Home Care In Bluff, UT

BLUFF, Utah — While some ancient cultures may have thought an eclipse signaled the End of Days, it feels like certain modern day Utah officials are attempting to scare off this weekend's eclipse visitors rather than welcoming them with open arms and special glasses.

LIST: Best 'Ring of Fire' eclipse events in Utah state parks

It's not that these people are anti-eclipse, they just know there's only so much a small town or county can take during the Ring of Fire event.

Utah is one of a handful of U.S. states where Saturday's annular solar eclipse will be fully visible, and there's no doubt the Beehive State offers some of the most prime viewing locations in the country.

However, not everyone seems to be as enthusiastic about the eclipse, especially when it comes to the possible headaches the influx of people will create.

In a social media post this week, officials in remote San Juan County sounded as if the area should prepare for a natural disaster, telling residents to stock their cupboards and refrigerators, as well as filling their vehicles with gas. The county says because of the "projected increase in population to our communities, supplies may be limited."

A small town in San Juan County took things a step further, practically telling people to stay away.

Bluff Mayor Ann Leppanen told the Salt Lake Tribune that her message to eclipse visitors is "don't try to come here."

WATCH: Monument Valley to close during solar eclipse Saturday, honoring Indigenous tradition

With a population around 250 people, Bluff's limited resources would most likely collapse should thousands descend upon the small town.

“It’s weird to be a tourist town saying, ‘Don’t be a tourist for these three days,’” Leppanen told the Tribune. “But we don’t have the infrastructure to support even 5,000 people.”

Even though the eclipse will last just a few hours Saturday morning, the worry is that people who made the trek to remote areas like Bluff will stay through the weekend to make a mini-vacation out of the journey.

Listed inside a tip sheet for residents, Bluff offered helpful hints on what to expect this weekend, with a few items sounding quite ominous if not just plain smart:

The Utah Department of Transportation also warned visitors and residents to be prepared for heavy traffic, with delays expected on I-15, I-70, US-191 and US-89.

Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Bluff is bracing for a blitz of stargazers and expects shortages of gas, food and cell service.

| Updated: 8:57 a.m.

For those looking for a last-minute locale in southern Utah to watch Saturday’s “ring of fire” solar eclipse, the mayor of Bluff has a message: “Don’t try to come here.”

The small town of about 260 people expects an influx of 20,000 eclipse viewers this weekend, Mayor Ann Leppanen said. It sits in a pocket of Utah that’s directly within the annular eclipse’s path. It has almost no light pollution. The weather forecast calls for mostly clear skies Saturday, making for ideal viewing conditions.

But making the trek to Bluff, the mayor warned, isn’t “a wise idea.”

“It’s weird to be a tourist town saying, ‘Don’t be a tourist for these three days,’” Leppanen said. “But we don’t have the infrastructure to support even 5,000 people.”

[Read more: Q&A: Utah’s eclipse view and what to expect Saturday]

Bluff began preparing for an onslaught of eclipse chasers more than a year and a half ago, holding weekly meetings. It assembled a band of 50 volunteers and boxes of solar viewing glasses. As of Wednesday afternoon, Leppanen’s team was busy setting up barricades, siting porta-potties and distributing walkie-talkies.

“Starting yesterday [we] saw a major uptick in number of people coming in with RVs asking about camping,” Leppanen said. “Today we’ve got a noticeable uptick in traffic going through.”

All the town’s hotels and campgrounds were booked more than a year ago. The surrounding tribal parks, including Monument Valley, will be closed for the event.

“I would say don’t try to go any farther than Moab,” the mayor cautioned.

For those who want to visit Bluff anyway, or have existing reservations, Leppanen said to bring plenty of water, food and medication. Don’t expect an easy day trip.

Only one major highway, U.S. 191, passes through town. There will likely be gridlock for the entire weekend. She expects the local gas station to run out of fuel and the restaurants to run out of supplies. Cell service will probably be limited, too.

“I would not want to be here unless you get here before [Friday] the 13th,” Leppanen said. “... Be prepared to be stuck here afterward.”

The town prepared an “eclipse tips” sheet with more visitor information, which includes what to do in case of an emergency.

By the time the crowds clear out on Sunday, Leppanen says she hopes to have the town cleaned up and back to functional in time for the Bluff Arts Festival, which runs Oct. 19-22.

For the past 40 years, Lou Diamond Phillips has been a consistent presence in the film and TV industry. From his most well-known roles in La Bamba and Stand and Deliver to guest spots on TV shows like Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Fear the Walking Dead, Phillips is an actor who embraces the nuances of every character he takes on.

In the midseason finale of NBC’s Quantum Leap, a revival of the sci-fi series from the early '90s, Phillips plays Shepherd Barnes, a station chief for the CIA who makes contact with Ben Song (Raymond Lee) when he leaps into the body of an undercover agent caught in a dangerous game of international espionage in 1961 Egypt.

During a recent interview with MySA, Phillips, 61, who was raised in Flour Bluff, Texas, and attended the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), talked about what drew him to the guest spot on Quantum Leap and the challenges he faces as an actor of color in Hollywood. We also discussed his ties to the Lone Star State and what makes him a Texan.

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The midseason finale of NBC’s Quantum Leap airs on Wednesday, December 13, at 7 p.m. CST on NBC.

Thanks for taking the time, Lou. I’m talking to you from San Antonio, Texas.

I was just talking about San Antonio. I love San Antonio. I was there a month ago for the [Big Texas] Comic Con. It was very cool.

You were in San Antonio the first time I met you. It was on the set of Sanitarium in 2012. Kerry Valderrama introduced us.

Man, I couldn't even wrap my head around [his death]. Somebody gave me a message. I didn't believe it at first. I got a hold of his dad and his daughter and was able to speak with both of them. It’s such a sad thing because he was a ridiculously talented director and an amazing producer. He did so much for San Antonio. But beyond that, he was just an incredible human being.

Something you and Kerry shared is your passion to give back to the younger generation who wants to break into the film industry. I know you went back to your alma mater (UTA) this year to do a teaching residency.

You know, there are so many aspects to my career that are about passing the torch. I'm very cognizant of that. I want to support and encourage and hopefully inspire people with the work I continue to do — whether that's in front of the camera or behind it or as a writer. I think there needs to be an injection of respect for the arts. It isn't just about getting famous and rich and well known on TikTok.

During your residency, did you discover the next Lou Diamond Phillips in any of your classes?

(Laughs) Hopefully not. I mean, I still need the work! That's the thing, too, is that you always tell people to be their own person. For me, that was being a character actor. It’s like this role in Quantum Leap. Once again, I’m at the point in my career where I’m trying to create [a character] who's unique and different. When I was back at UTA, I pulled a couple of students aside and told them, “You need to do this. You need to believe in yourself because you have the goods.” Oftentimes, artists aren't told enough that they've got it. So, they need to hear it from somebody whose opinion they respect.”

You were raised in Texas and went to high school and college here. What would you say is the most Texan thing about you?

Confidence. Work ethic too. When I got to Hollywood when I was 24 and made La Bamba, I had been raised in Texas. I had been raised with manners. My dad was in the military. I had respect for work. Those are qualities I learned growing up in Texas. I carry those with me.

What drew you to the role of Shepherd Barnes in Quantum Leap?

I was familiar with [the original series]. It’s great that somebody like Raymond Lee is the new lead. I think it’s wonderful. We're talking about representation. I worked with Raymond before on [the 2019 TV series] Prodigal Son. My character [in Quantum Leap] has this gravitas. He has this mystery. It was intriguing right off the bat. Stepping onto a show that is such a success was very exciting.

Would you like to find another TV show like Longmire where you can play a character for a few seasons or do you like one-episode turns like the one you have on Quantum Leap?

You know, I love the guest spots. They’re great. But I also loved doing Longmire and Prodigal Son. I really wish [Prodigal Son] had gone on for years. I loved that character. Both of those characters were unique and iconic and challenging to me. I would love nothing better than to get on a series that went for [many] seasons. At this point in my life, being a carny can be very wearing. So, to find [a series] that was a little closer to home and consistent and have that kind of stability would be really wonderful.

A current debate in Hollywood centers on who should be allowed to tell certain stories. For example, can a non-Latino direct a Latino film? Do you think you would say yes to your roles in La Bamba and Stand and Deliver today knowing there would be people who believe that you shouldn’t play those roles because you are not Latino?

It's interesting that you put it that way. I would have said yes to those roles in a heartbeat. The question is, would the powers that be say yes to me? I'm in a peculiar place being an actor of color and being of mixed heritage. Sadly, sometimes inclusivity becomes exclusive. They're making our boxes smaller. They're saying, “Unless you have the absolute DNA to play this role, [then you can’t].” Interestingly enough, that doesn't apply to Caucasian actors. They hold actors of color to a different standard, which I think is ridiculously unfair. Some people will either accept my ability as an actor and accept me at face value or not. But at what point do we draw a line? I have to face that conundrum much more often than any of my peers.

HURRICANE, Utah — A former treasurer of the Lava Bluff Homeowner's Association in Hurricane has pleaded guilty to two federal charges in an embezzlement scheme of HOA funds.

Sharon Gordon, 66, could spend up to 20 years in prison upon sentencing for wire fraud and making false statements on a tax return.

Sources in the courtroom said she agreed to a plea deal in which she will only serve 17 months, if it's approved by a federal judge.FOX 13 News first broke the story in 2022.

FOX 13 Investigates: HOA Treasurer confesses to embezzling more than 150k thanks to persistent homeowner

Gordon embezzled approximately over $232,000 from four Lava Bluff HOA bank accounts between 2016 and March 2022.

Prosecutors said she abused her position of power to divert the money and then underreported her personal income to the IRS.

"In execution of the scheme, Gordon diverted the funds electronically by transferring them directly to her personal account, writing checks to herself and her boyfriend and forging other board members’ signatures, depositing checks representing HOA member fees directly into her personal accounts, writing checks to casinos from HOA accounts, and withdrawing cash from HOA accounts."

Gordon was ordered by the court to pay $20,490 in restitution to the IRS and $63,448.32 in restitution to Lava Bluff HOA.

To date, Gordon has paid $168,629.68 in restitution to the HOA after a lien was placed on her property. In order to sell her house, Gordon had to pay the lien with proceeds from the sale.

"She not only took the money from the HOA fund, but she stole from every one of us seniors here," said homeowner Ken Alderman. "My wife worked for a bank before, so it sounded really fishy to me."

Homeowners said they believe Gordon has a gambling problem.

Tim Mullicane noticed his checks were being deposited next to a casino in Mesquite, Nevada.

He spent years trying to get the HOA to look into the missing funds.

"Honestly, I was just kind of told I didn't know what I was talking about," Mullicane said. "You know, I'm not a whiz or anything — but if you look at it... things weren't adding up right. It was obvious to me, but a lot of people got lost in the numbers and figured everything was just fine.”

Mullicane described Gordon's demeanor in the courtroom on Thursday as "reserved."

He said he hopes the federal judge rejects the plea deal at sentencing, because he feels 17 months is too lenient.

"I don't think she's sorry," Mullicane said. "When she came in, she just gave us dirty looks. Didn't say a word to any of us... maybe she's sorry she got caught."

"She stole from these seniors here for over six years. I would like to see the judge sentence her to at least six years," he added. "Do to her as she did to us. I’m not saying 'a hand for a hand' or anything like that, but 17 months is kind of a slap on the wrist to a lot of us that lived through it for six to seven years."

Gordon hung up the phone, presumably declining to comment when FOX 13 News spoke to her in 2022.

FOX 13 News plans to attend her sentencing, which is not expected to occur until February 2024 at the earliest.

The hearing has not yet been scheduled.

Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

The Town of Bluff will remain under the red, high risk category in the Governor’s pandemic reopening plan. The state gave the town permission to continue implementing strict guidelines for businesses, as the rest of Utah moves from high to moderate risk.

That means restaurants can still only do take-out, nonessential businesses must remain closed and no more than 10 people can gather in one place.

Bluff Mayor Ann Leppanen said she asked for the exemption because COVID-19 cases continue to rise in San Juan County and Bluff is in a uniquely vulnerable position.

“Realistically, we’re a border town. Our workforce is from the Navajo Nation,” she said, adding that Bluff has “a fairly disproportionate amount of senior citizens.”

San Juan public health director Kirk Benge said he supported the town’s choice to remain at the high risk level. Taken as a whole, San Juan County now has the second highest infection rate in the state, behind Summit County. But the majority of the cases are on the Navajo Nation, the hardest hit area in Utah. There were 144 confirmed cases there as of May 10, according to the Utah Navajo Health System. Only 3 out of 147 cases in the county are off the reservation, according to data from the Utah Department of Health.

Bluff’s exemption coincides with the expiration of a local ordinance requiring hotels to close. The town council repealed that ordinance on May 8, and also passed a resolution stating the town should remain at high risk. Gov. Gary Herbert’s letter granting the exemption came the next day.

Leppanen said that most business owners were fine with the decision to continue implementing the stricter guidelines.

“We’d been talking with the ‘Business Owners of Bluff’ and the sense I had was they wanted to open up,” she said. “But they also were concerned about the safety of their workers.”

Hotels in Bluff can still reopen under the state’s high risk guidelines, but they must follow strict rules, including leaving rooms empty for 48 hours in between stays. Jen Davila owns a boutique hotel there called La Posada Pintada and is the president of the town’s business association.

She said that the high risk guidelines are very similar to the moderate risk guidelines, which are in place for the rest of the state.

“With the Governor’s guidelines most of us are still able to reopen,” she said, adding that trading posts and guiding services may have trouble under the high risk rules. “For guiding, it’s the proximity thing, and trading posts are technically nonessential.”

Davila said she is planning to reopen on Monday and is expecting a shipment of personal protection equipment from the Governor’s office through a program meant to help small businesses. She added that while she’s received some new reservations, she doesn’t expect business to return to normal this spring.

While Bluff has chosen to remain in the high risk category, Blanding and Monticello have not. Essential businesses and hotels have remained open in San Juan County’s larger towns throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Health director Kirk Benge said that while the confirmed case count is still low in both towns, the number of cases could be higher than the data show.

“We’ve only seen a trickle of testing in Blanding and Monticello, and we know that many people from Montezuma Creek do their grocery shopping in Blanding,” he said.

Benge said there will be a drive-through testing event in Blanding this Thursday and Friday that will be free to anyone who qualifies for testing under the current CDC guidelines.

“I would like to understand better what’s happening in Blanding,” he said. “And I felt like the way to do that is to have an aggressive push.”

Kate Groetzinger is a Report for America corps member who reports from KUER's Southeast Bureau in San Juan County. Follow Kate on Twitter @kgroetzi