With over 30” of snow on the ground, it’s hard to think spring is on it’s way. But the Home Décor and Picture Framing Trade Show was all about spring. The framing/décor color for spring is Turquoise with Coral accents. You’ll probably see much the same, only in different tones, from the garment industry. Think silver and black to go with it. If you want a softer look, use copper tones. That combination radiates warmth. And remember, Turquoise is a combination of blue and green – there’s a wide range of turquoise between pure blue and pure green. Not sure what combinations to use? You’re welcome to come in and use my color wheel if you don’t own one.
I received a new quilting catalog and was surprised at how many patterns and kits were based on the turquoise pallet. I don’t quilt, but I bead quilt patterns and I’m helping put together a small show on “The Life of Quilt”. You’ll hear more about it as we get closer to the Heritage Festival Memorial weekend.
Winter openings – Circle D open Super Bowl Sunday at 2 PM and will serve a special buffet only. Starting Feb. 12th they’ll open Fri and Sat. from 3 – 8 PM. Sunday brunch 11 – 3. Cowboy Blues should reopen about the same time and Georgie’s will close for a while. Check with Georgie for exact dates.
Are you ready for the coming year? Why not plan on attending some local events – here’s the dates as I now know them.
March 1 – 1st Round Photo Competition Closes at Gallery Escalante – Open Theme
April 4th – Easter Sunday and Red Canyon Visitor Center Opens with the Photography of Tracy Hassett
May 1st – 2nd Round Photo Competition Closes at Gallery Escalante – Check for Theme
May 29th – Heritage Festival at Escalante High School
July 3rd – Potato Valley Lions Club Celebration Dinner at the Pavillion and Fire Works at dusk.
July 4th – 3rd Round Photo Competition Closes at Gallery Escalante – No Theme
July 24th – Escalante Pioneer Heritage Festival – Escalante City Park and Rodeo Grounds
Sept – October – People Choice Award Voting for Student and Adult Photographs at Gallery Escalante
Sept 24th/25th – Everett Reuss Days
November 15th – Holiday Open House and Photo Competition Awards Gallery Escalante
Harriet Priska attended the City Council meeting and reports:
• The city worked with Kurt and Diana Richens about their broken water line due to the water construction project;
• Dustin Schaible, Wildlife Biologist from the Utah Div.of Wildlife Resources outline the procedure for surveying a community to determine if the deer population is a threat to “public safety”;
• Councilman Allen reported on the Escalante City Airport project. The new cost is $1,000,000 and the city share is $80,000 – $30,000 more than originally projected.
• Had a discussion on snow removal and the possible purchase of a “bobcat” to plow the sidewalks. Merchants were reminded that they are responsible and liable to clean their sidewalks by 9:00 AM, according to City Ordinance.
• Mayor Taylor appointed Councilwoman Torgersen to oversee buildings, and parks.
The agenda for the planning and zoning meeting brings Kate Vining back for a full permit for her “new place” at 115W 300 N. A new business in town, Escalante Backroads Shuttles and Tours is seeking a business license from the City based on their location at 110 N 690 W. Their state license shows Lloyd Edward Hart as the register owner/agent and Diane Moscone is the person requesting the license. Ttheir NAICS code is for Other Amusement/Recreation. A new chairperson is also on the agenda.
Harriet wanted everyone to know that Cory Jensen, Architectural Historian of the Utah Div of State History, will be in town this weekend to resurvey the properties and determne our eligibility for Historic Designation. If you see him and his wife Chris, please say hi.
I was listening to the BBC one afternoon and heard an interview of James Lovelock regarding his recent book “The Vanishing Face of Gaia”. They referred to him as the ‘father of the environmental movement in Great Britain’, and wondered how he could come to the conclusion that Nuclear Energy is the cleanest and we should be building new plants as fast as we can. That prompted me to purchase the book and read his theory for myself.
His premise is based on the earth, which he calls Gaia, and it’s ability to take care of itself. His premise begins with the statement, “the earth has been dying since the beginning of the industrial age”. When discussing some of the solutions available he warns, “Don’t for a moment believe the sales talk that these (wind and solar scams) will save the plant. The salesmen’s pitch refers to the world they know, the urban world. The real Earth does not need saving. It can, will, and always has saved itself, and it is now starting to do so by changing to a state much less favorable for us and other animals. What people mean by save the planet is save the planet as we know it’, and that is now impossible.”
On the other hand, Thomas I. Friedman wrote “Hot, Flat and Crowded”, the #1 Non-Fiction of 2009. He agrees that there is much to be done to promote and develop “clean energy”, but he looks to government to create financial incentives for corporations and energy companies to build plants other than coal fired, including nuclear and wind/solar. “If you take only one thing away from this book, please take this – We are not going to regulate our way out of the problems of the Energy-Climate Era. We can only innovate our way out…..”
How does all this affect us? Alton Coal Mine. At a time that corporations are looking for additional supplies of affordable coal, citizens have mixed reactions to the plans. Yet there is not the intestinal fortitude in Congress to place a higher gas tax or fuel tax to push industry to develop other means of producing clean electrons (energy). Roughly 30% of our greenhouse gas emissions come from the transportation sector. The rest, according to Mr. Friedman, comes from the electron creation in America which is 50% from burning coal, 20% from nuclear energy, 15% from burning natural gas, 7% from hydropower, and 2% from burning wood and geothermal, solar and wind sources.
If we’re not going to burn coal, what are we going to do to provide America with enough electrons for industry, jobs, families, heating and cooling, etc. In
Mr Lovelock thinks “it is absurd to think that we can alter the Earth’s response in our favor by using wind or solar voltaic energy at its present stage of development. …you would have to build a nuclear power or coal-fired power station for each of these monster wind farms to back up the turbines for the 75% of time when the wind was either too high or too low. “
Mr. Friedman was government to set standards and regulations that will give corporations certainty in order to invest in new technology. In addition, he wants the rules created that require electric companies to allow for an exchange of information for smart homes to be created.
These are just the thoughts of two men in different countries, each with a different focus on the problem. Each has a number of valid arguments and there doesn’t appear to be a right or wrong answer. But climate change is here to stay unless the earth decides to resolve the problem herself. Time will tell.
Until next week – - -
The Pew Center on the States named Utah the best managed state in the nation.
While Utah unemployment grew from 2008/2009. Construction employment fell 16% while Leisure and Hospitality fell 4.7%. According to the Utah Business Magazine, unlike the other 27 lower states, Utah is dominated by 30-yr olds. But visitors are the 50-year olds that dominate the rest of the country.
Utah’s population is expected to grow from 2.9 million in 2010 to 3.6 million in 2020 and 4.4 in 2040. Jobs will continue to be generated by small businesses that currently make up more than 90% of the state’s employers. The state economists are predicting a 1.9% increase in retail sales. Tell ya more about it in December.
The U.S. Census will begin before long and we should have some new numbers by the end of the year. It will be interesting to see how Escalante fairs. It will tell us the types of jobs in Escalante, i.e. Agriculture and non-agriculture and how many households are below the poverty level.
St. George is looking forward to a great year in tourism. They have contracted to host an Ironman competition May 1, 2010. The event includes a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, and a 26.2 mile run. The Tourism Div. had to commit 10,000 rooms for the event and they already have bookings for 4,500.
Don’t forget you can log into http://www.utah.gov /pmn/index.html and sign up to received agendas for Escalante City Council, Garfield County Commissioners, and Garfield Public Schools.
On this week’s City Agenda there ‘s a request for a Beer License for the Prospector Restaurant; a report from UDFW on the Deer issue previously brought before the council and filling the open seat on the council.
Winter School Sports – Girls Basketball – Piute @ Esc. The 7th; Boy’s Basketball – Piute @ Esc. The 14th and the sophomore Tournament @ Esc. The 15th and 16th.
The US Postal Service is raising their fees on Priority Mailings – 3.3 %. Express Mail will go up 4.5% and UPS will increase their fees 3.3%. Our fees for service will remain the same for all mailing services except pre-paid drops. If you want to drop off a package and outgoing time isn’t important it will be free. If you require same-day service for your prepaid return the fee is $2.00. You can call UPS and have them pick it up for $8.50.
Until Next Week – - -