Life in San Juan

Quarantine madness

Day 27 of COVID19 Quarantine. The madness has begun. Sure, initially I felt like I had won the lottery. I was working from home – my dream job. But now I’m not so sure. I found out that there’s a woman who lives in my house; she says she’s my wife and she thinks she’s the boss of everything. I...

San Juan Hill recreated in a beautiful carving by Bluff Fort Service Missionary Jerry Allred

As the Mormon pioneers who went through the Hole-in-the-Rock from 1879 to 1880 drew near to their final destination in southeastern Utah, they encountered a formidable barrier known as Comb Ridge. They had already descended down through the Hole-in-the Rock to the Colorado River, blasted roads...

Muhlestein Greenhouse offers keys to plant a successful Victory Garden

With stay-at-home orders issued amid a worldwide pandemic, now is the perfect time to grow a garden. Gardens offer a reason to get outside, grow fresh produce full of flavor, save money, take fewer trips to the grocery store, and even improve mental health. Gardening during uncertain times is a...

Six local dispatchers honored for efforts during pandemic and beyond

“It’s kind of like being the Secret Santa. You don’t know them and they don’t know you, but you know you’ve made a difference,” said Alicia Gallegos of her job as a dispatcher for San Juan County Public Safety. Dispatchers serve a vital role in providing emergency services for citizens of San Juan...

COVID-19 brings food bank crisis to county

There is a dire need for food assistance in San Juan County with the onset of the COVID-19 crisis. The Blanding City Mobile Food Bank reports it had double the requests for food than it normally receives on the monthly delivery date on April 9. Cars were backed up past Yaks Cafe and many families...

Travel declaration form sent to cellphones in cars on Highway 191

SEE UPDATE HERE Officials claim early success during the first day travelers to Utah were asked to complete a COVID-19 travel declaration form when entering the state. “This is very preliminary, but the results seem positive,” said John Gleason, of the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) late...

COVID-19 causing widespread social disruption in San Juan County

The worldwide pandemic triggered by the COVID-19 virus has disrupted life in San Juan County and beyond. In addition to the enormous economic, education, and health care impacts, the distancing required by the public health response has had enormous social impacts. Religious communities generally...

San Juan County grocers navigate the minefield of COVID-19

“Make it stop!” That’s Craig Stanley’s response to the COVID-19 coronavirus craziness, and you can hear virtually every voice in San Juan County echoing the sentiment. Stanley, manager of Clark’s Market in Blanding, says his team is working hard and is tired, but they are doing everything they can...

Food bank provides assistance to the area

Estimates are that nearly one in five San Juan County residents face hunger every day. One quarter of children may not know where their next meal is coming from. The number of San Juan County residents facing hunger is much higher than national and statewide averages, reports the Utah Food Bank....

Traders, agents, weavers in book by McPherson

Local author Bob McPherson has recently published the history Traders, Agents, and Weavers: Developing the Northern Navajo Region (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2020). The book centers around the story of Navajo economic and cultural development through the testimonies of traders,...