11The double cataract waterfall plunges 600 feet down a cliff in Provo Canyon. It's one of the most attractive spots in the region.

A new program meant to protect pedestrians may make a lot of drivers uncomfortable.

The Spanish Fork Police Department recently received an $8,400 grant from the Utah Highway Safety Department and the Utah State Health Department to educate the public about pedestrian safety.

Lehi residents should be grateful that three City Council members have exposed their real attitudes toward the public. The current fiscal crunch is bringing officials' attitudes into the open there and in other communities. And it's not a pretty sight.

Now that Sen. Barack Obama has been canonized — er, nominated — by the Democrats in Denver, it’s time to begin really wondering: Who is he? That’s why looking at his friends is so important, especially one friend who was a radical terrorist in the 1960s.

Beehive to Daniel Gibbons, 23, of Provo, for sharing his inspirational story of how he learned how to walk again after a car accident. His account was especially moving because he now plans to become a physical therapist. He well deserved the $10,000 check from Wells Fargo for his essay in the company's "Someday Stories" contest.

Buffalo Chip to Deseret News political writer Bob Bernick Jr. for making up news. In a front-page story, Bernick intimated that Republican leaders in the state Legislature told the newspaper's editorial board that they intended to tighten Utah's referendum process because they were mad about losing the school voucher vote. Bernick wasn't even at the meeting from which the information supposedly came. Co-writer Leigh Dethman, who was at the meeting, evidently didn't know how her copy would be abused. She accurately quoted Senate Majority Leader Curt Bramble of Provo about the instability brought by easy referendums, but Bramble was talking about California, not Utah, and about economics, not vouchers. Bernick evidently decided to link the comments to the Utah voucher debate. Go figure. Two days later, after reportedly apologizing to Senate president John Valentine, Bernick wrote a non-retraction retraction that made it sound as though Utah's legislative leaders had initially wanted to tighten the referendum process, but had later changed their minds. None of this actually happened. Bramble, Valentine, and Rep. Steve Urquhart, of St. George, unequivocally told the D-News from the start that there was nothing wrong with Utah's referendum system and it wasn't up for change. The newspaper ought to release the tape recording of that editorial board meeting and clear this up. Newspapers can't afford to squander their credibility.

A technological step ahead may also bring a step backward in funding transportation fairly. Utah is working toward charging tolls for freeway express lanes based on times of day, with rush hours being more expensive.

History will look back in astonishment at how, last week, Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch and Rep. Rob Bishop had to plead the case for more oil shale development.