Life in San Juan

Precilla Romero celebrates 80th birthday

Precilla Romero recently celebrated her 80th birthday with a huge party. A huge thank you from this family for making Precilla’s 80th birthday so unforgettable. From the generous donations and to the delicious food! To see her surrounded by her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, sisters...

Nature-based school opening in Monument Valley

A new school is preparing to open in Monument Valley and the community is invited to help bring it to life. Life Mission School, a nonprofit K–12 microschool is expanding from Monticello to add a second campus in Monument Valley. The home of the new school is the former Seventh-day Adventist school...

Blanding Artist Kelly Pugh has created several murals in Blanding telling the history of the community. See more photos at sjrnews.com. Courtesy photo

Local artist paints murals telling the history, setting of Blanding

By Janet Wilcox Contributing Writer Many have heard of “painting the town red” but local artist Kelly Pugh is painting to preserve the history of Blanding in multiple colors! In the beginning of this journey, Lisa Carr wrote a grant requesting funds from Energy Fuels which would be used to...

A shootout with guns, horses and bows and arrows, is captured in an historic petroglyph along the San Juan River. See more photos at sjrnews.com. Courtesy photo

Historic Petroglyphs to be found along the San Juan River

By Andrew Gulliford Along the San Juan River, thousands of prehistoric petroglyphs from ancient Native cultures are written in stone. What is less common are historic glyphs, but in special places these stories on stone are carved on rock by Indigenous people. Those stories trace events as well as...

Hike the Spanish Trail with America 250

by Sally Jack Staff writer What was happening in San Juan County in the year 1776 while the Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence, and George Washington crossed the Delaware with his troops during the Revolutionary War? Dominguez and Escalante, the first known European explorers...

Local ballroom dance students did well at a recent competition in Alabama. Courtesy photo

Trophy for Chance to Dance ballroom team

by Dani Wilkins Contributing writer Four students of Chance to Dance Ballroom recently set out on an adventure across the country, flying from Cortez, CO to Huntsville, AL for the 2026 Southern States Showdown Ballroom Competition. Students were able to see beautiful Waltzes, sharp Tangos,...

Utah Food Bank looks for local support this week in food drive efforts

San Juan County residents have two opportunities this week to support the local Utah Food Bank. The Utah Food Bank Southeastern Distribution Center in Blanding serves residents in this corner of the state including at food pantries in Montezuma Creek and Monument Valley as well as at the Blanding...

San Juan County school teacher Steve Lovell. Courtesy photo

Wonderful teachers!

by Janet Wilcox and friends San Juan County has been blessed with hundreds of dedicated well trained and caring teachers since 1880. Issue 8 of Blue Mountain Shadows gives a detailed coverage of both superintendents and teachers who came to this isolated part of the state and made a...

“1776” is topic of community book group on February 17

By Sally Jack Contributing Writer The year 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and the founding of the United States of America. As a kickoff to the yearlong 2026 Celebration, Monticello’s America 250 Committee encourages all teens and adults in San...

Judge Lyon Hazleton has retired after serving the past 32 years as San Juan County Justice Court Judge. Courtesy photo

Judge Lyon Hazleton retires after 32 years

by Sally Jack Contributing Writer The Honorable Lyon Hazleton recently retired from the Bench after serving for over 32 years as San Juan County Justice Court Judge and 25 years in the Monticello City Justice Court. Judge Hazleton began working for the County in 1989 as a diesel mechanic. He was...