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Show T CBDb 0 0 P UTAH PRESS ASSOCIATION 307 U. 200 S. SALT LAKE CITY, UT Ul) 84101-110- If you think education is expensive, try ignorance. 6 SAYS I DIDNT DO IT Pinder hears charges in 8th District Court By Lczlee E. Whiting of murder victim Rex Tanner, it didnt appear that Pinder had any family members there for the proceedings. As Pinder was escorted from the courtroom he looked at Milton Tanner, brother of murder victim Rex Tanner, and mouthed the words, "I didnt do it." Pinder, 41, is charged with two counts of aggravated homicide a capital offense which carries a possible death penalty and a second-degre- e felony for tampering with evidence in the deaths and disposal ofthe bodies of Rex K. Tanner, 48, and June Flood, 59,former emptayeesof Pinder. Their bodies were discovered on Hal in-la-w John R. Pinder whispered to his attorney as charges of aggravated murder and witness tampering were read to him Monday in 8th District Court in Duchesne by Judge A. Lynn Payne. When asked if he understood the charges which could, result in the death sentence, he simply answered, "yes sir." Pinder'shands and feet were shackled, and he wore an orange Wasatch County jail jumpsuit as he stood before the court with attorney Patricia Geary at his side. Other than a throng of news media and interested citizens, including the brother and sister- - - - hillside when the sagebrush-coverewas bulldozed. Human remains that were discovered were allegedly put into abag and then burned, according to court documents. Authorities believe that additional evidence in the crime, including the murder weapon, may have been disposed of in Idaho. Investigators from the Duchesne County ShnifTs Office are still in Idaho following up on possible leads in the case. Duchesne County Attorney Herb Gillespie was granted his request for SEE JOHN PINDER on page 3 at Lake Canyon, 20 miles southwest of Duchesne. A state medical examiners report confirmed that Tanner died of multiple gunshot wounds. Pinders former ranch hand, loween Day d Filimeno Valenchia-Rui34, is also charged with two counts of aggravated homicide and tampering with evidence in the Oct. 25 deaths. The remains ofthe murder victims were buried with heavy equipment, allegedly by Pinder and a third man. z, Valenchia-Rui- z and Pinder are ac- cused of scouring the site for body parts that werent covered by dirt FELONY CHARGE FILED Suspect's girlfriend turns herself ByLezlee E. Whiting cide suspecL Dehart - who appeared with a bail The girlfriend of bondsman in tow -- posted her $50, 000 suspect John R. Pinder turned herself bond immediately upon surrenderinto Summit! County Sheriffs office ing and was released. Her court aplast Thursday after a warrant was pearance in 8 District Court in issued for her arrest earlier last week. Duchesne County Duchesne County Sheriff Sgt. Authorities claim Dehart allegedly Wally Hendricks said authorities have traveled with Pinder as he disposed of Barbara J. Dehart, evidence that would link him to the charged Oct. 25 shooting deaths of Rex K. of Coeur DAlene, Idaho, with a -degree felony for obstruction of Tanner, 48, and June Flood, 59, of justice for "harborings wanted homi Duchesne County. double-murd- er second- Pinder and Dehart reportedly re- mained together after capital homicide charges were filed against Pinder. The old Pinder, of Strawberry River, maintans his innocence, saying he was framed for the crime. Authorities have recovered the truck believed to be used by Pinder to commit the murders. The vehicle was located at Pinders residence in Coeur DAlene. Experts at the State Crime Lab are processing forensic evidence found by investigators in Idaho. in Information supplied by Deharts family shortly alter the scattered and Flood were found 41-ye- FIRST APPEARANCE-Doublemur-d- er suspect John R. Pinder stands by defense attorney Patricia Geary in 8 District Court in Duchesne and he listens to the capital charges that have been filed against him. Uintah. Basin WaBGSSEZB&m Union seniors return 509 ...t? it. Union's girl's basketbalh team took 2 place in state tournament play last year. This season they have five seniors returning to the team. How will the season shape up? Tuesday November Roosevelt, Vol. -- Seepage 16 Number 46 SUPPORTERS WANT A FLAT CALLING RATE IMPLEMENTED The DWR Board of Big Game Control says no to mandatory statewide tottery draws, but put on your running shoes because it's Petition for extended area for toll calls submitted to PSC first-com- e, first-serve- d. See page 2 jBy MaiyWertz A petition to create an Extended Area Service (EAS) for telephone us ers in the Uintah Basin is in the hands ofthe state regulatory agency that has the power to make the change, should they deem it feasible. Petitioners want the tolls lifted for local long distance, such aa calling Roosevelt from Neola, and a flat rate A stitch in time Quilting has become a labor of love for members of a group that began 20 years ago. Members ofthe Quilting Club often donate their works to raise money for local causes. Seepage 13 ' they ee implemented in its place. Shar Benson, a Roosevelt real estate agent, who has been working on gettingthe system changed since tolls were implemented in 1981, said there AMilUtVi n.jiFwHaiViliK0tMiitf are literally places across the street, or A SMILE WORTH M1LLIONS-Would- nt houses next to each where residents e it be great ifwe could all be are charged tolls to this happy? This speak with each other. captured "We think it is sad that kids who go the attention of our photographer durto school and church together cant School Roosevelt recent Middle a ing call each other without burdening assembly and you can sec why. their parents with long distance charges, said Benson. "They have done this approved Extended Area Service in Leeds and St. George and everyone is much happier. Thats all we want is to be able to make calls in this area as we used to. Before the Extended Area Service was eliminated in 1981 Uintah Basin residents could phone from Currant Creek to Randlett south of Roosevelt for a monthly fee. Uintah Basin Telephone Association handles the rural areas ofthe Basin, and US West Comfor a aa such building landfill, erty munications provides telephone serinstance that would contaminate vice for the larger towns of Roosevelt, the underground water source. The Vernal and Duchesne. land is surrounded by property owned Uintah Basin Telephone disconby the Ute Tribe; private property is tinued offering the Extended Area located upstream from the source. Sendee 17 years ago for financial reaHancock said he doesnt believe sons, but at the same time they deadjacent landowners should have rea- vised what is known as the "UBOT son to protest the project. which gives customers a "Its a good enough project and it plan discount in limited calling also serves a lot of tribal members ... we ought to be working together on WIN GREAT PRIZES! it, Hancock stated. The CIB could commit to the project in December, said Hancock, if long-distanc- Never give in and respected engineer, Roger whistle-blow- er Boisjoty, tells USU Uintah Basin branch campus stu- dents not to give in to the pressure to go along to get along. Seepages ROOSEVELT CITY SEEKING $1 .4 MILLION CIB moves water application up to priority list for funding 6? current cs five Hayden and the wells could support a population of about 20,000. By Lexlee E. Whiting With the clock running on Roosevelts chance for securing a culinary water source that would more than double their current capacity, the Community Impact Board has moved the citys application from their pending list to the priority list The city has until July 1999 to raise $1.4 million to complete the purchase e of a site in west Uintah County from foqner resident Gary Sprouse, and fond construction of a two-mipipeline that would tie an existing well in to the citys current 200-acr- le Hayden wells. nt The city has been instructed to begin work on their ground-sourc- e protection plan, said City Administrator Brad Hancock. The work will include obtainingcommitments from landowners with property bordering the site, saying that they wouldnt allow anythingto occur on their prop f ' lack important information such as him much' more customers could expect to pay to extend their toll-frcalling boundaries. in I 85, Utah www.ubstandard.com Lottery is a loser NASA 17, 1998 areas. Uintah Basin Telephone officials maintain a flat callingrate would raise telephone bills for everyone and be unfair to those who dont need to use the extended area sendee plan. In previous Extended Area Service processes our membership has turned down Extended Area Service petitions because it averages out rates, said Bruce Todd, UBTA general manager. He explained that all people in the area would need to pay the flat rate, whether or not they called local long distance. Astudy conducted in 1991byUBTA it would cost their customers between $40 to $60 more a month to adopt an Extended Service Area plan . The study was conducted in conjunction with a petition which had circulated among customers on the companys Flattop exchange. On the petition, customers said they would only be willing to pay an additional $4.50 a month to extend their local calling area. Todd said that if the current petition process progresses, those affected would have to be notified ofrates and a letter and a ballot sent out to all customers to vote on the possible proshowed posal. Julie Orchard, a PSC Public Rela- SEE PETITION on page 3 Contest will have THE PUBLIC PAYROLL SHOWS DISPARITY you scrambling to find the right words preferences, no longer reside in the ministrator in Los Angeles, California private realm once a person takes a is not compensated the same as an Itcan be safely stated that servants public oath. Neither does the very administer in Ballard, Utah. Uintah County has an approximate of the public eqjoy many amenities, personal matter of how much money such as notoriety, respect, honor, and one earns remain private. It, too, be- population of 24,878 and the county commissioners are paid $34,342 per the power to malm policy and spend comes public. And this, of course, is as it should year. Carbon County has an approxipublic monies. However, there appears to be a down side. Those who be. Public officials make their living mate population of 21,280 and combask in the light ofthe public eye have from the public coffers and taxpayers missioners are paid $24,420 per year. a difficult time preserving any sem- are entitled to know exactly where Thats a $10,000 difference for alblance of privacy, but that seems to be and howrevenuesaredispersed. Most most equal populations. Duchesne County Commissioners the nature of the beast. Personal is- citizens are interested in fair and eqsues, such as mode of transportation, uitable compensation for public offi- earn nearly the same as Uintah County about $30,000 with more than dietary habits, education levels, and cials. The key to fair judgment is to entertainment, religious, and sexual compare apples to apples. A city ad $4800ayear inbenefits. Yet,Duchesne by Loma Stradingcr i - Figures above are gross salary; benefits not included. SEE CIB FUNDING on page 3 County has half the population: 13,547. Wasatch County Commissioners serve a population close to the same size as Duchesne County, but earn less compensation. $24,215, one-thir-d Many Duchesne County citizens were enraged when, over two years ago, the commissioners gave themselves a large pay increase. At the time, the county commission seats were considered part-tim- e employment. Commissioners John Swasey SEE PAYROLL on page 3 The Uintah Basin Standard will launch its Christmas Contest Word Scramble beginningNov. 17 - Dec. 15 to encourage residents to shopat home! The contest involves phrases which can be found at over 25 participating businesses. Each business will have its own unique phrase which customers will have the chance k to solve over a period. This is how it all works: During the contest different words of the phrase will be revealed at the business. Every Tuesday for three weeks a few words of the phrase will be revealed. The catch, of course, is that the order the words are in will be scrambled. On the fourth week, all previously released words will be removed and additional new words for the same phrase will be posted. On the fifth week more new words will be provided. Participants will need to visit the top-secr- et five-wee- store each week to gather the words. Anytime duringthc five weeks, if you think you can solve the puzzle phrase, enter your ns me and the phrase on an entry form to be included in the newspaper with the contest rules. On the day ofthe con test deadline, Thursday, Dec. 17 at 1 1 a.m. the first correct entry drawn will win a prise from each participating business. All winningentries will be submitted for the grand-priz- e drawing will be held at the Uintah Basin Standard at noon that same day. Winners will be contacted and their names will be announced in the Dec. 22 Christmas edition of the Standard. Some of the grand prizes include: a nights stay and dinner for two at the LC Ranch honeymoon cabin, a new lawn mower, a $100 gift certificate from Ben Fraifklin and a satellite system or $99 off your UBET Mil. i; Jr |