Public Lands

New BLM field manager has a familiar face

There is something new and something old at the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Gary Torres, our favorite emeritus columnist and former Cave Guy, was hired as the new manager for the Monticello Field office in February. Although, looking at the picture it is hard to tell which is old and which is...

Petition opposes expansion of Bears Ears

Cheryl Bowers, a member of the Blanding City Council, is heading up a petition for county residents who oppose the expansion of Bears Ears National Monument. Bowers explains, “The petition that I have written, opposing an increase to the Bears Ears Monument, is specific to the people in San Juan...

Monticello man killed in La Sal Mountain avalanche

Search and rescue crews have recovered the body of a Monticello man who was caught in a massive avalanche in the La Sal Mountains on January 25. The body has been removed from the mountain. Scott Bradley Pehrson, age 39 of Monticello, was caught in a slide while snowmobiling at a...

Monticello man missing after avalanche in La Sal Mountains

Search and rescue crews will soon be onsite in the search for a Monticello man who was apparently caught in a massive avalanche in the La Sal Mountains on January 25. The slide occurred in a popular site in Dark Canyon Basin about 4:30 p.m. on Friday. A group of eight Monticello-area...

Book, magazine, and documentary readdress Bears Ears debate

For those who thought the Bears Ears National Monument debate was a thing of the past, there are two in-depth features actively exploring the ongoing controversy this month. A new book, ‘Voices From Bears Ears,’ was also just released and is available at the San Juan Record Bookstore....

BLM hosts public meetings in area for draft Bears Ears National Monument Plans, comments will help shape future management of the national monument

The Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service will host three public meetings as part of the ongoing land use planning for the Bears Ears National Monument. The draft management plans for the Shash Jáa Unit and the Indian Creek Units as well as the associated environmental...

Bears Ears education center opens in Bluff September 22

No national monument has ever seen more controversy or resulting news coverage than Bears Ears. All that publicity is spurring a visitor-education crisis, with skyrocketing numbers of tourists threatening sensitive archaeological sites and the Monument’s jaw-droppingly beautiful but...

Commission seeks unified way to promote county

by Rhett Sifford The new advertising campaign for San Juan County, featuring the tagline “Make it Monumental,” was the focus of public comment at the September 4 meeting of the San Juan County Commission. Bill Haven, president of the Blanding Area Travel Council, said it’s the best...

Junipers mysteriously dying off by the thousands

There appears to be a massive die-off of juniper trees in San Juan County, and the cause of the problem is not yet known. Dr. Kay Shumway is anxious to determine just what is causing the problem. There are literally millions of the trees in San Juan County. They are known locally as...

Public invited to review draft of Bears Ears National Monument plans

The planning process for the two units of Bears Ears National Monument is moving ahead with the release of a draft Monument Management Plan (MMP) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The agency is initiating a 90-day comment period for the...