Rebecca Martin, Jeff Johnston, Mitch Stock, Bob Lippman and Ron Drake attended a four-hour series of classes Friday evening at the Grand Center in Moab. The next morning, the class participants spent the day at Pack Creek Ranch engaged in three hands-on training exercises with two of the department’s brush trucks.
The Castle Valley volunteers were part of a dozen other fire departments from around the southern half of the state including Moab and San Juan County fire departments and some from Emery and Carbon counties. The underlying theme of all of the exercises was firefighter safety so that everyone will go home at the end of the day.
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Just a reminder that the Moab area non-profit organization Plateau Restoration, in partnership with the EPA, is offering a free weed education workshop geared towards Castle Valley residents and landowners and anyone else who would like to attend.
The workshop will begin at 9 a.m., Saturday, April 24 at the Castle Valley Town building. Featured speakers are Dr. Mark Miller of the National Park Service on cheatgrass, Dr. Dan Bean of the Palisade Insectary on biocontrol and Mike Johnson of the Utah State University on pest control and herbicide safety. There will also be a discussion of plans for weed control in the Castle Valley watershed.
The afternoon will feature a field trip focusing on plant identification and light volunteer work involving diffuse knapweed removal and revegetation of the Porcupine Ranch burn area. Snacks, handouts and packets of native seed will be available to all participants. To RSVP call Plateau Restoration at 259-7733.
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Another reminder for Saturday, May 8 is the annual Spring Clean-Up Day. It will begin at 9 a.m. and continue until 4 p.m. on the town lot by the fire station. Each house is limited to four truckloads and four tires and all non-commercial junk, furniture and appliances will be accepted.
Refrigerators and air conditioners will have a fee of $10 and $20 respectively for freon removal. Commercial construction and yard debris will not be allowed.
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The Castle Valley Co-op was officially formed during an organizational meeting 30 years ago this week. Fred Officer was elected to serve as chairman, Ron Drake was selected to the position of secretary and Larry Hillis was the treasurer. Gill Haegele and Lou Schmidt served as trustees.
The group announced that the co-op was the high bidder on an 18-passenger school bus owned by the Grand County School District. Plans were underway to have it in operation to provide daily transportation to Moab and back for those who worked in the Moab area. A $60 per month fee was established for the daily patrons and the group set up pick-up points and a time schedule.
There was not an official meeting of the property owners that month 30 years ago because of the lack of a quorum, but Dave Kulesak, principal of the Day Star Academy, talked to the assembled group about the school. Those in attendance also spoke on subjects ranging from loose horses to noisy motorcycles.
Twenty-five years ago this week, five candidates were selected by an unofficial community vote to be listed as appointments on the upcoming Castle Valley Town incorporation petition. Valli Smouse, John Groo, Tom Rees, Saxon Sharpe and Marguerite Sweeney were selected, with Ron Drake and Michael Omana as alternates. Jean Wilson and Richard and Marge Stucki tallied the ballots.