This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

FEC investigating donations to Romney. Lee, Hatch: slow down immigration reform bills. A hike in gas taxes coming?

Happy Thursday. The Federal Elections Commission is probing whether Murray Energy — the co-owner of the now-sealed Crandall Canyon Mine — gave more than the legal limit of donations to Mitt Romney's presidential campaign. FEC records show thousands of dollars more than the federal limit but Murray Energy says the discrepancies at issue were "small." [PlainDealer]

Topping the news: Sens. Mike Lee and Orrin Hatch want to take it slow on immigration reform, signing a letter asking Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Pat Leahy, D-Vt., to give immigration-related bills a deliberate look. [Trib]

-> Hundreds of Utahns — on both sides of the gun debate — are lobbying Gov. Gary Herbert to either veto or sign the legislation that would allow folks to conceal and carry their weapons without a permit. [Trib]

-> On the heels of a shooting that killed Corrections Department director Tom Clements, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper signed two gun bills into action that would require background checks for private and online firearm sales and ban magazines that fire more than 15 rounds. [Politico] [DenverPost]

Tweet of the day: From @sausagegrinder: "Success! I've imported the real House chimes to my iPhone ringtones. Pavlov Re-enactment Experiment - Phase 1: Complete."

Happy birthday: To Rep. Jim Matheson.

In other news: Sen. Hatch goes after government-funded treadmill desks and a $10 billion health center during a floor speech bashing Obamacare. [WaTimes]

-> Without going into specifics, Interior secretary nominee Sally Jewell navigated her way through a round of questioning by the Senate Energy Committee as her confirmation vote looms near. [Trib]

-> A northern Utah sheriff has a suggestion for helping to keep track of people with dementia or Alzheimer's disease: give them ankle bracelets like some parolees wear. [Trib]

-> A hike in gas taxes could come to Utah if the state wants to continue funding critical road projects. [Trib]

-> After fifty years in academia, politics and the military, Dan Jones officially retired at a celebratory breakfast yesterday. [Trib]

-> Peg McEntee urges Rep. Chris Stewart to look into climate change science. [Trib]

-> ACLU lawyers are calling on Gov. Herber to veto a bill that would require pollsters to disclose who is funding their efforts. [Herald]

-> Herbert is calling for a water summit to look at how to sustain Utah's valuable resource. [DNews]

Nationally: President Barack Obama landed in Israel yesterday on his first trip to the country, giving a tarmac speech tinged with biblical notes and vague references to Palestine, Syria or Iran. [NYTimes] [WaPost]

-> While sequester cuts are taking a hammer to Superfund clean-up efforts, Pell grants air traffic controllers and even tours of the presidential residence, the White House Easter Egg Roll isn't going anywhere. [WaPost]

-> March Madness, Washington style: check out the Post's Chris Cillizza's Sweet 2016 bracket, a showdown of presidential candidates. [WaPost]

Where are they?

Rep. Rob Bishop hits the Steel Industry breakfast, meets with Northrop Grumman's Electronic Systems Division, the Wilderness Society and Enefit American Oil. (UPDATED: The previous schedule posted here was last week's.)

Rep. Jason Chaffetz hits an Aspen Institute meeting and meets with House Majority Leader Eric Cantor.

Rep. Chris Stewart meets with the American Institute of Architects of Utah, Enefit American Oil, officials from the U.'s Department of Physics and Astronomy and the Association for Utah Community Health.

Rep. Jim Matheson meets with the Association for Utah Community Health.

Gov. Gary Herbert prepares for a Republican Governors Association meeting, meets with Lt. Gov Greg Bell and the Board of Regents, hits a Scouting for Food event, reviews bills and stops by the Utah Public Employees' Association recognition banquet.

AG John Swallow speaks to the Institute of Real Estate Management.

SL Co. Mayor Ben McAdams has board meetings with the Unified Police Department, Salt Lake Valley Law Enforcement Service Area and KUED, visits the Children's Justice Center and speaks at a Utah Public Employees Association meeting.

SLC Mayor Ralph Becker meets with Salt Lake City Emergency Management Program Director Cory Lyman.

WVC Mayor Mike Winder hits a groundbreaking ceremony at Residences at Fairbourne Station.

President Barack Obama tours an Israeli museum, meets with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, meets with Israeli embassy staff and hits a dinner hosted by Israeli President Shimon Peres.

Got a tip? A birthday, wedding or anniversary to announce? Email us at cornflakes@sltrib.com. If you haven't already, sign up for our weekday email and get this sent directly to your inbox. [Trib]

— Thomas Burr and Emily AndrewsTwitter.com/thomaswburr and Twitter.com/emilytandrews