Paul Dail

ST. GEORGE — In Utah, the divorce rate is almost half the marriage rate, and many of these divorce decrees include child custody arrangements.
State law already has a plan in place for these parents – a literal “parenting plan.” However, Southern Utah Rep. V. Lowry Snow, R-St. George, has proposed “Parenting Plan Amendments,” designated HB 48 in the 2018 Legislature, to address issues specifically related to a child’s education in cases of divorce.
According to a report from the Utah Departme...

FEATURE — Let me preface this piece by saying if you are thinking about a daytrip to Zion or Springdale on a whim and were unaware of the extent of construction on state Route 9, you may want to reconsider, if only for the added time on your trip. And you may not even get into the main part of the park anyway depending on when you go.
But if you already have plans or were maybe considering a local “staycation” in Springdale, despite horror stories you might have heard, it’s still a good optio...

FEATURE — In Cornelia Funke’s 2006 children’s book “When Santa Fell to Earth,” the author proposes – among other things – that there are many “Santas” who all work for the one true Santa.

For Lester Ross, who has played the part of St. Nick at Frontier Homestead State Park Museum’s “Christmas at the Homestead” since its inception, this idea inspires how he chooses to imbue the Christmas spirit in hundreds of children each year. Besides requests for toys, Ross said the most common question he ...

CEDAR CITY — What started in 2012 as two women wanting to help a friend has since grown to an annual event benefiting community members with cancer and their families. The 5th annual “Lori’s Pink Christmas” will take place Wednesday at the Cedar High School auditorium and feature a talent show, silent auction, Christmas tree auction, bake sale and visit from Santa.

Event organizer Rachel Torres told Cedar City News that she started the event with Joy Coates.

“We had a friend, Lori (Blackner M...

ST. GEORGE — The Utah Board of Tourism Development, part of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, has announced that it is allocating more than $3.4 million in cooperative marketing matching funds to help communities throughout Utah promote their areas to out-of-state travelers. Of these funds, various initiatives in Southern Utah will receive almost $1.2 million.

“The cooperative marketing program is a successful tool for growing Utah’s tourism economy,” Vicki Varela, managing direc...

ST. GEORGE — In an effort to bring together the many partners and providers of the Southern Utah early childhood care and education community, Care About Childcare is putting on the 17th annual “Early Childhood Collaboration Conference” at Dixie State University Sept. 22-23.
There are still spaces available, but they are filling up quickly. Carrie Sigler, director of Care About Childcare @ Five County, told St. George News Monday they had originally planned on 200 attendees, but the immense r...

OPINION — To use the proper vernacular of our state from the get-go, I am not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. However, I have in-laws who are members, so when I accepted the media invitation to preview the new Cedar City temple, I decided to approach this rare opportunity to get a glimpse inside from the vantage point of a nonmember.

What sorts of things would non-Mormons get to see? Would the veil be pulled back? Would they walk away with a better understanding o...

ST. GEORGE — A recent report has listed Utah as being consistently higher than the national average when it comes to mental health problems, both in adolescents and adults. Fortunately for Southern Utah, the National Alliance on Mental Illness-Southwest Utah affiliate will be offering its fall session of free classes and support groups starting Tuesday.
According to the Behavioral Health Barometer: Utah, Vol. 4 report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, while U...

ST. GEORGE — Whether you see it as a boon to the local economy or an imposition when you just want to enjoy your favorite hike, there is no denying that summer tourism is on the rise in Southern Utah. And it doesn’t show any sign of slowing.
Using various determiners, both the St. George Area Tourism Office and Cedar City–Brian Head Tourism Bureau reported increases over 2016. However, Zion National Park is where the most significant jumps are being seen.
More than last year? How is that poss...

ST. GEORGE — On March 16, President Trump released his proposed budget blueprint. In the included “President’s Message” to Congress, Trump said, “We have made tough choices that have been put off for too long.” If enacted, one of these tough choices could be the elimination of funding to county government associations ...

Writer’s Digest, January 2018, Volume 98, No. 1

INKWELL

Quality Control With diverse characters in demand, the publishing trend of hiring sensitivity readers sparks passionate discourse. by Mandy Howard

PLUS:

5-Minute Memoir: The Fine Line Between Magic and Lying

Poetic Asides: Rimas Dissolutas

Going Global

The Identity List

Ever-Afterword

Inside Voices

Worth a Thousand Words

CEDAR CITY — As part of their efforts to support ongoing mental health awareness and suicide prevention activities, the Iron County Prevention Coalition recently announced they will be using part of a $15,000 grant to help facilitate “Hope Squads” in five Iron County School District schools to address the issue of youth suicide.

CEDAR CITY — As part of the USDA “Feds Feed Families” summer campaign, federal employees from the Dixie National Forest gathered and delivered – with the help of Smokey Bear – 463 pounds of food Tuesday to the Iron County Care and Share.

CEDAR CITY — Several studies have shown that when kids eat dinner with their family they are less likely to drink alcohol, use illicit drugs and smoke. This is the message the Iron County Prevention Coalition, Parents Empowered and Charlie’s Southern Barbecue are trying to get out through a recent restaurant design campaign and customer appreciation day event Saturday.

ST. GEORGE — After years of ranking near the top for population growth, business environment and job creation, the latest U.S. Census report offered a surprising result for Utah. The 2015 data ranked Utah at 43rd in the nation in terms of overall uninsured children.