Utah State News

We’re getting a full moon on Halloween — and this one is extremely rare

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 17:40:00 +0000

A flock of birds fly by as a full moon rises in Mir, Belarus, on Sept. 27, 2015. In most parts of the world this Halloween, there will be a full moon. It’s the first time this has happened since 1944. | Sergei Grits, Associated Press

It takes a long time for the whole world to get a Halloween full moon

Halloween 2020 is going to be extra special, at least astrologically.

For the first Halloween since 1944, nearly all the world’s time zones will experience a full moon.

Because of the Metonic Cycle, a full moon appears in some parts of the world — but not most parts — on Halloween every 19 years. (In 2001, for example, the United States’ Central and Pacific time zones experienced a Halloween full moon.) But after 1944, the Metonic Cycle shifted the full moon a day forward to Nov. 1 (in the years 1963, 1982 and 2001) for most locations, according to the Farmers’ Almanac.

Not everyone will get a Halloween full moon this Oct. 31. If you live in Central Australia, Eastern Australia, New Zealand, Eastern Indonesia, New Guinea, Japan, Fiji or Eastern Russia, you’ll narrowly miss the Halloween full moon.

“Every time zone has it except those east of (GMT) +8 time zones if they have daylight time, or (GMT) +9 with no daylight time,” astronomy educator Jeffrey Hunt wrote, according to CNET.

Wrong-way driver causes double-fatal crash on I-70, Utah Highway Patrol says

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 17:34:39 +0000

Adobe Stock

SALINA, Sevier County — Two drivers were killed Thursday night after a wrong-way driver on I-70 caused a series of crashes, according to the Utah Highway Patrol.

Just after 11 p.m., dispatchers received calls of a small vehicle driving the wrong way on I-70 east of Salina, according to the UHP. A few minutes later, a head-on crash was reported involving the wrong-way driver and a Ford Expedition.

“After the head-on, the Ford Expedition was struck from behind by a semi truck. The Ford Expedition rolled down the road and into the median, landing on its wheels and catching on fire,” the UHP stated.

The driver of the Expedition - a Romanian citizen visiting the U.S. - was killed. A passenger was taken to a local hospital with injuries that were not life threatening, the UHP stated. The driver of the wrong-way vehicle was ejected and also killed, according to the UHP.

Investigators say alcohol and drug impairment are believed to be factors in the crash. The name of the wrong-way driver was not immediately released.

Combating the spread of misinformation on social media amid a pandemic

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 17:26:09 +0000

"A lie spreads faster than the truth," said Eric Feinberg, "Don't take it at face value.”Feinberg, Coalition for a Safer Web, works to understand the online world’s impact on our real one with the group.“Social media is about not listening to what other people are saying, but how can I attack that person about what they say?” Feinberg said.Sites like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube have ramped up efforts to remove fake news.But some think they should be held responsible legally for misinformation. However, a law that’s been called "the most important for the internet" prevents that from happening.“This is a 1996 law that carried over from the last century that says no matter what’s posted on your platforms, you’re not responsible," Feinberg explained. "That was before social media."The law is in Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, and it gives sites like Facebook and Twitter the right to moderate what people post.Section 230 also protects social media companies from being held legally responsible for what is posted on their platforms, even if it's a conspiracy theory or misinformation."The argument was that AOL, Netscape, whatever those were years ago, they were the bulletin board; people had to bring their own tack and pen," Feinberg said. "Now, the social media companies, because of the algorithms, they are the bulletin, the paper tack and the pen they are giving you.”Both presidential candidates want Section 230 removed, but for different reasons.President Donald Trump feels it gives social media companies the ability to unfairly censor conservative voices.Democratic Presidential nominee Joe Biden says social media companies should not be exempt from being sued for misinformation that is posted on their platforms.Dr. Ryan Stanton has seen the real-world impact misinformation is having from his Kentucky hospital."The most common is this whole thing is a hoax," Dr. Stanton said. "I’ve had several people who have had to be admitted to the hospital and be intubated and those type of things, up until right before coming to the hospital felt that this virus was not a big deal."Doctors say when it comes to COVID-19, go beyond the social media post to the source.“I think the things to look for are things that are peer-reviewed," said infectious disease physician Dr. David Hirschwerk of New York's Northwell Health. "Peer-reviewed publications tend to be ones that can be trusted in addition local health departments.”Feinberg says it's important to look deeper into the accounts the information is coming from.“Check out who you are dealing with, check the name and profile see that they have. Very little social media activity look where they are from, and basically, these were created than nothing more to be distributed on newsfeeds," Feinberg explained.Feinberg’s biggest advice is to not let yourself get lost in the complicated and confusing web of social media.“Put the phone down and enjoy life,” he suggested. “Get off your phone and look around you, and don’t believe everything that you’re seeing on social media.”

In pain because of your work-from-home setup? These tips may help

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 17:26:06 +0000

Many Americans have been working from home for months now and students have also been attending class from home.Your make-shift office or classroom may not be that comfortable.Some common complaints may include pain in the neck, shoulders, wrist, forearm, lower back, hips and legs.Physical therapists say if the family is sharing one workspace, it's important it can be adjusted.“You’d like to have a chair that matches the size of the person,” said Michelle Despres, a physical therapy expert. “It should have some adjustability. It should have some variability in what the chair can do. It should provide support for the lower back. It should have support for your legs. You should be able to put your feet flat on the floor and your thighs should be parallel to the floor.”If you're not looking to buy a desk or chair, you can still adjust by using books as a footrest.It's also important your computer setup is comfortable. If you can, try to use a monitor, or an external keyboard and mouse pad.If you are going to buy one thing for your workspace, Despres says a chair is a great investment.“Maybe, if you make one purchase, then probably the chair is the best purchase,” said Despres. “That's something that you can raise and lower. That's something that can adjust the back. You can go to the stores and sit in the chairs, try them out, adjust the arms.”You should be stretching as often as you can. If you're constantly sitting, make sure to stand often. Try to walk around. stretch your wrists or heel raises to get your blood moving.While you're sitting, make sure your shoulders are relaxed and not shrugging.

Mother's birth photos stolen and misused online in coronavirus-related post

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 17:22:44 +0000

It’s a moment of pain and perseverance captured through the lens of a camera.“My son’s head was out, and he was losing oxygen. He was slipping away,” mother of two, Loriell Forte, said.Forte had her son at home last year. The delivery was an intense experience. “They had to put an oxygen mask on me, so that way he wouldn’t stop breathing," she recalled.Photographer Elaine Baca was behind the scenes for the entire process, photographing the experience for the family.“She caught that moment of near death, but life at the same time. It’s a delicate balance,” said Forte.The family planned to frame some of the birth photos for their home, but one photo ended up on Forte's Facebook wall instead and it was posted by someone else.“I was upset at first. I was like, ‘How could they take my picture like that?’”The photo, showing Forte and her husband while she is in labor, was shared on countless Facebook accounts with a false caption. Each post manipulated the story with slightly different details."One page had more than 200,000 shares on that one image saying that, ‘My wife is suffering from coronavirus. The doctors say my wife is going to die and the baby is going to have Covid too, please pray and like and share,’” said Baca.Some posts claimed Forte’s baby had died. Others posed as her husband saying he’d lost his wife and now their baby is sick.“It blew my mind that it went from an innocent moment, a powerful moment depicting birth, to a representation of COVID,” said Forte.But what is the truth? The photo was taken a year before the pandemic started in January 2019, and Forte’s son is now almost 2 years old.“It has been used in ways of trying to get people to give money or trying to get people to look at something this certain way, and so at this point, if I could stop it, I would, because I know it’s not the truth,” said Forte.A true birth story is all Baca wanted. She documented Forte’s experience for a portrait series of African-American women giving birth because she says they are under-represented in birth stories. “Black women don’t see themselves often, so we were trying to show the beauty and the power of birth for these families," Baca said. "So, when I see that it’s not being used for that, it’s for fear, and for people to have a shocked reaction, shares and likes, it’s just really frustrating because it goes against everything we were trying to do.”Experts warn misinformers will post photos you see on your timeline every day to get clout online and to spread false information.Here’s how it works: once you like or share a photo, that account and that post will get views from other users. This can help the account get more followers or viewers in the future.The misinformer now has a wider audience to spread other false photos or articles.If you don’t check the source of what you share, you could be helping spread misinformation with the click of a button.“I was just reporting and reporting as fast as I could and as they would get taken down. I moved onto the next, but there were 10-15 of them, and each of them had more than 1 million followers,” said Baca.Even after trying to have the photos taken down, Forte and her husband’s faces are still being shared incorrectly on the internet today.“It definitely stripped the power I thought I had in that moment,” said Forte. “It’s like, ‘Ok I might have power in giving life, but when it comes to a keyboard or Instagram, I’m powerless."Both women agree the power lies with the public. A simple second to check the source of an image before you hit “share” could stop one more fake story in its digital tracks.

San Francisco measure would allow 16-year-olds to vote in local elections

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 17:19:46 +0000

San Francisco may be the next U.S. city to allow 16- and 17-year-olds to vote. Residents will vote on the matter this November.If the measure is passed, the young people would be able to participate in local elections, which usually don't have high turnout.“They've seen that by extending voting rights to people of that age, they've actually increased the level of interest and attention in local politics, not only in those who are newly able to vote, but among their parents and their communities as well,” said Brandon Klugman, Vote 16 Campaign Manager at Generation Citizen.Critics question if teens are mature enough and educated enough to vote.Researchers in Austria, where the national voting age starts at 16, found teens are not likely to be less educated or less motivated to participate in voting.The campaign Vote 16 USA says teens are not likely to make rushed or stressed decisions when it comes to voting.They say teens are more likely to be in a stable environment, where they're surrounded by family, peers, and educators.“In a stable environment, it's great to establish the habit of voting, whereas at 18 on the other hand, most folks are in some sort of intense transition, whether that's joining the workforce, starting college, moving away from home, or going after some sort of transition,” said Klugman.Advocates say this will help in creating a life-long habit of voting.Oakland, California, is considering a similar measure, but it would only allow young voters to participate in school board elections.Several cities in Massachusetts and Maryland have passed similar measures. Something like this was also considered in Washington D.C. but did not pass.

Teacher pleads with parents to put clothes on while children are online learning

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 17:15:10 +0000

One teacher has issued a warning to parents who forget their children are online learning while they walk around half-dressed or smoking marijuana.During a meeting Wednesday of the Palm Beach County School Board in Florida, elementary school teacher Edith Pride didn't hold back in scolding pot smoking parents, WPEC reports."Parents, when you are helping your children at their computer please do not appear with big joints in your hands and cigarettes," said Pride. "Those joints be as big as cigars. Oh yeah, we've seen it all."Pride continued, saying many parents aren't dressed properly when appearing online in front of an entire class."Parents, please make sure that you have on proper clothing when you are walking behind your child’s computer because we've seen them in their drawers, their bras, and everything else," added Pride.Other teachers joined in, with one saying she had seen a student's father drinking beer at 11:45 in the morning, while another showed off her ankle monitor.

Letters from kids prompt packaging change at Lego

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 17:14:24 +0000

A request from children is changing the future of LEGO kits. The company announced they will be phasing out their single-use plastic bags used to separate parts of their kits beginning next year.“We have received many letters from children about the environment asking us to remove single-use plastic packaging. We have been exploring alternatives for some time and the passion and ideas from children inspired us to begin to make the change,” stated CEO Niels Christiansen in a company release.The toymaker has set a goal of making all of their packaging sustainable by the end of 2025. Beginning in 2021, they will look at using recyclable paper bags in their kits.Testing has already taken place, and LEGO says kids liked the paper bags because they were environmentally friendly and easy to open.Other LEGO products will be getting an environmentally friendly makeover in the future, too. The company said it is testing blocks made from sugar cane and other sustainable materials.

Today is National Cheeseburger Day. You can get deals at McDonald’s, Red Robin and more

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 17:10:16 +0000

This is Dave’s Combo cheeseburger meal from a Wendy’s restaurant in Pittsburgh Tuesday, May 5, 2020. ( | AP

National Cheeseburger Day is Sept. 18.

Today is National Cheeseburger Day, which means that many restaurants are offering deals and freebies to celebrate. From McDonald’s to Red Robin, here are some of the places where you can get a deal on Sept. 18.

Applebee’s

All Applebee’s Handcrafted Burgers with fries are all just $8.99! Choose from the Quesadilla Burger, Whisky Bacon Burger, or the Bacon Cheeseburger — it doesn’t get any tastier than this!
Posted by Applebee's Grill & Bar on Monday, August 31, 2020

Applebee’s is offering a “Handcrafted Burger Bundle” — which includes a burger, fries and a drink — for $8.99.

Burger King

For National Cheeseburger Day, Burger King has a coupon for a $0.59 cheeseburger on their app.

Dog Haus

You can get a $5 burger with a deal through the Dog Haus app on Sept. 18.

Five Guys

It’s #NationalCheeseburgerDay! Together with @HeinzKetchup_US, we’re launching the #LoveAtFirstBite #Sweepstakes for your chance to win a $50 Five Guys gift card! See the link for how to enter ❤️. No purchase necessary. Ends 09/30/20. 18+. Rules: https://t.co/jEqpu8LckQ pic.twitter.com/8jtc3BLNhk
— Five Guys (@FiveGuys) September 18, 2020

To celebrate National Cheeseburger Day, Five Guys is partnering with Heinz Ketchup for the “Love at First Bite” Sweepstakes. To enter, post a picture of how you enjoy a cheeseburger on Twitter or Instagram, tag both Heinz and Five Guys in the post, and include the hashtags #LoveAtFirstBite and #Sweepstakes. The winner will receive a $50 gift card for Five Guys. The rules can be found here.

Habit Burger

It's #NationalCheeseburgerDay We’re randomly giving away Golden Chartickets redeemable for up to $500 in chargrilled favorites! All you need to do is visit The Habit today for a chance to win!

Available at participating locations. Terms and conditions: https://t.co/JmmEmVc9Rt pic.twitter.com/s3XfsXmsbo
— habitburger (@habitburger) September 18, 2020

Habit Burger is giving away “Golden Chartickets” that are worth up to $500 in Habit gift cards at random to guests who visit on Sept. 18. For more information, see here.

Jack in the Box

Through Sept. 20, you can get a free Jumbo Jack Cheeseburger with any purchase through the Jack in the Box app.

McDonald’s

McDonald’s is offering a double cheeseburger for $0.50 on Sept. 18 through their app.

Red Robin

Select burgers will be buy-one-get-one 50% off at Red Robin through Sept. 20. When ordering online, use the promo code BOGO to get the deal.

Smashburger

You burger believe it... #NationalCheeseburgerDay is here! Get a Double Classic Smash for only $5 all day today (9/18) at participating locations
.
Participating locations: https://t.co/02L5NtDJHx pic.twitter.com/VNaRPheY0K
— Smashburger (@Smashburger) September 18, 2020

The Double Classic Smash burger is $5 at participating locations on Sept. 18.

Lawyers: Trump's son Eric won't testify in NY probe before election

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 17:00:43 +0000

NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump's son Eric is willing to comply with a subpoena to testify in a New York investigation into the family's businesses, but only after the November election. Trump lawyers argued in a Thursday court filing that Eric Trump's "extreme travel schedule" related to his father's re-election campaign prevented earlier testifying in Attorney General Letitia James' civil probe. They said they also want "to avoid the use of his deposition attendance for political purposes." According to NBC News, James issued a statement on Thursday saying that "no one is above the law."A message seeking comment was left with James' office. James, a Democrat, went to court last month to compel Eric Trump and other business associates to testify and turn over documents as part of an investigation into whether Trump's company lied about asset values in order to get loans or tax benefits.Trump agreed to testify in July, but backed out two days prior, NBC News reported.

New nuclear projects, like this NuScale proposal, make no sense

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 17:00:00 +0000

This Nov. 29, 2018, file photo shows the Transient Test Reactor at the Idaho National Laboratory, about 50 miles west of Idaho Falls, in eastern Idaho. | Keith Ridler, Associated Press

The debate over nuclear power has ramped up recently in Utah, with a number of the state’s municipal power agencies wrestling with continued participation in an experimental nuclear project in Idaho, the Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems/NuScale project.

Much has already been written about the project itself. Though proponents tout benefits of cost and reliability, two municipalities so far, Logan and Lehi, have recently opted out of further participation, citing mainly financial concerns over an experimental design with delays and cost overruns mounting rapidly. Still, this extremely expensive energy might be worth it ― if the environmental benefits, particularly for climate change, were significant.

Climate change is regarded within the full scientific community as a bona fide civilizational emergency ― that is, a situation requiring immediate, meaningful response to avoid catastrophic outcomes. For the climate emergency, meaningful response means cutting global carbon emissions at least in half in the next decade, and eliminating them entirely in the next two to three decades.

Electricity generation, as roughly a third of the current carbon emissions, is a large piece of the equation ― and it is on this point that nuclear power has been worth considering. Indeed, the project’s developers, having christened the endeavor the “Carbon Free Power Project,” are emphasizing the climate angle. And if the question were about building new nuclear generation versus new fossil (coal or natural gas) generation, they would have a point; the clear winner with respect to climate would be nuclear.

But this isn’t the question. In rapidly decarbonizing the electrical grid, the name of the game is replacing existing high-carbon (coal and gas) with new low-carbon, as quickly as possible. In this game, it’s essential to distinguish between existing nuclear, which is already installed and running, and proposed new nuclear, which is yet to be built.

Existing nuclear makes sense at the moment. The investments have already been made and are producing low-carbon energy right now, today. From a climate or carbon standpoint, these plants should continue to generate until all existing fossil generation can be shuttered.

But proposed new nuclear makes no sense ― because it isn’t competing with fossils. Instead, new nuclear is competing with low-carbon renewables, chiefly solar and wind. And it simply can’t compete.

Investing in new nuclear projects to combat climate change is akin to the crew of the Titanic devoting time to building a whole new ocean liner instead of putting all their effort into loading the lifeboats; it steals time and resources from a much better alternative. Any money spent on new nuclear could buy us four to six times more wind and solar energy, available in months instead of a decade. And, remember, the next 10 years are critical.

Faced with this reality, UAMPS/NuScale proponents have said they want a mostly renewable grid, but supplemented by just a bit of nuclear for “baseload” ― and that this is necessary.

The refrain of 20th century-era power managers is that renewables like wind and solar aren’t reliable (“The wind doesn’t always blow, the sun doesn’t always shine … ”) and so constantly humming “baseload” is necessary for reliability. It sounds reasonable, but like most bumper-sticker wisdom, doesn’t hold up. In fact, it is objectively, demonstrably wrong.

The technologies of energy storage (utility-scale battery systems, for example) and demand management (when the energy is used) have transformed the landscape. Traditional “baseload” is no longer a necessary grid attribute. Anyone who says it is simply isn’t keeping up.

In Australia, for example, a 100-megawatt utility-scale battery system (about 1.5 times bigger than one of NuScale’s nuclear modules) is already proving more reliable and 90% cheaper than the “baseload” natural gas system it’s replacing.

The energy landscape ahead will be challenging. Existing nuclear plants should continue to operate while fossil fuel generation comes offline. But new nuclear makes no sense whatsoever ― financially, or far more importantly, for addressing climate change.

The UAMPS/NuScale project is a poor choice for the planet, for our nation and for Utah’s independent municipal power companies. A bright future is possible if we’re smart and focused; the nuclear power trap is a distraction we can’t afford.

Robert Davies is an associate professor of professional practice in Utah State University’s department of physics. His work focuses on global change, human sustainability and critical science communication.

A COVID-19 vaccine only works if this major step happens first

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 17:00:00 +0000

A volunteer is injected with a trial vaccine as part of an Imperial College vaccine trial, at a clinic in London on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020 | Kirsty Wigglesworth, Associated Press

Dr. Anthony Fauci said recently that the COVID-19 vaccine only works if enough people take it

Dr. Anthony Fauci recently told The Wall Street Journal that the coronavirus vaccine won’t help reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus if not enough Americans take it.

Fauci said more than one-third of Americans would have to take the vaccine for it to prove effective.

“It’s a combination of how effective a vaccine is and how many people use it,” Fauci said. “If you have a vaccine that is highly effective and not enough people get vaccinated, you’re not going to realize the full, important effect of having a vaccine.”

Fauci said health officials hope the vaccine creates a lower level of infection so that there will be few outbreaks of the coronavirus.

Americans are still unsure about whether or not to take the coronavirus vaccine when it becomes available. In fact, a new Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics poll found that a quarter of Utahns wouldn’t take an Federal Drug Administration-approved vaccine, and another quarter don’t know if they’d take it.

Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, recently told CNN that the hesitancy among Americans to get the vaccine needs to be addressed.

“Those who are vaccine hesitant have had their hesitancy enhanced by a variety of things that are happening right now, particularly the unfortunate mix of science and politics,” Collins said, according to CNN. “I don’t want to have us, a year from now, having a conversation about how we have in our hands the solution to the worst pandemic of more than 100 years, but we haven’t been able to actually convince people to take charge of it,” Collins said.

Letter: Storm-ravaged trees, you will be sorely missed

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 17:00:00 +0000

Pine trees toppled by high winds lay in a row in Sunnyside Park in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News

To the thousands of trees — the ashes, pines, maples, firs, sycamores, cottonwoods, elms, aspens, et al. — killed and deformed in the recent “inland hurricane”:

Thank you, for your years and decades of selfless benevolence, for your shade and relief, purification of air, enrichment of soil, provision of oxygen and sequestration of carbon; for refuge and habitat for the birds, bats, insects and other lives that lived from, on and with you; for bestowing beauty in blossoms, foliage and form, quietly nourishing us physically and emotionally alike, even as we too often callously ignored you, sprayed poisons at your feet, blasted your confused leaves with electric lights throughout the nights, disfigured you to accommodate the unyielding march of the grid, and exhausted fumes onto you from our mad multitude of machines.

The storm, and your ultimate destruction — to say nothing of the unimaginable incineration of whole forests across the West — has its final cause in the climate-scrambling consequences of this manic technological growth economy, against which you crucially mitigated. In your absence, urban heat will increase, provoking more air conditioners, more energy consumption, more emissions. Instead of your abatement of pollution, hundreds (perhaps more) of exhaust-spewing chainsaws and chipper-shredders are roaring away to dismember and dispose of your wrecked corpses — a double insult, contributing to further climate breakdown in turn, dooming your future replacements to similar fates or worse.

We are poorer without you, though we cherished and revered you too little while you lived. Can we learn, finally, to create a tree-honoring society, economy and ethic? Our lives, among others, depend on it.

Jon Jensen

Salt Lake City

Weber State looking to increase face-to-face instruction in spring

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 16:58:30 +0000

Officials at Weber State University hope to increase face-to-face instruction in the upcoming Spring 2021 semester.Currently, only 30% of classes at the school have an on-campus component, with only 11% being completely in-person learning.Administrators made a decision to move towards more on-campus classes so students can prepare and consider their course schedule. “The goal is to provide students with a variety of options that allow them to choose a schedule to meet their preferred classroom delivery method while limiting the number of individuals on campus,” said Provost Ravi Krovi via email.Feedback from a survey taken during the first two weeks of the fall semester showed that students prefer knowing how their instructors will conduct their courses. However, the school says many students preferred having options for classes.Both students and faculty would like face-to-face to be the predominant class delivery system for courses with labs, arts or anatomy.

Crews search for missing Idaho hiker in High Uintas

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 16:51:17 +0000

Hike to Kings Peak. Standing on South Kings Peak and looking north. At center is Kings Peak. Back right is Gilbert Peak. Lower ridge that slopes off to the right between Kings and Gilbert is Gunsight Peak. photo by ravell call August 15, 2000. | RAVELL CALL

PARK CITY — Summit County Search and Rescue crews on Friday continued looking for an overdue man from Idaho who had planned to hike to Kings Peak.

The sheriff’s office received a call just after midnight on Thursday that Kyle Wimpenny, 25, of Boise, was overdue from returning from his trip, according to a statement released by the Summit County Sheriff’s Office.

Wimpenny left his home in Idaho on Sunday and had planned on backpacking in the High Uintas to Kings Peak, the sheriff's office stated. He was due back home on Wednesday.

On Thursday, deputies located Wimpenny’s vehicle at the Henry’s Fork Trailhead.

“Summit County Search and Rescue has been searching for Wimpenny since. Personnel have been searching by foot, horseback and in aircraft,” the sheriff’s office stated.

Both the Department of Public Safety and LifeFlight helicopters have assisted in the search.

Wimpenny is a white man with long brown hair and a beard. He is 5-foot-8 and 145 pounds. He has hazel eyes and a scar above his right eyebrow. Wimpenny is believed to have a blue backpack.

Anyone who was in the area and believe they may have seen Wimpenny, are asked to call the sheriff’s office at 435-615-3601.

More migrant women say they did not OK surgeries while at Georgia ICE detention center, AP reports

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 16:41:11 +0000

HOUSTON — An Associated Press review of medical records for four detained immigrant women and interviews with lawyers have revealed growing allegations that a gynecologist performed surgeries and other procedures that the women never sought or didn't fully understand.Dr. Mahendra Amin was linked this week to allegations of unwanted hysterectomies performed on immigrant women at Irwin County Detention Center in Georgia.Some procedures could be justified based on problems noted in the medical records, but lawyers and medical experts say the women's lack of consent or knowledge raises severe legal and ethical issues.Amin provided gynecological treatment or performed surgery on eight women dating back to 2017, including one hysterectomy, according to an attorney an immigration and civil rights lawyer working with attorneys to investigate medical treatment at the detention center.The AP's report comes days after a nurse's complaint at the detention center was widely published. Dawn Wooten claimed that many immigrant women were taken to an unidentified doctor she called the "uterus collector" because of how many hysterectomies he performed.In an interview with The Intercept, Amin said he performed "one or two hysterectomies in the past three years." HIs lawyer told the AP that Amin was looking forward to the "facts coming out," and claimed that he would be cleared of wrongdoing.The AP did not find evidence of the "mass hysterectomies" that Wooten alleged. Wooten's complaint prompted outrage from Democrats and an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security's Inspector General.LaSalle Corrections, the private prison company that operates the jail, "strongly" refuted the "allegations and any implications of misconduct." Tony Pham, the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said that if the allegations were true, he would make necessary corrections and "continue to prioritize the health, welfare and safety of ICE detainees."

Early voting has started in the 2020 presidential election

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 16:33:15 +0000

The polls are open in at least four states right now for in-person absentee voting, with more opening in the coming weeks.In Virginia, people waited in line for hours to cast their ballots in the presidential election, more than a month before Election Day. Roughly one or two locations per jurisdiction opened Friday, with others planned to open in the coming weeks.Voters told the Washington Post they wanted to turn in their absentee ballot in person this year, rather than mail it in, citing recent concerns about the postal service.In Minnesota, both President Donald Trump and his challenger former Vice President Joe Biden are visiting the state Friday as it kicks off early voting. Polling locations opened around the state to waiting voters.Voters in Wyoming and South Dakota are also able to complete absentee in-person voting beginning Friday.Vermont voters can vote early in-person beginning Monday, and Michigan and Illinois voters can vote early on September 24Several states are also getting ready to mail out ballots in the coming days.Just because ballots are cast early, does not mean they are counted early. Many states have rules that election officials cannot open absentee, or mail-in, ballots until Election Day. With the anticipated increase in this kind of early voting, there is a chance the winner of the presidential race will not be known on Election Day, November 3.

Company to pay someone $500 in search of best cheeseburger in U.S.

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 16:21:11 +0000

Bonusfinder wants to pay someone $500 to travel around the country to find the best cheeseburger in the U.S.In honor of National Cheeseburger Day, the casino review portal is looking for a Professional Cheeseburger Tester.To apply, you'll need to provide your name, email, and a written statement as to why you'd be the ultimate cheeseburger tester.According to the post, you must be 21 or older, as well as a resident of the United States or Canada, and not on a diet.You have until Sept. 28 to apply, and a winner will be announced Oct. 8.

Utah state rep could face arrest in defiance of US attorneys

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 16:11:31 +0000

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A federal judge has ordered Utah Rep. Phil Lyman to appear in court after prosecutors say he repeatedly ignored requests to hand over his tax records.

Man who recovered from COVID-19 didn't believe virus was serious before getting sick

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 16:09:15 +0000

It was a warm June night in Arizona, and Scottsdale bars had just reopened after quarantine. Jimmy Flores got a call from some friends, inviting him to go out.“They said, ‘Yeah it’s busy, come on through,’” Flores recalled.The group went out to dinner, then stopped at a bar. “There was about 150 to 200 people there. We had our little table thing, but it was close proximity," said Flores, an entrepreneur who focuses on helping small businesses get PPP loans during the pandemic.Flores said he didn’t wear a mask or social distance, like most others at the bar. “The bar didn’t have enough cups to serve everyone there, so we got impatient waiting for cups, so we decided to just drink and share shots,” said Flores.COVID-19 had shut down much of the country, but on what seemed like a typical night out, Flores wasn’t thinking about the virus.“Before this was happening on the East Coast and in all these other major cities, you’re like, ‘Yeah I guess it’s going on, but nothing’s happening here. I feel like I’m young, I’m invincible to this. I don’t feel like I’m not going to get it.’”About 48 hours later, all that changed.“I woke up in the middle of the night, my body was sweating. I had a 103-degree fever, and I was sick. I felt really, really sick," he described.Flores tested positive for COVID-19. Days later, he ended up in the hospital hooked up to oxygen.“If I breathed in too much, I’d have a massive coughing attack and it led to massive headaches," he said. "And then, when that would happen, I would have panic attacks and collapse my lungs even more."Flores documented on social media both the physical and the mental toll the virus took on him.“I did not take this seriously at all, and now that I have this. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy,” Flores said in a video from his hospital bed. “I couldn’t even go to the restroom, because I would have a coughing attack,” he recalled.He said the time spent sitting alone in his hospital bed left him with a lot of questions. “What is this thing? Why can’t I breathe? Is the hype really real? Because during this time, I didn’t know anyone who had COVID,” said Flores.Cases like his are more common than you’d think. One study by the American Journal for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene found that more than 5,000 people have landed in the hospital and more than 800 people have died around the world from COVID-19 because of misinformation about the virus, and that can come from anything from reading an online article to rumor and stigma in your community.“Especially America, we are a unique country; we’re very individualistic here,” said Flores of the stigma he believes exists across the nation. “For me, it had to take a personal experience to really ingrain into your mind that this is a serious event."Flores is still documenting his recovery to encourage others to sift through the misinformation online. “How can you find truth? I thought it was through sharing personal experiences. But maybe that’s not enough, maybe they have to go through the experience themselves,” said Flores.Flores said he’s had several commenters consider wearing masks or changing their behavior after seeing what he endured, but it hasn’t been all positive.“I was getting hate mail, and I was getting love mail on my social media platforms. People were saying, ‘Oh he’s a crisis actor, he was paid by the government. He looks like he has preexisting conditions, don’t believe him,’” he said.Despite all the opinions and misconceptions about COVID-19, Flores lived it. Now, he says he will live to help others avoid the same pain.“I don’t have any regrets, because if I didn’t go through this experience then I would’ve never had the ability to help other people, thousands of people around the country change their minds,” he said.

Real Salt Lake keeping Damir Kreilach around a few more years, signs midfielder to multiyear extension

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 16:06:13 +0000

Real Salt Lake midfielder Damir Kreilach (8) celebrates a goal as Real Salt Lake and Los Angeles FC play an MLS game at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020. Kreilach has signed a multiyear contract extension. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

SALT LAKE CITY — Damir Kreilach will stay in Salt Lake City a bit longer.

Real Salt Lake announced Friday morning it has signed the midfielder — who was in the final year of his original contract with the team in 2020 — to a multiyear contract extension through the 2022 season, with an option for 2023.

“From the moment I came to Real Salt Lake, it felt like I was at home. Everyone welcomed me and my family. At the end of the day, it’s not only about soccer. It’s about life. I’m happy to stay here and continue to be part of the RSL family,” Kreilach said in a statement.

“I want to thank all of my teammates and coaches as well as staff and fans. I’m looking forward to giving my best on and off the field and be a role model for other young players. And of course I’m looking forward to winning something for RSL because that is what this club and these fans deserve.”

Kreilach came to the RSL organization from Germany’s Union Berlin in 2018 and has been a key component of the team’s attack ever since. The 31-year-old Croatian has 23 goals and 14 assists in sports 76 Major League Soccer regular-season matches with RSL while adding four goals and one assist in five MLS playoff matches. Through 11 matches this season, Kreilach is the team’s leading scorer with five goals and an assist.

“He loves the club and gives everything every single day that he shows up for the club, for his teammates and for the staff,” first-year RSL head coach Freddy Juarez said in a statement. “That’s a unique characteristic to have and we are lucky to have him.”

Letter: Republicans look a lot like the tyrants of ancient Athens

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 16:00:00 +0000

President Donald Trump speaks during an event on judicial appointments, in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020, in Washington. | Evan Vucci, Associated Press

Republican election strategy is the same one used by the tyrants of ancient Athens.

Wealthy landowners in the pre-democratic period fired up their political bases with crazy denunciations of other landholders, accusing them of undermining the prosperity of the city, messing with temples of the gods, and offending good law and order.

Speakers at the Republican National Convention said things along the lines of, “Our stock markets and 401(k)’s will collapse,” “Democrats will take your gun and take your God,” and “You will have no safety, no justice, no peace.”

Athenians got tired of the system of tribal politics and set up a system of democratic government. They also set up a penalty for any citizen who tried to fan the flames of partisanship. Such a politician was “ostracized,” meaning forced to leave town and cool off for a period of time.

Americans are getting tired of the tactics of tyranny. It’s time to cool off our leader.

Kimball Shinkoskey

Woods Cross

New Jersey lawmakers advance bill that would fine shoppers for not wearing masks in stores

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 15:55:55 +0000

Legislation requiring shoppers to wear masks in New Jersey stores is one step closer to becoming law.A bill proposed by state Democratic lawmakers got the stamp of approval from a New Jersey Assembly committee Thursday.If passed, customers could be fined between $50 and $500 for being in a business without a mask that covers the nose and mouth. The bill would apply to any store that has posted signage saying masks are required.Assembly Democrats who backed the bill called the legislation "a matter of life and death" and said there needs to be a penalty for those who don't do their part to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.Republican lawmakers called the bill ludicrous and an attack on residents' civil liberties.Some suggested a better policy would be for businesses to refuse to serve customers who choose not to wear masks.Hoboken, New Jersey tried to pass a similar mask ordinance in August, attempting to fine people $250 for not wearing a mask in any place where social distancing was not possible. It ultimately did not pass.In New York City, MTA riders can now be fined $50 for refusing to wear a mask on buses, subways and trains.As of midnight in Connecticut, anyone can now be fined $100 for violating mask and social distancing orders. Gov. Ned Lamont, a Democrat, signed an executive order implementing the policy just two days ago.If the New Jersey bill is passed into law, it would be in effect until the state's public health emergency and state of emergency are over.The bill now moves to the Assembly speaker for additional consideration.This story was originally published by Katie Corrado on WPIX in New York.

New CDC data shows prevalence of obesity is increasing and racial disparities persist

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 15:54:07 +0000

ATLANTA, GA. – The prevalence of adult obesity is increasing in the United States, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).The CDC said Thursday that its 2019 Adult Obesity Prevalence Maps show that 12 states now have an obesity prevalence at or above 35%. Those states include Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia. This is up from nine states in 2018 and six states in 2017.The data also shows that racial and ethnic disparities still persist across the nation.A total of 34 states and Washington D.C. had an obesity prevalence of 35% or higher among non-Hispanic Black adults, 15 states had a prevalence of 35% or higher among Hispanic adults, and six states had a prevalence of 35% or higher among non-Hispanic white adults.Addressing the prevalence of obesity in America is more important than ever, because the CDC says obese adults are at heightened risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19. It increases the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death.The CDC says obesity also disproportionately impacts some racial and ethnic minority groups who are also at increased risk of COVID-19.“These disparities underscore the need to remove barriers to healthy living and ensure that communities support a healthy, active lifestyle for all,” wrote the CDC in a press release.While system and environment changes can take time, officials say Americans can take small steps now to maintain or improve their health and protect themselves during the pandemic.“Being active and eating a healthy diet can support optimal immune function and help prevent or manage chronic diseases that worsen outcomes from COVID-19,” the CDC wrote. “These actions, as well as getting enough sleep and finding healthy ways to cope with stress can help with weight maintenance and improve overall health.”

Corner Canyon teacher suffering from COVID-19 placed on ventilator

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 15:51:17 +0000

A Corner Canyon High School teacher has been placed on a ventilator with COVID-19 after testing positive a week ago.Cherri Jensen's daughter, Talesha, posted word of her mother's condition to social media on Thursday. According to the Instagram post, Cherri was admitted to the hospital after her symptoms became worse and she had difficulty breathing. "Our family thanks all of you for the bottom of our hearts and appreciate everything you do for us." Talesha wrote in the post.The Salt Lake County Health Department sent a "School Quarantine Notice" last Saturday to parents of students who came in close contact with the an employee, later identified as Jensen, who had tested positive.Students and their parents under the quarantine order are allowed to leave quarantine Friday.In a new Instagram post Friday, Talesha Jensen wrote that her mother's birthday is Sunday and the family will be holding a fast "in hopes of improvement" and asked others to participate."All we can ask for is lots of prayers and to keep her in your thoughts right now!"

Police: Driver asleep as Tesla speeds to 90 mph

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 15:46:10 +0000

A 20-year-old Canadian is facing charges after he was allegedly asleep behind the wheel of a self-driving Tesla going more than 90 mph.The Royal Canadian Mounted Police were called on July 9 when witnesses saw a speeding Tesla electric car heading south of Edmonton, and what appeared to be no one behind the wheel.Both front seats were fully reclined and it appeared the driver and passenger were asleep, police told CBC.The car was going roughly 87 mph on a stretch of highway with a maximum speed of about 68 mph.A responding officer turned on their patrol car’s lights, as other cars on the highway pulled over, police say the Tesla automatically began to accelerate to more than 90 mph because the traffic in front of it was clearing."Nobody was looking out the windshield to see where the car was going," RCMP Sgt. Darrin Turnbull told CBC. "I've been in policing for over 23 years and the majority of that in traffic law enforcement, and I'm speechless. I've never, ever seen anything like this before, but of course the technology wasn't there."The driver was initially charged with speeding and had a temporary hold put on his license for sleeping behind the wheel. The RCMP decided recently to charge the driver with dangerous driving and set a December court date.Self-driving features usually require input from the driver every so often to ensure someone is paying attention while the car is in motion. However, CTV reports there are after-market products that can interfere with that system."Although manufacturers of new vehicles have built in safeguards to prevent drivers from taking advantage of the new safety systems in vehicles, those systems are just that — supplemental safety systems," said Superintendent Gary Graham of Alberta RCMP Traffic Services in a statement. "They are not self-driving systems, they still come with the responsibility of driving."Quebec and Ontario have approved pilot projects for autonomous cars on their roadways.

Colorado officer who pointed gun at doctor who was on his own property suspended for 1 week

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 15:39:10 +0000

AURORA, Colo. — An Aurora police officer has been suspended for one week following a well-publicized incident in which the white officer pulled a gun on an Indian American doctor who was trying to park at a refugee center the doctor operates.The Sentinel reports that Officer Justin Henderson with the Aurora Police Department was suspended for 40 hours without pay and ordered to attend de-escalation training for his March 1 confrontation with Dr. P.J. Parmar.Parmar, who is Indian American, says he's disappointed with the punishment and that he believes his race affected how Henderson treated him.His attorney has said he plans to file a federal lawsuit against the city.In a June interview, Parmar told Scripps station KMGH in Denver that he wants to see reforms made in the Aurora Police Department.He said on March 1 that he was moving Boy Scout gear from the Mango House — a shared space for refugees and asylees — to another property, when he noticed a police car parked in his ground-level garage, partially blocking the exit. Pamar said he honked his car.Pamar then claims the officer jumped out of the vehicle, swore at him and pulled out a gun as he ran toward the car.Pamar then started recording the interaction on his phone. It shows Pamar asking Henderson to leave his property."No, I'm going to figure out whose property this is first," Henderson said.At one point, Parmar said Henderson pointed a gun at his face."The gun pointed at me — it was scary, but it's not what hurt the most," Parmar said in June. "What hurt the most was him questioning whether or not I owned that property."Parmar said what happened to him speaks to generations of trauma that people of color have faced in the U.S.See KMGH's report on the incident from June below. APD launches internal investigation of officer who drew gun on local doctor entering own property This story was originally published by The Associated Press and Stephanie Butzer on KMGH in Denver.

Searchers trying to find overdue hiker in Summit County

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 15:35:49 +0000

The Summit County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in finding an overdue hiker.25-year-old Kyle Wimpenny of Boise was in Utah to backpack in the High Uintas and hike King's Peak, Utah’s highest.He left his home on Sunday, September 13 and told his roommate he would be back by Wednesday, September 16.When he didn’t return, the Sheriff’s Office was alerted and began a search.Wimpenny’s vehicle was located early Thursday morning at the Henry’s Fork trailhead.Summit County Search & Rescue has been searching for Wimpenny since on foot, horseback and with the help of aircraft.Wimpenny is described as a white male with long brown hair and a beard.He stands 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighs 145 pounds and has hazel eyes.Family members believe Wimpenny is hiking with a blue backpack.If anyone was in the area and believe they may have seen Wimpenny, they’re asked to call the Summit County Sheriff’s Office at 435-615-3601.

Utah state rep could face arrest in defiance of US attorneys

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 15:27:47 +0000

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A federal judge has ordered Utah Rep. Phil Lyman to appear in court after prosecutors say he repeatedly ignored requests to hand over his tax records.

Former BYU baseball player Jackson Cluff’s summer changed in an instant

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 15:18:30 +0000

BYU’s Jackson Cluff scores on a single by Keaton Kringlen during a game against UVU at Miller Park in Provo on Tuesday, March 5, 2019. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News

Former BYU baseball player Jackson Cluff’s summer changed on a dime. With no minor league baseball season this summer, Cluff — who was drafted in the sixth round of the 2019 MLB draft — was camping in Utah when he got a call that would change the course of his summer.

Mark Scialabba, the Washington Nationals’ assistant general manager, called Cluff to tell him he was now on the Nationals’ 60-man roster. Though he hasn’t suited up in a major league game so far, Cluff has been able to get valuable experience practicing at the alternate training site.

“There are still things you can do to improve your game,” Cluff told Federal Baseball. “You can still get better in the cage. Even if I didn’t come out here, I would not think it was a wasted year. It may not be as good as playing every day. Coming out here every day and see live pitching and practicing every day with the guys definitely adds some icing to the cake.”

Cluff played the 2016 and 2019 seasons for BYU before being drafted. He played 62 games in 2019 for Single-A Hagerstown, batting. 229 with eight doubles, five triples, five home runs and 19 RBIs.

Richmond woman creates app to find Black-owned businesses nationwide

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 15:17:37 +0000

RICHMOND, Va. -- Markeisha Harris-Minor is a young entrepreneur who has always considered herself to be a resource to people. And she has always wanted to do it, as she says, on a macro level.So, last December, she came up with an idea for a new app she calls Blocal Search.What is it?“This is a nationwide directory and app for locating Black-owned businesses all across the country," Harris-Minor, CEO of Blocal Search, said.Harris-Minor said she was constantly seeing the Black dollar recycle in front of her eyes. That’s why she said it was important for her to find an avenue that would allow the money to stay in local neighborhoods, especially in a moment in time where a demand to support Black businesses is on the rise.“Because we all know that buying Black right now, it’s something that’s important. It may look more trendy or what have you, but I want to make sure I’m pushing it to be a lifestyle, so just kind of changing that focus and perspective, like why am I really buying Black?” she said.Ajay Brewer, owner of Brewer’s Café on the city’s south side, added his business to Blocal Search this year.“I’ve had several people tell me that they’ve found me through Blocal, so any sort of search engine that creates that sort of awareness for us is really priceless. It’s created revenue for Brewer’s Café for sure," Brewer said.Harris-Minor said she has over 150 local businesses -- like restaurants, juice bars, beauty supplies, family dentistry, and more -- in the app.The number is even higher nationwide. Blocal has promoted about 4,000 companies across 160 cities since the app launched in February.“Blocal at minimum is going to be a directory, but this is going to be a brand that I’m building to really make sure that we’re able to have a sustainable community that we’ve had in the past and be able to create the generational wealth that we all are looking for our families,” she said.Blocal Search is available to download on your phone by going to your App Store or on Google Play. You can also get more information here.This story was originally published by Rob Desir at WTVR.

Tropical Storm Wilfred forms in the eastern Atlantic, uses last NHC name of 2020

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 15:15:03 +0000

MIAMI (AP) — Tropical Storm Wilfred has formed in the eastern Atlantic, becoming the latest storm in an active hurricane season. The storm’s maximum sustained winds Friday morning are near 40 mph. The U.S. National Hurricane Center says slight strengthening was possible during the day but weakening should start over the weekend. Wilfred was centered about 630 miles west-southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands and was moving west-northwest near 17 mph. Tropical Storm #Wilfred Advisory 1: Wilfred Forms in the Eastern Tropical Atlantic. Get Out the Greek Alphabet For the Rest of 2020. https://t.co/VqHn0u1vgc— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) September 18, 2020 The storm comes amid a very active hurricane season in the Atlantic and “Wilfred” is the last name on the Hurricane Center’s list of storm names for the season. If there is another tropical storm this season, the names switch to the Greek alphabet and it will be named Alpha. The National Hurricane Center is currently tracking Tropical Depression 22 off the coast of Mexico.

Motorcyclist killed in hit-and-run crash in Taylorsville

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 15:14:19 +0000

Adobe Stock image

TAYLORSVILLE — A motorcyclist was killed early Friday in a hit-and-run crash in Taylorsville.

Terry Chavez, 56, of Taylorsville, was riding north on 3200 West when another vehicle pulled out in front of him at 5500 South, said Unified Police Sgt. Melody Cutler.

Chavez attempted to avoid hitting the car, but instead veered to the side and hit a parked vehicle, Cutler said. Chavez, who was not wearing a helmet, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The other driver left the scene. Cutler said as of Friday morning, police did not have a good description of the suspect vehicle.

Teen arrested for shooting at public safety troopers in Phoenix; second suspect wanted

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 15:11:48 +0000

PHOENIX, Ariz. -- A 17-year-old is in custody after reportedly firing a rifle at Department of Public Safety (DPS) troopers Thursday morning in Phoenix, and authorities are searching for a second suspect in connection with the incident.According to DPS Captain Jesse Galvez, on Thursday morning, two uniformed troopers were in their vehicle near 35th Avenue and Roosevelt Street when suspects in a vehicle passed and stopped nearby.The driver honked the horn as the teen got out and started firing an assault rifle, according to DPS.The troopers were able to exit their vehicle and return fire. At that point, the driver reportedly sped off, leaving the teen behind. He was then taken into custody. AZDPS detectives seek public assistance locating this vehicle, believed to be a silver 2008-2013 Infinity model G-37 with custom wheels. It has a temporary plate & appears to have chipped paint below the license plate area. If seen, please call 9-1-1 immediately. pic.twitter.com/17xfuEp72S— Dept. of Public Safety (@Arizona_DPS) September 17, 2020 No DPS troopers were shot during the incident.Authorities are still looking for the second suspect, who was in a four-door silver 2008-2013 Infiniti model G-37 vehicle with custom wheels and a temporary license plate. Anybody with information is urged to contact police. A description of the suspect wanted has not been released.A Blue Alert connected to the shooting was issued around 12:30 p.m. The purpose of the Blue Alert is to notify the public "following a violent attack upon a law enforcement officer." That #BlueAlert you just got on your phone is connected with a shooting involving DPS troopers this morning. One suspect is on the loose. No troopers hurt.Trooper-involved shooting near 35th Ave and Roosevelt https://t.co/9HabTh87PX— Steve Irvin (@Steve_Irvin) September 17, 2020 "The goal of the Blue Alert is to protect the public and officers through efficient information dissemination and communication that results in quick and safe apprehension of suspect(s) when such attacks occur," according to the DPS website. This story was originally published by staff at KNXV.

Bar owner charged with sexually abusing co-workers now faces rape charge

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 15:09:37 +0000

Adobe Stock

SALT LAKE CITY — A Salt Lake club owner already charged with sexually abusing female co-workers now faces a charge of rape.

A warrant was issued for his arrest of Jorge Bizarro-Medina, 38, of Salt Lake City, and he made his initial appearance in court Thursday. He was charged in July in 3rd District Court with rape, a first-degree felony.

Bizarro met a 19-year-old woman outside his bar in March and invited her in for food. He then offered the woman alcohol even though she was only 19, according to charging documents.

The woman said she doesn’t remember much of what happened next.

“(Her) next clear memory is waking up next to Bizarro at about 4 a.m. at a hotel in Salt Lake County,” the charges state. “Bizarro texted (her) the next morning and advised her to use day-after contraceptive.”

Police reviewed video surveillance from the hotel and found images of Bizarro and the woman arriving about 1 a.m. The woman was “swaying and using a counter for balance,” according to the charges. At 3:15 a.m., the video recorded the woman “trying to get away from Bizarro” and Bizarro trying to pull her back into an elevator.

Detectives said the woman had a “significant” blood-alcohol level when she was tested, even hours after her last drink. Police say in charging documents that the surveillance video and toxicology results “show the the victim was too impaired to consent” to sex.

The incident happened while Bizarro was out on bail on charges accusing him of sexually abusing female workers at his bar. The charges were filed in 2018 based on a 2014 incident. As of Friday, that case was still ongoing. Bizarro is the owner of the Moose Lounge, 180 W. 400 South.

Prosecutors have requested Bizarro now be held without bail.

Joe Rogan: Podcaster spreads debunked rumor that 'left-wing activists' started wildfires in Oregon

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 15:02:27 +0000

In an episode of his widely popular podcast that was released on Thursday, Joe Rogan repeated the debunked claim that left-wing provocateurs had been arrested for setting wildfires in Oregon.Last week, rumors began spreading on social media that left-wing activists, anti-fascists and members of the right-wing group The Proud Boys were responsible for setting at least some of the wildfires that are currently ravaging the state.The online rumors prompted social media posts from several local law enforcement agencies in which they debunked the rumors and asked local residents to refrain from spreading disinformation. The Douglas County Sheriff's Department even said that rumors of antifa-sparked wildfires caused their emergency disptach system to become overrun.Even the FBI debunked the rumors in a press release on Sept. 11."FBI Portland and local law enforcement agencies have been receiving reports that extremists are responsible for setting wildfires in Oregon. With our state and local partners, the FBI has investigated several such reports and found them to be untrue," the FBI's statement read.But in an episode of "The Joe Rogan Experience" released Thursday, the podcast host repeated the debunked claim to millions of listeners."I actually love Portland, it's one of my favorite places to perform. Most of the people there are very nice. But there's a madness going on there — you want to talk about madness in crowds. That exemplifies that right now," Rogan said."They've arrested people for lighting forest fires up there. They've arrested left-wing people for lighting these forest fires," Rogan added. "You know, air quote 'activists.' This is also something not widely being reported that people have been arrested for lighting fires up there." Joe Rogan lies to his millions of listeners that left-wing activists are starting forest fires in Oregon. This dangerous claim has been completely debunked. pic.twitter.com/qbNK9GQB9h— Alex Paterson (@AlexPattyy) September 17, 2020 There has been at least one arson arrest in connection with recent wildfires, but there is no evidence that it connected with political activism. According to The Oregonian, 41-year-old Michael Jarrod Bakkela was arrested last Thursday in Jackson County, Oregon — several hours away from Portland — on arson charges. He's accused of starting one of two origin blazes that eventually grew into the Alameda Fire. There is no evidence that Bakkela is affiliated with left-wing groups, and according to KTVZ-TV in Bend, Oregon, a police report describes him as a "transient."Rogan's podcast has become one of the most influential in the world. He routinely reaches millions of listeners. A video of Thursday's episode posted to YouTube had nearly 1 million views as of Friday morning — less than 24 hours after going live.Earlier this year, Rogan signed a lucrative deal with Spotify to make his podcast exclusive on the streaming platform. The Wall Street Journal reports that the deal was worth more than $100 million.Earlier this week, Rogan suggested on his podcast that he should host a presidential debate between President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden — an idea that Trump quickly endorsed.On Wednesday, Vice reported that Spotify employees had confronted the company about past episodes of Rogan's podcast that contain transphobic content.

This COVID-19 vaccine developer may not give us new info until December or 2021

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 15:00:00 +0000

A nurse prepares a shot on July 27, 2020, as a study of a possible COVID-19 vaccine, developed by the National Institutes of Health and Moderna Inc., gets underway in Binghamton, N.Y. | Hans Pennink, Associated Press

How is drugmaker Moderna conducting its trial? Here’s a look

The drugmaker Moderna recently released some early info about how it is conducting its late-stage trial for the coronavirus vaccine.

What’s going on?

Moderna released a 135-page document on Thursday that explains how it is conducting its late-stage trial for the vaccine, and how it’ll measure safety.

According to The New York Times, the document offered a timeline for the trial, which suggests:

First analysis won’t be conducted until late December.
There may not be enough information on the first trial to determine if the vaccine works.
Secondary analyses would begin in March or May. Those will likely offer answers to the vaccine’s success.

A more optimistic look:

But Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel told CNBC this week that the company could have enough data for its trial by October.

“If the infection rate in the country were to slow down in the next weeks, it could potentially be pushed out in a worst-case scenario in December,” he said.

Elsewhere:

Moderna — one of the front-runners to create a COVID-19 vaccine — isn’t the only company in contention to make the vaccine. BioNTech CEO and co-founder Ugur Sahin told CNN recently that the company’s vaccine will be ready by October or November.

“We don’t see frequent fever. So only a minor proportion of participants in this trial have fever,” Sahin said, according to MarketWatch. “We see also much lower symptoms like headache or like feeling tired. And the symptoms that are observed with such vaccines are temporary, they are usually observed for one or two days and then are gone.”

Don’t let a pornography boom disrupt human attachment

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 15:00:00 +0000

Adobe Stock

A keystroke; some clicks; maybe a scroll or a swipe.

These days, it doesn’t take much effort to find a kaleidoscopic array of ever-more shocking pornographic material online. And, during the recent months of social isolation, plenty of people did just that. Web traffic at major pornography websites soared. Profits, according to at least one estimate, almost doubled.

There are plenty of reasons to be worried about increases in porn consumption: exploitation, sex-trafficking, or children stumbling across dark content categories such as “rape,” “slavery,” or “nonconsensual” found on top pornography websites. Utah’s attorney general’s office recently noted a dramatic uptick “in file sharing of child sexual abuse imagery, with an increase of almost 50% more than last year.”

But, even when porn is portrayed as simply innocuous entertainment among consenting adults, there are other foundational reasons for concern, including the way pornography warps natural sexual reward and attachment systems critical to human well-being.

We’re all familiar with popular portrayals of no-strings-attached sex — for example, the sitcom with a new paramour almost every episode.

But human sexual systems don’t actually work that way. And there are sound evolutionary reasons why.

For starters, humans have relatively large brains. This is a significant evolutionary advantage, but to fully leverage those brains, humans require a much longer period of dependency for development.

A strong maternal-child bond, or attachment, supports this extended development. That bond is most solid when complemented by a strong relationship between father and mother as well as father and child. In other words, reciprocal familial bonds in all directions undergird the long-term developmental processes that foster a child’s well-being.

So, what does this have to do with pornography?

Well, natural sexual reward systems promote attachments that are essential to fortifying these bonds. Pornography, however, short circuits these systems, distorting the processes and sexual scripts most helpful to fostering the kind of attachment that supports long-term development and well-being.

For some, it might appear that humans, especially men, are oriented more toward promiscuity than attachment. But, for evolutionary purposes, this would actually be contrary to the overall interests of human development and the success of the human species.

Thus, sexual strategies that focus narrowly on maximizing short-term pleasure with few “strings attached,” are actually not in the end as beneficial, speaking evolutionarily.

For the overall well-being of parents and children, evolution-designed sex has lots of strings attached, weaving threads of couple attachment that keep their children safe and secure. They create pair-bonding that supports family life.

Sex, in other words, promotes adult partners’ and their children’s well-being when embedded in long-term committed relationships. In bonds of love and reciprocity.

Pornography, on the other hand, tends to teach young people and adults anti-attachment sexual scripts. More often than not, porn emphasizes noncommittal pleasure, sometimes at the expense of behaviors that do in fact lead to pair-bonding.

Pornographic images and narratives are often at odds with the natural attachment functions of human sexual systems. And, as such, porn may have consequences for how emerging adults choose to approach sex and relationships.

For example, in a recent meta-analysis, a team of scholars analyzed 40 years of research pertaining to pornography and impersonal sex and found that “pornography consumption was a robust predictor of both impersonal sexual attitudes and impersonal sexual behavior.”

In other words, pornography is most often anti-attachment, portraying sex as uncommitted physical gratification. This in turn can influence the sexual attitudes, behaviors and norms surrounding our most intimate relationships, usually to the detriment of critical familial relationships.

During the recent months of increased social isolation, in the absence of opportunities for human intimacy, it may have seemed enticing to some to turn to pornography. But, the true emotional healing humans need during these times is relational wellness, which for married couples comes from a healthy and authentic sexuality rooted in the genuine connection of a committed and caring long-term relationship.

Mark Butler is a professor in the School of Family Life at Brigham Young University. Hal Boyd is an associate professor of family law and policy in the School of Family Life at BYU and a fellow of the Wheatley Institution. Kaylin Cash is a student researcher at Brigham Young University.

EPA approves Pine-Sol as cleaning product you can use to kill coronavirus on surfaces

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 14:47:41 +0000

As bottles of hand sanitizers and stacks of disinfectant wipes continue to fly off the shelves amid the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. government issued a stamp of approval for another household cleaning product.The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) gave Pine-Sol Original Multi-Surface Cleaner the approval "for kill claims against SARS-Cov-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, on hard non-porous surfaces," according to a press release.To prevent the spread of COVID-19, those looking to use Pine-Sol is encouraged to apply the Pine-Sol multi-surface cleaner with a clean sponge or cloth on hard, nonporous surfaces. Once the surface is wet, let it stand for 10 minutes and then rinse, the press release says.In March, the EPA released a list of household products that kill the coronavirus. They include Clorox, Lysol and Purell.This story was originally published by KJ Hiramoto at WFTS.

Real-life married gay couple cast in new LGBTQ holiday movie on Lifetime

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 14:39:33 +0000

The Lifetime channel has cast its first LGBTQ+ Christmas romance movie, set in Milwaukee, this winter. The movie will star real-life same-sex married couple Ben Lewis and Blake Lee in the upcoming film “The Christmas Set Up,” which premieres on Lifetime Dec. 12.“The Christmas Set Up” follows Hugo (Lewis), a New York lawyer, and his best friend as Hugo spends the holidays in Milwaukee with his matchmaking mom, Kate.When Kate sets Hugo up with Patrick (Lee), Hugo’s high school friend and secret crush, there is an undeniable, mutual attraction between the two.But when Hugo receives news of a job promotion in London, he must choose what is most important to him.“Diversity and inclusion is a top priority for us,” a Hallmark Channel spokesperson said in a statement, per Good Morning America. “We are committed to creating a Hallmark experience where everyone feels welcome.”Report a typo or error // Submit a news tip This story originally reported by Patricia McKnight on tmj4.com.

The big Magna earthquake struck 6 months ago; what was your first thought?

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 14:37:16 +0000

The magnitude 5.7 earthquake centered in Magna struck six months ago Friday, on March 18 at 7:09 a.m.What was your first thought when it hit?The state of Utah asked that question and was not disappointed with the answers.Lauren thought a 747 jumbo jet had crashed into her house.Joe thought it might have been a tank.Amanda thought it was the washer on spin cycle or her husband on the treadmill.There were a lot of responses. To see the full list, click here.

Teen suspect in killing of demonstrators listed in school 'hero' assignment

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 14:16:22 +0000

DALLAS (AP) — A Dallas school district is investigating a high school English teacher who asked students to write about a modern-day hero and listed the 17-year-old accused of killing two people during Wisconsin protests as one possible option. Kyle Rittenhouse has been accused of fatally shooting two people and wounding another in Kenosha following the police shooting of Jacob Blake. The writing assignment also listed Joseph Rosenbaum, one of the protesters Rittenhouse is accused of killing; along with Mahatma Gandhi, César Chávez, Malcolm X and George Floyd.

Utah's unemployment rate for August is 4.1%; national rate at 8.4%

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 14:06:29 +0000

Utah's unemployment numbers for August were released Friday morning and the jobless rate is 4.1 percent, less than half the national rate.Utah’s nonfarm payroll employment for August 2020 has contracted by an estimated 1.6 percent across the past 12 months, with 25,300 fewer jobs.Utah’s current employment level stands at 1,534,000.Utah’s July year-over job change has been revised up from -1.8 percent to -1.6 percent.August’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate is estimated at 4.1percent, with approximately 66,100 Utahns unemployed.Utah’s July unemployment rate is unchanged at 4.5 percent.The national unemployment rate for August lowered from July’s 10.2 percent to 8.4 percent.“Utah’s economy continues along its path of improvement,” said Mark Knold, Chief Economist at the Department of Workforce Services. “The unemployment rate dropped again and remains one of the nation’s lowest. While the overall pace of job re-engagement is unchanged from July, there was an underlying employment improvement in the private sector, which is the Utah economy’s foundational and market-driven component. It speaks to the energy and prospects within the Utah economy.”Nate McDonald joined Kerri Cronk and Dan Evans on Good Day Utah Friday morning to go over the latest numbers and trends.Here's that interview:

These parents sent a student to school knowing they were infected with coronavirus

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 14:00:00 +0000

Toys lie scattered on an empty playground outside a school closed to stop the spread of coronavirus on Monday, March 30, 2020, in Attleboro, Mass. It’s a scene playing out all over the world. | David Goldman, Associated Press

Attleboro Public Schools said a parent sent their child to school knowing they tested positive for COVID-19

A Massachusetts family sent their child to school knowing that he or she had tested positive for the novel coronavirus, leading to about 30 teenagers having to quarantine, CNN reports.

What’s going on?

Attleboro High School Superintendent David Sawyer sent a letter to families Tuesday night that revealed a student with a positive COVID-19 test attended school Monday, according to NBC Boston.

The school didn’t learn this until Tuesday.
The school asked 28 students who had contact with the infected person to go into quarantine for two weeks.

Attleboro Mayor Paul Heroux told CNN that school officials were shocked by the decision.

He said the parents told him the child tested positive around Sept. 11. The parents thought the child could rejoin school after several days of quarantine.
“The parents used very poor judgment, it’s very frustrating,” Heroux said. “The school department did everything they were supposed to do.”

Sawyer told NBC Boston that the school’s safety precautions “ultimately designed to prevent the spread of the virus under these precise circumstances.”

“The guidance from the state cannot ensure a virus-free environment, especially considering we know that some carriers are asymptomatic,” Sawyer said. “We will have to wait for the end of the quarantines to be certain we were successful, but there is no reason at this moment to assume differently.”

Why this matters:

The situation at Attleboro High School is happening as the rest of the country struggles to deal with how to bring children back to school amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the World Health Organization’s health emergencies program, said on Tuesday countries might need to pick between reopening bars or schools if they want to keep people safe, which I wrote for Deseret.com .

“We have to sustain pressure on this virus, we have to reduce transmission at community level in order to lower the risk to those older and vulnerable people and to maintain an environment in which our children can continue to attend school.”

Gen Z is lost in a desert of shallow activism. We need a way out

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 14:00:00 +0000

Black Lives Matter Utah holds a protest outside the Cottonwood Heights police department on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News

For my generation, Gen Z, the past four months have been our Summer of Discontent. Where we once envisioned with youthful eyes exciting internships and vacations we have found instead a barren desert of job loss and legally restricted movement.

And yet, in some ways, my peers have been more active than ever before. Rallying around a banner of anti-racism with a vociferous righteous indignation, use of social media has revolved almost exclusively around causes of “social justice.” Instagram posts that would typically be home to beach pics and graduation announcements became podiums for testimonies on the virtue of Black Lives Matter and confession booths for one’s past absence in the fight for racial justice.

But of course, the activity was not just limited to cyberspace. Despite the fact they didn’t feel comfortable (and anyway couldn’t) go to church or school, they felt comfortable attending tightly packed protests with thousands of people. Who needs prayers when you’ve got protests?

So why all this fervor? Why all this anxious — and sometimes violent — energy?

Joan Didion once wrote of Las Vegas strip weddings:

“But Las Vegas seems to offer something other than ‘convenience’; it is merchandising ‘niceness,’ the facsimile of proper ritual, to children who do not know how else to find it, how to make the arrangements, how to do it ‘right.’”

Like those hasty couples who do their best to imitate traditional weddings out of a desire “to do it right,” my generation is just a bunch of children and we want to do the right thing — but we don’t know how.

We find ourselves in a moral desert not unlike the actual desert that surrounds Las Vegas, and the strip’s wedding chapels with their plinky organs rise like a promising mirage in the distance, in the same way the empty platitudes of social media do. We have that genuine and burning impulse that distinguishes humanity, that yearning to help those in need, to make the world a better place, to stand up for something. But we were not given the tools to discover the right way to do so.

To their credit, these mirages are at least listening; Zoomers flock to them because they offer ready-made solutions and opportunities to “act.” Their commandments are easy to follow and concrete — anyone can donate $5 to a GoFundMe for “racial justice” and feel good about themselves.

But it is not reasonable to defund the police, as 33% of my generation desires. It is not reasonable to attend protests but criticize those who want to go back to church. It is not reasonable to support an organization that seeks to “disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure,” as 90% of my generation does. And despite the piety with which my peers treat such behaviors, one would struggle to find any coherent gospel that condones them.

How did we end up in this barren wilderness, wandering around for shotgun-wedding establishments? The answer, in the broadest terms, is a result of a failed education: We are a generation taught neither how to think nor how to pray.

We are the least religious generation in American history. Twice as many Zoomers identify themselves as atheist compared to any prior generation, more identify as “unaffiliated” than any other category of religion, and nearly half report they “never” or rarely” attend church. We lack the ability to turn our eyes up from the dust and towards a meaning beyond the here and now.

One may expect this lack of faith in faith would mean we have an undying devotion to reason, but the thoughtless desecration of multiple monuments and the broader defamation of the Founding Fathers, the culmination of all Enlightenment thought, hardly demonstrates a confidence in or respect for reasoned discourse.

Thus, we have rejected the two pillars of Western Civilization, faith and reason, the two muscles that have pushed it to the breathtaking heights it is precariously perched on today. Without the proper cultivation of those two pillars, we are foundationless and doomed to disintegrate.

So, what are we left with? Nothing, really.

We have nothing to appeal to but vapid catchphrases and hashtags, few arguments to present that weren’t transmitted to us through cheeky tweets and mocking memes. Social media have become the primary locale for interaction since we’ve been locked in our homes, and it should surprise no one that such a locale is not conducive to thoughtful debate and introspection. Careful arguments and the hope and perspective that come from faith have no place on sites so steeped in irony and vanity.

What does all this mean? It means our rash but confident screams for “justice” ought to be understood as cries for help more than anything else; cries that scream, “I want to help, but I don’t know how.” We’re starving in this desert. And we need someone to lead us out of it.

Luke Lyman is a student at Brigham Young University studying political science.

FBI director says antifa is an ideology, not an organization

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 13:25:41 +0000

WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Director Chris Wray says he regards antifa as more of an ideology than an organization.That differs from President Donald Trump, who has suggested that antifa be formally designated as a terror group.Wray did not dispute in testimony Thursday to the House Homeland Security Committee that antifa activists were a serious concern. But he said it’s not a group or an organization.Hours after the hearing, Trump took to Twitter to chastise his FBI director for his statements on antifa and on Russian election interference....And I look at them as a bunch of well funded ANARCHISTS & THUGS who are protected because the Comey/Mueller inspired FBI is simply unable, or unwilling, to find their funding source, and allows them to get away with “murder”. LAW & ORDER! https://t.co/yHLzB0RQ8e— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 18, 2020 But Chris, you don’t see any activity from China, even though it is a FAR greater threat than Russia, Russia, Russia. They will both, plus others, be able to interfere in our 2020 Election with our totally vulnerable Unsolicited (Counterfeit?) Ballot Scam. Check it out! https://t.co/mH3vrHWvS8— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 18, 2020

Now's your chance to adopt a wild horse or burro

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 13:19:27 +0000

A wild horse and burro adoption event is being held in Delta, Utah Friday.The Bureau of Land Management is conducting the auction, and to encourage people to adopt, $1,000 will be provided to anyone who adopts an untrained horse or burro. It's part of the Adoption Incentive Program.The goal of the program is to reduce BLM’s recurring costs to care for unadopted and untrained wild horses and burros while helping to enable the BLM to confront a growing over-population of wild horses and burros on fragile public rangelands.The auction will be held at the Delta Wild Horse and Burro Facility located at 600 North 400 West.Here's the schedule:Gates open at 9:00 a.mBidding begins at 10:00 a.m.First come first served at 11:00 a.m.

Trump administration researched whether it could charge Portland city officials over unrest

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 13:02:13 +0000

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department explored whether it could pursue either criminal or civil rights charges against local city officials as violence erupted night after night on the streets of Portland, Oregon.Federal officials researched whether they could levy criminal or civil charges against the officials, department spokesperson Kerri Kupec said.The research likely explored whether the rhetoric and actions of city officials may have helped spur the violence in Portland.The revelation underscores the Trump administration's effort seek action against those who officials believe may be helping contribute to protest-related violence.Kupec declined to comment on whether charges would be brought.According to The Associated Press, federal officials have reported that they were told by local law enforcement that they were explicitly told not to intervene at Portland's federal courthouse — the site of more than a hundred straight days of protest this summer. Protesters threw rocks and bottles at police and vandalized the building during several protests during that stretch.The Trump administration then briefly sent federal agents to the city in an attempt to quell the protests. Their initial presence in the city led to heightened tensions in mid-summer months.Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said in a statement that it was "ridiculous" that the Trump administration was attempting to "distract" from its failures in handling the COVID-19 pandemic and west coast wildfires."The administration has made the cynical decision that the suffering of others is politically beneficial, regardless of the cost," he said, according to The Associated Press. "The people of this city — and throughout the nation — will not be intimidated, and I remain committed to doing my part as mayor to work with local partners to advance racial justice, and address the pandemic and economic challenges facing our community."

Letter: SLC’s new airport should be named after Larry Lee

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 13:00:00 +0000

Passengers pick up their bags at baggage claim at the new Salt Lake City International Airport in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020. The airport’s parking garage, terminal and the west portion of Concourse A are now open. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

I have heard that the city is considering naming the new airport after Jake Garn. Although I admire all the things Jake has done for the state of Utah (mayor of SLC, senator, one-time astronaut), I have a better suggestion.

Name the airport after Larry Lee, former CEO of Western Airlines. You may ask what is the significance of Larry Lee? Western Airlines began the first passenger service between LAX and SLC in April of 1926. Western was the most significant carrier in and out of Salt Lake City until it was bought by Delta in 1986. Significantly under Larry Lee, Western created the first hub operation (SLC) in the United States in 1981.

Delta, the successor to Western, has significantly increased SLC’s visibility around the world. Politicians don’t create airports; airlines do.

Please consider Larry Lee, the father of hub operations, as the name for the new airport. It is a fitting recognition of what Western/Delta have contributed to the economy of Utah.

Frank Overfelt

Cottonwood Heights

These Southern hemisphere countries have seen low flu cases amid COVID-19 lockdowns

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 13:00:00 +0000

Police queue outside a pharmacy for their influenza injection in Christchurch, New Zealand, on Thursday, March 26, 2020. | Mark Baker, Associated Press

Australia, New Zealand and South America have seen a decreased amount of flu cases as a result of COVID-19 lockdowns

Countries across the Southern Hemisphere — like Australia, New Zealand and South America — have reported less cases of influenza during their winter season because of COVID-19 lockdowns, The Guardian reports.

Public health specialists in those countries said there have been record low levels of the flu, which has saved thousands of lives and has offered “a glimmer of hope as winter approaches in the Northern Hemisphere,” according to The Guardian.

New Zealand didn’t see one influenza case since screening began in June.
Auckland, New Zealand, last saw a flu case in April.
New Zealand has one of the lowest COVID-19 rates due to a lockdown on the country.
Australia, meanwhile, saw 315 influenza cases in 2020. Last year, that number was closer to 131,000, according to The Guardian.

A ‘perfect storm’ coming for fall:

Experts in the United States have recently expressed worry about how the coronavirus and flu will interact during the winter season.

Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo, director of the division of infectious diseases at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, said recently that the combination of the two could create a “perfect storm,” according to the Centers for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.

“The big concern this year, of course, is that we are going to see what could be a perfect storm of accelerated COVID-19 activity as people gather more inside, in particular, as they become continually fatigued with the mask wearing, the social distancing, and the hand hygiene, and as they are exposed to seasonal influenza,” Marrazzo said.