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Show 2 Yemal ExpreSS Wednesdoy, August 20, 1986 By Jock Wallis II IP I Why a Friday paper? We are frequently asked why we publish a Friday edition of the Vernal Express. After nearly five and one-half one-half years of publishing twice a week, one might think local residents would get used to the idea of a local newspaper published at the end of the week. But we are no different than other areas. Only six other Utah newspapers of the 53 belonging to the Utah Press Association publish more than once a week. Tooele and Brigham City have for many years had two editions of their local newspaper. Price went twice weekly more recently, followed by the Express starting its Friday paper. Later, Richfield became twice-weekly, then Logan and Ogden followed with tri-weekly and semi-weekly papers. Just recently Bountiful has gone semi-weekly. semi-weekly. But last week the Brigham City Box Elder News announced that on Sept. 1 it would cease to publish its Saturday paper. The reason given was the loss of its economic base due to circulars being mailed by outside mailers and the high cost of postage. The Box Elder News has been one of the outstanding newspapers in the state. It has been owned by the Claybaugh family for years. We don't like to see a city such as Brigham City Ci-ty lose its weekend newspaper. Weekend newspapers have had a struggle with their advertising base. Unless a large business is progressive enough to promote Saturday and Sunday Sun-day or Monday and Tuesday specials, a weekend paper has a limited advertising adver-tising base. A semiweekly weekend paper keeps news current, where a one issue a week paper oftimes has week-old news and an emphasis on events that happen during the first two days of the week. Also, an end-of-the-week paper evens out the work load of production and gathering news throughout the week. But financially, weekend papers don't have an adequate advertising base. Like the guest editorial from the Box Elder News, appearing on this page points out, when large outside direct mail concerns like Advo come into an area, it siphons off money that used to help support the community newspaper. Direct mail companies and shoppers aren't concerned with community activities. ac-tivities. They don't care about local information. in-formation. They don't hire reporters, make reports on city, county and school board meetings. They don't have to take pictures of beauty queens, auto accidents, awards, club events and school and sports activities. Information Infor-mation concerning weddings, anniversaries, anniver-saries, births, deaths, injuries and achivements are not their concern. So what can be done? Community newspapers need your support. First you can support those businesses that advertise in your community newspaper. Tell the manager you appreciate ap-preciate his business advertising at home. Advertising dollars spent with outside out-side companies at the expense of local businesses take away the ability of community newspapers to do their job effectively. When the costs of running a community com-munity newspaper increases beyond the availabale income there is only one thing to do. As in the case of the Box Elder News, it will cease to exist. In other weekly newspapers, cuts will have to be made in hiring the necessary help to do a good job. Reduction in size and the number of employees is a hard decision to face in any business. It is disheartening to take a backward step instead of moving mov-ing forward. Vernal has always supported its newspaper. This is why the Vernal Express Ex-press is one of the oldest businesses in the area. We plan to continue to be a strong voice in the support, promotion and development of our community, no matter what the current times bring. But it is with concern that we see a rapid transition in our modern computer com-puter generated, information directed society. We believe newspapers are here to stay. The printed word is a permanent record, available at one's reach to study and compare and remind its readers of the events and activities on one's community. Our aim is to get more readers involved in studying issues and events that take place in their community. To be informed is one of the greatest freedoms we possess. The right information infor-mation can determine the success or failure of individuals, businesses, communities com-munities and any governmental entity. A healthy free press at the grass roots of each community is one of the strongest tools in a democratic society. . - - We appreciate our local support. We plan to be here to give you twice weekly week-ly news as your community newspaper for many years to come. Guest editorial It's painful to announce News' death Box Elder News It is painful to type the words. Effective Effec-tive Sept. 1, the Box Elder News will die as a Saturday publication. The details are continued in a front page story today. It is not a decision of choice. It is one of necessity-economic necessity-economic necessity. You see, the chief source of revenue . for a newspaper is retail advertising. When that income diminishes, so does the company's ability to remain financially finan-cially healthy. The Box Elder News and Journal have fallen victim to the same development as other weekly Vernal Express (USPS 6580-8000) Published 'y Wdnttdoy ond Friday for S 1 8.00 pr ytar in thopplng aro and $28 00 par yor out of thopplng grta within itoit ond $30.00 ptr ytar ovi of tiait withm USA by ih Vtrnol Ep'n Publishing Company, 54 North Vtrnal A'tnut, Vtrnal, Utah 84078. Sttond (Ion pettagt paid ol Vtrnol, Utah 84078. POSTMASTER Snd odd'tit change to VERNAL VER-NAL EXPRESS, P.O Bo 1010, Vmol. U'ah 84078. Joclt R, Wolln .Pwbli.hif $! R, Wolln .fditof Aldon Roihflf ............. Spam Editor M'!t Young f oV Editor Janet 0. Wollit ............. Ad"nng Su Ann Robinten .......... .Adtnning Nell Curf . . , .G'tutdtion od Claused Adi Nancy Cs'ton Accounting PM 7893511 Member of Utah Ptit Auodo'on cd National Nfwtpoper Allocation A'ea t8r?pondenH: Jen(n ........... .Veo S"o, 789-C68 Monila ....... Cars Robeson, 784 Ji&J Nop'ei Ada Cpe"sha, 789 JUS Tndel ......... ,iVna Mr.t, WWA topoinf ....... . Arda rVW.e'd, 247-23?$ Mo ............. E"'d Met'th, 78) 3153 Wti.te-otW . . .Vi-ga rVjuioo, 353-4514 Cfd Wtd-fiday Ed 'ol tUi Vcday S DO p m. Ad'e'S"" Tujdaf II C'O a f'idpy ld'o Nti m.-.thy 13 CO a Ad'r';sg Ti'ifidcif 1 DO (s . A 'sugar' of a football game set One of the sweetest football games in Uintah High School's history will be played Aug. 29. Not only is it planned to be the first game at the new football field and it is against the Utes' top rival, the Union Cougar of Roosevelt, but school district crews are putting sugar on the field. About 15 pounds of sugar is mixed in 100 gallons of water with four other chemicals, similar to dish soap, to soften the ground and add nutrients to the grass. Ted Taylor, Uintah District maintenance and transportation director, said he was concerned that roots in the newly laid grass would not be deep enough to play the first game. "The experts on playing fields from B YU are saying the mixture willi improve the field," Taylor said. The sugar mainly act as a nutrient. There will be no admission charged to the first game that will start at 7:30 p.m. and there will be an open house for the new high school prior to the game. The open house will begin at 5 p.m. and go until 7 p.m. "This is our way of showing appreciation ap-preciation for the people's support of the new high school," Superintendent Phil Ellis said. "We hope this will be the largest crowd ever to see a football game in Uintah County." Ellis said the open house would give people from Duchesne County a chance to see the new facility. The official of-ficial dedication of the building will be Sept. 18. The Utah Fire Marshall is still evaluating some final items that newspapers. A direct mail company known as Advo has siphoned off much of the advertising dollars that traditionally tradi-tionally have gone to local newspapers. It has reached a point where this home-owned company can no longer afford to put out two publications each week. The News is most vulnerable because it simply hasn't been paying its way. The cost to print and distribute it has for a long time been greater than the revenue which it generates. We hope merging it with the Box Elder Journal will result in a more viable, at least break even operation. This is a difficult stop for us to take. It has been our continuing ambition for many years to serve Box Elder county coun-ty with the best community newspaper within our ability to produce. It has required re-quired a lot of extra hours and effort on the part of the editorial slaff and other News and Journal personnel. Hut we've been willing to pay this price for the satisfaction of putting together two of Utah's top weekly newspapers. Cutting hack to one publication a week runs contrary to what we've tried to achieve In terms of news timeliness. It pierces our Journalistic conscience to the quick. It means the loss of valued personnel person-nel and other cutbacks which are not to our liking. Hut the economics of our dilemma must be served. We appreciate those businesses which have continued to advertise with us. It Just hadn't been enough to sustain sus-tain two newspapers. The News and Journal s plight is not for lack of abilily to compete ilh Advo. Ad-vo. On the contrary, we now offrr a price equal to or belter than those paid by the supermarkets to have their ads mailed Id Jour homes rath Tuesday. We've made contacts i!h those responsible f r advertising decisions for .Safeway, Ornish's Food King and Krnl lint no mailer They haven't b'i'ltfd. The Humpy thry spend to advertise in Hrifcham t'ily continues to flow out of this community to a corporation cor-poration whkh could care less alKHit 1 al schools. I'rach Da. Ihecounty l,nf. a ni'.vi awards. ITA rm.4 wed dings. h st hml m and all of the tttliff nt" which the Journal and News hate so lrg tailored Id bring ti MAKEf? BASS SUSPICIONS COMF1 RMED 1 y T o Jr ' WHAT ARE THEY THROW I AT US NOW P WELL I THINK ITS SUPPOSED TO On A COnr- ' O 3 I NEVER ATE A FROG-IN NAY LI need to be completed before school starts Sept. 2, but Ellis said all that is left to complete are 'touchup' items. The new football field faces north and south with the stands facing west, so the first part of the game will likely be viewed f acing the sun. "Bring your hat and dark glasses for the first hours of the game and enjoy en-joy a nice game," Ellis said. THE VOICE OF BUSINESS S.O.S. Tax Reform Weekly crop and weather report Scattered showers slowed the fast pace of grain and hay harvest in some areas, but by the end of the week, many counties reported winter wheat and barley harvest completed, according accor-ding to the Utah Agricultural Statistics Services report. Many good yields were reported, but most were average. At the end of the week, winter wheat harvest was 79 percent complete statewide compared with 81 percent in 1985 and 68 percent for the 1982-85 average. Barley was 73 percent harvested compared with 72 percent in 1985 and 54 percent average. Spring wheat harvest was 51 percent Waders... Continued from page 1 as mucn as a foot an hour and at various times of the day. "The river is extremely deceptive," decep-tive," Jarvie said. Jarvie said that days before the incident, in-cident, he had issued several tickets to persons rafting the river and was met with strong opposition. "People don't accept a ticket for not wearing a life jacket on a novice river. People should realize that it is still dangerous." A ticket for not wearing a life jacket while rafting down the river will cost the violator $25, whether or not the restriction will be extended to those fishing the river with waders will be determined at the meeting of Forest Service personnel this week. "All floaters and fishermen should recognize the danger involved with chest waders. They should be constantly con-stantly aware that flows in the Green River, below the dam, may change at any time," warns Lee Skabclund, U. S. Forest Service. Sheriff Jarvie recommends that fishermen plan on getting their pants wet, rather the risking it with waders. its readers. Advo doesn't cover school board, county commission and city council meetings. It doesn't spend a day out west getting pictures and information for a story about West Desert pumping. Have you ever seen Advo feature a Yard of the Month, promote redevelopment, tell taxpayers about budgets and zoning, announce new businesses or tell w hat's happening In the local courts? Clubs don't call Advo to take a picture pic-ture at 7 a m. or 10 p.m. You'll never see Advo walking the sidelines at a high school football game with camera and clipboard, or holding the press for a late obituary, Advo just creams off the advertising revenue by mailing out inserts. It doesn't even have to label them. Yes. we are cynical. We've worked darned hard and taken pride in the job we've done We've loved doing it. Now we re forced to take a step backward and it's touth not to feel resentment at the primary cause for it. Think about if the next time ynu lake tlnKe colored advertising inserts from the rnailNn nn Tuesday. complete compared with 54 percent in 1985 and 35 percent average. Oats harvest was 31 percent complete-behind complete-behind the 51 percent last year and ahead of the average of 25 percent. Corn progressed well, with over 80 percent per-cent tasseled and 26 percent in the dough stage. Second cutting alfalfa was 91 percent per-cent complete, statewide, and third cutting had begun with 6 percent harvested. Peach harvest was underway along the Wasatch Front. Pears and apples are gaining size nicely, with harvest expected to begin in early September. Topsoil moisture was generally short although showers have helped maintain the middle to higher elevation eleva-tion ranges. Lower ranges have dried fast and some are not providing enough feed to maintain weight on livestock. Grasshopper damage is light. Livestock are in good to excellent ex-cellent condition. by Richard L. Lesher, President Chamber of Commerce of the United States The essence of tax reform was best defined by Senator Russell Long 10 years ago: "Don't tax you, don't tax me, tax that fellow behind the tree." In the current quest for tax reform, it is beginning to look more and more as if that fellow behind the tree is wearing a business suit. The House bill would raise corporate taxes almost 45 percent and the Senate bill, including the latest corporate tax increases offered of-fered by Senate conferees, would raise corporate taxes about 30 percent. This is a surefire prescription for economic disaster. At a time when business is striving to modernize and improve its competitive position in international in-ternational commerce, Congress is considering a draconian raid on corporate cor-porate treasuries. The basic concepts of tax reform wholesale elimination of loopholes and reduction of basic rates are sound. They would have a dramatic effect on the economy, spurring investment and consumption, providing groundwork for long-term economic growth. But not if Congress first pounds business on the head with a sledgehammer of massive tax increases. in-creases. The very possibility of this is already shaking financial markets. Our nation is at a crossroads that will determine our future for a long time to come. This crisis stems from Congress' failure to comprehend the implications of what it is doing. This is no routine tax reform, shifting goodies around among competing interest groups. Rather, it is an attempt at fundamental fundamen-tal change of the very concept of taxing; tax-ing; change that would radically alter the way businesses and individuals work, invest and spend. But Congress refuses to consider this in its projection of revenues. Using Us-ing traditional assumptions, it concludes con-cludes it is facing a major shortfall. Having erected this straw man, it is now scrambling to swat it down by hiking hik-ing taxes on business: This approach will surely make prophecy pro-phecy of a revenue shortfall self-fulfilling. self-fulfilling. It will avail us little to reduce tax rates if, at the same time, we launch a massive assault upon the financial base of business. Capital will flee our shores like rats from a sinking sink-ing ship. And I hasten to add that we all have a vested interest in the structural struc-tural integrity of this particular vessel. Teachers, have you done your homework for retirement? When it comes to choosing the In-st retirement plan. t you're faced with f I some pretty touch i iiiii'st ion I !ut the questions. Hut the only rifiht answer may be a Tax-Sheltered Retirement Savings 1'rograin from IDS. Bruce K. 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