What to expect for travel this weekend; Kohberger to plead guilty to killing 4 U of I students; AI regulation ban struck from Senate bill | | | 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 | July 1, 2025 It's Tuesday and International Joke Day 𤡠And happy birthday to Dr. Sen. Martha Hughes Cannon, born this day in 1857. ððð What you need to know Is Snapchat a "playground for predators"? Utah thinks so. The Utah Attorney General's office and the Utah Department of Commerce have filed a lawsuit against Snap, Inc., the owner of Snapchat, for harm caused to children. The lawsuit is the fourth in Utah's efforts to safeguard kids from online predators and social media addiction and, of all the cases, says Utah AG Derek Brown, "this one really matters, because this is where the kids are." Rapid Relevance What to expect for travel during this Fourth of July weekend; Utah hiking trails make list of most picturesque trails in America â and 2 in the top 5; Bryan Kohberger to plead guilty to killing 4 University of Idaho students; and the AI regulation ban was struck from Senate bill. | | |
| | Beyond Fun and Games Nearly half of Boomers and 36% of the Silent Generation play video games weekly â for mental sharpness, stress relief, and fun. Learn more and game on. | | |
Utah Headlines Political news Utah Sens. Curtis, Lee offer competing amendments on clean energy tax credits (Deseret News) Reps. Jason Thompson, Doug Fiefia: Make it beautiful: The âone big billâ must respect state leadership (Washington Times) Municipal news Updated Utah Lake harbor reopens in American Fork (KSL) These five Utah cities grew the most last year. Did your hometown get bigger? (Salt Lake Tribune) Get ready to pay more for street parking in downtown Salt Lake City (KUER) Weber County OKs accord with feds to help in the fight against illegal immigration (KSL) Utah New Hill AFB wing commander committed to delivering F-35 dominance âanytime, anywhereâ (Deseret News) Devin Durrant: A tribute to Tom and Lori Holmoe (Deseret News) Jordan Clarkson finalizing buyout with Jazz (Deseret News) Iron County Sheriffâs deputy placed on leave after internal probe finds policy violations (St. George News) Utahn Caleb Olson wins the Western States 100 - and is greeted by his 7-week old son at the finish (Runner's World) Most millennial Utahns earned less than their Gen X counterparts, with a major exception. (Salt Lake Tribune) Biz/Tech Liberty Snow: Tariffs mean unnecessary chaos for my small business (Deseret News) Here comes the bridal gown tariff (NPR) Amazon is on the cusp of using more robots than humans in its warehouses (Wall Street Journal) Crime/Courts Utah dance studio owner/instructor arrested for alleged abuse of young girls (KSL) 3-year-old girl suffers skull fracture, Sandy man arrested (KSL) Man sent to prison for murder of 2 Eagle Mountain children in tragic crash (KSL) At the request of both parties, judge dismisses civil lawsuit against BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff (Deseret News) Mother sentenced to prison 15 years after her children's deaths (KSL) Man accused of speeding over 100 mph under influence of marijuana with child in back seat (KUTV) Culture/Community Historic Joseph Smith Memorial Building reopens after extensive renovation (Deseret News) Community mourns loss of Nikki Walker: mother, publicist, author and friend (Fox13) Education Math For Money: Innovative programs help South Salt Lake kids succeed (KSL TV) Voices: How Utahns can build a better education system â in spite of national uncertainty (Salt Lake Tribune) USU is making big changes to cut costs. Students feel out of the loop (UPR) USU Board of Trustees elects chair, vice chair (Cache Valley Daily) Energy Secretary Burgum: The future of American energy and mining dominance lies out West (KSL) Environment What the end of the âroadless ruleâ could mean for Utahâs national forests (Utah News Dispatch) Utah's monsoon season is about to start at a helpful time for the state (KSL) Faith Singapore Temple groundbreaking takes place (Deseret News) Supporters call Trump 'the greatest champion of faith' after call (Deseret News) Family Silver Linings: Why am I still here? (Deseret News) The Birth-Rate Crisis Isnât as Bad as Youâve HeardâItâs Worse (The Atlantic) Health Wegovy, Zepbound and the weight-loss drugs reshaping Americans (Deseret News) Housing Starter homes are still getting smaller, new study finds (Deseret News) | | |
National Headlines General Father and daughter who went overboard on Disney cruise promptly rescued by crew (Deseret News) Man shot Idaho firefighters who had asked him to move his vehicle, killing 2, sheriff says (AP) National pride is declining in America. And itâs splitting by party lines, new Gallup polling shows (AP) Political news - Trump Trump to host Netanyahu at the White House on July 7, Axios reports (Reuters) Trump gained support among religious voters and 2020 non-voters in recent election, new research found (Deseret News) Trump 'battled to near parity' with Harris in mustering Latino voter support in 2024, report shows (KSL) Trump complains about US-Japan trade talks as Bessent warns of higher tariffs (Reuters) Trump imposes tougher US policy toward Cuba (Reuters) âHeâs going to do everything to damage the presidentâ: Former Musk friend on the Trump fallout (Politico) Other political news Opinion: The âprimaryâ problem â why what just happened in New York City matters (Deseret News) Republicans get green light to vote on defunding Planned Parenthood (Deseret News) Supreme Court to hear GOP case related to campaign finance restrictions (Deseret News) Republicans approve alternative budget projections that show lower deficit impacts for massive tax package (Deseret News) Musk vows to punish lawmakers who back Trump's spending bill (Reuters) Immigration/deportation Immigration raids leave crops unharvested, California farms at risk (Reuters) DOJ announces plans to prioritize cases to revoke citizenship (NPR) Inside the U.S. plan to detain immigrants in Latin America as bargaining chips in WWII (NPR) Ukraine/Russia Russia says Moscow now occupies all of Ukraineâs Luhansk region, illegally annexed in 2022 (AP) Middle East 67 killed in Gaza as Israeli forces strike a cafe and fire on people seeking food (AP News) World news Nicholas Kristof: Why is world hunger Americaâs problem? (New York Times) Cartel violence in Sinaloa, Mexico, leaves 20 dead, including 4 decapitated bodies (AP) | | |
| | News Releases State budget facts for FY26 The Utah Taxpayers Association just published a brief report with facts every citizen should know about the state budget. President, Billy Hesterman said: âWhile Utahâs budget is balanced and ensures the state can continue to provide essential government services to its residents, we call upon the Legislature and the Governor to slow growth in the state budget. Increased spending year after year takes dollars from Utahâs families and businesses. Letâs work together to put more money back into the hands of residents of the state.â (Read More) Wasatch Front subcounty population and housing estimates Communities in the four Wasatch Front counties â Salt Lake, Utah, Davis, and Weber â added 36,730 new residents between 2023 and 2024, accounting for 72.9% of the stateâs growth, according to the latest subcounty estimates released today by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute and Utah Population Committee (UPC). The estimates detail both population and housing unit growth for the incorporated communities and census tracts in the stateâs four most populous counties. (Read More) Utah sues Snapchat for unleashing experimental AI technology on young users Utah Governor Spencer J. Cox, Utah Attorney General Derek Brown, and the Utah Department of Commerceâs Margaret Busse announced a lawsuit against Snap, Inc. (Snap). Utah alleges that Snap profits from unconscionable design features created to addict children to the app, and facilitates illegal drug sales and sextortion. The lawsuit also includes claims related to its AI chatbot, My AI, and comes as states confront the harsh realities of AI technologyâs impact on children. The joint filing from Commerceâs Division of Consumer Protection and the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) was filed in State Court on June 30, 2025. (Read More) | | |
Upcoming 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 Aug 12 â Municipal primary Aug 19-21 â Interim Days Nov 4 â General election February 4-7, 2026 â Summit, with Silicon Slopes and Visit Salt Lake | | |
On This Day In History 1857 - Martha Hughes Cannon is born 1863 - The Battle of Gettysburg begins 1867 - New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Quebec and Ontario became the Dominion of Canada. Happy Canada Day! 1896 - Harriet Beecher Stowe dies at age 85 1903 - France hosts the first Tour de France bicycle race. 1916 - Battle of the Somme begins. By the end of the day, 20,000 British soldiers were dead and 40,000 wounded. It was the single heaviest day of casualties in British military history. 1944 - The Bretton Woods Conference begins. 1968 - The United States institutes the ZIP Code. 1984 - PG-13 rating debuts 1987 - For the first time in history, there were three Black women serving as presidents of four-year colleges and universities in the US: Dr. Niara Sudarkasa at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, Dr. Johnetta Cole, at Spelman College in Atlanta and Dr. Gloria Randle Scott at Bennett College in Greensboro, NC. 1994 - Judith Rodin becomes the first female president of an Ivy League Institution. 1997 - Hong Kong is returned to China. 2002 - The International Criminal Court is established to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression Quote of the Day âWhen you get into a tight place and everything goes against you until it seems that you cannot hold on for a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time when the tide will turn.â â Harriet Beecher Stowe On the Punny Side When does Friday come before Thursday? In the dictionary. | | |
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