INTRO
Hey everyone! Welcome back to another week of news here on Summit in Six! We hope all the area school districts had a great first week of school…and we are wondering to ourselves…”How is labor day weekend only one week away?”

In today’s episode, we are going to give a recap of this week’s County Council meeting, learn some details about the next installment of the Climate Change and Public Health Speaker Series, and hear from Dan Pena, County Weeds Enforcement Officer with information about our weed of the month!

Alright, let’s get into the news!

– Council Meeting Recap
First we have an update about the referendum related to the Dakota Pacific development, Summit County Council voted 4-1 to wait to repeal Ordinance No. 987 pending Judge Mrazik’s Third District Court ruling. The hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, August 26th.
Keep updated about this issue by reviewing Summit County Council agendas and meeting minutes by visiting summitcounty.info/agendacenter

Sheriff Frank Smith made public his formal resignation effective September 5, 2025. After 45 years of public service, he is looking forward to beginning a new chapter of enjoying retirement with his loving and supportive family. In his announcement, Sheriff Smith endorsed Chief Deputy Kacey Bates to serve as Interim Sheriff.

– Climate Change + Public Health Speaker Series – Sept. 30
The Summit County Climate Change and Public Health speaker series is designed to elevate public health as a critical consideration of climate change action in Summit County. The speakers series aims to:

• Raise awareness on the local level about the impact of climate change on environmental, physical, and mental health in Summit County
• Identify community themes and possible strategies to enhance community and individual resilience, awareness, and preparation to the health effects of climate change

We wanted to let you know about our next event in the series coming up on Sept. 30 at the Kamas City Event Center (next to the Kamas rodeo grounds).

The event is titled, “The Air We Share: Changes in local air quality and how it impacts your health”.

At this event, you will learn how:

– Nature, humans, and a changing climate affect air quality
– Bad air days negatively impact our health + what we can do

Details and registration at summitcountyhealth.org/speakerseries 

– Weed of the Month: YELLOW STAR THISTLE
[Bridget] Up next is a segment we like to call Weeds of the Month! In the studio with us today is the Summit County Weed Enforcement Officer, Dan Pena, to talk about Yellow Star Thistle. So, Dan, why is it important to talk about Yellow Star Thistle right now? 

[Dan] So this is about the time of the year you would treat for Yellow Star Thistle. We don’t have a lot of it in our county, so we’re always looking to make sure it’s not having an outbreak somewhere. That’s why I always put it in the Weeds of the Month during August, because if someone finds it, we want to know about it. 

[Bridget] And, what is the best control method for Yellow Star Thistle if you do find it here in the county? 

[Dan] I found that herbicide works probably the best on this. You can pull it. It is a perennial plant, so you do need to get as much of that root as you can. I would say tillage or herbicide would be your option for Yellow Star Thistle. 

[Bridget] And, herbicide is something your team provides to residents of Summit County, right? 

[Dan] Yes. You can visit our shop, where we sell herbicides at cost. We also loan out equipment free of charge. You have two weeks to use it. When you visit the shop, we’ll do our best to provide you with the best options for treating the noxious weeds on your property. 

[Bridget] Awesome, and if our listeners want to know more information about the herbicide or the spray loaner program, they can visit bit.ly/sprayrentals. Alright, Dan, so if our listeners want more information, specifically on Yellow Star Thistle, where should they go? 

[Dan] They can visit our website at summitcounty.info/idweeds. There are really great pictures and descriptions of the plant on there. You can also always talk to me, Dave, or Juan (one of the guys who sprays for our county – you’ve probably seen him out and about). We’ll always try to give you the best solution for your problem. 

[Bridget] Yeah, I can tell you from firsthand experience, this team is a great resource for you to take advantage of if you want to figure out the best ways to treat noxious weeds on your property. Dan is there anything else you want to add here? 

[Dan] Like I said, we’re always ready to talk to our community and help you find the best solution for your property – whether that’s herbicide, hand pulling, tillage, or more creative solutions like biocontrol, grazing, and so much more. Please reach out or come by the shop! 

[Bridget] Ok, so in addition to just being a great resource our community can call on, you also are also really focused on education opportunities. Can you tell us about anything that’s coming up? 

[Dan] We’ll be having our annual Noxious Weed Tour for the fall here on September 6 – that’s a Saturday. Please come out, ask us questions (we love getting the questions) and we’ll help you find the best solution for your noxious weeds woes. 

[Bridget] Yeah, that tour is a great event to tap into. There will be partners like Swaner, Basin REc, USU Extension, and even Utah’s leading biocontrol expert, Amber Mendenhall at the tour here in September. It’s a great event for residents to join because noxious weeds are a community problem that we’re tackling together! Alright Dan, well thank you so much for being here. I think that’s it for today! 

[Dan] Thanks for having me!