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Huntsman: GOP's take on climate change 'obtuse.' Despite missing goals, UTA execs to get bonuses. Fed chair says economy showing 'solid grown.'
Happy Thursday. Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman is again taking on his own party, calling out Republicans for ignoring climate change and arguing that the GOP can't just deny its existence or side with extremists. "So obtuse has become the party's dialogue on climate change that it's now been reduced to believing or not believing, as if it were a religious mantra," Huntsman writes in an op-ed. [NYTimes]
Topping the news: Public health officials and city leaders in Vernal are looking into a potential correlation between air pollution and baby deaths in the area. [Trib] [DNews] [KSL]
-> Despite being shy of their goals, UTA executives will still receive bonuses, albeit smaller ones than originally proposed. [Trib]
-> The U.S. economy shows "solid growth," according to Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen. [WSJ] [CNN]
Tweets of the day: From @SilverBulletLLC: "This is all that matters today. Clay Aiken Holds Slim Lead in Primary for Congress by 372 votes."
-> From @BJaminWood: "Evidently May is both Golf Month and Bike Month in Utah. I believe a game of Bike Polo is in order."
Happy Birthday: To state Sen. Mark Madsen, R-Eagle Mountain, deputy director of the Utah GOED and Republican candidate for House District 31 Sophia DiCaro, Spencer Jenkins in the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education, Hinckley Institute of Politics Director Kirk Jowers and former state Reps. Phil Riesen and Kenneth Sumsion.
In other news: Salt Lake Police Chief Chris Burbank defends his departments handling of rape cases, while activist Holly Mullen wants every rape kit tested at the crime lab. [Trib]
-> Bob Bernick looks at all the various rankings and grades offered lawmakers after the session and what they really mean. [UtahPolicy]
-> Natural resource managers in Utah say the spring runoff is "much worse" than they were hoping for. [Trib] [KSL]
-> State troopers look forward to a new cell phone law going into effect next week that means clarifies what drivers can do with their phones behind the wheel. [Fox13]
-> A routine UTA discovers several vehicles that were unregistered or failed the state emissions test. [Trib]
-> The Provo City Council will forge ahead with a UTA rapid bus system near BYU, ignoring concerns from citizens and an inaccurate study on ridership. [Trib]
-> Salt Lake County officials want to own downtown's Utah Theatre, which currently belongs to SLC's Redevelopment Agency. [Trib]
-> South Jordan City Council members discussed the possibility of splitting from the Jordan School District. [Trib]
-> A South Jordan councilman wants to make it a misdemeanor for school bus drivers to drop students off on the wrong side of the road. This comes after the death of a 10-year old girl in the neighborhood who was hit by a bus while crossing the street. [Trib]
-> A South Jordan judge voted to allow city officials to tear down a male resident's pigeon enclosures. [DNews]
-> Sen. Orrin Hatch helped introduce a bill to protect and aid victims of child pornography. [DNews]
-> The Utah Department of Workforce Services plans to donate $6 million to Utah school STEM programs, helping students in math and science. [DNews] [KSL]
-> Gov. Gary Herbert celebrated Utah's 50 years of fighting poverty and plans to aid further efforts with targeted health care measures. [KUTV]
-> The South Salt Lake Coalition for Drug Free Youth searches for community members in the city to be character role models. [DNews]
-> The Department of Veteran Affairs in Utah hopes to combat veteran homelessness in the state. [Fox13]
Nationally: The U.S. House of Representatives voted to hold Lois Lerner, former IRS official, in contempt for refusing to testify in the investigation of the agency's targeting of tea party groups. [WaPost] [NYTimes] [WSJ] [LATimes]
-> Lawyers for Dzhokar Tsarnaev, the man accused of bombing the Boston Marathon, argued the death penalty would be unconstitutional because of the recent botched execution in Oklahoma. [LATimes]
-> President Barack Obama walked thrown the tornado-torn streets of Arkansas and offered condolences for the 16 people who were killed by the disaster. [WaPost]
-> The Tea Party faces an uphill climb with stiff "establishment" competition in southern conservative states during the primaries. [WSJ] [WaPost]
Where are they?
Rep. Jason Chaffetz has breakfast with Pat Shea, attends the NRCC leadership meeting, meets with Delta pilots and later the Utah Brewers Guild and speaks to students from the U.'s Hinckley Institute of Politics. Chaffetz also hits a fundraising dinner.
Gov. Gary Herbert signs a land exchange at the Outdoor Recreation Summit, visits with the Department of Commerce and meets with Lt. Governor Spencer J. Cox and later the Department of Justice. Herbert ends his day at the Women's Lawyers of Utah event.
Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox appears at the Open West Developer Conference at UVU and attends the Outdoor Recreation Summit.
SLC Mayor Ralph Becker also goes to the Outdoor Recreation Summit, announces the 2014 Twilight Concert Series lineup, attends a luncheon with leaders in the refugee community and holds an orientation for new interns.
President Barack Obama holds fundraisers in Los Angeles, San Diego and San Jose.
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 Courtney Tanner Twitter.com/thomaswburr and Twitter.com/CourtneyLTanner