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Show A-18 Tues/Wed/Thurs, December 28-30, 2004 The Park Record YOU HAVE TO ASK YOURSELF THIS ONE ftUESTION. "DO I FEEL LUCKY TODAY?" SILVER ST7\R AT PARK CITY Hummer owners raged at By STEVE RAABE MediaNews Group Wire Dave Breggin eats no red meat, barely waters a drought-resistant fescue lawn and has a highly energyefficient home. All that good karma suddenly evaporates when he gets behind the wheel of his cherished Hummer. Like most other Hummer drivers, Breggin is the target of clenched fists, single-fingered salvos and screamed epithets from the greener-than-thou crowd. With fuel prices near record levels - up roughly 35 cents a gallon over last year's prices - both owning and selling the gas-thirsty military clone may require more finesse. General Motors is projecting a 20 percent drop in national sales of its Hummer H2 this year. Spokesmen said they're not sure whether the decline is attributable to high fuel prices or a normal leveling-off of sales after the initial wave of consumer interest. The H2 is a descendant of the U.S. military's Humvee utility vehicle, a rough-and- tumble civilian model that seems equally at home in the driveways of off-roaders. society matrons and politicians. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger reportedly owns five Hummers, but even the Governator is feeling the heal. During last year's gubernatorial campaign, he spent an estimated $20,000 to $35,000 to convert one of his vehicles to hydrogen fuel, prompting political rival Arianna Huffington to condescendingly dub him a "Hummer environmentalist." If part of the reason for buying an SUV is to make a statement, the Hummer H2 _ at 6 feet 7 inches and 6,400 pounds _ is an iconic billboard. Sales manager Ted Cranshaw of Medved Hummer in Castle Rock describes his buyers as "successful achievers and rugged individualists." Those who plan to drive their vehicles must also be thick-skinned enough to take the ample punishment dished out by critics. Breggin advises Hummer owners to carry disposable cameras and snap pictures of gesturing foes. That tends to defuse the most boisterous of the detractors, he said. Like Breggin, Hummer owner Larry Dardano of Denver considers himself an environmentalist who is being unfairly maligned for his vehicle choice. He's an ardent bicyclist and recycler and the owner of a home that he bought especially for its energy efficiency in the new Slapleton neighborhood. The problem is, the Hummer won'tfitin the garage. So he parks it at the curb, making it a frequent target of ridicule. "People flip me off, and I give them the high sign right back," Dardano said. "After teaching DPS (Denver Public Schools) high school kids for 15 years. I know how to take heat." At its worst. Hummer backlash lakes the form of vandalism and outright destruction. A Southern California Hummer dealership was firebombed last year, causing $3.5 million in damages. More commonly, Hummer owners are targets of gibes and gestures. A Web site is devoted exclusively to Hummer hatred. It features hundreds of pictures of people pointing their middle fingers at the vehicles. At the Sierra Club, the Hummer is reviled as a gas-gu/zling behemoth with no redeeming qualities. "It's basically a dump truck marketed as a passenger vehicle," said Brendan Bell, a Washington-based global warming analyst for the environmental group. "We think the Hummer epitomizes the bad technology that American automakers are trying to pass off on the American public." GM plans to broaden the Hummer's market next spring with the introduction of the H3, a midsized SUV whose estimated mileage rating of 20 mpg makes it a comparative gasoline miser. But that doesn't mitigate the cost of insuring a Hummer. State Farm Insurance calculates that the heftier H2 would require an annual insurance premium of $1,225 fora typical 35-year-old metro Denver male with a good driving record. By comparison, insurance for a 2004 Chevy Suburban K2500 would run $1,066, and the gas-stingy Toyota Prius hybrid would carry an annual premium of $1,011. The Sierra Club notes that the H2, with a full vehicle weight rating of 8,600 pounds, managed to elude the EPA's maximum threshold inr mileage ratings. Vehicles hc^u-r than 8,500 arc exempt not only I nun reporting mileage estimates, bin tli^y don't count against the corporate average fuel economy standards thai automakers must meet. Unofficially, the H2 waddle* in .it about nine to 13 miles per gallon. Not that many owners are counting. If you're worried about fuel prices, dealers say, you're not the Hummer type. "There's a lot of talk about gas prices affecting the SUV market, but let's face it, if you can afford the H2. you can afford the fuel," Cranshaw said. In some cases, owning one can bo financially beneficial. Until recently. owners of vehicles weighing more than 6,000 pounds (Hummers included) were eligible for a tax incentive that let them write-off up to $100,000. The loophole was recently tightened, but owners may still be eligible lor a first-year deduction of $25,000. Sales in Colorado _ the nation's leader in SUV ownership per capita _ continue to be brisk, Cranshaw said. He sold 16 in November, four more than last year, and expects 2004 sales to be close to last year's 136. "Only a very few people respond to our vehicle as mediocre," said General Motors spokesman David Caldwell. "They run cither very hot or very cold." Count Curtis Springs in the hot category. The Colorado Springs chemical manufacturer's sales representative couldn't wait to sell his 2003 H2 before replacing it with a gleamirm 2005 model. "It's just a great vehicle." Springs said. "They're a blast. They're really fun to drive. You get into these heated leather seats, and it's hard to get out." He shrugs off the gestures from other motorists. "I just kind of wave back at them," he said. "They're the whale huggers. They probably don't realize that this gets pretty much the same (gas) mileage as any other full-size SUV." INTRODUCING SILVER STAR, No more room for orphaned bears PARK CITY'S NEWEST SKI-IN, SKI-OUT LUXURY COMMUNITY. AVAILABLE SOON FOR 9 7 VERY LUCKY FAMILIES. By BRETT PRETTYMAN MfdiaNews Group Wire 97 luxury residences to be released for sale on February 21, 2005, available in a variety of beautiful two, three and four bedroom plans. If you're lucky enough to join us at Silver Star you'll enjoy amazing recreation opportunities and wonderful amenities. Silver Star is conveniently connected to Park City Mountain Resort via the new Silver Star lift. It's a short walk to the Park City Golf Course, and hiking and biking trails for your family are all located on the property. Also on site is a heated swimming pool and hot tub. And, each residence features reserved, heated parking, and a sports locker to store your skis and bikes. IF YOU'RE FEELING LUCKY, OR EVEN IF YOU AREN'T CALL: MICHAEL LAPAY, 1.435.640.5700 MLAPAY@PUREUTAH.COM HEATHER PETERSON, 1-435-640-2573 Orphaned wildlife is nothing new in the West, but changing attitudes about how to handle abandoned youngsters have pushed the Idaho Black Bear Rehab Center near Boise to its limits. The center is holding 34 black bear cubs. Next to Idaho, Utah has sent the most bears to the facility. Bears also have been sent there from Washington, Wyoming and Oregon. "It seems like there has been a change in the attitude about predators and I'm thrilled to death to have so many," said Sally Maughan, who started the center 16 years ago. "For so long people weren't going out and getting (orphaned cubs). We had 23 a couple of years ago and I joked we should go for two dozen. Now we are close to three dozen and I'm going to stop talking." Miles Moretti, acting director of the Utah Division "of Wildlife Resources (DWR), agrees that there has been a shift in the way wildlife officials and the public think about orphaned cubs. Bear cubs are orphaned by many causes. Sometimes the mother bear is hit by a car, and occasionally the family becomes separated after entering urban areas. Moretti said orphans rarely result from hunters killing sows with cubs, but he acknowledged that it does happen. More frequently, cubs become orphans when sows are killed for being problem bears. All the bears brought to Maughan are returned to their home states. Utah officials try to release the animals near the areas from which they came, especially if they are females, in an effort to keep populations as close to natural as possible. Bunnell said the 12 cubs will be released in May. Maughan said all the cubs currently at the center were born earlier this year and will be released after denning at the facility, which is her preferred method when young bears arrive late in the year. Cubs brought to Boise in the spring and summer are typically taken to existing dens during winter months so they awaken as free animals with the thaw. Moretti said wildlife officials in years past would occasionally try to keep cubs at regional offices to place in dens when winter arrived, but that it proved a time-consuming task. "Sally has done a great job with the cubs and keeping them from becoming too acclimated to humans," he said. 'We have had good luck with the cubs we release from her place. They don't seem to associate food with humans like some bears that spend time with people do." Maughan, who has a permit from Idaho for her operation, has relumed 89 bears lo the wild after they spent time at her center and boasts that only two have had to he moved or put down for conflicls n ith humans. While Maughan is pleased to have so many cubs, the facility can't handle any more bears. She is hoping the public will provide the means to build more enclosures. e&v #i PINE INN Fully furnished 3 bed, I, 3 bath log condo located in Lower Deer Valley. 3 Stone parking Clubhouse, Sauna/ Steam Room, Fitness Room, Concierge Service and more! $I,375,OOO 3116 MOUNTAIN RIDGE CT This Max Smith designed home is the ultimate in adult living. Fabulous greenhouse, 4 beds, 3 baths & much more! Located on a cul-desac with ski-mountain views. CARRIE SHOAF, l-435-5i3-1928 8 0 1 5 5 6 - 8 6 0 3 • Carlyle's mobile f Prudential Utah Real Estate Michael LaPay is mi invnur/real osiaic broker and Kory Murphy is an owncr/ival estate a»em licensed in the Sl;ile of Utah. The information contained herein, although deemed accurate and nhiuincri from reliable sources is not guaranteed. i 8 0 1 671-9761 Pages's mobile '. .1 LeWJSW carlylc@hvdparkcity.com 1 www.carlylestyle.com * Information herein, although deemed reliable, is nut guaranteed. Buver lo verify -square footage |