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Show immrm Page 2 A.iynvl i 7X .111)1 OPINION Uintah Basin Standard In Praise of Good Decisions We oitcn use our editorials to call attention to problems or concerns that need to be addressed within the community. We also use this space to prai se and poi nt out good tni ngs that are happening as well, which brings us to two recent decisions that the Standard believes should be commended. liarlier this month, 8lh DistrictCourt Judge Lynn Payne ignored a recommendation by Duchesne County Attorney I lerb ( ii llcspiethat an admitted child sex abuser he spared from prison. Judges are not bound to follow any recommendations, but often do decide on the appropriate sentence based on input from the prosecutor. In this case, however, the judge ordered a -- 5 year prison term for the man who was charged with moleslinghis daughter over a period. Furthermore, the man to was ordered report to prison immediately. The young victim and the public were justly served I .ast week a decision by the Ballard Town Council gave peace ol mind not only to administrators at I Jnion igh, Uintah Basin Appl icd 1 1 ar Technology Center and the Duchesne County School District, but to parcntsof school children as well, when they approved a proposed boundary change that gives Roosevelt Police law enforcement j urisdiction throughout the two schools. The boundary adj ustment was controversial issue for the town council because of concerns the change would impact sewer and water and possiblyother territorial issues. When council members received input from school administrators and lawenforccmcnttheirvote in favorofthe boundary adjustment wasalsoa vote in favorofsafer schools. We also commend Roosevelt city and police for their willingness to take on added responsibility, not only in terms oflawenforce-meat the schools, but with the additional road maintenance and repair involved in the boundnt ary move. When we work together and do things that are unprecedented we move from outside the box and find solutions. 1 1 Put Your Good Intentions Into Action We've seen grassroots efforts to bring new and improved recreation opportunities to Roosevelt and Duchesne County come and go over the years. The newly formed Uintah Basin Recreation Comm ittec says they are going to make a di ffcrcnce and we believe they will. But only if theirpleas forcitizcn assistance and support are realized. Toooften we fall intothcI.ittlc Red Hen1 syndrome, wherccvcryone is more than willing to enjoy the fruits of the labor, but few are wi ing to lend a hand to make the plan become a reality. Now everyone who has ever complained that them is nothing to do here" has the opportunity to join a group ofdcdicated volunteers and make a d i ITcrcnce by planni ng, and finding funding for a recreation to serve Duchesne and west Uintah center counties. lire comm ittec i s currently looking at 11 pro-moti- con-ducti- ng ng a recreation needs feasibility study. 'Hieyarcalsostudyingthcpossibilityofforming a county-wid- e recreation district to fund and maintain a recreation center. The public must recognize they will be called on to support a . I EDITOR'S VOTE: The Uintah Basin Standard welcomes and enumrages Ofitnion from readers in the farm of letters to the editor. Letters may to express opinions or comments, to highlight outstanding service of an individual or organization, or any other worthwhile pur tine. Letters may not he used to replace ( 'unis of Thanks, or to list sponsors, ftarlicifiants or contributors to a Hirlicular event or purmse LliTIJtR?! MUST CONTAIN 400 WORDS OK typed Lj:ss. hi: : or wriitex i.ExuRi siaxED. axd ixcu ni: NAME. ADDRESS AXI PHOXE NUMBER OF THE AUTHOR l.etieis will he published unless the) . onuun libelous or delamaton sratcmcnis Hi1 reserve the right to edit letters and to withhold a name bv retnesi if the nan, re of the letter is motive I diets mav he submitted to the StanJaid olli, r at Jrt.V S. 200 E.. Roosevelt. I tali. SliMitib the tnormnits published deadline S tn All It Thursdays at pm) become property of the I intih Standard Patients' of Rights tiers II, ism Bill Dear Editor, of hit ter debates After six over patient s right s t he House and the Senate liuve produced hills that seem very similar, hut I hi; hig difference is in the fight of tin uiicnnst damage cap. The bigger message- - the message tiial hits every injured person's family- - is that where there are damage caps, it is impossible for people like you. John and Jane Citizen" to gain fair compensation for wrongdoing, even grievom injuries and deaths caused by UMOV Ifwe have a pat tent's lull nfrigiits, why not cap damages to keep the juries from piing hog w ild'. This is the argument we are hearing in favor of cappingda mages. The answer is simple, in every case where the verdict i excessive; the insurance company has the right to seek a decrease in the verdict. The insurance company also has the rigiit of appeal ton tughercourl in the event The the verdict is not decrea.-i'- d raj's then benimc rr ievai.l only in those mo.- -t egregious cases where new Recreation Center Committee calls for county resident support A recreation district, if it is formed, in the form of tax dollars. If you can't find the time to support the recreation committee through volunteer efforts then it could very well be up to you to support it in terms of passing a referendum vote that must be held prior to the formation of the recreation district. Support from throughout the county is welcomed and encouraged by the committee, w hich meets monthly. Roosevelt has acquired land near Constitution Park that could be used as a building site. Duchesne and Uintah counties and the Ute Indian Tribe could also be called onto helpcontribute insomeform so that a recreation center could become a real ity . With the expansion of several businesses, our community has grown enough to support a recreation center which would host numerous amenities. Now is the time for citizens, government and business to answer the call and charge ahead with a commitment to see a rccrcationcentcr built for Duchesne and western Uintah counties! insurance companies have acted so horrible that a multimillion-dolla- r verdict will be allowed to stand. A patient bill of rights, to be worthy of its name, should give patients and their families new rights and new protections. For the House to instead pass a Patient's Bill of Rights that limits rights and remedies would be the crudest kind of hoax of American families. So after all these years of debate tnn Congress, where lawmakers agree Hint the federal government should set comprehensive standards for health insurance, the fight over patients' rights has come down to two issues. One, the right to sue insurers for death or injuries caused by the delay or denial ofcare ( with cups for damages). And two, whether a patient should be able to sue a health maintenance organization in state court , federal court or both. HMO's oppose any expansion of their legal liability, but if forced torhoose, they prefer federal court because they believe that large jury verdicts are less likely there. Comprehensive managed care reform must include full remedies for those who are callously denied medical care. Protect patients, nut profits. Juriescan handle decisions, as of last week researchers reported that juries tend to award punitive damages about as often as do judges and in similar amounts. Juries do not award millions of dollars for trivial things! Gustin of the Utah Highway Patrol. We were overwhelmed by the com- passionate help ofJohn and Korrine Hullinger. Only they know all that tfiey have done for us, words cannot express our gratitude to them. We are gratefiil to Ed Sekakaku and others of the BIA for immediately getting our son Merritt home from a fire in Idaho. Wethanktlie BIA crew for their thoughtfulness to Scotty. Thanks also to the many young adults in the area who befriended Scotty and inspired him by their examples ( too numerous to mention by name, but you know who you are.) Special gratitude to Brother Madsen of the LDS Institute, who touched Scottys heart and helped him draw closer to Our Heavenly Father during what would be his last days on this earth. Once again, thank you to all the good people of the Uintah Basin for your kind wordsand deeds. It is truly an honor to live amongyou. Sincerely, Velinda Mitchell, on behalf of the Scott, Mark and Hal Mitchell families Roosevelt city recently By Katie Hansen The idea of a recreation center in Roosevelt has always received plenty of positive feedback although little action has boon taken in securingthe actual amenity, until now. We are putting together a game plan, remarked Dan Wilcox, who heads the newly formed Uintah Basin Recreation Center Committee. The committee, which is still very few in numbers, has been meeting once a month since June to plot a course ofact ion. In the past groups have been formed to bolster a recreation center, only to fizzle out. Committee member Jean Liddell noted that this committee, though small, is devoted to rtheir cause. Support from those outside the Roosevelt area is welcomed and encouraged by the committee, which would like to see a great deal of county involvement in their venture. The committee is currently looking at conducting a recreation needs feasibility Btudy among Roosevelt area residents, the committee is also studying the possibility of forming a recreation district to county-wid- e fund and maintain a recreation cen- ter. A professionally conducted feasibility study will determine if the area could support a recreation center, noted Wilcox, addingthat a study could also determine applicable size and fees for the center. Liddell noted that the committee will be looking for business support throughout the county, bu t not in the form of financial aid. Rather, they would like commitments from large area employers to support the recreation center by urging employees to regularly use the facility fay offering incentives, such as discounted passes. Perhaps the most realistic funding proposal for a recreation center is to create a recreation district which means extra taxes for county residents. EstabliBhinga recreation district mandates support from county who would have to vote residents in favor of a district, in a referendum vote, before it could be formed as a taxing entity. In 1998 a proposal to enact a local sales and use tax of 110 of one percent to fund recreational facilities and cultural organizations was voted down by county residents possibly due to concern over the location ofthe museum which the extra tax was requested for. Common ground is an issue which will have to be dealt with'.ltis likely that a recreation center, no matter where it is located, will serve many county residents. Roosevelt city recently made a sizeable investment in 25 acres south of Constitution Park, as the possible future site of a recreation center, noted City Administrator Brad Hancock. He explained that the land was purchased for park expansion and recreation needs. Even if a recreation center is not built on the land, the park will continue to expand.' Roosevelt City Council members agreed that some of that land could be used for a recreation center, however, they all felt that the county should be involved in the venture. Hancock concurred, noting that a recreation center is a bigproject which would benefit a great deal of people outside of Roosevelts boundaries. He feels that a joint effort from Ballard Town, Roosevelt City, Duchesne County, the Ute Indian Tribe and Uintah County could make a recreation center a reality. If everybody would pull together we could have a nice recreation center that would serve young and old alike. The recreation committee will meet again onSept. 12at6p.m.inthe Roosevelt council chambers. Anyone who is interested is welcome to gas prices result of greed High Dear Editor, In regard to growing gas pricing (or gouging) in the Basin, whether they meet once a week to set prices, or just check the prices at the station down the road and then match it, it is still price fixing. There are two reasons why they keep the prices so high in the Basin. 1- They can. 2- - Greed. With this attitude of some of our own business men, no wonder some residents shop out of town. MontLarsen EVIDENCE The Uintah Basin Narcotics Strike Force stopped a substantial amount of methamphetamine from making its way into the area last week. They confiscated a pound of the aggressively addictive drug in the largest meth bust here to date. Th Uintah Basin Standard Inc. Periodical postage paid at Roosevelt and Duchesne. Utah (USPS 646-00Published ueckly at 268 S 200 Roosevelt, Utah 84066-310- 9 POSTM ASTEk: Send address changes to the Uintah Basin Standard at 268 S 200 C.. Rooscxclt. Utah 84066-310- 9 OFFICE HOURS: 8.00 a m. to I 00 p m Monday. 9 00 a m to S 00 pm. Tuesday thru Friday 3 . I Phone 43 Fax 722-- 4 40 DEADLINES: For all News, legal Notices. Classifieds & Advertising, the Deadline is Thuisdas al S p m PI B1.ISIIKK: C raig Ashhy EDITOR: Lelee E. Whiling ADYFR1 ISING: Roger Rasmussen OFFICE MAN GER: Bonnie Parrish LaReo Miller Utah Citizen Alliance Executive Director i Formerly from Roosevelt PRODUCTION': Kindness shown went above and beyond the call of duty Writers: Aldon Radicle. Katie Nelson. Therena Morrill, Lacy Morrill Production: Colelle Ashhy. Andrea Harper. Amanda Jenkins. Ben Ashbv and Doris Bertoch CORRESPONDENTS: 8. RtXJSLVLI.T - Teresa Hamiston ALTAMONT - ; BLUEBELL - Shana Lee Lneitschcr 454-.W7HANNA - Tracy Roberts 84X-54ILAPOINT Marlene McClure 247-237MONTWEl.L - Nola Nelson 3534544. MYTON TRIDI-'LL- ; NEOLA - Mondi Tax lot 353-- 4 753. WHITEROCKS DI'CHFSN'E . ' Dear Editor, I observed and was touched by the great outpoeringofiovehy this community lit he passing of Cecil Gurr, who served the community for over 20 years. Yet I was still amazed by a similar out pouring of love and support at the recent passing of our nephew, Scotty V.irchell. e have lived in t lie area for only seven years, and Scotty was just here for the summer. But h Hal and Mark MiWl.cll's families have been deluged wi'h love, concern, cards and fi. wers. offers to help bring fmid. tjrv; lianhfi;! fur kind:. e? above and beyond the cali of duty of Merv madea size- able investment in 25 acres south of Constitution Park. The land could be used as the site ofa recreation center. OnnJa Ciee ' 4 Subscription Rates: Clip ami Send to: Uintah Basin Standard In the Uintah Basin Yr.S24- -2 Yr.SJ7 Out of the Uintah Basin 1 Yr. S36 2 Yr. S56 1 268 S. 200 E. Roosevelt, Utah 84066-310- - 9 Na.'iic Address City "What do you mean chickenscan,tfly?,, . Ca.'n or i k nr! 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