The Sentinel's last print edition was March 31, 2010.
The "new" Sentinel continues as a web-only local newspaper.
Contact Hilarie Orman (editor@sfsentinel.com) if you are
interested in writing for the paper.
Spanish Fork Cattle Drive Tradition Endures
Oct 27, 2013
By Casey Warren
How many people know that a true Western tradition continues
to be carried out each fall by local ranchers? Casey Warren
tells about his experience with the families who ride the canyons.
Full story ...
Payson Sons of Utah Pioneers Learn About the Moyles
Nov 5, 2012
Even losing a leg couldn't stop an early Utah stonecutter from walking
22 miles to and from his job each week. The Payson chapter of Sons of
Utah Pioneers heard about John Moyle at their recent meeting.
Full story ...
Woodland Hills Has Fire Scare, Partial Evacuation
Jun 29, 2012
Reacting to reverse 911 call from the Utah County dispatchers,
residents of Woodland Hills packed their children, animals, and
portable belongs and drove down the hill at midnight last night.
A brush fire on East Loafer Canyon Road, though small, was being
driven towards the city by a stiff wind.
The towns of Woodland Hills and Elk Ridge in Utah County have been
sitting in a blanket of smoke and ash from the Fairview fire for a
week, but the midnight call from the county's emergency dispatchers
was unexpected. Several people were confused about the scope of the
evacuation. Residents used telephone tree calling and door-to-door
contact to alert sleeping neighbors, and a stream of people came down
Woodland Hills Drive.
Many of the early arrivals headed directly towards Elk Ridge along
11200 South. They
were met by sheriff's deputies trying to keep the road clear for
official firefighters.
Despite a worsening wind, the fire was out in under an hour and a "you
may return" message was called to homes in the area, where waiting
residents heard it after their return.
The reverse 911 system is driven from a database maintained by the county;
users can control their listed information via http://notify.utahcountyonline.org/WebSignup.htm.
The burned area along East Loafer Canyon Rd.
Helicopter Supplies Power Line Project on Spanish Fork Peak
Jun 20, 2012
Spanish Fork Peak has rarely been seen without a hovering helicopter for
the past several days. According to personnel at the US Forest
Service substation in Spanish Fork, the aircraft is probably ferrying
supplies for a power line from the antenna farm at the top of the peak
down to lower elevations.
Long poles and bags have dangled from under the copter on its numerous
trips to the peak and along the path of the power line. The Forest
Service notes that doing the work this way reduces the environmental
impact of the project.
The Forest Service has no specific information about the project
because the work is being done along a right-of-way that requires no permit.
Chippers in Woodland Hills
Jun 20, 2012
The "chipper day" for Woodland Hills was June 4, but the equipment for
chewing up dead brush in the city didn't make its appearance until
June 19. The crews were out in full force, trying to get the 300
piles of debris processed as quickly as possible.
County crews were out along the streets the whirring machines on Tuesday
and Wednesday, and they noted that since they did their initial survey
in late May, a lot more debris had been added by residents. The
reduction in flammable material will improve fire safety in the
forested hillside city, but the crews will need more time to complete the job.
The project suffered delays because two chippers broke down at the
beginning of the effort and personnel have been diverted to Nevada and
Colorado to fight fires. This has been causing dismay to the local
volunteer fire department as they have watched the piles get drier in
each day of the summer heat. The county was able to rent a chipper to
remove the debris
The project is paid for by a grant that covers several areas in Utah
County.
It's an Election Year, Is Someone Revving up National
Controversy in Woodland Hills?
Mar 1, 2012
A couple of weeks ago someone called the sheriff's office to report
a car with a large political sign and sound amplification equipment
on a street in Woodland Hills. The sign had negative implications
for national politics. A deputy dispatched to investigate could not
find the perp.
Drivers Beware, It's Icy in Woodland Hills
Mar 1, 2012
A sign at the entrance to Woodland Hills announces "4
Wheel Drive or Chains Required". The sign is nominally under the
control of the public works department, but Director Ron Herron says
he does not control it. According to Deputy Brent Butters of the
Utah County Sheriff's Office, the sign should be blank unless
conditions are especially dangerous. He believes that if the
sign says 4-wheel drive or chains are required, then it is a citable
offense to willfully ignore it. Nonetheless, he cannot think of
anytime a citation was issued.
Vehicle Burglar Hits Woodland Hills
Feb 4, 2012
A thief pocketed a checkbook and wallet from a vehicle in
Woodland Hills last month. Although the city has a low crime rate,
this is not the first time that valuables have been removed from cars.
Woodland Hills and Elk Ridge Woken by Earthquake
Feb 4, 2012
At 4:30 this morning, residents of towns on the flank of Loafer Mountain
felt their homes shake for several seconds due to a magnitude 3.7
earthquake centered several miles away.
The seismic event caused dishware to rattle and small objects "walked"
along flat surfaces.
There are longstanding visible signs of earthquake activity along the
side of the mountain, and the US Geological Service has a seismic monitoring device
near Woodland Hills.
Information from the website of the US Geological Service
Magnitude 3.7
Date-Time
Saturday, February 04, 2012 at 11:27:03 UTC
Saturday, February 04, 2012 at 04:27:03 AM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location 40.012oN, 111.513oW
Depth 5.5 km (3.4 miles)
Region UTAH
Distances
12 km (8 miles) E (91o) from Woodland Hills, UT
14 km (9 miles) E (92o) from Elk Ridge, UT
14 km (9 miles) ESE (108o) from Salem, UT
24 km (15 miles) E (80o) from Santaquin, UT
29 km (18 miles) SSE (154o) from Provo, UT
89 km (55 miles) SSE (159o) from Salt Lake City, UT
Location Uncertainty horizontal +/- 0.4 km (0.2 miles); depth +/- 1.1 km (0.7 miles)
Parameters NST= 50, Nph= 50, Dmin=10 km, Rmss=0.32 sec, Gp= 76o,
M-type=local magnitude (ML), Version=2
Source
University of Utah Seismograph Stations
Event ID uu00009194
Oct 27, 2013
By Casey Warren
Full story ...
Nov 5, 2012
Jun 29, 2012
Reacting to reverse 911 call from the Utah County dispatchers, residents of Woodland Hills packed their children, animals, and portable belongs and drove down the hill at midnight last night. A brush fire on East Loafer Canyon Road, though small, was being driven towards the city by a stiff wind.
The towns of Woodland Hills and Elk Ridge in Utah County have been sitting in a blanket of smoke and ash from the Fairview fire for a week, but the midnight call from the county's emergency dispatchers was unexpected. Several people were confused about the scope of the evacuation. Residents used telephone tree calling and door-to-door contact to alert sleeping neighbors, and a stream of people came down Woodland Hills Drive.
Many of the early arrivals headed directly towards Elk Ridge along 11200 South. They were met by sheriff's deputies trying to keep the road clear for official firefighters.
Despite a worsening wind, the fire was out in under an hour and a "you may return" message was called to homes in the area, where waiting residents heard it after their return.
The reverse 911 system is driven from a database maintained by the county; users can control their listed information via http://notify.utahcountyonline.org/WebSignup.htm.
The burned area along East Loafer Canyon Rd.
Jun 20, 2012
Spanish Fork Peak has rarely been seen without a hovering helicopter for the past several days. According to personnel at the US Forest Service substation in Spanish Fork, the aircraft is probably ferrying supplies for a power line from the antenna farm at the top of the peak down to lower elevations.
Long poles and bags have dangled from under the copter on its numerous trips to the peak and along the path of the power line. The Forest Service notes that doing the work this way reduces the environmental impact of the project.
The Forest Service has no specific information about the project because the work is being done along a right-of-way that requires no permit.
Jun 20, 2012
County crews were out along the streets the whirring machines on Tuesday and Wednesday, and they noted that since they did their initial survey in late May, a lot more debris had been added by residents. The reduction in flammable material will improve fire safety in the forested hillside city, but the crews will need more time to complete the job.
The project suffered delays because two chippers broke down at the beginning of the effort and personnel have been diverted to Nevada and Colorado to fight fires. This has been causing dismay to the local volunteer fire department as they have watched the piles get drier in each day of the summer heat. The county was able to rent a chipper to remove the debris
The project is paid for by a grant that covers several areas in Utah County.
Mar 1, 2012
Mar 1, 2012
Feb 4, 2012
Feb 4, 2012
Dissension Affects Emergency Services in Woodland Hills
On November 6 the parents of an infant in Woodland Hills called 911
when they found the child was not breathing. The Woodland Hills
emergency medical technicians did not receive the call, but the Salem
department did, and responded. Normally, the Woodland Hills EMTs
would have have been on-scene first, providing first responder
services while waiting for the Salem ambulance. But, for 3 days in
November, calls for medical help were not routed to Woodland Hills,
because the fire chief and the mayor notified the the county dispatch
center to "remove Woodland Hills from the stack."
The unusual action was taken because, according to mayor Steve
Lauritzen, the fire chief was not sure that anyone would respond.
Lauritzen decided not to notify residents because he felt the
unspecified issue could be worked out. "It was only 3 days," he
stated in the council meeting on December 14.
Outgoing council member Steve Carter noted that it was the second time
in recent months that dissension had interrupted emergency services.
As reported in The Sentinel
on August 1, the then fire chief Val Wilding and all officers in the
department tendered their resignations. Without a chief, the
department could not be in the county dispatch center's "call stack",
and the Woodland Hills volunteers could not assist other departments,
even if they were fighting a fire in the city. This situation
persisted for several days in August, although citizens received no
information about it.
Sources tell the Sentinel that the arguments between the city and its
EMTs and fire department center on attempts to terminate award-winning
firefighter and former assistant fire chief Marci Shaver-Adams. That
termination is currently the subject of an appeal and arbitration.
Other issues that have caused heated comments are comments by the city
council about expenditures by the fire department to support
fund-raising in nearby cities and a request for the department's
Standard Operating Procedures manual.
Caleb Moore of Orem led his Scout troop in constructing a generous
gift for the dogs of the South Valley Animal Shelter.
... More
Dec 15, 2011
Homeless Dogs Slumber in Comfort Thanks to Scouts
Oct 3, 2011
Meet the Woodland Hills City Council Candidates
On October 12, the candidates for the 3 city council positions will
meet the public in a forum held at the city center on Woodland Hills
Drive. The event will run from 7pm to 9pm.
Lauritzen said he would inform the candidates and the public that
political signs were permitted, though not on the city right-of-way.
The council also recommended that campaigning be allowed as part of
the September 9-10 Woodland Hills
Days activities.
The chair of the festival, Rebecca Black, asked the council for
authorization to incur expenses above the previous limit of $7500.
Her committee concluded that they could not purchase food for the
traditional breakfast and dinner under the current cap. Although the
public pays for the meals, the planners need to purchase the food in
in advance, and there is some risk that proceeds will not cover costs.
The council agreed to raise the spending authorization.
Shouting Match
Chris Helvey, the city's financial director and a member of the fire
department, said that he had the SOP, but it was on paper and would
have to be copied. Mac Baldwin, another member of the department,
said that he was reluctant to address the topic because the document
was out-of-date. Nonetheless, he had an electronic copy, and several
drafts of proposed amendments.
As Fisher, pressed Helvey and Baldwin for the documents, Baldwin said
that he would "publish them if you order me to." Fisher said
that he wanted just that. Baldwin said he wanted the fire chief,
Craig Northrup, to know that he (Baldwin) had been ordered to do this.
As Fisher continued to discuss why he wanted to see the SOP, Baldwin
shouted that he was angry at Fisher's suspicions. Fisher told Baldwin
to listen to his words and not jump to conclusions. Baldwin and
Fisher continued shouting remarks to one another until Lauritzen
intervened.
Other Business
Other topics, discussed more calmly, included a request from Ruben
Badger to adopt an ordinance restricting door-to-door sales. Earlier
in the week he had observed suspicious activity by a group of people
at and near his home, and a sheriff's deputy subsequently spoke to the
group. Badger felt that stricter regulations would improve public
safety. The council agreed to take up the matter at a later date.
The council voted to remove obsolete language from the city ordinances
about discharge of firearms. A provision allowing the mayor to issue
exemptions expired this year, and the council voted to remove the
"dead language" from the ordinance. Fisher expressed concern about
the need to allow archery target practice, and the council agreed to
have the Planning Commission provide new provisions that would not
require a mayoral edict.
September 27, 2011
Aug 25, 2011
As the political season ripens, the Woodland Hills city council
addressed two issues related to campaigning. Their Wednesday evening
meeting took up an ordinance that restricts political signs. Mayor
Steve Lauritzen told the council that a year ago the city attorney
looked into making the ordinance less restrictive, but he had no
proposal to show the council. Council member Steve Carter recommended
simply removing the language about political signs altogether, noting
that candidates need to start their campaigns. Council member Robert
Fisher said that the remaining language was so constraining that he
could not tell if political signs were permitted at all. The council
finally voted to take Carter's recommendation. Noting that the
remaining language needs clarification, the council asked that the
Planning Commission take up the matter.
Fisher wanted to see the Fire Department's document known as Standard
Operating Procedures (SOP). He said that recent actions of the
department, such as the fire chief dismissing all the officers from
their duties and resigning, caused him to want to make sure the
department procedures aligned with city procedures.
WH Volunteer Fire Department Changes Leader
Aug 22, 2011
Although you would not know it from reading the Woodland Hills city
website, we have heard that the head of the fire department is no
longer Val Wilding. The former assistant fire chief, Craig Northrup,
was appointed to the top job at a city council meeting on August 10.
Several sources have mentioned friction within the department.
Prized insect visits local forest
According to the Utah State University
Agricultural Extension Service, it is the Banded Alder Borer, Rosalia funebris. It is native to our area and its range extends throughout the Rocky Mountains from British Columbia into Arizona including California and Nevada.
The larvae of this beetle bore into dead wood of many trees in addition
to the alder: ash, oak, maple, willow and sycamore. It is not considered a pest because it only infests dead wood.
It is attracted to fresh paint and can accumulate in great numbers.
Aug 4, 2011
This
striking insect can be found at elevations of about 6000 feet on
Loafer Mountain now.
"Fireworks" Light Up Fire Department Politics in Woodland Hills
According to several sources in Woodland Hills, tensions that have
simmered for several months in the volunteer fire department came to a
head last night when the fire chief, Val Wilding, tendered his
resignation to the city's mayor. The email, addressed to the mayor
and the fire department members, has not been released to the public.
There is no information about how the department leadership expects to
operate.
Other sources have said that a new public works director has been
selected, but the name and appointment are not yet public.
Aug 1, 2011
Woodland Hills Plans for Brush, Weeds, Trails, and Soccer ... More
Announcement: Music and Dance in Payson August 5-6
Performances are this Friday at 7:30pm and Saturday at 3:30pm and
7:30pm. Tickets are $6/each, and a discount is available for groups
of 5 or more. The address is 10 North 600 East in Payson. You can
purchase tickets online
Aug 4, 2011
The Peteetneet Center is the site for the August 5-6
musical benefit concert for the Huntsman Cancer Foundation. Come
see dancers and singers performing Gilbert and Sullivan numbers, as
well as Gershwin and many others.
|
| Woodland Hills Man Went Airborne Accidentally!, Tuesday, April 12, 2011 ... Update |
Spring cleaning, Hazardous Household Waste Day, April 9, ... Announcement
SCERA's Theatre for Young Audiences presents No Dogs Allowed
A road trip to the state park goes hilariously off kilter when a bilingual family from the Bronx overload the car and embark on a series of comical misadventures. Their car breaks down. They get lost. And when they finally get to the park, they discover their stowaway puppy -- and a "No Dogs Allowed" sign. What to do with their -- unexpected furry -- passenger? ... Theatre website
How to Sit Through a Public Hearing Without Knowing It
, February 10, 2011,
... More
SCERA Auditions for Christmas Production
... Announcement
The Tap Dancing Ladies of Woodland Hills Hit the Digital Screen
... More,
Tue March 15, 2011
Nebo Philharmonic announces March concerts
... Announcement,
Tue March 01, 2011
Woodland Hills Quietly Solicits Citizen Input,
... More,
Fri February 25, 2011
Local Tradition Continues, Thorrablót is February 26. The Spanish
Fork Icelandic community celebrate the holiday with a feast.
Announcement ...
Woodland Hills to hold Sweethearts Ball on February
12,
... Announcement
Woodland Hills City Council to Brainstorm Budget?
, February 2, 2011
... More
Maple Mountain High wrestler adds to family dynasty
... More
Spanish Fork High Basketball vs. Maple Mountain, January 21, Shane Marshall photos
Saturday, January 20, 2011
The panel recommending enforcement of Federal laws by Utah included
Rep. Stephen Sandstrom
The panel opposed to enforcement of Federal laws by Utah included
Sen. Curt Bramble
Spanish Fork Football, Hard Hitting
Photos by Shane Marshall
Posted Sun Nov 7 15:49:13 MST 2010
|
The Dons show power against Bountiful |
Spanish Fork Football, Triple OT Thriller
Photos by Namon Bills
Posted Wed Nov 3 17:26:14 MST 2010
|
Some of the action in Saturday's high scoring game. |
The Dons Dominate Maple Mountain
October 21, 2010; Photos by Shane Marshall
|
All the action of Spanish Fork High football |
Dons and Skyhawks in Friday Night Football
September 24, 2010; Photos by Shane Marshall
|
Spanish Fork Football takes on Salem Hills |
Spanish Fork Football Sizzles
Sat Sep 18 20:24:44 MST 2010; Photos by Shane Marshall
|
Action Photos of the Don's Win! |
Football Highlights from Spanish Fork and Salem
Photos by Shane Marshall and Namon Bills
Sat Sep 11 20:24:44 MST 2010
Action coverage of two local games!
Woodland Hills Playground Debuts Friday Night
by Hilarie Orman, Sentinel Editor
Thu Sep 9 22:58:04 MST 2010
Children's shouts will ring out after ribbon cutting for the Woodland Hills playground at 6pm on Friday as Woodland Hills Days kick-off for the weekend. More ...
No Action from Woodland Hills
by Hilarie Orman, Sentinel Editor
Thu Sep 9 12:18:17 MST 2010
The Woodland Hills City Council discussed streets and safety, but took no action Wednesday evening. More ...
Spanish Fork Community Theater presents
in July at Maple
Mountain High School
... More ...
Val Wilding is new fire chief for Woodland Hills
Fri Jul 9 13:35:25 MST 2010Val Wilding, longtime member of the Woodland Hills Volunteer Fire Department, will be its new chief More ...
Deaths Sadden Woodland Hills
Fri Jul 9 13:35:25 MST 2010Two young men from Woodland Hills families died this week More ...
Local Crime Reports
by Hilarie Orman, Sentinel Editor
Fri Jul 2 13:54:32 MST 2010
Ever wondered about what crimes are being committed near where you live? Even if your crime rate is low, ignorance is not bliss, and it pays to be aware of what's going on. But how can you find this information? More ...
Namon Bills' Farewell to the print edition of the Sentinel