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Show A-19 VIEWPOINTS SAT/SUN/MON/TUES, NOVEMBER 20-23, 2010 www.parkrecord.com EDITORIAL LETTERS POLICY Er... say Boss, aren't the new uniforms a little RISQUE for a family Restaurant in UTAH? What has Amazon done for you lately: ii The Park Record welcomes; letters to the editor on any, \ subject. We ask that the let-; ters adhere to the following j guidelines: They must include; the home (street) address and' telephone number of the I author. No letter will be pub-.j| lished under an assumed J[ name. Letters must not con- 3 tain libelous material. Letters ; 1 should be no longer than^i about 300 words (about 600-1 words for guest editorials) and J | should, if possible, be typed!; We reserve the right to edit! '< letters if they are too long of if j they contain statements that; are unnecessarily offensive of;! obscene. Writers are limited^ to one letter every seven j days. Letters thanking event j sponsors can list no more i than 10 individuals and/or { businesses. Send your letter .\ to: editor@parkrecord.com j A t first blush, holiday shopping on the Internet seems like a great idea. No driving, no lines, no shipping. But now that the novelty of filling an electronic shopping cart from the comfort of your couch has worn off, it is time to lake a look at the deeper tradeoffs. Our biggest criticism of online shopping - especially with mega retailers like Amazon - is that once the dollars leave our community, they never return. That is not true when money is spent with local retailers. Once you hit "Confirm purchase" online, the total is siphoned from your credit card and that's that. The money evaporates into cyberspace and rarely, if ever, returns to the community. However, when you shop locally, a portion of the sales taxes that are collected are automatically reinvested in city and county services. Those revenues fund a number of programs including the free buses. And, thanks to the recently re-approved Recreation Arts and Parks tax, local purchases also generate funds for community grants. The benefits go beyond tax revenues. Almost every merchant in Park City and Summit County donates merchandise, money, lime and space to local nonprofit groups. They are constantly asked and most often say yes to pitching in products and services for hundreds of fundraisers. Now it is our turn to return the favor. Besides - it's time to get up off the couch. We should all take the advice we give our kids on a daily basis. That is, to "turn off the computer and get outside!" Shopping in Park City during the holiday season should be a part of your family's tradition. With the twinkling lights, the special events and the bracing clean winter air, trekking around Main Street, Bonanza Park, Redstone, Newpark and all around Kimball Junction can be a festive occasion. Many of the merchants are experts in their line of who specialize in offering the latest, the best and most unique products. And in between bouts of purchasing there are restaurants and bakeries and coffee shops where you can reboot your shopping chakras. And that goes for the quaint downtown centers in Coalville and Kamas too, where the gifts have an authentic Western flavor. So let's review: Shopping online: Fast, easy, sterile. Shopping locally: Supports the community, festive, healthy, an adventure. You choose. GUEST EDITORIAL Toxic water is nothing new By Beverly Hurwitz M.D. Park City My left hand shook so badly I couldnt turn a page. The tremors would intermit and the neurologist couldnt make a diagnosis. It would be two years before I learned about manganese poisoning. In December 2007 Thaynes Canyon residents were told the brown water coming from their taps was contaminated with various toxins, including manganese. Returning from travel last week. I consumed plenty of water before I heard about the new advisory. How many people will arrive to their condos this week without knowing the water is toxic? In 2007, drinking tea from a black mug, I didn't see the discoloration until I had consumed a large quantity. When I had my manganese blood level tested, it was in the toxic range. I stopped drinking the water, my blood level normalized, and over the next year the tremors subsided. I opted not to sound the alarm then, trusting it wouldn't happen again. Now that it has, I think citizens should have more information: The problem is not unique to Park City. Municipal water and private wells all over the world occasionally become contaminated by natural elements like manganese, for uncertain reason. Park City does comply with water standards set by the state and the EPA, but unfortunately, standards for manganese are outdated and manganese is less regulated than other contaminants. The fact that manganese in drinking water may be a brain toxin is just emerging. As recently as September 2010, a Canadian research team reported significant intellectual impairment in school-age children exposed to manganese from drinking water. Most of what is known about toxicity stems from inhalation of manganese in the welding and mining industries, and there's a high probability that your physician or veterinarian has never heard of manganism. Symptoms include psychiatric disorders, confusion, impaired memory, Parkinson-like symptoms such as tremor, and gait disturbance. Kidney failure and metabolic problems have also been reported. I suspect I became toxic because I drink enormous quantities of water; my diet is rich in foods that have high manganese levels (nuts, grains, vegetables), while I was simultaneously not aware of manganese in multivitamins. The Web can help you to determine what your dietary intake of this element is and should be, according to age, but finding out the manganese level in your drinking water might be difficult. Park City publishes information only about more recognized contaminants and hasn't reported the manganese levels in this crisis like they have for mercury contamination. Bear in mind that the bottled- water industry is held to much more lenient standards than municipal water suppliers. Information about home filtration systems can be found at http://extension.usu.edu/ waterquality/fiies/uploads/PDF/DW_ Systems^Approved.pdf. Residents should implore our city managers to make water quality a ' higher priority. Public art, a racquet club, or tree planting in road medians in one neighborhood should not be taking priority over toxic water in another. Amongst the numerous theories as to why the Roman Empire collapsed is one that its citizenry became intellectually impaired by lead in the water. Today, with increasing rates of autism, attention deficit, and Alzheimer's, old corroding water pipes everywhere, an underpowered EPA, and voters who think fewer taxes will benefit their children, we could go the way of Rome. Maybe we can't save civilization, but it seems prudent to at least try to save beautiful, prosperous Park City from being the resort where you can't drink the water. If you think anyone in your home (including pets) might be a victim of manganese toxicity, please contact me at aspendinic@gmaiJ.com. I'm not an expert but I'm willing to collect data to spearhead research. The Park Record Staff Contributing writers Tom Clyde Teri OnJay Meehan . Larry Warren Sieve Phillips Cartoon in Melia Denafi Copyaditor David Hampshire ADVERTISING Classified odyenisinu Ashloa Thomas Offico manager Circulation manager Accounting manager Advertising director Advertising soles \ • Jennifer Lynch Lacy Brundy * Kale Fischer Valerie Spung ; Lori Gull ' Jennifer Muslal Hachael Young-TTfton Pamela Graves \ Barbara Yarbenet \ Photographers Grayson West Erik Daenitz i Production director Malt Gordon Production Scott Schleriker •. Sarah Ely •. PatHamatar ; MALIA DENALI/ PARK RECORD LETTERS TO THE EDITOR A great deal and a great cause Editor: The local community is invited to participate in a great deal and a great cause! The great deal is that you can buy Park City Mountain Resort tickets for $25. The cause is Peace House. Peace House thanks Park City Mountain Resort for their very generous support! The $25 tickets are valid from Opening Day to December 19. There is a limited quantity of lift tickets and they are going fast. You can purchase the tickets at the following locations: Cole Sports, Jans, Zions Bank at both Park City locations and The Sports Den located on Foothill Drive in Salt Lake City. Peace House thanks these businesses for their help in selling the tickets. All the proceeds from the ticket sales will benefit Peace House. Peace House is a charitable organization dedicated to ending family violence and abuse in Summit and Wasatch counties through education, outreach, support services and shelter. The need for Peace House services has increased by 32% in the past year. Through education programs. Peace House has reached 5,000 students in the past year. We have helped 135 women and children through shelter services for a total of 2,594 nights. Peace House has provided outreach and support services to 800 women and children in the past year. With the help of the community in supporting this fundraiser, we can provide even more services to empower women to break the cycle of family violence in their own lives and the lives of their children. So buy a ticket, have a great day of skiing and know that you are supporting a great cause! Jane Marantz Peace House board member Coaches, parents made it possible Editor: On behalf of the Continental Mity Mite team, I would like to thank all of our coaches: Cal Coleman, Dave Loyens, Ryan Tibbitts, Todd Keizer, and my Dad, Rey Butcher. I have been playing football for the last four years and this is my second championship. Every year 1 learn something new from our coaches. I know some parents think football might be dangerous or take too much of your time, but I didn't just learn about the plays and the formations. I think that the whole team has learned a lot about sportsmanship and teamwork. Sure we hit the other team hard, but we help them up every time too! We didn't just have a smile on our face for completing the play, but so did the kid that just got tackled. As team co-captain, I learned to be a leader and motivate our players. I know the coaches on every team spent a lot of their time and they spent a lot of money on pizza. All of our coaches have taught us so much i that I finally want to say thanks. If you know any of these fantastic coaches, make sure you say Hi and congratulations. And to all of the parents that came out to watch us, thanks. We also want to thank the board. I am sure I speak for every kid in the league and can say we know that without our coaches and parents we can't play. Thanks for being a volunteer and making it possible for all of us to be champions. Park City rocks! Thank you for printing this letter. Ben Butcher Co-Captain, 2010 Mity Mites Continental Champions • Park City: your jj support is amazing ;| Editor: •% The People's Health Clinic^ celebrated its 10th birthday in ^ style last Monday night thanks to 2 the generosity of Temple Har;* Shalom, Right at Home, Good 3 Karma Catering, the Music Taxi, 3 Smith's Food k Drug, and the 14 £ bakers who donated birthday 1 cakes. j The evening was a wonderful J reminder of how our community-! has worked together for 10 years % to make healthcare a reality for^j our uninsured neighbors. Thank j you Park City for your amazing, "\ continued support of our work. ' We can't do it without you! » Nann Worel Executive director. People's Health Clinic -•* . -. TOPICS ON TOPIX A verbatim sampling of opinions posted on The Park Record s online comment board, Topix 'Teardown of Old Town building causes displeasure," published Nov. 13,2010 •*• AJan (the property owner) has good credentials in sustainability, and if there was anything worth preserving, he would have preserved it. The renderings of the proposed building are consistent with the design of the original and from what I've learned will be 21st century with regards to materials and efficiency and should fit right into Old Town's historic character and newer sustainability ethos. PUBLISHER Andy Bemhard Editor Nan Chalat-Noaker Staff writon Jay Hamburger Pal Parkinson Joe Lair Andrew Kirk Scott hvasakJ Douglas Greenwood Christopher Kamranl •v~! (sigh) ...Its a distractlonary measure; So long as no one saw you MIXING that COCKTAIL, we are not in any violation! "Utah law forbids new restaurants from having open liquor bottles on display or bartenders mixing drinks in public view" - Salt Lake Tribune, 11/17/10 I ••- I think AJan should have been ready to construct his new building right away and not tear down the existing, functional one, and wait until the economy turns around to re-construct. The character of the original building will come back, but when? tain 'City authorized' "sale days",(which are very infrequent) ...those days are called, "Sidewalk Sales." Secondly, the City should vote, "No", to increasing the number of platform permits for restaurants allowed to build dining platforms that intrude upon spaces designed for metered parking on Main Street. Studies have shown, and it's been proven, time and time again, "lack of parking negatively affects all Main Street merchants." are trying to be like them why not do that to. Our real estate is over priced, we make the labor force live miles away, and we want to talk about how "green" we are while knocking down a mountainside to build huge hotels like the Montage. But we like to call ourselves a small town. I've been to actual small towns and Park City aint it. People like to say we're different then the resorts in Colorado but with each passing day its becoming obvious that they are what we aspire to be. •>• Waa waa, they serve food, it's nice to dine outside, quit complaining and stay in SC, if you had your way it would be another DAMN MALL. For obvious reasons, you dont get it,, zip it and forget it,, • • Its not fair that some businesses are allowed to use the PUBLIC street to conduct business. Its also not safe... a lawsuit waiting to happen. • • It is nice to dine outside, this is a resort town, not a shopping mall, stay home and forget about it, no one said it was going to be fair, you obviously "There could be a smorgasbord of don't get it. the shops are nice to dining decks on Main Street in 2011," stroll through, not to mention there is plenty of parking in the parking published Nov. 17,2010 structure and on the side streets, •*- This isn't fair. Main Street walking around main street is part of Merchants who pay high rent, who the charm. Park City is NOT sell everything from A-to-Z inside KNOWN for sidewalk sales. I'm sure their stores, arent being given the you would have a cow if Main street same opportunity to market their was closed to parking and driving all products, as are restaurant owners. together such as Estes park CO. Currently, Main Street merchants Keep complaining and it will happen. are not allowed to merchandise their products outside the physical bound- •>- Downtown Aspen is closed to aries of their stores...except on cer- traffic and since in so many ways we i | "I'm not another Bob Bennett, Hatch declares in Summit County," published Nov. 17,2010 ••• You may not be Bob, but you are going to join him out in the pasture. You can talk and act tough if you feel like it, but you have a record that includes political compromises with non-fundamentalist conservatives. This means your time is done. • • Did anyone notice that tea party , darling Senator Elect Lee hired a' prominent lobbyist as his chief of' staff? Love him or hate him (and i'in{ not a fan). Hatch has the ability to work tjj| system. A system not likely] 4 to change in our lifetimes. |