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Show THE ZEPHYRAPRIL PAGE 2 89 this opinion and commentary wont be worth the paper the participation and feedback of the its printedIf on,youwithout with The Zephyr, dont sit there and readers. disagree know. us In future Tell us why were wrong. let grumble All "Zephyr feedback" section will be available for readers to express their opinion. Only through an exchange of ideas and information can anyone hope to learn anything. In order to learn and grow, that information has to be available. In our society, we have to trust our government enough to let it act on our behalf. We could hardly put every minute decision to a public vote. But at the same time, government must have enough faith in itself and its own good judgment And it must to share those decisions with the public it serves. be ready to respond with an open mind when that public disagrees with those decisions. The Zephyr hopes it can help provide that information in a number of ways. Each month the Grand County Commission and the Moab City Mayor have agreed to sit down with this paper in an interview-typ- e format and discuss the months activities, the To be governments decisions, and its plans for the future. we need your help. successful, If you have a legitimate question, complaint, or concern for either the Commission or the Mayor, write it down and send it to The Zephyr. P. 0. Box 327, Moab, Utah 84532. Hopefully, these interviews can allow the public to feel closer to their elected officials, and will provide the Commission and the Mayor an If weve opportunity to respond directly to their constituents. learned anything from the local history of our recent past, it is that communication between the government and the people is absolutely vital for the democratic process to effectively work. Another regular feature which we call the Public Lands Watchdog, reviews the activities of the Federal agencies that regulate and control over 7 OX of the acreage in Grand and San Juan Counties. The National Park Service, U. S. Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management manages millions of acres of a tremendous responsGrand alone. in lands County public to care in lands for the these ibility public interest, especially when those interests are so varied. With the cooperation of these agencies, The Zephyr hopes it can keep its readers informed on current management practices as they affect our public lands. If all this up to now sounds very serious, it is; the future of our town and our county and the canyons and mountains that surround us is important to us all. But at the same time, not healthy to take ourselves too seriously; nor does The Zephyr always want to wear a poker face. Humor and satire are vital if we hope to maintain any kind of proper perspective in this crazy world of 1989. (Is it really 1989 already?) The Zephyr hopes it can share the stories, the myths, and the legends that have made this county what it is today. Do you have any idea how many "characters" there are in this redrock desert of ours? We have more than our fair share; their tall tales will grace our pages, as fast as we can write them down. issues, a is the first issue of the Canyon Country Zephyr, a onthly publication of news, opinion, information, and entertainment for Grand County and southern Utah. According to Webster's Dictionary, a zephyr is defined as "any warn, western As it applies to this newspaper, breeze." the definition nay vary. To some The Zephyr will represent a breath of fresh air; to others, it may sound like a lot of hot wind. At one time or another, I hope that every reader will reach both conclusions . . . were not here to cater to and patronize any one constituency, or anger and provoke another. But we would like to stimulate intelligent discussion of the issues that concern the citizens of this county. I've lived in Noab for most of ay "adult life" (whatever This that means), and I guess I wouldnt live anywhere else. What brought me here was the sheer beauty of the place. I came from How I Kentucky, where everything is green and lush and soggy. n closed-id land of no vistas survived for twenty-odyears in that is beyond me. I need wide openness to survive, and I think a lot of you are the sane way. The vast landscape, the limitless blue (clean) skies, and of course, our unique red rock are vital to our lives and make it all worthwhile. But I have to admit, the people who live in this corner of the Colorado Plateau are as diverse as the land they inhabit. From the first time I sat down at the Westerner Grill for a cup of coffee, I realized there were as many opinions in this town as there are inhabitants. Thats why theres never a lack of subject matter for stimulating conversation. And thats the way it should be, and hopefully, always will be. Who would want to live in a community where everybody looked and talked and acted and thought the same? Im falling asleep, just thinking about it. Terminal boredom. to reflect the diversity of both Grand County's land and people, hopefully in a positive and constructive manner. This newspaper is determined to objectively tell its readers the stories and events that are affecting Southern Utah. But we will also express opinions which in your eyes nay or may not be correct. I may find myself disagreeing with commentaries within these pages. If The Zephyr hopes to present a balanced view of the life here, it has to present more than one point of view. Regular columnists Ken Sleight and John Sensenbrenner will share their thoughts, ruminations and cerebrations each month, and I can almost guarantee that each of us will find some part of their wit and wisdom with which to disagree. I have been trying to coax former long-tim- e resident Joe Stocks to make a contribution to this paper; Joe and I have over the years, rarely agreed on anything. But I've learned to appreciate his opinion and think he is sorely needed here. If anyone can get Joe Stocks to put pen to paper, it nay be trouble maker, Ed Abbey. author, environmentalist and well-knoHr. Abbey will hopefully become a dedicated, if irregular, contributor to The Zephyr. This months entry, "Hard Tines In Santa Fe," appears for the first time in any English-speaki. . . figure that one out. There is a message for periodical Moab and its future when Abbey warns that once quaint and quiet Santa Fe has come to reseable any other than "where the blight of our techno-industrage has laid down its heavy hand." Joe Stocks are you listening? The Zephyr wants wn ng ial Its its I Well, really, it mountains nay guess this all sounds dreadfully serious, and is; the future of our community and the canyons and that surround us is important to us all. But while we forget at tines, there is more to life than political spitting epithets at government Our community has a lot of interesting people with a lot of Short tales. And anything stories to tell. Tall tales. The history of this area is absolutely fascinating, and The Zephyr hopes it can make that history come alive through the who watched and melodramas, controversies, and agencies. in-betw- een. eyes From the sometimes ears way Im and memories of was, to the way it not life in southern even 40 sure if were Utah bears those it is it all happen. now, weve cone a long way; going backwards or forwards, but resemblance to the way it was like to save those memories, and keep little Wed years ago. then safe and secure in these pages. This first issue of The Canyon Country Zephyr is in its embryonic stage. It will change and grow as tine passes. Well and sometry out new ideas, new formats, new regular features have ideas times theyll work and sometimes they wont. If you for us, let us know; we have an open mind. The Zephyr hopes to be around for a long time, but it depends on your participation and your approval. Thanks for giving us a try. See you next month. THE CANYON COUNTRY ZEPHYR P.O. BOX 327 MOAB, UTAH 84332 (801) 259-777- 3 JIM STILES, PUBLISHER Trish West production manager contributing writers Edward Abbey, Jim Mattingly, Steve Mulligan, John Sensenbrenner, Ken Sleight, and Grandma Sue photographers Herb Ringer very special thanks to Rebecca Knouff, Louise and Ed Claus 1989 The Canyon Country Zephyr all rights reserved The Canyon Country memory of Joan Swanson. Zephyr is dedicated to the spirit and |