| SLPD erases expungement backlog of 74,000 criminal records; 25th anniversary of Salt Lake City tornado; & Paris closes out the 2024 Olympics .png?width=1200&upscale=true&name=Utah_Policy_Logo_Email_Full%20(1).png) | 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 editor@utahpolicy.com. If you're a candidate in 2024 and want to advertise on UtahPolicy.com, contact Suzanne Benitez. | | |
Situational Analysis | Aug. 12, 2024 It's Monday and World Elephant Day! ð Happy birthday to Rep. Andrew Stoddard over the weekend! ð ð ð What you need to know - Fentanyl is now the most significant drug threat, impacting all areas of our state. Availability and demand have flooded the region, reaching all classes of our society, it's cheap and it's highly addictive. It can also be deadly. According to the DEA, 7 out of every 10 fentanyl pills contain a lethal dose. Some of Utah's rural counties are being hit hard. Utah's overall death rate is 18.3/100,000 people, In Carbon, Grand and Emery counties, it's 42.7/100,000.
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.jpg?width=1200&upscale=true&name=12824-8_PLPCO_DesNews_Photo%20(1).jpg) | Stand for Our Land Recently, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has significantly restricted access to Utah public lands and continues to restrict access. We need you to get involved. Learn how your access is being affected and voice your concerns to the BLM. Your input will help shape the future of Utah. | | |
Utah Headlines Political news - âSitting empty': Vast expanse of federal land eyed for new housing; bills introduced by Rep. John Curtis, Sen. Mike Lee (Politico)
- Moab OKs new property tax; 4 school districts proposing some of the largest hikes (KSL)
Election news - Utah Supreme Court greets Colby Jenkinsâ ballot postmark arguments with skepticism (KUER)
Utah - He lost the use of his legs, now heâs a 2-time national champion (Deseret News)
- New report shows 40% of California households moving to Utah have $100,000+ income (Deseret News)
- Layton man drowns rescuing son at Willard Bay State Park, amid stormy weather (KSL)
- Utah Treasure Hunt found by father-and-son duo (ABC4)
Olympics - Failure: The Olympics âinspire enormous amounts of itâ (Deseret News)
- Derek Miller: 2034 Olympics are a catalyst for opportunity and unity (Deseret News)
- How runners with ties to Utah fared in the menâs marathon at the Olympics (Deseret News)
- Why BYU Olympic marathoners stayed at finish line to give other runners âwhat I would have wanted to hearâ (Salt Lake Tribune)
- Love, marriage and running: How these Olympic athletes' families juggle the demands of being elite (Deseret News)
- Medal in hand, Herriman's 'Spiff' Sedrick focusing on LA 2028 and growing rugby back home (KSL)
- Tom Cruise performs crazy stunt jump from stadium roof during Olympics closing ceremony (KSL TV)
- USA Gymnastics says video proves Chiles should keep bronze (Reuters)
- From mud brick home to Olympic podium, Arshad Nadeem is unlikely Pakistani hero (Reuters)
- Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif filed a legal complaint for online harassment against her (AP)
Business/Tech - Can the new owner of a retail brand renege on a promise of never expiring gift cards? (KSL)
Culture - Opinion: What does the word âdinosaurâ mean to you? To me, itâs awe-inspiring (Deseret News)
Education - BYU plans to establish a medical school. What will that entail? (Deseret News)
- Back to school: Classroom temperature a hot topic (Deseret News)
- Parents prepare as start of school year quickly approaches (KUTV)
- Meet Utahâs superintendent of the year (Deseret News)
- Taking back-to-school photos of your kids? Avoid these things, BBB warns (ABC4)
- With Utah students and teachers going back to school, drivers reminded to exercise caution (St. George News)
- US colleges are cutting majors and slashing programs after years of putting it off (AP)
- Here are the 3 reasons a book can be banned from every public school in Utah (Salt Lake Tribune)
Environment - Opinion: We all pay a high price for refusing to modernize our power grid (Deseret News)
- The ancient âDouble Archâ collapsed in Glen Canyon (Deseret News)
- How a pipeline project will help keep the water flowing in the event of the 'Big One' (Deseret News)
- Color of contamination: Why Bear Lake could lose its trademark turquoise-blue waters (Salt Lake Tribune)
Family - Do teens feel emotionally, socially supported? Survey finds gaps (Deseret News)
Health - Mental health professionals in Utah react to 'Inside Out 2' (KSL)
- Nonprofit helps veterans heal through art and nature (KSL TV)
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National Headlines General - Susan Wojcicki, former YouTube CEO and longtime Google executive, has died at 56 (AP)
- Nurse began working at hospital during WWII and hasnât stopped. Sheâs 97. (Washington Post)
- Bank of America CEO says research team âdoes not have any recession predicted anymoreâ (The Hill)
Political news - Americans are scared ⦠about different things. Could that somehow help us unite? (Deseret News)
- Richard Nixonâs spiritual struggle â and what it means for us today (Deseret News)
- The US government wants to make it easier for you to click the âunsubscribeâ button (AP)
- Defense secretary orders submarine to Middle East ahead of anticipated Iran attack (KSL TV)
Election news - Kamala Harris is riding a wave. How long will it last? (Deseret News)
- 4 candidates, 4 religions (Deseret News)
- From protesters to speakers: Hereâs who is expected to be at the Democratic National Convention (Deseret News)
- JD Vance backs presidential decision-making on Fed policies (Reuters)
- Donald Trumpâs campaign says its emails were hacked (AP)
- 162 lies and distortions in a news conference. NPR fact-checks former President Trump (NPR)
- Trump falsely accuses Harris campaign of fabricated AI crowd photos (Washington Post)
- Trump's attacks on Georgia's GOP governor stand to benefit Harris (Wall Street Journal)
Ukraine ðºð¦ - Ukraine appears to expand Russia incursion, in morale boost for Kyiv (Washington Post)
- Russia sets Ukrainian nuclear power plant on fire, says Zelenskyy (Politico)
Israel and Gaza - Israel orders more Gaza evacuations after school shelter attack kills scores (Reuters)
- Hezbollah is undeterred as Lebanon braces for war with Israel (Washington Post)
World news - Cause of fatal Brazil plane crash remains unknown (Reuters)
- People flee wildfire near Athens as it spreads 'like lightning' (Reuters)
- The world's oldest solar calendar may have been unearthed in Turkey (NPR)
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Number of the Day 
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 | Guest opinion: Ballot processes make sure Goliath beats David by Casey Gale In the wake of the recent Utah Supreme Court ruling, thereâs chatter about hiking the signature threshold for ballot initiatives to an alarming levelâthink 400,000 signatures instead of the current 134,600. The idea, they say, is to prevent jungle primaries or fend off laws that might favor Democrats, who are outnumbered in Utah. But behind this push, we must remember the First Amendment, that chestnut which guarantees our right to petition the government when it inevitably gets too big for its britches. This right wasnât added to the Constitution as an afterthought. It was forged in the fire of a revolution against a king who ignored the people. Our founders understood the dangers of a government that turns a deaf ear, which is why they made sure weâd have a way to demand its attention. Of course, direct democracy isnât without its pitfalls. Ballot initiatives, especially those backed by deep-pocketed interest groups, can turn into a case of Goliath whacking David with a golden club while poor David struggles to even find a sling. Skipping the deliberative process of our representative republic can lead to policies that are about as thought-out as a last-minute term paper. If the legislature is going to address this, they must also fix the disparity in signature requirements for candidate nomination petitions. As it stands, you need 28,000 signatures for a candidate but 134,600 for an initiative. Whereâs the fairness in that? Raising the threshold for ballot initiatives would be a blow to grassroots movements seeking reprieve. In the end, we need to strike a balance between safeguarding our republic, and providing a way for organic grassroots efforts to seek relief when the legislature tunes them out. These issues are two sides of the same coin, and addressing one without the other could make things worse. (Read More)
News Releases Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute: 3 new reports on Utahâs population Starting in August 2024, the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute will release a monthly update highlighting several demographic research products detailing Utahâs growing, aging, and diversifying population. This month, the Gardner Institute released three reports analyzing aspects of Utahâs population. They were: (Read More) | | |
Tweet of the Day  | | |
Upcoming - August 14 â Hatch Foundation "Titan of Public Service" recognizing Sen. John Thune, Grand America, Register here
- August 20-21 â Interim Days
- September 17-18 â Interim Days
- October 4 â Conservative Climate Summit, 7:30 am - 3:00 pm, UVU, Register here
- October 4 â Hatch Foundation hosts Civil Dialogue Symposium with Dana Perino, 2:00 pm, USU, Register here
- October 7-9 â One Utah Summit, SUU, Register here
- October 15-16 â Interim Day
- November 15 â Women & Business Conference & ATHENA Awards Luncheon with the Salt Lake Chamber, Grand America Hotel, Register here
- November 19-20 â Interim Days
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On This Day In History - 30 BC - Cleopatra dies
- 1851 - Isaac Singerâs first patent for a commercial sewing machine is granted.
- 1898 - Hawaii is formally annexed to the US
- 1908 - Henry Fordâs company builds the first Model T car
- 1922 - Frederick Douglassâ home in Washington, D.C. is dedicated as a national shrine.
- 1939 - âThe Wizard of Ozâ movie premieres.
- 1955 - US President Eisenhower raises minimum wage from 75 cents to $1 an hour
- 1972 - Wendy Rue founds the National Association for Female Executives (NAFE), the largest businesswomenâs organization in the United States.
- 1981 - The personal computer (PC) comes to market for the first time when IBM releases its Model 5150.
- 1990 - Sue Hendrickson discovers Tyrannosaurus rex remains in South Dakota. One of the most complete skeletons in the world, it was named Sue in honor of Hendrickson.
- 1994 - Professional baseball players strike, bringing Major League Baseballâs season to an end. The World Series is canceled.
- 2014 - Hollywood icon Lauren Bacall dies at age 89.
- 2021 - Britney Spear's father says he will step down as her conservator after the singer called his conservatorship abusive, amid a #FreeBritney campaign
Quote of the Day "One thing I am convinced of is that the more you do, the more you can do."
âLauren Bacall
On the Punny Side Just got hospitalized due to a peekaboo accident. They put me in the ICU. | | |
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