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| The UtahPolicy.com daily newsletter gets you up to speed on the top local and national news about politics and public policy. Send news tips or feedback to [email protected],. Situational Analysis - Dec. 17, 2020Hello Thursday! We have almost made it to the last weekend before Christmas. Are you ready?? Today isNational Wright brothers day, the day Orville Wright made the first sustained airplane flight, lasting 12 seconds and covering 120 feet. His brother Wilbur flew 852 feet later that day. TICK TOCK4 days until Winter Solstice and the Christmas Star is brightest (12/21/2020) (The double star was visible in the southwest sky about 45 minutes after sundown last night.) Today At Utah PolicyUtah's infrastructure gets a grade of C+By Holly Richardson Can a C+ good? Sure - when grading on a curve. The Utah section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) released their 2020 report on Utah's infrastructure. We got a C+, unchanged from five years ago. However, K.N. Gunalan, past president of ASCE said "the grade is one of the highest in the nation. Utah should be very proud."Good news for teachers - unless you're in Salt Lake School District By Holly Richardson The good news for Utah's K-12 teachers and staff is that the Utah legislature voted to appropriate $121 million for one-time "COVID-19 educator assistance stipend." Teachers would see $1,500 and staff $1000 for their work during an extremely trying year, a sort of hazard pay for these heroic frontline workers.News to know: America's religion, 'too many' women, giving Trump credit, grief during the holidays and genocide in Ethiopia By Holly Richardson Is Mormonism America's religion? McKay Coppins thinks so. In an in-depth piece, months in the writing, Coppins delves into the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with a journalistic eye and weaves in his own experience as a member. He asks the question:What happens when a religious group discovers that it's spent 200 years assimilating to an America that no longer exists? Utah HeadlinesDeseret News Taking the vaccine is paramount - so is vigorously dispelling misinformation The Atlantic interviewed the prophet. Here's what it did right 2020: The Deseret News' most-read opinions of the year Some Republicans aren't done fighting the election and among themselves State board launches investigation into USU president's remarks about football coachSalt Lake Tribune Lawmaker wants to block Utah from forcing people to get the vaccine, but says businesses can Do Utah lawmakers listen to the people they serve? Most voters say no. Utah's Sean Reyes joins lawsuit against Google for its ad practices Paul C. Burke: Utah Senate blockade threatens judicial independence Evan McMullin: Should Never Trump conservatives form a new political party?Other BYU study researching potential link between gut bacteria and autism in children (KSL) Utah tries to collect $1.5 million in unemployment overpayments (KSL) Utah phenomenon at the Great Salt Lake returns in 2020, helps scientists study Mars (ABC4) Intermountain Primary Children's Hospital adds pediatric gynecological services to bolster care (ABC4) 528 families in Navajo Nation get electricity through CARES Act funds (KUTV) Utah refugees gather to bring awareness to genocide in Ethiopia (KUTV)Covid Corner American Fork woman relies on oximeter and COVID-19 remote patient monitoring program at home (KSL) 19 more Utahns have died from the coronavirus, with another 2,928 new cases reported (Salt Lake Tribune) 'Like a Hand Grasping': Trump Appointees Describe the Crushing of the C.D.C. (New York Times) Will a COVID-19 vaccine be ready for kids soon? Possibly by next school year (ABC4) Health officials track safety, side effects as COVID-19 vaccinations roll out(ABC4)National HeadlinesThe most American religion (The Atlantic) How a New York Times columnist helped force a 'reckoning' for PornHub (Deseret News) Lawmakers express concern about lack of young people in federal workforce (The Hill) Party leaders back another short-term funding bill - if needed (The Hill) Harris: 'Don't let anyone put you in a box because of your gender'(The Hill) Trump turns on McConnell for calling Biden president-elect (Politico) Rich Lowry: Mr. President, Don't Pardon Edward Snowden (Politico) Billions spent on U.S. defenses failed to detect giant Russian hack (New York Times) I Was the Homeland Security adviser to Trump. We're being hacked. (New York Times)Policy NewsFrench President Macron tests positive for COVID-19According to the AP and KSL,French President Emmanuel Macron tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, after he met with numerous other European leaders."Macron attended a European Union summit at the end of last week, where he notably had a bilateral meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. It was not immediately clear what contact tracing efforts were in progress.PODCAST: Coming together to create solutions with Stan Lockhart and Curt Bramble On this edition of the "Sideline View" podcast, host Stan Lockhart sits down with Senator Curt Bramble to talk about a citizen legislature and the importance of being able to work together.Curtis: COVID-19 bill needs to give targeted help to vulnerable individuals and small businesses Today, Representative John Curtis (R-UT) released the following statement on any additional COVID-19 legislation:"Any legislation related to COVID-19 needs to give targeted help to vulnerable individuals and the thousands of small businesses, and their millions of employees, that remain shuttered through no fault of their own. This is why I, and a bipartisan group of my colleagues, introduced the PPP Small Business Enhancement Act in late July to provide this type of targeted relief,"said Curtis.LULAC leader and Utah's youngest elected official invite Sen. Lee to reconsider The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the nation's leading Latino civil rights organization, along with Joel-Lehi Organista issued this statement following Senator Lee's opposition to creating a museum of Latino Heritage in America"QueridoSenator Lee, I wanted to give you a few days to reflect and do some introspection. In your heart, what compelled you to oppose fellow Americans from celebrating their heritage, as much as I am certain you treasure your own? I was raised by a family that believed, at our table there was always a place for one more visitor, no matter who came to our door as we enjoyed our meal together. So, what would cause you to feel crowded out in your heart that there is no place for others who merely wish to share this land we call America?PODCAST: Homeless in Salt Lake In November, Utah Foundation held a Breakfast Briefing on the topic of homelessness, sponsored by the University of Utah's College of Social and Behavioral Science. Our panel of experts featured:Tricia Davis, of the UtahHomelessness Programs OfficeUtah Representative Eric HutchingsDr. Jeff Rose, ofthe Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism at the University of UtahDr. Jess N. Valero, Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Utah Business HeadlinesFacebook accuses Apple of anticompetitive behavior over privacy changes (KSL/Reuters) Fed vows to maintain bond-buying until 'substantial progress' in recovery (KSL/Reuters) For the first time, there's a woman on every S&P 500 board. But they're still in the minority (CNN) The Fed keeps rates near zero and acknowledges fragile recovery (CNN)On This Day In History(From History.com) 1760 - Deborah Sampson was born. During the Revolutionary War, Sampson disguised herself as a man using the name Robert Shurtliff and enlisted in the Continental Army. She is one of a handful of women who also received a military pension at that time. 1777 - France formally recognizes the United States 1892 - Arthur Baldwin Turnure published the first edition of Vogue. 1903 - Orville and Wilbur Wright successfully complete the first powered and controlled flight. 1917 - Burt Baskin is born. One half of the Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream business duo, Burt Baskin joined his brother-in-law Irv Robbins in 1948. 1933 - The NFL hosts their first Championship Game. 1944 - U.S. approves end to internment of Japanese Americans 1963 - Clean Air Act becomes law 1991 - Boris Yeltsin announces the Soviet Union will cease to exist by New Year's Eve 1993 - Judith Rodin is named president of Univ. of Pennsylvania, the first woman to head an Ivy League institution 2011 - Kim Jong Il, leader of North Korea, dies 2014 - The United States and Cuba re-establish diplomatic relations that had been severed since 1961Wise Words"If we worked on the assumption that what is accepted as true really is true, then there would be little hope for advance." ~Orville Wright Lighter SideLighter SideThe World Health Organization announced that dogs cannot contract COVID-19. Dogs previously held in quarantine can now be released. To be clear, WHO let the dogs out. 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