| Park City's Haley Batten captures 1st US silver medal in Olympic mountain biking; Biden unveils plan for Supreme Court changes .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 | July 29, 2024 It's Monday and National Lasagna Day. What you need to know - Gov. Spencer Cox calls out âblatant mockeryâ of the Last Supper in Paris Olympics opening ceremonies, but Thomas Jolly, the artistic director for the ceremony, told French news channel BFM TV on Sunday that the inspiration for that scene was the Greek god Dionysus. âThe idea was to do a big pagan party linked to the gods of Olympus,â he said. Still, the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee issued a statement saying that "if anyone was offended by certain scenes, this was completely unintentional and they were sorry."
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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 - The day before flag-burning protest, Rep. John Curtis introduces bill to raise U.S. flag on mountain top (Deseret News)
- Utahâs oldest conservative think tank releases new guiding document to anchor elected officials and voters to âfaith, family and freedomâ (Deseret News)
- Why Utah might be well-positioned to counter hyperpartisanship (Deseret News)
- Utahâs governor calls out âblatant mockeryâ of Last Supper in Paris Olympics opening ceremonies (Deseret News)
Election news - After Utah Supreme Court ruling on citizen initiatives, a group seeks to upend state politics (Fox13)
Utah - 50 years later, a reunion between the boy who died and the man who brought him back (Deseret News)
- New commander looks to future of Tooele Army Depot (KSL)
- Maraboots: Frontier woman pioneers trail between 2 Southern Utah cultures (St. George News)
Olympics - Opening ceremonies: How spectators played an important role in the launch of the 2024 Summer Games (Deseret News)
- The French loved the Paris Gamesâ opening ceremonies, poll shows (Deseret News)
- Simone Biles and company brought out the stars (Deseret News)
- Haley Batten of Park City makes U.S. Olympic history (Deseret News)
- France investigates death threats against Israeli Olympic athletes (KSL)
- Triathlon swimming training cancelled for second day over Seine water quality and current (Reuters)
- U.S. fencers Kiefer and Scruggs take gold and silver in women's individual foil (NPR)
- Why is a convicted child rapist at the Olympics? No answer is sufficient. (Washington Post)
- Itâs Called the Place of Skulls. Itâs the Most Terrifying Venue in Olympic History. (Wall Street Journal)
- After covering Utah's Olympic dreams for more than 30 years, here's what I've learned (Deseret News)
- Top IOC official has confidence Utah, U.S. Olympic officials can resolve doping issue (Deseret News)
- Lindsey Vonn plans to make Salt Lake Cityâs 2034 Olympics better for athletesâ families (KUER/AP)
- Utah County leaders look to leverage opportunities for events, venues ahead of Olympics (Daily Herald)
Crime/Courts - Board denies Utah manâs request for clemency; execution to move forward (Deseret News)
- Former Utah mayor and business associate facing felony charges in cryptocurrency scheme (Salt Lake Tribune)
Culture - Disneylandâs Haunted Mansion set to reopen ahead of the holiday season (Deseret News)
- Believing painters describe sacred art as a stillness practice (Deseret News)
Education - Amid all the turmoil, the Aggies' athletic director believes in USU football (Deseret News)
- What new Granite Superintendent Ben Horsley says you can expect from him (KUER)
- Salt Lake City schools spent $2M on weapons detectors. Now theyâre not sure how to staff them. (Salt Lake Tribune)
Environment - Thousands battle Western wildfires as smoke puts millions under air quality alerts (KSL TV)
- Utah received money to study the harmful effects of Great Salt Lake dust. It just hasnât spent it. (KSL Newsradio)
- Great Salt Lake is a major source of greenhouse gases, study says (Standard-Examiner)
Family - The troubling rise of the 'marriage desert' (Deseret News)
- New Utah nonprofit wants teens to ditch smartphones for a year (KSL)
- A new museum specializes in Black genealogy. Hereâs what I found out about myself. Charlestonâs International African American Museum, which received $2 million from the LDS Church, helps visitors fill in the blanks of their familyâs pasts. (New York Times)
Health - Primary Childrenâs Gene Kids: New initiative hopes to diagnose more children (Deseret News)
Housing - Opinion: Extend kindness â and cold water â to our homeless neighbors this summer. I know firsthand how much it means. (Salt Lake Tribune)
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National Headlines General - Meet âthe popeâs astronomerâ â an MIT-educated American who believes science needs religion (Deseret News)
- See the stunning images NASA just released of never-before-seen galaxies (Deseret News)
Political news - Joe Biden: My plan to reform the Supreme Court and ensure no president is above the law (Washington Post)
- Who were the press secretaries from the Trump and Biden eras? And what are they up to now? (Deseret News)
- Political parties should act in the interest of the whole party, not few
No one person is indispensable. (Deseret News)
Election news - The RNC speaker who wasnât there to endorse Trump (Deseret News)
- âIâm not going to be nice.â Trump rejects calls to turn down temperature (Deseret News)
- Trump tells Christians they won't have to vote after this election (Reuters)
- Trump and Vance team up to campaign in Minnesota, a state that hasnât backed the GOP in 52 years (AP)
- Harris raised $200 million in first week of White House campaign and signed up 170,000 volunteers (AP)
- With Vanceâs rocky debut, Republicans ask if Trumpâs VP bet will pay off (Washington Post)
- America's new political war pits young men against young women (Wall Street Journal)
- Harris erases Trumpâs lead, WSJ poll finds (Wall Street Journal)
- Fox News host Trey Gowdy challenges JD Vance on âchildless cat ladyâ remarks (The Hill)
- The election has been totally upended. Hereâs what the polls show. (Politico)
Ukraine ðºð¦ - Thousands in Ukraine honor soldiers killed in blast two years ago and urge government to get prisoners freed (AP)
Israel and Gaza - Israel strikes deep in Lebanon after rocket attack, stoking fear of wider war (Washington Post)
World news - Government, opposition both claim Venezuela election win, official results questioned (Reuters)
- Warring parties in Sudan accused of carrying out wave of rapes (Washington Post)
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Number of the Day 
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 | News Releases Gov. Spencer Cox appoints Judge Rita Cornish to new Business and Chancery Court Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox has appointed Judge Rita Cornish to become the first judge in the new Business and Chancery Court. The Business and Chancery court was created by the Legislature in 2023 House Bill 216. It is a specialized court with jurisdiction over complex commercial litigation disputes. This appointment must be confirmed by the Senate. (Read More)
Gov. Spencer Cox appoints Shawn Howell to the Fourth District Court Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox has appointed Shawn Howell to the Fourth District Court, filling a vacancy created by Judge Robert Lundâs departure. Judicial appointments are subject to confirmation by the Utah Senate. (Read More)
Utah Senate requests public comment on Chancery Court & 4th District Court nominees The Utah Senate Judicial Confirmation Committee is seeking public comment on Shawn Howell, whom Gov. Spencer J. Cox nominated to serve as a judge in the 4th District Court and on Judge Rita Cornish to serve as the first judge in the new Business and Chancery Court. Those who desire to comment should contact the Utah Senate Judicial Confirmation Committee electronically or by mail at the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel by 5:00 p.m. Friday, August 9, 2024. Electronic comments can be emailed to senatejudicialnominees@le.utah.gov. Written comments can be mailed to the Utah Senate Judicial Confirmation Committee at the Utah State Capitol, Suite W210, PO Box 145210, Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-5210. All statements should include the respondentâs name, telephone number and mailing address. (Read More) | | |
Tweet of the Day 
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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 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 19-20 â Interim Days
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On This Day In History - 1833 - William Wilberforce, English abolitionist, dies at 73
- 1885 - The first National Convention of Black Women is held in Boston
- 1905 - Mary Roebling is born. She became the first woman president of a major bank (1937), first woman governor of the American Stock Exchange (1958-1962), and helped establish the first nationally-chartered bank founded by women (1978).
- 1907 - Sir Robert Baden-Powell forms the Boy Scouts in England
- 1921 - Adolf Hitler becomes the leader of the National Socialist German Workers (Nazi) Party.
- 1932 - Nancy Kassebaum Baker is born. She became the first female US Senator from Kansas, serving from 1978-1997.
- 1936 - Elizabeth H. Dole is born. A US Senator from North Carolina (2003-2009), she was the first woman to serve as U.S. Secretary of Transportation (1983-1987), and also served as U.S. Secretary of Labor (1989-1990), becoming the first woman to hold two different cabinet positions under two different presidents. She was also president of the American Red Cross (1991-1999).
- 1954 - âFellowship of the Ringâ first published.
- 1958 - NASA is founded.
- 1974 - The Philadelphia Eleven are ordained as the first female priests in the Episcopal Church.
- 1975 - Ford became 1st US President to visit Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz
- 1981 - Prince Charles married Lady Diana - yes, I watched
- 1987 - Ben & Jerry's and Jerry Garcia agree on a new flavor: Cherry Garcia
Quote of the Day âI wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.
"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.â
â J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
On the Punny Side This morning I tripped over a box of Kleenex and thought I injured myself. Turns out it was just tissue damage. | | |
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