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Utah Headlines

Legislative session

• Is an ‘outside the box’ proposal a solution to Utah’s child care crisis? (Deseret News)
• Proposal to sell state psychiatric hospital dropped (KUTV)

Appropriations

• University of Utah requests $6.5 million to host presidential debate; vows it will be a ‘no fly’ zone (Deseret News)
• Top Utah business, community leaders ask Legislature to address child care crisis (Deseret News)
• State lawmaker requests funds to bring early earthquake warning system to Utah (KSL Newsradio)
• Private interests ask for more Utah taxpayer money to ‘roller fell’ forests, lobby against wolves (Salt Lake Tribune)

Education

• Sponsors of state-funded school voucher program seek $150 million, more than triple last year’s appropriation (Deseret News)

Government Operations

• Opinion: Will a new Utah bill protect you against hidden tax hikes? (Deseret News)

Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice

• Opinion: This bill would make protecting children from obscene material the standard, not an afterthought (Deseret News)
• Opinion: Keeping kids safe online is important, but this bill is going too far (Deseret News)
• After her son was killed by his father, Utah mom urges family court reform (KSL TV)
• Justice Files: Attorney fought child custody bill but worked on deadly custody case (ABC4)
• Survey results show what Utahns think and know about domestic violence, sexual assault and harassment (KSL TV)
• Study reveals only 25% of Utahns believe domestic violence is a problem, here’s what else it found (KSL TV)

Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

• Is water being ‘saved’ for the Great Salt Lake really ending up there? (Deseret News)
• You — Utah taxpayers — could end up buying a coal plant as legislators advance IPP plan (Salt Lake Tribune)
• As lawmakers chart Utah’s energy future, Dems want a seat at the table (KUER)

Transportation

• Utah law prohibiting new drivers from having friends in car could soon change (KSL TV)
• Utah may increase DUI costs by up to 10 times or more (KUTV)

Other Utah News

Political news

• Gov. Cox to visit southern border in solidarity with Texas governor (Deseret News)
• Utah’s governor posted about Black History Month days after signing anti-DEI bill. The backlash was swift. (Salt Lake Tribune)
• PAC aiming to keep Utah’s current state flag issues demand letter to lieutenant gov (Standard-Examiner)

Utah news

• Larry H. & Gail Miller Foundation donates $22M to Ballpark neighborhood project (Deseret News)

Business/Technology

• Fed signals optimism but most Utahns not so positive on the economy (Deseret News)

Crime/Courts

• Lawsuit accuses 'district wide failure' of special needs students in Alpine schools (KUTV)
• 'It's made our life pure hell': Utah couple sues social media companies over son's death (KUTV)

Culture

• Utah universities, other organizations have many activities planned for Black History Month (KSL)
• The world’s most famous YouTuber is teaming up with JustServe (Deseret News)

Education

• Former Utah gymnasts testify in legislative hearing about abuse in sports (Deseret News)
• Utah universities gauging impact of new diversity, equity, inclusion law and changes it'll require (KSL)
• Gov. Cox said he didn’t see evidence DEI programs work. Here’s the data Utah colleges say they’ve given him. (Salt Lake Tribune)
• Utah Tech prepares to work with education board to implement anti-DEI bill after governor signs legislation (St. George News)
• Hundreds of Utah students actively work to prevent suicide in their schools (ABC4)

Environment

• Curtis wants to help states impacted by neighbors’ wildfire smoke (Deseret News)
• Invasive phragmites are needlessly sucking water out of Great Salt Lake (Deseret News)
• Utah Lake Authority appoints new executive director, elects board chair and vice chair (Daily Herald)

Health

• Preterm shift: Over 1 in 12 U.S. births now early as rates rise sharply (Deseret News)

National Headlines

General

• US job growth surges in January; wages rise (Reuters)
• New poll explores how Americans use social media (Deseret News)
• How to read the Roman numerals in Super Bowl LVIII (Deseret News)
• Here's why conspiracy theories about Taylor Swift and the Super Bowl are spreading (NPR)
• The American city with a message for migrants: We want you! (Wall Street Journal)

Political news

• Doom spiral. The United States is dangerously divided. Is there a way back? (Deseret News)
• Sen. Lee continues to call for President Biden to get Congress’ permission before retaliating for strike that killed 3 U.S. soldiers (Deseret News)
• Child tax credit passes House, but road through Senate may be rough (Deseret News)
• With opioid deaths soaring, Biden administration will widen access to methadone (NPR)
• Neutralizing hard-liners, House Republicans using special process to pass bills (Washington Post)

Election news

• Haley insists she’s staying in the GOP race. Here’s how that could cause problems for Trump (AP)
• Trump risks backlash as MAGA world zeroes in on Taylor Swift (The Hill)
• Andy Kim leads Tammy Murphy by double digits in NJ Senate race, poll says (Politico)

Ukraine 🇺🇦

• Ukraine 'hits Russian missile boat Ivanovets in Black Sea' (BBC)

Israel 🇮🇱

• Israel says next target is crowded Gaza border city (Wall Street Journal)

Number of the Day 

News Releases

Utah House Democratic Leader Angela Romero on the legacy of Jan Graham

In the wake of the passing of former Utah Attorney General Jan Graham, Utah House Minority Leader, Representative Angela Romero, reflects on her impactful legacy: 

“Jan Graham, who served as Utah’s Attorney General from 1993 to 2001, holds a significant place in Utah’s political history as the most recent Democrat to occupy a statewide elected position. As a founding member of Women Lawyers of Utah, she tirelessly advocated for the rights of women in the legal profession. (Read More)

Utah Senate Democrats on the passing of Jan Graham

It is with heavy hearts that we acknowledge the passing of Former Attorney General and proud Democrat, Jan Graham. As the first and only female Attorney General in Utah’s history, Jan Graham shattered barriers and paved the way for future generations of women in public office. At the time, Jan was Utah’s only and now the last Democrat statewide officeholder.

Jan Graham’s legacy is marked by her unwavering dedication to justice, particularly in the realm of domestic violence advocacy. Her passionate campaign to raise awareness about domestic abuse reached every corner of our state, breaking the silence and stigma surrounding this critical issue. Through innovative programs like Utah’s “Safe at Home,” Jan empowered children with the knowledge that abuse is never normal or their fault, offering hope and support to those in need. Her tireless efforts extended beyond domestic violence advocacy, as she led Utah’s in a landmark case against tobacco companies. (Read More)

Tweet of the Day

Upcoming

• Feb. 5 — Women in Leadership Executive Speaker Series: Healthcare, 11:30 am-12:30 pm, Register here
• Feb. 6 — Cache County Safe Child Parent and Community Training, Riverwoods Conference Center, 7:00 pm, Register here
• Feb. 7 — Women in Leadership Executive Series: Finance, 11:30 am-12:30 pm,Register here
• Feb. 8 — Women in Leadership Executive Speaker Series: Traditional Industries, 2:00-3:00 pm,Register here
• Feb. 21 — Women in Leadership Executive Speaker Series: Women Focused Organizations, 11:30 am-12:30 pm,Register here
• Feb. 22 — Understanding Utah’s Caucus-Convention System, with GOP Chair Rob Axson and Dem. Chair Diane Lewis, sponsored by Utah Women Run, 6:00-7:30 p.m., Register here
• Mar. 1 — Legislative session ends 
• Mar. 5 — Caucus night
• Mar. 20 — Utah Foundation Annual Lunch, 11:45 am-1:30 pm; Grand America, Purchase tickets here
• Apr. 20 — United Utah Partyconvention
• Apr. 27 — State GOP and Democratic Conventions

On This Day In History 

• 1812 - Russians establish Fort Ross in California.
• 1847 - The first member of the Donner Party dies.
• 1848 - The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is signed, ending the Mexican-American war.
• 1862 - District of Columbia abolishes slavery. 
• 1887 - Groundhog Day is celebrated for the first time at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.
• 1905 - Ayn Rand is born in St. Petersburg, Russia. She is the author of “Atlas Shrugged.” 
• 1913 - Grand Central Terminal opens in New York City.
• 1915 - Ernest E. Just receives the Spingarn medal for his pioneering work in cell division and fertilization. Despite having a PhD, he could not find work in the US as a Black scientist so he moved to Europe to continue his research. He was held as a prisoner--of-war by Nazis after their invasion of France. 
• 1935 - Raven Wilkinson is born. At the age of 20, she became the first Black woman to receive a contract to dance full time with a major ballet company. 
• 1943 - The Battle of Stalingrad ends as the last German troops surrender to the Red Army.
• 2013 - ‘American Sniper’ Chris Kyle was shot and killed at a gun range in Texas
• 2021 - Millie Hughes-Fulford died at age 75. She was the first American woman to launch into space that was not an astronaut, but a working scientist. She was a molecular biologist.

Quote of the Day

“It's funny --- sometimes the strongest individuals feel the worst when events are out of their control, and they can't really be there for the people they love."

—Chris Kyle

On the Punny Side

Does anyone know a good Groundhog Day joke? 

I keep hearing the same one over and over again.

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