Happy Wednesday!
The White House has plans to set up a “wall cam” to live-stream construction of a barrier at the nation’s southern border. The plan formulated by Jared Kushner and other senior Trump administration officials runs counter to advice from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and senior U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials. These officials have pointed out that construction contractors don’t want to broadcast their techniques to competitors. [WaPo]
Topping the news: Protestors temporarily shut down a Salt Lake City Council meeting on Tuesday evening, as they demanded that officials keep open The Road Home’s downtown shelter through the winter. [Trib]
-> Mayor Jackie Biskupski has agreed to sell the Utah Theater to developers who want to build a new skyscraper downtown, despite calls to preserve the historic building. [Fox13] [Trib]
-> A Utah ethics office has rejected a complaint filed against Steven Boos, the personal attorney for two San Juan County commissioners, after a four-month review process. [Trib]
Tweets of the day: From @jimsciutto: “Nikki Haley on NBC just now insisting Trump is a ‘truthful’ president and tougher on Russia than any previous president. She appears to be all in.”
-> From @yashar: "Good morning...I texted a source ‘I love you so much,’ by accident (meant to send it to one of my best friends) So things are going really well over here...”
-> From @poliARB: “You know why I like Utah? Because I don't trust air I can't taste.”
Happy Birthday: Congressional Budget Office’s Stephanie Hugie Barello, a native Utahn.
Also in the news: Jon Huntsman won’t say whether he’ll support President Donald Trump’s reelection, but the former Utah governor said a strong economy and no new wars could boost the president’s 2020 election bid. [Trib]
-> The number of vaping-related illnesses in Utah has climbed to 114, five more than a couple weeks ago. [Trib]
-> Bob Stevenson, the Davis County Commissioner, has announced he is joining the growing number of candidates in the race for the 1st District U.S. House seat. [StandEx]
-> Eastern Utah’s emerging recreation economy is making state trust lands officials nervous that trail users and energy production may not be able to coexist. [Trib]
-> An ordinance regulating scooters in Salt Lake City has been proposed, and the potential rules may force some companies out of the capital city. [Fox13]
Nationally: The House impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump enters its public phase today. Here’s what to expect. [NYTimes] [CNN] [AP]
-> Ambassador Bill Taylor reaffirmed the nation’s support for Ukraine in a Ukrainian news magazine op-ed this week, ahead of his public appearance in the impeachment inquiry. [CNN]
-> Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney has decided against suing in federal court over his House subpoena to participate in the impeachment probe. [CNN]
-> The United States held a record 69,550 migrant children in government custody over the past year. [AP]
-> Depending on the Supreme Court’s ruling, President Trump may succeed in ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. But that outcome could create political problems for him. [NYTimes] [AP]
-> Mississippi Democrat Mike Espy announced he’ll again square off against Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith in the 2020 Senate race. [NYTimes]
-> The Supreme Court cleared the way for families of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims to sue the Remington Arms Company. [NYTimes]
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-- Bethany Rodgers and Clara Hatcher
