Good Monday morning from Salt Lake City. There are 24 days left in 2015.
Obama tries to calm the nation following the San Bernadino attacks. Herbert’s approval ratings remain high. Lawmakers consider a multi-million dollar school technology program.
The clock:
- 49 days to the opening day of the 2016 Utah Legislature – (1/25/2016)
- 56 days to the 2016 Iowa Caucus – (2/1/2016)
- 64 days to the 2016 New Hampshire Primary (tentative) – (2/9/2016)
- 95 days to the final day of the 2016 Utah Legislature – (3/10/2016)
- 106 days to the Utah Republican and Democratic caucus meetings (3/22/2016)
- 138 days to the Utah Republican and Democratic State Conventions (4/23/2016)
- 205 days to the 2016 Utah primary election – (6/28/2016)
- 337 days until the 2016 presidential election – (11/8/2016)
Monday’s top-10 headlines:
- President Barack Obama addressed the nation from the Oval Office, calling the San Bernadino shootings an “act of terrorism.” He also said the fight with ISIS should not be painted as a war between the United States and Islam [The Hill, Politico, Roll Call, New York Times, Washington Post, CNN].
- Congress has just a few days to approve an omnibus spending bill in order to avoid another government shutdown [The Hill].
- A new poll shows Gov. Gary Herbert is still enjoying soaring job approval ratings. Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox and Attorney General Sean Reyes also score high approval marks [Utah Policy].
- Lawmakers will consider a $100 million program to put technology in the hands of Utah school children [Tribune].
- The State School Board approves new middle school science standards despite worries that they were politically biased [Tribune, Deseret News, Fox 13].
- Davis and Weber counties will reap big bucks for transportation due to Prop. 1, while other large counties that defeated the measure are struggling to keep up [Deseret News].
- The Utah Transit Authority changed the rules for bidding to lease space in one of its facilities in order to include a Swiss rail company [Tribune, Deseret News].
- Will Utah’s snowpack rebound in January or are we headed toward another dry water year? [2 News]
- Salt Lake City joins the fight in support of President Obama’s executive actions on immigration [Tribune].
- Former President Jimmy Carter announces his brain cancer has disappeared [CNN].
On this day in history:
- 1787 – Delaware becomes the first state to ratify the Constitution.
- 1941 – Japan launched a sneak attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. The attack killed 2,403 people and crippled the U.S. Pacific Fleet.
- 1972 – Apollo 17 was launched on the last scheduled manned mission to the moon.
- 1983 – The first execution by lethal injection took place at the state penitentiary in Huntsville, Texas.
