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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 - April 3, 2020Good Friday morning from Salt Lake CityTICK TOCK22 days to the Utah Republican and Democratic state conventions (4/25/2020)88 days to the 2020 Utah primary elections (6/30/2020)214 Days to the 2020 election (11/3/2020)292 days to inauguration day (01/20/2021)297 days to the start of the 2021 Utah Legislature (1/25/2021)Here are the stories you need to pay attention to this morning:Unemployment soars because of the coronavirus pandemic. Utahns say they feel prepared to handle the fallout from the coronavirus. The Utah GOP will use ranked-choice voting at their state convention.FRIDAY TRIVIAToday's question comes from Dustin Lewis, the Assistant City Manager of South Jordan. Who was the young Englishman that Howard Stansbury selected to be the replacement for F.R. Grist on his 1849-1851 exploration of the Great Salt Lake to serve as the official artist of the expedition? If you know, send your response to me at mailbag@utahpolicy.com. We'll randomly select a winner from the correct answers. 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 emails.Today At Utah PolicyPoll shows Utahns feel prepared to handle hardship caused by the coronavirus pandemicBy Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor By far, most Utahns believe they are personally prepared for the effects of the coronavirus, a new UtahPolicy.com/ 2News poll finds.Bob Bernick's notebook: Utah GOP turns to IRV By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor UtahPolicy.com is told that leaders of the Utah Republican Party plan to use Instant Run-off Voting at their online-only state nominating convention later this month.Jobless claims spike in Utah as state unveils new program to increase coronavirus testing By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor Gov. Gary Herbert said Thursday that the economic outlook for Utah amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak was quite dour. At the same time, he announced a new initiative on Thursday designed to double Utah's testing capacity to control the spread of the illness. OTHER UTAH HEADLINESDeseret News A. Scott Anderson: Paycheck Protection Program can quickly help small businesses Op-ed: COVID-19 during an election offers a preview of the candidate's leadership skills Sen. Mike Lee calls pandemic '2 parts biological and 2 or 3 parts governmental' Utah Gov. Gary Herbert vetoes special needs scholarship program bil Sen. Mike Lee calls pandemic '2 parts biological and 2 or 3 parts governmental' Groups seek release of more inmates as Salt Lake County Jail prisoner gets COVID-19 Utah tech companies aim to assess, test everyone, find COVID-19 hot spots Utah's State School Board considers more rule waivers to address school dismissals necessitated by COVID-19 pandemic Referendum to stop Olympia Hills gets new life as governor expands signature gathering options amid coronavirus outbreak Trump, Herbert job approval rises among Utahns as nation grapples with pandemicSalt Lake Tribune Frances Floresca: It is not racist to call it the 'Chinese virus' A Salt Lake County inmate has tested positive for the coronavirus What we can learn by digging in Utah's coronavirus data on age and gender Gov. Herbert vetoes proposed tax changes in time of economic uncertainty Homeless system may face further strain with closure of the temporary Sugar House shelter later this month Silicon Slopes develops a site to help more Utahns get tested for coronavirus, but how widely remains in question Salt Lake County mayor calls for statewide stay-at-home order Olympia Hills opponents get green light to collect email signatures for referendumOther Coronavirus in Utah: Why the Beehive State is one of the last in the nation without a stay-at-home order (Deseret News) Herbert vetoes tax amendment bills, passes pornography bill without signing (Daily Herald)NATIONAL HEADLINES"This thing is going to come for us all"6.6 million people filed for unemployment benefits last week as the coronavirus it taking a toll on nearly every sector of the American economy. The U.S. jobless rate is likely at its highest level since the Great Depression [New York Times]. Mask recommendation?The Trump administration is weighing whether to recommend Americans wear masks in public [New York Times]. New research shows coronavirus can be spread by simply talking or breathing [CNN]. Another milestoneThe U.S. suffered 1,169 deaths related to the coronavirus pandemic in 24 hours, setting a new record for the most fatalities any country has experienced in a day. The death toll in the U.S. is now more than 6,000 [BBC]. Medical response continues to struggleEssential drug supplies for patients stricken with coronavirus are beginning to run low [New York Times]. President Trump invoked the Defense Production Act on Thursday to help companies building ventilators [Reuters]. Dr. Anthony Fauci says he doesn't understand why every state hasn't issued a stay at home order [CNN]. Michigan, Connecticut, and Indiana are seen as the next hotspots for the coronavirus outbreak [Bloomberg]. New York State is paying up to 15 times the regular price for medical equipment [Pro Publica]. New York hospitals are rationing the use of ventilators as the virus continues to rage in that state [Politico]. A naval hospital ship dispatched to New York has just 20 patients, even though there are 1,200 beds available [New York Times]. Dr. Deborah Birx, who is part of the White House coronavirus task force, says not every American is following guidelines about staying home and washing their hands [CNN]. Where did they get that number?Experts on infectious disease say they don't know how the White House arrived at their projection that between 100,000 and 240,000 Americans could die from the coronavirus [Washington Post]. Economic responseBanks are warning demand for a $349 billion government relief program designed to help small businesses could be overwhelming [New York Times]. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is forming a bipartisan committee to oversee the federal response to the coronavirus crisis [CBS News]. The Trump administration is exempting many small businesses from a requirement to provide paid medical leave for employees [New York Times]. Dropping the ballThe Trump administration ended a $200 million pandemic early-warning program aimed at training scientists in China and other countries to detect and respond to such a threat [Los Angeles Times]. The White House ignored a warning from the Army nearly two months ago that the coronavirus could kill between 80,000 and 150,000 Americans [Daily Beast]. Holding China accountableIntelligence officials are adamant that China has vastly underreported the spread of the virus and the damage it has wrought in that country [New York Times]. Relieved of commandThe Navy fired the captain of an aircraft carrier after he pleaded for help because the coronavirus was ravaging his crew [USA Today]. Trump tries to calm the oil marketsPresident Donald Trump said Thursday he had brokered a deal between Russia and Saudi Arabia to cut oil output and hopefully stabilize the oil market, but details remain unclear [Reuters]. Dems delayThe Democratic National Committee pushed back their national convention to August 17 [CNN]. Oh, great...Hurricane forecasters say they expect an above-average number of hurricanes this year [Bloomberg]. BUSINESS HEADLINESOp-ed: Aid is available for business leaders who keep Utahns employed (Salt Lake Tribune) Although still in business, companies deemed 'essential' have been forced to make unique changes in the age of coronavirus (Deseret News) GOED has new COVID-19 loan program, intended to boost businesses with 50 or fewer employee (Standard-Examiner) Park City official sees June 1 as 'tipping point' in coronavirus-ravaged tourism industry (Park Record)Policy NewsUtah banks ready to approve Small Business Administration loansUtah lenders announced that they stand ready to approve U.S. Small Business Administration-backed loans thanks to the passage of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act during the bi-weekly virtual Town Hall for the Utah Economic Response Task Force. The CARES Act legislation is designed to help small business owners cover their payroll and other basic business expenses.Casual Friday: Weekend Events & Outdoors Report Outdoors Report--Salt Lake Tribune: Arches and Canyonlands national parks to close due to coronavirus. Some who live around Zion National Park are rooting for it to be next.GREENbike offers $0.01 annual passes to essential workers In coordination with Governor Gary Herbert's "Stay Safe, Stay Home" directive and Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall's proclamation implementing the directive, GREENbike, Salt Lake City's nonprofit bike-share program, is offering $0.01 annual memberships to all essential workers.O.C. Tanner converts portion of manufacturing space to develop medical equipment to fight COVID-19 pandemic O.C. Tanner announced it has converted a portion of its manufacturing space to develop and produce vital medical equipment needed to fight the COVID-19 outbreak, and it will be donating this equipment to hospitals that are in dire need of resources. More National HeadlinesTeam USA: 50 companies join Trump's war on coronavirus (Washington Examiner) 'Less time on your ridiculous impeachment hoax': Trump rebukes Schumer over coronavirus response (Washington Examiner) Armchair Quarterbacks Try to Rewrite History on Coronavirus (National Review) The FBI Can't Be Trusted With the Surveillance of Americans (Bloomberg) No lockdown, please, we're Swedish (Spectator) San Francisco reverses ban on plastic bags, now bars reusable totes (Washington Times) Philadelphia's Only Surging Industry (City-Journal) Israeli coronavirus fatalities are mostly elderly men, average age 79.8 (Times of Israel) What Everyone's Getting Wrong About the Toilet Paper Shortage (Medium) Trump Sees Hope for Boosting Global Oil Prices and Helping U.S. Firms (New York Times)ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY1860 - The first successful Pony Express run from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California, begins. 1865 - Union forces capture Richmond, Virginia, the capital of the Confederate States of America. 1882 - Robert Ford kills Jesse James. 1895 - The trial in the libel case brought by Oscar Wilde begins, eventually resulting in his imprisonment on charges of homosexuality. 1922 - Joseph Stalin becomes the first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. 1948 - President Harry Truman signs the Marshall Plan, authorizing $5 billion in aid for 16 countries. 1955 - The ACLU announces it will defend Alan Ginsberg's book Howl against obscenity charges. 1968 - Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech. 1996 - Suspected "Unabomber" Theodore Kaczynski is captured at his Montana cabin. 2008 - Texas law enforcement cordons off the FLDS's YFZ Ranch. Eventually, 533 women and children will be taken into state custody. 2010 - Apple released the first generation iPad. Wise WordsBest Medicine"The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up."Mark Twain Lighter SideInspirationOn his 11th day of physical distancing at home, Jimmy Kimmel lamented how he has "been hearing how Shakespeare and Sir Isaac Newton came up with some of their greatest ideas while under quarantine during the plague", he said. "That's great so far all I've discovered is you can slide a laundry basket down the stairs. But congratulations to them." 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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