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Show The OGpEN VALLEY NEWS March 15, 2007 PRSRT STD POSTAGE eA Z RMIT NO. 11 EDEN L 7 POSTAL PATRON EDEN-LIBERTY-843 10 HUNTSVILLE-84317 HCR 843A0, Ogden Valley Septic System Seminars Scheduled at Valley Library Modern dancers perform at the 3rd Annual Music and Arts Festival held February New Representative Gage Froerer Sponsors Bills— Generates Funding for Local Projects Dear Friends and Neighbors, The 2007 legislative session is now history. I am attaching the results of the District 8 survey that so many of you mailed to me during is session. Thanks t all who vey, or those who sent me an email or a personal phone call. Your input critical and helped me make the best decisions for our Distric Your message was clear that this was the year to take Gage Froerer care of public education and to cut taxes. I am glad to say that we were able to accomplish both during this session s a member of the Public Education Appropriations Committee, we were able to increase money to public education by over $489 million in this year’s budget. We increased the teacher’s supplies and material fund by 2.5 million, and I was proud to cosponsor the legislation that provided $66 million in one-time bonus money to our teachers. This same committee was able to provide $50 million in one-time funding to provide education technology enhancements directed at improving classroom instruction. Record economic growth afforded the 2007 Utah Legislature $300 million in surplus tax collections. We invested heavily in public and higher education and, at the same time, chose to avoid debt by paying cash for roads, bridges and buildings. The omnibus tax package ‘ounded out our top priorities and, after some discussion with the Senate and Governor’s ce, we voted to return more than $220 million per year to taxpayers. I am especially proud that with the tax cuts come: 1. Anew 5percent atbglo-eate personal income tax ter . Cuts in thegigeneral‘and food sales taxes, and REPRESENTATIVE cont. on page 17 17 at Wolf Creek Resort. O Septic System Information and Incentive Program Seminars will be held March 17 and April 18, 2007 at the Ogden Valley Branch Library auditorium. Homeowners with septic systems in Huntsville, Eden, and/or Liberty are invited to attend one of the seminars. Those who participate will be asked to complete pre- and post-knowledge surveys, and will qualify for a $100 rebate on septic system clean-outs. If you have recently hady system serviced, please feel free to bring 2 a copy of your receipt to the seminar. This program is funded through a Clean Water Act grant and is being conducted by the Division of Water Quality, Utah State University Extension, Weber Soil Conservation District, and the Weber-Morgan Health Department. If you would like more information on the program, please contact Kari Lundeen at the Utah Division of Water Quality, (801) 538-6760 or <klundeen@utah.gov> American Legion Auxiliary to Host Blood Drive On Monday, March 19, the American Legion Auxiliary will host a blood drive from noon to 6:00 p.m. Come to the American Legion to donate your life giving blood. Just three teaspoons of blood can save a baby’s life. Imagine what a pint of your blood can do! Light refreshments will be served. For more information, call Mountain Star Blood Services at 801-479-2389, or American Legion Auxiliary member Beth Ewing at 745-3090 or 690-1631. Draft Ordinances Available on County Web Site Consultants Bio-West, who were hired by Weber County to work with an Ogden Valle Stakeholders Committee to formulate a Transfer of Development Rights ( TDR) Ordinance, a Sensitive Lands Ordinance, and a Planned Recreation Resort Zone Ordinance, have completed a review of the draft ordinances and have submitted them to the Weber County Commission for their review. Copies of the draft ordinances are available for preview and _ comment by county residents by visiting wwwl.co.weber.ut.us, then selecting the “County Departments” link found at the top left of the screen under “Quick Info.” Next, select the “Planning Commission” link (departments are listed alphabetically). You can then select from the three draft ordinances that are listed individually. Public heari ings on the draft ordinances will be held this spring, , possibly as soon as April. Artificial Nest Structures Making a Difference for Wildlife Artificial nest boxes have helped birds from bald eagles to bluebirds to gain strength Each year, volunin population numbers. teers build nest structures for wildlife. efforts have made significant contributions to many wildlife populations in In northern Utah, wildlife biologists are seeing a few more bald eagle nests each year. They believe these nests are the result of offspring from an artificial nest that return to the same area from which they fledged to build their own nests as adults. Utah’s first artificial nest platform for eagles was erected on the south shore o the Great Salt Lake in 1997. Since that time, WILDLIFE cont. on page 3 Reach the Children in Kenya By Shanna Francis Ogden Valley News Most amazing wildlife amazing people trek to Kenya to see Africa’s wildlife on the renown Maasai Mara preserve; I came to visit the country’s people and to hear their stories. n children. On February 9, 2007, I left my home in Eden m. to travel to Salt Lake City’s International Airport to catch a plane that sc carry me half way around the world—firs' Chicago, on to London, then, finally, to Nairobi Kenya. landed at the country’s a Kenyatta International Airport on Februai after spending more than 19 hours in the air between layovers—a trip that took over 37 embark on. We were representing Reach the dents. Traditionally, African students learn by hours. A clock in Nairobi read ten hours ahead Children, a non-profit organization that has been rote memorization of the one I left sporting the time at the side of helping impoverished ae in many counur group would also be providing trainmy bed in Utah. Not only did the clock at the tries of Africa for severaly ing in Square Foot Gardening, and building airport tell me that life was outpacing me, so did We were traveling to Kenya to implement an compost bins and square foot gardens at a my physiological timepiece. Friends and famieducational program at the Candle Light School safe house and orphanage for abused and ly left behind would be winding at Matopeni Estate at Kayole—a Nairobi slum. aes children. down, preparing for bed within the Matopeni literally means, “Place with lots of A thirdgoal was to teach sewing and tailornext hour. Our team of 15 was just needs.” I was about to learn, firsthand, how this ing classes, and establish a micro-enterprise gearing up to traverse the “dark concorner of the world had earned this name. business for women. Reach the Children was tinent,” a term previously termed by providing the sewing machines for the Europeans in the 19th century for its business, and a large oven for a cotmysterious and previously unknown tage baking indust Within minutes of leaving the airback country. We still had a long day ahead of us, and a busy two weeks. 0 vans, 0 After collecting a mass of luggage packed to the maximum load limthe giraffes roaming the fields that ran its—primarily with school supparallel to the highway. It was surplies—we exited the terminal and real—wild and gangly, towering and walked into the bright Kenyan equaunearthly creatures, plodded along in torial sunlight. It was early Sunday the distance amidst traffic, high rises, morning, just after 6:30 am. My billboards, urban pollution, and grazwool turtleneck sweater and coat, and ing and unharried zebras. The stark knee high leather winter boots were contrast between the wildlife and stisorely inappropriate amidst the palm trees, fling city could be likened to that of bougainvillea, and other tropical flora and fauna the contrast found on the wild Candle Light School outside Nairobi, Kenya located that welcomed me and the other weary travelers equines’ coats. at Matopeni Estate in the Kayole slum. from the northern hemisphere. We made it to our accommodaMembers of this eclectic group—all women Along with implementing an educational tions that we would call “home” during our first of varying ages from 15 years to retirement program at the Candle Light School, we would eek in Kenya—the Amani Center. Amani age—are all from Utah, though many of us had also be teaching numerous teachers a new edumeans peace in Swahili. It was a comforting never met, or only briefly, before coming togethcational methodology whereby teachers would name amidst the concerns many in our group YA cont. on page 7 er for this humanitarian project we were about to foster critical thinking skills among their stu- |