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Accomplishments high on list of former library director RAY LAFOLLETTE
The Pyramid
MT. PLEASANT-- During the Oct. 9 Mt. Pleasant City Council meeting, City Council Member Heidi Kelso reported that no library director has been chosen, but the board is interviewing applicants for the position. The board Kelso is referring to is the Mt. Pleasant Library Board. Kelso is the board’s representative from Mt. Pleasant City, and is given charge to administer the activities of the library. The board is seeking a replacement for former Library Director Laurie Hansen, who recently resigned. Once a new director is chosen and hired, the new director may have an uphill climb to achieve the level of service and quality provided previously under Hansen’s direction. Laurie Hansen came to work for Mt. Pleasant City in 2009 to replace outgoing director, Cindy Ledingham. Prior to coming to Mt. Pleasant, Hansen worked at Snow College Library for six years as a circulation manager. During Hansen’s tenure as the Mt. Pleasant City library director, the library has been renovated, actually
moved temporarily to Mt. Pleasant City Hall for six months and celebrated the library’s 100th Birthday last year. In addition, new computers are periodically purchased on a revolving basis for the library. Twice, during Hansen’s employment, a new Strategic Plan was compiled and written by her, which included input from community surveys. The current plan can be viewed on the library website at: mtpleasantlob.org. Once there, click on “Library Info”. Under Hansen’s direction and for the past four years, the Mt. Pleasant City Library has been certified as a ‘Quality Library’, which is the highest certification level attainable from the Utah State Library. The ‘Quality Library’ designation includes extra work in outreach, technology training, working with parents and schools about literacy, and working in collaboration with other libraries to provide enhanced services, responsiveness to public requests and director, staff and trustees participation in state and national associations.
We A r e S a n p e tUtah e . cschool om Thursday, October 25, 2018 • Vol. 128, No. 43 • 75 cents
sued after alleged football team sex assault BRADY MCCOMBS
Associated Press
Each summer, during Laurie Hansen’s tenure as Mt. Pleasant City library director, a summer reading program was held. Three years ago the theme was, “Every Hero has a Story”, and Hansen’s family often gave support. Pictured are Laurie Hansen with her sons, Spiderman (Sam), Batman (Danny) and The Hulk (Ben) who joined in the fun. In addition to being a quality library, the Mt. Pleasant City Library was listed as a Library Journal Star Library for five years in a row. Library statistics (in programs per capita) have placed the Mt. Pleasant City Library as 298 out of 9,300 libraries nationwide. In Utah, that same standard earned them third place, out of 60 public libraries.
For an aggregate “service level”, the library placed eighth with a 90th percentile and for checkouts per capita, it came in at fifth place. Also, for the use of downloadable titles, eBooks and Audiobooks, the library placed number one in the state for small libraries. See LIBRARY, PAGE 6
Archery, mountain sports shop opens Oct. 25 MT. PLEASANT-- Clint and Ellen Dye, Wales, encourage the public to attend the opening of their new business, D-Archery & Mountain Sports LLC, today, Thursday, Oct. 25, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., at 195 North State Street, Mt. Pleasant. The store offers archery equipment including compound, recurve and cross bows, along with optics and lots of other archery related supplies. In addition there will be fishing equipment and eventually rock climbing equipment and camping supplies. It is expected that electronic technology devices used in these sports will also be offered. Clint Dye has been an avid archer for years and it has been a long-time dream of his to operate a store to
provide local access to good archery equipment. He has not enjoyed the long trips up north to find items needed for the sport. With local, good service, the store will provide options to the public. There are local archery leagues with many participants which meet on a regular basis to practice, compete and hone their skills. Those participants need easy access to supplies and good equipment, and the Dyes expect to meet those needs. In the near future a grand opening is being planned, it is expected that eventually classes will be offered for all ages along with hunter ethics training. Store hours will be Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., or call the store at (435) 462-1500.
Clint and Ellen Dye are opening a new business, D-Archery & Mountain Sports LLC, today, Thursday, Oct. 25, from 9 a.m.-7 p.m., at 195 North State Street, Mt. Pleasant. Sports enthusiasts are encouraged to drop in.
Annual MP Halloween parade slated Oct. 31 MT. PLEASANT-- The goblins and ghouls of Mt. Pleasant Elementary are coming to downtown Mt. Pleasant for their annual Halloween Parade at 12:45 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 31. All the goblins and ghouls (students) will be bused to the old elementary school, 50 East 100 South. The parade will begin at Cache Valley Bank and proceed along the west side of State Street to Main Street then turn west to city hall, back across Main Street at Wells Fargo Bank and go east to the stop light, crossing to the library and back to the old elementary school where students will be bused back to the school. It is expected about 600 kids will take part in the parade. For more information, call Mt. Pleasant Elementary at (435) 462- The goblins and ghouls of Mt. Pleasant Elementary are coming to downtown Mt. Pleasant for the annual Halloween Parade Wednesday, Oct. 31, at 12:45 p.m. 2077.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP)-- A Utah mother said in a lawsuit Oct. 18 that school officials brushed aside an alleged sexual assault of her son by his football teammates as “boys being boys” and hazing that went too far. The woman said her 14-year-old son was pinned down by two teammates while a third rubbed his genitals on her son’s face on Sept. 17, in the small Utah city of Gunnison as several other players watched and laughed. The three boys were criminally charged earlier this month. One of the boys, a 16-year-old, also is charged with six counts of felony rape and five counts of forcible sexual abuse. So far, a total of 14 victims have come forward during the investigation, said Sanpete County Attorney Kevin Daniels. The alleged victims are students at the school, but it was unclear if they were members of the football team. South Sanpete County Public Schools Superintendent Kent Larsen didn’t immediately respond to email and phone messages seeking comment. The Associated Press is not naming the mother because doing so could identify her son and the AP typically does not identify alleged sex abuse victims. The mother, her son and their attorney, Bob Sykes, spoke about the case at a news conference in Salt Lake City. The mother said she felt betrayed when Larsen told her what happened to her son was just “boys being boys” and characterized it as hazing that went too far. She said officials at Gunnison Valley High School knew about the other assault allegations against the 16-year-old and should have intervened before her son was assaulted. “They’ve created or cultivated a breeding ground for sexual predators in this school because they allow this behavior to be acceptable,” she said. She and Sykes said the three boys were suspended from school for three days, but allowed to continue playing football. The woman and Sykes said they want a judge to force the school to update its bullying and sexual assault policies and adhere to them. They are also seeking unspecified monetary damages and an apology from school administrator. “Keep our children safe,” she said. “I just want to be able to send my son to school and know that he’s going to be able to come home not in tears.” Her son, a freshman linebacker on the junior varsity football team, said his attackers bullied him by labeling him a snitch after he reported the alleged assault. He said people whispered and talked about him in school hallways but his mother helped him realize he did the right thing by reporting the assault and agreeing to the lawsuit. “They were in the wrong. I know I didn’t do anything wrong. I said what needed to be said,” the boy said. “If I didn’t say anything, it could happen to someone else.”
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