This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Herbert signs immigration bills. Sen. Buttars' daughter seeks his spot. Romney tops surprise straw poll.

Happy Wednesday. Gov. Gary Herbert surprised some, impressed others and ticked off a few yesterday when he signed HB116, which creates a state guest worker program for undocumented immigrants. "There are those who will say these bills may not be perfect, but they are a step in the right direction and they are better than what we had," Herbert said. Our crystal ball suggests this won't be the last you hear about Herbert signing this bill or the three others, including an enforcement-only measure. [Trib] [DNews] [AP] [Herald] [Fox13] [KUTV]

-> The LDS Church leaves behind its neutrality in publicly supporting the bills coming out of the Utah Legislature and signed into law by the governor. Some members hail, others bemoan the new public stance of the faith. [Trib]

Topping the news: Rep. Kraig Powell, who publicly apologized for voting for the open-records law amending HB477 (not once but twice voting for it) now wants to lead the Legislature to a new era of openness. He says he'll propose requiring party caucuses to meet in public and wants to require a 72-hour period of public notice before a bill could be voted on. [Trib] [DNews] [ABC4] [Herald] [Fox13]

-> Paul Rolly says Sen. Chris Buttars' daughter is seeking to replace him in the Legislature with daddy's backing. [Trib]

2012 watch: A majority of Republican mayors and local officials from all over the country meeting in Washington as part of the National League of Cities conference Tuesday picked Mitt Romney as the top GOP presidential contender as part of a surprise straw poll, according to WVC Mayor Mike Winder who conducted the meeting. The results of the 50 or so Republicans were:

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney: 53%Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee: 9%Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels: 6%Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich: 6%Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour: 3%New Jersey Gov. Chris Christy: 3%U.S. Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman: 3%Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin: 3%Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan: 3%Businessman Ted Turner: 3%Businessman Donald Trump: 3%South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson: 3%

Tweet of the day: From City Weekly's @EricSPeterson: "Now that the #utleg is out and my recap cover story is finished I think I'll go fishing...fishing for govt. records that is! Hey-o!"

Happy birthday: To state Reps. Kraig Powell, Ronda Menlove and Stephen Sandstrom and SLC Council candidate Charlie Luke.

Out of Context catchup: Utah tea party luminary David Kirkham says the NY Times got it wrong: He doesn't oppose Sen. Orrin Hatch. [Trib] And Sen. Mike Lee won't weigh into Hatch's race but is now backing Rep. Jeff Flake for Senate. [Trib]

You like us, right? Political Cornflakes has changed from a group on Facebook to a fan site, so click on over and "like" us if you want to share in our little social media experiment. [Facebook]

Where are they?

Hatch heads to a Finance Committee hearing on health care reform, meets with Alpine Mayor Hunt Willoughby, hits a Judiciary Committee hearing on judicial nominees and later appears on Fox News to talk about the health care reform anniversary.

Lee hits meetings of the Judiciary and Foreign Relations committees, sits down with Enterprise High School students as part of their Close Up visit, talks to the Utah Hotel and Lodging Association and the Thurgood Marshall Fund, the Business Council for Sustainable Energy and Mayor Willoughby. Lee also joins Lou Dobbs on his new Fox Business television show.

Rep. Rob Bishop attends a Conservative Opportunity Society Meeting, a breakfast hosted by the Utah League of Cities and Towns, a House Natural Resources Committee hearing and meets with Utah constituents.

Rep. Jason Chaffetz speaks to the Utah League of Cities and Towns visitors, chairs an Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee hearing on the TSA, and meets with Mayor Willoughby, and later with officials from the Utah Hotel and Lodging Association and the Ability One Program.

Herbert attends the grand opening of the Proctor & Gamble Box Elder Plant, reviews legislation and at night, appears at the Giant in OUr City Awards at the Grand America.

AG Mark Shurtleff meets with his office attorneys, chats with BYU law school Dean James Rasband and later heads to Garfield County.

SL Co. Mayor Peter Corroon also attends those awards and earlier joins the Economic Development Corp. of Utah executive meeting.

SLC Mayor Ralph Becker speaks to fellows of the Partnership for Public Service's Excellence in Government program, meets with Jack Gallivan, founder of the Crusade for the Homeless Foundation, sits down with his community liaisons and then attends the Giant in Our City dinner.

Winder has breakfast with members of Utah's federal delegation and then heads back to Utah.

President Barack Obama meets with USAID Administrator Raj Shah in the Oval Office, sits down with senior advisers and then accepts an award for Sunshine Week from a group of good government groups. Later, the president meets with Defense Secretary Robert Gates and then attends a Democratic National Committee fund-raiser.

In other news: Utah's lone Democrat in Congress supports a Republican bill barring the EPA from regulating greenhouse gases after adding a mention of climate change in the legislation. [Trib]

-> Utah County Democrats say the Legislature failed students and the public this session. [Herald]

-> Ogden recalls anti-discrimination ordinance to consider a religious exemption the mayor is lobbying for. [Trib]

-> Corroon's top lieutenant is moving on. [Trib] [DNews]

-> Pat Bagley takes on proponents of a nuclear plant in Utah. [Trib]

-> USTAR — the Utah Science, Technology and Research Initiative — is suffering state budget cuts like most programs in the state, but it's flying high with millions of grants. [Trib]

-> Utah-based EnergySolutions' stock jumped 10 percent on speculation that it is likely to play a part in future cleanup of Japan's devastated nuclear plants. [Trib]

-> Taylorsville City is going to make the big time. It's getting its own zip code. [Trib]

-> SL County is considering a slew of innovations in its animal control services and programs, including requiring the licensing of cats. [Trib]

-> Salt Lake International Airport releases it's new slate of concessions following a competitive bidding process that will reshape the look and feel of Utah's travel hub. [Trib]

-> Most Utah politicians aren't buying it, but the Interior Department and Bureau of Land Management say they're doing a good job of facilitating oil and gas mining on public lands. [Trib]

-> The Utah Transit Authority is in merger talks with SL County Sheriff Jim Winder over a merger of law-enforcement agencies. [Trib]

-> LDS Church Bishop H. David Burton will be awarded the "Giant in Our City" award tonight. [KSL]

Got a tip? A birthday, wedding or anniversary to announce? Email us at cornflakes@sltrib.com.

— Thomas BurrTwitter.com/thomaswburrwith editor Dan Harrie