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Show " Page Two - The Pyramid - September 3 1997i Commentary Merrill Ogden Dear Editor: Residents able to call FCC toll-fre- e WASHINGTON, of Utah can now phone D.C.-Resid- ents Communications Federal e to Commission (FCC) get information about a variety of communication subjects. number for the The toll-fre- e FCCs National Call Center is the National historic landscape? Michael Timmons of Utah has been University the and documenting studying landscape of the Sanpete Valley over the past few months. Last week I attended the public and publicized meeting where he presented his preliminary report. It was really quite fascinating. It was also somewhat troubling. More about that later. Timmons has traversed up and down and over and across his study area in the Sanpete Valley from Milbum on the north to near Sterling on the south. He has examined each section (a square mile) and documented the existing landscape features from fields and fences to trees and turkey shelters. He has taken hundreds and hundreds of pictures. Part of has included the research finding old historic photographs of Sanpete and taking current pictures from the same or approximate location and perspective. Surprisingly, or perhaps unsurprisingly, I dont know which; many views of Sanpete towns and landscape vistas havent changed much since the turn of the century. Mr. Timmons is excited about what we have in Sanpete. (Have you ever noticed that sometimes people from outside the county are more excited about Sanpete than we are?) I understood him to say that Sanpete is the last vestige and best example of the Brigham Young directed style of settlements. The towns here are still well defined within boundaries. The landscape of agriculture between towns is relatively free of development. farm buildings, Bams, fences, hay derricks etc. from State a bygone era still exist. These are maintained by some and left to deteriorate by others. Farm implements from yesteryear dot the landscape and add charm and historic atmosphere, according to Timmons. He believes that what exists in the Sanpete Valley could possibly qualify for a National Historic Landscape designation. As I understand it, the designation wouldnt regulate or change anything directly for landowners. It would simply raise the profile of the area by being recognized and publicized on maps, brochures and the like. O.K. So what is troubling about this? Well its the same issue that we visit on this page every few months. What does Sanpete want to be "when it grows up"? Its the "crossroads issue". Some questions related to this issue are; Is it possible andor desirable that the open space in the valley (agricultural property) remain open? If it is; what about the rights of the landowners? Can we afford to compensate landowners for restricting the development of their property? Have Sanpeters developed a preservation of the past attitude when it comes to the landscape of our area? Is it important to preserve "the look" of the Sanpete Valley? Do we want to lay low and avoid any publicity which would bring more people into the area? Should development be allowed with a minimum of regulation in a pure laissez-fair- e philosophy? These are just a few of the questions which are going to come up more and more often. Public officials and planning and zoning boards have their work cut out for them. Hopefully, there are ways to preserve Sanpete without sacrificing progress.... Merrill Legislature kills tax hike SALT LAKE CIT- Y- At a special session, legislators voted to eliminate the 100 percent escrow of contested taxes by centrally assessed companies, effectively eliminating the tax hike resulting from the escrow, repons The Utah Taxpayer. Had legislators allowed the 100 percent escrow of contested taxes to remain in place, home-ownewould have seen property taxes increase from an estimated $5 to $140. Legislative action followed caucus meetings in which various options to limit or forestall the tax hike were discussed. Options included: 1 . A one- or two-yedelay in rs ar Sanpala's Leading Newspaper THE PHRHIHID 365-58- (USPS Published Weekly at 0) Pleasant Mt. Utah, 84647 FAX: 462-24- 462-213- 4 59 Publisher Managing Editor Cheryl Brewer Office Manager Andrea Lloyd Staff Writer SUBSCRIPTION RATES year-5- 0t per copy $23 per year outside Sanpete County CORRESPONDENTS Manti, Bruce Jennings 835-382- 4 Foirview, Sabrina Haycock 427-350- 6 Moroni, Barbara Gordon 436-876- 0 Ftn. Green, Jessie Oldroyd 445-342- 2 North Sanpete, Leah Freeman Snow College Reporter, Ray Truitt Dean O'Driscoll 445-332- 6 EPHRAI- M- Snow Colleges fall block, a two week session held just before fall quarter, increased in sign-up- s by 57 percent over last year, according to a recent Snow College press release. Gerhard Bolli, Snow College registrar, claims that the cause for the increase was simply that the word is getting around about the block. He says that parents might be a big advocate in their children signing-ubecause it is practically tuition-fre- e during the block if a student has a total of 20 credit hours or less during fall quarter and the block. p, Send change of address to The Pyramid, 49 West Mam Street, Mt. Pleasant, UT Mt. Pleasant, 84647. Periodical postage paid at UT and additional moiling offices. POSTMASTER: toll-fre- ee service is staffed The toll-fre- e between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday (ET) and also will provide automated information 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Assistance is also available in Spanish. The Call Center provides information on issues related to telecommunications including cable television, broadcast radio and TV, telephone, satellite, land mobile and licensing. "The Call Center is a giant leap for consumers," said FCC Chairman Reed E. Hundt. "Consumers now have one place they can call to ask questions or voice concerns or complaints. The Center will help consumers get information to better make informed choices." Users of the Internet can also access the FCCs web site at http : www. fee gov . . Check basement attic to save money SAND- Y- Crawling around attic or basement may not be the ideal way to spend a beautiful summer or fall day. However, a simple check of these areas may help save money when cold weather arrives, according to a news report from the Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems (UAMPS). Remember also, to check any crawl spaces and the foundation of the home. Call UAMPS for Fairview at Mt. Pleasant at 6 or or Spring City 4 at to find out about ideas for the home. energy-savin- g Attic. Vents must be left open to allow moisture to escape from the attic. Therefore, adequate ceiling insulation is a necessity. 427-385- i In the July 3, 1997 issue of the Millard County Chronicle Progress, an article submitted by Darin Phelps titled, "Sunday in Vandalism Search Ends Charge. I feel another side of this story should be told. I started prospecting for gold and silver in Dome Canyon, commonly referred to as Death Canyon, in 1950. In June 1963, 1 built a cabin furnished with two standard-size- d bunk beds with mattresses, stove, table, chairs, cupboards, etc. On Aug. 16, 1963, 1 went out to the claims to place my affidavits of Proof Of Labor in each of the Locator Monuments as per the law before Sept. 1 of each year. Upon arriving at the cabin I proceeded to move in. Apparently, the cabin had been used several times. However, everything was in place and as clean as I had left it. On a carpenters finish nail were several notes, the first note was dated July 17, 18, 1963. The note said, "We appreciated your cabin and really enjoyed our stay here, thank you." It was signed Loake Peterson, Hinkley; and Hon Crooper, Deseret. This gave me an idea to leave a "Hotel Register", so people could leave their names and on the Inscribed comments. outside of the book was, "Welcome to the Dome Canyon Hotel". On the inside cover I wrote, "Come on in and set a spell, why not spend the day, or even yet stay the night or perhaps a weekend. Respect the cabin in the same manner you would want someone to treat your cabin. When you leave, make certain the door is closed and the storm door is latched. Then ya all come back real soon, ya hear," signed, Ye Auld Prospector. On June 13, 1995, I rode out to the cabin to spend a quiet moment, everything appeared 462-271- pretty much as it always had been in the past, showing very little wear and tear. In the registry there were 1,033 favorable, positive comfabricated signatures, ments, stories which were all clean, nothing vulgar or crass, cowboy poetry and some very nice complimentary comments about the cabin. There were 18 comments containing vulgar language, some written by boys and some girls. Five comments were written by of environmentalists alleged which two had written, "We were the ones that killed the 17 cows on Calf Creek, Garfield County." Several different organizations, predominately LDS, met there for steak frys and camp-out- s. Utah towns Twenty-thre- e were listed as well as 1 1 signatures. On March 11, 1996, I rode out to the cabin to spend some time I found the "Hotel Register" gone. It was the most devastating feeling I have ever had wash over me. My grandson, Kennen Thatcher wanted to write a history story about the book, he planned on calling many that stayed there or write them for more information. Why would someone stoop that low to destroy something you could call a legend in the making? I then contacted a close friend of mine, Jim Stansworth, Deseret, for a clue if he had one. He informed me that about Dec. 13, 1996, he was at the cabin and read the register. When I arrived on Jan. 20, 1997, I found a note under the table leg inquiring about the register. In August 1997, I was informed by Sheriff Ed Phelps that the cabin had been vandalized. On a search for a missing person, Sheriff Phelps flew over the cabin on July 29, 1997, and notified his deputies that several cars were around the cabin. When the deputies arrived. te they found eight males ranging from 18 to 40 and six females ranging from 17 to 23, supposedly from Delta. On Aug. 19, I drove out to the cabin and found it destroyed. In a meeting with Rex Row-leBLM director, and Sheriff Ed Phelps, I was informed that if the cabin is returned to its normal state of repair which includes replacing all broken windows and storm door, haul broken beer bottles to the landfill, and clean up human excrement around the outside of the cabin instead of replacing the outdoor toilet, wash the walls down and make necessary repairs on the ceilings and walls, apply two coats of latex paint, he (Rex Rowley) may reconsider and let the cabin remain, if the repairs are all done before Oct 1, of this year. : However, if it became vandalized a second time, the cabin will come down and the road will be closed. For those people in your area that have used the cabin, you know what must be done. But, if anyone wants to repair it, please check with Rex Rowley before and after repairs. Paul Young,' St. George y, Auditions to be held Sept. 4 MANTI-- Try-ou- ts will be held Thursday, Sept. 4 at 7 p.m. in the Eva Beal Auditorium of the Manti City Building, 50 South Main. The production will be Noel Cowards "Blithe Spirit", a three act comedy. Diane Keeler will direct the show, which will be presented Nov. 1, 3, 7 and 8. The plot revolves around a deceased first wife returning as a spirit from the dead. She visits and creates complications with her now remarried husband. Six women and two men, all adults, will be cast in the show. Anyone interested in trying-oor otherwise helping with the production should attend the audition or call Diane Keeler, 1 or ut 835-224- 835-942- 1. Subscribe Today to 452-245- 8; 9; 462-224- Basement. When the basement is used for purposes other than storage, the walls and windows should be insulated. If the basement is used only for storage, the ductwork and the floor above should be insulated and the basement left unheated. Sanpete Gotuumtys Crawl Space Vents. Vents should be closed during the winter unless the furnace is in the crawl space or there is a moisture problem. If vents cannot be closed, insulating panels can be Vents inserted. may remain closed during the summer if there is no moisture problem. Mobile Home and ManufacHousing Foundations. Insulated skirting should be installed to reduce airflow and raise the temperature below the structure. tured area may order tickets for the 5 Oct. viewing of the new temple by calling 11-2- Largest Home- town Newspaper Ddd your mailbox every Wednesday lb-58- The temple, the tenth in Utah, is expected to draw visitors from Utah, southwest Wyoming and western Colorado. Fall block shows increase (In Advance) $20 per VERNAL Tickets for the k free public open house at the Vernal Utah Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-da- y Saints may now be ordered. Open house committee officials say those outside the Vernal two-wee- Craig Conover Penny Hamilton m The Call Center also e TTY number provides a for persons with a hearing disnumability. The TTY toll-frber is Vernal Temple open house tickets available by phone 49 West Main Street Telephone: implementation of the escrow. 2. A reduction in the escrow amount from 100 percent to 25 percent. 3. The repeal of the escrow provision. The Utah Taxpayers Association had endorsed the proposal reducing the escrow amount to 25 percent, believing that such a reduction protected locally assessed taxpayers while offering the best opportunity to build consensus among legislators. The Utah Association of Counties lobbied for retaining a portion of the escrow. However, legislators were unconvinced of the plight of counties heavily impacted by centrally assessed appeals. While the repeal of the escrow forestalls any hike resulting from 1997 centrally assessed appeals this year, many legislators feel it is a stop-ga- p measure and not a long-tersolution. toll-fre- the Generous cabin owner speaks out about vandalism Even students who have 21 or more credits pay only $28 for each additional credit during the block, compared to the usual $76 per credit. The block assists students to finish classes earlier and get general education courses completed. It also allows students to take care of other things such as: student IDs, paying fees and completing paperwork before the rest of the students come in the fall. Bolli states that there will be a winter block offered. For further information contact Snow months $20.00 6 month $12.00 out of county rates slightly higher 12 n |