Death of a La Sal resident

NORTHERN NEWS
by Maxine Deeter
Sunday night, just about dusk, saw the two La Sal ambulances being dispatched to “the trailer court”.  Their lights were blinking red and blue, but there were no sirens. 
The report was that there was an unresponsive man. Unfortunately, we have to report the death of Marvin Hopkins, who has lived in La Sal for several years.  He is a familiar figure to many in our village.  He has several family members also living in La Sal. 
More details regarding his passing and memorial services will be forthcoming in the next few days.  Look for notices posted at the La Sal Store and Post Office.
I do believe that La Sal is jinxed, or maybe we are being punished for our wickedness.  We can’t seem to buy any moisture of late.  It seems Ma Nature is at her most capricious in the Spring. 
I came home from Monticello a couple of weeks ago, leaving in a snowstorm.  About the time I reached the northern city limits, the snow turned to rain.  I drove in rain all the way through Dry Valley.  I always chuckle at the irony of rain in Dry Valley. 
Heading to La Sal on Highway 46, I was pleased to see the rain still falling – until it suddenly stopped a few miles from home!  What the heck! 
The KSL weather app on my smarter-than-me phone had indicated we had an 80 percent chance of rain.  I think what we got that weekend was 80 drops.
Last week, another 80 percent chance of moisture suddenly morphed into not much of a percent chance of moisture.  Instead it predicted lots of wind – gusts up to 50 mph.  What! 
I was out of town for the weekend so missed the gusty stuff but evidence was around indicating yes, we’d had wind.  Neighbors confirmed that it felt like “gusts up to 50 mph”. 
Then the lights went out.  They were off for a couple of hours.  Even in La Sal, some folks panic without their electronic gadgets.  It’s okay; it’s a nice time to relax a little and maybe talk to each other. 
Let’s see, you can always talk about the weather.
La Sal does do some quirky things now and then.  We celebrate holidays on unusual days. 
Pioneer Day does not always get celebrated on the 24th of July.  Halloween is often not on October 31. 
Well, this year, La Sal is going to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo or should I say Siete de Mayo (that’s May 7 for you green-gos).  The cinco of Mayo (May 5) falls on a Thursday, so the fiesta will be Saturday instead. 
Come join the fun for a Mexican themed potluck.  Eatin’ to commence at 6:30ish, allowing for La Sal Standard Time.  Bring a dish to share.  There will be games for the family.  Last time this happened, the family entertainment was hilarious!  Should be a fun evening. 
The LDS Church is the venue, and everyone within the sound of my voice and beyond is more than welcome.  Would be nice to make some new friends.
The La Sal Literary Guild met this last Tuesday to discuss their latest read:  What She Left Behind by Ellen Marie Wiseman.  This is about the most depressing book we’ve read so far.  We kept asking each other if it ever got any better or happier.  Nope. 
Set in the mid-1930s, the main character is an 18-year-old young woman whose father sends her to a mental institution after she defies him about an arranged marriage.  The conditions in these institutions were beyond horrible. 
Her parents are tragically killed soon thereafter, and she spends the next three decades still in the institution.   
There is a second counter-story set in the 1960s as another 18 year old girl, who is in foster care, investigates the now closed institution by cataloging the contents of the suitcases the inmates brought with them to the mental facility. 
Her story is also depressing, as she finds herself the new girl at high school and is bullied. 
Nope, it never got happy.  Our next read should be non-fiction.   I just hope it has some Happy, Happy, Happy to it!  
Since this meeting fell in the time warp between my writing this column and you reading it, all I can say is that I’m sure we still had a good time and there was definitely food!
Also falling into the time warp was the very encouraging, lots of moisture for Sierra La Sal – both rain and the “S” word weather forecast on my the phone app.  Wonder if we really did get any wet stuff or if we just got lots of wind.