Brigham City Suicide Prevention Coalition members receive a check from the America’s Farmer Grow Communities Monsanto Fund program, the grant was won by local farmer Becca Ferry who was able to donate to the charity of her choice. Pictured are (front) Ashton Steel, Carrie Rutherford, Tara Roche, Kristen Nation, Ray Ferry, Becca Ferry, (back) Maya Miyaira, Michelle Carter, Nicole Kaae, Shelisa York, Mike Nelsen, Phil Collins, and Janette White.
Farmer donates grant funds to BC Suicide Prevention Coalition
April 18, 2018 • Loni Newby • Associate editor
America’s Farmers Grow Community grant, by Monsanto Fund, is a program which rewards one farmer per eligible county with a $2,500 grant to be used for a non-profit organization of their choice designed to strengthen communities. Becca Ferry was recently selected as the recipient for Box Elder County, the only qualifying county in the state of Utah, she decided to put those funds to use by donating to the Brigham City Suicide Prevention Coalition.
Suicide is a topic which hits home with Ferry as she has seen friends, family and neighbors suffer when people have died by suicide, and the topic of suicide in itself is prevalent in farming communities as farmers have now topped the list of high-risk industries for suicide.
According to information by the Center for Disease Control, “Persons working in the farming, fishing, and forestry group had the highest rate of suicide overall (84.5 per 100,000 population) and among males.”
“I love farmers, they don’t get the credit they deserve for their role in society,” said Ferry. There are so many variables than can affect the lifestyle for farmers, including but not limited to the variables in the market value of their crops/products, and being subject to the whims of the weather are major factors that often affect the bottom line for farmers, as well as their personal levels of satisfaction.
Farm Crisis Center, a website serving the National Farmer’s Union states, “Net farm income dropped 50 percent from 2013-2016, and it has remained depressed ever since. These conditions force many family farmers and ranchers to make tough financial decisions that will impact their families, communities, and the entire country.” Their website includes the Farm Aid hotline 800-327-6243 and the National Suicide Prevention Hotline 800-273-8255.
The Dairy industry has been hit particularly hard with a fourth consecutive year of low dairy prices, yet their overhead costs remain the same or have increased with cost of living variables. National Public Radio brought awareness to the problem within one elite Northeastern dairy group, Agri-Mark Inc. The dairy co-op has approximately 1,000 members and within the past three years has lost three members to suicide.
Agri-Mark member Will Rogers said that the amount he is getting for milk currently is what he made several decades ago, this income is only about 75 percent of his break even point. When Agri-Mark distributed their February checks, a letter was also included a chart showing the dismal 2018 milk prices forecast, and a list of suicide prevention hotlines.
The Agri-Mark letter said, “We have reached the halfway point of a particularly stressful winter while also facing falling milk prices. Farm families are incredibly resilient, but some members may want to take advantage of helpful programs where they can talk with experts about work and financial stress, depression and anxiety, grief counseling, substance abuse and family relationship issues.”
Agri-Mark has responded to the crisis by implementing a free member assistance program, where co-op members can reach out in crisis. There is discussion of other co-ops following suit. However in the mean time, according to Ferry, small farmers are doing their best to look out for each other however possible, particularly here in Utah where neighbors often become like family.
In an interview with the New York Times, farmer Fred Morgan, of New York, has shared his story regarding his own preparation and choice to nearly end his life so that his family could use the funds from his life insurance policy to free themselves from the burden of debt that had befallen his dairy. Hundreds of small dairies across America have closed their doors in the past four years, many due to the intentional death of their owners.
The CDC has stated that those working in farming, fishing and forestry were 3.4 times more likely than other American workers to commit suicide on the job.
According to Hal McCabe, outreach director for FarmNet, he believes the actual number of farm-related suicides to be higher than numbers currently reflect, as they may be reported as farming or hunting accidents.
Ferry said that previously when she thought about the suicide problem that we face as a society we are often quick to think about teens, LGBTQ, the elderly and veterans, but statistics are proving that there is reason to be concerned for neighbors in the agricultural industry.
Ferry’s interest in the topic has grown recently, along with the national conversation and she has sought out engagement on the topic within her social circle. Ferry shared an article on Facebook regarding the book “Lost Connections” by Johann Hari, who addresses the topic of whether the information currently available to the public about depression and treatment is enough. Noting one particular quote in which Hari wrote, “Professor Michael Chandler in Vancouver explained to me that if a community feels it has no control over the big decisions affecting it, the suicide rate will shoot up.”
“There is a stigma, ‘I’m strong, I can handle it,’” said Ferry, when it comes to farmers. But, there is always a time and place to ask for help.
Ferry has spoken with a family member who works in the mental health industry who has voiced concern that people who need crisis help are often delayed anywhere from 6-8 weeks to receive service. This is a common wait time in Box Elder County, according to both mental health providers and those who have sought help. Being part of a bedroom community residents often choose to go out of the area to receive treatment in a timely manner, because waiting could be a major risk. “It’s a problem and there is not an easy way to change that,” Ferry said.
There has been a distinct increase in the public awareness of the problem and government officials like Lt. Governor Spencer Cox have spoken out to reduce the stigma of mental illness and to advocate for seeking help in times of crisis. The legislature has been effective in providing resource numbers like the 4-1-1 program, and the SafeUT app. But, even so those help lines still go unanswered at times, and that can be a matter of life or death to those in crisis. Every extra effort that can be made to better prepare community members to recognize a person in crisis and be able to refer them to the right place for help has the potential to save a life.
A bill was proposed but did not pass this legislative session which would have required medical practitioners to receive mandatory crisis training to better assist those at-risk of suicide, she hopes it will be revisted in the future as approximately 40 percent of people who die by suicide have visited a family practice doctor in the month prior to taking their life.
According to Ferry, nearly 90 percent of all psychiatric medications have been prescribed by a primary care physician rather than a mental health provider. Health networks like IHC have followed suit of the United States Air Force in providing nearly immediate in-network referrals. When a doctor feels that the situation would be better handled by a mental health provider he or she walks the patient down the hall to the appropriate doctor.
“This concept of “Where is the right place for you to get help? Is it medication? Is it counseling?...Are you getting the help you need?” is a proactive approach that Ferry appreciates and hopes is implemented further.
Ferry recently attended the Northern Box Elder County Suicide Prevention Coalition town hall meeting regarding anxiety and was impressed by the matter of fact manner in which anxiety and depression was addressed.
She mentioned the concept that if something is physically wrong, if someone needs knee surgery there is never a question of shame or stigma regarding the treatment. Mental health concerns should also be treated without judgment.
“We need to not be judgmental of people, or of ourselves, if we need help. It’s just the reality.” said Ferry.
Ferry has previously won an award by the America’s Farmer organization for which she donated the stipend to the Box Elder Community Food Pantry, because the tie between farmers as a provider for food the connection just made sense. With the recent influx of information and concern for the increasing suicide rate of farmers nationwide, this Grow Community grant seemed to be a good fit for a non-profit resource dedicated to preventing the loss of life by suicide.
The Brigham Suicide Prevention Coalition is a group of volunteers in the mental health industry, those who have been personally affected by suicide and members of the community who simply see a need for prevention efforts. The Coalition is primarily funded by private donations.
Coalition Co-chair Carrie Rutherford said, “We feel very fortunate to have received two grants this year. One from Monsanto, which was procured for us by Becca Ferry, and the other from The United Way of Northern Utah. These grants make it possible for us to obtain the training our members need in order to teach suicide prevention in our community.”
Four members of the coalition recently took training to become certified as QPR gatekeepers, Four of our members have recently become Question Persuade Refer (QPR) gatekeepers and now have the ability to teach QPR as well as other programs like Talk Saves Lives.
The coalition will be sponsoring a few upcoming events including a special event private screening of the film, “Suicide: The Ripple Effect” which will be held at the Megaplex University Stadium 6, 1225 North 200 East, Logan, on May 1, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets must be purchased in advance at http://bit.ly/2F11asy Tickets are $12 per person and an online fee of $2.50 does apply to tickets.
Another community event will be held on Monday, May 7, at 6 p.m. at the Utah State University Brigham City Campus, 989 South Main Street. This “Teach 2 Reach” event will be focusing on family communication, the importance of communication in family, how to appropriately engage in difficult conversations with family members, how to recognize when a family member may be struggling, and where to get help when things are beyond the ability of the family.
Farmer donates grant funds to BC Suicide Prevention Coalition
April 18, 2018 • Loni Newby • Associate editor
America’s Farmers Grow Community grant, by Monsanto Fund, is a program which rewards one farmer per eligible county with a $2,500 grant to be used for a non-profit organization of their choice designed to strengthen communities. Becca Ferry was recently selected as the recipient for Box Elder County, the only qualifying county in the state of Utah, she decided to put those funds to use by donating to the Brigham City Suicide Prevention Coalition.
Suicide is a topic which hits home with Ferry as she has seen friends, family and neighbors suffer when people have died by suicide, and the topic of suicide in itself is prevalent in farming communities as farmers have now topped the list of high-risk industries for suicide.
According to information by the Center for Disease Control, “Persons working in the farming, fishing, and forestry group had the highest rate of suicide overall (84.5 per 100,000 population) and among males.”
“I love farmers, they don’t get the credit they deserve for their role in society,” said Ferry. There are so many variables than can affect the lifestyle for farmers, including but not limited to the variables in the market value of their crops/products, and being subject to the whims of the weather are major factors that often affect the bottom line for farmers, as well as their personal levels of satisfaction.
Farm Crisis Center, a website serving the National Farmer’s Union states, “Net farm income dropped 50 percent from 2013-2016, and it has remained depressed ever since. These conditions force many family farmers and ranchers to make tough financial decisions that will impact their families, communities, and the entire country.” Their website includes the Farm Aid hotline 800-327-6243 and the National Suicide Prevention Hotline 800-273-8255.
The Dairy industry has been hit particularly hard with a fourth consecutive year of low dairy prices, yet their overhead costs remain the same or have increased with cost of living variables. National Public Radio brought awareness to the problem within one elite Northeastern dairy group, Agri-Mark Inc. The dairy co-op has approximately 1,000 members and within the past three years has lost three members to suicide.
Agri-Mark member Will Rogers said that the amount he is getting for milk currently is what he made several decades ago, this income is only about 75 percent of his break even point. When Agri-Mark distributed their February checks, a letter was also included a chart showing the dismal 2018 milk prices forecast, and a list of suicide prevention hotlines.
The Agri-Mark letter said, “We have reached the halfway point of a particularly stressful winter while also facing falling milk prices. Farm families are incredibly resilient, but some members may want to take advantage of helpful programs where they can talk with experts about work and financial stress, depression and anxiety, grief counseling, substance abuse and family relationship issues.”
Agri-Mark has responded to the crisis by implementing a free member assistance program, where co-op members can reach out in crisis. There is discussion of other co-ops following suit. However in the mean time, according to Ferry, small farmers are doing their best to look out for each other however possible, particularly here in Utah where neighbors often become like family.
In an interview with the New York Times, farmer Fred Morgan, of New York, has shared his story regarding his own preparation and choice to nearly end his life so that his family could use the funds from his life insurance policy to free themselves from the burden of debt that had befallen his dairy. Hundreds of small dairies across America have closed their doors in the past four years, many due to the intentional death of their owners.
The CDC has stated that those working in farming, fishing and forestry were 3.4 times more likely than other American workers to commit suicide on the job.
According to Hal McCabe, outreach director for FarmNet, he believes the actual number of farm-related suicides to be higher than numbers currently reflect, as they may be reported as farming or hunting accidents.
Ferry said that previously when she thought about the suicide problem that we face as a society we are often quick to think about teens, LGBTQ, the elderly and veterans, but statistics are proving that there is reason to be concerned for neighbors in the agricultural industry.
Ferry’s interest in the topic has grown recently, along with the national conversation and she has sought out engagement on the topic within her social circle. Ferry shared an article on Facebook regarding the book “Lost Connections” by Johann Hari, who addresses the topic of whether the information currently available to the public about depression and treatment is enough. Noting one particular quote in which Hari wrote, “Professor Michael Chandler in Vancouver explained to me that if a community feels it has no control over the big decisions affecting it, the suicide rate will shoot up.”
“There is a stigma, ‘I’m strong, I can handle it,’” said Ferry, when it comes to farmers. But, there is always a time and place to ask for help.
Ferry has spoken with a family member who works in the mental health industry who has voiced concern that people who need crisis help are often delayed anywhere from 6-8 weeks to receive service. This is a common wait time in Box Elder County, according to both mental health providers and those who have sought help. Being part of a bedroom community residents often choose to go out of the area to receive treatment in a timely manner, because waiting could be a major risk. “It’s a problem and there is not an easy way to change that,” Ferry said.
There has been a distinct increase in the public awareness of the problem and government officials like Lt. Governor Spencer Cox have spoken out to reduce the stigma of mental illness and to advocate for seeking help in times of crisis. The legislature has been effective in providing resource numbers like the 4-1-1 program, and the SafeUT app. But, even so those help lines still go unanswered at times, and that can be a matter of life or death to those in crisis. Every extra effort that can be made to better prepare community members to recognize a person in crisis and be able to refer them to the right place for help has the potential to save a life.
A bill was proposed but did not pass this legislative session which would have required medical practitioners to receive mandatory crisis training to better assist those at-risk of suicide, she hopes it will be revisted in the future as approximately 40 percent of people who die by suicide have visited a family practice doctor in the month prior to taking their life.
According to Ferry, nearly 90 percent of all psychiatric medications have been prescribed by a primary care physician rather than a mental health provider. Health networks like IHC have followed suit of the United States Air Force in providing nearly immediate in-network referrals. When a doctor feels that the situation would be better handled by a mental health provider he or she walks the patient down the hall to the appropriate doctor.
“This concept of “Where is the right place for you to get help? Is it medication? Is it counseling?...Are you getting the help you need?” is a proactive approach that Ferry appreciates and hopes is implemented further.
Ferry recently attended the Northern Box Elder County Suicide Prevention Coalition town hall meeting regarding anxiety and was impressed by the matter of fact manner in which anxiety and depression was addressed.
She mentioned the concept that if something is physically wrong, if someone needs knee surgery there is never a question of shame or stigma regarding the treatment. Mental health concerns should also be treated without judgment.
“We need to not be judgmental of people, or of ourselves, if we need help. It’s just the reality.” said Ferry.
Ferry has previously won an award by the America’s Farmer organization for which she donated the stipend to the Box Elder Community Food Pantry, because the tie between farmers as a provider for food the connection just made sense. With the recent influx of information and concern for the increasing suicide rate of farmers nationwide, this Grow Community grant seemed to be a good fit for a non-profit resource dedicated to preventing the loss of life by suicide.
The Brigham Suicide Prevention Coalition is a group of volunteers in the mental health industry, those who have been personally affected by suicide and members of the community who simply see a need for prevention efforts. The Coalition is primarily funded by private donations.
Coalition Co-chair Carrie Rutherford said, “We feel very fortunate to have received two grants this year. One from Monsanto, which was procured for us by Becca Ferry, and the other from The United Way of Northern Utah. These grants make it possible for us to obtain the training our members need in order to teach suicide prevention in our community.”
Four members of the coalition recently took training to become certified as QPR gatekeepers, Four of our members have recently become Question Persuade Refer (QPR) gatekeepers and now have the ability to teach QPR as well as other programs like Talk Saves Lives.
The coalition will be sponsoring a few upcoming events including a special event private screening of the film, “Suicide: The Ripple Effect” which will be held at the Megaplex University Stadium 6, 1225 North 200 East, Logan, on May 1, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets must be purchased in advance at http://bit.ly/2F11asy Tickets are $12 per person and an online fee of $2.50 does apply to tickets.
Another community event will be held on Monday, May 7, at 6 p.m. at the Utah State University Brigham City Campus, 989 South Main Street. This “Teach 2 Reach” event will be focusing on family communication, the importance of communication in family, how to appropriately engage in difficult conversations with family members, how to recognize when a family member may be struggling, and where to get help when things are beyond the ability of the family.
Anxiety: There is no shame in seeking treatment, assistance
April 11, 2018 • Abby Payne • Staff Writer
Heart racing. Palms sweating. Racing thoughts. Restlessness. Irritability. Fatigue.
Anxiety is a normal part of day-to-day life, but for some people, it’s more than just wondering if the stove got turned off or if the boss is in a good mood. For many, anxiety is a restless and debilitating way of life.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), one in four people are affected by mental illness. Due to its prevalence in Box Elder County, the Northern Box Elder County Suicide Prevention Coalition held a mini town hall meeting on April 5 to explain the symptoms and available treatments for anxiety.
The meeting was led by coalition director Jenny Schulze. She introduced three speakers, who are all locals to Box Elder county, including Tom Kotter of Brigham City who lives with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety, and depression, Stephen Hoffman who practices clinical psychology with Community Health Centers in Tremonton, and Jonathan Gardner who practices family medicine at the Bear River Valley Hospital.
Each speaker gave their perspective on the importance of mental health care, especially as it relates to anxiety and anxiety-adjacent mental illnesses like OCD, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and depression.
Kotter explained his experiences leading up to his diagnosis, which started shortly after he returned home early from an LDS mission in Spain. Kotter shared how when he came home from his mission early, he felt shame and guilt because of his mental illness. Kotter encourage the audience, especially those suffering with mental illness, that there is nothing shameful about struggling with a mental illness and nothing wrong with seeking treatment.
“There’s no reason to feel that something’s wrong with you or to think that you’re lost or there isn’t hope,” Kotter said.
Unlike so many things in life, Kotter explained that there’s no amount of “sucking it up” that can replace treatment for a mental illness. Whether talk therapy or medication, mental illness isn’t something that can just be ignore until it goes away, according to Kotter.
Hoffman warned the audience against parents passing their anxieties to their children by pushing them to be better in school, sports or whatever they are good at. He also warned against “socially influenced perfectionism,” in which one tries to live an “Instagram perfect” life at all times and doesn’t allow for room the inevitable bumps and mistakes of life.
Hoffman also explained that there is no shame in seeking treatment for any mental illness, no matter what it stems from or the patient’s age and that everyone deserves to live a happy and healthy life.
Desi Larsen of Elwood attended the event. She said she learned a lot about anxiety and mental health from the meeting, much of which she is planning on sharing with family members. Larsen said she is beginning to recognize the magnitude of the problem of mental illness in Box Elder county and she appreciates those who are trying to shed light on the situation.
“I thought [the meeting] was extremely helpful and eye opening to realize how many people might have this issue and how similar we all are,” Larsen said.
Larsen said she hopes that more events like this happen in the future and that more people can learn about the mental health resources that are available in Box Elder county.
“It was really helpful and gave really good resources,” Larsen said. “Getting to know the panel was really helpful. Maybe if you know who is there, you can go talk to them on a personal basis.”
Chad Hunt, a member of the Northern Box Elder County Suicide Prevention Coalition and the Communications and Public Relations Specialist for the Bear River Valley Hospital, said he was pleased with the event and that he hopes the Suicide Prevention Coalition can continue to hold similar events in the future.
Hunt said one of the goals of the event was to make information about mental health, specifically anxiety, accessible and to demystify the illness.
“We wanted to make the event relatable so that they feel comfortable and they don’t feel like they’re weird because they have anxiety,” Hunt said. “We all have anxiety to some extent.”
Hunt also said that he thinks it’s important to begin reframing the conversation around anxiety and depression, from one of extraordinary actions by sick people to one of authentic actions by normal people.
“I once heard it said that we need to stop treating people with depression and anxiety as if they’re being brave, but that they’re being honest,” Hunt said. “We just need to be honest with ourselves that anxiety and depression is a normal part of life and we just need to be comfortable with who we are and that seeking and getting treatment for that is normal.”
Experts and parent organizations encourage examination of the apps on the phones of teens, to watch for warning signs of bullying, sexual behaviors and potentially dangerous interactions.
Digital danger
March 21, 2018 • Loni Newby • Associate editor
The rising popularity of certain social media applications (apps) have many people concerned about hostile language, harassment and sexually inappropriate conversations and photos that are fueled by the semi-anonymous environments.
The popularity of the apps raise particular questions, such as how much supervision should be required when it comes to social engagement through phone apps, and how much should parents trust their children to not engage in high-risk behaviors that are often promulgated through apps that remove person-to-person, face-to-face communication and provide a sense of mystery?
Following a temporary ban from app stores when the app was linked with teen suicides in the United Kingdom, ASKfm paired with psychologist Dr. Linda Papadopoulos to provide better reporting features for bullying and harassment. That partnership with Papadopoulos resulted in a study that concluded that online interaction is changing the way that young people develop their identities. When asked about their online engagement, 63 percent of youth admitted to behaving differently in real life than they do online, 49 percent said they felt pressure to reply quickly to people’s messages, and 25 percent of them said they felt social pressure to “like” photos whether they actually liked them or not.
Organizations like the Idaho Anti-Trafficking Coalition have warned about particular apps that have proven to encourage risky behaviors like engaging with strangers with no verification of age or intent. Their goal is to protect underage users from adult predators for a thriving sex trafficking industry in the United States. The coalition also alerts parents, teachers and school administrators of other potentially hazardous engagements that can happen on a variety of apps which allow direct messaging, as well as providing a virtual bulletin board for any message that can lead to defamatory language, spread rumors and make isolated youth feel more alone.
Recently, a Pleasant Grove middle school teacher, Skipper Coates, shared an assignment that she gave students that quickly went viral. For the assignment, students needed to answer to a single question: “What don’t my parents know about social media?”
“Working in a Junior High is really interesting. I see these little people in their most awkward and most emotional stage of life. I teach them science, but when I have time I try to squeeze in some life lessons and mentoring. But it doesn’t work if I’m not willing to really hear and understand their situations and problems. Lately, I’ve been really concerned about their mental health, bullying, and social media use,” wrote Coates.
The results of the assignment were disheartening. Of 85 students, ages 14-15, only five did not have social media accounts. The remainder revealed information regarding extensive late night hours using the social media, inappropriate flirtations and requests for nudity, access to pornography, and mean-spirited conversations and rumor mongering.
One card read, “That it keeps me connected to my extend family and my fake account let’s me express my opinions & frustration. I’m often manipulated to think that if I stop talking to people they’ll attempt suicide or something [later].”
Another student wrote, “What my parents don’t know about social media is that kids really get bullied & there is a lot of inaproprate things & nudity. Alot of kids have secret accounts or sent inapropreate things.”
Although Coates updated her original post to reassure parents that she cares greatly for the students and they are truly wonderful kids, she is alarmed by what they are being exposed to that their guardians may not know about. Her message is to encourage parental involvement and monitoring to prevent exposure to situations that can cause distress.
Fake accounts on apps like Instagram have now earned their own nickname: “finsta,” these accounts exist on a variety of social media platforms. The finsta accounts are used to post more crass comments, shaming photos and other “funny,” but often cruel, commentary. These also have been reported as clone accounts, which give a false impression that the owner is the person named or pictured but is actually run by another person setting out to defame a person. These finsta accounts have also been used to attempt to blackmail others.
One northern Utah mother shared her daughter’s story where a student had created a fake account using a nickname of her daughter and photos from the girl’s actual accounts. The student then posted rude comments about others, and inappropriate photos of body parts that followers assumed belonged to the daughter. The account owner also solicited pictures from male followers, many minors, under the guise of being the daughter. When the situation came to light, the authorities were notified, and charges of harassment and fraud will go through the juvenile justice system.
“Irreparable damage was done to my daughter’s self esteem and reputation by a vindictive mean girl, and we can only hope justice is served,” wrote the mother.
Group text messages and closed or secret groups on Facebook also provide a false sense of security where youth might be more encouraged to post negative things, personal/private images or to gossip in general.
Multiple parent groups are trying to raise awareness about the numerous apps designed specifically to create a sense of anonymity. Apps like Whisper, Yik Yak, ask.fm, and Sarahah allow anonymous messages to be sent. Snapchat and Facebook offer a “secret conversation” option in messenger through which messages disappear after a set amount of time—this however does not protect from screenshots or future sharing of private messages.
Kik, MyLoL, and Live.me all embolden users to interact outside their immediate social circle, picture and video sharing is encouraged.
A recent user review of Kik said, “This app is so sad. It really is. Kik was so much fun before, now it’s just turned into a meet and greet for lonely 30 year olds who, for the most part, are perverts and pedos. It’s really sad to see the quality of such a great app decline so rapidly, especially one that was so popular...”
One of the apps that is potentially most disconcerting is called AfterSchool. It was previously removed from the Google app store, but is available again. The app is filled with “bots” playing on the insecurity of teens, and notifications are spammed out to the friend lists of users implying that posts have mentioned them in an effort to draw them into the app. The terms of service of the app grants a great deal more access to personal information than others. Also, the app goes one step further and requires a photo I.D. upload. Discussion in online forums have lead most users to believe that the app is likely a data miner. The Google Play Store reviews indicate that multiple users’ Facebook accounts were hacked immediately after signing up.
Another danger that is less spoken, is that several of the aforementioned apps use realtime location settings which can reveal a child’s physical location available to any number of users within their social circle.
The apps listed above represent only a portion of the potentially dangerous apps available, but there are also a great number of apps that can be helpful for both students and parents.
There are apps that encourage positive engagement, as well as crisis management apps like SafeUT where students and adults can report threats, concerns or any suspicious behavior. SafeUT also offers crisis counseling via text or by phone. Box Elder High School and Box Elder Middle School both also have a direct line to report concerns anonymously. There are numerous meditation, anti-anxiety, and depression coping apps available as well.
In addition to the potential for sexually inappropriate engagements, many of these apps also propagate the frequency and severity of bullying.
Commonsensemedia.org has a list of recommendations for parents of students who are experiencing cyberbullying: Reassure your child that you love and support him or her; help your child step away from the computer or device and take a break; If you can identify the bully, consider talking with the parents, and consider contacting your child’s school because if bullying is happening online, it might be happening offline, too.
Empower children with specific steps he or she can take immediately when cyber bullying occurs: first get offline without responding or retaliating. Save and print out all bullying messages first, then block the bully. Talk to a friend and most importantly confide in an adult that can be trusted.
As for those who might discover that their child is the bully, Commonsensemedia.org recommends immediately limiting access to social media. There needs to be conversations with open communication, that sets a clear understanding about appropriate behavior. Parents should try to get to the root of the “why” behind the actions, which may require a counselor or mediator. The child should then make amends and recognize that there may be serious consequences, including potential legal implications, to such behavior.
Bullies have always existed, as have sexual predators, but generations of youth were able to “block” those they wanted to avoid after school hours. However, youth are now accessible 24 hours a day.
Ratings and reviews can be the best friend for parents when it comes to app approval. When in question, do an internet search for the app and “parent concerns” to get information. If there is a question, the parent can take the app for a test run to see what their child might be exposed to. Phones and computers should be monitored, and there are parental apps that do everything from keyword targeting to keystroke capture.
But an old fashioned, in-person, review and conversation might be the best way to get across the concerns and need for protection.
Digital danger
March 21, 2018 • Loni Newby • Associate editor
The rising popularity of certain social media applications (apps) have many people concerned about hostile language, harassment and sexually inappropriate conversations and photos that are fueled by the semi-anonymous environments.
The popularity of the apps raise particular questions, such as how much supervision should be required when it comes to social engagement through phone apps, and how much should parents trust their children to not engage in high-risk behaviors that are often promulgated through apps that remove person-to-person, face-to-face communication and provide a sense of mystery?
Following a temporary ban from app stores when the app was linked with teen suicides in the United Kingdom, ASKfm paired with psychologist Dr. Linda Papadopoulos to provide better reporting features for bullying and harassment. That partnership with Papadopoulos resulted in a study that concluded that online interaction is changing the way that young people develop their identities. When asked about their online engagement, 63 percent of youth admitted to behaving differently in real life than they do online, 49 percent said they felt pressure to reply quickly to people’s messages, and 25 percent of them said they felt social pressure to “like” photos whether they actually liked them or not.
Organizations like the Idaho Anti-Trafficking Coalition have warned about particular apps that have proven to encourage risky behaviors like engaging with strangers with no verification of age or intent. Their goal is to protect underage users from adult predators for a thriving sex trafficking industry in the United States. The coalition also alerts parents, teachers and school administrators of other potentially hazardous engagements that can happen on a variety of apps which allow direct messaging, as well as providing a virtual bulletin board for any message that can lead to defamatory language, spread rumors and make isolated youth feel more alone.
Recently, a Pleasant Grove middle school teacher, Skipper Coates, shared an assignment that she gave students that quickly went viral. For the assignment, students needed to answer to a single question: “What don’t my parents know about social media?”
“Working in a Junior High is really interesting. I see these little people in their most awkward and most emotional stage of life. I teach them science, but when I have time I try to squeeze in some life lessons and mentoring. But it doesn’t work if I’m not willing to really hear and understand their situations and problems. Lately, I’ve been really concerned about their mental health, bullying, and social media use,” wrote Coates.
The results of the assignment were disheartening. Of 85 students, ages 14-15, only five did not have social media accounts. The remainder revealed information regarding extensive late night hours using the social media, inappropriate flirtations and requests for nudity, access to pornography, and mean-spirited conversations and rumor mongering.
One card read, “That it keeps me connected to my extend family and my fake account let’s me express my opinions & frustration. I’m often manipulated to think that if I stop talking to people they’ll attempt suicide or something [later].”
Another student wrote, “What my parents don’t know about social media is that kids really get bullied & there is a lot of inaproprate things & nudity. Alot of kids have secret accounts or sent inapropreate things.”
Although Coates updated her original post to reassure parents that she cares greatly for the students and they are truly wonderful kids, she is alarmed by what they are being exposed to that their guardians may not know about. Her message is to encourage parental involvement and monitoring to prevent exposure to situations that can cause distress.
Fake accounts on apps like Instagram have now earned their own nickname: “finsta,” these accounts exist on a variety of social media platforms. The finsta accounts are used to post more crass comments, shaming photos and other “funny,” but often cruel, commentary. These also have been reported as clone accounts, which give a false impression that the owner is the person named or pictured but is actually run by another person setting out to defame a person. These finsta accounts have also been used to attempt to blackmail others.
One northern Utah mother shared her daughter’s story where a student had created a fake account using a nickname of her daughter and photos from the girl’s actual accounts. The student then posted rude comments about others, and inappropriate photos of body parts that followers assumed belonged to the daughter. The account owner also solicited pictures from male followers, many minors, under the guise of being the daughter. When the situation came to light, the authorities were notified, and charges of harassment and fraud will go through the juvenile justice system.
“Irreparable damage was done to my daughter’s self esteem and reputation by a vindictive mean girl, and we can only hope justice is served,” wrote the mother.
Group text messages and closed or secret groups on Facebook also provide a false sense of security where youth might be more encouraged to post negative things, personal/private images or to gossip in general.
Multiple parent groups are trying to raise awareness about the numerous apps designed specifically to create a sense of anonymity. Apps like Whisper, Yik Yak, ask.fm, and Sarahah allow anonymous messages to be sent. Snapchat and Facebook offer a “secret conversation” option in messenger through which messages disappear after a set amount of time—this however does not protect from screenshots or future sharing of private messages.
Kik, MyLoL, and Live.me all embolden users to interact outside their immediate social circle, picture and video sharing is encouraged.
A recent user review of Kik said, “This app is so sad. It really is. Kik was so much fun before, now it’s just turned into a meet and greet for lonely 30 year olds who, for the most part, are perverts and pedos. It’s really sad to see the quality of such a great app decline so rapidly, especially one that was so popular...”
One of the apps that is potentially most disconcerting is called AfterSchool. It was previously removed from the Google app store, but is available again. The app is filled with “bots” playing on the insecurity of teens, and notifications are spammed out to the friend lists of users implying that posts have mentioned them in an effort to draw them into the app. The terms of service of the app grants a great deal more access to personal information than others. Also, the app goes one step further and requires a photo I.D. upload. Discussion in online forums have lead most users to believe that the app is likely a data miner. The Google Play Store reviews indicate that multiple users’ Facebook accounts were hacked immediately after signing up.
Another danger that is less spoken, is that several of the aforementioned apps use realtime location settings which can reveal a child’s physical location available to any number of users within their social circle.
The apps listed above represent only a portion of the potentially dangerous apps available, but there are also a great number of apps that can be helpful for both students and parents.
There are apps that encourage positive engagement, as well as crisis management apps like SafeUT where students and adults can report threats, concerns or any suspicious behavior. SafeUT also offers crisis counseling via text or by phone. Box Elder High School and Box Elder Middle School both also have a direct line to report concerns anonymously. There are numerous meditation, anti-anxiety, and depression coping apps available as well.
In addition to the potential for sexually inappropriate engagements, many of these apps also propagate the frequency and severity of bullying.
Commonsensemedia.org has a list of recommendations for parents of students who are experiencing cyberbullying: Reassure your child that you love and support him or her; help your child step away from the computer or device and take a break; If you can identify the bully, consider talking with the parents, and consider contacting your child’s school because if bullying is happening online, it might be happening offline, too.
Empower children with specific steps he or she can take immediately when cyber bullying occurs: first get offline without responding or retaliating. Save and print out all bullying messages first, then block the bully. Talk to a friend and most importantly confide in an adult that can be trusted.
As for those who might discover that their child is the bully, Commonsensemedia.org recommends immediately limiting access to social media. There needs to be conversations with open communication, that sets a clear understanding about appropriate behavior. Parents should try to get to the root of the “why” behind the actions, which may require a counselor or mediator. The child should then make amends and recognize that there may be serious consequences, including potential legal implications, to such behavior.
Bullies have always existed, as have sexual predators, but generations of youth were able to “block” those they wanted to avoid after school hours. However, youth are now accessible 24 hours a day.
Ratings and reviews can be the best friend for parents when it comes to app approval. When in question, do an internet search for the app and “parent concerns” to get information. If there is a question, the parent can take the app for a test run to see what their child might be exposed to. Phones and computers should be monitored, and there are parental apps that do everything from keyword targeting to keystroke capture.
But an old fashioned, in-person, review and conversation might be the best way to get across the concerns and need for protection.
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Sunday Portrait gains following from social media for Brigham City-raised artist Zack Andersen
March 14, 2018 • Hailey Hendricks • Staff writer
What started off as a fun Sunday activity has turned into a long-standing tradition for one former Brigham City resident.
Scrolling through Instagram, Zach Andersen, looks for people who have liked his previous artwork and have photos on their personal Instagram that catch his attention. One person is picked every week by Anderson to be painted for his “#sundayportrait.”
“I look for interesting compositions,” Andersen said. “It’s not necessarily who’s beautiful or not. I don’t just paint beautiful people. I actually find beauty in those who aren’t symmetrical and those who have interesting aspects in their faces.”
Andersen’s Sunday Portraits began on Nov. 6, 2016, after one of Andersen’s friends posted a picture online that caught his attention.
“I looked at it, I liked the color, the composition and I decided to paint it and I did it on a Sunday, so that’s where it all began,” Andersen said. “After that, it just became a tradition.”
When looking at his paintings, Andersen said a lot of people think they are done with oil paints, but he said it’s actually done on his iPad.
He said some people don’t think his artwork is as big of deal since it’s not done on a physical canvas, but Andersen said digital drawing is the up and coming new art medium.
“With the technology these days and our printers, we can create a drawing on an iPad or on Photoshop and print it and have it look like an analog piece,” Andersen said.
For the amount of layers Andersen uses in his digital pieces, he said it would take more than one day to paint a portrait of someone.
Since he started his Sunday Portraits, Andersen has painted 72 people and has spent countless hours on each person.
Andersen said when he first began doing the paintings, it only took a few hours to complete, but now that his skills as an artist are developing even more, he finds himself spending roughly eight to twelve hours per painting.
“The more I got into it, the deeper I got into it,” Andersen said.
But he said it’s a hobby he stills enjoys despite the time it takes.
“It’s good practice for me,” Andersen said, “and it helps me to build my skill, my abilities to paint the human face and to capture expressions, life and the effects I’m chasing after.”
Andersen hopes people enjoy seeing his artwork every Sunday because it gives people an opportunity to see how he, as an artist, views the world and the people around him.
“Because it’s a face, everyone gets a little self-conscious how they look and how they appear to others,” Andersen said, “and I have to realize maybe they don’t see themselves that way, but I don’t really care, it’s the way I see them.”
When painting portraits, Andersen said he looks at the structure of people’s faces, rather than what their skin looks like, and for him, that has helped define his style of art.
“It goes back to the classical pieces that we all admire,” Andersen said. “All of the drawings and pieces that we all enjoy looking at, all started from the inside out. They all started from the bones and muscles.”
As Andersen continues to develop his skill and style as an artist, he said his goal is to create a three-dimensional face that has certain effects and focal points to each portrait.
“I want to create something that isn’t completely life-like, but I want to create a face that has a lot of structure to it,” Andersen said. “And I want to make that structure obvious to where you can see the planes on the face.”
When beginning a portrait, Andersen first starts with the eyes because for him, this is the most important focal point in the piece.
“I put all of my time into the two eyes trying to get the detail fine while I still have that ability to focus,” Andersen said.
After crafting the eyes, Andersen said the process begins with a sketch layer of the face where he figures out the proportions of the structure. From that point, he’s able to pick and choose the layers he wants to work with.
And because he uses digital drawing instead of oil paint, he said it helps him to be able to outline and paint the face the way he thinks is best.
Looking back on old paintings, Andersen said he has a few favorites, but for the most part he’s happy with how they have all turned out.
“Most of the time when I look at an old painting, I look at everything I could have done better,” Andersen said. “I look at the things that didn’t look quite how I wanted it, but I guess there’s a few that there’s just less of that.”
As an architecture major and an art minor student at the University of Utah, Andersen said his classes have helped him to continue to become a better artist, but he said his Sunday Portraits have also helped him, too.
Andersen said Sunday Portraits are a fun thing for him to do. He’s not sure where it will take him, but for the time being, it’s something he plans to continue doing.
“I think I’ve started something I have no clue how to even end it,” Andersen said.
To see Andersen’s Sunday Portraits, visit his Instagram at @z.andersen.
March 14, 2018 • Hailey Hendricks • Staff writer
What started off as a fun Sunday activity has turned into a long-standing tradition for one former Brigham City resident.
Scrolling through Instagram, Zach Andersen, looks for people who have liked his previous artwork and have photos on their personal Instagram that catch his attention. One person is picked every week by Anderson to be painted for his “#sundayportrait.”
“I look for interesting compositions,” Andersen said. “It’s not necessarily who’s beautiful or not. I don’t just paint beautiful people. I actually find beauty in those who aren’t symmetrical and those who have interesting aspects in their faces.”
Andersen’s Sunday Portraits began on Nov. 6, 2016, after one of Andersen’s friends posted a picture online that caught his attention.
“I looked at it, I liked the color, the composition and I decided to paint it and I did it on a Sunday, so that’s where it all began,” Andersen said. “After that, it just became a tradition.”
When looking at his paintings, Andersen said a lot of people think they are done with oil paints, but he said it’s actually done on his iPad.
He said some people don’t think his artwork is as big of deal since it’s not done on a physical canvas, but Andersen said digital drawing is the up and coming new art medium.
“With the technology these days and our printers, we can create a drawing on an iPad or on Photoshop and print it and have it look like an analog piece,” Andersen said.
For the amount of layers Andersen uses in his digital pieces, he said it would take more than one day to paint a portrait of someone.
Since he started his Sunday Portraits, Andersen has painted 72 people and has spent countless hours on each person.
Andersen said when he first began doing the paintings, it only took a few hours to complete, but now that his skills as an artist are developing even more, he finds himself spending roughly eight to twelve hours per painting.
“The more I got into it, the deeper I got into it,” Andersen said.
But he said it’s a hobby he stills enjoys despite the time it takes.
“It’s good practice for me,” Andersen said, “and it helps me to build my skill, my abilities to paint the human face and to capture expressions, life and the effects I’m chasing after.”
Andersen hopes people enjoy seeing his artwork every Sunday because it gives people an opportunity to see how he, as an artist, views the world and the people around him.
“Because it’s a face, everyone gets a little self-conscious how they look and how they appear to others,” Andersen said, “and I have to realize maybe they don’t see themselves that way, but I don’t really care, it’s the way I see them.”
When painting portraits, Andersen said he looks at the structure of people’s faces, rather than what their skin looks like, and for him, that has helped define his style of art.
“It goes back to the classical pieces that we all admire,” Andersen said. “All of the drawings and pieces that we all enjoy looking at, all started from the inside out. They all started from the bones and muscles.”
As Andersen continues to develop his skill and style as an artist, he said his goal is to create a three-dimensional face that has certain effects and focal points to each portrait.
“I want to create something that isn’t completely life-like, but I want to create a face that has a lot of structure to it,” Andersen said. “And I want to make that structure obvious to where you can see the planes on the face.”
When beginning a portrait, Andersen first starts with the eyes because for him, this is the most important focal point in the piece.
“I put all of my time into the two eyes trying to get the detail fine while I still have that ability to focus,” Andersen said.
After crafting the eyes, Andersen said the process begins with a sketch layer of the face where he figures out the proportions of the structure. From that point, he’s able to pick and choose the layers he wants to work with.
And because he uses digital drawing instead of oil paint, he said it helps him to be able to outline and paint the face the way he thinks is best.
Looking back on old paintings, Andersen said he has a few favorites, but for the most part he’s happy with how they have all turned out.
“Most of the time when I look at an old painting, I look at everything I could have done better,” Andersen said. “I look at the things that didn’t look quite how I wanted it, but I guess there’s a few that there’s just less of that.”
As an architecture major and an art minor student at the University of Utah, Andersen said his classes have helped him to continue to become a better artist, but he said his Sunday Portraits have also helped him, too.
Andersen said Sunday Portraits are a fun thing for him to do. He’s not sure where it will take him, but for the time being, it’s something he plans to continue doing.
“I think I’ve started something I have no clue how to even end it,” Andersen said.
To see Andersen’s Sunday Portraits, visit his Instagram at @z.andersen.
Family Fun Night in BC set to raise funds for the Acts Six Soup Kitchen
March 14, 2018 • Sarah Yates • Editor emeritus
An evening of family fun benefiting a good cause will be hosted by Acts Six Soup Kitchen on Monday, March 19, 4 to 9 p.m., at the Family Fun Center, 15 East 500 North, Brigham City.
The event will feature bowling, mini-golf, inexpensive fun food, trophies and prizes including gift cards to many local businesses. There will be activities for all ages, making it a great family night out, plus the profits go to help the local soup kitchen, which provides a weekly meal for those in need of food and/or companionship.
Game cards will be collected to determine winners in various categories, such as the highest score in bowling and the lowest score in mini-golf for five age groups of kids, plus an adult category.
Family favorite foods such as nachos, chili, hot dogs, chips and popcorn, cookies and cupcakes, veggie cups, soft drinks and coffee will be on sale at the concession stand during the event.
It is hoped this will become an annual happening, says coordinator Tracey Mellard, a volunteer with the Soup Kitchen, which serves a hot, nourishing meal each Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. at 912 North Main, the east end of the Eagles Lodge.
The event is a first-timer for Acts Six Soup Kitchen, which was established in 1986 by several local churches. The first weekly meal was served in June of that year in the Presbyterian church’s Gillespie Hall, where it remained until 1994.
With Lincoln School closed that year, Acts Six Soup Kitchen, Box Elder Community Pantry and Community Pro-Youth (which evolved into Boys & Girls Club) went together with a proposal to use the school as a center for non-profit groups. In 2010 the old school was demolished, and Acts Six Soup Kitchen found a new home in a former restaurant at the rear of Eagles Aerie 2919.
March 14, 2018 • Sarah Yates • Editor emeritus
An evening of family fun benefiting a good cause will be hosted by Acts Six Soup Kitchen on Monday, March 19, 4 to 9 p.m., at the Family Fun Center, 15 East 500 North, Brigham City.
The event will feature bowling, mini-golf, inexpensive fun food, trophies and prizes including gift cards to many local businesses. There will be activities for all ages, making it a great family night out, plus the profits go to help the local soup kitchen, which provides a weekly meal for those in need of food and/or companionship.
Game cards will be collected to determine winners in various categories, such as the highest score in bowling and the lowest score in mini-golf for five age groups of kids, plus an adult category.
Family favorite foods such as nachos, chili, hot dogs, chips and popcorn, cookies and cupcakes, veggie cups, soft drinks and coffee will be on sale at the concession stand during the event.
It is hoped this will become an annual happening, says coordinator Tracey Mellard, a volunteer with the Soup Kitchen, which serves a hot, nourishing meal each Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. at 912 North Main, the east end of the Eagles Lodge.
The event is a first-timer for Acts Six Soup Kitchen, which was established in 1986 by several local churches. The first weekly meal was served in June of that year in the Presbyterian church’s Gillespie Hall, where it remained until 1994.
With Lincoln School closed that year, Acts Six Soup Kitchen, Box Elder Community Pantry and Community Pro-Youth (which evolved into Boys & Girls Club) went together with a proposal to use the school as a center for non-profit groups. In 2010 the old school was demolished, and Acts Six Soup Kitchen found a new home in a former restaurant at the rear of Eagles Aerie 2919.
Thousands of Tundra Swans are currently stopped, resting at the wetlands to the west of Brigham City, special events have been set up by the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge to view and learn more about these majestic birds.
Tundra Swans, tower dedication at the BR Migratory Bird Refuge
March 7, 2018 • Loni Newby • Associate editor
The annual celebration of Swan Day at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge will give visitors a new observation platform to view the thousands of Tundra Swans migrating through the refuge each spring, with the grand opening of a new observation tower located at the entrance of the auto loop.
Kathi Stopher, visitor services manager, said last week that there are currently tens of thousands of swans on the waters of the bird refuge. The open house will begin at 10 a.m. at the James V. Hansen Wildlife Education Center; with interactive exhibits, wetland diorama, and 2 miles of walking wetland trails.
A special indoor/outdoor photography workshop with Jeff Strong will be held from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. The class is free but reservations are required for the photography class to reserve a seat, RSVPs may be made by calling 435-723-5887.
Out on the auto loop, thousands of Tundra swans can be seen, each winter, as they migrate through Bear River MBR. These swans are easy to spot in the wild, as they are large with long straight necks. Most have a smudge of yellow at the base of their black bill, but otherwise are pure white. Tundra swans are common in the area as their winter migration takes the swans from wintering grounds in California to their nesting sites in Canada and Alaska. The wetlands in Utah are a critically needed stop for rest and refueling as they migrate each spring. Trumpeter swans which are seen far more rarely have been spotted in the among the tundra swans this season.
Guided caravan tours led by a refuge volunteer naturalist will begin at 2 p.m. departing from the viewing tower, located 12 miles west of the Education Center following Forest Street. The Wasatch Audubon Society will provide stops along the auto loop for birding education. All activities are educational, family-friendly and free. The event is sponsored by the Friends of the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.
Perhaps the most unique portion of the day will be a special dedication ceremony at 1 p.m. to mark the grand opening of newly constructed Wildlife Viewing Tower, which will be dedicated in honor of two great contributors to the bird refuge- the late Bob Ebeling and Lee Shirley. Both men played integral roles as Friends of the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, through years of dedicated volunteerism. Friends and family members of the men will be present to honor their memories and to see this project through to completion.
This tower was a labor of love for the Friends organization, and has taken many years of planning, fundraising and contributions, particularly of one notable donation of a woman named Rita Poe, a woman who shied away from publicity and common social interaction, to the point that the last known photo of her was taken on her driver’s license in 1981. Poe was a traveler and a lover of nature who passed away in 2015 with no heirs and few friends. Nancy Zingheim, the manager of the SKP RV Park in Washington, was asked to be the executor of Poe’s will. After Poe’s passing Zingheim learned that she had signed on for the task of distributing nearly $800,000 between eight National Wildlife Refuges and four parks in the western United States.
After studying her personal effects Zingheim came to know Poe better than most in life, and decided that she would do more than simply write checks to distribute the funds, she would visit each site to learn more about why Poe wished to support them in such a way.
At each stop of her 4,000 mile tour Zingheim asked how best to put the funds to use, most often referred to the Friends of the Refuge organizations for insight. The response at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge the primary use of the $48,275.74 donation would be to improve the visitor experience with an ADA viewing tower. Stopher has a personal appreciation for the accommodations which make the view accessible to those who cannot traverse the stairs, as she has been navigating the new construction on crutches.
This new tower stands near the location of the former 100 foot viewing tower which had been built in the 1930s and was destroyed by floods in 1983, it has now become a fond memory for many locals. The hope of the Friends is to perform a soil study and find a suitable location to build a second tower overlooking the south end of the auto loop, the tower which stood until recently became unsafe due to shifting soil the decks had to be removed.
Poe’s donation, given to the Friends of the Bear River Migratory Refuge, a not-for-profit conservation group, made the dream of former volunteer, the late Lee Shirley a possibility. Stopher reflects fondly on the spirit and energy of the man who did so much to aid in education at the bird refuge. She said that he was an advocate for the tower and would often stand in the bed of a truck to get an elevated view from above the phragmites to take in the view. The height of the structure falls between an observation deck and a tower, according to United States Fish and Wildlife Service regulations. It was constructed to elevate viewers above vegetation and give them a taste of the bigger picture.
Shirley, a former biology teacher and avid birder, wanted to highlight the importance of the environmental factors found with the Bear River and Great Salt Lake’s proximity. He served as a board member for many conservation efforts, like the bird refuge, Ogden Nature Center and the RAC in the Division of Wildlife Resources. He also served as president of the Wasatch Audubon Society.
At the end of a tour in 2016, Shirley talked about the emotional experience he had when the flood waters which had extensively damaged the refuge finally subsided. Shirley said, “I got emotional to see all the mud and silt. I took my kids here; it’s part of their lives.” Over the years he has been appreciative of the rebuilding and new improvements that were made, one of his goals was to see the construction of a new observation tower at the beginning of the auto tour loop, because not all visitors will take the time to complete the tour, but if they could see more of what they were missing they would be more likely to get the full experience and fall in love with the place like he did.
Stopher said that Shirley believed that through education and advocacy the visitors would be good stewards of the natural resource that is the bird refuge. This tower is compliant with ADA standards giving both a ramp and staircase to the lower observation deck. A viewing scope per level and a bench are also in the plans to enhance visitor experience.
Ebeling’s impact on the refuge was over 27 years of volunteering. Stopher said that when the flood waters resided in 1989 after six years of flooding. Ebeling was one of the first to approach the refuge with not only hopes, but plans for how to rebuild. His know-how from years as a mechanical engineer at Thiokol was invaluable in the engineering and construction of the dikes, bridges and many water control structures which still stand today at the refuge. He took charge of the restoration project of 50 miles of dikes and 50 water-control structures that had been lost in the flooding. His budget was zero, which matched the equipment available, but that didn’t stop him from recruiting friends who used their personal equipment and gathered contributions to take on the tasks.
According to an article on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service page, in 1989 Ebeling said, “The benefits to wildlife viewers and hunters, both local and travelers, is immense and carries great aesthetic and financial rewards to the community.”
Former refuge manager Al Trout said, “Without Bob’s presence, inspiration and technical expertise in mechanical engineering, the process would have been delayed…When Bob Ebeling showed up at my doorstep, it changed the future of the Bear River Refuge, to the good.”
Ebeling spent more than 10,000 hours in service at the bird refuge which earned him the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Award in the 1990s.
The James V. Hansen Wildlife Education Center is located at 2155 West Forest Street, Brigham City, one block west of I-15 at Exit 363. The Center offers interactive exhibits, wetland diorama, two miles of outdoor trail, and is open Tuesday-Friday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., and the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The Auto Tour Loop is open daily from sunrise to sunset and there is no charge. More information is available by calling 435-723-5887 or visiting www.fws.gov/refuge/bear_river_migratory_bird_refuge/ the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge is also available on Facebook and Twitter.
Tundra Swans, tower dedication at the BR Migratory Bird Refuge
March 7, 2018 • Loni Newby • Associate editor
The annual celebration of Swan Day at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge will give visitors a new observation platform to view the thousands of Tundra Swans migrating through the refuge each spring, with the grand opening of a new observation tower located at the entrance of the auto loop.
Kathi Stopher, visitor services manager, said last week that there are currently tens of thousands of swans on the waters of the bird refuge. The open house will begin at 10 a.m. at the James V. Hansen Wildlife Education Center; with interactive exhibits, wetland diorama, and 2 miles of walking wetland trails.
A special indoor/outdoor photography workshop with Jeff Strong will be held from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. The class is free but reservations are required for the photography class to reserve a seat, RSVPs may be made by calling 435-723-5887.
Out on the auto loop, thousands of Tundra swans can be seen, each winter, as they migrate through Bear River MBR. These swans are easy to spot in the wild, as they are large with long straight necks. Most have a smudge of yellow at the base of their black bill, but otherwise are pure white. Tundra swans are common in the area as their winter migration takes the swans from wintering grounds in California to their nesting sites in Canada and Alaska. The wetlands in Utah are a critically needed stop for rest and refueling as they migrate each spring. Trumpeter swans which are seen far more rarely have been spotted in the among the tundra swans this season.
Guided caravan tours led by a refuge volunteer naturalist will begin at 2 p.m. departing from the viewing tower, located 12 miles west of the Education Center following Forest Street. The Wasatch Audubon Society will provide stops along the auto loop for birding education. All activities are educational, family-friendly and free. The event is sponsored by the Friends of the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.
Perhaps the most unique portion of the day will be a special dedication ceremony at 1 p.m. to mark the grand opening of newly constructed Wildlife Viewing Tower, which will be dedicated in honor of two great contributors to the bird refuge- the late Bob Ebeling and Lee Shirley. Both men played integral roles as Friends of the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, through years of dedicated volunteerism. Friends and family members of the men will be present to honor their memories and to see this project through to completion.
This tower was a labor of love for the Friends organization, and has taken many years of planning, fundraising and contributions, particularly of one notable donation of a woman named Rita Poe, a woman who shied away from publicity and common social interaction, to the point that the last known photo of her was taken on her driver’s license in 1981. Poe was a traveler and a lover of nature who passed away in 2015 with no heirs and few friends. Nancy Zingheim, the manager of the SKP RV Park in Washington, was asked to be the executor of Poe’s will. After Poe’s passing Zingheim learned that she had signed on for the task of distributing nearly $800,000 between eight National Wildlife Refuges and four parks in the western United States.
After studying her personal effects Zingheim came to know Poe better than most in life, and decided that she would do more than simply write checks to distribute the funds, she would visit each site to learn more about why Poe wished to support them in such a way.
At each stop of her 4,000 mile tour Zingheim asked how best to put the funds to use, most often referred to the Friends of the Refuge organizations for insight. The response at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge the primary use of the $48,275.74 donation would be to improve the visitor experience with an ADA viewing tower. Stopher has a personal appreciation for the accommodations which make the view accessible to those who cannot traverse the stairs, as she has been navigating the new construction on crutches.
This new tower stands near the location of the former 100 foot viewing tower which had been built in the 1930s and was destroyed by floods in 1983, it has now become a fond memory for many locals. The hope of the Friends is to perform a soil study and find a suitable location to build a second tower overlooking the south end of the auto loop, the tower which stood until recently became unsafe due to shifting soil the decks had to be removed.
Poe’s donation, given to the Friends of the Bear River Migratory Refuge, a not-for-profit conservation group, made the dream of former volunteer, the late Lee Shirley a possibility. Stopher reflects fondly on the spirit and energy of the man who did so much to aid in education at the bird refuge. She said that he was an advocate for the tower and would often stand in the bed of a truck to get an elevated view from above the phragmites to take in the view. The height of the structure falls between an observation deck and a tower, according to United States Fish and Wildlife Service regulations. It was constructed to elevate viewers above vegetation and give them a taste of the bigger picture.
Shirley, a former biology teacher and avid birder, wanted to highlight the importance of the environmental factors found with the Bear River and Great Salt Lake’s proximity. He served as a board member for many conservation efforts, like the bird refuge, Ogden Nature Center and the RAC in the Division of Wildlife Resources. He also served as president of the Wasatch Audubon Society.
At the end of a tour in 2016, Shirley talked about the emotional experience he had when the flood waters which had extensively damaged the refuge finally subsided. Shirley said, “I got emotional to see all the mud and silt. I took my kids here; it’s part of their lives.” Over the years he has been appreciative of the rebuilding and new improvements that were made, one of his goals was to see the construction of a new observation tower at the beginning of the auto tour loop, because not all visitors will take the time to complete the tour, but if they could see more of what they were missing they would be more likely to get the full experience and fall in love with the place like he did.
Stopher said that Shirley believed that through education and advocacy the visitors would be good stewards of the natural resource that is the bird refuge. This tower is compliant with ADA standards giving both a ramp and staircase to the lower observation deck. A viewing scope per level and a bench are also in the plans to enhance visitor experience.
Ebeling’s impact on the refuge was over 27 years of volunteering. Stopher said that when the flood waters resided in 1989 after six years of flooding. Ebeling was one of the first to approach the refuge with not only hopes, but plans for how to rebuild. His know-how from years as a mechanical engineer at Thiokol was invaluable in the engineering and construction of the dikes, bridges and many water control structures which still stand today at the refuge. He took charge of the restoration project of 50 miles of dikes and 50 water-control structures that had been lost in the flooding. His budget was zero, which matched the equipment available, but that didn’t stop him from recruiting friends who used their personal equipment and gathered contributions to take on the tasks.
According to an article on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service page, in 1989 Ebeling said, “The benefits to wildlife viewers and hunters, both local and travelers, is immense and carries great aesthetic and financial rewards to the community.”
Former refuge manager Al Trout said, “Without Bob’s presence, inspiration and technical expertise in mechanical engineering, the process would have been delayed…When Bob Ebeling showed up at my doorstep, it changed the future of the Bear River Refuge, to the good.”
Ebeling spent more than 10,000 hours in service at the bird refuge which earned him the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Award in the 1990s.
The James V. Hansen Wildlife Education Center is located at 2155 West Forest Street, Brigham City, one block west of I-15 at Exit 363. The Center offers interactive exhibits, wetland diorama, two miles of outdoor trail, and is open Tuesday-Friday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., and the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The Auto Tour Loop is open daily from sunrise to sunset and there is no charge. More information is available by calling 435-723-5887 or visiting www.fws.gov/refuge/bear_river_migratory_bird_refuge/ the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge is also available on Facebook and Twitter.
DWR Wild Swan Day on Saturday
The Division of Wildlife Resources will also host an event on March 10. Admission is free. The event will be held at Salt Creek Wildlife Management Area, west of Corinne, from 9 a.m. To 2 p.m.
Phil Douglass, regional conservation outreach manager for the DWR, said the event gives people a great chance to see and hear thousands of tundra swans, and maybe even a few of the more rarely seen trumpeter swans.
“Each year,” he says, “a handful of trumpeter swans migrate through Utah with the tundra swans. This event gives people a chance to see and hear the differences between trumpeter and tundra swans. Both of the birds are magnificent; they’re awesome to see and hear.”
Douglass says spotting scopes and listening devices will be available at the sites, so you can get a close look at the swans and hear the differences in vocalizations between trumpeter and tundra swans. “If you have your own binoculars or a spotting scope, though, please bring them,” he says. “There are also numerous bird-sound apps that you can download on your phone. These apps can help you identify swans and other birds by the sounds they make.”
In addition to a thrilling viewing experience, knowledgeable and friendly people from the DWR and Wasatch Audubon will be available to answer your questions. “And, if you have a scout group that needs to talk to a conservation officer,” Douglass says, “this is the perfect place to do it.”
Seeing swans on your own
If you can’t attend any of the organized swan watching events held on Saturday, March 10, swans can still be seen in the area, but Douglass encourages you to visit the marshes soon. “Swan numbers are building right now,” he says. “By the time we hold the viewing event, the swan migration should be at its peak.”
Douglass says the Salt Creek Wildlife Management Area is one of the best places in Utah to get a close look at swans. It’s also a likely spot to see and hear both trumpeter and tundra swans together.
“Two years ago,” he says, “I was watching 2,500 tundra swans when, suddenly, I heard trumpeter swans. It took some time and determination, but I eventually found eight trumpeters among the tundra swans. Seeing both tundra and trumpeter swans was an amazing experience.”
To reach the Compton’s Knoll viewing area at the Salt Creek WMA, exit Interstate 15 at Exit 365, and travel west on state Route 83 through Corinne. Stay on SR-83 until to 6800 West (Iowa String). Turn right on 6800 West, and travel north to 6800 North. At 6800 North, the WMA’s Compton’s Knoll Watchable Wildlife site will be on the left side.
The Division of Wildlife Resources will also host an event on March 10. Admission is free. The event will be held at Salt Creek Wildlife Management Area, west of Corinne, from 9 a.m. To 2 p.m.
Phil Douglass, regional conservation outreach manager for the DWR, said the event gives people a great chance to see and hear thousands of tundra swans, and maybe even a few of the more rarely seen trumpeter swans.
“Each year,” he says, “a handful of trumpeter swans migrate through Utah with the tundra swans. This event gives people a chance to see and hear the differences between trumpeter and tundra swans. Both of the birds are magnificent; they’re awesome to see and hear.”
Douglass says spotting scopes and listening devices will be available at the sites, so you can get a close look at the swans and hear the differences in vocalizations between trumpeter and tundra swans. “If you have your own binoculars or a spotting scope, though, please bring them,” he says. “There are also numerous bird-sound apps that you can download on your phone. These apps can help you identify swans and other birds by the sounds they make.”
In addition to a thrilling viewing experience, knowledgeable and friendly people from the DWR and Wasatch Audubon will be available to answer your questions. “And, if you have a scout group that needs to talk to a conservation officer,” Douglass says, “this is the perfect place to do it.”
Seeing swans on your own
If you can’t attend any of the organized swan watching events held on Saturday, March 10, swans can still be seen in the area, but Douglass encourages you to visit the marshes soon. “Swan numbers are building right now,” he says. “By the time we hold the viewing event, the swan migration should be at its peak.”
Douglass says the Salt Creek Wildlife Management Area is one of the best places in Utah to get a close look at swans. It’s also a likely spot to see and hear both trumpeter and tundra swans together.
“Two years ago,” he says, “I was watching 2,500 tundra swans when, suddenly, I heard trumpeter swans. It took some time and determination, but I eventually found eight trumpeters among the tundra swans. Seeing both tundra and trumpeter swans was an amazing experience.”
To reach the Compton’s Knoll viewing area at the Salt Creek WMA, exit Interstate 15 at Exit 365, and travel west on state Route 83 through Corinne. Stay on SR-83 until to 6800 West (Iowa String). Turn right on 6800 West, and travel north to 6800 North. At 6800 North, the WMA’s Compton’s Knoll Watchable Wildlife site will be on the left side.
Three infant burial gowns pictured are an example of the wedding gown recycling project by Christine Christensen to benefit families of those who give birth to a baby who does not survive.
A small token of comfort: Grief and a common thread brings two friends together to help grieving parents
February 28, 2018 • Chad Hunt • Guest writer
When Marlene Shirley went into labor 14 weeks premature on a snowy winter night late on Jan. 6, 1982, it would be the first and last time she would ever see her baby boy.
After she delivered the baby, which her older children later named Ryan, at Bear River Valley Hospital, the doctor cut the umbilical cord, and rushed the baby off to attempt to save him. It was to no avail.
“He was just too small to survive,” Marlene said, thinking back on the one time she ever saw her tiny baby. “It was such an empty feeling to be left with nothing but a memory of them rushing his little body out of the delivery room.”
Marlene, who lives in Thatcher and works at Intermountain Bear River Clinic, said in those days it was not common for moms in these types of situations to have a chance to grieve their loss, to ever hold the baby, or to really ever discuss what was happening.
“I didn’t dare say that I wanted to hold my baby,” Marlene said. “Unless people knew me back when it happened, they would never know I even lost a baby. I don’t have anything to remember him — no pictures, no outfit, no blanket, nothing. It’s like he never existed.”
Fast forward to January 6, 2017. Marlene decided, as she has each January for the past few years, to take to Facebook to talk about Ryan on his birthday. She said this time her friend and neighbor Christine Christensen saw the post and reached out to her.
“She gave me some handmade blankets and asked me if I wanted to donate them to the hospital,” Marlene said. “I just sat down and cried.”
Cut from a Minky fabric in subtle whites, pinks, and blues, with a hand-stitching that runs around the edge, these blankets are perfectly sized for babies who were just too small to survive — just like Ryan.
“It’s a gift of love,” Marlene said. “I’m just so glad that now there are so many opportunities for moms to not have to experience what I did — that they have things in place to help give them something to remember their little babies, and to be able to love them, and grieve.”
These delicate blankets aren’t the only small gifts of love Christine creates for still born and premature babies who leave this world too soon. She also makes small dresses tailored just for these babies’ small, soft bodies which she makes from donated wedding dresses.
It’s something she has been doing since 2016, and something that has become a project that is close to her heart.
“I woke up one day and said, ‘I’m going to do this,’” Christine said. She said that summer she made 20 dresses, which she donated to hospitals around the region, including Bear River Valley Hospital, Brigham City Community Hospital, and Logan Regional Hospital.
Christine takes each donated bridal gown with its beautiful fabrics and fancy beadwork, then she cuts out as many tiny baby dresses as she can — on average about four dresses per gown. She uses as much of the gown as possible to make the dresses special and elegant for these babies. Each is delivered with a card attached with a message of hope and letting the mom know she isn’t grieving alone.
“It’s something tangible that you can do, because when someone loses a baby, what else can you do for them,” Christine said. “A lot of brides [who have donated dresses] have been grateful that their dresses could be used for something special instead of something like a costume on Halloween or hanging in a closet somewhere.”
It was a project that Christine loved until March 2017 when her son and his wife lost a baby. Her granddaughter, Alyssa, arrived stillborn at Logan Regional Hospital. She said the nurses at the hospital gave them a space away from the other delivering moms, where her family could grieve with as much privacy as possible.
“The nurses were so nice to us,” Christine said. “They did everything they possibly could for us.”
The one thing they couldn’t do was remove a feeling of guilt that began to creep into Christine’s mind after the loss of Alyssa.
“When I started on Alyssa’s dress, I almost felt like it was all my fault,” Christine said. “Like it was karma for starting to sew these dresses in the first place.”
Then Christine said she had another mother with whom she had connected in an online support group give her some great advice.
“She said, ‘You’re going to cry, and you’re going to sew, and you’re going to make that dress [for Alyssa].,” Christine said. “It had tears of joy stain it before, and now it will have tears of sadness, and it will complete the dress.”
After she finished a dress for Alyssa, Christine said she couldn’t sew again for several months, and just had to pack her collection of dresses away under a bed where they could be out of sight and out of her mind. It took several months before she could even think about sewing, but Christine said she finally worked up the courage to begin again in August, and was able to take her first batch of dresses to Logan Regional where her granddaughter had both come and gone.
Through her experience with Alyssa, Christine said she has been connected to the Angel Watch program at McKay-Dee Hospital, which provides assistance to families experiencing similar situations as the one her son went through.
“They send dresses to hospitals all over the state,” Christine said. “I’ve donated 45 dresses, two for Alyssa, and the rest have gone to different hospitals across the state, and even some outside of Utah.”
Along with the dresses, Christine said the tiny blankets, like the ones she gave to Marlene to donate, are just another small thing she can do to make such a difficult time for a family just a little bit easier to bear.
“The sanctity of life, no matter how short, no matter how small, deserves dignity and respect, and to be remembered,” Christine said. “Every life matters and deserves to be honored.”
A small token of comfort: Grief and a common thread brings two friends together to help grieving parents
February 28, 2018 • Chad Hunt • Guest writer
When Marlene Shirley went into labor 14 weeks premature on a snowy winter night late on Jan. 6, 1982, it would be the first and last time she would ever see her baby boy.
After she delivered the baby, which her older children later named Ryan, at Bear River Valley Hospital, the doctor cut the umbilical cord, and rushed the baby off to attempt to save him. It was to no avail.
“He was just too small to survive,” Marlene said, thinking back on the one time she ever saw her tiny baby. “It was such an empty feeling to be left with nothing but a memory of them rushing his little body out of the delivery room.”
Marlene, who lives in Thatcher and works at Intermountain Bear River Clinic, said in those days it was not common for moms in these types of situations to have a chance to grieve their loss, to ever hold the baby, or to really ever discuss what was happening.
“I didn’t dare say that I wanted to hold my baby,” Marlene said. “Unless people knew me back when it happened, they would never know I even lost a baby. I don’t have anything to remember him — no pictures, no outfit, no blanket, nothing. It’s like he never existed.”
Fast forward to January 6, 2017. Marlene decided, as she has each January for the past few years, to take to Facebook to talk about Ryan on his birthday. She said this time her friend and neighbor Christine Christensen saw the post and reached out to her.
“She gave me some handmade blankets and asked me if I wanted to donate them to the hospital,” Marlene said. “I just sat down and cried.”
Cut from a Minky fabric in subtle whites, pinks, and blues, with a hand-stitching that runs around the edge, these blankets are perfectly sized for babies who were just too small to survive — just like Ryan.
“It’s a gift of love,” Marlene said. “I’m just so glad that now there are so many opportunities for moms to not have to experience what I did — that they have things in place to help give them something to remember their little babies, and to be able to love them, and grieve.”
These delicate blankets aren’t the only small gifts of love Christine creates for still born and premature babies who leave this world too soon. She also makes small dresses tailored just for these babies’ small, soft bodies which she makes from donated wedding dresses.
It’s something she has been doing since 2016, and something that has become a project that is close to her heart.
“I woke up one day and said, ‘I’m going to do this,’” Christine said. She said that summer she made 20 dresses, which she donated to hospitals around the region, including Bear River Valley Hospital, Brigham City Community Hospital, and Logan Regional Hospital.
Christine takes each donated bridal gown with its beautiful fabrics and fancy beadwork, then she cuts out as many tiny baby dresses as she can — on average about four dresses per gown. She uses as much of the gown as possible to make the dresses special and elegant for these babies. Each is delivered with a card attached with a message of hope and letting the mom know she isn’t grieving alone.
“It’s something tangible that you can do, because when someone loses a baby, what else can you do for them,” Christine said. “A lot of brides [who have donated dresses] have been grateful that their dresses could be used for something special instead of something like a costume on Halloween or hanging in a closet somewhere.”
It was a project that Christine loved until March 2017 when her son and his wife lost a baby. Her granddaughter, Alyssa, arrived stillborn at Logan Regional Hospital. She said the nurses at the hospital gave them a space away from the other delivering moms, where her family could grieve with as much privacy as possible.
“The nurses were so nice to us,” Christine said. “They did everything they possibly could for us.”
The one thing they couldn’t do was remove a feeling of guilt that began to creep into Christine’s mind after the loss of Alyssa.
“When I started on Alyssa’s dress, I almost felt like it was all my fault,” Christine said. “Like it was karma for starting to sew these dresses in the first place.”
Then Christine said she had another mother with whom she had connected in an online support group give her some great advice.
“She said, ‘You’re going to cry, and you’re going to sew, and you’re going to make that dress [for Alyssa].,” Christine said. “It had tears of joy stain it before, and now it will have tears of sadness, and it will complete the dress.”
After she finished a dress for Alyssa, Christine said she couldn’t sew again for several months, and just had to pack her collection of dresses away under a bed where they could be out of sight and out of her mind. It took several months before she could even think about sewing, but Christine said she finally worked up the courage to begin again in August, and was able to take her first batch of dresses to Logan Regional where her granddaughter had both come and gone.
Through her experience with Alyssa, Christine said she has been connected to the Angel Watch program at McKay-Dee Hospital, which provides assistance to families experiencing similar situations as the one her son went through.
“They send dresses to hospitals all over the state,” Christine said. “I’ve donated 45 dresses, two for Alyssa, and the rest have gone to different hospitals across the state, and even some outside of Utah.”
Along with the dresses, Christine said the tiny blankets, like the ones she gave to Marlene to donate, are just another small thing she can do to make such a difficult time for a family just a little bit easier to bear.
“The sanctity of life, no matter how short, no matter how small, deserves dignity and respect, and to be remembered,” Christine said. “Every life matters and deserves to be honored.”
Crystal Hot Springs Staff members, past and present, gathered for a photograph around the new pool and cavern feature at Saturday’s Grand Opening festivities. (inset) Co-owner Tae SukYun and General Manager Adam Nelson pose for a photograph.
Grand Re-Opening marks historical largest single day sales for Crystal Hot Springs
February 21, 2018 • Loni Newby • Associate editor
Crystal Hot Springs celebrated their Grand Re-Opening on Saturday, February 17, in the largest sales day in their history. Among the crowds of locals, tourists, the four overseas owners and a special group considered to be the heart of the hot springs: 230 members of current and former staff some of which were on staff up to eight years ago.
“It was just kind of fun to have them all back together, they all have kids now. They all have husbands or wives. It was fun to get together to tell all the old stories,” said General Manager, Adam Nelson.
The co-owners Tae Suk Yun, Chin Woo Lee, Joon kill and Dong Won Sohn, who operate under Crystal Hot Springs and Development Group, were also present for the grand opening. Nelson has had a hand in all aspects of the upgrades, and has been an integral part of turning around what was once considered a lost cause for the owners, foreign investors who took a loss on the first 14 years of ownership since 1998. The growth since the first year of profitability has been immeasurable. Nelson has seen the staff grow from seven members to 60 staffers, with plans to bring on 10 more new hires next week.
Among the renovations are a new lodge building featuring updated bathroom and changing facilities, upgrades to handicap accessibility, perks like heated sidewalks between pools and the focal feature “The Crystal Cavern” a new pool area designed for sitting on the ground for adults and being child-friendly, the highlight of the space is a large waterfall cavern feature.
The entrance features a large open foyer with a gift shop filled with convenience store snacks, themed and branded merchandise, as well as handy items which are often forgotten like flip flops, Chapstick and soap. The 10 foot wide ramp hallway features enlarged photos of Crystal Hot Springs history.
“I told them [the owners] that one day we’ll look back on this renovation and think about how small it was, compared to where we want to go,” said Nelson, “We’re growing so fast.”
Nelson said that it took about a year of talks and visits to convince the owners to take the financial risk to sign on for the necessary construction loans. Over the course of the renovation the owners were taking turns visiting the site almost every month. The completion of this round of renovations is only the beginning.
“We’re just getting started, we haven’t arrived. This isn’t like we’re done, glorious—it’s from here on out we just keep getting bigger,” said Nelson, “The next steps are to utilize the rest of the springs.”
Grand Re-Opening marks historical largest single day sales for Crystal Hot Springs
February 21, 2018 • Loni Newby • Associate editor
Crystal Hot Springs celebrated their Grand Re-Opening on Saturday, February 17, in the largest sales day in their history. Among the crowds of locals, tourists, the four overseas owners and a special group considered to be the heart of the hot springs: 230 members of current and former staff some of which were on staff up to eight years ago.
“It was just kind of fun to have them all back together, they all have kids now. They all have husbands or wives. It was fun to get together to tell all the old stories,” said General Manager, Adam Nelson.
The co-owners Tae Suk Yun, Chin Woo Lee, Joon kill and Dong Won Sohn, who operate under Crystal Hot Springs and Development Group, were also present for the grand opening. Nelson has had a hand in all aspects of the upgrades, and has been an integral part of turning around what was once considered a lost cause for the owners, foreign investors who took a loss on the first 14 years of ownership since 1998. The growth since the first year of profitability has been immeasurable. Nelson has seen the staff grow from seven members to 60 staffers, with plans to bring on 10 more new hires next week.
Among the renovations are a new lodge building featuring updated bathroom and changing facilities, upgrades to handicap accessibility, perks like heated sidewalks between pools and the focal feature “The Crystal Cavern” a new pool area designed for sitting on the ground for adults and being child-friendly, the highlight of the space is a large waterfall cavern feature.
The entrance features a large open foyer with a gift shop filled with convenience store snacks, themed and branded merchandise, as well as handy items which are often forgotten like flip flops, Chapstick and soap. The 10 foot wide ramp hallway features enlarged photos of Crystal Hot Springs history.
“I told them [the owners] that one day we’ll look back on this renovation and think about how small it was, compared to where we want to go,” said Nelson, “We’re growing so fast.”
Nelson said that it took about a year of talks and visits to convince the owners to take the financial risk to sign on for the necessary construction loans. Over the course of the renovation the owners were taking turns visiting the site almost every month. The completion of this round of renovations is only the beginning.
“We’re just getting started, we haven’t arrived. This isn’t like we’re done, glorious—it’s from here on out we just keep getting bigger,” said Nelson, “The next steps are to utilize the rest of the springs.”
Youth of the Year spends time on Capitol Hill in Salt Lake City
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February 21, 2018
Youth of the Year Ember Gonsalves is seen to the left of the blue sign posing with civic leaders from her community at the State Capitol.
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The Boys and Girls Club of Northern Utah named Ember Gonsalves to be their Youth of the Year candidate for 2018. Ember has volunteered thousands of hours at her Clubhouse in Brigham City, and she mentors many of the younger kids. Ember loves sports despite suffering from severe asthma and scoliosis. Five months after stepping into a pool, she became the youngest varsity swimmer at Box Elder High School. Ember excels at computers and gaming and hopes to go into computer sciences after high school.
Ember participated in the Boys & Girls Club Utah State Youth of the Year competition on February 7 and 8. This is the second win for Ember as Youth of the Year on a local level. For over 70 years, the Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Year program has honored and celebrated the nation’s most inspiring teens and their incredible stories, through the Youth of the Year Scholarship Program. Jenny Schulze, Chief of Operations said, “Ember embodies the values of leadership, service, academic success and healthy lifestyle; she exemplifies the impact of Boys & Girls Clubs on the lives of young people” |
Joy and Steve Peabody are still dancing together in their living room and on the ballroom floor after all these years.
BC couple met at a Valentine’s Dance, remain in step over the years
February 14, 2018 • Hailey Hendricks • Staff writer
Steve and Joy Peabody have been dancing with each other for the last 65 years. The couple met on Valentine’s Day at a stake dance for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in St. Anthony, Idaho.
“She was a good dancer and I always loved to dance and we danced together most of the night,” Steve said. “At the dance, they had a drawing for king and queen of the ball and she got drawn as queen and I got drawn as the king.”
“Our story kind of sounds like a fairytale,” Joy said. “It wasn’t anything we really planned on, and when it does happen, why, it’s an exciting thing, you know.”
Steve said the following weekend after the dance, he took Joy out on a date and shortly after, they began dating. The next year in June of 1956, they were married.
“To really think we connected because he’s a really good dancer and I like to dance, it somehow just worked out,” Joy said.
While growing up, the Peabodys said they watched both of their parents share a love for dancing with one another.
“At home, we did a lot of dancing for entertainment,” Joy said.
“My parents always loved to dance. And in fact, they met at a dance,” Steve said.
Their parents’ love for dancing has made the last 65 years enjoyable for the Peabodys.
“We’ve really felt blessed that our health has allowed us to continue doing this,” Joy said. “I hope forever…I think it’s helped our relationship when we get out and go dancing together.”
The Peabodys said dancing is still one of their favorite things to do together as they enjoy going to community dances and meeting people, too. Every third Saturday of the month, they said they like to attend a pot luck dinner and dance in North Ogden.
But while at home, they said dancing has helped them to stay close throughout the years.
“Once in a while, we would have the radio on and there would be a song on that we would go into the living room and dance to,” Joy said.
“Yeah, that used to be our entertainment when we were younger,” Steve said, “so we still use it as entertainment.”
Being able to share their common love for dancing, Joy said it’s important for all couples to be able to find something they enjoy together.
“If both of you like to do the same thing, like fishing, then you know, you go fishing,” Joy said. “And it’s something that I think helps with one another because you’re doing something that you both like.”
Today, on Valentine’s Day, Steve and Joy will be dancing at Maple Springs Assisted and Independent Living Center.
BC couple met at a Valentine’s Dance, remain in step over the years
February 14, 2018 • Hailey Hendricks • Staff writer
Steve and Joy Peabody have been dancing with each other for the last 65 years. The couple met on Valentine’s Day at a stake dance for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in St. Anthony, Idaho.
“She was a good dancer and I always loved to dance and we danced together most of the night,” Steve said. “At the dance, they had a drawing for king and queen of the ball and she got drawn as queen and I got drawn as the king.”
“Our story kind of sounds like a fairytale,” Joy said. “It wasn’t anything we really planned on, and when it does happen, why, it’s an exciting thing, you know.”
Steve said the following weekend after the dance, he took Joy out on a date and shortly after, they began dating. The next year in June of 1956, they were married.
“To really think we connected because he’s a really good dancer and I like to dance, it somehow just worked out,” Joy said.
While growing up, the Peabodys said they watched both of their parents share a love for dancing with one another.
“At home, we did a lot of dancing for entertainment,” Joy said.
“My parents always loved to dance. And in fact, they met at a dance,” Steve said.
Their parents’ love for dancing has made the last 65 years enjoyable for the Peabodys.
“We’ve really felt blessed that our health has allowed us to continue doing this,” Joy said. “I hope forever…I think it’s helped our relationship when we get out and go dancing together.”
The Peabodys said dancing is still one of their favorite things to do together as they enjoy going to community dances and meeting people, too. Every third Saturday of the month, they said they like to attend a pot luck dinner and dance in North Ogden.
But while at home, they said dancing has helped them to stay close throughout the years.
“Once in a while, we would have the radio on and there would be a song on that we would go into the living room and dance to,” Joy said.
“Yeah, that used to be our entertainment when we were younger,” Steve said, “so we still use it as entertainment.”
Being able to share their common love for dancing, Joy said it’s important for all couples to be able to find something they enjoy together.
“If both of you like to do the same thing, like fishing, then you know, you go fishing,” Joy said. “And it’s something that I think helps with one another because you’re doing something that you both like.”
Today, on Valentine’s Day, Steve and Joy will be dancing at Maple Springs Assisted and Independent Living Center.
After a valiant year of struggling for survival Valley is celebrating her first birthday along with friends and family. At the right of the frame she is seen alongside a NICU photograph taken when she was delivered as a micropremie.
Family of miracle baby want to return the favor with fundraising 5K
February 14, 2018 • Marjorie Anderson • Staff writer
In the spirit of Giving Back and Paying It Forward, and in celebration of their daughter Valley Elizabeth’s first birthday, Brooke and Wes Thompson are organizing a 5K Walk/Run Fundraiser.
During her pregnancy, Brooke developed HELLP syndrome, a condition caused by extremely high blood pressure and elevated liver enzymes. This life-threatening condition determined that the baby should be delivered by C-section as quickly as possible.
Valley was born on January 26, 2017, at only 25 weeks gestation weighing 1 lb. 11 oz. A typical pregnancy lasts approximately 40 weeks so Valley was born over three month early. She was considered a micro preemie which refers to a baby who is born weighing less than 1 lb. 12 oz. and/or is born before 26 weeks gestation.
While babies born at 25 weeks have a 75% to 85% survival rate, the seriousness for both baby and mother is substantial. Valley stayed in the NICU at McKay-Dee Hospital for three months while her body developed and doctors carefully monitored her progress. The Thompsons chose the name Valley for their daughter because the name Val means strong.
The Thompsons are grateful for family and friends who contributed emotional support as well as set up accounts at a local credit union to help defray the initial and ongoing costs of caring for a premature infant. They also credit the hospital staff for making a difficult situation a very positive experience.
“The NICU has a special spirit,” said Brooke. “It is a place where miracles happen.” Some of the important lessons she learned while going through such a stressful ordeal are to “stay positive, cherish every day, and appreciate the good things you have.”
In recognition of Valley’s first birthday and her remarkable progress, the Thompson’s talked to McKay-Dee’s NICU manager and the social worker about organizing a fundraiser to help another family. The NICU manager will choose a family whose baby was born at 25 weeks or who was born because the mother had HELLP syndrome. 100% of the proceeds of the race will go to the family.
The race will be held on March 10, and starts/finishes at Box Elder High School’s track (park in the east parking lot and enter the track through east gates).
The cost is $25 which includes a T-shirt. Register by February 25, to receive a T-shirt at the race. Those registering after that date will receive their T-shirt later.
The race starts at 8:30 a.m. but it is requested that runners/walkers arrive at 8 a.m. to check in and receive their T-shirts.
To register go to “The Littlest Valley 5K” event on Facebook and click on the ink under “Details.” There is also a link to Valley’s story on Facebook.
Family of miracle baby want to return the favor with fundraising 5K
February 14, 2018 • Marjorie Anderson • Staff writer
In the spirit of Giving Back and Paying It Forward, and in celebration of their daughter Valley Elizabeth’s first birthday, Brooke and Wes Thompson are organizing a 5K Walk/Run Fundraiser.
During her pregnancy, Brooke developed HELLP syndrome, a condition caused by extremely high blood pressure and elevated liver enzymes. This life-threatening condition determined that the baby should be delivered by C-section as quickly as possible.
Valley was born on January 26, 2017, at only 25 weeks gestation weighing 1 lb. 11 oz. A typical pregnancy lasts approximately 40 weeks so Valley was born over three month early. She was considered a micro preemie which refers to a baby who is born weighing less than 1 lb. 12 oz. and/or is born before 26 weeks gestation.
While babies born at 25 weeks have a 75% to 85% survival rate, the seriousness for both baby and mother is substantial. Valley stayed in the NICU at McKay-Dee Hospital for three months while her body developed and doctors carefully monitored her progress. The Thompsons chose the name Valley for their daughter because the name Val means strong.
The Thompsons are grateful for family and friends who contributed emotional support as well as set up accounts at a local credit union to help defray the initial and ongoing costs of caring for a premature infant. They also credit the hospital staff for making a difficult situation a very positive experience.
“The NICU has a special spirit,” said Brooke. “It is a place where miracles happen.” Some of the important lessons she learned while going through such a stressful ordeal are to “stay positive, cherish every day, and appreciate the good things you have.”
In recognition of Valley’s first birthday and her remarkable progress, the Thompson’s talked to McKay-Dee’s NICU manager and the social worker about organizing a fundraiser to help another family. The NICU manager will choose a family whose baby was born at 25 weeks or who was born because the mother had HELLP syndrome. 100% of the proceeds of the race will go to the family.
The race will be held on March 10, and starts/finishes at Box Elder High School’s track (park in the east parking lot and enter the track through east gates).
The cost is $25 which includes a T-shirt. Register by February 25, to receive a T-shirt at the race. Those registering after that date will receive their T-shirt later.
The race starts at 8:30 a.m. but it is requested that runners/walkers arrive at 8 a.m. to check in and receive their T-shirts.
To register go to “The Littlest Valley 5K” event on Facebook and click on the ink under “Details.” There is also a link to Valley’s story on Facebook.
Brigham City family donates big game trophy collection to USU
February 7, 2018 • Loni Newby • Associate editor
Miriam Mason is donating the collection of big and small game from the collection of her late husband, Jerry Mason, which took decades of hunting to acquire. The extensive collection includes all 25 big game species in the North America, as well as many fowl and fish.
Terry Mesmer, Professor and Extension Wildlife Specialist in the Department of Wildland Resources said that the College of Natural Resources at Utah State University, is ecstatic that in about 60 days, following a quarantine period, there will be a dedication of a museum where the collection will be featured. The collection will be up close and personal where observers can truly grasp the scale and detail of the pieces. They can get a true sense of the animal itself, each piece will have a story that goes with it. The story of the hunt contributed to the conservation efforts that make each animal be able to survive and thrive in their habitats. They require support and a lot of that support comes from hunters who are glad to pay for the support of not only game species but all species. It provides that money that’s important for making sure that these animals will continue to thrive, that their habitats will continue to support them and a lot of these habitats are important for people also.
“Jerry Mason has had a long interest in the role of hunting and conservation. This collection shows that. Every one of these animals has a story behind it,” said Mesmer, “The animals are phenomenal, the taxidermy is phenomenal.”
Mesmer said that this collection will be used as a teaching museum for young people, and for the community, to come in and learn about the lives of these animals. The museum will be dedicated to understanding how hunting has helped to conserve the habitat but also that habitat conservation is really key to having these species survive.
“I’m just happy to Utah State for taking them and displaying them, where they will be seen and people can learn about them,” said Miriam Mason, who is grateful that this will reflect all of the efforts her husband has made not only in hunting but also his many efforts toward conservancy.
Jerry Mason contributed to preservation and protection of wildlife habitat, particularly wetlands. He served in multiple volunteer roles, including serving as Chairman of the Utah Wildlife Federation the Division of Wildlife’s Big Game Board, and local economic development committees. His hand played a role in the Utah Black Bear Management Plan, Utah Cougar Management Plan and with the Utah Wolf Working Group and made proposals for deer and elk population management. He worked in conjunction with the DWR in creating long term plans for big game with aims to balance predator populations with deer and elk populations, to provide hunting opportunities for families and groups, and to encourage youth participation in big game hunting.
Jerry Mason held several records, 13 of the pieces donated were noted in at least one record book. The Alaska-Yukon Moose record is shared with Jim Shockey who also killed an identical bull in the Yukon Territory that scored 224 5⁄8 inches. Mason’s bull required five shots to bring down, and he had some very anxious and tense moments doing it.
According to his obituary, he measured countless trophies of fellow hunters for the big game record books. He loved exploring the outdoors and enjoyed sharing his passion by organizing trips and expeditions with family, friends, and local scouting groups. The last two decades of his life he maintained a section of the High Line trail system in the Uintah Mountains, bringing many different friends and family members into the wilderness as part of annual maintenance excursions.
He first took interest in hunting in 1959, when his family relocated from California to Brigham City, according to Miriam Mason. Jerry began work for Thiokol Corporation. Over the next 26 years he worked in engineering and management positions including Director of Operations, General Manager and Senior Vice President of Thiokol’s Wasatch Plant before his resignation in 1986.
Mason was an avid hunter, angler, and outdoorsman. He hunted and fished extensively throughout North America, and gathered a significant collection of big and small game animals and prior to his sudden death in 2004 plans were already in the works to donate his trophies for permanent display at USU, that goal is now coming to fruition.
February 7, 2018 • Loni Newby • Associate editor
Miriam Mason is donating the collection of big and small game from the collection of her late husband, Jerry Mason, which took decades of hunting to acquire. The extensive collection includes all 25 big game species in the North America, as well as many fowl and fish.
Terry Mesmer, Professor and Extension Wildlife Specialist in the Department of Wildland Resources said that the College of Natural Resources at Utah State University, is ecstatic that in about 60 days, following a quarantine period, there will be a dedication of a museum where the collection will be featured. The collection will be up close and personal where observers can truly grasp the scale and detail of the pieces. They can get a true sense of the animal itself, each piece will have a story that goes with it. The story of the hunt contributed to the conservation efforts that make each animal be able to survive and thrive in their habitats. They require support and a lot of that support comes from hunters who are glad to pay for the support of not only game species but all species. It provides that money that’s important for making sure that these animals will continue to thrive, that their habitats will continue to support them and a lot of these habitats are important for people also.
“Jerry Mason has had a long interest in the role of hunting and conservation. This collection shows that. Every one of these animals has a story behind it,” said Mesmer, “The animals are phenomenal, the taxidermy is phenomenal.”
Mesmer said that this collection will be used as a teaching museum for young people, and for the community, to come in and learn about the lives of these animals. The museum will be dedicated to understanding how hunting has helped to conserve the habitat but also that habitat conservation is really key to having these species survive.
“I’m just happy to Utah State for taking them and displaying them, where they will be seen and people can learn about them,” said Miriam Mason, who is grateful that this will reflect all of the efforts her husband has made not only in hunting but also his many efforts toward conservancy.
Jerry Mason contributed to preservation and protection of wildlife habitat, particularly wetlands. He served in multiple volunteer roles, including serving as Chairman of the Utah Wildlife Federation the Division of Wildlife’s Big Game Board, and local economic development committees. His hand played a role in the Utah Black Bear Management Plan, Utah Cougar Management Plan and with the Utah Wolf Working Group and made proposals for deer and elk population management. He worked in conjunction with the DWR in creating long term plans for big game with aims to balance predator populations with deer and elk populations, to provide hunting opportunities for families and groups, and to encourage youth participation in big game hunting.
Jerry Mason held several records, 13 of the pieces donated were noted in at least one record book. The Alaska-Yukon Moose record is shared with Jim Shockey who also killed an identical bull in the Yukon Territory that scored 224 5⁄8 inches. Mason’s bull required five shots to bring down, and he had some very anxious and tense moments doing it.
According to his obituary, he measured countless trophies of fellow hunters for the big game record books. He loved exploring the outdoors and enjoyed sharing his passion by organizing trips and expeditions with family, friends, and local scouting groups. The last two decades of his life he maintained a section of the High Line trail system in the Uintah Mountains, bringing many different friends and family members into the wilderness as part of annual maintenance excursions.
He first took interest in hunting in 1959, when his family relocated from California to Brigham City, according to Miriam Mason. Jerry began work for Thiokol Corporation. Over the next 26 years he worked in engineering and management positions including Director of Operations, General Manager and Senior Vice President of Thiokol’s Wasatch Plant before his resignation in 1986.
Mason was an avid hunter, angler, and outdoorsman. He hunted and fished extensively throughout North America, and gathered a significant collection of big and small game animals and prior to his sudden death in 2004 plans were already in the works to donate his trophies for permanent display at USU, that goal is now coming to fruition.
