$1.50 April 26, 2024 | Vol. 3 Iss. 14
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USU Extension Coordinator of the year
MORGAN COUNTY NEWS
Nicole Reed recognized for outstanding service.
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Covering Your Community Since 1929
NEWS BREAK Trump Trial testimonies
FELLOW FIREFIGHTERS in their bunker to honor Brance.
Morgan firefighter honored after losing his battle with cancer
By Verlene Johnson
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he firefighting community's tightly knit bonds are often compared to a family, a sentiment exemplified by the Morgan Fire & EMS Department's gesture of lowering their flags to half-staff in honor of Firefighter Brance Brown on April 10, 2024, after his three-year battle with cancer came to an end. Raised in Morgan, Utah, since he was 4 years old, Brown, 32, was deeply respected and loved by his community as a firefighter and EMT. “Brance was a statue of pure virtue,” Morgan County Fire Marshall, Dave Rich, said of Brown. “His mind was always at work trying to figure out how and who he could help next. His saying of ‘Keep on Keeping On’ will ring in my ears forever. He once was a nut and now is that mighty oak. His example for his boys and all of us will shine brightly as a guide for us to follow in the coming days.” Although he didn't lose his life in the line of duty, his dedication and service were honored at his funeral. The presentation of the flag to his wife Savana, for a fallen fire-
fighter, and the ringing of the bell was a solemn and respectful gesture, symbolizing gratitude for his service. The ringing of the bell three times is a traditional way to mark the end of an emergency and the return to quarters; however, it's also used in ceremonies to honor fallen firefighters, signifying their final call in a moment of remembrance. With the American Flag flying on the extended ladder from ladder 121 to pay tribute to Brown's service to his community, the funeral procession led by Engine 121, drove under the flag as they made their way from the Rock Church to South Morgan Cemetery. Fellow firefighters in their bunker gear honored him with a salute as Brown's casket passed by on the back of a horse-drawn wagon. This gesture showed the profound respect and gratitude felt by his colleagues and the community he served. Not only was Brown a firefighter and EMT with Morgan County, he also was an office assistant at the Ogden Police Department, the Office/ Marketing Manager at Bingham’s Custom Meats along
BROWN on page 3
Contact with Voyager 1 After months of receiving a glitched message from the unmanned spacecraft, NASA finally reestablished contact with Voyager 1, which was launched in 1977, and is now well over 15 billion miles from Earth - the farthest-reaching man-made object in history. With so great a distance, the capacity for repairs from Earth is extremely limited, but scientists at NASA were able to do some minor fixes to get Voyager 1 back on track and sending data back to Earth once more. It is anticipated that, at the most, Voyager 1 will be able to send data back for 1-10 more years before going offline, and continuing on into space, silent, but intact.
College protests
“BRANCE WAS AN AMAZING FATHER and husband,” said his wife Savana. “He was the best brother, son and friend. We love and miss him so much!”
Courtesy photos
State to buy 2,600 acres in East Canyon By Linda Petersen
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he Utah Division of Wildlife Resources has plans to purchase a 2,600-acre property in East Canyon to expand the East Canyon Wildlife Management Area and develop more recreation opportunities in the area. Most of the property is within the Rich Morgan-Summit Sage Grouse Management Area and provides winter and summer habitat for deer, elk, sage grouse, forest grouse, and other wildlife. With the purchase, DWR will manage 2,200 acres and add it to its wildlife management area. State Parks will manage 400 acres and has plans to provide more public access to the area by creating a new campground with 50 to 70 campsites, “This purchase is important to further enhance public outdoor access,” Hailey Blair UDWR wildlife specialist told the Morgan County Commission April 16. “These improvements will align with the collective goal of providing a diverse range of outdoor enthusiasts with ample opportunities to connect with nature, fostering a greater
With the entire cadre of jurors selected, testimonies in the hush money trial of Donald Trump began this week. Of particular note, was the testimony and examination of David Pecker, former head of the parent company of the National Enquirer. Pecker testified that, with cooperation from Michael Cohen, the National Enquirer did, in fact, bury stories that could have been damming to the Trump campaign in 2016, while pushing stories that vilified the other candidates. Further, Judge Juan Merchan, who presides over the trial, held a hearing for the gag order he issued for Trump, which Judge Merchan has said Trump has repeatedly violated.
appreciation for the expansive beauty that this land has to offer.” The property is considered contiguous vacant recreational land. It is adjacent to both East Canyon Wildlife Management Area owned by the Division of Wildlife as well as East Canyon State Park. Part of the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail runs through the property and will be preserved for perpetuity, Blair said. The purchase will also safeguard valuable big game habitat and open up future recreational opportunities for the public such as OHV trails and mountain biking, she said. “Between wildlife and state parks, there's a lot of recreational opportunities here.” To fund this acquisition DWR secured $5 million, State Parks secured $5 million, and the Utah Legislature gave the UDWR $8.5 million. The acquisition came about in large part because of the vision of County Commissioner Blaine Fackrell, said Commissioner Jared Anderson. “I believe this is increasing our public grounds by at least 20 percent; it's a huge deal for us,” Anderson said.
“I really appreciate the work that's been put into this; it's a lot of work,” he said. “I appreciate Commissioner Fackrell working hard on this. When he first proposed this to us other commissioners we said, ‘Go ahead; good luck finding 20 million.’ I don't know of any other time any other commission that's ever been able to get appropriated $20 million without a dime being spent from the county.” The work to acquire the land began two years ago when Fackrell decided to take on the project. “There were 16 lots allotted for this area by private people and of course, it was private ground,” he said. “One of the goals that I've had in Morgan County is to go and provide more public ground for all of us to enjoy.” “I started working on it right away trying to find out how we could purchase this property and it finally came down with our legislative assistance,” he said. “Last March and April we started working on this. I had already talked to the
EAST CANYON on page 4
This week marked the celebration of Passover in the world of Judaism, but also, a marked increase in protests at college campuses around the nation, particularly in the Eastern United States. Columbia University and NYU saw increased protests, as well as increased security. The protests, which addressed the ongoing war in Palestine, were largely peaceful but ended up in a handful of arrests after the protesters were told to disperse, and refused to do so. The ramped-up protests come in the midst of increasing antisemitism across the United States and other parts of the world and have caused concern for the Jewish population at these schools.
Volcano erupts in Indonesia Mount Ruang in Indonesia underwent multiple explosive eruptions last week, causing volcanic gases to reach the atmosphere’s second layer, thousands of feet above ground. The volcano ejected a massive ash plume and sent some volcanic gases more than 65,000 feet into the air, about 25,000 feet higher than a commercial airplane will typically fly. The eruption’s potential impacts to weather and climate are starting to come into focus, even as the danger posed by the volcano persists and evacuations continue. While it is possible for volcanoes to have a shortterm impact on the climate, Mount Ruang’s influence on the climate is predicted to be minimal.