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Show lT II',K i ah "i tM PKhss w ) SIC, II s ;m K4101 T -- U assik;iaiiun S jf X Anchient order lives Power plant rates high. See page A12 I on. See Page Sunny and pleasant. B1 Single Copy 50 4 1 I Wednesday, September 24, 2003 Vernal, Utah 84078 111th Year No. 39 24 Pages SUPPORT OUR TROOPS Express online: www.vernal.com o o: Ms Utahs first case of West Nile virus in a human was confirmed last Thursday in a Uintah County man. The patient is alive and will recover from the disease, said Joseph B. Shaffer, directorhealth office over the TriCounty Health Department. Health officials have been bracing for the westward migration of West Nile virus since the first horses were infected in Uintah County last spring. West Nile virus has been detected in eight Utah counties including Carbon, Duchesne, Emery, Grand, Sanpete, Uintah, Utah, and Wayne. Prior to this human case, public health officials identified West Nile virus in mosquitoes and horses in Uintah County this summer. Twelve of the 21 Utah horses infected with West Nile virus are from Uintah County. West Nile is transmitted to both humans and horses by mosquitoes. At least two of the animals were euthanized when they could not longer get up. Five of the animals were under 10 years of age. Three were over 20. One of the horses received a single dose last August, but the other horses were not vaccinated. Health officials advise horse owners to have their animals vaccinated and follow up with the two boosters. As we have been telling the public this last year, it was not a matter of if, but when West Nile Virus arrived in our community. said Sheffer at a press conference. Having known this we have been aggressive in our educational, environmental and disease surveillance efforts. The threat of West Nile virus in humans this year was greatly reduced with last weeks colder Dr. said weather, Stephen Uintah County Mosquito Romney, Abatement District manager. But we are still out trying to reduce the number of West Nile mosquitoes. Those with the virus exhibit flulike symptoms. A 1 Li nji Ropin and wranglin a chair cow" brought out the best Uintah High cowboys during Tuesdays lunch. The Utes hope to tie up the Wasatch Wasps at their game Friday Homecoming f night. 1 Utes ready for big game Health Officer Joseph Shaffer releases news of first human West Nile virus case in Utah. The West Nile virus mosquito, or Culex tarasalis, goes into hibernation during colder weather and can emerge the next year still carrying the disease, Romney said. There are still some pasture mosquitoes, despite last weeks first freeze. According to Shaffer, infected people dont develop symptoms until 5 days after a mosquito bite. Twenty percent of infected people develop mild symptoms such as body aches, skin rashes, fever and swollen lymph glands. If you have symptoms please contact your health care provider. Some (about 1 e in 5) have symptoms with fever, muscle aches, and possibly a rash. Fewer still (about 1 in 150) develop more severe illness affecting the brain and spinal cord. They may have symptoms such as headache, paralysis, and stiff neck. People over the age of 50 are more likely to develop serious illness. As of last Thursday, 4,325 people in the United States have been infected with West Nile virus this year, and 8 1 have died. Colorado has had the highest number of individuals infected this year, along with the most deaths 3-- flu-lik- east end of Vernal warns residents of the dangers of West Nile virus. The ings were warranted as Utahs first human case was confirmed last week in Uintah County. Giant billboard on the from the disease. Colorado had 1877 human cases this year, and last year the state had 12 human cases. The first human dead due,. to West Nile virus west of the Great Divide occurred last week in Grand Junction. Dr. Romney said next year the efforts of the mosquito abatement district will focus their efforts on the Culex tarasalis mosquito. It will be a very interesting year, Dr. Romney said. Romney said property owners can help by draining standing water and only using water that is needed, not all that is available. The Utah Department, jof Health and the Department of Agriculture and Food, along with local health departments, local mosquito abatement districts, and the Division of Wildlife Resources are all collaborating in the tracking and monitoring of West Nile virus in Utah. In affected areas, local mosquito abatement district workers are increasing their efforts to reduce the number of mosquitoes that can spread the disease. There is no specific treatment for West Nile virus infection, but there are ways Utahns can protect themselves. Most important is to avoid mosquito bites, especially from dusk to dawn. Here is a list of ways to prevent West Nile virus: Protect from dusk to dawn. That is when mosquitoes that carry the virus are most active, so take precautions to prevent mosquito bites. Use repellent with DEET follow- ing the label instructions carefully. For adults, use repellents containing DEET at 30-3- 5 percent concentration. 'For children 2 months -- 12 years, use repellents containing 10 or less DEET. Do not use DEET on children under the age of 2 months and do not apply to hands and feet of infants. Take cover. Wear long pants and shirts. Use mosquito netting when light-colore- d, long-sleev- warn- Wasatch High School is bringing its football team to Vernal to meet a outdoors or in an sleeping unscreened structure and to protect small babies any time. Install or repair screen doors and window screens. Small holes are large enough to allow mosquitoes to enter. Get rid of standing water sources around housing areas, such as water in old tires, cans, poorly kept swimming pools, toys, wheelbarrows, etc. Change water that is kept outside for a reason, such as pet water dishes, birdbaths, etc., every 2-- 3 days. Clean rain gutters at least once a year. Aerate ornamental ponds or contact your local mosquito abatement district about pond treatment. Maintain swimming properly or drain them. pools Humor heads Business OTTO coirottiiDDiuies odd Symposium agenda eastteim Uttalhi deec f H David O. Litchford, will be the keynote luncheon speaker t h at e Tuesday, Sept. 30, Uintah Basin David Litchford Business Symposium to be held at the Western Park 302 East 200 South. The Symposium registrations requires registration of $35 per person for the full symposium, or $15 for the luncheon only. n for his Litchford is sense of humor and deep understanding of business needs. He was bom and raised in the small farming community of Deweyville, Utah. He grew up and developed expertise in hay hauling, beet thinning, cow milking !l this while and tomato from severe allergies. suffering His agricultural upbringing, he feels, has perhaps contributed to his large hands, big feet,"promi-nen- t look, all nose", and which are important features in keeping an audience alert and involved during his energetic presentations. first Litchforlds "cultural shock" experience took place as he left his sheltered small-tow- n well-know- pick-in--a- full-figu- re in San and lived cocoon Francisco, Cal. He professed, "I will never live or visit California again!" and this prophecy has been proven false as he married a beautiful blonde from where? Yes, California. This dynamic speaker attributes the change in living environments as the key in his personality changing from being shy and quiet to his present animated style of speaking and singing to whomever will lend him his or her ear. David has worked in various managerial positions and feels most comfortable in the behavioral side of business. This is perhaps why he left business and spends his time today training and teaching. What makes this career choice so interesting is that during all of his early years he suffered from a severe speech impediment and has overcome that obstacle to the point of being more comfortable talking in front of an audience than anywhere else. Having received numerous state and national teaching and training he cherishes those awards, teacher-of-th- e year awards that come from students. David now looks forward in spending time and sharing his passion for life and teaching with those attending the 7th annual Uintah Basin Business Symposium. POOR COPY The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) confirmed that two more buck deer have tested positive for chronic wasting disBoth deer; were ease (CWD). taken along the eastern border of the state one on Diamond Mountain in the Uintah Basin and the other on the LaSal Mountains east of Moab. The deer were adult bucks (over 2 years of age) and were taken by archery hunters. The hunters have been notified by the DWR that their deer tested positive for the disease. CWD was first confirmed in Utah in February 2003. To date, four deer in the eastern Utah near the Colorado border have tested positive for the disease. CWD is fatal to deer that contract it. According to the World Health Organization, there is currently no evidence that CWD can be transmitted to humans from infected deer and elk. While the discovery of additional deer with the disease is disappointing, wildlife officials expected to find more this year. "I dont think we'll find a huge increase," said Leslie McFarlane a DWR wildlife biologist who is assigned the CWD work within the state. She coordinates the collection of samples, submitting them to the laboratory for testing, tracking the results and keeping the records. McFarlane said that she 1 I Mature buck deer nibbles on a bush. is expecting about a dozen new cases will be found within Utah this year. Tissue sample collection from cooperating hunters is continuing through the fall and winter period. "We sampled 205 deer taken on 17 units across the state during the archery hunt, and these are the only deer that have tested positive so far," McFarland said in reference to the two new cases. Since the DWR news release on September 17, the number of tested deer has increased to 214 adult deer. "Our conservation officers and biologists in the 17 units will take samples in the field from deer taken during the upcoming buck deer hunt. Well also set up check stations during the opening weekend of the general rifle hunt in October to test more," McFarlane continued. She said that hunters who take a deer from one of the 17 sample herd units but who may not go through a checking station can arrange to have their deer checked by taking it to a DWR office. The offices are open Monday through Fridays muz-zleload- er See CWD on page A2 Ute student body ready and willing to watch a visitor rout. Homecoming week is in full swing, and the carefree Uintah High School activities are well underway and aimed at culminating with Friday nights game at the Ute Stadium. Monday was Blast from the Past day where students were invited to dress up in clothes from different decades. A dance was held in the Commons during the two lunch breaks. Tuesdays lunches brought out the western atmosphere of Vernal, with cowboy hats, chaps, boots and ropes in abundance. Cowboy Day had all ages, sizes and abilities lining up to compete in roping a chair cow. Homecoming Queen and King candidates were introduced in an assembly Tuesday morning. Selected as the 10 Homecoming Queen finalists were Chelsea Pond, Elizabeth Christensen, Shailey Snow, Maggie Bartel, Kristen Young, Shaleah Wilson, Kadie Egbert, Krystal Woods, Andrea Fleming and Marlie Wilhelm. Selected as the 10 finalists for Homecoming King were Brandon Pat Jason Sullivan. Maxim, Ahmsbrak, Scott Merkley. Eddy Fish, Levi Byron, Keaton Jolley, Gray Augustus, Marcus Batty and Dustin Sorensen. Wednesday is Punk Day, inviting punk rocker costumes. There will be fun games during the lunch hours, such as "pickle spitting. Thursday is "Pirate Day for those who want to come in costume. It is also a half day. Thursday is also called Game Day, and large inflata-ble- s have been rented for students to enjoy at 1 p.m. on the front lawn. The games will feature Human Foosball, a huge slide, and an obstacle course, among other entertainments. Thursday evening will be the Homecoming Pep Rally where the Queen and King will be announced. The Uintah High Cheerleaders are in charge of the evenings fun. Friday is Red and White Day with everyone encouraged to wear the school colors. Friday is a half day, to enable students to participate in and attend the 1 p.m. Main Street Homecoming parade. Grand Marshall this year is Dennis Vincent, a 1985 graduate f Uintah High School, and local business owner. Vincent is a strong supporter of Uintah High School, especially the Theater Department. Friday night the Wasatch Wasps can expect a rousing welcome from the Uintah Utes ftotball team, drill and team cheerleaders, Marching Band. Several hundred Ute fans are also expected to be see Ute 8 on page A2 I |