Tuesday morning, Feb. 11, 2020
State
Recruiting Cannabis Providers
Utah is one step closer to launching its medical marijuana program. The Department of Health announced Monday that medical providers may pre-register with the state ahead of the official rollout on March 1. Patients can already legally possess and use medical marijuana in Utah but won’t be able to purchase it from one of the state’s approved dispensaries until they get a recommendation from an approved medical provider. The Department of Health said it wants doctors to start registering now so they don’t cause a bottleneck when the program begins. Read the full story. — Jon Reed
Forgoing Tax Incentives
Utah could help create an agreement between states not to poach companies from each other through tax incentives. Utah is one of 13 states considering bills to create such an agreement, which would only become valid if all 50 states sign on. The effort sprung up after the tax incentives bidding war when states vied for Amazon’s second headquarters. — Sonja Hutson
Northern Utah
Shooting Victim Identified
The woman found dead inside an apartment in downtown Salt Lake yesterday is identified as 34-year-old Natalie Thurber. Unified Police say a Salt Lake officer was wounded in a shootout with a man inside the unit, considered a suspect in the investigation of what police believe is a homicide. He allegedly fired his gun from inside, then fled. He was found a few blocks away with a gunshot wound. The officer is in stable condition. — Diane Maggipinto
Southern Utah
Zion Reservations
The Utah congressional delegation is opposing a National Park Service proposal to study a reservation system for Zion National Park. In a letter to Interior Department Secretary David Bernhardt, the six lawmakers cited concerns that such a system could cut down on visitors and harm the local economy. They urged the park service to abandon the study and encouraged the agency to work with state and local leaders to find a different solution. With over 4 million annual visitors, Zion National Park is the fourth-most-visited national park in the country. — David Fuchs, St. George
Region
Wild Horses
The Bureau of Land Management's Acting Director William Perry Pendley says wild horses are the agency's number one problem. And it’s taking action. Starting in Wyoming, the agency has proposed a multiyear wild horse gather that would decrease the animals' numbers significantly. — Kamila Kudelska, Mountain West News Bureau