The Standard-Examiner provides the story this morning, on the latest corporate insult to the civil rights of the citizens of Ogden Valley. Scott Schwebke reports that Powder Mountain Resort has put the arm on Ogden Valley Balloon Fest management, and has succeeded in barring the Citizens Rights Defense Fund from operating an informational booth at this weekend's Ogden Valley Balloon & Artist Festival.
POWDER MOUNTAIN -- Members of a group opposed to the incorporation of Powder Mountain as a town are feeling deflated because they won't be allowed to have a booth at this weekend's Ogden Valley Balloon & Artist Festival.Read the full text of Mr. Schwebke's story here:
The Citizens' Rights Committee was initially promised about two weeks ago by organizers of the festival, running Friday through Sunday at Wolf Creek Resort in Eden, that it could set up an informational booth at the event, said committee member Larry Zini.
However, on Tuesday, permission for the booth was withdrawn, said Zini, who is concerned officials with Powder Mountain resort, one of the festival's sponsors, may have used their influence to get the Citizens' Rights Committee booted.[...]
Carolyn Daniels, who handles group sales and public relations for Powder Mountain, said she contacted organizers for the Ogden Valley Balloon & Artist Festival to express concern that those at the Powder Mountain booth would be spending their time defending issues raised by those at the Citizens' Rights Committee booth.
"We wanted to be there to promote the upcoming ski season," she said, explaining the purpose of the Powder Mountain booth.
Daniels said she specifically told festival organizers that she was not asking for the Citizens' Right Committee to be banned from the event.
• Balloon fest booth permit pulled; Powder Mountain Town opponents' group deflatedThat's right, gentle readers. Ms. Daniels, a managing employee of Powder Mountain, which is also a sponsor of this event, readily admits she called on behalf of her employer to complain; but she also oh-so-carefully notes that she had no intention of interfering with the Ogden Valley citizens' booth permit. Therefore, in order to slavishly go along with Powder Mountain on this, the cowardly Balloon Fest organizers of course had to come up with a pretext. The flimsy pretext du jour? "Gladys Mundelius, booth coordinator for the festival, said event officials rescinded the Citizens' Rights Committee's permit because it is neither an arts nor a registered nonprofit organization."
It's pretty plain what's really going on here, in our never humble opinion. Powder Mountain plans to use this event to hawk season ski passes; and the citizens of Ogden Valley have been promoting a Powder Mountain boycott. Inevitably, when corporate entities weigh the conflicting issues, money (greed) always talks.
We've spoken with several Ogden Valley citizen activists about this, and it appears that there's a "Plan B" solution in the works. There's talk of setting up booths outside the Balloon Fest premises, and further discussion of another impromptu roadway sign campaign. Whatever they do, we'll predict it will be innovative and effective. Powder Mountain and the Balloon Fest promoters are trying to throttle Ogden Valley citizens' voices; and we can confidently assure you that's something which definitely ain't gonna happen.
And for those Weber County Forum readers who'd like to demonstrate their solidarity with the valiant citizens of Ogden Valley, who are fighting like demons against the ongoing corporate oppression, we have two suggestions:
1) Boycott Powder Mountain and ski with Earl at Snow Basin this year; and,
2) Boycott the Ogden Valley Balloon Fest.
We believe that those of good conscience will want to hit these corporate tyrants the only place it really hurts... their wallets.
Don't forget to check out Ogden Valley Forum this morning, by the way. Larry Zini has new article on this topic too, which has already drawn more than a few justifiably irate reader comments:
• Booth Permit Rescinded!That's it for now, gentle readers.
It's time to throw in your own 2¢.
Update 8/13/09 5:45 p.m. MT: Breaking news from the Ogden Valley Forum blog:
• Gage Froerer Steps up for The Citizens’ Rights Committee!From the Larry Zini Article:
After the Citizens’ Rights Committee booth space at the Ogden Valley Balloon Festival was revoked, our own State Representative Gage Froerer has offered space in front of his Century 21 office on Hwy. 158 for an information booth. The office is located on Hwy. 158 a few hundred yards south of the Valley Market intersection.This story definitely grows more interesting by the moment.
Update 8/13/09 6:51 p.m. MT: Here's a great MSFT Powerpoint file sent to us this afternoon by one of our alert readers:
• The Farmers - Robert DuncanThis truly fantastic file arrived with the following message:
Kinda what Ogden Valley used to be ... and what Powder Mountain "Townies" want to take away. Other than that, enjoy -- these paintings are beautiful ... my dad found them.Your blogmeister agrees. These paintings are highly reminiscent of what Ogden Valley looked like not so long ago when he was growing up there as a kid; and there still remain many vestiges. The depicted characters, structures and terrain features are uncannily accurate, as a matter of fact.
Can we preserve any of this from the heavy hand of greedhead developers? Only time will tell.
