This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

With apologies to The Doctor [above], some not so wibbly-wobbly cause to effect:

— Salt Lake City needs to act against sexual harassment on the job — Salt Lake Tribune Editorial (posted June 10)

"Salt Lake City government can build all the bicycle lanes, solar panels and low-income housing it wants. Its desirable and carefully cultivated reputation as a progressive oasis will be fragile indeed until top officials make it clear that sexual harassment within city departments is not only not acceptable but also grounds for serious steps taken against those who commit it. ..."

— Salt Lake City police Chief Chris Burbank out after ultimatum from Mayor Ralph Becker — Salt Lake Tribune (Posted June 11)

"Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker on Thursday announced the resignation under pressure of Police Chief Chris Burbank in connection with the mishandling of substantiated sexual-harassment complaints brought by three female officers.

"Becker said the chief last year failed to demote the deputy chief accused of harassment, contrary to the direction of the mayor's office. While he asked Burbank to appear by his side at a hastily called press conference Thursday afternoon to acknowledge mistakes in handling the case, the chief declined. ..."

— Salt Lake City chief deserved better exit — Salt Lake Tribune Editorial (Posted June 12)

"If Chris Burbank deserved to lose his job as chief of the Salt Lake City Police Department, it should have happened a year ago. If he didn't deserve to be fired, he certainly didn't deserve the shabby way he was treated as he was shown the door Thursday by Mayor Ralph Becker. ..."

So that didn't come out exactly the way we wanted.

Here's something that did:

— Logan Herald-Journal right to seek Maverik-USU deal details — Salt Lake Tribune Editorial (Posted June 8)

"Our colleagues up Logan way are rightly curious about something that the Maverik convenience store chain wants to keep secret. And it's not what happened to the "c" that should be in the company's name.

"The people who have bought the naming rights to the football stadium at Utah State University can spell their signs any way they want. It is, literally, their own business. But when those folks do a deal with a state agency, the money they spend and the privileges that money may or may not be buying is very much the public's business.

"Thus have the journalists at the Logan Herald-Journal sought, through the Utah Government Records Access and Management Act, the details of the contract that has acquired for Maverik not only the naming rights to the stadium its money will pay to remodel, but also a position to market its branded goods at the venue's concession stands. ..."

— Records Committee orders USU to release contract with Maverik — The Salt Lake Tribune (Posted June 11)

"The State Records Committee decided Thursday that Utah State University's contract with Maverik will be open to the public.

"It was no small debate.

"With testimony and deliberation that spanned nearly three hours, the committee ended up voting 6-1 to order Utah State to release the contract — which the university initially resisted, citing a confidentiality clause in the document. The contract describes the terms of Utah State's 21-year deal with Maverik that gives naming rights to their football stadium and other advertising considerations for a yet-undisclosed chunk of change. ...

" ... Herald Journal managing editor Charles McCollum struck at the potential to set a dangerous precedent for government contracts. Can a small block of text really protect a whole document from seeing the light of day? If so, he argued, others could claim confidentiality for almost any public partnership.

" 'It's really the heart and soul of financial transparency,' he said. 'If a business wants confidentiality, don't do business with the government.' …"

— A humble experience with state records committee — Kevin Opsahl |The Logan Herald-Journal

" ... the entire open records process — from filing a GRAMA request with the school to going to the State Records Committee meeting in person — was what hit home hardest for me as a journalist. I truly applied the knowledge I had learned in school to the real world, something I think everyone hopes for in their young career, no matter what the profession.

"I came to truly understand that GRAMA is a process that is open to everyone. Everyone! Heck, you could even be incarcerated and have to state your case by conference call. ..."