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Ten Things You Need to Know Today - Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Tuesday, November 17, 2015 - 9:45am
Utah Policy

Local News Highlights: Daily Briefing

Ten Things You Need to Know Today - Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Good Tuesday morning from Salt Lake City. There are 44 days left in 2015.

France continues airstrikes against ISIS in Syria. Russian authorities confirm a bomb brought down a plane in Egypt. Herbert says Utah will continue to accept Syrian refugees.

The clock:

  • 69 days to the opening day of the 2016 Utah Legislature - (1/25/2016)
  • 76 days to the 2016 Iowa Caucus - (2/1/2016)
  • 84 days to the 2016 New Hampshire Primary (tentative) - (2/9/2016)
  • 115 days to the final day of the 2016 Utah Legislature - (3/10/2016)
  • 126 days to the Utah Republican and Democratic caucus meetings (3/22/2016)
  • 158 days to the Utah Republican and Democratic State Conventions (4/23/2016)
  • 225 days to the 2016 Utah primary election - (6/28/2016)
  • 357 days until the 2016 presidential election - (11/8/2016)

Tuesday's top-10 headlines:

  1. France continues airstrikes on Syria in retaliation for Friday's horrific terrorist attack in Paris [Washington Post, Reuters]. 
  2. Russian officials confirm a plane crash in the Sinai was the result of a bomb put there by terrorists [Washington Post].
  3. Gov. Gary Herbert says Utah will still take refugees from Syria, but is asking the state to review security checks used by the feds in the refugee-resettlement program [Utah Policy, Deseret News, Tribune, KUTV, Fox 13, ABC 4].
  4. Utah's Congressional delegation say they won't rule out more military action against Syria [Deseret News, KUTV].
  5. Sen. Ted Cruz, jumping on the anti-immigrant bandwagon, says he will introduce legislation barring Syrian Muslim refugees from entering the United States [The Hill].
  6. Tuesday is the day we'll finally find out who won the race between Ralph Becker and Jackie Biskupski [Deseret News].
  7. The judge who ordered an infant removed from the foster care of a lesbian couple then reversed that decision has removed himself from the case. Meanwhile, an activist group is calling for the justice to be impeached [Utah Policy, Deseret News, Tribune, KUTV, Fox 13].
  8. A new survey finds most Utahns say their quality of life is not improving despite the state's healthy economy [Utah Policy, Deseret News, Tribune].
  9. Will lawmakers be able to make any progress on Medicaid expansion in 2016, or does the looming 2016 election complicate matters? [Utah Policy].
  10. A trip to Switzerland by members of the Utah Transit Authority board and lawmakers is raising some eyebrows [Deseret News].

On this day in history:

  • 1558 - Elizabeth I ascended to the English throne upon the death of Queen Mary.
  • 1800 - The U.S. Congress convened at the Capitol in Washington for the first time.
  • 1871 - The National Rifle Association was founded.
  • 1969 - Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT I) began between the United States and the Soviet Union in Helsinki, Finland.
  • 1973 - President Richard M. Nixon told an Associated Press managing editors meeting in Orlando, Florida, "I'm not a crook."
  • 1989 - Czechoslovakia's Velvet Revolution began following the put down of a student demonstration by riot police. A larger uprising against the country's communist government succeeds on December 29, ending 41 years of Communist rule.

 

Today At Utah Policy

 

Gov. Gary Herbert's Statement on Syrian Refugees Entering Utah
By Bryan Schott
Jon Cox, spokesman for Gov. Gary R. Herbert, issued the following statement regarding Syrian refugees entering the state of Utah:...

Will Lawmakers Make Any Progress on Medicaid Expansion? (Video)
By Bryan Schott
It's the song that never ends. The fight over Medicaid expansion will continue Utah's Capitol Hill during the 2016 session that begins in January....

Utahns Say Their Quality of Life Hasn't Improved Much in Recent Years
By Bryan Schott
Utah’s economy has improved steadily over the past five years, with job growth now at an annual rate near 4% and unemployment down to 3.8%. But a new report by the non-partisan Utah Foundation shows Utahns are still concerned about the overall quality of those jobs, as...

Policy News

 

Hatch Presses Administration on Obamacare's Exchange Notice
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) sent a letter to Health & Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell asking the agency to provide information on a notice meant to inform employers when an employee is eligible for advanced payme...

New Independent Film Approved for Utah Film Incentives
The Utah Film Commission announced today that the independent feature Small Town Crime was approved for state film incentives by the Governor’s Office of Economic Development board....

Selle Royal to Open New Facility in Utah
The Governor’s Office of Economic Development, along with Selle Royal group, is pleased to announce that Selle Royal group will be opening a new facility in Utah, with a plan to generate 65 jobs in the next 7 years....

Winning Streak Continues: Utah is Pollina Corporate's No. 1 Pro-Business State
Hot on the heels of a Forbes top spot, Utah’s string of economic accolades continues with the No. 1 ranking in the Pollina Corporate Real Estate and American Economic Development Institute (AEDI)’s “Top Pro-Business States Report.” ...

 

Better Utah Calls on Utah Legislature and Launches Petition to Impeach Judge Scott Johansen
The Alliance for a Better Utah today called on the Utah Legislature to begin impeachment proceedings against Judge Scott Johansen. Better Utah also launched a citizens’ petition that can be found at http://abu.buzz/1OaSwCQ....

Local Headlines

Salt Lake Tribune

Op-ed: Cleaner water heaters will help our air quality

Editorial: Justice in Shurtleff case requires feds to cooperate

Forest Service shifts gears, cancels 2 planned ATV corridors in Northern Utah

Rolly: Utah racking up bad grades on policy fronts

Index: Utahns’ view of quality of life not keeping up with improving economy

Utah guv says state will still accept Syrian refugees; 23 peers say no

Federal prosecutors deny missing evidence; Johnson’s attorneys seek dismissal of case

Developers no longer seek Bountiful’s OK for controversial Davis County land swap

Deseret News

Op-ed: Americans pay a high price for ignorance

Editorial: New polling holds promise of subduing key elements of 'culture wars'

Environmental groups mark key victory with Forest Service travel plan for Ogden area

Survey: Utahns' quality of life stagnant despite growing economy

Judge declines to toss fraud charges against Jeremy Johnson co-defendants

Utah congressional members don't rule out U.S. ground troops in Syria

Proposed Bountiful land swap withdrawn

Terrorism a painful backdrop to naturalization ceremony at Utah State Capitol

Tuesday tallies will settle mayoral race, fate of Prop 1 in Salt Lake County

Salt Lake after-school program praised by Michelle Obama

Gov. evaluating refugee process in Utah

Race, gender, minority percentage makeup of Utah’s schools

Romney strengthening role as GOP leader with tough talk on ISIS

Switzerland trip by lawmakers, UTA board members raises questions

Other

Developer withdraws Bountiful land-swap request (Standard-Examiner)

National Headlines

Rival campaigns starting to fear Ted Cruz (Politico)

Obama rejects calls for change in anti-ISIL strategy (Politico)

Growing number of states refuse refugees (The Hill)

Obama: 'Shameful' to propose 'religious test' for refugees (The Hill)

House Republicans Seek to Cut Off Funding for Syrian Resettlement Program (Foreign Policy)

Steve King Predicts Iowa Caucus Landscape Will Change Post Paris (Bloomberg)

Boston flight evacuated: What's going on with US airport security? (Christian Science Monitor)

Donald Trump Repeats Call to Inspect Mosques for Signs of Terrorism (New York Times)

After Paris Attacks, CIA Director Rekindles Debate Over Surveillance (New York Times)

Ryan supports legal status for undocumented immigrants, but doesn't trust White House (FOX News)

Chris Christie, Taking Law-and-Order Stance, Sidesteps Bridge Scandal in '16 Race (New York Times)