http://kcpw.org/newsroom KCPW's Newsroom Podcast en-us 2006 KCPW /images/kcpw_podcast_sm.jpg http://kcpw.org/newsroom KCPW KCPW webmaster@kcpw.org KCPW Podcasts 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 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Thursday, October 9. Thu, 09 Oct 2008 10:47:10 -0600 Before Tuesday's presidential town hall meeting, analysts had been expecting that Senator John McCain would perform well at the event because of his fondness of town halls. The senator took shots at his opponent during the exchange, starting with the very first words out of his mouth. But did those shots serve him well, or just make him look unnecessarily rude? Thu, 09 Oct 2008 01:03:16 -0600 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Wednesday, October 8. Wed, 08 Oct 2008 11:16:36 -0600 After a tumultuous journey with the Salt Lake County Government, the governor and the state legislature, Rio Tinto Stadium will open tomorrow night in Sandy as Real Salt Lake hits the field to take on the New York Red Bulls. It's likely to be a packed crowd for the first game, but will the team be successful in the long run and be able to fill the seats? KCPW's Jeff Robinson sat down with RSL President Bill Manning to get his thoughts. Wed, 08 Oct 2008 01:00:03 -0600 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Tuesday, October 7. Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:00:06 -0600 A new play premiering tomorrow night at Westminster College tells the story of a Mormon lesbian named Jane who comes out as a high school senior. It's a personal show for the Westminster graduate who wrote it. KCPW's Jeff Robinson sat down with her for this preview of the show. Tue, 07 Oct 2008 01:00:57 -0600 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Monday, October 6. Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:44:23 -0600 KCPW is proud to once again partner with the Salt Lake City Library on its Dewey Lecture Series. Author Ann Patchett spoke at the library on Saturday, October 4, 2008. Mon, 06 Oct 2008 10:42:15 -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 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Thursday, October 2. Thu, 02 Oct 2008 14:16:14 -0600 Tonight, vice presidential candidates Senator Joe Biden and Governor Sarah Palin take center stage in St. Louis, Missouri for their first and only debate. A few high-profile stumbles have dogged both candidates. What strategy can we expect to see from them this evening?Every week, we talk with Congressional Quarterly about the 2008 election. This week, writer Jonathan Allen tells KCPW's Jeff Robinson that both candidates better know when to shut up. Thu, 02 Oct 2008 01:00:02 -0600 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Wednesday, October 1. Wed, 01 Oct 2008 09:18:49 -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 Democratic Salt Lake County Council Candidate Paul Pugmire came out swinging against Republican incumbent Michael Jensen in a debate held this afternoon. After citing a Tribune article that revealed Jensen misses about 30 percent of council meetings, Pugmire asserted that his opponent didn't do enough to stop the Jordan School District split. Mon, 29 Sep 2008 14:27:46 -0600 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Monday, September 29. Mon, 29 Sep 2008 09:25:33 -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 At the Republican National Convention earlier this month, a picture of one particular poster held up by an attendee made its way around the Internet, thanks to a case of bad spelling. The poster said "Mavrick." The word has been an essential part of candidate John McCain's campaign, which often emphasizes the times that he's gone against his own party, and now applies that same word to his running mate, Governor Sarah Palin. But is "maverick" the right word for McCain to build his campaign on? Thu, 25 Sep 2008 16:04:10 -0600 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Thursday, September 25. Thu, 25 Sep 2008 15:24:54 -0600 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Wednesday, September 24. Wed, 24 Sep 2008 10:12:43 -0600 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Tuesday, September 23. Tue, 23 Sep 2008 09:41:17 -0600 The war that broke out early last month between the former Soviet nation of Georgia and Russia was widely viewed in the West as an act of aggression by Russia. But is that viewpoint entirely true, or did Georgia start the whole thing by moving troops in to the breakaway region of South Ossetia?Dr. Asbed Kotchikian is an expert on Eurasian foreign policy and a lecturer at Bentley College. He's spent time in Georgia, teaching and collecting research, and last week, he spoke about the Georgian-Russian conflict to the Salt Lake Committee on Foreign Relations. KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with him during his visit to get his thoughts on the source of this conflict, and how far the United States will go in responding to it. Tue, 23 Sep 2008 01:00:44 -0600 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Monday, September 22. Mon, 22 Sep 2008 09:44:12 -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 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Friday, September 19. Fri, 19 Sep 2008 14:08:28 -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 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Thursday, September 18. Thu, 18 Sep 2008 09:51:12 -0600 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Wednesday, September 17. Wed, 17 Sep 2008 09:36:31 -0600 A recent ad from John McCain's presidential campaign claims that Barack Obama's greatest accomplishment for education in the Illinois state legislature was to create a bill that would teach comprehensive sex education to kindergartners. The ad was quickly revealed to be an outright whopper by independent fact checkers, who discovered that Obama didn't sponsor that bill and it was never even passed into law. But will voters respond well to the ad anyway? Wed, 17 Sep 2008 01:04:30 -0600 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Tuesday, September 16. Tue, 16 Sep 2008 09:32:32 -0600 Oxbow Jail was a hot topic at a local political forum Monday afternoon featuring two candidates for the Salt Lake County Council. Democrat Roger Harding, who's running for the open seat in District Six, criticized the council's five Republicans for voting against a roughly $600,000 appropriation to prepare the jail to re-open late last year. Tue, 16 Sep 2008 01:00:26 -0600 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Monday, September 15. Mon, 15 Sep 2008 08:34:28 -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 Frustrated that Congress has yet to pass a bill to expand energy development in the United States, Congressman Chris Cannon filed a discharge petition this week for the Oil Shale Opportunity Act, a bill he introduced in June. If he can get more than half of Congress to sign the petition, it would force the House to vote on his bill, which would give the president the authority to bypass regulations so that oil shale leasing could begin on federal lands. Fri, 12 Sep 2008 15:05:17 -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 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Friday, September 12. Fri, 12 Sep 2008 08:46:13 -0600 Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens brought his plan for energy independence to Salt Lake City last night. He told a packed crowd at the Salt Palace that simply drilling for more oil in the United States won't reduce the $700 billion he says we send overseas for the resource right now. Fri, 12 Sep 2008 01:00:53 -0600 A newly formed independent board tasked with evaluating Utah's 219 judges and justices met for the first time this week. The Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission is a 13-member panel created by Senate Bill 105, which was sponsored by Senator Chris Buttars this past legislative session. Buttars himself was removed as chairman of the Senate Judicial Confirmation Committee after writing a letter scolding a judge. However, his bill passed almost unanimously in both the House and Senate. Thu, 11 Sep 2008 13:08:41 -0600 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Thursday, September 11. Thu, 11 Sep 2008 10:54:39 -0600 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Wednesday, September 10. Wed, 10 Sep 2008 10:31:50 -0600 Alaska Governor Sarah Palin earned rave reviews from conservatives at the Republican National Convention last week. But after the excitement came several questions from the media about her record, and with that, conservatives attacked the press for what they viewed as a strong bias against her. Now that the convention is over, how will she do on the campaign trail and in the upcoming vice presidential debate? Wed, 10 Sep 2008 01:01:00 -0600 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Tuesday, September 9. Tue, 09 Sep 2008 12:01:48 -0600 Three of America's leading historians led a panel discussion about the new book titled "Massacre at Mountain Meadows" at the Salt Lake City Main Library on Friday, September 5. The book's co-author, Richard Turley, was also on hand for the discussion, which took place in front of a packed house in the library's Tessman Auditorium. Listen to the podcast here. Tue, 09 Sep 2008 11:59:42 -0600 The Utah Legislature's Health System Reform Task Force meets next Thursday for the fifth time. So far, legislators have discussed topics like the transparency of health plans and the personal responsibility of patients. We set out to find more issues that need to be discussed. Tue, 09 Sep 2008 01:00:05 -0600 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Monday, September 8. Mon, 08 Sep 2008 08:54:44 -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 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Friday, September 5. Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:34:11 -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 Frustrated by a perceived liberal bias and what they view as frequent distortions made by the news media, a handful of conservative state legislators are getting behind the mic this weekend to kick off a new radio show -- "Inside Utah Politics: Setting the Record Straight". Host Senator Howard Stephenson will be joined by Senate President John Valentine, Rules Committee Chairman Steve Urquhart and others for the two-hour talk show. KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with Senator Stephenson to find out why it was created and what it's all about. Fri, 05 Sep 2008 01:01:13 -0600 Alaska Governor Sarah Palin introduced herself to the country last night at the Republican National Convention, and Utah's delegation was there to watch and listen to the party's first female nominee on a presidential ticket. Utah Republican Party Chairman Stan Lockhart is still in St. Paul, Minnesota for the final evening of the convention. He spoke with KCPW's Jeff Robinson about Palin's speech and other activities going on this week. Thu, 04 Sep 2008 12:32:35 -0600 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Thursday, September 4. Thu, 04 Sep 2008 12:30:29 -0600 It's the Republicans turn in the spotlight this week in St. Paul, Minnesota, as they take the stage to not only bolster the McCain-Palin campaign but also criticize the Obama-Biden ticket. Sorting fact from fiction can be a challenge when it comes to both campaigns, but one website aims to help on that front. Thu, 04 Sep 2008 01:01:11 -0600 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Wednesday, September 3. Wed, 03 Sep 2008 12:35:42 -0600 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Tuesday, September 2. Tue, 02 Sep 2008 07:16:21 -0600 Listeners who tuned in to this station on Friday heard what will be the final episode of KCPW's Public Square for now. Ed Sweeney, President and CEO of Wasatch Public Media, the non-profit purchasing KCPW, announced his decision to postpone the program last week in a letter to listeners and members posted on KCPW-dot-org. KCPW's Program Director and All Things Considered Host Eric Ray spoke with Sweeney about this decision and other issues regarding the future of this public radio station. Tue, 02 Sep 2008 01:00:28 -0600 This morning, John McCain surprised the nation by choosing Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running mate. Utah politicians had been expecting McCain to choose Mitt Romney. KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with Senator Orrin Hatch about McCain's choice. Fri, 29 Aug 2008 12:20:08 -0600 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Friday, August 29. Fri, 29 Aug 2008 09:59:39 -0600 Local business owners and care providers who are aggravated by the state of health insurance coverage shared their struggles with an industry executive this week. They gathered at the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday to speak and listen to Karen Ignagni, president and CEO of America's Health Insurance Plans, a trade association representing 1,300 insurance companies. Ignagni was in town as part of the organization's Campaign for an American Solution, a nationwide tour collecting health care stories and sharing what the association itself is advocating to Congress. KCPW's Jeff Robinson caught up with Ignagni after she heard from a number of frustrated Utahns. Fri, 29 Aug 2008 01:00:22 -0600 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Thursday, August 28. Thu, 28 Aug 2008 09:08:37 -0600 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Wednesday, August 27. Wed, 27 Aug 2008 10:00:13 -0600 For the next week during the Democratic and Republican national conventions, informed voters may find themselves busy sorting out whether everything being said by both parties is actually true. But a website aims to help them with that goal. Politifact.com is a joint venture of Congressional Quarterly and the St. Petersburg Times. The site evaluates statements made by both presidential campaigns using independent sources, then ranks them on the "Truth-o-Meter," so you can find out whether a candidate is full of truth -- or full of something else. Wed, 27 Aug 2008 01:00:18 -0600 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Tuesday, August 26. Tue, 26 Aug 2008 08:45:10 -0600 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Monday, August 25. Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:00:49 -0600 Over the weekend, Utah families who have had loved ones captured or go missing in action during wartime gathered at the Marriott Hotel in University Park. They attended the family meeting hoping to learn more about what happened to them. Adrian Cronauer is the special assistant to the director of the Defense POW and Missing Personnel Office. He served a sergeant in the Air Force, and his story was the basis for the film "Good Morning Vietnam," starring Robin Williams. KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with him about the work he does now. Mon, 25 Aug 2008 01:03:12 -0600 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Friday, August 22. Fri, 22 Aug 2008 09:18:05 -0600 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Thursday, August 21. Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:57:24 -0600 Presidential candidate John McCain will struggle to stay in the spotlight next week as Democrats from around the nation gather for their national convention in Denver, Colorado. But even as the cameras roll in Denver, the candidate might be able to push himself back into the spotlight by announcing who will be his vice presidential nominee. Meanwhile, Democrats continue to wonder why Senator Joe Lieberman hasn't been booted from his party as the Republicans announce that he'll be speaking at their convention on behalf of John McCain. Thu, 21 Aug 2008 01:00:15 -0600 The fate of the proposed Leonardo science museum is up in the air after last night's city council meeting. The council heard from the museum's executive director, who made his case for why the city should release a $10 million bond approved by voters several years ago so that the museum can begin to renovate and move in to the old Main City Library building. But there are still some tough questions to answer, and the possibility of the city turning the library over to another organization still exists. KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with City Councilman Carlton Christensen this morning to get his thoughts on what needs to happen for the Leonardo to work. Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:31:39 -0600 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Wednesday, August 20th. Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:19:45 -0600 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Tuesday, August 19th. Tue, 19 Aug 2008 09:38:08 -0600 Representatives from The Leonardo are scheduled to present a revised renovation plan for the old Salt Lake City Main Library to the city council tonight. The plan calls for the city to release $10 million from a bond approved by voters in 2003 to build the first of the new plan's three phases. Last week, Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker sent a letter to members of the city council outlining history of the city's handling of The Leonardo and the results of a financial review of the museum. In that letter, Becker recommends the city - quote "immediately develop and implement a process to explore new uses for the building." Becker told KCPW's Eric Ray that he still believes in the concept of The Leonardo: Tue, 19 Aug 2008 01:00:12 -0600 This is a podcast of our Authors Live! lecture from the Main City Library with Jacqueline Berger. Known as the "First Ladies Lady," Berger is a leading authority on America's First Ladies. She brings these dynamic women of history to life while revealing the scandals and rumors surrounding them. Her non-partisan presentations are as entertaining as they are educational.Berger's book, "Love, Lies and Tears: An Intimate Look at America's First Ladies, Volume 1" tells the stories of every first lady from Martha Washington to Helen Taft. The second volume of the series, covering Ellen Wilson to Laura Bush, will be released in spring 2009. Fri, 15 Aug 2008 08:32:59 -0600 A round-up of local news headlines for northern Utah for Friday, August 15th. Fri, 15 Aug 2008 07:18:08 -0600 The Democratic National Convention is 10 days away, and the word "unity" will be the name of the game in Denver, Colorado. Hillary Clinton supporters won a major victory this week when Democratic leaders agreed to hold a roll-call vote at the convention, meaning all of Clinton's delegates will formally get to vote for her, even though she won't become the nominee. But there's a faction of the Democratic party holding out hope that this convention will produce a drastically different result than everyone's expecting. Fri, 15 Aug 2008 01:01:06 -0600 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Thursday, August 14th. Thu, 14 Aug 2008 08:16:11 -0600 Salt Lake County's jail will soon get some relief. Yesterday, the county council voted to re-open the shuttered Oxbow Jail to save the county from having to release so many inmates early. And this November, Salt Lake County voters will get to decide whether to support a public bond that would provide Hogle Zoo with funding for expansion. The bond isn't nearly as much as the original $65 million the zoo was asking for, but it comes with a much less strenuous fundraising requirement for the zoo. KCPW's Jeff Robinson caught up with at-large councilman Randy Horiuchi to find out the terms of the new bond and whether he thinks it will pass. Wed, 13 Aug 2008 15:42:55 -0600 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Wednesday, August 13th. Wed, 13 Aug 2008 15:31:01 -0600 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Tuesday, August 12th. Tue, 12 Aug 2008 07:16:32 -0600 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Monday, August 11th. Mon, 11 Aug 2008 07:27:04 -0600 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Friday, August 8th. Fri, 08 Aug 2008 11:01:50 -0600 Congressional Republicans continue to berate their Democratic colleagues for giving our senators and representatives a five-week break while voters continue to pay more than $4 dollars a gallon for gas at the pump. When Congress resumes its session in September, it won't have much time to come up with a solution, whether that be renewable resources, increased oil drilling, electric cars, or all of the above. Thu, 07 Aug 2008 01:00:04 -0600 Rough economic conditions aren't just making things difficult for potential homebuyers right now - after the fallout related to the subprime mortgage crisis, it's not as easy getting a loan to start up a new business, either. But there's another source of start-up capital available to Utah entrepreneurs during these tough times. Wed, 06 Aug 2008 01:00:04 -0600 The state of Utah has 17 years to meet Governor Jon Huntsman's goal of providing 20 percent of the state's power from renewable resources by 2025. Last Wednesday, the Utah Renewable Energy Zone Task Force met to start down that road by identifying where the state's renewable resources are and how feasible it would be to develop them. KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with task force co-chair Dianne Nielsen, who is also the governor's energy adviser, about what resources the state has to work with. Tue, 05 Aug 2008 01:00:29 -0600 Utah's community fisheries are becoming more and more popular amongst the state's anglers because of the variety of fish species available in the ponds. From catfish to bluegill to bass - the ponds offer sportsmen challenges not generally found in the state's lakes and reservoirs. It's up to the Division of Wildlife Resources to make sure that challenge exists. KCPW's Eric Ray recently spent a day with the DWR as it made the rounds stocking the ponds with catfish. Mon, 04 Aug 2008 01:00:02 -0600 E-mails from presidential candidate John McCain's campaign and the Democratic National Committee have been filling reporters' inboxes across the country, full of statements from various advisers responding to just about everything being said by their opponents. Barack Obama now accuses McCain of spending more time attacking Obama rather than focusing on his own qualifications to be president. And McCain accuses his opponent of skipping a meeting with wounded troops in Germany to go to the gym. Fri, 01 Aug 2008 01:01:07 -0600 Consumer rights advocate and frequent presidential contender Ralph Nader will be in Salt Lake City tonight, joining former Mayor Rocky Anderson to speak at the University of Utah. The candidate, who has long been discouraged from running by Democrats because of the perception that he cost Al Gore the election in 2000, says that both parties are leaving several major issues out of the discussion this year. KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with Nader in advance of tonight's event to find out what those issues are. Thu, 31 Jul 2008 01:00:08 -0600 This week, KCPW debuted a new show from Public Radio International called The Takeaway. From 4 to 6 a.m., the Takeaway brings you news and analysis live from WNYC in New York City. KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with co-host John Hockenberry to find out what sets the show apart from Morning Edition, and how it's different than NPR's recently canceled morning venture, the Bryant Park Project. Wed, 30 Jul 2008 01:00:56 -0600 Over the last decade Utah has built a reputation for hosting major sporting events, like the Winter Olympics and the NBA Finals, just to name a few. Later this week another sport, armwrestling, brings its national championship to Salt Lake City. Some might be surprised to find out that several major stars of the sport call Utah home. KCPW's Eric Ray spent a day with one contender - Kevin Bongard - to find out what life is like for an armwrestling champion. Tue, 29 Jul 2008 01:00:58 -0600 The famed "troop surge" that occurred early last year was trumpeted by conservatives as the solution for decreasing troop deaths in Iraq and sectarian violence. But did it take significant steps toward solving the country's political problems on a larger scale? For one Utah marine who just returned from combat last month, that answer is no. Sgt. Alex Lemons worked directly under General David Petraeus in southern Iraq, where he trained Iraqi and Polish troops. KCPW's Jeff Robinson sat down with him to get his assessment of how the Iraq War is going. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 01:00:20 -0600 Last night was a productive one for the Salt Lake City Council. It passed a parking ordinance that encourages mixed-use communities like 15th and 15th to be more walkable by providing incentives for businesses to install bike racks and other amenities. The council also adopted a new riparian corridor ordinance to protect the city's streams and determined the path for a proposed trolley in Sugar House. This morning, KCPW's Jeff Robinson caught up with Councilman Soren Simonsen for a wrap-up of last night's meeting. Wed, 23 Jul 2008 10:00:47 -0600 Last Tuesday, the founder of KCPW in Salt Lake City and KPCW in Park City, Blair Feulner, announced on the air it would be his last day and that he was going on a six month sabbatical. The announcement took many off guard including the board of trustees of Community Wireless, currently the parent company of both stations until October, the expected closing date for Wasatch Public Media to assume ownership of this station. From our sister station KPCW in Park City, Linda Gorton reports. Mon, 21 Jul 2008 09:56:29 -0600 By now, sports fans in Utah have become accustomed to watching professional basketball each July during the annual Rocky Mountain Revue. However, the NBA summer league will have a bit of a different look this Olympic year as the Iranian national team is in town to play.The team's visit is part of a much larger people-to-people exchange program sponsored by the State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Goli Ameri is the Assistant Secretary of State for the bureau. She tells KCPW's Eric Ray about the history behind these people-to-people exchanges: Fri, 18 Jul 2008 01:03:05 -0600 Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker reports on his first six months in office and his plans for the future. Thu, 17 Jul 2008 20:36:03 -0600 Much attention has been drawn this week to Latino voters and their concerns and hopes for the next President of the United States, with both major candidates addressing the National Council of La Raza about the economy and immigration. Senator Barack Obama says his rival used to champion immigration reform with his McCain-Kennedy bill, but bowed to political pressure. Senator John McCain says the reality is that Americans want the borders secured before reforming the immigration process. Thu, 17 Jul 2008 01:01:41 -0600 Since Utah Representative Mark Walker's resignation last week, allegations made through blog postings, editorials, and anonymous comments have been abundant online. Those who side with the five legislators who filed the ethics complaint against Walker say the Republican leadership threw him under a bus in order to avoid being investigated themselves. Those who side with the Republican leadership say media outlets have been parroting accusations made against them by legislators who lack credibility and proof. Tue, 15 Jul 2008 01:00:24 -0600 Utah is waging two separate water fights with Nevada. The proposed Lake Powell Pipeline is drawing opposition from Nevada. Meanwhile, many in Utah are concerned about that state's proposal to draw water from aquifers in Snake Valley. At least one Utah official thinks the two battles might actually be connected. KCPW's Eric Ray reports: Thu, 10 Jul 2008 14:37:40 -0600 Presidential candidate Barack Obama may have scored a political victory on the Iraq War this week. The Democratic candidate had been sharply criticized by Republican John McCain's campaign for saying he would "refine" his position on troop withdrawal after visiting Iraq, which Republicans took to be a flip-flop. But now that the Iraqi government leaders have made it clear they also want a timetable for U.S. troop withdrawal, just as Obama has called for, the pressure will shift to McCain. Thu, 10 Jul 2008 01:02:13 -0600 In conjunction with the City Library and The King's English Bookshop, KCPW presents Stephen Trimble talking about his new book Bargaining for Eden: The Fight for the Last Open Spaces in America. It's part of the City Library's Authors Live! series. Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:50:55 -0600 There are more than two presidential candidates in the running this year, and though he doesn't have the name recognition of John McCain or Barack Obama, Constitution Party nominee Chuck Baldwin spent last week in Utah, drumming up support. Baldwin, a Baptist pastor and radio talk-show host from Florida, openly acknowledges he has no experience in politics, but to him, that's a big plus. And he says his platform of securing the borders, taxing all foreign imports and eliminating several federal departments is drawing voters who feel disenfranchised by both parties. Tue, 08 Jul 2008 01:01:18 -0600 Utah Representative Mark Walker appears to have dodged a bullet this week by resigning just before the House Ethics Committee was about to decide whether to investigate him. KCPW's Jeff Robinson has the details and the reaction. Mon, 07 Jul 2008 13:10:30 -0600 Two of Utah's major animal attractions, Hogle Zoo and Tracy Aviary, are asking the Salt Lake County Council to place bond requests on the ballot in November. The zoo wants $65 million to complete its master plan, which includes exhibits for Arctic and Asian animals. The aviary is asking for more than $19 million to enlarge its amphitheater and create a walk-through rain forest. Last week, four members of the council toured both facilities to get a first hand look at what is, and what could be. KCPW's Eric Ray tagged along and files this audio postcard: Mon, 07 Jul 2008 01:00:08 -0600 Retired General Wesley Clark likely blew his chances of being presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama's running mate this week after questioning the relevance of John McCain's war record on national television. Even though Clark didn't directly criticize McCain's military service, his comments drew a rare rebuke from both campaigns. Thu, 03 Jul 2008 01:02:15 -0600 The Salt Lake City Council met last night to continue its discussion of parking requirements for small businesses in neighborhood districts, like 15th and 15th. The council is trying to create more walkable communities while making sure that neighborhood residents aren't aggravated by business patrons taking up their spots. The council also continued to discuss the proposed Sugar House Trolley and where they'll put it. KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with 3rd District Councilman Eric Jergensen for a wrap up of the meeting, and about a few lawsuits the city is facing over its riparian district ordinance, which some residents complain infringes on their property rights. Wed, 02 Jul 2008 10:05:54 -0600 Despite Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker's re-organization of the Planning Division and his creation of a one-stop shop for planning and zoning services, one neighborhood says change isn't coming quickly enough, and some residents are ready to send out a stern message. KCPW's Jeff Robinson reports. Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:44:23 -0600 Formed by the Federal Government in 1992, the Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission works to offset the impacts to fish, wildlife, and other recreation resources caused by the Central Utah Project. However, much of the commission's work might not be immediately apparent to Utah residents. KCPW's Eric Ray caught up with Executive Director Michael to discuss the past, present and future work of his office. Weland says most Utahns are surprised about the size and environmental impacts of the Central Utah Project. Mon, 30 Jun 2008 01:01:13 -0600 Despite the high-profile of the race for the 3rd Congressional District, Tuesday's primary drew more than 13,000 voters fewer than in 2006, when Chris Cannon defeated challenger John Jacob. KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with Congressional Quarterly's Bob Benenson about Republican turnout on a national scale, how the issues in the race were different this time around, and why the primary was as much of a loss for Cannon as it was a victory for Chaffetz. Fri, 27 Jun 2008 11:30:08 -0600 Today, Utahns will be able to check out a new movie from acclaimed animation studio Pixar. The film, WALL-E, is about a trash-compacting robot who's been left behind on Earth after the entire human race has left. KCPW's Jeff Robinson got a sneak preview of the film and spoke with director Andrew Stanton. Fri, 27 Jun 2008 01:00:22 -0600 Planning on leaving work early on Friday to go the DMV? You won't be able to do that much longer. Today, Governor Jon Huntsman revealed that Utah is about to become the first state to roll out a four-day work schedule for 16,000 or more state employees, closing up to a thousand buildings on Fridays. KCPW's Jeff Robinson explains. Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:18:08 -0600 A candidate forum held Wednesday at the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce gave Utah House Speaker Greg Curtis a chance to square off with his long-time challenger, Jay Seegmiller. Although Speaker Curtis spoke first, he started on the defensive, saying he was just one of many Republicans who voted in favor of school vouchers, even though he's blamed as the tie-breaker that passed the bill in the House. Thu, 26 Jun 2008 01:00:28 -0600 After a decisive 60-to-40 percent victory in the 3rd Congressional District primary, up-and-coming Republican Jason Chaffetz says change is on the way to Washington. But after promising that change, can he deliver it, especially with Democrats widely expected to gain several more seats in the House of Representatives in November? KCPW's Jeff Robinson caught up with Chaffetz after his victory to ask that question, and to find out whether he thinks the other primary races this week should be a signal to the Republican party. Thu, 26 Jun 2008 01:00:28 -0600 Republican Utah voters have spoken: newcomer Jason Chaffetz will be their nominee in the November election for the 3rd Congressional District, not six-time incumbent Chris Cannon. Voters also decisively sent current Chief Deputy Treasurer Richard Ellis to November's race for the state treasurer, not state legislator Mark Walker. KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with Dr. Tim Chambless, a political science professor at the University of Utah, for analysis of the results and what it means for the Utah Republican Party. Wed, 25 Jun 2008 07:53:32 -0600 Downtown in Motion is the first-ever master transportation plan. It includes six local agencies, from UTA and UDOT to city planners and the Chamber. That's a lot of chefs, but the process emphasizes collaboration. Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:55:19 -0600 Tomorrow's Republican primary for State Treasurer pits a two-time state legislator against current Chief Deputy Treasurer Richard Ellis. During his eight years in that role, the Treasury Department has moved many of its operations online, making daily operations of the state's Public Treasury Investment Fund easier. Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:11:19 -0600 Tomorrow, Republican voters in Utah's 3rd District will decide who they want to send to Congress: a 57-year-old, six-term incumbent, Chris Cannon, or his 41-year-old vocal challenger, Jason Chaffetz, former chief of staff to Governor Jon Huntsman. Chaffetz accuses the congressman of 12 years of inaction on several key issues; Cannon shoots back that Chaffetz has distorted the incumbent's record. KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with both of them to find out how different they really are when it comes to the issues. Mon, 23 Jun 2008 01:00:42 -0600 (KCPW News) The noise from the presidential campaigns has been seemingly endless this past week, with the major contenders going back and forth on energy policy and national security. On top of that, Senator Barack Obama picked up the endorsement of former Vice President Al Gore, but hasn't reached out to all of Clinton's backers, and it's starting to show. Thu, 19 Jun 2008 17:49:46 -0600 After a month of tweaking and deliberating, the Salt Lake City Council has finalized and signed off on its budget for next fiscal year, which starts in July. The mayor and council opted to raise several fees, rather than taxes. This morning, KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with freshman councilman J.T. Martin about the decisions that were made, whether new property taxes are in our future, and whether the city budget will be able to absorb skyrocketing fuel prices. Wed, 18 Jun 2008 11:15:56 -0600 After announcing that the Deseret News would have to cut up to 35 staff positions, Editor Joe Cannon said the new direction of the paper would be quote "more local, more online, more Mormon." But after using that phrase, he wants readers to know that he did not mean the publication will start putting a Mormon spin on all its news coverage. Instead, he says readers from a survey indicated that they want more news about LDS-related topics. Tue, 17 Jun 2008 12:58:27 -0600 On today's edition of The Bottomline, we met Salt Lake City's new Director of Community and Economic Development, Frank Gray. Gray talked with about the future of the planning department in Salt Lake City, how Salt Lake City's downtown landscape has changed in the past twenty years, and his plans to fill up the vacancies still open in the downtown area. Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:48:17 -0600 For city residents, it wasn't so long ago that taking a kid fishing meant packing a day's worth of food, filling up the gas tank, and driving up to an hour to get to the nearest lake or reservoir. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and many city recreation departments have the answer for parents who want to introduce their kids to the outdoors in the midst of a busy urban lifestyle. KCPW's Eric Ray reports: Mon, 16 Jun 2008 01:00:28 -0600 It's Friday the 13th - how's your luck holding up? Today's day and date combination strikes fear into many superstitious people. But why? KCPW's Lara Jones traces the origins of the phobia with Candace Gibson, a writer for the award-winning website HowStuffWorks.com Fri, 13 Jun 2008 01:00:36 -0600 The Democratic presidential nomination has been secured by Barack Obama, but members of the U.S. Congress and Senate are still facing their own primaries, including here in Utah. The question now is: how dissatisfied are voters with the incumbents? Thu, 12 Jun 2008 01:00:55 -0600 Next week, the Salt Lake City Council is expected to approve its city budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which starts in July. For the past few weeks, council members have been making cuts and looking for ways to boost revenues, with some ideas drawing criticism. This morning, KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with 1st District Councilman Carlton Christensen, and asked, is the budget now balanced? Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:20:28 -0600 A Weber County debate this Friday between two Republican candidates vying for the same seat in the state House of Representatives will be rather one-sided - because the incumbent doesn't plan on showing up to debate his challenger. KCPW's Jeff Robinson reports. Tue, 10 Jun 2008 12:27:33 -0600 As Salt Lake City's growing population becomes more diverse, it becomes increasingly difficult for the city's public schools to educate children from a large variety of ethnicities. During his campaign for Salt Lake City Mayor, Ralph Becker promised the city would become more involved in finding ways to improve the city's public education. In this third and final story about the progress Becker has made on his 180-Day Action Plan, KCPW's Eric Ray finds out if Mayor Becker is living up to that promise: Tue, 10 Jun 2008 01:00:02 -0600 Actor Richard Hatch is an icon in the world of television science fiction, starring not only as Captain Apollo in the original Battlestar Galactica series but playing freedom fighter Tom Zarek in the re-imagined series, which is currently in its final season. Today and tomorrow, Hatch is in Salt Lake City to teach an acting workshop. KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with Hatch about what he teaches, Battlestar's Mormon roots, and the history of sci-fi acting. Fri, 06 Jun 2008 01:02:48 -0600 The race for the Democratic presidential nomination is over. Well, not exactly. Hillary Clinton has yet to drop out, even though, by all calculations, Barack Obama has enough pledged delegates and superdelegates to win the nomination. Now, the question is, with Clinton winning so many primaries in recent weeks, how did she manage to lose? Thu, 05 Jun 2008 01:00:19 -0600 The Salt Lake City Council is in the final steps of tweaking Mayor Ralph Becker’s budget for the next fiscal year, which begins in July. With a $23 million dollar gap between how much money the city is bringing in, and how much money every department requested, cuts have to be made and revenues have to be increased. KCPW’s Jeff Robinson spoke with Third District Councilman Eric Jergensen from The Avenues about where the discussion is at right now, and also got his thoughts about the idea of closing the Salt Lake City Justice Court. Wed, 04 Jun 2008 07:57:29 -0600 This week's focus on business news, issues and trends spotlighted fraud in Utah. From identity theft and phishing to classic financial scams and strawman mortgage schemes, fraud is on the rise in Utah. When it comes to mortgage fraud, Utah runs near the head of the pack, says Kirk Torgensen, Chief Deputy Attorney General. Mon, 02 Jun 2008 16:50:46 -0600 Tomorrow, the Salt Lake City Council will discuss proposed changes to the city's business parking requirements, continuing a debate that's gone on for six years. KCPW's Jeff Robinson breaks down the ideas that have been proposed and what stakeholders have to say about them. Mon, 02 Jun 2008 01:00:24 -0600 Tomorrow, the Democratic National Committee's Rules and Bylaws Committee will meet to determine if and how to seat Michigan and Florida's delegates, after both states broke party rules by holding their primaries in January. The decision is complicated by the fact that neither Hillary Clinton nor Barack Obama campaigned in Florida, and Obama's name wasn't on the ballot in Michigan. KCPW's Jeff Robinson caught up with Utah State Democratic Party Chairman Wayne Holland to get his thoughts on the upcoming decision. Fri, 30 May 2008 01:00:25 -0600 Former White House press secretary Scott McClellan is making the talk-show rounds with his tell-all memoir about his years with the Bush Administration. Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg is grateful the former insider is talking now about his misgivings with the way the Iraq War was sold to the public, but wonders what McClellan could have accomplished if he spoke out while on the president's payroll. Thu, 29 May 2008 15:14:42 -0600 After a scheduled meeting with the LDS Church today, President Bush will be taking off from Utah after attending two private fundraisers for John McCain. So private, in fact, that McCain didn't even invite himself. Now the question is, what role will President Bush play in the senator's campaign from here on out? Thu, 29 May 2008 01:01:20 -0600 While President Bush attended fundraisers for presumptive Republican Party nominee John McCain, hundreds gathered on the west side of the City & County Building last night to protest the war in Iraq and the Bush Administration in general. A fired up Rocky Anderson was pleased with the turnout. Thu, 29 May 2008 01:01:20 -0600 Record high gas prices helped put the kibosh on Memorial Day travel plans for some Utahns. According to AAA Utah, airfares are up 8% over last year, and car rentals are up nearly 50%.However, one expert says it's still possible to take an enjoyable vacation, even during these tough economic times. Pauline Frommer is the editor of a series of self-titled travel guides. She tells KCPW's Eric Ray that traveling this summer can still be affordable: Wed, 28 May 2008 01:01:07 -0600 Beginning in September, residents of the east side city of Cottonwood Heights will be protected and served by a police department they can call their own. But at what cost? KCPW's Eric Ray went to city leaders to crunch the numbers: Tue, 27 May 2008 01:01:54 -0600 Tomorrow night, former Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson plans to roll out the welcome mat for President Bush when he visits Utah once again... by bringing angry Utahns to the City and County building to demonstrate against the Iraq War and the president's policies on several issues. He'll be joined by a handful of other speakers. KCPW's Jeff Robinson caught up with Anderson for a preview of the event. Tue, 27 May 2008 01:01:54 -0600 Headlines abound that challenge countries, companies and even individuals to reduce their carbon footprint - while at the same time, ever more electricity-hungry equipment, gadgets and appliances are touted to make life easier and more efficient. With this dilemma at the forefront, experts from across the country convened a day-long conference May 23, 2008, in Salt Lake City, hosted by the University of Utah's Institute for Clean & Secure Energy. Thu, 19 Jun 2008 10:09:03 -0600 Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker is tapping the Executive Director of the Downtown Alliance to be his new Economic Development Director. Bob Farrington has been with the Alliance since 1992 and also oversaw Downtown Rising. One of his goals is to improve relationships between small businesses and residential communities. Wed, 21 May 2008 13:21:28 -0600 On Tuesday, Mayor Ralph Becker's proposed budget was on the agenda for the Salt Lake City Council, as well as a proposal to extend the hours of Pioneer Park. KCPW's Jeff Robinson talked with 7th District Councilman Soren Simonsen for a wrap-up of the meeting, and also discussed proposed ordinances that affect payday lenders and small business parking. Wed, 21 May 2008 13:08:12 -0600 Health care was the hot topic at a legislative candidate forum held this afternoon at the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce. Republican physician Joe Jarvis, who's challenging Democratic incumbent Rebecca Chavez-Houck to represent the Avenues in the legislature, opened his speech by scrutinizing waste and inefficiency in the health care system. Mon, 19 May 2008 14:35:17 -0600 Barack Obama shrugged off Hillary Clinton's win in West Virginia this week, moving on to Missouri even while voters were going to the polls. Meanwhile, John McCain shifted gears to the environment, appealing to green Americans by pledging to curb carbon emissions. Thu, 15 May 2008 01:00:26 -0600 The mayor's budget and proposed payday lender regulations were on the agenda last night for the Salt Lake City Council's work session and meeting. KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with 1st District Councilman Carlton Christensen for a wrap-up. Wed, 14 May 2008 13:27:00 -0600 These days, it seems most politicians fill their campaigns with promises to clean up the environment. Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker is no different. He has several environmental goals he hopes to accomplish during his first six months in office. Just over four months have passed since Becker took office. In the second of a series on Becker's 180-Day Action Plan, KCPW's Eric Ray follows the freshman mayor's progress on environmental issues: Mon, 12 May 2008 01:00:11 -0600 Utah’s Republican delegates gathered Saturday at Utah Valley State College in Orem for the party’s state convention. KCPW’s Eric Ray has the highlights: Mon, 12 May 2008 01:00:11 -0600 Utah Republicans will gather tomorrow on the campus of Utah Valley State College for the party's 2008 Nominating Convention. About 3,500 delegates are expected to attend. They will pick their candidates for two congressional seats, as well as four seats in the state Senate and House of Representatives. Utah Republican Party chairman Stan Lockhart is running the convention. He sat down with KCPW's Eric Ray to preview the convention: Fri, 09 May 2008 01:00:05 -0600 While campaigning for the job of Salt Lake City Mayor, Ralph Becker handed out a list of goals he hoped to accomplish during his first six months in office. Known as his 180-Day Action Plan, the list included major changes in the city's approach to education, the environment and equality. It also included efforts to make Salt Lake a more engaging and exciting community. Just over four months have passed since Becker took office. This is the first in a series of stories about the progress being made on Becker's action plan. Today's focus - Becker's promise to fix the city's planning department. KCPW's Eric Ray reports: Thu, 08 May 2008 14:50:16 -0600 You thought it might be over by now... but it's not. Hillary Clinton is staying in the race after edging out Barack Obama in Indiana by two points, while he handily beat her in North Carolina by 14 points. Thu, 08 May 2008 01:04:10 -0600 Last night, the Salt Lake City Council made up its mind regarding how the Airport TRAX line should connect to the rest of the system. It also heard Mayor Ralph Becker's pitch for his 2008-2009 proposed city budget. This morning, KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with sixth district councilman J.T. Martin for a wrap-up of the meeting. Wed, 07 May 2008 11:26:06 -0600 Boomers need to retire retirement, sayspopular author and Harvard Business Online blogger Tamara Erickson. She says older workers will have the leverage to negotiate flexible work arrangements because employers need to keep talent and experience on the payroll. Mon, 05 May 2008 17:11:06 -0600 The pending transfer of Holladay's police chief is raising questions about whether the move is politically motivated. KCPW's Jeff Robinson explains. Mon, 05 May 2008 14:57:21 -0600 On Saturday, the Salt Lake County Republicans held their convention at the South Towne Expo Centre in Sandy. KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with county party chairman James Evans for a wrap-up of the event and a look ahead to this election season for the Republicans. On the state level, he discusses which senate and legislative districts the party is excited about. On the county level, the chairman gives his take on the party's chances against Mayor Peter Corroon and Councilman Randy Horiuchi, and why he feels the sheriff is playing politics with Horiuchi's Republican opponent. Mon, 05 May 2008 09:17:42 -0600 Earlier this week, volunteers and staff of the American Red Cross spent the day preparing meals in "Henry's Kitchen," a 53-foot, fully equipped mobile kitchen. They also drove Emergency Response Vehicles - or ERVs - to deliver some of those meals to the Salt Lake City Mission. The activities were part of this year's lone training session for Red Cross employees in preparation for response to major disasters. KCPW's Eric Ray was there and files this audio postcard: Fri, 02 May 2008 01:00:40 -0600 Republicans in Congress are hoping that dissatisfaction with Democratic infighting will spill over into their races as they run for re-election. But with President Bush poised to leave office with a 28 percent approval rating, how should his congressional colleagues from the party expect to fare in November? Thu, 01 May 2008 01:00:17 -0600 After nearly a decade narrating audiobooks, acclaimed voice actor Scott Brick jokes that he won't be happy until he's recorded every book ever published. He's well on his way, having narrated more than 400 titles and received more than 40 industry awards for his work. Now, he's moved into audiobook producing by narrating and editing popular fantasy series The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant right out of his Southern California home. Wed, 30 Apr 2008 06:47:52 -0600 Voting along party lines this afternoon, Republicans on the Salt Lake County Council killed a proposal to extend healthcare benefits to the domestic partners and other financial dependents of county employees. KCPW's Jeff Robinson was there for the debate and filed this report. Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:50:51 -0600 Architects, contractors, developers, engineers and government planners are gathering today for the third annual Sustainable Building Conference. Among the speakers is Ed Mazria, an internationally recognized architect and expert on climate change. He has issued an industry-wide challenge calling for 50 percent less energy consumption in all new buildings and renovations by 2030. Tue, 29 Apr 2008 01:03:38 -0600 (KCPW News) Tuesday is National Teach Children to Save Day. Julie Felshaw, financial education specialist with the State Office of Education, says Utah kids are behind when it comes to financial literacy. Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:46:04 -0600 Over the weekend, hundreds of Salt Lake County democratic delegates came to Jordan High School to decide who should represent them in five contested House races and two Senate races. One incumbent senator on the west side of the county lost his spot. Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:46:24 -0600 A controversial documentary being billed as an exposé of the "dark side" of environmentalism is expected to play to a sold-out crowd at the Gateway this morning. "Mine Your Own Business" features interviews with environmentalists hoping to stop the development of a gold mine in Romania, and some local residents who invite the development it would bring. Fri, 25 Apr 2008 01:00:49 -0600 Global temperature change can be attributed to slight variations in the sun's energy output, not man-made carbon dioxide emissions. That's according to astrophysicist Dr. Willie Soon, who was in Salt Lake City today to present his research to a crowd at The Sutherland Institute. Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:28:31 -0600 This week, Hillary Clinton re-gained some momentum following a 10-point victory in Pennsylvania. But with the superdelegates deciding the outcome of the Democratic race, how much do the remaining primaries matter? Thu, 24 Apr 2008 01:02:59 -0600 Since its inception, the proposed Hook Canyon hydroelectric project on the eastern shore of Bear Lake has faced intense opposition. State wildlife biologists and environmentalists alike have voiced their concerns. But now the project is facing its ultimate opponent. KCPW's Eric Ray explains: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 11:49:11 -0600 Last night, the Salt Lake City Council discussed various options for bringing a public market to the city. Later in the evening, councilmen J.T. Martin and Soren Simonsen met with residents and business owners in their districts to talk about Wal-Mart's proposed plans to build a new structure at the mouth of Parley's Way. KCPW's Jeff Robinson talked with Simonsen about how the meeting went, and why he feels Wal-Mart may be taking an all-or-nothing approach when it comes to its petition to re-zone the property. Wed, 23 Apr 2008 10:17:05 -0600 Tomorrow is Earth Day. By now most of us are familiar with planet-friendly measures like swapping incandescent lightbulbs for compact fluorescents, recycling paper and plastic, and turning off the water when you brush your teeth - but what else can you do? Mon, 21 Apr 2008 01:04:34 -0600 The final event in the Utah Museum of Natural History’s Nature of Things lecture series brought polar scientists to the City Library Friday, April 18, 7 p.m. in the Tessman Auditorium. POLAR-PALOOZA (PPZA) is a public education and outreach project supported by the National Science Foundation and NASA to bring information and insights about the Poles to large public audiences across America through a national science center and museum tour called Stories from a Changing Planet. Tue, 15 Apr 2008 16:38:19 -0600 For the first time this year, Utah will be issuing state-backed student loans at a loss. KCPW's Jeff Robinson explains. Fri, 18 Apr 2008 14:18:13 -0600 Have you noticed your new neighbors -- all 84,000? That's the increase in Utah's population last year. Dr. Robert Lang, author of Boomburbs: The Rise of America’s Accidental Cities, talks about smart ways to manage growth. Thu, 17 Apr 2008 21:11:38 -0600 Just as Hillary Clinton's campaign was hoping that the sniper fire gaffe was going to disappear, former President Bill Clinton added fuel to the flames by misstating how she made those comments while chastising the media. Meanwhile, Barack Obama is regretting how he phrased remarks about the "bitterness" of Pennsylvania blue-collar workers. Thu, 17 Apr 2008 01:01:20 -0600 Where should a proposed airport TRAX line connect to the rest of the system: at 400 or 600 West? Dozens of west side residents spoke up to the city council on that issue last night. This morning, KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with councilman J.T. Martin about the issues surrounding the debate and another important issue involving utility boxes in Salt Lake City. Wed, 16 Apr 2008 10:38:02 -0600 Mark Plotkin is on a quest to preserve the ancient wisdom of Amazonian shamans. For more than 20 years, the Harvard and Yale-educated ethnobotanist has searched the Amazon for plants that heal. Plotkin tells KCPW's Lara Jones that the survival of the rain forest should concern every human being. Tue, 15 Apr 2008 01:00:12 -0600 Today's show focused on a growth trend in the West - Boomburbs: The Rise of America's Accidental Cities. That's also the name of a book by Dr. Robert Lang, founding director of the Metropolitan Institute at Virginia Tech. He'll be in Salt Lake City Thursday to talk about the trend at 7 p.m. at the City Library. Lang started today's show be defining a boomburb, of which the Salt Lake Valley has several. Mon, 14 Apr 2008 16:55:51 -0600 Buying hybrid vehicles, eating locally grown foods, and installing energy efficient light bulbs at home are just a few of the ways most people live a greener life. But what would it take to live completely off the grid?Author and regular NPR contributor Doug Fine decided to take the leap and find out. His new book, "Farewell, My Subaru: An Epic Adventure in Local Living" documents his experiment in green living on his ranch in New Mexico. KCPW's Eric Ray spoke with Fine about his decision to go green: Fri, 11 Apr 2008 01:01:05 -0600 KCPW's news department has earned two Edward R. Murrow Awards. The stories recognized for excellence include "Walking for the Migrant Dead" by Temma Martin and "Kurt Vonnegut - A Remembrance" by Bryan Schott.NPR Utah, KCPW 88.3 FM, now has four Murrows in the last four years to its credit.Click the audio button to hear this year's award winners. Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:51:33 -0600 This week, presidential contenders had ample opportunity to show their stuff when it comes to military and foreign policy knowledge and air their opinions on the Iraq War while questioning General David Petraeus. Meanwhile, actions reportedly taken by advisers to both Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have raised questions about just where the Democratic candidates stand on free trade. Thu, 10 Apr 2008 01:00:13 -0600 Last night was a long one for the Salt Lake City council, as they not only approved a sky bridge for the proposed City Creek Center by a wide margin but discussed plans for a light rail line to the airport, and formally approved the Mutual Commitment Registry. KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with Vice Chairman Carlton Christensen this morning for a wrap-up. Wed, 09 Apr 2008 07:48:00 -0600 As part of the City Library's Authors Live series, well-known author, speaker, pacifist and human rights activist Dr. Bart Gruzalski talked about "Ghandi's Non-violence as a Path to Peace" in a post-9/11 world. Gruzalski is a former philosophy professor and founding director of the Pacific Center for Sustainable Living in Northern California. Broadcast live on NPR Utah, KCPW 88.3 FM, the lecture was co-sponsored by the Asian Studies Program in the College of Humanities at the University of Utah. Click the audio button below to hear the podcast. Tue, 08 Apr 2008 15:10:24 -0600 Today's show focused on what cities and towns are doing when it comes to conservation and energy production. With the passage of HB 201 earlier this year, Utah's Dixie is pushing ahead with its own solar farm. Mon, 07 Apr 2008 16:55:47 -0600 Utah continues to spend the least amount of money in the nation on each public school student, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau. KCPW's Jeff Robinson reports. Mon, 07 Apr 2008 13:00:30 -0600 Merlin Olsen has accomplished many things in his life. He played professional football. He's been an actor, starring on television shows like "Little House on the Prairie" and "Father Murphy." Now, Merlin Olsen is playing the role of environmental activist. Olsen serves as President for Bear Lake Watch, an organization working to preserve and protect Bear Lake and its resources. A new proposal by Logan's Symbiotics LLC has the company considering the construction of a hydroelectric plant, called the Hook Canyon Pumped Storage Project, on the shores of Bear Lake. Olsen and Bear Lake Watch are working toward making sure the proposal doesn't become a reality. KCPW's Eric Ray spoke with the Hall of Famer late last week. Olsen talked about how he became interested in environmental issues: Mon, 07 Apr 2008 01:01:08 -0600 Utahns use an average of one hundred gallons of water in their homes per day. That's according to former Utah lieutenant Governor and current Rural Affairs Coordinator Gayle McKeachnie, who was at the city library last night to speak about Utah's water resources. Listen to an excerpt of his presentation about planning for the future. Fri, 04 Apr 2008 14:36:11 -0600 NPR Utah, KCPW, and the Utah Museum of Natural History presented "Utah Water Policy: Planning Our Future" Thursday, April 3, 2008, at the Salt Lake City Main Library's Tessman Auditorium. This installment of "The Nature of Things" lecture series featured former Utah Lieutenant Governor and current state rural affairs coordinator Gayle McKeachnie, speaking on the future of Utah's water resources. Click on the audio button to hear a podcast. Thu, 03 Apr 2008 11:22:57 -0600 Last week, prominent Barack Obama supporter and superdelegate Senator Patrick Leahy from Vermont called on Hillary Clinton to drop out of the race, saying she won't win. Meanwhile, on the Republican side, John McCain has embarked on his "Service to America" tour, visiting places from his past while dishing out anecdotes that some media outlets appear to be eating up. Thu, 03 Apr 2008 01:01:40 -0600 On Tuesday, the Salt Lake City Council heard from residents and businesses in the city both for and against the building of a sky bridge at the planned City Creek Center. And they again spoke with representatives from Taubman, the project's developer, who suggested that if this sky bridge is not approved, the fate of the whole center is in jeopardy. This morning, KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with councilman Soren Simonsen, who is an architect himself, about where this project stands right now. Wed, 02 Apr 2008 09:12:36 -0600 Racial inequality has recently been brought to the forefront of Barack Obama's campaign for the White House. Author Jabari Asim has written a book called The N Word, Who Can Say It, Who Shouldn't, and Why. He says he is proud of the way that Obama has reacted to racial issues, and admits that he didn't think Obama would get this far. Wed, 02 Apr 2008 09:13:52 -0600 This afternoon, the Salt Lake City Council will be considering how to divvy up more than $4 million in Community Development Block Grants received from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. This year, the city has $120,000 less than last year, and on top of that, they've received nearly $9 million in requests. That's more than double what they have to distribute - meaning some organizations will go without. KCPW's Jeff Robinson talked with one organization to find out what this grant money would mean to them. Tue, 01 Apr 2008 01:02:33 -0600 The highest court in the United States will now consider a lawsuit that started three years ago in Utah. KCPW's Jeff Robinson reports. Mon, 31 Mar 2008 13:19:20 -0600 This week, we've seen that controversial remarks by Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's pastor were not put to rest by his speech on race. We've also seen Hillary Clinton admit she "misspoke" about a trip she made to Bosnia in which she claimed she came under sniper fire, later disproved by video footage. Meanwhile, John McCain received media attention for his remarks on the economy and foreign policy, without having to battle anyone else for the Republican nomination. Thu, 27 Mar 2008 01:00:26 -0600 Is the alpha-male approach still the reigning approach in today's global marketplace? According to a Rhodes Scholar and former Dean of Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, leadership in post-industrial societies is trending toward a blend of both male and female character traits. Dr. Joseph Nye tells KCPW's Lara Jones that it's all about combining hard and soft power into something he calls "smart power". Tue, 25 Mar 2008 01:02:58 -0600 Today's Bottomline focused on VAST, a new private equity firm created, owned and managed by women with the express purpose of investing in women-owned businesses. The firm draws on the experience of its partners, including Carla Meine, whose inbound telemarketing firm logged revenues in excess of $25 million last year. Mon, 24 Mar 2008 16:55:10 -0600 Despite several programs that aim to decrease the number of unwanted pets in Utah, the state still puts down more than thirty thousand cats and dogs to sleep each year. One approach, in Los Angeles, requires pets to be spayed or neutered by the time they are four months old. It remains to be seen if something similar could happen here. KCPW's Eric Ray reports: Mon, 24 Mar 2008 01:00:43 -0600 During his campaign to become Salt Lake City Mayor, Ralph Becker heavily promoted his 180-day action plan. That plan includes several environmental initiatives that aim to make the city "greener." Becker recently appointed Vicki Bennett director of the Office of Sustainability and the Environment. She is charged with helping meet the eco-promises Becker made. KCPW's Eric Ray recently spoke with Bennett about the challenges of her new position. She says the city has a head start on many environmental initiatives. Fri, 21 Mar 2008 01:00:30 -0600 Although there were no presidential primaries or caucuses held this past week, the contenders certainly did not stay out of the spotlight. The re-surfacing of inflammatory remarks made by Barack Obama's pastor gave him the opportunity to deliver what is being hailed as a landmark speech on race, and now the National Archives has released more than 11,000 pages detailing Hillary Clinton's schedule as First Lady during her eight years in the White House. Thu, 20 Mar 2008 01:02:08 -0600