American sign language (ASL) is the third most used language in the United States, behind English and Spanish. It is growing rapidly in its popularity as a foreign language course in public schools and is accepted as foreign language credits in colleges and universities across the country.

The LDS Church has ASL-speaking missions and the Book of Mormon has been translated in ASL via DVDs.

But when top ASL students applied to compete in the foreign language category of the annual Sterling Scholarship program sponsored by the Deseret News and KSL-TV, they were turned away.

This has caused consternation in the ASL community and among ASL teachers at various high schools, but none of the teachers has protested for fear their students in the other categories might get punished by Sterling Scholarship judges.

Other interested parties who have inquired were told that ASL is not taught in all the schools and it is hard to find qualified judges.

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A rebel in the ranks? »While voting Tuesday, Salt Lake County Councilman Joe Hatch pulled out his picture I.D. to show the poll workers and complained to anyone who would listen that his 84-year-old mother-in-law can't vote this year because she gave up her driver's license years ago and now has no picture I.D. to prove she is legitimate voter, a requirement now under a new law.

After voting he walked outside. A poll worker chased after him and said if Hatch's mother-in-law

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would bring her Social Security card and a utility bill, she would be allowed to vote. Or, said the poll worker, perhaps if she came in, they would turn her away and then she could sue them, hopefully getting the courts to "overturn this stupid law."

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Idling buses » N.E. Garfield has observed UTA bus No. 08204 stopping at 13500 South and 1300 East about every hour and idling for about 15 minutes before taking off again.

With some cities contemplating anti-idling ordinances and Mayors Ralph Becker and Peter Corroon launching an educational campaign against engine idling, it's a wonder that UTA hasn't gotten the memo.

When Garfield called UTA to launch a complaint, he was told to leave a message on the automated customer comments line. Speaking to an actual person apparently was not following proper procedure.

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Too little, too late? »On the back of the tickets for the Utah Jazz vs. Houston Rockets game Monday was a promotion for Papa Johns Pizza.

If the ticket was presented to any Papa Johns location, the bearer would get a free order of bread sticks.

Then it said the offer expires Sept. 1, 2009.

Paul Rolly is a political columnist. Reach him at prolly@sltrib.com