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Show JWMWfrim m ,i M yiy ,i it ;t;i!t tr,ls tlj; iiff f uppM'Wy iiuniuiwm'i'iiii "i"u irritr Ha: ' f VP inliTtifftinn MOAB, UTAH wvw.moabtimes.com Volume 107 Number 32 50 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmamm Thursday, August 10, 2000 H HRB BD The Arctic Circle or Bust: Local pilots fly north to fulfill lifelong dreams WEATHER FORECAST Thursday by Franklin Seal Partly Cloudy High 97 Low 68 staff writer When Canyonlands pilots John Keys, of Moab, and Bud Barton, of Green Cloudy High 85 Low 66 River, landed their two planes at the edge of the Arctic Ocean on July 3 and dipped their toes in Mackenzie Bay, it was the fulfillment of longtime dreams for both of them. adventure that carBut the nine-daried the 56- - and pilots over the wilds of the Yukon and Northwest single-engin- Saturday Partly Cloudy High 94 Low 64 Sunday e y Partly Cloudy High 95 Low 62 Moab private pilot John Keys (left) stands plane with Walt Pierce of Houston, Texas. in front of his air- ld Territories was also tinged with sadness. Just one day after beginning their journey north, fellow Canyonlands pilot Jim took Hurst, traveling as Keys ill and had to quit the trip. Hurst is known in the Moab area for his canyon flying. The subject of a 1973 book by Pearl Baker, Rim Flying Canyonlands," he was also the principle inspiration for the groups Arctic adventure. Having spent many seasons flying the canyon country during the uranium t, Return of the Big G ambitious Moab residents take it upon themselves to repaint the block letter above town. B1 Enjoy the work of local artists dunng the monthly Artwalk and Gallery Stroll this Saturday evening. B8 Indian Canyon The BLM seeks input on a new plan. see Rea) Estate Weekly inside Campers can't 'bear it Wildlife officials destroyed a pesky bear near Green River after it disturbed campers, Inside The T imes Business Directory: 64 Calendar. 84 Crossword Puzzle: 87 Classifieds: B7 Dining & Lodging: 83 Editorials, Letters: A6,7 Notices: A3, 66 Region Review: B1 Television Listings: 62 WEATHER HISTORY Date-Hig- Olsen: goal is for local trails to 'go somewhere' by Ken Davey staff writer More than 30 local residents weighed in Monday evening on a proposal by the Grand County Council to adopt a series of amendments to alter the form of county by Franklin Seal staff writer Grand County, in cooperation with the City of Moab, is initiating a new committee to organize a network if trails throughout the county. Possible future trail projects mentioned last Monday during the afternoon session of the Grand County Council meeting included a bike path along Spanish Valley Drive and trails in the La Sal Mountains. non-motoriz- August Artwalk Low Freda h Aug. 2 Aug. 3 Aug. 4 71 1C7 Aug. S Aug. 6 104 74 104 73 104 63 --- 61 105 64 106 Aug. 7 66 107 Aug. 8 "Ties old ncord se( in 1999 ' 4$ Firm Pmce Gunoral Exclenc ine rn- - ! ; The committee being organized will be comprised of selected citizens, members of Grand County and Moab City Councils, and city and county staff. Both the City and County Councils will approve the members chosen for the committee. David Olsen, community development coordinator for the city, said he envisioned the committee serving for a r three- - or period before being dissolved. He added to see the citys network of trails, inlike would that he Creek Mill Parkway, expanded beyond the city cluding the limits so they go somewhere." Grand County Council member Ken Ballantyne, who works as a Utah Highway Patrol trooper, said he was in favor of the idea, but for practical reasons. Im talking about basically getting bikes off the highway and away from the cars." He wanted more clarification about the focus of the committees goals. Are we talking about the backside of the La Sals or more in town? Id like it to include the entire county," Council Chair Kim Schappert replied. She supported the idea, and wanted to talk about how the projects the committee recommends will be funded. Ultimately, were going to have to put some money into it if we decide to the go forward with any trail projects. Council Member Susanne Mayberry said she thought there might be grants available. And Olsen concurred, stating that in his work on the Mill Creek Parkway and numerous other city projects, hes been able to tap into Transportation Enhancement funds and other grant programs. Moab resident John Eichenour strongly encouraged the idea. In the 10 years since he moved here, he has seen the type of bike riders attracted to Moab shift away from hard core riders to families and individuals who want a different experience. The demographics have changed," he said. It would behoove us to have a better trail system." Eichenour urged the council to go forward with the committee, saying Moab is a destination resort and has long been touted as the Capital of Mountain Biking but has done little to develop resources for cyclists. Meanwhile, other destination resorts and he mentioned several in Colorado have developed their trail systems. Mentioning the La Sal Mountains, he said, Right now the trails are an absolute mess for mountain biking." Eichenour also urged the council to take advantage of the many citizens in the community who could help. In terms of the make-u- p (of the committee, I think theres a wealth of information out there and experience. Those interested in being appointed to the committee 9 should call Olsen at or Grand County at four-yea- 259-512- 259-134- 6. Ihe Timggr Independent cal! subscribemoabtiiTies,coffl OThe Times-lndepend- This news-pap- is er T X) printed on recycled paper and is recy clable. government. Changes include reducing the number of council members from 7 to 5, abolishing the ability of voters to recall council members, getting rid of council districts and having all members elected limit on removing the two-tercouncil members, and reverting to the traditional route of choosing council candidates through political party conventions and primaries instead of the current primary method. been a part ofGrand have These issues e, m Search coordinators discuss strategy over a map of Negro Bill Canyon Jeff Firak.The boy became separated search for through the from his mountain biking group while riding the Porcupine Rim Trail Tuesday, Aug. 1 His body was discovered Saturday under a juniper tree next to the Fins and Things jeep trail, half a mile from the Sand Flats Road. Photo by David T. Zogg. mid-wa- y four-da- y . Massive search for lost boy ends on tragic note after four-da- y by Franklin Seal staff writer search for a in the area of Negro Bill boy missing on ended a tragic note SaturCanyon when the boys body was day morning A four-da- y ld discovered lying beneath a juniper tree. A spokesman for the search effort said the body of Jeff Firak of Woodstock, 111., was discovered at 10:56 a.m. near an area called Fins and Things, 1.5 miles east of the search command post at the Slickrock Bike Trail parking lot and about half a mile from the Sand Flats Road. Authorities believe the boy died of heat exhaustion sometime on Wednesday, the day after he became separated from a group of mountain bikers while riding the Porcupine Rim Trail. Temperatures in Moab reached an Aug. 1 record high of 108 degrees on Tuesday when the boy became lost. According to a mountain biker who said he was the last one in the group to see the boy alive, Firak was already out of water early that afternoon when he rode ahead, intending to catch up with his elder brother who was in the lead. A search commander said the last time ordeal anyone saw the boy was at the last overlook above Castle Valley before the trail leaves the rim. The five riders became strung out along the trail. Later, when the group of five, including the boys father, caught up with one another near the top of Jackass Canyon around 7 p.m., they discovered Jeff was missing. While some members looked for him, some went to get help. Others brought water up to those who had run out. The group made it out to the mouth of Negro Bill Canyon around 9 p.m. when the Grand County emergency dispatch center received a call. A search was launched at 10:20 p.m. Line of clues The first in a string of clues turned up around 3 a.m. Wednesday, when searchers found a bike they believed to be the boys. It was located north of the Negro Bill Canyon rim, a mile and a half south and west from Coffee Pot rock, according to a GCSR member Searchers followed footprints leading away from the bike. Around 6 a.m. the boys Continued on Page A2 non-partis- County politics since 1992, when a group of citizens, frustrated by what they saw as an unresponsive county comto circulated mission, replace the petitions council with commission with a 2 seats chosen by all voters and five representing districts. The petitions elections similar to called for those for city council and school boards. They also proposed a recall provision and limit on council members. a Voters approved the new form of government and four years later rejected a county council proposal to return to partisan politics. This time around, a majority of council members say they continue to hear from residents, including leaders of the Republican Party, unhappy with the current setup. So they are proposing to put the five changes on the November ballot. A number of speakers lauded the council proposals, arguing that the current system discourages citizen participation and a large council is less efficient. I didnt have any objection to the way it was when it was partisan, said Lily Mae Noorlander, when we had Democrats and Republicans. Lots and lots of Democrats and Republicans say they would like that back. Mike Holyoak said having people run as political party candidates gives voters a chance to judge candidates based on the party platforms. He also said a smaller council is better. I think 5 is a at-lar- non-partis- two-ter- m good number to shoot for," stated Holyoak. One thing Ive seen in government of any type is the more people you Continued on Page A2 San Juan jury convicts Robison, drops hate crime enhancement by Franklin Seal staff writer A San Juan County jury found Moab resi- To subscribe to Continued on Page A3 Rancorous talk closes debate on change of government Networking for trails Two boom, he then went north and became a bush pilot in Canada. Now at 78 years of age, due to medical reasons, he no longer has his pilots license. It was Hurst who first suggested to Keys the idea of flying to the Arctic Circle. Almost two years ago J 1m came to me and m said I want to go back up there, Keys explained during a recent interview. That was the purpose of the trip dent Jaric Robison, 21, guilty of assault, a class B misdemeanor. Due to the allegedly racist nature of the incident that occurred at a Moab convenience store on New Years Eve last Janue ary, Robison had been charged with Hate Crime assault under Utahs felony statute. It was the first hate crime trial in southeastern Utah. Under the reduced charge of which he now stands convicted, Robison faces a maximum sentence of 6 months in the county jail ar.d a $1,000 fire. Sentencing was scheduled for Sent. poor copyI third-degre- 6 at the Grand County Courthouse. The trial, before 7 District Judge Lyle Anderson, began Monday in Monticello. Anderson had moved the trial to Monticello last April after jury selection began. In his publicity made it imruling he said possible for Robison to get a fair trial in Moab. The case received media coverage in Grand County, Salt Lake City and in Grand Junction, Colo. As news of the trial spread, Moab residents also received unsolicited mailings from a white supremacist group based in Texas and West Virginia urging them to support Robison. Monday, the jury of eight San Juan County pre-tri- al citizens heard testimony from the couple who Robison was convicted of assaulting. Phillip Co' vin, who is white, and his wife, Rebecca Goodmundson, who is part black and part American Indian, both said they did not provoke the confrontation last winter. In separate testimony the couple said they heard two men say white power to them as they entered the store. That provoked a conversation about the Bible with one of the two men, a friend of Robisons, Bryan Ballard. The couple also testified that as they left the store, Robison jumped out of the truck and confronted them, shouting, You want a piece of me? They said Robison threatened to beat Colvin up and jerked the door out of his hand. Ballard took the stand for the defense on Monday and claimed that Pkobison in fact never said the words white power as the couple walked by, and that he was the only one to do so. He claimed he was only mentioning it to others in the truck with him. He said he and Robison were not white supremacists. But Ballard also said he told police they were white supremacists when they were questioned after the altercation. He said he was just telling the cops what they wanted Continued on Page A2 |