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Show Universal Microf ilning Box 2608 Salt Lake, Ut. 84101 WEDNESDAY. DEC. 24, VOLUME 69 NUMBER HELPER. UTAH 14 172-567- 1975 53 1 PAGES 10c ital rate hike looms ilO Room, service charges may jump 20 ,f.r, The Carbon Hospital Board set the machinery in motion Dec. 16 for an approximate 20 per cent raise on room rates and hospital services to take effect within days. Following a presentation from Bob Brems of the Utah State Hospital Association showing that the hospital .' would just break even if it instituted the increase, the board set Monday, Dec. 22, for a special meeting to make a final decision on the rate structure. Before Brems began the Board presentation, Chairman Al Veltri took the floor and fired some strong words at former ad- - They'll try again for commission replacement Another meeting of the Carbon County Commission is scheduled Dec. 29 in Price to seek a successor for resigning commissioner Gary Prazen. The bid of Helper resident Lou Trujillo for the commission seat got a boost recently when the Coal Miners Political Action Committee (COMPAC) voted to endorse Trujillo for Phantom truly novel idea for what to do with an old and decrepit apricot tree is shown on the front lawn of Mr. and Mrs. Keith Wilson of Martin. Wire was hung and strung on the tree and a thin spray from a hose added to produce this A striking display. This is the second year the Wilsons have devoted their late night hours to tree spraying. They "get a kick out of the kids enjoying it," Mrs. Wilson said. "And that's what Christmas is all about." the post. COMPAC spokesman Larry Krantwashl said that while Trujillo is not a member of the United Mine Workers of America, he has a for reputation Icy roads cause flurry of minor traffic accidents, but no injuries Ice slick streets prompted broadside by a car driven a rash of minor auto ac- by Monticello resident Celia cidents Dec. 13 and 14 in Rowley. The accident was Helper, according to the at 5:30 p.m. At 6:30 the same night, a city police department. driven by Rodney The first of five mishaps pick-uoccurred on Saturday"; Dec. W. Swasey of Helper was 13, IV2 miles west of the stopped to make a turn in Peerless checking station front of City Hall when a car on Highway 50&6 when a driven by Paul Andrezzi of car driven by Cathaleen Price failed to stop because .Anderton of Helper went of the ice and locked into a skid and was struck bumpers with the Swasey p Police estimated damage to the Andrezzi car. David Willis of Hiawatha reported that a hit - and run driver struck his car parked on Main Street some time between 8 and 9:30 p.m. inflicting an estimated $75 damage. At 9:30 the same night, Anthony Chavis, Helper, lost control of his car at vehicle. $1,200 -- representing Roosevelt and North Main and struck a car driven by Celestine Kokal. A car driven by Charlene F. Lewis of Kenilworth struck the rail steel protecting the fire hydrant at North Main and Uintah Streets after hitting a patch of black ice at 12:15 p.m., Dec. 14. No injuries were reported SEUAOG cleared of fund allegations A state audit of the Association of Governments spurred rumors throughout Carbon County discovered what they Utah thought was a discrepancy last week closer after but, examination by the State Department of Community Affairs during a meeting with the AOG on Thursday, turned out to have been based on an error by the auditor. The scenario, as detailed by Price Mayor Walter Axelgard and later confirmed by SEUAOG staff member Chris Jouflas, went like this: The meeting was called after the Community Affairs people pulled a "spot audit" of the AOG and in the payroll. The AOG appeared to have spent more than the amount allocated for salaries. It was a serious allegation, the mayor said, on further which, examination, turned out to have been based on the auditor's inadvertant overlapping of checks for the years 1974 and 1975. The session ended with the Community Affairs of The possibility school the day lengthening at Sally Mauro Elementary School in Helper was raised representative issuing an by the Carbon School Board to AOG. the apology Jouflas called the incident at its Thursday night "an honest mistake" and meeting in Price. Board Chairman Al said that despite the acBreznick of Helper said he there no were cusation, d of three residual hard feelings knew between the organizations. advantages of extending the day to 3:30 p.m. from its present 3 p.m. conclusion: Students would no longer have to wait 45 minutes for the off-han- Lawsuit asks black lung benefits A Helper man, Ross Perri, filed a district court suit in Salt Lake City Dec. 11 seeking to overturn a decision that denied him federal black lung benefits. Named in the suit are the Department of Health, Education and Welare and HEW Secretary John who Gardner. Perri, worked in coal mines for over 43 years prior to 1972, alleges in the suit that he became totally disabled by coal miner's pneumoconiosis (black lung disease) and was denied black lung benefits under the Social Security Act and the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of un- debate over who should fill his position, appeared at the 18 Dec. commission meeting to rebut earlier Comstatements by missioner Jim Simone that was Mrs. Prazen unqualified and would not have enough time to devote to the commission. The squabble developed when Commission Chairman Guido Rachiele said at an earlier meeting that he supported Mrs. Prazen for the position, while Simone said he had not made a choice for the job but would definitely not opt for Mrs. Prazen. State law requires a and therefore a majority vote of the unanimous two com- remaining missioners. Prazen's resignation is effective Dec. 31, and if a replacement is not chose within' 30 days of that date, Gov. Calvin Rampton must choose the successor. home-boun- d bus. 1969. Working An HEW Appeals Council mothers inwould be not convenienced to the extent that they now are by the shorter day. The lunch hour would be extended to one hour, giving students living within walking distance sufficient time to go home upheld the ruling. The suit asks that the HEW decision be set aside and that Perri be granted the benefits. No date has been set for a hearing. for lunch. Thirty minutes may not be enough lunch time even for students who remain at board The Superintendent - ' -- Wff V e La X asked Dennis the advantaged disadvantages of and the change. The board also discussed the projected growth in Helper and throughout Carbon County, noting that, in the case of Helper, the population could not expand greatly for at least a year, when the water crisis is expected to ease. Nelson noted that Sally Mauro School had sufficient space for the addition of classrooms and that bonding might be necessary in the near future to secure funds for expansion. - - .... '..-'- .. -- J II McCulloch Oil Co. in the late smoking and switched to a pipe. Since then, has become a good deal more than just a pacifier for it's provided both a him second job and a hobby. No, he dosen't smoke a pipe for pay, but he does repair them on what he calls "a limited scale." That means that pipe dealers and smokers from throughout three states New Mexico, think Nevada and Utah enough of Stephenson's work to ship their pipes to his home workshop. cigarette pipe-smokin- g himself apparently unaware that pipes can be fixed, throw" them" away when the stem or shank cracks. The lathe and surprisingly large assortment of repair accessories in mi Stephenson's basement workshop instantly belie that notion. When the mouth end of a stem is broken or chewed J.I). Stephenson prepares to machine stem of pipe. Right, photo of workshop shows large stock of stems, left, and assortment of pipe accessories W Car-bonvil- le smokers, n . Eugene Vea of Spring Glen, left, and Sam Dees of bolt one of Castle Gate Subdivision's new street lights to pole last week. Installation of the lights was scheduled for completion Monday morning. Street lights were the final improvement slated for the subdivision by Stephenson f ...IktuA Let there be light claims to smoke a pipe simply "because I like it," although he slyly adds: "A man who smokes a pipe is more sexy." And he laments the fact that most (i - Nelson to further explore Many of area 's pipes come to repairman here J $ ' AW 0m .. Sometime ; " UC.J- - 1960's J.D. Stephenson of Martin got a little worried about the dangers of :, e jm-- school. Martin resident J. D. Stephenson '.) semi-privat- Board considers longer school day in Helper in any of the accidents. After state audit Southeastern the derprivileged and low income individuals, "while Mrs. Prazen's reputation is just the opposite." Janet wife of the Prazen, resigning commissioner is considered a front-runne- r, along with Trujillo. Meanwhile, Commissioner Prazen, who had vowed to stay out of the were adopted, Brems said. Chief of Staff Dr. W.M. from the board meeting of Gorishek said some lab and Feb. 1 which showed that other fees could not be Fifield had projected a raised that much, and thus budget deficit of $154,740 for it appeaFed that the exthe year. pected hike in room rates The new board took office would exceed 20 per cent. in June, four months after Referring to the staff's the deficit projection, and list of $88,037 in needed was never informed of it, equipment, Brems called it Veltri said. "conservative" and inClaiming that recent cluded all requests in the had budget. news coverage The tentative budget he protrayed the board as said drafted left the hospital Veltri "stupid," members "never found out with a projected surplus of the whole picture until $437 for next year. The effect of a 20 per cent yesterday (Monday) hike he would be to move the Fifield, said, morning." never apprised the board of hospital's $54 now the lowest the hospital's true financial room rate but instead, in the state up to about position, despite repeated pleadings, $65 a day, approximately assured the board that all the median for the state. was well. Acting Administrator Joe Brems spent three days Delpha informed the board reviewing hospital records that any rate hike should be and in the end came up with acted upon immediately, a somewhat less than rosy because after Jan. 1, inpicture, but one that he said creases would have to be could be corrected. reviewed by Medicare Presuming a 5 per cent officials, which would increase in the patient load, probably produce a three to a 10 per cent wage increase four month delay. Veltri then requested that for employees, a 13 per cent jump in supply and other before the special meeting costs and a flat $88,037 for Brems do an analysis of the new equipment, the hospital cost of ancillary services to would find itself just barely provide the board with the in the black at the end of necessary information for 1976 if a 20 general rate hike the rate change. ministrator Don Fifield. Veltri produced minutes beyond recognition, Stephenson replaces it and machines the tenon (joining portion) for a custom fit with the shank. If the shank itself is cracked, a metal band will prevent further breakage or if it's already badly broken, Stephenson will saw off the it so the end and stem will fit properly It's a relatively technical business and one that cigarette or might consider trivial, but it's 100 per cent serious to a "real" pipe smoker, who Stephenson says, is likely to have 50 or more pipes for which he has paid from $3 to over $150. "Some people love their pipes like they do their children," he said. Why so many? Well, you want to let a pipe rest after you smoke it for a day or two, Stephenson ' re-bo- re responded. They get tired? No, he said, but the smoke gets "pretty rough" after a few days. Stephenson learned his skills from a craftsman in New Mexico, and for the present it is strictly a sidelight. But the thought of expanding the operation brings a definite curve to his lips; perhaps a Martin-base- d multi-nation- al cor- poration is somewhere in the future of the area. I |