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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 editor@utahpolicy.com Situational Analysis - April 28, 2021 Welcome to Wednesday. It's National BraveHearts Day, a day set aside each year to honor the bravery of child suffering from cancer and those who love them. Hugs all around. News you need to know - Utah's first lady Abby Cox has launched her #ShowUp initiative to tackle our empathy crisis. She is focused on four areas: service projects, social and emotional learning, Utah's foster families and children and Special Olympics Unified Sports. She #ShowedUp at Bridle Up Hope in Alpine yesterday where she and other volunteers put together 1500 bags for foster families.
- The CDC has updated its guidelines for fully vaccinated people. You can now skip the masks if you are outside in uncrowded venues, you no longer need to test before or after domestic travel and don't need to be tested if you are asymptomatic following exposure. You should still wear masks in large, indoor gatherings. Also, local ordinances supersede CDC guidelines.
- President Joe Biden will address a joint session of Congress tonight at 7 pm MDT. (Presidents don't give "State of the Union" speeches until their second year in office.) There will be no designated survivor as attendance will be limited. You will be able to watch it pretty much anywhere you get news, including social media. He heads into the speech with approval from the majority of Americans.
- A sacred petroglyph, "Birthing Rock," has been defaced near Moab with racial and sexual slurs and images. WHO DOES STUFF LIKE THIS??? Federal officials would like to know and they are offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone responsible for the vandalism.
- Finally, if you are passionate about Equity, Inclusion, Diversity and Access, well, the State of Utah has a job for you. They are looking for an "Equity and Inclusion Accelerator" to develop, implement and oversee EIDA programming for the agencies within the Executive Branch. If this speaks to you, the deadline to apply is May 5.
If you have a minute of down time, check out some stunning photographs from the Hubble telescope. For example, the Caldwell 78.... 
Countdown 2 days until the Biden/Harris administration's first 100 days are up (04/30/2021)
3 days until the in-person Utah GOP Organizing Convention (05/01/2021)
59 days until theUtah Democrat party organizing convention (06/26/21)
136 days until half-way through the Cox/Henderson's administration's 500-day plan (09/11/2021) %MCEPASTEBIN%
Utah Headlines Deseret News Salt Lake Tribune Other Utah News Sources COVID Corner
National Headlines - What Senator Mike Lee Tells Us About the Future of the GOP (Religion & Politics)
- DHS to begin new counter-human smuggling operation targeting transnational human smuggling at southern border (Deseret News)
- Chair Incident Was Sign of Enduring Sexism, E.U. Leader Says. "Would this have happened if I had worn a suit and a tie?" asked Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, after she was left standing during a summit in Turkey this month. (New York Times)
- Navy SEALs to shift from counterterrorism to global threats (AP)
- Harris takes on 'hard work' in 100 days as vice president (AP)
- EXCLUSIVE U.S. Justice Department ends Trump-era limits on grants to 'sanctuary cities' (Reuters)
- Biden to push trillions in investment, plead for police reform in Congress speech (Reuters)
- Autopsy shows Black man was shot in the back of the head execution-style by N.C. deputies, attorneys say (Washington Post)
- A New York Post story about Kamala Harris triggered conservative outrage. Almost all of it was wrong. Now the reporter has resigned. (Washington Post)
- A Capitol invader left a note calling Nancy Pelosi a b-word. His attempt to walk it back has been .?.?. really something. (Washington Post)
- U.S. Built the Afghan Military Over 20 Years. Will It Last One More? As the United States withdraws from Afghanistan, it leaves behind broken and battered Afghan security forces to defend the country from the Taliban and other threats. (New York Times)
- Inside Biden's bubble: How an insular White House has kept drama and leaks at a minimum. 100 days into the Biden administration, the White House is a tight ship run by a cadre of longtime Biden loyalists. (Politico)
- The Trump-rejecting Florida Republican who has a plan to fix the GOP. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez has a message for leaders in Washington: 'Start thinking more like mayors.' (Politico)
- No designated survivor for Biden's first joint address to Congress. With attendance limited due to the pandemic, many Cabinet officials won't be in the Capitol for the speech. (Politico)
- McCarthy and Cheney worlds apart after Florida retreat. Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy called on his conference to unite, but he and Rep. Liz Cheney are still at odds over former President Donald Trump. (Politico)
- Pompeo slams Iran news: 'When I was briefing Trump, Kerry was briefing Zarif.' Lawmakers including Sens. Mitt Romney and Dan Sullivan also condemned Kerry. (Fox News)
- Biden moves to extend key parts of COVID-19 relief bills with American Families Plan (Fox News)
- How Barack Obama's eight years shaped Joe Biden's first 100 days. The story of Biden's early days in office mirrors the story of a Democratic Party changing course based on the lessons of the Obama era. (NBC)
News Releases  Savage's new Tooele Railport connects businesses with global marketsSavage, a Utah-based, global transportation and logistics company in business for 75 years, has opened Savage Railport Tooele, UT, a multi-commodity transload facility strategically located to serve Salt Lake City and surrounding markets from nearby Tooele, Utah. Located 40 miles west of Salt Lake City, the railport can safely handle both non-hazardous and hazardous products and transfer materials from trucks to railcars for delivery across the United States and internationally or from railcars to trucks for deliveries across the Wasatch Front.
 Woodside Homes names first woman executive Woodside Homes announces Erin Willis as its new chief insights and marketing officer, making her the first female corporate executive at the company.Advancing Woodside's customer-centric focus, Willis's new position and rich background will allow her to expand the integration efforts of Woodside's research and marketing capabilities to facilitate greater communication among customers and stakeholders and align with the distinct needs of the customer.
 Comcast RISE seeks Utah BIPOC-owned, small businesses for awards program Comcast RISE, a multi-year, multi-faceted initiative launched to help strengthen small businesses hard hit by COVID-19, is accepting applications through May 7. Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC)-owned, Utah small businesses are encouraged to apply for the chance to receive consulting, media, and creative production services from Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, or technology upgrades from Comcast Business, based on their specific needs.
 Utah Clean Air Partnership Board names new executive director The Utah Clean Air Partnership (UCAIR) Board announced today that Kim Frost was selected as the new Executive Director of the non-profit organization."Kim is the ideal choice to continue moving UCAIR forward," said UCAIR Board Chair Dr. Liz Joy.
 Utah Thrives Podcast: Is Utah leading a transportation funding revolution?Utah has joined about a dozen states in exploring a new kind of revenue for road maintenance that charges drivers for miles driven, rather than fuel consumed. While many states have conducted research and pilot projects on road usage charges, Utah and Oregon are the only two states with currently operating programs.
Business Headlines
On This Day In History (From History.com) - 1758 - James Monroe is born. He became the 5th US President (1817-25).
- 1789 - Mutiny on the HMS Bounty
- 1908 - Oskar Schindler is born.
- 1923 - Game inventor Elizabeth Magie Phillips applies for her second patent for Monopoly's predecessor. Her original patent was received in 1904, but after copycat versions started circulating, she applied for the second. It did not protect her intellectual property, however. Charles Darrow sold a slightly altered version to Parker Brothers and even though Phillips immediately went public with the plagiarism, she never did get the credit she deserved.
- 1926 - Harper Lee is born.
- 1945 - Benito Mussolini is executed.
- 1947 - Thor Heyerdahl and the crew of the "Kon-Tiki" sail from Peru to Polynesia.
- 1960 - Elena Kagan is born today. She became the U.S. Supreme Court's fourth woman justice
- 1971 - Samuel Lee Gravely, Jr. becomes the first Black Admiral in the U.S. Navy.
- 1993 - First "Take Our Daughters to Work" Day, sponsored by the Ms. Foundation. In 2003, it became "Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work" Day
"People generally see what they look for, and hear what they listen for." ~Harper Lee
Lighter Side "I've got to be honest: I'm going to miss wearing a mask. The adult acne made me feel young, you know?" - JIMMY FALLON Subscribers may receive special messages with information about new features, special offers, or public policy messages from clients and advertisers. Advertise With Us |
