Intellectual Nourishment

The nice part about living in a small town is that when you don't know what you are doing, someone else does.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Water Board

By Sara Laub
Most of the GSSD meeting was spent on figuring out the testing that has been done and that needs to be done. Although there have been problems getting all the requirements, tests and paperwork figured out for the water system, there is steady progress. The progress continues with the new chlorinator which has been ordered and will be put in during the next few weeks. A vault and chlorinator for the Smith line is being prepared and that will take a few months to finish.
The day use of the park was discussed to be twenty five dollars per day and there are already families who have reserved varying days. The opening and closing of the park was looked into and “no loud noises after 10pm” was instituted, so the park is technically not closed at any time. Although, the park lights are turned off at midnight.

Ironman

By Sara Laub
Once again, a representative came to the water board meeting from the Ironman, and gave a pamphlet which gives information about how to get around when the race is going on May 1st. It includes a traffic map, road closures, alternative routes and fast facts, which should have been distributed to residents in Gunlock. There will be a bike aid station next to the Town Hall for the athletes, and the stop will have a theme of antique cars to make it more fun. The road is expected to be closed from 8:30am to 4:30pm but will still allow traffic to travel south.
To look at the maps or get more information go to:
www.ironmanstgeorge.com/course.php

It Stinks!

By Sara Laub
Gunlock has had a very foul stench for most of the month of April. Unknowingly, I thought it would go away once the digging stopped on the reservoir. To my surprise, Blue Bunny has received a permit to dump their waste right on the edge of our town. I called Paul from the county and he said he has come out to investigate the problem, and they have not been following the directions for the permit. They have not been mixing the waste in with the soil and that is why it stinks so much.
Blue Bunny wants to maintain good relations with Gunlock, and will do what it takes to take the smell away or it will use the other dump sites it has access to. I am hopeful this situation will be figured out and we will no longer have the fumes from waste overtaking our noses.
If you continue to smell the foul odor, give Paul a call at 986-2590 so something can be done to fix it.

Publishing Ideas

By Sara Laub
I am interested in having more articles, pictures, recipes, or ideas from residents in town to help fill the newsletter. I want to hear about what you are interested in. I can either take a topic that you are interested in and write about it for you, or publish one you do yourself. I want to make sure I am writing about things that Gunlock is interested in. Please call or email me at 574-2641 thegunlockinformer@gmail.com. Thanks!

Easter Egg Hunt


By Sara Laub
The Rodeo Committee put on a successful Easter Egg Hunt for the town at the park. There were a lot of happy kids with very full baskets. The hunt is planned so well that they place the eggs and candy out on the grass and allow the 0-3 year olds to go first for a couple minutes. This allows the smaller kids to continue smiling. Then they clear the grass and allow the 4-7 year olds a head start, and then the rest of the kids can go. Many thanks go out to the Rodeo Committee for their generosity.

Hole in the Rock

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hole-in-the-Rock is a narrow and steep crevice in the western rim of Glen Canyon, in southern Utah in the western United States. Together with another canyon on the eastern side of the Colorado River, it provided a historically important route through what would otherwise be a large area of impassible terrain. The use of this difficult path represents the ingenuity and determination needed during the country's era of western exploration and settlement.
In the fall of 1879, the Mormon San Juan Expedition was seeking a route from south-central Utah to their proposed colony in the far southeastern corner of the state. Rejecting two longer routes, they chose a more direct path that initially took them along the relatively benign terrain beneath the Straight Cliffs of the Kaiparowits Plateau. However, when this led them to the 1200-foot (400 m) sandstone cliffs that surround Glen Canyon, they needed a way to cross to the eastern rim. They found (and named) Hole-in-the-Rock, a narrow, steep, and rocky crevice and sandy slope that led down to the river. Directly across the river was Cottonwood Canyon, a tempting route up to Wilson Mesa on the other side.
They worked for months to prepare the road, using blasting powder to widen the upper section and hand chisels to carve anchor points directly into the sandstone. On January 26, 1880 the expedition (250 people, 83 full-sized wagons, and over 1000 head of livestock) began their descent to the river. Wagons were heavily roped, and teams of men and oxen used to lower them through the upper crevice, which has slopes approaching 45°. Further down, a wooden track had been constructed along a slickrock sandstone slope. Posts in drilled holes supported horizontal beams to allow passage of the wagons.
After an even more difficult journey on the east side of the river, the expedition founded the community of Bluff in southeastern Utah. They used the Hole-in-the-Rock route as a supply road for only a year before replacing it with an easier route to the north, at Hall's Crossing. Decades later, miners of the Hoskaninni Mining Company carved steps onto the same path used by the Mormon pioneers. The blasting holes, anchor points, and gouges from the hubs of the expedition's wagons are still visible in the walls of the crevice.
Hole-in-the-Rock can be reached today via two routes. The primitive Hole-in-the-Rock Road, which closely follows the path of the 1879 expedition, runs southeast from near the town of Escalante to a parking area just above the crevice. Alternatively, the bottom of the route can be accessed by boat, at buoy 66 on Lake Powell in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.
The Hole-In-The-Rock was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.

Mother's Day Word Search

Can you find the word “mother” in all
these different languages?

u m u r d m a t e r k n
f m a m m a k q c i a p
x p a b o q n u q x h d
m y m m o e d e r d m d
u y a m o t h e r o c v
t m k u x g m y q i z o
t a u t v c o m a j i o
e d a e z o k a a s a n
r r h r x b f m z a z i
u e i h a a k u i m a o
h i n y a b v k b z o f
v a e m a m a n h t l n


Moeder (Afrikaans) Ahm (Arabic) Mother (English)
Maman (French) Mutter (German) Makuahine (Hawaiian)
Maji (Hindi) Mamma (Italian) Okaasan (Japanese)
Mater (Latin) Haakui (Maori) Pabo (Punjabi)
Madre (Spanish) Mzazi (Swahili) Muter (Yiddish)

Thursday, April 8, 2010

March GSSD

By Sara Laub
Representatives from Rural Water came to the March meeting and were able to give the board direction on how to best set up the chlorination system for the town, time wise and financially. The board has been trying to find grants to fund a chlorination system but the suggestion was made to put the current system back into service which would cost a lot less and take less time. The grant would not even be needed but they would have to figure out a separate chlorinator for the Smith line. It would meet the standards needed to comply with the state regulations but there was the concern of the well since it is not chlorinated. Rural Water said that since the well is used seasonally that the chlorination put in the tanks should be adjusted because the chlorine will be diluted from the well water. There is a large range of how much chlorine can be in the water system to pass requirements and it should work to turn up the chlorine when the well is on and turn it down when the well is out of use after the summer months. This new development is a huge relief since there will be no need to have a grant and it can be done relatively quickly, meaning a few months, to get the system meeting the requirements.
Some board members attended the Rural Water conference and came back with interesting information. There is interactive software that is being used to monitor and keep
track of the water system called "hydrolic water modeling". It is available to everyone so anyone can see it and it gives automatic reports.

Let’s Go Green Gunlock!

By Cari Heizer
“Buying Local” is trendy right now for good reasons. It is good for the environment, saves us money (on food and gas), and benefits our friends and neighbors. Because of this, I am proposing we hold a Farmer’s Market in Gunlock this summer.
Here are some of my thoughts:
* Local farmers and crafters can reserve a table at the park or town hall for a small donation to benefit Gunlock services (Fire Dept., Town Hall Assn., etc.)
* We hold it on the same day each month (The 3rd Saturday of the month)
* We make it a fun community event (picnic lunches, music, etc.)
Please let me know your thoughts! If you are interested in participating in a Farmer’s Market in Gunlock this summer or if you think this is a lousy idea, please let me know. You can email me at gunlockmarket@yahoo.com or give me a call 574.061o. Summer is quickly approaching, so speedy feedback is appreciated.

Book Review: "The Five Thousand Year Leap"

By Sara Laub
"The Five Thousand Year Leap: 28 Great Ideals That Changed the World" written by Cleon Skousen is a very interesting book. It obtains a perspective of the United States Constitution from the founding fathers point of view. The title of the book gives a viewpoint that the world had not advanced much until the Constitution was put in place and there were 28 ideals that made those advancements possible. The founding fathers had educated themselves with many philosophers and evaluated other governments in the world and came to understand the need for a balanced government.
The balanced government is defined as a republic where the 3 heads of the government, legislative, executive and judicial, each play a role to balance the other out. The political parties in turn balance each other out as well, making sure there is not too much or too little government involvement.
The author uses many quotes from the founding fathers and also philosophers including John Locke, Benjamin Franklin, Cicero and others, to show in their words how they felt about these ideals. Some of the ideals are: obeying the natural law of the universe, electing virtuous leaders, the proper role of government is to protect equal rights, not provide equal things, and checks and balances, among others. The founding fathers were religious and had come from more burdensome
governments. Some ideals included religion to maintain moral and virtuous people but preserved the freedom of religion at the same time. There are explanations of each principle in each section to help describe to the reader what those men had in mind and how it helped them write the Constitution.
Here is an example of one of the principles:
Principle 15 - The highest level of prosperity occurs when there is a free-market economy and a minimum of government regulations.
Prosperity depends upon a climate of wholesome stimulation with four basic freedoms in operation:
1. The Freedom to try.
2. The Freedom to buy.
3. The Freedom to sell.
4. The Freedom to fail.
In my opinion, this book really gave me perspective and I have a different outlook on the Constitution of the United States now. The definition of some of these ideals has really clarified to me how a republic can work.

Numerous Early Season Wildfires Caused by Private Burning

Jason Curry
FFSL Public Information Officer
801)538-7302, (801)703-0225
jasoncurry@utah.gov

Salt Lake City, Utah – Fire officials are issuing a caution as warmer
weather arrives. In March, more than 30 yard, fenceline and debris burns
escaped, requiring action by fire fighters. The fires occurred around
the state from Washington to Morgan Counties and they were all
preventable. Fire management officers recommend that individuals and
agencies take some simple precautions before igniting to ensure fewer
escaped fires.

● Clear away vegetation to create firebreaks between burn areas
and adjacent fields, structures and trees
● Never burn on windy days, check your local weather forecast and
plan to wrap up before afternoon winds
● Keep a charged hose and a shovel nearby (if a hose isn’t
possible, 5-gallon water buckets)
● Never leave the fire unattended
● Notify your local fire department of your intention to burn;
some departments may offer to put a fire engine on standby at your burn

Notification of the nearest fire department before burning is required
by law in ALL CASES (failure to do so is a Class B misdemeanor). Many of
the costly and embarrassing experiences so far this year could have been
avoided with a simple phone call. Preparation beforehand can make the
difference between success and disaster. In addition to preparations,
slow and gradual lighting of an area allows for greater control of a
fire’s pace.

“People have used fire throughout history and it can be a useful
tool,” says State Forester, Dick Buehler. He goes on to say,
“we’re asking people to be more careful when they burn and
take some time to prepare and be as safe as possible.”

Open burning is regulated on a state level by state law and rule. Most
counties and cities also have ordinances, so, people wishing to burn
fields, ditches and waste piles should determine whether it is legal to
burn before lighting anything. The closed fire season begins June 1;
until that date agricultural fires may be lit without a burn permit as
long as notification is made. Yard debris and slash piles are governed
by stricter county and city laws, so the public should consult local
ordinances.

It may not be widely known, but it is always the responsibility of the
person lighting and tending the fire to take the needed precautions and
prevent its escape. A permit or notification call does not relieve a
person from liability if the fire gets away or damages someone else’s
property, so good judgment is advised. Fire suppression is expensive.

If the fire gets away – then what?
Despite preparations, fire can still escape. If things begin to get out
of hand, regardless of whether the fire is legal or not, it should be
PUT OUT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. If it escapes control, do not put
yourself or others at risk, call 911 immediately.

Burning is not the only option for getting rid of debris; in fact it is
a source of air pollution. Many landfills have sites available for
organic material disposal. Cities and counties restrict open burning to
October through May; a permit is required in most cases after May 31.

Easter Crossword


Gunlock Town Events: April 2010

Apr 1: GSSD mtg @ 7pm at the Town Hall
Apr 3: Easter Egg Hunt 10:30 @ the park
Apr 4: Easter
Apr 8: Fire Meeting @ 7pm
There is talk of a town cleanup before May 1st.