This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated.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.
Lawmakers and public-safety officials have rightly focused recently on safe-highway issues such as seat-belt requirements, distracted driving and speed limits.
But Allene Fowler has a story that doesn't get the attention it deserves and is one I bet will resonate with most Utahns who regularly drive the interstates.
Fowler was driving up Parleys Canyon toward Park City in heavy traffic recently when the car in front of her veered to the right. She immediately saw why. The car was dodging a large board that apparently had fallen off a truck. Fowler ran over the object, which wrecked her tire.
As she was preparing to call AAA, a young man stopped, changed her tire and told her to drive slowly on the temporary spare to the Jeremy Ranch exit, where she bought four new tires from Burt Brothers.
Later, driving back down the canyon, Fowler encountered a large metal ladder that had apparently fallen off a truck. She missed it, but worried about the fast-moving traffic coming around a turn and facing the ominous obstruction.
Two weeks later, again driving down Parleys Canyon, she was in the middle lane, going 65 mph, when a blue truck raced past in the left lane.
A large board then flew from the truck's tailgate. Fowler braked, but the board was so close as it flew by her, she could see three large nails sticking from the board. Cars to the right of her nearly collided trying to avoid it.
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See no evil • The Human Rights Campaign bought an ad that ran Sunday in The Salt Lake Tribune. It covered two full pages and carried the names in agate type of 14,000 people opposing this week's World Congress of Families gathering in Utah.
"As the harmful and divisive World Congress of Families descends upon Salt Lake City, we stand in support of all families," the ad said. "Hate is not an American value, it has no place in Salt Lake City. We fundamentally reject the World Congress of Families and its destructive agenda."
The WCF advocates the "natural family," consisting of a husband and a wife and their children. Opponents say it goes beyond that, demonizing gays and lesbians. The Southern Poverty Law Center has defined it as a hate group, and critics argue some WCF members condone policies of violence against gays and lesbians in some countries.
Speakers at the WCF conference include Gov. Gary Herbert and Mormon apostle M. Russell Ballard.
The Human Rights Campaign requested the ad run in Salt Lake City's two dailies. But the LDS Church-owned Deseret News refused to print it.
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Not fit for a dog? • Neighbors worried recently about the condition of a home near Murray inhabited by an elderly woman, her son and her dog, so they called the Salt Lake County Health Department to investigate.
Health officials found mounds of garbage, dog feces and other evidence to suggest the home was a health hazard. They called Salt Lake County Animal Services because of the presence of the dog.
After further inspections, the dog was removed because of the unhealthy conditions, but the humans were allowed to stay.
To get their dog back, the woman and her son removed much of the trash. Animal Control returned and said they could get their pet back, but the agency would make periodic unannounced visits to ensure the home was healthy enough for the dog.
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O say can you see • Meanwhile, the Homeowners Association of Chestnut Place in Murray issued a warning that if residents displayed the American flag in front of their places at times other than those deemed appropriate by the HOA, they would be subject to fines.
One resident, Erin Worthen, felt it was her constitutional right to proudly display Old Glory, so she put it up anyway.
The HOA fined her $75.