News roundup: Immigration reform's biggest hurdle: Time

Immigration reform's biggest hurdle: time. Herbert urges SITLA to back off Book Cliffs. Utah drivers aren't the worst, D.C.'s are.

Happy Wednesday. The chance that Congress could actually pass immigration reform could be weakened by one single thing: Time. With a debt ceiling fight coming earlier than expected, House leaders may have to change the timeframe of when immigration measures will come up to a vote, leaving a small window this fall of when — or if — legislation will actually see the light of day. [Politico]

Topping the news: Gov. Gary Herbert is urging school trust land managers not to lease parts of the Books Cliffs for oil exploration. Sportsmen's group insist that roadless areas of the terrain with less wildlife should be leased instead. [Trib] [DNews] [AP]

-> West Valley City mayor's race is headed towards a recount, the official results released on Tuesday show that there is a 13-vote gap between Karen Lang and Don Christensen. Official results for the South Salt Lake mayor's race show that incumbent Cherie Wood is the lead vote getter, and first-time candidate Derk Pehrson is barely ahead of former City Councilman Shane Siwik by two votes. [Trib]

-> Despite popular belief, Utah drivers aren't the worst in the country. According to a new study by Allstate Insurance, Salt Lake City and West Valley City drivers rank 63rd out of 200 of the nation's largest cities. The worst driver are found in Washington, D.C., and the best drivers are found in Fort Collins, Co. [Trib]

-> West Valley City has named a new police chief to help restore faith in the city's police force but the incoming official had faced a "no confidence" vote by cops in Kentucky. [Trib] [DNews]

Tweet of the day: From @ScottDPierce: "If we can find a heroic female character to rise above the tragedy, I see the death of Jerry the Horse as #Lifetime TV movie."

From @LisaMascaroinDC: ".@SenJohnMcCain today in AZ: 'If I looked like Sen. Flake I might be president of the United States.'"

Happy birthday: Happy birthday to Latino activist Tony Yapias and to former SL Co. Councilman Winston Wilkinson.

Happening today: On the 50th anniversary of the famous March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, several commemorations are planning, including one at the Utah State Capitol. The biggest of the events will take place at the Lincoln Memorial where The Rev. Martin Luther King said the famous "I have a dream" speech. Those where were at the original rally say they haven't forgotten the call to action. [Politico]

-> For those in Washington, a quick guide to getting around today: [WaPost].

In other news: The state liquor commission declined to rule when patrons can legally order a drink in a restaurant, instead leaving it up to each individual restaurant how to comply with the new law. [Trib] [DNews]

-> DA Sim Gill says he will take a second look at the 100 cases he dismissed out of the West Valley City police scandal. [Trib]

-> SL Co. Councilman Randy Horiuchi may be considering retirement. [UtahPolicy]

->Rep. Rob Bishop is now on board to halt funding for Obamacare, but it's not clear if he will go as far as Sen. Mike Lee's proposal to force Democrats to choose between paying for the health care law or shuttering the government. [Trib]

-> Bishop, meanwhile, says comprehensive immigration reform could pass Congress this fall and that the rhetoric in Washington has cooled some since the last try in 2006. [StandEx]

-> Four state agencies that are required by law to have internal auditing systems are breaking the law and missing a chance to find potential fraud according to Utah's state auditor's office. [Trib]

-> A new system for grading school performance is coming online soon and with it potential concerns for state lawmakers whose districts include below-average schools. [UtahPolicy] Schools, too, are worried about a backlash. [DNews]

-> Utah lawmakers may change how state school board members are selected. [DNews]

-> Paul Rolly writes about DMV troubles and how SLC's parking meters were still charging customers even when they were supposedly not working. [Trib]

-> Pat Bagley offers his take on MLK's answer to the "angywhitemenistan." [Trib]

-> As a nation, families are getting smaller, married couples are having fewer children, and more people are living on their own. In Utah, the trend is heading this way. [Trib]

-> No more "surprise" tax increases from Salt Lake County. To be more transparent, Salt Lake County will move its budget adoption process ahead by two weeks in the fall of 2014. This new schedule could make it more difficult for county financial forecasters to provide reliable economic data on which to base next year's revenue projections. [Trib]

Nationally: Momentum builds for a military strike in Syria as the British and the Arab League have joined in accusing the Syrian government of the chemical warfare. [NYTimes]

-> President Barack Obama is contemplating a limited military attack on Syria to serve as punishment for the chemical attacks. The attack could last no more than two days and use cruise missiles or long-range bombers. [WaPost]

-> Sarah Palin has now joined the fight to halt funding for Obamacare, calling the health care law a "beast" that must be stopped. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, thanked Palin for her support of the grass-roots movement. [Politico]

-> Washington, D.C. is looking to host the 2024 Summer Olympics, the non-profit group DC2024 said this week. An official bid would have to come from the U.S. Olympic Committee, which is considering 10 cities, including Washington. [CNN]

Where are they?

Rep. Chris Stewart visits a veterans nursing home, meets with SyberJet and Dixie State High School JROTC students and holds town meetings in St. George and Cedar City.

Gov. Gary Herbert attends the Bell Ringing Ceremony at the Capitol for the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech.

WVC Mayor Mike Winder attends a ribbon cutting for recycle solutions.

President Barack Obama speaks at the Let Freedom Ring ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

Got a tip? A birthday, wedding or anniversary to announce? Email us at cornflakes@sltrib.com. If you haven't already, sign up for our weekday email and get this sent directly to your inbox. [Trib]

— Thomas Burr and Jordan BaileyTwitter.com/thomaswburr Twitter.com/THEJordanBailey