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Show i tEfre Page A7 (3Itmgg-3ttfrgpgtfrt- Thursday, March 18, 2004 nt Castle Valley Comments Letters to the Editor Stay at hospital was a comfortable one by Ron Drake .. . The Castle Valley Fire Department was called Letter to the Editor: I recently stayed at Allen Memorial Hospital. I wanted to express my appreciation to the staff. Everyone was sincere, courteous and concerned for my well being. Thank you for turn ing my anxious visit into a comfortable one. Sincerely, -- P. McNeil Moab Visitor breaks wheel, finds out about local hospitality . . . Dear Editor, Last week my wife and I made our first visit to Moab and its scenic wonders. While craning my neck to get a better view of Arches National Park, I ran into a curb and broke an aluminum wheel. I was able to drive part way back into town but eventually the tire blew off the rim. Chip from Chips Grand Tire sent a young man out who replaced the tire with the spare. Chip worked to find me a replacement, although he was not able to get one before we had to leave. He was extremely helpful and friendly. When it came time for us to leave I asked him how much I owed him. He stated that I didnt owe him anything; he was glad to be of help to a stranded visitor. I offered again to pay him, but he politely declined. I was very much surprised at his kindness and generos- ity. Inasmuch as we also found very helpful and friendly people at the motel where we stayed and the restaurants where we ate, we concluded that your town is really a friendly town. So, thanks to Chip and all your other townspeople, we hope to see you again soon. -- Larry Allen Providence, Thanks to everyone who helped search for our child all those who helped us search for our precious Kia: She became lost and after a time searching for her ourselves, we decided we needed help. I called 911 and was told a deputy would be on his way. I remember thinking to myself, One deputy will not be enough. You dont realize how vast your neighborhood is until you cant find one little girl. Anyway, dismissing this thought as I did many that ran through my mind, we continTo Utah . . . we say thank you with all our hearts! After talking to the rest of the family, we realized so many people were involved that to thank them all personally might be to leave one out, and that would just not do. Thank you everyone for taking our plight as seriously as we did. From the kids on bikes to the neighbor that found her, to the Fire Chief that brought her home, we thank you. To all those that gave up a part of their day and showed the selflessness that you did, our gratitude will forever be yours! As we sit and hug our little girl and reflect on what we can do to make her safer, the emotions are overwhelming. To hear her tell the story, she was in a huge forest and lost her shoe in the big river and she just sat there and cried to God to let her family find her. In reality she was in the brush by the creek, but God did use you all to help answer her prayers and ours! In loving gratitude, -- The Jackson, Lammert, Stewart, ued the search. Then I started running into people here and there and realized the number of volunteers had grown, finally I was told she had been found and was safely on her way back to her family. As I drove up to the house I was astonished at the people. There were neighbors, fire trucks, Sheriffs vehicles, search and rescue, and did I say friends and family? Then I remembered thinking. . . One deputy would not be enough. That brought a smile to my face. To all of those that helped us, Hawks, & McElhaney families Moab Concerned about vandalism in Dragonfly Canyon It May Concern: I recently had a disturbing experience in Dragonfly Canyon that I wish to share with you. I hope you have already heard about this from the Grand County Sheriff, since I reported it to them as well, but I doubt they took me seriously since I didnt get a call back as promised... On February 28, my fiance and I traveled to Moab to get married in the desert. While scouting places to do this, we found Dragonfly Canyon. As you likely know, its a beautiful and special place truly deserving of our respect and admiration. We were thrilled to find such a remarkable place so close to town that was largely intact: no vandalism, no garbage, and no major resource damage. This was to be the place for us. Well, when we returned to the canyon with the County Clerk on the following day (229), . . . that a bunch of local kids or motorheads had a really big and wild party. Well, you can imagine our disappointment. This ruined an otherwise special day in an otherwise special place. I notified the police, due to the bottle bombs, and avoided disturbing anything to preserve the evidence. Subsequently, I hope someone has attempted to clean up the mess. Much of the damage, however, will persist for many years. Well certainly remember it for years to come, and not in a good way... This experience has affected us so personally, were going to share this story with the local paper in the hope that the culprits will feel that theyve been busted and will have to find a new canyon to defile. I hope they get pool. My guess is To Whom 1 caught!!! I urge you to please use your limited reand that of local law enforcement to sources the place had been totally trashed the night an before! The remains of malotov cocktails were eye on Dragonfly Canyon. It deserves keep to Due the culvert and railway, its well hidscattered everywhere, garbage and human it. den from the highway and makes a great party waste was left on the ground, gasoline stained the rock and tainted the pools, and fire scars ' spot for local hoods. Regrettably, theyve discovered this. and piles of burned oak brush torn from the Thank you and good luck, We confound these littered the canyon. ground -- Ken Straley ditions throughout the first half mile of the Utah second Duchesne, the to a large point just beyond canyon Looking for information on the United States Dear Editor: I am 10 years old and planning to do a Grade 5 school project on United States of America. May your readers help by sending used stamps, postcards and a few coins froth . . . the USA to Canada. The project is for June. -- Meaghan Phillips 157 Ross Haven Dr. Fort McMurray Alberta T9H 3P1 Canada Community leaders need to choose their words carefully . . . understand the grounds supporting my posiDear Editor, weeks to last In a letter tion, referring to them as the Civil War and I that finds it a reader alarming slavery or something like that. ' adminfederal and former Had the reader focused on my position and am a retired lawyer I in a guest istrative law judge. had said that my reasoning, he might have understood it and editorial expressing concern about the use of perhaps even have found common ground we might share. By resorting to stereotyping, he extremist, polarizing language by public figabandoned any attempt at reasoning. This ures. My concern was that such language, when discussing proposed action affecting the encourages others to stereotype both of us and then resort to unreasoning irrelevant personal public, distracts attention from consideration of the actual effect and merit of the proposed prejudice to decide which of our positions is better. action. In short, such language creates heat, As for retired federal attorneys, we devoted but no light. another careers to serving the rule of law, our Condemonstrates our letter The readers such use and the statutes enacted by the Amerishouldnt stitution reason why public figures ordican people. Like all feds, we took an oath language. When they do, they encourage steGod to protect and defend the Constibefore nary citizens to engage in the unreasoning unand tution and laws of the United States and to reotyping that so often accompanies bear true faith and allegiance to them. Alderlies that language. For example, the reader most every employee I worked with honored says that the status of being a fed (retired that oath, sometimes in the face of considerfederal attorney) explains why I would believe able pressure to do otherwise. that the Constitution no longer protects states. The the stated opposite.) My original point is still that words mathad (I just actually Conthe ter. I must have assumes damaged Community leaders, elected or otherwise, reader their community when they encourage some to stitution degree. the as assails reader me, represenprejudice and extremism with the language So, the dishe of class apparently people tative of a they use. of posiinstead Sincerely, assailing my trusts or dislikes, -- Mike Suarez tion concerning states rights, which he serialso didn t he Moab ously misunderstood. Apparently, Times-Indepen-de- out last Saturday, March 13 to a brush fire on Hwy 128 just east of Hittle Bottom. Fire Chief Floyd Stoughton and Steve Ward answered the call and arrived on the scene with the truck. They got departments new the fire under control in spite of occasional gusty winds and contained the blaze until a unit from the BLM showed up. Since there are not many BLM units equipped to fight fires as this time, the closest BLM crew was on the Bookcliffs doing a controlled bum. They arrived two and hours later to finish the job. Chief Stoughton said it was hard to tell what started the fire; but because it started at a pullout area, he surmised a cigarette probably started it. It was the first real test for the new little truck and they said it performed very well. The tank, pump, hose reel and associated equipment was purchased as a single unit and mounted to a one-to- n diesel pickup truck. The slip on unit was purchased from a BLM grant and the truck was made available from government excess vehicles. The department has another similar truck and Chief Stoughton is currently moving the equipment from an older, smaller pickup truck. These vehicles are able to respond to grass fires quickly and able to knock a fire down early while larger equipment is rolling toward the scene. There will be one at each fire station. The fire department held a public hearing last week to hear comments regarding the amending of the current budget. The department is seeking a grant from the Community Impact Board (CIB) to purchase a new refurbished pumpertanker engine to be placed at quick-respon- se one-ha- lf Station One. The board voted to amend the budget to reflect an additional $20,000 from the CIB grant in the event the grant is approved. The department will make its presentation to the CIB board later this month. That will place similar vehicles at each firehouse. The one they are seeking will have a large, powerful engine to reduce the response time to the upper reaches of the valley. The planning and zoning commission postponed their meeting scheduled for last Wednesday, March 10 because of a lack of a quorum. Much of the business before the commission is issues that they are working through. One item of new business is a request for a conditional use permit for Lot 15. They will rule on that request before the town council meets so they can act on it. Twenty-fivyears ago, this column reported on a training meeting of the Castle Valley Fire Department. Fire Chief Dave Durrant stressed going to a fire using all of your senses, smell, sound, touch, etc. The met weekly at the home of Frank Mendonca in Castleton. Also, longtime resident Mac McKinney celebrated his 73rd birthday and Don and Connie Pueblo purchased the home currently owned by Don Bowthorpe. There were still 8 to 10 inches of snow left to melt and they were expecting muddy roads for awhile. Twenty years ago, this column featured local trapper Kent Officer. For Kent, winter meant long days from dawn to dusk as he trapped for bobcats, fox and coyote. Ten years ago, the Castle Valley Players presented a successful play and were planning another. Kaaron Jorgan directed them. on-goi- e Please be discreet about any locals discounts Dear Local Moab Residents (and not all the other local residents): Tourist season has just begun and we can already hear that familiar whine: Do I get the locals discount here? Come on, guys! The locals discount isnt something thats owed to you. Its a gift the merchant offers to a neighbor. Show some class. When you go to your favorite restaurant, bike shop, bookstore, gear, or whatever store, dont shout for the discount as loud as you can in front of every tourist in the vicinity. All you have to do is quietly and discreetly tell the waiter (salesperson, guide. . .) that you live in Moab. Theyll know what you mean, theyll appreciate your discretion, theyll give you the discount, and they might not cringe next time you walk into their shop or restaurant to put customthem on the spot in front of full-payin- Holocaust and the brutal prison camps lifestyles. By reading The Diary of Anne Frank, a diary found of a young Jewish girl who lived through the downcast times of the Holocaust, I have had one of the closest things to a first hand experience about the lifestyle of a discrimination tragedy (for my age and time of life). I was appalled when I read this touching story of the hope of Anne Frank, and others like her, in hiding from the Nazis, despite the discouraging and terrifying conditions. The pitiless, merciless, inhumane, and even barbaric treatment that was described to me by learning of this subject struck me to think of the prejudice, and savage ways of these discriminators and I think that it is so evil that I hope and pray that nothing even close to the Holocaust will ever hap- pen again. In honor and remembrance to those innocent people who lived through the tragic times of the Holocaust and other atrocious discriminations, and those who did not, our school is making a memorial to remind the students, our future generation, to never turn to the disgraceful ways of discrimination and, especially, never take it to the level of the inhumane cruelty of g ers. After all, if youre eating or shopping there you probably want them to stay in business. Help em out just a little by not alienating their other customers because theyre not in the club getting the "locals discount. --Jenette Settle Moab Holocaust Memorial Garden in Durango Dear Moab Times Reader: I am writing to you from Durango, Colorado on behalf of my 8th grade year in middle school. Within this year I am learning about the Holocaust, racism, and other examples of discrimination. Through this learning process I have discovered the horrific and shockingly tragic times and lifestyles of Jews during the . . . . . . the Holocaust. The memorial will honor those who had the hope of this dream and had the courage to hope through these tragic times. This memorial is going to consist of many flowers, representing the hope of this dream. This memorial is going to be based on a simple process of planting these flowers into a memorial garden, but to complete this memorial I am asking for flower seeds and if it is not too much, a description of why you chose this specific flower to symbolize the hope and memorialize the discrimination victims, like those of the Holocaust. Also, we would appreciate any related stories (the stories can be your own or other peoples stories) or information about this topic to help the students better understand the Holocaust and other issues on discrimination. I would appreciate any seeds and information given with much thanks and I hope that you can benefit from knowing that your efforts will help our future society. Thank you for any effort to help us with this memorial. I also want to thank, with much gratitude, the newspaper for printing this. I want to encourage readers of this to write back to me and realize the importance of remembering and honoring those who had hope, and still hope, for an equal society. Sincerely yours, --John Lavengood Miller Middle School 8A 2608 Junction Street Durango, CO 81301 nt (T-I- ), ill-ser- Letters to the editor policy does not necessarily endorse the opinions published in letters to the editor The and guest editorials. The I welcomes opinions from its readers concerning any subject pertinent to Southeastern Utah. Letters should be to the point and must include the writers name, address and telephone number. Letters may not be used to replace advertisements, or to list and thank sponsors or participants to a particular event. Letters to the editor will be not be accepted from any candidate who has filed for political office or from anyone writing in support of a filed candidate. Anything unsigned, of a libelous nature, or containing defamatory statements will not be considered for publication. All letters must be typed or legibly written, and be 400 words or less. Letters are subject to editing. Mail to Letter to the Editor, P.O. Box 1 29, Moab, Utah, 84532. Deadline is Monday, 5 p.m. Letters may also be sent via to editormoabtimes.com. The may not accept letters from persons who write more frequently than once every four weeks. Changes to letters to the editor after submission will be accepted only in the most extreme circumstances. Times-lndepende- nt T-- Times-lndepende- ail nt Get the scoop from a reliable source The Times-lndependen- t, your community newspaper published weekly |