Subscribe to the Utah Talks Climate Podcast

Each episode, Utah Clean Energy brings together leaders from all political stripes, backgrounds and beliefs to get their unique perspectives on the impacts and solutions to climate change. Latest episode: Finding common ground on climate change with Becky Edwards 

Utah Headlines

General

•  Antisemitism has been on the rise for several years. Kanye just made it viral (Deseret News)
• IOC leaders set to hear ‘very precise report’ on 2030 Winter Games bidders. Here’s why their pick might still be months away (Deseret News)
• Trial begins in civil suit filed for accidental beheading death at Arches (KSL)
• How mental health staffing shortages are delaying justice in Utah’s courts (KSL TV)
• The gift you shouldn’t give car burglars this holiday season (KSL TV)
• Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office trainer sexually assaulted recruit at police academy, lawsuit alleges. The trainer resigned amid an internal affairs investigation into this and at least one other cadet’s accusations of sexual abuse. (Salt Lake Tribune)

Politics

• Don’t throw snowballs and other weird Utah laws (ABC4)
• What do Utahns think about President Biden’s handling of the economy? (Deseret News)
• Utah lieutenant governor joins other state leaders in support of Indian Child Welfare Act (KSL)
• By suggesting 'termination' of Constitution, Romney says Trump has gone from MAGA to RINO (Deseret News)
• Company appeals state rejection of Utah Lake islands project (Fox13)
• Cache County Clerk/Auditor to go part-time (UPR)
• Election results finalized, now a discussion on redistricted maps (Hinckley Report)

Business

• Utahns fundraise to save local restaurant Hell’s Backbone Grill and Farm from closing (ABC4)
• Facebook's own oversight board slams its special program for VIPs (UPR)

Culture

•  Here are 12 religious holidays believers celebrate in December (Deseret News)
• Salt Lake City named Utah’s "most sinful city" (ABC4)
• Historically Black Utah church opens its doors to other cultures, becomes ‘a picture of heaven.' The Point congregation in Kearns is celebrating its 100th year. (Salt Lake Tribune)

Education

•  BYU game developers recognized with international award for video game (ABC4)
• National search begins for new USU president (Herald Journal)
• Utah Tech University earns national award for compliance innovation (St. George News)
• Midvale students are afterschool quilting for the Homeless Memorial Blanket Project (KUER)
• Many kids are struggling with mental health. Is special education the answer? (AP)

Environment

•  Utah's recent storms have already led to dozens of avalanches. Here's how to stay safe (KSL)
• New documentary looks at nuclear fallout hitting southern Utah and beyond. ‘Downwind’ is one of 34 movies selected for the Slamdance Film Festival, playing in January in Park City and Salt Lake City. (Salt Lake Tribune)
• DNR: Utah Watershed Restoration Initiative restores over 164K acres (Herald Journal)
• Environmental group says the BLM's methane flaring limit could go further (UPR)
• USU's Institute of Land, Water and Air presents latest research (UPR)

Family

•  How to navigate the dangers of dating app predators: Balancing trust and vulnerability with safety and security (Deseret News)
• Utah financial counselor breaks down managing emergency funds in case of unexpected layoff (KUTV)
• One big happy family: Aimee Winder Newton is Utah's new director of the Office of Families (UTPOL Underground)

Health

•  Poll: More than a third of Utahns are changing their holiday behavior because of COVID-19. Here’s why virus is still a ‘big deal’ for some (Deseret News)
• COVID hospitalizations climb; what’s the outlook for Christmas? (Deseret News)
• Utah has the 6th highest rate of seasonal depression in America (Cache Valley Daily)

Housing

•  'Project Warming Hands' aims to help Ogden homeless shelter with critical donations (Fox13)
• Homelessness is not easy to cure, but there are things we can do. The only real cure for homelessness is to build more housing. (Salt Lake Tribune)

National Headlines

General

• What the U.S. can learn from a recession in Britain. Britain’s recession may bottom out lower than projected. Here’s why we should care (Deseret News)
• North Carolina blackouts caused by shootings could last days (AP)
• Lawyer Michael Avenatti, who rose to fame representing porn star Stormy Daniels against Donald Trump, was sentenced in California on Monday to 14 years in prison for cheating clients out of millions of dollars. (AP)
• A new writer tweeted about a low book signing turnout—and famous authors commiserated (NPR)
• Ukrainians sing 'Carol of the Bells' at Carnegie Hall, 100 years after its U.S. debut (NPR)
• As fatal police shootings increase, more go unreported. Flawed FBI data has left thousands of deaths uncounted and complicates efforts to hold troubled police departments accountable (Washington Post)

Politics

• Arizona certifies election results amid GOP opposition (Deseret News)
• Will the Supreme Court rule for a web designer who won’t work on same-sex weddings? (Deseret News)
• Supreme Court considers limiting judicial scrutiny in U.S. elections (Reuters)
• How the ‘independent legislature’ case before SCOTUS could upend elections (Politico)
• Trump digs deeper hole with Constitution comments (The Hill)
• Alito jokes about Black kids in KKK outfits during Supreme Court argument (The Hill)
• 5 key places to watch in Georgia's Senate runoff (Politico)
• GOP senators tune out House conservatives' impeachment calls (Politico)

Ukraine 🇺🇦 

• Nicholas D. Kristof: Ukrainian women fight for their own liberation. There are almost 60,000 women in the Ukrainian armed forces. "We need to defend our children," a female soldier said. "If not us, who?" (New York Times)
• Ukraine leader defiant as drone strikes hit Russia again (AP)
• Ukraine appears to expose Russian air defence gaps with long-range strikes (Reuters)
• In an ongoing race, Ukraine tries to repair faster than Russia bombs (NPR)

World News

•  First all-female referee team makes history at the World Cup (Deseret News)
• Rebels killed hundreds of villagers in Democratic Republic of Congo, officials say (Washington Post)
• Across vast Muslim world, LGBTQ people remain marginalized (AP)
• US says it will expand, extend temporary status for Haitians (AP)
• In Sweeping Legal Overhaul, Indonesia Outlaws Sex Outside Marriage
  Parliament also approved a law that criminalizes criticism of the government (New York Times)

News Releases

Low unemployment and stable consumer confidence continue to power Utah’s economy

The Salt Lake Chamber’s Roadmap to Prosperity Coalition, in partnership with the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, has updated the Economic Dashboard for November to help business leaders see where Utah’s economy stands. This tool provides data on the state’s economic outlook and actionable context for decision-makers.

“Utah’s consumer sentiment showed a modest rebound heading into the holiday season; however, inflation remains a persistent factor in spending,” said Derek Miller, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber. “A low unemployment rate remains a bright spot as labor force participation is strong, and those seeking jobs are able to find work. Our state remains stable and lacks the volatility others are facing from the rapid monetary tightening pursued by the federal reserve to lower inflation by slowing demand.” (Read More)

Veterans invite community to participate in multi-cultural drum event “To Beat-Out Suicide”

December 21^st is the Winter Solstice: the longest night of the year. Sadly, it is also a peak time for suicide.

Central Utah Veterans want to do something good about this. Thanks to the leadership of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Max De St Jeor post 8376 and the Provo Towne Centre in Provo, we invite everyone to bring out their drums, pans, and buckets and participate in a life altering suicide prevention happening.

December 21, 2022  12 noon to 9 p.m., Provo Towne Centre, Town Centre Blvd. Provo, UT (Read More)

Utah Log Cabin Republicans oppose proposed 2023 Salt Lake County budget

The Utah Log Cabin Republicans encourages the Salt Lake County Council to oppose the Salt Lake County Mayor’s proposed 2023 budget for the following reasons: a huge increase in budget, duplicate deputy mayors, and the proposed contribution to the Utah AIDS Foundation. (Read More)

Number of the Day

Tweet of the Day

Upcoming

• Utah Health Policy Project annual conference, Dec. 7, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm, Utah Cultural Celebration Center, Register here
• Utah Economic Outlook and Public Policy Summit with the Salt Lake Chamber — Jan. 12, 2023, Salt Lake City Marriott, 8 am - noon, Register here
• Legislative session begins, Jan. 17, 2023, le.utah.gov

On This Day In History

• 343 - The traditional date for the death of Saint Nicholas

• 1865 - The 13th Amendment is ratified. “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.”

• 1877 - Founded by Stilson Hutchins, The Washington Post published its first issue.

• 1884 - The Washington Monument is completed

• 1889 - Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States of America (1861-65), dies at 81

• 1917 - The Great Halifax explosion, the most devastating manmade explosion in the pre-atomic age occurs as a French munition ship blows up, killing more than 1800, wounding 9000.

• 1923 - First US Presidential address broadcast on radio by President Calvin Coolidge

• 1927 - Patsy Mink is born. She became the first Japanese-American Congresswoman (D-HI), she wrote the Women’s Educational Equity Act and played a key role in the enactment of Title IX, which was renamed posthumously as the “Patsy Takemoto Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act”

• 1941 - FDR, convinced on the basis of intelligence reports that the Japanese fleet is headed for Thailand, not the United States—telegrams Emperor Hirohito with the request that the emperor intervene “to prevent further death and destruction in the world.”

• 1964 - "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" first airs on TV

• 1973 - Gerald Ford is sworn-in as the first unelected Vice President, succeeding Spiro Agnew who resigned over corruption allegations
• 1975 - Mia Love is born.
• 2017 - Time Magazine names their Person of the Year "The Silence Breakers", people who came forward to report sexual misconduct #MeToo
• 2017 - US President Donald Trump officially recognizes Jerusalem as Israel's capital, announcing plans to move US embassy there
  

Wise Words

"The America I know is great - not because government made it great but because ordinary citizens like me, like my father and like you are given the opportunity every day to do extraordinary things."

—Mia Love

On the Punny Side

I just got over my addiction to chocolate, marshmallows and nuts.

I won't lie, it was a Rocky Road.

– Advertise With Us –

Subscribers may receive special messages with information about new features, special offers, or public policy messages from clients and advertisers.