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Show The Ogden Valley news Your Community Newspaper March 1, 2008 PRSRT STD POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 11 EDEN UT POSTAL PATRON EDEN-LIBERTY-84310 HUNTSVILLE-84317 OGDEN CANYON- 84401 HCR 843AO Weber Pathways to Host Tom Till at Fundraising Dinner Weber Pathways is excited to be hosting Tom Till, one of America’s most published photographers, at our fifth annual fundraising dinner, which will be held Friday, February 29, 2008 at the David Eccles Conference Center in Ogden. Till’s work has appeared in Time, Life, National Geographic, Smithsonian, The New Yorker, and countless other publications. A contributor to hundreds of books, Till has been the sole photographer for over 30, including his latest Utah: The Light Fantastic. Weber Pathways is a non-profit organization dedicated to hiking trails, mountain biking trails, and pathways for horseback riders, cross-country skiers, snow-shoers, and other non-motorized trail users. Their mission is to promote, plan, and preserve a network of non-motorized public pathways and related open spaces throughout Weber County. For ticket information, and/or for trail listings and descriptions, information on trail projects, and maps of hiking and mountain biking trails in Weber County, visit <www. Jim Halay protests move by Powder Mountain owners to include Eden residents in incorporation boundary. About 40 protestors weberpathways.org> You can also contact braved freezing weather on February 15 and again on February 18. See more photos on pages 3, 15, and 17 courtesy of Jim Halay, them by calling 801-393-2304, or by email at <wp@weberpathways.org> Dennis Maher, and Larry Zini of Ogden Valley. Ogden Valley Residents Express Local Exile Ski and Snowboard Team Big in Jackson Hole Competition Outrage—New bill might not help those Wins The Exile Ski and Snowboard Team bers traveled to the Jackson Hole event who don’t want a Powder Mountain town By Kristen Moulton The Salt Lake Tribune A House committee Thursday endorsed a makeover of the law that guides town incorporations. But lawmakers turned a deaf ear to Ogden Valley residents who want the new law to block Powder Mountain’s incorporation. The bill, HB164, proposed by Rep. Melvin Brown, R-Coalville, would replace HB466, passed with little discussion at the end of the 2007 legislation, a measure one representative—Kerry Gibson, R-Ogden—acknowledged Thursday was a “major screw-up.” The new measure, Brown said, would protect property rights and the right to selfdetermination while preventing homeowners from being railroaded into a new town. Incorporation would happen only if a majority of residents wants it. But he spoke against making the new rules apply to pending incorporation petitions. Powder Mountain’s new owners—who want to build luxury homes, golf courses and hotels—filed their petition in January, not long after Weber County’s Planning Commission attached strong strings to its endorsement. The town’s boundaries include residents who don’t want to live in Powder Mountain Town. “I suppose I echo the sentiments of the speaker [Rep. Greg Curtis, R-Sandy], who says the law is what it is and we can’t change the rules in the middle of the ballgame,” Brown said. Weber County Clerk-Auditor Alan McEwan said Powder Mountain’s petition appears to meet all the requirements of the 2007 law. The county received confirmation Thursday from the state’s population committee that enough people—about 160—would live within the boundaries of the new Powder Mountain town. Two Eden residents whose homes are in the future town begged the House Political Subdivisions Committee to make the new law apply to Powder Mountain. “We’re stuck hanging in the wind here,” Jim Halay said. “We’ve got 100 citizens who are dragged into this process and we have no rights— no rights to vote whether we want to be part of the town, no rights to elect our own representatives.” Darla Longhurst-VanZeben said the new measure violates civil rights. “We have no right to elect our leadership and yet that leadership can tax us and that’s wrong.” Under the 2007 law, the petitioner— Powder Mountain’s owners—propose the town’s first mayor and council, and the County Commission approves the list. Residents vote only after a couple of years. HB164 Endorsed by the House Political Subdivision Committee, it lays out a new process for incorporating a town. Among the key provisions: • Incorporation sponsors cannot own more than 40 percent of the town's land. • A majority of residents must sign a petition. • A public hearing must precede a petition. • A similar bill, SB25, is being amended and could go to the committee next week. What’s Next? The House bill goes before the full House; the Senate bill still must go before a committee. Meanwhile, the Weber County Commission likely will put the petition on its March 4 agenda. competed in the Intermountain Region bringing home eight medals. There were Division of the USASA (United States of more than 75 competitors from throughAmerica Snowboard Association) at the out the west, including Utah, Idaho, and Jackson Hole Wyoming. Each Ski Resort in contestant was Teton Village, allowed two Wyoming runs, with the on January best or highest 19 through points of the two January 21. runs counted. These talented On the first athletes arrived day in Jackson home with Hole, the temmany medals perature was to their credit. 15 degrees and The Exile it was snowteam has strong ing. Despite Ogden Valley the weather, ties that keep the team stayed them on the focused on their Katey Turner of Huntsville. winning podigoals and gave um at the end of every competition. it their all. After a late start to the circuit this Because the team had not had the season due to cancellations caused by too opportunity to practice in a half pipe this much snow, nine of the fifteen team mem- SKI COMPETITION cont. on page 13 Snowbasin to Host XTERRA Winter World Championship The world-renowned XTERRA lifestyle is taking its show to the snow with the inaugural XTERRA Winter World Championship March 7 through March 9. It’s a three-day, multi-event sports extravaganza at the site of the 2002 Olympic downhill competitions at Snowbasin Resort. The main event, the XTERRA Winter World Championship, kmoulton@sltrib.com is a first-of-its-kind, Note: This article was first printed by The Salt Lake Tribune on February 22, 2008, uniquely XTERRA and is being reprinted by permission. multi-sport race combining the four disciplines of ski mountaineering, mountain biking, running, and snowshoeing. The race is open to both professional and amateur competitors. “The XTERRA Winter Championship is another example of how we are using sports to help build the state’s image and economy,” said Jeff Robbins, president and CEO of the Utah Sports Commission, which helped to bring the event to Utah. Event organizer TEAM Unlimited will produce a half-hour TV show highlighting the XTERRA Winter World Championship festival for distribution to ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, major cable stations, and resort networks throughout the country via national syndication. “The XTERRA Winter World Championship and accompanying sports Wolf Mountain’s annual torchlight parade was a part of a President’s Day weekend festival is destined to become a major wincelebration. More than 80 skiers and snowboarders came together to follow each other ter attraction for Northern Utah,” said Tom down the mountain while holding a torch in each hand. This event was enjoyed by resi- Kiely, CEO of TEAM Unlimited. “The dents from all over the Valley as well as the participants, and by guests of the Wilkersons events are designed to be unique, fun, and Fine Art Show being held at Pineview Lodge in Eden. Photo courtesy of Bill Singleton. challenging. The locations at Snowbasin and Ogden are perfect—not only because of their beauty, Olympic legacy, and great facilities, but also because the communities are so great to work with.” The XTERRA Winter World Championship is presented by the Utah Sports Commission, Greater Ogden Athletic Legacy Foundation, Snowbasin, Paul Mitchell, and XTERRA Gear. “The GOAL Foundation volunteers and sponsors are thrilled to support XTERRA’s selection of our community for this major world winter sporting event. Weber County offers the perfect venue; from the breathtaking views and physically challenging terrain to the party in downtown Ogden, we are ready to welcome the world,” said Kym Buttschardt, President of the Greater Ogden Athletic Legacy Board of Directors. “The vision and partnership of the Utah Sports Commission, Team Unlimited, and Snowbasin guarantees a successful event for our community and one that will round out our foundation’s year of activities.” Snowbasin, a Sun Valley Resort, is well known as the home of the breathtaking and technically intimidating men’s and women’s downhill, super G and combined competitions for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. Located in the spectacular Wasatch-Cache National Forest only 43 XTERRA cont. on page 8 |