Author Archives: Mark Shenefelt

Legislative marriage counselors

Posted on February 26, 2013 by Mark Shenefelt

This one makes me crazy. A legislator wants to spend state money to preserve the state marriage commission. Federal funding, $700,000, that kept the thing alive has been pulled — that’s good, because everyone wants to work on cutting the … Read More

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The beast must be fed

Posted on February 11, 2013 by Mark Shenefelt

The befuddling default impulses of government do not change. Today’s post addresses two ham-handed developments, one at the state level and the other close to home in South Weber. Why do we need a new agency to promote Utah outdoor … Read More

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The governor who couldn’t breathe

Posted on January 31, 2013 by Mark Shenefelt

Gov. Gary Herbert missed a chance to give Utah’s air quality mess the crisis attention it deserves. He said some of the right things in his State of the State speech Wednesday, but the time and emphasis spent on the … Read More

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If a tree falls in Mumbai can it hit you in Utah?

Posted on November 19, 2012 by Mark Shenefelt

In today’s global economy, it probably should be of little surprise when an event half a world away instantly derails something right here at home. But taken aback we were on Saturday after we noticed the Standard-Examiner epaper edition was … Read More

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New Centennial Trail section astounds

Posted on November 6, 2012 by Mark Shenefelt

Just another day in paradise. What better way to take a break from the anxiety of Election Day than by biking the latest stretch of the Centennial Trail now open in Weber County? That’s what I did Tuesday, and as … Read More

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North Ogden’s circle of paranoia

Posted on September 10, 2012 by Mark Shenefelt

When I was a kid I liked to read Creepy and Eerie, monthly pulp-style black-and-white comic magazines. They were full of campy horror tales, more comical than scary. For some reason, this memory popped into my head today as I … Read More

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Gutter-mouth law wrong and unworkable

Posted on August 8, 2012 by Mark Shenefelt

Coming next: Ogden City will pass a law attempting to control the rotation of the Earth. There’s no denying that gutter mouth disease is sweeping society. But in trying to stop the F-bombs in parks and recreation settings, Ogden City … Read More

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Hassling of voters going too far

Posted on July 18, 2012 by Mark Shenefelt

In a zeal to lock unregistered voters from reaching the polling booth, we’re making Election Day resemble a hell trip to the DMV. Some states have gone off the deep end of disenfranchisement, imposing strict photo ID requirements. A new … Read More

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Indiana dabbles with open season on police

Posted on June 6, 2012 by Mark Shenefelt

Indiana, dreaming of the OK Corral, now has a law specifying circumstances permitting citizens to shoot police officers. As it happens, there’s a healthy debate in Utah about how law enforcement conducts drug raids. Public scrutiny of police operations is … Read More

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Pakistani justice salutes bin Laden

Posted on May 23, 2012 by Mark Shenefelt

The State Department keeps insisting Pakistan is our friend, mainly because we want to keep an eye on its nuclear weapons. You or I would ditch such a no-good pal, though, simply because of how our other friends and our … Read More

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