ESSAYS SHOW UTAH IS STILL `THE PLACE'

Why would anyone leave a cushy job in (mostly) sunny California to move back to Utah? Trade commuting to Pacific Heights in San Francisco for the I-15 drudgery from Orem to Salt Lake City? (Thankfully, now it's Bountiful to Salt Lake.)

Actually it started with a Loggins & Messina song about coming home. And the more I thought about it, the better it sounded.Home was the Salt Lake City telephone number 49219, the Longfellow Elementary School Halloween parade captured in shaky home movies, and Bert's grocery store on First Avenue. It was driving around the Alpine Loop in my '60 MGA, Swiss Days in Midway, Decoration (Memorial) Day in Fountain Green and clam chowder at the old Bratten's on State Street.

- Karen Boren

Utah has it all. The red, dusty canyons, the mountains, the bustle of urbania and, of course, the arts.

It has a colorful history. From the Escalante exhibition to the 2002 Winter Olympic bid, Utah is continually changing and evolving with the times.

I like the idea of having four seasons - winter, summer, spring and autumn. I know when it's going to be cold, warm, hot and such. (Though lately, there's been a mix of the seasons). When I want to ski, I can. When I want to hike, I can. When I want to spend the night out on the town with my family, I can. Everything pertinent to a comfortable living can be found in Utah. . . .

The state is very family oriented. I can't think of a better place for me and my wife to raise a child. I also find the emphasis on education an important and comforting issue. In fact, if it wasn't for my elementary school teachers, I wouldn't be writing for the Deseret News, or for that matter, raising a family.

This is what living in Utah means to me.

- Scott Iwasaki

Utah's resources are the best in the world. I can think of no other state that could be completely self-sufficient. From our Dixie to the oil and coal, agriculture, recreation, high technology and space industries, we have room to grow and a healthy economy.

Really, who would want to live anywhere else?

Utah is the place.

- Genelle Pugmire