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Show (2DiyQD13tlD1lG Free Press - Wednesday, March 10, 1993 - Page Risks are Editorial Lehi needs a new Arts Council director Mary Ellen Cash and her Preservation Commission is little band of arts council mem- finding that time and money bers have made an impact on are hard to come by for the the community in the years preservation and restoration they've been at work produc- of the building into a Heritage ing plays, musicals, and spon- Theater. Grants have been applied soring the arts in Lehi. be all would a shame if It for, but matching money is that groundwork went for noth- usually a prerequisite, and the ing. But, with Cash's retire- city is not in a position to fiment, things are looking grim. nance the project. A new Arts Council PresiThe Cowboy Poetry Reading dent is needed and needed now. Festival is also in jeopardy. The city would prefer a volun- The Arts Council is the origiteer someone who would pick nal sponsor of the event, and up the reins and keep driving without their support that ento bring the arts to Lehi's citi- tertaining and significant zens event may b e lost if leadership young and old. One thing in jeopardy is the is not found soon for the Arts future of the Heritage Theater, Council. the old Fifth Ward Building Lehi has as much talent as that was taken under the wing any city along the Wasatch of the Historical Preservation Front, but someone with optiCommission and the Lehi Arts mism and energy has got to Council. grasp the helm of leadership The building needs constant and keep our Arts Council a upkeep, and without the Arts viable force wi thin the Council's help, the Historical Government, not the people caused our economic problems Dear President Clinton: I am one of those citizens you are asking to sacrifice. I am a retired senior citizen receiving Social Security and a pension from my former employer. I love our country and if sacrifice is necessary I will join with other citizens and do my 2 Browsing a necessary part of real My life has been at risk many times according to the following short essay that was sent to me by my daughter. The title is Risk, and it goes like this: "To laugh is to risk appearing the fool, (oh me) To weep is to risk being called sentimental. To reach out to another is to risk involvement. To expose feeling is to risk showing of your true self. To place your ideas and dreams before the crowd is to risk being called naive. To love is to risk not being loved in return. To live is to risk dying. To hope is to risk despair. To try is to risk failure. But risks must be taken, because the greatest risk in life is to risk nothing. The people who risk nothing do nothing, have nothing, are nothing, and For weeks now people in junior high places have been struggling with one of the dilemmas ofnew schools answeringsimple questions like, what will the school be called and what kind of mascot will the school adopt. The school colors are already decided to a degree, since the colors had to be incorporated into the building and the building is well underway, although these same folks are mixing and matching. Naming schools is a lot more complicated than it used to be. There was a time when you either named schools after the city in which they were located, or you named them after prominent people at least that's the way they did it around here. In New York, of course, they solved the problem of naming schools by giving them numbers, but that is far too impersonal in communities like ours. So we named our high school and junior highs after the communities in which they were located.Never mind the Highland and Alpine kids were bused to American Fork Jr. High, that was where it was located, and that was the school name. And folks thought that was okay. But such geographical naming tricks have lost their charm, and instead have come to be viewed as divisive. The Board of Education doesn't want to snub the good people of Alpine by namingtheir new school Highland Junior High, nor does it want the good people of Orem and Pleasant Grove to feel slighted because they have to send their kids to Lindon Junior High. (How on earth did Lehi Junior High ever get to keep its name when the new school was. built?) So the trend in the Alpine District has been towards choosing generic names that reflect some obscure reference to the area - names like Timpvit-w- , Mountain View, Canyon View, Orchard and such. These are names that could offend no one, making them perfect for the fickle folks of Utah Valley. Two more such names loom on the horizon. In all likelihood, the new junior high in Lindon will be called Oak Canyon Jr. High part. By TOM GRIFFITHS research grants on favored professors, such as $10,000 for a Library of Congress biography on Isaac Newton, when there are already 23 such works on hand. Item 4. Subsidy payments of $600,000 in Washingannually to a single ton. Item 5. In the last 20 years, our federal government has spent $250 billion in foreign aid to finance both sides in the separate wars. Item 6. The government has given the Pentagon $370,000 to study Frisbees. Item 7. Teaching mothers how to play with their babies was a worthy project which cost only $159,000. Item 8. A study to find out why some people say "ain't" seems reasonably for bee-keep- er $121,000. Item 9. A study to learn more about the mating calls of the Central American toad was a bargain at $29,324. This is only the beginning. Just recently one of our congressmen asked for several million dollars for a monument to Lawrence Welk, the band leader. now, Mr. President, I say with tongue in cheek that it would be very fine if the seven millionaires you chose as cabinet members could lead the way to show us how to sacrifice. report. He is aware of redundancy and waste and overkill in our military. He is satisfied that he can cut tens of billions more from our military budget. Nat without your help. Everymemberof Congress with amili-tarinstallation of a military manufacturing facility of any kind in his district will fight the President unless you fight the congress, am. Nor is this intended to finger the military as our greatest extravagance; it is not. But it is a ripe target. Dt. James Holsinger has been dismissed as head of the Veterans Administration Hospital System, yet was gratuitously given a job as a "consultant so that he can continue to collect $ 160,000 a Paul Hareeir y year. Our government spends $90 billion a year on "consultants." I've urged you to message your senator and your congressman, personally and by name, urgingeach to "Cut spendingfirst." It is important that you address each by name. Those fellows are inclined to feel comfortably "in hiding" because most 1991 Lob Angeles Time Syndicate Americans give them little or no "personal" attention. Since my suggestion I've heard from Geoff Lamb of Campbell, Calif.: "Dear Paul Harvey News, CUT SPENDING FIRST is a great idea. Let's take it a step further. Anytime any of us sees Clinton of Gore during road show appearances, let's give him 'the scissors." Raise one hand and with twofingers show him how scissors work!" Thank you, Mr. Lamb. Very often an idea like CUT SPENDING FIRST is Politicians have learned to wait you out, confident that all the steam will blow short-live- By BETTY FOWLER become nothing: They may avoid suffering and sorrow, but they simply cannot learn to feel, and change, and grow, and love, and live... Chained by their servitude, they are slaves; they've forfeited their freedom. Only the people who risk are truly free." Now that I've shared all these secrets with you, I hope there is someone out there who is willing to risk some time and ideas -to assume leadership of the Lehi Arts Council. We have something good going, and now is not the time to drop the ball. Whenlreadroadshowscripts.orentries , in the creative writing contest sponsored by Lehi Stake I've become aware of the abundance of talent out there. We need you! ., Please risk some time and ideas for the city. YouH get nothing but satisfaction and joy from your efforts and that is because you dared to risk your true self in the behalf of -- . others. a new junior high? The Editor's Column Bull River Jr. High would be a good name if the school were to focus on the arts, and Country Living Jr. High might better iden- tify the attitude of the area resident towards commercial and residential develop- ment. One office wag was even so bold as to ' i Jr. suggest the name one I dismissed that but right away, High, ' having gotten in trouble over this issue some years ago. school also has some The Lindon-are- a obvious name choices that ought to be con-- 1 sidered - names like LetterPerfect Jr. High or WordPerfect Jr. High, for the most high . profile industry near the school. But wouldn't such a school need a computer at every desk? (Hey, we have a Geneva Elementary, and they get all kinds of support from our local steel mill at least they did before the last primary election.) The name Silicon Jr. High was bandied ' about, also in response to the computer careful to be to have but you'd industry, make sure folks didn't think these young kids were learning about plastic surgery. And some reference to Timpanogos was ' also popular for the new Lindon school, since it sits at the foot of Mt. Timpanogos. (Makes sense, doesn't it? I mean, if any school should be named for Timp, this is the one.) Mt. Timpanogos Jr. High or Mahogany Mountain Jr. High were both popular ideas - but apparently these names are now too . Anywhere-But-Leh- By MARC HADDOCK '. a nice, generic, name. The mascot will probably be the Eagles a nice, patriotic mascot. in the name game for The front-runne- r the Highland school is Mountain Ridge Jr. High, never mind that the school building sits nowhere near a mountain ridge. And the mascot will probably be the Huskies -a suitable mascot, as will anyone attest who has tried to drive the American Fork Canto the four corners in yon Road from -- - - winter. Frankly, I wish the school names could have more character than being christened after a geographical feature that could fit any of a dozen other schools - something that is unique to each school. There were some great names suggested school - Lone Peak for the Highland-are- a Jr. High, for example, after that singular, massive mountain in the background, or the wonderfully alliterative Hog Hollow Jr. High. This suggestion included the porcupine as the school's mascot - and the drill team, if there were such a thing at junior highs, could be the Buhler Jr. High was a popular suggestion, since the Buhler Ranch is probably the most distinctive geographical feature really close to the school. But apparently naming schools after people is no longer in vogue in the Alpine District. One individual suggested that the Highland school be named after its climatologi-ca- l tendencies with names like Windy City Jr. High or High Winds Jr. High. A disclaimer, however, would be needed to explain the name was no reflection on the school lunch program. -- -- porc-ette- s. - -- non-generi- c. Frankly, my favorites of all the suggestions would never be picked by the school board - but they would tie the new schools together since they are being built at the same time, and with the same tax dollars from the same building bond. And it refers to the geographical location, too. Highland, I thought, could be named "High Falutin' Jr. High," a nice mix of alliteration and honesty. And the Lindon School, located where the valley picks up its greatest amount of PM10 in air pollution tests, could be called "High Pollutin' Jr. High." I don't expect a lot of support from school board members, however. -- ' Letters to the editor Where is all the outcry now? Editor: Where are all the voices? Over the past two or three weeks we have read with dismay several articles in local newspapers concerning the actions of one of Lehi's City council members while on a business trip to the Uintah Basin. These articles have all been written by journalists employed by their respective papers and to date we have not read one article written by an "average citizen" of Lehi. We seem to recall (perhaps you will as well) in Lehi's recent past a certain (now ) mayor being dragged through the mud both in print and casual conversation by the citizens of Lehi because he did something so dishonest as to try and provide an income for his family at a new found vocation. The obvious result of all the bickering and political mud slinging is that Lehi now "ex-"- has a new mayor. With the results of court action now having been recorded against "our" councilman, where are all the voices that cried foul the loudest against Mayor Cash? Where are all the voices demanding resignations? Where are all the voices saying Lehi has been disgraced? We obviously don't know, but they are conspicuously silent. We are not avid hunters although we have plenty of friends and family who are, and to them, poaching is as reprehensible askillingyour neighbor just because no one is looking and you think you might get away with it. Because of this incident we feel our trust in a public official has been disgraced. No matter what the project or what type of a vote is required of Mr. Hadfield, we, as citizens of Lehi, will now always be suspect of his reasoning and judgment concerning matters of a civic nature throughout the balance of his term on the Lehi City Council. Elected public officials must be above reproach and should do all in their power to uphold the laws of the land. Willingly and knowingly killing not one but two animals out of season and without proper permits is considered poaching and that in any context is "breaking the wouldn't you agree? law," All we would like to know is: "Where are all the voices?" Do you know" ' -- Terry and Kristol McBride Brian and Stacey Smith Guy and Conna Chamberlain Lance Sage Scott Sage Women's basektball coach says thank you Editor: To The Lehi Faithful: I would like to thank all those mothers, Send them the message: Cut Spending First President Clinton has read the MIT believe it How do you name -- Not being a politician I cannot think like one. I try to look at the facts and draw my own conclusions. There is one crucial fact, our country is deep in debt and I ask one pertinent question, What caused it? Was it something we the people did? The answer of course is no, the fault lies with our government. So now you want the citizens to pay for our government's excessive spending by increasing taxes. We want you, dear President, to quit thinking like a politician and come down to earth and be one of us. Where should sacrifice begin? How about starting with members of Congress. They voted themselves a nice pay raise back in 1991 and recently they received a nice fat cost of living increase. But that's just part of it. There are now more than a thousand congressional aides who pull down over $80,000 a year. Is it any wonder the budget has soared at six times the rate of inflation, together with the fact that our government continues to grow larger. A recent report shows that our government has more employees that the three auto makers combined. This indebtedness has not happened overnight but started several years ago. Here are some interesting item s reported National Taxpayers Union in WashThe by ington, D.C.: Item 1. $3 billion stolen annually in health programs. Item 2. $6.5 billion annually to the Pentagon to buy five times as many routine supplies as one actually used. 80 percent of these purchases are later scrapped in unused condition or sold for pennies on the dollar. Item 3. $200 million annually for useless Vou'd life the whistle and you and I will soon transfer our interest to something else. Let's stay with this. I promise you will get more taxes without any improvement in our national debt unless you persist in pestering the BigSpenders on the Hill to CUTSPEND-INoff in FIRST. And in public gatherings, give them the sign of the scissors. Again, I am concerned that this essay's emphasis appears to have zeroed in on Pentagon extravagance, Other agencies of government are altogether as And state government. It will produce little relief if, in our preoccupation with federal government, wefail to respond toasimilartendency on the part of state government. State politicians are similarly accustomed to buying their reelection by offering to spend more of our money on us. Americans may find it painful to demand spendingcuts at the state level. But those taxes in many states areescalatingfaster than federal taxes. CUT SPENDING FIRST! fathers, family and friends who supported the Lehi Women's basketball team this past s record doesn't year. Although the show it, thegirls madeoutstandingprogress this past year. Anyone who watched more than one game can attest to that fact. We provided a brand of exciting basketball and a renewed sense of optimism. What we lacked in talent, we made up in hustle and desire. As each game passed, the team showed marked improvement to the prior performance. By Christmas, the Lady Pioneers had experienced three Region play provided more of the same. Each coach was quick to compliment the improvement in play. With wins over Uintah and the whipping of Union, win-los- nail-biter- s. number-three-ranke- d the prior close contests were a little easier ' ' to take. Much of our success must be attributed to the fine support at each of our home games. The energy that each player gleans from a large crowd is immeasurable. The girls wanted to perform well for you. Even more amazing, there were always many of those same faces at the away games! The trips to Vemal, Roosevelt, Castle Dale and Price in the snow were long. I dare not try to mention all of you for fear of ; leaving someone out. You know who you are. That special group h as earned the Most Valuable Award for our season. ; I wish you all the best and hope to see you ' again next year. Pedersen and Staff ; ; '. Policy on letters to the editor We welcome letters to the editor. All letters should be typewritten and double spaced. Letters must also be signed, and must include the writer's name and telephone number. Please send letters to Editor, Newtah News Group, P.O. Box 7, American Fork, Utah, 84003. I. |