| Robert Jarvik dies at 79; father of missing 15-year-old Utah girl asks for help; Jeff Flake calls on fellow Republicans to speak out .png?width=1200&upscale=true&name=Utah_Policy_Logo_Email_Full%20(1).png) | 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 | May 30, 2025 It's Friday and National Creativity Day ð¨ Happy birthday to Rep. Tim Jimenez! ð ð ð What you need to know - The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of a Utah oil railway expansion in the Uinta Basin that was initially denied in 2023 by the District of Columbiaâs U.S. Court of Appeals. Yesterday's decision was a unanimous 8-0, with Justice Neil Gorsuch recusing himself. Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote that the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) "is a procedural cross-check, not a substantive roadblock. The goal of the law is to inform agency decisionmaking, not to paralyze it.â
Rapid Relevance - Robert Jarvik, the University of Utah doctor who designed the first permanent artificial heart, dies at 79; father of missing 15-year-old Utah girl asks for help from the public; Jeff Flake calls on fellow Republicans to speak out and reassure our allies that "this bout of isolationism and protectionism in U.S. politics is not...permanent."
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 | NUEX to Bring Higher Ed & Industries Together, Tackle Employer Problems Spurred by a desire for higher ed to collaborate more with employers, Weber State University will host the Northern Utah Employer Exchange later this year. The hands-on, strategic exchange will pair industry leaders with WSU to help solve tough issues such as retention, generational differences, training, and hiring. Learn more here. | | |
Utah Headlines Political news - Trump threatens to rescind Californiaâs education funding over transgender sports debate (Deseret News)
- Utah Gov. Spencer Cox pushes local leaders for help with his starter home goal (Deseret News)
- Utah has âmoved mountainsâ to build new homes, Cox says. But we need to âmove faster.â (Salt Lake Tribune)
- Utah lawmakers won't revisit pause on gender care for minors even after report finds positive outcomes (KSL)
- Jay Evensen: Budget bill highlights how Washington lacks a sense of irony (Deseret News)
Municipal news - Nephiâs growth brings new businesses and bigger dreams (KSL TV)
- Utah County plans $1.6B water project to meet growing population demands (KUTV)
- Ogdenâs new PATH to Citizenship graduates are focused on voting and peace of mind (KUER)
- One of these 17 candidates will be your next Salt Lake County Council member. Learn more about each. (Salt Lake Tribune)
Utah - See the âoutrageousâ designs coming to Red Bull Soapbox Derbyâs first Utah race (KSL)
- Cat finds fur-ever home with rescuer after Bryce Canyon tragedy (KSL Newsradio)
Crime/Courts - Charges: Man held Millcreek family hostage for months, assaulting, extorting, threatening them (Deseret News)
- Detectives have âseveral leadsâ into Saratoga Springs deaths, police say (KSL TV)
- A Utah lawyer was punished for filing a brief with âfake precedentâ made up by artificial intelligence (Salt Lake Tribune)
- $10M lawsuit alleges staff impregnated girls at former St. George youth center (St. George News)
Culture/Community - Attention hikers: SLC opens new trailhead in City Creek Canyon, with more improvements coming to the foothills (Salt Lake Tribune)
- HGTVâs âRock the Blockâ showcases custom homes in Grantsville (KSL)
- Religion, finances and violence: Latter-day Saint leaders provide answers to key questions (Deseret News)
Economy Education - Higher - Weber State program geared to Spanish speakers experiences 'staggering' uptick in interest (KSL)
- How a trio of lifelong Washington County pals are hoping to help UVU make baseball history (Deseret News)
- Shame on the NCAAâ: Why this former BYU player doesnât like whatâs happening to high school athletes (Deseret News)
- Samantha Campbell named interim Associate Vice President for USU Moab campus (Utah State Today)
- Diplomacy of Friendship: Heravi Peace Institute from USU joins peacebuilding conference in Uzbekistan (Utah State Today)
Energy - Rocky Mountain Power requests rehearing on partial electricity rate hike, calls order âshortsightedâ (Standard-Examiner)
- Trillions of cubic feet of natural gas could be under the Mountain West (UPR)
Environment - Warming Utah temperatures mean more mosquitoes and the work to kill them (KSL TV)
- Here's where a subpar water year is already hitting Utah hard (Fox 13)
- Stage 1 Fire Restrictions issued for multiple Utah counties due to increasing dangers (Fox13)
Health - Hormel issues beef stew recall over wood chips (Deseret News)
- âWe have to talk about itâ: Overcoming the mental health stigma (KSL TV)
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National Headlines General - United Nations may cut staff by 20 percent: Report (Deseret News)
- Faizan Zaki wins the Scripps National Spelling Bee a year after finishing runner-up (AP)
Political news - Trump - Trump summons Fed's Powell, tells him he's making a mistake on rates (Reuters)
- Judge blocks Trump ban on Harvard's international students (Reuters)
- Trump suffered âmental anguishâ from disputed CBS News interview with Harris, lawyer says (AP)
- Trump taps Palantir to compile data on Americans (New York Times)
Other political news - This California school district backtracks on âequityâ grading policy (Deseret News)
- Republicans look to raise taxes on universities â but religious schools catch a break (Deseret News)
- A Christian baker was sued for not serving a lesbian couple. The Supreme Court may hear her case (Deseret News)
- Hegseth orders Pentagonâs testing office staff cut by more than half (The Hill)
Immigration/deportation - Trump administration ousts top ICE officials amid migrant arrest push (Reuters)
- This Ethiopian woman was tortured by her government. The US is sending her home anyway (NPR)
DOGE/Musk - Without Musk, DOGE likely to fizzle out, says ex-staffer (Reuters)
- Elon Musk came to Washington wielding a chain saw. He leaves behind upheaval and unmet expectations (AP)
- On the campaign trail, Elon Musk juggled drugs and family drama (New York Times)
- Michelle Goldberg: Elon Musk's legacy is disease, starvation and death (New York Times)
Tariffs - Court strikes down Trump tariff decrees, says president overstepped his authority (Deseret News)
- Appeals court pauses lower court ruling that struck down Trump tariffs (Deseret News)
- Trump's tariff tally: $34 billion and counting, global companies say (Reuters)
Ukraine/Russia - Zelenskiy accuses Russia of 'another deception' by holding back peace memorandum (Reuters)
Middle East - Israel accepts ceasefire plan for Gaza, US says, as Hamas reviews it (Reuters)
- In emaciated children, Gaza's hunger is laid bare (New York Times)
World news - The US academic partnership with China, under strain for years, faces its biggest threat (AP News)
- Judge blocks Trump administration's effort to bar Harvard from enrolling international students (NPR)
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 | News Releases Gov. Cox brings together Utah mayors to chart a path forward for housing in Utah Gov. Cox convened mayors and local officials from more than 40 Utah cities for a housing summit focused on building 35,000 new starter homes and breaking down barriers to homeownership. The Built Here: Housing Summit provided a forum for local leaders to share successes, address challenges and align efforts to meet Utahâs housing needs. Since the governorâs announcement of the 35,000-home target, 5,100 starter homes have been built and sold, and more are underway across the state. (Read More)
UVU & âFind My Placeâ partner to simplify student housing searches in Utah County Find My Place, a Provo-based student housing search engine, has partnered with Utah Valley University (UVU) to provide students with a safe, efficient, and tailored way to navigate Utah Countyâs competitive student housing market. Find My Place streamlines the UVU student housing search with verified listings, student-focused filters, and a housing contract marketplace, helping students find reliable, affordable accommodations. (Read More)
Holy Cross Hospital â Mountain Point celebrates 10 years of serving northern Utah County âThis is an exciting milestone for Mountain Point,â said Chris Stines, president. During the decade that the hospital has been open, the population of Lehi has nearly doubled, not to mention that robust growth in surrounding communities. We are busy, averaging nearly 1,000 births per year and more than 11,000 ER visits. Mountain Point had also earned an âAâ designation for patient safety by the national group LeapFrog. We want to thank our outstanding physicians and staff for providing excellent care with a focus on humankindness.â (Read More)
Utahâs First Lady to host 4th annual Show Up Summer Service Fair at Thanksgiving Point Utah First Lady Abby Cox invites families and individuals of all ages to attend the 4th annual Show Up Summer Service Fair, a free, family-friendly event designed to connect Utahns with meaningful volunteer opportunities across the state. The event will take place on Monday, June 9, from 4:00 to 8:00 PM at Electric Park at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi. (Read More) | | |
Tweet of the Day | | |
Upcoming - May 31 â Utah Democratic Party Organizing Convention, Ogden High School
- June 2 â The 6th Senate Project debate hosted by the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation and the Edward M. Kennedy Institute featuring Sens. Dave McCormick (R-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA), with Fox News anchor Shannon Bream as moderator. The debate will be live-streamed at 7 am MDT on Fox Nation and later broadcast on Fox News.
- June 2-6 â Municipal candidate filing period
- June 9 â Show Up Summer Service Fair, 4:00-8:00 pm, Electric Park, Thanksgiving Point
- June 17-19 â Interim Days
- 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
- Aug 12 â Municipal primary
- Aug 19-21 â Interim Days
- Nov 4 â General election
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On This Day In History - 1431 - Joan of Arc is burned at the stake for receiving divine inspiration directly, rather than go through the church. Also, the English were mad she defeated them.
- 1539 - Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto's expedition of 10 ships and 700 men lands in Florida.
- 1868 - Civil War dead honored on Decoration Day. We now call it Memorial Day.
- 1910 - Rainbow Bridge National Monument established in Utah.
- 1911 - First Indy 500 race
- 1922 - Former President and US Supreme Court Chief Justice William H. Taft dedicates the Lincoln Memorial on the Washington Mall.
- 1943 - The first All-American Girls Professional Baseball League games are played.
- 1943 - Auschwitz gets a new doctor, 32-year-old Josef Mengele, a man who will earn the nickname âthe Angel of Death.â
- 1994 - Ezra Taft Benson dies at age 94.
Quote of the Day All battles are first won or lost, in the mind. âJoan of Arc
On the Punny Side What do dentists call x-rays? Tooth pics. | | |
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