Buffalo Chip to Provo School District for blocking an alternative BYU commencement at Dixon Middle School. BYU students objecting to the school's invitation of Vice President Cheney to speak at the April 26 commencement are planning an alternate ceremony featuring former presidential candidate Ralph Nader. After first granting the request, Provo school officials revoked the permission to have the event at Dixon. A spokesman said the district did not want protests that would be "disruptive to the learning process." Hard to see how it would be disruptive since it would be after school hours, and heaven forbid that people realize there are two sides to any issue.

Beehive to a group of BYU engineering students for finding a fun way to light up African schoolhouses. Adrian Williams and five others who tackled the problem after Ben and Julie Markham, who recently returned from an LDS mission to Ghana, said that they found two critical problems: no playground equipment and dark classrooms at schools. The main light came from open doors. The engineering students came up with a solution to both problems. Using spare car parts, they built a merry-go-round that doubles as an electrical generator, storing power in batteries to run lights. The generator taps a clean, renewable source of energy: youthful exuberance.

Buffalo Chip (provisional) to the Utah State Legislature for a plan to send 12 legislators to China this summer. They will visit officials in China's Liaoning Province. Sen. Curt Bramble of Provo says it isn't a junket; it's a mission to establish relations with another government. OK, but it looks a lot like Gov. Huntsman's junket last year with a group of Utah educators and business owners. A lot of vacationing was done on that one, but at least participants paid their own way. This time around, the taxpayers should see a breakdown of specific returns for their money. If legislators can demand accountability on class reduction money for the schools, they should expect to explain this trip. As Confucius said, accountability is two-way street. We'll withdraw the chip if the results are worthwhile.

Beehive to the Salt Lake County Council for joining the fight to keep commercial development out of This Is The Place Heritage Park. The council voted unanimously to oppose park foundation Chairman Ellis Ivory's plan to lease several acres of park land for commercial development to boost revenues. The park commemorates the arrival of the Mormon Pioneers in 1847 and includes a collection of historic buildings re-creating Salt Lake City's days as the territorial capital. County Mayor Peter Corroon said the county may purchase a conservation easement to protect the open space in the park and block development.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page A6.

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