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Show Opinion PAGE A2 Just a Thought Summit County News BY CHERYL OVARD When the press meets the Governor…or anyone else… It is always amazing to watch the news and they seem to know just what is going on everywhere! It is also amazing that the technology of the cell phones, the texting messages in which the students of Park City High School knew about the closure of the schools throughout the middle of the night - as it was released by 12:30 am on Thursday morning, and - wow - the kids knew before the phone tree was put into action! The media also knew first hand and the news announced it in the wee hours of the morning, as many were up watching it to see what the day was going to be like, as there was no school! The press conferences, the teleconferences, the news broadcasts, all play a role in how we plan our days, how we respond to the news about the Swine Flu and how we can also get a little “carried away” in the process! The news is important - and for the most part - correct. It is always a case of “believe what you see - not what you hear” as in the olden days - but also, what we “hear” from the technology of computers is also very current and for the most part - correct! The issues of concern are impacted and broadened by the media scope - and they do play an important part in our daily lives. There are still the horoscope readers, the palm readers, and others who believe in these premonitions and will let the answers to them guide their days’ activities - and then there are those who thrive on following the news to plan their days - their travel routes - their clothes to wear following the weather forecast. We need the media, the technology, the scientific and computer literate people to help us along our daily routines Then...we can relax earlier in the evening, enjoy a microwave and ready-made meal - or even watch a ballgame or show/video or two - and the media will still be busy getting you information so you can get ready for your next day! Recycling Tip For The Week… A new way to find a bargain Are you spring cleaning? Do you have too much stuff? Want to pass it along and make some money at the same time? Don’t have enough room for your own yard sale? Perhaps it’s too tough to park around your house or condo or you live in a very remote place. As a service to the community, Recycle Utah is organizing a Community Yard Sale on Saturday, May 9, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon, at the Yard located right next to the recycling center on Kearns Boulevard. This is the first of three Community Yard Sales Recycle Utah will run all summer long at the Yard. Remember, reuse is better than recycling! You or your family can have a 10’ by 10’ foot square space to sell your treasures for a $15 donation to Recycle Utah. Your community recycling center will promote the community yard sale and handle traffic. We’ll also furnish you with an easy-to-fill out form for the collection of sales tax. It’s the law. This is a quarterly form, so you can exhibit your wares all summer long and file at the end of the quarter. For more information or to reserve your spot, call Recycle Utah at 649-9698. Recycle Utah’s Green Book Club to discuss “Six Degrees” Recycle Utah’s “Green Book Club” has chosen “Six Degrees: Our Future on a Hotter Planet” by Mike Lynas for their second quarter discussion on Tuesday, May 19, at the Center, 1951 Woodbine Way. The book was suggested by Park City High School Intern, Jessie Turner. She will co-facilitate a discussion on the book in mid-May to receive credit for her work prior to completion of school. Copies of Mike Lynas’ book are available at Recycle Utah and the Park City and Summit County Libraries. The book is available for purchase at Dolly’s Book Store on Main Street at a 10 percent discount to Green Book Club members. Book selection for the rest of the year is as follows: April–May: July–September: “The Population Bomb by Paul Ehrlich, An Essay on the Principle of Population” by T.R. Malthus, and “Ish- mael: An Adventure of the Mind and Spirit” by Daniel Quinn. In conjunction, Recycle Utah plans to present the 2007 award-winning documentary “What a Way to Go: Life at the End of Empire” in September: October–December: “Earth: The Sequel – The Race to Reinvent Energy and Stop Global Warming” by Fred Krupp and Miriam Horn. Volunteer Kathy Stanger suggested this book and a holiday discussion event. However, the topic of green jobs and green economy may be more relevant, causing a change in the selection to “The Green Collar Economy: How One Solution Can Fix Our Two Biggest Problems” by Van Jones. To register for the Green Book Club or to borrow books, call Britte Kirsch at 649-9698 or stop by Recycle Utah at 1951 Woodbine Way. Information is also posted at recycleutah.org. Summit County News Advertising Rates Summit County News: $7.10 per column inch Wasatch Wave 7 News: $12.10 per column inch Wave, News and Extra: $14.57 per column inch Classifieds: $8 Display Classifieds: $12.75 Birthday Announcement: $10 Wedding Announcement: $15 Missionary Announcement: $10 Birth Announcements: $10 MAY 8, 2009 Regional News Notes Free E-waste collection Saturday, May 16, Henefer, Coalville, Kamas, Peoa and Jeremy Ranch A free electronic waste collection event will be held in east side towns of Summit County on Saturday, May 16, as part of the countywide clean-up program scheduled for that same day. Electronic waste will be collected by an e-waste recycling truck at five drop-off locations: Henefer: 8 a.m.-9 a.m., at the Henefer Town Park; Coalville: 9:30 a.m.-11 a.m., at the Summit County Fair Park; Kamas: 12 noon-3 p.m., in the Summit County Library parking lot; Peoa: 9-11 a.m. at the Church; Jeremy Ranch: 9 a.m.-1 p.m., at the Park and Ride off of I-80; The times for collection are specific because a GRX recycling truck will be making stops and loading the e-waste at those times. Residents and businesses can dispose of all unwanted cell phones, pagers, PDAs, Ipods, computers, CPUs, keyboards, scanners, boom boxes, stereos, television sets, monitors, laptops, microwaves. Drop off is free of charge. Electronic waste should not be placed in the trash because many of them contain heavy metals such as mercury. “Electronic waste is a hazardous waste,” said Shirin Spangenberg of County Curbside. “This event makes e-waste collection accessible to people in the eastern side of the county so they can recycle these items conveniently. The free e-waste collection event is made possible by a grant from the Recycling Coalition of Utah. For more information, contact County Curbside at (435) 901-2568 or 503-1840. Mountain Spirit Heritage Festival - save the date June 12, 13 - Old Ways - New Days The Summit County Mountain Spirit Heritage Festival will be held Coalville and at the Rockport State Park. Activities, bands, contra dancing, entertainment and much more! Don’t miss the wagon train parade on Friday evening! Old time pictures, booths with other artifacts available and Contra Dance for all ages! Discover the Art of Storytelling The Coalville Library is planning to have classes just for those who want to develop skills in storytelling. This class will teach parents and teachers how to choose and tell stories in inventive variations that will spark the listeners’ imaginations. Contact the Coalville Library at (435) 336-3070 for information and to sign up. Space will be limited. How to make solar thermal work for you; topic of May 12 workshop Recycle Utah is urging 100 home and business owners to “Take the Solar Thermal Challenge” and install solar hot water heating systems this summer. To help the community meet the challenge, Recycle Utah will present a “how to” workshop on Solar Hot Water Heating on Tuesday, May 12, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Green Building Center,1105 Ironhorse Drive. Registration for this free workshop can be made by calling Recycle Utah at 649-9698. Bill Wilson of Utah Solar & Alternative Energy will discuss the mechanics of solar hot water heating systems, system costs and incentives and rebates. “The sun always shines in Park City,” said Insa Riepen, Executive Director of Recycle Utah. “Many homeowners have hydronic heating systems already, making conversion to solar a real option.” Solar hot water systems have two main parts — a solar collector and a storage tank. A pump or gravity system moves the heated fluid between the collector and the storage tank. The heated water is used for culinary purposes, showers, laundry, and floor heating. Recycle Utah will have “Fast Track” information packages available at the workshop. These packets include a “fast track” application from the Park City Building Dept. and a “fast track” loan application from Frontier Bank. “Solar thermal installations are eligible for rebates and tax credits, and the packet contains information about how to make a high-value investment at a fraction of the cost,” Riepen said. To register for the free workshop or to get your “Fast Track Packet,” call Recycle Utah at 649-9698. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Editor: The girls basketball team needs to go in a different direction,” or something to that effect is what the North Summit School Board President said. What direction would that be? About 10 days ago, my husband, who has been the girls’ basketball coach for North Summit High School for the past five years, received a phone call from the principal saying that the school board had fired him as coach the previous evening at an emergency board meeting. We knew that there were a few parents who had complained and wanted the coach fired but, as he was supported by the principal, superintendent and most of the community, and told that he would stay on as coach, he began scheduling games for next year and camps for this summer. This firing announcement came right out of the blue! The school board never made one attempt to contact us at all. They still can’t quite find the time to meet with us, even though this has been requested. The three board members that the former coach finally reached by phone have said that there “really wasn’t anything wrong, it’s just this is what our constituents wanted.” It should be noted here that the girls have gone to State for the last four years and that Coach Smith received his fourth Coach of the Year award this past season. The “constituents” eluded to consist of 6 people, three of whom are notorious for causing problems perpetually and have, in fact, been named individually in my conversations with community members about this catastrophe. I have a petition with 75 signatures on it stating the following, “we, the tax payers of North Summit do not agree with the school board making decisions which are not based on the majority of voters in their particular sector. We are also opposed to the firing of Sheldon Smith as girls’ basketball coach.” School Board: Do you want to tell me now that you have the majority of constituents wanting Coach Smith fired?! (by the way, if anyone wants to sign the petition, feel free to call me). As this edition of the News contains an ad that opens up the girls’ basketball position, let me explain to all candidates who actually does the hiring in the North Summit School District: the number 1 person is the janitor; secondly, 2 or 3 of the janitor’s associates; thirdly, the school board. Notice that the superintendent and/or the principal don’t appear in our “hierarchy of hiring”. They are the ones that have Masters Degrees and years of experience in education, but what do they know, right? The decisions of these administrators are routinely ignored by our school board. So, candidates you don’t even have to talk to them. Stay within the hierarchy of “important people” and you have a good chance of becoming our next North Summit Girls’ Basketball Coach! When is the next election again? Denise Smith The Summit County News Has New Fax Number (435) 336-5502. The Summit County News Staff PUBLISHERS Dick & Sue Buys General Manager Paul McFee Managing Editor Laurie Wynn Editor Cheryl Ovard Columnist Jan Patterson News Office Sharon Pace Business Manager Joe Wynn Pagination/Layout June Muir Heber Office Terry Rider Karen Davis Circulation June Muir Advertising Manager Kari McFee Advertising Sales Tricia Carlson Jennifer Johnson Graphic Design Elizabeth Hendricksen Kenny Bristow Classified Advertising Annette Motley Production & Press Jay Provost Dan Carlile Randi Carlile Jennie Ferreria Donna Stuffing Crew Printerʼs Devils Shop Cats Harrison Daren North Ken Hastings Justin Lucking Karen North Britta Nystul Samantha Royal Tyson Royal Ryann Wynn Shannon McFee Connor McFee Pica and Offset The Summit County News (UPSP 525-640) is published weekly for $18 per year in Summit County, Senior Citizen Discount, $15 in county; $27 out-of-county by Wave Pub- lishing Inc., 17 S. Main St., Coalville, UT 84017. Periodicals Postage Paid at Coalville, UT 84017. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Summit County News, 17 S. Main St., P.O. Box 7, Coalville, UT 84017. Fax: (435) 336-5502 The entire contents of this newspaper is Copyright© 2008 Summit County News and/or Wave Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the Managing Editor or Publisher. |