Farewell to an old friend

NORTHERN NEWS
by Maxine Deeter
Word was received last week of the passing of a former La Salian, Jo Ellen Attwood.  Jo passed away Tuesday, May 2 at her home near Price, UT. 
She and her husband and son moved from La Sal about three years ago after living here for several years.  Her husband, Clay, passed away a year ago. 
Jo had suffered for 20 years with leukemia and was mostly homebound.  She endured her illness bravely and was always smiling and cheerful whenever you visited her.  She always sent you away feeling better. 
She kept herself busy doing family history indexing and making the cutest detailed clay miniatures.  As the Atwoods were moving to the Price area, many community members came to help them pack their belongings and help them on their way.  She was a great lady.
Visiting our village last week was another former La Salian, Patti Barnett.  You may recall she was severely injured 16 months ago in a traffic accident at the top of Blue Hill near Moab, which took the life of her husband. 
Two months ago, members of the community again gathered to help her pack up her life, as she needed to be near her children in Phoenix as she continued her rehab.  Last week, they were here to start transporting her possessions to Phoenix.  She left behind a large stash of yarn, which now resides in the Bristol’s basement. 
If you are a knitter, crocheter, or have any need for yarn, check with JaCynthia Bristol at the library on Tuesday or Thursday afternoons.  If you go into the basement, beware the cat.  She thinks the yarn makes a comfy cat bed.  She’ll need to be escorted from the basement as you leave. 
And I thought I had a big stash of yarn!  In fact, I searched everywhere from Price to Logan for a particular color of blue yarn to finish and afghan.  Guess where I found just what I was looking for!?
Speaking of the local library, we had a scare a few months ago when a call went out to return your checked out items ASAP as the satellite in La Sal was to be closed almost immediately due to budget concerns. 
Seems someone jumped the gun and also jumped to conclusions and made an arbitrary and capricious decision without consultation with the County Library Board.  It is their tasks to make recommendations to the County Commissioners – not finalized decisions. 
The Commissioners make the decisions.  Turns out that the budget for the upcoming year was already approved and the libraries in the County funded for that time period.
Our little library in a closet may be small and may not have the circulation that some of the other facilities in the County have, but it does serve a valuable function in our village. 
If you want to know more, there will be an open house this coming Saturday at the library to let you know what is available.  There is wi-fi 24/7, even in the parking lot. 
Any book in the County collecton can be ordered and available within just a couple of days.  Just check online to see what is available.  There are DVDs and movies to check out. 
As you know, we have a little book club that meets each month.  Sure would like to have more folks come out for that.  They put on an awesome summer reading program each year for kids of all ages. 
There is computer help – JaCynthia is a whiz at the computer.  There is a 24 hour book drop at the front door.  It may be a library in a closet, but it has everything you need. 
The open house is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.   If you bring a picture ID and something with your La Sal address, you can fill out an application and start checking out items.  And, yes, there will be food!
And, speaking of food, later that same evening, the La Sal LDS Relief Society is hosting an adults only dinner at the LDS Church.  Everyone is invited!!  Bring a friend or two or more. 
There will be plenty of food and good company.  Should be a fun evening to welcome in Spring and Mother’s Day.  Festivities to commence at 6 p.m. La Sal Standard Time.
Last week a call went out for all past, present and future parents of students of La Sal Elementary and concerned citizens to attend this week’s school board meeting.  As reported a couple of weeks ago, again due to tight budget constraints, changes were suggested for staffing the school next year. 
The decision has been made to have only one certified teacher instead of two on staff as well as a para-educator.  Students kindergarten through third grade would be served at La Sal E. 
Our head teachers asked for folks to attend the meeting and sign up to make comments during the public comment period and urge the board to not make any changes to the staffing at the school. 
As this has already occurred as you read, hopefully there was a good turnout of La Salians. 
We may be a small community with a small number of pupils and a library in a closet, but we like to have the best for our children and citizens.
Also coming up Saturday, May 20 will be a lot of KABOOMING! It will rattle the windows all over town.  Yes, don’t forget it is the annual or whatever dynamite shoot at Rattlesnake Ranch west of La Sal.  Check the posters around town for further details.  I never said we weren’t rednecks!
Well, I’m not usually a gambler.  Okay, that’s mainly because I live a fair distance away from any opportunities to “invest” my funds and make a killing.  If I’m in Reno or Vegas or there was even that one trip to New Orleans that took me through Harrah’s each day, then I succumb every time. 
No, this time I have made a bet with my partner – one which I truly hope to lose.  It concerns the Bears Ears National Monument and whether the current administration will succeed in reducing or eliminating it. 
I guess all my years as a Federally have made me jaded.  I just don’t think it can or will be done.  But, I do hope that I am wrong and have to pay up. 
Besides, he’ll probably spend the $100 on something nice for me anyway.  And, if this does come to pass, why I may just have to change my attitude a little regarding the IDT in the White House!  ‘Nuff said. 
My mama taught me if you  can’t say anything nice about someone, don’t say anything at all, so I shall only say:  look at that hair!!  

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