There's so much happening on our local "red meat" political news front, we hardly know where to start
As luck has it, our "usual" Northern Utah news sources are over-brimming with red meat political news this morning. There's so much happening on our local news front, we hardly know where to start. Here's our short list however, which we'll throw out in no particular logical order:
1) Matthew Stewart Pretrial Motions. There's more news this morning concerning the Matthew Stewart death penalty case, as the Salt Lake Tribune reports that "2nd District Judge Noel Hyde on Tuesday denied a previous motion from defense attorney Randy Richards declaring the death penalty was unconstitutional," additionally holding that "the Utah Supreme Court has repeatedly held that the death penalty was constitutional." This ruling does not however dispose of a second pending defense team motion in which, according to the SL-Trib, counsel assert that the Court should "toss evidence related to marijuana cultivation" because Weber-Morgan Narcotics Strike Force agent Vanderwarf allegedly 1) asked for the search warrant based on "stale information," and that this officer 2) "lied" in his foundational search warrant affidavit, under circumstances which Richards characterizes as a "blatant fabrication":
Oh my! Is it concivable that an Ogden City police officer might actually lie in a search warrant affidavit? "Say it ain't so, Joe!"
2) Governor Herbert - Snake Valley Pipeline Agreement. Both the Standard and the Tribune gleefully report that "Utah Gov. Gary Herbert has rejected an agreement with Nevada that would allow Las Vegas to pump massive amounts of groundwater from the states' shared border," in an apparent effort to spare Utah's Snake Valley residents, (and "downwind" Wasatch Front residents ) from the potentially devastating effects of a Nevada water-grab which might mimic the disastrous environmental results which happened decades ago in California's once agriculturally-productive Owens Valley following a similar Los Angeles, CA water grab:
We're scratching our heads wondering what's happened to Governor Herbert lately. With last week's veto of HB76, and Wednesday's rejection of the proposed Snake Valley intra-state groundwater pact, Herbert's suddenly become a "Man of the People," one of those rare birds in Utah politics who don't necessarily serve as obediant lapdogs to economic development interests, but actually listen to to their lumpen constituents. Seems that "Governor Gary" is transforming himself from a political zero to a gubernatorial hero, right before our very eyes.
3) FBI investigates West Valley City Police. "The FBI has agreed to investigate allegations of corruption within the West Valley City police department's disbanded drug unit amid reports of a cover-up involving the officer-involved shooting death of an unarmed woman," the Standard reports this morning:
Sodden question: Now that the FBI is poking around in WVPD's affairs, would it be good idea for these federal law enforcement authorities to take the short drive north to Ogden City, to take a quick peek under the Ogden Police Department "hood"? We know that there are at least a few folks round town who might think so; but even more importantly, howbout you?
4) Ogden Hinkley Tower Closure Lawsuit. Looks like it'll be a full employment economy for Northern Utah lawyers, as the Standard-Examiner breathlessly reports that "The Ogden-Hinckley Airport is joining a lawsuit to try to stop the federal government from shutting down 149 air traffic control towers across the nation in an effort to cut spending":
Will Ogden-Hinkley airport officials, along with a whole potload of other hopeful plaintiffs succeed in compelling the Federal Aviation Administration to spend monies that have been denied by the U.S Congress? Will a U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C. have the audacity to rule that "public safety" trumps the our federal Congresscritters' tightfisted, and ideologically-driven "push toward U.S. fiscal austerity"? Will Congressman Rob Bishop, and the rest of the Utah federal legislative delegation continue to embrace massive across-the-board, meat cleaver-style spending cuts, except of course when negative consequences are felt in their own backyard?
5) Women's Legislative Council Event. In connection with the above story, we'll also take the opportunity to alert you all of a Weber County Women's Legislative Council (WCWLC) special event, which is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 9. The featured speaker will be Utah Speaker of the House Brad Dee. This might be a grand time to ask Rep. Dee what (if anything) the State Legislature has in mind concerning possible assistance which the legislature might have planned for the Ogden Hinkley sequestration problem, wethinks, in the event that the FAA lawsuit plaintiffs fail to succeed with their lawsuit, inasmuch as the meeting agenda calls for "discussion of sequestration is affecting Utah," and further provides for "questions from the audience." Check out our link below for the full "skinny," including time, date and location coordinates:
We've eagerly followed on WCF similar WCWLC events in the past, which graciously hosted events are always open to the general public. So we encourage all Ogden-Hinkley Airport boosters to put this event on their calenders and plan to be in attendance.
That's it for now folks. So who wants to throw in their own 2¢?
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