Good morning Utah and TGIF! Thanks for reading “The Rundown”.
✉️ My inbox is open to you! Have a news tip to pass along, or some feedback about this newsletter? Send me an email or find me on Twitter @SchottHappens.
Get this newsletter delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign up for free here.
Captain Moroni and the Capitol riot
A man dressed as Captain Moroni, a figure from the Book of Mormon, who took part in the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol was arrested by federal authorities on Thursday.
The FBI arrested Nathan Wayne Entriken in Cottonwood, Arizona.
According to the FBI affidavit, he was carrying a “wooden dowel with a piece of cloth attached.”
“The cloth appears to have the following text handwritten on it: IN MEMORY OF OUR GOD, OUR RELIGION, AND FREEDOM. AND OUR PEACE, OUR WIVES, AND OUR CHILDREN. ALMA 46:12,” the statement of facts continued.
The FBI memo spends several paragraphs detailing the story of Captain Moroni who raised armies and “his followers executed anyone who rejected to Title of Liberty [the all caps words noted on the cloth above] or who refused to accept democracy of tyranny.”
Entrekin allegedly told FBI agents that former President Donald Trump “inspired him to attend the rally” in Washington, D.C. that led to the attempted insurrection. Entrekin says he drove his personal call to attend.
Authorities got permission to search Entrekin’s phone where they found several videos of him inside the Capitol building, including the Senate Parliamentarian’s office. He exited the building but later re-entered.
Entrekin faces two misdemeanor charges: knowingly entering a restricted building and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.
Here’s what you need to know for Friday morning
Local news
Gov. Spencer Cox says anti-vax “propaganda” pushed by right-wing media is “killing people.” [Tribune]
Many Utahns are set to start receiving Enhanced Child Tax Credit payments because of the state’s large number of children. [Tribune]
Officials are investigating Nazi graffiti at Logan High School. [Tribune]
National news
“You’re gonna have a f---ing war.” General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was worried former President Trump would spark a war with Iran. Milley told the Joint Chiefs not to carry out any unlawful orders from Trump without calling him first. [New Yorker]
Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer says he hasn’t made up his mind about whether to retire. The 82-year-old Breyer is getting pressure from Democrats to step down. [CNN]
Congressional Democrats plan to tuck a handful of immigration reform measures into their $3.5 billion budget bill. [Politico]
Leaked papers apparently show that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally authorized an operation to support a “mentally unstable” Donald Trump during the 2016 election. The papers also suggest Putin possesses potentially compromising material about Trump from his “non-official visits to Russian Federation territory.” [Guardian]
Los Angeles County once again requires masks to be worn indoors, even for those who are vaccinated. [LA Times]
The FDA says emergency authorization to give the COVID-19 vaccine to children under 12 won’t come until midwinter. [NBC News]
The Surgeon General is warning misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine as a “serious threat to public health.” [CNN]
The head of the WHO says it’s “premature” to rule out the theory that a lab leak in China led to the COVID-19 pandemic. [AP]
Canada may open its borders to vaccinated travelers by early September. [WaPo]
Dozens of people are dead, and many more are unaccounted for after flash flooding swept through Western Europe. [CNN]
Friday morning’s Utah news roundup
Utah
No refuge in redrock: The number of people experiencing homelessness in the southeastern Utah tourist town of Moab is small but growing. [Tribune]
Two friends decided to visit every city in Utah. Here’s how they did it. [Tribune]
A closing act of defiance leads to arrest as protester seeks to save Utah Theater from demolition. [Tribune]
Drought, housing, gondola, galore: Gov. Cox weighs in on big problems facing Utah. [DNews]
Government takeover or fair game? That’s the question at the Ogden airport. [KUTV]
Affordable housing project coming to Park City area. [ABC4]
COVID-19
Utah County, now in high transmission index, reaches unvaccinated with mobile clinics. [KUTV]
COVID-19 impacts several summer camps in Utah County. [FOX13]
Environment
How thousands of live fish drop from planes every year in Utah — and survive. [Tribune]
Fighting wildfires in the West: ‘I don’t think we can overdo anything’. [DNews]
Extreme drought continues to take toll on Utah waterways. [FOX13]
Study shows how Park City air pollution changed during pandemic. [FOX13]
Opposition to Lake Powell Pipeline heats up as activists call for a federal investigation. [Spectrum]
Local Government
Orem Public Library’s Pride displays draw ire of Orem councilmember. [Daily Herald]
Utah County Commissioner abstains from voting on commission staff proposal. [Daily Herald]
Ogden City Council putting developer selection process under microscope. [Standard Examiner]
Weber County, cities here to get $44.24M in ARPA relief funds. [Standard Examiner]
Davis County paramedic change looming, tax hikes proposed in many cities. [Standard Examiner]
Park City road change prompts worries about bicyclists dodging drivers, other dangers. [Park Record]
Education
Want to speak your piece on new Utah school board rule that prohibits teaching critical race theory? Public hearing scheduled. [DNews]
SLCC, University of Utah to share new campus in this growing community. [KSL]
On the Opinion Pages
Roger Timmerman: Open access municipal networks are an answer to the nation’s broadband problem. [Tribune]
Hunter A. Thomas: The Latino community, and Latino conservatives, should care about climate change. [Tribune]
Devin Wiser: I honor my dual pioneer heritage, LDS and LGBT. [Tribune]
Kent Martineau: The Food and Drug Administration Is still discriminating against gay men. [Tribune]
Andrew Kramer: The Republican assault on our democracy continues. [Tribune]
🎂 You say it’s your birthday?!!
Happy birthday to State Rep. Merrill Nelson, R-Grantsville, former Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon, and Salt Lake County Clerk Sherrie Swensen.
Those celebrating birthdays this weekend include Cherilyn Bradford, Governor Herbert’s Director for Boards and Commissions on Saturday and former state Rep. Eric Hutchings and former West Valley City Councilman Corey Rushton on Sunday.
Got a birthday you’d like us to recognize in this space? Send us an email.
— Connor Sanders contributed to this report
