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COMMON SENSE

Pamphlet written by Thomas Paine

1775-1776

In this week’s edition of The Payson Chronicle

 

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OUR American Story

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Our  American  Story

PICTURED: American journalist, editor, poet, women’s rights advocate, and diarist Emmeline B. Wells (1828-1921). She was a plural wife of Newel K. Whitney and, later, Daniel H. Wells. For 37 years, she worked as the editor of the Woman’s Exponent. She represented Utah at both the National and American Women’s Suffrage conventions, and as president of the Utah Woman’s Suffrage Association. She served as the fifth Relief Society General President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1910 until her death in 1921.

The 250th anniversary of our nation is not only a time to look back, but also to look forward. Many see 2026 as an opportunity to confront the country’s imperfections while honoring its resilience. Conversations about democracy, equality, and freedom are as vital today as they were in 1776.

Join the conversation.

We want to know what being an American means to you. What are your hopes for our nation’s future? 

Send us your American story in essay form, as an original poem, or composed in lyrics to a song—all for consideration of publication in The Payson Chronicle in the weeks leading up to America's 250th birthday celebration. 

Send your submission to paysonchronicle@gmail.com, or submit in person or by mail at 145 East Utah Avenue #5, Payson, Utah 84651.

In this week’s edition of THE PAYSON CHRONICLE

 

Mourning the Passing of Our Friend

 

Archie Alexander 

 

It is with tender sorrow and profound gratitude that we announce the peaceful passing of Archie D Alexander, age 86, of Santaquin, Utah, who returned home to his Heavenly Father on January 31, 2026.

Archie was born August 22, 1939 in Panguitch, Utah, to Fred C and Celesta Campbell Alexander, in a small log cabin built by his grandfather—a structure that still stands today as a preserved historic site in the Panguitch City Park. When he was only three years old, his father passed away unexpectedly, and his mother moved the family to Provo. He was raised in Provo and Santaquin, where he learned to work hard, serve others, and live with integrity. Those early lessons helped shape a love for God and family that never wavered, or faltered. He graduated from Provo High School in 1957 as part of the first full graduating class from the new building, with his name appearing first in the local announcement of graduates.

On October 14, 1961, Archie married the love of his life, Nadine Westover. Their civil union was later solemnized for time and all eternity in the Manti Temple on May 4, 1963. Those eternal covenants became the foundation of their marriage. Together they built a Christ-centered home filled with faith, sacrifice, service, and love.

Archie was a man of steady, quiet faith in Jesus Christ. He carried in his heart a testimony of the gospel, and he knew—really knew—that its principles are true. Meeting him felt like being with a longtime friend—he put people at ease immediately, listened attentively, spoke with genuine kindness, and showed sincere interest in others. His warmth was authentic, his presence always steady and reassuring. He spoke kindly of everyone and taught most effectively through the quiet example of his life. He accepted every call to serve with willingness and humility—including as a bishop—where he especially cherished guiding the youth with patience and heartfelt interest. His deep love for people deepened his discipleship of Jesus Christ, and the good he did continues to bless all who knew him.

His home was a happy place, filled with humor and genuine affection. Visitors felt instantly welcome and deeply loved. They learned the gospel not from words alone, but from the way he lived each day. He trusted the Savior’s promises completely, honored his covenants fully, and in the most gentle way possible, his life quietly uplifted everyone around him.

Archie showed his faith through simple, daily service. He often whistled while he worked—always a familiar tune—and found real joy in honest labor. He loved telling stories, playing gentle pranks, and teasing those he loved, bringing laughter into ordinary moments. He taught enduring lessons that stayed with you: “Leave things better than you found them,” and “Take what you want, but eat what you take.” When sacrifice was required, he gave willingly.

He was remarkably good with his hands and could tackle just about anything—often with nothing more than bailing wire, duct tape, and a prayer. He enjoyed wood carving, tending his small farm, and caring for his fruit trees. He loved the outdoors—hunting, exploring, and staying active. He had fond memories of “Dry Mountain,” the mountain most visible from his front porch—where he hunted and hiked for many years. Throwing horseshoes was a cherished family tradition; he was cheerfully competitive and always thrilled to bring home the trophy at family reunions. He also delighted in metal detecting, treasure hunting, and panning for gold—the thrill of the unknown turned every outing into an adventure. He ran an upholstery business and took pride in his craftsmanship. He also took pride in his beautiful penmanship. He was a devoted fan of BYU sports and embraced his pioneer heritage. With a smile, he liked to say that potatoes are “celestial food.” He also loved participating in community plays and was often cast as the villain—even Scrooge—and he had a wonderful time with it, revealing his playful side.

Archie loved the beauty of God’s creations and the rich opportunities life offered him. He cherished family trips to Mexico, he hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon with several of his children and their spouses, he later traveled to Australia with a grandson, and six months ago he fulfilled a long-held dream by traveling to Alaska with his sweetheart Nadine and many of his adult children—memorable trips the family will always remember with deep gratitude. These are just a glimpse of the many adventures he enjoyed over the years, too many to list them all.

He also cherished his time working at Utah Technical College (now Utah Valley University) and retired feeling grateful for the meaningful work he did and the wonderful people he met there.

Archie and Nadine were called to serve a mission together for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as humanitarian welfare directors in the Czech/Prague Mission, with a special assignment in Slovakia (living in Košice while traveling throughout the region for humanitarian projects). Upon returning home, they served faithfully for 4½ years in the Santaquin 17th Branch (Care Centers).

Archie was preceded in death by his parents and his stepfather, Hial Brown Hales; his father- and mother-in-law, Lloyd and Laura Westover; his brother, Ben C Alexander; his sister, Winafred Jones; his grandson, Justin Alexander; and other grandchildren who passed away before birth and are now in the loving care of Heavenly Father.

He is survived by his eternal companion, Nadine Alexander; his children: Lisa (Paul) Terry, Shauna (Kent) Butler, Brian (Cindy) Alexander, Scott (Traci) Alexander, Laurie (Curtis) Blanchard, Becky (Gary) Jackson, Andy Alexander, Wesley (Samantha) Alexander; his niece, Renae (Tim) Anderson, who was raised in their home during her teenage years and remains every bit a part of the family; his brothers, Earl Alexander and Chad Hales. He is blessed with 48 grandchildren and 68 great-grandchildren (this includes five more on the way).

A viewing will be held on Friday, February 6th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 90 South 200 East in Santaquin, Utah. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, February 7th. A viewing will take place that morning from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., followed by the funeral service at 11:00 a.m.. Interment will follow at the Santaquin City Cemetery.

The family would like to express heartfelt thanks to Bristol Hospice for their compassionate care, with special appreciation to Heidi for her loving kindness and support during this tender time.

We find comfort in knowing Archie lives on through the memories we shared and the sure promise that we will be with him again someday. Because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, death is not the end. Archie honored every covenant he made with the Lord and gave his life in faithful service. He now rests in the peace the Savior has promised to those who love and follow Him. His life stands as a witness that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true. Right up to his passing, his last words of wisdom and hope were for his posterity to stay close to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Mourning the Passing of Our Friend

 

Shane Daley

 

On the evening of January 31, 2026, surrounded by his family, Shane Donald Daley set off into the golden mountains, reuniting with his beloved dog, Opie, for a long awaited hunt. 

Shane lived for the sky, a dog at his heel, and the moment a bird broke cover. A legendary bird hunter, Shane leaves behind a legacy written in fields, feathers, family, and friendship. He was a mentor, a storyteller, and the man you wanted at your side when the birds finally came up. 

Shane was born July 14, 1955, alongside his twin sister, Susan. He was the first son of Gaylia and Donald Daley. Shane came into the world a bit of a troublemaker, and he never really outgrew it—but that was part of his charm. He loved to joke, stir things up just enough, and make sure everyone around him was smiling.

Shane married his loving wife Carol on December 6, 1974. They recently celebrated 51 years of marriage and built a life marked by love, hard work, and devotion to family.

Together Shane and Carol welcomed their children: twins Alysia and Malysia Daley, Greg (Julie) Daley, Raquel (Billy) Painter and Dustin (Sophie) Daley. Shane took his children on many adventures throughout their lives, enjoying time camping, fishing, and hunting, creating some of the best memories on Boulder Mountain.

Perhaps his greatest calling in life was being Grandpa Shane. His grandchildren were among his greatest joys, and he cherished every moment with Caiden (Halee), Jarrett, Parker (Erika), Saige, Cierra, Kanyon, Irelyn, Elias, and Barrett. That joy multiplied when he welcomed his great-grandchildren, Luna, Sawyer, and Rainy.

Shane spent his life in service to others. His first jobs were in food service where he shared his love of food by flipping burgers at the Daley Freez, frying chicken at Chicken Time and perfecting prime rib at Sheriff Hardy’s. In 1983 Shane began working for the United States Postal Service, where he served the public for 30 years. Shane was far more than a mail carrier; he was a friend to all. He took time to talk with everyone, and looked after the residents on his route all while being the fastest carrier in town. He cared deeply for the community he served. His dedication went well beyond his job, even stepping in to help put out a fire on his route—an act that reflected his quiet bravery and commitment to others.

Shane was a passionate conservationist who cared deeply about Utah’s wildlife. He played a key role in helping establish wild turkey populations across the state and proudly served for several years as secretary and treasurer on the National Wild Turkey Federation State Board. His dedication to conservation and his steady support of wildlife in Utah left a lasting mark that will be felt for generations.

Shane is survived by his wife, Carol, his children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and his siblings: Donna (Steve) Tipton, Lanna Lafferty, Susan (Ron) Lowe, Mary Jo (Tom) Sorensen, and Arthur Daley. He was preceded in death by his parents, Donald and Gaylia Daley, and his two daughters Alysia and Malysia.

A viewing will be held on Thursday, February 5th from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at Brown Family Mortuary in Santaquin, Utah. A celebration of life will be held on Friday, February 6th at 11:00 am at The Barn at Wall Brothers Orchards in Santaquin, with a viewing from 9:45 to 10:45 am prior to the service. Interment will follow in the Santaquin City Cemetery.

CHRONICLE PICKS—What We’re Reading

 Paper Girl: A Memoir of Home and Family in a Fractured America

By Beth Macy

Book Review: Paper Girl Illuminates America’s Fault Lines Through a Hometown Lens

In Paper Girl: A Memoir of Home and Family in a Fractured America, journalist and bestselling author Beth Macy returns to her birthplace of Urbana, Ohio, to explore the economic, social, and political forces reshaping small-town America. Published in October 2025 by Penguin Press, the book defies easy categorization, weaving intimate memoir with deep reporting to trace the unraveling of the community that helped raise her. 

Macy grew up in Urbana during the 1970s and ’80s, the daughter of a struggling family. Her early years—marked by poverty, an alcoholic father, and the formative experience of delivering newspapers—were also infused with community spirit and opportunity. Through a Pell Grant she was able to attend college and eventually build a successful career in journalism. 

Decades later, she returns to Urbana in the 2020s to care for her aging mother and confronts a hometown transformed. What was once a relatively stable industrial city now grapples with decades of job losses, declining schools, and a rapidly shrinking civic infrastructure. The local newspaper that once served as a source of shared information and identity has nearly vanished—echoing a broader decline in local journalism across rural America. 

The metaphor of the “paper girl”—once Macy’s daily routine and a symbol of community connection—becomes a poignant motif for what has been lost. Where newspapers once knit neighbors together, today’s residents are isolated, reliant on social media and national news bubbles that amplify grievances and intensify political mistrust. 

A Town as America in Microcosm

Macy uses Urbana as a microcosm of broader national trends: economic dislocation, political polarization, and the erosion of shared civic life. Once-thriving factories have closed, opportunities for upward mobility have diminished, and social supports such as robust public education and accessible higher education have weakened. Macy highlights how the Pell Grant that enabled her to attend college now funds students who still struggle with basic housing and transportation, emblematic of structural shifts that have left many behind. 

Perhaps most striking in Paper Girl is the personal drama that accompanies these larger forces. Macy reconnects with friends and relatives whose lives have taken divergent paths. Some have embraced conspiracy theories; others have turned to exclusionary politics. In nearby Springfield, an old acquaintance who was once considered open-minded becomes a vocal opponent of Haitian immigrants during the 2024 presidential campaign, illustrating how economic loss and cultural anxiety can fuel antagonism toward outsiders. 

In conversations with her own family—some of whom hold deeply conservative and evangelical views—Macy navigates fraught territory with empathy and candor. These encounters expose the human costs of political strife, revealing how ideological divides fracture even the closest bonds. 

Diagnostics and Insights

While deeply rooted in personal narrative, the memoir also functions as social analysis. Macy draws on interviews with local residents, educators, and subject-matter experts to diagnose Urbana’s decline—and by extension, the condition of many American communities. She critiques the retreat of economic and civic institutions, the failure of political leadership to address rural needs, and the corrosive effect of fragmented media. 

Her reporting does not spare liberal enclaves either; she argues that coastal progressives have too often dismissed rural grievances, exacerbating a sense of alienation. Yet she also pushes back against narratives that blame marginalized communities for social ills, emphasizing instead the role of economic inequality and policy inertia in fueling discontent. 

Human Stories, Hard Realities

Critics have praised Paper Girl as empathetic and essential, noting Macy’s skill in balancing memoir with reportage that probes the heart of America’s divides. Some readers, however, have expressed frustration with the book’s perceived political slant and its challenge to deeply held beliefs. Ratings on community review sites reflect a broad range of responses but underscore the book’s provocative engagement with contemporary issues. 

In Paper Girl, Macy does not offer easy solutions—but she does pose a crucial question: How do we rebuild the connections and institutions that sustain civic life? Her answer emphasizes the need for empathy, presence, and dialogue across difference.

Five Recommendations for Strengthening Civic Dialogue & Community

Inspired by the themes and insights of Paper Girl, here are five practical recommendations for fostering engagement and community resilience:

1. Reinvest in Local Journalism and Shared Information

Community newspapers, radio, and digital forums that focus on local issues help people stay informed about shared concerns rather than national polemics. Supporting and revitalizing these outlets can rebuild common ground and collective identity.

2. Create Structured Civic Dialogue Programs

Municipalities, schools, and nonprofits can organize facilitated dialogues that bring together residents with divergent views. Programs like community roundtables or deliberative forums encourage listening and reduce polarization by focusing on shared goals rather than partisan positions. (Potluck meals or refreshments before, during, and after are a plus!)

3. Strengthen Civic Education and Opportunities

Invest in civic education that teaches critical thinking, media literacy, and the value of participation. Expanding programs in schools and community centers that emphasize democratic skills can empower individuals to engage thoughtfully and respectfully.

4. Support Economic and Social Infrastructure

Addressing underlying economic stresses—such as lack of jobs, affordable housing, and transportation—can reduce the conditions that fuel resentment and division. Public and private investment in job training, mental health services, and community spaces creates stability and opportunity.

5. Cultivate Inclusive Community Events

Events that celebrate local culture, history, and shared values—such as town festivals, service projects, or cross-community sports leagues—can bridge divides by fostering personal relationships beyond political identities.

OUR AMERICAN STORY

 

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

Our American Story

PICTURED (below) in 1990–the American filmmaker, actor, painter, musician, and Transcendental Meditation advocate David Lynch (1946-2025), who is widely considered to be among the greatest and most influential filmmakers in cinema. His films include Eraserhead, The Elephant Man, Dune, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, and Mulholland Drive.

The 250th anniversary of our nation is not only a time to look back, but also to look forward. Many see 2026 as an opportunity to confront the country’s imperfections while honoring its resilience. Conversations about democracy, equality, and freedom are as vital today as they were in 1776.

Join the conversation.

We want to know what being an American means to you. What are your hopes for our nation’s future?

Send us your American story in essay form, as an original poem, or composed in lyrics to a song—all for consideration of publication in The Payson Chronicle in the weeks leading up to America's 250th birthday celebration. 

Send your submission to paysonchronicle@gmail.com, or submit in person or by mail at 145 East Utah Avenue #5, Payson, Utah 84651.

Mourning the Passing of Our Friend

 

LouDene Menlove Peery

CHRONICLE PICKS—What We Are Reading: The Comedians by Graham Greene

 When Fiction And History Collide:

The Comedians, Haiti, And The Lost Hotel Oloffson

Graham Greene’s novel The Comedians.

 

In 1966, British novelist Graham Greene published The Comedians, a political novel set amid the fear and corruption of François “Papa Doc” Duvalier’s Haiti. In 1967, Hollywood brought the story to the screen in a star-studded adaptation. Decades later—against the backdrop of another era of Haitian turmoil—the real building that inspired The Comedians’ fictional Hotel Trianon was destroyed in an act of violence emblematic of chronic instability in Haiti’s capital. Both book and film sought to capture Haiti in crisis, and both were rooted in a real place whose history mirrors the nation’s own turbulent arc.

Greene’s Novel: Satire, Repression, and Moral Ambiguity

The Comedians (published in the United States in early 1965 and in the United Kingdom in 1966) unfolds in Haiti under the dictatorial rule of François Duvalier and his feared Tontons Macoutes secret police. The protagonist, Mr. Brown, is a jaded English hotel owner who returns to Port-au-Prince to manage his failing establishment, only to be confronted with the absurdity, brutality, and political skirmishes that defined Duvalier’s regime. The title refers ironically to Brown and two other foreigners—Smith and Jones—whose actions, ostensibly comic or naive, unfold against a backdrop of terror and repression. 

Greene crafted a narrative rich in characters whose moral world is shaded by compromise and ambivalence. A naïve American vegetarian presidential hopeful emerges with unexpected depth, while others meet tragic ends. Greene used his fiction to critique not only Haiti’s dictatorship but the cynicism and impotence of well-meaning outsiders who fail to grasp the real stakes of Haitian life. 

Duvalier himself reacted angrily to Greene’s portrayal, condemning the novel in state-run media and disparaging Greene personally—a testament to how sharply the book struck Haitian politics at the time. 

The novel’s setting, characters, and political anxieties were drawn from reality. Greene had visited Haiti and was struck by the surreal combination of tropical beauty and pervasive dread that defined everyday life under Duvalier—conditions he translated into fiction with trenchant, often darkly comic prose.

The 1967 Film: Hollywood and Haiti’s Story on the Screen

Released in 1967, the film adaptation of The Comedians brought Greene’s grim satire to international cinema screens. Directed and produced by Peter Glenville with a screenplay by Greene himself, the film featured a remarkable cast: Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Alec Guinness, and Peter Ustinov, among others. 

The plot parallels the novel, centering on Brown’s struggles and the political crises swirling around Haiti: arrests, beatings, and the looming threat of the Tontons Macoutes. In the film, Brown’s hotel—inherited from his mother—becomes the focal point for encounters with diplomats, would-be reformers, and shady arms dealers, all within the tense, oppressive atmosphere of Duvalier’s Haiti. 

Despite its high profile cast and evocative script, the film faced challenges. One of the most visible was logistical: production could not take place in Haiti because the political conditions were judged too unstable and dangerous for a film crew. Instead, location shooting occurred in Dahomey (modern Benin) in West Africa and on the Côte d’Azur in France. 

This practical choice — necessitated by risk, not artistic preference — underscores the persistent instability Greene had evoked in his novel. Haiti was not a hospitable environment for filmmakers even two decades after the Duvalier regime began. The film’s inability to depict the story in its indigenous landscape ironically reinforced the instability and danger that were central to Greene’s themes: a political environment so fraught that even a major motion picture could not be safely produced there.

Hotel Oloffson: From Mansion to Literary Icon

At the heart of both book and film is a hotel—in Greene’s world, the fictional Hotel Trianon; in the real world, Hotel Oloffson in central Port-au-Prince. 

Originally built in 1887 as a private mansion for Haiti’s influential Sam family—including future president Tirésias Simon Sam—the structure exemplified Haitian gingerbread architecture, with ornate fretwork, turrets, and a tropical garden. 

After the assassination of President Vilbrun Guillaume Sam in 1915 and subsequent U.S. military intervention, the mansion served as a Marine Corps hospital during America’s occupation of Haiti (1915–1934). Afterward, it was converted into a hotel in 1935. 

Under various owners, the Oloffson became a magnet for expatriates, writers, and celebrities, known in its heyday as the “Greenwich Village of the Tropics.” Its veranda bar and gardens were famed as informal salons for debate and gossip—a feeling reminiscent of Greene’s fictional Trianon. 

The hotel also fostered cultural life in Haiti, especially under the management of musician Richard A. Morse from the late 1980s. He transformed the Oloffson into a hub for mizik rasin, a fusion of Haitian roots music and rock, making its Thursday performances legendary among locals and visitors alike. 

American visitors—from Greene himself to travel writer Anthony Bourdain—praised the Oloffson for its charm and cultural vibrancy. At times it stood as one of the few surviving gingerbread houses in Port-au-Prince, a testament to Haiti’s architectural heritage. 

Politics, Violence, and the Hotel’s End

Haiti’s political troubles were never far from the Oloffson’s doorstep. After the Duvalier dynasty ended in the 1980s, Haiti endured coups, economic collapse, natural disasters, and a steady erosion of security. Gang violence, in particular, has devastated neighborhoods in Port-au-Prince in the 2020s.

By mid-2024, rising insecurity had forced the hotel to stop accepting guests, and its staff had dwindled to a skeleton crew before abandoning the property entirely. In March 2025, gangs breached the hotel’s courtyard, though they were temporarily repelled. 

Then, in July 2025, amid intense clashes between Haitian police and gang coalitions like Viv Ansanm, the Oloffson was burned down in what local authorities and reports describe as an arson attack during the fighting. Drone footage and contemporary accounts captured its complete incineration. 

Media reports characterize the destruction as part of a broader campaign of violence and territorial control by armed gangs. While the precise identity and motive of the arsonists remain opaque, the gossip among residents and officials is that the burning was not targeted at the hotel itself but was part of an escalation in clashes that left several buildings decimated. 

The loss of the Oloffson became a symbolic blow not just to Haitian heritage but to the fragile cultural identity embodied in a single structure that had survived dictatorships, earthquakes, and economic turmoil. 

Comparing Story and Reality

Greene’s novel and its film adaptation dramatized Haiti in crisis during Duvalier’s rule—where politics, fear, and personal folly collided. The Oloffson, as the model for the fictional hotel, stood apart yet intimately connected to these themes: an architectural witness to Haiti’s vicissitudes.

In both art forms, Haiti’s world is one where outsiders—tourists, political idealists, and would-be saviors—stumble into deeper, darker realities than they expect. Greene’s “comedians” are comic precisely because their pretenses are absurd in the face of systemic terror and social collapse.

In real life, the Oloffson’s centurylong story—from mansion to hospital to hotel, from cultural beacon to smoldering ruin—mirrors Haiti’s own cycles of hope, foreign influence, artistic efflorescence, political brutality, and, ultimately, fragility.

While the novel and film freeze Haiti in a particular historical moment—the Duvalier era—the hotel’s destruction in 2025 frames a new chapter of instability. It asks enduring questions: What survives when institutions collapse? What becomes of heritage when social order dissolves? How do outsiders interpret, misinterpret, or fail to understand a nation like Haiti?

If The Comedians captured a nation’s soul in words and frames, the Oloffson’s ashes capture a tragic coda: a reminder that real histories often outpace fiction, and that buildings, like stories, carry the weight of human experience until the very end. 

   
        Circa 1950s postcard featuring the Hotel Oloffson in Port-Au-Prince.