OCR Text |
Show The Page A7 QJimfg-3nbrprnbc- Thursday, September 28, 2000 nt Letters to the Editors Register to vote Dear Sam and Adrien: I recently received a newsletter from a band in Arizona, and was impressed to see them reminding everyone how important this years vote will be. They even took the time to list the contact information for each county in their state! In doing my little part. Id like to remind everyone that our next president is likely to appoint up to three Supreme Court justices, who will shape the future of Times-Independe- our country for the next 20 years. TV ENTY years! The local elections are no less important. I'd like to encourage your readers to be certain they are registered (and at the correct address) so they are eligible to make their voices heard. You can check your registration status by calling the Grand County Clerk s office at Dont wait - get registered, learn about the candidates (the local League of Women Voters Candidate Forum is a great place to start), and VOTE! 259-132- 1. Thanks Sue Husch Moab Why are those water bills so high? Dear 71 readers: Hey, did you enjoy paying that water bill last month? A bill that increased over other montlis bills. . .Well guess what? Get used to paying increasing water bills in the near future, compliments to Grand Water and Sewer Agency and School and Institutional Trust Land Administration. Why? Well, that Cloudrock resort development on Johnsons Up on Tbp, which includes three new motels and extensive residential development, will have a large demand on a finite water source. I guess Grand Water and Sewer Agency and State Land Trust want to help the rich outsiders enjoy unlimited water for their plush homes, large pools, etc. Who's going to pay for this? All the poor people here in Moab Goodbye to Moab who work for a low wage job servicing this upscale resort on state land; our land. I have some questions to ask. Why was all this planning done without public input? Why doesn't the State Land Trust consider using our land for housing instead ofhigh-pric- e Water ad Sewer Grand development? Why doesn't the their conservation as water consider top priority? Agency This country needs a citizen's watch group to monilow-inco- tor these public agencies. Irresponsible development puts too much of a burden on the locals, as far as paying for water. And, oh yes, why did those water bills go up so much last month? Michael Sherer Moab cause: her guidance or example I wouldnt be where am today. I also appreciate my employers from the job. Without I Dear Editor: In 1977, when my parents moved our family from California to Castle Valley, they brought me, screaming and kicking because I didn't want to move to this small town. However, 20 years later, I need to move and leaving my family, friends and home here has been very difficult. I have a lot to be grateful for and feel I owe it to the fine people of Grand County. It is for what I have learned here and those I have known that Color Country Community Housing in St. George offered me this great opportunity in affordable housing. I need to thank many people but wont name names in case I misspell or leave one out. Still, I hope you know who you are. First, thanks to the teachers at Grand County High and Moabs Center for Higher Education for giving me the skills to survive on my own. I especially need to thank my mentor formerly at CEU. She encouraged me to focus my education in business administration, recommended the right classes, and gave me my first office motels, mortgage company, college, gift shops, to housing for giving me the opportunity to improve my circumstances and continue to increase my business skills. All the fellow employees, contractors, suppliers and fami lies I worked with over the years, I learned so much from each of you. I especially enjoyed the hands on time working with others building their houses. All the homes look so good, you and the community should be proud I am especially indebted to my Castle Valley and Third Wards families for their unconditional love, kindness and compassionate service. Now, most importantly, I am grateful for my family for their love and support, my daughters, my sisters and their families, my and in particular my parents, Ken and Ruth Johnson for being the two greatest people on earth. So Grand County, pat yourself on the back, you did well by me and will be sorely missed. Debra Johnson Officer St. George, UT s, Accept and respect differences among all people Dear Editor, I am writing in response to the Matt Gluth letter in the Sept. 21 issue. Matt believes he has seen the world and yet he harbors such a narrow mindset its phenomenal. I do not wish his negativity and racism on anyone. His letter is filled with gross stereotypes and generalizations. All people who use slang or ebonies do NOT go around shooting people. Yes, all children should have an opportunity to learn English but they should also be encouraged to learn foreign languages. Language is a Slang sets us apart in groups huge part of and also brings us together. Groups such as the NAACP and the ACLU work hard to ensure that people have a voice. Im not sure what the lies are he thinks we are being fed but I think he is the one that needs to wake up. The sooner we begin to accept and respect the differences of all walks of life the sooner we can escape our ignorance and truly look at what is happening outside Moab. Jessica OLeary , Moab, via email r Do we want to become another Aspen, Telluride or Park City? Tb The Editor, In reading the recent Times lndependent story about the proposed development of the Cloudrock Desert Lodge on Johnson's Up on Tbp one thought came to mind. Is Moab going to become another Aspen, Park City or Telluride? Let us hope not. This proposed development, of course, has the eyes of the county lighting up with dollars. The potential taxes levied on a development of this magnitude are huge but before venturing forward and approving such a development the pros and cons need to be considered. Most decisions made by those in planning are driven by economics. This development will undoubtedly create many new jobs initially in construction and latterly in service positions. That may help a long way in reducing the six percent unemployment in Grand County (one of the highest rates in the Btate). No doubt the developers will use this as a way to persuade the county to grant approval for their project. However this development will have cultural, Bccial and environmental effects withir the county. The greatest of these is undoubtedly our most precious commodity, water. How much water will be consumed by the resort is a critical question. How much will the cost of getting the water to the resort be? Will the county end up paying for this through increased taxation? Other considerations must be what will the long-teraffect of developments such as this be on the community? Luckily the council can look at what has happened to other towns that have experienced this type of investment Aspen used to have a similar feel to Moab back in the 1960s before the advent of big money. The influx of wealth eventually drove the price of real estate to the point that few residents could afford. Now over 60 percent of the Aspen workforce lives outside of m Aspen. The average home price there is over $ 1,000,000. Pretty expensive when working in the service industry. Aspen as a result is no longer the community it once was. The soul of the town is gone and it has become a playground for the rich, full of part-tim- e residents living in second, third or forth homes. Does Moab and Grand County want to follow a similar path? I appeal to all the residents of the county to seriously consider the impact of this development on their community. Go take a road trip to Tblluride or Aspen and look at what has happened there. Talk to those who either are forced with daily commutes to work because they can no longer afford to live there or pay $1,000 a month for an apartment. These towns are faced with a constant struggle to find employees. There are alternatives to boosting the economy other than selling out to big developers. It is easy to say yes when the only focus is money. When will the county realize that it not only has a responsibility financially to its residents but is also responsible for its social welfare? If the rich want a true wilderness experience then I suggest they go out and camp. It is unlikely they will resort or spa. Lets experience wilderness in a fill the hotel beds we already have within our existing infrastructure before we aliow any new development. Moab is one of the greatest places on the planet. I plead to everyone not to allow it to be spoiled by greed and If you agree with me then speak up and be heard. Talk to your elected officials and tell them what you want. Channel your energy and maybe we can keep the county the community it is and prevent it from becoming an Aspen, Park City or Telluride. Sincerely, Howard Trenholme Moab full-servi- short-sightednes- s. Hooray to all past and present MICwithgardeners desert Dear Editor, In response to the letter from the man from Dallas concerning the Moab Information Center gardens: We Russian Olives seem out of agree that the demonstration garplace in a desert plant, den. But we disagree with everything else stated. We find the gardens to be an oasis in downtown Moab, and a beautiful, inviting display of the possibilities of land non-nati- plants. scaping Some people find green, mowed lawns and flowers in straight rows inviting. The desert is not like that, and those of us who love the desert, love its disarray. Hooray to all past and present MIC gardeners. Mary Moran, Heidi Wainer, Sarah Hamingson, Rebecca Scheu, Kristi Nichols Moab Offer is thinly disguised attempt to promote book Dear Sam & Adrien, I feel compelled to respond to Lee Bridgers' letter touting his mountain bike guidebook in support of Search and Rescue. In writing this letter I dont want in any way to detract from Grand County Search and Rescue and the tremendous time and effort they have spent aiding wayward folks in the backcountry. The Grand County Search and Rescue provides a valuable service for residents and visitors alike and deserves as much support as we can give. I think Lee Bridgers' support for Search and Rescue is a thinly veiled attempt to simply promote his book locally. His hope must be that Moab residents would look beyond what the book actually is, an inaccurate at best and slanderous at worst, diatribe that needlessly slams many local businesses and paints our community and its events in a less than favorable light I dont know if Mr. Bridgers feels that he cant promote his own business without presenting his opinion of everything that is wrong with Moab and other local businesses, but he obviously doesnt understand the underlying ideas behind ...if you cant say something nice about someone, dont say anything. by Utah Common Voices As Utahns we know the tremendous value of reaching out across cultures and lands to embrace others Initiative A could potentially create great suffering in Utah by drawing legal lines between English speakers and those who are not yet fluent in English. Public policies that put barriers between people lead to hostility, distrust, and isolation, reactions that will permeate our schools, businesses, and communities Initiative A could have disastrous impacts for Utah. English is already the common language of our nation and our state. A law declaring English as the official language in Utah will not help our government operate more efficiently, save money, help children learn, or speed the assimilation of immigrants. It will not prevent future problems or unify Utahns. It will establish potentially unconstitutional policies and expose Utah to costly legal challenges. Voting NO on Initiative A is important be- At a time when many in Moab feel that our tourism may be declining I think we should be giving visitors more reasons to come back and stay longer. Mr. Bridgers' book gives readers plenty of opportunities to think about not coming to Moab, and for that reason alone, I would urge local businesses and the Moab Information Center to promote n other guidebooks of the area to our visitors. Sincerely, Kirstin Peterson Moab well-wntte- Letters to the editor policy 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.. The from persons who write C curs Jrectu?r:t!v than once every four weeks. Tlntea-lnaepende- i nt 1 . It is an unnecessary government mandate that will interfere with local school and municipal control in Utah guest editorial nt communities Because Initiative A includes so many exceptions it will have no positive impacts on how our government works Furthermore, state agencies do not know how the law will impact them hence they may be exposed to legal challenges if they misinterpret the law. This is a hard to enforce and unnecessary law 2 It will cost Utahns millions in lawsuits because it will be challenged as unconstitutional. Initiative A will be the most restrictive Official English law in the nation if it passes. Arizona, Alabama, and Alaska are already caught up in expensive lawsuits trying to defend their Official English laws Utah taxpayers can expect to spend millions defending this poorly written and potentially unconstitutional law 3. It will not help Utah's immigrants become productive members of our communities If Initiative A becomes law, Utah will do away with vitally important language services that help immigrants learn English and become successful members of our communities. Without language services, immigrants have a harder time becoming Utahns 4 It is unfair, and mean-spirite- d, goes against Utah's spirit of tolerance and our missionary heritage Passing the nation's most restrictive Official English law will create an atmosphere of hostility and division in our communities. We don' want a hostile environment for Utah school children, during the Olympics, in business and trade, or in our communities People from around the world overcome great barriers to come to Utah looking for opportunities for themselves and their families Once here they continue to work hard to become part of our communities One of the first things new immigrants do is learn English, that is why English as a Second Language classes are filled to capacity with long waiting lists In just two generations, children of immigrants speak English as their first language We can be proud of the services we offer our newest residents that help them learn and use English as quickly as possible Yes, let's promote English, but let's not divide Utah. That is why voting NO on Initiative A makes sense Castle Valley Comments by Ron Drake Former Castle Valley resident Tony Contrerras suffered a heart attack last Aug. 8 and checked into the Veterans Hospital m Grand Junction, Colo He was transferred fo the University Hospital in Salt Lake City in critical condition where he stayed for a week before going back to Grand Junction. Tony returned to his Moab home Sunday, Aug, 24 and is feeling much better but is still weak after losing 14 pounds during his ordeal. We wish him well. Charlie Strebel, another former resident who is employed at the Red Cliff Ranch on S.R. 128 is also recuperating after surgery to fuse a couple of vertebrae in his neck. The operation took place in Salt Lake City two weeks ago and he is now home for several months of recuperation. In the meantime, his wife Misty gave birth to a seven pound, one ounce baby girl on Sunday, Sept. 1 7. Little Kylee Faye measured 19 A quote by Bern Williams in a re- cent issue of the Readers Digest states September tries its best to have us forget summer.'That passage came true this weekend as a nice soaking rain fell on the valley Saturday and left a blanket of snow on the mountains above us. As the skies cleared, cold temperatures remained and brought the thermometer down to mark. Richard around the Williams on Miller Lane recorded 31 degrees Monday morning and Doug LaMunyon noticed a puddle of ice at his Pace Lane residence quite a contrast from the previous week. A leak in the heater core of the school bus Monday morning resulted in a chilly ride to Moab for the valley's students but all seemed to be dressed warmly and survived the ordeal. I doubt that we will forget this past summer anytime soon, as warm temperatures are sure to return. and three quarters inches long. Mom and dad are both convalescing together at home and would probably appreciate a call. years ago, it was reported that Nancy Hotz, daughter of Earl and Nettie Hotz pedaling periodical bicycle-relate- news and views d By Ron Georg I want to be like...mom If youve ever sat down next to me at a bar, or if youve ever read this column all the way through, you know I like to stretch out a story. Every tale should have a little dramatic tension. Leading up to my recent vacation back east, I was sharing the bike tour details of my three-da- y with anyone who would listen. If a customer came into Poison Spider from Vermont, Massachusetts, or Connecticut, the states Id be covering, Id describe my route and pry them for information. But I'd always leave out one detail. The best way to stretch a story is to involve the audience, to keep them wondering. Inevitably, theyd ask, Who are you going with? "Well, my wife, Sue, is injured, so shell be driving support, and I'll be riding with my mother." Id toss that last part out like it should be obvious doesnt everyones mother e do bicycle tours? 200-mil- Our trip began in Vermont, where over 50 members of my extended family were gathering for my grandparents sixtieth wedding anniversary. While theyve all been doing well in the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness department, my family is typically American in another way this gathering was a collective example of modem, sedentary lifestyles. I'm not talking about sloth; theres hardly a lazy one in the bunch. Still, years of going from bed h to the car seat to the window to the office and back home to the couch have left them unaware of the potential of human power. So, when my parents and I rented mountain bikes one day at Stratton, we enjoyed the company of just a small handful of relatives. d cousMore of my all of whom are ins, younger than me, were opting for retired-peopl- e activities like fishing and golf. ShufHeboard cant be far off. All the while they expressed their incredulity at our upcoming adventure. I dont think they were drive-throug- twenty-some-od- I 1 From the dusty old files of twenty On Two Wheels of A was married to Gary Van Ausdle in Grand Junction. Don Bowthorpe was visiting his parents, Andy and Donna Bowthorpe, from Alaska wonder if he knew then that he would eventually live here Telephone service to the valley came a step closer with the installation of a large reflector on Porcupine Rim. Don and Shirley Glmes announced that their daughter, Sylvia, was selected to the international Folk dance team at BYU Fifteen years ago, Cori Ehlers and Kathy Skiles were called to serve LDS missions to Washington DC and Roanoke, Virginia respectively Property owners association board chairman Jame Tuft was looking for nominees for the board of directors for the 1985-8- 6 year. The town applied for a share of water from the Castle Valley Water Company ten years ago so the water truck could draw ditch water for the fiscal budvalleys roads. The 1990-9get was passed on the motion of John Groo, and Vali Smouse was hired as the town secretary. that I would be riding I do work as a bicycle guide. But more than a few had trouble hiding their doubts about moms abil- too surprised ity. I also knew, as we pedaled away on a chilly New England morning, that mom had her own doubts. 1 didnt. Every child knows his mother can do anything; Im fortunate that Ive never had to give up that childhood faith. My mom rides. Growing up in a world of convenience, I have always been inspired by that simple fact. Lees legacy Jn the aftermath of this summers tragedy on Porcupine Rim, where a young man died after getting separated from his group, people are wondering how to prevent a similar incident. The ideas are all well intended, but most fall short. The boys father is calling for better trail marking, but thats an almost impossible task in a place with such wide-opelandscape. Besides, trail markers often disappear, so relying on them is questionable. Others have suggested we need more where tourists can get the be prepared" message. But no matter how many bar napkins admonish visitors to carry water and a map, most will ignore it. The kiosk at the base of Porcupine Rim contains enough information to have prevented this tragedy, but it didnt help. n point-of-conta- ct However, Dreamrides Bike Tours owner Lee Bridgers has stepped up the informational campaign a notch by leaning on his publisher to provide free copies of his guidebook, Mountain Bike America: Moab" to the parents of any underagmountain bikers through the ' e-18 Moab Information Center. While the trail information in the book may or may not have kept this particular rider from losing his way (most riders are unwilling to pack along large guidebooks), the warnings in the front of Bridgers book could have helped this family understand the potential dangers of riding in the desert. Had they carried a little more water, and stayed together during their ride, this could have been prevented. Bridgers expresses the need to be prepared in the desert in no uncertain terms. His advice, from the point of view of a local guide, might carry more weight than an anonymous kiosk. In case it doesnt, hell be donating the profits from the local sales of his book to Grand County Search and Rescue. Trail mix? While the first meeting of the Grand County trails committee was mostly just to get acquainted, the new committee holds great promise. With members from the city and county councils, as well as UDOT, the Forest Service, the Travel Council and others, this group comes with a political voice as well as a broad scope. The committee still doesnt have a name; Trail Mix" was tossed out at the first meeting, although in the interest of generating grant money most people seemed more inclined toward something bureaucratic and descriptive instead of a clever handle. However, that will just be a minor point at the next meeting, when members are supposed to show up prepared to talk about their own perceived needs around town. That meeting should provide about an entire winters worth of On Two Wheels fodder. Ill send a bouquet Since the County Council got beat up in last weeks paper for their decision not to help the state fund a highway bypass for Moab, Id like to offer a different perspective. The Utah Department of Transportation has big plans to help accommodate truck traffic through Moab. Well, this is the same government body that chastised us for holding up truck traffic so we could have a Christmas parade. Its obvious where their affections lie and its not with smalltown life. So, my own personal bouquet to the County Council for rejecting UDOTs scheme to make Moab a throughway for interstate trucking. The only solution is to close Highway 191 to all but local truck traffic. You can contact me with comments or information regarding this column at or email me at ontwowheelslasal.net. 259-305- X |