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Show bvN wed. nlghf Thursday s ClrIi r 1 1... ' Rather cloudy -- w td ?iiS-- n H it v f" Cloudy and 'KjilS&.kiSfcSwasifc --ur- " -I sv ! Hi . f igioo motivates S students A. i makes miniatures, page A12 r! page A3 Master craftsman - Wednesday, February 19, 2003 Vernal, Utah 84078 111th Year No. 8 20 Pages Express Editor I Single Copy 50 1 s8u5W Wf lulV0B4lOl Steven R. Wallis V-.U fT &.. c UTAH By , w Express online: www.vernal.com etandsp j I The Vernal unit of the 1457 I Engineer Combat Battalion is Fort at intensive training undergoing Lewis, Wash, in preparation foil its deployment overseas which j is expected to be in a couple of weeks. The 44 members of the Vernal detachment arrived in Fort Lewis, j Feb. 14 at 6:30 p.m. We really appreciate the support from the local communities, said Skeet Richardson, Vernal Sgt. detachment member, in a telephone interview Tuesday. It was like a parade." The unit left Vernal at 4 p.m. Thursday with a sendoff from about 300 people who had gathered at the National Guard Armory. Local law enforcement officers provided an escort for the bus on Highway 40, until Currant Creek. The Utah Highway Patrol from Heber continued the escort until Park City. The Ute Tribe police joined the escort at Ft. Duchesne. It was an unbelievable sendoff, SgL Richardson said. There was a lot of emotion. j Members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4519 .lined Highway 40 near Ft Duchesne and waived to the escort, reported Charles Gray, VFW post member. The 1457 Battalion with units in American Fork, Mt Pleasant, Price, Tooele, Camp Williams, Vernal, Spanish Fork and Blanding is preparing to deploy about 500 soldiers in support of Operation Eagle. Enduring FreedomNoble The Battalion, commanded by Lt. Col. Jefferson Burton, received notification to mobilize on Monday, Feb. 10 with deployment orders for Thursday, Feb. 13. The battalion is designed to construct combat roads, airfields and protective shelters, as well as to conduct demolition and minecounter mine warfare. Soldiers received their notifications and reported to their units Monday. Members of the Vernal Units boarded a plane in Salt Lake City, after a six and a half hour delay because of weather, and made the final leg of the journey to FL Lewis. Most of our equipment has arrived, Sgt. Richardson said. We have undergone medical and dental examinations. We have also been immunized for small pox and 90-mi- le UBATC students computer lab. Forest supervisor arrives George Weldon, Ashley National Forest supervisor, began duties this month. Weldon is from Towmoo, Moot He said there are two things he hkes about his new assignment' the country and die people. There are lots of issues on the forest and I hope to work together wrA the community on them." Weldon said We can accomplish much rf we are willing to work together." OPY hands-o- n computer experience at WeimaO ffacoDStiy Vernal National Guard members say their goodbyes to loved they will be trained for full deployment. anthrax. Most here at Ft. Lewis are impressed with what we have been stated Sgt. trained to do," Richardson." We are now being' validated for regular army and we are getting ready to go to war. This week began rifle practice and training on weapons the unit didnt have in Vernal. Morale is high, Richardson in Vernal said. The send-of- f it morale levels. two up stepped y Richardson described his activities as up early and get to sleep late. There is very little free time. The unit is up at 6 a.m. They have a break for breakfast and lunch and an hour break for dinner in between training. After dinner the unit is involved in training until lights are out at 10 p.m. We dont know where will be deployed, but I know it will be overseas," Richardson said. We are through shooting blanks, but we hope to get in and get our job done and then come home. ones before they leave for Fort Lewis where stiiiDD ffD' Wr ffdJlDDGUiiDDGj and Steven R. Wallis Express Writers The proposed $10.5 million facility to house Utah State University and Uintah Basin Applied Technology College (UBATC) was one of 17 capital projects to be approved for funding by the Capital Facilities and Administrative Services Appropriation Subcommittee last Friday. If the legislature decides to bond for about $63 million in buildings, it could be funded," said Rep. Jack Seitz, A Salt Lake legislator voiced objection to the Vernal project saying the state could not build an applied technology college when it was just 30 minutes drive to the one in Roosevelt. Representative Beverly Evans the reminded that legislator UBATC has been in Vernal for 30 years, so you would not be building a new program, said Dick Jones, UBATC director. Total amount approved by the subcommittee for the projects was $1 3,383,000 which would in bonding $63,099,000 require and $50,282,300 in available tax funds. The subcommittee drastically cut requested funding for the majority of the projects, however, the UCAT Vernal project was only cut $1 million to $9.5 million, The Utah Stale Library was cut from $42 million to $16 million and the University of Utah Library was cut from $41 million to $6 million. Both of these projects would be funded in phases with more funding coming next year We will know in 10 days if the state plans on bonding, Seitz said. Approval of the bonding will likely come March 5, the last day of the legislative session. Northeast of Uintah High School there is approximately 15 acres on which UBATC can expand. The new facility would be 41. (XX) square feet and would be a joint effort with USU. In September 2002, the Utah House of Representatives enacted legiv lation that officially designated UBATC as a college. As a member of the Utah College of Applied Technology, the local institution can now offer two-yea- r associate degrees including medical assisting. CAD drafting and information The technology. degrees are competency-base- d and are usually the culmination of 9Y)-- 1500 hours of schooling. day-to-da- The Utah Division of Water Quality has identified lower Ashley Creek from the confluence w ith the Green River upstream, approximately eight miles, as being impaired for its warm water fisheries and agricultural beneficial uses, due to high concentrations of selenium and total dissolved solids. Selenium is an essential trace mineral in the human body ( I ). This nutrient is an important part of antioxidant enzymes that protect cells against the effects of free radicals that are produced during normal oxygen metabolism. The body has developed defenses such as antioxidants to control levels of free radicals because they can damage cells and contribute to the development of some chronic diseases (2). Selenium is also essential for normal functioning of die immune system and thyroid gland (3-5-). However too much selenium is detrimental to wildlife and humans. A total Maximum Load (TMDL) report has been developed to establish pollution load limits for various sources. The goal of this study is to improve water quality to meet state w a ter quality standards. Under the Clean Act, every odd DSstt By Virginia Harrington Community members show support of Vernal Guard Unit as it leaves for Fort Lewis. Truck-ca- r Agency seeks better water quality collision on Ashley Creek proves George Weldon is new forest supervisor. receive state must establish and maintain water quality standards designed to protect, restore, and preserve the quality of waters in the state. These standards consist of: narrative criteria that include designated uses; specific chemical and biological criteria necessary for protection of the designated uses; and provisions. When a lake, river or stream fails to meet water quality standards, section 303(d) of the CWA requires that the state place the waterbody on a list of impaired waters (303(d) list) and prepare an analysis called a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). A public meeting to review and discuss a water quality study for lower Ashley Creek will be held on March 5, 7 pm. at the County Commission Chambers of the Uintah County and State Building A draft copy of the TMDL will be available Feb. at 24 httpyw w w. w aterquality Utah govT MDfTMDLJA'EB JfTM or may be obtained Adams at by contacting 5. Cad 1 fatal Brandon James Hillis of Vernal, 23, was fatally injured in a accident on the Bonanza Highway Tuesday when the vehicle he was driving crossed the center line. Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Travis Lemon responded to the head-o- n collision on State Road 45 near mile marker 24 at 6 41 am Feb. 18. Lemon was assisted by Deputy A. Byron, Uintah County Office and Troopers Sheriffs Annette Hatch and Craig Young Hillis was dnsing a 1996 Pontiac Grand Am when he collided with a 1987 Ken worth tractor owned by R.W. Jones Trucking, driven by Patrick Ray Wallen of Lapomt. Hillis was traveling north when he hit head-owith the truck which was traveling south Wallen, who was wearing a seat belt, was uninjured, Hillis was taken to Ashley Valley Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. He was not wearing a seatbelt two-vehic- le n a It appeals that the state revenue shortfall has bottomed out with the latest report showing $20 million more in 2004," said Seitz. The house has approved a bill which strips away some of the authority of the local library board, but it also provides them with liability coverage which was not available in the past. Although the language of SB 87 addresses valid and important liability concerns that public library directors and trustees share, it also raises a wide range of other important issues that been have incompletely researched and discussed, said a statement from the Utah Library Association. Those who crafted the bill are not aware of how we operate and were not keen to find out. Although this has been repeatedly presented as a county only issue, we believe the bill creates a powerful and troubling precedent that will eventually haunt city libraries, too. Seitz, in a legislative update Saturday, sponsored by the Government Affairs Committee of the Vernal Area Chamber of discussed several Commerce, other bills. The highlights of the session were: The tuition tax credit bill, concerning school vouchers, is still in the State Senate. Seitz said he is currently not in favor of the bill because the way it is worded would allow the tax credit to be deducted in two different places on the state tax form. A new sunset date has been established for state sales tax, leaving it at its current rate of 6.75 percent in this area. Governor Michael suggestion of putting some of the money from the water development fund into the general fund is not likely to be approved. Legislators from the rural areas are united against such a transfer of money. The state is still looking into the Goshute Tribes drive to have spent fuel rods stored on reservation lands. No decision on the issue has been reached at this point. Prenuptial agreements, or marriage covenants, are now legally binding in Utah. It is unlikely that the state will undertake construction of new buildings in the near future. No construction can be done without bonds and it is unlikely the state would approve those bonds at this time. i |