FRONT PAGE A1 www.tooeletranscript.com TUESDAY Stansbury couple revisits the past See B1 TOOELETRANSCRIPT BULLETIN December 11, 2007 SERVING TOOELE COUNTY SINCE 1894 VOL. 114 NO. 59 50¢ Transcript-Bulletin Christmas Benefit Fund County dental clinic set to open in January by Doug Radunich STAFF WRITER Tooele County Health Department officials are work- ing hard to open the county’s new state-of-the-art dental clinic by January. The new clinic, located inside the Tooele County Health Department on 151 N. Main St. in Tooele, was created to serve the high number of individuals in Tooele County who cannot afford dental treatment from a regular den- tist. It is expected that eligible patients will generally be low-income, without dental insurance, underinsured, or on Medicaid or Medicare. Local dentist Dr. Mike Wells, who will be volunteering at the clinic, said smaller materials such as drills and other equipment still need to be collected before the clinic can open next month. The clinic itself is expected to operate much like the health department’s Healthy Smiles Project did two years ago, but it will be located in the health department build- ing and include newer dental equipment. It will feature a number of local dentists — all of whom will volunteer their time — providing care to eligible individuals. “In a way, this dental clinic will be a completely new thing, and it will feature dedicated volunteers and a more equipped facility than what we had for the Healthy Smiles Project,” Wells said. Relief Services Coordinator Karen Kuipers said the clinic will be a big help for low-income residents in Tooele County who can’t afford dental care and have photography / Troy Boman nowhere to go locally for treatment. Audrey and Wanda Payne hold a picture of Justin Payne, who works in New Mexico while Derek and Wesley Payne sit in the background. The family would “I’ve seen low-income people with abscesses, infec- like nothing more than to have Justin home for the holidays. tions or broken teeth — all of which had been causing them severe pain — and the closest place they had to go for a low-income dental clinic was Salt Lake,” Kuipers said “When people have emergency dental needs that Tooele family fighting to have might require emergency dental procedures, they need to have them taken care of right then and now. This clinic will serve as an alternative to the emergency room, as well as a place for those who are not getting preventive care, which could lead to an emergency issue for them.” Christmas together this year Kuipers said the clinic will not compete with private by Sarah Miley spread all over his abdominal wall and into dentists. STAFF WRITER his colon. When he was diagnosed, he was “When you’re low-income and struggling, it’s not a given three to five years to live. While Wes matter of choosing between seeing a private dentist and In a Tooele home, a husband and wife hold has beat that prediction, doctors aren’t sure visiting a local clinic, because most low-income people hands, surrounded by family. A Christmas how much longer he has to live, as his health can’t afford dental care or the cost of a private dentist,” tree stands in the living room in front of is rapidly deteriorating. He is currently on she said. “Some traditional programs don’t cover den- the window — a sign of the holiday sea- hospice in home care.Less than a year after tal care for them, and most private dentists don’t take son. But while other families are shopping Wes’s diagnosis, the family lost their home Medicaid. There are also income criteria at the clinic, as for Christmas presents to place under their and possessions because of overwhelming far as being able to be served, so it’s not like just anyone trees, the Payne family is just hoping for medical bills. They lived in a friend’s home can receive treatment.” their dad to get better, and for their brother from June 2000 to July 2001, and in a motor Local dentist Clair Vernon agreed that competition to come home so they can be together as a home from July 2001 to November of that would not be a factor because most private dentists do family this holiday season. same year. Just as that winter was setting in, not accept Medicaid, and that there are enough people The Paynes have been chosen as the they were able to get into their current home on Medicaid in Tooele County to justify the new dental Tooele Transcript-Bulletin Christmas Benefit in Tooele. clinic. Fund family for 2007. The family includes Wanda, currently a cashier at Wal-Mart, “I think they need to hire a full-time dentist there at parents Wes and Wanda Payne, both 47; sons works as much as she can, but medical bills the clinic, because I’m sure they could stay busy with Justin, 23, and Derek, 18; daughter Audrey, continue to pile up as she tries to take care of the high amount of Medicaid patients there are in Tooele 26, and her son Weston, 4. Besides Justin her family and ailing husband. County,” Vernon said. “There is a big enough need here.” — who is currently working in construction “We’ve been really struggling to pay for all Wells said most of the funding for the building and in New Mexico and has been helping pay for of the doctor bills,” she said. equipment came from several different grants and dona- his family’s bills — they all live in the same Derek is a senior at Tooele High School. He tions. He also said that by the time the clinic opens, he is home. wants to stay home to be with his dad, so he hoping to have a dental assistant/office manager serving photography / Troy Boman Eight years ago, Wes was diagnosed with a receives homebound services — schooling there as a full-time staff member. rare form of cancer called mucinous adeno- Mother and daughter Wanda and Audrey Payne try SEE FAMILY PAGE A9 ➤ SEE DENTAL PAGE A9 ➤ and make sense of Wesley’s medical condition. carcinoma — a mucinous cancer that has Fast food dominating valley? Operators say consumer demand continues to drive a boom in outlets that serve quick eats by Doug Radunich rants in the area.Angelo Geovjian, general STAFF WRITER partner of American Burgers, said the demand for more fast-food restaurants is being driven How much is too much? When the ques- partly by consumer lifestyle choices and part- tion is applied to the proliferation of fast food ly by the growth of the valley in general. restaurants in the Tooele Valley, the answer “Everyone knows that people like burgers depends very much on whom you ask. because they’re quick, fast and inexpensive, With Tooele’s new Apollo Burgers up and so I expect more and more of these places to running for a week, there are now 14 fast-food come here,” he said. “The people in charge of chain restaurants and three local fast-food such places also want to move here and be restaurants in the Tooele Valley. The other in this community because it’s fast-growing. chain locations countywide, several of which There is not only plenty of room to grow with had opened in the last five years, include more restaurants, but there is also plenty of Arby’s, A&W, two Burger Kings, Carl’s Jr./ opportunity for everyone to stay in business Green Burrito, Iceberg Drive-In, KFC/Taco as the population grows. Plus, a little compe- Bell, two McDonald’s locations, Sonic Drive- tition is a good thing.” In, a separate Taco Bell, Taco Time/Big Rod’s, Apollo Burgers owner Denny Neofitos said and Wendy’s, while Dairy Delight, American consumers’ natural desire for more choice, photography / Maegan Burr Burgers and Kravers make up the three Tooele Cars line up during the lunch-hour rush at the new Apollo Burger in Tooele. Apollo is the latest of many fast-food establishments County-based independent fast-food restau- SEE FOOD PAGE A7 ➤ that have set up shop in Tooele Valley in recent years. WEATHER OPEN FORUM A6 HOMETOWN B1 INSIDE Partly cloudy conditions through OBITUARIES A7 BULLETIN BOARD B3 Grantsville boys still Wednesday with snow on Thursday. TV LISTINGS B4 CLASSIFIEDS B6 seeking winning formula Highs in the upper 20s to low 30s. See A10 Complete Forecast: A2 SPORTS A10 ANNOUNCEMENTS B5 A2 A2 TOOELE TRANSCRIPT-BULLETIN TUESDAY December 11, 2007 Utah & The West Valley Weather Forecast Romney praised for avoiding theological speech Local Weather by Brock Vergakis ASSOCIATED PRESS Tue 26/14 12/11 SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Republican Except for a few afternoon clouds, presidential hopeful Mitt Romney dis- mainly sunny. Cold. High 26F. cussed few specifics of what he believes as a Mormon during a speech on faith in America last Thursday — and that’s exactly what political observers in Utah said he should have done. Wed 29/19 “I had no expectations that he 12/12 would get into the theological weeds of Mormonism. There simply isn’t the time Partly cloudy. Highs in the upper to address all of the issues that some peo- 20s and lows in the upper teens. ple may have with the Mormon faith,” said Kirk Jowers, a Romney supporter and director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah. Thu Romney’s speech sought to allay fears 30/20 about his faith among voters less than 12/13 a month before the first Republican Mostly cloudy.