Letters to the Editor, 6/29/00

Get It Right!

Next time you write an article concerning somebody's child in your paper, ("4 Very Lucky Kids," 6/22/00) I suggest you research it a little better and get it your facts straight or don't print it at all!

1) Mack (the little brother) was transported to the clinic by himself in the first ambulance.

2) Jake (the older brother) and Miss Sparks (my daughter) were transported to the clinic in the second ambulance.

3) Parker Greenwood arrived at the clinic with his mother (Suzy Greenwood) before either ambulance got there (Bridgett did not ride with the Greenwoods to the clinic).

4) Bridgett (my daughter) and Mack (the little brother) were transported to Idaho Falls in the helicopter. Jake (the older brother) was transported in the ambulance to Jackson.

5) Jake's (the older brother) truck is navy blue, not black.

A retraction would be nice. It would be better than me doing it for you in the letters to the editor in the Roundup!

Susan Sparks, Big Piney

Editor's Response

Concerning Ms. Spark's first point - the story stated that both brothers were transported to the Marbleton Clinic in ambulances. We didn't discern that the little brother was transported in the first ambulance and the older brother was transported in the second ambulance. It wasn't important.

Points 2 and 3 are somewhat related. We stated correctly that the older brother was transported to the clinic in an ambulance and Parker Greenwood was transported by his mother. Where we got the story wrong, and Ms. Sparks points out correctly, is that her daughter, Bridgett, was transported to the clinic in an ambulance. We wrote incorrectly in the story that she rode to the clinic with Suzy Greenwood. We were told this by Bret Argyle who was first on the scene and by a Physician's Assistant at the clinic. I apologize for our error.

Point 4 - We got it right. In the third paragraph of the story, we wrote that Bridgett and the younger brother were flown to the Idaho Regional Medical Center by Idaho Air, and that, "the older brother was transported to St. John's Hospital in Jackson Hole."

Point 5 - The Sheriff's report of the incident listed the truck color as "black." We tried, but were unable to take a photo of the vehicle for the story. It's understandable that the deputy mistook navy blue for black and we went with what was put down on the report.

Finally, I was somewhat confused by Ms. Sparks' anger over these relatively minor issues concerning this story and called her last week. After addressing the issues she raised in her letter point by point, I asked for the real reason she was upset with our story. After hemming and hawing and avoiding the question, eventually she said she was mad because she thought we had "Greenwooded up" the story. Apparently she felt we gave too much space to the actions of young Parker Greenwood in the story, and not enough to her daughter, Bridgett. I don't know how to respond to this. I stand by the story.

Rob Shaul, Editor

Bed Tax Is Unfair

Dear Editor and the citizens of Sublette County,

Believe it or not, tourists are real people who do not like taxes any more than we locals do. The poor foreign tourists are completely overwhelmed by the "American tax system." The citizens of the Midwest have been screaming about the gas prices. One Governor has taken off the state taxes and lowered the price of gas not only for the citizens of his state but for the visitors as well. Both presidential hopefuls are running on platforms to lower taxes for the American people. A very popular move I might add. Am I missing the picture, or are Mr. Ptasnik and Mr. Godfrey missing the point that people don't like to be singled out to have a tax forced on them as a customer or as a business. Taxes do not attract tourists.

How to fund the promotion of Pinedale has always been a concern for the Chamber board. I have run a motel in Pinedale for 25 years. I have also served on the chamber board of Directors for 8 of those years. I felt then and I feel now that the entire business community should share equally in the expense of promoting Pinedale. For several years Joanne Hines and myself spent our February going from business to business asking for money to promote our area. We were met with enthusiasm and financial support for promotional purposes. I have suggested this approach or a promotional fee attached to the Chamber dues for years now. If the business community feels Pinedale needs promotion, then why shouldn't all of us contribute equally? There is nothing stopping anyone from giving money to the Chamber for tourist related material. Maybe Mr. Godfrey would like to start with money from his own business.

As for the bed tax, the idea that locals don't pay this tax is ludicrous. For your information, Mr. Godfrey, a very large portion of my business is funded by the local people. Weddings, memorials, graduations and family reunions are just a few of the ways locals use the motels here. And yes, most of the time, the bill is picked up by the person living here. It is a courtesy that they extend to their guests just as it is to take them to dinner. Second, what about all the temporary workers that are staying in motels? Using the figures in last weeks paper, they would have to pay anywhere from $25.20 to $65.80 per month in lodging taxes to stay in a motel: unless the motel owner goes to the effort of exempting them from the lodging tax. It is a no win situation. Either the temporary worker pays or the lodging tax loses revenue. Third, the idea that citizens of Sublette County can force a tax on one small group of businesses is awful. Would they impose a tax on their own businesses for the benefit of promoting Sublette County?

Motels have an unbelievable impact on the other businesses in the area. The first question that I am asked is do we give discounts. The second question is where should we eat, and the third is what is there to do. I have always encouraged my guests to spend their money locally because of the local support I get. As for signing the petition that will be going around, please ask yourself if you would want a tax forced on your business or your customers. If the answer is no, then don't sign the petition. Ask yourself if it is fair that you should single out and force a tax on someone else's business. If the answer is no, then don't sign the petition. This is one of the most discriminatory taxes ever enacted. Petitions are public knowledge. I for one will get a copy of the petition and study the list of names very carefully.

Barbara Pfaff, Pinedale

High School Scuplture

Thank you for your coverage of the reception for everyone who worked on the new high school sculpture, "A Slice of Paradise".

I just wanted to take a moment and flesh out the story behind the project and also to say thank you to all of the young people who worked on it. They include: Melissa Adair, Kathryn Bailey, Riley Bennett, Brandin Blanthorn, Kristen Boroff, Raya Doyle, Jesse Early, Caitlin Hakiel, Linda James, Marie Lundberg, Jayme McClain, Melissa McCutchan, Troy Merriam, Paul Postma, Crystal Rowe, Jamie Sluyter, Alan Svalberg, Tony Vitt, Bobbie Wilson, K.C. Wilson and Michael Farkas.

I first met with the students in early April and we began working on a design. Each student developed an idea and we slowly pulled elements from various projects to get the design we now have. The students then began working on more personal small sculptures that we eventually cast into aluminum. After several weeks of this we began to construct the "background" shapes which represent a symbolic landscape book-ended by the letters A and Z. The landscape is Pinedale, austere and muscular, and the letters symbolize the school, its students, a beginning, and an end. Collectively the small aluminum sculptures represent the diversity in this community.

Besides learning design skills and experiencing the creation of a large public sculpture, the students were engaged in many pragmatic tasks. They carved foam, cut and welded steel, mixed concrete, dug a foundation, cast metal, drilled and tapped aluminum, assembled parts and in general moved around heavy objects. All the while we were discussing the role of public art, what is appropriate for this community and what are the most exciting visual solutions. It was an exhausting process but the students and their teacher Diane McClean hung in there to the end even with summer fast approaching. For me as an artist it was a fantastic experience. The excitement and enthusiasm of these young people is very inspiring. The sculpture is something that I would never have come up with on my own. A major component of much of the art of this century revolves around the idea of trying to create something new. The 'newness' of such art, acts as a catalyst to help us see things from another perspective. I feel honored to have been part of a situation that fits this model of art-making as a journey of discovery.

Once again, much thanks to my fellow collaborators, to the Pinedale Fine Arts Council, The Boces Board, and especially to David Klaren for all of his hard work on this project.

Don Kennell, Pinedale