The Wayne & Garfield County Insider April 16, 2020

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The

Insider

Serving Wayne & Garfield Counties, Utah

Loa • Fremont • Lyman • Bicknell • Teasdale • Torrey • Grover • Fruita • Caineville • Hanksville Panguitch • Panguitch Lake • Hatch • Antimony • Bryce • Tropic • Henrieville • Cannonville • Escalante • Boulder

Thursday, April 16, 2020

Garfield County Issues Emergency Recreation Order PANGUITCH - Garfield County, in cooperation with the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, the BLM, and Southwest Utah Public Health, are working together to issue an Emergency Recreation Order. This order will temporarily close multiple public land locations throughout Garfield County due to impacts related to COVID-19. This order applies to all recreationists, but does not impact ranchers and miners operating under authorized permits. The order is in effect immediately in the following locations: • Upper and Lower Calf Creek Falls • Deer Creek Campground • All Escalante Canyons • Devil’s Rock Garden • Zebra Slot Canyon • Burr Trail (Long Canyon Slots, Big Pines Camp Area, etc.) • Irish Canyons including Sandthrax Camping Area • Hog Springs Canyon • Star Springs Campground • North Wash • Ticaboo/Bullfrog Area • And all other recreation sites where proper social distancing practices cannot be achieved Recreation Order Cont'd on page 8

Issue # 1355

National Parks, GSENM Monument Recreation Areas Closed Due to COVID-19 Concerns

Insider

ESCALANTE - Signage posted by the Bureau of Land Management near the Zebra slot canyon trailhead near Escalante and Boulder notifies the public of the recent closure of this trail. Many other high volume recreation areas have also been closed due to concerns related to coronavirus and lack of ability to practice appropriate social distancing. Capitol Reef National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park also recently released that they would be temporaily closing the parks to the public amid concerns about visitors to the area possibly initiating the spread of COVID-19 amongst local residents. —Insider

Wayne County Commissioners Message to Residents

WAYNE COUNTY Below is a message from the Wayne County Commissioners to Wayne County residents, which was published on the County's website on April 8, 2020. Dear Wayne County Residents;

Op-Ed

A New Class of First Responder

by Dave Davis, President of the Utah Food Industry Association months, a new class of first responders has emerged. They have bravely answered the call to serve in a time of drastic uncertainty. This new class are those who are serving on the frontlines of the retail grocery and convenience store industries. These employees show up to work each day and provide needed food and other supplies for their local communities. Unlike other first Courtesy Utah Press Association Dave Davis is the President of the responders, those who Utah Food Industry Association. serve in our local retail food stores don’t typiUTAH - Since the intro- cally wear personal protective duction of coronavirus (CO- equipment. But with the introVID-19) to our communities, duction of this new virus, the daily life has changed for need to protect them is more most Utahns and doesn’t look important than ever. The into return to normal for some dustry has rallied to help protime. In times of uncertainty, vide these retail first respondwe often look to first respond- ers with increased protection ers who courageously answer so they can return home safe the call, routinely putting at the end-of-the-day. Durtheir own safety in jeopardy, ing a recent trip to your local in order to protect complete store, you may have noticed strangers. We revere and new safety shields installed at respect the sacrifices these the check stand, markings on brave men and women make the floor of the store to help in an effort to protect our families and communities. Front Lines Over the last couple Cont'd on page 3

REGIONAL WEATHER FORECAST FOR SOME BUT NOT ALL REGIONS REPRESENTED IN OUR NEWSPAPER COVERAGE AREA

THURS. APRIL 16 - WED. APRIL 22

Cloudy with chances of rain mostly into next week. Highs fluctuate between the 50s and low 60s all week; lows in the high 20s and 30s. Best chances for rain are Tuesday and Thursday at 40%. Winds variable from 10 to 14 mph.

As the Wayne County Commission we have the utmost concern for our communities Health and Safety. We have taken an oath to the US Constitution, which is the protection of the health and welfare of our citizens. We are currently in daily

contact with our state, federal and local health professionals regarding COVID – 19. We are relying on our state and local health officials for guidance during this critical and Commission Message Cont'd on page 8

Wayne County Commission April 6

by Veronica Egan WAYNE COUNTY - The No decision was reached meeting was held, as usual, on Swing Arm City at this at the Wayne County Court- meeting. A conference call house. This report was made discussion with County Atusing the audio recording of torney Mike Olsen resulted the meeting. In attendance in the commissioners recwere Commissioners Wood, ognizing the importance of Dennis Blackburn and Roger adhering to state guidelines. Brian, County Clerk Ryan Emergency Services Director Torgerson, Emergency Ser- Jeanie Webster explained that vices Director Jeanie Webster Wayne County is developing and Sheriff Dan Jensen. The a Covid-19 operations plan agenda was amended to in- that will include procedures, clude a discussion of the idea EMT training, and continued, of closing Factory Butte and though modified, government Swing Arm City because of services. She stressed that the plan will be consistent with the Covid-19 outbreak. State and Federal Guidelines. Covid-19 Discussions Following the prayer and Commissioners unanimously pledge, the first item of busi- approved the Wayne County ness was the Factory Butte Pandemic / Infectious / Bioarea closure. Commission- terrorism Plan. At this writers had all talked with vari- ing, 284 of 419 National ous people in Hanksville and Park units, including Capitol Caineville, who had varying Reef, remain fully or partialopinions depending on their ly open, although the Visitor locations, businesses, etc. Center, the campground and All had concerns that if rec- Scenic Drive are closed. As reation areas such as Factory of April 3, the Wayne County Butte and Swing Arm City Sheriff's Facebook page adare closed, out-of county and vises, “If you don't live here, out-of-state visitors will just please don't come here.” camp all over the other pub- Most Utah state parks remain lic lands. Even though they open, although the Health are “dispersed camping,” they Department would like to see can also impact our grocery them closed. Non-Covid related stores and potentially our first responders and our very Wayne Commission limited healthcare resources. Cont'd on page 3

SparkSquad At-Home Activity Kits Available at Royals

Op-Ed

A New World —Part One

by Bonnie Mangold WAYNE COUNTY Those involved in emergency management and response are tasked with attempting to imagine every possible future scenario and then to develop and have in place a response for each scenario. Obviously, an impossible goal as we can’t imagine every possibility, and some possibilities are too immense to respond to. On an individual level, within our capacity, we have the responsibility to do the same thing. Once we have our plans and preparations in place to the extent that is feasible, then we put all that aside and get on with living life in the present. Our emergency managers don’t get to do that. They need to constantly evolve plans as the world changes. Depending on the magnitude of the emergency, each disaster or crisis requires different levels of response and coordination, ranging from individual family leadership and response, to community-wide, state-wide, nation-wide and world-wide leadership and response. As the magnitude increases, the level of response and leadership required rises higher up the chain of govNew World

Courtesy Mary Sorenson

Volunteer Destiny Dasse and 4-H Teen Leader Whitney Woolsey practice safe distancing while distributing at-home activity kits at Royals Foodtown in Loa. LOA - Families can pick up free, SparkSquad At-Home Activity Kits at Royals. Each kit focuses on a different aspect of cultural heritage and includes materials for creating a project. For instance, the Our Heritage of Clay and Pottery kit describes how people have

• • • •

been creating figurines of people and animals for thousands of years. Participants are invited to create their own clay critters from the materials provided. The kit also provides directions for making pioneer playdough from scratch. The clay project is just

one of a dozen kits that will be distributed through the next couple months as our state’s “stay safe, stay home” directive continues. Unfortunately, the rest of the SparkSquad after-school events SparkSquad

Cont'd on page 8

COVID-19 Community Resources

Utah Coronavirus Information Line: 1-800-456-7707. State of Utah COVID-19 Updates: https://coronavirus.utah.gov/ Garfield County Email Hotline: COVID19@garfield.utah.gov Wayne Community Health Center in Bicknell: (435) 425-3744

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When I’m in social situations, I always hold onto my glass. It makes me feel comfortable and secure and I don’t have to shake hands. —Larry David

ALL content for THE WAYNE & GARFIELD COUNTY INSIDER must be submitted by FRIDAY AT NOON to be included in the following Thursday edition of the paper.

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PRE-SORT STANDARD PAID RICHFIELD, UTAH PERMIT No. 122


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