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Show Single Copy f(K Vernal, Utah S407S 112th Year No. 4( Wednesday, November 17, 2004 'www.vernal.com EDUCATION INSIDE I I VMS students go up the climbing wall See B8 tanas program By Virginia Harrington Express Writer When the Uintah School District Board of Education met last week, one of the issues decided upon was the district employee honus program. The total bonus package will not exceed $150,000. It will be distributed in bonus payments of $200 for employees who work 20 hours or more per week and $100 for those who work less than 20 hours per week. Business Administrator J. Randall Upton requested that the bonus checks be paid in November this year rather than in December. A bonus allotment of $213,000 has been allocated for district employees by the state legislature. legisla-ture. That bonus will be distributed distrib-uted in December. By state law, it will be prorated based on the number of hours each employee is hired to work. The board approved Superintendent Wayne Gumey's policy suggestions for open enrollment options. Open enrollment allows students to apply to attend a school outside of their school of residence. Gurney requested that open enrollment be from Dec. 1, 2004 through March 1, 2005. He also requested that each application be considered on a case-by-case basis. Cameron Cuch, Ute Tribe education director and recently recent-ly appointed member of the National Indian Education Association Board of Directors, told the board that he would like to see west side students remain in west side schools, provided the schools are supported sup-ported on an equitable basis with schools on the east side of the district. Board member Joseph Shaffer, MBA, who is currently finishing his two year tenure on the board, told other board members that he has a list of issues he hopes they will continue con-tinue to work on in the future. The first of these is that they must always remember to put the students first. "We're not here for the teachers and we're not here for the parents. We're Evans elected to Senate leadership Senator Beverly Evans elec tion as Assistant Majority Whip in the Utah State Senate makes her the first Senator from Northeastern Utah to be in a leadership position in 25 years. In leadership elections Nov. 9, Senator Beverly Evans was elected by the Republican caucus, cau-cus, made up of the current Republican Re-publican Senators to serve the two-year term as Senate Assistant Assis-tant Majority Whip. Senator Evans has served for 18 years in the legislature, 12 in the House of Representatives and six in the Senate. Leadership elections are held every two years following the general election. "Senator Evans has been a leader in the House and Senate Sen-ate without virtue of position, but is certainly now so recognized," recog-nized," said Lane Beattie, President Presi-dent and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber and former Senate President. "Her new position is one with huge impact on the entire state of Utah. She will be in every leadership meeting in the Senate Sen-ate and House. Leadership sets the agendas and determines the committee leadership. She will be in the heart of those . decisions. There will not be a here for the students," Shaffer stated. Also on his list was the need to continue to support the schools on the west side of the district. "There is an artificial segregation along racial lines," he said, adding, "...during open enrollment we have massive mas-sive movement from west to east. We need to see movement from east to west." Shaffer also stated that the conditions of some of the schools throughout the district are horrendous. He encouraged other board members mem-bers to visit the schools and see first-hand the conditions under which teachers and students must labor. Shaffer emphasized the need for the board to attack the problem of obesity in students. Getting rid of the vending machines that sell sugar-filled sodas and candy to students is one prime way to decrease the weight problem. "Feed them healthy foods," said Shaffer, who is also director of TriCounty Health. Shaffer, who voted against the changes in the extracurricular policy that requires students to have no failing grades in order to participate in activities outside out-side the classroom, asked the board to reconsider their position posi-tion on this issue. He said that the policy doesn't allow for illness, ill-ness, death in the family or any other extenuating circumstances. circumstanc-es. He also said that some students stu-dents who have difficulty doing well academically may do very-well very-well in other areas. However, this policy prevents them from having the opportunity to explore other areas of talent and ability. What it does do, he said, is create a fear of failure for some students. Shaffer said he thinks the test scores in the district are an embarrassment. He linked the low scores to his desire for a merit system for raises and promotions for teachers. He said teachers are currently on a tenure system rather than a merit system for pay increases. If teacher pay were linked to student test scores on a merit system, we would potentially see a rise in student scores. Senator Beverly Evans budget in the State of Utah that Beverly Evans will not have an opportunity to impact." Senator Evans is the first Senator from Northeastern Utah to be in a leadership position posi-tion in 25 years. She was elected because she is respected by her peers as one who has the influence influ-ence and intellect necessary to lead the caucus. See Evans on A6 Ancient Chinese designs. See B12 Helping older adults with decisions. See A12 Gigantic classroom to visitors. See B4 Partners strengthen Connections Program. See A3 1 Halliburton crew removes truck il trucks collide in accident Two Halliburton Services oil service trucks were involved in an early morning accident west of Vernal on Highway 40 Monday. The accident occurred at 4:51 a.m. when the leading truck driver ran off the right side of the roadway. He over-corrected and came back onto the roadway road-way and rolled. Economy shows growth By Steven R. Wallis Express Editor The Uintah Basin is currently in a favorable economic situation, situa-tion, said Michael Hanni eastern east-ern Utah region economist of the Department of Workforce Services. The favorable economic climate cli-mate in the Uintah Basin is being fueled by several factors fac-tors including a growth in the national economy and the high price of oil. $50 a barrel oil is high, but when it is adjusted for inflation, infla-tion, is not as high as it was in the 1990s at $80 a barrel when adjusted for inflation. "High energy costs is like a tax to the rest of the country." Hanni said. "But in the Uintah Basin it means increased activity." activ-ity." Production and development of oil and gas was flat for most of the past two years, he said, but exploration and drilling in the Uintah Basin has skyrocketed. skyrock-eted. Ways in which businesses can compete in a global market is to keep prices of products as low as possible and be unique. Events that have affected the U.S. economy are booming trade deficits, outsourcing of jobs, the dot.com implosion, corporate Additional approved Joseph B. Shaffer, Director Health Officer, TriCounty Health Department (TCHD) announced that the Utah Department of Health reached a decision to add two groups to the already existing priority prior-ity groups considered high-risk. high-risk. These two newest groups include those aged 50-64 and providers of essential community commu-nity services including teachers, teach-ers, EMT's, firefighters, and police officers. Revised priority groups are: children 6 to 23 months of age. damaged in rollover. A .second Halliburton truck came onto the accident scene and was unable to avoid hitting hit-ting the rolled truck which was laying on its right side in the west-bound travel lane. After the second truck hit the rolled truck, it ran off the left side of the roadway. The second truck, driven by John D. Matlock, 25, of Vernal, Michael Hanni, eastern region economist explains local econmic factors at Vernal Chamber Meeting. malfeasance and mergers. "Interest rates are the hand brakes to the economy," Hanni said. "And with the economy moving forward the feds are moving interest rates up to put on the brakes." Two strong areas in the Uintah Basin have been population popula-tion and job growth. He said job rates in Uintah County have been growing fantastically. "As the oil and gas goes, so goes the Uintah Basin," he said. But he suggested the population popula-tion growth will moderate the priority groups for flu vaccine adults 50 - 65 years and older, teachers, EMT's, firefighters and police officers. Also included includ-ed are persons 2 to 64 years with chronic medical conditions, all women who will be pregnant during the influenza season, residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities. Children 6 months to 18 years on long-term aspirin therapy are on the priority list as well as health care workers providing provid-ing direct patient care, out-of-home caregivers and household contacts of children less than Coldwell Banker Weather See A9 received about $2,000 in damage dam-age to the truck and $3,000 in damage to the trailer. The rolled truck and trailer, driven by Derrick A. Hughes, 29, of Vernal, received $50,000 damage dam-age to the truck and $800,000 in damage to the trailer. Hughes was cited for unsafe lane travel. Hughes who suffered possible pos-sible broken bones and bleed- boom and bust swings in the economy. "Unless there is something that will slow down exploration, and the BLM is accommodating, oil and gas will continue to see growth," he said. What the Uintah Basin needs economically is diversification and capital investment into the youth of the area. He said that most jobs of the future, will be "soft jobs" which skilled workers learn in college or with an advanced degree. 6 months of age. Caregivers of those with chronic illnesses, such as cancer or severely weakened immune systems are eligible. Julie Gerberding, Director, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, issued a plea to healthy adults to help cut the potential severity of flu this year by exercising "basic public pub-lic health", including repeated hand washing and avoiding close contact with others when infected. She continues See Flu on A6 ; I - J Wed Tftu I f-n 1117 1118 1119 5234 4732 4422 Mr mm ing was transported to Ashley Valley Medical Center. Matlock was not injured, reported Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Donald Haslem, who investigated investigat-ed the accident. The accident stopped traffic SR-40 Monday morning and limited traffic to one lane for several hours while crews cleared away the rolled truck and trailer. Rod rage on Green By Virginia Harrington Express Writer Officer Jack Lytic with Wildlife Resources at Flaming Gorge responded to an unusual call about 9 a.m. Saturday when a relaxing morning of fishing turned ugly for two anglers. The call to Lytle indicated that a weapon had been brandished in a threatening manner by a fisherman on the Green River. Lytle was quickly joined by Lt. Rick Harrison of the Daggett County Sheriffs Department. As the story unfolded, the officers discovered that an angler fishing from a rock in the river below Flaming Gorge Dam became angry when a boat floated between his perch and the river bank. The angry fisherman fish-erman decided to warn off the two men in the boat by casting his line across their bow. That was an unsuccessful move. One of the men in the boat grabbed the line and broke it. The fisherman then came down off his rocky seat, waded over to the boat and took hold of it, stopping its forward momentum. momen-tum. After an exchange of angry words, the fisherman in the front of the boat asked his fishing fish-ing partner to get a gun out of a bag. Lt. Harrison said the men in the boat told him they felt threatened and needed the gun to show it to the man holding their boat. The angry angler from the rock and his fishing partner were interviewed by Harrison. The men claimed that the gun had been pointed at them. The fishermen who brandished bran-dished the gun said it was not loaded and was never pointed in the direction of the other men. When the boat was taken out at Little Hole three hours later, the gun owner walked up to Harrison and said, "I imagine you fellows want to talk to me," reported Harrison. The man was cooperative and had a permit per-mit for a concealed weapon. The Daggett County Sheriffs Department said the affair has been turned over to the county attorney for possible prosecution. T. M II-- |