Utah Policy: Utah Jazz win, wildfires are already, well, wild

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Utah Policy Daily Newsletter

The UtahPolicy.com daily newsletter gets you up to speed on the top local and national news about politics and public policy. Send news tips or feedback to

Situational Analysis - May 27, 2021

Welcome to Thursday as we head into a long weekend. Today is National Grape Popsicle Day - the kids will be thrilled.

News You Need to Know

The Utah Jazz won game #2 against the Memphis Grizzlies and Donavan Mitchell was back, making an immediate impact with a nothing-but-net three-pointer and scoring 25 points in 26 minutes. There was another mass shooting, this time in California. The gunmen shot multiple co-workers, then killed himself as police converged on the scene. California's governor asked "What the he** is wrong with us? When are we going to put down our arms, literally and figuratively?" Flags are at half-staff until sunset on Sunday. Governor Cox launched Utah's "Fire Sense" campaign. It's already a bad year - 100% of the state is in drought conditions and there have been 227 wildfires so far. 219 of them were human-caused. Let's not burn the state down. We lost a great one this week: Eric Carle, the author/illustrator of children's books "The Very Hungry Caterpillar," "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See," and more than 70 others. He continued drawing until this month.

Calendar

A Conversation with Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg and Nubia Pena, Director of the Utah Division of Multicultural Affairs - June 2, 12:30-1:15 pm. Register here. Municipal election filing: June 1 - June 7 at 5 pm. Utah Democratic Party organizing convention: June 26, 2021 250 days of the Cox-Henderson administration: September 11, 2021

Utah Headlines

General

Utah Jazz win game #2, 141-129 (Deseret News, Salt Lake Tribune) UHP urges safe driving ahead of Memorial Day weekend (Fox13) Overcrowding a concern as Zion, other Utah national parks prepare for Memorial Day (The Spectrum) Data says traffic around Utah's national parks is getting worse. What's being done about it? (The Spectrum)

Politics

Romney blasts political extremes in speech accepting JFK award (The Hill) Romney says Republicans blocking January 6 commission 'would be seen as not wanting to let the truth come out' (CNN) Transgender sports participation bill will return for 2022 Utah Legislature (Salt Lake Tribune) What do lawmakers really understand about Critical Race Theory? (RadioWest)

COVID Corner

Another 268 cases of COVID-19 in Utah, and no new deaths. Seven-day average of cases is at its lowest in nearly a year. (Salt Lake Tribune) Ron Swanson goes to Washington: Actor Nick Offerman calls COVID-19 vaccine a 'gift' in speech to Congress (Deseret News) Biden orders more intel investigation of COVID-19 origin (AP, NPR) The Wuhan lab-leak theory is getting more attention. That's because key evidence is still missing. (Washington Post) Covid-19 is killing hundreds of pregnant women and babies in Brazil (Wall Street Journal)

Drought/Wildfires

Gov. Cox says Utah wildfires could cost hundreds of millions of dollars if predictions hold, urges the public to use 'Fire Sense' to prevent a record wildfire season. 'Please help not burn the state down.' (Salt Lake Tribune, KSL) With water crisis getting worse, who's in charge of Utah's water? (KUTV) How to stay safe this Memorial Day amid extreme drought in Utah (KUTV) FOX 13 Investigates - Utah community is so at risk for a wildfire, it scares the fire chief (Fox13)

Economy

A question for Washington: Where's all this money coming from? (Deseret News) Win-win-win: Thousands of state employees in Utah are opting to work remotely going forward (KSL) Upcoming arrival of Armscor arms manufacturing facility in Cedar City highlights robust economy (St. George News)

Education

Equity guidance for Utah teachers gets tangled up in critical race theory (Salt Lake Tribune) Washington Co. students react to end of challenging school year (Fox13) Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind host unique graduation ceremony (Fox13) Cedar City family upset after school removes daughter's graduation cap with Native American symbols (Fox13)

Elections

Researchers are split on whether Ranked-Choice helps or hurts minority voters (KUER)

Energy

To help deter power disruptions, St. George, Dixie Power launch energy conservation campaign (St. George News)

Environment

How a lake in Iran may hold a key to unlocking the Great Salt Lake's future. Utah State scientists are looking at Iran's rapidly drying Lake Urmia (Deseret News) Actress Katherine Heigl wants to save the Onaqui wild horses in Utah (Deseret News) The four Ws for surviving Utah's wilderness: Weather, Wood, Wildlife, Water (ABC4)

Family

Sen. Mitt Romney met with President Biden to discuss federal aid for families (Deseret News) Toddler throwing a fit? A screen is not the answer. A BYU study says that screens can hamper the process of children learning to regulate their emotions. (Deseret News) Expanded child tax credit payments starting July 15 set to have big impact on Utah (KUTV) Utah women and children struggle to make rent, census survey shows (Fox13)

Health

A new mental health crisis care center in South Salt Lake hopes to provide compassionate care (KUER)

Housing

Weber State professor probing history of housing discrimination in Ogden (Standard-Examiner)

Legal

What does 'reasonable doubt' really mean? Here's an explainer (Deseret News) Man accused of trying to kidnap a girl from an Ogden school playground, stopped by an armed school employee (Salt Lake Tribune, ABC4) Lori Vallow Daybell's brother listed as co-conspirator in new court documents (ABC4)

Local Communities

Sweet message on Utah headstone is shared around the world (Fox13) Extra Utah: A journey to the darkest spot in the state (KUER)

Service

Paper Plate Project uses unique art to raise funds for Utah Food Bank (KUTV)

National Headlines

General

Another mass shooting, this one at a California rail yard. Ten people are dead, including the shooter (AP, New York Times, Washington Post) Eric Carle, creator the 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar,' has died at age 91 (NPR) Deep-rooted racism, discrimination permeate US military (AP) An 8th noose has been found at an Amazon construction site in Connecticut (CNN) Capitol Police officer airlifted after being struck by van near Capitol (The Hill)

Politics

GOP set to block 1/6 panel, stoking Senate filibuster fight (AP) Karine Jean-Pierre makes history giving White House briefing (AP, NPR, Politico) Senate GOP doubts grand jury charges would weaken Trump (The Hill) China: Biden playing politics with call for investigation into virus origins (The Hill) Paul Ryan to knock Trump in speech at Reagan Library (The Hill) Biden's budget would push federal spending and debt to record highs (New York Times)

Courts

Former Penn State president to serve jail time in Jerry Sandusky child abuse scandal (NPR) 4 U.S. Supreme Court cases where Asian Americans fought for civil rights (NPR)

Economy

Countries eager to reopen to travel as pandemic recedes (AP) U.S. drivers to get hit by soaring pump prices over Memorial Day holiday (Reuters)

Education

For Native Americans, Harvard and other colleges fall short (AP)

Elections

GOP frets behind the scenes over potential Trump 2024 bid (Politico) The GOP's four camps on a Trump 2024 campaign (Politico) Demings is taking on Rubio. Now Florida's other big 2022 races are jumbled. (Politico) The 10 Senate seats most likely to flip in 2022 (CNN)

Energy

At least 2 Exxon board members lose seats in climate fight (AP) Why a 'crushing' day for Big Oil represents a watershed moment in the climate battle (CNBC) Germany, Norway flip switch on $2.4B undersea energy link (AP) US pipelines ordered to increase cyber defenses after hack (AP)

Infrastructure

How the pandemic changed America's ideas about infrastructure (Politico) Biden could face tough choices if infrastructure deal emerges (Washington Post) House Democrats make new demand on infrastructure bill as Biden strains to lure Republicans (Washington Post)

International

Email bomb threat sent after blogger's plane was diverted over Belarus says Swiss email provider (Reuters) A wave of Afghan surrenders to the Taliban picks up speed. At least 26 besieged outposts or bases, and four district centers, have given up to the insurgents this month, in an accelerating rural collapse as American troops leave. (New York Times)

Policy News

Sen. Romney offers measures to counter China
Amendments to U.S. Innovation and Competition Act would require the President to develop a grand strategy with respect to China and drill down on Chinese propaganda effortsU.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) offered amendments to the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act, formerly known as the Endless Frontier Act, being considered on the Senate floor this week.Join the Major Brent Taylor Foundation and the Red Cross of Utah for a day of service this weekend
The South Ogden community is invited to join family and friends of The Major Brent Taylor Foundation to help save lives by donating blood through the Red Cross on Friday, May 28, 2021, from noon to 5:00 p.m. at 4075 Orchard Ave., to honor those who died in service to this country for Memorial Day.Lee, Klobuchar introduce bill to empower state antitrust enforcers
Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) yesterday introduced the State Antitrust Enforcement Venue Act of 2021, a bill to ensure state attorneys general are able to remain in the court they select rather than having their cases moved to a court the defendant prefers. Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO) has introduced companion legislation in the House.Utah First Lady Abby Cox launches "Foster Friendly" app with America's Kids Belong and Utah's Hogle Zoo
First Lady Abby Cox joined Utah's Hogle Zoo, the Salt Lake Chamber and foster organization representatives to announce Utah's launch of the "Foster Friendly" business app. Rep. Stewart's latest op-ed in The Daily Caller: The Intel Committee's plan to spy on Americans
Last week, Rep. Chris Stewart (R-UT) wrote an op-ed in The Daily Caller on the House Intelligence Committee's recent efforts to turn the massive powers of the Intelligence Community inward, toward the American people.

Business Headlines

L Catterton, the largest global consumer-focused private equity firm, acquires Utah-based Kodiak Cakes (Utah Business) 2021 Utah Business Outstanding Directors honorees (Utah Business) Shoppers go back to stores, but retailers face challenges (AP) Global shares mixed with eyes on inflation, US economy (AP) Futures dip ahead of weekly jobless claims data (Reuters) Jobless claims expected to fall to another pandemic low (Wall Street Journal) Explainer: What to watch as Fed ramps up exploration of a digital dollar (Reuters) Former WeWork chief's gargantuan exit package gets new sweetener: WeWork gave ex-CEO Neumann $245 million stock deal to clear way for listing (Wall Street Journal)

On This Day In History

(From History.com)

1819 - Julia Ward Howe is born. She was an abolitionist, a suffragist, a supporter of prison reform and the author of The Battle Hymn of the Republic. 1850 - LDS temple in Nauvoo, Illinois destroyed by tornado. 1887 - Chinese gold miners are slaughtered in the Hells Canyon Massacre, in what is now Idaho. The mass slaughter of Chinese gold miners by a gang of white horse thieves was one of many hate crimes perpetrated against Asian immigrants in the American West during this period. 1907 - Rachel Carson is born. A scientist and environmentalist, she wrote Silent Spring which became a cornerstone of the modern environmental protection movement 1937 - Golden Gate Bridge opens. 1939 - Ship carrying 937 Jewish refugees, fleeing Nazi Germany, is turned away in Cuba. After appeals to the United States and Canada for entry are denied, the rest are forced to sail back to Europe. 1981 - Ronald Reagan is shot. 1999 - The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia indicts Slobodan Miloevi? and four others for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Kosovo.