The winners and the losers

Loser: Logan Mayor Randy Watts either doesn't understand the art of communication, or he has an unstated dislike for the media — or both. Watts announced recently that, from now on, when it comes to all large issues, the media is supposed to submit questions to city employees in writing, to which the media will receive written responses. The idea, he says, is to prevent misunderstandings, misquotations or the loss of context. This is where his naivete about communications comes in. Unless city employees — who, no doubt, will be responding as a committee — are exceptionally great writers, a written exchange will leave more room for misunderstanding than a face-to-face conversation. Then, of course, there is the matter of deadlines. We're guessing the mayor is most concerned about critical reporting and is trying to punish someone. That tends to backfire. He, and the residents of Logan, would be better served if he would communicate openly and constantly and worry less about his own hurt feelings.

Winner: The world of sports seems to be filled with bad news lately, so it was a pleasant change to read how members of the Utah Grizzlies hockey team paid a special visit this week to Gregory Kemp, a longtime fan who has contracted amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as Lou Gehrig's disease. The team will host Kemp in a suite during an upcoming game. The gesture of a home visit shows that at least some athletes understand the human nature of the relationship between teams and fans. And to think it came from hockey players, whose sport punishes acts of random violence with short visits to a penalty box.

Loser: Tobacco companies can deny it all day long, but they are targeting teenagers, both in Utah and nationally. David Neville, director of the Utah Department of Health's Tobacco Prevention and Control program, made that case to Utah lawmakers this week, ahead of the start of their annual legislative session. About 90 percent of all new smokers are in their teens, he said. That explains why new cigarettes come in flavors such as grape and chocolate. It also explains why lawmakers have little reason not to raise cigarette taxes.