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Show C the astle V TheEmeryCountyReview.com Cleveland Rocks alley Pageant A Story of Hope... A Story of Courage... A Story of Faith.... Community celebrates Cleveland Days B1 C1 REVIEW Emery County The Local News, Local Voice, Locally Owned Volume 2, Issue 30. 75 Cents Tuesday, July 22, 2008 Rodeo action sets tone for excitement Josie Luke When organizers initially introduced the possibility of bringing a professional rodeo to Emery County, the idea was met with doubt from many corners. Ten years later, the Desertview Pro Rodeo has become a fixture, drawing larger crowds each year. In fact, last year, the rodeo drew 266 more spectators than it had in 2006. The idea of the county having a PRCA rodeo began in early 1999, when organizers began studying what it would take to pull off what many told them would be impossible. Normally, permission to host a pro rodeo can take up to two years to receive but organizers received a letter of approval from the PRCA the same year, and the first Desertview rodeo was held that July. To make things even better, Emery County Recreation Director Shannon Hi- att, an initial organizer, was contacted in early February by Ike Sankey, one of the most well-respected stock contractors in the country. Sankey, who has been named PRCA stock contractor of the year, has provided stock for the rodeo every year since. Derri Jewkes, a member of the rodeo committee, who has been involved from the beginning, stated, “I think we surprised a lot of people. First, with the fact that we were actually able to have it and second, that we got Ike Sankey; so it is not only that it is a PRCA rodeo, but we got a top contractor.” Jewkes explained that he believes there a lot of reasons the rodeo has done so well. He said one of the main reasons may be that “it is the only professional sport we have here in Emery County.” He also attributed much of its success to the people who come every year, recognizing the rodeo as “worth supporting.” Hiatt said that part of the rodeo that organizers believe makes it worth supporting is the effort they put in to making it move quickly. “The rodeo is extremely fast,“ he related, attributing much of the credit for it to Sankey and the efforts of the many volunteers involved. In Hiatt’s view, “Sankey puts the word professional in rodeo. He brings good people, and has proved to be a man of his word.” One of Jewkes’ favoirte parts of being involved is each year is “seeing how excited the people get over it, both the people who come and the people involved. Everyone that has something to do with it does their job well.” Each year, nearly 100 volunteers help to organize and run the rodeo. He also appreciates that organizers held to their original stance that the rodeo would be an alcohol-free Continued on Page A3. Photo by James Fain Brock Truman of Huntington will be one of the local competitors in the Desertview Pro Rodeo. Miss Emery County Preliminary hearing set for September in commissioner case James L. Davis Photo by Josie Luke Holly Damron is congratulated by Savannah Winn after being named Miss Emery County 2008. The Crowning Moment Months of anticipation for four contestants leads to being named Miss Emery County for one Josie Luke M agic flooded the Emery High auditorium on July 19, as four accomplished young women competed for the title of Miss Emery County 2008. The four contestants, Lacey Branson from Orangeville, Savannah Winn from Ferron, Allie Stokes from Cleve- land and Holly Damron from Clawson, treated the audience to a night of entertainment as they competed in talent, swimsuit, on-stage question and evening wear. After the familiar anxiety that comes with waiting for the announcement of the winners, Holly Damron was named Miss Emery 2008, with Allie Stokes as first attendant. Holly was elated to win the com- petition. “I was so excited,” she said, adding, “Winning, because we all got along so well, was even more fun.” Her mother, Janet, agreed, “She has been on cloud nine ever since.” For Holly, although she was excited to participate, the competition made her quite nervous. “Before the talent, I got really nervous,” she said. “I told Continued on Page A3. Commissioner Drew Sitterud appeared in Seventh District Court on July 15 in his initial appearance, as he faces three third degree felony charges of misusing public money. Sitterud was served copies of the information and a summons by Assistant Attorney General Pat Nolan on June 17, immediately after a commission meeting, where Sitterud served as chairman. After Nolan served the summons, Commissioners Gary Kofford and Jeff Horrocks voted to place Sitterud on paid administrative leave pending the court findings on the case. Sitterud has steadfastly maintained his innocence through his attorney, Sonny Olsen. According to Olsen, the charges stem from a misunderstanding regarding travel reimbursements. Olsen said that as soon as the commissioner was notified that there was a problem, he remedied the situation “that very day.” Sitterud, who is up for re-election this November, continues to campaign for his re-election and has made campaign appearances at town celebrations throughout the county. The Emery County Republican Party Executive Committee met less than a week after the charges were filed and voted unanimously to support Sitterud as he works to prove his innocence. The Republican Party Central Committee, composed of representatives of the 12 precincts in the county, met on July 8 and also voted to support Sitterud. Since the charges were filed, there have been cries that the charges were politically motivated and amounted to a “smear campaign.” The last alleged wrongdoing by the commissioner occurred in January 2007. During the initial court appearance Sitterud requested a preliminary hearing, which has been set for Sept. 2. County negotiates with SITLA on industrial park James L. Davis Emery County is in contract negotiations with the School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration to finalize development of as much as 3,000 acres of land near Green River for an industrial park in the county. During the July 15 meeting of the Emery County Commission, discussion revolved around a draft development lease between SITLA and the county for the property. The commissioners and Mike McCandless, Emery Coun- ty Economic Development director, were concerned with some of the language that was contained in the proposed lease agreement, specifically language that spelled out timetables for the use of land by, as of yet, unknown tenants. The lease agreement would be for seven years, and the timetable is one of the issues the county is wrestling with. “None of them are showstoppers, but they are areas of concern,” McCandless said. After the meeting Mc- Continued on Page A3. |
