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Show T T ) Pape 2 June 9. 1998 : Editorial Uintah Basin Standard The Informed Electorate The primary election is only two weeks away. In the tradition of the American founding, citizens continue to have the privilege of electing persons whose purpose is to pursue and preserve the public good. An informed electorate is the core of the political process. Whatever good or ill befalls the public is not due to fortune, but to choice. What does an informed electorate seek in apublicoflicial? Thomas Jefferson envisioned in the American regime anatural aristoi that would result in enlightened statesmen at the helm. In other words, that the excellent will be chosen to lead and serve. Are enlightened statesmen no longer at the helm because they do not exist, or because citizens are wanting to themselves? Has the public good or common good drowned with Doesan informed the Titanic of electorate engage in petty idle gossip at the expense of not only acandidate s reputation, but at the expenseofexamining die issues? Do voters typicallyconsiderqualificationsof candidates or do they elect to office persons who possess characteristics that have little or nothing to do with the ability to govern well? An uninformed voter chooses a candidate on the basis ofhe or she is related to so and so, or he or she lives at such and such, or my great aunt knew his or her grandfather, or he or self-interes- t? sheissuchfriendlyperson,orheorsheholds this or that position in their church, and so forth and None of these things has anything to EDITOR'S NOTE: The Uintah Basin Standard welcomes and encourages opinions from readers int he form of letters to the editor. Letters may lie utilized to express opinions or comments, to highlight outstanding service ofan indi virtual or organization, or any other worthwhile purpose. Letters may not he used to replace Cards of Thanks, or to list sponsors,' participants or contributors to a event or purpose. LETTERS 400 WORDS OR Star LESS. BE TYPED OR WRITTEN LEGIBLY, SIGNED, AND INCLUDE NAME. ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER OF THE AUTHOR. Letters will be published unless they contain libelous or defamatory statements. We reserve the right to withotdd a name by request if uhe nature of the letter is positive, and to edit letters. Letters may be submitted to the Standard office at 268 S. 200 E. Roosevelt. Utah, 84066 by the published deadline (normally Thursdays at 5:00 p.m.) All letters become property of the Uintah Basin Standard. One family, do with the ability ofaman to successfully hold publicoffice. An informed voterdesires to elect thosewho the reflect the best in man. One necessary is an age where information is moieplenti fill than good water supplies, and the good statesman necessarily possesses the intellect to enable him or her to research, assimilate, and articulate information. Furthermore, the Basin claims to embrace education and then resists the acknowledgment of that quality as desirable in candidates. Knowledge is however not the same as wisdom. A worthy candidate must be grounded in principles ofhonesty and integrity. One is not without the other inthe good political life. Furthermore, a good candidate must be particularly committed tothe principles ofrepresentation. Representation is the cure for faction, which has been the demise of all democracies. Finally, the informed electorate avails themselves to the candidate and refrains from engaging in the common viceofidle gossip. Although it appears that many desire public office for reasons that may not be appropriate, candidates put their name on the line and citizens have an ethical obligation tonottrifle with anothersname for the sake of gain. There is much to deliberate upon by way ofimportant issues in the political sphere. Let the electorate be informed, and let them seek qualified, good men, who represent the best, the natural aristoi in man. Mary goes to court. Or rather, Mary goes to many courts. She goes before one judge to get the protection order, another to defend the kidnaping charge, and yet another to fight the custody petition. If she wants to obtain custody of the children, and to file for divorce, that probably means she goes before yet another judge. Do all the judges know what is going on with this case in other courtrooms? Not necessarily; in some jurisdictions, not likely. Just when Mary needs the support of the justice system, bureaucracy gets in the way. Unified family courts, in contrast, normally require a single court team to track and decide all the familys legal problems, including custody, divorce, juvenile delinquency, child support, and criminal charges arising from domestic violence. Judges are trained not only in the law, but also in the delivery of social services, and, in most cases, dispute resolution. Unified family courts are based on the premise that a family's social and legal needs are best served when one judge and social services team is assigned the case. The team stays with the family until the issues are resolved, and sometimes beyond. At a time when daily headlines one court Dear Editor, Imagine one family, one court, and one judge who haa the entire picture of that family' problem. It happens in some places, where they have unified family courts. But stories like this are much more common: Mary, a mother of three, finally summons the strength to leave her abusive husband, Jim. She flees with her children to a domestic violence shelter, where the staff encourages her to take out a protective order against her husband. Meanwhile, he files for temporary custody of the children, and has her arrested for kidnaping. What docs Mary do? of family disfunction, domestic violence and juvenile crime jump out at us, we need another approach. Mary and the thousands like her should receive appropriate, efficient resolution from the justice system, including the services they need to ensure the family's health and safety. Unified family courts can pro- vide that. Jerome Shestack, President, American Bar Association "" Uintah Basin Standard Inc. Periodical postage paid si Roosevelt and Duchesne, Utah (USPS 646-90Published weekly 268 S. 200 E.. Roosevelt. Utah 84066-310- 9 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Uintah Basin Standard it 268S. 200 E Roosevelt, Utah 84066-- 3 1 09 OFFICE HOURS: 8:00 a.m. to I a.m. Io3:00 p.m. Tuesday thm Friday. p.m. Monday, Fax: Phone 0 DEADLINES: For all News. Legal Notices, Classifieds ft Advettising. the Deadline is Thursday at 3 p.m. PUBLISHER: Craig Ashby EDITOR: Lezlee E. Whiting ADVERTISING: Michelle Robeits OFFICE MANAGER: Ttacy Womack PRODUCTION: Writers; Aldon Rxchele, Cheryl Mechlin, Dixie Brown and Sarah Colton Production; Colette Ashby. Bonnie Parrish, Kaelyn Meyers and Kim Ames CORRESPONDENTS: ROOSEVELT - Tresa Haimswn 722-2- 5 18; ALTAMONT-- ; BLUEBELL- - Shana Lee 6; Luertscher HANNA - Tracy Roberts LAPOINT - Marlene McClure 5; 4; MONTWELL - Nola Nelson MYTON -- ; TRIDELL - Loma McKee 0; 8; NEOLA - Zola Spencer WHITEROCKS - Virginia Ferguson 4; 4. DUCHESNE - Orinda Gee Subscription Rates: Cash or Cheek otdy. Sorry No Charges I I I I I I I J Information to veterans is corrected Dear Editor, A recent letter to the editor from Arlene Gardner concerning information veterans need to know, was misleading. While it ia true that the President signed into law a bill that affects Veterans, it ia not true that Veterans will lose all VA medical benefits if they foil to register for VAhoepital care by October 1, 1998. This waa recently confirmed by Hershel Gober, Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affair during a town-ha- ll meeting in Salt Lake City. If Veterans have concern regarding their hoepitAl eligibility, they are encouraged to call the VA hospital. They can be reached at Vernon Peterson Person who killed cat was cowardly Dear Editor, At approximately 10:35 p.m. mi Friday June 5, you were driving south on State Street in Roosevelt in a late model, dark colored pickup truck, possibly a Ford, with Centennial plates. Unfortunately for us, we didn't get your plate number. You apparently noticed three people standing in the road, including a young boy, waving at you and yelling at you to stop. You couldn't have missed seeing our cat, he was right under the street light, at the top of the hill above Alco. He was black and white, and waa a very special member ofour family. He must have trusted us to get you to atop, but you couldn't have cued less. While he innocently looked at us, you drove right over him. No horn, no swerve, nothing. Why did you stay at the stop sign on Highway 40 for so long? Were you watching us trying to get to the cat, trying to save him? We could hardly believe it; one minute we were playing with him, watching him chase grasshoppers, the next minute you run him down in cold blood, and hes dead. People like you have no conscience, and theres way too many of you around! Do you have kids? Do you have peta? Would you want your kids to watch their pets get run over coward like yourself, by a low-lif- e and then see the person keep right on driving? My kids did, and I am at a loss to explain it to them. There is no explanation. You see, my kids have been raised to believe all life ia precious, and that no one has the right to purposely take a life, including that of little innocent animals. If you have any bit of decency in you at all, we hope that you will do the right thing. You owe it to me and my children to come forward, and ask their forgiveness. Ifyou cant do that, there ia a Higher Justice. We will pray for that Justice for you, and hope you get what you deserve. As that old saying goes; What goes around, comes around... Let your conscience be your guide, if in fact you have one. As for the rest of you slowdown! The next time something gets hit, it may be one of our children, just because you're all in such a big hurry. Ruth Roberson and Boya J 88 wild horses in Bonanza herd have deadly disease, The bad news is that 88 horses in the Bonanza area of eastern Utah have tested positive for a deadly disease and may ultimately be destroyed. The good news, according to the Bureau of Land Management, ia that wild horse specialists believe the disease has not spread area overbeyond a lapping portions of public land and Reserthe Uintah and Ouray-Ut- e vation. It ia comforting to know where the disease is located, and as we move away from that area, we get zero positives, said Glenn Foreman, BLM spokesman for the agencys wild horse program. The BLM has concluded its roundup in the Bonanza area, gathering 210 wild horses from public lands and another 51 horses from Ute lands. Some 60 of the wild horses tested positive and 28 horses on Indian lands tested positive for equine infectious anemia. The disease, which is transmitg ted by insects like mosquitoes and horse flies, kills about 30 percent of the infected animals and the remainder become carriers. The disease is rare in the arid West. Of roughly 7,000 horses tested annually, only one to three typically test positive for the disease. Infected animals are destroyed. However, a temporary restraining order issued by a Washington, D.C., judge has spared the lives of 12 foals that tested positive for the disease, at least until yester- free-roami- blood-suckin- Buckle Up and Save A Life! Public Service Aaaouucennrt by the Uistah Baris Standard BLM day, J une 8 when a hearing is scheduled. (Results were not available by advopress time.) Animal-right- s cates argue the foals may be carrying antibodies passed on to them by their mothers and may not actually be infected. The BLM ia working with the Humane Society of the United States to find a research institution willing to take the foals. Pending that agreement, the BLM has also decided to temporarily spare the lives ofthe infected mother horses. Its the best approach for the youngest foals, Foreman said. It causes less stress . . . and will increase the likelihood the foals will survive Veterinariana and BLM wild horse officials are now examining the infected foals that are three or four months old to determine whether the infected mothers should bo destroyed now. They say the foals will atandamuch better chance of survival if they are in a disease-fre- e environment. Of the 60 wild horses, 20 have been destroyed and the BLM ia now awaiting an order from state veterinarian Mike Marshall to destroy an additional 16 horses. The School is out for the summer, the long awaited reprieve from exams, peer pressure, bullies and brain fatigue. Just as school was dismissed there has been a lot of talk about extending the school day fin: one hour. I say, do it! Just make sure that the hour ia used for nappy time. There are few warm fuzzy memories when it comes to school, and at right at the top ia nap-tim- e - Kerhonkson Elementary School in New York. The district ran one bus schedule, aa does Duchesne County, so students from kindergarten to high school were picked up at the same hour and then taken back home at Make plans to attend July 4 celebration non-prof- 28 infected horses on the Ute reservation will be sent to Texas where they will be slaughtered. (Wild horses on public lands cannot be sent to slaughter.) The horses that tested negative for the disease will be kept in quarantine for at least 45 days where they will be repeatedly tested for the disease. They will also receive inoculations for other diseases, treatment for worms and care for their hooves. Theres still time to sign-u- p to vote in primary ;l , If you aren't registered to vote and are a legal resident ofDuchesne County there is still time to register to vote in the June 23 primary election. Satellite voter registration for Duchesne County will be held on Monday, June 15 and Tuesday, June 16 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the following locations: Duchesne County library in Roosevelt, 70 East Lagoon Street in Roosevelt, and the Duchesne County Courthouse in the office of the county clerk, 734 North Center in Duchesne. by Cheryl Mecham Roosevelt City Plans are underway for the 7th Annual July 4th Celebration sponsored by Roosevelt city. This year event will take place on Saturday, July 4 and will include The Great American Outhouse Race, immediately followed by a parade on Main Street, a program at Constitution Park and fireworks at dark. This year, Roosevelt City is pleased to join their 4th of July Parade with the Ute Indian Tribe Pow Wow Parade. This event will take place at 10 a.m., preceded by the Great American Outhouse Race at 9:30 a.m. The Program will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Constitution Park and ia again under the direction of Pat and Noreen Roberta. Concession stands are available at the park it for organizations at no charge. For further information contact says the following people: outhouse race, Shaune Underwood, paor rade, Beverly Hansen, Gloria Thompson, program, Pat and Noreen Roberts, concession stands, Beverly 1. Fireworks are Hansen, under the direction of the Roosevelt City Fire Department Parade entry forma can be obtained from general chairperson, Beveriy Hansen, at Bev and Millies or from the Roosevelt City Office or by calling A special added attraction to the celebration will be the 2nd Annual Western States Unicyde Fun Meet to be held on Friday, July 3 at Union High School and an appearance in the parade on Saturday. Contact Guy Hansen, Make plana now to attend the July 4th Celebration. 722-352- 4; 722-341- 1, 545-212- 6; 722-278- 6; 722-341- 722-341- 1. 646-302- 8. mm the same hour in the afternoon. This waa a long day for a youngster, so naps were standard procedure. The teacher had a stack of cots against the wall. They were light- weight, covered with a scratchy material, and stood just a few inches off ofthe floor. Our teacher would take each one from the top of the stack and set them down in rows . As each cot waa set in place we took turns running to our cubbys (a designated section of shelving) and would retrieve our blankets and pic- ture books. Tarzan, Lord of the Apes was my reading material. There were so many words I could not read, but the black and white illustrations thrilled me, and I soon incorporated the famous ape Lord and his jungle world into my dreams, and playground activities. There was never rebelliousness on my part, or as I try to remember on the part of anyone else. When we woke up we were ready to ourselves to the alphabet and arithmetic. Since those days I've mused over the idea ofadult nappy time, (not to be confused with soap opera nappy time, where they nap in lingerie with members of the opposite sex). I believe in the Mexican tradition ofsiesta. Everyone who returns to the office after work ia yawning, ' anyway. We could lay out our cots, . take the phones off the hooks, and lip off to a world of dreams. I am ; certain that we would wake up refreshed, focused and typos would decline by 909b! All of Roosevelt could incorpo- -' rate nappy time. Welcoming signs for tourists could read, Welcome to Roosevelt - were dosed from 1 2 p.m. I've been told anything is possible ifit doesnt cost money --and hey, dreams an free! I've got a phone call to make, I hope Mayor Jqpkins ia yawning right about now. choice of nap-tim-e ly : . . mm POOR |