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Show Ghe Salt Lake Tribune Section B & POLICE BLOTTER/8.2 @ SIRTHS/87 iS ODITUARIES/B7 @ WEATHER/B-8 ROAD WORK Construction projects around thestate/B-4 SATURDAY, MAY 2, 1998 Seminary Time Divides Tiny School District Leavitt, Graham Trade Political Punches Republicans say attorney general should have made Utah a supporter of anti-gay-marriage law BYJUDY FAHYS THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE Some parents want classes during school day, not before A caustic battle of words exploded in Utah’s Capitol on Friday over a court case in faraway Vermont, where the etate government is refusing to recognize BY HILARY GROUTAGE THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE An acrimonious debate over release- three same-gender couples who insist they are married, On one side was Democratic Atty. Gen Jan Graham.On the other wasthe state’s timefor religious studies has divided the top GOP leaders; Gov, Mike Leavitt, central Utah town of Eureka and stunned the president of the Tintic School Board. “To be truthful, we got caught up in it and didn’t knew we weregoing to,” said School Board President Mary Lou Drap- er. “People say things have changed around here because of this.”” Discussions started about two years ago, she said, whenstudents and parents in the sparsely populated area began asking for a free hour during the school day so students couid attend Mormon seminary, $rramers————— "Why do you allow them [the Eagle Forum] to push you around?” Atty. Gen. Jan Graham 'To Gov. Mike Leavitt Se Graham had a family emergencyFri- day and was not available for comment, “The bottomline is Jan but Leavitt was eager to tell his side of the story. Graham has refused to defend General's Office had failed to alert his tics with heroffice. House Speaker Mel Brown and Senate President Lane Beattie. The Republicans said Graham should have added Utah’s signatureto a ‘friend “Your reasons for wanting me to join this brief,” Graham said, “are purely and simply so [the conservative political group] the Eagle Forum will not be mad of the court” brief that supports Vermontin rejecting the three marriages because a favorable ruling could bolster Utah's own law against same-sex marriage. The attorney general asserted that gally or poiicy-wise, as your [Thursday] letter so carefully states,” she continued. “Political sensitivity’ was all you could at you “You have no interest in the case,le- office and the Legislature about the Vermont case, Now the deadline has passed for joining Nebraska and the 10 other states that did sign the brief. “The bottom line is Jan Graham has refused to defend our law, and she made that decision without notifying herclients (the state governmentand the Legis- lature] aboutit," Leavitt said. “It is the people of this state who want neither Utah's law nor the federal De- speak of Wednesday on the telephone, this law to be defended.” fense of Marriage Act needs any assis- tance from the Vermont case. and you even took it upon yourself to warn meof the ‘political consequences’ In a Thursday letter, the governor urged Graham to petition the court so Graham left Leavitt fuming Friday, accusing him in a letter of playing poli- [the Eagle Forum]to push you around?” to myself... Why do you allow them our law.” He insisted political concerns had nothing to do with his view thatit is important for Utah to stand up for its own law forbidding same-sex marriages. He cailed his position as chief executive “untenable” because the Attorney Gov. Mike Leavitt On Atty. Gen. Jan Graham een vitt's request is echoed in a similar letter the legislative leaders, Beattie and Brown, sent to Graham on Friday. They pointed out the states wantte ensure same-sex marriageswill not be honored in Vermont so they will not be forced, under the full faith and credit clause of the U.S. Constitution, to ac- knowledge such unions, “We are extremely disappointed in yourrefusal to follow the governor's recommendation to join the Nebraska amicus [friend of the court] brief," the Utah can join thebrief. The tone and reasoning behind Lea- See CAPITOL, Page B-6 For years, the dozen or so students who wanted religious instruction have arrived at Tintic High School an hour early to getit. But Jocal LDS officials say that keeps attendance Jow, and they want students to have the option during the day. Tn Utah, about two-thirds of students in ninth through 12th grades are released from school for one hourto attend religion courses taught by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Otherreligions offer release-time for courses as well. But at Tintic High, the classes always have been taught at 7 a.m. Students at West Desert High School, the other high school in the district, have home study Mormonseminary, Drapersaid, DougBates, director of law andpelicy for the State Office of Education, said state law allowsdistricts to offer release time for religious classes, but does not mandate it. The districts reserve the right not to allow students to leave for instruction. At a recent meeting of the Tintic Board of Education, Philip Rowley, a Mormon churchleader from Santaquin, Ryan Gulbraitt/The Salt Lake Tribune A golfer enjoys a greatview of the snowpack, which remains high, on Wasatch Mountainsat West Ridge Golf Course in West ValleyCity. See weather, Page D-8, ditional release-time. So Far, So Good, But Flooding Still Possible This Spring However, hie said, “We are trying to work with [the Tintic School District) and be good neighbors aboutit.” Sudden hot weather, or cold with rain, could bring down the water. Crewsrid streamsof debris that could plug runoff channeis. threatened legalaction if the board does not comply with the request to grant tra- e Tintic district includes students from Goshen, Elberta and other Utah BYBRENT ISRAELSEN and BRANDON LOOMIS County commuuities, Tt may be the only school district in the state that does not ‘THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE offer release-time. The reasonis simple: Moderate temperatures and a reprieve from precipitation the past few weeks havelessened fears for springtimeflooding. But the heavy snows of winter are not out of the With only 135 students in Tintic High, there would be times when the school would be empty and teachers had nothing to do while students attend religious woods classes, “Our kids have many advantages going to a small school, butthis is a disadvantage,” Draper said. dle. yet. In most other areas of thestate, the numberof students in church education Tintic school, students haveto take electives all at the same time, not spread throughout the day and taught by several different teachers asis the practice in larger schools. Astorm lingering off the Pacific Coast will makeits way yard work in the creeks,” Fishel said. The high water whisksit away quickly, but the garbage clogsthe creeks As spring starts to think about becoming summer, siowly to Utah, continually increasing the chance for showers through the middle of the week. But any show- farther downstream. streams along the Wasatch Front,” said William Alder, who heads the Salt Lake City office of the National ers likely will be light and spotty, Alder said. While manypeople will headto the links or parksthis weekend, Davis County crewswill continue to range the canyons, pulling debris from screens in catch basins WeatherService built after the destructive floods of spring 1983. Of particular concern are streams in Davis, Weber The worst-case scenario is a period of cold and wet days, which would add to the amount of water in the has putoff a decision. An informal sur- a tempting but dangerous garbage-disposal method, he Said. and Tooele counties. Rowley claims the school board long Crew member Greg Fishel said Mill Creek — the stream draining the largest canyon basin in the county — is rising half a foot a day upstream from Bountiful. ‘The gush of water through town gives nearby residents “spikes” in the weather, could cause flooding, Alder said. “Too hot is not good. Too cold is not good.” In the more immediate future, meteorologists forecast a mild weekend, with temperaturesin the mid-70s. that snow will comeoff the mountainsrapidly. “We're going to see good volumes[of water]in all the sizes. With fewer than 10 teachers at the “They all look pretty good right now, as good as they're going to get,” said David Adamson, assistant county public-works director. The extended forecast for May shows a month of normal temperatures and precipitation, but any blips, or Snowpack — or the amount of water stored in snow sitting on the ground — remains high throughout the state, with some river basins approaching 200 percent of normal. courses helps with the bulging class streams, or a period of extreme heat, which would melt the snowpack more quickly than the streams could han- ‘The crews have scoured thosefacilities this week, re- moving tree limbs and garbage that could plug streams and canals, causing the high runoff to spill into neigh- “People don't seem to be able to resist putting their Fishel and a partner fished tree prunings and old lawn chairs from Mill Creek on Friday. In Centerville Canyon, there is no catch basin to screen out debris. Geologists have warned that the creek is one of the few in the county that has not experienced a damaging debris flow this century, meaning debris may be lying in wait upstream, ready to be picked up by high See FLOODS,Page B-6 borhoods. See SEMINARY, Page B-6 Snowbasin May Get Road Cash, Escape EIS BY JOHN KEABEY ‘THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE Olympics booster and resort owner Earl Holding camea step closer Friday to seeing the federal governmentpayfor a new road to his Snowbasin Ski Area east Natasuteaiain weet ; A road linking Trappers Loop and the Snowbasin Ski Area camea step closer to reality Friday when President Clinton signeda bill that allows federalfunds to be used while streamlining the environmental-study process required in such projects. Pineview Reservoir fill the vacancy, Paul Warner,an assistant U.S. attorney and a tions bill Friday that includes provisions designed to speed up approvalprocesses for 2002 Winter Olympics projects. Sen, Bob Bennett, R-Utah, amended thebill to Republican, will be formally nominated by Pres- ident Clinton sometime“‘in the next few weeks,” include the projects. ‘The provisions would allow the Federal Highway Ad ministration to provide $10 million to $15 million for the road while avoiding time-consuming environmental studies. The first phase of environmental studies for such projects will not be subject to appeal — the usual method critics can use to question projects. The changes are important, boosters say, because Thesigning by Clinton brought smiles to the Salt Lake Organizing Committee, “Snowbasin ts critical to the Source: Utah Departmentof Transportation ‘TheSalt Lake Tribune, and Super-G skling competi- same [environmental-impact study) rules everybody else has to play by,” said Save Our Canyons member Tom Berggren. What's more, Berggren said, the moveto free federal funds for the road represents ‘‘a gift of public funds to a crowds, and a second access roadis vital, he said multimillionaire [Snowbasin owner Holding], Why sbouldn't Holding have to pay for that road eventual success of the Games,” said SLOC executive Dave Johnson, Its events — the downhill ont 7 Whar CLICK HERE AS tions — will drawsignificant In an earlier interview, an environmentalist opposed to the new road spoke out against efforts by SLOO, Holding and Bennett to speed up the process. “It's outrageous, unbelievabie. They think they can get a better deal bydegislation than by following the t h BY JOHN HEILPRIN THE SALT LAKE TRISUNE In an unusualpolitical twist, the White House ocratic choice to head the U.S. Attorney's Office in Utah and nominate a Republican instead to President Clinton signed a supplemental appropria- par for the road likely will comein separate congressional action later this year. Republican Paul Warnerwill be nominated for the Utah post, says Hatch apparently has agreedto relinquish its top Dem- of Ogden. such projects need to get on a fast track if they are to be completed by 2002. Clinton to Name GOP U.S. Attorney Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, said in a statement Friday “At a time whendrug use among our youth is increasing, crime rates are up, and the criminal alien problem is a source of concern to our state,” Hatch said, “it is important to have a career prosecutor with the reputation and ability of Paul Warner to lead the federal law enforcement effort in Utah." The appointment of a Republican by the Dem: ocratic administration also could signal that the some deference to senior senators in states where appointments are to be made. “I find it incredibly unusual. One would have thought that [Hatch] could have found a Democrat he would be willing to support,” said’Todd Taylor, the state Democratic Party's executive director. “We're disappointed, to say the least {and] we're disappointed in the administration,” he said. “I hope there was something (that Clinton got in return], My biggest nightmare is thatit was for naught.” White Houseofficials were tight-lipped about the political ramifications Friday, and Hatch could not be reached for comment. Clinton spokeswoman Kara Gerhardt said the White House ‘can't comment on any nominations until the nomination is made,” If confirmed, Warner would replace U.S. At torney Scott Matheson, whoresigned in December and returned (o teaching at University of Utah’s law school. Since then, David Schwendi- White House has struck a deal with Hatch for man has been the interim U.S, attorney. some political gain — perhaps support for filling vacant federal judgeships — elsewhere must be confirmed by Hatch's committee and For his part, Warnersaid he pitched himself only as a career prosecutor. He hopes to be con. firmed by the Senate and begin his newjob with: in six to eight weeks. “Lwent after this job becauseI was qualified,” he said. “I'm not naive enough to think that polities don't play a role, but I didn’t playit that way,” Typically, presidents’ appointments of U.S Bennett attached the provisions to the appropriations attorneys to head the Justice Department's of- See SNOWBASIN, Page B-6 same political party. But a president also pays fices throughout the nation remain within the All U.S. attorney and federal judge nominees the full Senate Warner said Hatch called him with the news ‘Thursday night. “I'm both honored and humbled at the sametime," Warnersaid. “It's something I'm really looking forward to doing.” And while he is “philosophically a Republi can,’ Warner said, there is no room for partisan- shipin handling federal cases. The 46-year-old Warner, who was born in SeSee REPUBLICAN, Page B-6 |
