SPRING CITY—Joe and Lee Bennion have won a battle in their legal fight to dispel claims that they are leaders in an LDS Church of Satan, and as such, have participated in crimes ranging from child sexual abuse to cannibalism. But they haven’t won the war.In September, Judge Kasey Wright of the 4th District Court…
Too many young lives were lost to sudden tragedy in Sanpete County and its surrounding communities in 2025. Each death sent shockwaves through tight-knit networks of families, schools, and neighbors; they also prompted extraordinary outpourings of community support. The first tragedy struck March 14, when Allyson “Ally” Rasmussen, 12, of Ephraim, died unexpectedly from a…
EPHRAIM— More than 100 people gathered outside Ephraim City Hall on Saturday for a peaceful “No Kings 2” rally, joining more than 2,700 demonstrations nationwide voicing concern over what participants called rising authoritarianism in American government. The local rally was part of a national movement coordinated by the organization Indivisible, which organized similar protests in…
Fireworks erupt in the sky over Gunnison City Park and will again on Friday, July 3rd. Moto with a Message’s Alex Dixon hurtles towards a freestyle MX ramp. Dixon and the rest of the team will ride at the Gunnison City Independence Day celebration. Fireworks won’t wait until the Fourth this year. Beginning Friday, June…
150+ take to Main Street to speak out against rising authoritarianism Approximately 150 protestors gather in the old Kent’s parking lot on Saturday to participate in one of more than 2,000 “No Kings” protests taking place nationally on Flag Day. Photo by Robert Stevens. From their meeting place, the group marches up Ephraim Main Street…
This is an ongoing story that may be edited with future updates. An illustration shows before and after images of how Manti’s Main Street would look if city officials agree with the Utah Department of Transportation in putting the roadway on a “diet.” MANTI—The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has a proposal to put Manti’s…
The Tom Carney family of Mt. Pleasant before Tom (in red shirt and sunglasses) died un-expectedly of a heart attack. A fundraiser for the is being held during the Home & Garden Show. The entire Friday evening portion of the show will be a fundraiser for the Tom Carney family of Mt. Pleasant. Recently, Carney…
An aerial view of the 17-acres in northeastern Manti that a developer has requested to be rezoned to R-3, which permits single-family homes but could permit townhomes and apartments. MANTI—A proposal to rezone 17 acres on the city’s east side from R1 (half-acre lots) to R3 (smaller lots and some multifamily options) sparked passionate debate…
With expansion of facilities, the Manti IHC clinic has brought on more providers. The medical staff now includes, from left, Clark Graham P.A. and Dr. Zach Cowan, Dr. Michael Frischknecht and Dr. Brian May. MANTI—Officials and community members joined with the Sanpete County Chamber of Commerce last Thursday March 27 in a ribbon cutting at…
Jim Cheney, a Fairview city councilman who was ultimately chosen as county commissioner, speaks to the delegates. With Commissioner Scott Collard resigning, Cheney will serve the balance of Collard’s four-year term, which ends in 2026. Jim Cheney of Fairview picked to finish out commissioner Collard’s term MANTI— In a packed hall at Manti High School,…
A throng estimated at 500 to 1,000 gathers at Canyon View Park in Ephraim, March 15, to light candles in honor of Allyssa Rasmussen, a 12-year-old student at Ephraim Middle School who died unexpectedly the night before of a brain hemorrhage. A friend of the family describes the community response as “massive.” Allysa JaLeigh Rasmussen…
Developer, attorneys answer questions during city council A diagram of arterial roads the Camino Verde Group plans to build in Ephraim Crossing with financing from what is known as a public infrastructure district. Plans have been scaled down from nine roads to six. But current plans call for adding curb and gutter to the roads…
After two decades of deliberation, new building prioritizes security and capacity. MANTI—In a project nearly two decades in the making, a brand-new Utah 6th District Courts Building in Manti opened its doors to the public Monday. Officials say the new facility addresses…
Bennions go to court to fight claims of Satanism, ritualistic sex abuse Since Joe and Lee Bennion moved to Spring City as newlyweds in 1977, they’ve been involved in almost every aspect of community life. Both are BYU graduates and working artists. They were among the founders of Friends of Historic Spring City, the group…
MANTI—Big changes, including a name change, are on the horizon for the Manti-Ephraim Municipal Airport if it wants to keep new annual funding committed by Sanpete County commissioners. A unanimous vote of the Sanpete County Commission on Tuesday, Feb. 4, made available $12,500 to the airport each year beginning in 2025, and signaled commissioners’ willingness…