Category Archives: Things To Do

Library System, Washington County of Utah
News, Press Releases, Public Notices, Things To Do

Library System Offers New Curbside Pickup Service

Link

Washington County Library System today announced that it will offer curbside pickup services to the patrons at all eight library branch locations beginning on Monday, April 20, 2020. “Our libraries form an integral cornerstone in the structure of our community. Working with the Library Board, the county is now able to safely begin the phasing in of essential library services to the public,” explained Commissioner Dean Cox. Curbside service will be available at each location. For times, please call your closest library branch. Curbside Service allows customers to pick up library materials that have been placed on hold. Washington County has coordinated with our Public Health Officer on curbside services as well as the procedures. Social distancing is still recommended in order to effectively serve library customers and adhere to public health guidelines. For a list branch numbers and hours of operation, please visit: library.washco.utah.gov

Curbside Pickup provides increased access to our library resources during the COVID-19 closure. As we continue to put our patrons at the heart of everything we do, we strive to offer services that are adapted to this unprecedented time. Curbside pickup will allow patrons to access physical items in addition to taking advantage of the outstanding online service provided. We hope that access to these great reading and movie materials will help alleviate some of the disruption to everyday life that has occurred as a result of the pandemic.

Curbside Pickup: How it Works

  1. Place items on hold using the Library website catalog, or call in if you know what you are interested in. Identify your preferred library pickup location: St. George, Washington, Santa Clara, Hurricane, Enterprise, New Harmony, Hildale or Springdale.
  2. Wait for email or text notice that your hold items are ready.
  3. Request Curbside Service by calling your pickup branch.
  4. Library staff will prepare your items for pickup.
  5. Staff will contact you when your items are checked out and ready for you to pick up. Items must be picked up that day or scheduled appropriately.
  6. Go to the Library’s designated Curbside pickup branch. This will be marked by signage at each location.
  7. Holds will be delivered to the cardholder once name verification has occurred.
  8. When you arrive at the Library’s pickup location, call the number listed on the sign for further instructions. Pickup locations for curbside service will be clearly marked and patrons and staff should strive to comply with social distancing recommendations.
  9. Wait for delivery of materials. If your vehicle is equipped with automatic doors, please open them upon arrival.

Possible Questions:

How many items can I pick up using Curbside Service?
Adults can place up to 20 items on hold, children up to 10, though not all materials may be ready for delivery at the same time. If something is already checked out to someone else, or if the items need to be delivered from another branch, there may be a delay in accessing some of those materials.

Will I lose my HOLD items if I do not pick up during the closure?
We have extended out holds until April 28th. That will be the first time holds not picked up will be made available to the next interested patron. After that, holds will be kept for seven days as normal.

How do I return library materials?
You may return your library materials using the exterior book drops at all locations. Please do not return items directly to staff as we are enacting a quarantine protocol for all returned items.

Can I wait until the library fully opens to return my materials?
In response to COVID-19, the library temporarily suspended its fine process. The goal over the last 6 weeks was to support our patrons through these difficult times. However, as we institute curbside checkout, other people could be waiting for the requested materials. To encourage patrons to return borrowed materials for the next person on the hold list the normal return process will be implemented. A grace period of 2 weeks will be allotted, extending the checkout period of all materials until May 3rd. After that grace period, items should be returned or renewed. Items not returned will be assessed their normal fine rate, which is 10 cents a day in most cases.

Are there any library resources I can use while branches are closed?
Yes. The library provides a wide array of digital offerings, including e-books, audiobooks, magazines, and streaming movies through our electronic resources on our website. Manage your account online – search the catalog, place holds, and renew items – at library.washco.utah.gov

Our Mission — The Washington County Library System provides staff, collections, physical and virtual spaces that promote ideas, inspire lifelong learning, and strengthen communities. We look forward to offering those physical spaces again in the future, but for now, are pleased to reconnect with you via these modified services.

Washington County Fair logo
News, Press Releases, Public Notices, Things To Do

National Anthem Auditions for 2019 County Fair

Link

The Washington County Fair would like to invite you to participate in National Anthem auditions for the 2019 County Fair.

The auditions will be held on Saturday, June 15 from 9am – 12pm at the Grafton Building at Legacy Park / County Fairgrounds. This will be the only day to try out.

Legacy Park — Grafton Building:
5500 West 700 South
Hurricane, Utah 84737
(Google Maps)

Audition order is organized on a first-come, first-served basis. Assigned audition numbers will be given upon registration, and we will be unable to accommodate number switching. The audition is open to the general public, for individuals and/or very small groups (eight people or fewer).

There will be 6 – 8 renditions of the National Anthem performed over the 4 day event, so several individuals will be chosen.

All participants in the audition will be notified by email whether they have been invited to perform the National Anthem.

Please consider the following when auditioning:

  • It is required that the National Anthem be sung a cappella and in a traditional manner — with no styling or individual musical interpretation. Please keep in mind that the National Anthem is about honoring America and the men and women who serve, or have served, our country, and not about the individual or small group singing the piece. Please sing the anthem in a straightforward manner with the utmost respect and honor for what the song stands for. If selected, the performer(s) must sing the same version at his/her/their scheduled time in the same manner as at the auditions.
  • Professional attire is required. You are also required to bring an 8 ½” x 11” headshot of yourself / your group at the time of auditioning.

For more information, please contact Ed Tracey at (435) 227-5110.

Thank you for sharing your talents with our county!

Bike Dixie May Event banner
News, Things To Do

Bike in May: Earn Free Bike Gear

Link

Bike in May and you could win a Specialized bike valued at $600! Enter by taking a picture of yourself biking, throughout May, and post on Facebook or Instagram with #bikedixie.

Visit BikeDixie.org for more events and details

Rules

  • Must be 18 years old to participate!
  • Participate in biking events and post a picture of you there with #bikedixie on Facebook or Instagram! (one entry per event)
  • Participate in bike to work day pit stops! (one entry per pit stop total of 5 entries)
  • Bike daily to work or 30 minutes for fun and post a picture of you biking with #bikedixie on Facebook or Instagram! (one entry per day)
  • The two people with the highest participation will win a bike! (Alibi Sport Hero — $600/each)
Meetings, News, Press Releases, Public Notices, Things To Do

2019 Tax Sale

Notice is hereby given that on May 23, 2019, at 10:00 AM, Kim Hafen, Auditor, will offer for sale (unless redeemed prior to sale) at public auction, pursuant to the provisions of section 59-2-1351 Utah Code, the described real estate situated in said county and now held by it under preliminary tax sale. This sale will be located in:

Washington County Administration Building
111 East Tabernacle
St George, Utah
(Google Maps)

Auctions will be by open bidding wherein the full parcel will be sold to the highest dollar bidder.

Tax Sale — Full List & Details

Published in the Spectrum
April 28, May 5, 12, 19, 2019

News, Press Releases, Public Notices, Things To Do

Zion National Park – Four-Way Coalition to Fund Basic Visitor Services for Next Week

Link

In an inspiring show of support for Zion National Park, four entities have teamed to fund a minimal level of staffing and services in the park during the ongoing federal government shutdown. According to Lyman Hafen, Executive Director of the Zion National Park Forever Project, the State of Utah, Washington County, and the City of St. George, will participate equally with the non-profit Zion Forever Project in funding some visitor services in the park from January 6 through January 12, if the shutdown continues.

“The hard fact is that the park is mandated to remain accessible to the public during this shutdown,” Hafen said, “yet staffing and services are not funded. So the park is left with the catch 22 of welcoming thousands of visitors a day with the visitor center closed, little or no means to provide sanitation services like restrooms, trash collection, other custodial services, and basically an untenable situation.” He said the funding pledged by these four entities is not only remarkable in its make-up, but will assure one more week of minimum visitor services in the park that would not otherwise be possible.

“When the shutdown began on December 22, 2018,” Hafen said “the State of Utah was poised to step in and provide money for a basic level of funding in the park through the end of the year. They did so, and it made a striking difference for the park, its visitors and for the southern Utah economy.” When those funds ran out on December 31, Hafen said his group, the Zion Forever Project, was ready to step in and fund the same level from January 1 to January 5. The Zion Forever Project is the park’s official non-profit partner that raises funds for Zion through earned income in the park stores and through direct fundraising.

“As we’ve drawn closer to the end of this week,” Hafen said, “it is amazing and heartening to see how the State of Utah stepped back into the picture and helped assemble this four-way coalition in a matter of hours to buy more time for the welfare of Zion National Park and to assure a better experience for the thousands of visitors who continue to come to Zion every day.” Hafen said it was beyond anything he had ever imagined, how these entities stepped up with a sincere desire to do the best thing for the park at such a difficult time. “Vicki Varela, managing director of the State Office of Tourism; Dean Cox, Washington County Commissioner; and Mayor Jon Pike of the City of St. George, each reached out in a short, crucial window of time to see how they could best make a difference in this situation,” Hafen said. “It speaks volumes about the importance of Zion National Park to our community.”

The coalition has made it possible to fund these services next week, Hafen explained. “The heroic park service staff who’ve been keeping the bare-bones operation going in the park have been taxed to the limit,” he said. “They are running on fumes. We’re glad we can now give them a little more backup as they keep those basic services going in the park.”

Hafen said the group is simply trying to make the best of a bad situation for the park and its visitors, realizing this shutdown could go on for a long time. “If it does go on,” Hafen said, “the park managers, with support of these partners, will be faced with some hard decisions as to how to best look out for the park and provide a degree of services to the visitors who will continue to come.” Hafen said there’s no simple answer to this situation. “But the fact that our State, Washington County, and St. George City would deem this so important is a sign to everyone of what Zion National Park means to the lives and the livelihoods of all of us in Utah,” he said.

  • The State of Utah, Washington County, the City of St. George, and the Zion National Park Forever Project, will jointly fund a minimal level of operations in Zion National Park from January 6 through January 12, 2019.
  • Each entity has pledged approximately $1,000 a day for the seven-day period to allow the visitor center to be open, basic visitor and safety information to be shared, some restrooms to be open, trash collection and other custodial services in the canyon, and other related basic staffing and support.
  • The park is mandated to remain accessible to visitors during this government shutdown, and thousands of visitors continue to enter the park each day. The above-mentioned services would not be available if not for this funding support.
  • This historic coalition of support for Zion National Park represents the love, passion and concern our State and region have for this national treasure. These efforts will help reduce the possibility of degradation to the park and provide for a better experience for those who visit next week.
  • This initiative helps create a better and more safe situation for visitors in Zion National Park through January 12, but is only a fraction of what operations and services would normally be at this time. If the shutdown continues beyond January 12, Zion and all our national parks will fall deeper into jeopardy.

Questions and Comments

Lyman Hafen
Executive Director
Zion National Park Forever Project
lyman.hafen@zionpark.org
435-680-5913

Washington County is a governmental entity that is subject to the Government Records Access Management Act. Any information that you provide to us through a website form or application may be made available to the public if required by law. You may view Washington County’sprivacy policy here.
+