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Show Saturday, January 11, 1997 The Park Record A-1- 5 EDITORIAL Hike over to the Snyderville Basin trails meeting this Tuesday night every vote They say true. It is also counts and a fact that a simple head count at a public hearing can send a powerful message. Tuesday, January 14 at 7 p.m. the Snyderville Basin Planning Commission will hold a public hearing regarding a series of .recreation and trails initiatives. On the agenda are: preliminary plans for the Trailside Park; blue prints for new playing fields in the Basin; a proposed trails master plan and a proposed set of recreation facility-relate- d requirements for developers. The best way for residents to show the commissioners they care about preserving places to play in the Snyderville Basin is to stand up and be counted at the hearing. While the details may seem daunting to those who dont speak flu- 63-ac- ent planning lingo it will be enough just to show up and be counted. As a matter of fact, residents who have been battling bouts of depression about growth and development around their neighborhoods may find themselves pleasantly surprised by the hard work that has been done by the Snyderville Basin Recreation Board. The group has already spearheaded a bond effort which is providing the essential seed money for land purchases and facilities construction. That probably was the hardest task. Now citizens are being asked to join in the fun part deciding how that money will be spent. But the battle is only half over. For almost a decade, many residents in the Basin have been calling for a master GUEST EDITORIAL and Burro Program The recent Associated Press article on the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) wild horse adoption program gave readers the false impression that many of the animals adopted each year are sent to slaughter. This is just flat-owrong. The article does a terrible disservice to the thousands of people who invest their time, money and heart to provide these animals with good homes. It is rife with inaccuracies and relies heavily on speculation that cannot be verified. It also attributes comments to me that I did not make. The BLM is committed to doing all that it can to ensure that wild horses are adopted by people who provide humane care. That is why BLM will not issue legal title for an animal until an adopter can prove that he or she has taken good care of the animal for at least a year. During that time, the BLM tracks the animal through computerized records and spot checks adopters. The BLM has regulations that prohibit the sale of the animal, prohibit its use in rodeos, and prohibit neglectful treatment of the animal. The federal government prosecutes people who violate these laws. For example, in the years 1985 to 1995, the BLM investigated numerous possible violations related to the wild horse and burro program resulting in 125 convictions, despite the fact that these are often difficult cases to prove. After one year of humanely caring for an animal, an adopter can apply for and receive legal title to a wild horse or burro. Once title is issued, the animal is private property. The BLM does not track horses and burros after title is issued. However, if the BLM discovers that an adopter intends to sell the horse for slaughter, waitTitle will not be issued. The one-yeing period serves as a deterrent to people who want to immediately profit by selling their titled animals. The cost of caring for an animal for a year runs between $500 and $1,000 or higher, depending on the part of the country, making it economically impractical for people to immediately profit after title is issued. ! It is typical for most domestic horses to pass to new owners several times through sales and auctions throughout their lives. This does not mean that these animals end up at slaughterhouses. There is simply no data to support AP's claim that the majority of wild horses are trucked to slaughter. Moreover, the assertion that I concurred with AP's claim is nonsense. I made no such statement and 649-156- LETTERS TO THE EDITOR AP story a disservice to wild horse adopters by THOMAS POGACNIK Chief of the BLM Wild Horse plan to ensure trail connections will be maintained through future developments. And they have asked the county to make sure developers are held to high standards in terms of preserving open space, view corridors and sensitive lands. Tuesday's meeting is an important milestone in that process. By their attendance, residents can show the county planning commissioners (and ultimately the county commissioners) that the Snyderville Recreation Board is on the right track and that they have your full support when it comes to making recreation and trails a top priority. Tuesday night's meeting will be held at the Burns Fire Station on Rasmussen Road east of Kimball Junction. For more information call would not entertain that kind of speculation. In addition, the article implied that BLM employees routinely profit by adopting wild horses and burros. The BLM does not give preferential treatment to employees in adopting wild horses and burros. They must abide by the same laws and regulations as everyone else. Many BLM wild horse and burro specialists entered the program because of their love for the animals. The reporter spoke to several BLM employees who have adopted animals and have had title to them for years who are dedicated to their animals' care. Unfortunately, those stories were not included in the AP article. The BLM works hard to strike a balance between ensuring the humane care of these animals and respecting private property rights. Should BLM be responsible for these animals throughout their lives and not just until title is passed? That is a decision for lawmakers. However, more than 150,000 animals have been adopted since the program first began in 1973. The cost to taxpayers to have the federal government care for these animals throughout their lives would be enormous. Wild horses and burros have no natural predators and reproduce at rate of about 18 percent a year. The forage and water on the public range, which these animals share with wildlife and domestic livestock, cannot sustain unchecked horse and burro populations. Without intervention, the result for many animals would be a slow, gruesome death from starvation and dehydration. Adoption is the best tool the BLM has for providing for the humane care of animals removed from the range. The BLM is careful to screen all adopters to make sure they have no convictions for inhumane treatment to animals and to ensure their facilities meet safety standards. The adoption program is extremely popular wth the public. We know that many adopters develop lasting relationships with their animals because we see them year after year as volunteers and at wild horse and burro shows throughout the country. These owners take great pride in their efforts to tame and train these wild animals. The AP story paints a distorted picture; it is a disservice to the thousands of Americans who dedicate themselves to caring for wild horses and burros. For more information about adopting a wild horse or burro, call For general information about the wild horse and burro program, call or write the National Wild Horse and Burro Office, P.O. Box 12000, Reno, Nev. 89502; (702) 785-658- For the record DUI-relat- ed accidents Editor: A few weeks ago my son left his home and headed for Park City to do some errands. Just a few minutes later his plans and his life were changed drastically when his small truck was hit head-o- n by a drunk driver. His truck was demolished and he had to be extricated from it with the use of cutting tools called "jaws." There was a helicopter flight to a hospital, during which he slipped in and out of consciousness and nearly lost his life. There has been great pain, several surgeries and reoccurrence of severe shock which put him back in the hospital later on. It will be many weeks before this fine young husband and father will be able to walk, care for his professional practice and his family, and regain some personal comforts and freedoms. This invasion of his body and emotions is recorded as an accident. This was an assault with a deadly weapon! And that is a crime! Our daughter was also the victim of a drunk driver several years ago and will never regain full use of one arm. We've heard this same story over and over. There is a rapidly increasing number of these accidents" referred to as "alcohol-related. Many result in death, and many more cause severe and crippling injuries which change a victim's life forever. The perpetrator is almost always driving without a license, has had a car impounded, has several previous citations against himher and carries no insurance. None of these conditions seem to deter or even inconvenience the persons who are DUI. Isn't it time to actually punish the offenders in these assaults? There have recently been plans to go after the vendors of alcohol or the hosts of parties where such beverages are served. This is dancing around the mulberry bush" and accomplishes nothing! The responsible party is the one who takes the drink and gets behind the wheel. Organizations such as M.A.D.D. are doing a wonderful job in fighting this highway carnage, but grieving mothers and families should not have to carry so much of the burden. We have elected officials who need to take the lead in stronger let us face this issue head-oany more senseless by DUIs. action. Please before head-on- s we suffer A Mad Mother, Jeanette Jarvis Salt Lake City A Centennial retrospective Editor: Utah's Centennial Year is now over, and to the great people of the Park City area, we say thanks for a marvelous historic commemoiation This has nulv been a statewide cclcbiation by the people ot the spirit ol Utah, and has honoied a century ol extiaoidinarv accomplishment by its citizens. It has been a recognition ot our unparalleled history as a state and a reawakening of personal appieciation for our precious hentage. It has also been a time ol citizen recommitment. Anita Lewis of Coalville has served tirelessly as the chair of the Summit County Statehood Centennial Committee, and has championed the Utah Centennial across Summit County She has given visionary personal leadeiship and wonderful creativity to the marvelous Summit County Centennial activities Anita and the other committee members have represented the people of Summit County with efforts of citizen volunteers. The privately funded Centennial International Gateway paik will be completed eaily in 1997 as a fitting entrance tor travelers to Utah's capitol city It will welcome the nations of the woild to the 2002 Winter Olympic (Times. We have together icnewed our appieciation for our Utah heritage, found strength in our LItah diversity and pondeied our Utah future. To all in the Paik City area who have experienced Utah's Centennial and who have helped make it the Celebration of the Centuiy. we thank vou dignity and style. They and other Summit County volunteers. too many to name individually, have devoted countless houis and very signifi- The Park Record ( Studded Staff Editor Staff writers celebrations in vntually every community in Utah, the amazing achievements of 10(1 incredible yeais have been Books have been published, films and documental ics produced, plays written, musie composed, works of ait eurnculums expanded, wagons ridden. families strengthened, and thousands of other lasting accomplishments all by the people of Utah in honor of this place In cie-ate- effort to tell the Utah story to the world, dozens of visited Utah, foreign ambassador-4iav- e including visits to Park City, one at a time. They have traveled our state, met our people and seen our natural wonders. And they have gone away impressed and touched by the spirit of Utah. The National Capitol Christmas Tree in Washington. D C. was a Centennial gift from Utah. The Centennial Big Game Hunt auction raised funds to create wildlife habitat. These are just a few examples ol what has occurred. Utah farms Nearly 500 family-owneand ranches, including several in Summit County, have been honored because they are at least 1(H) years old. have been in continuous operation since statehood or before, and have been in the same family ownership for at least 100 years. The Centennial legacy projects are nearing completion in all 29 counties. The state Centennial Legacy project. This Is The Place State Park, is continuing with construction of nearly 20 historic buildings all financed through funds donated by Utah citizens, families, civic and religious organizations and business corporations The not insignificant sum of nearly $10 million has been raised in Utah for this Centennial Legacy gift by the devoted Contributing writers Office manager Classifieds manager Classifieds Andy Bernhard Nan Chalat-Noake- r Lisa Antonucci Adam Elggren Kirsta H Bleyle Bruce Lewis Madison Furrh Dave Fields Tom Clyde Rick Brough Jack Fuell Ten Orr Kim Dudley Beverly Robison LeahSzwec Jennifer Summers Subscriptions manager Rachelle Eickhoff Advertising director Tracy Harden Advertising sales Donna Berger Mary Hall Sharon Paterson Editorial production Photographer Production director Production Angela Swensen Courtney Stangeland Kat James Scott Sine Anna Walker Scott Aste Jason Osburn Daintrie Zega Amy Lucas d Circulation Cartoonistslllustrators Carin Stimolo Tricia Symes Melissa Hyde Erin Paddock Bob Crawford Dick Elgin Karen Yetter Tim Peterson Kevin Nicoll The Park Record (L'StS 378 730) (ISSN 0743 9483) is published mice wecklv hv dnersihed Suhurbdn Newspapers. 1670 Bonanza Dr . Park Cm. Utah Penodieals Postage paid at Park Otv Utah POSTMASTER Send address changes lo 1 ht Park Record Box 3688 Park Cm Ttah 84060 Entered as second class mailer. Mav 23 1977 al the post olhee in Park ( itv I lah 84060 under the Act ol March .3. 1897 Subscnption rales are $32 inside Summit Countv $60 outside Summit County Utah Subscriptions are translcrruhle $3 cancellation Phone (801) lee Published everv Wednesdav and Salurdav Asked at Park City High School Tessi Dahl Sophomore I think it's a good idea. Not that kids will abuse it, but in the public schools, it should be censored. M. PUBLISHER Utah for years to come. we call home. As a Centennial Commission the spirit of Utah. Centennial chairman cant resouices to this Centennial Thousands of volunteers have been involved in worthy efforts all across the state. We pay tribute to each of these remaikable volunteers, the impact of whose significant contributions will last for generations. Lives and attitudes have been changed in countless ways that will cntich How do you feel about the decision to filter the Internet in the I'm totally against it. It doesnt give students the chance to use it to its full potential. In Stephen I don't use it, but if they want an uncensored unit, let them buy their own. Curl Buchanan Sophomore I think we are mature enough to handle uncensored material. I've got it. I've seen it, it's no big deal." schools? Babo Maynard Sophomore I think we should be considered responsible enough by the school and the school board to have it. |