Wills, Trusts, and More Estate Planning for Children with Disabilities

Making an estate plan is not something that anyone looks forward to doing. It is difficult to make difficult decisions about what we want to happen to our property after we die.

Parents of children with disabilities have additional apprehensions about making estate plans. These parents are anxious about their disabled child's future. Parents worry about who will care for their disabled child, where their child will live, what services their child will need, and what can be done to protect their child's eligibility for needed services.

Parents may believe that when they die, other family members will take care of their child with a disability, despite the fact that they have never discussed this with any other family members. The size of your estate is irrelevant. What is important is that you make plans about how your resources will be used after you die. Lack of planning could have serious negative consequences for a child with a disability—whether it be a young child or an adult child.

When you meet with your estate planning at-

by Jeffery J. McKenna

torney, you should explain the nature and severity of your child's disability to the attorney. You should be sure that the attorney understands what your child can do with respect to making decisions about medical care, money, where to live, and other activities which he or she will have to carry on after you die.

Trusts are often very good mechanisms for parents of a child with a disability to use in planning for their child's financial future. A well-drafted trust can enhance the quality of life of an individual with a disability. Your trustee is legally obligated to follow your instructions.

Some parents are intimidated by the thought of having a trust because they think it is too complicated.

Parents sometimes avoid discussing the possibility of establishing a trust because they plan to leave money to their other children whom they believe will use the money to care for the child with a disability. Leaving the money outright to the other children is risky. The other children have no legal obligation to use that money for their sibling with a disability. If the other children die before the child with a disability, or get a divorce, or suffer a bankruptcy, the funds may not be used as intended. A trust can serve various purposes such as paying bills, paying for services that are provided to the child with a disability, and providing goods and services that the government will not supply.

Nice Try

PANGUITCH OFFICE AT 46 NORTH MAIN STREET TO SERVE CLIENTS IN AND AROUND GARFIELD COUNTY.

Jeffery J. McKenna is a local attorney whose practice has been focused on Estate Planning for over 20 years. He is licensed and serves clients in Utah, Arizona and Nevada. He is a shareholder at the law firm of Barney, McKenna and Olmstead. If you have questions you would like addressed in these articles, please feel free to contact him at 435 628-1711 or jmckenna@barney-mckenna.com or visit the firm’s website at WWW.BARNEYMCKENNA.COM, he would enjoy hearing from you.

A trust can meet changing needs and circumstances. There are different ways to create a legal trust. A popular trust for people with disabilities is referred to as a “supplemental needs” trust. It is wise to discuss your options with an attorney and make your choices based on what will best serve your needs and the needs of your disabled child. There may well be options that you were unaware of that may give you and your family members great peace of mind.

A mild-mannered man was tired of being bossed around by his wife so he went to a psychiatrist. The psychiatrist said he needed to build his self-esteem, and so gave him a book on assertiveness, which he read on the way home. He had finished the book by the time he reached his house. The man stormed into the house and walked up to his wife. Pointing a finger in her face, he said, "From now on, I want you to know that I am the man of this house, and my word is law! I want you to prepare me a gourmet meal tonight, and when I'm finished eating my meal, I expect a sumptuous dessert afterward. Then, after dinner, you're going to draw me my bath so I can relax. And when I'm finished with my bath, guess who's going to dress me and comb my hair?"

"The funeral director," said his wife.

Appointment

Phoning the hospital for a follow-up X-ray appointment, I was inadvertently connected to the High Risk Pregnancy Unit instead of Radiology. They asked me my name and age. When I told them my age was 82, there was a moment of silence. And then the voice said, "Wow! That will really put us on the map!"

THEME:

U.S. Presidents

ACROSS

1. Biased perspective

6. Male sibs

10. Monday Night Football audience

14. Tapiridae representative

15. Rock opera version of "La Bohème"

16. Object of worship

17. Opposite of alpha

18. ____ Spumante

19. Novice 20. *Unanimously elected President

22. Gusto

23. Eggy drink 24. Jig music, pl. 26. Stashed in a hold 30. Penniless 32. Wood turning device 33. Toll payment, e.g. 34. Not slouching 38. Like nay-sayers 39. Of many years 40. Malaria symptom 41. Instagram post 43. River, in Spanish 44. Bell-bottoms bottom 45. Dodge 47. Unexpected 48. The Cat in the Hat's headgear (2 words)

51. Campbell's container

52. International Civil Aviation Organization

53. *President Hayes' first name

60. "Through" in a text?

61. Pelvic bones

62. Plural of #54 Down

63. Andrew Sean Greer's 2018 Pulitzer Prize winner

64. Reverse action

65. Mother-of-pearl

66. *Lake off Ohio, the state known as "the Mother of Presidents"

67. Baseball's "The Say Hey Kid" 68. Navigate DOWN

1. *Present tense of #26

Lost Bird

A man received a phone call one day, and the caller asked if he had lost a parrot. He said that he had indeed lost the bird, but wanted to know how the caller located him. The caller said that the bird had landed on his balcony and kept repeating, "Hi, you have reached 555-3214. I can't come to the phone right now, please leave a message at the tone."

Shower Thoughts

We all get heavier as we get older, because there's a lot more information in our heads. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

PUNishment

I only seem to get sick on weekdays. I must have a weekend immune system.

Sudoku

To Play: Complete the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9

Across

This week's answers on page 11

2. Tibetan priest

3. "Singes" in "La Planète des singes"

4. Nearly

5. Apprentice

6. Name on apple cider vinegar bottle

7. R in R&R

8. Cognizant of 9. "Sophie's Choice" protagonist

10. *F in JFK

11. Bye, to Emmanuel Macron

12. Relating to Scandinavia

13. Casino bandits

21. Sign of assent

25. *Civil Rights Act of 1957 signer

26. Dueler's blow

27. Hyperbolic tangent

28. Football great Graham

29. *Executive Mansion, colloquially (2 words)

30. Misrepresent

31. Make over

33. *One of four presi- dents to have never been elected

35. "Goodness gracious!"

36. "Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me" band, The ____

37. High school student, usually

42. Spermatozoa counterparts

44. Not marathons, pl. (2 words)

46. Central court in domus

47. Certain frat house letters

48. Ownership document

49. Autumn color

50. Zoroaster follower

51. Pandemonium

54. Elbow-wrist connection

55. Not a slob

56. Like certain Stanley

57. A third of thrice

58. Steak choice

59. Whitetail, e.g.

Solution on page 11

O bituaries

Jeff Barron Pace

1946 - 2023

BICKNELL - Jeff Barron Pace died January 30, 2023 at his home from causes incident to old age. He was 76 years old. Jeff was born June 4, 1946 in Richfield, Utah. He is the oldest child of Ralph D. and Una Lucy (Barron) Pace, both deceased.

Jeff graduated from Wayne High School with the class of 1964. He was a varsity wrestler for the WHS Badgers, and very interested in science. He built and launched many model rockets. Some had passengers that survived unscathed. As sophomores, he and Newell Harward decided to build a full sized glider. The plans for a Franklin Glider were ordered and an aircraft emerged over the next three years. In the weeks following high school graduation, the aircraft was flown at the Wayne County Airport.

Jeff was good with horses and earned his way through college training and shoeing racehorses. He graduated with an associate degree from the College of Southern Utah (now Southern Utah University) and a Bachelor’s Degree in Animal Science from BYU in the spring of 1969

Jeff taught himself to weld and made noteworthy metal sculptures while repairing farm machinery and fixing leaks in the sprinkler system mainline. He taught his nephews to weld, and instructed all of us how to hunt ducks safely and successfully. He was well read and could speak intelligently on many subjects, particularly aviation and the history of World Wars I and II. He made his living farming and ranching. He enjoyed hunting and fishing, as well as collecting and shooting muzzle loading firearms.

Jeff married Jennifer Hatch of Safford, Arizona in the Mesa Arizona LDS Temple on July 25, 1969. Together they had some good racehorses and they traveled in Utah, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico. They made a good team and took care of one another.

Jeff is survived by his wife Jennifer Hatch Pace of Bicknell; brothers: David (Karen) Pace of Richfield; Paul (Elizabeth) Pace of Bicknell; nephews: Cameron (Lisa) Pace of Cedar City; Rhett (Lindsey) Pace of Eagle Mountain; Jameson (Kristen) Pace of Loa; John (Jennie) Pace of Ogden; Andrew (Amy) Pace of Cedar City; and a niece Belinda (Stephen) Wirthlin of Henderson, NV.

Jeff lived as a very private person; a small gathering of immediate family will be held at a later date. No flowers please.

The line of our people is a little shorter now, but Jeff braided an important part of it. He will be greatly missed.

Services are under the care of the Springer Turner Funeral Homes of Richfield and Salina, Utah.

Online guestbook at springerturner.com

Now I know what the term Nor’easter means, and they can include cold, cold, cold temperatures of below minus zero, when you figure in the wind chill factor. Mount Washington in New Hampshire had a record-setting wind chill of 108 degrees below zero over last weekend. If you are outside in those temps for five minutes, you will get frostbite. The north east states really had a number of freezing cold days. If the wind dies down, it should warm up quickly.

Sunday, we got another small snowfall, which was promised last Monday. It didn’t amount too much, at least at the time of this printing.

The groundhog didn’t see his shadow, which means that we will have six more weeks of winter.

Before the next printing of this paper is one of those do not miss days; it's Valentine’s Day, February 14th. A few of our local restaurants will be open and have dinner on that day.

John Yardley has gotten another call to service for the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints. Starting in September, he will be the president of the Cedar City Temple. Brother Yardley has been serving the Church for a long period of time. He went on a mission right out of high school and was made a Bishop at a young age. He was then Stake President for a long time, 15 years I think. He had been a member of the Seventies, and he served a mission as the president of the Idaho mission for three years. He is now our Stake Patriarch (a lifelong call-

by Mack Oetting ~ mackoetting @gmail.com

ing). President Yardley’s new calling is also for three years. Amen, Brother. In the sports world, next Sunday will be the Super Bowl game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles. It should be a good game, with both of the league’s best teams. Both teams have excellent quarterbacks who can also run with the ball. This will be the end of the long NFL season. They added an extra game this year to make 17 and did away with a practice game. Today, they had the Pro Bowl game with the top players in the league. Over the years, it became a game where no one wanted to hurt anyone, so this year, they played flag football, which is a game that we played in junior high sixty five years ago. This will probably be their last Pro Bowl game.

Over in the NBA, it looks like my favorite player LeBron James will break Kareem Abdul-Jabar’s alltime scoring record. He only needs 36 points to pass Kareem. LeBron plans on playing at least three more years and to set a record that won’t ever be passed. LeBron has moved up to number four on the assist record that Stockton holds, and this probably will never be broken. LeBron's career has spanned 20 years and is seldom hurt. Rules come and go, which also makes it hard to last.

Till LeBron came along, Wilt Chamberlain was the man. When he started with the NBA, you had to finish college to play. Wilt spent his 4th year playing for the Harlem Globetrotters for a year. In that year, he averaged 50 points a game, and he even had a 100 point night. He was terrible at free throws, but one night, he finished with 32. They changed the key and made it 3’ wider so that he couldn’t stand under the basket. Wilt finished his career with a record 22 rebounds a game. He also played in 48 minutes for every game and never fouled out in a game.

There was a time when Black people were the only ones that could dunk the ball, and they outlawed the dunk in college. This is what made Kareem so good. He developed the Sky Hook, as tall as he was, and with his long arms, no one could stop him. Kareem played for UCLA, and the team won seventy-two games in a row and four national championships.

LeBron got drafted out of high school by Cleveland and started as an 18 year old, where Wilt and Kareem were 22 years old when they started. Wilt, at age 32, got an offer to coach the San Diego Clippers in the ABA and to play for them for a million dollars. The NBA brought a lawsuit against him, and the Clippers and his playing days were through after ten years. He became a pro beach volleyball player; can you imagine trying to block one of his kills?

Well, the Utah State Legislature came up with a new bill that seems all right. Halloween will be celebrated on the last Friday of October. We do celebrate Thanksgiving on the 4th Thursday of November, and that is fine. When a holiday falls on a Sunday in Utah, we celebrate it on ei-

O bituaries

Dee Barlow Hatch

1919 - 2023 ther the day before or after. This year, when the 1st of January fell on a Sunday, it was celebrated on Monday. February comes from the Latin word "februa," which means “ to cleanse.”

The month was named after the Roman Februalia, which was a month-long festival of purification and atonement. Mardi Gras, also called Shrove Tuesday, takes place annually on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Christian observance of Lent; it lasts for six weeks and ends just before Easter. In 2023, Mardi Gras will be celebrated on Tuesday, February 21.

January’s economic results are out, and we have 517,000 new jobs in the month and the unemployment is down to its lowest since 1948 at 3.4%. Utah is at 2%, and they wonder why they can’t find workers. President Biden announced that the building of two new tunnels into New York City will start soon and will employ a million new workers. Sixteen million have signed up this year through the Affordable Care Act, cutting down those who aren’t insured to 8%.

If you are looking for a summer job, you can search on coolworks.com and look at all the fun jobs; many of them are in our national parks. These jobs pay well and some even provide housing. You will never know your full potential until you try. Mack O.

LOA - On the late quiet evening of January 30, 2023 at the Monroe Canyon Assisted Living in Monroe, Utah, our father, grandfather, friend and brother, Dee Barlow Hatch, quietly passed through heaven’s door and into the arms of so many who loved him.

Dee, age 103, was born on October 1, 1919 in Koosharem, Utah to Irma Durrett Johnson and John Henry Hatch. He was the fourth of seven children, Including five brothers and one sister. Dad grew up in very humble circumstances where he learned to work hard and understood his obligations to support family. He was always in awe of living life from the horse and buggy days to that of space ships and modern communication.

His early childhood years included herding the town milk cows at the age of 9 years old, and continued to always have a job to help support his family. He loved his childhood friends, and would walk seven miles to go play with them. He learned great patience during these years. He always mourned the loss of his brother, Morris, who died at age 14. Dad loved working alongside his brothers cutting lumber, and enjoyed any challenge placed before him. Dad graduated from North Sevier High School where he and his cousin Ellis supported themselves by working in the sugar beet fields.

Dad was one of the first young men from Koosharem to join the army prior to the US involvement in World War II. He spent the next five years serving in the Hawaiian and Philippine Islands. Dad was trained specifically in Morse Code in the communications section and a forward observer and was honored with a Bronze Star for his heroic service. He spent the remainder of his life in patriotic service as a dedicated veteran.

Dee married Berneal Nelson, on April 19, 1946 in the Manti Utah Temple. They made their home in Loa, Utah where they lived together for 69 years. They were blessed with five daughters and one son. Dad and Mom were examples to our family of how to work hard and play hard. The love that Grandpa and Grandma showed each other will be forever engraved in our minds and will always be an example of the way we should live our lives. Dad worked for Garkane Power Company for about 34 years and made lifelong friends. He made lifelong friends in all walks of his life wherever he went. He retired in 1984. Dad and Mom bought property in Caineville, Utah, an hour away from their home so they could grow and harvest their “Garden of Weedin”. They loved to grow watermelon, canteloupe, tomatoes, cucumbers, and fruit from their orchard. One of their greatest pleasures was sharing their truckloads of produce with their many family and friends.

Dee was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served faithfully in many positions. He loved his eternal family and up until the day he passed away, he asked about the welfare of each of his children and grandchildren. Dad also served the Loa Community with faithful dedication.

Dee is survived by his children, Dave Johnson, Orem, Utah; Bob and Susan Bagley, Aurora, Utah; Doug and Carol Ann Robinson, Torrey, Utah; Dennis and Maridee Hiskey, Teasdale, Utah; Larry and Janae Blake, Richfield, Utah; and Chris and Linda Hatch, St. George, Utah. He is also survived by 24 grandchildren and their spouses, and 88 great grandchildren and spouses, and 7 great-great grandchildren. A grand posterity of 162. He is also survived by a brother-in-law, Thad Torgerson.

He is preceded in death by his wife and sweetheart, Berneal; daughter, Yvonne Johnson; great-grand daughter, Taylor Okerlund; and a great-grandson, Xavier Hatch. Parents, John and Irma Hatch, brothers, Chester, Lloyd, Morris, Zane, Gordon, and sister, Cleola Torgerson.

Funeral services were held in Loa, Utah on Monday, February 6th at 12:00 noon. Friends called for the viewing on Sunday evening at Springer Turner Funeral Home in Richfield, Utah from 6:00-8:00 pm, and prior to the funeral on Monday morning from 10:00-11:30 am at the Loa Utah Stake Center.

Burial was with military honors accorded by the Harold Brown American Legion Post #92 and the Utah Honor Guard will be in the Koosharem City Cemetery under the care of the Springer Turner Funeral Homes of Richfield and Salina, Utah.

The family wishes to express their gratitude for the many medical providers and caregivers overseeing Dee's care over the past years. Thank you to Monroe Canyon Assisted Living staff, Wayne Community Health Center providers, Jason Okerlund NP, and Gunnison Home Health and Hospice caregivers. Your kindness to dad went above and beyond such expert caring and concern.

Online guestbook and livestreaming of the services were found at springerturner.com below Dee’s obituary.

Online guestbook at springerturner.com

Boulder Council: Robison Road, town jobs and salaries, the Town Park trail resolution, an ethics complaint, Boulder Arts Council events and exhibits, the status and maintenance of possible hazard trees in public areas, and Department reports discussed.

Boulder Council

Cont'd from page 1 and a half already. It was responded that the town would incur the survey cost. The ZA also stated that they will need a driveway agreement with neighbors for the road. Other neighbors will use their section of the road to access their properties. The applicants agreed but also asked where in the ordinances it is stated that they need a driveway agreement. An applicant also brought up that David Dodds, the Garfield County Public Works Director, wrote a letter to the town stating that the road can already be considered public without them actually dedicating it. The ZA stated that the town should still do the survey and officially dedicate it to have everything documented for the future. An applicant asked if they can move forward with their application, pending the survey and driveway agreements. The TC concurred. Jones and DeMille will be contacted to conduct the survey. Discussion on Fire School occurred. The funding is already allocated in the budget. No further approval or budgetary allocation is needed at this time. Town jobs and salaries were discussed. One TC member suggested that the raise should be based on a percentage rather than a fixed amount, and that the various positions and their responsibilities should be evaluated. Regular raises proportionate to responsibility could help with employee retention. A number of TC members voiced support for raises. One stated that they would vote against it, due to the demands of continued inflation. One town employee stated that their pay rate is lower than others and their rate should match other employee rates. Another town employee spoke directly to the TC member who said they would vote against raises. They stated that employees should be paid based on their skill set and their value. A member of the public stated that some of these jobs provide W9s rather than W2s, which means that employees have to pay 30% of their taxes, making the hourly wage much lower than what it would be with a W2. The TC decided that they should go through all positions, consider how long they have been working and their responsibilities, and from there come up with a pay rate. Expectations must be made clear so that the town knows what they are paying for, and employees know their responsibilities. Consequences and accountability must also be in place. As a first step, town employees will be asked to provide a list of their duties as they perceive them.

Following this was voting on the Town Park trail resolution. The resolution would state that no one can park on the town trail. Points of discussion, brought up by the Fire Chief, a Hell’s Backbone Grill representative who spoke about the needs of the Boulder Mountain Lodge, other members of the public, and TC members included: difficulties in accessing the hydrant; the possibility of running the trail behind the fence, which was vetoed by a TC member who stated that it should stay on public land; that the street parking is required by the Lodge for large trailers and that it is safer for them to park on the Lodge side of the road than across the street; that the map and all supporting documents and rationale should have been made public before the meeting; whether or not UDOT requested the town to create this resolution; that UDOT stated that parallel parking is allowed there, and this resolution would not entail the removal of Lodge parking; that railroad ties would be put down to guard the trail; and that the location of the town trail is unclear after the Lodge but it does go to the Government Corrals. Its location should be made clearer, and no parking should be enforced along its entirety. The resolution passed.

Discussion on adopting Jones and DeMille as the town-approved engineer was discussed. This was voted down because if it is left open in the ordinances as “a town-approved engineer,” rather than stating a specific engineer, the town will have more options.

Transferring town money to their Money Market account in order to make more on interest was discussed.

Candidates for the Town Clerk position were interviewed. After a closed meeting, Jessica LeFevre was chosen by mayor recommendation and council vote. LeFevre stated in her interview that this will be a chance to be a part of the community, learn new skills and work with people oneon-one. She has many years of experience in different types of clerical work, including management positions with responsibilities such as keeping track of licensing and employee paperwork.

The clerk will be asked to look into available training. The TC will consider whether belonging to the Utah Clerk’s Association will be recommended or required. Discussing funding for training will be tabled for next month.

An ethics complaint was received by the Town. This complaint requested that, due to recent events, an ordinance on ethics be put into place. The member of the public who filed the complaint spoke. He stated that Ashley Carter, executive director of the Utah Political Subdivisions Ethics Commission, told him that this is a complaint with real standing. The charges are up to a felony. He stated willingness to drop this case if the town begins working on an ethics ordinance, comparable to the one that Mapleton has in effect, and also stated that the TC member in question should apologize for violating the public trust. TC members stated that they would begin working on such an ordinance.

A representative of the Boulder Arts Council brought up a number of points for TC consideration. The Fiery Furnace Marching Band will return to Boulder in July, on either the 1 or the 15, and if the town is interested, they could collaborate and have them at the July Fourth celebration. Discussion will continue on this.

Next, spotlights are available by donation for the Park Pavilion to shine light on the stage during night time performances.

Following this, exhibits were discussed. The Arts Council sets up two Utah Arts and Museums Traveling Exhibits per year, at $125 each. The Arts Council pays for one and the Town the other. They asked if the Town will continue to do this. Next, the burning of the elk sculpture created by Joe Pachak was discussed.

In Bluff, these sculptures are burned each year on the Solstice. Pachak stated that he would be willing to make another sculpture if we burn this one. This should probably be done while there is still snow on the ground and the Arts Council would coordinate with the fire department. Lastly, the Arts Council is designated as Boulder’s Local Arts Agency, which allows them to apply for grants. They need approval from the town for this continued designation. The town approved all these requests. A Tree City Committee presentation followed. Since being founded in 2014, they have established the food forest in the Town Park, and hold Arbor Day Celebrations and tree pruning workshops. They have received a number of grants. In addition to their own knowledge and experience, they rely on their DNR Tree City Rep and the Orchardist in Capitol Reef for support. Tree City assists the TC with trees in public areas by making recommendations. Another member of Tree City spoke about the trees at the dumpsters, which the town has brought up recently as a concern. Photos were sent to the DNR rep and were compared to older photos. He recommended that the tree be cordoned off, and he will come in March to check the safety. A TC member stated that the tree is splitting, and if they wait until March, it may fall before then and cause a liability of possibly $6,000 if it damages the hydrant. Other trees along roadways should be evaluated as well.

A member of the public stated that Tree City has to be included in discussions about trees, including the discussion on Burr Trail trees that is also on the agenda. The TC agreed.

It will cost $3800 to trim the trees on Burr Trail. One tree would have to be removed as it sits on top of the mainline. There are a few saplings on the side of the road that would be removed. Other trees leaning over the road would be trimmed back. These are all on private property but are hanging over the road, and they have permission from landowners. A member of Tree City recommended that they have an arborist look at the trees. Maintaining balance in the tree helps structure and integrity, so they shouldn’t just be thinking about trimming what’s over the road but also the overall balance. A TC member responded that those who are trimming the trees are certified arborists.

Department reports followed.

Roads: Mileage will be updated with the state to ensure they are getting adequate road funding. Roads need to be up to certain standards to be dedicated, and these standards should be referenced when considering the Robison Road.

Based on recently completed training by

February 13 - 19

by John Mosley

narrowing the gap.

Turning to each, Venus sets 2¼ hours after the sun, and then, it can be awfully pretty as the sky darkens and colors fade from the sky. For people with telescopes, Neptune is ½° above Venus on the 14th and 2/3° below Venus on the 15th, but it will be difficult to see so faint a planet in twilight, if it’s even possible. Another challenge.

We’re used to seeing amazing photographs of comets in almost real-time on our computer screens, but long ago images appeared as drawings in books and flyers.

This is the last time I’ll mention Comet C/2022 E3, which is still visible to binoculars and telescopes in the evening sky. This week, it moves southward through Taurus, passing just 1½° from Aldebaran and the Hyades Star Cluster on Valentine’s Day. It’ll remain visible for weeks and months to come, depending on your equipment and finding skills. It’ll be the brightest comet of 2023 unless a new one unexpectedly appears, so I hope you see it if you haven’t already. At least the moon is out of the way this week and next. Three bright planets grace the early evening sky, and these are, from west to east, brilliant Venus, very bright Jupiter, and bright Mars. Venus and Jupiter are low in the west while Mars is very high in the south. We’ll have these three planets to enjoy until Jupiter leaves us in only a month. Jupiter is leaving us now for the same reason Saturn left a few weeks ago and the same reasons we see different constellations each month. As the earth orbits the sun, the earth’s nighttime side faces a different part of the sky each month, and the constellations—and slow-moving outer planets—move 1/12th of 360°, or 30° to the west of where they were the month before. Venus and Mars are exceptions because their own faster motion eastward keeps them visible much longer. It’s hard to describe it with words, but it’s trivially easy with a planetarium program.

So Jupiter sinks lower in the west night-by-night while Venus rises, and I encourage you to watch them nightly and estimate from your own observations when Venus will pass Jupiter. Venus is quickly

Jupiter is roughly 15° above Venus, but that number changes dramatically during the week— which is precisely why you want to watch the sky repeatedly to see and appreciate changes in the sky, rather than think of planetary conjunctions as a series of discreet events. Mars is much fainter, and it’s almost lost among the many bright stars of the winter constellations, even though it’s brighter than almost all of them. Look for Mars nearly overhead as the stars appear and 9° above Aldebaran and the Hyades Star Cluster. Mars is slowly moving eastward toward the Bull’s horns. The bright white star above Mars is Capella, in the constellation Auriga, the Charioteer. (If the constellations were named today, would it be called “The Taxi Driver”?) Although made of bright stars, Auriga gets little respect because it lies off the ecliptic, and the moon and planets don’t pass near it.

John Mosley was Program Supervisor of the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles for 27 years and is the author of “Stargazing for Beginners” and “Stargazing with Binoculars and Telescopes.” He and his wife live in St. George, where he continues to stargaze from his retirement home while serving on the advisory committee for Stellar Vista Observatory.

Calf Creek: The Bureau of Land Management has issued a decision record for the Calf Creek Recreation Site Deferred Maintenance and Improvements Project within Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in southern Utah.

Calf Creek Cont'd from page 1

Great American Outdoors Act gives the economic boost needed to modernize infrastructure and help make visitors feel safe when recreating on these public lands. By addressing the deferred maintenance at Calf Creek, visitors will enjoy improved public access and amenities while ensuring the long-term protection of the Monument.”

Improvements to the Calf Creek Recreation Site approved in this decision include the following:

• Replacing infrastructure (creek-crossing structures, shade shelters, restroom, fee station and retaining walls);

• Reconfiguring the existing main parking area and constructing additional designated parking;

• Consolidating the dayuse amenities to one area, featuring a shaded group shelter;

• Widening the access road; Modernizing and adding additional camping units and relocating the host site; Providing additional vault toilets and on-site trash collection;

• Constructing a small amphitheater, a nature trail, and pedestrian pathways; Relocating the trailhead and rerouting the beginning of the Lower Calf Creek Trail around (rather than through) the campground; and

• Installing a communication fiber line to allow for the installation of emergency phones and Wi-Fi communication at the site.

Prior to issuing the decision, the BLM conducted a National Historic Preservation Act survey to identify any districts, sites, buildings, structures, or objects eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places and determined that two sites within the project area are eligible for listing: the historic Civilian Conservation Corpsconstructed Escalante to Boulder Road and the Calf

Creek Campground. The BLM worked with Tribal Nations, Garfield County officials, preservation groups, and the Utah State Historic Preservation Office to minimize potential project impacts to these eligible sites. As stipulated in a Memorandum of Agreement signed in fall 2021 to appropriately manage the cultural and historic legacy of the site, the BLM has committed to conducting additional historic research; performing detailed recording, mapping, and photography; and installing interpretative signs for the public. The decision record, finding of no significant impact, environmental assessment and associated documents can be viewed on the BLM’s ePlanning website at https://bit. ly/3DzOJQV. A 30-day appeal period is open until close of business on March 4, 2023. Instructions for filing an appeal are provided in the decision record.

—Bureau of Land Management