This Day In Gay Utah History October 20

October 20th

Evelyn Hooker

1969-The National Institutes of Mental Health released a report based on a study led by psychologist Dr. Evelyn Hooker. The report urged states to repeal sodomy laws.

AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power

1987-Over fifty ACT-UP members were arrested during an act of civil disobedience protesting President Reagan's lack of action in the AIDS epidemic. Another demonstration of about 150 people was held across the street from the United Nations building during the UN General Assembly's first debate on AIDS.

Jesse Helms

1987-The US House of Representatives voted 368-47 to approve an amendment to withhold federal funding from any AIDS education organization which encourages homosexual activity. The senate approved a similar amendment the previous week by a vote of 94-2. It was introduced by Sen. Jesse Helms.

1987-The US House Judiciary Committee voted 21-13 to approve a bill requiring the justice department to collect statistics on hate crimes, including anti-gay violence.

1990 Saturday-The Knights of Malta’s Levi & Leather Show held at Puss and Boots as a fund raiser for Utah AIDS Foundaton.

Cleve Jones

1990-Saturday- The Utah AIDS Foundation’s The Living With AIDS Conference was held at the University of Utah at the Engineering and Mining Science Building. The keynote speaker was Cleve Jones, founder of the Names Quilt. Later The Utah AIDS Foundation award banquet was held at the Doubletree Hotel in Salt Lake City.

1991 Salt Lake Tribune featured an article on Peggy Tingey and her son Chance, both infected with AIDS. They are the sister and nephew of activist Becky Moss. Obituary

Rocky Anderson

1996 Last week's dirty trick against the Ross Anderson 2nd Congressional District campaign, done anonymously, was the first blatant cheapshot of Utah's otherwise mild election season.   Printed fliers on hot pink paper were taped on storefronts, newspaper stands and street posts in the Salt Lake City business district last Wednesday proclaiming, in large, bold type: ``Utah Gay & Lesbians Unite. We Have a Voice. Ross Anderson for Congress. Pro Abortion. Pro ACLU. Pro Gay Clubs in Schools. Pro More Gun Control. Anti Death Penalty.'' At the bottom: ``Utah Gay and   Lesbian for Anderson Committee.''   There is no such committee. Anderson's

Merrill Cook

Republican opponent, Merrill Cook, denied any knowledge of the act.   It was a jagged bump in what has been mostly smooth campaigning in all the political camps. But political scientist David Magleby of Brigham Young University said there is potential repeating of Wednesday's ugliness.   Often, says Magleby, anonymous hits on candidates come from independent groups obsessed with hot-button issues.   Magleby says because Anderson and Cook have high negatives in their ratings, they are potential targets for such groups.   Utah has had its share of 11th-hour cheap shots coming from unexpected sources. Sometimes the attacks have destroyed a campaign. Sometimes they have backfired.   The best example of backfire was in 1990 with the unlikely election of Democrat Bill Orton to Congress from Utah's 3rd District, considered one of the most Republican districts in the country.   Orton's election became a national story. Much of the blame for the Republicans losing that seat for the first time in history was an election-eve ad that ran in a Utah County newspaper about ``family values.'' Snow with his large family and a picture of then-bachelor Bill Orton -- all by himself. The captions said Karl Snow's family and Bil lOrton's family.   Many traditionally Republican voters were offended and voted for Orton in protest.   But Magleby insists Orton would have won the race anyway because of the negative campaigning during the Republican primary between Snow and John Harmer. Each of the GOP candidates were attacked in various mass media forms for alleged shady business dealings and bankruptcies.   The after effects of the primary are revealing. Magleby, who does exit polling during elections, says the polling in that race showed 68 percent of the people who voted for Harmer switched parties and voted for Orton in the general election. Only 21 percent of the Harmer voters stuck with the GOP candidate.   The most celebrated Utah political dirty trick was performed in the 1950 U.S. Senate campaign between three-term incumbent Democrat Eldon B. Thomas and Republican challenger Wallace F. Bennett. And it was featured in the book, Political Dynamiting, by the late University of Utah political scientist Frank Jonas. The antagonist in the story was a man named Walter E. Quigley, a disbarred Minnesota lawyer who became a cheap-shot artist for the GOP. Quigley's specialty was exploiting the fear of communism in the late 1940s and early '50s. He set the stage with a mailing to Utah households containing a manufactured newsletter, supposedly from the Communist Party, with side-by-side pictures of Thomas and Communist sympathizer Paul Robeson, with the headline: ``Senator Elbert Thomas Presides at Communist Banquet.''   But the coup de grace, wrote Jonas, was a newspaper, The U.S. Senate News, mailed by Quigley on election eve to 200,000 households. It contained a series of stories and cartoons suggesting Thomas was the puppet of the Communist Party.   In the 1960 gubernatorial race, Democratic challenger Bill Barlocker was a guest on KSL Radio's popular evening call-in program,``Public Pulse.'' During the program, a caller began reading out-of-context the most sensational portions of the court transcripts from Barlocker's divorce.   In an election-eve announcement in the early '70s, popular former Salt Lake City Mayor and ex-Republican Gov. J. Bracken Lee questioned the intelligence of Salt Lake City Commissioner Jim Barker, a fellow Republican. That led to Barker's defeat.   In 1976, retiring three-term Democratic Gov.Cal Rampton aided the election of his handpicked successor, Scott Matheson. In the Democratic primary, he publicly asked Matheson's opponent, John Preston Creer, where he would come up with the revenue shortfall that would occur if his proposed elimination of sales tax on food was passed.   In the general election, in a speech shortly before the election, Rampton questioned the intelligence of Republican candidate Vernon Romney. Romney's camp complicated the problem by having high-profile Republicans respond that Romney did not have a low IQ.   In 1988, on the Sunday before the election, churchgoers at all the LDS ward houses in Cache County found fliers on the windshields of their cars with a picture of a dismembered fetus and the claim that Democratic 1st Congressional District candidate Gunn McKay, who was attempting to regain the seat that he lost to Republican incumbent Jim Hansen, was pro-abortion. In fact, McKay was anti-abortion.   In 1992, retiring Democratic Attorney General Paul Van Dam, who was supporting his solicitor general Jan Graham in the Democratic primary, wrote a letter to Graham's primary opponent, Scott Daniels a few days before the run off election. The letter, which curiously made it to all the Salt Lake City news agencies before it was delivered to Daniels, accused him of violating the Judicial Code of Ethics because as a judge he had attended, two years earlier, the Jefferson Jackson Day Dinner, an annual fund-raising event for the Utah Democratic Party. Judges are not supposed to participate in political activities.   Despite the fact Daniels had not paid to attend the event and no one had raised a question about his attendance for two years, some news agencies swallowed the hook. Salt Lake City's afternoon newspaper published the accusationon the front page with a banner headline. That the accusation was a political ploy can be underscored by the fact no complaint was ever lodged against Daniels, as Van Dam promised he would do in the accusatory letter. It also was revealed that Van Dam had invited judges to his own political fundraiser.   In 1994, on the Saturday before the general election, 7,000 targeted Mormon households received a letter signed by former General Relief Society President Barbara Smith and former Young Women's President Elaine Cannon, accusing Democratic Congresswoman Karen Shepherd and Independent challenger Merrill Cook of being pro-abortion. The letter, which was orchestrated by the Enid Waldholtz campaign, said she was the only pro-life candidate. When questioned later about that letter, the two former LDS leaders referred all inquiries to Joe Waldholtz.

Barbara King

1996 Page: J3  Facing The JourneyTogether; Medical Professionals, Conferences,   AIDS, Awards `Healing in Your Hands' Next Weekend The People With AIDS Coalition of Utah's third annual Community Awards Dinner and eighth annual conference, titled ``Healing Is in Your Hands,'' is next weekend in Salt Lake City.  The dinner is Friday at the Salt Lake Hilton Hotel, 150 W. 500 South. A silent art auction and reception begin at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 7:30. Keynote speaker is the Rev. Barbara King, who heads a 5,000-member congregation at Hillside Chapel and Truth Center, Atlanta. The dinner also features an award ceremony honoring those who have contributed to people   with AIDS/HIV.   Recipients are Terrlyn Crenshaw, Political/Social Policy Award; Anne Stromness, Kristen Ries Professional Award; George Peppinger, Red Ribbon Award for an Individual; Kindly Gifts, Red Ribbon Award for an Organization; Steven Black and Richard Carter, People With AIDS Coalition of UtahVolunteer Award; and Julie Mohr, Business Award.   Cost is $45 per person and $450 a table. All proceeds go to the PWACU.   The conference continues at Westminster College's Gore School of Business, 1840 S.1300 East, Saturday and Oct. 27.   It opens Saturday with a yoga workshop at7:30 a.m. Registration begins at 8 a.m.Workshops will explore issues affecting people with HIV/ AIDS as well as their families, health-care providers and others. Among topics are nutrition and diet, healing through music, hypnosis, traditional Chinese medicine, legal advocacy and medical treatment.   Saturday's keynote speaker at 11 a.m. is the Rev. Barbara King. The closing speaker Oct. 27 at 2:30 p.m. is Sharon Lund, a Utah resident who is president of AIDS, Medicine & Miracles.   The conference fee is $25, which includes lunch both days. The PWACU offers full scholarships to people with HIV/AIDS as well as low-income individuals. For information, call 484-2205.   -- Helen Forsberg

• 1996 Page: J1 The SaltLake Tribune Nurse Anne Stromness jokes with Kris Johnson as she changes the dressing on his portable catheter at his Summit Park home.; Anne Stromness is founder of Journey Home, caring for people with HIV/AIDS.; Jump pg J3:Lynn R. Johnson/The Salt Lake Tribune Anne Stromness and sons Dane, 11, and Cole, 14, walk Mesa near their Summit Park home. Facing the Journey Together; Nurse Is AIDS Patients' `Tough Fairy Godmother'; Stromness Helps Patients Face Journey Byline: BY HELEN FORSBERG THE SALTLAKE TRIBUNE   Anne Stromness is a long-term survivor. That's how colleague Maggie Snyder describes the woman who has cared for hundreds of HIV/ AIDS patients since 1988. Many would describe her as their favorite nurse. But most are gone. Stromness, who began working with AIDS patients at Holy Cross Hospital, which then had the only AIDS-specific care unit in the Intermountain West, developed and is coordinator of Journey Home.   Journey Home is a program of the nonprofit Community Nursing Services and Hospice designed to meet the complex needs of people with HIV/AIDS and their loved ones.  Stromness' work takes her to people's homes or to extended-care facilities. ``I tell my patients the truth. That's important because a lot of them have been screwed around by society in general. It's only fair to behonest. I don't want to give anyone false hope,'' Stromness said.   The People With AIDS Coalition of  Utah will honor Stromness at its third annual Community Awards Banquet at the Salt Lake Hilton Hotel Friday evening.  ``I can't say enough about Anne,'' said Snyder, physician assistant at University Hospital's division of infectious disease. ``It's still difficult to find a nurse who's willing to go out and treat people with AIDS/HIV in their homes. They're not beating down our doors.'' Stromness' mother worries that Anne is wearing herself down and that she one day could get the virus. ``I told her I didn't have sex with my patients, so she need not worry,'' Stromness said in her sardonic way.   She also possesses a sensitive nature.  ``I cry a lot.''  The recent deaths of several patients -- one, in articular, for whom she cared more than a year-- was taken its toll. Stromness visited him his last days in the hospital and took him a CD of American Indian music on his birthday. He had gone on a vision quest that summer. He was listening to the music when he died.   ``I told him, `I'm here.' He pulled me down to his chest. I said, `You can listen to this and go on another vision quest.' '' Snyder said that Stromness is like a tough fairy godmother. She exudes a sense of warmth, sensitivity, sassiness and assertiveness all at once.  ``The patients know she's on their side, that she is there for them,'' Snyder said. ``But she doesn't let anyone get away with crap.''   People often speak of Stromness' compassion. ``I don't want to sound New Age. But Anne has great energy, warmth and compassion,'' said Lori Smith, director of client services at the Utah AIDS Foundation. ``She's nonjudmental and loving.'' Clients tell Smith of Stromness' many random acts of kindness.  Journey Home was modeled after Holy Cross Hospital's Continuity of Care, an outreach program for AIDS patients developed in1987. Journey Home, founded in 1994, focuses on all aspects of patients' needs, not just medical, delivered to them in their homes.   The program offers patients services such as nursing, social work, pharmacy, pastoral care and more. Several months ago, Stromness and a colleague, concerned about a client's living conditions, helped him move. In fact, they did it all -- found him an apartment, packed him up and moved him in.   ``I joked that we're now the Journey Home Moving Team,'' Stromness said.  ``She goes above and beyond the call of duty,'' Smith said. Stromness dismisses the praise. ``My patients give so much. I feel like what I do is so little compared to anything else I get back.'' Most gifts are emotional. But several weeks ago, a client gave her a ``beautiful yellow canvas bag decorated with tropical fish he had cut out and sewn and embroidered on.'' He told Stromness the nurse's bag in which she toted her stethoscope and other nursing supplies, left over from her Holy Cross days,``was disgusting.'' Stromness began her AIDS journey in1988, when she applied for a job at Holy Cross Hospital's newly opened AIDS unit, known as Med III. Married and a mother of two, she had worked 13 years in medical/surgical nursing after graduation from Westminster College of Salt Lake City. She wanted change and found her calling. A part-time job on Med III became full-timework. ``I realized I was cheating myself by not working full time. It gave me more insight into the patients. I could get a little closer to them.''   At that time, most AIDS patients were gay men. (Although they remain the largest population infected with the virus, statistics show that women with HIV/AIDS is one of the fastest-growing populations.) It was a world unknown to Stromness.   ``I guess I was sheltered growing up.'' Her contact with gay men made her re-evaluate her values. ``Having these men tell me all this stuff and explaining their relationships to me, it took me awhile to get over my feelings about how I felt about that. ``On one end, you've got people you would never guess are gay, very macho types to drag queens. They are people like everyone else, and their relationships should be respected and treated with dignity.'' In fact, she said, ``Straight men could learn alot from gay men. They're so caring.'' Stromness was born in Pittsburgh and moved to Salt Lake City with her family when she was 4. She has two younger brothers. ``She has a background that's incredible,'' said her mother, Barbara Holmes, Grand Junction, Colo. Her paternal grandfather, I.F. Rains, was a  Utah businessman. He came west to open the Rains Coal Mine in Carbon County's Spring Canyon and later started Geneva Steel. In 1920, he built what is now Log Haven restaurant as a wedding gift for his bride.  Her mother's father, Henry Boonstra, was one of the country's first U.S. Airmail pilots; his plane is in Washington, D.C.'s Smithsonian Institution.   Hers was a privileged childhood. Her life today, however, leaves little time for the social whirl in which she was raised. She has no regrets.  ``Anne's life has taken an entirely different path than mine,'' said her mother. ``I was always up to my neck in service groups. . . . Anne abhorred women's organizations. She's never liked that lifestyle at all.''   High on the Mountain: Stromness lives high on the mountain east of Salt Lake City in Summit Park with her sons, Cole, 14, and Dane, 11. She makes the drive down Parleys Canyon several times a day, sometimes seeing a patient as late as 10:30 p.m. She likes being a mother and has an upfront relationship with her sons. ``They're not afraid of AIDS. I took one son to a nursing home when one of my patients was dying. It was a learning experience for him. It wasn't a bad thing.'' A while ago, Stromness' sons told her she was bringing too much of her work home. ``I've learned I have to leave it behind. I still do paperwork, but I turn my pager off.'' Still, she is known for being accessible.   Stromness' marriage did not survive the pressures and changes that came with her work. She divorced four years ago. ``I started doing a lot more with my career and my life. I met a lot of new friends at Holy Cross and I started growing, I guess you could say. My husband was not willing to grow with me. He liked things the way they were. ``It was not pleasant, but we're good friends now.''   Stromness is still growing. ``I learn something new every day.'' From her patients she has learned ``how important the human spirit is. . . . Relationships are important, all kinds of relationships. We should cherish those and not be angry and hateful.''   In the nine years Stromness has treated AIDS patients, she has seen some positive attitude changes toward the disease . . especially among parents.   ``I've seen so many parents take care of their kids. It seems to be harder on dads than on moms, and moms are usually the caregivers.They want to help their kids get through this even if it means bringing them home and taking care of them till they die.'' Such was not always the case. `I remember back on Med III, hearing parents tell their son, as he was dying, that they wouldn't see him in heaven if he didn't ask for their forgiveness. ``I locked myself in the bathroom and cried.''   Medical Mentors: Stromness' mentors are, not surprisingly, Kristen Ries, Utah's pre-eminent AIDS physician, and Snyder, her physician assistant. Ries, Stromness remembered, was a formidable figure at their first meeting. ``She scared the daylights out of me,'' said Stromness with a laugh.  ``She pulled her glasses down on her nose and said, `What is your background?' I thought, this is it. I'm finished.'' ``I didn't trust nobody,'' Ries said. But Stromness gained her respect and broughtit full circle.  The award Stromness will receive was named in honor of Ries. ``Anne's wonderful,'' Ries said. ``She made it a point to know as much as she could about HIV, and she's very sensitive to the disease.'' Ries, Stromness said, taught her ``compassion for the disease . . . to respect it, to respect myself and to respect the people I take care of.''   Stromness' upbeat, sometimes raucous manner often belies her perceptive nature. ``From the beginning, Anne seemed to know intuitively when to keep her mouth shut and when to open it. . . . She has that gift of empathy,'' Ries said.   Her patients would agree. ``She's great,'' said Kris Johnson, Summit Park, who has had the services of Journey Home since March. ``She makes you feel at ease. She's more like a friend than a nurse.'' On this day, Stromness accessed Johnson' sPortacath, checked his heart and lungs and teased him -- ``Ugh, Kris'' -- about a particular Halloween decoration he bought at the Utah State Fair. She is friends with his three schnauzers; Chelsea, the mom dog, is especially fond of Stromness, who returns the affection. ``Anne's the best there is,'' said Barbara Barnhart, one of Stromness' patients. ``She's incredibly compassionate and caring.''   On a New Year's Eve, when Barnhart was hospitalized and ``hating life,'' Stromness brought her a bottle of ``home made killer eggnog.''   ``Anne said, `This will help,' and it did.''   Patient and nurse like to joke.   ``We call Kristen [Ries] God and are trying to come up with a name for Anne,'' said Barnhart.``We don't know if it's goddess or god-in-training.''   Knowing people have a terminal illness is the most difficult aspect of Stromness' work.``Still, I like going through that journey with them because I hope I can make it better. But it's still hard, because it takes a chunk of me every single time.''   After a patient's recent death, she told his father: ``I want you to know your son will always be a part of my life.''   He started to cry. ``I didn't want him to cry, but he needed to know how special his son was to me and to all the people who had taken care of him.''   When Stromness can't cry, she watches a sad movie. ``I know if I'm feeling really crappy and depressed, I probably haven't cried for a long time. A sad movie lets it all out.''   The last video she rented was ``It's My Party,''about a man dying of AIDS.   ``My girlfriend said, `Don't you get enough of this stuff at work?' ``The minute the movie started, I was in tears and I cried to the end. But it was a good feeling.It got rid of all the sadness.''

David Young

1996 Salt Lake Tribune They can sign a death warrant for killers, decide which parent gets custody, determine if an employee was unfairly fired.   State district judges in Utah have immense powers, making critical the Nov. 5 vote to retain or reject them. Two of the Salt Lake City judges that voters will pass judgment on received mediocre evaluations in two surveys of lawyers. And, the appellate records of David Young and Homer Wilkinson do not measure up to the records of their peers on the ballot. Young, 54, a former prosecutor who was appointed in 1987, and Wilkinson, 70, an ex-legislator who took the bench in 1979, preside in 3rd District Court, which covers Salt Lake, Tooele and Summit counties.   Young was the only veteran judge who had less than 50 percent of his cases affirmed by Utah higher courts, according to a five-year analysis of appellate records conducted by The Salt Lake Tribune. The newspaper examined published and unpublished appellate reviews of decisions made by the 33 trial judges up forelection.  Fifty-one of Young's 95 reviewed cases were either completely overturned or partially reversed, court records show. Young also received a sub-par ranking from lawyers evaluating his fairness and impartiality in the official Utah Judicial Council poll. And the 775 lawyers who rated him in The Tribune survey were critical of his temperament and impartiality.    Young refused to comment.  Wilkinson, because of low marks he received in the Judicial Council's survey, became the first district judge to nearly fail the council's certification requirements, established in 1985. The 789 lawyers who rated Wilkinson in the newspaper survey gave him among the poorest grades for intellect, decision-making and temperament. He received the lowest score for knowledge of the law among the poll's 98 state and federal judges.  ``I've been on the bench for 18 years and I've seen . . . that the longer you're in a job, your enemies remember you and your friends forget you,'' Wilkinson said.   ``I push the attorneys,'' he added. ``I've been criticized for that and praised for that . . . They [lawyers] want continuances [postponements of court dates] and they won't get continuances.''   Young, according to The Tribune's appellate analysis, was the trial judge most appealed by lawyers and most scrutinized by Utah higher courts. His record suggests an autonomous pattern of exceeding his authority and a failure to follow established law. Even after corrections ordered by appellate courts, Young on occasion continued to err, forcing even more appeals. That resulted in further delay and legal fees for litigants. Consider these cases reviewed by the Court of Appeals in Salt Lake City:   -- Rosalind Willey appealed several of Young's rulings in her divorce. The higher court criticized Young for making insufficient findings and returned the case to him. When the Salt Lake County woman again appealed Young's alimony order, the appeals court, announcing it was ``troubled'' by Young's ``incomplete'' work, rejected his ``confused, and indeed patently unfair'' award.   In a rare move, the court took the issue out of Young's hands and calculated its own alimony and attorney's fee awards. ``To permit the dispute to continue is an injustice to the parties, ''the court said.   -- Young rejected employee Susan Slattery's slander claim against her stockbroker boss, but did rule she was entitled to $6,847 in a stock account. The Court of Appeals set aside the $6,847 judgment -- stating it was ``clearly erroneous'' because Young heard no evidence to support it. Young was specifically instructed to award Slattery $406, and zero for attorney fees.   Instead, he convened new proceedings, accepted more evidence -- and awarded the Salt Lake County woman $8,567 for the account and $15,489 in attorney fees. Again, the defense appealed -- and again, the higher court reversed Young's awards. The court said Young acted beyond his authority and reminded him that in its first appeal decision, he was directed to do nothing more than enter the $406 judgment. ``Nowhere did we indicate that the trial court should act to supplement the record in any regard.''   -- The Court of Appeals rejected Young's reasoning and mathematics in his alimony award to Ila Ernstsen, ruling the alimony was too low.The court also chastised Young for arm-twisting her. Young ``appeared to unduly press her to accept an award of alimony equal to only 53 percent of that justified by the evidence, then further appeared to devote substantial energy as well as nearly 60 percent of the witness examination time to seeing that his prediction came true,'' the court said.   -- Young told Park City mother Alicia Larson that if she wanted to keep custody of her three daughters, she could not move to Oregon. The children attended a Mormon church, and Young said it was unlikely Larson would continue their LDS upbringing in Oregon. The Court of Appeals, noting Larson ``faithfully took the children to church every Sunday'' and promised to continue the practice, vacated Young's unwarranted restriction on her custody -- and criticized him for using poor judgment. ``Unless there was compelling evidence that residing in Summit County would be better for the children than allowing them to continue to reside with their life long primary caregiver, we would conclude that the trial court exceeded the exercise of sound discretion.''   -- Deanna Kleinert sued Kimball Elevator and Boyer Company after she was injured in an elevator accident. Young threw out her case.The Court of Appeals reinstated the claim against Boyer. After a trial, Young again rejected the Salt Lake County woman's claims, ruling there was no evidence that Boyer knew the elevator was dangerous, and granted a directed verdict for Boyer. Kleinert appealed again. The higher court again said Young judged her case incorrectly and should not have granted the verdict againsther. Indeed, there was testimony and documents ``indicating a history of elevator problems and malfunctions,'' the court noted. Kleinert has since accused Young of bias --and he was removed from the case. An April trial is scheduled before a new judge.   -- Additionally, Young has been reversed by the Supreme Court for exceeding his authority in ordering the immediate release of a killer because the Board of Pardons ignored his demand to explain the parole date. Young was reversed for denying a protection order for a frightened wife, who the Court of Appeals said deserved one. And when Young dismissed a man's lawsuit without notifying him, the Supreme Court reinstated the case.   Some of Young's rulings have drawn public criticism. The National Organization for Women (NOW) decried his family-law rulings and accused him of bias against women. In 1994, more than 100 protesters, objecting to Young's reduced 6-year sentence for the killer of a gay man, marched on the state Capitol. The Gay   and Lesbian Utah Democrats joined NOW in calling for Young's removal from the bench. Young does have supporters. During the 1994 controversy, Salt Lake City lawyer Gregory Sanders, now the Democratic nominee for the 1st Congressional District, said he had ``considerable respect'' for the judge and found the public attacks ``reprehensible.'' Wilkinson's appellate record since 1991 shows 33 cases reversed or partially reversed and 40 affirmed. He said he would not criticize the Court of Appeals and Supreme Court, but noted: ``We're on trial bench, we're in the pits, so to speak. We have to make decisions right now. They [appellate courts] take six, seven, eight months to make a decision.'' Some of Wilkinson's decisions have been reversed for fundamental legal errors.   When a jury was being picked for the rape and sodomy trial of Mark Baker, accused of victimizing a 5-year-old girl, one prospective juror stated he would be biased against Baker because his own young sister had been raped. Baker's attorney sought to disqualify the prospective juror -- but Wilkinson refused, and Baker was convicted. The appellate court reversed the conviction, citing the man's selection as a juror and Wilkinson's failure to question him closely. The juror ``demonstrated actual bias,'' the higher court said and, quoting case law, added, ``Once such strong feelings are revealed, a prospective juror may not sit.''   In another case, Wilkinson declared that a divorcing couple were each ``competent, loving and equally fit'' to have custody of their daughter. But he granted custody to the mother-- observing that men show less emotion than women, ``it's the nature of the beast.'' He added, “There is no question, no question, that a woman is going to spend more time with the child.'' In nullifying the custody ruling, the Court of Appeals instructed Wilkinson that the Supreme Court years ago prohibited gender-based custody decisions. ``The trial court must also avoid any reliance on gender-based preferences or stereotypes,''the appeals court said.   And the capital-murder case of James Holland has seesawed from Wilkinson's court to the Supreme Court because of errors, including the judge's finding that the triple-killer was mentally competent when he pleaded guilty. If Wilkinson is retained by voters, he will be ineligible to serve a full 6-year term because the state judiciary has a mandatory retirement age of 75. He will turn 75 in January 2001.

1999 KELLY KENNEDY THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE “FAMILY KIDNAPS LESBIAN DAUGHTER, TRIES TO TAKE HER BACK TO JORDAN” Family Allegedly Tried to Kidnap Daughter to Jordan Four family members have been charged with aggravated kidnapping for allegedly beating a relative, then trying to force her on a plane headed for Jordan, Sandy police say. "Apparently the daughter, 23, chose an alternative lifestyle and moved in with her lesbian roommate," Sandy police Sgt. Kevin Thacker said. "Her girlfriend [who lives in Sandy] contacted our office and said the victim’s family had kidnapped her." Charges filed in 3rd District Court on Tuesday allege the family "lured her to their residence," where they confined her and beat her. The family then threatened to stab her and attempted to take her back to Jordan, charges allege. Thacker said bruises and other injuries backed up the victim’s claims. "Our officers found [the family] at the airport Friday," Thacker said."Prosecutors saw the potential for harm in this case and acted quickly." Thacker said police feared that if the family took the victim back to Jordan, she would be hurt much worse or possibly killed. "We don't have that kind of culture here in America," Thacker said. "Here, safety comes first." The victim's mother, Wedad Hawatmeh, 53, father, Jamil Hawatmeh, 64, and brothers, Shaher Hawatmeh, 33, and Iehab Hawatmeh, 32, are being held on$100,000 bail.

2002 Who Is the Real Rocky?  Sunday, October 20, 2002  BY HEATHER MAY THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE  It has been a rough week for Rocky Anderson.     Since Monday -- when the Salt Lake City mayor wondered aloud whether the city should find a constitutional way to allow the LDS Church to continue to restrict speech on its Main Street plaza while maintaining public access -- he has been called spineless, a church puppet, a sell-out. And that was from his traditional supporters.  Anderson may not have created the Main Street mess, but he is the one to clean it up. Some political pundits say voters will forget this week's wrangling when they enter the voting booth next year. Instead, they will focus on personal politics: Do they feel safer, are the streets clean, is Main Street more lively?  But others were saying last week that Anderson's handling of the Main Street Plaza is the pivotal issue deciding his political future. His decision could put him on the road to becoming "mayor for life" if he can widen his appeal in time for his re-election campaign by brokering a deal that bridges the community's religious divide. Or it could break him, if he alienates his usual political base. So far, he seems broken. In a city where slightly more than half of the residents are not Mormon, few can figure out why Anderson -- a former civil rights attorney and self-styled maverick -- would appear to want to help The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, while risking alienation with his more traditional supporters. Resident Liz Abel called City Hall this week to tell the mayor, "You're representing Salt Lake City, not LaVerkin."  "Rocky, what the hell are ya doing, man?" wondered one bewildered e-mail writer. What Gives? Anderson's office received at least 56 phone calls and 92 e-mails last week on the issue, with the overwhelming majority against allowing the church to continue to restrict speech and behavior on the plaza. They want Anderson to stick to his earlier indication that he would simply follow the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that struck down the church-sought restrictions and said the First Amendment must be enforced there. Anderson said he still exploring that approach. But many constituents are concerned that Anderson is examining a way to leave control of the plaza in the hands of the church, which purchased it in 1999. They wonder whether there are ulterior motives, especially because the mayor was against the original deal. Is Anderson, who was baptized into the LDS Church but does not practice, bowing to the state's largest "special interest group"? Did church leaders force his hand? Was he promised he would be re-elected? Is he doing it to ensure the largest landowner will help him improve the foundering Main Street? Anderson laughs at the conspiracy theories and vehemently denies he was pressured or promised anything by anyone. By the polls, Anderson doesn't need to cozy up to the church. The mayor collected 60 percent of the vote in 1999. Before the plaza ruling came down, he already was making inroads with conservative Mormon voters. And now, he not only threatens to alienate non-Mormon liberals, but the one-fourth of Salt Lake City Mormons who favor free expression on the plaza, according to a Salt Lake Tribune-commissioned poll.     "Clearly, I'm not a very good politician," Anderson said. His decision has "been very much a result of vigorous examination by me alone of the underlying ethical issues. The end result may not be any more favorable to the [LDS Church] than on the afternoon that we received the [10th Circuit Court] opinion." But for now, Anderson is pursuing a tack the LDS Church likes. He said he won't appeal the court's decision, as the church plans to do. But a church attorney has said if the city gave up the easement, the difficulties would go away. Anderson said the easement is not what is important, as long as he can guarantee residents will have 24-hour access to the plaza. That's something the church would willingly grant, said LDS Presiding Bishop H. David Burton, who has praised Anderson for "giving excellent leadership to the issue" after the mayor convened a group of advisers, including Burton, to explore the options on the plaza. More Cards to Play: The church may have a way to force Anderson's hand over the easement anyway. According to the 40-page 10th Circuit ruling, the church maintains -- although the city disagrees -- that the government loses the easement if the court finds the restrictions are unconstitutional. In the end, that is why the majority of Anderson's base supporters are so upset: They view the LDS Church as a juggernaut that finally lost a battle with the court ruling -- a ruling that signaled Salt Lake City has grown up into a secular community. And they say the man who once embodied the voice of the minority is giving away their victory. Anderson says he doesn't represent non-Mormons -- "I represent the entire city" -- but his stands on other issues are seen that way. For instance, during the Olympics he wanted the City-County Building, not the LDS Temple, to be the focal point. He has tried to loosen the state's liquor laws. And, more generally, he has taken on the state's conservative establishment, as with his opposition to the Legacy Highway.  With this in mind, some constituents have contacted his office to urge him to "stay true to your beliefs" and "stand up to the bully on the block."  "I have to wonder if I am a citizen of Salt Lake City or the Mormon Church! Should I pay taxes or tithing?" wondered [Ben] Edgar Williams in an e-mail. 

Ben Williams

"Please stand up for the rights of non-Mormons," pleaded Deanna in her letter.  "I voted for you because I felt with you we finally had a voice to represent the rest of the city, not just the majority," wrote Douglas Jensen. "I really expect a more defined stance from you on this one." Political Consequences: While Anderson said his upcoming election has had "absolutely zero" impact on his thoughts about the plaza, he also knew he would anger his strongest supporters by extending an olive branch to the church. "I knew that there were a lot of people taking a lot of joy in what they perceived to be a victory over the dominant religious organization and they would not be happy with me," he said.  The mayor's campaign adviser, former Mayor Ted Wilson, said Anderson is not showing political savvy on this issue. "It's not the kind of thing you would do to ensure an election," said Wilson, who nevertheless insists Anderson is not committing "political suicide." However, Anderson's change of heart regarding the restrictions doesn't play well. Supporters "like Rocky because he's Rocky. He doesn't try to hedge things all the time," Wilson said. "He hedged on this one some." Anderson has reversed course before, in an instance opponents are likely to bring up during next year's election campaign. Last year, the mayor at first praised a crackdown at Salt Lake City International Airport, but the next day, he lambasted it as "inhumane" treatment of the fired employees, including illegal immigrants. For the record, Anderson denies he "flip-flopped" on either issue. With Main Street, he says, he is simply exploring options and is committed to a solution that is constitutional. And in fact, Anderson's visible hand-wringing over Main Street might actually find sympathy among some voters, said Rod Julander, a political science professor at Weber State University in Ogden. "It was a very moral position he took, as well as a courageous one."     Just for entertaining a compromise, Anderson has received praise from some unlikely quarters, including the Republican Party: "He's trying to create a solution," said Scott Simpson, GOP executive director. Industrialist Jon Huntsman says he doesn't usually agree with Anderson's politics, but he is behind the mayor's efforts this time.  "I admire the mayor immensely for doing something I don't think he personally wants to do himself. Any elected official should do that in any community," said Huntsman, who used to employ Anderson as his personal attorney and works with the mayor on the Alliance for Unity, a group hoping to mend divisions in the community. Some residents -- albeit a small minority -- agree with Huntsman's sentiments. "I don't align myself with many of your positions, but thanks for renewing my faith in the compatibility of honesty and politics," wrote Robert Owen. Bonnie Rokeach called to tell the mayor he has a new constituent because of how he is handling the issue. In the end, Anderson may gain voters like Rokeach and get his base back by default.     Political Future Next year, if Anderson runs against someone more conservative than himself, he automatically gets the liberals' votes, the conventional thinking goes. If he runs against someone as liberal as he is, he will need conservative voters that he may have swayed this week. So far, the potential opponents in the nonpartisan mayoral race fall to Anderson's right, including Republican Dave Buhler, chairman of the City Council; and Democrats David Spatafore, lobbyist for the Utah League of Cities and Towns, and Frank Pignanelli, a lobbyist and former state representative. "The people who are angry about it are going to be angry for a little while," Julander said. "They're going to get over it very quickly. They don't have much alternative. They're not going to find another Rocky." No one is probably more upset than Tom Goldsmith, the plaintiff in the lawsuit. An Anderson supporter, now he is questioning his allegiance -- to a point.  "I want to see finally which side he is going to come out on," Goldsmith said. "I hope he sobers up a little bit and realizes that he can't be all things to all people."  But, he added, "The bottom line is, who's going to run against him?"

Mark Thrash

2003 As I reflect on the events held during the 19th Annual RCGSE AIDS Awareness Week, I'm overwhelmed by the community response to our efforts.  When I began plans for the week, it was very important to me to focus on awareness while raising funds. What does it mean to be aware?  At a very early age, my mother taught me to be aware.  She would say, "Try to notice the people around you each day and see if you can imagine what they're feeling."  Lately I have contemplated that very question of awareness, and it amazes me at the number of people that exist each day in oblivion to the lives and existence of others around them. In 1983, the Utah Department of Health began tracking statistical data regarding the number of HIV infections, AIDS cases and deaths in Utah.  Since that time, there have been nearly 4,000 reported cases and these numbers do not include those individuals tested anonymously.  On May 30, 2003, the Utah Department of Health reported 2,157 total AIDS cases and 1,081 AIDS deaths - making the morbidity rate more than fifty percent (50%). When AIDS Awareness Week first began in 1985, its primary purpose was "raising funds for AIDS projects and providing the community with current information."  Although all the funds raised go to assist individuals who have been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and the organizations that provide services for them, it is just not enough to keep raising money without helping to make others aware. In 2002, Utah had it's second largest increase in reported HIV infections since 1983.  That alone should tell us that its time to open our eyes and notice what is going on in the lives of others.  We can no longer live our lives in a bubble and only be concerned with our small circle of  existence.The circle of life is shared by everyone and we should all take the necessary steps to preserve it. If not, the circle will continue to decrease until we are forced to notice others.  Please make your effort to be aware and have an impact before we can no longer make a difference. Thank you to the many individuals who gave so willingly of themselves to help in raising the nearly $9,000 received during the 19th Annual AIDS Awareness Week... Chad Keller, Shawn Houston, John Apel, Mame Cherie, Ray Duncan, Alan Stephensen, Heidi Ho West Waters, Nova Starr, Tiffany Krystal, Sebastian Cruz, Mike Sperry, Alfredo Boscan, Krystyna Shaylee, Dewayne Sessions, Jerry Rapier & Lu Prichett, Linda Thorn, Michael Canham, Vicki Pugmire, Cora Allen, Molly Thorn, Aaron Adams, David McIntyre, Richard Scharine (unyielding cast & crew of Threads of the Red Ribbon), Michael Aaron, Display Business, Alan Anderon, Marshall Brunner, Chuck Whyte, Patrick Hoagland, Forum Gallery, Jane Erickson, Phil Erikson, Auntie De, Leota Peterson, Utah AIDS Foundation, Utah Humanities Council, Fox 13 News, Salt Lake Tribune, Pillar Magazine, the volunteers who gave countless hours to help construct & install Requiem, Document Express, Charles Black, Peter Christie, Scott Alexander, Tavernacle, performers at Turnabout is Fair Play, LIVE for Life, Kemistre and Monarch Show, artists who submitted work for Art Positive, the staff who catered the guests, Cyber Sluts & Paper Moon, Rob Blackhurst & Club Splash, Anthony Shaw and auctionees for 100% RAW MALE, Chilis, Gastronomy, Third & Main, Trofi Restaurant in Hilton Salt Lake City Center, Noodles & Company, Macaroni Grille on West Temple, Frank Chugg,Trapp & Trapp Door, Rhett Larsen, Earl Kane, Felicia, Scott Stites, Gay & Lesbian Community Center, Salt Lake City Library, Michelle Vreeken, Cortney M. Cartier, the speakers & performers at Requiem and anyone who attended an event during the week.  There are two more Mondays of Cyber Slut Bingo left at Paper Moon to help reach our $10,000 goal for AIDS Awareness Week.  So don't miss out! Thanks again to everyone for all of your support!  My cup truly runneth over. Mark Thrash Event Coordinator AIDS Awareness Week 2003 RCGSE Co-President

2003 MONDAY SLC gay men's health summit looks beyond AIDS  By Carey Hamilton  The Salt Lake Tribune  The number of HIV-infected gay men is on the upswing in Utah and the nation, and homosexual men face other health concerns.  To provide education and support, members of the gay community, with the help of the Utah AIDS Foundation and Planned Parenthood, held a three-day summit on gay men's health issues. "The goal of the weekend is to expand the notion of gay men's health beyond HIV," one of the coordinators, David Ferguson, said Sunday.  "For about 20 years, gay men's health has been equated with a person's HIV status. We're not minimizing HIV, but gay men deal with lots of issues: relationships, spirituality, substance abuse."  About 160 people attended the summit held at downtown Salt Lake City's Wyndham Hotel, an attendance figure up from 100 over the past two years. Ferguson came up with the idea of holding the summit after attending a conference on the same topic in Boulder, Colo., in 2000. "There they encouraged people to go back and create local summits," he said. Topics discussed by speakers and in break-out sessions included aging and HIV, fitness, substance abuse, sex in public places, bath houses, self-hypnosis and relationships. While the summit was meant to address the total man, HIV was a common discussion. Kristen Ries, an infectious disease physician at the University of Utah Health Sciences Center, said she is deeply concerned about the increase of HIV-positive gay men. In 2002, 151 men tested positive for HIV at the clinic. This year, the same number of men tested positive by the end of July. According to the Utah Department of Health, about 1,780 people were living with HIV or AIDS in Utah, as of 2001.  "People are tired of being safe," Ries said. "Young people think there's a cure. And believe it or not, some people haven't heard about it [HIV]. It's a sad situation that's going on across the country."  Years ago, getting diagnosed with HIV was likened to a death sentence. Now, with advances in medication, people are living longer with HIV. "Many years ago I was told that I was HIV positive," said attendee Nick, a school teacher who didn't want his last name printed for fear his students and their parents would find out about his condition. "Back then you were told it was a death sentence. But look how good I look!"  Over the course of a day, Nick takes 16 pills to cope with the infection. He has started a support group for HIV-positive gay men held at 6 p.m. on the first Monday of each month at the Utah AIDS Foundation, 1408 S. 1100 East in Salt Lake City.  "We're living with it. It's manageable like diabetes, but it's helpful to meet other men to find out what regimens they have," Nick said. During her keynote speech, Ries touched on many other health issues that affect homosexuals. Gay men, for example, use drugs, alcohol and tobacco at a higher rate than the general population and also have a higher incidence of anxiety, suicide and depression. "I understand how that comes about when you think about their childhood," Ries said in regard to the difficulty of coming out and dealing with homophobia. She urged the men to be vigilant when it comes to safe sex to avoid sexually transmitted diseases, which she said are on the rise among the general population as well. Gay men are especially susceptible to anal warts and anal cancers, she added. "Rectal warts are very common," Ries said. "Be aware of warts. Get them treated early."     Gordon Youngman, an HIV/AIDS educator from Canada, praised the organizers for a worthy event. "I can't believe what Utah has done," Youngman said. "I've been to about 20 regional health summits and Utah's is the best." chamilton@sltrib.com

   

2003 The Daily Utah Chronicle Coming out: the struggles of homosexuality By Ryan Oliver Hansen Thanksgiving dinner is normally a jovial family tradition, spiced with laughter, food and fun. The Finch family, with all 10 of its children, was enjoying such a Thanksgiving feast in 1995, until 12-year-old Alan Finch made an announcement: He had a crush on Robert, a friend from school. Laughter filled the table, as nobody in the family took his comment seriously. Finch continued to explain his feelings for Robert. Now alarmed by the serious tone of Finch's claims, his father took it upon himself to educate his son on the evils of homosexuality. The fun family evening was over. Finch's father proceeded to explain that homosexuals are child molesters, kidnappers and disease spreaders-with lisps to boot. Finch's father said homosexuals represented an ultimate evil. "I grew up in a severely sheltered, conservative Mormon home. I had never heard of homosexuality until that Thanksgiving Day. I didn't realize that my feelings would cause such a problem in my family. But I knew I wasn't evil," Finch, now a U modern dance student, said. Finch's refusal to deny his feelings brought punishment in the form of reparative therapy, designed to change his sexual orientation. "I was placed in a camp for sexually delinquent teens. It was affiliated with [The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints], but they don't admit it. My director was a Mormon bishop," Finch said. Finch ran away from the camp, and to this day, has little contact with his family-a price he's paid for being open about his sexual orientation. "Coming out," or openly stating one's sexual orientation, can be a daunting process. Finch says he feels that being honest with himself was worth the pain he's endured. "I wouldn't change what I went through," Finch said. Oct. 11 marked the 17th anniversary of National Coming Out Day, a celebration across the world that encourages gay people to be open about their sexual identities.But for many gays, particularly those who come from religious right, antigay homes, coming out hardly seems an occasion to celebrate. "I have more than 10 close friends who were no longer welcome in their homes after they came out to

Jasmine Linam

their families," says Jasmine Linam, 22, associate director of the Associated Students of the University of Utah Diversity Board. Linam advocates proper preparation for coming out, since a family's reaction is never entirely predictable. "A gay person must prepare in advance before coming out. They must ensure that they have supportive people to turn to in case their family has a negative reaction," Linam said. Linam says she believes that a family's homophobia can lead their gay family member to make destructive lifestyle decisions. "If they're rejected by their families, they're more likely to fall into the club scene where they'll be more likely to use drugs and alcohol," Linam said. "It's so hard for them to rise above that scene once they're in it. It breaks my heart." Coming out to extended family members first, such as an aunt or uncle, is often helpful, according to Linam. "Extended family members are more emotionally removed from the situation. They're often a great place to turn to," Linam said. The methodology of coming out and exposing homosexuality to the general public is a topic of controversy. "Coming out is a delicate process that must be done diplomatically, with tact and sensitivity," Linam said. "An in-your-face approach creates more enemies than allies for gay people." A recent controversy on the U campus involved the public display of a photograph of two men kissing, which was also placed on the front page of The Daily Utah Chronicle. Linam says that these actions were insensitive to Utah's culture and created more controversy than understanding for gay students at the U. "The in-your-face gay advocates mask the many gay people who choose to act conservatively, with reserve and sensitivity," Linam said. Finch said that a noninvasive approach is best when trying to achieve gay tolerance. "I have friends who force it down their parents' throats. They behave differently when they are around their parents, often overdressing or being overtly sexual. It's not necessary to compromise personal integrity. Be you. Just be you." Finch said. Whether a person wishes to come out to family and friends, remains secretive about his or her sexual orientation or is uncomfortable with homosexuality due to religious reasons, the Counseling Center at the U is a resource for confidential discussion of personal issues. All students, whether they're happy or unhappy with their sexual orientations, can benefit from talking to a psychologist, social worker or psychiatrist at the U's Counseling Center, according to Pat Tsuyuki, administrative secretary and receptionist at the center. "We don't encourage them to come out to others or remain secretive. We don't pressure them one way or another. We're here to talk with them and help them decide what they want to do-with utmost confidentiality," Tsuyuki said. Coming out to a counselor is a discreet way to deal with sexual-orientation issues. The first visit to the Counseling Center is free and subsequent visits cost $10. Daunting as it may seem, coming out to friends and family is the single most essential step a person can take in helping society overcome homophobia, eliminate gay stereotypes and recognize gay and lesbian people as more than just a sexual orientation, according to Elizabeth Birch, executive director of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the largest American gay and lesbian political rights organization. The theme of this year's National Coming Out day was "It's a Family Affair."  The purpose of the theme was to encourage family members of gays to openly express their support for their gay family members and also create awareness of gay parents.There are same-sex couples in 99.3 percent of all counties nationwide, and one out of three lesbian couples and one out of five gay male couples are raising children, according to Candace

Candace Gingrich

Gingrich, manager of the Human Rights Campaign's national coming-out project. Research done by the HRC Foundation shows that people who know a gay person are much more likely to be accepting of gays and more prone to encourage others to be accepting. Those who wish to find resources on coming out, or advice on how to support gay friends and families, can visit www.hrc.org and www.Pflag.org on the Web. An appointment at the Counseling Center can be made by calling 581-6826.

Emma Gross

2005 Breaking Through the Queer Entity: What it is to be gay -1:30-2:30 in the newly remodelled Orson

Barbara Stockton

Spencer Hall (OSH) Auditorium. Panelist include: Dr. Emma Gross- Professor U of U School of Social Work, Valerie Larabee- Executive Director of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center of Utah, Dr. Kathryn Stockton-Director of Gender Studies University of Utah, Ralph (Aka Shenika Christy)-Royal Court of the Golden Spike Empire, Jennifer Lee Jackson- Board Member of Equality Utah and . This event is being moderated by Dianne Waryas- Director of Student Development and Research at the University of Utah.  Dear Presenters of the Health Summit: It is October 20, 2005, Thursday Night

Jennifer Lee Jackson

after the first night of the summit.  The presentations have been great and there has been considerable feedback regarding the summit.  I suspect that Friday, Saturday and Sunday will continue with this momentum.  Many participants are asking to access your

Shenika Christy

notes and handouts regarding your presentations.  Would you be kind enough to send e mail files of your handout materials or other resource information that may be helpful for participants of the conference?  This will keep the momentum of the dialogue created in Salt Lake continued and will help expand the discussions created in Salt Lake City.  We will be posting this information on the Gay Men’s Health Summit website so others may access your information. Thank you for your time and energy in your presentations and your support to this movement.  Sincerely  Jerry Buie Programming Chair

2006 Affirmation conference is  in beautiful (and only slightly rainy) Portland, Oregon on the weekend of October 20-22nd, 2006. The annual conference is an opportunity to meet and socialize with a variety of like-minded individuals with or connected to GLBTI people with LDS backgrounds.  Portland Conference Theme: Bridging our Journeys Built on the banks of the Willamette River, where it meets the mighty Columbia, Portland is a city of bridges. Because members of Affirmation take many paths from a common origin, the Portland Oregon Chapter proposes building bridges not only to our families, the Church, our sexual minority allies and others outside Affirmation, but to each other also. Though our destinations are often very far apart, we can still help each other arrive there, and invite you to join us in Bridging Our Journeys. Welcome to Portland! Portland has something to offer for every visitor: museums & galleries, parks, energetic nightlife, hiking & biking, craft & farmers markets, excellent dining, and zero sales tax. No matter your tastes, the Portland Chapter can help you find just what you're looking for in this very relaxed atmosphere. Come early, stay late, and enjoy any and everything our city has to offer.Here's a brief overview of the schedule for the weekend: Friday, Oct. 20th Leadership Meeting First Timer's reception (for those attending their first conference) Kickoff Pizza Social and "Scream at the Beach" - group outing to a spectacular haunted attraction Saturday, Oct. 21st Continental breakfast Opening Session with Emily Pearson

Emily Pearson

(daughter of Carol Lynn Pearson, founder of "We are Wildflowers" Workshops Gamofite (gay Mormon fathers) luncheon or lunch on your own Saturday afternoon panel discussion Free time to explore Portland (or find a local to show you the sights) Awards banquet with Keynote speaker and entertainment  Sunday, Oct. 22nd Breakfast on your own Devotional Closing luncheon Optional Columbia River Gorge Tour A hospitality suite will be open daily until midnight with movies, games, and excellent company. Registration Information and costs: * Affirmation Members: $159 * Full-Time Students: $139

Fran Pruyn

2009 Tuesday,“This was posted on Fran Pruyn's Wall on facebook: Pruyn Friends: Charles Frost AKA Sister Dottie Dixon has been hospitalized with complications from pneumonia. We expect a full recovery, but we are postponing the remainder of the run until Charles

Charles Frost

can get on the boards again. Please call 355.ARTS for details. And stay tuned for when and where you can see The Passion!” So we night be able to go Sunday afterall.  Well keep you posted as well. Hugs, Mark Swonson

• Ben Williams wrote-He [Charles Frost] needs to really rest...This teacher I work with had pneumonia and was down for a week. A tutor at my school and her two daughters have swine flu and this mother of a student of mine from last year died this week of swine flu at Foxsboro. Kelly Byrnes has pneumonia too.

2017 Utah man pleads guilty in Easter Sunday murder, robbery near Jordan River Parkway

Jeffery Sheherd

 By Stephen Hunt A man accused of the Easter Sunday shooting death and robbery of 46-year-old Matthew Earl Holt near the Jordan River Parkway has pleaded guilty. Jeffery Ray Shepherd, 36, of Tooele, was charged in May with first-degree felony aggravated murder, which carries the potential for the death penalty. Shepherd also was charged with first-degree felony aggravated robbery and second-degree felony obstructing justice. On Friday, Shepherd pleaded guilty to a lesser count of first-degree felony murder and the other charges were dismissed. He faces a 15-years-to-life prison term when he is sentenced Dec. 5 by 3rd District Judge James Blanch. Charging documents state that following his arrest on May 15, Shepherd admitted that on the afternoon of April 16, he was in the area of the Jordan River Parkway, where he confronted Holt with a gun and demanded money. Later that day, a passer-by found Holt dead in his car in a parking lot near 3200 South and 900 West. Shepherd told police he shot Holt in the head, picked up the spent shell casing and left the area, later washing blood from his car and disposing of the .40-caliber Smith & Wesson pistol in a garbage bin at a fast food restaurant, charges state. South Salt Lake police have said that security camera images of Shepherd’s car, from businesses in the area, were critical in locating the suspect. Charges state that the video footage showed a silver

Matthew Holt

Chevrolet Sonic LTZ with a sunroof parked together with Holt’s black Mazda at about 1:30 p.m. on April 16. In one video, voices can be heard, followed by a single gunshot. Seconds later, the Chevrolet can be seen leaving the area. Police conducted a statewide search for every silver Chevrolet Sonic LTZ with a sunroof, but the only one found at the time, which was eliminated from suspicion, charges state. Then, at about 10 p.m. on May 14, an off-duty police officer spotted a silver Chevrolet Sonic LTZ with a sunroof exiting Interstate 80 at Tooele, charges state. Shepherd was the driver. Other evidence against Shepherd included that on May 14, he told an acquaintance that he had left her home on Easter morning and had not returned that day as promised because he had “killed somebody,” charges state. Also, Shepherd’s roommates told police that he had left the house on Easter morning and did not return until evening. Police also learned that Shepherd had purchased several guns, all of which were accounted for except a .40-caliber Smith & Wesson pistol, charges state.

• Obituary Matthew Earl Holt South Jordan, Utah- Our beloved son, nephew, cousin and friend Matthew Earl Holt, age 46, passed away on Easter Sunday, April 16, 2017. Matthew was born on February 18, 1971 in Salt Lake City, Utah to Earl William Holt and Maxine Scroggin Holt. He grew up in South Jordan, Utah. Matthew graduated from Bingham High School with many lifelong friendships and memories. He received an Academic Letter and was named Miner of the Year. He graduated from Westminster College Summa Cum Laude in Psychology in 1993. While attending Westminster College, Matthew was an officer in Alpha Chi. After graduation, Matthew worked at the Children's Center forever changing the lives of those he was able to help. Matthew loved working with people and managed several salons in the Draper area and then expanded to managing salons from Layton to St. George, Utah. He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served a mission at the Jordan River Temple. Matthew loved to travel, and anyone who was lucky enough to travel with Matt was lucky enough! He was loved by everyone - young and old - and everyone in between. Matthew loved to laugh, and though his life was plagued with constant medical concerns, his smile was quick, and he never let his body stop him! Matthew was generous and funny, witty and kind. He had an eye for fashion, a unique style, and Matthew LOVED to shop!  Survived by his parents, Earl and Maxine Holt. Preceded in death by grandparents: Alma and Helen Holt, Rosa and Jean Resch and Max Scroggin.  Viewing to be held Thursday, April 20, 2017 from 6-8 PM at Goff Mortuary (8090 S. State St., Midvale.) Funeral Services to be held Friday, April 21st at 11 AM at the LDS Chapel located at 1540 W. 10400 S., South Jordan with viewing beforehand from 9:45-10:45 AM. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to your favorite charity. Interment, South Jordan City Cemetery.