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Show (pur jrnmyr yr nit inniiirii",,'"'' l1il'i,y1r ipripT'i i iyir j w pr $ tf gp"nr fiii i fri Wr' !' 'Oi ii r ly g ym V gi i I INSIDE this weeks Express WEDNESDAY, I September 25, 1985 4 Farm market report 3 12 Naples receives grant for center Jail tale 13 McKee elected Tonya homecoming queen 14 Three Eagle Scouts 18 23 Homecoming game Friday Vernal, Utah 84078 93rd Year No. 77 l 28 Pages Editorial Obituaries Public Notices Single Copy 25 Classified Ads Expressions Sports 2,3 9 8 10 11 13 20 22 28 TV Guide Two advertising 5 6 inserts Official statement sas Tribe Ufte Things will remain status quo, said Lester Chapoose, Ute Business Committee Chairman, in a Tuesday news conference in the aftermath of a Sept. 17, U.S. Court of Appeals ruling that reservation boundaries remain intact. The court ruled that the original 1861 and 1882 boundaries of the Uintah Valley and Uncompaghre reservations remain and were not diminished after they were open to n settlement in 1905. The ruling, which has an appeal pending by the defendants, is the result of nine years of litigation. It stipulates that the Ute Indian Tribe has exclusive jurisdiction over the activities of its members which take place on the 4 million acres of land encompassed within the two reservation boundaries. Defendants in the case are Uintah and Duchesne counties and the State of Utah. The case does not affect title to land or minerals lying within the boundaries of the two reservations. The Ute Tribe and its members continue to own approximately 1 million acres of land in Eastern Utah. The Ute Tribe intends to work with the State of Utah and Federal Government to coordinate hunting and fishing by tribal members on approximately 1 million acres of National Forest land located within the boundaries of the 1861 Uintah Valley Indian Reservation, which also includes some wilderness lands. The tribe also intends to work with Uintah and Duchesne County officials to coordinate any law and order enforcement problems relating to tribal members which may occur as a result of the court decision. "The ruling will not and cannot establish criminal cases against said Martin Seneca, attorney for the Ute Tribe. 5-- 2 non-India- m . The bottom line is that what has been established has never changed. Roosevelt and Duchesne cities have always been inside the exterior boundary. Chapoose said there will be no major changes because of the recent ruling. "We have gone the extra mile in doing what is right and proper and will continue to do so, Chapoose said. We have worked with com- munities and counties inside the boundaries. We treat other people well and will continue to do so. It makes me wonder, whats all the excitement about? s, Concerning the oil and oil shale rich lands in southern Uintah County, especially the Seep Ridge Oil Shale project which is inside the Uncompaghre Reservation, Seneca said things will remain the same. However, Seneca said the tribe change dye t suit will work with the Utah State Tax Commission to include the Indian Country involved in the suit to come under a regulation to exempt sales tax on items delivered to the reservation Basin. In August 1984 the unemployment rate in the county began a monthly increase through March and began decreasing in April. In August 1984 unemployment in the county stood at 6.2 percent with an overall year drop to 6.0 percent. Menke Express News Writer Editor's note: This is the second in a series of articles concerning the local economy. NonagriculfUral job expansion in the Uintah Basin ground to a virtual halt during the second quarter of this year and there was little change in the number of available jobs in the Basin from the first quarter to the se- ' The highest unemployment rate in the Basin was in March at 12.5 percent. In April the unemployment rate began to decline and the revised August 1985 total was 6.3 percent. The unemployment trend in Uintah County was similar to the trend in the Nov coun- and Basin total the state unemployment has also fluctuated. The state total was 5.8 percent in August 1984 rising to a high total in February of 7.5 percent. The revised unemployment rate for the state is 5.3 percent. Lecia Parks, labor market economist for Job Service said she does not forecast any dramatic change in the state total she projects that the state total will remain well below the national unemployment rate. Locally, David Feltch, counselor for the Vernal Job Service Office, said he does not forecast any apparent change in oil field employment, but says the construction industry will probably experience a decline in the next few months. The number of persons filing for unemployment rate benefits have decreased in Uintah County but risen in Duchesne. In August 1985 the Vernal office processed 135 claims for unemployment compared to 138 for the same time period in 1984. The Roosevelt office processed 116 claims in August compared to 93 a year ago. While fewer individuals made claims in Vernal in August, claims were for longer periods of time. In August 1985 there were a total of 752 weeks compared to 677 in 1984. In the Roosevelt office there were 467 weeks claimed compared to 850 in However, the distribution of these jobs between individual industries changed. During the second quarter the construction sector lost 500 jobs, a year drop of 30 percent while positions in the service industry increased by 200 jobs. Expansions in other industries during the quarter completely cancelled the losses experienced by the construction industry. On a county basis, Duchesne suffered a net job loss of more than four percent, while jobs in Uintah and Daggett counties grew enough to negate the drop in Duchesne. In the past year, the overall unemployment rate in the Basin has fluctuated. The unemployment rate began a steady monthly rise from the August 1984 rate of 6.5 percent. The most dramatic jump was from the December 1984 total of 7.0 percent to the January 1985 total of 10 percent. Oct dramatic than the ty cond. 84 Aug Sept While less - labor market information report complied by the Utah Department of Employment SecurityJob Service offices indicates that in terms of labor supply, 1,160 individuals were actively seeking work through Job Service at the end of the second quarter This total was 20 percent below the 1,420 figure of a year ago. Eight out of every 10 job applications concentrated four in were categories: service, clerical, structural work and miscellaneous. The district is still experiencing a labor surplus. During the second quarter Job Service offices in Vernal and Roosevelt showed demand for workers at 1,080. The figure reflects a 12 percent decline from the 1,220 job listings of a year ago. The top ten occupations in demand at Job Service offices in the Uintah Basin during the second quarter included construction workers; informal; waiterwaitress, cashier checker ; waiterwaitress, take out; general office clerks; hod carrier; baggers; truck drivers and carpenters. Workers receiving the were average wage highest carpenters at $9.97 per hour and the lowest wage was offered to waiterwaitress, informal; at $2 41 per hour. Service August Job During counselors in Vernal completed 526 placement transactions compared to 602 a year ago. Several persons seeking employment were placed by counselors in more than one job opening. In addition to those placed directly by counselors, 40 others who completed training programs bv Job were settled with Roosevelt and Duchesne in 1979, said Dan Israel, Tribe attorney. It is an important decision that affirms a promise to permanent home land, he said. Chapoose said he is pleased with the court ruling Maximizing the economy, would benefit tribal members as much as the rest of the Uintah Basin, and the tribe would not do anything to hinder economic development, Seneca said Dec 85 Jan Many of the Ute Tribes members had grandparents and great grandparents who were forced out of Colorado in 1880 and forced to relocate to the two Utah Reservation. These Ute Indians have always believed that the United States never intended to terminate the 1861 and 1882 Reservation. Frank Arrowchiss, Whiterocks band said the 10th Circuit Court deci The Tribe is grateful A S, r A August 1984. received the assistance of the United States in this case and is pleased that the five federal appeals court judges concluded that the Ute Indian people today retain their original Utah homelands. Seneca said he didnt know the exact amount that had been spent on the case, but he said it was in the thousands of dollars Commissioner Neal Domgaard, Uintah County, said the two counties have spent about $500,000 on the case in the past 9 years. Domgaard will met in Congressman Howard Nielson, today to determine if some legislation could be intorducted to clarify whether the Indian reservation boundaries were diminished when they were open to white settlement. Domgaard expects more help from The truth should be told the way it should be told. Statements by Duchesne County Attorney Dennis Draney that the potential impact of the ruling could include business licenses, land management and water rights decisions were refuted by tribal officers. We have always considered these lands to be Indian Country, the suit that, Seneca said. just It is unfortunate that there was so much time and expense when the issues Basin expansion of jobs experiences little growth By Traci sion was good for the tribe. He accused the media of cheating and lying instead of telling the truth. that it Continued on page 7 4 Y- , T - t w ;v' i 7 v s I ' v j v L- - "t. tV'" .'i . ' s r - '' ' "Y x v- - ' Continued on page 7 Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Dig The remains of a Camarasaurus, one of the variety, is larger dinosaurs of the bit. Eighteen being uncovered bit, by bit, by volunteers, from as far away as Chicago, have volunteered for the tedious work. The excava plant-eatin- Uintah County Uintah Basin - State g tion is located about half a mile from the Dinosaur Quarry. Monument officials hope to uncover the find of reknown paleontogolist Jack Mackintosh in 1975. Four to five volunteers work six days a week on the project. See page 7. National' Candidates rush to register during final hours Last day registration for municipal offices shows some that were not going to run are running for office, however, most are new to the political scene. In the Vernal City election, Jack Stagg filed for mayor, Lewis Wright and Dr. Robert Vincent filed for city p council seats just hours before the the 5 p.m. filing deadline. The trio were nominated from the Citizens Party. From the Progressive Party, Samuel Snyder is seeking another term at mayor. Doyle Huber and Cecil Wall were nominated to council seats. Seats being vacated on the Vernal City Council are Mayor Snyders, Councilman Staggs and Councilman Leonard Heeney, who chose not to run. Mayor Snyder said those from the Progressive Party indicated a desire to keep things status quo with how the city is currently being operated. Stagg said that he has some changes he would like to see made, if elected. One of which would be to have more cooperation between entities. City officials report that one other convention form was issued Tuesday, however, at press there was no report of any other candidates filing. In the Naples City election, Donna Merrell, incumbent; Bruce Cook, Lee Nash and Don Smith have filed for two, four-yea- r council positions. The four-yea- r seats are currently held by Donna Merrell and Lynn McCar-rel- l. Seeking a two year term, the remainder of Lariss Hunting's term, are Lorna Mayberry and Dan Olsen. The only candidate for mayor is Lawrence Kay, incumbent. The election will be Nov. 5. |