It's Global Forgiveness Day; Bryce Canyon is an Instagram star; US economy added 209,000 new jobs: & Jimmy & Rosalyn Carter celebrate 77 yrs
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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 | July 7, 2023

Having a holiday in the middle of the week makes the week feel extra short. It's Friday and Global Forgiveness Day. Forgiving is good for the soul, even if the people you forgive never acknowledge wrong-doing or apologize. 

What You Need to Know

  • Marjorie Taylor Greene failed the litmus test for the Freedom Caucus in the US House and was booted from the conservative group. Rep. Andy Harris said that her removal was in part her public spat with Rep. Lauren Boebert, her coziness with Speaker McCarthy and her support for the debt ceiling deal. Greene released a statement saying, in part, “In Congress, I serve Northwest Georgia first, and serve no group in Washington.”

Rapid Relevance

 

Get tickets for the Utah Days of '47 Rodeo for some country fun from July 19th-22nd, 24th.

This summer, experience the wild west without wandering too far from home. Whether you're a Salt Lake downtowner or a tiny hometowner, come to the Utah State Fairpark for live music, food, and family fun. Join us July 19th-22nd and the 24th for the Utah Days of '47 Rodeo.

 

Utah Headlines

Political news

  • Provo’s chief administrative officer announces retirement (KSL TV)
  • Utah Division of Indian Affairs holds Governor's Native American Summit (UPR)

Election news

  •  After Maloy snafu, how to stay off the Utah removable voter list (KSL Newsradio)

General Utah news

  • More than 100K fentanyl pills worth more than $1 million seized in Utah County (KSL)
  • Utah state parks get upgrades as visitation grows (Fox13)
  • Kayakers find body of woman in Weber River in Morgan County (KSL)
  • Staffer at drug treatment center accused of sexually abusing residents (KSL)
  • Suspect arrested, accused of being on ‘vengeance spree’ in killing of 61-year-old man (ABC4)

Business

  • Utah residents embrace side hustles to achieve their financial goals (KUTV)
  • Study: Average person needs more than $200K to feel financially comfortable (KSL Newsradio)
  • Twitter threatens legal action against Meta over Threads: report (AP)

Culture

  • Opinion: Changing the narrative on religion and the LGBTQ community. Church members of all stripes should feel comfortable engaging in conversations about faith with their LGBTQ brothers and sisters (Deseret News)

Education

  • Meet Elizabeth Grant, superintendent of the Salt Lake City School District (Deseret News)
  • ‘Where the magic happens’: Salt Lake City schools’ new superintendent talks goals, challenges (Salt Lake Tribune)
  • New USU leaders come from university dealing with on-campus murder (UPR)
  • The Wisconsin governor's unique veto gives schools additional funding ability for 400 years (NPR)

Environment

  • Utah’s FORGE geothermal site proves it’s more than just wishing wells (Deseret News)
  • DWR stocks the Weber River with native bluehead suckers for the first time (ABC4)
  • Recent events that indicate Earth’s climate has entered uncharted territory. Extreme heat is only one signal of climate distress on the planet, scientists say. Here are other recent events that indicate the planet is telling us something is gravely wrong. (AP)
  • Environmental problems could change the blue at Bear Lake (KSL)

Health

  • FDA grants full approval to Leqembi, first drug to slow progress of Alzheimer’s (Deseret News
  • High BMI may not be linked to early death, study finds (Deseret News)
  • Intermountain Health program increases access to birth control prescriptions (ABC4)
  • 'Forever chemicals' could be in nearly half of U.S. tap water, a federal study finds (NPR)

Housing

  • Homelessness rates rise in Utah County, state provides $50 million to help (Daily Herald)
  • SLC officials refocus to ‘housing-first’ solutions for homelessness and mayor calls for additional state funds (Salt Lake Tribune)
  • Gateway residents concerned by Catholic Community Services expansion for unhoused population (Fox13)
  • Elevated mortgage rates are leading to sharply higher monthly payments even as home prices ease (AP)
 

National Headlines

General

  • A Texas man reported missing as a teen in 2015 was only missing for 1 day, police say (AP)
  • Man convicted of raping, impregnating 9-year-old Columbus girl sentenced to life in prison (NPR)
  • Threads vs. Twitter: What’s the Difference? (Wall Street Journal)
  • An Iowa teenager receives life for the beating death of his high school teacher (NPR)
  • HGTV is making our homes boring and us sad, one study says (Washington Post)

Politics

  • First GOP debate next month faces threats of boycott as lower-polling candidates scramble to qualify (AP)
  • McCarthy declines to endorse Trump — looking to avoid a GOP civil war (Politico)
  • Asian Americans feel particularly targeted by new laws criminalizing those who assist voters (AP)
  • John Roberts and Brett Kavanaugh are now the Supreme Court’s swing votes (Wall Street Journal)
  • Prosecutors in Trump classified documents case are facing threats. Far-right supporters of Donald Trump are posting the names of prosecutors and government workers online and at times revealing personal details, experts said. (Washington Post)
  • Australian minister calls Trump Jr. a ‘big baby’ after tour postponement (The Hill)
  • Democrat challenging Lauren Boebert raises $2.6M in second quarter (The Hill)
  • Ketanji Brown Jackson argues 14th Amendment not intended to be 'colorblind' (Politico)

Ukraine 🇺🇦

  • Why the US is willing to send Ukraine cluster munitions now (AP)
  • The West again learns that war needs industry (Wall Street Journal)
  • Deepening poverty grips Ukraine, spurs resilience (Wall Street Journal)
  • AP PHOTOS: Russia’s war in Ukraine reaches the 500-day mark (AP)
  • Ukraine says it is advancing near eastern city of Bakhmut (Reuters)
  • The death toll in a missile strike on Lviv in western Ukraine rose to 10. (New York Times)

World

  • Costa Rica charges former president Solis with corruption (Reuters)
  • As Afghan schools remain closed for girls, mental health crisis builds (Washington Post)
 

Number of the Day 

Number of the Day, July 7, 2023

 

Tweet of the Day #1

Screenshot 2023-07-07 at 7.26.41 AM

 

Tweet of the Day #2

Screenshot 2023-07-07 at 7.28.47 AM

 

Upcoming

  • Legislative School Security Task Force — July 17, 2:00 pm, le.utah.gov
  • Legislative Court Reform Task Force — July 19, 1:00 pm, le.utah.gov
  • Senate Judicial Confirmation Committee — July 27, 11:00 am. le.utah.gov
  • Interim Days — Aug 7-10, le.utah.gov
  • Municipal election filing period for cities using ranked choice voting — Aug. 8-15
  • 'Titan of Public Service' gala recognizing Senator Mitch McConnell and former Transportation and Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, hosted by the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation — Aug. 22, 7 p.m., Register here
  • Legislative Education and Mental Health Coordinating Council — Aug 23, le.utah.gov
  • Municipal/Special election primary — Sept. 5
  • Interim Day — Sept. 18, Utah Tech University, le.utah.gov
  • Interim Day — Oct 10-11, le.utah.gov
  • Interim Day — Nov 14-15, le.utah.gov
  • General election — Nov. 21
 

On This Day In History 

  • 1456 - A retrial verdict acquits Joan of Arc of heresy 25 years after her death
  • 1861 - Nettie Stevens is born. She discovered the X and Y chromosomes.
  • 1865 - Mary Surratt becomes the first woman executed by the US government for her role in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. She was joined on the gallows by Lewis Powell, David Herold and George Atzerodt.
  • 1915 - Writer Margaret Walker was born today. One of her most well known poems is "For My People."
  • 1928 - Sliced bread is sold for the first time by the Chillicothe Baking Company, Missouri, using a machine invented by Otto Frederick Rohwedder. It's really the best thing.....
  • 1930 - Building begins on the Hoover Dam.
  • 1946 - James Earl “Jimmy” Carter marries Eleanor Rosalynn Smith at the Plains Methodist Church in Plains, Georgia. 
  • 1976 - Female cadets enrolled at West Point for the first time.
  • 1981 - Sandra Day O’Connor nominated to the US Supreme Court by Ronald Reagan
  • 2019 - US women’s soccer team wins record 4th World Cup title

Quote of the Day

"ILYTG: I love you the goodest."

—Jimmy Carter's secret acronym to his wife Rosalynn


On the Punny Side

Did you hear about the restaurant called Karma?

There's no menu.

You get what you deserve.

 

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