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Show C005 0 UTAH PRESS 0 P ASSOCIATION 307 U. 200 S. SUITE 4006 SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84101-12- 12 and unruffled on the surface but paddle like the devil underneath. -- Jacob Braude Always behave like a duck --keep calm (9) uuilah Basin 500 Salute to Education ' special section in this weeks Standard features Sterling Scholarcandidates who will represent the districts four high schools at A theNortheastRegion Sterling Schoiarcompetition. We also take a look at some new programs going on in the schools. inside the Standard Block schedule for Union The Duchesne County School Board has given die thumps up for a new block class schedule that will go into effect for the 2002-200- 3 school year at Union High. Find out how it will work. Seepage 10 You're never too young it's a fact. Emergency medical responders never forgettheirfirstcal. Recently certified Basic Emergency Medical Technician Angela Johnson, 18, has only had a handful of calls, but knows that even after she's racked up dozens of calls - she'll never forget her first Tuesday April 17, Roosevelt, Utah 88, Number 16 www.ubstandard.com Vol. x": 1WELL POSITIONED IN TODAY'S MARKET; a."- After 1 5 years of riding tough times, MLEA now riding high severely struggled to keep the plant and Deseret alive overthe last 1 5 years, but now we can say it was a good decision. By Leriee E. Whiting Its been over 20 yean since six small rural electric cooperatives combined to form Deseret Generation and Transmission in the late 1970s. They immediately began construction of a $1 .billion power plant in Uintah County to meet the predicted energy demands of a burgeoning population driven by oil development. The problem was that when the Bonanu Power plant was ready to go on line in 1985, before it even generated one watt of energy for a boom that never materializedit was in severe financial trouble. Over the next 15 years the power plants financial position remained pretty much the same in a surplus energy market and stagnant economy. Throughout the difficulties the coop eratives hung on and with the help and patience of creditors, restructured debt repayments and at one point even sold and leased back the plant. Today, in a power hungry market where entire cities in California have to endure rolling blackouts and consumers have seen the costa of their monthly electric bills steadily climb with no end in sight, the cooperatives that own the Bonanza Power plant have no doubt that they made the right decision to stick out the hard times and hold on to their interest in Bonanza. Over the past 8 years the capacity to generate power increased by 6 percent at a timewhen the population in the West was growing by 25 percent. The inability ofthe energy industry to meet the accelerating demands for power is attributed to environmental regulations that stopped construction of power plants in some states, and in 1996 in California that forced investor-owne-d utilities to lock into short-terpower purchase contracts and divest themselves of the plants they owned. The effects ofthe drought farther curtailed the ability to keep up with energy demands in a high tech world. We have struggled, severely struggled to keep the plant and Deseret alive over the last 15 years, but now we can say it was a good decision, said Moon Lake Electric Association General ManagerCEO Grant J. Earl. Bonanza offers us a great deal of stability in an uncertain market and that was our goal in build- - t . Seepages SEE MOON LAKE on page 8 . ' 1 . Cats nip Utes Seepage 12 As Utah Power & Light seeks a their retail power rates end other investor-- ' qwned utilities are seeing the cost retail power'rlse by U tauchls" Moon percent, member-owne- d Lake:, Electric Association has some' interesting facts to share with their consumers. 1$ percent increase in .There hasnt been a rate in- -! crease for Moon Lake Electric members since 1985. BOARD MEMBERS Richard Ross (left) and Shirl Rawlings were elected to serve on the Moon L ake Board of Directors. Ross is jerving his second term on the board, while Rawlings is a new board member replacing Lany Nielsen. Nielsen stepped down from the board after completing his fourth Retail power rates are 10 percent less today than they were ; in 1985. , , term. . i SPECIAL SESSION CALLED FOR THIS SUMMER ; Pros and cons of planned ATC legislation argued by educators By Lezlee E. Whiting A proposal to give applied technology centers in Utah "college status wul takes great deal of compromise if legislation supporting the change has a chance of being pawed by lawmakers. A special session of the State Legislature scheduled forthis summer to discuss a bill whose basic concept is to remove applied technology centers from governance of the State Board of Education and place it under the Board ofRegents. The move would give the states five stand-alon- e applied technology campuses including the Uintah Basin Applied Technology Center in Vernal and Roosevelt and five other ATCs affiliated with collegos-- the same stature as the other nine state colleges and universities. The debate over who should govern applied technology education in Utah hiis been going on for about 30 years now. Proponents of HB 34 like the idea that students who become certified at an ATC and then decide to continue their schooling and have their ATC academic credits accepted at a college or university. Duchesne schools get OK for early out At their April 5 meeting; the Duchesne County School Board approved a second request from administrators from Duchesne High and Duchesne Elementary for permission for an earty dismissal time on Fridays. The proposed plan includes longer school days Monday through Thurs-day,it- h school dismissingatl:15on Frid-ys- . The proposal was rejected at the March 8 school board meeting due toafailureofreceivingasecondtothe motion. At the April 5 meeting; some original concerns and questions the Board members had were satisfactorily answered. The Board then voted unanimously to approve the request for a trial period. The time changes went intoeffect April 17, and will continue for the rest of the school year. Duchesne administrators, who worked on the proposal for three months prior to their presentation to the Board, believe that this will be a positive change for students who attend school in Duchesne. Mostof the Gov. Mike Leavitt who has hailed the biiras one of the most remarkable changes in education in 33 years, still believes that a compromise can be reached and has no plans to forego the planned special session. Opponents worry that if higher education moves into the picture ATCs would turn into miniature universi- ties and lose their fbcua of helping people become trained in a technical or vocational skill. Public education officialsalso have qualms about funding for ATCs if the change is made sqyingthey see no guarantees of fand-ingi- n the bill for high school-ag- e students who pay no tuition, but comabout half of the enrollment of hi gh school's sporta events are on Fri- prise applied technology programs. days, explained Duchesne High prinAs discussion continues to heat up Stan With out an cipal Young. early to the planned special legislaon Friday, our athletes will not have to prior tive session, it's beginning to appear miss so many classes. as though the debate wont conclude Fred Arko, principal at Duchesne time soon as both public and also feels that the early any Elementary, education officials want to higher Friday dismissal will be a positive claim ownership of ATCs. A previous for school. "We change theelementaiy that would have given both are trying to reduce absences and early proposal a share in the governance was check-out- s on Fridays, said Arko. " camps abandoned. ' This has become quite a problem. In the last hours of the 2001 LegDuchesne Elementary has had as islative session, which concluded in check-outs on Frimany as 20 early February, the Senate spprovedHB34, days, which is about 7 percent oftheir the bill creating the Utah College of total enrollment. While Arko acknowlApplied Technology. However, memedges that some working parents are bers ofthe House dec! ined to push the concerned about what todo with their measure archildren on Friday afternoons, he still rival madethrough, saying its late it inadequately impossible believes that this change will benefit debate such an important change for the students. education. Because of its importance, The revised school schedule for the bill was sesDuchesne Elementary is 8:25a.m. to sion status. relegated to special 3:06 p.m. Monday through Thursday Since that time HB 34 has underand 8:25 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. on Fridays. hours of scrutiny and debate, gone The revised schedule for Duchesne with numerous revisions. It realong High is 8:20 a.m. to 3: 15 p.m. Monday cently prompted the state Board of 8:20 a.m. and to through Thursday 1:15 p.m. on Fridays. SEE HB 34 on page3 AIMED AT REDUCING ABSENCES By Therena Morrill ; Since 1984 Moon Lake Elec--; trie Association has refunded to. . . over $23 million to their members in capital credits. During that same time they rebated over $17 million to their members. During a restructuring in 1996 Moon Lake Electric the largest of the six cooperatives that make up Deseret Genera- ; . tion and Transmission agreed to guarantee A $16 million debt payoff. After four years, die debt owed by Moon Lake has been reduced to $6.8 million. Last year Moon Lake Electric made more interest on their investments than they paid on their debts. . Moon Lake Electric Board President Pat Lollar last week announced that members of the cooperative should not see a rise in power fates in the foreseeable future. The weather cooperated for the annual Easter Egg Hunt at Constitution Park giving young egg and candy seekers the chance to collect their goodies without getting wet. The Duchesne County Area Chamber of Commerce and area merchants donated prizes and goodies. EGG-ZACTL- ; ONE DISSENTING VOTE PowerFacts j The Union Cougars win their first Region 10 varsity soccer match ever in a 2-- 1 shootout over Uintah. 2001 . Council to seek funds for clubhouse By Aldon Rachele : Mirny In attendance wondered why the cost The Roosevelt City Council voted four to one to approve an application seeking 5500,000 in fandingfrom the Community Impact Board for construction of a new clubhouse at the golf course. Council-woma- n citys Beverty Hanson voted against the citys CIB grantloan application. A public hearing to discuss the proposal to approach the CIB to provide funding for a $600,000 clubhouse on the local golf course turned into a "Swimmers vs. "Golfers confrontation as well as concerns from 200 South pavementsupporters, last Tuesday evening at the Roosevelt city building. Roosevelt officials will request a $300,000 grant, $200,000 loan from the Impact Board. They anticipate receiving about $100,000 that would be committed from a local match with cosh and contributions. "The present clubhouse was built in 1973. We have a nice course, and need a new clubhouse because it is going to foil down before us soon, said was so high for the proposed club house at $600,000. 18-bo- le some ofthe other needs the city has. I oppose the project and I did from the beginning. I think we need to round out the communitys interest a little bit, commented Hansen. Newly hired Roosevelt golf pro, Dan Wilcox, stated that he and others are working hard to increase revenue. "Easton Corporation played 27 holes until it was dark. Some businesses in New York City are inter- ested (playingholding meetings). They told us, You have the best kept secret in the State of Utah, Wilcox said. AUnion High swim team member, Alexandria Hatch expressed a need for an indoor pool. Itis getting tiringgoing to Vernal to practice and then come home and do homework. We need an indoor pool. It would be a big help to a lot of people, she said. "Sometimes Im so tired that I want to go to bed during school. It would be big help to have a cover over the pool. Golf pro, Wilcox is also an and he said, Swimming is my first love. I was in the tub, water up my nose and I thought, 'Gee, I miss this. I want to get on a committee to get an indoor pool. We need to find someone to do it. Miss Hatch deserves a swimming pool. Alawna Eldredge supports swim- - in-ki- Roosevelt businessman Gordie Hannston. People play the course, but sproper clubhouse is one of the items that attracts golfers. "I believe some day our course will be in the black, said Mike Guinn, Roosevelt City councilman. "The clubhouse is the anchor of the golf course. Roosevelt citizens are going to Vernal to swim and attend conventions because Roosevelt doesnt have the facilities, said Hansen. "We have a beautiful golf course, but $600,000 is hard to come by. It's slot of monqyanditdoesnt come very often. I would rather see it put into SEE CLUBHOUSE on page 3 IRRIGATORS BREATHING A LITTLE EASIER Recent storms help water storage but don't solve the problem By Katie Hansen Iffarmers and ranchers The outlook for summer look at the April 9 Snow Survey and Water Supply update for the Uintah Basin, they wUl find that due to recent snow in the mountains, snow water content at more than halfofthe areas drainages are above the average. Not only are a good part of the 17 drainages measured now above average, snow pack increased from the April 2 snotel measurement at all the sites. The Natural Resource Conservation Service measures the water content of snow at the drainages in the Uintah Basin. Measurements are taken from "snow pillows at snotel sites every week. Readings are compared with a 30 year average and water measurements are taken from 30-ye- ar water supply looks much brighter, but there is still a ways to go. snow density rather than depth. Nick Lundstrum, Soil Conservationist with the NRCS said that as of April 9, the water content was better than average. Percentages on the latest snotel readings really bounced up, said Lundstrum. "Water content is better this week April 9 than it was last week April 2, he continued. Thanks to recent storms, Randy Crosier, manager of the Duchesne County Water Conservancy District said, The outjook for summer water supply looks much brighter, but there is still a ways to that the storms contribute to a good water supply, however, more storms are needed for a great summer water supply. It didnt solve the problem, concluded Crosier. Farmers may breath a little easier when they compare moet April 9, 2001 snotel readings with 2000 and 1999 readings. Most of Duchesne Countys prominent drainages including. Brown Duck and Five Point lake were above average accordingon the latest water supply update. Brown Duck was above average at 113 percent. There were 22.1 inches of water content measured in recent snow at the Brown Duck drainage. Brown Duck's current status is higher SEE WATER on page 3 |