Utah Headlines

Deseret News

• Mitt Romney's child allowance plan: Love it or hate it, it's hard to ignore - The anti-poverty proposal for children has ignited a discussion among politicians and policy experts on both the left and the right about the merits of a child allowance.
• We must replace cancel culture with 'forgiveness culture' - We can't wait decades before apologies are extended and forgiveness is given and accepted. Choosing to cancel someone instead of forgiving does not remedy, it only hurts - both sides. Instead, we can model the practice of forgiveness now, and we need look only as far as Dr. King for this modeling.
• High school science project reiterates what experts have been telling us for years - Pandemic offers detailed look at how fewer cars has helped Utah's air.
• Outlook dismal for Utah water supply with snowpack at just 62% of normal - Coming storms won't be able to lift state out of drought conditions.
• 'Sarah's Bill' targeting DUI suspects poised to pass after emotional Senate testimony - Suspected drunken drivers are normally allowed to be released on bail to await their trial. But HB47, also called Sarah's Bill, would let a judge deny bail and hold them until trial.
• With tens of thousands of kids without insurance, Utah lawmakers want state to step up - SB158 would create a Children's Coverage Outreach Pilot Program to reach underserved populations, offer application assistance and run a media campaign to raise awareness for insurance plans available to Utah children.
• Mike Lee, Mitt Romney have different approaches to Trump impeachment trial - "The Senate has the power to try all impeachments, and it is particularly clear in this case -where the House impeached the president while he was in office - that this trial is constitutional," Romney said in a statement after the vote.

Salt Lake Tribune

• Utah senator criticized for 'inappropriate' remarks during hearing on race-based hair discrimination - State Sen. Derrin Owens said he believes society is already heading in the right direction without the need for the legal change laid out in SB80, comments on women's appearance.
• Utah officers could soon be required to report every time they point a gun at someone - The bill's Democrat sponsor says the document would have to be filed within two days and reviewed by the officer's supervisor.
• Moab residents sound off against OHV noise. Lawmakers listen, advance bill that may silence the vehicles at night. - Measure would empower resort towns to pass time limits; debate hinges on "local control."
• Sent home after a positive COVID-19 test, some Salt Lake City teachers logged in and carried on - COVID-19 testing caught asymptomatic teachers, who had to quarantine but felt well enough to teach.
• Pediatrician to be Utah health department's new deputy director - Dr. Michelle Hofmann has directed the state's COVID-19 response in long-term care facilities.
• Utah Sen. Mike Lee seeks to block D.C. effort to allow kids to obtain vaccines without parents' consent - This effort comes even though Lee often objects to federal interference in state and local affairs.

Other

• State Senator criticized for making racially insensitive comments (FOX 13) - The Senate Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee was listening to arguments in support of a bill that would make it illegal to discriminate against someone based on a hairstyle that is associated with race. The legislation was deadlocked in committee by a 2-2 vote.
• Racial slurs found at Eagle Mountain golf course (KSL) - A derogatory term was discovered carved in big letters into the sand trap and more racial slurs carved into the putting green of the sixth hole at the Ranches Golf Club, along with "disturbing drawings," according to golf course owner Jeff Harbertson.
• Utah's COVID-19 case numbers continue to trend in the right direction (FOX 13) - Only five counties saw increased numbers: Duchesne, Garfield, Sanpete, Sevier, and Wayne. Vaccination rates are also speeding up.
• Sandy City council discusses how to fund capital improvements shortfall (KUTV) - Council members were told during Tuesday night's meeting that expenses have grown during the pandemic more than revenues.

COVID Corner

• J&J CEO says people may need annual Covid vaccine shots for the next several years (CNBC) - Just like the annual flu shot that is needed for mutations, the Covid vaccine may be needed annually as well.
• 117 year old beats COVID-19 just before her birthday (The Hill) - The second-oldest living person in the world has survived a bout with the coronavirus just in time for her 117th birthday. She's lived through two global pandemics and both World Wars!
• Variants mean the coronavirus is here to stay - but perhaps as a lesser threat (Washington Post) - The illusion - or, as one scientist puts it, the delusion - that science had bested the virus crumbled as mutation-ridden variants with concerning new characteristics were detected.
• At least 36 people may have developed a rare blood disorder after covid vaccination: report (Fox News) - At least 36 people may have developed a rare blood disorder, known as immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), after taking either Pfizer and BioNTech or Moderna's COVID-19 vaccines, according to a report by the New York Times.
• Biden Team Fears: No COVID Herd Immunity Until Thanksgiving (The Daily Beast) - Dr. Fauci is still "cautiously optimistic" that life can return to normal by the beginning of the fall. But others worry that we may not get there until the early winter.
• What If We Never Reach Herd Immunity? (The Atlantic) -Hitting the threshold might actually be impossible. But vaccines can still help end the pandemic.
• COVID-19 vaccines may give false positives in breast cancer screenings (Deseret News) - Women are now being advised to either get their annual mammograms before being vaccinated against COVID-19, or wait at least a month after their final dose to avoid a mistaken breast cancer or other cancer diagnosis due to a side effect from the shots.
• Jana Riess: Mormons, submit your COVID-19 stories (Salt Lake Tribune) - Members of various Mormon traditions are being asked to upload their stories, photos and social media posts about what life was like during the pandemic.
• Walmart to distribute COVID-19 vaccines across 19 states, including Utah (DSN) - Walmart and Sam's Club pharmacies will be receiving limited allocation from the federal government, but not until next week at the earliest.

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National Headlines

• The latest on former President Donald Trump's impeachment trial (Deseret News) - After previously voting against the constitutionality of Trump's second impeachment trial on Jan. 26, Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy changed his mind Tuesday and joined five other Senate Republicans who'd previously supported the trial of the former president. The Republican senator said the House impeachment managers "had much stronger constitutional arguments" than Trump's defense lawyers.
• Trump plans a reemergence and some retribution after impeachment (Politico) - The former president is confident both of his acquittal and that he'll come out of the trial with an iron grip on the GOP.
• 'He just rambled': Republicans unimpressed by Trump's impeachment lawyers (The Guardian) - The performance of Donald Trump's legal team on the first day of his second impeachment trial has drawn sharp criticism from Republican senators and other onlookers, many of whom appeared unimpressed by the at times rambling and incoherent opening statements.
• Trump unhappy with his impeachment attorney's performance, sources say (CNN) - Trump was almost screaming as Castor struggled to get at the heart of his defense team's argument, which is supposed to be over the constitutionality of holding a trial for a president no longer in office.
• Opinion: Why Democrats must make the full case against Trump (Washington Post) - Citizens need testimony and documentation that painstakingly lays out the theory of the case. They need to see all of it.
• Sen. Ted Cruz: Should the Senate exercise jurisdiction over Trump's impeachment trial? Why the answer matters (Fox News) - "I believe that the better constitutional argument is that a former president can be impeached and tried-that is, that the Senate has jurisdiction to hold a trial. However, nothing in the text of the Constitution requires the Senate to choose to exercise jurisdiction.
• Trump's impeachment can answer a lot about the Capitol riot. But not who funded it. (NBC News) - Financial anonymity is now as American as apple pie - and illicit finance has raced to the U.S. over the past few decades.
• Manchin pens letter to Biden asking him to reverse termination of Keystone XL pipeline (Fox News) - Pipelines 'support thousands of high-paying, American union jobs,' the Democratic Senator wrote.
• Biden backs House Democrats' proposed threshold for COVID-19 checks (The Hill) - The proposal is to begin phasing out the next round of direct coronavirus relief payments to Americans who make more than $75,000, a key sticking point among some in the party.
• Opinion: My fellow Republicans, convicting Trump is necessary to save America (Washington Post) - Rep. Adam Kinzinger writes that if the GOP doesn't take a stand, the chaos of the past few months, and the past four years, could quickly return. The future of our party and our country depends on confronting what happened - so it doesn't happen again.
• Trump lawyer presses for former President's full-time Mar-a-Lago residency (CNN) - Trump bought the former estate of Marjorie Merriweather Post in 1985 and turned it into a members-only club in 1993. To do so, he had to agree that he would not live at the club for more than 21 days a year. Now he wants to change that.
• Do you qualify for the $1,400 stimulus after the recent proposed change? (Deseret News) - The threshold for receiving a check would cut off for those earning $100,000 or more, and couples who earn more than $200,000.

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Policy News

Gov. Cox's office chillin' on Fridays
The Cox/Henderson administration has some chill. At least on Fridays. :) In an "official" declaration, Gov. Cox noted that "Casual Friday" began in Hawaii in the 1950's and gained traction on the mainland in the 1990's, and "Whereas, Fridays signify the beginning of the weekend and should be considered a fun, productive day at work; and Whereas the Office of the Governor is a fun and productive work environment and should have a fun, productive day at work" no ties and no high heels should be worn on Casual Friday. Blue jeans are permissable.

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Chamber supports liability protection for businesses
The Salt Lake Chamber joined business leaders across America to call for liability protection as part of any new coronavirus relief package. According to Derek Miller, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber, "A temporary and targeted approach to ensuring protection against liability associated with working to sustain the economy throughout COVID-19 is needed to prevent valiant businesses from coming under legal assault through frivolous lawsuits."

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Webinar, Feb 10: Developing an effective COVID-19 vaccination policy
REMINDER: This webinar is tomorrow, Feb. 10!Mark your calendars! The Salt Lake Chamber's Roadmap to Recovery Coalition is sponsoring a webinar on Developing an Effective COVID-19 Vaccination Policy.Throughout the past year many businesses have focused on preventing the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace. Now that vaccines have been developed, employers are faced with new questions. Can employees be required to be vaccinated? And do businesses need a formal vaccine policy?

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Rep. Stewart introduces bill to combat global gender-based violence
Congressman Chris Stewart (UT-02) joined Reps. Meng (D-NY), Frankel (D-FL), Diaz-Balart (R-FL), and Houlahan (D-PA) in introducing the Safe from the Start Act. This bipartisan bill would help improve U.S. efforts to combat gender-based violence in humanitarian emergencies across the globe. Following the bill's introduction, Congressman Stewart issued the following statement:

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Owens, Allen reintroduce the Education Freedom Scholarships and Opportunity Act
U.S. Rep. Burgess Owens (UT-04) and Rep. Rick Allen (GA-12) this week introduced the Education Freedom Scholarships and Opportunity Act. The bill expands quality elementary, secondary, and career and technical education opportunities for students by providing a federal tax credit to encourage individuals and businesses to donate to nonprofit scholarship funds. Last week, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) introduced the companion bill in the Senate.

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Business Headlines

• Forget Gamestop! This Highly Shorted Stock Is a Strong Buy Now (Motley Fool) - Ligand Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:LGND), might just be the next to rocket higher.
• Biden hosts CEOs at the White House to try to build support for COVID-19 relief bill (USA Today) - "The American people are hurting, a lot of people are in real, real trouble," Biden said. The meeting comes as he tries to sell both Congress and the public on his American Rescue Plan,
• To claim your stimulus payment, look for Line 30 on your 1040 tax form (Washington Post) - This will be a frustrating tax season for a lot of reasons. But the overarching concern for millions of Americans will be how to claim their stimulus payments.
• Salesforce declares the 9-to-5 workday dead, will let some employees work remotely from now on (The Verge) - 'It no longer makes sense to expect employees to work an eight-hour shift.'
• Aunt Jemima Has a New Name After 131 Years: The Pearl Milling Company (New York Times) - Quaker Oats announced it would drop the name Aunt Jemima last summer after the killing of George Floyd and the widespread protests over racial inequality.
• Lyft Curbs Losses During Pandemic With Aggressive Cost Cuts (Wall Street Journal) - Ride-hailing company's president says $360 million in cost savings last year bodes well for the future

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