Mind The Water
Salt Lake City has relaunched its Keep It Pure initiative, a campaign aimed at keeping watersheds clean. The Department of Public Utilities says they ve rebooted the program as the number of people visiting mountains and watersheds surges. The department says about 60% of Salt Lake City s drinking water comes from the canyon watersheds in the central Wasatch Mountains. Among several recommendations, people are being asked to stay out of the water and on designated trails. They’re also urged to use bathroom facilities, not to litter and to keep dogs and other domesticated animals out of the watershed.
Published May 21, 2021 at 8:52 AM MDT Listen • 4:42
/ Utah Pride festivities are back on with a different look this year. Instead of the parade and festival, which were cancelled last year due to the pandemic, the focal point will be what organizers are calling a “Story Garden.” This story and more in the Friday morning news brief.
Friday morning, May 21, 2021
State
Another ‘Boogeyman’ In Education
Some educators in Utah are calling Critical Race Theory the latest “boogeyman” in public education. It’s become a loosely-defined, catch-all phrase some parents and state lawmakers have labelled a threat to students across the state. The reaction is similar to one many people had after the early 2010s introduction of the Common Core, a Federal effort to create a set of national standards for K-12 students. The debate then, as now, has become one built around fear and misunderstanding, said Rep. Carol Spackman Moss, D-Holladay. But it’s
Published May 19, 2021 at 8:58 AM MDT Listen • 5:12
/ Enhanced seat belt enforcement is underway as the summer driving season approaches. This story and more in the Wednesday morning news brief.
Wednesday morning, May 19, 2021
State
Bail Reform Debate Continues
After the Utah Legislature largely repealed a bail reform law earlier this year, stakeholders are back at the drawing board. One sticking point is whether the state should keep a bail schedule that assigns certain monetary amounts to different charges. Chad Jensen, president of the Utah Sheriffs Association, said a bail schedule brings consistency to counties across the state. But others argue if a judge assigns bail, it should be based on someone’s ability to pay it to avoid inequities.
Published May 13, 2021 at 9:43 AM MDT Listen • 5:13
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The Environmental Protection Agency announced Wednesday that the Logan and Cache County area has achieved Clean Air Act standards for fine particulate pollution for the first time since 2008. This story and more in the Thursday morning news brief.
Thursday morning, May 13, 2021
State
Will Ending Federal Pandemic Benefits Get People Back To Work?
Utah announced Wednesday it will opt out of federal pandemic-related unemployment benefits, joining Wyoming, Idaho and Montana in doing so. Gov. Spencer Cox said in a statement the market should not be competing with the government for workers. Jason Shogren, an economist at the University of Wyoming, said ending the extra $300 in assistance will no doubt encourage some people to go back to work, but it will make things more difficult for others like single parents who need childcare to return to jobs.
KUER
Over 1 million Utahns are now fully vaccinated that’s nearly a third of the state s total population. This story and more in the Monday morning news brief.
Monday morning, May 10, 2021
State
One Million Utahns Fully Vaccinated
Utah health officials reported 592 new cases of COVID-19 over the weekend. The positivity rate for the past week is 3.4%, which is about the same as it was a week ago. Around 45,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine were administered over the weekend, and over 1 million Utahns are now fully vaccinated. That’s nearly a third of the state s total population. The state also reported one death a Salt Lake County man between the ages of 45 and 64.