| Show Silt Lake Tribune Friday August 28 1888 Patrolman’s Life Isn’t All Movie Glamour From DA to Murray just off Inter- &£k iks to the back of the "Uiidiag to where his modified or“ Mustang is parked His patrol car to him 24 ourt day looks assigned more like an office high-spee- d vehicle Books s“-- e codes and various road maps re arrayed in the small car s back- A radar gun radio and other ire also tucked awav in equipment the rear Reminders of his — pictures and California family Raisin figures are strategically placed near the dashboard and behind the rear-vie- Jf w mirror “Since it's Friday it will be busier than usual” he says as he pulls away from the building and heads for the 5300 South on ramp ‘‘Weekends are busier because people are anxious to get home I don't mind because it helps the day go by faster” Today Trooper PopeLmayer 30 is from patrolling ‘‘area one” — 4500 South to the Davis County line UHP Troopers work on a rotating schedule and patrol different areas each week to prevent burn out “Our primary function is traffic safety” Trooper PopeLmayer says as he drives northbound on "In Salt Lake County our first inclination is to get a vehicle involved in an accident off the highway We seem to have a problem here with rubber- necks” It’s about 2:45 pm and the freeway is already beginning to get congested Near the Beck Street overpass Trooper Popelmayer spots a small white pickup truck that has an expired registration sticker He moves over to the fast lane behind the truck and calls in the license plate number over the radio The dispatcher confirms the expiration and he readies to pull the driver over except for one problem — the truck is approaching a bend in the highw ay and traffic is thick in the other lanes making a r dangerous Trooper Popelmayer waits passes the bend and turns on his d strobe flashers The driver responds and pulls over to the right shoulder “You learn to wait for things like that” he says surveying the vehicle ‘‘You pick your spots to pull over drivers You don't want to be a bigger burden to traffic than he pull-ove- blue-and-re- is” The trooper cautiously approaches the driver's side of the truck After a few minutes he returns to his patrol car to wnte the driver a citation “He has an expired registration and a broken window” he says grabbing his ticket book “I'm going to cite him for the registration but give him a warning on the window He says it broke last week and he is going to get it repaired” ( When Trooper Popelmayer was a young boy someone asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up "A policeman” he exclaimed proudly It’s a response given by most little boys but for him it was always a sin cere desire ‘ Police work has always intrigued me” the Salt Lake native muses “I like looking at something and try ing to piece the facts together Even when I'm off duty and pass an accident I try to look at the w ay the automobiles are situated and see how it could have happened ” After a stmt as a security guard and other security work he finally got the opportunity to work for the highway patrol At first he was stationed at the Port of Entry near Perry Utah in Box Elder County “It wasn't the most exciting police Near 1700 South a three-ca- r accident in the middle lane has slowed traffic to a standstill Trooper Popelmayer pulls his car in front of the accident and gets out to investigate He and the other drivers push the vehicles onto the shoulder w hile another trooper holds up traffic on the swelled interstate Apparently one of the drivers was looking away when the car in front of him stopped He slammed his vehicle into the stopped car which sent it into another car A passenger in the first car is in "if i can get someone to sloic down and avoid killing himself or someone else then Pie done my job ” said Trooper Dave Popel- mayer "Whether people know it or not tve are out there to save liies and if that means issuing someone a ticket than so be it' work but working with truckers day nication skills and prepared me to deal with people every day” the four-yea- r UHP veteran recalls “There's parts of this job you don't enjoy doing and other parts you do” he adds "But when I wake up each morning I look forward going to work With most jobs you can t say that” Trooper Popelmayer is busy getting eyewitness accounts of the accident Since the injured party is from southern Utah the trooper tells the injured women s husband to accompany his wife to the University Medical Center w here he w ill meet them It s 3 20 p m and the dispatcher advises troopers to be on the lookout for a southbound white semi-trucapparently involved in a According to the dispatcher it swerved into the middle lane and sideswiped a pickup truck which struck another car Trooper Popelmay er heads for the 3300 South off ramp where the drivers of the two damaged vehicles are By now traffic is becoming heavy so Trooper Popelmayer and another UHP trooper decide to investigate the accident at a nearby convenience store After 50 minutes of gathering information trading insurance numbers and settling tempers he climbs back into the car ' You have to be a real diplomat” he says starting the ignition "You have to be stern enough so that they know what you’re talking about yet polite so that they don't get angry” are looking Troopers along for the white semi but it has yet to be spotted ”1 bet the driver didn't even know he hit them" Trooper Popelmayer says It s now 415 pm on near 500 South and traffic is bumper to bumper moving at a snail s pace A report of an accident up ahead comes over the radio and Trooper Popelmayer flips on his flashers and maneuvers the small car along the right shoulder with inches to spare between other cars and the guard rail k later "This is part of the job I least like” he says driving to the University Medical Center “This guy’s wife is laying in the hospital and 1 have to issue him a citation" Who gets a ticket and w ho doesn't? “It's a trooper's discretion” he says adjusting his seat belt “I mean we have a tremendous power And if you don't have common sense you won t last in this job” After four years on the job Trooper Popelmayer has heard almost every excuse for speeding but says he bases each decision on an individual case "1 don't get paid a percentage of the tickets I write so it doesn't matter to me I issue tickets for people's safety I hope they can learn from it If I can get someone to slow down and avoid killing himself or someone else then I've done my job Whether people know it or not we are out there to save lives and if that means issuing someone a ticket than so be it” Trooper Popelmayer says the longstanding belief that troopers are “on a quota system” is untrue “They base raises and promotions on all of our duties not just the number of citations But you have to under- - STAR GAZER O -- ARIES A20-25747-72-7- 3 TAURUS fir An 20 MAT 20 - ocr 22vyiy To develop message for Friday reod words corresponding to numbers of your Zodiac birth sign 29-44 1 ID 63 56-60 23(jz NOT 21 Rho Sorority during a recent convention in St Louis Mo Mrs Price a Texas native has lived in Layton for more than 40 years She has degrees in elementary and secondary education and has completed graduate work in psychology counseling special education and school administration She was the Utah Mother of the Year in 1977 As chairwoman of the Davis County Republican Party Mrs Price w as the first black person to claim a county central committee chairmanship from either major political party The national sorority originally developed for black women has been opened to women of all races and creeds Members must have earned or are pursuing degrees at an accredited university or college Ms Price said as an honorary member she will now seek women with service and educational back- - NOT 22 DEC 21 )j 4-- CANCER CAPRICORN JUNl 21 DEC 22 fefi'JUL'r 22 JAN 19 360 54 82'v5 62-6- 5 AQUARIUS LEO JUU 23 JAN iSAIG 22 FEI V 20 X 0 38 2 5742-50-5- 5 PISCES YIRGO AUG 22 7 seft 22 He makes a near the Davis County line and makes his final “pass” for the night It's about 9 15 pm and a small truck is weaving in and out of traffic He pushes down on the gas pedal and jams the gearshift into third easing the patrol car behind the speeding truck He puts the radar gun on the truck but it slows down for traffic ahead Still unaware that its being followed the truck weaves back into the middle lane and picks up speed Trooper Popelmayer follows him to about 4800 South where he finally gets a "good read” from the radar gun He flips on his flashers and pulls the motorist over "I had him going 72 mph" he says reaching for his flashlight He gets out of the patrol car and asks the driver for identification and registration He cites the driver for speeding “He claims he was only going 64 and keeping up with traffic" Trooper Popelmayer says chuckling "You saw all the lane changes and passes he made Some people simply refuse to admit when they are wrong” It's been a long day He drives back to the field station and fills his car with gas for Saturday's patrol It may not be the glamorous exciting job that television makes it out to be — but this trooper wouldn't want to do anything else ” MAR 3- - 20' 6- - ) V5 Star Gazer appears dally on The Salt Lake Tribune's comics page u g beneath the stained glass windows m soft green and closed my eyes remembering what it was like on that las mg in the lobby with his Bellhop Mohammad Kiaiulari was rushing about to their brass luggage cart helping guests rooms one last time: the desk clerks were busy answering the telephone hollering for the airport shuttle bus and handing out room keys and maitre d' Nelson Styles was standing at the entrance to The Roof in his neatly pressed tuxedo chuckling shaking hands and bellowis ing "Hey how ya doin'? Hope everything downhill and shady!” It was a sad night at the Hotel Utah but it was a memorable mght People had come from miles around for one last w hirl through the lobby's swinging door one last dance and a chance to say "So long my friend take care I'll miss you Goodbye" Like many other people 1 had never stayed at the Hotel Utah before I had taken for granted that the hotel would always be there when I wanted to step inside the lively ornate lobby for afternoon tea or watch the evening —— — sky slip into soft swirls of orange and lavender from my favorite Roof table So when it was announced last year that the hotel was closing after 76 30 but when years I wanted to be there I checked into Suite 827 on Aug it came time to check out the next morning 1 couldn t brmg myself to do r anniversary it 1 kept my key I decided 1 would come back on the of the hotel's closure unlock the door of Suite 827 and look dow n at the traffic on South Temple from my old room again For nearly one year I have driven past the hotel on my way home at night and searched for even one golden window: a sign that people have once again gathered inside The building needs people I have always thought looking at the dark windows and the shadow of Brigham Young s statue looming in the night from the hotel's clean white northern side The building needs people but for now they are gone When I returned to the hotel a few days ago room key in hand I felt happy to be there but at 'the same time I felt sad I had been reunited with one friend but all the others were nowhere to be found I remembered Annie Jack the housekeeper who had turned my sheets down that night and left a chocolate mint on my pillow and her close friend Pauline Afu who had quietly stripped the blankets from my bed the next morning for the last time I remembered the tears that filled Juanita Brooks' eyes as long-tim- e employees handed her their uniforms on that last day and the sight of Dawn Bryson and Malmda Mortensen crying and hugging each other inside the women’s locker room They’d worked in the hotel bakery together I remembered them all and I was saddened But in a small pleasant way Annie and Pauline were there with me that day as I walked through the hotel s dark quiet halls The lobby furniture has been taken away the elaborate red and gold carpet has been roped off and covered with plastic and the swingmg door has been locked and is decorated with the handprints of people who wanted to peer through the glass one more time But in spite of the silence the emptiness and the darkness the hotel quietly retains its warm dignity Many things have been left as they were the day the hotel closed: hotel award plaques still hang from the walls soft elegant chairs still hold their places next to the pillars on the mezzanine and fish still swim through the giant fish tank in the Grill restaurant Somebody comes in to feed them each day On this particular day in the Grand Ballroom former employees were dropping by to purchase items to remember the hotel by Silver sherbet cups were $15 blue velvet chairs were $25 and floral bedspreads like the one that had covered my bed were $20 as were 1950 Hotel Utah tablecloths Somebody had found them stuffed in a hamper long forgotten in the housekeeping department "I came to buy a mirror” said former banquet waitress Jan Litster ”1 used to serve dinners in this very room Can it really have been an entire year since I was last here?" In the LaFayette Ballroom antique furnishings were piled from one end to another: mahagony dressers velvet settees crystal lamps and the bed that John F Kennedy once slept in These items I was told will be put on display when the hotel reopens in a few years as an office building and visitor's center "Will my room become an office?" 1 asked the security guard He shrugged his shoulders 1 stepped inside the elevator and went up to the 8th floor to have a look The key to my room still fit and although the room was bare it was still sunny and full of the sounds of the city: honking cars rustling pigeons and the "cuckoo" crosswalk signal I’d fallen asleep to these sounds on that last night I looked at the deep porcelain bathtub one last time then gazed out the window at South Temple and lightly ran my fingers over the filmy white curtains My heart sank at the thought of computers and office furniture occupying my room It was time to go “Ma'am” said the security guard as I stepped out into the hall “I’ll have to ask you for that key" I smiled at him and shrugged my shoulders "Sorry" I said “I must have lost it or swallowed it or something ” I made my way to the lobby for one more look at the chandelier “Yes” I thought reaching into my pocket to touch the warm golden key to Suite 827 “I'll be back next year" one-yea- Utah Lawyers For The Arts has announced the winners of the "Color Our Logo” contest held at its Neighbor Fair booth on July 25 at Liberty Park The winner in the category for and under was Danny Parsons Isabel Rojas won the age category “ ’ vyf it- - Rubv J Price and Aaron Lindhardt won the age division Each winner will receive four tickets to the Dinamation Exhibit at the Utah Museum of Natural History Over 200 entries in the contest were submitted and were displayed in the booth during the course of the day The winners were selected by David Sucec a prominent local artist and member of the board of trustees of ULFTA ULFTA is a nonprofit corporation that refers qualifying artists and art organizations to lawyers who provide them with free legal services Its 1988-8agenda includes in addition to lawyer referrals monitoring legislation affecting artists and arts organizations: sponsoring educational seminars on art and on legal issues affecting the arts publishing a newsletter on artlaw topics sponsoring art exhibits and working with arts organizations to increase lawyer participation in and support of the 9 arts grounds to form a Sigma Gamma Rho sorority in Utah There are more than 65000 members of the sorority located in 42 states West Africa Japan Korea Bermuda Haiti the Bahamas and the Virgin Islands INVENTORY ADJUSTMENT SALE NEW NEW BERNETTE 334D MYL0C 3-- 4 OFF 10 POPULAR SHEET MUSIC with coupon through Oct I 1 I I I I I I I I I Best Selection In The County Ask About School Band & Orchestra Instrument Sales & Rentals Piano rental $3500 month JtlM (Rent to Own) I IQIP 273 WEST 11 500 SOUTH BOUNTIFUL 232-180- OVER 100 NEW HONDA MOTORCYCLES AND ATVTS TO BE SOLD AT BELOW DEALER REPLACEMENT COST EXTRA SAVINGS ON HARD TO FIND NEW MODELS FULL WARRANTY AND FINANCING AVAILABLEjj I 4 NON-CURRE- t A A 1 INSlBUMtNT k t HEPAIR TECHNICIANS A- - IZONXULLid 202- - 1455 IEONDAfa£ y y JK 4L JK NT THREAD CONVERSION BUILT IN ROLL HEM DIFFERENTIAL FEED EASY STITCH LENGTH WITH ADJUSTMENT AND MORE THREAD COMBO 3-- 4 NOW $44900 COME RIDE WITH US! national association of professional BAND — — Youths Win Lawyers’ Art Contest ber of the national Sigma Gamma 53 SAGITTARIUS AY 21 JUNE 20 f He pulls onto the off ramp making another pass towards the Davis County line A car from behind speeds past the trooper's car and he reaches down to get his radar gun The speeding vehicle slow s down before he can “clock" it "If I don't feel I get a good clock from a car then I'll let it go even if I know it was speeding” he explains "Because if I'm not 100 percent sure I'll ruin my credibility” LAYTON — Ruby J Price a retired educator who was the first black classroom teacher employed in Utah was made an honorary mem- 2- - GEMINI 0: OCT 32-4- M destination” Special to The Tribune SCORPIO 1 I ii Sf"- H “People would think I get tired of driving” he says with a grin “but I lov e to drive I mean I have no particular place to go I guess people get tired of driving because they have a First Black Teacher in Utah Named to National Sorority LIBRA Your Daily Activity Guide According to the Stars 21 MAR fy ( LAY J5 POL 14 N- - It s almost 6 15 pm and Trooper Popelmayer radios his sergeant Ted McGregor to meet him for dinner They meet at a nearby restaurant where they often eat “Now we'll start doing some speed enforcement" he says after dinner as he drives away from the restaurant toward the freeway He shifts the gearshift into second gear and the powerful motor responds as the patrol car glides up the on ramp near 1300 South The sun begins to set as he makes another pass towards 4500 South His eyes are always moving checking the vehicles on both sides of the interstate jured She was not wearing a seat belt and the impact sent her flying into the car s w indshield The sirens from ambulances and a fire truck can be heard as they attempt to make their way through the traffic jam Wreckers arrive and tow two of the cars away Paramedics and a nurse carefully load the women on a stretcher and into an ambulance in and day out improved my commu- stand speed control is a major function of ours and so it's natural they take that into consideration” He says UHP troopers receive either an acceptable” or unacceptable” mark for the issuance of Hotel Utah? Special Key Unlocks Old Memories SANDY UNION SQUARE 688 E 9450 SO ZCMI CENTER 36 SO STATE 1 3497 A r-- PO FIOWWAY 9 — BOinVTIFUl HOLLADAY 4678 HIGHLAND DR WEST VALLEY 2576 W 4700 So 0 |
