Taxpayers, NCSL Start Blogs
Mike Jerman at the Utah Taxpayers Association reports that the Association has started its own blog. The first post concerns underreporting of state sales tax revenues.
For legislative junkies, Ray Matthews at the Utah State Library Division reports that the National Conference of State Legislatures now has a multi-contributor blog with informative articles on legislative trends and developments. NCSL is the bipartisan organization serving legislators and legislative staff in all 50 states. The blog is called The Thicket at State Legislatures Blog (RSS feed).
NCSL also has a podcast called “The Conference Report,” (see here) that delivers interesting and professionally produced audio news stories.
Podcast Watch
Jennifer Napier-Pearce's InsideUtah.com podcast this week features Rich Townsend (:40), head of Utah's police academy, on investigative protocols and the search for Destiny Norton; financial planner Denise Smith (10:13) on Utah's high rate of so-called exotic mortgages; and BYU linguistics professor Mark Davies (18:38) on his Web guide to finding the right word.
National Politics
Main Campaign Issues
As congressional elections edge toward Labor Day and incumbent members of Congress go home to campaign, what will be the cutting issues of the campaign? John Mercurio, in a NationalJournal.com column, lists the issues he thinks will pop up around the country.
Blog Watch
Rep. John Dougall, who's been on a blogging hiatus since Jan. 30, says "it's about time to get back in the saddle. I'm told that Sir Urquhart, blogger extraordinaire, is beginning to catch up in the number of postings and the Senate is desperately trying to shed the title 'House of Lords' and truly become a house of the people. (Who knows if it's possible, but it's nice to see the effort.) It's been a busy couple of months -- some of which you may have read about in the papers (you just can't keep those tax reform champions down). 6-shooter. Check. Flameproof chaps. Check. Nimble and quick horse. Hopefully. Giddyup!!"... The Utah Taxpayers Association has a new blog (hat tip: The Senate Site)... Ethan Millard at SLCSpin explains why he supports Senate candidate Pete Ashdown: "It has nothing to do with money, or polls. It has nothing to do with campaign strategies, or political operatives. It's all about my self-respect. I feel good supporting Pete Ashdown. And in November, it's going to be great to punch that ticket for him. I won't be holding my nose, I won't be closing my eyes, and I won't be wishing I had another choice. It will be a good moment for me" (see also here)... Democracy for Utah says: "[Utah] Democrats need to start treating politics as a marathon, not a sprint. This election is an opportunity to get the Democratic message out to Utah voters and introduce them to our great candidates. It's very hard to defeat an incumbent, but once a seat does open up, we'll have experienced candidates with name recognition who are ready to run. Think of the 2006 election as preparing the ground"... Reach Upward has a post on NCLB... Jeremy's Jeremiad says: "Representative Jeff Flake from Arizona recently pushed through legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives which forced House members to vote yes or no on each earmark (pork barrel project) attached to a spending bill so it would be plain as day who really is fiscally conservative and who only claims to be ... How did Utah's congressmen do? I'm sure none of you will be surprised to hear that the only semi-consistent anti-pork congressman from Utah is the lone Democrat in the delegation, [Jim] Matheson. He voted against the earmarks 14 out of 19 times"... David Rodeback interviews himself about the second anniversary of his first blog post, and Dee Taylor celebrates her 47th birthday... At One Utah, Cliff Lyon responds to this Paul Rolly column... The Utah Amicus reports: "Salt Lake County District Attorney Candidate Sim Gill believes in the effectiveness and in the power of the Utah blogging community, and as such has decided to extend an invitation to all Utah Political Bloggers to meet with him next Wednesday, August 2nd, for an informal breakfast at the Rocky Mountain Grill located at 2305 South Highland Drive at 8:00 AM. Sim has reserved eight to ten seats for this breakfast, but will make room for all those who are interested"... House District 68 candidate Kim Christison says: "Gov. John Huntsman reflecting on his decision to support Sen. John McCain over Gov. Mitt Romney -- a fellow member of the LDS Church -- should they run for President, said: 'I don't think it does anybody any good to see it through a religious prism. This is much broader than that. And I think the LDS population is to be seen as broader than that and increasingly diverse in its interests and its aspirations and its makeup....being politically monochromatic as a state isn't always in our long-term interests....' And that's from a governor who currently enjoys an 88% popularity rating in Utah. Among thinking folks, I think his popularity just got higher. It sure has for me" (see also here and here)... Evangelicals for Mitt notes that "Romney -- with much less name recognition that some candidates -- is consistently being named as a top contender for the Republican nomination. This round of rankings by National Journal again puts him in the top two -- due to his executive competence during the Big Dig crisis. (You know he's making a good impression on people if one Boston Globe reporter counted Gov. Romney's blinks per minute, to point out how cool and collected he's been during recent press conferences.) As more Americans get to hear Gov. Romney's ideas (and witness his excellent blinking habits), I believe he'll be their number one choice for President" (see also here).
-- Compiled by Golden Webb
Washington Watch
Bush Signs Hatch Sex Offender Bill
Sen. Orrin Hatch attends the White House signing ceremony for The Adam Walsh Act, "a measure that will increase penalties for sex-crimes against children and require convicted sex offenders to register their whereabouts in person every month or face additional jail time." Ed and Elizabeth Smart also attended the ceremony (see press release).
Bennett Debates Energy Act
Sen. Bob Bennett's Senate website has posted a 16-minute MP3 audio clip of Bennett debating the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act. To listen to the clip, click here.
Wilderness Society Hails Court Ruling
The Wilderness Society hails the recent decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit to uphold the 1996 establishment of Utah's Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Says Wilderness Society attorney Leslie Jones: "Because the case was a direct challenge to Presidential authority to create national monuments under the Antiquities Act, the decision to uphold the Monument's status is an important victory for all of our national monuments and other treasures throughout the West, and for the natural, historic, and cultural resources that these monuments protect" (see press release).
Casual Friday
Tiger Musky: Fun Fish to Catch
What happens when you cross a northern pike with a muskellunge (musky)? You get a handy-dandy management tool called the tiger musky (named for their tiger-like stripes).
The tiger musky is an important tool for Utah’s fisheries biologists because a) it’s a super predator and b) it’s sterile. This makes it an ideal fish to use to help control populations of other fish.
In addition to being a super predator, managers like to use tiger musky because they can’t reproduce. This allows biologists to control the number of these predators in the waters where they’re placed.
Four years ago, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources planted tiger musky in Bullock Reservoir in northeastern Utah. This year another northeastern Utah water, Cottonwood Reservoir, also received tiger musky. The musky were introduced to these waters to help control populations of white sucker, bullhead and some other fish.
These super predators also have some other desirable characteristics: they grow quickly, can reach sizes around 30 pounds and are relatively easy to catch once you’ve learned a little about them and the gear needed to catch and land them properly.
These characteristics make tiger musky an ideal fish for anglers who are looking for something unusual.
The current state record for tiger musky is a 49-inch fish, weighing 33 pounds 10 ounces, taken from Pineview Reservoir in northern Utah in early July.
When UDWR biologists surveyed Bullock Reservoir in June, they caught one-year-old tigers that were around 15 inches long. The UDWR also received reports of a 38-inch fish (estimated to be around 15 pounds) that was caught and released at Bullock this spring. This fish had grown 35 inches from when it was stocked four years ago.
Anglers can find tiger musky in Pineview, Bullock and Cottonwood reservoirs, and in Johnson Reservoir in southwestern Utah. A catch and release regulation -- one fish over 40 inches -- is in place at all of these reservoirs to protect their small tiger musky populations. All other tigers must be released immediately.
Anglers can find catch and release tips for tiger musky on the UDWR website and view photos of this article.
Weekend Events & Outdoors Report
Outdoors Report
-- A better way to transport wine during outdoor adventures in the Tribune
-- Morning News takes readers on a white-water adventure down Cataract Canyon
-- Tribune outlines Annual Wasatch Wildflower Festival
-- Health guru on the evolution of Utah fitness centers in the Morning News
-- Explore Sliver Lake up American Fork Canyon in the Tribune’s Short Hike of the Week
-- 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
-- John Tucker Must Die: Rotten Tomatoes
-- Miami Vice: Rotten Tomatoes
-- The Ant Bully: Rotten Tomatoes
-- Best Movie Bet for Families: Cars. Read the Tribune review
Concerts
-- Ruth Ellis Vocal Academy Singers, Friday, 7:30 p.m., Center Street Theatre, 177 W. Center St., Provo, $5, 801-764-0535
-- Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Utah Symphony Concert, Friday, 7:30 p.m., Deer Valley Amphitheater
-- Concert in the Park: Sam Payne Project, Friday, 8 p.m., Brigham Young Historic Park, free
-- Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Saturday, 7:30 p.m., Deer Valley Amphitheater
-- Saltaires Show Chorus, Saturday, 7:30 p.m., Assembly Hall at Temple Square, free
-- Plan-B’s And the Banned Played On, Monday, 7 p.m., Rose Wagner Center
-- Concert in the Park: Touch of Polynesia, Tuesday, 8 p.m., Brigham Young Historic Park, free
-- Concerto for Bassoon, Wednesday, 8 p.m., St. Mary’s of the Assumption Church, Park City
-- Muir Quartet, Thursday, 8 p.m., St. Mary’s of the Assumption Church, Park City
-- 4Play Concert Series, Wednesdays at 8 p.m., through August 2, Gallivan Center
-- WorldStage! Under the Stars Concert Series, Mondays at 7:30 p.m. through August 21, Utah Cultural Celebration Center
-- Twilight Concert Series, Thursdays at 7 p.m. through August 24, Gallivan Center
-- Lunch Bunch Concert Series, weekdays at noon through September 22, Gallivan Center
Theater
-- "Crazy for You" through July 29, Hale Center Theatre, Tribune review
-- "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" through July 29, Terrace Plaza Playhouse
-- “Story Theatre” through August 1, Old Lyric Repertory Company
-- "Route 66” through Aug. 2, Old Lyric Repertory Company
-- “Grease” through August 3, Grand Theatre
-- “Postmortem” through August 3, Old Lyric Repertory Company
-- “Dames at Sea” through August 4, Utah Musical Theatre
-- “Noises Off” through August 4, Old Lyric Repertory Company
-- “Two by Two” through August 4, Utah Musical Theatre
-- "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" through August 5, Terrace Plaza Playhouse
-- “Relative Values” through August 5, Lyric Repertory Company
-- “Paint Your Wagon” through August 10, Rodgers Memorial Theatre
-- “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” through August 25, Draper Historic Theatre
-- Neil Simon Festival through August 12, Cedar City
-- “The Nerd” through August 12, Heritage Theatre
-- “Peta Pun” through August 12, The Off-Broadway Theatre
-- Utah Festival Opera through August 12, Logan
-- “You Can’t Take It With You” through August 19, Hale Center Theater Orem
-- "Saturday's Voyeur 2006” through August 20, Salt Lake Acting Company, Tribune and Morning News reviews
-- “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” through September 1, Pickleville Playhouse, Morning News review
-- "Peter Pan" through September 1, Tuacahn Amphitheatre, Ivins
-- "South Pacific" through September 2, Tuacahn Amphitheatre, Ivins, Tribune review
-- “Tied to the Tracks” through September 2, Pickleville Playhouse
-- Utah Shakespearean Festival through September 2, Cedar City
-- "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
-- The Face of Utah Sculpture Exhibition through August 24, Utah Cultural Celebration Center
-- Wind Pieces: New Sculpture Exhibition through August 26, Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art, Utah State University
-- In Focus: National Geographic Great Portraits Exhibition through September 23, Utah Museum of Natural History
-- Material Culture: The Art of Fine Textile Exhibition through September 30, Looking Back: 75 Years at the Salt Lake Art Center Exhibition through October 14, Salt Lake Art Center
-- Rooted In Tradition: Art Quilts from the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum through October 15, Utah Museum of Fine Art
Et Cetera
-- Snowbird’s Rock & Blues Festival, Friday and Saturday, Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort
-- Utah County Fair, Friday and Saturday, Thanksgiving Point
-- Wasatch Wildflower Festival, Friday – Sunday, Solitude, Alta, and Snowbird
-- Sundance Outdoor Film Festival, Mondays at sunset through August 21, Gallivan Center
-- Utah Shakespearean Festival through September 2, Cedar City
-- Downtown Farmers’ Market/ Downtown Art & Craft Market, Saturdays through October 21, 8 a.m.–1 p.m., Pioneer Park
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