LeBaronLogic

Random Randomness

Greenwood Skate Park in American Fork (200 E. 400 S.) is now open officially. The park has the biggest bowl and street elements in the state. It is sure to be a welcome addition to our quality of life, if patrons respect the grounds and fellow users.

AF Broadband sale is closer to becoming a reality. This is good for the community and our citizens. Service should increase and our city finances should improve.

AF Punch and Politics, a gathering of candidates and local politicos was held last Thursday. Transportation issues were at play as well as school voucher discussions among state reps and school board representatives. There is sure to be alot of attention, misinformation and shell game finger pointing about Referendum 1 (school vouchers). As for local government, I am going on  record of endorsing .... Shirl LeBaron (surprise!), Sherry Kramer, Ricky Storrs and Dale Gunther (more details/reasons at a later point). Thanks to Tiffany Olds for organizing this forum.

BYU Football is creating some excitement. Two straight home sell outs. A road test earlier today found the cougs downing New Mexico 31-24 establishing them as the early conference favorite. Hopefully they will stay focused, fully invested, employing position mastery as well as precise execution.

AF High School Fall Sports is in full swing. First, the boys golf team reached the state tournament for the first time in 10 years, a great accomplishment. Football fans have high expectations. The 22-16 set back at Spanish Fork forces the Cavemen to win out, which means defeating Lehi, Lone Peak and Pleaseant Grove, a tall order, but doable. The girls soccer and volleyball teams are excelling too.

The Meadows LifeStyle Center is being planned with meetings upcoming. JCPenneys will be an anchor in an avenue of walkable, outside-mall like atmosphere, replete with middle to upper end shops for example; GAP, Banana Republic, Borders, Eddie Baur and the like. DISCLAIMER: Businesses mentioned are only illustrative, negotiations are ongoing.

And the Utah Jazz are preparing for fall camp. What about Andrei? Will they parlay last years playoff run into this season? Will Deron Williams establish himself as one of the best point guards? Will Carlos Boozer stay healthy? Will Jerry Sloan behave himself and lastly, will we see any Larry "You know this Guy" Miller tears? Time will tell.

The Naked Truth

Utah and more particularly American Fork made national news in somewhat skimpy fashion. In USA Today on September 14 was found this bare truth:

A man's naked run across a football field during a high school game is getting him some jail time.
    A judge did not find Jose Morales' attempt at a prank in the least bit humorous. She sentenced the 18-year-old to 60 days in the Utah County Jail.
    Morales pleaded guilty yesterday to misdemeanor charges of lewdness and possession of drug paraphernalia.
    Morales was arrested a few days after he streaked across the field during a game at American Fork High School earlier in the month.
    During a court hearing yesterday, Morales' attorney wondered out loud what Morales had done with the pipe when he was running across the field in the buff.
    Morales explained that the pipe was found when Morales was arrested a few days later.

I usually attend the games. It must have been against Anchorage when we were out of town for the weekend. Of course this begs the question? Where had this man bun? And really the incident is kinda cheeky isn't it?

I remember my senior year in high school watching the Academy Awards when a streaker crossed the stage on national TV.

One of the greatest spontaneous comments ever, follows:

"The only laugh that man will ever get in his life is by stripping... and showing his shortcomings." David Niven, commenting on the streaker who crossed the stage while he was hosting the 46th Academy Awards in 1974

But the bottom line is this....who apprehended him and how?

A Day in the Life of . . . Me

A typical day:

6:15a.....Alarm Clock (already?)

7:30......Arrive at office. Review file for court. Check phone messages and email.  Preview day.

8:15.......Travel to Heber City for hearing (beautiful drive through Provo canyon)

9:00......Court Appearance in Heber City, consult with client, conference with prosecutor.

11:00.....Misc. phone calls with office, texts, emails. Talk with city hall and opposing attorney for hearing tomorrow.

11:30.....Lunch at Junkies in Orem with wife, Allison and son, Justin (one of favorite places to eat in Good Earth, soon to be opening in American Fork sans cafe).

12:15p...Talk to Re-election Campaign worker, answer email and phone messages. Revise documents.

1:30.......Attend Short Game Clinic for AF High School Golf Team with PGA pro Rick Roberts at Fox Hollow Golf Club. (I am an Assistant Golf Coach). Left early.

2:30.......Back to office to sign documents

3:00......Preside at Orem Small Claims Court (my comic relief for the day)

5:00......Observe Basketball Skills Clinic at Open Court, Lehi with Coach Ray Stewart attended by son, Tanner and other AF and neighboring players. Multi tasked with email, doc revisions, texting with hand-held. Left early.

7:00......Attend and participate in City Transportation Public Hearing at AFJH. Turnout was good and input helpful as 5 target areas and the Master Plan was discussed.

9:15.......Visit with citizens and colleagues after Public Hearing.

10:00.....Dinner, Family Time, Exercise and TV News

11:00.....Check messages, emails, this blog posting

11:30p....Whewww, Lights out, Life is good and busy

Quotes from the 100th Utah League of Cities and Towns Convention

"...Thank you for the inspiration President Gordon B. Hinckley is to all of us as President of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and for his leadership, not only of the church but throughout Utah and beyond. Fill him with deep peace, continued good health and the satisfaction that comes from being your servant and indeed, your holy prophet."  ---The Most Rev. John Wester, Bishop, Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City, during the  invocation of the Wednesday Opening Luncheon, in which President Hinckley was honored as the organization's "Municipal Citizen of the Century."

"Those of you who govern communities are figuratively speaking the keepers of the hearth.Yours is not just a position of privilege, but one of great responsibility. You are responsible for the necessary infrastructure. We look to you for services. We are grateful for what you do. What would our communities be without streets and roads, without good water and sewer service? It is out of a sense of gratitude for these blessings that I am deeply thankful for the "Municipal Citizen of the Century" honor which you have conferred today." ---President Gordon B. Hinckley

"The most important lesson of history is how to be a decent human being, learning how to behave in the roles life will cast you in."                --- David McCullough, Author and Historian

"Change one bad habit a day." ---Pat Sapio, Presenter

"One of your responsibilities as elected officials is to create a sense of place within your communities." ---Dr. R. Ross Peterson, Utah State University

FOUND. . . votelebaron.com

The primary elections are over (AF didn't have the requisite number of candidates to have a primary). Now we move on to the General Election on November 6. And yes, www.votelebaron.com is up and running. There is some tweaking that needs to be done on the site such as revising some achievements and accomplishments from "in progress" to "complete", such as the Skate Park, the Restoration of City Hall, The Expansion/Addition of the Fitness Center and the Leisure pool as well as boat harbor improvements. Art Dye and the amphitheater are still a work in progress. Also the "endorsement" tab changes daily and will be online shortly as my endorsement committee completes contacting supporters for endorsements. If you would like to be included on the endorsement list , click the "volunteer" tab and so indicate. Or you may email me with an endorsement quote at shirl@votelebaron.com. You may use the campaign email or shirl.lebaron@gmail.com to ask questions or open up a dialogue on issues. Please spend some time perusing the site, the bio, accomplishments, issues, news and by all means donate to the campaign. Your financial help is needed as well as your vote on November 6. This blog will be more interactive and can be updated more easily than the website. Carry on!

Important Voter Information Dates

For American Fork Voters, the General Election is November 6, 2007. On the ballot for American Fork citizens is the selection of three (3) council members from four (4) candidates (in alphabetical order; Sherry Kramer, Shirl Don LeBaron, Jason Porter and Rick Storrs) as well as the school voucher question. For voter registration Q & A click here. The voter registration form can also be downloaded here. Some important DEADLINES:

• General Election voter registration by mail, Oct. 9
• General Election voter registration in office, Oct. 22
• General Election overseas absentee app., Oct. 17
• General Election domestic absentee app., Oct. 22
• In office voting November 5
• General Election November 6

"The idea of an election is much more interesting to me than the election itself...The act of voting is in itself the defining moment."

-- Jeff Melvoin, Northern Exposure, Democracy in America, 1992

SOBs and Loan Sharks

I am really talking about Sexually Oriented Businesses (referred to as SOBs). One of the important functions of a city council member is to be a municipal legislator. Without an SOB ordianance, an adult book store, a purveyor of pornographic material, a proprietor of adult novelties all may open a business anywhere in our fair city. Our recently enacted ordinance coupled with a zoning ordinance may legally require such businesses to locate to the outer reaches of our city. In doing so we protect areas in which children/families go to school, recreate, go to church, practice the arts and generally uphold the health and welfare as well as the values of our community. See this related article.

In addition, we have enacted an ordinance limiting payday advance businesses as well as check cashing businesses to 1 per 10,000 residents (2 are allowed in AF, grandfathering those already in business), as well as dictating some outside architecture, signage and other requirements. Such businesses provide needed services for those who circumstances have resulted in horrendous credit ratings and need loans from paycheck to paycheck. However, consumer groups argue these businesses take advantage of the disadvantaged and charge excessive interest rates (some as much as 135%). Click here for an article referencing our ordinance.