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Show Covering what matters most WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2009 • A7 Dispute settled by State Be sure to register for Records Committee SF City's reverse 9 1 1 Hilarie Orman STAFF WRITER Have you ever seen a sheriffs department patrol car hurtling through your neighborhood and wondered "what's that all about?" How would you find out? The answer to that question has been a matter of dispute between the Spanish Fork News and the Utah County Attorney's Office for several months, but the matter was settled last Thursday by the Utah State Records Committee. \ The News has worked with the Sheriff's Office for a year to find a way to get information about police activity in Woodland Hills. A case in point was a motorcycle accident in April of 2008 on Woodland Hills Drive. When phone conversations with the deputies failed to produce any information other than that an accident involving a motorcycle had indeed occurred, the News filed a request for records (a "GRAMA", as described in Utah state law) with the Utah County Attorney's Office. The Assistant County Attorney denied that request on the grounds that all records regarding police activity are "protected" and not available to the public. During the next 6 months, in trying to find out how to get timely information about Woodland Hills crime reports, the News talked to several people in the Sheriff's Office and met with Lt. Dennis Harris, the public relations officer. They agreed to send out a weekly email report summarizing all calls in the city. However, the information was not the actual police report, but an edited synopsis. The News continued to seek full reports. In September, the News filed another GRAMA for the motorcycle accident report and another asking for the report concerning a trespassing incident. Both requests garnered denials, but the denial concerning the motorcycle accident now included information indicating that charges against the driver were pending. The News appealed those decisions to the Utah County Commission. In December the Commission heard the appeal and denied it. In January of this year the News appealed to the State Records Committee, pointing out that "initial contact reports" are public documents specifically mentioned in the Utah State Code. At the hearing last Thursday, Nate Carlisle of the Salt Lake Tribune spoke to committee in favor of access to the records, noting that Utah County had not stated any grounds for classifying police records as "protected." The State Records Committee voted unanimously in favor of having the records released. The Deputy County Attorney, Dianne Orcutt, agreed that the reports were public and would be released to the News or any member of the public in the future. Namon Bills / Spanish Fork News SPEAKING OUT: David Bailey, a Lake Shore resident with the Utah Farm Bureau tells meeting participants about options to protect their land. Waste transfer station plans a hot issue at CRU meeting Namon Bills EDITOR Over 100 residents from Palmyra, Benjamin and Lake Shore attended a meeting held by Citizens for Rural Utah (CRU) Monday, Feb. 9, 2009 at Riverview Elementary. 'Members of CRU presented a historical overview of the county's plans to build a waste water treatment plant in Palmyra and relocate the solid waste transfer station from Springville to Palmyra. They also presented initial arguments against the proposals for both facilities and organized into committees ,to prepare for an April 22, 2009 meeting with the county commissioners at which they will present their case. Palmyra resident Hayden Dain gave a presentation outlining a number of problems with the county's current plans. He questioned why 240 acres were purchased for the proposed sewage treatment plant when the plant would only be six acres in size. He also listed a number of reasons why the choice of Palmyra for a new transfer station is "really a poor site." Dain said the choice of the site goes against recommendations from a URS/ WIH study in that it was the furthest considered site from 1-15 (2.5 miles), and the current site is inconsistent with the industrial na- ture of the transfer station. Dain said the traffic on 4000 South would increase by 300 garbage trucks per day, and the additional fivemile round trip per vehicle would represent a significant cost to taxpayers. Furthermore, since the current site is not developed, there would be additional costs of setting up power, water, natural gas and even sewer at the new facilities. Dain suggested an alternative site near the Utah County Jail in Spanish Fork. He said there was plenty of space and it would alleviate traffic problems and reduce additional costs. But, said Dain, the transfer station doesn't even have to move. According to his findings, there's plenty of land that the transfer station already owns surrounding its current facility. 'They can stay right where they're at," Dain said. Another key issue discussed at the meeting was the proposed widening of 4000 South, which would accompany the move of the transfer station and coincide with a Nebo Corridor plan to run the expanded road through Benjamin to Pay son. Dain said the narrowest alternative is a 105' width. "We're talking at least three times the [current] size, no matter what way you look at it," he said. David Bailey, a .Lake Shore resident with the Utah Farm Bureau, has participated in planning meetings for the Nebo Corridor. He said the plans are based on projected population growth over the next 40 years and that the current proposal would put the route between 3200 and 3600 West through Benjamin and Lake Shore before it bends over to connect to 4000 South in Palmyra. 'They want to acquire right of ways now and get land cheap that doesn't have buildings on it," Bailey said. He suggested that residents could establish Agricultural Protection Areas (APA), which would limit what could be done to their land. Bailey said a minimum of 40 continuous acres is required to establish an APA, but multiple property owners could go in on it together. He said the process is simple and the application can be found on the Utah County website, www.co.utah.ut.us, or at the Utah County offices. "There's a lot more land out there that could be put in Ag Protection Areas that could help stymie these roads," Bailey said. Eldon Neves concluded the meeting by organizing committees to address various areas of concern in preparation for CRU's April 22, 2009 meeting with the county commissioners. CRU will hold another community meeting in mid March. Jen Allen STAFF WRITER numbers and residents to log onto the website www. spanishfork .org/newsevSpanish Fork City is ents/news so that they too implementing a new Emer- can be part of the system. gency Contact program. The Reverse 911 program Essentially, the program is called such because a allows for officials to send warning message is sent. out notification or instruc- The recipients can then tions via cell phone or land acknowledge that they line in casexof emergency. received the message The cost of the program is by pressing 1 during the free to Spanish Fork City phone call. for the next few years beThe council and city cause of a grant that the staff showed off how the county has received from new system works during the Federal Government. the second council meetThe funding came in the ing in January. During the form of a grant from the presentation being given Department of Homeland by Don Thomas, city adSecurity. The main short- ministrators sent a test coming of the program is message to the council that messages will only be members. One particularly sent to those registered on helpful feature of the prothe website or found in the gram is that it can group phone book. Officials are certain numbers so that pushing for those unlisted only certain registered or listed numbers receive the message. This allows the city to specify certain regions of the city that may be affected or even send an initial message to CE.R.T. members so that they can then spring into necessary action. Additionally the program can select specific groups that administrators choose to send particular messages to. Jokingly the staff and council talked about putting in the numbers of baseball coaches so that when games were cancelled for rain, they would be the first to receive automatic notification. Officials are quick to mention that this will be used only for the betterment of the community and not for any other outside purpose such as telemarketing schemes. Hypertension is reduced through chiropractic care Researchers at the Hy- half a millimeter out of pertension Center at the line - it doesn't cause any University of Chicago pain but it upsets these Medical Center have re- centers," said Dr. Brad ported reductions in the Shepherd, of High Five blood pressure of patients Chiropractic in Salem. afflicted with hypertension X-rays confirmed that through chiropractic care. the chiropractic adjustThe study was published ments actually changed in the March 2, 2007 issue the position of the atlas of The Journal of Human vertebra among those in Hypertension and featured the study group. on WebMD. 50 patients 'The study leader rewith hypertension were di- ported that the procevided into two groups of 25 dure had the effect of not each. One group received one, but two blood preschiropractic care; the other sure medications given in did not. After eight weeks combination. And his team of care, the 25 people in the reported no side effects group receiving chiroprac- whatsoever from the adtic adjustments all showed justment," said Shepherd. a significant reduction in Hypertension, or high blood pressure compared blood pressure, is wideto the control group. spread among adults in "As noted by the chi- the United States. And, if ropractor who performed uncontrolled, it can lead on the study team, at the to heart and kidney failure base of the brain are two or a stroke. According to centers that control all the the American Heart Assomuscles of the body. If you ciation, nearly one in three pinch the base of the brain adults suffers from hyper- if the atlas gets locked tension . However, many in a position as little as a are unaware that they are afflicted making high blood pressure the "silent killer." Even with the overwhelming results, the authors of the study posed several questions of their own in the WebMD interview. They wanted to know why blood pressure was reduced. What caused the reduction? What is the relationship between the misaligned atlas vertebra and hypertension? "Chiropractic care is a maintenance program for the nervous system. If the nervous system is free of stress and operating at peak efficiency, it can lead the body to do incredible things. This study begs for further research. While man struggles to create new and better technologies on a daily basis, we continue to find that the human body is the greatest technology on today's market — let's take good care of it," said Shepherd. Jensen named finalist in third annual Stevie Awards in L.A. Agel Enterprises' Dar- Center of the Year, Award ren Jensen was named a for Innovation in CustomFinalist in the Worldwide er Service, and Customer VP of Sales of the Year Service Department of the category in the third annu- Year; as well as 41 categoal Stevie Awards for Sales ries for sales professionals, & Customer Service. ranging from Global Sales Nicknamed the Stev- Leader of the Year to Sales ies for the Greek word Training Program of the "crowned," winners were Year to Sales Department announced during a gala of the Year. banquet on Monday, FebMembers of the Awards' ruary 9 at Caesars Palace Board of Distinguished in Las Vegas. Nominated Judges & Advisors and their customer service and sales staffs selected Stevie Award executives from the U.S A . winners this week from and several other countries among the Finalists. Finalattended the event. ists were chosen by business worldwide More than 500 entries professionals from companies of all during preliminary judging. sizes and in virtually every "Being named a Finalindustry were submitted ist in the Stevie Awards for to this year's competition. Sales & Customer Service There are 27 categories for is an important achievecustomer service profes- ment," said Michael Gallasionals, including Contact gher, president of the Ste- vie Awards. "It means that indejpendent business executives have agreed that the nominee is worthy of international recognition. We congratulate all of the Finalists on their achievement and wish them well in the competition." Darren Jensen attended the event with his family. "It was an honor to represent Agel at the 2009 Stevie Awards," said Jensen. "Being one of the select finalists for the Worldwide VP Sale Leader of the Year is an incredible honor. Even though this is an individual tribute, it was only accomplished by a team effort. I especially want to thank my family, the employees and management of Agel, all of which have greatly contributed to my success." Andrews: I be rewarded when people help" me? Everybody in town should be rewarded." helped me with this and Andrews will be 82 in that's why I can't take any July and shows no signs credit." of slowing. When it comes When she found out she right down to it, she does would be receiving the Su- what she does because per Fan award, Andrews' she loves the kids and she response was, "Why should loves to help. ANDREWS « A l "I just love to do things for people " she said. Andrews said she's gotten a great response from the athletes and coaches at SFHS. ( They all treat me with respect," she said, "not like a lady that goes around and steals cans! |