Newsletter July 25, 2007

Welcome to Ideal Living Updates – July 25, 2007
A free newsletter from Ideal Living Media, www.ideallivingmedia.com.

Please forward this newsletter to your friends, family or anyone who may be interested. Subscription and signoff instructions are below.

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

WHAT’S NEW?

• Hal & Jean Ward’s July issue of their newsletter, “On The Market,” which includes news on the local real estate market, signals that local home prices are falling rapidly. To sign up for the free “On the Market” newsletter, just visit their web site at CentralUtahHomes.com.

• Unfortunately, this year may not have been the best for our local Summer celebrations. Scheduling conflicts may have lowered attendance at the Elsinore Heritage Days. There was an apparent electrical glitch at the Richfield celebration, unintentionally firing too many fireworks at once (which looked amazing, but shortened the display). At Monroe yesterday, a heavy rainstorm ended Michele Crisp & band’s enjoyable performance and may have been behind numerous misfires in the fireworks later on. Surely, everyone appreciates all the hard work those involved put into the preparation for these events which add so much to our communities. Let’s hope for better luck next year!

• Once again, criminals believed to be from Colorado have struck in Richfield. While a few months ago, it was a goofy daytime shoplifting episode at the Richfield Wal-mart. Yet late Saturday night, burglars broke into 6 Southwest Richfield homes, taking cash and several wallets — including credit cards which were being used unlawfully in Colorado only hours later.

Although there are several reputable home alarm installers locally — view interviews with several on Ideal Living’s video of the 2007 Home Show at http://tinyurl.com/3c3pvg — you can take some basic steps to burglar proof your home inexpensively. First, keep your doors and windows locked (doors with a deadbolt) when you are not at home. Second, cut dowels, broomsticks, or other boards to fit inside all sliding windows and doors, to prevent them from being opened even if the locks are defeated. Third, leave different lights and/or a TV or radio on when you are sleeping or not at home (particularly if you are gone at regular hours, such as when you are at work or church). Fourth, keep valuables and other belongings put away in safe, out-of-the-way areas.

• Graffiti has suddenly appeared around Richfield — on the Days Inn billboard, on the Lions Park chimney (facing I-70), and on the Young Block building. Since “tagging” often explodes into a competitive race to see who can graffiti the most visible, hard-to-reach places, it behooves government and business alike to deal with the problem directly. Experts say the best way to stop graffiti is to remove or paint over it immediately, thus denying the vandals any gratification for their risk.

• The Richfield Comfort Inn’s comfortable conference center is available at very low rates for your next social, meeting or civic event. The room includes broadband Internet access, computer, projector and screen. To make reservations, contact the Comfort Inn at 893-0119.

• Minimum wage employees got a raise yesterday, with a federally-mandated 70 cent increase from $5.15 to $5.85 an hour. Next July 24, it will rise another 70 cents to to $6.55 an hour, and then on Pioneer Day 2009 up another 70 cents to to $7.25 an hour.

• The EAA Young Eagles program gives interested young people, ages 8 – 17, an opportunity to go flying in a general aviation airplane. These flights are offered free of charge and are made possible through the generosity of EAA member volunteers, whose fuel is reimbursed by the EAA. Locally, youth can go to the Richfield airport for an unforgettable experience flying around the Sevier Valley, on most Saturdays with fair weather. For more information, visit http://www.youngeagles.org or locally, contact Lee Holloman at 527-3105.

• We received the following announcement for Funtime Party Rentals: “Funtime Party Rentals is still available to serve your inflatable rental needs. We offer the lowest rental rates in town. You can rent a huge water slide for just $100.00 for a full day. Mention this newsletter and receive $10.00 off. Call us at 893-9160 or visit our website at www.funtimepartyrentals.org for a full list of our products.”

If your business has something you’d like to announce in Ideal Living Updates, please let us know. It’s free of charge, and we’re eager to hear from you!

• Of course, the big issue for the community remains the troubled coal-fired power plant in Sigurd. Here’s a round-up of current events:

- Sevier County Planning Commission has called two public meetings about the proposed coal-fired power plant in Sigurd. The first is scheduled for TODAY, July 25 at 5:30 p.m. for a work session on the requirements the proposed coal plant would need to meet before construction.

There is also a public hearing to gather public feedback as to what NEVCO/Sevier Power should be required to do, set for next week August 1.

The work session will be held downstairs in the Sevier County Administration Building, 250 North Main, Richfield on this Wednesday, July 25 at 5:30 p.m. The public hearing, where speakers will be limited to two minutes, will be at the Sevier Valley Center Theater, 800 W. 200 S., Richfield, next week, Wednesday, August 1, at 7:00 p.m.

All citizens are welcome, and are encouraged to attend these important meetings.

Sevier Citizens for Clean Air and Water has filed protests over these meetings asserting that such undue haste is unwarranted — with numerous on-going appeals, legal actions, and lawsuits — all challenging construction of the troubled coal plant.

- A great deal of attention is being focused against the proposed coal-fired power plants in Sigurd and in Delta. Billions of people world-wide enjoyed the Live Earth concerts on July 7 ( http://www.liveearth.org ), which promoted a “7 Point Pledge,” one point of which is to “Fight for a moratorium on the construction of any new generating facility that burns coal without the capacity to safely trap and store the C02.” While such “clean coal” technologies have recently been developed, the NEVCO-proposed plant would instead use an older, “dirty” technology, originally developed during the 1930s.

- The Intermountain Power Agency — an association of local governments which own power plants and purchase electricity from them — says it had no choice but to scrap plans for a third coal-fired generator near Delta, saying it won’t be built. Last Thursday, Associated Press quotes IPA General Manager Reed T. Searle as saying that “We cannot get the vote” to build the additional IPP plant. Searle explained that Los Angeles and a dozen other California cities who are members of IPA are refusing to allow it to sell a ready-made parcel for the additional coal-fired plant. The votes of 13 California cities — who are the primary purchasers of the electricity IPP produces — outweigh IPA’s 23 municipal members in Utah, who generally support the project. “In our 21-year history we never failed to have a unanimous vote on anything,” Searle said. “It was a major shock to us. We attribute it to California’s initiatives to fight global warming. It’s a huge and rapid turnaround in California.” All western states, excepting Utah, have prohibitions against the purchase of coal-based electricity set for the relatively-near-future. Some Utah legislators are reportedly hoping to build a nuclear power plant on the Delta site instead, which could be a boon for the booming uranium mining growing rapidly in the Marysvale area.

- Ideal Living has discovered that NEVCO/Sevier Power’s frequently-stated promise that the proposed plant would bring 75 jobs to the area may be an exaggeration — or worse. According the U.S. Department of Energy, the actual range of employees would much more likely be 6-16 jobs. The finding is contained in the “Cost and Performance Baseline for Fossil Energy Plants Desk Reference (May 2007)” which is located on their web site at: http://tinyurl.com/3dpnsu . The report analyzes how many workers are actually employed at power plants across the nation. The highest number of employees was at a 900 megawatt coal plant, with 16 plant employees. By contrast, the NEVCO proposed plant would be a much smaller plant, producing only 250 megawatts. If the claim of 75 plant workers were included in official testimony in a government proceeding, the figure could conceivably be considered fraudulent.

• In other local employment news, the new Home Depot is looking to hire 105 employees for its new Richfield location. An alert Ideal Living Updates reader directed us to a Utah Workforce Services job posting located at http://tinyurl.com/2mkq7d . The job listing, for a “Human Resources Assistant,” included the following: “Description: Assist in the employee selection process for a facility of approximately 105 full-time employees.” This could be good news for the local economy, which is increasingly stronger in retail, tourism and construction — provided such employees can be found.

• On Key Piano Tuning is running a Summer Special: $5 off on piano tunings. This special is for a limited time and will end August 30, 2007. To schedule appointments please call 435-896-1726.

• If you’re a male, 18 or older, you may be able to earn a few dollars in your spare time taking surveys with the most reputable marketing research firm, PineCone Research. The company conducts on-line interviews with consumers from all walks of life to obtain their opinions about new products. To become a panel member, all you need to do is complete the simple form at http://tinyurl.com/2yskbs . It’s easy and fun to see and evaluate new product ideas, from well-known major corporations, in the comfort of your own home AND get paid $5 for your time. Each interview usually takes 15-20 minutes of your time, and its fun to help decide the kinds of products you’ll find in the local supermarkets and restaurants. Plus, you are free to leave the panel at any time should you choose to do so.

• Did you know that anyone can search Sevier County property records, free, over the Internet? Just visit http://qdocs.sevierutah.net/recorder/web/login.jsp , click the “Login without an account” button, and search away.

• If you need a new or improved web site, be sure to take a look at Ideal Living’s portfolio of local web sites at http://ideallivingmedia.com/portfolio .

____________________________

NEWS – http://IdealLivingMedia.com/news.html

Recent headlines added to our local news archive in Central Utah News:

• Number of hunters and anglers holding steady – Tooele Transcript-Bulletin – 7/25/07
• Storms may be a mixed blessing – Salt Lake Tribune – 7/23/07
• PacifiCorp plans lawsuit to allow coal-fired plant – Star Tribune – 7/23/07
• Hold on to your hats, it’s rodeo time: In July, Utah is cowboy heaven: This month’s rodeos bring on a stampede of athletes and fans – Salt Lake Tribune – 7/22/07
• Brand-new town: Bryce Canyon City one more step closer: Ruby’s Inn area population qualifies; county commission expected to act soon – Salt Lake Tribune – 7/21/07
• Trustee named Snow president – Deseret News – 7/20/07
• Fire-stricken ranchers may tap reserve lands: But some torched counties have no banked acres available for grazing – Salt Lake Tribune – 7/17/07
• DWR Reminds Campers to Keep an Eye Out for Bears – KSL – 7/17/07
• Ranchers Face Hay Shortage – KSL – 7/16/07
• Firefighters Exposed To Dangerous Radon Gas – KUTV – 7/15/07
• Movies: Christmas comes early at Bicknell film fest – Salt Lake Tribune – 7/14/07
• Man who killed friend gets 2011 parole date – Deseret News – 7/12/07
• Biodiesel Crops Sprouting Along I-15 – KSL – 7/11/07
• Amount of Teacher Raises will Vary – KSl – 7/6/07
• Utah artist honors fallen soldiers by painting them – WFAA (Dallas/Fort Worth) – 7/5/07
• Goal for DNA research? World peace – USA Today – 7/1/07
• Hundreds help dedicate Topaz as a history landmark – Deseret News – 7/1/07
• Former Internees Recall Topaz – BYU Newsnet – 7/1/07
• Witnessing the Miracle Thousands Flock to Mormon Miracle Pageant in Manti – Cedar City Review – 6/28/07
• Utah Uranium Announces Acquisition of Pinto Mining Claims – Press Release via Macreport – 6/27/07
• The Energy Challenge – Frontpage Magazine – 6/27/07
• Hikers urged to keep eye out for snakes – Deseret News – 6/26/07
• ATVs are boosting small town economies – The Times West Virginian – 6/24/07
• Bluerock Resources Begins Drilling Program at the Andrew Lloyd Uranium Mine, Garfield County, Utah – Press Release via MarketWire – 6/21/07
• Dumont stakes 20 square miles of Uranium claims in central Utah – CNW Telbec – 6/19/07

Milford Flat Fire News:
• Resources Stretched, but State Won’t Pay for all the Wildfires – KSL – 7/23/07
• Satellite Photo of Milford Flat Fire – NASA Earth Observatory – 7/19/07
• Land rehab to cost $3M in state funds – Salt Lake Tribune – 7/17/07
• Wildfires update: Milford Flat fire contained after scorching 363,000-plus acres – Salt Lake Tribune – 7/16/07
• Utah fighting more fires than the rest of the West: But good news is largest one, the Milford Flat Fire, is 65% contained – Tribune – 7/13/07
• Backfire helping crews: Milford Flat blaze is now 65% contained – Deseret News – 7/13/07
• Thunderstorms offer good, bad news for Milford Flat Fire – Tribune – 7/13/07
• Crews use maneuver to shift fire – Tribune – 7/13/07
• Milford Flat Fire Releasing High Levels of Radon – KSL – 7/13/07
• Cheatgrass still posing problems – Spectrum – 7/13/07
• Radiation rises from Milford Flat Fire – Tribune – 7/13/07
• Wildfire Update: Crews contain 40 percent of 350,000-acre Milford Flat Fire: Gusty afternoon winds concern – Tribune – 7/12/07
• Gaining control: Milford Flat and Greenville Bench fires are 30% contained – Spectrum – 7/12/07
• Fire tough on ranchers: Many are ‘at a loss’ on what to do next; U.S. land-use policies criticized – Deseret News – 7/12/07
• Radon not dangerous for firefighters, but potentially dangerous for homeowners – ABC4 – 7/13/07
• Trucker recounts harrowing escape from Milford Flat fire – ABC4 – 7/12/07
• Favorable Weather Helping Firefighters Battle Wildfire – KSL – 7/12/07
• Weather a concern for firefighters battling Milford Flat blaze – ABC4 – 7/12/07
• Crews ignite small fire to help control Milford Flat blaze – Deseret News – 7/12/07
• Cheatgrass gets the better of reseeding efforts: The weed fueling Utah wildfires easily regrows to start the cycle again – Tribune – 7/11/07
• Fire crews wrap foil around homes to protect against fire – ABC4 – 7/11/07
• Some blame BLM policies for huge blaze – Grand Junction Daily Sentinel – 7/11/07
• Deer could be in for long winter – Grand Junction Daily Sentinel – 7/11/07
• Ranchers face big losses of cattle, grazing land – Grand Junction Daily Sentinel – 7/11/07
• Local trucker survives biggest fire in Utah’s history – 9News (CO) – 7/11/07
• Fire pilots help tame Utah wildfires – ABC4 – 7/11/07
• Utah Fire, Big And Growing, Remains Untamed – Daily Green – 7/11/07
• Central Utah cattlemen worry about how to feed livestock now that fire has ravaged the range – Tribune – 7/11/07
• Hundreds of the latest news articles on the Milford Flat Fire, along with other Western U.S. fire coverage – Via Google News – Continuously Updated
• Utah Fire About 30 Percent Contained – Fox Cleveland – 7/11/07
• Crews Face Pivotal Day in Fight Against Wildfire – KSL – 7/11/07
• Milford Flat Fire near 330,000 acres with afternoon winds and thunderstorms on the way: Crews have contained 30 percent of blaze – Tribune – 7/11/07
• Infrared Images Help Crews Fight Wildfires – Desastres – 7/11/07
• ‘At Nature’s Mercy’ – Spectrum – 7/11/07
• Securing I-15 the priority in huge Utah blaze – Rocky Mountain News – 7/10/07
• Firefighters hope for progress – Daily Herald – 7/10/07
• Residents tough in face of wildfire – Grand Junction Daily Sentinel – 7/10/07
• Wildfire gallops through central Utah – Arizona Daily Star – 7/10/07
• More crews arrive to battle Utah fire – Denver Post – 7/10/07
• Utah fire contributing to hazy skies – (Clenwood Springs, CO) Post Independent – 7/10/07
• Firefighters gain a bit: Blaze: It’s 30% contained; north, south edges raging – Deseret News – 7/10/07
• Warning: Hot, dry conditions ripe for more wildfires – Deseret News – 7/10/07
• Wildfires continue to burn in West: Concerns raised about thunderstorms, dry lightning. – Disaster News Network – 7/10/07
• ABC 4 Safety Week: Protecting your family from wildfire danger – ABC4 – 7/10/07
• Monster 311,000-acre wildfire in southcentral Utah 10 percent contained: Milford Flat blaze still out of control – Tribune – 7/10/07
• Clouds offer hope, worry for California firefighters – Press-Enterprise (CA) – 7/10/07
• New threats on the horizon for state’s largest fire – Tribune – 7/10/07
• Milford Flat Fire Up To 469 Square Miles – Fox Utah – 7/10/07
• Wildfires burn in dry California wilderness, crews make progress – San Jose Mercury News – 7/10/07
• More National news: Firefighters hope to continue progress on record-setting wildfire – Sign on San Diego – 7/10/07
• Huge Utah wildfire still raging – Earth Times – 7/10/07
• Milford Flat fire pushed by winds – Spectrum – 7/10/07
• Town of Kanosh Turning into a Firefighter City – KSL – 7/10/07
• Rocky Mountain Wildfire Roundup: massive blaze in utah – New West – 7/10/07
• UHP Troopers say couple killed in accident near Milford fire were not hit-and-run victims – ABC4 – 7/10/07
• Hundreds more fire-fighters due on record-setting wildfire – Siskiyou (CA) Daily News – 7/10/07
• Historic fire burns more than 300 thousand acres; freeway closures tentative – ABC4 – 7/10/07
• Tuesday briefing: Fire officials say Milford blaze could take 10 days to contain – Deseret News – 7/10/07
• Firefighters Hope To Continue Progress On Utah Wildfire: Record-Breaking Blaze Still Burning – Fox Houston – 7/10/07
• Losses drag on long after fire dies: Up to 150 cattle dead and range charred. – Tribune – 7/10/07
• Couple Killed Near Fire Not Victims Of Hit And Run – KUTV – 7/10/07
• Firefighters gain small edge on record-setting wildfire (7:00 a.m.) – Las Cruces (NM) Sun News – 7/10/07
• Fresh crews mustered for offensive against southcentral Utah’s monster wildfire: Milford Flat blaze tops 311,000 acres – Salt Lake Tribune – 7/10/07
• Lightning strikes, dry ground spark fires in West – USA Today – 7/10/07
• Firefighters to Focus on I-15, Southeastern Side of Wildfire – KSL – 7/10/07
• Huntsman says Milford Flat fire possibly biggest in world right now – Spectrum – 7/10/07
• 300,000 acres ablaze in central Utah: A backfire burn fails – Deseret News – 7/10/07
• Utah wildfires rage on – Spectrum – 7/10/07
• Opinion: So. Utah blazes: Hot – Spectrum – 7/10/07
• Fires burn in West; East Coast bakes Wildfires continue to rage in West; East Coast swelters in mid- to upper-90s. – Disaster News Network – 7/10/07
• Already state record-breaker topping 300,000 acres, Milford Flat fire among nation’s worst – Salt Lake Tribune – 7/9/07
• Historic fire burns more than 300 thousand acres; freeway closures tentative – ABC4 – 7/9/07
• More National news: Interstates closed again for record setting Utah wildfire – Sign On San Diego – 7/9/07
• More National news: Hundreds more firefighters due on record-setting wildfire – Sign On San Diego – 7/9/07
• Lighter winds help hold Milford Flat fire to 300,000 acres – Salt Lake Tribune – 7/9/07
• Utah Wildfire Blazes Through Nearly 300,000 Acres – AHN – 7/9/07
• Milford Flat fire tops 300,000 acres – Spectrum – 7/9/07
• I-15 closure Saturday was largest such operation in 30 years – Salt Lake Tribune – 7/9/07
• Fire shifts, UHP to close roads again: Local crews continue to battle blaze – Deseret News – 7/8/07
• Fire crews fight heat, wildfires in west – FireRescue1 – 7/8/07
• Freeway re-opens near Milford fire – ABC4 – 7/8/07
• Freeway Reopens as Fire Burns in Central Utah – KSL – 7/8/07
• Motorists Shoot Home Video of Fire – KSL – 7/8/07
• Traffic resumes on I-15 and I-70 as fire keeps burning – Salt Lake Tribune – 7/8/07
• Milford Flat blaze creates dangerous area traffic – Salt Lake Tribune – 7/8/07
• Milford Flat fire one of biggest in Utah history – Salt Lake Tribune – 7/8/07
• Fire causes evacuations – St. George Spectrum – 7/8/07
• Firestorm: Monster Utah blaze leads to 2 deaths, shuts freeways – Deseret News – 7/8/07
• Huge Wildfire Closes I-15 in Central Utah – KSL – 7/7/07
• Milford Flat Fire Now Largest in State History – My Fox Utah – 7/7/07
• Utah Wildfire Shuts Down I-15 For 100 Miles – KUTV – 7/7/07
• 100,000-acre wildfire forces closure of long stretch of I-15 in central Utah – Deseret News – 7/7/07
• 40,000-acre fire near Milford prompts evacuations, shuts down I-15 – Salt Lake Tribune – 7/7/07
• Heat Wave Fuels Western Wildfires – AP via Forbes – 7/7/07

_______________________________

COMMUNITY CALENDAR – http://IdealLivingMedia.com/calendar.html

Please submit any local events you know of at 201-9884 or ideallivingmedia@gmail.com. Thank you!

Upcoming local events include:

• July 25: Public Work Session on Proposed Coal-Fired Power Plant. Downstairs in the Sevier County Administration Building, 250 North Main, Richfield at 5:30 p.m.

• July 27, 28, 29: Blast from the Past Car Show, Burn Out, & Cruise in Salina. Contact Paula Martin (435) 893-0458 or (435) 529-7329

• August 1: Public Hearing on Proposed Coal-Fired Power Plant. 7:00 p.m., Sevier Valley Center Theater, 800 W. 200 S., Richfield. Speakers may be limited to two minutes.

• August 4-11: Sevier County Fair & Demolition Derby. The annual Lion’s Club Demolition Derby is held at the Sevier County Fairgrounds in Richfield, kicking off the Sevier County Fair. The Fair features the annual Southern Utah Junior Livestock Show, a two night rodeo, kid’s day, entertainment, an off-road rodeo and more.

• August 20: 2007-8 School Year begins.
_______________________________

LATEST UPDATES – http://IdealLivingMedia.com/

• Visit www.IdealLivingMedia.com for news and business updates and other information for and about our “ideal” community! Thanks for visiting!
_______________________________

MANY THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS!

Please support the Richfield Mall and other local businesses by supporting our great sponsors!

Barney Outdoor Outfitters – http://barneyoutdooroutfitters.com
Blake Electric Co. – http://ideallivingmedia.com/blakeelectric
CentraCom Interactive – http://centracominteractive.com
Coldwell Banker Preferred Properties – http://ideallivingmedia.com/coldwellbanker
Comfort Inn – Richfield – http://ideallivingmedia.com/comfortinn
Hal & Jean Ward – http://centralutahhomes.com
Ideal Dairy – http://www.theidealdairy.com
Intermountain Computer Services – http://intermountaincomputer.com
Jones Glass and Decorating – http://www.jonesglassanddecorating.com/
Little Wonder Travel – http://littlewondertravel.com
Nationwide Floor & Window Coverings – http://FloorsandWindows.com
Ogden’s Superstore – http://ogdens.homeappliances.com

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •
Ideal Living Updates, a publication of Ideal Living Media.

To subscribe or unsubscribe, send an email to ideallivingmedia@gmail.com with your choice in the subject.

All contents are (c) 2007 Ideal Living Media, a public service of Ovid Learning Foundation, Inc.
• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •