The
Insider
Serving Wayne & Garfield Counties, Utah
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LOA • FREmONT • LYmAN • BICkNELL • TEASDALE • TORREY • GROvER • FRUITA • CAINEvILLE • HANkSvILLE PANGUITCH • PANGUITCH LAkE • HATCH • ANTImONY • BRYCE • TROPIC • HENRIEvILLE • CANNONvILLE • ESCALANTE • BOULDER
Thursday, July 2, 2020
Garkane Energy Opens a New Solar Pavilion in Torrey by Lee AustIn TORREY - Following a solo recital performance by members of the Sleeping Rainbow School of Music, Torrey Mayor Scott Chesnut cut the ribbon officially opening Garkane Energy’s third solar-powered pavilion in a ceremony last Thursday. The new structure is located next to the Torrey Town Park and features 99 solar panels on top of a large metal frame providing a shaded area with picnic tables and producing 34 thousand watts of power (34kW) for members of the cooperative. Similar pavilions were built earlier by Garkane in Kanab and Escalante. The projects were funded by Garkane’s “SHINE” program, in which members pay an additional fee for electricity produced by renewable sources in cooperation with the cooperative’s wholesale producer Deseret Power. Solar Pavilion Cont'd on page 4
Issue # 1366
Utah’s Hospital Systems Join Forces To Encourage All Utahns To #MaskUpUtah UTAH - Intermountain Healthcare is joining with the Utah Hospital Association and the other healthcare systems in Utah in a collaborative effort to encourage the use of face masks in public and work settings throughout the state during the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative, #MaskUpUtah, kicked off on Tuesday, June 23rd and will continue throughout the summer months in an effort to help reduce community transmission of the virus. Clinical leaders for Intermountain Healthcare, MountainStar Healthcare, Steward Healthcare, and University of Utah Health are concerned about the rising number of COVID-19 cases occurring throughout Utah. They have come together with one voice to remind Utahns that wearing a mask can make a significant difference in helping to reduce transmission of the virus.
A Favorite Torrey Dining Locale Re-Opens with a New Flair
Courtesy nAnCy sAIgn
Hunt & Gather Restaurant, owned by Chet and Nancy Saign, opened this week and will continue the tradition of fine dining in this favorite Torrey Main Street location. TORREY - The launch of Torrey’s newest restaurant feels as much like a homecoming as it does a lift off into new local culinary opportunities. Hunt & Gather, owned by Chet and Nancy Saign, is now open on Torrey’s Main Street at the well-known restaurant property previously occupied by Café Diablo. Chef Chet Saign has deep roots in Utah, although he and Nancy have lived a bilocational life between Wayne County and Cape May, New Jersey—where Nancy is from—for a couple of decades. There, over the course of 28 years, Chet worked his way from line cook to owner of the award winning French New Orleans restaurant, 410 Bank Street. Chet and Nancy would winter in Wayne County and spend summers in Cape May. “A friend introduced Chet
and I because they realized we were both somewhat nomadic,” said Nancy. Chet says he’d been keeping an eye open for an opportunity in Wayne County for quite a long time, and with the sale of Café Diablo, he found it. With Hunt & Gather, Saign plans to offer a menu that, “Doesn’t exactly squeeze into a mold, but offers a style that comes from the fact that we make everything from scratch." "If we had to name it, I think we would fall into ‘global cuisine,’” said Nancy. “So everyone can come into the restaurant and find something that will please them. We have vegetarian and vegan options—making sure we ‘hit it’ for everybody.” “And when I find a product that’s in season, we’ll be Hunt and Gather Cont'd on page 6
REGIONAL WEATHER FORECAST FOR SOME BUT NOT ALL REGIONS REPRESENTED IN OUR NEWSPAPER COVERAGE AREA
THURS. JULY 2 - WED. JULY 8
Mostly sunny, with a 20% chance of rain only on Friday. Highs in the high 70s and 80s; lows in the 40s. Winds variable from 12 to 17 mph.
Garfield County Commission June 22
Courtesy IntermountAIn HeALtHCAre
#MaskUpUtah is Utah initiative to urge Utah residents to wear masks in order to reduce transmission of COVID-19. Utah’s hospitals currently have capacity to keep up with the needs of the communities they serve. However, as the number of coronavirus cases grow, it is imperative
Fire Restrictions Begin on BLMAdministered Lands in Southwest Utah
CEDAR CITY - Fire restrictions have begun for all public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management in Beaver, Iron, Kane and Garfield counties and continue for Washington County, to help prevent wildland fires during this period of hazardous fire conditions. Preventable wildfires threaten lives, property, and precious resources. The national average of humancaused wildfires comprises 87 percent of all wildfire occurrences every year. Most of these fires can be prevented. “We may be looking at another potentially severe fire season if warm, dry and windy weather continues to trend. We want people to continue recreating on public lands and enjoying their time on the Paria River and Color Country Districts,” said Paria River District Manager Harry Barber. “However, we also want the public to be aware that we all share in the responsibility to prevent wildfires. We hope to see that spirit of cooperation again this fire season; working together to help keep our public lands and communities safe and doing our part to mitigate humancaused wildfires, which will better enable firefighting resource availability to fight the naturally-occurring fires when they happen.” “Preventing humancaused wildland fires is a key part in keeping our public Fire Restrictions Cont'd on page 3
that Utahns work together to keep the case counts at a manageable level so all patient needs—COVID-19 and nonMaskUpUtah
Cont'd on page 2
(Note: This article was produced from the recording available on Utah Public Meeting Notice board. Portions of discussions, particularly with members of the audience, were inaudible.) COVID "Green" level last GARFIELD COUNTY week, along with eight othGarfield County Commission er counties. Most businessmet June 22 in regular session, es are still promoting diswhich included five public tancing and masks, which hearings. people appreciate. Notes from Commission• Bryce Valley Prevention er Board Reports starting with Coalition in Bryce area has Commissioner David Tebbs: restarted meetings. • The county is moving into Commissioner Jerry Tayfire restriction season. No lor: details provided. • Intersection at Hwy 12 and • Examined sidewalk repairs needed in Ticaboo at esti63 (Bryce turnoff) is being mated $5-7K required. redesigned, though no decisions have been made. A • Wayne, Garfield, and Congressional staff members roundabout, among other traveled to the Flint Trail solutions, is being considthe previous week. ered. • At Your Leisure TV show • Bryce Canyon Nat’l Park is doing a piece on ATV is at 50-60% capacity on trails in Piute, Wayne, and weekdays, 75-80% on Garfield Counties, through weekends. All trails are open a state grant. except some backcountry, shuttles are running, staff is • Garfield County Travel Council is working on a being hired. co-op grant with the state • Parking at Mossy Cave is to promote getting travelers recognized by the park as a back to Garfield County. short-term fix. The stream• Garfield County needs a lined NEPA process will enHuman Service Council able a new parking area design to move expeditiously. Garfield Commission • Garfield County moved to Cont'd on page 2
21st Annual Panguitch Balloon Rally Took Off with Magical Morning Display
InsIder
The 2020 Panguitch Valley Balloon Rally kicked off Friday morning with a mass ascension of hot air balloons starting at 6 AM. A crew (right) holds open the "throat" of their balloon to inflate it in the early morning light. PANGUITCH - The 21st Annual Panguitch Valley Balloon Rally held their 2020 event the weekend of Friday, June 26 and Saturday, June 27. Each morning was set to begin with a mass ascension of upwards of 30 balloons into the early morning air. On Friday morning, the field where the pilots were readying their balloons for flight was a sea of colorful
nylon of varying designs and shapes. The bright light of the sun’s own ascension lit up the bright checkerboards, diamonds, palm trees, and one “Happy Face” adorned balloon. Crews surrounded their balloons, and it was obvious that balloon piloting is a family affair. Fathers and sons fly together on the Stars and Stripes Hot Air Balloon Team,
and, all around, kids could be seen helping to unfurl the 80 feet of balloon fabric, huddling the “throat" (bottom opening of the balloon), or collectively wrestling a “crown line," which is the line attached to the top of the balloon that keeps it stable during the inflating process.” Balloon Rally Cont'd on page 4
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
After all it really is all of humanity that is under threat during a pandemic. —Margaret Chan
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.
BOXHOLDER
PRE-SORT STANDARD PAID RICHFIELD, UTAH PERMIT No. 122