Silver Sage serves up delicious food and fun See B1 TOOELETRANSCRIPT S T C BULLETIN S TUESDAY January 29, 2019 www.TooeleOnline.com Vol. 125 No. 69 $1.00 $2.8M approved to widen westbound I-80 Auxiliary lane will be built between SR-201 and Exit 99 STEVE HOWE STAFF WRITER by reducing the current weav- est in several projects along the A hurdle in the process to ing pattern used by the com- stretch of I-80 between SR-36 expand westbound Interstate muters from Tooele County.” and SR-201. Work continues 80 between exits 101 and The Utah Transportation to replace the overpass at Exit 99 was cleared last Friday Committee approved the $2.8 99 and two railroad overpass as the Utah Transportation million for the project as a bridges just east of Exit 101. Commission approved $2.8 new project to be added to the Both projects are slated for million for the project during 2019 Statewide Transportation completion this year. its monthly meeting. Improvement Program. The During Friday’s meet- The funding will create funding for the project is $1.1 ing, the Utah Transportation a westbound auxiliary lane million in Highway Safety Committee briefly discussed between the exits at state Improvement fund money, the projects in the area. Work Route 201 and state Route 36, $1 million in unprogrammed on the temporary bridge to be according to documents from highway safety improvement installed during the replace- the meeting in the Salt Lake funding and $700,000 from ment of the railroad overpass County Council Room. The Region 2 transportation solu- bridges is expected to begin in additional lane is intended to tions. FRANCIE AUFDEMORTE/TTB PHOTO ® “improve safety at this location The auxiliary lane is the lat- SEE I-80 PAGE A8 UDOT will add a lane to westbound I-80 from the SR201 interchange to exit 99. The project is slated for 2019. Year ends with local home prices, sales up TIM GILLIE according to statistics from STAFF WRITER the Wasatch Front Regional The median sales price of Multiple Listing Service. homes in Tooele County dur- Home sales and prices for ing the fourth quarter of 2018 the entire year of 2018 remain was up compared to the fourth ahead of 2017 with an aver- quarter of 2017, but for the age sales price of $275,909 in first time since the second 2018 compared to $243,152 quarter of 2017 the current in 2017, an increase of 13.5 quarterly sales price dropped percent. The total homes sold from the previous quarter of in Tooele County during 2018 the same year, according to was 1,395, which is 2.1 per- sales statistics. cent up from 2017’s average The total number of homes sales price of $243,152. sold in the fourth quarter of The decline in home sales 2018 dropped from 366 in price for the fourth quarter of the fourth quarter of 2018 to 2018 and the decline in home Dave Stamey of Orange Grove, California, performs “Desert Train” during Saturday’s Western Music and Songwriter’s Series 323 in 2018’s fourth quarter at Deseret Peak Complex. The sold out weekend event featured several performers, cowboy poets, and a chili contest. for an 11.7 percent decline, SEE SALES PAGE A8 ® WESTERN MUSIC AND SONGWRITERS CONCERT PHOTOS DANIEL PACHECO Western music stars converged at Deseret Peak Complex on Saturday for the 6th Annual Western Music Songwriters Series. School board to Dave Stamey, Western Music Association’s seven-time Entertainer of the Year, made his first appearance at the event. He was named Best Living Western Solo Musician for four negotiate proposed consecutive years by True West Magazine and is a recipient of the Will Rogers Award from the Academy of Western Artists. business park’s Other top musicians included Trinity Seely, who has received numerous awards for her music. Seely’s song “Cowboy’s Wage” is archived at the Cowboy Hall of Fame Museum in tax incentive plan Oklahoma City. In addition to Saturday’s festival, the first Western Music and Songwriters Youth Showcase TIM GILLIE Campus. was held Friday at Bonneville Brewery in STAFF WRITER Tax increment financing Tooele. Friday’s featured performers included Tooele County School involves the district foregoing a 12-year-old guitarist Vanessa Carpenter and District has agreed to portion of its property tax from 12-year-old poet Colton Blankman. Cowboy poet “play nice in the sand- the increase in the property’s Trinity Seely (above) Thatch Elmer, 14, was the host. box” with Tooele County’s value for a specified period of of Cascade, Montana, The Best of the West Chili Cook-off was also Redevelopment Agency as the time as the property is devel- performs “Grandpa” held in conjunction with Saturday’s performanc- county’s RDA works with a oped. along with Dave Stamey es. Proceeds from the show and chili cook-off developer to establish a 900- “This is different than some and special guest Butch will support the Bit n’ Spur Junior Riding Club acre business park on Sheep of things we’ve asked to agree Hause. Tyler Guy (right program. in red shirt), producer of Lane. to in the past,” said Scott the Western Music and The Tooele County School Bryan, school board member. Songwriter’s Series, con- Board voted during its Jan. 22 “It’s 900 acres and it’s not for a gratulates Jerry Hurst meeting to approve a resolu- single business. There is some after he was presented tion that commits the school risk mitigation here. We’re not the second annual D district to negotiate an agree- agreeing tonight to a specific Bar T Memorial Award. ment with the county’s RDA dollar amount or percentage, Hannah Pace and Clay for the use of tax increment but we’re just saying we’re Baker (far right) of Berk, financing to support a business going to play nice in the sand- Nevada, traveled to park on property owned by the box and be supportive and Tooele to see their favor- ite singers perform . Romney Group on Sheep Lane across from Utah Motorsports SEE PARK PAGE A9 ® INSIDE BULLETIN BOARD B4 CLASSIFIEDS B6 Tooele Chamber Tooele Tech GHS boys finish HOMETOWN B1 holds annual prepares for second in region OBITUARIES A6 installation and new POST See A10 OPEN FORUM A4 award banquet program SPORTS A10 See A2 See A3 A2 TOOELE TRANSCRIPT BULLETIN TUESDAY January 29, 2019 Chamber of Commerce presents annual awards, installs officers TIM GILLIE STAFF WRITER The Tooele County Chamber of Commerce, which repre- sents over 400 businesses, held its annual installation banquet and awards ceremony Friday night in The Legends Hall at Utah Motorsports Campus. The chamber recognized Darin Smith, a certified physi- cian assistant who practices with Dr. Charles Holt in Tooele City, as its 2019 Citizen of the Year. “He goes above and beyond with all of his patients, treat- ing them personally and SUE BUTTERFIELD/TTB PHOTO making house calls,” read Mountain West Medical Center CEO Phil Eaton addresses the audience SharLynn Mueller from nomi- after receiving the 2018 Business of the Year Award. nation forms submitted for Smith. Smith was not present to receive the award due to fam- ily concerns. The chamber presented its SUE BUTTERFIELD/TTB PHOTO Lifetime Achievement Award Carl Justesen receives the 2018 Customer Service Award from Jared Hamner and Tyson Hamilton at the 2019 to Sid Hullinger. Installation Banquet and Award Ceremony on Friday night. “Sid’s list of community service includes serving on a Ranch for three years, and has invested in offering better give very informative tours number of county and state also served on the Wasatch options locally for health care of the museum and provide boards and committees,” said Front Private Industry Council ... They sponsor events in the scholarships for students, Jared Hamner, executive direc- that helped secure training for community ... They ask ques- according to Marshall. tor of the chamber. people looking for jobs. tions of their entire staff on “They are the caretaker of Hullinger was appointed In Nevada, Hullinger improving their service,” read Grantsville’s history,” Marshall to the Utah Citizen’s Advisory chaired a United Way drive the nominations for Mountain said. Commission on Chemical and the White Pine County West Medical Center. Tooele City’s Community Weapons Demilitarization by Adult Education Council, was Carl Justesen, with Mario Service Award winner was then-Gov. Mike Leavitt. He a member of the United Way Tires, received the Customer Pastor Mark Runyon of the received a citation from Gov. board of directors and served Service Award. New Life Christian Fellowship. Gary Herbert upon the com- on the Board of Directors for The Volunteer of the Year Tooele City Mayor Debbie pletion of the commission’s Eastern Nevada Community Award went to Lorina Bishop, Winn listed several commu- work in 2012. College. In 1972 he was of the Insurance Network and nity services provided by the SUE BUTTERFIELD/TTB PHOTO He also served on the named Outstanding Young president of the Tooele Valley New Life Christian Fellowship Tyson Hamilton and Jared Hamner present Lorina Bishop with the 2018 Citizens Advisory Council on Man of the Year for White Rotary Club. under Runyon’s leadership, Volunteer of the Year Award. Privatizing the Tooele Army Pine County and the state of The Chamber’s Ambassador who has been its pastor since Depot Vehicle Maintenance Nevada. of the Year was Kathy Klein. 2008: a community clothes Facility after it was closed by Hullinger remains active Grantsville, Tooele City, and closet, an annual coat drive, the Base Realignment and with the Barrick Foundation Tooele County each presented a food pantry, Thanksgiving Closure Commission; was a that awards about 10 schol- a community service award meals, a partner with Toys for member of the advisory board arships a year to students during the chamber’s annual Tots, a shower and laundry for the Pine Canyon Boys at Tooele, Stansbury and dinner.