Deseret News
- Trump’s gone. What’s next for his religious supporters? – No one is sure, but several interviewees agreed that the Republican Party needs to do some self-reflecting and recalibrating.
- A word to the president: You don’t get to good governance by executive order – Incoming presidents have used executive orders as a way to act swiftly on their agenda or to reverse the policies of the previous administration. But what is wrought by executive order is usually erased by the same.
- Poll finds more Utahns willing to get COVID-19 vaccine, but is it enough? – 67% of Utahns want the shots, 21% don’t plan to get vaccinated and 12% aren’t sure.
- What Utah’s poet laureate thought of Amanda Gorman’s poem – Paisley Rekdal, professor of English at the University of Utah, was named the Utah poet laureate by the Utah Division of Arts & Museums in 2017. She thinks Amanda Gorman won poetry fans over.
- Utah governor warns of ‘foundational cracks’ state faces, pushes for focus on education – Gov. Spencer Cox gave his first State of the State address on Thursday in front of Utah legislators — a speech that Cox called the “shortest State of the State speech in state history” at approximately 15 minutes long.
- Cox says more vaccines will soon be available as doses sit on shelves; 30 more deaths reported – Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said, “Our highest priority is to protect those most vulnerable.” He wants vaccines to get in the arms of people who need it most and are at highest risk of dying from a COVID-19 infection.
- Toll roads? Mileage-driven taxes? It’s all coming your way, Utah – The gas tax is no longer keeping up with needs, and the state will need new ideas to generate revenue.
- Poll: What Utahns think about new President Joe Biden – A slight majority of Utahns don’t think much of President Joe Biden.
- Utahn among those President Trump pardons on way out the door Lynn W. Barney was sentenced to 35 months in federal prison for possessing a gun after previously being convicted of a felony. This pardon is supported by Sen. Mike Lee, as well as numerous notable members of the Utah business community.
Salt Lake Tribune
- Did the pandemic kill Salt Lake City’s gold-coated steak? What this restaurant is doing to survive. – Transformed inside and out, La Trattoria di Francesco serves simplified food that’s still luxurious but won’t break the bank.
- Gov. Spencer Cox tells Utahns to be ‘fearless in examining our flaws’ – In his first State of the State address, the new governor also alerts lawmakers that he’s ready to use his veto pen.
- Senate committee recommends bill to ‘raise the bar’ on use of gang enhancement penalties – The proposal would ensure the law applies primarily to violent offenses against people — not in cases like when protesters spread paint on a street in July.
- Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman to lead the state’s business-promoting World Trade Center – Officials say the former ambassador is “uniquely qualified” to promote the Beehive State on a world stage.
- Special report: Lawmaker’s firm squeezes thousands from renters months after evictions – The Utah Investigative Journalism Project reviewed more than 1,000 eviction cases, among them 390 cases in which the Cullimore firm later sought to add damages to old evictions.
- Sen. Mike Lee pushes against gas tax hike with transportation nominee Pete Buttigieg – Lee says the gas tax hits poor families hardest.
Other
- Pres. Biden extends student loan payment deferral; Financial counselor suggests people plan for future (FOX 13) – “Start preparing now, it’s not often that we get extensions on due dates,”
- Utah Pride conference teaches schools how to be LGTBQIA friendly (FOX 13) – This weekend’s “Pride, Not Prejudice” conference will explore how to create an inclusive environment for students.
- Future of the Utah GOP ‘without Trump’ (FOX 13) – As many Utah delegates in Washington D.C. call for unification, Utah County Commissioner Tanner Ainge said Republicans need to forget about former President Donald Trump and the past four years.
COVID Corner
- Dr. Anthony Fauci says he feels liberated to speak freely about science, risk of Covid under Biden (NBC News) – In his first news briefing since President Joe Biden was sworn in, Fauci said that the new administration was committed to being “completely transparent, open and honest.
- Biden fires back at AP reporter over question about vaccine rollout goal: ‘C’mon, gimme a break, man’ (FOX News) – “When I announced it, you all said it was not possible,” Biden told Miller, who asked is the bar should be even higher.
- New CDC director says Covid vaccine won’t be in every pharmacy by late February (NBC News) – The new administration is determined to meet the goal of 100 million Covid-19 vaccine doses in 100 days, Dr. Rochelle Walensky said. However, the shots won’t be available for just anyone in pharmacies, like the flu vaccine is, by late February
- Texas doctor charged with stealing a vial of Covid-19 vaccine (CNN) – Dr. Hasan Gokal is accused of theft by a public servant, a misdemeanor that carries a penalty of up to one year in jail and a $4,000 fine.
- COVID-19 claims longtime Utah County Sheriff David Bateman (Deseret News) – Bateman, who served the citizens of Utah County from 1973 until his retirement in 2003, passed away Wednesday at the age of 80
- Coronavirus a ‘national security priority’ in orders signed by President Biden (Deseret News) – President Joe Biden is going to war with the coronavirus.
