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Show Viewpoints The A-19 Park Record. Sat/Sun/Mon/Tues, May 12-15, 2018 editorial A dry winter brings a summer of responsibility for residents I letters to the editor Trump can’t be trusted Editor: How can a greedy, childish moron like Trump personally, without congressional discussion, vote or oversight, decide to abrogate an International Treaty? How can any country trust this lunatic to do anything but lie? Nick Wright Park City Food stamps are vital Editor: As a former preschool teacher, I can speak firsthand to the link between nutrition and learning. For a number of years I ran a preschool for The Road Home shelter downtown. On any given day we would have 20-60 children in the preschool. When I first started, I noticed that many of the children had behavioral issues such as hitting, selfishness, and tantrums. There was one girl in particular who exhibited those behaviors. One day, I was giving out cheese snacks and she started following me, like a baby bird, begging for more. I decided to give her as much food as she wanted, and something miraculous happened. She became well behaved. I tried it the next day with the same result. We brought in more donated food, fed all the children, and just as with the little girl, their behavior improved too. It turns out these children didn’t have behavioral issues. They were hungry. The Park Record Staff PUBLISHER ....................... Andy Bernhard Editor ................................... Bubba Brown Staff Writers ......................Jay Hamburger Scott Iwasaki Angelique McNaughton Ben Ramsey Carolyn Webber Contributing ............................. Tom Clyde Writers Jay Meehan Teri Orr Amy Roberts Tom Kelly Joe Lair Copy Editor ............................ James Hoyt Engagement Editor.........Kira Hoffelmeyer Photographer .........................Tanzi Propst Office Manager ..................... Tiffany Piper Circulation Manager ............. Lacy Brundy Accounting Manager ......... Jennifer Snow ADVERTISING Classifieds/Legals ............. Jennifer Lynch Advertising Director ........... Valerie Spung Advertising Sales ................... Jodi Hecker Erin Donnelly Olivia Bergmann Chris Roberts Sharon Bush Production Director ..................Ben Olson Production .......................... Patrick Schulz After this experience I tried the “Food Stamp Challenge” where I attempted to live on $1.40 per meal for a week (the average benefit per person). It was haunting. I began to feel like the children from the shelter — fatigued, unhappy, short-tempered, and depressed. After these experiences, I realized how critical nutrition is for learning and how vital it is that we protect and expand the Food Stamp Program (now called SNAP). 80 percent of Utahns receiving SNAP live in households with children. And studies show that if families are low on food, the parents will go without so their children can eat. No one should have to make that choice. Feeding those in need is critically important. I urge our elected leaders to focus on strengthening and expanding SNAP to create opportunity, make sure all Americans can make ends meet, and provide all our children with a bright future. Ashley Eddington Hoopes Circles Salt Lake executive director Tour helped students Editor: Recently, approximately four hundred Ecker Hill Middle School seventh graders participated in an occupational tour of Park City businesses and organizations. The tour was an enrichment activity included in their class College and Career Awareness. Students had the unique opportunity to visit Deer Valley, the Summit County Justice Center, Utah Olympic Park, and the PCCAPS Program at Park City High School. Students learned about the justice system, emergency services, culinary arts, employability skills, marketing, and advanced classes that they will be able to take in high school. We would like to personally thank each of the businesses and organizations who were willing to take time out of their work day to host us. Each stop offered valuable insight and education. The presenters and tour directors shared their enthusiasm for their work. We feel lucky to live in a community that is so willing to share their knowledge with a future generation. Jennifer Hales, Brad Gannon and Trip Marshall The CCA Team at Ecker Hill Middle School Honoree had lots of help Editor: On Wednesday, May 9, Tenneson Klein was given the Conservationist of the Year Award from Summit Land Conservancy! Tenneson has been fundraising and raising awareness to help save the Osguthorpe Farm. Ten is only 7 years old and was born here, and in that short amount of time he has been shaped by many wonderful people and places in and around Park City. For the record t was obvious to anyone who even glanced at the mountains over the winter that the snowpack in Summit County was suffering. But just how dire the water situation would be heading into the summer months was unclear. As spring unfolds, we’re gaining a better understanding of where things stand. It turns out that the Park City area is in better shape than one might have predicted from looking at the bare patches of mountain throughout the winter. Despite spring runoff volume being well below average, water experts say reservoirs in the area are nearly full. That’s a direct result of the previous winter, which was one of the most bountiful in recent memory and gave us enough cushion to overcome a winter with poor snowpack. Beyond the reserves built up in the 2016-2017 winter, we’re also fortunate that our local governments have put in place water management plans that will help us get by. Park City’s water officials, for instance, expect that the city’s water system will be able to handle increased usage over the summer without too much trouble, regardless of the subpar runoff. Still, a poor winter is an important reminder that water is a finite resource and it needs to be used responsibly. That starts with taking common-sense measures to conserve water, such as recognizing that lawns don’t need to be watered more than once or twice a week — or perhaps not at all when there’s enough rainfall. We may be able to get by this I would like to thank Terri Spelman from Little Achievers Preschool for encouraging him on his path of loving the outdoors, Swaner Nature Preserve for their great summer camp programs and chocolate covered crickets, Summit Land Conservancy for their youth programs and helping Ten find all his treasures on their protected lands, our neighbors on Hackney Court and Countryside Circle who let Ten explore their yards and have endless conversations about scat, his sister Scarlett for her sweet nature and patience when helping catch one more lizard, and Graham Bam Bam Anthony for his loving support and traveling with us all over this country in search of bison and manatees and coyotes and bears and eclipses and geysers and rivers and oceans. Sharyn Jones, his loving and proud mother Park City Noxious weed is issue Editor: Summit Park residents are preparing for their 6th consecutive year of trying to control the expanding garlic mustard problem in the neighborhood under State/Salt Lake County grants aimed at stemming the spread of this aggressive noxious weed. It begs the question. Why bother? Summit County’s weed supervisor has apparently downplayed concerns about garlic mustard as a rapidly expanding invasive threat, even suggesting to Basin Rec that improved access from cutting a new destination bike trail through isolated infestations in the otherwise pristine Toll Canyon open space is a sound strategy for controlling the weed. Really. Garlic mustard seeds are viable for 10 years and spread naturally by mechanical means, like muddy hooves of large animals. Recreational bike traffic offers a very efficient transport mechanism and is already spreading the weed along other local trails. The new trail will repeatedly traverse areas treated for 5 years under the same grants, with very easy access, yet no sign of containment. It’s a tough weed to control. Prediction: By slicing through known infestations and regardless of any “ac- summer, but what happens if precipitation is below average next winter, too? As well as questions regarding the water supply, the other factor tied to the winter’s low snowfall is the potential for increased fire danger. Officials have been clear that the threat of a catastrophic wildfire is present in Summit County, and dry vegetation would add to the risk. At a recent community panel on the topic of wildfires, Chris Crowley, Summit County’s emergency manager, said local agencies work together to ensure they can respond with the necessary resources to combat a wildfire. But Crowley also stressed the importance of homeowners protecting their homes by creating what is known as a defensible space. Removing dead vegetation and other highly flammable material from the perimeter of a home and trimming tree branches that extend over the roof are two important, and relatively easy, steps. Residents this summer will also be charged with taking extra precautions to not accidentally start a wildfire. We will need to be especially careful with fireworks in July (if they’re allowed this year), dispose of lit matches or cigarettes safely and build campfires only in approved areas. By this time next year, hopefully the situation will be different. It would be nice if a strong winter buoys the water supply and reduces the fire hazard. But until then, Parkites are on notice: Conserving water and being cognizant of the fire danger will be top priorities throughout the summer. tive management” efforts they claim will be applied, Basin Rec’s proposed destination bike trail will spread garlic mustard to existing trails above Summit Park (currently clean) and other trails around Summit and Salt Lake counties. The trail hasn’t been cut yet and could still be easily realigned to avoid infested areas by adhering to the original conceptual alignment. Meanwhile, Summit Park residents continue to try and act responsibly. At least someone cares about local ecological integrity. Unfortunately, the local entity entrusted with managing our public wildlands can’t see beyond their concept of a perfect bike trail. Maybe they’ll name this one the Garlic Mustard Trail. J Dewell, Dave Gardner, Bruce Glisson, Bob Roemer and Irene Terry Summit Park Students are brave Editor: On May 2nd Connect Summit County, a local mental health awareness organization, presented a program, “Ask Me Anything”, that featured three videos in the Tedx Talk format by students at the Park City High School. The videos presented the personal stories of the students’ encounter with mental health, addiction and racial bias issues. After the videos a panel of twelve students opened themselves to thoughtful questions from an audience deeply moved. This live portion of the program only amplified what was already an extraordinarily honest expression of problems challenging today’s youth and our society as a whole. As an older person whose kids came of age in the Park City School system and now as a grandparent three times over I have worried about some of the recent changes that have swept over the American society and what that meant to their future. The changes that are most disappointing are those that indicate that the progress I thought we had made in regard to racial equality, destigmatization of mental health, addiction, gender identity, physical disability etc. was neither as deep nor as long lasting as I had hoped. My hope was renewed by the twelve students who bravely, passionately, clearly, and strongly presented themselves that night. Those who are facing these and other challenges have their hands full trying to find a way forward. They do not need to be stigmatized, bullied, ignored, shamed or ostracized. They are part of a community, our community, and must, therefore, be embraced as such and to the best of our ability be given the helping hand that they need and deserve. I was deeply affected as were many others in the audience by the students’ presentations and we are grateful for the forthrightness of their outreach. You shoulda been there! Ric Catoni Park City Bill is based on myths Editor: I grew up believing that people on food stamps were lazy, uneducated, and dependent. These common myths about food stamps stigmatize and hurt families. Here in Utah, 86% of the families that receive SNAP benefits (formerly known as food stamps) have at least one working family member, and the average duration families use SNAP benefits is actually less than a year. For most families, SNAP benefits provide help following a difficult event — a serious illness, job loss, or divorce. It’s a temporary help that frees up limited funds so families can eat and keep the roof over their head during a crisis. Work requirements already exist for people who receive SNAP, but the new Farm Bill simply makes these onerous — extending the work requirements to mothers with children in elementary school and adults over 50 years old. The bill also requires families to document work every single month — increasing the implementation costs of the program and burdening families who are already struggling through a crisis. In addition, the Farm Bill cuts SNAP by nearly 10 billion meals in the next decade. Please call and ask your representative to vote NO on this Farm Bill that is based on myth, not fact. Debbie Baskin Park City Photos by Bubba Brown Asked at the Park City Library What trail do you hit first once all the snow melts? Giulia Hester Park City “I like Iron Mountain because it’s extremely pretty and there’s not a lot of people. And it’s only for hikers.” Jillian Vogtli Park City “I head up to the Aerie and run the network of trails right over there because I can do an easy 4-, 5- or 6-mile loop and go right back to the car.” Mike Hancey Midway “I’ll probably be over at Guardsman, somewhere up in there, hiking. It is beautiful.” Paulo Braganholo Park City “The Glenwild trail is dry right now and that’s the first trail that I’ll get on. And then over by Olympic Park.” Sara Lamb Park City “We go up to Deer Valley with our family and actually prefer when there’s snow so we can hike up and ski down once the mountain’s closed. It’s just beautiful.” See these photos and more by following The Park Record on Facebook.com/parkrecord and Instagram.com/parkrecord |