Lucky to be alive – A bogus conspiracy theory, hundreds of thousands of dollars of funding and an ex-cop turned private investigator led to an innocent man being forced off the road and held at gunpoint on October 19 in Texas. Mark Aguirre, a former police officer who resigned under a cloud of controversy, rammed his SUV into David Lopez-Zuniga’s small truck, forcing him off the road, where Aguirre then pulled a gun on Lopez-Zuniga and forced him to the ground. Aguirre was sure the truck held 750,000 fraudulent ballots. It held air conditioning parts.
Continued vigilance needed – While lawmakers in Washington D.C. get the next COVID-19 relief package wrapped up, the first vaccines are given and United Airlines is contacting passengers after a man died of COVID-19 mid-flight, we are reminded of the real human toll from this wretched virus. The Deseret News editorial board reminds us that “The virus is real. It is infecting, debilitating and killing Utahns, and it won’t stop its course without constant vigilance from the good people of this state.” We are months – months – away from getting back to “normal”. In the meantime, people are dying every day.
One of those who lost his battle against COVID-19 earlier this year is retired Command Sergeant Major Dick Veenendaal, a former Green Beret in the Army Special Forces. One of his brothers-in-arms and former commanding officer, retired Brigadier General Jim Martin gave him one last hot shave before his final goodbye. For more of this touching story, check out KSL.
Back to school – News broke over the weekend that the Salt Lake City School district has a plan for students to return to in-person learning. Between a new vaccine, data showing low COVID-19 transmission rates at schools and pressure from the Utah legislature, plans are being made for face-to-face learning. Elementary age kids will go back in January and secondary students can go back starting February 8 if the board officially approves the plan at their next board meeting on January 5. If the plan is approved, teachers and staff in that district can expect the extra stipend coming from the legislature.
Ice is not always nice – Sunday morning, crews responded to Strawberry Reservoir to rescue three people who were fishing when they’re ice slab broke off the main body and started to float away. Which also brings us to this story. PS: Don’t try this at home.
