Presidential candidates Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are making a big play in Iowa, significantly bulking up their field organizations and adding more frequent visits. The surge of attention and resources have helped scramble the existing pecking order, but Sen. Elizabeth Warren is months ahead of the rest of the field, leading in the number of paid staffers on the ground ahead of next year’s Democratic caucuses. [Politico]
Happy Friday!
Topping the news: Utah biggest voter fraud issues might come from an unlikely source — Latter-day Saint mothers who fill in ballots for their children who are away serving missions. [Trib]
-> Salt Lake City mayoral candidate David Garbett is facing criticism from his opponents over his proposal to move the refinery and power plant out of Salt Lake City — an idea one candidate called a “sensationalized” and “desperate” effort to gain votes. [Trib]
-> A recent Salt Lake Tribune-Hinckley poll included at least 57 respondents who don’t live in the city, a result of errors made by the call center. The revised numbers do not show a change in the order of the top three candidates — Jim Dabakis, Luz Escamilla and Erin Mendenhall — but reinforce that the race is tight. [Trib]
Tweets of the day: From @jameshamblin: “I mean sure if you quit Soulcycle you might get a feeling of moral certainty and being at peace with deeply held principles and engaging in democracy at a vital moment in history. BUT you wouln’t get to pay $42 to have someone shout at you in a dark room to pedal your bike faster”
-> From @TheDailyShow: “TRUMP [leaning over to console shooting victim at hospital]: I have been treated very unfairly by Bette Midler”
-> From @kelllicopter: “socialism was invented in 2011 when big time rush said ‘if i ruled the world i’d throw all the money in the air like confetti’”
Happy birthday: Today to former Attorney General Mark Shurtleff and Abby Hunsaker, constituent affairs representative for Rep. Chris Stewart; Saturday to former House Rep. Fred C. Cox; and Sunday to twin sisters Neela and Neena Pack.
Behind the Headlines: Tribune Washington Bureau Chief Thomas Burr, reporter Taylor Stevens and editorial page editor George Pyle join KCPW’s Roger McDonough to talk about the week’s top stories, including Jon Huntsman’s resignation from his post as Ambassador to Russia. Every Friday at 9 a.m., stream “Behind the Headlines” at kcpw.org, or tune in to KCPW 88.3 FM or Utah Public Radio for the broadcast. Join the live conversation by calling (801) 355-TALK.
News quiz: Last week, 99% of you knew Bernie Sanders is running for U.S. president and not Salt Lake City mayor, but only 55% knew Seth Moulton is also running for president. Think you kept up with the news this week? Take our quiz to find out. A new one will post every Friday morning. You can find previous quizzes here. If you’re using The Salt Lake Tribune mobile app, click here. [Trib]
In other news: Three medical marijuana companies that lost out on growing licenses in Utah plan to appeal based on allegations of unfairness and inconsistency in the state’s selection process. [Trib]
-> Salt Lake City’s teachers, who threatened to strike, have reached a compromise with the school district for a slight pay raise. [Trib]
-> Vaccination rates are lower in charter schools than public schools and data shows that charter school children are five times more likely to catch chickenpox at school. [Trib]
-> Mary Burkett, a Republican looking to unseat Congressman Chris Stewart, said “red flag” laws are not the solution to gun violence. [Trib]
-> Polygamist families from across the country gathered in southeastern Utah for a rafting retreat in July, where they could be drop their guard among more people like themselves. [Trib]
-> A survivor of a 2007 mass shooting at Trolley Square in Salt Lake City said she has lead poisoning from 300 shotgun pellets still in her body. [APviaTrib]
-> Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski joined more than 200 mayors across the country in signing a letter asking for quick action on bipartisan gun safety legislation. [DNews]
-> Officials say they are working to ensure the purity and safety of medical marijuana when it becomes available in Utah, with a set of proposed rules for laboratory testing and quality assurance. [DNews]
-> Los Angeles is looking into obtaining energy from salt mounds in Utah as a clean energy source. [LATimes]
-> Cartoonist Pat Bagely responds to recent immigration raids that resulted in the arrests of hundreds of workers, but no CEOs, in Mississippi. [Trib]
Nationally: Humans must dramatically alter food production to avoid food shortages as climate change worsens, the United Nations has warned. [NPR]
-> Andrew G. McCabe, former F.B.I. deputy director, is suing the agency over his dismissal, which he alleges was retaliatory and politically motivated. [NYTimes]
-> As Trump explores whether to back expanded background checks on gun purchasers, Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, has signaled that he would be open to considering the idea — indicating that Republicans are feeling pressure to take action after the weekend’s mass shootings.
-> The Trump administration is fostering closer ties with Mongolia, which has served as a longtime U.S. defense partner. [WaPost]
Got a tip? A birthday, wedding or anniversary to announce? Email us at cornflakes@sltrib.com. If you haven’t already, sign up here for our weekday email to get this sent directly to your inbox.
-- Taylor Stevens and Sara Tabin
