| Show Lehi Free Press New Utah! - - Wednesday November 29 2000 2 Page Opinion As we Thanksgiving tradition is a class in sociology see it It was Thanksgiving and my children with our oldest daughter as spokesperson had just informed me I was a negligent mother No they hadn’t been deprived of turkey nor was there cranberry sauce missing from the holiday feast Thy wanted to know why they had nlver been to the early morning safes after Thanksgiving Now obviously no proper parent would ever intentionally omit such an important part of a child’s education Think of the applications — economics American traditions and history sociology and in your hometown Shopping involved are well With holiday shopping time under remind ourselves that when we shop at our hometown businesses we do ourselves way it’s a good to and our communities a favor Hometown businesses have taken a major hit in recent years and many have gone by the wayside Others have remained by offering good products and superior service These are the businesses that build our communities They make our commercial districts thrive They help keep our downtowns looking good They invest regularly in the upkeep of the community when they fix up the store fronts keep the sidewalks clean and free of snow and water the plants placed by the front door They also collect sales tax some of which filters back into our city coffers — and that’s something you can’t say about mall merchants Supporting our hometown businesses is an act of confidence in the community an expression of caring about the economic future of your neighbors and your neighborhood After all a healthy commercial base is a crucial part of a dynamic community Just take a look at the effect the deterioration of our downtowns has had on many of the communities in north Utah County All of the communities with downtown business districts nt once-domina- in trying actively which areas these have fallen victim to the to revive growth of outlying commercial zones and shopping malls in the nearby larger cities As a result Pleasant Grove has invested a substantial amount into the fixing up its downtown Main Street in an attempt to attract new businesses and new consumers American Fork is in the process of developing a major downtown renovation project one which will be bolstered by the construction of a new city structure in the heart of the community Lehi City has created a historical preservation district to help maintain the authentic western flavor it its downtown — also a move designed to attract shoppers But when we drive past these hometown businesses who provide the goods or service we need in order to shop in another town we are not just denying local businesses our commerce we are doing ourselves a disservice as well Shopping has become one of the country’s premiere recreation activities and over the next four weeks many of us will do a lot of shopping It would be a good idea to take a moment to see what our local businesses have to offer before we head for the shopping mall 10 or 20 miles down the road psychology So we got out all halfway across doorstop the continent on my way to learn more about improving our product After a short visit with a sister I haven’t seen in years who I’ll be happens to live nearby I’ll be spending an intense few days at the Poynter Institute working on a planned redesign of our newspapers that we hope to have ready by year’s end The Institute is a journalism think tank research facility and teaching institution with a worldwide reputation and outreach The seminar of 11 that I’m privileged to be part of includes representatives from newspapers in Spain and Saudi Arabia as well as scattered locations across the United States In addition to a small resident staff the Institute has assembled a collection of visitall ing faculty members acknowledged experts in their fields who contribute their talents whenever needed for any of Poynter’s myriad projects and programs Endowed by a former owner of the St Petersburg Times the Institute was created to foster and spread the practice and ideals of a rigorous free press As the media have multiplied its mission has expanded to include not only paper media but also broadcast outlets and now the World Wide Web as a communications tool as well This is not my first visit to this dynamic place While working as a newspaper advisor and faculty adjunct at BYU during the late 1980s I had the good fortune to be awarded two teaching fellowships there in consecutive years The first was to study newspaper design just as the explosion of technology was allowing more better reproduction color and more than graphics had ever before been possible to use in newsprint My second opportunity was Lehi Free Press NewUtah! I ISSN No (USPS A 1521-6853- No 1 309-500- ) member of NATIONAL NCWSPAPfR ASSOCIATION Bezzant Looking over the Obvious held high and their leg awry” The “Magnificent Seven” one of which is my wife also sang some of their favorite songs such as Frankie Laine’s Wanted Man — “Bullet in my shoulder blood runnin’ down my vest 20 in the posse and they’re never gonna let me rest” — or “There’s a great big beautiful tomorrow” from GE’s Nick and Jean Harris Carousel of Progress at Disneyland video presentation A was professionally produced by the Sometimes he wouldn’t even stop children and grandchildren who long enough to turn off the tractor! Their song is I’ll Get By Just call work in similar or related profesand ask them to sing it to you! sions (that’s why it’s “professional”) The soundtrack is excellent but will After 50 strange and wonderful not be available anytime soon However you can order copies of the years of marriage they’ve learned to video by calling Nick and Jean’s facget by no matter what and get through just about everything tory outlet store When interviewed about their Somewhere in ail of that is life’s fifty years together their story deepest meaning and the source of quickly changed from a serious its greatest happiness I just hope I drama to a romantic comedy Ask can do as well Thank you Nick and Jean for sharing half of those 50 Jean how she reeled her young husband in from plowing in the fields years with me May you bless each other for 50 million more (for a good time call (785-277- 785-277- 9 785-277- 9) Many of us lend a hand to raise a child dqn’t know if it really takes a village to raise a child but 1 know it takes a lot of people It takes even more to raise two children We witnessed this last night when two of the grandkids came to visit at the same time Both are nearing the age of two The cousins are OK delightful in fact when taken in single doses But together 1 they can create quite a stir Scott the oldest grandchild is half British and considers himself heir to the throne Brayden his younger cousin is a happy child whose only goals in life are to find every basketball hoop in the world and to stay out of the way of Scott He might as well because Scott takes everything away from him if they happen to be in the same have expressed an interest in that we’ve previously been unable to include My visit to Poynter is to draw on the expertise of the faculty and other seminar participants as we get set to launch this next phase in the progress of our newspapers The result we hope will be more interesting publications that will do an even better job of delivering more local news than any other source I’ll be back in the office Dec 8 In the meantime if you need anything you’d normally call me for please feel free to contact managing editor Marc Haddock who will be coordinating coverage for Lone Peak and the sports sections in my absence room So there we were three adults and two toddlers The adults were outnumbered After Scott went home we picked up the games and puzzles he had scattered throughout the house and settled down with Brayden just as Saphyre and her parents arrived Brayden went home about 9 Saphyre and her parents stayed an hour and a half longer until their laundry was done If this sounds hectic it is Sharon and I have gone from no grandchildren to five in less than two years We’ll add a sixth in February More are sure to come since Sharon has six children and so do I Sunday we drove to Logan for the blessing of another grand- - better-designe- d Published weekly by Telephone Numbers Advertising News & Circulation Publisher Managing Editor City Editor 756-766756-527- Brett Bezzant Marc Haddock Cathy Allred Subscription price S24 per year Periodicals Postage Paid at Amerrodgr f ork Utah POSTMASTER 9$ te ber something” The grandchildren were randomly selected to play family feud with topics like: Things Grandpa and Grandma always say Things they like ta do together and Favorite home remedies Vicks by the way will cure almost anything and if that won’t do it “cow tit salve” or horse liniment will Don’t ever forget that “Many hands make the work light” And never ask Jean how someone died because it’s always “With their hand nicer-lookin- g 58 West Main American Fork Utah 84003 Brett After the traditional Thanksgiving feast the family was treated to rendition of that famous an off-ke-y Maurice Chevalier song from the movie Gigi- - “I Remember it Well” or otherwise known as “Well I remem- a product than ever before but one with fea- LuJL years old at the very front of the line who had been waiting with her parents since 6 am for her free teddy bear that the Mervyn’s ad had promised the store employees would be giving away It was an education My children were amazed so many people would get up so early for a tiny free plush toy The line went up the sidewalk out through the parking lot and this was only one of many lines the ads and (785-277- piggy-backe- d VvlaliVwi f 'roup We took our place in line at 6:55 a child about 10 am There was Thanksgiving No open house will be held but you have my permission to send lots of gifts and plenty of money Call and wish them another 50! Now what was that phone number? outdated and equipment Once that’s accomplished we’ll be able to deliver not only r§l shorter It’s been 50 years in the making An epic adventure that spans half a century The budget was usually low but the expectations have always been high The coming sequels hope to live up to the original And they were all present and accounted for at the family celebration Although today is the 50th anniversary of their wedding Nov 29 1950 Nyle (Nick) and Jean Harris of Lindon celebrated with family as they all gathered together for g readers out the lines And there were lines It was at this time we realized we had forgotten our ads and strategy list so we guessed the longest line must be the best line and parked in front of Mervyn’s Fortunately (as we were to discover later) the Target Store line was Afterwards the real fun began “Use the buddy system If you get lost go to the car Watch your packages” I told them We moved to the first crowd of women They were amazed to find the huddle was not around toys but slippers They each got a pair Next we got lost While trying to find each other a women eyed my bears (I had all five by this time) and wanted to know where I had got them Clutching the precious cargo I informed her she was too late The last bear had been doled out 10 minutes ago After four free elf hats com dogs for breakfast and more purchases than we needed we started for home And listened to the news People trampled items snatched fighting and police called in to a Target store It seems not only did we partake of an American tradition the children also studied a little Commemorating one of life's greatest adventures to participate in a workshop the first of its kind to create a blueprint for organizing a unfettered newspaper that could be adopted for use on college campuses and in the world’s emerging democracies where there had previously been no pattern to follow Although the objectives and outcomes of these experiences were fundamentally different in both instances I left having been both challenged and exhausted but also with a renewed sense of purpose and a recharge of enthusiasm for my chosen profession New Utah! Since was acquired hy Pulitzer earlier this year we have been slowly working towards the upgrade and unification of our badly our New Developments d Beky Beaibn Off the Beaton path tures Cathy Allred over pumpkin pie began our attack plan of the sales The children were excited to take part in this age-oltradition and actually went to bed early without a whimper We rose before light and stuffed all five of us in the sedan Dad opted to stay home and sleep We arrived at the South Towne Mall at 6:45 am and decided to check We're creating a new look By the time the paper containing these words hits your At 7 am the line started to move and as we went through the door each child got their bear $nd address Chang to Watt Main Anwriean Fork Utah 94303 Marc Haddock Column daughter Kaitlyn is just a month old — hardly any fuss at all unless she’s fussing We’ll repeat that exercise this Sunday when we bless Hayden Over the past few years the act of blessing babies has struck me as an extraordinary expression of support from the community I know other religions have similar ceremonies but the LDS blessing is the one with which I am familiar At Kaitlin’s blessing a lot of men came forward when it was time for the blessing I didn’t know most of them but Jim the father and my held the baby in his arms Brian my other was on my left A man I didn’t la ow was on my right There were so many of us as we crowded into the circle that we weren’t certain at first if we could all fit Each man in the group reached in with a right hand and put it under the tiny baby We put our left hands on the shoulder of the person to our left As Jim gave the prayer of naming and blessing we rocked the baby with a gentle son-in-la- son-in-la- w motion This is a powerful image — an Tuesday noon Display Advertising News Monday Missionaries Monday Weddings Sports man-mad- The Editor's Deadlines Classified Advertising Monday 5pm 2pm 2pm am 10 am 11am Monday 10 Obituaries Tuesday Monday teen-age- Child-rearin- g We welcome letters to the editor All letters must include the author s name (printed AND signed) and a telephone number We reserve the right to edit letters for clarity punctuation taste and length Letters are welcome on any topic MiLWTg REACH US Monday 2 p m Monday 10 am Community Calendar Letters to the Editor infant dressed in white held up by a dozen or more arms which radiate around her tiny body like spokes of e a wagon wheel — a cradle that represents the support and love that will be extended to this child throughout her life The father doesn’t participate in this exercise alone With him are family members — fathers grandfathers brother and uncles — and others such as church leaders and home teachers and friends of the family Arms that will be there now as the baby is named and blessed and arms that will be there later as the child grows These are hands that will lift up a child who stumbles hands that will offer help when the young family finds itself in need hands that will reach out to a r who is confused and angry hands that will be there always That baby blessing is a representation of the kind of broad support that gives meaning to the saying I used to start this column is an act of family but it is also an act of community I’m reminded of that every time I step into the circle to lend my hand to help support a new life who has entered our family and our community It is a good thought to remember when Brayden wants to search out one more basketball hoop or Scott wants to scatter the pieces of one more game “Be patient grandpa” I tell myself “and be thankful for the chance to help raise this child In this world these kids need all the help they can get” By Mail PO Box 7 UT In By Fax American Fork 84003 Person 59 W Main American Fork 756-527- 4 By editor newutah com At |
