Home Care In Toquerville, UT

ST. GEORGE — Local, state and federal water managers, along with civic officials and others from across the county met in the middle of brush-covered field Tuesday morning near Toquerville to mark the groundbreaking on the long-planned Toquer Reservoir.

A part of the overall Ash Creek Project, plans for the Toquer Reservoir have been in the works for 20 years and didn’t start to see significant headway until 2019. The path for the new reservoir was cleared after some federal-level hurdles and multiple environmental studies related to the project ran their course.

“We’re really excited for the collaboration on this project,” Zach Renstrom, the water district’s general manager, said at the groundbreaking event. “We’ve had multiple entities help contribute funds to this project moving forward.”

A combined $15 million was granted for the Toquer Reservoir project from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s Small Storage Program, the Utah Division of Water Quality’s Southern Utah Reuse Program and Washington County.

“We’re grateful to provide a little bit of the funding,” Rick Baxter, area manager of the Bureau of Reclamation in Provo, told St. George News.

Reclamation gave the water district $4.7 million earlier this year. That money came from 2022’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Better known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, it gives the bureau $8.3 billion to put toward water projects over the next five years.

“What they’re (the water district) doing and what we’re doing is the same mission – to develop and protect water resources,” Baxter said.

Both Renstrom and Baxter shared comments prior to the ceremonial shoveling of the dirt for the groundbreaking. Victor Iverson of the Washington County Commission and Spencer Jones of the Utah Board of Water Resources made brief statements during the event.

The Toquer Reservoir is projected to have a capacity of 3,725 acre feet of water and cover 115 acres near Interstate 15 and state Route 17 (the road to leading to Toquerville from the highway). The reservoir’s dam will be 125 feet tall and 1,270 feet wide.

The overall Ash Creek Project encompasses the construction of an 18.8-mile pipeline from the Ash Creek Reservoir to the future site of the Toquer Reservoir. Originally estimated to be a $34 million project, the cost jumped to $94 million due to inflation.

The purpose of the project is to capture and secure water from the Ash Creek Reservoir near New Harmony that is otherwise reportedly being lost to seepage. That reservoir was built in the 1960s alongside I-15 and hasn’t worked as well as intended, Renstrom previously told St. George News.

While the nearly 19-mile Ash Creek Pipeline is designed to capture part of the surface run-off water that would otherwise be lost in the Ash Creek Reservoir, Renstrom said the reservoir will receive water from the Ash Creek water treatment plant that is currently being constructed.

The treatment plant will send treated sewer water to the reservoir where it will provide an alternate water source for the Toquerville Secondary Water System and preserve the high-quality water from the Toquerville Springs for potable uses.

“The water in this reservoir will be provided to farmers that are currently using a very high-quality water that we’d prefer to drink,” Renstrom said. “So we’re doing a swap with the farmers.”

Though it is being built in the Toquerville area, Renstrom added the reservoir will provide water directly to LaVerkin, Hurricane and Virgin. It will also free up system capacity so more water can be supplied to Washington City, St. George, Santa Clara and Ivins, he said.

The reservoir will take approximately two years to construct. Once complete, the water district anticipates a partnership with the Utah Division of State Parks to manage recreational opportunities, including non-motorized boating and camping.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.

TOQUERVILLE — When pioneers first started settling an area near Ash Creek in Southern Utah, they were befriended by Native Americans who called themselves Toqurat, or Toquit, ancestors of today’s Southern Utah Paiute tribe.

Their leader, Chief Toquer, would give name to the town that is now known as Toquerville, founded in 1858.

Descendants of one of those early settlers, Levi Savage, recently donated a statue of their relative more commonly known from the movie “17 Miracles,” which can be seen at Toquerville’s city hall.

The movie is based on the Willie Handcart Company experiences from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints pioneers following a late-season start and a treacherous winter journey in 1856.

In 1858, Savage moved to Lehi and worked as a supplier for the U.S. Army at Camp Floyd. He helped colonize several towns in northern Utah, such as Lehi, Holden and Scipio.

In 1865, church President Brigham Young sent Savage to Kanab, where he built the first house by pioneer settlers. In 1866, Savage moved to Toquerville, started a farm, raised a family and contributed largely to the growth of Southern Utah for the last 45 years of his life.

“They traveled 23 miles to St. George on horseback frequently for church conferences, attending the temple, paying taxes, taking care of business and visiting the children in school,” according to the Washington County Historical Society. “Frequent company for meals and stopping overnight was a definite part of their lives.”

In 1885, at 65 years of age, Levi was arrested by U.S. Federal Marshals for “unlawful cohabitation.” He was fined $300, served six months in the Utah Territory Penitentiary and was released March 29, 1888.

Possibly one of his largest contributions to today’s society was his pen. Savage kept a diary for more than 50 years of his life, through one of the most told handcart stories in Mormon history, while helping establish new towns farm life until his death.

In the movie “17 Miracles,” Savage is portrayed by actor Jasen Wade, a graduate of Southern Utah University. Many of the stories told in the movie come from Savage’s personal diary.

The diaries have also given historians a glimpse into life in the western United States in a time before the country was united coast-to-coast.

Former Toquerville resident Rex Jensen said the statue of Levi Savage that has stood in front of city hall on Main Street was a gift to the city from descendants of the local legend.

Ed Smith and Dave Lyon, both residents of Las Vegas, proposed the idea, donated the funding and asked Jensen if he would make the arrangements.

“Dave is descended from Levi Savage and so is Ed Smith’s wife,” Jensen said. “They knew the family’s history and really felt the need to do something to honor their heritage.”

Originally planned to be constructed in the Toquerville Cemetery, plans were changed to have it constructed in front of city hall.

“The mayor, Justin Sip, made that happen,” Jensen said. “He wanted the sculpture right in the middle of town with all the other town monuments.”

Sip and approximately 50 town residents, roughly 30 descendants for Savage, attended the dedication in May 2023.

Southern Utah mason Randy Paul built the statue’s base out of steel, concrete and sandstone. Annette Whitaker Everett, who earned her degrees in art education from Brigham Young University, University of Utah and the Art Academy of Cincinnati, sculpted the bronze statue.

A statue of St. George resident Juanita Brooks is just one of many Everett has featured in Southern Utah.

The Sandman, a life-size monument dedicated to the volunteers of the floods of 2005 stands in St. George’s Town Square. And The Volunteer, a life-size monument honoring volunteer firemen, currently stands at the Santa Clara city offices.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.

ST. GEORGE — A reservoir and pipeline project that has been in the works since 2019 received nearly $5 million from the federal government earlier this month as a part of overall funding for projects that promote water conservation and efficiency.

The U.S. Department of the Interior announced in an April 6 press release that $20 million was being granted to four small surface and groundwater storage projects in California and Utah. While three of the projects are based in California, the fourth is the Ash Creek Project based in Southern Utah.

Money for the projects comes from 2022’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also commonly referred to as the “Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.” Money provided through the bill already has been applied to other projects in Southern Utah, such as the Pine Valley Priority Landscape Project.

While on the books for many years, movement on the Ash Creek Project didn’t begin till late 2019 when the Washington County Water Conservancy District announced initial work had been done with the Bureau of Land Management to move the project forward.

The Ash Creek Project encompasses the construction of an 18.8-mile pipeline from the Ash Creek Reservoir to the future site of the Toquer Reservoir. Originally estimated to be a $34 million project, it has jumped to $94 million due to inflation.

The purpose of the project is to capture and secure water from the Ash Creek Reservoir near New Harmony that is otherwise reportedly being lost to seepage. The reservoir was built in the 1960s alongside Interstate 15 and hasn’t worked as well as intended, Zach Renstrom, general manager of the water district, previously told St. George News.

The Toquer Reservoir, which is being built in the area of Anderson Junction, is designed to cover 115 acres and hold up to 3,600 acre-feet of water, making it a third of the size of Gunlock Reservoir. The reservoir will be filled with water from the nearly 19-mile Ash Creek Pipeline that is designed to capture part of the surface run-off water currently being lost at the Ash Creek Reservoir through seepage.

Currently, the pipeline and dam for the new reservoir are being built in phases, Karry Rathje, the water district’s communications and government affairs manager, told St. George News. Parts of the pipeline have already been bid on and are being lined up for construction to begin while other segments are set to be addressed in the near future.

It is anticipated that the ground will be broken for work on the dam in late summer or early fall of this year, with construction expected to take around two to three years.

“As communities across the West continue to face the impacts of ongoing drought, the Biden-Harris administration is making record investments to protect the stability and sustainability of the Colorado River System now and into the future,” Tommy Beaudreau, deputy secretary of the Department of the Interior, said in a press release. “By working together in close coordination with states, Tribes and other stakeholders, we can provide much needed relief for communities across the West that will have a lasting impact for generations.”

Overall, the infrastructure law provides $8.3 billion for Bureau of Reclamation water infrastructure projects over the next five years. Additionally, money from the Inflation Reduction Act provides another $4.6 billion toward addressing the West’s ongoing drought.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.

TOQUERVILLE — Construction hasn’t started yet, but the children of nine families who will soon have a new home couldn’t wait to play in the new Peachtree Circle in Toquerville, the site of a group of new residences to be built with a combination of sweat equity and teamwork.

During a groundbreaking ceremony held May 29, several of the group’s children were already taking advantage of the fresh pavement with bicycles and scooters, Self-Help Homes spokesperson Julie Lindquist said in a press release.

The families – 18 children and 16 adults – are part of the Mutual Self-Help Housing program, administered in Washington County by the nonprofit Self-Help Homes.

“We are just really grateful for this opportunity,” program participant Aubrey Garrett said at the groundbreaking. “It was definitely an emotional roller coaster getting into the group, but we are beyond blessed.”

The sweat-equity homeownership program offers low interest rates and low entry costs in exchange for hundreds of hours of hard work, giving families with moderate incomes a chance to own a home of their own. Families must contribute at least 35 hours each week for 8-10 months, working as a team to complete 70% of the labor on all nine homes.

Bart Higbee and his wife Ashley are excited to participate in the program. According to the press release, Bart Higbee’s ancestors were originally from Toquerville and helped build the historic winery, so returning to the town holds special meaning for him. Coming from a pioneer and ranching background, he says he is excited to be part of an old-fashioned group effort to build his home and the homes of his neighbors.

“We’re actually really grateful for this program and the opportunity it gives us,” Bart Higbee said at the groundbreaking. “Being able to build our own home means a lot.”

To participate, families must have good credit and a stable income and be willing to work hard, Lindquist said.

“This is such a great program,” she said. “It is so hard for regular working people to get into a home these days, with the cost of houses getting higher and higher. It’s really a great opportunity for our families.”

The program’s low interest rates, $500 down payment, no out-of-pocket closing costs and 33-year mortgages make homeownership a possibility for many families who would otherwise be squeezed out of Washington County’s increasingly expensive housing market, Lindquist said.

“With the USDA’s low interest rates, these mortgages are less than a comparable rental house, if you can even find a rental. And they are brand-new, attractive, energy-efficient homes.”

No construction experience is required to participate in the program, Lindquist said. Self-Help Homes construction managers will teach and guide the families through every stage of construction.

“But by the time they’re finished, they have the knowledge and experience to fix anything that breaks, which is a huge advantage for a homeowner,” she said.

Program participants average around 1,500 hours of the labor on their houses over 8-10 months. Subcontractors are hired for the concrete work, plumbing, electrical – any work that requires a license.

The nine new homes are part of the 16-lot Ash Creek Overlook development by Self-Help Homes. The project includes Peachtree Circle and some adjacent lots on Westfield Road. Footings and plumbing work is already underway on some lots, and the families will start framing the homes within the next few weeks.

The Mutual Self-Help Housing Program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development agency, which provides low-interest mortgages. In Washington County, the program has been administered by Self-Help Homes for the past few years. Before that, more than 120 homes were built in the county through the Mutual Self-Help Housing Program.

Self-Help Homes, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization based in Provo, took over management of the program in Washington County in 2015. The organization has already helped 13 families build homes in Washington County. Statewide, Self-Help Homes has built about 500 homes and currently has several projects underway in Utah and Wasatch counties.

For more information about program qualifications and how to apply, go to the Self-Help Homes website or Facebook page or contact Julie Applegate at 435-429-1048 or [email protected].

Email: [email protected]

TOQUERVILLE, Utah – A Utah mother faces child abuse charges after her 12-year-old son was found extremely malnourished, weighing only 30 pounds, according...

Mom Charged After Utah Boy Locked In Bathroom For ‘At Least A Year,’ Police Say

TOQUERVILLE, Utah – A Utah mother faces child abuse charges after her 12-year-old son was found extremely malnourished, weighing only 30 pounds, according to KSTU-TV.

The investigation started Jan. 8 when the boy’s father took him to the hospital.

Officials said the boy’s father found him locked in an upstairs bathroom at the mother’s Toquerville home in southern Utah.

They said he was so malnourished he could not stand up.

Washington County Sheriff’s Lt. David Crouse said, “The child looked like he was the victim of a concentration camp from World War II.”

Crouse said they believe the boy had been locked in the bathroom for “at least a year.”

Authorities got a warrant to search the home of 36-year-old Brandy K. James, the boy’s mother. Investigators said the bathroom door had two locks, allowing it to be locked from the outside.

Detectives said the living conditions inside the bathroom were “deplorable.”

They found a single blanket, feces scattered across the room, empty cans of beans and a camera that could monitor activity inside the bathroom. “The child looked like he was the victim of a concentration camp from World War II,” said Lt. Crouse.

All of the light switches were off and covered with large amounts of duct tape to keep the lights off.

Officials said two other children were removed from the home, both siblings of the abused boy. However, the two other children did not require medical attention.

One of the siblings said the last conversation they had with their brother through the door was six months ago.

According to deputies, James told them the boy was locked in the bathroom because he wanted to sleep in there and she locked him inside for his “safety” when she left home.

Lt. Crouse said he believes James used the camera to monitor the boy from her cellphone.

He said the siblings told investigators they could see their brother in the bathroom on their mother’s phone.

James is facing aggravated felony child abuse charges.

The boy is expected to be in the hospital for the next three weeks.