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 - May 4, 2021It's Tuesday and National Star Wars Day. May the Fourth be with you. Do you remember the first time you saw a Star Wars movie? It was a whole new type of film. For me, I was a teenager living in France in 1977 when the first one came out and happily went to the theater multiple times in a row to hear Princess Leia say "Que la force soit avec toi." News you need to know
Countdown 53 days until the Utah Democratic party organizing convention (06/26/21) %MCEPASTEBIN% Today At Utah PolicyOpinion briefs: No red meat, no cable news stardom . . . How to get on TV . . . more trampling of state prerogativesBy LaVarr Webb Why isn't Utah included in discussions of dynamic states? As I flip through the cable news channels, I frequently see stories (especially in conservative media) about states whose economies are booming and that have opened up and reduced or eliminated pandemic restrictions. Their governors are often interviewed and the states are contrasted with Democratic-led states that have more restrictions and whose economies are weak. Utah HeadlinesDeseret News
Salt Lake Tribune
Other Utah News Sources
COVID Corner
National Headlines
Education
Policy NewsGov. Cox orders water conservation measures at all state facilitiesIn response to ongoing concerns about extremely dry conditions, Gov. Spencer J. Cox issued an executive order forbidding irrigation at state facilities between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., requiring that sprinklers are shut off during rain storms and making sure landscape watering systems are operating efficiently. Romney, Merkley Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Long-Term Health of Saline Ecosystems U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) introduced their Saline Lake Ecosystems in the Great Basin States Program Act, bipartisan legislation to facilitate an integrated regional assessment of saline lake ecosystems that would fill a critical data gap that has made it nearly impossible to address a variety of problems caused by declining water levels. Saline lakes line wetlands across the West Coast, serving as habitats for a diverse array of wildlife and providing important economic and social benefits to nearby communities. Collaboration fast-tracks U of U technology for ultra-quick, affordable COVID test The University of Utah (the U), ARUP Laboratories, and Techcyte Inc. announced that they have formed a partnership to develop NanoSpot.AI, a less than five-minute, easy-to-administer SARS-CoV-2 antibody test. NanoSpot.AI is estimated to be significantly less expensive to manufacture than other SARS-CoV-2 antibody tests, so it has the potential to be considerably more affordable than currently available tests, making it possible to extend the test to every corner of the world. Reps. Stewart and Correa Introduce Legislation to Address Suicide in Young Adults Congressman Chris Stewart (R-UT) reintroduced bipartisan legislation with Congressman Lou Correa (D-CA) and Senators Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) and John Kennedy (R-LA). The bill, The Improving Mental Health Access for Students Act, will help address suicide amongst teens and young adults by increasing access to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and Crisis Text Line. Gov. Spencer J. Cox names Monica Diaz to the Third District Juvenile Court Gov. Spencer J. Cox has nominated Monica Diaz to fill the Third District Juvenile Court judicial vacancy. "As director of the Utah Sentencing Commission, Monica Diaz demonstrated a thorough knowledge of the Constitution, respect for the law and expertise in policy," Gov. Cox said. "These experiences - as well as her legal work as both a prosecutor and a public defender - will serve her well as a Juvenile Court judge. I'm proud to recommend her to this important position." Business Headlines
On This Day In History(From History.com)
Wise Words"Power is like being a lady... if you have to tell people you are, you aren't." ~Margaret Thatcher Lighter SideLighter Side"According to polls, the last time we were close to being this optimistic was 2006. I'm not surprised. That was when Tom Hanks brought back the mullet." - JIMMY FALLON Subscribers may receive special messages with information about new features, special offers, or public policy messages from clients and advertisers. |