Countdown: 33 days until early voting starts in Utah, 47 days until the 2012 election, 131 days to the start of the 2013 legislative session.

Get your popcorn! Orrin Hatch agrees to two debates with Democrat Scott Howell [Tribune].

Lawmakers push forward on their effort to wrest control of public lands in Utah away from the federal government [Deseret News, KUTV].

The Utah Senate approves Sal Petilos as the head of the DABC, but delays action on two other nominees to the agency’s board [Tribune, Deseret News].

Lawmakers will consider a plan to raise the speed limit on some Utah highways to 80 mph [Tribune, Deseret News].

Ben McAdams unveils his plan to streamline operations in Salt Lake County if he’s elected Mayor [Tribune].

The Legislature considers stepping in to stop the financial losses cities are facing with the struggling UTOPIA project [Tribune, KUTV].

A Legislative committee puts the Lake Powell pipeline on hold because there’s not enough information about whether private enterprise could fund the project [Tribune].

Rep. Patrice Arent plans to once again try to ban smoking in cars containing children [Tribune, Deseret News].

Rep. Paul Ray is resurrecting his bill to allow the open carry of firearms, but he plans a few changes to improve the chances of it passing muster on the Hill [Deseret News].

Sen. Aaron Osmond floats the idea of state funded preschool [Tribune].