Rep. Rob Bishop

President Barack Obama on Friday designated Fort Ord a national monument, completing its conversion from bustling military base to popular Monterey Peninsula recreation area,much to the consternation of a Utah congressman.

LOS ANGELES -- House Republicans are backing legislation in Congress to give the Department of Homeland Security control of more than 50 national parks and forests within 100 miles of the U.S. borders.

The legislation involves a sweep of land along the frontier with Canada and Mexico, but exempts state land, private property and federal holdings used for mining, livestock grazing and timber harvesting. The new authority would carve through 54 national parks, including Joshua Tree, Saguaro, Acadia and Glacier.

The two Republicans hoping to unseat incumbent Rob Bishop from his District 1 seat in the U.S. House both say his vote on the National Defense Authorization Act provoked them to run against the fellow Republican.

"It violates our 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th Amendment rights, and I sent Representative Bishop a letter asking him to explain his vote for it," said Jacqueline Smith, 47, of Coalville. "His answer was insufficient."

"It's a desperate situation and those who voted for it need to be voted out," said Leonard Joe Fabiano, 77, of South Jordan.

LAYTON — The Falcon Hill public/private venture, the Utah Test and Training Range and the support and patriotism area residents demonstrate for the military are a few reasons Hill Air Force Base will weather $10 trillion in proposed military budget cuts.

That statement came Monday, courtesy of Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah.

OGDEN — More than 300 Democrats turned out Saturday to choose their state delegates, listen to candidates’ speeches and get revved up for November.

“We’re going to go out and change this state,” said Jim Dabakis, Utah State Democratic Party chairman.

HILL AIR FORCE BASE — The ribbon cutting for the five-story Falcon Hill ICBM building further “cements” the viability of Hill Air Force Base and its future in remaining the state’s largest single-site employer, officials say.

Dignitaries, along with a crowd of about 150 people, gathered Monday to officially open the 151,783-square-foot building constructed for the ICBM defense contractor team led by Northrop Grumman.