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Show The Ogden Valley news Your Community Newspaper February 1, 2017 PRSRT STD POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 11 EDEN UT POSTAL PATRON EDEN-LIBERTY-84310 HUNTSVILLE-84317 OGDEN CANYON- 84401 HCR 843AO Photo by Fil Cross Sundown at Sundown, Powder Mountain Raised Mercury Levels Found in Pineview’s Smallmouth Bass Compiled by Shanna Francis On January 12, Pineview Reservoir was one of three bodies of water in Utah to be issued a fish consumption advisory after fish that were caught and tested showed elevated levels of methylmercury—a toxic form of mercury found in some natural waters. The other two reservoirs are Big Sand Wash in Duschesne County and Millsite in Emery County. High levels of toxins were found in smallmouth bass at Pineview. This is the first time the Valley’s reservoir has been issued a fish consumption advisory. An advisory means that pregnant women and children under the age of six should only consume one four-ounce serving of the fish from the impaired body of water each month. Others should only consume eight ounces of the fish each month. Consumption of fish with raised mercury levels can, according to federal health guidelines, result in risks to human health. According to Utah’s Fish Advisory website, fish with elevated levels of mercury are currently found in 27 of Utah’s 322 waterbodies where fish have been tested. Fish advisories can also be issued in Utah due to elevated levels of arsenic, selenium, and PCBs. For a complete list of fish advisories and consumption guidelines visit <www. fishadvisories.utah.gov> Methylmercury is created after bacteria works to convert the mercury’s metallic form, which can damage the central nervous system. Cariane Bowles of Liberty, who took the above photo, stated, “The baby got up and started licking the mama! It was like they were posing for me!” See more wildlife photos on page 10. Accident near Spillway Kills Moose: Driver “dodged a bullet” By Shanna Francis According to Sgt. Matthew Jensen with the Weber County Sheriff’s Office, a 69-year-old man and his 69-year-old wife, both from the Huntsville area, were traveling east on Highway 158 in Eden when their Honda sedan, traveling between the Pineview spillway and mile marker one, around 6:00 p.m. on Friday, January 13, struck a cow moose that was jogging down the road, heading west in their eastbound lane when the car struck it head on. The moose broke the front windshield and flipped over the top of the car, shattering the back window as well. Both occupants received minor injuries and were not transported to the hospital. The moose died right after impact. When Sgt. Jensen was asked if he thought the moose was the same one that had been stranded on the mountain side for a few days about a week before, not too far from the scene of the accident, Sgt. Jensen stated, “I’m not sure if it was the same moose they dealt with before or not. I know a westbound DWR vehicle was following the moose with its hazards on and recorded the moose getting hit.” The recording of the accident was posted on Facebook for a time, but was shortly removed. Danna Gregory, an occupant in the car that hit the moose, related the account of the accident that she and her husband Doug experienced. “We were in our two-door Honda headed over to . . . the bank in Eden. For us, probably the one and only time it paid to be in a small car . . . imagine 1,000 pounds coming through the windshield. My husband didn’t see the moose until her head was right in front of his view. He ACCIDENT cont. on page 8 Valley Soccer Players Make it to Region nd -place title IV Championships: Capture 2 Three Ogden California South, Valley soccer players—Rylee Tatton, Sidney Roberts, and Adree Johnson— were recently selected to represent the State of Utah playing for the 2001 Girls Olympic Development Program (ODP) Team at the 2017 US Youth Soccer ODP Region IV Championships in Phoenix, Arizona held in early January. The fourday tournament featured teams of elite players in the 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 age groups from Region IV, which includes Alaska, Arizona, California North, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. The trio’s journey began in July of 2016 when they tried out for Utah’s 2001 Girls TOSH State Select program. After being selected to an initial training pool comprised of 32 players from all over the state in the 2001 age group, the group trained with the team in November and early December before a roster of 21 Pictured (from left to right) are Rylee Tatton, Sidney players was selectRoberts, and Adree Johnson at the 2017 US Youth SOCCER cont. Soccer ODP Region IV Championships held in on page 12 Phoenix, Arizona in January. MERCURY cont. on page 12 County Public Hearing Continues on Ogden Valley Lighting Tuesday, February 7, at the regularly planned meeting of the Ogden Valley Township Planning Commission, a public hearing on Ogden Valley’s Lighting ordinance will continue. Comments began at the Planning Commission’s January meeting. Weber County has posted a public notice, which states that the public hearing is scheduled for February 7 at 5:00 p.m. at the Weber Center’s Commission Chambers (2380 Washington Blvd., first floor) in Ogden to discuss and take public comment on a proposal to amend the Ogden Valley Lighting ordinance. The aim of the proposed revisions is to provide clearer standards for outdoor light and outdoor lighting devices in Ogden Valley that support dark-sky viewing, astro-tourism, North Fork Park’s International Dark Sky accreditation, and Ogden Valley’s General Plan. For more information, contact the Weber County Planning Office at 801-399-8791. Wells Fargo Recipient of the First Dark Sky Signage Award for 2017 The recipient of the first 2017 signage award from Ogden Valley Starry Nights (a chapter of the International Dark Sky Association based in Tucson, Arizona) is Wells Fargo. The award was presented for the changes they implemented at their Eden bank branch in order to support the community’s dark skies. Collaborating on ensuring that the new signage reflected the vision of the new General Plan—by preserving community character and the Valley’s dark skies—were Tony Freitag (Strategic Planning Manager, Corporate Properties Group of Wells Fargo), Ronda Kippen, Principal Planner for Weber County), and Janet Muir (Ogden Valley Starry Nights). Changes include: i) disabling the internal illumination of the monument sign, moving it farther from the highway and adding landscaping; ii) installing a wall sign with fully shielded, downward directed external gooseneck lighting. Tony Freitag commented, “Wells Fargo works to stay sensitive to community character in proposing its signage and has noted the strong general plan and the expressed desire of citizens to protect dark skies in Ogden Valley. With this in mind, we worked with Weber County and Ogden Valley Starry Nights to come up with a solution that met all our objectives for the Wells Fargo Eden office. The process took some time, but we are pleased with how it has worked out and are happy to support the community as it continues its efforts to support dark sky.” Wells Fargo Branch Manager Monica Duarte said that Wells Fargo has gotten good feedback from local customers about the changes. Weber County planner Ronda Kippen and representatives from Ogden Valley Starry Nights say they appreciate the friendly, collaborative nature of the discussions regarding the signage modifications. Janet Muir noted, “The Wells Fargo signage changes show a unified effort to preserve community character, including the Valley’s dark skies.” For more information, contact Janet Muir at <janet.e.muir@gmail.com> Division of Wildlife Resource Biologists Feed Deer in New Areas Deep snow and freezing temperatures have led to additional deer feeding in Northern Utah. On January 13, biologists with the Division of Wildlife Resources and volunteers from sportsmen’s groups started an emergency deer feeding program in Garden City. Now, they’re expanding the program. On January 24, biologists and volunteers started feeding deer near Kamas in Summit County. Emergency efforts are scheduled to begin soon near Randolph in Rich County and at various spots in Cache Valley in Cache County. Feeding began in Ogden Valley Thursday, January 26 in the Middle Fork Wildlife Management Area (WMA). Randy Wood, the DWR’s wildlife manager in Northern Utah, says biologists have been watching deer closely since the first week in December. “Fortunately,” Wood says, “deer entered the winter in excellent condition. Prolonged snowfall and cold temperatures, though, are taking their toll. The deer need some help.” To help the deer, biologists and volunteers are spreading specially designed pellets on the ground for the deer to eat. Volunteers from the Mule Deer Foundation, Sportsmen for Fish & Wildlife, and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation will help biologists at the various feeding sites. Wood says the pellets are formulated to fit the complex digestive system mule deer have. They’re also formulated to give the animals the correct balance of energy and protein they need. “Feeding these specially designed pellets should improve the survival of some of the deer and help them make it through the winter,” he says. FEED DEER cont. on page 10 This 41-inch tiger muskie was caught by Jake Peterson of Tremonton Friday, January 13 at Pineview Reservoir while ice fishing with his cousin Shane Mehl of Liberty. The fish was caught on the south side of Cemetery Point in 50 feet of water; however, the muskie came through at 26 feet. According to Shane, “He bounced his jig three times and hooked it.” They were fishing for perch. Shane also stated that Jake was “Fishing for panfish, and caught a whale!” Photo by Frank Peterson of Honeyville, Utah, and submitted by Shane Mehl. |