Cedar City residents proud of Leavitt, their hometown hero

Note to Gov. Mike Leavitt: When things get rough on the road to confirmation as head of the Environmental Projection Agency, just remember the 435 telephone area code has got your back, especially the 586 prefix.

That's the prefix belonging to Cedar City, Leavitt's hometown.

"We were surprised when we heard the news on Monday," said Cedar City Mayor Gerald Sherratt. "I wasn't really surprised he wasn't going to run for governor again, though."

Sherratt and the rest of Cedar City are proud of the governor's nomination to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, he said.

"It's a terrifically difficult task he's taken on, but he's up to it," Sherratt said. "We take a lot of pride in him. He's the first governor from his hometown to be governor, the senior governor in our nation, and the first from Cedar City to be a cabinet member. He's been a great governor."

The governor's parents, Dixie and Ann Leavitt, also reside in Cedar City, and along with the rest of the state, await the Senate's confirmation of Leavitt as head of the EPA.

So, how are the governor's parents taking the news of their son's appointment?

"I really have a mixture of emotions," Dixie Leavitt said. "We feel very good about his service. We're very proud of him."

But there must be some kind of worry, right?

"I feel the pain that's going to come from contention and conflict from the confirmation process," he said.

Both of the governor's parents agree he has always been a problem solver.

"We feel united in the sense Michael will do a remarkable job. He's honest, he's dedicated, and he has the unique ability to bring factions together," his mother told the Deseret Morning News.

Leavitt's brother, Mark, said Tuesday he is proud of his big brother and how he handled himself.

"He's a good fellow. I can't imagine anyone I'd rather be friends with, play with and work with than Mike," said Mark Leavitt, the third of six brothers in the Leavitt family.

"All the brothers have stayed really close while he's in office, and that won't change much. We'll probably worry about this (nomination process) until he's through it."