Show STANDARD-EXAMINE- R SATURDAY OCT METRO EDITOR: 1994 1 625-422- RELIGION 0 Officials hoping it’s a step toward federal funding for expansion By DON BAKER Standard Examiner staff SALT LAKE CITY — A $65978 site selection study that will determine the best loca- tion for the Morgan County Airport is on its final approach The Utah Transportation Commission which must sign off on any federal aviation money spent on improvements to airports statewide unanimously approved the study Friday That action clears the way for the hiring of an airport planning consultant who should finish the siting study during the next 12 months Most of the funding will be provided by the Federal Aviation Administration which has agreed to pay $60(MJ0 to evaluate possible sites including the existing location near Mountain Green Morgan County and the state each will cover $2989 of the cost Phil Ashbakcr Utah Department of Transportation aeronautics director told commissioners Morgan officials and airport users would like to expand the existing airport but have not been able to get FAA approval FAA officials last spring rejected a request to add the Morgan facility to the national airport system a necessary hurdle before the small mountain-ringe- d airport can qualify for federal aviation funding But Ashbakcr said FAA officials have indicated they might reconsider if a comprehensive study of other potential airport sites in Morgan County determines the current location to be “the best and most practical site" Unlbrfe The issue: Morgan County’s ongoing tempts to qualify for federal funding for an atair- port What’s new: The Utah Transportation Commission approved a $65978 site selection study that may help the county find a site that would meet federal specifications What’s next The county will continue its search for a new site No promises have been made the UDOT aeronautics chief stressed “but the FAA will consider it" Ashbakcr said the final FAA determination will be based “on safety factors and the site meeting criteria for obstructions on general aviation airports" In November 1991 FAA officials drafted a letter to the county indicating the present air port is “a substandard facility on a constrained site" and saying it would not benefit the national airport system to pour improvement money into the Morgan location The FAA did recommend a replacement airport at a site less encumbered by mountainous obstructions and residential encroachment but county officials have estimated it could cost $18 million or more Rain rain rain Rainstorms produce more moisture than Utah has seen since June Idaho politics to replace the facility Stale and county officials decided after a meeting last April to stick with plans to upgrade the present facility hoping the pending site study will persuade FAA planners to change their minds Echohawk controversy prompts Mormon officials to Ashbakcr said the Wasatch Front Regional Council which has the responsibility for area transportation planning will assist Morgan County in the study process The commission approved funding for the study without comment Gam accepts DRAG position assert political neutrality Former Utah Sen Jake Gam will accept a nomination to sit on the 1995 Base Closure said Friday he I’m hit’ decide the fate of Hill Air Force Base next year Those out to protect the state's largest employer lauded Garn's nomination by House Minority Leader Bob ll Michel who recommended Garn in a letter to President Clinton But the former three-terRepublican senator and Navy pilot cautioned those who think his place on the panel guarantees Hill’s future “A lot of people seem to think I can save Hill just because I’m on the commission” Garn said “I’ll have just one vote The best I can do is see that Hill gets a fair hearing” Garn who served 14 years on the Defense Appropriation Subcommittee said he did not seek the appointment R-i- m Standard Examiner staff and wire services SALT LAKE CITY — DemocratKaren Shepherd and Bill Orton said Friday the Clinton administration is making $804211 available to assist Hill Air Force Base workers who lost their jobs to defense cutbacks Assistance provided by the grant could include career counseling job search and placement assistance ic Reps eight-memb- occupational skills training and training for about 160 pulling election-yea- r shenanigans by allowing the two Democrats to break the news “They can trample themselves running up to the mike to take credit for this if they want but it’s something that would have happened anyway" said Hansen legislative director Steve Petersen “It’s great news and we were See HILL on 3B I Slandatd Examiner staff SALT LAKE CITY — US District Judge David Winder on Friday refused to let Layton doctor Abdicl Rivera-Vclc- z withdraw his guilty plea on drug charges However Winder did agree not to consider the overdose death of a Salt Lake County teenager when he sentences the man Rivera-Vclc- z pleaded guilty last May as part of a plea agreement to five counts of selling prescriptions Marchant case The July 3 shooting deaths of Misty Marchant and Kirt Swann will get national attention Monday when Marchant’s sister and father appear on the “Maury Povich Show" JENNIFER Pedro Balli 15 is loaded into an ambulance after being shot in d the leg during what is believed to be a shooting in gang-relate- West block of 24th Street at about Standard Examiner staff 10 OGDEN — A hospital spokesman said a boy was in fair condition at Ogden Regional Medical Center with a gunshot wound to the leg late Friday d following one of two Minutes later a second youth was reportedly shot in the chin in the 1500 block of Kicscl Avenue Lt Randy Watt said the youth whose identity was unavailable was taken to McKay-De- e Hospital Watt said the boy was not seriously injured He said police were still investigating the incidents late Friday but both are believed to be gang-- gang-relate- shootings that occurred within minutes of each other Pedro Balli of Ogden was taken to Ogden Regional by ambulance following an incident in the 500 pm r West Ogden He was taken to Ogden Regional Medical Center where he was listed in fair condition Two hurt in shootings believed to be By KERI GOINS MARTINStandard-Examine- gang-relate- related Watt said police are exploring whether there is a connection between the two Jason Rios 15 said he and his friends were standing in the parking lot of the Mountain View Apartments 563 W 24th St when they witnessed a blue pickup truck filled with teenagers pull up “There were a bunch of guys in the back of the truck lt had its lights off” he said “One guy d jumped down and started ing” shoot- Rios said at least six shots were fired After the first shot was fired Rios hit the ground and then heard Balli say “I'm hit" Police were searching for the blue truck and a silver Ford Fiesta carrying four Hispanic males that witnesses said took off after the truck Shell casings were found at the See SHOOTINGS on 3B for controlled substances In accepting the plea prosecutor Charlotte Mapcs asked Winder to consider in his sentencing decision 25 drug counts being dismissed under the plea agreement and the 1993 death of James Maxwell 17 from drugs allegedly prescribed by the doctor Considering those factors would could have meant Rivera-Vclc- z have been sentenced to up to 12'A years in prison rather than up to 27 months in prison His sentencing is set for Dec 7 Rivera-Vclc- z was working at the Family Medical Center in West Jordan at the time of the 1993 transactions The prescriptions he admitted to selling were for synthetic painkillers tranquilizers and muscle relaxants prosecutors said In August and September 1993 federal drug agents obtained prescriptions for Pcrcocet The five counts to which the doctor pleaded guilty involve transactions for that painkiller “He was making money writing prescriptions" Mapcs said Stan Adams who represented during the plea negotiations said Friday his client never understood that he may be sentenced for conduct not specifically mentioned in the plea agreement He said if the other behavior was to be considered his client should be allowed to withdraw his guilty plea Winder agreed he would not hold Rivera-Vclc- z accountable for other actions at the sentencing But Mapcs said she still will ask that the doctor be made to serve up to 78 months to take into account the drugs bought in the other 25 counts She said he violated a position of public trust Winder said he will consider her arguments already has agreed to the indefinite suspension of his Rivcra-Vele- z medical license Judo volunteers help kids get a grip on developing character and Dennis Yonetani of Ogden say memories shouldn’t be measured wins or losses Instead the memories should be tallied by the amount of learning that took place while experiencing them The brothers have been donating their time as judo instructors at the Ogden Judo Club for more than 17 years But students and their parents say they do more than just teach judo “They taught me a lot when I was growing up about how to act and about responsibility" said Brett Holmes 24 who has been their student and is one of seven volunteer instructors at the club “They taught me that when you say you’re going to do something you'd belter do it Your word is everything and once you lose it you don’t have anything Dale Dale Dennis Age: Dennis 38 Dale 42 1 Occupation: Dennis a recruiter (or the University of Utah School ol Medicine Dale a landscape gardener Community Involvement: Volun- teer instructors at the Ogden Judo Club for more than 17 years A to air TV show Judge won’t let doctor withdraw guilty plea on drug charges By RALPH WAKLEY er “But I’ve decided that will accept the position” he said Forty-se- ah Re- alignment Commission which will Federal grant to cushion Hill cuts workers Remedial education could be funded as could entrepreneurial training and relocation assistance According to a news release issued by the pair part of the funds also could be directed to basic support services such as transportation assistance day care and medical assistance Orton whose district includes Morgan County said that while the funds arc welcomed more remains to be done “It’s certainly a little bit of good news that we’ll be able to help these people who gave so much to HilL” he said “And certainly we will continue to do all we can to avoid future loss” About 330 Hill employees lost their jobs Friday in a reduction-in-I'orc- c announced last January ven of them already have new jobs through a Department of Defense program The announcement by the two Democrats was criticized by the office of Rep Jim Hansen who maintains he is the Utah congressman with the best record of helping Hill A Hansen spokesman charged that the Clinton administration is 3B AT A GLANCE and Displaced workers get help 2B 1 anymore” Their father Kay Yonetani and other Japanese-Ameriea- n residents started the club back in 1956 to promote Japanese community activities and give local youth something productive to do “I was born into it so it was a given that I’d WE SALUTE By Becky Oleson Standard Eaammer stall come in here and work out I don’t sec it as volunteer work It’s just like golfing or any oilier sport You just do it because you like to” said Dennis Yonetani classes three The brothers teach two one-honights per week at the club Cost to students is $10 per month which pays for overhead costs Dennis Yonetani said “I just really enjoy doing it” said Dale Yonetani “1 really enjoy coaching little kids” Holmes said the brothers made him and other students feel like members of their family “I look time oil’ from judo in college and I came back because it was time to pay back for all that Dale and Dennis have done" he said Brian Noskcr of Ogden said enrolling his two children in judo was a wise choice “1 hey’vc learned discipline and how to control themselves and keep in shape" Nosker said “It gives the kids confidence in themselves And it ur A gives them something to do besides watch T V or listen to the radio It gives them a peer group they can visit with and have friends" Dennis Yonetani said competitions in the past have given the impression that winning or losing determines how well a club is doing “But down here if you ask the kids what their winloss record is they probably couldn't tell you” he said “Our success comes in seeing our players’ skills develop How good we do depends on how well we execute what we’ve learned at the competitions" Dale Yonetani agreed “For us winning is secondary What we’re interested in doing is teaching the kids the proper technique" For more inhumation on the club or to sign up for classes contact Dale Yonetani at 394-014- 2 ''fie Salute" i a weekly feature hononnn volunteers II van know o! someone win) miht qualify for a "He Salute" please call llerky Oleson weekdays between S am and 5 pm at 625-411- 7 The episode will air locally on KUTV Channel 2 at 11 am Tammy Perea of Ogden and her father Joe Scamihorn of Reno Nev filmed the show in New York in August after trying unsuccessfully in court to get the Davis County Sheriff’s Department to release a copy of the frantic 91 1 call Marchant made after her estranged husband Kenneth Marchant shot his way into her West Point home Both she and Swann a friend were killed The gunshots and Misty’s last words were recorded by 91 1 dispatchers Kenneth Marchant later shot himself investigators said Parking fines increase at VSU OGDEN — Weber State University is increasing fines in an effort to crack down on illegal campus parking In the past parking lot violations cost $6 and increased to $10 when a hold was placed on registration Meter violations were $2 increasing to $6 with a registration hold Now students with one to five tickets will pay an additional $5 penalty per ticket Those with six to 10 tickets will pay $10 more and those with 11 or more citations will pay an extra $1 1 per ticket City fire stations to the public open OGDEN — The fire open to the public today through Friday Firefighters will be available to talk about their training equipment and personal fire protection equipment Tours are available from 9 am to 7:30 pm at the department's five stations: 320 26th St 1185 21st St 340 Washington Blvd 730 W 24th St and 3450 Harrison Blvd To schedule a tour call department 629-806- will be 9 — staff and wire services Standard-Examin- er ' ' v &' hi i- -t rdtuitiiiUEKi’J to leave a message comment question or news tip Call 625-424- ' : x 0 Leave your name and phone number if you are dictating a Letter to the Editor STANDARD S4HRS DAY irnrn A i |