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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 Situational Analysis - May 19, 2021It's already Wednesday! It's National Devil's Food Cake Day. Recipes for Devil's Food cakes often appeared alongside recipes for Angel Food cakes. One of the earliest recipes appeared in the August 10, 1898, edition of the Hagerstown Exponent of Hagerstown, Indiana. Now you know. News You Need to Know Today, the legislature meets in special session. There are 22 items on the call, including accepting and appropriating federal funds, some technical clean-up from session bills, a resolution celebrating the history and cultures of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and condemning AAPI hate and extending the state of emergency because of Utah's drought conditions. The Senate and the House will also be debating two resolutions not on the official call: Critical Race Theory and Sanctuary status for guns. You can follow along at le.utah.gov. COVID-19 cases are spiking in Grand County as tourists return, but there is also good news: St. Marks Hospital yesterday marked the first time in 431 days that they had no COVID patients. Sixty percent of Utah women say the pandemic negatively affected their careers. Nationwide, restaurant closures are at 14% despite apocalyptic predictions. New data from the National Restaurant Association finds a sliver of good news for the industry. We're #2! Utah is no longer the lowest in per-pupil spending - Idaho took our spot. Now we are the second-lowest. N%MCEPASTEBIN%Calendar Hatch Center: Justice and Mercy: Bringing greater balance to America's legal system with Senator Mike Lee. May 20, 11:00 am. Register here. Utah Democratic Party organizaing convention: June 26, 2021 250 days of the Cox-Henderson administration: September 11, 2021Utah HeadlinesGeneral Behind The Badge: Sheriff Rosie Rivera's rise to the top (ABC4) Utah's Mitt Romney, Arizona Democrat to pitch bipartisan boost to minimum wage (Salt Lake Tribune)Politics What Mitt Romney thinks of Evan McMullin's push for GOP reform, potential third party (Deseret News) Utah House, Senate call 'extraordinary' sessions for resolutions on critical race theory, 2nd Amendment sanctuary. Utah lawmakers to send message they're committed to addressing critical race theory - when they can. (Deseret News) Rep. Blake Moore: Here's why I am a Republican and why I believe we can rebuild the party (Deseret News) Critical Race Theory explained leading into special session (KSL)COVID Corner The CDC just put masks on the honor system. Are we up to the challenge? (Deseret News) 12 more Utahns die of COVID-19 (Salt Lake Tribune) 'A welcomed light': Hospital in SLC celebrates first time in 431 days of no patients hospitalized with COVID (ABC4) LDS church sends more than $4 million in medical supplies to India (Daily Herald) India records highest daily death toll for any country at 4,529 on Tuesday. (New York Times)Drought Lake Powell approaching historic low levels (Fox13)Economic Development Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation awards $7.6 million for recreation projects (Utah Business) Suazo Business Center expands to Odgen (Utah Business)Economy 'The wasted year': How the pandemic impacted the careers of many Utah women (Deseret News) Bureau of Labor Statistics: More women leaving the healthcare industry (Fox13)Education How valuable is your college degree? Depends if your parents have one, too (Deseret News) Utahns rally in support of LGBTQ-themed curriculum being taught in schools (Salt Lake Tribune, Fox13) Utah is not last in the nation for per-pupil spending, for the first time in decades (Salt Lake Tribune) Snow names Stacee Yardley McIff new VP for tech ed., workforce development (Richfield Reaper)Elections Park City councilor launches mayoral campaign, aiming to unseat incumbent (Park Record)Family Bestselling author and single mom Joanna Ho knows she can't have it all. The author of "Eyes That Kiss in the Corners" describes stumbling through the COVID-19 pandemic as a working, single mom. (Deseret News) Mitt Romney: 'I didn't realize I was at a disadvantage because my mom stayed home' (Deseret News)Housing What's driving Utah's housing crisis? It's not what you think, says economist. Low wages are the real culprit, he says, even as lawmakers prepare to spend millions to construct more affordable homes. (Salt Lake Tribune) Utah's Legislature aims $70 million toward affordable housing. Advocates say it's not enough. (Salt Lake Tribune) New housing development coming to Silicon Slopes area (Daily Herald) Department Of Workforce Services says Utah 'can't build our way out' of housing crisis (KUERLocal Communities Farmers Market Ogden returns Saturday, back up to pre-pandemic size (Standard-Examiner) West Jordan City organizes a diversity committee (West Jordan Journal) Mayor Overson visits Taylorsville High for youth council job shadow day (Taylorsville City Journal) Two new faces at Draper City Hall as Linda Peterson and Brett Millburn join as communication director and city manager. (Draper Journal)National HeadlinesGeneral New York state mounts criminal probe of Trump Organization finances (Reuters, Washington Post) Pandemic hit less-educated workers hardest, federal survey shows. Economic well-being fell sharply for people without a high-school degree in 2020, while rising for more-educated groups (Wall Street Journal)Politics House passes bill to combat hate crimes against Asian Americans (Washington Post, Politico) House to vote on independent panel to probe Jan. 6 attack (AP) A GOP congressman compared Capitol rioters to tourists. Photos show him barricading a door. (Washington Post) McCarthy races to contain GOP defections on Jan. 6 commission, wants Republicans to vote no (Politico) GOP splits open over Jan. 6 commission vote (The Hill) Scalise urges House Republicans to vote against Jan. 6 commission (The Hill) Problem Solvers Caucus backs Jan. 6 commission (The Hill) Trump calls for Jan. 6 commission debate to end 'immediately' (The Hill)Economy Changed by pandemic, many workers won't return to old jobs (AP) Banks fight $4 billion debt relief plan for Black farmers (New York Times) America's unemployment system failed when it was needed most. Can it be fixed? (Politico)Elections St. Louis attorney who waved rifle at protesters files to run for Senate (The Hill) Firm behind Arizona audit says no data was destroyed, contradicting GOP allegations (The Hill) Arizona recount creates backlash in state (The Hill)Immigration For Migrant Children in Federal Care, a 'Sense of Desperation' (New York Times)Israeli/Palestinian Conflict Israeli airstrikes kill 6, level large family home in Gaza (AP) Gaza children bearing the brunt in Israel-Hamas conflict (AP) No sign of Israel-Gaza ceasefire as fighting rages (Reuters) Biden is increasingly at odds with other Democrats over Israel (Washington Post)Policy NewsRep. Stewart's Ghost Army Congressional Gold Medal Act passes the HouseToday, Congressman Chris Stewart (R-UT) and Congresswoman Ann Kuster's (D-NH) Congressional Gold Medal Act passed the House. This bipartisan legislation honors the Ghost Army, a top-secret World War II unit, with Congress's highest expression of national appreciation.Sen. Romney: Washington Shouldn't Tell Parents How To Raise Their Kids In a Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee hearing on paid family leave today, U.S. Senator Mitt Romney questioned proposals put forth by Democrats that put an emphasis on young children being in a professional child care setting approved by the government rather than being at home with their parents and family. President Biden's American Families Plan proposes a new $425 billion government day care program, increases the marriage tax penalty, and favors families with two working parents over parents who prefer to have one parent stay at home.Sen. Lee Questions FTC on Merger Mismanagement Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) today sent a letter to Acting Chairwoman Rebecca Slaughter regarding recent developments in the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) handling of merger enforcement. The Senator expressed concerns about the agency's handling of 7-Eleven's recent acquisition of Speedway, as well as the FTC's February decision to suspend granting early termination under the Hart-Scott-Rodino ("HSR") Act. Under the Act, parties to certain mergers and acquisitions must submit premerger notification filings known as HSR filings, and wait up to 30 days before consummating the transaction.Utah Inland Port Authority signs deal with Port of Oakland to improve goods movement The Utah Inland Port Authority (UIPA) and the Port of Oakland are working together to improve the flow of cargo to and from the Northern California gateway and the Utah logistics system.Utah State Board of Education Leadership Statement on Critical Race Theory We express gratitude to both Governor Spencer J. Cox and the legislature in recognizing our work regarding educational equity. In the call of the special session released today, the governor expressed a desire to have the Board continue its work in this area. To date, no Board Member has raised Critical Race Theory (CRT) as an agenda item to include in Utah's K-12 schools, and advocates have not asked for specific theories to be taught. Rather, there has been a focus on educational equity and access to learning for all students. Business HeadlinesStock Futures Slip, With Tech Leading Losses (Wall Street Journal) Target sees another sales surge (Wall Street Journal) Cryptocurrency scams rose 1,000 percent in the past year and cost consumers at least $80 million, FTC says (Washington Post) Bitcoin plunges to $40,000 as China widens its crypto crackdown (CNN) Google unveils completely redesigned Android 12 (CNN) Dogecoin's co-creator says Dogecoin helps people get into cryptocurrency (Deseret News) Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation awards $7.6 million for recreation projects (Utah Business) Suazo Business Center expands to Odgen (Utah Business)On This Day In History(From History.com) 1536 - Unsuccessful at producing a male heir in three years, Anne Boleyn is beheaded and Henry VIII married his 3rd wife, Jane Seymour, 11 days later. 1916 - Britain and France conclude the secretive Sykes-Picot agreement, which divided most of the Arab lands under the rule of the Ottoman Empire into British and French spheres of influence. 1925 - Malcolm X is born 1930 - Author Lorraine Hansberry is born. Her most famous work, A Raisin in the Sun, was inspired by her family's legal battle against racially segregated housing laws in the Washington Park Subdivision of the South Side of Chicago during her childhood. 1953 - Nuclear explosion in Nevada - fall-out reaches St George, Utah 1965 - Patricia R. Harris was appointed as ambassador to Luxembourg, becoming the first woman African American ambassador. 1994 - Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, American 1st lady (1961-63), dies of cancer at 64 2018 - Prince Harry marries Meghan MarkleWise Words"There are many little ways to enlarge your child's world. Love of books is the best of all." ~Jacqueline Kennedy Lighter SideLighter Side"But, yeah, Rudy Giuliani's son is running for governor off of his dad's name. And it's not a bad move, I mean, considering how much Americans love political dynasties. Bush, Clinton, Cheney, Kennedy, Cuomo - it's almost like America fought the Revolution to say, 'We don't want a king, we want, like, six to eight kings, and they can rotate!'" - TREVOR NOAH Subscribers may receive special messages with information about new features, special offers, or public policy messages from clients and advertisers. |
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