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Show Page A16 Thursday, April 9, 1992 Park Record A serious lesson learned Pratfalls are funny. From Charlie Chaplin to Chevy Chase, comedians have noted the comic aspect of other people's humiliating loss of balance. And one of the best places to catch a good tumble is in a bar. When you get a wobbly drunk on one of local watering hole's wobbliest bar stools, things can get amusing. The stool starts out in a slow sway, which usually goes unnoticed by the patron. By the time the stool reaches a certain frequency, it's too late for correction and someone hits the floor. But when a Parkite fell off his stool in a bar last week, the mood turned quickly somber. This guy didn't just get back up with a bump on his head; he was lying on the bar's floor, and reports say he had fluid leaking out of his ears, suggesting serious trauma. He was flown by helicopter to the University of Utah hospital, where he remained in intensive care for the night. He's recuperating at home now, and he is supposed to recover. So around town you are going to hear jokes at his expense. He got so drunk he's lucky the alcohol didn't kill him on its own, and he fell off a stool. But, in this case, no one is laughing at that. In this case, people are laughing with relief. This guylaughs easier than most people, but his close brush with death silenced the chortling. While he was in the hospital, there was nothing funny in the story. The silly image of him celebrating a win at Wendover was supplanted by the sobering image of the young man strapped to a gumey in a helicopter race for his life. Now, as friends chuckle over his good fortunein surviving, that is--we can all stop and think on the Editorial SEneirinmaini by J.F.Max lessons. Teetotalers will suggest this is great evidence of the evils of alcohol, and, while they may be correct, few drinkers will quit over someone else's tragedy. And when we drink, it can be funny. However, it's a safe bet he won't drink that much again. We don't have an official number, but word has it his blood-alcohol level was enough to kill most people. That's where the humor ends and the lessons begin. This guy's problem is all his fault. No bar, bartender, or wobbly bar stool can be held accountable. He will have to live with the fact he almost killed himself-- stupidly. Anyone who goes into a bar with the intention of getting drunk (a legal right, provided you don't drive or bother the tourists) should keep that word in mind-stupid. Most drinkers know the feeling-waking feeling-waking up and realizing that they've entered another night in the stupid log, saying and doing things they may not be proud of. However, his case ought to be enough to indelibly print the word upon our minds when we feel maybe we're crossing the line from festive to sloppy. We should all have a good chuckle with him for the joy of life, which he will get to continue enjoying. But we should all also take a good look at ourselves, and wonder if he can teach us something that will make us just a little smarter. "How can you buy or sell the sky?" by Wendy Fisher The Summit Land Trust The above question was posed by Chief Seattle to the white man as they pushed west hoping to aquire hunting grounds and winter camps formerly used by the Native Americans. For some it's the majestic Wasatch Mountains in an early morning mist. For others it may be the glimpse of a moose in an open meadow backdropped by a forest of evergreens and aspens. And for many it's the pastoral scene of a field full of alfalfa. Whatever the picture, the answer to the preservation of these scenes is the Summit Land Trust. In every county across the country similar pictures to the ones described above can be painted by the local residents. The local residents, concerned about losing the character of their community, have set up associations, conservancies, societies. Whatever the name used, they're all land trusts. To date, there are over 900 land trusts throughout the nation assessing community needs and developing ways to preserve meaningful open space. Every land trust's mission is different. They can range from preserving affordable housing and inner city gardens, to protecting agricultural values of rural communities close to suburban sprawl. Even with these different missions, almost all land trusts use the same land preservation techniques to accomplish what is most needed in the community. Almost two years ago some local Summit County residents were concerned about the loss of the county's rural character. They began the process of establishing the first land trust in Utah. They designed the Land Trust as a non-profit charitable corporation. The mission was to preserve the scenic, historical, agricultural and wildlife values of Summit County, Utah and its environs. Since the first year the land trust board has seen a rising concern over open space protection. From planning charettes to a Utah StateHarvard planning study the entire county has seen accelerated growth indicating increasing pressures to urbanize. The common denominator has been the interest in As I See It preserving passive and active open areas. The question that has remained is ... how? The Summit Land Trust can purchase or accept donations of land or conservation easements. Of all of these land preservation tools the conservation easement is probably the most important. Through a conservation easement a land owner can deed away some or all of the development rights on the property to preserve its conservation resources. The conservation resources can be farmland, wetlands, wildlife areas, or historic attributes. They can also be scenic viewsheds. Donating a conservation gift of land, or an easement, in perpetuity has cash value for the donor. The donation must be made to a charitable non-profit organization, such as the Trust, and it must be made in perpetuity. The individual donating a conservation easement on a ranch, for example, saves on income and real estate taxes. The added benefit is, land on which a conservation easement is placed often saves the family farm from being sold out to cover estate taxes. The Summit Land Trust will consider purchase options on land and easements. The ultimate goal however, is to keep land in the hands of the private sector through the use of conservation easements. The answers, to saving the sense of rural character in our communities amid increasing development pressures, are not easy. Negotiating a conservation easement does not happen over night The Summit Land Trust however, hopes to provide some plausible methods for creative land development. There are some beautiful places in our county that need to be left open and preserved. The Summit Land Trust can help our good county- keep its good country. We are always ready to answer any questions and have done extensive research on the many attributes of the county. Please feel free to call, or write to the Coordinator of the land trust, Wendy Fisher co The Summit Land Trust, P.O. Box 680921, Park City, UT 84060,Phone: 649-2192, or 649-0220. Parental responsibility by Kris Lovell and Nancy Witt, Community Council Co-Chairmen During the 1991-92 school year, the Treasure Mountain Middle School Community Council has sponsored dances for 7th and 8th graders at T.M.M.S. in response to requests from students and parents alike that we have more activities available to students in this age group. These events are usually held on Fridays from 7 to 9 p.m. The Community Council has provided a DJ. and arranged for chaperons and refreshments. For the most part, these dances have been positive experiences for the kids who have attended, and the behavior of the students who have attended has been commendable. These dances are publicized by announcements and posters at school and through the T.M.M.S. Community Council newsletter. The Community Council has tried to inform parents of the ending time of the dances so that kids can be picked up promptly at 9 pm. so that chaperons don't have to stay all night in the parking lot, waiting for a few kids to be picked up. In most cases, this pick up time has been honored by parents. Unfortunately, after the last dance on March 27, a number of the kids who attended the dance were not picked up by parents at the appointed time, and went over to Pizza Hut. Apparently, the behavior of these unsupervised students was such that a number of patrons chose to leave the restaurant rather than finish their meals. The actions of these children did not reflect well on the school or the community. On that same evening, a situation of a more serious nature also occurred. While we feel it is important to respect the privacy of certain individuals, we feel strongly that the parents of the children involved As I ee It know that they are accountable for the actions of these children. Events such as these would seem to suggest that parents of 7th and 8th graders need to revaluate whether kids of this age are mature enough to be in an unsupervised environment The Community Council realizes it has a responsibility for the kids when they are attending a Council-sponsored function. However, once those kids leave the function, they should then be the responsibility of their parents, not of Pizza Hut employees or of the community. The events that occurred on the evening of March 27 would not have happened if these kids had been supervised by a parent It is unconscionable that parents would have so little concern for the safety and well-being of their kids, not to mention the total disregard for other members of the community. We encourage parents to show more concern for the safety and well-being of their kids, and by doing so, the kids will in turn learn to exhibit more respect and consideration for other members of the community. Public forum (As I see it) letters must be submit ' ted exclusively to tha Park Record and bear writer's full name, signature, address and telephone number,, Names must be printed on kMcai letters but may be withheld for good reason on others. Writers are limited to one letter of 350 words or less every 28 days All letters are subject to condensation. Mail letters to! As I see it, Park Remr4, P.O. Box Park City, UT 81060, Are you feeling any springtime urges? ( X 7 Erik Hogan fly fisherman n a a -ijp Kv I" - s r t Y Troy Eversole bartender Stan Neal Club employee Lew Sadleir cowboy jeweler Amy Conville exhibitionist Fred Wright photographer I feel the urge to swim upstream I feel the urge to take a road trip My spring urge is to take a nice To get the hell out of Dodge. and spawn. and never come back. break from all the ducks and do the spring and summer thing. I want to celebrate spring in my I'm looking forward to the way birthday suit on Main Street the wind blows across your body when you uncover it after a long i' winter. ( |
