Would-Be Hit Men Testify in Trial
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www.tooeletranscript.com TUESDAY 21-year-old dad takes on four more mouths to feed TOOELE See B1 TRANSCRIPT BULLETIN December 13, 2005 SERVING TOOELE COUNTY SINCE 1894 VOL. 112 NO. 58 50 cents BLM seeks Would-be hit men testify in trial comments Husband accused of offering $5,000 on N-waste to ‘get rid of’ ex-wife rail spur by Mary Ruth Hammond STAFF WRITER by Mark Watson Donald Millard of Salt Lake STAFF WRITER City has no past violent crimi- The Department of the Interior nal history. Some people even announced Friday it will seek say he is a man so kind that he comments from the public on “wouldn’t hurt a flea.” the impact a high-level nuclear But others say Millard is so waste storage facility would have cold-hearted that in July 2004, on Skull Valley and surrounding and again in September of that areas. year, he offered to pay others to Private Fuel Storage, Inc. kill his ex-wife, Susan Hyatt. (PFS) is seeking agreements from Hyatt, who was living in several agencies to store nuclear Grantsville in 2004, is also the waste on land in Skull Valley mother of Millard’s two chil- owned by the Goshute Indians. dren. Part of PFS’s plan is to build a A trial, which prosecutors rail spur from an existing rail and defense attorneys say will line through federal land to the probably continue for three to proposed facility. four days, began in Tooele’s Utah Sen. Orrin G. Hatch has 3rd District Court Monday with been working closely with the Judge Randall N. Skanchy pre- Bush Administration and officials siding. Millard is charged with in the Department of the Interior two counts of conspiracy to to express his concerns about commit aggravated murder, both the safety and financial viabil- first-degree felonies. ity of the proposed site in the Millard’s defense attorneys, Tooele County area. In a letter, Tara L. Isaacson and Walter F. the Bureau of Land Management Bugden, Jr., told the jury Monday (BLM) told Hatch Friday it will that it’s true Millard was thou- conduct a full review before sands of dollars behind on child granting rights of way through support payments in the sum- Skull Valley. mer and fall of 2004. But they “You are quite correct that a also contend that, “while there significant amount of time has is no excuse” for being behind passed since this process began in child support payments, that and since the cooperating agen- situation did not prompt him to cies formally sought input,” try and have his ex-wife killed. wrote James M. Hughes, deputy “In this case, you may feel director of programs and policy sympathy for Susan Hyatt,” photography / Troy Boman at BLM. “We therefore plan in the Isaacson told the jurors during Tooele County Sheriff’s bailiff Nate Collins stands in the hallway of Tooele’s 3rd District Court yesterday with James Brinkerhoff, who is cur- rently serving prison time for forgery and other charges. Brinkerhoff testified Monday in the trial against Don Millard, who is facing two counts near future to publish a notice SEE TRIAL ON A7 of conspiracy to murder his ex-wife, Susan Hyatt. Brinkerhoff stated in court he was going to kill the woman at the request of her ex-husband. in the Federal Register seek- ing additional comments on the (PFS) right-of-way applications for a period of 90 days. By solicit- Lookout Pass search ends, Operation Christmas in need of miracle ing comments BLM will have an by Alleen Lang next year if they cannot gener- and Operation Christmas sent opportunity to obtain additional CORRESPONDENT ate enough assistance from the out an appeal for help. information to more fully inform will resume in the spring With 11 days to go, Operation community. “We got a Christmas miracle the decision makers.” by Jesse Fruhwirth to Gary Lamont Neilson, 62. Christmas has a list of 21 under- Operation Christmas provides and then some,” she said. In May 1997, the Bureau of Indian Affairs gave preliminary STAFF WRITER “The reason he didn’t show privileged families who will a tree, gifts and food for families Tooele and Grantsville High and conditional approval of the The search for a West Valley up is because of the vastness of face a sparse Christmas with- in need, she said. This year fami- School have provided some four PFS lease. But PFS has been City man who has been miss- the area,” Park said. “This was a out the aid of Tooele County lies and businesses have donat- dozen families with trees, food waiting for approval from the ing since October has ended. The 62-year-old male who was in very businesses or families, said ed enough money and goods and toys through their winter BLM. Tooele County Sheriff’s depart- good physical shape who could Lauren Anderton, a member of to help 200 families celebrate festival of trees, she said. Tooele “Interior has the obligation to ment will resume the search in have walked from his vehicle for the Operation Christmas com- Christmas. But several families Valley Medical Center has also protect the public interest, and the spring when specially trained miles before anything happened.” mittee. on the list have yet to find spon- contributed 10 trees to the today’s action shows that it is “cadaver dogs” will be used to aid Park said there is a chance the “We are in dire straights right sors, Anderton added. cause. seriously reconsidering the safe- the search. man may not be near Lookout now,” she said. “I’m looking for But she said Tooele has always Families requesting assistance ty of the PFS plan,” Hatch said on Sheriff Frank Park said the Pass where the search was con- another miracle.” stepped up when the need was through Operation Christmas Friday. “I urge everyone in Utah search ran for three days and ducted. Anderton said donations greatest. are screened based on income who shares my concerns about found several articles of clothing, are down, and the organiza- Last year a sponsor pulled the PFS proposal to make their none of which actually belonged SEE SEARCH ON A3 tion could be shut down after their support at the last minute, SEE OPERATION ON A2 voices heard during this public comment period. I am hopeful this new review will lead the Interior to deny the rights of way and put an end to the Skull Valley Big stores lead site.” On Thursday, PFS suffered another setback when a pair of utility companies opted out of business boom supplying money to PFS. Southern Company of Atlanta by Karen Hunt be long.” told Hatch it will cease its sup- In front of Home Depot will STAFF WRITER port for building PFS. In addi- be a new gas station and a Several big business projects tion, Xcel Energy, a majority- convenience store as well. are changing the look of Tooele stockholder in PFS with head- Tooele City has closed on County. quarters in Minnesota; placed a the property for Walgreen’s, Tooele City moratorium on its funding for which will be located in Home Depot, is expected to PFS. Excel supplies electricity Quality Dodge’s old location open in January, while its new to 3.3 million customers in 10 at 200 N. Main Street. neighbor across the highway, states, most notably Minnesota, “Demolition starts Feb. 1, so Liddiard Home Furnishings Wisconsin and Colorado. both sides (of the building) will plans to open its doors in April “Sen. Hatch has been work- be demolished at the same time of 2006. ing tirelessly with the utility and we do have a second ten- “There are semi trucks waiting companies and was particularly ant for the remaining parcel in the parking lot for wood to pleased with Xcel’s decision. — and that will be a nice ten- be unloaded [at Home Depot], They are the 800-pound goril- ant,” Berndt said. The second said Brian Berndt, Tooele la,” said spokesman Peter Carr tenant should be announced in City economic development today. “Sen. Hatch is also work- January. specialist. “As soon as you bring photography / Troy Boman ing with fellow senators to push in the products with a shelf life, Construction workers prepare a skylight for the new 83,000-square-foot Liddiard Home Furnishings located at Rob Bishop’s wilderness bill for like wood, you know it won’t SEE BUSINESS ON A2 2502 N. 400 East Tuesday morning. The store is scheduled to open in April of 2006. Cedar Mountain.” Rep. Bishop SEE PFS ON A2 WEATHER OPEN FORUM A4 SPORTS A10 INSIDE Mostly cloudy tonight with OBITUARIES A6 HOMETOWN B1 Defending champs fight off foes a chance of snow. Sunny with one-point victories Wednesday. Lows near 15. Highs TV LISTINGS A8 DOINGS B4 See A10 around 30. Complete Forecast: A2 CROSSWORD A9 CLASSIFIEDS B6 A2 TUESDAY December 13, 2005 ETCETERA ... Incubation center helps business ideas grow up Temps/Precipitation ValleyLocal WeatherWeather Forecast by Karen Hunt themselves and be successful,” couldn’t sleep last night,” Faird supported by businesses, and STAFF WRITER explained Tooele City economic exclaimed. perhaps county and city dona- Date High Low (prec./inches) Wed Nationwide, most small development specialist Brian Berndt met Baird’s enthusi- tions. He is currently looking for Dec. 8 26 7 28/11 Berndt. “As they grow they’ll asm with practical advise and Dec. 9 29 8 12/14 businesses fail within the first corporate sponsors in order to look for locations within the suggestions — something he improve and staff the center.