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Conservatives line up for Chairman Chaffetz. Huntsman rules out 2016 bid. Draper officials quash referendum at last-minute.
Happy Thursday. Rep. Jason Chaffetz has made no secret of his hope to lead the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and has been openly campaigning for the job. And now he's getting some help from the right-flank. The conservative National Review editorialized yesterday that Chaffetz is the best choice to fill the critical role. "In the amount of time he devotes to the committee, Chaffetz has no equal," the news outlet says, adding that his dogged style and media savvy are big attributes for the job. [NRO]
Topping the news: Jon Huntsman is pretty much ruling out a 2016 presidential bid but says he's going to be very much involved still. [ABC4] [Fox13]
-> Huntsman also says it's "inevitable" that same-sex marriage will be legalized in the United States, though he declined to criticize Utah for fighting against it. [DNews]
-> Draper City officials told residents pushing a referendum to combat what they say is double taxation that the language was unacceptable two minutes before the deadline to get the issue on the ballot. [Trib]
-> The Tribune is hosting a town hall at the Salt Lake City main library on the rise and fall of former AGs Mark Shurtleff and John Swallow. [Trib]
-> Sen. Orrin Hatch argues that "if and when Republicans regain control of the Senate," the Republicans must "reject the slash-and-burn tactics" employed by the Democrats. [DNews]
Tweet of the day: From @Pourmecoffee: "Be sure to wear your wristband if you are going to chase someone inside the Gates of Hell and want to get back out"
Happy Birthday: To Leslie Reberg, state Sen. Deidre Henderson and former Washington County Democratic Chairwoman Dorothy Engelman.
In other news: Utah's lack of women in office compared to that of the nation is doing the state a major disservice, according to panelists which included three women running for national offices. [Trib]
-> Utahns support the concept of police departments having military equipment but are split on whether law enforcement has become too militarized. [UtahPolicy]
-> EnergySolutions has asked for an additional two months to answer questions about storage of depleted uranium at its Tooele facility. [DNews]
-> For the very first time, the LDS Church has assembled some of its most treasured documents for public viewing, including books and manuscripts from the faith's founding. [Trib]
-> Pat Bagley offers his take on Obama and NATO's approach to Vladimir Putin. [Trib]
-> South Jordan City approved a public-opinion research and analysis agreement to help officials decide on what to do with the 67-acre Mulligans Golf and Game Complex. [Trib]
-> A list of 25 possible sites for Utah's new prison — spread along the Wasatch Front — have been decided on. [Trib]
-> An added $3 million in federal funding for the extension of the Sugar House Streetcar line passes by a 4-3 vote. [Trib]
-> A historic church in downtown Salt Lake City will be converted into a a new business hub. [Trib]
Nationally: AG Eric Holder is launching a civil rights investigation of the Ferguson, Mo., Police Department in the wake of the shooting of an unarmed black man. [WaPost][NYTimes][WSJ]
-> Russian President Vladimir V. Putin and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko have outlined a 7-point plan in order to accomplish a Ukrainian cease-fire. [NYTimes][WaPost][WSJ]
-> President Barack Obama vowed to punish ISIS after another video of an American journalist's beheading was released online. [NYTimes]
Where are they?
Gov. Gary Herbert attends Beat Hunger By a Mile event at Utah's food bank, meets with his Cabinet, Dugway commander, Col. Ron Fizer, the Sports Commission executive committee, and hits an early budget driver meeting. He later interviews with France 2 Television and ends his day at the Utah State Fair opening day.
Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox heads to the Cabinet meeting and speaks at a Uinta Basin Energy summit.
President Barack Obama visits British Prime Minister David Cameron at a school in Newport, Wales. He later meets with Italy, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Ukraine to discuss the Ukraine situations. Obama then sits down with NATO leaders to discuss Afghanistan and the NATO-Ukraine Commission followed by an official photo with the leaders in attendance of the NATO summit.
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 Mallory Jesperson Twitter.com/thomaswburr and Twitter.com/JespersonM