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Show C0 0b 0 UTAH 0 PR p pu have to agree with people defend them from injustice? SS 200 ASS0C1A1 ION :J07 W. s. rjUITP 400fJ SALT LAKE Cl TV, UT F. Lillian Heilman Uintah Basin 500 Recreation plans Tuesday The idea of a recreation center in Roosevelt has August 28, 2001 always received plenty of positive feedback although little action has been taken in securing the actual amenity, until now. If you're interested in helping out with plans, you're needed! See page 2 Roosevelt, Utah Vol. www.ubsiandard.com WORK RELEASE RAISES CONCERNS Government agencies in need of labor turn to inmates sentence DUI A Fort Duchesne, Uintah County man willservea term in a federal ten-mon- th as his penitentiary punishment for a drunk By I,ezlee E. Whiling driving accident that claimed the life of a friend. Seepage men willing to work outdoors in all kinds of weather doing all types of labor for 25 to 60 cents an hour. And it's perfectly legal. It's the inmate workrelease program and it's utilized throughout Utah. In Duchesne County, inmates serving time in county jails and state prisons and who have a proven record of good behavior are released from their cells during the day to do everything from cleaning up roadways, fighting fires, cutting down weeds, setting up for county fairs, building handicap d&ck ramps at Stillwater, picking up litter at the UBIC and ins tailing playAL.'j-hodie- school This family of 14 moved to Roosevelt to escape the hectic pace of city life. Seven of their 12 children will be the new kids at school this year. Vfhiie they probably have some apprehension, the Eddington studentsseem to be prepared. schools. 13 School classes resumed in SUMMER WENT BY TOO QUICKLY! Duchesne County on Monday, Aug. 27. Students of all ages donned their new school clothes and backpacks to start the 200 1 - 2002 school year. mid-90- s. Temperatures for the first week of school are forecast to be in the Pictured is a mother walking her youngster to school at East Elementary. County Fair. 18 WILL AID LAW ENFORCEMENT Ballard Council ok's boundary change Net battle 3-- A Counties, cities, schools, andother public organizations are the beneficiaries of their work . At the same time, no tax dollars are spent to pay the inmates. Toqualify for workrelease inmates must tow the line inside the jail and be for bad behavior. free of write-up- s They must also be close to their release date. Just one misstep and they know their work release privilege is pulled, explained Duchesne County Sheriff Ralph Stansfleld. But that still doesnt mean that incitizens who see the orange-cla- d mates working in cities and unincornon-prof- Look throughout the Standard for fun photos taken atthisyear's Duchesne Union High edges Aftamontin two games at d ground equipment at elementary Fair memories Seepage i a deal that you just cant beat. I 10 The new kids in Seepage 83, Number 35 it porated areas around Duchesne County don't have some qualms about the arrangement. Two weeks ago, the Duchesne CountySherifl" s Department received citizen complaints when convicted child sex abuser Richard Fisco was allowed out on work release to help landscape the grounds around the new Utah State University Uintah Basin campus. As a result, Fisco was pulled from the crew. At the same time, an inmate who e preferred to work without his orange shirt, was removed from the project for failing to follow the rules. Inmates must wear their orange jail clothing at all times while jail-issu- We try to minimize it, if we have places to eat. They arent allowed to mingle with anyone." While inmates on the work crews are sorted out by good behuvior and the time remainingon their sentences, with the exception of violent offenders, the type of crime that sent them to jail or prison doesn't weigh heavily, said Stansfield. Inmate work crews consist of men doing time for crimes that include everyth i ng from chi Id sex abuse to forgeiy and drug possession. USUUintah Busin brunch campus building superintendent Kevin w complaints we pull them off the job." out in public. Some (citizens) like it (work release) and some dont. We tty to minimize it, if we have complaints we pull them off the job," said Stansfield, adding that anyone who has concerns with an inmate work crew is welcome to contact the sheriff's office. Citizens have also voiced concerns that inmates working outdoors are without supervision. Stansfield acknowledges that inmates on work release arent accompanied by a law enforcement officer, but said they are supervised by representatives of the agency they are working for. In addition, jailers make periodic checks on them during the day. The supervisor should be within sight of them. If they want to go rest in the shade, or change to a new task, they have to get permission from the supervisor," said Stansfield. "They packasacklunchand cant go to public Ercuiibrack has had the responsibility of supervising the inmates planting trees and doing landscaping around the campus grounds over the past few weeks. He said he watches the crew carefully and takes u head count every hou r, at the same ti me he notes that their help is invuluuhle. We couldnt have done it without them. The inmates doing t he work on the college grounds receive 40 cents an hour, that's a little more t ban they are normally paid. Dcpendingon the type of work required, inmates earn between 25 cents to 50 cents an hour. The most they could receive for a single day's work would lie $4. Their pay comes from money general ed from collect calls inmates make to families and friends from the jail. "Wegetapercentageofihat phone call from the phone company, Stansfield explained. The law states that any money generated by the in- mates has to be used on t lie inmates. So for a $ 1 0 call home, we get $3 back and pay them to do work. They use SEE INMATES oil page 3 A AHamont, ..... . Seepage DEC. 10-1- 16 By LezleeE. Whiting The Ballard Town Council last week unanimously approved a plan to move the boundary at Union Hii and the Uintah Basin Applied Technology 1 Attorneys involved in the capital homicide case of Vernal resident Lee Roy Wood have scheduled a preliminary hearing for Dec. 10 -- 11 in 8A District Court in Vernal. Judge Lynn Payne has been assigned the case. Woodischargedin the July 6 shooting death of Roosevelt Police Chief Cecil Gurr at the Maverikconvenience store in Ballard. He is also charged with two counts of attempted crimie nal homicide, felony age gravated assault, felony aggravated kidnaping and possession or use of a dangerous weapon. He remains in the Uintah County jail where he is being held without bail in solitary confinement. A hear adjustment is something that is needed,.... Were basically begging Roosevelt city and Ballard to help us out here. Preliminary hearing set in homicide case By Lezlee E. Whiting The boundary ing is slated for Sept. 11 to formally appoint counsel for Wood, who has been declared indigent by the court. The Uintah County Commission has retained the services of Salt Lake attorneys Edward Brass and Walter F. Bugden to represent Wood on the charges. If he is convicted on the capital homicide charge, Wood could face a possible death sentence. Investigators allege that Wood was abusing his female companion when Gurr responded to the report of a domestic dispute at the convenience store just over, the Duchesne County line. When police arrived on the scene, prosecutors contend that Wood began firing shots. One of the bullets struck Gurr in the head, killing him instantly. Center to give Roosevelt law enforcement jurisdiction over both schools, but not without some hesitation. A handful of Ballard residents had voiced opposition to the boundary adjustment at the schools, fearing the move would cloud Ballards water and sewer rights in the affected area. Thu boundary adjustment agreement will be written to clarify that Ballard will retain ownership of water and sewer lines on the school property and create a workable agreement on road maintenance. In addition to throughout both campuses, Roosevelt has also agreed to take over road maintenance on the Uintah County side of both campuses. Because the boundary line dividing Duchesne and Uintah counties runs through the two schools, the Uintah County Sheriff's office has jurisdiction over a portion of the campuses as well. Due to the distance involved, Uintah Counlysheriffdepu-tie- s were not always able to respond to METH problems within their jurisdiction in a timely manner. Ballard does not have their own police department. Duchesne County School District and UBATC officials asked Roosevelt to accept the added law enforcement responsibility if Ballard would agree red-hand- ed to the boundary adjustment. The boundary adjustmen t docs not change the Uintah and Duchesne county boundary line. El Lezlee By Whiting ing $20,000 bond. Cobos also posted Ballard Mayor Vaughn Parrish his M3, 700 bond last week and was questioned why the law enforcement Two California men were arrested released. issues couldn't be solved through a The pair was arrested just outside written Monday night, Aug. 21, in Ballard agreement, such as cross after they allegedly delivered over a of their west Uintah County motel depulization. room the of made to following drug buy by pound methamphetamine Uintah County Deputy Attorney Uintah Basin Narcotics Strike Force a police informant. Glen Vernon explained that prior atagents working undercover. The crys"They came here specifically for at cross deputize tion failed. tal methamphetamine has a street the drop ofT, said Roosevelt Police tempts There are other legal means to advalue of over $55,000. It is the largest Chief and Strike Force member Steve dress the law enforcement issue, he meth bust ever made in the Uintah Hooley. "They counted out the money said, hut it's unknown how successful Versaid Force Director made Strike sure and it was Basin, there, weighed would be. nal Police Sgt. Cary Park. out the meth to make sure it was all theyThe boundary change does not Investigators allege that Arturo there. They completed the a hole have anything to do with taxes, said transaction." Martinez, Jr., 25, and Jody Hernandez Vernon, explai ning that neither school Martinez and Cobos were arrested carries a tax base. Cobos, 29, both of San Bernardino, "Ive heard from Calif, and their California connections without incident as they left the mosome that this is a kind ofa foot in the were a mayor source ofmethamphet-amin- e tel room to go to another room. door for Roosevelt, but they aren't in the Uintah Basin for the past Following their arrests, search pushing for this. Roosevelt is incurwarrants were issued on the two ve- ring more year and responsibility for police e Cobos is charged with hicles the men were driving. A search and roads. This is not a true annexsecond-degree warrant was also executed at a Davis ation. felony distribution of meth, County motel room where the susfelony possession of meth. secUintah County sheriff's deputies ond degree-felonuse of meth, and pects hid been earlier in the day. will continue to respond to crimes class A misdemeanor possession of Law enforcement agents in Son reported off campus on the Uintah marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Bernardino were also notified. They County line near the schools. e Martinez was charged with obtained search warrants for Questions over where Native Martinez's residence where they re- Aincriran felony distribution of methamstudents will he prosecuted phetamine. Both men had prior crimiportedly discovered a pound and were also addressed duringthe second nal records. They were booked into of methamphetamine. Mart inez, Ballard Town public hearing on the the Uintah County jail. Mart inez was 3 SEE BUST METH on t SEE released he following day after post BOUXDARYmi page 3 page first-degre- first-degre- BUST $55,000 Agents catch alleged dealers first-degre- y first-degre- lf LABOR INTENSIVE PROJECT Utah State University officials said the enormous task of landscaping the Uintah Basin campus grounds couldn't have been donewithout the help of Duchesne County jail inmates Thcv w ill spend about three weeks working on the project. Concerns have been raised regarding the supervision ofinmates on work release. SENTENCED TO 5 YEARS TO LIFE Prison parolee convicted of operating meth lab in Cedarview By Therena Morrill The prosecution was also able to show that, contrary to Mechams testimony, the location of the meth lab was Darwin Mechams current residence. Two guilty verdicts were ret urnvd in 8th District Court in Duchesne against a man who had been arrested when authorities discovered a methMecham was arrested Oct . 2. 2000, amphetamine cook lab on property where he was living in Cedarview. by Uintah Basin Narcotics Strike trial, Darwin Force agents who had been called to Following a two-da- y e Mecham, 39, was convicted of investigate suspicious activity. They discovered the lab, and Mecham, who felony possession of a clandeswas allegedly hiding out with a tine methamphetamine lab and abfemale The girl sconding from parole, a third-degre- e felony. The three woman, five man was taken into protective custody and jury deliberated for three hours be- Mecham was returned to the Utah fore handing down their verdicts just State Prison for parole violations, where he has remained unt il his trial after 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 22. Mechams defense centered Immediately after the guilty veraround hisassertion that the meth lab dicts were returned Mecham was se n tenced to one year prison t erin for wasnt his. He maintained that he was t he r parole violation and one just staying at the Cedarview propto life term on the meth lab charge. erty while he was repairing! he roofon Judge Lynn Paine ordered the two the trailer that was located on the sentences be served concurrently. property. The meth lah was located m a garage shed cn I he property near the They will not begin unul he comsentence he is trailer, hut Mecham stated that he pletes the currently servingfor parole violation. w a.- not involved wit h t he drug manuMecham has been in and out of prison facturing activities. numerous times. Acrorduigtothe proven:! ion testi first-degre- run-awa- . 0-- 5 five-yea- -, mony of Roosevelt Police Chief St eve Hooley, the defendant voluntarily showed t he met h lah t o na ro it k offic era. Darwin Mecham offered to ojvii the garage doors There wav a strong odor of chemieals when he did. He showed us the barrels of t lie "w hite" the methamphetaiume product that had been separated and ready to cook! and rubber hoses and the glass uptuhe." said Hooley Hnolev said Mecham told officers that ineth cooks were e.ji-c!eto arrive that night tni'oinpIrfiMhomok. A signal had been predetermined. . the light hnih in the garage wav to be left on and !iediorscl ived m order for the cooks to enter. Officers arrested llichard lolter, Roosevelt. and Kieh.ird Mech.im. Yer- 1 tFE CONVICTION mi paged |