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Show Viewpoints The A-11 Park Record. Wed/Thurs/Fri, October 28-30, 2020 editorial Accelerating pandemic is most harrowing story this Halloween A letters to the editor Let’s outdo ourselves We don’t honk here “You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give.” This saying rings truest for me in November and never more powerfully than this year. Not only is this the month of giving thanks, but here in Park City, it’s also the month of Live PC Give PC. I look forward to this event every year as an opportunity to come together with my community and support the nonprofits that make life here so colorful. Last year, over 5,102 unique donors generously bestowed $2,464,717 in charitable contributions. These funds support everything from adaptive recreation and affordable housing, to critical programs that keep our local youth safe, healthy and empowered to reach their full potential. My personal passions include serving on the board for Park City Education Foundation, which proved how nimble it could be and kept our kids in school despite our new paradigms. It’s a BIG deal. This year, let’s outdo ourselves, Park City. Live PC Give PC is hoping to rally at least 5,500 unique donors this year. Even if you give just $5, you can help meet this worthy goal. So, on Nov. 6, head to livepcgivepc.org and join thousands from your community in saying thanks. Stop honking! If you are one of the many, many new residents to Park City you should know that here, we don’t honk. We actually slow down and sometimes stop for deer, moose, scheming squirrels, runners, walkers, dogs, children, cats, cyclists, hikers, mountain bikers, porcupines, the shy skunk and kids of all ages training for winter sports. If you are extra lucky, you might just look up and see that you are driving right next to a majestic herd of elk, or watching a hawk take flight. Sometimes we stop just to look at the amazing view. We are so lucky to live here. So if someone is slowing down in front of you, take a deep breath and enjoy! You might see something rare and precious. Christine Grenney Park City Support new nonprofit On Nov. 6, Park City Community Foundation will be hosting the annual Live PC Give PC. This is the day when our community comes together and showers our nonprofits, and the communities they serve, with love and generosity. Hive Family Collective will be one of the newest 501(c)(3) organizations listed on the Live PC Give PC menu. Started in January, Hive supports, educates and connects families raising children in Summit County. So many of us have moved to Park City to raise our families, but are now far away from our own extended families. We depend on this community as our tribe. As many of you may remember, or may currently be experiencing, the isolation of being a new parent can be overwhelming. Hive Family Collective hosts weekly meetings for new mamas and monthly speaker presentations. We are creating a list of resources to share so that when you need that one something, you know where to go. We partner with the People’s Health Clinic to help uninsured mamas and babies meet their health care needs. When planning where to give your money this Nov. 6, please consider making a donation to Hive Family Collective. We appreciate your donation and will use all funds raised to support, educate and connect families. Visit livepcgivepc. org or hivefamilycollective.com to learn more. Sara Hutchinson, Perry Hardy and Joanna Kahn Hive Family Collective co-founders The Park Record Staff PUBLISHER ....................... Andy Bernhard Editor ................................... Bubba Brown Staff Writers ......................Jay Hamburger Scott Iwasaki Alexander Cramer Contributing ............................. Tom Clyde Writers Teri Orr Amy Roberts Tom Kelly Joe Lair Engagement Editor............. Jeff Dempsey Photographer .........................Tanzi Propst Circulation Manager ............. Lacy Brundy Distribution........................... Henry Knight ADVERTISING Advertising Director ........... Valerie Spung Advertising Sales ................... Jodi Hecker Lindsay Lane Director of Digital Marketing .. Tina Wismer Digital Sales Executive ............... Erik Jones Production Director ..................Ben Olson Production ......................... Louise Mohorn Sherrie West Jeremy Ranch Broad benefits As with the restaurant and airline industry, the hotel and lodging business has struggled to regain market demand from a 40-60% drop since March. With that said I encourage you to vote “Yes” for the funding of the recreational facilities, botanical organizations and cultural organizations (RAP) tax. This benefits the hotel and lodging industry through such demand generators as the arts, education, dance, history, music, visual arts, theater, folk arts and other pursuits. I ask for your “For” vote for this 0.1% sales and use tax on Nov. 3. Danny Williams Park City Area Lodging Association president Life support I am in awe that Live PC Give PC, the annual 24-hour day of giving, has grown into one of the most anticipated events of the year. It’s been 10 years since Park City Community Foundation created the giving day to benefit Summit County nonprofits. Here at People’s Health Clinic we have come to depend on this funding to support our clinic operations. Last year this day of fundraising helped us raise almost 17% of our annual budget. On Friday, Nov. 6, Live PC Give PC returns. We will rally once again and attempt to reach even more donors than we have in the past! Getting there will be a tall order this year due to COVID-19, but when it comes to this event, we will not let that stop us. We will rise to the challenge because what we do at our clinic is critical to our local economy — we are working to tackle health care disparities that affect us all. But, we cannot do it without your help. Regardless of how much money is raised, those who participate will share an experience that will leave you inspired to do even more to make our community special. Those feelings are particularly meaningful in times like this. Providing health care in the middle of a pandemic has been incredibly humbling and challenging at times but we will remain here for those who need us the most! Live PC Give PC is an opportunity to showcase the best of who we are as a community and it is evidence of our commitment to being good neighbors. On Nov. 6, you will have an opportunity to take care of our neighbors and embrace everyone as an equal. Please consider supporting People’s Health Clinic and remember your support is our life support. Help us help those who keep our resort town running and make it great! Join the fun by going to livepcgivepc.org and supporting the causes that matter most to you. Beth Armstrong People’s Health Clinic executive director s October comes to a close, the thing keeping health experts awake at night is not the ghosts, ghouls and goblins that will be on the prowl Saturday. More frightening than a monster or any Halloween spook a horror movie director could conjure up is the state of the COVID-19 pandemic in Utah. With cases rising like never before, pushing hospitals to capacity even before the winter sets in, the health crisis here has never looked so grim. It’s a time for Summit County residents — and all Utahns — to recommit to taking every possible measure to limit the spread of the coronavirus as we enter a period that health officials expect to be among the most daunting of the pandemic. The numbers say it all. We are several weeks into the largest statewide surge in coronavirus cases since the pandemic began. On Sunday, the rolling seven-day average of new cases reached 1,494, more than double the previous peak in July, and there were more than 27,000 active cases, an alltime high that means Utahns have never been more likely to come into contact with an infected person. What’s more, the sheer volume of cases has put into doubt whether people who get sick in the coming weeks will be able to get adequate medical care. The state’s health care facilities are becoming overwhelmed, and now officials are warning that hospitals may soon need to ration care. In that nightmarish scenario, which would require approval from the governor, doctors would weigh factors like age and case severity in determining which patients receive aid in the intensive-care unit — and which do not. Lest any Summit County resident mistakenly assume the problem is confined to the other side of the Wasatch Range, know that the situation in our community mirrors what’s happening in the rest of the state. The county is experiencing case growth that surpasses even the peak in the first weeks of the crisis, before the stay-at-home order stemmed the virus in the spring. There’s a reason we are one of 21 counties designated in the “high” transmission level in the state’s COVID-19 classification system. The curve, to put it simply, isn’t flat anymore. That this is all happening in late October, when cold-andflu season has barely begun, is all the more concerning. It leaves us to wonder where we’ll be in December, January or February if we don’t regain control of the virus soon. The good news is this: Unlike the protagonist in a horror movie, whose fate is determined by the writer’s pen, we collectively control our destiny. Let’s ramp up our vigilance once again. Wear a mask, social distance, remain at home as much as possible. In Summit County, if we can’t slow the spread of COVID-19 during the shoulder season, what chance do we have when skiers start arriving? Time is of the essence. Unless we rein in the virus now, we and the rest of Utah will be in for a harrowing winter, a fright fest that will be all too real. guest editorial Democrats may gain control of Washington, but is the public ready for one-party control? F. JOSEPH FEELY III Trailside With the election coming in less than two weeks, I would like to provide my views on the likely outcome and the potential for problematic changes if things go as I expect. This is an unusual year with the impact of the coronavirus on normal activities and uncertainty about the effectiveness of the many vaccines which are in development. Although effective vaccines could have a beneficial impact on life and an economic recovery throughout the world, if damaging political decisions are made in the aftermath of the election, it could be a long time before life returns to normal. This is an election where voters must balance their view of the importance of President Trump’s personality problems versus the likely impact of the extreme policy positions of the Democratic party if that party captures the presidency, Senate and House. Historically, the Senate has required a supermajority of at least 60 votes for most legislation to proceed, and that was seen as a protection for the minority against imprudent or overly partisan legislation. However, that requirement is now under attack by many Democrats who wish to push through a lot of unpopular legislation that would greatly change the economic and social structure of our republic. Examples of such legislation are the proposal to do away with the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 to nullify all state right-towork laws and to unfairly restrict the rights of businesses to respond to union organizing activities, the proposal to pack the Supreme Court by adding more judges and the proposal to greatly increase federal taxes on personal incomes, capitol gains and corporations. These tax increases are expected to raise between $2 trillion and $3 trillion over a 10-year period, and are expected to be used to partially fund a number of controversial new government programs without addressing the Join in the magic You can’t pour from an empty glass. Every year, our service industry performs back-breaking work for our community. You perform tirelessly to provide residents and visitors with cherished memories of skiing, appreciating the arts, wining and dining. I want these incredible individuals to know that I see you. If the stress of that work causes unexpected changes in your mental health, you can seek help through Connect Summit County. On Nov. 6, Connect Summit County will be celebrating Live PC Give PC with many in the community. We hope that you’ll join us in the magic, and that you’ll support us so that we can continue to fill up your cup if you’re feeling empty. Find us at LivePCGivePC.org/organization/CONNECTSummitCounty. Caroline Nurse Connect Summit County board On the offense I am all in for renaming Columbus Day to promote Mayor Andy’s social equity efforts! But I’m sure that the mayor knows that there were no “indigenous people” in North America when that Italian interloper arrived some 528 years ago; they were all descendants of immigrants from Asia. So let’s rename the celebration to Immigrants Day, that way we can all feel included. And while we’re at it, we should change Christmas to a Winter Solstice celebration so as not to offend non-Christians. Likewise, Easter should become Spring Equinox Day. Thanksgiving? Gone for the same reasons as Columbus Day. Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are the block, too, because of those excluded from growing government deficit. My expectation is that Trump will lose the election because people are tired of his act, but there is not a lot of enthusiasm for Joe Biden by his likely voters. Joe Biden has lived in the D.C. political swamp for 47 years, and like many in powerful positions, he has done very well financially for someone who has received a fairly low government salary over the years. Biden’s moral compass seems to be a bit like a weather vane, causing him to change his positions in accordance with the direction of the political winds. But that is not unusual for many politicians. I don’t know if Biden will have the strength to sustain the physical strains that accompany the presidency for four years and if he will actually make the domestic and foreign policy decisions that will drive his administration. It is my hope that he stays well and is able to govern effectively, but I am worried about his health and declining mental acuity. It is unfortunate that he selected Kamala Harris as his vice president, because she is not a moderate and would not be a good replacement for Biden. Biden has never been the wisest of our leaders, as illustrated by his opposition to the raid that killed Osama Bin Laden. I hope he avoids pitfalls in dealings with the Chinese and Iranians and avoids the wishful thinking that has characterized our dealings with them. Because there has been so little discussion of the policy issue differences between the two political parties in this election cycle, I am concerned that the public is not prepared for major changes in our laws and traditions, which are likely to cause a great amount of dissension and anger. I hope that one-party control of government is avoided so that compromises are necessitated. When political parties overreach or change the rules, they often regret it later. Moderation is the best policy in the long run, and is needed to build comity in a democracy. celebrating. And the Fourth of July? Hmmm, I’m sure that some people opposed to democracy, like BLM and AOC, feel especially oppressed on that day. Veterans Day offends pacifists, but Memorial Day may be OK until the City Council has another social equity attack. Ken Miller Jeremy Ranch Birkeland is responsive Elect Kera Birkeland! As a small business owner, foster parent and mom, she understands and fights for the most important things, our kids and our liberties! She knows firsthand how unnecessary regulations can destroy small businesses ... as we have all seen so clearly these last few months. She cares about our schools and public education because it is something that affects her and her family, directly, right now. As our current representative she was willing to make her positions clear, instead of being silent and just waiting for the election like so many of the others. If given the chance she will continue to stand up for our constitutional rights. I, for one, want a representative that is willing to listen to her constituents, take a stand, and do her job instead of “being a politician” and caring only about securing the next election! She answers emails and phone calls and makes time to meet those who want to talk further. I have contacted a lot of representatives over the last few months and this kind of accessibility and responsiveness is pretty rare. Vote Kera Birkeland in House District 53. Katie Johnson Snyderville Basin Contribute to a cure What if scientists discovered a single elephant gene that could be instrumental in developing a cure for cancer? Or a chemical in dogfish sharks that could enable humans to ward against hardto-beat viruses? Or a peptide found in the first days of a newborn baby’s life could be synthesized in a lab and held the key to curing COVID-19? At Closer to Cure Foundation, we believe that the evolutionary solutions nature has been developing for millions of years can be used to improve human life and that this convergence of nature and technology holds the key to curing cancer and a wide range of other diseases. We also believe as we continue to learn why humans develop diseases that other species avoid, that nature’s solutions can be applied to find a cure. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in Park City, we’re dedicated to funding researchers like Dr. Joshua Schiffman of PEEL Therapeutics who are developing breakthrough, evolutionary-inspired medicines to help patients here in Park City, throughout Utah, across the nation and all over the world. As you plan your giving for this year’s 10th annual Live PC Give PC, please consider a gift to Closer to Cure Foundation. Your donation to our organization will help us identify, cultivate and support future grant recipients. For more information regarding our foundation please visit our website at closertocure.org. Together, we can revolutionize the treatment of cancer, a wide range of inflammatory and other diseases, and ultimately, improve patient lives. Gareth Mitchell Closer to Cure Foundation executive director |