Situational Analysis | April 12, 2022

Today is Tuesday and National Big Wind Day. Seems appropriate after yesterday's weather.

Also, if you have a hankerin' for doughnuts, Krispy Kreme will sell a dozen original glazed doughnuts for the price of a gallon of regular gas every Wednesday through May 4,

Be in the Know

1. Just awful news from Mariupol. The mayor, Vadym Boychenko, said that more than 10,000 civilians have been killed and the number could be twice that many. That's like the city of Alpine (10,500) or the city of North Salt Lake (20,700) just wiped out. The mayor told the Associated Press that bodies were "carpeted through the streets" and that is why humanitarian convoys have not been allowed in the city: Russian invaders do not want the West to see (more) evidence of their war crimes. There are now reports that Russia used chemical weapons on Mariupol. The Russian general who was just appointed to lead Moscow's war on Ukraine is the brutal man who earned the nickname "the butcher of Syria." Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said General Dvornikov has a history of "utter disregard" for avoiding harm to civilians as well as the laws of war.

2. The US Labor Department said today that the consumer price index jumped 8.5% in March from a year ago, the biggest year-over-year increase since December 1981. Prices have been driven up by bottlenecked supply chains, robust consumer demand and disruptions to global food and energy markets worsened by Russia’s war against Ukraine. The government’s report also showed that inflation rose 1.2% from February to March, up from a 0.8% increase from January to February. The March inflation numbers were the first to capture the full surge in gasoline prices that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.

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Utah Headlines

General

• Why Salt Lake City is saying no — for now — to more homeless shelters. Leaders want to find a way to spread them out more equitably and, frankly, to see other Utah cities step up and do more to help. (Salt Lake Tribune)
• Brothers struck, killed during Utah bike race were ‘inseparable’; driver charged with DUI, auto homicide. Adam and Matthew Bullard were stopped on the side of a road when they were both hit. (Salt Lake Tribune)
• Salmonella found in ground beef products in Utah (ABC4)
• Plans advancing for Utah Capitol Hill museum, security upgrades (Fox13)
• 'What Were You Wearing' exhibit at Dixie State kicks off Sexual Assault Awareness month (The Spectrum)
• University of Utah report paints a picture of homelessness along the Jordan River (KUER)
• Kanab is caught between a housing crunch and a tourist boom (KUER)
• Charlee Disney, the child of Roy P. Disney and Sheri Disney, publicly came out as transgender following the company’s lukewarm response to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law, which is set to take effect July 1. (The Hill)

Politics

• Theresa Dear: An open letter to Mitt Romney. You were the only Republican male senator to vote to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court. African Americans will remember, as will history (Deseret News)
• Drama at the Utah GOP caucus over Utah County attorney (ABC4)
• Ben Shelton: How Utah lawmakers made it easier to live and work in the state (Deseret News)
• Former President Trump broke the law in trying to overturn election, Liz Cheney says (Deseret News)
• What Utah Gov. Spencer Cox says in response to Tucker Carlson’s rant (Deseret News)
• Sen. Romney suggests cutting young peoples’ retirement benefits (ABC4)
• The IUP Panel on the SCOTUS nomination process and the race for U.S. Senate (ABC4)
• Presumptive Democratic candidate Kael Weston no stranger to war (Cache Valley Daily)
• Politics of Supreme Court nominations (Hinckley Report)
• Utah GOP chairman suggests Gov. Spencer Cox’s ‘woke ideology’ is causing ‘buyers remorse’ among Republicans (Salt Lake Tribune)

Education

• ‘The Black Menaces’ talk to BYU students about race and more (ABC4)
• Outgoing state education president discusses new laws (KPCW)
• Burgess Owens: A conservative approach to early childhood education: Building on the foundations of success & boosting academic achievement through choice (Harvard Law School Journal on Legislation)

Environment

• Utah reservoirs facing dire consequences with low water levels (Fox13)
• Chile announces unprecedented water rationing plan as drought enters 13th year (Reuters)
• Cash Mendenhall: Carbon fee and dividend are strong tools to fight climate change (Salt Lake Tribune)

Family

• Local author discusses his family’s role in settling in America and migrating to Utah (ABC4)
• A shortage of baby formula is worsening and causing some stores to limit sales (NPR)

Utah/Ukraine Connection

• Why Americans are about to face ‘enormous’ economic repercussions from the Russia-Ukraine war (Deseret News)

COVID Corner

• Utah ranks No. 1 for state pandemic response: New study (ABC4)
• Utah officials using wastewater to catch COVID-19 in communities (KUTV)
• The East Coast is seeing a jump in COVID-19 cases. Is Utah next? (Deseret News)
• Philadelphia to restore indoor mask mandate as cases rise (AP)

National Headlines

General

• Britney Spears announces she's pregnant on Instagram (NPR)
• Finland, Sweden set to join NATO as soon as summer, The Times reports (Reuters)

Politics

• Democrat Finkenauer knocked off US Senate primary ballot (AP)
• Biden aims at ‘ghost gun’ violence with new federal rule (AP)
• Former Va. officer convicted on all counts in the 2nd Jan. 6 jury trial (Washington Post)
• Gosar, far-right incumbent, faces G.O.P. challengers in Arizona. Casting themselves as alternatives to a polarizing lawmaker, these candidates could reveal a window into the Republican electorate. (New York Times)
• House appropriators plan June markups on fiscal 2023 bills. Subcommittees could hold markups around mid-June and the full committee could follow toward the end of the month (Roll Call)
• Trump’s Oz endorsement in Pennsylvania vexes GOP allies (The Hill)
• Herschel Walker says he’s ‘accountable’ for violent behavior toward ex-wife (The Hill)

Ukraine

• The AP Interview: Zelenskyy seeks peace despite atrocities (AP)
• UN: Nearly two-thirds of Ukraine’s children have fled homes (KSL TV)
• Day 47: Exhumed bodies on outskirts of Kyiv (AP Photos)
• Ukraine girds for Russian offensive in the east (Reuters)
• Ukraine’s Zelenskyy calls for more military aid as a chemical weapons attack is alleged (Wall Street Journal)
• Hubris and isolation led Vladimir Putin to misjudge Ukraine (Washington Post)
• Austrian chancellor says trip to see Putin was ‘not a friendly visit’ (Politico)
• Slovakia in talks over possible transfer of MiG jets to Ukraine (Politico)
• Putin ‘purges’ 150 FSB agents in response to Russia’s botched war with Ukraine (Times UK)

News Releases

Gov. Cox and Lt. Gov. Henderson to hold ceremonial signing of law enforcement and mental health bills

The commitment to implement fair laws and to provide mental health resources for state residents is a priority of the Cox-Henderson administration as outlined in the One Utah Roadmap. Gov. Cox and Lt. Gov. Henderson will hold a ceremonial signing for bills focused on law enforcement and mental health issues today at 1:30 pm in the Gold Room. 

Number of the Day

Tweet of the Day

Upcoming

• United Utah Party State Convention - April 16, 10 am, West High, SLC
• 2022 Midyear Conference, Utah League of Cities and Towns - April 20-22, St. George Register here
• GOP Convention, April 23, 10 am, Mt. America Expo Center
• Dem Convention, Apr 23, 9 am
• Ballots are mailed â€“ June 7
• Primary election day â€“ June 28
• General election â€“ Nov 8

On This Day In History

• 1633 - Galileo is accused of heresy.
• 1861 - Civil War begins as Confederate forces fire on Fort Sumter.
• 1912 -  Clara Barton, American nurse and founder of the American Red Cross, dies of tuberculosis at 90.
• 1916 - Beverly Cleary is born.
• 1929 - Arches National Park established
• 1945 - FDR dies of a stroke after being elected to his 4th term in office.
• 1963 - Martin Luther King, Jr. is jailed, writes “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” 
• 1985 - Utah Senator Jake Garn from Utah goes into space
• 1991 - US announces closing of 31 major US military bases
• 2009 - The US Navy rescues captain Richard Phillips, killing 3 pirates and capturing a 4th.

Wise Words

"We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people.”
― Martin Luther King Jr., Letter from the Birmingham Jail

Lighter Side

“Listen, if you’re gonna text your plans to overthrow an election, at least disguise it with emojis: ‘I got an idea: ballot box, trash can, American flag, poop emoji, pumpkin, crown, father.’” 

— STEPHEN COLBERT

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