This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Salt Lake City, whether its officials wanted it or not, is the proud new owner of a 300-pound pig, thanks to Salt Lake County Councilman Jim Bradley.

Bradley bought the pig at the county-sponsored animal auction at the Salt Lake County Fair. Proceeds from the auction are donated to the Utah Food Bank, and Bradley decided Salt Lake City's mayor and council would be more than happy to support the cause, even though he hadn't asked them.

So he won the bid for the pig at $525 and sent the City Council a bill for repayment, along with a letter.

"You will be pleased to know that Salt Lake City, the county seat of Salt Lake County, is the proud owner of one 301 pound pig, which was auctioned at our Salt Lake County Fair Junior Livestock Show," he wrote.

He explained that several years ago, the county initiated a program at the fair in which 4H and FFA kids could auction off farm animals they raised to help recoup their investment in the animals. The county then sells the animals to slaughter houses and donates the proceeds to the Utah Food Bank.

"It's a win-win situation," said Bradley.

He felt that Salt Lake City, the flagship city in the county, was being deprived of the opportunity of participating in the charitable cause.

At first, city officials thought it was a joke. But when Bradley told one City Council member he was serious, they talked about it and authorized the $525 to pay for their pig.

Bradley also enclosed a picture of the city's pig but apologized for the pig prominently displaying his backside. Bradley speculated in the letter that the pig, on his way to the slaughter house, "was sending a message to your mayor."

Leading by example • Shoppers at the Smith's Food and Drug on 400 South and 600 East noticed a black sedan in the parking lot with a stern, official-looking driver idling in the car for a lengthy period of time, obviously waiting for someone to come out of the store.

The passenger sitting in the idling black sedan?

Gov. Gary Herbert.

After all, you've got to keep the guv cool with all this global warming going on.

Mix and match • Longtime couple Mark Wheatley and Josie Valdez figured out a way to put a little spark in their marriage. They combined their 27th wedding anniversary party with a political fundraiser.

Wheatley is running for re-election to the Utah House of Representatives. His wife is running for a seat in the Utah State Senate. They are both Democrats.

The anniversary/fundraiser was Saturday and featured cocktails and dinner, dancing, a photo booth, a card trick master and tarot card reading.

Guests were urged to honor the happy couple at a clip of $40 per person. All proceeds, according to the invitation, went to their respective campaigns.