FILLMORE — Just a few hours before giving his first State of the State address, Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. stopped by his favorite drive-in for a special treat — a chocolate-marshmallow milkshake.
"And two spoons," the governor told the young woman behind the counter of Larry's Drive-In as a half-dozen media cameras recorded the transaction and the fast-food restaurant's owner, Larry Paxton, beamed.
Not only was Paxton's longtime customer and friend returning, he was bringing along busloads of lawmakers and other state officials from Salt Lake City to Utah's territorial capital to hear a speech traditionally delivered in the legislative chambers.
"This will be the biggest night we've ever had. Everyone will be working tonight," Paxton said.
He still had an order to fill for 100 cheeseburgers — to be sent along with the visitors to eat on the ride home.
Huntsman shared the extra-thick milkshake with his wife, Mary Kaye, before heading off on a tour of a town where he spent his childhood summers. There was a stop at the Fillmore City Cemetery, where many Huntsmans are buried, including the governor's grandfather and his great-grandfather.
"It's about the American way, hard work, family values, war heroes," the governor said as he pointed out the graves of his relatives.
Later, he drove several reporters through the streets of the town, stopping in front of the modest homes once occupied by family members.
"There's Uncle Lon's farm," he said, describing how he'd sleep under the stars after spending a day working in the fields. He steered his siren-equipped state vehicle down the same streets where he'd learned to drive as a boy and where he later let his own children practice behind the wheel.
Later, he told an appreciative audience of mostly local residents — gathered in a local community center for a Dutch oven dinner — about how he'd spent his day, calling Fillmore "the greatest spot on earth."
"This is where my heart brings me. It doesn't bring me to the big city," Huntsman said. "This is where my roots are."
E-mail: lisa@desnews.com