OCR Text |
Show - .. rM J ., tc- - J r,V , TSfXE r.jvtapp&3pa3k?i!e3FS& V .yyiggyy StHfST'SSS? 5 t',M -- tsT 57 VERNAL School builds learning .page B2 I page Delinquent taxes Hantavirus diagnosed ...page A9 page B4 Coloring contest page B7 Long shot wins Lewis named page B8 A5-A- 7 Express online: www.vernal.com r - . fw, .ir r s - .' ir Vjyvfr. C.?? Ai T- -r 7 Jr4jfy. 'M . 4 it 1, v w ? ? y ..f . - .' "tt ' ' 2'i''s ? f - xf ; ,t D-V-,i i -- " - Justice and new facilities come in at top . v f " A v ;3r. V tSf-.:.r- Ti t- -i . Lv- 1 vrV v JM I ; . '7 i W-- si - V ' i . rJ 4 V. . 1 - b Vvf' ,'J' ll ' rs s ., ' () y s i--' y 4 f f v y- - i-- ,y 'A -Z -- Keelie Smuin and Rachel Migliori enjoy and afternoon of sun, sledding at the Vernal Golf Course. Sunny afternoons have supply recently so the friends do their best to soak in the sun. CDwisttmas count! By Steven R. Wallis Express Editor This Weekend local members of Audubon will be counting the number of birds they see in the Jensen area during the National Christmas Bird Count. The local count includes the Green River from Split Mountain down to Stewarts Lake. It was established in the winter of 1987-8and has been counted every year since then. We typically see lots of waterfowl and a variety of hawks and eagles along with the small birds, said Kathy Paulin, event supporter. Its not uncommon to see over 20 bald eagles during the count." This years count will lie Jan. 4. It will start at the visitor welcome center in Jensen (on Highway 40 on the west side of the bridge). It will begin at 7:30 a.m. with signups, review of the map and formation of teams. Some participants will search for birds most of the day. Those who dont have the luxury of spending the entire day. are welcome to join in for the morning, but leave at noon or whenever their schedule dicta'es. In either case, participants are uiged to bring warm clothing, boots, binoculars, snacks and drinks or lunch if you are planning to spend the day. Anyone who has a bird feeder in Jensen is also invited to count birds on Jan. 4 and phone in their data to county coordinators. They need to keep track of the species seen and the numbers seen of each species. Report the single highest number of birds you see at any one time. For 8 . J , ":.v 4 been in short 53-fo- to be this weekend example, if you see six American goldfinches in the morning and seven later in the afternoon, your trount for the day would be seven American goldfinches. There is a fee for participants of $5 per person over 19 years of age or older. Younger birders and can participate at no cost. The fee is used to maintain the web site and database and to produce a summary of the results to be mailed to each participant. The Christmas Bird Count began over a century ago when 27 conservationists in 25 localities, led by Frank Chapman, ornithologist the course of ornithologichanged cal history. On Christmas Day 1900, the small group of conservationists initiated an alternative activity to the side hunt," a holiday practice typical of the time period, this side hunt was an activity in which teams competed to see who could shoot the most birds and small mammals. Instead of this hunt. Chapman proposed to identify, count and record the birds they saw, thus founding one of the most conservasignificant citien-base- d tion efforts that has now become a institution. century-ol- d its attraction as a from Apart social, sporting and competitive event, CBC reveals scientific information about the winter distributions of various bird species. The CBC is important in monitoring the status of resident and migratory Western birds across the 100 The data, Hemisphere. percent volunteer generated, have become a U.S. crucial of the part Governments natural history moni feeder-wat- chers toring database. In addition, count results from 1900 to the present are available through Audubons website www audubon.orgbiidA.bc. In its 103rd year, CBC is larger than ever, expanding it geographical range and accurrtulating valuable scientific data Backed with over a century of participation and collected data, the Christmas Bird Count is the longest running volunteer-based bird census, spanning three human generations. Today, over 55,000 volunteers from all 50 states, every Canadian province, parts of Central and South America, Bermuda, the West Indies and the Pacific islands count and record every individual bird and bird species seen in a specific area. During the 102nd CBC, about 52 million birds were counted. Thanks m part to Bird Studies Canada, a it conservation leading not is who the Canadian organization last for the CBC, year a new partner record high of 1,936 individuals counts, each individual count group compiles a census of the birds found during on 24 hour period between Dec 14 and Jan. 5 in a designated circle 15 miles in diameter about 177 square miles. For more information on the local Christmas Bird Count call Kathy 0 or Dan and Paulin at Lorraine Chure at 789 6159. for-prof- 781-516- Impact funds to assist rural communities Ashley Valley Water and Sewer Improvement District was among the entities in the Uintah Basin to receive money from the Utah Permanent Impact Community Fund. With $562,000 in grant money and a $150,000 loan, the organization will be able to install a number of sewer lines, laterals, manholes and clean-out- s needed for in area. 4000 South the expansion In addition to new construction, the funds will be used to repair affected roadways. According to a report in the Salt Basin Uintah Lake Tribune, Government Association of received a $95,000 grant to hire a consultant to develop input for the Bureau of l.and Managements resource management plan for the Diamond Mountain and Book Cliffs resource areas. Other towns that will be helped by the funds include Naples City who received a $63, 0X) grant to make improvements to the community park. In addition to additional landscaping, the money will be used in the construction of walking paths through the park and to build additional pavilions. In Duchesne County, My ton received $20,0(30 for a feasibility study to scrutinize the viability of building a pressurized irrigation system. Question on the street 1P '4 Jon Snyder Question: If You Could Keep New Years Resolution, What Would It Be? Answers: Deb Cox To work harder on my weakness-Youes " - Jon Snyder . T have a New Years resolution dont make them Deb Cox POOR COPY Hie top ten stories ol 2X)2 include the construction of a new St.ite Museum and the completion ol a local skating facility. Alter woiking on a skateboarding facility for nearly three yeats and receiving input from local skating groups and churches, last May the Vernal Skate Patk was completed, lhe Uintah Recreation Distuct put up $62,(XH) and used volunteeis td sandblast the tennis conns surfaie to build a home for skateboaiders and roller Waders at 3X) North and 1050 West Before the paik was built, skateboarders were being kicked out of pavilions, church steps and the front of businesses because of the damage they do. The Recreation District is still negotiating with the Church of Saints for ownership of the property. Hie disJesus Christ of Latter-datrict has been given a temporal y lease of the property. 3be stoiy was listed as the number 10 story of the year Hie number 9 stoiy of the year is concerning the defeat of a Citizen's Initiative to tax hazaulous waste to help school children. Hie issue spaiked lots of debate between Uintah Lducation Association officials, who supported the initiative, and businessmen and ranchers who were opposed, llie UFA hoped that the initiative would generate around $350 for every student in Utah. Opponents claimed that the initiative was too long and complex and set a dangerous precedence. The initiative was defeated by voters. Last October the much anticipated and debated Cobia Attack Helicopter was added to the War Memorial in front of the Uintah County decommissioned helicopter was brought to Vernal Building The by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5560. It was placed on a platform 10 feet in the air Donations of material and labor allow the post to display the retired helicopter in a prominent location without using taxpayers' money. The story was ranked number 8 At the number 7 spot is a tie between two Vernal City projects: the completion of Cobble Rock Pack and the city supporting the expansion of Ashley Valley Medical Center. Last October a paik that receniMed the old Cobble Rock Sen ice Station which was tom down in July of 1970 located on the southeast comer of the intersection of Main Street and Vernal Ave. The city began the project several years ago by purchasing the property and the buildings to the south. At a cost of $480.(XX) the paik was built with fountains, trees and landscaping. The city hopes that the community will wear out the comer by having tuikey drawing, selling rodeo tickets, having parties and other gatherings at the park. Also at number 7 was Vernal City's support of the expansion of Ashley Valley Medical Center. Numerous city residents were opposed to the expansion because it initially required the vacation of 2(X) Wect Street between 100 North and 200 North. Late modifications to the plan, whuh allowed the street to remain open, but would be narrower and cuivcd, appeased some of those opposed to the expansion. Cost of the expansion is estimated at $7 and $10 million. Ibe Vernal City Council approved the expansion with the modifications and construction could begin on the project as soon this year Over 3,000 Vernal residents signed petitions to prevent the UB1A-UB- I T, the new local telephone company, from increasing base rates by $4 95 per residential line and $6 95 per business line per month for Basin-wid- e calling or Fqual Access Service (F.AS) A request before the Public Service Commission to implement F.AS was delayed because ol petition and to allow the Division of Public Utilities to take a closer look at the request Usually such requests to the Public Service Commission arc made by telephone customers who want to force the telephone company to provide the service. Ibis is the first such request from the telephone company. No action has taken place on the request, but alternatives to charging every telephone line the fees, whether they are used for long distance are not, have been discussed. The Division of Public Utilities is still gathering information about the request. Ibe story was ranked number 6 At number 5 was the sentencing of I.ee Roy Wood of Vernal to life in prison for shooting Roosevelt City Police Chief Cecil Cure Wood, 36, pleaded guilty to killing the chief and attempting to shoot two others officers in a shootout with law enforcement in July of 2001. Wood was sentenced to life in prison without parole and two consecutive five to life terms in prison for the attempted murder of two Roosevelt City Police officers. Originally the prosecution was seeking the death penalty, but a Supreme Court riling involving the sentencing of a mentally disabled person to death convinced them to offer life without parole. Ibe shooting occurred at a convenience store in Uintah County July 6, 2(301. Wood stopped there with his girlfriend while they were traveling to Salt Lake City concerning a drug deal. When the girlfriend refused to get bask into Wood's pickup a fight broke out and the Roosevelt City Police, the closest officers, responded. Chief Gurr was shot in the head and died at the scene. The drought conditions of 2002 were ranked as the number 4 story of the year. In May the Uintah County Commissioners approved a State of Snow pack for the year was below 50 Fmergency Drought percent and streamfiows were also below the 50 percent of average. Ibe impact of the drought to the Uintah Basin was estimated a $14 million. By mid July irrigation from Stcinaker, the primary source of kite season water was depleted Officials noted that there is enough municipal water, but urged residents to conserve, but of the possibility of shortages next year Vernal City and Uintah County urged resident to oniy water their lawns later in the evening and early in the morning A new Utah Field House of Natural History, which had been dreamed about six year prior, became as reality this year with the ground breaking of the new museum, being built at 5(30 Fast Main Ibe project is a joint effort between local, federal and state agencies The project is being built with state funds with support of local donations of the lands and facilities. Uintah County and Vernal City purchased the property for the new museum for $1 .23 million and traded it for the present museum and property. Uses for the old museum once it is moved into the new facility have not been decided, but it has been proposed that it be used for an expansion of the Uintah County Library or an expansion of the county offices. The new museum, a 22,0(30 square foot facility costing $5.7 million, is being built by Herm Hughes and Sons Inc. on 4 78 acres The construction of the museum is the first phase of the museum complex that will be built on the property Other phases will include the construction of a fed- - Keri Mills r I To not stress so much over the small stuff to have more fun .." Ken Mills Take my wife out more .. Rex Rex and Suzette Todd Todd To be more spiritual service .." Suzette Todd -- do more See Top Ten on page |