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Show A2 Vernal Express Wednesday, March 3, 2004 Opinion and Commentary PUBLIC FORUM LETTERS TO THE EDITOR What is your opinion? The Express welcomes letters from its readers concerning any subject pertinent to the Uintah Basin. There are no restrictions as to contents, if not libelous or vindictive and of reasonable length (two typewritten type-written double spaced pages). Letters must be submitted exclusively to the Express and bear the writer's full name, signature, phone number num-ber and address. Letters for the sole purpose of expressing thanks to individuals or groups will not be printed in the forum. Letters may be mailed, faxed at 789-8690 or through e-mail at editorvernal.com. The name or names of those submitting letters must appear on all published letters. All letters are subject to condensation. con-densation. Letters express the opinion of the writer and are not necessarily the opinion of the Express Editor. T Apology for letter Dear Editor, It is unfortunate that my sincere intentions to provide a service and a forum for the community to voice their thoughts and concerns created such a brouhaha with a couple of people that many people were contacted by them and given some false information. With a request from a candidate for governor for local assistance, coupled with an idea I had for a meeting to discuss issues and candidates that may have an impact on our community in the upcoming election, I scheduled sched-uled an issues and candidate debate meeting. I composed a quick letter on discontinued Economic Development letterhead and sent it to whom I thought would be a good target audience. In the letter, I did not encourage anyone to vote for this particular candidate, but only that I would assist them in local organization. I take full responsibility for this letter, its format, the stationary sta-tionary and the mailing. I want to emphasize that this letter was drafted and mailed without any connection to Vernal City, Uintah County or any of the elected officials offi-cials or management of the same. As with most of us, I'm a great Monday morning quarterback. I now realize the error of judgment in the way that this letter was mailed and how the content may have been confusing. I want to apologize to all the citizens for the misconception. I have personally paid for any and all expenses for postage and supplies for this mailing to assure that no taxpayer funds were used in any manner for this. Although there is one or two who will not accept this as my sincere apology, for the masses that have shown support for me in this, I am grateful. BILL JOHNSON Executive Director," Uin1aTTT75uhty -Vernal City Economic Development Famous dinosaur Dear Editor, I am writing to tell you and Vernal City how much I have enjoyed the different costumes on Vernal's famous green dinosaur. I think it shows Vernal has a sense of humor and that we can enjoy having fun with the best of them. Life can be too serious and too short. Why not take pleasure in it whenever possible. Thanks for the chuckles chuck-les Vernal City. Does he have a name? STACEY SCHN1DER Vernal Parking problem Dear Editor, Last summer with the park manager's permission, I was allowed to park my semi-truck (no trailer) within the park for a couple of days. On the morning I left for work, there was a notice on my truck written by Dan Nantz from the Public Works Dept., stating that if my truck was not moved, it would be towed at 6:30 a.m. that morning. Since then and before then, I have seen numerous trucks both with and without trailers parked on private property (which this is) and in the city limits. I assume none of these were given notice's that they would be towed if not moved. I feel that since he lives in the same park I do, he did this just to have something to do. I had the park's permission per-mission to park within it. The reason being, is it is over 17,000 pounds. I have seen the same type of tractor parked on 1500 West just north of us, I have seen both a tractor and trailer parked south of us, by York Motorsports. I have seen other trucks parked within the city limits on vacant lots and others parked on other private property. f- VERNAL Expn (ISSN 0892-1091) Published every Wednesday lor $24 per year in shopping area and $36 per year out of shopping area within state and $39 per year out of state within USA by the Vernal Express Publishing Company, 54 North Vernal Avenue, Vernal, Utah 84078. Periodicals postage paid at Vernal, Utah 84078. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to VERNAL EXPRESS. P.O. Box 1000, Vernal Utah 84078. Steven R. Wallis Editor and Publisher Virginia Harrington Guest Writer Maureen Spencer Feature Writer Mandi Oaks Feature Writer Courtney Millecam Public Notices Jacque Hobbs Advertising Vanessa Grimshaw Advertising Terri Black Circulation & Classified Ads Tasha J. Robinson Advertising and Layout Phone: 435-789-3511 FAX: 435-789-8690 Website: www.vemal.com e-mail: editorvemal.com NEW DEADLINES News Monday 12 noon Display Advertising Monday 2 p.m. Classified Advertising Monday 2 p.m. Public Notices Monday 2 p.m. I feel this is a double standard because apparently no one else in the city is targeted. I think since he lived in the park I live in, he just found it to be an easy thing to do. He never bothered to contact me or the manager. If he is going to do this to one person then he needs to do it to everyone who parks semi-trucks within the city limits on private property. We called the department and they informed us that it is not the city's responsibility to find a place for trucks to park. As stated in a letter previously, WITHOUT TRUCKS, VERNAL STOPS and will become a ghost town. EDDIE and KAREN PRICE Vernal President-continued President-continued from A1 od with the faculty, staff and board of directors to increase the quality of programs and expand training opportunities for the citizens of the Uintah Basin." He began his interim duties on March 1. Wolf planning meeting set for next Tuesday A Wolf Plan Meeting has been set for Tuesday, March 9, at 7 p.m. in Room 3 at Western Park. For some the answer to the bureaucratic and financial finan-cial nightmare for Utah is to classify wolves as predators preda-tors which they claim they are. Others believe that there should be a plan in place in cases where wolves enter the state from neighboring states. People can provide Utah's Wolf Working Group with their issues and concerns about wolves, and advice on how to manage wolves that may find their way to Utah at the public meeting. Untermann Park Guest Editoral by Tom Elder Dinosaur Gardens was dedicated 25 years ago, on Sept. 23, 1978. Since then, coordinated by the Dinosaur Gardens Committee, Vernal civic groups have been donating their time and talents to care for the park. Life-sized prehistoric beasts lurked among the carefully tended trees, flowers, paths, and benches. However, things change: the dinosaurs will soon migrate across town to their new habitat at our new Field House Museum, opening this summer. This will be the future "Dinosaur Gardens". This presents a great opportunity for Vernal: the value of "old" Dinosaur Gardens may actually increase with the departure of our large prehistoric friends. It will be the first time the park has been so completely open to us. Up until now, when we entered the park through the Field House museum, many of us only occasionally visited the adjacent garden. Now, as tourists shifttheir attention to the new museum, Old Dinosaur Gardens could be re dedicated as a beautiful "new" park for residents res-idents and visitors alike. Why not rename the gardens in honor of Vernal's famous family of scientists and artists; why not call it, "Untermann Park?" The paintings and murals decorating the Field House, next to the gardens, were done by the artist Ernest Untermann, Sr. The senior Untermann's distinctive paintings of prehistoric animals are instantly recognizable recogniza-ble as "Untermanns". People who own "an Untermann" are rightly proud of it; you can see examples exam-ples at Ashley Valley Medical Center, and a few other public places around town. Ernest Untermann, Sr., the artist, became the father of Ernest Untermann, Jr., the scientist. A noted geologist and paleontologist, Dr. G. E. "Ernie" Untermann, was the first director of the Utah Field House of Natural History. He married a young scientist named Billie Ruple. Billie had grown up in Island Park on the Green River, and attained bachelor's and master's degrees in geology geolo-gy and paleontology. She worked as a ranger naturalist at Dinosaur National Monument. In July of 1948, this husband-and-wife scientific team began their work at the Field House. Ernie and Billie literally "wrote the book" (or one of them at least) on the Uinta Basin: "Guide to Dinosaur Land and the Unique Uinta Country" (1972). The book is now a classic, currently out of print. Dinosaur Gardens was constructed over the next few decades, starting in 1978. In the years to come, there are many new ways we could continue to enjoy "Untermann Park." At Vernal's upcoming Wildlife and River Festival this June, we could listen to acoustic music on the lawn (recently vacated by the stegosaurs and diplodocus). Uintah County workers could eat their lunches in the shade of the city's only tulip tree. This summer's tourists could stroll along a self-guiding walking trail around the gardens and county building. Library volunteers vol-unteers for our reading programs could read to children next to the fountain. Untermann Park could be an attraction as important to downtown Vernal as Cobble Rock Park. A little piece of Vernal's history could become the green "core" of our downtown area, helping help-ing preserve the heart of our city. Some other possibilities: Untermann Park could serve as the starting point for Vernal's drive to become designated as a "Tree City USA" by the National Arbor Day Foundation. Students and scientists could find the GIS location for each species of tree and shrub (starting with the tulip tree). This would be the beginning of the database for Vernal's trees. The Tree Board can then continue its project by recording the other trees we have in the parks and streets of Vernal, working outward out-ward in ever-widening circles from Untermann Park. The park could also help in our upcoming participation in the August, 2004 "America in Bloom" contest. Master Gardeners could be invited to participate in the upkeep of the park's flowerbeds; I imagine they would consider it an honor. This is a project that our whole community could support. Every time we drive down Main Street, we would be glad we preserved the green oasis of "Untermann Park" - and we will keep something to remember the old Dinosaur Gardens by. V k I SI IBP WISH IT WOULD STOP RAINING o0 I TUlNldIT JUST DlPy o o - i w mm mu mm i a t i t x f Ds college really worth the cost? by Delmer P. Hyde If you're facing the costs of sending send-ing your children to college or even, perhaps, thinking about going back and getting a degree yourself you may sometimes wonder if that diploma is worth the time and money. What, exactly, is the return on this very large investment? invest-ment? The benefits of a college degree can be measured iboth economic and psychological terms. From a psychological standpoint-there is the benefit of having a greater choice of careers. With a college degree, it is more likely that you'll have access to a wider variety of work that interests you. Another psychological benefit is simply the pleasure of increasing your knowledge of the world. College opens up vistas to new subjects, increases your ability to think through problems logically, gives training in expressing your ideas, and generally provides skills that will be useful both on and off the job. The financial benefits of college In dollars and cents, the benefits of college are clear: Bachelor's degree recipients earn 61 percent more on average than those with only a high school diploma. Over a lifetime, the gap in earnings potential poten-tial between a high school diploma and a BA can exceed $1 million. College graduates earn more than non-graduates even in the same jobs. College graduates have a lower rate of unemployment. Even graduates of a two-year community college can increase their earnings potential by 22 percent. The more education, the greater your income potential. The chart below shows the difference between the median earnings of those who have various degrees: ' Average annual earnings Earnings premium over high school (percent) High school diploma Bachelor's degree 61 percent Master's degree 95 percent Doctoral degree $60,729 142 percent Professional degree 1 84 percent Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Quarterly, Winter 2000-2001. $25,062 $40,387 $48,772 $71,258 Area businesses may be eligible for Enterprise Zone tax credits With the tax season upon us, it is important that qualified area businesses busi-nesses be aware that designated areas of Vernal City, Naples City, Jensen, Lapoint, Uintah and Duchesne County are qualifed as Enterprise Zones and are eligible for State of Utah Tax Credits, according to Bill Johnson, executive execu-tive director of Uintah County-Vernal County-Vernal City Economic Development. There has not been a lot of publicity pub-licity about these tax credits in the past and it is important that those eligible businesses, accountants and other tax preparers understand the substantial tax reduction that can mean, according to Johnson. There are $750 credits for each full time job filled, a $500 bonus if they pay 125 percent of the county average, $750 additional if the business adds value to agricultural commodities through manufacturing manufactur-ing and processing and an additional addition-al $200 if the employer pays 50 percent of an employer sponsored health insurance program for two years. In addition, an annual investment tax credit of 10 percent of the first $250,000 and 5 percent of the next $1 million qualifying investment in a plant, equipment, or other depreciable property. Johnson states, "These credits are available to any business except those engaged in retail trade or by a public utilities business. There are many other credits available as well, as long as the business is located in the proper designated areas. For the most part, these would be all commercial andor industrial areas of the cities and county. All public accountants and tax preparers need to be familiar with Enterprise Zones. I want to make sure all qualified area businesses busi-nesses and industries take advantage advan-tage of these tax credits." "This is money that can be put back into their business or otherwise spent locally rather than being sent off to Salt Lake thus improving the local economic base," Johnson continued. contin-ued. More information call be obtained by contacting Bill Johnson at the Uintah County-Vernal County-Vernal City Economic Development Office, (435) 781-6731 781-6731 or online at http:dced.utah.govincentivesent erprisezones.html. Legislative issue update Bonding and the budget have become the most visible topics on Capitol Hill. While most of the budget has been worked out, legislative leaders and Gov. Olene Walker are still negotiating about several aspects of the proposal for the $8 billion budget. budg-et. Other legislative issues for the week include No Child Left Behind, safety belt enforcement, defining marriage, and medical arbitration. Having weathered much controversy contro-versy and compromise, HB43 No Child Left Behind Options," sponsored spon-sored by Rep. Margaret Dayton, R-Orem, R-Orem, got as far as it will get in this session. The Senate Education committee on Wednesday recommended the bill to the Senate floor, where the Senate voted Thursday to send HB43 to interim study. The bill sought to allow for Utah schools to opt out of provisions of the federal education program where there were insufficient funds. Although pared down from a complete opt out, HB43 still raised concerns about the possibility of losing valuable valu-able federal dollars for Utah schools. After narrowly passing the Senate, SB71 Safety Belt Enforcement, sponsored by Karen Hale, D-Salt Lake, was tabled Tuesday afternoon by the House Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment committee by a 7-3 vote. The bill would have set up a primary seat-belt law for drivers 19 and over. A primary seat-belt law already exists for drivers under 19, but SB71 would have upgraded existing statute to allow law enforcement officers to stop drivers 19 and over only because he or she may not have been buckled up. Although lawmakers agreed that everyone should wear safety belts, many were concerned about infringing unnecessarily on personal person-al rights. A bill to define marriage as only between a man and a woman has already been passed by the legislature legisla-ture and sent to the governor, but a new House Joint Resolution would amend the State Constitution in a similar way. HJR25, sponsored by Rep. LaVar Christensen, R-Draper, passed the House 56-13, with 3 absent, and has been sent to the Senate. A constitutional amendment requires 50 votes in the House, 20 in the Senate before being put to a public vote. A medical arbitration bill that seeks to address the public outcry over mandatory medical arbitration is on its way to the House after senators sen-ators gave their final approval in a 22-5 vote on Wednesday afternoon, but only after the Senate reversed its earlier position that one arbitrator arbitra-tor was better than three to resolve medical disputes. As it did in its original format, SB245, sponsored by Sen. Leonard Blackham, R-Moroni, now calls for a three-member arbitration panel: one to be chosen by the patient, one by the doctor and the third chosen by the other two arbitrators. As |