Sanpete Messenger Gunnison Valley Edition | 2005-10-05 | Page 2

Cyan Magenta Yellow Black A2 Sanpete Messenger/Gunnison Valley Edition Expansion (Continued from A1) portance of and have faith in the community to help us run this facility.” Mayor Chesley Christensen of Mt. Pleasant said, “As a mayor and as a citizen I support the prison’s expansion.” Christensen worked as chairman of the planning commission in Mt. Pleasant to bring CUCF to the county. “It is too bad that we need more beds, but human nature [being] as it is, we need it, and it is better to use existing facilities when we can.” Besides Christensen and several others at the groundbreaking, Miles Jensen, 90, of Gunnison was there for the first groundbreaking on May 3, 1988. Jensen also helped welcome inmates on the first day of operation, Sept. 26, 1990. “This is a good day for the prison,” Jensen said. “It is good for the volunteers, and it is good for the inmates.” Jensen worked for several years in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints family home evening program at the Draper fa- cility and was called by the church to operate the same program at the Gunnison facility. He has also been involved in other volunteer programs. The projected completion date for the 288-bed unit is November 2006. The 192-bed unit is still in the planning stages. “Everything that has been done to date has been great,” Rep. Bradley Johnson, R-Aurora, said. “I think CUCF has done a wonderful job so far, and I am glad Valley Builders is going to build the new addition.” But we do not want to overdo it,” he said, referring to reservations Gunnison City officials have expressed about growth beyond the 288-bed and 192-bed expansions. Johnson is concerned if the Draper facility closes, the community may be asked to take on more than local citizens will support. “We will see what the people want and promote that position,” Johnson said. Centers (Continued from A1) and educational institutions. The second would be to establish consistency and coordination regarding objectives and approaches to offering business-resource services between all of the state’s business innovation centers. But perhaps the biggest change would be switching the SBDC—a program funded through the Small Business Administration—from a federal program to a state one, with all the funding issues such a switch would entail. “You can’t very well change the name of [the program] and not lose the dollars,” Christensen said. “It’s going to be interesting to see how they blend public, private and educational resources.” The agribusiness component, says Christensen, would assist farmers locally and statewide in finding resources to aid the research, production, development, testing and marketing of agricultural products. Christensen says the resource center would not only help growers, but people all along the agricultural-production chain. The center would, however, be geared more toward the small producer. “It would step away from large-scale commodity production,” he says. “Small operations are being crowded out. The little guy can’t compete.” He says the agribusiness center would help level the playing field, at least a little, says Christensen. The blending of the two concepts is the result of separate discussions that college, economic and state officials began having at the same time, but that eventually converged, Christensen says. One of those discussions included officials from Snow, Utah State University and Southern Utah University who recognized that higher educational institutions, with the resources available to them, have a significant role to play in the state’s economic development. The talks eventually posed the possibility of creating three different resource centers: one through SUU in Cedar City for advanced manufacturing businesses, another in Box Elder county through USU for composite technology, and a third at Snow for agribusiness. At about the same time, Gov. Huntsman’s economic team began looking to organize his business innovation resource centers throughout the state. Brad Winn, as both Snow’s provost and a member of the governor’s economic team, was able to help bring both discussions together. Winn sees Snow’s role in the economic development of the county as pivotal. Shortly after he arrived at Snow a couple years ago, Winn says he asked Snow President Michael T. Benson if he “could provide input that would let Snow College help Central Utah and the six-county area economically.” Benson gave the go-ahead, and now, says Winn, one of the priorities of Snow’s deans is to “take the expertise of the faculty to get interest and money to flow into Central Utah.” For now, the role Ephraim will pay in Huntsman’s economic plan— which he has called the “cornerstone” of his administration—is still conjecture. “There’s still some question on how it can all be pulled together,” Christensen said. Sanpete News Company, Inc., publishing the GUNNISON VALLEY EDITION Member Utah Press Association Former Republicans create political parties after losing Ephraim caucus Free-persons Party and New Party will appear on November ballot By Karis Fellars Staff writer EPHRAIM—Close margins in the caucus race for Ephraim city councilperson and mayor has led two previously Republican candidates to form their own parties and run independently. After losing by one vote, Terry Morris, who was campaigning to be a Republican Party for city councilperson, formed the Freepersons Party. “Many people have contacted me and asked me to do this,” Morris says. “I intend to treat this as I would any campaign; going door to door, making phone calls and advertising on the radio. I am for honest government and feel that if I can get enough support from the people, I can win.” Similarly Ned Jensen, campaigning for mayor, lost by two votes at the Republican caucus. He formed The New Party of Ephraim and is running independently in the race for mayor. He says, “I lost by such close margins that the only way to stay on the ballot was to start my own party. Based on the positive feedback I’ve received from the citizens, I feel I have a good opportu- nity to win.” Both candidates had until 5 p.m. the day after the caucus to form the parties and file their candidacies with the city. There was some question as to whether they could do that, some people thinking that campaigning at more than one party caucus was prohibited. But Richard Anderson, city manager of Ephraim, said that upon checking with both the city’s election ordinance and the State Elections Office, Jensen’s and Morris’s actions were proper. Morris says, “The new parties only have to exist as long as the elections, and based on the community support we both has received, I feel we have a chance in the race.” Although seemingly unorthodox to form a new party after being defeated, both parties attest to community plea leading them to run independently. Though the margins were close, they say the main influence in deciding to form new parties was the community request for each of them to do so. Cliff Birrell, Democratic candidate for mayor said, “I believe it is the right of those who chose to, to form their own party. But then Sorry to leave you hanging ... Last week, in the Centerfield Courier column, we accidentally left off the letter from Nora Lee Koeven about her son Stewart’s experience helping with the Hurricane victims. The letter follows: Dear Family, A terrible hurricane hit Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama on August 29, 2005. These three states made it through the major storm but three of the dikes around New Orleans broke open, washing away everything but the French and the Garden Quarters. Stewart felt that he needed to volunteer to join the Salvation Army and go help. Being a full-time mom presented a problem, but his family agreed to help care for each other so that he was able to go. Stewart Koeven arrived safely at his home in South Carolina after spending the week of Sept. 5. 2005 travel- ing twelve hours to and from Hattisburg, Mississippi (130 miles from New Orleans) with the Salvation Army, where he delivered meals, prepared by members of the Baptist Church, twice daily, to the victims of the Hurricane Katrina, the same thing his mother Nora Lee Koeven did for the senior citizens in the Gunnison Valley for nine years. One might say he is “a chip off of the old block.” He took with him 100 Beanie Babies that he gave to the small children in that area. On one trip he became stuck in the mud, wondering how he was going to get unstuck, he looked down the road and there were all these folks coming towards him. Being late, they realized that he might be in trouble, they had come to meet him. Sincerely, The nite-rhyme-writer Copyright, Sanpete News Company, Inc.©2004. All rights reserved. Reproduction, re-use, or transmittal of all matter herein is prohibited without prior written permission of the publisher. Published each Wednesday for 75¢ each, $24.00 inside Sanpete County, $27.00 outside Sanpete County, by Sanpete News Company, Inc., 35 S. Main, Manti, Utah 84642 Phone [phone], fax [phone] E-mail publisher at: [e-mail] [e-mail] E-mail sports to: [e-mail] E-mail school items to: E-mail news to: [e-mail] [e-mail] E-mail ads to: Deadline: Thursday, 5 p.m. Manti: 35 S. Main, Hours: M-F, 9 am to 6 pm Periodicals Postage Paid at Manti, Utah 84642, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Sanpete Messenger, 35 S. Main, Manti, Utah 84642 Editor & Publisher ......................................................................... Suzanne Dean Associate Publisher .............................................................................. Lloyd Call Associate Editor .................................................................................. Sean Hales Copy Editor ........................................................................................... Lori Smith Senior Reporters .................................................... John Hales, Kathy Eggleston Office Manager ............................................................................... Jacque Marsh Administrative Assistant ........................................................... Lindsay Kogianes Webmaster ................................................................................. Dave Armstrong Gunnison Distribution ................................................... Jodi Anderson, 528-3072 Ombudswoman ........................................................ Karen Buchanan (835-5711) Staff Political correspondent ..................................................... C. R. Truitt (445-3326) Manti ............................................................................. Judy Chantry (835-8010) Gunnison ................................................................... Karen Prisbrey (528-7710) Centerfield ...................................................................... Elva Jensen (528-3382) Axtell ............................................................................ Audrey Boore (528-3309) Sports Writers ...................................................... Doug Johnson, Mitch Peterson Photographers ........................................... Bruce Van Der Riet, Vern Buchanan, Gene Chantry, Peter Goss, Russ Beck Columnists ........................................................ Roger Baker, Corrie Lynn Player LLOYD CALL / MESSENGER PHOTO Ned Jensen, running for Ephraim mayor, and Teri Morris, running for Ephraim council positions, will be on the ballot this November representing two new parties. again, I have never seen an independent person be successful in being elected. “However I have seen the independent voter helping a major party, drawing from the Republican Party rather than the Democratic. I believe it will make a difference in the election and may possibly benefit my side.” The GOP’s mayoral candidate, Lynn Schiffman, said, “As far as I’m concerned, this is great. When I was on the City Council I tried to change the ordinance to make elections non-partisan, but the council chose not to do so. I guess this is the next best thing. Anyone who wants to run as a candidate can.” (Continued from A1) stop. Although an ambulance was called, Wilcox did not sustain serious injuries. There were no injuries sustained by office personnel or patients in the building. According to Gunnison City Police Chief Blane Jensen, the building sustained about $4,000 damage and Wilcox’s car about $3,000. Dr. Dwight Inouye, whose practice occupies the upper level of the building, owns the building. Inouye was able to remove a section of the railing so patients would have access to Larson’s office on the lower level until repairs could be made. Drilled CORRECTIONS ... In the Gunnison News column in last week’s Gunnison Valley Edition , Brett, Gavin, Makell, Taylor and Connor were misidentified as brothers and sisters of Michelle Ashton, who died recently. The column was mistyped. Brett Ashton is her husband, and Gavin, Makell, Taylor, and Conner are her children. The Messenger extends our sincere apologies for the error. A story Sept. 14 on the Central Utah Water Conservancy District raising taxes said that the previous levy was 3.46 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. The story said that with the tax increase, the levy would go to 4 cents per $100. In both cases, we figured the decimal incorrectly. The old levy was 34.6 cents per $100, while the new levy will be 40 cents per $100. Also in the Sept. 14 issue, a caption under a photo of a Lady Hawks soccer game read: “Somebody moves the ball toward a goal sometime last week in a loss against somebody.” The lines were put under the picture as place holders with the intention of filling in the correct name, date and opponent as soon as available. We forgot to fill in the correct information. Wobbly Wheels & Works Mayfield Community Care Center -a non-profit bicycle shopPlease call Ty for more information and how to get involved 340-0040 - Professional volunteers. “Long-term health care that makes a difference” Deadlines, Post Office & Contact Information UPS# 232-020 Wednesday, October 5, 2005 100 North 45 East #6, Ephraim [e-mail] We Feature For Free: Try our Respite Services Whether you need to leave your loved one for 4 hours or 14 days, you can rest assured they will be taken care of by professional, experienced, licensed nurses and certified nursing assistants. Beds are presently available. We Care Call us at 528-3550 for details What do you think? Write a Letter to the Editor • • • • Full Tune Up’s-brakes, cables, derailers, handlebars, Lubrications Repairs-Used and New Parts Tires, and Tubes Weekly Teach-in on Bicycle Maintenance • • • • • Lender-loan Bicycle Program. Child Earn-a-Bike incentive. Volunteer positions. Welding Frames. Building Novelty Bicycles, Choppers, etc. Wobbly Wheels and Works come to your home, we pick up and deliver bikes and bike parts. We are moving into new space and need donations to keep the shop up and running, There is a free pick and choose pile of bikes for the public starting October 1st. We get 60-70 used bikes and parts, and these will be free to the public once the bikes are put together. We at Wobbly Wheels & Works are volunteering our time to the community to give back to you a rewarding service where we exist solely on donations. The folks here at Wobbly Wheels & Works offer the best in bicycle know-how, and the mechanics at hand are trained and capable of all bicycle needs. Parts are ordered at cost, but labor is free. Also, we work with the public with the kids and the members of the community who need bikes, or want to earn a bike by parts donated by the community. We have a full shop and tools, but need donations from you for parts.