Are there gangs in Washington County?

Welcome to the 617th meeting of TRC of Dixie Sunrise. Photo above used to protect the identity of our local undercover agents...

All participants of this morning's meeting were educated in what gang activity is present here in Southern Utah. Detective Johnny Heppler of the St. George Police Department did an excellent job teaching us how to recognize a gang member and what the task force does to help keep Southern Utah safe.

"Creativity, resourcefulness and energy come from teamwork."

In August 1997 the heads of the St. George Police Department, Washington County Sheriff's Office, Hurricane Police Department, and Washington County Attorney's Office began the process of forming the Washington County Drug Task Force. A short time later, the gang unit joined this task force.

The Task Force's primary activities include surveillance, serving search warrants, seizing and halting the production of controlled substances and documenting known gang members and suppressing their activities. Several other agencies such as the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Adult Probation and Parole (AP&P), and the Department of Public Safety (DPS) assist the Task Force with these functions. Intelligence meetings to share knowledge on drug users and dangerous individuals are conducted with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Mesquite Drug Task Force, AP&P and local law enforcement agencies.

The Dictionary Project

Did you know that the longest word in the English Language consists of 1,909 letters? It is an enzyme with 267 amino acids. The Goal of the Dictionary Project is to get dictionaries into the hands of every third grader, every year.
Today we delivered dictionaries to third graders in three schools. After a morning ride through Zion National Park, we visited the Orderville Elementary third grade. Then it was OFF ROAD past the Coral Pink Sand dunes, as we took the back way through the Cane Beds toward the twin cities, Colorado City/Hildale. We hand delivering dictionaries to the students at the Masada Charter school, and the students at El Capitan.


Each school had its own unique character, but they all had one thing in common--smiling, happy children with life's promise eagerly written upon their faces. Every kid beamed as he/she received his/her own personal dictionary, each with their name printed inside. Some hugged their books, some quickly thumbed through the dictionary's pages, hungry for the knowledge inside. As they waved goodbye, their heartfelt "Thank You!" made me glad inside that I am a Rotarian.Our early start left us hungry, so we jumped at the chance for the finest hand-crafted Pizza Bombs and premium ice cream to be found anywhere. Craigo's Pizza in Colorado City is worth the drive.

Thanks to Steve and Darrin for putting it all together. Darrin printed Rotary labels with each child's name for the inside of every dictionary. Joe, Naomi, Chantra and little Preston were great company and excellent help. As we drove home, we realized that there are additional students in Colorado City and St George that we can include, so more opportunities to help should be forthcoming.

President Paul Gooch

"Reaching out to those in Need"

The 616th meeting of the Rotary Club of Dixie Sunrise (or the meeting that almost wasn't).

We had the privilege of having Frank Yoder and Patty Hunsaker with the Resource and Reentry Center as our speaking guests this morning. Frank is retired with 20 years military experience, 30 years in business and 50 years in church administration. He has been married for 51 years with 10 children and around 30 grandchildren. Frank has lived in Apple Valley for the past 9 years.

The Resource and Reentry Center has over 30 volunteers helping in different areas, including a number of agencies (DWS, Homeless for the State of Utah, Dove Center, DCFS, AP&P, PCF, Washington County Adult Educating, etc.) They work with those that have been abused, are homeless, in poverty, coming out of prison, from the FLDS church in Colorado City and the Veterans.

Statistics given by 5 county governments:
• Poverty: Population- 195817
Poverty rate 12.7%
Child Poverty Rate 15.2%
• Homeless 201 (Three year avg. 145 in 2007
• PCF Recidivism Rate 82%
• State of Ut. Recidivism Rate 72%
• USA Recidivism Rate 67.5%
• R&RC Recidivism Rate 04%

R&RC Program:
• We give wrap around service:
o Mentoring
o Education
o Employment
o Welfare
o Transitional Housing
o Ethic training
• Life Skills
• Budgeting

R&RC Present figures:
• In Program
o in PCF Or Gunnison 21
o Out 19
o Women 12
o Others 02
Total 54

• In School 02
• Hold Jobs 15
• Housed. assisted by R&RC 05
• In own housing 17
• Stopped Drinking 14
• Stopped Drugs 14

Present and Future Projects:

• Researching for funds to hire personnel
• 54 Apt Transitional housing
• Develop Affordable housing for those transitioning from above units.
• Place one new business in operation per year to place our clients in jobs.
o Safety Consortium-From SLC
o Manufacturing business-Service business
o 100 Bed VA. Nursing home-95 Full time jobs with 19 part time
• 16 million spendable income to community
• 25 million market value when finished
• Approved for Southern Utah.
• Service 100 Clients by Jan 2009

Our Blog Training

It was PLAN B for the 615th meeting of the Rotary Club of Dixie Sunrise. Our planned speaker misread our start time as 7 pm instead of 7 am. Thank goodness Kyle was ready to have blog training.


Kyle Ashby took us through a tour of the Blog and posted this posting during the meeting. Each of the attendees also learned how to register to the site to leave specific comments on different postings.