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Show American Fork Citizen New Utahl - Wednesday, May 12, 1999 - Page 2 Opinion No more Oppon ts of more gravel pit Jnining at he mouth of American Jbrk Canyon won a major victory Jast week when the Utah County Board of Adjustment denied a request for another working gravel grav-el operation at this precious location. loca-tion. : It was a hard fought victory, tind a clear demonstration that $he combined efforts of the residents resi-dents of a community or in Jhis case, several communities Jan make a difference. t For years, the communities of Alpine and Highland have Jvorked to limit gravel mining Operations to those already in Existence. But recent increases in residential resi-dential and road construction liave created a corresponding increase in demand for gravel, which has resulted in requests for new gravel mining operations. Community members and com-jnunity com-jnunity leaders in the three jowns most affected by the decision deci-sion mounted an admirable effort Jo convince county officials that Jiow is not the time, and American Ameri-can Fork Canyon is not the place, to expand gravel mining. Residents and city representatives representa-tives have doggedly attended county meetings where officials liscussed a proposed conditional tise permit to allow a new company compa-ny to open mining operations at fhe controversial site. ; All three city councils made Official their opposition to the Jiew mining operations, and they Jnade their objections known at Jhe appropriate times and places. I They made a convincing case. All of these communities have Jseen residential areas expand : What mom really wants Mother's Dav is an interestincr idea. While the concept of the observance obser-vance is okay, I must admit that I have a little bit of trouble with the way we celebrate it. Cards, flowers and gifts are always nice, children, but that isn't what your mothers really want. - No, I think if you asked them, your mothers might forego the merchant's mer-chant's come-ons and choose instead from the following list a few items appropriate to your age and circumstances: circum-stances: Mothers want you to do your chores without being asked. Mothers t wuv j wv iw uu juui best at school and not only try to get : good grades, but actually seek to ; learn something. Mothers want you to enter the "house without leaving a trail nf I clothing, backpacks and other r assorted items Dehmd you. Mothers want you to exit the house without slamming the door behind you. Mothers absolutely, positively do NOT want you to throw balls in the room(s) where the china andor curio cabinets are, or where expensive expen-sive things hang on the wall. When they go to your rooms, mothers would like to be able to see the floor and a made bed. Instead of being asked every day "what's for dinner?", mothers would occasionally like to hear, "Thanks, Mom. That was a great meal.'' And, to make even more points, instead of "Where's my laundry?", try, "Can I help you fold the clothes?" or better yet, do your own. Those are some of the easy things, the beginner's level, so to speak. For those up to a little more challenge, try these: Treating your siblings like real people, not human punching bags or captive audiences for your very best sarcasm and put-downs. Actually using some discrimination discrimi-nation in the shows and movies you American Fork Citizen (ISSN No. 1521-6845) (U.S.P.S. No. 018-580) A member of rjfirr " V national newsmkn r- ' 333 gravel pits around the state highways that lead to the canyon, which also serve the trucks that haul gravel away from the existing pits. Even , if the number of trucks remains constant, the growing number of people using the roads create an ever-increasing problem. In addition, several schools are near U-92 the main road used by the gravel trucks. When Lone Peak High School was added last year, with the further complications complica-tions created by young drivers and school-hour traffic problems, it exacerbated the problem to near the breaking point. Adding more gravel trucks would be intolerable. Finally, plans are currently underway to create a visitors center cen-ter for Timpanogos Cave National Monument at the mouth of this Canyon. The cave is the single most visited site in north Utah County, bringing hundreds of thousands of visitors annually to the area. An additional gravel mining operation would be a most unwelcome unwel-come neighbor to a center designed to promote Utah's natural nat-ural beauty. Gravel is a necessary commodity. commodi-ty. We can't build homes, businesses busi-nesses and roads without it. But current mining operations at the mouth of American Fork Canyon are already creating road hazards for north Utah County. The Board of Adjustments was right to deny any more gravel mining at this sensitive location, and community leaders and members can be proud of their efforts to protect our children, our roads and our extraordinarily beautiful canyon. watch and the music you listen to. Really looking at whether that latest fad in clothing or hairstyles suits you and enhances your appearance before adopting it. Standing up for what you believe in, even when it isn't the popular thing to do. Keeping your curfew. Being as careful with your parents' par-ents' money and other resources as you are with your own. Protecting not only your own good name by doing nothing to disgrace dis-grace it, but also the good names of others by refusing to participate in gossip. Giving your most superlative effort in a game or other competition, competi-tion, even when you know you can't possibly win. Choosing friends who inspire you to be your best self rather than drag you down to a lower level. Remembering to keep the standards stan-dards you've been taught even when you think no one is looking. Aging mothers often become dependent on their children when they become physically or mentally impaired. Doing whatever's required to help under those circumstances, cir-cumstances, and with cheerfulness, will go a long way towards convincing convinc-ing any mother of your genuine gratitude for all the sacrifices she made for you. All mothers want to see their children happy and successful in the ways that really count. Instead of just showing your mom your appreciation appre-ciation once a year when you're reminded to every time you turn around, how about honoring her all year long by the way you live your life? That's a lot tougher than buying a present, but it's the one gift she truly craves. Published weekly by TttaphontNumbtrs Advertising (Circulation .....756-7668 756273 Publaher BratBttzant ManagkigEdtor ....... Mate Haddock AF Cky Edtar . . . .Barbara Chrttanaan Lona Peak Edtar ....... .Btky Baaton Periodicals Postage Paid at American Fbrk, UUh JeUihiew8 W West Main American Fork, Utah 84C83 In California Get around, get around, I get around. The Beach Boys I Get Around. On a recent trip to Southern California, Califor-nia, I learned an important lesson about getting around you'd better have a car. The trip was for business. Sharon and I both work for newspapers, so when a workshop comes along that interests us both it is good opportunity for a working getaway. In this case, the getaway was to Irvine, Calif., to a hotel located about a mile from the John Wayne Airport. We would fly in the morning that the workshop started and fly home again the next day. The -workshop sessions were all located in the same hotel. Normally we rent a car for this kind of trip, but since we didn't think there ' would be much opportunity for sightseeing, sight-seeing, and we could take the hotel shuttle to and from the airport, there didn't seem to be a need for that kind of expense. Still, we were to spend an entire evening and night about six miles from the Pacific Ocean. When one lives in Utah, I think one should take every opportunity that comes along to stroll along the beach and watch the sunset while you try, not very hard, to get out of the way of the waves. Soon after we arrived, we started looking for ways to get around in Southern California without a personal vehicle. It took about five minutes to find out our options were limited to taxi travel. Oh, there is a mass transit system, A 'discussion' The findings are out it's all ritrht to talk to yourself. Experts now agree that it's a perfect way to work though problems and logic in certain trains of thought. Verbalizing the points of view helps to clarify the situation. They whoever 'they are even say it's OK to answer, provided you don't say "Huh?" Makes sense. I've been holding a lot of discussions discus-sions lately with my alter ego, who in this case shall be known as my altar ego, because I'm working on a wedding " Like ahnost Tevervone eSI f im5v$ f 0: have" a son getting married. Not quite - all of my acquaintances similarly nave a son engaged; some of them have daughters in the situation. I think virtually vir-tually of my friends are in the same boat, with the exception of those under 12. They can wait a year or two. Nearly as soon as Paul and Lorana got engaged, we jotted down a list of people we would like to include for the invitations. It was a very informal list, mostly just first names, with the main purpose of providing a count so they could order the proper number of invitations. invi-tations. For good measure, we included a number of extra on the order, to include those individuals whose names occurred to us between then and now. Well, now it's now, and we need to get serious about sending out the invitations. invi-tations. That's where the talking to myself has come in. Here's how it goes: Me: I promised Paul I would get the guest list done this week. Altar: Things are much too busy. It will probably work out better after next Wednesday. AF Hospital is great to work with Editor: This is an open letter to the citizens of Utah County in reference to American Ameri-can Fork Hospital, more specifically to in reference to the women's birthing facility and the incredible service that is provided to all birthing moms, who choose to birth at American Fork Hospital. Hos-pital. I am a Certified Professional Midwife Mid-wife and I do home births. I have been delivering babies for 17 years. Ninety-five Ninety-five percent of all women can give birth within the comforts of their own home. I feel competent enough to recognize rec-ognize problems with mother and baby and occasionally I need medical help and advise, which necessitates a transport of either the mom or baby from a home birth setting to the hospital. hos-pital. CtesiMAdvirWng . . .Tutada noon OftoMtq ....Monde 5 pm Nm Jfcn2p.m. MWonntM ........ jfeRijt 2p.m. WKMngi ,.lCani2p.m. Sporti JfenfeylOtm ComiMilyCilintto.J10im UB8B to U ECor . . lflont 10 im. Ottuaii.. .terrttlajfc i Port, UM MM you get around but the buses don't operate on weekends, week-ends, and that pretty well eliminated public transportation. We could rent a car for an evening, but that sounded pretty expensive for just one short jaunt. How bad could the taxi service be, we wondered? So after the day's events were completed, com-pleted, we called for a taxi and pointed the driver in the direction of the ocean. I suggested Balboa Island, because I had never been there and it looked good on a map. Besides, it was less than 10 miles from our hotel and that couldn't be very expensive, could it? The taxi was typical driven by a gentleman from India who was listening listen-ing avidly to a basketball game between the Lakers and the Jazz. That made for some interesting conversation con-versation as we made the short trip from Irvine to Balboa Island, and we watched the dollars add up. The route was familiar, so I knew we weren't being taken for a joy ride. When we crossed the bridge to Balboa Island, the fare was over $13. "Well walk from here," we said when the driver asked if we wanted to be taken to the ferry. The ride back, we with my altar Me: No. I looked at my schedule and Tuesday evening is completely open. I w jgather my planner, phone book, watdlist, office list, Rolodex,' and 52 various and sundry address hnnta nnd compakk-them into one great, accurate list. Altar: I'm warning you. That won't be enough time. Me: No matter. It's a good place to start. Ill do the best I can. Altar: Well see. ' Me: Well, here-I ain witli all my information sources surrounding me. I'm at the brand-new, super-fast computer com-puter with the fantastic address program. pro-gram. Here goes! Altar: Your computer may be fast, .but you're not. Look, you've already misspelled American Fork. Me: I know better. I can go back and brush up the typographical errors. The important thing right now is to get the information all in one place. Altar: You know you won't be able to do that. You're so forgetful you will probably omit Paul's grandmother from the list. You even know her address, too. Me: Thanks for the reminder. IH do her card right now while I'm thinking of it. Altar: YouH forget someone. Like the family that you were close to for a Oasis ft Reader's Forum My first choice of hospitals is always American Fork Hospital. The staff of physicians and nurses and CNMs are very understanding with my decision to transport. I . will not mention any names, because I dont want to leave anyone out, as they've all been very supportive. Although they may not agree with home birth, they realize that it is an option that many women are choosing and it is here to stay. . . The staff has never treated my clients with any disparaging remarks to make they feel ike they are total morons for considering a home birth. Rather, they present different options that are available to them, ana give the, midwife at least credit for having enough sense to transport when necessary. nec-essary. We welcome letters to the eOr.AJ Icttsrs (printsd AND signed) and a telephone number. Wa rtxsrve tfc$) r!iv) fc-3 tor ciarlty, punctuation, taste and length. Levari ir rclcorr cn try t,-!i - J How to n r-a c h .n ?; Bv Has. P.O. Box 7, American Fork, UT 64CC3 in a car knew, would be equally expensive, and there was no other way home. We had a fun evening. We window shopped at all the Balboa businesses designed to appeal to tourists just like us. We walked along the shore where hundreds of boats of every shape and size were docked, and we rode the ferry at a cost of 50 cents each to the peninsula where, after dinner, we found the beach. Our journey had taken too long to watch the sun set, but we were able to watch it finish setting. Then we started to worry about getting home. We took the ferry back to Balboa Island, walked back to the bridge and called for a taxi. "We, can have one there in 20-25 minutes," a feminine voice told me. " Or you can call someone else." She gave me a number. It didn't work. We called her back and said 20 minutes would be okay. There are few feelings more helpless than that of being stranded in a strange city with no means of getting anywhere totally dependent on a business which obviously has little interest in you. Forty-five minutes later, our taxi showed up. We were starting to worry and we were tired. The trip home cost more than $13, but this time the cost was no surprise. We expected it. And what did we learn? Only this. If you want to get anywhere in Southern California, you'd better have access to a car. It's about the only sure way to get around. ego long time, then they moved to Orem, but are now back living in American Fork temporarily. Me: Oh, thanks again. (A few minutes min-utes later.) I wonder if there's anybody , else who has moved from our neighborhood neigh-borhood that I would like to include. Altar: Naturally, there is. You just won't think of them and youH be embarrassed to see them on the street and realize you have left them out. They will be offended. Me: I hope they would be compassionate compas-sionate enough, to understand tnatjl have a lot on my mind " - Altar: Watch out. YouWgbinglhrer-board YouWgbinglhrer-board and overcompensating forthe fear that you will leave someone out. You' 're now including names now that you don't know well enough. They will be offended, thinking that you're just sending them an invitation in hopes they: will be forgiving and generous enough to send a gift. ; ' Me: You know that's not the case. I don't really expect anyone to send a gift if they don't want to. It's all completely com-pletely voluntary. I just want to let them know of our good news. Altar: What about that last name you entered? That's a family you didn't even get around to sending a Christmas Christ-mas card to last year. You should hang your head. Me: Well, I do admit being lax at Christmas, but the holiday season is so busy. They'll understand. We've been friends for years. . Altar: You're not real friends unless you take the time to put into the friendship. Me: Pipe down, pipsqueak. I'm starting over right now. Altar: I'll believe it wh...mmmmp... Generally, they are very open about consulting, with my clients and explaining different procedures, before the procedures are initiated. Because I have worked with my clients for nine months with their prenatal pre-natal care, classes, et4, it is very difficult diffi-cult for me to have to give up the delivery, deliv-ery, which is the frostbg on the cake, so to speak. The staff at American Fork Hospital acknowledges my predicament and they take over with complete understanding: At times, the staff has of&red me rood, drink and even a place to sleep. IVe assisted on births at many hospitals, hospi-tals, including fbrbn hospitals, and rve never received better treatment and fellowship that compares with American frk Hospital. Their service for all birthing moms is, in my opinion, unparalleled. ' Cathy 0Bryant, CPU rayson must inckida the w-wi Dr Fax sutoalp&fj priest:,' 58 W. Main. American Fork POOR |