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Show Pleasant Grove ReviewLindon Edition New Utah - Thursday, January 8, 2004 - Page 2 Opinion Contemplating a four-letter w0 ffi Relax HIPAA law The Health Insurance Portability Porta-bility and Accountability Act has been in effect since April 14, 2003. While the original intent of the federal law was to protect the privacy of patients, there is a need to amend HIPAA and make exception to specific situations for both media and medical institutions, insti-tutions, or a need to relax the interpretation of the law. For the North Utah County . Newspapers, the birth announcements announce-ments traditionally provided by the American Fork IHC Hospital and published in our newspapers had to be discontinued. Publishing Publish-ing the birth announcements has historically been a service to friends and neighbors to inform them of the new birth. It has also provided a keepsake for the families fami-lies to record the birth for the child's history. This has been the least of HIPAA's negative impact, however. howev-er. Media could not report the status sta-tus of the officer who was shot in Ogden on Sunday night because of the HIPAA law. Those interested interest-ed in the story did not know until hours after the story broke whether the officer was dead, in serious condition or released from the hospital. We now know he was shot in the thigh and is expected to recover. When vehicular accidents are reported, often the medical status of the victims have to be left out because the names of the victims are not released. Traditionally when there is a crisis for a family in our area, the North Utah County Newepapers have published information that concerned neighbors could use to help the family with medical bills and other expenses. Because of HIPAA, the community com-munity newspapers are no longer able to publish the status of the patient unless released by the patient, making it difficult for the press to confirm a crisis or act as a support system for the family. There are other consequences of HIPAA that hinder those in the medical field. Nurses and staff at some hospitals' hos-pitals' medical stations are no longer allowed to post patients' names and their respective hospital hospi-tal rooms at a site where it is readily visible. This is information informa-tion that sometimes needs to be available quickly in an emergency, emer-gency, instead of hidden away in a drawer or cupboard. HIPAA also prevents those with good intentions from delivering deliv-ering a get-well gift to a patient. Pink Ladies are not allowed to give out any information and cannot even tell the visitor if the patient is at that hospital or not. The HIPAA law makes it difficult diffi-cult for ecclesiastical leaders to visit the sick. If a patient is brought in unconscious, the patient's family can't sign statements to let people peo-ple know the person is at the hospital. While the intentions of HIPAA are good, overcautiousness has carried the interpretation of this law to the extreme. We believe exceptions need to be made for simple and practical reasons to benefit the public as well as the patient. Judged by a whisker Great-Great-Grandpa Henson had a thick, full, luxurious beard. It was a handsome brown during his younger years, and a distinguished white in his old age. Everyone knew him by his beautiful beard. It was his trademark. His calling card. His brand. Family lore has it that Great-Great-Grandpa Henson's beard was so wonderfully perfect, the follicle fairies (or whoever it is who is in charge of such things) put a five-generation five-generation hold on Walker males. Heaven knows, it has been at least that long since one of us has been able to grow a decent beard. Until now. With wonder, awe and a little bit of itching I am pleased to announce that a beard once again hangs nobly from a Walker chin. Mine. The fact that it's even there is something of a miracle. I've tried growing beards before. Twenty years ago I tried to grow one for a play. I was supposed to look like Ulysses S. Grant. I looked more like Shaggy from "Scooby Doo." As recently as last summer I allowed my beard to grow during a week of camping. I shaved it because it looked awful. VERY un-Henson-like. Then last fall I was cast in another anoth-er play requiring a beard - this time to play a Biblical prophet. Now, I'm not claiming an immaculate foliation folia-tion or anything, but for some reason rea-son whiskers have sprouted all over my face. It isn't Great-Great-Grandpa Henson's beard - not by a long shot - but for the fourth generation of a follicly-challenged family, it isn't bad. Which is not to say that I'm now going to make Great-Great-Grandpa Henson's trademark my own. No way. The minute the curtain cur-tain goes down on closing night, my face will get reacquainted with my razor. But I'm glad I've been able to wear a different face for a few months so I could get a taste of how the hairy half lives. Take the other day, for example. I went to the bank to turn ajar-full of loose change into dollar bills. I was off work, so I was dressed comfortably comfort-ably (in other words, I was wearing ratty jeans and an old sweatshirt). My hair, which hasn't been cut since before the last time I shaved (evidently (evi-dently Bible prophets didn't have much time for barbcring), was sort L of combed. Sort of. And since I had the day off, I had more or less given my beard the day off, too. No grooming. groom-ing. No trimming. No plucking. Think Don King's hair erupting on my chin. The bank teller took one look at me and the bag of loose change I was handing to her and coolly asked for identification. She looked at the clean-shaven face on my driver license, then at the prickly reality standing before her. Her frown was noticeable. She asked if I had an account at the bank. I handed my debit card to her, and she looked at it suspiciously. I felt a little uncomfortable, uncom-fortable, like maybe I was trying to get away with something here. But I wasn't, and I knew it. So I stood there, squii-ming, until she finally left with the coins. While I was waiting a friend came into the bank. She asked about my beard, and I told her about the play. The teller returned in time to hear my explanation, and suddenly sud-denly she was talking to me like we were old friends. She smiled warmly as she counted count-ed out my money, indicating that she had heard about the play and wanted to see it. I told her how to get tickets and left feeling relieved and . significantly more comfortable than I had felt just moments earlier. It wasn't until a few days later that it occurred to me what had probably happened in the bank. It may very well be that the teller had noticed my appearance and the bag of coins and figured I was a transient tran-sient bringing to her my panhandling panhan-dling money. And with good reason. I certainly looked the stereotypical part. But it was interesting how differently dif-ferently she treated me once she knew I wasn't who she had likely judged me to be. And it makes me wonder how often I similarly judge people on silly, superficial things like beards and clothes and hair. And how often my judgment is similarly wrong. Even though my beard is finally right. It can be beautiful, it can be fun; its water content is necessary for life, yet it can be deadly and devastating. devas-tating. Snow. It is wonderful and glorious to glance eastward and see the peaks of Mt. Timpanogos shining in pristine pris-tine white beauty against a clear blue sky. I am grateful as I consider consid-er that every additional inch of white snow in the winter mountains moun-tains means a better chance of growth and productivity in my garden gar-den this coming summer. I love watching the smooth whiteness of the snow as it drapes itself over the barren rough-barked trees. Snow brings a softness and beauty to the winter landscape. Like so many things, too much snow can be harmful rather than helpful. I noticed a portable carport in town that had collapsed under the weight of recent snowfall. My car has slipped and skidded as I've driven on snow-packed streets. My heart goes out to the families fami-lies who have lost their sons and brothers in the Provo Canyon ava- tions snow. lanche; to those who have lost lives T Ti - U ' fMAiuir or well-being on uwn highways. Like many things in nature, snow gives life but it can take it as well. Snow is a powerful force, and it s an intriguing phenomenon. It is said that no two snowflakes are alike. Intricate and delicate, snowflakes are made up of just water and dust. Blown high into the clouds, a minuscule particle of dust attracts water droplets to its surface. The droplets collect and freeze, and as the tiny snowflake becomes too heavy to remain airborne, it falls to earth as a snowflake. We may boast "the greatest snow on earth" but the various native tribes that we commonly refer to as Eskimos have the greatest great-est number of words for snow. In rAA',i! i , dS v,-n ce and "drift:. h-ewordSwhi5'e en snow on the p and fallen snow-Softd:gant( on ground," and "y; We'v ing on water." ' nd w, I appreciate 8nov acc use caution as I )0d. and skiinitlhope'pCoun all the good it will j on w; I sweat, slip and sfoiare : ing it off my drive,,; year that aU the lopsi, Each the wobbly snowvas n our yard are the fay for memories for rr.yt'on sa And to my fatte,'.Iayor and loves warmer V to s who "endured" In Pleasant Grove: Si& letter word. It's a wonderful pens to be made of :. .,een Linda Butkr cancans lindasbutler&junoy,, 't fee st efl wintry white hefci grandchildren in Building a future economy for the J When the Pleasant Grove City Council and administration decided to take a more aggressive, organized approach to economic development, their desire was to build an economy that would support the needs of the city for generations to come. Recognizing that our city has major obstacles to overcome, the leaders set an aggressive course to resolve these challenges. For many years, Pleasant Grove had been the hidden jewel lying off the beaten path of Interstate 15 and, in some ways, also hidden from Highway 89 travelers. This secluded positioning had led to the city evolving evolv-ing as a cozy bedroom community without much of the commercial and industrial development so prominent promi-nent in other parts of Utah Valley. As Pleasant Grove grew into Utah County's third-largest city, one glaring fact remained - residential development doesn't pay the bills. While some people think that many homes bring increased tax revenues to a municipality, the reality real-ity is that unless a residence appraises for roughly $500,000 or more, its inhabitants will consume more tax dollars in services than their property taxes will generate to the city. This dilemma forces the hand of bedroom communities to pursue economic development goals in order to provide the fire trucks, libraries and parks that growing communities need to maintain their quality of life. Upon commencing a new economic eco-nomic development effort in Pleasant Pleas-ant Grove, we surveyed leaders, citizens, citi-zens, organizations, schools and employees as to their desires and priorities concerning what path the city's economic development effort should follow. These responses were combined with an analysis of the city's economic eco-nomic situation via numerous discussions dis-cussions with city leaders to produce a Twelve-Point Plan which serves as the foundation of Pleasant Grove's new economic development effort. The basic points of this plan are: 1. Planning and Goals 2. Marketing of the Community 3. Product and Area Development 4. B.E.A.R. (Business Expansion and Retention) 5. Business Attraction 6. Downtown Development 7. Business Development Organizations Organi-zations 8. Community Relations and Communication 9. Entrepreneurial Development 10. Job Creation and Development Develop-ment 11. Gateway and Retail Develop- the i 12. Regional'Sta-.:: th nomic Development JSser s Some of these goi plea sued immediately, r,rnej depend upon the s;k: rsen tion of preceding goubeeD As we work topi-will an economy which ron Pleasant Grove it L: 1 remember that ec-::.. Tl ment is an agency s 3 to t like Spencer Johni.:: ncil. story "Who Moved V Pete change isn't always tsant perceived in the ivatf people. hi Economic deve!:- : process of needed p:' all that requires msii;Q thinking. As the inscripd;:: statue by the clod ant Grove Town Ce:r "Our children arei. sages we send to a r.-we r.-we shall never see.' Building an eco::r generations will rep' patience and dedic-::: nity goals as we ennr: for Pleasant Grove rs: we may never mee;--ly influence. The Pleasant Cr.-:'. ic development dn" umn u-illbe'Stoek:'f. the Community Si:-" Area Development.' Reader's Forum District should keep facilities affordable Editor: My name is Anita Rose. I have taught gymnastics for over 25 years, and I love teaching. I have kept my monthly month-ly rates low so that families fami-lies can afford to put their children into gymnastics. For the past six years I have been renting the Pleasant Grove Junior High School's auditorium, once each year, to hold a tumblingdance recital. In the past, I have rented rent-ed gym floors to show our programs, but we had to rent chairs and set them out for their parents. My main concern was that unless, as a parent, you sat on the front row - you could not see your child perform their routine. So when I found that the junior jun-ior high stage was barely long enough to fit my mats across it, I was so excited that I had found an affordable afford-able place to do our annual annu-al program where the entire audience was able to see them perform. This program is the highlight of the year for my students. Last year the cost of the insurance that we are required to have to perform per-form at the junior high went from $60 to $250 for that one night. I thought that was ridiculous! But, I gritted my teeth and decided it would still be worth it to rent the stage. My programs have always been the end of January, so tlus year I was planning to rent there again, but I found out mid-December mid-December that the cost of the rent for 3 hours of using the auditorium went from approximately $100 to $491 and that does not even include the hourly wages I have to pay two relatively inexperienced inexperi-enced people to help with soundlights and a janitor. I was told that some of the cost increase by the school district were necessary neces-sary to replace broken lights, etc.. I , as a citizen of Pleasant Grove, payed $1,125 this year to the Alpine School District in taxes alone. If people in this city are paying about what I am for taxes, then shouldn't there be plenty of" money to cover things like this? And if I as a citizen citi-zen am paying my (,1X0S towards the schools each year, am I not entitled to be able to use this facility at a decent, affordable rate? And you, (lu Alpine School District, -n non profit organization," does this not then put you into a "profit organizat ion" rating? rat-ing? I am really sad. upset and confused at what to do. I called the P.O. Recreation Recre-ation Department to see if there was a possibility for me to rent the gym from them, but they are full every night until the end of March. I really do not want to hold my programs there because, like I have mentioned before, the parents par-ents in the back chairs cannot see their children perform. I do not want to have to travel far to perform. per-form. I have a fiat bed truck full of mats. etc. to haul to the recital for the children to perform on. It is hard to find a stage that is long enough to fit our mats. We would really like to cont inue in-ue being able to rent from the IV, Junior High School. I was told that if I taught gymnastics for the city recreation then I would be able to rent t.heiv for a minimal fee. I did teach for the city years ngo, and they wanted to Pvit ;!0 children in each class. I told them that was too many per class - so they let me find another conch to help. This still ;ave us 15 kids per tenclier. 1 like to keep my it personable. ' more than my classes -teaching o: '-opposed '-opposed to the city. I was a N find outtfc-fees outtfc-fees are lo'i:' the city.' charges-1 helping out tv by keep affordable s fr cluldivncll a worths From observed. ft as a whole-Jt ing finance-even finance-even r---;K'; money as0" ago. Cost keep rising payrolls h.'. the sf decreased- rioaui,u: do not W their d- , recital to for the can't atlo'; havoln: same Kf;. solutio"! Tovo':,; call TVff ' I r |