Take A Look Back At 1999 Continuing a long-held tradition, tradi-tion, the Garfield County News recaps 1999'S most important events of the county as reported over the past 52 weeks picking up from last week at March 1999: MARCH Garkane Elections The roster of candidates was set for Garkane Power Association's director elections. For the first time, a primary election was set for District 6, one of the three districts holding elections. Bobcats 4th, Moquis 7th In State Tourney It took four games and a loss each before the two Garfield County boys basketball teams met the final day of the state tournament. Panguitch came out hot in the game for fifth and seventh place and built a 39-24 half time lead. The Bobcats had four players in double figures and finished the game 85-61. 85-61. Wild Turkeys Transplanted One hundred ten wild turkeys took up residence in various areas of two counties. Most were released on private lands of Panguitch, Bryce and Escalante Valleys in Garfield County and in Long Valley in Kane County. JacobSwale Project Withdrawn In what one local timber industry representative called a "broad brush approach," Dixie National Forest Supervisor Ronald Wilson withdrew the decision approving the JacobsSwale Vegetation Vegeta-tion Management Project which involved the harvest of about 20 million board feet of timber. The decision canceled the project in its current form. Escalante Center Escalante Center director Suzanne Su-zanne Winters announced two Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument-based courses set for the summer of 1999, one on the paleontology, geology and archeology archeol-ogy of the area and the other on the biology, ecology and social history of the monument. News Captures Five Awards The Garfield County News, competing against 19 small Utah newspaper, with similar total circulation, captured five prestigious presti-gious awards at the 106th Annual Utah Press Association Winter Convention held in St. George. The News took two first place plaques, a second place, and two third place awards. The newspaper garnered a coveted 100 points in taking first place for "Best Special Section" with its popular Bryce Canyon Country Recreation Guide, published pub-lished annually on Memorial Day for the past 15 years. The News took first place for its Business Directory and a cherished editorial writing second place for its editorial on the need to move Garkane from Richfield to the Garden system. The News took two third place awards for "Best Front Page" and "Best Sports Page". Garkane Primary Results Incumbent director William "Bill" Nelson, Cannonville, would face challenger Hugh Wilson, Hatch, after a first-ever primary narrowed the field to two for Garkane Power's upcoming District elections. In District 3, Michael Blackburn, Bicknell, would face Lee Taft, Bicknell; in District 8 Niel Biggs would face David "Bud" Dinges. District 8 former Duck Creek incumbent David Skougaard, who moved to Cedar City, withdrew following an attorneys' mediation ruling on a conflict between the cooperatives' Articles of Incorporation and its By-Laws. The ruling determined that the Articles of Incorporation which require residency for board members override the By-Laws which do not. School Officials Explain Changes In a marathon school board meeting, Board President Marc McLemore attempted to alleviate fears and unrest that broke out after changes in staffing in schools throughout the county were announced. He said the board's decision-making process had been "absolutely grueling in trying to (See JAIL on Page 6A) 1999 From Page 5-A determine where cuts must come" in dealing with "awesome budget constraints." Problems began in 1998 when district-wide enrollment dropped by 67 students. BLM Closes 3140 GSENM Acres To OHV's The Bureau of Land Management announced Mar. 3 1 an emergency off-highway vehicle closure to protect the Kodachrome Bladder Pod (Lesquerella tumulosa) a rare member of the mustard family found in the Grand Staircase-Escalante Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Under the order, 3140 acres of rolling hills and small knolls south of Kodachrome Basin State Park were closed to all vehicular travel with the exception of one designated travel route.