The natural spring that runs through the central Utah town of Spring City has been a community treasure for about 150 years, providing sustenance to the Native Americans before the Mormons settled the area. In the days of the Old West, the town folks funneled the spring water into long troughs on Main Street for the horses.
Residents have toted their jugs to the natural spring for its sweet water ever since, and years ago a monument was built at the spring to commemorate its historic significance and importance to the town.
Apparently, however, some believe that makes it communist water, or at least universal thirst-quenching.
In Utah, no less.
The city of fewer than 1,000 people has been torn asunder since resident Joan Durfey filed a claim with the State Division of Water Rights a few months ago for 100 percent of the 9,000 gallons-per-day flow of the spring.
Durfey asserted that no one, not even the city, has ever filed a claim for the water rights. Her claim is based on the fact that the previous owner of a home she purchased had built a pipe into the home from the spring. She also said at a city council meeting that she did not intend to use all that water nor keep it from its traditional public use.
But the residents aren't so sure, because she has filed a claim for the rights to all the water. Spring City has protested that claim with the state, which likely will hold hearings on the dispute.
You got the wrong Bishop » Two Bishops in the U.S. House of Representatives may be company, but three are definitely a cause for confusion.
Utah Rep. Rob Bishop is listed as a co-sponsor of HR265, which, to the likely surprise of his conservative Utah constituency, aims at making it easier for crack cocaine users to escape long prison sentences.
But you can relax, residents of Utah's 1st Congressional District. It is a case of mistaken identity.
The resolution's sponsor, Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee, D-Texas, meant to list fellow Democrat Sanford Bishop of Georgia as a co-sponsor. But she attached Rob Bishop's name instead. Rep. Tim Bishop, D-N.Y., escaped the mix-up.
The Utah congressman has been trying to get his name off the resolution. But it's not that easy. The sponsor must initiate the removal of a co-sponsor. And that hasn't happened yet .
Forget-Me-Nots? » The well-known slogan of Zions Bank is "We haven't forgotten who keeps us in business." So now attorneys for the bank are all a-twitter over a radio ad by America First Credit Union that says, among other things, "there are certain things we will never forget. ..." "We will never forget that our heritage is just as important as our future. ..." We won't forget that we can be leaders in technology. ..." and "We'll never forget that we are different from other financial institutions."
The Zions Bank attorneys are now insisting the credit union "cease and desist" using that ad which, by the way, has been running off and on for two years.
The irony is that since Zions Bank took $1.4 billion in TARP money, the credit union members, like the rest of us, have kept Zions in business.
