Gov. Cox's monthly press conference today at 10; DA says he 'can't prosecute stupid'; âKindness Wallsâ in Utah schools encourage positivity | | | 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. | | |
Situational Analysis | Mar. , 2025 It's Thursday and the first official day of spring. ð·âï¸ What you need to know Utah Food Bank officials thought demand during the pandemic would be the highest theyâd ever see. They were wrong. More Utahns are seeking food assistance now than they ever have. Itâs a âfrighteningâ time for food banks and pantries across the state, said Utah Food Bank CEO Ginette Bott. Demand has more than doubled in some places and one large food bank in Utah has seen demand quadruple. The USDA has halted millions of dollars worth of deliveries to food banks around the country, increasing pressure locally. Rapid Relevance Gov. Cox's monthly press conference is today at 10 am; DA says he 'can't prosecute stupid'; âKindness Wallsâ in Utah schools encourage positivity | | |
Utah Headlines Political news Sen. Mike Lee calls for restrictions on judgesâ ability to block presidential orders (Deseret News) Utah Attorney General Derek Brown joins the bipartisan fight against robocalls (Deseret News) Next move for Romney: Former Utah senator joins nonprofit board for the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (Deseret News) Utah 1st in the nation to pass these 5 bills: Flags, fluoride, gold and more (Daily Herald) Group protests against Trump, Musk, asks Utah politicians to protect Medicaid benefits (KSL) JFKâs grandson slams file release, Mike Lee, Donald Trump and news media (Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Outgoing IOC leader presented with family history (Deseret News) Body of Provo boy missing nearly 43 years confirmed to be 'John Doe' buried in Moab (KSL) Man found unconscious, suspended 30-feet in air after tree-cutting incident in Kaysville (KUTV) Snowboarder dies after being found buried in snow on Park City Mountain (KSL TV) Why a massacre of Chinese miners 140 years ago still matters (RadioWest) Biz/Tech Opening act of Utahâs big development at The Point will now be anchored by an entertainment venue (Salt Lake Tribune) Crime/Courts Utah high school coach arrested, accused of 'making out' with student (KSL) Built Bars sues Springville protein bar startup over trade secret accusations (KSL) Culture/Community Leaders in volunteerism look to the future of service in Utah (Deseret News) The Tabernacle Choirâs invitation to celebrate the 5,000th week of âMusic & the Spoken Wordâ (Deseret News) Nate Bargatze really does love Utah. Hereâs the latest sign (Deseret News) Economy Fed stands pat on interest rate amid growing economic uncertainty (Deseret News) Fed projections see an economy dramatically reset by Trump's election (Wall Street Journal) Education - K-12 State Board of Education, Qualtrics partnering to transform K-12 education (KSL) Utah terminates multiyear deal with group that manages school voucher program, seeks new bids (Salt Lake Tribune) Education - Higher UVU evaluating how to cut its budget, create reinvestment plan as required by Utah Legislature (Daily Herald) Trump's battle with colleges could change American culture for a generation (New York Times) Energy Price mayor: Trumpâs push for more coal production will be good for Utah (KSL Newsradio) New coal mine proposed in Carbon County; Scofield residents push back (KSL TV) Environment The monarch butterfly is in trouble. Will the government help? (Deseret News) Family Voices: As an influencer, I understand the risks and value of social media. As a parent, Iâm proud of Utah for putting kidsâ safety first. (Salt Lake Tribune) Health The top 10 cities where allergy sufferers struggle the most (Deseret News) Perspective: Conservatives want grace. But some arenât willing to extend it when it comes to COVID-19 (Deseret News) Utah Naloxone surpasses significant milestone in overdose reversals (KSL Newsradio) Food safety jeopardized by onslaught of funding and staff cuts, including a committee studying bacteria in infant formula (New York Times) Housing Gov. Cox says the Trump administration just changed the game on affordable housing in Utah. Hereâs how (Deseret News) Utah realtor breaks down anticipated impacts on housing market from tariffs (KSL TV) | | |
National Headlines General Opinion: The slashing of a lifeline â how returning the VA to 2019 staffing levels endangers our veterans (Deseret News) Finland is again ranked the happiest country in the world. The US falls to its lowest-ever position (AP) Political news Opinion: We lost a giant when we lost Al Simpson (Deseret News) Defense Secretary Hegseth: âOur troops will be fit â not fatâ (Deseret News) Judge declines to bar DOGE from the US Institute of Peace after standoff (Reuters) Trump to sign order to shut down Department of Education on Thursday, White House says. He cannot shutter the agency without congressional legislation. (Reuters) Social Security in-person identity checks opposed by advocates and retirees alike (AP) Lawyer says ICE is holding German green-card holder in 'legal limbo' (NPR) Georgetown University researcher detained by immigration authorities, lawyer says (Washington Post) US Republican lawmakers voice alarm over possible Pentagon command shake-up (Reuters) DOGE/Musk Teslas lit on fire, keyed, covered in graffiti. Musk says the movement âis insaneâ (Deseret News) DOGE official takes a leadership role at USAID, an agency Muskâs team has helped dismantle (AP) Republicans want Musk to shut up about Social Security (The Hill) Ukraine/Russia Trump floats idea of US owning Ukrainian power plants as he pushed cease-fire (Wall Street Journal) Exclusive: Intelligence shared with White House shows Ukrainians not 'encircled' in Kursk (Reuters) Europe hatches plan for Ukraine peacekeepers without US (Wall Street Journal) Israel, Gaza, Syria After airstrikes, Israel says it has launched new ground operation in Gaza (Reuters) 'Nowhere is safe': Doctor in Gaza describes scenes of 'nonstop' injuries after Israel ends ceasefire (NPR) At least 85 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes across Gaza, health authorities say (Reuters) World news Medics struggle to revive Sudan's hungry with trickle of aid supplies (Reuters) Trump threatens Houthi rebels that theyâll be âcompletely annihilatedâ as airstrikes pound Yemen (AP) 'You can now die': The human cost of America's foreign aid cuts in Africa (NPR) Sudan army close to taking control of Presidential Palace from RSF, state TV says (Reuters) | | |
| | News Releases Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation announces generous gift to the Museum of Utah The Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation is proud to announce a $1 million donation to the Museum of Utah to help support programming and acquisition costs. As Utahâs first state history museum, the Museum of Utah will celebrate our stateâs unique history, culture and art through world-class exhibits, programming, and community spaces. Designed as a trailhead, the Museum will invite visitors to explore Utahâs past and consider their place in shaping the stateâs future. (Read More) FJ Management, Maverik CEO to address UVU graduates at commencement Utah business icon Crystal Maggelet, chief executive officer of FJ Management, Inc. and Maverik, will keynote Utah Valley Universityâs (UVU) annual commencement ceremony on April 30, where she will also receive an honorary doctorate of business degree. (Read More) WSU appoints new dean for College of Engineering, Applied Science & Technology The new dean of the College of Engineering, Applied Science & Technology brings more than 21 years of experience guiding and promoting Weber State University. Brian Rague has served as associate dean of EAST since 2018 and, before that, was chair of the Department of Computer Science. As dean, Rague will oversee seven academic programs, 100 faculty members, 30 staff members and about 3,200 student majors. (Read More) Utah Naloxone, law enforcement partners reach milestone in overdose reversals Utah Naloxone has surpassed a significant milestone, with over 12,500 reported naloxone reversalsâmore than 1,000 of these credited to the lifesaving efforts of law enforcement partners across the state... Law enforcement officers play a vital role in overdose response across Utah. While overdose deaths have declined in many parts of the country, Utah remains among the states where the drop has not been as pronounced, underscoring the need for continued action. (Read More) Utah-federal government nexus for defense in Utah States and the federal government share a vital economic relationship. This data summary, the fifth in a series on state and federal economic linkages from the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, presents the Utah-federal government nexus for defense in Utah...Approximately 35,000 federal defense employees work in Utah, consisting of over 19,000 civilian and almost 16,000 military personnel. Defense civilians and military make up 62% of the stateâs federal workforce. In addition, private defense contractors employ roughly 20,200 employees working on federal contracts. (Read More) | | |
Upcoming Mar 22 â MWEG annual conference with plenary speaker Sharon Eubank, UVU, Register here Apr 7 âPillars of the Valley Elder Matthew S. and Paige Holland, with the Utah Valley Chamber of Commerce, 7:00-9:00 pm, Register here Apr 24 â Giant in Our City with the Salt Lake Chamber, 6:00-9:00 pm, Register here May 1 â High school writing contest deadline with The Rostra: Applying the wisdom of the past to the problems of today. More info here Aug 7 â Titan of Public Service, Sen. Tom Cotton, with the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation, Grand America Hotel | | |
On This Day In History 1852 - Harriet Beecher Stoweâs novel Uncle Tomâs Cabin is published and becomes the best-selling book of the 19th century. 1854 - Republican Party is founded. In Ripon, Wisconsin, former members of the Whig Party meet to establish a new party to oppose the spread of slavery into the western territories. 1856 - Frederick Winslow Taylor is born. He was an American mechanical engineer and considered the father of scientific management. 1906 - Pop Chalee is born in Castle Gate, Utah. She was a Taos Pueblo artist who became known for her paintings of enchanted forests. 1917 - After trying to stay out of WWI, multiple American ships were sunk. On this day, President Woodrow Wilson met with his cabinet who agreed that war was inevitable. 1925 - Romana Acosta Bañuelos is born. She became the thirty-fourth Treasurer of the United States, where she served from 1971 to 1974 as the first Hispanic in that role. She was also the owner of a multimillion-dollar business, Ramonaâs Mexican Food Products, Inc. 1965 - LBJ sends federal troops to Alabama to protect a civil rights march. 1968 - LBJ signs a bill removing gold backing from US paper money. 2003 - A US-led coalition launches a ground invasion of Iraq after an ultimatum for Saddam Hussein and his sons to leave Iraq expires Quote of the Day âAny mind that is capable of a real sorrow is capable of good.â
â Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tomâs Cabin On the Punny Side I crossed a four leaf clover with poison ivy and got a rash of good luck.
I was just itching to tell someone. | | |
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