The final first-round matchups in our 2019 political bracket are live. You can vote on our website, Twitter or Facebook. Check out the brackets here.
Reader Michael Roach sends along today's question:
Which native Utahn is buried in the wall of the Kremlin and was tried (but acquitted) for blowing up the Governor of Idaho?
Send your guesses to me at bschott@utahpolicy.com. The first three readers with the correct answer will be recognized in Monday's newsletter.
If Mike Mower can't answer today's question, it means Mr. Roach wins a $25 Amazon gift card.
Email us anytime with feedback, questions, story suggestions, news tips, etc... Send us an email at this link.
The UtahPolicy.com daily newsletter gets you up to speed on the top local and national news about politics and public policy. Our news is curated by Managing Editor Bryan Schott, along with help from Golden Webb. ((Click here to subscribe))
Today is the 81st day of the year. There are 284 days remaining in 2019.
29 days to the Utah Libertarian Party state convention (4/20/2019)
43 days to the Utah State Republican Party Organizing Convention (5/4/2019)
73 days until the municipal election filing period opens (6/3/2019)
77 days until the municipal election filing period ends (6/7/2019)
92 days to the Utah State Democratic Party Organizing Convention (6/22/2019)
144 days to the 2019 Utah primary elections (8/13/2019)
228 days to the 2019 municipal elections (11/5/2019)
311 days to the first day of the 2020 Utah Legislature (1/27/2020)
319 days to the 2020 Iowa Caucuses (2/3/2020)
347 days to the 2020 Utah presidential primary (3/3/2020)
588 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)
Former Rep. Derek Brown running for Utah GOP Chair
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Former State Rep. Derek Brown says he is joining the race to be the next chairman of the Utah Republican Party.
2019 Political Bracket Face-Off Day Four
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
The final eight matchups for the first round of our "Bracket Face-Off" are live. Pick your favorites below:
Bob Bernick's notebook: The coming fight for the soul of the Utah GOP
By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor
Over the next six weeks, the fate of the Utah State Republican Party will be decided for the next two years, if not well beyond that.
2019 Utah Political Bracket Face-Off results - Day 3
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Day two of our 2019 Political Bracket Face-Off is done. It was a very good day for local elected officials on Thursday. Results are below:
Guest opinion: Sine Die is not goodbye
By Cameron Diehl, Utah League of Cities and Towns Executive Director and Rachel Otto, ULCT Director of Government Relations
In 45 days, there is a lot of ground to cover at the Utah State Capitol. 133 miles to be more precise. With some simple step-tracking, we figure our ULCT legislative team each took about 244,000 total steps over those 45 days. And, just like a marathon with an occasional water station to take a break, we're lacing up our shoes and gearing up for another segment of the run.
President signs Major Brent Taylor bill
By Press release
On Thursday, March 21, 2019, President Donald Trump signed S.49, which designates the outstation of the Department of Veterans Affairs in North Ogden, UT as the Major Brent Taylor Vet Center Outstation. Rep. Rob Bishop (UT-01) introduced the legislation in the House of Representatives and delivered the remarks below honoring the late Major Taylor:
Sen. Lee elected as chair of Joint Economic Committee
By Press release
Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), newly elected Chairman of the Joint Economic Committee (JEC), released a statement following the committee's formation and leadership election:
Utah Business Leaders unite to reaffirm support for principles of The Utah Compact
By Salt Lake Chamber
Business leaders gathered at the Salt Lake Chamber to reaffirm their commitment to The Utah Compact, a set of key principles initially released in 2010 outlining the need for smart immigration policies to drive Utah's economy forward.
Deseret News
Salt Lake Tribune
Muller report coming soon? Washington is gripped by speculation that special counsel Robert Mueller could be delivering his final report on Russian interference in the 2016 election as soon as today - http://bit.ly/2FuXb65
A shift in Israel policy. President Donald Trump tweeted Wednesday "it is time" for the US to "fully recognize Israel's sovereignty" over the disputed Golan Heights. The tweet upends longstanding US policy on the territory - https://nyti.ms/2FvP5dz
Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump use private accounts to conduct White House business. The two White House advisers use private email accounts and the WhatsApp messenger for official business - https://nyti.ms/2Fs7ZBN
Fox News viewers have a vastly different view of President Trump. A survey by a Democratic polling firm found Republicans who watch Fox News have radically different beliefs from Republicans who don't watch the channel. For example, 78% of Fox News viewers say President Trump is the most successful president in history, while only 49% of Republicans who don't watch Fox News agree - http://bit.ly/2Fty6IP
Republicans say Trump will likely lose the popular vote in 2020, but he still has an Electoral College advantage. Get ready for a possible repeat of 2016, where Trump loses the overall vote, but still returns to the White House because of an Electoral College win - https://washex.am/2FsMdxY
Mail bomber pleads guilty. Cesar Sayoc, the man who mailed bombs to several Democratic politicians and media organizations that were critical of President Trump plead guilty in Federal Court on Thursday - https://wapo.st/2FsK05E
Troops on the border is an "unacceptable risk." The Marine Corps commandant warns deploying troops to the U.S.-Mexico border would harm combat readiness - https://lat.ms/2Ft5TBH
Mississippi abortion law.Mississippi's governor has signed a new abortion restriction that bans abortion before some women would know they're pregnant - https://wapo.st/2FuT5uJ
Trump has shifted campaign money to his businesses. Forbes reports President Trump has charged his own re-election campaign $1.3 million for rent, food, lodging and other expenses since taking office - http://bit.ly/2FvRxRj
Guns are killing school-age children at "epidemic" rates. Guns killed more U.S. school children in 2017 than police officers and active-duty military members - http://bit.ly/2FuAKhm
Brexit delay. The European Union has agreed to a two-week delay to the Brexit process for Britain in a bid to avoid a chaotic withdrawal - https://cnn.it/2FthRv9
Unprecedented flooding this spring. Experts say 25 states are at an elevated risk of flooding until May - https://nyti.ms/2FvQLnn
Boring but important. Mortgage rates are dropping quickly amid fears of a global economic slowdown - https://wapo.st/2FsLr42
Instagram is the new home of hatred on the internet. The photo-sharing social network is teeming with conspiracy theories, violent extremist memes and misinformation - http://bit.ly/2FsVmqd
Change your Facebook password. The social media giant says it mishandled passwords for hundreds of millions of users, storing those passwords in plain text in an internal database that could be accessed by staffers - https://cnn.it/2FthNeT
1621 - The Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony sign a peace treaty with Massasoit of the Wampanoags.
1622 - Jamestown massacre: Algonquians kill 347 English settlers.
1630 - The Massachusetts Bay Colony outlaws the possession of cards, dice and gaming tables.
1765 - The British Parliament passes the Stamp Act that introduces a tax to be levied directly on the American colonies.
1791 - Congress enacted legislation forbidding slave trading with foreign nations.
1871 - In North Carolina, Williams Woods Holden becomes the first governor of a U.S. state to be removed from office by impeachment.
1872 - Illinois becomes the first state to require gender equality in employment.
1963 - Please Please Me, the debut album from the Beatles, is released in Britain.
1972 - Congress sends the Equal Rights Amendment to the states for ratification.
1972 - In Eisenstadt v. Baird, the Supreme Court decides that unmarried persons have the right to possess contraceptives.
Casual Friday: Weekend Events & Outdoors Report
There is still time to apply for the Governor-led trade mission to Europe
On behalf of Governor Gary R. Herbert, World Trade Center Utah and the Governor's Office of Economic Development, we would like to invite you to join the State of Utah's trade mission to Switzerland, France and Italy in June 2019. This trade mission will also be incorporated with the Paris Air Show!
County and community partners launch 'On the River's Edge' ideas competition
Salt Lake County and the Jordan River Foundation are coming together to encourage big ideas for how more families, businesses, and visitors can access and enjoy the Jordan River and its surrounding areas.
Salt Lake City hosting public safety job fair
On Saturday, Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski and Salt Lake City Corporation will host a public safety job fair at Horizonte High School. The City of Salt Lake is looking to hire people of diverse backgrounds to match its growing population.
Improvement
"Good, better, best. Never let it rest. 'Til your good is better and your better is best." St. Jerome
Social Media Crash
"If you're watching this, it means you survived . . . Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp crash. Or as the millennials called it, the end of the world." - TREVOR NOAH
