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Show Se C7 The Salt Lake Tribune UTAH Friday, January 22, 1999 Some MoabLocals Resentful of ‘Yuppie Scum’ “The people in the trucks threw beer bottles [at campers] and shouted, "Yuppie scum, go home.’ No one got a Some vandalism at recreation area could be blamedonresidents upset over new fees, tourists at mountain biketrail park : BY LISA CHURCH SPECIAL TO THE TRIBUNE MOAB — The Bureau of Land Managementis offering a $2,000 reward for those responsible for shdbting up the fee booth at the Sand Flats Recreatiott!Area just east of Moab. For the third time since October, someonefired shotsinto the empty fee booth at the entranceto the rawhich includes the popular Slick Rock Bike a he latest shooting, earlier this month, came from different caliber of weapon, and Grand County and dragged it arounduntil it was destroyed.” Smith also talks of trees being uprooted and burned at party sites along with picnictables. There also have been incidents of people intentionally driving through occupied campsites. In one suchincident, three pickup trucks roared through a camp at 3 a.m. “The people in the trucks threwbeerbottles [at campers] and shouted, ‘Yuppie scum, go home,’ ” says Smith. “No one gota license plate number, but the trucks had Utah plates. We believe they were locais.” sheriff's Deputy Doug Squire says investigators do ndt believe the shootings are by the same person or Staff workers say since a $5 per-vehicle admission fee was imposed in 1995, they have continually en- P having to pay to go to the area. County Administrator David Hutchinson says Eicce says officers have no leads and are asking for the public’s help. fontributing to the rewardis the groupof volunteers and managersof the recreation area who say ingolent behavior by somevisitors is nothing new. Last year, acts of vandalism cost $7,000, draining counteredresistance from arearesidents who resent therewill always be those whowantto foul their cwn nest. “They've got hostility towards the Sand Flats license plate number, but the trucks SandFlats Recreation Area program director Smith points out that not all the vandalism is causedbyarea residents, but believes the moredis- nee cals. Thereis little his staff can do when members see dents in and around Moab, where tourism is a major economic force someone committing vandalism, says Smith. Because they have no law-enforcement authority, they have DeLaysays the Travel Council plans to conduct a survey of county residents to determine how many are unhappywith the growing presenceof tourists in turbingacts like the shootings are committed by lo- to contact the BLM or county sheriff. There is no rational reason for residents in the county to be angry over paying for the recreation area, says Smith, since Sand Flats offers an annual pass, which normally costs $20, to anyone wishing to perform volunteer work. pass. as says the boothis not the onlytarget. The fees raise about $200,000 a year, which goes back into the Moab community, pays for maintaining the park and goesinto the state’s school trust-lands tithes,” he says. “They've shot thetoilet at Porcupine Rin andpulled the kiosk up there ontof the ground “The people whoare least interested in changes and regulations are probably those who are the most disenfranchised by the type of growth we've had in el Council, saysif thereis an anti-tourist faction, it is small and does not represent the majority of resi- ‘We've hadthe signs at the Porcupine Rimtrail héhd shot up or ripped out of the ground several dents who used to have free access to the area. the area. In conjunction with the county's Economic Development Council, DeLaysays the Travel Council also is looking at ways to create more year-round jobs less dependenton tourism. “If you don’t have $20, but will help for a few hours, we'll give you a pass,” says Smith, adding two to three dozen people a year volunteerto workfor a Somethink the fees give the park an exclusivity that caters to tourists at the expense of area resi- bikers,” he says. ‘hael Smith tors go away.” team, and towardthetourists, especially [mountain] away about90 percentof the park's budget. Michael Smith, program director ofthe recreation had Utah plates. We believe they were locals.” Grand County,” says Hutchinson. “Taxes andprices keep going up and wages haven't necessarily increased. So some people would just as soon thevisi- fund. Marian DeLay, director of the Grand County Trav- Ber Knight, president of the off-road vehicle club Red Rock 4-Wheelers, says members are pleased with the changesthat have taken place at Sand Flats in the past few years. “Weusethetrails in that area quite a lot during the Easter Jeep Safari and other times. We didn’t want to see the place trashed anymore.” Knight says. “The comments I’ve heard from my group have been positive. There may be people who don't like having to pay fees, but I haven’t heard them speak up about it.” Sundance: Film Fest Opens | With AltmanFlick | There are hundredsof @Vontinued from C-1 watch low-budget movies and scOut up-and-coming talent. Film festivals like Sundance arg “probably the most important thing in our trying to hold the art off (filmmaking! together,” Alt- reasons to get DIRECTV’ and USSB° | | "ral TWime, mS mn said. “Without it, you could onyread the ads — and we would fogever be on some spaceship with someslimy monsters.” fore there was a nameforit (with suth movies as “Nashville” and aul cu Oeam * ai2 IND co MULTICHANNE The 73-year-old Altman, who was makingindependent film be- CHANNEL CSPAN “M*A*S*H”), was on hand at Abravanel Hall to introduce his latest movie, “Cookie’s Fortune.” BMAsin.jawsTae Time dytdramais set in a sleepy Mississippi town, where the local matriareh (Patricia Neal) does something that her THE HISTORY CHANNEL - M om The offbeat and absorbing come- estranged dafighters (Glenn Close and Ju- ESrii7 Rp ON.oT | Tedetsion for Women Classic T¥ E®) gry a Hat <U> pe eT lianne Moore) quicklytry to cover sparking a chain of events es up the town and obliquelyi raises issues about family, friendship andrace. Itman’sfilm brought a large dese of star powerto the ee ieee All this and tons more. tighl, with Close andco-stars Liv Tier, Charles S: Dutton and Courtney B. Vance joining their disector onstage. The most ap- We're giving you a couple hundred more. plause before the film went to Né@al, 73, who took the stage proudly if precariously, firmly gripping a cane in one hand and th® drmof herco-star, singer Lyle Lovett,with the other. ‘Others attending the premiere, and parties before and after, in- cliided actors Aidan Quinn and Roma Downey, Gov. Mike Leavitt, Salt Lake Mayor Deedee Corra- dini and composer Kurt Bestor. Altmanconceded thestar-stud- défi premiere had anulterior mo- tive: “I'mkind of a Judas goat, or a leader item, to give attention to thé real reason for thesefestivals —ndthat’sall the films that are hepg by filmmakers whose names youdo not know, but will.” Those filmmakers were singled out for praise by Sundance Insti- tute founder Robert Redford. It’s the celebration of the art ist that we're about,” Redford sa{d'in opening remarks Thurs- day. The actor-director (who notedehis work with Altman in their 1950s television days) warned that the films at this year's festival “are stories that for some people will be thrilling, for some people will be appalling. It will never be dull, and that’s the way wé likeit.” The 180 films that start un- spooling today in Park City (and MORECHOICEAccess to over 200 channels. MORE MOVIESAccess to thousands of movies a month, 4 STARZ! channels and at'screens in Ogden, Provo Canyop and Salt Lake City) are likely toethrill and appall. 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