Democracy can be messy, especially on emotional issues where citizens or legislative bodies are closely divided. That is the fix Spring City has been in as it has faced down issues of lot size, potential “suburbanization” and multifamily development. At last two years of controversy came to a head at a council meeting last week….
Many years ago, a few people came up with a philosophy which was solidified by Rush Limbaugh by what he called and “preached” as the “Four corners of Deceit.” This philosophy said: don’t trust the government, science, academia or the media. Many warned that this was a misguided and very dangerous philosophy, but many others…
A teenage girl in Utah was sexually assaulted during her freshman year in high school. She went looking for a book to help her process what happened. The book was What Girls Are Made Of by Elana K. Arnold, a story that deals honestly with female sexuality and the aftermath of trauma. Instead of finding…
I would like to share how grateful I am for Mayor Scott. As Dennis Nordfeldt said in this month’s Ephraim City News, “[John Scott] is a natural leader… is kind and compassionate, but at the same time is fiercely protective, and a staunch defender of our city and our residents.” I agree.As Mayor Scott has…
Dear Gunnison Valley Community,Every year I think I’ve seen the full measure of generosity in this valley, and every year you prove me wrong. This year’s Sub for Santa effort was nothing short of extraordinary. Because of you, over 200 children in our community will have a Christmas filled with hope and joy. From personal hygiene items…
Dear Gunnison Valley Community,Every year I think I’ve seen the full measure of generosity in this valley, and every year you prove me wrong. This year’s Sub for Santa effort was nothing short of extraordinary. Because of you, over 200 children in our community will have a Christmas filled with hope and joy. From personal hygiene items…
I recently read the letter titled “Set aside political differences” by Ann Gardner. I was surprised that by the second paragraph she begins criticizing government policies simply because she disagrees with them. She mentions “mass firings” leading to higher prices. Those price hikes came from the Biden administration’s inability to control its own spending. Inflation…
The North Sanpete School District’s bus fleet is growing faster than its infrastructure can handle. With ridership climbing and a 30-year-old maintenance facility struggling to keep pace, district leaders face significant investments to keep students safe on the road. Approximately 1,300 to 1,400 students (about 51 percent of the district’s roughly 2,700 students) ride district…
We need to set aside our political differences and stand up for families and human rights.Mass firings have resulted in lost income, uncertainty, financial insecurity and lost sleep. Ill advised tariffs have driven up prices, straining and overwhelming family budgets with the high price of food and other necessities, and leaving many families struggling financially.This…
Some Sanpete cities are doing a pretty good job with transparency in 2025.Two big ones come to mind. Ephraim and Spring City set high standards by having full video streams of their council meetings. Spring City’s Zoom link lets residents watch live, and it’s easy to go back later and see exactly how debates played…
I was on my way to a job site early Saturday morning, headed out to hang windows, when I received a call from one of our loyal and always-friendly Lions Club members. She asked if I could swing by and help set up the big Christmas tree in the middle of the clock tower plaza.I…
It is Veterans Day as I write this. This morning, I was honored to attend the Veterans Day celebration at the Ephraim Elementary School. There was lots of energy, fun music, patriotism and warm thank-yous. When the program was finished, I approached a young student wearing an oversized jacket with sergeant stripes and an 82nd…
I am writing to express profound concern and outrage at your recent decision to publish the full name and photograph of a 12-year-old missing child on the front page of your newspaper as the lead story, prominently displayed as the top story image. Even more alarming is that while the minor’s face was printed in…
Most contentious campaignBut today, in the context of the most contentious political campaign in the 25 years I’ve been publisher, I’ve come around to the view that it’s time to compromise.To me, the best compromise is what is being called Ordinance 2025-05, which demarks a big chunk of the city, from 200 West to 500…
It’s time for compromise and resolution of the lot-size issue in Spring City. For some, preserving the grid set up by pioneer settlers, with 1.06-acre lots city wide, is at the center of everything they’ve worked for 40 years. For others the acre lot size is a burden, a requirement to have more land than…