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…
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…
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…
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…
We write in response to the recent “Another Look” column by Melanie Cook and the letter to the editor by Scott Newman, both published in the Aug. 28 edition of the Messenger. These columns addressed the proposed ordinance to subdivide the one acre-plus lots that have been a defining characteristic of historic Spring City. Both…
I write in response to the August 18 article titled “Spring City Still Has Time to PutGrowth Issues on the Ballot” by John Hales. I was deeply disappointed by Mayor Anderson’ssuggestion that the Plaintiffs in the lawsuit against Spring City have “ulterior motives.” As the attorney representing the Plaintiffs, I can state without hesitation: they…
I recently returned from a meeting of the International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors (ISWNE) at South Dakota State University in Brookings, S.D. Many of the participants had retired from their newspapers. A few were using walkers and wheelchairs. A lot of others, like me, were past retirement age but still working for their papers…
I know and understand that you don’t usually accept or publish anonymous letters. However, I am honestly fearful for my livelihood if I sign my name to this letter. If you choose not to publish it, please at least independently verify what I’m sharing and publish your own story about these things so the public…
I came to Sanpete County to help a growing food manufacturing company finance its growth. While working on the project, we kept hearing, “There is no housing. Can you help us build housing?” When we met with new Mayor John Scott, he outlined three major goals and asked if we could help him accomplish them….
Priesthood power only maintained by meekness, long suffering An open letter to the citizens of Sanpete County and especially to those living in Spring City. After reading Suzanne Dean’s article about Joe and Lee Bennion dated February 21,2025, my heart was troubled. I have been in Spring City many times, walking your streets and watching…
I find many of Donald Trump’s statements to be vile and offensive. But what upsets me most is the way he vilifies immigrants, legal and illegal. A few examples: Undocumented immigrants are “poisoning the blood of our country.” “These are the worst criminals in the world… These people are the most violent people on Earth.”…
I want to recognize and thank the United We Stand organization and the many people who made the celebration this year such a memorable event. It was my honor to share some of my experiences from 50 years ago that so much shaped my life’s journey. Once again, being a part of the heartland of…