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Show Cyan Magenta Yellow Black 75¢ GUNNISON VALLEY EDITION www.sanpetemessenger.com VOL. 84 NUMBER 20 MANTI, UTAH • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2005 Centerfield dedicates veterans memorial WEA THER EATHER Wednesday 78/51 By Karen Prisbrey Windy Thursday - 69/45 Staff writer Chance of rain CENTERFIELD—The sun suddenly broke through the clouds as Cmdr. Richard Ahlers of the Centerfield American Legion Post No. 105 began the program and dedication of a new veterans memorial Monument at the Centerfield City Cemetery on Memorial Day to an audience of 60-75 people. Adjutant Reed Roberts spoke about the freedoms all veterans had fought for. Mayor Darwin Jensen expressed appreciation to the American Legion and those in surrounding communities supporting Centerfield and Axtell in the construction and dedication of the monument. Kerry Garff, a sophomore at Gunnison Valley High School, played a trumpet medley of mili- Friday - 66/43 Cool and windy Saturday - 73/45 Partly cloudy Last Week’s Weather (Courtesy Ted Olson, Snow College) Date May 22 May 23 May 24 May 25 May 26 May 27 May 28 Max. 87 89 82 80 82 85 82 Min. 46 46 52 49 39 42 48 Prec. - AT A GLANCE Sanpete County Fly-In will be held this weekend The annual Sanpete County Fly-in will be held this weekend, June 3-4, at the Mt. Pleasant Municipal Airport. The event is designed to attract recreational pilots to Sanpete County, and promote the area as a recreation destination. Pilots from throughout the Intermountain West and beyond will converge at the airport for the weekend, and several events are also open to the public. For local and visiting pilots, a barbecue at 6:30 p.m. Friday, followed by a “hangar talk” at 7:30 by Vietnam War pilot Ron Jones, will kick-off the weekend. On Saturday morning and afternoon, pilots as well as the public can enjoy hot-air balloon rides, helicopter rides and air shows. For more information, call Dave Fullmer at 4623620. You said It! “They’ve only been stopped by local people with their shovels.” —County fire warden, Fred Johnson on fires in the Indianola and Hideaway Valley areas, which helped prompt officials to create a new volunteer fire department for the area. KAREN PRISBREY / MESSENGER PHOTO The Color Guard presents the flag in preparation for a 21-gun salute at the dedication of the Centerfield veterans memorial on Monday. tary service branch music. Chaplin Mardell Jensen then gave the dedicatory prayer, after which Sergeant at Arms Niel Nielson and the color guard presenting the colors, taps, and a 21gun salute. Members of the post gathered the names of veterans who have served in all wars since the Civil War up to and including Iraqi Freedom to place on the memorial. The memorial recognizes each soldier by name, branch of service and area of conflict, and marks those who have given their lives for this country. Post members have conducted many fundraising projects to gather donations for the monument’s construction. They still have projects in mind to further enhance the area and are ac(See “Memorial” on A3) Gunnison library to show off improvements at open house By Karen Prisbrey Staff writer GUNNISON—The Gunnison Civic Library is opening again following a redecorating effort by members of the library board, community volunteers, and representatives of the City Council. The library board invites the community to see the improvements on Tuesday, June 7. The board will be available to show the library from 5:30-6:30 p.m. The walls have been painted in beige and brown tones, and the carpet mirrors those colors. The idea of putting down new carpeting was born in August 2002 when Stephanie Prisbrey, then librarian, was attending UPLIFT, Utah’s Public Library Institute for Training. In talking with directors of the Utah State Library System, Prisbrey learned that funding and grants were not only made available to libraries based on the number of books and other selected materials being purchased, but also on the types of improvements being made to the housing facility. A number of improvements were suggested to the Gunnison librarian by the state. One men- tioned was the carpeting, which had been installed when the facility was moved from the old city building at 200 South Main to its current location in 1979. When Prisbrey received her certificate of completion for the UPLIFT program in 2003, she outlined her plan for improvements with the library board. With the board’s approval and that of the City Council, she began organizing ideas for fundraising projects. Early in 2004 she approached the organizing committee of the Fourth of July celebration to request using the annual auction at the park to raise funds for the li- Could Merit Medical bring 200-300 jobs to Sanpete? By Suzanne Dean Publisher Just when economic news seemed bleak, with Reliadat, the first real company to occupy a Sanpete Smart Site, abruptly leaving, a glimmer of hope is on the horizon. Or could it be a bright ray of hope? In late April, Fred Lampropoulos, founder of Merit Medical Systems Inc., a medical products company with about 1,300 employees, told the Rocky Mountain Economic Summit in Salt Lake City that he was having so much trouble hanging on to employees at his South Jordan plant that he was planning to expand to central Utah—either Sanpete or Sevier County. If Sanpete takes the prize, it could mean 200-300 jobs paying $10-$12 an hour, with benefits, Commissioner Mark Anderson told a mayors and commissioners meeting in late May. Anderson, who was Lampropoulos’s local campaign manager when the Merit CEO ran for governor of Utah, said Lampropoulos had expressed interest in Richfield because it offered I-70 freeway access. Local officials say Lampropoulos has looked into land in Sevier County. But, says Gary Anderson, director of USU Extension, who has a special assignment of working on economic development along U.S. 89, Sanpete’s trump card may be the vacant, 62,000-squarefoot Auto Meter Building at 500 W. 100 North in Ephraim. “It would be an absolutely perfect fit for what he wants to do,” says Anderson, adding that in past use, the building has even had a “clean room” with the same (See “Jobs” on A2) KAREN PRISBREY / MESSENGER PHOTO Mindy Anderson happily awaits the library’s open house on Tuesday, when Gunnison patrons can see recent improvements. brary. Prisbrey persevered through the project despite her failing health. She passed away 10 days prior to the Forth of July celebration. Library board members and Prisbrey’s parents saw the auction and the annual book sale through to completion. Many items were donated to the library for the auction, including Prisbrey’s car and other personal items. The silent auction brought in more than $4,000. Prisbrey’s parents, Blaine and Karen Prisbrey, requested that money in lieu of flowers be donated to the library carpet fund. That money was then added to the funds that had been donated to the library a few years earlier in the name of Helen Rasmussen, who was the first chairman of the library board in 1979. The combined monies were used to pay for the redecorating project. The current library board, consisting of Chairman Kathleen Pickett, Secretary Marian Christenson, members Annett Allred, Annette Newman, Jeff Oliver, and Christopher Westra, along with past board members Jody Allred, Mark Engberson, Norma Roundy, and City Councilwoman Jerolyn Young, was instrumental in organizing and planning the redecorating project. With the assistance of Janelle Overly, a decorating scheme was planned. Books and furnishings were removed and then returned to their new location by board members with the help of Syd and Annette Young, Christy Christensen, Susan Gillman, Phyllis Greener, and Larry Jensen. Erik Rico and B. J. Starks, who were working on Eagle Scout projects with family members and friends, also assisted in the project. A decorative lamp has also been purchased by the library board to be installed out in the library garden. The light will be dedicated in Prisbrey’s memory, for the time and devotion she gave to the library and the many patrons she served. Memorial Day speaker reminds Gunnison of the high cost of war INSIDE Opinions ........ A4 Lifestyle ......... A5 School ........... A7 Sports ............ A8 Classifieds ..... A9 By Karen Prisbrey Staff writer Utah Press Association KAREN PRISBREY / MESSENGER PHOTO General Excellence winner 1999 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 Veteran Randy Pickett addresses the audience at this year’s Memorial Day ceremony at the Gunnison City Cemetery. GUNNISON—With a field of flags as a backdrop, Cmdr. Newell Pickett directed a Memorial Day ceremony at the Gunnison City Cemetery Monday, May 30. The program began under light winds and sunny skies with the song “Nearer My God to Thee” sung by Tammy, Michelle, Katie, and Jackie Pickett of Fayette. Veteran Randy Pickett then gave a tribute, stating that earlier this year President Bush had signed a proclamation designating that a “Moment of Silence and Recognition” be observed at 3 p.m. this day to honor of our war dead. “Remember the high cost of war paid in lives lost for the freedoms we enjoy; all soldiers stood to protect America; all stood to protect families,” Pickett said. Austin Kitchell of Fayette sang the national anthem, and Chaplin Boyd Donaldson offered a prayer. Donaldson also recognized Lester Hill’s service as unit chaplin for 41 years and Delmar Higham’s service of over 50 years as the unit bugler. The color guard, under the direction of Mark Pickett, sergeant at arms, presented the colors, taps and a 21-gun salute. |