House to vote on Speaker today, it appears Jim Jordan doesn't yet have the votes; a Romney-Winfrey ticket?!; and best Halloween freebies | | | 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 | October 17, 2023 It's Tuesday and Wear Something Gaudy Day. (In other words, dress like you did in the 1980's.) What You Need to Know President Biden will visit Israel on Wednesday. Secretary Blinken, who announced Biden's visit, said the U.S. and Israel âhave agreed to develop a plan that will enable humanitarian aid from donor nations and multilateral organizations to reach civilians in Gaza.â The trip will also include a visit to Amman, Jordan, where the president will meet with King Abdullah II of Jordan, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
The first vote for Speaker of the US House will happen today. Rep. Jim Jordan, a hardline Freedom Caucus member, is the new GOP nominee. He says he'll go as many rounds as necessary. Serious concerns remain among some Republicans about Jordan's opposition to Ukraine aid, his election denying, his attempts to overturn the 2020 election, and his close ties to Donald Trump. Rapid Relevance Hereâs where to get the best Halloween freebies and deals this year; Oprahâs idea to defeat Trump in 2020 was a Romney-Winfrey ticket; a $1.4 million speeding ticket in Georgia; and Utah manâs broken camera captures a spectacular Ring of Fire shot. | | |
| | BLM Releases Plan that finally protects Labyrinth Canyon After years of prioritizing off-road vehicles, a recent decision from the Bureau of Land Management brings balance to this special place. Travel plans are an opportunity to develop reasonable, balanced, and forward-thinking blueprints that ensure public access while preserving the backcountry and minimizing damage. Learn more at suwa.org | | |
Utah Headlines Political news Rep. John Curtis supports Jim Jordan as speaker, says he will avoid government shutdown (Deseret News) Utah proposes rule for social media age verification (KSL) How old is too old to run for president? (Deseret News) Election news Nadolski drops out of upcoming mayoral debate; Knuth still to take part (Standard-Examiner) Why do local government elections matter? (UPR) General Utah news Thereâs no guarantee 2030, 2034 Winter Games will be awarded together, IOC leader says. Hereâs why Utah bidders are still optimistic (Deseret News) Palestinian-American family from Utah still trapped in Gaza amid escalating conflict (KUTV) Mountain lion spotted in Herriman over the weekend; residents urged to be on the lookout (ABC4) Idaho judge orders JJ Vallow's body to be turned over to family (Fox13) Business Is the Utah Cookie War coming to an end? Dirty Dough and Crumbl may settle lawsuit (Deseret News) LinkedIn is cutting more than 650 jobs (KSL TV) FOX 13 Investigates: Families wanted pools and say contractor has left them high and dry (Fox13) Lockheed revenue rises on sustained weapons demand amid geopolitical tensions (Reuters) Black success, white backlash (The Atlantic) Crime Ruby Franke: Judge orders child custody case closed to the public (Salt Lake Tribune) Child sex offender pleads not guilty to failure to register as HOA president in Lehi (KUTV) Utah domestic violence survivor, advocate share personal journeys in hopes for greater support (KUTV) Lethality assessment helps save lives of Utah domestic violence victims (KUTV) Salt Lake County District Attorney shares startling domestic violence statistics (Fox13) Culture Watch âThe Chosenâ Season 4 official teaser trailer (Deseret News) Utah leaders honor Day of the Dead with annual proclamation (KSL) Montezumaâs Gold: Is there cursed Aztec gold in Utah? (ABC4) For Halloween, neighbors turn their Utah suburb into Barbieland (Salt Lake Tribune) Education Editorial Board: A culture of moral relativism is biting universities following Hamasâ terrorist attacks (Deseret News) BYU Law School is ranked in the top 25. 50 years ago, it struggled to recruit a faculty (Deseret News) Weber High School will have an interim principal until spring (KSL Newsradio) Canyons School District launches first military education program at Jordan High (Salt Lake Tribune) Environment In the Pine Valley pipeline debate, a small tribeâs right to water remains largely ignored (Salt Lake Tribune) Electrical grids arenât keeping up with the green energy push. That could risk climate goals (AP) As coal plants shutter, a chance to redevelop âthe gates of hellâ (New York Times) Health A study found that dementia is linked to sitting. Here are 5 simple ways to be more active (Deseret News) Utah researchers find genetic variants linked to suicide attempts also link to other health conditions (KSL) Conference at UVU to tackle mental health issues (Daily Herald) Group to hold Faith Summit on mental health in Logan (Cache Valley Daily) Housing Housing market predictions: Fannie Mae revises 2023 home price forecast upward (Deseret News) St. George adopts new illegal camping ordinance amid talk of housing crisis, private property rights (St. George News) | | |
National Headlines General Bedbugs an Olympic panic in Paris? These blood-sucking insects surging globally. But experts say theyâre nuisance pests, not dangerous. And there are things folks can do to avoid them (Deseret News) Sunken freighter is found in Lake Superior 100 Years after a crash (New York Times) Politics Nikki Haley wants to cut gas taxes. Itâs not as great as it sounds. Gas taxes are as close to a user fee as anything the federal government levies (Deseret News) Donald Trump calls gag order âunconstitutionalâ at speech in Iowa (Deseret News) Lawyers, Trump and money: Ex-president spends millions in donor cash on attorneys as legal woes grow (AP) Supreme Court tells Fifth Circuit to stop its defiance in ghost gun case (NPR) Justice Barrett calls for Supreme Court to adopt an ethics code (New York Times) Jim Jordan indicated he would force a series of floor votes until Republicans elected a speaker. Hereâs what happens next. (New York Times) Election news DeSantis is slamming Trump more directly. Itâs a tough sell in the GOP. (Washington Post) DeSantis spars with Haley over Gaza comments (Politico) Ukraine ðºð¦ Ukraine says it strikes Russia's military equipment near Luhansk (Reuters) Russia goes on the offensive, suffers heavy losses (Wall Street Journal) Putin visits China to bolster ties with âmy friend,â Xi (New York Times) Israel ð®ð± A Catholic leader in Jerusalem says heâd go with Hamas in exchange for child hostages (Deseret News) Jon Huntsman says family âwill close its checkbookâ to Penn over nonresponse to Hamasâ attack on Israel (Deseret News) Israeli bombings in Gaza kill dozens as efforts persist to get aid to millions in besieged enclave (AP) Israeli video compilation shows the savagery and ease of Hamasâ attack (AP) Israel-Hamas war: A Hamas spokesman says the group has no plans to release hostages (NPR) King Abdullah on Gaza: 'No refugees in Jordan, no refugees in Egypt' (Reuters) Israel attacks 200 targets in Gaza ahead of Biden visit (Wall Street Journal) Top Iranian envoy warns âpreemptive actionâ against Israel expected soon (The Hill) World Two more earthquakes hit western Afghanistan. There have been a total of 4 earthquakes measuring 6.3 in the last 8 days (Deseret News) How Chinaâs Belt and Road Initiative is changing after a decade of big projects and big debts (AP) Indiaâs Supreme Court refuses to legalize same-sex marriage, saying it is up to Parliament (AP) Mexican Sinaloa cartelâs message to members: Stop making fentanyl or die (Wall Street Journal) | | |
| | News Releases Romney visits Israel to affirm US support U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) joined a bipartisan delegation of senators, led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), on an official visit to Israel this weekend following the unconscionable terrorist attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilians. The delegation met with top Israeli government officials and spent time with families of American-Israeli hostages held by Hamas. At a press conference, Romney highlighted how Hamas uses innocent Palestinian civilians to shield themselves from the Israeli military response in Gaza and argued for continued involvement from the United States in countering authoritarian and terrorist regimesâlike Iran, Russia, and Chinaâwho threaten democracies around the world. Joining Romney and Schumer on the trip were Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), and Mark Kelly (D-AZ). (Read More) Weber State to welcome Marvel author, podcaster Gabby Rivera Weber State University will host acclaimed author Gabby Rivera on Nov. 7 at 7:30 p.m. in the Val. A. Browning Center Allred Theater. Rivera will speak about prioritizing joy, as well as her experience as an LGBTQ+ woman of color. Rivera is the first Latina to write for Marvel Comics, known for her popular series âAmerica,â which features the superhero America Chavez. She also hosts the podcast âJoy Revolutionâ and authored the young adult novel âJuliet Takes a Breath,â a coming-of-age story about a queer Puerto Rican. (Read More) Rule for Utahâs Social Media Regulation Act published The Utah Office of Administrative Rules has published the Utah Social Media Regulation Act (SMRA) rule, crafted and submitted by the Department of Commerceâs Division of Consumer Protection (Division). The Division has opened a public comment period until February 5, 2024, and will hold a public hearing on November 1, 2023, to receive feedback on the rules. (Read More) Achieving housing attainability: SLCo spotlights zoning reform to address housing challenges Salt Lake County (SLCo) is excited to announce the date for its annual Regional Solutions event: Zoning Reform for Housing Attainability. This gathering will take place on Thursday, November 9, 2023, at the Viridian Event Center (8030 S. 1825 W., West Jordan). This year, the spotlight is on zoning reform as a tool to increase housing attainability in our community. The event will foster a rich dialogue among speakers, panelists, and attendees by offering several opportunities for Q&A with local and national experts. (Read More) | | |
Upcoming UVU Conference on Mental Health â Oct. 27, 9 am - 5 pm, Register here Martha Hughes Cannon Award with Utah Women Run â Nov 2, 6:00-8:00 pm, Nominate someone here Interim Day â Nov 14-15, le.utah.gov Celebrating 30 years of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, with the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation â Nov 16, 10 am, MST, Register here
General election â Nov. 21
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On This Day In History 1871 - US President Ulysses S. Grant suspends habeas corpus in parts of South Carolina during prosecutions against Ku Klux Klan 1888 - Thomas Edison files a patent for the Optical Phonograph (the first movie) 1931 - Al Capone goes to prison for tax evasion 1933 - Albert Einstein arrives in US as a refugee from Nazi Germany 1943 - Death Railway completed, built by Allied POWs and Asian laborers 1956 - Dr. Mae Jemison is born, the first African American woman in space 1973 - OPEC enacts oil embargo 1979 - Mother Teresa of Calcutta awarded Nobel Peace Prize 1979 - US President Jimmy Carter signs legislation creating the Department of Education 2019 - Mick Mulvaney, President Trump's acting chief of staff, says the White House withheld nearly $400 million in military aid from Ukraine to further Trump's own political interests Quote of the Day "We become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams."
âJimmy Carter On the Punny Side Singing in the shower is all fun and games until you get shampoo in your mouth... Then it just becomes a soap opera. | | |
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