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Show Tuesday, June 23, 2009 DAILY HERALD Ag OUR TOWNS Petitioners want LDSehurchto soften Orem800 North exit on I-15 to close this weekend Michael Rigert DAILY HERALD gay marriage stance Jennifer Dobner SOCIATED PRES SALT LAKE CITY —A groupofcurrent and former Mormons at odds with their church’s position on gay mar- _OREM — Preparingfor a picnic, campingtrip or visit to vote, the church became a targetfor protests, vandalism andhate speech. Church leaders havecalled for civility in the discussion of the issues and saythe dialogueis not helped when people on both SundanceResort up Provo Canyon this weekend? Don't plan on using the 800 North exit of Interstate 15 to get to the canyon; will be closed late Friday night through early Monday riage andits political activism sides demonize each other. Rampsonandoff I-15 at 800 North and the underpass leaders of The Churchof Je- to banit has launched a Web site asking the faith to soften its stance. Thesite, www.ldsapology. org, includes petition for reconciliation thatcalls on morning. install Orem city water and Theinterchange and road closurewill begin at 10 p.m. to pass Proposition 8, which banned gaymarriage in Cali- | fornia’s state constitution LANCE BOOTH /Daily Herald Construction workers lay water and sewerlines on 800 North in Orem on Monday. “The closure may be inconvenientfor those two days,” but maintaining twoopen of Transportation's Region 3 North during theutility Oremin recent months may also have observed somelargediameter water-line sections public,” Tschirki said. confractorfor theproject, will 12-inch pressurizedirrigation millionproject launchedthis spring thatwill deliver water to there's a big stormor accident you'll know that before you you're coming up 800 North District's Oremaqueduct, a $3.4 or coming fromProvo, and he said. The sewer line will di- and Salt Lake County Lindon off the Geneva Road sewerline. affairs director with Central Utah Water Conservancy District, is anticipating another similar weekendclosure of 800 Northat I-15 closer to August whencrews begin to install the 36-inch water line under the freeway Thompson said a UDOT used the 800 North freeway interchange, not including east and westtraffic that may haveusedthe underpass and not entered I-15, said Scott Thompson, Utah Department Provo Canyon. “We'll have a board up on either end of the canyonso if buyers in northern Utah County On a single day in 2006,approximately31,000 vehicles message boards for motorists ChrisFinlinson, government project in thevicinity of 800 | When: Begins Friday at 10 p.m. and ends Mondayat 6 a.m What: Entrance and exit ramps andunderpass on 800 North in Orem will be closed get in the canyon,”hesaid. Few traffic interruptions Alternate Exits: Motor ists can use 1600 North yonalong U.S. Highway 189 wouldresult from the UDOT project, Thompsonsaid. The constructionis anticipatedto be completedlater this sum mer Alternate Routes: Use Geneva Road, 1200 West, 800 West or State Street along 800 Northandinthecan: the vote, “We felt prompted to un- A major $63million UDOT or Center Street exits of the gay community whose rights have been taken away ality and a list of known gay The churchonce taught that homosexuality was an illness and offered cures s ich as electroshock therapy, medication, marriage to het- erosexual womenandother therapies as treatments. In 2007, Elder Dallin H. Oaks, of the faith’s Quorum of Twelve Apostles, acknowledged the past use of someabusive therapies andsaid they had beenphasedout Cheryl NunnofSanta largely because of the LDSin Cruz, Calif., ownsthe site volvementin the campaign, domain. She said her discomfort with those past practices said Thompson,alifetime Mormonwholives in Boulder Creek, Calif raised her awareness of gays in the church. Last fall, Nunn Church spokeswoman Kim and Thompson becameactive Farahsaid Monday that the church had no comment on the site. As of Monday, 162individu in the campaign against Proposition 8, attending marches and rallies. Nunnis unequivocal about als hadsignedthepetition. wanting an apology Thompsonsaid signatureswill “Mostlikely that maynot be gatheredthroughthefall happen, but any reductionin and organizers plan to deliver aggressive MormonChurch thepetition to the church's fundraising, sermons to cam. Salt LakeCity headquarters paignandblock vote orto Nov. 4— theanniversary of promoteanti-gay legislation, the2008 Proposition8 vote. would meanthepetition mes sage hadbeen heard. Following the November project to widen 800 North to threelanesin each direction was completedlast year Ss Se | 1-15 closure on the Orem and Heber ends of | being installed along thestreet's north shoulder. It’s part of Central Utah Water Conservancy partof thecity’s master plan, vert someflowcapacity from May ruling by the Cali- fornia SupremeCourt upheld dertake this project on behalf North in Orem involvesefforts Started last summer to install fiber-opticlines for electronic spokesman. lanes under the freeway at 800 Those using 800 North in lines under the freeway as Mormons whohave committed suicide. | coalition that worked last fall Geneva Road, 1200 West, 800 be running 16-inch water and organizer, said in an e-mail to LDSchurch involvement in a ‘on Friday and end on Monday at 6 a.m. Transportation officials are asking motorists to use the 1600 North or Center Condie Construction, the current LDS pamphlet on the theologyrelated to homosexu- The Associated Press that the petition is a direct reaction to managerforthe city. decreasein the safety of the a chronicle of church involvement in gay-marriagelegisla- anti-gay policies and its involvementin anti-gaypolitics and fundraising. Janeen Thompson,a site sewerlines,said Chris Tschirki, water resourcesdivision “would take longer and be a agree. Site material includes tion, personal stories from to end whatit says are hurtful gayandlesbian Mormons,the will be closed this weekend as WestorState Street as alternate routes, mons, gays and heterosexuals living in several states — sus Christ of Latter-day Saints crewsposition large equipment and dig trenchesin order to Street exits from I-15, and Site organizers — who include Mormons, non-Mor- WeShall Remain Discussion |.) BS az ey Utah & I'M THINKIN RE G : * [AND RETHINKING WEDNESDAYS.] Humanities Wednesday Plan your Wednesdays around a visit to Arby's* for your FREE item. There's a great freebie every week! June 24th 6:30 to 7:30 With Forrest Cuch Executive Director of Utah Indian Affairs At the Lehi Hutchings Museum of Natural History www.hutchingsmuseum.org Come enjoy an insightful discussion about the documentary film series & with Forrest Cuch. We Shall Remain and the companion series about Utah’stribes will be shown at the Museum throughout the week in the Discovery Room He wa born (1951) and raked on the Uintah and Ouray Ute Indian Reservation in northeastern Utah. Hesees his present job as Forrest an enrolled member of the Ute Indian Tribe 2 major challenge with primary emphasis on educating Utah leaden and the genera! public. not only calling atterstion * to the ancient presence of American Indian people in Utah, but aho their prevent and enduring plight a: citizens with very unique contribution yet to be made to modem day society REE ROAST BEEF ace WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24 ONLY |