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Show The Emery County Review, Tuesday, July 15, 2008 B1 VOICES Celebrating the People and Lifestyle of the San Rafael Swell Area ANNALEE’S CORNER Photo by Jo Anne Chandler Judge Betty Burns retired July 9 as Green River Justice Courrt Judge. the Judge Burns Rules in Favor of Retirement One Stop Wedding Annalee Thayn July 9 marked the end of an era as Judge Betty Burns retired after 17 years of dedicated service to Green River as the Justice Court Judge. Betty was born and raised in Arizona. She later moved to New Mexico where she married her husband Alton “Tunie” Burns. The Burns and their two children Allen and Deanna came to Green River in 1967. Tunie worked at the missile base. Betty served school lunch from 1968-1972 then became a teacher’s aide at the elementary until 1978. At this time Judge Twitchell needed a clerk, Tunie told him that his wife could do the job, so that summer she was a clerk. When school began in the fall she thought she might have to choose, but Judge Twitchell said she could keep both jobs. Betty would leave the school at 1:30 p.m. and clerk until the end of the business day. She worked both jobs for the next three years. Arel Hunt replaced Judge Twitchell, and Wendell Weber followed. In December of 1990 Betty was appointed judge. She took certification classes and on Feb. 5, 1991 took office. I asked if she had ever been opposed in an election and she explained she faces a “retention election” where the residents of Green River decide if she should judge or not. She was never voted out of office. Each year Judge Burns attends 30 hours of continuous education classes to keep her certification. There are several classes offered throughout the year. One is called Judge’s Conference and is held over three or four days; this conference alone provides twenty hours. Emery County is divided into two precincts. From Woodside to Green River was under Judge Burns’s jurisdiction, as well as part of I-70 back to Green River. All other cases go to Castle Dale. There are no jury trials in Green River because there are no accommodations for them. If an individual requests a jury trial they are sent to Castle Dale. Instead Judge Burns does bench trials, where she decides the fate of the individual. Court is usually only one day a month because the trial lawyer has to come from Castle Dale. When asked if all the cases could be handled in one day she said yes, but some days were long. The majority of the cases Judge Burns heared have to do with traffic violations and small claims. A convenience Judge Burns told me about was having pre-addressed envelopes given to those who receive a speeding ticket. The ticket can be paid quickly and conveniently, and the individual cannot claim that they didn’t know where to send the money. She has a capable and efficient staff processing all the paperwork she is responsible for. Cindy Elsenrath has been her clerk for many years and Kristin Robertson joined the team recently. Judge Burns could not say enough about the work these women do to assist her. When I asked about one of the most frustrating cases she has had, she told of an individual who was given a speeding ticket. When he came to court to discuss the ticket he had several documents about the inaccuracy of the radar used to monitor the speed of the vehicle. Judge Burns is a very patient person and she said she realizes that the court process can be confusing to people, but when the individual kept hammering on his point she finally had to tell him to move on. She told me the whole process should only have taken 10 minutes. When asked what the best part of her job was she said it was performing marriages. She has kept photocopies of all the marriages she has performed. One in particular that she remembered was a couple who had hiked Little Wild Horse Canyon. They had enjoyed the beautiful scenery so much that they decided to fly all of their family and friends out and get married in that beautiful setting. Judge Burns is the proud mother of two children, has 16 grandchildren, only two of whom are granddaughters, and three great grandchildren. There are no grand plans for her retirement. In the near future, they will attend a family reunion in New Mexico and swing over to Arizona and visit more family. Photos by Kathy Ockey Jody Porter fits a wedding gown for Breann Bentley. Shop Combined businesses provide a ‘sweet combination’ one-stop shopping also includes accessories such as veils, jewelry, eri Goddard and Jody Porter gloves, and undergarments that can have combined two businessbe selected at the same time as your es to provide a “One stop wedding dress. Jeri said they also have tuxshop” for Southeastern Utah. They edo rentals available and she enjoys have at least 100 wedding dresses working with young men for both in stock at all times and no two are weddings and proms. alike. If you can’t find one, they can Jody said their two businesses design one for you. compliment each other almost as Jeri Goddard said she started well as the two special friends who “Sweet Creations” for self-preservaown them. She said what one gets tion because she has four daughters Business owners Jeri Goddard and Jody involved in the other one is also and saw a need for this type of busiinvolved in and they have become Porter enjoy a laugh together. ness in the community. Jody Porter like sisters. started “Sweet Dream Designs” Jody is able to custom design because she also has two daughters and had so much fun with her daughters and make dresses to complement and their weddings, that she carried it could also see a demand for this type each member of the wedding party, over to helping others. of service in our area. Jody can make including the mother-of-the-bride and Their wedding gowns come in all of the needed alterations on the bridesmaids. Sweet Creations offers wedding dresses, plus she does custom- a wide variety of sizes, from 4 to 26 all services to present a beautiful and because there are “a large variety of made jewelry for the entire wedding memorable wedding. They have many sizes in young ladies.” They also come party. selections to choose from and can do from some of the most popular designJeri said she started doing crafts wedding cakes, refreshments, floral ers and are offered in sleeveless, tank with her mom but said “you can only arrangements, clothing and they also top and modest styles. There are even hang so much on your wall before you have a beautiful “Oasis” outdoors for some that have color in them, which is start looking around for others to give the perfect private setting. It really becoming more popular. the stuff to.” She said it is her creative is a “One Stop Wedding Shop.” You They both said when the bride outlet because every wedding is differcan reach Sweet Creations by email at finds the right dress you can see it as ent. Her sister-in-law had a bridal store udreamit2@msn.com or call Jody at 748soon as they put it on – their face lights and got her started on the wedding 5288 or Jeri at 381-20174. gown part of the business. She said she up when they know it is the “one.” The Kathy Ockey J CASEY’S POCKETS The Digital Translation is Already Here Casey Wood When you think of the “digital age” chances are robots, cyborgs, hovercraft, space and time travel, and probably futuristic shiny jumpsuits flash through your mind. But in reality, we are at the cusp of the digital age now, and the most prominent and widely used technology today is none other than the web. In the last 10 or so years, life as it once was has been turned upside down. The web has become the dominant source for nearly all of mankind’s information needs, and has created countless opportunities and services for our convenience. When the web originated it was simply a place for people to share information with one another, but in recent years, it has become so much more. The web is now a place used almost entirely for the collaboration of people, worldwide. The web can be used in so many different circumstances it is at times mind-boggling. No longer is it necessary to physically go to a bank, a store, a library, in some cases an office building, a post office, or any other establishment one may have needed to travel to in order to fulfill countless different activities. All of these services are offered online, from online banking, to major store websites and e-auctions, to e-books, to online work, to something as simple as email, now what was once only possible with some amount of travel and possibly great expanses of time, can be achieved in moments, wirelessly from home, all at once. The web is also a vast source of information and communication. There is no greater place to use for research than the web. Search engines can find virtually any source on any subject you may be researching, while websites such as Wikipedia, or dictionary.com give detailed and fast information that can be used in many situations. In the communication aspect, the web offers email, networking websites, chat rooms, instant messaging, and various other possible forms of communications, which, if used correctly can be both entertaining and safe. To some it may seem that this distracts from man’s need for human contact, and in some circumstances it may, but in other circumstances it gives a housewife an opportunity to easily shop for Christmas from the computer, or a family the chance to email their son on a mission, or a physically handicapped person the opportunity to work from home. These are the people who the evolution of the web has so positively affected, and the people who are grateful to be able to get things done when they are unable to leave home. The web offers so many things that people do not realize they are being offered, and so many more things that people use daily, but take for granted. The real question is “are you one who doesn’t realize all the opportunities the web is offering you that you aren’t taking advantage of, or are you one of those who take it for granted?” If you are one of the prior, perhaps it is time that you take a look around and start utilizing the web to your full advantage, and if you are one of the latter, next time you are managing your money online, making a great deal on something off of eBay, or simply emailing an acquaintance, imagine what it would be like without those services. So, if you feel it necessary to go out and purchase yourself a shiny jumpsuit, be my guest, but as for me, I’m sticking with a good computer and an internet connection. |
