This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated.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.
Law at work • Utah laws meant to keep guns out of the hands of violent people are apparently working in the case of Clark Aposhian, Utah's primary opponent of gun-control measures. Aposhian has not been convicted of anything, but because his ex-wife has filed for a protective order, the Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification has barred Aposhian from owning or possessing firearms and has pulled his concealed-carry permit, at least temporarily. The temporary civil stalking injunction was signed by a 3rd District Court judge Friday after Aposhian allegedly drove a truck to his ex-wife's house and threatened her husband in front of their daughter. Aposhian was arraigned Tuesday on four class B misdemeanor charges including domestic violence in the presence of a child, criminal trespass, criminal mischief and threat of violence. Although his attorney rants that the gun forfeiture, pending adjudication of the charges, violates Aposhian's Second Amendment rights to bear arms, it's clear this is the type of case in which the constitutional limitations on gun ownership and use are needed.
Science neglected • Somebody thought anacondas would be a nice addition to the Everglades National Park. Now the huge snakes are busy destroying the ecosystem for native animals. Hawaii is overrun with non-native plants and animals that somebody thought the island paradise would be a suitable habitat for. Now Utah wildlife officials want to introduce mountain goats into new Utah ranges, where they would be non-native invaders and could disrupt the fragile environment needed for sensitive alpine plants. A draft plan given preliminary approval Tuesday by the Wildlife Board calls for establishing "optimum populations of mountain goats in all suitable habitat within the state," including the La Sals and Deep Creeks, where some environmentally important alpine plants are already in trouble. The plan is to make hundreds more of the animals available to hunters in small mountain ranges without any scientific studies done to see what impact the goats have had on others where they've been introduced. Hunters don't need the state farming wildlife in places they don't belong.
School consolidated • It took an act of Congress — literally — but Rowland Hall, the private prep school in Salt Lake City, is creating new turf fields and a recreation area on a vacant lot purchased from Mount Olivet Cemetery. Eventually, a new campus will be built for the high school and middle school on 13 acres bordering the school's east-bench elementary school at 720 S. Guardsman Way. It's a welcome addition to the neighborhood.