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Show Page 12 - UINTAH BASIN STANDARD I Vrto 30. 1997 Utah mule deer doing well Federal Biologist says: Removing wolves would be complicated The Associated Preu A judges order to remove transplanted wolves from central Idaho is on hold, but a federal biologist says eventually carrying it out will be complicated by wolves that al- ready were living in Idaho. ibid it may be most complicated in northern Idahos Kelly Creek, where biologists believe a native wolf mated with a transplanted female. Their pupa apparently already qualify for frill endangered species protection because they were bom outside the experimental recovery area, said Ed Bangs, the UB. Fish and Wildlife Services wolf recovery coordinator in Helena, Mont The Nes Perce Tribe, which contracts with the federal agency to manage the Idaho wolves, is tracking 28 of the 35 animals released in 1995 and 1996. Four wolves are dead and the locations of the other three are unknown. Central Idahos wolf population now is estimated at 66. Trying to catch them would be a difficult exercise, said Timm Kaminski, the biologist leading the tribes wolf project. U.S. District Judge William Downes in Casper, Wyo., ruled Dec. 12 that the wolf recovery effort violated the Endangered Species Act because it did not sufficiently protect wild wolves that already might roam Idaho. Downs ordered the Fish and Wildlife Service to remove all the transplanted wolves and their pups from Idaho and Yellowstone National Park. He stayed that order to give federal officials and others a chance to appeal his ruling. In a year's time we might get s of the animals. half to But the cost ofthat effort, the conditions, the weather and such, the logistics would be extraordinary, two-third- Canadian government made it clear the wolves would not be welcome back whenUB. biologists were allowed to capture them in Canada and move them to Idaho and Yellowstone. 1 think if the decision were made to lethally remove them, there would be no reintroduced wolves or their offspring left in central Idaho. Kaminski said. I'm game for that challenge if it comes to that, but I think its absurd." Bangs said he did not consider the effort as difficult as Kaminski. Theres only a few questionable wolves in Idaho," he said. Tracking down the three that d have paired with wolves would be the first focus. Thats the key, and well need to run them to ground first," Bangs said. "Its not that big a deal to remove them. Its difficult, but its The radio-collare- Bangs A divided 10th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that the West High School choirs religious selections did not violate a students constitutional rights. e In a opinion, the macourt jority of the Denver-base- d found that the choirs performance of the songs in late 1994 did not amount to an endorsement of reli100-pag- gion. Any choral curriculum designed to expose students to the full array of vocal music culture ... can be expected to reflect a significant number of religious songs," J udges Wade Brorby and James E. Barrett agreed. Judge Appellate Michael Murphy, a former Utah jurist, dissented in the 1 decision. At a joint news conference. Assistant Utah Attorney General Debra Moore and Salt Lake School District superintendent Darline Robles said it would take time to review the lengthy derision but they were pleased with the victory. "Its nice to have guidance from the court on an issue that has caused such controversy. The Establishment Clause (governing religious freedom and expression) is not an area on which the Supreme Court has been that clear," Moore said. Robles said the opinion affirmed the district's policy of neutrality on religious matters, and meant that nothing is going to change" in the districts approach to the issue. School policy seeks to assure that students "are entitled to expreao their religious views' as long as they do not use school programs to proselytise, she said. Robles also said the ruling ended the districts eight-mont-h wait for a 2-- decision. We were expecting a decision in May, then June and finally August, so were relieved that there has finally been a decision, she said. Perhaps by wqy of explaining the length of their deliberations, Brorby and Barrett noted the case had triggered acute public interest issues which evoke diversion opinions and strong emotions.... This is no more true than in Salt Lake City, Utah a (Mormon) community and state whoee unique social and political history reveals a longstanding tension involving the separation ofchurch and state, the court stated. The derision, released on Thursday, came too late to make any practical difference to the student on whose behalf the . civil rights lawsuit was filed, Rachel Bauch man. She graduated from a private high school earlier this year. StiU, the ruling almost certainly will be scrutinised by religious and educational institutions nationwide. T think that teachers and school administrators will understand from thia opinion that as long aa it used in a balanced and appropriate way, there is a place for Christmas long-await- said. Both he and Kaminski said any serious effort to remove the transplanted wolves and their pups from Idaho would have to be mounted during the winter, when they would be easiest to track and spot against the snow. doable." It also is possible that Fish and Wildlife would choose to kill the transplanted wolves. Bangs said. about helping people under stand the importance of protecting their vision, available treatments and the need for regular check-upsCheck Your EyrQ, How many of these questions can you answer cor1th all January is National Eye Care Month and a good time for everyone to decide to makelnedical eye exams, eye safety and eye care education a regular part ofthe new year. According to Dr. Andrew Lyle, medical director at The Eye Institute of Utah, many of the most common forms of eye disease, including cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration, can be treated successfully, especially when caught in early stages of development. Unfortunately, the average person is relatively uninformed about vision, eye safety and available treatments for protecting and improving their own vision. "Very the ." rectly? 1) sum problem in the world? Answer Nearsightedness, nearsightedness Answer Nearsightedness is the to see things better up close than at a distance. Farsightedness is the ability to see better at a distance than up close. 3) What are cataracts? Answer Cataracts occur when the eyes natural lens gradually ability ss a result of preventable accidents," said Brooke B. Jepsen, director of marketing forThe Eye Institute who heads the month's activities. These are trends we hope to reverse through National Eye Care Month. O carols and religious choral music in the schools, David J. Jordan, an attorney who represented West High music teacher Richard Torgerson in the suit. Home and business telephone numbers for Eric and Cheryl Bauchman, who had filed the suit on behalf of their daughter, have been disconnected. US West directory assistance reported no new listings for them. However, Bauchmane New attorney, Andrew C. Hruska, said no decision had been made on whether a new appeal will be filed in the case. Hruska said he would study the opinion in detail and discuss it with his clients before making any comment. He also intends to consult with the lawyers representing a number ai national religious organizations that intervened in the suit York-base- d Bauchmans behalf. The West High debate began in 1995, when Bauchman, who is Jewish, challenged her music teachers selection of Christian choral music and devotional songs. In a U.S. District Court lawsuit filed that year, aha sought to ban the performance of the song "Friends at .West High School's graduation ceremony. Her suit also asked that West Highs performance of mostly Christian songs and cards be ruled as promotions of the Christian faith. UB. District Judge J. Thomas Greene dismissed the suit He also rejected a later attempt to amend the complaint to show a pattern of conduct by Torgerson and the school district that endorsed and promoted religion. Filing legal briefs in support of Bauchman were the American Jewish Congress; Americana United for Separation ofChurch and State and People for the American Way, Presbyterian Church (UBA.); United Church Board for Homeland Church of Christ; the American Jewish Committor, League; General of and farsighted- ness? little attention is given to Conference affect- ing one in every four adults. 2) What is the difference between eye injuries that occur every year in the United States on What is the most common vi- ' Seventh-Da- y Adventists; and the Union ofAmerican Hebrew Congregations. Brorby wrote that the UB. Supremo Court has never specifically addressed the constitutionality of a public school teachers conduct in selecting course materials with content as port of a broader, secular curriculum. The Constitution does not require that the purpose of every government-sanctioned activity be unrelated to religion. Courts have long recognized the historical, social and cultural significance of religion in our lives and in the world generally," he concluded. In hie dissent, Murphy argued that, "A proper reading of Supreme Court precedent establishes thatthe Establishment Clause prohibits public school teachers from utilising their positions for the deliberate purpose of endorsing or disapproving religion." us Mike Welch, big game program coordinator for the Division ofWild-lifo Resources, has good news for those who wonder, and some news that may surprise those concerned about an El Nino winter. "We typically receive a lot of snowfall the year after an El Nino year," Welch said. In addition, moat deer in Utah have gone into thia winter in excellent condition, better prepared to endure the harsh conditions winter can present. This was not the case, for example, prior to the winter of 1992-9when many of the state's deer herds were decimated by record winter snowfall In 1992 drought conditions prevailed during the summer and deer went into the winter in poor condition," Welch said. They weren't prepared for the hard, late winter that occurred." Ofall big game animals, deer are the moat susceptible to hard winter conditions as deep snow makes it difficult fin-- them to get through the snow and to the shrubs they utilize for food. A winter last year that featured a lot of thawing after each snowstorm, and a wet summer that provided good forage for deer, has resulted in deer entering thia winter in excellent shape. And according to Division wildlife biologists in the field, deer are doing well, despite recent heavy snowfalls in some areas ofthe state. Welch said biologists monitor three criteria the condition of the deer, snow depth and temperatures to determine how deer are doing and whether problems might be 3, January is eye care month see what its about Court rules religious music okay in schools By The Associated Preu Recent snowstorms and talk of an El Nino winter have had many glancing towards the mountains and high country, wondering about the conditions of Utahs deer herds. CHRISTMAS EVERYWHERE--DuchesCounty Jail inmates wrap up out of pay phones, inmate inmate each for Christmas gifts purchased funds. and machine pop commissary ne becomes cloudy making it impossible for light entering the eye to be focused sharply onto the retina. 4) True or False? Cataracts only affect aging adults. Answer False. Cataracts are often part of the aging process, but children aa well as adults can devel- them. 5) True or False? The tiny dump of cellular debris that sometimes drift inside the eye and cast their shadow onto the retina are known op as "Floaters." Answer True. 6) What are the easiest ways to reduce, or eliminate eye strain resulting from exposure to computer screens? Answer Keep your computer screen at least 10 inches away from your eyes and at least four inches below qye level. Adjust lighting and the angle of the monitor to reduce glare. Take regular breaks to give eyes proper rest 7) What are the most common causes of eye iqjuiy to children? Answer Spots, projectile toys, household cleaning supplies and the misuse of fireworks. - imminent |
