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Show PageA9 Dear Editor: Let me give a big Hurrah for the Grand Education Association I admire all of the teachers in our district this week who decided to educate instead of strike on Tuesday. It was their chance to follow suit and go along with the Utah Education Association, but they decided to take other measures. I see this as really caring about the students in our community. Yes, there are always a few exceptions, but I believe that overall, we have some of the best teachers in the state right here in Moab, Utah. On behalf of many canng parents, Thanks! A proud parent of Grand County students, Suzy Gordon Moab Sierra Club comments Dear Editors, The developers of the proposed Cloudrock resort will shortly begin seeking approval of their project to build a lodge, luxury condominiums and homes on state trust lands on mesa. As an Johnsons organization dedicated to protection of the natural and human environment, we are concerned that this carefully at this proposal, and to work with citizens to ensure that the health and integrity of cur community are protected Petra Hegger for the Glen Canyon Group, Sierra Club Clarifying a few things Dear Editor, Hearing some misunderstandings regarding the intention and purpose of the Moab Citizens Alliance, compels me to write to clarify a few things. Most importantly, we are not anti-ricor haters of the wealthy. Our concern is focused on what the implications this development will have on those living here year round. All we must do is look to neighboring towns whove been faced with this choice to see the community impact of second home developments. Who wins when this happens? Not the local community who intended to stay and continue to make those places home. There are those who stand to make a profit off of this type of development, they tell us, hey we will make more money on our property w hen we leave." But what if we dont want to leave Moab is the place I want to stay, and I want to be able to raise my sen here. By choosing h long-ter- m type developments, we would be creating a situation where this is not realistically possible for many of us. Housing cost is already high in Moab, and wages are extremely low. This type of development will only add to this problem. Those of us who sacrifice better wages, better opportunity for employment, bettci access to education, and lower cost of housing will not gain anything from this development. So, let me be clear, we do not hate the rich, Cloudrock, or Michael Liss, we are merely asking to look into the issue of HOW we are choosing to develop in this county. The MCA is pro development, pro growth, but we want to choose growth that truly benefits all of us who are working hard to live and grow in this community. We do have a right to choose to develop in a way that will benefit the local community as a whole. And it is our hope that the Moab Citizens Alliance could serve the community by building a working relationship with our local government, and SITLA, toward creating options for development that second-hom- development will adversely impact our community in several ways' Water: The City of Moab depends on water coming from faults directly under Johnsons Will development on Johnsons contaminate our culinary water? Providing water to Cloudrock at current costs will make future development in the valley more expensive when p. additional, more costly water sources will need to be found. Will local families find it more difficult to build homes in this area? Access: The developers of Cloudrock promote it as an exclusive community, stating that the success of the development hinges on control of the mesa in its entirety." Will the public continue to have access to the mesa and Mill Creek Canyon? Rim ViewsLighting: Our canare an important, sensitive rims yon and limited resource. Will our view of the La Sals and night skies be impaired by lights and structures on the mesa? Will Cloudrock be visible ' from Mill Creek Canyon? i Finally, we are concerned that this development will take ub further in the direction of becoming a resort community, with increasing land values making it more difficult for local families to continue to live in this area. We value the character and diversity of our community, and understand that our fragile desert environment must be treated with care. These are serious concerns, and they deserve serious attention. We urge the county planning commission and council to look e would promote growth iDmrs--3lit&rpfnbf- Thursday, December 7, 2000 ut A different reality Letters to the Editor Hats off to teachers tElic Dear Editor, When I arrived in MoobjuM over a year ago, 1 quickly fell m kve with everything about this community Never before had I lived somewhere so beautiful and so wonderful Re- cently, I have been introduced to a world I never realized existed in this community On the surface Moab is a wonderfully amazing place, but underneath that beautiful extenor is a very different reality About five months ago I accepted a volunteer position at the Grand County Children's Justice Center here in Moab Before I applied for the job I did not know the center existed or w hat they did, and being their PR person I know that many others still dont and 1 btheve that if mure psiqle were aware of this epidemic, we as a community would tie able to impact the lives of our hurting childrt n in a positive way Increasing awart-nes- s of the abuse that oti urs and the factors that contribute to it is a goal of mine and of the CJC In ordt r to accomplish this goal we would like to run a series of articles containing information for the general public so that we may educate Grand County community members about the seriousness of our problem and give them ways to help I sincerely hope that this outreach of education will tie accepted by the community and wih in turn help our children Sincerely, Leah Nose k Grand County Children's Justice Center VISTA Ed Mktg Sena, No. there is not currently a Spanish Valley Collaboration ready and willing to buy land for open space Perhaps there might have been if SITLA hadnt been so sleazily sly and unforthcoming with their plans SITLA consulted with ply it MUST be developed It is not required that every piece of owned land in this area be developed, nor is it desirable. Although Im sure the Moab Citizens All ance wouldn't mind being called elitist if thats all it took to exert influence, authority or decisive power, I dont believe that they are the minority group in this community Sena, there are at least two sides to this issue Don't close your mind to the side you dont agree with Anyway, the opponents dont refer to those Cloudrock people as y Castle Valley, they re trying to shove Cloudrock down our thioats with no care as to how it w ill affect our com- munity As you mentioned Cloudrock opponents state a resort industry not provide a stable economy We already know that in Moab There are many people in the tourist industry w ith at least twojobs and still barely making it You ask what opponents would prefer to see on w til Continued on next page The CJC is a place w here children who may be victims of child abuse are interviewed in a child friendly neutral setting Since I have begun working here, my eyes have been opened to the harsh reality of child abuse in our community. 1 have been overwhelmed and amazed by the amount of abuse that occurs in Grand County Some may not believe this, but it is true Grand C ounty has the highest rate of reported abuse in the state of Utah, but an average rate of substantiation Li other words, Grand County DCFS receives mare reports on average w hen compared with the rest of the state, but the rate of cases actually proven to be true is about the same as other Utah communities Over the past year and a half the Grand County CJC has seen 65 cases and more than half have been substantiated. Learning these statistics blew me away I had no idea that so many children were being hurt in this community. My friends, like me, are often shocked when I share these statistics with them. Child abuse is a very real problem in this community Open for lunch pm Monday - Saturday ... plus per-capi- $3 sandwiches pickles including chips Cet us ease your holiday stress! do the i catering for your holiday parties We'll 1 Dinner served from 4:30 till close Closed Sundays 36 S. 100 W Moab ft r 259-430- 2 7 great thing about free checking from Zions Bank is all the extras that come with o it. friendly snules of people who know that keeps Zions m business And Things like Am rly 200 from (her hull soma1 bramhe i in frotery tlori.t with e tended hours and weekind sernre Thank You, Gates a day, hlephouc hanking ma&ji) Moab Citizens Alliance (?2g (!K0(j)o a wcilt Oih of the iiithior)'' most adoamed internit banking serenes A widi ilioin of loneenient financial prodiitls and i rents, nn huhuy and iiMiraine. And to top off everything, well take the hassle out of switching Just call give us some basic C information and we'll fill out the forms for you. Then all youll need to do is stop by a branch to sign the transfer papers Well handle the rest Its that easy Keeping the whole process quick and painless is just one HOLIDAYS. more way we show we havent Humane Society of forgotten joining with shelters and rescue groups across Utah for Homt tor tho Holidays, a statewide event brandies in NO neighborhood practnally evtry in n;hborhoo(l in I lah and Idaho .FOR THE J free A I Ms throughout I 'tah and Idaho ineeslinents Valley all the things that make it easy to get to your money whenever you need it. a Th The warm hellos and you and your specific needs. The understanding that its your money Molly BRNG ME HOME 30-- 2 1 1 Daily Specials ... WITHIN Grand County. Just because Moab is a tourism-base- d economy doesnt mean that we cannot choose to diversify, and focus on protecting the interests of those who live here. And the Moab Citizens Alliance hopes to find ways to help this happen. 11 Johnsons Up on Top How about a state park Open space is what is needed, not buildings and light With your statement of a factory or hundreds of homesites you im- SITLA is sleazily sly who keeps us in business. f. f organized to find homes (or more than 1,800 animals' season. holiday homeless this MAKE THE QUICK SWITCH, ? Call the Humane Society of Moab Valley for a wide variety of dogs, cats, puppies and kittens, and they will help you find the perfect pet this holiday season. Become a part ot the solution to the pet overpopulation problem and give the gift of life, give a homeless Phone PETS e COPY 1 A 11 f'W.1. I s iimrs you mini oil llir tine auiunil hour Soeial St airily or la I I) iiuiiibir Your mailing uddresr (259-486- 2) HOMELESS if following information v NO MORE H deposits and withdrawals. sail us with the pet a Homo for tho Holidays. 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