Paperback features essay and play about Utah history
LOGAN - Cache Valley Sons and Daughters of the Utah Pioneers are pleased to announce the publication of "Utah Statehood 1896 - A Re-enactment" by Rhett S. James.
The fifty-page paperback book, printed on archival quality paper, features a historical essay and historical play by James, a resident of Logan. James is a published historian, playwright, poet, essayist, and short story writer.
Copies of "Utah Statehood 1896" will be donated to libraries throughout Utah at no cost. James' book will part of the historical record of Utah centennial celebration.
James' historical essay recounts the struggle of Utahns for statehood, achieved on the seventh application to Congress. Statehood was withheld for religious, political and economic reasons, James explains. The federal government was afraid Latter-day Saints were building a government separate from mainstream American cul-ture.
"Utah Statehood 1896 - A Re-enactment" was written to be read in schools, civic groups and homes. The historical essay and footnoted play make the book a valuable resource for understanding the process and celebration of statehood, with all the rights that come to citizens enjoying participation in the federal union. The book will be a valuable resource for teachers, students and citizens generally. Details are available by writing to UTAH STATEHOOD 1896 - A RE-ENACTMENT, USU P.O. Box 1210, Logan, UT 84322.
Cache School District gets $46,000 to clean up leak
Associated Press
LOGAN - The state Department of Environmental Quality has given the Cache County School District $46,000 to help pay for cleanup of a gas leak from an underground tank in Richmond.
The leak was discovered in August 1993 during excavation for a new middle school next to North Cache Freshman Center.
The tank was removed and workers were able to keep gasoline from seeping into ground water. There were no injuries or damage, district officials said.
The district paid $74,000 to Bio-West Inc. of Logan to handle the cleanup and other companies to remove the tank.
Bruce Parker, construction project manager for the district, said chances of recovering money from the state underground storage tank insurance fund were slim.
"We didn't hold out a lot of hope on that, but we took a proactive stance on cleaning it up and showed the state we were not just blowing it off," he said.
Ongoing tests have shown no contamination to ground water since the nearest wells were several thousand feet away, although the ground around the tank was highly contaminated at the time.
The soil occasionally ignited when a backhoe struck rocks before the tank was removed, the district said.
Workers to lose jobs in Utah Power's cutback
RICHFIELD - Four employees in Richfield and one in Gunnison will be affected by the recent announcement that Utah Power will cut back walk-in services in 13 Utah offices, according to Mark Cox, general business manager.
Richfield will be one of the last offices to make the change, expected to be completed in 1996, while Gunnison will be among those where the changes occur early in the year.
Walk-in customer services will close in Gunnison by March 15 and the Richfield office by November 30. Other functions will remain in the respective buildings for the time being, Cox said.
In southern Utah, Utah Power will eliminate walk-in service for payments and credits in Castle Dale, Delta, Milford, Moroni, Panguitch, Ivins, Richfield and Gunnison. Northern Utah cities to be affected are Draper, Laketown, Layton, Orem, Park City and Salt Lake City.
Nephi moves to refinance some natural-gas bonds
NEPHI - Nephi City Council members adopted a parameters resolution setting forth the intentions of the council to begin the process of refunding the general obligation portion of the natural gas system bonds.
"While the interest rates are down, it will be to our advantage to buy back the bonds and refinance them," said Robert Steele, Nephi mayor. "A resolution must be passed to begin the process."
Steele said the City Council would not need to complete the transaction if it found it was not to the city's advantage to do so.
The resolution authorized the issuance and sale of $2.7 million aggregate principal amount of general obligation natural gas refunding bonds for 1996.
The resolution will fix the maximum aggregate principal of the bonds, the maximum number of years over which the bonds may mature, the maximum interest rate, and the maximum discount from par at which the bonds may be sold.
Through refinancing, said David Leavitt, city attorney, the council may be able to pay off some obligations in addition to saving money in the long run.
At one time, said Steele, the city had a triple "A" rating, which would also be to the city's advantage. "I recommend we adopt the resolution," he said.