Friday morning, Aug. 6, 2021
State
COVID-19 Case Rates High For Communities Of Color
As COVID-19 cases surge, communities of color are again disproportionately affected. Just over half of white Utahns are fully vaccinated, but for people of color, that number is much lower. It's only around 42% for Latinos and 28% for Pacific Islanders. And the case rates for those groups are higher than for any other population. Yehemy Zavala Orozco, program director for Comunidades Unidas, said there’s a lot of reasons why people haven’t gotten the shot — like misinformation, trust issues or being unable to take time off. Now, groups like the Utah Division of Multicultural Affairs are trying to bridge that gap. Read the full story. Leer en Español. — Ivana Martinez
Northern Utah
Taylor Named 17th University Of Utah President
The Utah Board of Education announced Thursday that it's chosen a university administrator to lead the University of Utah. Taylor R. Randall will serve as the University’s 17th president, succeeding Ruth V. Watkins who resigned in January. Randall has been the Dean of the U’s David Eccles School of Business since 2009. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Utah in accounting and an MBA and Ph.D. from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. — Elaine Clark
Transit Changes
Utah Transit Authority’s on-demand service is going to be permanent in the southern part of Salt Lake County. UTA has been trying out a microtransit program in Bluffdale, Draper, Herriman, Riverton, Sandy and South Jordan for nearly two years. The service connects riders to seven TRAX and FrontRunner stations. FrontRunner and TRAX will also be expanding their operating hours seven days a week. And TRAX is going back to a 15-minute frequency on weekends. All these changes start Sunday. — Elaine Clark
Region/Nation
Death Penalty Sought In Daybell Cases
Prosecutors in Idaho said Thursday that they're seeking the death penalty against Lori Vallow Daybell and Chad Daybell. The couple is accused of killing Lori's two children and Chad's first wife. The convoluted case involves doomsday religious beliefs and another suspicious death in Arizona. Prosecutors argued that all three murders were especially heinous and cruel, they were done for financial gain, and that the Daybells are still likely a threat to society. Chad Daybell has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Lori Daybell has not yet entered a plea, but she's undergoing mental health treatment. — Associated Press
Some Common Ground On Gun Policy
It’s obvious that gun owners and non-gun owners often disagree on gun policy. But a Pew Research survey shows they share some opinions, too. The divisions are where you might expect them: most gun owners oppose bans on assault-style weapons or bans on ammo magazines that hold more than 10 rounds. Most non-gun owners support those bans. But both are largely in favor of universal background checks. That is: requiring those checks for private gun sales or at gun shows to keep firearms out of the wrong hands. — Madelyn Beck, Mountain West News Bureau