Mormon Times briefing

Former senator, astronaut chosen as Bountiful parade grand marshal

BOUNTIFUL — Former Sen. Jake Garn will serve as grand marshal of the 2009 Bountiful Handcart Days parade.

Garn served 18 years in the U.S. Senate, but he is best known for orbiting the earth 109 times as a payload specialist on the crew of the space shuttle Discovery in 1985.

Garn's mission to space and leadership in politics epitomizes the 2009 Bountiful Handcart Days theme, "Pioneers for Freedom, Courage and Sacrifice." In addition to his political service and time with NASA, Garn served in the U.S. Navy as a pilot.

Bountiful Handcart Days is a celebration of Mormon pioneers first entering the Salt Lake Valley.

Other events include a parade, bands, clowns, antique cars, horses and a helicopter flyover.

With 100 entries expected this year, the parade starts at 6 p.m. on July 23, and it will run along Main Street in Bountiful starting at the roundabout at 1500 S. Main and head north to 400 North.

German research among July classes

The Family History Library will offer classes in July on German research, Norwegian research and FamilySearch Indexing.

On Saturday, July 11, there will be an all-day series of classes on German research from 9 a.m. to 4:20 p.m. Topics include finding German emigrants, researching on the Internet, historical background, solving German research problems and understanding occupations in Germany. The classes will be held in the main floor classroom.

A series of classes on Norwegian research runs from July 13-15 in classroom B1. The classes are: basic elements of research, July 13, 11 a.m.; vital records, July 13, 2 p.m.; emigration research, July 14, 11 a.m.; census records, July 14, 2 p.m.; and research on the Internet, July 15, 11 a.m.

On Saturday, July 18, an all-day series of classes will be held on FamilySearch indexing, with an introduction and focus on administration and how to arbitrate. The classes run from noon to 3:30 p.m. in the computer lab.

To register for these free classes, send an e-mail to FHLClassReg@ldschurch.org or call 801-240-4950.

Bicycle ride for young singles planned

Utah Salt Lake City Area Sports is sponsoring a bicycle ride for young single adults along the Jordan River Parkway on Friday, July 3.

The event will run from 5:30 p.m. until dark and begin at Germania Pavilion, 5243 S. Murray Parkway Ave. (1070 West), just off 5400 South. Participants are expected to provide their own bicycles.

The menu includes hamburgers and hot dogs. Those who would like to eat must sign up by the evening of July 2 by sending names to Larsen.ysasports@gmail.com.

Other activities will include ultimate Frisbee and volleyball.

Utah Mormon wins national award

MOBILE, Ala. — Ashley Bracey, Utah's Junior Miss and a member of the LDS Church, was awarded the Spirit of America's Junior Miss Scholarship on June 27 in Mobile, Ala. Bracey, of Alpine, was chosen for her award — which carries with it a $1,500 scholarship — by the rest of the program contestants as the one who best exemplifies the spirit of the Junior Miss program. In 2008, Lindsey Brinton, of Salt Lake City, also a Mormon, won the national competition.