What a night last night! It was great to be celebrating with our friends and supporters for one last Becker rally.
Now the big question weighing on everyone’s mind is “Now what?”. One thing you can do is save your Ralph Becker lawn sign! We will be driving around picking up signs from yards over the next few days in order to recycle and reuse them. So don’t be too alarmed if your sign disappears, it is in good hands.

If you would like to help out in this effort we are asking people to go around their neighborhood rounding up signs and delivering them to campaign headquarters, or emailing us (juli@ralphbecker.com) so we can pick up your bundle at one location. Alternatively, if you would like to save your sign, we invite you to do so, you never know when a Ralph Becker for Mayor sign will come in handy again.

Millcreek FIDOS is going to host Ralph this Saturday and you are invited!

Coffee, juice, bagels, donuts, and even dog treats will be provided before heading up the Bonneville Shoreline Trail, Terrace Hills Drive Trailhead. Paula and Gary Evershed have been kind enough to hold the event at their home (1013 Terrace Hills Dr.) starting at 9:00 AM.

Come meet Ralph and let him know your passion for our foothills, open space, your dog(s) and the Bonneville Shoreline Trail.

For more information contact Polly Hart at 231-8118 or by email at polly@millcreekfidos.org.

On Thursday, October 11, 2007, House Democratic Leader, Rep. Ralph Becker, Salt Lake County Water Resources Manager, Natalie Rees, Salt Lake County Environmental Policy Coordinator Ann Ober and Stephanie Duer, Salt Lake Public Utility Conservation Coordinator will participate a Town Hall Meeting to discuss WATER. The panel will address current efforts by each level of government to improve water quality, protect water resources, and increase the stewardship of Utah’s water. KUER’s Dan Bammes will moderate the discussion at the Salt Lake City Main Library Auditorium (210 E. 400 S.)

Thanks to a Partnership for a Nation of Learners grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) The Water Wise Utah Partnership(Utah Education Network, KUED, KUER, J.Willard Marriott Library and the Utah Museum of Natural History) has been formed to host community events aimed to educate citizen about the active stewardship of Utah’s precious water resources.

According the Division of Water Resources Division of Water Resources with Utah’s population expected to double to 5 million by 2050, and the current level of water consumption, Utah will need twice as much water as it has already developed.

Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon, “With the population of Salt Lake County soaring to more than one million last year, the need for ongoing and short-term planning of our natural resources is extremely urgent. For that reason, Salt Lake County is currently working on the development of a Countywide Watershed, Water Quality Stewardship Plan (WaQSP). Significantly, this undertaking is the first update of a countywide water quality plan since the mid 1970’s”

Representative Becker’s commitment to environmental stewardship draws upon his background in planning and natural resources management. Over the past ten years, Becker has sponsored other legislation in this arena, including the Quality Growth Act, Natural Hazards Planning, the establishment in State law of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail, and increased funding for Trails and Open Space, and proposals for the recycling and proper disposal of Electronic Waste. Most recently, Representative Becker authored HB20 – Declaration of State Water Week.

The Becker campaign, along with Plan B Theatre Company, is holding a reception and talk in conjunction with a new play by Utah playwright, Mary Dickson, entitled EXPOSED. The play discusses nuclear testing and its effects on the people of Utah. The special showing will take place on Friday, October 26 at the Rose Wagner’s Studio Theatre. The reception will be held from 7:00 to 8:00 pm, with the play from 8:00 to 9:30 pm, followed by Ralph discussing his platform for arts and culture for Salt Lake City. Tickets are available at the Becker campaign office, 145 South 400 East, at a reduced price of $15.50. There are a limited number of tickets. For questions call Nancy Devenport at 359-4746 or by email at nancy@ralphbecker.com.

About the play: The state of Utah was downwind of many of the 928 nuclear bombs the U.S. government exploded in the Nevada desert between 1951 and 1992. EXPOSED explores the human consequences of the nuclear history of our state and nation.

Salt Lake City, 28 September 2007 —The Sierra Club Political Committee today endorsed Ralph Becker for mayor of Salt Lake City. “Ralph Becker is the ideal candidate to carry forward an environmental agenda in Salt Lake City for the next four years,” said Scott Daniels, chair of the Utah Chapter Political Committee. “Ralph’s training and experience in law, urban planning and government give him the skills to be a leader from his first day,” Daniels continued.

Through ten years of service in the Utah House of Representatives, Becker has established an impressive record. The political committee issues a legislative scorecard on which Becker has scored 100% for the last four years. “Ralph doesn’t just vote the right way in office. He leads on a whole range of issues from recycling electronic waste to climate change,” said Claire Gardner, a member of the committee.

The Sierra Club Political Committee circulated questionnaires to all the mayoral candidates. The responses are posted here. “I was struck by Ralph’s thoughtful replies to our highest-priority issues,” said Mark Clemens, Utah Chapter manager. “Ralph is committed to protecting the canyons, making Salt Lake City streets safer for bikes and pedestrians, and guiding development in the last remaining undeveloped areas, such as the Northwest Quadrant, in a sustainable and pro-environmental way,” he continued.

Delighted with the endorsement, Ralph said, “it is an honor to receive this endorsement. As someone who has spent a lifetime hiking, biking, and running rivers in Utah, I believe deeply in the work that the Sierra Club does here in Utah and I am committed to making Salt Lake City a model city in terms of ecological sustainability and land stewardship. I’m proud of my legislative record on environmental and land use issues, and I will continue to work every day to integrate principles of sustainability and stewardship into all that we do as a city.”

Contacts:
Scott Daniels, chair, Utah Chapter Political Committee
801/583-0801
Mark Clemens, manager, Utah Chapter, Sierra Club
801/467-9297