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Show Lehi Free Press New Utah! Wednesday, July 28, 1999 - Page 2 Opinion mrttantff gsmsvts That old barn was really a story waiting to be told ?vtsS The spirit of cooperation With a spirit of cooperation rather than competition, some north Utah County communities are making faster progress together than they could separately. Take the town of Cedar Hills, for example, which took a big step forward on Saturday when officials broke ground for a new public safety facility that will double as a town hall and eventually add a new park site to the town. Mayor Brad Sears called the event one of the more significant to ever happen in the community not the moving of a few shovels of dirt, but rather what they represent. Police and fire protection plus the availability of ambulance service are among the things that most people desire to have near the top of the list of government priorities. But Cedar Hills has not reinvented the wheel, with its own police department, fire department and ambu- lance department. Like many smaller communities, Cedar Hills has always contracted for these services. But having the building and the new agreements with the Lone Peak Safety District and the American Fork Police Department in place will dramatically cut the response time and expand the services for Cedar Hills residents. It goes without saying that Cedar Hills is reaping the rewards of what the separate neighbor cities slowly built for themselves, and then banded together to provide. It is also true that the residents of all the involved communities are benefitting from the close cooperation of their elected leaders and employees. This type of cooperation is not the standard for other areas of Utah County. Take fire protection, for instance. Utah County officials contract regularly with individual fire departments for fire protection throughout the county. This year, they will be contacting all 18 municipal fire departments in the county to provide that protection. That's 18 separate fire departments operating 18 separate training programs, purchasing expensive trucks and sophisticated fire fighting equip- ment. The same holds for emergency medical services. In many cases that amounts to a lot of duplication of equipment and services that could be eliminated by interlocal agreements and public safety districts like those now in use in Alpine, Highland and Cedar Hills. To be sure, not all government services lend themselves to this kind of consolidation of efforts. Others certainly do. Many years ago north Utah County communities came together to form the Timpano-go- s Special Service District to consolidate their sewer treatment facilities eliminating the need for each community to operate their own wastewater treatment plant. On the other hand, library service, which would work better as a consolidated public agency, has remained steadfastly in the grip of individual communities because cities that have accumulated large library inventories over the years are reluctant to share with other Utah County communities to create a single Utah County Library system with buildings in several locations. The result is a patchwork of haves and have-not- s throughout the county as far as the availability of library resources is concerned. In cases like these, a little cooperation could go a long way. The Lone Peak Safety District is a good example of communities working together to provide a level of service they could not acheive on their own. The new district has some fine, equipment which works well as a shared resource a resource that none of the communities might be able to afford or justify purchasing on their own. Many can conquer where few will fall. More of this kind of common sense, agreement will not only allow scarce resources to be used most effectively, but could yield an enhanced quality of life for all the area's residents. If your daughter or son is worthy of some coverage for a competition they are in and they are difficult people to get a hold of, please help out by giving them a message. We have enough trouble tracking down our own kids; we don't want to spend too much time tracking down yours. If someone does not want their story printed, unless its a phenomenal accomplishment, we tion on cross beams waiting to be news. Their answer was a good one; what don't have the resources to pursue it. secured. A lot of what we do is a service to A small group of people who had makes news is variable. The young worked over 10 years to save the men that were working for the televi- our community. We don't charge you building were there to witness it being sion company were assigned the story. for the opportunity to write about you. moved. In the following weeks, the The company in turn received word of Still perks do come our way while covthe upcoming event by a well placed ering the news. After the Channel 4 footings, piers, and braces will permanently anchor the building and worker phone call. Otherwise they wouldn't crew left, my children and I got a private tour of the old structure with the and volunteers will begin to restore have been there. Without people promoting their Commission Chairman John Rockwell the depot to its original luster. We are fortunate to have citizens in own news or without those well placed and VanWagoner. Lehi that are willing to devote a great phone calls many stories would go They got to walk where Brigham wonder readers unrecorded. Often, Young and other famous Utahans portion of their time to preserving Lehi's history. While most of the build- why a certain event wasn't covered. It walked. They got to hear stories of ing's move was pretty routine and is always one of three reasons. First, bygone days from the archivist Vanuneventful, it was exciting to see the no one was told about it, second we Wagoner himself. As Rockwell and large structure finally begin its jour- couldn't get someone to cover it, or VanWagoner talked about the teleney toward becoming a museum. It third there was so much other news graph operator you could almost hear the click click of the telegraph as she seemed appropriate for the move to be that it got cut. If we couldn't get someone to cover sat in her period clothes by the firetaking place just two days before Pioit and you would like to see the story place sending and receiving messages neer Day. While my children and I watched, in the paper, you are probably not the for her community. It was a privilege to be there and to be able to share a we also got to see Channel 4 newsmen only one that feels that way. Your contaping the move and interviewing tribution would be appreciated not moment in history with the children. The camera crew was right about Lehi's Historical Preservation Com- just by us but by those who deserve the news; the building didn't tip over mission Project Manager, Richard that recognition for their accomplishVanWagoner about the train depot. ments or who deserve to have their or burn down so it didn't get a lot of Afterwards, they were asked a few story told. coverage that night. The powers-that-b- e times when their story would appear People who deal with the media gave it only 30 seconds. But as the on the news. I enjoyed watching them often realize that their news is probanews team went on to their next answer. It was to appear on Channel 4 bly not the only news in town. They news story they missed the News between 5:30 to 6 p.m. but they make getting the news about their real fire ... two historians speaking couldn't guarantee anything. Also he story as available as possible. If their passionately about a piece of Lehi said that it would probably be less Bobby Sue has won an award, they and Utah history in a building that than a minute clip. They could have don't wait to see it in the paper and looked like a rickety old barn that promised five minutes or more wonder why it hasn't been printed, needed to be torn down, but was in though, if when the depot had been they call us up or drop the information reality a priceless piece of Lehi's historic past. moved, it had fallen over onto one of by so we can follow up on the story. It looked like the bare bone structure of a rickety old barn with a lot of windows. At first glance, it was an eyesore that just needed to be torn down. But it isn't and they didn't. The oldest existing train depot in the state of Utah was finally moved last week, the businesses fronting State Street or next to its final resting place. Today it if the depot had caught a power line stands six feet above its new founda- and started a fire. Then that was fast-reakin- g te al The Bible story about the dinosaurs and other A landmark dinosaur museum at Thanksgiving Point will be a welcome attraction to our area. After all, what child (or adult) doesn't love the toys, cartoons, movies, games, and thrill rides based on these ancient creatures who roamed the earth "millions of years ago?" For small children is scarcely older than their grandparents and certainly not older than the Bible stories they learn in Primary. It's not Einstein, but it's relative nonetheless! It's usually not until high school or college when children realize that the timetable of their theology doesn't quite mesh with the timetable of the scientific 'ologies. Especially for serious students of the physical sciences, do the theories and conclusions of science challenge their faith in Biblical history, creation, Adam & Eve, Noah's Flood and so forth? For many it never seems to be a problem; for others it may be the cause of some serious soul searching. I've mentioned in previous columns that I once had to vehemently defend my disbelief in human evolution in what would seem a rather unlikely setting a BYU Honors course in "Bioethics." Yes, I'm about to stick my neck out; so, for the record, I admit that I am not trained in the physical sci- time-wor- n mysteries Thus we are forced to assume that all atomic and other processes have and will continue to occur at the same rates we observe now. Could it be possible that what we now observe is only a fraction of an enormously grand cycle? What if our set "bounds" and "conditions" prevent us from even seeing the horizon, of such a cycle? It also helps me to understand tific accomplishment tends to be that the "days" spoken of in the cresomewhat arrogant on this point, it ation accounts are not necessarily would be more accurate to say we measurements of mortal time. In really have very few answers. We fact the creation account in Abrahave to keep an open mind and live ham uses the term "time" rather with ambiguity. There is no escaping than "day." Given the fact that LatterSaints are taught about the the fact that we must live by faith. -day It's only a question of where we creation in at least four separate place our faith. Unless and until accounts, it must be an important God says differently, anything else subject. However, it's probably most is tentative until further notice. In important in terms of the power and God we Trust; all others pay cash. purpose of creation rather than in (See D&C 101:32-3- 4 and Alma 40:3) the "how-to.- " In regards to the measurement of According to those creation time, for example, I can't help but be accounts, the earth was created in a a little skeptical. Terrestrial or Paradisiacal state. In Not only is time relative to our such a context, time has little or no speed and position in the cosmos, meaning. There is no "scientific" but it is temporal (or "temporary") explanation for what we know by and unique to our own sphere of revelation about the Fall, resurrecexistence.. (See Alma 40:8; D&C tion and atonement. The creation of D&C 88:36-61- ) I the earth seems to be in the same 77:6; Abr. 3:1-1once heard Robert J. Matthews category for the Gods only. Howmake a very simple, yet profound ever, I hasten to add that it may also point: The first recorded miracle of be perilous to think only of the Creences. Yes, I've taken a few college Jesus' mortal ministry was the turnator as the "God of the Gaps." That courses, but I have no expertise. ing of water to wine. It wasn't just is, anything we can't explain by sciHowever, from a lay person's point any wine, but the best of the wedence, is relegated to the divine. Sciof view, I thought it might be helpful ding feast. If a chemist had been ence has a way of filling in those to explain how I deal with some of present to estimate or somehow "gaps," which further emphasizes the incongruities and contradictions measure the age of this wine, he the importance of keeping an open of what the sciences preach versus would have concluded, without mind and a to throw out willingness what I understand from the scrip- question, that it was at least a cer- even assumptions. tures and teachings of the prophets. tain age years beyond what was Well, it seems my allotted space We is And that has been consumed; perhaps more my first point. actually true. have to learn to live without all the at another time. Now where is that Any measurement of time is a relanswers. Although "modern" scien- - atively ."current" measurement. biblical verse about Triceratops? T-R- You never know when tragedy will strike Tragedy invaded in our small corner of the world last week, when lightning struck an American Fork family, leaving the Maxwells without a husband and a father. Lightning is so mysterious, so powerful and so quirky that we often use it as a metaphor for the unusual event that can change our lives. There is good reason. We don't really understand how it works, and we are completely unable to predict where and how it will strike ... or why it takes some victims while it leaves others. It took Dan Maxwell in an unexpected fashion. The American Fork man was fishing last Tuesday on Strawberry Reservoir when a sudden storm arose on the lake, and Dan, along with other fishermen, headed for the shore. Dan was alone in his rented boat. A group of men nearby saw him at about 6:30 p.m. pulling the boat out of the water. They hailed him, but he either didn't notice or didn't respond. After the storm had lifted, the same men thought they had seen Dan swimming just offshore. Shortly after that, they saw that the boat was still on the shore, but Dan was nowhere to be seen. That prompted a search that ended when they found his body face down in shallow water. No one could figure out how the body got there. Deputies from the Wasatch County Sheriffs Department used a boat to retrieve the body, because there were no roads to the area. There was nothing to indicate what had caused Maxwell to fall into the water. But a subsequent investigation by the Utah State Medical Examiner found evidence suggesting that Maxwell had been struck by lightning on the second toe of his left foot. The lightning apparently knocked him unconscious and threw him face first into the water, where he drowned. This is the hypothesis, based on the evidence. Of course, no one can be certain, since there were no witnesses. Dan's death stunned our neighborhood, where he lived with his wife Christy and their four children. His ld 4 u mm tin isti ri irrrar .mriiiu ...... oldest son was 10, his youngest was 2. Their sisters are 7 and 5. Wednesday morning, the neighborhood was rallying around the stricken family, as everyone tried to make sense out of a personal loss that was so sudden and senseless, and so seemingly random. People gathered throughout the following days, searching for a way they could give support to the young widow and her children and looking for a way to pay tribute to the father. At a funeral service on Saturday, hundreds of people gave up their Pioneer Day holiday to pay their respects to Dan and his family. He was praised as a loving and devoted husband, an adoring father, and a seasoned outdoorsman. No one tried to find a reason or purpose to his passing. Explanations for these kinds of situations surpass our abilities to comprehend them. But we all took home an appreciation for the life of this individual, and a new awareness of the randomness and risk that is with us every day. While most of us would never intentionally put ourselves in harm's way, the fact is we are there all of the time. People like Dan Maxwell who die too young remind us that living is filled with peril, and our individual ends are as near as the next erratic driver on the street, the next bit of extraordinary weather during an airplane flight, or the next lightning strike. It makes you want to hold your wife a little tighter when you say goodbye in the morning, and spend an extra minute or two tussling with the kids on the front lawn to make every moment memorable, and to make every minute count. " 0; long-cherish- ed Reader's Forum Looking for veterans Editor: I am doing an eagle project. The project that I am doing is interviewing WW II veterans; typing up their stories and experiences from the war and compiling it into a binder. I will give this to the library and the Hutchings Museum, along with Post 19. Any veterans or someone who knows a veteran and would like to volunteer for this service contact Chris Babcock at 768-256- 1. Chris Babcock Received via Thanks to fire fighters Editor: We want to extend our appreciation to those who helped with the fire located in northwest Cedar Valley over the holiday. We send a heartfelt thanks to the following fire departments: Lehi, Eagle Mountain, Utah County and Cedar Fort. And also the U.S. Forest Service, the Utah County Sheriffs Department, State of Utah Department of Natural Resources and other agencies that we are not aware of by name. We realize and appreciate the joint effort that took place by the above agencies to get the fire under control. It is a continuing sacrifice and endeavor that each individual serving ijn these departments and their families render in the communities behalf. I Thanks for taking your 24th of July j holiday to help us out. Because of each of you and your dedicated service, there was no loss pf life or crops. Holbrook Farms Scott Holbrook Steve Holbrook i Published weekly by Kewlftah! (ISSN No. (U.S.P.S. No. A --T- 1521-685309-50- 0) ie jewtahjews member o( in ! Of NATIONAL NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION in n m 59 West Main American Fork, Utah 84003 Deadlines Telephone Numbers Advertising & Circulation News Publisher .... .756-766- 9 .756-527- 3 Brett Bezzant Managing Editor City Editor Marc Haddock Cathy AHred Subscription price $24" per year Periodicals Postage Paid at American Fork, Utah POSTMASTER lend S9 Watt Main, American For, change lo M00J Utah Classified Advertising Display Advertising News Missionaries Weddngs Sports .. .Tuesday, noon ... .Monday, 5 p.m. Monday, 2 p.m. Monday, 2 p.m. .Monday, 2 p.m. Monday, 10 a.m. Community Calendar . .Monday, 10 a.m. Letters to the Editor . . .Monday, 10 a.m. Obituaries Tuesday, 11 a.m. We welcome letters to the editor. 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