Tag Archives: Utah

Axios reports: Gov. Spencer Cox issued a statement Sunday acknowledging Pride Month — but again eschewed mention of LGBTQ+ communities in favor of a celebration of “building bridges.” Pride Month proclamations have become an annual point of controversy for Cox, drawing complaints from across the political spectrum. Conservatives complain the statements are “woke,” while progressives decry wording that falls short …

Salt Lake City’s NBC affiliate reports: Law enforcement is investigating suspicious posters and flyers with similar anti-LGBTQ messages left in front of people’s homes in Providence and North Logan. Homeowner Ryan Thorell said he spotted large poster boards stapled to utility poles, facing toward his house early Sunday morning. He said the signs read, “White power,” and “man plus woman.” …

Politico reports: The House Ways and Means Committee approved Republicans’ sweeping tax package Wednesday, after a marathon hearing in which they shot down a string of attempts by Democrats to rewrite the plan. Approval came on a party-line 26-19 vote, and sends the bill — stocked with tax cuts and some notable tax hikes on GOP targets like Ivy League …

NBC News reports: Salt Lake City adopted three new city flags Tuesday, an effort to circumvent a new Utah law that effectively banned flying LGBTQ Pride and other flags at public buildings in the state. Mayor Erin Mendenhall, a Democrat, presented the proposal to the City Council, which adopted it at its meeting Tuesday night. It incorporates the city’s flag …

CBS News reports: The Beehive State became the first to prohibit flying the LGBTQ pride flag at schools and all government buildings after its Republican governor said he was allowing a ban on unsanctioned flag displays to become law without his signature. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said on Thursday he has serious concerns with the policy but chose not to …

The Associated Press reports: Utah has become the first state to ban fluoride in public drinking water, over opposition from dentists and national health organizations who warn the move will lead to medical problems and disproportionately affect low-income communities. Republican Gov. Spencer Cox signed legislation Thursday that bars cities and communities from deciding whether to add the mineral to their …

The Salt Lake Tribune reports: A bill that would ban pride flags from Utah schools and on government property throughout the state has passed both chambers of the Utah Legislature and now awaits approval or veto by the governor. The bill, HB77, is sponsored by Rep. Trevor Lee, R-Layton, and originally only applied to schools, but Lee released an expanded …

Utah Public Radio reports: Utah students in as early as kindergarten would be required to learn about firearm safety in the classroom under a bill that passed the state House with overwhelming support Friday. The Republican-controlled chamber approved the measure in a 59-10 vote and sent it to the Senate, despite concerns from some gun violence prevention advocates that it places …

The Salt Lake Tribune reports: An ongoing fight in Utah to ban pride flags in schools entered new territory Thursday after Rep. Trevor Lee proposed new legislation to ban the flags not just in public schools, but in any government building or on any government property. The bill, HB0077, originally applied only to schools. But an update to the bill …

Salt Lake City’s Fox affiliate reports: The Unified Police Department said surveillance footage failed to back up recent claims made by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents who said a driver had swerved at them last month. UPD officers were originally sent to assist the ICE agents with a traffic stop in Murray on the morning of Jan. 26. When …

The Johnson County Post reports: A pastor of a Shawnee church is being held without bail in Utah, facing multiple felony charges, including rape and kidnapping. He is currently still being held in custody without bail in Utah. On Oct. 4, Ephren Taylor Sr., 65, of Overland Park, was arrested in Millard County, Utah, and charged with rape, forcible sodomy, …

Salt Lake City’s Fox affiliate reports: A federal judge has blocked one of Utah’s new laws on youth social media access from going into effect. In an order issued late Tuesday, U.S. District Court Judge Robert Shelby agreed with NetChoice, a coalition of tech and social media companies, to halt Senate Bill 194 from being enforced. That law required age-verification …

The Associated Press reports: Utah’s Republican Gov. Spencer Cox came under criticism Wednesday for sending a campaign email that featured a photo of him and former President Donald Trump at Arlington National Cemetery during a wreath-laying ceremony. Federal law prohibits campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, and that rule was widely shared before the Monday ceremony, Arlington …

USA Today reports: The Winter Olympics are officially returning to the United States. More specifically, the Games are coming back to Utah. International Olympic Committee members voted Wednesday to formally award the 2034 Winter Games to Salt Lake City, making Utah’s capital a repeat Olympic host more than three decades after it served as the site of the 2002 Olympics. …

Salt Lake City’s Fox affiliate reports: Governor Cox is poised to publicly endorse Donald Trump after the attempt on the former president’s life, followed by his speech at the Republican National Convention. It’s a stunning switch for Cox, who said he would not vote for Trump – and never has. “Your life was spared,” Cox wrote to Trump. “Now because …

“I haven’t voted for the top of the ticket since 2012. I’ve certainly had my concerns, one of those is what happened on January 6th. I’m hopeful, I want my party to win. They chose a candidate this time around that was not my first choice. Wasn’t my choice last time, either. “But the party spoken and that’s who they …

NBC News reports: Prosecutors in Utah charged a former candidate for attorney general with bribery Wednesday and accused him of offering a job to a political opponent in exchange for the candidate’s endorsement. Frank Mylar was charged with a count of bribery in elections in connection with soliciting fellow Republican Trent Christensen’s endorsement in exchange for a job in his …

The National Review reports: Representative John Curtis won the Utah Republican Senate primary on Tuesday over a Trump-endorsed candidate to replace outgoing Senator Mitt Romney. Curtis won the primary easily with nearly 52 percent of the vote over MAGA candidate Trent Staggs, who had 28.5 percent with over three-quarters of the votes counted, according to the Associated Press. Curtis is …

Salt Lake City’s ABC affiliate reports: The State of Utah is accusing TikTok of allowing “virtual strip clubs” on its platform, leading to the sexual exploitation of minors, according to a new lawsuit. The lawsuit, filed on Monday by the Utah Division of Consumer Protection, accuses TikTok’s live-streaming feature called TikTok LIVE of letting adults give virtual currency to young …

The Salt Lake Tribune reports: Less than 72 hours after the launch of a reporting form to help Utah enforce its transgender bathroom ban, the Utah auditor’s office says it has received nearly 4,000 complaints — and all of them appear to be “bogus.” “We didn’t see anything that looks credible,” Utah Auditor John Dougall said in a phone call, …