Carlos Boozer is back!

Join us Jan. 31 for an exciting evening featuring Carlos Boozer. Hear his captivating story and a lively Q&A session, as well as a memorable photo opportunity. Purchase tickets today.

Utah Headlines

Political news

• Gov. Cox unveils recommendations to create new clinical paths in behavioral health (Deseret News)
• How to make your voice heard during Utah’s lawmaking process (Salt Lake Tribune)
• Utah poised to chip away at income tax again in 4th year of tax cuts (Daily Herald)
• Cache County clerk/auditor back to work, investigation still ongoing (UPR)

Election news

• Utah Democrats will have a U.S. Senate candidate this year. Here’s how the party’s recruiting went (Deseret News)
• Why Brent Hatch is pursuing his father’s Senate legacy (Deseret News)
• Campaigning begins in the Utah governor's race (Fox13)
• Stratton to run for state Senate, Sakievich not seeking reelection in 2024 (Daily Herald)
• Carbon County was once a Democratic stronghold. Now the party hopes for a comeback (KUER)

Utah news

• Latter-day Saint leaders hire new managing director for Church Communication (Deseret News)
• Salt Lake County reports 5 deaths from the flu this season, including 2 children (KSL)
• New campaign underway to prevent road rage in Utah (KSL TV)
• Winter storm moves across northern Utah causing damage, delays and outages (KSL TV)
• Man dies after trailer falls on him at Utah state senator's home (KUTV)

Business/Tech

• Crowds are descending on Target to fight for Valentine’s Day Stanley cups. What’s with the craze? (Deseret News)
• Record number of office spaces sit empty (KUTV)
• The latest dirty word in corporate America: ESG (Wall Street Journal)

Crime/Courts

• Racial discrimination, 'hostile environment' claimed in lawsuit against Davis School District (KUTV)

Culture

• Why confusion persists over service dogs in public places (Deseret News)

Education

• Opinion: Utah K-12 performance leads the nation — but elements of this success may be threatened (Deseret News)
• Salt Lake City School Board votes to close four elementary schools (KSL)
• What to know about changes to this year's FAFSA application for college students (AP)

Environment

• Nevada conservation group works to preserve tree species critical to Western habitats (KUER)

Family

• Valerie Hudson: Can we make it possible to age with dignity in America? (Deseret News)

Health

• Why are people taking ice baths? A look into the chilly health trend (Deseret News)
• Feeling nostalgic increases mental well-being and fosters social connection, studies show (Deseret News)
• A discovery in the muscles of long COVID patients may explain exercise troubles (NPR)

National Headlines

General

• Former first lady Melania Trump's mother has died (NPR)
• Austin was hospitalized for complications following treatment for prostate cancer (NPR)
• Tornados, blizzards, floods: Severe storms hit vast sections of the U.S. (New York Times)

Political news

• Trump, religion and the power of asking ‘Why?’ (Deseret News)
• Rusty Bowers, former Arizona House speaker, faces swatting incident (Deseret News)
• The economy tops US priorities for government across racial groups, AP-NORC and AAPI Data polls show (AP)
• As the Senate tries to strike a border deal with Mayorkas, House GOP launches effort to impeach him (AP)
• With Trump present in court, judges express skepticism of claims that he’s immune from prosecution (AP)
• Trump warns of ‘bedlam,’ declines to rule out violence after court hearing (Washington Post)

Election news

• Haley chides Biden for political speech at church (Deseret News)
• Everything you need to know about the Iowa caucuses (Deseret News)
• Iowa Caucus 2024: DeSantis, Haley face off in debate showdown to emerge as Trump alternative (Reuters)

Ukraine 🇺🇦

• Ukraine’s Zelenskyy says Russia can be stopped but Kyiv badly needs more air defense systems (AP)
• Ukrainians seek recognition for fallen soldiers (Reuters)

Israel 🇮🇱

• In shelter where Hamas killed trapped Israelis: smell of blood and a mother's grief (Reuters)

World news

• Ecuador’s escalating gang violence is broadcast live to the nation as masked gunmen storm TV studio (AP)
• US, UK forces shoot down Houthi missiles, drones in Red Sea (Reuters)

Number of the Day 

News Releases

New resource to assist business community with Fair Chance hiring practices

The Salt Lake Chamber and Utah Community Builders have released the “Fair Chance Hiring Guide,” a new resource for the business community to learn about hiring individuals previously involved with the justice system and make a positive impact on the lives of those seeking a second chance. (Read More)

Utah Consumer Privacy Act (UCPA) now in effect

Under a new state law, Utah consumers have the right to access and control their personal data. The Utah Consumer Privacy Act (UCPA) took effect on December 31, 2023. Under the new law, the UCPA also requires businesses to protect personal data and provide consumers with information about how they can exercise their rights. (Read More)

New Master of Occupational Therapy Bridge Program announced at Rocky Mountain University

Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMU) was granted Candidacy Status for its new entry-level Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) Bridge Program by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). This program was developed in response to a need in the healthcare education landscape, as only one other university (located in California) in the West offers an MOT bridge program. (Read More)

Sylvia Miera-Fisk enters Utah governor’s race

Monday afternoon, Sylvia Miera-Fisk entered the race to become Utah’s next Governor. Sylvia knows the importance of providing a seat at the table for everyone... Sylvia provides a straightforward, transparent, and common-sense approach, precisely the traits Utah needs in its Governor in today’s chaos and confusion. (Read More)

Romney office announces communications staff changes

U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) today announced the following changes to his communications staff: Paige Waltz, Communications Director, Arielle Mueller, Deputy Communications Director and Dilan Maxfield, Press Secretary and Digital Director. (Read More)

Tweet of the Day

Upcoming

• Jan. 12 — Utah economic outlook & public policy summit, 8:30 am - 1:30 pm, Grand America Hotel. Register here
• Jan. 16 — Legislative session begins
• Mar. 1 — Legislative session ends 
• Mar. 5 — Caucus night

On This Day In History 

• 1870 - Labor union activist Maud Younger is born. She was instrumental in the passage of the 19th Amendment.
• 1898 - Katharine Blodgett is born. A physicist and inventor, she was the first woman research scientist for General Electric’s Schenectady, NY laboratory (1920), first woman awarded a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Cambridge (1926) and received eight U.S. patents, most famously for inventing low-reflectance “invisible” glass
• 1901 - A drilling derrick at Spindletop Hill in Texas hits an enormous gusher of crude oil and signals the start of the U.S. oil industry.
• 1917 - Suffragettes, the "Silent Sentinels," first protest outside The White House, in Washington led by Alice Paul and the National Woman's Party
• 1920 - The League of Nations is instituted. It was officially dissolved in 1946 with the establishment of the United Nations.
• 1923 - President Harding pulls troops home from Germany, 4 years after the end of WWI.
• 1941 - FDR introduces the lend-lease program
• 1946 - The United Nations holds its first General Assembly. 
• 1962 - An avalanche on the slopes of an extinct volcano in Peru buries 9 towns and 7 villages, killing more than 4000.
• 2000 - AOL-Time Warner formed
• 2016 - David Bowie dies of liver cancer, 2 days after his 69th birthday and the release of his final album, Blackstar.

Quote of the Day

"Fame can take interesting men and thrust mediocrity upon them."

—David Bowie

On the Punny Side

If you spell the words "absolutely nothing" backwards, you get "gnihton yletulosba".

Which, ironically, means ... absolutely nothing.

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