Deseret News
- A Christian survival guide for a secular age – America offers robust religious freedom protections. But that doesn’t mean people of faith shouldn’t be concerned about the future.
- Utah Gov. Cox signs inland port ‘infrastructure banks’ bill despite calls for veto – Legislative leaders said they intend for that bank to help provide loans for rural “satellite” project areas for the port.
- The ‘long-haul’ effect of COVID-19 on our communities and economy – Societal inequalities and national debt, issues that were serious pre-pandemic, were exacerbated by COVID-19.
- Bridal Veil Falls: Will it be a monument or a state park? State study considers options – The future of Bridal Veil Falls is in the hands of the Utah Department of Parks and Recreation.
Salt Lake Tribune
- Increased oversight is coming to Utah’s ‘troubled-teen’ industry – Gov. Spencer Cox on Monday signed a bill that will put more regulations in place at youth residential treatment centers.
- Access, influence and pardons: how a set of allies shaped Trump’s choices – The efforts to seek clemency for these wealthy or well-connected people benefited from their social, political or financial ties to a loose collection of lawyers, lobbyists, activists and Orthodox Jewish leaders who had worked with Trump administration officials on criminal justice legislation championed by Jared Kushner.
- Now Utah uranium mill plans to export rare earth materials to Estonia – A permit request to import radioactive material from the same Eastern European plant is pending.
- How close is Utah to having the coronavirus ‘under control?’ – From herd immunity to test positivity rates, experts are looking at these benchmarks next.
Other
- Utah officials give word on April 10 mask mandate lift (ABC 4 Utah) – “Even though COVID-19 numbers have dropped and are continuing to drop significantly over the last few months, mask-wearing is still vital, we are not done.”
- Man offers to buy historic ‘Utah Theater’ from Salt Lake City (FOX 13) – There’s a snag. Salt Lake City already agreed to sell it to a firm called Hines and the LaSalle Group, who plan to demolish the theater to build a 31-story residential skyscraper.
- Governor Cox signs bills to boost rural Utah (FOX 13) – Appearing with a group of lawmakers at SUU, where he has opened an office specifically focused on rural issues, the governor touted resolutions and bills passed by the legislature with an eye toward advancing rural interests.
- Kane County commissioners say masks no longer required; state disagrees (KSL) – State officials reiterated the mask mandate still remains in effect for all of Utah for now, including Kane County.
COVID Corner
- Utah confirms lowest daily COVID-19 case count since May, but 1st case of Brazilian variant reported (Deseret News) – While the numbers bring optimism, Utah also reported its first case of the more-contagious COVID-19 variant that first cropped up in South America on Monday.
- Utah vaccine coordinator’s biggest worries: Supply now and demand later (FOX 13) – Problem number two isn’t the kind of thing you can manufacture or plan your way out of – demand.
- Americans wait for COVID-19 vaccines as US commits millions of doses for Mexico, Canada (Fox News) – US plans to send 2.5M doses of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine to Mexico, and 1.5M doses to Canada.
- Long-term Covid can affect multiple organ systems, highlighting treatment challenges (NBC News) – A new review details the wide-ranging impact the virus can have on the body.
- Fully vaccinated people can visit unvaccinated family and friends, but one household at a time, CDC official says (CNN) – There are two important exceptions: One is if any of the unvaccinated people are at increased risk of severe Covid-19, such as older adults, pregnant women, or people with Down Syndrome, among others. The other would be if more than two unvaccinated households are mixing.
- Sen. Tim Kaine describes ‘weird’ COVID-19 symptoms a year later (Deseret News) – I have these weird, neurological symptoms one year later,” Kaine said. “They’re not debilitating, they’re not painful, but they’re weird and they’re 24/7.” They include tingling and “hot spots.”
- Will the New York virus variant lead to more outbreaks? (Deseret News) – There’s a potential the New York variant of the coronavirus could create more cases.
- You can get free Krispy Kreme donuts for getting the COVID-19 vaccine (Deseret News) – Krispy Kreme said Monday it will give a free doughnut to those who can show a valid COVID-19 vaccination card at the company’s locations across the country.
