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Show TJKMitMMiaiMwMiiBiMiiMt--illMda- a lit qrrnwxiH w 11 rn 1 Page 2 Messenger-Enterpris- - fr -- - S Thursday, December 9, 1999 e Letters to the Editor We invite Letters to the Editor from our readers. Letters must be signed, in good taste, and limited to 500 words. We reserve the nght to edit letters to meet space requirements No more than one letter per person per month will be published. The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer and do not necessanly reflect the opinions of this newspaper or its staff. Last weeks column addressed an issue on w hich 1 have strong feelings; the Manti siren. I li ed with that siren for 20 years, and am glad it is gone. My column generated several calls and visits to the newspaper office, as have other columns I have written, both in favor of w hat I had said and against. One subscriber was so offended by my column that he cancelled his subscription. Conversely, another subscriber thanked me, and said he agreed with my view. I have a perfect right to my opinion, and 1 don't hesitate to express it. Likewise, those with differing opinions have the same right. That is the beauty of this system; we call it freedom of the press, and it is so important that the founding fathers protected it in the United States Constitution. My intent in writing columns is to address local issues, and encourage discussion; not to offend people. Strong feelings create strong reactions. I admit that I may have worded my opinions too strongly last week, and I apologize if I offended any readers by being too blunt. 'lour local newspaper is indeed meant to be a forum for ions as well as facts. We place stories which deal only with facts in the news sections of the paper; the front page, and the rest of the newspaper, except for the editorial page. That page is reserved for the expressing of opinions, and discussions of issues that may not be based in facts. Some columns are humorous, like Beverlys and Maxs Trivia column, or informative, like Karens Komers. 1 try to discuss germane issues the community is facing in my column, even though some of those issues are bound to be touchy. When a writer gives the newspaper's view, it is called an editorial. Editorials represent the opinion of the newspaper staff, do not carry a byline, and are discussed among the columns writer, the editor, and possibly other staff members. My column is my opinion, and carries my byline. It does not represent the newspaper's view. If you violently disagreed with my article last week, please respond with a Letter to the Editor, to express your own view. Opinions are part of life, and diversity should be valued, not shunned. Many other issues I will discuss may be emotionally charged. The columns I wrote about wearing motorcycle helmets and cycle safety provoked strong reactions. I dont claim that my opinions are right and yours are wrong. That diversity of opinion should be cherished and protected. This freedom of the press thus comes full circle with your right to submit Letters to the Editor. We published germane Letters to the, Editor from as well. You may address yourself to any issue you choose. Hopefully, you have strong opinions about it. Let us hear from you. Usually, the only editing we perform on Letters to the Editor is grammar; (spelling and punctuation). If there is something in a Letter that would consitute libel, or be in poor taste, we may try to contact the writer to discuss solutions, but generally we simply run Letters just as they come to us. We want all our subscribers to interact with us. Dont just take the paper, get upset about something you read, and do nothing. Do something! Pull out a paper and pencil and put your feelings to paper. Mail it in to us, sign it, and we will publish it, as long as it follows the rules set forth for Letters. We have published many Letters critical to our own opinions, even critical of the newspaper itself. Likewise, we make mistakes, and freely admit it when we do so. When we make mistakes, we publish correction notices, usually on the front page. Why do you subscribe to the paper1? Is it just to read the front page, the editorials, the society page, or the sports section? Is it to read the local ads and find out local specials? Get involved! We are not the final authority on anything, but we hope we are an unbiased and fair sounding board. Lets hear from you! WEATHER for the Manti area Reported by Lee J. Anderson Date Max. Min. Prec. Snc Mon, Nov. Tue, Nov. Wed., Dec. Thu., Dec. Fri., Dec. Sat., Dec. Sun., Dec. 29 60 30 56 56 2 38 3 28 4 33 5 38 - 29 33 29 21 1 .05 1 trace 20 .12 12 - 11 - 1 Kudos to citizens for cleanup To the Editor: and blustery' as made my daily trip down town but as I took time to stop and look around, truly, I was wanned and It was cold 1 filled. Main Street, for a long time, has been on a downhill slide and I hope it hit the bottom. While 1 slept, there have been good things happening. President Kimball 46 years and I have been saddened as I have witnessed the demise and fall of these places that were home for so many memories. But that was yesterday! 1 dont know where or when it started but Sanpete has had a rebirth and I think its wonderful. I admire the people in Moroni for their Scandinavian persistence counselled us several years ago to in going ahead with the Olde "clean up, paint up and fix up. Opry House. I see the same kind Were a little slow responding to of things happening in other comhis call, but it is happening. What munities throughout the county. I stirred up these thoughts today was have been especially pleased to to see the first step being taken learn that Fountain Green and toward the restoration of the old Moroni have now been annexed Show Hall". What interesting stointo this corridor. This is as it ries could be told if we could reshould be because of the easy aclive or ll the happenings in cess to the Freeway and Founthis and the old dance hall. tain Green and Moroni are the first I salute and applaud the DUP places in Sanpete that many people for what they have done and are will see. I think our two commustill doing to the old Tithing Of- nities will be equal to this chalfice. The same could be said of the lenge and opportunity. old Fountain Green Garage and the I have seen the results of this Seeley and Whitaker store buildkind of craft planning in easting across the street. But that isnt all. I look at the many new homes ern Tennessee, especially around and also the older homes that are Gatlinburg and the economic imand yards cleaned pact in the whole area has been trehaving face-lift- s and beautified. The number of mendous. Its true, we will not beautiful homes and gardens in all likely ever have the numbers of our communities is increasing people they have to deal with. But each year. I grew up in Fountain w ho knows? They had 1 00 years Green and remember well when head start. re-te- these buildings and businesses were flourishing. I Gayle Yorgason Fountain Green, Utah was away for Ridiculous siren tradition tradition. To the Editor: town hope it never happens, but if the siren is voted back in again, I would suggest that it be removed from the pole behind my house and placed in the backyards of those in favor of this ridiculous, loud, and very intrusive small would prefer the choice of whether or not to sleep in on any given morning past 8 a.m. With the siren blaring through my house, sleeping in is never an option. Dr. Halvard Davidson Manti I I Siren not necessary To the Editor: want to express my agreement with Lloyd Calls column in the Thursday, December 2 issue of the Manti Messenger. Blasting the siren at 8 a.m. for testing is I not really necessary. Our local volunteer firefighters can use pagers, cell phones or even regular phones as a back up if necessary in notification of a fire. That would limit disturbing others and cut down on curious onlookers that often hamper firefighting efforts. If the siren is to be used at all it should be used as a tornado warning. Anybody who thinks w e have no tornadoes in Utah has not been following the news. It could wm A Family Affair By Beverly Call With four small children now to deal with Im definitely Livin La Vida Loca. And nothing makes an already crazy life more between my adventurous than planning a family writers of the like a mine. little Daves family and Its putting National Geographic and Mad Magazine in the same room with a cheeseball expecting them to find something to talk about. What ends up happening is my family spends the evening passand laughing at decibels nearing nerve damaging off one-lineing levels while Daves family sits smiling politely, whispering to each other, Dont make any sudden movements and we just might make it out alive. This past Sunday was one of those occasions. While many of you were comfortably sitting around the dinner table, eyeing the er rs roast beef, we were conducting an experiment in nuclear physics by bringing these two families together. If we were successful wed enjoy family relations even the Kennedys would be envious of. If Manti and possibly Sterling. The differnot, BAM! its good-by- e ences between our families simply would not have allowed us to inhabit the same piece of Earth. While the Calls were reminding their children of the evils of drinking caffeine, my family refused to begin the festivities without the diet Coke. My eldest brother Monte, the rabble rouser of the family, decided to offer the Calls a beer in lieu of the caffeinated drinks. They didnt think it was funny. When dinner was over and the dishes were cleared Cathi, Lloyds wife, excitedly suggested we gather around the piano fora As Davids sister Judy began playing a lively family sing-along. tune, asking for requests, my youngest brother, Erich, wondered if she knew any Van Halen, Preferably something from the David Lee Roth collection. After a few rousing show tunes, a couple of Christmas songs and a failed attempt at Jump, we retired to the living room and naturally separated into our family camps. The Calls promptly began a discussion on politics followed by a symposium on religion. Inevitably one of the children running across the room spilled her red punch on the carpet and the entire Call clan ended up on their hands and knees analyzing the stain as if it were a Rorschach ink blot test. Witnessing this behavior abruptly stopped my familys laughter. We sat smiling politely, whispering to each other, Dont make any sudden movements and we just might make it out alive. Conspiracy to weaken U.S. To the Editor: the same form In a very nice letter from Senator Hatch, he states, I opposed the canal treaty.. .and insisted on the inclusion of the DeConcini reservation to the Neutrality treaty letter, but that was more satisfying than Senator Bob Bennett who ignored phone call, letters, and a personally delivered pamphlet on Panama Canal to his Provo office. that stated that if the Canal is closed, or its operations are interfered with, the United States of America and the Republic of Panama shall each independently have the right to take such steps as each deems necessary.. .The Chinese military has no blue water navy. They do not even have the amphibious capacity to conduct an assault across the Taiwan Strait.. .Chinese espionage has alarmed many citizens, and rightly so. The egregious failure by the Clinton Administration to take seriously their responsibilities for vigilance regarding China and other countries has exposed this to country unnecessary threats.. .Our responsibility should be to preserve U.S. interests around the world, and we should consider Chinese activities scrupuand, where needed, lously is not a direct naThere warily... tional security threat to the Panama Canal I wrote asking why the Canal was being given to Panama when they never signed the DeConcini treaty but changed the one that did pass the Senate. In answer I got Senator Hatch is on the Intelligence Committee. Doesnt he know the agreement' is illegal, that the Chinese have a blue water Navy? The Chinese are spending 49 of their gross national product on military; they will at the present trend be the strongest military force in the world in three years. And above all they consider us their enemy. Does he think that the facts arent available? If it is Our responsibility to preserve U.S. interests around the world, Why are we depleting our military in trying to settle other countries internal conflicts.? Whos interest do these guys represent? Not mine or the people I talk to. I did notice that both Bennett and Hatch claim credit for federal money coming into Utah (while the national debt increases.) Clinton and his minions are ceremoniously turning the canal over on 14 Dec. 16 days early. The above is prima facie evidence of conspiracy to weaken the U.S. Frank M. Crowther Ephraim 90-mi- le also be used for an evacuation notice in case of a natural disaster such as a flood. But not both. For uses such as the above, cities test the sirens once a year and have the top rotate around so that no one area gets the brunt of the noise and extends its effective range. Dear City Council: please leave the 8 a.m. siren off. After all, another lawsuit is always a possibility if you start it again and our tax dollars can be used for more useful purposes than making lawyers rich. Benton Manti L. Petersen Carter-Trahi- os How about beil instead of siren? THE ANTI M ESSENGER USPS THE PPHRAIM 3284-000- 0 USPS 1777-200- 0 Copyright, Messenger-EnterprisInc. 1999. All rights reserved. Reproduction, reuse or transmittal of all matter herein is prohibited without prior written permission by the publisher. Published each Thursday for 50 each, $16.00 a year inside Sanpete County and $19.00 outside Sanpete County, by Messenger-EnterprisInc., 35 S. Main, Manti, Utah 84642, Ph. (435) e, e 835-424- 1, Fax (435) 835-149- 3. messengerlsisna.com. Periodicals Postage Paid at Manti, Utah. POSTMASTER- - Send address changes to: e Inc. 35 S. Main, Manti UT 84642 Publishers Messenger-Enterpris- J;ditor General Manager Operations Manager Sports Reporter Manti City Reporter Ephraim News, Feature Writers Ephraim City Reporter : Sanpete Sheriff Booking Report To the Editor: NTERPRISE Max and Beth Call Max Call Cal, Lloyd Ca Brad Barton Karen Buchanan Cindy, Russ Beck Lynn Schiffman bors), may I suggest an alternative: In regard to the Manti City SiWhy not ring the Legion Bell ren, I have two points to make: 8 at a.m. every morning? Its loud 1. The lawsuit filed by Mr. enough to be heard by any children Cofer did not pan out, it is true. I on their way to school, yet not so think the city dodged a bullet there. annoyingly loud so as to worry But if the siren is turned back on. about someone suing the city for how long w ill it take before another it. It could be rigged with an eleclawsuit is filed? Can the city afford tric switch (perhaps even set to auto gamble with our tax dollars in tomatically ring at a given time defending against such a suit? I each day, say 8 a.m.). If an electric hope our city council and mayor switch is not an option, why not can see the danger in turning the make it the of part mayors duties siren back on. to wake up every morning and ring 2. For those who absolutely it at 8 a.m. need a morning ritual in order to The Legion Bell would be even function properly: to wake up and more sid quaint than an get the kids to school on time - and ren, dont you agree? Can you think for those who refuse to buy an of a more tradition? alarm clock and refuse to set it to Talk about small-tow- n a heritage! go off at 8 a.m. (which would accomplish the same purpose, but David Call without disturbing your neigh Manti air-rai- Dec. 4: Ricky A. Dynes, of toxication and warrant out of Ephraim, arrested in Ephraim, Murray Court. Bail: $1,125. charged with DUI and failure to Dec. 4: Jose Reyes, of obey a lawful order, Bail: $1,570. Dec. 5: Allen P. Stevens, of Ephraim, anested in Ephraim on Mt. Pleasant, arrested in Spring charges of assault and possession City, charged with assault and in- - of alcohol by minor. Bail: $1,385. Unlimited Access for as low as $8.95monthl Simple Fast NET I No busy 20 hours as low as S6.50 r month signals setup FREE technical support nr 56k Connection Filtered Accounts Available UTAH a division of Burcoyne Services www.burgoyne.com 4 POOR |