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Show C M C M Y K Y K 75¢ Counter Copy Price Gunnison Valley Edition WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2009 VOL. 87 • NUMBER 8 Sanpete Weather FORECAST High/Low Chance precip. Wednesday 36/15, Clear.......................10% Thursday 39/16, Clear.........................5% Friday 41/16, Clear.........................5% Saturday 43/21, PM Clouds................5% Last Week’s Weather Weather Data courtesy Ted OIson Date Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. Max. 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 At A5 32 39 36 38 41 43 46 a Min. Precip Board decision sounds final bell for Academy Alternative school is slated for closure on May 22 By John Hales Managing Editor EPHRAIM—Of all the casualties that may come about because of the state’s budget-slashing, there is already one fatality. Sanpete’s school districts at last 16 20 23 3” snow 10 21 1” snow 22 23 Glance EPHRAIM Institute Sweetheart Couple honored for service A9 Key plays lead to Snow’s victory over CSI GUNNISON A7 Bulldog Pride students named MANTI A10 Templars finish in second place in Region 12 MT. PLEASANT A7 NS School Board may initiate job cuts A9 Hawk wrestler places second at state You said It! “On one occasion, we spent our last dollar on a bag of apples, and we lived on that bag of apples and love for a while.” —Bruce Harless, on over 55 years of marital bliss “His ring was $19 and mine was $11. He offered me a diamond a while ago, and I said ‘no’—I’m happy with this.” —Marlane Harless, on over 55 years of marital bliss The Harlesses were selected as the Ephraim LDS Institute’s Sweetheart Couple. Utah Press Association General Excellence winner 1999 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - accepted the death of Sanpete Academy, the alternative high-school program they had shared for 15 years. “At this time, I am recommending to the board that we end the program of Sanpete Academy,” said South Sanpete School District (SSSD) Superintendent Don Hill at a board of education meet- ing on Tuesday, Feb. 10. The meeting felt like a funeral. Hill took a lot of time to explain the decision before making his recommendation. The explanation was an attempt to justify the blow to the many Sanpete Academy employees and supporters present. The time he took doing it seemed an effort to stall the inevitable. And the emotion in his voice when the inevitable came showed how much agony he felt over the decision. “I stay awake at night and don’t sleep much. These are great, great people,” he said. “It’s been a tough decision. The hard part will be is that it is just impossible to keep everybody on staff. It’s impossible for the district to do that faced with the budget cuts we have. We’re going to play the cards that are dealt to us and do the best we can.” The fate of Sanpete Academy had been uncertain for quite some time, years even, which was noted by board member Larry Smith, who said, “It’s been a little tough over the years not knowing how the partnership would go. I think we’ve wondered for years if this day would come.” At the beginning of this school year, Hill said, “We told all of the people [Sanpete Academy employees] then that this program was on financial shaky grounds, to say the least, because of some funding issues.” In fact, said North Sanpete School District Superintendent Courtney Syme at a meeting of his board of education later that night, “Sanpete Academy staff had been told that if they could find different employment, it Lloyd call / messenger photo would be good idea to do so.” Sanpete Academy instructor Adam Burningham tutors students Showey Shepherd (left) and Shaelie Kubota. (See “Closure” on A3) Sesquicentennial calendar taking shape Club, ends March 28. You must register to get a t-shirt. The registration fee ranges from $10–$28, depending on the event selected. Students who submit a photocopy of Spring Runoff Chairwoman Shannon Jensen at 528-3797 or email her at jenStaff writers senb@gtelco.net. GUNNISON—The calendar of The starting line for the run will events is beginning to take shape for the be on the north side of Gunnison City Gunnison Valley SesquiPark. All events are centennial, a yearlong open to both runners celebration of “progress and walkers. The full with purpose” in the marathon (26.2 miles) Valley since pioneers Registration for Spring Runoff marathon due..........March 28 will begin at 8 a.m., a Spring Runoff................................................................. April 25 arrived in 1859. half marathon (13.1 Upcoming major Covered wagon reenactment........................................ May 22 miles) at 8:30 a.m., events include the fol- Gathering at Gunnison City Park............................. May 22-23 a 10K (6.2 miles) at July Fourth celebration.................................................July 3-4 lowing: 9 a.m. and a 5K (3.1 S P R I N G R U N - Pioneer Day celebrations miles) at 9:30 a.m. Fayette, Mayfield, Centerfield................................... July 24 OFF—The next major A 1-mile event for event will be the Spring mothers with strollers Runoff on April 25, an and children under 10 event for all kinds of runners and walk- their ID cards get $5 off. Registration will begin at 10 a.m. ers. Registration for the Spring Runoff, information is available online at www. Every participant will receive an sponsored by the Gunnison Valley Lions gunnisoncity.org. For information, call (See “Calendar” on A2) By Karen Prisbrey & Suzanne Dean Upcoming events Snow mourns deaths of sisters By Suzanne Dean Publisher EPHRAIM—Students and staff at Snow College were coming to terms Monday with the deaths of two sisters, students at the college, who died in an auto accident last week near Indianola. Micah Edwards, 20, and Shilo Edwards, 19, were headed home to West Bountiful Friday, Feb. 12, when their car skidded on ice and spun into the oncoming lane and collided with a pickup truck. Shilo (left) and Micah Edwards. They were dead at the scene, according to the Utah Highway Patrol. Any death of a well-liked student has an impact on a small campus like Snow, and the Edwards girls were no exception, President Scott Wyatt said. Wyatt and other top administrators were in a cabinet meeting when a phone call came in informing them that two sisters attending Snow College had been killed in an accident. They immediately switched gears and started talking about what actions the college could take. They arranged for a moment of silence at a basketball game that evening. Even though the accident had occurred the same —Dan Anderson, day, one of the Snow College girls’ brothers student body came from West president Bountiful to show the family’s gratitude. College leaders decided to refund the girls’ tuition to the family to help cover funeral expenses and to award associate degrees posthumously to the sisters during commencement in April. What the President’s Office described as a “sizeable” delegation of administrators and students (including Wyatt; Craig Mathie, vice president of student success; and Brach Schleuter, dean of students) are scheduled to attend services for the girls “Everyone liked them that I knew of. They were loved and they are missed.” (See “Sisters” on A2) Gunnison Prison whistleblower loses privacy lawsuit By Christian Probasco Staff writer GUNNISON—A judge’s decision to dismiss a privacy lawsuit is just the latest blow for a former employee of the Central Utah Correctional Facility (CUCF) in Gunnison. And some of her troubles may have resulted from retaliation for whistle-blowing. U.S. District Judge Tena Campbell ruled in January that Lauren Barker’s privacy had not been invaded by prison employee Kirk Dahl, whose wife, a former Manti Telephone employee, informed him of $1,500 in calls Barker had made to a parolee in Tonga. Dahl passed the information on to at least three prison workers. “The judge arguably made the correct decision based on the current status of the law,” says Barker’s lawyer, Russell Monahan, “The question is the law. 2005 Congress recognizes that your phone records should be kept private. The State information must be publicly disclosed of Utah doesn’t.” and highly offensive. Barker’s troubles began in 2006 Dahl was represented by Assistant when the prison began investigating her Attorney General Tim Evans. And that’s for “fraternizing” with a parolee. led to a few misunderstandings, accordFaced with the ing to Barker. prospect of being “I never sued the fired for violating “I never sued the State State of Utah,” she policy, Barker, who of Utah. They stepped says. “They stepped was working as a in. They used taxpayer in. They used taxpayer rehab. specialist at dollars to defend a corthe time, quit and dollars to defend a corrections employee.” then sued the Dahls rections employee.” In the approximateand Manti Telely two years it took --Lauren Barker phone for invasion Campbell to dismiss of privacy. The the case, Barker betelephone company lieves the prison, or and Dahl’s wife settled out of court, former employees of the prison, have but Barker and Monahan, kept up the prevented her from landing jobs for $300,000 suit against Mr. Dahl until which she was well qualified. She apU.S. District Court Judge Tena Camp- plied for a job as a Sanpete County Jail bell dismissed the case because it didn’t control room officer, for example, but meet “invasion of privacy” standards. was told she didn’t meet the position’s To qualify as an invasion of privacy, criteria. “They’ve crucified me,” says Barker, who now works in an Ephraim call center. “I’ve worked in corrections for 12 years and I didn’t meet the criteria.” She blames the woman in charge of the jail’s hiring process, another former prison worker, for blocking her application. But why would associates of the Utah Department of Corrections be so vindictive? Barker thinks it might have something to do with the explicit letter she sent to UDC investigator Brent Wiechman—and to Utah Governor Jon Huntsman—detailing improper and sometimes illegal activities between some of Barker’s work associates and inmates and parolees with whom they shouldn’t have had any social contact. Also included in the letter: allegations of sex between a supervisor and an employee who was lower on the pay scale (See “Prison” on A3) C M C M Y K Y K |