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Show fJiMiitjiiwi'MiiSii'iiliiMtfrfiiitiiiarmaaffiftr V f Volume 69 I Price 50 Cents Wednesday, October 23, 1991 Number 43 Search for escapee finally comes to an end Lawmen in SevierCounty spent three days searching for a man who escaped from the county jail late Sunday night. Before the chase was over, more than a hundred law enlorccment officers participated in the hunt. It all came to an end just after midnight last Thursday morning, when Brett Allen Olsen, 23, was arrested at a Salma residence. Olsen was being held in the Sevier County jail on a charge of second degree murder following the stabbing death of William Paul Jensen, 32, in Sahna on September 8, 1991. Olsen made his escape when jailer Jim Roberts opened his cell so that he could get medication for a headache, 9:45 p.m. Sunday night. Olsen overpowered Roberts and fled. Even though it was only seconds bclorc police authorities were notified by radio, Olsen could not be found. Officers of the sheriffs office, county search and rescue units, Utah Highway Patrol, city police in Sal-in- a and Richfield and a SWAT team and canine units from the Central Utah Correctional Facility, Gunnison, as well as posse members all joined in the search. Roadblocks were set up at all Richfield exits, and cars leaving the city were searched. Officers conducted a house to house search, and people were warned to be on the lookout for Olsen. They were warned not to leave keys in their NSMS vehicles. Officers removed keys that had been left in vehicles on the street to deter the escapee from having access to a car. Minutes after the escape, a Richfield youth went into the family motorhoinc to find a first aid kit, and saw a man purported to be Olsen inside. He allegedly threatened the boy if he told anyone about seeing him ere. The boy ran out and police were called. At 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning, a call came in reporting that the Cedar Ridge Station, Sigurd, had been burglarised. Fingerprint checks later identified Olsen as the culprit, and tracksofjail shoes were found outside. While inside, Olsen drank a quart of milk and warmed up some burritos in the microwave. He filled a bag with groceries, however, Sheriff John Meacham said he evidently was spooked out of the store as the sack was left behind. No guns, ammunition, knives, etc., were taken. It was hoped that search dogs could pick up Olsens tracks and lead officers to his hiding place. Bloodhounds and other dogs were brought in from the Central Utah Correctional Facility, Gunnison, and other areas. The dogs had trouble picking up the trail, and when it was thought that the trail-habeen found, it ended at the junction of Highway 89 and Lost Creek Road. Some felt Olsen had thumbed a ride - and now m ight be m iles away. Others still felt he would try to return to Salma. Evidently Olsen used a pay phone to call an acquaintance in Salma, collect. She refused the call. The Sheriff s office tried to check phone lines to find where the call had originated, but the phone company said it was impossible as the call had not gone through. An Operator remembered taking a call from Brett but as it was refused, the location could not be traced. Sightings of the fugitive were reported from LaVerkin, Sl George, and other areas in and out of the state. All had been checked and found to be negative. Officers received a call about 10:30 p.m. Wednesday night from LuGene Jacobsen, 54 South 200 East, Salina, that Olsen was at that address. She said he had been there since 4 p.m. that afternoon, and she and her two teenage daughters had tried to talk him into giving himself up, without success. Officers prepared to make the arrest. About midnight, Mrs. Jacobsen told her two daughters she wanted to talk to them - outside. As soon as the three were safely out of the house, officers stormed the residence and Olsen was arrested in a basement bedroom. Officers said he was given no chance to resist arrest. sets Spook Alley for Halloween North Sevier Middle School Halloween Spook Alley will be held Wednesday, October 30, at 6:30 p.m. at NSMS. Admission is $1. There will be lots of games, goodies and fun. TRYING TO PICK UP THE TRAIL: Last week more than a hundred law enforcement officers from the city, county and state worked to find the trail of escapee Brett Olsen. Dogs were brought in to see if they could asist. A trail was finally found, but the dogs all seemed to lose track of it at the junction of Lost Creek Road and Highway 89. Olsen was later apprehended in a house in Salina. Change those clocks back Dont forget to change your clock back this weekend. The saying is Spring - ahead; Fall - back. So Turn your clock back one hour at bedtime Saturday night, and you will wake up in tune with the new time. This will mean that we have a little more light in the morning, but it will get darker earlier at night. Last day to register for Youth Council Mayor & Multi-millio- and Councilmembers for the new Salina Youth Council. Register today from 3 to 7 p.m. in the basement of City Hall. Dont miss out on this Michelle Pixler Parrish, of the American Civil Liberties Union, (ACLU) met with North Sevier High School students at their invitation. A variety of subjects was discussed, including freedom of expression, freedom of speech, and civil liberty. nity to vote for the candidate of your choice. Redmond pheasant hunt unit opens soon The Redmond posted unit for the Pheasant Hunt has been handed from the Redmond Ward to the Town of Redmond and now has been turned over to the Redmond Scouts Troop 656. The posted hunting unit will be open from November 2nd to November 12. The cost will be $5.00 and this will give you a permit to hunt on all of the Redmond posted land surrounding Redmond. The proceeds will go to the Redmond Boy Scout Troop. Permits are available at Dons Texaco, Redmond Town Hall and Redmond Clay and Salt. Tax notices in Sevier County have been sent out, according to Leda Jensen, County Recorder, and they reflect an unexpected $36,000,000 reduction in the tax base of Sevier County. The county was recently notified by the Tax Commission that an error had been discovered in its d valuations of properties involving Utah Power and Light. state-assesse- American Civil Liberties Union official visits NSHS When you hear the name of Michelle Pixler Parrish, one thinks of the ACLU and the human rights cases that have been tried in Utah. Students at North Sevier High School thought it would be nice to hear from her. In person. And their desires were granted. Last week Parrish visited North Sevier High School and spent time talking, discussing and listening to many of the students at NSHS. She explained that she, representing the ACLU in Utah, supports the Bill of Rights with passion for freedom and fairness. She desires that all people are much-publiciz- opportu- dollar error costs county $36 million Council Aticnuon: All youth 8th through 12th grades. Today is the last day to register to vote for your choice of Mayor n free to speak, free to worship, treated fairly no matter who they are and be treated fairly and humanely even after found guilty. I want to tell all the people about the Bill of Rights. We look for abuses of the government. Our clients are the Bill of Rights, she said, and we bring about lawsuits "when the government is abusive. She explained that the ACLU was involved in lobbying to inform elected leaders as well as in educat ing the public as to their rights. She then asked the students present what areas of human rights they would like to discuss thatclass period. They started off with school prayer and why praying was against the law in school. Parrish explained that we are not Its just that there is a time and a place for religious activities and this is not in public schools and not controlled by the government. student asked why they still couldnt pray if the students didnt A object? Parrish told of the Lemon test set up by the Supreme Court that would be used to determine whether some things are constitutional or not. If a question fails one of the three steps is deemed unconstitu- tional. Step number 1) Does the law have neutral effect toward religion. In other words does it promote reliIt gion or maybe repress religion? cant do this but rather stay neutral. Step number 2) Does it have a secular purpose? Step number 3) Does it entangle government with religion? She explained that for the most part prayer fails all three of the above steps and thus the courts look at prayer in school as unconstitutional. She then asked the class if they would be offended to roll out their mats, face east and pray to Allah this morning? Or how about if they participate in prayers that also offer up little animals for sacrifice? Or how about Satanic prayers? Would they feel different if these kinds of prayers were encouraged m their schools? Another student asked if it were alright to pray if all the members of a certain team were all of the same religious beliefs and none had any objections. Parrish explained that the Lemon Practice deemed this unconstituuonal. Another student asked why they couldnt vote on the issue. Parrish explained that our great country is controlled by two great rules. The first is that majority Continued on Page 2 The Tax Commission reports that Sevier County would not be receiv- d taxes ing all of the rom ihe utility that had been planned for and included in the countys budget - leaving a shortfall. state-assesse- The reduction affects not only the county, but Sevier School District and the Central Utah Water Project. These entities may adjust their tax rates to offset the loss in revenues caused by the reduction in value. While the shift of valuation of UP&L stale assessed taxes to Sevier County will be felt as a cut - in other counties it will be a windfall. For example, Emery County Audi tor Karen Truman said that new figures will shift 1991 taxes from private and business sector back to UP&L. She estimates those amounts to be $58,000 to the county general fund; S58,000 to the Casde Valley Special Service District; and $200,000 to the Emery County School District. Estimates are that new money coming to the county is over $300,000. Salt Lake and Sevier counues have been notified that they will not get as much utility tax money as originally assumed. n dollar misThe take may result in other tax increases by entities involved. multi-millio- Help with your heating bills H.E.A.T. program will soon get underway In November, the Department of Human Services will open its Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAT). This program is a federally funded assistance program designed to help eligible people in paying their heating bills. The HEAT program will open Monday .November 4, for the elderly and handicapped. The general public can apply starting Friday, November 15. The program continues through March 31, 1992, or until funds are no longer available. An eligible household can apply for one only HEAT payment per winter season. The amount paid depends on location, type of fuel used, household size and income. Any cost above the HEAT payment m ust be paid by the appli cant. Applicants need to have identification, social security cards for all 18 or older in the household, a copy of their most recent utility bills, proof of income during the past month for al household members, and proof of medical bills paid during the month. Last year 38,563 households received a HEAT payment. This year Congress is still in budget conferences. Therefore, the payment amount and the amount allocated for funding is still undecided'. Interested parties may call their local Senior Citizen Center, utility company, or community service agency. Home visits are available for those who are house bound. |