The Times-Independent

01/09/2026

Castle Valley Comments: For 18 years, our little community was favored with professional fireworks that rivaled what you might see in a major city or even Times Square.

At about 7 p.m. on New Year’s eve Pat was hearing noises outside like something was hitting the end of the house. She thought I was playing tricks on her. After proclaiming my innocence, I went out to investigate and saw rather large fireworks exploding high in the sky. 

01/09/2026

The child was found inside a vehicle in the park, while the mother was found nearby; authorities say case is being investigated as a homicide and su***de.

A 6-year-old boy was found unresponsive inside a vehicle in Canyonlands National Park on the morning of Jan. 8 and was later pronounced dead, according to the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office.

01/09/2026

The Grand County Commission voted Jan. 6 to select new leadership for 2026, promoting then-Vice Chair Melodie McCandless to chair and shifting then-Chair Bill Winfield to vice chair.

01/09/2026

Park rangers received notification of a suspicious vehicle parked at Shafer Trail, where they found an unresponsive child inside.

A six year old child was found unresponsive inside a vehicle at approximately 8:15 a.m. on Jan. 8 in the Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands National Park, where he was later pronounced deceased. 

01/09/2026

High Desert Hoofbeats: Cashiers and visitors nervously giggled that yeah, it seemed funny to not be cold, but they couldn’t complain about how marvelous it felt outside.

I resisted the urge on Christmas Eve to do something I’d never done before on that occasion. And later on New Year’s Day I resisted the urge again, even though the opportunity crossed my mind a number of times. I resisted the urge to spray weeds.

01/08/2026

The annual January gathering allows all city officials to come together, share updates and discuss what priorities they’d like to see focused on.

The Moab City Council and Mayor Joette Langianese kicked off the annual two-day strategic planning session on Thursday, Jan. 8, to recap the 2025 strategic goals and discuss what the city accomplished last year, with department heads and councilors presenting what their priorities are for the upcomi...

01/08/2026

01/08/2026

The plan sets a timeline, scope and advisers for a July decision on whether to adopt the 0.3% tax or take the question to voters in the 2026 election.

After declining last month to immediately adopt a proposed public safety sales tax that Sheriff Jamison Wiggins has said is needed to address facility and liability concerns, the Grand County Commission on Jan. 6 approved a formal plan to study the measure and created a task force to guide the count...

01/08/2026

Desert and Tropics Health Bar serves not only fresh pressed juices, smoothies, and toasts, but it’s also a space for the community to attend classes and connect with each other.

Moab is in its off season, but that didn’t stop Center Street from welcoming a new restaurant from opening for the local community to hang out and connect during the slower months. Desert and Tropics Health Bar is located on 37 East Center Street. The newly opened restaurant serves artisan toasts,...

01/08/2026

Church leaders and family members of Holland, who died Dec. 27 at age 85 after serving more than 31 years as an apostle for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, spoke about his life and legacy — in both his spiritual and professional career.

Latter-day Saints gathered by the thousands in the Tabernacle in Salt Lake City and by the millions around their digital screens across the globe to view the Dec. 31 funeral for Jeffrey R. Holland, who was remembered as an endearing husband and father, and as an enduring “apostle of hope, love and...

01/07/2026

Opinion: With the exception of Melodie McCandless, Grand County commissioners' travel budget requests and expenditures tell a polar opposite story.

With the exception of Melodie McCandless, their travel budget requests and expenditures tell a polar opposite story. Brian Martinez, Mike McCurdy, and especially Bill Winfield overspent their already generous budgets for 2025 by nearly $4,000 for a whopping combined total that exceeds $15,000. They....

01/07/2026

Nine months after launching a four-person co-leadership model following the removal of its former executive director, the museum’s board of trustees has approved continuing the structure into the coming year without setting a firm end date.

After a year that began with leadership upheaval and internal reassessment, the Moab Museum is entering 2026 with clearer operational footing and early signs that changes made over the past year are improving planning, finances and public engagement.