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Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Volume 126 Number 37 Richfield, Utah ©2014 The Richfield Reaper
Serving south central Utah since 1888
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FELONIES
FYI
Two arrested after incident in Salina By David Anderson Associate Editor
9/11 We shall never forget.
Poker Run The Richfield Elks Lodge is set to host an ATV poker run Saturday, Sept. 13, in Richfield. PAGE 11A
Trucks The 13th annual truck show is scheduled to take place at the Art Robinson Transport Museum in Salina this weekend. PAGE 14A
Vocab This week’s Reaper vocabulary word is extraterrestrial. PAGE 14A
Quote
Quote of the week — “This plane was built for your freedom, not your comfort.” — Daniel Baker PAGE 2A
Suicide Today, Sept. 10, is World Suicide Prevention Day.
Inside
American Profile Special Classified Ads 5B Crossword 12A Happenings 4B Letters to Editor 3A Mini Page 3B Obituaries 6A Opinion 3A Public Notices 8A Sports 4A Television Listings 13A Theater 8A
Weather Check the current five-day forecast at
richfieldreaper.com Date High Low Prec. Sept. 2 91 45 Sept. 3 89 56 Sept. 4 82 47 Sept. 5 82 46 .03 Sept. 6 91 45 Sept. 7 89 54 Sept. 8 81 58 54 .37 Sept. 9
Water year precipitation to date, 7.97; to the same date last year, 6.12; all of last year, 9.91.
COURTESY
Stacks of bills amounting to approximately $100,000 were turned over to the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office during an investigation of bookkeeping irregularities in the county’s mosquito abatement department. Charges in the case were filed Monday morning.
Former mosquito abatement director accused of fraud and was selling it,” Curtis said. He said individuals, farms and even other counties purchased pesticides from Johnson. “He was pocketing the cash,” Curtis said. Det. Sgt. Allen Pearson led the investigation for the sheriff’s office and said it was a lot of work. “It was an elaborate, but sloppy scheme,” Pearson said. He said evidence shows that Johnson would ma-
son turned over $100,000 in cash Associate Editor to investigators. “That part An investigation that has lasted apturned out great proximately a year culminated in the for the county,” filing of 11 criminal charges Monday Pearson said. He morning against John Johnson, forsaid typically in a mer Sevier County mosquito abatetheft/fraud case, ment director. the perpetrator Johnson, 67, Monroe, is facing pays back a toeight felony and three misdemeanor ken amount each John charges stemming from the alleged Johnson month. sale of pesticides belongIn this case, virtually all ing to the county. “... he [Johnson] was taking product the that investigators feel they “About a year ago, can prove in court was Mark Stewart took over as county had bought with public taken will be returned to the new mosquito abatecounty coffers. ment director,” said Sevier money and was selling it.” As the investigation proCounty Sheriff Nate Curgressed, a discussion with tis. He said that Stewart — Nate Curtis one person would often noticed some irregularities lead to four or five differin the mosquito spraying nipulate the county’s spraying logs to ent people who purchased pesticides logs and missing inventory. show that more pesticide was being from Johnson. “When he started getting calls used than what actually was, and then “A few were hesitant to talk to us,” from people looking to buy product, selling the excess. Pearson said. He said those who purhe knew something wasn’t right,” “We received a full confession,” chased chemicals and other supplies Curtis said. Stewart brought the irregfrom Johnson didn’t know that the ularities to the attention of the Sevier Pearson said. He said working with the county attorney’s office, Johnson items were being illegally traded. County Commission, which in turn was offered a deal in which prison “It was a convenience for them, all involved the sheriff’s office. was taken off the table in exchange they knew was they were getting a “What it turned out to be was he for a confession. good deal,” Pearson said. [Johnson] was taking product the In addition to the confession, Johncounty had bought with public money CONTINUED PAGE 2A By David Anderson
Mormon Tabernacle Choir tuned into valley Concert draws 1,700 By Chad Hunt Staff Writer
The world renowned Mormon Tabernacle Choir filled the arena of the Sevier Valley Center with music ranging from religious hymns to Disney tunes and Broadway classics Friday night in Richfield. A crowd of approximately 1,700 people filled the seats of the arena for the performance, which lasted approximately an hour, and helped continue the yearlong celebration of Richfield’s 150th anniversary. “It was a real special night,” said Richfield Mayor Dave Ogden. “I could hear them over and over again, and love it just as much every time. It was a wonderful thing for our city, a great part of a real fun year.” Ogden said he was encouraged by the way the choir and the crowd fed off of each others’ positive energy as the evening progressed. He said his only regret from the evening, is he wished more people would have been in attendance. “I wish more people had
Salina, U T
SALINA — Two people are in jail after leading police on a car chase and later Eric a foot Pratt pursuit Sept. 2 in the North Sevier area. The incident began when a Salina Police Department officer stopped a vehicle for speeding through a school zone. When the officer made contact with the male and female occupants, he noticed the smell of marijuana coming from the vehicle. An additional officer arrived on scene, and a vehicle search was conducted. During the search, officers found what they believed to be felony drugs and drug paraphernalia, said Salina Police Chief Eric Pratt. “The female suspect faked a medical condition,” Pratt said. He said in the ensuing confusion, the suspects were able to regain access to and take off in the car.
“The male and female fled the crash on foot in different directions.” — Eric Pratt “The two officers pursued the vehicle north of Salina onto highway 89 into Sanpete County,” Pratt said. He said the suspects then turned onto State Route 256 and drove into Redmond, where the suspect vehicle crashed into a structure and was disabled. “The male and female fled the crash on foot in different directions,” Pratt said. “The two pursuing Salina officers chased the male on foot and were able to subdue him with a Taser and take him safely into custody.” Pratt said one of the officers then pursued the female on foot in the other direction, but she was able to hide. The female suspect remained concealed for several hours as the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office, Utah Highway Patrol — including a helicopter, Gunnison Police Department and deputies from Millard County with tracking dogs joined the search. CONTINUED PAGE 2A
Accidental shooting CHAD HUNT/RICHFIELD REAPER
Organist Richard Elliott presents a solo rendition of George Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm” during the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s performance at the Sevier Valley Center in Richfield Friday evening.
attended, not for financial reasons, but for the fact it’s such an iconic, beautiful choir — it’s a worldwide phenomenon, and they sang songs everyone could identify and love,” Ogden said. “It was also a real treat with how they identified with our valley throughout the performance, and even had those members of the
choir with a connection to the Sevier Valley stand up.” More than two dozen members of the choir stood to acknowledge some tie with the area, helping engage the crowd even more than they did through their songs, Ogden said. “As I walked out, there were ladies wiping tears
from their eyes,” Ogden said. “It was a special evening for them, and for myself, as I’m sure it was for anyone who was there.” Ogden said he was grateful, not only for the choir, but for those who had the foresight to bring them to town to help the city celebrate its sesquicentennial.
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CONTINUED PAGE 2A
Monroe, U T
Third such incident in Richfield in 2014 A 33-year-old man was injured in the third accidental shooting in Richfield since March. Brandon Stewart, Richfield, was in his garage cleaning a .22 single-shot revolver Thursday at approximately 3 a.m., said Richfield City Police Det. Sgt. Trent Lloyd. “Basically, there wasn’t a safety on the gun,” Lloyd said. He said the gun fell down and the hammer hit the floor, causing a bullet to go CONTINUED PAGE 2A off.