Wednesday morning, April 15, 2020
State
Navigating Eviction In The Pandemic
With the coronavirus forcing businesses to close and leaving many out of work, Gov. Gary Herbert put a temporary stop to evictions in Utah and is allowing renters to defer rent payments until May 15. But the order doesn’t apply to those who are not directly impacted by the pandemic, like Jacqueline Pearson. She was evicted last month after she was laid off and fell behind on her rent. Now she’s trying to figure out what her options are. Read the full story. — Jon Reed
Northern Utah
Aftershocks Continue
Some Utah residents felt an aftershock Tuesday evening. It was the largest one since the 5.7 magnitude quake in March. The University of Utah Seismograph Stations report there was a "light" earthquake with a 4.2 magnitude. It was once again in the northwestern Salt Lake Valley near the town of Magna. Officials say the aftershock was felt across the Wasatch Front. University of Utah Seismograph Stations have recorded 1,247 aftershocks as a result of the earthquake March 18. Only four others have had a magnitude of at least 4. Experts say they're expecting more aftershocks in the coming weeks, and they should become less frequent. — Associated Press
IHC Surge Plans
Intermountain Healthcare has laid out its plan for a potential surge in COVID-19 patients. Part of the plan is to add hospital beds and to transfer cases from rural communities to larger hospitals. Utah has seen more than 2,400 confirmed cases of COVID-19. — Grace Osusky
Follow KUER’s coverage of the coronavirus in Utah.
Gunnison Gazette’s Last Issue
The Sanpete Messenger will take over operations of the Gunnison Gazette. The Gazette serves part of central Utah, and it printed its last issue Tuesday. The publisher said the rising cost of printing the paper and the coronavirus outbreak are the biggest reasons. The Gazette printed its first issue in 2005 and it's printed more than 830 issues since then. The paper used its back page to highlight Gunnison residents living the “small town life.” The Messenger will honor Gazette subscriptions. — Grace Osusky
Region
Wildlife Behavior
There have been varying reports of rewilding in our region as wildlife seem to take back territory while we are all stuck indoors. But wildlife biologists say sightings are not signs of rewilding and that it would take years of human quarantine for animals to truly change their behavior. — Maggie Mullen, Mountain West News Bureau