http://kcpw.org/public-square KCPW's Public Square Podcast en-us 2006 KCPW /images/kcpw_podcast_sm.jpg http://kcpw.org/newsroom KCPW KCPW webmaster@kcpw.org KCPW Podcasts Utah Democratic Party Chairman Wayne Holland is running to keep his job as party chairman. We spoke with Holland's opponent Jeff Bell two weeks ago, who criticized his leadership. Holland responds and makes his case for a third term as chairman. Fri, 05 Jun 2009 13:17:09 -0600 With Governor Jon Huntsman set to depart for China within a few months, the governor's seat will be open for a special election in November of 2010. Does Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon have any interest in running? Is he disappointed to see a progressive Republican leader leaving the state? We talk with him. Fri, 05 Jun 2009 13:15:27 -0600 President Barack Obama is demanding a halt to Jewish Settlements in the West Bank, but Israeli politicians say, not so fast. What is the future of U.S. Israeli relations under President Obama, and is there room for peace in the next four years? We talk with University of Utah law professor Amos Guiora. Fri, 29 May 2009 12:56:04 -0600 Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker makes his monthly visit to our studios. The chorus of voices who are criticizing his plan to build a new police headquarters near to the Main City Library is growing. Has this caused him to re-consider, or is it stay the course? We find out. Fri, 29 May 2009 12:53:07 -0600 We have a conversation with Mayor Ralph Becker about his proposal to put a new police headquarters right next to the downtown library, and then a conversation with former Mayor Rocky Anderson about why this idea is all wrong. Fri, 22 May 2009 12:00:36 -0600 We're joined by Salt Lake County Council Chairman Joe Hatch. He's pushing a proposal that would let the county's employees choose whether they want to be represented by a union, then require the county to negotiate with those unions. Fri, 22 May 2009 12:00:36 -0600 Jeff Bell is challenging incumbent Wayne Holland to be chairman of the Utah Democratic Party. Fri, 22 May 2009 12:00:36 -0600 Economist Russell Roberts tells us why global trade should be expanded during this economic downturn. He'll be in Salt Lake this week for a Zions Bank conference on international trade. Mon, 18 May 2009 11:27:27 -0600 Is a proposal to put the new police headquarters right next to the Salt Lake City Main Library a good idea or not? It's a hot topic that's got some people riled up. We talk with city councilmen J.T. Martin and Luke Garrott, who have opposing viewpoints. Mon, 18 May 2009 11:25:45 -0600 Joining Politics Up Close is Republican State Senator Howard Stephenson and attorney Mike Lee with SOS Secret Ballot. We heard last week from the AFL-CIO about why the Employee Free Choice Act is a good thing. Stephenson and Lee tell us why it's not when it comes to the secret ballot. Listen to a conversation with Utah AFL-CIO President Jim Judd in support of the legislation. Mon, 18 May 2009 11:24:05 -0600 In this excerpt from Friday's Politics Up Close, Jim Judd, President of the Utah AFL-CIO, discusses the controversial Employee Free Choice Act. It's opposed by most of Utah's congressional delegation. Mon, 11 May 2009 09:42:29 -0600 Stephen Bloch is Conservation Director for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance. SUWA isn't happy with Senator Bob Bennett for holding up the confirmation process for two Interior Department Officials. But Senator Bennett says he's looking out for Utah's best interests after Secretary Ken Salazar put a hold on 77 controversial oil and gas lease parcels. We talk with Bloch about Bennett's actions, wilderness, and how he hopes the BLM handles a protest ATV ride this weekend. Fri, 08 May 2009 12:28:50 -0600 Jim Judd is President of the Utah AFL-CIO. He and other labor leaders across the country are hoping Congress passes the Employee Free Choice Act, a bill that would make it easier to unionize through a process called card check. But it has little or no support from Utah's own congressional delegation, which says it will eliminate the secret ballot. We'll sort out the facts of the legislation. Fri, 08 May 2009 12:25:43 -0600 In this excerpt from KCPW's most recent episode of Politics Up Close, David Clark, Speaker of the Utah House of Representatives, defends a new law that has been criticized for failing to prevent former lawmakers from immediately becoming lobbyists. Mon, 04 May 2009 09:44:05 -0600 Politifact.com researcher and reporter Angie Holan discusses which promises from the campaign trail President Barack Obama has kept, and which he's broken, now that we're past his first 100 days in office. Fri, 01 May 2009 12:47:25 -0600 Senator Bob Bennett discusses why he's currently blocking the appointment of a nominee for Deputy Secretary of the Interior. He wants more answers out of Secretary Ken Salazar, who's here in Salt Lake City today. Fri, 01 May 2009 12:44:36 -0600 The state legislature recently asked Governor Huntsman to drop the issues of redistricting and legislative ethics from his new commission, which the governor agreed to do. We ask Clark why only the legislature should have the authority to deal with these issues. Fri, 01 May 2009 12:42:55 -0600 Lucinda Roy was chair of the English Department at Virginia Tech when she met Seung-Hui Cho, who later went on to kill 32 people in April 2007 in the worst gun massacre in American history. In this excerpt, she discusses the balance between academic freedom and student safety in light of the tragedy. Mon, 27 Apr 2009 06:28:56 -0600 Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinajad gained no political allies in the West this week when he launched into a tirade against Israel, declaring it a cruel and repressive racist regime. President Barack Obama has been criticized by conservatives for declaring his willingness to sit down and talk with the Iranian leader, trying to calm tensions over uranium enrichment and the situation between Israel and Palestine. What is the U.S. doing wrong when it comes to Iran? Yesterday, KCPW's Jeff Robinson sat down with Dr. Bahman Baktiari, the new director of the Middle East Center at the University of Utah, who himself grew up in Iran until he moved to the United States at the age of 14. They spoke at his office. Fri, 24 Apr 2009 13:16:04 -0600 Lucinda Roy is a distinguished professor at Virginia Tech, and author of a new book, "No Right to Remain Silent: The Tragedy at Virginia Tech." She was Chair of the English Department in the fall of 2005 when she first met Seung-Hui Cho, who two years ago went on to commit the worst gun massacre in American History. We talk with her about how Virginia Tech failed its students when she tried to warn administrators about Cho's behavior and get him help. Fri, 24 Apr 2009 13:12:12 -0600 We stray from politics for a bit this week as we talk with Rich Christiansen and Ron Porter about their new book, "Bootstrap Business: A Step-by-Step Business Survival Guide." In this excerpt, they discuss why you shouldn't necessarily go into business with your golfing buddies, how you know when to sell, and why seeking funding from venture capitalists often isn't the best way to go. Mon, 20 Apr 2009 01:00:15 -0600 Carlton Christensen is currently chairman of the Salt Lake City Council, and is seeking a fourth term this year after failing to win a seat in the Utah Senate. We'll ask him what brings him back to the job year after year. Fri, 17 Apr 2009 12:06:39 -0600 Successful Utah entrepreneurs Rich Christiansen and Ron Porter have just released a new book on "bootstrapping" your own business venture. We get some straightforward advice from them. Fri, 17 Apr 2009 12:06:39 -0600 Politics Up Close is joined by Steve Gunn with the Gun Violence Prevention Center of Utah, who shares his concerns about a new law that tells business owners they can't prevent their patrons from carrying a gun in their cars. Fri, 17 Apr 2009 12:06:39 -0600 In this excerpt from Friday's Politics Up Close, Clark Aposhian, Chair of the Utah Shooting Sports Council, discusses a bill from this past legislative session that would have only allowed Utah residents to become Utah concealed weapons permit instructors. Mon, 13 Apr 2009 09:15:16 -0600 Gun advocates fear the Obama administration wants to chip away at the right to bear arms, but a number of bills passed in the legislature this session expand 2nd Amendment rights here in Utah. We talk with Clark Aposhian with the Utah Shooting Sports Council about the future of gun ownership in Utah. Fri, 10 Apr 2009 12:42:05 -0600 Salt Lake County is studying whether to use your tax dollars to finance the construction of a hotel to go with the Salt Palace Convention Center. But in this down economy, is it a good idea to build a public venue that would compete with private interests? We talk with Scott Beck, President and CEO of the Salt Lake Convention and Visitors' Bureau. Fri, 10 Apr 2009 12:39:43 -0600 Dianne Nielson is energy adviser to Governor Jon Huntsman. The Utah legislature passed a major renewable energy incentive this session, but many lawmakers remain skeptical of the Western Climate Initiative and want Utah to withdraw. We ask her how the executive branch plans to work with the legislature on this issue. Fri, 10 Apr 2009 12:37:35 -0600 Tim DeChristopher has gained national recognition for fraudulently bidding in a controversial lease auction late last year, and now, he's been charged with two felonies. What does the future hold for this young activist, and would he have done anything differently? DeChristopher joins the show. Fri, 03 Apr 2009 12:44:58 -0600 (KCPW News) UTA has just proposed a very significant fare hike for disabled riders who rely on special buses to transport them, and that has disabled activists angry. And environmentalists are mad about the agency's proposed land swap down in Draper to build a TRAX station as well. Spokesman Justin Jones and General Counsel Bruce Jones join us in the studio. Fri, 03 Apr 2009 12:42:24 -0600 So far, two men are hoping to lead the Utah Republican Party starting later this year. Dave Hansen and Tim Bridgewater are familiar faces to the GOP faithful in the state. We ask them what they'd bring to the job and how they plan on gaining more Republicans in an increasingly Democratic Salt Lake County. Mon, 30 Mar 2009 12:14:06 -0600 Frank Gray is the Community and Economic Development Director for Salt Lake City. What is the outlook for building and development in the city, and what is he doing to get more people and business to move in downtown? We ask him on Politics Up Close. Mon, 30 Mar 2009 12:12:02 -0600 In this excerpt from Friday's Politics Up Close, University of Utah law professor Scott Matheson discusses how President Abraham Lincoln violated the constitution during the Civil War. Listen to full podcasts of the show on the Politics Up Close page. Mon, 23 Mar 2009 10:58:49 -0600 President George W. Bush's time in office continues to be the subject of debate with regard to how well he treated the U.S. Constitution. But he's certainly not the only president who raised constitutional concerns. We're joined by former US Attorney and current University of Utah law professor Scott Matheson to talk about his new book, Presidential Constitutionalism in Perilous Times. Fri, 20 Mar 2009 13:09:47 -0600 Salt Lake County continues to release record breaking numbers of inmates at the Adult Detention Center because they simply don't have the space to house them. How do we stop this problem? It's all about the money. We talk with Sheriff Jim Winder. Fri, 20 Mar 2009 13:07:11 -0600 It's been a week since the legislature ended its 2009 general session. There were many familiar faces returning to Capitol Hill, but a couple new ones as well. We talk with freshmen lawmakers Representatives Brian King and Jay Seegmiller to learn about the legislative process. Fri, 20 Mar 2009 13:04:39 -0600 In this excerpt from last Friday's Politics Up Close, Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker discusses the city's plans to turn North Temple into a "Grand Boulevard," a booming business district revitalized by the TRAX line to the airport. The Utah legislature just awarded the city $20 million in state funds to re-build the North Temple viaduct. Mon, 16 Mar 2009 01:00:38 -0600 Congressman Jason Chaffetz is a bona fide media star who's made the rounds on national TV for his willingness to go on the Colbert Report and speak his mind at every turn. We'll talk with him about the federal budget and how he's sleeping on a cot in his office at night. Fri, 13 Mar 2009 12:29:45 -0600 The legislature's general session just wrapped last night at midnight. Did Salt Lake City come away relatively unscathed compared to last year, when we lost six million dollars in property taxes thanks to a controversial school equalization bill? We ask the mayor about that and the proposed "Grand Boulevard" that will be made out of North Temple when the TRAX line to the airport is built. Fri, 13 Mar 2009 12:26:55 -0600 In this excerpt from Friday's Politics Up Close, we speak with State Representative Greg Hughes, who says a compromise bill that will eliminate the private club designation is going to happen. Mon, 09 Mar 2009 01:00:38 -0600 Legislators are nearing a compromise on alcohol policy as the legislature draws to a close in just four days. As it stands now, one bill in the Senate would require restaurants to prepare drinks in a back room or build a ten foot wall around the bar, a different bill in the House would get rid of the private club designation and allow Utahns to simply go to a bar without paying to get in like they can in every other state. At issue is lawmakers' concern about drunken driving incidents increasing if the state does away with private clubs. But the governor's concern is that the state's quirky liquor laws are hurting tourism. How will a compromise be reached? Joining KCPW from Capitol Hill now is state Representative Greg Hughes, who's sponsoring the private club bill. Fri, 06 Mar 2009 12:58:38 -0700 Last year, the Utah Legislature created a Health System Reform Task Force to meet with stakeholders and come up with policy to fix the state's broken health care system, which currently leaves about 400,000 people uninsured. Many bills came out of the effort and are moving through the Legislature. But not all of them are likely to make it all the way through the legislative process, with the session wrapping up on midnight next Thursday. So which bills are most important to health care advocates and will have them lobbying hard during the crunch of the next six days? Joining KCPW is Lincoln Nehring, Medicaid director with the Utah Health Policy Project. Fri, 06 Mar 2009 12:56:02 -0700 Abortion, as always, is a hot topic on Utah's Capitol Hill this legislative session, which wraps up next Thursday at midnight. Three Republican sponsored abortion related bills have already been approved by both the Senate and House of Representatives. Meanwhile, a Democratic sponsored bill that would allow for comprehensive sex education while continuing to emphasize abstinence, hasn't been voted on or heard in committee at all. How will all these bills affect Utah citizens? Joining KCPW to discuss this is Missy Bird, executive director of the Planned Parenthood Action Council here in Utah. Fri, 06 Mar 2009 12:54:13 -0700 "If people are doing things wrong, we're gonna discipline them, and if it's egregious enough, we're gonna fire them, to be honest with you." Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon discusses a review of the county's planning division in this excerpt from Friday's Politics Up Close. Mon, 02 Mar 2009 01:00:53 -0700 Salt Lake City-based attorney Brian Barnard joins Politics Up Close to discuss the Supreme Court ruling against his client, the Summum religious group, and the future of the conflict between Summum and the city of Pleasant Grove. Fri, 27 Feb 2009 12:54:53 -0700 Congressman Jim Matheson joins Politics Up Close to talk about Interior Secretary Ken Salazar's decision to scrap oil shale leasing in Utah, his vote against an omnibus appropriations bill, his opposition to reinstating the ban on assault weapons, and EnergySolutions' proposal to share revenue with the state if it allows the company to import Italian nuclear waste. Fri, 27 Feb 2009 12:51:14 -0700 Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon has proven to be a popular politician, but he's got a few tough issues to deal with right now. The Salt Lake County Council has been looking at a troubling review of the county's planning division, which was conducted by the mayor's office. Democrats and Republicans have sparred on the issue, with some Republicans accusing the mayor's office of pushing an agenda. Meanwhile, a Salt Lake Tribune article this week revealed some tension between the county and Salt Lake City, with council chairman Joe Hatch even calling Mayor Ralph Becker a "butthead." And the state legislature continues to cut the state budget, likely causing money to evaporate from Salt Lake County as well. What light is there on the horizon? Peter Corroon joins KCPW in the studio. Fri, 27 Feb 2009 12:47:48 -0700 In this excerpt from Friday's Politics Up Close, Charles Kuck, President of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, discusses the problems of temporary guest worker visas.Download full episodes of Politics Up Close here. Mon, 23 Feb 2009 01:00:00 -0700 The GOP suffered losses in the 2008 elections, both nationally and here in Utah. The Salt Lake County Council is now controlled by Democrats with a narrow 5 to 4 margin, the Salt Lake County GOP lost a Senate seat in Cottonwood Heights with Karen Morgan's defeat of Carlene Walker, a House seat in Cottonwood Heights after Mark Walker's resignation, and Speaker of the House Greg Curtis was defeated by challenger Jay Seegmiller, who was running for the third time. And the GOP's reputation has likely been hurt by Senator Chris Buttars this week, who made comments about the gay community that were widely viewed as inflammatory and was removed from a Senate chairmanship just this morning. But on the national front, the party has been invigorated by a new chairman, Michael Steele, who's expected to bring different views into the party. What does the future hold for the Utah GOP and the national GOP? Joining KCPW to discuss this is Salt Lake County GOP chairman James Evans and state party Vice Chairman Todd Weiler. Fri, 20 Feb 2009 13:16:32 -0700 Immigration was a major issue on the presidential campaign trail, as President Barack Obama and his former rival sparred on how to fix the nation's broken immigration system. But now the Obama Administration has taken office, and little has been heard about the issue with the giant economic stimulus and the bank bailout taking the spotlight. Meanwhile, some in the Utah legislature are calling on the federal government to allow individual states to create their own, independent guest worker program. And others are sponsoring legislation targeting illegal immigrants, once again taking on Utah's policy of allowing illegal immigrant students to pay in-state tuition at public universities. What is the future of immigration in Utah and nationwide? Joining KCPW to discuss this is Charles Kuck, president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, or AILA, a group of more than 11,000 attorneys that practice and teach immigration law. Fri, 20 Feb 2009 13:12:28 -0700 In this excerpt from Friday's Politics Up Close, Mayor Ralph Becker talks about his decision to recommend the city release a $10.2 million bond to the Leonardo. Download full podcasts on the Politics Up Close page. Tue, 17 Feb 2009 01:00:39 -0700 Colonel Peter Mansoor knows military strategy. He was the executive officer to General David Petraeus in Iraq from 2007 to 2008, and a Brigade Commander from 2003 to 2004. And while he was there, he realized what we did wrong and turned it into a book, Baghdad at Sunrise, A Brigade Commander's War in Iraq, released late last year. He was in Salt Lake City last night to speak to the Salt Lake Committee on Foreign Relations. Colonel Mansoor stopped by our studio to have a conversation about the Iraq War, past, present, and future. Fri, 13 Feb 2009 14:05:57 -0700 Though almost none of Utah's Congressional delegation supported it, the federal stimulus package is now a reality. Congress is expected to iron out all the kinks by President's Day. Then, more than a billion dollars will likely be on its way to Utah, and some portion of that to Salt Lake City. Meanwhile, a bill is moving in the state legislature that is likely to take away $8 million from Salt lake City Schools. Joining KCPW to discuss these issues is Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker, who stops by our studio every month. Fri, 13 Feb 2009 13:04:56 -0700 In this brief excerpt from last Friday's Politics Up Close, State Senator Scott McCoy and Vanessa Pierce, Executive Director of HEAL Utah, discuss a bill McCoy is sponsoring to increase regulation of proposed nuclear power plants. Mon, 09 Feb 2009 01:01:02 -0700 The honeymoon for President Barack Obama is over, and now he's facing a tough challenge from Congressional Republicans as he tries to pass his economic stimulus package as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, the president has run into trouble with a number of his nominees for cabinet positions, including Tom Daschle, who withdrew his nomination to be Secretary of Health and Human Services earlier this week. Where does the president go from here, and where does the Republican party go from here with its new chairman? NPR News Analyst Juan Williams was in Utah this week to speak at Weber State University. He joined KCPW to answer these questions. Fri, 06 Feb 2009 12:42:23 -0700 This week, the Utah legislature cut $365 million from the 2009 state budget. But this time around, lawmakers were able to soften the blow by shifting around another $200 million in one-time funds from state building projects and other items in order to reduce the impact on critical programs like public education and health and human services. The 2010 cuts will go even deeper, and legislators are very hesitant to touch the $400 million rainy-day fund, or issue a large amount of bonds for transportation projects. What priorities would Utah's business community set for the legislature as it makes these important decisions? Joining the show to talk about this is Lane Beattie, President and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce, representing more than 4,200 Utah businesses, and the former president of the Utah Senate. Fri, 06 Feb 2009 12:34:46 -0700 Renewable energy is still a hot topic on Capitol Hill. Earlier this week, the Utah Senate had a discussion about a joint resolution regarding renewable resources, and ended up debating whether or not nuclear energy counts as renewable. Meanwhile, a Democratic Senator is sponsoring a bill that would allow the Public Service Commission to regulate proposed nuclear power plants. Senator Scott McCoy joins the show by phone from Capitol Hill, and Vanessa Pierce, Executive Director of renewable energy group HEAL Utah is in the studio. Fri, 06 Feb 2009 12:29:11 -0700 In this excerpt of last Friday's Politics Up Close, KCPW's Jeff Robinson and Rev. Barry Lynn, Executive Director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, discuss the relationship between the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the Utah state government as legislators meet in the general session on Capitol Hill. Mon, 02 Feb 2009 01:01:40 -0700 President Barack Obama signed his first bill into law yesterday. The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act greatly extends the time period in which employees are allowed to sue their employer's for discriminatory pay, allowing them 180 days after receiving any discriminatory paycheck to file a lawsuit. The White House champions the bill as a victory for equal pay for equal work, while congressional Republicans denounce it as simply a vehicle for frivolous lawsuits. Well, now it's the law, and a Salt Lake City attorney is excited about it, because it may substantially change the case of one of his clients, an inspector for the Transportation Security Administration who filed a federal complaint for harassment, retaliation and pay discrimination. Attorney Lawrence Buhler was in the studio to talk about the case and why he believes the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act is a good thing. Fri, 30 Jan 2009 12:57:46 -0700 The Common Ground Initiative launched by a group of Utah lawmakers and gay rights advocacy group Equality Utah aims to extend protection of the law to gay individuals and couples in the state when it comes to discrimination in housing and employment and in wrongful death suits. It also seeks to allow the domestic partners of state employees access to their partners' health insurance, create a statewide domestic partnership registry, and modify Utah's Constitutional Amendment 3, which states that marriage is between a man and a woman. Equality Utah says this initiative is not about allowing gay marriage in the state, and that these protections are entirely separate. And they contend that because of Amendment 3, this in no way could lead to the legalization of gay marriage in Utah. But conservative think tank the Sutherland Institute believes that is exactly the intent, and that by extending these protections, the state would be setting itself up for a lawsuit that would allow the courts to legalize gay marriage. Fri, 30 Jan 2009 12:54:38 -0700 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints involvement in the successful battle against gay marriage in California drew national attention and protesters to temples both in California and right here in Salt Lake City. Church members donated time and millions of dollars to the campaign after a letter urging them to support Proposition 8 was read in wardhouses across the state. The church argues it was just one member of a broad coalition of religious groups that opposes gay marriage, and was just speaking up for religious liberty. Fri, 30 Jan 2009 12:51:14 -0700 Miss Friday's Politics Up Close? Here's a brief excerpt with Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker, who discusses his concerns about the legislative session, which begins today. Mon, 26 Jan 2009 01:01:27 -0700 The Salt Lake County Council has now held two meetings this year. And already, there are weighty issues to deal with, such as an internal review of the county's planning department in the wake of the departure of its director and three employees being put on leave. And of course there's the economic downturn and what will likely be much lower tax revenues coming in this year. Dealing with all of this are the two new faces on the council, Republican Max Burdick and Democrat Jani Iwamoto. Mr. Burdick represents District Six to the south, Ms. Iwamoto represents District Four to the east. Fri, 23 Jan 2009 12:49:01 -0700 Didn't catch Friday's Politics Up Close with Utah Senator Luz Robles, who represents Salt Lake City's west side? Listen to this excerpt. Listen to the full podcast on the Politics Up Close page. Mon, 19 Jan 2009 01:00:01 -0700 Lawmakers passed controversial immigration bill Senate Bill 81 during last year's session, which the governor signed off on after it was amended to push the implementation date back to July 1st of this year. The governor's hope is that the federal government will take action on the problems with our immigration system, thus making this bill unnecessary. But with economic problems looming, we can't be sure the federal government will take any action in the next six months. So if nothing changes, SB81 will go into effect. What will this mean for the Salt Lake City Police Department? Joining the show to talk about this is Salt Lake City Police Chief Chris Burbank. Fri, 16 Jan 2009 13:08:35 -0700 The Utah Legislature will have some incredibly tough cuts to make when it convenes on Monday, the 26th. And the governor has some fundamentally different ideas about how to cut the budget than many in the Republican leadership of the legislature. A 15 percent cut, which lawmakers have proposed, could force the state office of education to get rid of many school programs, lay off teachers, or even shorten the school year. And after already cutting some benefits to Medicaid recipients in October, more cuts for the program are likely on the way. How does this specifically affect us here in Salt Lake City? Joining Politics Up Close to talk about it is newly elected Utah Senator Luz Robles, who represents District One, which includes much of northwest Salt Lake City and County. Fri, 16 Jan 2009 13:05:11 -0700 Governor Jon Huntsman has made it clear that he believes it's time to do away with private club laws in the state that require bar-goers to purchase memberships to any establishment that serves hard alcohol. He's backed by the tourism industry, many Utah drinkers and of course, many private clubs themselves. But Republicans in the Utah Legislature are not so keen on this idea. They believe that Utah's low DUI rates are linked to the state's conservative alcohol laws, and would much rather preserve the status quo. Will they reach consensus or not? And if not, what will it mean for Utah's private clubs? Joining the show to talk about this is attorney Lisa Marcy, a board member of the Utah Hospitality Association. Fri, 16 Jan 2009 13:00:41 -0700 Miss last Friday's Politics Up Close? Here's a short excerpt with Republican House Speaker David Clark on ethics reform in the legislature. Download the full conversation on the Politics Up Close page. Mon, 12 Jan 2009 01:00:07 -0700 If you want to re-visit the highlights of the 2008 election, you could go back and slog through thousands and thousands of newspaper articles and broadcast media stories. Or you could look at it through the eyes of a political cartoonist. A few weeks ago we interviewed the Salt Lake Tribune's Pat Bagley. Now, to get a different perspective, we talk to a syndicated, Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist whose work can be seen in hundreds of newspapers. Michael Ramirez has drawn for the L.A. Times, and now works for Investor's Business Daily. Fri, 09 Jan 2009 12:41:55 -0700 The state's budget picture for next year is not looking great. Lawmakers recently passed a 2010 base budget cut of 15 percent. Many have said they don't want to tap into the state's rainy day fund, although Governor Huntsman is willing to do so. They're also at odds over whether the state should bond more for roads and transportation in order to free up revenues for public and higher education, with some Republicans not wanting to go into debt. And the governor's idea to raise fees while keeping taxes the same might not have everyone on the same page. Joining Politics Up Close to give his perspective is newly elected Speaker of the Utah House of Representatives, Republican Dave Clark from Washington County. Fri, 09 Jan 2009 12:38:59 -0700 President-Elect Barack Obama has made it clear that the time for a potentially trillion dollar economic stimulus package is now. Utah politicians are hoping to get their share of the pie, on the state, county, and city levels. Here in Salt Lake City, we could use hundreds of millions for TRAX, a streetcar system, energy efficient upgrades, and much more. And we definitely need this federal help if we want these projects to be accomplished in the near future. Meanwhile, the Utah legislature convenes in just over two weeks to make pretty drastic cuts that will likely trickle down to the city level. What are the city's concerns as we head into this legislative session, and what does it hope to accomplish? Joining Politics Up Close to talk about this is Carlton Christensen, newly appointed chairman of the Salt Lake City Council, and new vice-chairman J.T. Martin. Fri, 09 Jan 2009 12:35:50 -0700 In this excerpt of Friday's Politics Up Close, Governor Jon Huntsman lays out the difference between his approach to the state budget and that of some in the Utah legislature. Mon, 22 Dec 2008 01:01:08 -0700 President Bush just announced this morning that he will go through with bailing out the auto industry to the tune of $17 billion, just like he and Congress bailed out the banks. All of Utah's Congressmen voted against the bailout when it came to the House. And Utah's new freshman Congressman Jason Chaffetz, is calling for fiscal restraint in government. He joins us to talk about it. Fri, 19 Dec 2008 12:35:43 -0700 The Salt Lake County Council recently approved a budget cut of about $12 million. But one outgoing councilman tried to push the cuts much further than that, concerned that this will still leave the county with too large a shortfall to deal with next year. Meanwhile, the county approved an agreement with Kennecott to allow the company for search for ore beneath county owned open space in the Rose Canyon Ranch area of the Oquirrh Mountains. What will this mean for that open space, and does the agreement still leave legal questions hanging in the air? Joining us to answer these questions is Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon. Fri, 19 Dec 2008 12:32:45 -0700 Not satisfied with the governor's proposed 4 to 7 percent cuts for the 2010 budget, the Utah Legislature has gone ahead and approved a base budget cut of 15 percent. Meanwhile, Republicans appear to be not such big fans of dipping into the state's rainy day fund and bonding more for transportation projects in order to somewhat spare public and higher education. And they're calling for a second special session to take care of a larger deficit for this fiscal year than they initially thought there would be during the first session. What does the governor think of all this? Well, who better to ask than Governor Jon Huntsman himself? Fri, 19 Dec 2008 12:30:20 -0700 In this short excerpt from Friday's Politics Up Close, KCPW's Jeff Robinson talks with Salt Lake Tribune editorial cartoonist Pat Bagley about his new book, "Fist Bump Heard Round the World: The 2008 Election in Cartoons." He'll be signing copies tonight at 7 at The King's English Bookshop in Salt Lake City. Mon, 15 Dec 2008 11:27:02 -0700 Since we last spoke with Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker, the city council went on to approve his five percent across the board budget cut. The city is also now hashing out its legislative priorities for the upcoming general session in January. It could prove to be another cumbersome winter when lawmakers convene on Capitol Hill if they decide to take on Salt Lake City's riparian overlay ordinance, which the city council has faced enough difficulty with already. And the controversial immigration bill, SB81, may be frustrating for local police. Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:18:14 -0700 In this excerpt from last Friday's Politics Up Close, local attorneys Bob Sykes and Randall Edwards, along with Utah Senator Greg Bell, himself an attorney, discuss last week's controversial decision by the senate not to confirm Judge Robert Hilder to the Utah Court of Appeals. Mon, 24 Nov 2008 01:00:22 -0700 It's been an interesting week for the Utah judiciary. For the first time in recent years. By a 16-to-12 vote, the senate said no to the confirmation of Judge Robert Hilder to the Utah Court of Appeals. Hilder is currently a 3rd District Judge. His defeat is credited largely to a massive e-mail writing campaign from gun rights advocates, who felt that Hilder had little respect for the 2nd Amendment after he ruled that the University of Utah did have the authority to bar concealed weapons on campus. But at the same time, he had a tremendously high judicial approval rating and the support of just many attorneys in the state of Utah. Joining Politics Up Close to talk about this is Senator Greg Bell from Davis County, Salt Lake City personal injury attorney Bob Sykes, and local attorney Randall Edwards. Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:19:54 -0700 The economic crisis has hit every local government hard, and Salt Lake City is no exception. With sales tax and property tax revenues coming in about $4 million short, the city has to cut 5 percent from this year's budget to make it through, and no department was spared the red pen, from planning to police. But will the city have to cut the budget even further come March or April? And how will next year's budget picture look? Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker talks to KCPW's Jeff Robinson. Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:17:41 -0700 Aric Mutchnick is an international security expert who has served in the Israeli Defense Forces. He was in town last week to speak to the Salt Lake Committee on Foreign Relations. Mutchnick joined KCPW's Jeff Robinson for Politics Up Close on Friday. In this seven-minute excerpt, he tells Jeff about an interesting encounter he had with another American when he served in the IDF. Mon, 17 Nov 2008 01:01:26 -0700 Aric Mutchnick is an international security expert who served in the Israeli Defense Forces. He came to Salt Lake City to speak to the Salt Lake Committee on Foreign Relations last night. He joined KCPW's Jeff Robinson to talk about his time in the Israeli military and Israeli-Palestinian relations. Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:15:05 -0700 Democratic State Senator Scott McCoy represents Salt Lake City in the Utah Legislature, and Will Carlson is the Manager of Public Policy at Equality Utah, an LGBT advocacy group based in Salt Lake. Earlier this week, Senator McCoy and other state legislators joined Equality Utah in opening up a conversation with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints about expanding rights for gay couples and employees, after the Church supported Proposition 8 banning gay marriage in California. KCPW's Jeff Robinson speaks with them. Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:11:06 -0700 Democratic state senator-elect Karen Morgan captured 52 percent of the vote last Tuesday in District 8 representing Cottonwood Heights. She previously served in the House of Representatives for eight years. KCPW's Jeff Robinson talked with her about ethics reform and her legislative priorities. Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:07:44 -0700 Democratic Congressman Jim Matheson earned his highest margin of victory ever on Election Day, trouncing his opponent by nearly 30 points as his constituents decided to send him back to Washington for a fifth term. He'll return to Congress facing an ever-increasing national debt, an economic downturn, and a broken health care system. But Matheson will also have the opportunity to work with a new presidential administration, one that has promised to reach across party lines and make significant accomplishments. KCPW's Jeff Robinson caught up with Congressman Matheson after he spoke at the Hinckley Institute of Politics. Thu, 13 Nov 2008 12:04:27 -0700 Immediately after being appointed the new Speaker of the Utah House of Representatives by his Republican colleagues last night, Representative David Clark unveiled several ethics proposals he wants to enact this upcoming legislative session. KCPW's Jeff Robinson sat down with him as he described his plan. Wed, 12 Nov 2008 01:01:51 -0700 Miss Friday's Politics Up Close? Listen to this brief excerpt analyzing Utah's Congressional races with Kirk Jowers, Director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics, and Dr. Tim Chambless, political scientist at the University of Utah. Mon, 10 Nov 2008 01:00:17 -0700 On Friday, Senate Republicans voted for change in their top leadership positions, saying goodbye to Senate President John Valentine and Senate Majority Leader Curt Bramble. KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with the new leadership team after the Republicans' closed caucus meeting. Mon, 10 Nov 2008 01:00:17 -0700 Kirk Jowers is the director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah. He joins Dr. Tim Chambless at the U. to provide some perspective and analysis on all the local election results from top to bottom in Utah politics. Fri, 07 Nov 2008 13:18:32 -0700 Democrats on the Salt Lake County Council just gained a 5 to 4 majority on Tuesday, when Jani Iwamoto ousted incumbent Republican Mark Crockett in District 4 representing Holladay and the surrounding eastern cities. Jim Bradley and Joe Hatch join Politics Up Close. Fri, 07 Nov 2008 13:16:19 -0700 With Democrat Jani Iwamoto defeating Republican Mark Crockett in his re-election bid for the Salt Lake County Council, the Democrats now move from the minority party to the majority party, holding a slim 5-to-4 lead over the Republicans come January. A new party in control will likely bring with it new priorities, along with the selection of a Democratic chair to run council meetings. But the council will still have to contend with an overwhelmingly Republican state legislature, and given Speaker Greg Curtis's defeat, a new Speaker of the House who is not from Salt Lake County. KCPW's Jeff Robinson caught up with Democratic county councilman Joe Hatch to get his thoughts on the direction his party will take the council. Fri, 07 Nov 2008 01:01:03 -0700 Today, Utah voters will decide a number of close races across Salt Lake County, from the south end of the valley right up to Salt Lake City. Some are open seats with no incumbents; others have energetic challengers trying to oust long-time incumbents. And if the races get tight enough, we might not know the results until very late this evening or even beyond that. KCPW's Jeff Robinson sat down with Dr. Tim Chambless, a political science lecturer at the University of Utah, to get his thoughts on what will likely be the closest races in Salt Lake County. Tue, 04 Nov 2008 01:00:20 -0700 Didn't catch our Friday interview with Democratic Salt Lake County Council candidate Paul Pugmire? Listen to this Politics Up Close excerpt.Download the full podcast on the Politics Up Close page. Mon, 03 Nov 2008 01:08:46 -0700 No time to listen to KCPW's eight Election 2008 Debates? In this half hour special, get the highlights of some of the closest races, like House District 49 between Greg Curtis and Jay Seegmiller, Senate District One between Carlton Christensen and Luz Robles, and Salt Lake County Council Seat A between Randy Horiuchi and Steve DeBry. At the end, the special wraps up with a look at the governor's debate. Fri, 31 Oct 2008 12:32:57 -0600 Democrat Paul Pugmire is running for Salt Lake County Council District 2 representing the West Side. He lives in South Jordan, where he runs a public relations consulting firm. He's previously worked as a staff member in the U.S. House of Representatives, the Arizona Legislature and the Arizona Governor's office, and was also on the Rexburg, Idaho city council for eight years. He served two years as president of that council. Currently, he's a member of the South Jordan Planning Commission, South Jordan Chamber of Commerce, South Jordan Community Theater and Rotary International. His opponent is incumbent Michael Jensen. Fri, 31 Oct 2008 12:29:05 -0600 Salt Lake County Councilman Randy Horiuchi and Republican challenger Steve DeBry fiercely debated issues like growth, funding for the RSL soccer stadium, and even which of them has the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police in a contentious debate at the Salt Lake City Main Library Thursday morning. Listen to the full debate. Thu, 30 Oct 2008 12:54:07 -0600 Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon and his Republican challenger Michael Renckert debated the county budget, growth management, criminal justice and other important county issues in a KCPW Election 2008 Debate last night at the Salt Lake City Main Library. Listen to the event, moderated by KCPW's Jeff Robinson. Wed, 29 Oct 2008 21:21:28 -0600 Salt Lake County Council District 2 Candidates Michael Jensen and Paul Pugmire squared off this morning at the Salt Lake City Main Library in a KCPW Election 2008 Debate. Jensen is the Republican incumbent; Pugmire is his Democratic challenger. The two discussed protecting the west side, the Jordan School District Split, funding Mountain View Corridor and much more. Listen to the full debate. Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:36:59 -0600 Didn't catch our interviews last Friday with Democratic Congressman Jim Matheson and Republican Michael Renckert, candidate for Salt Lake County Mayor? Listen to this wrap-up of Friday's Politics Up Close. Listen to the full interviews on the Politics Up Close page. Mon, 27 Oct 2008 01:00:31 -0600 Michael Renckert is the Republican candidate for Salt Lake County mayor. He works as a supervisor for Utah Adult Probation and Parole. He's also an adjunct professor at Salt Lake Community College. In this edition of Politics Up Close, he discusses law enforcement and criminal justice issues, the handling of the Real Salt Lake soccer stadium, growth and development, and more. Fri, 24 Oct 2008 13:02:01 -0600 Congressman Jim Matheson currently represents Utah's 2nd Congressional District. He was first elected in 2000, and has since survived three Republican challenges even after his district was re-drawn to include more traditional Republican strongholds. Before joining Congress, Matheson was an energy consultant. Now, he sits on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, as well as the House Science and Technology committee. Matheson's a member of a moderate group of fiscally conservative Democrats called the Blue Dogs. One of his recent accomplishments is adding a provision to a recent spending bill lifting the moratorium on leasing federal lands for oil shale development. His opponent is Republican Bill Dew. Fri, 24 Oct 2008 12:58:22 -0600 Democratic State Representative Rebecca Chavez-Houck and Republican opponent Dr. Joe Jarvis squared off on health care, public education, politics, and much more in a one-hour debate hosted by KCPW at the Salt Lake City Main Library Wednesday morning. Listen to the full podcast. Wed, 22 Oct 2008 12:42:24 -0600 Did you miss our Friday interviews with Republican Salt Lake County Councilman Michael Jensen and Republican House District 28 candidate Jeff Morrow? Listen to an excerpt here. You can also listen both full interviews on the Politics Up Close page. Mon, 20 Oct 2008 01:04:08 -0600 Jeff Morrow is the Republican candidate for Utah's House District 28 in the state legislature, representing the Foothills in eastern Salt Lake City, where he grew up. His background is in real estate. Currently, he's the principal broker for Wasatch Front Real Estate Brokerage and Wasatch Front Property Management. Morrow is also on the steering committee for Envision Utah, a member of the Downtown Rotary Club, an adjunct business instructor at Salt Lake Community College, and a former member of the Mayor's Recreational Advisory board. His major campaign platform is Reclaiming the Foothills influence. Fri, 17 Oct 2008 13:16:45 -0600 Republican Salt Lake County Councilman Michael Jensen represents District 2, which is nearly the entire west side. He was first elected in 2000 when the council was formed, then re-elected in 2004. He's currently chairman of the council, serving three years in that position so far. Outside of county government, he's deputy chief of the Salt Lake County Unified Fire Authority and a certified paramedic. Jensen serves on the boards of the county Redevelopment Agency, the Central Water Conservancy District, the Council of Governments and the Wasatch Front Regional Council. A Magna resident, he is the only member of the county council who lives in unincorporated Salt Lake County. Jensen's Democratic opponent this election is Paul Pugmire. Fri, 17 Oct 2008 13:10:59 -0600 (KCPW News) Governor Jon Huntsman and his Democratic challenger Bob Springmeyer took on energy, education, budget cuts, economic development and much more in a one-hour debate hosted by KCPW Thursday night in the Tessman Auditorium at the Salt Lake City Main Library. Listen to the full debate. Thu, 16 Oct 2008 20:41:16 -0600 Last night, Utah voters came out to the Sandy Public Library as Republican Speaker of the Utah House of Representatives Greg Curtis took on his District 49 challenger, Democrat Jay Seegmiller, in a one-hour debate. They tackled issues like the Jordan School District split, immigration, health care reform, and ethics reform. The race may be quite a close one: Seegmiller is challenging Curtis for the third time after losing the race by only 20 votes in 2006. Now, listen in on our entire one-hour debate from last night. Wed, 15 Oct 2008 01:00:16 -0600 Didn't catch our Friday interviews with state Representative Rebecca Chavez-Houck and Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon? Listen to this Politics Up Close wrap-up. Listen to full podcasts of both interviews on the Politics Up Close page. Mon, 13 Oct 2008 01:00:36 -0600 Democratic Representative Rebecca Chavez-Houck is a Utah native. She was appointed late last year to fill the vacant seat in House District 24 when Ralph Becker was elected Salt Lake City mayor. She began her career as a reporter. She's also worked as an activist for non-profits like Planned Parenthood, United Way, the YWCA and Centro de la Familia de Utah. Currently, she's co-owner of Lone Peak Realty and Management. This past legislative session in January, Chavez-Houck sponsored a bill to allow domestic partners to adopt children. It was not assigned to a committee. She also sponsored a bill to create a bipartisan legislative redistricting committee. A third bill would have required poll workers to be politically neutral. Her opponent in the upcoming election is Joe Jarvis. Fri, 10 Oct 2008 13:33:38 -0600 Democratic Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon was first elected in 2004. Before coming mayor, he was worked in development. Since taking office, he's created the Council on Diversity Affairs, expanded the Salt Palace, overseen the planning of five new TRAX lines throughout Salt Lake County, and expanded the county's purchasing of open space. He also famously torpedoed Real Salt Lake's attempt to use money from the county's hotel tax to build a new stadium, but was then circumvented by the governor and state legislature. Corroon also wants to plant one million trees in the county in the next ten years. His opponent is Republican Michael Renckert. Fri, 10 Oct 2008 13:30:40 -0600 Didn't catch Politics Up Close last Friday? Listen in on this excerpt with Democratic Salt Lake County Councilman Randy Horiuchi and Republican Greg Curtis, Speaker of the Utah House of Representatives. Horiuchi talks about the Hogle Zoo bond, while Curtis talks about ethics reform. Download full podcasts on the Politics Up Close page. Mon, 06 Oct 2008 01:00:16 -0600 Greg Curtis is the Republican Speaker of the Utah House of Representatives and Representative for House District 49 in Sandy. Curtis has served in the legislature since 1995, and has been speaker for the past four years. Outside the legislature, he's an attorney. This past session, he sponsored a bill to removed the enrollment cap on the Children's Health Insurance Program, which passed by a wide margin. During his time as speaker, education funding in the state has increased by more than a billion dollars. Over the next two years, if re-elected, he wants to continue to increase funding for education, reduce taxes, expand access to health care, and eliminate the sales tax on food. His opponent is Jay Seegmiller, who's challenging him for the third time after losing by 20 votes in 2006. Fri, 03 Oct 2008 12:53:29 -0600 Democratic Salt Lake County Councilman Randy Horiuchi has been a longtime figure in the Salt Lake County Government, having served as a commissioner from 1991 through 1998. Before that, he founded Focus Government Services, a consulting and lobbying firm. When the county switched from having commissioners to a county council, he won election in 2000 and again in 2002, and is now just finishing up his first full six-year term. Horiuchi has served on the boards of many civic groups like the Utah Association of Counties and the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and lives in Salt Lake City. He was also president of the Salt Lake Chapter of the Japanese American Citizen's League. He's running against Republican Steve DeBry, a captain with the sheriff's office. Fri, 03 Oct 2008 12:50:02 -0600 Polygamy, civil liberties, vouchers, immigration, and abortion were among the topics discussed Tuesday morning at the Hinckley Institute's Attorney General debate, moderated and broadcast by KCPW. Incumbent Republican Mark Shurtleff and Democratic challenger Jean Welch Hill made their case to a packed crowd about what makes them right for the job. Let's listen in on part of that debate. In this segment, moderator Jeff Robinson asks the candidates about how they would deal with abortion-related laws coming out of the state legislature. Wed, 01 Oct 2008 01:00:53 -0600 Incumbent Attorney General Mark Shurtleff and Democratic challenger Jean Welch Hill took on polygamy, education, civil liberties, immigration, and abortion issues in a packed, hour-long debate at the Hinckley Institute Tuesday morning, moderated by KCPW's Jeff Robinson. Tue, 30 Sep 2008 13:42:34 -0600 Didn't catch our Friday interviews with Republican county council candidate Steve DeBry or Democratic legislative candidate Jay Seegmiller? Listen to our Politics Up Close wrap-up. You can also listen to the full interviews on the Politics Up Close page. Mon, 29 Sep 2008 01:03:26 -0600 Democrat Jay Seegmiller is now running for the third time for Utah House District 49 in Sandy after losing to Greg Curtis in 2006 by 20 votes. Seegmiller is a 20-year resident of the Sandy district, and has also worked for Amtrak for the past two decades. Before that, he worked for Union Pacific Railroad. He's currently active in Amtrak's employee union and serves as the state legislative director for the United Transportation Union. Seegmiller serves on the Sandy City Transportation Committee. He's running on a platform of improving public education, increasing economic development, reforming health care, and reforming the tax code. Fri, 26 Sep 2008 12:53:33 -0600 Republican Steve DeBry is a candidate for County Council At-Large Seat A. Captain Debry has been a police officer for nearly three decades. He's currently the precinct commander of the Millcreek station for the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office and a long-time resident of South Jordan. DeBry was born and raised in the state, and has a degree in Political Science from the University of Utah. He's also a graduate of the FBI National Academy. His goals as a county councilman would be to increase the quality of life as the county continues to grow, decrease crime, and ensure fiscal responsibility. Fri, 26 Sep 2008 12:50:54 -0600 Didn't catch Politics Up Close last Friday? Here's a wrap up of our interviews with Jason Chaffetz and Brian King. Mon, 22 Sep 2008 01:01:29 -0600 Democrat Brian King is running for House District 28, which encompasses eastern Salt Lake City. The seat is open after Representative Roz McGee announced she would be retiring. King is a Salt Lake City attorney who has practiced law for more than 20 years, performing litigation against health, life and disability insurance companies. Much of his work involves the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. King has been the lead attorney on more than a dozen class action lawsuits. He is currently president of the Utah Association for Justice. King is running on a platform of improving education, bolstering the economy, increasing access to health care and housing, and increasing ethical standards. Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:45:56 -0600 Republican Jason Chaffetz defeated incumbent Congressman Chris Cannon by a 20-point margin in the June primary, which gained national attention. He was Governor Jon Huntsman's campaign manager in 2004 and then served as his chief of staff for two years. He's the owner of Maxtera Utah, a corporate communications and marketing firm. Chaffetz also serves as a trustee for Utah Valley University. During the primary, he spent about half a million dollars less than the incumbent. He hopes to bring that same fiscal discipline to Washington, along with his seven-point plan to reduce illegal immigration. With a smile on his face, he jokes that he used to be a Democrat until he learned to read and write. Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:40:40 -0600 Don't have time to listen to our full conversations with candidates Bill Dew and Jean Welch Hill? Listen to our brief wrap-up of last week's Politics Up Close with Jeff Robinson. Mon, 15 Sep 2008 01:01:55 -0600 Jean Welch Hill is an attorney for the State Board of Education. She's running for Attorney General against incumbent Mark Shurtleff. Last year, she argued against Shurtleff that school vouchers should not have been implemented before the voter referendum on the issue. Her position was affirmed by the Utah Supreme Court. Before joining the board, she was a teacher at Judge Memorial High School and a columnist for the Salt Lake Tribune. Hill believes that Utah's government lacks balance. She's running on a platform of campaign finance reform, ethics reform, education reform, and clamping down on predatory lenders. Fri, 12 Sep 2008 14:08:40 -0600 Bill Dew hopes to replace incumbent Democratic Congressman Jim Matheson in the 2nd District of the Utah House of Representatives. Dew is the founder of Dewbury Homes. He was born and raised in Utah. He graduated from the University of Utah and served in the Army Reserves for almost a decade. He's also done humanitarian work with his wife in Jordan. Dew is running on a platform of energy independence and securing America's borders to reduce the effects of illegal immigration. He won the Republican nomination at the state convention back in May, beating former Congressman Merrill Cook. Fri, 12 Sep 2008 14:06:11 -0600 Don't have time to listen to our full conversations with political candidates Dr. Joe Jarvis and Bennion Spencer? Listen to our brief wrap-up of last week's Politics Up Close with Jeff Robinson. Mon, 08 Sep 2008 01:00:32 -0600 Dr. Joe Jarvis hopes to represent downtown Salt Lake City and The Avenues in the Utah House of Representatives. He'll be challenging Democratic incumbent Rebecca Chavez-Houck, who was appointed after Ralph Becker left the position. Jarvis earned his bachelor's from BYU in 1978, then his medicine degree from the University of Utah in 1982. He's served as president and chair of the board of the Utah Health Policy Project, and also on the board of directors for the Utah Public Health Association. Jarvis ran for Senate District 2 in 2006. Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:38:32 -0600 An April audit called Salt Lake's Planning Department dysfunctional. We'll talk with Wilford Sommerkorn, the new Director, about his plans to turn restore the public's confidence in the department. We'll talk about the Public Square and the state of operations at KCPW. We're undergoing management and ownership changes, and awaiting FCC approval for the sale so we can close on it and carry on. This means changes for our community forum-The Public Square. Wasatch Public Media CEO Ed Sweeney joins us to talk about the future, our goals, and how to shape The Public Square to further the voices in our community and ensure excellence in journalism. Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:39:06 -0600 He's worked for Hilary Clinton's presidential campaign, a high-profile Utah legislative campaign, and is now a delegate to the Democratic National Convention, at just 18 years old. We'll talk with Apollo Pazell, the third youngest delegate ever.Attorney General Mark Shurtleff joins us to talk about Amber Alerts, his recent deal with cable companies to prevent Pornography, his efforts in helping the number of foreclosures, and Polygamy. Wed, 27 Aug 2008 10:35:35 -0600 The Timpanogos Storytelling Festival kicks off this Thursday. We'll talk with storyteller and musician Susan Reed and storyteller and festival committee member Cheri Davis. University of Utah officials in the process of selecting two finalists for designing its ambitious mixed-use commercial project on the Rice Eccles Stadium parking lot. We'll talk with Mike Perez from University Development and Betsy Burton from Local Utah First about the project and the impact on local businesses. Tue, 26 Aug 2008 10:50:22 -0600 Thousands of Utahns are diagnosed with cancer every year and coping with the disease presents emotional, physical, and financial challenges. Scott Burton, author of "A Life in Balance," is a stand-up comic who is helping cancer patients to learn to laugh and love life with cancer. We'll talk with him and cancer survivor Mary Ann Gerber, who are both speaking at this year's Survivor Day at Salt Lake Community College. Plus, this months edition of "Poetry is Wanted Here." Ken Sanders and Alex Caldiero will focus on poems dealing with loss. Wed, 20 Aug 2008 10:17:01 -0600 Cases of autism are increasing and now 1 in every 150 people has the disorder. Research now suggests that children as young as 1 year old can show signs of autism. We'll tell you what to look for with Dr. William McMahon, the new Chairman of the University of Utah Department of Psychiatry. The 2008 Breastfeeding Café is being held throughout August at the Salt Lake City Main Library. The event features classes and "Mother's Circles." We'll talk about the current public breastfeeding regulations and issues surrounding breastfeeding with Christy Porucznick, Assistant Professor of the Public Health Program at the University of Utah. Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:14:29 -0600 Described as a real-life Lara Kroft, Kira Salak, was a war reporter in the Congo, is the first woman to traverse Papua New Guinea, and was nearly gang raped. Kira has written a book called "White Mary" based on her experiences and she joins us to talk about the book. The Utah Priorities Project surveyed Utah's voters on what they think are the most important issues in our community, and is now researching those topics. We'll talk with Steve Kroes President of the Utah Foundation about their Crime and Transportation reports. Fri, 15 Aug 2008 10:32:58 -0600 The Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization is hosting Camp Equality on Saturday in Salt Lake. The Camp aims to train 1,500 volunteers to work on campaigns this fall and to convince the public to vote for ballot measures that will give the GLBT community more rights. Sultan Shakir, a Human Rights Campaign Regional Field Director will talk to us about the camp and the issues that the GLBT community faces. Plus, every third Wednesday, The Main City Library hosts a unique music event--Salt Lake City's best local musicians play music and tell stories about their songs, their inspirations, and their experiences. It's called Music @ Main. This week's headliner is John LaMonica, he'll join us on the show. Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:56:06 -0600 The Leonardo's Executive Director has left and plans for a new building have been scaled back, in the midst of preparing for the hugely popular Body Works Exhibit. We'll talk with the new executive director Peter Giles about the future plans for the Leonardo. Plus, an extremely rare copy of The Declaration of Independence is coming to the Utah State Capitol Building on Friday and Saturday. The Declaration is one of only 25 surviving Dunlap copies printed on the evening of July 4th. We talk with Ryan Thurgood, the organizer of the document's Tour. Wed, 13 Aug 2008 12:39:41 -0600 Over 115 police officers have died while serving in Utah. A new memorial honoring these fallen officers will be dedicated in just a few weeks. We'll share some of the fallen officer's stories and talk about why the Utah Law Enforcement Memorial is important to the community, and what we as a community can do to help. Joining us will be Robert Kirby, columnist for the Salt Lake Tribune and Honorary Board Member of the Utah Law Enforcement Memorial and Clark Christensen, the President of the ULEM join us to talk about the stories of these officers, what we can do to help, and how these tragic deaths can be prevented. Plus, how much do you know about America's First Ladies? We'll talk with Jacqueline Berger, author of Love, Lies and Tears: An Intimate Look at America's First Ladies, Vol. I. She will be speaking at the Tessman Auditorium at the Main City Library at 7pm August 13th. Tue, 12 Aug 2008 12:43:06 -0600 The University of Utah has one of the 29 nuclear engineering programs remaining in the U.S. We'll talk about the future of the nuclear industry with Dr. Paul Tikalsky the Chair of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Utah and Peter Jenkins a Doctorate student in Nuclear Engineering. Plus, the latest survey of the Corporation for National and Community Service ranks Utah Number 1 in Volunteering, but some organizations like the Utah Food Bank still don't have enough donations. Which organizations are Utahns volunteering for, and why are so many people doing it? Joining us to talk about these issues are Jim Pugh Executive Director of Utah Food Bank Services and Gordon Walker from the Division of Housing and Community Development. Mon, 11 Aug 2008 09:49:37 -0600 The Outdoor Retailers show is in town, we'll talk about why the Outdoor Industry Association chose Salt Lake for the show with Frank Hugelmeyer, President of the Outdoor Industry Association. We'll also talk about growth and future of outdoor recreation sports with Paul Fish from Mountain Gear. A meeting between the group, Affirmation: Gay and Lesbian Mormons and leaders from the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been canceled, after church leaders agreed to hear the groups concerns. Instead Affirmation set up a press conference this morning to communicate what they would have said to church leaders. We'll talk about the issues they want to address with George Cole, the Youth Adult Director for Affirmation. Fri, 08 Aug 2008 11:53:25 -0600 A recent survey of residents living in unincorporated areas of Salt Lake County found that they overwhelmingly prefer to remain townships, rather than joining a neighboring city. We'll explore the positives and negatives of incorporating from the township perspective and what that means to the surrounding cities. We'll talk with Jeff Silvestrini, chair of the Mount Olympus Community Council, Paulina Flint with the White City Community Council, and Kevin Lundy with the Kearns Communtiy Council. Plus, Proposed Changes to Utah's CHIP and Utah Premium Partnership is creating a debate among Health Care Organizations. Joining us to talk about the pros and cons of these changes are Nathan Checketts, Director of the Utah Department of Health's Bureau of Access who proposed the changes and Lincoln Nehring Medicaid Policy Director for the Utah Health Policy Project, who appose the changes. Thu, 07 Aug 2008 10:57:25 -0600 There are lots of ideas going around about what can get you better gas mileage, inflating your tires, not driving as fast, but what really works? We'll talk with aerospace engineer and physicist Ernie Rogers who drove 3,000 miles to Alaska getting 65 miles per gallon. The trip was sponsored by the Utah Valley Sierra Forum. Plus, We'll get an update about Wasatch Public Media's purchase of KCPW from Ed Sweeney, CEO of Wasatch Public Media. Wed, 06 Aug 2008 09:40:33 -0600 The 63rd anniversary of the atomic bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki is on August 6th. How have the dangers of nuclear weapons changed since then and what can we do to stop them? We'll talk with the former Mayor of Hiroshima, Takashi Hiraoka, who is speaking at the Main City Library August 6th at 7:30pm. Plus, How do we understand how Terrorism effects the lives of others? The No Fog West Theater, a nonprofit, student-run company based at Vassar College, is performing a new play called "Talking to Terrorists". The verbatim play is compiled from interviews with terrorists from around the world, Foreign Service workers, hostages and others whose lives have been affected by terrorism. We'll talk with Max Hershenow, Co-founder of No Fog West Theatre and the Director of the film, plus Madeleine Joyce, also a co-founder of No Fog West and an actress in the play, and Grace Cannon who helped establish No Fog West and is an actress in the play. Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:35:27 -0600 Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker is just back from a conference on transportation innovation, equitable economic development and local food systems. He enters the Public Square to report, as well as take your calls on other city business, including how to deal with gang violence on the west side. To demonstrate the importance of public parks, Trust for Public Land will transform the Paris Ballroom into a lush urban oasis later this month. The Public Square talks with TPL's Barry Nash. Plus, ways you can help cleanup remote corners of the Beehive State with Dave Pacheco of Utah Backcountry Volunteers. Fri, 01 Aug 2008 12:49:21 -0600 Project Vote Smart will bring the nation's first Voters' Self-Defense System to the People's Market Sunday from 10-3. Why do voters need such a defense? Entering the Public Square to talk about it is Adelaide Kimball, senior board member of Project Vote Smart, which wants to train voters to defend themselves against what it calls self-serving, manipulative claims made by campaigns. New micro-grants from Slow Food Utah will help local food producers. In turn, there will be more choice at grocery stores, farmers markets and restaurants closer to home, which means you can save money and reduce your waistline - if you go local with your food budget. The Public Square talks with Slow Food Utah's Christi Poulson and Morgan Valley Lamb's Linda Gillmor. Thu, 31 Jul 2008 13:01:38 -0600 The Romero Alternative is a new community group seeking answers from within when it comes to gangs on Salt Lake City's West Side. Organizers Michael Clara and Miles Kinikini enter The Public Square to talk about the group, which takes its inspiration from the late Archbishop of San Salvador, Oscar Romero. What if you could get top-notch medical care by highly-skilled, U.S.-trained physicians in a world-class medical facility, all at a cost far less than treatment in the United States? It's called medical tourism, and hundreds of thousands of Americans each year are doing it. The Public Square talks with Utah Dr. Paul Gahlinger about the pros and cons of the practice, which he documents in his new book The Medical Tourism Travel Guide. Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:12:50 -0600 Nancy Tessman has moved from books to ending poverty. Yes, it's much more complicated than that simple sentence. Tune in to find out what led the former Salt Lake City Library Director to take the helm of Choice Humanitarian. Plus the growing political power of the Intermountain West will reshape presidential politics. The Brookings Institution says the increasing urbanization of the region calls for a greater federal partnership. The Public Square talks it over with Alan Matheson of Envision Utah, the public-private partnership which has been helping Utahns plan for future growth for more than a decade. Tue, 29 Jul 2008 16:42:45 -0600 Planned Parenthood Action Council of Utah is calling on state lawmakers to implement a more comprehensive approach to the state's sexual education curriculum. PPAC executive Director Missy Bird and Kathy Burke, assistant medical director, enters the Public Square to talk about the group's new Prevention Now! campaign. Fact meets fiction in Loving Frank, the debut novel by Nancy Horan. The Public Square separates the two with Horan, who spent seven years investigating the relationship between famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright and early-20th century feminist Mamah Borthwick Cheney. Cheney and Wright left both their families to be with each other. Did they live happily ever after? Horan will read from and sign her book Wednesday as part of the City Library's Authors Live! series. The Public Square gets a preview. Mon, 28 Jul 2008 14:30:53 -0600 After years of fund-raising and planning, the Utah Museum of Natural History is ready to break ground on a new building to house its 1.2-million artifacts. Museum director Sarah George enters the Public Square to talk about the greening of the project and what museum-goers can expect for the price of admission. Lead architect Todd Schliemann of Polshek Partnership Architects joined the conversation. Plus, more and more cyclists are taking to city streets these days, from the mayor to the governor. The ins and outs of biking to work, the need for better city planning to accommodate cyclists, and the impact on bike shops with three cycling commuters Brian Hall of the Utah League of Cities and Towns, transportation engineer Travis Jensen, and Saturday Cycles owner Mark Kennedy. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 12:00:38 -0600 Sgt. Alex Lemons just got back from his fourth tour of duty in Iraq, where he worked directly under General Petraeus, training the Iraqi army. He says the troop surge may have reduced the violence but has not addressed the fundamental problems plaguing the country, including the growing influence of Iranian organizations. Plus, the Department of Veterans Affairs has announced that 39 new veterans centers will be built across the nation, none of which are in Utah. Terry Schow, Executive Director for the Utah Department of Veterans Affairs joins us on the show to talk about the need for veterans centers in St. George and Ogden, and how he feels that Utah has been short changed by the VA. Thu, 24 Jul 2008 18:01:42 -0600 Eight treasured rivers that are among the many trout fisheries in the West are in serious trouble, including Utah's Logan River. Trout Unlimited Utah biologist Warren Coyler and Theo Spencer of the Natural Resources Defense Council's Climate Center talk about the report released today Trout In Trouble: The Impacts of Global Warming on Trout in the Interior West. Plus City Library Director Beth Elder stops by The Public Square to talk books, library events, and the role of a library in civil society. Click the read more button below to get Elder's book picks. Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:15:01 -0600 Long-time Chicano activist John Florez enters the Public Square to talk about the growing gang problem in the Salt Lake Valley. Florez says the solutions of the past could work today, especially peer-to-peer mentoring. With the Days of '47 upon us, the rodeo is in town. That also means animal rights protests. BYU Professor Chris Foster says Utah's founding pioneers would be disappointed that their historic efforts are celebrated with a rodeo and barbecues. The Public Square talks with Foster about Mormonism and Animal Rights, a subject he'll address tonight, 7:30, at the main City Library on behalf of the Utah Animal Rights Coalition. Click here to email Foster about his power point presentation. Tue, 22 Jul 2008 12:31:31 -0600 Religious liberty, public education and the future of American democracy with Dr. Charles C. Haynes, senior scholar at the First Amendment Center in Washington, D.C. He'll be at Westminster College next month for a three-day conference on practical strategies for teaching religious liberty and its natural role in education. The Public Square gets a preview. Half of Utah's American Indian students drop out of high school before earning a diploma, according to the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Educational Statistics. What should the state be doing about it? The Public Square talks with Forrest Cuch, the Director of the Utah Division of Indian Affairs, and Davina Spotted Elk, from the University of Utah American Indian Teacher Training Program. Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:18:42 -0600 How much do you know about the state you live in and the historical landmarks that show its history? Plus a new online tool to easily find and support the arts. The Public Square talks with Nancy Boskoff of the Salt Lake City Arts Council and Kirk Huffaker from the Utah Heritage Foundation about the fun places to take your family to learn about the unique history of Utah and to get a little culture this summer. Plus, how is Utah's economy fairing in the national economic downturn? Is your money safe in Utah's regional banks? Dr. Kelly Mathews, executive vice president and economist for Wells Fargo, enters The Public Square. Lastly, should Utah end the prohibition of medical marijuana and industrial hemp? A rally to do just that will be held Saturday at the Capitol. The Utah Coalition against Prohibition enters the Public Square. Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:33:00 -0600 The Sutherland Institute has recently published two reports on Education, one accuses the Utah Education system of manipulating data in order to keep certain schools open, and the other examines the rights of parents to choose curriculum to teach their home-schooled children. Dan Witte, Sutherland trustee and lawyer, enters the Public Square to explain. Plus it's the third Thursday of the month and time again for Poetry Is Wanted Here with Ken Sanders and Alex Caldiero. This month's focus: the poetry of Allen Ginsberg. Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:26:06 -0600 Diabetes is on the rise in Utah, and 25 percent of people with the disease don't know that they have it. Richard Bullough, Program Manager for the Utah Department of Health Diabetes Prevention and Control Program, enters the Public Square to talk about symptoms, prevention and treatment. Share your stories of living with diabetes during the show. Plus, how are you adapting your family vacation in light of high gas prices? Dan Nailen, arts and entertainment editor at Salt Lake Magazine, helps The Public Square plan the perfect in-state road trip. Plus details on Raspberry Days and the Lamb Day Parade from the folks who run them. Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:25:41 -0600 Is the moral conscience that we develop a result of our situation or are we born with an inner compass? If the United States was a in crisis situation like Darfur, how many of us would break the law in oder to survive? The Public Square talks with University of Utah professor of psychology Cecilia Wainryb, co-author of a new study on the moral development of children in violent society published today in the journal Child Development. Plus, the Downtown Theater Action Group (DTAG) says the capital city should act now and purchase land for a Broadway-class theatre. Does this signal an appetite for the boards? Are the arts alive and well in Salt Lake City? The Public Square talks with Bill Becker, who chairs the DTAG, and Jerry Rapier of Plan-B Theatre Co. Mon, 14 Jul 2008 14:25:11 -0600 A study released by the U.S. Census about the 2006 general election places Utah dead last among the 50 states for voter participation. What are the stumbling blocks that voters face in getting out to vote and what can be done to turn it around? Entering the Public Square to talk about voter participation - Salt Lake County Clerk Sherrie Swensen and Nancy Melling, Co-President of the League of Women Voters of Utah. Plus, William Sederburg just got done launching Utah Valley University. His next task - Commissioner of Higher Education. The Public Square talks with Sederburg about keeping college tuition affordable, getting more students into college, and the best mascots at football games. Fri, 11 Jul 2008 17:37:30 -0600 Approximately 400 refugees are slated to arrive in Utah by September. Some say that we already have too many for our resources and programs. Gerald Brown from the new state Office of Refugee Services enters the Public Square to talk about whether Utah's doors should be closed to more refugees. Plus Brinton Jones of alt-country band The Devil Whale stops by the Public Square to talk about making music, sore throats and literature of the heart. Jones will be next Wednesday's featured artist for the City Library's Music@Main series. Series curator and local musician Andrew Shaw joins the conversation. Thu, 10 Jul 2008 17:16:52 -0600 A nearly 160-mile long pipeline proposed to divert water from Lake Powell to a reservoir in Washington County is drawing criticism from environmentalists as well as Nevada water officials - which is ironic considering the Southern Nevada Water Authority wants to stick a straw in an aquifer the stretches across the border and could turn Utah's Snake Valley into a dustbowl. The Public Square gets an update on these and other water issues with Mike Styler of the Dept. of Natural Resources and Eric Millis, deputy director for the Utah Division of Water Resources. Outside magazine named Ogden as one of the top 10 best towns in America in its August issue released this week. The Public Square talks with Mayor Matthew Godfrey about his plan to transform the northern Utah city into the adventure-sports capital of America. Wed, 09 Jul 2008 15:15:38 -0600 Law enforcement says gang membership is on the rise. Why is the gangster life so appealing to kids across the Salt Lake Valley? The Public Square talks with Salt Lake County Sheriff's Detective Lex Bell about what he sees happening on the streets, while Sid Casillas of the West Valley Community Center talks about Project 180, the center's gang intervention program. Established in 1968, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Salt Lake has grown from a single facility to three permanent clubs in Salt Lake and outreach sites in Park City and Tooele. On its 40th anniversary, the group reports helping 800 kids a day. The Public Square explores the success of the program with president and CEO LeAnn Saldivar and 19-year-old Joey Lepore, who now works at the club where he used to be a member. Tue, 08 Jul 2008 17:26:33 -0600 An ethics investigation surrounding events in the state treasurer's primary race has been called off with the resignation of Rep. Mark Walker. But does that mean there is so ethics problem on Utah's Capitol Hill? The Public Square talks about ethics reform in the Utah Legislature with Kirk Jowers of the Hinckley Institute of Politics and veteran political reporter Paul Rolly of The Salt Lake Tribune. Plus, author Stephen Trimble has written a book about a local oil and hotel magnate and the man's reshaping of Mount Ogden. Yet it doesn't contain a single interview with his subject, Earl Holding. So how do you get close to such a reclusive subject? The Public Square talks with Trimble about Bargaining for Eden: The Fight for the Last Open Spaces in America. Mon, 07 Jul 2008 14:50:05 -0600 Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker has now spent more than 180 days in office. The Public Square talks about the hits and misses of his six-month action plan, as well as what happens now. Plus, The University Of Utah Counseling Psychology program is recruiting men to be interviewed about their romantic relationships with women. The goal is to better understand how men learn about interacting with women. The Public Square talks with lead researcher and doctoral student William Elder about "masculinity commandments." Study subject Jim Asbrand, a therapist and researcher himself, joins the conversation. Fri, 04 Jul 2008 14:12:38 -0600 Political consultant Dave Owen on how to sell a mayor to the masses. Teaching civics with the Utah League of Cities and Towns, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. Guests include Brian Hall, director of training and communications for the league; Kristin Fink, executive director, Utah Coalition for Civic, Character and Service Learning; and Robert Austin, K-12 social studies specialist, Utah State Office of Education. At 10:30 on The Bottomline: A DARPA Challenge update with Michael Sullivan of the Governor's Office of Economic Development. Today's panel: the business of historic preservation. Why do some developers embrace old buildings while others tear them down. Is there something the city can do to make historic preservation more enticing? Find out at 10:30 on The Bottomline with Allen Roberts, one of five architects working on a new citywide historic preservation plan; Doug Carlson of the Provo Housing Authority; and Dave Nimkin of Local First Utah. Fri, 10 Aug 2007 17:13:26 -0600