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Show BUILDING COMMUNITY IN OREM AND VINEYARD Orem XT herald EDITION THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2008 50 CENTS -J SCHOOLS: ts write cm TOWN HALL: Library holds mind marathon SPORTS: MV soccer beats Orem lor region lead Business FIRST CLASS SIGNS CELEBRATES ATHLETES Council puts off UTOPIA decision Reva Bowen NORTH COUNTY STAFF After a discussion on whether or not to approve a new agreement with the publicly owned fiber-optics network UTOPIA went late into the night Tuesday, the Orem City Council opted to revisit the matter next week. The city of Orem, along with other member mem-ber cities in Utah Telecommunications Open Infrastructure Agency, has already pledged sales tax revenue over 20 years for home and business network infrastructure provided by UTOPIA. The agency, in turn, leases the use of the network to multiple service providers, of which there are four currently. The consortium wants to refinance the project at $185 million up from the original $ 147 millioa Under the terms of the agreement, agree-ment, the existing pledges of cities would increase by 15.9 percent, and go up each year thereafter by up to two percent for 32 years. The council will review the issue during a 9 a.m. work session meeting May 2 and make a decision. David Shaw, legal counsel for UTOPIA, said the network currently has over 7,250 subscribers, and a 28 percent take rate among orderable addresses. It's also contracted con-tracted with West Valley City, Murray, Mid-Sec Mid-Sec UTOPIA, Page 2 REEL CONNECT Hi lr, rr "! WW'..'. H'ytW - ' v si ' Mi : MARIO RUIZDaily Herald Reekonnect.com co-founders Matthew Wood left and Kenny Foisy sit for a portrait outside of their offices in Orem, on April 18. Wood and Foisy have started a Web site where independent filmmakers can upload films and cast and crew information. Indie film site for both filmmakers, fans Michael Rigert NORTH COUNTY STAFF "3wo Utah Valley students and entrepre neurs saw a need in the mdependent film world for a Web site that's as much for emerging f ilmmakers as it is for the fans that view their work. Though anybody can upload film or video feeds to popular sites like YouTube, Matthew Mat-thew Wood and Kenny Foisy saw a glaring lack of online communities dedicated to struggling independent filmmakers for showcasing their narrative nar-rative works. When filmmakers would use these more high-prof fle, high-volume media uploading sites, fans and investors couldn't find them, said Foisy. "There's a few sites, but it's hard for entry-level filmmakers to get noticed," he said. Their answer is the duo's Orem-based Reel Con nect (www.reelconnect.com). Part YouTube, part Facebook, their site allows filmmakers to upload and present their film shorts for free. Essentially a film community-oriented variant of the pop culture cul-ture sites, Wood and Foisy see Reel Connect as a way for filmmakers, cast and crew to collaborate collabo-rate on projects, find new gigs, investors, and, ideally, long-term job security in the industry. They hope the concept will become as much a tool for those trying to enter the competitive film industry as it is for surfers who like to see cool film content on the Internet. Since it debuted in January, Reel Connect has received nearly 100 film submissions, mostly short films, from across the country and around the world. Visitors can view nearly 60 high reso- See REEL, Page 2 Timp. festival founder proposes $13 M story and arts center Reva Bowen NORTH COUNTY STAFF Timpanogos Storytelling Festival founder Karen Ashton caused a stir during an Orem City Council arts grant work session Tuesday when she proposed pro-posed a feasbility study on the concept of a $13 million conference center complex at City Center to house storytelling and the arts. The city is looking at options for remodeling or rebuilding some of its offices and facilities, in part because of the need to find a place for its legal staff when the current lease in the district court building expires in a couple of years. Ashton proposed that the city look at the possM-ity possM-ity of keeping the library and remodeling the existing City Center at an estimated cost of $7.5 million. Con- Poiiard Partners Architects Rendering shows a proposed addition of a 1,200 seat auditorium for the See CENTER, Page 2 Timpanogos Center for Story and Art. V 1 I 1 J Community Briefing OREM'S 2008-09 BUDGET PROCESS UNDERWAY UNDER-WAY The Orem City Council voted Tuesday to adopt the $84.5 million tentative budget, and set a public hearing to adopt the final budget on June 10 at 6:15 p.m. The council also scheduled a work session to consider budget issues on May 13 at 5 p.m. In its roles as the governing body of the city 's Redevelopment Rede-velopment Agency, Special Services Lighting District, and Municipal Building Authority, the City Council will also be holding public hearings on the budgets for those organizations, following the main budget hearing hear-ing June 10. OREM TO AID UVU CELEBRATION. OFFICERS MEMORIAL - Orem will be helping Utah Valley University celebrate its transition from Utah Valley State College, and will contribute to a "fallen officers" memorial. The Orem City Council approved Tuesday a $5,000 expenditure from its own contingency funds to sponsor spon-sor a fireworks display for UVU. Also approved was a $5,000 expenditure for the Utah Law Enforcement Memorial, a non-profit entity that is building a $1.3 million memorial to remember police officers throughout the state who have lost their lives in the line of duty. SPEED LIMIT RAISED ON SANDHILL ROAD - A speed limit of 35 miles per hour was set for the newly-renovated newly-renovated Sandhill Road from University Parkway to 2000 South. The Orem City Council gave its approval to the change from 25 miles per hour April 22, but accepted a compromise suggestion from Councilman Dean Dickerson that the council review its decision six months after striping on the road is complete, and revisit the matter if there is a problem with increased levels of speeding. ARBOR DAY CELEBRATION IN OREM - The Central Utah Water Conservancy District, Central Utah Gardens and Orem City have planned an Arbor Day Celebration for Friday from 10 a.m. to noon at the gardens, 355 W. University Parkway. The program will include an Arbor Day play by elementary school students from Cherry Hill Elementary, a presentation of the Tree City USA award, music, tree planting and refreshments. SCERA YOUTH THEATER FUNDRAISER -The more than 300 young people in the SCERA Youth Theatre program will host a community yard sale and car wash on Saturday, May 3, from 7:30 a.m. to -3 p.m. The yard sale will be held on the front lawn of the SCERA Center for the Arts, 745 South State Street in Orem, and will feature a wide variety of donated items. The car wash will be held in the parking lot behind be-hind the SCERA Center. The two fundraising activities are for the SCERA Youth Theatre program, to help raise money to cover a portion of show production costs and other program expenses not covered by tuition and donations. For more information, call SCERA Youth Theatre at (801) 225-ARTS extension 1027. 'ART IN THE GARDEN' ORGANIZERS SEEKING OREM ARTIST SUBMISSIONS - The Orem Arts Council is looking for Orem artists for the first annual Orem City Art Fair, "Art in the Garden," to be held May 24 at the Central Utah Gardens in Orem. The council is interesting in submissions from a variety of mediums such as oil, watercolor, charcoal and pencil. There will be no booth fee and artists will be allowed to sell their work on display. Those interested are asked to send an electronic photo sample of theirworkto artsorem.org that includes a brief description of the artist andor a Web site address. Submissions must be received no later than Thursday, May 1. Questions may also be submit ted to artsorem.org. OREM CITY WATER SYSTEM FLUSHING - The f city's water section will continue its fire hydrant flushing program in Orem neighborhoods this month. The program is aimed at clearing out debris and corrosion cor-rosion from the city's culinary water delivery system and providing residents with the highest quality water. Residents are asked to help during the neighborhood neighbor-hood hydrant flushings by ensuring that fire hydrants near their property are accessible by city crews and clear of vehicles and other objects. The city is also asking residents to keep children from playing in the fast-moving runoffs for safety reasons. While the flushings are taking place, the city water section requests that residents refrain from using their water as the dislodged deposits may cause a slight, non-harmful discoloration to the water that can stain laundry. Once crews have left the area, it is recommended that residents turn on a cold water tap in the home for a few minutes to flush the home's water system. 1 '61055 000501 |