Show Thursday November 6 2003 A3 Locals state and regional news mu In brief Logan By Carrie Brown staff writer City voter turnout lower than average Although voter totals for the Logan city general election increased from the sparse turnout a month ago the results again lagged far behind those of past years Precinct totals were slightly less than 16 percent for each of the three Logan Municipal Council seats up for election There are 27787 registered voters in Logan city' and the race between Laraine Swenson and Steve Hicken saw the most ballots cast with 443 L While the numbers were an improvement from the meager 8 percent turnout in October they still fall far short of the number of citizens turning out for general elec- tions in the past The 2001 general election had over 25 percent of registered voters ' visit the polls and the 1999 Novem- -' her balloting was just under 25 per- cent Also as documented by The Herald Journal following the 2003 primary numbers had steadily declined from the early 1990s when over 30 percent of the electorate often came out to vote ’ ' ' " ' : ' wSiras jOTftSiraM awao’dl Nonfiction writer and poet Christopher Cokinos was named one of 10 national recipients of the prestigious 2003 Whiting Writers' Awards Cokinos is an assistant professor of English at Utah State Uni-- 1 yersity and serves as editor of the s Isotope magazine department ' Cokinos is recognized for his nonfiction work “Hope is the Thing with Feathers: A Personal Chronicle of Vanished Birds” Published by TarcherPutnam in 2000 the book chronicles the decline and extinction of the Carolina Parakeet the Labrador Duck: the Great Auk the d Woodpecker the Heath Hen and the Passenger Pigeon Ivory-bille- “When I first started writing that book I had no idea what I was doing ” Cokinos said “It's come a long way over the years and a lot of people helped me and made it possible for me to make this project happen” ’ Herald Journal file photo Christopher Cokinos reads from his book "Fallen Sky: Eccentrics and Scientists in Pursuit of Falling Stars" on the USU campus in this Sept 18 2002 file photo Cokinos was named one of 10 national recipients of the 2003 Whiting Writers' Awards: The announcement was made last Thursday at a ceremony at the New York Public Library in New York Each emerging writer was awarded $35000 for their exceptional talent and promise “It’s apparently touched a cord’’ said Cokinos “I guess it’s because the stories are compelling I feci privileged that I was able to retrieve them and (ell them” Winners are chosen by aseloction committee made up of a small anonymous group of recognized writers literary scholars and editors appointed annually by the foundation Over the course of the year sclec- tors hold four meetings to discuss the candidates’ work and gradually narrow the list Finally the group recommends up to TO candidates for awards to the Foundation's trustees ’ “I feel pretty humbled that another writer looked at this and said this is worth considering” said Cokinos The Mrs Giles Whiting Foundation has been awarding writers since 1985 Now in its 19th year the program has given more than $5 million to 190 poets fiction and nonfiction writers and playwrights Cokinos is now working on another book of nonfiction about mete- orites and the people who become obsessed with them District signs oh Mayor names new Ellis - to energy program representatives ' Joel and Natalie Nitchman of Logan were appointed as the Ellis Neighborhood council representatives by Mayor Doug Thompson on Wednesday night The Nitchmans take over for Lloyd and Kate Powell who repre- -' sented the neighborhood on the city wide council for four years: The Powells were honored by Logan ' city for their service with a plaque' at the Logan Municipal Council : meeting The Nitchmans live at 328 W 400 North Logan They may be reached 7- at By Darrell Edward Ehrlick staff writer NORTH LOGAN— It s a bright idea that makes Cache County School District offi- ' cials’ eyes light up--- ' lutein August the district signed ontoan energy savings plan that estimates the school system will save nearly $2 : million overlhe course of seven years 'while paying for 753-404- 2! ' The Cornish Town Planning super-effi-cienc- y A : S3 ' v Discussing a building permit for £L '' -- The Hyrum City Council will meet at 7:30 pm at the CivicCenter 83 W Main Agenda items include: Appointment to the library board ‘Appointment to the Planning Com-mission Official canvass of the 2003 municipal election Approval of a twootmini-subdivi-sio- n at 1 81 E 200 South Discussion of wind power 7 Mayorand City Council reports Brent gteveraHer&ld Journal : : The Millville City Council will meet at 7 pm at the city officei 490'E 300 South Agenda items include: Appointing new city councilmern-be- r moremonths of good air qualify will leave Cache in good standing with agency bank' Appointing planning commissioner Hearing financial report on Ecdes lea Center Reviewing ordinances Discussing city projects Hearing update on sewer project Discussing EMI Towerthne cap-sui- e ' - project ' Discussing procedure for conck-tional occupied apart- - Two more months of good air quality will give Cache Valley “some room t0 breathe” according to Grant Koford an environmental scientist with the " Bear River Health Department That'S because federal regulators use a three-yerolling average in whether to require control mea ar deter-mini- ng Reviewing policy for renewing See AGENDAS on AS Correction Tabernacle changed into youth center In a story in Monday’s paper it was reported that the Smithfield Tabernacle had been turned into the recreation center The tabernacle was turned into a youth center The is a separate build-’ “S 25 a type ' significant public health risks The control measures can mandatory include things like vehicle emissions testing oxygenated fuel idling restric- tions and restrictions on small gasoline engines Cache Valley which consistently has the highest PM 25 levels in the state repeatedly exceeded Environmental Protection Agency standards for the pollution in early 2001 and again in early 2002 However due to unseasonably warm weather the area managed " to avoid further problems last winter High PM 25 levels occur during inversions that accompany extended periods of cold weather Koford said that if ' Cache Valley makes it to January with- -' out ‘‘an extremely horrible inversion" the high readings from:2001 will no longer be used in computing its three- year average That means the area will Avoid EPA mandates for the time being “Last winter kind of saved the day for us because it was so mild” Kofoid ' ' said Fortunately Cache's highest PM 25 readings generally have occulted in January and February and not in 7 November or December Koiford said “I’m feeling pretty confident” he ' said ' Officials aren't letting their guard ! Administrator Dale Hansbij' cajls the program “ambitious” he’s also hot worried about the company’s energy savings estimates EEI guarantees that if the school district doesn't at least pay for itself through cost savings thenit will cut a check for the difference According to the Texas-base- d' company it his only had to i pay twp districts money in its ar historyThey have 580 districts in 45 states as - clients: Weber School District just signed an agreement with the company and Pocatello District is also reportedly a 17-ye- ! ' ' client The program works like this: EEI provides the program ' (materials and training) to a ' person who’s hired by the dis- trict EEI helps select a district energy manager During Wednesday night's school board meeting it was announced that Kendall Allen will fill the new energy man- See AIR on A6 ager position Allen will soon begin to make energy Audits of each school property and track energy (water gas electric) Sartin said later in her testimony that ' cosLs through specialized com-- : puier software the hair she saw could have been Gon' “They are not selling pro- dzalez's ' ucl” said Mike Liechty Gonzalez 34 is charged with one assistant superintendent for count of felony murder in secondary education “They Hernandez’s death are here to change people's Defense Attorney Dee William attitudes about conservation Smith spent the majority of Wednesday and energy” presenting his case: Haasen noted that the Smith called Russell Reed the school spent S2J million Weber Metro Crime Scene investigatupdating heating and cooling ing supervised who examined Gonzaabout systems district-wid- e lez’s Dodge sedan after Gonzalez and five years ago Hansen said Sartin were arrested on murder charges that Allen will not be evaluatApril 15 at the Gakxie Motel in ing mechanical systems as much as the times of operaBrigham City Sartin’s murder charge was dismissed tions : : Defense presents case in murder trial By Jason Bargraan staff writer use-own- er sures in given areas for PM of small panicle pollution that poses : report Discussing development on 200 North west of 100 West Hearing presentation on the water ' Valley can still avoid EPA mandates By John Wright staff writer - Hearing Planning Commission ' students complete a giant Santa snowman Wednesday iaftemoon Ellis Elementary Santa’s little Two '' Schpol District Business 15 Jason Soares Hearing member reports: ' ' low-co- st : Mark Williams : itself The firm Energy Education Inc isn’t selling heaters or air conditioners In fact they 7 don’t sell any hardware or computer software They sell ideasanda system Though Cache County ' Zoning Commission twill meetat 6 pm at the Cornish Town Hall 14300 N 4800 West ' Agenda items include: Discussing a building permit for : The defense for Gerardo Gonzalez a man accused of murdering Logan man Alberto Hernandez pounded home the point Wednesday that prosecutors presented no eyewitnesses and no physical evidence linking Gonzalez to Hernandez’s death The prosecution rested its case Wednesday morning after calling a Brigham City police officer with a limited medical examination background to testify briefly about the position Hernandez’s body was found lying in and the areas wine Mood was found around the body Hernandez’s beaten and stabbed body was found April 12 in a field near Plymouth by four teenagers Police believe Gonzalez killed Hernandez on March 28 then put his body in the trunk of his car and drove it to the field near Plymouth and dumped iL Gonzalez's girlfriend Chanielle Sartin testified last week that Gonzalez parked in the field Match 28 and removed “something” from the trunk She testified that as Gonzalez got out of the car he warned her not to tun around However when Sartin felt the car “swaying” back and fourth she said she did look glanced back and I seen Mack hair and I toned back around” Sartin testified Friday 1 - first-degre- e See DEFENSE an AC Sec ENERGY on AS — I |