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Show Ghefk TtMfle Sgt. Roth observes Nero searching Sheriff adds two K-9 units For the past eight years the Uintah County Sheriffs Department has ' had the benefit of a dual-purpose police K-9 service dog. During that time Nero has been successful in assisting police officers offi-cers in removing t large quantity of narcotics .from the streets and ' assisted in several apprehensions of dangerous suspects, thereby making . the community a safer place to live. . The sheriffs department's zero tolerance stand on the war against drugs continues, and feels that it is time to step up efforts in the area. Sheriff Rick Hawkins announces this week the addition of two more canine units to his department to assist in this effort Two new canine teams will now assist Sgt Robert Roth and Nero with canine duties. Deputy Derek Urban will handle Police Service Dog "Monty." Monty, a 6-year-old German shepherd, was previously utilized with Uintah County Drug Court and was donated to Deputy Urban by Ken Wallentine for full-time full-time service with the sheriff's department Urban, prior to joining the sheriff's . department was a United States Marine Corp K-9 handler. Deputy Bevan Watkins will handle han-dle Police Service Dog "Ben." Ben, a 5-year-old Belgian malanois, was previously utilized with Watkins 1 with the East Carbon Police Department Watkins' recent hire with Uintah County and the purchase pur-chase of Ben will allow them to Change in By Steven R. Wallis Express Editor About 100 people attended a information meeting hosted by those opposed to a change in Uintah County . Government last Wednesday, while about 50 attended a meeting by those favoring the change the following night The tension between the two factions, fac-tions, Citizens for a Better Form of County Government and Citizens to Preserve the Traditional Form of County Government is heating up as there are only 20 days left until the Nov. 6 election. Those opposing the change fear that going from a three-member full-time county commission to a part-time seven-member county council will allow "activists" to head county government Those supporting the change contend that ; the change allows more people the opportunity to run for county offices and will make county leaders more accountable to their constituents than to special interest groups. Costs of one government versus the other are also crucial differences being touted by both sides of Jhe issue. Those for the change point at the exterior of a vehicle for drugs. , t . . . p. 'J ,.V- - y " - - - - - - - '? Uintah County Sheriff's K-9 Unit, left to right are: Deputy Bevan Watkins and K-9 "Ben". Sgt Robert Roth and K-9 'Nero" Deputy Derek Urban and K-9 'Monty continue their teamwork for the sheriffs department in the Uintah. Basin. Both canines and handlers have previous experience, are certified and ready to go to work. Having these additional teams should give law enforcement officers access to canine assistance 24 hours a day seven days a week. The canines' superior sense of smell gives them an advantage in narcotics detection, "We have the handlers and the dogs and generally all of the equipment equip-ment already," said Sgt Roth. "We are currently in the process of government issue gets hotter .mmr iiiaiiiuiiiiimiiiiiii?iiiMiiioiw hop ft mli mumjf wm wm m w mimi im 'imri hit rr h - 'm'r iirrrvTi Grand County which has successfully success-fully had the council form of government gov-ernment for about 8 years. Opponents note that since the implementation of the council form of government hi Grand County, the cost to operate the county has increased to $177,158 in 2001. Still the costs are less than Uintah County's operating budget which has increased to $232,700 in 2001, those for the change contend. The majority of the increase in die Uintah . County Commission this year is due to a $10,000 raise each of the commissioners gave themselves them-selves earlier in the year. The bulk of the Uintah County Commission operating - costs are salaries, $144,200 and benefits, $53,300. Other concerns from those opposed to the change in the commission com-mission form of government are the. loss of accessibility to commissioners, commission-ers, a non-elected full-time professional profes-sional manager calling the shots on the day-to-day operation of the county, the perceived inability of a part-time council person to attend securing funds for the purchase of car kennels for the vehicles and then they will be put on the street" In the past the sheriffs department's depart-ment's canine program has primarily primari-ly been funded through private donations. Those wanting to assist can contact Sgt Roth. "I am very pleased that we will be able to utilize three K-9 units in our war on drugs in Uintah County," said Sheriff Hawkins. These K-9s will take the fight to the street and give us an edge on this war." all the meetings on the Wasatch Front and that with the change voters vot-ers will not be allowed to elect the majority of the county council. ' Those supporting the change state that because a part-time council person per-son is in the community making a living, he or she is more in touch with the thinking of the general public. They will be just as accessible accessi-ble as the present commissioners are to the general public, they contend. Also, they claim that a part-time council person can make the sacrifice sacri-fice to attend important meetings on the Wasatch Front. Vemal City Council members do it water board members do it and school board members do it why couldn't members mem-bers of a county council? They support sup-port a full-time manager serving at the will of the council to bring continuity con-tinuity to county government The debate over the pros and cons of the change went on for over two hours Thursday at the meeting hosted host-ed by the Citizens for a Better Form of County Government Many had attended the meeting before and By Steven R. Wallis Express Editor The Uintah County Road Department has discovered a new source of road material and have completed a test road along 1500 West, the Kids Canal Road, with the material. Actually the 1900-foot test road was redone by taking off three inches of the asphalt already on the road. The material was reconditioned recondi-tioned and laid back on the road: For years Uintah County has had a relatively inexpensive source of natural asphalt In many cases road improvements were done by simply overlaying another layer of asphalt. Roads have been overlaid up to four feet thick. "By recycling the material, it gets us out of the mining process," TCiiiree a&restiedl afffteir speedl clhas Three people were arrested Monday after four shots were fired at law enforcement officers during a high speed pursuit in Roosevelt and the west side of Uintah County. Shortly after 6 p.m. Monday, Uintah County sheriff deputies were dispatched to a Lapoint convenience con-venience store concerning a fight in . progress. Deputies were already on another incident of a domestic violence vio-lence family fight call involving a firearm where a man was arrested on several felonies. Deputies took a .380 caliber pistol from the suspect Deputies concluded, after arriving in Lapoint that there had been an argument after some beer was taken from the convenience store. During the argument one suspect allegedly placed a rifle against the chest of the victim. A struggle resulted in which the suspect along with a woman obtained control of the rifle from the victim and fled the scene in a passenger vehicle driven by the woman. An "attempt to locate" was broadcast on the suspect vehicle. Shortly after the broadcast Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Luke Stradinger observed the vehicle in, Roosevelt City. He did a high risk traffic stop on the vehicle driven by the woman. The vehicle stopped for the trooper. As Trooper Stradinger and officers from the Roosevelt City Police Department were giving giv-ing commands to the suspects to turn the engine off, the woman drove off in the vehicle. The officers offi-cers pursued the vehicle in a chase that at times was over 100 mpty Law officers from Uintah County, Utah Highway Patrol, Roosevelt . were opposed to the change. When the meeting was over, some people requested that another be held. In response to public demand for further discussion on the issue, the Citizens for a Traditional Form of Government will be speaking at the Rotary Club meeting, Thursday at noon at the 7-11 Restaurant The Citizens for a Better Form of County Government have open a Campaign Headquarters on Main Street 81 West Main, and representatives represen-tatives will be speaking at noon at the Golden Age Center Wednesday and then at the Lions Club meeting Wednesday evening. Representatives from both groups will be speaking at the noon Vernal Area Chamber Meeting Tuesday, Oct 23, a Nikki's Restaurant Then the Republican Party will host presenters pre-senters from both sides of the issue at a Oct 25 meeting at the Vernal Middle School. The Republican Party meeting will begin at 7 p.m. "I only hope that people will show up to the meeting and become informed," said Roger Hacking, chairman of the Uintah County Republican Party." More fcrreti coming , , page 20 1 31-mile pipeline PS8 8 Food jonmrtn , ,,, ,pege9 Domestic violence --.pax 10 Calling all decorators ...page 14 Hailing update page 21 1 reported John Kay. county road supervisor, Monday to commissioners. commission-ers. "Mining of the asphalt is much more then we have been led to believe," Kay said He estimated the cost at $60 to $100 per ton depending on the amount of overburden over-burden that is removed. By recycling recy-cling the product already on the road, Kay said he saves 50 percent of what the project would have cost if a normal overlay was done. Total cost of the project which goes south from 500 North was $13,200. The cost include a chip seal which was completed Tuesday. The asphalt pit is a good asset as long as it is managed correctly," Kay said. Over the years, Uintah County has' tried cold mix, hot mix, native and native hot mix on county roads. City, Duchesne County and the Bureau of Indian Affairs followed the vehicle. As the pursuit left Roosevelt City limits. Trooper Stradinger saw the back window of the suspect's vehicle vehi-cle explode and advised dispatch and other officers that shots had been fired. Trooper Stradinger pulled out of the pursuit because a tire on his patrol vehicle had been shot. The remaining officers continued contin-ued the pursuit and reported several more shots, allegedly fired at officers. offi-cers. A strip of spikes was laid in front of the vehicle by assisting . officers and one tire on the suspect vehicle was deflated, but still the vehicle continued to evade officers. A second set of spikes was placed in front of the vehicle and two more tires were deflated. The vehicle continued to flee on three rims at speeds between 50 to 70 mph. A third set of spikes was set up and the fourth tire was deflated. . The vehicle continued for another three to four miles running on four rims. When the vehicle was finally stopped, officers determined that .sometime between the deployment of the second and third set of spikes and while the suspect was driving through U.S. Forest property, the man in the vehicle jumped out with the rifle. The woman was taken into custody, cus-tody, and officers found there was a 5-year old child in the vehicle. While officers were attempting to obtain information about where the "suspect had left the vehicle, a man walked up to officers insisting that they leave the area. He was warned several times not to interfere with the investigation. The man persisted, persist-ed, and he was subsequently arrest- ed. Shortly after the man was arrested for interference, Uintah County Sheriff Rick Hawkins, who was already at the scene where the sus- See Chase on page 4 Vernal man arrested for supplying rifle in slaying of police chief A federal grand jury has returned . a two-count indictment charging a Vernal man, authorities believe provided pro-vided the firearm used in the homicide homi-cide of Roosevelt Police Chief Cecil Gurr, with two violations of federal firearms laws. Michael Nelson Swett, 44, was arrested Wednesday at 9 a.m. at his Vemal residence last week by FBI agents and deputies with the Uintah County Sheriff's Department Swett is charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and ' transfer of a firearm to a convicted felon. Each count carries a potential maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Defendants named in the Express online: www.vemal.com J The county will have to evaluate which method will be the best to use in the future. I am impressed with the reconditioning recondi-tioning process," Kay said. "It is not a perfect road, but a good road and I would invite people to drive on it." Kay said he would implement laser guides so the road maintains a good grade. Also he said he would add a little more rock to the reconditioned recon-ditioned product Kay also reported to commissioners commission-ers that the County Road Department is completely computerized comput-erized so at any time a person can see on the computer where a piece of county equipment in being used. It also records the work history on a road. The system is the same that is being used by the Utah Department Jason Vance Christensen -.Wfc.W-. Tauniless Accuttoroop V ;, , . ",': J t ' - ' .. - """"",.. ... v Georgs LeRoy Christensen TU TV . J ,v"JSS ifc - f rr -i Si. ' i KrV indictment are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty in court The indictment was returned Oct 3. Although the indictment was not sealed, it was not brought to the attention of the public until Swett was in custody. The indictment alleges that on July 6, Swett, a convicted felon, had in his possession a Norico SKS 7.62 x 39 caliber rifle, a Sako 7mm rifle, a Savage 30-06 rifle and various vari-ous ammunition. Under federal firearms laws, anyone convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment imprison-ment for more than one year is restricted from possessing a firearm See Arrest on page 4 I COPY ft 1, |