Fall migration brings raptors and waterfowl to our reservoirs, warblers and wrens to riparian corridors, sparrows and thrashers to the flats, but one “resident” bird follows a different schedule - Pinyon Jays. These small dusty-blue birds with short tails travel widely across Utah, Arizona and Nevada in search of their favorite food: pine nuts. Pinyon Jays are unusual among members of the crow family. So unusual, in fact, that they occupy their own genus, Gymnorhinus. The sci

Rick Haynes grew up in Kanab, went to Kanab High School and rode motocross. That was really all I knew about “Ricky” back in the day. When his mother, Venna, called and asked me to interview Rick, he had just made Dean’s List at the University of Phoenix; she is so proud. He completed his Master of Business Administration and Master of Data Science. “People think it’s the people who make the mistakes and cause strife, it’s not,” says Rick Haynes. “You put a good person into a

If you depend on Social Security, recent headlines warning that the program is “running out of money” can sound pretty alarming. The situation is serious, but that phrase doesn’t tell the whole story. The latest annual report from Social Security’s trustees projects that the trust fund used to pay retirement and survivor benefits will have enough reserves to pay full scheduled benefits until the fourth quarter of 2032. If Congress makes no changes before then, continuing inco

My friend Vicky Romero asked me to take her on an adventure. She didn’t care where we went or when, she just wanted an adventure. Vicky Romero pauses in front of the Arco de Santa María in Burgos, Spain, during a 22-day adventure through Scotland, Spain, and Portugal with friend Michelle Aldrich. The pair traveled through three countries and walked more than 150 miles during the trip. Photo courtesy of Michelle Aldrich. I’m 61. Vicky is 79, born and raised in Kanab and still

For a lot of seniors, independence is something to be proud of. It represents years of hard work, self-reliance and the ability to take care of yourself and your family. That’s one reason asking for help can be so difficult. But accepting help does not mean giving up independence. Sometimes it’s exactly what allows us to maintain it. Many older adults in rural communities continue leading active lives well into retirement. Asking for help with more physically demanding tasks

Legendary 20th Century Fox producer Darryl F. Zanuck recruited Paramount’s up-and-coming director Henry Hathaway to helm his 1940 epic, Brigham Young, Frontiersman. Hathaway reportedly replied, “The two dullest things [to make a movie about] are wagon trains and religion.” After Zanuck mentioned the film’s $2.7 million budget and stars Tyrone Power and Linda Darnell, Hathaway reconsidered. Image courtesy of IMDb. Eleanor Harris had written a compelling story about Brigham You

We All Live Here, by Jojo Moyes Reviewed by Jill Webb “We All Live Here” is about how messy yet endearing life can be. Lila is a best-selling author who just wrote a book about saving marriages. The book’s irony comes into play when it is revealed shortly thereafter her own marriage disintegrates. Lila is now trying to find her new place in a very complicated life. This life is complicated by quirky living situations and with vast personalities all living under one roof. Char