| Cox, Polis lead governors in opposing Biden administration takeover of 1,000 National Guardsmen; Santaquin sergeant returned home .png?width=1200&upscale=true&name=Utah_Policy_Logo_Email_Full%20(1).png) | The Utah Policy newsletter is your one-stop source for political and policy-minded news. We scour the news so you don't have to! Send news tips or feedback to Holly Richardson at editor@utahpolicy.com. If you're a candidate in 2024 and want to advertise on UtahPolicy.com, contact Suzanne Benitez. | | |
Situational Analysis | May 7, 2024 It's Tuesday and National Teacher's Day! What you need to know - Utah is ranked the No. 1 overall state by U.S. News and World Report. Again. First launched in 2017, the Best States project ranks states based on their performance in the areas of health care, education, natural environment, opportunity, economy, crime and corrections, infrastructure and fiscal stability.
Rapid relevance | | |
Utah Headlines Political news - Former Utah legislator Carl Wimmer settles religious discrimination complaint with police department (Fox13)
Election news - Is the Utah convention system still relevant? Itâs in more âperilâ than ever, BYU professor says (Daily Herald)
Utah news - âBill died a heroâ: Santaquin sergeant killed in the line of duty returned home. Police Sgt. Bill Hooser was killed when police say a semi driver rammed into both his police car and a Utah Highway Patrol trooperâs vehicle (KSL)
- Santaquin students show up to school wearing blue in support of law enforcement (KSL TV)
- Jennie Taylor, widow of man killed in Afghanistan, shares experience with handling loss (KUTV)
- Utah becomes 20th state to host nonprofit The Laundry Project (KSL Newsradio)
Business - Utahâs NHL team will build its practice facility at the Shops at South Town Mall (Deseret News)
- Casting for Kevin Costnerâs Utah film is looking for paid extras (KSL TV)
Crime/Courts - Man accused of killing Utah officer in I-15 crash previously struck Oregon officer with car (Salt Lake Tribune)
Culture - 'I don't think there's any debate': Rudy Gobert misses playoff game after birth of son (KSL)
- Living Heritage Festival coming back to Union Station this weekend (Standard-Examiner)
Education - President Taylor Randall: Preserving freedom of expression within the confines of the law is good for all (Deseret News)
- University of Utah faculty pen letter criticizing protest response, ask for divestment from Israel (KSL)
- 'It makes sense for our students': BYU-Pathway Worldwide launches 3-year bachelor's degree (KSL)
- A third of Salt Lake City high schoolers feel weapons detectors donât increase security, survey shows (Salt Lake Tribune)
Environment - The Biden administration said it will direct $147 million to states in the West, including Utah, to help with water scarcity. (Deseret News)
- A rare dose of hope for the Colorado River as new study says future may be wetter (KUER)
- Utah Republicans battle Biden adminâs new Public Lands Rule, pass Rep. Curtisâ bill in U.S. House (Salt Lake Tribune)
Family - Nearly half of Utahâs wilderness programs for âtroubled teensâ closed in the last year. Hereâs whatâs happening. (Salt Lake Tribune)
Health - Connection matters for Gen Z, but theyâre not sure they deserve love (Deseret News)
- A gene long thought to just raise the risk for Alzheimerâs may actually cause some cases (AP)
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National Headlines General - New Orleans teens solve 2,000-year-old math problem (Deseret News)
- Columbia cancels main commencement; arrests continue at other campuses (Washington Post)
Political news - Speaker Johnson faces threat of ouster vote in pivotal week as he meets with Marjorie Taylor Greene (KSL TV)
- Looking Trump in the eye, the N.Y. judge warns he may jail him (Washington Post)
- Trump could be talking himself into a prison sentence if he's convicted (Politico)
Election news - Trump advisers explore vast new legal powers for global trade war (Washington Post)
- Trump disparages Jon Testerâs weight during fundraiser, saying he âlooks pregnantâ (Politico)
- Trump looks to cut off oxygen to RFK Jr. (The Hill)
Ukraine ðºð¦ - Ukraine's artillery pinned down by Russian drones (Reuters)
- Russian plot to kill Zelensky foiled, Kyiv says (BBC)
Israel and Gaza World news | | |
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 | News Releases Gov. Cox orders flags to be lowered after the passing of Santaquin Police Sgt. Bill Hooser Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox has issued an order for the flags of the United States of America and the great state of Utah to be flown at half-staff on all state facilities in recognition of the passing of Sgt. Bill Hooser of the Santaquin Police Department who died in the line of duty. Flags should be lowered to the half-staff position beginning immediately on Monday, May 6 and remain at half-staff until sunset on the day of interment. The Governorâs Office will send an additional notice indicating when flags may be returned to the full-staff position. The governor extends an invitation to all private citizens, businesses, and other organizations to participate in this recognition.
Utah Food Bank & local letter carriers team up to fight hunger statewide On Saturday, May 11th, letter carriers will collect food statewide to help the 317,000 Utahns facing hunger. Utah Food Bank asks residents across the state to help âStamp Out Hungerâ by filling the blue reminder bag with non-perishable food and leaving it near their mailbox no later than 9:00 a.m. on May 11th. Local letter carriers will collect and deliver food donations to Utah Food Bank and its statewide network of 245 partner agencies. All donations will be distributed to food pantries located in the community where the donation is made. With inflation and high costs of living creating increased need, Utah Food Bank and their partner agencies are eagerly anticipating the success of this food drive. (Read More)
USBE hosts banquet to honor âDo the Write Thingâ finalists The Utah State Board of Education (USBE) recently hosted its 24th annual âDo the Write Thingâ banquet. The annual event served as a platform to recognize the ongoing efforts of students across the state who participated in this valuable initiative to address youth violence. The 2024 Utah âDo the Write Thingâ Challenge has yielded a remarkable cohort of finalists, representing 13 schools throughout the state. Among these standout individuals, Zayden Maughan and Adeline White, both from South Ogden Junior High, emerged as Utahâs distinguished finalists. (Read More)
Two UVU Students awarded 2024 prestigious Goldwater Scholarships Utah Valley University (UVU) students Mikaela Cowles and Kyri Forman were selected as 2024 Goldwater Scholars being recognized for their exceptional work and research in physics and biology, respectively. Each student will receive up to $7,500 per academic year for a maximum of two years or until graduation, depending on how much money they receive from other scholarship sources. A total of 438 Goldwater Scholars were selected this year from a field of 1,353 students nominated by their academic institutions. Only five students were selected in the state of Utah this year â Cowles and Forman were two of the five. (Read More)
Adam Watson appointed as Director of the Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code The Utah Department of Commerce has appointed Adam Watson as the new Director of the Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code (DCCC). Watson brings an extensive background in managing investigation teams and a commitment to public service. Watson previously served as the Chief Investigator for the Utah Division of Consumer Protection (DCP). (Read More)
The Policy Project to host a service day to honor Menstrual Hygiene Day Hundreds of community members will gather in Lehi, Utah on Wednesday, May 8th from 7:00 to 8:30 to assemble thousands of summer period product kits for Utah students experiencing period poverty. This will be Utahâs effort to honor Menstrual Hygiene Day on May 28, a day dedicated to raising awareness and advocating for millions of women and girls who are prevented from reaching their full potential just because they menstruate. (Read More) | | |
Tweet of the Day 
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Upcoming - May 7 â Election Trust Forum, UVU, 8:00 am-11:30 am, Register here
- May 8 â BioHive Live conference, Hale Centre Theatre, Register here
- May 10 â Utah Taxpayers Association Taxes Now conference, 9:00 am-1:00 pm, Grand America Hotel, Register here
- May 13-15 â Interim Days
- May 29 â Northern Utah Conference to End Violence, USU Logan campus, 8:30 am-4:30 pm, Register here
- June 6 â Bolder Way Forward 2nd Annual Summit, Zions Technology Campus, 9:00 am-2:00 pm, Register here
- June 18-19 â Interim Days
- August 14 â Hatch Foundation "Titan of Public Service" recognizing Sen. John Thune, Grand America
- August 20-21 â Interim Days
- September 17-18 â Interim Days
- October 15-16 â Interim Day
- November 19-20 â Interim Days
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On This Day In History - 558 - In Constantinople, the dome of the Hagia Sophia collapses. Justinian I immediately orders the dome rebuilt.
- 1826 - Varina Howell (Davis) is born. She became the first lady of the Confederate States of America when her husband became the president.
- 1843 - The first Japanese immigrant arrives in the US, a 14-year-old fisherman named Manjiro.
- 1845 - Mary Eliza Mahoney is born. She became the first Black registered nurse in the US.
- 1867 - Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel patents dynamite in England, the first of three patents he would receive for the explosive material. (And yes, that Nobelâ¦)
- 1915 - A German submarine torpedoes and sinks the Lusitania, killing 1198 people.
- 1945 - Nazi Germany signed an unconditional surrender at Allied headquarters, ending its role in World War II.
- 1994 - Edvard Munchâs "The Scream" is recovered after its theft three months earlier.
- 2020 - Father and son arrested for the murder of Ahmaud Arbery in Brunswick, Georgia, after video of the killing surfaces.
Quote of the Day "Although nothing could ever make up for the loss we feel, we take solace knowing that Bill died a hero, doing a job that he loved - serving people he loved, this community and his brothers and sisters in law enforcement." âFamily statement on the death of Sgt. Bill Hooser
On the Punny Side The person who invented the ferris wheel never met the person who invented the merry go round. They traveled in different circles. | | |
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