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Show VIEWPOINTS A-17 Sat/Sun/Mon/Tues, October 11-14, 2014 Wed/Thurs/Fri, June 3-5, 2015 www.parkrecord.com EDITORIAL Senior class faces complicated world with quiver of local tools W LETTERS TO THE EDITOR A day to appreciate nonmotorized transportation Park City Trail Lovers, Mountain Trails Foundation would like to thank all those members of the public and the 10 trails/open space-related entities in attendance at Mountain Madness. On May 21st, the Park City trails community gathered for the second annual "all-things-trails" open house, to which the public was invited to interface directly with trails crews, peruse maps and learn about summer projects. Many good ideas were garnered, myths were dispelled and trails-related information was disseminated. Thank you also to Chris Waddell for the example he is in this community. After the free screening of his movie, 1 Revolution, Chris stayed to answer questions and inspire the crowd. We owe a big thank you to Canyons and Vail's Epic Promise for sponsoring this event. Their support of the trails community made this FREE public event possible - right down to the complimentary movie-themed buffet. And last, but certainly not least, we owe a great big thank you to the volunteers who keep Mountain Trails rolling. Year after year, our volunteers show up to lend a hand. What a superb job the volunteers do with increasing awareness of Membership Today = Trails Tomorrow moto. Thank you for putting your best feet forward on behalf on non-motorized trails! See you out there, Lora Smith Mountain Trails Foundation UBER is not the Evil Empire Editor: It is doubtful that Uber would be a job killer for our community. I ride in over 150 Taxis (and Ubers) a year, in many different cities. I often ask drivers how much they work, and how Uber is working out for them. Some are independent car service drivers who use Uber to fill in rides between hires by their regular clients. Many have other jobs or drive part time while putting themselves through school -- these are not career drivers and seem to use Uber as a stepping stone. Uber is remarkably consistent. You get an accurate arrival time and cost, and the drivers are well spoken and knowledgeable about services, restaurants and events in their area. In contrast, I have been disappointed by our local taxi services on several occasions. Once (during Christmas week) The Park Record Staff PUBLISHER Andy Bernhard Editor Nan Chalat Noaker Staff writers Jay Hamburger Scott Iwasaki Adam Spencer Bubba Brown Angelique McNaughton Contributing writers Tom Clyde Jay Meehan Teri Orr Amy Roberts Steve Phillips Tom Kelly Joe Lair Copy editor Alan Maguire ADVERTISING Classified advertising Jennifer Lynch Office manager Tiffany Rivera Circulation manager Lacy Brundy Accounting manager Jennifer Snow Advertising director Valerie Spung Advertising sales Lori Gull Jodi Hecker Erin Donnelly Sara Pearson Lisa Curley Photographer Christopher Reeves Production director Lisa Powell Production Ben Olson Nadia Dolzhenko April Hendrix my wife and I called for a taxi from lower Main Street to Kimball Junction, and when the minivan showed up, about six young girls hopped in to go to the Yarrow. The driver shut us out, deciding that he could make that short run and then come back for us, as we had no other option (even though we had actually called). Many locals have stories of gouging by our taxi services (Try taking a cab from Main Street to Jeremy Ranch on New Year's Eve and see if it isn't more expensive than a ride to the airport). It's obvious to me that, unlike the rest of our service industry (restaurants and bars), the taxi services don't seem to care about locals, who have no recourse. I assume our market is too small to be regulated, as in most cities. As long as our taxi services run this way, why not welcome Uber and let consumers have both options. Paul Sharwell Wanship Park City parents need to acknowledge drugs Editor: The recent push to get unleashed dogs leashed and owners fined has me baffled, especially given the fact that the police are using precious, limited resources to assist animal control. Really? Is this where our priorities lie? My stepson moved here from the central valley of California a year and a half ago and attends Park City High School. He was thrilled with the caliber of the teachers and classes and delighted that he got his own laptop to use during the school year. But he has been surprised by the drug use among the kids. As he said to us recently, "The kids here will snort anything!" And he's not just referring to smoking some pot or underage drinking, he's shocked by the use of harder drugs-meth, heroin, cocaine. Wake up, Park City. We don't live in a magical bubble. Drug use among kids doesn't just happen "out there," it's here too. I'm not afraid of an unleashed dog or the occasional wayward bear. I'm afraid of this elephant in the room many people in Park City don't want to talk about: drug use among our kids. That's the problem our police department should be using their resources for. Bobbie Pyron Park City School District needs to invest more in reading Editor: Many PCSD teachers have master's degrees as well as various other advanced education degrees, endorsements, and trainings. K-3 teachers teach phonics and phonemic awareness with fidelity daily. Most K-3 teachers are credible reading teachers, deliver effective instruction, and address the academic needs of a majority of their students. However, statistics suggest that one in five people have dyslexia. If a child has a severe form of dyslexia, he requires specialized intervention. Having teachers obtain a general reading endorsement isn't going to meet the needs of children with reading difficulties. Currently, each school has a reading specialist with level 1 and 2 reading endorsements. The district wants to eliminate this position and require all K-3 teachers to earn their reading endorsement. Having a reading specialist with multiple reading endorsements isn't viewed as effective by the district, so why require the classroom teachers to obtain these very same endorsements? Expecting every K-3 teacher to acquire various endorsements isn't a realistic way to approach academic concerns. It's comparable to expecting your pediatric doctor to treat and specialize in every childhood disease and illness. If your child has diabetes, you would take him to a specialist (not expect your doctor to go back to school and become an endocrinologist). Furthermore, you'd probably e've got a lot riding on the Class of 2015. The world they will officially inherit upon graduation this Friday is faced with some of the biggest challenges in history: from redefining global diplomacy to averting environmental catastrophes and from navigating a totally interconnected world to protecting individual privacy, to name just a few. There will be no textbook answers. We can't even offer an instruction manual as many of the tools they will need have yet to be invented. But we can hope that we have passed along at least one useful gift, a top notch education that emphasized open-mindedness, community service and compassion for fellow students. Somewhere in their well-worn backpacks, among the tattered notebooks filled with homework assignments and test scores, we hope they have stashed a few useful lessons about standing up to bullies, conserving natural resources and appreciating other cultures. As this year's crop of seniors, decked in red and white caps and gowns, file past their teachers, families and friends, they are probably just beginning to realize how special it was to grow up in Park City. Many will be heading off to college with memories of the countless fundraisers that enabled their special pursuits, from academic decathlons to foreign travel. Others will be sending thank you notes to local businesses for the scholarships that will boost them toward their chosen professions. Still others will be joining the military, looking for jobs or dedicating themselves to one of the sports they honed in this athletic town. At this point we must stand back and let them go. We have tried to instill in them the confidence to take on tough challenges, to cherish their individuality and to seek out new ideas. Now, with the tools they have been given by the community and the guidance of their teachers, our future is in their hands. Best wishes from all of us to the Park City High School Class of 2015. GUEST EDITORIAL Save what's left of our dog-friendliness SHANNON O'NEAL Park City Same as it ever was: A few bad players are causing problems for everyone. I refer of course to the greatest issue of our time: off-leash dogs in Park City. Until we see scientific polling or a referendum on the issue it seems we should just weigh in publicly and with our governments. Mark me down in the "Free Bark City" column. To be clear, I don't care for mean dogs, mean people, inconsiderate owners or just inconsiderate humans, and poop left in public places by any of the above. I have great sympathy for victims of bad dog behavior and very little for irresponsible owners, but I doubt the concerns of some about the loose-dog menace actually reflect the majority view of the community. The police blotter and letters to the editor depict a community of reckless owners and their vicious dogs. My experience is otherwise. I am no scofflaw. I know code requires dogs to be under control when off their property. I also know two canine ambassadors, George and Boomer, were the first to welcome us when we moved here in 2000. They wandered in wagging and smiling as we unpacked. Dogs are part of Park City lore. There are children's books on the topic. Our pharmacy has scores of dog portraits at the pick-up window. There are almost as many clinics for our pets as for humans. Free-running dogs are, what, 1/3 of the public art on our bus shelters? Everyone should ac- knowledge this is historically a very dog-friendly town. Park City still offers a fun and fairly funky mix of the outdoors, small(ish)-town life, and big-town amenities. That dogfriendly lifestyle is part of it. Let's save what's left. The current ordinance allows dogs to be free as long as you carry a leash and the dog wears an electronic collar. HOAs, municipalities, and the county can designate areas as "offleash." Some creative problem solving, consensus building, and realignment of the rules to fit reality and community norms would go a long way toward an equitable solution. I suggest: - All people must behave responsibly - whether they have a dog or not. - Dog parks are nice, but forcing people into cars unnecessarily is hypocritical in a town trying to reduce emissions and traffic. Dog parks do not seem to fill the need. - Designate more off-leash and other absolutely dog-free recreation areas. Make their size, features, and location reflect the relative support of the community. Lots of support? Big areas. Little support? Be thankful for what you have. - Explore amending the county ordinance to allow designated "off-leash" days in some designated areas. - Hold truly irresponsible owners accountable. - Be neighborly. When mixing people, dogs, bikes, and animals please be kind and considerate. Wave. Slow down. Pull over. Get off the trail for a moment. Say "Hi." Reward good behavior with gratitude and a smile. Like Mr. King said: "Can we all get along?" GUEST EDITORIAL Leash law enforcement is discriminatory REAGAN HOLM Park City We have owned a home and lived in Park City for over 10 years now. Since our arrival we have seen the city's leash law consistently abused and enforced on a discriminatory and inconsistent manner. Until recently the feeling of the dog walkers/owners I know in Park City was that if you had your leash with you and you were off by yourself, not around other people, our Officers and Animal Control Enforcers would ask you to be mindful and leash up as soon as you start moving to a populated area. It is also our opinion that dog owners that are residents of Park City are very mindful about their animals and are considerate about others around them when their dogs are in tow. I don't have the statistics but I would assume that most of the dogs that ever get caught for biting, chasing and defecating without being cleaned up in the city parks are from non-residents who come here to enjoy the town's unfounded dog-friendly reputation. There has long been an understanding on where and when dogs were able to play off leash by our residences in this city. However, as of this spring, if your dog is let off leash to simply do their business and then put back on leash, Animal Control, hiding behind bleachers, trees and bathrooms will jump out run be willing to pay for the medicine and additional treatment the specialist recommended. Teachers are not specialists in every avenue of education, but rather the primary giver to a child's education. If the district wants to see academic gains in students with reading disabilities, they should keep the existing reading centers and hire additional specialists (sub-contracted or district employees) to work with these children. Generaleducation teachers need professional development opportunities and support by people who specialize in reading disabilities, not to be expected to become the specialists themselves. Matthew Long Park City County's mental health service efforts praised Editor: As parents of a Summit County resident who lives with mental illness, we thank Angelique McNaughton for her article "More Social Services Needed" (May 20-22). We hope that it signals the realization that, as County Health Director Rich Bullough says, the county's failure to "financially prioritize" mental health and substance abuse services wastes both taxpayers' money and the over and ticket you, no warning, no conditions, consideration. It has also been well known that the City sets up sting operations to catch spring dog owners who live in the city while giving tourists, partiers, softballers, skaters, parade goers, etc. (from out of the area) leniency, making the law discriminatory and ultimately an extra expense for the dog owning taxpayers who live here. Don't misunderstand my intentions here, I believe there are two sides to the story, I just feel that Park City dog owners have been silenced by those who feel they have no responsibility to take a look at their surroundings and where they plan to go before evaluating their kids' ages, environment, and possible event issues before they make good insightful decisions on when and where they choose to go to enjoy our town and its opportunities to play and relax. The bar has now been pushed severely to the right and a reasonable understanding of the situation would go a long way to helping us all enjoy the city we live in together. Either use the law and enforce it unilaterally without discrimination or have our officers and Animal Control enforcers do as they have been doing over the years. Use their best judgment to examine the circumstances and apply the law when people are abusing the privilege and not controlling their animals. potential for many in the county to live productive lives. We were pleased that Mr. Bullough, Chief prosecutor Matt Bates, County Council member Roger Armstrong, and Judge Shauna Kerr recognized and so clearly articulated the service gaps they see in carrying out their official duties. Our son LIVES those gaps. We appreciate that discussions are beginning and want to participate fully in community forums and planning sessions. We are willing to share our first-hand knowledge of what the community needs, because we are part of the community in need. These ARE urgent problems; they MUST be solved. Mr. Bullough is correct. We need discussion, education, and innovative, comprehensive solutions because "this is expensive and no one wants to just throw money at the issues." However, Summit County residents who suffer from mental illness are desperate that these valuable conversations become action items as soon as possible. Lives are wasting while we talk about - rather than act to strengthen -- our county's porous safety net of services. Thanks for shining a spotlight on an issue of such pressing importance. See the bicycles and the motorcycles Lynne and Ed Rutan Park City Jack Karmel Park City Editor: We are fast coming on the time of year where motorbikes are on the roads in force. I am prompted to write this due to the most recent tragedy on Browns Canyon, along with a distant memory of a fatality earlier this season near the Jeremy Ranch exit. Most times you will hear the driver causing the tragedy saying "I did not see the biker". This exact thing happened to me on Rasmussen. I got lucky. Here is what's wrong with this statement: If you did not see, you are legally blind and should not drive. If you did not look you are negligent and should be punished by the max. the law allows. Someone else's life is not your to take! I am a driver as well as a motor-biker and I am asking all drivers, please, you will get there three minutes later but you will not have a victim on your conscience. Look before you turn, see who might be on your blind side, drive aware. In all my life, inclusive of Armed Forces service, I killed but one animal that ran into my rear wheel. It is not easy to live with believe me I suffered for that. |