Democratic Party News

Immigration reform, intact

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:21:41 +0000

The most far-reaching overhaul of the nation’s immigration system in a generation has emerged mostly unscathed from the Senate Judiciary Committee. The bill’s bipartisan sponsors showed that, even in Washington, the center can sometimes hold. Though the legislation, all 800-odd pages of it, contains provisions that pained Democrat and Republican backers alike, they gritted their teeth and voted it out of committee and onto the Senate floor.

Blogger claims USDA regulations targeting LDS canneries

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:27:13 +0000

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - A blog written by Kellene Bishop claims "LDS Canneries east of the Mississippi will no longer be canning any food at their facilities beginning June 27th, 2013, as they are no longer able to justify the abhorrent costs to keep in compliance with the ever-changing criteria set forth by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration."

Kellene's blog continues, "The canneries will still function as a center for pre-packaged bulk-foods for their patrons, but these items will have to be shipped into them now, pre-packaged in the LDS Canneries in the West."

Noah Bond's ABC 4 Utah broadcast at 5 p.m. on May 22 reported, Kellene's blog contains misinformation about canneries owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because Church spokesmen Dale Jones and Cody Craynor said government regulations are not restricting LDS canning at canning facilities.

Kellene called ABC 4 Utah and eventually talked with Bond. She told him his report was slanderous and boldly defended the claims she posted in her blog. She told Bond the Church will not openly confront the Federal Government because it would be too much of a fight. She reemphasized to Bond all LDS canneries will halt canning east of the Mississippi June 27 because of USDA and FDA regulations.

Bond left a message with the secretary of Church spokespeople Ruth Todd and Cody Craynor Wednesday night to fact check this claim.

Kellene said she talked with an LDS cannery volunteer who told her off the record about a government inspector who demanded one can from each box be tested at a cost of $100 each, but Kellene could not provide the source.

Kellene told Bond a worker in one cannery cried as she said a government inspector is making regulations like a moving target and impossible to comply with.

Bond was unable to verify any of Kellene's claims because she could not provide names or phone numbers to him, but Bond was encouraged by his management to flush out this story completely. He will continue to call canneries all over the United States to fact check Kellene's blog. You can read it by clicking on the attached link.

Department of Agriculture spokeswoman Stephanie Chan did not return an email from Bond before this story was posted online.

Bond also called Senators Orrin Hatch, Mike Lee and Rep. Jim Matheson, but none of their spokespeople were aware of the alleged assault against the Latter-day Saint Church.

LDS Church spokeswoman Ruth Todd released this statement:

"The Church is not closing canneries and is not limiting the variety of goods available to church members. Over time we will be reducing the number of facilities where the packaging of dry goods occurs. Instead, Church home storage centers will offer the same or additional commodities in pre-packaged form, at no additional cost."

Craynor emphasized the reduction in the number of facilities has nothing to do with government regulations.

Bond also called LDS spokesman Matt Ball who represents the Latter-day Saint Church in California and Hawaii. He said a cannery in Sacramento closed.

Bond called Richard Montgomery who represents the Sacramento cannery and learned it closed and moved to Idaho because of State regulations on all businesses.

McAdams picks UTA official to promote county

Wed, 22 May 2013 20:08:02 +0000

McAdams picks UTA official to promote county

by Mike Gorrell The Salt Lake Tribune

Published May 22, 2013 02:08PM MDT

Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams has hired Christina Oliver away from the Utah Transit Authority to become his new economic development director. Oliver, 34, who has worked to promote commercial, retail and multi-residential “transit-oriented developments” at key UTA rail and bus junctions, will replace Dale Carpenter. He resigned last week after eight years on the job. McAdams said Oliver’s appointment was the first of several structural changes he intends to implement soon to provide “premi...

Copyright 2013 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Salt Lake County set to create ‘mutual commitment registry’

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:50:09 +0000

Salt Lake County set to create ‘mutual commitment registry’

by Mike Gorrell | The Salt Lake Tribune

Published May 22, 2013 12:50PM MDT

Salt Lake County is poised to create a “mutual commitment registry” that could help an individual in a nontraditional relationship obtain access to his or her partner’s benefits — including a family pass at county recreation centers. The County Council voted 7-0 Tuesday to give preliminary approval to an ordinance instructing the county clerk to set up a “registry for adult relationships of financial dependence or interdependence.” That registry, said sponsoring Democratic Councilman Arlyn Brad...

Copyright 2013 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Hatch poised to back immigration bill with changes

Tue, 21 May 2013 17:21:12 +0000

Hatch poised to back immigration bill with changes

by Matt Canham The Salt Lake Tribune

Published May 21, 2013 11:21AM MDT

Washington • Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, is poised to support a massive overhaul of the nation’s immigration laws, including a path to citizenship for unauthorized immigrants. He just wants the Democrats to make some concessions first. Hatch outlined his expectations in an impromptu news conference Monday, saying he’d support the bill when the Judiciary Committee votes later this week if Democrats compromise on temporary visas for high-skilled workers. And he’s willing to back the legislation when...

Writers offer personal finance advice to Obama

Sat, 18 May 2013 07:21:00 +0000

With the release of President Obama’s financial disclosures on May 15, the nation got a glimpse of the...