A HUNT-ING HE WILL GO FOR SLOC: UT LEADER SUPPORTS GAMES

          UT billionaire industrialist Jon Huntsman, who was once
     "one of the harshest critics of the 2002 Winter Olympics,"
     said on Friday he will "pledge his support not only for the
     Games but for Salt Lake Organizing Committee (SLOC) President
     Mitt Romney," according to Jerry Spangler of the DESERET
     NEWS, who wrote that the announcement "could mark the end of
     a five-year feud between Olympic organizers and Utah's most
     powerful businessman and philanthropist."  Huntsman: "Like
     many Utahns, I have serious concerns and embarrassment about
     mistakes of the past.  But it is now time to place community
     ahead of self."  Spangler noted that Huntsman's "about-face
     came after three days of meetings" with Romney, UT Gov. Mike
     Leavitt and SLOC Board Chair Robert Garff (DESERET NEWS,
     7/17).  Huntsman "probably will not contribute financially to
     the Olympics," but said that he would "help Romney in wooing
     out-of-state sponsors to help underwrite the Games'
     projected" $1.34B budget (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 7/17).