Friday morning, April 3, 2020
Northern Utah
Angel Moroni Will Be Temporarily Removed
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints plans to temporarily remove the Angel Moroni statue from its Salt Lake Temple during restoration work. Workers at Temple Square installed a mobile crane Thursday. Church spokesman Daniel Woodruff says the work will include removal of stones on temple spires that were displaced during a March 18 earthquake. The Angel Moroni spire topper and stones from the temple will be set aside for preservation while the project is ongoing, expected to last several weeks. — Associated Press
Curbside Testing in Summit County
Summit County, a COVID-19 hotspot in Utah, is now offering curbside testing in Park City. The service began Thursday and is available through a partnership between Intermountain Healthcare and University of Utah Health. Testing is open for everyone — even if you don’t have a doctor’s note or insurance. — Jessica Lowell
Salt Lake City Mayor On Statewide Orders
Utah is one of 11 states without a statewide stay-at-home mandate, though five counties have issued the order. Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall posted a video on Twitter Thursday saying she supports stricter rules. The mayor said the state's rural sectors may not be broadly affected right now, but the number will grow. Rural health districts such as San Juan County, Tri County and Southeast and Central Utah each have five or fewer cases according to the Utah Department of Health. Salt Lake County reports nearly half of the 1,072 COVID-19 cases in Utah. Last week, Gov. Gary Herbert issued a “Stay Safe, Stay Home” directive. He said it is not a shelter-in-place order but rather a set of recommendations on waysUtahns can help slow the spread of coronavirus.— Diane Maggipinto
Follow KUER’s coverage of the coronavirus in Utah.
State
Porn Warning Labels
Pornography will have to come with a warning label in Utah after Gov. Gary Herbert signed legislation over protest from the adult-entertainment industry. If producers don't include a one-sentence warning label about potential harm to minors, they could face a $2,500 penalty per violation. — Diane Maggipinto
Region
E-bikes On Public Land
The Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation and the Fish and Wildlife Service issued proposed guidelines Thursday for e-bike use. Electric bicycles would not be allowed where already prohibited, such as in wilderness areas. BLM's proposed rule would add e-bikes to its off-road vehicle regulations. Fish and Wildlife would allow the motorized bikes at some 200 national wildlife refuges if managers determine they're "a compatible use on roads or trails." The proposed rules will be open for public comment once they're published in the Federal Register. Read the full story. — E&E News
Coding COVID-19
It can be really difficult to get tested for COVID-19. That’s why one Mountain West computer programmer created websites where people submit things like zip code, symptoms, temperature and any other relevant information. The idea is to show how many people who think they need the test can’t get it.
Here in Utah, Governor Gary Herbert says a new partnership with tech companies will get the state close to its goal of 7,000 coronavirus tests per day in the next couple of weeks. The partnership includes an online survey to help the state gather more data, and new testing sites throughout the state. The group of companies has already opened two sites in Utah County and plans to open six more throughout the state, using data from the survey to find out where they’re most needed. Read the full story. — Sonja Hutson & Maggie Mullen