Good Thursday morning, Utah!
Talk to me! Got a news tip or some good political gossip? Have some feedback on this newsletter? Send me your thoughts via email or on Twitter.
Get this newsletter delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign up for free here.
Twitter’s got jokes about Romney
During President Joe Biden’s speech Wednesday night, the camera caught him at an unfortunate moment where it looked like the former presidential candidate was napping during the address.
Twitter users had a field day and relentlessly trolled Romney as they are wont to do.
No word on Pierre Delecto’s response to the speech.
Here’s what you need to know for Thursday
President Joe Biden pushed job creation during his first address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday night, detailing several big-dollar spending proposals. For the first time, two women flanked the president during the speech [AP].
In his rebuttal to Biden’s speech, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott accused Democrats of using race as a political weapon. He also ripped Democratic spending proposals as wasteful [AP].
Utah Republican members of Congress gave withering reviews of Biden’s address [Tribune].
Former Senate President Wayne Niederhauser, who is now heading up Utah’s efforts to combat homelessness, says a planned fourth resource center will not be needed if the process of moving people through them speeds up [Tribune].
The FBI raided former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s home and office as part of an investigation into whether he broke lobbying laws while serving as President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer. Agents seized phones and computers after executing search warrants [NYT].
The U.S. State Department is telling Americans in India to leave “as soon as possible” to escape the worsening COVID-19 crisis in that country [Fortune].
The feds are investigating a possible direct-energy attack near the White House last year that left one National Security Council official sick. For years, U.S. diplomats have reported mysterious illnesses called “Havanna syndrome,” after diplomats in Cuba began falling sick. Officials still don’t know who is behind the attacks [CNN].
Catholic bishops in the U.S. may ask President Biden not to take Communion if he continues to press for abortion rights [ABC News].
Former Vice President Mike Pence is headlining a fundraiser for a conservative Christian group this week, which some see as testing the waters for a possible 2024 presidential run [Insider].
Boring but important. The Federal Reserve decided to keep interest rates near zero despite signs of a rapidly improving economy. The central bank warned there are some troubling signs that inflation is beginning to rise [CNBC].
Yikes! Aides to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo spent months hiding the number of COVID deaths in the state’s nursing homes, repeatedly overruling state health officials who wanted to release the data [NYT].
In memoriam. Michael Collins, who piloted the Apollo spacecraft while Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin conducted the first moon landing, died at 90 [NYT].
Thursday’s Utah news roundup
Utah
No more oil and gas company investments for University of Utah? - Tribune
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox names acting state treasurer - Tribune
Cox, Henderson endorse GOP candidates, some say it’s not a good look - KUTV
‘We believe you,’ Utah leaders, advocates tell sex assault victims - KSL
COVID
Utah reports more than 500 more new cases of COVID-19 - Tribune
Are you OK, class of 2021? - Tribune
Utah women explain why they got Johnson & Johnson vaccine after pause lifted - KUTV
Local government
Salt Lake City will close Main Street again this summer to welcome diners and pedestrians - Tribune
Utah County commissioners authorize Amelia Powers Gardner’s nomination to commission - Daily Herald
Silver Creek neighbors set to sue Summit County over ‘comically massive’ riding arena approval - Park Record
On the opinion pages
Utah’s public lands are where Americans play and the federal government needs to pay - Tribune
Kimball Dean Parker: Chris Stewart’s troubling lack of integrity - Tribune
Bagley Cartoon: Cancel Culture - Tribune
Robert Gehrke: Utah’s growth doesn’t show any signs of letting up and will factor into every decision we make - Tribune
— Tribune reporter Karina Andrew contributed to this report.
