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Show (The Page A7 fflimrs-3nfrfpcnfrg- Thursday, August 24, 2000 nt Gratified the Big 'G' is restored Letters to the Editors And so it goes with democracy in Utah Editor Dear will be issued with Please permit me to correct an error in my letter last week concerning the Southeastern Regional Advisory Committee (RAC) to the Wildlife Board stating that no lions were killed due to depredation in Grand and San Juan counties in the past 11 years. I should have referred to the hunting units. No cougars were killed for livestock depredation in the San Juan, San Rafael, Henry Mountain, or Dolores Triangle units. Three were taken in the La Sal unit in "91, 92 and 96, and 12 were taken in the Book Cliffs unit in this period. These two areas have sheep, which likely account for the loss. During the same period, the sport harvest increased dramatically, and the average age of cougars, the percent over 6 years old, and the percent of females and in the harvest have dropped well below the minimum performance targets established by the Cougar Management Plan last year for limited entry units. In the La Sals, no 7 in Averlions were taken in 1988-8age age last year was 2.5 years, 0 of the harvest was over 6 years old for the last 6 years running, and 57 of the dead lions were females or subadults. In the San Juan unit, 2 lions were killed in 1988-820 in Average age last year was 3, an average of 2 over the last 3 years were over 6 years old, and 60 were females or Targets for limited entry units are no less than 15 over 6 years old, and no more than 40 females and in the hunt. This year, 657 permits sub-adul- ts 1999-200- 9, 1999-200- 9, 0. 0. sub-adult- an anticipated take of 438, down but way up from 217 in 1988-8Estimates for the total cougar population in Utah run as high as 1500. The Wildlife Board met last Thursday and approved the RAC recommendation to go ahead with this hunt that violates every one of the Division of Wildlifes own performance targets for the states cougar population. They also went against the RACs recommendation to deny a request to sell off a couple of very expensive permits to hunt trophy deer on Antelope Island for the first time in decades. Our own Bill Hedden, a member of the State Parks Board that administers Antelope Island, was on hand to say that they didn't need the hunt, that the mission of the Park is to provide wildlife viewing experiences, not hunting, and that this was a purely political move. Don Peay told the board that while the RACs had voted 3 to 2 against the hunt, the majority of people on the RACs had voted for the hunt. Not surprisingly, the Wildlife Board, composed mostly of trophy hunters, believed him, even though he was wrong. Now the final decision is up to the Park, but the pressure will be intense, and heads may roll if they don't turn over one of the few places in the state free ol deer hunters guns to the wealthy trophy hunters. So it goes with democracy in Utah! Dan Kent Moab from 576 in s. sub-adul- ts 1996-9- 7 9. Moab has been a wonderful place in which to live Dear Sam, Adrien and Sena, We wanted to write and say what a wonderful place Moab has been to live. The entire community should be proud to say they live in Moab, whether descendants from the first immigrants or newcomers from afar. We all came here for different reasons, but most of us appreciate the extraordinary place this is, and, in our own ways, do what we can to respect and honor it. Our family has benefited tremendously from living in Moab the last five years. We will take with us the treasures of many wonderful experiences. The personal growth we have made here has been a blessing for all four of us. We have made many, many dear friends in Moab who we will cherish in our hearts always. Many know that Pat has accepted the position of Executive Director for Habitat for Humanity in Austin, Texas. Habitat is a wonderful international organization, and this job position is an opportunity for our family to help serve others in a major way. Also, as our parents are getting older and are beginning to need us more we feel we must leave our paradise here to be closer to them. If it were not for the personal growth we have ' made here in Moab, and the experience Pat gained as Executive Director of Seekhaven, we never would have been given this opportunity in Texas. Moab was a critical stepping stone in our lives, and we feel we were divinely directed here for a specific purpose. We feel very fortunate to have lived in Moab and to have gotten to know so many fine people. As was our move to Moab a very quickly executed one, so seems to be our move back to Texas. Pat began working in Austin July 14, and the girls returned from their summer camps and flew straight to Austin. I have been in Austin the last three weeks getting our house ready and am just back here this week to meet the movers and send our belongings on to Austin. I know there are many, many friends weve not been able to say goodbye" to, but we will be back to visit often and Bee you . then... , . , I. We thank each of you who have enriched our lives and been so important to us; you will always be in our hearts and minds, and we will mss you very much. God bless you all and this very special town Love, Ginny, Pat, Gena and Lizzy Welch . i Letters to the editor policy ... 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 800 words or less. Letters are subject to editing. Mail to Letter to the Editor," P.O. Box 129, 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. The Times-lndepende- nt Times-lndepende- Dear Sam Tim Angus, coordinator for the Castle Valley Emergency Re- sponse Team, resigned his position during the Aug. 1 6 town council meeting. As his reason for leaving the post, he said he had lost confidence in certain members of the current council. He was appointed to the position last Jan. 1 9. a foundation, rethe building and laying turning of soil, pouring block around it then back-fillinputting the building at ground level and eliminating the need for the g, expensive ramp. She said she would get prices on that option in an effort to get the price down to a more affordable amount. Discussion about the town's temporary office trailer continued during the meeting with councilperson Karen Nelson reporting they are looking at other options for the building. A deck that was designed for the structure is quite expensive, according to Nelson. The plans that call for a permanent deck on a temporary structure are getting out of hand" and the council is looking for less expensive alternatives. Nelson contacted Chuck Davis, administrator at Allen Memorial Hospital in an effort to see what they paid for the ramp that leads to the womens clinic across the street from the hospital. That ramp was constructed in 1993, before he took over at the hospital, and it will be difficult to find the contract She is now looking into the possibility of removing the trailer, digging out several feet 9 Road Supervisor Damian land contains rough terrain, steep slopes and roads, drainage problems and extreme washes that make the land Several scenarios for the land were discussed at the meeting, including clustered development to take better advantage of the terrain. All of the parties involved in this process will gather Sept. 27 for a public open house to discuss all these possibilities, and the Bolierman said he is still waiting for parts to get the road grader up and running. He has paper working for state surplus equipment and is on a waiting list in an effort to locate another grader. He is also on a list for grant money as another alternative. of The property owners association set Oct. 1 4 at 9:30 a.m. for the annual general meeting. It will be held at the Castle Valley LDS Church. stated councilman Dorr Hatch. POA Chairman Jack Campbell suggested a for sale" sign be put on the drill rig that has been sitting on the community lot since report on the lands and a meeting that was held a couple of weeks ago with the planner in Boulder, Colo, revealed that 2,495 acres of the 4,427 acres that are subject to sale by the state trust lands administration are totally non developable. Much of the A V Castle Rock Collaboration would like to see as many people as sible there for public input. Council members promised the new information Kiosk will be up within the next two weeks. Everything is ready; we just need time," early in the spring when the company finished drilling the well on the lot. Town clerk Dorothy Harding thought rent for the space would be appropriate. But whatever hap- pens, Hatch said, the problem is, it is on the town lot, everything on the town lot moves very slowly." Thank you Dave and Guy. Lotus Nelson Yranian, Las Vegas, Nevada Moab Class of 78, via email better than that?" Anyway, I am proud to have been raised in Moab, a member of the Marching Red Devilettes, and a 1975 graduate of Grand County High School. I always know I arn home" when I see the beautiful red rocks and the Big G. Adrien: I would like to address this to Tara Collins: Ms. Collins: Obviously you did not go to Grand County High School or you would appreciate what the Big G stands for. I am beginning to wonder if your school or town had a symbol, or if you yourself were involved in any of your school activities, or were you & Sincerely, Kay Nelson Gooding, Idaho in the HillsideWalkeiTusher area who responded to the city's re- From the Mayors Office quest that streets be cleared of by Moab Mayor Karla Hancock vehicles, etc., for sweeping. Every- one was so cooperative, and we looks like the Skate Park is a great success! Its certainly one of the best examples of community cooperation weve had for a while. A special thanks goes to the Rotary Club for putting wishes into action and prompting everyone else to respond not to mention their actual monetary contributions. David Olsen. City Planning and Community Development Director, who saw the project through to completion, says we may want to make some further improvements to the dirt berms surrounding the Skate Park these seem to get a lot of use, as well. One of the reasons for selecting the Swanny City Park site was its high visibility, and its users certainly catch the eye of those traveling down 4th North or 1 st West There are some pretty complicated-lookin- g stunts being executed there. I encourage city residents to drop by and watch some of our talented It kids perform. was disappointed at the attendance at the evening session of last weeks seminar on lighting and light pollution. The afternoon session was fairly well attended, but the evening.uessJon, which promised a recap of the day's offerings, culminating with a trip up on Moabs Skyway, didnt attract the local businessmen and others we had hoped fo see, who often feel they are left out of the ordinance decision-makin- g process. The need for a light ordinance was first expressed by the citizens' group formed to examine the city sign code. During the course of the tour of down groups night-tim- e I town, several participants expressed concern about specific lighting overkill." To follow up on that expression of concern. City Planning Aide Janet Lowe (who spearheaded the Sign Code citizens' review group) attended the Association International Dark-Sk(IDA) conference in Tucson. There she met Bob Gent, IDA Public Relations Officer, and asked him to bring his presentation to Moab. y Last week's seminar, called the 21 st Century" offered some really useful information. Mr. Gent, a retired Air Force lieu"Lighting Moab for tenant colonel, travels throughout the country making these presentations for no pay, just his expenses. His enthusiasm for his subject was contagious and convincing. I wont take more space to mention some of the points he made, but Im sure those attending came away with a fresh and positive perspective of quality lighting for Moab. The city has contracted with Janet to work on a draft of a light ordinance, and know she would be pleased to answer any questions residents might have about it I Work is finally beginning on the Millcreek Parkway. In order to fix something, you often have to tear it down to begin, and thats what the city is having to do to remedy that damage. know we could use a good summer rain, but lets keep our fingers crossed that we can avoid any more flooding till the repair work is finished! I 25 i, Ken Denny, Streets Superintendent, wanted me to thank all of you pedaling perio news and views bicycle-relate- d really appreciate that! There are presently vacancies on the City Board of Adjustments and Shade Tree Commission. If you are interested in serving your community on either of these boards, please bring a letter of interest to City Recorder Rachel Ellison at City Hall. the citys annual Summer Celebration won't be taking place this year for several reasons. Plans are underIt's probably obvious that way to duplicate last year's New Year's Eve party (without the Y2K emphasis) but of course that is not quite a substitute. People have (again) expressed a desire to have a celebration for either the 4th or 24th of July. When we first moved to Moab, there was a celebration on the 24th, including a parade. It has been difficult to get a commitment from city employees for all day event on the 4th, since that is so often a day when families go to the mountains, etc., and past City Summer Celebrations have by Ron Georg quired employee participation for preparation, as well as help from county personnel and other volunteers for serving food, etc. Maybe we can all work together and local organizations and revive a special event in Swanny Park for July 4 or 24 . If we begin early enough, we should be able to pull it off. If you or your organization are interested, let me city, county know. can be reached at 115 West 200 South, or at ") Off-Roa- d cross-countr- cross-countr- y first-plac- e n energ- y-sapping Riding for Love If you ran into Rim Cyclerys Dave Montgomery last spring, he prob 259-512- mayor moab. state.ut.us. ably hit you up for cash. I know he tagged me for ten bucks. But it wasnt because he was running low on acorns after a long winter. Montgomery was looking for donations to sponsor his ride with partner Susan Jett in the annual Best Dam MS 150 Bike Tour in Logan June 24 and 25. The two-daevent is a huge fundraiser for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society Utah Chapter. This year 1,100 riders brought in $334,000 to the group. Jett, who is usually holed up in the Nichols Outfitters reservations office, raised an impressive $400 donation for the cause. But its hard to compete with Montgomerys position at Rim, where he could corral visitors on his way to a $1,400 total. While the final numbers arent in yet, this is among the largest donations from the tour. Already this story has more numbers in it than Id usually include in about four columns which is ironic, because the bottom line here isnt about money at all. Over 10,000 people in Utah are living with Multiple Sclerosis, a degenerative disease which affects the central nervous system. Jetts mother, who lives in Arizona, is working to control the symptoms of MS. Shes on medication that the Multiple Sclerosis Society helped test and push through the FDA, and its helping," Jett said. Folks like Jett and Montgomery could simply sit home and do their setting out coin jars and the like. Instead, they ride. Sweating your way toward a goal provides focus and clarity, while offering outsiders a glimpse of your commitment and devotion. Im used to bike touring where youre lucky if people arent throwing rocks at you," Jett notes. But the local support here is amazing. People are offering you food and water; children line the route cheering and clapping. It is by far the best bike event Ive been part of." While Jett and Montgomery raised a huge pile of cash, and others show up with teams and support, Jett was most impressed by the who step up for the Dam Tour. Many of the people who do this are doing it as support for friends or family with MS. They show up on Huffys, without much riding experience. Its a huge commitment for them because of their equipment and fitness, but they struggle through to demonstrate their support. Thats truly impressive." You can reach me with comments or information regarding this column at My email address is ontwowheeIslasal.net. 150-mi- y, Hey, Ron Georg, do you Riding for glory know this chick from Moab Cyclery? My friend Pete (who uses my name as though it were hyphenwas calling from Washingated, like he a owns ton, where lodge at the base of Crystal Mountain. She was here for the races last week, and she rips! Cmon, you know who Im talking about shes got this weird name..." Up to that point I must have been nodding off in my coffee. I knew Zephanie Blasi was gaining a local reputation as an exceptional rider, but I didnt realize people around the country were trying hard to remember her name. Currently ranked sixth in the nation in the expert class, Blasi will be flying the Moab Cyclery colors at the National Bicycle Association finals at Mammoth Mountain in California. With fourth-plac- e y finishes in the at Snow Summit and Crystal Mountain, as well as a third at Deer Valley, Blasi is a strong contender. Regardless of the outcome at Mammoth, Blasi will really get a chance to make a name for herself next season, when she joins the pro ranks. With a solid backand downhill, the ground in both racer will be one to watch next year. Jf die stays with Moab Cyclery, shell be joining JJL Thompson on the pro circuit . So far this season, Thompson has been on the podium five times, including a huge win at the Steamboat Springs race series, where Thompson was riding before a home-towcrowd. Of the races Thompson has completed this season, he hasnt finished lower than 15th. Hes posting the sort of numbers youd expect to see from an Olympic hopeful and hes been doing it with a dose of giardia in his gut. Once hes cleared out this little bug, expect even bigger things from Thompson. For now, look for him on top of the podium at the Mountain States Cup Award ceremony at the end of the season. Thompson is currently second in the race for this regional title, which crowns the top riders from Colorado, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Wyoming. re- foil city I I AOn Two iical Wheels of Billy-Bob- by Ron Drake perfect sense. Proud to be a graduate of Grand County High School nt Castle Valley Comments It may seem simplistic and inane to some; to those of us reared in Moab, its restoration makes Dear Sam and Adrien: I was very gratified, and grateful, to read the G has been restored to its place of honor, high on the cliffs of beautiful Moab. No matter where Ive lived, Washington DC, New York, Florida, Nevada, Moab will always be home and rounding that corner and not seeing the G" w ould be regrettable. point-of-conta- le ct fund-raisin- g, non-cyclis- ts 259-305- 2. I |