When Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, agreed to film an ad for Utah Gov. Spencer Cox’s “Disagree Better” initiative, he knew just who he would ask.

It was a Republican from the western side of his state, Mayor Jack Coburn of Lonaconing, who Moore had visited shortly after assuming the governorship. The town was having a water crisis at the time.

Moore said when he first met Coburn, the mayor said, “‘Can you do me a favor?’ He said, ‘turn 360 degrees.’ So I turned 360 degrees. And he said, ‘the only guarantee that you’re getting is you won’t see a Democrat within five miles of anywhere you just looked.’”

The two men struck up a friendship, and Moore said Coburn taught him the importance of friendship and of showing up.

Although they’re from different parties, Cox and Moore have also struck up a friendship, and it was what led the two governors to come together to speak side by side, where they praised each other, and sought shared connection despite their differences — Cox, a self-described farm boy from Utah, and Moore, the first Black governor of Maryland — and all but pleaded with Americans to do better.

‘Generational’ water bill advances with an eye on Utah’s water future

Legislative leadership stressed Wednesday that Utah needs to plan now for water needs 25, 50, or even 100 years from now so future generations can rely on a dependable supply of a finite resource in one of the driest states in the nation.

Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, and House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, addressed the House Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Committee on Wednesday, urging the passage of SB211, or the Generational Water Infrastructure Amendments.

“I’m the beneficiary of five generations of work,” Adams said, explaining he is a fifth generation Layton resident. “And I realized last year that we would have run out of water if it had not been for the forethought of those individuals that went before me that did not have a view just for their kids. They didn’t have a view just for their kids and their grandkids — that they looked five generations down the road to me and had 100-year vision.”

The Utah Rivers Council has blasted the measure, however.

“This is an undemocratic bill that allows appointed government officials to meet secretly and concoct all kinds of proposals about our water future without any public insight,” Matt Berry, a policy analyst with the council, told committee members.

Read more about the water bill.

More in Politics:

• Gov. Spencer Cox promotes his ‘Disagree Better’ campaign in Washington (Deseret News)
• Another income tax cut is going to cost more. So what will the Utah Legislature do? (Deseret News)
• Utah takes another step toward NIL regulation (Deseret News)
• Sen. Lee explains votes on Ukraine, border in visit with Utah lawmakers (Deseret News)

FROM OUR SPONSOR JON M. HUNTSMAN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

What Does it Mean to Dare Mighty Things?

Dare Mighty Things: (v) the act of courageously attempting to do big and audacious things that make you uncomfortable, that stretch you, and allow you to grow, even as you experience failure and doubt along the way. Daring Mighty in little and big things is not an act but a habit toward excellence.

Health

• Is youthful, healthy skin an ice-cold quest? (Deseret News)
• Bedbugs are back — and stronger than ever (Deseret News)

Faith

• Churches are hosting dance parties. Is it a smart fundraising move — or ‘desecration’? (Deseret News)
  
• ‘for King + Country’ singer Joel Smallbone on God’s love, music and his new movie (Deseret News)
• First Presidency releases 2024 Easter message: ‘I have overcome the world’ (Deseret News)

Education

• House gives final passage to legislation that clarifies school library book challenges (Deseret News)
• Chaplains in public schools? This lawmaker wants to give districts, charter schools the option (Deseret News)

Entertainment

• ‘Our biggest season ever’: These 9 Broadway shows are coming to Utah (Deseret News)
• Meg Walter: I arrived at WWE SmackDown confused and nervous. I left a fan (Deseret News)

Utah

• An MLB stadium in Salt Lake City would cost taxpayers at least $900M (Deseret News)
• Northern Utah school district apologizes for 'wrong call' after not issuing a start delay (KSL)
• BYU cybersecurity program awarded prestigious scholarship grant for students (KSL)
• Water, growth and ‘Wings of Death’: Iron County leaders talk state of the cities (St. George News)

The West

• President Joe Biden set to nominate 2 women to become federal judges in Arizona (Arizona Republic)
• Denver budget cuts due to migrant crisis face more scrutiny as recreation centers reduce hours (Denver Post)

The Nation

• Texas man arrested, charged with murder of 11-year-old girl (Deseret News)
• Naomi Schaefer Riley: How the Children’s Bureau lost its way (Deseret News)

The World

• U.S. vetoed cease-fire in Gaza. What’s next? (Deseret News)
  
• Afghanistan: Archaeological sites 'bulldozed for looting' (BBC)

Sports

• Danny Ainge pushes his chips back onto the table (Deseret News)
• Utah appellate court tosses out one of two lawsuits against PGA Tour golfer Tony Finau (Deseret News)
• Where do BYU, Utah State and Utah land in the latest bracketology projections? (Deseret News)
• BYU women's basketball played TCU Wednesday night. Here's how they fared (Deseret News)

Photo of the Week

Members of the Utah House of Representatives applaud for the athlete who was the subject of school board member Natalie Cline’s comments on social media after passing the House Concurrent Resolution Condemning and Censuring State School Board Member Natalie Cline at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024.

Read more about the Legislature's censure of Cline.