Published July 23, 2021 at 5:35 PM MDT Listen • 3:01
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This weekend Utah celebrates Pioneer Day one of just a few times a year it’s legal to set off fireworks in Utah. But with ongoing drought, local and state agencies are once again urging people to rethink using the explosives. This story and more in the Friday evening news brief.
Friday evening, July 23, 2021
State
Firework Caution This Weekend
This weekend Utah celebrates Pioneer Day one of just a few times a year it’s legal to set off fireworks in Utah. But with ongoing drought, local and state agencies are once again urging people to rethink using the explosives. Instead, they said people can enjoy city-run fireworks shows. The July 4th weekend saw relatively few fire starts due to fireworks, and human-caused fires are down this year. Many cities around the state have
Published July 21, 2021 at 6:40 PM MDT Listen • 4:51
/ Dr. Kencee Graves, with University of Utah Health, said as cases surge, the U has once again postponed some elective surgeries. This story and more in Wednesday evening s news brief.
Wednesday evening, July 21, 2021
State
837 New COVID-19 Cases And Pausing Elective Surgeries
Utah health officials reported 873 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday. It’s the most in a single day since mid-February. Dr. Kencee Graves, with University of Utah Health, said as cases surge, the U has once again postponed some elective surgeries. “We need to be able to create the capacity to take care of those that are critically ill,” Graves said. “So about half of my medical intensive care unit beds are full of patients that have COVID-19. Right now, 78% of ICU beds across the state are occupied by Covid patients. The Utah Department of Health also released a statement saying “We have the tool to end the disrupt
KUER There’s a long history of separating “off-cycle” municipal elections from national races. But with traditionally low voter turnout, new research suggests local governments formed during these elections can be more responsive to special interest groups than they are to residents.
Presidential and Congressional elections are a big draw for voters. 2020 saw record-breaking numbers. This year Utah will hold smaller municipal elections throughout the state though, and those “off-cycle elections” don’t often get a ton of turnout.
According to a new study in the American Political Science Review, that could mean special interest groups hold more sway over those governments. Brigham Young University political scientist Adam Dynes was one of the paper’s co-authors, and joined KUER’s Caroline Ballard to talk about his findings.
Published July 20, 2021 at 6:18 PM MDT Listen • 4:30
/ University of Utah Police Chief Rodney Chatman has been named vice president of campus safety at Brown University in Rhode Island. Chatman has been on leave at the U since December. This story and more in Tuesday evening s news brief.
Tuesday evening, July 20, 2021
Northern Utah
Approving Raise For Salt Lake City Police Officers
On Tuesday, the Salt Lake City Council is expected to finalize salary raises for police officers. But over the past year, some community members have called to defund the police. Salt Lake City Council Chair Amy Fowler said the city never supported defunding the police. But she said she is interested in creating alternative options to calling law enforcement. Meanwhile, the police and prison abolitionist group Decarcerate Utah feels their demands over the past year have gone ignored. A representative from the organization said they’ll continue to educate the publi
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