Even more, the guts of the ordinance were hashed out during a closed session. Council members retreated to the private huddle after attorneys refused to deliver details during a public meeting, even when asked repeatedly.
"We're not, in any way, limiting the freedom of speech," Councilwoman Jill Remington Love would say about the new rule.
But the process to create the picketing restriction was strictly off limits.
Becker snags Matheson
Fresh off a white-water rafting trip, mayoral wannabe Ralph Becker hooked a big endorsement with the nod of longtime supporter Scott Matheson Jr. and his wife, Robyn.
The endorsement from the prominent Democrat bolsters the credentials for Becker, who is lumped with three other candidates in the race's top tier.
Becker received the news after a two-day river-rafting jaunt to Westwater Canyon along the Utah-Colorado line.
But don't call it a vacation. Along with the life vests, Becker packed the boats with his campaign staff to bond and brace for the rough waters between now and the Sept. 11 primary.
'I'm on one tonight'
Salt Lake City Councilwoman Nancy Saxton recently bowed out of the mayor's chase, but her civic fires still are blazing.
This past week, Saxton uncorked a litany of complaints against Salt Lake County - and clerk Sherrie Swensen - for the mounting costs of this year's election associated with the new electronic-voting machines. Saxton called it "absolutely unconscionable" that the city may not have the necessary information ready to deliver to voters before ballot day.
"This is a mess," she said. "I'm on one tonight."
The outburst followed Saxton's refusal to endorse an off-leash designation for dogs at Parley's Historic Nature Park.
She was outnumbered 6-1.
Yoda and the green
The Salt Lake County mayor's right-hand man, Doug Willmore, relied on Jedi wisdom in opposing Hogle Zoo's seemingly soft commitment to environment-friendly construction.
It's not that zoo officials weren't planning to abide by green building standards. It's that they soft-pedaled their promise, saying they would try.
Willmore borrowed a line from the "Star Wars" saga to beef up the language. "Like Yoda said, 'Do or do not. There is no try.' "
Hogle Director Craig Dinsmore fumbled at first, saying he would "pursue" earth-friendly designs - a verb that still sounded too soft for the will-do Willmore.
But the director quickly produced a more satisfactory response that he, and fellow zoo officials, would "do all we can."
---
* Have a tip? Contact DEREK P. JENSEN at djensen@sltrib.com, 801-257-8785; CATHY MCKITRICK at cmckitrick@sltrib.com, 801-257-8778; ROSEMARY WINTERS at rwinters@sltrib.com, 257-8737; KRISTEN MOULTON at kmoulton@sltrib.com, 831-0467; JEREMIAH STETTLER at jstettler@sltrib.com, 801-257-8755.
