This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Lee's budget tactics backfire. Lyon leaves Dem post. The Last Leg.

Happy Monday. The winners from the congressional budget fight that ended last weekend include kids who like salty school lunches and farmers with gassy cows, not to mention Wall Street. [http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/15/us/politics/in-final-spending-bill-salty-food-and-belching-cows-are-winners.html?hpw&rref=us&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=well-region&region=bottom-well&WT.nav=bottom-well&_r=0" target="_blank">NYTimes]

Topping the news: After a rough year for Utah Democrats, the party's executive director Matt Lyon is leaving his post. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/1941971-155/after-four-years-utah-democratic-director" target="_blank">Trib]

-> Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, held up a budget vote to fight the president's immigration policy, but they didn't get what they wanted and their move allowed the Democrats to confirm some of the president's nominees. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/1944322-155/in-budget-fight-utahs-mike-lee" target="_blank">Trib]

-> An Iraq war veteran from Utah makes the choice to have his leg amputated nearly 1o years after he was wounded by an improvised explosive device. This story follows his journey and explores the costs of the nation's wars. It's an eight-part series called "The Last Leg" and it's a fantastic read. Check out  chapter one [http://local.sltrib.com/charts/bryantjacobs/chapterone.html" target="_blank">Trib] and chapter two [http://local.sltrib.com/charts/bryantjacobs/chaptertwo.html" target="_blank">Trib]

Tweet of the day: From @https://twitter.com/maggiepolitico" target="_blank">maggiepolitico: "This cycle, starring in the role of someone who wasn't expected to run and who is not waiting to see what Clinton does, is Jeb Bush"

Tune in: Sundance Film Festival senior programmer John Nein and Tribune movie critic Sean P. Means join Jennifer Napier-Pearce to talk about the Utah connections in the upcoming film festival, from Warren Jeffs to young Polynesian football players. Watch Trib Talk live at 12:15 p.m. Mountain Time on http://sltrib.com/" target="_blank">sltrib.com.

Opinion section: Brian Moench, president of Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, believes the the state's raising of the speed limit will negatively affect air quality and public health. [http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/1938045-155/op-ed-udot-goes-to-the-dark" target="_blank">Trib]

-> Chris Gebhardt, former lieutenant for the District of Columbia Police and former SWAT team leader in Utah, said police have lost respect for society and have to make changes. [http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/1938119-155/op-ed-shootings-show-police-need-to" target="_blank">Trib]

-> Ken Parkinson, an attorney in Provo, believes that people are going overboard when they welcome home their LDS missionaries. [http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/1938065-155/op-ed-escalation-in-lds-missionary-welcome-home" target="_blank">Trib]

-> Two analysts for Strata Policy argue that the Healthy Utah plan will end up costing the state. [http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/1937652-155/op-ed-healthy-utah-still-medicaid-expansion" target="_blank">Trib] While, Vivian S. Lee, the senior vice president for Health Sciences at the University of Utah, says Healthy Utah will actually save money. [http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/1937664-155/op-ed-healthy-utah-saves-money-by" target="_blank">Trib]

-> Sam McVey, a retired Marine and Fourth District Court Judge, discusses new courts that are addressing veterans' unique situations. [http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/1937588-155/op-ed-new-courts-will-address-veterans" target="_blank">Trib]

-> LuAnn Adams, Utah Commissioner of Agriculture and Food, says Utahns know that farming and ranching are critical to the state's future, but that they want to eat what they grow. [http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/1937519-155/op-ed-more-than-ever-utahns-want" target="_blank">Trib]

-> George Pyle says we trust our government to not help, but to ultimately do harm. [http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/1936942-155/pyle-we-trust-government-to-harm" target="_blank">Trib]

-> Pat Bagley comments on Congress' efforts to lobby fossil fuel, so getting coal in your stocking is now actually a good thing. [http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/1941855-155/bagley-cartoon-war-on-christmas-stocking" target="_blank">Trib]

-> Paul Mero gives his take on how Utah's conservative state lawmakers should handle Obamacare and Medicaid. [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865617685/Reasonable-solution-to-Obamacare.html" target="_blank">DNews]

-> Frank Pignanelli and LaVarr Webb talk about the state's congressional delegation from Rep. Jason Chaffetz's new chairmanship to Mia Love's committee assignment. [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865617684/Congressional-lobby-developments-intrigue-politicos.html" target="_blank">DNews]

Weekend in review:  Salt Lake City has created a commission to consider moving the homeless shelter out of downtown. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/1941999-155/salt-lake-city-considers-moving-homeless" target="_blank">Trib] [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865617640/Group-to-study-Salt-Lake-homeless-facilities-consider-relocation-of-services.html?pg=all" target="_blank">DNews]

-> On the second anniversary of the Sandy Hook school shooting, a group of Utahns gathered to lament gun violence. [http://www.sltrib.com/lifestyle/faith/1948384-155/on-sandy-hook-anniversary-utahns-lament" target="_blank">Trib]

-> Some state leaders envision a national parks highway that will attract scores of tourists, but there is a problem and it is in Utah's Grand County. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/1924115-155/vision-for-national-parks-highway-has" target="_blank">Trib]

-> Within Gov. Gary Herbert's budget is a proposal to tax e-cigarettes, which would raise $10 million next year. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/1941695-155/governor-herbert-wants-to-tax-e-cigarette" target="_blank">Trib]

-> Paul Rolly reports on a study showing that Utah's college campus rank low when it comes to offering sexual health resources. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/1941186-155/rolly-utah-campuses-rank-low-in" target="_blank">Trib]

-> A group of Utah seniors wants to sway the political debate on hot topics like gun laws and air quality. [http://fox13now.com/2014/12/13/air-quality-among-topics-in-utah-citizens-counsel-report-on-human-rights/" target="_blank">Fox13]

-> Utah faces some serious water concerns and all of the potential solutions are costly. [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865617677/The-water-question-Tapping-into-one-of-Utahs-biggest-challenges.html" target="_blank">DNews] And the second installment in this series focuses on water rights. [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865617715/The-water-question-The-staggering-problem-of-determining-water-rights.html" target="_blank">DNews]

-> One hundred refugee women and their families were brought together on Saturday by the non-profit Women of the World organization to celebrate their seizing of jobs and educational opportunities in their new country. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/1944696-155/utah-refugee-women-celebrated-for-seizing" target="_blank">Trib][http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865617691/Nonprofit-group-honors-Utahs-women-of-the-world.html" target="_blank">DNews]

-> A climate change agreement was discussed among delegates from nearly 200 countries that would commit every nation to cutting its greenhouse gas emissions. [http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/14/world/climate-change-summit-meeting-in-lima.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0" target="_blank">NYTimes]

Where are they?

  • Rep. Jason https://twitter.com/jasoninthehouse" target="_blank">Chaffetz is in D.C. attending Oversight planning meetings and gives an interview to NBC News.
  • Gov. Gary https://twitter.com/GovHerbert" target="_blank">Herbert gives remarks at a Questar Development meeting.
  • Lt. Gov. Spencer https://twitter.com/SpencerJCox" target="_blank">Cox greets Alliance for Solar Choice National Leaders and attends the Workforce Development Task Force meeting.
  • President Barack https://twitter.com/BarackObama" target="_blank">Obama delivers remarks to the troops at Joint Base McGuire-Dix Lakehurst in New Jersey.
  • Got a tip? A birthday, wedding or anniversary to announce? Email us at cornflakes@sltrib.com" target="_blank">cornflakes@sltrib.com. If you haven't already, sign up for our weekday email and get this sent directly to your inbox. [http://www.sltrib.com/pages/email" target="_blank">Trib]

    — Matt Canham and Mallory Jesperson

    Twitter.com/mattcanham and http://twitter.com/JespersonM" target="_blank">Twitter.com/JespersonM