Wildlife Crossings Save Money—and Lives

Utah sees around 7,000 deer-vehicle collisions annually, costing taxpayers nearly $138 million in vehicle damage and injury each year. Luckily, research shows that overpasses and underpasses with associated fencing can reduce those collisions by up to 90%. But first, they have to be funded. While wildlife crossings are sometimes included in larger road projects, Utah needs dedicated funding—funding that would accelerate the construction of projects when and where they are needed. Learn More.

Utah Headlines

Political news

• Deseret News poll: Utahns disappointed by Sundance exit, but Gov. Cox says new festival will take its place (Deseret News)
• Gov. Cox says ‘we should tread very carefully’ on the norms Trump is challenging (KUER)
• Audit: Department of Workforce Services could improve some outcomes, accessibility (KSL)
• Congress should spend more money on assistance to the poor and less on foreign aid, Utah voters say (Deseret News)
• Gov. Cox urges Utahns to calm online discourse after attack on Pennsylvania governor (Deseret News)
• Utah lieutenant governor announces audit of citizenship on voter rolls (KSL)
• SLCO Clerk’s office recognized nationally for accessibility to disabled voters (ABC4)
• While Utah holds a statewide earthquake drill, some preparedness measures have been cut (Fox13)

Municipal news

• Ogden leaders pin airport development dreams on new incentive funding source (KSL)
• Flash flooding: Is Grand County, Moab ready for the next one? (KUTV)

Utah

• The NHL stormed into Utah last April: A look at Year 1 (Deseret News)
• Utah’s new state flag just got a shoutout on ‘Celebrity Jeopardy!’ (Deseret News)

Biz/Tech

• Matt Waldrip: Utah’s innovation blueprint can keep America ahead in the global tech race (Deseret News)

Crime/Courts

• Utah judge resigns after accusations of sexual abuse, sharing 'weed pen' (KSL)

Culture/Community/Easter

• Jesus’s vision of power is a stunning contrast with Julius Caesar’s brutal reign (Deseret News)
• Holly Richardson: The Five Wise Virgins sculpture and general conference talks capture the essence of the mission of the Relief Society (Deseret News)
• Federal judge dismisses another tithing lawsuit against the Church of Jesus Christ (Deseret News)

Education - K-12

• Bell-to-bell cellphone ban? Washington County School Board wants to hear from parents on proposed policy. (St. George News)

Education - Higher

• Weber State cheer, dance bring home national titles; BYU, UVU also among honorees (KSL)
• Weber State is adopting a unique tuition plan to save students money. Could it be a model for all schools? (Salt Lake Tribune)

Environment

• Trump opens a huge marine protected zone to commercial fishing (New York Times) 

Health

• Eli Lilly announces successful trial of weight-loss, diabetes pill (Deseret News)
• US FDA suspends food safety quality checks after staff cuts (Reuters)
• In the middle of a hepatitis outbreak, U.S. shutters the one CDC lab that could help (NPR)

National Headlines

General

• Jay Evensen: Forget pennies; do we really need nickels? (Deseret News)
• Will Trump’s travel and transgender athlete bans impact L.A.’s 2028 Summer Games? Here’s what a U.S. Olympic official says (Deseret News)
• The prodigal son no more: Inside the world of Franklin Graham (Deseret News)
• Mangione faces federal charges, death penalty in UnitedHealth executive's killing (KSL)
• Deputy sheriff's son kills two at Florida State University, police say (Reuters)

Political news

• Trump administration proposes sharp budget cuts for HHS (New York Times)
• Republican US Senator Murkowski on threat of Trump retaliation: 'We are all afraid' (Reuters)
• Supreme Court gives surprise update on birthright citizenship battle (Deseret News)
• Nearly 90% of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau cut as Trump’s government downsizing continues (AP)
• Brain drain at Census Bureau has employees warning about the country's statistics (NPR)
• Trump brushes aside courts’ attempts to limit his power (Washington Post)
• The State Department is changing its mind about what it calls human rights (NPR)

Immigration/Deportation

• Trump officials’ defiance over Abrego Garcia’s deportation is ‘shocking,’ appeals court says (AP)
• White House ramps up defense of Abrego Garcia’s deportation (Politico)
• Trump administration seeks explosive expansion of nation’s immigration detention system (AP)
• Trump administration orders Gaza-linked social media vetting for visa applicants (Reuters)
• U.S. intelligence contradicts Trump’s justification for mass deportations (Washington Post)
• US citizen held by ICE despite judge seeing birth certificate (The Hill)

Tariffs

• How tariffs could impact the availability of baby products (NPR)

DOGE/Musk

• DOGE begins to freeze health-care payments for extra review (Washington Post)

Ukraine/Russia

• Rubio says the US will drop Ukraine-Russia peace efforts if no progress within days (AP)
• Russian missile attack kills one, wounds 82 in Ukraine's Kharkiv, officials say (Reuters)

Israel, Gaza, Syria

• Protest letters from former Israeli soldiers lay bare profound rifts over the ongoing war (AP)

World news

• Teens plead guilty to trafficking after being caught with 5,000 ants (Washington Post) 

Number of the Day 

Guest opinion: Killing us softly...

by Dr. Ellen Brady

Roberta Flack’s hit “Killing Me Softly With His Song” could easily be used as this administration’s theme song, except the title more accurately should read “….With My Policies.” RFK Jr’s recent visit accentuated the need to highlight the devastating impact of this administration on the health and very lives of Utahns, Americans, and all humanity.

Coverage of RFK’s visit focused on Utah’s bans on water fluoridation and certain food additives in school lunches, as well as restrictions on SNAP use for certain items. The scientific merit of those measures can be debated--dental associations uniformly support water fluoridization as an effective way to prevent tooth decay. However, many other administration policies will undermine individual access to health care and damage public health infrastructure, thereby risking lives--locally, nationally, and around the globe. Let me elaborate. (Read More)

News Releases

Tweet of the Day

Upcoming

• Apr 24 — Giant in Our City with the Salt Lake Chamber, 6:00-9:00 pm, Register here
• Apr 26 — Utah Forward Party/United Utah Party Organizing Convention, 9:00 am –2:30 pm, Salt Lake Community College, Taylorsville Campus Thayne Center
• May 1 — Utah Foundation's annual luncheon and 80th birthday celebration, 11:30 am - 1:30 pm, Grand America Hotel, Register Here
• May 1 — High school writing contest deadline with The Rostra: Applying the wisdom of the past to the problems of today. More info here
• May 6 — "State AG Offices and the New Administration" webinar hosted by the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation, 10:00 am MDT, Register here
• May 12 — Utah Taxes Now Conference with the Utah Taxpayers Association, Grand America Hotel, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm, Register here
• May 17 — Utah GOP Organizing Convention, at UVU’s UCCU Center.
• May 31 — Utah Democratic Party Organizing Convention, Ogden High School
• Aug 7 —  Titan of Public Service gala with Sen. Tom Cotton hosted by the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation at the Grand America Hotel. More Information Here

On This Day In History

• 1775 - “The British are coming!” Paul Revere, William Dawes and Samuel Prescott ride through the countryside, warning the militiamen that British troops were on their way. Happy 250th!
• 1898 - Ruth Bunzel is born. An anthropologist, she studied the art and culture of southwest Native American women starting in 1924, learned Zuni language, pottery and sewing to understand and preserve the culture.
• 1906 - The Great San Francisco Earthquake, estimated to be close to 8 on the Richter Scale topples buildings and kills an estimated 3000 people. 
• 1942 - Doolittle leads air raid on Tokyo
• 1955 - Albert Einstein dies at age 76.
• 1983 - A suicide car bomber destroys the US embassy in Beirut, killing 63.
• 2012 - Dick Clark, host of “American Bandstand” and “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,” dies at age 82
• 2023 - Fox and Dominion Voting Systems reached a $787.5 million settlement in the voting machine company’s defamation lawsuit

Quote of the Day

"I am oftentimes very anxious myself about using my voice, because retaliation is real. And that's not right."

—Sen. Lisa Murkowski

On the Punny Side

Smoking will kill you. Bacon will kill you.

But smoking bacon will cure it.

– Advertise With Us –

Subscribers may receive special messages with information about new features, special offers, or public policy messages from clients and advertisers.