This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Ann Romney to publish memoir on her battle with multiple sclerosis. Clean-air activists urge veto. Chaffetz ticked over Secret Service video erasure.
Happy Thursday. Mitt Romney said in an interview that he would still love to be president but didn't feel right about jumping in a third time. If he had run, Romney says he would have spent "a great deal of time" talking to minority groups about why a conservative approach is best for them. "That's something I wish I would've spent a lot more time doing" in 2012, he said. [http://news.yahoo.com/mitt-romney-exclusive-interview-with-katie-couric-092359394.html" target="_blank">Yahoo]
-> Meanwhile, Ann Romney will be out with a new memoir this year about her battle with multiple sclerosis. [http://www.politico.com/story/2015/03/ann-romney-memoir-116193.html" target="_blank">Politico]
Topping the news: Experts say the tendency of lawmakers to submit and pass more bills in the last days of the session — nearly one fourth of last session's bills were passed on the final day — is a prime example of a human's natural tendency to procrastinate. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2305986-155/flurry-of-late-bills-begs-question" target="_blank">Trib]
-> Clean-air activists are calling for Gov. Gary Herbert to veto a bill that would ban regulators from setting seasonal wood-burning bans in the state. [http://kuer.org/post/air-activists-seek-veto-burning-regulation-bill" target="_blank">KUER]
-> A new report gave Utah a B for transparency in government spending. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2306706-155/utah-gets-a-b-for-online" target="_blank">Trib] Another report by the State Integrity Investigation gave the state a D for corruption risk among politicians. [http://www.standard.net/Government/2015/03/18/Utah-scores-tepid-36th-in-states-corruption-risks.html" target="_blank">Standard]
-> Rep. Jason Chaffetz says it's unbelievable that the Secret Service may have erased video of two of its agents who allegedly drove drunk into a secure area during a suspicious package investigation. [http://www.cbsnews.com/news/some-surveillance-footage-from-night-of-secret-service-incident-erased/" target="_blank">CBSNews]
Tweet of the day: From @https://twitter.com/gopTODD" target="_blank">gopTODD "My 'favorite' people are those who make political comments on my Facebook posts that have nothing to do with politics."
Tune in: Utah Department of Health epidemiologist Sam LeFevre, Tim Wagner of Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment and Tribune health, education and environment editor Rebecca Walsh join Jennifer Napier-Pearce to discuss a study that confirms stillbirths are up in the Uinta Basin. Watch Trib Talk live at 12:15 p.m. MDT on http://sltrib.com/" target="_blank">sltrib.com.
In other news: The Grantsville Planning Commission unanimously passed city code changes yesterday that would attempt to block construction of the new prison within the city's borders. [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865624519/Grantsville-makes-zoning-changes-in-attempt-to-block-new-prison.html" target="_blank">DNews]
-> Experts say Utah's 2010 immigration compact, which calls for humane treatment of immigrants, has become an example for states throughout the nation. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2307360-155/utah-compact-the-gift-that-keeps" target="_blank">Trib]
-> State education officials are considering asking Gov. Herbert to veto a bill that would require the State Board of Education to submit a report to the Education Interim Committee detailing policy changes and a future plan for Utah's education. [http://kuer.org/post/state-school-board-considers-asking-governor-veto-education-clean-bill" target="_blank">KUER]
-> Utah County and Alpine city officials are reaching a compromise on a controversy over the county's decision to rezone 120 acres of land on the Alpine mountainside for development. [http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/north/alpine/alpine-wins-continuance-regarding-rezone-request/article_ac45c6aa-638e-5fc8-a001-104d887e33b3.html" target="_blank">Herald]
-> Pat Bagley offers his take on the GOP's budget plan. [http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/2308024-155/bagley-cartoon-gop-budget-magic" target="_blank">Trib]
-> A new Gallup study says just 28 percent of Utahns are engaged in their work, putting the state in the bottom 10 in the nation. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2307747-155/utah-has-high-percentage-of-disengaged" target="_blank">Trib]
-> A group of Young Democrats sought to raise awareness about Utah's gender wage gap at their high school's bake sale by charging girls 77 cents for every cookie and boys $1. [http://www.sltrib.com/home/2308842-155/utah-young-democrats-set-bake-sale-prices" target="_blank">AP]
-> A new report issued by the Department of Health says the Uintah Basin area has seen an increase in the number of stillbirths and infant deaths. [http://www.good4utah.com/story/d/story/health-department-issues-tri-county-adverse-birth/11685/Pn70dFNsV0SvkF1v4vOFcQ" target="_blank">ABC4] [http://kuer.org/post/utah-health-department-confirms-rise-uintah-basin-stillbirths" target="_blank">KUER] [http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=33877603" target="_blank">KSL] [http://fox13now.com/2015/03/18/results-of-study-into-uintah-basin-stillbirths-reveal-main-birth-defect-risks/" target="_blank">Fox13] [http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/more-eastern-utah-stillbirths-reported-but-cause-unclear/article_79fbb7ec-7f2b-5142-a873-1c0b31e0a08c.html" target="_blank">AP]
-> Morgan County officials are questioning moves to put a breeding ground for the endangered sage grouse on a current resort in the county. [http://www.standard.net/Environment/2015/03/18/Birds-on-the-divide-Sage-grouse-uproots-resort-development-plans.html" target="_blank">Standard]
-> A dispute over wastewater management between Willard and Perry will have its first court hearing this morning. [http://www.standard.net/Government/2015/03/18/Willard-sues-Perry-over-sewer-plant-power-play.html" target="_blank">Standard]
-> Gov. Herbert kicked off the Boy Scouts' 29th annual 'Scouting for Food' drive by being the first to donate. [http://www.good4utah.com/story/d/story/governor-kicks-off-29th-annual-scouting-for-food-d/19126/DedZiVn_ekqCIgTZ2GSdEw" target="_blank">ABC4]
-> Constandinos "Deno" G. Himonas was sworn in as the newest justice to the Utah Supreme Court yesterday. [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865624507/Deno-Himonas-sworn-in-as-newest-Utah-Supreme-Court-justice.html" target="_blank">DNews]
-> Utah's Sen Mike Lee has re-introduced a bill, the "Smarter Sentencing Act," that would reform the criminal justice system at the federal level. [http://www.good4utah.com/story/d/story/senator-lee-says-its-time-to-reform-the-federal-cr/31952/sR3D87Ad_kKVuFAqTi-Rjg" target="_blank">ABC4]
Nationally: Congressional Democrats are accusing Republicans of putting the president's attorney general nominee Loretta Lynch "in the back of the bus" by delaying her confirmation. [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765670301/Democrat-Republicans-putting-Lynch-at-back-of-the-bus.html" target="_blank">AP] [http://www.politico.com/story/2015/03/dick-durbin-loretta-lynch-back-of-bus-116180.html?hp=t4_r" target="_blank">Politico] [http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/18/politics/loretta-lynch-ag-vote-back-of-the-bus/" target="_blank">CNN] [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/18/loretta-lynch-senate-vote_n_6893616.html" target="_blank">HuffPost] [http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/republicans-put-loretta-lynch-nomination-back-bus-top/story?id=29728033" target="_blank">ABC]
-> Famed conservative radio host Glenn Beck announced on his show yesterday that he is officially done with the Republican Party. [http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2015/03/glenn-beck-done-with-republican-party-204175.html?ml=po" target="_blank">Politico] [http://news.yahoo.com/glenn-beck-done-with-the-republican-party-162656735.html" target="_blank">Yahoo] [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/18/glenn-beck-republican-party-out_n_6896428.html" target="_blank">HuffPost] [http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-03-18/glenn-beck-just-can-t-quit-the-republican-party" target="_blank">Bloomberg]
-> A new profile of Heidi Cruz, the wife of hopeful-GOP presidential candidate, details her own political triumphs and battle with depression. [http://www.buzzfeed.com/mckaycoppins/the-trials-and-triumphs-of-heidi-cruz#.tkWeyJEmd" target="_blank">Buzzfeed]
Where are they?
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— Thomas Burr and Erica Palmer
https://twitter.com/thomaswburr" target="_blank">Twitter.com/thomaswburr and https://twitter.com/erica_palmer">Twitter.com/erica_palmer