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Show A2 Vrnal Express Wednesday, April 21,2004 Opinion and Commentary PUBLIC FORUM LETTERS TO THE EDITOR What is your opinion? The Express welcomes letters let-ters from its readers concerning any subject pertinent perti-nent to the Uintah Basin. There are no restrictions as to contents, if not libelous or vindictive and of reasonable length (two typewritten double spaced pages). Letters must be submitted exclusively to the Express and bear the writer's full name, signature, signa-ture, phone number 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. let-ters. All letters are subject to condensation. Letters express the opinion of the writer and are not necessarily nec-essarily the opinion of the Express Editor. T Gin's Gems County travel Dear Editor, It has come to my attention that certain individuals have seen fit to slander my integrity as I acted on behalf of the county. I would like everyone to know I have retained counsel, coun-sel, and I will fight these untrue allegations. If you have any questions about my travel while I acted on the county's work, please contact the county auditor or county attorney, both of whom approved my travel. Please feel free to contact me directly before believing believ-ing idle gossip and slander or have any information to further my endeavor. DAVID J. HASLEM Uintah County Commissioner Landfill fee Dear Editor, Every Easter our family has gone camping on the sand hills south of Vernal. The past few years have been a disappointment. The road to our favorite spot has been littered with pieces of an old trailer house, dead animals and discarded appliances. Gun men go out to target practice and leave thousands of shotgun shells and drink bottles scattered among the rocks and cedars. This year on Uintah County Cleanup Day, we went out and filled both a truck and a trailer with someone else's discarded trash. Included in the load was an old freezer filled with bullet holes. We hauled it to the dump and were told that we had to pay $15 to unload it. The freezer did not belong to us and we were merejy trying to do the community a service. We even contemplated contem-plated taking the freezer back out and dumping it off, but that would have defeated the purpose of County Cleanup Day. We reluctantly paid the $15. We lived in Montana for many years, and you rarely even see a pop can on the -side-of the road there. We were ashamed to move back to Vernal and see the way our public lands have been treated. It's no wonder that people don't want to clean up BLM land. No one will bother if they have to pay. Especially if the trash isn't even theirs. We should be able to have at least one day per year in which free dump day is truly free. GENE WATKINS and MANDY HUDSON Vernal o)o we as Hi ftoo ctrutmclh)? By Virginia Harrington Express Writer As this politically active year heats up, it is perhaps a good time to ask ourselves if we ask too much of our state representatives. We want the best people representing us in our State Legislature. We want people who are wise, fiscally responsible, open to innovation, supportive of our needs and able to deal with diversity. We want solid candidates who understand our issues and will work diligendy to solve our problems. We want a broad slate of intelligent and caring politicians from which to choose when we cast our votes. We also expect them to make significant financial sacrifices on our behalf. Our state senators and representatives repre-sentatives receive next to nothing in monetary compensation compen-sation for their efforts in the Legislature. Each candidate candi-date elected can expect to pay $5,000 or more per year out of their own pockets for expenses incurred during their tenure. This is in addition to any costs that result from leaving their businesses or jobs for six weeks at a time to attend to their legislative duties. That fact greatly affects the number of individuals willing to run for office and limits our choices on election elec-tion day. How many good candidates do we eliminate because they simply cannot afford these costs? Looking at the slate of candidates currently running for Utah Congressional District 55, we find two Republicans, three candidates from fringe parties and no Democrats. Granted, this is a conservative area and a Republican is likely to be the favorite during most election years. But the fact that there is no Democrat is disturbing. It limits the choices offered to the voters and choice is always the mainstay of the democratic process. It also makes me wonder how many potentially potential-ly effective Republicans are eliminated from the race due to the overwhelming financial difficulties faced by incumbent legislators. We are fortunate this year to have two fine gentlemen running for District 55. Either Lynn Runolfson or John Mathis, both Republicans, would be excellent representatives represen-tatives for our area. They see eye-to-eye on most issues and both are willing to make the financial sacrifices we ask of them. Both say they ask only for the opportunity to give something back to the communities that have given them so much. ; .. Will we always be so fortunate'? Will there always be dedicated people willing to make the sacrifice? Or will the time come when we go to the polls only to find there are no choices because we ask too much? Each of us expects to be compensated fairly for the work we do. I think it's time we compensated our legislators legis-lators as well. I like a choice on the ballot when 1 vote. Trooper Talk Stop! In the name of the law! By Senior Trooper Jack Peterson Utah Highway Patrol Recently, I was following a vehicle down the road and for some reason, it started to slow down. Shortly after that, it turned a corner. As I went straight down the road, I noticed there was a school bus on the street where the vehicle turned onto that had its flashing red lights activated. The vehicle that I had been following went by the bus and continued down the street. I thought that this would be a good time for me to talk to the driver. I went to the next corner and went to intercept the vehicle. When I stopped it, the driver told me that she had not seen any school bus. What kind of violation do you think happened when the driver passed the school bus? Many people might say that the violation would be failure to stop for a school bus. My belief is that the violation is reckless driving. The driver had clearly stated she had not seen the bus or the signal. In the UCA 41-6-45, it tells us that reckless driving is when a driver operates a vehicle in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property. Do you think that a driver should be able to see a stop sign that has flashing lights on it from less than 10 feet? I do. VERNAL Expn (ISSN 0892-1091) Published every Wednesday for $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 Vemal Express Publishing Company, 54 North Vernal Avenue, Vemal, Utah 84078. Periodicals postage paid at Vemal, Utah 84078. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to VERNAL EXPRESS, P.O. Box 1 000, Vemal Utah 84078. Steven R. Wallis Editor and Publisher Virginia Harrington Quest Writer , Maureen Spencer Feature Writer Mandi Oaks Feature Writer Courtney Miilecam Public Notices Jacque Hobos 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: editorOvemal.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. More important, do you think that the children that might have been going to or coming from the bus are safe with drivers that fail to notice that sign? That makes it time for us to review some of the laws about stopping for school buses. In UCA 41-6-100.10 it says, 'the operator of a vehicle, . . . upon meeting or overtaking a school bus equipped . . . and displaying red signals from the front or rear shall stop immediately immediate-ly before reaching the bus and not proceed until the flashing red light signals cease operation.' The only release from that requirement is in the same section where it states that ' The operator of a vehicle need not stop upon meeting or passing a school bus displaying alternating flashing red light signals if the school bus is traveling in the opposite direction when; (a) traveling upon a divided highway; (b) the bus is stopped at an intersection or other place controlled by a traffic- control signal or by a peace officer; offi-cer; or (c) upon a highway of five or more lanes, which may include a left turn lane or two-way left turn lane. Here in the Basin, we have a couple of these exceptions. excep-tions. They are very specific and in any case, a driver should be aware that the point of having laws is to protect pro-tect life and property. If there is any question regarding the exceptions, the proper thing to do would be to err on the side of safety. Across the country, statistics show that injuries and deaths to children around school buses continue to rise. The biggest reason for that is that drivers fail to follow rules that they should be familiar with. A driver's need to hurry from place to place is secondary to the rights of children and others to be safe. Could you be one of the drivers that from time to time, challenge the rights of others to be safe in order to expedite your own needs? Bus drivers all over the Basin have indicated that drivers are passing improperly improper-ly more often. They tell us that many children have been put at risk by drivers that fail to stop when they are required to do so. I am not really concerned about your feelings if you should be the driver that hits a child. I am concerned about the child. You should be, too. If you are a responsible driver, you don't take chances with the safety of others or yourself. Think about what you are doing. Many drivers that have injured children can only say that they are sorry. Unfortunately, that doesn't help a broken child. Take the time necessary to protect them! f DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE WEATHER FORECASTS VjS SUPPOSED TO BE fj HP WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS v I i J ' J Uintah County historian named UHS Distinguished Alumna Doris Karren Burton will be named and honored as a Uintah High School Distinguished Alumna for 2004 at the annual ceremony sponsored by the Uintah High School faculty and staff on May 11. She will be recognized at a 9 a.m.. Honors Assembly which will be followed by an Open House co-hosted co-hosted by the school and Uintah County Public Library in the Uintah High School Library Media Center at 10 a.m. She will address the Vernal Area Chamber of Commerce at their noon luncheon held at Golden Corral the same day. j o .... Doris K. Burton will be the 18th recipient to be honorelf with this award. Mrs. Burton has been a lifelong life-long resident of Vernal graduating from Uintah High School with honors hon-ors in 1950. During her high school years, she was elected as Student Body Business Manager, held a seat on the Board of Control and the Associated Student Council, and was active in numerous clubs and organizations including Thespians. Commercial Club, Arts and Crafts Club, Band, Glee, and the Girls' Volleyball Team. Burton's work history is both staggering and comprehensive. She began full time work in I960 as the bookkeeper for Ray's Tire Service. In 1962. she was employed as a bookkeeper and accountant for Superior Tires and H.S. Sowards and Sons Conoco Distributing. She worked as an English tutor for one year at the Vernal Junior High School during 1971-72; then in May of 1972, she began her long-term employment with the Uintah County Public Library, first, as assistant librarian, then as library director where she continued until 1982 when the library expanded and she accepted her current assignment as the Regional History Center director for the Uintah County Public Library. As a well published author and historian. Burton's accomplishments accomplish-ments since high school literally fill pages. She has written 12 extensive volumes including: Blue Mountain Folks: Their Lives and Legends, 1987; Silver Stars and Jail Bars, 1987; Dinosaurs and Moonshine, 1990; Queen Ann Bassett Alias Etta Place, 1992; A History of Uintah County: Scratching the Surface, 1996 (Written for the Utah Legislature for their Utah Centennial History Series); Settlements of Uintah County: Digging Deeper, 1998; Behind Swinging Doors: Colorful History of Uinta Basin, 2001; Blue Mountain Folks: Their Lives and Legends, revised and reprinted, 2003; Stella Karren, 2000; The Rivers We Know: An Anthology of River Experiences, 2002, compiled by Doris Karren Burton and Kathleen Murphy Irving; Uintah County Historical Sites, Vol.1, 1989, co-authored with William Jolley; and Uintah County Historical Sites, Vol. 2, 1996. Adorable Doris as she was known by many doting neighbors and relatives was bom in Vernal to Victor Rae Karren and Stella Marie Boren Karren on March 16, 1932. She attended grades 7-12 in the old Uintah Academy building and the first Uintah High School located where the Vernal Swimming Pool now stands. One year following her graduation gradua-tion from high school, she married her lifetime companion, Troy Burton, in Elko, Nev., on March 29, 1951. They are the parents of two children: Dennis Kim Burton and Julie Ann Burton Bullock. They have three grandchildren (Brandon Brooks, Mandy Brooks, and Brooke Burton) and three great grandchildren (Brayden Brooks, Brennen Brooks, and Quayd Lane). . Along with her many other accomplishments, Burton is a professional pro-fessional poet and musician. She has numerous poems in pamphlets, books, and magazines published locally and nationally. With her husband, Troy who builds fiddles and mandolins as a pastime hobby she has played in dance bands and performing groups at clubs and for parties in many western west-ern states including the Elko Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Riverton, Wyo.; Cowboy Poetry Gathering and Steamboat Ski Lodge Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Colorado, the Fiddlers Association of Utah at the Bryce Canyon Lodge, and at the Colorado State Woolgrowers Barbecue and Convention in Clark, Colo. They performed in Mesa, Ariz., with the Arizona Fiddlers and have presented present-ed several programs in Rangely, Colo. The couple has performed for numerous church programs and are frequently requested at the Uintah and Roosevelt care centers. Burton has been honored previously previ-ously with several prestigious awards and recognitions, among them, the following: Resource of Uintah Basin, given in 1987 by the Uintah Historical Society in recognition recog-nition of her efforts to help preserve history; again, she was recognized in 1 99 1 by the Uintah Arts Council with their Outstanding Recognition Award for personal contributions to the community as an artist, author, and musician; and more recently by Gov. Michael O. Leavitt who presented pre-sented Burton with the coveted Utah Friend of Humanities Award which she received in 1994. Doris Burton is no stranger to community, civic, and church groups. She is a long-term member of the Utah Library Association, Utah Folklore Society, Uintah County Historical Society, Cosmopolitan Federated Women's Club, Uintah Poetry Society, Vernal Area Chamber of Commerce, Saddle Sages Cowboy Poetry Association, and Old Time Fiddlers Association. She served several terms as co-chairman and history specialist of the Uintah County Centennial Commission and is a past captain of the Ashley Daughters of the Utah Pioneers Camp. Burton's church service includes multiple years as LDS Primary president, Primary chorister, Inservice Leader, Primary teacher, counselor in Relief Society Presidency, Sunday School teacher, and president of the Young , , Doris Karren Burton Marrieds. The guiding philosophy of the UHS Distinguished Alumnus program pro-gram is that students are often influenced influ-enced or otherwise inspired and motivated to continue their pursuit of a goal or find a goal for which to reach by the achievements of others. oth-ers. It is the belief of the staff and administration of Uintah High School that alumni of our schools should be recognized as such models. mod-els. Nominations may be made at any time by interested individuals and directed to the attention of the Distinguished Alumnus Committee. The alumna or alumnus nominated nominat-ed should: 1 . Have attended the Uintah High School at least two years. 2. Have graduated from high school at least 15 years before selection. 3. Have distinguished herself or himself personally and in their career by showing outstanding character, community service, leadership lead-ership and excellence in their chosen cho-sen vocation. 4. Not be selected based on sex. marital status, or religious affiliation. affilia-tion. UINTAH HIGH DISTINGUISHED DISTIN-GUISHED ALUMNI 1. E. Gordon Gee -1987 Graduated 1962 2. Paul G. Stringham - 1988 Graduated 1939 3. DallinH. Oaks -1989 Attended UHS 1948-1949 4. Lynn Henry Slaugh - 1990 Graduated 1948 5. Ellen Richardson - 1991 Graduated 1966 6. J. Clair Batty-1992 Graduated 1957 7. Marc L. Mansfield - 1993 Graduated 1972 8. A. Garth Fisher - 1994 Graduated 1951 9. Susan M. Prestwich -1995 Graduated 1959 10. James A. Bowden - 1996 Graduated 1966 11. VaLoy Eaton - 1997 Graduated 1956 12. Nancy L. Jacobsen -1998 Graduated 1978 13. Douglas Kent Hall -1999 Graduated 1956 14. John Lewis Johnson - 2000 Graduated 1957 15. KarlD. Jenkins -2001 Graduated 1954 16. Daniel Quentin Price - 2002 Graduated 1938 17. Lloyd Winward-2003 Graduated 1946 18. Doris Karren Burton - 2004 |