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Good morning! Here are today's temperatures:

🌨️ 18 - 27° in Logan | 💧 60%

🌨️ 23 - 31° in Salt Lake City | 💧 70% ⚠️

🌨️ 28 - 42° in St. George | 💧 60%

⚠️ Winter Storm Watch

On our mind: What Jason Whitlock got wrong about life before suffrage, how to enjoy working out even if you hate it and is the end of capitalism upon us?

Rep. Burgess Owens calls border security ‘most important’ part of budget talks, as illegal immigration reaches record high

Rep. Burgess Owens said when Congress returns next week, no issue should take precedence over stemming the flow of illegal immigration into the country.

Owens, who represents Utah’s 4th Congressional District, joined over 60 of his colleagues, including Utah’s 2nd District Rep. Celeste Maloy, in touring the southwest border this week. The visit, led by House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., was purportedly the largest congressional delegation ever to do so.

As the House returns from its holiday recess next Tuesday, amid another round of stalled budget talks before funding deadlines in mid-January and early February, Owens said advancing the House Republicans’ border security agenda will be integral to every part of the negotiations.

“It’s probably the most important conversation we’re going to have as a country right now,” Burgess told the Deseret News in an interview at his district office on Friday.

Read more about how Owens says stopping illegal immigration is a top priority for the GOP.

More in Politics

U.S. House to take up impeachment of Mayorkas next week over border security (Deseret News)
University of Utah president says diversity statements will no longer be used in hiring (Deseret News)
State Sen. Mike Kennedy joins campaign for Rep. John Curtis’ 3rd District seat (Deseret News)
Is the end of capitalism upon us? (Deseret News)
How to read our new poll on Trump and religious voters (Deseret News)

What is swatting and is it on the rise?

Salt Lake police officers mobilized to a Poplar Grove neighborhood last year after receiving a call about a shooting and possible hostage situation.

Upon arrival, the police determined that there were no injuries and no hostage situation. The incident occurred on April 6, 2023.

“Our police officers performed as we expected to keep everyone safe,” Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown said in a press release. “These unfounded calls pose significant dangers to our officers and the community. I would like to thank the women and men of the Salt Lake City Police Department. Our graveyard patrol officers from across the city handled this incident with professionalism and great care to ensure their safety and the safety of those in the neighborhood. These are dynamic situations that can result in significant consequences if their caller is identified.”

The Salt Lake City Police Department called it a “swatting incident.”

Swatting is a false emergency report where “someone places either a 911 call or nonemergency call into a law enforcement dispatch center and makes a false report about a critical incident,” according to the Salt Lake City Police Department.

Read more about swatting and how it diverts resources.

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FROM VOICES UTAH

Utah Business 2024 CEO of the Year

Do you know a visionary leader steering their company toward success? Give them the spotlight they deserve and nominate them as a 2024 CEO of the Year!

Science and Technology

True Blue? New, color-corrected images of Neptune and Uranus reveal matching robin’s egg hues (Deseret News)
Google Is Finally Killing Cookies. Advertisers Still Aren’t Ready. (Wall Street Journal 🔒)
Moon’s resources could be ‘destroyed by thoughtless exploitation’, NASA warned (The Guardian)

Health

Tips on how to enjoy working out even when you hate it (Deseret News)
Is a plant-based diet really healthier? Experts weigh in on nutrition for the new year. (CBS News)

Family

Perspective: ‘Life before suffrage’ — what Jason Whitlock got wrong (Deseret News)

Salt Lake County

Spirited away: Utah booze bandits stole up to $30K in top-shelf bottles, police say (KSL)
Millcreek man charged with murder in dispute over parking space (KSL)

Utah County

Provo lawmaker sponsoring bill aimed at improving Utah's justice system for crime victims (KSL)
UDOT urges drivers to slow down, be mindful of plows after Eagle Mountain crash (KSL)

The U.S. and World

Testify under oath about Jeffrey Epstein abuse scandal, Prince Andrew urged (The Guardian)
FAA grounds 171 Boeing planes after mid-air blowout on Alaska Airlines jet (BBC)
Myanmar says an ethnic alliance has seized a key city bordering China (NPR)

Russia is using North Korean missiles in Ukraine, US says. That’s bad news for Asia (CNN)

Puka Nacua is poised to make NFL history. Here’s how he got here

Brandon Judd: "The Utah native’s football journey has taken him from being named Deseret News’ Mr. Football in 2018 during a standout career at Orem High to college football in Washington for two seasons, then two more years at BYU before being a fifth-round selection by the Los Angeles Rams in last April’s NFL draft.

"Now, the 6-foot-2 Nacua is within earshot of breaking the two biggest records yet for him in a rookie season full of accolades.

"He heads into Sunday’s regular-season finale at the San Francisco 49ers with 101 receptions for 1,445 yards and five touchdowns in the 2023 season. Nacua also has 89 rushing yards.

"He needs just 29 receiving yards to surpass the NFL rookie record in that category set in 1960, when the Houston Oilers’ Bill Groman had 1,473 receiving yards."