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Show s dJJSiniflalld IBai&m SUsumaOsiirdl Thursday, July 14, 1983 Uintah 1981 Dive VinderKmtte be- came the unfortunate victim of professional conman. VanderKratta loat nearly 110,000 in merchandise to the dealings of the criminal VanderKratta owns Uintah Mountain Cache, a mountaineering store. According to VanderKratta, the conman, Eugene John McDonnell represented himself as an experienced and honest mountain man with good merehandiss to trade. After four or five visits in a three month period, according to Vander-Kratts- , McDonnell convinced him to send nearly $10,000 of merchandise with him. According to Vander-KrattMcDonnell told him that his movie friends in Los Angeles wanted to use VanderKratts as a movie consultant and wanted to see samples of his work. VanderKratts said that McDonnell kept in touch for a few weeks and vests. ordered some special-mad- e After this, VanderKratts said, he never heard from the conman again. VanderKratts began receiving phone ealls from other people the conman had ripped off. According to VanderKratts the eonman was using his name ; and taking orders and money from unsuspecting dealers in other parts of the country. When these people didnt receive their1 merchandise they began complaining a, to VanderKratta. At this time, VanderKratts said he realised he had been swindled, and contacted the Roosevelt and ppUce said Embleton. McDonnell wu then sent to Utah State Prism for a 45 day mental evaluation, according to Embleton. wu McDonnell sentenced in June, 1988. The judge placed McDonnell on two years of supervised probation, and ordered him to pay restitution to VanderKratts, according to Embleton. McDonnell's probation hu been transferred back to New Hampshire, his hone state, said Embleton. ' As part of McDonnell's sentence he is required to take mental health - u the VanderKratts According to Embleton, Rooeevelt con-jo- b. Police heard from Manatou S parings, Colorado police that McDonnell wu in New Hampshire. Extradition proceedings were implemented and McDonnell wu brought back to Utah on March . 17, 1968, according to Embleton. McDonnell went through preUmi- - jr mandated by the Adult counseling parole and Probation Department, according to Embleton. Integrity is an important part of being a mountain man. The basie rules are integrity and trust, said VanderKratts. "You can trust mountain men, and this guy had good trade, wu an excellent talker and knew what he wu talking about He wu real personable, said VanderKratts, so I thought I could trust him." VanderKratts said' that it is embarassing for him to admit that he hu been taken, but that it wu. because of his own stupidity. He said there is pain involved with having to admit what hu happened and that he is responsible. "There is a gnat emotional and spiritual drain. You lose face with yourself and think 'how could I be so stupid? You try to tell yourself it happened to a lot of others, but I have to bear the final responsibility, said VanderKratta. VanderKratts said he can really sympathize with other people this hu happened to. "He used people, he brought harm and discontent to these people," said VanderKratts. VanderKratts said he spent nearly $2,000 in phone calls alone, not to mention the lou of time, and the coot have not recovered for the city. financially. The whole thing knocked the pins out from under us. We spent almost a whole summer chasing the guy, he said, "and if we hadnt we never would have ought jjrobably I have the greatest respect for Wayne Embleton, I feel like his efforts were shot down the tubes by a system that .refused to get after people thatVao these things, said VanderKratts. He said that Emble-ton- s work in this ease wu good and he had no complaint with the job he did. VanderKratta said the punishment McDonnell received did not fit the crime he committed. "There want really any justice served except that the guy wu put out of circulation, said VanderKratts. The police did all they could to help out, said VanderKratta, but "the government hu the responsibility to go in and finish the job. They should make sure the punishment fits the crime. VanderKratts said when you are a victim you have to force the issue or nothing will happen. "The system does not operate without the cooperation of citizens. A citizen hu to take responsibility for himself, said VanderKratts. According to VanderKratts, . VICTIM . , . Mc- Donnell owes him about $5,000 which he wu ordered to pay. "I doubt that I will ever see any of it, said VanderKratta. "The system is not set up for protecting tin victim, even though l wu a victim because of my own stupidity," said VanderKratts. ' VanderKratts said the whole incident hu caused him to "become untrusting and paranoid about this kind of thing. Because of the financial strain the con-jo- b put on VanderKratts, he will be moving his mountaineering shop to his home in Hancock Cove. Dave VanderKratts (above) lost nearly $10,000 worth of merchandise to a professional conman. VanderKratts said an experience like this causes you to lose your trust of other people and causes you to become , paranoid. : CON-JO- B 13 to Embleton. He wu charged with second degree theft and the charge wu reduced to a third degree thn , v-' Standard naries and pleaded guilty, according began informing friends and other dealers about the conman. VanderKratts said he met with the . Vernal Police Department and put together a composite sketch of the conman, which he published in several mountain man publications. VanderKratts and his wife, Terri, spent the summer of 1981 chasing down the conman and warning other mountain men about the criminaL VanderKratts monetary expenses for the summer amounted to over $2,000, to say nothing of the time lost, according to VanderKratts. According to Roosevelt Police Sergeant Wayne Embleton, McDonnell waa arrested in Nevada on July 81, 1981. He wss stopped on a traffic citation, and wu checked out by the police. Embleton said the Nevada police found out that McDonnell waa wanted here and arrested him for a drug violation. McDonnell was sentenced to 18 months in the Nevada State Prison and the sentence wu reduced to five months probation, according to Embleton. Embleton said McDonnell wu on probation in Colorado at the time of 1 ,-- Benin states victims In i t i . VOLUNTEERISM Kids With Energy complishment in promoting volunteerism. Pictured are Norma Matheson and Tina Heaton, President of Kids With Energy, front. Back row are Lori Farnsworth, Wendi Powell, Pauline Pappas, and Rose Miller. recently received the annual "Utah's Helping Hands" Award, presented by the Utah Council of Volunteers. This award is given to organizations and programs of a voluntary nature which show exemplary ac-- Kids With iv n The ideal of community involvement and the desire to help make the Uintah Basin a more desirable place for incoming teens were the major criteria in the naming of Kids With Energy the recipient of the first annual "Utahs Helping Hands" award. The award recognizes exemplary accomplishment in promoting teerism in With Energy ( is Uintah Basin group of teenagers under the direction of Rose Miller, Social Services, who have decided to meet the challenges of boomtown living head-on- . Among their accomplishments are a welcome wagon for new families, speakers bureau, involvement in Big u lgBS-SStjud- s BrothersBig Sisters, Special Olympics, and Sub For Santa. In addition to this they are involved with substance abuse prevention projects. The program began nearly two years ago and wu funded through the Federal Government a pilot program. The grant wu used in the development of the welcome wagon packet which is given to new families in u the Basin. According to Rose Miller, the goal of the group is to help new students become integrated into the main stream of life sooner, thereby helping them to avoid the frustration of moving into a boom town situation. h The award presented to this group will be given annually by the Utah to (UCV) Council of Volunteers recognize public and private organizations and .model programs of a voluntary nature. Representatives from Kids With Energy accepted the award earlier this summer at the Annual Meeting of the UCV. Presently Kids With Energy is attempting to establish., chapters in other locations within the Uintah Basin. Those who would like to obtain additional information regarding Kids With Energy can contact Rose Miller at 722-459- 4. HAYDEN WELLS working fo water wells develop If For a number of years Roosevelt City hu bun looking toward the development of a culinary water system which would provide more than uate water supplies for the Citys It appears that such a system may have been found. For the past several months the Roosevelt City Council hu been working on plans for the development of the Hayden Wells, located approximately two miles northeast of Neola. Shane Luck, City Administrator, said the main reason for working to develop sueh a system is to provide culinary water while at the same time mlnlmlring costs. Luck admitted that the development of the Hayden Welle is still some time from becoming a reality, but added that the process of development is underway. The wells have been tested numerous times and it is believed they have the capability to produce approximately 5,000 acre feet per year. Presently, Roosevelt Citys needs are 2,500 acre feet per year. The estimates for the year 2000 show consumption of about 3,500 acre feet. In addition to more than adequate water being source, the quality of the water is very good. "The water doesnt require any treatment far the tests show, said Luck. Because of the water well the amount quality, available, the City is presently looking into the possibility of selling water to Ballard and the Johnson Water District. Luck said applications are now bring prepared which will be sent to the State Board of Water Resources, the u u u u Safe Drinking Water Committee, and the State Impact Board in an attempt to obtain funding to help construct the project. The entire project cost is estimated at $5 million dollars. The majority of this cost would be for the pipeline to transport the water lo Roosevelt Luck said there are presently pumps at the well and it is felt they would be more than adequate. In an effort to help recover some of the costs. Luck said electrical generation units are planned along the pipeline. .Because of the fall from Neola to Roosevelt it is felt such units would be feasible, and it is estimated that approximately one million kilowatts per year could be produced. According to Luck, tiie project would also include the grouting of the area surrounding Continued on page 14 Job frainin rpOacs fob training partnership act declared by Congress recently went into effect which could have an effect on area businesses and persons either out of work or having to be retrained for employment in another field. The old CETA program was funded by Congress in 1978 and expired in 1982. It received a one year extension and was recently replaced by new program, the Job Training Partnership Act. The major difference between the two acts is that private enterprise, Instead of pubUc entities, will receive the workforce. Persons who are economically distressed and unem- ployed wfil have am new skills to be rehired in the 1 According to Larris Hunting; while CETA addressing the Roosevelt Area Chamber of Commerce in' their monthly meeting, governmental entities were hiring additional employees using . CETA funds but when CETA funds ran out these taxing groups were raising taxes to keep the additional force and he said the program wu not designed with that purpose in mind. econoWhen a person qualifies , u mical disadvantaged, money is available for on the job training and or classroom training. A college education could be fended if those controlling the money so desired. The State of Utah wu divided into nine regions in which the Uintah Basin (Duchesne, Daggett and Uintah Counties) is one. The money to be used is federal money and diverted through Continued on page 14 new Job Training Partnership Act to take the place of the congress by will be watched over and programs executed by this council. Representatives from Uintah, NEW JTPA COUNCIL The (JTPA) recently passed old CETA funding and . Duchesne and Daggett Counties were approved by Govenor Mathisen. UBAG will administer the program with Job Service contracting the working of the program. |