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Show Cyan Magenta Yellow Black 75¢ Bulldogs may have top team this year. Counter Copy Price A7 Gunnison Valley Edition www.sanpetemessenger.com VOL. 86 • NUMBER 10 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2008 Sanpete Weather FORECAST High/Low % precip. Wednesday Sprinkles, 45/29..................15% Thursday Flurries, 39/24....................30% Friday Flurries, 37/23....................40% Saturday Flurries, 37/25....................45% Last Week’s Weather (Courtesy Ted Olson, Snow College) Date Mar. Mar. Mar. Mar. Mar. Mar. Mar. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Max. Min. 35 39 38 42 42 46 47 7 16 8 12 10 28 27 Snow trace trace In Brief Musical Easter Offering set for Mar. 16 MT. PLEASANT—The 23rd annual Musical Easter Offering, sponsored by the Mt. Pleasant South Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, will be held Sunday, March 16 at 7 p.m. in the Mt. Pleasant Stake Center, 295 S. State St. The choir is comprised of many talented vocalists from the North Sanpete area. Roy Ellefsen will again conduct the choir, honoring Jesus Christ and celebrating the message of Easter. Ellefsen teaches college English, humanities, French and concert choir at North Sanpete High School. The choir has won many superior plaques at the state choir festival. Anna Aagard, a retired business teacher, accompanies on the piano. Doreen Kurr Brugger, organist, is the past Manti Temple matron and has taught piano, voice and organ lessons for many years in the area. Narration is provided by Bruce Harless, the Manti Utah Temple president. Featured soloists this year are tenor Luiz Meneghin, accompanied by Monta Lou Frazier; violinist Mayu Greenhalgh, accompanied by Neil Olson; Eileen P. Cox, organist. Brigham Blackham and Allison Phillips will be performing a vocal duet. The performance is nondenominational and the public is invited to attend. You said It! courtesy Gunnison Irrigation Company A backhoe and member of the Gunnison Irrigation company shows the depth of the 12-Mile sediment problem (left) when several feet of mud were cleaned from an irrigation pond in 2005. Since the slide occured in 1984, it has cost farmers and irrigation companies in the Gunnison Valley an estimated more than $10 million. Trying to slow the flow Study seeks to help Gunnison Valley dig out from sediment problem from 12-Mile slide By Sean Hales Associate editor MAYFIELD—There may finally be light at the end of the tunnel for farmers and irrigation companies in Mayfield and Gunnison who have dealt with excessive mud and sediment from landslides in 12Mile Canyon for more than 20 years. This year the Utah State Water Quality Board approved $150,000 and the recent Utah Legislature earmarked another $150,000 to fund a portion of a feasibility study to find solutions for the problem. There may be another $150,000 in matching funds on the way from the Utah Permanent Community Impact Board. Gunnison Irrigation Co. President Allen Dyreng said the funds from the CIB are not yet approved, but “they’ve told us to submit an application.” Despite years of campaigning for help from various groups, help didn’t arrive until a series of presentations to state and federal officials last year illustrated the depth of the problem—literally. By Karen Prisbrey Staff writer The Casino Star Theatre in Gunnison received $100,000 in the final budget bill passed by the Utah Legislature on its last day, Wednesday, Feb. 28. The special funding for the theatre, which will cover perhaps one-tenth of the restoration costs, was one of several measures on matters ranging from $54 million for expansion of the Central Utah Correctional Facility (CUCF) to partial pay-off of the Sevier Valley Center, which should benefit Central Utah. Each legislature is permitted to propose 10 pet projects for funding on the last day with any funds available when the final state budget is balanced against projected revenues. The theatre got $100,000 out of $398 million in final funds. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Casino Star is noted for its Beaux Arts architecture, which is KAREN PRISBREY / MESSENGER PHOTO Members of the Casino Star Theater Board assemble in front of the theatre for the presentation of $100,000 grant allocated by the State Legislature for the restoration of the facility. (L-R) Arlo Jensen, Roland Christensen, Lori Nay, State Representative Kay McIff, Diana Spencer, Bonnie Nay, Laurie and John Jensen. By Karen Prisbrey Staff writer Courtesy photo by Christi Garff General Excellence winner (See “Park” on A2) characteristic of venerable theaters of the early 1900s. It has been used as a movie theater for longer than almost any Beaux Arts structure in the country. Retired Snow College Professor Diana Spencer and Gunnison City Councilwoman Lori Nay purchased the building a few years ago, established a nonprofit foundation, and are leading an effort to restore the theater. “It is hoped that the rehabilitation of the Casino Star Theatre will be a catalyst to attract out of the area visitors and reinvigorate the spirit and pride of Gunnison City,” says Gunnison Councilwoman Lori Nay. The $54 million to CUCF will enable the facility to complete the first phase of a three-phase expansion program. Some of the money will also go for architecture for the second phase. The Legislature also gave Snow College $1.6 million to pay off its share of (See “Grant” on A2) Gunnison Cantus girls’ choir performs at rededication —Brian Barton, commenting on attempts to control sediment problems for Gunnison Valley. 1999 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 1984. It costs farmers approximately $30 per acre to deal with the sediment. It all comes down to one thing: “It knocks us out of profitability range,” Dyreng said. Hopefully, Dyreng said, the study, which is scheduled to take a couple of years to complete, will find workable solutions to mitigate the problem. He said he doesn’t expect the problem to go away completely, but even a reduction of the sediment by half would be a big help. “If we can do that, that would be immense,” he said. Phase I of the three-phase study is $100,000 grant bolsters Theatre restoration “In other words, the goal is to stop or slow a moving mountain, even though stopping the slide is ‘unlikely,’” Utah Press Association “We weren’t getting anywhere until we did that,” said Dyreng. “Then people started being believers that we have a problem bigger than we can solve.” In fact, the moving mountain and the sediment it generates threatens the very survival of agriculture in the Gunnison Valley and has impacts throughout the Six County region. According to information provided at last year’s presentations, the slide has cost Gunnison and Mayfield irrigation companies and farmers more than $10 million (estimated annual cost is about $500,000) in maintenance and equipment costs, estimated production losses and other economic impacts since the slide occurred in The Cantus Girls Choir of Gunnison Valley High School gave a performance at the state capitol during rededication ceremonies in January. Choir director is Jody Allred and accompanist is Linda Campbell. GUNNISON—Members of the Gunnison Valley High School Cantus all girls choir, completed another in a series of prestigious performances last Wednesday in Salt Lake City. Cantus participated in the 10th annual Viva Voce Women’s Choral Festival, “A Spring Garland of Song,” held at Libby Gardner Hall on the campus of the University of Utah, on Tuesday, March 4. Cantus was among choirs from six other schools invited to participate in the festival. The other choruses included Murray High Bel Canto, Provo High Advanced Women’s Ensemble, Springville High Vivace, Timpanogos High Women’s Chorus and Timberline Middle School. The name Cantus is Latin for singing, and is derived from canere, which interpreted is a chorus that sings traditional songs, and is governed by strict traditional rules. Choir Director Jody Allred expects discipline from the choir members. The discipline they practice has been noted by other groups, and they have received invitations to share their talents. On Dec. 22 the chorus was invited to perform at the Assembly Hall on Temple Square, and also did a 40-minute concert at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. Allred, along with accompanist Linda Campbell, said, “This group of very talented singers represented the Gunnison Valley admirably at both concerts.” Cantus also performed in concert at the Utah State Capitol Rotunda on Jan. 10 during a week of activities commemorating the rededication of the building following its renovation and seismic improvements. “The girls of Cantus looked and performed elegantly amidst the ambiance and grandeur of the magnificent capitol building,” said one of their mothers. The chorus performed “Autumn Gives Her Hand (See “Cantus” on A5) |