Six in 10 students say they are texting or checking social media on their phones while classes are in session, noted Sen. Mitt Romney.

“The negative impacts of social media on the well-being of our children are becoming more and more evident,” Romney said in a press release. “Curbing the noneducational use of smartphones in the classroom may not only help raise students’ GPAs and increase their focus, but also help improve the mental health of our students.”

Romney offered two amendments, aimed at furthering research on the impact of smartphones, to the Advancing Research in Education Act, or AREA, during a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pension Committee executive session Tuesday. 

Cache County election officials under investigation for possible criminal conduct

The Cache County Attorney’s office is investigating the county clerk’s office to see if criminal conduct occurred based on information provided by Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson’s office, which oversees elections in the state.

“It’s not election fraud,” Cache County Deputy County Attorney Taylor Sorensen told the Deseret News Wednesday, declining to be more specific about the charges county election officials could face. “I think that would go too far.”

Sorensen said the investigation is “related to something back in October” rather than an ongoing recount of November’s election results in several local races.

Read more about the ‘irregularity’ in preparations for the November election.

More in Politics:

• House set to vote on bipartisan resolution condemning antisemitism and university presidents’ congressional testimony (Deseret News)
• Supreme Court will hear abortion pill case (Deseret News)
• Trump inches ahead in 2024 race as Biden approval reaches new low, WSJ poll shows (Deseret News)
  
• Gov. Spencer Cox speaks about Utah’s housing crisis, diversity initiatives and the 2034 Olympics at virtual town hall (Deseret News)
  

FROM OUR SPONSOR THIS IS THE PLACE HERITAGE PARK

Take a Step Back in Time with Candlelight Christmas at This is the Place.

Visit Father Christmas, enjoy the live Nativity in the quiet of the Village, and feel the warm fire while listening to the Heritage Village Carolers. Enjoy candle making and letters to Santa. Get all your holiday shopping done when you visit the Gift Shop and ZCMI Mercantile. Click for details.

Health

• Here’s how to protect your dog from the mysterious illness sweeping the U.S. (Deseret News)

• Retailers pull water bead toys after children seriously harmed by swallowing them (Deseret News)
  

Faith

• Is Christmas racist? Here’s why Canadians recently debated it (Deseret News)
• Church to open a new missionary training center in Bangkok, Thailand — its 10th worldwide (Church News)
  

Police and Courts

• Man arrested after smashing Provo temple windows with hammer (KSL)
  
• Midvale woman in viral videos arrested on warrants, and released (KSL)
  

Weber and Summit Counties

• Ogden receives demolition plans for controversial downtown apartment project (Standard Examiner)
• Sunrise Gondola hearing delayed until January (Park Record)

The West

• Park City Mountain Resort named best ski resort in the U.S. (Deseret News)
• Jay Evensen: Washington made a mistake ignoring Utah’s rail needs. Here’s what really matters (Deseret News)

The Nation

• 2 men indicted for allegedly killing and selling thousands of birds, including bald eagles (Deseret News)
• With Fed rate hikes likely done, Powell says timing of cuts is the next question (Reuters)

The World

• Nearly 200 countries agreed to a historic climate deal. Here’s what’s included — and what’s missing (Deseret News)
• U.N. voted to demand a cease-fire in Israel-Hamas War. The U.S. opposed the resolution (Deseret News)
  
• UK lawmakers vote in favor of Rwanda migration bill (Deseret News)
  

After breaking state records, Isaac Wilson is ready for his next role: Utah quarterback

If there’s one story that sums up Isaac Wilson’s high school career at Corner Canyon, and what Utah fans can expect from him in the future, it’s what happened right before Week 4 of the 2023 season.

After playing on an injured knee for the first three weeks — throwing for 1,185 yards and 13 touchdowns while adding 257 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground — Wilson underwent surgery to remove bone fragments from his knee on Aug. 28, a Monday.

He told Chargers coach Eric Kjar he was going to play in that Friday’s game.

Sure enough, on Thursday, Wilson was going through Corner Canyon’s walkthrough, and he indeed started that Friday contest against Farmington, leading the Chargers to a 42-3 win and throwing two touchdown passes.

Read more about Utah's future quarterback.

More in Sports:

• Utah gymnasts, men’s and women’s basketball athletes latest to receive free vehicle lease in NIL deal (Deseret News)
• Court ruling grants immediate temporary eligibility for two-time transfers, like Utah’s Deivon Smith (Deseret News)
• Derek Miller: The '34 Olympics will be more than just a global sporting event (Deseret News)

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