View On Magazine

Special Adventure Issue

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mesquite | moapa valley | arizona strip | southern utah complimentary issue

May 1 – June 30, 2018 Volume 11 – Issue 3 PUBLISHER & EDITOR Kathy Lee COPY EDITOR Charlene Paul – look on the WRITE side LEAD GRAPHIC DESIGN Aloree Smith – Aloree Smith Designs GRAPHIC DESIGN Tara Terwiske – Tara Terwiske Designs WRITERS Ron Clement, David Cordero, Mary Dillin-Shurtleff, Laura Draskovich, Donna Eads, Linda Faas, Stephanie Frehner, Rob Fuller, Linda Gault, Dr. Jerome (Jerry) Guanciale, Nicole Hancock, Helen Houston, Celece Krieger, Elspeth Kuta, Ashleigh Mark, Robin Maughan, Elise McAllister, Meg McDaniel, Evan McKinney, Dawn McLain, Jaina Moan, Karen L. Monsen, Judi Moreo, Paul “Dr. Q” Noe, Charlene Paul, Lani Penney, Mayor Jon Pike, Janel Ralat, Jesselyn Russo, Jove TrippThompson, Christine Ward ADVERTISING SALES Kathy Lee

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mesquite | moapa valley | arizona strip |southern utah

2017-2018 View On Magazine, Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or part without the express written permission from the publisher, including all ads designed by the View On Magazine staff. All articles submitted by contributing writers are deemed correct at the time of publishing, View On Magazine, Inc. and/or any of its affiliates accept no responsibility for articles submitted with incorrect information.

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Letter from the Dear Readers,

As I contemplated this issue, I wanted to ask each of you what you do in the summer time. The world is green, the skies are blue, the sun is shining, and the spring cleaning is but a distant memory. Now is the time for outdoor adventure.

Here in the desert southwest, there is so much to do. So, what is it that you do?

Do you long for the quiet solitude of a mountain lake, or the fresh air of higher altitudes? Within a short drive to the north, you can enjoy a day hike and other outdoor activities in the beauty that is Brian Head, Panguitch Lake, and Cedar Mountain.

Do you want to witness some of nature’s most beautiful creations? Head southeast from St. George for a visit to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Or head southwest from Mesquite for a day at Lake Mead or the Valley of Fire. Head north to Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, or Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

Do you yearn to spend the days playing in the sun? Logandale Trails is perfect for riding ATVs and watching the desert sunset. Play a round of golf at any one of eight courses in Mesquite or any one of a dozen or so in St. George. Take a swim at Lake Mead. Play a game of pickleball. Walk where dinosaurs once trod.

Do you crave rest and relaxation? Book a room, a suite, or a condo, and then check out the numerous spas and health clubs. Watch an outdoor play, see a movie in the park, enjoy a picnic at the park.

In this issue, you will find areas to visit, vacations to plan, and activities in which to participate. Take your significant other, your best friend, your kids, your grandkids, or just yourself and enjoy this extraordinarily beautiful time of the year. Invite friends and neighbors for a backyard barbecue, a homemade ice cream tasting, or a friendly game of tennis.

Summer is upon us, and adventure awaits the adventurous. What will you do in the summertime? Get outside, soak up some sunshine, and let the adventures begin.

Sincerely, Kathy Lee Editor

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frequent CONTRIBUTORS Laura Draskovich is a NASM Certified Personal Trainer. With more than 15 years in the fitness industry, Laura currently teaches a wide variety of group fitness formats and trains clients at the Mesquite Fitness Club. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, she attended Central Washington University, majoring in Community Health Education. Mother of three, Laura is a national level NPC figure competitor, who is passionate about living a healthy lifestyle and dedicated to reaching goals. Email Laura at lauradraskovich@yahoo.com or call (702) 600-8953.

Charlene Paul is the owner of look on the WRITE side, a proofreading, copy editing, and freelance writing company. She lives in southern Nevada with her husband. Their original family of eight has grown into a crew of 25, including 12 of the cutest grandkids on Earth. She loves spending time with family and friends, singing, writing, playing the piano and organ, reading, crocheting, sewing, and talking – a lot! She can be reached at lookonthewriteside@gmail.com or (702) 375-4216.

Karen L. Monsen is a freelance writer who lives in St. George, Utah.

She covers outdoor topics, nature, science, research, and human impacts. She taught French and Social Studies in public schools, served as a technical training coordinator, and designed and delivered business and technical writing seminars for corporate clients.

Celece Krieger is the owner of The Travel Connection, located at 1373 East 170 South in St. George. Travel is her passion and she’s spent the past 24 years planning dream vacations around the world. Her favorite vacation is the South Pacific with her “toes in the sand.” Reach her at (435) 628-3636 or celece@stgeorgetravel.com.

Linda Faas was new to desert living when they arrived in Mesquite in 2004. They started exploring their surroundings and meeting new friends, and love what they found.

Linda has immersed herself in arts and outdoor groups, and is a reporter and feature writer for local and regional publications. She volunteers with several community organizations, and is always seeking new adventures.

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Donna Eads and her husband moved to Mesquite in 2010 from Palm Desert, California and loves the small town atmosphere.

Her writing experience extends from high school and college newspapers to professional manuals as a critical care nurse.

Her passion for tennis is evident in her frequent articles for View On Magazine.

frequent CONTRIBUTORS Judi Moreo is one of the most recognized personal growth trainers and coaches in the world. She is the author of 11 books, including 2 international bestsellers, You Are More Than Enough and Conquer the Brain Drain. A self-made success, Judi started her first business with $2,000 and a lot of chutzpah.

Judi learned to succeed step-by-step over many years, and now has a worldwide following of clients who are enjoying outstanding success as a result of her guidance. You can reach Judi at judi@judimoreo.com or (702) 283-4567.

Helen Houston is the owner of Hues & Vues — Inspired Walls and Windows. Helen also owns a new business, Staging Spaces & Redesign —Designing Your Home to Sell. She holds certifications as a Drapery and Design Professional, Certified Staging Professional, and Certified Color Consultant. She has been a contributing writer for View On Magazine for the past six years. Her creative writing features articles on home fashion, home staging, and entertaining. Helen is a published author in several national design and trade magazines. She can be reached at helen@huesandvues.com or helen@stagingspaces.biz.

Rob Krieger is a 20 year PGA Member & former Director of Golf in Mesquite & Greensboro, NC. He is currently the Director of Instruction at both his own Red Rock Golf Center and the Southgate Golf Club in St. George, and is experienced in teaching all skill levels from beginners to low handicappers. Rob has been writing for View On Magazine since 2010. For help with your game or to schedule a lesson check out his website www.stgeorgegolflessons.com or email Rob@sgugolf.com.

Janel Ralat is a married mom of three and the founder of One Organized Mama, LLC in Las Vegas, Nevada. Janel found her passion with organization while managing her busy family and realizing the importance between time management and keeping life running smoothly. She currently mentors and trains other professional organizers. You can find Janel and her team at facebook.com/OneOrganizedMama or visit their website at www.OneOrganizedMama.com.

Paul “Dr. Q” Noe has been in the nursery industry for over 50 years, with experience in retail and wholesale sales as well as landscaping, plant maintenance and growing experience. Paul has lived in southern Nevada for 34 years. He became a California Certified Nurseryman in 1968 and a Certified Horticulture Advisor in 1993 by the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension Service.

Elspeth Kuta is the Virgin Valley Heritage Museum Coordinator, where it is her privilege to share the local history of Mesquite and surrounding areas with the community and visitors alike. She and the museum strive to bring history to life, and preserve and protect the local tales of yore.

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St . George

Message from the Mayor

W

ith nice spring weather comes the opportunity to enjoy biking, running, walking, or hiking in and around the St. George area. I’m so excited to have the paved trail between Bloomington and the Dixie Center open again after being closed due to the nearby I-15 widening. We still have a portion of the Mayor’s Loop closed due to construction of a new sewer line between River Road and St. James Park. We’re working as quickly as we can to get it re-opened.

This spring, we’ll be doing some assessing of our paved trails to see where we most need to repair and replace. We will set more of a formal maintenance plan to ensure that we keep these trails in good condition for residents and visitors to enjoy. We are also working to expand the system as we can, and to connect both to neighboring cities and to city streets and commercial areas where possible. We know many people would like to use the trail system for both recreation and transportation.

That brings me to the new LiVe Well St. George Bike Share by Zagster. With the help of sponsors, including Intermountain Dixie Regional Medical Center, SelectHealth, Brad Harr & Associates, Dixie State University, and Washington County Tourism, we launched the program with 55 bikes and 10 stations in central St. George. Zagster is an app-based system that is simple and affordable. It’s perfect for quick trips downtown, on the DSU campus, near the hospital, or at the Dixie Center and our Confluence Park trailhead.

Tell your neighbors and your visiting friends while they’re in town! It’s a great way to see parts of St. George.

We hope to attract more sponsors so we can double the number of bikes and stations before the year ends.

Finally, many have asked me when our bicycle skills park will become reality. The answer is — soon! We hope to have the first phase open by summer’s end. It will be located in the Sand Hollow Wash, adjacent to the Sand Hollow Aquatics Center. It will be a great place for riders of all skill levels who want to ride and compete in the dirt and be close to home.

I hope you enjoy this beautiful time of the year in St. George!

Sincerely, Mayor Jon Pike

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Contents

FEATURES

24 26

33

24 26 Kanab, Utah Adventure Awaits 33 78 It's Never Too Late

A Beginners Guide

South Rim Grand Canyon

6 Reasons Why Kanab is a World-Class Destination for Outdoor Lovers

Shirley Taylor's Birthday Adventure

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cover photo submitted by Triple S Polaris — Cedar City

Exploring Gold Butte National Monument

Contents

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VIEW ON

12 INSPIRATION 16 ORGANIZATION 20 TRAVEL 22 PETS 30 OUTDOORS 36 EDUCATION 42 MOTIVATION 52 FITNESS 56 THE ARTS 72 BUSINESS 76 DESIGN 84 URBAN LEGENDS 92 GARDENING 94 STRONG WOMAN

Strong Woman of St. George Celece Krieger

Of Mousetraps and Pens

One Organized Garage

Tauck The Ultimate Touring Experience

Pet Fitness A Unique and Holistic Approach

Forest-Watershed Connection

March for Our Lives

Taking Chances for Bigger Thrills

Bounce Back After Your Fitness Setback Four Easy Ways To Get Back On Track

Feature Photographer Kris Zurbas

Triple S Polaris

How To Get Curves In All The Right Places Fact or Myth?

Get the Flower Garden of Your Deams

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Moapa Valley N

estled in a valley of cacti and creosote bushes is the quiet, almost hidden gem of Nevada. Moapa Valley is a quaint, small town where you can accurately assume that you will see someone you know at Lin’s Grocery Store as you run in to get sticky chicken. It is the home of the Clark County Fair, where people wait all year for the best fried food and worst weather. It is the home of the Pirates, and you’ll see it proudly proclaimed on the bleachers every fall Friday as fans cheer on the football team in gold and blue. Best of all, Moapa Valley is my home.

I’ve been away from home for a while now, but with every trip that brings me back, I am reminded of how much I love it. I love the rising mountains over the mesa, the setting sun over the red rocks, the smell of a rare rain, and the simplicity of tractors on the highway. I love being reminded of my Pirate Pride. But most of all, I love the people who welcome me back. Those people — friends, family, and teachers — they are the reason I love Moapa Valley. ~ Hannah Sheldon

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Ivins

love living in Ivins because we are so close to the wilderness and local wildlife. The beautiful red mountains are right in front of my home, and the desert is just across the street. I can sit on my back porch and carve on gourds for hours and I’m not disturbing anyone with the sounds my equipment makes. I can take a break and walk in the desert for miles on dirt roads rather than pavement. I’ve seen bobcats, foxes, raccoons, coyotes, hawks, roadrunners, and of course, lots of rabbits. Wildflowers are everywhere at certain times of the year and when it rains in Ivins, it pours. Thunder rumbles off the red cliffs and numerous waterfalls are visible for a few minutes afterward. It’s quite a spectacular event. The air is clear and the nights are dark which makes for great star gazing. The sunrises, sunsets, and rainbows are unmatched. I love being just far enough out of the city to enjoy our rural setting and still be close enough to the essentials like grocery stores and restaurants! ~Mary Curtis

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M

Mesquite

y hubby and I left the hustle and bustle of Las Vegas behind and found Mesquite — so glad we did! It’s just a small slice of heaven. Mesquite has motorized bicycle riding, seven world class golf courses, and lots of cute little golf carts. There are abundant day trips for cars or off-road vehicles, so many hiking trails, hot air balloons, and hot rod car shows. It has slots and bingo for us gamblers, buffets everywhere, steakhouse dinners, and neighborhood get-togethers. We enjoy beautiful blue skies with giant powderpuff clouds, gorgeous sunny days, and star-filled nights. We even get free local newspapers. The beautifully done glossy View On Magazine is also free for the taking. It’s our kind of town, small but not too small, prosperous but not pretentious, laid-back but not too laid-back. It has everything we want and nothing we don’t. Life is good!

Hurricane ~ Sharon McCormick

H

aving been raised in a small farming community in northern Utah, I have always felt most at home surrounded by open fields, the smell of freshly cut hay, and an occasional cow or sheep roaming a country road after escaping the confines of a frustrated farmer’s pasture. Although Hurricane isn’t necessarily a farming community, farms still exist, and stray cows occasionally roam the streets. I feel at home here.

My husband and I have lived in Hurricane since 2010, a move we had planned for since the subject of retirement came up. We knew southern Utah was a perfect destination for a couple of semi-oldsters with time on their hands and aching backs no longer able or willing to shovel the dreary white stuff. Moving to Hurricane was a great decision.

With Sand Hollow and Quail Creek Reservoir minutes away, we can entertain not only ourselves, but visiting guests for hours. Boating, fishing, playing in the water, or simply resting in a lawn chair on the banks provides hours of fun and relaxation. Grandpa’s Pond, the Hurricane City Splash Pad and the many well-kept city parks provide plenty of activity for our youngest visitors. The beautiful coral mountains along with the technicolor sunsets are something to behold and a photographer’s dream. Hiking, biking, and exploring the nearby dinosaur tracks and Warner Valley on an ATV makes for a great weekend – and let's not forget the amazing golf courses, a blessing to this wife whose husband loves the sport!

There’s a million and one reasons to love Hurricane, Utah, but the main reason I love it here is the people – the friendly, honest, endearing people. Our neighbors and newly acquired friends have made us feel welcome and accepted. Hurricane has become our little piece of Heaven. ~ Lana Hone 11

view on STRONG WOMEN

Strong Women of St . George Oprah said, “When you love what you do, then it does not seem like work.” It hit her right at that moment – she loved travel!

Her previous employer was threatening to close their business, so she knew she could not go back to her old job. It was then she decided to open her own travel agency and bring along two of her former co-workers. Although it was not an easy process, The Travel Connection opened in December, 2009.

C

elece Krieger was raised in northern Utah and southeast Idaho. She graduated from Preston High School and moved to Salt Lake City. In 1991, she answered an ad for a receptionist at a large tour company, and that is where her love for travel began. She eventually worked her way up to arranging vacation packages for travelers coming from Europe and Asia to explore the western United States and Canada.

In 1995, her parents relocated to St. George, so Celece decided to follow and traded her snow boots for flip flops. She was fortunate enough to find employment with a student tour operator and arranged travel for students and performing groups around the country. A few years later, she decided to pursue her career as a travel agent, which opened her world. Although she loved her job, she had the opportunity to be a stay-at-home mom for her two children, Tate and Ashlie. Soon, her days consisted of carpooling, bake sales, school crafts, and homemaking. Although she treasured spending time with her children, her love for travel never went away.

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Celece with her son and daughter.

In 2009, the great recession arrived and she had to go back to work. Jobs were not easy to come by and depression started to sink in. While she was watching Oprah one afternoon, she had her aha moment.

Celece and her mother, Nelda.

Many thought she was taking a huge risk by starting a travel business during the recession when so many other businesses were closing their doors. She knew deep down in her heart she could make it work.

Nobody told her how many hats she would wear with a new business — anything from writing travel columns, talking on the

Celece Krieger example gave Celece the determination and courage to pursue her dreams.

Since 2009, The Travel Connection has grown into one of the top travel agencies in southern Utah, serving thousands of customers. If you ask Celece how she did it, she will tell you, “I just did what I had to do to make it work. I knew I could never give up because failure was not an option.” She did not do it alone and is very grateful for her team, especially Mary Curtis and Lauren Baxter who took the risk with her in 2009.

Celece with volunteers at Coins for Kids.

radio, scrubbing toilets, and everything in between. There were many long days and times when her paycheck sat in the desk.

Within six months, life threw another curve ball and she became a single mom to her seventeen- and eleven-year-old children.

When times got really tough, it only took her a few minutes to think about her own strong mother, Nelda Kissinger. Nelda managed to graduate from college with honors, all while working as a waitress at night and raising two children. Nelda’s

Celece said the best part of owning a local business is having the opportunity to serve. She has served on the Board of Utah Business Women and the Women’s Influence Center in St. George. She supports many local causes, including American Association of University

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Women, The Dove Center, Switchpoint, Coins for Kids, and more.

Last June, Celece married the love of her life, Rob Krieger on a beautiful beach in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Since her children are now grown, Celece and Rob have two beautiful Australian Labradoodles, Beau and Bella.

She is looking forward to many more years of travel, spending time with her family, and helping others. When she looks back at the tough times, she is grateful for the experiences because it made her who she is today. V

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Celece and Rob Krieger.

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view on INSPIRATION

Of Mousetraps and Pens

by Charlene Paul ast spring, I got the awe-inspiring idea to get each of our kids a piano for Christmas. So, I set about finding pianos we could afford. I did not, however, share this awe-inspiring idea with my husband because he has moved one too many pianos in his life to be excited about the prospect of moving four or five more.

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In late summer, I learned my cousin had a couple of pianos she needed to re-home.

One of them was a family heirloom and the other was an old upright church piano.

Two pianos, two Christmas gifts.

A few weeks later, we drove to Cedar City, 16

rented a U-Haul truck, and with the help of my cousin’s husband, loaded both pianos, an organ, a chest of drawers, and a small table and chairs to take back to Logandale.

Delivering those pianos directly to each child made sense, but since it was only July and these beautiful musical instruments were Christmas gifts, we brought them home and put them in our office. The organ went in the living room with my piano. The chest of drawers went in the spare bedroom, the small table and chairs found a home on the back patio, and my desk was moved to our bedroom.

In August, a friend casually told me she was selling her piano. Another piano – hot diggity dog – I’ll take it! She then asked if there was anything else I wanted. I told her I wanted to trade the fridge in her office for the fridge in my kitchen since my fridge was the perfect size for her office lunch room and her huge side-by-side white fridge with ice and water in the door was a perfect fit for my kitchen. She agreed.

Later that evening, my husband and I drove to our daughter’s home for dinner. On the way home, I excitedly told him about my latest piano acquisition.

“I can’t believe it, Ken. I hoped and prayed for a way to give the kids pianos, and it seems to be raining pianos!”

“Charlene,” he very calmly replied, “no more pianos!”

We were quiet for a minute, and then I told him about my brilliant refrigerator trade.

He deadpanned, “You’re kidding, right?”

Not to be deterred, I reassured him that we could make the refrigerator trade the same time we picked up the piano in Mesquite the next day. He never took his eyes off the road as he said, “Pens, Charlene, pens. The next time you go manic, just buy pens. They are so much lighter to move.” I laughed. He didn’t.

Let me explain his response. When I feel an attack of mania coming on, I obsess about pens. Over the years, I have stockpiled a mass of pens, stored them in bins, stashed them in coffee mugs, and cached them in my purse. My entire family roll their eyes every single time I bring home a new pen – or ten. I have gotten much better over the years, but pens still excite me. In fact, I bought a brand-new pack of fourteen beautifully pigmented pens for my purse the day before writing this story. So, when he told me to buy pens instead of pianos, well . . .

The next day, we traded refrigerators and brought the third piano home. Since there was no room in the living room or office, we put it in our spare bedroom. Four

pianos and two organs (I already had one) in our house – I played each one – it was glorious!

Thanksgiving Day, we rented another U-Haul and with the help of a couple of neighbors loaded two pianos and one organ to deliver on our way to Thanksgiving dinner in Las Vegas. (The third piano would go to Phoenix at a later date.)

Once we freed up space in our office, I took apart my desk, moved it out of our bedroom, and nestled it on the same wall as my husband’s. Between our two desks, I placed two colorful drawer units.

My beloved pens went in the top drawer nearest my desk and my husband’s stuff went in the drawer unit next to his.

When my husband got home that afternoon, he complimented the look of the office and then we both sat down at

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our respective desks to work.

I was busily typing away when out of the corner of my eye I spied him helping himself to one of my pens. I glared at him until he sheepishly returned it to its place. (You need to know that I would rather loan you my husband than loan you one of my pens.)

The next day, I bought two boxes of cheap clicker pens for his drawer because he is incapable of appreciating the difference between a quality pen and a sharpened stick dunked into an inkwell.

I went to the hardware store to buy some yarn last week. (Yes, our hardware store sells yarn and fabric.) While I was there, I also bought a mousetrap.

When my husband got home that evening, I asked him to set it for me. Since there are mice where we live, he didn’t ask any

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questions, he just pulled back the little lever and latched it. I gently took it from him, opened my pen drawer, and laid it on top of my pens. “You have got to be kidding me! And you made me set the trap.” I smiled and walked out the door.

When the mania rears its head again, I will head to the office supply store with no feeling of guilt whatsoever. My husband will be content as long as it doesn’t involve piano moving.

My pens will be safe thanks to my trusty mousetrap.

Maybe I should wait to tell him about the two beautiful pianos I saw yesterday on the yard sale website. V

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one

view on ORGANIZATION

organized

garage

by Janel Ralat

L

et me ask you a question, "Can you fit your car into your garage?" If the answer is no, then it may be time to get it organized. In fact, spring is the ideal season to do it before the summer heat hits. (Why do you think they call it spring cleaning??) Garages are often used as a storage unit with cardboard boxes, dusty bins, and broken electronics in precariously stacked piles. An organized garage is essential for outdoor gear, sports items, and more. Here are some tips on how to get your garage gear organized:

Maximize organization space Most garages are limited on space, so it is important that you maximize your storage potential by using walls, the ceiling, and limited floor space efficiently. Ceiling mounted shelves, and peg boards and hooks for walls are just a few examples of the options available for garage storage. I highly recommend you consult a professional for shelving on the ceiling and walls to ensure that it is properly installed. Hooks can be added throughout the garage to hang gardening equipment, bags, tools, and even bikes from the

ceiling. Peg boards are ideal for hanging tools, and you can now buy cubbies, baskets, and other peg board accessories.

Ceiling mounted storage is great for storing luggage, holiday decorations, and other infrequently used items.

Make bins accessible The struggle can be real when you're trying to open that bottom bin from the pile of unsteady stacked bins. Incorporate shelving into your organization plan and give each bin their own shelf. This makes accessing them easier, and the bins will last longer. A good rule of thumb when storing bins is to keep ones you need to access frequently on the middle shelves, heavy on the bottom, and bins that store items only taken out once a year up high.

Shelving also makes rearranging possible, plus it makes your garage look neat and tidy!

Create Zones Creating zones is step two of our One Organized System. This is our planning stage once the purging has been done.

This is where you create a space for every item you’re keeping. Group items together by activity, sports, auto, camping, water play, holidays, tools, pets, and gardening.

Then create a zone in different areas of your garage based on the activity. This will make finding the items easier and more likely that you’ll put the items away, too. You could take it one step further by color coding each section. All camping equipment could be labeled with gray labels or in gray bins. Green for gardening, yellow for auto. Let your inner-organization nerd get super creative if you’re so inclined.

Transition Zone What is a transition zone? Think of it as the area that will keep you organized as you come and go. All you need is a couple of shelves and/or bins with two sections labeled, “AWAY” and “HOME”. The AWAY zone is for items that you need to take with you, donations to drop off, store returns, borrowed items just to name a few.

The HOME bin is your zone to place items as you walk in the door that need to stay until it’s time for you to go. Reusable grocery store bags, work items, and school backpacks are a few examples. These are the items that tend to build as clutter

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in your home and car. Adding small trash and recycle bins to this area is a great idea to toss junk mail and trash from your vehicle.

Create a Garage Binder This can be an insert in your Home Binder or one dedicated to the garage only. Your binder can contain instruction manuals for garage items, a filter changing schedule, contents of bins that you’ve numbered (#15-Easter decorations and kids Easter baskets), and other relevant information that you can quickly access.

Cardboard vs. Plastic My advice is to ditch the cardboard boxes and invest in sturdy bins to store your items. Cardboard boxes disintegrate over time, are susceptible to water damage jeopardizing contents, and do not prevent creepy crawlies and other pests. There are a variety of bins available, and I encourage you to stock up when they go on sale. Ensure that the lids fit snugly and that they are made of a sturdy material that will stand the test of time. One last note, do not write directly on the bin. Instead, use a removable label to notate the contents. You’ll thank me for this later.

Lastly, and most importantly, we encounter situations with families who have stored sentimental, important items, and even high-value property in garages. I cannot tell you the grief caused when these items are discovered damaged beyond repair. Most garages are not temperature controlled, and as stated above, items become susceptible to a variety of elements and harsh conditions, even theft. I leave you with one word of advice, please do not store items that you value in your garage.

Have I motivated you to get in there and start organizing yet?V 21

view on TRAVEL

Tauck The Ultimate Touring Experience

by Celece Krieger ­— The Travel Connection

I

t is hard to believe I have been employed in the travel industry for twenty-seven years. It seems like just yesterday I started answering telephones for a large tour company in Salt Lake City. When I started my job, there was one name that I heard frequently - Tauck. At the time, I did not know who or what a Tauck was. It did not take long before I learned that Tauck was a leading tour company that provided their guests the opportunity like no other to experience destinations throughout the world.

It all began in 1925 when Arthur Tauck, Sr. rented a 1924 Studebaker Touring Car and hosted six passengers on a 16day vacation that covered over 1,000 miles of dirt roads in New England.

Mr. Tauck drove the car, escorted the tour, organized the hotels and activities, and made the reservations.

He wanted to share the back roads of

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New England that the average person would never see. In 1935, Mr. Tauck received the first tour broker license in the travel industry. He continued to set the bar high by being the first tour company to offer various vacation experiences. In 1958, Tauck won the Supreme Court decision to operate the first private air charter to Nova Scotia. They created some of the first air and land itineraries to the Grand Canyon and Yosemite, and pioneered the concept of heli-hiking in Canada.

In 1998, Travel and Leisure voted them the "World's Best Tour Operator," and they have continued their reign at the top. Even though it has been 94 years since Mr. Tauck organized his first tour, his family-run company is still providing their customers with amazing vacation experiences throughout the world.

Tauck sets itself apart from other tour operators by offering an experience

throughout their tours. From hotels to meals and activities, every aspect of your tour encompasses the destination.

If you are fortunate enough to travel on a Tauck tour, you will stay at hotels like the Grand Hotel in Michigan, The Royal Hawaiian in Hawaii, and various castles, manor houses, and palaces throughout Europe. Can you imagine sleeping in a room at Dromoland Castle in Ireland or waking up in Agra to a view of the Taj Mahal? Samples of activities include a balloon ride over the Serengeti at dawn, private after-hours sightseeing through the Vatican and Sistine Chapel, and a tour that includes a rickshaw ride and visit with a Hutong family in Beijing. The meals are just as unique as the sightseeing. Have breakfast with koalas in Sydney, lunch in Stalin's secret bunker in Moscow, and dinner at the Tower of London, ending with the 700-year-old Ceremony of the Keys.

Tauck offers unique journeys around the globe. You can explore North America with tours to the national parks, the Canadian Rockies, Hawaii, Alaska, and various destinations along the East Coast. Tauck also features "The Yellow Roads of Europe," named after the colors of the roads on Michelin Maps. The autobahns are marked in red, while the less traveled, scenic routes are yellow. European tours are eight to fifteen days, and feature destinations throughout Europe that include trains, riverboats, schooners, and even a new yacht that made its debut in May. "The Exotics" feature itineraries throughout Asia, the South Pacific, Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. Tauck limits some of their tours to just 24 passengers for a small group experience. Discounts are offered on various itineraries for solo travelers who often pay significantly higher prices with other tour operators.

experiences for families. Tauck responded with their Bridges product that offers tours for grandparents, parents, and children. Tauck Bridges helps families create vacation memories that last a lifetime.

A few years ago, Tauck received requests from their loyal customers to provide the same level of vacation

During the past twenty-seven years, I have witnessed many changes in the travel industry, and through it all,

Tauck has stood the test of time. They offer a level of service, value, and unique experiences that customers simply do not receive when they travel independently. If you are skeptical about traveling on an organized tour, or if you want to experience a new level of group touring, I encourage you to consider Tauck for your next vacation you won't be disappointed. V 23

It’s Never Too Late

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nyone that knows Shirley Taylor knows she never backs down from a challenge or an adventure. Whether she was working the family farm with her dad in Mountain Green, Utah while her brothers were off to World War II, raising five children while working the swing shift at Hill Air Force Base so she could be with the kids during the day and her husband Harold could be with them in the evenings, building a home on their own in Utah, building a retirement home in San Felipe Mexico, hunting, fishing, 4-wheeling, or camping, she was, and is, always ready.

It only took Harold one date to realize Shirley was the one for him.

The next date, he asked her to marry him, she said yes, and six weeks later they were married. They were married for 68 years when Harold went on ahead of her five years ago at the age of 94 to prepare the way for their final great adventure.

The last few years of Harold's life were difficult as he suffered with dementia and failing health, and the adventures slowed down since his death, but did not stop. Last year at her ninetieth

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birthday party, she took the dare from her 43 grandkids, 47 great grandkids, and three great, great grandkids and slid down a twenty-foot inflatable waterslide!

During a visit with her son and daughter-in-law in Mesquite, Nevada, she found herself watching sky divers. When her son said, “Mom, you should do that,” you could see by the look in her eyes that it was game on. Sure enough, the next afternoon there they were back at the airport getting her rigged up and ready to fly. She never had second thoughts, wasn’t nervous, and never looked back.

The proof was in when she was asked if she was nervous, she said “Well, no. Why would I be nervous? Maybe Harold will reach out and grab me while I’m up there!”V View On Magazine had the pleasure of attending this once in a lifetime event. Thank you, Shirley, for letting us share your special day!

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A Beginners Guide

Exploring Gold Butte National Monument

by Jaina Moan

Gold Butte National Monument sign with Little Virgin peak in the background. Photo by Jesy Simons.

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id you know that Mesquite is the gateway to Nevada’s newest national monument? A treasure trove of history and natural wonders awaits visitors of all ages and interests. These wonders include thousands of prehistoric and historic artifacts, rare and threatened wildlife such as the Mojave Desert tortoise and desert bighorn sheep, and dramatic geologic features exposing rocks that span millions of years.

Gold Butte National Monument (GBNM) is located southwest of Mesquite. Its northernmost border is just a few miles south of Bunkerville. Situated in between

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the Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument and the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, the new monument comprises almost 300,000 acres of land with over 350 miles of designated roads.

With so much to explore, where does one start? Let this be a guide to help you begin your journey. We offer an easy and satisfying day trip to Whitney Pocket, in the heart of the monument.

How to get there Traveling south from Mesquite on Interstate 15, take Exit 112 (Riverside/ Bunkerville) and drive south for three miles. Cross the bridge over the Virgin

River and turn west on the first road past the bridge, Gold Butte Road.

The Gold Butte Road is roughly paved for 21 miles. As you travel this road, you pass farms along the river and a homestead at an oasis. Around mile 11, you will enter the boundary of the monument. Soon after passing the boundary sign, the road climbs over a mountain pass between the Virgin Mountains and Black Ridge, two prominent features that delineate the northern boundary of the monument. As you continue down to the valley below, look to the west for spectacular views of Lake Mead.

Exploring Whitney Pocket The pavement ends at the Whitney Pocket area and the road splits into two graded dirt roads. The road to the east will take you into Arizona. The road to the south will allow you to continue through the center of GBNM. Whitney Pocket is a spectacular place to see the diversity of history, geology, and ecology in the monument.

Popular for camping, picnicking, and day-hiking, Whitney Pocket is surrounded by large, multi-colored Aztec sandstone formations. Park at the information kiosk and start exploring. For an easy onemile hike, look to the east of the parking area across the Gold Butte road. There, a designated route, marked by a vertical carsonite sign, circumnavigates a large outcropping of Aztec sandstone. Walking up the hill along this route, you will experience the towering walls of red rock turned completely on its side by geologic faulting. Looking in the opposite direction, you can see the gray limestone rock that comprises the foothills of the Virgin Mountains. Joshua trees and Mojave yucca plants dominate your view in the foreground. These plants give way to the pinyon and juniper forest that climbs the slopes of the mountain.

At the top of the road, there is a break between sandstone rocks, and the route turns south into a large camping area. Stop here and look closely at the walls beyond the wash. You may see the mysterious petroglyphs — images that are etched

into the wall. The southern Paiute people call the petroglyphs “rock stories,” as the mysterious images tell of ancient travels and tribulations on this land. Tread lightly here. The ground is covered in a living biological soil crust and the historic sites are sacred to the Moapa Band of Paiutes.

Walk through the camping area until you reach the Arizona road and turn west. The road wraps around the south side of the large red rock outcropping. There is more history to be found here. Look for a stone masonry water trough. Behind it, tucked away in a short slot canyon, is a 20-foot masonry dam that was built by the Civil Conservation Corps (CCC) in the mid 1930s.

The CCC was dispatched to the area to help provide infrastructure for ranching operations and flood control efforts.

Look across the road and you will find a masonry wall built at the front of a rock shelter to store equipment and tools.

Continue on the Arizona Road until you reach the parking area. Enjoy a picnic among the red rocks. The rock formations are a perfect place to climb and explore with kids. Stay until sunset and you will be treated to a pink-red glow emanating from the rocks around you.

someone where you are going, when you expect to return, and by bringing plenty of food and water.V

For further information about points of interest and roads in GBNM, visit birdandhike.com. Please be advised that there are no services or bathrooms in GBNM and cell phone service is unreliable. Plan accordingly by telling

Jaina Moan is the executive Director of the Friends of Gold Butte, an organization that promotes responsible enjoyment of Gold Butte National Monument. Visit www.friendsofgoldbutte.org for more information.

View of red rocks at Whitney Pocket with gray limestone of Virgin Mountains in the background. Photo by Tina Wiley.

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view on PETS

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Pet Fitness

A unique, holistic approach to the fitness and well-being of our pets.

by Ron Clement rea residents, Anita and Ron DeLelles decided that opening a pet-related business would be their next adventure. Anita is a licensed massage therapist, certified in Utah to work on small animals, horses, and people.

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Across the country, more and more pet owners are discovering the benefits of fitness, good nutrition, and holistic pet care. WOOF! Wellness Center was created to help provide those services in conjunction with veterinary guidance.

All-positive-reinforcement dog training, mini-grooms, and a retail boutique round out their business offerings. The business has grown and matured over the last

four years. So, after deciding to move the business to a property on Santa Clara Drive in the Santa Clara Historic District, WOOF! Wellness Center has completed their building, and now has a lovely outdoor area to add to their list of amenities.

Hydro-therapy treadmills are quickly becoming a popular tool for animal wellness. WOOF! Wellness Center has the only water treadmill available for the public in southern Utah. Its benefits are invaluable for weight loss, recovery from surgery, and rehabilitation for older and arthritic pets. Area veterinarians are excited to refer this new local service to

their clients. It has already shown great results for numerous dogs and cats in southern Utah, as well as many clients from Mesquite and surrounding areas.

Wanting to do more for the community, and especially for homeless pets, Ron and Anita decided their new business plan should include an avenue for local organizations to come together for the project. Helping place shelter animals with new owners was a top priority. “It takes a village� — in this case, it takes several local shelters, rescue organizations, volunteers, and businesses. The concept is a simple one, create invaluable service dogs out of abandoned or homeless

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shelter dogs. And while not particularly original, it’s a challenge that requires time and dedication to produce results.

It all starts with a dog looking for a second chance, a family, and above all, love. Groups of volunteers and shelter staff join forces to find and recommend a suitable dog. This is a dog that with some training and socializing, would have a better chance at finding a home. That’s where WOOF! Wellness Center offers their expertise as a training, conditioning, and rehabilitation provider. Besides giving an exciting break from the shelter, these dogs receive one-on-one attention with an expert trainer. Keith Hightower has worked with area service dogs as part of the Best Friends Canines with Careers Program. She brings years of training experience to WOOF! Wellness Center, and dedicates much of her time to improving the lives of southern Utah dogs.

The personalized time spent with Keith helps nurture and develop the necessary confidence required to become a service dog.

An effective service dog must have good manners in public and respond quickly to its handler’s needs. Training to become a service dog takes a great deal of time and patience. For specialized service dogs, this training can take years. The end result can be amazing — from being unwanted and homeless, to having a job and the love of a family in need!

While service dogs work and learn tasks to help their companion person, therapy dogs have different responsibilities. They spend their days (well, a few hours at a time) visiting assisted living communities, hospitals, and hospices. They bring comfort, smiles,

and companionship to patients and residents. Sometimes they also listen to children read, providing an attentive audience for young students. A WOOF! Wellness Center basic manners class is a good first step toward becoming a therapy dog.

By bringing together people, resources, and a common goal, a distant dream can become reality. Improving the lives of people and dogs is the goal. And establishing better communication and interaction with shelter animals, pets, and companion animals are equally important. Through greater understanding and compassion from the public, along with support from local rescue groups, businesses, staff, and volunteers, great results can be achieved. V Visit the WOOF! Center's new location at 3199 Santa Clara Dr., Santa Clara, Utah, or visit their website at www.woofcenter.com.

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South Rim Grand Canyon

by Christine Ward

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rand Canyon National Park receives almost 6 million visitors a year, and 90% of those visitors go to the South Rim. There is so much to see in the Grand Canyon that it’s hard to know where to start. Choosing a tour company to take you on your journey is a great way to make sure you see the best parts of the Grand Canyon with the least hassle. And of course, you are free to explore on your own.

Grand Canyon National Park was designated as a national park in 1919, after decades of fighting between many factions, including Ralph Henry Cameron, who went so far as to take the matter to the Supreme Court when the Grand Canyon was designated a national monument. He continued his fight as it became a national park. Cameron became an Arizona Senator in 1920, and unsuccessfully continued his fight there.

The Colorado River runs 277 miles through the Grand Canyon, and was a major force in carving out the canyon walls into what they are today.

A stop at the Watchtower is a must for any visit. This striking tower was designed by Mary Jane Colter, often referred to as the architect of the Southwest, and offers visitors breathtaking views of the canyon. The Watchtower was designed to perfectly blend into the landscape of the canyon.

Grand Canyon whitewater rafting is a very popular activity. One fascinating bit of history is the story of Georgie White, who was not only one of the pioneers of guided rafting on the Colorado River, but was the first woman to row the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. She took her last rafting trip in 1991, just before 33

her eightieth birthday. Individuals and groups must obtain permits to raft the Grand Canyon, and several commercial operators offer multi-day trips.

Grand Canyon Village inside the national park houses employees of the businesses and organizations that serve the national park, and has been inhabited since the 1800s. The Village is the only place within the park where the railroad reaches the rim of the canyon.

Elling Halvorson owned and operated a construction company that built the first water pipeline between the north and south rims, providing water to the people who lived in Grand Canyon Village. Halvorson’s company used helicopters to move people and supplies into the canyon for this massive construction project and that experience led him to forming Papillon which started offering air tours in the canyon in 1965. Papillon celebrated their 50 year anniversary in 2015.

Hiking is a major activity in the Grand Canyon, and there are numerous trails to choose from, ranging from easy one and a half mile hikes to the very strenuous North Rim to South Rim Hike, which is approximately 24 miles. PLAN AHEAD for any hiking in the Grand Canyon. The National Park Service (NPS) provides plenty of information on their website to help you plan your hike, with lots of safety tips and warnings. https://grandcanyon.com/ Wildlife viewing is a very popular activity in the Grand Canyon, and one of the most interesting animals in the park is the majestic 34

elk. These amazing animals can reach weights of up to 700 pounds. It is incredible to watch them roam the park, but the NPS recommends staying a minimum of 100 feet away for safety.

Buck Wild Hummer Tours offers South Rim Grand Canyon Tours that let you see viewpoints and locations with the most scenic vistas, and they will provide you with a lot of history about the Grand Canyon along the way. Every tour is led by a professional guide who will provide you with the history of the American Southwest, the forces of nature that shaped the canyon, and the ancient people who inhabited the land. Discover the dramatic rock formations and gorges that took millions of years to create.

Buck Wild Hummer Tours uses H1 Hummers that seat 12 passengers, and the history of the H1 alone is an interesting one. Arnold Schwarzenegger (yes, the “Terminator� and former Governor of California) helped bring Hummers to the civilian market.

Visit buckwildhummertours.com for more information about these exciting adventures into the Grand Canyon. V

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Connection

view on OUTDOORS

Forest-Watershed

by Karen L. Monsen

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fter forest fires, Joni Mitchell’s lyrics are especially prophetic, “You don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone.”

Charred landscapes are heartbreaking, but degraded watersheds can threaten water resources even for distant communities.

According to the USDA Forest Service, drinking water in sixty-percent of America’s west originates in forest headwaters, and over two-thirds of the U.S. population derive drinking water from surface sources connected to

grasslands or forests. Additionally, 193 million acres directly managed by the Forest Service provide drinking water to 180 million people every day. When forests are destroyed, millions in the affected watersheds discover a previously unnoticed connection between forests and water resources upon which they depend.

So, what’s a watershed?

The Forest Service publication, Wildland Waters, asserts, “Fewer than 40-percent of Americans can identify what a watershed is.” Brooke Shakespeare, Soil and Water Program Manager/Forest Hydrologist with 10 years of Forest Service experience, compares a watershed to a bathtub, “It all drains to a common point – a drain pipe for a bathtub and a river for a watershed. If you were to add a sponge layer that lines most of the bathtub, during a shower a great deal of water would be stored in the sponge and slowly released to the drain over time. Additionally, if there were portions of the bathtub that were covered with dirty residues or chemicals, these undesirable constituents would be filtered out in the sponge layer and the water that makes it to the drain would be relatively clean.”

When forests are removed, erosion can add sediment to reservoirs 100 miles away.

The American Water Works Association reported that forests further benefit urban areas by reducing the need and funds to treat municipal water to remove sediment and impurities.

Reinforcing Mitchell’s lament of paradise lost to a parking lot, Penn State School of Forest Resources declares that one acre of paved parking generates the same annual runoff as 36 forest acres. And the Forest Service claims, “A dense forest can intercept up to 25-percent of rainfall

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“

Posey Lake.

Everything that happens in the air and on the land will ultimately affect the water.” ~ Gregor Gilpin Beck, Watersheds, a Practical Handbook for Healthy Water

by its leaves and branches; this slows the speed at which the rain hits the ground, reduces erosion, and allows precipitation to seep into the soil — nourishing plants and replenishing groundwater.” Although millions of people benefit from the clean drinking water forests provide, watersheds are perhaps the least obvious of forest products.

National Forests & Economic Impact Established in 1905, the Forest Service is

tasked with sustaining productive forests and grasslands for future generations ensuring, “renewable resources in the national forests be managed in a balanced and coordinated way so that no single use excludes others and so that the productivity of the land remains unimpaired.” Today, U.S. forests annually receive more than 160 million recreational visits. Outdoor recreation supports more than 205,000 jobs, contributing more than $13.6 billion to the nation’s gross domestic

product. And forest industry products total more than $200 billion. That’s a lot of economic impact.

Local Benefits & Challenges Benefits vary as much as the forests themselves. Dixie National Forest, headquartered in Cedar City, Utah, supplies water for farms and communities, permits grazing in 84-percent of its total acres, and includes 500 miles of fishing streams and 90 fishable lakes, including Posey Lake, near Escalante, Utah receiving 1,718 campground visitors in 2017. Annual precipitation in Dixie National Forest ranges from 10 inches at lower elevations where temperatures can exceed 100 degrees, to more than 40 inches near Brian Head Peak and plateau tops that can drop below -30 degrees Fahrenheit. Whereas areas near forests experience many benefits, they 37

Red Canyon Visitor Center.

also shoulder costs and consequences of forest fires.

A look at the 2017 Brian Head, Utah fire reveals the challenges confronting localities once the smoke settles. The fire burned 71,675 acres, destroyed 13 residences and 8 outbuildings, damaged

roadways, telephone and internet, resulted in 1,562 people being evacuated, and impacted two municipal watersheds. Postfire recovery, reforestation, and watershed restoration will take many years.

Restoration Together Communities supporting prompt

reforestation can reduce further watershed degradation. Utah Department of Natural Resources reported that 500 agencies, organizations, and individuals contributed in-kind assistance and funding to Utah’s Watershed Restoration Initiative that completed 1,500 projects covering 1.5 million acres as of 2016. Trout Unlimited and Utah’s Blue Ribbon Fisheries Advisory Council collaborate on projects to benefit sport fisheries. Additionally, Back Country Horsemen, Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, and Turkey Federations, UDWR Dedicated Hunter Program, Plant-a-Tree Foundation, and ATV/OHV clubs support mountain trails, watershed improvements, reforestation, and wildlife habitat improvement projects. Contributions from many groups are invaluable when rebuilding forest reserves after a fire.

Forests provide more than meets the eye in timber and fishing lakes — they sustain watersheds and precious water resources. So, the next time you turn on the faucet, remember you are connecting to a watershed and indirectly to a forest.

May the forest be with us always! V

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Distinguished Citizen

When Yoli was diagnosed with cancer in January 2000, she decided to take a break from all organizations. In 2001, she founded the Mesquite Cancer HELP Society (MCHS). Realizing the lack of resources for financial, emotional, and psychological support, she embarked on creating and qualifying MCHS as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Exceptional community support and some very selfless donors have allowed MCHS to continually grow.

Qualified cancer patients in the Virgin Valley can rely on help with cancer bills, doctors visits, blood work, fuel, recurring exams, prescriptions, x-rays, utilities, rent, transportation, research, flights, and accommodations to and from out-of-state cancer centers, etc. The MCHS is also well equipped with educational materials and added resources to help patients, families, and the public. Their motto, “Together WE Can Make a Difference” is one that has held strong into its eighteenth year of operation.

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oli Bell was born in McAllen, Texas, and moved to Dallas, Texas at age 18 to find work to help support her family, as her father had recently passed away. Even before that, Yoli’s life was filled with giving and helping. While still in high school, she created a service organization to help families who lost their homes to fire because her family had also lost part of their home to fire.

In her college years, Yoli worked with special education adults teaching them self-grooming, shopping, setting a table, and collaboration through assembly line work. After graduating from college, she worked with special education children at a private school and served as their overseer at the Texas Special Olympics. Moving from Dallas, Texas to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1987 gave her the opportunity to work with children in a Christian setting. She worked full-time teaching second and sixth grade at Our Lady of Las Vegas Parochial School while attending UNLV full-time (nights) working on her master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. During this time, she met and married her husband, Allen Bell in 1990. Their combined family includes three adult sons, Trey, Clint, and Cory, and four grandchildren, Alexa, Wyatt, Kyle, and Sadie.

In 1994, she and her husband moved to Mesquite, Nevada. She went to work as Director of the Chamber of Commerce and joined organizations focused on the betterment of the community, such as secretary of the city’s Rodeo-n-Race Commission, charter member of Virgin Valley Lions Club, Desert Dames, and Family Resource Center. She twice served as a member on the City of Mesquite Economic Development Commission. From 1995 through 1996, she used her bilingual skills to translate for the Mesquite Police Department and later worked part-time as a translator for the Mesquite Court System.

Yoli lives by her father’s belief that, “Success is not measured in short-term accomplishments. It is when one begins and ends each day with the act of putting others before self and never forgets that humility will always be the dynamic trait that triumphs in the end.”V

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view on EDUCATION

March for Our Lives photos and story by Jove Tripp-Thompson tudent, parents, and grandparents gathered at the Eccles Fine Arts Building Saturday, March 24 to participate in the national phenomena, March for Our Lives.

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The event, hosted in St. George, had marchers walk from the Eccles Building on the Dixie State University campus to City Hall.

At the completion of the march, Izzy Rodriguez exclaimed, “I’m not even sure how to phrase it. The respect for all of the victims was in the air, and it was hanging there during our five minutes of silence.”

As the marchers returned to the college, they left their posters to adorn the gardens at City Hall to remind everyone of their unshakable promise — “Enough is Enough.”

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It Isn’t Hard to Make a Difference

by Charlene Paul

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fter completing four years in the 82nd Airborne Division of the United States Army, Ben Paul headed home to southern Nevada from Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Driving across the country with all of his worldly belongings packed in his car was a terrific way to decompress and see places he had only read about.

Upon his return to his parents’ home in Logandale, Nevada, he felt a bit disoriented from the structured military lifestyle to which he had grown accustomed. “The first couple of months were exciting,” said Ben. “But then you realize it is time to get serious about figuring out where you want to go from here.”

He spent the spring and summer in northern Nevada working for his brother-in-law and squirreling away every penny he could. While he was happy with his job and surroundings, he wasn’t satisfied or content. He felt he was going nowhere. He knew he would eventually come out on the other side of his discontentment just fine, but his irritation and feelings of being stuck continued to grow. His original goal was to go to school in Fall 2017, but those plans gave way to something much bigger.

One night, after an evening on the town, he came home feeling especially irritated and stuck. It was then that he got on his

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computer looking for volunteer positions. His search took him to the Love Volunteers website, a group from New Zealand that provides volunteer workers to a variety of countries throughout the world. He chose the country of Nepal because he wanted to go outside of the Americas. Nepal sounded a little exotic and didn’t seem like a major tourist destination. (He later learned that it definitely is a major tourist destination for those who do trekking and mountain climbing.)

He contacted Love Volunteers and worked through their network.

He learned that volunteering would cost him money, as he would be expected to pay his way over and back, provide for his own lodging and food, and pay for any other incidentals while he was there. “It is a shocking reality for some, but most organizations run off dues in order to be able to continue their operations,” said Ben. “If they paid for food and accommodations, there would be no money to run their programs.” He continued, “If you consider your every day cost of living, it really isn’t that expensive to volunteer in poorer countries.”

Once in Nepal, he was still little unsettled. He had visions of working in the countryside away from the city, so he was shocked to learn he would be staying with a host family outside of Kathmandu in the city of Bhaktapur. He would work with

an English-speaking private school in Lokanthali, Madhyapur Thimi, Nepal that was located just south of the airport. The school served children whose families lived in a slum. Without the school, these children would have no way of receiving an adequate education.

“The poverty didn’t surprise me. I had seen poverty in Afghanistan, and that changed me,” said Ben. “It gave me a deeper appreciation of what we, as Americans, have.”

The school itself is a building of approximately 2,000-square feet. Water for the building comes from a single spigot through a hose. The student body consists of one hundred sixty children ranging in age from kindergarten to high school. They eat the same simple food every day.

The school is run by three men who all have PhDs and generally work about fifteen hours a day to support the school, as well as working as professors on the side. They make no money from their work at the school.

These men understand that in order for these kids to break the chains of poverty, it is necessary to educate and teach them to speak English .

At first, Ben was frustrated at how everything moved so slowly.

“What would only take a couple of days in the states, took weeks in Nepal,” he explained. The first thing he did was fish a rusted ten-foot fence out of a deep body of water so they could put it back in place to keep animals out of the school.

Adam and Ben working on the Chromebooks.

started hacking away with a Gurkha, a curved knife, to make stairs. Every cut took five to twenty-five minutes, and there were a couple of hundred sections. In the end, he wasn’t able to finish the garden project because, “It was a lot of work to just finish those damn steps, the better part of two months!” He hopes new volunteers will take on the task and create the beautiful garden for the students.

One of the teachers wanted Ben to build a beautiful garden with flowers and fruit trees. He gathered a bunch of bamboo and

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Ken in front of the school library.

In the meantime, he kept looking around for something to do that would leave a lasting impact for the children he had grown to love. So many projects get started with good intentions, but then are quickly abandoned. He set his sights on making a positive difference for their education and for the school. That is where the idea of bringing in technology was born.

When Ben proposed bringing computers to the school and hooking them up to the Internet, he was met with skepticism.

Never having been exposed to what the Internet could do, those who ran the school didn’t realize just what a difference having that kind of access would make for them and their students. But Ben went ahead and crowd-sourced $3,500 for ten ChromeBooks Classroom with student's drawings on display.

Ben explaining his smartwatch to a couple of students.

and found a company who was willing to pay for shipping to get them to Nepal. (All the companies he worked with requested anonymity.)

The hard part was actually getting the ChromeBooks from customs to the school. The government is very corrupt, and makes it expensive to get anything done. One of the government ministries required a 100% tax. There was also a 15% cargo tax, a 13% value-added goods and services tax to air cargo, and a 2% miscellaneous insurance that was more than likely pocketed.

After mountains of paperwork, eight trips to the city, and five weeks of waiting, he was finally able to bring the ChromeBooks to the school. “It cost more money to get the computers out of customs than it did for the purchase and shipping combined,” he said.

While he was working to get the ChromeBooks out of customs, his dad Ken Paul, came for a visit, bringing books gathered by the students and teachers from W. Mack Lyon Middle School in Overton, Nevada where he is the principal. He also brought boxes of pens and packages of toothbrushes. The kids were thrilled and so grateful to receive all of these gifts. Ken helped Ben separate teacher materials from children’s books and add to their library that consisted of two five-foot bookcases. Ken was also able to meet and visit with the principal and listen to his beliefs. The principal had been afforded a good education, and believed that it was his obligation, Karma, to do good and pay it forward.

One ten-year old student became Ben’s little buddy. He was a fairly serious, old soul who had never seen a computer. As Ben and his brother, Adam, who flew to Nepal to help set up the WiFi, Internet, and a website, were setting up the ChromeBooks, the boy’s dad kept telling him not to bother Ben and Adam. But Ben asked if the boy could hang out with him so Ben could teach him how to use the ChromeBooks. Ben put the boy on a typing program, and within an hour, he was typing with all of his fingers

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Kitchen at the schoolhouse.

in the right places. Not only did he learn to type, he learned to look up YouTube videos and search on Google.

Mahesh, one of the men at the school, was blown away by the information now available to them. “In my whole life,” he said in broken English, “I never knew any technologies like this even existed. Now I can know anything and the childrens will learn anything they dream.”

When asked what the best part of his time there was, Ben says it is hard to boil it down to just one thing. Being able to serve those who are so deserving, being able to see the light in the students’ eyes, being able to personally show his dad and brother what he was doing, being able to share his experiences with others, especially his military family are all highlights. “The entire experience humbled me,” said Ben. “I mean, we live in a very consumer economy, and that’s not a bad thing. But it is hard to remember sometimes money, square footage, owning a couple of

cars, and being highly educated isn’t what truly makes a person happy. These people are happy. They are simple, but not simple-minded.”

Has he found the satisfaction and contentment for which he was searching? “I hope I am never completely content,” Ben said.

“But I hope that the contentment I find in helping and volunteering will be contagious to others. It isn’t hard to volunteer. It isn’t hard to make a difference. It just takes looking outside yourself and finding out what you can do.”V Chromebooks for the school.

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Southern Utah Take the long way I

by Lani Penney, Cedar City • Brian Head Tourism Bureau

t is no secret that Utah is full of some of the most beautiful wonders of the world. Being the home of The Mighty FiveÂŽ national parks, 43 state parks, seven national monuments, and millions of acres of national forest land, the outdoor experiences are endless. While the geographic size of Utah is quite large, traveling the state may seem intimidating.

The astonishing landscape scenery surrounding the drive results in time on the road passing very quickly.

Utah is fortunate enough to contain a whopping 27 state and national scenic byways, with a majority of them in southern Utah. These scenic byways are destinations in and of themselves. A road trip spent with the family creates the perfect opportunity to get outside and embrace this beautiful world with live in,

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all with the ones you love. Here is just a sample of scenic adventure ideas to add to your bucket list.

amazing road trip. Stop at the interpretive sites to learn more about the area’s Mormon pioneer heritage.

Drive the All American Highway – Scenic Byway 12, Bryce Canyon to Capitol Reef Also known as an All American Highway, Scenic Byway 12 is commonly referred to as one of the most beautiful byways in North America. This beautiful 124-mile route winds through Dixie National Forest, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, over Boulder Mountain, and ends at Scenic Byway 24, west of Capitol Reef National Park. Take a trip to Bryce Canyon National Park and enjoy the beautiful drive along the way.

Utah’s Heritage Highway – Scenic Highway 89, Grand Canyon to Bryce Canyon, Utah Scenic Highway 89 through Bryce Canyon Country is part of Utah Heritage Highway 89. This 150-mile road passes through the western section of Bryce Canyon Country from north to south and connects travelers on the south side to Zion National Park and the north rim of the Grand Canyon.

This section of Utah Heritage Highway 89 is an adventure through scenic beauty and living history. Extending 500 miles from Idaho to Arizona, Highway 89 brings you through the heart of unique culture, architecture, history, and scenery. The communities of Panguitch and Hatch, Utah are part of what is known as the Headwaters section of the National Mormon Pioneer Heritage Area.

Explore the Patchwork Parkway – Scenic Byway 143, Parowan to Panguitch, Utah During the winter storm of 1864, Mormon pioneers painstakingly traversed this unforgettable mountain road by throwing down handmade quilts onto the snow to make their way from Panguitch to Parowan. Like the blocks of a quilt, the 48mile Patchwork Parkway passes through many diverse landscapes and geological wonders bound together making for an

House Rock Valley Road to White Pocket – Kanab, Utah White Pocket area on the Paria Plateau in northern Arizona contains swirling red and

white rock that creates views like no other.

Tourists from all over the world flock to the area with hopes of visiting the infamous Wave in the North Coyote Buttes. White Pocket area, located right in the shadows to the east of the Wave is very impressive as well, without as much exposure. Keep in mind that this 35-mile drive is quite remote, and does require 4-wheel drive to access the area, so plan accordingly!

Rugged Wilderness – Cottonwood Canyon Road, Kanab, Utah Go ahead and top off your tank: this 47mile adventurous drive stretches from Kanab to the aptly named Kodachrome Basin up north. You’ll wind through a beautifully stark landscape on an unpaved road, rolling through the desert oasis of Paria River Valley. Be sure to watch the forecast for rain and mud, as it can get slick and messy.

Cedar Breaks National Monument – Scenic Byways 14, 148, and 143, Cedar City, Utah Scenic byways are officially designated highways that weave through vast landscapes connecting towns, national

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parks, monuments, and forests along the way. Cedar City is so fortunate to have not only one, but THREE scenic byways that collaborate into an astonishing scenic drive everyone should experience. Be sure to stop at Cedar Breaks National Monument along the way for breathtaking views and perfect picture potential.

Snow Canyon State Park Day Trip – Cedar City to St. George, Utah Native to the Anasazi Indians, and discovered by the Mormon pioneers in the 1850s, Snow Canyon State Park is filled with history. Hollywood films such as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Electric Horseman, and Jerimiah Johnson used this location. This 61-mile drive starting west on Highway 56 in Cedar City, passing Old Iron Town, and entering onto Highway 18 near Enterprise is full of hidden treasures and incredible views.V For additional information and ideas of things to do in the area, log onto www.visitcedarcity.com or www.parks100.com or call (435) 586-5124.

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view on MOTIVATION

Taking Chances for Bigger Thrills

by Judi Moreo

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eople want to be safe in everything they experience. We always want to see if others experienced something before we decide to pursue that experience ourselves. But the very idea of staying safe can actually bring us to a point of not living the life we really want to live.

Take skydiving, for instance. Many people shy away from jumping out of an airplane as they fear the parachute won’t open when it is supposed to. Even having a reserve or emergency parachute will not change their minds. And there certainly have been instances where both the main parachute and the reserve parachute did

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not open and the skydiver plunged to his or her death.

So, why do people do things such as skydiving or mountain climbing, etc.? The answer is because they get a thrill from doing it —many call it a head rush — but it means the same thing. Natural thrill seekers and daredevils never seem to have a problem with the risks associated with these activities. But for everyone else, it can take a lot to muster up the courage and go on a thrill-seeking adventure.

athletic. And he thought I was supposed to love it as well. I mean who wouldn’t love breathing fresh air and climbing for hours and hours to heights where the air was so thin you couldn’t breathe it? I must tell you that hanging off the side of a cliff by one tiny little rope was not my idea of a thrill.

Nor did I find wearing all kinds of heavy equipment and being dropped into the ocean to be terribly thrilling! I was pretty sure we weren’t really bonding. I felt more like he was on the brink of finding a way to get rid of me.

Me, for instance. I was once married to the typical man’s man — outdoorsman, sports enthusiast. This man loved anything

Then there was the snorkeling adventure.

No sooner did I stick my face under the water than an eel decided to look me in the

eye to be sure I really wanted to be there.

He was right, I did not! I came out of that water so fast, I looked like the Roadrunner at full speed. Then I sat on a rock the rest of the day and watched the others frolic with the fishes.

Canoeing down the White River wasn’t nearly so bad since the water was only a couple of feet deep. But then it got shallower and we had to carry the canoe.

It was not one of those lightweight, made from bark canoes. No. It was made of some kind of tin, and the blasted thing was really heavy. When the water got a little deeper and it came time to get back in, I had one foot in the canoe when the other foot slipped out from under me. I was hanging by the foot in the canoe with my head under two feet of water, drowning,

as my loving partner laughed so hard, he couldn’t even get me unhooked.

And can you believe I still allowed him to talk me into a snowmobile adventure into the high country — which was beautiful by the way — until I fell off the back of the snowmobile and he didn’t even miss me for a while. When he came back to get me, I was up to my waist in snow, blue lips and all. He turned that snowmobile, stomped on the throttle, so that it dug down into the snow, and sprayed me right in the face with all kinds of muck. He assured me it was totally accidental.

Honestly, if you want your partner to enjoy your love of the great outdoors, the way to do it is to choose activities that don’t have a high perceived risk. For instance, many

indoor rock climbing facilities harness the participants in such a way that if they slip, the harness keeps them from falling to the ground. The thrill can still be there for less risky activities. And it is often a great stepping stone for moving onto higher risk thrills.

A propensity for taking chances — or not — is part of a person’s traits. As mentioned previously, some people are naturally prone to taking big chances while others would never conceive of doing such things. However, we all have the ability to push ourselves past our own limits. Often, this is accomplished with the help of friends who are thrill seekers themselves. Since they have experience in various thrill-seeking activities and are still alive to talk about it, you may feel more at 53

ease trying the activities out for yourself when those friends are with you. They can also answer any questions you have about the activities that you may not be clear on.

Whether you will ever make it to daredevil status — and whether you should — depends on several factors, including your own personality. But consider pushing yourself to a place where you take chances that you would not normally take. It can be the thrill of a lifetime! And no, I won’t be going skydiving! V

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Mesquite Welcomes a New Fire Chief

by Charlene Paul

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n Tuesday, February 13, 2018, Captain Jayson Andrus was sworn in as Chief of the Mesquite Fire Department. Andrus first joined Mesquite Fire in January, 2007 and has seen a lot of changes within the department and also in the city of Mesquite.

View On Magazine enthusiastically welcomes Chief Andrus and wishes to thank all of those who serve with him on the Mesquite Fire Department, as well as all of our first responders. Good luck, Chief Andrus.

Having been in the trenches with the men and women of the Mesquite Fire Department for the past eleven years, Andrus knows the ins and outs of the department. When asked why he decided to take the job of fire chief, he said, “I felt I could make a positive impact on the department. I felt I had something to offer that would help our department grow.” He also believes that working in the trenches with the men and women of the department gives him a unique perspective. “We all take pride in our community and we have a lot of pride in our department,” he said. “Our population continues to grow, and we are doing our best to do right by our community.”

Lack of communication within the department has been an ongoing issue, so there are now monthly administrative meetings with all captains and deputy chiefs, and weekly captains meetings. “Keeping the lines of communication open, being able to be honest about what is going on and what needs to happen, and being held to strict accountability strengthens our department,” Andrus explained.

Chief Andrus says his first year’s focus is on the safety of his crews, so he is working on purchasing more fire apparatus to that end. The department also has community outreach programs that include CPR classes, emergency preparedness and 72-hour kits, the senior center, and hypertension and breast cancer awareness. “Any money that is raised for these and other programs within the community stays in the community,” said Andrus.

It takes a tremendous amount of time and commitment to fill the boots of a fire chief, and Andrus said he would never have considered taking the position if he felt he had nothing to offer, and didn’t have the support of those with whom he works. He also credits his wife and family for the support they give him. “Without the support of family, and most especially my wife, it would be difficult to put my best efforts into this job,” he said.

“Jayson Andrus is just one of the best people I have ever known,” said paramedic Eric Paul, a former Mesquite firefighter who was originally hired by the city at the same time as Andrus. “He is extra professional, a great medic, a good friend, and just a dang good dude.”V 55

view on FITNESS

Bounce Back After Your Fitness Set Back Four Easy Ways To Get Back On Track

by Laura Draskovich

Y

ou took a vacation, suffered an injury, binged on donuts, or just plain took it easy over the winter months. You feel bummed, embarrassed, and totally discouraged, so you decided to give it up.

This is exactly what you should not do.

The truth is, setbacks are a fact of life for everyone, even for the very successful on their way to success. Setbacks must be dealt with constantly before they lead to undermining the confidence needed to achieve one's goals. How do you deal with

the inevitable challenges that arise in life?

Here are some simple ways to get yourself back on track to a more positive outcome.

Find The Lessons In The Situation.

You have a choice. You could either bang your head against the wall, or look for the lesson that needs to be learned. If health and fitness are big on your priority list and you are not motivated to eat healthier and get exercise, maybe it's a wake-up call to enlist some support. Look to hire a personal trainer or dietician who may be able to help you reach your goals. If you are social, check out a sports league you could join. Seeing other people active might motivate you to get moving.

Commit To Leveling Up Your Game.

It has been said that you are the average of the five people you spend most of your time with. That being said, if you spend your time with people who are active and start developing their good habits, you'll likely be active, too. If your goal is to eat healthy, yet you run with a fast food friend

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or group, you won't likely have much motivation. Surround yourself with positive people. Make it a habit to spend more time with those you aspire to be.

Get Consistent.

Falling off the wagon is no excuse not to try to make a more positive improvement.

Start small and work your way towards the habit you are desiring to create.

Small consistent habits lead to bigger successes. The key is to be consistent in those small steps. It is the equivalent of letting yourself go all-out at the all-youcan-eat buffet over the weekend. You hardly want to work out on Monday, but just being in the habit of showing up at the gym shows that you are committed, and will likely be on a better path to reaching your goals.

Acknowledge Success Along The Way. (No Matter how big or small.)

One step forward, no matter how small, is a step in the right direction. Celebrate the small "wins" and those will keep

the momentum going. Let's face it.

Setbacks are bound to happen in one form or another. Do not let the guilt or embarrassment of not following through on your goals, or goal path, prevent you from moving forward with your positive habits.

Persistence, not perfection, is essential for success in relationships, business, anything really. If you want to have a healthy, meaning-filled life, you have got to keep going even when it's hard. Even after failure. Especially after failure!

Small hiccups do not make you a failure, they make you human. The most goal-oriented and dedicated people slip on their habits, too. What separates them isn't their willpower or motivation, it is their ability to get back on track quickly. You can, too!

Until next time, Keep Living the Fit Life. V

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Rehabbing to Better Health I

by Charlene Paul

first met Travis Wakefield at five in the morning seventeen years ago. I was referred to him by the surgeon who replaced my left ACL. I went into surgery thinking it was going to be a quick scope of some sort, and that my rehab would be brief and relatively painless. Imagine my shock and surprise when I woke up with a pain pump hooked to my knee and bandages from hip to foot. What was supposed to have been simple turned into something a bit more complex and painful.

After about a week, I shuffled into Mesa View Physical Rehabilitation in Overton and met the man who promised to get me back on my feet with a knee that would bend effortlessly. He seemed so kind and so knowledgeable; I had no idea how much I would grow to dislike him over the next few sessions.

Don’t get me wrong, Travis is a top-notch physical therapist. He is also very nononsense. He pushed me to what I thought were my limits and then just a bit further each and every time I saw him. Every time I told him I couldn’t do something, he assured me that I could and then went on to prove it. That continued for several weeks, and slowly I began to see results.

My stiff knee was bending more easily, and I could straighten it out without stifling words of which my mother would not approve. When I arrived for my last session, I realized I had grown to like Travis and would miss our sessions.

A few years later, I had the privilege of working for Travis at his Overton office for one of his physical therapists, Rob Grow. It was fascinating to watch physical therapy from another vantage point. Seeing the difference physical and occupational 58

therapy made in the lives of their patients helped me understand the necessity of programs such as theirs.

trained and skilled,” explained Travis. “We are there to help our patients get back to what matters most to them.”

When I spoke to Travis about this article, he told me he has been serving both Moapa Valley and Virgin Valley since 1998. In that time, Mesa View Physical Rehabilitation (MVPR) has grown. Travis’ first employee Scott Olsen stayed with the group for fifteen years. Today, MVPR employs thirty people: eight physical therapists, three occupational therapists, seven physical therapy aids, athletic trainers, and office staff. Each therapist sees approximately eight to ten patients per day.

My experience with Travis and his staff isn’t limited to my own physical therapy.

Over the years, each of my six kids has gone through some sort of physical therapy. Whether it was rehabbing from knee surgery from a football injury, being treated for injuries from falling out of a tree, working out the kinks from participating in track, volleyball, basketball, or cross country, Travis’ team has been there when we needed them most.

They have a vast array of services, including aquatics therapy, occupational therapy, outpatient rehabilitation, and dry needling. Aquatics therapy takes place in a heated therapy pool with a therapist who works one-on-one with the patient. The water increases relaxation, fitness, and offers other therapeutic benefits. Occupational therapy provides treatment for injuries and conditions of the shoulders, arms, elbows, forearms, wrists, and hands. Outpatient rehabilitation provides individual care in a one-on-one setting. Dry needling improves pain control and can help patients return to activity.

Doing all they can to serve the wideranging needs of their patients, the staff at MVPR also provides home health services, nursing care, and outpatient and inpatient services. “Everyone on our staff is highly

As I look back on those first few weeks of loathing I felt for the man who put me through the paces, I am filled with admiration and deep appreciation for his knowledge, understanding, and professionalism. I hope to never go through the whole knee rehab thing again, but you can rest assured that if the time comes when I need a physical therapist, Travis’ team will be the team I turn to.

Mesa View Physical Rehabilitation has continued to grow over the past twenty years. Their main office is located at 1140 W. Pioneer Boulevard, Mesquite, Nevada, and can be reached at (702) 346-1899.

Their Overton office is located at 1170 N. Moapa Valley Boulevard, Overton, Nevada, or call (702) 397-2000. Contact them today for any and all of your rehabilitation needs.

You won’t be disappointed.V

New Opportunities In Education

For A New Generation A

by Nicole Hancock s the world of technology and communication continues to change at an unprecedented rate, we are facing societal challenges never before conceived. Preparing our children for the world they will inherit has perhaps never been more crucial or more complex. The youth of today are different, and as the first generations born into the full flourish of the technological age we have no predictive

road map to hand them — they will build the world as they grow into it. A real education should be a transformative and individualized process whereby students are trained in the unique human ability to comprehend the world around and within them. We see across our nation a continual decline in college and real world readiness as recognized by the expansion of remedial/developmental programs at

the university, high drop-out/burn-out rates of freshmen, both of which suggest that students’ intellectual abilities are being actively obstructed at the secondary level of their education. In the past, universitybound students were the products of exclusive preparatory academies, secondary schools designed specifically to train their students in the intellectual capacities necessary for the university environment. While the environment of the university may have changed, successful students are those that have been exposed to the essential attributes necessary to obtain a higher education, e.g. independent and critical thinking, the ability to discern truth from varying and disparate sources of information, a capacity to employ logical reasoning when faced with new information, the ability to convey one’s knowledge in both the written and spoken word, and most crucially, the enthusiastic desire to continue learning beyond the basic requirements and progress to discover the intrinsic rewards of intellectual curiosity and personal growth.

St. George Academy was founded with the intention of fostering the necessary foundation of understanding, and sparking

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the intellectual drive of the students we serve. In tackling the challenges of educating today’s youth, we focus first on the fundamentals of a classic education and then expand the opportunities of our students to delve deeper and establish strengths in reasoning, communication, presentation, and application of concepts in hands-on, engaging classroom experiences. The goal of The Academy is not merely to help our students enter the college of their choice, but to stand out and thrive once there. We seek to nurture life-long learners whose goals become knowledge-based, not merely diplomadriven.

From the campus and classroom design to the curriculum maps and daily schedule crafted by the faculty, St. George Academy was created to more closely mimic a college experience. Outside of the focus on academic fundamentals and skill sets, the students are encouraged to organize their extra-curricular activities and clubs, providing valuable leadership growth with chances to reach out and serve the broader community and establish confidence in pursuing their own ambitions and dreams.

We can count on the environment of the university and the world at large to continue its current trajectory of rapid change. Raising up students who can thrive in these conditions will require them to be exposed to essential attributes such as, independent and critical thinking, the ability to discern truth from varying and disparate sources of information, a capacity to employ logical reasoning when faced with new information, The ability to convey one’s knowledge in both the written and spoken word, a capacity to collaborate effectively with others, and most crucially, the enthusiastic desire to continue learning beyond the basic requirements and progress to discover the

intrinsic rewards of intellectual curiosity and personal growth. V St. George Academy is an academicallyfocused, tuition-free, charter high school serving grades 8-12. The Academy is a unique learning environment that aims to foster the intellects of its students through an extensive educational foundation, intentionally designed to prepare its students for success at the university level and to create life-long learners.

The Academy is currently enrolling for the 2018-2019 academic year. Find out more by visiting stgacademy.org. You can also contact Executive Director David W. Jones, at djones@stgacademy.org.

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view on CHARITY

Iron County Care & Share Spearheads Collaborative Fundraising Project

by Dawn McLain

L

eonard Nimoy said it best, “The miracle is this, the more we share, the more we have.”

Peggy Green, Executive Director of Iron County Care & Share in Cedar City, Utah knows a thing or two about sharing and collaboration. In fact, her dedication to creating events, services, programs, and more, means that not only will many nonprofit organizations reap the benefits in terms of improved programming and better outcomes, the whole community and the thousands served locally through charitable organizations will be impacted for the better.

Case in point, an exceptional new and exciting fundraising project created by dynamo Green is now coming to fruition!

Iron County Care & Share has received the generous gift of a brand new 2018 Jeep Latitude from Mike Haigler of Cedar City Motor Company. The idea initially came about during a discussion of support for the organization’s annual golf tournament.

Peggy said, “When someone asks, ‘Have you ever given away a car?’ your heart skips a beat.” The dream-planning began that very day. Haigler wanted a smart promotion that would benefit the organization and the community. The only request from Haigler was to make it known

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that the car was a gift and all proceeds would go directly to programs and services and not to pay for the car.

The Board of Directors of Care & Share spent an entire meeting discussing options and opportunities. The group agreed that a give-a-way would be best, and challenged themselves to figure out how they could share the gift with other nonprofits in Cedar City. A tiered plan was developed, and eight nonprofits were identified to partner in the promotion and benefit with a donation to each from the proceeds. The organizations selected are: • • • • • • • • • •

Canyon Creek Women’s Crisis Center Family Support Center Iron County Care & Share Foundation Youth Volunteer Corp Children’s Justice Center of Iron County Southwest Wildlife Foundation Orchestra of Southern Utah Shop with a Cop Iron County School District Foundation Make A Wish

Each organization will receive guidance and support by a member of the Care & Share board throughout the promotion period. Organizations are encouraged to request a vehicle display during their events to boost sales. What better than a

Peggy Green, Executive Director of Iron County Care & Share

sparkling new vehicle with that new car smell to entice participants to get in on the action!

The promotion began in late March and will conclude in July with the prize presentation at the popular family fun event July Jamboree in Cedar City, hosted by the Rotary Club. The promotion will include an exciting selection of additional prizes, travel, and shopping sprees. As an added bonus to expand the sharing, Care & Share structured the promotion

to include a cash bonus to the organization with the most ticket sales, and a tuition scholarship for Southern Utah University (SUU).

Hayden Carrol, president of the Student Association at SUU is calling in the special forces of T-Birds to add to the excitement.

The Student Association will have access to ticket sales, and as T-Birds always do, they are expected to swoop in and get the promotions soaring.

The promotion is a welcome gift for Care & Share, as well as the other organizations. While each receives various grants for program expenses, unrestricted cash donations allow the support to go directly to an unmet need. In order to deliver the critical services provided by each nonprofit organization, operating expenses, such as salaries, must be funded with cash. The promotion will assist each organization in providing their services to the community.

Iron County Care & Share is a local, private nonprofit dedicated to providing compassionate assistance and resources to individuals and families in need, offering them opportunities to increase their stability and self-sufficiency. Founded in 1984 by local community leaders seeking to address the issues of hunger and poverty among residents in southern Utah, Iron County Care & Share restores hope and dignity to families experiencing a housing or hunger-related crisis. Iron County Care & Share today owns and operates the largest food pantry in the Iron County region, distributing over 800,000 pounds of food each year to more than 1,500 food-insecure households. Its thirty-eight bed emergency shelter provides safe shelter and warm meals for homeless men, women, and children. More than 500 individuals sought shelter with Care & Share in 2017.

For nearly 30 years, Iron County Care & Share has worked to provide hunger relief, emergency shelter, permanent supportive housing, and supportive services to help homeless and lowincome families living in southern Utah to increase their stability, self-sufficiency, and independence. Additionally, Iron County Care & Share distributes an average of $20,000 per year in small onetime, direct financial assistance payments for homeless and lowincome families to access basic necessities.

Basic necessities, nutritious food, shelter, and case management are just a few of the services offered by Care & Share. A quick

glance at the services delivered by others provides proof of the magnitude of the care provided. Be it protection for women and children, humane care of wildlife, compliments to the arts, or teaching youth about volunteerism, these nonprofits deserve our support.V Contact your favorite charitable organization, or visit www.careandshare-ut.org and purchase a chance to support and a chance TO WIN! Thank you to Peggy Green and the entire Iron County Care & Share team for your efforts to build a better community for all – together! View On Magazine salutes YOU!

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Spirit of Dixie Volunteers of the Year

T

he Spirit of Dixie award is presented to the individual whose contribution in volunteerism and community service outside of their normal employment exemplifies the heart of unity and service that sets our community at the top of the best places to live and raise a family in our country. This year’s recipient is the Brad Harr Family. Brad and Marta Harr, including their nine children, can usually be found at any one of southern Utah’s numerous events, either setting up an arch or a sound system for a race or providing games and water bottles. Brad and Marta moved their family to St. George in 1999 from Salt Lake City and Brad opened Injury Smart Law in 2006. “This is home. We love the community and how it’s embraced us, and we’ve embraced it and feel we have red sand in our shoes.”

The idea to do events came because they saw that everybody wants to help or volunteer with the big events like the St. George Marathon, Huntsman World Senior Games, and IronMan St. George, but Brad and Jed (his son who manages most of the events) found that there are a lot of little events. They asked, “How do we get to some of those smaller groups that don’t have the budget but are also trying to do good in the community?” Thinking they would only do two events a month, the service-minded family found themselves, between April 2016 and April 2017, assisting in 150 events from Cedar City to Mesquite and every place in between. A typical Saturday finds them meeting as a group at 6 a.m. to figure out what truck is going where and what equipment is necessary (canopies, sound systems, water, games, archway, etc.).

They’ve assisted City of St. George Races and Leisure Services, Washington City Community Center events, Alzheimer’s Walk, Kisses for Kycie, and many more. Jed recalls an event at Lava Ridge Intermediate School where a student organized a 5k to raise money for shoes for African children. The Sole Hope 5k was born and the Harr’s were there to help. Every event they attend and aid, they do for free. “Service is the core of the community of St. George. When we serve, when we create that spirit of volunteerism, then we have a fantastic community to live in and not just a bunch of streets and buildings.” V

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A bat is posted up inside the entrance as a security guard.

Dangerous Caves

by Evan McKinney - Author of High Iron to Fairbanks, Building the Historic Alaska Railroad photos by Steve Kilp and Evan McKinney

C

AVERNA PELIGROSA was carved in the flat boulder above the cave opening. “Spanish for dangerous cave,” Steve said as we stood in a circular depression in the sparsely vegetated high desert amid a jumble of brown boulders that had been exposed when the earth below had long ago subsided. We stared at the black abyss created by the same collapse.

“Where does it lead?” I wondered. “What secrets lie below? Was I brave or foolish enough to crawl in and look?” To avoid the question of going underground, I asked, “Why in Spanish, and why so neatly lettered out here in the remote Arizona desert?”

Even amateur explorers love a mystery, so we speculated. We knew indigenous

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peoples had inhabited the area for thousands of years. They had left their calling cards: projectile points and stone tools, lithic scatters, roasting pits, pottery, baskets, and other items essential to their survival. But their written messages were in mysterious petroglyphs and pictographs, not Spanish lettering.

The Dominguez-Escalante Expedition had passed through the area in late 1776 on their way back to Santa Fe after a failed attempt to find a route to the Monterey Mission. But they were attempting to get back to Santa Fe before winter, so likely didn’t waste time putting caution signs on cave entrances.

When John Wesley Powell first explored the Grand Canyon in 1869, William Dunn and the Howland brothers had abandoned

the expedition and climbed out of the canyon. Directly south of where we stood, Dunn scratched his name on a rock near the top of Mount Dellenbaugh along with a crude arrow pointing to the north, but then disappeared somewhere in the blank landscape.

Mormon pioneers were grazing cattle and sheep in the high desert by then. Signs of herders' camps are found throughout the area, often on high ground offering sweeping views of the surrounding grazing lands. Did a Spanish-speaking herder carve the sign, or a more recent visitor? And why did they call this cave dangerous? We decided to leave the question unanswered, err on the side of caution, and stay above ground – advice we’d forget before the day was out.

Early that morning, we’d left our homes in Mesquite, on Nevada’s eastern border, to drive across the northwest corner of Arizona to St. George, Utah. From there, we’d driven south on unpaved roads, deep into the vast country.

Steve was a volunteer for the federal agencies responsible for managing this vast public domain, an area so immense and unpopulated that it is only beginning to reveal its many secrets. He was now helping locate and catalog cave sites in the Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, a million acres of high desert with no paved roads.

We stopped by the Caverna Peligrosa to see an example of what we were looking for. Visiting an actual cave was inspiring, for while hiking through this remoteness is rewarding in itself, the possibility of making further discoveries provides yet another level of motivation.

more sparsely vegetated terrain amid a backdrop of striking distant vistas.

A brief search of the area led us to an obvious depression in the otherwise stark landscape. The sink was not dramatic, nor were the surrounding tumbled-boulder walls, but there was clearly a depression in the earth’s surface, so we set out to search for caves.

We moved to opposite sides of the sink, and I soon spotted a small opening where the cluster of massive boulders didn’t quite join. In my mind’s eye, cave openings are large, perhaps with Fred Flintstone waving from the entrance. This trifling trapezoidal hole was barely shoulder width and not much higher.

Peering through the small hole with my flashlight, I saw a distinct room and knew I had found my first cave. Five feet or so below the modest aperture, I saw a level floor and decided that further examination was required. I yelled at Steve to let him know where I was going before nervously squeezing feet-first through the undersized entry, pushing back and dropping down into a rock room.

“No need for a dangerous cave sign here,” I said to Steve when I saw him peering in through the opening. “Climb on down.”

His feet soon wiggled through the hole, and as the bulk of his weight was inside the chamber, I looked down to be sure

Steve on the ramp leading to the main chamber of the new cave.

We had a long list of possible cave sites to examine, along with the Global Positioning System coordinates of each site. Our mission was to determine if there were cave openings at any of those sites.

We would drive as far as we could on established roadways, and then walk the rest of the way to each site.

This day’s project was to check a grouping of approximately eight potential cave sites. The hiking was neither difficult nor easy, as the terrain was walkable but had no established trails. As we hiked, Steve explained that caves are often found in association with sinkholes, where subsurface erosion, typically in limestone, caused the land above to collapse into the void. Limestone is composed of ancient marine organisms, so this mile-high desert was once a sea. “The earth has obviously changed dramatically over time,” I thought.

By early afternoon, we had visited all but one of the sites. We had seen miles of mesmerizing country, countless cacti, a jack rabbit or two, several sinkholes, but no caves. A short drive down yet another desert trail, there was one final site to investigate and one more hike. After a mile or so of walking, we approached the location our satellite-driven electronic devices pointed to and saw nothing but 67

his blind backwards drop would bring him to a safe landing spot. That’s when I first noticed that the chamber floor directly below his feet was not a floor at all, but a gaping dark hole. The apparently bottomless pit was not visible from the outside, tucked tightly under the little room’s front wall. When climbing in, I had pushed back from the wall, landed on solid ground, and not even noticed the void.

Steve was now dangling above the vertical shaft, butt-in and head-out, preparing to release his grasp on the rocks.

“HANG ON!” I yelled. But at that same moment, he released his grip, expecting to drop a few inches to the solid floor. One second he was above me, and the next he had disappeared into a gateway to China.

The bumping and scraping sounds of the fall were followed by the thump of his eventual touchdown. As the dust cleared, I was relieved to see him looking up from below with a surprised look on his face.

Although he had dropped more than ten feet, he assured me that he was uninjured.

Always the explorer, Steve explained that since he was already there he might as well look around. He retrieved a small light from his pocket, moved downward, and disappeared. From the dark void, I could hear his voice explaining that below the hole I had climbed into, and below the hole he had fallen into, and below the downward sloping tunnel he was gazing into, was yet another chamber beyond the reach of his light. He said it looked

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Evan at the entrance to a new cave.

accessible, but we agreed that further exploration required caving equipment and caving experts. After he extracted himself from the vertical shaft, we took a quick look around the upper chamber and then slithered out through the tiny entrance to the welcome light of day.

On the hike back to the Jeep, we speculated on what might be down below.

I was curious about the newfound cave, but uncertain that I wanted to be the one doing the looking.

Driving back to the world of pavement, we agreed to return soon to the deep cavern

with proper gear and proper supervision.

“I only agreed to return to the cave site,” I told myself, “and made no commitment to go back underground.” Then Steve told me of a cave he had found in the area, the location now a closely held secret, where federal authorities had recovered numerous artifacts. As we drove back through the Virgin River Gorge, the adventurous part of my brain was already arguing with the timid part, and before we got to Mesquite I agreed to help Steve and the government’s cave expert explore and survey our new find. You can’t say my mom didn’t raise any fools. V

open 11am

THURSDAY

Cajun Ribeye

FRIDAY

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SATURDAY

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St. George Area Chamber to host

Small Business Expo

by David Cordero - St. George Chamber of Commerce

S

mall businesses are the backbone of our community. The St. George Area Chamber of Commerce believes the overall prosperity of our local economy hinges largely on their successes, which is why on June 13, small businesses will converge at the Dixie Convention Center when the Chamber hosts the Small Business Summit and Business Expo.

The Summit will provide the opportunity for small business owners, managers, and entrepreneurs to network and learn new tools, tactics and strategies, gain practical skills, and make invaluable connections to help support the growth and prosperity of small businesses in Utah — especially southern Utah.

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This-full day conference, sponsored by Innovation Plaza at Dixie State University, will feature keynote speakers and breakout sessions designed to inspire, inform, and provide businesses the tools they need to succeed.

Breakout sessions will include: • • • • • • •

Marketing Cybersecurity Tax laws Human resources Getting your business online Emergency preparedness How to protect your business and more

The Summit will also feature a panel of representatives from the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, World Trade Center Utah, EDCUtah, Dixie Tech, and others. Registration and pricing information on the Summit can be found at www.stgeorgechamber.com.

Participation on this day is not limited to the business community. In conjunction with the Small Business Summit, the Chamber will also host the Small Business Expo at the convention center, providing a stage for businesses to display their products and services to the public, as well as to other businesses.

The Expo will feature a prize-filled balloon drop, hourly drawings, and many individual vendors will conduct promotional giveaways at their individual

booths. Featuring businesses by industry in pods, the Expo is sponsored in part by Boulevard Home Furnishings, Mountain America Credit Union, and the Washington County Convention and Tourism Office.

Businesses from hospitality, healthcare, communications, financial, real estate, construction, retail, non-profit, and education are expected to participate.

The Expo is free and open to the public from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

To learn more about the Small Business Summit and Expo, how to participate or sponsor, call the St. George Area Chamber of Commerce at (435) 628-1650. Chamber members receive discounted rates on admission to the Summit as well as booth rental at the Expo. Sign up for membership at www.joinchamber.com or stop by the St. George Area Chamber of Commerce at 136 North 100 East in St. George. V

Now Offering FREE Blind Installation

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Kris Zurbas

Featured Photographer

By Jesselyn Russo

And so grew his love for photography.

Although Kris had been interested in photography for a number of years, it wasn’t until after his accident that his interest grew into a passion.

“Photography, aside from making me appreciate the world, also helps me forget about any worries or stress that I might have,” he said.

T

hey say tragedy can shape who you are as a person and carve your future. Few know that better than local business owner Kris Zurbas who took his personal tragedy and made it into something beautiful — literally.

Three years after Kris and his family moved to Mesquite, Nevada they were in a horrific car accident involving a drunk driver on the interstate. His family was okay, but Kris suffered major injuries.

“Everyone thought I was dead,” Kris said. “I was unresponsive and covered in blood.”

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Kris started out doing landscape and scenery photography. In an environment such as Mesquite, it’s no wonder Kris found so much beauty in it.

“It’s amazing how we take our sight for granted and just glance at things instead of really looking at the colors, shapes and textures,” Kris said.

Kris formed his business, MVP Productions.

Affectionately referred to as the “Eureka Historian,” he does a lot of work for the Eureka Casino Resort, whom he credits and thanks for his success in photography.

Photos are magical, "they can take you back to a place or time..." ~ Kris Zurbas

Kris was in a coma for seven days. He shattered his nose, right cheekbone, and his right eye orbit, resulting in the loss of vision in that eye. His jaw was fractured and had to be wired shut. He couldn’t walk. He suffered a severe concussion, with swelling and bruising on his brain. Over the course of six weeks, Kris not only healed from his physical injuries but his soul as well, telling himself he would never take anything for granted.

“I would especially like to thank Andre Carrier and Greg Lee for their encouragement and sponsoring me to photography classes and seminars,” Kris said.

“The accident opened up my eye to the way I saw things,” Kris chuckled. “Really though, I noticed things I never took the time to notice before.”

While working with the Eureka, Kris has shot photos for several events, including the recently remodeled Rising Star Sports Ranch.

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Never one to be shy, Kris gladly took on new challenges to produce the best quality work for the Eureka and the Rising Star.

Kris produced an incredible time-lapse video of the 30,000 square foot facility called “The Barn” being built. Since then, he has also become efficient in shooting sports photos, from baseball, soccer, and lacrosse, to volleyball and basketball. He also photographs the Nevada Desert Dogs, Mesquite’s professional basketball team.

Kris passed his FAA unmanned aircraft test and received his drone license in March 2017.

“Photos from above give even the most common things a whole new perspective,” Kris said. “It’s an amazing feeling to fly the drone and take pictures and videos that you would only take by renting a small plane or helicopter just a few short years ago. “ Kris’s hard work and keen eye for new angles does not go unnoticed, whether by community members or other photographers. While at events, Kris said he tries to venture away from where other photographers are standing to capture photos no one else will have. One year, while covering the ParaLong Drive, Kris noticed he had a shadow other than his own.

“I kept looking behind me and there was this guy following me around,” Kris said. “He finally said he was following me because he could see I was getting the good shots no one else was. He 74

was actually with the Golf Channel, so that was a pretty great compliment to me.”

Kris said she’s really developing an eye for it.

interested in scheduling an appointment with him.

Due to so many requests from friends, Kris is looking to expand his business to include portraits. Anyone who is friends with Kris on social media, knows he has an excellent test subject for portraits and family photos, his daughter Athina.

Kris said it’s fun for him to see her grow and to have all her different stages in life documented.

To Kris, photos are like souvenirs. “I would rather have a photo on the wall instead of a coffee mug,” he said. “Photos are magical, they can take you back to a place or time and you can relive the feelings and emotions you had.”

“Get out there and have fun,” he said.

“Life is too short and it can change in an instant!” V

Be sure to check out Kris’s business card near the back of the magazine if you are

View On Magazine appreciates all of the beautiful photo contributions from Kris Zurbas throughout the years.

Twelve-year-old Athina is photographed continuously by her loving father. Her bubbly personality and adorable smile make every picture heartwarming.

Whether she’s eating breakfast, exploring, playing around, or taking photos herself, it is easy to see Athina takes an interest in her dad’s passion. She has even started doing some of her own photography work, thanks to guidance and help from her dad.

“The coolest thing my dad has shown me is probably how to get better angles of flowers and other pictures I take,” she said.

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view on BUSINESS

P

olaris is very proud of the new flagship of their RZR lineup.

Headquartered in Medina, Minnesota, the powersports company produces a wide array of vehicles, including Indian motorcycles, Slingshot three-wheeled street vehicles, Ranger and General sideby-sides, Sportsman ATVs, snowmobiles, Timbersleds, GEM electric cars, and more. RZR is Polaris’ lineup of sport sideby-sides, with 20 models and special editions ranging in price from the $10,299 RZR 570 to the top-of-the-line model I’ll be testing, the $27,499 RZR XP Turbo S. RZR models vary in terms of width, length, seating (two and four-passenger) capacity, suspensions, engine size, and other features.

XP Turbo S is a two-seater side-by-side.

At 72 inches, it is the widest RZR in the fleet. By comparison, a Chevrolet Equinox crossover SUV is 72.60 inches wide (excluding mirrors). The XP Turbo S has a wheelbase of 90 inches, an overall length of 122 inches, and a height of 75 inches.

It has 16 inches of ground clearance – twice that of the Equinox – and usable suspension travel of 25 inches, front and rear. Its 168-hp turbocharged four-

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ADVERTORIAL

stroke two-cylinder engine displaces 925 cc. A passive variable transmission (PVT) sends power to the rear wheels (in rear-wheel drive mode) or all four wheels (in all-wheel drive mode). Fifteeninch aluminum wheels are wrapped with 32-inch tires, the biggest Polaris has ever fixed to a factory RZR. With a wallop of power and grand scale, the XP Turbo S has received beefed-up chassis, roll cage and body parts. Polaris worked over every inch of the vehicle to assure durability and toughness, and the results are visible upon inspection, as well as audible on the trail. The XP Turbo S exhibits no flexing, clunking, or rattling on the roughest of trails. It’s solid as a rock.

The seats are comfortable, firm foam buckets, with an upright seating position. The cabin is open – no windshield or windows, shoulder-height doors with reinforcing beams and an aluminum roof canopy overhead connected to the steel roll cage. The center stack has a 7-inch touchscreen that displays Polaris’ Ride Command System. We can scroll through the screens wearing our gloves, gaining access to a standard rear camera, audio controls, vehicle information, and more. GPS navigation is available as an option. The rear camera is a necessity for group riding, so that we can make sure that the vehicle following us has arrived at intersections before we make a turn. Strapped into a four-point harness with a helmet, it’s difficult to see behind you – no rear-view mirrors are included with the XP Turbo S.

ride. Gear up properly, ride within your limits, and respect the vehicle and conditions. End of lecture.

As a flagship vehicle, the XP Turbo S is a lot of vehicle. It is complex, expensive, and ridiculously fast and capable. It is not a toy for young or immature drivers and might not be ideal as a first side-by-side. Polaris’ lineup has several vehicles that would be better starter side-by-sides, as do its competitors.

If you’re ready for the top-of-the-line, Polaris XP Turbo S is the clear leader right now, and Triple S Polaris in Cedar City, Utah has everything you need from new machines, to parts and accessories, or even down to a simple service or complex transmission build. Give them a call at (435) 865-0100 or visit them at 151 South Main Street, Cedar City, UT 84720. www.ssspolaris.com

All powersports have a measure of risk, and sport side-by-sides are no different. Even though they’re pure fun, an accident is a handy reminder that safety must be a primary concern on every 77

The Wave in the Coyote Buttes area by the Arizona border is beautiful with its curved strata breaking like a sandstone wave.Photo by John Fowler.

6 Reasons Why Kanab is a World-Class Destination for Outdoor Lovers submitted by the Kanab Visitors Center

R

aw nature surrounds Kanab, a wild west town in the red heart of southwest Utah's rugged canyon country. Filled with friendly locals, classy dining, lodging and campgrounds, and interesting historical sites, the compact town, lying near the Arizona border, is the gateway to three iconic national parks, five national monuments, a national recreation area, and a of couple state parks. These spectacular parklands, all a day trip from Kanab, are realms of solitude, freedom, rock, and sky. The Kanab area also offers a wealth of outdoor adventures, including hiking, photography, off-roading, canyoneering, rock climbing, mountain

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and road biking, sightseeing, and some of Utah's best scenic drives.

Mormon farmers first settled Kanab, meaning "place of the willows" in Paiute, in the 1860s, but the Kanab Creek flashflood in 1883 gouged a deep arroyo.

The pioneers persevered and turned to ranching until Hollywood discovered the area's natural beauty in the 1920s.

Over 150 television series and films have been shot in the area, including The Lone Ranger, Gunsmoke, and The Greatest Story Ever Told. Since those early days, Kanab has become more than a stopover for national park visitors, and now serves

as a basecamp for exploring the area's natural wonders. Here's a look at the best activities and places around Kanab — “The Greatest Earth on Show.”

Zion National Park Zion National Park, about 35 miles northwest of Kanab, is one of Utah's crown jewels and spreads across 146,597 acres of deep canyons, soaring cliffs, and sculptured sandstone mountains. The busy park, composed of eight geologic formations, is dissected by the 2,300-footdeep Zion Canyon, a dramatic gorge carved by the Virgin River. Most visitors explore Zion by riding a park shuttle to

hiking trails that lead to overlooks, seeping springs, and hidden side canyons. You can access the park from Kanab on the twisting Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway, passing Checkerboard and Crazy Quilt Mesas, as well as Canyon Overlook and East Rim trails, before passing through a long tunnel into Zion Canyon. If you want to get away from summer crowds, head for the remote Kolob Canyons on Zion's west side.

Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, lying west of Kanab, is a natural wonder of red sand dunes pressed against the edge of the Moquith Mountains. Westerly winds carry tiny grains of sand, composed of eroded Navajo sandstone, and shapes them into high rippled dunes. The 3,730acre state park is the only dune field on the Colorado Plateau. You can study the unique plants and animals living there, including the rare Coral Pink Sand Dunes tiger beetle, or drive off-highway vehicles (OHVs) on over 2,000 sandy acres. Fourwheeler riders like the South Boundary Trail and Sand Highway for off-road fun.

Zion National Park offers some of the most spectacular sunsets alongside stunning views. Photo by Shahid Durrani.

Grand Staircase National Monument Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument boundaries were modified by presidential proclamation in December 2017 which reduced the size of the overall monument and separated the monument into three distinct units: Grand Staircase, Kaiparowits, and Escalante Canyon.

wonders. Over 250 million years of Earth’s geologic history reveals itself in the technicolor cliffs within the monument.

The land is among the most remote in the country being the last to be mapped in the contiguous United States. Themed visitor centers are located in the towns bordering the monument: Kanab hosts the Archaeological/Geologic Center.

Big Water is home to a fascinating Paleontology exhibit. The Cannonville Visitor Center explains early Paiute and Pioneer life. Escalante Visitor Center shares scientific discoveries in botany, ecology, and biology.

The three units include a vast treasure chest of geologic and other natural

The Grand Staircase unit is the western part of the monument which includes

the Paunsaugunt Plateau bordering the Paria River, and is adjacent to Bryce Canyon National Park. This section shows the geologic progression of the Grand Staircase. Visitors can access this unit from Johnson Canyon Road and Skutumpah Road. Features include the slot canyons of Bull Valley Gorge, Willis Creek, and Lick Wash.

The Kaiparowits Plateau unit is the large, elevated landform which makes up the largest portion of the Grand StaircaseEscalante National Monument. Its extension to the southeast, Fifty-Mile Mountain runs nearly to the Colorado River and Lake Powell. An extension of the plateau's high terrain is known as Smoky

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The Kodachrome Basin is named for its garish Kodachrome film colors. Photo by Cathy Palopoli.

Mountain. Visitors can access this part of the monument on the Cottonwood Canyon road or Smoky Mountain road.

The Escalante Canyon unit is the northeastern unit of the monument. It is bordered by the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area on the east and south.

The popular hiking, backpacking, and canyoneering areas include the slot canyons of Peekaboo, Spooky, and Brimstone Canyons, and the backpacking areas of lower Coyote Gulch and Harris Wash. The Devil's Garden is also located in this area. Access is via the Hole-in-theRock Road which extends southeast from the town of Escalante, along the base of Fifty-Mile Mountain.

Kodachrome Basin State Park Kodachrome Basin State Park is a compact 2,240-acre parkland tucked against the northwest edge of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

This small but spectacular state park, named for its garish Kodachrome film 80

colors, protects 67 bizarre rock pillars called sand pipes that rise from six- to 170feet high. It's unknown how these stone sentries formed. Exploring the park is a fun day trip from Kanab, with six trails winding among the towering rock formations.

The six-mile Panorama Trail explores the western side of the park, passing Cool Cave and Secret Passage, while the 1.7-mile Shakespeare Arch/Sentinel Trail accesses soaring Shakespeare Arch. Campers can stay overnight in two campgrounds.

Bryce Canyon National Park Bryce Canyon is a fairyland of standing hoodoos, or skinny sandstone spires, crammed into four square miles in Bryce Amphitheater just an hour's drive north of Kanab. The strange formations, thought by the Paiute Indians to be rock-frozen people, glow yellow, orange, and red in bright sunlight. Come at sunrise for the best incandescent colors, but don't forget a jacket. It's chilly at 8,000 feet above the hoodoos. The best way to see the park is

by foot, following trails that twist among the maze of spires. Favorite hikes are the 5.5-mile Peekaboo-Queens Garden Loop, the eight-mile Fairyland Loop Trail, and the short Moss Cave Trail. Expect solitude and privacy in the backcountry. Cyclists enjoy a 22-mile paved trail on the rim that's closed to motor vehicles.

Buckskin Gulch, White Pocket, and The Wave The Kanab area is a national scenic treasure with some of the planet's most spectacular vistas and rock formations.

Buckskin Gulch, The Wave, and White Pocket, all east of Kanab, are three special areas that are simply out of this world.

Buckskin Gulch, one of the longest and deepest slot canyons in the United States, runs more than 13 miles to Paria Canyon.

Hiking Buckskin is an extreme adventure, with wading, scrambling, and swimming through its dark passage. The best hike starts at Wire Pass Trailhead and heads down the canyon to the Paria River, then

back to White House Trailhead for a 21mile loop.

White Pocket is an impressive and remote area of swirling sandstones reached by a long 4x4 road in northern Arizona's Vermilion Cliffs National Monument.

Photographers and hikers love exploring its slickrock sculptures reflected in pools of water.

The Wave in the Coyote Buttes area by the Arizona border is beautiful with its curved strata breaking like a sandstone wave. Visitation at the fragile area is limited to 20 people a day. Permits can be reserved ahead through an online lottery or by showing up at the Grand StaircaseEscalante National Monument Visitor Center in Kanab for next-day hikes. Nearby are more wonders like Melody Arch, Top Rock, Sand Cove, and the Second Wave.

So wherever you choose to explore, make it a great and safe adventure. V

The 13-mile Buckskin Gulch is one of the longest and deepest slot canyons in the United States. Photo by Fort Union.

The rocks at Bryce Canyon glow yellow, orange and red and are best witnessed at sunrise. Photo by Yuxin Wei.

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Mayberry to Mesquite Mesa View Regional Hospital Welcomes New Chief Executive Officer!

by Rob Fuller

“Ned’s health care leadership experience includes a track record of growth through physician recruitment,” said Collette Price, chairman of the hospital’s Board of Trustees. “His experience and community perspectives are a good match for Mesa View. We are looking forward to him leading our hospital into the future.”

In 2017, Ned was recognized by Becker’s Hospital Review as one of the “60 Rural Hospital CEOs to know.” Becker’s Hospital Review is a monthly nationwide print and daily online publication that offers up-to-date business and legal news related to hospitals.

When asked why Mesquite, he replied, “For several years my wife and I have wanted to get back to the west where we can be closer to our families. We decided that if a job came available in the west where there were sunshine and palm trees, I would apply – and that’s exactly what happened.” Since accepting the position, Ned, his wife, and four children have relocated to the area and have purchased a home in Mesquite.

Dr. Joseph J. Jeppson, Chief of Staff for Mesa View stated, “Ned has the skill set and experience for the role as CEO. We’re delighted that he shares our views on the enormous potential of our hospital and is focused on partnering with physicians to continue to provide outstanding care for patients.”

I

Ned Hill, Mesa View CEO

n the state of North Carolina lies a community named Mount Airy, also known as Mayberry since it was the birthplace of actor Andy Griffith and also the community about which the television show Mayberry RFD (and the Andy Griffith Show) was created. Located in this community, is Northern Hospital of Surry County, a 133-bed acute care hospital with more than 900 employees, where the new CEO for Mesa View had been serving as CEO for the past few years.

After an extensive five-month search, Mesa View Regional Hospital has named Mr. Ned Hill as CEO, effective February 15, 2018 – just in time for the Mesquite Annual Heart Walk in which he, his wife, and children all participated. Hill has been in health care leadership positions around the country for several years.

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“I am excited to work with the team at Mesa View and the Mesquite community to continue services that meet the changing needs of the area and Moapa Valley region, and provide highquality health care options to our guests,” Ned said. “I am confident we will continue to focus on Mesa View’s growth, quality and patient satisfaction. I look forward to being involved and getting to know the community.”

Ned has an ‘open door’ philosophy with the team members at Mesa View and with the community. “Folks are welcome to stop by and say hi anytime. Input from our guests and the community is very important to us and critical to our continued success!”V Mesa View Regional Hospital Administration can be reached at: (702)-345-4280.

The Importance of

Colorectal Cancer Screenings

by Jerome (Jerry) Guanciale, DO, FACOS, Board Certified General Surgeon

B

eing active and enjoying the great outdoors is a great way to get the exercise needed to maintain good physical health. Activities like hiking, golf, biking, and even walking regularly can be both enjoyable and beneficial. I personally love to play golf as much as possible, and Mesquite is an amazing place for that.

20 years. And recent data suggests that approximately 50 percent of the reduction in colorectal cancer deaths is directly due to screening colonoscopies. Even with this reduction in cancer deaths, about one in three adults age 50 or older, nearly 38 million people in the U.S., are still not getting the recommended testing.

While eating a healthy balanced diet and getting regular exercise are critical, it is also very important to take advantage of simple screening tests that can detect the early stages of some underlying health conditions that can exist without any symptoms. One example is colorectal cancer.

To increase screenings and combat this deadly disease, a nationwide effort kicks off every year, usually earlier in the year during March, but the message is important all year long. This annual campaign raises awareness of the disease and fundraises for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, as well as to support those affected by colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer (a malignant growth inside the colon or rectum) is the third most common cancer, and the second leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. among men and women combined.

Approximately 135,000 people developed colorectal cancer in the U.S. in 2017 and about 50,000 died from colorectal cancer in the U.S. in 2017.

In 2018 alone, The American Cancer Society estimates that 140,250 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with the disease, and more than 50,000 people will die from colon cancer.

The good news is colorectal cancer screenings can help prevent the disease through early detection and removal of polyps, or abnormal growths. Studies have shown a steady decrease in the death rates from colorectal cancer over the past

Screenings are recommended for men and women starting at age 50, then every five to 10 years. Colonoscopies are strongly recommended even if no symptoms are present. However, here are some warning signs that should not be ignored: • Rectal bleeding • Unexplained bowel habits changes (i.e. decreased stool output) • Unexplained weight loss • Anemia (low red blood cell count) Mesa View Regional Hospital offers colorectal procedures and screenings including: colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, EGD and laparoscopic surgery. V The surgeon’s office is located at 1301 Bertha Howe Avenue suite #10, Mesquite,

Dr. Jerry Guanciale, General Surgeon

Nevada, and allows patients to receive individualized care close to home.

Dr. Guanciale is the General Surgeon at Mesa View Regional Hospital with more than 25 years’ experience in a range of surgical procedures including: gallbladder, appendectomy, hernia repair, hemorrhoidectomy, colon cancer, breast surgery, and lumpectomy.

For additional information about colorectal cancer screenings, please call Dr. Guanciale’s office at: (702) 346-1700 or visit www.mesaviewmedical.com.

SOURCE: American Cancer Society

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view on DESIGN

How to

GET CURVES IN ALL THE RIGHT PLACES

by Helen Houston — Certified Staging & Redesign Professional

N

o, this article is not about Jennifer Lopez or Kim Kardashian — it is about using curved shapes in your home that will make for an inviting and comfortable aesthetic which is both cozy and powerful.

Curves can soften a living zone, draw the eye to a certain feature or focal point, and visually lengthen an area. When used well, they can enhance the flow of a room and be used to define different spaces.

They can also be useful for awkward or tricky spaces and can be a practical replacement for sharp corners if you have little ones running around the home.

But you do need to know how to use them.

If used inappropriately, curves can take up a lot of wasted space. However, when used well, curves actually conserve space.

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The key is to know when to use a curve to maximum benefit.

1. Introduce curves in a subtle way by adding round occasional tables, lamps, or an area rug with an organic shape.

Curves soften a space and inspire effortless flow in a room that may otherwise feel constricted.

2. The combination of curves and colors shows just what you can do with curves when thinking outside the proverbial box. Curved furniture pieces in bright colors work well as room features or statement pieces.

3. Simple curved touches applied sparingly can have elegant and attention-grabbing results.

4. Curved lines are a small gardens or courtyards best friend. When mixed with straight lines and assorted plantings, they can create an attractive and visually interesting outdoor hub.

5. Curves work with curves. The curved sofa in a living room opens up both the space and the range of design possibilities. One of the best things I ever bought for my own home is my curved sofa. My favorite thing about it is that five people can sit on it at once and talk comfortably without having to lean forward to see past each other.

Sometimes a good reason for a curved sofa is simply to soften a room that is otherwise filled with straight lines and angles. And then, sometimes a curved sofa simply creates a luscious and sensuous look.

6. Curved sofas are so useful for defining an area — without necessarily making it feel divided. In a combined kitchen, dining, and family room, the curved sofa helps to break up the long narrow room and define the family room portion.

7. If you use a curved sofa, you might need to curve another thing or two. It can be tough — make that nearly impossible — to find console tables or side tables that will conform to the curves of your sofa.

One of the classic rules of design is to repeat and reinforce shapes throughout your designs to create a harmonious look.

You don't need major investment pieces to reinforce curves in your space. Create a simple vignette, where you may choose three pieces that subtlety reinforce each other's curves.

So what kind of curves do you have going on in your space? Do you need to add some reinforcing curves to balance too many hard, straight lines? Consider adding a few curves, a few circular pieces, and a little looseness to your space this year!V 85

LVCVA

Destination Mesquite

by Meg McDaniel, Senior Manager of Extended Destinations Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority

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ocated 90 miles north of Las Vegas awaits Mesquite, Nevada, a relaxing small town with an array of big city attractions.

Home to stunning scenic vistas and red mesas, Mesquite’s desert landscape flows into Zion National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, and six other breathtaking national and state parks.

Known for its gaming, live entertainment, and golfing activities, Mesquite is also home to various outdoor treasures perfect for families, friends, and the solo adventurer.

Those who prefer sandstone for their outdoor escapades should head to Valley of Fire State Park, a historic Aztec sanctuary just a short drive south of Mesquite. The 40,000-acres of bright red sandstone offers the ultimate outdoor playground, with plenty of opportunities for hiking, camping, biking, and more. Inspired by the area’s petrified trees and petroglyphs that are more than 2,000 years old, the Visitor Center provides exhibits on the geology, ecology, and the rich Aztec history of the stunning state park. The natural desert rock formations, such as Seven Sisters, Elephant Rock, and Arch Rock make Valley of Fire a must-see for adventurers of any age.

With an incredible amount of desert wildlife, Mesquite and its surrounding areas have established numerous preservations and refuge’s to protect the natural habitats of the area’s native animals. The Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge has tirelessly worked to save the endangered Moapa dace, a small fish common to the headwaters of the Muddy River. Visitors to the refuge can also volunteer for habitat restoration projects to

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maintain the upkeep of the beautiful desert conservation area that is home to the Moapa dace.

Situated between the picturesque Virgin River and the vast mesas of the Great Basin is Mesquite’s Camel Safari. The 176-acre farm is home to more than 30 camels and many other exotic animals, including a two-toed sloth, armadillos, a zedonk, llamas, and an African crested porcupine. While entertaining for children and families to befriend the animals and tour the farm, the Camel Safari also offers opportunities for solo travelers and couples to discover the gorgeous surrounding desert scenery. Visitors can trek through the Nevada desert atop one of the majestic camels, soaking in beautiful views of the Virgin Mountains and Virgin River.

Thrill-seekers in search of a faster-paced version of Mesquite’s desert oasis need look no further than one of the destination’s newest attractions, Adventure Time Tours. Visitors can take a journey on premium Polaris RZR vehicles throughout the desert where the wildlife of Utah, Arizona, and Nevada meet. For the committed explorer, Adventure Time Tours offers an overnight voyage where guests travel more than six hours a day into the North Rim of the Grand Canyon to soak in views of one of the country’s most majestic natural wonders.

Visitors looking to hit the green will find an outdoor golfing oasis with more than eight courses within 10 minutes of Mesquite’s luxury resorts. Since opening in 2000, golfers from all over the

world have traveled to Wolf Creek Golf Club to experience its challenging course and one-of-a-kind views. The vibrant emerald green fairway with its brilliant white sand bunkers inspired a feature course on EA Sports Tiger Woods and the Rory McIlroy PGA Tour video game. In 2011, Wolf Creek also won the prestigious Fan Choice Award naming Wolf Creek the favorite golf course to play by golf fans worldwide. The stunning course is continually recognized as a must-visit amongst others, including Pebble Beach, Black Wolf Run, and Bandon Dunes.

For a relaxing post-adventure hideaway, Mesquite is home to many luxurious resorts and casinos with a plethora of entertainment, dining, and spa offerings. Best Western Mesquite Inn and Holiday Inn Express are both close to the destination’s top restaurants, movie theaters, and shopping centers for endless entertainment. Those looking to relax and recharge after a long day in the sun can treat themselves to Mesquite’s world-class spas. The Spa at CasaBlanca Resort and Casino, and Spa at Eureka Casino Resort offer a variety of refreshing treatments for a solo getaway or romantic retreat, including therapeutic massages, wraps, scrubs, nourishing facials, and a full-service salon.

CasaBlanca, Eureka, and Virgin River Hotel and Casino also offer guests a wide variety of gaming options, featuring video poker and slot machines, along with blackjack, craps, roulette, and race and sports books. While some may get their hearts racing at the 24-hour casinos, sports enthusiasts can play to win at Rising Star Ranch Resort’s park-like recreation center, with a refreshing pool, basketball courts, horseshoe pits, and pickleball courts surrounded by breathtaking views of the Mesquite desert.

Mesquite’s striking desert landscape offers a wide variety of unique activities and great weather year round. The relaxed pace

and small-town feel make for an easily accessible family, couple, or solo getaway at affordable prices. From the adventurous family to the single desert wanderer, Mesquite offers a customizable outdoor vacation for every type of traveler. V

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Healing Garden and Labyrint h of Mesquite

by Mary Dillin-Shurtleff - Author, Clinical Hypnotherapist, Feng Shui Consultant, Spiritual coach

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he Healing Garden and Labyrinth of Mesquite, built by Mary and Brad Shurtleff with the help of Nester Mendez of Odyssey Landscaping, is located at 284 Jody Court. Brad and Mary welcome anyone who feels the need to stop and meditate to The Healing Garden and Labyrinth. Mary asks that all who enter the garden be respectful of the labyrinth and leave all stones and décor in place.

Children are welcome in the garden; however, the garden is a quiet zone.

Please don’t allow them to run and jump on the rocks or play around the fountain. We have created a place of quiet to encourage local wildlife, such as roadrunners, quail, birds, and rabbits to

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come and visit. We already have a resident hummingbird. All pets should be left at home since the marking of the territory by a dog will discourage birds and rabbits.

While in the garden, be mindful of your senses — sit and feel — and allow others to do the same.

Mary Shurtleff has been in the metaphysical field for 30 years, practicing feng shui, hypnotherapy, and spiritual enlightenment. She is the author of the mind, body, spirit trilogy series called The Connected Being, found at www.maryshurtleff.com. Mary believes getting closer to God through meditation and prayer while in nature is the key to finding answers to heal your life. Mary encourages her visitors to paint healing

rocks and bring them to the garden to place their prayers of healing for self, family, friends, the earth, and humanity.

The labyrinth is used for meditation and prayers of self-discovery and symbolizes your own sacred journey through life. The directed path of the labyrinth is a path of contemplation with no distractions. There is one way in and one way out. Each time you walk the labyrinth, you visit the deepest part of your consciousness and superconsciousness. Your humanness is set aside.

In the twelfth century, Chartres France was a mecca where pilgrims came to pray and honor God. Through time, the cathedral became a destination for

pilgrims and tourists. In addition to the historical architecture and history, many came to the cathedral to pray and see the famous artifact, the Sancta Camisa, the tunic worn by the Virgin Mary at Christ's birth.

Today, Chartres Cathedral continues to attract large numbers of visitors, many who come to walk the labyrinth and with bowed heads — pray.

The labyrinth represents life and wholeness. The opening to the labyrinth is birth and rebirth. The center of the labyrinth is considered God and the tree in the center represents the Tree of Life. The twists and turns in between represent your journey inward to God and your journey back to the opening (re-birth) to execute your findings. Each journey in and back out will have a different outcome and change your be-ing as you go deeper and deeper inside yourself for the answers you seek.

The labyrinth path looks somewhat like the brain, and wakes both sides of the brain as it crosses back and forth from right to left.

The labyrinth activates the right brain of intuition and creativity as it balances the left brain with calm, logic, and discipline.

There are many claims of healing effects from the labyrinth. The path represents the seven levels of existence as it activates the seven chakras of the body and brings them into harmony with each other. The labyrinth can bring discovery,

transformation, and growth, in that order. It helps to expand your vision of life and your place in it. The labyrinth can bring clarity to a muddy situation. Each journey takes you one step deeper into the unknown of your consciousness. Be brave, be open to the mystery we call life. The labyrinth can

be seen as a mini walking pilgrimage to recovery or enlightenment.

You can find The Healing Garden and Labyrinth of Mesquite at 284 Jody Court, Mesquite, Nevada. Please stop by and enjoy the tranquility.V

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The Camp Experience

by Ashleigh Mark

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ost of us have wonderful, albeit sometimes wet and bug bitten, memories of summer camp. Summer camps have changed over the years to include everything from traditional hiking and rappelling to video game design and development to religious programs.

For over 100 years, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has hosted Young Women Camp. The purpose of the camps is for young women to gather together, separate from worldly influences, feel the Spirit of the Lord, grow in unity and love, and strengthen their faith. This June, the Las Vegas LDS Lakes Stake will be holding their annual camp at Rising Star Sports Ranch.

For as long as many can remember, Young Women Camp for girls in the Las Vegas

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area has been held at Camp Stimson at Mt. Charleston. It provided the quintessential camp experience without having to rough it for food and water. Due to tremendous growth in the church, Young Women groups have been limited to going to Camp Stimson every two to three years instead of every year.

Camp leaders found it necessary to look for alternative locations to hold their event.

Laura Brady, Lakes Stake Young Women’s President, heard about Rising Star and thought it was worth looking into. Once she toured the resort, she knew that it marked so many of the boxes of what they were looking for — close to Las Vegas, open conference space for workshops, and food available on site.

Service Project This year the campers will be creating ‘Birthday Boxes’ for the Spring Valley Pantry. The boxes allow underprivileged kids to shop for a gift on their birthday.

If you would like to donate a $5 gift card for McDonalds, In-nOut, or Taco Bell to be included in the boxes, please drop them off to the Rising Star front desk before June 2.

“We loved the room configurations,” she said. “It allows us to fit more girls in a room than a normal hotel room can accommodate, giving them a true camp experience.”

As planning progressed, other benefits became immediately clear. Because of Mesquite’s location, the young women will be able to visit the newly reopened Warm Springs Recreation Center in Moapa, Nevada, and to tour some church historical sites in St. George.

The young women are excited about the new location of camp and the new experiences. There will be 100 young women between 12 and 18 years of age attending. Ninety percent of girls from the ages 12 to 16 attend camp year after year. For the 17 and 18-year-olds, that number normally decreases, but has tripled this year.

“Hosting camps of all sorts, not just sports camps, was always part of the vision for the resort,” said Andre Carrier, the Rising Star COO. “We truly look forward to welcoming these young women.”V

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URBAN LEGENDS!

MAY 1 - JUNE 30 FREE

by Charlene Paul

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Fact or Myth?

ince I started writing about urban legends and myths in View On Magazine, I have run across interesting, poignant, silly, unbelievable, and downright scary tales. As I delved deeper into the abyss of urban legends

and myths, I learned things I never knew.

Elvis faked his own death, Mr. Rogers was actually a tattooed former Navy SEAL, John Denver was a highly trained sniper, there is a phantom hitchhiker, the New York sewers are filled with giant man-

eating alligators, and Walt Disney was cryogenically frozen in hopes that some future technology could one day bring him back to life. Someone is bound to share the $250 Neiman Marcus cookie recipe, an inscription found on the tomb of Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses proves the recipe for his favorite drink was identical to Coca Cola, and a piece of swallowed gum will stay in my stomach for seven years.

Closer to home, I learned about the mermaids and crying babies in Pyramid lake in northern Nevada. I read about tales of whales in the Great Salt Lake. I heard grisly accounts of haunted graveyards and ghost towns, and lovelorn tales of unrequited love and Indian princesses.

And no story about urban legends and myths could ever be complete without aliens and space ships in the Nevada desert.

What do all of these narratives have in common? Facts. Or to be closer to the truth, a lack of facts thereof. People

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EXTRA! EXTRA! bedroom of a couple of young girls and, well, the details were a little gruesome.

Anyway, I described how he scratched on the window as he tried to find a way inside.

Wouldn’t you know it? The wind came up at that very moment, blowing the branches of the tree outside against our window. My sister let out a scream, our parents ran into our room, and I got in such trouble. Shortly afterward, she was gently snoring while I listened to that tree branch scratch at our window for the better part of the night.

I embellished that story, without that part about our parents storming into our room, and told it to friends for years. As time went on, I convinced myself and a few others that our house was haunted. My very own urban legend. love stories, especially stories that are sensational, nonsensical, unimaginable, thrilling, horrifying, exciting, or hair-raising.

But just how do these legends and myths get started? It’s difficult to pinpoint the beginning of each and every one of these stories. Some are based on true stories that became larger than life. Some are based on stories that explained unexplainable phenomena.

Some are based on nothing more than sensationalism. But what each one has in common is that the more it is circulated, the more it becomes engraved in our culture and on our psyche.

Have you ever played the game where everyone sits in a circle and someone whispers a short story to the person sitting to his or her left? That person whispers the story to the next person, and on and on

until the story gets back to the person who started it. By the time it has been told by several players, it is rarely the same story it began as. That is one way these legends and myths become larger than life.

Another way is that sometimes people just make something up and spread it as though it was fact. One night while my sister and I were home alone, we stayed up late to watch Whatever Happened to Baby Jane, starring those two timid darlings of the cinema, Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. To say it made our adolescent hair stand on end would be a gross understatement.

We were terrified when our folks got home and told us we had to go to bed. But I decided I was going to take that fright one step further and tell my sister a whopper of a story about someone who broke into the

With the advent of social media, urban legends and myths are alive and well and making the rounds on a daily basis. Names and dates change, details are modified, and scare tactics are tossed in for good measure. We are encouraged to pass on the information to all of our friends and contacts. Fact-checking is always a good thing to do before clicking the send button, but some of those circulating stories seem so believable. You might even want to factcheck a few of the stories I listed here.

But it will be much more fun if you will send your favorite urban legends and myths to me so we can all read about them in future issues of View On Magazine.

Email lookonthewriteside@gmail.com with your ideas. And if you have any photos to go with those stories, send them as well.

Oh, and by the way, Elvis has left the building.V 93

view on GARDENING

Get the Flower Garden

of Your Dreams

by Dr. Q, Star Nursery Staff Horticulturist rom seed or nursery transplants, in shades of white, pink, or purple. They the yard, in containers, or hanging self-sow readily and re-sprout in spring. baskets, flowers brighten our property Excellent in borders or mass plantings. Be and add to pride of ownership. How do sure you want them where you put them! you plant warm-season flowers? Finding a spot with sunshine that you can also Begonia makes a colorful addition to any get a shovel into is a great start! Most shady garden area. Bronze or shiny green, colorful blooming flowers have much more semi-succulent foliage is highlighted with tender roots than trees or shrubs, so it is delicate flowers in white, pink, or red. important that you have rich garden soil.

Good in containers. Variety New Guinea is taller and bushier with larger flowers. Be Due to our poor native soil, it is best to add sure this one has excellent drainage. organic material like Paydirt™ Planting Mix or Humus Gro, with a liberal addition Buddy Purple has papery purple flower of Dr. Q’s® Gold Dust Starter Fertilizer. heads atop compact bushy foliage. Good Install your flowers, water with a solution for edging, beds, or pots. Cut flowers are of Dr. Q’s Plant Tonic, fertilize monthly, and excellent in dried arrangements. enjoy. Container gardens are super too.

Celosia gives bright garden color in the FAVORITE SEASONAL “Annual” hottest weather. New Look has purplish VARIETIES: red foliage and feathery, deep red flower Alyssum is a low, bushy, spreading plant spikes. Plume Celosia has green foliage covered with small fragrant flowers in with feathery flower spikes in shades of

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yellow, pink, and red. Makes an excellent full sun accent, border, or background.

Groom as needed to keep neat.

Cosmos is a delicate, fern-like plant with large, bright, daisy-like flowers in shades of pink, purple, white, or lavender. It frequently reaches three feet in height and makes a good background or accent.

Plants self-sow freely.

Impatiens give delicate color to shady areas, patio containers, atriums, and entryways. Succulent stems bear flowers in a wide variety of colors. Needs good garden soil and excellent drainage.

Lobelia makes an excellent trailing plant for shady containers, window boxes, and hanging baskets. In shady gardens, it makes a nice, compact accent or border.

In varieties like Cambridge Blue and Crystal Palace, rich blue flowers contrast

with bright green or bronzy green leaves.

Other varieties may be pure white, pink, or blue with a white eye.

Marigold comes in an endless variety of colors and sizes. From dwarf to giant, in colors of bright yellow, orange, and red, this plant has always been a favorite of gardeners in the desert Southwest. Equally at home in containers or gardens, it selfsows readily. It’s great in full sun and better without overhead water.

Petunias are marked by large, trumpetshaped flowers on compact, bushy plants.

Shades range from pure white through purple, pink, red, and bicolor. Some varieties are sweetly fragrant. Excellent in massed plantings, spring and fall; needs afternoon shade in summer to look good.

May carry over in mild winters.

Marigolds

Vinca is a showy, glossy green, heatloving plant with flowers in unusual shades of grape, raspberry, blue, red, rose, white, and bi-color. Excellent in masses, as borders, or spot accents. Avoid overhead sprinkling. It may return from seed next year.

YEAR-ROUND “Perennial” FAVORITES: Dianthus is a member of the carnation family that makes perfect mounds of color in spring and fall. Blooms off and on throughout the rest of the year. Shows nearly endless color varieties from deep red through pink, purple, white, and bicolor. Will also grow well in part shade.

Plant anywhere in the garden.

Zinnia makes a spectacular addition to any summer garden. Ranging in size from dwarf to three feet or more, this heat lover produces flowers in nearly every shade imaginable. Good in pots – remove spent flowers to encourage repeat blooming.

Avoid overhead sprinkling.

Dusty Miller is highly favored for its soft, silvery-gray foliage. It’s excellent for formal borders and accents in traditional or desert gardens. Stalks of mustardyellow flowers appear in summer. Remove them to keep the plant vigorous. This one is rabbit resistant!

Gazania is a bright, cheery, heat-loving plant available in trailing or clumping varieties. Trailing types make excellent ground covers while clumping plants are perfect for spot accents, masses or borders. Colors range from white to burgundy, yellow, orange, red, and bicolor. Don’t over water this one!

Lantana is one of the most versatile, colorful plants available for our climate.

Varieties include trailing, mounding, and bush with shades of purple, orange, yellow, red, and multi-color. Use it as a ground cover, accent, border, or clipped, low hedge. Prune in spring when new growth appears.

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Pentas are wonderful, spreading, multistemmed perennials grown as annuals in our climate. Compact plants are continually covered with clusters of white, pink, lilac, or red flowers. Superb as borders, masses, or accents. Takes overhead watering better than most bedding plants.

Snapdragon is available in many colors and sizes. Dwarf varieties are excellent for masses, foregrounds, and borders. Taller varieties work well as background and accent plantings. All do well in containers.

Self-sows readily and produces endless color variations due to cross-pollination.V For more information on Warm Weather Flower Gardening, check out Star Note #310 at www.starnursery.com.

Red Lantana

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Dark Purple Petunia

Hidden Treasures

by Elise McAllister - Partners In Conservation

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hen driving along I-15 between Mesquite and Las Vegas, if you happen to be looking south at exactly the right second, you will catch a glimpse of a hidden treasure — Moapa Valley. It’s fitting that this treasure is hidden because if it were in plain view, it would be too popular and loved to death.

The fact that it is out-of-sight means those that find it’s unspoiled beauty and unlimited fun can feel like this desert paradise belongs only to them. Do you want in on this fabulous secret, so you, too, can partake in the wonderland of outdoor fun that Moapa Valley offers?

Then, read on!

Moapa Valley is one long valley along the Muddy River which originates in the Warm Springs area and travels through verdant farmland for about 30 miles before arriving at Lake Mead. Let’s start at the headwaters and explore this gem all the way to Lake Mead.

Take either exit 91 and follow the frontage road to SR 168 (from southbound I-15) or exit 90 (from northbound I-15) to SR 168.

This route heads directly west for seven miles, then turn left onto Warm Springs Road and travel approximately two miles.

On the left, you will find the Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge, and just a scant quarter of a mile further on the right,

you will find the Warm Springs Natural Area managed by the Southern Nevada Water Authority. Both locations provide hiking trails through an oasis of greenery created by multiple springs that create the Muddy River. Take your time and bring your cameras and binoculars as wildlife abounds here. Either location is a bird-viewing mecca, and you can spend a whole day wandering through each of the areas, drinking in the beauty and surreal surroundings of a stunning desert oasis. You’ll get hungry, so pack a lunch and enjoy a picnic at either location. Both locations provide tables, shade structures, and other necessary facilities. Each area has informational kiosks, and lingering at 97

the town of Logandale when you pass a church on the right, a park on the left, and the post office on the right. Turn right on Liston Avenue and right on the dirt road.

Follow this access road for about four miles, and you will arrive at one of the most scenic OHV areas you’ll ever have the pleasure to enjoy. Red rocks abound as do coral sand dunes and about 200 miles of varied trails, from ridge-riding to rock-climbing or sand-surfing, you will not want to leave. So, don’t. Plan on camping at the myriad of primitive campsites and enjoy this playground for several days.

And, if you think you’re being watched, you probably are, by resident bighorn sheep. They seem to be as curious about us as we are of them, so spend a few quiet moments enjoying the iconic desert wildlife. It will be the highlight of your day! http://logandaletrails.com/ each will provide your friends and family with a new understanding of this paradise.

I-15 crosses the Muddy River at the above-mentioned exits, so to continue our

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journey along the Muddy River, from either side of the freeway, take exit 93 which becomes SR-169. This state route takes you through the farmlands and idyllic rural valley with multiple side trips. You’ll be in

Immediately past Liston Avenue on the right-hand side, you will see a big red brick building which looks to be an historic school house. It is the Old Logandale School Historical and Cultural Society, OLSHACS. With its fascinating collection

of historical photos and exhibits, you’ll want to be sure to check it out. Check online for operating hours at http://www.olshacs.org/ as they vary.

Continue on SR-169 to the quaint community of Overton. It’s a great place to get an ice cream cone, snacks, water, supplies, etc. But save time for the Lost City Museum — it is impeccably maintained and is a fabulous museum covering the ancient Lost City and Native Americans. ‘Nuff said, you have to stop here — you will not regret it. In fact, the museum staff and docents change the exhibits so often that you will want to make this a regular stop when you are in the area. It will always amaze you! http://nvculture.org/lostcitymuseum/ Continue south on SR-169 and you will leave lovely Moapa Valley behind and head towards a national recreation area, a state park, and a famous ghost town risen from the depths of Lake Mead.

This is St. Thomas which will provide you with another opportunity to hike and enjoy the fresh air. Wayside exhibits will soon be installed that will bring the daily routines of these hardy settlers to life. Be sure to take plenty of water as you wander among the ruins. Turn left by the toll booth of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area and follow the dirt road. An amazing webpage of info is well worth checking out at https://www.nps.gov/lake/learn/ nature/st-thomas-nevada.htm.

Further on down SR-169 is the famous Valley of Fire State Park.

There is an entrance fee which lets you spend endless hours enjoying the scenic beauty and cultural history in this area. They have an informative, engaging Visitor’s Center that is a not-tomiss stop. Just to convince you that this is a must-see, check out their website at http://parks.nv.gov/parks/valley-of-fire.

Now it’s decision time. You can continue through Valley of Fire State Park to exit 75 on I-15, or you can backtrack to SR-169 and turn left. At the toll booth, SR-169 becomes the North Shore Road where you enter Lake Mead National Recreation Area. This is one

of the most scenic paved drives in the Southwest, and you will be mesmerized by the surrounding desert beauty. You can leave the North Shore Road at Boulder City, Henderson, or North Las Vegas, or do like the locals do and drive to Calville Bay to enjoy the sunset and a leisurely drive back to the best hidden treasure around, Moapa Valley. V

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Marketing students plan businesses as instructor Ludvigson looks on.

VVHS Bulldogs Mean Business!

by Linda Faas

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etermined Virgin Valley High School students are envisioning their own future careers. Under the leadership of business and marketing instructor Yori Ludvigson, students enthusiastically plan fantasy businesses they want to own and operate. With the same tenacity as their VVHS Bulldog mascot, these kids are making innovative plans for themselves.

VVHS students are offered a series of classes that provide introduction to business and two levels of marketing where they learn elements of being your own boss. By following Small Business Administration guidelines from SBA.gov, the students decide what kind of business they want to own and what steps are

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needed to take their dreams to the level of TV’s Shark Tank winners.

Maleena Felshaw envisions a golf cart art business. She is well aware of the number of golfers in Mesquite, and sees good business potential in personalizing their carts with custom artwork or art wrap.

Daniel Aguilar and Citlalli Orozco-Galvan have teamed up to form a business plan for a food truck. Since there isn’t currently a single food truck based in Mesquite, the time could be ripe to put one of those trucks on the street. With a simple menu of hot dogs, snacks, and desserts, these two students envision big success. But they also run the numbers to assure their plan provides adequate income.

Students understand the need to learn skills that will carry them into good-paying jobs. Nikki Boatright expects to attend cosmetology school in St. George after graduation. Training and state certification are needed for her to start up her own salon. Stepping stones to success are steep, but so are the rewards for those VVHS Bulldogs who finish a three-year career and technical education(CTE) training classes.

Series of high school classes, such as the business and marketing set, can earn college credits. CSN, Snow College, and other area institutions of higher education work with VVHS to award credit for the work skills learned in high school classes.

This win-win situation allows students to avoid repeating courses required for their college degree when they have already mastered course content. With college and tech schools requiring major financial investment, the free and reduced-cost high school courses are a huge benefit for young people wanting to complete a higher education.

may not yet be in focus. By establishing a strong base of diverse skills through career and technical education, these kids will be ready to push open whatever door they choose in the career world.V

Students Lindsey Crowley and Aaron Hoopes with art instructor Tyler Roylance.

Instructor Ludvigson comments, “Many people don’t understand that high school students today are often working full-time jobs while managing their high school studies and activities.

They already know the need to find work that pays well.” He sees a large percentage of his first year business students continue on to advanced classes where they build their fantasy businesses.

They want to be ready for the day they must actually jump into the shark tank of life.

While the marketing students write business plans, Tyler Roylance’s art and photography classes are preparing for the thousands of jobs where visual arts skills are needed. Whether it be online or magazine layouts, or the creation of fine art, there are almost limitless jobs that require artistic skills. Fortunately, the Mesquite community and Clark County School District see the long term value these classes add to a student’s preparedness for life. Students can earn trade certification through their classes or build art portfolios that show potential employers the personal accomplishment they bring to the marketplace.

Besides becoming competent, students simply love the imaginative adventure of art classes. Senior Aaron Hoopes proudly explains he has taken four full years of art training at VVHS. He is not sure exactly how he will be using that background as he enlists in the US Air Force after graduation, but has enjoyed those classes, and looks forward to expanding his range of skills in his service career.

When asked what they want to do when they grow up, many high school students have only a vague answer that might center on enjoying life and making money.

The sharper image of a life vocation 101

Mesquite Works

Continues Onward and Upward Path

by Stephanie Frehner

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he first Mesquite Works Job Fair for 2018 was dubbed a success on February 21 as over 115 job seekers visited the event at the Rising Star Sports Ranch Grand Ballroom. This was one of four events planned for the year, and the community and businesses continue to see promising results each time.

For their February Job Fair, a total of 147 applications were submitted between the 15 companies that participated. As of the end of March, there were 39 interviews and at least 18 new hires with more pending based on employment processes.

Linda Rino is the sole VISTA Volunteer spearheading the success of the Job Fairs.

Feedback from both employers and job seekers remained positive — all agreeing that the location of the event, the space provided, and the availability of resources found on site were more than adequate. Employers also noted that the quality of the applicants they are seeing continues to improve.

“Mountain America is a company founded on putting people in better financial situations and adding value to their lives," said Dallan Labrum, Manager of Mountain America Credit Union.

"Naturally, our values align with Mesquite Works and together we achieve these same goals with greater efficiency.”

With the next job fair being held at the same location on May 23 from 2-6 p.m., the staff at Mesquite Works will continue to educate job seekers who may be looking for their perfect match, offering free classes on resume building and interview skills.

They are also reaching out to businesses to encourage their participation, as well.

“Mesquite Works truly appreciates the support of community institutions like the credit union and these other generous businesses," said Gault. "Their support allows us to fulfill our mission of connecting job seekers with employers.”

Such work is something that businesses have recently begun to recognize and support. In addition to previous donations from Mesquite Works board members, several businesses have made financial contributions that keep the nonprofit organization alive and well.

Thus far, contributors in 2018 include Primex Plastics, Nevada Bank and Trust, Bank of Nevada, Colonial Property Management, Mountain America Credit Union, and a special Challenge Grant from the Eureka Casino Resort.

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The money donated will assist Mesquite Works in their operation costs at their office located at 312 W. Mesquite Boulevard, Suite 102. Throughout 2017, the nonprofit organization with their various classes and skilled volunteers, as well as many job fairs, helped over 100 clients learn how to successfully interview for jobs around the Virgin and Moapa Valleys.

In July 2015, Mesquite Regional Business (MRB), a private nonprofit that contracts with the City of Mesquite to perform economic development services, was targeting business recruitment efforts on warehousing and distribution center businesses, and needed to verify that an adequate labor force existed to serve a company that might choose to locate in the

Mesquite Technology and Commerce Center. MRB contracted with the Foote Consulting Group to conduct a labor analysis, and the research showed a small labor force without a significant skill base from which to draw. A number of recommendations were made, including applying for a federal workforce training grant and creating a workforce council.

A small group of MRB board members and interested residents then incorporated Mesquite Works as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and created a board of directors in order to pursue the federal grant funds. Although unsuccessful in winning the federal grant, a grant for a VISTA project was awarded and the VISTA Volunteers have played an integral part in the success of Mesquite Works.

The purpose of Mesquite Works, "is to provide training opportunities for jobseekers and businesses of the Virgin and Moapa Valleys of southern Nevada, as well as the Arizona Strip communities of Beaver Dam, Scenic, and Littlefield. This includes, but is not limited to, assessment, counseling, individual planning, resources, tools, and training that lead to meaningful employment and self-sufficiency at a living wage."V For more information on the Job Fair, Mesquite Works, and how to volunteer, visit their website at www.mesquiteworksnv.org or stop by their office Tuesday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., or call (702) 613-0699 to make an appointment.

The Executive Board for Mesquite Works in 2018 is, from left to right, VISTA Supervisor Rich Green, Secretary Shelly Stoiber, Treasurer Dallan Labrum and Chairman George Gault.

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A Short History of Moapa Valley Schools

by Robin Maughan

S

chools have always been an important part of any community. As people settle into an area, schools are oftentimes one of the first considerations. And those schools become important elements of the heritage of the area’s residents. Moapa Valley, including St. Thomas, St. Joseph, Overton, Logandale, and Moapa is no exception.

Located on the east bank of the Muddy River, five miles south of Overton, Nevada, St. Joseph had a school right from the start.

It was located in the middle of the fort and was used for all activities. When the fort burned, the school burned as well. The upper floor of the granary was used for the church and school for a while afterward.

In 1899, a new building was built in St. Joseph near the current Logandale Cemetery. It’s architecture resembled a box car, so it became known as the boxcar school. School was held there until 1920 when the building was moved.

A new school was built soon after behind the old Logandale Chapel. It was used until the end of 1920 when the new school district directed that an elementary and high school be built in Overton.

The first school building of record in what is known today as Moapa Valley was in St. Thomas, a Mormon settlement that served as a stopping point between Los Angeles and Salt Lake City. At first, it was more of a wickiup made of branches, reeds, and mud. By the time they were able to have a real teacher, school was held in a home. As the population grew, the school was moved into a tent building and then into an adobe building. In 1915, the new two-story school building with four classrooms and an auditorium was built of cement block, and was in operation until the 1931-32 school year ended. Lake Mead filled up in the 1930s, and once St. Thomas was inundated, the town and school were abandoned.

In 1928, discussion began about putting an M on the mesa to represent the high school. A spot where the M could be seen from the valley floor was chosen. Parents and students, with wagons and a Model T made the trek up the hill. Large sheets of paper were held down by rocks to make the design. The parents

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and students trekked back down the hill checked with their field glasses to make sure of the placement. Word spread soon after that they would be painting the M. The student body gathered and the first official M Day began in 1930. (This tradition continues today during Homecoming week.)

By 1933, parents were pushing for a school of their own in Logandale. Funds from government compensation for the St. Thomas school, which was submerged in Lake Mead were used to build the Logandale School on land donated by Lou and Lillian Frehner.

Many, many years later, permanent schools were built in Moapa Valley: Ute V. Perkins Elementary School would serve students in Moapa/Glendale, and Grant M. Bowler Elementary School would serve students in Overton and Logandale. Moapa Valley High School would serve students throughout Moapa Valley. The original

MVHS students travel together to the ‘M’ on the first “M Day” in April of 1930.

Photo from the book “Muddy Valley Reflections.”

high school building in Overton became W. Mack Lyon Middle School, and a new campus was built to house the high school.

Schools have always been an important community connection. And in Moapa

Valley, whether you sing, “O, we’re from Grant M. Bowler. We are Buccaneers,” or “We’re Moapa High School, dear gold and blue,” schools in the valley will always connect us to our heritage. V

Photo by Vernon Robison of the Moapa Valley Progress.

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Enjoy the View

The Veterans Memorial Highway through the Gorge

by Elspeth Kuta

T

he 500-million-year-old Virgin River Gorge, located in the far northwestern corner of the state of Arizona features some of the most stunning displays of both engineering and scenery along the approximately 47,000 miles of interstate highway system.

Despite the challenging terrain, the Federal Highway Administration opted to cut a direct path through the Gorge to bypass twelve miles of a more treacherous part of Highway 91 over Utah Hill.

This portion of the freeway was the most expensive highway ever built at the time.

The cost of the 29 mile, four lane highway was $10 million per mile for a total of approximately $290 million dollars. The price today would be around $50 million per mile, or a total of approximately $1.45 billion. After eight years of construction, the highway opened in 1973.

From the beginning, the project looked like a civil engineers nightmare. James Van Horn, Arizona state engineer in 1961 said

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the Gorge was a good place for a road or a river, but not both. Chief Project Supervisor Max Blazzard of District 5 highway Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) undertook the ten-year project, stating it was the highlight of his highway career.

For the construction crews to reach the interior of the Gorge, almost every means of transportation was employed — helicopters, trucks, rubber rafts, and horses. The purchase from Texas of a swamp buggy with balloon tires enabled the work to go forward in the most difficult terrain. Much of the equipment had to be hauled by hand or winched up the steep mountain sides making for very dangerous working conditions.

On one occasion, quicksand swallowed a 40-foot bridge piling. Crews left one evening after driving all but 10 feet of the steel pole into the river bottom. The next morning when they returned to the scene, the piling had vanished.

Flash flooding was another danger. It was not uncommon for a 10-foot wall of debris and water to rush unannounced down the river. So, the contractor established an early warning system upstream to give the workers enough time to evacuate if the river level rose suddenly.

To accommodate the roadway through the twisting canyon, the course of the river was altered 12 times, and seven bridges were built.

There is evidence that prehistoric people lived in the canyon as long as 2,000 years ago. These people probably originated from the great basin of the north and west.

They would have been hunter/gatherers using wooden bows, stone tipped arrows, and rudimentary tools for survival.

Later, around 900 A.D., came an agricultural-based people from the east. It is thought they were cousins to the Pueblo people who lived at Mesa Verde. To find artifacts from the Gorge, visit the Museum

of Northern Arizona or the Arizona State Museum.

Today, approximately 23,000 cars travel through the Virgin River Gorge every day.

It is also part of the CANAMEX trade corridor which transports goods from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada as far south as Mexico City. Back in the day (1914) the early settlers considered 15 cars on the old Arrowhead Highway somewhat of a miracle, and nobody ever visualized a road through The Narrows, the Virgin River Gorge.

There are a couple things that I, personally, look for when going through the Gorge. The first is mile marker 23, Shivwits Arch, and another rock formation that looks like a battleship.

One of the things you will hear locals say is that it is never boring. The scenery changes with the time of day and season.

Occasionally, you will see rock climbers hanging off the cliffs. There are also hiking trails for the adventurous.

Tuffy Ruth of Mesquite, Nevada working on the construction crew for the Gorge.

If you were to ask any one of the workers who worked on this project, they will tell you with great pride that this is their road.

The Virgin River Gorge, where else can you experience 500 million years of

astounding geology without stepping out of your vehicle?

There is a reason the speed limit is 55 mph.

Enjoy the view. V

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IT’S NOT TOO LATE

by Linda Gault

I

f you don’t have plans for Saturday, May 12, join Mesquite Rotary Club behind the Eureka Casino Resort in Mesquite for some fun watching those brave enough to compete in Rotary’s Fifth Annual Mudd Volleyball Tournament.

Competition begins at 10:00 am and lasts until the first, second, and third place winners have been determined.

Not to be overlooked is the competition between the Mesquite Fire & Rescue and Police Department teams. These great public servants risk life and limb every year battling it out in the mud — dirty water — to be named Rotary’s “Studds of the Mudd” for the coming year and taking home the large traveling trophy.

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Recently, both the Police Department and Fire Department Chiefs were spotted grappling over the trophy. “Our guys are ready to play and take the trophy away from the PD,” noted Mesquite’s new Fire Chief Jayson Andrus. “We are going to bring it home this year. They have had it long enough!”

Rotary do several things in the community, as well as support our youth in many ways, including scholarships for graduating seniors and sending eighth grade students and high school juniors to leadership camps annually.

Police Chief Troy Tanner countered, “See those names listed on the trophy? You’ll have to work hard to get it this year,” Tanner added with a smile.

“Helping students learn the value of giving back to their communities and helping others less fortunate is our number one goal,” stated Co-Chair Linda Gault.

“Everyone needs to find a way to volunteer and make the community better.”

This is the first of two fundraisers the Mesquite Rotary Club holds during the year — Mudd Volleyball in the spring, and a 5K “Glow Run” and Ball Drop in the fall.

Money raised from these events helps

There will be food, music by our local crowd-pleaser DJ #Juan, and a bounce house for the younger crowd. Each team member will receive a gift bag, including this year’s newly designed Mudd

Fire Chief Jayson Andrus and Police Chief Troy Tanner getting ready to Battle for the Title.

Volleyball t-shirt. Bring a shade structure, folding chairs, and sunscreen if you like.

Spectators are in for a real treat, so come out and cheer on your favorite team! V

Teams are invited to sign up as late as Wednesday, May 9 for this year’s event. Cost is $180.00 for a team of six players. Register by contacting Rotary at mesquiterotarynv@gmail.com. For more

information or to register your team, please contact Linda at (307) 760-9544 or by email to mesquiterotarynv@gmail.com.

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Tennis TNT – Tips N Tricks –

by Donna Eads

A

s with many sports that are played outdoors, tennis has challenges during some weather and sun issues. If you are just playing a fun social match, you can choose to be a fair-weather player.

However, in tournament play, you may have no choice but to play in the elements.

A couple of tips for severe wind is to use more footwork, hit slice shots, and aim for the center of the court. If the sun is a problem with serving or hitting an overhead, try two different techniques. You can move where you are usually standing to serve, or even use the Australian formation for doubles. For an overhead, use your non-dominant hand to block the sun or let it drop lower than usual before striking.

Two strokes are very important in the game and are not practiced frequently. They are the drop shot and the lob. The most important part of these strokes is the disguise of shot. At the last second, you soften your grip for a drop shot and put backspin on the ball. For a lob you will brush up to create topspin on the ball with an open face. Timing for these shots is very important. Pick the right time in a match and win the point.

Two tips for any great doubles team is to stay positive, even during the bad times, and always communicate with your partner. Many social players forget to talk to their partner either during a point or between points. If the ball is on your side of the net, your team can help each other with statements like mine, yours, or short.

Lastly, make it fun!

See you on the courts. V

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AREA GOLF GUIDE Bloomington - St. George bloomingtoncountryclub.com (435) 673-4687

Dixie Red Hills - St. George stgeorgecitygolf.com/dixieredhills (435) 627-4444

Sky Mountain - Hurricane skymountaingolf.com (435) 635-7888

Canyons (Oasis GC) - Mesquite theoasisgolfclub.com (702) 346-7820

Entrada - St. George golfentrada.com (435) 986-2200

Southgate - St. George stgeorgecitygolf.com/southgate (435) 627-4440

CasaBlanca - Mesquite casablancaresort.com/golf-home (702) 346-6764

Falcon Ridge - Mesquite golffalcon.com (702) 346-6363

St. George Golf Club - St. George stgeorgecitygolf.com/stgeorge (435) 627-4404

Cedar Ridge - Cedar City cedarcity.org/65/Cedar-Ridge-Golf-Course (435) 586-2970

Green Spring - Washington new.washingtoncity.org/golf (435) 673-7888

Sun River - St. George sunrivergolf.com (435) 986-0001

Conestoga - Mesquite conestogagolf.com (702) 346-4292

Historic Beaver Dam - Beaver Dam historicbeaverdamlodge.com (928) 347-2222

Sunbrook - St. George stgeorgecitygolf.com/sunbrook (435) 627-4400

Coral Canyon - Washington coralcanyongolf.com (435) 688-1700

Palmer (Oasis GC) - Mesquite theoasisgolfclub.com (702) 346-7820

The Ledges - St. George ledges.com (435) 634-4640

Coyote Springs - Coyote Springs coyotesprings.com (877) 742-8455

Palms - Mesquite casablancaresort.com/golf-home (702) 346-4067

Thunderbird - Mt. Carmel zionnational-park.com/golf (435) 648-2188

Coyote Willows - Mesquite coyotewillowsgolf.com (702) 345-3222

Sand Hollow Resort - Hurricane sandhollowresorts.com (435) 656-4653

Wolf Creek - Mesquite golfwolfcreek.com (702) 346-1670

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BUSINESS CARD DIRECTORY

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BUSINESS CARD DIRECTORY

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MAY

of Event s

Mesquite Days May 2-6 The City of Mesquite is Empowering Our Youth for this year’s annual Mesquite Days festival. Enjoy an Old Fashioned Family Night on May 2 where you can experience BBQ, music, games, and contests. Stop in at the Mayor’s Pancake Breakfast May 5, followed by a parade down Mesquite Boulevard, but don’t forget the carnival and vendors!

There’s fun to be had by everyone all week.

See Page 41 | mesquitenv.gov | (702) 346-8732 ATV Fun Run 2018 May 4-6 Visit southern Utah for the 15th annual Utah/Arizona ATV Fun Run, located in the heart of many scenic OHV trails in southern Utah and northern Arizona. The 15th Annual Fun Run on May 5, and free rides at the Anasazi Trails Rally on May 4 and 6, north of Kanab, Utah. First Hand is $35.00 and includes a free T-shirt or Hat. One hand equals five tickets to be deposited at the five stations on the 39-mile fun run course. Extra sets of tickets are $5 each.

Visitsouthernutah.com | (435) 644-8236 Kentucky Derby Party May 5 2:00 PM Come join the Eureka family for a day of races. A ticket to the derby viewing will get you an entry into a drawing, an entry into the best hat contest, and viewing coverage of the Kentucky derby at the Season Ultra Lounge. You can find this event at the Eureka Casino Resort, 275 Mesa Boulevard, Mesquite, Nevada. eurekamesquite.com | (702) 346-4600 IRONMAN 70.3 ST. GEORGE May 5 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM An early-season race with breathtaking American Southwest scenery, and fresh, crisp spring air. Enjoy the unique and stunning natural surroundings of this Southwestern race. Race alongside the top pros in the sports at this North American Pro Championship.

Downtown St. George is electric on race day, and the event as a whole is known for its superb spectator support.

Contact Monty Thurber for more information. ironman.com | (435) 627-4000 | monty.thurber@sgcity.com Zion Ragnar 2018 May 11-12 High desert mesa trails, billions of stars, and an 118

unforgettable long weekend. Grab your most adventurous friends (or anyone ready for an unforgettable, naturefueled experience) and join us as we run relay style over two days and one star-filled night! Your team will set up camp at Zion Ponderosa Ranch, a hidden gem just outside of Zion National Park. On Friday, teams of 8 (or 4) cycle through a series of three challenging trail loops that start and finish back at Ragnar Village. The race wraps up Saturday where you can finish together under the Ragnar arch and celebrate with the best medal ever. Don’t miss this experience that just might change you. runragnar.com Mesquite Rotary’s 5th Annual Mudd Volleyball May 12 9:00 AM Stop in and watch the epic Mudd Volleyball throwdown as the Rotary Club of Mesquite earns money for charity.

Teams from all over the city will be going head to head, followed by the annual Battle for the Title where the Mesquite Police Department takes on the Mesquite Fire Department. Late registration cutoff date to participate is May 9. Email mesquiterotarynv@gmail.com or call (307) 7609544 to register your team of six. Eureka Casino Resort Hotel backyard, 275 Mesa Boulevard, Mesquite, NV. See page 108 Kanab Mothers Day 10K 2018 May 12 Run through the scenic beauty of Kanab Utah! Grab a friend, family member, your crazy neighbor or even mom and join the community for this awesome 10K! Register online. Packet pick up and late registration is May 5, from 5:00 PM-8:00 PM at the Kanab City Office Building.

Registration is only $25 until April 30, and $30 each after that. Group registration for groups of 4 is only $20 each through the end of March. Kids under 12 register for $15.

Late registration the night before is $35. Please pre-register.

Each mother will receive a rose as they cross the finish line, given by Mayor Robert Houston. runnercard.com Amazing Earthfest 2018 May 13-19 Amazing Earthfest is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Kanab, Utah, to produce an annual public festival celebrating National and State Parks, National Forests, Monuments and Public Lands of the Colorado Plateau.

The educational festival brings enjoyment and learning

opportunities to residents and visitors while enhancing community and economic development in Kane County, Utah. Thousands attend from across the nation and internationally. This event appeals to adults, youth and children interested in learning more about the natural world, Earth’s natural systems on the Colorado Plateau, plus Native as well as historical Pioneer cultures. Amazing Earthfest programs offer inspirational content with scheduled activities. Visit the Amazing Earthfest website for more information about this upcoming event. amazingearthfest.com St. George Literary Arts Festival May 18-19 Picking up where the very popular St. George Book Festival left off, the Literary Festival offers something for all ages and all literary interests. Workshops, activities and other presentations will cover a variety of literary topics, including poetry, children's literature, fiction, non-fiction, contemporary literary forms, publication and lyric writing.

Come enjoy one of the many workshops by local and out of state professionals in the literary arts, or simply browse the booths of authors and others. Admission is free. This event will be held at Dixie State University. heritagewritersguild.com Mayhem in Mesquite XIV May 19 7:00 PM There will be 10 to 15 Mixed Martial Arts Amateur fights.

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online or at the CasaBlanca Resort front desk. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by an adult 18+. Three years and older will need a ticket to attend. Under 3 years is free admission, no strollers or baby carriers allowed. All children under 3 years must sit in lap of an adult 21 or older. Mayhem will be held at the CasaBlanca Event Center, 950 West Mesquite Boulevard, Mesquite, Nevada. casablancaresort.com | (800) 585-3737 Southern Utah BBQ Festival May 19 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM A charity fundraising event to benefit the Family Support Center of Washington County. The festival will feature games and activities, local live entertainment, food and commercial vendors, a Movie in the Park, and of coursegreat BBQ! The festival anticipates having up to 30 BBQ teams participate in four different barbecuing categories, as well as certified BBQ judges ready to determine the winners! This event will be held at the Washington City Community Center. For more information contact Tai Sutherland. subbqfest.org | (435) 703-4666 | tamaitailt@gmail.com

Mesquite Works! Job Fair May 23 2:00PM - 6:00 PM Are you someone looking for a job? Or are you an employer looking to add to your team? If the answer to either of these questions is yes then this job fair is for you. Employers contact Mesquite Works! as soon as possible to register for a booth. If you are looking for employment, the job fair will be held at the Rising Star Sports Ranch. Be sure to bring your updated resume and dress for success. For additional information contact Linda Rino. information@mesquiteworksnv.org | (801) 755-1124

JUNE 2018 Small Business Summit June 13 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM Small businesses are the backbone of our region. The St. George Area Chamber of Commerce believes the overall prosperity of our local economy hinges largely on their successes, which is why on June 13 small businesses will converge at the Dixie Convention Center when the Chamber hosts the Small Business Summit and Business Expo. The Summit will provide the opportunity for small business owners, managers and entrepreneurs to network and learn new tools, tactics and strategies, gain practical skills and make invaluable connections to help support the growth and prosperity of small business. Chamber members pay $75 for admission, and non-members will pay $100. Contact Susi Lafaele for more information.

See page 70 | stgeorgechamber.com | (435) 628-1650 ext. 2 Movie in the Park June 22 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM The St. George Area Chamber of Commerce and Staheli Family Farm presents Movies in the Park. Vendors, entertainment and more! The free movie showing starts at dusk at Washington City Veterans Park, 111 North 100 East, Washington, Utah. If you would like to be a vendor, contact Susi Lafaele of the St. George Chamber of Commerce. susi@stgeorgechamber.com | (435) 628-1650 ext. 2 Top of Zion Relay 2018 June 8-9 The Top of Zion Relay is a 195 mile, 24-36 hour, 12 – runner relay race. Top of Zion Relay will present the chance for teams to experience as never before, some of the most breathtaking, diverse, awe inspiring backcountry scenery in the world! This relay will highlight some of Utah’s world famous scenery featuring 3 national parks, 2 national monuments, 3 state parks, National Scenic Byways 12, 14 and 89, and Dixie National forest. Visit their website to register online! topofzion.com 119

ADVERTISING DIRECTORY

magazine Ace Hardware. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 All Secure Storage LLC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 Baird Painting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 Bank of Nevada. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96 Best Western Mesquite Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 C & K Shutters and Blinds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Checks-N-Mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 Conestoga Golf Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Coyote Springs Golf Club. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Coyote Willows Golf Course. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 Dave Amodt Photography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 Deep Roots Harvest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Del Webb–SunCity Mesquite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Desert Oasis Spa & Salon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Desert Pain & Spine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Eagles Landing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 ERA–Sharon Szarzi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 Eureka Casino Resort–Getaway. . . . . Inside Front Cover Eureka Casino Resort–Mason St. Courtyard. . . . . . . 111 Farmers Insurance–Bill Mitchell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Fitness & Fun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Friends of Gold Butte. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Golden West Restaurant & Casino . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Great Clips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 Guillen–Heating, Cooling & Refrigeration . . . . . . . . . 91 Guns & Guitars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Hangey's Custom Upholstering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 Helping Hands Caregivers, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 Heritage Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 Iceberg Air Conditioning & Heating. . . . . . . . . . . . 116 Jennifer Hammond-Moore–Health Coach. . . . . . . . 117 JL Kendrick Company Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 Judi Moreo–Speaker, Author, & Coach . . . . . . . . . 115 Keller Williams–Deb Parsley. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Keller Williams–Beverly Powers Uhlir . . . . . . . . . . .89 Kitchen Encounters/Classy Closets. . . . . . . . . . . . .68 La dé Paws Grooming Salon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95 look on the WRITE side. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87 LVCC Library District–Mesquite. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 Mei Massage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 120

Mesa View Medical Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Mesquite Dept. of Athletics & Leisure Services . . . 40-41 Mesquite Fine Arts Center. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Mesquite Home Theater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 Mesquite Massage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Mesquite OHV Map. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65 Mesquite Police Department–OHV Registration . . . . 107 Mesquite Regional Business. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Mesquite Tile & Flooring. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71 Mesquite Veterinary Clinic–Peggy Purner DVM . . . . 114 Mohave Dermatology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 MVP Productions–Kris Zurbas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 NRC–The Reserve–Shawn & Colleen Glieden. . . . . . .47 Odyssey Landscaping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 Pedego Electric Bikes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Permanent Makeup Artist–Nicole Rowley. . . . . . . . 115 Polynesian Pools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Preston’s Shredding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 Rager & Son's Refrigeration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Red Rock Golf Center–Rob Krieger. . . . . . . . . . . . 116 Reliance Connects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Re/Max Ridge Realty–The Larson Risinger Team. . . 28-29 Rooster Cottage Consignment Gallery . . . . . . . . . . .51 Sears Hometown Store. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98 Shop, Eat, Play Moapa Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 Silver Rider. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 Staging Spaces & Redesign. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Star Nursery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 State Farm–LaDonna Koeller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 State Farm–Lisa Wilde . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 Sun City Realty–Rénald Leduc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79 Tara Terwiske Designs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 The Lindi Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 The Travel Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Triple S Polaris. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76-77 Tuacahn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Back Cover VJ's BBQ Sports Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 Virgin Valley Heritage Museum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 Washington Federal . . . . . . . . . . . Inside Back Cover Wedgies Sports Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43