OCR Text |
Show 2 BOX the Editor,,. Editorially Speaking Fuel Bicentennial of what? hr inflation Editor: doesn't solve problems Interesting what you read in the news these days. Take for example, these two headlines which led into stories on the same front page of a Salt Lake City newspaper Thursday: Sides remain far apart in rubber strike talks and 37 million will gain 6.4 percent increase in Social Security. They represent a measure of the economic dilemma which currently grips the country. The strike, of course, involves the United Rubber Workers who are settleseeking a healthy three-yea- r ment to make up for what they consider lost ground in the spiral. Their demands include a 42 percent boost in the total package which currently averages $9.05 per hour ($5.50 hourly pay). wage-inflatio- wage-benefi- n- one. The URW obviously is inspired by the success of teamsters who, about a month ago, bargained for a sizeable increase while being away from the job hardly long enough for their truck engines to cool off. And what the rubber workers achieve no doubt will influence later contract talks involving other major unions this year, including the United Auto Workers. Obviously, any settlement approaching 42 percent will be inflationary. This means, as a result, the gain recorded by Social Security recipients, and to organized labor to a lesser extent, will be eroded by a higher cost of living. second story announced that 37 million persons on Social Security will receive a 6.4 percent of increase beginning with their July checks. cost-of-livin- g Now, if you were to round that hike at 7 percent and multiply by three years, it would be only half of that demanded by the strikers. Of off course, it cant reasonably be assumed that the union will succeed totally in its quest. Yet, the settle sure was that, for the second straight year, Social Security trust funds are expected to experience a deficit. And this cant be interpreted as good news no matter how many experts testify to the funds soundness. The feeling that haunts us in the wake of these and similar developments is, that like the dog chasing its tail, were really not getting anywhere in terms of solving our basic economic problems. And, while we may live somewhat comfortably with them today, what about people care about spending for schools? Do Do people really care about how money- is spent in their school district? They should. And many do. But the fact is that school financing is complex and becoming more so from month to month. As a result, we suspect many citizens are prone to throw up their hands and leave it to the professionals to handle. - Fortunately, all citizens are not complacent. Evidence in point is a meeting called Wednesday, April 28, at 7 p.m. to examine the making of a budget in Box Elder district. The session is a direct result of a recommendation from the School Issues Forum, a citizens group which figures that public education is everybodys business. that input harvested from the meeting will have significant impact on 1976-7- 7 expenditures ; too many of those are already fixed categorical funds, salaries and WE DOUBT other employe benefits (pending completion of current negotiations), debt service and school lunch, for , the largest haul of pot in the state this year? More evident in point that our town does things better and bigger than anybody else. Now, if we can just produce a decent crop of apricots. Did you know department: Did you know that people who ride motorcycles on the hillside in east Brigham City, in the process trespassing on private property and Forest Service land and creating a nuisance for residents in the area, will one night be abducted and carried off to Dogpatch, there to be reincarnated as turnips in Pappy Yokums garden? A FURTHER disquieting disclo- example. The most significant aspect of Wednesdays session will be the further education of those attending where school financing and the preparation of a budget is concern- ed. But it also represents a departure from past procedure in which the public was relegated almost to spectator status only during a formal final budget hearing. They came, they listened and the budget was adopted. That was in late June. This new ground floor approach could be the seed that will germinate into a greater degree of public involvement in policy and financial decisions. WHILE IT IS true that members of the board of education were elected to represent their fellow citizens in the decision-makin- g process, its also a fact that these same board members appreciate input from a concerned and knowledgeable constituency. How many will attend Wednesdays meeting? Thats uncertain. But wed guess that the Box Elder High school choral room will provide an ample number of seats. A budget discussion is simply not that glamonot ordinarily. rous or stimulating But the opportunity is there. The welcome mat is out. The rest is up to you and your neighbors. The battle is on against Dyer's Wood The annual battle against Dyers Woad or mustard weed is on in Box Elder county. Led by County Extension Agent Harold Lindsay, forces armed with herbicides and shovels are marching against the invader, striving to curb its growth and perhaps diminish its influence in these parts. But the struggle is a difficult one. Lindsay has a display at the county courthouse in Brigham City which includes a bottle of seeds, 10,860 of collected from a single them plant! One resident who lives west of Brigham City can attest to the nuisance. She called this past week to suggest that the city clean up its old dump which is infested with mustard weed. Wait until the flowers come out to see how beautiful this rock garden is, the caller advised with tongue in cheek. We live west of the dump and its a struggle to keep the stuff out of our yard, she added. Its everywhere, this Dyers Woad which produces a flower later in the spring. Nows the time to attack, before it goes to seed. If all will survey their yards and dig up or spray the plants they find, progress can be made against this enemy. Of course, this includes the city. Weeds will grow on municipal ground, just like any other. n, Ron Heaton, How do you begin a tribute to a person who gives of herself to such an extreme extent to help the older people of our community of Brigham City? I am speaking of Hazel Kaiser and her dear sweet little ' secretary, Debbie Walker. the The over hours they, and others spend helping elderly,; entertaining them in various ways making life worth living. The ceramics class is something everyone should visit anc( unauthorized areas. And now to the national news. If Secretary of State Henry Kissinger wants to ride on the playground equipment at Rees Pioneer park, see. To see these older people working with raw clay, preparing, it for firing, painting delicate pieces and turning them into: works of art for their loved ones and families. These people need the love and company of one another, the encouragement Hazel gives them. She stays after all; have left, mending and patching here and there where older eyes have missed a place or two. I remember the kissable lips, as she called them, that she put on two little elves I made before Christmas. - It reminds me of the little story I used to hear and read, about the elves and the shoemaker. I believe it went hed better hurry. V merry-go-roun- newspaper. (Besides, its been a matter of curiosity for me to see which we re ahead for the week, marriages or divorces.) in ' But no more. That familiar clipboard on which the application forms are kept is longer found on its peg at the front desk. Why? Its the result of a new ruling concerning vital statistics. County Clerk K. B. Olsens been advised by the Utah Division of Health they must be maintained as confidential records. Which means, kid, that you can run down and get married now and your mom wont even know about it. Turning now to the world of agriculture. Did you know that the 160 pounds of marijuana confiscated recently by Brigham City police was d. - - -- " something like this. The little old man toiled all day on his stack of shoes to; mend, trying to mend them with his dimmed, tired eyes. Then in the middle of the night, some little elves appeared while he was asleep and each night, they worked and; repaired all his mistakes. Thats our friend Hazel with a heart of gold and a love for these people far beyond the call of duty. There I said it and every crowd. BOX . ELDER NEWS weekly 1896, Box Brigham City, Utah, Im glad." ' Im also grateful to Zundel and his councilmen who worked so diligently to see that there was and is such a nice place for people, lonely people, to meet and feel wanted.' Sister Hansen and her lovely daughter Coleen, who donate their services to the oil painting class held on Monday mornings, deserve a star on their forehead, too. Pictures of great beauty are turned out under their wonderful help and guidance. Love makes the world go round, and believe me these people are more than doing their share. ntwspaptr tstablishtd in published every Sunday by the 55 l, South Elder First West, Brigham City, Utah, B4302. Second Class postage paid at the post office, 16 South First West, A or . $4302, Subscription rate $9.00 per year payable In advance in connection with the Box Elder Journal (published Thursdays) 54.50 Elder County, for 6 months . . . Editor: word to the wise should be sufficient. You turnips stop rid- -' ing those dadratted machines in The city council Thursday okayed removal of the slipperty slide, climbing bars and the They were described as unsafe. Trouble is there was no provision for replacing them. Does this sug- gest anything to the clubs- - around ' town? Whazzat? You say it does suggest something? Youre not going to hold your annual picnic at Rees Pioneer park this year? Oh me. Theres one Treasurer, ALIVE Duty above and beyond A Did you know that Nov. 12 will be observed as Utah Day in Washington, D. C!., this year? Yep, its a day which the District of Columbia has set aside to honor Utahns and their contributions to the United States. How fitting. Guess who was born on Nov. 12. Me. After that outburst of humility, lets move on to a related subject marriage licenses. For years this scribe has visited the Box Elder County clerks office, scribbling down the names of those blissful couples who have taken out marriage licenses. It was my contribution to the social section of this : The United States is celebrating the Bicentennial this yeari However, after last weeks decision on Kaiparowits, southern Utahns are wondering, The Bicentennial of what?r; certainly not of cherished American ideas such as decisions; by the people or by the peoples elected representatives;; certainly not of responsible free enterprise ventures with, local government cooperation and input (without outside; interference by other local heads of government, even if they; are as powerful as a Salt Lake mayor); and most certainly : not an energy independent America by 1980. The facts are now on the table. The will of the majority of the people in southern Utah, the will of the majority of their elected representatives, and the will of the majority of people in Utah has been crushed and trampled by powerful and. wealthy preservationist groups and appointed federal: officials. Governor Rampton need no longer ask his, statehood question; Utah is most definitely not a state. She is; an interior colony of the United States dictated by the federal; government and the people of the rest of the United States. In 200 years we have come full circle. In 1776 the United; States was owned and controlled by a distant King George; III; now we are virtually owned and controlled by an equally' distant Uncle Sam and his appointed representatives. t The problem is not really Kaiparowtis, thats just the issue that brought it to the surface, the problem is ownership' of the land; land which should have been returned to the states after territorial days and early statehood. Cattlemen are slowly being forced off the land in the name of conservation-preservatiomultiple use and fair grazing fees; counties and states cannot use the natural resources; residents of far away states claim the land as theirs even though we own none of their states; and the utilities cannot help us become energy sufficient. How long are we going to be left as second class states? How much more humiliation will it take before the West realizes She is indeed a colony? We hope Utahns will make it clear we wont remain a colony any longer. If you want to be a part of our drive,' write ALIVE (American League of Industry and Vital Energy), P. O. Box 98, Kanab, Utah 84741. ment is bound to be a substantial ts AT THE SAME TIME, 'the r letters to NEWS, Brigham City, Utah Sunday, April 25, 1 976 ELDER A (Hate to admit it,) Senior Citizen in Box LaVenna Packer Subscription rate $11.00 per year payable in advance in connection with the Box Elder Journal (published Thursdays) $5.50 for 6 months: outside Elder County. Box Member Audit Bureau of Circulations, Utah State Press Association, National and United Newspaper Association Press International. Advertising RepreAssociaPress State Utah sentative: tion, Salt Lake City, Utah. DOESNT 1jY. ..YOU 1)0! . School Talk Community education offerings by Leslie Dunn, Director, Schools-ConsumContinuing ' er Education Box Elder School district has a great many offerings in its community educa- tion program. These offerings are broken down into the following general areas: Adult Basic Education for people with less than a ninth grade proficiency In English, reading and math. for Adult High School Completion school their receive high people wishing to diploma. College Extension for people who wish to pursue a college degree or who wish to take specialized classes in a particular area. Adult Vocational for people who wish to learn a vocation or to retrain in a new vocation. Consumer Education for the disad- vantaged homemaker who wishes to grade her homemaking skills. Young Mothers up- for young girls who have married early, are expecting a child or who have dropped out of school. for homemakers Young Homemakers of any age who wish to improve their homemaking skills. for farmers of any Young Farmers age who wish to improve their farming skills. classes covering a Community School wide range of subjects from childrens programs to community-wid- e recreation programs for youth and adults to programs for senior citizens. Drivers Education for people who wish to obtain a Utah state drivers license. To support the extensive community pre-scho- ol education program in our county, the superintendent and board of education have been most cooperative In providing facilities and support services. Approximately 75 teachers, counselors and administrative personnel conduct the adult education phase of our program, and the community school phase employs approximately 120 more. During the year 1974-7- 5 there were 12,811 elementary and enrollees, 6,048 secondary enrollees and 13,320 adult enrollees, for a total of 32,179 enrollees in our community education program. A total of 1,019 classes were held at the various school facilities, and 31 agencies in the county extended their support. Any citizen or group of citizens wishing to enroll In any class are urged to contact their local community school director or the district community education director. pre-scho- ol |