BYU lands the top basketball recruit in the nation; Utahâs household debt jumps over $1B in 3 months; and the UFA approves 23% tax increase. | | | 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 | Dec. 11, 2024 It's Wednesday and Martha Hughes Cannon Day! Or at least it should be - her statue is being installed in Emancipation Hall today! What you need to know A legislative audit report was released on Monday and found that, out of 2 million registered voters, there were two likely dead voters who cast ballots in the 2023 election. Speaker Mike Schultz questioned the security of voting by mail and wondered how the ball got dropped. The auditors also noted they did not find any significant fraud. Rapid Relevance BYU lands the top basketball recruit in the nation; Utahâs household debt jumps over $1B in 3 months; and the Unified Fire Authority approves a 23% tax increase for 2025. | | |
| | How do we help more Utah families achieve the American Dream? Utah has the best upward mobility in the nation, but some families still feel stuck â hungry for opportunities to work and earn their way out of poverty. On Thursday, December 12, from 9 am-3 pm, join a group of policymakers, practitioners, and state and national experts to examine challenges these families face and explore how to improve the social safety net in ways that strengthen the American Dream. Get more info and register here. | | |
Utah Headlines Political news A story of perseverance: From immigrant beginnings to trailblazer - meet Dr. Martha Hughes Cannon (Deseret News) Utah state revenues are falling short of expectations. Hereâs how legislative leaders responded (Deseret News) Salt Lake City approves agreements with Miller Company, Utah on major Fairpark growth (KSL) Salt Lake County Council approves $2B budget for next year (KSL) 2 new Utah laws going into effect on Jan. 1, 2025 you should know about (ABC4) Cache County, facing united opposition from mayors, OKs new sales tax funneling money to public safety (Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Health workers investigate massive illegal dumping case near Salt Lake City county landfill (KSL TV) Voices: My son died by suicide while in his medical residency. We must work together to create a health care system that values its caregivers. (Salt Lake Tribune) Holiday season Stressed about Christmas shopping? Try these tricks (Deseret News) How a Utah couple helps Santa by answering letters to him: 'December gets busy for us' (Fox13) Sipping for a cause: Utah woman uses Hot Cocoa stand to raise money for charity (Fox13) Biz/Tech A phone company developed an AI 'granny' to beat scammers at their own game (NPR) Lawsuit: A chatbot hinted a kid should kill his parents over screen time limits (NPR) Crime/Courts Utahâs Parole Board invites survivors, advocates to weigh in on changes to victim notifications (KSL TV) Culture Hereâs the newest winner of âThe Voiceâ: Sofronio Vasquez (Deseret News) Education Utah graduation rates had one of the largest jumps in the nation (KSL Newsradio) 10 Commandments added to Tooele curriculum after vote (ABC4) USU scientists developing models to predict solar activity (Cache Valley Daily) Environment The Loraxes of Logan speak for century-old trees at tense waterline project meeting (UPR) Federal agency proposes sage-grouse management changes in 10 states, Southern Utah (St. George News) Family The importance of being Uncle Wolf (Deseret News) Through 'The Loss Mother's Stone,' mothers share their grief from losing a child to stillbirth (NPR) Voices: Proposed immigration policies are sparking fear among Utah families â including mine (Salt Lake Tribune) Health Opinion: How Salt Lake City grocery stores are uniquely positioned to help prevent suicide (Deseret News) Utah family challenges insurance denial for 9-year-old's prosthetic arm (KUTV) Housing Davis County warming center has operated without issues, despite backlash (KSL) Rise of short-term rentals creating tug-of-war between tourism economy, affordable housing (KUTV) | | |
National Headlines General Man accused of killing UnitedHealthcareâs CEO shouts on way into courthouse and fights extradition (AP) Bankruptcy judge rejects The Onion's bid for Infowars (NPR) Monarch butterflies will get federal protections as a threatened species (AP) Political news Can Trump âendâ birthright citizenship? (Deseret News) Congress faces looming government shutdown deadline ahead of Christmas (Deseret News) For now, âDreamersâ will be shut out of the health care marketplace in 19 states (AP) Biden â addressing critics, voters and history â defends his economy (Washington Post) Trump ready to âsealâ border from immigrants on Day 1 (The Hill) Texas intends to lease land for Trumpâs deportation plans (The Hill) Amid rumors of a breakup with Donald Trump, Jr., Kimberly Guilfoyle is appointed ambassador to Greece (New York Times) GOP drama: Cotton seeks Intelligence chair, thwarting Cornyn (Politico) Ukraine ðºð¦ Ukraine strikes Russian port and claims oil depot hit (Reuters) Israel and Gaza Israel expands airstrikes across Syria amid widening power vacuum (Washington Post) World news Can a US missile defense system shield Guam from Chinese threat? (Reuters) In Syriaâs former âslaughterhouse,â a desperate hunt for the disappeared (Washington Post) Syrian leader vows to rebuild but faces cash crunch (Reuters) An explosion in the Afghan capital kills the Taliban refugee minister, officials say (AP) | | |
| | News Releases Utahâs economy demonstrates strength and economic resilience The Salt Lake Chamber, in partnership with the University of Utahâs Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, has released the November 2024 Roadmap to Prosperity Economic Dashboard. âUtahâs economic resilience is evident as inflation moderates and consumer sentiment reaches its highest level in over two years,â says Derek Miller, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber. âWhile home prices show stability amid ongoing interest rate uncertainty, the broader trends suggest cautious optimism as households and businesses adapt to evolving conditions.â (Read More) | | |
Upcoming Dec. 11 â Martha Hughes Cannon Statuary Hall Installation, 12:30 pm - 3:00 pm MST, Utah State Capitol open house and livestream Dec. 12 â UpwardMobility and Benefit Cliffs Summit with Sutherland Institute, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm, Weber State University, Register here Jan. 9 â Whatâs Up Down South Economic Summit. St. George. Register here Jan. 10 â Rural Utah Data Symposium. St. George. Register here Jan 14 â Utah Taxpayers Association Legislative Outlook Conference, 9 am - 12:00 pm, Little America Hotel, Register here Jan. 21 â Utah legislative session begins Mar. 7 â Utah legislative session ends | | |
On This Day In History 1620 - Mayflower Pilgrims come ashore in Plymouth Bay 1892 - Harriet Adams is born. After the death of her father who syndicated the publishing of juvenile books, she and her sister continued his practice with many titles in the Nancy Drew series, among others 1941 - Germany declares war on the United States 1946 - UNICEF founded 1978 - Millions stolen from JFK Airport in infamous 'Lufthansa heist' 1997 - Kyoto Protocol first adopted in Japan 2008 - Billionaire conman Bernie Madoff arrested 2020 - US Supreme Court rejects lawsuit by Texas to overturn Joe Biden's election in four battleground states, a lawsuit endorsed by 17 Republican attorney generals Quote of the Day âLet us not waste our talents in the cauldron of modern nothingness, but strive to become women of intellect, and endeavor to do some little good while we live in this protracted gleam called life.â âMartha Hughes Cannon On the Punny Side What do you call an obnoxious reindeer? Rude-olph | | |
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