Monday, April 25, 2022
Northern Utah
Reviewing Utah for the Olympics
A delegation from the International Olympic Committee is coming to Utah to conduct a technical site visit. The Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games said the delegation will visit April 27-29 and look at the competition, ceremony and athlete village venues. Those facilities could be part of the 2030 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games that Salt Lake City is vying for. It will be the first face-to-face visit with IOC members since Salt Lake City was selected as the U.S. choice for future winter games. — Pamela McCall
Avian flu case on Cache County farm
The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food confirmed another case of avian flu in Utah on Friday. The birds at the Cache County farm will be killed to prevent spread. The virus is highly contagious among birds and poultry, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said this strain presents a low risk to humans. The virus was also found in a backyard flock in Utah County earlier this month. The CDC recommends thoroughly cooking all eggs and poultry. — Elaine Clark
Southern Utah
Fatal plane crash near Cedar City
Four people died in a plane crash in southern Utah. The Iron County Sheriff's office said the plane went down five miles east of Cedar City on Saturday night. The single-engine fixed-wing plane crashed on State Route 14 while on a sightseeing tour of Zion National Park. Those on board have been identified as pilot Steven Eatchel, passengers Lindsay Eatchel, Thomas Eatchel and Danielle Deagostini. The cause of the crash is under investigation. — Associated Press
State
Orrin Hatch has died
Former U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch died Saturday at the age of 88. He was the longest-serving Republican senator in history and a fixture in Utah politics for more than four decades. His death was announced in a statement from his foundation, but it did not specify a cause. Hatch was a staunch conservative on economic and social issues. He helped shape the U.S. Supreme Court and championed GOP issues like abortion limits. But he was also known for working across the aisle on issues like stem cell research, rights for people with disabilities and expanding children’s health insurance. He retired in 2019 and was replaced by Republican Mitt Romney. Read the full story. — Associated Press
Utah Democrats back independent candidate for senate
At their state nominating convention this weekend, Utah Democratic delegates voted not to put forth a candidate from their own party for the Senate race. Instead, they chose to support independent candidate Evan McMullin. Some prominent Democrats in Utah, like Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson and former Congressman Ben McAdams, have backed McMullin, arguing he has the best chance of beating incumbent Republican Sen. Mike Lee. Now, McMullin said he’ll be working to convince voters from across the political spectrum to join him in that effort. Read the full story. — Emily Means
Sen. Mike Lee wins nomination, still faces primary challengers
Utah Republican delegates threw their support behind Sen. Mike Lee at their convention on Saturday. Lee received just over 70% of the vote and is the party’s sole nominee for the primary election. But he will be joined by two challengers — former state Rep. Becky Edwards and Ally Isom, deputy chief of staff for former Governor Gary Herbert. They both gathered enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. Read the full story. — Ivana Martinez
Utah’s 3rd Congressional race goes to primary
Two-term Republican Utah Rep. John Curtis will face off against former state representative Chris Herrod in June’s primary. Curtis received 45% of the vote at the convention — significantly shy of the 60% he needed to avoid a primary. Herrod is running to the right of Curtis and got close to 55% of the vote. Curtis joked it felt like deja vu since he’s faced Herrod three times in the past. Herrod, a strong supporter of former President Donald Trump, has been outspoken about issues like critical race theory and immigration. Curtis said his past voting record speaks for his values and policies. He currently serves on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and chairs the Conservative Climate Caucus. The primary election is June 28. Read the full story. — Ivana Martinez