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Show Page GS — THE DAILY HERALD, Provo, Utah, Sunday, May 5, 1996 American Fork Canyon to be subject of open houses Sy JOSEPHINE ZIMMERMAN The Daily Herald Throughout the month of May, al and historical resources in the canyon,identify altemative funding methods to increase the level of maintenance and rehabilitation of recreation facilities, and to hire the Uinta National Forest and National Parks Service will conduct a series offive open houses to additional law enforcementofficers. gather comments suggestions Proposals to address these ‘On proposals for changes in Amer- issues and concernsinclude: ian Fork Canyon. +"Establishment of an entrance The public is aged to booth to distribute infi ion and attend the meetings and become involved in the formulation of any additional proposals. Forest Service and National Park Service personnel have identified several issues and concerns American Fork Canyon and the ine Loop road. They involve ety, law enforcement and emergency services, resource damage and funding. According to Forest Service and Park Service officials, increased use in the American Fork Canyon area has impacted the natural resources of the canyon,including recreationalfacilities and the qualityofvisitor recreational experiences, Traffic counts have increased by 9 percent each year. More than 500,000 visitors drive the Alpine Loop each year. They report that vandaism and collect a nominal fee. The entry station would operate and a fee would be charged during heavy-use periods: seven days a week May 15 through Oct. 15, and weekends during the winter. Operating hours would be 7 a.m, to 10 or 11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday. The small fee would apply to vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians. A portion of the fee would go to Timpanogos Cave, and fees would be pro-rated forall partners. A season pass would alsobe available. Sak der Flat di camp Patrol . The station would be designed ‘Utah County Sheriff's officers to accommodate high volumes of ing area and Alpine Summit Traitto 1,207 catoger head would come in through traffic, ing drugs, , i Canyon and go out u The increase in management sacsmeans, The number of Provo Canyon. presence, control and the fee is It could also beinconvenient for cails increased during 1995. expected to reduce the number of Communication in the canyon people entering the canyon forPe. emergency service equipment, tying and illegal activity. is a access and designated turn- is limited with variabletelephone service and radio reception. ind areas. reduce the need for law + Safety concerns. * Establishment ofan informafe and improve the setThese include heavy traffic tion station to disseminate inforting for recreational users, periods, (1,350 vehicles each day),high © Designating a portion of the mation during heavy-use . The entry station staff would speeds, narrow and crooked Alpine Loop as a one-way road. ‘The road between Ti ke and not have time to respond to and a variety of uses (motorcycles joggers, bicycles) that interfere requests for information during the Mt. Timpanogos Campground 56 N.State St., Orem, from 6:30 to would be one way, allowing travel from north to south. This would be implemented by the Utah Departmentof Transportation. One-way traffic would reduce safety hazards now caused by existing heavy two-waytraffic and blind curves. On the negativeside, it would be inconvenient for travelers to certain destinations. Cascade Springs would be accessed only through American Fork Canyon and Midway. Users of 120 North Center, Lehi, 6:30 to high-use period. A si information facility would staffed to meet this need and prevent the entry station from delaying traffic, with traffic. + F esource damage. canyon. Vandalism to facilities and disturbance of visitors is a regular ties. fi Vegetation and soils would be Heavy use is causing adverse and unacceptable impacts to vege- «Increasing thepresence of law tation, soils, historical resources enforcement officers in the and recreational user opportuni- occurrence that affects agencies and the public. Enforcement is rovided by the Forest Service, tah County Sheriff and Utah « May 8 — Orem City Center, hye Alpine City Council chambers, 20 North Main. Alpine, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. * May 15 — Pleasant Grove Junior High School auditorium, 810 N. 10 East, Pleasant Grove, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. * May 16 — American Fork Veterans/Legion Hall, $3 N. Center, American Fork, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. « May 19 — Lehi City Library, stabilized,historical resources bet- 8:30 p.m. For more information contact ter protected and recreational Dave Hohi, Pleasant Grove Ranger lunities €1 i The format for the open houses District, 785-3563, or Loyal Clark, will be informal, National Forest Uinta National Forest, 377-5780. crime are also increasing at an alarming rate. During 1994 and 1995, the Utah County Sheriff's Office responded to more than 1,200 calls each year in American Fork Canyon, many of them involving serious crimes. Pleasant Grove City emergency services responds approximately 30 times each year to accidents in the canyon. The purpose ofthese proposals is to provide a safer environment for visitors to recreate and enjoy their National Forest, to protect the natur- Gulf soldiers were exposed to chemicals, Officials agree WASHINGTON (AP) — Marine Sgt. George Grass patrolled the scorching sands of SaudiArabiato sniff out “honey,” the nickname one of his Persian Gulf War commanders gave to chemical and biological agents. Time again, he struck gold as the cou.puter alarmon his vehicle wentoff, flashing the sign for nerve or mustard gas and other compounds.Unableto confirm his teports later, his military bosses told him not to worry. But, he said last week, “since returning from the Persian Gulf War, I have spoken to almost every Fox vehicle commander from both Ist and 2nd Marine Division and every one of them has verbally acknowledged the positive identification of chemical agents in the area ofoperation.” Reports like his, given to the Presidential Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans’ Illnesses, have prompted some officials in the U.S. military to acknowledge possible exposure to American troops. Major Gen. Ronald Blanck,the Army’s top doctor, said it must be presumed that some US. troops were exposed to harmful chemicals in the 1991 war, given the thousandsof unexplainedillnesses of veterans and the confirmed and unconfirmed evidence of biological agents in the region. early, there is some evidence oflow-level exposure,” said Blanck, commander of Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Hetold the advisory panel that at least two countries that were allied with the United Statesin the Gulf War reported detecting chemical or biological agents during the 1991 action against Iraq The United States was unable {© confirm the reports from France ind Czechoslovakia. But the Czechs, with the best detection équipment, confirmed the pres- fr of nerve and mustard gas in wary 199] in Saudi Arabia near Kuwait border — something the Defense Department has acknowledged. Still, the U.S. government has long insisted that Gulf War veter an’s weren't likely exposed to harmful materials andthat there's no evidence Iraq usedits arsenal of chemical and biological weapons. “There's just no supporting evidence to show Uaeta aTRY a PERSON, EACH WAY. Take Along Fares Are Easy: © Buy a roundtrip ticket at our full unrestricted fare to a nonstop destination. © Bring along as manyas three peoplefor only 525 per person, each way. © Fordestinations with one or more stops, “Take Alongs” pay just $50 per person, each way. Purchase tickets within one day of making reservations,at least one day before departure, and by June12. Travel by September 5. Nonstopsnot offered to all destinations. Everyone must be present at checkin and travel on the sameflights. One or more nights stayoveris required. Full fare Customer needstobe at least 18, companions may be any age. 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