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Show -N E W S- Spanish Fork Covering what matters most WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2007 • A7 Bear: : FromDWR^Al couple reported that while walking on the trail they spotted a black bear behind them, it appeared to follow them for a few feet then disappear into the trees. Hound dogs were brought in to aid in the search, and Officer Bagley said they spent several hours that night searching for the bear. "The problem with that was that the bear was using the river corridor for travel, making it hard for the hounds to track him," he said. "And, because hound dogs are hound dogs, once they picked up the sent of a raccoon or cat, that is what they wanted to track." On the morning of Sept. 13, they set up a bear trap in the trail area where the bear was last seen. Bagley said the trap was ineffective "because the bear was using the whole river corridor for travel and not just sticking to one area. So while the bear was on the move, the trap was not." Bagley caught up to the bear around 6 p.m. on Sept. 13. He shot and killed it near the Double R Ranch on River Bottoms Road. According to Bagley, it was a male adolescent black bear and there is no worry of his mother being in the area. "Although the bear showed no signs of aggression towards humans, it was becoming accustomed to humans. When a bear is no longer afraid of humans that could potentially cause problems, which is why we chose to euthanize the bear," Bagley said. The bear will be taken to a taxidermist where his fur will be stripped and several tissue samples will be taken for testing. In addition, they will study the contents of his stomach to see what he had been eating, giving a better idea of why this bear had come down from the protection of the mountains. Officer Bagley would "When a bear is no longer afraid of humans that could potentially cause problems, which is why we chose to euthanize the bear." — Officer Bagley like everyone to be aware of current local bear activity. Please visit to www.wildlifeutah.gov to learn about recent bear activity, what you should do if you see one and whom you should contact if you feel the public or the bear are in threat of danger. Bagley would also like to extend his appreciation to the Spanish Fork Police Department for their constant and much needed help in locating the bear. Courtesy photo NEW ARRIVAL: Ciji Canto holds her newborn baby, Gattin. Canto's husband Tony ^currently serving in Iraq, but was able to participate in Gatlin's birth via web cam. '• • • • Spanish Fork soldier celebrates birth of son — long distance Ciji Canto was admitted to Mountain View Hospital on Sept. 10 to give birth to her baby boy. Although separated by thousands of miles, Ciji's husband Tony did not miss a moment of this joyous occasion. With the technology of a web camera Ryan Baum / Spanish Fork News and the skilled information services team at Mountain View Hospital, the grand entrance of .baby Gatlin was captured and snared by his proud father. Gatlin Canto made his entrance into this world on Sept. 10, weighing 7 lbs. 9 oz., and measuring 20.5 inches in length. Mother and baby are doing well, Tony Canto is currently serving in the 145th Artillery in Iraq. He has been serving in Iraq for three months, and anticipates holding his new baby in June 2008 when he is expected to return home. Tony and Ciji are residents of Spanish Fork along with their two-anda-half-year-old daughter Absidee, and their newest star of the family, baby Gatlin. Election results: From ELECTION • A l is Ward and Jens Nielson. And while those six have been determined, it seems the lingering question today is not so much who came out ahead in the polls, but rather who came out to vote. Spanish Fork reported only 16 percent of voters cast their ballots this past week in the primary election, and despite efforts made by the city, local newspapers, the local television station and of course the candidates themselves, numbers in voter turn out slipped for the third time during the past three election years. In 2003, the city reported voter turnout of 21 percent, and 19 percent turnout in the 2005 election, compared to only 16 percent turnout this year. City Recorder Kent Clark says that while the city has tried to assist with the election process, they cannot force people to vote. "It's their [residents*] right to choose whether or not they want to vote;'1 Clark says. "The more votes we can get . the better. That's the way the government is set up and we need to take advantage of our democracy." Primary Election Results #1,#4 Precinct 67 Matt Barber v #2, #6 : Precinct #3, #8 Precinct #5,#7,#12 Precinct , #9,#10,#16 Precinct #11,#13,#15 Precinct #14 Precinct 94 2 142 135 19 16 34 80 151 57 61 80 7 244 242 24 29 62- 91 9 188 169 54 40 51 146 74 196 49 153 9 164 164 49 42 89 125 104 131 151 239 412 271 358 2124- 2192 1889 11% 19% 14% Jeremy Coe ^fefeJ^ o Rodney C. Dart 152 176 28 14 40 67 48 Richard Money Davis ' C. Timothy Ernst Jim Garside Brian R. Hughes Rosemary H. Jarman — i— Jens P. Nielson Alex Stone Scott Ward • :»v •£>... 51 • 118 153 54 4 56 49 23 15 14 49 24 24 55 396 133 1964 347 . 2108 2587 1031 18% 16% 15% 13% 88 94 141 36 . 7 :;•*.?&-<r 139 1 2 7 - , , . , ••*; 95 87 58 . , / i . 110 91 Totals Ranki 735 46 3 1085 1 1062 ' 292 2 «i 243 10" 348 8 4 6 7 5 665 586 548 623 11 " 9 - -. > Total # Voters Voting $ of Registered Voters % turn out But not all hope is lost. According to Clark, voter turnout in the general election is usually around 37 percent, and he encourages people to take the time to get registered to vote and learn more about the candidates. While the numbers reflecting those who lead versus those who fall behind may seem somewhat set in stone, Clark says, "Anything can happen." The general election will be held on Nov. 6, 2007, and while the odd years are usually designated for municipal elections, Clark notes that this year will be somewhat different due to the governor's mandate to put the school voucher question on the ballot. According to Clark, this means that the county will conduct the election and i control the ballots. The county will also be using the touch screen voting system during the election. While the polling places will remain" the same for residents, Clark wants them to be aware of f the changes, and understand that the whole county — in fact the whole state — will be voting that night. As for the night of the election, Clark says, Spanish Fork residents will .be given a special ballot with the voucher question and the municipal election information on it, while others coming from different parts of the county will receive a ballot with only the voucher question on it. Clark urges people to get out and vote and notes that the campaign signs and signs designating the polling places will again be placed around 2156 13895 16% the city. More information can also be found on the city website www.spanishfork. org. While the general election almost surely promises to have a higher turnout of voters, it's hardly a majority vote. So as the election draws near perhaps this is a good time to be reminded that voting is not only a right, but also a responsibility. |