A daily dose of online news from beyond the Beltway.

By Ryan Thornburg
Washingtonpost.com Staff
Friday, July 23, 1999

Despite a new poll showing 80 percent support for banning concealed weapons on school grounds, Utah's legislative Republicans killed plans by Gov. Mike Leavitt (R) to hold a special session on new gun controls.

"My rule was a simple one: No contact with Duke, no business with Duke, no deals with Duke." – Former Louisiana governor Buddy Roemer, on David Duke's role in his 1995 campaign. (The Advocate, Baton Rouge, July 23))

• Gun Controls Remain Popular In Polls of Utahns (The Salt Lake Tribune, July 23)
• Gun Debate Killed by Legislature (The Salt Lake Tribune, July 22)
• Special Report: The Gun Fight (washingtonpost.com)

Conn. Residents Don't Want Weicker on Reform Ticket
On the eve of the Reform Party's national convention that will set direction for the 2000 campaign, a new poll shows that most Connecticut residents do not want former governor Lowell Weicker to run for president on the Reform Party ticket.
• Connecticut Cool To Weicker Run (The Hartford Courant, July 23)

Four Billion Gallons for Gore
What would a canoeing photo opportunity be without the water? New Hampshire has been a little dry this summer, so when Vice President Gore wanted to use a river for a little campaigning, Pacific Gas & Electric released 180,000 gallons per second from a dam.
• Gore Canoes in NH; State Floats His Boat (The Union Leader, Manchester, N.H., July 23)

Tensions Rise Over Calif. Governor's Comments
When the San Francisco Chronicle on Tuesday published Gov. Gray Davis's comments that the legislature's job is "to implement my vision," tension increased between Davis, a Democrat, and his party's state lawmakers.
• Tensions Flare Between Davis and His Democrats (Los Angeles Times, July 22)
• Some Colorful Language From Governor Gray (San Francisco Chronicle, July 22)

Calif. State Senator Denies Flashing Biker
It seems as if someone using a state-owned car loaned to California state Sen. Tom Hayden bared his bod for a female biker in San Francisco. Hayden says he left the city before the exposition took place.
• Hayden Says it Wasn't He Who Flashed Bicyclist in S.F. (San Francisco Chronicle, July 22)

Bauer Calls for More Attention to Farm Problems
Republican Gary Bauer is the latest presidential candidate to focus on the farm problems in Iowa.
• Help Farmers Now, Bauer Tells GOP (The Des Moines Register, July 23)
• White House 2000: Gary Bauer (washingtonpost.com)

Ryan Thornburg can be reached at ryan.thornburg@washingtonpost.com