"Be Nice" Revival -- Following Divisiveness in Meetings Bear Essentials 8/30/2019

Life Beyond the Wasatch Front

~~ Incendiary Provocations Close Doors, Undermine Bridge Building

~~ Election Integrity: America's Biggest Issue

~~ New York Times Trying to Rewrite History to Fit Its Biases

~~ Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Loves to Hate the Electoral College

~~Massive Rock Fall in Zions Injures Three Hikers

~~ Commissioners United in Ending Lawsuit Concerning Redistricting

~~ Two Town Hall Meetings held Recently: Monticello and Mexican Water

    The objective and balanced reporting in this KUER article is appreciated.

~~ New Dinosaur Dig South of White Mesa  KUER

"Just south of Blanding, researchers are excavating seven giant dinosaur vertebrae. They are part of a 70-foot-long diplodocus skeleton that will be on display at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County."

~~ Patagonia Shame Patch/ Public Lands Council 

     The Public Lands Council iron-on clothing patches are designed to cover the logo on Patagonia merchandise and cure “Patagonia Shame.” These patches were developed in response to the profit-driven marketing efforts of multinational retail corporation Patagonia, who promoted false claims about national monuments in the wake of the recent decision to appropriately scale Bears Ears and Grand-Staircase Escalante.

Visit http://publiclandscouncil.org/ to get your patch today!

~~ Gavin Noyes Claims Concerning Cultural and Political Divide: 

 "The issue is that the white people live in the north, and the Native American people live in the south, and those are two different worlds that don’t interact."

~~ Accusations from M. Maryboy Fly in the Face of Open Meeting Concept

  Quotes from Mark Mayboy's rant at Aug. 23 meeting, Mexican Water Chapter House 

Here are a few moments from Mark Maryboy's unprovoked rant at the Mexican Water chapter of the Navajo Nation Aug 23 during a town-hall meeting (comments were directed at a handful of San Juan County residents – of group members only one was male, several were Navajo – who drove down from the northern part of county).

Maryboy was scheduled to talk about water rights at the meeting, according to its agenda (below). He went off script. Two reporters were there – Zak Podmore, from The Salt Lake Tribune, and Kate Groetzinger, from KUER radio in Salt Lake City. Both have access to national media. It's likely Maryboy knew they were there and would report his every word.

Maryboy is a board member of the Salt Lake City-based activist group Utah Dine Bikeyah and Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance and a long-time advocate of creation of Bears Ears National Monument. He's been quoted extensively as an authoritative source in hundreds of regional and national reports published by the nation's most prominent news outlets.

* Navajos on the BLM's Bears Ears advisory committee are "tame Indians" just trying to get something from "white Mormons."

* To a questioner who suggested she and Maryboy might be related through an aunt: "She's too ugly to be related to me."

* “All I can say is that you have an idiot aunt,” Maryboy used that adjective several times.

* A question on November's ballot about possibly changing the way county commissioners are selected came from "racist Mormons from Blanding and Monticello."

* The petition was pandering to "illiterate" Navajos.

* “Red-neck Mormons is what they are … They are probably all members of the Ku Klux Klan.”

* “Which part of the Ku Klux Klan do you belong to?”

* “If they don’t let the Navajos (govern) … all I can say is go back to Missouri where you came from.”

~~ Zak Podmore's SL Trib's Version of the Mexican Water Meeting Aug 21

Response by Nicole Perkins after reading his article: " 

"I didn't know that Zak was a such an adept gymnast. He has really mastered those backflips and somersaults, twists and handsprings as he carefully danced and twirled his way oh so delicately around Mark and his rantings. Fascinating performance with quick turnabouts as he savagely painted a red target on the back of a Navajo lady with such masterly, dastardly precision. I give it a 10 for his fairytale performance but sadly a 1 for actual journalism."

~~ Worsening Road Conditions on the Navajo Reservation

~~ Is Johnny Depp's "Sauvage" Perfume Ad Appropriate Use of Sacred Land?

~~"Facebook Bias Regarding Conservative Views, Alive and Well"

~~ Hikers Have Adverse Effect on Elk

~~ SL Tribune Gehrke Spews Racist Remarks about San Juan County

          Does this look like San Juan County is Racist? We (Hispanic, Navajo, Anglo, Ute) all joined together in 2016 because of what was being done to us and our county because of Pres. Obama's excessive declaration of a 1.9 M acre Nat'l Park...7/27/2016 Senator Lee and other State officials spoke and people from all walks of life, and cultures spoke and were listened to.

~~ Old News in case you missed it: Conservation in the West/ Nat'l Geographic Article: 

“It is encouraging and inspiring to see Congress renew America’s long, bipartisan tradition of conserving lands, wildlife, and waters, bolstering rural economies, and guaranteeing public access to the outdoors for the enjoyment of all,” said Molly McUsic, president of the Wyss Foundation, whose founder the Jackson Hole, Wyoming-based businessman Hansjörg Wyss announced last autumn that he was giving $1 billion to the cause of conservation. Wyss and McUsic are hopeful that strong support for the Dingell Act might serve as a wakeup to the Trump administration in realizing that environmental protection is a winning position. This passed in March, and affected several parts of Utah

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Description/Agenda: SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING Sept. 3, 2019

ADMINISTRATION BUILDING - COMMISSION ROOM
AGENDA

  9:00 A.M. Work Meeting

1. San Juan Stampede Update - Karah Nay, Rodeo Director
2. Review of Draft Agreement between the Bureau of Land Management and San Juan County regarding law enforcement services - Sheriff Torgerson
3. Briefing regarding a possible request for a Library Fund tax increase for 2020 - Pat Smith, Library Director
4. Review a request to purchase a truck for the Public Works Department - Ben Mussselman, Public Works Director
5. Discuss contract modifications with the U.S. Forest Service regarding cattle guard installation and certain road treatments - Ben Musselman, Public Works Director
6. Discuss a resolution authorizing outside legal counsel to file cross-appeals to 2019 appeals filed by taxpayers subject to central assessment - Kendall Laws, SJC Attorney
7. Discussion of a possible employee compensation study - David Everitt, SJC Interim Administrator
8. Follow up Discussion of a resolution regarding oil and gas leasing on Bureau of Land Management lands near Hovenweep National Monument - David Everitt, SJC Interim Administrator
9. Updates - Jerry McNeely, SJC Liason
10. Public lands updates - Nick Sandberg, SJC Planning

11:00 A.M. Commission Meeting

1. Approval of minutes - August 6, 2019
2. Citizens' comments to the commission* (Please complete the request form - available at the door)
3. Accept the 2018 financial audit findings - Jon Haderlie, Larsen and Company
4. Approve new pay schedule for sworn officers in the Sheriff's Office - Jason Torgerson, SJC Sheriff
5. Approve the Public Works Department truck purchase -Ben Musselman, SJC Public Works Director
6. Approve contract modifications with U.S. Forest Service regarding cattle guard installation and certain road treatments - Ben Musselman, SJC Public Works Director
7. Out of State Travel - Paige Wray, USU Extension
8. Approve a letter of support for a SITLA range improvement project - Nick Sandberg, SJC Planning
9. ADOPTION BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF SAN JUAN COUNTY, ACTING AS THE GOVERNING BOARD OF MEXICAN HAT SPECIAL SERVICE DISTRICT, OF A PARAMETERS RESOLUTION RELATING TO THE ISSUANCE BY MEXICAN HAT SPECIAL SERVICE DISTRICT OF A WATER REVENUE AND REFUNDING BOND IN AN AMOUNT OF NOT TO EXCEED $200,000 AND CALLING FOR A PUBLIC HEARING RELATING THERETO
10. Approve a resolution authorizing outside legal counsel to file cross appeals to 2019 appeals filed by taxpayers subject to central assessment - Kendall Laws, SJC Attorney
11. Approve a resolution regarding oil and gas leasing on Bureau of Land Management lands near Hovenweep National Monument - David Everitt, SJC Interim Administrator
12. Commission Reports
13. Executive session to discuss pending or imminent litigation
14. Approve resolution designating individuals to participate in mediation on behalf of the Commission with regard to attorneys' fees owed to the Navajo Nation

Bear Essentials Sent Oct. 23

Beyond Bears Ears 10-23-16

There have been lots of significant events in the Bears Ears Monument fight the past few weeks.

--Last week I emailed you the full 85 page advisory document relative to illegalities should  a designation be implemented.  I hope you’ve read and shared it.  This should be a game changer. If you didn’t get it, let me know.

-- Mail in ballots are out now.  Please study all candidates carefully before you vote. Hopefully Trump’s Gettysburg platform will be a game changer, if you’re sitting on the fence.  With Supreme Court Judges pending, we can’t afford to gamble on independent “wanna be’s”. 

Read full coverage of the speech:

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865665427/My-view-Republicans-must-unite-behind-the-party7s-nominee.html?pg=all

--The Controversial State land sales involving 391 acres of State School Trust lands, turned out quite differently than any of us expected.  Hole in the Rock Foundation was outbid, once it passed $300,000.  So it was between the Environmental Conservancy group and Lyman Family farms.  The conservancy group dropped out at $485,000, and LFF got it for $500,000.  Definitely a dark horse winner, but one with whom we hope the Hole in the Rock Foundation will be able to work.  Read News Story

-- The fall out the Conservation Lands Foundation worried about in 2013, is starting to happen.  CLF had discussed what would happen if the native collation they created started disagreeing with the CLF’s “manipulative” plans.  Secretary Jewell has had to contend with Willie Grey Eyes several times already, as he feels the Navajo Tribe needs even a stronger say in “managing” a new National Monument.  Related News Story

--Two UTE members of the Pro-Monument Coalition were not re-elected  (Read Story)  to council positions, so now they don’t really represent the Utes. Will CLF continue to pay them as “consultants?

--Washington County Commissioners have officially thrown their support to San Juan County.

--Maybe the articles we’ve been sending over to SW Utah, have helped.  It is also good to comment on line when opposing views are published.  Our voices need to be heard, but don’t sink to the level of nastiness you’ll find there.  Think of Blue Mountain, and take the high road. https://beyondthebears.blogspot.com/2016/10/national-trust-of-historic-preservation.html

--Steve Lovell and Adell recently wrote a good article about the history of scouting on Blue Mountain, which would surely be in jeopardy if a Monument is designated.  Here’s a short segment of it, with the full essay is attached.  

“Public land is a MUST for operating this scouting program.  But it continues to be swallowed up by National Parks and Monuments which are not scout friendly.  Scouts are young boys who are learning how to conduct themselves in public places; they are often rowdy and not pleasant to be around.  It is a time in their lives that they make mistakes and need correction.  Many of these boys come from dysfunctional families.  Scouting is the only place that some of them learn the valuable lessons of how to behave in public.  It is an excellent time for a trained adult role model to have the opportunity to make positive changes in a young man’s life that will prevent him from becoming a juvenile delinquent. Too many young men die in violent crimes every day. Scouting helps prevent such tragedies.

During an era when gang violence, and rebellion against civil authority runs rampant, we are operating a program that teaches the exact opposite behavior to 88,435 boys.  Environmental groups are declaring they want to save the land for future generations.  To a twelve-year-old boy the future is now. They need outdoor experiences NOW if they are going to learn to be the kind of citizens that we can enjoy living with in the future. Investing in Scouting has lifelong benefits.”  No one knows better that these two how valuable our mountain is to the scouting program.

Byron Clarke and Shawn Begay two of the Blue Mt. Dine' Leaders

--With all that in mind, I encourage you to not give up.  Keep stirring the pot, get our message out to the world.  Think big, have faith, pray often, and doors will open. Thank you for your help.   (Please remember Shawn Begay in your prayers.  He is one of our freedom fighters, who is suffering from severe arthritis; he’s not even 40.)  

--Also, please write your family’s story related to the land of San Juan, so it can be uploaded to show the world your involvement and stewardship of this place we call San Juan.  View others stories at http://www.savebearsears.com/   Call me if you have questions. 678-2851

--I try to keep a running log of current articles and news directly related to the Bears Ears issues.  Read updates on: https://beyondthebears.blogspot.com