www.tooeletranscript.com TUESDAY Wrestling refs have unique father/son ties See B1 TOOELETRANSCRIPT BULLETIN January 10, 2006 SERVING TOOELE COUNTY SINCE 1894 VOL. 112 NO. 66 50 cents $10,000 posted for cow massacre culprit School district audit Bovine death toll increases to 10 shows balanced books by Jesse Fruhwirth by Jesse Fruhwirth Current business administrator STAFF WRITER Richard Reese, who took over for STAFF WRITER It’s not easy educating over 11,000 Sampson in July, said he’s “very The potential reward for any- students. satisfied” with the audit. one with information regarding It’s almost as tough to keep tabs “I’m very pleased with the audit,” the shooting of ten cows near on the $68 million used to educate Reese said. “There were no major Vernon has more than doubled. them. findings. Some minor, but that’s to Anyone with information that The Tooele County School District be expected.” leads to a conviction will be eli- has released its annual audit to great Board member Jerry Powers, gible for a $10,000 reward. reviews. Conducted by an indepen- with his 37 years of banking experi- Seven pregnant cows were dent agency, the “unqualified” report ence and a former auditor himself, discovered shot in the heads shows there are no “material mis- was chosen to be the audit liaison and necks by last Thursday. The statements” in the district’s financial for the board. He said he is satisfied deaths of three more cows have books. That is the accountants’ way with the audit as well. been attributed to the same inci- of saying, as far as they can tell, all “I’d be the last person to have dent since that time. $68 million are present or accounted this expectation of a 100 percent Based on the value of the for. clean audit,” Powers said. “I don’t cows, the perpetrator could face The audit covers financial state- think anybody ever gets a perfect a second-degree felony charge of ments for the year ending June (review).” criminal mischief. 30, 2005. The audit is a post-term One of the minor findings includ- The herd’s owner, Dick review of the tenures of former ed a lapse in procedure for deposit- Johnson of Grantsville, superintendent Larry Shumway and announced a $3,000 reward last former business administrator Bill SEE AUDIT ON A2 week — mostly from his own Sampson. funds. The Humane Society of Utah on Friday pitched in an additional $5,000. Since then other donors have added to the Toddler barely survives grand total. Originally only seven cows were thought to have been killed. parents’ alleged neglect After the field was more thor- oughly combed, two more car- by Jesse Fruhwirth “The child’s core temperature casses were found. The last of STAFF WRITER had dropped significantly ... the 10 was critically injured and Parents of a hospitalized three They were apparently playing was put down Saturday. year old are in custody facing video games and not being very A fourth generation rancher reckless endangerment charges. attentive.” with his brother Neil, Johnson The Tooele couple allegedly left The child was not breathing has seen similar incidents. their child in the bathtub with- when police units arrived. “We get a cow shot every year,” out supervision, according to a “The father attempted to he said. police official. The child is still begin resuscitation on the child But never has his herd of over hospitalized, but reportedly has prior to the arrival of the offi- 400 suffered such a wanton, been taken off life support. cers,” Wexels said. senseless cull. William and Brianne Matias Police performed CPR. When “It was pretty devastating. called 911 when the they discov- an ambulance arrived, the child We’re up to 10 cows and they ered the child unconscious in was transported to Mountain were all young cows that would the bathtub. After an interview West Medical Center and later have been with us 10 to 12 more with police officials days later, to Primary Children’s Medical years,” he said. they were each charged with a Center in Salt Lake City by heli- Det. Ron Johnson of the Tooele third-degree felony. copter. County Sheriff’s Department said Tooele Police Lt. Craig Wexels Spokeswoman for the Utah the shooting was done the end of said their charges stem from Department of Human Services December. inaction that led to the child’s Carol Sisco confirmed the child “[The shooting occurred] photography / Troy Boman significant bodily harm. had survived the trauma. She Dick Johnson of Grantsville stands by one of his 10 senselessly killed cows at his ranch near Vernon. The “We’re estimating that [the said the Division of Child and heifers were all pregnant with 10-12 years left on their lives. Several agencies have contributed to the child was in the tub] maybe a SEE COWS ON A2 reward fund that now stands at $10,000 for information leading to a conviction. couple of hours,” Wexels said. SEE TODDLER ON A2 THS assistant principal to head new junior high Bush inks Cedar wilderness protection by Jesse Fruhwirth by Karen Hunt cover for me,” Strain said. “This STAFF WRITER STAFF WRITER is a great experience for me.” The Cedar Mountain After four years as assistant Before the board decided Wilderness Area received principal, Hal Strain will soon whether to OK the new principal Pres. George W. Bush’s rubber- preside over a new school of his last Tuesday during their regular stamp on Friday, bringing the own. meeting, Strain had an opportu- land protection into law. After That’s “unfortunately for nity address the board. being approved by both halves Tooele High School,” according “I’m excited for the opportu- of the federal Legislature late to Principal Michael Westover. nity — if I’m accepted — and I last year, the president agreed “He’s been a good man to have really appreciate the opportunity to the major roadblock to the around here. We’ll miss him next and ... the trust,” he said. development of high-level year and for years to come,” The board’s approval was quick nuclear waste depository on added Westover. and unanimous. the Goshute Reservation. Strain was chosen as principal Strain was hired four years ago Proposed by Rob Bishop of the new Clarke N. Johnsen as Assistant Principal at Tooele (R-Utah), nearly 100,000 acres Junior High from a half dozen High School by Elementary in the Skull Valley are now applicants for his ability to con- Director Sandra Shepard. protected from many kinds of nect with students and his level A Payson High School graduate, development. The rail spur pro- head. Strain went on to graduate from posed by Private Fuel Storage “He’s calm in tense situations, Snow College, Brigham Young (PFS) — a consortium of util- makes good sound decisions and University and the University of ity companies that would have has good rapport with students Idaho. transported high-level nuclear and faculty,” said Superintendent After earning his bache- waste through Skull Valley — is Michael Johnsen. lor’s degree at Brigham Young no longer possible. The position was open only University, he started his 10-year After months of victories to current district employees career in education as a coach for PFS last year that made because the new principal must and math teacher in Burley, Idaho. their plans seem almost inevi- complete regular duties through In addition to coaching volleyball, table, the winter months saw the end of the school year while basketball and track, he also man- opponents planning the victory also selecting staff, creating rules, aged the swimming pool. party. planning for student body offi- While teaching, he also earned “I really think this represents cers, and ordering furniture, fix- his master’s degree in educa- the single largest legislative tures and equipment for the new tional administration from the victory against efforts to bring photography / Kari Scribner school. University of Idaho and complet- The federal government set aside 100,000 acres of the Cedar Mountains and Skull Valley, designating it a wilder- ness area. The move is an effort to prevent Private Fuel Storage from turning a portion of the Goshute reservation “Mr. Westover and Mrs. Warr SEE WILDERNESS ON A3 both expressed willingness to SEE PRINCIPAL ON A3 into the nation’s largest repository for high-level radioactive waste. WEATHER OPEN FORUM A4 SPORTS A10 INSIDE Partly cloudy tonight with a CROSSWORD A6 HOMETOWN B1 Buffs, Cowboys hit the mats chance of rain and snow. Lows at Best of West tournament near 30. Breezy Wednesday. Highs OBITUARIES A7 DOINGS B2 See A10 in the 40s. Complete Forecast: A2 TV LISTINGS A8 CLASSIFIEDS B4 A2 TUESDAY January 10, 2006 ETCETERA ... Cows Audit Temps/Precipitation ValleyLocal WeatherWeather Forecast continued from page A1 continued from page A1 Date High Low (prec./inches) before the 29th of December and ing receipts within three days. Reese Jan. 5 47 26 .02 Wed 41/29 after Christmas,” Det. Johnson said mundane problems like a secre- Jan. 6 49 28 1/11 said. “The gentleman who found tary calling in sick for the week can Jan. 7 55 29 Rain showers early mixing with the cows had been working out cause that type of problem. Jan. 8 43 26 .02 snow showers later in the day. Jan. 9 39 22 there off and on, on location, and “Anytime you do an audit there High 41F. just noticed them on the 29th.” will be exceptions to accepted pro- Ned Bevan, Tooele’s weather observer Det. Johnson said his intuition cedures ..