N%MCEPASTEBIN%

Utah Headlines

General

• How Spencer Cox, an 'angsty' farm boy, grew up to become the governor of Utah (Deseret News)
• The self-silencing majority: In red America and blue America, an epidemic of self-censorship is threatening democracy (Deseret News)
• She called Utah police to help her suicidal husband. They shot and killed him. (Salt Lake Tribune, KSL)
• Donovan Mitchell calls move to ban critical race theory in Utah schools 'unfortunate' (Fox13)

Politics

• Spencer Cox says the CDC 'couldn't be more correct' when they updated their mask guidelines to say if you are fully vaccinated, no mask needed. (Deseret News)
• Utah's governor says turn off cable news as critical race theory debate heats up, but says he supports resolution identifying 'risks' of CRT (Deseret News, Salt Lake Tribune, ABC4, Daily Herald, KUER)
• Utah lawmakers chase boogeymen in a windy special session (Deseret News)
• 'Early intervention is the key': Rep. Lowry Snow advocates for justice and education reform (St. George News)

Service

• Jazz scholarships present 'life-changing' opportunities for more than 55 Utah students (KSL, ABC4, NBA)
• Latest Farmers Feeding Utah project brings 1200 boxes of food to Orem families (Daily Herald)
• Successful Iron County food distribution helps locals in need (Iron County Today)
• 'This is what we were founded on': Governor, lieutenant governor laud volunteerism at Rotary luncheon (St. George News)

COVID Corner

• Four more Utahns die of COVID-19. The state's ethnic minorities lag behind the white population in getting vaccinated, governor says. (Salt Lake Tribune)
• 29 COVID-19 cases reported in Kaysville middle school outbreak (KSL)
• Vaccinated? Here's how you can score free Shake Shack (ABC4)
• Salma Hayek almost died from COVID-19 (Deseret News)
• COVID disrupts years of health progress in the US, inflating the nation's death rate to the highest level in nearly two decades. (Wall Street Journal)
• When it comes to unmasking, do we trust each other to follow the rules? (Washington Post)
• Ohio vaccination rate jumps 28 percent after lottery announcement (The Hill)
• Severe COVID is more often fatal in Africa than in other regions (New York Times)

Drought

• Utah's drought is 'really bad' Cox warns, may lead to restrictions and fireworks ban (Fox13)
• Northern Utah water official says drought as bad as he's seen, but not yet time to panic (Standard-Examiner)

Economy

• Want to support women-owned businesses? There's a new directory for Utahns to use. People can search for more than 400 companies, including a salsa business, a dog-walking service and a home inspector. (Salt Lake Tribune)
• Utah business owners 'scrambling' to pay state tax bill on PPP loans. For Scott Slaymaker, a managing partner of the Wingers restaurant chain, that means he got a $100,000 bill he wasn't expecting this week. "It's a real gut punch," Slaymaker said. (KUTV)

Education

• Park City Board of Education has scrapped the live public comment portion of its meetings. Written comments still accepted, to be included with minutes. (Park Record)

Environment

• Crust farming: Volunteer to help Arches move delicate soil and native plants (Moab Sun News)
• Two Murray farmers were among the first modern environmental activists (Murray Journal)
• Lee, Romney want Congress to decide Utah monuments, not president (KUTV)

Family

• 'A pandemic in its own right': Utah lawmakers looking at solutions to child care shortage (Deseret News)
• Susan Madsen: Childcare controversy falls into the either/or trap. The issue is much more complex than the political debate would suggest. (Salt Lake Tribune)
• The life-affirming power of the family reunion. Family reunions are about more than assorted salads and games - They're about building strong bonds (Deseret News)
• How a mother, grandmother and former inmate hope to refocus prisons to keep families together (Deseret News)

Housing

• With house prices exploding, Southern Utah homebuyers struggle against 'bidding wars (St. George News)
• Moab's housing crises create a hiring crisis (Moab Times)
• A roundtable conversation about commercial real estate in 2021 (Utah Business)

Local Communities

• Brigham City Cafe celebrates a century of candy, pie and comfort food. The Idle Isle Cafe opened in May 1921 as a candy and ice cream shop, but eventually transformed into a favorite community gathering place. (Salt Lake Tribune)
• Chalk of the Town: Artists to bring the streets of Park City to life (ABC4)
• Utah Natural History Museum gives a glimpse into the lives of ancient pharaohs (KUTV, Fox13)
• Kanab EV charging station a step toward region-wide shuttle system near Zion National Park (The Spectrum)
• Return of the Summit Rock! Hunt and win your share of $33,000 (St. George News)

---

National Headlines

General

• Why moral liberations meant to free us have, in many ways, ensnared us. The march toward unfettered freedom should be a triumph, but Sohrab Ahmari thinks we've lost something far greater along the way. (Deseret News)
• The Justice Department under Trump seized Washington Post reporters' phone records in leak probe (Politico)
• Trump administration secretly obtained CNN reporter's phone and email records (CNN)
• Video shows officer saying 'you shouldn't be able to breathe' moments before jailed man's death (The Hill)
• 'Like hell:' As Olympics loom, Japan health care in turmoil (AP)

Politics

• House Republican votes for U.S. Capitol riot plan a blow to Kevin McCarthy (Reuters)
• Texas pushing to obscure the state's history of slavery and racism is awash in bills aimed at fending off critical examinations of the state's past. (New York Times)
• CNN's Chris Cuomo participated in strategy calls advising his brother, the New York governor, on how to respond to sexual harassment allegations. (Washington Post, New York Times)
• CNN says it was 'inappropriate' for Chris Cuomo to participate in strategy sessions advising brother on sexual harassment allegations but won't face any disciplinary action. (CNN)

Economy

• Real-estate frenzy overwhelms small-town America: 'I came home crying' (Wall Street Journal)
• Restaurant traffic is roaring back in much of the U.S. In some states and cities, it's eclipsing pre-pandemic numbers. (Washington Post)
• As Paycheck Protection Program runs dry, desperation grows. Overwhelmed lenders and panicking borrowers are in a frenzy to grab the remaining money in the small business relief program. (New York Times)

Elections

• Arizona secretary of state says Maricopa County should replace millions of dollars worth of voting equipment because of GOP-backed recount (Washington Post)
• Missouri Senate race shapes into battle between controversial firebrands and GOP officials (Politico)
• Democrats, GOP face crowded primaries as party leaders lose control (The Hill)
• Trump slams 'weak,' 'stupid' Republicans who don't want to talk about Arizona audit (The Hill)

Environment

• U.S. proposes big increase in forest management to tackle wildfires (Reuters)
• Global cactus traffickers are cleaning out the deserts in a growing black market (New York Times)

Immigration

• The unexpected solution for immigration from Central America. The Northern Triangle needs momentum toward a strong, post-COVID-19 regional economy. (Deseret News)

Infrastructure

• GOP not budging on infrastructure offer in Biden talks (AP)
• Biden's bank shot to win GOP support for his infrastructure bill: Reaching out to local Republican leaders as it seeks to raise pressure on GOP lawmakers (Politico)
• White House, GOP infrastructure talks reaching key stage (AP)

Israeli/Palestinian Conflict

• Israel, Hamas agree to cease-fire to end bloody 11-day war in a truce mediated by Egypt (AP, Reuters)
• Don't forget Palestinian Christians, who are often lost in conversations about a conflict that's framed as Muslims versus Jews (Deseret News)
• 'We have no option but to die': Living through an airstrike in Gaza (New York Times)

News of the Weird

• 10 seconds of terror: Alaska man survives brown bear mauling (AP)
• Why does this have to be said?? CDC urges against kissing, snuggling poultry (The Hill)

---

Policy News

Webinar: Utah's national economic leadership - reporter's roundtable
The Salt Lake Chamber will host a webinar with reporters and policy watchers to discuss how Utah attained and can remain the best state for growth and economic opportunity. This roundtable webinar will discuss how Utah attained such national recognition coming out of a pandemic. Recent reports from The Milken Institute, the Wall Street Journal, US News & World Report and others have highlighted the state's economic strength. The reporters covering Utah's business community and economic development will share what they are seeing from the front lines.

---

Sen. Romney urges administration to step up vaccine aid to countries in need
U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) today urged the Administration to implement a vaccine distribution strategy which ensures access to countries in need around the world. He highlighted also the national security concern that China and Russia pose by distributing their own, less efficacious vaccine to help advance their political agendas in various countries.

---

Armed Forces organizations, 500+ veterans announce support of LGBTQ federal protections
Today in honor of Military Appreciation Month, Freedom for All Americans released endorsements from major national armed forces organizations representing more than one million veterans and more than 500 individual veterans in support of federal nondiscrimination legislation to protect all LGBTQ Americans in all areas of daily life.

---

Rep. Owens opening statement on supporting homeless and foster students
Today, Republican Leader of the Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee Burgess Owens (UT-04) delivered the following opening statement, as prepared for delivery, at a hearing on supporting students experiencing foster care and homelessness:

---

Smith's announces update to store mask policy
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, The Kroger Family of Companies' most urgent priority has been the safety of our associates and customers. We have adhered to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and our Chief Medical Officer Dr. Marc Watkins and listened to our associates and customers to guide our policies.

---

Business Headlines

• LDS Church wins big on stocks, racks up 907% gain on GameStop (Salt Lake Tribune, ABC4)
• Utah kids and adults make big money selling sneakers (Fox13)
• U.S. Treasury floats global corporate tax of at least 15% (Reuters)
• McDonald's is sued for $10 billion for alleged bias against Black-owned media (Reuters)
• U.S. weekly jobless claims decline further; mid-Atlantic factory activity cools (Reuters)
• U.S. regulators signal stronger risk, tax oversight for cryptocurrencies (Reuters)
• U.S. Commerce chief holding meetings on chips shortage (Reuters)
• The Commerce Department held another summit with industry leaders this week as businesses try to get help with the chip shortage. (Politico)
• Three Carnival lines plan to resume Alaska cruises in July: Carnival Corp.'s Princess Cruises, Holland America Line and Carnival Cruise Line to offer Seattle-to-Alaska itineraries (Wall Street Journal)
• Soaring prices herald boom time for steel makers. A rebounding economy and Trump-era tariffs have helped drive the price of domestic steel to record highs. (New York Times)
• Apple CEO Tim Cook will make first-ever court appearance in blockbuster Fortnite trial (CNN)

---

---