In her 2004 State of the State address, Gov. Olene Walker promised that no one would out-work, out-smart or out-hustle her administration in increasing the number of good jobs in the state. Tomorrow she will set out to continue keeping her promise.

"In order to build and strengthen Utah’s job market, I have to know how it’s doing at the ground level," she said. "To do that, I’ve decided to visit as many Utah businesses and talk to as many Utah workers as I can. By initiating one-on-one contact with those doing the work in our state, I am better able to serve them as governor."

Central to funding the state’s many needs is the necessity of stable, well-paying jobs for its citizens. Walker has made job growth and stability a priority in her administration and has begun a round of company visits to show her support of and commitment to Utah businesses. Tomorrow, Walker will visit four major companies in Cache Valley.

Walker will also make several stops on the Utah State University campus during her visit. In addition to addressing students in the Taggart Student Center as part of Women’s History Month, she plans to make two stops that tie directly to two of her initiatives under the Walker Work Plan.

At every opportunity, the governor visits elementary schools around the state to read to children, following her own advice to read with a child for at least 20 minutes a day. Tomorrow, Walker will read to students at Edith Bowen Elementary to promote literacy and reinforce her "Read With A Child" initiative.

Also on her list of stops is the Utah State University Space Dynamics Laboratory. Fundamental to her drive for jobs in the state is her technology transfer initiative. Walker feels it is vital that Utah’s research institutions build partnerships with private businesses to transfer the technology and ideas founded at the state’s universities to Utah companies.

"Education is the engine for economic development," Walker said. "So many great discoveries are happening at our research institutions every day that we must find an effective way to translate that success into jobs in the business world. Utah has long been known for its innovation and technology. All we must do to grow jobs is ensure that our discoveries translate into realities in the private sector."

A complete itinerary of the day’s visits follows below. Addresses are in Logan City unless otherwise noted. All appointments are open to the media pending individual business and organizational permission.

• 11 - 11:30 a.m. Schreiber Foods
  Location: 885 N. 600 W.
• Noon - 12:30 p.m. Women’s History Speech
  Location: Taggart Student Center, Sunburst Lounge
  USU Campus
• 12:40 - 1 p.m. Edith Bowen Elementary School
  Location: USU Campus
• 1:20 - 2 p.m. Space Dynamics Laboratory
  Location: 1695 N. Research Park Way
  North Logan
• 2:30 - 3 p.m. S & S Power
  Location: 350 W. 2500 N.
• 3:15 - 3:45 p.m. ICON Fitness
  Location: 1500 S. 1000 W.
• 4 - 4:30 p.m. Hyclone
  Location: 925 W. 1800 S. (Just off Highway 89)

5:05:29 PM    

PRICE — The killing of two elk in Emery County in late November 2003 led to significant fines and restitution for two hunters. It's also a good example of the importance of reporting accidental over-limits to the Division of Wildlife Resources.

On Nov. 29, 2003, two Emery County men were participating in the Poison Springs antlerless elk hunt when they shot and killed four elk — three cows and a calf. The men possessed only two permits. Rather than contacting the Division of Wildlife Resources to notify an officer of their situation, they chose to abandon the elk.

Another hunter discovered the dead elk, and an investigation by DWR Conservation Officer Stacey Jones ensued. She located the suspects, who confessed to having unintentionally shot too many elk. After shooting the elk, they claimed they didn't know what to do. Because of their decision, the elk were left at the scene to waste.

Their choice proved to be a costly one. The shooter was charged with two felony counts of Wanton Destruction of Protected Wildlife — an over-limit of elk — and was allowed to plead guilty to two Class A Misdemeanor wanton destruction charges. He was fined $2,000 and ordered to pay $1,500 in restitution. His accomplice was charged with two counts of aiding and assisting in allowing protected wildlife to waste or spoil. He was fined $1,100.

This case illustrates a common situation of an accidental over-limit of elk while hunting. It could have resulted in simple Class B Misdemeanor charges if the incident had been reported and the hunters had salvaged the elk. Leaving the elk in the field and allowing them to go to waste elevated the incident to felony level charges and resulted in significant fines and restitution. The defendants will also be subject to hunting license revocation.

The Division of Wildlife Resources encourages sportsmen and women to report suspicious activities in the field and to remember that someone is probably watching their actions in the field as well. Poor judgment and unintended over-harvest does occur. The best course of action is to salvage the game and call the DWR to report the situation.

Allowing wildlife to go to waste is one of the worst wildlife violations a sportsman can commit. Remember to do your part in being a responsible sportsperson.

7:01:36 AM    

Phoenix Alliance Youth and the Utah Department of Health want Walt Disney studios to eliminate tobacco use in its films directed toward children. On national "Call to Action Day,"

Tuesday, March 9, Utah’s teen anti-tobacco advocacy group will join other youth across the nation by faxing letters and mailing petitions to Disney throughout the day in order to call attention to this important issue. The youth have also created a "Black Lung Award" which they will mail to Disney for its promotion of tobacco in their films.

"Disney has earned this award by featuring smoking in 88 percent of their PG-13-rated movies," said Bre Debry, Phoenix Alliance coordinator. "It’s estimated that 1,070 children start smoking each day in the U.S. as a result of scenes glamorizing tobacco in movies, according to the American Lung Association’s Thumbs Up! Thumbs Down! Report!"

On March 9 Utah youth will join representatives from 18 states in launching a national campaign to reduce the prevalence of tobacco use in Hollywood. Advocates will be armed with results from a five-year study co-authored by Stanton Glantz, PhD, director of the University of California-San Francisco Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education. The study shows a high content of tobacco use in children’s movies since 1999. Advocates will push for tobacco use to be on the list of standards that earn a film an "R" rating.

"Movies with smoking are a serious health threat to children," said Lena Dibble, media liaison for the Utah Department of Health’s Tobacco Prevention and Control Program. "An R-rating on tobacco use would cut the U.S. problem in half and save more lives than we now lose to criminal violence, drunk driving and HIV/AIDS combined."

A survey of 776 U.S. movies in theaters between 1999 and the end of 2003 tied on-screen tobacco content and the tobacco impressions they generate to specific Hollywood studios. The report points to three studios that have the highest tobacco content in their movies:

• Time Warner (Warner Bros, New Line, etc.) accounts for a quarter of all tobacco impressions on teen moviegoers.
• Sony (Columbia, Revolution, etc.) consistently ranks among the top three cinematic promoters of teen smoking.
• Walt Disney includes smoking in 88 percent of their PG-13 movies.

The survey found that teenage moviegoers experienced 6.5 billion tobacco impressions - almost half in movies rated G, PG and PG-13. Children 6-11 encountered big screen tobacco incidents 1.7 billion times over the five years, more than half of them in movies rated PG-13.

"In the past five years, almost 90 percent of studios' R-rated movies, 80 percent of their PG-13 movies, and 50 percent of G and PG-rated movies included smoking," said survey co-author Stanton Glantz, PhD. "At least half of all the tobacco impressions made by movies in theaters come from youth-rated films. And that doesn't even count what happens on video." Published research indicates that exposure to Hollywood's smoking movies recruits more than half of all new, young smokers.

"New teen smokers continue to replace adults who quit or die," said Courtney Moffet, Phoenix Alliance youth leader. "We know that Hollywood movies are at least half the reason. The single smartest thing any parent can do is to help get smoking out of kid-rated movies."

An R-rating for on-screen smoking is endorsed by leading health organizations including the American Medical Association, World Health Organization (WHO), and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

6:59:31 AM