Email cornflakes@sltrib.com to subscribe.
Liljenquist vs. Hatch? Matheson takes on the 4th. SC guv to endorse Romney.
Happy Friday. OK, how many of you lost a $10,000 bet on this one? Rep. Jim Matheson announced Thursday that he's going to run in the 4th congressional district instead of his newly drawn 2nd district or against Gov. Gary Herbert. [Trib] [DNews] [UtahPolicy]
Topping the news: State Sen. Dan Liljenquist resigns his seat in the Legislature. Next expected step is to announce challenge of Sen. Orrin Hatch. [Trib] [ABC4]
-> Utah's jobless rate falls as the state adds some 30,000 jobs last month. [Trib]
-> Salt Lake County Auditor Greg Hawkins loses his legal fight to retain budget duties transferred to Mayor Peter Corroon. But to Hawkins, it's just round one. [Trib]
-> South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is expected to endorse Mitt Romney. [HuffPost]
Tweets of the day: From @fruhwirth: "Saw @RepJimMatheson was "carpet bagging," for a min I forgot what that meant, and thought Jim was going to run as a Republican :)"
From @TheDailyShow: "RT @Jon2012girls "We (heart) Huntsman!" // OK. This is getting weird, right?"
Happy birthday: On Saturday to Utah Democratic Party Chairman Jim Dabakis and on Sunday to Rep. Holly Richardson.
In other news: The Trib's Scott Sherman sits down for our new three-questions feature with WVC Mayor Mike Winder and asks about Guns N' Roses, E-Verify and Richard Burwash. [Trib]
-> Herbert's spokeswoman responds to a Tribune blog item about the governor's budget comment on Medicaid. [Trib]
-> E&E's Mike Soraghan takes a deep look at the history of state regulation for oil and gas drilling. [E&E]
-> Bryan Schott and Bob Bernick discuss the Top 10 political stories of the year. [UtahPolicy]
-> Logan was named the No. 1 small city in the nation for economic activity, and Provo/Orem and Ogden/Clearfield were high in metro rankings. [Trib]
-> Backers of a plan to build a ski gondola link between the Canyons and Solitude resorts say the U.S. Forest Service left them no choice but to go to Congress for redress. [Trib]
-> Ten conservation groups unite to fight proposed diversion of Green River water for a Denver-area development. [Trib]
-> The Department of Natural Resources taps Fred Hayes as acting director of Utah Parks and Recreation. [Trib]
-> Volunteers of America has purchased a Salt Lake City home to serve as transitional housing for 14 homeless young men. [Trib]
-> Pat Bagley's tragic tale of lol. [Trib]
-> From Paul Rolly. Former radio personality and one time volunteer gubernatorial adviser Tom Barberi could say this about the state's belated recognition that big changes are needed in Utah's state liquor system: told you so. [Trib]
-> A group of city mayors from across the nation-- though none in Utah -- lobbies for tightening regulation of online gun sales. An undercover sting operation by the group targeted Utah and other areas to show that illegal transactions occur on a regular basis. [Trib]
-> Changes to Utah's nominating system -- caucus vs. primary fights -- will have to wait. [UtahPolicy]
-> Utah spends less per capita on health care than any other state. [Trib]
2012 watch: Huntsman's three eldest daughters appear in this week's edition of GQ with fun photos of the ladies doing karaoke and snapping pics of themselves. [GQ]
-> Worth the read: Salon posts a parody letter of Huntsman asking Republicans why he hasn't got a shot yet. [Salon]
-> Rudy Guiliani calls Romney a flip-flopper but praises Newt Gingrich. [NYDailyNews]
-> Did MSNBC go over-the-top to apologize to Romney? [WaPost]
-> Romney makes a $2 million fund-raising swing through Manhattan. [Politico]
-> A guest columnist in the Des Moines Register discusses faith in the Republican contest. [DesMoinesRegister]
Where are they?
Got a tip? A birthday, wedding or anniversary to announce? Email us at cornflakes@sltrib.com.
-- Thomas Burr
Twitter.com/thomaswburr
with editor Dan Harrie
