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Show Page 2 Messenger-Enterpris- Life in Sanpete Thursday, October 21, 1999 e What shall we put in the Ephraim time capsule? By Lloyd Call That's outrageous! Reader's Digest, for several years now, has a feature a called "That's Outrageous!", which relates stories of fraud, government idiocy and regulations, and other stories that are difficult to believe. The purpose of thearticles is that if such information is made public, it may cause such laws to change. I'll try the same tactic today with our own Sanpete County justice. Judges, take note! We received, and published, elsewhere in the paper this week, the report by the Sanpete Citizen Drug Task Force, who follow up on drug violations, actions taken, etc. When you read this report, you notice that all offenders were charged with such activities as possession of drugs, possession with intent to distribute and other violations. These are people with drug problems. Their consequences include fines (nearly $20,000 in one case), and prison time (a 5 prison sentence), plus probation. You would think that would be a pretty good deterrent. However, when you read what fines offenders will actually pay, and what time they will actually serve, the deterrent is dulled. Instead of one year in jail, one person got six months, with the case reviewed in two months (at which time he may be released). Another person, instead of two 5 year terms in prison, will actually serve only three months in jail, and his fine went from $18,500 to $500, if he completed 3 years probation and other conditions. Is this a strong enough deterrent? Is it strong enough to change an addict's behavior? Are these reductions in sentencing and fines standard operating procedures forjudges? If they are, why? Are the prisons too crowded? Is the offense not serious enough? Are these firsttime offenders? Isn't it kind of silly to tell someone, "If you do drugs, you'll go to prison, but not really, you'll actually just go to jail for a couple of months?" As I mentioned in an earlier editorial, I am a firm believer in the power of groups to help an addict, any addict, 0-- 0-- By Debbie Plummer The City of Ephraim is planning a Millennial New Year's Eve Gala. There will be many activities available in which to participate, specifically a Community Time Capsule. Now is the time to go from here to posterity by contributing items to be sealed in the Ephraim Time Capsule. This Time Capsule will eventually be housed in the cornerstone of the new Ephraim City Building, which is currently in the planning stage. All families and businesses in Ephraim are invited to participate by providing items of interest to be placed in Ephraim's Time Cap xr sule. Due to size limitations of the capsule itself, items should be no 10. What would you put in a time more than three inches wide by capsule to tell folks 00 years from five inches high, or smaller. Exnow about life in Ephraim in the items be could 20th century? Would you include of possible amples folded a a barbie doll or a batmobile? A a family group picture, fambrief history of a business or 1 cocaine by consumption. Bail: $30,730. Oct. 13: Charles T. Belk, of Mt. Pleasant, arrested in Manti, charged and released for court on 283-41- to Penny Cartright at 23 283-498- 9. for the Manti area Reported by Lee J. Anderson etc. Items can be brought to the Ephraim City Building or to the Ephraim Public Library at any time between now and December Problem? Cant stop Using? Dont know where to turn? Drug Consider Narcotics Anonymous, a p program made up of recovering addicts who meet with each other regularly to help stay clean. 12-ste- mm. erty, forgery, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of Any questions pertaining to the capsule should be directed to or Debbie Plummer at WEATHER ily, a family genealogical group sheet folded to fit the 3x5 dimensions, a current list of employee signatures with a picture, the program for the Noyes Building Sanpete Sheriff Booking Report Oct. 13: Stewart W. Ivie, of Mt. Pleasant, arrested in Mt. Pleasant. charged with possession of cocaine, possession of stolen prop- Frank Sinatra 78 rpm record or an CD? N-Sy- a charge of theft. No bail. Oct. 15: Charles T. Belk, of Mt. Pleasant, arrested in Mt. Pleasant on warranty out of Mt. Pleasant Justice Court, Bail: $150. C ew.meeting uyEphraim Weds Thurs j Salina, Zions Bank basement, 8 p.m. Ephraim, City Building basement, 8 p.m. fellowship is dedicated to the value of one Oct. 17: Cameron J. Bolli, of Gunnison, arrested in Gunnison, charged with six counts of burglary, six counts possession of a Our addict helping another, that no addict need suffer the horrors of addiction. controlled substance and five counts of theft. Bail: $112, 775. 12-st- ep change hisher way of life and stop using. One principle that is taught in groups is consequences. We avoid things that us negative consequences. give I would much rather see sentences with required AA or NA attendance, instead of simple suspensions of fines and reduced jail time because the jails are full. Without hard consequences, these people are going to go right back to the drugs. Please note, this outrageous behavior on the part of judges and courts may be simply a function of ignorance. They simply don't know what to do with drug offenders. The courts apply a slap on the wrist, a foot in the backside, and back out they go, to the streets, but with no reason to change. One long-tersolution is probation, but this is no solution at all. Most probation officers have hundreds of clients, and have no time or energy to try and counsel offenders. However, a tool that would really help is rarely used. The 12-st- m new Narcotics Anonymous meeting that began a couple of weeks ago in Ephraim is sparsely attended. Those who need the help don't come, maybe because they simply don't know about it. This could be a way for those offenders to straighten their lives out, but they aren't there. Perhaps the judges don't know that the meetings are here in our county, or they might consider consequences for offenders that better offer a way to truly change behavior. A sentence to attend a meeting every night for two years would work far better than two years of a meeting with a probation officer, and a urine analysis test done on a cursory basis. The whole community should have a powerful interest in helping people with drug and alcohol problems get help. The cry should be "let's do something that works," instead of "we really don't know what to do, so lock em up for a while, and spit 'em back out." Judges, are you listening? Some are. I did notice that two of the persons named were given options, one to in 12-st- once-a-mon- th participate Project Reality, the other to be released to House of Hope or a similar program. That's great! Let's try to change behavior! This column is NOT a condemnation of judges. They are doing the best they can with the resources they know of. But how else do changes get made if we don't complain a little bit? How we deal with people with problems doesn't have to stay outrageous. It can change. But only if judges have courage to try something new. I see some evidence of change, but more can be done to improve. THE IV1 ANTI PERSONAL LbANS AS LOW AS AS LOW AS THE Ephraim ESSENGER USPS HOME REFINANCE LOANS 3284-000- USPS 0 1777-200- 0 Copyright, Inc. 1999. All rights reserved. Reproduction, reuse or transmittal of all matter herein is prohibited without prior written permission by the publisher. Published each Thursday for 500 each, $16.00 a year inside Sanpete County and $19.00 outside Sanpete County, by Messenger-EnterprisInc., 35 S. Main, Manti, Utah 84642, Ph. (435) Fax (435) messengerlsisna.com. Periodicals Postage Paid at Manti, Utah. Messenger-Enterpris- e, 835-424- 1, POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Messenger-Enterpris- e Inc. 35 S. Main, Manti UT 84642 Operations Manager Sports Reporter Manti City Reporter Ephraim News, Feature Writers Ephraim City Reporter Pay no fees, closing costs or points to get a Zions Bank Home Refinance Loan. 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