Show 1988 continued Rollins may return to the local agenda in the summer of 1989 and other companies may wish to pursue Millard as a place to locate a hazardous waste disposal facility We’ll keep you informed The economy Not always exciting sometimes depressing the economy continued to make headlines in 1988 In addition to the IPA tax protest the elections (which always seem to effect the economy one way or another depending on your political affiliation) and the Voted Leeway already summarized here Millard County saw several things happen on the economic front A partial list of page one headlines: 14 Jan “Mayor Gillins optimistic about 1988” Feb 11 “Notes from the Millard County Auditor” “Officials meet to plan for military housing” Feb 18 “Panelists to discuss economic resurgence of rural Utah" March 10 “Delta Mayor talks about taxes” March 24 “Brush Wellman employees recognized for dedication and safety” for Apr 7 "Utah spent $1645033000 education last year” Apr 14 “Millard Co and Delta 1986 income tax figures reported” June 2 “Twin Peaks rehabilitation project continues” Oct 6 “IPP gets a locomotive” rates decline” Oct “Unemployment 13 “Job stats show ups and downs” “Rural economy summit is held” “Economic report released” Nov 13 “County preps 89 budget” Nov 10 17 “New road old issue” Nov “Fairgrounds plans studies” “Video to promote Millard County” Nov 24 “Special district formed” “Bill may Dec 8 “Counbury fossil business” ty 89 budget $114 million” Dec 15 “County won’t pay district” And so on Other stories related to the area’s economy appeared in other sections of the paper including the “Community “letters to the editor” and Profiles” “Public notices” sections Naturally the economy up or down will be a major focus of our attention during Republican candidates won the positions Jer’E Brinkerhoff and Frank Baker were elected to the Commission while Carter was elected to the Recorder post to the tax initiatives Opponents seemed to be more organized and vocal Several times the opthan proponents ponents held meetings that drew large crowds in the area Several groups and sought and got stories organizations about their concerns that passage of the initiatives would hurt them It was a trend repeated in media throughout the state and one that may have influencThe initiatives were ed the election soundly defeated The new Commissioners and Recorder will officially take office in early January Proponents of the tax initiatives say they will try again Frank Baker Church murdered On Nov 26 two men were arrested and accused of first degree murder in connection with the bludgeoning death of Gordon Ray Church 28 a student at SUSC Michael Anthony Archuleta 26 and Lance Conway Wood 20 are believed to have talked Church into giving them a ride to Salt Lake City from Cedar City on Monday night Nov 21 En route Archuleta allegedly stabbed Church attempted to strangle him and beat him to death at a secluded roada few miles north of side area off Cove Fort After concealing the body the two then drove Church’s car to Salt Lake City where the car was abandoned On Wednesday Nov 23 the day before according to an Iron Thanksgiving County affidavit released later Wood apparently turned himself in to Iron The body the car authorities county and other evidence was found a few hours later Immediately after the two men were arrested Friday Nov 25 East Millard Justice of the Peace Ron Hare put a gag order on release of any information about the case by authorities With made the exception of information available through the Iron County affidavit used in a search of the apartment where the two suspects were said to have stayed before the crime occured authorities have said little about the case Wood and Archuleta are being held in Millard County jail in Fillmore without bond A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Jan 24 in Hare’s court The Chronicle Progress will follow the court proceedings Test range In the summer of 1988 the Air Force announced plans to expand the Utah Test and Training Range south into west Millard County to create what they call an “electronic combat test facility will capability” The cost over $2 billion when it is completed in 2000 employ several hundred peotraffic over the air increase and ple range by about 30 percent A scoping workshop on the proposal was held in Delta on Nov 15 and at several other sites effected by the proposed project Purpose of the meetings was to gather information to be used Imin preparing a draft Environmental pact Statement on the project which 1989 IPP tax protest It came as no surprise to county ofPower ficials when the Intermountain its tax Agency officially protested assessment in 1988 The IPA tax bill from Millard County for the year came to almost $25 million But only $10 million was actually paid About $16 million was deducted before payment for the impact alleviation tax credit allowed IPA The rest went into an escrow account to await settlement of the protest The county budget of $1 14 million was prepared with that contingency in mind In our March 3 issue we reported details of a Feb 19 meeting between IPA county and state officials who were trying to expedite the protest process The meeting was just one of many of its kind that occurred in 1988 The issue may go to court It may take several years to settle and have impacts on Millard be released in April or May 1989 The final EIS will be published in September Our Nov 24 front page story about the scoping workshops noted only limited opposition but concern has grown in recent weeks Our Dec 8 issue noted concerns expressed by Millard County Commissioners about potential impact to roads in the west side of the county They asked the Air Force to improve those roads where necessary Commissioners also asked that some related facilities be located near Delta so the county might realize some benefits to balance the impacts of the project The Dec 22 issue reported vehement opposition from residents of Callao and members of the West Desert Range Assocamon as well as from Downwinders Inc Opposition from those and other groups can be expected to grow in the future as more becomes known about the project It will likely become a major story Millard County will 1989 in Celebrations Millard County residents and visitors to this area found a lot to celebrate during 1988 much of which found it’s way onto the front page of the Chronicle Progress A list of such events would include: the state 2A wrestling tournament held in Delta Feb 5 and 6 the Millard High 2A football championship a local Faster egg hunt the Manti Temple centennial celebration held May 21 the Great Basin celebration in the Junior Livestock Show Tourth of Pioneer Day in Hinckley the July Millard County Fair and Pageant Mule Rendezvous in Fillmore Leamarado Days in Leamington a cooking school in Delta a Halloween party a isit by Santa Cam and a few other events Many will be repeated in 1989 Mystery deaths Despite the best el torts of scientists Utah State University what killed 70 horses and mules owned by Cope Skeem last winter remains a mystery On the morning of Feb 11 Skeem discovered his animals kept in a corral in Oasis and a field near Hinckley were dying rapidly He had brought and within two hay to the animals hours they began dropping Blood feed and water samples were sent to scientists but test results were at Thurs CSPS Dec 29 1988 - Wf(wVV f C Pv t- r- - v Delta High School acappella choir inconclusive Dr H Nielsen said his best guess was that the deaths were related to the feed but that too is unconfirmed The problem was not contagious “No health hazard is seen at this time” Neilsen said No other animals were killed It appears the incident was isolated It mains a mystery Skeem continues to raise horses and mules Choir trip the latter quarter of Throughout 1988 members of the Delta High School acappella choir with help from parents fans and friends have been working hard to raise enough money to pay for a trip to France during the summer ol 1989 The choir will represent Utah when they sing in Paris as part of the celebration of the bicentennial of the French Revolution Utah day is July 2 The choir will sing under the Eiffel Tower visit as part of their But it will cost money to get there At about $2000 per student roughly $160000 will have to be raised To reach that monetary goal the choir has sponsored dances rallies auctions a pheasant hunt unit shows and anything else they can think ol Coin boxes are on every checkout counter in just about every store in Delta The choir sang the National them for a hockey game at the Salt Palace They even tapped Gov Norm Bangerter lor a personal check for S25 when he was campaigning in Delta before the election (the Governor is a nee vited to oin the choir in hey received a $2000 chck from IHC toward their goal Parents and other volunteers meet at the DHS choius room every Monday afternoon at p m to plan more projects to help raise money lor the amhe public is invited to bitious effort those meetings At last count about $70 000 had been raised Watch for more stones about the choir’s adventures throughout 1989 f 5 I County It may become one of the top stories of 1989 Voted Leeway In a special election held March Millard County voters approved a 2 mill School Voted Leeway Results were 1191 in favor 174 against The increased assessed value of property in the county with IPP becoming part of the taxable value in 1988 made the Leeway possible Passage of the Leeway was designed to allow the transfer of up to two mills of tax from the Capital Outlay and Transportation budgets to the Voted Leeway budget The plan was to reduce the r ratio meet upgrade library and textbooks maintenance needs and make other improvements In a front page article on March 10 we reported that for every dollar of tax invested in the Voted Leeway IPP will match with approximately $650 The IPA tax protest has put that and other figures in limbo at least temporarily When the Leeway passed the School Board said it was committed to a 195 percent tax reduction for all taxpayers Elections The nation has a new President and a new Vice President Millard County and a has two new Commissioners Three tax limitation Recorder itiatives on the state ballot were defeated Stories about the elections were issues of the featured on page one of newspaper in 1988 In addition candidates were given a forum to discuss for office in one their qualifications issue the entire text of the ballot itiatives was printed in another many stories about election issues and candidates forums appeared throughout our pages and readers used the “letters to the editor" page to express their opinions about election issues Many items of interest to local voters also appeared in the “public notices” section The three offices up for election in Counr Millard County were being vacated by ty Commissioner Abe Johnson County ComWarren missioner being vacated by ) Jensen (though Jensen filed as a and unexpired County Recorder term held by Linda Carter to the who had been appointed position When the dust had settled Linda Carter Toxic Spill A spill of 240 gallons of potentially sodium cyanide 20 miles south deadly for of Fillmore closed Interstate-1three days during the summer of 1988 The incident occured at about 4:30 am Thursday July 28 A truck headed south lost 80 of its cargo when the load shifted as the truck rounded a curve About 240 gallons of the substance spilled on Traffic was of a mile of roadway diverted around the site from Fillmore to Cove Fort for three days while crews from several local county and state agencies including many volunteers cleaned up the mess Miraculously only three people were treated for minor cyanide poisoning in the incident There were no other juries It occured in a rural area and no evacuation was necessary First responders ofin the incident ficials and volunteer have been highly The Utah praised for their actions Highway Patrol hazardous materials team received a unit citation for their role in the cleanup effort Total cost of the cleanup came to almost $100000 Millard County spent almost $ 2 000 State law says the carrier is responsible but so far no money has changed hands It could have been worse It could happen again Hamilton appeals George Wesley Hamilton convicted of second degree murder in the brutal death of Sharon Sant near Cove Fort in August 1985 appeared in Fourth District Court in Provo Sept 8 where he asked the court to release him from '1 f i ttl tf sr S ‘c t ijvj prison Hamilton alleged there were “errors jury deliberations which makes the guilty verdict invalid" Millard Peterson Coumy Attorney Warren said At issue was whether or not jurors saw a newspaper article about the trial while was in progress in August 1987 and whether or not their deliberations were influenced by it Jurors were asked that question at the Sept 8 hearing Judge George Ballif set aside attorneys arguments for Jan 20 1989 in the I GIFTS UNLIMITED 0 i L ler'E Brinkerhoff 'O' ’V 3 Page 298 North Highway 6 Delta Utah 864-372- 3 |