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Thursday, January 3, 2013 • Issue # 977
Utah Dept. of Workforce Services Announces Incentives for Local Businesses that Create New Jobs SALT LAKE CITY Utah small businesses may qualify for an incentive from the Utah Department of Workforce Services for adding new employees, DWS officials said in a news release. The Small Business Bridge Program offers incentives ranging from $3,000 to $4,000 to small businesses that create new jobs prior to June 30. A possible $500 incentive is available if the new employee was receiving unemployment benefits at the time he or she is hired, said Kelly Thornton, workforce development specialist for the Moab DWS office. But employers should plan ahead and reserve the funds as soon as possible, Thornton said. “I’d like to see local businesses be able to take advantage of the program. If they anticipate hiring for new positions before June, they really
should apply now so money can be set aside for them,” Thornton said. “As long as the person is hired by the end of June the business is eligible.” The Bridge Program is funded entirely by penalty and interest payments collected from the unemployment compensation fund and will not require any new funding sources for its operational or administrative costs, DWS officials said. The funds will be reinvested back into the Utah workforce and businesses, Thornton said. Businesses who employ two to 100 people may apply for the one-time grant. To be eligible, the business must be creating additional permanent, year-round positions that pay at least 80 percent of the average wage for the county in which the business operates. In Grand County that means the new employee would have
to be paid at least $18,264 per year, Thornton said. The Bridge Program incentives range from $3,000 to $4,000 per position, with a possible $500 incentive if the new employee was receiving unemployment benefits at the time he or she is hired, Thornton said. “The program is meant to be streamlined and easily accessible,” said Ben Hart, director of employer incentives with DWS. To apply for the program employers submit a one-page application. Once approved, employers must sign an agreement before filling the position. Applications will be accepted until all funding has been obligated or until Feb. 28, 2013. Positions must be filled and payment requested by June 30, 2013. —Utah Dept. of Workforce Services
Interested in a Job With the Forest Service? BEAVER - The Fishlake National Forest will soon be advertising two GS-0303-4/5 Customer Service Representative positions. The positions are permanent full-time jobs. One duty station will be located in Beaver Utah and one will be located in Loa Utah. The positions will be advertised both Merit (Current Permanent Employees) and Demo (Open to all U.S. Citizens). The purpose of this Outreach Notice is to inform prospective applicants of this opportunity. The main purpose of the position is to provide customer service to the public. Duties include greeting visitors, answering telephones, filing and records management, mail, purchasing, cash collections, processing requests for special forest products permits, maintaining supplies and equipment, and preparing and processing letters and reports. The incumbent will also provide administrative and personnel support for a variety of functions on the District. They will need to keep apprised of
Agency-wide directives and procedures and any new requirements affecting the work of the organization. They will also support procurement staff (will have a government credit card) and property support. These positions will be posted on www.usajobs.gov and applications will be processed through an on-line applicant assessment system that has been specifically configured for the USDA Forest Service. Interested applicants are encouraged to set up a profile and enter résumé information in USAjobs ahead of time. Response to this outreach will enable the Forest to notify applicants when the job announcement numbers are determined and the closing date to submit an application. The job announcement numbers will allow you to directly apply for the location in which you are interested. For additional details on the position in Beaver contact Esther Benson at 435-4381242; email ebenson@fs.fed. us; or stop by the office at 575
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South Main in Beaver, UT. For additional details on the position in Loa contact Natalie Jensen at 435-896-1025; email: nmorrell@fs.fed.us; or stop by 138 South Main Street in Loa, Utah. Interested applicants will be notified when both positions are available in USAjobs, the Forest anticipates this will be the end of January 2013 —Fishlake N.F.
January is National Volunteer Blood Donor Month No matter what your financial situation is like, there’s one way you can give back to your community that won’t cost you a penny. According to the American Red Cross, more than 44,000 blood donations are needed daily. While it’s always the right time to give blood, January is National Volunteer Blood Donor Month, a great reminder to make an appointment. As the new year begins, consider making regular blood donations a part of your 2013 schedule. One donation can help save the lives of up to three people. To find out where you can give blood and to schedule your appointment, go to www. redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS. —Statepoint Media
Photos: Amy Levek
Bluff artists created a giant sculpture of a woolly mammoth from a debris pile. On December 21, hundreds gathered to watch it burn.
Mammoth Burning Gathering is Celebration of Solstice, Rock Art by Amy Levek
BLUFF -- Why would a small town want to celebrate burning a life-size sculpture of a mammal extinct for over 13,000 years, long gone and hardly identified with southern Utah? Bluff artist Joe Pachak built the mammoth sculpture-of a woolly mammoth—out of interwoven twigs, branches and other combustible stuff with a little help from his friends. Pachak is experienced in Utah rock art and archeology and recently discovered a rare petroglyph of a mammoth along the San Juan River, which inspired his artistic creation as well as the Solstice burning event. “This year’s mammoth was an appreciation of rock art,” says Pachak, describing his motivation for the work. The petroglyph that served as inspiration for the sculpture could be up to 13,000 years old, making it one of the oldest in North America. Pachak and friends spent hundreds of hours working on the sculpture, starting in October. A friend had sent me a photo of it and I was intrigued, so I decided to head to Bluff to watch it burn. After all, what better way to spend the shortest day of the year than to be warmed by a giant bonfire? When I arrived in Bluff on December 21st and saw the wooden mammoth, looming 15 feet above a small crowd, and listened to artist and co-creator J.R. Lancaster explaining the mammoth’s construction, it
took my breath away. Initially I decided it was too awesome to burn. But after listening for a while to Lancaster, and hearing his enthusiasm for the project, I too was soon anticipating the flames, appreciating the ancient symbolic tradition of lighting up the shortest night to celebrate the return of the sun. Yet, the idea of the “burning” itself did not come out of the blue. It’s been a Bluff tradition to burn a big pile of debris on New Year’s Eve, which comes from a collection of the town’s yard waste. This year, they used the town debris pile to construct the mammoth. “The patriarchs and old school people in town told me to burn the mammoth on New Year’s Eve,” says Pachak. “But I said no.” Pachak explains that he has had his own annual tradition of making a solstice marker, “Tending it for 17 years, and I needed to do the burn on the solstice.” Bluff knows how to throw a good party, too. There were educational events, potlucks, and even drums and masks for those so inclined, though you had to bring your own. Hundreds of people gathered for the event—locals, Utahn’s from around the state, and travelers from far away places like Chicago. As the sun set, Navajo drummers started a rhythm. At the chosen time of 8pm, designated fire starters hoisted lit atlatls, spears that might have been used 13,000 years ago to
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Everyone is a genius at least once a year. The real geniuses simply have their bright ideas closer together. —Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742 - 1799)
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hunt mammoth. Flames quickly engulfed the sculpture and the crowd—adults, children, a few dogs—slowly started circling around the fire, reveling in its heat and light. Sparks shot into the sky, engulfing the moon in a sparkly red cloud. I couldn’t take my eyes off the blaze, there was something magical about the unpredictable dancing light. I forgot about the frigid night, feeling only the intense heat from the burning sculpture. As the flames died back, everything felt right: I knew the sun would rise, spring would return and the cycle would begin again. Pachak himself was pretty pleased with how it all turned out. “The event was great fun—a thrill—and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a community event and it’s another good reason to get out.” And what about next year? Now a crowd is wondering with anticipation whether this will become an annual tradition. Pachak says, “I’m trying to keep a low profile and not say what will happen next year.” Meanwhile, he’s trying to get the town to segregate the debris pile into compost, sticks and twigs. I’ll go back to Bluff for another burn if they invite me. Amy Levek is a resident of Telluride, CO and a frequent visitor to southern Utah.
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