The
NONPROFIT US POSTAGE PAID LAS VEGAS, NEVADA PERMIT No. 3587
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Love is in the Air!
Serving Wayne & Garfield Counties, Utah
Loa • Fremont • Lyman • Bicknell • Teasdale • Torrey • Grover • Fruita • Caineville • Hanksville Panguitch • Panguitch Lake • Hatch • Antimony • Bryce • Tropic • Henrieville • Cannonville • Escalante • Boulder
Corner Post Media, P.O. Box 105, Escalante, UT 84726
Thursday, February 5, 2026
BLM Approves Updated Northern Corridor Highway Plan
ST. GEORGE - The Bureau of Land Management approved construction of the Northern Corridor highway in Washington County on Jan. 21, 2026. In 2018, the Utah Department of Transportation applied for a right-of-way for a four-lane highway north of St. George to help ease traffic congestion in the area. The BLM analyzed potential impacts to public land resources for this project during environmental reviews and public comment periods in 2020, 2024, and 2025. The BLM dismissed a previously endorsed option to instead upgrade the Red Hills Parkway after the Utah Department of Transportation
Issue #1653
insiderutah.com
FFA Returns to Escalante High School, Bringing Hands-On and Career-Based Learning Opportunities Back to Campus
Garfield County Commission
by Kathryn Chamberlain
Jan. 26, 2026
by Peg Smith
and serves as the program’s advisor at EHS. Lott said FFA had previously existed in Escalante more than 20
GARFIELD CO. The first hour of discussions at the January 26 Garfield County Commission meeting ranged from water issues to wildfire risk mapping to tour bus cancellations due to park fee increases. The meeting closed with a contentious discussion between the Commissioners and Dixie National Forest reps. Planning Director Kaden Figgins said he’d attended a Colorado River Authority meeting the previous week with co-chair and Garfield County rep Simone Griffin. He cited a map showing Utah reservoirs (except for Flaming Gorge) at 20-30% capacity, while reservoirs in Nevada and Arizona were all 70-95% full. He said Griffin reported the southern states were unwilling to compromise and litigation
Escalante FFA
Garfield Commission
Kobbi Brooks
Emilee Lott (FFA Advisor), Kannon Lyman, Rylee Frei (Reporter), Jayden Carlisle (Treasurer), Brody Treanor (Vice-President), Alison Holcomb (President), Kira Roberts (Secretary), Jessie McDonald (Historian), Scott Alvear (Sentinel), and Riggin Porter. The Future Farmers of America program has returned to Escalante High School after more than 20 years and was officially chartered in 2024 under the leadership of Emilee Lott, who serves as the program’s advisor at the school. ESCALANTE - With its blue corduroy fabric and corn gold lettering, the Future Farmers of America (FFA) jacket represents nearly a century of agricultural tradition. Now,
that tradition has returned to Escalante High School (EHS), where students are once again learning leadership and responsibility, as well as career-ready skills through the FFA program.
The Escalante FFA chapter was officially chartered in 2024 under the leadership of Emilee Lott, who teaches agriculture and Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses
DWR Dedicated Hunter Volunteers Complete Over 1,100 Projects in 2025 to Benefit Wildlife
94% of State Currently Experiencing Drought Conditions
Grand Canyon National Park Plans Adaptive Reopening of North Rim in Summer '26
Northern Corridor Hwy Cont'd on A5
Courtesy Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
In 2025, volunteers in the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Dedicated Hunter Program completed 1,176 projects. The Dedicated Hunter Program is a service-based hunting program that allows participants to have more time to hunt deer each year. SALT LAKE CITY 2025 saw some great work from people helping to benefit wildlife in Utah, with volunteers in the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Dedicated Hunter Program completing 1,176 projects last year. The Dedicated Hunter Program is a service-based hunting program that allows participants to have more time to hunt deer each year. In 2025, there were 1,547 people who
participated in the program. Participants are required to complete 32 hours of DWRapproved service (or pay for their hours) in order to qualify for deer hunting permits through the program. They enroll in the program for a three-year period and can harvest two deer during that period if they meet the service requirements. “The Dedicated Hunter Volunteer Program Cont'd on B3
REGIONAL WEATHER FORECAST
SALT LAKE CITY Utah’s lackluster snow season continues to be a concern. 95% of the state’s water supply comes from snowpack. Refilling reservoirs is less likely if the trend of dismal snowstorms continues. 2025 was the warmest year on record for Utah, according to the National Weather Service. The northern portion of the state is doing slightly better than other areas, but is still recording below-normal levels. 94% of the state is currently experiencing some form of drought. Last year at this time, 20% of the state was in drought. Drought Conditions Cont'd on B4
Cont'd on B1
Cont'd on B4
NPS Photo | T. Hopp
A herd of bison graze adjacent to Highway 67 on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. GRAND CANYON N.P. - Grand Canyon National Park is preparing an adaptive approach for the seasonal reopening of the North Rim, evaluating potential impacts from winter weather to park infrastruc-
ture after the Dragon Bravo Fire. The park aims to open popular points of interest, including the North Kaibab Trail, on May 15, weather and conditions permitting. Park officials emphasize that the guiding princi-
ple for the upcoming season is: “We will open what we can, where we can, when we can.” This approach prioritizes visitor North Rim Reopening Cont'd on B4
UPCOMING EVENTS... Panguitch Fishing Derby
February 7
*Event is weather and ice-condition dependent
Valentine's Day
February 14
FOR SOME BUT NOT ALL REGIONS REPRESENTED IN OUR NEWSPAPER COVERAGE AREA
THURS. FEB. 5 - WED. FEB. 11
Partly cloudy, with chance of snow showers into next week. Highs range from the high 30s to the mid 50s; lows in the teens and 20s. Chance of snow (≈40%) Tues-Weds. **Weather is subject to Change
Maturity is a bitter disappointment for which no remedy exists, unless laughter could be said to remedy anything. —Kurt Vonnegut
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