Advocates say “deporter in chief” President Obama is stalling immigration reform to court republicans.---

Top of the Alty World

“Obama Continues Record Deportations, Delays Immigration Reforms In Order to Court Republicans”--Democracy Now!

ProPublica looks at how authorities will take custody of a child if a parent is mentally ill, even though they're not violent.--ProPublica

Documents link the current VA scandal to the George Bush administration.--Mother Jones

Despite its prevalance Alzheimer's funding remains poorly funded in the United States.--Vice

Top of Alty Utah

Utah Pride Center calls on Governor Herbert to apologize over remarks he made about same-sex attraction.--Utah Political Capitol

Legislators are considering a new strategy for budget surpluses—Utah Policy

Urban designers and planners grapple with how to revitalize downtown Salt Lake City—Salt Lake City Weekly

Rantosphere

Daniel Burton looks at research showing college is still worth it for those wanting to increase their earning potential and offers some advice.

“Even with the increased income promised by increased skills, the question remains: is college worth it? In my view, yes and maybe. Based on my experience, I would be hard pressed not to recommend higher ed to any wondering whether they should go, but only with some caveats.

First, go with a plan. Education isn’t cheap, and most start college at a time when they know little about the world, what they want to be, and where they will work.

A lot of time can be wasted figuring that out, and the cost to do so is expensive. Take classes that teach skills along with the liberal education standards and learn to write, think, and learn. That’s right: learn to learn. The world won’t stop changing, and you’ll need to continue to learn along the way.”--Utah Politico Hub

The Long View

Salt Lake City Weekly looks at the lives of Utahns playing the waiting game as they await heart transplants.

“Mike Mader was born in Las Vegas to 1 in a million odds—the unlucky kind. He was diagnosed at age 4 with familial hypercholesterolemia, a rare genetic disorder that affects both the liver and the heart. The condition, which occurs in just 1 in 1 million births, is caused by a genetic mutation, of which Mader inherited two copies—both from his mother. His liver lacked a certain gene needed to process cholesterol; as a result, cholesterol built up in the arteries of his heart and, over time, led to coronary disease.

Mader’s mother required a seven-bypass surgery to reduce her cholesterol buildup. Mader’s sister, Katie, is able to manage her elevated cholesterol through statin medications. But Mader’s body did not respond to the cholesterol medications, and he and his family knew since his diagnosis at age 4 that a heart attack was inevitable.”--Salt Lake City Weekly