Ivana Trump dead at 73, the TRUE origins of fry sauce, community day of service, and American Christians complain too much. | The Utah Policy newsletter is your one-stop source for political and policy-minded news. We scour the news so you don't have to! Send news tips or feedback to Holly Richardson at [email protected]. | |
Situational Analysis | July 15, 2022 It's Friday and half-way through July. Crazy! Today is National Gummi Worm Day - time to make "dirt" pudding cups. Be in the Know Jennie Taylor and her seven children will be moving into a new home soon. The family of the former mayor of North Ogden, Brent Taylor, who was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2018, had the home built for them by Nilson Homes, Have A Heart, and many other donors. Jennie calls it "so much more than a house. This, to me, is symbolism of Godâs hand and Brentâs hand continuing in our lives," she said. Since Brent's death, Jennie created the Major Brent Taylor Foundation, serves as Utahâs Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army and co-hosts the "Relentlessly Resilient" podcast with Michelle Scharf. Rapid Roundup Ivana Trump, first wife of Donald Trump, is dead at 73, community day of service to benefit Ukraine, Utah elementary school, non-profits and more, the true origins of fry sauce, and a cat that has been running around Boston's airport was finally caught - after 3 weeks on the lam. | |
| FROM OUR SPONSOR, DESERET NEWS MARATHON This is the race! Join us for this year's Deseret News Marathon on July 23. First run in 1970, the Deseret News Marathon is the oldest road race in Utah and the 4th oldest marathon west of the continental divide. The marathon follows the path the Utah pioneers traveled when they first entered the valley. This event is truly a part of Utahâs heritage! Register today! | |
Utah Headlines General The man who lives in Scotland, claims he's never been to Utah, allegedly faked his own death and was previously accused of raping a woman in Utah County has also been charged in Salt Lake County with allegedly raping another woman in 2008. (Fox13) Rev. Theresa Dear: Why does it take 90 rounds to stop a 25-year-old man? The city of Akron, Ohio, was proud of its âbias-freeâ policing and accountability. But Jayland Walker died anyway (Deseret News) Do American Christians complain too much? A new report from Lifeway Research notes that many Americans are worried about anti-Christian intolerance (Deseret News) Time magazine reveals the 50 best places in the world. Park City made the list (Deseret News) Susan Madsen: Believe her â the reasons behind our underreported sexual assault cases. Victim blaming and the trauma of reporting a sexual assault leads many women to stay silent. An estimated 95% of college students never report their assault (Deseret News) Social media video prompts investigation into Provo police officers' use of force (Fox13) Politics Thomas Griffith: The 2020 election was lost, not stolen. Attacking our election system as corrupt is not only inaccurate, but breeds distrust in our democracy (Deseret News) Report offers âthe conservative caseâ that Trump lost the election (Deseret News) Would the Supreme Court become a political body if it were expanded?Sen. Mike Lee, retired federal judge say âcourt packingâ would do irreversible damage (Deseret News) Utah argues girls have not been harmed, seeks to dismiss transgender lawsuit. The lawsuit â brought on behalf of two Utah teens â seeks to overturn a ban on transgender girls playing in school sports. (Salt Lake Tribune) Hannah Koford Adams: Another three years without a female senator from Utah (Salt Lake Tribune) Audit shows Utah spent $8.6 billion in federal funds in 2021 (Fox13) Education Salt Lake City mayor calls for âopen, honest processâ after school board puts districtâs first Black superintendent on leave. Mayor Erin Mendenhall said itâs her âsincere hopeâ Superintendent Timothy Gadson âcan get back to work soon.â (Salt Lake Tribune) Parents accuse Utah school of retaliating against son after child said principal sexually abused him. Following the allegation, their sonâs special education services were cut, the parents said in a new lawsuit filed against Park City School District. They also allege the school never reported the allegation to police. (Salt Lake Tribune) New group working to keep kids safe, but has limited powers (KUTV) Environment What Mitt Romney wants to do to help save Utahâs Great Salt Lake (Deseret News) 'This is a huge victory': Gov. Cox celebrates feds' approval of Uinta Basin Railway (KSL) Several cougar sightings reported in West Valley City (ABC4) Drought, inflation hit central Utah agriculture producers hard (Fox13) Halfway Hill Fire 10% contained; community meeting scheduled for Friday in Fillmore (St. George News) Health warnings issued as heatwave scorches Europe (Reuters) Family 3 accused of stabbing, burning, beating 2 boys they were babysitting (KSL) Health New research shows why depression treatments affect women differently than men (Deseret News) Utah approaches 1 millionth confirmed COVID case as 7,819 test positive, 22 deaths reported (Salt Lake Tribune) Housing âSigh of reliefâ: Salt Lake housing sales hit 10-year low. Does this mean prices will lower? Utah home prices are on track to level off â or maybe even dip in coming months (Deseret News) U.S. housing market is slowing â but thereâs a deeper problem. Home supply at historic low. Utah among 5 states with tightest housing supply (Deseret News) Locals say vacation rentals are bringing the noise in Rockville, and they want the law changed (Salt Lake Tribune) National Headlines General U.S. retail sales rose 1% in June. Consumers spent more across a range of goods as inflation reached new four-decade high (Wall Street Journal) Sri Lankaâs prime minister becomes interim president (AP) Oregon tight end, social media star, dies of head injury after falling on rocks (AP) Ashes of 8,000 WWII victims found in two Poland mass graves (AP) Chinaâs economic growth slows sharply, threatening the global economy (New York Times) Politics Secret Service âerasedâ text messages from Jan. 5 and 6, 2021, that were requested as part of Capitol riot inquiry, official says (Washington Post) Texas sues Biden administration over federal rules that require abortions be provided in medical emergencies to save the life of the mother (Washington Post) Texas conservatives have a plan to get around DAs who won't enforce abortion laws (NPR) Indiana doctor told the state she performed abortion on 10-year-old girl, document shows (NPR) Manchin says he wonât support new climate spending or tax hikes on wealthy (Washington Post) Armed man arrested outside home of Rep. Jayapal for alleged death threat (Washington Post) Arrest sought of Colorado clerk in voting tampering case. Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters and her chief deputy are being prosecuted for allegedly allowing a copy of a hard drive to be made during an update of election equipment in May 2021. (Politico) Ukraine ðºð¦ WWII vets embark on mission to help Ukrainian orphans (KUTV) Ukrainian rescuers hunt for survivors of Vinnytsia airstrike (AP) | |
News Releases Gov. Spencer Cox applauds approval of Uinta Basin Railway Utah Gov. Spencer Cox is elated by todayâs news that the U.S. Forest Service has authorized the Uinta Basin Railway. This approval allows the Uinta Basin Railway proposal to continue to move forward, connecting the eastern part of Utah with national rail networks. âThis is a huge victory that will get Utah energy to market faster, more cleanly, more safely, and will help the economies of eastern Utah,â said Gov. Cox. âState and local governments, the Ute Tribe, energy producers and rail companies have been making the argument for decades that improved access to the outside world will help the Basin diversify its economy. Without a doubt, this infrastructure will improve economic opportunities for individuals, families and businesses. Weâre excited to see the potential of this region unleashed.â (Read More) Senators Portman and Murphy to headline next Senate Project debate Today, the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation, the Bipartisan Policy Center, and the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate announced the second in a new series of Oxford-style debates between leading U.S. Senators. On Monday, August 1, at 7:30 p.m. EDT, Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) will headline a one-hour debate at George Washington Universityâs Jack Morton Auditorium carried live and on demand across the C-SPAN platforms, including streamed on C-SPAN Now. CBS News congressional correspondent Nikole Killion will moderate. (Read More) Romney, Stewart, Owens introduce bill to save Utahâs Great Salt Lake U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) today introduced the Great Salt Lake Recovery Act, legislation to study historic drought conditions and protect the long-term health of the Great Salt Lake in Utah. Earlier this month, the Great Salt Lake dropped to its lowest level on record for the second time in a year, posing a threat to Utahâs environment and economy. This legislation builds on conservation actions taken by the Utah legislature in the 2022 legislative session, including the designation of $40 million for the Great Salt Lake watershed enhancement program. Representatives Chris Stewart (R-UT) and Burgess Owens (R-UT) introduced companion legislation in the House. (Read More) Greenfield Energy to add a facility in Uintah County Today, the Utah Governorâs Office of Economic Opportunity (Go Utah) awarded Greenfield Energy, LLC a temporary, marginal tax reduction for its expansion in rural Utah. The post-performance corporate incentive is part of the Legislatureâs Rural Economic Development Tax Increment Financing (REDTIF) program. Greenfield Energy plans to provide up to 214 new high-paying jobs and invest $150 million in rural Utah during the next 10 years. (Read More) Katelin Roberts joins the Go Utah board The Utah Governorâs Office of Economic Opportunity (Go Utah) today announced the appointment of Katelin Roberts to its Board of Directors. The Go Utah Board consists of 15 members appointed to four-year terms by Gov. Spencer J. Cox with the advice and consent of the Utah Senate. The Go Utah Board helps promote and encourage the stateâs economic, commercial, financial, industrial, agricultural, and civic welfare. Katelin Roberts is the executive director of BioHive, a public-private nonprofit tasked with growing Utahâs life sciences and healthcare innovation industry. Before BioHive, Roberts was CEO of a venture-backed Utah medical device startup. She has also worked in various manufacturing and operations roles in aerospace and the consumer packaged goods industries. Roberts is currently an investment partner at MedMountain Ventures, a seed-stage healthcare venture capital fund based in Salt Lake City. Roberts is replacing Andrea Moss on the Go Utah Board. (Read More) | |
Upcoming Monument dedication to Black pioneers â July 22, 10:00 am, This is the Place Heritage Park Senate Project debate with the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation and featuring Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) â Aug 1, 5:30 pm MDT, live on CSPAN ULCT Annual Convention â Oct 5-7, Salt Palace Convention Center, Register here General election â Nov 8 | |
On This Day In History 1799 - The Rosetta Stone is found in the Egyptian village of Rosetta by French Captain Pierre-François Bouchard during Napoleon's Egyptian Campaign 1806 - Zebulon Pike leads an exploring party across the American Southwest. He ends up in Colorado and has a mountain named after him. 1923 - Connie Boucher is born. An artist, she helped start the character merchandising industry by licensing characters such as Charles Schulzâs âPeanutsâ and Maurice Sendakâs âWhere the Wild Things Are.â 1952 - Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is born. In 1989, Ros-Lehtinen became the first Cuban American and Latina elected to Congress. She gave the first Republican response to the State of the Union Address in Spanish in 2011 then again in 2014. 1971 - US President Richard Nixon announces he will visit the People's Republic of China 1982 - Senate confirms George P. Shultz as US 60th Secretary of State by vote of 97-0. Those were the days (of bipartisan cooperation). 2006 - Twitter officially launches Wise Words âDo what we can, summer will have its flies.â â Ralph Waldo Emerson | |
â Advertise With Us â Subscribers may receive special messages with information about new features, special offers, or public policy messages from clients and advertisers. |
|
|