Content about Technology

As we grow closer to the end of another school year, I wanted to take the time to pay tribute to all of our wonderful and dedicated teachers within the district.  They are truly professionals who have made the decision to center their careers on the betterment of our youth.

Morgan native Billy Peterson is an experienced runner, having competed in over 50 marathons including three previous runs in Boston.  During the race last week, Peterson did something unique in his running career: he took his cell phone and seemingly saved his wife and young daughter from tragedy.  

Browning Outlet is  first on a list of 50 things to do in Morgan on the new website gomorgan.org, put together by the Chamber of Commerce in cooperation with Morgan City and Morgan County. 

Morgan County Farm Bureau members are warning government officials about many issues, chief among them the abuse of green belt designations within the county.

The Morgan School District brought in consultants to inform them how to get their tax levy approved.  They are certainly following the plan developed and strongly advised by Rich County and that is to bombard and propagandize the public with “it is all for the students, the students will suffer and be deprived unless we have more money.” Even one of our school board members has stated that the district may have to declare “bankruptcy” unless the levy is passed.  It appears to me that the district has learned very well from our present national political organizations and that perhaps even Obama could  probably pick up a few pointers from the school district and the school board.

Commercial Street has experienced a recent boom in businesses opening their doors.  The newest addition is Traders Apparel.

Morgan County School Board members, teachers and residents are talking about a website created by Morgan community members that voices opposition to the voted leeway that will come before voters on June 25.

Whether by starting a talk with song in front of a large crowd or by towering over others with a 6’7” stature, David Glover is sure to stand out. His comedic talent and genuine personality have influenced many who call him a great friend. He loves to laugh and joke, and is often described as quite the “character.” His wife, Heidi, kids she was born talentless with only the ability to talk and smile. Smile and talk she does and in so doing claims just as many hearts.

The fourth quarter started this week for all schools within the Morgan County School District on the traditional quarter system.  Fourth quarter at Morgan Elementary School is often our busiest time for learning.  Along with end-of-level state core tests and the final academic push for the school year, many exciting learning activities dominate our calendar.  The following is a sample from just the past four school days!

Wednesday night, at the blogger dinner, FamilySearch made a number of announcements.  First off, they released that there are more than 6,700 registrants in advance of the conference.  This makes RootsTech the largest genealogical conference in North America.  In only its third year that is a remarkable achievement.  It has become the “not to miss” conference in the genealogical world.  If you did not pre-register you can still register at the door.  A one day pass is only $89. The exhibit hall is open for free.  

Thursday, March 14, the Morgan Wrestling Club hosted an event that brought in about 160 young wrestlers and hundreds of fans from as far away as Evanston and Bridger Valley.  

The Morgan County Council approved the first phase of the Morgan Bike Park, which could include a pump track area.  The area would be restricted to non-motorized recreation only.

In close-knit communities, the announcement of a new arrival is common knowledge in just a few days. 

After six years of development and testing FamilySearch has released its Family Tree product to the general public.  I have written about new.FamilySearch.org and then Family Tree a number of times over the past few years as FamilySearch did regular releases of the software to try to perfect the experience for those researching their ancestors.

As Morgan school officials prepare to ask voters to approve a voted leeway on June 25, 2013, they are busy scheduling meetings to inform the public.

Registration for the 2013-2014 school year is about to begin.  Students will begin to receive information soon and we would like to encourage parents to be involved with their student’s class selection.

For over 100 years, 4-H has been giving kids useful skills and wholesome recreation.  The 4-H program in Morgan County, as well as many counties throughout the state, has been limited to children in the third grade and older.  The Utah State University Extension Office has been working on bringing a program called Cloverbuds to Morgan County that will involve students in Kindergarten through second grade.  These students will have the opportunity to “learn while doing.”

Is there anyone who hasn’t heard of Taggart’s Grill in Taggart?  The establishment has been serving lunch and dinner for nine years, and its fame has spread far and wide. It began as a gas station in the 1930s when two Taggart boys asked their uncle for some money to start up a station and some cabins.  It expanded to a place that sold burgers and fish bait.  At one point, a bobcat was kept on the porch. In the 1970s or early 80s, it burned down and Howard Taggart sold it to Elaine Stoddard, who owned it from 1996 to 2003. It is now owned by the Tuttle family and if you haven’t been there, you are missing a treat!

Tara Hammer is now a teacher at Morgan Elementary School. Almost 21 years ago, she was Morgan High School senior Tara Wilkinson, featured in the Morgan County News as “Youth in the Work Force.”  

It is nearly time again this year for RootsTech. This has become one of the best genealogical conferences in the United States, and it is right in our back yard.  The conference runs from March 21-23. This year will have more sessions, a bigger display floor, and larger attendance that ever before.

Our loving husband, father, grandfather, great- grandfather and friend, Bert Wilkinson, 83, passed away January 10, 2013, in Morgan, Utah, from complications of dementia.  He was born on February 28, 1929, in Peterson, Utah, to John and Alice Myrtle Wood Wilkinson.

Morgan City’s consultant is progressing on bringing a hotel to Morgan and is now concentrating on financing arrangements and which hotel chain best suits the area.

For Morgan native, Rachel Denning, her creativity and drive to succeed were two of several ingredients that helped her earn a spot on the Premiere Season of the groundbreaking online competition reality show “Prosperity’s Kitchen.”

Morgan City, County, and Chamber of Commerce have been working throughout the year to develop a new website.  It has taken cooperation from the three parties to get the website ready to launch.  All three could see the potential benefits this website could provide to Morgan businesses and its residents.   “This has been a good thing,” Shelly Betz, city councilwoman stated.  She encourages everyone to go to the website and see what is actually available in Morgan.    

As one Mountain Green couple is finding out, it can be difficult getting a business license in Morgan County.

Golden Spike National Historic Site’s Annual Winter Steam Festival will be held Friday December 28th through Sunday December 30th. One of the site’s two 1860’s replica steam locomotives will arrive at the Last Spike Site at approximately 10:00 am and will be on display until 4:30 pm. 

The county is gearing up for a development one Morgan County Council member said could “change the face of Morgan County.”

The Morgan County School Board got a grim outlook for the future of state education funding during their annual presentation to legislators.

Encouraging customer to mail early this holiday season, Utah Post Offices have released suggested mail-by dates to ensure holiday cards and packages reach their destinations in time.

Since developer Rulon Gardner presented his plans for a community development agency, or CDA, to the Morgan County Council, Morgan County School Board members have been receiving irate calls.

In the wake of charges facing a local business owner, Morgan City is reviewing its business license application.

Members of the Morgan FFA Chapter in Utah were one of 39 teams participating in the National FFA Agricultural Sales Career Development Event (CDE). The event was held in conjunction with the 85th National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Ind. The team, led by advisor Megan Haslam, was awarded a silver emblem. Members also competed for individual awards with 150 other participants. Denton Cannon received a bronze emblem, Luke Larsen received a silver emblem, Megan Stapley received a Silver emblem, and Katie Spens received a bronze emblem.

The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) advises motorists and outdoor recreation enthusiasts that state Road 65, the Big Mountain Highway, will close to all traffic for the winter at 3 p.m. on Monday, Nov, 26.

A brisk but sunny 40 degree morning welcomed flying enthusiasts to the airport in Mountain Green.  “It’s a great day to fly,” said Joe Garfield, airport manager. “A great day like this brings everyone out.” 

On Thursday Oct. 26, Morgan High School staged an event to help educate and remind our community about our history, rights, and freedoms related to government.  Morgan County resident Lydia Nuttall worked with our local government to bring this event to our community to celebrate the 225th Anniversary of America’s Constitution.    The Ellis Island program presented history from our founding fathers as well as from the famous Island that welcomed millions of immigrants from 1892 to 1954. 

Developer Rulon Gardner has plans for a new 22-lot development, and is approaching the county and school board about the possibility of using tax increment funding to build a reservoir feature.  The reservoir would double as a private amenity for the development as well as storage for secondary water.

In 5th grade, the students at Mountain Green Elementary School learn about American history. Near the beginning of their studies are early explorers. Students were put into pairs and chose an explorer to research about. They needed to find out the basic birth/death date, birthplace and what country the explorer sailed for. They also had to find why their explorer started their voyage, what they discovered, what they are most famous for and other interesting information about that explorers life. The students had four days to research information from websites, short readings and the encyclopedia. Students then used the information they gathered to create a poster and present their explorer to the class. The class took notes on each explorer. This information will later be used to write an informative essay on “Why People Explore.” Students discovered many interesting things such as Christopher Columbus was not actually the first European to land on the Americas, how America got its name,  how the lack of vitamin C caused the dreaded scurvy, how some explorers mysteriously disappeared, and how some men even spent months searching for cities of gold or a fountain of youth.  This was a very fun learning activity for the students.

Rachel and Greg Denning are creating an unconventional life for themselves and their five children: they travel almost constantly, live independently (no 9-5 job) and do humanitarian projects.  No, they are not retired. They are a young family that decided one day to live their dream—and they made it happen.

In the name of public safety, the Morgan County Council is ready to take on pesky address issues, including involving city officials.

Dialogue and debate about what Morgan was, what Morgan is and what Morgan will be is nearly constant and of upmost importance to all of us who call Morgan home. For those reasons there are continual discussions with school board, county and city governments, and Morgan Area Chamber of Commerce (MACC), including more extensive and detailed surveys and community forums such as Envision Morgan (EM).

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act was approved by the federal government and is now law.  Morgan School District, and many other districts in the state, participate in the national school lunch program and are required to comply with the new standards and guidelines set by the government.  The new lunch menus are now aligned with this law. We will be offering more fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and fewer desserts.  Students participating in the school lunch program must choose at least one fruit or vegetable, plus two other food items.  They may also choose to take all of the food items offered which would include both the fruit and vegetable.  This change will help ensure that students will have on their tray a healthy, balanced meal everyday that meets federal government guidelines.

Creative and ambitious individuals that have a passion for what they do were found in abundance at this week’s Morgan farmer’s market. Each vendor has a unique story and purpose for being involved.
One such vendor is Davis Produce. Davis Produce offers a variety of fresh grown produce from their greenhouse. Tina Davis, owner, is glad to be back for another year and says she enjoys the people of Morgan.
Handcrafted and homemade items from Carol Marshall included parchment crafted book markers designed with calligraphy ink and paint on a type of paper known as velum. Marshall has done this craft for over 10 years and she enjoys it the most. Recently retired, she found herself not content. To broaden her interests, she discovered craft books and learned how to make bracelets and earrings.

This year has marked the one-year anniversary of several businesses on State Street, and LiquiFaction Internet Café is one of them.  LiquiFaction first opened its doors on Aug. 29, 2011, but the grand opening was two days later.  At that time, owner, Lee Kellogg, invited all city and county employees to come in and get a free drink for the day to give him some training time.    

Morgan residents—especially those in East Canyon, Milton and Stoddard—are getting tired of power bumps, failures and surges.  They have complained to power officials, who are reviewing damage claims but are still unsure the cause of all the problems.

With the proposed increase in property taxes for schools I looked up my property taxes that applied to Morgan county schools for the years 2005  - 2011 and the proposed increase for 2012, it is as follows:

Kindergarten through Fifth Grade

When the Morgan City Council envisioned the Riverside Park splash pad, one of the things they hoped it would do is bring out-of-town visitors to generate revenue for other Morgan businesses, and it has done just that.

Matthew Godfrey, Morgan City’s economic development consultant, is “very confident” he has found a developer who wants to build a hotel in the area.  However, Godfrey says a letter from the Morgan County Council supporting improvements along the banks of the Weber River near Como Springs and the county fairgrounds would go a long way in bringing a hotel project to fruition.

With the recent of arrest of two sex offenders with Morgan ties, public interest in the state’s sex offender registry has piqued.  However, the registry should be used carefully, county and state officials say. 

DeMarre Carroll was welcomed to the Trojan Center with big cheers from all the junior Jazz players in the audience.  Carroll was born July 27, 1986, is 6’8” and just finished his third year in the NBA and his first year with the Utah Jazz.  

Matthew Godfrey, Morgan City’s economic development consultant, is “very confident” he has found a developer who wants to build a hotel in the area.  However, Godfrey says a letter from the Morgan County Council supporting improvements along the banks of the Weber River near Como Springs and the county fairgrounds would go a long way in bringing a hotel project to fruition.

Every year local youth look forward to an appearance from one of our very own Utah Jazz players.  This year, local Jr. Jazz participants will meet Jazz forward, #3, DeMarre Carroll.  Carroll was born July 27, 1986, is 6’8” and just finished his third year in the NBA and his first year with the Jazz.

An inspiration to all the youth in Morgan who might try their hand at mutton busting, local resident Caleb Bennett currently holds the title of 7th in the World Bareback standings. Caleb is the son of Bob and Claudine Nance Caldwell and grandson of Connie Nance and the late Bernie Nance. Caleb started riding at the tender age of 4 years old.  Starting out on calves and sheep, he later moved on to horses and Jr. Bulls as he competed in Jr. Rodeo. 

As a history buff and native of Morgan County, I was surprised that I had never been on the “Mormon Flat Dirt Road,” as it is named in a self-guided auto tour of the Hastings Cutoff through the county.

 Morgan city announced a new initiative called ShopsQA to promote local business to its citizens. The service provides all local businesses with a link on the city’s website that directs citizens to new web-pages designed and updated by each local business.

Ever since she was a young girl, Samantha Lawrence knew she would be involved in the sciences. In fifth grade, her science teacher decided to have the class participate in a science fair. Having helped her parents build their home in Morgan, she had always wondered why nails turned orange in exposed stud walls, so she decided to investigate that phenomenon for her science fair project.  Through that project she discovered corrosion and has been fascinated by the processes and mitigation of corrosion from then on.  Samantha continued to nurture these interests and eventually graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering at Colorado School of Mines. She is currently a candidate for a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering at Washington State University.

The cement plant in Croydon, built in 1904, has been a major part of our community for over a century.  The name has changed several times over the course of the last 100 years.  

New city council member Michael L. Kendell was sworn in on Tuesday at the city council meeting.  Kendall is replacing council member Lynn Mickelsen, who recently passed away.  

On Tuesday, June 19, Shaka Laka handed out over 500 samples of sunblock and chapstick with a retail value of well over $1,000. A tent set up across the street from the post office on State Street hosted the event.  This half day of generosity was spurred by an appeal to residents to vote for their company to qualify to be eligible to receive a $250,000 grant from “Mission: Small Business.” The contest requires 250 votes to be eligible to receive one of 12 grants offered from Chase and Living Social.  According to their website, the company is “based on the mainland in Utah, but we are all about the island style, kickin’ back, and just having fun.”  They also note that their products are made in the USA “on Da Biggah Island of Utah”

Martin and Adelgunda Dietzel Heiner were among the earliest pioneers to settle in Morgan.  In 1845 they immigrated to America from Germany where they encountered and joined the Mormon Church in Pennsylvania.  In 1859 they journeyed to Salt Lake City and moved to Morgan in November 1863.  The Heiners settled in Mt. Joy, which was later named North Morgan.

For some reason lately it seems that I have received many questions about Personal Ancestral File (PAF).  PAF is a genealogical record manager created by FamilySearch nearly 20 years ago.  It started as a DOS program and then eventually was ported to Windows.  It has been one of the more widely used record mangers for genealogical work, particularly among members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

Even though summer is here for over 2,000 Morgan students, it only takes about two weeks before the kids start to ask, “What can I do today, mom?”  As educators we hope you will take time with your children to continue the process of learning as the summer progresses.   

This last week the Queen of England celebrated 60 years on the throne with a Diamond Jubilee.  She has now served longer than any other monarch since Queen Victoria, who reined for 63 years.  Many residents of Morgan have English ancestry.

Although the Morgan County School Board voted to dip into pay-as-you-go funds to balance the “bare bones” budget this year, they are promising the tax payers a tax increase next year.

Memorial Day is a great time for family history.  Each year my family makes an outing to three or four cemeteries.  A part of our outing is that we have breakfast at the same restaurant each year.  While it may be true that the kids enjoy breakfast more than the cemetery visits, our annual trek has become family tradition, one that my kids even seem to enjoy and look forward to.  

Morgan City is short at least $814,000 in taxes owed to a special improvement district by Mount Joy, LLC, a local developer now involved in bankruptcy court proceedings.  Without payment, Morgan City officials may have to cut costs or reduce services to make a $103,000 bond payment June 1.  Developer Gray Jensen said things are in the works that could help the city make the payment.

The Morgan County Council agreed to amend a development agreement, effectively reimbursing a developer for affordable housing the county never built.

I was driving down the freeway a couple of days ago and saw something very frightening.  In the car next to me, going about 65 miles an hour, was a person reading a book!  Not only that but it almost completely covered his steering wheel!  My first thought was to honk and get his attention but I was afraid he’d lose his place.  How unfortunate for him!  So, to avoid any read rage I very carefully steered clear and hoped he was at least reading a book with large print so he didn’t strain his eyes.  Later, I mused about what better way to spend a boring commute, driving down the freeway with speeding cars and other too cozy, too dozy and distracted drivers, than reading a good book to pass the time!  I would like to know what book this multi-tasking maniac was reading that was worth risking his life and the lives of others for.

A growing method to help in genealogical research is DNA.  For the past decade DNA genealogy is been gaining ground in the community.  DNA testing can determine whether two individuals are related.  Descendants believed to have a common ancestor can be tested. The test can help to prove, or disprove genealogical theories.  It can also point to genealogical research that has been completed and indicated a family connection.  Even where no other family member has participated in a DNA study, the DNA results can point to likely places in the world from which ancestors originated.  

Our readers asked for more complete news coverage of the county and school board, and we’ve done our best to deliver.

Donors, students, county residents, school district officials, and former and current administrators gathered Tuesday to officially cut the ribbon marked “the next 100 years,” and open the new Trojan Century Center.

The long awaited day of the opening of the  Northfront Business Resource Center (DATC) Morgan center is now becoming a reality If you have driven by and seen the changes of the old Val’s Flower Business, you’ll see a fresh new face on the building, with new paint, and completely remodel as it’s transformed into the Northfront Business Resource Center. (DATC)

The beautiful cemetery that stands on the hill behind the LDS Ward on the old Highway Rd. in Mountain Green was the original pioneer burying grounds for the pioneer community. It was laid out in 1860 on land that was owned by David Bowman Bybee.  He sold .45 acre to the settlement of Mountain Green to provide a place of burial for early settlers.

We live in a time when it is quite common to witness the devastation around the world from hurricanes, tornados, tsunamis and earthquakes on the nightly news. To many, it seems as if these disasters are becoming more frequent. 

Morgan City has engaged former Ogden Mayor Matthew Godfrey in a consulting contract to bring a hotel to the city.  The city council has been working for many years to entice a hotel to locate in the city with no results.  They recently completed a feasibility study for the area to help persuade developers to locate in the city.

On Tuesday, March 27, 2012 MMS Counselor Gary Crittenden hosted a review panel from the State Office of Education and the CTE Team from Box Elder School District. They were here to evaluate how effectively the Comprehensive Counseling and Guidance Program is used in our school. This review consisted of Mr. Crittenden explaining and providing evidence in twelve different standards divided into two sections as to what the MS counseling program provides for the students. 

2012 Morgan County Sheriff’s Office reports the following activity for March 25th thru March 31st, with a total of 110 calls

Recently, the Dots and Doodles Preschool has open their doors to a second location, 185 North Commerical Street, in Morgan City.

Wesley and Janet Grandsen bought the house and the property from the Ostlers, according to Bob Huerta who worked and roomed with the Grandsens for five years.  County records verify they bought it from the Ostler Land and Livestock Co. in 1952. The Gransden’s ran cattle on the land which extended all the way to Snow Basin.  The Huertas said Gransdens had Arabian horses, and Carol Ralphs said they also grew hay for their cattle. There was an irrigation ditch where the Highlands office now stands. Mr. Hubbard said he was told the property was 3500 acres or more at that time.

One walking trail in Mountain Green parallels old highway, directly east of the Mountain Green exit. This walking trail was a community effort and took the dedicated work of many individuals to make it a reality.   In 1993, it was recognized by members of the community that a safety hazard existed for young children, walkers, and bike riders who traveled from Monte Verde, Polls and the Highlands to the Old Farm Market or from one subdivision to the other. Pedestrians had to walk on the edge of old highway road which is the main thoroughfare through Mountain Green and connects to Trappers Loop. Especially because of the increased traffic from Ogden Valley due to the completion of Trappers Loop road and the fact that this traffic had to use the old highway in order to connect with the interstate, an effort was made to solve the safety hazard—by creating a walking path.

Morgan county will receive $550,000 in a grant from the state of Utah for improvements to the airport after the county agreed to provide a ten percent match of only $55,000.  The funds will be used to pave the taxi area sleeves at the airport.  

Privacy issues are in the news nearly every week.  Whether it is Google changing its policies, or new legislation restricting the use of personal information.  Privacy legislation is often the bane of genealogical research, however, and it is also often more public relations than good public policy.

One of the keynote addresses at RootsTech posed an interesting question.  He asked what we would do with unlimited bandwidth, unlimited storage, and unlimited CPU.

McKinsey Ferrell, daughter of Robert and Lori Ferrell, was chosen as Morgan High School’s 2011-2012 Computer Technology Sterling Scholar! Kinsey has designed three different companies’ websites and currently designs the monthly newsletter for the company Inspire Us NOW. 

In recent days many have heard about the “Bomb Plot” at a nearby high school. It was an experience that everyone hopes they will be able to avoid.  I am thankful the district and school administration from that nearby school had policies and procedures in place they could follow. My hat is off to those district and local administrators who dealt with that difficult situation and were able to keep all students safe and parents informed of what was happening.

Shirley was raised in Farmington and Kaysville by her parents, Albert and Virginia Udy Epperson. She attended Davis High School until her family moved to Morgan, where they owned and operated the Morgan County News and the Summit County Bee. After graduating from Morgan High School, Shirley attended the University of Utah where she majored in journalism and lived in the Alpha Phi Sorority House. Shirley had beautiful red hair and a personality to match. In 1954, she was crowned as Salt Lake City’s Miss Flame, a beauty pageant held exclusively for redheads. 

There is a troubling trend worldwide, for genealogists, that seems to be taking root here in the United States.  For many years, The National Archives of the United Kingdom has been making money on the records over which they have stewardship.  They have entered into partnerships with commercial entities and receive royalties for many of the records that are published online.  The National Archives of Sweden has followed suit and is now charging for access to their records.  

Winter has finally arrived to Morgan.  With the cold weather kids don’t want to go out to the bus.  As a parent you hate to have your child waiting in the cold longer than necessary. The solution to both is OnTimeBus.  

There has been questions about business licenses in Morgan City. Is it difficult? What is required for a business license?

 The first item of business for the Morgan City Council was the swearing in of the recently elected council members. This took place at the City Building on January 10, 2012.

There are many online blogs relating to family history, but one of the best is Eastman’s Online Genealogical Newsletter (EOGN) which is located at blog.eogn.com .  Dick Eastman, who writes the blog, has long been one of the best voices in what is happening in the family history world.  He attends all of the major conferences, and covers news from all of the major genealogical players.  He also writes about technology.  His practical approach to technology is a great addition to those who follow the newsletter and have an interest in learning how to use technology in their lives and to pursue family history.

Today is the last day of early registration for RootsTech.  The cost after today will change from $149 to $189.  If you are interested in RootsTech, today is the day to act.  

The Community Development Corporation of Utah are offering a Home Repair Assistance program from the Utah Division of Housing & Community Development. This program is available to people who live in the Morgan County and has a yearly household income at or below 80% from the federal income guidelines. 

For the past several months the Morgan County Board of Education has been focused on creating a new facility use policy for district buildings and grounds.  In the process the Board looked at a number of similar policies throughout the state as a basis for their plan.

Wanda and Jim Judy moved to Morgan Dec 1, 1977 and, one year later to the day, moved into their current home.  Wanda and Jim  have five children: Tiffany Hogge, Brant Judy, Keri Lyn Barr, Joelle Taylor, and Jessica Terry. And they currently have thirteen grandchildren.

A few weeks ago FamilySearch released the following announcement:

FamilySearch International announced today a change in its chief executive officer. Effective January 2, 2012, Dennis C. Brimhall will succeed Jay L. Verkler as CEO of FamilySearch. Mr. Verkler will continue in a consulting capacity for a few months to ensure a smooth transition. 

Families and community members in Morgan County will have an opportunity to celebrate the 225th anniversary of the Constitution of the United States of America in a unique way in 2012.  Morgan City is sponsoring twelve “Forgotten American Family Night Stories” – one story per month during 2012 – that will be printed on the back of an 8 ½” x 11” patriotic picture representing the story theme of the month.  

Snowbasin- UT The OVWSF and Snowbasin are proud to introduce the Snowbasin Freeski Team development program. The program, a partnership between the OVWSF and Snowbasin Snowsports Learning Center, is designed to take skiers into the realm of freeride skiing.  Not only will students hone in on advanced skiing skills, they will also receive training in the terrain park, halfpipe, big mountain skiing, as well as mountain safety.  Gordon Perry OVWSF Director said, “The foundation has had a demand for freeskiing for the past couple of years and with the addition of a new head coach Jake Seipel, he will bring the quality of coaching and guidance people have grown to expect of the OVWSF and Snowbasin.”

Morgan City is once again hosting Christmas on Commercial Street on Saturday, December 3.  Come out and enjoy the fun as a community!  There will be food, fun, and family activities.  There will also be a visit from Jolly Old St. Nick.  See you there!

People may visit the City website for more information and entry forms for the Gingerbread contest, the coloring contest and the Christmas boutique at www.morgancityut.com.

Nearly everyone will have heard of Wikipedia.  It began as a project and a software product.  The concept was that an encyclopedia could be created online in a collaborative fashion.  Wikipedia grew out of an online encyclopedia written by experts, but community content rapidly outpaced the expert contributions.  In the first year only 20,000 entries were created.  Wikipedia now boasts more than 3.6 million articles.  Studies of accuracy have been done and place Wikipedia at an accuracy rate comparable to expert authored encyclopedias.  It is the best case, worldwide, of community collaboration creating wide content, high quality content at a very low cost.

Learning beyond the classroom is an essential part of a complete education.  The Morgan County School District Community has an expressed dedication to this concept through our Mission Statement and imbedded within our instruction.  “What does it look like?” is a common phrase educators use as we challenge ourselves and our colleagues during professional development and is also a phrase that is appropriate when planning successful educational experiences beyond the classroom.  What is learning beyond the classroom and how can it be linked seamlessly to the activities and learning prepared for school?

Tony London has served on the Morgan City council for fourteen years.  He grew up in Morgan County, in Croydon.  After he married, in 1979, he moved to Morgan City.  He has three children and two grandchildren.  He works at Holcim as the plant terminal manager.  His responsibility there is for shipping product to their customers.  

Garth Day appeared before Judge Dee Benson on Tuesday for sentencing.  Judge Benson first invited Day’s attorney to speak.  Day’s attorney, Brad Smith spoke and requested that the court deviate from the recommended sentence.  He asserted that when Day came to him on August 27 of 2010 he was a “broken man…He had in effect sold his self respect and honor for money…I have watched him take difficult steps to restore his honor,” said Smith.  Smith asserted that Day had come forward voluntarily once he felt that discovery was imminent, but that he had revealed the full nature of his crimes beyond what was going to be immediately discovered, including a bank loan and a letter of credit of which the county was not yet aware.  

The Eccles Community Art Center, 2580 Jefferson Avenue, Ogden will exhibit the recent works of local artist, David W. Jackson of Mt. Green in the Main Gallery, November 4-29. The Carriage House Gallery will feature local artists with an Artist Invitational/Holiday Boutique exhibit through December. An opening reception for the Jackson exhibit and an evening of holiday shopping in the Carriage House Gallery is planned for Friday, November 4, 2011 from 5 to 8 p.m.

“Zanadu, which means the idyllic place,” explained co-owner, Amy Dickson, she found the name in a dictionary online.

When looking online Zanadu isn’t listed but Xanadu is, this rhymes with Zanadu and definition is an idyllic, exotic, luxurious place. Also found Zanadoo is a website, which has “private offers” on shoes, clothing, and various accessories but is not affiliated with the store.

The only presence of Dr. K. Earl Ericksen, this year at the Weber State University Alumni Band Reunion would be through photos, music and in the spirit of reminiscing.

Attending: Chairman Tina Kelley, Members Howard Hansen, Don Mathews, Ronda Kippen, Ned Mecham, Lyle Nelson

Absent: Robert Kilmer (attended by phone for a portion of the meeting)

Roots Hair Salon will celebrate their grand re-opening on Sat. Oct. 29, 2011. 

Roots was started three years ago by long time Morgan resident, Janica Ricettes.

 The OVWSF and Snowbasin are proud to welcome the newest Team Utah chapter to its slopes this season as well as Head Coach Jon Clark.  Team Utah Program Director Lane Clegg said, “We are not only excited to expand to Snowbasin, but after a long search and many interviews Jon Clark was a perfect fit for our newest mountain chapter”.   

DeOrr Peterson is running for the Morgan City Council.  He has served on the City council for a combined total of approximately thirteen years.  He served from 1982-1986, from 1990-1994, and from 2005 to present.  Peterson has enjoyed his time on the council.  His experience has given him good perspective on the community, the challenges, opportunities, and changes over time.  He said that the current council gets along well and can come to decisions with good discussion and opinions shared in a respectful environment.  

Lee Kellogg, originally from California moved to Coalville with his family about 4 years ago. It was there that he started his search to find a perfect location to put in a Smoothie and internet Café.

Tom Reinhart an entrepreneurial spirited man, and talented musician living in Morgan, originally moved to Morgan to be close to Snow Basin, but soon found other opportunities to spark his interest.  Reinhart came across the old bank building on Commercial Street and the wheels started turning. He immediately saw the potential of the building in bringing a cultural center to Morgan, where the community could come together in learning new skills; develop talents of music, arts and crafts. This novel is an academy where musicians could come and perform, have jam sessions,  record if they wanted, start up bands could practice and learn stage skills, and produce music and live video, and web development.

The National Archives and Records Administration is the National Archive of the United States.  Their website is archive.gov.  They are tasked with the preservation of important documents of the United States.  Their collection includes the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, Immigration Records, Military Records, Records of Act of Congress, Court Records, Presidential Records, and many others.

Everyone in Morgan County knows Steph’s by their delicious food and satisfying Tangees. But how many of us know the history of Steph’s and how it came to be? Steph’s is a family run business down to its third generation now currently ran by J.R. Hopkins. 

The sounds of honor and respect, could be felt as the audience stood, while a color guard of Cub and Boy Scouts, presented the colors of the state and national flags. The voices of the kindergarten children recited the Pledge of Allegiance.

The Library of Congress has launched a new service that helps to bring the past to life.  The service is called the national jukebox.  It includes access for streaming audio to more than 10,000 historical recordings. 

Bailey Jo Pfannerstill moved to Morgan from Salt Lake County. She lived in Riverton and Herriman before moving to Croydon four years ago. She has a passion for writing stories, drawing pictures, and watching football with her family and friends, and learning in general. During her spare time she can be found working on stories, reading books, studying for college, playing a few video games, listening to music, drawing or spending time with her family. Her family raises Pomeranians and she has shown them in the AKC Jr. Dog Show Handling competitions, where she won 10th place in the nation. Bailey isn’t your average girl. She likes to hunt, fish, go four-wheeling, watch and play football, play golf, and most things outdoors. Her favorite NFL team is the Green Bay Packers (Go Pack Go!). She plans to go to college for Journalism and would like to write a series one day. She loves her internship at The Morgan County News where she will write about the football games and other things along the way, and hopes to excel in it.

What brings people together?  It is typically an event centered on competition, or celebration, or charity, or remembering, or accomplishment.   American Cancer Society Relay for Life is one event that touches on all of these appeals to bring communities, families and individuals together.   Relay for Life is now in its 10th year in Morgan, and has earned its place on many people’s calendar as a tradition for many reasons.  

Morgan had a special treat at the County Fair.  Jamie Udell, Miss Rodeo Utah 2011 visited on Friday, August 5th. She spent time meeting those at the fair as well as participating in the opening ceremony at the rodeo on Friday night.  When Udell was asked how she enjoyed her visit, she shared, “I didn’t just enjoy it, I loved it!” 

During our school years each of us learns about the scientific method.  We develop theories, test them, and then draw conclusions from the tests.  Once conclusions have been validated they are reviewed by peers in the field in order to identify any flaws in the research or conclusions.  This method has been at the heart of nearly all major scientific discoveries.  

I have a few comments about the front page article about the Morgan County School District Transportation Department being over budget.  We know the main reason for this cost overage is due to fuel cost for an ever growing school system.  The school district is concerned with the future needs of a new school or even two new schools and remodeling cost.  They don’t have the money.  The school district talks about increasing school fees for students.  This school fee idea will only create a few thousand dollars which is nowhere close to the amount necessary to keep up with the cost of education.   I applaud the school district for not asking for a new Morgan County School District Office and Administration building.  They are working out of a small office in front of the Morgan Elementary School.  Good for them.  

he county council has been negotiating with the developers of Rollins Ranch for many months.  The owners of lots in the subdivision are caught in the middle of this ongoing problem of an unfinished subdivision that has not been accepted by the county, but has homes that have been constructed.  

Last week we had a copy customer come in and ask to use our computer to pull up the file they wanted to print from Dropbox.  This was a first for us, but I think not the last time it will happen.  I was reading a blog post about Dropbox and why the author no longer carried flash drives.  It got me thinking about the fact that I rarely use flash drives anymore.

Several waters in Utah should provide good fishing when the July 4th weekend rolls around.

As the weekend gets closer, you can stay updated on where fishing is the best by reading the Division of Wildlife Resources’ weekly fishing report.  The report is available at www.wildlife.utah.gov/hotspots.

You can also receive the free reports via email by subscribing to them at www.wildlife.utah.gov/e-lists/subscribe.php.  

Fifty-four members competed on 13 different State FFA judging teams at Utah State University on April 26-27.  

Morgan FFA won sweepstakes for the 19th year in a row.  The sweepstakes award was instituted twenty years ago.  For every year since the first year Morgan has won the competition. The sweepstakes award is given to the chapter with the most points earned in career development throughout the year.  

Federal charges have been filed against former Morgan County council administrator Garth Day.  Charges were dropped at the state level several months ago as the investigation was turned over to federal officials.  At the time that the case was turned over to federal jurisdiction, County Attorney Jann Farris said, ““My fear is that Garth will be released immediately from the prison [state prison] due to the non-violent nature of his crimes and his lack of a criminal record and prison overcrowding. I do not feel like that would be appropriate considering the damage he has done. In the federal system he will more likely get and serve a significant prison sentence. In my judgment that will be in the best interest of justice.”  

The county council rejected the request from the Morgan School District to help fund the new Trojan Centennial Center on Tuesday.  Kelly Wright, former Morgan County Attorney, and President of the Morgan Education Foundation appealed to the council to contribute funds toward the center construction.  Wright conveyed the intent of the school district to open the facility to the public and asked that the county utilize funds from impact fees designated for regional parks.  

As many high school seniors are looking forward to their graduation this May some previous graduates are looking back, way back. 

In a controversial move, Governor Herbert signed into law House Bill HB477 and in one stroke of the pen significantly reduced the openness of Utah government.  He took this action after repeatedly supporting a policy of transparency.  

After long negotiations it appears that the DATC (the Davis Applied Technology Center) will be opening an entrepreneurial center in Morgan.  The DATC has a center already on its campus in Layton and have been working to establish a second location in Morgan.
The Center provides training and office space for businesses in the early stages of their development.  Businesses can lease office space in the center.  This lease will provide them office space as well as access to resources such as printers and other office equipment needed for start up businesses. 

We are only a few weeks away from a brand new conference sponsored by FamilySearch, Ancestry, and the New England Historical Genealogical Society. The conference is called RootsTech and for those who enjoy genealogy and technology it will be a conference not to miss.  It will be held February 10-12 at the Salt Palace. 

It’s been a full “first year” for Morgan Empowered, our community organization consisting of volunteers who decided a year ago to organize and work together to “…coordinate family and community resources to empower youth to become responsible and upright adults.”  Combating the plague of drug abuse in our community was the initial catalyst for drawing Morgan County leaders together representing parents, schools, law enforcement, religious organizations, and city, county, and government agencies.

It’s been a full “first year” for Morgan Empowered, our community organization consisting of volunteers who decided a year ago to organize and work together to “…coordinate family and community resources to empower youth to become responsible and upright adults.”  Combating the plague of drug abuse in our community was the initial catalyst for drawing Morgan County leaders together representing parents, schools, law enforcement, religious organizations, and city, county, and government agencies.

Public Hearing -Resoution 10-39 Adjustment to Budget
The city adjusted revenues down based on actual revenues for the year.  To balance the budget, the council reduced expenditures to compensate for lower revenues.

The November election is story number two.  2010 will likely be a pivotal year for politics in Morgan County.  Four of the seven seats on the council were up for election.  A fifth seat changed due to the resignation of Rodney Haslam.

December 21, 2010

Council Members Attending: Tina Kelley, Sid Creager, Al Lundgren, Howard Hansen, Karen Sunday, Don Mathews, Ronda Kippen

I have written several times about FindMyPast.  Over the past few months they have continued to add to their collection.  Along with FamilySearch, FindMyPast has become the single best place to search for British ancestors. 

At the county council meeting on Tuesday night the issue of a freeway interchange in Mountain Green was discussed.  The conclusion – no interchange is in the near future.

Morgan resident Jimmy Jones recently had the opportunity of a lifetime to experience the weightlessness of space. While it wasn’t a trip in the space shuttle, the program operated by the Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC) Foundation offers teachers the opportunity to feel at least one part of space flight.

I predict Southern Utah will beat Eastern Washington on Nov 13, 2010 and this game will be in Washington ! I think the score will be SUU  48 Eastern Washington 24
I think the half score will be SUU 35 Eastern Washington 7 .

Rhonda Kippen is the newest member of the Morgan County Council.  Kippen was appointed by the council to finish the term of Rodney Haslam after he resigned for health reasons.

The council met on Wednesday morning and appointed Rhonda Kippen to the county council. Member Karen Sunday moved that Kippen be appointed and Member Al Lundgren seconded the motion. Kippen was appointed with Member Sunday, Lundgren, Kelley, and Hansen voting in favor and Member Mathews and Chairman Creager opposing.

In the county council meeting on Tuesday night, the council considered applicants for the district four council position. This position was recently vacated by Member Rod Haslam, who is suffering with health problems. The applicants were Fred Jacobson, Jim Jones, and Ronda Kippen.
Jacobson, Jones and Kippen appeared together before the council and answered questions. The candidates began with a summary of themselves and their qualifications.

Courtney Jensen will compete tonight, Friday, October 22 against 40 other contestants for the title of Miss Utah USA. She holds the title of Miss West Jordan, where she works as a hair stylist and attends Salt Lake Community College.

Teen Read Week 2010, Oct. 17-23, a time to encourage area teens to read for the fun of it.
Thousands of libraries, schools and bookstore’s across the country will be celebrating this year’s theme, Books with Beat @ your library®, which encourages teens to read a variety of materials, including poetry, audiobooks, books about music, and more.

In a night that began with conflict and accusations, Chairman Sid Creager took center stage at the council meeting on behalf of the council to explain, to the extent they are able with the investigation continuing, the events that led up to the charges being filed against Garth Day. Chairman Creager also explained the decision process that brought about the council administrator position to be posted on the county website.

Jim Montgomery is a candidate for county council district 2. District   2 runs from the Garnet Drive intersection up to the Peterson Overpass;   this includes all of Peterson up to Smith Creek and through   Enterprise, to and including the West side of Stoddard Lane.
Montgomery is running against Lyle Nelson.

Last week The Morgan County News reported on a Meet the Candidate night.  County Attorney Jann Farris was unable to attend.  Many of the questions were directed to Al Lundgren, candidate for Morgan County Attorney. 

It was a divided discussion in the work meeting at the county building on Tuesday night.  The meeting included most department heads in the county as well as nearly all of the elected officials.

Council Members in attendance:  Sid Creager – Chair, Tina Kelly – Vice Chair, Rodney Haslam, Howard Hansen,  Karen Sunday
Absent: Al Lundgren

Garth Day is the county council administrator for Morgan.  He was hired in June of 2008.  In this role he manages the staff in the non-elected county departments and provides support to the council in their legislative and administrative role. 

By Chuck Gates
Special Contributor for the Morgan County News
 
   SALT LAKE CITY — Local government leaders must brace themselves to withstand the coming budgetary collision of entitlement programs and funding obligations at the federal and state levels.

A Meet the Candidate meeting was held on Wednesday, September 15.  Attending the meeting was; Candidates for Sheriff - Blaine Breshears and Neil Porter, Candidate for Morgan County Attorney - Al Lundgren, and Candidate for County Council at Large Seat A, Larry Hatch.  Many issues were discussed but the majority of the questions were directed to Lundgren, Breshears, and Porter. 

At the special meeting of the council on Monday Don Matthews was appointed to serve the remainder of the term for District Five on the County Council.  The candidates were asked to introduce themselves and communicate their qualification.  The council then asked the applicants a number of questions.  Following is a summary of Matthews’ remarks and his answers to the questions.

Thursday, June 10, was meet the candidate night in the county.  The Republican Party sponsored this even to help voters get to know the candidates in advance of the primary election.

Is your family dead-ended on a research problem related to immigration?  The following are a few techniques and websites to help you in your genealogical quest.

Council Members Attending: Rodney Haslam, Tina Kelley, Sid Creager, Al Lundgren, Howard Hansen, Karen Sunday, David Mathews

Public Comment
A citizen commented on the new roads.  The citizen appreciates the quality of the new roads, but would like to see lines striped on the roads more quickly.

Some of you know that this is almost the anniversary of my mom’s death two years ago  and those that do probably know that I am a complete and total Momma’s Boy! What can I say, she loved me! She took good care of me and I hope that I took good care of her when she needed me.

Council Members Attending: Rodney Haslam, Tina Kelley, Sid Creager, Al Lundgren, Howard Hansen, Karen Sunday
Attended by Phone: Donald Mathews

The Morgan Board of Education has approved a small tax increase to cover the costs of debt service and the elementary reading program.  The action followed a Truth in Taxation Hearing held at their regular meeting on August 10.

It’s been three decades since my teenage years and I still have very vivid memories of my life growing up in the early 80s.  Of course, it was memorable when I got my driver’s license at 16.  It felt like a small step into the world of being an adult.  I was excited and “ready to roll,”  but it is difficult to “roll” when you don’t even have wheels, let alone the car and engine to go with them.

Since my husband, Don, and I purchased The Morgan County News, we have published 32 newspapers, and it’s definitely been a lot of work. When that deadline is coming for the newspaper to go to the printer, it feels like… Do you ever have that dream where you’re running as hard as you can from something and you just can’t get away?

Al Lundgren is a candidate for county attorney running against the incumbent Jann Farris.  Lundgren currently serves on the County Council.  Lundgren grew up in Colorado and attended his first year of college at Colorado State.  After the first year he moved to Utah to attend BYU. 

Jann Farris is the County Attorney for Morgan County.  His current term ends this year, and he is running for his second term as Morgan County Attorney.  Attorney Al Lundgren, who is currently serving on the Morgan County Council, is running against him.

Lyle Nelson is a candidate for County Council District 2.  He is running against James Montgomery.  Nelson was born in Utah and has lived most of his life here.  He spent many years in Sunset, but was looking for a good environment in which to raise his children.  He found that in Morgan and has lived here for the past 21 years.  He is married, has four grown children and seven grandchildren. 

Eva Colleen Jensen Barth passed away on June 29, 2010 at the age of 80.  She was born at home in Milton, Utah on December 21, 1929, to Eva Mary Varney and Lincoln Martin Jensen.

     Over the next few weeks I will provide a review of Record Managers. I will begin with RootsMagic.  RootsMagic has two products.  They have a free product called RootsMagic Essential and a more full featured product that sells for $29.95.  In my experience the $29.95 is well worth the cost.

If the community of Mountain Green had a theme song, it would probably be the one where in the cartoon, “Madagascar”, when the lemur sings “I like to move it, move it… physically fit, physically fit, physically, physically, physically fit.” Upon hearing the catchy tune, and seeing the sweet moves, one can’t help but to move it too. And that is just what the organizers of Saturday’s Tour de Mtn. Green were hoping to accomplish by strutting their own stuff; getting others to get up and move it too. 

The Smedleys and Smiths can truly be called pioneers of this area in Morgan County. Pioneers are visionaries for change and finding a better way, they are passionate enough about their vision to make a plan, and then they have the courage and the willingness to put all of their cards on the table in order to make their dream become reality. “If you aren’t willing to take a risk,” said Joanne, “you’ll never get anything done.”

Don Mathews is a member of the Morgan County Council.  He was appointed in June to fill the seat vacated by David Gardiner until the election.  Mathews is a candidate for the district five seat in on the council.  He is running against Austin Turner.

Last week I attended the Federation of Genealogical Societies’ annual conference in Knoxville Tennessee.  The Federation of Genealogical Societies is an organization made up of genealogical societies (wow, redundant).

What a great start to the 2010-2011 school year!  This August Morgan Elementary School welcomed back almost five hundred fifty eager students in grades one through five with more than one hundred fifty kindergarteners and preschoolers starting the first few days of September.  Back to school is a time for new beginnings in an elementary school with new friends, new teachers, and new learning planned for the next nine months. 

A Meet the Candidate night was held at Mark & Sheila Wilkinson's home on Thursday, September 2.   Larry Hatch and Robert Kilmer, who are opponents in the race for Morgan