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Show Juan ; econ HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER FOR SAN JUAN COUNTY, UTAH 50 cents ' Volume 87 Number 16 Popular Bluff Balloon Festival returns this week for sixth year winter tradition continues this week when the sixth annual Bluff International Balloon Festival takes to the air. Sponsors plan at least 30 hot air balloons to fill the skies around Bluff and the Valley of the Gods during the four day A event, which begins Thursday. The colorful balloons are a beautiful contrast to the remarkable red rock cliffs of the Bluff area. The event began five years ago and has grown steadily, bringing a growing impact to the area during what has traditionally been one of the quietest months of the year. The Balloon Festival is a project of the Business Owners of Bluff (BOB). Organizers stress that the bal- loon festival is informal and personal, with close accessibility for annual Bluff Balloon Festival. The event takes place January Stephanie DeGeorge photo 15-1- 8. Weather situation looks bright San Juan County warmed up a little in the past week after several weeks of wet weather. New faces on City Councils Local municipalities will begin the new year with a number of new faces. Blen Freestone and Tom Livingston will participate in their first Monticello City Council meeting this evening. Freestone and Livingston were sworn in on January 5, along with Doug Allen, who returns for another term on the council. They replace Evan Lowry and Kim Burtenshaw and join returning councilmen Pete Steele and Steve Young. Similarly, two new members of the Blanding City Council were sworn into office on Janu- ary 5 and recently attended their first City Council meeting Randall on January 13. Pemberton and Eric Johnson joined the Council, replacing Dale Slade and David Lacy. They are joined by Kelly Laws, David Palmer, and Brian Bayles. Beautiful clear skies were a marked contrast to the conditions in valley locations. Temperatures in the mid to high 40s were enjoyed in Monticello over the weekend. By comparison, high temperatures in Moab were nearly 20 degrees lower as a result of temperature inversions in the Moab Valley. The storms of late December and early January have left a smile on the faces of local resi- dents. If typical winter weather conditions continue through the remainder of the winter and early spring, area reservoirs should be in good shape for the upcoming summer. On January 12, there was 8.5 inches of water in the snow pack at Camp Jackson, on the Abajo Mountains west of Monticello and north of Blanding. This is the most water there has been in the snow pack on this date in seven years, since 1997. The snow pack generally continues to build until it peaks in late March or early April. However, there is already more water on the mountain this year than there was through the entire winters of 2002, 1999, 1996, and 1990, according to records dating back to 1986. January 14,2004 Felony court report - Just after dark on Friday evening, the beautiful balloons will light the night sky at the event. There are a number of events on Saturday, January 17, inf of hot air balcluding a loons in the morning hours. Other events on Saturday include an arts and crafts sale, tours of the Twin Rocks Trading Post, music at the meetinghouse at the historic Bluff fort, and an auction in the evening. The balloon festival shifts to the Valley of the Gods (approximately 20 miles west of Bluff) glow-i- n See page 2 Stubbs wins grant to study Egyptian -- Amerindian language links -- See page 5 lift-of- on Sunday, January 18. Lift-of- f from the Valley of the Gods is scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m. For a complete list of events, see the advertisement on page 3. visitors to the balloons and crews. It is a great chance to get an up close and personal view into the beautiful spoK of hot air ballooning. The events begin early Thursat day morning with a lift-of- f Bluff Elementary School. At 6 p.m., there will be a welcome reception for pilots and their sponsors. Several dozen local SINCE 1915 Utah birth rate still easily tops rest of nation Utah continues to outpace the businesses, organizations and rest of the country when it individuals serve as sponsors of comes to having babies. A new event. the four-da- y Utah Department of Health Events on Friday begin early report shows Utahs fertility in the morning. At 7:30 a.m., a rate is 91.2 births per 1,000 4 coyote and hare race will take women years of age, f balloons place after the compared with the U.S. rate of Senior News - See page 1 1 few resolutions A - See Mary Lou, pg. 16 Funeral services for Maryann Clio Nebeker are Saturday, January 17, 2004 at the Monticello LDS Stake Center. A viewing is from 9 to 9:45 a.m. and funeral services from '0 to 11 a.m. Interment at the family farm at Summit Point. The grave site is in a primitive area and the winter weather makes the family concerned for the safety of people wanting to attend the graveside services. They understand if you dont travel to Summit Point. If attending is your desire, the family stresses that you will be welcome, but please come appro- priately dressed for winter conditions - including snow! 15-4- lift-of- over Bluff. 64.8. Monticello man sentenced to 15 months John K. Black, age 45 of Monticello, has been sentenced to 15 months in a federal penitentiary for possession of child pornography. Federal Judge Tena Campbell sentenced Black at a hearing in Salt Lake City on January 9, 2004. In a plea arrangement on July 9, 2003, Black pled guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. He had originally been charged with an additional federal count of distribution of child pornography. Black was found in possession of several photographs of local teenagers engaged in sexual acts during the criminal investigation, which was completed in 2002 by the Monticello Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The pho- tographs had been produced locally and had been distributed via the internet. statement of fact in the plea arrangement said, On or about September 7, 2001, John K. Black possessed a computer file which contained a single image A of child pornography, which image was transported in interstate and foreign commerce and which was produced using materials that had traveled in interstate commerce. The image possessed by the defendant was a visual depiction of child pornography as defined by the United States Code. Sentencing was delayed for several months after the July plea arrangement. The conviction carried a potential term of imprisonment of up to five years, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to three years. Black was sentenced to the minimum mandatory of 15 months. He is to begin serving his sentence within 30 days. News Roundup Letters to Editor 2 Society Sports 6 8 4 Community News 10 Legals 13 14 Classified Real Estate 15 January 12 snow report 8.5 of water in 40" of snow 6.7 is multi-yeaverage low 0.60 in 1990 is multi-ye15.4 in 1993 is multi-yehigh Current snow is 127 of normal of normal La Sal snow is 132 ar ar ar |