Local News Highlights: Daily Briefing

Morning Must Reads for Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Good Wednesday morning from Salt Lake City. Today is the 307th day of the year. There are 59 days left in 2016.

Utahns remain opposed to a Bears Ears Monument. Republicans and Democrats on the Hill say only a few seats in the Utah Legislature are in play this year. Donald Trump is urging voters who cast their ballots early to switch their vote from Hillary Clinton to him.

The clock:

• Six days until the 2016 presidential election - (11/8/2016)
• 47 days until the Electoral College meets to cast their votes for president and vice president (12/19/2016)
• 79 days until Inauguration Day (1/20/2017)
• 82 days until the first day of the 2017 Utah Legislature - (1/23/2017)
• 127 days until the final day of the 2017 Utah Legislature - (3/9/2017)

Ten talking points for Wednesday:

1. Most Utahns remain opposed to a Bears Ears National Monument according to our latest poll [Utah Policy].
   
   
2. Republican and Democratic leaders in the House say only a handful of seats are "in play" this year [Utah Policy].
   
   
3. State of the race. Despite tightening polls, Hillary Clinton remains in the lead with less than a week to election day. That being said, Donald Trump absolutely has a valid path to winning the White House next Tuesday [Five Thirty Eight]. Clinton has a very narrow 3-point lead among independent voters according to a new poll [Bloomberg]. There's a chance, albeit a tiny one, that Evan McMullin could tip the election on Tuesday [Politico].
   
   
4. The FBI's decision to inform Congress they were reviewing new emails related to their investigation of Hillary Clinton looks even more curious because the agency decided to keep quiet about possible investigations involving both Clinton and Donald Trump's campaign this past summer [New York Times]. The FBI is getting fresh criticism for releasing documents on Tuesday related to President Bill Clinton's controversial pardon of fugitive Democratic donor Marc Rich [Washington Post].
   
   
5. Donald Trump is making a pitch to early voters who cast a ballot for Hillary Clinton to change their votes to him [Washington Post].
   
   
6. Wisconsin Republican Senator Ron Johnson says Hillary Clinton could be impeached for her email scandal if she becomes president [Politico].
   
   
7. More Republican Senators are vowing to block any and all of Hillary Clinton's Supreme Court nominees if she wins on Tuesday [Huffington Post].
   
   
8. Utah Republicans and Democrats hold rallies to try and boost their chances on election day [Deseret News, Tribune].
   
   
9. A Utah voter is in some legal hot water for refusing to remove a "Make America Great Again" hat at an early voting location [Tribune].
   
   
10. The U.S. Supreme Court asks Utah for a response to an appeal involving a case against the polygamist family featured on the show "Sister Wives" [Tribune].

On this day in history:

• 1783 - Gen. George Washington issued his farewell address to the Army near Princeton, N.J.
• 1947 - Howard Hughes built and piloted the world's largest airplane, the 200-ton flying boat Spruce Goose, on its only flight, at Long Beach, Calif. The Goose remained airborne for just under 1 mile.
• 1948 - President Harry S. Truman narrowly won re-election over Republican challenger Thomas E. Dewey.
• 1962 - President John Kennedy announced that Soviet missile bases in Cuba were being dismantled.
• 1983 - President Ronald Reagan signed a bill establishing a federal holiday on the third Monday of January in honor of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.

Today At Utah Policy

Poll: Most Utahns Remain Opposed to a Bears Ears Monument By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor The number of Utahns who want President Barack Obama to create a 1.9 million-acre national park at Bears Ears has doubled in just over a month, a new UtahPolicy poll shows....

Democrats, Weinholtz use 'Mormon Baiting' to Attack Herbert in Mailer By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor A Democratic Party mailer suggests Gov. Gary Herbert would be partially responsible for fewer Mormon missionaries in Russia....

Weekly Survey: Make Your Fearless Predictions for the 2016 Election By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor Time to make your fearless predictions on what will happen in the 2016 elections. ...

FiveThirtyEight: McMullin Needs a 'Game Changer' to Win Utah By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor There's no doubt Evan McMullin has scrambled the presidential race in normally rock-solid Republican Utah. However, his surge in the polls may not be enough to win the state's six electoral votes next week....

Policy News

Salt Lake Chamber Women's Business Center Launches Online Trainings Through Virtual Locations Around the State The Salt Lake Chamber Women’s Business Center is partnering with chambers of commerce and other organizations throughout the state to provide their services to women entrepreneurs and small business owners in both rural and suburban areas....

Wise Words

Trust
"You may be deceived if you trust too much, but you will live in torment if you don't trust enough." Frank Crane

Lighter Side

Audible
"New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning is denying reports that he yelled out "Trump!" to signal an audible during Sunday's game. Manning said actually "Trump" is a signal for "Illegal Use of Hands." Conan O'Brien