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Show Thursday Cf 11 1th Year March 14 2002 !' i '.lll..11. -- No. 'IP Price, Utah 22 F.W ...i- w Olympic-relate- estimates d compiled by the organizing committee include: 15 million people viewed the Olympic Tbrch relay through 46 states during the 65-dperiod. Utah made 3,600 business contacts at relay business receptions ay inlOdties. Among the visitors were me challengers, BA Esssrossassss Report evaluates status of Utah's child care programs economic rebound surance followed suit by continuing to increase statewide. Nevertheless, state' and federal analysts report significant economic improvements throughout the United States. At the state level, the number of initial unemployment insurance claims filed across Utah registered at 2356 for the four-wee- k period ending March 12. Weeks claimed totaled 26,753, an increase of 51 percent from last years 17,729. Temporary hiring for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games appears to have prevented the number of unemployed state rcsidcntsfrom dimbing higher, points the Utah Department of Workforce Services. However, the Salt Lake Organizing Committee has started irig off staff members. Last dose to 20 percent of SLOCs fulltime paid employees lost jobs. ;I After the 2002 Paralympics conclude on March 16, an additional 275 staff members will be let go, negatively impacting Utahs labor market When die Otympio-telate- d events wrap up, 1,000 hill-tiSLOC staff members will be searching for employment positions, pointed out the workforce services department Dinos battle iWi Analysts predicting Utahs jobless rate drifted up to 53 percent in February and claimants for unemployment in-- 500 The Utah Office of Child Care released the agencys first annual report on March 13. The evaluation explores how well the state is meeting child care needs.' Highlights from the Utah report indicate that: 10,600 journalists, 325 to 350 investors and venture capitalists along with leaders from 77 foreign countries. 84 international events cohosted by the Utah Department of Community and Economic Development involved 18,400 participants. On the national scene, the unemployment rate in the United States slipped to 53 percent in February - the lowest level since last October. After slashing payrolls for six consecutive months, American businesses added 66,000 new workers flashing the strongest signal to date that the countrys first recession in adecade may be concluding. Orders to U.S. factories rose by 13 percent in January, lifted by stronger demand for cars, computers and machinery. The situation provides evidence that the battered manufacturing sector is turning a comer. ' The advance followed a 0.7 percent rise in December and represented the third increase in the last four months, indicated the Commerce Department The productivity of American workers rocketed past expectations in the final three months of last year to post the biggest increase since second quarter 20001 Productivity or worker output of goods and services per hour outside the farm sector jumped at a 5.2 percent annual rate in the fourth quarter, noted the U3. Labor Department. The increase surpassed foe 43percent increase expected by economic analysts, Last week. Federal Reserve (Continued on page 8A) By the year 2003, 59 percent of all children younger than age 13 in the state will have both or an only parent employed. In addition, more than half of children younger than 6 years old will live in household where both parents are employed. The cost of obtaining foil-da- y child care at locations throughout the state can range from $130 to $674 per month or $4,000 to $8,000 annually. Child care subsidies are available, but funds are limited. The subsidies are available to families with household incomes which do not exceed 56 percent of the state median income. For example, a family of four will not qualify if the household income exceeds $2,672 monthly or $32,064 annually. The average monthly child care subsidy payment is $245. , Household income determines how much parents arc able to pay for child care, points out the agencys report Families with young children generally have lower incomes. Parents capacity to pay for care affects the prevailing market rates Ui charged by providers. Providers who do not charge the full cost of care cannot afford to pay staff adequate wages and benefits such as health insurance, continues the report The situation results Sri high staff turnover in the industry. Sunrise hues overpower moons glow Spring may have arrived meteorologically, but Castle Valley continues to experience winter weather conditions end cold temperatures, As the days get longer, the atmosphere will start to warm. Temperatures will become . milder, especially after the change to daylight savings time on April 7. The average annual wage earned by a child care provider in Utah totals $17310. According to the state office, the report comes at a crucial time for Utah and the nation. The Personal. Responsibility and Work Reconciliation Act of 1 9 authorizes the child care development fond. Commonly referred to as the nation's welfare reform law," the bill established the fund to assist families, households receiving public assistance and people transitioning from pubic assistance to work with obtaining the child care necessary to find and keep employment. For the current fiscal year, Utah will receive $48 million from the fond. Administered by low-inco- the Utah Department of Work- force Services child care office, the revenues are allocated in two specific areas: Assisted child care receives the largest portion of the funding. Subsidized child care services are available to eligible families through certificates or contracts with providers. Parents may select any legally operating child care provider. Ser-vicfonded by CCDF must meet basic health and safety requirements set by the state. A minimum of 4 percent of the CCDF monies must be used to improve the quality of child care and offer additional services to parents. Utah spends approximately 8 percent of the slate's allocation on qualify initiatives like implementservices, deing resource-referr- al child care provider trainveloping ing, supporting related out-o- fschool rime activities and improving or expanding the availability of infan ttoddler programs. es Exercise caution to curb backflow contamination By RICHARD SHAW Staff reporter ' The culinary water systems throughout the United States are considered safe by the majority of Americans. And for the most part, the systems are. However, compromises in by consumers conneiking to the systems can result in unsafe water ending up in drinking glasses due toaprobiem called cross connections." When Carbon County residents think about unsafe drinking water, they think about open steams or springs. They think about what happens when disasters like floods or earthquakes occur and water systems are compromised. They think about avoiding to drink the water in a foreign country. But poor qualify can happen in anyones home attached to a public culinary system if a cross connection between water and the clean line takes place. And it can happen easier than . . mostpeopfcbefieve. . The common misconception is that a cross connection between non-potabl- e two sources only occurs when pipes are joined that contain different types of water, whether it be a secondary system directly connected to culinary plumbing or a sewer connectkm hooked up incorrectly. People create the potential for such problems almost daily on every water system in the country. All it takes is a hose left in a kiddie pool or animal watering dish and the potential for cross contamination occurs. Generally, water systems are continually intact and under pressure. But should the pressure be in--' terrupted for any reason -- such as a bredt in the line or a constructs project that requires the temporal discontinuation of service - hoses left in polluted sources of liquid can act as siphonsand pull contaminates into the homes culinary supply or the main line. Each year, dozens ofback flow problems occur in the state of Utah. . One examples trying to dean a sewer with a garden hose and leaving it in the line. Asecond example is a sprinkling system that . shuts offin the middle of the cyde because the pressure fails. A submerged sprinkler head can draw water badt into the houses cult- nary system, pulling in pesticides and organic matter that contaminates foe lines. In some cases, toxic chemicals have even been drawn into shut down lines and caused illness as well as death. vacuum breakers installed to pre-ve- nt backflow from outside sources, while most older dwellings do not. However, it is best not to count on the devices, particularly if systems like lawn sprinklers were not installed by a licensed plumbing or contractor. Often, water companies install back flow preventers on the meters at foe street In private residences, there arc a number of ways water systems can be compromised. People frequently attach hoses to a sink to fill buckets or do other kinds of Work. Hoses should be kept out of any sink or container that could contain contaminated liquids. The rule should be followed for . The public water system in Utah is protected by law and codes. The Utah Plumbing Code prohibits the connection between unclean wateror liquid supplies and a culinary system. Where the connections are necessary, a backflow preventer must be installed to prevent the problem. A preventer basically provides a physical bleak or an air pocket in the system to keep siphoning from happening. boiler are systems in Examples large buildings and systems that use toxic chemicals as water conditioners. In the case of private residences, the most common occurrence happens with hose or sprin- -. kler systems. - - Many- newer homes have - . all types of sinks, including kitchen faucets with sprayers and laundry equipment If a sink is used for developing photographs, a vacuum breaker backflow device must be installed. Tbilets arc another area of possible contamination. Once water is drawn into the toilet tank, it should be stopped from flowing' bade into the culinary system. (Continued on page BA) -- -- hose placed in an animal watering trough and then left after the container is full represents a typical practice. Many old systems that connect to water supplies do not have back flow preventers. If culinary service gets shut off to the residence, siphon action can suck the water from the trough into the pipes in the home. The back flow could come out through the water faucets in the home. A Sun Advocate web page captures first place in company ; Utah Press Association contests By RICHARD SHAW Staff reporter The Sun Advocates web page has been recognized by the newspapers parent company and the Utah Press Association. Headquartered in San Diego, CaliL, Brehm Communications conducts an annual contest for foe compansSl newspapers. When the judging process was completed, the SunAwcsojr captured the top award for foe overall best and organized web site in foe company. "This was a totally unexpected awarxT commented Ken Larson, the newspapers publisher. Brehm Communications pre- sented the Jason Bailey updates the information posted on the Sun Xdtocate web page. The Internet site captured top honors in company sponsored contest and garnered the first place IPOdR COPY 1 award in the Utah Press Association competition. The page is the result of hard work by several newspaper staff mem-ben But Bailey set the site up in its current configuration. pi company-wid- e web page award based on evaluations prepared by an Internet expert in Florida, Ron Stewart I thought the Sun Advocates designer put a lot of thobght into a site that is consistent in its look and organization, said Stewart It has the elements I was looking for. consistent design, fresh news in the middle frame, feature buttons to the left and info items on foe right. Each page had a similar look and was, therefore, easy to navigate. If neat and tidy were foe designers goals, I suppose he made it happen. In addition to garnering the companys top honor, Larson accept UPAs award for the best newspaper web page in the state at the associations convention last Saturday in St. George. Designed and maintained by Jason Bailey, the Sun Advocate web page isaresuhofalot of work as well as trial and error by the newspapers stafl But Bailey set the site up in its current configu1 ration. "I look at a lot of sites that are for ideas," ex well-organiz- plained Bailey. Sometimes, I draw from other things I see that are out there, too. Any thing that is is of interest to me. The Ferron resident has been with the paper since August 2001. After looking around I just kind of set up what I like, added foe College of Eastern Utah freshman. Then I get suggestions and input from everyone around me. Thats how I think a good site is developed. The future of foe SunAdvocate web site continues to remain dependent on public response and readership. Presently, foe page includes news, sports, obituaries and a poll on topics pertinent to the area. We are really going to get going on this web page now, indicated Larson. There are a lot of new things we can offer and we are going to work toward that. ' |