But Reid Pearce, Cache County Democratic Party chairman, says he was not surprised by Pace's action because Republicans have a habit of leaving office so their replacement can run as the incumbent.
Pearce thinks it may backfire this time because of the popularity of Democratic challenger Wendell Morse, a retired director of planning at Utah State University.
Democrats also scoff at Hunsaker needing to educate himself to the ins and outs of the Legislature, considering he served three terms in the state Legislature in the '80s.
Incidentally, Hunsaker resigned his legislative seat early to take a full-time job with the State Board of Regents. Pace replaced Hunsaker - making her the incumbent in her first legislative race.
Miracles happen? Alan Jess, 83, has been taking birth control pills for the past five years for a bleeding problem, and each time his prescription needs to be renewed, he says, his insurance fights paying for the drug.
Apparently, Jess quips, the medication must not work anyway because he recently received a bill from the Salt Lake Regional Medical Center for $2,271.25.
The description of charges: a vaginal delivery.
Every minute counts: Last Wednesday just before 6 p.m., while parking at a meter on Pierpont between West Temple and 200 West, Gary and Paulette Birdsall noticed a parking enforcement vehicle slowly driving up the street.
The officer was handing out parking violations at one minute prior to 6 p.m. - the hour that parking becomes free until 8 a.m. the following day.
Guess parking enforcement didn't get the memo about Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson wanting more people to come downtown to enjoy his city's vibrant nightlife.
Big Brother is watching: Last week O.C. Tanner Chief Operating Officer Dave Petersen partnered with his boss, Chief Executive Officer Kent Murdock, at the University of Utah Eccles School of Business golf tournament at the Homestead Resort in Midway.
On hole 14, a par 3, O.C. Tanner provided men's and women's Rolex watches for anyone who could make a hole-in-one. Lo and behold, Petersen made a hole-in-one and won a Rolex, while his boss and several others witnessed the feat.
At the awards ceremony Murdock awarded the $5,000 watch to Petersen and indicated in good humor that the "1099 was in the mail."
Good Samaritan: While en route to work at the Utah Department of Workforce Services recently, Gary Felker saw $20 bills floating in the air on 800 South near East High School and stopped to investigate.
He discovered five $20 bills and a wallet belonging to KSL-TV reporter John Hollenhorst. Felker gathered it all up and called an appreciative Hollenhorst, who vows never again "to put my wallet on the roof of my car when I leave for work."
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Paul Rolly and JoAnn Jacobsen-Wells welcome e-mail at rolly_wells@sltrib.com.
