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Show Vernal Express Wednesday, December 6, 2006 A3 School board finds funds for busing The Uintah School District Board of Education recently approved the use of undistributed undistrib-uted reserve funds to pay for busing this year if necessary. About $200,000 may be pulled from the $1.8 million "rainy day," or reserve, fund. This year the state allocated $1.5 million to the district for busing. Randy Upton, the district dis-trict finance administrator, said right now the district is using this money to bus all students, stu-dents, including those within the 1.5 mile range for which the district is not reimbursed by the state. As a result, by the end of the year, the district will more than likely be in the red. While the district is still looking look-ing at other options, the undistributed undis-tributed reserve funds are now available to finance a busing deficit "We'll have a better indica tion come spring time," Upton said concerning whether or not the funds will be needed. Besides finances, the district faces several other busing challenges chal-lenges including a shortage of bus drivers and an increase in student enrollment However, an increase in student population popula-tion could work in their favor because the state allocates money to school districts based on enrollment. A large crowd gathers in the cold at Cobble Rock Park Saturday morning, hoping to win turkeys. Turkey Days gives away nearly 300 turkeys Over 60 area merchants and community members donated turkeys for the 34th annual Turkey Tur-key Days this year. In all, 270 turkeys were given away, half of them on Nov. 18 before Thanksgiving Thanks-giving and the other half this weekend. Dozens of people showed up at Cobble Rock Park Saturday morning in the cold to participate partici-pate in Turkey Days, organized by the Vernal Chamber of Commerce. Chamber members passed out numbered tickets to those over 18 and Brian Gorum, : i J OTTOrj WMIII,!II"IWW G imm, If Pictured left to right are members of the X-High Riders, Dan Menuey, Mike Davis and Rick Green, and Naples Fire Chief Brett Reynolds. Motorcycle club donates $2,300 to help children By Janine Shannon r.. uju, crri ' 'v -.(.:, ? ' ui 'uu -iw The X-High Riders motorcycle motorcy-cle club recently donated $2,300 to buy toys this Christmas for children in need. The group raised the money through a raffle and "poker run" held this September and gave $800 to the Naples Fire Department, $750 to the Roosevelt Police Department and $500 to the Vernal Police Department for "Shop with a Cop," and $250 to Shriners Hospital for Children. About four years ago, the Naples Fire Department purchased pur-chased toys for one or two children, chil-dren, but by last year that number num-ber had increased to 35. Now, each fireman or tirewoman in the department is assigned to a family for which to purchase food, clothes, and especially toys. All gifts are delivered sometime some-time before Christmas by "Santa," "Mrs. Claus," and fire department volunteers riding on fire trucks. Families generally gener-ally do not know they are coming, com-ing, and children are as much excited about the fire truck as they are about the gifts. Naples Fire Chief Brett Reynolds said the project has become more of a Naples City effort, with city entities also contributing. The X-High Riders, he said, donated without with-out even being asked. On behalf of the fire department he wanted want-ed to thank the club for their generosity.? jr fv- - The- X-High Riders formed about . 16 years ago, and although the number of members mem-bers has dwindled in the last few years, the X-High Riders continue to support local charities. chari-ties. In the summer they do a poker run every month, raising rais-ing an average of $500 per run. In April, they donated to the DARE program and in May they donated to the Garfield County Youth Center. Collecting money for the holiday hol-iday season, however, is their biggest project. In years past, the X-High Riders organized "Toys for Tots," where they bought, wrapped, and delivered presents themselves. A couple of years ago they started donating donat-ing money to similar projects instead. The poker run is a motorcycle motorcy-cle ride that includes five stops, where riders draw one card at each stop. A hand costs $10 and three hands cost $25. The winner win-ner of the hand gets 50 percent of the money and the other 50 percent is donated to charity. Winners usually donate their winnings back into the pot. In September the X-High Riders rode to Dinosaur and Rangely, also selling raffle tickets tick-ets at each stop for items local businesses donated. This year about 70 riders participated. Vernal Police Blotter for week 112506 Domestic Violence: Officers responded to a local motel in reference to a fight in-progress. During the investigation, it was determined that the fight involved a married couple. Officers Offi-cers learned that the female had been punched in the face several times, and had been thrown up against an interior wall within the motel room. Eyewitnesses to the incident also advised that the female victim had been thrown out of the apartment and into the parking lot The male subject was subsequently arrested for Domestic Violence and Interfering with an Officer. 112906 .; Criminal Mischief: Officers received a complaint from a local citizen who advised that while driving in the area of 100 North Vernal Avenue, the rear window win-dow of his vehicle shattered. He initially believed that the window win-dow had shattered as a result of the colder temperatures. While cleaning-up the glass fragments from his vehicle, the owner discovered dis-covered a single BB (used in air guns) lying in the back seat of the vehicle. 12206 Theft Officers responded to a local grocery store on a complaint com-plaint of a shoplifter. While en route to the store, officers learned that the suspect had fled the store on foot, and was being pursued by store employees on Main Street. Officers located the store employees as well as the shoplifter in the area of 300 West Main Street. The suspect an adult male, had stolen two packages of steaks and several items of candy, all of which he had secreted beneath his clothing. chamber president, drew numbers num-bers and announced the winners. win-ners. Winners received certificates certifi-cates for turkeys to redeem at Wal-Mart. "We always have a great turnout," turn-out," Gorum said. "It brings people to downtown Vernal, and we try to utilize downtown as much as possible." 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