Happy Wednesday!
In an internal memo, a Facebook executive cautioned employees against using the platform’s power to undermine President Donald Trump’s reelection bid. The executive acknowledged it’s “tempting” to use Facebook to influence the race but wrote that the company had a moral duty not to tilt the scales against Trump. [NYTimes]
Topping the news: The Utah County Commission approved allowing county residents to vote in November on replacing their current three-person commission with a mayor and a five-person council. [Trib] [DailyHerald] [KUTV]
-> A proposed state bill would require all Utah clergy to report allegations of child abuse, removing certain exemptions currently in place. [Trib] [Fox13]
-> Health officials have confirmed that type A influenza has killed one person under the age of 65 living in one of five Southern Utah counties. [DNews] [APviaStandEx] [KUTV]
Tweets of the day: From @MEPFuller: “If the news is ever too much, you can always watch one of the 27 shows about Alaska.”
-> From @BraleyDodson: “I’ve interviewed THREE men today named Adam. *Insert ‘I don’t know him from Adam’ joke here*”
-> From @ClydeHaberman: “On multiple levels, I sure hope that the remaining 359 days of 2020 are better than the first 7 have been.”
Also in the news: Utah leaders praised the recently passed tax reform plan during an annual conference, while bipartisan groups criticize the package for straining education funding and families. [Trib]
-> State Rep. Kim Coleman, a Utah Republican congressional candidate, has removed a Facebook post featuring Democratic Rep. Ben McAdams and Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., after some commenters called the post “bigoted.” [DNews]
-> Utah legislators will use research from the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah to guide upcoming air quality policies. [Trib] [Fox13]
-> Cartoonist Pat Bagley is tired of the GOP characterizing anti-war positions as unAmerican. [Trib]
-> Police are looking for more information on a violent and racist road rage attack that occurred last month. [Trib] [KUTV]
-> The Salt Lake Temple is being decommissioned to allow construction workers to enter the site without a temple recommend during its renovation. [Fox13] [KUTV] [DailyHerald]
Nationally: Iran conducted a missile attack against two Iraq military bases where U.S. troops are stationed in retaliation for the death of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani. [NYTimes] [LATimes]
-> Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has secured enough votes to proceed with the impeachment trial ahead after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi releases the documents. [APviaTrib] [NYTimes] [WaPo]
->Puerto Rico Gov. Wanda Vazquez has declared a state of emergency after a week of earthquakes wreaked havoc on the island, killing at least one person. [APviaTrib] [NYTimes]
-> President Trump backed off his threats of attacking Iranian cultural sites. Attacking such sites is considered a war crime. [LATimes]
-> The Annals of Internal Medicine published a recent study showing that the U.S. healthcare system costs up to $2,497 per person per year for costs unrelated to direct care. [LATimes]
-> At least 56 people were killed and more than 200 were injured when a stampede broke out during Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani’s funeral on Tuesday. [APviaTrib] [NYTimes] [WaPo]
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