Life in San Juan

San Juan County Fair begins on Saturday

The 2020 San Juan County Fair, themed “In An Uncertain Year, Your Fair Family’s Here,” begins this Saturday, August 1 and runs through Saturday, August 8. “Uncertain” is truly an understatement in 2020. Fair organizer Anna Fredericks said, “It’s my 20th fair and it’s going to be the weirdest one,...

Monticello ready for a Pioneer Day celebration

The city and San Juan Chamber of Commerce will host the annual Pioneer Day Celebration Friday and Saturday, July 24 and 25. Although COVID-19 has put a bit of a damper on the event, there will still be plenty of fun to be had and a host of familiar events to enjoy. It all kicks off at the...

Uncanny similarities between 1918 and 2020

Dear Editor: In doing history for my father, I came across the attached in “Monticello Journal: A History until 1937,” by Harold and Fay Muhlestein. It was Deja Vu to me. The similarities between the 1918 flu and COVID-19 are uncanny, especially how hard the Navajo Nation was and is affected. “...

Fourth of July 2020

Images of “Free to Be Me” Fourth of July celebrations in Blanding. When the city was unable to sponsor the traditional annual event due to COVID-19 restrictions, Blanding residents and businesses banded together to organize their own festivities. Chalk art photo by Daniel Jolley; all other photos...

San Juan County Fair on schedule to open August 1 in Monticello

The theme of the 2020 San Juan County Fair is “In An Uncertain Year, Your Fair Family’s Here.” It will be the twentieth county fair Anna Fredericks has organized. It will also be the most different county fair she has organized. Part of the challenge, Fredericks said, has been simply getting word...

Fourth of July to be honored in Blanding

by Rhett Sifford Staff writer A group of Blanding residents and businesses, led by Toniee Lewis, have banded together to organize a private event that will celebrate American freedom, stand against a loss of freedom, and ensure that a big Fourth of July party won’t be missing in Blanding this year...

Aaron Butler scholarship winners named

The Aaron Butler Memorial Award of Excellence has been presented to Rianna Shumway and Dillon Slack of Monticello High School, along with $1,500 each. Laura and Randy Butler presented the award, inspired by their son, Staff Sergeant Aaron Rhett Butler (Army Special Forces), who was killed in action...

Blanding City Council cancels Fourth of July events

After a lengthy discussion and input from legal counsel and health officials, the Blanding City Council voted 3-2 to cancel the 2020 Independence Day events sponsored by the city. Councilmembers Logan Monson and Cheryl Bowers voted against the measure. Much discussion centered around the...

Traditional Memorial Day Sunrise Service at Blanding Cemetery is presented via video

Two men sought for shooting at officers in Aneth

Two Aneth area residents are sought by a variety of law enforcement agencies after shots were fired at law enforcement officers from a home in Aneth. Gary Lee Jr and Cecil Vigil, both in their late 30s, are the subject of a massive search in the area. Officers were preparing to serve a warrant for...