Former Lt. Gov. Gayle McKeachnie won't be moving far from his old office. Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. has hired McKeachnie, a former legislator from Vernal, to be the governor's rural affairs coordinator, a job Huntsman says will be a "one-stop shop for economic development and land-use issues." McKeachnie welcomed the position. "The way I see if, there aren't too many issues that are rural issues, but there's a rural perspective on all issues," he said. Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert also has hired a new state elections director, former Davis County Commissioner Michael Cragun, who lost his seat in a primary election last year. Cragun, who will replace Amy Naccarato if confirmed by the state Senate, is an attorney and former dean of Mountain West College's Paralegal Department. He also holds a political science degree from Brigham Young University. "Michael is uniquely qualified and Utah is lucky to have a person of this caliber," Herbert said. "His experience bridges the private sector, education and government." - Thomas Burr