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Newsroom stories from KCPW Salt Lake City's NPR Station Primary Format : News Language : English Also Listed as: City : Salt Lake City State/Province : UT Country : USA Region : NA User Tags: User Votes: RSS Feed Website People found this Podcast Searching for: View this Podcast on a Google Map. Podcast iTunes Link Text Only listing of KCPW Newsroom Podcasts Methings.com listings of KCPW Newsroom Podcasts If you like this podcast, you might also like:

Author Richard Louv Speaks at City Library's Dewey Lecture Series Author Richard Louv spoke on April 4, 2009 at the City Library as part of the Library's Dewey Lecture Series.Louv's latest book, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, has stimulated conversation about the future relationship between children and the outdoors, and sparked a movement to connect children with nature. Listen to a podcast of the event here: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close Excerpt: Environmentalist Tim DeChristopher In this excerpt from Friday's Politics Up Close, environmentalist Tim DeChristopher, who fraudulently bid during a controversial oil and gas lease auction in December, discusses what's happened since that auction. He was charged with two federal felonies last week. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Fred Wagner Speaks at the Nature of Things Lecture Series Dr. Fred Wagner, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Wildland Services at Utah State University, spoke Thursday evening at the Nature of Thing lecture. Wagner spoke about the implications of ecosystems with no reference points to the past. Some scientists predict that global warming will have such a profound impact on communities of plants and animals that entire ecosystems will be completely rearranged, creating ecosystem structures never seen before. Listen to a podcast of the even ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Environmental Activist Tim DeChristopher Tim DeChristopher has gained national recognition for fraudulently bidding in a controversial lease auction late last year, and now, he's been charged with two felonies. What does the future hold for this young activist, and would he have done anything differently? DeChristopher joins the show. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: UTA Officials Discuss Paratransit, Land Swap (KCPW News) UTA has just proposed a very significant fare hike for disabled riders who rely on special buses to transport them, and that has disabled activists angry. And environmentalists are mad about the agency's proposed land swap down in Draper to build a TRAX station as well. Spokesman Justin Jones and General Counsel Bruce Jones join us in the studio. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Dave Hansen and Tim Bridgewater So far, two men are hoping to lead the Utah Republican Party starting later this year. Dave Hansen and Tim Bridgewater are familiar faces to the GOP faithful in the state. We ask them what they'd bring to the job and how they plan on gaining more Republicans in an increasingly Democratic Salt Lake County. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Frank Gray Frank Gray is the Community and Economic Development Director for Salt Lake City. What is the outlook for building and development in the city, and what is he doing to get more people and business to move in downtown? We ask him on Politics Up Close. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website StoryCorps Creator Discusses Groundbreaking Project Since its inception in 2003, about 50,000 people have taken part in StoryCorps across the nation, sitting down with their loved ones to explore each other's lives in a recorded interview. Beginning this Thursday, KCPW listeners who make a reservation will have the chance to take part in the experience when the StoryCorps mobile recording booth arrives in Salt Lake City for a six-week stay. KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with StoryCorps creator David Isay to find out what it's all about. Story ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close Excerpt: Law Professor Scott Matheson In this excerpt from Friday's Politics Up Close, University of Utah law professor Scott Matheson discusses how President Abraham Lincoln violated the constitution during the Civil War. Listen to full podcasts of the show on the Politics Up Close page. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website New Regulation on Children's Products Has Second-Hand Stores Worried About Liability Local thrift and consignment stores are worried about the enforcement of a new regulation that prohibits the sale of children's products that contain lead or chemicals called phthalates, which are used in soft plastics. KCPW's Faroe Robinson reports. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Law Professor Scott Matheson President George W. Bush's time in office continues to be the subject of debate with regard to how well he treated the U.S. Constitution. But he's certainly not the only president who raised constitutional concerns. We're joined by former US Attorney and current University of Utah law professor Scott Matheson to talk about his new book, Presidential Constitutionalism in Perilous Times. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Salt Lake County Sheriff Jim Winder Salt Lake County continues to release record breaking numbers of inmates at the Adult Detention Center because they simply don't have the space to house them. How do we stop this problem? It's all about the money. We talk with Sheriff Jim Winder. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Rep. Brian King and Rep. Jay Seegmiller It's been a week since the legislature ended its 2009 general session. There were many familiar faces returning to Capitol Hill, but a couple new ones as well. We talk with freshmen lawmakers Representatives Brian King and Jay Seegmiller to learn about the legislative process. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Mormon Women: Portraits and Conversations On Thursday, March 19, KCPW aired a panel discussion inspired by the release of the book Mormon Women: Portraits and Conversations. Hosted by KCPW's Elizabeth Ziegler, the program featured Poet Emma Lou Thayne, jewelry-designer Angela Cummings, and veteran public health administrator Catherine Stokes in a discussion about the varied roles of Mormon women in the family, the community, and the LDS Church. Listen to a podcast of the program here: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Economists Give Insight Into the Future of Utah's Economy The Utah Foundation hosted a conference addressing the future of Utah's economy yesterday. Overall, panelists were optimistic, and gave recommendations on how the state can emerge ahead of the game. KCPW's Faroe Robinson reports. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Voting Bills Concern Salt Lake County Clerk Two controversial proposals dealing with the right to vote made it through the Utah legislature this session, though each was opposed by several lawmakers in both houses. One of them gives voters less time for in-person absentee voting at the county clerk's office, the other requires identification from all voters casting a ballot, regardless of whether it's the first time they've voted or the fiftieth. With Utah's voter turnout already poor compared to the rest of the nation, how are the ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website How Should U.S. Be Involved in Quelling Drug Violence Along Mexican Border? Skyrocketing gang violence related to drug smuggling along the U.S. -- Mexico border has led the Mexican government to deploy its army to the border town of Juarez, and now, the problem is catching the attention of the U.S. government. Last week, President Obama said he'd consider deploying the National Guard to help prevent that violence from spilling over into the United States.Jeremy Martin is Director of the Energy Program at the Institute of the Americas in California. He was in Salt ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close Excerpt: Mayor Ralph Becker on North Temple "Grand Boulevard" In this excerpt from last Friday's Politics Up Close, Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker discusses the city's plans to turn North Temple into a "Grand Boulevard," a booming business district revitalized by the TRAX line to the airport. The Utah legislature just awarded the city $20 million in state funds to re-build the North Temple viaduct. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website BBC's World Have Your Say Premieres on KCPW Today, KCPW will premiere the BBC's World Have Your Say at 11 a.m. The live program draws listeners from around the world into the conversation on the phone, on the Internet, by text message, and many other ways. It even invites listeners to take part in the producers' daily meeting, where they discuss what topics to talk about on upcoming shows. KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with World Have Your Say host Ros Atkins about what sets the program apart. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Legislative Shenanigans After the legislature adjourned last night legislators told jokes, gave gag awards to each other, and some even broke out in song.Here is Representative Brad Dee and Mike Noel summing up the session in song, thanking legislators for the memories. Here is first-year Representative Ryan Wilcox also reflecting about the session in song. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Congressman Jason Chaffetz Congressman Jason Chaffetz is a bona fide media star who's made the rounds on national TV for his willingness to go on the Colbert Report and speak his mind at every turn. We'll talk with him about the federal budget and how he's sleeping on a cot in his office at night. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker The legislature's general session just wrapped last night at midnight. Did Salt Lake City come away relatively unscathed compared to last year, when we lost six million dollars in property taxes thanks to a controversial school equalization bill? We ask the mayor about that and the proposed "Grand Boulevard" that will be made out of North Temple when the TRAX line to the airport is built. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Freshman Lawmaker Is Vocal During First Session Democratic Representative Brian King from Salt Lake City was one of the more vocal freshman lawmakers at the Utah Legislature this session. KCPW's Faroe Robinson caught up with him as the legislature was winding down last night to get his take on his first legislative session at the Capitol. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Legislative Session Ends Early The people's work is done, for now. The Utah Legislature's 2009 general session came to an early close last night. KCPW reporter Elizabeth Ziegler was at the Capitol, and filed this report: While the 2009 general session is over, legislative leaders believe a special session might be necessary this summer if state revenues continue to slide. Legislators balanced the budget this year without using the state's more than $400 million Rainy Day Fund or raising taxes, except for a vehicle regist ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Lawmakers Give Money to USTAR, Homeowners Utah lawmakers are using federal economic stimulus money to target the specific needs of the state. The House of Representatives approved legislation today to give relief to homeowners and stimulate technology jobs and innovation. KCPW's Faroe Robinson reports. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Quiet Night on Capitol Hill? The Utah Legislature has worked for the past 44 days to cut state agency budgets by more than $1 billion and debated legislation on controversial topics, including alcohol laws, legislative ethics and health care reform. But as the end draws near, a quiet has descended on the typically chaotic halls of the Capitol. KCPW's Elizabeth Ziegler reports: By law, the Utah Legislature must complete the people's work by the stroke of midnight tonight. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Constitutional Amendment Limiting Death Row Appeals Gets Shot Down in House A constitutional amendment that was intended to limit post-conviction appeals by death row inmates failed to pass in the Utah House of Representatives this morning, by not gaining the two-thirds majority required to put an amendment on the ballot. The amendment, which was supported by the Attorney General's office, would have been decided on by voters in November, 2010. KCPW's Jeff Robinson reports. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Transportation Spending Bill Approved After Wrangling from the Speaker Utah lawmakers in the House of Representatives shot down a transportation bill yesterday morning that would have funded the construction of the Mountain View Corridor and the expansion of I-15 in Utah County, but then approved it in the afternoon after some contentious negotiations. KCPW's Faroe Robinson reports. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Salt Lake City Council Hears Complaints on Senior Care Facility Expansion Last night, the Salt Lake City Council heard from concerned neighbors who don't want to see a senior care facility near 2100 South drastically expand its footprint. They also discussed the upcoming TRAX line to the airport, and how the type of track that is used for the TRAX line will affect the surrounding area. KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with District 7 Councilman Soren Simonsen for a wrap-up of last night's meeting. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Lawmakers Prohibit Expansion of Charter Schools Lawmakers passed a public education budget adjustment this morning that includes a provision to prohibit the expansion of charter schools for the 2010-2011 school year, but not before failing an amendment that would have delayed the bill's implementation. KCPW's Faroe Robinson has the details. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Stream Acess on Private Lands Will Remain Unrestricted Utah sportsmen will still be able to hunt and fish in streambeds that cross private land, after a bill that would restrict access failed in the House of Representatives this morning. KCPW's Faroe Robinson reports. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Lawmaker Says Getting Rid of Private Clubs Imminent In this excerpt from Friday's Politics Up Close, we speak with State Representative Greg Hughes, who says a compromise bill that will eliminate the private club designation is going to happen. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: State Rep. Greg Hughes Legislators are nearing a compromise on alcohol policy as the legislature draws to a close in just four days. As it stands now, one bill in the Senate would require restaurants to prepare drinks in a back room or build a ten foot wall around the bar, a different bill in the House would get rid of the private club designation and allow Utahns to simply go to a bar without paying to get in like they can in every other state. At issue is lawmakers' concern about drunken driving incidents inc ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Lincoln Nehring with the Utah Health Policy Project Last year, the Utah Legislature created a Health System Reform Task Force to meet with stakeholders and come up with policy to fix the state's broken health care system, which currently leaves about 400,000 people uninsured. Many bills came out of the effort and are moving through the Legislature. But not all of them are likely tomake it all the way through the legislative process, with the session wrapping up on midnight next Thursday. So which bills are most important to health care ad ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Missy Bird with the Planned Parenthood Action Council Abortion, as always, is a hot topic on Utah's Capitol Hill this legislative session, which wraps up next Thursday at midnight. Three Republican sponsored abortion related bills have already been approved by both the Senate and House of Representatives. Meanwhile, a Democratic sponsored bill that would allow for comprehensive sex education while continuing to emphasize abstinence, hasn't been voted on or heard in committee at all. How will all these bills affect Utah citizens? Joining K ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Author Laurel Leff Delivers Final Memory and the Media Lecture The Memory and the Media lecture series concluded Thursday at the city library as author Laurel Leff discussed her book Buried by the Times: The Holocaust and America's Most Important Newspaper.Leff was joined by Suhi Choi, assistant professor of communication at the University of Utah, and David Vergobbi, associate professor of communication at the U. Choi addressed U.S. journalists' role during the Korean War and the implications of their accounts for current collective memories of the c ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Author Explores How New York Times Covered Holocaust How did America's leading newspaper cover - or rather, not cover - the Holocaust? That topic is the subject of the book, Buried by The Times: The Holocaust and America's Most Important Newspaper, by Northeastern University journalism professor Laurel Leff. In the book, Leff explores how the New York Times buried stories about the mass murder of millions of European Jews, and what role the newspaper's Jewish publisher played in that decision. She'll be speaking tonight at 7 at the Salt La ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Becker Responds to Criticism from Salt Lake County Tension flared up between Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County this past week, when County Council Chairman Joe Hatch said Mayor Ralph Becker was behaving like a "butthead." The comment came after Salt Lake City declined to support a bill the county is pushing at the legislature to protect the borders of unincorporated townships. Yesterday, we spoke with Hatch, who expressed frustration about getting the cold shoulder fromSalt Lake City, even after lending its financial support to the city ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Council Chairman Joe Hatch Explains "Butthead" Remark Salt Lake County Council Chairman Joe Hatch regrets saying last week that Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker was behaving like a "butthead," but the fact remains that a fair amount of tension exists between the two governments. The county wants the city to support a bill that would protect the borders of unincorporated townships; instead, the city has decided to oppose it, despite the fact that the city has received the county's support numerous times in the past year. KCPW's Jeff Robinson ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close Excerpt: Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon "If people are doing things wrong, we're gonna discipline them, and if it's egregious enough, we're gonna fire them, to be honest with you." Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon discusses a review of the county's planning division in this excerpt from Friday's Politics Up Close. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Attorney Brian Barnard on Summum Ruling Salt Lake City-based attorney Brian Barnard joins Politics Up Close to discuss the Supreme Court ruling against his client, the Summum religious group, and the future of the conflict between Summum and the city of Pleasant Grove. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Congressman Jim Matheson Congressman Jim Matheson joins Politics Up Close to talk about Interior Secretary Ken Salazar's decision to scrap oil shale leasing in Utah, his vote against an omnibus appropriations bill, his opposition to reinstating the ban on assault weapons, and EnergySolutions' proposal to share revenue with the state if it allows the company to import Italian nuclear waste. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon has proven to be a popular politician, but he's got a few tough issues to deal with right now. The Salt Lake County Council has been looking at a troubling review of the county's planning division, which was conducted by the mayor's office. Democrats and Republicans have sparred on the issue, with some Republicans accusing the mayor's office of pushing an agenda. Meanwhile, a Salt Lake Tribune article this week revealed some tension between the county ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Deseret News Editor Responds to Criticism Deseret News editor Joe Cannon came under fire from his own employees this week after two staff members were reassigned. Some reporters saw the move as a demotion, resulting from their unwillingness to cooperate with the management's decision to try to appeal specifically to Mormon readers. Yesterday, we talked with city government editor Josh Loftin, who said, "we were carving out a niche as the best daily newspaper in the city, and that is being undone to become the best Mormon paper in ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Deseret News Reporters Pull Bylines in Protest If you read the Deseret News yesterday, you may have noticed something missing. A number of articles, instead of being attributed to the reporter who wrote them, simply said they were written by the "Deseret News staff." That's because several reporters pulled their bylines from their stories to protest what was seen as a demotion of two employees at the newspaper for sparring with management. KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with state government editor Josh Loftin, who organized the protest. ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close Excerpt: Charles Kuck with AILA In this excerpt from Friday's Politics Up Close, Charles Kuck, President of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, discusses the problems of temporary guest worker visas.Download full episodes of Politics Up Close here. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Todd Weiler&James Evans The GOP suffered losses in the 2008 elections, both nationally and here in Utah. The Salt Lake County Council is now controlled by Democrats with a narrow 5 to 4 margin, the Salt Lake County GOP lost a Senate seat in Cottonwood Heights with Karen Morgan's defeat of Carlene Walker, a House seat in Cottonwood Heights after Mark Walker's resignation, and Speaker of the House Greg Curtis was defeated by challenger Jay Seegmiller, who was running for the third time. And the GOP's reputation ha ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Charles Kuck with the American Immigration Lawyers Association Immigration was a major issue on the presidential campaign trail, as President Barack Obama and his former rival sparred on how to fix the nation's broken immigration system. But now the Obama Administration has taken office, and little has been heard about the issue with the giant economic stimulus and the bank bailout taking the spotlight. Meanwhile, some in the Utah legislature are calling on the federal government to allow individual states to create their own, independent guest worke ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Author Examines Media Coverage of Civil Rights Movement The civil rights era of the 1950s and 60s was covered in many different ways by the media through articles, photos, editorials and more. That coverage and how it affected the struggle for equality is explored by journalist Hank Klibanoff in his book, The Race Beat: The Press, the Civil Rights Struggle, and the Awakening of a Nation, for which he won a Pulitzer Prize. Klibanoff will be speaking at the Main City Library tonight at 7, as part of the Memory and the Media lecture series. He s ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Remnants of Ancient Fires Could Reveal Much About Prehistoric Land Use KCPW is once again partnering with the Utah Museum of Natural History this year to broadcast the museum's Nature of Things Lecture Series. The first speaker is Dr. Mitchell Power, an Assistant Professor of Geography at the University of Utah. His lecture, Challenges to Living in Prehistoric Americas: Climate Change, Fires, and the Arrival of Europeans, looks at the impact prehistoric people had on their environment. Power told KCPW's Eric Ray that one of the keys to studying those impact ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Visiting Author in SLC Discusses Ecopreneurship A writer visiting Salt Lake City this week aims to help entrepreneurs become ecopreneurs, by starting up small, green businesses in this tight economy. Scott Cooney, who has founded green start-up businesses and blogs frequently about the subject, is the author of "Build a Green Small Business: Profitable Ways to Become an EcoPreneur." He spoke with KCPW's Jeff Robinson. Cooney will be discussing and signing his new book on green businesses tonight at 6 at the Sandy Barnes and Noble, tom ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Senator Hatch and Congressman Chaffetz Address Utah Legislature Senator Orrin Hatch and Congressman Jason Chaffetz, both Republicans, addressed the Utah Senate and House of Representatives today, focusing on the economic stimulus package. Chaffetz spoke of his concern over Democrats not working with Republicans on the passage of the stimulus package. When Senator Patricia Jones asked what Chaffetz was going to do about partisanship, he explained that the most important thing is individual relationships. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close Excerpt: Mayor Ralph Becker on The Leonardo In this excerpt from Friday's Politics Up Close, Mayor Ralph Becker talks about his decision to recommend the city release a $10.2 million bond to the Leonardo. Download full podcasts on the Politics Up Close page. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Col. Peter Mansoor Colonel Peter Mansoor knows military strategy. He was the executive officer to General David Petraeus in Iraq from 2007 to 2008, and a Brigade Commander from 2003 to 2004. And while he was there, he realized what we did wrong and turned it into a book, Baghdad at Sunrise, A Brigade Commander's War in Iraq, released late last year. He was in Salt Lake City last night to speak to the Salt Lake Committee on Foreign Relations. Colonel Mansoor stopped by our studio to have a conversation about t ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker Though almost none of Utah's Congressional delegation supported it, the federal stimulus package is now a reality. Congress is expected to iron out all the kinks by President's Day. Then, more than a billion dollars will likely be on its way to Utah, and some portion of that to Salt Lake City. Meanwhile, a bill is moving in the state legislature that is likely to take away $8 million from Salt lake City Schools. Joining KCPW to discuss these issues is Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker, ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website "Salt Lake City Mayors Speak" on KCPW Five former Salt Lake City mayors joined current Mayor Ralph Becker to share their vision of the city's past, present, and future at the Salt Lake City Main Library on Thursday, February 12, 2009. Mayors Jake Garn, Ted Wilson, Palmer DePaulis, Deedee Corradini, Rocky Anderson, and Becker shared their successes, challenges,advice, and view of Salt Lake City's future.Listen to the podcast of the program here: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Salt Lake City Council Informally OKs Issuance of Leonardo Bond Yesterday, the Salt Lake City Council informally approved Mayor Ralph Becker's plan to release a $10.2 million dollar bond to the Leonardo science museum after its successful run of the BodyWorlds exhibit, which wrapped up in January. And they received a briefing on controversial renovation and expansion plans for a senior care facility. KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with Council Chairman Carlton Christensen to get the details. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Former State Lawmaker Discusses Nuclear Power Plant Proposal A former state lawmaker is working to bring a nuclear power plant to the Green River Industrial Park in Emery County. Aaron Tilton, CEO of Transition Power Development, says nuclear projects like his are a necessity for the state's future energy needs. But his proposal has run into criticism from those who believe it will use up water resources in the Green River and create nuclear waste, while selling the power to California. KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with Tilton about those concerns, ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Sen. Scott McCoy and HEAL Utah In this brief excerpt from last Friday's Politics Up Close, State Senator Scott McCoy and Vanessa Pierce, Executive Director of HEAL Utah, discuss a bill McCoy is sponsoring to increase regulation of proposed nuclear power plants. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: NPR News Analyst Juan Williams The honeymoon for President Barack Obama is over, and now he's facing a tough challenge from Congressional Republicans as he tries to pass his economic stimulus package as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, the president has run into trouble with a number of his nominees for cabinet positions, including Tom Daschle, who withdrew his nomination to be Secretary of Health and Human Services earlier this week. Where does the president go from here, and where does the Republican party go from her ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Salt Lake Chamber President Lane Beattie This week, the Utah legislature cut $365 million from the 2009 state budget. But this time around, lawmakers were able to soften the blow by shifting around another $200 million in one-time funds from state building projects and other items in order to reduce the impact on critical programs like public education and health and human services. The 2010 cuts will go even deeper, and legislators are very hesitant to touch the $400 million rainy-day fund, or issue a large amount of bonds for ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Sen. Scott McCoy and Vanessa Pierce with HEAL Utah Renewable energy is still a hot topic on Capitol Hill. Earlier this week, the Utah Senate had a discussion about a joint resolution regarding renewable resources, and ended up debating whether or not nuclear energy counts as renewable. Meanwhile, a Democratic Senator is sponsoring a bill that would allow the Public Service Commission to regulate proposed nuclear power plants. Senator Scott McCoy joins the show by phone from Capitol Hill, and Vanessa Pierce, Executive Director of renewabl ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Salt Lake City Physician Treats War Victims in Gaza Strip A plastic surgeon at University Hospital had the chance to observe the tragic results of the conflict in the Gaza Strip up close. Dr. Irfan Galaria traveled there with a group of American physicians and spent last week in the region, treating victims of the war. He spoke with KCPW's Jeff Robinson about what he did there and what he took away from the experience. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Former Congressman Advocates for Traditional Energy Development As President Barack Obama's administration determines the future of the country's energy demands, it will have to decide whether the nation should continue to expand the development of traditional energy sources like oil and natural gas as it also pushes alternative energy and renewable resources. A former Congressman hoping the president doesn't give up on traditional energy visited Utah last month. Charlie Stenholm from Texas spoke at the Alta Club about Energy Tomorrow, a campaign by t ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close Excerpt: Rev. Barry Lynn In this excerpt of last Friday's Politics Up Close, KCPW's Jeff Robinson and Rev. Barry Lynn, Executive Director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, discuss the relationship between the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the Utah state government as legislators meet in the general session on Capitol Hill. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Attorney Lawrence Buhler President Barack Obama signed his first bill into law yesterday. The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act greatly extends the time period in which employees are allowed to sue their employer's for discriminatory pay, allowing them 180 days after receiving any discriminatory paycheck to file a lawsuit. The White House champions the bill as a victory for equal pay for equal work, while congressional Republicans denounce it as simply a vehicle for frivolous lawsuits. Well, now it's the law, and a S ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Sutherland Institute on "Sacred Ground Initiative" The Common Ground Initiative launched by a group of Utah lawmakers and gay rights advocacy group Equality Utah aims to extend protection of the law to gay individuals and couples in the state when it comes to discrimination in housing and employment and in wrongful death suits. It also seeks to allow the domestic partners of state employees access to their partners' health insurance, create a statewide domestic partnership registry, and modify Utah's Constitutional Amendment 3, which state ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Rev. Barry Lynn The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints involvement in the successful battle against gay marriage in California drew national attention and protesters to temples both in California and right here in Salt Lake City. Church members donated time and millions of dollars to the campaign after a letter urging them to support Proposition 8 was read in wardhouses across the state. The church argues it was just one member of a broad coalition of religious groups that opposes gay marriage, ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Interfaith Week Starts Tomorrow in Salt Lake City Beginning tomorrow, Utahns interested in learning more about other religions will have several opportunities to do so as the seventh annual Interfaith Week kicks off, sponsored by the Salt Lake Interfaith Roundtable. KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with Maxine Hanks, chair of Interfaith Week, about the many different events it will feature in Salt Lake City. Learn more about Interfaith Week's many events online at www.utahfaiths.org. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Agenda Behind Report Criticizing Salt Lake County Planning Management? On Tuesday, the Salt Lake County Council received a detailed report about the county's troubled planning division from Mayor Peter Corroon. The report described extensive problems in planning and development, ranging from an improper relationship to managers coming in late and leaving early. The council praised the report, but one member, Republican Councilman David Wilde, had questions about whether there was an agenda behind it. KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with Wilde to get his take on ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Governor Huntsman Addresses Budget Cuts and Health Care in State of the State Speech Governor Jon Huntsman remained optimistic in his State of the State speech last night at the Utah Capitol, but tackled some of the biggest challenges the state faces, like the budget crisis and the hundreds of thousands of residents who don't have health insurance. KCPW's Faroe Robinson reports. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Review Finds Dysfunction in County Planning Division A newly released internal review of Salt Lake County's Planning and Development Services Division finds it to be dysfunctional in several areas. KCPW's Jeff Robinson reports. Problems within the planning division were initially found when employees were surveyed a year and a half ago. Public Works Director Linda Hamilton says managers in the division never took the problems identified by that survey seriously. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Democrats to Focus on Education and Ethics Reform In the Democratic Response to Governor Jon Huntsman's State of the State Address, House Minority Whip Jim Gowans says one of his party's top priorities is making sure the state's children have access to a world class education while at the same time trying to balance the budget.A podcast of the entire Democratic Response is available here: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Governor Huntsman Delivers State of the State Address Utah Governor Jon Huntsman delivered his fifth State of the State Address Tuesday night. Listen to a podcast of the address here: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Speaker Clark Cautions Lawmakers to Behave Civilly Yesterday morning, after taking the gavel from his predecessor, former Speaker of the Utah House of Representatives Greg Curtis, Speaker David Clark reflected on the history of Utah's Capitol Hill, relating it to a bitter series of ethics complaints from last summer in which harsh words were exchanged. In this excerpt, Clark tells the story of Arsenal Hill, and cautions his House colleagues to behave civilly during the upcoming session. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website New, Returning Lawmakers Give Thoughts on First Day of Session Utah's 75 state representatives and 29 senators kicked off the 45-day marathon known as the General Session of the 58th Legislature this morning on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers convened before a packed audience of advocacy groups, lobbyists, citizens, and reporters. KCPW's Jeff Robinson caught up with a few of them just before the rush and files this audio postcard, featuring both returning lawmakers and new ones. View some pictures from today's proceedings. Stay tuned to KCPW for in- ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Memory and the Media: Author Christopher Benson KCPW, the University of Utah Department of Communication, and the Salt Lake City Main Library opened a series of lectures called Memory and the Media on Friday, January 23rd.The series' first speaker was Christopher Benson, co-author of Death of Innocence: The Story of the Hate Crime that Changed America. Benson and a panel of expert guests discussed how images published 50 years ago continue to resonate in popular culture.Listen to a podcast of the program here. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close Excerpt: Mayor Ralph Becker on the Legislative Session Miss Friday's Politics Up Close? Here's a brief excerpt with Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker, who discusses his concerns about the legislative session, which begins today. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Takeaway Brings Listeners Into the Conversation Today, Public Radio International's morning show, The Takeaway, moved to a new timeslot on KCPW, giving everyone who listens from 5 to 7 a.m. the chance to listen to the program. Hosted by John Hockenberry and Adaora Udoji, the live program brings a conversational tone to morning public radio, and gives listeners a chance to be part of the conversation on a daily basis. KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with John Hockenberry about what The Takeaway has to offer KCPW listeners. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Max Burdick&Jani Iwamoto The Salt Lake County Council has now held two meetings this year. And already, there are weighty issues to deal with, such as an internal review of the county's planning department in the wake of the departure of its director and three employees being put on leave. And of course there's the economic downturn and what will likely be much lower tax revenues coming in this year. Dealing with all of this are the two new faces on the council, Republican Max Burdick and Democrat Jani Iwamoto. ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Outdoor Retailers Winter Market Boosts Economy and Showcases New Products The Outdoor Retailer Winter Market brings 17,000 people and over 800 different brands to Salt Lake every January. KCPW's Faroe Robinson attended opening day, and reports on the coolest products at the show, and how it's being affected by the economic downturn. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Author Examines Role of Media in Shocking Hate Crime The horrific murder of an African American teenager in 1955 that occurred after he supposedly whistled at a white woman remains one of the most shocking hate crimes in American history. The story of Emmett Till and his killers has been examined and re-examined over many years, recently by author Christopher Benson, who co-wrote a book telling Emmett's story with his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley. Benson will be speaking tonight at a KCPW special event called Memory and the Media. He spoke wit ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website American Cancer Society Says Cigarette Tax Boost Would Cause Thousands to Quit Smoking Smokers can no longer light up in Utah's bars and private clubs, and soon, they might be hit with a cigarette tax increase. Governor Jon Huntsman has argued that it should be raised to $3 a pack. But yesterday, we spoke with a representative from Phillip Morris, who told us that cigarette tax increases in other states have been unsuccessful and they hurt small businesses that sell cigarettes. Today, we sit down with Michael Siler, Director of Government Relations for the American Cancer ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Poll says Utahns Support Passage of Gay Rights Bills A majority of Utahns support expanding the legal rights of the gay community, according to a poll released yesterday by Equality Utah. KCPW's Faroe Robinson reports. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close Excerpt: Senator Luz Robles Didn't catch Friday's Politics Up Close with Utah Senator Luz Robles, who represents Salt Lake City's west side? Listen to this excerpt. Listen to the full podcast on the Politics Up Close page. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Bill to Protect Land in Washington County Passes in the Senate The U.S. Senate has passed a lands bill package that includes Senator Bob Bennett's Washington County Growth and Conservation Act. Stakeholders have announced their endorsement of the bill, but Bennett says some environmental groups still aren't happy. KCPW's Faroe Robinson reports. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Salt Lake City Police Chief Chris Burbank Lawmakers passed controversial immigration bill Senate Bill 81 during last year's session, which the governor signed off on after it was amended to push the implementation date back to July 1st of this year. The governor's hope is that the federal government will take action on the problems with our immigration system, thus making this bill unnecessary. But with economic problems looming, we can't be sure the federal government will take any action in the next six months. So if nothing c ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Utah Senator Luz Robles The Utah Legislature will have some incredibly tough cuts to make when it convenes on Monday, the 26th. And the governor has some fundamentally different ideas about how to cut the budget than many in the Republican leadership of the legislature. A 15 percent cut, which lawmakers have proposed, could force the state office of education to get rid of many school programs, lay off teachers, or even shorten the school year. And after already cutting some benefits to Medicaid recipients in Octo ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: State Alcohol Policy Discussion Governor Jon Huntsman has made it clear that he believes it's time to do away with private club laws in the state that require bar-goers to purchase memberships to any establishment that serves hard alcohol. He's backed by the tourism industry, many Utah drinkers and of course, many private clubs themselves. But Republicans in the Utah Legislature are not so keen on this idea. They believe that Utah's low DUI rates are linked to the state's conservative alcohol laws, and would much rathe ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Mayor Says Future of West Bountiful Power Plant Hinges on Zoning not Permitting The Utah Division of Air Quality will receive public comments about a proposed cogeneration plant in West Bountiful through the end of today, but plans for the petroleum coke fueled plant could be struck down by the city even if the department issues a permit. KCPW's Faroe Robinson reports. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Westminster College Play Deals with Struggles of Mormon Lesbian 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast: Monday, October 6 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Monday, October 6. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Dewey Lecture Series: Ann Patchett 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close Excerpt: Randy Horiuchi and Greg Curtis 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Speaker Greg Curtis 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 th ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Randy Horiuchi 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 th ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast: Thursday, October 2 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Thursday, October 2. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Advice to Vice Presidential Candidates: Keep it Short 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast: Wednesday, October 1 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Wednesday, October 1. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website AG Debate Excerpt: Candidates Discuss Abortion Legislation 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-r ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Listen to Full Attorney General Debate from Hinckley Institute of Politics 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website County Council Debate Turns to School District Split 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast: Monday, September 29 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Monday, September 29. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website "Politics Up Close" Excerpt: Steve DeBry and Jay Seegmiller 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Jay Seegmiller 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 Co ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Steve DeBry 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 i ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Too Much "Maverick"? 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 campai ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast: Thursday, September 25 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Thursday, September 25. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast: Wednesday, September 24 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Wednesday, September 24. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast: Tuesday, September 23 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Tuesday, September 23. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website How Far Will U.S. Go in Responding to Russia? 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 Georgia ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast: Monday, September 22 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Monday, September 22. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close Excerpt: Jason Chaffetz and Brian King Didn't catch Politics Up Close last Friday? Here's a wrap up of our interviews with Jason Chaffetz and Brian King. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast: Friday, September 19 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Friday, September 19. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Brian King 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 c ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Jason Chaffetz 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 ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast: Thursday, September 18 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Thursday, September 18. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast: Wednesday, September 17 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Wednesday, September 17. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Despite False Claim, Will McCain Ad Benefit His Campaign? 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? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast: Tuesday, September 16 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Tuesday, September 16. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Candidate Forum Turns to Oxbow Jail 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast: Monday, September 15 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Monday, September 15. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Excerpt from "Politics Up Close:" Bill Dew and Jean Welch Hill 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Cannon Hopes to Force Vote on Oil Shale Bill 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Jean Welch Hill 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 ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Bill Dew 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 th ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast: Friday, September 12 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Friday, September 12. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website T. Boone Pickens Brings "Pickens Plan" to SLC 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website New Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission Meets 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 ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast: Thursday, September 11 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Thursday, September 11. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast: Wednesday, September 10 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Wednesday, September 10. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Palin Earns Rave Reviews, but Will They Last? 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? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast: Tuesday, September 9 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Tuesday, September 9. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website "Massacre at Mountain Meadows" Panel Discussion 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Health Care Provider Shares Insurance Frustrations 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast: Monday, August 8 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Monday, September 8. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Excerpt From "Politics Up Close:" Dr. Joe Jarvis and Bennion Spencer 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast: Friday, September 5 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Friday, September 5. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics Up Close: Dr. Joe Jarvis 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 Associ ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Legislators Enter the Radio Biz 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 fin ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Utah Delegates Wowed by Palin 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast: Thursday, September 4 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Thursday, September 4. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Sorting Political Fact from Fiction at the Republican National Convention 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast: Wednesday, September 3 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Wednesday, September 3. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast: Tuesday, September 2 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Tuesday, September 2. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Sweeney Discusses KCPW's Public Square, Other Station Issues 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 ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Senator Hatch Weighs in On Palin as VP Nominee 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast: Friday, August 29 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Friday, August 29. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Health Insurance Industry Executive Advocates for Federal Policy Changes 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 ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast: Thursday, August 28 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Thursday, August 28. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast: Wednesday, August 27 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Wednesday, August 27. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website How Honest Have Democrats Been During National Convention? 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 whethe ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast: Tuesday, August 26 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Tuesday, August 26. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast: Monday, August 25 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Monday, August 25. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Former Military Broadcaster Does POW-MIA Work 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 Robins ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast: Friday, August 22 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Friday, August 22. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast: Thursday, August 21 A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Thursday, August 21. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Will Democrats Take Revenge on Joe Lieberman? 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 speakin ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website City Council Discusses Leonardo 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 ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast for Wednesday, August 20th A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Wednesday, August 20th. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast for Tuesday, August 19th A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Tuesday, August 19th. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website SLC Mayor Ralph Becker Discusses The Leonardo with KCPW 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 muse ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Authors Live! Podcast With Jacqueline Berger 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 firs ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast for Friday, August 15th A round-up of local news headlines for northern Utah for Friday, August 15th. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website "Unity" Name of the Game At Democratic National Convention 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 resu ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast for Thursday, August 14th A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Thursday, August 14th. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Wrap-Up of County Council Meeting with Randy Horiuchi 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 th ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast for Wednesday, August 13th A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Wednesday, August 13th. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast for Tuesday, August 12th A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Tuesday, August 12th. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast for Monday, August 11th A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Monday, August 11th. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Webcast for Friday, August 8th A round-up of local news in northern Utah for Friday, August 8th. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Will Congress Do Something About Energy? 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Entrepreneurship in Utah 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website A Look At the Utah Renewable Energy Zone Task Force 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 wit ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website DWR Stocking Plan Keeps Anglers Happy 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Presidential Campaigns Go Negative, but Which One More So? 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 th ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website A Conversation with Ralph Nader 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 ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Debuts The Takeaway 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Kevin Bongard: Cafe Owner, Rancher, and Armwrestler 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Utah Soldier Says Iraqi Political Situation is Dangerous 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 d ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Council Passes Parking and Riparian Corridor Ordinances 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- ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Founder Signs off the Air 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website State Department Helps Bring Iranian Hoops Squad to Utah 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 ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Podcast: Townhall Meeting with SLC Mayor Ralph Becker Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker reports on his first six months in office and his plans for the future. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Candidates Talk Immigration, Economy with Latino Voters 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. ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website House Majority Leader Discusses Allegations Surrounding Ethics Complaint 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 cr ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Utah Official Says Line Between Water Battles Is Blurred 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: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Iraq Wants Withdrawal Timetable: Victory for Obama? 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 ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Podcast: Stephen Trimble on Bargaining for Eden 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Constitution Party Candidate Campaigns in Utah 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 f ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Rep. Walker Resigns, No Ethics Investigation 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website County Council Members Tour Tracy Aviary and Hogle Zoo 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 cou ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Is McCain's War Record Politically Untouchable? 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website City Council Discusses Riparian Zones, Sugar House Streetcar 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 Jergense ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website No Confidence in SLC Planning Division? 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website URMCC Still Hard at Work 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 environme ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Tuesday's Republican Turnout Much Worse Than 2006 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website WALL-E In Theatres Today 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website State Will Close Up to a Thousand Buildings on Fridays 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Speaker Curtis Plays Defense in Candidate Forum 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Victory Interview with Jason Chaffetz: Can He Deliver Change? 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 b ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Voters Defy Incumbents, Republican Party Leadership 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 ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Bottomline Rewind: Downtown in Motion 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website State Treasurer's Primary Pits Chief Deputy Treasurer Against State Legislator 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Chaffetz Takes on Cannon in Primary Tomorrow: Full Interviews with Both Candidates 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 i ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Back-and-Forth in Presidential Contest Very Noisy (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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Future of Coal in a Carbon-Constrained World 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Salt Lake City Council Adopts Budget 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Future of the Deseret News 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Bottomline Rewind: Revitalizing Downtown SLC 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Kids Fishing Clubs Growing In Popularity 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: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Friday the 13th -- Myths and Origins 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 Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website How High is Dissatisfaction with Congressional Republicans? 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? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Salt Lake City Council Close to Finalizing Budget 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? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Republican House Incumbent Won't Debate Party Challenger 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Becker Focusing on Education Portion of 180-Day Plan 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 ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Acclaimed Sci-Fi Actor in Town To Teach Acting Workshop 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website How Did Clinton Lose? 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? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Salt Lake City Council Tweaking Budget 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 abo ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website City Council, Businesses and Neighbors Discuss Parking Ordinance 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website DNC To Decide If and How to Seat Florida and Michigan Delegates 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 ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Former Former White House Press Secretary Draws Rebuke from Pentagon Papers Whistleblower 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Bush's Role in McCain's Campaign? 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? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Hundreds Rally for Peace and Human Rights 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Frommer: Summer Travel Still Affordable 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: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Cottonwood Heights Mayor Sets Record Straight on Cost of Police Force 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: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Rocky to Rally Against Bush Once Again 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Bob Farrington is SLC's New Economic Development Director 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Salt Lake City Council Discusses Pioneer Park, Mayor's Budget 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Health Care Hot Topic at Legislative Candidate Forum 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Clinton's West Virginia Victory: Does it Matter? 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website City Council Discusses Payday Lenders, Mayor's Budget 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Becker Making Strides on Environmental Promises 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: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Chaffetz Nearly Ousts Incumbent Cannon 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: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Lockhart Previews State Republican Convention 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: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Becker Hard At Work to Fix Planning Division 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 progres ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Clinton Stays in Race While Obama Increases Delegate Lead 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Salt Lake City Council Chooses Airport TRAX Alignment 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Bottomline Rewind: Retire Retirement 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Holladay Police Chief to Be Transferred The pending transfer of Holladay's police chief is raising questions about whether the move is politically motivated. KCPW's Jeff Robinson explains. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Keep KCPW Local -- Independence or Bust KCPW and its listeners have until May 28 to raise the down payment on buying the station from Community Wireless of Park City. It's similar to buying a house. In this instance, the negotiated purchase price is $2.4 million. KCPW needs to make a 25% down payment, which is approximately $600,000. We're more than two-thirds the way there, but still need another $190,000 for the down payment. Come June 1, KCPW will change hands. If we’re successful in this first leg of what will be a thr ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Salt Lake County Republicans Hold Convention in Sandy 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 Horiuch ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website American Red Cross Holds Disaster Training in Utah 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: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Will Senate and House Republicans Manage to Hold Steady? 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? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Behind the Mic with Scott Brick 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website County Council Republicans Kill Adult Designee Benefit Proposal 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Noted Architect Outlines Path to Cutting Energy Consumption in Building Sector 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Bottomline Rewind: National Teach Children to Save Day (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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website High Hopes for County Council Candidates 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Documentary Billed as Environmentalist Exposé Showing in Salt Lake City 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Astrophysicist Links Temperature Change with Sun's Energy Output 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website How Much do the Remaining Primaries Matter? 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? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Huntsman Halts Talks On Land For Bear Lake Hydroelectric Project 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: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website City Council Discusses Public Market 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 ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Podcast: Terry Williams Speaks at City Library for Black History Month 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Expanding Earth Day to Every Day 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? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website UHEAA to Issue Student Loans at a Loss For the first time this year, Utah will be issuing state-backed student loans at a loss. KCPW's Jeff Robinson explains. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Podcast: Boomburbs and Downtowns 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Snipers and Bitterness in the Democratic Race 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Council Hears Airport TRAX Line Concerns 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Podcast: Polar-Palooza Lands at the City Library 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Bottomline Rewind: Boomburbs or Bust 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website A Conversation with "Green" Author Doug Fine 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 decisio ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website KCPW Wins 2 Murrows 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Presidential Candidates Try to Prove Their Worth on Capitol Hill 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Salt Lake City Council Approves Sky Bridge 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Podcast: Bart Gruzalski on Ghandi's Non-violence as a Path to Peace 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 ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Bottomline Rewind: St. George Farms Solar Power 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Utah Still Spends Least Per Pupil in Nation 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen Speaks Out Against Bear Lake Hydroelectric Project 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 pla ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Gayle McKeachnie Discusses Future of Utah's Water Resources 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Nature of Things Lecture Series Continues 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Nature of Things Lecture Series Continues 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website McCain Dishes Out Anecdotes to the Media 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Black Journalist Discusses 'The N Word' 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Salt Lake City Council Still Has Concerns About Sky Bridge 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 n ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Salt Lake City CDBG Funds Scarce 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 wha ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website U.S. Supreme Court Will Hear Utah Religious Display Case The highest court in the United States will now consider a lawsuit that started three years ago in Utah. KCPW's Jeff Robinson reports. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Democrats Try to Bury Problems While McCain Discusses Policy Issues 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Alpha-Male Out, 'Smart Power' In 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". Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Bottomline Rewind: Private Equity For, By Women 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Will Utah Follow In L.A.'s Spay and Neuter Footsteps? 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: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website SLC's New Environmental Leader Has Lofty Goals 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 ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Presidential Candidates Stay in Spotlight With No Primary This Week 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Former SLC Mayor Launches Human Rights Group Two months after leaving the Salt Lake City mayor’s office, Rocky Anderson is launching his humanitarian organization High Road for Human Rights. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website City Council Discusses City Creek, HUD Funds Last night's meeting and work session of the Salt Lake City Council gives us a better idea of the timeline for the construction of various elements of the City Creek Center. At the meeting, the council also voted to give 2.5 million dollars to a non-profit organization, and heard requests from several local groups hoping to get a piece of this year's grant money from the Department of Housing and Urban Development that the city is charged with divvying up. KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with Co ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Candidate Filing Deadline Ends 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 o ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Bottomline Rewind: Envision Utah 10 Years Later I'm Lara Jones and it's time for today's Bottomline Rewind. Today's focus was the 10-year progress of Envision Utah, a public private partnership dedicated to channeling growth along the Wasatch Front. Given the state of today's economy and the potential for recession, it is interesting to note the uncertain financial times out of which Envision Utah evolved. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website SLCPD Bloodhound Loses Fight with Cancer J.J., the Salt Lake City Police Department's first bloodhound, has lost his fight with cancer. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website City Council Discusses Community Gardens, Main Street Skyway Want to add a community garden to your neighborhood? You could get some help from the Salt Lake City government, under an ordinance passed at last night's council meeting. KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with District Three Councilman Eric Jergensen about that and other important discussions from last night's meeting and work session. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website DNR Teaches Inner City Kids About Utah's Outdoors Utah's mountains are full of recreational activities and natural wonder that some of the state's inner city kids are rarely exposed to. The state's Department of Natural Resources is trying to change that for one group of Salt Lake City fourth graders. KCPW's Eric Ray has more: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Obama-Clinton Feud Escalates With Racial Remarks It's been an interesting week for the Democrats as Barack Obama easily won Mississippi while a Clinton associate resigned after making a race-related comment, all while the two traded remarks about the possibility, or lack thereof, of being each other's running mate. Meanwhile, John McCain is no longer facing any Republican challenger on the road to the White House -- but does that mean good or bad things for him?Every week, we talk with Congressional Quarterly online editor Bob Benenson a ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website SLCC to Host Religion, Culture Symposium The first annual religion and culture symposium at Salt Lake Community College poses a bold question - does religion need science? That question will be addressed by a panel of three distinguished scholars, including Dr. Clifton Sanders, the college's dean of the division of science, mathematics and engineering. KCPW's Lara Jones spoke with Dr. Sanders about whether Western science and Western religion are mutually exclusive. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Speaker of the House Reflects on Legislative Session and Prepares for Campaign 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 ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Bottomline Rewind: Sub-prime, Immigration Reform and Utah's Tourism Industry Today on The Bottom Line: the potential impacts of the sub-prime lending crisis and a new Utah immigration law on the state's tourism industry. If the past is any indicator, people will spend their vacation dollars closer to home, says Dave Williams, Deputy Director of Marketing and Research for the Utah Office of Tourism. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Study Finds Most Internet Predators Aren't Violent When you watch television, you may get the impression that the average online predator pretends to be a teenager, then lures completely unsuspecting teens into violent sexual encounters. But a new study conducted by the University of New Hampshire's Crimes Against Children Research Center finds that's not the case. KCPW'S Jeff Robinson talked with Professor Janis Wolak about what the truth is behind the stereotype, and why its important to debunk this stereotype for the safety of vulnerable ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Mayor Ralph Becker Says Legislative Session Ended Well for Salt Lake City 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 Robin ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Democrats Still Going This Tuesday's primaries in four states, including Texas and Ohio, gave no rest to journalists, who will now still be following Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama as their battle for the Democratic nomination draws out further and further. Now, Clinton's campaign wants votes cast in Florida and Michigan to count, even though the national convention stripped the states of their delegates for moving their primaries up. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Salt Lake City Council Frustrated with Legislative Measures 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 tha ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Jane Goodall Visits Salt Lake City Famous primatologist Jane Goodall visited the Utah Museum of Fine Arts yesterday afternoon. Speaking after a group of local elementary school students who gave a presentation on saving the environment and recycling as part of the "Roots and Shoots" organization, Goodall applauded their work and criticized practices that are destructive to wildlife. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website "Bonneville" Writer Includes LDS Roots in First Produced Screenplay The motion picture "Bonneville" is the story of Arvilla Holden, who is forced to give the ashes of her late husband to her stepdaughter in order to keep her home. Arvilla's two close friends decide to join her on a road trip from Pocatello to Santa Barbara to deliver the ashes, and on that trip the three friends "come of age" for a second time. The film's writer, Daniel Davis, grew up near Pocatello. After graduating from law school and practicing in Chicago, Davis took the leap into s ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Bottomline Rewind: Performing Arts as Economic Development Today's show focused on the connection between performing arts and economic development. According to a study by Americans for the Arts, the non-profit arts and culture industry nationwide generated more than $166 billion in 2007. Bob Farrington of the Downtown Alliance says it is this very economic power his group hopes to harness and expand, especially with the possible addition of a Broadway-style theatre. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website PCMC Room Service is Nutritious and Tastes Good Getting kids to eat right, and get the nutrition they need, can be a challenge. It can be an even bigger challenge if a child is sick. But nutritionists at Primary Children's Medical Center may have found the answer. KCPW's Eric Ray visited the hospital and has more on the story: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Clinton Calls Out the Media in Tuesday's Debate Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama sparred one last time this week in Ohio before next Tuesday's primary election there, going head-to-head on health care, withdrawal from Iraq, and their campaign tactics, among other issues. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Changes in Family Law Subject of 2-Day Symposium What constitutes a family? That's the underlying question at the New Frontiers in Family Law symposium that starts today at the University of Utah. Organizer and law professor Laura Kessler says families are heavily impacted by the rule of law, which has changed significantly over the last century. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Federal Wilderness Designation for Utah Public Lands? 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Bottomline Rewind: Utah Saves Week Today's show highlighted a statewide program in which more than 5,000 Utahns have saved more than $600,000 a month. It's called Utah Saves, which is celebrating its third anniversary this year. Statewide coordinator Ann House says a program like Utah Saves is necessary in a nation of consumers. Click the audio button to hear more. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Economic Development Director Says Oil Shale Mining Needed In Uintah County Utah is said to be the Saudi Arabia of oil shale and tar sands. The problem is how to get it out of the ground. Many are calling Utah's Uintah County the most energy rich county in the Lower 48. The area holds the majority of the nation's tar sands, and it's estimated the county's shale deposits contain 2 to 3 trillion barrels of oil. While environmentalists have objected to the potential damage caused by the strip mining of tar sands and shale deposits, proponents cite the economic pot ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Tanker Contract Has Economic Impact on Utah The Department of Defense's Acquisition Board is scheduled to meet on Monday to discuss which company should receive a $40 billion contract to produce nearly 180 aerial refueling tankers for the U.S. Air Force. The options are Boeing, which would produce the tankers largely in Everett, Washington, and Northrop-Grumman, which would produce the tankers in Alabama but import parts from Airbus in France. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Obama Racks up Ten Straight Wins With his victories in Wisconsin and Hawaii this week, Senator Barack Obama has now racked up 10 straight wins against Senator Hillary Clinton in his bid to secure the Democratic presidential nomination.Every week, we talk with Congressional Quarterly about the 2008 election. This week, KCPW's Jeff Robinson spoke with Senior Political Reporter Greg Giroux about what Clinton needs to do to recover and how the Texas Democratic caucus/primary coming up on March 4th works. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Utah Losing Farms in Face of Urbanization With increasing urbanization in the West, the agrarian landscape is disappearing and Americans are losing the direct link to their food source. KCPW's Lara Jones spoke to Gary Nabhan, Director of the Center for Sustainable Environments at Northern Arizona University about ways to bridge the growing chasm between city dwellers and their country cousins. Nabhan will address the topic for The Nature of Things lecture series Thursday evening at the City Library. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Becker Hosts Breakfast for Wives of Utah Soldiers Valentine's Day has always been a day to celebrate and spend time with that special someone. However, many Utah Soldiers are away in Iraq fighting the war on terror and can't personally deliver a valentine. So, Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker stepped in and hosted a breakfast for the wives of Utah servicemen yesterday. KCPW's Eric Ray was there and filed this audio postcard. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Clinton Campaign Stalls All Week Senator Barack Obama has won every caucus and primary this past week in his bid for the Democratic nomination, while John McCain gained even more ground on the Republican side, effectively dashing any hopes Mike Huckabee has of becoming the nominee. Every week, KCPW talks with Congressional Quarterly's online editor Bob Benenson. This week, he tells KCPW's Jeff Robinson about the blunders made by Senator Hillary Clinton's campaign that led to Obama's wins, the fine line John McCain finds ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website City Council Discusses Leonardo Project The Salt Lake City Council had a long discussion about the future of the Leonardo project last night, along with the Northwest Quadrant community plan. It also voted on funding for the Jordan River parkway and took a position on what company the Air Force should award a major contract to, based on its effects on Utah's economy. Councilman Carlton Christensen talked with KCPW's Jeff Robinson about last night's meeting. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Different Energy Bills to Face Off in Legislature 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Bottomline Rewind: Fair Trade for Beginners Today's edition of The Bottomline featured Jacqueline DeCarlo, Program Adviser on Fair Trade to Catholic Relief Services. She's written a book called Fair Trade: A Beginner's Guide, which she'll discuss as a guest lecturer at Westminster College tomorrow night. DeCarlo says getting consumers to join the fair trade movement means appealing to their individual priorities. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Most Top Cops Oppose Illegal Immigration Enforcement Act If you listen to Utah lawmakers, many will tell you there is a groundswell of support for the state to enforce federal immigration laws. However, many of those charged with catching lawbreakers don't seem to want the responsibility. KCPW's Eric Ray has more: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website "Super Tuesday" Aftermath "Super Tuesday" has come and gone. For the Republicans, Senator John McCain has firmly cemented himself as the frontrunner. On the Democratic side, things are as muddled as ever with Senator Hillary Clinton and Senator Barak Obama in a virtual dead heat. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Lawmakers Tackle Teacher Salaries with Multiple Measures Increasing pay for Utah's teachers has been a hot topic on Capitol Hill over the last several years. Lawmakers took several steps yesterday that may help raise teacher salaries and interest others in entering the classroom. KCPW's Eric Ray has more: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Super Tuesday Coverage On KCPW Today is Super Tuesday. Nearly half the country heads to the polls to vote for Presidential candidates for the Republicans and Democrats. Tonight, NPR provides live coverage of the vote. Reporters and producers have fanned out across the country to cover this historic event. The network plans to provide at least 7 hours of coverage. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Lawmakers May Limit Governor's Power Earlier this year, Utah Governor Jon Huntsman signed the state into the Western Climate Initiative, a pact with several other states to develop and implement strategies to reduce greenhouse gases. The Governor's action drew the ire of some lawmakers who now want the legislature to have the final word on such moves. KCPW's Eric Ray reports: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Bottomline Rewind: Equalizing School Building Funds Today's show explored ways lawmakers can equalize school building funds across the state's 40 school districts. The issue is complicated due to the 150,000 kids expected to flood the system in the next decade and the desire for more local control that has led to school district splits. The Utah Foundation has issued a research paper on the subject, a subject which the group's president Stephen Kroes says isn't exactly new. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website One-on-One Interview with Michelle Obama About a thousand people came to the Salt Palace this morning to hear a message from Michelle Obama, wife of presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama, who's campaigning for her husband ahead of Super Tuesday. KCPW's Jeff Robinson had the chance to sit down with Michelle for a one-on-one interview to hear her thoughts on the campaign. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website What Happens Between Super Tuesday and the National Conventions? Tomorrow, on Super Tuesday, Utah voters will go to the polls to vote for their party's nominee for president, whether they're Republicans or Democrats. But although Super Tuesday will go a long way toward determining who wins the presidential nominations, nothing's final until several months from now, when both parties hold their national conventions. KCPW's Jeff Robinson talked with leaders of both parties in Utah to find out what happens between now and then. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Lawmakers Debate Illegal Immigration Act With federal legislation on immigration seemingly stuck in the mud, many states are looking to handle the situation on their own. One bill on Utah's Capitol Hill could put enforcement of federal immigration laws in the hands of the local police. KCPW's Eric Ray reports: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website A Life In Just Six Words How would you describe your life? Could you boil your entire existence down to just six words? That's the challenge from Smith Magazine. They asked readers to submit their own memoirs in just six words. The results are often profound and thought provoking. Now, the editors of Smith have collected some of those six word memoirs from the famous and not so famous into a book - Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Famous and Obscure Writers.SUBMIT YOUR OWN SIX-WORD MEMOIR AND WIN ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Corroon Opposed to Using Oxbow for Undocumented Immigrants State representatives have entered into negotiations with Salt Lake County to purchase the now vacant Oxbow Jail. It appears something other than the price tag could put an end to those negotiations. KCPW's Eric Ray has more: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website New Website Informs Residents of Crimes Have you ever wondered why the police, with sirens blazing, paid that late night visit to the neighbor around the corner? A new web service just might help you figure it out. KCPW's Eric Ray has more: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Wasatch Forum: Utah's Energy Future The Governor's Blue Ribbon task force has identified global warming as an issue in the state of Utah. How do we meet the energy needs of a growing population in an economical, healthy and environmentally sustainable way? That was the framing question at last night's Save Our Canyons Wasatch Front Forum at Westminster College. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Chelsea Clinton Campaigns for Hillary at U Presidential politics once again touched down in Utah yesterday. One candidate is using someone from a much younger generation to speak to her pears. That someone also happens to be a relative. KCPW's Eric Ray has more: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Utah Lawmakers Aim To Lower College Tuition Each year it gets more and more difficult for the state's college students to pay tuition. Some lawmakers on Utah's Capitol Hill hope to make it easier on them. KCPW's Eric Ray has more: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Bottomline Rewind: Homeless Advocate Calls for Donations Via Tax Return Today's show highlighted a painless way to make a difference in your community. Homeless advocate Pamela Atkinson is asking you to consider a minimum $2 contribution to the homeless trust fund that bears her name when you file your 2007 tax return. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Outdoor Retailer: The Cool Stuff This past week, the Salt Palace was packed wall-to-wall with an estimated 17,000 people either buying or selling outdoor gear. The Outdoor Retailer winter market drew 200 new exhibitors and vendors this year. KCPW's Jeff Robinson brings us a look at some of the cool new stuff... and a little bit of the goofy stuff, too. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Sundance Podcast - Interview with Saskia and Ezra from Current TV Current TV is almost a default setting on my cable box. When I’m working on short projects, the short “pod” programming and original content of Current TV fills in the space perfectly. Add to that my fan-boy status for Al Gore, and, I got a little over excited by the end. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Special Blogger Corespondent JM Bell Interview With Kevin Collins for MS on HD-DVD vs BLU-RAY At the Microsoft House in Park City, UT, Jason and Craig from the Sidetrack and I crashed a private party and chatted with Kevin Collins from Microsoft about the fight between HD DVD and Blu-Ray. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Special Blogger Correspondent JM Bell Interview Wirh Director Jennifer Phang - Half Life Jennifer Phang is a little intense, but, it doesn’t translate to radio. While I interviewed, Jennifer maintained eye contact. Either never blinking, or blinking only inside my blinks. It’s not important to the interview, but, man, this lady is live energy. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Burbank Just Says "No" To Enforcing Immigration Laws This legislative session, Republic Representative Glenn Donnelson of Weber County is once again sponsoring the Immigration Enforcement Act. It's a bill that's poised to be one of the most controversial of the year. KCPW's Eric Ray reports: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Nemesis: The Last Days Of The American Republic Most experts say the war in Iraq has weakened the United States' position in the global arena. However, author Chalmers Johnson says that started years ago in Afghanistan when U.S. aid to groups fighting the Soviet invasion in the 1980's ended with the Soviet withdrawal. His book Blowback presciently predicted the rise of anti-American groups like Al Qaida. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Matheson Advises Lawmakers to Address Healthcare and Mass Transit Utah Congressman Jim Matheson urged Utah lawmakers yesterday to take a leading role in healthcare reform and in the creation of more mass transit. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website House Approves Veterans' Nursing Home There are approximately 100 Utah military veterans on the waiting list to receive a bed in the veterans' nursing home in Salt Lake City. Utah's House of Representatives took a step today that may help decrease that number. KCPW's Eric Ray has more: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Special Blogger Correspondent JM Bell Interview with Director Tom Hines TOM HINES(Director) Tom has spent the past 16 years living in Los Angeles, CA. For nine of those years Tom worked for actor/writer/producer/director Garry Marshall, where he was given the opportunity to act, write and produce. After getting the script for “Chronic Town” from writer Michael Kamsky, Tom felt that it was the right time to take his first shot at directing. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Congressional Quarterly: Culling The Field The 2008 Election campaign is rumbling toward what some are calling "Tsunami Tuesday," when more than 20 states hold primaries. However, before we get there, two key contests for the Presidential candidates are on the horizon - South Carolina for Democrats on Saturday, and Florida for the Republicans on Tuesday. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Bill Makes Getting Relicensed Easier For Teachers During his State of the State Address last night (Tuesday), Utah Governor Jon Huntsman said the state was 400 teachers short of its needs this year - doubling last year's shortage. A bill being considered on Capitol Hill might help fill that shortage. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website State Of The State 2008 Listen to the 2008 State of the State Address. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Special Blogger Correspondent JM Bell - Interview with Stragers Director Guy Nattiv and Actor Liron Levo It’s a classic story with a geopolitical theme. The film Strangers, from the directorial duo of Guy Nattiv and Erez Tadmor, and starring Lubna Azabel with Liron Levo, is a masterful and powerful love story with deep religious and cultural overtones. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Special Blogger Correspondent JM Bell - Talks to the sister of the guy who made the move, The Linguists "In a handful of tiny log-cabin villages in central Siberia, a day's drive from Tomsk and more than 2,175 miles east of Moscow, the Swarthmore College professor found the Ös - a cluster of people last visited by researchers three decades earlier, who spoke a language that no academic linguist had ever recorded.... A PBS documentary crew tagged along for a show that is in production." - A Philadelphia Enquirer review of The Linguists.JM Bell talks to one of the film maker's sister. Rive ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Governor's Address Targets Health Care, Education Reform 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Democrats Respond To Governor's State of the State Address Democratic Senators followed Governor Jon Huntsman's State of the State Address with their response. In order of appearance: Minority Leader Mike Dmitrich, Minority Whip Gene Davis, Senator Pat Jones, and Senator Brent Goodfellow. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Senate Democrats Applaud Huntsman's Stance on Education Calling it "upbeat" and on-point, Senate Democrats seemed relatively pleased with last night's State of the State Address. KCPW's Eric Ray has more: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Special Blogger Correspondent JMBell - Interview With Director Natasa Prosenc I had the opportunity to interview Natasa Prosenc, director of the movie Souvenir. Her movie has been playing at festivals all over the world and she’s one of the rare success stories in independent film: someone with a deal. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Special Blogger Correspondent JMBell - Bloggers, bloggers everywhere A spare piece of audio from Saturday afternoon, I am joined by infamous bloggers Jason and Craig from The Side Track. In the middle of a Film Festival, I finally get to talk politics! I spend most of Saturday afternoon with these guys and, seriously, they’re as odd as they look. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Lawmakers Want Specifics From Gov's State of the State Speech Lawmakers opened the 2008 Legislative Session yesterday honoring Martin Luther King Jr., reading in bills, and listening to advice from leadership. Tonight, they'll be listening to Governor Jon Huntsman's State of the State Address. KCPW's Eric Ray found out what lawmakers want to hear from the Governor: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Legislators Return to Renovated Capitol Today, state legislators returned to the renovated historic state capitol building after four years of meeting in the West Administration Building during construction. KCPW's Jeff Robinson talked with legislators about how it feels to be back. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Durham Delivers State of the Judiciary During her State of the Judiciary Address today, Chief Justice Christine Durham recommended lawmakers work to reform a Justice Court system that many perceive is in the business of generating revenue for counties rather than justice for its citizens. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Bottomline Rewind: Electronic Medical Records System 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website EXCLUSIVE! Special Blogger Corespondant gets the scoop on a local radio station What do you get when you add one angry political blogger and one insanely pretty and talented radio show host? One explosive interview, that's what! In an EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW, JM Bell gets the scoop! Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Special Blogger Corespondent JM Bell - In Search of Bono I've been looking for Bono everywhere. I've bothered his PR firm, I've talked to roadies for the movie U2-3D, and I've begged for gossip. The quest to find Bono was kinder and far shorter than I thought it would be. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Special Blogger Corespondent JM Bell - Are Traditional "film" film makers trying to kill new media One of the highlights of the Sundance Film Festival, at least for me, has been spending a couple of days at the Digital Media Center on Park City's Main Street. Every year, it seems, the Digital Media Vendors have less and less space. This year, there is no Digital Media Center. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Special Blogger Coorspondant JM Bell - Murphy's Law - 2 / Jeff Bell - 0 I cut these podcasts at my home in West Jordan. When I can't get from Park City to West Jordan, things begin to get a little frustrating. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Nerds: Who They Are and Why We Need More of Them The stereotype of "the nerd" is prevalent in American culture. The smart kid is often thought of as pimply faced, wearing glasses with greasy hair, and someone who will never get a date. The word "nerd" is a pejorative in our language. A new book by child psychologist Dr. David Anderegg seeks to change the negative stereotype surrounding the nerd. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Special Blogger Correspondent JM Bell Has A Rough First Day At Sundance Sometimes, doing new things is hard and Opening Day at the Sundance Film Festival is no exception. What should have been easy was made difficult by the absence of one, small booklet of information. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Hinckley Institute of Politics Legislative Preview Forum 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Congressional Quarterly - Michigan Aftermath After Mitt Romney's win in the Michigan primary on Tuesday, the Republican field is even more muddled than it was last week. On the Democratic side, things are a little more clear - with Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama heading up the field heading into the Nevada Caucus on Saturday. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Mayor Introduces New Initiatives in State of the City Address In his state of the city address last night, Mayor Ralph Becker introduced new ideas ranging from overhauling community projects to creating a culture district similar to Broadway. KCPW News Reporter Jeff Robinson brings us a wrap-up of some of the most important points. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website 2008 Legislature Gets Underway On Monday 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. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Mayor Becker's State Of The City Address Listen to Mayor Ralph Becker's State of the City address delivered on January 15, 2008. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Voting Mischief In Michigan Today, voters go to the polls in the Michigan primary. However, only the Republican votes count toward nominating a Presidential candidate. The Democratic Party stripped Michigan of their delegates because the state moved their vote ahead of the party-mandated February 5th primary date. Because of that, the left-leaning political blog, Daily Kos, is asking Democrats in Michigan to vote in the Republican primary for Mitt Romney. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Bottomline Rewind: Get A Job Today's show focused on jobs and the fact that 90 percent of the fastest growing occupations require a post-secondary education. Tony Rizutto, a job counselor at Salt Lake Community College, says the people he works with range from high schoolers to boomers looking for retraining. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Mayor Ralph Becker Wants Airport Rail Line The idea of a rail line that would connect downtown Salt Lake City to the airport has been kicked around for years. Now, newly elected mayor Ralph Becker wants to get it done. KCPW's Jeff Robinson reports. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website "Pants Off 2K8" If you plan on riding the TRAX tomorrow morning, you might encounter something strange. If all goes according to plan, a group of people will remove their pants while riding the train. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Police Chief Pleased with Standoff Outcome Recent standoffs involving Salt Lake City's SWAT Team have ended with no fatalities, and that's just the way they like it. KCPW's Jeff Robinson reports. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Congressional Quarterly - After New Hampshire Three down, 47 to go. Tuesday's New Hampshire primary did nothing toward an ultimate resolution in the campaign for President. However, one thing is clear - Mitt Romney is running out of time to put points on the board. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Healthcare Reform Stands To Be Big Battle At Legislature The rising costs of healthcare, and the difficulty in accessing it, has become an epidemic for many Americans. Healthcare advocates have been pining for change, and in Utah, it seems lawmakers are taking notice. KCPW's Eric Ray reports: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website County Could Face Money-Crunch Due to Growth Growth continues to bring mixed blessings to Salt Lake County leaders. In his State of the County address Tuesday, Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon boasted about the county's booming economy. But with an estimated 400,000 new county residents expected over the next 20 years, he says the county's rapid growth could prove costly. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Election 2008: New Hampshire Round two in the Presidential campaign is on tap with the New Hampshire Primaries. Salt Lake Tribune Reporter Thomas Burr is in New Hampshire with the Romney campaign. He tells KCPW's Bryan Schott that the mood in the Romney camp is quietly hopeful. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website A Conversation With Ralph Becker Ralph Becker officially became Salt Lake City's 34th Mayor yesterday. He has an ambitious plan for his first 180 days in office. Becker tells KCPW's Bryan Schott he plans to get going on that plan right away. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Bottomline Rewind: Fiscal Fitness Tips for the New Year Many New Year resolutions revolve around getting fit. Today's Bottomline talked about getting one's finances fiscally fit for 2008 with Ann House, Family Finance Educator for USU's Salt Lake County Extension, and Preston Cochrane of the AAA Fair Credit Foundation. Ann says the average American's personal finance education is woefully inadequate. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Ralph Becker Sworn In as Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker is officially the Mayor of Salt Lake City. Becker took his Oath of Office earlier this afternoon and took over for the outgoing Rocky Anderson. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website From One Mayor To Another Later today (earlier today) Ralph Becker officially takes (took) over as Salt Lake City Mayor. He comes to the job after a number of years in Utah's state legislature. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website What Happens After Iowa? The first round in the 2008 Presidential race goes to Mike Huckabee and Barak Obama. They prevailed in last night's Iowa Caucuses. Next up - the Wyoming Republican primary on Saturday and then the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday.The proverbial body of the Iowa Caucus is still warm, but experts are already picking over the remains to try to glean what happens next on the road to the White House. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Capitol Workers Proud of Restoration Utah's State Capitol building will re-open for business today following a nearly decade long restoration project. The building has undergone a seismic retrofit and intense restoration in that time at a total cost of $227 million. KCPW's Eric Ray spoke to several of the people involved in the restoration and brings us this audio postcard: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Congressional Quarterly: Iowa Caucuses The talking is over, and now the actual voting takes place. Later tonight, the Iowa Caucuses will take the first steps in winnowing the field of candidates for President.As part of our 2008 election coverage, KCPW begins a series of weekly updates with the political magazine Congressional Quarterly. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Top Political Stories Of 2007 Most off year elections in Utah are ho-hum affairs. Aside from the race for Salt Lake City Mayor, there wasn't much to discuss politically in the Beehive state. But, that all changed once the Utah Legislature began business last January. Salt Lake Tribune political reporter and columnist Paul Rolly tells KCPW's Bryan Schott there was one political story that rose above all others in 2007. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Local Expert Says Assassination Of Benazir Bhutto Makes Middle East More Dangerous The assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has sent shockwaves around the world. While it's still unclear who was responsible for the attack, Bhutto's supporters are reportedly casting at least partial blame on current Prime Minister Pervez Musharraf. University of Utah Law Professor Amos Guiora, a widely recognized expert on counterterrorism and security issues in the Middle East, says the situation has the potential to escalate into a crisis in that part of the wo ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Life's A Campaign Chris Matthews, the host of the political talk show Hardball on MSNBC is known for his quick wit and confrontational interview style. But, on the printed page - Matthews has a penchant for writing books that defy convention. His books are not the usual partisan political fare. His latest book is Life's a Campaign: What Politics Has Taught Me about Friendship, Rivalry, Reputation, and Success. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Civil Liberties And Presidents It's almost cliché to say the Bush Administration is one of the worst when it comes to civil liberties. In fact, many academics say this administration has committed so many abuses of civil rights - warrantless wiretapping, holding suspected terrorists without charging them with a crime - the race is now for the second worst civil rights administration. Samuel Walker, Professor Emeritus in Criminal Justice, at the University of Nebraska at Omaha is the latest to join that fray. He is ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Senate Fields Complaints from Teachers About Promised Bonus and Raise All full-time public school teachers in Utah should have receive at least part of their $2,500 raise by now. But dozens have contacted state lawmakers complaining they have yet to see the money. KCPW's Julie Rose reports: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website CHIP Stalls in Congress After months of wrangling, Senator Orrin Hatch and other supporters of expanding the children's health insurance program - or CHIP - have decided the barriers to success are too high. As KCPW's Julie Rose reports, they've decided to stall: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Coming to America: Refugees Struggle to Resettle in Utah In this special four-part series, KCPW's Julie Rose reports on the conditions of life for refugees resettling in Utah. The series explores the financial and social struggles refugees and their children face adapting to a new life. KCPW also looks at what state officials are doing to address the problems. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Bottomline Rewind: Year in Review With the Two Jeffs Is a recession in the nation's future? If so, how will Utah weather such an economic storm? Today's Bottomline Rewind looked back at the last 12 months and ahead to 2008. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Homeless Are Home for the Holidays Holiday lights warm hearts during the holidays but do little to warm the homeless sleeping below them on Salt Lake's streets. By some estimates, there are 25-hundred people homeless along the Wasatch Front. But that number should slowly start to drop as more of Utah's chronically homeless find shelter in permanent housing being built for that very purpose. The first 100 to get housing are now celebrating their first holiday season at home in many years. KCPW's Julie Rose reports: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website SLC Could Save Community Garden A popular community garden on 4th East in downtown Salt Lake City has just two months left to raise the 250-thousand dollars it needs to control its own destiny. Wednesday, the Salt Lake City Open Space Advisory Board moved to help out. KCPW's Julie Rose reports: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Religious Dust Up In Republican Presidential Race The race for the Republican Presidential nomination has taken a nasty turn lately as questions over faith have consumed two of the frontrunners. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, also a former Baptist minister, has surged to the lead in polls powered by his support from the religious right. Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, a member of the LDS faith, has found himself defending his faith against skeptical voters. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Use Professional Sports Teams to Fund City Education? For years now, owners of professional sports franchises have held cities hostage with the promise of moving teams by demanding stadiums be built with public tax dollars. Utah has seen it with Real Salt Lake owner Dave Checketts who said he would move the Major League Soccer franchise without a new stadium. Lawmakers came to his rescue.A similar situation is now happening in Seattle, Washington. The owner of basketball's Seattle Sonics, Clay Bennett, is threatening to move the franchise t ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Budget Priorities Appear Headed for Battle on Capitol Hill Since unveiling his budget for the Utah on Monday, Governor Huntsman has met individually with nearly every editorial board in the state. He's on a public relations campaign to drum up support for his budget priorities, and as KCPW's Julie Rose reports, Huntsman has a lot of selling to do: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Education, Health Care Top Governor's Budget Priorities for 2009 Governor Jon Huntsman unveiled his $11.7 billion blueprint for the state budget yesterday. The result is a clear picture of the Governor's priorities for the coming year. KCPW's Julie Rose reports: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Bottomline Rewind: The Business of Water Planning for a city's future growth is a thirsty business. On today's Bottomline Rewind, Water 101 with Jeff Neirmeyer, director of public utilities for Salt Lake City. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Aspen Developer Defends His Plan The developer who is trying to incorporate a new resort town in Wasatch County called a press conference Friday afternoon to set the record straight. KCPW's Julie Rose reports. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Main Street Plaza Fight Lowest Point for Anderson Looking back over eight years of highs and lows as mayor of Salt Lake City, Rocky Anderson says there is much of which he is proud. In fact, he's posted a list of more than 200 accomplishments on the city's webpage. But there were dark days that made him wonder if being mayor was worth it. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Open Enrollment A Good Choice or a False Promise? This week marks the start of enrollment for parents hoping to send their students to a school outside their boundaries next year. Many school districts tout open enrollment as a form of "school choice." As many as 25-percent of students in some districts do not live within the boundaries of the school they attend. But open enrollment isn't working for everyone. KCPW's Julie Rose reports: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Rocky Bids Adieu to SLC Council Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson bid farewell to the City Council last night with a short speech calling attention to his administration's accomplishments over the last eight years. He touched on everything from environmental polices to public safety and business development. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Bottomline Rewind: United Way Young Leaders Creating Tomorrow's Philanthropic, Civic Leaders Young professionals are tomorrow's philanthropic and civic leaders. But do they think they have the time and money to get involved today? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Radio Postcard from Prague Over the Thanksgiving holiday, KCPW reporter Julie Rose traveled to Prague where Czechs had just completed their own celebration of thanks. She sent this postcard: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website "Letting Go Of God" Julia Sweeney is familiar to many from her 5 year run on Saturday Night Live. She's also familiar to public radio listeners because of her many essays on This American Life. Her latest project is a one-woman play, Letting go of God. The play is about her quest to find the right religion for her that ended with her rejecting religion altogether and becoming an atheist. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Birth Control Costs Rise on Campus Girls on university campuses across Utah and the U.S. have seen their birth control pills double in price over the last year, as a result of changes to federal reimbursement rates for drug companies. KCPW's Julie Rose reports the change is forcing some tough choices: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Ana's Story: A Journey Of Hope Jenna Bush, the daughter of President Bush, has the reputation of being a "party girl." Most notably, she was arrested trying to buy alcohol with a fake ID.In the eight years since that incident, she has become an elementary school teacher in Washington D.C. and worked on an internship with UNICEF in Latin America and the Caribbean. During those travels, she came across a young woman infected with HIV she calls "Ana." Ms. Bush has turned Ana's story into a book of the same name. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website A Conversation With Congressman Jim Matheson It's been almost a year since Democrats regained control in Congress. That sea change put Utah 2nd District Congressman Jim Matheson in the majority for the first time in his career. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Bottomline Rewind: Buy Local First Week Under Way More than 1,300 merchants have joined Local First Utah, a two-year-old organization that serves to educate the public about the importance of locally-owned, independent businesses and the impact they have on our economy. Executive Director Alison Einerson says shopping at locally-owned stores rather than bigbox chains this Christmas will keep more money in the community. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website State Democratic Chair Remembers Senator Ed Mayne Fellow lawmakers, family and friends are mourning the death of Democratic senator Ed Mayne today. Mayne passed away yesterday following a nearly year long battle with lung cancer at the age of 62. Mayne is perhaps best known for his work as president of the state's chapter of the AFL-CIO, and he was in the midst of his fourth senate term.Mayne was a longtime family friend of Wayne Holland, Chairman of the Utah Democratic Party. Holland's father and Mayne worked together in the 1960's rep ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Senator, Labor Champion Loses Battle With Cancer Senator Ed Mayne died Sunday after a nine-month battle with lung cancer. Despite his declining health, Mayne took time to talk about the importance of unions on The Bottomline's Labor Day show earlier this year. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Found Magazine Live! Davy and Peter Rothbart brought their Found Magazine live show to the Salt Lake City Public Library on October 16, 2007.Listen to the show here. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Finally Home for the Holidays Many of the 500 or so homeless youth living on the streets of Salt Lake City will spend the holidays at the shelter or camping out. But 22-year-old Katt is lucky. After spending all of her teenage years living on the street, she'll cook her first Thanksgiving dinner this week in her very own apartment: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Bagley's Utah Survival Guide Pat Bagley has made his career lampooning Utah. The political cartoonist has become a favorite of newspaper readers across the state. He also turned his pen toward the Bush Administration through his "Clueless George" series. Now, Bagley has a new book - Bagley's Utah Survival Guide. The press release boasts that the book has "more facts and near-facts per pound than anything currently available" about the state. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Neighbors Unhappy with Housing Plan for Homeless Seniors The Salt Lake County Housing Authority broke ground yesterday on a new apartment complex for chronically homeless seniors. Residents of the West Valley neighborhood where the apartments will be built are less-than-thrilled. KCPW's Julie Rose reports: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Vouchers By Another Name? Voters rejected vouchers and Governor Jon Huntsman says he'll respect that. But now he's floating an idea that some say is basically a voucher by another name. KCPW's Julie Rose reports: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Vouchers, Teacher Salaries and Smaller School Districts Education reform is one of three priorities Governor Jon Huntsman has identified for the coming year - along with health care reform and climate change policies. Huntsman spoke with KCPW's Julie Rose about his plans for Utah's public schools. But first, he responded to a question about vouchers. Since voters overwhelmingly rejected the program he supported, is he out-of-touch with what the public really wants? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website A Conversation With John O'Hurley John O'Hurley is instantly recognizable for something he did a decade ago. The actor was memorable as the pompous "J. Peterman" on Seinfeld. Since the series ended, he's gone on to Broadway and TV's Dancing With the Stars. He's also a composer, the host of TV's Family Feud and The National Dog Show, which airs Thanksgiving night. Dogs also take center stage in his two books. It's Okay to Miss the Bed on the First Jump, and his latest Before Your Dog Can Eat Your Homework, First You Have to ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Utah County Takes Title for Fastest Growth in State The population of Utah has now climbed to a record two-point-seven million people, according to the state's Population Estimates Committee. Record numbers of births and newcomers moving into the state are driving that growth. But Washington County no longer tops the list of Utah's booming regions. KCPW's Julie Rose reports: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Post-Referendum Plans for Public Ed Take Shape The sting of defeat is still fresh for Utah lawmakers who championed school vouchers. But are they ready to move on and find another answer to the challenge of funding education? KCPW's Julie Rose has this report from Capitol Hill: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Irving Berlin's I Love A Piano Irving Berlin is the quintessential American composer. He wrote over 3,000 songs in his lifetime, including God Bless America, White Christmas and There's No Business Like Show Business.This week at the Capitol Theater in downtown Salt Lake City, a musical celebrates Berlin through song and dance. Irving Berlin's I Love a Piano features more than 60 Berlin songs. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Lawmakers Want Fees to Pay for Environmental Lawsuits State and local officials are beginning to worry that costly environmental lawsuits could stall the Mountain View Corridor like they did the Legacy Parkway. KCPW's Julie Rose reports: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Bottomline Rewind: Women's Business Institute Upgrades Services A reinvigorated Women's Business Institute at Salt Lake Community College's Miller Campus in Sandy has taken on some of the programs previously managed by the Women's Business Center at the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Listening Is An Act Of Love The StoryCorps project is brilliant in its simplicity. Two people enter a recording booth and they interview each other about their lives. The stories that emerge from that booth are extraordinary...powerful, emotional and profound.Listeners to Morning Edition on KCPW know they can hear some of those interviews every Friday morning. Now, a selection of those stories has made their way to the printed page in a new book, Listening Is an Act of Love. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Climate Change Hot Potato Back in Gov's Lap A committee of environmentalists, utility companies and elected officials appointed by the Governor to address climate change in Utah has finished its work. The result is a lengthy report with few solid recommendations. KCPW's Julie Rose reports: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Science In Society - Fire, Climate, Insurance and Choice Listen to the latest Science in Society panel discussion recorded 11.08.07. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website A Tour of "Mr. Becker's Neighborhood" In January, Democratic State Lawmaker Ralph Becker will take the reins of Salt Lake City. He spent his campaign making promises and summarizing them in a series of blueprints. Today KCPW's Julie Rose looks at some of what Becker promises for his first six months in office: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website SLC Mayor-Elect Excited to Set Agenda (KCPW News) Ralph Becker is already working on a transition to the corner office at Salt Lake City Hall. Speaking yesterday on KCPW's Midday Metro, mayor-elect Becker said there is no shortage of potential advisors and staffers - the resumés are flowing in. But what he's really salivating over is the chance to set the agenda. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Yellowstone 'Supervolcano' Rising, But Eruption Not in Forecast According to a report by University of Utah scientists published today in the journal Science, the Yellowstone supervolcano has risen at a record rate since mid-2004. But will it blow anytime soon? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Inside The Numbers Of The Salt Lake City Mayor's Race On Tuesday, Salt Lake City voters overwhelmingly voted to send Democrat Ralph Becker into the Mayor's office. Republican Dave Buhler was sent home.It's easy to point to political affiliation as the reason Becker won. But, exit poll numbers from Brigham Young University's Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy show there were religious and geographic factors as well. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Election 2007: Who Won And Why? Listen to "Who Won and Why?", a live panel discussion from the Hinckley Institute of Politics. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Cops Seek State Funds for Meth Detox Cops exposed to toxic chemicals while busting meth labs are now getting treatment from a new bio-cleansing center in Utah. KCPW's Julie Rose reports: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website School Vouchers Suffer Solid Defeat School vouchers suffered defeat in every single county in the state yesterday. Sixty-two percent of Utah voters said they do not want to spend public tax dollars on private school tuition vouchers. KCPW's Julie Rose has this look at the referendum outcome, and what comes next. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Voucher Issue Draws Voters to Polls Few people usually hit the polls during off-year elections, and early voting numbers suggest that will be true today in Utah. KCPW's Julie Rose visited polling locations on Salt Lake's East bench, Westside and in the Avenues this morning to gauge voter interest: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Vote by Text Message? In the last few years, United States elections have evolved from punch card ballots to computerized systems. But electronic voting machines may be just the beginning. KCPW's Julie Rose explains: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Bottomline Rewind: Utah Restaurants Get Called Up to Big Apple Three Utah restaurants have been asked to present America's Dinner Thanksgiving Day at the James Beard House in New York City. It's like playing the Met if you're an opera singer or Carnegie Hall if you're a musician. Karen Olson, owner of downtown's Metropolitan and one of the restaurants that will be showcasing in the Big Apple, says it's a huge honor as well as an acknowledgement that upscale dining has come of age in Utah. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website American Politics Cartoonish, Clinton says If Hillary Clinton is once again going to call the White House home, her husband says the key to victory will be getting some voters to think beyond their first impressions. Speaking to a standing room only crowd on the campus of the University of Utah last night, Bill Clinton said the media often portray candidates as two-dimensional cartoons rather than people. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Stores Say "Merry Christmas" in November Worrisome sales projections for the holidays have ushered in the earliest holiday shopping season on record. KCPW's Julie Rose reports: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Settling Dust Signals Hope for Beleaguered Businesses The dust is settling on nearly a year of roadwork at the Gateway Mall. And it's not a moment too soon for businesses in the area. KCPW's Julie Rose reports: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Utahns Continue Relief Efforts in California Media coverage of the massive wildfires in California has fizzled, but relief efforts are far from over. Salt Lake American Red Cross worker David Neale is still in San Diego helping victims, as are about a dozen Utah volunteers. In his latest dispatch from Southern California, Neale explains comes next for the relief effort: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website 9/11 Commission Member Talks About Government Secrecy As co-chairman of the Iraq Study Group and vice-chair of the 9/11 Commission, former Congressman Lee Hamilton learned a lot about the Bush Administration's approach to information and national security. During a visit to Utah this week, Hamilton shared his insights and criticism with KCPW's Julie Rose: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website What the Money Says About the Voucher Fight The last 45 days have been lucrative for both sides of the voucher debate. They raised a combined six-million dollars for the fight. KCPW's Julie Rose takes a look at what the sources of that money says about the race itself: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Election 2007 Voucher Debate Listen to the KCPW/Fox 13 debate on education vouchers. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Vouchers = More Choice? Less Accountability? Scan the campaign advertisements about school vouchers and you'll find lots of claims. Yesterday KCPW analyzed the numbers behind the ads. In part two of our series, KCPW's Julie Rose looks at claims about school choice and accountability. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Vouchers a Financial Boon or Bust for Public Schools? When it comes to complicated issues like education vouchers, research shows most voters base their decision on 30-second TV and radio ads. But those ads are filled with claims and one-sided attempts to make a point. Today, in the first of a two part series, KCPW's Julie Rose looks at the financial claims in voucher ads: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Podcast: Salt Lake City Council Candidates Townhall Meeting Tonight the six candidates vying for a seat on the Salt Lake City Council made the case for their election, including Van Turner and Michael Clara of District 2; Nancy Saxton and Luke Garrott of District 4; and J.T. Martin and Roger McConkie of District 6. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Election 2007 Mayoral Debate KCPW's Election 2007 coverage continues with a debate between Dave Buhler and Ralph Becker, candidates for Salt Lake City Mayor. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Dispatch from Wildfire Relief Effort Wildfires have begun to die down in Southern California and many residents have returned to their homes. But the relief effort continues, as Salt Lake American Red Cross worker David Neale reports in his latest dispatch from San Diego: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Changing Opinions of the Iraq War For many of the hundreds who gathered in Salt Lake on Saturday from Utah and surrounding states, it was just the latest in a string of peace rallies they've attended. But there were many others who joined the crowd to rally for the very first time against the war in Iraq. KCPW's Julie Rose spoke with protesters on Saturday about how their opinions of the war have evolved. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Dispatch from the Wildfires Salt Lake Resident David Neale is one of two dozen American Red Cross volunteers and staff from Utah assisting in the California wildfire relief effort. He sends this dispatch from San Diego: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Election Interest High on U of U Campus The Hinckley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah conducted its first-ever straw poll of students this week, and the results could have a real impact on November 6th. KCPW's Julie Rose reports: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Numbers say Gay Community a Major Player in SLC Elections Gay rights groups have found remarkable success in Salt Lake City in recent years. Utah is now one of only nine states with three or more openly gay elected officials serving in their legislature. These days politicians all around the Salt Lake City are beginning to court the vote of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. What does this mean for the future of the state most-often known as one of the most conservative in the nation? KCPW's Duncan Moench investigates. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website LDS Church to Digitize National Archives Genealogy enthusiasts from the LDS Church have volunteered to help put the National Archives on the web. KCPW's Julie Rose reports: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Dispatch from San Diego: Utah Volunteer Describes Scene About two dozen volunteers from chapters of the American Red Cross in Utah are now offering shelter and assistance to wildfire victims in Southern California. Emergency Services Director David Neale joined them yesterday from the Salt Lake Chapter of the American Red Cross. He spoke with KCPW shortly after arriving in San Diego by airplane: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Henry Rollins says Artists Filling in for Weak Journalism Henry Rollins has always been angry, but now his angst has direction. The out-spoken punk rock icon is speaking tonight in Salt Lake City. KCPW's Duncan Moench talks with the ex-singer of Black Flag and current host of Independent Film Channel's "The Henry Rollins Show" about what America's youth can look forward to and whether it's appropriate for an artist to speak out on political matters. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Election Could be Confusing "One" "One" may be the loneliest number, but it has plenty of company on November's ballot. The most controversial referendum, proposition and question of the election are all labeled "one." KCPW's Julie Rose reports. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Business Community Split on Vouchers Add big business to the list of people supporting school vouchers in Utah. Well some businesses, anyway. KCPW's Julie Rose reports the Salt Lake Chamber is conspicuously absent from the debate thus far: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Bottomline Rewind: Business of Books October is National Book Month, and the Utah Humanities Council is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its annual book festival this week. So today's episode of The Bottomline delved into the business of books. Two local shops are thriving in the era of chain stores and big box retailers. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website No New Eyeglasses for Medicaid Patients Thanks to Legislative Mistake Low-income Utahns who need a new pair of glasses are out of luck this year. Lawmakers allocated money for glasses, but a mix up is keeping it in the bank. KCPW's Julie Rose reports: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Review of Documents, Interviews Paint War in Iraq as 'Fiasco' "President Bush's decision to invade Iraq in 2003 ultimately may come to be seen as one of the most profligate actions in the history of American foreign policy." That's the first sentence in Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq by Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Thomas Ricks, who will be speaking this Saturday at the Sundance Tree Room author series. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Podcast: Wasatch Front Forum on the West Desert -- Wasteland or Wilderness Westminster College and Save Our Canyons have teamed up to revive the popular Wasatch Front Forum series. The series is designed to bring together a multitude of voices surrounding controversial environmental issues facing the community.Tuesday night, the Wasatch Front Forum asked "West Desert: Wasteland or Wilderness?" A 30-minute drive from Salt Lake City, the West Desert is a place that few know intimately. What is our relationship to this space and what are its appropriate uses? Click t ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Tragedy At Mountain Meadows The Mountain Meadows Massacre, where members of a Mormon Militia killed travelers after they surrendered in Southern Utah in 1857, is still a source of controversy for the LDS Church. The incident is getting new light with the release of the movie "September Dawn," which chronicles the incident. Historian Sally Denton has chronicled the Mountain Meadows Massacre in her book American Massacre: The Tragedy at Mountain Meadows, September 1857. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Lieutenant Governor Hits Voucher Campaign Trail Governor Jon Huntsman has chosen to keep a low profile in the pro-voucher campaign, but his right-hand man is diving right in. Lieutenant Governor Gary Herbert will participate in a pro-voucher town hall meeting tomorrow night in Park City. KCPW's Julie Rose reports: Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Bottomline Rewind: The Business of Snow Snow coating the East Bench this weekend is fueling ski dreams along the Wasatch Front. Today's business show focused on the business of snow. Scott Beck of the Salt Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau says Utah ski resorts are a big selling point when it comes to winning winter convention business. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Podcast: Mark Salzman's Dewey Lecture at the City Library Mark Salzman's experiences in China were the inspiration for his first book, Iron & Silk, which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in nonfiction and received the Christopher Award. He also wrote the screenplay for, and starred in, the critically acclaimed film version of the book. Salzman's other books include a memoir, Lost in Place: Growing Up Absurd in Suburbia, and the novels The Laughing Sutra, The Soloist, and Lying Awake. His book True Notebooks is a fascinating look at his ex ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website City Neglecting West Side Issues? SLC Mayoral Candidates Differ The west side of Salt Lake City not only has fewer residents than the east, but a lower percentage tend to vote. However, that doesn't mean politicians are taking anything for granted. KCPW's Duncan Moench meets with Mayoral candidates Dave Buhler and Ralph Becker in Salt Lake's Glendale neighborhood to find out what they plan to do for neighborhoods west of Interstate I-15. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Jane Clayson Traded National TV for Motherhood A voice familiar to many Utahns has become a regular fixture on NPR's popular talk show "On Point." When Tom Ashbrook takes the day off, former KSL reporter and CBS Early Show anchor Jane Clayson fills his seat. KCPW's Julie Rose spoke with Clayson about her decision to become a full-time mother at the pinnacle of her career in network television: Listen |