Heather W. Hoyt 4 posts 0 comments

Can a dog become a librarian? If you ask Kirsten Nilsson, Dan Compton, and the many excited patrons at The Summit County Library’s Coalville, Kamas Valley, and Kimball Junction branches, they’d say, “Yes, and her name is Pippi!” Pippi, a miniature goldendoodle born in 2019, is the library’s newest Reading Education Assistance Dog (R.E.A.D.). The R.E.A.D. program, launched by Intermountain Therapy Animals (ITA) in Salt Lake City over 20 years ago, has spread across the U.S. and the world. Its mission is to improve children’s…

Dr. Seuss once penned, “From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere.” He’d probably be pleased to know ‘everywhere’ would include vegetables. The punch line of the Belvederes Improv show came at the beginning, when a wiggly, six-year-old boy walked into the Timpanogos Valley Theater yelling, “Carrots!” When the MC asked for a suggestion, the boy would insist again that this show was to be about carrots. And it was. There were carrot brothers and sisters; carrots being afraid of being made into a…

From Deer Creek to Jordanelle to Strawberry to Rockport to Echo; the Heber Valley and surrounding areas have plenty of opportunities for boating and water sports. But before you go out on the water this summer, make sure that you know how to keep yourself and those around you safe. The lakes and reservoirs attract many different kinds of recreational watercraft, both motorized and non-motorized. Recently, sports such as wake surfing, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards have increased in popularity. Motorized boats, fishermen,…

As Utah enters another year of drought conditions and water restrictions, what can you do to reduce your water use and still enjoy a beautiful landscape? You don’t have to tear up your entire landscape to make your yard more water wise — though some people might enjoy that challenge. There are small and simple steps you can take to make your landscape more drought-friendly: water less, check your irrigation systems, add mulch, plant adapted plants, use less lawn, and check out local rebate programs. Water Less Many people…