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Show :;y7 lw.it !l;bB Go Li tli ttZWVL Cilt Li.u- City. '.JT Enter to Win Tickets to see "Danny Otottatut to JOSEPH A led Age Mammoth Will Citizens Get Involved If " IftSS Returns Home . 1 KlillllCOLOU DSEAMWAT, See Page 6 Story on Page 2 Crossing Guard rates A..I B Page 15 - - - Norval Harwood, known manv Or em crossing guard in Orem who has endeared i rem must ho by REVA BOWEN City Editor In an address Friday before members of the ProvoOrem Chamber of Commerce, Orem Mayor Joe Nelson said that the year 1998 presents exciting and interesting challenges. "In order to be effective," the new mayor declared, "this city, like all others, oth-ers, must be a city of change. We must be proactive rather than reactive. We must press forward in taking the initiative instead of reacting to issues." Nelson noted that it is time for "a new and fresh direction" in the way the city and its resources are managed and developed. Continued Contin-ued "balanced" growth and devel opment are necessary to maintain main-tain the city's vitality and contin Charlie Ewert of Lakeridge Jr. High shows his prize-winning sculpture of a black cat at SCERA gallery. Long-time 0i?m crossing guwd Pistes m ' " by REVA BOWEN City Editor Unlike the many youngsters he assists in safely negotiating the street to Cascade Elementary every day, Orem school crossing guard Norval Harwood is not working for letter grades. But if dependability, efficiency, longevity, longev-ity, and loyalty count for anything, any-thing, "Mr. Bus", as he is affectionately affec-tionately known to students, deserves de-serves an A. 19TH YEAR Now in his 19th year as a school crossing guard, Harwood, 78, began his assignment in 1979, after he had retired from a career at Dugway Proving Grounds where he worked in building and structures for 33 years. "I got tired of sitting around," Mr. Bus said. "It's been good for me. I can hardly walk into a store without kids coming up to me and recognizing and hugging me. I've Subscribe to Schoolchildren: himselfto those he serves. 3 ued progress, he said, but these must be "orderly and right". , The mayor issued a call for more citizen involvement in community com-munity decisions. "Citizen-guided "Citizen-guided decisions are important and necessary in future development develop-ment of this city," he said, then outlined several ways increased citizen involvement will be accomplished. ac-complished. In Nelson's administration, communityneighborhood councils coun-cils will be organized. An ad hoc committee has already been approved ap-proved by the Orem City Council to provide a report on having the neighborhood advisory committees commit-tees in Orem. The report is due to the council on March 24, 1998. The councils "will be part of Orem City," the mayor stressed:" City officials also plan to implement a new town meeting been invited to missionary farewells fare-wells and weddings." The work, he said, has helped occupy his days, particularly since his wife passed away in 1984. COMMITMENT The job requires a full day's commitment, as the crossing guard travels back and forth to Cascade, located at 160 North 800 East in Orem, five different times a day. In the last two years, Mr. Bus has missed only one hour at his post. That was when a big snowstorm, combined with drifts, trapped him in his driveway. He did dig himself out, however, and was soon back at work. Harwood said there are two main parts to his job to keep the kids safe, and the traffic flowing. flow-ing. He acknowledges there have been a few close calls. He's been "brushed" by vehicles and has pulled kids out of harm's way. "It's getting worse with speeders," he j.Cj'I"' iii.iiiiiiniiii mmiiniiiiinii'in P i , fat v;f the Orcm-Geneva Times by , n r. . as Mr. Bus to f is a veteran i (See story below) format, which will be a "neutral; and safe" forum, Nelson said, tol discuss issues affecting each neighborhood. The meetings will be held in neighborhood areas, and residents will receive special invitations. The new format will have the meetings divided into two parts:! 1. An "open house" featuring dis-; plays on three issues identified by the neighbors as most impor- tant, with city council members . and staff available to answer questions and discuss issues one- on-one; and 2. A group discussion j involving everyone present, with ; the mayor or a city council mem- j ber acting as moderator and tak-' ing charge of follow-up. . Nelson wants to see the city's development'process revised to involve residents early in the process." pro-cess." He said that before major mikii.i mm i - iii.u ....... ..u .ii ... .. , .ii.u ,.i )nf w- ;s o'cityofth6 SCERA Visual Arts Committee hosts The SCERA Visual Arts Committee Com-mittee held an awards night January 8 and presented prizes and certificates to the winners of the SCERA Art Gallery's first annual "Talent Plus exhibit for students of Orem's secondary schools. A panel of judges from Utah Valley State College named the winners in the junior high school division competition. This show will continue at the SCERA Center Cen-ter through January 16, then the senior high school art show will said. TRAINING One of the techniques Mr. Bus uses to help the children be safer is teaching them a little song he put together: "Stay on the 8idewalk...Don't run past me... Watch the car on the right, that's the one that will hit you!" The students learn the song as their protector crosses back and forth with them, and it helps the children chil-dren remember the basics. The crossing guard has worked with police officers at Safety City in the University Mall, training children in how to be safe going to and from school, for 15 years. , Harwood also knows most of the children's names, which he memorizes through word associations. associa-tions. He said he is "strict, but not "mean' strict. I love these kids." A HALLMARK . Another hallmark of Mr. Bus service is his practice of faithfully j- tS jTk' ' . ; ltI!l nge, Nelson tells projects such as General Plan amendments, rezones, commercial commer-cial site plans, conditional uses, and Planned Residential Developments Devel-opments are submitted for review and approval to the Orem Planning Commission or city council, developers or applicants will be required to meet in an open house with affected residents resi-dents to review and discuss the proposed project. "Projects with the support of the residents will move through the process more efficiently than projects clouded with controversy and questions," Nelson said. "People working together make positive things happen. Neighborhoods Neigh-borhoods must become stronger by being progressive and unified." A city-wide lighting plan will be started this year, Nelson said, with input from citizen groups in hang from January 19-30 at the gallery. Admission is free to the public pub-lic and the displays will be open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Saturdays from noon to 9 p.m. For more information, contact con-tact SCERA weekdays at 225-ARTS. 225-ARTS. Winners in the junior high school division are as follows: Drawing: 1st place, Jessie Draper, Lakeridge Jr. High; 2nd place, Daniel Bischoff, Lakeridge; 3rd place, Jonathan Saxton, waving to all of the drivers and pedestrians who pass by. One day he found the following note on the windshield of his car: "You don't know me, and I hardly know you. But I just had to let you know how much I have appreciated your wave and smile each morning and afternoon. You may not realize the impact, which I didn't, until you weren't there and you had a replacement. I then realized just how much that wave really brightens my day. It may get tedious to you after a while, but it sure brightens people's day. "Thank you for brightening my day and I'm sure many others' oth-ers' as well. Sincerely, Greatly-Appreciated! Greatly-Appreciated! H:1 "P.S. It's a shame we don't ap-' preciate things until they are gone I'm sorry." A spring tradition that delights de-lights and amuses his young"' awards night calling 225-1340 - Only $16 per j.ea; 1 1 " t "H .. ..nif ,:,;sza Jia VS. J. MAYOR JOE NELSON both the lighting districts and the community at large. "We will lighten up our city and eliminate Lakeridge; honorable mentions: Spencer Chamberlain, Lakeridge; Lake-ridge; Elisabeth Young, Orem Jr. High; Tyler Olsen, Lakeridge; and Missy Lunt, Canyon View Jr. High. Photography: 1st place, Rebecca Cranney, Canyon View; 2nd place, Ashley Hall, Canyon . View; 3rd place, Brina Luna, Oak Canyon; honorable mentions: Laura Dixon, Canyon View; Continued on page 16 charges is Mr. Bus' ritual of fishing fish-ing in the gutter with a fake fish attached to the line. RECIPROCATION The love and service that the long-time crossing guard brings to his job have been returned in many ways. "I get more hugs!" Harwood mused. "And at Christmas time, lots of presents..." Gifts he has received through the years include in-clude a treasured, framed caricature carica-ture of him holding up his stop sign. Pre-schoolers with brothers and sisters attending Cascade know Mr. Bus by reputation, and point him out to their parents when they visit the school. Harwood said he is treated "like one of the faculty" and included in get-togethers. The marquee on the front grounds has been used to advertise his birthday on April 30. He has his own re i "T v in n tin V TTiMj Clmm the dark areas," the mayor said. "We have a wonderful city. It needs to be seen at night as well as during the day." Noting a universal concern with rising crime, Nelson said crime prevention will be a priority, prior-ity, and lighting will help. He cited statistics in one lighting district dis-trict implemented a year ago, that showed all types of crime were down 20 in the area. The year will also see the organization or-ganization of a city-wide youth council, Nelson said, which will be "a leveling force" in the community. com-munity. "You get young people involved and provide direction and things will happen in our city." The mayor acknowledged that growth brings on traffic challenges. chal-lenges. He said that one-way streets need to be considered in the city's traffic planning. Other issues to be faced will include acquiring and managing more green space in the city; affordable housing; implementation of plans to insure compliance with environmental envi-ronmental issues; and protection of neighborhoods from "needless zoning which divides rather than unifies." "We as citizens must find our common ground," Nelson said in concluding his remarks. "History teaches that we will only find common ground by moving to higher ground. Reaching that new ground must become our most important task. This new infusion of vision will unite our citizenry with a new sense of hope, direction, responsibility, and greatness." served, designated parking space complete with sign: "Crossing guard parking only". He has been invited to eat lunch at the school, but eats at home because his presence in the lunchroom is "too distracting" for the children, who want to come up and chat with him rather than paying attention to their meals. PLANS TO CONTINUE Mr. Bus admitted his job is getting a bit harder. He was rear-ended rear-ended in an auto accident several years ago, and suffers some back trouble. He copes with the cold and the infamous "canyon breeze" in north Orem by bundling bun-dling up wearing lots of layers and gloves. He said he plans to continue in his job as long as he is able. Tve made a lot of good friends here," Mr. Bus declared. ber POOR COPY' |