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Show 1997 Pace 13 : Uintah Basin Life Basin Standard Santa Seen Flvina In Sled Amazing light display reveals milk cow flying with reindeer! By Cheryl Mecham Driving along U.S. Highway 40 between Myton and Rooaevelt after dark you're in for a real treat thousand of twinkling lights decorate the grounds, and can you believe your eyes. ..there's Santa Claus and hia eight reindeer lead by Moodolph the milk cow! Dave Neilson is the owner of No Pine Ranch and all those winking, blinking lights, that make motorists alow to a crawl and sometimes stop and stare. 1 use to be a Scrooge when it came to Christmas time. For years I drove truck and when I was out driving and saw a place all lit up it torists may get in an accident while lifted my spirits. I swore when I had looking at the display. a piece of my own land I'd light it Neilson 's light show is one of the up. Neilson said. holiday seasons hottest topics of He began illuminating his cor- conversation, and this year everyner of the wold in 1987. Neilson one wants to know how Santa, Restrung lights around his windows indeer, and Moodolph appear to fly at first The next year he ran them through the night sky. wrapped along the roof edge, soon lights were painted wooden cut-ouseen in his newly planted trees and in lights are mounted on a steel now ... well, there are more than cable suspended between two telephone poles. It took Neilson the youd want to count "Its kind of unique here because better part ofa year to complete the were between the two hills. When ensemble, which he enlarged from a it's black out there and you come pattern. Working with the wood is over the hill it gets your attention, the easy part he says, something Neilson said, explaining that hia Neilson enjoys doing for a hobby. The light display .which covers a only concern is that distracted mo-little over me foil acre is also easy Neilson says because he's "got it down to a science," Each set oflights is wrapped around card board, and Neilson has drawn a map on each piece ofcard board identifying where the lights go. Hanging all of the strands takes a few weekends, beginning in November, he says. People who see the display may wonder how much Neilson's electric bill will be at the end ofthe month. The tiny lights consume less than an 80th of a watt he says, and while there are thousands lit up his bill is just $25 more in December. When the holidays are over all ten boxes oflights and wooden cutouts will be stored away in a shed ' behind the house, but the ideas just keep gang. Neilson has planned to create a Santas village next year, complete with Santas elvea. For those who are driving by to see the light display Neilson says, don't just slow down - he invites all who wish to drive all the way up to his land and eryoy the sight. The ts A GIFT TO ALL-T- he joy of Christmas season is captured in spirit and thousands of tiny lights at the Dave Neilson home on Notth Myton Bench. Poignant Christmas remembered for those serving time in jail By Dixie R. Brown "I remember Christmas mornings when I was all grumpy and the kids would be screaming with excitement Td be thinking why cant they be quiet. When Tin staring at the wall in my cell, Til sure be missing that noise. Christmas in jail, celebrating the holidays away from your family. This year, the 150 inmates at the Duchesne County jail will be remembering the little things they used to take for granted, and pray that their families know they are in their thoughts. and Misty Neilson hold the bundles of lights MORE TO COME-Ad- am their father, Dave Neilson uses to decorate his home and yard on North Myton Bench. Each year Neilson adds something to his display. While driving on U.S. Highway 40 look for Santa and his reindeer in the night sky, led by Moodolph the cow. KUED producergives Utah history lesson By Cheryl Mecham The Duchesne County Area Chamber ofCommerce honored several local citizens for their work contributing to the Sesquicentenni-a-l celebration and presented Ken Verdoia senior producer of KUED TV as a guest speaker last Wednesday during their monthly luncheon. "The trouble about history is that it prides itself, said Verdoia, explaining to the gathering that people turn history into a romance novel, and it's easy to forget the casualties along the way. Verdoia spoke about Utah's struggle for statehood and how the federal government and the LDS church had to make concessions in order for statehood to be granted, "in business, in religion and in education," and the solution came only when the two entities began to work together. Only then, he said, did the Latter-Da-y Saints have the rights ofeitisenship. "Utah delivered itself by the greatest act offaith ever displayed." This achievement, said Verdoia is a shining example to the rest of the world. "When chasms of intolerance exist we accomplish nothing," he said, explaining that the history of the state touches us today, and that we must be the caretakers of history and pass these stories on to our children with the pulse beating in every story that they might catch it in their hearts." Awards were presented to; Shar Lynn Benson, chairman ofthe Committee; Nick Lundatrom, vice-chairm- an GET OUT OF TOWN-K- en Verdoia. Author of Utah; The Struggle For Statehood," tells Chamber luncheon guests that Mormons were given three choices before making the exodus west; get out of town, die, or denounce your faith. and Foreign high school students are scheduled to arrive soon fire academic semester homestaye, and the sponsoring organization needs a few more local hast families. According to Pacific Intercultur-a- l Exchange (PIE) Executive Director, John Doty, the students are all between the ages ofl5 and 18yeare, Sesqui-centenni- are have their English-speakin- g, own spending money, carry accident and health insurance, and are anxious to share their cultural experiences with their new American families. PIE currently has programs to match almost every family's needs, ranging in length from a semester to a full academic year, where the students attend local high Family History Center Jazz and Creative Dance ed schools. INVESTMENT IN HISTORY of the Duchesne Sesquicentennial Committee Shar Lynn Benson gives a $1,263.36 donation to Mark Hicken, member of the Duchesne Historical Society for the proposed Roosevelt Museum. The Uintah Recreation District Community School division and Robin Murray McClellan Dance Academy will be offering the winter session of Jazs and Creative dance classes for girls and bays age 3 years and up. Classes win be held at Discovery Elementary School on Tuesdays ami Thursdays after school. Classes start Tuesday, Jan. 6. For mors information caU PIE area representatives match students with host families by finding common interests and lifestyles meetthrough an informal in-ho- ing. Prospective host families are able to review student applications and select the perfect match. As there are no "typical host families. Young Adult Activity 18-3- LDS Singles Dance Single Adults, 31 years arid older are aU welcome to attend the New Year's Eve Dinner and Dance, V' Ineaday, Dec. 31, 8 p.m. Roosevelt West Stake Center. Bring a potluck salad and dessert. Breakfost at midnight. Dinner, dancing, games, videos. Nice dress Continued on page 24 PIE can fit a student into just about any situation, whether it be a single parent, a childless couple, a retired couple or a large family. Families who host fire PIE are alsoeligiblc to claim a $50 per month charitable contribution deduction on their itemised tax returns for each month they host a sponsored student For the upcoming programs, PIE has students from Spain, Germany, Poland, Russia, Finland, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay, Australia, New Zealand, Yugoslavia, Belgium, China, Ghana and many other countries. PIE has also been invited to participate in a special government-funde- d program to bring scholarship students from the Newly Independent States of the former Soviet Union to the United it educaStates. PIE is a tional organisation that has sponsored more than 18,000 students from 40 countries since its founding in 1975. The organisation is designated by the United States Information Agency and is listed by the Council on Standards fire International Educational Travel (CSIET), certifying that the organisation com-pliwith the standards set forth in CSIETs Standards for International Educational Travel Programs. Doty encourages families to ear-tathe program immediately, as it will allow tire proper time for the students and hosts to get to know one another before they actually meet fire the first time. Roosevelt area families interest-e- d in learning more about student exdrange or arranging fire a meeting with a community representative may call PE, toll-fre- e, at or via the internet at http:www.pieusa.arg. The agency non-prof- ct Young adults 0 years old are invited to a New Yean Eve party and dance sponsored by the Roosevelt Institute. Games and Am begin at 7:80 p.m. December 31 at the Roosevelt Institute, followed by a dance held at Utah State University Rooaevelt extension at 10:00 p.m.. Breakfast win be served at 1:00 a.m. following the dance. e forward to is meals, programming (substance abuse classes and behavioral classes) and our workout time. This is a great thing fire the guys." Inmates do have access to phones however, all calls must be made collect. Wilt says that he calls his mother once a month, butthat those calls "tear his guts out" "If shes not feeling good, there is nothing I can do about it and it just hurts. You always wonder if you add guilt by calling, or if you add more pain when you dont. Presents will not be on the inmate property list this year. Jail officials aren't treating the packages received at this time of the year any differently than those received in May. Packages are opened and examined fire contraband. If it's not on the inmate property list, it is returned to sender - at the inmates expense. "There are all kinds of rumors that Sheriff Stansfield has something up his sleeve, said Wilt. Nothing that he would do would surprise me." Wilt, who was in the Duchesne County jail in the 1980s, has nothing but praise fire the sheriff and his staff. "Most ofthe people here are good people. They treat you like a person, not a number, and it means a lot to us. I don't think Ive ever seen a sheriff or jail commander that will walk back into the blocks, call an inmate by his name and sit down and talk to them." es 781-648- Nine-Stak- are only allowed to talk to inmates on the telephone through a plexiglass barrier. The only thing we have to look Area host families needed for international students Duchesne County Area Chamber of Commerce liaison; Larry Cesspooch, for the Native American Arts and Crafts Show,Nanna Denver, Uintah Basin historian; Fred Brown, KNEU radio announcer; Diane Young, educator; Fran McKay and Carolynn Winterton, coordinators ofthe choir. At the conclusion of the meeting Shar Benson presented a donation al of $1,263.56 raised by the Committee to Mark Hicken, member of the Duchesne County Historical Society for the proposed Rooaevelt museum. The Roosevelt Family History Center will be closed Tuesday, Dec. 23 through Sunday, Jan. 4 for Christmas. We win be open Monday, Jan. 5 for regular hours. Mark Wilt, a Utah State Prison inmate, has only celebrated four of the last 14 Christmas outside of prison. First incarcerated in 1983 the system at age 20, he last fall on property related crimes. Wilt will tell you that drugs have played a major role in his crimes. "Once you get involved with them, and then lose that sense of stability in your life, you just dont care anymore." Inmates do care and do worry that their families know that they are thinking of them. Wilt, who is working as a cook at the jail, has saved as much money as he could to buy Christmas presents fire his mother and two nieces. "I couldn't do much, but I really wanted them to know that they were in my thoughts." Mail order catalogues are the closest thing to a mall fire these shoppers and according to Wilt they are grateful fire that box on the order form that allows you to have the presents shipped directly to your family members. "We are taly allowed to have in our possession whats mi the property list regardless of whether or not its a gift. The sheriff and jail commander have allowed inmates who are eligible, the opportunity to have a nonbarrier visit during the Holiday Season. Inmates will be allowed to have up to six people visit them for one hour. Wilt has requested a visit, however, he isn't sure if he will be able to use it "My Mom hates these places. I haven't seen her since last year, but its really hard fire her to see me here, he said. According to Wilt, the inmates are pleased that the sheriff and his staff would consider allowing these visits. Typically visitors to the jail JOYOUS HOLIDAY HARMONY-T- he Duchesne County Sesquicentennial Choir sang a few rhrlctm.. favontes at the Duchesne County Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon last Wednesday. The Choir has been featured at many Sesquicentennial events throughout the year. I eemeMMMMqsiamMhiMSeeMRi Continued on page 24 |