Elizabeth Smart to ABC News. Romney stakes claim to Utah. Utah County's own congressional district.

Happy Thursday. The Daily Beast's Howard Kurtz scoops that Elizabeth Smart --kidnap-victim-turned-hero -- is going to work for ABC News and contribute to Good Morning America and Nightline. [DailyBeast]

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Topping the news: Mitt Romney isn't just noting he's got endorsements from Utah, he's noting he's got pretty much all of them -- an indication observers say that he's trying to tamp down Jon Huntsman's ability to say Utah loved him. [Trib] Other news on the endorsements: [BostonGlobe] [DNews] [Time] (More 2012 news below)

-> Rep. Paul Ray was a little irritated to be included on Romney's endorsement list and released the following statement:

"The endorsement list for Mitt Romney was released today and my name was mistakenly listed. Per our discussion last week I am endorsing Gov. Huntsman in his campaign for President. During his tenure as governor of Utah, Jon Huntsman jump-started our state's economy by cutting taxes, reducing waste and passing market-based health care reform. That is exactly the kind of leadership our country needs today. I firmly believe that Jon Huntsman is the candidate best prepared to defeat President Obama and turn our country around."

-> Senate President Michael Waddoups says there will be one SL County congressional district when all is said and done. [UtahPolicy]

-> Utah's members of Congress push back on House Speaker Becky Lockhart over her op-ed in the Daily Herald. [Trib] Her original commentary: [Herald]

Happy birthday: The Washington Post's Nia-Malika Henderson and Minnesotans Katrina Thai and Sandy Shafer.

Where are they?

• Sen. Orrin Hatch meets with Ute Tribe Chairwoman Irene Cuch and talks with ABC Topline and the Fox Business Network about the debt ceiling.
• Sen. Mike Lee did not release a public schedule.
• Rep. Rob Bishop joins the weekly GOP conference meeting, attends a Natural Resources hearing, meets with Utah students in Washington for the National Young Leaders Conference and later hits the Rules Committee hearing on the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2011.
• Rep. Jason Chaffetz attends a House Judiciary Committee mark-up and joins a National Security roundtable with Gen. Michael Hayden.
• Rep. Jim Matheson did not release a public schedule.
• Gov. Gary Herbert holds a Cabinet meeting, meets with Utah Association of Counties' Brent Gardner, meets on the preparations for the NGA conference and sits down with Lt. Gov. Greg Bell.
• AG Mark Shurtleff is attending the Conference of Western Attorneys General summer meeting in Hawaii.
• SL Co. Mayor Peter Corroon is on vacation with his family.
• SLC Mayor Ralph Becker is in Charlotte, N.C., for the National League of Cities meeting.
• WVC Mayor Mike Winder is taking personal time this week.
• President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden meet with congressional leaders about the debt ceiling vote and later, the president holds a credentialing ceremony for incoming foreign ambassadors.

In other news: Sen. Gene Davis is proposing a Utah County-only congressional district map that also gives a rural-only district, too. [Herald] [Trib]

-> Hatch refers to Obama's Twitter news conference as a "temper tantrum." [TheHill]

-> News excitement from Hart 104: Conservative radio host icon Hugh Hewitt endorses Hatch during an appearance on Wednesday.

-> Senate President Michael Waddoups and House Speaker Becky Lockhart are headed to Hawaii as part of an expensive, taxpayer-funded conference. [ABC4]

-> Peg McEntee says the state, not parties should fund primaries. [Trib]

-> The national interest in Mormons could boost traffic to Hill Cumorah. [Chronicle]

-> Tattoo Parlors in Draper OK'd, but relegated to industrial zones. [Trib]

-> Utahns petition the state Air Quality Board for state-level action on climate

change. [Trib]

-> Sen. Lee says he's open to pushing legislation for Utah's guest-worker program. [Herald]

-> Utah NASA's departure will severely limit USU students' research. [Trib]

-> Feds launch sweeping review of Glen Canyon flows. [Trib]

2012 watch: A Mormon president, the movie. [Politico]

-> The Hill newspaper questions presidential candidates on their support/opposition to Yucca Mountain; Huntsman's a no, Romney doesn't quite answer. [TheHill]

-> The Union Leader jumps on Romney's back-and-forth on whether Obama made the economy worse. [Politico]

-> Huntsman's website leads in the ability to allow one's spouse to donate as well. [DailyCaller]

-> The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza looks at what Romney's money haul means. [WaPost]

-> Meanwhile, Romney holds a fund-raiser in London. [NYTimes]

Got a tip? A birthday, wedding or anniversary to announce? Email us at cornflakes@sltrib.com.

-- Thomas Burr

Twitter.com/thomaswburr

with contributions from Chase Hall