Utah Headlines

Political news

• State Senator Dan McKay suggests Utah could save money by housing prisoners in El Salvador (KSL)
• Drastic traffic changes on the table as UDOT studies Salt Lake City's Capitol Hill (KSL)
• Utah’s county clerks are analyzing 320,000 referendum signatures. Here’s how they do it. (Salt Lake Tribune)

Municipal news

• Southeastern Utah community has running water after decades of planning (Fox13)
• Provo continues to mull water rate change; mayor to explore ‘alternatives’ to meet funding need (Daily Herald)

Utah

• In a ‘new era’ of drug use, Utah is falling behind (Deseret News)
• US Navy suspends search for missing sailor Gabriel Holt believed to be from Utah (KUTV)
• Bucket List Family checks off 20-year-old dream in emotional return to Utah (KUTV)

Biz/Tech

• Temple Square’s restaurants will reopen this year, but with some big changes (KSL)
• President Trump’s proposed tariffs are already having an effect on a Utah furniture manufacturing company. (KSL Newsradio)

Crime/Courts

• Orem psychologist charged with secretly filming teen clients undressing (KSL)
• Layton charter school director found to have over 10,000 images of child sexual abuse material (KSL TV)
• ‘A danger to every child in the community:’ Charter school director accused of child porn production now facing federal charges (ABC4)
• Former Boy Scout leader charged with more than 80 felonies related to child sex crimes (KUTV)

Culture/Community

• Why ‘granny hobbies’ are the new antidote to modern stress (Deseret News)
• Church History Museum debuts 'Lift Up the Hands Which Hang Down' art gallery (KSL)
• ‘It is the year of Lisa’: Salt Lake Chamber presents Lisa Eccles the Giant in our City award (Deseret News)

Economy

• Economic uncertainty is creeping in. For some Utah federal workers, it’s reality (KUER)
• Congressional Republicans might set off the debt bomb. Their new budget framework is the most irresponsible in modern history—and will put the American economy on a very dangerous trajectory. (The Atlantic)

Education - K-12

• Portion of split Alpine School District proposes new name — Aspen Peaks (KSL)

Education - Higher

• UVU recognized as a top ‘Opportunity College’ by Carnegie Classifications (Inside Higher Ed)
• Leaders call 7,194 BYU graduates to excellence and discipleship during 2025 graduation ceremony (Deseret News)
• University of Utah students react to plan to give credit for missionary, other service (Deseret News)
• NFL player encourages SUU graduates to carve their own path, enjoy small moments (KSL)
• Just one Utah university president signed onto national letter criticizing Trump’s attacks on higher education (Salt Lake Tribune)

Environment

• 'That's bull carp': Utah Lake Authority launches comedic campaign to improve public opinion (KSL)

Family

• Can Trump create a new baby boom? (Deseret News)
• Perspective: National data doesn’t confirm popular distortions about Latter-day Saint women (Deseret News)
• Do Utah policies create a marriage ‘penalty’ or a ‘bonus’? (Deseret News)
• What’s holding women back from starting a family? (Deseret News)

Health

• What a food dye ban could mean to you (Deseret News)
• USDA withdraws a plan to limit salmonella levels in raw poultry (AP)

Housing

• Sales of existing homes in the U.S. fell in March (Deseret News)

National Headlines

General

• Kentucky farmers hit by one-two punch of trade war, historic floods (Reuters)
• Thousands gather in New Mexico for the largest powwow in North America (AP)

Political news

• ‘A gut punch’: Trump admin cuts wipe out firefighter health and safety programs (Politico)
• 4 takeaways from Trump’s press conference with Norwegian prime minister (Deseret News)
• William Duncan: In fight between Maryland school district and parental rights, U.S. Supreme Court should protect religious freedom (Deseret News)
• Hegseth had an unsecured internet line set up in his office to connect to Signal, AP sources say (AP)
• Pentagon leadership vacuum overwhelms Hegseth’s office: ‘It’s a free-for-all’ (The Hill)
• Trump and GOP ramp up investigations on Democrats’ top fundraising platform (Washington Post)
• Judge blocks part of Trump’s order calling for proof of citizenship to vote (Washington Post)

Immigration/Deportation

• ICE arrested Columbia protester without a warrant, court documents show (Washington Post)
• Trump’s immigration ratings turn negative, Post-ABC-Ipsos poll finds (Washington Post)
• Giant tent rises in Florida to house hundreds of detained immigrants (Washington Post)

Tariffs

• Corporate giants shred outlooks over tariff uncertainty (Wall Street Journal) 
• China cancels 12,000 metric tons of US pork shipments (The Hill)
• Trump talks tariffs. The EU talks free trade with the rest of the world. (Politico)

DOGE/Musk

• Elon Musk had the government in his grasp. Then it unraveled. (Washington Post)
• What happens to DOGE once Elon Musk leaves? (The Hill)
• Elon Musk leaves legacy of self-destruction at DOGE (Axios)

Ukraine/Russia

• Trump tells Putin to 'STOP' after Russian attack kills 12 in Kyiv (Reuters)
• Trump says ‘Crimea will stay with Russia’ as he seeks end to war in Ukraine (AP)

Israel, Gaza, Syria

• How the war in Gaza drove Israel's A.I. experiments (New York Times) 

World news

• Nepal marks 10-year anniversary of earthquake that killed thousands (AP) 

Number of the Day 

News Releases

Audit of DABC identifies nine separate findings

The Office of the Utah State Auditor released the annual audit of The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services (DABS) pursuant to Utah Code 32B-2-302. The audit included both financial and regulatory aspects with a specific emphasis on the accounting system and monitoring procedures for Type 5 Package Agencies. Nine separate findings were identified and are summarized into three categories: cash handling and potential theft, Type 5 Package Agency accounting and oversight, and general accounting system and financial reporting. The final finding is an unresolved accounting issue which could directly impact the liquor profit transfer to Utah’s General Fund. (Read More)

Salt Lake Chamber honors business leaders at 2025 Giant in our City celebration

Thursday, the Salt Lake Chamber honored Lisa Eccles, president and COO of the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation, as the 46th Giant in our City. The award, widely known as the most prestigious business award given in Utah, recognizes those with exceptional and distinguished public service as well as extraordinary professional achievement. (Read More)

Sutherland releases new report on the value of religion in education

Sutherland Institute released a new research publication on the social value of religion in education.

Publication highlights:

• Much of the higher education infrastructure in the United States today was originally provided by religious organizations and religiously motivated schools.
• Evidence shows that religious schools do well in promoting tolerance and acceptance.
• Religiosity is a driving factor in marriage rates, with colleges leading relationship building.
• States should enact legislation that protects the right of religious schools to choose their own leaders, teachers, and other employees.
• States should not exclude religious schools from support available to other schools. (Read More)

Tweet of the Day

Upcoming

• Apr 26 â€” Utah Forward Party/United Utah Party Organizing Convention, 9:00 am –2:30 pm, Salt Lake Community College, Taylorsville Campus Thayne Center, RSVP here
• May 1 — Utah Foundation's annual luncheon and 80th birthday celebration, 11:30 am - 1:30 pm, Grand America Hotel, Register Here
• May 6 â€” "State AG Offices and the New Administration" webinar hosted by the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation, 10:00 am MDT, Register here
• May 12 â€” Utah Taxes Now Conference with the Utah Taxpayers Association, Grand America Hotel, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm, Register here
• May 17 — Utah GOP Organizing Convention, at UVU’s UCCU Center.
• May 31 — Utah Democratic Party Organizing Convention, Ogden High School
• Aug 7 â€”  Titan of Public Service gala with Sen. Tom Cotton hosted by the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation at the Grand America Hotel. More Information Here

On This Day In History

• 1859 - Ground broken for Suez Canal
• 1918 - Ella Fitzgerald, "First Lady of Song," is born. She is considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th Century.
• 1945 - Americans and Russians decide to divide Germany in two
• 1954 - Bell labs announces the 1st solar battery made from silicon. It had about 6% efficiency.
• 2014 - The Flint water crisis begins.
• 2015 - Magnitude 7.8 earthquake kills over 8,000 in Nepal, leaves over 100,000 homeless.

Quote of the Day

"The measure of the greatness of a society is found in the way it treats those most in need."

—Pope Francis

On the Punny Side

'm so old, I remember when flipping through the Sears catalog was the closest thing we had to online shopping.

– Advertise With Us –

Subscribers may receive special messages with information about new features, special offers, or public policy messages from clients and advertisers.