Drawing visitors from across the nation, a free public festival celebrating national and state parks, for­ests, monuments and public lands marks its 20th consecutive year in Kanab, May 7-10, 2026. The nonprofit organization Amazing Earthfest produces the festival each year with a small team of local or­ganizers. Twenty-eight scheduled experiential learning activities dis­tinguish the commu­nity festival this year. Several luminaries hailing from Utah and Colorado are travelin

SPRINGDALE — A 43-year-old California man died after a fall in the Spry Canyon area of Zion National Park on Wednes­day, April 22, marking the second fatal fall reported in the park within a week. According to regional reports, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office was asked to assist Zion National Park after reports that a person had fallen in the canyon area. Deputies responded and met with park officials at the scene, where the man was found deceased. The sheriff’s office

ST. GEORGE — A bat found in Washington Coun­ty has tested positive for rabies, marking Utah’s first confirmed rabid bat of 2026, according to the Utah Department of Health and Human Services. The department issued the notice this week and urged residents across Southern Utah to avoid direct contact with bats and other wild animals. Rabies is rare in Utah, but bats are the most common source when cases are iden­tified. The virus attacks the nervous system and is considered nea

The Plein Air Paint­ers of America (PAPA) will present its 2026 National Exhibition & Sale, “Heart of Amer­ica,” at the historic Maynard Dixon Sum­mer Home & Studio, hosted by the Thun­derbird Foundation for the Arts. The ex­hibition is part of a broader celebration of America’s 250th anni­versary, honoring the nation’s landscapes through the work of today’s leading plein air painters. Opening with a Pa­tron’s Preview on Fri­day, May 15, 2026, and a Public Opening on Saturday

KANE COUNTY —Three of the most dreaded words in all of healthcare are, “You have cancer.” Our hope at Kane County Hospital (KCH) is that nobody ever needs to hear those words again, and we know that hope of no cancer ever is unrealistic on our planet today. What makes those words even worse to hear, is when you know that the nearest treatment is over 160-mile round trip away, and that you are going to need to make that trip hundreds of times before you will be able to say you

SPRINGDALE — National Park Service officials have identified the visitor who died after a fall from the Angels Landing trail in Zion National Park as Gilberto Ramos, 68, of Laredo, Texas. Angels Landing rises above Zion Canyon in Zion National Park. Park officials said a Texas visitor died Friday after a fall from the popular trail. Park officials said an emergency response began about 2 p.m. Friday, April 17, after reports that a hiker had fallen from the popular trail’s cha

KANAB — The Kane County Commission on April 14 considered proposed changes to the county’s General Plan, with discussion centering on how future growth should balance the rights of existing residents, property owners and new development. The meeting opened with routine business and a legislative update from a representative of U.S. Sen. Mike Lee’s office, who discussed federal efforts related to agriculture, privacy and election issues. The Kane County Commission met on April