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Show VIEWPOINTS A-15 www.parkrecord.com Wed/Thurs/Fri, May 10-12, 2017 EDITORIAL Steven Holcomb’s legacy will live on in athletes he inspired W GUEST EDITORIAL What the American Health Care Act debate means to me JOSH HOBSON Park City This past week has been medically dramatic. My 67-year-old mother’s mobility has been steadily worsening recently. She has been managing her diabetes for over a decade now, but this is new. After my parents picked me up from O’Hare for a long-planned trip, we made our way to her neurologist appointment at the University of Chicago. She told the doctor about the episode of congestive heart failure last May while she was being hospitalized for pneumonia. This combination resulted in liquid pumped from her lungs and a persistent cough. That was backstory to the weakness in her legs, leaving her unable to stand up on her own. After a painful electromyogram, the neurologist gave his analysis – early stage ALS. After spending the next day working on wedding arrangements, my fiancee, my parents and I went to Wisconsin to see my 95-year-old grandmother. Grandma is a fantastic, stubborn old lady. She hasn’t driven in over a decade, but otherwise is more independent and healthier than one might expect of a 95-year-old. After a few days, it was time to start getting back home, but Grandma wanted to treat us to breakfast. Grandma mentioned she hadn’t gotten a good night’s sleep, so nobody was alarmed when she quietly nodded off. We woke her when the food arrived, and she groggily sat there for a few minutes, her food untouched. She still seemed only vaguely aware of her surroundings. The café owner noticed this and called 911. An ambulance took her to the local hospital, where a CT scan revealed she The Park Record Staff PUBLISHER Andy Bernhard Editor Nan Chalat Noaker Staff writers Jay Hamburger Scott Iwasaki Bubba Brown Angelique McNaughton Griffin Adams Contributing writers Tom Clyde Jay Meehan Teri Orr Amy Roberts Steve Phillips Tom Kelly Joe Lair Interns Jessica Curley Emily Billow Copy Editor Frances Moody ADVERTISING Classified advertising Jennifer Lynch Office manager Tiffany Rivera Circulation manager Lacy Brundy Accounting manager Jennifer Snow Advertising director Valerie Spung Advertising sales Lori Gull Jodi Hecker Erin Donnelly Lisa Curley Digital Products Manager Mike Boyko Photographer Tanzi Propst Production director Ben Olson Production Nadia Dolzhenko Patrick Schulz Linda Sites had had a stroke. Another ambulance transferred her to the better equipped regional hospital. She is resting now, weakened but not paralyzed, and her speech seems not to have been effected. She may well make a full recovery. Between these two events, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the AHCA. They cheered the proposed cuts to Medicare. My parents do have supplemental insurance, but my grandmother does not. We do not even yet know what the total bill for these two events will be, but already, without Medicare, my parents would simply not be able to afford the care that my mother needs, so the excess would be left to me. If the supplemental insurance was denied to her due to her list of pre-existing conditions, then my burden in this would be even greater. This is one real world example of the cross-generational financial devastation that chronic or even episodic medical issues can create. While I firmly believe in personal responsibility, I also believe in societal responsibility. For 17 years, my mother was a women’s advocate at a domestic violence shelter. She cared for thousands of the most vulnerable among us: abused women and children with no other place to turn. The great good that she provided the community was offset by meager pay and demonstrable negative effects on her mental and physical well-being. In providing security for Americans, I see little distinction between national defense, education or personal health care. We must find better solutions to the problems facing health care in America. We should do our utmost to assure that medical care doesn’t routinely turn into decades-long financial burdens. The AHCA as was passed by the House, addresses concerns pertaining to insurance company profits and taxes on the wealthy, and does nothing to improve the situation for the rest of America. We must call on our Senators so this myopic bill does not pass the upper house. We must also hold our Representatives accountable for this. I understand that the ACA is not a perfect law, but if the AHCA is truly the best idea our elected representatives have to fix it, they must be replaced for the good of our society. hile newer residents may take Park City’s Olympic-caliber bobsled, luge and skeleton track for granted, it is a relatively recent addition to the local landscape. In fact, when first proposed as part of the region’s earliest bid for the 1998 Winter Olympic Games, the project was far from a shoo-in. The steep, winding tracks were notoriously expensive to maintain and among Utahns there were few, if any, proficient ice athletes. But Salt Lake City’s Olympic Organizing Committee was determined and Summit County seemed to have an ideal spot for the exotic venue. Still, local residents whose support was needed to approve funding for the project, needed some convincing. To win fans, the nascent Utah bobsled, luge and skeleton community let local kids slide around on makeshift sleds in ski resort parking lots, eventually enlisting some of them to try out for the national teams. As Utah’s Olympic ambitions grew, the Summit County Commission began turning shovelfuls of dirt at what would become the Utah Olympic Park. In the meantime, a young homegrown athlete, Steven Holcomb, was tearing it up on the ski slopes as a member of the Park City Ski Team. In 1997, amid a lot of excitement, and a certain amount of skepticism, Utah’s track, one of only six in North America, opened and something about the unfamiliar challenge LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Local energy conservation efforts should include biomass Editor: Having read two long and interesting letters to The Park Record concerning climate change, conservation, and renewable energy, I would like to add one important element to the discussion. My purpose is not to debate either previous contributor, but to add a significant piece of information. Biomass from our forests constitutes a relevant source of nearly carbonneutral renewal energy. As one who has built a wood pellet plant, the topic is familiar to me. Yes, the cutting of trees, transportation, and production of fuel from forest byproducts does take energy; but it is a small fraction of the energy of the sun that has been stored in our commercial forests. Before I go further, understand that I am talking about wood biomass from sustainably managed forests, not our redwoods or rainforests. Limbs and bark that would ordinarily be left to rot in the forest, producing greenhouse gasses without capturing energy, can be used (along with wood and bark) for energy production or heating applications. But wait! Burning one ton of wood (for energy and not esthetics) produces over two tons of carbon dioxide! Yes, but the replacement trees planted in a managed forest breathe in that CO2 and breathe out oxygen. A good deal for all of us, considering also that wood pellets do not produce particulates (smoke) and other emissions that come from fireplaces. Finally biomass (which comes in more forms than just wood) is a renewable energy source that is available when the sun doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t blow. Finally, I would rather see preservation of responsibly managed forests than widespread conversion to less environmentally friendly uses. Oz Crosby Park City LETTERS POLICY The Park Record welcomes letters to the editor on any subject. We ask that the letters adhere to the following guidelines. They must include the home (street) address and telephone number of the author. No letter will be published under an assumed name. Letters must not contain libelous material. Letters should be no longer than about 300 words (about 600 words for guest editorials) and should, if possible, be typed. We reserve the right to edit letters if they are too long or if they contain statements that are unnecessarily offensive or obscene. Writers are limited to one letter every seven days. Letters thanking event sponsors can list no more than 6 individuals and/or businesses. Send your letter to: editor@parkrecord.com sparked the 18-year-old’s curiosity. In 1998 he lined up with a bunch of upstarts and pushed off a career as an Olympic bobsledder that would lead to multiple gold medals and a hero’s status in his hometown. Holcomb made his debut as a forerunner on the track at the 2002 Winter Olympics. For many in Park City, it was their first glimpse of the speed-crazed sport that required explosive strength in the start gate and hair-trigger reactions on the careening ride downhill. Holcomb and his fans were hooked. After a break to serve in the army, Holcomb returned to bobsledding and Parkites followed every twist in his upward trajectory -- cheering his wins (including Olympic gold in Vancouver in 2010) and empathizing with his disappointments. Generous with his time and support of local causes, Holcomb’s passion infected hundreds of Utah school children and likely inspired more than a few future winter ice athletes. Holcomb’s sudden death last weekend, due to an apparent heart condition, has cast a shadow worldwide. His warmth and mischievous smile will be deeply missed. But, there is little doubt they will reappear in the eyes of the next generation of Olympic hopefuls, inspired by a man who served his country, his hometown and his team before catching one final ride through the stars on the night train. Park City Visitor Center needs recycling bin Editor: I congratulate Park City for its efforts and achievements to reduce global warming. Park City stands as a shining example in our state. It is with open arms, good strong coffee, and paleo baked goods that the Park City Visitor Center welcomes progressive tourists who might otherwise fear entering a red state to reach world renowned powder. But what do the unsuspecting visitors find while perusing the brochures about recycling, upcoming documen- Call us today and ask for Lacy to start your subscription 435-649-9014 tary films, and environmental fundraisers? They look for a place to recycle their used coffee cups and ... find that the Park City Visitor Center doesn’t recycle. Lauren Barros Salt Lake City Trump’s tax cut plan leaves out many Americans Editor: President Trump’s recent plan for tax reform gives huge tax cuts to corporations and the very rich. Totally forgotten are hard-working Americans at the bottom -- those who can’t take a mortgage interest deduction because they don’t own a home. Those not from wealthy families (like the Trump children) and won’t be getting a massive, untaxed inheritance. Taxpayers fund over $400 billion in tax incentives to help wealthier Americans build more wealth. But nothing exists to help lower-income workers save. President Trump’s plan would make things worse. His tax proposal will widen the gross wealth inequality that already exists. In 2013, the top one percent owned 40 percent of the nation’s wealth and the bottom 40 percent owned almost nothing. Please join me in calling Utah Senators Orrin Hatch and Mike Lee and asking them to work for tax reform that is fair for everyone, especially those at the bottom working to build a better life. Thank you! Debbie Baskin, RESULTS volunteer Park City Connect congratulates The Park Record Editor: At a time when local news outlets are disappearing, Park City is fortunate to have vibrant media that inform and question, keeping the whole community engaged in subjects that matter. As mental health advocates, we know that the media has been essential in drawing continuing attention to issues that make many people uncomfortable. Mental Health Awareness Month and CONNECT’s other consumer education programs would not be possible without the community-wide coverage we have received. We know that other local non-profits also owe much of their success to the local journalists who report their stories. Therefore, we are pleased -- but not surprised -- that The Park Record has received so many awards from the Utah Press Association. Publisher Andy Bernhard and Editor Nan Chalat Noaker have cultivated a team of talented journalists who deserve the kudos they have received. Long hours, tedious meetings, difficult interviews, complicated stories -- it must be particularly satisfying to be recognized ‘Best In State’ by their peers, but the awards also give us, their readers, an opportunity to say we how much we appreciate their contributions to our community. Lynne and Ed Rutan, Board members CONNECT Summit County Chefs cook up a successful fundraiser Editor: How many of you watched the movie “Lion” and were as heartbroken as I at the fact that 80,000 children in India go missing each year? Remember also their horrible living conditions and the evil people that prey upon those children? It brought me back to another movie, “Slumdog Millionaire.” After watching these movies, I was haunted by the plight of these poor children, and yet I didn’t do anything about it! That is why I was so happy to discover that at lionmovie.com we are given the ability to donate to two charities that specifically help these homeless children. I hope you will all join me and go to the website, click on the screen, and help get those poor children off the streets! Editor: Congratulations to Chef Wars Winner Shawn Armstrong and Survivors Michael Zachman and Tim Carpenter. They battled it out and created impressive dishes for our distinguished panel of judges Eliza James, Larry Warren and Ted Scheffler. It was a heated competition but all in good fun especially with the added participation of our guests who bid for the honor of cooking with the chefs, as well as everyone who joined in the cheering. Our wonderful Emcee Jennifer Hardman kept us all entertained and engaged in the action. The event would not have been possible without the generosity of our hosts Seth & Casey Adams of Riverhorse on Main. Adorable 4-legged guest SubaBleu of Mark Miller Subaru, a rescue pet himself, reminded us all that this unique culinary party was to benefit the pets and programs of Nuzzles & Co. On behalf of the animals whose rescue and adoption you have made possible. Thank you! Joanne O’Connell Park City Claire Desilets, Purple Paw Director Nuzzles & Co. Film moves resident to help India’s orphans No need to run out to the store, The Park Record delivers! 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