Show Best Available Copy DlMMm ' Sunday February 1 2004 A4 The Herald Journal Our view doubt about it something in the air No vr anyone of offending the people on the other side of issues we champion One problem is that in print even-lighcriticism has a tendency to land with the force of ah artillery shell Messages delivered and received in the absence of eye contact body language facial expression and voice modulation often come across as harsh and impersonal How many of us in the Internet age have lost a friend or created an enemy because of a mildly critical email exchange that escalated into a slugfest of insults? Would the same situation have developed had we been communicating with each other in person? Probably not ' So at the risk of inciting everyone within a radius — environmentalists snowmobilers SUV drivers bicyclists punk rockers farm-ers asthmatics and marathoners alike — we hereby voice our hope that we all can be a little less toxic with one another as We work to tackle air pollution and other community problems Of course with that mood-foulin-g inversion now lifted this will probably be a lot easier Ai hasi’t been the only toxic element in Cache Valley this winter The pollution crisis encountered during last month’s protracted temperature inversion seems to have activated a lot of toxic feelings between different factions in the community If you regularly read the letters to the editor in this newspaper you've seen it — local residents not only weighing in on the issues surrounding air pollution but striking out like rattlesnakes at those who with them or those deemed at fault The Not since “Sound-off- ” Herald Journal’s (and experiprobably ment with publishing anonymous local opinions a few years back has the level of local dia- logue been iso hostile it seems to us And that's too bad because people on all sides of the issue have some great ideas and observations to share It’s just that when they are delivered with fangs bared the people on the receiving end are usually in no mood to listen We don't have a solution and we are probably as guilty as dis-agr- t ‘ ee ill-fat- ed M6AW CME I0UW-- l A ' ' ' ily and friends sat oh one side and the Autry family and friends sat bn the other I am sure there wercnU seating assignments it just worked out that way The second day I attended! recognized a lot of the same people sitting in the same seats the Nielsen family and friends on one side and the Autry family and heard throughout the courtroom as the gruesome details of Trisha’s death were revealed The second day I attended the jury had already found Cody guilty and were hearing further testimony so they could decide what his punishment would be Both of his testified about what a good father : and husband he was His first wife gave an impassioned plea to the jury that for the benefit of his children they should not give him the death penalty After they testified the two embraced one another The courtroom seating arrangement was the same the Nidsen Family on one side and the Autry family on the other And again audible sobs were heard as various people gave their opinion about die kind of a person Cody Nielsen was This time Cody didn’t flip through papers he didn’t continually write he just sat there handcuffed with his head bowed and resting on the table as if he were hqnever the Salt Lake television stations show up in Cache Valley you can be assured that something big is going on This is what happened this past week when they friends on the other all showed up at the courthouse to I wish I had taken time to attend durtheir “sound bites” put together each day of die proceedings because ing the Cody what was going on in the courtroom Nielsen murwas so engaging A lot of eyes der trial I don’t including mine went hack and forth between the witness stand and Cody spend a lot of Nielsen as the prosecution asked time visiting courtrooms questions of their witnesses I was aiid watching looking to see if there was an emo- tional expression of any kind from the court sys-but Cody as testimony was given about how Trisha Autry was killed and when the Cody what happened to her body after she Nidsen trial began almost three weeks ago I knew it would drew a lot of attention also thought it would be interesting to be in the Courtroom to watch dl the drama of asleep-a high profile murder trial Obvious- Having to go through By far the most dramatic part of a lot felt same of die ly people way' two-da-y visit was at the very end and metal detector the my because the two days I was able to when was given the opportuniCody attend the courtroom was almost full security to get in didn’t ty to address die jury He couldn't On my first visit I wasn’t sure I help with my confidispute the facts of his conviction really belonged there and was kind because he had already been found ' I of intimidated when entered the dence level made my guilty He wre only allowed to courthouse Having to go through the way to the third floor express his feelings to the court metal detector and security to get in about what had happened He was -found the courtroom didn’t help with my confidence emotional said that he extremely level I made myway to thethird and thankfully was able had no hard feelings toward anyone floor found the courtroom and but never did admit murdering to follow some other thankfiilly was able to follow some He said only a few people Trisha other people in I don't know if I people in I don’t know would have been brave enough to go really knew what actually happened if I would have been and that some day everyone would in toy myself After all I really didn't : out have any reason to be there except brave enough to go in y 'find I room The was almost ndl only attended two days so f didcuriosity by myseff and I wasn't sure where to sit so I n't hear all ofthe testimony nordid I have all the infonnatioa die jury had selected one of the back benches and had to crawl over a few people who But I did come away from liny two- were already sealed day experience with a renewed wie deal with After settling in I looked around to died There was none that I could respect for y : see if I recojgnized anyone It didn't detect AU during the testimonies it people who commit crimes It’s a was hard to teU if Cody was paying take me long to figure out who was voy civil process where both sides attention was' aware or even cared halve every opportunity to present sitting where The first two rows were reserved for the press I knew about what was being said He sat at their witnesses and dnr evidence that because I saw the Herald Journal the table with his head bowed conand when it has all been presented a : tinually flipping through a stack of' reporter and photographer sitting jury of 12 people decide guilt or there with others who had notebooks papers and writing V innoceace The system vrarks and in and pencils A row or two behind Everyone else except the woman the case of Cody Nidsen the out-who was sitting in front ofirie read them I saw the Nielsen family I Vcome of Ufe in prison whhout the ing abook was totally finalised dn glanced across the aisle and recog- chanie of parole seemed appropriate' nized JoAnn Autry the mother of the what was being said and was emovictim whore picture has been in the tionally in voiwd with what they Bmca SmiVi is The Harald JoumaTs woe hearing: ! couldn't figure out newspaper I made the assumption putishee His column appears on tfvL how anyone could read a hook and - OpMon paga that all tire people sealed around her tvmy otfier Sunday Ha ' Ignore h was being said ion the weteeitherfrindsorfaiiiilylt canbereachadbymnaaat witness stand Audible sobs could be bamteOhjnawtxqm seemed curious that the Nielsen fam ex-wiv- es - tern-wor- athletes to work and he hasn’t played favorites or politics He calls the shots as he sees them and has helped athletes reach higher levels of perfor- mance Wip have been baffled by the “reasr This most unexpected event sienment" of coach Art Erickson at occurred on the day coach Erickson Mountain Crest High School It is was taking the team to dinner and a difficult to overlook the many contriUSU basketball game a yearly tradibutions he has made for the Mountion the team has had among other tain Crcst girts basketball program activiues ' and I want to let this community have also found coach Erickson know of our experience with coach respectful and with unquestienahle ' Erickson 'as he has coached two of integrity in his behavior toward the my daughters: girls He never swears at the girls lie has always had an open door He is also a great example of good policy to his'oirice- He has said time sportsmanship as was so well after time that if any athlete has a demonstrated at the Mountain Crest problem to come and talk to him- He vs Roy game has al way s answered my calls and My older daughter who played concerns basketball under him is now tn colleAfter coaching his first year of the giate sports and has on more than girls' basketball team he was not one occasion commented on how going to continue but was asked to coach Erickson's training was cxcel-- stay im That didn't stop hjm from ' lent preparation for the rigors of giving his best effort- He lias been athletics even compared to dedicated and there has "been no some of the other college athletes she ' halfhearted” in any part of his has encountered I have seen that coaching My daughter who is how being He lias pushed to have the girls be coached by him has said that she ' treated as fairly as this boys in their " feels he cares about the athletes ' access io equipment time and gyms under him Also that most ofwhat He has purchased equipment to help she knows of basketball has been build thd girls' skills He has provid- by coach Erickson which V: ' taught ed 6ft season opportunities to build would bespeak much since she ha the girts athletically as individuals as i several universities writing her as a ' well as a Warn potential jihlele ' He has spent cduntless hours What message do webehd to our seek and new fifm to review ing children about problem solving? to help the team succeed One daughterrecounls“coactr dri- Lynette Whitehead ving nearty all night tb retrieve flint Hynim V of another learn toreview and pro- -' See YOUR VIEW on A5 pare the girls to play against them Yev coach Erickson has expected support of outgoing coach To the editor: 66 y ’ ‘ ' : J y - : ? y col-le- ' : V ge - the-sva- y - : : : : : y : ! het-icrwa- ys Opnan page Mandad la aoqaM wnily at wenporti onwBu wden “ art nnottwpUbMadtaMvac andVMi manwawriltoadanilNantooanlaim of pubbcRnpoitsncwdpiUMliiMnbMSQf The Christian Science Monitor : nl p dent Bush said he looked into -Vladimir PMia’s soul and Hked what he saw in the Russian leader the : United Stales has bhndy stated i tbae’s a limit to die friendly ties between the two nations Secrttmy of $tam GoGa PobwU : delivered die message during a visit to Moscow last wedi saying Rb' sia’s “managed democracy” and but tying of ilsaeighlion could hinder the rdabottship Just what the US m if Mr Puin doesn't shape up was left unsaid But at least he’s far or the first time since Presi- Pancral alMnna cartoons and MMn Sum : Moakatun450i raadaRralleciSwopnoMoftieraRaHsmd' croalon E(ttonundrtialteaiSng‘Our Vtttf icpresenitwM0Hc(tiaHanid Jounrt number tor papoaea of i edSanrtOoanL Mansion of tia amoral tnartt SfpwdbrtnautiOK DAHRBlDWUClUayamor panout CMOY YURTHiaabawatMor FSMnOOLUtMraygng amor National viovr : A 'BRUCE SMTHpuMUhar- - ItwHwMJoinn— tamtnanilptir I TVo ' 1 H&fald Journal CHARI spectator at a murder trial ex-wiv- es In t £sk w Your view s I mM By Bruce Smith Herald Journal publisher 20-mi- le : fotEST ' oanotioe1 y AthontePiitinisiiifiaghiiin : V- the polk as toe beads for easy reelec-tio- n next aaonito and can carily ignore this Ujabi He’simiugcd to control of most media and iso- pin late his political opponents in what increasingly looks Eke an old Asian- - style democracy ndiEr than a true Wuretnone Plitia’s belief that civil liberties have the West worried-- ft may be df-fienk to deans a vibrant multiparty democracy if Pain’s authorirariin- ism grows That’s especially tree if let him inn again in 2008 hfcPtowdl’s friendly Gkdy to need a follow-u-p a " |