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Show - l v. r-2 - rIT 0 - ,c?, l ;gu (c m OiJ He. Jack Hodges retires Page 11 fa Mohave College Page 16 VOLUME 65 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 28, 1996 COLOR COUNTRY'S HOME TOWN NEWSPAPER NUMBER 29 500 Doctor Mortenson t brings something new to the area been given a grant by the state By Dixie Brunner T enjoy the personal relation- of Arizona to bring a physician ship that you can have with your to serve the small, isolated says Kirsten community. patients, I love rural communities, Mortenson, D.O., explaining why she enjoys rural medicine. T enjoy being part of their lives. While Mortenson has only recently opened a new practice at the Fredonia Medical Clinic, shes no newcomer to medicine. She has enjoyed wide and varied experiences treating injury and illness. She got her Bachelors Degree in Science and Chemistry at the University of Utah, and a deKirsten Mortenson, D O. (c), new physician in Fredonia is flanked by nurse Freda Campbell (I) and office manager gree in Osteopathy, at the ColLexie Gordon (r). Dr . Mortenson, loves her new hone and plans on being here for the tong haul. Photo by Dixie lege of Osteopathic Medicine of Brunner. the Pacific at Pomona, California. Mortenson has furthered her technical knowlege by taking many special courses in continuing, medical education, as contact should Grand Can and the Mountain Saddle Trail well as instructing several The The Saddle Fire which started on Thursday, August 15, was the Nankoweap Trailhead were yon National Park Backcountiy classes. After a brief period as a gencontained as of Tuesday, Au- - reopened on last Friday mom- - Office on the North Rim at -- 12 (520)638-786a.m. 8 medical officer at the with Hikers eral 8 20 This at perbackcountiy p.m. p.m. lightning ing. gust Trail for Fitzsommons the of located mits southeast strike fire, daily. Nankoweap Army Medical at Center Demotte Park near the Saddle Dugway, Utah, she called was Mountain Wilderness has upon to serve in the burned approximately 400 Operation Desert ShieldStorm conflict, where she worked in acres. Fire is still active within the Chief Clinical Support Servissmoke is and the perimeter vices. In this capacity, in 1991, ible from Highway 89A in House Mortenson was awarded the Rock Valley. and terrain prestigious Southwest Asia SerInitially, steep vice Medal with Bronze Stars difficult access on the northand the National Defense Serwest side of the fire presented Award. vice problems with suppression. Following such an intense Firefighting efforts were also desert workout. Page, Arizona due weekend over the hampered was a natural. Mortenson to thunderstorm activity creatworked as a physician at the ing erratic winds on the fire. In Canyon View Medical Center addition, new fires were ignited for a year. She later moved to by these thunderstorms resultEly, Nevada, where she ing in limited resources for the worked at the Locum Tenens Saddle Fire. Air and ground support from Spectrum Emergency Care, and the William Bee Ririe a Type 3 overhead team, comHospital Clinic. posed of Forest Service, NaMortenson was thrilled tional Park Service and Bureau when the Fredonia Town over Affairs oflndian personnel, n and specifically Council, the last few days made good Joy Jordan, began progress on the fire allowing recruiting her. Fredonia had containment on Tuesday. Local Saddle Fire contained 8; explained Mortenson, and my mom lives in St. George. The close family logistics, progressive rural hospital in nearby Kanab, and the fact that she could find plenty of space for her beloved curly horses, made Mortenson pack her bags. Her only daughter, Anne, will soon begin classes as a freshman at BYU, and her husband Howard Palen, has accompanied her on her move. While Mortenson is qualified to and performs all general patient care as an Osteopathic physician, her special areas of interest are womens health, occupational medicine and mental health. I believe that a persons relationship with their doctor is very important," stresses Mortenson. She feels that a trusting relationship is key to helping her diagnose and treat the patients problem. Kirsten Mortenson, D.O., loves her new home and plans on being here for the long haul. In fact, she said with a grin,you can tell people that I intend to work here for only 20 years, until I go on a mission. KANAB WEATHER August Coun-cilwoma- Courtesy: Frank Swapp Family ! |