http://kcpw.org/legislative-2008 en In the past, funding shortages have meant placing a cap on the amount of children allowed to enroll in the state's health insurance program for children - or CHIP. However, starting Monday that will no longer be an issue. Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:00:28 -0600 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5882 Beginning Monday, sex offenders will be under a more high-powered public microscope as changes to Utah's Sex Offender Registry go into effect. Tue, 29 Apr 2008 13:45:34 -0600 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5880 The Utah Attorney General's office has settled a lawsuit with two people who were told they could not hold up posters outside the House chambers toward the end of this year's legislative session, according to a Salt Lake City-based attorney representing the two. Tue, 08 Apr 2008 14:34:57 -0600 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5736 Utah Republican and Democratic Party officials can now take a breather, after the 10-day period for candidates to file for state, county and federal offices came to a close last night. Utah Republican Party Chairman Stan Lockhart expects Utahns' values to continue to align with the majority party, while Utah Democratic Party chairman Wayne Holland says change is on the way. KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with them both along with some of the candidates to get their take on who has the best to offer the people of Utah this coming November. Tue, 18 Mar 2008 01:01:08 -0600 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5576 (KCPW News) People on both sides of the political aisle aren't happy with the Governor's decision to approve a controversial anti-illegal immigration bill. Senate Bill 81 will require contractors that work with government agencies to verify the immigration status of their employees. Paul Mero, president of the conservative think-tank The Sutherland Institute, calls that ridiculous. Fri, 14 Mar 2008 11:19:34 -0600 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5563 Lawmaker attempts to stop Utah Education Association members from making voluntary contributions to the union's Political Action Committee through payroll deductions may have spurred fundraising for the teachers union. Wed, 12 Mar 2008 11:46:57 -0600 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5546 A $1,700 salary bump; $10 million to pay for teacher-directed classroom supplies; performance pay programs - are teachers satisfied with their treatment at the hands of state lawmakers this year? Midday Metro goes one-on-one with Kim Campbell, president of the Utah Education Association, which represents 18,000 members in 40 schools districts. Homebuilders are seeing their workloads drop off in the face of the sub-prime crisis and talk of recession. However, greenbuilders are reporting a steady pace in many areas of the country. Midday Metro finds out if the trend holds true in Utah with Aaron Needham of Needham Homes and Development and Randy Moore, president of the Utah Home Builders Association. Plus Richard Jaffa, Jaffa Group, and Sarah Weinberg, Build Green Utah. Plus what's really in your drinking water? A recent story by the Associated Press says it's your neighbors prescription drugs. Learn more with Jeff Salt, Great Salt Lakekeeper, and Bill Moellmer, environmental scientist, Division of Water Quality, and head of Utah's triennial water standards review committee. Join the conversation. Call 355-TALK or email midday@kcpw.org during the show to participate. Tue, 11 Mar 2008 19:20:35 -0600 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5543 Following a 45-day legislative session in which Utah lawmakers tackled high profile issues like immigration, health system reform, and teacher compensation, many would expect them to take a breather. However with 2008 being an election year, most public servants hoping for reelection can't afford that luxury.That certainly goes for Republican Greg Curtis, Speaker of Utah's House of Representatives, who once again faces a challenge from Democrat Jay Seegmiller. Curtis defeated Seegmiller by just 20 votes in 2006 for Salt Lake County's District 49 seat.KCPW's Eric Ray spoke with Curtis about the challenges of the 2008 session and plans for his re-election campaign. Tue, 11 Mar 2008 12:40:31 -0600 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5537 Utah lawmakers have decided to up the ante in their efforts to bring major movie productions to the state. Tue, 11 Mar 2008 12:15:02 -0600 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5535 The Environmental Protection Agency enacted more stringent air quality standards for particulate pollution in late 2006. Those standards have put the squeeze on Utah's Division of Air Quality, which received an extra $2 million per year from the legislature this session to help tackle the problem. Tue, 11 Mar 2008 11:07:54 -0600 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5534 Laissez faire capitalism and social norms, governmental regulation and criminal prohibition all play into America's drug habit. Midday Metro talks with law professor and co-director of the Utah Criminal Justice Center Erik Luna about this week's two-day conference on Drugs: Addiction, Therapy, and Crime at the University of Utah. Several bills approved by lawmakers had the support of the Sutherland Institute, a conservative public policy think-tank based in Salt Lake. President Paul Mero talks about the important gains for parental rights, limited government, and public access to information that came out of this year's legislative session. Deep Vein Thrombosis - or DVT - affects up to 2 million Americans each year. While the disease is preventable, approximately 600,000 people are hospitalized each year with DVT and its primary complication, pulmonary embolism. Learn how to prevent this life-threatening condition with Dr. Robert Pendleton, director of the University Health Care's Thrombosis Services, and Melanie Bloom, whose husband, David, died of DVT while covering the war in Iraq for NBC. Join the conversation. Call 355-TALK or email midday@kcpw.org during the show to participate. Mon, 10 Mar 2008 15:35:11 -0600 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5531 Despite much talk about taking action to reform Utah's health care system, lawmakers did little more than form a task force to study the possibility of change. That said, some healthcare advocates say it's not a negative to take baby steps early in the process. Mon, 10 Mar 2008 01:00:23 -0600 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5521 Today is the start of the ten-day filing period for state and county offices up for re-election this year. Utah Democratic Party Chairman Wayne Holland expects his party to make gains. Fri, 07 Mar 2008 14:23:38 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5520 Officials from Salt Lake City's Guadalupe Schools are worried that sweeping immigration reform by the Utah Legislature could negatively impact the school's adult educational and literacy programs. Fri, 07 Mar 2008 14:16:51 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5519 The Utah League of Cities and Towns is glad they were able to reach compromises with the legislature on a bill that requires local governments to inventory their activities, but they still have some concerns. If signed by the governor, Senate Bill 45 would require cities to inventory their activities by June 2010 to see if they compete with the private sector. Fri, 07 Mar 2008 12:24:00 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5518 Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker says the legislative session ended well for the city, with his domestic partnership registry surviving under Senate Bill 299, albeit under a new name. But at the same time, he says the school equalization bill, which will force Salt Lake City to give up six million dollars in property taxes to fund school districts in other cities, makes no sense. He also doesn't appreciate the legislature subverting the city's management of airport funds. KCPW's Jeff Robinson sat down with the mayor after the session ended to get his take on how the city fared this year, and his role in shaping legislators' opinions. Fri, 07 Mar 2008 01:04:09 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5512 Sweeping immigration reform recently passed by Utah's Legislature could have a profound effect on the way local police departments conduct their business. Thu, 06 Mar 2008 15:44:44 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5513 A long career on Utah's Capitol Hill is coming to an end. After forty years serving in both the Utah House and Senate, Senate Minority Leader Mike Dmitrich is stepping down. Just after the session ended last night, the Democratic senator from Price announced he will not seek re-election. Dmitrich said during his tenure on Capitol Hill, he's learned to cooperate with the majority party. Thu, 06 Mar 2008 14:40:30 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5510 Legislation waiting for the governor’s signature could impact the way law enforcement does its job. Midday Metro talks about immigration and gang-related bills with Salt Lake City Police Chief Chris Burbank. Activists in the Hispanic community say the 2008 legislative session had definite racist overtones given the sweeping immigration bill passed by lawmakers. Archie Archuleta of the Utah Coalition of La Raza stops by Midday Metro to talk about what he calls a growing ethnocentrism on Capitol Hill. Plus shortly after the session close, Senate Minority Leader Mike Dmitrich announced he would not seek re-election. He tells Midday Metro why and talks about the future of the Democratic Party in Utah.Join the conversation. Call 355-TALK or email midday@kcpw.org during the show to participate. Ed Sweeney interview canceled: The management of Community Wireless, the parent company that operates KCPW, has determined it is premature to discuss details about the possible purchase of KCPW by Wasatch Public Media, the non-profit group formed by former KCPW general manager Ed Sweeney, until specific sale terms are worked out between Community Wireless and Wasatch Public Media. Community Wireless management has indicated the interview can be re-scheduled at some point next week. Wasatch Public Media is a new non-profit organization formed to acquire KCPW from Community Wireless with the intent of maintaining KCPW’s independent, local news operation in its current format as a National Public Radio affiliate station. Details about the effort Sweeney’s leading to continue operating KCPW in its present form at Library Square are available at Wasatch Public Media’s new website – www.wasatchpublicmedia.org – where you can get involved. Wed, 05 Mar 2008 18:15:50 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5503 Following a final hour submission by the Utah Senate, lawmakers approved a measure to provide $25 million in additional compensation to the state's teachers. Thu, 06 Mar 2008 01:45:15 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5505 Utah's cities and counties will be allowed to create registries extending benefits to adult designees as long as those registries don't cross a certain line. Thu, 06 Mar 2008 01:00:09 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5502 It appears lawmakers listened to Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker's plea for them to find an alternate way of funding the TRAX line to the airport, if the city would not be allowed to use revenue generated by airport passenger fees. Thu, 06 Mar 2008 01:00:09 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5504 (KCPW News) The superintendent of the Salt Lake City School District says the legislature is passing the buck onto the city to solve the problem of school funding equalization in the wake of the legislature's bill last year that is allowing Jordan School District to split. Dr. McKell Withers says Senate Bill 48 will hit poorer homeowners in Salt Lake City hard as it imposes a levy of six hundredths of a cent on the dollar, and have other consequences as well. Wed, 05 Mar 2008 15:03:59 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5501 Forty-one Republicans in the Utah House and three Democrats are asking SUWA, the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, to turn over bank records and other financial documents in light of the conviction of two former SUWA officials last year. Last week, they sent a letter asking the organization to turn over the information in the next thirty days. SUWA's Public Lands Fellow David Garbett says they will provide financial data because they have nothing to hide, but they don't like the way the legislature is handling this request. Wed, 05 Mar 2008 14:43:13 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5500 It's the last day of the 2008 Legislative General Session. A live report from Utah's Capitol Hill with KCPW reporter Elizabeth Ziegler. Click here for our 2008 Legislative Coverage page. Thousands of grade-schoolers descend upon the University of Utah this week to build towers of drinking straws, catapult marshmallows and clay fish during the College of Engineering's 11th annual Elementary Engineering Week. Midday Metro gets a live report from the field with Deidre Schoenfeld, outreach and diversity coordinator for the college, while Dean Richard Brown talks about the need to recruit more students into the program. It's stinky and salty, but why isn't it the focus of an academic center and tourism promotion? Richard Goldberger says it's high time the Great Salt Lake got its due and explains to Midday Metro what he's doing about it. Twenty years ago, the average model weighed 8 per cent less than the average woman. That gulf has deepened to 23 percent today as real women's bodies have become invisible in the mass media. When did it all start? Rose Weitz, professor of women and gender studies at Arizona State University, blames it on the Greeks. Find out more as Midday Metro talks with Weitz about Eve's Daughters: A Cultural History of Women's Bodies, it's the keynote address she'll give at the U's Body Image Conference this week. Join the conversation. Call 355-TALK or email midday@kcpw.org during the show to participate. Tue, 04 Mar 2008 18:45:03 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5493 As the state legislature's session wraps up tonight at midnight, Salt Lake City Council members are frustrated with a few measures that target the city. Last night, this was discussed as the council met for its weekly work session and city council meeting. This morning, KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with Vice Chairman Carlton Christensen about what the city is keeping its eye on when it comes to both the state legislature and federal money, and also a change in the city's budgeting process that will give the council more input. Wed, 05 Mar 2008 09:06:11 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5498 Torturing a dog or cat will now cost violators up to five years in prison and $5,000 in fines. Wed, 05 Mar 2008 01:00:45 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5494 The Utah Board of Education and local school boards soon may be required to adopt policies to deal with incidents of hazing and bullying. Wed, 05 Mar 2008 01:00:45 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5496 The state won't be buying Oxbow Jail from Salt Lake County before the end of this legislative session. Both sides want the deal to happen, but it got hung up on the county's desire to move 300 state prisoners out of the county jail and back into state facilities. County Council Chairman Michael Jensen says the state only reimburses the county for half the cost of housing those prisoners. Tue, 04 Mar 2008 14:30:00 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5490 A live report from Utah's Capitol Hill with KCPW reporter Elizabeth Ziegler. Click here for our 2008 Legislative Coverage page. State lawmakers are trying to find a way to equalize school construction funding in the wake of legislation last year that allowed school districts to split. But is their funding formula equitable? Midday Metro gets perspective from two vantage points with Barry Newbold, superintendent of Jordan School District, and Dr. McKell Withers, superintendent of Salt Lake City School District. Did you know that the brain develops from back to front and isn't fully mature until the age of 25? This plays a role in judgment -- or the lack thereof -- when it comes to teen behavior. Midday Metro investigates Teens, Brains and Choices, which is the subject of this week's Science in Society Lecture at the City Library. Guests include Barbara Sullivan of the Utah Addiction Center and David Strayer, principal investigator at the Applied Cognition Laboratory at the University of Utah. Join the conversation. Call 355-TALK or email midday@kcpw.org during the show to participate. Mon, 03 Mar 2008 18:32:42 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5482 Utah's Senate pulled an about face yesterday, voting to amend First Substitute Senate Bill 299, otherwise known as the domestic registry bill, and remove the language allowing hospital visitation rights that had just been included during a previous amendment of the bill on Friday. Tue, 04 Mar 2008 01:00:45 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5485 A bill that makes sweeping changes to Illegal Immigration enforcement in Utah passed the House of Representatives yesterday after more than an hour of debate. Tue, 04 Mar 2008 01:00:45 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5486 Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker says if the Legislature passes a measure restricting the city from using airport improvement revenues to help fund construction of a TRAX line to the airport, then it could be some time before the line gets built. Mon, 03 Mar 2008 14:50:11 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5476 With the legislative session ending this Wednesday, the Utah Department of Corrections is hoping lawmakers will grant its request for $7.6 million a year to create a parole violator center that would keep lower-risk parolees out of prison. Spokeswoman Angie Welling says the idea is to rehabilitate re-offenders and have them finish the program in only three to four months. Mon, 03 Mar 2008 11:59:33 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5472 Only three days left in this year's legislative session. Midday Metro gets a live report from Utah's Capitol Hill with KCPW reporter Elizabeth Ziegler. Click here for our 2008 Legislative coverage page. Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker will be here for his monthly check-in with Midday Metro listeners. We'll talk about how the city will pay for the airport TRAX extension given that lawmakers will not allow the use of airport fees. At 10:30, The Bottomline focuses on the arts and economic development. Is a downtown arts district feasible or a subsidy monster? Can a thriving arts community revitalize the downtown area outside of City Creek? Guests include Bob Farrington of the Downtown Alliance, Nancy Boskoff of the SLC Arts Council, and Bill Becker, mayor Becker's brother, who has been put in charge of the mayor's Downtown Theater Action Group. Join the conversation. Call 355-TALK or email midday@kcpw.org during the show to participate. Fri, 29 Feb 2008 18:26:04 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5467 A measure making it a third degree felony to torture a dog or cat passed the House of Representatives today despite concern from several lawmakers who feel the bill puts the penalty for this form of extreme animal cruelty on par or above those for similar behaviors against people. Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:16:51 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5464 A live report from Utah's Capitol Hill with KCPW reporter Elizabeth Ziegler. Click here for our Legislative coverage page. How does an incumbent mayor balance the duties of his office with a campaign? Midday Metro finds out in our monthly visit with Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon. Plus the NAACP's Jeanetta Williams and Edward Lewis Jr. will be here to talk about political engagement in minority communities. Plus puppets will be converging on the City Library this weekend. Find out more about the 6th annual Strings Attached Puppetry Festival with librarian and puppeteer Mary Anne Heider. Join the conversation. Call 355-TALK or email midday@kcpw.org during the show to participate. Thu, 28 Feb 2008 17:12:30 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5457 A live report from Utah's Capitol Hill with KCPW reporter Elizabeth Ziegler. Salt Lake City Police Chief Chris Burbank brings in Salt Lake City Chief Prosecutor Sim Gill to talk about the connection between arrests and prosecutions. A new report by the Pew Center on the States' Public Safety Performance Project finds that the prison population in this country has crossed a sobering threshold-more than 1 in 100 adults in America are behind bars. Midday Metro finds out what that incarceration rate is costing state taxpayers with Adam Gelb, director of Pew's Public Safety Performance Project. And author Amy Irvine on her new book Trespass: Living at the Edge of the Promised Land. Irvine served five years as the Development Director of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance. She'll be at the Main Salt City Library tonight at 7 p.m. Join the conversation. Call 355-TALK or email midday@kcpw.org during the show to participate. Better yet, post your question or comment on the Midday Metro Blog.Editor's Note: Due to computer issues, there will be no podcasts of today's interviews. Wed, 27 Feb 2008 16:51:53 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5446 AARP says it supports a bill allowing for confidential reporting of drivers believed to be a risk to themselves or others because it doesn't specifically target the elderly. Wed, 27 Feb 2008 11:38:20 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5442 A live report from Utah's Capitol Hill with KCPW reporter Elizabeth Ziegler. Senate Bill 34 is on the way to the governor's desk. It would allow the confidential reporting of drivers believed to be a risk to themselves and others to the Department of Motor Vehicles for review. AARP supports the bill. Midday Metro finds out why with Utah associate director Laura Polacheck. Also, a bill that would have provided protective orders for those in violent dating relationships failed again this session. Midday Metro talks with bill sponsor and House Minority Whip David Litvack, and Melinda Pettingill, director of prevention education at the YWCA. And some of the filmmakers behind the documentary Los Vulnerables and Stereotyping and Racism in the Schools talk about barriers to higher education for undocumented students in Utah. Guests include students Joel Organista and Jessica Sandberg, project organizers Caitlin Cahill and Denise Castaneda. Presented by the Salt Lake City Film Center, both films will be shown Monday, March 3, 7 p.m., at the main City Library auditorium. A community discussion will follow the free screenings. Join the conversation. Call 355-TALK or email midday@kcpw.org during the show to participate. Better yet, post your question or comment on the Midday Metro Blog. Tue, 26 Feb 2008 16:57:49 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5437 Should more than nine million acres of Utah public lands be designated as federal wilderness? The answer of many Utah legislators is a firm "no." A resolution encouraging the U.S. Congress not to pass America's Red Rock Wilderness Act has already passed the Utah house, and is likely to be approved by the Utah senate. State lawmakers are painting it as a battle that pits environmental extremists against energy developers and outdoor recreation enthusiasts. Wed, 27 Feb 2008 01:01:47 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5438 A live report from Utah's Capitol Hill with KCPW reporter Elizabeth Ziegler. Cuba native Alejandro Portes, who is director of the Center for Migration and Development at Princeton University. Portes will be at the University of Utah this week to deliver his keynote address: "Bridging the Gap: Ethnic Organizations and the Political Incorporation Process of Immigrants in the United States" as part of the Migration, Rights & Identities Conference. Midday Metro gets a preview. Problems at the polls, pressure from voter integrity groups and rising concern among lawmakers prompted leaders in a handful of states to scrap recent purchases of direct-recording electronic (DRE) systems in favor of paper-based optical scanners. Midday Metro digs into the reasons why with Doug Chapin of Electionline.org, which just released a study examining five states' efforts to limit paperless voting. The differences between Germany and the U.S. when it comes to confronting climate change with visiting scholar Erich Pohl, a professor at the University of Heidelberg, who will be in town this week to address the United Nations Association of Utah. Join the conversation. Call 355-TALK or email midday@kcpw.org during the show to participate. Better yet, post your question or comment on the Midday Metro Blog. Mon, 25 Feb 2008 18:02:43 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5426 A live report from Utah's Capitol Hill with KCPW reporter Elizabeth Ziegler. N. D. Wilson author of the tween book 100 Cupboards will be here, along with a couple of signed copies for Midday Metro listeners. 100 Cupboards follows Henry York and his cousin through the 99 different worlds held within the cupboards of his bedroom. He'll do a reading at King's English tonight, Deseret Book tomorrow night. At 10:30 on The Bottomline: building bridges between Utah and Chile with Miguel Rovira of the Governor's Office of Economic Development. Plus it's Utah Saves Week. Ann House, statewide coordinator for Utah Saves, and saver Mandy Ward offer ways to safeguard your financial future. Join the conversation. Call 355-TALK or Email midday@kcpw.org during the show to participate. Better yet, post your question or comment on the Midday Metro Blog. Fri, 22 Feb 2008 16:17:50 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5412 A live report from Utah's Capitol Hill with KCPW reporter Elizabeth Ziegler. Fighting back against drug dealers is the focus of his life ever since Lance Merrill's daughter lost her battle with addiction in 2005. He's on Capitol Hill backing legislation that would allow the estate of illegal drug overdose victims to sue drug dealers in civil court, as well as the creation of a tipline managed by the Attorney General's office. The founder of Dads Against Drug Dealers, Merrill shares his story with Midday Metro. Drilling proposals in the Great Salt Lake threaten the future of one of Utah's best known pieces of art. Tomorrow, the future of Robert Smithson's spiral jetty with Michael Styler, executive director of the Utah Department of Natural Resources, and David Baddley, who teaches Earthworks of the American West at Westminster College. Plus what's all the yechh in the air and how does it get there? Inversions 101 with Lis Cohen, who teaches the Severe and Unusual Weather Course at the University of Utah. Join the conversation. Call 355-TALK or Email midday@kcpw.org during the show to participate. Better yet, post your question or comment on the Midday Metro Blog. Thu, 21 Feb 2008 18:00:15 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5403 Governor Jon Huntsman says although the state's budget surplus is more than $300 million less than expected, he still expects the state to fund significant increases in education spending. He says that will happen in a few different ways. Fri, 22 Feb 2008 09:22:51 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5405 Democratic Utah Congressman Jim Matheson says the state's legislature is out of step with its citizens and believes the time could be right for change on Capitol Hill. Thu, 21 Feb 2008 12:57:03 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5396 It appears Republican Representative Glenn Donnelson may have wasted his time pushing two bills that would restrict the privileges of illegal immigrants this session, because Governor Jon Huntsman plans to veto them if they pass the Senate. In a press conference today, the governor said he wants to keep in-state tuition for the children of illegal immigrants, and he wants to keep the driver privilege card. Thu, 21 Feb 2008 12:15:47 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5394 Invasive mussels, capable of clogging water supply systems and competing with fish for food, have already invaded Lake Mead and the fear is they are also in Lake Powell. Wed, 20 Feb 2008 11:32:50 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5384 Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker is now shifting his previous support of a bill that would keep police disciplinary records private in certain cases. The mayor says the information his administration received on the bill when he came into office didn't cover all the details. Tue, 19 Feb 2008 14:16:37 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5376 Utah Republican Senator Bob Bennett told lawmakers on Capitol Hill today not to expect any federal action on immigration for at least five years. Tue, 19 Feb 2008 12:46:24 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5372 Utah's Reach Out and Read program is asking lawmakers for $200,000 of ongoing funds to help fight illiteracy among the more than 100,000 children considered at-risk in Utah. Tue, 19 Feb 2008 01:04:38 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5359 About two-dozen off-road enthusiasts gathered on Capitol Hill today to urge legislators to expand public land use in Utah. The Utah Shared Access Alliance is standing behind Senate Bill 181, which would allow off-road vehicles like ATVs to operate on highways and streets in rural areas. Fri, 15 Feb 2008 14:23:13 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5362 The Utah Fund of Funds is asking lawmakers to triple the state's investment in the program, to a total of $300 million, through Senate Bill 11. Fri, 15 Feb 2008 12:45:50 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5358 A live report from Utah's Capitol Hill with KCPW reporter Elizabeth Ziegler. Click here for our 2008 Legislative Coverage. The Utah Fund of Funds is going to get even bigger. Thanks to SB 11, the $100 Million fund will increase its tax credits capacity three-fold. Managing Director Jeremy Neilson explains how the fund will boost economic development in the face of a recession. The Bible condemns usury. But a new study finds a surprising relationship between conservative Christian populations, such as those found in America's Bible Belt and the Mormon Mountain West, and the proliferation of payday lenders. Learn more with the study's co-author Chris Peterson, a law professor at the University of Utah. Reach out and Read wants $200,000 in ongoing funding early literacy training. Ranked 13th out of 45 on a list of economic development priorities, will it get funded this year? Midday Metro talks to ROR's Dr. Wendy Hobson-Rohrer and Carey Crockett. Join the conversation. Call 355-TALK or Email midday@kcpw.org during the show to participate. Better yet, post your question or comment on the Midday Metro Blog. Thu, 14 Feb 2008 17:56:07 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5357 A live report from Utah's Capitol Hill with KCPW reporter Elizabeth Ziegler. SB 260 would make secret details about police misconduct and resulting disciplinary charges. Midday Metro talks about the bill as well as the current state of the Civilian Review Board with Salt Lake City Police Chief Chris Burbank. Ethics reform is bringing together two unlikely forces - a democratic party veteran and a conservative think-tank director. Midday Metro talks with Paul Mero of the Sutherland Institute and Rep. Roz McGee, whose bill (HB130) would create a commission that would receive ethics complaints regarding legislators and other state elected officials and offices. Plus the best love poem of all time with Alex Caldiero of KCPW's Poetry is Wanted Here series.And the psychology of love with Gray Otis, Ph.D., a licensed professional counselor who will lead a Relationship Check-up Workshop tomorrow night for married couples. Sponsored by Webster University, the workshop still has openings. For details, call (801) 281-4801. Join the conversation. Call 355-TALK or Email midday@kcpw.org during the show to participate. Better yet, post your question or comment on the Midday Metro Blog. Wed, 13 Feb 2008 17:39:13 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5348 Veteran politico Ted Wilson has taken the top job at the Utah Rivers Council. He's already mixing it up with one lawmaker who claims the group is joined at the hip with the more quote "radical environmental group," the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance. Wed, 13 Feb 2008 12:35:29 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5342 A white state senator apologized on the Senate floor yesterday after making an offensive comment about black babies earlier in the day. Senator Chris Buttars was arguing against a school funding bill when he made the comment. He said, "This baby is black, I'll tell ya. This is a dark, ugly thing." Wed, 13 Feb 2008 12:29:59 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5341 A live report from Utah's Capitol Hill with KCPW reporter Elizabeth Ziegler. Click here to go to our 2008 Legislative Coverage page. Ted Wilson is moving into the head office at the Utah Rivers Council. Midday Metro finds out why and what's behind his first legislative battle in that position. The latest Advanced Placement tests results are out. Midday Metro finds out where Utah high schoolers rank with Mark Peterson of the Utah State Office of Education. Changes in store for the Swaner Nature Preserve. Midday Metro learns more with Laura Wall, director of development. Join the conversation. Call 355-TALK or Email midday@kcpw.org during the show to participate. Better yet, post your question or comment on the Midday Metro Blog. Tue, 12 Feb 2008 16:11:26 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5335 There are more than 20 bills on Utah's Capitol Hill this legislative session targeting undocumented immigrants living in the state. The Utah Hispanic Latino Legislative Task Force say many of those measures will have unintended consequences. Tue, 12 Feb 2008 15:17:08 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5333 A live report from Utah's Capitol Hill with KCPW reporter Elizabeth Ziegler. All of our legislative coverage can be found on our 2008 Legislative Coverage page. Blue cans are popping up on the streets of West Valley City. Recycling operations manager Phil Markham talks about the official debut of reduce, reuse, recycle in the second biggest city in the state. Several bills making the rounds on Capitol Hill are under the watchful eye of the Disability Law Center. Midday Metro finds out which ones from Andrew Riggle, the center's public policy advocate, who's worried about the renewed push to privatize the State Hospital. Latinos are the largest minority group in Utah and should comprise a third of the population in a couple of decades. That's then. Right now, there are more than 20 bills targeting those who are here illegally. How do you advocate for your community in the middle of a raging debate about immigration reform? Midday Metro talks with David Solorzano and Jorge Robles of the Hispanic Legislative Task Force talk about lobbying on Capitol Hill, as well as friction within the Hispanic activist community. Join the conversation. Call 355-TALK or email midday@kcpw.org during the show to participate. Better yet, post your question or comment on the Midday Metro Blog. Mon, 11 Feb 2008 17:04:28 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5323 Two competing bills that both propose to develop renewable energy resources in Utah are set to square off this legislative session. One is sponsored by a Republican, the other a Democrat. KCPW's Jeff Robinson sorts out what each bill would mean for Utah, and who's standing behind them. Tue, 12 Feb 2008 01:01:12 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5325 The Senate Education Standing Committee yesterday held a bill aimed to recruit more public school teachers to Utah by providing a $15,000 loan toward the purchase of a home. Tue, 12 Feb 2008 01:01:12 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5326 Registered sex offenders in Utah could soon be charged with a class A misdemeanor if they ask a child under 14 to accompany them anywhere without written permission from that child's parent. Mon, 11 Feb 2008 13:27:54 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5320 Hunters hoping to harvest a trophy deer or elk at the click of a mouse might soon be out of luck. Mon, 11 Feb 2008 13:17:05 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5319 KCPW reporter Elizabeth Ziegler starts the show with a live update from Utah's Capitol Hill. Book Bin: the first in an occasional series with librarians at the City Library. Today, classics and new titles in the world of business books with reference librarian Tania Toro and Matt McLain, assistant manager at the Sprague Branch. If a title catches your attention, Book Bin Lists will be made available at the information desk of the main City Library or click here. Fair trade and why it matters to you with Jacqueline DeCarlo, who has come to understand first-hand the benefits of fair trade relationships to both producers and consumers. She is the Program Adviser on Fair Trade to Catholic Relief Services and will be at Westminster Tuesday, Feb. 12, to offer a Beginner's Guide to Fair Trade. We'll talk to her first during Monday's edition of The Bottomline on NPR Utah, KCPW. Join the conversation. Call 355-TALK or email midday@kcpw.org during the show to participate. Better yet, post your question or comment on the Midday Metro Blog. Fri, 08 Feb 2008 18:36:55 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5314 The Utah Museum of Natural History is asking lawmakers for the final $30 million it needs to cover the construction costs of a new museum building. Mon, 11 Feb 2008 01:01:30 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5313 The process of overhauling Utah's health care system reached the floor of the House of Representatives today. Fri, 08 Feb 2008 16:17:45 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5312 Veterans Day might soon join the list of holidays when Utah's public schools are closed. Fri, 08 Feb 2008 16:08:25 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5311 We'll check in with Elizabeth Ziegler, one of KCPW's reporters on Capitol Hill during the legislative session. Health care reform will be debated on the floor of the Utah House of Representatives today. But has its fate been sealed in backroom deals? Judi Hillman and Lincoln Nehring of the Utah Health Policy Project give Midday Metro their perspectives as an advocate for quality health care coverage for all Utahns. Why a Fur Ball can be a good thing, with Cheryl Smith of the Utah Animal Adoption Center. Click to next page for picture of Indy, a dog who needs a loving home. A $40 billion contract to build aerial refueling tankers could land at Hill Air Force Base. "Could" is the operative word for Salt Lake County Councilman Randy Horiuchi and Ogden City Councilman Jesse Garcia, who fear a foreign bidder may scoop up the dollars and the jobs. Midday Metro finds out more. Join the conversation. Call 355-TALK or email midday@kcpw.org during the show to participate. Thu, 07 Feb 2008 17:23:06 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5307 After weeks of closed-door wrangling between lawmakers, insurance companies and healthcare advocates, Utah's House of Representatives will finally debate the Health System Reform bill today. Fri, 08 Feb 2008 01:00:54 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5303 Several Utah lawmakers and members of the Salt Lake County Council met yesterday to negotiate the purchase of the Oxbow Jail. Fri, 08 Feb 2008 01:00:54 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5304 Disappointed but not surprised. That was the general reaction from Utah lawmakers when hearing that Republican Mitt Romney is no longer in the race for President. Thu, 07 Feb 2008 14:06:55 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5298 KCPW reporter Elizabeth Ziegler joins us live from Capitol Hill with an update on the morning's committee meetings. Life on the force with members of the Salt Lake City Police Department. Midday Metro talks with Sgt. Ty Farrillas, a 10-year veteran, and rookie-in-training Jennifer Carling. To learn more about becoming a SLC police officer, click here. Utah's Magnificent Heritage, a collection of objects from Utah's 29 counties, is on display at the Utah Museum of Natural History. Associate director Ann Hanniball and Registrar Kara Hurst stop by with some items that don't get to meet the public all that often.Plus the science of snow with meteorologist Lis Cohen, who teaches the Severe and Unusual Weather Course at the University of Utah. Join the conversation. Call 355-TALK or email midday@kcpw.org during the show to participate. Better yet, post your questions or comments on the Midday Metro Blog. Wed, 06 Feb 2008 18:17:34 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5293 We'll check in with Elizabeth Ziegler, one of KCPW's reporters on Capitol Hill during the legislative session. Terry Williams was elected to the Utah State House of Representatives in 1980. He won an historic election in 1982, becoming the first African American in the Utah State Senate. As part of Black History Month events, Williams will be at the City Library tonight. Midday Metro gets a preview. (NOTE: KCPW will broadcast Williams's speech live at 7 p.m.). Veteran political reporter Paul Rolly of the Salt Lake Tribune reads the tea leaves of Super Tuesday. And flu cases are on the rise - any connection to Super Tuesday? Doubt it. Midday Metro talks to the experts on cold and flu season. Guests include epidemiologist Susan Mottice and Rebecca Ward of the Utah Department of Health. The immunization hotline Ward mentions is (800) 275-0659 or go online to www.immuzine-utah.org. Join the conversation. Call 355-TALK or email midday@kcpw.org during the show to participate. Better yet, post your question or comment on the Midday Metro Blog. Tue, 05 Feb 2008 17:20:00 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5282 A live report from the Super Tuesday polls with Salt Lake County Clerk Sherrie Swensen.We'll check in with Elizabeth Ziegler, one of KCPW's reporters on Capitol Hill during the legislative session. Utah's Latino community is feeling the heat as Utah lawmakers debate bills that would repeal in-state tuition and driver privilege cards for undocumented workers and consider opening an illegal immigrant detention facility. Tony Yapias of the Utah Latino Project voices his concerns on Midday Metro. Confronted with the stress of combat and a public that doesn't understand their ordeal, more than 1 million troops are trying to cope with life out of uniform. The film Reserved to Fight is the story of four Utah reservists who returned from Iraq in 2003 only to find readjusting to civilian life is a struggle. BYU grad and filmmaker Chantelle Squires and Utah veteran Matt Jemmett, who is featured in Reserved to Fight, talk to Midday Metro. The SLC Film Center has arranged a free screening of the film tonight at 7 at The Post Theatre, 110 S. Fort Douglas Blvd., University of Utah Campus. The outreach program mentioned by Squires can be found at reservedtofight.com. Join the conversation. Call 355-TALK or Email midday@kcpw.org during the show to participate. Better yet, post your question or comment on the Midday Metro Blog right now. Mon, 04 Feb 2008 17:55:06 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5273 We'll check in with Elizabeth Ziegler, one of KCPW's reporters on Capitol Hill during the legislative session. Delta Airlines is in merger talks. Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker says he'll do everything in his power to keep the carrier's hub in the Capital City. But he wants to use airport passenger fees to help build a TRAX extension to the airport - a move Delta opposes. Who's got the upper hand in these negotiations? Midday Metro talks with Mayor Becker. At 10:30 on The Bottomline, what's the best way equalize the cost of building and maintaining schools across the state? The Utah Foundation has eight suggestions. Midday Metro talks about it with executive director Steve Kroes. Plus the business of wildlife management in the state of Utah with Greg Sheehan, Division of Wildlife Resources. Join the conversation. Call 355-TALK or Email midday@kcpw.org during the show to participate. Better yet, go to KCPW DOT ORG and post your question or comment on the Midday Metro Blog. Fri, 01 Feb 2008 15:49:24 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5257 We'll check in with Elizabeth Ziegler, one of KCPW's reporters on Capitol Hill during the legislative session. Getting religion on the environment. Midday Metro talks about a faith-based approach to protecting Utah's wildlands with Ted Wilson, Vice Chair of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance's board of directors, and BYU professor of humanities George Handley. Governor Jon Huntsman will call in from Capitol Hill with an update on the Legislative session. And religion goes to the movies with the Interfaith Weekend of Film. Guests include Maxine Hanks and Alan Bachman, members of the Salt Lake Interfaith Rountable, which celebrates the 6th Annual Interfaith Week next week.Join the conversation. Call 355-TALK or email midday@kcpw.org during the show to participate. Better yet, post your question or comment on the Midday Metro Blog. Thu, 31 Jan 2008 16:09:28 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5250 Utah's entire house of representatives agrees that child rapists should serve no less than 25 years in prison. Today, they unanimously passed Utah's own version of Jessica's Law, sponsored by Representative Carl Wimmer, which also sets a minimum of 15 years for attempted child rapists. Thu, 31 Jan 2008 17:53:03 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5252 We'll check in with Elizabeth Ziegler, one of KCPW's reporters on Capitol Hill during the legislative session. The Salt Lake City Police Department has released its final summary of last year's shootings at Trolley Square. Midday Metro talks about it with Salt Lake City Police Chief Chris Burbank. Plus, trivia with Jeopardy champ and former Utahn Ken Jennings, who has just released Ken Jennings's Trivia Almanac: 8,888 Questions in 365 Days. Join the conversation. Call 355-TALK or Email midday@kcpw.org during the show to participate. Better yet, go to KCPW DOT ORG and post your question or comment on the Midday Metro Blog. Wed, 30 Jan 2008 13:40:46 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5235 Democratic Utah Senator Scott McCoy says the state has an abundance of pollution-free renewable energy resources, so today he introduced the Utah Renewable Energy and Economic Development Act. The bill sets a standard of 25 by 25 - that is, 25 percent of the state's energy would have to come from renewable sources by the year 2025. Wed, 30 Jan 2008 17:51:53 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5242 We'll check in with Elizabeth Ziegler, one of KCPW's reporters on Capitol Hill during the legislative session. In Recognition of the 50th Anniversary of Law Day, Utah State Court plans a Judge for a Day program. But will you get to wear the robe? Midday Metro finds out with Utah Court of Appeals Judge Judith Billings. The Leonardo will open before it's open. Lisa Davis explains The Leonardo Workshop, which opens at South Towne Center Mall next month. Over the next two weeks, a national teach-in about global warming is taking place at universities across the country. Focus the Nation aims to unite millions of US citizens to address solutions to human-induced climate change. Midday Metro talks about the event with Alexandra Parvaz, an environmental science graduate student and director of SEED, and Lindsay Clark, Office of Sustainability, who are organizing events the University of Utah. Join the conversation. Call 355-TALK or Email midday@kcpw.org during the show to participate. Better yet, go to KCPW DOT ORG and post your question or comment on the Midday Metro Blog. Tue, 29 Jan 2008 17:13:41 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5230 Republican representative David Clark's health system reform bill hasn't even been heard in committee yet, but is already the talk of Capitol Hill. Today, Clark discussed his plan to create a task force to reform the state health care system in front of the Democratic caucus. Tue, 29 Jan 2008 16:16:02 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5228 We'll check in with Elizabeth Ziegler, one of KCPW's reporters on Capitol Hill during the legislative session. Two conservation groups are merging to create a force of nature for the American West's wild places, wildlife and wild rivers. WildEarth Guardians has a "west-wide" scope, including conservation of the sagegrouse and prairie dogs in Utah. Midday Metro learns more with John Horning of WildEarth Guardians. The legacy of the late-LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley is one of tolerance. Clergy across the religious spectrum say it was largely through his support that interfaith dialogue has improved in the Beehive State. Midday Metro talks about it with Reverend Steve Goodier, Senior Minister at Christ United Methodist Church in Salt Lake City, and Elaine Emmi, Salt Lake Quakers Clerk and president of the Salt Lake Interfaith Roundtable. Join the conversation. Call 355-TALK or Email midday@kcpw.org during the show to participate. Better yet, go to KCPW DOT ORG and post your question or comment on the Midday Metro Blog. Mon, 28 Jan 2008 17:23:36 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5223 The founder of the largest free wireless network in Utah says he'll be forced to shut it down if proposal on Capitol Hill passes. The bill would require all public wireless networks to restrict access to minors, or be held liable for damages if minors access pornographic material. XMission founder Pete Ashdown says he can't afford to expose himself to civil damages. Mon, 28 Jan 2008 12:29:47 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5216 We’ll check in with Elizabeth Ziegler, one of KCPW’s reporters on Capitol Hill during the legislative session. A bill making the rounds on Capitol Hill would impose civil penalties if a minor is able to access porn over a public wireless network. Xmission owner Pete Ashdown says that if HB139 passes, he'll shutdown the free WiFi he's put in place -- at company expense -- from Salt Lake to Ogden. Midday Metro explores the issues with Ashdown and the bill's sponsor, Rep. Brad Daw (R-Orem). As you do the paperwork for your 2007 taxes, there are any number of causes you may wish to support with a small donation. Pamela Atkinson will be here Monday to make a plea for the Homeless Trust Fund named after her. To date, taxpayers have invested more than $2 million in the trust since its inception in 1988. But more is needed to meet the goal of ending chronic homelessness by 2014. Plus, what a slowdown in commercial construction means for the rest of Utah's economy and the unemployment rate. JohnTaylor, a real estate investment specialist with Commerce CRG, and Jim Wood of the Bureau of Economic and Business Research at the University of Utah walk us through the data and talks about deal-making after the subprime meltdown. Join the conversation. Call 355-TALK or Email midday@kcpw.org during the show to participate. Better yet, post your question or comment on the Midday Metro Blog. Fri, 25 Jan 2008 16:26:15 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5207 We'll check in with Elizabeth Ziegler, one of KCPW's reporters on Capitol Hill during the legislative session. Then Midday Metro opens the phones with two Utah politicos, Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon and former Governor Olene Walker. Plus, negotiating family trips can sometimes resemble high-level diplomatic missions. So how do you manage climbing all seven of the world's highest peaks as husband and wife? Phil Erschler and his wife, Susan, did just that and are in town to talk about it at the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market at the Salt Palace. Midday Metro finds out who had the better compass. And wilderness EMT Frank Meyer of Adventure Medical Kits offers some practical advice and safety tips for those of us climbing closer to home. Join the conversation. Call 355-TALK or email midday@kcpw.org during the show to participate. Better yet, post your question or comment now on the Midday Metro Blog. Thu, 24 Jan 2008 15:29:45 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5199 A legislative update with KCPW's Elizabeth Ziegler, live from Capitol Hill. Columbine; Virginia Tech; Trolley Square - all scenes of horrific gun violence. Are these extreme cases or an indicator that Americans are all too willing to solve their problems by pulling the trigger? Midday Metro talks about gun crime with Salt Lake City Police Chief Chris Burbank and special guests Brett Tolman, United States Attorney for Utah, and Detective Rick Blanchard, who heads up Project Safe Neighborhoods for SLCPD. The hotline for SLC residents to call with concerns about drug activity in their neighborhoods is 799-DRUG. The Outdoor Retailer Winter Market is under way in Salt Lake City. We'll look at the group's environmental objectives as more than 17,000 retailers and vendors descend on the capital city and leave tens of millions of dollars behind this week. Guests include Kenji Haroutunian, Outdoor Retailer show director; Frank Hugelmeyer, president of the Outdoor Industry Association; and Scott Beck, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau. Plus Andrew Skurka, the enlightened outdoor adventurer, is in town for OR's Winter Market. He'll tell Midday Metro about becoming the first person to walk the Great Western Loop, a nearly 7,000 mile long journey that links the American West's great long-distance hiking trails and traverses 12 National Parks and over 75 wilderness areas. Join the conversation. Call 355-TALK or Email midday@kcpw.org during the show to participate. Better yet, post your question or comment now on the Midday Metro Blog. Wed, 23 Jan 2008 17:26:23 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5185 A legislative update with KCPW's Elizabeth Ziegler. Staying safe in the backcountry with Bruce Tremper of the Utah Avalanche Center and Ian McCammon of Snowpit Technologies. They'll be part of a Science in Society panel on Snow, Cold, Brain: Choices Thursday at the City Library. Countless black women would rather attend church naked than hatless. Midday Metro talks about it with playwright Regina Taylor, who tackles the subject in her play CROWNS. It premieres in Utah later this week.There are several events that coincide with the theatrical run of CROWNS in Utah:Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats, running through Feb. 29, at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center, 1355 W. 3100 S., WVC. M-T, 8a-6p; free and open to the public.Utah's local Crowns photo exhibit runs through Feb. 9 in the Grand Theatre Lobby at Salt Lake Community College, 1575 S. State Street. M-F, 10a-6p; free and open to the public. A $400 million, state-of-the-art film production campus is taking shape in Southern Utah. Will it be Sundance South? Midday Metro talks with screenwriter Craig Clyde about Sky of Dreams Ranch. Join the conversation. Call 355-TALK or Email midday@kcpw.org during the show to participate. Better yet, post your question or comment on the Midday Metro Blog. Tue, 22 Jan 2008 17:50:00 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5176 Listen to the 2008 State of the State Address. Wed, 23 Jan 2008 06:12:41 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5182 Democratic representative Christine Johnson is sponsoring a bill that would prohibit Utah employers from discriminating against employees based on sexual orientation. On Monday, the bill was reassigned from the Judiciary Committee to the Business and Labor Committee, which has one more Republican and one less Democrat. Wed, 23 Jan 2008 01:00:15 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5180 Health care and education dominated Governor Jon Huntsman's state of the state address last night, which he delivered in the House Chambers of the Utah Capitol. KCPW's Jeff Robinson has a wrap-up of the most important points. Wed, 23 Jan 2008 01:00:15 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5181 Governor Jon Huntsman addressed many issues, among them health care and education, in his state of the state address tonight. Listen to the entire speech online. Tue, 22 Jan 2008 18:48:28 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5177 First, a legislative update with KCPW's Elizabeth Ziegler. Health care advocates are watching closely as lawmakers start their work on Capitol Hill. Will health care mandates make it out of committee? Will dental and vision be restored for Medicaid patients? Midday Metro talks with Elizabeth Garbe of the Utah Health Policy Project and Sheila Walsh-McDonald of the Salt Lake Community Action Program. Plus a new report says geothermal power capacity is set to double in the west. But that momentum may be threatened if Congress doesn't act quickly to renew federal tax credits. Midday Metro talks with Karl Gawell of the Geothermal Energy Association. Join the conversation. Call 355-TALK or Email midday@kcpw.org during the show to participate. Better yet, post your question or comment on the Midday Metro blog. Mon, 21 Jan 2008 16:42:26 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5161 Earlier today KCPW's business show, The Bottomline, focused on the Utah Legislature from a small business perspective. The Vest Pocket Business Coalition is watching closely any debate about health care reform on Utah's Capitol Hill. One bill that's caught the coalition's eye is House Bill 47, which would create standards for an electronic medical records system. Mon, 21 Jan 2008 16:55:05 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5160 Spend an hour watching prime time television and you'll see evidence that soft-core porn has moved into the mainstream. Dr. Gail Dines, professor of sociology at Wheelock College in Boston, says the impact is far reaching, including a prevailing slut-culture among today's teens. Dines will be at Westminster College Wednesday evening to talk about Sex(ism), Identity, and Intimacy in a Pornographic Culture. Midday Metro gets a preview. Plus, The Bottomline will look at the Utah Legislature from a small business perspective with Mary Corporon and Dr. Lauren Florence of the Vest Pocket Business Coalition. Join the conversation. Call 355-TALK or email midday@kcpw.org during the show to participate. Better yet, post your question or comment on the Midday Metro Blog. Fri, 18 Jan 2008 15:34:19 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5150 Why maintaining bone health is important as we age with physical therapist Patty Trela of the University Orthopaedic Center's Build-A-Bone program. There were 285 fatal crashes on Utah roads last year. UDOT's Adan Carrillo talks about the driving behavior that most often leads to these deadly accidents. The data was issued yesterday in the 2007 fatal crash report. And The NAACP's Jeanetta Williams and Edward Lewis Jr. will be here, with special guest Clark Newhall. The trio wants state lawmakers to see the Michael Moore film SICKO as they prepare to debate health care reform. Newhall has reserved the Capitol Boardroom Jan. 29 for free screenings of Sicko. Thu, 17 Jan 2008 17:04:48 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5140 The Hinckley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah hosted a Legislative Preview Forum this morning. Moderated by KCPW's Lara Jones, the panel featured Senator Pat Jones (D-Salt Lake County), assistant minority whip and minority caucus manager; Senator Howard Stephenson (R-Draper); Representative James Dunnigan (R-Taylorsville); and Representative Carol Spackman Moss (D-Holladay), assistant minority whip. Click to the audio page to hear a podcast of the event. Thu, 17 Jan 2008 17:48:58 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5141 United Way of Salt Lake has its eye on four key areas this legislative session - financial stability, education, health care and building cohesive communities. President and CEO Deborah Bayle and Bill Crim, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Public Policy, talk about bringing business and community leaders together on Capitol Hill. Once every six hours, a Utah baby is born with a serious birth defect. Connecting parents with services and programs for the special health care needs of these children is the focus of a conference at the University of Utah this weekend. Midday Metro gets a preview with Marcia Feldkamp, Director of the Utah Birth Defect Network, and Dr. Harper Randall, Medical Director of the Bureau of Children with Special Health Care Needs, Utah Dept. of Health. The latest employment figures are out, and even Utah's strong economy has taken a hit. Just exactly where are we headed in 2008? Midday Metro looks into the crystal ball of economist Mark Knold of the Department of Workforce Services. Join the conversation. Email midday@kcpw.org during the show to participate. Tue, 15 Jan 2008 16:14:22 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5122 The 2008 Utah Legislature gavels to order in just 5 days. Lawmakers will consider hundreds of bills and resolutions during the 45-day session. Senate President John Valentine tells KCPW's Bryan Schott what issues he expects to take up a large chunk of time on Utah's Capitol Hill. Wed, 16 Jan 2008 07:16:21 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5126 After months of searching, the Utah Symphony & Opera has a new president and CEO. Midday Metro talks with Melia Tourangeau. She replaces Anne Ewers, who left in June to head Philadelphia's Kimmel Center. The League of Women Voters of Utah is gearing up for the 2008 legislative session. Midday Metro finds out what this grassroots group will be watching out for on Utah's Capitol Hill. Guests include Nancy Mellon, state co-president, and Ann O'Connell, legislative action director. The league will file daily reports with KCPW during the 2008 legislative session. Nowhere on our planet are the temperatures rising faster than at the North and South Poles. Current research reports that the Arctic could be free of summertime ice within the next 30 years, which would have dire consequences for polar bears and other species habituated to cold climates. Midday Metro talks with award-winning nature photojournalist Paul Nicklen who will be at Westminster tonight, 7 p.m., to give a lecture called Ends of the Earth: Leadership and Management to Stay Alive. Join the conversation. Email midday@kcpw.org during the show to participate. Mon, 14 Jan 2008 16:43:51 -0700 http://www.kcpw.org/article/5115