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Show The Ogden Valley news Your Community Newspaper June 15, 2011 PRSRT STD POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 11 EDEN UT POSTAL PATRON EDEN-LIBERTY-84310 HUNTSVILLE-84317 OGDEN CANYON- 84401 HCR 843AO Women’s Ski Jumping Event Added to 2014 Sochi Games Snowbasin Re-Opens for Weekend Skiing and Snowboarding For the first time in Olympic Winter Games history, women will participate in ski jumping, beginning in Sochi, Russia in 2014. The International Olympic Committee made the announcement today (April 6) during the IOC Executive Board’s press conference in London, site of the 2012 Summer Games. Lindsey Van (daughter of Eden residents Barry Van and Nancy Seraphin) and Deedee Corradini react to IOC announcement. “We are elated and relieved,” said Deedee Corradini, Women’s Ski Jumping USA president. “Sochi, Russia can proudly proclaim that it will be hosting the first gender-equal Winter Games in Olympic history.” Ski jumping (and Nordic Combined) were the only disciplines in the Winter Games that did not allow women to participate. In October 2010, the IOC EB said it was “looking favorably” at adding women’s ski jumping to Sochi 2014, but said it needed more time to consider the outcome of the sport’s 2011 World Championships in Oslo in February. In grueling weather conditions and in front of nearly 10,000 spectators, 43 athletes from 15 nations competed in Oslo compared to 36 athletes from 13 nations in Liberec, Czech Republic in 2009. Five of the top six finishers in Oslo were from different countries and ranged in age from 27 to 14. IOC senior members Gunilla Lindberg and Gerhard Heiberg, a winter sports expert, both publically praised the women’s event in Oslo—a positive pre-cursor to today’s (April 6) announcement. Christophe Dubi, the IOC’s Sports Director, said Wednesday the main reason a women’s event was approved for Sochi 2014 is the increase in quality and depth in women’s ski Due to popular demand and a 100-inch base, for the first time ever, Snowbasin Resort will be re-opening on weekends beginning June 11, and will remain open for as long as snow conditions allow. Skiers and riders will be able to upload and download on Needles Gondola to access multiple runs off intermediate terrain off of Middle Bowl Triple from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Snowbasin’s General Manager stated, “Maintenance scheduled for Needles Gondola was recently completed, which will allow access to the Middle Bowl Triple. Cool temperatures and a significant amount of late-season snow has kept our base over 100 inches deep at mid mountain so it only seems natural for Snowbasin to re-open on weekends.” Season passes for the 2011/2012 winter season can be purchased starting the June 11, giving dedicated snow enthusiasts access to skiing and snowboarding earlier than ever. Single day lift tickets are selling for $35. Passes from the past 2010-2011 season will not be honored. Barbeque food will be available. For additional information, please call 801-620-1000. Father’s Day BBQ Sunday, June 19 - What better way to celebrate Father’s Day with your dad than by taking him to Snowbasin for an Ol’ Fashioned BBQ featuring grilled tri-tip, BBQ pork spareribs, and hamburgers—just to name a few of the menu selections. The BBQ starts at 11:30 a.m. and continues until 4:30 p.m. on the Earl’s Lodge WOMEN’S SKI cont. on page 11 “Yellow Tulip,” by John Babcock of Eden. Motorcycle Accident Fatality Shuts Down Ogden Canyon his ascent up Ogden Canyon. Witnesses A 34-year motorcyclist died Wednesday say he was leaning into night, June 1 at about 6:00 p.m. in Ogden curves and crossing Canyon after losing control of the bullet bike he double yellow lines. About a mile up the was driving. The accident led police to close the canyon, he lost control canyon for several hours. According to Weber County Sheriff Sargent on a corner, sending the Ryon Hadley, witnesses reported seeing Rafael motorcycle end over Gutierrez speeding over 100 mph eastbound end for at least a hunon 12th Street and 80 to 90 mph as he began dred feet. The front wheel of his 2002 blue Yamaha broke off and came to rest 20 feet ahead on the highway. Gutierrez was thrown into the canyon wall and died after suffering severe head and body trauma. Hadley said, “We will deal with at least a dozen more of these horrible accidents this summer. The bullet bike can reach speeds up to 150 mph, and its performance far outweighs the average ability of most riders to handle it correctly. With the North Ogden Divide closed for repairs, contributing to added traffic on roads leading in and out of Ogden Valley, drivers are encouraged to slow down, stay Weber County Sheriffs investigate fatal accident in Ogden Canyon. alert, and drive with caution. By Jeannie Wendell Mini Helicopter Protects Super Bowl XLV—Provides aerial surveillance services to numerous agencies On January 22, 2011 in Arlington, Texas, Steve Wilson of Huntsville joined the company Arlington PD/SWAT announced that the Federal as partner and General Manager. Scott Heath of Aviation Administration (FAA) had granted Conifer, Colorado oversees marketing. the law enforcement agency a Certificate of Steve explains that he and John met through Authorization (COA) their flying activities; for flying of their they are both pilots recently acquired and airplane ownsmall Unmanned ers, and have flown Aerial System together for several (sUAS). Although, years. there are several COA’s Oakley says that for sUAS’s in the he has been involved nation, the Arlington in flying all of his life, Police Department was with a background in the first in the nation black ops during Viet to receive a COA for Nam and the years flight of an sUAS in following. He has Class B airspace (condesigned, built, and gested airspace). flown RC aircraft for D e p u t y Pictured from left to right are Steve Wilson of over 35 years. He Police Chief of Huntsville, John Oakley, and Scott Heath. also built his own perOperations Lauretta sonal airplane, which Hill spoke at the SuperBowl XLV media day he says he enjoys greatly. and said, “We have been working very closely Four years ago, Oakley said he decided to with the FAA to create a program focused on “build a better mouse trap” and started designsafety and operational functionality.” Hill went ing a fully-auto piloted helicopter, which he on to say, “We are very excited to add this new called the “Aggressor.” It was designed around functionality to our current public safety sys- military-type auto pilot and autonomous flight. tems.” * He sold a few of the Aggressors to the Utah When asked what opportunities the sUAS Highway Patrol for accident investigations. system could offer, Hill said, “The system will UHP used them in real life situations, and allow us to assist in accident scenes, foren- proved they saved lives, greatly reduced accisic scenes, hostage situations, and lost-person dent investigation time, and enhanced their phosearches, just to name a few.” Hill continued, to-taking ability for fatal accidents. Through “The bottom line is, this type of technology will trial and error, John began to improve the save lives.” helicopter, but needed additional financing for John Oakley of Morgan, Utah is the found- research and development. Within six months, er and CEO of Leptron Industrial Robotic Scott Heath entered the picture as a partner and Helicopters, Inc., the company that manufac- inserted the much-needed funds and a marketing tures the Avenger helicopter system that was SUPER BOWL cont. on page 10 used at the Super Bowl. In November 2009, SNOWBASIN cont. on page 11 Huntsville Council Votes Down Central Sewer Option for Town Members of the Huntsville Town Council voted June 2 to follow the “no sewer” option in regards to developing a sewer system for their portion of the Valley. After reviewing the Sunrise Engineering Wastewater Collection and Treatment Capital Facilities Study, the preliminary information provided by Utah State University on sources of pollution in Pineview Reservoir, and discussions with the Weber-Morgan Health Department, the council felt like there was insufficient justification to incur the long-term debt load and the short-term financial burdens on individual property owners that would come with any of the other sewer options investigated in the study. The Huntsville Town Council did endorse the idea of soliciting help from the WeberMorgan Health Department to educate residents on the proper operation of a septic system, and review existing Town septic systems to make sure they are operating properly. Heavy Rains Contribute to Old Snowbasin Road Closure access the resort from Trappers Loop. The old Snowbasin Road is also used by a smattering Spring this year in Ogden Valley has brought of residents and hundreds of recreationists who floods, rock slides, and even severe road damage. still use the winding route to access U.S. Forest Service lands, and The old Snowbasin the Wheeler Creek Road in the Huntsville trails. area is suffering damThe U.S. Forest age, as it sits atop satService Ogden urated soils that conRanger District has tinue to shift, crack, announced that sevand slough downhill. eral trails in the area Weber County has have also been closed closed the road until until they dry out. repairs can be made Until then, use can after it stops raining cause severe damand the ground has age and management time to dry out and problems. Even hikstabilize. ers should avoid wet For years, the road trails, along with was the only route motorized and nonleading to Snowbasin. Today, most drivers Old Snowbasin Road. Photo by Dennis Maher. motorized traffic. By Shanna Francis Update on Snowcrest Tennis Courts Thank you . . . . Thank you to those who attended our recent concert, as well as to those who have donated to the effort to bring community tennis courts to Ogden Valley. We had a wonderful concert Friday, June 3 with Kort McCumber raising $8000 toward the needed $35,000 from the community for our public tennis courts that will be located at Snowcrest Junior High School. Your help is needed now to complete the fundraising effort so we can break ground in July for the tennis courts. If we don’t raise the money, it will be difficult to justify keeping the $100,000 RAMP grant that has already been given this year for the project. A lot of hard work and a lot of in-kind efforts have been put forth to make this project become a reality. A number of businesses and others have already donated their time and resources, willingly recognizing this as a worthwhile cause for our valley—tennis TENNIS cont. on page 7 Bluegrass artist Kort McCumber with volunteers at fundraising concert at Snowcrest on June 3. |