Year in Review: October through December, 2022
Pigskin predictions and election drama marked the start of October 2022. Administrators from the Glen Canyon Dam released plans to readjust to record low water levels, and the Utah legislature allocated extra funds to wildfire resilience projects. Locally, Kanab High had numerous homecoming victories for their fall sports, and Trailfest wrapped up its season. Intermountain Healthcare donated millions of dollars to the Primary Promise Campaign. Best Friends Animal Sanctuary broke ground on new housing projects.
Midway through October, the North Kaibab Ranger District reported successful containment of the Murray 2 Fire, stating the fire was burning well within a fire-adapted area and consuming dead materials that had potential to cause future uncontrolled wildfires. Kane County was up in arms debating East Zion, water usage and development in the context of the elections. The Kanab Vet welcomed Dr. Tara Timpson to their staff. Glendale celebrated a successful Apple Festival.
Page hosted their inaugural Indigenous Peoples Day festival, with dancing, storytelling, history lessons and food. Kanab’s Youth Football team took their championship, and the high school won senior night in both volleyball and football. The hunting season began in force, with local hunters taking record-breaking bucks. Intermountain Healthcare announced groundbreaking technology coming to their facilities, and many businesses started turning things pink in support of Breast Cancer Awareness month. Kanab hosted a successful fishing tourney. The filmmaking industry was abuzz as rumors spread of more movies being made in the area.
On October 23, the Sheriff’s Office and KCPD encountered vehicles speeding in excess of 100 MPH east of Kanab, beginning a high-speed chase that proceeded through town; one vehicle pulled over, but the other attempted to flee before crashing into a tree. The driver was apprehended, and law enforcement searched her vehicle to discover a large quantity of methamphetamine, over 900 Fentanyl pills and a loaded firearm. October continued to smile on local sports, as Kenidee Glazier took state cross-country; the first female from Kanab High School ever to do so.
At the beginning of November, the much-contested election results came in, confirming the election of Patty Kubeja and Celeste Meyers to the commission, Chameill Lamb as Clerk/Auditor, and Marc Grow and Jarad Brinkerhoff as school board members. Kane County School District exceeded expectations and state averages according to a state-level assessment. Kanab High School football took the playoffs, and volleyball took second at theirs. Both Valley cross-country teams reached the top ten in their regional competition. The Kane County Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Shop funded new ultrasound and CT machines, and the hospital opened a new MRI facility not long after. Page hosted their annual Balloon Regatta. Kanab’s football team would go on to take second in the championship. The East Zion Project was a subject of heated discussion in many public meetings around this time, with some rezoning done by the county Planning and Zoning commission. Page appointed a new justice of the peace.
December began with annual festivities, with the Parade of Lights leading the charge. The Sheriff’s Office took suspects into custody in connection with large-scale fuel thefts committed across the western US. The state announced tax cuts and teacher pay raises. Kanab City appointed Danielle Ramsay as their new treasurer. Power outages briefly plagued the Cane Beds area, foreshadowing further outages that would roll across the border in the month of December and on into January. Communities in the area calmed as the election ended and holidays began, with festivities, fundraisers and charity events marking the season - bless whoever decided that a season focused on coming together should follow soon after contentious politics.
