Show Business of the Week Cleo Christensen by Dawn Carder Lately it seems that everyone has been talking about the suffering local what the and pondering economy Conversation future may bring revolves around stores and restaurants concerns being expressed for struggling owners and lamentations sounded for those that “go under” How many of us consider the ranchersfarmers and what is happening in their lives? Men like Cleo Christensen who makes his living off the land are truly the lifeline of the Delta area Born and raised in Delta Cleo has been working as a farmer since he was 15 years old That was how old he was at the time of his father’s death and that’s when he went to work full time The family farm included nearly 60 acres but over the years Cleo has exfifteen For approximately panded years he farmed 1000 acres There he grew corn silage and alfalfa hay maintained a feed yard from which of his feed was sold commercially He had 3000 head of cattle 300 head of commercial cows on BLM land and 100 pure bred Angus mother cows At that time Cleo also employed three full time farm hands The Christensen ranch is located on the north side of the reservoir bank mile from the boat dock The turquoise fence has become a land mark and is truly the identifying strucThere the ture on the property their five adopted Christensens children and five foster children have worked and shared together Today with the economy as it is Cleo Christensen has been forced to cut He now farms back on his operation between four and five hundred acres his feed yard is down to 2500 head and he has just one full time employee Still he has remained solvent largely he feed sells because he says commercially Perhaps Cleo dismisses his success in modesty for hard work and management cannot be denied Farming is a r hour a day seven days a week occupation All along both Cleo and his wife have toiled and planned has driven hay trucks She together always working helped trail cattle In Cleo’s alongside her husband words “Mary has kept me going all these years She has also been a good advisor I should have listened to her more often than I did!” Ranchers and farmers have many decisions to make for they are and responsible for every They must aspect of their operations work hard buy and sell deal with bankers and do their own book work Most says Cleo enjoy farming but hate the business end Unfortunately (he latter is bssential to survival Delta has depended on its ranchers and farmers and the economy fostered by them This economy has kept the machine dealers solvent (Cleo has $200000 worth of equipment) Consequently when the farm economy dropped everything dropped Right now the farm economy nationwide is pretty disastrous The total scene is the same Has it been bad before? Yes but Cleo says “I haven’t seen it as bad as this and I don’t look for it to get better quick” He buys about 5000 tons of feed from area farmers but most of the cattle he feeds come out of southern Wyoming “Bankers have put the farm economy in trouble” contends Cleo RanAbout this he is most adamant chers and stockmen borrowed from banks at 18 to 20 percent interest When interest rates went up the banks increased the interest on farmers’ and when ranchers’ loans However terest rates went down the banks refused to lower rates for farmers Initially the farmers could pay just the terest and still apply for operating funds If interest were to be dropped farmers could make it As it is those farmers who are borderline financially are unable to pay they can’t get money which means that many are being forced to sell their farms and seek employment elsewhere Not only are these people taken away from the land and the work they love they are also losing land and homes that have been in their families for many years As if the losses of land and homes and are not sufficient embarrassments pains the banks have added insult to injury in resales Outsiders can pick up the properties at reduced prices and terest rates For instance in the midwest banks allowed a buyer putting 20 to 25 percent down to obtain financing at 4Vi percent The inequity in this angers men like Cleo Christensen A quiet man Cleo has the courage of his convictions He is a principled person he is an advocate and supporter of the little guy and he speaks his Cleo mind Prior to IPP’s arrival stated his objections It is his opinion that big industries create many proits and blems for a town people Smaller ones would be far more beneficial He continues to believe that the “boom” was too expensive and that Delta is now stuck picking up the pieces The manner in which water shares were sold is a particular sore point for Cleo an issue on which he openly opposed friends and family Over the years Cleo has involved himself with issues and organizations He is a to which he is committed veteran of the Korean War he helped organize the Angus Association in the state of Utah he served as President of the Stock Show Board he has been a manager of the Millard County Junior Livestock Show And he is an advocate for ranchers and farmers Honesty intelligence and integrity are admirable qualities observed and Millard County Thun USPS Apr 16 1907 - Page 3 Rancher FRONT ROW L TO R: Ted Nielson Back Row Don Corry Wes Brown Stan Black Raymond Smith Ray Peterson Bob Moody Del Ashby American Legion elects officers Mary Keith Day Griffiths Mary Day School district appointed by appoints Keith Griffiths governor experienced Christensen when talking with Cleo They help one realize the the farmers and and foundations importance of lifeline March of Dimes WalkAmerica set for Saturday Where can a group of friends get good exercise have lots of fun and help prevent birth defects all at the same time? Give up? The annual March of Dimes WalkAmerica that’s where This year more than 125 men women children and even family dogs will walk 30 kilometers through Delta on April 25 to raise money to help fight birth defects “We’re excited by the response we’ve had so far” said Larry Isley in chairperson of the WalkAmerica Delta “This year we hope to have more people involved than we’ve ever had before” The March of Dimes’ WalkAmerica is just one way through which literally millions of dollars are raised each year to help fight birth defects The money raised is used for community education health and community services education research and professional throughout the country “A substantial portion of the money Raised stays right hqre in the local areas or is awarded as grants to local doctors at Utah hospitals” said Jean Hatch director of the March of Dimes in Provo Hatch said the response this year is just as good as in years past "We know the residents of Millard County will make a major dent in the fight against birth defects by their participation in this year’s WalkAmerica” Hatch said This year more than 125 men women children and even family dogs will walk 30 kilometers through Delta and Fillmore on April 25 to raise money to help fight birth defects “We’re excited by the response we’ve had so far” said Larry Isley chairperson of WalkAmerica in Delta in and Vicki Crosland chairperson Millard County “This year we hope to have more people involved than we’ve ever had before” Your success is measured complete things by you ability to Governor Bangerter has recently appointed Mary Day Millard County Treasurer to a term on the Industrial Development Bond Review Board The primary purpose of the Board is to deal with the requirements necessary for various jurisdictions to issue industrial revenue bonds Mary has been active in the Utah Association of Counties She has just finished a term as President of the Association of County Treasurers She has also served three terms on the Board of Directors of the Utah Association of Counties Mt Wheeler Power election results Tom Bath incumbent running unopreceived 670 posed for District is located within the votes District city limits of Ely excluding the East Ely area 3 Joe Pescio running in District received 499 votes and will replace incumbent Margaret Rowe who received McGill 386 votes District 3 includes mile from Ruth and within the city limits Kolbe (Duke) Klindt incumbent in and receivDistrict 7 was ed 457 votes over Wilbur Black who received 401 votes District 7 includes Diamond Valley and the Eureka Newark Valley areas The total number of ballots cast was 899 Tom Bath Joe Pescio and Kolbe Klindt will serve on the Mt Wheeler r Power Board of Directors for a term starting officially April 1987 which is the date of the Annual The Millard County School District chosen Keith Griffiths to succeed Robert Steele as the School Business Administrator Mr Griffiths who was the unanimous choice of the Board will begin his duties on May 1987 Kenneth Topham Superintendent stated that he is very pleased that Keith was chosen for and accepted the position According to Dr Topham Keith Griffiths will be a positive addition to the Board Born and raised in Beaver Utah Keith graduated from Beaver High School in 1970 In 1974 he graduated from BYU having majored in Business with a finance Management concentration On April 24 Griffiths will mark his thirteenth year in banking He worked for First Security Bank for eleven and a half years From there he went with Valley Bank for whom he has worked for seventeen months Duties for the school district position will include budgeting investing bonding managing the office purchasing and financing Keith states that he excited about the prospects of working for the education of youth and with the Also the new school administration job will allow him to remain in Delta with his wife Laurie and their children Cally 11 and Casey almost 9 Keith Griffiths is already involved in community activities He works with the Boy Scouts little league baseball football and soccer and he has umpired games and refereed Gold Medal He enjoys playing sports basketball himself and has participated in local softball leagues The members of American Legion Post 135 met Thursday evening April 9 at Rick’s Family Restaurant The newly elected officers are: Ray Brown Commander Ted Nielson 2nd Vice President Stan Black membership Commander at Large Raymond Smith Commander at Large and past Commander Don Corry Adjutant Finance Officer Wes Peterson 1st Vice Commander Del Ashby Service Officer Bob Moody Assistant Adjutant The members of Post 135 are actively involved in many community projects They support Boys’ State participate in various parades and they provide a color guard for graduation They also supply uniforms for a little league baseball team which is under the leadership of legionnaire John Plummer Contests are sponsored and services for veterans services are attended and acknowledged in military style has Things be the that come to those who things left by those who wail may got there first West Millard County History Book project by Lenore McCall Brochures explaining the project were distributed with last week’s paper and things are really starting to roll Numerous people have called to reserve space for their stories and copies of the book Please save this brochure since it gives valuable instruction about what to include in your story and also a receipt for your order and materials submitted Page 2 is very important and also gives instructions about the form for typing stories We would appreciate the stories to be typed if at all since extra lines can be possible counted at the time you submit the story We will have typists to help those who need it Extra brochures are still available Sample copies of books made by counties in other states will be on display at the city library Chronicle Progress office Valley Bank Zion’s Bank and First Security Bank Our book will be similar but the historical section will be area wide rather than by town in such things as schools recreation businesses agriculture and so on There will not be such a wide useage of the heavy black capitalized type This book is to cover times up to the present so the historical section will need pictures and information about both World Wars the depression post war times and recent happenings The winter of the big snow the ’83 flood drought times flood in Oak Creek Canyon and wind storms Business and development such as microwave stations Brush Wellman 1PP airport golf courses dance bands and on and on This book is to cover all people and events of the area We want contributions from all of you The history will not be complete without your contributions Books can be reserved without payment at this time All monies will have to be made to Lenore McCall Project Director for controlled business records and accountability Scott Nickle will be the advisor and auditor All checks are to be made out to West Millard History Mrs McCall can be contacted at (Ruth Hansen’s home) 210 West 400 North Rt 2 Delta Utah 84624 One picture at the Delta office of the Chronicle Progress Please pick up your pictures We They say that one picture is worth a haven’t the heart to throw them out thousand words and if this is a fact we even the wedding pictures of couples are worth about a half million words who are no longer wedded Meeting Hunter Education course A hunter education course will be held April 27 29 May 4 6 8 9 1987 at the Delta Middle School from 7 to 9 pm Anyone between the ages of 12 and 21 are required to complete this class to obtain a Utah hunting license There is a $400 registration fee A parent or guardian is required to sign the registration form To sign up for this class come to the Millard County office at 71 S 200 W between 8:30 am and 5 pm prior to the first class Class will be limited to 30 students sign up on a first come first serve basis For further information call 416-2- 3 Men’s long sleeve shirts25 Men’s short sleeve shirt$20 Ladies blouses 25 Straw hats 20 off off off off One group of Cowboy Cut WATCH for all details in grocery handbill in mail Wranglers $1498 Jolley’s Western Wear Balloons Hot dogs Cotton Candy Grand Prize Drawing Main St9 Delta Phone 8644651 111 E 180 East 8642782 i Main Delta QUALITY |