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Success for incumbent mayors was mixed in Tuesday’s primary election. See all the coverage in the headline links at right.
Urquhart Turns Up Heat on Yucca Mountain
Rep. Steve Urquhart is ratcheting up the pressure on Sen. Orrin Hatch on the nuclear waste storage issue. In a letter to Hatch, Urquhart urged him to immediately change his position and align with the governor and the rest of the Utah congressional delegation in opposing Yucca Mountain as a storage site. Urquhart is challenging Hatch for the GOP Senate nomination next year.
By supporting Yucca Mountain, Hatch is “wasting critical time and alienating valuable allies," and is also making it more likely the waste will go to Skull Valley in Utah, Urquhart said. "If you are not willing to join in this fight to protect Utah," Urquhart said, "I am."
Urquhart also criticized Hatch's recent legislative attempt to stop the Skull Valley site as a last minute sham. "The legislation you propose is a political reaction to Senator Bennett's changed position on Yucca Mountain, and it does not have a prayer of passing," Urquhart said. To read the entire letter, click here.
Blog Watch
Jeri Cartwright blogs on the PR business; describes a phone call from Tom DeLay. . . Ethan Millard at SLCSPIN is always interesting.
Like to Talk? Here’s Your Big Chance
KSL Newsradio is bringing back live, local talk at night, and Utah Policy Daily readers get to suggest who the host of the high-profile show will be. Russ Hill, KSL news and programming director, asked UPD to invite readers to make nominations for the host of the weekday 7-10 p.m. talk show.
“I'm looking for someone who is plugged in, politically aware, opinionated, interesting, entertaining, fun to talk with, versatile and fairly open-minded,” Hill said. “The show will include, but not be limited to, discussing political issues. Potential hosts should be firm in their opinions but not overly polarizing. I want someone who would eat this opportunity up. Why waste time running for office when you could have one of the most powerful voices in Utah?”
Hill said UPD’s “vast daily e-mail audience” should be able to make some good suggestions about a suitable host. “Let's have some fun with it,” he said. “Your newsletter goes out to a broad group that includes many ‘movers and shakers.’ I would love their feedback, ideas, and opinions on who is the perfect talk show host for KSL. This will likely be someone not currently in broadcasting, but rather someone involved in the local community who would make a great host. I'm sure your readers could suggest people that KSL might not have considered or be familiar with.”
So, e-mail Russ at rhill@ksl.com with your suggestions. You can nominate yourself. People with “the gift of gab” but no broadcast experience are welcome to apply.
National Politics
National Journal’s Charlie Cook says Republicans can’t seem to shake their funk. It’s one problem after another and candidate recruitment isn’t going very well for U.S. Senate races. Still, the ability of Democrats to capitalize remains questionable.
Stan Collender, another National Journal columnist, says fiscal conservatives in Washington are like starting pitchers in major league baseball: They start off strong, but seldom go the distance.
Orrin Hatch Fundraiser
A Utah County fundraising reception for Sen. Orrin Hatch will be held next Wednesday, Oct 12, 7-8 pm, at the home of Stephen R. Covey. Suggested donation is $2,000 per couple, with $1,000 per couple or $500 per individual accepted. Light refreshments will be served, followed by a Q&A session with Sen. Hatch. For more information, call Don Savage, 375-2981, or don@donsavage.com.
Discussion Tonight on Tax Reform
Sen. Greg Bell, R-Farmington, will lead a panel discussion tonight on the subject of tax reform legislation at the Financial Planning Association of Utah’s Financial Planning Week event at 7 pm, at the Hinckley Institute, Room 255, Orson Spencer Hall, at the University of Utah. A legislative task force has been working to identify changes in Utah’s tax code that will help fund critical education, transportation and water development needs while supporting economic development and at the same time avoiding increasing the burden on Utah’s family budgets.
Other speakers in the panel include Charles Newton, a financial planner and Government Affairs Director for the FPA of Utah. The meeting is free and open to the public as a service of the Hinckley Institute of Politics and the Financial Planning Association of Utah.
Washington Watch
$600,000 Grant for Literacy Program
Sen. Bob Bennett announced that the Achievement in Reading and Content Learning project, part of the Public School Partnership Program at BYU, will receive a $600,000 grant to help boost literacy performance of low-achieving Utah students in intermediate grades. “In its second year, the project will assist over 40 teachers to develop a curriculum centered on enhancing literacy, as well as focus on applications geared to motivate students with reading difficulties. It is estimated that this project will impact over 1,000 students,” said Bennett.
Senate Passes Violence Against Women Act
The Senate passed the Violence Against Women Act of 2005, co-sponsored by Sen. Orrin Hatch. Esta Soler, president of the Family Violence Prevention Fund, thanked Sens. Hatch, Joseph Biden (D-DE), and Arlen Specter (R-PA) “for their unwavering leadership on this issue.”
Broadband for Hanksville
The Future of Families Fellowship will receive a USDA grant of $512,655 to develop broadband connectivity in Hanksville, according to a USDA press release. |
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