www.tooeletranscript.com TUESDAY Buff baseball, Cowboy tennis capture St. George tourney titles See A8 TOOELETRANSCRIPT BULLETIN March 13, 2007 SERVING TOOELE COUNTY SINCE 1894 VOL. 113 NO. 84 50¢ Job hunters looking for right fit in a worker’s market by Karen Hunt upgrade their employment status job seekers stormed approximately well as those with the skills to cook, Depot’s four temporary summer ers to staff Salt Lake International STAFF WRITER attended a Career Fair at the Utah 25 employers. Following a midaft- sell insurance, operate forklifts, do jobs. His mother, a full-time student Airport’s restaurants and book- Not since the early 1950s have State University Tooele Regional ernoon lull, adults just getting off electrical work, clean buildings and at USU, said she was interested in a stores. such a high percentage of Utah Campus in Tooele. While the event work started to show up around 4 offer care to the elderly. part-time childcare job that would “Lately it’s been better, but workers been employed. But that went hot and cold in spurts, most p.m. to scrutinize the employment Fifteen-year-old Nathan Crane allow her to bring her children to January was very difficult,” doesn’t mean everyone is working employers and job seekers said possibilities. Jobs were available came looking for his first job — and work with her. Beckstrand said of the job mar- or has the job they want. they were glad they showed up. for those with degrees in nursing, some Aggie Ice Cream. He planned Recruiter Karl Beckstrand with Last Friday those looking to Around noon, busloads of student teaching and human services, as to apply for one of Tooele Army HMS Host, was looking for work- SEE JOB ON A5 Grist Mill PIT STOP Army set to meet sprucing up year-end burn goal for visitors for chemical weapons by Mark Watson by Suzanne Ashe the program in 2003. Since then, the STAFF WRITER program has destroyed more than While several old grist mills STAFF WRITER 1,500 tons of chemical agents per across the country have fallen into For once, the Army is hitting year, according to a DOD budget disrepair or been lost to develop- its target for destroying chemical report published last February. ment, Tooele County continues to weapons. The new deadline for 45 per- upgrade the Benson Grist Mill, pro- After years of deadline exten- cent of all chemical agent weapons moting it as one of the top tourist sions, Tooele Chemical Disposal in eight different locations to be attractions in the county. Facility and three other chemical destroyed is Dec. 31, 2007. The county is moving forward weapon disposal sites in the coun- The Tooele site, along with sites with plans to create a buffer zone to try are on schedule to destroy 2,230 in Indiana, Oregon, Arkansas, and preserve the rural feel of the old mill tons of mustard agent by the end of Alabama, had destroyed 43 percent from encroaching development, add the year, said Greg Mahall, spokes- of the weapons as of last Wednesday parking for visitors, and even con- man for the U.S. Army Chemical with only 2 percent more to go by struct a small working replica of Materials Agency. the end of the year. the mill to illustrate how it once The Chemical Weapons Chemical weapons destroyed at operated. Convention, a 10-year agreement former disposal sites at Johnston “This is really a hot spot for Tooele which went into effect in April Atoll in the South Pacific and at County,” said Marilyn Shields, who 1997, required the United States to Aberdeen, Md., which finished oper- supervises activities at the mill destroy all of its chemical weapons ations and closed on Monday, also and has worked for more than a stockpile by April 2007. However, count toward the end goal. decade to improve the historical each April since 1997 the Army spot. The mill, near the junction of has asked for an extension. The SEE ARMY ON A7 state routes 36 and 138 by Stansbury Department of Defense restructured Park, is open May through October. Visitors can tour the area six days a week. “We definitely have seen an City creates industrial increase in the number of visitors. We also have been booking since Jan. 1 for family reunions and wed- area around gravel pit dings,” Shields said. “We have a lot Zoning change allowing for Geneva Rock of people moving in from outside the area and with the blend of old move is questioned by councilman and new we want to make sure we preserve the old. It is part of the by Mark Watson from five-acre rural residential story of Tooele County. We’re proud STAFF WRITER lots to an industrial zone. of what the pioneers did and this A zoning change to allow The area has been used as a is a good place for people to learn for industrial development on gravel pit for several years. more about the history of the area.” the west edge of Tooele City “This puts the zoning more County Parks and Recreation will immediately benefit one in line with its current use as a Director Mark McKendrick referred company, but has also sparked gravel pit, and makes way for the possibility of putting in a cement to the mill as the gateway to Tooele concerns from at least one city batch plant,” said City Planner County. leader that the land is not a good Rachelle Custer. “It’s one of the first things people spot for future industrial devel- Community Development see when coming to the county, so opment. Director Cary Campbell said the it is like a visitors center. We try to Tooele City Council paved the have a lot of information there about gravel supply in the area is rich way for Geneva Rock Products and the operation could contin- things to do and places to visit in the to move its cement batch plant county,” McKendrick said. ue in the area for several years. from Bauer, south of Tooele, Geneva Rock said the new site As residential developments to land owned by Bolinder sprout up around Benson Grist photography / Amy Trebella would be good for the company NASCAR driver Casey Mears arrived at Miller Motorsports Park by Apache helicopter last Thursday Company at 1800 W. and SR 112 Mill, county leaders are attempting and the city. to sign autographs. The driver of the No. 25 National Guard/GMAC Chevrolet car is the first big- by approving a zoning change to make the historical site even name NASCAR driver to visit the track. request from the Bolinder more appealing to lure visitors. Company to convert 148 acres SEE GRAVEL ON A7 McKendrick said the county has purchased land adjacent to the mill to allow for its future expansion. A storage shed facility next door was County stepping in to ease recently purchased by the county, which plans to move the sheds to school nursing shortage provide additional parking and a the federal government — and buffer zone between the site and by Alleen Lang thus not able to be developed housing areas. CORRESPONDENT or taxed. The county is also negotiating to Tooele County School District Adding four additional nurs- purchase a private residence to the is moving closer to alleviating es will bring Tooele School west of the mill, McKendrick said. a school nurse shortage with District’s current ratio of one “The area covers about 10 to the help of a $300,000 subsidy from Tooele County. The money nurse for every 6,100 students SEE BENSON ON A5 will enable the district to hire down to one nurse for every as many as four additional nurs- 2,000 students — one of the best es for the 2007-08 school year, nurse-to-students ratios in the according to Tooele County state, according to Bateman. Health Department Director Utah currently ranks last in Myron Bateman. the nation in terms of the num- “We work hard to try to ber of school nurses per stu- improve the quality of health care dent enrollment. The National for the children in the county,” Association of School Nurses Bateman said. “We feel like this recommends school districts is an excellent way to improve employ one nurse for every 750 our services.” students. Funds to pay for the new “We are aware of the school nurses will come from payment nursing shortage in the county and felt we needed to invest in in lieu of taxes (PILT) money. photography / Troy Boman PILT is a federal reimburse- the health of our students,” said Registered Nurse Addy Wilson gives an eye exam to Tooele Jr. High eighth-grader Brian Heap this morning. ment program that compensates County Commissioner Colleen The Tooele County School District, like school districts across the state, faces a nurse shortage. A new photography / Troy Boman Tooele County for the 78 percent county health department initiative is expected to mitigate the problem somewhat by allowing the district to SEE NURSING ON A7 Benson Grist Mill of its land area that is owned by hire four additional nurses for the upcoming school year. WEATHER OPEN FORUM A4 THE BULLETIN BOARD B2 INSIDE Highs in the 60s today with OBITUARIES A6 TV LISTINGS B4 Silver Bever winners embody temperatures slightly cooler scouting spirit on Wednesday. SPORTS A8 CROSSWORD B5 See B1 Complete Forecast: A2 HOMETOWN B1 CLASSIFIEDS B6 A2 TOOELE TRANSCRIPT-BULLETIN TUESDAY March 13, 2007 Utah & The West Valley Weather Forecast Local Weather Eagle Mountain woman breeds exotic cats in her barn by Caleb Warnock After being spayed and neu- Tue 67/46 DAILY HERALD tered at the appropriate age, 3/13 PROVO, Utah (AP) — Some Rohan sells the remaining kit- Sunshine and clouds mixed.