OCR Text |
Show Viewpoints The A-19 Park Record. Sat/Sun/Mon/Tues, December 15-18, 2018 editorial Voters don’t have to like Lee, but give him credit where due S guest editorial Parkites must make the arts a priority during year-end giving PARK CITY SUMMIT COUNTY ARTS COUNCIL BOARD AND STAFF The arts have the power to make us feel better. They bring us together, strengthening our relationship to the world around us. They help explore complex issues, introduce us to new ideas and people and push our boundaries. They drive our economy as a destination experience for visitors, and provide jobs for locals. They help prepare our students for the changing landscape of 21st century jobs. They are not only part of what makes it fun and beautiful The Park Record Staff PUBLISHER ....................... Andy Bernhard Editor ................................... Bubba Brown Staff Writers ......................Jay Hamburger Scott Iwasaki Angelique McNaughton Ben Ramsey Carolyn Webber Alder Contributing ............................. Tom Clyde Writers Jay Meehan Teri Orr Amy Roberts Tom Kelly Joe Lair Copy Editor ............................ James Hoyt Engagement Editor..Christopher Samuels Photographer .........................Tanzi Propst Office Manager ..................... Tiffany Piper Circulation Manager ............. Lacy Brundy Accounting Manager ......... Jennifer Snow ADVERTISING Classifieds/Legals ............. Jennifer Lynch Advertising Director ........... Valerie Spung Administrative Assistant . Jessica Burlacu Advertising Sales ................... Jodi Hecker Erin Donnelly Lindsay Lane Sharon Bush Production Director ..................Ben Olson Production ........................Chelsea Babbitt Patrick Schulz to live and visit Park City, but are embedded in our core identity, history, and values. They matter so much that the Park City Council has made the arts a top priority. Despite the impact of the arts at the personal, community, and economic level, arts organizations often struggle to keep the lights on. Funding is reliant on the generosity of donors, patrons and sponsors. When these things don’t meet expectations there can be catastrophic consequences. In Summit County there are several public funding mechanisms for arts and culture, but they are restrictive and leave significant gaps in need. As quoted in the Project ABC Cultural Plan, “Substantial and strategic increases in funding are needed to ensure the longterm viability of Summit County’s Arts and Culture sector.” The plan outlines a number of strategic recommendations for diverse and sustainable funding to ensure a healthy and vibrant future for the arts and culture sector. There is much work to be done in this regard, and the Arts Council is committed to continuing to advocate for local artists, makers and nonprofit cultural organizations. To that end, we ask you to consider our arts organizations for your year-end giving. These organizations work hard to provide you with exceptional and engaging experiences, and they are a critical part of making our community a healthier, more connected, inspired and economically viable destination. We must come together and do all we can to keep our arts and cultural assets alive and vibrant. That includes buying tickets, making donations and advocating for sustainable sources of funding from our local leaders. There’s so much opportunity this holiday season to give back to our arts organizations. Have family or friends in town? Bring them to the Park City Institute’s National Geographic Live: Ocean Soul with Brian Skerry on Dec. For the record en. Mike Lee is not a popular figure in Park City. And for good reason, too. Throughout his tenure, the penchant of Utah’s soon-to-be-senior senator for clinging to a hard-right, Tea Party ideology rather than embracing compromise has too often stood in the way of getting important things done. And Lee’s reluctance to be a check on the president, most recently displayed in his blocking of legislation to protect Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Trump, is maddening. Suffice to say, if he were up for reelection in 2020, Lee’s chances of faring better in Summit County, which supported his Democratic opponents in both 2010 and 2016, would be slim. But give credit where it’s due. Lee is a sponsor and vocal proponent of the First Step Act, a bipartisan bill that would usher in compassionate, common-sense changes to the federal criminal justice system. By all accounts, Lee has done as much as any senator to push the legislation forward. And after months of uncertainty about whether it would get its due on the Senate floor, the legislation appears slated for a vote by the end of the year. If the First Step Act passes and is signed into law — it has broad support on both sides of the aisle — it would be a major achievement in the push for criminal justice reform, lowering punishments for nonviolent offenders. The bill takes aim at draconian mandatory minimums and would give judges more latitude to hand down punishments that actually fit the crime. It would also make it easier for prisoners to rack up credit for good behavior and earn early release. Of course, passage of the bill wouldn’t mark the end of the fight for reform. For one, the First Step Act would only implement changes in the federal system, which covers a small portion of prisoners nationwide. And it doesn’t address other problems inherent in our justice system, like the fact offenders can still serve years in prison for minor drug crimes. In many cases, it’s up to states, rather than the federal government, to reach solutions. Nonetheless, the bill is a significant step forward. And it will hopefully spark an appetite for taking on further reforms. Americans on all sides have been frustrated with inaction on mass incarceration, so Congress putting aside its partisan bickering to make progress on at least one important issue that affects people’s everyday lives would be refreshing. To be clear, Lee’s role in pushing the bill to the brink of passage doesn’t absolve his otherwise-poor record on civil rights issues, such as his opposition to gay marriage, nor does it balance out a staunchly conservative agenda that is far out of step with his constituents in Park City. And it won’t dramatically improve his chances of taking Summit County next time he’s on the ballot. But on criminal justice reform, Parkites should be grateful for their senator’s efforts. letters to the editor Course correction Editor: The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change special report has given the world its latest warning about inaction and it is not good. Yet, many of us including most of our political leaders are content to worry about something else. I think it is because they do not like the proposed solutions. However, there is 29, or ring in the new year with new traditions and attend the organization’s New Year’s Party with a special performance by Sutton Foster on the 31st. Immerse yourself in the creative process while bonding with your loved ones by taking one of the many family classes that the Kimball Art Center has in store over the holiday break including Snowscapes in Clay, or its new kid-friendlyNoon Year’s Eve Celebration. Feeling festive? Catch the Ballet West Academy Park City Campus performance of the The Park City Nutcracker at the Eccles Center for the Performing Arts Dec. 22 at 2 p.m., or Christmas with the Celts Dec. 19-20 at the Egyptian Theatre. Mountain Town Music has programmed free performances all over town. The Alf Engen Ski Museum has just revamped and remodeled some of its exhibits. Park City Film now legislation proposed in Congress that should attract their support. H.R 7173, The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, is a bipartisan bill that will be effective in bringing down carbon emissions by putting a fee on carbon and giving citizens a dividend with the money raised without the government keeping any of it! Co-sponsored by Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL), Rep. Francis Rooney (RFL), Rep. Charlie Crist (D-FL), Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Rep. John Delaney (D-MD), and Rep. Dave Trott (R-MI), this bill will correct the failure of the market which allows us to pollute our air for free. This will be good for our health and our economy. I asked that our members of Utah’s congressional delegation cosponsor and work to pass this much needed action. screens holiday favorites and offers free movies for kids on school break. The list goes on. We are privileged to live in a town with world renowned creative assets and programming. It’s the Park City Summit County Arts Council’s mission as an umbrella organization to promote, support, and strengthen arts and culture. We tell stories about local arts and culture activity, produce programs that connect artists and makers with the community, and plan and advocate for the future health of our creative sector. We deeply believe the arts matter, and we hope you agree. As arts organizations ask for year-end contributions, please remember them, thank them and support them. They make our mountain town an incredible place to call home. Scott Leckman Citizens’ Climate Education board of directors chairman 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 Photos by Christopher Samuels Asked at The Market at Park City What is your favorite holiday activity or tradition in Park City? Connor Hansen Promontory “We go out to dinner at a couple places in Park City and go up to the Ranch Club in Promontory since 2003, about 15 years. It’s a really big tradition for us, being one of the original members there.” Jennifer Heintzelman Boston “What we really like to do and what we’ve done for a few years now is go up to Deer Valley and do the Fireside Dining. We do that as a family on the 23rd. We’ve been doing it probably four or five years now.” Julie Hunter Pinebrook “We started one this year. A friend of ours knew someone who stood in line to (get a permit) to cut down your own tree and wasn’t able to use it and gave it to us. We went into the Uintas and cut our tree down. The kids loved it.” Lara Herrmann Park Meadows “My husband’s sister and boyfriend and (their) two boys come and we ski and usually make steaks for dinner and just kind of hang out. It’s kind of boring, there’s no awesome cute little thing.” Marilyn Brown Park Meadows “We have dear friends that we go up to their home on Christmas Eve and she fixes seven fishes, an Italian theme. And on Christmas night, we go to another friends’ house for a lovely dinner.” See these photos and more by following The Park Record on Facebook.com/parkrecord and Instagram.com/parkrecord New Equipment is expensive The Park Record’s “Help Wanted” section has the jobs you need to support your gear addiction |