Wednesday morning, December 30, 2020
Northern Utah
More Housing Money For Hill Military Personnel
Military personnel assigned to Hill Air Force Base in Northern Utah will receive more money as part of their Basic Allowance for Housing starting Friday. In 2021, people with dependents will see an average increase of $109 per month, or about 6.6%. People without dependents will receive about $90 a month, or a 6.2% average increase. These increases are cost-of-living adjustments applied to military members across the board. — Caroline Ballard
Region/Nation
States Look To Renegotiate Colorado River Policies
States that rely on the Colorado River say they’re ready to start negotiating policies that will govern its management in the upcoming decades. The river supplies water to about 40 million people in Utah, six other U.S. states and Mexico. The Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner has said the talks to craft new rules need to be more inclusive. Tribes, environmentalists and recreation groups are pushing for a seat at the negotiating table. The incoming Biden administration will oversee and likely add pressure to get the new rules finalized. Current guidelines expire in 2026. Read the full story. — Luke Runyon, KUNC
Navajo Nation Warns Against New Year’s Parties
Officials on the Navajo Nation say they're seeing improvement in the number of cases reported daily on the reservation, but they're concerned about the impact of holiday gatherings not yet reflected in the latest numbers. They're urging people to celebrate the new year with only the people in their immediate household. Health officials on Tuesday reported 153 new cases of the coronavirus and four more deaths. The figures bring the total number of cases on the reservation that extends into Arizona, New Mexico and Utah to 22,526. The death toll is 781. — Associated Press