This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Fourth Congressional District candidate Mia Love has said throughout her campaign that she knows how to save money.

Recently, she proved it.

A few days before the Utah Education Association convention last week, Love's campaign contacted the UEA about having a booth in the exhibit hall. The association forwarded the registration information to the campaign, but never heard back.

On Friday, during the convention, Love showed up with T-shirts and campaign pins in hand. Her staff proceeded to hand out the campaign items inside the hall, which was a violation of the rules. When asked to stop, she gave the campaign items to a trampoline vendor — Waithouse Trampoline Park of Park City — who had a booth inside the show, which also violated the rules since vendors agree only to display items identified on their contract.

Convention coordinators told the trampoline vendor to stick with its own promotion materials. But the vendor insisted it was his right of "free speech" to distribute Love campaign items. Love continued to canvass the convention hall, speaking to vendors and attendees.

Love spokesperson Alisia Essig said the plan all along was to have the trampoline vendor, a supporter, hand out the materials, so it wasn't necessary to buy a booth. She said Love paid for her own admission to the convention so she could mingle.

"She loves teachers," Essig said.

Meanwhile, Love's opponent, Congressman Jim Matheson, paid the $455 to purchase a booth, which was staffed for the duration of the convention.

Double your pleasure • It seems that Sen. Orrin Hatch and Gov. Gary Herbert are running for re-election as a tag team.

At least a half dozen locations along I-15 from Layton to Orem have Hatch and Herbert campaign billboards right next to each other. It's rare to see one without the other.

Hatch campaign manager Dave Hansen says both campaigns are using R&R Advertising for billboard purchases, so the agency sees advantages in leasing the same location from Reagan Outdoor Advertising for both clients.

GOP apology tour? • The Utah Republican Party has sent out yet another mailer giving voters a reason to vote against Republican legislative candidates.

I've already written about GOP-sponsored mailers slamming Democratic legislators for taking hotel reimbursements that they don't need, even though every Republican but one did the same thing. And I've written about a GOP-endorsed mailer slamming a Democratic legislator for an adverse property tax law that was sponsored and passed by Republicans.

Now, a GOP-funded mailer on behalf of Republican candidate Christy Achziger slams Democratic Rep. Tim Cosgrove of Murray for the dismal funding the Republican-dominated Legislature has given to public education over the years.

At least the state GOP is consistent.

News flash • Since I wrote in June about parking enforcers in Salt Lake City giving $30 expired registration tickets to motorists who did nothing wrong, the city has seen fit to change its policy.

Kay Christensen, policy director for Mayor Ralph Becker, tells me the city is no longer giving tickets for faded registration stickers. Now, they are just issuing warning tickets.

The tickets were issued when the red 2012 sticker on the license plates faded to the point it was unreadable. It was the result of a faulty dye used in producing the stickers issued by the Utah Division of Motor Vehicles.

Dumpster diving? • Residents in Salt Lake City's Avenues area Monday were amused to see a city employee on a Segway riding up and down the streets lifting the lids on the blue recycle cans and checking the contents.

It's all for a good cause: To keep residents from being stupid.

Debbie Lyons, of the city's sustainability program says, the inspectors are just making sure the proper items are in the recycling bin — paper, newspapers, aluminum and tin cans and plastic products. The wrong stuff includes yard waste and clothing.

When improper items are found, the resident gets a note on his bin.