Wednesday, September 13, 2017

~~ Bear Essentials ~ Sept 12, 2017~~

Kentucky’s famous farmer/poet/novelist Wendell Berry, widely admired as one of 
conservation’s most prolific and gifted writers, explained it best:“To put the bounty and the health of our land, our only commonwealth, into the hands of people who do not live on it and share its fate will always be an error. For whatever determines the fortune of the land determines also the fortunes
of the people. If history teaches anything, it teaches that.” Greg Walcher 
              
Tim Gates helped us promote the theme of this years festival:  "United We Stand"
Good News Bears


Freedom Fest Chairwoman, Kim Henderson, with Grand Junction Editor, 
Majorie Haun, of Free Range Report
n Freedom Fest: A Great Success: Recap of Sept. 9 events)
n  September 17 will mark the 230th anniversary of the signing of the American Constitution.
Compared to other nations, the United States is young. But at 230 years, our Constitution is by far the longest lasting constitution in human history. More importantly, it is responsible for our nation becoming the freest and most prosperous nation in human history.
Today, the future of both freedom and prosperity are in question in our country, largely because we have been failing to teach our young people the fundamentals of American civics that are essential to preserve free government. Learn how you can help.
                 Two Failed Trials are enough – let it go!


Bad News Bears


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                                     Documenting Bears Ears “No Monument” efforts since July 2016

Monday, September 11, 2017

Freedom Fest: Fun, Fantastic, and Freedom Promoting


Despite competition from the Navajo Fair in Window Rock, and BYU-Utah football games, the Freedom Fest show went on Saturday night (9th), and Tim Gates and his great band brought their A game to Blanding. They performed a great variety of Tim's original songs, plus old favorites.
Tim Gates, of Richfield, Utah...making it big in Nashville, and in
Blanding, with his band, and wonderful writing skills. Thanks for coming.

Saylor Perkins, 1st place in the Freedom Fest Essay Contest.  Jim Keyes Master of Ceremonies for the evening
Both did great.  (Link to her Essay)

Freedom Fest Chairman, Kim Henderson, with
Marjorie Haun, Free Range Report
Editor. Both these Warriors are Public Lands Patriots.


It was a perfect evening for an outdoor concert.  

 "Matt Anderson, Devin Bayles Hancock, and Marjorie Haun ...ALL traveled for hours to attend #sanjuanfreedomfest.... Susan Flavel stayed until long after the crowds had left to help clean up... Love these folks." Nicole Perkins





Pre-show performers included Magnetic Pull, a local native/rock band composed of Dennis Kaniatobe Sr., Dennis Johnson Kaniatobe II, and Travis Mose.




The Grayson Girls also performed:  Beverly Brown Felstead, Cheryl Arthur Bowers, Gayle Perkins Shumway, Terri Card, Emma Holliday, and Keileigh Card Gilson.


Which prize do you want to win?  There were 13 choices, and 15 prizes.

Thanks to your generous support and to these ladies and Wendy Black, we raised over $2000 in ticket donations over the past 3 weeks.  Congratulations to the following winners:

1. Furniture 2U~~Console  $300 value: Owners David and Tifani Black --Winner William Brown
2. NuSkin Gift Basket  $250    Winner Wendy Black
3. Kay Shumway photograph $135   Winner Joel Tate
4. Massage by Lindsay Palmer Smith $50 -- winner Saleta Pugh Lusko, Hanksville 
5. 2 sets Local History/ Bob McPherson  $35 each, winners Leoni Hunt and Kendra Mander
6. Cowboy Country Photograph by Colleen Tibbetts-Moab -- Winner Jerry Murdock
7. Phone Skope (hunter special) -- Winner Camber Hancock
8. Fabric Art Bears Ears/$150 value by Devin Bayles Hancock -- Winner Jolly Bayles
9. Seven Issues Blue Mt. Shadows $77--Winner Mike Jensen
10. Canyonland Lodging Overnight, 2 nights for 1, Value $135--Winner Tymra Butt
11.  Antique Patriotic Quilt $300, quilted by Gayle Shumway--Winner Summer Begay
12. Browning A Bolt 300 Mg Winchester Rifle, $700 value donated by Sean Giddings and Mike Lacy -- Winner Merlin Grover  
13.  2 Electronic kid's cars donated by R.C. Willey -- Winners Alyn Mitchell and Doug Card


An honor guard was part of the program which recognized
patriot and soldier, Aaron Butler, who gave all.
Jerry Murdock recited The Ragged Old Flag.

Johnny Cash Lyrics:  "Ragged Old Flag"


I walked through a county courthouse square
On a park bench, an old man was sittin' there.
I said, "Your old court house is kinda run down,
He said, "Naw, it'll do for our little town".
I said, "Your old flag pole is leaned a little bit,
And that's a ragged old flag you got hangin' on it".
He said, "Have a seat", and I sat down,
"Is this the first time you've been to our little town"
I said, "I think it is"
He said "I don't like to brag, but we're kinda proud of
That Ragged Old Flag

"You see, we got a little hole in that flag there,
When Washington took it across the Delaware.
and It got powder burned the night Francis Scott Key sat watching it,
writing "Say Can You See"
It got a rip in New Orleans, with Packingham & Jackson
tugging at its seams.
and It almost fell at the Alamo
beside the Texas flag,
But she waved on though.
She got cut with a sword at Chancellorsville,
And she got cut again at Shiloh Hill.
There was Robert E. Lee and Beauregard and Bragg,
And the south wind blew hard on
That Ragged Old Flag

"On Flanders Field in World War I,
She got a big hole from a Bertha Gun,
She turned blood red in World War II
She hung limp, and low, a time or two,
She was in Korea, Vietnam, She went where she was sent
by her Uncle Sam.
She waved from our ships upon the briny foam
and now they've about quit wavin' back here at home
in her own good land here She's been abused,
She's been burned, dishonored, denied an' refused,
And the government for which she stands
Has been scandalized throughout out the land.
And she's getting thread bare, and she's wearin' thin,
But she's in good shape, for the shape she's in.
Cause she's been through the fire before
and i believe she can take a whole lot more.

"So we raise her up every morning
And we bring her down slow every night,
We don't let her touch the ground,
And we fold her up right.
On second thought
I *do* like to brag
Cause I'm mighty proud of
That Ragged Old Flag"





                            Ariel Bellvalaire, the guitar rocker/ singer with the Tim Gates Band.


                              Thanks Tim Gates for a terrific evening!  


A BIG THANKS to our Freedom Fest Sponsors

We couldn't have done it without your help

1. MAIN STREET DRUG AND BOUTIQUE - Monticello, UT 2. CRUMP REESE - Chevy Buick Ford - Moab, UT 3. BLUE MOUNTAIN HORSEHEAD INN - Monticello, UT 4. SAN JUAN COUNTY 5. DR. JOSEPH WILSON AND ORTHODONTICS, INC 6. SPORTSMAN FOR FISH AND WILDLIFE 7. SAN JUAN COUNTY FARM BUREAU 8. ENERGY FUELS - Blanding, UT 9. SUPER SPLASH CAR WASH - Blanding, UT 10. HOLIDAY CONSTRUCTION - Blanding, UT 11. DT’S YARD AND TREES - Blanding, UT 12. CITY OF BLANDING 13. PHIL LYMAN, CPA - Blanding, UT 14. LONG CANYON RANCH and Kathleen and Allen Lund

Sunday, September 10, 2017

United We Stand: Essay Winner for Freedom Fest 2017

DIVIDED WE FALL, UNITED WE STAND
By Saylor Cielo Perkins
7th grade
August 31, 2017
It is critical to be united, but is is also just as vital to be united for the right cause. If we aren’t all united, it can cause a little scuffle, and even little scuffles can turn into a wars. We need to stay united and stand strong for our beliefs.
Pauline Hanson said, “ To survive in peace and harmony, united and strong, we must have one people, one nation, and one flag.” I really like this quote because it is true. In order to fulfill the dreams of the Founding Fathers of this great land, we need to have solidarity as one people, “one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all…” and all that our magnificent American flag stands for.


Another quote from Benjamin Carson says, “Our strength as a nation comes in our unity. We are the United States of America, not the divided states. And those who want to divide us are trying to divide us, and we shouldn’t let them do it.” This is also very true. We cannot standby and let the world pick us apart, piece by piece. We are San Juan County. There is more unity in our communities than I can even express. We have set the example for the rest of the state of Utah But there are also those who are trying to divide us. AND WE WILL NOT LET THEM! We will stand firm as a community, as a county, as a state, and as One Nation. 
One of my teachers told us on the very first day of school, that it does not matter what religion, culture, or color, or what beliefs we have. We are all a part of the human race and we need to stand united because we are at a time in the world where there are people who will try to convince you that being different is wrong; and that is not true.
Did you know that we are all 99% the same? You can take two completely different people and their DNA would be 1% different. That 1% is the only thing that gives each of us different personalities and beliefs. 

We can agree to disagree in matters where we have strong opposing opinions but we must do so with civility, as one of our founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson, often taught.
Imagine the world without unity. It is, in reality, the world we live in. The hate, discord, and anger seems to grow every hour of every day. Can you see it? Do you feel it? Now imagine every single person in the world, united, not necessarily in every belief and opinion, but united in the knowledge that we are all God’s children and we all bleed and cry and laugh and love.
That is the hope that I have. Psalms 133:1 says, “ Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.”

past summer I had one of the most amazing, uplifting, faith-building, and every good feeling in the world type of experience. Who would have thought that a group of about 200 teenage girls, could spend three days, getting very little sleep, too much sugar, and smelling like campfire and sweat, would not only refrain from killing each other, but come together strong and united. Our differences didn’t seem to matter as we realized that we are each individuals with our own thoughts and feelings, and that no two people are the same. Knowing that we could choose between love and hate, we decided to come together and face the hard times, and enjoy the good as we became one.

I would like to leave you with one last quote, “ If we don’t look past our differences, we will never see the light and strength that comes from unity.” This was a quote I wrote myself and I truly believe that we will never be united if we can’t accept each other as we are. But with hope and dignity, United We Stand.



Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Letter: Secretary Zinke needs a credible outside review of the monuments

Sept. 5, 2017 5:40 p.m.

There is a certain smug wickedness to the environmental movement. It has no respect for others of a different need or interest. It tolerates no concept of multiple use of the same resource. It recognizes no benefit of utilizing renewable resources (ranching, timber and water). It uses superlatives and tells lies where none are warranted. It wreaks havoc with political manipulations and refuses to negotiate to the good and good will of all. It seeks to deny even future generations the right to determine circumstances in their own time. It imposes almost insurmountable barriers related to cost and time on those of a different bent.

If not better, a tourist economy will certainly be bigger than the current, and more degrading in the long haul than what we have known. The environmentalists will find themselves the "foist of their own petard."

We all should be in favor of maintaining a habitable and if possible an enchanting environment, but we should be good stewards as well as citizens in the process. Citizenship is more than self interest, it is mutual interest. Such is sadly lacking in the current society and I see none of it in the so called "environmentalist cause."
   Written by: old cuss 101 - Salt Lake City, UT

Saturday, September 2, 2017

Pre-order your 2017 San Juan Freedom Fest T-Shirts TODAY and SAVE!

NO doubt these "Devin Design" originals will sell out FAST, not only because they are so cool but also VERY affordable! Pre-order price (must be paid for in advance) for Small, Medium, and Large is only $12 and for XLarge and XXLarge they are only $14! If you LOVE these shirts you will want to hurry and reserve your size and quantity before they are gone... This is a Limited Edition T-Shirt!          We'll be at Clarks Market Wed. and Friday, the week of the concert, selling raffle and SJ Freedom Fest event tickets along with taking pre-orders for these 2017 Classic SJ Freedom Fest shirts... ALL profit goes to fund this and next year's San Juan Freedom Fest,  cuz it's only going to get bigger and better and more amazing every year!!!   
Contact Nicole Perkins to order by phone 435-485-0214

~~ Bear Essentials ~ Sept 2, 2017~~


“I think it [Taking down Glen Canyon Dam] is scientifically dubious, legally implausible and politically suicidal,” says Mr. Entsminger in Nevada.

San Juan County Information:

                         
Good News Bears
n  Love’s “Investigation” made public; Congressman Bishop calls for investigation of unethical practices (“Love giving Moqui Marbles out like candy”)

Bad News Bears
n  If you watch TV or go on-line, you’ve run into lots of propaganda via expensive ads regarding Bears Ears.  They may show a paid child actor, or a rich businessmen, claiming San Juan county and the State of Utah are public land haters. Reminds me of something I recently read: “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” Isaiah 5:20



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Schedule for Saturday, Sept. 9

1)   Vendors and Concessions open 4 PM SJHS Football Field
Come Eat, Greet, and Meet 
$10 each (under 5 yrs  free)
2)   Donations $10 for 5 tickets (See Prizes)
13 donated prizes will be on display and tickets available with a donation
3)   Entertainment begins  at 6 PM with:


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                                     Documenting Bears Ears “No Monument” efforts since July 2016