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Show 'V uan HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER FOR SAN VolumeUK .5 x Vo' , - 87,Numbet52 v., ' ft ,'A ''' S. JAN ecor COUNTY, UTAH 50 cents October 6, 2004 Wet September may signal end to six year drought in with several s s av s' t? Y s " s V " ; " s s v't Wes Hawkins (3) avoids an Enterprise defender and heads upfield during Monticellos 21-- 6 homecoming victory over Enterprise. See the story on page 1 0. Gary Torres photo Focus on San Juan School District state grants benefit San Juan County, schools Federal & How important are federal and state educational grants to the people of San Juan County? What kinds of services are provided? How many jobs are created? How much money is pumped into the local economy? San Juan School District is the largest employer in the County. The district currently employs a little over 461 fulltime- -equivalent positions. Of this number, 157 are funded through targeted grant funds. The annual school district local economy. Federal and state educational grants have a significant impact on the citizens of our county. Program names give expression to the types of services rendered. These include such programs as: ALS (Alternative Language GEAR-UServices), (Career Counseling), Homeless IDEA (Special Education), Johnson-OMalle(Indian Students), Reading First, Safe and Drug Free Schools, Title I (Literacy and Math support), Title II-(Highly Qualified TeachAt-Ris- k, P y budget Maintenance and Operation is nearly $30 million. This ers), Title II-- (Technology Edubudget only draws one out of cation), Title III (Bilingual Eduevery ten dollars from local cation), Title IV (Safe & Drug taxes. A little over 25 percent of Free Schools & Communities), the budget comes from state and Title V (Innovative Programs), federal grant funding sources. Title VII (Indian Education), and YIC (Youth in Custody). This equates to nearly $8 milThe bottom line is that beyond lion that goes directly into the local economy. On average, the the tremendous economic imeconomic ripple effect has been pact in the community, these adcalculated as a multiplier of ditional resources give our stuclose to 1.6. So, the creation of dents and teachers extra sup100 new jobs supports an addiport such as: tutoring, computer imtional 60 jobs, for a total job access, counseling, health and safety services, direct instrucpact of 160. This means that the Districts tion, smaller classes, cultural awareness, heritage language 461 jobs help create an addimultiinstruction, supplies, books, protional 277 jobs. With the difessional be can 251 development, and a jobs plier effect, rectly attributed to the impact myriad of other services. Other of grant funds invested in San students and teachers throughJuan School District. Stated in out the state and nation often terms of dollar impact, the $8 are not as fortunate to have as much access to these substanmillion of grant monies ultimately create approximate $13 tial resources. million annual impact on the SINCE 1915 (.,..), Significant precipitation the month of September closed the gap in what had been another year of below annual precipitation. In the case of Monticello, the heavy September precipitation helped to close out the water year with higher than average precipitation. It was the first time in several years that the community has received higher than average precipitation. It was similar in Blanding and Bluff, which finished the water year with just less than average precipitation for the year. Monticello had 3.69 inches of precipitation for the month of September, which is 256 percent of the normal 1.44 inches for the month. That left total moisture for the water year which ends October 1 at 16.17 inches. This compares to the historical aver- i National Weather months of Services presents awards hotter and drier than normal precipitation. It wasnt until the Blue Mtn Shadows weather, monsoon season hit in August and September that rain totals once again exceeded their historic average. Wet, heavy rains in the month of September increased the hope of area farmers that the winter wheat crop which has been planted will have a strong harvest in the spring. Several inches of rain has soaked the ground thoroughly and left the soil in ideal condition for planting. Despite the recent heavy storms, the big picture analysis shows that the current drought may be considered the worst in 500 years for the Colorado River Basin. The water level in Lake Powell continues to be significantly lower than normal. The last time water level in Lake 15.10 of inches. Powell was at its current point age Blanding received 3.03 inches was in the early 1970s. It was of precipitation in September, nearly 10 years before Lake which is 268 percent of normal. Powell reached its full pool in They finished the water year the early 1980s. The annual precipitation in with 12.73 inches of precipitaMonticello of 16.17 inches comless the historic than tion, just average of 13.3 inches. pares to precipitation in the preIt was an interesting water vious year of 13.28 inches and year, which began with strong 9.36 inches in the drought year precipitation throughout the of 2002. It is the highest amount county in the early part of the of annual precipitation in year. Through the month of Monticello since 1999. The Camp Jackson reporting February heavy winter snows accumulated throughout the station in the Abajo Mountains area and gave hope that the long north of Blanding recorded more drought which has plagued than 4 12 inches of rain in the southeastern Utah for the past month of September, marking several years may be broken. one of the heaviest months for However, the month of March rainfall in recent history at that saw a marked change in the reporting station. - See page 3 honored - See 7 page Volleyball thrills - See pages 11-1- 2 Organizers have high hopes for a bike race that will make its inaugural run this weekend beginning in Blanding. The Legacy Annual Great Bike Ride Across Utah (LAGBRAU) is a bike tour across southern Utah. 7-d- ay The event begins in Blanding and continues across 400 miles of southern Utah before finishing in St. George on October 16. The ride takes participants from Blanding to Fry Canyon, Hanksville, Torrey, Boulder, Canonville, Glendale, and St. George. Race organizers are using a model of a very successful and popular race in Iowa. There will be an opening ceremony for the race in Blanding on Saturday, October 9 at 6 p.m. For more information about the race, check at www.lagbrau.com. A D Denise Kee Rizo & Joanna George Rizo September 22 girl San Juan Statistics Vivar September Weather Report Monticello News Rogndup Letters to Editor Society Community news Sports Legals Classified Real Estate Blanding 2 4 6 8 10 17 18 19 |