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| The UtahPolicy.com daily newsletter gets you up to speed on the top local and national news about politics and public policy. Send news tips or feedback to bschott@utahpolicy.com, or message us on Twitter. Situational awareness - May 8, 2020Good Friday morning from Salt Lake CityTICK TOCK53 days to the 2020 Utah primary elections (6/30/2020)179 Days to the 2020 election (11/3/2020)257 days to inauguration day (01/20/2021)262 days to the start of the 2021 Utah Legislature (1/25/2021)Here are the stories you need to pay attention to this morning:America bracing for big unemployment numbers. Republican candidates for governor debate twice. An aide close to President Trump tested positive for coronavirus.FRIDAY TRIVIAToday's question comes from reader Tina Mathieu: Which Utah Senator was concerned about public health and wanted to stop the spread of contagious diseases and sponsored the bill that created a State Board of Health? If you think you know the answer, send your guess to me at mailbag@utahpolicy.com Good luck! Thanks for subscribing to Utah's must-read daily political news rundown.If you know of friends or colleagues who would benefit from our daily news roundup, please encourage them to sign up for our newsletter.Today At Utah PolicyGOP candidates for governor debate COVID-19 response and recoveryBy Bryan Schott, Managing Editor How and when Utah will recover from the economic downturn caused by COVID-19 is a question nobody can answer definitively. Unemployment is rising as businesses struggle to regain their economic footing following the disruption from Utahns staying home to control the spread of the virus.Bob Bernick's notebook: Two birds, one stone By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor I write today to point out some of the interesting behind the scenes connections between state House and Senate members with the current four-person GOP race for governor.Gloves come off in GOP gubernatorial debate as rivals blast state's coronavirus response By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor Well, the gloves came off Thursday during an online debate between the four gubernatorial GOP candidates, with three -- and especially two -- taking out after Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox for what was called an "irresponsible'' state reaction to the coronavirus, especially how local businesses have had to close. OTHER UTAH HEADLINESDeseret News Op-ed: Residents of Utah's West Desert continue their fight for water Garfield County school gets OK for 4-day school week When Utah students return to public schools, what will it look like? New weekly unemployment claims down in Utah, though over 107,000 still seeking benefits Sen. Mitt Romney questions need for mass coronavirus testing in U.S. Utah governor says state coronavirus contracts raise 'legitimate' questions Utah Reps. Chris Stewart, John Curtis named to China task force Housing advocates call on governor to extend hold on evictions to July One GOP candidate for governor proposes suspending sales tax on food to boost economic recovery from pandemicSalt Lake Tribune Utah economists expect a tough summer before a winter recovery, as 9,000 more file for unemployment Three more Utahns die of coronavirus, but governor is optimistic about easing more restrictions soon Census Bureau asks Utahns with P.O. boxes to wait before filling out online questionnaire The 'Big One' still likely because Magna quake didn't relieve much stress on Wasatch fault lines Utah freeway traffic returns to near-normal as coronavirus restrictions ease Utah Reps. John Curtis and Chris Stewart to serve on GOP 'China task force' Republican candidates for governor say they want to change Utah's election lawOther Sen. Mitt Romney introduces bill to review U.S. multilateral aid (Daily Herald) Feeding families, keeping local farms afloat during pandemic, aim of new program (Standard-Examiner)NATIONAL HEADLINESBracing for the worstFriday morning's jobs report is expected to show the largest jump in the unemployment rate since the Great Depression. Economists are projecting 22 million jobs lost in April. It could take years for the economy to recover from the downturn [Politico]. 3.2 million more Americans filed for unemployment this week, bringing the total to more than 33 million [ABC News]. Yikes!A military aide to President Trump tested positive for coronavirus. President Trump said Thursday that White House staff would be tested every day. President Trump was reportedly "lava level" angry that someone close to him tested positive [CNN]. Michael FlynnThe Justice Department dropped the case against President Trump's former national security adviser Michael Flynn even though Flynn plead guilty to lying to the FBI. The reversal raised fresh accusations that the Justice Department was caving to political pressure [Washington Post]. Another stimulus packageHouse Speaker Nancy Pelosi is putting the finishing touches on a new, multi-trillion-dollar stimulus package. The bill's price tag could top $2 trillion [Politico]. Russia investigationThe Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to temporarily block a ruling requiring the Justice Department to give Congress access to secret grand jury material from special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation [Washington Post]. The House Intelligence Committee released thousands of pages of transcripts from more than 50 closed-door interviews from the probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election [CNN]. Too soon?The vast majority of Americans think it's too early to reopen the country and doing so will result in more deaths [ABC News]. Joe BidenTara Reade, who has accused presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden of sexually assaulting her in 1993, called for Biden to drop out of the presidential race [Guardian]. A court document from 1996 shows Reade told her ex-husband she was sexually harassed while working for Biden in 1993 [San Louis Obispo Tribune]. Clamping downPresident Trump and his allies in the White House are seeking to block or downplay information about the severity of the coronavirus while urging states to restart their economies. Some Republican-led states are following suit [Washington Post]. Pay attention to thisFollowing the recent health scares from Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Republicans in the Senate say they will fill a vacancy on the high court should an opening occur this year [Politico]. EconomyNeiman Marcus filed for bankruptcy protection on Thursday [NBC News]. Sports showing signs of lifeThe NFL released its 2020-2021 schedule [NFL.com]. NASCAR will return to racing on Sunday, May 17 [For The Win]. One top-level German football club plans to use cardboard cutouts of fans when they return to play this month [Bundesliga]. BUSINESS HEADLINESUtah farmers and ranchers impacted by COVID-19 crisis now eligible for SBA loans (Deseret News) Shoppers return to City Creek mall for the first time since March (Deseret News) What economic recovery looks like from the view of a business owner (Deseret News) Boyer wants to expand BDO, but first needs approval to nearly double building heights (Standard-Examiner)Policy NewsUtah Rapid Response Team volunteers assist small businesses with federal stimulus resourcesThe Utah Economic Response Task Force announced that the Rapid Response Team (RRT) had provided one-on-one assistance to more than 2,000 Utah small businesses in their efforts to benefit from federal COVID-19 stimulus programs.Webinar: Southeast Asia as an alternative to China Due to the supply chain disruptions in Asia caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, it is important to identify alternatives. Join World Trade Center Utah, Dezan Shira & Associates' Dustin Daugherty and Harris Bricken's Jonathan Bench for a webinar comparing markets in Southeast Asia as you search for new sourcing and direct investment opportunities. Utah Farm Bureau launches 'Farmers Feeding Utah' to sustain farmers, help families The Utah Farm Bureau Federation is launching the 'Farmers Feeding Utah' campaign, FarmersFeedingUtah.org, to help sustain farmers and ranchers impacted by Covid-19, while providing food and donations to Utah families in need. More National HeadlinesObama knew details of wiretapped Flynn phone calls, surprising top DOJ official in meeting with Biden, declassified docs show (FOX News) Do Democrats Really Want to Celebrate the FBI's Heinous Abuses Against Mike Flynn? (PJ Media) 1619 Project's Pulitzer Gives Schools One More Excuse To Teach Kids To Hate America (Federalist) Biden Vows To Destroy Campus Due Process Again If Elected (Reason) A Unanimous Supreme Court Brushes Back the Legal Resistance (National Review) Has Trump Already Won Reelection? (Spectator) 'This is NUTS': Ted Cruz slams city council resolution deeming 'Chinese virus' a hate speech term (Washington Examiner) 'Professor Lockdown' Modeler Resigns in Disgrace (National Review) Elon Musk tells Joe Rogan coronavirus stay-at-home orders are unconstitutional (FOX News) Gilead may have a breakout coronavirus drug in remdesivir, but how do you market a pandemic treatment? (CNN)ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY1541 - Hernando de Soto reaches the Mississippi River. 1639 - William Coddington founds Newport, Rhode Island 1846 - Mexican-American War: Zachary Taylor defeats a Mexican force north of the Rio Grande in the first major battle of the war. 1886 - Pharmacist John Pemberton first sells a carbonated beverage named "Coca-Cola" as a patent medicine. 1945 - President Harry S. Truman officially declared V-E Day, the end of World War II in Europe. 1972 - Vietnam War: President Richard Nixon announces his order to place naval mines in major North Vietnamese ports in order to stem the flow of weapons and goods to that nation. 1973 - A 71-day standoff between federal authorities and the American Indian Movement members occupying the Pine Ridge Reservation at Wounded Knee, South Dakota ends with the surrender of the militants. 1980 - The World Health Organization confirms the eradication of smallpox. 1984 - The Soviet Union declared it wouldn't take part in the Los Angeles Olympics, citing fears about safety for its athletes. The decision came four years after the United States team boycotted the Games in Moscow. Wise WordsPersonal Perspective"The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any."Alice Walker Lighter SidePoor Noah"Finally someone has decided to call out this fascist American government that's asking people to please stay in their houses to try and save their own lives. I mean, you're not even allowed to go to the grocery store anymore. I mean, actually you can go to the grocery store, but you can't even go for a walk. I mean, you can do that too, but what about the beach? You're not allowed to go to the beach. Except for all the states where you're allowed to go to the beach. But you definitely can't go to H&M. And that is the definition of fascism."- TREVOR NOAH Listen to us on_Apple Podcasts Subscribers may receive special messages with information about new features, special offers, or public policy messages from clients and advertisers. |
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