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Show Wit MOAB, UTAH Volume 111 500 WEATHER Thursday Mostly Sunny Low 54 Friday Sunny High 92 Low 56 by Jeannine Wait uu Saturday yC Mostly Sunny High 91 Low 56 Sunday rj' Partly Cloudy c High 80 Low 51 Weather forecast courtesy National Weather Service Grand Juhction office. contributing writer Saturday, September 11, Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton signed the Three Rivers Withdrawal protecting nearly 200 miles of river corridor from the locating of any new hard rock mining claims on scenic river portions ofthe Green, Dolores and Colorado rivers. The ceremony was held at the Big Bend Campground on the Colorado River near mile eight upstream from Moab. Four Red Rock Students had perfect attendance at summer school. Read about them on pg. B2 The withdrawal will restrict new mining claims on over 111,000 acres of public lands, protect 161 prehistoric sites, and enhance habitat for six threatened or endangered species for the next 20 years. Over the past 20 years, economic A Dr. Don Marquardt completed his first marathon. His story is on - B3 Inside The T imes Business Directory: BIO Classifieds: B11 Editorials, Letters: Historic Photo: B1 Notices: A6-- 8 benefits from recreational use along the three river corridors has far outweighed former uranium and placer gold mining uses. There is also much economic gain for Moabs many river outfitters and for all the other retail businesses that profit from river users. Present at the signing ceremony were several local and state officials including Lt. Governor Gayle McKeachnie, BLM Utah State Director Sally Wisely, BLM Field Director Maggie Wyatt and Grand County Langianese. Several other instrumental BLM staffers were also present. Secretary Norton commented that her original opportunity to visit Moab Continued on Page A2 contributing writer proposed Utah constitutional amendment on same-se- x marriage will also deprive some citizens of fundamental legal rights, an opposition group says. Constitutional Amendment 3, passed the state legislature during the final by hours of the 2004 session, states that marriage consists only ofthe legal union between a man and a woman, a move intended to blunt the impact of recent state supreme court decisions allowing gay couples to legally marry. But it is the second part of the amendment that opponents and some state officials including Gov. Olene Walker and Attorney General Mark Shurtleff say raises serious constitutional questions about the denial of legal rights for both heterosexual and homosexual couples in Utah. Gubernatorial candidate Scott Matheson opposes the amendment, while his opponent Jon Huntsman Jr. has said he will vote for the measure. The language of part two of the proposed amendment states No other domestic union, however denominated, may be recognized as a marriage or given the same substantially equivalent legal That language could impact the rights of all couples regardless of sexual orientation, opponents say. Under part two, any type of domestic partnership is under a strain, said Kim Hackford-Peean organizer for the Dont Amend Alliance during a town hall meeting in Moab last month. All couples who are not married could be stripped of their inheritance rights, wills and medical powers of attorney could be challenged in court because tl.' ummdment disallows recognizing any rights or privileges of other domestic partnerships. She points to the example of Nebraska, where voters in 2000 approved an amendment with similar wording. The amendment later prevented lawmakers from enacting legislation granting organ donation and funeral planning rights to domestic partners. Shurtleff and both his opponents for attorney general issued a joint statement this summer saying they are opposed to the amendment because it will deprive other citizens of basic and fundamental rights. The candidates have urged the legislature to withdraw the proposed amendment so that the language can be retooled to prevent possible constitutional challenges. r, effect. B3-- 4 Joette Councilwoman Proposed constitutional amendment endangers legal rights, says opposition group by Lisa Church pg- Continued on Page A2 Obituaries: A4 Preventing teen suicide is a officials say effort, community Jeff Richards Region Review: B1 Sports: B1-- 3 TV Guide: B2-- 3 by contributing writer LAST WEEK'S WEATHER Date High Low Precip. Sept. 8 95 Sept. 9 95 Sept. 10 92 -- 52 58 67 -S- ept. 11 -S- ept. 95 57 12 94 66 13 94 74 -S- ept. ept. , - In 14 89 63 -S- - First Place Four Categories U Group II ThtTime- IndpppndMit To subscribe to The Times Independent call subscribemoabtimes.com The nt This news-pap- is er 7 Thursday, September 16, 2004 Interior Secretary here to sign rivers mining withdrawal; groups on hand to protest policies FORECAST High 90 www.moabtimes.com Number 37 X) printed on recycled paper and is recyclable. Parents, friends, and teachers must all join together and share the responsibility of preventing teenage suicide, a recognized expert told a group of concerned citizens Monday night. The presentation, which was attended by about 100 people in the Grand County High School auditorium, featured remarks by Gregory A. Hudnall, a former high school principal and the current the director of student services for Provo School District. During his introduction of Hudnall, GCHS principal Tom Brown mentioned that yet another young man with Grand County connections had taken his own life over the weekend, although not in Moab. It was the third such incident in less than three months. In late July, a GCHS student died by suicide, which was then followed by the similar death of a middle school student almost month later. one exactly on Then, Monday came the news that the older brother of the first victim had also killed himself. Its a society issue right now, Hudnall told the audience. I cant tell you why, but I can tell you its becoming more and more an option, he added. But we need to (teach our children) that suicide is not an option. It cannot be an option. Hudnall, who has provided counseling and assistance in some 40 teen sui cides, shared a variety of insights gleaned from his years of experience as a school administrator. A few key statistics: g Suicide is the cayse of third-leadin- and death among children age the Utah currently has youth suicide rate in the nation. Among 10-1- 9, lOth-highe- st suicide is the leadUtah males age ing cause of death. Although far more females than males attempt suicide, between 80 and 90 percent of all suicide deaths in Utah are male. The reason for the difference lies in the method used - females who attempt suicide tend to overdose on pills or cut their wrists, whereas males generally favor more lethal methods such as firearms and hanging. Most youth suicides occur in the home. Teenage suicides happen regardless 15-4- 4, of ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic background, and academic or athletic achievement. The reasons for attempting suicide may vary widely from person to person. Hudnall also talked about some of the myths associated with suicide, in an effort to dispel them. For example, one commonly held belief is that people who talk about suicide never actually do it. In reality, however, suicidal comments (even those seemingly made in jest) can be a cry for help. We need to take every suicidal threat seriously, Hudnall said. Hudnall said that another myth is that talking about suicide will plant the suggestion in someones mind. The truth Continued on Page A3 Director Maggie Wyatt, Grand County Councilperson Joette Langianese, Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton and Lt. Governor Gayle McKeachnie were in attendance for the Three Rivers Withdrawal signing ceremony Saturday afternoon at Big Bend. Photo by Jeannine Wait BLM Field Canyonlands National Park celebrates 40 year anniversary by Lisa Church contributing vriter In 1961, Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall gazed out an airplane window at an isolated and extraordinary stretch of Utahs redrock desert and reportedly said, My God, thats a national park down there! The magnificent landscape inspired Udall, with help from Senator Frank Moss camto launch an all-oto establish a new park that he paign called Grand View National Park. Three years and much bitter debate later, Congress created Utahs largest national park - Canyonlands. The original park boundaries included 257,640 acres. Congress expanded Canyonlands to its present size of 337,598 acres in 1971. Canyonlands turned 40 on September 12, a relative youngster as national parks go, and with each passing decade Canyonlands has gained in popularity among the hundreds of thousands of visitors who travel to the Moab area each (D-UT- ut ), year. In 1964, Canyonlands first year, only 19.000 visitors ventured inside the parks boundaries. Last year, that number totaled almost 387,000. By far, the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands receives the lions share of visitors - almost double the number of visitors to the Needles. The Maze District drew almost 10.000 people in 2003, park statistics show. The vast differences in each district offer visitors a unique opportunity to experience the landscape from every angle, from the birds eye view of vast vistas in Island in the Sky to the canyon floor of the Needles. Weve got it all, says Paul Henderson, Chief of Interpretation for Services Southeast Utah Group, attributes much of the parks lasting appeal to the sense of isolation and wilderness it affords the more daring visitors. "Youve got such wild and remote ar- eas in the park, yet with the drive road system in there, its still accessible, Brueck said. Thats what national parks are all about. You get to experience them. Theres so much grandeur in Canyonlands. People are drawn to it. Thats part of the problem, says the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association. Last week, the group issued a report, coinciding with Canyonlands anniversary, assessing the condition of the park. According to the groups new State of the Parks report, Canyonlands faces serious problems, mostly due to lack of congressional funding. This report is a wake-ucall, said Jim Nations, vice president of NPCAs State of the Parks(r) program, in a news release. The health of Canyonlands National Park could noticeably worsen unless congress and the administration work together to address its needs. Specifically, the report cites inadequate staffing, and the need for an additional $2 million in funds to help inventory and protect the parks cultural resources including ancient Indian rock art, historic structures, and almost 700,000 museum objects. Almost of the parks historical struccould be destroyed by vandalism, tures or exposure to the elements if action is not taken within the next five years, the report states. Henderson says many points in the four-whe- el p two-thir- Continued on Page A2 Canyonlands. We have the needles, arches, the confluence of two amazing rivers. Theres Upheaval Dome, which no one can out. figure Canyonlands is filled with very rich archaeological resources, and very rich historical and natural as resources well. Phil Brueck, deputy superin- tendent to the National Park Chesler Park, in the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park. 1 |