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Show Scene Some buzz about the Sundance Film Festival. Page C-1 The PARK CITY, UTAH www.parkrecord.com Parkite joins tsunami relief efforts SCOTT SINBPARKRECORD Karen Alvarez traveled to Sri Lanka this week to assist in the tsunami relief efforts. She is scheduled to be in the island nation for one month. Karen Alvarez travels to Sri Lanka to help the victims By JAY HAMBURGER Of the Record staff Karen Alvarez did not want to sit in her Ontario Avenue home watching the disaster scenes from the Indian Ocean tsunami without doing something. So she volunteered with an organization known as Global Crossroad to travel across the world to assist in the relief efforts in Sri Lanka, one of the countries struck by the catastrophic waves. Alvarez left Wednesday for the coastal region in the south of the island nation in Asia, where she said she will be building shelters, clearing debris and delivering food to the victims. "I want to help. They're to a point now they don't need money, they need hands," Alvarez said in an interview. She said all people have common threads, regardless of race or religious beliefs. A 42-year-old who works in the film industry, Alvarez said she has never been in a disaster zone before but said she could not offer more assistance by staying in the U.S. She said she is prepared to sleep in a tent with a mosquito net and, before she left, Alvarez, a 19-year Parkite, was required to receive three immunizations and she started taking an anti-malarial drug a week before she left. Alvarez said she is not travelling to the tsunami-stricken region to better herself. "The effects on me, I think, will be emotionally and physically, but I don't know if it will make me a better person," she said. Friends of hers raised almost $2,500 to pay for Alvarez's airfare. The trip took her on United through Chicago and Paris, where she was to take SriLankan Airlines to Colombo, which is the country's capital. "It causes a lot of sadness, it did for me. Not that I know anyone in that part of the world," she said. "All our hearts beat. We breathe the same air." Her family is supporting Alvarez's trip and she said her 10-year-old son is proud of her efforts. Her husband, Matias Alvarez, said she wanted to help as soon as she heard of the disaster. "Right when it happened, she started talking about something. She's a romantic idealist, I guess," he said. Please see Parkite, A-2 3 SECTIONS • 52 PAGES Agendas Automotive Business , Classifieds Columns A-8 C-16 B-9 C-12 A-14 Crossword Editorial Education Events Calendar Letters to the Editor Legals Movies Professional Services Restaurant Guide Sports C-4 A-15 A-9 C-2 A-15 C-19 C-4 B-12 C-7 B-1 TV Listings Weather C-10 B-2 ™ParkRecoixL Serving Summit County since 1880 www.parkrecord.com 8 %493 00001 jl 1Miners hockey team chips away at Sports N a 1 - Page B-1 Park Record ^ • ^ ^ ^ ^m ^ B ^ ^ ^ Serving Summit County since 1880 VISITOR GUIDE TV /fountain Town Stages will present John Hammond at lVJLthe Egyptian Theatre tonight. The show begin at 8 p.m. Tickets are $22 in advance or $27 at the door. Tickets are available at Orionis Music, The Egyptian Theatre in Park City, and by calling 901-7664. • IjmH PRtS'o ^SSUCiHllUN SUl' L CI CITY LIT LWKL 64 Rescuers rush against time Massive avalanche claims an unknown number of victims By PATRICK PARKINSON Of the Record staff The person's tracks were still visible near where the snow broke loose from the rest of the mountain. But that was the only human sign rescuers had to go on. At 6 p.m. Friday, "multiple" victims were feared dead after an avalanche above The Canyons ski resort boundary. Rescuers from law enforcement agencies throughout northern Utah were searching at dusk for people who witnesses say were buried by the massive slide near an area known as Dutch's Draw. The avalanche, which was roughly 500 yards long and 30 feet deep, occurred on U.S. Forest Service property adjacent to the ski resort, Summit County Sheriff Dave Edmunds said. "These individuals passed by a gate with some skulls and crossbones on it," he said, about a barrier that separates the resort from the backcounlry. "Because of the depth of the snow, it's making the search effort very difficult." ' The snow near the top of the slide was nearly 16 feet deep, however, depths increased as [he snow slid, GRAYSON WESTI PARK RECORD Edmunds said. Ski patrollers from The Canyons were first on the Friday's massive avalanche in Dutch's Draw canyon may be one of the largest in recent history. Searchers were still on scene looking for victims as the sun went down. Please see 'Multiple1, A-2 Remains of six pioneers reburied in Coalville Nineteenth century graves discovered during construction By PATRICK PARKINSON Of the Record staff Eight-graders walked behind the horse-drawn hearse through the streets of Coalville just as they may have more than 125 years ago. However, the first funerals for these six pioneers no doubt involved far less fanfare lhan their reburial Thursday in the Coalville City Cemetery. Archeologists have learned much about the people since a construction crew unearthed their skeletal remains while excavating near the North Summit Middle School in December. Though they will likely never know their names or origins, they believe the bones - buried on Schoolhouse Hill in Coalville in the 1800s - belong to a man in his 50s, a twenty-something woman, a girl about 12 years old and three infants, roughly six, 12 and 18 months. "Her teeth tell a painful story," archeologist Jon Baxter said about the woman. She had two cavities, five teeth missing, an overbite and a gap, like "David Letterman" or "Madonna," Baxter told North Summit Middle School children Thursday. "Cavities then, after many days, or months of pain, would have either rot out or have been removed," he said. "A simple tooth problem could have led to an unfortunate death." Before she was buried more than a century ago, her long blond hair was braided and tied with twine in a bun, and two buttons, likely made of porcelain and bone, were found near her chest and wrist. "I would love to think that she cherished this button and either carried it across the plains or made a special trip to Salt Lake City just to buy a button," Baxter said about the nicer porcelain or glass artifact. Though badly deteriorated, he says cloth was found near one of the infants, as if the baby, who had similar light-brown hair, was wrapped in a blanket before being buried. Native Americans camped on the hill around the time these settlers died, however, light-colored hair indicates these were likely early Caucasian settlers, he adds. The December discovery created such a buzz in Coalville, that eight-graders built six coffins last week, which were lined with flannel and the city donated land in its cemetery for Thursday's funeral. Scientists believe the bodies were left behind when the North Summit cemetery was moved from the hilltop to its current location decades ago to make room for a school. Please see Early, A-2 Students at Trailside show their true colors Students wear pink to support injured classmate Britney, 8 By JARED WHITLEY Of the Record staff At Trailside Elementary School, the students and staff are thinking pink. That's because pink is third-grader Britney Malone's favorite color, and the school is showing support for her after a critical snowmobile injury put her in a coma on Dec. 27. The daughter of Sue and Mike Malone, Britney remains in an intensive care unit at Primary Children's Medical Center, She can respond to some commands, but the left side of her body has only 20 percent its former activity. Sue said. "It's a very slow process," Sue said. "She's not in a coma any more but she ;s not completely awake." Sue hopes Britney will be back in school next fall, but her prognosis is still uncertain. "It's too early to tell, every brain injury is different," Sue said. "She has a very good chance because of her age in living a normal life. But she will never be back the way she was. Permanent damage is inevitable." Tbesday was "Pink Day" at Trailside, when all the students and teachers were encouraged to wear pink to show support for Britney. Pink ribbons decorate the classes and hallways, and a pink poster by the front office shows a picture of Britney and explains her situation. "Every time we think of her, we send a good thought and maybe that will help move her along," said Patricia GRAYSON WEST/PARK RECORD Volla, Britney's teacher. Patricia Volla's third-grade class at Trailside Elementary School shows support for hurt classPlease see Olympics, A-2 mate Britney Malone by wearing pink, her favorite color. City Councilors cast a pro-development vote Union Square survives review by the Park City officials By JAY HAMBURGER Of the Record staff The Park City Council Thursday night cast a pro-development vote, deciding that the proposed Union Square project in Old Town is appropriate for the site. The elected officials unanimously affirmed a previous decision by the Planning Commission. The City Council typically does not intervene in such development votes but made the rare choice to review the November decision by the lower panel, which was also in favor of the project. Union Square, which will be built at 201 Heber Ave., just off Main Street, encompasses 23 units, ranging in size from 1,266 square feet to 2,788 square feet. Much of the concern about the project regards its height. The developers intend to erect a building that rises above the height allowed by zoning laws at the site. According to the Planning Department, developers are normally allowed to put up buildings with maximum heights ranging from 32 feet to 45 feet, with an 8-foot exception for what are called elevator penthouses. Union Square will rise to 62.5 feet. Bill Shoaf, whose firm will develop and operate Union Square, said the developers are not "raping and pillaging" and that the design with the taller building is the best solution for the site. After hearing from supporters and detractors, the City Council indicated that the project, with the increased height, was best for the site. There was some acknowledgement, however, that nearby buildings would be impacted by Union Square. The elected officials made a series of statements in support, like that even with the increased height the amount of square footage in the project was not upped. City Councilwoman Kay Calvert said she hoped that the decision is one the elected officials will be proud of in a decade or so. Philo Smith, who has interests in the Union Square land, said the project fits in the location, indicated that initial plans for the project called for a lower but wider building and said more visitors would choose to stay in Old Town if there were nicer places to stay. Craig Elliott, the project architect, said the "architecture is authentic" and that Union Square will draw visitors to Main Street. "In this instance, in this context, 1 think it's just right," Elliott said about the height. Union Square split the neighborhood but on Thursday testimony before the vote was weighted slightly in favor of the developers. The supporters argue that Union Square will bring upscale lodging options to downtown, which will boost the city's tourism-driven economy. But the detractors are upset because they see the building as too large and they complain that it will loom over a key Old Town intersection. With about 50 people in the City Council chambers at City Hall, the project supporters and opponents squared off, covering a variety of issues related to the project. Please see Union Square A-2 |