The Three Kings
Where are the critics of Utah's proposed billion-dollar railroad? Utah's place in the climate change debate and a Utah journalism project shines a light on the dark side of housing.
By Katharine Biele @kathybiele
The Three Kings
You've probably heard that journalism is dying, or something along those lines. For sure, you've heard about #fakenews and the Failing New York Times from our third-grade reader in the White House. Now, the Shrinking Salt Lake Tribune runs a front-page story with massive implications, but alas, only one side of the argument. "$1.4 Billion Railroad Pitched to State," the headline blares. The subhead says supporters like the new route because it's cheaper than previous proposals. This is about, of course, transporting oil from the Uinta Basin to maybe Colorado because of jobs and higher prices and, frankly, corporate welfare. The only critic you'll find is not in the story itself, but rather the comments. Sen. Jim Dabakis suggests maybe schools or housing could use some money. But that's not going to happen here, where oil, gas and coal are king—and they really need taxpayer money.
Global Warnings
Hellooooo! Utah, did you hear the news? Does anything worry you about the fate of the planet and, of course, your children? That Forbes had to run a story saying "No, Wind Farms Are Not Causing Global Warming," shows you just how stupid we can be. A new report from the United Nations warns that the world has maybe 12 years to slow the warming of the planet before things get really bad. Like they aren't already! "This holds especially true in Utah, where the rate of warming is already twice as fast as the global average," a KUER 90.1 FM story noted. That said, you must realize that the president doesn't believe this report from scientists in 40 countries who relied on 6,000 scientific references. Mayors, including Salt Lake City's, have committed to reducing pollution. That won't happen, though, if states continue to pander to dirty businesses with political influence.
Inland Evictions
Rarely do we hear news from the west side of Salt Lake County unless it's really bad news. Remember the Inland Port, promising to spew pollution and devastate the wetlands? Now, an eye-opening report from The Utah Investigative Journalism Project in partnership with West View Media underlines the bad news. You don't have to be a genius to see housing going up throughout Salt Lake City. Evictions, it says, are the dark side of the housing boom. At the risk of oversimplifying the issue, there's not enough housing supply, but the supply that's coming is high-end and expensive. Evictions are becoming more frequent, especially on the west side. While the Housing Authority recognizes the problem, the state apparently does not. Maybe they will now.
About The Author
Katharine Biele
A City Weekly contributor since 1992, Katharine Biele is the informed voice behind our Hits & Misses column. When not writing, you can catch her working to empower voters and defend democracy alongside the League of Women Voters.
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