'America's government teacher' spoke to a sold-out crowd at UVU earlier this month; the SafeUT app see record use this year | | | 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 | Nov. 1, 2023 It's Wednesday and the beginning of a new month. It's Family Stories Month, National Adoption Month, National Gratitude Month AND No-Shave November. What You Need to Know The Salt Lake City airport has completed the next phase of its remodel by opening 13 new gates in Concourse A on Tuesday morning, bringing the total to 22 in that concourse. The airport also opened "many more" concessions. Construction has already begun on phases 3 and 4.
âAmericaâs government teacher,â Sharon McMahon spoke to a sold-out crowd at UVU earlier this month. She said the âGreat Commissionâ of the U.S. Constitution can be summed up in 4 words: âWe the Peopleâ are to be âjust, peaceful, good and free.â âThere is going to come a moment when we must do what we think we cannot and the character that we have formed throughout our lifetimes will be called upon in that moment," she said, adding "We are the people we've been waiting for." Rapid Relevance SafeUT app sees 'record breaking' use in 2023; feds poised to leave rates unchanged today; and a virtual job fair opens on November 2 | | |
| | BLM Releases Plan that finally protects Labyrinth Canyon After years of prioritizing off-road vehicles, a recent decision from the Bureau of Land Management brings balance to this special place. Travel plans are an opportunity to develop reasonable, balanced, and forward-thinking blueprints that ensure public access while preserving the backcountry and minimizing damage. Learn more at suwa.org | | |
Utah Headlines Political news Civics education is about more than voter turnout, expert says (Inside Sources) New state senator for District 22 plans to address transportation, education and taxes (Daily Herald) Sens. Mike Lee, Mitt Romney impatient with Biden administrationâs lack of action at southern border (Deseret News) Sen. Mike Lee, Rep. John Curtis support legislation to cut funding from United Nations (Deseret News) Cox calls BLM decision to close Moab off-roading routes âblatant federal overreachâ as state files legal challenge (Deseret News) Across Utah, communities face some big property tax increases (Fox13) Election news Mail-in ballots are here ahead of special election on Nov. 21 (KSL Newsradio) New to ranked choice voting? Hereâs how it works (KUER) Utah news How much food do Utahns waste each year? It is more than you think (Deseret News) Utah man who summited Mount Timpanogos more than 1,000 times dies at 81 (KSL) Jordan School District moms trying to collect 1,000 coats for kids in need (KSL TV) Utah has one of the fastest-growing cities in the nation, study reports. It's St. George, which has grown by 18% in 5 years (ABC4) Business/Tech What you need to know about the new iMacs and MacBook Pros (Deseret News) German grocery brand Aldi is taking the U.S. by storm (Deseret News) âWe all benefit from the same things.â Different generations are building the workplaces they want. (Salt Lake Tribune) Jury finds realtors conspired to keep commissions high. The National Association of Realtors and big residential brokerages were found liable for about $1.8 billion in damages (Wall Street Journal) Crime Utah school bus driver arrested, accused of lighting multiple buses on fire (KSL TV) Culture Sen. Mitt Romney and Ann Romney look like a âLove Storyâ in their Halloween costumes (Deseret News) What did Tom Holmoe conjure up for his Halloween costume this year? ð§ð»ââï¸ (Deseret News) Dominoâs is giving free pizza to anyone with student loan payments (Deseret News) How self-created rituals can change your life (Deseret News) 'Bun in the oven' is an ancient pregnancy metaphor. This historian says it has to go (NPR) Education Latest Utah report card shows high schoolers need math help (KSL Newsradio) Father says Lake Mountain teacher compared his 7th-grade son to Kim Jong Un (ABC4) High School teacher in Manti celebrates DÃa de Muertos with students (Fox13) Alpine School District eyeing possible new high school with recent land purchase (Fox13) Environment Utah governor honors Ivins with 2023 Water Conservation Award (St. George News) Time running out for Utah downwinders seeking compensation for exposure to radioactive fallout (Salt Lake Tribune) Are âGood Samaritansâ a solution to cleaning up abandoned hardrock mines? State agencies, local governments and nonprofits currently canât take on projects to clean up abandoned hardrock mines because of liability rules. New legislation in Congress co-sponsored by Sen. Mitt Romney hopes to change that. (Salt Lake Tribune) Family Utah women face financial, emotional struggles in infertility battle amid lack of insurance coverage (KUTV) Health Experts outline expectations for how severe flu season will be (Deseret News) Do scented candles cause health problems? (Deseret News) | | |
National Headlines General Heavily armed man found dead at Colorado amusement park (Deseret News) Wray warns of increased terrorist threat, says U.S. is in a 'dangerous period' (NPR) Worldwide, women cook twice as much as men: One country bucks the trend (NPR) The US infant mortality rate rose last year. The CDC says itâs the largest increase in two decades (AP) Trump family to take the witness stand in New York civil fraud trial (NPR) The economy is great. Why are Americans in a rotten mood? (Wall Street Journal) Politics Supreme Court considers when the government can block followers on social media (New York Times) House Republicans aim to pay for Israel aid with cuts to IRS funds, a plan that would cost $90 billion (Washington Post) Biden set to announce $5 billion for rural United States (Deseret News) Trump's allies pledged loyalty to him. Until they didn't. (New York Times) Jewish leaders to Biden officials: âWeâve never seen anything like this everâ (Politico) Election news With Mike Pence out, who will benefit? (Deseret News) Tammy Murphy, N.J. governorâs wife, prepares to run for Menendezâs seat (New York Times) Biden faces growing concerns among independent voters (The Hill) RFK Jr.'s 2024 bid is a threat to Republicans â and donor data shows it (Politico) Ukraine ðºð¦ Ukraine pleads with the U.S. to ramp up support against Russia (Politico) Israel ð®ð± Israeli air strikes kill 50 in north Gaza refugee camp, Palestinian medics say (Reuters) Yemenâs Houthi rebels claim attacks on Israel, drawing their main sponsor Iran closer to Hamas war (AP) Foreign nationals and the injured gather at Gaza's border on reports of gate opening (NPR) U.S. all but stopped spying on Hamas in years after 9/11 (Wall Street Journal) World Open hatred of Jews surges globally, inflamed by Gaza war (Reuters) For Europe's Jews, a world of fear (New York Times) Mexico's Claudia Sheinbaum holds 18 point lead in presidency race (Reuters) Drought saps the Panama Canal, disrupting global trade (New York Times) | | |
| | News Releases Utah Division of Consumer Protection holding public hearing for Social Media Regulation Act rule today, Nov. 1 The Utah Office of Administrative Rules has published the Utah Social Media Regulation Act (SMRA) rule, crafted and submitted by the Department of Commerceâs Division of Consumer Protection (Division). The Division will hold a public hearing at the Senate Building at the Capitol in room 220 on November 1, 2023, from 9:00 am to 11:00 am to receive feedback on the rules. The hearing will be livestreamed at socialmedia.utah.gov. The public may attend in person or virtually at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82546181986 to contribute feedback. (Read More) Utah State Board of Education releases school report cards The Utah State Board of Education (USBE) released the School Report Card today, which is a tool designed to highlight each schoolâs strengths and note areas with room for improvement. State, district, charter, and individual school report cards for the 2022-2023 school year are now available through the School Report Card. (Read More) Utahâs demographic changes significantly impact school enrollment and related funding Utahâs demographic changes significantly impact school enrollment and related funding. Projections show declining K-12 school enrollment over the next decade, resulting from lower fertility rates and demographic waves. New analysis from the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute reveals these demographic shifts will relieve the fiscal pressures of funding enrollment growth in Utahâs K-12 education system, creating unique fiscal opportunities. (Read More) Owens combats dangerous foreign influences in American schools Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee Chairman Burgess Owens (UT-04) and Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (NC-05)introduced the Reporting on Investments in Foreign Adversaries (RIFA) Act, legislation to hold private universities accountable for their financial partnerships with foreign countries and entities hostile to the United States. (Read More) Romney presses DHS Secretary and questions FBI Director At the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committeeâs annual âThreats to the Homelandâ hearing today, U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) pressed Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on the Administrationâs continued failure to secure the southern border and questioned Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray about increased threats and violence against religious groupsâparticularly against Jews and Muslims. (Read/Watch More) UVU celebrates Native American Heritage Month, announces new office, and a legislative appropriation As part of Native American Heritage Month, Utah Valley University (UVU) officially announced its expanded Native American Initiative along with the news that UVU will offer scholarships to indigenous students from all eight of Utahâs federally recognized tribes. Led by Director Justin Allison, these expanded efforts are made possible by a generous $2 million legislative appropriation from the state of Utah. The funding includes scholarship money, enabling eligible indigenous students to attend UVU tuition-free through tribal and state-sponsored scholarships. (Read More) UVU president raises awareness of cybersecurity threats in AI-generated voice video Utah Valley University (UVU) confirmed its commitment to digital safety and awareness, reflected in its unique cybersecurity offerings, by releasing a video from UVU President Astrid S. Tuminez that addresses the growing issue of cybersecurity scams and phishing attacks. In the video, an animated avatar of President Tuminez warns students and staff about deceptive emails, impersonators, and other online threats designed to steal a personâs identity. At the end, it is revealed that the voice heard throughout the video is not President Tuminezâs but an AI-generated voice, showcasing the threat of voice replication. (Read More) | | |
Upcoming Martha Hughes Cannon Award with Utah Women Run â Nov 2, 6:00-8:00 pm Interim Day â Nov 14-15, le.utah.gov Celebrating 30 years of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, with the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation â Nov 16, 10 am, MST, Register here
General election â Nov. 21
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On This Day In History 1348 - The Black Death reaches London on or about this date 1512 - The Sistine Chapel ceiling opens to public 1765 - The British Parliament enacts the Stamp Act 1800 - John Adams moves into White House in the last year of his only term as president 1848 - First medical school for women, the New England Female Medical School, opens. In 1874 it merged with Boston University to become one of the worldâs first co-ed medical schools 1897 - The first building of the Library of Congress opens to the public. As imagined by Librarian of Congress Ainsworth Spofford, an elaborate dome tops the grand, circular reading room. 1922 - The end of the Ottoman Empire as Mustafa Kemal Ataturk takes Constantinople. 1950 - An assassination attempt threatens President Harry S. Truman 1952 - United States tests the worldâs first hydrogen bomb 1955 - Vietnam War begins 1993 - European Union goes into effect 1999 - NaNoWriMo begins - are you participating this year? Quote of the Day âIt is not the job of government to make us âjust, peaceful, good and free.â The Constitution does not belong to the government. It is our job. We. Us. Me and you. All of us.â â Sharon McMahon On the Punny Side You know what they say about cold spaghetti. Those who forget the pasta are doomed to reheat it. | | |
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