When I was seven years old growing up in Orem, I remember driving past Utah Valley University and thinking: college isn’t for kids like me. My dad worked in construction, my mom cleaned houses, and no one in my family had gone to college. A university degree felt like a distant dream that ...
It’s hard to believe David G. Wright is talking about the same Jeff Whitlock I know in his recent opinion piece, “The Power of Listening.” Although I had never met Jeff Whitlock until I attended the same forum Wright references, I was immediately impressed by his business savvy, ...
Several months ago, I attended an Orem City Council meeting where the issue of rezoning the beloved Wilkerson Farm from open space to residential housing was heard. The City Council chambers were filled to capacity with Orem residents who were against the proposed rezoning. Many of them spoke ...
At a recent forum for Provo’s District 2 City Council candidates, Councilman George Handley revealed a troubling philosophy. He praised politicians who have the “courage” to ignore the voices of their neighbors and instead rely on their own “convictions” when casting votes. That’s ...
What’s all the hubbub about 501(c)(4)s, PACs, and their impact on elections? And why are Orem voters right to be concerned about “dark money” in local politics? First, let’s clear up the basics. A PAC (Political Action Committee) is created to distribute funds to candidates, political ...
This year being the 50th anniversary of the movie, JAWS, it seems like the perfect time to regale you all with my shark encounter. Since Utah is landlocked, I hadn’t had any live connections before. I’d visited the ocean a few times on vacation but mostly found seaweed. The closest I’d ...
