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Show Bringing some football flavor Park CityWeather Ivan Ortiz went from deep in the heart of Texas to deep in the defensive line. Page B-1 Mostly sunny skies the next few days. See B-2 for extended forecast PARK CITY, UTAH The www.parkrccord.com Chinese skiers train at Olympic Park ParkKecor ^^T^^k V A-8 C-12 B-9 C-8 A-14 C-4 A-15 A-9 C-2 A-15 C-15 C-4 B-12 C-7 B-1 C-7 B-2 Park Record Serving Summit County since 1880 www.parkrecord.com I '- VOL. 124 • NO.71 Wed/Thurs/Fri, October 13-15,2004 Police still searching Tuesday for two men they sayroobedKey Bank SCOTT SIHE/PARK RECORD Spencer Duke, of Utah Highway Patrol, searches Saturday for two suspects. guys were operating alone. They might have even been seen over at the [Mount Air Cafe"] immediately before or immediately after." Employees might have spotted the men outside of the restaurant, he said. By PATRICK PARKINSON Kirk cautions citizens in western Summit Of the Record staff County to be aware that the men could still be in Park City detectives were still searching the area and to report any suspicious activity or Tuesday afternoon for two men suspected of rob- sightings to police. bing a bank near Snow Creek Plaza Saturday "At this point we don't have any kind of breaks around 11:20 a.m. in the case," he said Tuesday. The suspects are Caucasian and in their 20s, but A command post was set up in Park City and were disguised at the time of the crime, said Lt. officers searched the area Saturday afternoon on Phil Kirk, of the Park City Police Department. foot while a pilot flying a yellow plane circled "They appeared to be heavily disguised with above. wigs," he said, adding that the men also wore hats "We hadn't had any solid sightings for a while," and sunglasses. "There were no other customers in Kirk said. "They could have very well been gone by the bank and they didn't produce any weapons." the lime we were finishing up our search ... we Kirk wouldn't confirm Tuesday, reports that weren't able to contain their movement." roughly $1,500 in cash was taken during the robNo getaway car or other significant evidence has bery. been found, he adds. After verbally demanding the money, the sus"Our guess is that they somehow were able to pects fled the bank on fool through a nearby elude us," Kirk said. "We didn't sue them for quite marshy area where officers and a K9 unit attempt- a while." ed to contain some people around the time of the He wouldn't comment on whether the teller was theft. Kirk said. able to bait the stolen money with dye, designed to "Officers responding might have actually seen explode after the robbery, potentially staining the them in that area," he adds. robbers and loot. Various law enforcement agencies, including the "That is a common practice," Kirk said. Summit County Sheriff's Office, Wasatch County The case is likely not connected to a bank robSheriffs Office. Utah Highway Patrol and Heber bery at Mountain West Bank in the Holiday Village City Police Department immediately shifted the Shopping Center last February. Kirk said. focus of the manhunt to Thaynes Canyon and hills In that incident, the masked robber escaped west of McPolin Farm. with a backpack full of money after he brandished "We never were able to get a solid contain- a handgun and ordered customers and bank ment," Kirk said. "There were a number of possi- employees lo the floor. ble sightings." "We never did catch him," Kirk said. Police questioned a juvenile who was seen by a Before that, the last Park Cily bank to be golfer in the area and possibly matched a suspect's robbed was Frontier Bank in 2002. when a Greelcy. description Saturday afternoon. They released the Colo, man implied he had a gun and stole money. Park City boy the same day after it appeared he Police later caught the man. had an alibi. Kirk said, adding that he's still a "perKirk isn't sure if the FBI will become involved in son of interest." the Key Bank robbery because a weapon was not "We're still looking for them." Kirk said. "These used. Neighboring politicos weigh in on debate Voters to decide Nov. 2 whether to study changing government By PATRICK PARKINSON Of the Record staff So. why change? Summit County voters will be asked on the Nov. 2 ballot whether they support forming a committee to sludy expanding the Summit County Commission or changing it to a five, seven or ninemember County Council. Supporters of the current three-person board point to alleged protests in Wasatch, Morgan and Salt Lake counties where they claim County Councils and hired or elected executives have created problems. A closer look, however, shows politicos in those counties have mixed reactions to the new forms of governance, and are still adjusting to change. "We're starling to get it to work," Wasatch County Councilor Annie McMullen said. A seven-member County Council began meeting in Wasatch with a manager in January 2003. The county was divided into five population-based districts and McMullen was elected in 2002 as one of two at-large County Councilors. "It provides greater representation for the people ... if the council would allow it to work correctly," said McMullen. a Democrat. Republican Steve Harmsen, chair of the Salt Lake County Council, says County Commissions effectively serve smaller, rural counties, but a •county growing as rapidly as Summit needs more representatives and a "professional executive." However, three-member commissions govern four of the five largest counties in Utah, Utah, Davis, Weber and Washington. "Under the commission form of government any two of the three people can go behind a closed door and make a deal that affects the entire county ... there's just too much opportunity for abuse," Harmsen said. "All of the sudden a developer comes in and gives them a $25,000 contribution. That buys a lot of influence." "There's no question that that happened at Salt Lake County," he said, adding, that changed when the Salt Lake County Commission changed to a nine-member County Council in 2001. "I certainly think that [Summit County is] in need of professional management." Hiring a manager in a county the size of Salt Lake wasn't politically viable, Harmsen said. Voters elected embattled Republican Mayor Nancy Workman in 2000. "My preference would be to have a professional executive." Harmsen said, adding, "there's all kinds of options that are available." Democratic Summit County Commissioner Bob Richer favors expanding the commission lo five commissioners who could represent districts or the county at large. "Based on my own study of what has occurred in other counties and based upon my belief that changes like this should be done slowly and incre- mentally, what I would like to sec is an expansion to five people without any sort of county executive or county manager." Richer said Tuesday. The "gentlemen's agreement," that once ensured North Summit, South Summit and the West Side each fielded a commissioner has perhaps failed. But Summit Counly Commissioner Ken Woolslenhulme, a Democrat, doesn't favor expanding the board. Neither does Snyderville Basin Republican Stephen Osguthorpe. a candidate for seat C on the Summit County Commission. He told the Sunrise Rotary Club last week that studying the issue is OK but he's not convinced change is in order. His Democratic opponent. Park City resident Sally Elliott participated in committee discussions in the past about modifying the County Commission and favors studying the issue again. Change would not come easily. Committees in Summit County studied the issue in 19S0 and 1994. when the committee narrowly opposed making a recommendation lo the Counly Commission. If voters choose in November to establish the study committee, a recommendation for change or to keep the status quo could be made next year. Richer said. Commissioners could turn down the committee's recommendation or vote lo place it on a general election ballot, he adds. Councils and commissions differ in that a council is a legislative body and a commission has legislativc and executive powers. Councilors cither Please see Study, A-2 A crayon ceiling: men in primary education Park City bucks trend with male kindergarten teachers By JARED WHITLEY Of the Record staff 3 SECTIONS • 48 PAGES &4Q37 00001 Steve Holcomb at 513-2003. Park City manhunt continues By JAY HAMBURGER Agendas Automotive Business Classifieds Columns Crossword Editorial Education Events Calendar Letters to the Editor Legals Movies Professional Services Restaurant Guide Sports TV Listings Weather ark City Social Dance Qub will begin meeting tonight P from 8-9 p.m. at Park City Dance Academy, 6554 N. Creekside Lane in KimbaU Junction. To register, call ^ B ^ ^ ^ Serving Summit County since 1 Basin facility draws praise from team that spent a month there Of the Record staff Nina Li traveled across an ocean to train for the upcoming World Cup freestyle season in a place where there is little snow so far. A Chinese aerial skier. Li is part of a group of 1 12 skiers from China who spent September and the first part of October in Park Cily to train at the Utah Olympic Park, where facilities allow 'aerialists to train all year, instead of only in the winter. Li, who placed fifth at the Deer Valley aerial •competitions during the 2002 Winter Olympics, said training at the Olympic Park helps for a number of reasons, like the quality of the facilities and that other national teams are doing the same. "I think the kicker, the water, ramp - there is a big difference between here and China. I think here is better," she said through an interpreter in an interview on Sunday night at 350 Main, less than a week before the Chinese team was scheduled to leave Park City. A 21-year-old, Li is from Shen Yang, a cily in the Liao Ning province, more than 500 kilometers from Beijing. She talked about her chances in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, saying that she wants to be the Olympic "champion. "Of course gold, I wish I can gel the gold medal in Torino," Li said. The training with the other teams, which she said, included the U.S.. Canada and Australia, gives her a good chance to measure herself against the competition. "When I'm training with them at the same time, I see how I should catch up and learn from them," she said. She says her best jumps arc known as a 'fulldouble-fulT and a 'double-full-full1 and that in the upcoming World Cap season, she hopes to be one of the best aerial skiers. "I will do my best just to stay in the Top 3. This is my aim. I will do my best," she said. The Olympic Park is regarded as being among the top training facilities in the world. Aerialists launch off a kicker, twist and turn and then land in a pool. Sometimes the park draws large weekend crowds to watch aerial displays. The coach of the team, Chen Hongbin, explained that the Chinese team chose the Olympic Park because of the park's reputation. "We decided to come here first because we knew there was a good facility here," he said through an interpreter. Hongbin also said the Olympic Park allows the Chinese athletes to Irain at a high elevation. In China, he said, there are not facilities at the same height. "The facility is located in high altitude. It is very, very good for the athletes to do high-altitude training," he said. He talked about the American freestyle skiers, describing the men's team as being better than the women's, although the American women's team is also strong, he said. "They are very strong and the best in the world, but for the women, less," he said. Hongbin said airfare from China to Utah cost $2,000 per person and the Chinese Ski Association is paying for the airfare as well as for lodging and rental fees to use the Olympic Park. They arc staying in Park City condominiums. He has similar goals for the team as Li. "Every athlete in every country wants to have the gold medal . . . Team China is the same way," he said. He said the Chinese women have a belter chance than the men to win medals in 2006. "We will do our best. We know it's very hard work to gel the gold medal." Hongbin said. VISITOR GUIDE The kindergarten at Trailside Elementary School has a lot of the same features that any kindergarten would have: alphabet posters, a lost baby tooth tracker, silly hats hanging from the wall. But it's got one thing most kindergarten's dont have: a male teacher. Mark Ethcridgc speaks evenly and respectfully to his class of 5 and 6 year olds, he doesn't talk down to them or use "cutesy-poo" language. Ethcridgc runs his kindergarten class with a blend of cool professionalism and unconditional love. "You can do both things at the same time," he said. Etheridge's kids experience this when they try to go to recess without finishing their work. "They know that I'm going to make them stay and do it, but I'll still help them," he said. At four centers, his students work on their art, math, writing, and molor skills. "That's pretty much the name of the game in kindergarten,"1 Etheridgc said. "Differentiating so everyone's good at what they do." While kindergarten teachers are typically female, Elheridge' said that, for most parents, leaving their children with a male teacher isn't as big of a deal as simply leaving their children. Every year he sees a lot of "letting -go anxiety." Gender gap One reason men don't go into primary education GBAYSON WEST/PARK RECORD Mark Etheridge leads his kindergartners in a game of "slappers" to teach number skills. as much is because, growing up, they typically had female teachers. "It's nol pushed onto men as much as women," said Aimee Fox, elementary education adviser for the University of Utah. Moreover, teaching is a popular choice for women because once kids go lo school, moms can return lo teaching and their schedules match their children. "I think that's a big draw for women specifically," Fox said. Those men who do pursue teaching go into the Please see Male, A-2 |