Ron Drake

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Castle Valley Town celebrates 40 years

1 week ago | moabtimes.com | Ron Drake

Today, June 19, marks the 40th anniversary of the first meeting of the Castle Valley Town Council. It was called to order by Mayor Marguerite Sweeney at 7:30 p.m. Members present were Valli (Bricker) Smouse, Tom Rees and Saxon Sharpe. Councilor John Groo was absent for the first meeting. The councilors’ terms expired at the end of the year, they all had to declare candidacy by the deadline, and they all ran unopposed and were re-elected to staggered terms.
Sticker shock is everywhere

2 weeks ago | moabtimes.com | Ron Drake

I thought I was over the sticker shock of house and property prices in Castle Valley, and Grand County, for that matter. I still haven’t fully recovered from the property tax increase last year in Castle Valley but I’m starting to become dumb to it. The property tax issue surfaced again last week in the Castle Valley Community Facebook page when a resident pointed out a house for sale on Creekside Lane, across the creek from the town boundaries.
CVA graduated a third of the student body

3 weeks ago | moabtimes.com | Ron Drake

It was a whirlwind of activity during the Memorial Day weekend on the campus of the Castle Valley Academy. It was graduation weekend and a third of the school’s student body graduated and moved on to other pursuits in their lives. The graduating class included 10 seniors, the most to graduate from the school in recent memory. The activities, programs and ceremonies covered three days of the busy weekend and attracted nearly 180 guests and parents from out of town.
Town council approves culvert construction

1 month ago | moabtimes.com | Ron Drake

The Castle Valley Town Council at the regular monthly meeting unanimously voted to approve up to $520,000 to construct an arch culvert over Castle Creek at Castle Valley Drive. The arched steel corrugated structure will be 28 feet wide by 13 feet high with an open bottom. The new structure will replace the aging culvert that was constructed and set in place by the Castle Valley Property Owners Association 46 years ago next month.
Random thoughts

1 month ago | moabtimes.com | Ron Drake

I reported last week that a public hearing on the proposed tax increase was going to be this week before the regular town council meeting. That public hearing will actually be held on Aug. 20 before the regular town council meeting. Town Clerk Jocelyn Buck said she was initially given the wrong information about the timing for the public hearing for the tax increase.
A public hearing scheduled for tax increase

1 month ago | moabtimes.com | Ron Drake

The Castle Valley roads have historically been the major drain of our property owner’s dues when the Castle Valley River Ranchos Property Owner’s Association was in force, and later when the town began collecting taxes, the road continued to be the largest budget item.
Castleton has a rich history

1 month ago | moabtimes.com | Ron Drake

The little community of Castleton has a rich and interesting history. At one time in its past, the Town of Castleton was a bustling community with hundreds of residents. Businesses included a boardinghouse, two hotels, a restaurant, a general store, post office, two saloons, a school, livery stable, blacksmith, and a Sunday school as well as a multitude of private homes. The first mail carrier was Jack Welch, using a horse and team, delivered mail once a week.
Electricity and mail was non-existent

Mar 26, 2025 | moabtimes.com | Ron Drake

Castle Valley residents are all too familiar with power outages like the one that occurred last March 18. But they usually don’t last that long. When the power went down at 6:21 p.m. we thought it was just Castle Valley and the other small hamlets, which are located along the river or in Castleton. It turns out that the power outage affected 9,667 Rocky Mountain Power customers from Green River to Moab and the Castle Valley line south to Mexican Hat.
Has the siren outlived its usefulness?

Mar 19, 2025 | moabtimes.com | Ron Drake

There is a siren, which has stood proudly like a faithful sentinel in the middle of the Town of Castle Valley for nearly 45 years, ready to sound the alarm in the event of a fire or other emergency. But the loyal guardian is seldom used and, if it were to be used, most residents of the valley wouldn’t know what it means or what to do. When the siren was ordered 45 years ago, it served a very vital and useful purpose.
Half marathon closes River Road

Mar 12, 2025 | moabtimes.com | Ron Drake

The 50th Annual Canyonlands Half Marathon race will be held this Saturday, March 15. Castle Valley residents need to remember this because the River Road will be closed from 8 a.m. to 12 noon to accommodate the runners. No vehicles, bicycles or pedestrian traffic will be allowed on the road during those times. For folks either traveling to or from Castle Valley will have to leave before or after the event .