Friday morning, Nov. 12, 2021
State
Vetoes and political capital
The proposed congressional redistricting map has passed the Legislature and now awaits Gov. Spencer Cox’s signature. Cox said during a virtual town hall Tuesday night that he planned to approve it because the Legislature passed it with enough votes to overturn a veto. “It shows he's not a leader,” said Sarah Buck from Salt Lake City. "Leaders do hard things." But former Republican lawmaker Holly Richardson said it makes sense that Cox wouldn’t spend political capital on a veto, when that veto wasn’t likely to change the outcome of the map. Read the full story. — Sonja Hutson
Northern Utah
Salt Lake revamping master transportation plan
The Salt Lake City Transportation Division is launching an extensive process to update their last transportation master plan from 1996. In a news release, the division said “Connect SLC” will result in a transportation policy that will be applied city-wide. As part of the process, the Transportation Division said it wants to work with the community to learn about past and current transportation barriers. It also aims to improve connections and streetscapes. They’re taking public feedback to understand how residents travel to places like work and grocery stores and what people like and don't like about the streets they use. Members of a community advisory committee were also selected over the summer. — Pamela McCall
Flaming Gorge marina improvements
Flaming Gorge Reservoir has 30 new boat slips at the Lucerne Valley Marina. The $1.2 million project was partially funded through a Boating Infrastructure Grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and it is the first time a Utah project has received that funding. The marina improvements include ADA compliant docking facilities and a wave attenuator to protect boats and the docks. Additional funds for the project came from Utah’s Division of Wildlife Resources, the Utah Division of Recreation and the Flaming Gorge Corporation. — Elaine Clark
Region/Nation
Native jobs and the pandemic
Native Americans have faced more financial hardships than any other racial or ethnic group since the pandemic began. A new Brookings Institution analysis underscores how tribal communities are overlooked in economic discussions. Tribal advocates say Native leaders need a seat at the table when it comes to crafting federal policy that affects their communities. The analysis shows nearly 40% of Indigenous people saw cuts in work hours or pay over the last year — the highest rate of job losses due to the pandemic. Yet federal jobs reports don't include data on Indigenous people. — Robyn Vincent, Mountain West News Bureau