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Show Wednesday, December 17, 2008 Vernal Express mm r IT'S IN THE CARDS A8 Alex Carlstrom, 1 3, helps Uintah Care Center resident Leah Mann cut, color and paste Christmas cards. (Tabatha DeansVernal Express) Tar Sands Continued from Al in Canada, which rely on water to wash the sands." Without water, Kim says that the KTIA process remains more environmentally friendly as there are no tailings ponds or areas of concentrated contaminants. contami-nants. KTIA's commercial unit "mines, processes and creates a salable product at the Vernal test facility," says Kim. "Right now, we market the product in three ways: either as asphalt, crude oil or both." Asphalt production is the heart of KTIA's potential commercialization. com-mercialization. At the market's close on Dec. 12, a barrel of oil was priced just over $40, whereas asphalt closed at $556 a metric ton. This is important as KTIA's process is projected to be economically econom-ically viable at $30 a barrel. "The asphalt business is the most essential aspect of the company's operation," Kim says. "This is a typically local product and not one to be exported. And, you know how important road construction is around the Basin." Ba-sin." Oil extracted from tar sands on the ridge is heavy (an API of 12- API gravity is a measure of how heavy or light a petroleum liquid is compared to water) compared to conventional crude oil with an API of 30 or 40. Because it lacks the viscosity of crude oil, tar-sand bitumen oil does not flow and must be trucked out rather than piped. However, Alltel Retail Stores IMt'se Hciail biorns Now Upon Sumlay. Utah Collar City 603 S Main St. (4351 865-0101 Pric 125 S Hwy 55 1 (435) 637-4440 Richfield 851) N .Mam Si (4351 896 9400 Roosevftlt 192 N 200 E 1 14351 722-0935 St. Georna 348 N Bllilt (4351 652-3840 Vernal HOW. Main (435) 789 4444 For Business & Governmant Accounts call LA L,Zm LI JZ3 wZ3 M Ik 11 J j "'y J ,.v j i '" v . 1 f '( t f I ? ) ; W . -:-J I " ' . 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'ft S, h,t. with nn mnin than 4 s,.rn,lv Iimhs t l 'IHnvmll, ? yivn seiv iitntiirl lm,f nlU .11 lUtrtu .M l-nq Iwnliiins. whiln miHiIiis last Ciedil ,lW.n,il S .)ii.'nv..i tMiiils.rt u.ro.l J,'5 nun iHnir. f, CiirxfrlioMs rot l.nmimiriiralimis Snrvii'es ilv.iil.lt'ls .iri! siitiul.ili'il CiWH Alltel I iimitiiimr.aliuns, 1 1 C All tiglils C..vV4 1 r 4 - Kim says there is no difference in the quality of the resources as bitumen oil can be refined into gasoline or other fuels. Kim estimates KTIA's mine will likely have an 18-year operating op-erating life, "which means we are looking to make a long-term commitment to the community. We want to be good neighbors." The mine and recovery plant employ 15 people - 70 percent as plant operators and the other 30 percent in administration. Field operations cover about 40 acres, with a projected footprint foot-print of 350 acres. KTIA actually owns 760 acres of mine property on Asphalt Ridge. KTIA acquired the Wembco Crown Asphalt Ridge mine in 2007 for $19 million in cash and has since invested $41 million in the tar-sand mine operation. Depending on the success of commercialization, Kim says that investment may double. "We use a method of surface sur-face mining called backfilling, which resurfaces old areas with overburden," he says. "We re-vegetate re-vegetate as we go. We'd like to get input from local residents to see what they would like to see in reclaiming the landscape." A portion of the mine most visible in the Ashley Valley overlooks over-looks Air Village on the west end of town. Their view of the mine is partially obstructed by constructed con-structed berms. Kim says these were built to reduce'the effect of1, fugitive dust and light pollution ; in the nearby neighborhood. mbernardvernal.com Washington 520 W. Telegraph St (4351627-9053 Shop al a participating retailer: Equipment & promotional otfers at these locations may vary. 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Please don't say that," says Colton. "Let me help you." Theunlikelypairwerebrought together at the care center, when Colton and his classmates from the special education class at Vernal Junior High made their annual visit to the center on Dec. 9 to help seniors make cards. VJH teacher Marilyn Sanderson Sand-erson says helping the elderly makes the students feel good, and helps them forget about their own problems for a while. "Most of these students have multiple disabilities," she says. "We try to do a community project proj-ect every year, it helps them feel t tin v. Colton ;Nielson, 14, and Evelyn Slaugh spend the afternoon sharing shar-ing stories and making Christmas cards. Nielson, along with 10 other students from Marilyn Sanderson's special education class at Vernal Junior High, spent the afternoon helping the seniors. (Tabatha DeansVernal Express) In) To) on the oerfect aifts Delta KMJ Wireless I (435) 864-3410 Lakephil Gas (435) 864-2525 Ephraim Titan Wireless (435) 283-5010 Kanab Sound Room (4351 644-5906 Mono Roycos Electronics (4351 259-6630 Mount Pleasant CenlraCom (4351 462-1111 Nephi Nophi Home Furnishincis (4351 623-2540 Titan Wireless 1 14351 623-0274 Richfield RadioShack (435) 896-6783 Minimum), Hinei will, frmirin mo nilirllllw once ess I in H.wss S I'mp,,,,! ,:,KW1S s,.n rcprosLnLit. to, r),.1(, s 19 nnrnnmrnt leninied l, n. h linn , ,;,, with a ihun fr.lunil.-hle activation (no 8, 1,'IKI un,lv timi i inimn Inn mal Z inlniimrml iim Ihn nnnmt iru.ln ..an i.,ii. n. n iinmus. Irailn namiis, troilnmoiks K loons nl better about themselves." The two groups spent the afternoon cutting, pasting and sprinkling glitter on hand-made Christmas cards, while visiting and sharing stories about life. Students listened patiently as the elders gave them words of advice about how to embrace their differences and get along in the world. Students reciprocated by assuring the elders that they were special and not forgotten. Sam Peterson, 15, teamed up with senior Juanita Ellsworth, and the two spent the afternoon laughing as Sam performed the intricate work of cutting, while Ellsworth pasted and addressed the cards. "I really like to come here and help make cards," says Sam. "I talked about it with my brothers before we came." Ellsworth says she enjoys Sam's company, especially his gentleman-like behavior. "He's so sweet," she says. "He's very polite and a good helper." Students in the class have disabilities dis-abilities ranging from severe to mild, and residents at the center have varying degrees of physical and mental challenges. . I i. f 1 TT- A '.Mil- ' ; 1 1- ktfiLv MHWhI jM WfaitW lllltel wireless Roosevelt Windnver Wireless (435) 722-8989 St. George All 4 U Wireless I (4351 652-8032 Dish Guys olS UT. 11435)656-2801 Sound Cellular (4351 628-5377 Wireless Professionals (435) 674-7100 Vernal Caretree Wireless 1 1435) 781-0600 Systems Comm. (4351 789-6947 WalmartJ.i Proud Sponsor of: um llnivnr.nl ;,.ir. u i... ,.. t r.urcha ge, . a.SK icluiln niraiunl iislnmur n.i m.nli, :.hl . t,. 99 Add in., i ZZ h a Zmm Addilional JoraZi.. ' &,,lm,' ,, 1 ill 7. , .,3, , . i? I n"i ; Intoim.lion lliuii K!Sini;tivB iiwnets Scteim iitiiigiu l-'. : ' .Cud. Together they were able to create Christmas cards to deliver to other residents at the center. Leah Mann, who was helped by Alex Carlstrom, 13, says she enjoyed the experience, especial Eye of the storm Continued from Al and the increased numbers of energy industry workers making higher wages have driven prices higher. Extraction-industry workers earn between $60,000 and $80,000 a year; the average non-extraction industry worker's Income is $30,00 a year. The wide gap in income leaves lower-wage earners with little recourse for housing. In 2008 the average price for a Basin home was $200,000, up 65 percent from the previous year. Mid-range homes priced between $130,000 and $150,000 are virtually nonexistent non-existent in the area. Dennis Mott, a local real estate broker, told the SLP that Uintah County's "crisis in housing is leading to a personnel crisis." Technical workers like teachers, teach-ers, policemen, nurses and others are completely priced-out of the housing market. Rental prices, too, have increased. The average single-bedroom single-bedroom apartment rents for $1,200 to $1,400. As a result, unless the renter is a higher-paid oil-field worker, most people are priced out of the home or rental market. Temporary housing, such as rooms in local hotels and motels mo-tels are at a premium. In many cases, these rooms are reserved by energy companies . for their transient workforce. Still others have taken to living in trailer parks and man camps as temporary housing. But the solution is not permanent or popular: In a Dec. 3 article in the Vernal Express, reporter Tabatha Deans describes how the county is forcing transient workers work-ers to move from the camps and parks as they are "not conducive to a stable community." Labor and economy "The trick for the local economy econo-my will be to translate these gains jobs into long-term positions that have staying power," cites the SLP of a Utah Division of Workforce Services report. Growth -in-the job market-has slowed from a 13 percent high in 2006 to 7.3 percent in 2007. . Job growth has been largely in oil and gas mining, the $60,000 and $80,000 a year jobs. Employers Em-ployers in the non-extraction industries say they have had a tough time competing for the labor pool. The disparity in wages between be-tween mid-range employees and mineral-extraction workers has left many potential workers out in the cold - literally and figuratively. figu-ratively. "The area desperately needs school teachers, doctors, nurses, restaurant operators and personnel person-nel for all industries, " writes SLR But none of these industries can pay enough for workers to stay. The end result is that the cost of labor has risen throughout the county. Overall, that means an increase in the cost of living, an outflow of young workers, 6 6 Meet our Cynthia Cynthia and her staff are waiting to give you the best small loan service in the industry! Call Today (435) 789-0812 Loans up to $S00 Loan service in minutes Monthly payments Compare Our Rates We help establish and rebuild credit Also open on Saturdays to better serve you fa T ly being able to create beautiful ' cards for the holidays. "He's a good kid," she says of Alex. "It's wonderful to have them here to help." tdeansvernal.com " a loss of a future replacement workforce and a narrowing of services. SLP writes, "For workers and soon-to-be graduates, this means something needs to be done to keep people interested in staying in Utah's Uintah Basin." Public health and safety Utah State University and Uintah Applied Technology. College have partnered in an. effort to educate a residential workforce. But not all workers -seek to improve their lot. Along with the diverse labor pool comes a wide range of concerns: crime, drugs, public safety, burdens to the court system and the demand for emergency services. "The rapid growth in the oil and gas industry has seriously, impacted the sheriffs office,", said John Larson, Uintah County . Sheriff Department. County officers of-ficers spend considerable time investigating oil-field crime. Drugs, speeding, accidents, and enforcement are all up, Lar-, son says. So many cases flowed through the court system in 2007 in fact that the jail had to turn away sentenced offenders due-to due-to the lack of beds. In response, Uintah County has taken on. construction of a 192-bedjail and justice center facility at a cost of over $40 million. ; Health care in the community has taken a hit as well, with a "23 percent increase in inpatient admissions" in one year at the Ashley Regional Medical Cen-: ter. Field work is dangerous, and. wells are often situated miles, from emergency services. Transient Tran-sient workers often suffer from, poor health, and their families often lack insurance. Si Hutt, ARMC director, told: SLP that the industry has pre-, sented some difficult challenges to the Vernal hospital, both in. response and recruitment of; qualified personnel. ovinia i ) Utilities' -j-huJ Water in the county is "at a premium, and the distribution; systems are limited" and out-; dated, cites the SLP report. : BoydWorkman, Ashley Valley; Water and Sewer District man-J ager, says the "current capacity" of the system will be tapped out: in two to three years." The problem, he says, is the growth in housing construction: has increased in the community-with community-with "high-density housing rep-; resenting 30 to 40 percent of the new growth." ; According to Workman: growth is occurring at a rate of; 300 customers a year, which has! outstripped utilities expansion. These results reflect the first; part of the study which was; completed in November. Asecond: phase of assessment is due next: year. ; mbernardvernal.com '' 6 Cl Manager Shiner rit-' I a.ffY - - t:l i Si; ' h' No checking account needed "jj; No Car T!tlt Ci ' m 50 SEE HER TODAY AT STAR LOANS 25 S. Vernal Ave. WW- V Vernal, UT u u o o 6 |