| OCR Text |
Show OPINION MARCH 2005 The West View This opinion section is an open forum for community Letters of an indecent or demeaning issues. Editorial columns The dog nessed was fight that we In response to the news that Blue Boutique, a lingerie and adult toy store, is now leasing the building that previously housed Capitol Jewelry Pawn Shop at 800 W. North Nemple, Fairpark wit- so violent; the pit bull only let go of our largersized Labrador opinion articles are strictly the opinion of the author. Letters will be edited for style and space. Residents Speak Up From the Editor Sometimes, negative occurrences bring a community closer together. Neighbors get acquainted with one another at community council meetings when they show up to express their concerns about issues such as cars speeding through residential areas, a lack of street and nature will not be published. Page 3 retriever after _ my husband resorted to hitting it over the head with a baseball bat with all his might nine or 10 times. We were traumatized for days. Our dog is still recovering. I can only imagine how the seven-year-old victim and lighting in their neighborhood, his family are coping. trash and shopping carts being If you are a dog owner, dumped in the Jordan River, please get your dog(s) licensed etc. And when people organize and prevent them from roamcommittees to address these ing the neighborhood. This is problems, closer relationships for the animal’s sake as well between concerned neighbors as the community’s safety. start to form. For example, if your dog is Recently, after my dog picked up after being hit by was viciously attacked by a a car and SL County Animal pit bull two weeks ago, sevServices notices that it is eral neighbors reached out to licensed, they will take your express their concern, and even dog to a veterinary clinic for to help. One neighbor searched treatment. Unlicensed animals the neighborhood for the two are taken directly to the County loose pit bulls, one did some Animal Shelter, even if they research to help find the owner are wounded. of one of the dogs, and many SL County Animal Services more expressed their concern urges people to call them at for my dog. 269-7499 to report loose aniThe two pit bulls that were mals, and especially to report roaming the neighborhood any vicious attacks that have were eventually caught after occurred. Your call could they attacked a seven-year-old potentially prevent a person boy an hour later near Parkview from being attacked. Elementary School. My husband and I were sick to hear - Charlotte Fife-Jepperson that a child had gotten attacked. community activist Tiffany Sandberg said: Concerned resident Dennis Whitcomb, who lives near 500 South and Redwood Rad., called The West View to report a graffiti problem. He said: “[’m a tractor trailer driver and left for a couple of months. When “T am upset that an adult lingerie store is opening a block away from Jackson Elementary School at a school crossing. It is a very inappropriate location for a business of this type. I don’t oppose the business itself, just the location of the business. Many people at Jackson Elementary have been working hard for years to cut down on prostitution and drug trafficking in the neighborhood around the school. We’ve been fairly successful. A big concern is that a store like this, even if it is a legiti- mate business, tends to attract a less desirable element into the neighborhood. We are concerned that it will work against all of our past efforts to curb the prostitution in the area. We are holding a public meeting on March 9 at 6:30 p.m. in the Jackson Elementary auditorium for anyone who opposes this store’s location near the school. We have invited the manager of Blue Boutique. If we can’t get we came back, my wife After hearing that on February 25 a pit bull, who was roaming the neighborhood, viciously attacked another dog in its own yard and then chased and attacked a seven-year-old boy on his way home from Parkview Elementary School, Poplar Grove resident Todd Bytheway said: and I noticed graffiti on the sidewalk. Later, I left for about 30 35 minutes, and returned to catch some boss’s guys spray-painting $60,000 my trailer. There’s also a spray-painting problem over at Poplar Grove Park on Indiana Ave. and Emery. I grew up in a really nice neighborhood in Orange County, California, I watched it go downhill due to gangs and their associated problems, when people moved away instead of staying and fighting. I love our west side neighborhood. My neighbors and I — we all help each other out. One of my neighbors came out and helped us clean the graffiti off the trailer in the middle of the night. My neighbor across the street brings us tacos, we shovel each other’s sidewalks. I don’t want to see it change the way Orange County did.” “Pit Bulls aren’t good for anything besides being ‘land sharks’ — guard dogs at a junkyard or any other industrial area that someone might want to secure. They don’t belong in residential areas. I don’t care if it is a nice family pet, sooner or later it will lock its jaws on something. These animals are bred to kill.” THE WEST VIEW April 2005 Issue Submission Deadline: Tuesday, April 5 We welcome your stories, photos, and opinions. Please notify us if you know of something in the community that deserves coverage. Email us at editor@thewestview.org or call (801)355-9572 them to move, we’ll picket.” UTA Listens to Public Comment, BASKETBALL continued from page 2 as games. In the early 1940s, the 5th Ward had all the Larsen brothers and a Priest—James Larsen’s father, also James, and uncles Marty, Joe, Ray, Doug and brother-in-law Dick Priest —as starters and sixth-man, respectively: One of Doug Larsen’s favorite stories is when his 5th Ward team played the old Salt Lake 6th-7th Ward. When big-man Thomas Monson shot a free throw, Larsen stepped on his foot, so Monson couldn’t move. Larsen indicated with a grin that the referee didn't see the foul, and 5th Ward retrieved the missed shot. Perhaps justice was done when 6th-7th won anyway, Right-handed Ray Larsen once played in the All-Church tournament with his left arm in a cast, remembers his brother. The wounded player was also blind in his left eye, but he still “scored a lot of points” and helped his team win a couple of games. Practical-joker James Larson said the team once wore women’s pantaloons during a pre-game warm-up and made his unclecoach mad. After a good laugh, they changed to their game uniforms. Basketball memories are the stuff from which these lives were made. Rejects Rate Increases for Now By Edie Trimmer To Barbara Toomer, long-time activist for members of the community with disabilities, it seems Utah Transit Authority’s proposed rate hikes hit those hardest who can least afford it, She believes bus and Paratransit service has been reduced even as fares and sales taxes to support mass transit have increased over the past five years. Bus and Paratransit, she says, are the only options many of those with disabilities have to get to doctor’s appointments, get groceries, socialize or go to work. On February 23, the UTA Board, listening to Toomer and other citizens, voted to reject the rate increase for now. Justin Jones, media spokesman for UTA, says that the rate increase will be discussed in a board committee meeting and voted on again at UTA’s board meeting on March 23. “UTA must balance its budget. In 2005 we face cost overruns of $1 million,” says Jones. “This fare increase helps overcome that deficit.” Increased costs are due primarily to fuel costs rising from an estimated 90 cents to $1.27 per gallon. In addition, UTA needs to replace aging buses. Jones agrees that the fare increases have the greatest financial impact on those with low incomes and disabilities. “UTA has no choice - we either increase fares or reduce service, There really is no room for compromise.” During February, Utah Transit Authority held public meetings in six counties along the Wasatch Front to get public comment on fare increases for transit service. The increases in fares as proposed by UTA would begin in 2005 and increase again in 2006. Adult cash fares would increase from $1.35 to $1.50. Fares for seniors and citizens with disabilities would rise from 60 to 75 cents. Paratransit services would go from $2 to $2.25. The last hearing for Salt Lake County was held February 17 at the Salt Lake City Library. Most of those attending the packed hearing represented riders who use Paratransit services or qualify for special fares on regular bus routes due to having disabilities. Though fewer in number, representatives from lowincome groups were also present. These passengers pay the full fare and claim they cannot afford the outlay of cash for a monthly bus pass. Employers of these bus riders mostly hotel, restaurant and manufacturing businesses - do not provide bus passes for their employees or participate in the Eco Pass programs. All groups unanimously opposed the fare increases. Several speakers spoke of the dilemmas faced by UTA in covering rising costs. Speakers had more than criticisms; they offered solutions: e The number of elderly riders and those with disabilities who can use the more affordable, regular bus routes would increase if there were more shelters and benches in neighborhoods. e Bus service should be increased rather than cut back on routes with high numbers of those with low income or disabilities. e Paratransit services could be better coordinated to carry more passengers per trip, thereby reducing costs. ¢ General fund revenues could be invested in mass transit as well as in highway projects. “Why shouldn't drivers pay $1.50 every time they use I-15?” asked Margaret Christensen, “We need a new way of thinking for the million additional people who will be living along the Wasatch Front in the next decade.” Asked about other options such as higher fares for greater distances traveled, Jones replied that John Inglish, Executive Director of UTA, ordered a study of “distance” fares that will be completed by 2006. However, UTA would implement those fares only when commuter rail is brought on line. Will it be necessary to also increase sales taxes to support mass transit in the future? Jones says at this time the only proposal is to increase sales tax in Utah County. That must be voted upon as a referendum by Utah County taxpayers. The comments of Lexanna Hiss, speaking from her reclining wheelchair, reflected the sentiments of many at the hearing: “Everything in our lives is difficult. People say to me, 'Stop whining,’ but I'm not whining. My mind is still active and I need to get out of my house.” She grins slyly. “I am going to be around forever. So UTA can expect I will be a pain in their side forever.” The next meeting of the UTA Board is March 23 at 2:30 p.m. at 3600 S. 700 W,, South Salt Lake City. |
