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Rocky's EPA Hearing Testimony
The Salt Lake City Mayor's Office has posted the testimony Rocky Anderson gave at a May 30th EPA hearing "on allowing states to implement stricter regulations on auto emissions than required by federal law."
National Politics
-- Washington Post: "Fred D. Thompson will offer himself as a down-home antidote to Washington politics in his bid for the Republican presidential nomination, running a campaign out of Nashville while promising leadership on a conservative agenda that will appeal to his party's base, advisers said [Wednesday]. Thompson's entry will have an immediate impact on the battle for the GOP nomination, adding a fourth candidate to the field's top tier" (see also related USA Today and Politico stories and Robert Novak column).
-- Newsday: Columnist James Pinkerton looks "back" at the GOP 2008 presidential victory.
-- Boston Globe: "Democratic presidential candidates are drawing bigger crowds, more donors, and more energy from the New Hampshire electorate than Republican hopefuls are, a sign to officials in both parties of a lack of enthusiasm for the current GOP field and a tired state Republican Party still reeling from a historic defeat in November."
-- Chicago Tribune: Columnist Steve Chapman: "Jimmy Carter has backtracked from his comment suggesting that George W. Bush is the worst president in history, and let's hope his gesture soothes relations between the two. Because if there is a place in the next world where unsuccessful presidents go to pay for their sins, Carter and Bush will be sharing a cell for a long, long time."
Today in Political History
June 1, 1792: The state of Kentucky is admitted to the Union.
June 1, 1796: Tennessee is admitted as the 16th U.S. state. (Source: perspicuity)
June 1, 2004: A federal judge declares the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act unconstitutional because it infringes on women's right to choose. (Source: NBC5)
Wise Words
"Can any of you seriously say the Bill of Rights could get through Congress today? It wouldn't even get out of committee."
--F. Lee Bailey (Source: Patriot Post)
Blog Watch
-- The Senate Site observes: "Referendums are built to strike down specific pieces of legislation that receive less than 2/3 of the vote. Initiatives put citizens in the driver's seat as legislators and, as such, you can add, rewrite, or delete ANY combination of words in the Utah Code. An initiative can erase the entire voucher program. A referendum ... can only erase the first voucher bill. It can't touch the second unless, of course, someone like the legislature or the courts provide the legal acrobatics to make the referendum mimic an initiative. Interestingly, the education entrenchment reacted to vouchers by jumping into a vehicle that can not get them where they need to go. A referendum cannot provide clarity at the ballot box and does not offer the legal remedy they seek. But, by design or through bad advice, a referendum is what they chose ... and then tip-toed away when folks started blaming the legislature for causing the confusion. An initiative could have (and still can) erase the entire voucher program. Straight up or down" (for more on the voucher issue, see Utah Politics, Utah State Democratic Party, and Millard Fillmore's Bathtub).
-- Rep. John Dougall says: "Last week the House had the opportunity to reprimand Pork Barrel Murtha ... over his unethical threats as the chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, but instead voted to table the bill ... Even more telling was Jim Matheson's leadership in looking out for Utah. Did he vote 'no' on the motion to table to send the message that pork breeds corruption or to join the rest of the Utah delegation? Nope. Did he vote 'yes' to go along with almost the entire Democratic caucus? Nope. Like a deer in the headlights he voted 'present' ... Was this a case of the Democratic heart says 'yes', the political strategy brain says 'no, and the mouth finally filling the void with a high schooler's feeble 'here' as the response? Looks like yet another moment of courageous leadership on behalf of Utah! (At least he won't have to explain why he voted for it, before he voted against it. No flip flop here. Just saddlesore from riding the fence of indecision.)
-- David Fletcher notes that Utah.gov is sporting a new look.
-- At Out of Context, Dan Harrie reports: "Talk radio cult leader Sean Hannity loves to talk about Utah -- 'the most Republican state in the nation' -- and has made numerous public appearances here. But he's apparently paid little attention to Utah geography, particularly southern Utah. In haranguing Sen. Bob Bennett for his support of the immigration reform bill, Hannity on his program Wednesday talked about 'St. George's County.' We can only assume he was thinking of Prince George's County, Maryland, a place nearer his microphone, if not his heart. It not only took the edge off Hannity's slap of Bennett -- but probably confused listeners here and in the beltway. Bennett walked into Hannity's cross hairs by arguing that St. George -- you know, the Utah city -- needs a lot of undocumented workers to fill all those construction jobs that make it the fastest-growing metro area in the nation. On the other hand, most of the jobs in Maryland's Prince George's County go to fully documented federal bureaucrats. Hannity didn't mention them, but you could legitimately debate who poses the bigger threat to the American dream."
Utah Trivia/History
Historians agree that the driving of the golden spike marking the completion of the transcontinental railroad at Promontory Summit, Utah, on 10 May 1869, was one of the most important events in U.S. history, as it was also in Utah history. In fact, 1869 is considered to be a benchmark year in Utah history -- the pioneer era coming to an end with the coming of the railroad.
The growth of a network of railroads in Utah began with the completion of the Utah Central between Ogden and Salt Lake City in January 1870, and with the start of construction of the Utah Southern south from Salt Lake City in May 1871. Brigham Young viewed the completion of these railroads more as a benefit to the communities they served rather than as profit-making enterprises. These "Mormon Roads," as some historians have called them, radiated like spokes of a wheel from Salt Lake City and Ogden. They made the movement of goods and people easier within the territory, and included, in addition to the Utah Central and the Utah Southern, the Utah Western, built west from Salt Lake City, and the Utah Northern, which was built north from Brigham City and later connected with Ogden. (Source: History to Go)
Casual Friday
Utah Fishing Report
Fishing is very good right now in most waters around Utah, and the high success rate should hold up during the next few weeks as we settle into a summer pattern.
Uinta Mountains are opening up early this year. The high lakes may still have some ice, and there are still snowdrifts, but most lakes along Hwy 150 are fishable now and are being stocked heavily.
The Provo, Green and other streams have lower flows now and are fishing well. PMDs, drakes and stoneflies should hatch and bring good surface action during the next couple weeks.
It is easy to catch fish at Lake Powell. Good numbers of striped bass are being caught by people fishing anchovies from the back of houseboats along the main channel. All the sport fish in the lake are cooperating and action will probably stay good right through the summer.
Read Dave Webb's complete fishing report.
Weekend Events & Outdoors Report
Outdoors Report
-- Morning News on the lofty heights of Zion’s West Rim Trail
-- Glen Canyon Dam celebrates 50 years in the Tribune
-- Free Fishing Day events in the Morning News
-- Tribune discovers the science of the Great Salt Lake
-- Bowling gains popularity in the Morning News
-- Visit North Canyon Trail in the Tribune’s Hike of the Week
-- Find out about upcoming events in the Morning News’ Outdoor Notes
-- Check out the Tribune’s Outdoor Notes and Recreation Roundup for sports and recreation activities this week
-- For the latest wildlife news and information and the fishing report visit the DWR website
New Films
-- Gracie: Tribune review
Concerts
-- Dallyn and Rachel Bayles, Friday, show tunes, Brigham Young Historic Park, 8 p.m., free
-- “Bridging Bridges,” Chien-Ying Wang and Paul C. Ocampo, modern dance, Friday and Saturday, 7:30 p.m., Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center
-- “Dance Like No One Is Watching,” Janet Gray Studios, Friday and Saturday, 7 p.m. and 2 p.m., respectively, Kingsbury Hall, University of Utah
-- Salt Lake Symphonic Choir, Friday and Saturday, 7:30 p.m., Libby Gardner Concert Hall, U., $10
-- Utah Symphony, Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m., Abravanel Hall
-- Sally Bytheway Chorale, Saturday, 7:30 p.m., Temple Square Assembly Hall, free
-- West Valley Symphony, Saturday, 8 p.m., Granger High School auditorium, 3960 S. 3600 West, $5 (969-4480)
-- Organ Recitals, every Saturday, noon, and every Sunday, 2 p.m., Temple Square Assembly Hall
Theater
-- “Evening of Ballets” through June 2, Ballet West
-- “No Time for Sergeants” through June 2, Hale Center Theater Orem
-- “The Secret Garden” through June 2, Center Street Musical Theatre
-- “Seussical the Musical” through June 2, Terrace Plaza Playhouse
-- “Utahoma!” through June 2, Off Broadway Theatre
-- “Phantom of the Grand Ol' Opry” through June 9, Desert Star Cabaret Theatre
-- “Thoroughly Modern Millie” through June 9, Hale Centre Theatre
-- “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” through June 17, Wasatch Theatre Company
-- “The Secret Garden” through June 23, Center Street Musical Theatre
-- “Nunsense A-Men,” Desert Star Theatre
-- “Backstage” through June 25, Valley Center Playhouse, Lindon
-- “Fiddler on the Roof” through July 2, Empress Theatre
-- “Les Miserables” through July 7, Pioneer Theatre Company
Museum Exhibits
-- Albert Tissandier: Drawings of Nature and Industry in the United States Exhibition, Museum of Utah Art & History through June 30
-- 83rd Annual Spring Salon, Springville Museum of Art, through July 8
-- Brian Kershisnik: Painting from Life Exhibition through July 1, Head Trip: Around The World in Forty Hats Exhibition through August 12, Utah Museum of Fine Arts, University of Utah
Et Cetera
-- Himalayan Festival, Saturday, 6 p.m., Spanish Fork
-- Swaner Nature Festival, Saturday, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., Park City |
