One morning around this time last year, I was listening to the news while rubbing petroleum jelly into my son's tiny wrists and ankles — a twice-daily ritual to keep his eczema at bay.
When the reporter began describing the nine victims of a mass shooting in San Jose, California — the deadliest in Bay Area history — I couldn't help but cry. I imagine that each one of those nine people had parents who loved them so much that they did things like painstakingly moisturizing their babies' dry skin in hopes of making them even marginally more comfortable.
In the wake of tragedies such as the Buffalo supermarket shooting on Saturday, I like reading about the lives of those who were lost — especially when we get to hear from those who loved them. My colleague Lois Collins compiled some details about the 10 people who were killed.
Last year was deadliest yet for overdose deaths in U.S. Can Utah buck the trend?
Utah was one of only a few states where overdose deaths decreased prior to the pandemic, said Dr. Jennifer Plumb, co-founder of Utah Naloxone, an advocacy group that helps distribute kits that can reverse overdoses caused by opioids.
But U.S. drug overdose deaths increased by nearly 15% in 2021 from the previous record set in 2020, according to estimates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Although the causes are likely myriad, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic seems an obvious culprit to many.
Plumb believes the best way forward is better health care, better treatment and addressing the root issues that lead to addiction in the first place.
“It isn’t just the people that are camped out under a viaduct or in a camper in a park,” Plumb said. “It’s our entire society. I don’t know many people who don’t have a connection one way or another to addiction and overdose.”
Read more about a Salt Lake City clinic's new substance use recovery center that aims to provide high-level care to underserved communities.
Citing concerns with the bipartisan Utah Debate Commission, the Utah Republican Party is moving ahead with plans to sponsor its own debates between primary contenders for Senate and Congress.
Utah GOP Chairman Carson Jorgensen views a party-sponsored debate as being “in lieu of” the commission’s debate, but he said the party will leave it up to the candidates to decide whether or not to participate in the latter.
Sen. Mike Lee's campaign — and others — were uncomfortable with the debate commission’s format, according to Jorgensen. Jorgensen said a date hasn’t been picked for the Senate debate, but he said all candidates had agreed to participate.
The GOP plans to host debates for all congressional races, but Reps. John Curtis and Burgess Owens will both be out of town on the scheduled dates, with commitments made before the events were scheduled.
The Utah Debate Commission will hold debates for congressional districts 2, 3 and 4 on June 1 in Salt Lake City, with the 1 District and the Senate debate the following day.
Read more about why the debate commission and the Utah GOP can't agree.
More in Politics
What did Jeff Bezos say to Joe Biden? (Deseret News)
Weber County elections officials to open office to public as primary looms (The Standard-Examiner)
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Health
Here are the findings of the Abbott baby formula investigation. What does this mean for the shortage? (Deseret News)
Do you have a sweet tooth? These candies are being recalled (Deseret News)
Intermountain Healthcare cancer program receives national accreditation (KSL.com)
Why Dr. Angela Dunn says finally catching COVID-19 was ‘no big deal’ (Deseret News)
Faith
The fiercest advocate for religious freedom may be a Latter-day Saint Democrat (Deseret News)
Charts show Church’s ongoing growth through 191 years (Church News)
Perspective: What can we learn from the historic number of weddings set for this summer? (Deseret News)
How buying a Virginia home uncovered the truth about one family’s enslaved ancestors (Deseret News)
Southern Utah
Teen dies in sand tunnel collapse at Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park (KSL.com)
Reward offered for info leading to arrests, recovery of $200,000 in property taken from SunRiver home (St. George News)
Northern Utah
$10K goal reached for puppy rescued after being thrown from moving car (KSL.com)
This structure will remain after the rest of the Utah State Prison is torn down (KSL.com)
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