Author: zpodmore

Zak Podmore is a freelance journalist and editor of the Canyon Echo: A Journal of Southeastern Utah.

San Juan School Board Votes Down CRA Proposals in Bluff and Blanding

On Tuesday, the San Juan School District board met in Montezuma Creek and once again discussed two Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) proposals. Board member Steven Black presented an eight-page position paper that argued the school district would not benefit from either CRA proposal, both of which are meant to incentive hotel developments in the county. … Continue reading San Juan School Board Votes Down CRA Proposals in Bluff and Blanding

Editorial: Commissioner Willie Grayeyes’ Residency Claim Rests on Far More than Cultural Beliefs

To understand why San Juan County Commissioner Willie Grayeyes’ Utah residency is in dispute, it helps to understand Piute Mesa, a remote strip of redrock that contains roughly 20 modular homes and traditional hogans, many of which lack running water and electricity. Driving from the mesa to the hamlet of Navajo Mountain, Utah, requires crossing … Continue reading Editorial: Commissioner Willie Grayeyes’ Residency Claim Rests on Far More than Cultural Beliefs

Bluff Town Council Briefs – Jan. 22, 2019

Tuesday's council meeting kicked off with a discussion of a potential Community Development Block Grant to help pay for a city water engineering plan. There are complications associated with the town's recent incorporation and the ownership of water rights. Mayor Ann Leppanen suggested shooting for a June 2019 deadline for transferring water rights to the … Continue reading Bluff Town Council Briefs – Jan. 22, 2019

January Update from Bluff Town Council Member Jim Sayers

By Jim Sayers We hope all had a safe and reflective MLK day, remembering the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. And we hope for an end to the Shutdown. January was a very productive month for the Bluff Town Council. Dominating the meetings was the request for disconnection from the town boundaries by … Continue reading January Update from Bluff Town Council Member Jim Sayers

Challenge to Commissioner Willie Grayeyes’ Residency Status Heard in 7th District Court

By Zak Podmore Just weeks after Willie Grayeyes was seated to his new post as San Juan County commissioner, a challenge to his candidacy was heard in Seventh District Court in Monticello. The challenge was brought by Blanding resident Kelly Laws, Grayeyes' Republican opponent in District 2 who lost the November commission election by a nine-point … Continue reading Challenge to Commissioner Willie Grayeyes’ Residency Status Heard in 7th District Court

Bluff Town Council Briefs: Jan 2 & 3, 2019

January 2, 2019 Kirk Benge, executive director of the San Juan County Public Health Department, attended Wednesday's town council meeting. Benge explained that Bluff, as a new municipality, has the opportunity to appoint a representative to the county's 7-member public health board. Board members typically meet 6 times per year to vote on and guide … Continue reading Bluff Town Council Briefs: Jan 2 & 3, 2019

Republican candidate files petition to remove County Commissioner Willie Grayeyes from office

Complaint before Utah court alleges Grayeyes is not a county resident The first majority-Navajo commission in the history of San Juan County is facing a legal challenge before it's even seated. On Wednesday evening, Kelly Laws -- the Republican county commission candidate who lost to Democrat Willie Grayeyes in the November election by a nine-point … Continue reading Republican candidate files petition to remove County Commissioner Willie Grayeyes from office