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Show LINT AH BASIN STANDARD. August 8. 21)00- - Page 3 Thousands of Acres Destroyed wildfires Lightning-cause- d strike in Uintah Basin areas By Aldan Rachel June Flood RexK.Tanner ing him blow up the bodice and destroy evidence. He is currently serving HEATWAVE Continued from page twoeoncurrenttermsof5yearatolife in the Utah State Prison, with the understanding that if the Board of Pardons should ever agree to it, he 1 ample cushion when it comes to meet- could be transferred to Mexico to serve ing power demanda. And even though the remainder of his sentence. the demands increase during a sweltering summer such aa the one we are experiencing, energy consumption in Moon Lake's service territory is still the highest n the winter months. COMMISSION Continued (bom page PINDER TRIAL Continued born page 1 1 ronmental agencies. "We need an ordinance in force in the county to prevent them stale and federal agencies from acquiring our lands." He also remar lied lhat a 1,000-acr- e ranch was just condemned topro-vid- e stream fishery access. Aretired rancher of 48 years, Brady said he believes that agriculture is the backbone of Duchesne County, and 1 while oil has been a good business, it . comes and goes. As well, Brady said be believes that the county should support educational opportunities for youth and extend cultural offerings as well. In the November general election Brady will (ace Stradinger as well as Democratic Party nominee Alma Richins, Duchesne. Current County Commissioner Ted Happen chose not for his seat. to run for Though he hasn't served on the ' commission before, Brady said he has enjoyed working in public service most ofhis Ufa. He served on several boards, including; Uintah Basin Medical Center Board for six years, with a term as mation they received from his girlfriend, Barbara DeHart. During closing arguments on Monday, July 31, Assistant Attorney General Mike Wims pointed to numerous flaws in the defense 'scaae, reminding them of testimony by Pinder him-self which changed hum an "absolute denial" that he and Barbara had cleaned his truckafter the murders, to admit 20 minutes la ter into questioning that they indeed cleaned the truck, but only in certain areas. "The people who wiped ofT the truck knew where Rex and June were sitting," Wims told Jurors halfway through his closing arguments. He also reminded the Jury how Pinder repeatedly said he was sickened by the murders tiler Valenchia- Ruis told him of them, but how he admitted that an hour after cleaning up body parts and scooping up pieces of flesh to put into garbage bags, he went to a friends home and ate chicken, chili and beer, and spoke of wantingto"getsotnrahrunkenheeds. "Youre going to have to decide if you can believe anything that comes out of his mouth," Wims asserted. "There's so much evidence against him, he just cant explain it all away every time he tries it just gets worse against him." In his closing arguments, defense attorney Ron Yengkh fiercely maintained his clients' innocence, st times in a voiee that shouted it eut v--"My attitude about hie innocence has not changed. It has only been " strengthened by the 18 trial days we have been here," he expressed to the jury, while comparing his clients in nocence to the innocent people who were driven outof their homes in the East to pioneer in Utah. He expressed to jurors that while John Pinder did admit to helping bury bodies and blowing them up after the first explosion, "Hes not guilty of destroying bodies or getting nd of evidence on the way to Idaho. In (act, Yengich told jurors that his client really wasn't guilty of any of the 1 1 felony counts brought against him that he was an innocent man caught in a "web of circumstances, and had acted "stupidly" because be had "become terror stricken." The killer is Filo Ruis. He is the killer, ladies and gentlemen, he is the principle in this case," Yengich declared. "The logical assessment was that he (Pinder helped get rid of the dead bodies because he loved his ranch, be said, adding that during Binders work as an undercover drug informant he learned how property can be forfeited when it is connected to crime. That was what be was trying to prevent from happening to hi ca tils and ostrich ranch, Yengich explained tojurora. The defense also told the jury that they shouldnt believe the testimony of friends and family members of DeHartwhoaaidshetoldthemPinder had admitted the killingi to her saying she 'assumes too many thing." At the same time, though, he told jurors she wasn't lying when she provided her boyfriend with an alibi on the night of the murders. "She told you the truth, she didnt roll over and play dead like the state wanted her to do, but she may have jumped to the conclusion that John did something he didn't do." He said jurors should totally discredit the testimony of Valenchia-Rui- s who "testified to save himself and get that ticket to Mexico." Valenchia-Rui- s pleaded guilty to two counts of murder in November 1999 for "accompanying Pinder to commit the murders and then help- - ittle man's Association board nt one term; Board of Water four years; Uintah Basin Telephone, twelve years; and the Water Conservancy Board, 17 years. "I plan on running an active campaign Im serious and lm going to give it my best shot," Leo said, adding that when voters go to the poles this fall his name will not be on ballot, but must be written in by the voter on the envelope where the punch card goes 4 in. ItstJu Mius ifAtl ae'!,4 titfti t Brady was bora in Bridgeland and now resides in Utahn with his wife Lareta. Together the couple raised eight children. Hunters may apply for a remaining cow elk permit An opportunity toobtain a second elk permit awaits hunters beginning Aug. 9, when they may apply for cow elk permit in Utah's second antier less draw. The following may apply for a sec- ond elk permit: hunters who obtain a cow elk Wildfires throughout the western United States have been in the news lately, but the Uintah Basin area haa had its share of blazes as well this summer. Two recent fires are under control, but another one was reported in Garden Creek cloae to the border of the Dinosaur National Monument northeast of Vernal. Approximately 426 acres are involved. It was started by lightning on Saturday, July 29. Twenty-fiv- e firefighters, includ-in- g several smoke jumpers plus three fire engines, are fightingthe Garden Creek blaze. A helicopter out ofDutch John was also working to put out the blaze, according to the Uintah Basin Interagency F ire Center in Vernal. A firebreak held during a windstorm on Wednesday, Aug. 2 that had suswinds reported M tained b Hillman of BLM's headquarters in Salt Lake City. A fire in the Pot Creek area on Diamond Mountain burned about 1500 acres. It was ignited by lightning on Friday. July 26. By the following Monday the fire was contained wilharingle-engin-e airplane assigned ' tocheck the area daily for The Burnt Creek area in the three miles AaMey National Forest from Red Canyon near Manila suffered a fire of 30 lo-4- acres. Mop-u- p ofthe Burnt Creek Site began July 30. Some other mqjor fires in the local area over the spring'summer, according to the Uintah Basin Interagency Fire Center, ere as follows: 25-mp- 0 Pinder Ranch 3,000-acr- e fire on Stillwater Ute Indian Reservation land near Sheep Pas in Duchesne County. Black Tail fire south of Tabhma on slate land. Sweetwater Complex flammable material. Charcoal grills are not acceptable under the restriction. Developed recreation sites are campgrounds that haveaaign and are designated on a map as developed 3,000- campgrounds or picnic area. acre fire 20 miles south of Vernal in Through the end of July, 955 wild the Book Cliffs. fires were rrporied in the state, scorchBuster Flats An 11.033-acr- e ing a total of 133.926 acres acconlmg fire as of July 9, 30 miles northeast of to Kathy Jo Pollock, spokeswoman Vernal. It was reported on July 3. for the Salt Lake Interagency Fire Lands on the Dinosaur National Center. Monument, Bureau ofLand Management, and Brown's Park Wildlife Refuge located in northwestern Colo- Crop rado have been burned by this fire. 30 Four helicopters, eight engines and around 50 miscellaneous overMajor farm and ranch activities head support personnel were as- included harvesting small grains and signed. OnJuly 4, air tankers dropped fruits, alfalfa, and retardant on the fire. irrigating crops, according to the Utah Dry conditions due to 90 to 100 Agricultural Statistics Service. Due plus temperatures have been mqjor to water shortage, for is limited. Some factors in fires throughout the coun irrigationare crops on watergrowers concentrating e light-riltry. Many have been caused by ing com, which may fireworks, lighted ciga- reduce yield on 4th crop of alfalfa. ning rettes, playing with matches, birds Range and forest land is very hitting power lines and one from dry due to lack grazing sparks when a California man was rain. Extreme fire danger over the frying to light his water heater in his state aa hot conditions expected to recreation vehicle. continue. This summer is shaping up to be harWinter wheat was 49 the worst (ire season in many years. vested, ahead of 1999 bypercent 12 percentSome restrictions prohibit building, age points. Winter wheat condition maintaining, attending or using e was 27 percent poor, 41 percent fair, fire, a campfire or stove (Ire except and 32 percent good. Spring wheat within a developed recreation rite, harvested was 24 percent, ahead of and smoking, except within an en1999 by 8 points with IS percent for develclosed vehicle or building, a five-yeaverage. oped recreation rite,or while stopped Spring wheat condition was 1 1 perin an am at least three feet in diam- cent poor, 37 percent fair, and 46 eter that is barren or cleared of all percent good, 6 percent excellent. Barley was 44 percent harvested, ahead of 1999 by 19 points and the average by 20 points. Barky condition was 2 percent very poor, 18 percent poor, 40 percent fair, and 40 percent good. Oats were 90 percent headed, the same as 1999 but 2 percentage points ahead of the five-yea-r average. Pinder ranch hand who accompanied Oats harvested for grain were 1 1 boas his when Tanner and Flood were percent. Oats harvested for hay or shot and then blown up, has been silage were 76 percent compared with questioned about the mysterious 74 percent in 1999 and 66 percent for the five-yea- r "party girl" murder. He told invesaverage. Corn height tigator that while he had heard the was 67 inches, 10 inches taller than same rumors he had no information 1999,and 12 inches ahead of the five- to give them, and had never seen the year women at the ranch. Dave Brunyer, average. Corn Usseled (silked) was Another of the state's key witnesses 35 percent, ahead of 1999 by 1 perin the double homicide ofTanner and centage point. Alfalfa hay Flood, had also told the sheriff about second cutting was 80 percent comthe "party girl" murders, but had plete, 14 percentage points ahead of 1 999. Other only heard the information secondhy cut was 85 percent as hand. compared with 78 percent in 1999, . "We're going to look into it some, and 71 percent average. more an4 jitlRjtotboer nopto Ite r harvested Apricots news people had talked to," said cent, ahead of the five-yeaverage Stansfield. "We're going to let things by 36 points. Tart cherries were 76 calm down and then we are going to harvested. 29 points ahead of look at all the information we have percent 1999 and ahead of the five-yeabout the two party girls. average by 12 percentage points. One possibility is that the women Irrigation water supplies were 25 are somewhere on the ranch which percent very short. 40 percent short. has "a big rock on top" of the burial 34 percent adequate, and 1 percent rite. Stock water supplies were surplus. "As we were looking for Rex and 11 percent very short, 37 percent June we tried looking for the big rock, short, 52 percent adequate. but we didn't want to get things moisture was 35 percent Topsoil confused with Rex and June. We deshort. 37 percent short, and 28 very cided that when we got through with adequate. Subsoil moisture Rex and June we would look into this percent was 26 percent very short, 40 percent seriously," he stated. short, and 34 percent adequate. 20-ac- re What happens when you pay (be a title search? First the Title Co pany looks up county records for the property in question. Records are kepi for every transaction in which the title changes hands, and in which a lien is placed against a property. If the title has been searched be-fore, the record of that search can usually be examined. If the search shows the title is clear, that is with no claims against h. title insurance can be issued. or Copy t , ' in Ppr.-Xr' CORN - 'j rx. mj- little girl does her best FUN-- A on a cob of corn. ROOSEVEL One Show Sunday 7:30 Autum in New York ft. W Richard Gere ar "PG-- i y 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Bless The Child a 7:30 and 9:25 p.m. ONBJHE STiRgM . . r v hr awaotis.' IchooseIfrom permit Judi Tutorow, wildlife licensing coordinator for the Division of Wild- life Resources, says huntera may have two elk permits in any of the following combinationa: one bull elk permit and one cow elk permit; two cow elk permits; ori one hunter's choke permit and one cow elk permit (hr.ttiw(hr August Uthand 12th Schuinn Redline Zepher Hunters may not obtain two bull elk permits, ora bull elk and hunter's choice permit . Cl The function of title insurance is to protect the insured against claims which were not revealed in the search, should aa undiscovered Disney's The Kid TG" AND Nutty7 Huffy KQciqlltvTHoma mmiaiiFDGDlHV?i knl SH bro claim ansc.C Century 21 Country Realty has offered quality service to our cut-i- n the Jintah Basin for over 20 yean, call today for answers to your real estate questions. 7:S9p.m . IElIpl Murray CM-Cmn- e. If, were-93-pe- ond cow elk permit beginning Aug. 9. Results ofUtah'sfint antierieas draw will be available by Aug. 9. Hunters have until 5 p.m., Aug. 18, to submit applications in the draw for antler less permits not taken in the first draw. hunters who have obtained a bull elk or hunter's choice elk permit may apply for a cow elk permit beginning Aug. 9. hunters who haven't obtained an elk permit by Aug. 9 may apply for twocow elk permits. Hunterswho do this are reminded that if they draw two cow elk permits, they mar not SEARCHING AT1TLE Lm Smm OtX i I TT KimBassingcr JimmxSmits HmUjU Corner" ftrS en- ar permit in Utah's first (initial) antierieas draw may apply for s sec- purritaaeabullelkorhunter'schoice permit this year. Hunters who draw a cowl elk in the first antierieas draw germit option. Instead of applying for a second cow permit, they may buy a bull elk or hunter's choice DANCING OSE-- A young lady tertains the L'BIC crowd. weather for week ending July Sheriff to look again n bodies of "party girls Now the double homicide trial of Duchesne County rancher John R. Pinder haa concluded, She rifT Ralph Stansfield said he will have time to ones again follow up on allegations that the bodies oftwo Arizona "party 'rls" are buried somewhere on the fXP ranch in southwest Duchesne County. Shortly after the murders of Rex K. Tanner and June Flood in October 1998, investigators began searching areas where those who nad heard the : rumors said the bodies of the two women could be found buried inside the trunk of a car. They came upEfforts to find miss- - ' empty-handeing persons reports out of Arizona that could lead to Duchesne County also went nowhere. Nothing was said about the alleged murders of the prosit lutes dur-ing testimony at Finder's four week trial in Heber Tor the deaths of Tanner and Flood. But Stansfield said the rumors still persist. Aa recently as tost month, one of Flood's friends contacted a Heber newspaper to proclaim that the Tanner and Flood murders weren't related to stolen ranch documents as reported in court, but to the deaths ofthe "party girls. " Filomeno Valenchia-Ruis- , the !.rwa ft 722-45- 1 50 Eos? togoon u - Lan - 722-223- CMI aj Opon 9 00 o m. 6 00 1 1 Professor The Klumps TG-l.- v MOVIE Information pm M$of. Call 722-209- $ |