| Show Sunday April 27 2003 A3 Local Officials urge By Joa Rowtcy steps to combat West Nile virus of confirmed human cases jumped to more than 4000 with 277 human ‘ deaths last year according to the Utah Department of Health “As a new disease it is far eclipsinfor-mationir- Disease specialists across die state are geuing up for what they expect to inevitably become the summer of West Nik vires in Utah Locally elected officials are taking steps to do battle against carriers of the disease After showing up in New York four years ago West Nile virus or WNV began creeping across die United States It spread first through die Eastern states then to the Midwest The first years yielded an aver-ag- e of about 60 human cases each year Then in 2002 the virus jumped the Mississippi River and exploded across the West showing up in every contiguous state except Utah Nevada Oregon and Arizona The number state and regional news ing other forms of encephalitis” Bear River Health Department Director Dr John Bailey said Officials expect that Utah will not long remain clean from the bug “West Nik virus activity in Utah is inevitable in 2003 We expect it to come and we are preparing for it” ' said Michelle Korth WNV manager for the Utah Department of Health While everyone is susceptible to the virus which is transmitted through mosquito bites most people’s bodies will fight the virus on its own Korth said Four out of five people who become infected do not show any symptoms state epidemi ologist Robert Rolfs said Symptoms include fever body aches rash swollen lymph glands stiff neck and muscle weakness One out of every 130 peopk infected will become seriously ill and one out of 1000 can die from the infection Rolfs said Young children die elderly and peopk with weakened immune systems are most likely to become ill Korth said Because there is no human vaccine against WNV prevention is the key Korth said The Utah Department of Health recently started a media cam' paign infonning the public about measures it can take to reduce the risk of mosquito bites and avoid contracting the disease The mosquitoes that most effectively cany WNV generally feed at dawn and dusk so it is better to con duct outside activities during the day Korth said Even then residents should use mosquito repellent that contains DEBT she said Also residents should look for ways to get rid of standing water around their homes because that is where mosquitoes breed and congregate The Department of Health campaign reminds residents that standing water includes such things as water pooled in old tires under potted plants bird baths livestock troughs dripping faucets backyard fish ponds or clogged rain gutters Local elected officials are also to curb the spread of the disease though their work will not have any affect this summer Mosquito expert Elmer Kingsford has pushed since last year for a Cautious measures Suggestions from thi Utah Department of Health for residents to take take precautions to avoid exposure to mosquitoes and prevent them from multiplying Conduct outside activities dur- - ingtheday Use mosquito repeftent that contains DEET even Airing the day Look for ways to get rid of starting water around your home because that is where mosquitoes breed and congregate induing ps water pootsd in old tires under potted plants bird baths livestock troughs dripping faucets backyard fish ponds or dogged rain gutters See VIRUS on A10 Valley residents get to see n USU Wright Flyer replica fly By Mark Randall staff writer rs 'v' j’MK i ' - ' ' ' " e ' r tr p -- v L and Wilbur Wright could be here to see it they would be smiling from ear to ear That’s foe way Dave Widauf sees it anyway Widauf a Utah State University engineering professor can’t stop smiling either every time he gets " ' near tlx futuristic replica of the Wright Flyer built by USU engineering faculty and students “I think they would be jumping up and down for joy” Widauf said Widauf came up with the idea and oversaw the project to build the flyer replica as a way to help commemorate the 100th anhivrirfcaiy of foe Wright Brothers’ ’ historic first flight More than 100 students educators and volunteers designed and built the modified flyer using wST"' Pow-erpla- state-of-the-- tv ” full-sca- le composite materials putting in an estimated 8000 to 10000 man-hou- rs to make it a realityKevlar and graphite replaced foe muslin and spruce used in the original flyer These two composites are manufactured in Utah and used in the space shuttle rockets and military aircraft “Our theme was if the Wright Brothers were alive today how would they have built the airplane” Widauf said “We haven’t built a replica — we’ve built a modem make-ov- er of that I think we've done it It looks like a Wright space-ag- next-generati- on : Brothers airplane" The public got a chance to see the flyer up close for the first time on e AirSaturday at the was The on display for plane port and those public viewing eager for a chance to sit in it and be a part of Logan-Cach- already flown successfully on a Sit ! f s Utah Force pilots returning from Iraq Hill Air HILL AIR FORCE BASE (AP) — Little by little the 419th Fighter Wing is coming home from the Iraq war at Friday six pilots landed Hill Friday night 30 more reservists flew into the base Monday the remaining 23 of the group will come home Nine reservists flw into Salt Lake International Airport on April 17 Hill’s pilots were in Iraq to search out enemy positions and eliminate them and provide support for' ground troops under heavy enemy fire F-1- 6s Call City Editor DanellEhiiick ExL 323 dehrikk0tywidCOtt Idaho news tip? Call mial reporter Muk Randall 752-21- F"r EH LuceroHerald Journal A crowd watches as a replica of the Wright Flyer takes off at the Logan-Cach- e Airport on Saturday afternoon Utah State University students and faculty built the replica using space-ag-e composite materials to commemorate the 1 00th anniversary of Orville and Wilbur Wrighfs first flight history Despite some shaky weather the flyer did manage to take off later in the day for the watching crowd “I think it’s just marvelous that they put it together” said resident Ron Campbell “I look at it and think about how much the Wright Brothers knew about flying The fact that they ever got anything off the ground was an absolute mira- cle” “I think it’s fascinating to see 100 years here” added William Mason “The mere fact that they were able to figure it out and fly the original By Marie Randall staff writer Conservationists say it’s not a matter ofif but when officials in Utah decide to tap into foe waters of Bear River Zachary Frankel founder and executive director of the Utah Riven Council a nonprofit organization that works to protect endangered rivers said tapping the Bear River for human use will seriously impact this water level and ecosystem of the Gfeat Salt Lake Diverting foe water to satisfy' a thirsty Salt Lake City could drop the water level in the Great Salt Lake permanently by as much as six feet The Bear River accounts for 60 percent of the lake’s surface water every year “TTiat’s a big chunk of water” Frankel said “If you go and divert that water and send it someplace else it’s going to have impacts on ’ Got a local news tip? 1 j one is just fascinating It really makes you appreciate what they did” Mason said he would gladly grab the controls and take it for a whirl “I would do it in a heartbeat just to feel what they did and fly what they flew” Mason said The USU Wright Flyer had a successful maiden flight last month at the Weridover Airport the same airstrip where aviation history of anbther sort was made over 50 years ago Wendover Airport just outside the Bonneville Salt Flats on border served as the Utah-Neva- da the testing ground for the Enola Gay the historic bomber that dropped the two atomic bombs on Japan that ended World War II The first flight of the USU Wright Flyer lasted 22 seconds traveling 800 feet compared to Orville’s flight on Dec 17 1903 of 120 feet in 12 seconds Widauf said working on the plane and then watching it take flight for the first time really gave him a greater appreciation for what the Wright Brothers did 100 years ago “It is pure magic” Widauf said “I’ve thought of those guys as a - number of occasions designers are still tweaking it They added aluminum trim tabs on the front eleva- tors to help relieve some of the weight of having to hold them up during flight by the pilot “We've found out that it flies like the real airplane with all the little quirks and idiosyncrasies” added — Widauf The USU Wright Flyer is set to make some more history of its own The flyer will travel to the Wright Brothers' hometown of Dayton Ohio where it will be showcased at the Inventing Flight Celebration and will take off at Huffman Prairie Flying Field where the Wright Brothers conducted most of their early flight tests Former astronaut and Utah Senator Jake Gam will fly the USU Wright Flyer replica at that celebration “We will be the first airplane to ever fly at Huffman Prairie since the Wright Brothers" Widauf said “That’s history” Bear River diversion a question of when In brief 752-212- nt cessful” In fact although' the replica has I e couple of bicycle mechanics and after you see what they did and read foe history of those two they were really some of the first out- standing engineers” ' Jerry Goodwin a retired Utah State University Airplane and program professor who helped design the engine application said like the Wright Brothers the team learned through trial and error “I just read a biography of the Wright Brothers and the last thing it says is the reason they were successful is that they just kept doing it until it worked” Goodwin said “Basically that’s what we're doing You design something and try it out and if it doesn't work you redesign it until you are finally suc- - ExL 321 nadalBhjnewixoa fod ecosystem models show that depending much water is diverted lev- -t Great Salt Lake could 'drop anywhere from one to six feet E “That’s a significant change to the Great Salt Lake” Frankel said Under that scenario many of the wetland areas along the Idkeshore would go dry displacing thousands of migratory birds and water fowl Hk Great Salt Lake is one of the largest wetland ecosystems in western North America encompassing 300000 acres Over 230 species of migrating birds call the Great Salt Lake home si one time or another Frankel said nearly one third of North America’s migratory ducks inhabit wetlands fed by the Bear River “That’s an enormous wetland area”Fratikej said “You’ve got birds traveling to the Great Salt Lake' from every country in the western hemisphere If you harm Great Salt Lake habitat then birds that would normally be stopping in foe Great Salt Lake will have to go to other spillover areas like the Amalga Barrens wetland That will just get more crowded as a result of habitat loss in the great Salt Lake” Rep Craig Buttars Said while he agrees it is only a matter of time before Bear River water is developed there are measures in place to mitigate against any potential harm to foeGreat Salt Lake “The migratory bird refuge at Bear River is federally administered There is a water right there that has to be met” puttars said “There are certain safeguards in place that would keep the water level from dropping because of water develop- ment” Frankel said diverting the water from Bear River will set in motion a domino effect “You’re going to change how much water flows into the lake That will lower foe lake That in turn affects the shoreland wetlands around the lake Then the water that does come back into the lake is going to be laden witli urban runoff sediment from roads oils and other residues That in tum will decrease the water quality in the lake And what does that do to the salinity or the brine shrimp or the brine flies or the migratory birds?" Frankel said Utah he said with its “divert every possible stream we can and ask questions later” mentality is on a path similar to Los Angeles if it's not careful Officials have long had their eyes on the Bear River as the last untapped water source along the Wasatch Front California tapped into Owen's Lake and Mono Lake to satisfy the water needs of residents in Los Angeles Owens Lake today is little more than a dry mud hole and Mono Lake has seen its water level drop by 20 feet “Mono Lake has changed dramatically" Frankel said “Birds along Mono Lake have lost their habitat” The Great Salt Lake won't be the ' only thing affected by diverting the Bear River Upstream will see its share of challenges as well Frankel said agriculture in Box Elder and Cache County would also ' be impacted in and Box Cache Elder “Irrigators could find that their water rights someday become1 less important than Salt Lake City's" Frankel said “There are people who disagree but the bottom line is that once Salt Lake gets a taste for Bear River water farmers are going to have ' See RIVER on A10 |
