Publishers Opinion
Leavitt’s Use of Jet Was Proper
Had U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Mike Leavitt not aggressively promoted the new Medicare drug program or dealt assertively with the threat of an avian flu pandemic, he would, no doubt, have come under heavy criticism from congressional Democrats.
The reality is, he dealt (and continues to deal) successfully with those two monumental national issues, and it is rather hypocritical for congressional Democrats to nitpick for partisan political purpose his use of a leased corporate jet to get the job done. In short order, Leavitt personally visited virtually every state in the country, dramatically raising the visibility of the drug program and the threat of bird flu. He couldn’t have done it juggling commercial flights.
Top corporate executives who travel extensively use corporate jets to get more work and productivity out of each day. They are able to hold more meetings, gather more intelligence, connect with the right people, and end up making better decisions and moving their businesses forward more profitably. Leavitt’s operation is bigger than any business in the world. His budget is bigger than that of many countries. His operations and decisions touch the lives of nearly every American. He needs to be as efficient and productive as possible and if it sometimes requires the use of a corporate jet, the price is well worth it.
USTAR Update
Impact Being Felt at Universities
Jack Brittain, dean of the David Eccles School of Business and vice president of technology ventures at the University of Utah, provided an update on the Utah Science, Technology and Research Economic Development Initiative in a luncheon speech to the MountainWest Capital Network on Thursday. (See news coverage in Morning News and Tribune.)
Brittain said USTAR is helping to change the culture in university research, with professors beginning to focus on commercialization opportunities to a greater extent. Eventually, the state and university investment in USTAR will result in high-paying jobs for many of today's young people.
Podcast Watch
This week’s InsideUtah.com podcast by Jennifer Napier-Pearce features candidate John Jacob (:32) on the race for the 3rd Congressional District Republican nomination; tech exec Cydni Tetro (10:36) on Utah’s blogosphere; and Polynesian community leader Sal Jansson (16:49) on preserving culture while promoting unity.
The latest Nature Conservancy Nature Stories audio podcast takes a look at how Southern Utah's 5-year drought has impacted rural farmers. Click here for a link to the podcast.
Blog Watch
Rep. Steve Urquhart says: "I was asked whether tort reform should be part of our study of Medicaid. Yes. Litigation and litigation concerns take up a big chunk of the available Medicaid monies. Therefore, we should study whether this aspect of the system can be improved, in order to provide better services to more people"... At the Senate Site blog, Sen. Carlene Walker says: "I worked for two years with dozens of stakeholders to negotiate a fair but delicate balance with the business community and consumers. Now the feds are threatening to nullify Utah's Credit Freeze Law before it even takes effect. I’m frustrated that they would take away Utahns' ability to protect themselves against identity theft and credit fraud. I guess Washington D.C. knows best... NOT!"... At Out of Context, Glen Warchol says Gov. Huntsman "put a slug through his own foot by pulling down a Spanish language web site [because of Utah's English-only law] ... Once again around the globe, the kind of creative, brainy folks a high tech economy needs were scratching their heads reading about a very strange land we like to call Utah: Life Elevated!" (see also here and here)... At Plato's Cave, George Pyle says: "When it comes to legislation to 'protect' the American flag from 'desecration,' Utah's Senator Bob Bennett is right and Utah's Senator Orrin Hatch is wrong. I guess that's why every state has two senators" (see also here)... The New Market Machines says of BYU's decision to fire adjunct instructor Jeffrey Nielsen over his gay marriage stance: "Mormons are extremely interesting people -- this kind of radical act of conscience, as well as the subsequent authoritarian clampdown, are both part and parcel of a vital, if perplexing, culture" (see also here, here, and here)... HarleyPig's Stall On The Web endorses Senate candidate Pete Ashdown.
-- Compiled by Golden Webb
National Politics
A Little Humility, Please
In his NationalJournal.com column, Charlie Cook says Democrats ought not to be overconfident about taking control of the U.S. House.
Washington Watch
Flag Amendment Up for Floor Vote
The Senate Judiciary Committee approves a Sen. Orrin Hatch-sponsored constitutional amendment that would empower Congress to outlaw flag burning. The measure now faces a Senate vote (Bloomberg News, and press release); Hatch introduces legislation "to overturn a nearly 30-year ban on interstate shipment of state-inspected meat, which would place Utah's ranchers on a level playing field with national and foreign meat producers" (press release).
Matheson: Transportation $$ Coming
Rep. Jim Matheson announces that "more than $3 million to improve highway safety and congestion needs in Washington and San Juan Counties is included in HR 5576 -- the annual transportation spending bill that passed the House Wednesday" (see press release); editorial praises Matheson for his lone opposition to "back-door" congressional pay raises (Springfield News-Leader).
Utah Receives PILT Funds
Utah receives $20,055,933 in PILT funds from the Interior Dept. (see press release).
School District Receives EPA Award
The Salt Lake City School District receives the EPA's Environmental Achievement Award for environmental innovation (see press release).
Casual Friday
60,000 Trout Stocked in Panguitch Lake
By Lynn Chamberlain, DWR Southern Region Conservation Outreach Manager
More than 60,000 trout have been stocked into Panguitch Lake since Memorial Day weekend. And some of the recent additions weigh close to three pounds each!
Panguitch Lake is 14 miles southwest of Panguitch, in the Dixie National Forest. The Division of Wildlife Resources has been restocking the lake to restore fishing after completing a rotenone treatment on May 2 to remove the lake’s chub population.
Besides the 60,000 10-inch rainbow trout, more than 2,000 larger trout ranging up to three pounds and 16 inches have been stocked.
The DWR will also stock 315,000 fingerling trout by late fall. “These smaller fingerlings represent the future of Panguitch Lake,” says Mike Ottenbacher, DWR regional aquatics manager. “They may be small now, but they will grow rapidly. By next year they will be big enough to catch and will provide some great fishing, which will continue for the foreseeable future.”
Panguitch Lake has a reputation as an angler’s paradise, producing big fish in a short period of time. Fishing should be great there this summer, and it will only get better. View photos accompanying this story.
Weekend Events & Outdoors Report
Outdoors Report
-- Tribune columnist Tom Wharton speculates about land use compromise
-- Learn about kayaking on the Great Salt Lake in the Morning News
-- Tribune’s Short Hike of the Week takes readers up the Indian Trail in Ogden Canyon
-- Honda Superbike Championships this weekend on Tooele track. Read about it in the Morning News
-- Discover what ski resorts are offering for summer fun in the Tribune
-- Morning News’ Ray Grass fears development on Green River will be big mistake
-- Find out about upcoming events in the Morning News’ Outdoor Notes
-- Check out the Tribune’s Recreation Roundup and Outdoor Notebook
for sports and recreation activities this week
-- Use the Morning News’ interactive map of Utah to plan your outdoor pursuits across the state.
-- The latest wildlife news and information and the fishing report on the DWR website
New Films
-- Nacho Libre: Tribune
-- An Inconvenient Truth: Rotten Tomatoes
-- The Lake House: Rotten Tomatoes
-- Best Movie Bet for Families: Cars. Read the Tribune review
Concerts
-- Lunch Bunch Concert Series, Gallivan Center, weekdays at noon through September 22
-- Jazz on the Plaza, The Gateway, Thursdays at 6 p.m. through July
-- Gina Bachauer International Piano through June 27, Rose Wagner Center
-- Six Tribes One Vibe, Friday, 7 p.m., Kingsbury Hall
-- Sunset Celebration: An Evening of Native American Music, Friday, 7:30 p.m., American West Heritage Center, USU, Logan, $11 (435-752-0026)
-- "Evening Song" Brigham Young University Spring Chorale, Friday, 7:30 p.m., Provo Tabernacle, 100 S. University Ave., free
-- Concert in the Park: Kindred Voices, Friday, 8 p.m., Brigham Young Historic Park, free
-- “The Dance” by Odyssey Dance Theatre, Friday and Saturday, 6:30 p.m., Capitol Theatre
-- “Dry Spell” by SB Dance, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 4 p.m., Rose Wagner Center
-- Cowboy Celtic, Saturday, 7:30 p.m., American West Heritage Center, USU, Logan, $11 (435-752-0026)
-- Families Making Music," the Moench Family, Saturday, 7:30 p.m., Assembly Hall, Temple Square, free
-- Concert in the Park: Sarah Sample, June 20, 8 p.m., Brigham Young Historic Park, free
Theatre
-- “Sarah Plain and Tall” through June 17, Harris Fine Arts Center
-- “The Pirates of Penzance” through June 24, Bountiful Performing Arts Center
-- “Once on This Island" through June 24, Babcock Theatre
--“Barefoot in the Park” through July 1, Provo Theatre Company
-- “West Side Story” through July 1, Rodgers Memorial Theatre, Morning News review
-- “Seussical the Musical” through July 8, St. George Musical Theatre
-- "Spitfire Grill" through July 10, Hale Center Theater Orem, Morning News review
-- “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” through July 21, Center Street Musical Theatre
-- “Once on This Island” through July 22, Center Street Musical Theatre
-- "The Rivals” through July 22, StageRight TheaterCompany
-- "Crazy for You" through July 29, Hale Center Theatre, Tribune review
-- "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" through July 29, Terrace Plaza Playhouse
-- "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" through August 5, Terrace Plaza Playhouse
-- "Saturday's Voyeur 2006” through August 20, Salt Lake Acting Company, Tribune and Morning News reviews
-- "Peter Pan" through September 1, Tuacahn Amphitheatre, Ivins
-- "South Pacific" through September 2, Tuacahn Amphitheatre, Ivins, Tribune review
-- "Pirates of the Caribbean 2: The SeaQuel," Desert Star Theatre
-- “Desperate Homemakers: The Big Fat Sequel to My Big Fat Utah Wedding,” Desert Star Cabaret Theatre
-- "The Rat Pack Remembered," Desert Star Dinner Theatre
Museum Exhibits
-- Venture: Transformations Through the Humanities Exhibition through June 24, Salt Lake City Main Library, Transformations also showing during the Utah Arts Festival, June 22-25, Library Square
-- Curious Workmanship: Utah Furniture 1847-1897 Museum of Utah Art and History through June 25
-- 82nd Annual Spring Salon through July 2, Springville Museum of Art
-- Intimacy Without Restraint: The Gesture Paintings of Hyunmee Lee Exhibition through July 9, Utah Museum of Fine Art
-- In Focus: National Geographic Great Portraits Exhibition through September 23, Utah Museum of Natural History
-- Rooted In Tradition: Art Quilts from the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum through October 15, Utah Museum of Fine Art
Et Cetera
-- Free Friday Flix, Utah State Fairpark
-- Gallery Stroll, Friday 6 – 9 p.m., Downtown
-- KSL Family Fair & Chalk Art Festival/BBall Tournament, Friday and Saturday, The Gateway
-- Summerfest Art & Music Faire, Friday and Saturday, Logan
-- Salt Lake Marina Sailfest 2006, June 16 – 18, Great Salt Lake South Marina
-- Downtown Farmers’ Market/ Downtown Art & Craft Market, Saturdays through October 21, Pioneer Park, 8 a.m.–1 p.m.
-- Venture Outdoors Festival, Saturday, 3 – 9 p.m., Canyon Rim Park |
