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Show 1UI IU1 A2 Vernal Express Meteors to Ml Wednesday night la tali sks v a date with v.i Geminids iii' ici coming WcJivs 13. 14). Past Genii"1'! treats.! !.- ,m va'Hvi - Hi ihe ao .bay ll'ghl i ttu i I '; rr imm t b i V :t.f meteors per hour. "Geminid meteors," says NASA Solar System Ambassador to Utah Patrick Wiggins, "are some of (he slowest meteors known, so tinlike other showers which Mid to produce fast, white-lint white-lint meteors the Geminids are known for their slow, graceful, colorful meteors." Many people refer to diese objects as 'shooting stars' or 'falling stars' and have the idea they're much bigger than they really are. In fact most meteors mete-ors are no larger than a grain 3 Vx;k tj I'1 t - -. "''WS,'Sf'feppS:S.'i-''' " of sand that burn up and turn to ash when they strike Earth's extreme upper atmosphere. Most meteor showers happen hap-pen when the Earth runs into the debris left behind by comets. com-ets. But the Geminid's parent body is thought to be an asteroid, aster-oid, known as 3200 Phaethon, which may be a spent or dormant dor-mant comet. Telescopes or binoculars should not be used to watch this or any meteor shower because they limit how much of the sky the observer can see. Wiggins says there's no best place in the sky to look. More important is where to watch the show from. "Rule number one in meteor observing is to first get away from city light pollution. pol-lution. Then just lay back and look up. The meteors will call attention to themselves. "A few Geminids may also be seen in the nights leading up to and following fol-lowing the predicted peak, but the numbers on those nights will likely be fewer as the Earth will then be less well positioned in the particle swarm. For more information on the Geminids and other astronomical topics, log on to Wiggins' NASA Solar System Ambassador web page at http:utahastro.info. (I ' If 5. i-i " z i! A photograph of a Geminid Meteor Shower. ,1 () i relocate small group . t r i ope near V ernal Pi. a use of an overpopulation hin the management goal, 'mi Stewart, conservation ri'ai'h manager, said that i )WR did not move as many i hey would have liked. He that the problem was the hab'tat was not ln-alihy enough to supir! iu!) i.iiiii) new antelope, ante-lope, th.' iiri..'inal goal. They hope tn ici.iaii' animals fur the next n.or thrw years. The purpose of theeloca-tion theeloca-tion is tn sii;'!.!!'!!i('i)i Tiic herd. helping to boost the numbers num-bers that have dropped due to drought and other environmental environmen-tal factors, explained Stewart. With a little moisture, Stewart hopes they will be able to relocate relo-cate more next year. a o Photograph of a Geminid Meteor. Elk f ounciation awards nearly $17,000 in grants for Utah Conservation Projects Pensions are as much of a mystery as an episode of Columbo! yy0f Qree( Pass closed to motorists By Jeff Burrus Bland CEPP Guest Writer Tin )',: Im.i" .! rimilc'l tliisyi-i! r-i i wilillil'" ! 'liii - u ;M! I i : ' 1 ' ! . . anl-I'M' nx'iii i" i il. 20i -. , ai. . tlill' ili-" i Ik'Io 'mi-" : . eiHwi - "' " i ira-r tlv : '111.- !-.!!. I-p;l'to-"- ha CO) IS" i ' Willi niilli'it) - in-1 hi'ga'i ia !';: i tii Ml t-H" ' 1 inipr'-t "" life ''-.hir-.i stat'-, p-'M'i and ""t-ra. acf's. I ')' I'"' i ' !" ' public hunling. fishing and !! a recreation in Utah. "We're very excited about i i conservation work in 'ah tins year," said Bill hi istensen. Utah Regional tniiortheKlk Foundation, ih .nks to the fund-raising !m 's of our hardworking Utah 'unifi ers, we are able to help " i t considerable resources to . rving the state's irreplace-' irreplace-' landscapes and wildlife." Highlights of recent Elk 'ii'" iat ion-funded conserva- 'aoiects in Utah include: Cliffs Noxious Weed (Grand and Uintah ! n'ii's) Identify weeds in mi" elk habitat in the Book i "f emtorn Utah by com-" com-" au -a) acial mapping v Th. . of this area i oailless. i -eying will be '".:e!y accomplished through " 1 1 -a- of a helicopter survey, --phasizing the mapping of t;'.i less accessible by vehicle i-orse. rrymg !. i. sions can in understand Sv. who Lire not a financial iniia retiremen! ; - n dauntmu tal. how pensions v : .;-'l'M;iilii pell-i.ha pell-i.ha !iing to ana. i-'or those in iff. m in the -n-v. grasping -f'iis can he a IVganik'ss of ork. the iinjior- tant issue is whether or not Vernal workers will have their funds ava'iabie in ihrir golden years. Aside lr-ua ira.r of public pub-lic speaking, om- of the biggest fears peojae posm'ss is the fear of the unknoy. a. it is ilifficult to feel at "a v. :;h -.uinethmg not umlei'stoiiii ! a; no one is guaranteed lomi.rr'W. that is no excuse not n ' ,-.k forward to the fiiMm-. i!!empt to clarify and - a -, u- issue of pensions, lu io. ; ; -orne very fundamental co,ici-pi-. Then vs. Security was i 1950 retirees pensions f,r a: years. In 2000 ! extended to '',. are now !-i-;ii an ing longer, it's those adiiod - strain on Felony filings in Uintah County 1 1(.. . n 1 . . V.(. 1 ha. ! ' 3rd di pi h ioa HKNI'IUCKS. via Driving !'"di ih" n alcohol ih a: a :!d ny RF.N I 1 1 1- a' j'n;; ;i-s i.'H with ii Ml it- His tribute CMitt "ia d sah ,;iiu e. 2nd (k'gt' i; t-l"oy r ihiiiK): Possession f a ..n!"i'f.i snb-stance snb-stance v-:'' " ' -ii -1 . as; A misden-ea;." -. '' -- v" session of dn g - a - 1 1 . class i roisdeta ' r a -with measusaia ' - a ! -"hsiaiice, class B misdemean-' misdemean-' : 1 i i ve on revocationsuspen-"ii. revocationsuspen-"ii. class C misdemeanor VKSTAL, Amber MisheU: rii'-ft. 2nd degree felony; Burglary, 3rd degree felony VIGIL, William Cody: Possession with intent to distribute dis-tribute controlled substance, 2nd degree felony; Use or possession pos-session of drug paraphernalia, chss B misdemeanor WHITMORE, Christopher Young: Unlawful personal pos-s pos-s ion purchase transfer handgun, 3rd degree felony (2 counts) 'ow: Social 11 in i:a;i5. By Ht off their ivia rigc of 11.5 1! average was 1 at s. Workers arher and liv-.s liv-.s u, see how i' could put a ic nation's entire senior support system. One of the root causes of the pension woes is that the defined-benefit pension is an emplouv benefit that was designed for a different economic era. I major:". ;" 1 WWII uik a a ers, including the iinest young recruits, were looking for a top employer to settle in with for a lifelong career. The term "lifelong career" is an oxymoron by today's standards. In August 2(X)6, the Bureau of Labor Statistics examined the number of jobs that people born in the years 1957 to 1964 held from age 18 to age 40. On average, men held 10.7 jobs and women held 10.3 jobs. The original pension plan is archaic. Today it's virtually impossible to open a newspaper newspa-per or turn on the television ierced the sses after . --. work- without hearing some political politi-cal debate over the impending demise of economies unless there is a drastic pension reform. Many companies now have an older workforce, which means pension benefits will begin sooner. If their pension plans are under funded and the company has to make considerable consid-erable payments to them, that company is at an elevated risk of bankruptcy. That in the most rudimentary rudimen-tary terms explains the why of the current pension tribulations. tribula-tions. It is also important to understand a few key acronyms and terms. Otherwise it will be like attempting algebra without understanding arithmetic. The first two are ERISA and PBGC. In 1974 Congress passed the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). President Ford signed the legislation, leg-islation, which created the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), guaranteeing guarantee-ing workers' benefits in private pension plans. Additionally, the law also required that pension pen-sion plan assets must cover liabilities. Congress positioned PBGC to be a last report in the event assets weren't covered. Since ERISA began in 1974, more than 160,000 companies have willingly stopped honoring honor-ing their pensions: thusly the PBGC is taking a pounding in the existing recession. Another term to be familiar with is 'defined benefit plan'. Under a defined benefit plan, a worker is pledged a retirement benefit based on a percentage of salary for each year worked. Many government employers employ-ers call this the "high three" - meaning out of all the years worked, the worker's pension benefit will be based on the three years' highest salary. 'Discount rate' is one more term to know. The funding of a defined benefit pension plan is measured using a discount rate. The discount (or interest) rate used to gauge the plan's funding fund-ing is crucial. The discount rate is set up to calculate whether or not the plan has adequate assets to meet its commitments over a long period of time. The discount rate has no tangible connection to how much a pension pen-sion plan's investments are earning. Whether planning to retire in 25 or in five years, your best defense is an aggressive offense. There is a great deal more to understand than the few basics mentioned above. Unfortunately the pot of gold at the end of the current pension crisis won't be found in the near future. However, now is definitely the time to launch your own pension crisis prevention plan. Don't wait to receive the unfortunate unfor-tunate news that there are no funds available to last the rest of your life. Due diligence is needed when determining who will manage your hard earned dollars. The Utah Department of Transportation advises motorists motor-ists that state Route 35, through Wolf Creek Pass (between Hanna and Woodland, milepost 12 to 27), is closed for the winter. win-ter. This section of S.R. 35 is a seasonal highway and the cost to keep the road open is not practical due to heavy snowfalls in the area. This section of road will remain closed until spring 2007. (ISSN 0892-1091) Published every Wednesday for $26 per year in the shopping area and $42 per year out out of the shopping area within the state and $46 per year out of state within the USA by the Vernal Express Publishing Company, 54 North Vernal Avenue, Vernal, Utah 84078. Periodical 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 Jen Petty Writer Janine Shannon Writer Elizabeth Goode Writer Sarah Forsgren Writer Gabrielle Jones Legals, Obit, Classifieds Patty John Proofreader Jennifer Downard AdsLayout Heaher Crosby AdsLayout Jacque Hobbs Advertising Eric Petty Advertising Harriet Harding Circulation & Billing Phone: 435-789-3511 FAX: 453-789-8690 Website: www.vernal.com email: editorvernal.com DEADLINES News Friday 5 p.m. Display Advertising Friday 5 p.m. Classified Advertising Friday 12 Noon Public Notices Friday 12 Noon |