Wisan refutes claim Fischer was driven off UEP property
Approximately 160 residents of the South Plains community of Lockney gathered Friday evening, May 12, 2007 in the town’s Community Center to hear what their newest neighbor, Samuel Fischer of Hildale, Utah, had to say about his intentions for a manufacturing facility he purchased on the outskirts of their town. They also wanted to question him about his affiliation with the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and its jailed prophet Warren Jeffs.
Fischer began by speaking briefly about his background and his desire to relocate the custom cabinet-making shop he owned in Hildale to Lockney where he expand into modular cabinet manufacturing and tap into the booming housing markets in Lubbock and Amarillo. The 176,368 sq. ft. Tye Company manufacturing facility, once used to make farm implements, was ideal for the job, Fischer commented, and the price was right.
Fischer said he called the meeting to address what he called inaccuracies in news articles about him and his plans for the Lockney plant.
Saying that Warren Jeffs was “much improved in his appearance and demeanor,” Utah’s 5th District Judge James L. Shumate ruled last Friday that the FLDS prophet is competent to stand trial.
The judge said he asked Jeffs’ defense team to get an evaluation of their client’s mental and physical condition after he appeared frail and disoriented at a March 27th hearing. The request for a competency evaluation was sealed by the judge, leading to a great deal of speculation about Jeffs’ mental and physical well being.
The FLDS temple loomed in the background Monday as Fox News Channel producer Geroge Szucs interviewed Success publisher Randy Mankin near the entrance to the YFZ Ranch on County Road 300. Szucs was in town preparing a segment for Hannity’s America. Two parts of the series taped in and around Hildale, Utah, have already aired. The segment featuring the YFZ Ranch is scheduled to air at 8 p.m. Sunday, June 10th on the Fox News Channel.
Property values continue to rise, $50 million increase likely
Thursday, 14 June 2007 00:00
Rising property values, especially those on the county’s oil and gas tax rolls, are likely to produce more revenue for county taxing jurisdictions this year, making the upcoming budget discussions a bit less stressful for the county, school and hospital district.
Chief Appraiser Janie Mitchell told the Success this week that county wide property values could increase by as much as $50 million this year, with most of the increase coming on the appraisal district’s “mineral roll.”
$3 million of the increase is due to construction at the YFZ Ranch, where buildings completed in 2006 were placed on the tax roll for 2007. Several ongoing construction projects at the YFZ won’t be added to the tax rolls until next year.
The City of Eldorado’s tax base is increasing, too. Mitchell explained that taxable values within the city are up by approximately $1.4 million, to a total of approximately $27 million.
Jeffs seeks to suppress use of seized evidence
Thursday, 21 June 2007 00:00
Lawyers question length of traffic stop
Nevada Highway Patrol Trooper Eddie Dutchover was the only witness last week at a hearing before Utah District Judge James Shumate concerning the legality of evidence seized during a traffic stop last year when Warren Jeffs was arrested. Jeffs’ lawyers are also seeking to exclude statements their client made to FBI agents following his arrest.
At the center of the issue is the amount of time Jeffs was detained prior to the search that ultimately led to him being identified as the fugitive FLDS prophet and one of the FBI’s ten most wanted fugitives.
Utah district judge James Shumate ruled Friday that the traffic stop that led to the arrest of fugitive FLDS prophet Warren was legal. The decision allows prosecutors to use evidence seized during the stop in Jeffs pending criminal trial.
Jeffs, who leads the 10,000 member Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, stands accused of being an accomplice to rape. He allegedly arranged a marriage between a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin then presided over the couple’s wedding ceremony. The girl has testified that she told Jeffs several times that she did not want to be married and later asked him to let her out of the marriage.
Approximately 160 residents of the South Plains community of Lockney gathered Friday evening, May 12, 2007 in the town’s Community Center to hear what their newest neighbor, Samuel Fischer of Hildale, Utah, had to say about his intentions for a manufacturing facility he purchased on the outskirts of their town. They also wanted to question him about his affiliation with the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and its jailed prophet Warren Jeffs.
The FLDS temple loomed in the background Monday as Fox News Channel producer Geroge Szucs interviewed Success publisher Randy Mankin near the entrance to the YFZ Ranch on County Road 300. Szucs was in town preparing a segment for Hannity’s America. Two parts of the series taped in and around Hildale, Utah, have already aired. The segment featuring the YFZ Ranch is scheduled to air at 8 p.m. Sunday, June 10th on the Fox News Channel.
Rising property values, especially those on the county’s oil and gas tax rolls, are likely to produce more revenue for county taxing jurisdictions this year, making the upcoming budget discussions a bit less stressful for the county, school and hospital district.
Nevada Highway Patrol Trooper Eddie Dutchover was the only witness last week at a hearing before Utah District Judge James Shumate concerning the legality of evidence seized during a traffic stop last year when Warren Jeffs was arrested. Jeffs’ lawyers are also seeking to exclude statements their client made to FBI agents following his arrest.
Utah district judge James Shumate ruled Friday that the traffic stop that led to the arrest of fugitive FLDS prophet Warren was legal. The decision allows prosecutors to use evidence seized during the stop in Jeffs pending criminal trial.