Gov. Cox launches new Afghan refugee fund, Facebook said to be planning a name change and rebrand | | | The Utah Policy newsletter is your one-stop source for political and policy-minded news. Send news tips or feedback to [email protected]. | | |
Situational Analysis | October 20, 2021 Welcome to Wednesday! It's Hagfish Day, considered the ugliest of species. OK then. It's also Support Your Local Chamber of Commerce day. Much more appealing. Be in the Know Gov. Spencer J. Cox announced the launch of the Afghan Community Fund to ensure Utah is prepared to welcome and support 765 new Afghan arrivals in the coming months. The Afghan Community Fund is a public-private partnership that will support community needs, medical, food, household and other basic necessities for arrivals where public funding is inadequate. An estimated $1 million is needed to address resettlement agency, community and other needs not covered by federal dollars. More information about the Afghan Community Fund can be found at www.utahcf.org/afghan-response. Facebook is planning a rebrand - and that includes a name change, according to The Verge. "The coming name change, which CEO Mark Zuckerberg plans to talk about at the companyâs annual Connect conference on October 28th, but could unveil sooner, is meant to signal the tech giantâs ambition to be known for more than social media and all the ills that entail. The rebrand would likely position the blue Facebook app as one of many products under a parent company overseeing groups like Instagram, WhatsApp, Oculus, and more." | | |
| | FROM OUR SPONSOR The Hinckley Report with Jason Perry "The Hinckley Report" covers the most pressing political issues facing our state. Hosted by Jason Perry, each weekâs guests include Utahâs top journalists, lawmakers and policy experts. "The Hinckley Report" airs on PBS Utah Fridays at 7:30 p.m. and is also available to stream or as a podcast. | | |
Utah Headlines General Colin Powell: A great leaderâs American journey. (Deseret News) Colin Powell remembered as a statesman, patriot by Utahns (Deseret News) âIslamophobia is irrational,â antithetical to American values, BYU Islam conference-goers told (Deseret News) Politics Utah gun laws: No safety training required. No concealed carry permit needed. Could that be a problem? (Deseret News) COVID Corner 1343 new cases, 5 new deaths Conservative politicians: Let natural immunity ring. Doctors: Get the COVID-19 vaccine (Deseret News) Utah faces repercussions for failing to adopt federal emergency standard for COVID-19 (KSL) Utah among three states warned over COVID-19 rules (KUTV) Salt Lake County employees can earn up to $500 for getting COVID-19 vaccine (ABC4) White House releases details on its plan to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to kids aged 5 to 11 (Fox13) Business Even early birds may go hungry as 2021 holiday shopping poised to be a challenge (Deseret News) IN FOCUS: National Womenâs Small Business Month (ABC4) Education What Utahâs exit from student loan business could mean for college scholarships - about $289 million. (Deseret News) Graduate caps and mascots addressed at Utah Native American Legislative Liaison Committee (Salt Lake Tribune) Family Why is raising a child in the United States so hard? (New York Times) Why women are more burned out than men (BBC) National Headlines General Israeli scuba diver discovers ancient Crusader sword (AP) Almost half of Afghan evacuees at U.S. bases are children, Pentagon says (Wall Street Journal) In a first, surgeons attached a pig kidney to a human - and it worked. (New York Times) Politics âNearly 70,000 Texans have tragically died from Covid. There have been zero deaths in the Territory. Did you know that?â That's how Michael Gunner, chief minister of Australia's Northern Territory, answered Ted Cruz's criticism of his mask mandate. (Washington Post) Democrats abandon free community college as White House warns social safety net bill will shrink below $2T (NBC News) Biden, Trump tied in potential 2024 matchup: poll (The Hill) U.S. House committee backs contempt charge against Trump aide Bannon (Reuters) Federal grand jury indicts Rep. Jeff Fortenberry on charges of lying to investigators about campaign contribution - from a Nigerian prince businessman (Washington Post) International Female judges in Afghanistan now jobless and in hiding (New York Times) Taliban praise suicide bombers, offer families cash and land (Reuters) | | |
Policy News Gov. Cox and Lt. Gov. Henderson react to U.S. Department of Labor action Gov. Spencer J. Cox and Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson issued the following statement in response to todayâs notice from the U.S. Department of Labor proposing to initiate reconsideration proceedings with a proposal to revoke Utahâs final approval of its State Plan for failure to adopt the COVID-19 Healthcare Emergency Temporary Standard (Healthcare ETS) which became effective June 21, 2021: âWeâre very disappointed in the U.S. Department of Laborâs assertion that Utahâs State Plan is less effective than the federal program. In a July 21, 2021 letter to Labor Secretary Walsh, the governors of Utah, Wyoming and Nebraska expressed concerns that the Healthcare ETS would place an unfair burden on the healthcare industry and noted that our states do not have regulatory authority to require employers to pay their employees sick leave. âWe reject the assertion that Utahâs State Plan is less effective than the federal plan. While we have not refused to adopt standards set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), we will ask once again for an opportunity to engage with the Biden administration about our legitimate concerns complying with the proposed Healthcare ETS. Despite todayâs communication, we still welcome an opportunity to further explain our position and recommendations.â Gov. Cox announces Afghan Community Fund to help refugees Today Gov. Spencer J. Cox, along with officials from Zions Bank, World Trade Center Utah, Utahâs refugee resettlement network and the Afghan community, announced the launch of the Afghan Community Fund. The fund will ensure Utah is prepared to welcome and support 765 new Afghan arrivals in the coming months. âSo many generous and caring Utahns have expressed the desire to help, and our state has always stepped up during national emergencies,â said Gov. Cox. âThis fund will help us provide critical assistance to our Afghan friends and neighbors who were forced to flee their country and start over.â The Afghan Community Fund is a public-private partnership that will support community needs, medical, food, household and other basic necessities for arrivals where public funding is inadequate. (Read More) Rep. Stewart cosponsors the Natural Immunity is Real Act Rep. Chris Stewart (R-UT) cosponsored the Natural Immunity is Real Act. This bill, which was introduced by Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-TN), requires federal agencies to take into account naturally acquired immunity from previous COVID-19 infection when issuing any rules or regulations aimed at protecting from COVID-19. âThis billâs very introduction is proof of the Biden Administrationâs inconsistency on COVID-19,â said Rep. Chris Stewart. âWeâre simply asking that President Biden practice what he preaches and actually âfollow the science.â These two statements are not mutually exclusive, and in fact are both true: The vaccine offers effective protection against COVID-19; natural immunity offers effective protection against COVID-19. Today, all weâre doing is asking President Biden to acknowledge that reality and be honest with the American people.â (Read More) | | |
General Colin Powell's 13 rules to live by It ain't as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning. Get mad, then get over it. Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it. It can be done. Be careful what you choose. You may get it. Don't let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision. You can't make someone else's choices. You shouldn't let someone else make yours. Check small things. Share credit. Remain calm. Be kind. Have a vision. Be demanding. Don't take counsel of your fears or naysayers. Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier. | | |
Upcoming Hatch Center Symposium with U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) â Oct. 29, Noon, Salt Lake City. Space is limited. Register here. Utah Business Economic Summit â Nov 5, 8:00 am - 4 pm Register here Growth, Grit and Grace - SLC Chamber's Women & Business Conference and ATHENA awards â Nov 19, 8:00 am - 3:30 pm Register here | | |
On This Day In History From History.com 1803 - U.S. Senate ratifies the Louisiana Purchase 1904 - Enolia Pettigen McMillan is born. A civil rights leader, she was also the first woman president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), 1917 - US suffragette Alice Paul begins a 7 month jail sentence for protesting women's rights in Washington 1947 - Congress investigates Communists in Hollywood 1955 - Publication of "The Return of the King", the 3rd and final volume of "The Lord of the Rings" by J. R. R. Tolkien 1962 - President Kennedy secretly plans blockade of Cuba 1964 - Kamala Harris is born. 2011 - Libyan dictator Muammar al-Qaddafi is killed by rebel forces Wise Words ââThe world is full enough of hurts and mischances without wars to multiply them.â
â J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the Kingâ Lighter Side âThe government is careful to say they would not recommend one shot over another. Theyâre like parents talking to their kids about college: âHey, pick whatever major makes you happy, as long as itâs not poetry or Johnson & Johnson.ââ â STEPHEN COLBERT | | |
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