Tuesday evening, September 29, 2020
State
694 New COVID-19 Cases Announced
Utah health officials announced 694 new cases of COVID-19 Tuesday, along with 50 new hospitalizations. There are now 71 people in ICU beds across the state. As far as COVID-19 in schools, the Alpine School District in Utah County leads the way having seen 470 total cases. A little more than half of those are active. Health officials have said if 10 people, or 15% of the school’s population, test positive for the virus the entire school should go online for two weeks. Four more people have died from the disease bringing the state’s total to 457 since the start of the pandemic. — Ross Terrell
Doctors Researching Effect COVID-19 Has On The Heart
Doctors in Utah and around the world are continuing to learn more about the long-term complications from COVID-19 and, specifically, the damage it can inflict on the heart. Complications can lead to heart failure or strokes, and tend to show up in people who had severe cases of the disease — such as patients who are older or who have chronic medical conditions — as well as younger patients who are obese. Doctors say it’s still too early to determine who's going to face long term problems from the virus, and more research is needed to understand the lasting impacts. Read the full story. — Jon Reed
New ID Rules Going Into Effect For Utah’s Liquor Stores
Starting Oct. 5, anyone purchasing alcohol at a Utah state run liquor and wine store will be required to show a valid ID. Those include state issued or military identification cards, a driver’s license or a passport. The Department of Alcohol and Beverage Control made the announcement Tuesday and officials said it's to prevent underage purchases. It’s also an attempt to bring more consistency to who is asked to show an ID. Officials said they tested the change for a few months in four stores and got customer feedback during the period. — Bob Nelson
Northern Utah
Bow and Arrow Man Pleads Guilty
The man who pointed a bow and arrow at downtown Salt Lake City protesters in May has pleaded guilty. Brandon McCormick made the pleas Monday to charges of possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person and aggravated assault. They are felonies with a maximum prison sentence of five years. He was swarmed and injured after yelling at protestors, using the N-word and then threatening them with the weapon. — Associated Press
Neff Canyon Fire Continues To Burn
The fire in Neff’s Canyon fire continues to simmer along the east bench of the Salt Lake Valley. It’s just below Mount Olympus, only 35% contained and has burned 60 acres. According to Utah Fire Info, it continues to “creep” along the ground with no new growth in acreage. The lightning-caused fire started last Tuesday. The U.S. Forest Service reports 223 firefighters working in the area. — Bob Nelson
Region
COVID-19 Surging Across The Mountain West
At least 1 million people have died worldwide from the novel coronavirus. Much of the region is seeing a troubling rise in cases. For months it appeared that the Mountain West had COVID–19 somewhat under control. But nowadays, the positivity rate is skyrocketing in Wyoming, Idaho, Montana and Utah. Many of the hotspots there are in rural areas and college towns. Wyoming, Idaho and Utah do not have statewide mask mandates. Even in states that do have a mandate, it’s often ignored in many conservative, rural counties. — Nate Hegyi, Mountain West News Bureau