As she held her newborn son in her arms, Erin Mendenhall listened to a news report that told her Salt Lake City’s poor air quality could potentially take years off his life.

For the first time, she began to doubt the choice to raise her family here, in a state that has struggled to meet federal limits for ozone (an airborne pollutant that is particularly harmful to children) and in a city that is frequently shrouded by inversion.

“My first thought was, ‘I have to move; I have to choose between Salt Lake City and my son’s health,’” Mendenhall, a Salt Lake City councilwoman, recounted Sunday afternoon. But “instead of running from the problem,” she said, “I took it on.”

That was 13 years ago. Since then, Mendenhall has moved from “activist to advocate to leader” — working with Utah Moms for Clean Air, helping co-found the clean-air advocacy organization Breathe Utah and now serving on the City Council.

And on Sunday, she officially launched her campaign for Salt Lake City mayor in front of friends, family, supporters and an air quality monitor in Rose Park at the Salt Lake Center for Science Education, where she promised to keep air quality work a focus.

“The air quality here still earns what the [Environmental Protection Agency] calls ‘serious nonattainment,’” Mendenhall said. “It’s the worst air quality rating the EPA gives. To me, [the monitor] is a physical reminder of why the choices we make in government, and in elections, matter. Because our kids, our community and our future will reap the benefits or suffer the consequences of the choices we make.”

Mendenhall, who serves as chairwoman of the state Air Quality Board, previously told The Salt Lake Tribune that she would work as mayor to expedite the city’s plan to become 100 percent powered by renewable energy by 2030 instead of the original goal of 2032. She also said she would work to increase transportation options across the city to get people out of their cars.

But as Mendenhall looked to a future Salt Lake City on Sunday that she said she would lead to “cleaner air, stronger neighborhoods and smarter growth,” she also looked to the past, lauding her accomplishments during her six years serving on the council.

She pointed to her role in cobbling together the $21 million the city’s redevelopment agency put toward affordable housing two years ago, her work to establish better bus service for Salt Lake City residents and her support for fixing Salt Lake City’s streets with an $87 million bond that was approved by voters last fall.

While there’s a long list of candidates vying for the mayoral seat, Mendenhall is one of two with City Council experience. Her former colleague Stan Penfold, who announced his campaign in October, served two full terms on the council before leaving office in early 2018.

“My time on the City Council shows how I get results,” Mendenhall said Sunday. “I build relationships and listen to your needs. I gather input to make the tough calls. Together, all that experience makes me the best candidate, the right candidate for this moment. Out city needs a mayor who knows how to deliver results in city government now more than ever.”

Salt Lake City Councilman Chris Wharton, who noted that he came to the launch as a friend and has not yet endorsed any candidate in the crowded mayoral race, said he’s been impressed during their time working together by Mendenhall’s leadership skills and her ability to build consensus among council members.

“She really knows the nuts and bolts of what the job is going to be down in City Hall and she’s been able to work well with everyone in the council and to work with the mayor through some very difficult situations last year,” he said. “I think Erin has on the council shown me just how much she’s able to accomplish.”

Mendenhall — who serves the Ballpark, Central City, Central 9th, East Liberty Park, Liberty Wells and Wasatch Hollow communities — still has two years left in her second term representing the city’s District 5 and would retain her seat if she lost her bid for mayor.

Other contenders for the mayor’s seat include former state Sen. Jim Dabakis; state Sen. Luz Escamilla; David Garbett, the former executive director of the Pioneer Park Coalition; former Downtown Community Council Chairman Christian Harrison; and Latino businessman David Ibarra. Richard Goldberger, a freelance journalist; Aaron Johnson, a military veteran and novice politician; and Carol Rogozinski, who ran previously for City Council District 5, have formed personal campaign committees to run in the race.

A Twitter List by sltribsports

Houston • For all the attention deservingly focused on the Jazz’s injury situation, it’s not as though the Rockets were completely healthy, themselves.

Admittedly, coach Mike D’Antoni missing three games while hospitalized for an intestinal virus isn’t quite the same as Derrick Favors, Ricky Rubio, and Kyle Korver sitting out multiple games for Utah, but Houston still missed its leader.

Asked if it felt as though he’d been gone for awhile, D’Antoni answered affirmatively, before quipping, “It won’t bother my shot at all, so I’ll be fine!”

D’Antoni aside, the Rockets actually come into the series relatively healthy.

Point guard Chris Paul seemed to be the only player with any potential injury situation to watch. The future Hall of Famer wound up missing 24 games this season due to elbow tendinitis and a problematic hamstring. When he did play, D’Antoni limited Paul to exactly 32 minutes per game.

For anyone envisioning CP3 missing crucial stretches of close games due running into a minutes restriction, though — well, don’t get your hopes up.

D’Antoni quickly made it clear that “The Point Gawd,” as he was referred to in the Toyota Center, would not have any such limitations, at least early in the postseason.

“He can play more, especially in the first round when we have two or three days in between [games]. A little bit will depend on him — I don’t want to go too many minutes over,” D’Antoni said. “… If we have to, we have to — he’s ready to do it. We don’t play [again] ’til Wednesday, so we have a little more leeway. Later on, when you play every other day, you’ve gotta watch it a little more.”

Jazz coach Quin Snyder, meanwhile, said Paul’s presence on the court can’t be overstated.

“I think Chris is probably a better coach than me,” Snyder said with a chuckle. “That’s not saying much about me — I’m trying to give him a compliment.”

Defensive strategies

D’Antoni was asked pregame if he expected the Jazz to do anything out of the ordinary to scheme for James Harden & Co., such as what the Milwaukee Bucks did in overplaying Harden on his left hip to force him to drive right and to minimize his step-back 3-point tries.

The Houston coach said he couldn’t envision it.

“Nothing out of the ordinary — we just have to see how they’re gonna guard certain plays, pick-and-rolls; maybe they’re gonna have something, but I doubt it,” he said. “Maybe they’ll tweak something, and then we’ll adjust to that. They’re the best in the league [defensively], so if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right?”

Thing is, the Jazz did try the Bucks strategy in the first half, and couldn’t pull it off. Harden shot 7 of 14 overall (and 3 of 5 from deep) to total 17 points before the break. He also fed his teammates for seven assists, as Houston shot 48% overall and 40% from deep in racking up a 15-point first-half lead.

And there it was on Sunday night at Toyota Center … a Game of Groans redux.

The Jazz and the Rockets in the opener of their playoff series was a veritable deja vu-ian experience: The Jazz carrying on their upstart cause of trying to show Houston, and the rest of the world, just how good they really are, and the Rockets, ever disrespected, at least in their own minds, attempting to toss aside the Jazz as a means of getting on to more serious business against the Warriors in the next round.

There really is an echo in here, right?

Same teams, same building, same atmosphere, same coaches, same attitudes, same goals, same stars, same results.

The final numbers on the board: Rockets 122, Jazz 90.

The Jazz dropped Game 1 a year ago to the Rockets, losing by 14 points, falling behind by a mile early and then clawing back to make it marginally more competitive.

This time, they fell behind early by double-digits, trailed by 15 at the half, fought back, and then collapsed. Plainly spoken, they got their tails handed to them.

“We didn’t play well,” Quin Snyder said, afterward. “There are a lot of things we have to do better.”

Donovan Mitchell got 21 points and five assists in the first game against Houston last postseason. On Sunday night, he wanted to do what everybody knew he had to do to give the Jazz a chance — score, score, score. He could not, at least not enough, finishing with 19 points.

Rudy Gobert, who previously went for 11 and nine, alongside Derrick Favors, tried to roll to the rim, as the two Jazz bigs have done for most of the 2018-19 season. Gobert scored 22 points, with 12 boards here, Favors got 13 and six.

There was far too little help from others.

As an accomplished defensive team, Houston committed resources to slowing the big men’s movement toward the basket, sacrificing coverage elsewhere, but no other Jazz players could come through. Any time the Jazz struggle to collect assists, they lose. Sunday night, they got 17, against 18 turnovers, which means they were sloppy, and the ball wasn’t popping properly.

A year ago in Game 1, the Jazz surrendered 10 more bombs to the Rockets than they made themselves. This time, the Jazz hit just seven deep shots to the Rockets’ 15. More disturbingly for the Jazz, Houston absolutely killed them in the paint, led by Clint Capela’s 16 points. Many other Rockets got on top of the basket, too. Rarely have the Jazz been owned like that down low.

“[Rudy] can’t be in all places,” Snyder said. “We had some breakdowns in the half-court.”

The Jazz’s defensive game plan didn’t work. They allowed James Harden and Chris Paul to drive and dish — and score. In last year’s opener, the Rockets received 58 points from Harden (41) and Paul (17). On Sunday night, those two combined for 43, with Harden getting 29 of those.

That effort was backed by Eric Gordon, PJ Tucker, Danuel House, Kenneth Faried, et al. All told, the Rockets shot 50 percent, the Jazz just 39.

What does it all mean?

Not sure that the premature comparison means anything definitive at this juncture, other than the Jazz have a steep climb ahead, just as they did in 2018. But everybody already knew that.

If they want to change the ultimate result in this series, they will have to stiffen their defense, in the paint and on the perimeter, limit their turnovers, and avoid scoring droughts that leave them thrashing around to catch up. The Jazz typically are a stellar defensive team, an averag offensive one. Sunday night, they played beneath themselves at both ends.

In this series, they’ll have to play above themselves.

They cannot give up 62 points in the paint. They cannot play carelessly. They’ll have to carve open shots out of Houston’s resistance and when the carving is done, make those shots at a steady clip.

Same as it’s always been against these guys.

GORDON MONSON hosts “The Big Show” with Jake Scott weekdays from 3-7 p.m. on 97.5 FM and 1280 AM The Zone.

Three thoughts on the Utah Jazz’s 122-90 loss to the Houston Rockets from Salt Lake Tribune beat writer Andy Larsen.

1. Jazz force James Harden right, but the rotations aren’t well done

The Jazz have a math problem created entirely by James Harden’s unique characteristics. Here’s the problem: Harden shot 39% on stepback threes over the course of the season. That’s a 117 offensive rating. If the Rockets get 117 points per 100 possessions, they will win the majority of those games, certainly enough to get four out of seven in a series.

So the Jazz used the Milwaukee Bucks’ strategy: they stay on Harden’s left hip, preventing him from gathering the ball and taking the stepback three. Doing so just allows Harden to drive to the rim with his right, free and clear. This is legitimately a novel concept: no one in the history of the NBA has had a stepback three so good that teams would rather give up the drive than the shot. But for the Bucks, it worked in a March win: Harden scored only 23 points, the Rockets scored only 94 total, and it was their only loss in two months by more than two points.

Milwaukee Bucks defending James Harden

-Force Right
-Force REALLY Right
-Help In Paint
-Show Hands At All Times@CoachPaintCH pic.twitter.com/WLn7McDN19

— Half Court Hoops (@HalfCourtHoops) March 27, 2019

To prevent him from getting layups, Rudy Gobert pre-rotates over to Harden. At that point, you need someone to stop Clint Capela from getting lobs. So then the defense rotates, and that leaves someone open from three in the corner, unless someone rotates to there. But forcing the extra passes gives the offense a chance to turn it over and to find the ball in someone else’s hands. The idea here is to make Harden a passer, where he can be a little-turnover prone at times. In fact, he’s not great at passing with his right hand at all, so forcing him to do so is paramount.

It’s on the last paragraph of things that the Jazz were wildly inconsistent at. Take this play for example:

Rubio does his job well early, and Gobert does his job just fine. But the Jazz make two mistakes: first, Rubio doesn’t stay attached to Harden’s left hip, so he’s able to transfer the ball to his left hand for the lob. Secondly, Favors stays with P.J. Tucker, rather than rotating off of the least dangerous player in the midrange to prevent the lob (admittedly, this is a tough rotation).

This time, Thabo Sefolosha makes the rotation to prevent the lob pass. But again, Ingles can’t stay connected, and Harden’s able to get the ball in both hands and find the open shooter.

Also note Harden’s little left hand shove to get himself space. To be honest, for this to work, the Jazz have to start either flopping on that shove or staying connected anyway.

Here’s when it went well: Ingles and Favors do a good job of stopping the Capela option, while still being somewhat in the passing lane for the kickout to the weak side, and Harden is forced to take a floater over Gobert.

Can the Jazz do this as effectively as Milwaukee? Eric Bledsoe is a better perimeter defender than Rubio or Royce O’Neale, and they obviously have Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has arms for days to disrupt passing lanes more effectively than the Jazz’s players. But Gobert should be better at dissuading paint passes and floaters than Brook Lopez is. Truthfully, I think they can do it, but I’m a relentless optimist.

And it sounds like the Jazz will stay with the strategy throughout the series. Here’s what Ricky Rubio said, when I asked him about it:

“It’s a gameplan that’s not just for one game, it’s the whole series. We have to do it over and over again. We have to make it tough for one of the best players in the league. We have to get to know the gameplan better.

“As the series goes on, we’re going to get better, we’re going to make adjustments. We have one of the best, if not the best coach at making adjustments,” Rubio continued. “It took us a while, and then I think in the second half we did a better job, and in Game 2, I think we’re going to do a better job. James Harden got 29; that’s good, but he took 26 shots. That’s what we want. He didn’t get to the free-throw line. That’s the gameplan.”

With this strategy, the Jazz are trying to dictate the terms of the series, rather than just watching Harden beat them. It didn’t work tonight, but like Rubio, I think they’ll execute it better in Game 2.

2. Jazz offense can’t get going

I would argue that the Jazz’s offense was more discouraging than their defense in Game 1, though. The Rockets had an 123 offensive rating, which is really good, don’t get me wrong, but the 90 offensive rating that the Jazz had was more out of line with the two teams’ season averages.

The first issue: Donovan Mitchell didn’t get going, scoring only 19 point on 18 shots, adding five turnovers and exactly zero assists. I thought he too often took the extra beat, allowing the Rockets’ defense to get set to stop him:

There’s no reason Mitchell couldn’t have attacked directly after catching the ball in that play, but he waited instead.

Also worrying was Joe Ingles’ complete non-factor status. In last year’s Game 2 win, Ingles had 27 and was a huge factor in the Jazz finally getting one on the Rockets, but tonight he only had three points and four shots. Houston’s switching is a huge problem for him, because he’s not quick enough to beat Capela in isolation situations.

Honestly, you do also just have to give them credit for solid defensive execution. This is a great example: Mitchell gets the step on Austin Rivers, but Harden’s stunt towards him makes him pick up the ball early, Rivers stays attached the whole time, and Capela makes the shot extremely difficult. Meanwhile, there aren’t any obvious passing opportunities, at least not while he’s driving.

The Jazz can get more, but the Rockets knew exactly where to help from and where not to in Game 1. Utah will make more shots in Game 2 — looking at you, Jae Crowder and Thabo Sefolosha, who went a combined 2-15 — but overall, the offensive picture isn’t looking rosy.

3. Losing the possession battle

That’s why it’s so imperative that the Jazz have to win the possession battle against the Rockets in this series. And they have the opportunity to: the Rockets were the third-worst defensive rebounding team in the league this year, and the upshot of the Milwaukee strategy is that it should force turnovers.

Unfortunately, the Jazz lost both battles tonight. They were outrebounded on the offensive glass by an 8-7 margin, and they gave up 19 turnovers to Houston’s 12. All in all, the Rockets took 95 shots compared to the Jazz’s 77. Some of that was due to the Jazz taking more free throws than the Rockets, but, well, not most of it.

But you can’t just have possessions like this. I understand that Gobert, your best defensive rebounder, is contesting the shot on the perimeter. That means someone has to get a body on Capela and prevent him from getting the ball.

The Rockets also beat the Jazz in getting loose balls on a count of 6-5. Again, that’s not much, but it’s a battle that the Jazz can’t be losing.

Houston has a 5-8 record when teams get 20 second-chance points or more on them, tonight, the Jazz only got 10. Obviously, tonight, it wouldn’t have been enough either way. But to score enough, Utah will need to get more than one bite of the cherry.

While anti-abortion measures in the recent legislative session spurred emotional debate, attracted lots of media coverage and in the last week drew a legal challenge, lawmakers took other, mostly-under-the-radar actions that could result in hundreds fewer abortions in the state.

Access to contraception has quietly expanded over the past few months in Utah, thanks to changes in Medicaid coverage and the rollout of a new statewide reproductive health initiative.

Physician Ray Ward, who doubles as a state representative, says the health care system is still riddled with coverage gaps, but it’s better than it was just a few weeks ago.

“I’m not saying the plan is perfect. It’s not — our health care system is a whole shattered bunch of fragments,” Ward, R-Bountiful, said. “But finally, with the Medicaid expansion, we have at least a plan ... for everyone.”

As of April 1, Utah women who fall below the federal poverty level qualify to receive Medicaid coverage for contraception — even more expensive forms of birth control, such as intrauterine devices that can each cost more than $1,000. A state fiscal analysis estimated that more than 11,000 women would receive family planning services through the Medicaid expansion.

Those above the poverty line can seek insurance through the health care exchanges, Ward said. And people with the most resources typically have private insurance, he added.

But the new coverage for low-income women does not resolve every problem, said Jessica Sanders, a family planning research director and assistant professor at the University of Utah School of Medicine. Providers need more training on contraceptive care, and patients should be counseled on the options available to them.

Sanders and her U. colleagues earlier this year launched an initiative called Family Planning Elevated to cover these gaps, paying particular attention to underserved rural communities.

The group will also offer free contraception to women above the federal poverty line and push state lawmakers to move the ball forward on reproductive health, Sanders said. Social norms and personal values can complicate discussions about contraception in the conservative Utah Legislature, but she believes the case for expanding reproductive health services is compelling enough to unite lawmakers.

“Utah can be a beacon of light for other conservative states,” Sanders said, “and really kind of show that this is about family values, that this is about supporting families and healthy communities."

Increased contraception could also yield millions of dollars in savings by reducing maternal and birth costs, Ward estimated when sponsoring a bill to widen family planning coverage. While successful, his 2018 bill was ultimately absorbed by the further-reaching Medicaid measure that the Legislature passed this year.

There’s encouraging data from contraceptive programs in other states, Sanders said. A seven-year initiative in Iowa that offered family planning services to people up to 300 percent of the federal poverty line yielded a net savings of $96 million by averting thousands of births. A Colorado program that increased access to intrauterine devices has helped cut teen pregnancies by about one-fifth in areas near federally funded clinics that distribute the contraception.

No matter a lawmaker’s political leanings, the prospect of saving money is attractive, Sanders said.

“As a researcher, I believe data has a lot of weight and that we should really trust the evidence,” she said, “and what we’ve seen is that access to comprehensive contraception can help society and help communities.”

Ward has estimated that extending reproductive services to 8,000 Utahns could prevent 2,000 unintended pregnancies and 680 abortions.

The private sector is also looking to step into the gap. Nurx, a company that connects women with medical providers online and offers home delivery of birth control, launched its services in Utah this week. In addition to serving women who are far from their medical providers, the telemedicine and delivery service adds a layer of privacy, said Jessica Horwitz, vice president of clinical services at Nurx.

“Utah, in many ways, you all are doing some great strides in improving contraceptive access,” Horwitz said. “But we still felt there was a need.”

Utah lawmakers this session passed a couple of measures aimed at curbing abortion in the state — one bill focused on preventing the termination of pregnancies solely because of a fetal Down syndrome diagnosis, while another sought to ban abortions after 18 weeks.

Planned Parenthood, which is now suing the state to block the 18-week ban, argued during the debate over these bills that instead of restricting access to an abortion, Utah legislators should focus on providing better health services to women.

Family Planning Elevated aims to reach 13,000 Utahns with no-cost contraceptive care from 2019 through 2021, according to a news release. The initiative, which received a majority of its funding through foundation grants, has a budget of about $9 million for the next few years, Sanders said.

Over that time, they’ll try to persuade state officials to approve Medicaid-funded contraceptive coverage for people up to 250 percent of the federal poverty line, Sanders said.

Ward has pushed forward several successful bills related to reproductive health, including one to provide birth control to women without a prescription. And he says he’d consider further expanding Medicaid for family health services but would need to study a specific proposal before making up his mind.

Monday is Tax Day, offering plenty of chances for agony and ecstasy.

Some merchants offer deals or freebies to ease the pain. Taxpayer groups perhaps increase misery with reports showing just how long it takes to work off tax bills. And the U.S. Postal Service urges care in filing to avoid penalties.

Income tax returns are due by midnight if filed online and require a Monday postmark if filed by mail. Filers may obtain an automatic extension, if needed, by filing for one by the deadline.

The U.S. Postal Service no longer offers extended hours on Tax Day. But it notes that 31 Utah post offices have self-service kiosks that are open 24 hours a day. Customers who print a mailing label before midnight at a kiosk will receive an April 15 postmark.

If you are expecting a big tax refund because of the much-touted tax reform Republicans passed in 2017, you might be in for a big, disappointing surprise. Taxpayers and tax preparers have reported many Utahns are receiving smaller federal refunds than anticipated and, in many cases, are learning that they owe the state.

The Tax Foundation, an independent tax policy research group, each year figures out when “Tax Freedom Day” arrives. That is when the nation as a whole has earned enough money to pay its tax bill for the year for all federal, state and local taxes.

This year, it falls on Tuesday, April 16, the day after Tax Day, and 105 days into the year.

But some good news: Tax Freedom Day in Utah came a bit quicker, and fell on April 11, thanks to lower than average state and local taxes here. Oklahoma has the nation’s earliest Tax Freedom Day on March 30, and New York has the latest on May 3.

But here’s some worse news: The nation borrows more than $1 trillion a year to cover its spending. If that annual borrowing were included, the national Tax Freedom Day would occur on May 8.

The Tax Foundation notes that America will spend more on taxes this year than it will on food, clothing and housing — combined.

Meanwhile, the National Priorities Project (NPP), a group seeking transparency for the federal budget, released a breakdown of how the federal government spent tax dollars in 2018.

“The average taxpayer paid the same amount ($101) for K-12 education [in federal taxes] as they did for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol, including family separations,” it said.

The group also said that out of every $1 of federal income tax spent in 2018, 29.6 cents went to health programs like Medicare, 24 cents went to the military, 15.8 cents went to interest on the federal debt, 7 cents went to unemployment and labor, and 5.9 cents went to veterans’ benefits.

A recent report by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy says low- and middle-income Utahns pay an overall effective tax rate that is higher than the rate paid by upper-income residents for state and local taxes.

For example, the top 1 percent of Utah income earners pay 6.7 percent of their income to state and local taxes, while the bottom 20 percent pay 7.5 percent, and the middle 20 percent of earners pay 8.8 percent.

On the bright side, some companies offer special Tax Day deals. Some found online include:

• Hot Dog On A Stick is offering a free turkey or veggie dog on Tax Day “because doing taxes can be doggone stressful.”

• Firehouse Subs offers a free medium sub with the purchase of a medium or large sub, chips and drinks from April 15 to 17, with a coupon.

• Schlotzsky’s is offering one free small The Original sandwich with the purchase of a medium-sized drink and chips.

• Office Depot/Office Max offer free shredding of up to five pounds of documents with a coupon.

• Hotwire.com is offering $15 off $150 Hot Rate hotel deals from April 11 to 16 by using promo code TAXGETAWAY15 when booking.

• The National Park Service offers free entry to parks and monuments on the Saturday after Tax Day, April 20. It is technically to celebrate the first day of National Park Week.

Provo • It’s been 15 years, but David Leavitt’s eyes still well with tears when he recounts sitting in a cramped holding cell listening to a man scream in anger, shrieks that eventually turned into sobs.

Leavitt had just spent the past three weeks defending the man in a federal trial. A jury debated for 10 hours before convicting his client of a crime that would send him to prison for life.

Almost two dozen of the man’s associates had cut deals to avoid harsh sentences. All were ready to testify against Leavitt’s client.

But this man refused to take a plea deal. Instead, he exercised his right to a trial — and lost.

As Leavitt sat in that cell listening to the sobs of a man who just found out he’d never be released, he had a realization.

“I just thought, ‘I’ve got to do something else,’” he said. “I’m burned out.”

So after 15 years in criminal law, working as both a prosecutor and a defense attorney, Leavitt stepped away. He moved with his wife and six children to Ukraine, taking a job with the American Bar Association to help reform the criminal justice system there.

He was happy splitting his time between Ukraine and Utah over the years, focusing his energies on teaching democracy and ethics overseas. Until a trip to Costco one summer day in 2017.

He ran into a defense attorney who told him the Utah County Attorney’s Office had some big issues — and there was an election coming up. It got him thinking.

“I’ve been trying to save eastern Europe for 14 years,” he thought. “I’ve got problems right here. What’s my obligation?”

So Leavitt, whose last prosecuting job was as the Juab County attorney almost two decades ago, entered the race — and won.

Now four months into the job, the 55-year-old Utah County man says he wants to bring criminal justice reform to Utah’s second largest county. That means big changes, including an idea more progressive than anything being undertaken in the state today.

“My unapologetic aim is to transform our criminal justice system,” he said. “Either I’ll leave office in four years from now as a complete failure, or I’ll leave it with my head held high.”

‘The power to build lives’

Leavitt’s first goal is to implement a program that keeps low-level offenders out of the courtroom altogether. No other county in Utah does it quite like this.

His diversion program would kick in before criminal charges are even filed, allowing certain people who have committed minor crimes to complete community service, life classes or drug treatment. If the participants are successful, the case goes away and nothing is ever on their permanent record.

Leavitt said that most low-level offenders today are receiving little punishment and few treatment options after their cases languish for months. But those defendants often get trapped in the system — either by violating their probation, or having trouble getting a job or housing because of their criminal record.

By offering them an alternative in the beginning, he hopes more people will get treatment or learn the skills they need to turn their lives around.

But if the participants are unsuccessful, criminal charges are filed and their cases would be prosecuted as normal.

“It recognizes the need to find a way to punish people who can be helped,” he said. “And it gives them an incentive to avoid the very worst punishment that we can give them — and that’s becoming a criminal.”

There will be limits. People accused of drug distribution, child abuse, sexual assault, murder or other violent crimes would not be eligible. And it’s not really intended for those who want to argue that they are innocent, Leavitt said.

It’s targeted for people who are being arrested for crimes like simple drug possession — and in Utah County, there’s a lot of those. Leavitt said that last year, his office filed around 5,000 cases. A third were for possessing small amounts of drugs.

There already are drug court programs set up to help those people, but there are few slots available. Leavitt calculated that it’s statistically more probable for an applicant to be admitted into Harvard University than it is for an arrested person to get into 4th District drug court.

The diversion program is one way Leavitt says he’s trying to fix what he believes is a broken system. The upcoming change in how his office handles low-level crimes, he said, also illustrates the “enormous power” that prosecutors have in society, something that he’s not all that comfortable with.

“No person in America really ought to have as much power as a prosecutor,” he said. “You’re completely immune from your decisions. And it’s the power to wreck lives. It’s the power to build lives.”

The diversion program is radical, particularly for the Utah County Attorney’s Office. Leavitt knows he’s asking prosecutors to shift their traditional thinking. But this is a project he’s dedicated to and he will fill his office with prosecutors who also buy in.

The county attorney said no one has embraced this idea more than the man who ran against him during last year’s election — Chad Grunander, deputy Utah County attorney.

Grunander is now heading up the diversion program, another new challenge for someone who describes himself as more a “traditional rule of law” prosecutor.

He had his reservations, Grunander admits, but he’s now excited to give it a try and see if it works.

“We’re not looking just to reduce caseloads,” he said. “That’s not the purpose. The purpose for me really is to maximize our resources, be more efficient and get to the root of the problem sooner rather than later.”

This isn’t the only new program Leavitt has in the works.

More oversight

For the past few years, the most vocal complaints about the Utah County Attorney’s Office came from a small group who said prosecutors had damaged the lives of people who were falsely accused of crimes.

They pointed to a string of high-profile prosecutions that ended in acquittals or dismissed charges, and asked the Utah County Commission to take an unprecedented step of forming an outside commission that would have oversight over the county attorney’s office.

The proposal drew pushback from then-Utah County Attorney Jeff Buhman, who argued there was already enough oversight in place. Buhman said there were mistakes made by his prosecutors, but they never amounted to misconduct.

The County Commission was posed to create the review board in February, but hit pause indefinitely after police and prosecutors raised objections.

So what will the new county attorney do about this issue?

Leavitt said he plans to form a conviction integrity unit, a group of retired prosecutors, defense attorneys and judges who can go over cases where someone’s innocence is in question.

It would be the second oversight board in Utah. The first was created last October by the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office, and it will look at the conduct of prosecutors and potential cases of wrongful conviction.

If there is evidence that a person is innocent, Leavitt said he could go to court and ask for the conviction be thrown out. When asked whether prosecutors could be disciplined if the unit finds misconduct, Leavitt said it would be handled on a case-by-case basis.

“If it’s a mistake, that’s one thing,” he said. “But if you’re out to get someone, if you are to use your power as a prosecutor in a way that violates the rules of ethics or violates the rules of humanity, you’re not going to be here.”

Libertas Institute President Connor Boyack, whose organization was among those that petitioned for a prosecutor review board, said he would watch how Leavitt’s conviction integrity unit works. He said his group, a libertarian think tank, believes it’s always better for a review board to be completely independent, but the success of similar programs usually hinges on who is in charge.

Boyack said he’s encouraged by Leavitt’s pre-filing diversion program and plans for reform.

“The ramifications of a prosecution are staggering,” Boyack said. “It is extremely heartening to see a county attorney recognize the gravity of the prosecutorial power and have the leadership and vision to create a system where there is restraint shown in the exercise of that power.”

Leavitt said his goal is not rooted in the success or failure of a certain program or review board. He hopes to bring change not only in his own office — but to help his community realize that the us-versus-them mentality of labeling people as criminals has been harmful and overly punitive.

“America needs to redeem itself from how it’s been for the last 50 years in the criminal justice system,” he said. “We had the best intentions, most of the time. But we can’t look back at our past and say anything but, ‘Wow, we could do better.’”

After reading Lesley Butterfield’s April 11 commentary, I was reminded of a recent conversation I had with a gentleman from out of state.

In a polite, but matter-of-fact tone, he explained his belief that my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which he used to be a member of, is a cult, that the teachings found within my church are not biblical, and in fact are devilish. He then proceeded to warn me that, unless I fully rejected my church’s teachings and became a born-again Christian, as he had done, I was doomed to eternal damnation.

In her editorial Butterfield uses words such as “coercion” in describing the teachings of the LDS Church, including the words spoken at the church’s recent General Conference. She then proceeds to give a detailed explanation of her beliefs about heaven in which she and her children are all guaranteed to be there.

While I have no doubt Butterfield believes those who have rejected the LDS Church and its teachings will all go to heaven, including the gentleman I referenced earlier, does her idea of heaven also include those who choose to remain LDS?

I certainly don’t want to put words in her mouth, but given her clear attacks on the LDS Church, I suspect I already know the answer.

Clark Larsen, Tooele

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So, the Utah Jazz. What a great year. No, wonderful year! Wow! Thanks for all your hard work and so many fun games.

Thanks for the message that you have delivered this year, that you guys really like your teammates. It comes over to us, the fans.

I have also noticed that you stay on the floor after the game and visit with the other members. You guys have a lot of class.

You are a unique bunch of great young men. All of you guys are so special, talented and just amazing to watch. Thanks to the coach for an amazing season as well.

The Jazz have made a long, cold winter very memorable! Your fans thank you! Good luck in the playoffs. Go Jazz!

Deanna Johnson, Sandy

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I, like a great many Americans, have reached that threshold of life where we are retired, but not yet ready for the scrapheap.

We are the baby boomers, the designated cause of everything that is wrong with America, the reason for the high cost of medical care. We suck up Social Security funds, no longer pay our fair share of income taxes, and don’t have much interest in Twitter, Facebook, cloud computing, nor, God forbid, the Kardashians.

But I would like to serve my country as a United States senator and hereby announce my candidacy for this office. My single platform: “I want the health care package Sen. Mitt Romney has.”

I pledge to do as much work as he has, to bloviate religiously, to pander to the rich and influential, to denigrate the poor, and to spout off as he has about how “giving universal health care to all Americans would bankrupt the country.”

And I will do all this with a straight face, just like Mitt and all the other rich, white Republicans.

Sherman W. Hale, Holladay

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While I completely agree with the article "New push targets teacher shortage" in the April 10 edition of The Salt Lake Tribune, about a group that is researching teacher pay, I think we need to also address the complexities new teachers face when they enter the classroom.

There are at least two other critical factors that I believe would increase teacher retention and longevity. As a retired teacher of more than 30 years in Utah, teaching in the classroom and mentoring new teachers and interns, I realized that academic freedom and meaningful professional development are two of the most influential factors that support teacher effectiveness and satisfaction in their profession.

Teachers need to have their education degrees validated by being given the academic freedom to select materials and instructional strategies they deem effective for their classroom settings, while still following the Utah Core Standards.

Professional development should be designed to support teachers in strengthening their instructional strategies, classroom management and learner environments. It keeps instruction fresh, relevant and engaging, while providing teachers more tools to meet the needs of diverse learners.

Let's give teachers competitive salaries, academic freedom and quality professional development.

Sylvia Coons, South Jordan

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Sen. Mitt Romney, in 2016 you wrote an eloquent epistle denouncing Donald Trump. I was heartened. Then came the Deer Valley powwow with all the top Republicans where it was apparently decided that the smart money supported Trump.

You could still turn around. You could still fill the late Sen. John McCain’s shoes as the moral leader of the Republican Senate by standing against Trump.

As I understand your church to say, perhaps you could save the Constitution from an uncertain fate. It may well be hanging by a thread.

Mark Knudsen, Salt Lake City

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It seems as though one of the functions of this forum is to provide a place where readers can state a problem, and then put forth idealistic solutions. Like call your representative. Or vote the bums out. Keeping in that vein, I have an unrealistic idea concerning the refugees at our border.

Following World War II, the U.S. addressed the aftermath of the war in Europe where several countries were in ruin and faced starvation. The Marshall Plan was created, where in a little over four years we pumped in more the $100 billion in current dollars. We were motivated by humanitarian concerns, but also self-interest in that we wanted trading partners and did not want them becoming communist.

Obviously Central America does not have much in common with post-war Europe. However, we do have a humanitarian interest (at least some do) and a self-interest to provide a Marshall Plan or moonshot type of long-range effort to help rid these countries of corruption and drug cartels. Until these countries are secure and functioning, people will keep coming trying to avoid extreme violence. Conditions we are largely responsible for with our appetite for drugs, not to mention the United Fruit Company’s negative legacy. This would be expensive, difficult and require planning by some smart folks.

Yes, as stated this is unrealistic. But it is not more unrealistic than thinking Trump’s plan to cut foreign aid, separate families and build a wall will solve the problem.

Ray McEvilly, Millcreek

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Imagine you are in an accident or a sudden illness leaves you unable to speak for yourself. Your loved one or caregiver may be faced with a difficult decision about whether to continue life-saving measures. How does that person know what to do?

Discuss, decide and document. These are three important steps to take to ensure your future care preferences are known and remove a burden from your family. April 15 to April 19 is National Healthcare Decisions Week – a time to educate and empower people of all ages to create their advance care plan.

According to the Conversation Project, more than 90 percent of people think it’s important to have conversations about end-of-life care with their loved ones, yet less than 30 percent have done so. Planning for major injuries or sudden illness may feel awkward, but timely conversations with family members can ensure your care preferences are honored and that your caregivers don’t have to guess what you might want.

It’s simpler than you think to get started. It doesn’t have to be perfect, and you can change it at any time. Here are a few tips:

· Choose an advocate. This should be someone who knows you well, is calm in a crisis, understands your preferences, is not afraid to ask questions of care providers and will advocate on your behalf. An advocate can be a close relative or friend, but should be someone you trust to follow your wishes.

· Talk with your advocate and doctor about your future care preferences. Let your advocate and doctors know what’s most important to you in life. What are the activities and abilities that make life most worth living for you? What are the things that give you comfort when you’re sick? When, if ever, should your advocate decide that it’s time to “let go”? And who else should they include in that decision?

· Write it down. Formalize your decisions by putting them in writing. Learn more at www.optumcare.com/nhdd.

· Give copies of your plan to your advocate, family members and doctors. Make sure they are aware of your plan, and take some time to go over the document with them. Update and review the plan whenever your situation or preferences change, and have the document placed in your medical records.

I have seen firsthand the sense of peace, calm and satisfaction families experience when they know their loved ones wishes have been fulfilled. Don’t make people guess what you want. Make your future care preferences known.

Chad E. Bittner, M.D., is the chief medical officer for OptumCare Network of Utah, a group of doctors, specialists, hospitals and other care practitioners who provide health care services to more than 70,000 older adults in Utah.

Happy Monday! The Mueller report is coming, in whatever redacted form it may arrive. From the moment it drops, the scramble will be on — to defend the president, to plan new lines of attack, or to put this whole big crazy story into the wider context of American history. So much material released all at once raises the question of how to dig in on something so dense, with so much buildup, where the feeding frenzy will be instant among the cable TV chattering classes and Twitter piranhas. [Politico]

Topping the news: A GOP lead event marketed as “Utah’s first Latino Town Hall” sparked controversy and a heated partisan debate on social media after the event failed to feature any of the state’s latinx lawmakers who are all Democrats. [Trib]

-> Salt Lake County’s GOP organizing convention saw division over a voting law that allows Republican officials to qualify for the ballot via signature collection. Hardliners claimed the measure weakened the party while established GOP officials urged members to move past the divisive issue. [Trib]

Tweets of the day: From @gopTODD: “My takeaway from this weekend’s conventions: the #utgop is still divided, but the tide has turned. Delegates have grown tired of the infighting and are ready to move forward with new leadership/new faces. Yesterday was a good day.”

-> From @missdages: “I’m honored to serve as the @SLCountyDems Chair for the next 2 years! Thank you to all the Caucuses who endorsed me today, the delegates who attended, and the people who supported me along the way!”

Happy Birthday: to state Rep. Scott Chew and our friend Doug Heye.

In other news: Negotiations on a $50 million contract for new first responder radio equipment in Utah will continue despite a legal battle brought on by losing bidder, Motorola. [Trib]

-> The U.S. Postal service says its carriers have been bitten by dogs in Utah 29 times in the last year. [Trib]

-> Utah’s Planned Parenthood may loose federal funding after refusing to comply with new changes to Title X that prohibit recipients of federal aid from providing referrals for abortions. [Trib]

-> Residents of a small and primarily rural slice of Salt Lake City worry about how the Inland Port, situated only about three miles away, will affect their community. [Trib]

-> Salt Lake City councilwoman and air quality activist, Erin Mendenhall, announced Sunday that she will throw her name into a long list of candidates for the city’s mayoral race. [Trib][DNews]

-> Robert Gehrke pens a tribute to Peter Kline, a marathon runner who runs while pushing children confined to wheelchairs. [Trib]

-> Pat Bagley offers his take on the roll back of health regulations. [Trib]

Nationally: President Donald Trump’s frustration over his immigration agenda not moving fast enough was the driving reason for a purge within the Department of Homeland Security. [NYTimes]

-> House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that she has requested a security review to assure the safety of Rep. Ilhan Omar and her family after comments the congresswoman made about 9/11 terrorist attacks sparked a controversial tweet from Trump and lead to a slew of threats against Omar’s life. [WaPost][Politico][NYTimes]

-> White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Sunday during an interview with Fox News that she does not believe members of Congress are capable of examining the president’s tax returns. [WaPost]

-> In an unexpected move, Sen. Bernie Sanders denounces an influential liberal think tank and accused it of initiating a smear campaign against progressive democratic candidates. [NYTimes]

Got a tip? A birthday, wedding or anniversary to announce? Send us a note to cornflakes@sltrib.com.

-- Thomas Burr and Christina Giardinelli

Police investigating a report of gunshots found a man’s body in the middle of Wenco Drive early Monday morning.

Few details are available but, according to Salt Lake Police, they responded to the area of 1580 South and 1000 West at about 4:30 a.m. and found the man dead in the street. Police later confirmed the man suffered a gunshot wound.

Our #Detectives have confirmed that the #victim from this morning’s #homicide died from a gunshot.
Anyone with information is asked to call #SLCPD #SeeSomethingSaySomething

— SLC Police Dept. (@slcpd) April 15, 2019

“We’re still trying to identify who this individual is,” said Det. Jess Perea of the Salt Lake Police Department. “We’re looking for more info. Anybody in this community, anybody on this block, if you’ve heard anything [or] seen anything, please give us a call.”

This is a developing story. It will be updated when more information is available.

Washington • The Justice Department expects to make special counsel Robert Mueller’s report on the Russia investigation public on Thursday morning.

Spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said Monday the redacted report will be sent to Congress and made available to the public Thursday.

Mueller officially concluded his investigation late last month and submitted a nearly 400-page report to Attorney General William Barr. Barr provided a four-page letter to Congress that detailed Mueller's "principal conclusions."

Barr said the special counsel didn’t find a criminal conspiracy between Russia and Donald Trump’s associates during the 2016 presidential campaign.

But Mueller did not reach a definitive conclusion on whether Trump obstructed justice. Instead, Barr said he did not believe the evidence was sufficient to prove that Trump had obstructed justice.

Last week there was an event billed as The First Latino Townhall. I watched the meeting via a Facebook Live from a feed provided by Marco Munoz. The event was well attended and the speakers were enthusiastic and gave heartfelt remarks.

I have been involved in the Latino community for over 40 years and know there have been many political events for the Latino community over the years. There have been several Latino Days at the Legislature where hundreds attended. There have been conferences focused on teaching Latinos about how a bill is passed. There have been seminars featuring presentations from elected Latino legislators discussing their role in the House of Representatives and in the Senate. So, the act that this event was billed as “The First” was intriguing.

My concern is the lack of transparency by which this event was marketed to attract attendance. As I watched the proceedings, it became clear that this was a Republican town hall. However, the event was not marketed as a partisan event. There was no messaging letting potential attendees know that only Republican speakers were invited to participate. There was no indication that the three Latino legislators, Sen. Luz Escamilla, and Reps. Mark Archuleta Wheatley and Angela Romero, were not participating. There was no indication that only Republican elected officials were invited to speak. There was no indication that topics of concern to Republicans were to be addressed. While speakers included top Utah politicians, Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox, Speaker of the House Brad Wilson, President of the Senate Stuart Adams and other Republican legislators and a Republican mayor or two, there were no Democrat legislators or Democrat office holders invited to speak.

There is nothing wrong with the Republican Party reaching out to the Latino community. There is nothing wrong with Utah political leaders hosting an event so the Latino community can see and meet their leaders. But there is something wrong with misleading the Latino community by hiding the fact that this was, indeed, a Republican sponsored event. This was made clear in a tweet issued by Rob Anderson, chair of the Utah Republican Party, who when the event was over and comments were being made about how Latino legislators being left out of the process, Rob tweeted that this was a “Utah GOP sponsored event.”

Basically, this was a “bait and switch” event. While much was said by the presenters about how they love the Latino community and how they encouraged the Latino community to get involved in the political process, they themselves failed to involve their own fellow Latino politicians in the process. Could it be because all three Latino legislators are Democrats?

Josie Valdez is a former Vice Chair of the Utah State Democratic Party. She lives in Murray.

In his return to Utah’s football program, offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig discovered this spring that he has enough capable running backs to operate his scheme.

That’s even without Zack Moss, the star from last season who was absent from practices while rehabilitating a knee injury that caused him to miss the final five games, and former No. 2 back Armand Shyne, who is transferring after sliding down the depth chart.

Ludwig is promising to give Moss a big workload, while also using the likes of Devonta’e Henry-Cole, Devin Brumfield and TJ Green.

“This program is built around the tailback position,” Ludwig said Saturday, after the Utes concluded spring practice with the Red-White Game.

That seems like a good interpretation of Ludwig’s job description, as designed by coach Kyle Whittingham. Ludwig’s mission in 2019, especially, is to maximize Moss.

The zone-read option, with the quarterback making a choice about handing off the ball or keeping it, remains in the playbook. That element keeps edge defenders from crashing inside and uses the athletic ability of quarterback Tyler Huntley. Yet Ludwig will be conscious of “making sure the system has enough plays where there’s no read; just put us in the best running play that you’re handing the ball off,” he said.

Ludwig intends to have Moss run between 23 and 27 times per game. That’s high volume, considering that no running back in college football averaged more than 23 attempts last season.

Moss’ workload will be “as many [times] as he can carry, understanding we’ve got to keep that lead tailback fresh through the course of the game and the course of the season,” Ludwig said. “This system requires depth at the tailback position, and I feel really good about that situation right now.”

Henry-Cole was the No. 1 back in the spring after missing last season with a wrist injury, although the coaches limited him Saturday. Brumfield was the most productive back in the Red-White Game, with 12 carries for 67 yards and a touchdown. The highly recruited Jordan Wilmore will join the program this summer.

Utah’s offensive line also is expecting some help, with tackle Bamidele Olaseni scheduled to arrive in June after completing academic requirements at Garden City (Kan.) Community College. “We’ve had success with junior college kids coming in and playing right away, but he’s going to have to earn it,” line coach Jim Harding said.

Amid some injuries, the line improved during the spring, when four players appeared to establish themselves: Darrin Paulo, Orlando Umana, Nick Ford and Braeden Daniels. If Olaseni steps in at tackle, there will be some shuffling to get the best five players on the field, with Paulo as the other tackle.

“We still have a lot of work to get done, but I think there was a lot of improvement,” Harding said.

Utah’s receivers were somewhat inconsistent, but adjusted well to Ludwig’s scheme that asks them to run precise, disciplined routes. Solomon Enis was a star of the first two scrimmages and Bryan Thompson looked good after missing most of last season due to injury.

Utah sophomore Solomon Enis on the receivers' performance this spring. pic.twitter.com/QIYCx2SxBl

— Kurt Kragthorpe (@tribkurt) April 15, 2019

Feels good to have football in SLC again. 🙌

The red team got it done in a multitude of ways to get the 21-14 victory in @Utah_Football's Red/White Spring Game. pic.twitter.com/LcB86JfQ4Y

— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) April 13, 2019

Walk-on Devaughn Vele made a lot of catches in practice and in the Red-White Game and veterans Samson Nacua and Demari Simpkins had their moments. Simpkins played in the slot, where Britain Covey is expected to thrive after returning from a knee injury. Ludwig often has receivers carrying the ball on sweeps.

Tight ends Cole Fotheringham and Brant Kuithe will be used in multiple ways, sometimes in the same personnel package. Kuithe, a high school running back, will line up in various spots and move around the formation.

At quarterback, Huntley performed well in his return from a broken collarbone. In the two major scrimmages and the Red-White Game, he completed 28 of 37 passes for 349 yards, with one interception. Jason Shelley held onto the No. 2 job, completing 7 of 10 passes for 87 yards and a touchdown Saturday. The competition for Huntley’s replacement in 2020 will intensify in August, especially if Texas transfer Cameron Rising receives a waiver that makes him eligible this season.

Utah also is awaiting NCAA confirmation that receiver Derrick Vickers will be able to play as a senior in 2019, via an extra year of eligibility.