April 2016 Students of the Month Honored by St. George Exchange Club

St. George, UT, April 25, 2016 — The April Student of the Month recipients were recently honored by the St. George Exchange Club.  The St. George Exchange Club sponsors the Student of the Month Program, which honors one student from the area high schools each month. This program recognizes the students’ accomplishments in academics, service and leadership in their respective schools. Dixie State University has partnered with the St. George Exchange Club and will provide a one-year, full-tuition scholarship to the Student of the Year from each high school at the end of the school year as selected by the St. George Exchange Club’s Student of the Month Committee. This selection process is based upon the Student of the Year applications received from the students recognized throughout the year as their school’s Student of the Month. The Exchange Club is honored to work with Dixie State University in recognizing and supporting the outstanding high school students of our community.

In addition, two students from the area high schools who have been honored as Student of the Year will have the opportunity to go on to the Rocky Mountain Exchange Club District competition where they could win a $1,000 scholarship; and then if they win district, they can go on to national competition and win a $10,000 scholarship. The 2013 Student of the Year, EmRee Moody from St. George, was selected as the National Student of the Month and received a $10,000 scholarship from the National Exchange Club.

The St. George Exchange Club meets Thursday mornings at 7:30AM at George’s in Ancestor Square. For more information about the St. George Exchange Club contact James McFadden at 435-632-7978.  We congratulate the St George Exchange Club 2016 April Students of the Month.

Photo - From L to R:  Sophia Cazares (MHS March), Eleanor Solstad (DHS), James McFadden (St George Exchange Club President), Stephany Lopez (MHS), Tayvia AhQuin (PVHS)

Better Hearing Costs Less Than You Think

Dr. Lance F. Greer, Au.D., FAAA

According to a USA Today article recently published, the typical American coffee drinker spends $3.01 per day on coffee, loses $1.10 per day on gambling and spends approximately 1% of their annual household expenses on alcohol.  So you may ask yourself what this has to do with better hearing.

In the United States, there are approximately 35 Million people with hearing loss of some degree.  Studies show that only about 22% of those with hearing loss actually seek help and treatment options.  The reasons that the 78% do not purchase better hearing are due to a variety of reasons.  Some of those include; stigma of hearing instruments, the feeling that one is getting old, inconvenience and the perception that they are just too costly.

The later objection is the issue I wish to discuss.  Many who do not purchase hearing instruments and even some of those that may purchase hearing instruments, do not realize the actual costs to deliver a high quality product as well as exceptional service.  Additional value added costs, which are often overlooked, are some of the services that are the most important for a successful, long term fitting experience.  These include:

3 year unlimited repair warranty - The manufacturer will repair unlimitedly your device if it ceases to function.

3 year loss/damage replacement coverage - The manufacturer will replace your lost or damaged hearing instrument one time during coverage period.  A deductible will apply.

Unlimited access to a Doctor of Audiology - You will be able to make an appointment with one of our Doctor's of Audiology at anytime during the in-house service period for no additional cost.

Free Battery Plan - With each purchase you are entitled to batteries at no additional cost for the length of the in-house treatment plan.

Walk-in repair lab - You have access to our walk-in lab where our technicians will see you on a walk-in basis and will have you out the door generally in less than 15 minutes.

Electro-acoustical analysis of hearing technology - We can evaluate the real time performance of your hearing devices with a machine that the manufacturer uses.

These are a few of the services that come with each and every purchase, which you will not get when you purchase hearing instruments over the internet or typically through big box retail centers.  These services are vital for the long-term success of any hearing instrument wearer. So the real cost to you for better hearing and superior support for a long-term successful hearing usually costs between $0.68 - $3.19 per day, which is about what you would spend on coffee or diet Coke each day.

We invite you to make an appointment with one of our Doctor's of Audiology today for a FREE, No obligation, hearing treatment consultation by calling 435-215-1402. Advanced Hearing is located at at Coral Desert Health Center, 1490 E. Foremaster Dr. #360 in St. George. Go to http://www.hearingaiddoctor.com/ for more information.

Dr. Lance F. Greer, Au.D., FAAA, grew up in Heber, Arizona and has been in the St. George area for the past 14 years and is a co-owner of Advanced Hearing & Balance Specialists. His wife’s name is Shannon and they are the parents of 5 children. They enjoy traveling and spending time with their team of swimming children. He has been a member of the Dixie Sunrise Rotary Club and enjoys serving others in the community. in 1998, Dr. Greer developed the newborn hearing screening program at DRMC and currently serves as the Director of this program. He graduated with his Masters of Science in Audiology in 1997 from Brigham Young University and was conferred his Doctor of Audiology degree from the PCO School of Audiology in December 2003. Dr. Greer specializes in:

• Hearing Aid Sales, Service and Counseling Specialist
• Earmold and Hearing Protection Specialist
• Diagnostic Medical Hearing Assessments for Adults and Children
• Diagnostic Balance and Dizziness Assessment of Adults
• Vestibular Rehabilitation Specialist
• Industrial Hearing Conservation Specialist

What is "Probate"?

Phillip G. Gubler and Thomas J. Bayles, Attorneys at Law

Everyone has heard of probate and knows they do not want their estate probated, but not everyone knows what it means. 

Probate is a court-supervised proceeding which allows property to be transferred from a decedent to the decedent's beneficiaries, usually through a Will.  If a decedent dies with no will, the court will also determine the heirs of the decedent.  The downside to probate is that it can be time consuming, costly, and the information in a probate is a matter of public record.

In a probate, the court will appoint a Personal Representative and will oversee the process of  (1) identifying the deceased person's property, (2) paying debts, (3) identifying heirs, and (4) distributing property to the heirs.  The Personal Representative may be named in the decedent’s Will and may be the surviving spouse, a child of the decedent, or other family member, a bank’s trust department or other professional. 

The Personal Representative’s duties will include (1) inventorying and safeguarding all estate assets; (2) appraising and valuing all estate assets; (3) dealing with creditors' claims; (4) filing income tax returns for the decedent and the estate; (5) distributing assets of the estate; (6) preparing accountings for the court; and (7) closing the estate.

It is important to note the Personal Representative has a duty to the creditors of the estate and the beneficiaries of the estate.  The Personal Representative must act prudently in order to avoid creating personal liability for failure to properly administer the estate.   Consequently, the Personal Representative will need the assistance of an experienced estate planning attorney and an accountant.

Life insurance, retirement accounts, and property held as joint tenants with rights of survivorship pass to the appropriate beneficiary and do not need court confirmation.  In addition, property held in a living trust is not usually subject to probate.

JensenBayles, LLP provides a broad spectrum of legal services.  Thomas J. Bayles has been actively providing advice in the areas of trusts, wills, probate and tax planning in the St. George market for over 15 years. Please visit our web site www.jensenbayles.com or call 435-674-9718 and ask for Thomas J. Bayles or Phillip G. Gubler. The information in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be construed as legal advice.

MICHAEL S. WILDE JOIN SNOW JENSEN & REECE AS NEW ASSOCIATE

Michael S. Wilde

St. George, UT, March 7, 2016 – The law firm Snow Jensen & Reece (SJ&R), one of southern Utah's leading law firms, announces the addition of a new associate attorney, Michael S. Wilde.

Michael was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. He graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in Economics in 2009, and then attended Notre Dame Law School in Indiana, where he graduated with honors in 2012. During law school, Michael was a judicial extern for the Honorable Bruce S. Jenkins of the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah. Following law school, Mr. Wilde practiced at Blackburn & Stoll, LC in Salt Lake City until he joined SJ&R in 2016. His practice will focus in the areas of general commercial litigation, real estate litigation, insurance coverage and defense, and contracts.

Senior partner Lowry Snow said, “We are extremely pleased to have Michael join our firm. He has demonstrated superior academic achievement while obtaining valuable legal experience in the legal field.  He will make a great addition to our group.”

V. Lowry Snow and Curtis M Jensen established SJ&R in 1986. Their goal was to establish a firm that would become recognized as one of the premier legal institutions in Utah. Over the years, SJ&R has been joined by the brightest, most capable and hard-working group of attorneys and staff who have added depth and expertise to meet this goal of its founders.

The law firm of Snow Jensen & Reece (SJ&R) has established itself as one of Utah’s most respected and renowned law firms during the past nineteen years. The firm is committed to offering the highest level of quality professional services with competence and integrity. SJ&R's knowledgeable, experienced attorneys have effectively represented clients in thousands of cases and pride themselves on a long tradition of community involvement.

Snow Jensen & Reece has earned the highest rating possible by legal rating guide Martindale-Hubbell, which means their colleagues have designated them as preeminent in their field. For more information you can reach SJ&R at 435-628-3688 or at snowjensen.com.

I Am Healthy: Why Do I Need a Power of Attorney?

Phillip G. Gubler and Thomas J. Bayles, Attorneys at Law

As healthy adults we can usually manage our financial and medical affairs; however, life-changing events can occur which make that impossible. Have you considered who will manage your affairs if you have a stroke, an accident, end up in a coma, develop a debilitating illness or dementia, or even take a trip out of the country?  If you cannot take care of your financial or medical needs, someone will need to act for you to pay your bills, deal with your bank, make financial and/or medical decisions, or complete other tasks.

A durable power of attorney allows you to name someone to make financial decisions for you if you are not able to make those decisions yourself.  The durable power of attorney will remain in effect after you become incapacitated.  Powers of attorney can be created to become effective when they are created (an "immediate" power of attorney) or they can take effect only if you become incapacitated (a "springing" power of attorney).  You will need to consider your circumstances to determine which power of attorney would be the correct one for you. 

A properly drafted and executed general power of attorney allows your agent to do anything you can do with your assets. It is important you appoint an agent you can trust to act on your behalf.  In addition to the general powers, you can elect to allow your agent to transfer assets into your revocable trust (to avoid probate at your death), and to make small gifts (up to the annual gift tax exclusion amount per recipient per year) on your behalf to your relatives or others.

A Utah Advanced Health Care Directive is a medical power of attorney in which you can name an agent to make health care decisions on your behalf if you become incapacitated. You will know best who could make those decisions for you, and your wishes regarding medical treatment and life-sustaining measures should be made known.  You can indicate your specific wishes regarding treatment, organ donation following death, or any circumstances in which you might want life-sustaining treatment withheld. 

A Do Not Resuscitate Order (DNR) is part of the Provider Order for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST) which is a physician's order directing medical personnel not to start any cardiopulmonary efforts.  This form must be signed by you and the physician and must be included as part of your medical chart. This is done only in cases where your medical condition is terminal and death is expected to occur in a reasonably short period of time.

JensenBayles, LLP provides a broad spectrum of legal services.  Thomas J. Bayles has been actively providing advice in the areas of trusts, wills, probate and tax planning in the St. George area for over 15 years. Please visit our web site www.jensenbayles.com or call 435-674-9718 and ask for Thomas J. Bayles. The information in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be construed as tax or legal advice.

Cochlear Implants…Are You A Candidate?

 by Jacob Burrows, Au.D, FAAA

When a crucial part of your inner ear isn’t working properly, you may need more than a hearing aid, especially if you have a severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss in both ears. Many people suffer with hearing loss because their hair cells in the inner ear (or cochlea) are damaged. This type of hearing loss can make speech much more difficult to understand, especially in noisy situations. In many cases, you may have trouble hearing sounds, such as children’s voices, your spouse and sounds of nature.

Hearing aids are wonderful devices that bring clarity and understanding to those with hearing loss, but they have their limitations with some types of severe-to-profound hearing loss. A cochlear implant becomes a solution when hearing aids are no longer an appropriate option. A cochlear implant is designed to not only make sounds louder, but also clearer. The cochlear implant enables the sound to be transferred to your hearing nerves and enables you to hear. This is why a cochlear implant can really seem like a hearing miracle. And, most importantly, cochlear implants help to bring back the sounds you’re missing. With cochlear implants, you may once again enjoy conversations with friends and family, talk on the phone, hear the sounds of nature or see your child’s face light up as they hear your voice for the very first time. Please note that cochlear implants are often covered by most insurance plans.

Advanced Hearing & Balance Specialists is the only cochlear implant provider in the region. We have provided the area’s most trusted hearing and balance services for many years. With offices in 9 communities throughout Southern Utah and Nevada, we make it convenient for you to receive the highest levels of care. We support research and development of the newest hearing technologies and treatment for hearing loss and balance disorders.  We always put our patient’s concerns first, matching each individual’s needs with the treatments and tools which fit their lifestyle.  For an appointment with a Doctor of Audiology at any one of our 9 locations, call 435-688-8866 or 800-548-0356. http://www.hearingaiddoctor.com/

Dr. Jacob Burrows

Dixie Foundation Hosts Fire and Ice Gala. Proceeds Benefit Needs-Based Scholarships

St. George, UT, February 2016 - This new year, get ready to party for a good cause. The Dixie Foundation will be holding their annual Fire and Ice fundraising Gala on February 26, 2016 at SunRiver St. George. This black-tie event raises funds used exclusively for need-based scholarships for Dixie State University students. One hundred percent of the contributions donated to the Fire and Ice Gala allow students, who, because of financial constraints, may not otherwise be able to complete or pursue their college education. The annual Fire and Ice Gala brings together a variety of benefactors for a silent auction, dinner and live auction as part of the foundations fundraising efforts. 

A recent recipient of a Fire and Ice Scholarship was Kody Smith. Six years ago he had a spinal cord stroke that left significant paralysis, and he was unable to walk. He has worked through therapy until his motor skills are back with the exception that he has no feeling on the left side of his body. As the first in his family to attend college, he is studying business finance and has plans to attend grad school.

Kody Smith

According to Kody, “I have had to overcome some serious health issues in order to further my college experience and to achieve a career. This experience has motivated me to never quit and it has taught me to not make any excuses. I am more likely to achieve my goals because I know that anything is possible once you set your mind to something.”

Randy Wilkinson, Dixie Foundation president, said, "We've had the opportunity, over the past 11 years, to raise $1,800,000.00 for need-based scholarships. These scholarships make it possible for recipients to continue their education and open opportunities in their lives. This is only possible where we live in a community with such generous citizens, both individual and corporate."

The 12th Annual Fire and Ice Gala is open to everyone, however, advance tickets are required.  Tickets are $150 each and are available by calling Marilyn Lamoreaux at 435-652-7502. To learn more about the gala or the Dixie Foundation or to make a donation, contact foundation secretary Kalynn Larson at 435-652-7535 or larson@dixie.edu or visit www.dixiefoundation.org.