Show Friday March 14 2003 A3 Local state and regional news In brlof In our schools Utah Huntsman criticizes Bush administration SALT LAKE CITY (AP)— Utah billionaire industrialist Jon Hunts- brief GOP guberman a one-tinatorial hopeful has accused the 'Bush administration of losing sight of domestic policy in its obsession with Iraq “We’re so focused on this war — we have been for the past two years ' — that this country is completely absent a cohesive energy and economic policy” said Huntsman who was quoted in a copyright story in rThe Salt Lake Tribune “This administration is very able" he said “They ought to be able to concentrate on more than me one thing “If we go to war with Iraq and clear the world of Saddam Hussein that’s fine but let’s get on with it” said the former US Navy gummy bfficer “I’m a faithful devoted Republican But more importantly I’m an American I want to see this economy made viable and our citizens treated fairly” The Huntsman Corp chairman has asked that Congress investigate trading in the gas markets for price manipulation Companies and consumers “are being fraudulently ripped off by big oil companies and futures traders at the New York Mercantile Exchange who establish prices for natural gas” he said in a Feb 25 letter to the Senate Energy Committee in Pretty ' f-- ' ' 4 Supreme Court may ' review Plaza case ' SALT LAKE CITY (AP)— The' Mormon church has asked the US Supreme Court to review a court rul- ing that requires the church to allow free speech on a downtown plaza j £ The Church of Jesus Christ of £ Latter-da- y Saints bought a block of z Main Street adjacent to its temple in ( 1999 from the city A public ease- moit guaranteed public ! access to the plaza1 The sale came with a provision !( that the church would be able to i regulate speech behavior and dress on the property The 10th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled those restrictions y were unconstitutional after religious : and civil rights groups sued The church would have to allow free speech activities just like on any other city sidewalk the court said Since the 10th Circuit ruling in October city Mayor Rocky Ander- son has been pressing church and community leaders for some sort of C compromise Anderson’s principal idea is a land swap: the Main Street easement in exchange for property the church owns on the city’s west side That land would be developed into a community center In a statement released on Wednesday the church said it still ! thinks the land swap is a “workable ' solution” The statement also says y: the church has confidence in its legal case and has filed papers with the Supreme Court asking the justices to overturn the 10th Circuit ruling 24-ho- ur ( Wrestler sentenced Mor hazing incident £ p £ ' i it 8 t I fg ' '' k ' ' 1 111 5 'i y school students to evacuate the building The Herald Journal was on the scene minutes after the fire ' It could have been mistaken for a was reported As students stood Barbie dress-u- p party at fust but it outside waiting to find out what was going on one student pointed ' wasn't just girls wearing shades of at Johnson The prin-cippink at Mount was running Logan Middle the School Principal group headpast ed toward the fire Dan Johnson's tnjck Wearing what “I don’t know if I birthday celebration on Thursday appeared to be a pink look pretty in pink dress shirt and khaki “We have declared it official pants In an effort to but my shirt was said bring the readers all pink day” Kim eighth-gradpossible information The Herald Journal Campbell Johnson said he Dan Johnson reported the princihad no idea that pal's ensemble principal Mt Logan After the story students and fac- in the paper the ran ulty would be made an Johnson next various hues the of color day donning announcement over the school in his honor It was all part of a school-wid- e celebration and joke loudspeaker to clarify that the shirt was not pink it was salmon The combined color has been a running joke with The joke stems back to NovemJohnson ever since ber when a fire forced middle By Holli Weiss staff writer al er salmon" - f xr Mitch MascaroHerald Journal Mount' Logan Middle School principal Dan Johnson above smiles after a group of students sang happy birthday to him before the start of school Thursday In the top photo a group of students discuss their pink outfits Many students at the school donned pink in honor of Johnson's birthday C According to faculty and staff Assistant Principal Mike Monson came up with the idea for everyone in the school to wear pink in honor of Johnson’s 56th birthday1 Johnson said he had no idea that such a plan was in the works “This is incredible” said Johnson laughing as he' stood in the hallway just outside the office swarmed by students wishing him a happy birth- day “The number of kids that have done this is incredible” This isn’t the first time that a plan was concocted to ambush Johnson on his birthday Six years ago the student council showed up open Canyon to remain a DWR SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — One of two North Sanpete High School wrestlers accused of forcibly shav- ing the groin of another student has pleaded guilty to attempted assault and has been fined and sentenced to 12 months probation ML Pleasant Justice Court Judge Ivo Peterson on Wednesday ordered to pay a $550 fine' the and enroll in an educational course to skills leam better decision-makin- g Chad Woolley Mt Pleasant City prosecutor also recommended that the charges be a plea in abeyance and if tire youth does not violate the probation or break any laws for one year the case will be dismissed The heavyweight wrestler and a teammate admitted pin-nira sophomore boy against A gym locker and shaving a portion ofhis pubic hair with an electric razor “As a prosecutor (the old) strikes me as being contrite He appeared remorseful” Woolley said r-j Students celebrate principal’s birthday by poking fun at attire — claims reports of a closure were By Joe Rowley staff writer It seems political feathers from Millville to Logan have been ruffled all over a misunderstanding according to Division of Wildlife Resources area supervisor Bob Hasenyager The Cache County Council officially went on the record Tuesday in unanimous opposition to a DWR proposal to close Millville Canyon to motor vehicles The catch is there is no proposal Hasenyager said “We are not supportive of a closure We support year-roun- d access by way of our game ' fence and Millville Crayon road” Hasenyager said Millville Mayor Gale Hall and City Council members spoke out last week in opposition to apparent plans from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources to close Millville Crayon They -6“It 6 sounds like maybe we jumped on that before we needed to" - Sheriff misunderstanding Cache Valley Any motor vehicle restrictions would apply to search and rescue as well as ordinary residents he said The idea of closing a road that has been used for years didn't sit well with council members Tuesday Road access is not something that is new to the council — it has been working to illegally closed roads that cross private land but provide access to National Forest land Councilmembers said the county should not treat the DWR any differently than it does ray other resident who wants to close a road Cory Yeates called the idea an “outright misuse of power” Councilman John Hansen told the council that a closure would be unnecessary He frequents the crayon in winter and summer and not only re-op- en Lynn Nelson believed the division would restrict motor vehicles year-roun-d citing the need to protect elk that winter in the area Then it was Cache County Sheriff Lynn Nelson that brought the issue to the County Council Nelson asked the council to take a stand opposing the proposed closure Council Chairman Craig Petersen said His primary reason is that the Sheriff’s Office uses the canyon as an access point for search and rescue operations in the mountains east' of Coun-cilmemb- er See CANYON on A10 at his house in the wee hours of the morning and with his wife’s help videotaped him in his pajamas and dragged him off to school without letting him change Then still in his PJ’s an assembly was held where he was presented with gifts The theme was 50 and so he received 50 pennies 50 cans of Diet Coke 50 balloons and so on That was a sneaky plan said Johnson but not as creative as this “This is really cool because so many kids participated and personalized it” he said straining to see a see PINK on A8 Council believes they will hire city manager by June By Mark Randall staff writer PROVIDENCE — Providence officials have a good idea of what they want in a city manager and are confident they can have somebody on board by the end of June The City Council is close to finishing the job description for the city manager and will then begin advertising for the job “We’re doing that right now” said Vic Saunders “The comments have come in and once that process is completed it’s supposed to be ready to vote on by bur next council meeting March 25 Once we advertise it then we can legally interview people” Mayor Alma Leonhardi Saunders rad Dennis Nelson have been working on ' a draft job description Officials decided in January during an executive retreat to go back to a form of government Under this Coun-cilmemb- er er ce See COUNCIL on A8 3 |