Trentleman, in his "Wasatch Rambler" column for the Ogden Standard-Examiner, expressed dismay during the 2007 session that, even with a $1.6 billion surplus, lawmakers couldn't find $20 million for construction of a badly needed veterans' nursing home in Ogden - even though the federal government said it would reimburse most of the cost.

He was willing to give the Legislature a pass after Senate President John Valentine questioned whether the feds can really be trusted. But then the Legislature passed the bill to shuffle $35 million in hotel taxes to Real Salt Lake's soccer stadium project.

So Trentleman suggested veterans come to his newspaper and sign a soccer ball to present to the Legislature. About 50 veterans signed. But before they made a presentation to a Senate caucus, they were told they could not bring the symbolic ball because that would offend the senators.

Keep it in the family: Insider politics became apparent last year when officials of the Utah College of Applied Technology used public resources to build a parade float for the Utah County Republican Party.

There was a shake-up after the scandal and the college got a new president. But the old boys' club continues.

The new college president, Richard L. White, was a member of the Richfield City Council and was re-elected to that seat in November. He resigned to assume his new assignment, but he was asked by council members if he would like to resign officially before the council approved the election canvass. That way, the losing candidate who received the most votes would become the winner, reflecting the choice of the people.

White said he would rather have the council approve the canvass first. That way council members, not the public, would choose his replacement. So the new council member is former Richfield Police Chief Mayo Jacobsen, who came in last in the election.

Just 10 years off: Those people who treated themselves to the guided tours of the recently refurbished Capitol received a beautiful and informative brochure of the building. At the bottom of the brochure is a timeline, which indicates Utah became the 45th state in 1906. Actually, it was 1896.

Hide the evidence? Visitors to the state Capitol during the legislative interim committee day Wednesday noticed flakes of gold all over the floor outside the House chamber. They were not sure whether the flakes were remnants from the gold leaf on the refurbished decorations or had fallen out of the pockets of lobbyists.

prolly@sltrib.com