Happy Sumo
Yapona
Guv urges support
for 'fellow Westerner'
'Hockey moms of the world unite'
Huntsman supports Palin for V.P.
Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. brought the Republican National Convention to its feet Thursday night with chants of, "Sarah, Sarah, Sarah," as he nominated "fellow Westerner," Sarah Palin as the GOP vice presidential nominee.
"She's a hockey mom, a hunter, a hard-hitting reformer, and quite frankly, she's not afraid in a little town called Washington to kick a few fannies and raise a little hell," Huntsman said, a cold making his voice crack.
"In a world of artificiality, we are looking for originality, we are looking for authenticity, we are looking for a rebel, a renegade - we are looking for Sarah," Huntsman shouted.
A raucous crowd soon after seconded a motion to put the Alaska governor's name into nomination.
Huntsman, who was previously bumped from his speaking slot at the convention, drew cheers as he walked onto the stage and declared, "Hockey moms of the world unite."
The Utah Republican, who supported GOP presidential nominee John McCain since he launched his campaign, heaped praise on Palin, who he knows through his role as chairman of the Western Governors Association.
"My friend Sarah has shown her strength, and tenacity to stand up for what she believes in, to stand up for the taxpayers, to stand up for real energy independence, and to stand up for America," Huntsman said.
On sheep
Event coordinator Mark Petersen said the sheep at this year's Classic, which continues today and Monday, are tougher than ever.
"
They're Utah range sheep. They essentially fend for themselves against coyotes and mountain lions. . . .They will test the dog. They will turn and challenge the dog, especially when it's a first-time meeting. . . . As far as they're concerned, it's an oddly marked coyote asking them to do something.
Mark Petersen, event coordinator for competition involving sheep dogs.
"It's a condition that you live with the rest of your life," said Warren Price, a Saratoga Springs man who served two years in Iraq as a combat med?ic. He struggles with depres?sion, anxiety and anger caused by PTSD. "It's like herpes. Ev?ery now and again, there are outbreaks, and it's painful. And there are times you are clear."
DIGIT:
Energy exploration
50
The number of oil and gas rigs operating in Utah, a record for the state, according to Baker Hughes, a global oil field service company that tracks activity.
Crandall Canyon mine disaster
MSHA calls for criminal probe
Safety violations uncovered in its formal investigation of last year's Crandall Canyon mine disaster warrant a criminal probe by the U.S. Attorney for Utah, the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration said Wednesday.
An MSHA statement did not elaborate on the scope of the agency's request to U.S. attorney for Utah Brett Tolman, noting only that the criminal referral "arises out of the same facts, events and conditions that led to MSHA's issuance of civil citations and orders on July 24."
That was the day MSHA released its official investigation into the August 2007 disaster. Six coal miners were fatally buried by a catastrophic implosion of the mine's walls on Aug. 6, 2007. Ten days later, three would-be rescuers were killed and six injured by a second violent outburst.
Utahn hits 'Deal' jackpot: $1 million
Grand prize
Sandy mom is first to win $1M on 'Deal or No Deal'
After three years and 246 episodes as one of television's highest-rated prime-time game shows, no one had ever won the million-dollar grand prize on NBC's "Deal or No Deal."
Until now.
The first contestant to beat the game's astronomical odds is a stay-athome mom from Sandy.
Her name is Jessica Robinson, a 27-year-old housewife and mother of one who is expecting a second child at the end of this month. And she not only won the grand prize but also used the show to announce to her family - and the nation - that her next baby will be a boy.
Federal lawsuit
Sushi bar calls its competitor a copycat
Imitation is supposed to be the sincerest form of flattery, but a Provo sushi bar wants a style all its own.
In a federal lawsuit, The Happy Sumo alleges that competing eatery Yapona copied its decor so closely that customers think the two Utah County restaurants are part of the same chain.
Yapona adamantly disputes the copycat claim, but the American Fork restaurant is nevertheless getting a makeover. Under an order by U.S. District Judge Ted Stewart, Yapona recently began redecorating its interior at an estimated cost of $15,000.
The Happy Sumo claims it suffered an immediate 12 percent drop in sales and a continuing loss of 20 to 25 percent after Yapona opened, something that did not happen when other competitors moved in nearby.
Activists blamed
Hundreds of minks released from farm
in S. Jordan
Police are investigating a break-in at a South Jordan mink farm where hundreds of pens were opened and breeding records were destroyed.
Most of the mink were recovered.
Lindsey McMullin said ''animal rights terrorists'' hit his farm the morning of Aug. 19 and released about 600 minks.
Several died after being hit by cars or from stress after they returned to the farm, he said. Others were dehydrated and lethargic, he said.
The media office for the Animal Liberation Front posted a statement from ''a local soldier out of Utah'' saying that 300 minks had been released and breeding records destroyed.
It's almost as if the clock is ticking in Jarron Collins' head as the Jazz center walks off the court after the team's pre-game shootaround and emerges from the locker room three minutes later in sweats and flip-flops for the walk to his car.
Even if he does opt for sneakers in the middle of winter, Collins certainly won't stop to put on a pair of socks. That would slow him down too much. He wants to be in bed no later than 1 p.m. for his NBA nap, and as Collins puts it, "I don't want to be rushing."
"It's a ritual I think every professional basketball player has had since probably going back to their high school days," Collins said. "The nap is essential. Especially on game days, it's so ritualized everything we do." Indeed, the NBA nap might be the closest thing to a common denominator among the league's 400-plus players. No matter what their background or how much they play, on any given afternoon, you'll find your typical NBA player in bed asleep....
William Anthony is a psychiatry professor at Boston University as well as the author of two books on napping.
He's fond of saying things like, "It's time for nappers to lie down and be counted," and describes people not as sleepdeprived but "nap-ready."
Anthony said he wrote the books, including The Art of Napping, in part to try to reduce the prejudice against napping in the working world. The NBA might embrace the afternoon nap, but as Anthony said, "It's still a tough sell for a lot of employers."
Although napping has been proved to have a positive impact on performance, Anthony said most of the research has been done in office settings and measured things such as concentration and memory.
For the average person, napping will improve your performance, mood and health, Anthony said. Studies have shown regular nappers have a reduced rate of heart attacks and are less likely to suffer from obesity.
"Most every president has been a napper," Anthony said, "some more brazenly and outspoken about it than others" A basketball fan, Anthony was still trying to figure out just how the Jazz snapped the Celtics' 10-game winning streak on March 14. He ne?glected the obvious answer: They must have napped great as a team.
Sleep train
A sample of some Jazz players' nap routines:
Deron
WILLIAMS
Takes hour-and-a-half naps on game days
Ronnie
BREWER
Is the one non-napper, preferring to play video games or watch movies
Mehmet
OKUR
Sleeps for two hours every afternoon even if the Jazz don't have a game
Kyle
KORVER
Stays up an extra hour at night just to ensure a good nap the next day
Andrei
KIRILENKO
Pretty much sleeps around the clock whenever the Jazz are on the road
Carlos
BOOZER
Takes hour-and-a-half naps on game days
A.G. resting up, blogging about his leg surgery
Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff has returned home after extensive surgery on his leg, which was badly broken in a motorcycle wreck last year. In his blog, Shurtleff wrote Saturday that he is resting at home with a nerve block that "deadens" his lower leg until he begins taking narcotics. Doctors on Friday attached wires to Shurtleff's bone to stabilize his leg, which was broken in at least seven places nearly a year ago. Shurtleff last September was preparing for a charity motorcycle ride for the Utah Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation. He was test driving a Harley Davidson Roadmaster when the bike slid on a patch of gravel and landed on top of him.
Internet
Comcast to set limit on data download, upload
Comcast Corp. said Thursday it would set an official limit on the amount of data subscribers can download and upload each month. On Oct. 1, the cable company will update its user agreement to say that users will be allowed 250 gigabytes of traffic per month, the company announced on its Web site. Customers who go over the limit are contacted by the company and asked to curb their usage.
Draper
Council tweaks alcohol law, OKs 4 private clubs
Ten years ago, some residents petitioned to get booze sales banned at restaurants, supermarkets and convenience stores here. There was no state liquor store in Draper. And there was only one liquor-serving eatery in town - Guadalahonky's Mexican Restaurant. Councilman Bill Colbert, who opposed the "dry Draper" movement, remembers crowded council meetings where some folks told him he was going to hell. But then, voters rejected the anti-alcohol measure. Still, the city didn't allow stand-alone private clubs. That's changed - sort of.
The City Council at its Tuesday meeting unanimously approved changes to the Draper alcohol beverage?control ordinance to allow two private clubs in restaurants - with several restrictions - as well as two more clubs inside full-service hotels.
Councilman Alan Summer?hays, owner of Guadala?honky's, recused himself from the debate and vote because his daughter is applying for a li?cense to put a private club in his restaurant.
A public hearing was held Tuesday, but only one resi?dent, Mike Zahller, showed up to speak. He supported the measure.
Illegal pollution costs WVC company $3 million
The owner of a gold and sil?ver refining facility in West Valley City will be fined $3 million after pleading guilty Wednesday to a violation of the Clean Water Act. Johnson Matthey Inc. and two managers conspired to cover up illegal pollution releases into the Great Salt Lake and Jordan River, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office. Former general manager John McKelvie and former plant manager Paul Greaves admitted to making false statements and were sentenced to a $500 and $1,000 fine, respectively, plus one year probation each and community service.
Provo telecommunications
Broadweave closes deal, buys iProvo for $40.6M
Provo is officially out of the telecommunications business. Early Saturday morning, Mayor Lewis Billings and Broadweave Networks chief executive Steve Christensen signed final documents to close the $40.6 million sale of the iProvo fiber-optic network. "We're anxious to see them go and be wildly successful," Billings said.
Broadweave started operat?ing the network in July, but the final settlement was delayed as its investors reviewed the pur?chase agreement. Billings said the extra time was needed due to the complexity of the deal.
UEP trust dispute
FLDS seek $8.8M in suit
The Salt Lake Tribune The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints filed a law?suit Friday asking a Utah court to set aside a 2007 judg?ment that awarded nearly $8.8 million to a trust once over?seen by Warren S. Jeffs. The suit, filed in 3rd District Court, claims the United Effort Plan (UEP) Trust, run by court?appointed fi?duciary Bruce R. Wisan since 2005, obtained the award fraudulently. "The judgment was en?tered based upon false, incomplete, and misleading evi?dence [the] defendant presented at a hearing on March 1, 2007," the suit states.
