$1.50 May 24, 2024 | Vol. 3 Iss. 17
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Summer fun!
MORGAN COUNTY NEWS
Morgan library kicks off summer reading program
page 8
Covering Your Community Since 1929
First annual Front Street Festival draws huge crowd C
hristmas on Commercial Street is a local’s favorite tradition to kick off the Christmas season. This has been the only time in recent history that Commercial Street is closed to auto traffic for the duration of the afternoon while the community floods the storefronts and vendors for Christmas activities. However, on Saturday, June 1, Commercial Street was once again shut down to auto traffic so the community could enjoy the first annual Front Street Festival. Many may ask why the name switch from Commercial Street to Front Street when the events took place on the same street. When the Transcontinental railroad reached Morgan City in 1869, businesses in Morgan relocated closer to the tracks to better serve railroad workers and to take advantage of the transportation provided by the railroad. As a result, the businesses were situated in front of the railroad, and Commercial Street also became known as Front Street. The Front Street Festival was to celebrate the newly reconstructed train station. In 1926, the Union Pa- It was an honor to cific Railroad constructed be part of Morgan the depot at 98 North Commercial Street. Designed County’s first festiby Gilbert Stanley Un- val. The small-town derwood. With help from the Morgan Valley Preser- experience and great vation Society, work was sense of community completed earlier this year reminded me of what on the nearly 100-yearold building with Morgan a great country we Historical Society moving live in and how proud into the building. The Festival kicked I am to be a part of off with the Morgan High it. School Drum Line under Nick Williams the direction of Chad McLean. Throughout the day several groups performed musical numbers including Morgan Valley Children’s Choir, Steve Allen on the Saxophone, The Morgan Community Choir, students from Morgan Valley Music, Morgan Valley Orchestra, and Riverdale City band and concluding with Jayden Pierce playing his guitar and singing. A Morgan event just wouldn’t be the same without Jerry Pierce Emceeing the event and Golden Spike Train rides. Food trucks and Morgan storefronts stayed busy feeding the hundreds of people enjoying the festivities. In addition, several artists displayed their talents. “It was an honor to be part of Morgan County's first festival,” said artist Nick Williams of Odin’s Eye in Bountiful. “The small-town experience and great sense of community reminded me of what a great country we live in and how proud I am to be a part of it.” He mentioned that it was interesting to see local musicians, artists and even marching band members come together to make this a fun, family-friendly
FESTIVAL on page 3
Former president Donald Trump convicted on all 34 counts
A unanimous decision from a New York jury declared former president Donald Trump guilty on all 34 felony counts in his hush money trial. The case is a landmark in U.S. history, as it marks the first time a former U.S. president has been convicted of a felony. Judge Juan Merchan, who presided over the case, announced that sentencing will take place July 11, but Trump and his legal team have already said they plan to appeal the conviction. Experts are still conflicted on whether or not this case, and subsequent convictions, will help or hinder the former president’s campaign as he tries, once more, to run against current president, Joe Biden.
Chad Daybell found guilty of murder
M
organ County has received a FEMA hazard mitigation grant of $252,000 to reconstruct a bridge in Peterson at 4000 North 4000 West. This small bridge is prone to flooding most years, County Public Works Director Bret Heiner told the county commission on May 21. “This is one of them that floods often,” he said. “This year [it] didn't but last year we had trouble and the year before.” Even during a year when there isn’t a lot of flooding the bridge has issues, he said. “It'd be a great project to get out of our hair, so we don't have to go out in the middle of the night in March. It's quite often we have to take care of this problem.” Heiner and his crews often see a lot of ice jams in the Weber River near the bridge during the winter, he said. “It just depends on the weather and how the
In another case that has been making headlines, Chad Daybell was found guilty of murder and conspiring to murder his wife, Tammy Daybell, and his new wife, Lori Vallow Daybell’s two children. Though centric to Utah and Idaho, the case had received national attention. Daybell also awaits sentencing, although in his case, the possibility of the death penalty is on the table, given the seriousness of his crime. Judge Steven Boyce, who presides over the Daybell case, will decide how long the sentencing period will last.
CARA KOOLMEES AND AMY EVERHART.
Mexico elects first female president
THE MORGAN COMMUNITY Choir celebrates 20 years.
Courtesy photos
Peterson to get flood relief in the form of bridge widening By Linda Petersen
NEWS BREAK
spring flow comes down so we would like to get this project taken care of.” The proposed project will include the installation of box culverts and widening and increasing the height of the bridge which would increase the capacity of the flow by about double, he said. Of the total $280,000 project funds, $159,000 will be used for culvert construction. The remaining $80,600 will serve for over-engineering and road paving. Morgan County has to come up with a $28,000 (10 percent) match for this project which will come out of the flood mitigation fund. An overage of $833 will come out of the flood disaster fund. Heiner applied for the grant in 2022. “It's taken two years to design and get the money so it takes a little time to do these projects,” he said. Commissioners responded positively to Heiner’s presentation. “Anytime somebody gives us 90 percent money and we have to match
ten, I think is a very, very good deal,” County Commissioner Jared Anderson said. Once the project is complete, “hopefully we don't have to worry about complaints in the spring in future years possibly having that ice jam,” County Commissioner Blaine Fackrell said. Heiner said his department has a list of proposed projects that would target these kinds of problems as funding becomes available. Addressing these kinds of flooding problems even if they only happen every six to eight years improves the county’s roads and bridges and ensures the Public Works budget doesn’t take unexpected hits, Heiner said. “We've got a few more projects that we'd love to get the money to fund.” Heiner said he would send the project out to bid right away and expected to present the bids to the commission when they come in. The project must be completed by August 2025 according to the conditions of the grant. l
In a landmark decision, the nation of Mexico elected the first female president of the nation in its over 200-year history. Claudia Sheinbaum isn’t just the first female president of the country either, she is also the first Jewish president of Mexico, holds a doctorate in energy engineering, and was also part of a United Nations climate team that won a Nobel Prize according to CNN. Sheinbaum, whose grandparents fled Europe at the outset of the Holocaust, has stated that she and her administration intend to “look after every single Mexican without distinction.” Sheinbaum won 58% of the vote according to CNN, with the next closest competitor, Xóchilt Gálvez coming in at a distant 28%.
Thousands gather to commemorate D-day anniversary
On June 6, 1944, thousands of soldiers, sailors and aviators from the Allied nations threw themselves at the Atlantic Wall built by Germany. Over the years, the names of Omaha, Utah, Juno, Sword and Gold would be uttered with reverence when talking about D-Day, and the landings dubbed Operation Overlord. Now, 80 years later, thousands of family members, historians, politicians, reenactors and onlookers crowded those same beaches once again to commemorate the landings and pay tribute to the over 4,000 men who died that day. The occasion was marked by reenactments, speeches, wreath-laying, and more honoring what was the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany and its allies in World War II.