High & Dry
You might note that Utah did not get the seven feet of snow that landed in New York. Even with winter and mountains, Utah is still a desert area, making water-sucking projects all the more baffling, like the nuclear plant proposal in Green River that would take 53,600 acre-feet per year, and the estimated 1 million gallons a day going to the NSA facility in Bluffdale. And then there's fracking. Even with new technology that purports to pump in oil rather than water, environmentalists worry about contamination of groundwater. The Division of Oil, Gas & Mining has already signed off on a couple of fracking experiments in the Moab area—before any definitive studies, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. As usual, money takes precedence over the environment.
Nice Shot
Try and try again. That's the mantra of Utah's struggling gun-control advocates, about a dozen of whom asked lawmakers and the governor to rethink the 2004 law that allows guns on college campuses. As if we don't have enough trouble with police officers shooting citizens and kids "accidentally" shooting other kids, it's somehow important to have everyone concealing their guns for that special time when someone else concealing a weapon takes it out and shoots. While many came from the religious community, the gun-control group is not a bunch of bleeding hearts—they just don't want to see blood stain their campuses. Free speech goes both ways.
Bottoms Up
Not to beat a dead horse, but it won't be long before Sen. John Valentine is off to new adventures, and maybe the Zion Curtain will go with him. A poll by Utah Policy and Dan Jones & Associates showed that a stunning 62 percent of respondents want the 7-foot barrier gone. And most said they believe our liquor laws hurt economic development and tourism. But at his monthly KUED news conference, Gov. Gary Herbert said he hasn't heard from anyone saying they won't come to Utah because of the liquor laws. This may require a letter-writing campaign, but common wisdom has it that visitors are often confused and bemused by our odd little state and its attempts to turn off the spigot.
About The Author
Katharine Biele
A City Weekly contributor since 1992, Katharine Biele is the informed voice behind our Hits & Misses column. When not writing, you can catch her working to empower voters and defend democracy alongside the League of Women Voters.
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