Sheriff's Office Tows 38 Illegally Parked Cars from S.R. 226 Near Snowbasin Resort - Updated

Sledge-hammer solutions to a fly-swatter problem? You bet!

Lets chalk this up as "rotten" law enforcement behavior, eh, Gentle Readers? Notably this "crime sweep" occurred on Christmas eve, and it's reasonable to assume that at least a few of these auto owners were deprived of their vehicles past Christmas day.

• Sheriff's office tows 38 illegally parked cars from S.R. 226 near Snowbasin Resort

Sledge-hammer solutions to a fly-swatter problem? You bet! We're still scratching our heads wondering why issuing parking tickets wouldn't have sufficed in this instance.

“The people who chose to park illegally did so for reasons of convenience rather than ‘necessity,’” police said.

The Weber County Sheriff;s office just taught these scofflaws about inconvenience, we guess. Right?

Our take? The grinch showed up in unirform on the Snow Basin road on Christmas eve,

Update 12/30/2018 3:10 pm:

• Angry Snowbasin guests say Weber County sheriffs could have ticketed not towed
• UDOT says illegal parking near Snowbasin resort must end

Everybody's got their own ax to grind, no?

At Least 4 Utah Cities May Experiment With a New Kind of Voting System

Looks like a pretty good idea to us

Via Fox News 13, we'll highlight a very interesting idea:

SALT LAKE CITY -- A deadline is approaching for cities across Utah to decide if they want to experiment with ranked choice voting.
The Utah Lt. Governor's Office tells FOX 13 that West Jordan, Vineyard, Lehi and Salem have stated an intent to try it out. The deadline for cities to opt in is Dec. 31.
Ranked choice voting is being implemented in the 2019 municipal election cycle as a pilot project passed by the Utah State Legislature. Instead of voting on candidates as "hot or not," you rank them from "first to worst."

Read up Peeps, to find out how ranked choice voting works:

• At least 4 Utah cities may experiment with a new kind of voting system

Looks like a pretty good idea to us. So what say our Gentle Readers about this?

2018 Christmas Special

Please don't allow the Grinch-in-Chief to bring you down, O Gentle Ones!

Merry Christmas, gentle readers and loved ones!

Rudi Zink

Added bonus:

• ‘I am all alone’: An isolated Trump unleashes a storm of Yuletide gloom

Please don't allow the Grinch-in-Chief to bring you down, O Gentle Ones!

Federal Shutdown Begins After Lawmakers Fail to Reach Deal

Hold on tight, gentle readers. It looks like this will be a wild ride

For the third time during the Trump administration, the U.S Government is being shut down, despite GOP ownership of the Legislative and Executive branches, demonstrating the unfitness of the Republican Party to govern. The Standard-Examiner carries four different stories this morning, which we'll reel out in no particular order:

• Federal shutdown begins after lawmakers fail to reach deal
• Open and closed: shutdown's varied impact on parks, tourists
• Access to parks in US Southwest a mixed bag during shutdown
• Partial government shutdown likely to extend past Christmas

The impact of this blunder will be significant, Gentle Readers:

The gridlock blocks money for nine of 15 Cabinet-level departments and dozens of agencies, including the departments of Homeland Security, Transportation, Interior, Agriculture, State and Justice.
The lack of funds will disrupt many government operations and the routines of 800,000 federal employees. Roughly 420,000 workers were deemed essential and will work unpaid just days before Christmas, while 380,000 will be furloughed, meaning they’ll stay home without pay.
Those being furloughed include nearly everyone at NASA and 52,000 workers at the Internal Revenue Service. About 8 in 10 employees of the National Park Service will stay home and many parks were expected to close.

Although partisan politicians are scrambling to place blame, there can be little doubt in whose lap this blunder belongs:



Hold on tight, gentle readers. It looks like this will be a wild ride.

LDS Sister Missionaries Worldwide Can Now Wear Dress Slacks

The changes will take effect immediately

Congratulations, ladies! Maybe you'll be able to get into the Celestial Kingdom all by yourself one day instead of hoping your husband gets there and calls you to his side.

• LDS sister missionaries worldwide can now wear dress slacks

The move, according to Sister Bonnie H. Cordon, is to help prevent disease. She added it will also help sisters in cold areas stay warm, and make it easier for them to ride bikes.

Ogden Gaining Momentum on a Multi-million Dollar Redevelopment Project Downtown

There are "big doins' in Ogden, folks, as our Ogden City government prepares to get back into the urban redevelopment game. Here's the lead to the December 27 Standard-Examiner story:

OGDEN — The pieces are quickly falling into place for a new city redevelopment district that could result in more than $200 million worth of new construction in a six-block section of Ogden’s downtown.
Weber County and the Ogden City School District recently approved interlocal agreements with Ogden on the city’s proposed Continental Community Reinvestment Area.
The CRA, which is located in the approximate six-block area bounded by Wall Avenue and Washington Boulevard between 25th and 27th streets, aims to use certain tax incentives to help fund a bevy of redevelopment items: vacant building removal, the development of new housing units, public infrastructure improvements and the renovation of existing buildings.

Read up, Peeps:

• Ogden gaining momentum on a multi-million dollar redevelopment project downtown

Ogden City Council Executive Director Janene Eller-Smith said the council will likely take action the the plan and budget for the project in January.

Shades of an earlier era, when former Mayor Matthew "Boss" Godfrey went hog-wild picking winners and losers? We certainly hope not.

One thing's for sure. We'll be keeping a close eye on this story as it "develops."

Commrnts,anyone?

Utah’s DABC Asked for Your Opinion on State-run Liquor Stores and They Got It

The key impediment to improvement? The Utah State Churchislature, we're gonna suppose

Well... since they politely asked...

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah’s Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control asked for your opinion on state-run liquor stores.
And you responded.
More than 2,300 surveys were returned in the first wave of the DABC’s comprehensive customer feedback survey. The agency says it heard from the majority of customers after FOX 13 first reported on the survey.
“It’s good and bad, I suppose,” DABC Commission Chairman John Nielsen said Tuesday.
On a scale of one to five, customers gave state liquor stores an average score of three.

Read up, O Gentle Readers:

• Utah’s DABC asked for your opinion on state-run liquor stores and they got it

There's more...

DABC Deputy Director Cade Meier told FOX 13 the survey results will be used to improve liquor stores.
“We’re trying to expand our network to allow more opportunities for customers to find a more pleasant shopping experience,” he said.
That pleasant shopping experience was a big issue for DABC customers. Long lines and product selection were the top complaints. One customer wrote in, urging the DABC to be more like the Apple store, and less “post-WWII eastern Europe.”
“LONG LINES AND BEING TREATED LIKE A SECOND CLASS CITIZEN by the legislature and the DABC leave me extremely dissatisfied,” wrote another person.

The key impediment to improvement? The Utah State Churchislature, we're gonna suppose.

Hatch Says He Regrets His 'I Don't Care' Comment About Trump Allegations

Read up about his corrective statement, Peeps:

There's more news about Utah's Senator Hatch, the longest serving Senator in the U.S. Senate (and part-time coffin model.) Hatch now realizes he made a major blunder when he was earlier quoted across the Internet, saying, "OK, but I don't care (about President Trump's possible criminal misconduct), all I can say is he's doing a good job as President." 

We don't know whether his dhrp-eyed handlers tipped him off, or whether he recognized his error himself, but read up about  his corrective statement, Peeps:

• Hatch says he regrets his 'I don't care' comment about Trump allegations

Yes. that's quite a bit better, wethinks.

Here are further excerpts from the above linked story:

In the statement released on Friday, the senator also said, "While I don't believe Michael Cohen is any kind of reliable voice in this process, I have expressed confidence in Bob Mueller and his investigation countless times," a reference to special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and any potential links between Trump campaign associates and Russia.
Hatch went on to say that "when we see Mueller's full report and the complete filings from the New York U.S. Attorney's office, we can determine the path forward. While I believe the President has succeeded in a number of important policy areas, that success is separate from the validity of these investigations, which I believe should be allowed to run their course."

Hatch will be retiring from the Senate at the end of the yeat, and according to news reports, will be going full-time coffin model post-retirement.

Biden Greeted With Standing Ovation in Salt Lake City

Biden is expected to make a decision about 2020 after spending time deliberating with his family over the holidays

In case you missed it, Former Vice President Joe Biden Spole at the University of Utah on Thursday, December 13 The Standard-Examiner has the story. Here's the lede:

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Former Vice President Joe Biden initially refused to run with then-presidential candidate Barack Obama a decade ago, but his family ultimately convinced him he had to support an African-American candidate with a real chance of winning, he said Thursday at the at the University of Utah.
Biden, 76, was greeted with a standing ovation as he took the stage amid speculation about whether he will launch his own 2020 campaign for president.
He did not directly address the possibility of another run in the speech that marks his final scheduled public event in 2018. Instead, he spoke about the pain of losing his son to brain cancer in 2015 and reminisced about his eight years serving with Obama.
Joining the ticket “turned out to be the best decision my family ever made for me,” he said with a smile.

Read the full story, Peeps:

• Biden greeted with standing ovation in Salt Lake City

More from the story:

Biden is expected to make a decision about 2020 after spending time deliberating with his family over the holidays, sources have told The Associated Press. University of Utah professor Mark Matheson moderated the Thursday talk and told reporters he decided not to ask him about 2020 in order to keep the talk focused on education and inspiring students. Biden did not take questions from reporters.
During the speech, Biden looked back at his eight years serving with Obama, calling it a time without “one little skinny inch of scandal.”
He joked that online memes about his close relationship with the president were all true, expect that “he made the first friendship bracelet, not me.”

Biden has maintained a packed schedule this year, campaigning for Democrats ahead of the midterm elections and taking trips to promote his new book. He has done little to refute speculation about a possible presidential run, saying last week in Montana that he’d be “the most qualified person in the country to be president.”

Utah Restaurants, Nightlife and Law Enforcement Prepare for .05 DUI Law to Take Effect

Ignore the advice of the Downtown Alliance. Just stay home.

Watch out, Gentle Readers. Utah's new .05 blood alcohol standard kicks in on Dec. 30 at midnight Here's the story lede, folks!

SALT LAKE CITY — On Dec. 30 at midnight, Utah will have the nation’s toughest anti-drunk driving law.
The blood alcohol level will be lowered from .08 to .05. Hospitality and tourism groups are trying to mitigate any negative impacts by pushing a new campaign to remind people they can keep drinking — just leave the car at home.
“Yes, we have some concern, but Utahns are smart and certainly because you go out socially doesn’t mean you can’t be smart,” said Samantha Julian, the deputy director of the Downtown Alliance.

Check out the full Fox13 story here, Peeps:

• Utah restaurants, nightlife and law enforcement prepare for .05 DUI law to take effect

Check out these handy charts, to estimate your blood/alcohol level:

• Blood Alcohol Chart For Estimation

For the technically inclined, try this online calculator:

• Blood Alcohol Level Calculator

Face it folks. If you're a small woman, or a light-weight man, you'd better not get behind the wheel, even after a single multi-liquor cocktail.

If you can't even "catch a buzz," what's the point in going out? Our suggestion? Ignore the advice of the Downtown Alliance. Just stay home. Let the Utah hospitality industry fight it out with the Utah State Legislature until the ridiculously low standard has been fixed.

Utah AG Joins Multi-state Probe Into Illegal Robocalls

More than 187 million illegal robocalls were recorded in Utah alone,

Dang Robocalls!

Encouraging news from Fox13 news. For once. Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes is actually doing something useful. Here's the lede, Peeps:

In a statement, Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes announced his participation alongside 40 other state attorneys general. The coalition is reviewing what telecom companies are doing to combat illegal robocalls.
“To be clear, we are not talking about first amendment protected robocalls like political messages or calls from bona fide charities. While some find these calls annoying, they are legal,” Reyes said in a statement “However, if the recording is a sales pitch and you have not provided authorization, the call is illegal. To trick you into answering a call, many robocalls fake the caller ID information you see on your phone. This is called spoofing and is also illegal. It is these practices and types of robocalls we are focused on stopping.”

More than 187 million illegal robocalls were recorded in Utah alone, the attorney general’s office said. Many come from overseas using spoofed numbers.

See what me mean? It's high time, we think, for Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes to do something useful, rather than wasting Utah taxpayer money on bullshit lawsuits.

Weber State, Maine Each Look to Make History in FCS Quarterfinal Matchup

Biggest game in WSU history

Big game this evening, eh, Weber State Wildcats Fans? Perhaps the biggest game in WSU history, wethink. The Standard-Examiner has the pre-game stories, of course. Read up, Peeps:

• Weber State, Maine each look to make history in FCS quarterfinal matchup
• Weber State offense peaking in playoffs after slow start to 2018 season

The game is scheduled to kick off at 6 p.m. Friday. The winner advances to the semifinals to play the winner of Saturday's quarterfinal between Eastern Washington and UC Davis. If you can't make it to Stewart Stadium, catch it on KLO Radio or ESPN2.

Go Wildcats!

Update 12/8/18:

Dang!

• Mauled: No. 7 Maine shuts down No. 2 Weber State in FCS quarterfinals
• Extra Point: Weber State and Maine slog through 59-minute 3rd quarter

Congrats to the Wildcats for an otherwise great season.

Lawsuit Claims Medical Marijuana Law Was Weakened by Unconstitutional “Domination and Interference” by Mormon Church

It's great living in a theocracy, ainnit, peeps?

Tantalizing morning story from the Salt Lake Tribune. Here's the lede, Peeps:

Medical cannabis advocates outraged by Monday’s passage of a Proposition 2 replacement law are suing the state, accusing the Utah Legislature of abridging the rights of voters in an effort to appease The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The complaint, not yet filed but released Wednesday by attorney and former Salt Lake City mayor Rocky Anderson, seeks to overturn the Utah Medical Cannabis Act, the proposal pitched as a compromise between supporters and opponents of the ballot initiative.

Read up, Gentle Readers:

• Lawsuit claims medical marijuana law was weakened by unconstitutional “domination and interference” by Mormon church

Here's a short exerpt:

In a July email to TRUCE and EAU, church lobbyist Marty Stevens threatened a “long political and legislative fight" if Prop 2 architects did not compromise with the church, and promised “a ‘5-10 million dollar’ expenditure 'fighting about this initiative, which ... [would] be raised from wealthy members of the Church," the lawsuit alleges. The email indicated “a belief that Mr. Stephens and the Church wield the power to decide ‘how and when we involve elected officials, the medical association, and other community groups,’” the lawsuit states.

It's great living in a theocracy, ainnit, peeps?

Ogden Officer Shoots, Kills Alleged Robbery Suspect in 3rd Fatal Police Shooting Since Nov. 9

Our best guess? the perp is NOT an Ogdenite

Well here we go again, people, with yet another police killing in Ogden (otherwise known as the Utah Version of Mayberry, USA). This is the third cop-killing in three weeks. Here's the Standard-Examiner story folks. Read it and weep:

•  Ogden officer shoots, kills alleged robbery suspect in 3rd fatal police shooting since Nov. 9
• Police release name of Ogden man shot, killed by officer after Tuesday car chase

(OPD Deputy Chief Eric)Young said the man killed was an 18-year-old Hispanic man, but did not release the man’s name during the Tuesday press conference, pending notification of the man’s family. “This is an unfortunate loss of a young man, and we empathize with his family that will be grieving,” Young said.

Our best guess? The perp, Mr. Cortes, could NOT possibly be an Ogdenite. Mild mannered Ogdenites don't behave like this dirtbag.

And two more  things:

1) These outta town criminals are making mincemeat of Ogden's reputation as a quiet, even bucolic, town;
2) Don't mess with Ogden City cops; otherwise they'll shoot you dead.

Comments anyone? Don't let the cat get your tongues.

Nordic Valley Ski Resort Plans Spur Skepticism, and a Little Excitement in North Ogden Meeting

Thia morning's  Standard-Examiner reports on a big meeting Monday night in North Ogden, concerning an expansion of the Nordic Valley ski area, peeps:

NORTH OGDEN — They came, they sought answers, some clamored and at least one said the proposed expansion of the Nordic Valley ski resort was a great idea.

Reps from Mountain Capital Partners, owner of Nordic Valley, sponsored a meeting Monday in North Ogden to give the public a chance to ask questions about the project proposal, which came to public light over the summer. Most on hand seemed to have questions about the ambitious project, and viewed it with a measure of skepticism.

Whatever the case, the seeming skepticism of some in the North Ogden area came through. Nordic Valley officials tout the plans — more ski runs and a gondola — as a means to bolster the local economy and expand tourism in Utah. But many have questioned whether the site is viable for skiing without depleting water reserves for snowmaking or changing the relatively quiet character of North Ogden.

Read the full Tim Vandenack story, peeps:

• Nordic Valley ski resort plans spur skepticism, and a little excitement in North Ogden meeting

Yes, it was a mixed bag, Gentle Readers:

“I guarantee you it’s a stupid, stupid, stupid plan, if it’s even a plan,” said David Della Silva. He cited the limited snowfall around the Nordic Valley location in the Eden area where the resort is located and further west over the mountain closer to North Ogden, where the expansion would occur.
Bob Werth said the development, as proposed, doesn’t fit with North Ogden. “I didn’t move here for that,” he said.

At least one man on hand, though, was on board with the plans, said he thinks many others are as well, but aren’t as passionate as the foes and skeptics. The project is “the epitome” of what Utah tourism boosters have been trying to do in the state, said Carson Jones of Pleasant View. “Being able to use the mountain like this is awesome. It’s just fantastic,” he said.

Mountain Capital Partners has scheduled another meeting from 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Snowcrest Junior High, 2755 N. Highway 162, Eden, according to Mr. Vandenack's story.

We'll keep our eyes peeled, and further report as this story develops.

Lawmakers to Meet Today to Alter Marijuana Ballot Measure

It's great living in a theocracy, ainnit, peeps?

You Vote; God Decides

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah state lawmakers will meet Monday in a special session of the Legislature to make changes to a medical marijuana law passed by voters in the midterm election.
Gov. Gary Herbert on Friday formally called the special session, which will begin at 10 a.m.
The session is part of a pre-election compromise struck by the main advocates of the ballot initiative to gain the support of the Mormon church and state lawmakers and prevent radical changes to the measure.

• Lawmakers to meet Monday to alter marijuana ballot measure

Sodden question people: Why is the Mormon Church involved in this?  Take a wild guess, peeps:

• In Utah, Separating Church From State Can Be Nearly Impossible : Religion: Mormons dominate virtually every aspect of political life here. The state has defied the church only once in the last 60 years.

Our esteemed Facebook pal  Utah Attorney Edward Flint has a few words to say about this:

The legend of the Utah Ayatollahs: The "final" third version of the replacement law was released last night, on the Friday before the Monday special session, in the middle of the Utah football game for the PAC-12 Championship. It is now over 200 pages long. After back and forth wrangling, the gods, powers that be, Connor Boyack and the rest of the secret room cabal, put nurses and PAs back in as authorized "prescribers" of medical cannabis.

Meanwhile, knee-jerks and the faithfully obedient in the Legislature are talking about taking away the affirmative defense protection for Utah patients for another two years, until Utah finally (maybe) gets around to issuing actual patient cards. And the Mormon leadership remains totally in control of most of the Legislator's thinking process and ultimate votes.

THAT is the problem. Lack of independent thinking. Disdain for sick people because that's the instruction from on high. Intentional obfuscation and willful abuse of sick people, because of the whims of a few very old, very old-fashioned, Victorian left-overs who run a church that has no problem with its members using legal medical cannabis in 32 other states, dozens of foreign nations, but not here in their dictatorship. Utah is like Iran: we have elected leaders who only have control up to the point that the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Nelson, says otherwise.

It's great living in a theocracy, ainnit, peeps?

Update 12/4/18 6:00 a.m.:

It's fait accompli, people. The Churchislature and Governer Herbert slam-dunked the replacement bill in one day flat:

• Gov. Herbert signs bill to replace medical marijuana ballot initiative

Alleged Kidnapping Suspect Shot by Police Officers in Downtown Ogden Friday Night

Keep your eyes on this space, Gentle Readers

There's seldom a dull moment in Ogden, as ALL Ogdenites know. Here's the latest distraction peeps:

• Alleged kidnapping suspect shot by police officers in downtown Ogden Friday night
• Man charged Ogden officers with a rock, police chief says after fatal shooting
• Ogden police: Man killed in confrontation had an extensive criminal background

Sadly, Ogden has gained a something of an undeserved  local reputation as an unsavory place. Of course, those of us who reside here in what we blissfully regard as the Utah version of  "Mayberry, USA" know that this is not true.

Keep your eyes on this space, Gentle Readers. We'll keep you updated as this unfortunate story develops.

Wildcats Host Southeast Missouri State in Second Round of FCS Playoffs

The game kicks off at 2 p.m.

Big Game tonight, folks, as our Weber State Wildcats face off in Stewart Stadium against the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks in today's playoff game, in the second round of the FCS Tournament, wherein the top 24 teams in the country battle it out for the title of National Champion.

Read up, folks:

• Seniors lead Weber State football into 3rd straight playoff run
• Wildcats host Southeast Missouri State in second round of FCS Playoffs
• Weber State football: Wildcats to face nation's best turnover team in SEMO

The game kicks off at 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at WeberStateTickets.com or at the stadium before the game. Those with cable subscriptions can watch the football game on WatchESPN (app or website).

Go Wildcats!

Update 12/1/18 7:00 p.m.

Great job, Wildcats!

• Weber State football buries SEMO 48-23 in FCS Playoffs second round

No. 2 seed WSU (10-2) will host No. 7 seed Maine (9-3) on Dec. 7 or 8 in the quarterfinals.