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Show DAVIS COUNTY rr i - I , ' ' ' - j -- w , . r f 100 ? . i of Clipper readers who responded said that Santa brought everything their hearts desired. Sirvinc Davis Coi Muddlers, fires, Two murders, at least a dozen costly fires, schemers and dreamers led the news in Davis County in 1996. The year started off with a hang with the January kickoff celebration of Utahs Centennial. Reenactments of the momentous day were pei formed all through the state. Dignitaries took a whistle stop tour of the state on the Centennial train and each community planned its ow n celebration. The party atmosphere carried revelers through the month. In Davis County a battle brewed on the extension of Bountiful Boulevard into Salt Lake City. Hundreds of supporters and opponents filled city hall at a Jan. 3, meeting to join in a heated debate of the project. In the end, the city admitted it had no control on w hether or not the extension would occur. The plan will be approved or denied by Salt Lake City. In February police arrested 18 juveniles and six adults in an undercover drug sting at Woods Cross High School on charges of distribution of a controlled substance. Police vowed to continue this approach to curb drug use in high schools. In April a scandal involving a cereal pyramid scheme rocked local youth groups involved in selling the 30 boxes of cereal coupons for just $30. Sound too good to be true? It was. n fund-raiser- s. if i Nl MB! R 94 to move to Caliloima. wheie one ol Ins "wives" had agieed to take s.ue ol him Weavei maiiied women to be suppoited by them He deceived the women into believing he was something he wasnt and avoided detection bv calling them all Piincess" T ralTic and roads vveie among the years top issues Inly saw plans loi the Western I lansportation Comdor move one step closet, when Gov Mike Leavitt announced an acceleiated plan lot the road, setting a deadline ol the year 2000 loi its completion leimed the Legacy" Pioect." the toad will be an alternative to tiom oith Ogden through Nephi The ionic has yet to be tinalied In August, itugedv hit Jill Allen, a North Salt Lake resident was murdered in hei upuitment shortly alter returning home tiom woik 1 lie 24 yeat old was beaten and the case was desciibed bv Police Chief al W ikon .is the haidest hes seen It icmanis unsolved, in spite ol a lewuiJollcted by lamily and lends beloved Bountiful Seplemhci was a busy month lundmuik closed Servos Drug, which had seived customers loi decades with then needs, while sei v mg some ol the best meals m low n. closed its doors, when owner ms Pickett died But you cant keep a good tiling down Scivtis ( ate leopcned m November, law indulge with Pickett s daughter and son-Also in September, the Davis Boaid ol education appioved a drug testing program lor Mountain High students Hie policy caused concern among patrons and two boaid members vveie questioned Us legality and locus Mountain Highs piuictpal leqnested the policy and chsiiict adnunistiatois said it pinicipals at other district high schools wanted a similat policy, they would help develop one And voters in the Alutton Hollow aiea voted m the state's first township, despite eontioveisy suuounding 'lie issue among aiea lesidents and the legality ol townships in general Septcmbu also saw the initiation ol traffic signals on at several locations in Davis County Hie light meters moniloi tinilic How. During rush hour when tiallic is heaviest, the lights will stop truttic. allowing one cai to enter the Leeway each time the light turns gieen An October fire in Bountiful's foothills destroyed the home ol an eldcily couple and spaiked controversy concerning Ine coverage in the city I he home was not lai tiom Bountilul s secnndaiv Ine station which is not always manned It was the lust ol two lues m the looihilk ibis tall Bouniitul found itscll cmbinileJ m .mother contiover-s- y when the city council decided to remove nine maple and 4(10 N'oith Alter trees limn the city paik at 200 healing complaints horn icsiJcnts. the city topped the liccs so tliev wouldn mieileie with povvei lines and postponed a decision to cut them clow n until 1997. he Davis School District again made news when it appioved a haing policy which school athletes and others involved m some extiacuiriculai activities must abide by The policy was developed trom policies alieady on the distncls hooks and was in lesponse to numerous hauig issues throughout the nation which made headlines An October ceremony at the Davis County courthouse muiked the egacy lioect he pioect honors Davis County huindeis and piesent tesidenls The pio-cincluded a monument to the county's founder Daniel C. Davis. Hags ol the I lined States. L tali and e I basket was used as bait by Kaysville Police to catch a woman who was from at the Kaysville graves Cemetery Other items were recovered from the woman's home in Center stealing ville, along with the basket A BLOW TO THE GRIEVING: A wicker nial Ball, a parade and carnival. That same weekend the Centennial Wagon train passed through the county giving those riding and those lining the streets a glimpse into the past as the train snaked its way through the county. The 85 wagon tram traveled trom Logan to Cedar City. Paul Challis department has gone from a four News Editor full-tim- city-wid- 1 I Record setting year for fire plagued Bountiful officials BOUNTIFUL The Bountiful City Fire Department has evolved as the city has grown over the years from a strictly volunteer fire departfire ment to a department and now faces the need to increase its manpower for better e coverage and service. In the last 20 years the fire ,l diug-stoi- Cereal SmartUnited Grocers Clearinghouse coupons were deemed to be a pyramid scheme. Thousands of coupons had been sold locally, many by school and church groups as The community rallied and helped the Viewmont High School Madrigals take their planned trip to New York. One source said the loss to Utahns m the scheme was in excess of $2.5 million. 1 U schemes, dreams tell story of 96 pro-acti- A Bountiful family was devastated in April when the estranged husband set the family home on fire and attempted to hang himself m a tree in the yard. Blame Wright used auto jumper cables to hang himself from a tree. He was found by neighbors and cut down. His family was not at home at the time of the fire. Two family dogs died in the blae. Wright laces charges of arson in a court hearing Jan. 15. In May a report from the county health department spoke of the explosive growth in Davis County. Officials explained that in the past two years, 100 new eating establishments have been opened in Davis County. As the year continued, many more stories of growth were reported. Growth and the challenges it brings to cities were the topics of discussion in many city council meetings. Some communities placed moratoriums on building in certain areas to give them time to plan the infrastructure to deal with burgeoning populations. On May 10 the Olympic Torch came to town and thousands of Davis County residents lined the streets of the route to catch a glimpse of the flame that will burn bright in Utah during the 2002 Winter Olympics. One Davis County man, Walter Willey was chosen as a torchbearer based on his years of tireless service to the community. He described the experience as The biggest and best thing that has happened to me since married Dorothy 54 years ago." May brought another group of athletes into the spotlight, but not for their heroism. A skateboard park built in Farmington brought angry criticism from neighbors who did not want the purple, green and yellow hair" of skateboarders scaring their children. Others supported the park and asked their intolerant neighbors to "give the kids a chance. The park remains open. In June the City of North Salt Lake celebrated its 50th anniversary with a musical production, a Centen i with one crew in 1975-7- 6 station and no ambulance to 13 e crew with a fire marshal and department chief in 1995-9e full-tim- The issue of fire protection became fueled by three blazes ignited in the foothills area of Bountiful during the last seven months. The last blaze occurred on Nov. 13 causing an estimated $1 million in damage to the house and to the occupants belongings. Fire Station 2, located just three blocks away was unmanned at the time as the two assigned firefighters were transporting a medical patient. Bud and Andrea Powers, who live on Bountiful Boulevard (1650 East), claim their home would not have been totally engulfed by the flames had firefighters not had to travel from the headquarters station see FIRE pg. A3 Also in June, accused bigamist John I llswmth Weaver plea bargained an agreement to have ch. lives against him reduced. Three ch.uges ol bigamy vveie merged into one and a rape charge was dmpped In July, 2nd District Court Judge Rodney Page sentenced him to 0 to 5 years in pnson. denying his lequesi I 1 see 1996" pg. A2 Christmas fire destroys family home BOUNTIFUL A Bountilul family had to evacuate their home on Christmas night alter a candle left burning in the bedioom burned through a wooden shelf and onto the bedding. Homeowner Clayton Smith called 91 at 9.04 p.m. after discovering the blae in his daughter's bedroom at the residence, 168 E. 200 North. According to Bountiful Fire Captain Bob Stell, the family was downstairs. Clayton Smith came upstairs and heard a crackling noise. Upon investigation, he found heavy smoke and flames in his daughters room. He yelled for the family to get out. grabbed a portable phone and called 91 from 1 outside the home. The daughter had apparently left a candle burning in a metal container. It burned down and through the wooden shelf and onto the bed before being discovered. Fire damage was confined to the bedroom, but there was smoke damage throughout the house. Initial estimations show between $20,000 and $30,000 damage. Stell said firefighters were on the scetie three minutes after receiving the call and had the fire knocked down in 10 No one was hurt in the blaze, but Clayton Smith was checked at the scene by medical personnel. because he had singed hair. Stell stressed the importance of practicing fire safety measures during the holidays, saying we often get complacent with things used daily, like tree lights, candles and Christmas wrapping. Window to the past The elaborate stained g.ass window in the Kaysville tabernacle one of many in the histone building See story on Page C-- 4 is |