Life in San Juan

Chased is latest release by Clair Poulson

Don’t you just love Clair Poulson novels? He always seems to put in a twist you aren’t expecting, a little romance and hope in devastating situations. Poulson’s characters are endearing, resilient, and believable Chased: Siblings Jett and Karri Farrow are struggling with life in their aunt and...

A wedding cake topper by Julie Lucero. Courtesy photo

Julie Orr Lucero is tops when it comes to decorating cakes

When people talk about dough and salt you expect them to be good cooks. Well, Julie Lucero is that, but she has also taken those basics a creative step further and has been making salt dough ornaments since 1990. Those who have attended the Tree for All at the Blanding Wellness Center or booths at...

Community Thanksgiving Dinner

By Sally Jack Contributing Writer Be Our Guest! A free community Thanksgiving Dinner with turkey, pie, and all the trimmings will be held on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday November 28 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at The Hideout Community Center in Monticello and you’re all invited! Thanksgiving is a...

Monticello student wins $500 scholarship

Hard work in school has paid off for Katie Francom, a student at Monticello High School. Francom was awarded a $500 scholarship savings account as a regional winner of Zions Bank’s Pays for A’s drawing. Crissy Richardson, manager of the Zions Bank Monticello branch, announced Francom’s win during...

50th Anniversary for the Brakes

Nick and Annie Brake celebrated their 50th anniversary in Arizona with their daughters and grandchildren in October, 2024. Nick was born and raised in Blanding and they now reside in Cortez, CO and Apache Junction, AZ.

Through fundraisers, and with the help of military information from the family, Rotary members were able to procure and set a headstone for veteran Michael Ray Crittenden in June. Courtesy photo

Monticello Rotary Club seeks help to honor local Veterans

by Sally Jack The Rotary Club has undertaken a special project to see that each veteran in the Monticello Cemetery is honored with an appropriate headstone, and they are hopeful that the people in the community can help them bring this goal to fruition. They are looking for contact information for...

Piano students receive high marks

Piano students from San Juan County recently received high marks and medals for performing and testing well in the Utah Music Teachers Association yearly AIM evaluations. AIM stands for Achievement In Music. In the photo above are: (Back row, left to right) Austin Pincock, Lucas Jeppesen, Brittany...

Detail of artwork of a miner at work at the Dan Shumway home north of Blanding. Courtesy photo

New minerals discovered in area: Shumwayite and Greenlizardite

by Janet Wilcox Contributing writer The discovery and naming of two new minerals found in San Juan County, has recently created great scientific interest. In April 2024, Dan Shumway a local miner, artist and writer was contacted by Rocks and Minerals magazine editor Mark Jacobson with the news...

Local residents unite to organize hurricane relief effort in Carolinas

On Friday, September 27, Hurricane Helene ripped through part of Florida as a category 2 hurricane. Then it made its way into North Carolina as a tropical storm, depositing record-breaking amounts of rainfall. With wind gusts of 70 mph and historic rainfall, rivers overflowed, dams were breached...

“Those Monticello Girls”

by Sally Jack I was born in the “new” hospital at the edge of town in Monticello, Utah, but since I was too young to remember that, it doesn’t count. I grew up saying, “I’m from Blanding.” As a little girl, I knew all about Monticello: you had to get in a car to go there; the smell of dead skunk...