Editorials

Menfro soil is salt of the earth 

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — State Sen. David Klindt considers himself a down-to-earth type of guy. So much so that he thinks Missouri should have an official state soil. 

As a House member a couple of years ago, Klindt sponsored legislation to designate a variety of dirt called “Menfro soil” as Missouri’s official soil. The bill never came to a vote then, but on Thursday his proposal went before a Senate committee. “Menfro soil is one of the more widely known soils in the state,” said Klindt, a farmer from northwest Missouri. “In fact, the state Capitol sits on it, and it runs along the Missouri River bluffs.” Menfro is a deep, well-drained, moderately permeable soil found along the Missouri and Mississippi rivers and their major tributaries.  

Great Olympic rip-off 

SALT LAKE CITY — If you’re going to the Winter Olympics, bring a warm coat — preferably with deep pockets. 

With the games opening Friday, prices in downtown Salt Lake City are soaring like an Olympian off the 90-meter ski jump. A pint of beer almost doubled to $6.25 at the Port ’O Call restaurant. A downtown parking garage is boosting its day rate to $30, from $5. And dinner specials at the Metropolitan are $95 a person — triple what its most expensive entree used to cost. “It’s called Olympic greed,” said Michael Taylor, who runs the garage, located two blocks from the Salt Lake Ice Center. “It’s all about making money.” While Olympic organizers have discouraged price gouging, Salt Lake City Chamber of Commerce President Larry Mankin makes no apology for the dramatic markups.