The resounding “Smack!” of a broad tail on tranquil water is how beavers signal to one another that danger lurks nearby. Beavers confronted their greatest danger in the mid-19th Century, at the time of the early fur trade, when they were hunted and trapped to near-extinction. Highly prized for their water repellency and warmth, beaver skin coats and hats became … [Read more...]
How To Beat The Virus Without Feeling Like a Prisoner
On Sunday, I was sitting at home with Nemo, my cat, minding my own business and practicing social isolation. (How’s that for an oxymoron?) As a single man, I’m accustomed to being alone, but I am not good at being forced to participate in the sort of unprecedented paradigm shift into social disintegration we are experiencing now. I had two options: Stay at home and fret … [Read more...]
All Aboard! Idyllic Worlds Recreated by Utah Model Trains Artist Lee Witten
You might say that Lee Witten has a one-track mind—and that track has model trains on it. Lee acquired his love of model trains at an early age from parents who were both employed in the railroad industry. Lee’s father, Joe, started as a brakeman and later became a conductor, passing away just three months short of a 30-year retirement. Lee recalls that when he was four or … [Read more...]
Saving Our Canyons From Ourselves
The peaks of the Wasatch Range stand like stone sentinels over the valleys below—silent witnesses to a burgeoning population that seeks year-round refuge amid the tranquility of these beautiful and inviting canyons and slopes. Wasatch Front residents are fortunate to live within the very shadow of our favorite recreation destinations, but as Utah’s population continues to … [Read more...]
How to Distinguish Between “Fact” and “Fake”
History of Fake News In 1993, The Weekly World News printed an edition with the sensational headline: HILLARY CLINTON ADOPTS ALIEN BABY, replete with a photo of mother and child. This and other cringe-worthy headlines were standard fare at the time, and readers couldn’t get enough of them. Back then, such obviously fraudulent information was known by most to be a hoax, and … [Read more...]
Utahns Strike for Climate Action
A broad cross-section of Utahns, from schoolchildren to the elderly, braved a drizzly Friday on the north steps of the City and County Building to strike in protest of a warming planet. Peaceful protestors, armed only with signs, banners and chants, joined in a worldwide effort to raise awareness of the growing problem of anthropomorphic (human-caused) increases in planetary … [Read more...]
A brief history of newspapers in Utah
"The newspaper is the first rough draft of history." — Philip Graham When Utah was just a territory and the Transcontinental Railroad was not yet complete, news was a priceless commodity to the pioneer inhabitants who needed a connection to the rest of the country and the world. Alone in an … [Read more...]
Trek reenacts arrival of first Utah Mormon pioneers
Walking in the footsteps of Utah Mormon pioneers—covered wagons not included On July 22, 1847, after traversing hundreds of difficult miles, a determined group of Mormon pioneers guided the first covered wagons into the Valley of the Great Salt Lake. Pulled by weary oxen, they rolled ponderously down the rocky escarpments of Emigration Canyon to what is now called First … [Read more...]
Think Globally, Act Locally: Local Garbage Has Global Implications
Photo by Boyce Duprey. Think globally, act locally—local garbage has Global implications Think globally, act locally, presses people to take into account the health and well-being of the entire planet and for each to do their part in their own communities and cities. Recycling reusable waste is good for the planet, right? It’s something we can all do as a … [Read more...]
Press On! Heila Ershadi and Kevin Brydie are Good News for Moab Sun News
The Voice of a City A good newspaper is the voice of a city talking to itself. The new publisher of the Moab Sun News , Heila Ershadi wants that conversation to be informed and robust. Originally from Tennessee, Heila Ershadi made Moab her home 11 years ago and began freelance writing for the Moab Sun News and other publications. In November of last year, when owner Andrew … [Read more...]