Utah Launches New Programs To Help Businesses Harmed By Pandemic
Utah businesses that experienced severe economic loss last year can now apply for a grant from the state. To be eligible, companies must have lost 90% of their revenue during any four months of 2020 compared to the year before. Gov. Spencer Cox said Thursday the state has $15 million to spend on the program. Businesses have until April 27 to apply at coronavirus.utah.gov/business.
Sonja Hutson
There are about
140,000 Utahns living with housing instability. That’s people who have a low income and spend more than half of it on rent and utilities. That data is from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities a Washington D.C. based research group. President Joe Biden has listed expanding the federal housing voucher program as one tool to address affordability. The center said Biden is expected to unveil his full plan next week. It argues more than 9 million renters across the country could move above the poverty
Published April 23, 2021 at 8:56 AM MDT Listen • 5:00
/ Salt Lake County has committed to reducing its water use by at least 5% in county-run facilities in response to the state’s drought emergency declaration issued last month. This story and more in the Friday morning news brief.
Friday morning, April 23, 2021
Region/Nation
Undocumented Students Meet With Secretary Of Education
The U.S. Secretary of Education met with undocumented students and educators from Utah and other states earlier this week. It came five weeks after Congress passed the American Dream and Promise Act, which could provide a pathway to citizenship for DACA recipients and Dreamers. Sinthia Rosado Veronica of Magna said this legislation could be transformative. “The passing of the Dream and Promise Act would allow a lot of us to breathe that sigh of relief that we ve been holding in for so long. And a pathway to citizenship for those who came to the United States as chil
Flickr A new study released Monday suggests the tyrannosaurus rex may have socialized in packs, much like wolves. Researchers made their finding at the Rainbows and Unicorns Quarry fossil site, located inside Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. This story and more in Monday evening s news brief.
Monday evening, April 19, 2021
State
Recognizing Child Abuse Prevention Month
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. Caregivers at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital are marking the occasion by planting blue and silver pinwheels on the hospital’s lawn and looking back on how the pandemic has impacted victims. Reports of child abuse and calls for service fell dramatically last year, according to Dr. Antoinette Laskey. Children were not at school, where abuse reports come from most often. They also weren’t seeing friends or other community members. Laskey said it is more important than ever that adults report situations where they suspect children are in danger.
KUER Around 70 people gathered outside Salt Lake City Hall Saturday to protest the recent police killings of Daunte Wright near Minneapolis and Adam Toledo in Chicago. This story and more in the Monday morning news brief.
Monday morning, April 19, 2021
State
State’s Tax Revenue Falling Short
Utah’s main sources of tax revenue are lagging behind projections for the year. The state is currently 1.6% behind estimates, according to the state’s fiscal analysts. If things don’t change, that could lead to a $148 million deficit at the end of the fiscal year. State lawmakers recently approved a $100 million tax cut based on budget projections. Legislative economists do predict collections will pick up as people and businesses pay income taxes this month and next.