2019 -- Times are a Changin' -- Bear Essentials and More

News in the West

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Utahans Will Pay more for Gas and Out of State Purchases in 2019

Normally, most citizens  believe we are already taxed enough as we pay for government services which are often antiquated, ineffective, and most often wasteful; however, when it comes to lost tax revenues which  affect our San Juan County Schools, I believe out-of-county shopping has been a great detriment to our schools, our teachers, and the services provided to our children.  

I know many people who prefer to drive 160 miles to Walmart, rather than support local stores. Thus they give those taxes to Colorado schools and agencies. Nor does Amazon and  other on-line services share any of their wealth with anyone in San Juan County. If we want a thriving economy in San Juan, without more businesses closing, we need to shop locally first.  Then, and only then, should we shop out of county, or at Amazon, or any other on-line business. Jeff Bezos has no interest nor concern about lack of services, personnel or materials in our schools.  I think requiring the collection and payment of out of state sales tax revenues to San Juan County is a good thing.  JW

Senator Graham Gives Warning to Mitt Romney

Utah Congressmen Push to Keep Nat'l Parks Open

Tribute to Mancos Times:  Renewal Project

Old News:  Opening of Bluff Bears Ears Visitor's Center Free Press

Suit Challenges Willie Greyeyes' Candidacy                 

The 15-page complaint filed with the court, claims, “Mr. Grayeyes is a resident of the state of Arizona, not of the state of Utah, thus he is ineligible to run for, or serve, as a San Juan County Commissioner.” 

The 15-page complaint filed with the court claims, “Mr. Grayeyes is a resident of the state of Arizona, not of the state of Utah, thus he is ineligible to run for, or serve, as a San Juan County Commissioner.” 

The 15-page complaint filed with the court claims, “Mr. Grayeyes is a resident of the state of Arizona, not of the state of Utah, thus he is ineligible to run for, or serve, as a San Juan County Commissioner.” 

The 15-page complaint filed with the court claims, “Mr. Grayeyes is a resident of the state of Arizona, not of the state of Utah, thus he is ineligible to run for, or serve, as a San Juan County Commissioner.” 

~~Petition Filed Dec. 28, Showing Greyeyes as Arizona Resident: 64 items

~~What are Public Lands to be used for?  Dexter Gill

~~Constitutional Amendment Proposed Limiting Congressional Term Limits 

~~Navajo Technical University Awarded 3.5 M Grant

~~Republican's Impressive Congressional Score Card

~~KSJD Radio:  Colorado Native Acting Sec. of Interior

~~ Utah's Pension Plan #8 in the Nation, While Other States Falter

• Bankrupt Fed Government Runs out of Money; Parks Suffer
• Drought Affecting Colorado Dry Farmers

Dove Creek "bills itself as the “Pinto Bean Capital of the World,” but the proclamation doesn’t attract many tourists – farming is still the primary economic driver here. In a typical year, Pribble will take in 3 million pounds of pinto beans grown without irrigation water – dryland beans. This summer, despite their admirable thrift, the bean plants withered in bone dry conditions. Southwest Colorado’s entire 2018 dryland bean crop failed, along with almost all of its wheat, sunflower, and safflower.  

Inequality of Western States can be Resolved by Local Stewardship

Federal land agencies have managed the West like a museum for years. This hands-off management approach has resulted in watershed destruction, air pollution, and forest and wildland fires. Our communities and the environment deserve better. States have the know-how and incentives to repair decades of federal neglect by tending to the environment like the garden that it is. For Stewards of San Juan County this is encouraging news.  

While most of us have been nonchalantly living our lives, The Utah Commission for the Stewardship of Public Lands compiled a world-class legal team of renowned constitutional scholars and litigators to examine the legal theories surrounding the transfer of public lands to the states. This article has links to their efforts, and answers questions that have stopped others from even trying.

Historic direction on how public lands can be managed by states

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For detailed information on how a land transfer would work, read this

Has it been done before? 

Which famous U.S. senator successfully made this argument to compel the federal government to transfer title to the vast stretches of federally controlled land in the west? Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah whose state is 65% percent federally controlled? Or, maybe Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona whose state is nearly 50% federally controlled? Maybe it’s a trick question. Could it be Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas whose state has about 1% federally controlled land? Give up?

It’s Democratic Senator Thomas Hart Benton of Missouri whose state at the time was 90% federally controlled for decades. You may be thinking, “Benton is not a famous U.S. senator.”  Well, tell that to John F. Kennedy who included Thomas Hart Benton as one of eight prominent U.S. senators in his best-selling, Pulitzer Prize-winning book Profiles in Courage. Or, consider that Teddy Roosevelt wrote a 372-page biography of Thomas Hart Benton.