wash Reservoir will resume” if the Graveyard Wash Reservoir is derailed or is found unable to meet demand The same report noted that Ivins’ water conservation is “comparable to Las Vegas often considered the gold standard with respect to conservation.” “If the reservoir is not needed, that’s the best way, not to put it in, rather than just to continue to engage in battle over its presence,” Hart said, referring to past disputes over the proposed Dry Wash Reservoir He went on to say that the city’s goal is to drop another 10% in water use over the course of 2025 Ivins City has the most stringent fee schedule of Washington County cities using the water district’s 2023 water efficiency standard and “probably” has the most stringent version of the conservation standards And the city may soon be using even more tools to continuously improve its water conservation Hart said the council has authorized the city to make use of a set of residential and irrigation standards These were created and made ready via assistance from Utah State University’s Extension services because we can’t hold up a certificate of occupancy based on that,” Hart said “But we intend to make this program available so a homebuyer can be assured that they are getting a system installed that is not going to cost them an arm and a leg in water bills before they move in.” In light of the fact that “10% of the water in the state is lost to poorly-designed or poorly installed residential irrigation systems,” the state could save an enormous amount of water if the Utah Legislature would become interested in Ivins’ current and upcoming techniques for water conservation Hart hinted strongly at his impending retirement as Mayor of Ivins since first running for the position over 15 years ago saying that he is “likely riding off into the sunset at the end of this year.” “This is the most spectacular place I’ve ever seen in my life,” he said of the city his voice audibly trembling with emotion as he spoke “It was love at first sight with me coming into Ivins City.” Excerpt: Post-Spring Personnel Updates, Progress on Offense, Nico's Integration Excerpt: DeShaun Foster on the State of the Program After Spring, Standout Players Can Zayden High's Return Help UNC's Frontcourt? Former Hokie Jaydon Young Hopes to Bolster UNC's Backcourt The latest on Sherrone Moore's potential suspension | 247Sports Ultimate CFB Show INSTANT REACTION: 4-Star QB Jared Curtis commits to Georgia WATCH: Top 2026 QB Jared Curtis commits to Georgia HQ Spotlight: Sports World Highlights What is position group is currently Oklahoma's strongest? National Title Winner In 2025 | Belichick Thoughts | Ohio State Trip Details | Buying Championships CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc The content on this site is for entertainment purposes only and 247Sports makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event This site contains commercial content and 247Sports may be compensated for the links provided on this site Ivins Mayor Chris Hart speaks to locals at the Virgin River Land Preservation Association's annual meeting in St Virgin River Land Preservation Association Board Member Denny Drake speaks at the association's annual meeting in St Ivins City is moving forward on a partnership to preserve "cherished" lands in Southern Utah City officials and others gathered on the campus of Dixie Technical College on Tuesday evening for the annual meeting of the Virgin River Land Preservation Association Attendees included members of the Ivins City Council Among the speakers was Ivins Mayor Chris Hart who described ongoing efforts to conserve land even as plans are being laid for necessary residential use “We are in the process of identifying parcels of land within Ivins City’s boundaries that we will target and try to find ways to influence landowners or make purchases of easements or the land itself,” Hart said Hart said Ivins has “always cherished” the land and has “extracted what we can legally do as we approve projects.” But he acknowledged that large pieces of land are not preserved this way; rather little pieces of land are preserved “in exchange for density bonuses and other things.” Hart said it is likely that Ivins City will jointly hold parcels of land with the association in the near future He said this arrangement “takes all the temptation away from some future council to do something different with (the land).” A parcel of land the city plans to use to establish this relationship is a piece currently owned by Black Desert Resort Hart described the parcel as “200 acres of absolutely beautiful lava bed on Black Desert’s property,” which the resort intends to donate to the city It comes complete with a network of trails “We have several pieces like that,” Hart said will be pieces of land — I call them cherished pieces — washes and just spectacular little parcels of land that we don’t want to see disappeared into a subdivision or behind one.” Virgin River Land Preservation Association Board President Steve Snow said that it is still searching for consistent funding methods to support those goals “So that’s been one of the challenges we’ve faced,” he said We just don’t seem to have the revenues available to purchase the development rights.” Association Board member Denny Drake also stressed the need for locals to get involved and help such associations preserve the area’s scenic lands for future generations “We’ve had a number of different projects — large projects,” he said “But the size of the project also means more money and it’s hard to accumulate that money unless you have a resource.”  Drake said the association has been visiting with the Washington County Commissioners and with state legislators to try to come up with “a regular stream of money” instead of having to worry about individual donations He said that the association (which he sometimes referred to as the Virgin River Land Trust) does get federal grants high reliance on grants means standing in line with countless others seeking federal grants in a process that sometimes takes years that’s probably the biggest reason in my mind to be a contributor and be a member of the Virgin River Land Trust is (that) what you see and what you want to see 30 years from now isn’t going to be there unless we do something to conserve it,” Drake said “And this is the best organization I know of that does that.” Those interested can donate funds or learn more on the association's website note: When making charitable contributions it is advisable to consult with professionals for tax advice and investment risks Washington County — A lost backpack aided a local father and son stranded overnight on the top of Red Mountain near Ivins Read the full article at St. George News. Utah (KUTV) — Black Desert Resort is preparing for the PGA Tour event coming up in October and the resort’s grand opening in April said the PGA Tour In October and the LPGA Tour in May are expected to bring in $75 million Additional revenue through the rest of the year from the resort is projected at $200 Million The attractions at Black Desert go beyond the golf course there will be 14 restaurants including out on the boardwalk It’s like a modern European village,” said Manning With this development comes the need for workers to fill jobs “We’ll have about 500 jobs filled when we open in three weeks Manning said that they haven’t had any issues filling these positions so far is due to their relationship with Utah Tech “Utah Tech really stepped up and created a hospitality and resort management program They’ve already began feeding us interns who will have a degree in this,” said Manning “People don’t realize there is about 150 jobs that are created in a resort of this size From hospitality and accounting to hospitality and legal it’s opened their mind to a career path that they didn’t know existed." Manning said engaging the local community is a priority of his a co-owner of a local skincare brand in the Kayenta community said she’s witnessed this firsthand when the resort approached her about carrying her Good Medicine products in the Black Desert spa “They came to us and we were so glad to be apart of it They really want to include the locals,” said Hudson Manning said including the locals is a great addition “We absolutely put our arms around [the locals] and tell them to come experience Black Desert which has a population of about 10,000 people Manning said he knows that there are people in the community who may not like the increase in traffic that comes with a resort this big and I care about the same things they do,” said Manning He added that they are proactively trying to mitigate traffic “We’re the only Tour stop that can handle about 90% of the cars on site We are the only place in the state that has four Super Walmart-sized parking lots underground," he said Hudson said the possible business upside could be worth it “There probably will be a few little problems along the way but it’s a great problem to have,” said Hudson Black Desert Resort is on track to be four times bigger than the next biggest resort in Utah There are almost six million visitors a year here," Manning said "We’re not really building to increase who is coming We are building to give a better experience to people who already are." This file photo shows golfers walking the fairway set into black lava rock at the Black Desert Golf Championship Golfers on a putting green at the Black Desert Golf Championship This file photo shows the practice range at Black Desert Resort a $2 billion project that hosted the Black Desert Championship The Ivins City Council recently held a public hearing to consider amendments to a city law which would simplify the application process for land use permits and clarify the length of time that temporary structures are allowed to remain in place changes to this law could have a serious impact on Washington County’s economic prospects A major issue during the hearing was the Black Desert Resort's hosting of the PGA and LPGA professional golf tours near a residential area as noise from the construction of the temporary grandstand structures irritated residents and the finished product obscured their views south of Mesa Vista Drive At least some neighborhood residents expressed frustration with this turn of events; Black Desert Resort’s leadership also expressed concern that it was not involved with the Ivins City Planning Commission's plans for the proposed amendments regarding temporary structures Resident Greg Cherry approached the council on behalf of the Mesa Vista Drive neighborhood He noted that the proposed amendments would include giving developers 45 days to build temporary structures and 30 days to take them down with as many as 45 days available in the middle for events to be held If a developer can keep to those timeframes the proposal would allow them to be kept exempt from at least some building guidelines “That’s 120 days — four months — for temporary structures which unfortunately are not just tents,” Cherry said residents near Mesa Vista Drive received assurances from staff at Black Desert Resort that “no houses would be built along the rim of the golf course that would obstruct the vistas and the views out there.” Although the neighborhood residents appreciate that this specific promise was honored they were still disgruntled by what Cherry referred to as the “rather monstrous” grandstand that was constructed “right up in our faces" behind their houses for the recent PGA Tournament especially for some of the people down the street from us,” he said "The construction noise just is horrendous.” Cherry pointed out that the grandstand construction started in June and wasn’t taken down until early November If the golf tournaments are to be held twice a year and the structures are visible for four months during each tournament then they would be in place for eight months on an annual basis He did acknowledge that future structures will likely be installed faster and that the tournaments may be held back-to-back in the future with the total timeframe possibly shortened to six straight months out of the year even though this would “be better,” it would still be both “objectionable” and “offensive” to have the structure for more time than necessary “We would really like to see that either that monstrosity of a building is taken out of our face and moved to another site on the golf course that the timeframe for temporary structures be reduced from 120 days total to 90 days,” he said Multiple representatives from Black Desert Resort responded to the residents’ complaints at the hearing Black Desert Resort Managing Partner Patrick Manning said the resort has endeavored “from the beginning” to be considerate of Ivins residents by putting the structures up efficiently He noted that leaving them up would save the resort $5 million per year but the resort knew that choice would result in pushback from the locals Manning said staff “are genuinely financially motivated to get them up as fast as possible He added that the resort staff agrees with the local residents that the city government should have some additional power over the timeframe and Manning would “totally support that.” he did see a problem in how Black Desert Resort was not “brought into this conversation at the Planning Commission level.” “And let’s get the details down and get it right because the last thing we want is to host a PGA tour and then all of a sudden we have residents who are saying ‘Hey look These guys are violating this right out of the gate!’ when we’re not even part of helping educate on what all of this takes,” Manning said And we want to get them up and back down as soon as possible but we don’t want to be in violation of a new ordinance.” Black Desert Championship Tournament Director John Coolbaugh said the resort's structures are installed by “third parties that do this all over the world.” the property there at Black Desert is one of the most technically and logistically challenging properties to do something like this so we need to take care to protect the sensitive areas on the property and not rush through the construction process,” Coolbaugh said Coolbaugh also said the resort is open to working with the residents on the future design of the grandstand structures and the timing of the installation process the managing counsel for Black Desert Resort mentioned the “incredible economic impact” golfing tours have had for Washington County and Ivins where $11.7 million was spent just to put on the PGA Tournament he also highlighted the resort’s four-year contract with the PGA and LPGA “And were we not able to put the same structures that we put up this past October we would be in breach of contract and the PGA would have every right to pull out of Black Desert and have their tournament someplace else,” he said Although Head and Manning both claimed that the resort is “in alignment” with Ivins residents and the city government Head said the residents “also have to remember they have no property or legal right to the vista Mayor Chris Hart suggested that the council should schedule a work meeting involving members of the Planning Commission Black Desert Resort representatives and residents to find out “if we’re overlooking details that are important to us to understand before a decision is made.” The council unanimously tabled a decision on the amendments pending work meetings to gather further information An open and public work meeting to discuss this topic has been scheduled for February 6 at 4 p.m This file photo shows Ivins Mayor Chris Hart presenting his “State of the City” address at Ivins City Hall Ivins City Planning Commission Chair Pam Gardiol speaks to the City Council in Ivins city officials and business leaders listen in at the City Council meeting The Ivins City Planning Commission recently held a final review of the city’s newly drafted Annexation Policy Plan and came back to the Ivins City Council with suggestions on what they think the council should change Planning Commission Chair Pam Gardiol led the meetings where commissioners discussed and deliberated over the details of the draft Ivins residents have shown interest in the forthcoming amendments to the city’s annexation plan as well as those of the Ivins City General Plan Both of these plans will directly influence how the city uses the surrounding landscape to expand for new housing developments or other projects A public hearing on the commission's draft of the annexation plan will be held Tuesday The Ivins City Council previously discussed these plans at a prior council meeting Ivins Mayor Chris Hart mentioned that the city has been hoping to use resources from the Utah Trust Lands Administration formerly known as the School and Institutional Trust Land Administration to assist in providing more affordable housing for essential workers moving into the area Gardiol recently approached the council to discuss the current draft of the annexation plan She said one item that Commissioner Brandon Weight wanted clarification on was in Chapter 3 entitled “Consistency with General Plan,” located on page seven of the draft “All annexation shall be in accordance with the Ivins City General Plan The goals and objectives of the Ivins City General Plan shall guide all development and consideration of annexation.” Gardiol said that Weight wanted to know if the word “shall” in the above sentences should be replaced with the word “may.” “The discussion amongst the commissioners was that it should be ‘shall’ because of the significance She went on to say that the usage of the word “shall” could mean staff reports ought to include related items of the general plan She said this would help ensure that any new initiatives are directly compared to general plan guidelines while the commission and the council are considering them but we will forward the final plan to you after the public hearing at the next meeting,” Gardiol said Washington County — Ivins City is moving forward on a partnership to preserve "cherished" lands in southern Utah City officials and others gathered on the campus of Dixie Technical College on March 18 for the annual meeting of the Virgin River Land Preservation Association "We are in the process of identifying parcels of land within Ivins City's boundaries that we will target and try to find ways to influence landowners or make purchases of easements or the land itself," Hart said Read the full article at St. George News Nestled among striking red rock formations in the heart of southwestern Utah—continues to grow as one of the region’s most vibrant Ivins has evolved into a bustling city known for its proximity to Snow Canyon State Park and a dedication to preserving its unique desert landscape The city’s commitment to celebrating local history and fostering a sense of community shines through in its impressive roster of annual events Here is a roundup of what to look forward to in 2025: From small-town charm to international conferences Ivins’ 2025 lineup underscores why this southwestern Utah gem continues to captivate For more information on specific events and updates (including final dates and times) keep an eye on official city announcements and local media outlets Whether you’re a resident or just passing through Ivins in 2025 promises a year brimming with culture and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Support local journalism and event coverage that matters to you with a small DONATION We appreciate your support so we can live to fight another day Send us a news tip, story idea, guest editorial, or letter to the editor! Ivins City is stepping into spring with a trifecta of fun-filled community events — from treasure hunting at a giant yard sale to a high-energy 5K and a relaxed fitness celebration complete with live music Details and seller registration are available at https://ivinsutah.gov L-R: Surveying the work at a Tamarisk removal site are Sara Dupre Members of Southern Utah Woodturners and Desert Preservation Initiative prepare to cut a large tamarisk tree A cleared section where tamarisk filled the wash and was reportedly impenetrable The next section set to be cleared can also seen A truck drives into a Desert Preservation Initiative chipping corral where tamarisk brush and limbs are transported to be chipped When Dave Herrero came to Southern Utah to see tamarisk-removal efforts by the Desert Preservation Initiative he took one of the key steps to success in the world of nature conservation -- learning from other groups with shared values and goals As Regional Director of the Four Corners Region of The Wildlands Conservancy Herrero is tasked with overseeing management of a 400-acre plot of land recently purchased by the conservancy that is largely surrounded by the Bears Ears National Monument Herrero said his visit to Ivins was driven by his concern for tamarisk growing in Cottonwood Wash a critical wildlife corridor that also contains archaeological and cultural artifacts Herrero said he began seeing tamarisks' impact when he first started monitoring the Cottonwood area and its biodiversity in 2020 “Tamarisk was hogging the water and so is inhospitable to wetlands in the area where birds and animals come for water,” he said the conservancy’s goal is “to get rid of things that have outcompeted native species.” Working to get rid of tamarisk as well as cows that have been allowed to graze in the area he wants to see native willows and cottonwood trees come back Joining Desert Preservation Initiative volunteers at a work site Herrero said he wanted to “see the group’s operations and how they organize people to do the work.” He learned about site preparation breaking down cut materials and the need to apply herbicide quickly on cut stumps to prevent tamarisk regrowth Herrero said his job encompasses the direct work of restoration and conservation advocacy and he aims to “talk clearly about the threat to public lands and land management issues.” To that end he wants to present “a collective face with other groups such as DPI” to meet with lawmakers as necessary and to educate the public about land management issues “Partnerships and sharing our experiences make us all stronger,” added Desert Preservation Initiative President Chuck Warren Both Warren and Herrero said that a spiritual connection to nature fostered in childhood brought them to their current conservation and restoration work Both grew up spending hours and days in forests and other wildlands Warren said he built trails into the forest near his family’s mink farm in Oregon he began working on trails in the Kayenta Wash but found many areas virtually impassable because of thick tamarisk growth As he learned more about this invasive species “If people understand the enormous fuel load these trees present there would be no question of their support of our efforts to remove them,” Warren said Herrero grew up in the San Bernardino National Forest living what he described as “a free range childhood” filled with camping His father’s reading of conservation-minded authors eventually led Herrero to many trips in the Eastern Sierra and a career with The Wildlands Conservancy He started as a ranger at Bluff Lake Reserve in the mountains of Southern California the challenge of engaging people in issues faced when restoring habitat and protecting wildland and the natural and archaeological features they contain “We need to develop and engage a citizenry that understands biodiversity and land management,” Herrero said which offers outdoor education to children and stewards over 200,000 acres across 25 preserves in three states for free public recreation the conservancy depends on volunteers and getting the word out to the public The Desert Preservation Initiative faces the same challenges on a local level Ivins residents have contributed more than 3,000 hours over the past couple of years to remove tamarisk that clog washes inhibit the growth of native flora and fauna and pose significant fire risk to homes tamarisk spreads readily as its seeds move downstream in the Santa Clara watershed Which is why Herrero said collaborative learning between conservation groups is essential “We can help each other and fill in the gaps as to what and how each group operates,” Herrero said “We can demonstrate at the state and federal level how land management can be ethical and effective.” Drawing on 15 years of land conservation and education with The Wildlands Conservancy “This kind of partnership is important because the work we’re doing is meaningful.” Those interested in volunteering with or donating to the Desert Preservation Initiative can contact the nonprofit via email or visit the Ivins Inspired volunteer network at this link St. George News previously reported on the initiative's work with the Southern Utah Woodturners; the article can be read here through the holidays (joyfully and defiantly counting those blessings and rights that still exist) and headlong into the New Year (fasten your seatbelts) let’s take a moment to contemplate with some amount of awe the sheer audacity of those ever-reliable purveyors of ridiculously hateful legislation In their eagerness to claim bragging rights as being in the most anti-trans state in the union Republican legislators pre-filed a whopping 32 anti-trans bills on the very first day of the new legislative session’s pre-filing period It must have taken some serious effort to come up with 32 different ways to make trans Texans feel unwelcome and unsafe in their own state You have to wonder what other horrors they will come up with during the rest of the session It is efforts like these that make me miss the late great Texas reporter and columnist Molly Ivins and whose keen reportage and wickedly caustic wit made it possible to get through the Bush years the ACLU runs a fascinating/ frightening/ infuriating/ enlightening page on their website where they track all the anti-LGBTQ+ bills proposed during the current legislative session they were tracking 574 anti-LGBTQ+ bills in 42 state legislatures where no anti-LGBTQ+ bills were proposed during the 2024 session.)These are 574 bills whose sole purpose is to demonize They lean heavily toward regulating bathroom use prohibiting trans athletes from competing in sports against cisgender athletes and denying gender-affirming care to trans youth they are also working hard at making it practically impossible to update legal documents to match one’s gender identity While many of these bills are clearly unconstitutional and will either never be signed into law or will be challenged in lengthy court battles the very fact that they are being proposed and that state legislatures are so heavily invested in these hateful and ridiculous laws when they could be doing something I don’t know—useful?—brings harm to LGBTQ+ people everywhere by diminishing the rights of the LGBTQ+ population they are damaging the very nature of our country The hysteria over trans athletes became a major story right here in the Bay Area these past few months as several teams in the Mountain West Conference forfeited games against the San Jose State University (SJSU) women’s volleyball team rather than compete against a trans woman on the Spartans’ team The three-ring circus kicked off in September when the team’s co-captain joined a lawsuit against the NCAA claiming that the NCAA’s rule allowing transgender players to play women’s sports created an unfair advantage and would be potentially dangerous to other players—despite absolutely no proof to support that claim That led to opposing teams forfeiting seven games against SJSU Boise State even forfeited a game against them in the conference semifinal tournament thanks to political pressure from conservative politicians and donors The Women’s March in Washington, D.C., has evolved into the People’s March, billed as a feminist-led march on January 18, 2025. While their website promises affiliated marches everywhere, I haven’t been able to find any signs of a march that day in San Francisco, or even in the Bay Area. For more info on the Women’s March: https://www.womensmarch.com/For those who do want to hit the local streets in January organized by the San Francisco Interfaith Council they lead a march from the Caltrain Depot at 4th and Townsend streets in San Francisco to Yerba Buena Gardens While organized and led by the faith community everyone is welcome to join the march and the program at Yerba Buena Gardens This is an inspiring and empowering event each year and I suspect it will carry even more impact this year The march will begin promptly at 11 am at the Caltrain Depot and organizers suggest getting there early Joanie Juster is a long-time community volunteer In Case You Missed ItPublished on December 19 Captain Eric Wickfield at his home in Ivins with the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award and the Blue Ribbon package recounting his career on the table in front of him Wickfield examines the detailed report on his life and career prepared by the FAA as background research for his award worked together to make Wickfield's long career sustainable and prosperous The Blue Ribbon package which Wickfield received with his award also functions as a sort of keepsake recounting his long career in aviation Wickfield recounts stories from his long career while at his home in the Ivins community of Kayenta Wickfield (left) receives his award from FAA Inspector Robert Jeffs at a September reception in Ivins Eric Wickfield and his wife Leslie laugh while remembering how they first met Captain Eric Wickfield recently received the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award the most prestigious award of the Federal Aviation Administration Wickfield said the award requires that a pilot be sponsored then two other pilots beside the sponsor must submit letters to the FAA stating that they feel the potential recipient is an “outstanding” candidate “It takes the FAA a while to do their research,” he said “It takes several months to go through all that.” arrived in Ivins to present the award to Wickfield at the end of September Wickfield also received a Blue Ribbon package which contained most of the documentation from virtually his entire career going all the way back to when he was 18 years old According to the FAA website a pilot is eligible for the award if they meet certain criteria including “having 50 or more years of civil and military piloting experience or 50 or more years combined experience in both piloting and aircraft operations.” The effective start date for this half-century of needed experience is counted from “the date of the nominee’s first solo flight.” When asked what it felt like to receive the award Wickfield said he appreciated knowing he never made “a smoking hole in the ground.” incident or violation and being recognized for that — I’ll have to admit Wickfield received the award at a ceremony held at the home of Craig and Di Shanklin in the Kayenta community of Ivins The ceremony was attended by Wickfield’s wife Leslie as well as many friends and former colleagues “It kind of put the capstone on my career.” Wickfield first earned money for flying lessons by working at his local sewer plant in high school because nobody else wanted to work there,” he laughed “But I figured I could take a shower at night.” and the sewer plant was paying $5 per hour “So that gave me enough money to take flying lessons,” he recalled when I was just after graduation from high school.” Even for someone who had spent years dreaming and working for that moment Wickfield was pretty nervous when the time came to fly on his own “It was really scary,” he said of his first flight with a laugh I may not have known I was ready at the time which he eventually acquired after college his career wasn’t just limited to the cockpit Though he did have a few jobs that required him to fly planes he always wanted to combine his love of flying with business “I majored in processing management and got my MBA later in life,” he said “So I worked for corporations that would allow me to do other things for them besides run their flight department.” Wickfield said that his opportunities to travel helped him gain a much better perspective on the world He recalled one semester he spent studying in Europe as an undergraduate “And that was eye-opening for this kid that had never really left home to see how other people live and get their opinions,” he said and I have a much greater appreciation and understanding of differing opinions around the world.” He said the jobs he enjoyed the most were the ones where he got to transport CEOs and learn as much as he could from them “Once you express an interest to do other things you get the right guy and he’s willing to mentor you and give you added responsibility as you prove yourself along the way,” Wickfield said “And that’s what I was able to do a few times So I got a good education while being paid for it One of those good mentors was business owner Mark Hardy of the U.K. who Wickfield said owned 35 different companies “He was kind enough to really give me quite a bit of lead,” Wickfield said he was happy to let me do a number of different things I worked doing some bonding for him and was involved in a mining venture and did quite a number of things for Mark When asked about any problems while up in the air Wickfield said there were occasional engine problems or minor cockpit fires but “nothing that you would see in a John Wayne movie or anything like that.” “Fear keeps you alive,” he said with a laugh “And it’s how you manage fear that really tells what kind of pilot you are But anyone who says they’ve never been afraid in an airplane is lying to you.” Wickfield also cited an old adage about taking the time to consider all the factors involved in an upcoming flight and accumulate as many resources as possible since a pilot usually can’t grab extra resources in an emergency “There are a few things that don’t do you any good,” he said the runway behind you and the fuel back in the fuel truck.” Wickfield’s business ventures ultimately led to him finding his future wife “He hired me,” Leslie Wickfield said with a laugh when asked how the two met “And then one thing led to another and we ended up getting married,” Wickfield said The couple would eventually have a daughter together and Wickfield also has a son from a previous marriage she was doing work for a New England company “We were looking for someone to not only fly with us but also help me in the startup I had just created,” he recalled referencing his business Prompt Finance Incorporated She was willing to do both just like I was willing to do something besides just fly.” saying "she’s a much braver pilot than me.” she “kind of did it backwards,” as she started out by skydiving before becoming a pilot “She’s flown the north Atlantic in a single engine airplane all by herself,” Wickfield said adding “I’m either not brave enough or too smart to do that When asked what advice he would give to those wanting to become pilots Wickfield said now is a great time for the next generation to get into the field since baby boomers like himself are retiring and the price to pay is you’re away from home a lot,” he said I had a fabulous wife who could maintain the household while I was gone if you don’t have a good support system back at home Wickfield’s long career included transporting various dignitaries such as former presidents like Bill Clinton and “You maintain a professional distance from your passengers because they’re paying for the privacy,” Wickfield said Wickfield said “we didn’t talk about that at all” and recalled that he “was just a nice guy.” Wickfield said this down-to-earth quality was true of other dignitaries he took onboard “They’re just regular people; they just have had extraordinary jobs in the past,” he said He first heard of Washington County while speaking with two friends during his time at NetJets Aviation “The first time I heard it was well before I was ready for retirement,” he said another friend mentioned that ‘I live there.’” and Wickfield said he and his wife “fell in love with it.” the scenery — It’s just perfect for us,” he said Wickfield and his wife found a home in Ivins in 2018 Just as he was nervous about flying solo for the first time Wickfield was also nervous when he retired from NetJets in January 2020 because I had worked hard all my life,” he said Wickfield said he still finds time for some adventures in retirement though you retire with like three million Hilton points,” he said because you don’t want to travel anymore.” After more than a half-century spent working a mile in the air Wickfield still knows how to keep both feet on the ground whether he’s receiving an award for his aviation career or if someone makes the mistake of calling him “Sir.” Santa Clara-Ivins Police Officer Jesse Hall tests the new ID chip scanner on the department’s new K9 Officer Paw prints decorate the base of the new scanning station located at the Santa Clara-Ivins Police Department Ivins resident Julie Dean stands next to the scanning station she encouraged the city to install Attendees at last week’s regular Ivins City Council meeting took a short field trip to the Santa Clara-Ivins Police Department building on Thursday to watch the unveiling of a new tool meant to help lost pets Council members revealed a new microchip scanning station in front of the department which is intended to help locals keep track of runaway animals and return them to their owners in a timely manner Police Chief Jaron Studley said that if the scanning machine proves to be helpful then others may be installed at Unity Park and Ivins City Park in the near future “And then we’ll just let the public know where those things are located,” Studley said “And we should be able to help get pets back home where they belong instead of running off the leash.” This machine comes with an instruction panel that guides citizens on how to use a scanner to search for an ID chip that may be implanted under an animal’s skin a citizen can access information about the animal’s owners so that they can be reunited with their four-legged friends instead of having them become lost or taken in by the Santa Clara-Ivins Animal Shelter Councilwoman Sharon Barton said that locals are “hearing more and more about people finding stray dogs running down the streets or that type of thing.” Studley added that the Santa Clara-Ivins shelter is full so resources like this new machine are sorely needed The idea to put the machine in Ivins came from resident Julie Dean She said she has connections to people involved with animal rescue initiatives which informed her of a large operation on the East Coast that uses nine of them in one county with “great success.” “I brought the idea here and was very hopeful,” she said “And Chief Studley just knocked it out of the park.” Studley credited Dean with providing the list of things needed for the scanning machine to look nice and function properly including an endearing set of paw prints at the bottom of the pole where the machine is posted “I didn’t have to do much other than gather the items that she had said would need to be implemented.” While speaking to the crowd of council members and citizens gathered at the machine on Thursday Dean said that locals can get ID chips for their pets by consulting with their local veterinarian “So it’s actually a good thing for a pet to have a chip on its shoulder,” Ivins Mayor Chris Hart said L-R: Ivins Councilmen Mike Scott and Kevin Smith listen as Mayor Chris Hart speaks next to Councilwoman Sharon Barton in Ivins The Ivins City Council is still mediating ongoing talks between Black Desert Resort staff and the neighborhood next to the resort’s golf course The residents of Mesa Vista Drive are concerned about the championship golf course's plans for hosting the upcoming PGA and LPGA tournaments Last year’s event involved the construction of a three-floor grandstand obstructed their view and offered strangers a look into their backyards the residents admitted that the resort has the right to build the seats and the tournament’s organizers and legal counsel indicated the problems will be addressed During these ongoing talks the council members have also been considering amendments to a city ordinance on land use permits and the construction of temporary structures approached the city council Thursday evening with a working draft of a memorandum of understanding This memorandum could serve as an alternative to resolving the issue by changing the city ordinance It would be an official agreement between Black Desert Resort and the city albeit one that would not be legally binding The resort is trying to address the neighborhood’s concerns by limiting the precise hours when the grandstand is being constructed making sure that it is the last thing to be built and the first thing to be taken down Staff are also considering limiting the number of floors constructed during the two tournaments Head said that it would be necessary to “tweak” the current draft which does not specifically address the height issue since it has already applied for a permit to begin building for this year’s event Materials for the grandstand and other structures are expected to start arriving “within the next two to three weeks.” “And so we want to address those concerns as quickly as we can before the hammers start swinging to construct these facilities,” he said Mayor Chris Hart stressed the need for the agreement to address height concerns which is something that was echoed by Mesa Vista resident Tim Bryan “I think you hit the nail on the head with — our major concern is the height,” Bryan said at the meeting it’s inherently going to mitigate the time needed to erect the whole project.” Head and others at the meeting indicated that the entire construction for the two tournaments should take no longer than 90 days each This would mean that the specific grandstand the neighborhood is worried about may only need to be up for about 45 days per tournament Mesa Vista resident Greg Cherry said he thought this would be “great.” Councilman Mike Scott said that the memorandum still needs more clarity on the construction timeline and what will definitely be done about the height issue He said “the approach in this memorandum is spot on.” The council passed a motion to table any changes to the ordinance then encouraged Black Desert Resort representatives to have an updated memorandum of understanding ready for the next meeting “The hope is that we could adopt the memorandum of understanding at our next meeting,” Hart said Utah — It was day two at the PGA Tour’s Black Desert Championship in Ivins and both those from here and those from out of town said the same thing it’s the first opportunity in 61 years to see the top pros in men’s golf in the Beehive State For those from other parts of the country and world it was a chance to see a sport known for its beautiful locales in red rock county But what about the partner he’s marrying next month but definitely not as much as I do,” Schaffer said play golf and spend some time with some great friends” “It's hard to watch golf when you have all the scenery around you,” Jeff Schaffer said George artist Tommy Stirland was taking in the picture-perfect scene with his son Harvey “It's pretty neat to have a PGA event here in my hometown,” Stirland said “There's probably not anything that's gonna look like this anywhere else in the world with the combination of the black rock and the red rock and the desert.” Stirland has been commissioned to create a painting marking St who was playing in his 500th PGA Tour event Blake didn’t make the cut to continue playing in this weekend’s final rounds but he did finally get to play in his hometown for the first time in his long career in Emery County,,golf fan Teigen Jewkes never thought he would see a PGA event in person like the ball flights and the way they're able to control the ball “Can’t wait to marry you next month!” he yelled for the cameras as he marched off to take in the golf (Mark Eddington | The Salt Lake Tribune) The staff of Xetava Tapas+Bar in Ivins The workers have been invited to stay on under the new owners Ivins • Of all southwestern Utah’s restaurants, one would be hard-pressed to find one rated higher or loved more than Xetava the eatery Greg and Rachel Federman opened 18 years ago the restaurant and adjoining Rustic Cactus Bar draw rave reviews from locals and visitors who throng the culinary hot spot and watering hole to sip Royden Lemonade and adult beverages drink in the views of the red cliffs and sample fare that is often locally sourced and made from scratch “It’s the heart of our community,” said Ivins resident Kristin Hunt there is no other place we would rather go than Xetava because it’s like family Alas, starting Oct. 1, Xetava will be home to new owners. Matt and Nikki MacKay and Jason and Wendy Lewis, owners of Cliff Dining Pub and Cultivate Craft Kitchen restaurants in Draper have bought the business from the Federmans six or seven days a week for nearly two decades Greg said he and Rachel realized they would have to maintain that schedule to realize their vision for the restaurant rather than focus on family and I am simply not willing to work seven days a week for the next five years,” Greg said “Those are crucial years for me to be available for my kids (Greg Federman) Greg and Rachel Federman have sold Xetava Taking on a partner initially seemed like a possible solution But after Greg met with Matt MacKay last May both men discovered they not only shared a love for Xetava but also a vision for how a restaurant should look and be run Greg said he learned from their discussion that the MacKays had the passion and resources to make Xetava even better So he and Rachel decided to sell the restaurant “We are super proud of what we have accomplished,” Greg said “but we also know our limits and when our time is up.” letting go of a business that has been built from scratch isn’t easy When the Federmans bought the then-New Age gift shop that doubled as a coffee shop in 2006 and converted it into a restaurant, they started with a couple of toaster ovens, a waffle iron and one part-time employee. What they lacked in expertise they more than made up for in enthusiasm. One early memorable event was an African-themed dinner party the Federmans threw in January that sold out in a day. “We cooked everything at someone’s house and transported the food to the restaurant in the back of my pickup truck, and we had a percussion group play out on the patio, where we had heat lamps set up,” Greg recalled. “We were trying to figure things out, but the support from the community was unbelievable.” Another memorable event was celebrating Greg and Rachel’s wedding at Xetava, teaching their “daughter how to make espresso, power-washing the floor with our kids, and teaching them how to run a business as they opened their own stand to sell snacks, lemonade and sunglasses during art festivals [at Kayenta].” (Matt MacKay) A rainbow is seen over Red Mountain from the Xetava patio. In 2011, the Federmans and Kayenta residents teamed up for a “Kitchen Uprising” fundraiser that netted $30,000 from area artists and diners. Proceeds from sales of donated art and other items enabled the Federmans to build a kitchen and add a dining room with a wooden floor to the eatery. Years later, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced Xetava to shut down for seven weeks during the spring of 2020, it was the Federmans’ turn to give back to the community. Despite their own COVID-related financial woes, the couple launched a fundraiser that took in more than $28,000 they dished out to struggling restaurant workers all over the St. George area. Since then, Xetava has rebounded and is thriving. The menu has expanded, and the wait staff now numbers 30. An adjoining tapas bar the couple opened in July 2023 has added to Xetava’s allure and growing fan base. Despite Xetava’s success and status in southern Utah, Greg said he and Rachel expect the new owners to further burnish Xetava’s lustrous legacy. “In the 18 years that we have run this place, Rachel and I have never felt like we have owned it,” Greg said. “It feels more like we have been stewards and are taking care of it. Now it’s time for another steward to take over.” (Victoria Aspen) A collection of food at Xetava. For his part, Matt MacKay is reassuring customers that as he and his partners put their own stamp on the business they have been fans of for years, they won’t stamp out what has made Xetava special. “We’re not going to change things that don’t need fixing,” he said. “The Royden Lemonade, Caesar wraps, hummus dishes and [other menu favorites] will still be there.” Xetava currently opens five days a week. Beginning Nov. 1, the new owners plan to keep the eatery open seven days a week and the Rusted Cactus every day but Sunday. They will also expand weekend brunches, which now start at 9 a.m. and end at noon, until 3 p.m. Xetava will also start accepting reservations. Moreover, the Rusted Cactus will begin offering more entree-size meals in addition to tapas-size bites to make the bar more of a dinner destination and add more adult beverages to the menu. “We are bringing in 30 wines and some spirits that people down there probably haven’t seen,” Matt said, “some rare bourbons, gins and other neat stuff.” One staple Matt said should see little change is Xetava’s current “all-star” staff, all of whom have been invited to stay. The new owners are, however, importing a French-trained chef from Cultivate Craft Kitchen in Draper to head Xetava’s cooking chores. A general manager, who is currently at Cliff Dining Pub, will also join the team. Hunt is sorry to see the Federmans go but is eager to see what the new owners bring to the table. “Members of the community are anxious to meet the new owners,” she said, “and hopefully carry on with the Xetava spirit that is at the heart of our community.”