Some Utah news, when even Obama is including Utah in the 50-state strategy.
One hundred sixty one years ago today, the members of the LDS church first entered the Salt Lake Valley. Today, it is the biggest, most widely celebrated holiday in the state.
Since I, like 30% of my state, am not LDS, I have never been very excited about celebrating this day. However, it's my baptism birthday and when my kids were little, I told them the parade and fireworks were for me. ;-)
More Utah news, including an item about Rocky Anderson, to follow:
I loved every single minute of Netroots Nation!!!!!
(did I exceed the Hunter exclamation allowance?) From walking into the hotel the first time to leaving the last time, it was all just wonderful and I wouldn't change a thing!
EX-SLC Mayor Rocky to testify on alleged presidential 'abuses'
Former Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson will take his anger with the Bush administration to Congress this week, testifying before House Judiciary Committee on what he says is a series of unrestrained power grabs by the president.
Anderson, who left office in January and now heads a group called High Road for Human Rights, will testify at a hearing on "Executive power and its constitutional limitations."
Many people greeted me with "I LOVE YOUR MAYOR" when they first found out I was the only person from Utah at NN. I learned to reply, "he's not our mayor any more but you would love our new one if you knew him too!" or something like that. Ralph Becker won last fall's elections after Rocky chose not to run for a third term. He seems every bit as progressive as Rocky with a completely different personality. He has even managed to maintain and grow Salt Lake City's domestic partnership program, which is a registry with a weird name. The State Legislature outlawed the use of "domestic partnership."
Mine safety citations increase, MSHA says
Apparently, while we were in Austin, the damned Mine Safety? & Health? Administration was in Salt Lake City. They claim to have more inspectors and they claim they are issuing more citations.
There are still SIX dead men at the bottom of Crandall Canyon mine, and MHSA is sitting on their report.
The first anniversary of the Crandall Canyon Mine Disaster is coming up in a couple weeks, and the Price, Utah community is going to put up the memorial on that date - that is a separate diary but I may need to have a drink before I write it. The artist who made the memorial panels told the most heartbreaking story.
Texas grand jury indicts Jeffs, five others for sex crimes
A Schleicher County grand jury indicted polygamous sect leader Warren S. Jeffs and five other FLDS men today on charges related to sexual assaults on underage girls.
The grand jury handed down seven indictments, which contained a total of nine charges. Jeffs, currently awaiting trial in Arizona, is accused of one first-degree felony count of sexually assaulting a child.
Out of all that fuss, Texas has filed a few charges. Warren Jeffs is already in prison in Utah, and has been extradited to Arizona.
Polygamy is a little bit like drugs: jail isn't going to stop it, and education might.
Reid: Polygamy hearing in Congress honors pioneers
Harry Reid is an LDS convert - the entire Utah congressional delegation is LDS, as is the governor. And right now is apparently the best time for congress to have a hearing on polygamy. I guess there were no professional athletes available? Witness List for Hearing
Bush proposes rules on oil shale development
There was an excellent diary
yesterday by Take Back The House
This one is personal to me. First of all, nearly all the oil shale in Utah is under archeologically sensitive areas. Secondly, there is no water available - and any tech for getting this oil out involves LOTS of water. Probably lots of HOT Water. Thirdly, the tech is so not ready for prime time, and so unknown, it is not going to happen in my lifetime. Are there really less than 180 days left?
Gratuitous Bizarre Story
Motorist's quip about 'Grey Poupon' met with cocked, black handgun
A Sandy man took offense to a motorist, who, after getting him to roll down his window, asked, "Excuse me, sir, do you have any Grey Poupon?"
After hearing the request for Dijon mustard, the 22-year-old driver pulled a black handgun from his glove compartment, cocked the weapon and pointed it at the three people in the other car.
"Here's your Grey Poupon, roll your [expletive] windows up," he responded.