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Show Volume 111 50 WEATHER FORECAST Thursday H' Partly Cloudy High 44 Low 26 Friday Partly Cloudy High 48 Low Saturday 2T . Sunday Mostly Sunny High 43 Low 20 Read all about it! Turn to The t's newly-design- ed section. You'll find weekly events, a TV guide, horoscope, crossword, calendar, real estate listings, classifieds and more. Winter Homecoming. Who are the royalty? B1 Find out on pg. MOAB , UTAH 1 Council adopts changes to land use code contributing writer Bates. It's ancient history. Read about it on pg.BI ment that sometimes meant developers must wait several weeks for the request to be placed on the councils regular agenda. The new procedure transfers responsibility for collateral release to county zoning administrator Mary Hofhine, after county engineer Charlie Skewes inspects and approves the subdivision improvements. The Grand County Planning and Zoning Commission will hear and decide disputes that arise over collateral release requests. This will speed up things for the developer, Hofhine said. By a 0 vote, the council changed appointment terms for the county Board of Adjustments and the Planning and Zoning Commission from three years to four. The change brings appointment standards for both boards in line with a new county resolution passed last fall that streamlined the appointment process for all county boards, said Hofhine. Under the new guidelines, all board appointments r will be made in December, and will be for terms. The new ordinance also increases the frequency of planning commission meetings from once monthly to twice monthly, and requires that planning commission appointees must be residents of the county for at least two years. The council also implemented a new weed control policy for grading, revegetation and restoration projects on larger sites. Under the new rules, gradacre ing projects on sites larger than must include an erosion control and revegetation plan that is approved by the zoning administrator and the county Weed Control Department. Weed Control officials said the change is meant to reduce dust and erosion problems at sites where large amounts of soil have been disturbed by grading, excavation and construction. It will also diminish the proliferation of invasive plants throughout the county by requiring reseeding of disturbed areas with noxious weed free seed to Business Directory: BIO Classifieds: B11 Dining & Lodging: B3 Editorials, Letters: A3-- 4 Historic Photo: B1 er non-nati- ve Continued on Page A3 Obituaries: A4 Region Review: 63 B8-- 9 WEATHER HISTORY High Low Precb. Dec. 31 an. 1 Jan. 2 Jan. 3 Jan. 4 an. 5 an. 6 32 27 49 24 -J- 50 43 46 29 .03 35 20 35 12 33 12 -J- .05 -J- - Flit Placed kiRwCMgaftaaC: Orat , j c To subscribe to The Times-Independe- nt call subscribemoabtimes.com The This nt news-pap- is Vi TT '-'4 ' 410 . - . '' f . fj 3 i 7 X. . Av- U? . x w ' A Js ;j ' v , .x 'ri, j. iv- 'N H - " t-- - A. ' .V t W Up , up J 1 .rh u&r 4 t r r. & , ,V - and away, in my beautiful balloon . . . Colorful balloons will brighten the skies above Bluff when the 6th annual Bluff International Balloon Festival takes flight next week. At least 30 pilots - some from as far away as England - will participate in the event that runs January 8. This years festival features Friday and Saturday flights over Bluff, and concludes with Sunday's scenic launch over Valley of the Gods, about 18 miles south of town. Bluff flights launch at about 7:30 a.m. from the Bluff Community Center in the towns center. On Friday, pilots will also take part in the evening glow in, using bursts of propane flame to illuminate their colorful balloons against the night sky. Photo by Lisa Church four-da- y 1 5-- 1 Carmichael to take the helm of County Council; Langianese is vice-chairma- by Lisa Church contributing writer The Grand County Council elected Judy Carmichael to serve as council chair for 2004. vote for Carmichael folThe vote defeating a motion lowed a by councilman A1 McLeod to elect Joette Langianese to the position. Langianese abstained from the final vote. The council selected Langianese to serve as making this the third consecutive year she will hold that position. Last year, the council elected Jim Lewis as chair following a failed 4 vote for Langianese. Both times council members Jerry McNeely, Judy Carmichael, Nate Knight and Rex Tanner opposed Langianese for the job. After the meeting, McLeod said he believes Carmichael will do a great job, but he is disappointed that the council, for the second year, passed over Langianese. Joette is eminently qualified, he said. Its definitely a break with tradition. Usually, a council memto get ber spends a year as up to speed, then assumes the chair position the next year. 6-- 0 3-- 4 chair, has been involved in n commu- nity planning, spent time with the legislature and has good relationships with various government agencies, McLeod said. I think she deserves the job. Langianese expressed complete confidence in Carmichael and said she harbors no ill feel ings about the vote. Judy will do a terrific job, she said after the afternoon meeting. Prior to the councils evening meeting on Tuesday, Carmichael and Langianese noted that their election marks a new moment in Grand County - for the first time, two women head the county council. vice-chai- r, 3-- Sports: B1 Date - - four-yea- Notices: B2 TV Guide: V'7 Thursday, January 8, 2004 -- The Grand County Council on Tuesday approved changes to the countys existing land use code, altering appointment terms for two boards, and implementing a new policy aimed at controlling noxious weeds on larger construction sites. The council also passed an ordinance aimed at speeding up the process for developers requesting the release of collateral held by the county for subdivision improvements. In the past, developers were required to apply to the Grand County Council for the release of bond monies and collateral, a require- one-quart- Inside The T imes " , 5-- Bish and "- by Lisa Church 2. Partly Cloudy High 47 Low 27 B Number er 7 X) printed on recycled paper and is recyclable. vice-cha- ir Oath of office . . . New City Councilman Keith Brewer, above, joined continuing councilmen Rob Sweeten and Gregg Stucki in taking his oath of office last Monday in the City Council chambers. City Recorder Rachel Ellison presided. In nominating Langianese, McLeod said she had earned the job because of her hard work and service to the county in the three years since she was elected to the council. She has spent two years as vice Legislators coming to meet with school board; session will be open to the public Legislators representing the Grand County Area and School District will visit Moab on Thursday, January 15. State Senator Mike Dmitrich, District 27, Representative Jack Seitz, District 55, and Representative Brad King, District 69 will meet with the School Board and interested public at the Grand County High School auditorium that evening at 7:00 p.m. The meeting is set to run from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. The legislators have been invited by the Grand County School Board to discuss concerns and answer questions relating to the 2004 legislative sessions possible impact on education in the state and district. The legislators will be given time at the beginning of the meeting to share their individual perceptions about what the concerns and challenges will be during the session. Following the legislators initial remarks, the public will be invited to ask questions and furnish comment. The meeting is open to the public. Brad and Amy Minett, with their children, Caleb, Joshua, Abigail and Miss Grand County New Year 2004 Elizabeth Sue. Photo by Ron Drake New Year's Baby born right on time in Castle Valley The year 2004 was barely twelve hours old when Grand Countys first baby was born in Castle Valley. Elizabeth Sue Minett was delivered at 11:57 p.m., January 1 at home at the Day Star Adventist Academy. Her parents, Brad and Amy Minett are staff members at the school. She weighed seven pounds, three ounces and was 20 inches long. Amy said all of the prenatal check-up- s where performed by Dr. Ray Andrew of Moab and he was available as a back up in Moab if necessary, but she preferred the intimate, relaxed environment of a home birth. It was a totally natural delivery. She appreciates Dr. Andrews care and support for her home birth and care throughout the prenatal process. Midwife Molly Jensen of Moab aided the couple during the delivery and Deanna King of Castle Valley assisted her. Brad, who serves the academy as the boys dean, teaches physical education, a bible course and U.S. History and Amy is the outreach coordinator. They moved to the valley last August from Cortez, CO. They have three other children, Caleb, 6, Joshua, 4 and Abigail, 2. The couple met at Atlantic Union College where Amy was a nursing student and they were married in October 1996. When Brad broke the news of the new baby to his grandmother, who lives in Dove Creek, she insisted that he call The That is where he learned that they had the New Years baby and would receive many gifts from generous Moab businesses. See listing of gifts on page A2. Times-lndependen- t. |