Monday morning, March 22, 2021
State
Weekend COVID-19 Update
The Utah Department of Health reported nearly 850 new cases of COVID-19 in Utah this weekend, and four more people died from the virus. On average, about 4% of tests have come back positive over the past week, down significantly from the high point of the pandemic this winter. All Utahns age 16 and up will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine starting on Wednesday. — Lexi Peery
Northern Utah
Utah’s Basketball Teams Struggle In March Madness
The men’s basketball teams from Brigham Young University and Utah State University have both been eliminated from the NCAA March Madness tournament. They were the only two men’s teams from Utah to qualify for the big dance this year. BYU was knocked out by a lower-ranked UCLA team. USU lost to Texas Tech. On the women’s side, Utah Valley University lost to Stanford Sunday night. The BYU women's team plays its first game against Rutgers Monday morning. — Lexi Peery
Salt Lake City Gets Record Breaking Rainfall
Salt Lake City saw record-breaking rainfall this weekend. The city’s airport reported just under an inch of rainfall on Saturday. The National Weather Service said it’s the most rain the city has seen on the first day of spring since records started in 1874. Utah Highway Patrol urged drivers to be careful after responding to multiple crashes over the weekend. This week more rain and snow showers along the Wasatch Front are forecasted. Precipitation is expected across parts of southern Utah as well. — Lexi Peery
Southern Utah
Gov. Spencer Cox To Sign Bills At Rural Utah Office
Gov. Spencer Cox is holding a bill signing ceremony at his rural office Monday at Southern Utah University. Eleven Utah legislators are expected to attend the event. Many of them represent rural districts in the state. Cox plans to approve bills related to pollinators and rural economic development, as well as resolutions related to national monument designations and a project from the Utah Farm Bureau. — Lexi Peery
Region/Nation
Seaweed Can Cut Methane Emission From Cows
New research finds that feeding cows seaweed can cut their methane emissions by 82%. Cattle and other ruminants produce more than a third of the greenhouse gases related to human activity. The seaweed used in the research isn’t commercially available yet and researchers said companies must work with farmers to make the product cost efficient. — Stephanie Serrano, Mountain West News Bureau