Last February, I asked “Who’s the Boss in Utah’s Bears Ears Country?” The following six-part essay, which I’ll post in installments over the next few days, is an attempt to partially answer that question after a year of watching events unfold there. The election of Kenneth Maryboy and Willie Grayeyes to the San Juan County Commission sparked an interest in the way the county is run. (Bill Keshlear) In 2019, longtime tribal activists Kenneth Maryboy, left, chairman of the San Juan County Commission, and Willie Grayeyes, District 2 commissioner, faced cultural and political fault lines in governing the county. (Bill Keshlear) Today Part 1: Rule by resolution. Kenneth Maryboy and Willie Grayeyes took their oaths of office as commissioners a little under a year ago after what was described as a “historic” election. They immediately staked their claim to power by choosing to govern primarily through resolutions written by their longtime private attorney and app
It's as if a train were rumbling through spectacular wildlands, destroying everything in its path – a dark vision embraced through time by indigenous spiritual leaders. Aboard the train are rich and influential newcomers who ravage an ancient way of life and the ecosystem every living thing depends on. They not only enjoy the ride, they stoke the engine for profit and tell us it’s a good thing. They call it "progress."