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Situational Analysis - April 23, 2021

it's Friday and we made it through another week! It's also National Cherry Cheesecake Day, so celebrate in style.

News you need to know

First Lady Abby Cox has launched a podcast with four of her friends to talk with "fascinating people with unique perspectives" as they work "to bring courage, compassion and connection back into our homes and communities." Make sure to check it out.
Holly the dog became an Internet sensation when she joined the track meet in Logan. She crossed the finish line first, but officially it was Gracie Laney's team who took first place in that event.
Voting is open to replace Utah County Commissioner Tanner Ainge. Delegates will have until 3 pm on Saturday to place their votes electronically.
Lake Powell's water level is hitting historic lows amid a 20-year drought.
The House of Representatives approved a bill to make Washington, D.C. the 51st state. Approval came by a 216-208 vote along strict party lines. Republicans say that the Founding Fathers never wanted DC to be a state. Things change, though, They also didn't want women or Black people to vote.

Countdown

1 days until the United Utah Party Organizing Convention and the Utah County GOP convention (04/24/2021)
7 days until the Biden/Harris administration's first 100 days are up (04/30/2021)
8 days until the in-person Utah GOP Organizing Convention (05/01/2021)
141 days until half-way through the Cox/Henderson's administration's 500-day plan (09/11/2021)

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Today At Utah Policy

Utah Foundation Video: What Worries Utahns?
By Utah Foundation
The Utah Foundation's newest video examines Utahns' top 12 priorities and how the top priorities have changed over time. The video draws on the Utah Priorities Project, which contains a wide array of reports, briefs and other products.

Friday change-of-pace: Lessons from a robin & a square yard of dirt
By LaVarr Webb
Yesterday morning I was sitting at my computer in my office and a motion outside the window caught my eye. I looked out and saw a robin hopping across the lawn with something in its mouth.

Utah Headlines

Deseret News

The Supreme Court is rescuing religion from the pandemic. A slew of Supreme Court precedent has put religion on a stronger legal footing than it enjoyed a year ago.
It's time for Utah to transition to clean energy. Polling shows 94% of Utahns believe air quality is integral to health.
What does Mike Lee think of President Biden's first 100 days? 'He makes Barack Obama look like Ted Cruz."
Six questions for Dr. Roderic Land, an expert on race relations, and why we need to start seeing each other as human beings
A passport office in Salt Lake City? Utah Sen. Mitt Romney wants to make it happen

Salt Lake Tribune

Asked to rate Biden, here's what Mike Lee and Chris Stewart said after the laughter stopped.
Navajo Nation solar project will cement San Juan County's position as exporter of renewable energy
Volunteers present spruced-up farm to widow of North Ogden Mayor Brent Taylor. Charitable landscapers and garden suppliers upgraded the mini-farm for Jennie and her children two years after her husband's death in Afghanistan.

Other Utah News Sources

Ogden River: A story of unloved waters? (KSL)
Remember the Sandy developer who canceled contracts? He raised prices $151K. Buyers are speaking out. (KUTV)
A former legislative staffer accused state Sen. Gene Davis, D-Salt Lake, of inappropriate behavior and said her "boss" at the state Capitol told her to "get over it." (KUTV)
First Lady Dr. Jill Biden arrives to Navajo Nation. Dr. Jill Biden will spend the next two days with Navajo leaders. (ABC4)
Thanks to remote work opportunities, Heber City now ranks fifth in the nation for population growth in the last year. (ABC4)
Did you know you can collect Utah's state gemstone at Topaz Mountain? You can, as long as you are not going to resell it. (ABC4)
FOX 13 Investigates: Utah police chief says he was fired for not writing enough speeding tickets (Fox 13)
Utah County program provides creative care to senior community during pandemic (Fox13)
Utah County Republicans to begin voting to fill vacant commission seat (Daily Herald)
Seven Utah County cities opt in to ranked-choice voting pilot (Daily Herald)

COVID Corner

Utah still near bottom of vaccination rate rankings - and it's not just because of the young population. A reporting error by Utah health officials occurred in February, but the consequences linger today. (Salt Lake Tribune)
Utah cases of COVID-19 have hit 'a clear plateau,' Gov. Spencer Cox says, stalling their decline. The good news is that Utah has been holding off a surge that other states have seen, state epidemiologist adds.(Salt Lake Tribune)
Utah's Chris Stewart got the vaccine but says you shouldn't shame people who don't. Sen. Mike Lee, who also was inoculated, says the coronavirus shot should remain a personal choice. (Salt Lake Tribune)
New Texas COVID-19 variant may resist antibodies, study says. Scientists at Texas A&M University found a new COVID-19 variant that might not be defeated by antibodies. (Deseret News)
Navajo Nation: No COVID deaths for 11th time in past 12 days (KUTV)
India reports more than 330,000 new Covid cases, setting a fresh global record (CNBC)
With Few New Clotting Cases, Johnson & Johnson Pause Could Be Lifted Soon (New York Times)
COVID-19 found at Everest base camp (The Hill)
People With Severe COVID-19 Have Higher Risk Of Long-Term Effects, Study Finds (NPR)
How Covid Upended a Century of Patterns in U.S. Deaths (New York Times)

National Headlines

Putin critic Navalny ending hunger strike (The Hill)
Evidence in Chauvin case contradicted first police statement (AP)
RNC Chair McDaniel floated possible Michigan governor run, challenging Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. (Politico)
A few virtual hiccups, abundant global relief as Biden puts the U.S. back in the game on climate efforts (Washington Post)
Female Republicans 'horrified' by male GOP lawmaker's description of Cheney (The Hill)
As economy spikes, Republicans are still waiting for the 'Biden depression' that Trump predicted (Washington Post)
Biden Administration Looks For Help With Next Phase Of Pitching COVID Vaccines (NPR)
Biden Officials Place Hope in Taliban's Desire for Legitimacy and Money (New York Times)
Bill to combat hate crimes against Asian Americans passes Senate with bipartisan support
No vice president has broken more Senate ties as early as Kamala Harris has (Washington Post)
Malaria vaccine hailed as potential breakthrough (BBC)
Ravaged by Covid, Brazil Faces a Hunger Epidemic (New York Times)
Burned out by the pandemic, 3 in 10 health-care workers consider leaving the profession (Washington Post)
Russia To Pull Troops From Ukraine Border, Defusing Crisis (NPR)
East Jerusalem clashes leave over 100 injured (BBC)
Greece reopens to Americans. But paradise is still under curfew.(Washington Post)
Good move on their part. South Dakota high school rodeo club cancels annual 'slave auction' fundraiser (Washington Post)
SPECIAL REPORT Giant U.S. landlords pursue evictions despite CDC ban (Reuters)
David Brooks: The G.O.P. Is Getting Even Worse. Trumpians are having a venomous panic attack. (New York Times)
California public universities plan to require Covid-19 vaccines (Politico)

Policy News

Center for Methane Emissions Solutions Launches Ad Campaign Urging Senator Romney to Vote to Restore Rules that Cut Methane Waste
Today, the Center for Methane Emissions Solutions (CMES) launched a digital ad campaign in the Salt Lake Tribune. The ads are aimed at Senator Mitt Romney, urging him to restore rules to cut methane pollution and support Senate Joint Resolution 14.

Romney, Colleagues Propose Bill to Support Role Agricultural Community Plays in Confronting Climate Change
U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) joined Senators Mike Braun (R-IN), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) in introducing the bipartisan Growing Climate Solutions Act, legislation to break down barriers to farmers and foresters interested in participating in carbon markets so they can be rewarded for climate-smart practices. The bill has garnered broad, bipartisan support from over 60 leading agricultural and environmental organizations.

Ogden's Shadow Valley Elementary Named U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon School
The U.S. Department of Education today released the names of the 2021 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools, District Sustainability Awardees, and Postsecondary Sustainability Awardees.

Salt Lake County Commits to Cut a Minimum of 5% of its Water Use, Challenges Residents to Conserve 5% Amid Drought
There's a new normal being created this year with water conservation to enable the long-term success of residents and the environment across Salt Lake County.

Congressional delegation seeks answers from DOI regarding inadequate funding allotment for Utah's public lands projects
U.S. Senators Mike Lee (R-UT), Mitt Romney (R-UT), and Representatives Chris Stewart (R-UT), John Curtis (R-UT), Burgess Owens (R-UT), and Blake Moore (R-UT) today wrote to Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland requesting an explanation regarding a recent announcement of deferred maintenance awards which allocated Utah a disproportionately low amount of funding compared to its proportion of federal lands and its contribution to the federal government.

Business Headlines

New survey expects small business owners to exhaust PPP by June (Utah Business)
'I just became a dogecoin millionaire': This 33-year-old invested his savings in the meme cryptocurrency with inspiration from Elon Musk (CNBC)
Dow Jones Futures: Bitcoin Dives Below $50,000; Intel, Snap Key Movers After Biden Capital Gains Tax Hike Plan Hits Market Rally (Investors.com)
Tesla cars can drive with nobody in the driver's seat, Consumer Reports engineers find (CNBC)
US President Joe Biden to 'propose hiking tax on rich (BBC)
U.S. housing market sees eroding affordability (Axios)
87% of Americans are worried about inflation (Axios)
Highlights From SpaceX's Launch of 4 Astronauts for NASA (New York Times)
iPhone 12 in purple hands-on: Should you buy it or wait for iPhone 13? (CNET)

On This Day In History

(From History.com)

1564 - William Shakespeare is born.

1616 - William Shakespeare dies at age 52

1791 - James Buchanan (15th president) is born.

1872 - Charlotte E. Ray became the first Black female lawyer in the United States.

1928 - Shirley Temple Black is born. The cheerful and curly-haired child actor, singer and dancer was later appointed U.S. Ambassador to Ghana (1974) and Czechoslovakia (1988).

1933 - Annie Easley is born. She became a computer scientist, mathematician, and rocket scientist and one of the first Black Americans to work as a computer scientist at NASA,

2005 - First YouTube video gets uploaded.

2007 - Barbara Hillary became the first Black woman and the oldest person (at age 76) to reach the North Pole.

Wise Words

"I've led three lives: the acting part, wife and mother - which is a career - and international relations. I'm proud of my career, the first one, and I'm proud of the other two, too."

~Shirley Temple Black

Lighter Side

"Of course, Earth Day is like prom in that every year has a theme. This year's is 'Restore Our Earth.' Yes, we have to, or pretty soon the theme's going to be 'Enchantment Under the Sea.'"

- STEPHEN COLBERT

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