US economy shrinks in first quarter; after 20 years, Real ID rules go into effect next week | | | 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. | | |
Situational Analysis | Apr. 30, 2025 It's Wednesday and Denim Day, in support of sexual abuse survivors. What you need to know Saigon fell 50 years ago today. Naja Pham Lockwood, a Utah woman, was on the last refugee ship out of Vietnam. Lockwood, her parents and younger brother and sister, maternal grandparents and an uncle and his family had waited until the last minute to flee the war-ravaged country. They almost didn't make it out. Now 57, she has a new documentary centered on an iconic Vietnam War photo, âSaigon Execution.â Rapid Relevance US economy shrinks in first quarter; after 20 years, Real ID rules go into effect next week On the Hill 12:00 pm: Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Confirmation Committee | | |
| | Wildlife Crossings Save Moneyâand Lives Utah sees around 7,000 deer-vehicle collisions annually, costing taxpayers nearly $138 million in vehicle damage and injury each year.
Luckily, research shows that overpasses and underpasses with associated fencing can reduce those collisions by up to 90%. But first, they have to be funded. While wildlife crossings are sometimes included in larger road projects, Utah needs dedicated fundingâfunding that would accelerate the construction of projects when and where they are needed. Learn More. | | |
Utah Headlines Political news Gov. Cox convenes âBuilt hereâ nuclear energy summit in Utah (Deseret News) Hereâs what Utahâs congressional delegation thinks of Trumpâs first 100 days (Deseret News) Utah congressman Blake Moore offers pushback to Trump administration on immigration, tariffs (KSL) Farmers are dying by suicide at the third-highest rate by vocation in Utah. But after a federal program offering mental health support ran out of money, the state did not continue it. (Salt Lake Tribune) Utah lawmakers fail to fund key domestic violence initiatives, leaving victims vulnerable (KUTV) Former Utah congressman speaks about proposed end to LGBTQ services from 988 suicide hotline (ABC4) What 3 Utah Republicans had to tell us about Trumpâs 100 days (KUER) Municipal news Salt Lake County agrees to sell Salt Palace portion to Smith Entertainment Group for $55M (KSL) Utah 2 dead in apparent fall at Bryce Canyon National Park (KSL) Power bills for many Utahns are going up. Hereâs why. (Salt Lake Tribune) Biz/Tech Opinion: You can build a global business without leaving Utah (Deseret News) Utah apprenticeships have almost doubled in 5 years (KSL Newsradio) UPS to cut 20,000 jobs, close some facilities as it reduces amount of Amazon shipments it handles (AP) Crime/Courts Driver in custody after hitting, killing 9-year-old boy in Pleasant Grove (KSL) Orem man charged with 75 felonies after police find cache of homemade bombs (KSL TV) Culture/Community Soccer connects refugee girls to new communities through She Belongs (Deseret News) Salt Lake Temple renovation shifts into decoration stage (Deseret News) Economy US economy contracted at 0.3% rate in first quarter (Wall Street Journal) Education - K-12 Report: Federal government helps fund Utah schools â but in shrinking amounts (Deseret News) Opinion: Utah judgeâs ruling on school choice program overlooks key facts (Deseret News) Utah ranks last for state-funded preschool programs. Funding is largely to blame (KUER) Education - Higher Utah Valley Universityâs high return on investment for students of all backgrounds earning national salutes (Deseret News) University of Utah is eliminating its beach volleyball program. Hereâs why (Deseret News) Utahns have $11M in student debt, and government loan collections are restarting (KUER) 7,938 degrees to be awarded at USU Wednesday commencement (Cache Valley Daily) Environment âThe state is robbing usâ: A potential nuclear project in rural Utah highlights concern about new energy law (Salt Lake Tribune/Millard County Chronicle Progress) Family What to do if your child is the bully (Deseret News) Health Silver linings: Are the mood swings of âgrumpy old menâ related to testosterone levels? (Deseret News) Heavy cannabis use linked to worse colon cancer outcomes (Deseret News) Housing 281 Utahns to lose rental assistance when federal funds run dry in 2026 (Standard-Examiner) | | |
National Headlines General Low morale threatened WWII efforts. This all-Black female battalion saved it (Deseret News) How to prepare for a major power blackout like what happened in Spain on Monday (Deseret News) Florida woman uses bag of cookies to save dog from bear attack (KSL) Trump administration fires Holocaust Museum board members picked by Biden, including former second gentleman Doug Emhoff (Washington Post) Political news What do State Department cuts mean for religious freedom? (Deseret News) Trump doesnât want you to look at the polls. Hereâs what he said (Deseret News) More than 200 lawsuits mark Trumpâs turbulent first months in office (Deseret News) Did Trump help Canadian Liberals avoid election disaster? (Deseret News) Rep. Nancy Pelosi not too fond of the PELOSI Act, which bars members of Congress from day trading (Deseret News) Congress approves bill criminalizing AI-generated revenge porn (Deseret News) The first-of-its-kind religious school exposing First Amendment tension (Deseret News) âHostile and politicalâ: White House hits back at report on Amazonâs plan to list tariff costs, then Amazon shelves the idea. (Deseret News) 7 poll numbers that sum up Trumpâs first 100 days (Washington Post) Hegseth âproudlyâ terminates Women, Peace, and Security program signed into law by Trump in his first term (Washington Post) Immigration/Deportation The US government has a new policy for terminating international studentsâ legal status (AP) President Trump says he could free Abrego Garcia from El Salvador, but wonât. (New York Times) Tariffs Trumpâs tariffs loom over the economy as shipments from China fall (AP) DOGE/Musk Trump says DOGE work led to fraud referrals to Justice Department (Reuters) Ukraine/Russia Kremlin says Putin is open to Ukraine peace but warns against rushing a deal (Reuters) Israel, Gaza, Syria US backs Israel's ban on UNRWA Gaza aid operations at World Court (Reuters) World news Why the US and China are battling over a Pacific island paradise (Reuters) Vietnam celebrates 50 years since warâs end with focus on peace and unity (AP) | | |
| | News Releases Governors of Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming sign tri-state agreement to strengthen regional energy collaboration At the Built Here: Nuclear Energy Summit hosted by Gov. Spencer Cox, the governors of Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen regional collaboration on energy policy, infrastructure development, and nuclear energy innovation. The agreement, signed by Gov. Spencer Cox (Utah), Gov. Brad Little (Idaho), and Gov. Mark Gordon (Wyoming), establishes a cooperative framework to align energy-related efforts across the three states. The compact focuses on advancing energy resilience, coordinating infrastructure, advocating for commonsense federal policies, and accelerating the development of reliable, affordable nuclear energy. (Read More) Utah Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy announces best practices from groundbreaking study The Utah Department of Commerceâs Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy (OAIP) has released a guidance letter based on findings from a comprehensive study examining the integration of artificial intelligence technologies by mental health therapists. This pioneering research, conducted in partnership with the Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL), highlights essential guidelines that support therapists in leveraging AI while prioritizing patient welfare, data privacy, and ethical responsibility. (Read More) Weber State professor helps eliminate urinal splashback with smarter design Researchers estimate more than one million liters of urine splashes onto public bathroom floors daily in the United States. Randy Hurd, assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Weber State University, helped come up with a more sanitary solution. Itâs called the Cornucopia and the Nautilus, which are two new urinal designs that reduce splashback to just 1.4% of the typical model. (Read More) UVU celebrates largest graduating class in school history Utah Valley University (UVU) will celebrate the achievements of more than 12,000 graduates, the largest graduating class in school history, at the 2025 commencement ceremonies on April 30 at 7 p.m. in the UCCU Center on UVUâs Orem Campus. Utah business icon Crystal Maggelet, chief executive officer of FJ Management, Inc. and Maverik, will be the keynote speaker. The 12,000-plus graduates â approximately 84% of whom are from Utah â will receive more than 14,000 degrees and certificates at multiple convocation ceremonies. These graduates come from 28 of Utahâs 29 counties, 47 states, and 53 countries. Additionally, about 45% are 25 or older, and more than a third are the first in their families to graduate from college. The youngest graduate is 16, and the oldest is 71. (Read More) | | |
Upcoming May 1 â Utah Foundation's annual luncheon and 80th birthday celebration, 11:30 am - 1:30 pm, Grand America Hotel, Register Here May 6 â "State AG Offices and the New Administration" webinar hosted by the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation, 10:00 am MDT, Register here May 12 â Utah Taxes Now Conference with the Utah Taxpayers Association, Grand America Hotel, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm, Register here May 17 â Utah GOP Organizing Convention, at UVUâs UCCU Center. May 31 â Utah Democratic Party Organizing Convention, Ogden High School Aug 7 â Titan of Public Service gala with Sen. Tom Cotton hosted by the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation at the Grand America Hotel. More Information Here | | |
On This Day In History 1789 - George Washington gives first presidential inaugural address. 1880 - Lillian Bertha Jones Horace is born. A pioneering educator and writer, she is Texasâs earliest known African American woman novelist, one of only two known black southern women novelists of the early to mid twentieth century, one of only two black women nationally to own a publishing company before 1920, and the only black woman nationally to author a utopian novel before 1950 1911 - Portugal approves female suffrage. 1927 - The first federal prison for women opens in West Virginia. 1939 - Ellen Zwilich is born. She became the first woman to win a Pulitzer Prize for Music. 1945 - Adolf Hitler dies from suicide 1975 - Vietnam War ends with the fall of Saigon 1993 - World Wide Web (WWW) launches in the public domain. Quote of the Day "There is no truth more thoroughly established than that there exists in the economy and course of nature an indissoluble union between virtue and happiness; between duty and advantage; between the genuine maxims of an honest and magnanimous policy and the solid rewards of public prosperity and felicity." âGeorge Washington's first inaugural address On the Punny Side I was on a diabetes awareness website and it asked me if I accept cookies... Is this a trick question? | | |
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