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Show Volume 111 500 UTAH MOAB, moab Number 31 times . com www. Thursday, August 5, 2004 RR8NRS9 WEATHER FORECAST Thursday TTfT-HigPartly Cloudy 92 Low 64 Friday Mostly Sunny High 60 Low 99 Saturday Mostly Sunny High 95 Low 67 'Tr '1 Weather forecast courtesy National Weather Service Grand Junction office. Kimber Parry and company, washed what? Where? Why? See by Lisa Taylor for aesthetic reasons and to define the In an effort to allay safety concerns about proposed medians on Main Street, Moab City Manager Donna Metzler presented a summary of U.S. studies on the dividers at last weeks city transportation workshop. The Transportation Research Institute paper, available at city offices, found that cities and suburbs in Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Arizona and California experienced 15 to 37 percent fewer crashes after installing nontraversable or raised medians. City council members Gregg Stucki and Rob Sweeten pointed out that medians were added to Moabs plan primarily pedestrian area of downtown. Metzler agreed, saying that shed brought the research out to address concerns residents and business owners had mentioned in public comments. Both Fire Chief Corky Brewer and Police Chief Mike Navarre said they use the center lane for emergencies, and it will make a difference in how their departments respond, but that they can find ways to work or train their staff around the obstacle. Brewer also asked that emergency response departments be brought in earlier in the process should similar plans come up in the future. With the Utah Dept, of Transportation waiting for Moabs answer on medi- - contributing writer Sunday Mostly Sunny High 96 Low 66 Main Street medians to go before council; Trans. Plan to address trucks, North Corridor Pg.BI contributing writer In response to public complaints about trucks speeding through town and not being pulled over, Moab City Police k conducted a study on Main Street recently, and came up with results that may be surprising. For the project,, run by Lt. Scott Mallon, officers armed with radar guns parked in unmarked cars at five locations ""ahmKaln St. from 400 Bast to 300 North, changing the times of day and direction of travel to catch an average sampling of traffic flow. In his report to the city workshop July 29, Mallon said they marked 1,013 passenger vehicles and 152 which he estimated was about a third of the total vehicles passing through. Of these, 922 cars were at or under the speed limit, 77 were five miles over, and 10 were 10 miles or more over the limit. Of the trucks, 82 were under the limit, 61 were two-wee- starting fires? How can this be? See Pg. B2 semi-truck- s, Inside The T imes Business Directory: B9 Classifieds: B8 Editorials, Letters: A6-- 7 Notices: B4 Obituaries: A4 Region Review: B2 3. 6. 7. 10 Sports: B1, TV Guide: Date- - July 28 93 58 July 29 98 58 .04 99 60 31 102 63 -J- uly uly 30 Aug. 1 Aug. 2 98 68 95 68 Aug. 3 94 60 First Place -J- -.11 , s tn Four Categories J n d Nearly 600 devout, riders will experience one of the most thrilling and challenging journeys of a lifetime on the Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.) Posse Ride: Lower48, Western 2004. Campaign, August The ride is the first of a two-paepic journey that will cover all of the lower 48 continental states. The 2004 event will take riders through 22 of the 48 continental states west of the Mississippi River. In 2005, the Eastern Campaign will tour the 26 continental states east of the Mississippi River. More than 500 H.O.G. members from six international countries and 44 states will begin their journey in Colorado Springs, Colo., on August 4 and make their way to Baton Rouge, La., for a final gathering on August 22. The route is expected to cover more than 4,600 miles, which is an average of 330 miles a day for each of the 14 scheduled travel days. Riders will stop at sev- die-har- Off-roa- d Group I ftwTimo- ' - by Lisa Church contributing writer To subscribe to The Times-Independe- nt call subscribemoabtimes.com The This Harley-Davidso- rt LAST WEEK'S WEATHER nt news-pap- is er X vJV printed on recycled paper and is recyclable. at the limit or within 3 mph of the speed limit, and nine were five to eight miles over. No semis were seen to drive more than 10 miles above the speed limit. In short, 91 percent of cars overall were at or under the limit, and 94 percent of semis were at or under the limit. Mallon acknowledged that the traffic-signsequencing downtown forced all vehicles to go slower than the limit for some distrmce, but said that even near 400 South ai'T U.S. 17 1. 85 oercent of trucks were at or under the limit. Mallon said part of peoples concern about truck speed may be visual perception. In the 200 North area, the lights are so out of sync that hardly anyone was running over 33 mph. But when the semis did come through, when theres a large amount oftraffic between Center and 100 North, you think theyre going fast against the backdrop of parked cars and stop-and-sta- i ences to a "Bvpu Siu-to a Truck Traffic Manaeum nt Studv and to strengthen the coiinmimH HI Fo.t-iLi- v lit c for serious consideration of the The draft said. a Lv pas-- , ai omu Continued on "Pane TH rt al so on. C ontinued on Page A2 Harley Owners Group in Moab as part of 2004 Posse Ride 4-2- 2, B2-- 3 Joette Langameso to chanp all rof Despite the perception, at least 90 percent of drivers in Moab police study obey speed limits by Lisa Taylor Pat Kelly ans, the issue is set to go before council at its August 24 meeting. At the same July 29 workshop, the council took final comments on the Moab Transportation Master Plan being assembled for the city by UDOT planners. Changes include a recommendation from Grand County council member Easter Jeep Safari in May? Its a possibility that the Red Rock are seriously contemplating for 2006, the year the event celebrates its 40th anniversary. Were considering it, but we havent made a decision, club Doug president McElhaney said Wednesday. We voted to pursue it and see if its possible. Changing the date of one of Moabs most popular events could have several positive n eral cities along the way. Many are dealerships hosting parties for both Posse Ride members and the public to enjoy. The tour will be in Moab August 7, hosting a H.O.G. event at the Moab Brewery at 7 p.m. Some of the scenic and historic destinations include Arches National Park in Moab, Lassen Volcanic National Park near Mineral, Calif., the Four Comers Monument which links Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona, and Mount Rushmore National Monument and Crazy Horse Memorial in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Registration for the H.O.G. Posse Ride: Lower 48, Western Campaign was only open to H.O.G members. The event is sold out. No e registration will be available. Founded in 1983, Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.) is the official riding club of the Harley-Davidso- n Motor Company. Harley-Davidso- on-sit- Miss Grand County 2003 Monica Arehart (in driver's seat) is surrounded by the si young women who will compete to be her successor at the pageant Aug tclocK. ' from Monica): Lynsey Nielsen, Ashly Leavitt, AmAsie Green, Rebecca Francis, Daniel Hudson, arid Rachel Zimick. See page B5 for individual photos and story. Photos courtesy of Mandy Lore , 1 Texas company purchases gas properties; new exploration interest may be indicated the With price of crude oil now at over a barrel, purchase last $40 pegged week of two large one in Grand County, by a Houston, Tex., company, new exploration interest may be indicated. Elk Production LLC said that the Cisco Dome field in Grand County and the Roosevelt oil field in Uintah county, are key to its planned expansion into the fossil fuels-ricregion of the Intermoun-taiarea. Oil and gas has been discovered in many wells drilled near Cisco for the last fifty years. Gathering the gas in commercial quantities has proven difficult for independent operators during that time, although many wells have merely been shut in for future markets. Elk, a subsidiary of Elk Resources Inc., also plans in October to move its corporate headquarters to Denver as part of its growth strategy. Spokesman Richard Crist told the Salt Lake Tribune Friday that Elk has obtained a 100 percent working interest in both Utah sites. Citing confidentiality issues, he declined to identify the Utah sellers as other than private operators. Terms of the n h deal were not disclosed. However, Crist said acquisition of Cisco Dome in particular is key. The parcel gives Elk immediate gas and oil pro duction, an existing pipeline system ami an operating stripping plant h ie oil and gas products are separated An aggressive program is tar geted to quadruple the current pioduc tion flow rates from the field vv it Inn tin next 12 months, Crist said The Roosevelt oil field also is for extensive developmental he drilling, said, noting that cm rent oi1 have prices only served to enhance the economic attraction of the pioect " U. S. oil prices hit recoid highs last week, trading in the $43 50 per ban el range. Experts speculate that feared disruption in Russian crude and continuing Middle East tensions wore re sponsible. . . . d Anticipating increased oil production demand, Elk said it recently raised $6 million in new7 equity capital, and has brokered a credit pact through Petrobridge Invesment LLC. That deal gives Elk initial credit funding of $4 mil lion and up $36 million more to dev clop its acquisitions. According to the state Division of Oil, Gas and Mining, Utah ranks 14'1 nationally in crude oil production and 12th in natural gas. Utah, where 85 percent of all homes are heated with natural gas, currently has 6,600 operating oil and gas wells. club mulls changing Jeep Safari dates benefits for the community in- cluding stretching out the spring tourist steaeon to fill motels and restaurants during a time when visitation has begun to wane. But it would also allow the club to separate the event from the frenzied and sometimes wild antics of high school and college enstudents and other d thusiasts who descend on the town in large numbers, creating traffic jams and backcountry headaches for local authorities during Easter weekend. Were trying to make it a off-roa- more family friendly event for the participants, McElhaney said. The people that we deal with do a good job. They stay on the trails. They dont throw litter out the windows. So it is frustrating to be painted with the same brush. The Grand County Council briefly discussed the issue during its Tuesday afternoon meeting, and several council members expressed support for the idea. The Red Rock have asked the county to write a letter of support to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, which issues permits for the backcountry trails used during the event. Rex Tanner pointed out that a large event in May could bring d in a infusion of revenue for. local businesses, and help reduce the strain on law enforcement agencies during one of Grand Countys busiest weeks. much-neede- Council chair Judy Carmichael said she understands why the club might consider the change. Theyre tired of being associated with all that mischief that goes , on during Easter weekend, she said. And councilman Jim Lewis said he appreciates the groups willingness to consider alternative dates. For them to be willing to change the date and make that step, thats a pretty big concession, he said. I think we should support them in any way we can. McElhaney said the group is several months away from making a final decision. But the issue must be decided by next Continued on I age A2 . |