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Show A2 Wednesday, March 1 0, 2004 Opinion and Commentary PUBLIC FORUM LETTERS TO THE EDITOR What is your opinion? The Express welcomes letters let-ters from its readers concerning any subject pertinent perti-nent to the Uintah Basin. There are no restrictions as to contents, if not libelous or vindictive and of reasonable length (two typewritten double spaced pages). Letters must be submitted exclusively to the Express and bear the writer's full name, signature, signa-ture, phone number and address. Letters for the sole purpose of expressing thanks to individuals or groups will not be printed in the forum. Letters may be mailed, faxed at 789-8690 or through e-mail at editorvernal.com. The name or names of those submitting letters must appear on all published letters. let-ters. All letters are subject to condensation. Letters express the opinion of the writer and are not necessarily nec-essarily the opinion of the Express Editor. Children's future Dear Editor, I would like to know what the politicians think they are doing with our children's future. These people are so concerned about cutting cost, I believe that they don't have the whole physical picture, I believe that they only look at the numbers. I recently attended a concert put on by the Uintah High Jazz and the Middle School band. And let me tell you that they blew me away with the sharpness and quality of the music. And around Christmas time last year, I also went to the high school for their Christmas concert. And I would like to say that, if you closed your eyes, you would swear the music you were hearing was being performed by the New York Phil harmonic orchestra. They were that good. So, as you can see, it really bugs me that our state and federal leaders are wanting to take away these very important classes in our schools. If these young men and ladies are allowed to continue with these musical art classes and grow from them, I am sure that they could make a living out of this talent if they so desire. You would not tell a medical student his funding was being cut off and that he had to choose something else. That would just crush his dream of becoming a doctor. Well, that is just exactly what our politicians are doing with our children's future. So, I beg everyone that loves music or has a child in school, to please call your representative and talk to them about this serious problem. ROD WITHEE Naples Honest people Dear Editor, I have visited your beautiful town on many occasions as my grandparents, Carl and Donna Thompson live here. . I just recently returned frommy mission and visiting here again. I know now that Vernal is not only beautiful in landscape land-scape but I have learned how honest the people are, especially Wal-Mart employees. While shopping there on March 5, I lost a $100 bill I reported and they went the extra mile to help me find it and one of their employees did and it was returned to me. So, a great big thank you to all. JENNIFER COURT Lyman, Wyo. Park decision Dear Editor, In living in Vernal for 51 years, I have seen some boards and elected officials make some horrible decisions, deci-sions, but when I read the recreation board is spending $1.5 million for another park, I said whoa.!! We could use that money on roads, schools and many places better bet-ter than another park. We elect commissioners to look out for the citizens, but they should have the final say on any board. This board acts like they have to get rid of money the minute it's available. Everyone knows that sometime we will have slow times, so why not just put it in savings, or maintenance for future years. BEN BRIDGES Vernal Maeser park Dear Editor, In the last Vernal Express, a new park for Vernal City was mentioned. Accompanying the same paper was the Discover Dinosaurland insert. It lists (1) the Ashley Valley Community Park, which includes the Colton Pavilion and the Woodey Searle Pavilion and playground; (2) the Independence Park; (3) the Kiwanis Park; (4) the Water Conservancy Park; (5) the Freestone Walking Park; and (6) the Remember The Maine Park. It doesn't list the new Cobble Rock Park or the small area just west of the 7-11 Ranch Restaurant which, I believe, is a private park for shoppers to utilize. VERNAL Exp, (ISSN 0892-1091) Published every Wednesday for $24 per year in shopping area and $36 per year out of shopping area within state and $39 per year out of state within USA by the Vernal Express Publishing Company, 54 North Vernal Avenue, Vernal, Utah 84078. Periodicals postage paid at Vernal, Utah 84078. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to VERNAL EXPRESS, P.O. Box 1000, Vernal Utah 84078. Steven R. Wallis Editor and Publisher Virginia Harrington Guest Writer Maureen Spencer Feature Writer Mandi Oaks Feature Writer Courtney Millecam Public Notices Jacque Hobbs Advertising Vanessa Grimshaw Advertising Terri Black Circulation & Classified Ads Tasha J. Robinson Advertising and Layout Phone: 435-789-3511 FAX: 435-789-8690 Website: www.vemal.com e-mail: editorvernal.com NEW DEADLINES News Monday 12 noon Display Advertising Monday 2 p.m. Classified Advertising Monday 2 p.m. Public Notices Monday 2 p.m. Naples has a park with a pavilion; Jensen has a park with a pavilion; Lapoint has a park with a pavilion; Randlett has a park with a nice building with kitchen and eating area; Ballard has a park with a pavilion; and Tridell has a park with a pavilion. Maeser has a park which is more or less a weed patch. The park itself is about one-fourth the size it needs to be. It has a horse shoe pit, two metal barbecue cookers, and two picnic tables which stand out in the weather on a cement pad which looks as if it is disintegrating. disinte-grating. No pavilion! As a resident of Maeser, I think it is time we need to be considered for a park and some improvements. We have a big population that is expanding all the time. BETTY T.BOWDEN Vernal Music education Dear Editor, It has come to my attention that Uintah School District is toying with the idea of cutting the arts. This includes the choir, band and art classes. This is a terrible terri-ble mistake! Studies have shown that music in particular, stimulates stimu-lates the mind and helps increase comprehension. In fact, Einstein himself said, and I quote, "If it had not been for the inspiration of music, I would have never discovered the things I did." How many Einstein's are in our school system right now? How many would we hinder by disallowing the musical genius to blossom? Here are some facts for those who are going to vote as to whether or not the music programs in our district get the axe: -Music education helps young minds to develop creativity cre-ativity and expression of emotions. -Studies show that early music training can enhance a child's ability to reason and think critically, that children chil-dren exposed to music at a young age learn better in other subjects, and that children trained in music score significantly higher on reading tests than those who were not. -Participation in school-based music programs gives youths an activity that not only keeps them off the streets, but also gives them self esteem and a camaraderie cama-raderie with their fellow musicians that they wouldn't necessarily find elsewhere. Thanks to No Child Left Behind, everyone is concerned con-cerned with testing, and obviously for good reason. However, I would propose that rather than cut the students stu-dents electives, give them electives as they pass their testing. I find no sane reason why a student who is reading at above grade level, must take reading for a year, and have their electives cut. If you want to challenge chal-lenge them, and really see some growth, put them in music! Let them learn to read notes. Let them sing. Let them play an instrument. Don't make them slog through a class for a year, reading material that doesn't challenge them in any manner. Personally, my life would be drastically different if music hadn't inspired me. Music has given me an appreciation for all type of art, and for those who create it. As a community yey wijl suffer a. greaf, loss that wjll be felt for generations to come if trie school board and principals are allowed to cut the music programs. Imagine a city with no more band at a football game. No Highlights to sing the National Anthem. No play or musical because there has been no program at the Middle School and Junior High level from which to feed from. Imagine no more musicals at the outdoor theater. Imagine a town that has no school fight song, because no one can play it, and no one can sing it. Imagine a town where test scores are dropping like flies, and remediation is at an all time high. Now think of this, if we drop the music programs, scenarios like this one won't be imagined they will be real. Isn't it strange that princes and kings And clowns that caper in sawdust rings And common people like you and me, Are builders of eternity? Each is given a bag of tools; A shapeless mass, a book of rules, And each must make, ere life has flown, A stumbling block - or stepping stone. We need to be stepping stones, not stumbling blocks! Don't let our school board and the district cut the music programs. Call them. If we don't let our voices be heard now, we are setting ourselves up for a real tragedy. KATIE HUNSAKER Vernal A commanj is BeiMtf issued -tfiraou th&grezt Uintah Basvn. AMdh priority cowman4 anot.$o dass fffecj tmkure, as the house wtve's oF-fche Jbasift prevsre o do battle ' ' A Eric Schillie and Sharon Wilkins, Simplot mining operation, presents $6,250 to the Uintah Schools Foundation represented by Wendy Mathis and Jean Klein. Uintah School Foundation receives donation to enhance education Eric Schillie, general manager of The donation was given to Jean to enhance the education opportuni- the Simplot mining operation north Klein and Wendy Mathis of the of Vernal, presented $6,250 to the Foundation. Uintah School Foundation. It will be used by the Foundation ty in the Uintah School District. The buzz about the Relay for Life By Varlin Law Meth... Continued from A1 Roosevelt and Naples police departments, Adult Probation and Parole, Uintah County Sheriff's Department and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The Strike Force is funded by federal and local dollars dol-lars administered by Vernal City. Corrections In the March 3 edition of the Vernal Express the location loca-tion of the property being purchased by the Uintah Recreation District was reported at the wrong address. The property being considered for purchase for the park is 79 acres at 500 West and 500 South. Also in the Feb. 18 edition, in a report to the Vernal Area Chamber of Commerce by Si Hutt, CEO Ashley Valley Medical Center it should be clarified that AVMC won the Top 100 hospital based on a broad range of indicators including patient outcomes, efficiency and accuracy. Only 20 small hospitals out of 1,920 evaluated evaluat-ed were chosen to be in the top 100, including AVMC. Of all health professional job vacancies in the state of Utah, 62 percent of them are nursing positions, the national average for RN vacancies is 13 percent, but AVMC's is currently only 2.5 percent. Also the New OBGYN at the hospital is Dr. Lee Centenera. What is all the buzz about the Relay For Life event that will be held on June 4 at 6 p.m. and runs through the entire night, ending June 5 at noon? I'll tell you what I believe it is. I was one of those people who had heard of folks getting cancer, but thought it would never affect me or those close to me. That was true until June 8, 1998. How could this be? I was the one who always took care of myself, exercised, and watched what I ate, etc. But leukemia didn't care about that, it only wanted to consume my body and wither me away from an athletic 205 pounds to a measly 150 pounds unable to walk with assistance. assis-tance. The devastation and isolation I felt was unbearable at times, and I had no clue that others, in fact many others, oth-ers, had experienced these same deep emotions. The hurt a cancer victim experiences experi-ences physically is only a portion of the pain. I hurt emotionally, mentally, mental-ly, financially and even spiritually. Who was going to raise my three babies under the age of five? And, what about my wife's future? Even the thought of who was going to teach my son how to throw a baseball base-ball and play catch was enough to bring me to tears. Was there any hope out there for my family and I? Or was it all over? Had I made any substantial contributions contri-butions to the betterment of this world? I have deep spiritual convictions about life and death, but I had never had them tested like this before. In my experience with cancer, I understand pain, deep pain, but only from a victim's perspective. It seemed as though I lost everything. I lost some organs, I lost my vision, my nails, the pigment in my skin, and of course, my hair. What I don't understand is the helplessness one must feel to watch a loved one wither with-er away from the effects of cancer. I can't imagine that pain. Is there anything any-thing you can do? American Cancer Society's Relay For Life has come to the rescue! To me, the Relay embodies and addresses most all of cancer patients' deepest fears. Bringing a community together for a common cause like eradicating this evil disease is beyond noble. American Cancer Society's educational educa-tional programs, counseling and screenings have permitted early detection for many in our community communi-ty and thus successful treatment. The American Cancer Society's Road to Recovery program helps many who can't get to their doctors appointments and treatments. The Look Good, Feel Good program has maintained the dignity and self-esteem self-esteem of thousands of cancer victims. vic-tims. The Relay For Life helps pay for all of these services and the majority of the money raised from our Relay goes to research right here in our great state of Utah. This event allows victims, friends, and family a forum to share with one another, give hope, love and support. This support is vital to all those affect by cancer. The Relay lasts all night so that participants can experience a small semblance of discomfort that cancer patient experiences every minute of their life. The Relay also allows the participants to recap their own blessings and remember loved ones, some which fought so valiantly and have passed on to greater things, and others who are battling the disease dis-ease now. At the Relay, you find hope, you will find faith, and you will be making mak-ing a difference financially for research to ut an end to this evil disease. dis-ease. Because of the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life program, great strides have been made in successful suc-cessful new treatments. So, if you are one of those like me who thought cancer will never have an impact on you, let me assure you, that you will be affected by cancer in some way, whether it is you directly or some one you love. So, now you are in the race, whether you want to be or not. The question is: will you be a part of it and make a contribution and help establish hope or will you sit at home and wish it away? The race is on but it is not over until there is a cure. No one deserves the pain and agony that my family and I have had to experience. Thank you American Cancer Society for giving us Relay For Life; so we can all make a buzz in finding that cure. Community Hikes Join Community Hikes Saturday for a short hike to an old gravel pit site in Red Fleet State Park. A gravel grav-el pit site, you say? Surprisingly, this site provides a panoramic view of Red, Diamond and Blue moun tains. Come prepared with good hiking shoes, water and a snack for the moderately strenuous hike. Meet Saturday at 10 a.m. at Basin Sports, 51 1 W. Main. For more information, call 789-3336. |