How the Delta Center converts from hockey to basketball in less than 24 hours; Montezuma Creek residents stress life learning to youth | | | 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 | Oct. 24, 2024 It's Thursday and National Bologna Day - B-O-L-O-G-N-A There are 12 days until Election Day. Happy birthday to Rep. Stephanie Gricius and Rep. Ray Ward! ð ðð What you need to know Growing concern over housing affordability is tied to Utah's short-term rental boom. Short-term rental listings â like Airbnb and Vrbo â surged by nearly 40% from 2021 to 2023 in the state. Approximately 25% of all short-term rentals are within a quarter mile of a ski area. The same three counties with the highest short-term rental supply - Salt Lake, Summit and Wasatch - also led the state in tourism tax revenue in 2023. Utah lawmaker, Rep. Neil Walter from St. George, plans to target illegal short-term rentals in the upcoming legislative session. Rapid Relevance How the Delta Center converts from hockey to basketball in less than 24 hours; Cool School of the Week: The world-famous East High; and Montezuma Creek residents stress life learning to youth. | | |
| | Let Utah Manage Utah Lands Utah has filed a landmark lawsuit over control of unappropriated federal lands. State statute prohibits the privatization of public lands except in rare circumstances, underscoring Utahâs commitment to keeping public lands in public hands and locally controlled. Learn more: standforourland.utah.gov. | | |
Utah Headlines Political news Sens. Lee and Romneyâs power play for Utah and the West (Deseret News) Sharon Says So: Utah women seek election facts from âAmericaâs Government Teacherâ (KSL TV) Election news People experiencing homelessness still eligible to vote, State Elections Director says (KSL Newsradio) Editorial Board: We recommend voting yes on these ballot measures (Deseret News) Opinion: Navigating the reliability of political polls (Deseret News) Will Murray City build âRiverview Jr. High? Itâs up to the voters (Deseret News) Here's what 2 school districts in Salt Lake County hope to accomplish through proposed bonds (KSL) Meet the 5 Utah attorney general candidates (KSL) Meet the candidate: Rep. Blake Moore running for re-election in Utahâs 1st Congressional District (KSL Newsradio) Municipal news Davis County leaders OK plans allowing $966M in FrontRunner track upgrades to move ahead (KSL) Heber City residents say growth is causing major traffic problems (KSL) Proposed development of reserve lands sparks debate in Washington County (KUTV) Cache County Council approves new fee schedule proposed by Development Services director (Cache Valley Daily) Utah Mandatory bird flu testing for Cache County dairy cows announced (Deseret News) Hunters find human skull in Salt Lake backcountry (KSL) Newest US citizens bask in the glow of a storied Utah park (Salt Lake Tribune) Biz/Tech Jetsons-esque future is go: New FAA rule opens door for U.S. air taxi operations (Deseret News) McDonaldâs assures customers food is safe after E. coli outbreak (Deseret News) Crime/Courts Victim's parents challenge state's immunity claim in crash that killed 2 Utah County boys (KUTV) Culture Is Chilean Sea Bass a more appealing name than Goldfish? Pepperidge Farm thinks so (KSL) Education Students, families report overcrowded school buses in Alpine School District (ABC4) Apple Crunch Day is tasty and educational for Utah children (Fox13) Environment Opinion: Operation Gigawatt is a pathway to energy abundance (Deseret News) DWR recommends changes to Utah deer management, seeks input (KSL TV) Utahâs water year ended a few weeks ago. Here are the big takeaways. (Salt Lake Tribune) Family Parental rights â who should be in control, parents or the state? (Deseret News) Emily Oster is giving agency back to parents â but not without controversy. The economist turned parenting data expert tackles the most pressing dilemmas in her new podcast âRaising Parentsâ (Deseret News) Health New stroke guidelines highlight risks specific to women, preventive steps (Deseret News) Housing Study explores impact of short-term rentals on Utahâs housing market (Deseret News) Utah is eyeing locations for a massive homeless campus. A major contender is in the heart of the Jordan River corridor. (Salt Lake Tribune) | | |
National Headlines General Grand Teton grizzly bear No. 399 that delighted visitors for decades is killed by vehicle in Wyoming (AP) Boeing shares fall after workers reject latest offer (Reuters) Political news Poll: Most U.S. Christians believe supporting abortion rights does not contradict their faith (Deseret News) Perspective: The Democrats need a symbol. I vote for the Statue of Liberty (Deseret News) Suspect in shootings of Democratic office in Arizona had over 120 guns in his home, officials find (AP) Election news John Kelly, Trumpâs former chief of staff, says the former president puts himself over the Constitution (Deseret News) Harris says Trump âis a fascistâ after John Kelly says the former president wanted generals like Hitlerâs (AP) Trump responds to âlowlifeâ John Kelly (The Hill) The race of one of the Senateâs most well-known conservatives could keep the chamber blue (Deseret News) Nearly 25 million votes already cast in US presidential election (Reuters) Election officials are fighting a tsunami of voting conspiracy theories (AP) Efforts by Russia, Iran and China to sway US voters may escalate, new Microsoft report says (AP) GOP candidates embrace Trumpâs call to abolish Education Department (Washington Post) Fred Upton, former G.O.P. Congressman who voted to impeach Trump, endorses Harris (New York Times) Trump Takes Narrow Lead Over Harris in Closing Weeks of Race (Wall Street Journal) Ukraine ðºð¦ South Korean president raises possibility of supplying Ukraine with arms (AP) 10 feet underground, Ukrainian medics face blasts and bloodshed in a front-line hospital (Wall Street Journal) Israel and Gaza Israeli strikes kill 42 in Gaza as tanks tighten siege of north (Reuters) Palestinian officials say an Israeli strike on a school-turned-shelter in Gaza has killed 17 (AP) World news Turkey says âterrorist attackâ on aerospace company leaves at least 5 dead, 22 injured (Washington Post) | | |
| | News Releases Short-term rental home growth accelerates dramatically in Utah Short-term rental (STR) growth accelerated dramatically across the United States as the COVID-19 pandemic shifted consumer behaviors, thus increasing their market demand. A new report from the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute summarizes the recent trends in the growth of STRs across Utah. âThe number of short-term rentals (STRs) in Utah steadily increased over the past decade as Airbnb, Booking.com, and VRBO platforms became popular,â said Dejan Eskic, senior research fellow at the Gardner Institute. âOverall, STRs account for approximately 1.9% of our housing stock in 2023. However, while this number seems relatively low, the rise of short-term rentals in Utah disproportionately impacts the stateâs tourism areas, affecting housing affordability and accessibility in these communities.â (Read More) New resource encourages flexible workplace practices for Utah businesses Utah Community Builders, the Salt Lake Chamberâs nonprofit foundation, has released the âWorkplace Flexibility Guide,â a new resource for the business community to learn about possibilities for workplace flexibility, ways to manage it and how it can be a catalyst for a high-performing work culture and employee wellness. To view the âWorkplace Flexibility Guide,â click here. (Read More) Gov. Spencer Cox appoints Emy Faulkner Lesofski as energy advisor and director of the Office of Energy Development Utah Gov. Spencer Cox has appointed Emy Faulkner Lesofski as his new energy advisor and director of the Office of Energy Development within the Department of Natural Resources. Lesofski joins the Office of Energy Development from the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. She has built her career in public service as a staff director and policy advisor in both houses of Congress. Lesofski studied Political Science at Brigham Young University. (Read More) | | |
Upcoming Oct. 24 â CD4 Debate, UT Debate Commission, 6:00 pm Nov. 5 â Election Day! Nov. 15 â Women & Business Conference & ATHENA Awards Luncheon with the Salt Lake Chamber, Grand America Hotel. Register here Nov. 19-20 â Interim Days Jan. 9 â Whatâs Up Down South Economic Summit. St. George. Register here Jan. 10 â Rural Utah Data Symposium. St. George. Register here | | |
On This Day In History 1830 - Belva Lockwood is born. An attorney, politician, educator, and author, she was the first woman admitted to practice law before the Supreme Court, and ran for U.S. President in 1884 and 1888. 1861 - First transcontinental telegraph sent 1901 - Annie Edson Taylor celebrates her 63rd birthday by becoming the first person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel. 1915 - Letitia Woods Brown is born. A pioneer in researching and teaching African-American history, she completed her Ph.D. at Harvard in 1966, and was the primary consultant for the Schlesinger Libraryâs Black Women Oral History Project. 1929 - Black Thursday, the first day of the Stock Market Crash that marked the beginning of the Great Depression 1938 - With the passage of the Fair Labor Standards Act, the 40-hour workweek went into effect in the United States. 1945 - The United Nations is born. (The Charter goes into effect.) 2007 - Rosa Parks dies at age 92 2022 - US Mint issues first US currency featuring an Asian-American, silent film actress Anna May Wong Quote of the Day "People always say that I didn't give up my seat because I was tired, but that isn't true. I was not tired physically... No, the only tired I was, was tired of giving in."
âRosa Parks On the Punny Side Why is a cemetery a great place to write a story? Because there are so many plots there. | | |
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