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Show Thursday, December 23, 2004 Page A2 Lisbon copper operation could produce $80 million annually by Lisa Church contributing writer Signs of activity will soon )e apparent as the Lisbon Val-ie- y Mining Company begins reassembling a copper crushing and processing plant on eased federal lands about 10 miles south of La Sal. All the necessary permits are in place, and officials from Lisbon Valley Mining say excavation and ground preparation work is nearly complete workers are pouring a con- sr? xX mining operations in mid to late May. Before that can happen, crews must reconstruct a copper processing mill that was shipped from a Tbnopah, Nev., mine to the Lisbon Valley site. T.t will take about four months to reassemble the full processing facility, which includes a primary and two secondary crushers, screens and feed conveyors, and a solvent extraction and electrowinning - per pound, dropped to and CCC had lost construction financing for the project. Today, the price of copper has rebounded - copper closed at $1.49 per pound on Monday - making the project once again feasible. Company officials have said the Lisbon Valley operation will produce about 40 to 50 million pounds of copper each year, generating more than $80 million in annual revenues. The mine could also reap Workforce Services (DWS) fices in Moab or Blanding. We arent taking applications at our company offices, she said. DWS is taking applications, and they will have all the information about jobs 60-cen- The company plans to begin ri the ground to monitor the progress at the plant. It just makes sense, he said. Thats where the work will be happening. Thats where I need to be and our staff needs to be. Claudia Berner, human resources manager for the project, said those interested in working at the Lisbon Valley facility must apply through the price of copper had crete base for the plants crushing facility this week. a quired interest in the Lisbon Valley site in 1993, completed a feasibility study and acquired permits from the state and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management for the project in 1996. In 1997, two environmental groups appealed to the U.S. Interior Board of Land Appeals (IBLA) to sfop the permits. The IBLA denied the appeal in 1999, but by then, ts big financial benefits for Grand and San Juan counties. CCC projects that the Lisbon Valley plant will purchase about $16 million annually in local goods and services, and will contribute another $2.4 million in sales, property, severance taxes and royalties. In April or May, Lisbon Valley Mining Company will begin hiring workers for the plant and mining operations, Lisbon Valley General Manager Bob Washnock said Mon- plant. Constellation Copper Corp. (CCC), Lisbon Valley Minings parent company, ac- - day. The big push for hiring will be in June and July," he Wishing you a bundle of glad tidings this Christmas. You deserve it! .'( n said. Well begin mining startup in May or June, and were looking at an August HAVE BALL! ii ft 2005 plant startup. Next spring, Lisbon Valley Mining will move its operations office from Moab to the Lisbon Valley site. Washnock said the move will put staff on GRAVEL PIT LANES 1078 Millcreek Dr. 259-474- 8 dSmimgs From REMAX Canyonlands Realty M the state Department C. C4 A of n rt Thank you for your valued business. n Canyonlands Realty 131 North Main Moab 259-787- 0 Hope Its - SPECtacularl "Wi ' Well be closed Dec. 24th through Jan. 2nd SS !,. Dr. Todd A. Hackney OD 471 S. v r m: i Main St. 435-259-94- 41 register, she said. Were working closely with the company, and with our Blanding office to make sure people are Dear Sam, Thank you for the memory. In the legends Both DWS officer are he says. Another Santa story that Irish recalls was the time he visited the home of Max and Norma Day on Christmas Eve. The late Max Day was also an accomplished Santa Claus in his own right, and owned a costume that was virtually identical to Irishs. When Irish suddenly appeared as Santa at the door of the Day home that night, their startled children inexplicably bolted for their bedrooms and wouldnt come out. Perplexed, Irish walked back outside, where a laughing Norma Day informed him that her husband had just visited the home as Santa Claus less than a half hour before and had warned the kids, Im coming back later to bring you your presents, and if you arent in your beds no toys! From that time on, Irish says he tried to be more care-fi- d in correlating with Day and other local Santa helpers to avoid potential situations wherein dual Clauses might end up stepping on each boots. d others Irish also remembers being at the Grand County Courthouse one afternoon when, according to his count, 758 kids sat on his lap over a seven-hoperiod. I didnt get for up anything, not even a drink or to go to the bathroom, recalls Irish of the marathon session, his own personal record. Youve got to be ready for anything, says Irish of the p tradition. Sticky hands, slobbery faces, messy diapers . . . Ive had it all. But its just surii a joy to hear those children. I just love them! They tell Santa things they wont tell anyone else. Pierce, a former school teacher, has had a busy December thus far, having made the rounds at local schools, church groups, and a few company parties. As Santa, he likes to drop in on local businesses and give certain employees lumps of coal (actually hard licorice candy), just for fun. His diverse Santa activities range from delivering puppies to kissing ladies at the bowling alley to kickdance ing up a routine with the high school drill team. Pierce, too, has heard his high-steppi- g comshare of ments from tender-hearte- d children seated on his lap. Ive had a kid tell me, T dont want anything for myself just help keep my uncle safe in Iraq he says. Others will tell me to just make sure a poor- kid gets something nice for Christmas. Still other children have asked Santa for things as simple as a pair of - shoes or for my family to be together. Pierce says the spirit of Santa Claus goes beyond merely receiving presents. I just wish more people would think about what they can do for someone else, he says. Christmas is more about giving than getting. Thats why its so neat to hear from kids who are truly thinking about others. Adds Pierce: I always tell kids that Santa will bring them what they need, and not . Donnie as Williams, necessarily what they want. grouchy. My sister Merlene Pierce enjoys explaining Santas magic to inquisitive was quick to correct him. Hes not grouchy, just a little, growlie. This is the man who could squeeze the last cent out of every dime; but open his Scrooge purse to buy an expensive new red velvet suit, real hair wig and whiskers, reindeer bell bandolier and shiny black fur toppled boots. The one he was borrowing was too worn for a self respecting Santa. Each year for over a de- youngsters who ask about everything from reindeer eating habits to Santas methods of entering a house. That laying a finger aside of the nose trick really works, he vows. Russell Call, who works at a local insurance agency, has also done his share of over the years, mostly in smaller settings, such as famng ily and company parties. When Pm dressed up, my own cade, this same' kids dont recognize me, he says. Call, who also speaks Spanish-speakin- g homes as a bilingual Kringle of sorts, his first such role in nearly two decades of Santa appearances. He plans to repeat the feat on Christmas Eve. Its really a lot of fun, he notes, adding that he finally invested in his own Santa suit about five years ago after borrowing various ones for 15 years. Local Jeep tour guide Dan Mick just started making appearances as Santa this year. I make a pretty goojl Santa Claus, he says, noting that his body shape and face give him the right look for the part. Mick says kids have spotted him on the street (wearing no Santa gear except for a red furry hat) and have yelled to him, Hey! You look just like Santa! Mick, whose house was damaged in a fire a few months ago, says that being Santa this year is one way of repaying the many kindnesses shown to his family in the wake of the fire. Lots of people have done so much for us. Im just trying to give back what I can, and being Santa is part of that, he says. Another first-tim- e Santas helper is Max Jensen, who recently filled in for someone else and donned a borrowed suit on the spur of the moment to entertain teenage youth at a church party. I think that even the older kids want to keep the miracle of Santa Claus alive, he said afterward. Other local Santas helpers include Dave Warner, 'who dresses up every year as St. Nicholas and hands out bags of goodies to children at the potluck dinner following St Pius X Catholic Churchs annual Christmas pageant; Jim Walker, a local cyclist; and Tim Erekson, a motel manager who has been recruited to wear a borrowed Santa suit a couple of times. Its really hard work, grey-whisker- ed tight wad would shell out the money for over fifty pounds plus of extra large candy canes to pass out on his Christmas Eve home visits. This is the man who could march down the aisle of the Holiday Theater with an ushers flashlight in his hand and quiet a whole auditorium full of rowdy Friday night movie fans, then all through December hold long lines of Moab youngsters on his lap and listen to their Christinas wishes. My brother Kelly once commented to my Mother how much Santa sounded like our Dad, but the differences between our Dad and Jolly Old St. Nick were too much to make that possible. This was the Dad who wouldnt go out to Thompson to pick up the stuffed toy tiger that I had asked for, because Montgomery Wards had sent it rail freight instead of postal and it was too far to go for .that (someone brought it to town and I did Spanish, recently visited a couple of local . 719-260- ed get it before New Years). This was the man as- sociated with the red suit and whiskers, none is more dear to our family than the one of Santa Max Day Claus. This was the man who was described by our Mountain View neighbor, keeping a running list of interested workers, and will provide updates regarding Lisbon Valley Minings hiring status as more information is avail- - Continued from page A1 made aware when the hiring begins. Interested applicants can register in person at the Moab DWS office, 457 Kane Creek for more 0 Blvd. or call information. Reader shares memories of papa Santa Max Day . . . Santa's Moab helpers . . . heart-rendin- The focus Christmas, and everyone here -Is filled with warm wishes and lots of good cheer But amid all the bustle and holiday fuss. Wed like to thank you for seeing us! is able, Nisely said. The best thing for people to do is come into the office and office. and requirements. kids-on-la- G dJ ns of- ur a The plant and mining will create 143 jobs, Washnock said, and Lisbon Valley Mining hopes most or all of those workers will be Grand and San Juan County residents. Currently, Lisbon Valley Mining is hiring for a few management openings. Those jobs require a related college degree and at least five years experience, said Sheryl Nisely, manager for the DWS Moab ay fur-line- m&tttt s ?s day-to-d- known as Charlie Day to 'his friends, who was the cause of a technical foul to be called on the Moab Red Devil basketball team in Green River because of harassment of the a referee, even though the Moab team denied knowing who he was. The same man who delivered Christmas gift boxes for the Elks Club and arrived in the parking lot of Millers Shopping Center in a helicopter, in full Santa regalia, to be greeted and escorted inside to visit with the waiting crowd of parents and youngsters inside Millers Supermarket by Chief of Police Akins. This is the Santa Max who frightened the Raymond children to bed extra early one Christmas Eve when he showed up on their door step. Another Santa Max had just been there and informed them that he wouldnt leave presents for any children not in bed, fast asleep. Such is the power of the red suit and white whiskers. Today our family is proud of that heritage and to have another connection to that red suited Christmas spirit. Our daughter Lisas father-in-laSanta Ron Pierce Claus visits our home and many others across our valley and beyond. Thank you to Santa Irish Claus and the others in Moab who put on the red suit, don the wig and whiskers, add the pillow when needed, leave their Max families on Christmas Eve and brighten the memories and spread the cheer each Christmas season. Merry Christmas, --Ann Day Carter Moab J i 4 01410.17(77101 A V li t 250-220- 0 XX "-rt- f -- w'zr vrz CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF JESUS Erekson notes. You really have to be careful that you dont slip up in what you say, and the suit gets really hot. Even so, he says he found the experience rewarding. I love the interaction with the kids, he says. Most of them have a lot of reverence and respect for who Santa is and what he represents. All of the helpers who were interviewed seemed to agree on one thing: putting on Santas suit results in an almost magical transformation, with the wearer personifying, even for a brief time, the true spirit of Christmas. 1 M, |