They may work at the Delta school, the cement plant, IPP or the Brush Wellman beryllium processing plant near Delta.

A couple of decades ago, Leamington had a greater proportion of young families because of the influx of workers to IPP. Today, said Holman, "Most of the kids are raised . . .

"They've grown up and graduated from high school and gone out in life." Few of them can stay because there aren't many job openings. Their parents still work at the IPP or the cement plant, so those jobs aren't available.

But some of the younger people are able to find jobs nearby.

Cody, 26-year-old son of Jim and Leslie Rasch, works at the power plant. He also collects and fixes up antique cars, including two Chevys, a Ford and an Oldsmobile, all from the 1950s. One of the vehicles is parked picturesquely in front of the Phillips 66 station.

Still, Leamington is a great place for a young family.

"Everybody kind of looks out for everybody else," Jim Rasch said. "This is one town where all the parents and the mothers watch out for the other kids."

A large part of the social life revolves around The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The ward serves Leamington, Lynndyl and the nearby community of Fool Creek.

While Leamington isn't growing, it isn't dying, he said. Population "stays about the same."

In the four years he's been mayor, "we've issued two building permits. It doesn't expand a whole lot."

Every Christmas Eve, two Santas and their helpers divide the town. Wearing their costumes, they visit everybody in Leamington and Fool Creek, listening to the children's requests and handing out bags of candy and peanuts.

With time spent posing for pictures at many of the homes, the ritual takes about four hours.

"It's a good tradition," Jim Rasch said. "It's kind of one of those small-town things they used to do years ago."

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E-mail: bau@desnews.com