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Situational awareness -- June 1, 2018
Good Friday morning from Salt Lake City. Welcome to June.
Doug Wright's last show what made him special. The fight over Count My Vote never ends. Employers are hiring and wages are rising. Preparations continue for U.S.-North Korea summit.
TICK TOCK
- 4 days until primary election mail-in ballots are sent to voters (6/5/2018)
- 11 days until in-person early primary voting begins (6/12/2018)
- 18 days until the final day to register to vote online or in person before the primary election (6/19/2018)
- 21 days until in-person early primary voting ends (6/22/2018)
- 25 days until the 2018 Primary Election (6/26/2018)
- 158 days until the 2018 midterm elections (11/6/2018)
- 241 days until the first day of the 2019 Utah Legislature (1/28/2019)
- 886 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)
HERE ARE THE STORIES WE'RE WATCHING TODAY
Doug Wright's last regular KSL talk show is today. LaVarr Webb writes about why he was so successful, and offers advice to his successors [Utah Policy].
Bob Bernick says he's been writing about the Count My Vote fight for five years and he's tired of it (but still wants CMV to win) [Utah Policy].
Utah sues maker of OxyContin; alleges lying about effects of painkillers [Deseret News ] [Utah Policy].
OTHER UTAH HEADLINES
- Republican Utah County sheriff candidate files complaint against primary election opponent [Deseret News].
- Black Mormons hope priesthood anniversary helps members 'Be One' [Deseret News].
- Too many visitors means Zion National Park may impose limits and require permits for popular trails [Tribune (paywall)]
NATIONAL HEADLINES
- Pres. Trump imposes tariffs on European, Canadian and Mexican exports, upsetting some congressional Republicans and showing divisions among his top economic advisors [Politico].
- Pompeo says 'real progress' being made toward U.S.-North Korean Summit [The Hill].
- Samantha Bee and TBS apologize to Ivanka Trump for slur [New York Times].
- U.S. Attorney's Office in D.C. mulling whether to file criminal charges against former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe for lying [Washington Post].
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
- 1779 Benedict Arnold is court-martialed, charged with 13 counts of misbehavior.
- 1926 Norma Jeane Mortenson better known as Marilyn Monroe, is born in Los Angeles.
- 1967 Beatles release Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
- 1968 Helen Keller dies in Westport, Conn., at the age of 87.
- 1980 Cable News Network (CNN) makes its debut as the world's first 24-hour TV news network.
Today At Utah Policy
 | Why Doug Wright was so good -- and advice to his successors Over 40 years, Doug Wright carved out a remarkable niche as a radio broadcaster, focusing on politics more than anything else. He became known to almost all Utahns and will certainly be missed by his large radio audience.But he will also be greatly missed by the more insular... |
 | No end to the fight over Count My Vote There's one main reason I'm disappointed that the Count My Vote citizen initiative petition, at least for now, is not going to be on the November ballot for voters to decide:I'm sick and tired of writing about this!Give me a break, people!For five long years I've been writin... |
| Press release: Utah announces lawsuit against Purdue Pharma At a press conference Thursday, Atty. Gen. Sean Reyes announced that the State of Utah filed a lawsuit against Purdue Pharma for violating state law, including the Utah Consumer Sales Practices Act (CSPA), involving the company's prescription opioids, including OxyConti... |
| Register Now: Golden Spoke rides & event The Wasatch Front Regional Council (WFRC), in partnership with numerous organizations, invites Utahns to celebrate the completion of the Golden Spoke network on Saturday, June 2. The Golden Spoke consists of over 100 miles of safe, separated, and connected multi-use tra... |
| Press release: Hatch says tariffs will have 'damaging consequences Washington, DC- Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), the President Pro Tempore of the United States Senate and Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement after the Trump administration announced new tariffs on imports o... |
| Press release: Increases in wages reach record level in May Record high levels of small business owners are reporting increased employee compensation and hiring numbers continue to grow, according to NFIB's monthly Jobs Report, released Thursday. A seasonally adjusted net 35 percent of small business owners reported in... |
 | Poll shows Utahns are divided by LDS Church opposition to medical marijuana ballot initiative Utahns are split over whether an LDS Church legal analysis criticizing the medical marijuana initiative leads them more to support the initiative, or turns them away from it, a new UtahPolicy.com poll shows. ... |
 | Did you know I'm a doctor? - Bernick and Schott on politics Ep. 376 Count My Vote fails to make the November ballot, but voters will decide the fate of medical marijuana, redistricting and Medicaid expansion.... |
 | Former Kennedy campaign staffer says he was harassed online after quitting A former staffer for Republican Mike Kennedy's campaign says he was subjected to online harassment after he left to take another job in California.... |
 | Report finds Utah Medicaid costs among nation's lowest In 2016, Medicaid spending in Utah averaged $703 per capita less than any other state.... |
 | Facebook to build 970,000 square foot data center in Eagle Mountain Eagle Mountain City, together with the Governor's Office of Economic Development and the Economic Development Corporation of Utah announced Facebook will begin construction of a 970,000 square foot data center at the Sweetwater Industrial Park in Eagle Mountain, Utah.... |
 | Podcast: Bernick and Schott on politics Ep. 376 Bob Bernick and Bryan Schott discuss the latest news in Utah politics.... |
 | Flake says he won't support Utahn nominated to head up State Department refugee program Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake says he will not support Utahn Ron Mortensen who was nominated by President Trump to head up the State Department program that oversees refugees. ... |
Policy News
| Casual Friday: Weekend Events & Outdoors Report Weekend EventsOutdoors Report--Salt Lake Tribune:Going camping in southwest Utah this weekend? Read this before starting a fire.--Salt Lake Tribune: 'It's just going to be loved to death': Summer season starts at Utah's national parks with large crowds, limited parking - and... |
 | WTC Utah invites you to learn about the future of business in the Korean region Join World Trade Center Utah and the Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy in welcoming representatives from the U.S. Department of State, the Embassy of the Region of Korea, and the Korea Economic Institute who will speak to the economic, political, security, and financial iss... |
Local Headlines
Salt Lake Tribune
Editorial: Romney is right to call out bigotry when he sees it. And he sees it.
Deseret News
Jay Evensen: Forget Washington; pay attention to state school board races
Editorial: Promoting international religious freedom is sound U.S. diplomacy
Utah sues maker of OxyContin, alleges lying about effects of painkillers
GOP Utah County sheriff candidate files complaint against Republican opponent
South Salt Lake approves permit for delayed homeless shelter
Utah emissions study: A blueprint for global urban centers?
Creating a pathway to career and economic prosperity
National Headlines
GOP hopes of holding Senate rise after Arizona deadline (Politico)
Democrats struggle with midterm message on impeachment (Politico)
Battle For The House: GOP Signs Of Hope, With History On Democrats' Side (NPR)
MSNBC stays silent as Joy Reid comes under more scrutiny (Politico)
Exploiting nonexistent 'lost children' in a bid to win an election (Washington Times)
Samantha Bee Apologizes for a Slur Against Ivanka Trump (New York Times)
White House: Democrat's ad comparing Trump to bin Laden 'reprehensible' (Politico)
Mueller Runs Up $16 Million Tab in Trump-Russia Investigation (Bloomberg)
Trump announces pardon of conservative commentator Dinesh D'Souza (CBS News)
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy Blasts Google for Linking California GOP to Nazism (Fortune)
Wise Words
LIFE
"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving." Albert Einstein
Lighter Side
NFL
"In an interview on "Fox & Friends," President Trump said that NFL players who kneel for the anthem "shouldn't be playing." "Um, actually no one should be," said doctors." Seth Meyers
