Loser: The Davis County Sheriff's Office says it has noticed that the county is becoming a haven for recently paroled white supremacists, which ought to give everyone there a reason to worry. For the past six months, members of these hate-filled groups have been moving there at a rate of about three or four per month.
No one seems to know whether this influx means anything. So far, the supremacists haven't been violent. The biggest problem seems to be that the prison system is fertile ground for converting people to supremacist doctrine, which ought to give everyone in Utah a reason for concern.
Winner: In the supercharged atmosphere surrounding schools these days, police deserve a lot of credit for reacting quickly to rumors of violence. This week, Sandy police sent extra officers to Jordan High after a rumor spread that someone wanted to "kill the jocks." The rumor turned out to be false. Later, Salt Lake County deputy sheriffs responded quickly when a Butler Middle School teacher said she thought a fellow student told her he had a gun. That report also proved to be wrong.
Years ago, such things may not have attracted much attention. But, as recent tragedies have proven, no one can afford to take threats lightly anymore. SWAT teams now practice responding to school violence. The sheriff's office soon will complete a book that maps out each local school in detail. Prevention and preparedness are the two biggest tools against what has become a scourge in modern society.
Loser: Journalists and other concerned people have long advocated in favor of a tougher open meetings law in Utah. Now a lawsuit against the city of Riverton is showing why that is important.
We don't pretend to know whether Anderson Development is correct in its claim that the City Council decided to kill the company's plans for a mixed-use development during a closed session last January. But if the council had kept detailed minutes of the closed session, or had tape recorded them, there would be less confusion. State lawmakers rejected a plan to require tape recorders in closed meetings a few years ago. That was a mistake — one they ought to remedy not only for the public's sake, but for the sake of local governments that need to protect themselves from liabilities.