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Show I ( BUILDING COMMUNITY IN 0 R E M AND VINEYARD 41 9 4U EDITION THURSDAY, JUNE 14, 2007 50 CENTS in Orem SCHOOLS: Free breakfast lunch at local schools TOWN HALL: Sandhill HI could see growth spurt SPORTS: Lopez, Moreno receive MVP honors Business OsKj-J I AA HIT TDAMRin PADI1C9 MR. E'S HAS THEM In OCCs Wage increases, new positions possible with robust economy Reva Bowen NORTH COUNTY STAFF Strong economic conditions statewide formed the backdrop Tuesday as the Orem City Council Coun-cil approved a nearly $88 million budget for the new fiscal year. "As you are all aware, economic eco-nomic conditions are very strong as compared to three or four years ago," said Jim Reams, city manager, in a presentation pre-sentation to the council. He cited record-high job growth, record-high residential and non-residential construction, construc-tion, near record-high retail sales growth, and record-low unemployment statistics as evidence evi-dence of the state's economic strength. Sales taxes make up 41 percent per-cent of the current General Fund revenues, and sales tax collection collec-tion growth in the city remains above 12 percent for the second straight year. A number of new employee positions were funded in the budget to cope with the increasing in-creasing demand for services throughout the city, Reams said. The new positions include a Development Services technician techni-cian to assist customers with zoning and building questions and applications, and four See BUDGET, Page 2 CELEBRATING SUMMER w .r jr a i & -..IIIIIIMi 1 Jlrm ' MARIO RUIZDaily Herald Four-year-old Kyle Yamada of Provo looks around inside an AirMed helicopter from the University of Utah Hospital at City Center Park in Orem on June 8. "We just happened to be here at the park and this was the coolest thing," said Kyle's mother Mikilani Yamada. Orem celebrated Summerfest with a parade, 5Krun, baby contest, booths and a fireworks show. Fireworks draw 60,000 to Orem's Summerfest Reva Bowen NORTH COUNTV STAFF With surrounding store parking, lots and City Center Park reportedly jammed with spectators, specta-tors, an estimated 60,000 people viewed the concluding con-cluding event of Orem's 2007 Summerfest celebration Saturday night- the signature fireworks show. Summerfest chairman Paul Overson guessed that another 20,000 to 30,000 partici pated in two days of park events. "I'm just pleased that the community came out, and the committee did their jobs so well," said Overson. Mother Nature's contribution was perfect weather warm and clear although rain and cold weather just before the community celebration provided some moments of worry wor-ry for Overson and other planners. Last week's soaking rains did pose one pre-Summerfest problem when the large carnival rides could not be set up on the designated des-ignated location because the lawns were too wet and soft, Overson explained. The large rides were moved west, away from the smaller kiddie rides a change that proved to be propitious. Separate ride areas catering to the different age groups may be used deliberately in the future, the chairman speculated. "This worked out better," he said. Overson said this year's line-up of entertainment entertain-ment in the park, featuring the dancing talents of the Delgrosso family, among others, was well-received Crowds packed into the tents, and "no one was leaving," he observed. The See SUMMERFEST, Page 2 Orem woman princess-in-waiting Michael Rigert NORTH COUNTY STAFF A Disney land devotee since her first trip to the magical kingdom king-dom at age 3, Jordan Leigh Tripp of Orem fulfilled her ultimate ul-timate wish this weekend by becoming a graceful Disney princess. Tripp, 23, a multi-media conference coordinator, joined 24 other Disney Dis-ney Dream Job contest finalists from across the country who lived out their dreams by becoming pirates, princesses, and jungle cruise skippers skip-pers for a day at Disneyland. From Saturday to Monday, Tripp and the others participated in costume fittings, hair and makeup sessions, Disney traditions training, train-ing, and, for the honorary princesses in waiting, learning the perfect curtsey. "It was incredible," Tripp said. "Kids would come up to you and want hugs and autographs. They were just in awe. I was excited to be 1 Photo courtesy Scott Brinegar Jordan Leigh Tripp of Orem plays a Princess-in-Waiting at the Disney Princess Fantasy Fair at Disneyland on Monday as part See TRIPP, Page 2 of the CareerBuilder.com-Disney Parks Dream Job Contest. Community Briefing OREM MAN IN TROUBLE FOR GUN PURCHASESA PURCHAS-ESA 20-year-old Orem man was arrested Friday after he allegedly bought two rifles illegally. Roommates of Kidus Chane Yohannes went to the police because they were worried about the amount of ammunition Yohannes allegedly stockpiled, and his fascination with violent death, particularly by gunfire. "They were concerned, and they were scared," Orem police Lt. Doug Edwards said. The roommates contacted police on Thursday and brought AK-47 type clips and ammunition to the public safety building. According to Edwards, Yohannes filled out an Alcohol, Al-cohol, Tobacco and Firearm task force application for two "AK-47 type" rifles at a local pawn shop. On Saturday, Yohannes was arrested for two third-degree third-degree felonies giving false information on a gun background check, and unlawful acquisi.ion and possession pos-session of a financial card. Police searched his car and apartment and found several AK-47 type magazines, ammunition, weapon parts and AK-47 drawings. Still missing, though, are two AK-47 type semiautomatic semiau-tomatic rifles Orem police believe Yohannes bought from a local pawn shop, allegedly using a false alien registration number. He was arrested Friday and is being be-ing held at the Utah County Jail on $250,000 bail. Provo police also recently arrested Yohannes and impounded a Yugoslavian SKS rifle. Provo police Capt. Cliff Argyle said the rifle, usually a semiautomatic, semiauto-matic, was sent to the department's ATF task force to be evaluated because the gun appeared to be altered, possibly to be an automatic weapon. The firearms charge for that case was dismissed in a plea deal, but he was sentenced for two misdemeanors, misdemean-ors, attempted possession of identification documents docu-ments and theft of stolen property on May 10. The roommates reportedly told police that Yohannes, Yo-hannes, an Ethiopian immigrant, had recently lost his job and was "consumed with violent depictions of the death of United States military servicemen, as well as human execution by gunfire," according to court documents. Natalie Andrews MAN ARRESTED AFTER VIDEOTAPING KIDS AT SUMMERFEST PARADE - A man convicted of possessing child pornography was arrested after videotaping vid-eotaping children at Orem's Summerfest parade on Saturday, police said. The tape showed 12 children under age 12, boys and girls, with close-ups on clothed buttocks, Orem police Lt. Doug Edwards said Tuesday. Richard D. Barney, 45, of Spanish Fork was arrested Saturday on 10 felony counts of voyeurism, Edwards said. Barney in 2001 pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography and was placed on probation for three years. In 2004, he was sent to federal prison for two years for violating terms of his supervised release, according ac-cording to court records. Barney's arrest has put him in trouble again with federal authorities because he is on another round of supervised release until Dec. 5, Edwards said. He was stopped at the Orem Summerfest after police po-lice got a tip from a concerned citizen along the parade route. Barney was in custody at the Utah County Jail. OREM PUBLIC LIBRARY PRESENTS SUMMER WWII VETERAN LECTURE SERIES - A new sum mer exhibit at the Orem Public Library is featuring World War II veterans from the community. Entitled "Honoring Those Who Came Before," the lecture series se-ries is education forum for veterans to tell their stories and share their experiences with residents and library patrons. Next on the schedule is Ray Matheny, a B-17 "Flying Fortress" bomber engineer who served in the European Euro-pean Theater of Operations and served a year and half in German prisoner of war camp. Matheny will speak on Monday, July 2, at 7 p.m. in the library's storytelling storytell-ing area in the north wing. On Wednesday, July 11, Robert Freeman, director of BYU's Saints at War Program and the Veterans History Project will speak, and a panel of local WWII veterans will tell their stories and answer questions July 16. Dave Koralewski will discuss the music of the 1940s on July 20 and on July 27 a free screening of "Saints at War" will be presented in the library's media auditorium audito-rium at 7 p.m. For more information about the summer series, contact the library at 229-7050. 6 "IB61055 00050' A a. 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