Good Tuesday morning from Salt Lake City. There are 319 days left in 2016.
The political games surrounding Justice Antonin Scalia’s replacement begin. Lawmakers take no action on a contentious same-sex adoption bill. The LDS Church clarifies it’s opposition to a medical marijuana bill.
The clock:
- Four days to the Nevada Democratic Caucuses and South Carolina Republican Primary (2/20/2016)
- Seven days to the Nevada Republican Caucuses (2/23/2016)
- 11 days to the South Carolina Democratic Primary (2/27/2016)
- 23 days to the final day of the 2016 Utah Legislature – (3/10/2016)
- 35 days to the Utah Republican and Democratic caucus meetings (3/22/2016)
- 67 days to the Utah Republican and Democratic State Conventions (4/23/2016)
- 133 days to the 2016 Utah primary election – (6/28/2016)
- 153 days to the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland (7/18/2016)
- 160 days to the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia (7/25/2016)
- 266 days until the 2016 presidential election – (11/8/2016)
Tuesday’s top-10 headlines:
- Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia died suddenly on Saturday [New York Times]. Politicians on both sides of the aisle wasted no time politicizing his death, with Republicans vowing to block any replacements in Obama’s final year in office [CNN, Yahoo, Washington Post, New York Times]. If that wasn’t enough, there are already some conspiracy theories swirling around the circumstances of Scalia’s death [Washington Post].
- Here’s a great breakdown of the remaining 2016 nominating contests that concludes a brokered convention is increasingly likely for Republicans [Utah Policy].
- A bill to treat married same-sex couples just as heterosexual married couples in adoptions and foster care cases stalls in a legislative committee [Associated Press, Deseret News, Fox 13].
- The LDS Church clarifies its opposition to Sen. Mark Madsen‘s medical marijuana legislation [Deseret News, Tribune]. Medical marijuana supporters plan to launch a ballot initiative on the subject to possibly let Utahns decide the issue in November [Fox 13].
- The number of free lunches for lawmakers has dropped while groups hoping to lobby legislators are opting to host more receptions instead [Tribune].
- Rep. Johnny Anderson, who was facing a tough re-election rematch this year, has opted not to run for another term [Utah Policy].
- Legislators are eyeing a hefty tax hike on e-cigarettes to help pay for rural health care [Deseret News, Tribune].
- A renewable energy company with ties to the polygamist Kingston clan donated quite a bit of money to Utah lawmakers [Tribune].
- Members of Utah’s Congressional delegation send a letter to President Barack Obama asking him not to designate a new national monument in Utah [Utah Policy, Deseret News].
- A new poll shows what Utah Republican delegates think are the top issues facing the state [Utah Policy].
On this day in history:
- 1923 – Archaeologists open the tomb of Tutankhamen, “King Tut,” in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings.
- 1948 – NBC aired the first nightly newscast, “The Camel Newsreel Theatre,” which consisted of Fox Movietone newsreels.
- 1959 – Fidel Castro was sworn in as Cuba’s leader and set up a Communist regime.
- 1968 – The nation’s first 911 emergency telephone system was inaugurated in Haleyville, Alabama.