Deseret News

• Life in a gold mining town - In northern Nevada, the gold mining industry has dominated for decades. Now Nevada lawmakers want to tap into that vein of wealth to ease the pandemic-induced budget crunch.
• As a white mom of Black children, I’ve learned being ‘colorblind’ is problematic - From yours truly - I’m still learning. I still make mistakes. But I’m committed to the ongoing journey of becoming a better ally of people in all their beautiful colors.
• Paris Hilton backs Utah bill to regulate troubled teen centers: ‘You can’t silence me’ - “I tell my story not so that anyone feels bad for me,” Hilton said. “But to shine a light on the reality of what happened then, and is still happening now.”
• What to know about former President Donald Trump’s 2nd impeachment trial - Former President Donald Trump was impeached for ‘incitement of insurrection,’ but his defense attorneys say it was free speech.
• 22 Utah legislative staffers got early access to COVID-19 vaccine - Nearly two dozen Utah legislative staffers were deemed “critical” workers and received early access to COVID-19 vaccinations before the 2021 legislative session started.
• Utah lawmakers nix idea requiring ‘consent’ as part of sex education - HB177, sponsored by Rep. Carol Spackman Moss, D-Holladay, also would have required instruction on coercion, sexual violence behavior deterrence, and sexual assault mitigation as part of sex education instruction for students in grades 7-12.
• Sundance had its largest-ever audience this year. Here’s why - The festival estimates between all screenings and events offered, there were more than 600,000 total views for the 2021 edition — 168% higher than 2020.
• George Shultz: A long life with a long view - One of America’s most notable public servants quietly died on Saturday shortly following his 100th birthday. Vigorous to the end, George P. Shultz was as agile as he was brilliant, as trusted as he was persistent, and as farsighted as he was indifferent to political calculations.

Salt Lake Tribune

• ‘This ain’t Utah’: Advocates led by Paris Hilton urge lawmakers to pass reforms for ‘troubled-teen’ treatment centers - Legislation gets unanimous approval in committee and some say it doesn’t go far enough on restraints, drugs and isolation rooms.
• Utah County had hundreds of unfilled COVID-19 vaccine appointments Monday - The unused doses won’t go to waste — they’re being reallocated for use later this week, a health official says.
• Utah activist faces additional charges for alleged role in Capitol attack - A grand jury indicted John Sullivan on Monday with obstruction of an official proceeding, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building and demonstrating in a Capitol building.
• Nearly two dozen Utah legislative staffers were given access to coronavirus vaccine before the public - “A few days prior to the session, we had a conversation with the Governor about having a certain number of key employees whose roles are integral to the fundamental operation of the legislative process vaccinated,” Abby Osborne, House chief of staff, said in the email statement.

Other

• Religious Freedom Day declared in West Jordan (West Jordan Journal) - Jan. 16, 1786, the first law in the United States to protect freedom of religion was passed. In 1992, National Religious Freedom Day was approved by the United States Congress. This day is celebrated on Jan. 16 each year. Now, West Jordan passed its own resolution recognizing National Religious Freedom day, also on Jan. 16. 
• COVID-19 vaccine registration in Salt Lake County, who is eligible? (ABC 4) - Nicholas Rupp, Spokesperson for the Salt Lake County Health Department said the county expects to open registration for those now eligible in the last week of February but those 65 and older will not get vaccinated until those 70 and older have made it through the line. 

COVID Corner

• Coronavirus Likely Came From Animal, Not Laboratory, WHO Says (Wall Street Journal) - The virus that causes Covid-19 most likely entered the human population through an intermediate animal and is highly unlikely to have leaked from a laboratory, a leader of a WHO investigative team said at a news conference in Wuhan.
• Rep. Ron Wright has died after battle with COVID-19 (Washington Post) - Wright announced Jan. 21 that he tested positive for the coronavirus and spent the last 2 weeks in the hospital. He is the first sitting member of Congress to die of COVID-19.
• Officials hoping Utahns avoided Super Bowl super spreader events as COVID-19 cases drop to 514 (Deseret News) - Also Monday, there’s a new push for vaccinations to be made available to jurors and others in Utah courtrooms.
• Pfizer hopes to cut vaccine manufacturing time by almost half (NBC News) - By ramping up production and being more efficient, the company expects to reduce the time it takes to produce a batch of vaccine from 110 days to around 60.
• Fauci says we risk creating more powerful COVID-19 variants if we delay 2nd shots of the vaccine (Business Insider) - Two shots of either Pfizer's or Moderna's vaccine, when administered on schedule, can provide "tenfold" the immune protection of one shot, Fauci said.
• S Africa seeks new vaccine plan after halting AstraZeneca (Associated Press) - The results of the first clinical trials were disappointing enough that South African officials decided to postpone the rollout of the vaccine, which was supposed to be given to front-line healthcare workers starting in mid-February.
• Can You Spread COVID-19 After Getting the Vaccine? Experts Say the Answer Isn’t Simple (Prevention.com) - There’s still one big question that researchers are trying to answer: Can you still spread COVID-19 to others even after you’re fully vaccinated?
• Half Of Los Angeles Covid-19 Samples Analyzed Show Mutant “West Coast Variant,” As Region Runs Out Of First-Dose Vaccine Appointments (Deadline) - Dubbed variously B.1.429 and B.1.427, the West Coast Variant or sometimes called CAL.20C, the new strains are still a mystery.
• Got the COVID-19 vaccine? You still need to wear a mask, Dr. Fauci says (Deseret News) - “Currently, we do not have enough data to be able to say with confidence that the vaccines can prevent transmission. So even if vaccinated, you may still be able to spread the virus to vulnerable people.”
• United States in the ‘eye of the hurricane’ when it comes to COVID-19, expert says (Deseret News) - “The big wall is about to hit us again and these are the new variants,” said Dr. Peter Hotez.
• Back pain is another COVID-19 symptom to remember (Deseret News) - “The joint pain in the back and legs is due to the body’s inflammatory response to the virus...These viral infections cause shaking, chills, body aches, and difficult mobility.”