It's Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day; 2 homes slid off the mountain in Draper and the aurora borealis was visible last night in Utah
View in browser

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 | April 24, 2023

It's Monday and National Bucket List Day. a reminder that there are always new experiences we can plan for before "kicking the bucket." Do you have one? 

On a more somber note, it's also Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day., a day that recognizes the killing of 1.5 million Armenians, approximately three-fourths of the Armenians in the Ottoman empire.

What You Need to Know

  • The Utah GOP held their annual convention on Saturday, with keynote speaker Ron DeSantis. Rob Axson, former state director for Senator Mike Lee is now officially the party chair, with Jordan Hess remaining as the vice-chair, Stafford Palmieri as the new secretary and McKay Newell as the new treasurer. A straw poll of delegates showed DeSantis with 54.6% of the vote and Donald Trump at 29.9%. National polls, however, show Trump leading DeSantis by growing margins. 

Rapid Roundup

 

Utah Headlines

Political news

General Utah news

  • ‘Salt Lake is totally different’: Helping Utah’s largest refugee community of 10,000 (KSL)
  • Ken Potts, one of last 2 USS Arizona survivors, dies at 102 in Provo (AP)
  • Ogden Police investigating after multiple officers seen punching person on ground (KUTV)
  • Utah Muslim community celebrates Eid — end of Ramadan (Fox13)

Business

  • What not to say to someone who just lost their job (Deseret News)
  • Streaming services might have to change if they want to keep Gen Z, millennials (Deseret News)
  • Ryan Smith says bringing the NHL to Utah is ‘in motion’ (Deseret News)

Education

  • Poll: Americans want college students to hear different points of view (Deseret News)
  • Cough, gag, wheeze — how Utah teens visualize the air they breathe (Salt Lake Tribune)
  • At many HBCUs, just 1 in 3 students are men. Here’s why that matters. (Washington Post)

Environment

  • Stan Summers: Why the EPA’s new rule is unfair to Utah companies and customers (Deseret News)
  • Ron Gibson: How these Utah farmers and ranchers celebrate Earth Day all year (Deseret News)
  • Sugar House Park flooded, water could rise as high as four feet, closed to vehicles (KSL TV)
  • Birding is a wonderful way to connect with Great Salt Lake. Here’s how to get started. (Salt Lake Tribune)
  • Come sail away: Great Salt Lake Marina in business as water rises (Deseret News)

Family

  • Why Katherine Heigl chose to raise her kids in Utah (Deseret News)

Housing

  • St. George’s housing crunch leaves working professionals unable to buy a home — or even rent. Well-paying jobs and master’s degrees aren’t enough to get you a home (Salt Lake Tribune)
  • Spring flooding is yet another challenge facing Utah’s unhoused (KUER)
 

National Headlines

General

  • Ex-officer who fatally shot Breonna Taylor hired as a deputy (AP)
  • Animatronic dragon bursts into flames during Disneyland show (AP)
  • Trial begins in 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue massacre (Washington Post)

Politics

  • Politicians are playing chicken with the debt ceiling (Deseret News)
  • Some DeSantis allies feel growing urgency to launch 2024 bid (AP)
  • Netanyahu plans to meet with Florida's DeSantis during Israel trip (Reuters)
  • Democrats reluctant about Biden 2024, but they see no other choice (Washington Post)
  • GOP senators warn Trump’s legal problems a ‘bad look’ for the party in 2024  (The Hill)

Ukraine 🇺🇦

  • Ukrainian troop positions spark counteroffensive speculation (AP)
  • At U.S. behest, Ukraine held off anniversary attacks on Russia (Washington Post)
  • Targeted killings spark debate within Russian opposition (Politico)
  • Russia ‘will not forgive’ U.S. denial of journalist visas, even as Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich sits in a Russian prison (Politico)

World

  • Special forces swiftly evacuate US embassy staff from Sudan (AP)
  • Wagner Group surges in Africa as U.S. influence fades, leak reveals (Washington Post)
  • Russian mercenaries closely linked with Sudan’s warring generals (Washington Post)
 

News Releases

Gov. Cox orders new coordinated effort to protect personal data

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox has issued an executive order directing Utah’s chief privacy officer to create a strategic plan to safeguard the personal information of Utahns.

In 2021, the Legislature created a chief privacy officer position in the Department of Government Operations to oversee the collection, storage and protection of the information state agencies acquire. Executive Order 2023-06 requires the chief privacy officer to complete a full assessment of state agency practices and present a coordinated strategic plan to the Governor’s Office by Aug. 1, 2023. (Read More)


Mike Lee discusses China’s growing influence in Latin America

Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) sat down to discuss his recent trip to Latin America as part of a bipartisan congressional delegation (CODEL). The group visited Panama, a principal partner, and major non-NATO allies Colombia, Argentina, and Brazil. The delegation investigated the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) growing influence in the region and supported U.S. Southern Command’s (SOUTHCOM) mission to strengthen U.S.-Latin America bilateral ties, security cooperation, and intergovernmental collaboration. (Read/Watch More)

 

Number of the Day

Number of the Day, Apr 24, 2023

 

Tweet of the Day

Screenshot 2023-04-24 at 7.14.20 AM

 

Upcoming

  • Teen Girls Experiencing Increased Sadness and Violence with Utah Women and Leadership Project — April 25, 12:00-1:15 pm via Zoom, Register here
  • United Utah Party State Convention — April 29, 10:00 am-12:00 pm, Lehi High School with keynote speakers Teri McCabe and Jay Mcfarland
  • Mount Liberty College Spring Youth Seminar on The Virginian — May 6, 9 am-7 pm, Register Here
  • YWCA Leader Luncheon featuring Dr. Bernice A. King — May 12, 11:30-2:00, Grand America. Register here
  • Interim Day — May 16-17, Utah State Capitol, le.utah.gov
  • Utah Democratic Convention May 19-20, SUU (More information here)
  • Interim Day — June 13-14, Utah State Capitol, le.utah.gov
 

On This Day In History 

  • 1184 BC - Greeks enter Troy using the Trojan Horse
  • 1800 - Library of Congress established with a $5000 allocation
  • 1915 - Armenian genocide begins
  • 1945 - President Truman is briefed on the Manhattan Project
  • 1961 - JFK accepts "sole responsibility" following Bay of Pigs
  • 1980 - Iran hostage rescue mission ends in disaster, with 8 servicemen dead and no hostages rescued.
  • 1990 - Hubble telescope deploys
  • 2018 - Golden State Killer suspect Joseph DeAngelo arrested and charged with eight murders after being identified through genealogy websites.
  • 2021 - President Joe Biden becomes the first US president to officially recognize the killing of Armenians in the Ottoman empire as genocide

Quote of the Day

"Advice from the Northern Lights: Show your true colors."


On the Punny Side

Justice is a dish best served cold.

If it were served warm, it would be justwater

 

– Advertise With Us –

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