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Show The Ogden Valley news January 1, 2011 PRSRT STD POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 11 EDEN UT POSTAL PATRON EDEN-LIBERTY-84310 HUNTSVILLE-84317 OGDEN CANYON- 84401 HCR 843AO Your Community Newspaper Ogden’s Winterfest Returns The snow will fly when Ogden City hosts the second annual Winterfest, January 28 and 29, 2011. The city will close major downtown streets, cover them with snow, and create the ultimate winter playground. The Winterfest organizing committee invites all to come and enjoy a variety of activities this year. Businesses are encouraged to participate by sponsoring the community activities. “Winterfest is unlike any festival in Utah with one-of-a-kind snow activities that are accessible to everyone,” said Kevin Ireland, Winterfest event coordinator. “Last year’s celebration attracted more than 5,000 people.” The celebration where “Cold is Cool” boasts traditional and unconventional snow activities for all ages. Most events are free. Events will begin on Friday afternoon with a ceremonial street closing on Washington Boulevard followed by a toboggan parade. Activities and contests will be held all day on Saturday. The community is encouraged to sign up early and recruit family, friends and co-workers to participate in the many free activities and contests. New activities this year include scoop shovel races, flag football, cross-country skiing races, snowshoe races, snow cycling and a kid’s snow play area. The community can join in the fun by participating in the pancake breakfast, 5K, snowboarding and skiing railjams, polar bear swim, dog costume contest, snowmobile street drag races, human dog sled races, winter sports demos, snowball dance and WINTERFEST cont. on page 2 Ogden Valley Chordettes at the Hearthside in Eden. Photo by Mandie Wood Harris. Ogden Valley Chordettes Offer Another Stellar Performance This year’s Ogden Valley Chordettes and their accompanying musicians enchanted their audiences with their lovely voices and music on December 12 and 13 at the Hearthside in Eden. Those attending were also invited to sing along on a few numbers. The 2010 choir was directed by Brenda Murray and accompanied by Joyce Montgomery. The program was narrated by David Knowles. Choir members included Becca Nielson, Betty Wilcox, Carolyn Jacklin, Colleen Wilson, Debra Morris, Hollie Thompson, Holly Shaw, Jennifer Hilburn, Jessica Morris, Kay Kilgore, Laura Guthrie, Lisa Pantone, Mandie Wood Harris, Mekaila Hilburn, Sharon Moss, Starr Lewis, Stephanie Murray, Tessa Bailey, Tia Shaw, and Toni Fielding. Special Musical Guests included Taylor Robins - cello soloist; David Knowles – trombone; Dean Pace – tuba; Kurt Hallin – trumpet; Larry Carr – trombone; Randy Green – Trumpet; and Ron Watkins - trombone, French horn, and trumpet. The Ogden Valley Chordettes is a women’s volunteer singing group that has been offering free Christmas concerts in Ogden Valley since 1982. Hosted in recent years at the Hearthside near Eden Park, the setting is perfect for audience members who are treated to an array of medleys that brings the spirit of Christmas to all who attend. The first performance was held December 20, 1982. Cease-and-Desist Letters Fail to Stop Work on Eyesore in Ogden Canyon By Shanna Francis Have you been wondering about the recently constructed eyesore in beautiful Ogden Canyon? According to Weber County Code Enforcement Officer Iris Hennon, the Peery Family Foundation hired a contractor to erect the wall. The wall was built without the required permits from the Weber County Planning Office. According to Hennon, two “cease-and-desist letters” were delivered—one to the contractor, and the other to the Peery Family Foundation; the first letter went to the contractor on December 7 and the second on December 14 to representatives of the Peery Family Foundation who live across the river behind the newly constructed wall. The letters failed to stop the work on the fence, which has almost been completed—despite the ceaseand-desist orders. The wall is constructed of about 45 cement slabs, each about 12 feet long by 8 feet high in size. According to Hennon, any fence over 6 feet high requires a Land Use Permit and a Building Permit from the county’s planning office. The permits ensure that structures meet appropriate land use ordinances, such as set back requirements, height requirements along road frontages, and material standards. EYESORE cont. on page 2 Christmas Tree Adorned With Special Angels “Oh I believe there are angels among us, on a Christmas tree designed and built by Chad sent down to us from somewhere up above. Hancey of Layton, and is adorned with lights They come to you and me in our darkest hours, and an angel on top. Immediately following Christmas, each portrait is to show us how to live; then donated to the family of the To teach us how to give; To “Angel Child.” guide us with a light of love” The “Christmas Angels” -- Angels Among Us, by Alabama tree has been on display at the A Christmas tree decorated Davis County Convention Center, with the portraits of children who and was the most visited tree have passed away or who have at the Ogden Christmas Tree suffered from life-threatening Jubilee fundraiser during the childhood diseases or tragedies Thanksgiving week at the Eccles touches the hearts of all who Conference Center in Ogden. see this stunning display. Each It is currently on display at the portrait has been painted by JR Weber Credit Union located at Johansen of Huntsville. With each portrait is a biography of 2010 Christmas Angel Tree 5257 Adams Avenue Parkway in Washington Terrace near Ogden the child, including his or her name; birth date; death date, if applicable; Regional Hospital. There is a comment box cause of death; city of family residence; and located near the tree; where comments about the parents’ names. The portraits are displayed CHRISTMAS TREE cont. on page 12 “T” Wall Art? By Mike Hoffman, Northern Iraq Senior Quality Assurance Representative for DCMA What is “T” wall art and what is a “T” wall? For those of you that have been to Iraq, you know them all too well. “T” walls are portable concrete walls used to help protect personnel and buildings from shrapnel, small arms fire, and rockets and mortars. Over the years, these drab concrete walls began developing personalities when units began painting symbols, various artwork, and, eventually, their unit insignia on the walls. The paintings have really grown into something to be admired by all. Unfortunately, when this is all over, the “T” walls will be destroyed, ground back into dust, losing these pieces of art forever. I recently traveled to a Forward operating base (FOB) where I viewed several “T” walls painted black lined up side-by-side. As I got closer, I saw a lot of writing with gold lettering. Close-up picture of a “T” wall that lists the of a small portion of those soldiers “T” WALL ART cont. on page 8 names killed in the Iraqi war. Property Taxes Not Collected on Home Occupied by Ogden Valley Planning Commissioner By Shanna Francis Bureaucratic red tape and a bank foreclosure have allowed a Liberty resident who sits on the Weber County Township Planning Commission to occupy a home that the county fails to collect property taxes on. The scenario began in 2006 when Jim Banks of Liberty sold 4.7 acres to Elk Ridge LLC, represented by Jeff Bell, owner and petitioner of the Elk Ridge Estate Cluster Subdivision project that encompasses the family home that the Banks have lived in for over 25 years. There are also two large outbuildings on the parcel. Elk Ridge LLC also purchased two additional parcels contiguous to the Banks property, for a total of 22.2 acres located at approximately 3710 E. 4100 N. in Liberty. The petitioner, Jeff Bell, then went to the county with a subdivision application. Elk Ridge Estates was approved by the county in 2006, and recorded in February of 2007. The approved cluster subdivision plan called for ten acres of open common ground, which encompasses the former Banks property. As part of the requirement for approval of the subdivision plan, the home and outbuildings were to be torn down, as they were located on designated open space. A $583,000 payment was also to be held in an escrow account to ensure that all improvements to the subdivision would be completed—including the demolition of the home and outbuildings. Elk Ridge LLC had two years—until February 2009—to fulfill their obligation for all improvements. According to Weber County Engineer Chad Meyerhoffer, the county’s engineering office monitors escrow obligations. By 2009, most of the improvements had been made within the Elk Ridge Estates subdivision; however, the demolition of the home and outbuildings had not been executed. His office tried to call the escrow due in March 2009 after demolition of the buildings had still not taken place. He found that the bank that held the escrow account, America West Bank, had since filed for bankruptcy and the FDIC had taken over. The FDIC claimed that it would be “burdensome” to pay out the funds, and would not release the money. Thus, no funds are currently available to enforce the demolition. According to the county engineer’s office, $76, 510.35 was the balance that should have been in the escrow account as of March 2009—the difference from the original amount PROPERTY TAXES cont. on page 12 Liberty Man Receives Presidential Pardon By Shanna Francis Jim Banks of Liberty was recently granted one of nine Presidential Pardons—the first official Pardons granted by President Barack Obama. The pardons were officially awarded December 3, 2010. It has become a tradition for presidents to pardon people convicted of crimes during the month of December, with more than half of the pardons granted within the last 39 years occurring in the traditional month of giving. Obama stated that he chose applicants for a pardon based on their post-conviction efforts at “atonement,” and their “superior citizenship.” Banks was charged with illegal possession of government property, and was sentenced October 31, 1972 to two years of probation. Other pardons were granted for drug crimes, coin mutilation, and securities fraud. Obama has received 551 pardon petitions during his presidency; he has denied 131, according to the Justice Department. Another 265 petitions were closed without presidential action. In a Standard-Examiner article, Banks is quoted as saying that his conviction stemmed from an incident while he was employed as a maintenance mechanic at Hill Air Force Base. “He admitted to putting some plywood and nails into his vehicle and driving off the base. He was arrested just outside of the gate by the FBI. Banks lost two days pay but kept his job at Hill.” A Presidential Pardon can be granted to individuals who have been convicted of a felony. When a person is convicted, as Banks was in 1972, they lose their civil liberties—the right to vote, serve on a jury, own a firearm. This is termed a civil disability. A pardon restores these rights. Moose in Ogden Valley. Photo taken by Dennis Maher of Eden. |