Utah Governor Gary Herbert says selling federal land to help ease the national debt is an idea worth exploring. He was responding to Florida Congressman Dennis Ross’s comments, using Utah as an example that if the federal government needs the cash, it should “start liquidating.” Speaking at his monthly news conference on KUED, Herbert said it’s not a bad idea.
Salt Lake City’s Head Start program is finding unique ways to stay on its feet after surviving what could have been the axe from federal budget cuts. With a sigh of relief, Head Start officials decided to reach out to local businesses and the community for a fundraiser that includes lots of food, fashion, and as KCPW’s Whittney Evans reports, plenty of cute “kiddos” taking the runway.
With the death of the world’s most wanted terrorist, one Utah congressman is again calling on the U.S. to re-evaluate its military presence in Afghanistan. Republican Representative Jason Chaffetz says the war has gone on for too long, and it’s time to think about why so many troops are on the ground in that country.
The speculation surrounding whether former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr. will run for President in 2012 is about to turn into something more concrete. That’s because tomorrow is Huntsman’s final day on the job as U.S. Ambassador to China, which will free him up to announce his political plans. Every Friday, we talk with Thomas Burr, Washington Correspondent for the Salt Lake Tribune, and author of Political Cornflakes, a daily, online round-up of Utah politics.
General Electric was taking hits from all angles this morning at its annual shareholders meeting, held at the Salt Palace Convention Center. Tea Party activists, GE retirees, PETA, and even a state lawmaker had messages for the multinational corporation. And as KCPW’s Whittney Evans reports, those messages were mixed.
After years of consideration, Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff has made up his mind to file a lawsuit against college football’s Bowl Championship Series. He says the state has concluded that there clearly is an antitrust violation, and the BCS is an illegal monopoly. We talked with him about his decision, and the state’s case regarding roadside crosses.
Utah Congressman Jim Matheson has always had it tough running as a Democrat in a congressional district that’s widely considered to be gerrymandered to the extreme. Now, The Cook Political Report is saying after this year’s re-districting process, the moderate Blue Dog will have one of the ten most difficult re-election campaigns of any House Democrat, should he go for a seventh term in 2012.
Utah’s approach to illegal immigration is piquing the curiosity of leaders in Washington. Bishop John Wester of the Salt Lake City Catholic Diocese took part in a White House meeting Tuesday with President Barack Obama, his cabinet members and other stakeholders. He helped present the Utah Compact, which was written to guide Utah’s approach to immigration reform.
A key player in reforming the federal budget visited Salt Lake City this morning. Former Wyoming Senator Alan Simpson, who co-chairs President Obama’s bi-partisan fiscal commission, spoke at Zions Bank as part of its Premier Wealth Management Center’s Speakers Series. He told reporters earlier in the week, “just pray for the Gang of Six,” referring to a bipartisan group of senators working on a deficit reduction plan. KCPW’s Whittney Evans asked Simpson if those prayers are working.
Planned Parenthood is no stranger to scrutiny from politicians. But Republicans in Congress have sparked a fierce battle over federal funding for the organization. We talked with Planned Parenthood of Utah President & CEO Karrie Galloway.
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