Show I V f r ' I EDM m—mm In brief fiw SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A winter followed by spring rains producing early growth oif grasses has wildfire officials foreseeing another dangerous summer “We’re anticipating a year similar to last year” said Thomas Tidwell die public” said State Forester Joel Frandsen “It could have been much drier-than-nor- Plan will upgrade Utah voting booths Lt Gov Olene Walker’s State Plan Committee on Election Reform is releasing its state plan recommendations for implementing the requirements of the Help America Vote Act The plan is subject to public review Congress passed the Help America Vote Act HAVA late lak year As a result Utah’s polling places will be upgraded to include elec- tronic systems by 2006 Most of Utah’s voting booths employ punch card ballots and a few still use papa ballots on which voters write a check mark next to their choice The plan also calls for develope ment of a single centralized statewide voter database Congress also appropriated nearly $15 billion to help states with the change Of that Utah stands to receive about $28 million The plan is available for public review and comment at candi-date- supervisor of Wasatch-Cac- In addition to eliminating camp- he National Forest That also is the assessment by officials of die state Forester’s Office and die Bureau of ' Land Management Last year the fourth year of the continuing drought brought 1243 fires that burned 237427 acres within Utah — and which could have been a lot worse Due to the dangerous conditions last year officials banned campfires “We got terrific cooperation from "“we ly ignitable) fuel “There’s no green left Under these conditions the ignition point is a lot easier to hit” -- Joel FTandsen state forester to' of moisture from melting snow making them harder to ignite “With light snow like we have had this past several winters these fuels are drier” said Tidwell Complicating this mix of conditions is the fact that Utah and other Western states have thousands of acres of disease-ridde- n forestlands Forests are losing pinion pine and burn’’ Frandsen said “If conditions had been normal we would have had —He siootromeir foires lot had fewer recorded lightning strikes last season than the annual average” — 325 compared to the average of 430" he said “It was so dry last spring that we didn’t get normal grass growth: So there wasn’t a lot of (easi- and regional news more and bigger fires" Heavy fuels — made up of dead trees and fallen limbs — usually absorb a worse” fires Local state Douglas fir to insects There are thousands of acres of dry dead ' spruce at higher elevations “There’s no green left” in certain areas said Frandsen “Under these conditions the ignition point is a lot easier to hit” Meanwhile some of the heavy-dut- y firefighting equipment has been taken out of service due to safety issues These include 1 1 World War air tankers that dump fire retardants Two crashed last year killing crew members and nine of the oldest air- craft have been retired “Nationally we have 32 aircraft left and they are going through a ’’ specialized inspection program said Rose Davis spokeswoman for the National Interagency Fire Center II-e- ra of real-tim- http:wwwelectionsutahgov Clinic director warns of hiring homeless SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The director of a health clinic for the homeless advises homeowners against hiring workers right off the street Elizabeth Smart’s family members though and trying to help homeless people “were not wise in hiring people directly’’ said Allan Ainsworth who heads Wasatch Homeless Healthcare commonly known as the Fourth Street Clinic “I personally think that the Smart family left themselves open because of their kindness” said Ainsworth who spoke Sunday at the Wagner Jewish Community Center Elizabeth Smart’s family hired a homeless street preacher Brian David Mitchell to work on their roof Mitchell and his wife Wanda Barzeei are accused of kidnapping the girl “My advice to people is not to hire people that you don’t know to come ' to your house and work” he said can Anyone needing a handyman contact screening centers like porary work agencies or search the newspaper want ads for a reputable worker he said He agreed with a recent estimate that 70 percent of people panhan' dling on the street are not truly homeless “They double up in apartment houses: They’re paying rent for the most part They arc posing as homeless in my estimation” Ainsworth added “It’s my feeling that a percentage of panhandlers people who are asking for change and so forth are buywell-meani- ng ing alcohol and drugs and mouthwash those sorts of things instead of using the money for food" he said Alcoholics may drink mouthwash for its alcohol content Agendas J The Cache County Fire District Board meets at 3 pm today in the County Council Chambers 120 N 100 West Agenda items include Hearing a status report on the Hyrum facility Discussing the emergency medical services coordinator position Mitch MascaroHerald Journal In the heat of action f Firefighters work on thereof of the Utah Water Research Laboratory on Monday afternoon near First Dam at the mouth of Logan Canyon According to USU Police the fire started on the roof near the middle of the building where contractors were using a propane torch to repair the roof It was not known if the torch or the heated material started the fire Benson man Airport arrested on sex charges By Joo Rowley staff writer By Jason Bergreen staff writer Benson man was arrestA 31 -- year-old ed Friday on suspicion of fondling and having sex with a teenagd girl for more than a year David Merrell is charged with 17 felony counts of forcible sodomy aod one class-- A misdemeanor count of supplying alcohol to a piinor He’s being held in tire Cache County Jail on first-degr- ee $311000 On April 15 a female told police she had been engaging in sexual contact with Merrell for about 16 months beginning when she was 15 years old “We’re still investigating additional See CHARGES on A8 Discussing possible locations for Fire District offices to get landing system 6 -6- With the creation of a new jet service and optimism about federal funds for a new landing system it seems things are taking off at tire Logan-Cach- e Airport Airport Development Task Force member Sarah Ann Skanchy said $2 million has been set aside in Washington to help pay for an instrument landing system ILS at the airport Sen Bob Bennett’s request for the money is now sitting with the Transportation Committee awaiting approval Cache Chamber of Commerce President Bobbie Coray said If the appropriation is approved funding will come in the 2003-0- 4 budget year which begins in October Confirmation could come as soon as June and (he ILS could be operating at the airport by next year task force member Brent Miller said “The airport is a jewel in the rough” Sandra Emile Cache Valley Initiative Campaign Coordinator -- The ILS is important to development at the airport because it enables large commercial carriers to take off and land on the second largest runway in the state The Airport Development Task Force along with the Cache Valley Initiative has been pushing for the system in hopes of enticing air freight service into the valley “The airport is a jewel in the rough!! Cache Valley Initiative Campaign Coordinator Sandra Emile said A survey performed by the Airport Development Task Force esti mates that nearly five million pounds of locally made goods are shipped out of the valley by just 1 9 of the 85 largest companies here However if an ILS is installed and increased commercial traffic is attracted to the valley about $7 million worth of infrastructure would have to be developed Logan City Community Development Director Jay Nielson estimated The main concern centers around a water supply system that is currently insufficient to protect more buildings from fire To meet that challenge the Airport Development Task Force is considering the creation of an development area around the airport The state establishes an economic development area and allows local taxing entities to commit a portion of the area's future taxes to defray development costs That proposal remains in the early stages eco-nom- ic See AIRPORT on A8 The Cache County Council and Logan City Municipal Council will hold a special joint meeting at 5 pm today In the County Council Chambers 120 N 100 West Agenda items Wellsville man recovering from crash with semitruck include: Discussing By Jason Bergreen staff writer J a possible countywide mOSqUItO 8Dfiu0m6fu (XStfiCl ' Discussing the RAPZ tax Logan-CacAirport Discussing Wellsville man lost A control of his Ford pickup Friday night sending it more than 400 feet across a gravel parking lot before hitting ase mitrailer parked on the side he issues Discussing ambulance services Board J The Hyrum City Power In meets at 5 pm today the Civic Center 83 W Main Agenda items ' include: pro- Considering a ject with Swift and Company Discussing various UAMPS power projects of the road El LucsroHenld Journal V Not lotting go JeffBlandleltandPatrickBentleymake their way through the sinks area in of Wl n to PLoiKW Canyon Thursday afternoon - Lonnie D Hall suffered moderate injuries in the crash and was flown by helicopter from Logan Regional Hospital to LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City about 5:45 pm the Utah Highway Patrol reported “The truck went under the semi and took off the cab of his truck” UHP Trooper Cory Thomas said Hall was traveling east on Utah Hwy 101 at 2400 West when he crossed over the center line into oncoming lanes of traffic the UHP traveled 469 feet reported His before hitting the semitrailer and pushing it an additional 30-4- 0 feet Hall suffered head injuries but no' broken bones Thomas said F-2- 50 ' See CRASH on A8 |