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House
GOP Plans Media Briefings
During the 45-day legislative session
starting Monday, House Republican leaders will meet with the
news media twice a week, every Tuesday and Thursday from noon
to 12:20 p.m. in the House Lounge.
Fowlke
On Board With USTAR
Rep. Lorie Fowlke
has published another newsletter for her constituents (not
yet posted on her Web
site). In it she addresses a variety of issues, including
transportation projects, school choice and tax cuts. She congratulates
Larry Miller for declining to show “Brokeback
Mountain” in his Jordan Commons movie theaters. Fowlke
also said she supports the USTAR economic development initiative:
“Specifically, in the area
of economic development, I support USTAR, (Utah Science, Technology
and Research (USTAR) economic development initiative), developed
by a coalition of business and education leaders and executives
who have teamed up to create an atmosphere conducive to entrepreneurial
opportunities. The gist of the plan is to use the state's
research university's knowledge base to create new technologies
that will spin off into private companies. The purpose is
to create, not just more jobs, but well-paying jobs in which
an individual can support a family.”
Podcast
Watch
The latest edition of Jennifer
Napier-Pearce’s Inside
Utah.com Podcast features State Rep. Steve
Urquhart on reviving urban homesteading (:45); demographer
Pam Perlich on the arrival of the student
population boom (8:42); Bonneville High School student
Marshall Thomas on his generation's take
on civil rights (14:36); and Avalon Isle producer Candace
Christensen on a new play about artist Frida
Kahlo (21:13).
Get to Know Your
Legislators
Name & District:
Kory Holdaway, District 34,  Taylorsville
and West Valley City
Occupation: Teacher
Education: Master of Public Administration,
BYU
Growing up: Grew up in Taylorsville area
when Redwood Road was a 2 lane road.
Fondest memory: Floating the irrigation
canals as a boy and building forts in the farm fields
Childhood ambition: To be a Fireman
Family: Wife, Daughter and Son in Law with
our first Grandchild, and 2 sons, one serving a mission in
Orlando the other in High School
Why politics: The Taylorsville area was
not being fairly considered in planning and zoning issues
in Salt Lake County so I got involved in the Taylorsville
City incorporation drive and the rest is history.
My perfect day: Spending time with my family
on Lake Powell (there are no phones there)
Hobbies: Camping and traveling. I just wish
it were more often
First job: I was a lumber yard gopher
Motivations/ambitions: I want to see my
children and their children be able to enjoy life to the fullest.
Hottest issue you're watching: The
infrastructure needs of the state and the revenue necessary
to meet those needs.
Biggest challenge: Being a procrastinator
and staying organized.
Alarm clock: Never used one
Proudest moment: Winning my first election
to the Utah House of Representatives and seeing my children
succeed.
Political ideology: I believe government
should be as close to the people as we can and provide the
necessary services for those that can't provide for themselves.
Soundtrack: Les Miserable
Personal motto/mission statement: "Failure
is not an option; our best effort is the minimum standard"
Inspiration: I gain inspiration from good
music
Favorite book: "Tuesday's with Morrie"
Favorite movie: "Mr. Smith Goes to
Washington"
Indulgence: Food, any kind except liver
and lima beans
Upcoming 2006 Session
My top priority for the 2006
session: Working to improve both higher and K-12
education to continue to strengthen our economy.
Hot issue in 2006 session: Revenue Surplus
and Tax Discussions
The 2006 session will be remembered for:
What we do with the Revenue Surplus
My district is cool because: Of the good
people that go to work everyday and work to provide for their
families and then are also willing to assist others in the
community.
I like serving in the Legislature: Because
of the people and influence for good they are in my life.
Running for political office is: a Contact
Sport
Blog Watch
The Senate
Site blog says "We keep reading that the Senate
is undecided as to how much they will recommend for a tax
cut. It ain't indecision, folks. It's a commitment to responsible
decision-making"... Rep. Steve Mascaro is working
on a bill "for the 2006 Legislature to address
healthcare insurance for the small businesses in Utah"...
Reach Upward has
a post on "the problem with Intelligent Design"...
Mountain
View
Corridor thanks the Salt Lake Chamber "for taking
a stand in favor of appropriately funding transportation"...
The Hopeless Writer has
a long post on the Larry H. Miller/Brokeback
Mountain flap (see also here)...
Woods Cross Citizen says his town needs
commuter rail... Utah Conservative wonders
about the affiliation between the UEA and the
"wacky" NEA... Carrie Ullrich says Joe Cannon
is lying about Democratic
ties to embattled lobbyists Jack Abramoff...
Charley Foster's had
fun being one of KCPW's point men on the Samuel
Alito hearings... Signifying Nothing has
a post about LaVarr Webb's "nasally"
"intrinsically Utah" "church" accent... Conceived in Liberty
has
a post on the passing of W. Cleon Skousen...
The Superficial steps
between Mormons and the disdain of
actor Heath Ledger [Warning: vulgar language,
mildly vulgar website ads]... According to Hub
Politics, Sen. Orrin Hatch tells
bloggers at blogger event not to discount a Mitt Romney
presidential candidacy in '08.
Enviro Group Doesn’t
Like Drilling
The Wilderness
Society is charging that an analysis of
11 pending and completed oil and gas plans for Western areas
managed by the BLM suggests that the BLM "has increasingly
overridden its own policies to facilitate dramatically expanded
drilling on public lands" in Alaska, Montana, Wyoming, New
Mexico, and Utah (see press
release).
Washington
Watch
Hatch Champions
Alito's Cause
Sen. Orrin Hatch says
Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito has been
treated so unfairly by the Democrats that "it makes everybody
wonder, 'Why would anyone want to do these jobs?'" (Associated
Press); says Democrats are "hitting below the belt" (Bloomberg
News); in exasperation, uses an expletive during
the hearings (CBN
News); is accused of "sycophantic posturing" (The
Blade and Berkshire
Eagle).
Leavitt Announces $$ for
Influenza Prep
HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt
announces $100 million in funding for state and local pandemic
influenza preparedness efforts (see press
release). Sierra
Club Executive Director Carl Pope
accuses Leavitt of "passivity" in
face of avian flu threat.
2006 Pre-Legislative
Meeting
Proyecto
Latino de Utah, in
partnership with several Utah community-based organizations, will hold
its 2006 Pre-Legislative Latino Community Meeting today
at 7 p.m. in the Horizonte Training Center (5th Floor, Auditorium).
The "purpose of this meeting is to inform the Latino community
of several bills that are being proposed in the Utah Legislature
that would have severe negative impact on Latino immigrants."
Contact: Tony Yapias (801) 560-3218, tyapias@yahoo.com.
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