Payson Golden Onion Days: Going On Now

Two of Payson’s much loved residents, Milt and JaNae Friedli, can usually be found engaged in volunteer work in the local community.  But this weekend is made for celebration relaxation- and well deserved at that! The couple enjoyed a bite to eat as they watched the swirl of the carnival’s rides from a bench seated by Memorial Park Pond.

Find more Onion Days events at: paysonchronicle.com

Payson Golden Onion Days: Going On Now

The Pride of the Lions Marching Band are selling ice cold soda pop and bottled water at Memorial Park throughout the Onion Days celebration.  Pictured (left-right) are Payson High School junior, Brian Wilkins, bass drum, sophomore Ezri Staheli, on trumpet, junior Tate Grimshaw, snare drum, and Owen Grimshaw, who also performs on bass drum.  Kaitlin Brady (not pictured) serves as the PHS marching band’s director.  Proceeds from this weekend’s sales will be used to help fund Pride of Lions’ programs and activities, including a few tours  the band has planned to take part in throughout the school year.

Find more Onion Days events at: paysonchronicle.com

Payson Golden Onion Days: Going On Now

Onion Days would not be, well, onion days without onions on the menu.  Pictured is what is left of a plateful of Zach Voorhee’s famous fried onion strings.  He is selling them at Memorial Park throughout the celebration weekend.  And they were just too good to resist sampling before a photo could capture their tasty essence.

Find more Onion Days events at: paysonchronicle.com

Payson Golden Onion Days: Going On Now

After lunch and a stroll along vendors’ booths early Saturday afternoon, Samuel and Kylee Critchfield were looking forward to a full day of Onion Days fun at Payson’s Memorial Park.

Find more Onion Days events at: paysonchronicle.com

Payson Golden Onion Days: Going On Now

Scrumptious scones, fried to perfection and served with sweet honey butter, are keeping celebrators satisfied as events unfold at Memorial Park this Onion Days weekend.  The golden scones are sold hot to order by Mountain View 2nd Ward from a booth not far from the carnival rides.  Pictured here are a few of the friendly vendors: (front) Trinity Johnson, (back, left-right) Derian Poulson, Cassity Proctor, and Ashley Meldrum.

Find more Onion Days events at: paysonchronicle.com

Payson Golden Onion Days: Going On Now

A row of vendors market their wares as carnival rides thrill visitors behind during the 2014 Onion Days Celebration, going on now through Labor Day in Payson.

Find more Onion Days events at: paysonchronicle.com

Onion Days Parade Lines Up Nicely

Everybody loves a parade.  Especially the annual Onion Days Grand Parade in Payson, which falls on every Labor Day morning.

Following is this year's Grand Parade Line-Up:

1. Color Guard

2. Payson Fire Department/Class of 1964

3. “Moe” the Payson Golden Onion Days Mascot

4. Veterans of Foreign Wars

5. American Legion Veterans Serving Veterans

6. Payson Bag Pipe Band

7. Grand Marshals Dennis and Rosemary Dixon

8. Payson Community Theater

9.  Payson Mayor Rick Moore

10. Payson City Council: JoLyn Ford, Kim Hancock, Mike Hardy, Scott Phillips, and Larry Skinner

11. Payson High School Dance Company

12. Miss Payson Royalty

13. Payson High School Cheerleaders

14. Payson High School Student Council

15. Payson High School Paysetters

16. Payson High School FFA

17. Payson High School Pride of the Lions Marching Band

18. Payson High School Lions Football Team

19. Security Service Federal Credit Union/Payson Baby contest

20. Payson All-Star Cheerleading

21. Payson City Pool Lifeguards

22. Miss Springville/Mapleton Royalty

23. Mountainland Headstart Inc.

24. Academic Advancement In-Home Tutoring

25. Central Bank

26. Hang Time/Flips Gymnastics Orem

27. American Leadership Academy

28. Sara Lee

29. Smith’s Food and Drug

30. Utah Community Credit Union

31. Miss Genola Royalty

33. Merit College Preparatory Academy

34. Community Action Services & Food Bank

35. Utah County Fair

36. Canyon View Medical Group

37. Foothill Cloggers

38. Maple Creek Home Health & Hospice

39. Wiggy Wash

40. Friends of Mia Love

41. Miss Spanish Fork Royalty

42. Little Miss Spanish Fork Royalties

43. Spanish Fork High School Dons Marching Band

44. America First Credit Union

45. Payson City Recreational Centennial Dancers

46. Making Faces

47. Ms. Mustache/Sherri Poulson

48. U.S. Forest Services

49. Strut Your Mutt Pet Grooming

50. White Peaks Centennial Pipe Band

51. Provo City Royalty

52. Lime Light Dance Studio

53. Young Living Farms

54. Curves

55. AmeriTech College

56. Water Gardens Theatres

57. Mr. Automotive

58. Zombies Grimm LLC

59. Nebo Comfort Systems

60. Salem Lil’ Buckaroo Rodeo

61. Salem City Royalty

62. Salem Hills High School Cheer

63. Rococo Performing Arts Studio

64. Behling Insurance Agency Inc.

65. Gunnerson Dental

66. Sports Clips Spanish Fork

67. The Donut Hole

68. Wholesale Design Center

69. Madari Boards

70. Miss Santaquin Royalty

71. Bobby Lawrence Karate

72. Professional Dental

73. Provo Beach Resort

74. Nebo United Soccer Club

75. Orem Classic Fun Center

76. Davis Classic Detailing & SIP-N SPOT

77. The Road to Registration Tour

78. Miss Tintic Royalty

79. Autoworks Car Care

80. Unbreakable Academy

81. Hope Baptist Church

82. Diego’s REstaurant

83. Country Farm Fest

84. Zumba with Michelle & Jenn

85. American Red Cross

86. South Valley Gym

87. Legion Custom Shop

88. Express Med Family Care

89. South Rim Realty

90. Real Rock Band

91. Mountain View 11th Spanish LDS Ward

92. Thomas Orthodontics

93. Genesis Rugby Club

Joe Coffee Open Mic Part of Onion Days Activities

Pictured (left-right): Juliann Valdovinos and Paige Downey at Joe Coffee & Espresso in Payson

Celebrate Onion Days with song at the annual Open Mic at Joe Coffee & Espresso Bar on Sunday, August 31, 11 AM - 1 PM.  Joe Coffee is located at 145 East Utah Avenue, Payson.

Find more Onion Days events at: paysonchronicle.com

Kimberly Jo Smith Featured Speaker at Onion Days Fireside

Kimberly Jo Smith, Payson Onion Days Fireside Speaker

Kimberly Jo Smith, great-great granddaughter of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is the featured speaker/entertainer at the annual Fireside  August 31 at the LDS stake center across from historic Peteetneet  on 600 East in Payson.

Born in Tennessee to Joseph and Sue Smith, Kim has used her love of writing music and stories to expound upon the importance of family.  After learning at the age of 12 that she had an ancestor named Joseph Smith, Jr,.”who built a church,” Kimberly began a journey that would reveal  a heritage she had never known, and a family that had been sorely broken. 

Kim now lives in Payson, Utah with her two children.  She devotes much of her time to writing and speaking on the importance of healing within the family.  (Her new book Rising Hills and Sinking Valleys, a journey of her line of the Smith family was released in 2012).  It is her desire as she shares what the Smith family has endured on their journey to find hope through Jesus Christ, that families may realize that through Him all things are possible.  “There is no greater time than now to pull our families together.”

Everyone, young and old, is invited to share this non-denominational event at the church bldg. across from the historic Peteetneet Museum, 75 South 600 East Payson, UT at 6:30 pm.

(Published in the August 27, 2014, Onion Days Edition of The Payson Chronicle.)

Congratulations Kelly and Tess Barker: Yard of the Week

A great transformation has occurred at the Barker home in Payson.  

Great change has arrived at our latest Yard of the Week, the home of Kelly and Tess Barker in Payson.  Block by block, the elevated place overlooking Third South was molded anew in a herculean project undertaken from March until June of this year.  Where once grew rolling hills now holds high terraces, with xeriscaping complementing the traditional grass and gardens that have existed at the home since it was resided in by the Barkers’ parents, the late Jay and Lorraine Barker.

The transformation has been so drastic and the work intense, Tess says she lost thirty pounds along the way.  Tap into Google Earth online, she adds, and you will see the before and after shots that highlight the changes which started before the terrace project began this year.  Two small sheds were removed, while a larger shed held contents that required countless trips to haul out its refuge.  A new playground was added out back three years ago for the youngest of the Barker family and their friends to enjoy.

Despite the changes in appearance, this week’s award is not the first for the property.  Jay and Loraine, too, received the honor in the 1990s.  Years later, their children picked up the torch and maintained a tradition within the Barker family: An appreciation of home and neighborhood.  

Xeriscaping minimizes watering, at least in part.  Aesthetics are enhanced with flashes of color, be it from flowers or yard art, all along the terraces and throughout their place. A robust vegetable garden flourishes in a fenced-in zone, providing tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and the soon-to-arrive pumpkins.  The large shed which stands nearby stands as a reminder of its owner, Jay, who used it for woodworking projects, including a lifesize stagecoach awaiting its passengers. Solar powered lights illuminate it at night, calling upon evening drives past the home.

Be it day or night, be sure to drive by the Barker home, our Yard of the Week.  Congratulations to you, Barkers.

Payson Police Report: August 18-21, 2014

Payson Police Report

August 18

Possible theft case is being investigated.

Police followed through on a report of a vehicle parked at the main entrance of the hospital with the keys still inside. The owner had been admitted to the hospital; the vehicle was moved and made secure by security staff.

Officer was dispatched to a barking dog. After remaining in the area for about 20 minutes, no dog was heard barking by the officer.

Criminal mischief case: Unknown person(s) used a very sharp knife to slash the victim’s bicycle’s tires. No suspects at this time.

August 19

A juvenile refused to go to school, so police were called. The youngster was talked with and then agreed to go to school. Case was closed.

Police were called to an attempted suicide by a female. She was transported to Mt. View Hospital. Photos of the cuts to her arms were taken. Other evidence was collected and booked into the evidence locker.

Warrant. An adult male, with an active warrant, was located and booked into the Utah County Jail.

Runaway. Information was filed with NCIC and ATL. Santaquin police located the juvenile male. 

NCIC and ATL were canceled.

Police were called for a theft of a bicycle. Report was filed and turned over to be investigated.

A theft detail was handled at Walmart. A bicycle on display in front of the store was reportedly stolen by a male. He was cited for the theft.

Officer was dispatched to a report of a suspicious male, who had just got off a UTA bus. Report stated that he had been harassing females on the bus. Police discovered that he had just been talking with the individuals, not harassing them. Case was closed.

A male was reported as suspicious when he came to a home claiming he worked for a company, collecting payment. The reporting person contacted the company, who advised they never saw anyone collecting money. However, the fellow representing their company was at the complainant’s home on official business.

A burglar alarm sent police to Trapnell Orthodontics. The alarm system indicated that it was the front door’s alarm. Officer arrived and found the front door of the business unlocked. No damage.

Officer issued citation to a person for violating the parking law.

Animal problems this week were mostly dogs barking, dogs running loose, and cats in traps.

August 20

An 18-year-old male, deemed mental, was threatening to commit suicide. He was transported to the Mountain View Hospital emergency room.

Sex offense. Information was gathered and the case referred to detectives.

Missing 4-year-old autistic child was reported, as he had been missing for about an hour. Officers responded to the home and found the little boy sleeping underneath a bed.

Raccoons kept bothering the complainant, so she reported the situation to police. She was told they have traps to trap the raccoon.  She advised of a friend, who is a trapper, that she would call.

Found: A small brown Chihuahua dog, male. He has a black rope-style collar. No name nor identifying tags.

Sex offense. No further information.

August 21

Police were dispatched to 800 West 100 South on a juvenile problem call involving about twenty juveniles who were blocking the road. Officer noted they had gathered along the curbside and were spitting into the road. They seemed to be junior-high-school-age, and, when the officer asked them to cross the street so they would be out of the roadway, they quietly complied.

Officer was dispatched to the area of 800 South 600 West on a report of a male in his forties seen wearing a woman’s blouse and bra. Having dealt with him before, and knowing he was a patient of Wasatch Mental Health and was of no danger to himself or others, police took no action.

Found property and found owner too. Property was returned accordingly.

Police were dispatched to a criminal mischief detail. Reports of a home being egged were the cause.

Family problem was handled by police. Problem was solved by separating the individuals for the night.

Juveniles were on U.S. Forest Service property. Police explained to them that they were trespassing and should leave.

Officer responded to a noise disturbance. When they were told they were being too loud and that they would only have one warning and then a citation would be issued, the party members went inside and agreed to be considerate of other people.

Police were called to a situation where children were throwing rocks at a home. They were having a birthday party at McMullin Park. Parents explained to police that the party was over and they would keep an eye on the children.

Season's coming to an end, but there is still time to nominate:

The Payson Chronicle

Friends of Payson Library to Hold Annual Used Book Sale

Friends of the Payson Library are gearing up for Onion Days.  This is when the group hosts its annual Used Book Sale.

Add a trip to the Payson City Library square in the Historic Downtown District to your Labor Day celebration schedule.  The sale runs from 9 AM - 2 PM on Monday, September 1.

Be sure to check out The Payson Chronicle for more information on this and other events taking place throughout the Golden Onion Days Celebration in Payson.

Bob and Mary Carter: Yard of the Week

Bob and Mary Carter and their gentle black cat, Cat, near the hidden garden at their Payson home.

Bob and Mary Carter built their house upon a rock.  But however wise was the decision--and it was--it came with one big dilemma.  How does one cultivate plant life on such solid terrain?

This question has been answered over time, since they constructed their home on a rocky corner lot at 917 South 730 West, Payson, in the early 1970s, back when Payson’s population hovered around 3,7000.  Forty years later, the community has expanded, and the house has weathered the storms, while the yard has transformed from a solid stone plot to a lively green paradise.  For this, we honor Bob and Mary Carter and their family with the Yard of the Week award.

After the completion of their home in what was, four decades ago, a sparsely populated neighborhood, it took several years for the Carters to get things up and growing.  Load after load of soil was imported.  Next, they turned their attention to building a playhouse for their young children to play on while the landscaping labor continued.  Schwartz Lumber, which has long since closed, was located conveniently across the road from the home. This made accessing the the timber they would use to construct both the playhouse, the adjoining swingset foundation, and a fenced-in patio and flower garden spot to the west of it convenient.  All are still in good form.

The front and side portions of their yard slopes toward the streets running past, but this is little deterrent to their small crew of young grandchildren, siblings Kaylee, age 12, C.J., age 10, and Carson Vasquez, age 8, who take turns mowing the lawn for their grandparents.  With the helpful youngsters at the helm of the lawnmower, Bob and Mary are kept busy with their robust vegetable garden on the west side and flowers planted throughout.  Not to mention, the LDS service mission the couple currently serves, a commitment that has them overseeing a small crew who help maintain the splendor at the Salt Lake City Temple grounds two days a week.

Mary’s favorite hidden garden at home is situated on its east side, with its shady shrubs, trees, flowers, stone walkways and statues, and a corner garden spot on the outermost corner, plump with seasonal series of blooms is a joy to passersby.

What is most unique is experienced in the backyard. Lovely outdoor furniture and decor fill the “rooms,” an apropos term designated by the Carters’ niece, Laura Wright, cordoned in gathering places, with a soothing fountain in one, a firepit in another, and solar lights and stringed glass light bulbs hanging from beams and trees that set the place aglow at night, as if each evening were occasion for celebration.

It seems each day at the Carters is cause for celebration when one takes in the beauty they have created here.  Bob and Mary welcome those who wish to see that which is hidden from street view to contact them, and they will be happy to show it.  You won’t be disappointed if you do.  

Blake and Carla Ryan’s Talents Bring Beauty to the Community, Both at Work and Home: Couple Awarded Yard of the Week

A playhouse out back is only one characteristic of this charming lot.

There is a hint of familiarity at our latest Yard of the Week.  Among its caretakers is one of the talents behind a large number of floral arrangements gracing the porches, walkways, and decks at homes throughout the community.  Including a few that have been named Yard of the Week.

This week, the award goes to Blake and Carla Ryan. There is a good chance that their lovely yard at 674 South 400 East, Payson, has already caught your eye.  If not, then you may have already seen the work of Carla, a florist at Olson’s Garden Shoppe.  She and fellow florist Diane Kitteridge create Olson’s signature custom made arrangements that can be seen all over town.

Springtime orders keep her busy, Carla noted last week, as clients arrive with their empty barrels, baskets, buckets, and pots to be filled with blossoms for another season. But Carla reserves some of this talent for her own baskets and pots she displays at the place she and husband, Blake, have called home since 1984.  

Their home was built in the late 1960s.  By the time the Ryans moved into it, the home had required a large sum of improvement, both inside and out.  They started on it right away, progressively altering it to its stunning state thirty years later.

Blake, who operates Crouch’s OK Service in Payson, is, in addition to a respected mechanic, a remarkable builder, having done much of the labor to the home and, structurally, to the landscape outside himself.  This ranges from the porch in the front and deck in the back, to the steps fashioned from old railroad ties that provide access to the different levels carved into their multi-tiered backyard.

He also built a nice playhouse, complete with quick access to playground equipment, a rock-climbing wall, and a slippery slide exit for the couple’s grandkids.  Carla has added her personal touch to the miniature home, adorning its small open windows with planters overflowing with impatiens.

While the sun provides full light to the front, eastward-facing side of the house, a place where Carla’s signature baskets and sun-loving flowers planted into the earth thrive, the backyard offers respite from the heat.  Trees planted here have expanded their capacity to provide shade along with their size.  Carla has had to adapt to these changes over the years and modify the plant life along the way.  Hostas, one of her favorites, are among those that grow exceptionally well in the backyard, out of the sun’s path.  Impatiens, yet another favorite, also grow exceptionally there. Her roses and daisies are not too shabby either.

Come to think of it, there is little if nothing that is shabby about their place.  It is beautiful.

Together, Blake and Carla have merged the talents they are recognized for in the community into creating a beautiful environment at home for family and friends to enjoy.  Congratulations to the Ryans, whose combined effort and creative talents have earned them the award of Yard of the Week.