Top 10 Utah news stories of 2000

4. The election: Utah's volatile 2nd District congressman, Republican Rep. Merrill Cook, lost in the primary to a political newcomer, Derek Smith, who faced Democrat Jim Matheson in the general election. Conservative Smith charged that Matheson was influenced by outside liberals. Matheson fought back, calling the charges untrue and assailing Smith's tactics, and emerged as victor — and the sole Democrat in Utah's formerly all-GOP congressional delegation.

5. Main Street Plaza: The ACLU sued to prevent restrictions on behavior at the LDS Church's new pedestrian plaza, but it opened on schedule anyway. Opponents charged violation of free-speech rights. Earlier, they had fought allowing the church to purchase the public street and close it to traffic.

6. Conference Center: Even those who watched the new gathering hall rise just north of Temple Square were amazed by its size and splendor when it opened in April for general conference. The 21,000-seat auditorium dwarfed church President Gordon B. Hinckley, who gave the majestic center a homey feeling as he spoke of his own walnut tree sliced and polished to become the center's pulpit.

7. The Tribune: AT&T announced its sale of the Salt Lake Tribune to MediaNews Group, headed by newspaper magnate Dean Singleton. Tribune managers charged Singleton was fronting for the LDS Church and the church-owned Deseret News. The First Presidency and top brass at the Deseret News denied it, and U.S. District Judge Tena Campbell refused to halt the sale. The Tribune promised to appeal the decision.

8. English Only: Utah voters overwhelmingly approved an initiative to make English the only language in which state and local governments could conduct business, with some exceptions for health, safety, justice and tourism. Opponents called the measure racist and said it violated free-speech rights and equal protection under the law. A district judge blocked the implementation of the statute, concerned that the state had no plan to enforce it.

9. David Gardner: A justice court judge ruled that Utah County Commissioner David Gardner, who pleaded no contest to drunken driving in 1999, violated his plea-in-abeyance agreement when he was convicted of disorderly conduct for berating a 9-year-old Springville boy. Gardner appealed the ruling, so the case will be decided anew at the district court level. In October, Gardner was charged with theft and a second DUI after an incident at a Provo massage parlor. Despite pressure from other commissioners and the county GOP, the Republican refuses to resign.

10. Chevys shootings: On April 27, a gunman shot a woman at an Extended Stay America Hotel, 7555 S. Union Park Ave., then shot two inside and two outside the Chevys Fresh Mex Restaurant, 7475 S. Union Park Ave. (1120 East). Jason Rasmussen, 33, died trying to calm the man who threatened one of his employees and a roomful of restaurant patrons. Peter Berg, 42, fell minutes later, defending the life of his 12-year-old daughter. Robert Martinez, 22, awaits trial in the shooting spree.