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Show rirntuTH. Page A6 - Thursday, February 24, 2000 (Dtp (Timr OUR. TOWN WHY Community Comments by Sam Taylor f PROVISION TO The Division of Wildlife Resources is considering limiting the hunting of Gunnison Prairie Dogs south and east of the Colorado River m Grand and San Juan Counties The proposal is to close the season from April 1 to June 5 which is the prolific dogs' breeding 1 season I was reminded of a piece of writing by the late Frank Siivey. who with his family settled in the La Sal the early 1880s season there, 1883 they managed to clear and till around twenty acres of land and planted it to oats After learning the ad of irrigation from pioneer Neals Oison, they managed to get a pretty good crop of gram to sprout To their dismay, however, about a foudh of the crop vanished overnight Prairie dogs had cleared five acres of sprouts, roots and all Olson returned and helped the Silveys control the problem They dug ditches and drowned the rascals out Later in the day, a band of Ute Indians arrived and took all the drowned dogs with them The next day Siivey and his father visited the Indian camp, wtiere the critters were being roasted, "hide, hair and entrails all night area in Their first in the tiot ashes Siivey said that the meat looked good, but after watching his hosts devour the prairie dogs, he balked and did not care to try any Siivey continued By continuing the war on these prame dogs by drowning them out. wo saved our oats crop, but little did we dream at this time what a great monace the prairie dogs would be in the future of San Juan County At La Sal was a prame dog town of perhaps a section of land and near Dove Creek another colony existed At that time, those were the only two NICEVILLE SHOULD TERM LIMITS he should PtttVfNT CORRUPTION rr uas a i that, fi rjt efAu units F COUCfrF. HtT AND I fun pl.nkmg at them with my with twenty-tw- nfle, but not o much success Now, DWR wants to protect them during the breeding season, except on private land where they threaten agricultural operations Times do change. Sjt subscriber this week. Lilly We lost a long-tim- e g Stocks Ames, until just a few years ago a resident of Gateway, had subscribed to our newspaper for over seventy years. always looked forward to the note that came along with each year's renewal check She also stopped by the office frequently when visiting her extended family in Moab. Lilly was bom in Moab in 1 907. She was one of the younger children of pioneer settler Angus M. Stocks and his wile, Mary Crapo Stocks. According to his grandson, and my old classmate children during Max Irish, Angus fathered twenty-fiv- e first wife, who His 1900s. the late 1800s and early died first eleven bore the children, during an epidemic while the family was living at Cisco. Angus brought his eleven children to Moab, where he employed a young lady to help him with the brood. He ended up marrying her, and between them they had another fourteen kids I've been told on occasion that there are a lot more members of the Stocks clan around Moab than Taylors After visiting with Max, I'm not going to challife-lon- I CARTOONISTS KJCrre:EGINNiNG PCIAX-- A 3 PART 5 E R( S NEXT W0K-"'- guest editorial nt degrees earned We are concerned about the Legislature directing how funds will be spent. School boards throughout the state are elected to make decisions about the particular needs of their own students. They are responsible to their communities for deciding how funds will be used for class size, teacher salaries and other important school programs When the Legislature distributes funds based on the Weighted Pupil Unit it should not restrict their use to only one purpose. To do so would jeopardize fhe financial situations of school districts in the state. We are concerned about sustainability" of funds. Although the proposed increase is a step in the right We are concerned that in order to be heard by Legislators we have had to plan for a possible job action. Such an action would be directed at the Legislature, so the Grand Education Association has worked closely with Superintendent Ron Ferguson, the school board and school administrators to prepare for student safety in the event of a school closing. Letters were mailed to parents of all students, letting them know what would happen in our school district IF schools were closed. We understand that this would cause a lot of inconvenience, so we are continuing to work in good faith with legislators to resolve our concerns. Help us turn our concerns into actions that will lift the entire education system of Utah. The Republican proposal is very close to the first step of a plan to move Utah's spending to the national average. Contact legislators, urging them to support the autonomy of local school boards and commit longterm funds to education. If youve written once, write again. Its especially important to contact Rep. Nora Stephens and Sen. Howard Stephenson, chairs of appropriations committees. Or, call Rep. Keele Johnson and Sen. Mike Dmitrich so they will know the depth of concern we have for our students futures. ten-ye- per-pup- Things generally go well for me Its an attitudinal thing. is to look on the bright side. I believe there is enough evil in the world that it could absorb all of our if we were inclined to let it On the other hand, there is enough good that it too, could absorb all of our attention. I have tried both and prefer to look at the good. Some will criticize, saying that to not focus on the evil that lurks in the shadows of our lives and sometimes launches direct attacks upon us is simply denial. I do not argue with them. Where we differ is that they think denial is a bad thing. Sure, there is nature n tion? ar il an abundance of awful stuff out there but I am going to ignore it as much as I can because most of it is beyond my control. The best I can do is to make myself as emotionally strong as I can, so that when I am inevitably hit by a terrible blow of evil I can withstand it. I like the statement, If ye are prepared ye shall not fear It embodies a simple philosophy. Just be prepared for the worst and expect the best. I get a lot of mileage out of denial. Denial is one of the reasons that I hate mirrors. They reflect the unvarnished truth that I am an old guy, not nearly as handsome or sexy as denial lets me believe. Denial is not a fraction as depressing as the truth. What can be bad about that? I tend to agree with the philosopher, Lewis Thomas, who coined the term, psychorepression," which he explains is, ...the human talent for forgetting words, phrases, whole unwelcome sentences, all ex- u ' am Brickbats to members of Utah's Legislature who voted Tuesday not to take any action on gun control measures in Utah schools and churches. That's a real cop-oto the and sell-ogun lobby Bring on the petition. Let's get it on this fall's ballot and see how the people feel about it ut well-tund- ut ed Bouquets to the citizens who turned out Tuesday night to make it pretty clear that if changes are to be made to Grand County's form of government charter, they should be made by a vote of the people, and not by resolution of the county council. It's our government, folks. Bouquets to UDOT's local maintenance crews who finally patched the jjotholes in U. 8. Highway 191 on the north entrance to Moab. Just in time for the arrival of the spring visitors, too. Now, how about a little more than band-aiwork on heavily overworked U.S. 191 north of d Moab7 c mesnbcpmhmt (UPS) 6309-200- 0) Entered as Second class Matter at the Post Office at Moab, Utah under the Act of March 3, 1897. Second class postage paid at Moab, Utah 84532. Official City and County Newspaper. Published each Thursday at: 35 East Center Street, Moab, Grand County, Utah 84532 address: edltorQmoabtimes.com Postmaster: Send changes of address to: The P.O. Box 129, Moab ail Times-lndependen- or FAX 435-259-75- Member t, UT 84532 435-259-77- NATIONAL NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION and PRESS ASSOCIATION Samuel J. and Adrien F. Taylor Editors and Publishers Associate Editor Zane Taylor. .. Production Manager News Writer Kelly Ericson, Steve Cooper, Circulation Mgr., l Maps Jed Taylor. ........ Backahop Ken Davey. Systems Manager Contributing Writer Advertising Representative Green River Correspondent Betty Bailey... Mail Room Supervisor Ron Drake.. ....Castle Valley columnist Distribution Jose Churampi UTAH Sena T. Flanders Franklin Seal Tom Taylor. Ron Flanders Mary Wright Dorothy Anderson.. T-- J periences involving wincing." I have memories of experiences that cause wincing and I am doing my best to forget them. I can think of at least two very negative occasions when I knew that I didnt want to remember the names of people involved so I made a conscious effort to forget them. I dont think deep hypnosis could dredge those names from the murk of my subconscious. I believe we usually get most of what we want, but certainly not always. There are times when we have to acknowledge that things could be worse, and not be too unhappy with settling for something less as long as it is acceptable. An example that comes to mind is the lofty goals that we have for our children. Some attain them, others do not. Suppose you hoped your son would get a good education, find an attractive profession, make plenty of money and live happily ever after. Settling for less might go something like this: Well, at least he got some higher education. Oh, he didnt? Well, at least he has a good job. Oh, he doesnt? Well at least he can support his family. Oh, he cant? Well, at least hes honest. Oh, he isnt? Well, at lef st he isnt in jail. Oh, he is? Well, at least he didnt commit a crime of violence. Oh, he did? Well, at least You can see that it is almost always possible to say that it could be worse. But there may come a point beyond which we have to admit that it simply couldnt be worse. If it is within our power to make things right I believe that we have an obligation to do it. But if there is nothing you can do, you just have to walk away. It is then that a healthy dose of denial comes in handy. High Country News That strange new number, 2000 Its a weird Accolades and Admonishment with regard to issues in our community PERILS OFMTVOR Writers on the Range 9) Brick Bats and Bouquets W 15 A RCTTnoOS TOWN . by Ollie Harris My direction, there doesn't appear to be a commitment to the future of public education. That means that each and every year we have to come back and fight this battle. Legislators have been able to commit to a longterm plan for roads, why not our children's educa- I LL.E I 9--S Idle Thoughts from Mt. Waas lenge that statement. by Linda Warren & Bernie RadrlifTe of the Grand Education Association We are approaching the final week of the Utah Legislative Session without clear answers to the question, What is the plan to provide adequate long-terfunding for public education?" There is a great need throughout the state to lower class sizes for more intextbooks dividualized instruction, obtain for safe school sufficient enviand materials, provide ronments and keep quality teachers in our classrooms. Teachers and the general public have been involved in the campaign to contact legislators, telling them of existing needs. Last week the Republican Parly made a promising budget proposal of a 7 424 increase to education. However, the details reveal that the lawmakers have not understood the whole message. The proposed $2,000 salary increase tor every teacher makes it appear that this is only about teacher salaries. It shows a disregard for the way salary schedules are constructed to reflect years of leaching experience and VL colonies along the route from Durango to La Sal. Those colonies surely did spread. Like most growlot of ing up kids m the MoabSan Juan area, had a Could be worse Times-Independe- KEEP ITS by Diane Sylvain feeling, despite all the times weve remarked on it already: Each time we write the date on a check that strange new number, 2000. For people my age and older (I was 14 or so when I first saw the movie 2001) the year 2000 has always loomed and glittered like a science-fictio- n dream. I thought wed be zipping around in rocketpacks like the Jetsons by now, zooming off to the Moon and Mars for weekend getaways. And yet the changes that actually have occurred are almost as extraordinary. Who would have guessed that computers would be as powerful and omnipresent and ordinary as they are? Or that people would become so jaded that they change the channel, yawning, whenever the space shuttle takes off? The first electronic calculator 1 saw, back around 1972, was about the size of a typewriter and cost several hundred dollars. Now theyre practically given away in Crackerjacks boxes, the only downward limit in size dictated by the fact that our primitive human fingers remain as big as they ever were. The future just isnt as much fun as I hoped it would be. I expect that would be true even if we were all waltzing around the galaxy with phasers on stun. We tend to forget that however much the world changes, you and I remain pretty much the same, for better or worse. Ive been accused of being something of a Luddite, because Im suspicious of the current boundless enthusiasm that Neil Postman calls Technology liber Alles." I started reading Postmans new book, Building a Bridge to the Eighteenth Century: How the Past can Improve our Future," on the same day that Id glanced at Newsweek overexcited special section on the 21st century. After articles enthusing giddily over things like Virtual Reality Sex (in the future, well never have to actually be with our actual partners; well be able to imagine were with anybody we want!!) it was refreshing to read Postman, who quoted one of my heroes, Henry David Thoreau: "All our inventions are but improved means to an unimproved end." For, as Postman reminds us: "There is no escaping from ourselves. The human dilemma is as it always has been, and it is a delusion to believe that the future will render irrelevant what we know and have long known about ourselves but find convenient to forget." In other words, we need to carry something besides gadgetry and enthusiasm into the new millennium. We dont suffer at all from a lack of information. Our problem is always what to do with that information. What kind of tapestry do we weave with all our facts? What is the content of our shiny, technological package? The century just ending was the bloodiest yet, because we humans can now kill more of each other, more efficiently, than ever before. What good would rocket-pack- s those Jetsons-styl- e do us, if we Bimply used them for unimproved ends" more efficient drive-bor shootings? The future is not a separate place, that we simply walk into, as if crossing a bridge into an already existing country. The future is something we build as we go. No matter how overwhelmed and unempowered we feel, we still have choices. And we have freedom in how we face things what we create around us, how we live and love and ultimately, die. But this is true only if we live thoughtfully, and compassionately, and perhaps prayerfully. Only iifwe occasionally lift our bedazzled eyes from our wonderful toys, and look around at the world outside our playground. Theres a whole industry called communications" now, but that doesnt mean theres more communication. In the brave bright world of and Internet and voice mail and video, theres still a need for talkIf nothing else, ing, talking reminds us that we are still human wonderful mammals, built of bone and wrapped in flesh, with souls as large or as small as we make them. On winter nights like this one I feel that soul go soaring, as I walk home under the feet of Orion, breathing in the cold air that tastes of snow and starlight. Coyotes are carrying on in the hills, but here in town the houses are gathered, solid and warm and quiet and real. Yellow light pours out of their windows, and behind these windows are people eating and talking and dreaming and dying. There is nothing virtual about what they feel as they feed their pets and put their children to bed. for a quick spin around Strapping on a rocket-pac- k the continent would be exhilarating, but I dont think it could hold a candle to the walk home. Diane Sylvain is a contributor to Writers on the Range, o service of High Country News (www.hcn.org). She lives in western Colorado. fly-b- y, y, d, face-to-fac- e. face-to-fa- poor |