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Show jfcdj community comments... We have quite a few world travelers amongst our local populace of young people. Susan Czark left Wednesday for Bolivia, and Roly Young leaves next month for Australia; Shawn Meador just returned last week from New Zealand, and he joins a steadily growing group of young Rotary International Exchange Student has-beens. Meanwhile, Laurie Hetzel and Olivia DeLong are now in Japan on a 4-H international exchange, and in addition, a good-sized group of Girl Scouts returned this month from a trip to Mexico. This kind of experience has got to be a tremendous maturing and learning opportunity for the kids. They will have developed insights and understandings, to say nothing of friendships, that will stand them in good stead for the rest of their lives. We've had a good number of foreign exchange students here also, and they've taught us a lot about themselves arid their cultures. It's a good thing all around. -sjt "Thank YOU for making the Water Carnival the success that it was,'! committee members and Chamber officers stated this week. The day started at the seimming pool with a very good turnout by the youngers who competed in 16 different events. Then the action moved to the east side of the park, with a water fight between the Moab Fire Department members. This was one of the day's big events. Along with cooling off the crowd, the Fire Department, as usual, put on a good show of their skills. Action at the river was exciting, with everything from canoe tilting to Volkswagens floating down the river in the "Anything That Can Float" race. Needless to say, the VW took first place. We hope that nerxt year's Water Carnival will be even more exciting than this one was. The fireworks were spectacular and much enjoyed. A few years ago, the Friendship Cruise was about the only really big thing we had going in Moab. Now, through the innovative efforts of the Chamber of Commerce and other actiue groups in the community, things are happening almost every weekend, and that's great. Sure, some of them bomb out, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. -sjt- The resignation of Interior Secretary Stan Hathaway last week due to the stresses of the job he had held only a few weeks, came as a real disappointment. Mr. Hathaway had a fine record as governor of Wyoming, and his residence in one of the public lands states of the west made him a natural for the job. We can only wonder just how much of his depression and discouragement came from the ridiculous and endless charade by the esteemed United States Senate in its marathon confirmation proceedings. Congressional actions such as that we can do without, Former Moab resident, Mitch Melich is being mentioned as Hathaway's successor, and Mitch is well qualified for the post. His two years as Solicitor General for the Interior Department, until the stench of the Nixon Administration got too strong to bear, were good years, and Mitch quickly became highly, respected in Washington circles. -sjt- i It's great to see Dick Unger back on the job with Moab City. His sudden departure weeks ago, resulting in a lengthy stay in a Denver hospital and serious surgery, was a shock to those of us who worked with him from week to week. Welcome back, Dick, particularly since you've decided to wear your'hair like the Old Editor does. sjt We can fully understand the desire of Grand County Commissioners in getting the utmost utilization out of an expensive County facility, but we hope they don't do damage to one successful program in an effort to accommodate another. Our reference, of course, is to the proposal to provide the use of the rodeo arena for stockcar racing. Granted, the arena Is only filled a few times a year for rodeos, stock shows, etc., but there's more to it than meets the public eye. One of the prime reasons for building the facility in the first place was to provide a place for young equestrians to enjoy the sport away from the busy streets and automobiles. We have personally seen dozens of afternoons when kids were simply going to the safe and isolated arena to ride in safety; Stock car racing is a lot of fun, and the sport should be encouraged here. But stock cars need places to practice, also, and we are sorely afraid the conflict would be a bitter one. The County is already in the drag race business, by virtue of allowing the dragsters to run on the old airport. If the stock car racing idea is a serious one, it would seem to make a whole lot more sense to improve the old stock car track near the old airport, rather than do anything at the rodeo grounds that would dillute Its current use as a place for animal-oriented activities. Nothing should be done hastily, that's for sure. rvmimnimiinnntmiminiiifttitimitnTmiraimiiiiMiiniiiiiinuiininniiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiHiiiiiuiii |