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Killpack pleads guilty. Obama praises Huntsman. Frank support dwindling.
Happy Thursday. Only a few days until the Utah Legislature kicks into full swing and this session promises to have some newsy moments. But let's start with the culmination of news that broke almost exactly one year ago today...
Topping the news: Former Senate Majority Leader Sheldon Killpack has pleaded guilty to the DUI charge from last January, but he won't have to serve jail time. [Trib] [DNews] [StandEx] [ABC4] Peg McEntee hails Sheldon Killpack's decision. [Trib]
-> With U.S. Ambassador Jon Huntsman Jr. sitting in front of him, President Barack Obama jokes that Huntsman's service in his administration would be a great asset in a Republican presidential primary. [Trib] [DNews]
-> Former Rep. Craig Frank does not have the support of his Republican colleagues in the Utah House in his quest to cling to his House District 57 seat. [Trib]
-> Gov. Gary Herbert won't give his State of the State on Monday because it's the Legislature's day to take the spotlight. And now he's pushed it back again — to Wednesday — because of Obama's scheduled State of the Union address. [Trib]
-> The House votes to repeal health care reform with the help of two of Utah's three representatives. Democratic Rep. Jim Matheson voted against the bill. [Trib] [ABC4] Coincidentally, Matheson's office issued a release Wednesday that he again is seeking to toss out the automatic pay raise for members of Congress. [Spectrum] (subscription)
-> The Trib and DNews have halted sharing content without attribution to local TV stations through The AP. [CityWeekly]
State Dinner pool report: Asked if he'll run in 2012 ... "We're loyal to our country and our president," Huntsman said. Second pool reporter said Huntsman responded that he was proud to be at the event.
Visiting the White House: Rep. Matheson, with a photo to prove it. [Facebook]
Tweet of the day: From @RobertGehrke: "Example of age discrimination: 'We don't need any more dinosaurs up here.' Rep. Hughes: You've just ended our communication with the Senate."
Happy birthday: To state Rep. Patrick Painter.
Happening today: The Utah Taxpayers Association will hold its annual pre-session conference starting at 9 am in room 30 of the House (west) building. Also, the League of Women Voters is hosting a legislative primer from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.: Copper Room, Senate Office (East) Building, 1st floor near cafeteria. And in Washington, Mary Kaye Huntsman, wife of Ambassador Huntsman, will join a news conference announcing a new deal to allow the National Zoo to hang on to its Giant Pandas.
Announcing: Justin Miller says he will run for Salt Lake County Democratic chairman.
Out of Context catchup: RNC Chairman Reince Priebus taps Utahn Bruce Hough to help with his transition. [Trib]
Welcome: To all the Hinckley Institute of Politics interns and also to students in Peter Watkins' Comm 5200 class. Whatever you do, don't read this story about Peter because I promised I wouldn't make a big deal about it. [Trib]
Where are they?
Gov. Gary Herbert joins the United Way Legisltive Preview Breakfast at the Hilton, meets with the American Red Cross Heroes Selection Committee, and then holds consecutive meetings with Lynn Blodgett, UPEA director Audry Wood, budget chief Ron Bigelow and then Speaker Becky Lockhart.
Sen. Orrin Hatch will be on KSL TV at 6:45 this morning to talk about the Balanced Budget Amendment and other Washington issues.
Rep. Jason Chaffetz appears on C-SPAN's Washington Journal, attends the House.gov Organization Meeting, stops by the ceremony in honor of the 50th Anniversary of the Inaugural Address of President John F. Kennedy and later catches a flight back to Utah.
AG Mark Shurtleff attends the Hale Center Theater executive board meeting, the CCJJ Gang Task Force meeting and later joins a reception for Israeli Consul Gneeral Jacob Dayan before attending a presentation at the Jewish Community Center.
SL Co. Mayor Peter Corroon attends the Visit Salt Lake executive meeting and later chats with Utah Association of Counties' Brent Gardner.
SLC Mayor Ralph Becker and WVC Mayor Mike Winder are in Washington for the U.S. Conference of Mayors winter retreat.
In other news: Hatch says he's "one tough guy" and isn't worried about Huntsman challenging him in 2012. [StandEx]
-> Think Progress takes issue with Sen. Mike Lee's comments to KUER's Radiowest that it may not be constitutional for the federal government be involved in flood and disaster relief and the minimum wage. [ThinkProgress]
-> Department of Commerce head Francine Giani warns budget cuts to her department could hurt consumers. [ABC4]
-> Reaction to the BLM's new "wild lands" policy is drawing stern comments from people in Utah's Uintah Basin. [VernalExpress]
-> The LDS Church's Deseret Management Corp. has sold Washington's WTOP station. [WaPost]
-> The opening created by Ally Isom's resignation from the Kaysville City Council has drawn 25 candidates; Isom his Herbert's new spokeswoman. [Clipper]
-> Reaction to a legislative audit recommendation to close some parks is swift and intense. [Trib]
-> Fidel Castro's exiled daughter speaks today at Weber State University. [Trib] [ABC4]
-> SLC police add two new bike squads to do community policing downtown. [CityWeekly]
-> Salt Lake City International Airport ranks among the top in the country for incidents of people pointing lasers at aircraft and pilots. [Trib]
-> The governor's public lands policy czar says the state is preparing a lawsuit to challenge the feds for control of roads crossing public lands. [Trib]
-> Three counties are asking a federal judge to reinstate a lawsuit against the 77 pulled oil leases. [DNews]
-> Facing more budget cuts, Utah's higher education system discusses possible enrollment caps. [Trib]
-> Lawmakers question the effectiveness of a school reading program. [Trib]
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— Thomas BurrTwitter.com/thomaswburrwith assist from editor Dan Harrie