Salt Lake:Official development news thread - Part 2

[urbanboy]

The intrinsic value of an arch is the arch itself and the history it calls back to. Much like the arch de triumph, or the one in Manhattan and other American cities, the No Ni Shee arch would call back to a time when business leaders in Utah used creative ways to promote Salt Lake City as a World Class City and a great place to do business. It would also remind us of the original inhabitants of this land. No Ni Shee was a mythical native american princess who's tears were believed to have made the Great Salt Lake salty. These types of arches also act as monumental magnets for tourists. An arch at the head of Main Street, along with the Daughters of Utah Pioneers Museum (They really need to change the name) and the Utah State Capitol building, will create the critical mass of attractions needed to make that area of town a substantial draw.

[urbanboy]

The Thumb
Tribune Editorial


...Granite High redux (thumb up) » We don't know where the money would come from, but the idea of converting the old Granite High School into a community center, recreation complex and city hall for South Salt Lake has a lot of curb appeal. The great old school at 3305 S. 500 East holds treasured memories for thousands of Utahns, and its 21 acres, including playing fields, should be preserved as open space and recreational property. The Granite School District has closed the school and is expected to put it up for sale as surplus property. In addition to the real estate cost, the district estimates the buildings would require $20 million-$25 million in upgrades to make them safer in case of earthquake. That's a big tab. But if South Salt Lake and Salt Lake County could somehow come up with the funds, it would give the community a civic center, a place for children to play sports and learn after school, and it is right across the street from Pioneer Craft House, another cultural resource. The school already has an indoor swimming pool, and maybe a theater could be added.

http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/ci_13282153

[T-Mac]

OC Tanner




Bonus Shot of Reflection of Downtown

[TonyAnderson]

So the newspapers should just commission you for their photos Tmac. Nice.

[delts145]

The O.C. Tanner building is like a beautiful Faberge Egg. Thanks T-Mac for that eloquent pic.

[jmonkey]

Kudos to the OC Tanner company for giving the city this beautiful gift! The restoration is perfect from the street--the building looks better than ever.

[TonyAnderson]

Originally Posted by urbanboy

The intrinsic value of an arch is the arch itself and the history it calls back to. Much like the arch de triumph, or the one in Manhattan and other American cities, the No Ni Shee arch would call back to a time when business leaders in Utah used creative ways to promote Salt Lake City as a World Class City and a great place to do business. It would also remind us of the original inhabitants of this land. No Ni Shee was a mythical native american princess who's tears were believed to have made the Great Salt Lake salty. These types of arches also act as monumental magnets for tourists. An arch at the head of Main Street, along with the Daughters of Utah Pioneers Museum (They really need to change the name) and the Utah State Capitol building, will create the critical mass of attractions needed to make that area of town a substantial draw.

I agree. I also like the idea of public art / parks throughout the city. I think it creates a great atmosphere and contrast to the developed area. Think NYC and Chicago. It attracts visitors and tourists alike by portraying the city as a place of beauty and creativity, as well being a place for work, venues, etc.

[WeST]

Originally Posted by TonyAnderson

I agree. I also like the idea of public art / parks throughout the city. I think it creates a great atmosphere and contrast to the developed area. Think NYC and Chicago. It attracts visitors and tourists alike by portraying the city as a place of beauty and creativity, as well being a place for work, venues, etc.

I don't think most people question the desire for art and its value (even though it is tough to quantify), but the question is whether the limited financial resources of government should be spent on these things. I would like to see fundrasing campaigns and private donors stepping up and creating something to give to the city, but I don't support using resources that could otherwise be used for transportation, parks, public outreach, schools, etc.

I would like to see private displays of art where they can be displayed on streets for all to see and where people could buy them. It could be like a year around farmers market for artists. Why can't we use Main Street, 3rd South and South Temple as big art galleries? Those structures that are used on Main for advertising are sometimes empty, why not use those for art work?

[urbanboy]

Dear Salt Lake City, and all Utah-wide, forum members:

Is newly-minted Governor Gary Herbert already wavering on his promise to keep foreign nuclear waste out of Utah? Unfortunately, it appears so.
As reported by ABC 4 News, EnergySolutions and the State Attorney General’s office are talking about striking a bargain. In exchange for a receiving a portion of the revenue from Italian nuclear waste, Utah would give up its say over what sort of waste could come into the state: Watch/read the story here

This threat to our state’s sovereignty should not stand. Back in May, Governor Herbert promised to “hold the line” drawn by Jon Huntsman on foreign nuclear waste. That is a far cry from “let’s cut a deal”.

Governor Herbert should be throwing his full weight behind Utah’s appeal of EnergySolutions' dangerous legal challenge. He should be working to safeguard Utah’s power to self govern in nuclear waste matters, not auction it off to the highest bidder. It now falls on all of us to help Governor Herbert find his resolve and remind him that his sworn duty is to represent the people of Utah.

Please email Governor Herbert today and let him know we expect him to honor his word to keep foreign nuclear waste out of Utah. The governor can be contacted through his webpage here:
http://governor.utah.gov/goca/form_comment.html


Here is the letter I wrote:

Dear Governor Herbert,

I'm a Utahn for life, and I take pride in this land. I see great potential for clean renewable energy development; We have a great advantage here with an abundance of renewable energy resources. This could also be an opportunity to lead our country down a path of sustainability and responsible living, and really help improve our State image.

Creating a good and fair image for our State far outweighs any possible gains that might come as a result of striking a deal with Energy Solutions (or any other company who seeks to make gain at the expense of all Utahns, at the expense of our health, our peace of mind, and our image).

Nuclear energy is not renewable or sustainable. It produces waste that is dangerous to living things and cannot be contained indefinitely. The State of Utah should not support or even tolerate Nuclear "energy," or it's dangerous waste.

I have a great invested interest in our state's image; I would hope you do too. All the money and effort to promote this state as a place to live, work, play, and even locate an intuitive business will be for naught (wasted) if you as our Governor decide to make this state a "dumping grounds" for nuclear waste. Utah is already having some image problems with the recent reporting of high mercury content in the Great Salt Lake (a result of environmentally unconscious industry). Being a dumping grounds for nuclear waste will really only make things worse. We don't want people to think our state is an unhealthy or dangerous place to live.

Sincerely,

urbanboy

[WeST]

I love nuclear power! I want nuclear power plants in Utah that we can use and sell to other states. It would cut our emissions of pollutants and ease our inversions. It is safe, relatively clean, reliable, local and a wise choice for Utah to pursue.

I don't support importing waste from other countries or high level waste from other states. We should not become the storage place for those who benefit from its energy.

[urbanboy]

Originally Posted by WeST

I love nuclear power! I want nuclear power plants in Utah that we can use and sell to other states. It would cut our emissions of pollutants and ease our inversions. It is safe, relatively clean, reliable, local and a wise choice for Utah to pursue.

I don't support importing waste from other countries or high level waste from other states. We should not become the storage place for those who benefit from its energy.

I'm calling bullshit. Also, why would you settle for anything less than clean renewable energy?

Ease our inversions?! Hardly, it's mainly pollutants from car exhaust that make our inversions unsafe.

[WeST]

We should continue this in the irrelevant thread.

[geoking66]

Nuclear's better than fossil fuels, but we should be working on hydroelectric, biodegradable, and wind power.

[scottharding]

Whether you prefer Nuclear power to other forms or not, the issue here is Gov. Herbert going back on his word, and bringing harmful waste to Utah.
Thank you for the heads up Urban boy.
If I may, I once received advice from a government official about email your senators, congressmen or governor. Being very brief is preferable. While Urban boy's letter is eloquent, I'd recommend a very brief and to the point email.
Dear Gov. Herbert,
As a proud citizen of the great state of Utah, I'm worried to see a potential deal with Energy Solutions is being considered by your office for approval. I hope that you will not go back on your word to sustain Governor Huntsman stand on this matter.
I do not want Utah to become a dumping ground for any form of waste discarded from other states or nations. Please protect our wonderful state.
Sincerely,
Concerned citizen who knew this shit was coming when you took office (or your name)

Of course, I'm not saying Urban boy's letter is wrong, I'm just saying even if you have little time, a quick note can make be remarkably effective

[WeST]

Originally Posted by scottharding

Whether you prefer Nuclear power to other forms or not, the issue here is Gov. Herbert going back on his word, and bringing harmful waste to Utah.
Thank you for the heads up Urban boy.
If I may, I once received advice from a government official about email your senators, congressmen or governor. Being very brief is preferable. While Urban boy's letter is eloquent, I'd recommend a very brief and to the point email.
Dear Gov. Herbert,
As a proud citizen of the great state of Utah, I'm worried to see a potential deal with Energy Solutions is being considered by your office for approval. I hope that you will not go back on your word to sustain Governor Huntsman stand on this matter.
I do not want Utah to become a dumping ground for any form of waste discarded from other states or nations. Please protect our wonderful state.
Sincerely,
Concerned citizen who knew this shit was coming when you took office (or your name)

Of course, I'm not saying Urban boy's letter is wrong, I'm just saying even if you have little time, a quick note can make be remarkably effective

This is silly! Gov. Herbert may have changed his mind, but we all do that thousands of times throughout our lives. It isn't like the Governor campaigned on opposing nuclear power storage and then changed his mind once he got into office. I have no problem with people opposing his change of mind, but don't get your panties in a bunch thinking that he deceived voters somehow. That would be nonsense.

[UTvision]

Official: Utah not considering nuclear waste deal

September 4th, 2009 @ 7:20pm
By BROCK VERGAKIS, AP writer
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- The Utah attorney general's office said Friday it is not in negotiations with EnergySolutions Inc. to drop the state's objections to importing foreign nuclear waste for disposal here.

"While Gov. Herbert is aware of the proposal, it should be noted that he has not formally been presented with any offer on this issue," Herbert spokesman Angie Welling wrote in an e-mail to the AP.

"The governor remains committed to the lawsuit that is currently on appeal and continues to believe that foreign waste should not be imported into Utah," the e-mail said.

[scottharding]

Originally Posted by WeST

This is silly! Gov. Herbert may have changed his mind, but we all do that thousands of times throughout our lives. It isn't like the Governor campaigned on opposing nuclear power storage and then changed his mind once he got into office. I have no problem with people opposing his change of mind, but don't get your panties in a bunch thinking that he deceived voters somehow. That would be nonsense.

I didn't accuse him of deceiving voters. I said I hope he stands by what he's said before. It's a way of showing my opinion as a citizen. If many citizens express a similar opinion, then the Governor knows the mind of the public.
And based on the post above, it's all fine.

[Sight-Seer]

At the risk of getting in some hot nuclear water, I agree with WeST. I think the decision on whether to accept nuclear waste, and as a consequence enabling the use of nuclear power, is too important to base it on how it "looks" to other states. We're talking about a serious alternative to fossil fuels and the future of the planet. 87 percent of France's electrical power is produced by nuclear plants. When you think of France, do you think "Ick, nuclear power!" I doubt it. Of course, no nuclear opponent has ever been swayed by facts and logic.

It you think there's no place in Utah to store nuclear waste, drive 100 miles west on I-80 then take any road going north. After you've done that you can talk about keeping the forsaken, unbearable, Utah salt deserts pristine.

[geoking66]

I find it ironic that although a large percentage of the US is supportive of nuclear weapons, the same majority look down upon nuclear power and would rather keep on burning coal. Of course nuclear power isn't the solution, but it's certainly a better step than staying with fossil fuels (and this is coming from someone ardently against nuclear weaponry).

[urbanboy]

Originally Posted by scottharding

Whether you prefer Nuclear power to other forms or not, the issue here is Gov. Herbert going back on his word, and bringing harmful waste to Utah.
Thank you for the heads up Urban boy.
If I may, I once received advice from a government official about email your senators, congressmen or governor. Being very brief is preferable. While Urban boy's letter is eloquent, I'd recommend a very brief and to the point email.
Dear Gov. Herbert,
As a proud citizen of the great state of Utah, I'm worried to see a potential deal with Energy Solutions is being considered by your office for approval. I hope that you will not go back on your word to sustain Governor Huntsman stand on this matter.
I do not want Utah to become a dumping ground for any form of waste discarded from other states or nations. Please protect our wonderful state.
Sincerely,
Concerned citizen who knew this shit was coming when you took office (or your name)

Of course, I'm not saying Urban boy's letter is wrong, I'm just saying even if you have little time, a quick note can make be remarkably effective

Yes, I like it! short and to the point.