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Show ck ur HnrsoRr -1.6? C 123199 UTAH PRE '.'J ASSOCIATION 307 W ?00 3 (1500 5 16-2- SLC, UT B'1101 Single Copy 50 by Steven Wallis Express Editor The word "tannery" was not mentioned men-tioned at the Uintah County Commission meeting Tuesday it didn't have to be for those at the meeting to understand the reason for a request for more industrial areas in the county. The request by Marie Yoder, Uintah County Economic Development director, was a result of Naples City Planning and Zoning Commission denying the Fox Valley Tannery from coming into the Naples City because it did not meet the zoning requirements. Since the "no go" word from the Naples Commission, Yoder said she has received numerous offers for property to such businesses, but many do not meet the zoning requirements. Right-of-way changes affect public access An 1866 law, which facilitated the migration to the West, was repealed in 1976 and stands at the center of a controversy between federal land managers and counties. When the law that allowed a public pub-lic right-of-way wherever a road was built, was repealed, it was replaced by Title 10 of the Federal ' Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA). The act also directed the BLM to review the public lands under its management to determine which were suitable for designation by Congress as wilderness. "Nearly 10 years later, no BLM wilderness has been designated in Utah ," said David Little, Vernal BLM director, during the Vernal Chamber of Commerce Tuesday noon meeting. FLPMA allows for the creation and development of roads upon ownrDtiy ft by Steven Wallis Express Editor One of the best deterrents deter-rents of crime is a trained to spot and report suspi cious activity. To give residents an edge over criminal activity, the Uintah County Sheriffs Department is implementing a Crime Watch program. The first meeting for block leaders lead-ers will be Feb. 1 at 7 p.m. at the Uintah County Sheriffs Office. Sgt. Linda Johns, Uintah County Sheriffs Department and director of the crime watch program, said there are many people who have already signed up to be block leaders. lead-ers. "Basically anyone willing can volunteer to be a block leader," Johns said. The first meeting will be to train block leaders so they can go back and train their neighbors. Block leaders are not limited to only county coun-ty residents, Vernal City, Naples City and Ballard Town residents are also invited to participate. Training will include what to watch for, what to do once you have spotted suspicious activity and how to secure your home and vehicles. vehi-cles. "This is not a vigilante group," said Johns. "They are extra eyes and ears for law enforcement." In fact, in other counties, Crime Watch Programs have been one of the best deterrents of crime. In at least one area of Fairfax County, Va. which has about 100 neighbor a WEDNESDAY, "There is a definate need for a way to find additional property for industrial development," she told commissioners. "There are areas for heavy and light industries, but there is no water and sewer." She said she is presently looking at a property in the Ballard area, but there is nothing concrete. "Hopefully we can find a home for this business." Commissioner Lorin Merrell said he is disappointed with what happened hap-pened to the Uintah County company. compa-ny. "If there is any way to salvage what happened, I am for it." The Uintah County Commission had $53,000 in an escrow account paid by Fox for the 40 acres of property in Naples for the tannery. The property is located on 2000 South adjacent to the Vernal Municipal Airport. Merrell noted application to the BLM, he said. Last year 16 segments of road in Uintah County were approved for improvements under Title 10 of the new law, Little said. To qualify a road under the old law, or RS 2477, it has to be built before 1976 and improvements cannot can-not change the route of the road. Little noted that Uintah County's proposed Ouray to 1-70 road was under BLM study for approval under Title 10 after the Uintah Special Service District members determined that necessary changes deviated from the original route of the road. The construction of the road was later defeated when Grand County pulled out of the project, and the BLM saw no reason to pursue pur-sue the application. Little said the BLM does not estiaMsDn coinnie waftclh) hood watch groups going burglary bur-glary has been virtually eliminated. Senior citizens in East Mesa, Ariz, can boast there have been "no burglaries bur-glaries in six years" since their group was organized. "Their visibility visibil-ity is bound to be a deterrent to crime," the sheriff of Maricopa County, Ariz. said. Occasionally a neighborhood watch program leads to crime figures fig-ures going up initially because it makes citizens more conscious of crime and more apt to report it to the police. In the long-run, crime is v J Elementary students exit bus to freezing temperatures and a light from the temperate weather of last week. January 25, 1995 that the compnay would bring 30 jobs into the area. Commissioner Lewis Vincent recommended rec-ommended that if there is going to be a zoning change, there should be public hearings on the change. "I don't want someone left out of the process," he said. Yoder noted that the minutes from commission meeting Jan. 11, stated that Mayor Mathis said Naples City was not informed concerning the business going into their city. She said she had notified the Naples City manager about the business, before it was approved by the county coun-ty commission. Yoder said there are good chances of finding a suitable piece of property prop-erty for the tannery, and if the property prop-erty is not found, the county should be on line for other industrial businesses busi-nesses that want to move into the county. .r . .?.. . Vernal BLM director David Little speaks about road right-of-ways. make it a policy to close roads, so existing roads are not threatened, but if improvements or changes are make, they would have to be scrutinized. scruti-nized. Changes which might invalidate invali-date R.S. 2477 are paving, deviation, devia-tion, or extensions. Secretary Bruce Babbitt has agreed to a six-month extension of the public comment period on the proposed changed affecting R. S. see 2477 on page 3 reduced in areas with an active crime watch program. Watch groups also promote "a much stronger sense of community," communi-ty," one participant reported. "People seem to know each other and look out for each other." One convicted burglar said he avoided areas where he knew such groups existed. The signing of the neighborhood that a watch program is in force, can be a deterrent to crime, but is not necessary for the program to Check Ii&ide ' V ' Vernal, Utah 84078 ' -Ml rVr. 'r u" MM li II II iTilW II ..... ' ...mKLbhmA. lhaanBammK.uM Sheriff Detective Wayne Hollebeke and Deputy Vance Norton inventory marijuana taken during search of Vernal area residence. County finds drugs not skulls The Uintah County Sheriffs Department executed a search warrant war-rant at an Ashley Valley residence in search of some antiquities, but instead they uncovered 19 marijuana marijua-na plants. Arrested as a result of the search warrant were Farrell Smuin, 45, and Beth Smuin, 38. Detective .Wayne Hollebeke and Deputy Vance Norton, Uintah County, were assisted by Vernal City Police, BLM law enforcement and Naples City Police. The Smuins were charged with possession of a controlled substance sub-stance and possession of drug para-phenlia. para-phenlia. Officers were informed by a witness that the human skulls were at the residence, but they were not there during the search. operate, Johns said. Eventually as groups become better bet-ter organized and trained, they could become involved in some patrolling. "I would like to be a participant in the first block meetings of crime watch groups," said Johns. "The more feed back we can get, the better bet-ter the program will be." To participate in the Crime Watch Program contact Linda Johns at the Sheriff's Department at 789-251 1. snow a substantial change ' , iesUUtort report .;,.,.p 2 Child advocacy ...,.......pget 8 Hunting changes , ..pa 13 Lady Utea In flrtt .pe 14 TY KJ lllrsg ,....paso 18 Picketers continue despite changes Picketers are not protesting the site for the construction of the Ute Petroleum Gas Station, but rather a cultural center, according to a Jan. 23, news release to the news media from Stewart Pike, Business Committee chairman. The building which is currently under construction is just west of the Ft. Duchesne Cemetery. Picketers believe the construction of the building so close to the cemetery is an intrusion on their sacred burial grounds and ceremonies. cere-monies. The protest began Tuesday last week, after meetings with the tribe failed to curtail the Ute Tribe's construction of the building. "Once the protests began, the tribe decided to change it to a cultural cul-tural center," said one of the protestors pro-testors who did not want to be identified. "Service station or cultural center, cen-ter, we are still opposed to the location." Earlier this week, Pike placed a sign at the construction site which states that it is the location of a cultural center. The location for the gas station is in the existing Bottle Hollow area which is approximately 200 feet northeast of the existing Ute Care Center ends 1994 under budget by Steven Wallis Express Editor The Uintah Care Center spent $200,000 less than it budgeted for 1994, reported Chief Deputy Clerk Auditor, Mike Wilkins Tuesday. Also the Care Center received no nursing care deficiencies during a state surprise inspection of the facility. facil-ity. "This is something I have been working toward for some time," said Rossa Simmons, Care Center director. The Care Center did receive one deficiency because one of the inspector did not like the curtails. During 1994 the 52-bed facility had $1.8 million in operating expenses. It has $1.6 million income from patients. Other revenue rev-enue to the Care Center during 1994 were $366,000 from property taxes, $40,000 from interest on a $1 million trust fund and $18,000 in capitol improvements transferred from the county's General Fund. The $18,000 will be reimbursed for Medicaid and Medicare. Simmons requested that she be allowed to budget $8,000 for a detailed audit to prove an exception 103nd Year No. 4 20 Pages Petroleum. "The Cultural Center will house native arts and crafts of the Ute Indian Tribe," says Pike in the news release. There will be no access into this area except from the west side where the existing Bottle Hollow complex is located. "Vehicle access may be limited to the handicapped handi-capped and the elderly," states the release. There will be an eight-foot high fence constructed along the east side of the project area. There will be a wooden pole fence adjacent to Highway 40. Vehicle access will be through the present Bottle Hollow access. The contractor on the project is U&W Construction, a company 60-percent owned by the tribe and requires 90 percent tribal employment. employ-ment. Despite the announcement concerning con-cerning the project, picketers continue con-tinue to carry signs "Save our sacred ground" and "Our graves are sacred" at the construction site. See map on page 3 with Medicare reimbursement. Presently the center receives $89 per day per patient. Costs to the facility are $36 a day above the maximum allowed under Medicare. Reasons for the increased cost to rural care centers are, with shorter hospital stays, some patients have no other place to go. "So they are sicker when they come in and require additional care," said Van Yeager, Stagg and Associates, a health care advisory company. Yeager said the county is losing about $40,000 a year because it is costing more for patient care. "If we can prove that routine care in 1993 cost $36 more, the Care Center would receive an exception," excep-tion," said Yeager Commissioner Lewis Vincent said he would like the audit to show reasons rea-sons why it costs at the Care Center are more than the minimum. Commissioners approved the $8,000 expenditure. Yeager said there is about a 70 percent chance the Care Center would qualify for the exception., "We will do a preliminary study to determine if it is feasible," he said. ", Simmons said the $8,000 would come out of her budget. |