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News Brief: Fish Comeback, Utah Cherries & Remembering Joe McQueen

Joe McQueen holds saxaphone.
PBS Utah, This Is Utah
Joe McQueen, legendary Utah jazz musician, passed away this weekend. PBS Utah's 'This Is Utah' profiled the musician earlier this year. https://www.pbs.org/video/jazz-legend-joe-mcqueen-kgtbp1/

Monday morning, December 9, 2019

Northern Utah

Remembering Joe McQueen 

Utah’s celebrated jazz musician Joe McQueen died in Ogden Saturday morning at the age of 100. McQueen was a teenager when he started playing tenor saxophone, and during his career performed with Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker and other jazz legends. He came to Ogden for a gig on Dec. 7, 1945, and made the railroad town his home for 74 years to the day. — Elaine Clark

Utah Growers Look To Feds To Tax Turkish Cherries 

Utah is the second largest producer of cherries in the U.S., and a local grower’s case asking the federal government to tax Turkish cherry imports is gaining momentum. On Tuesday, the US International Trade Commission had a final hearing on whether it should impose tariffs on Turkey, which the Utah-based Payson Fruit Growers said is unfairly propping up its industry and undercutting U.S. producers.Read full storyJon Reed

Sucker Fish Rebound

An imperiled fish found only in Utah Lake is starting to make a recovery after 18 years. The June sucker increased in population from 300 to 2,000 at last count, prompting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to propose changing the species status from endangered to threatened. State officials and conservation organizations say the numbers are a milestone for the fish's recovery. — Associated Press & KUER Staff

State

Tax Reform Committee Vote

Lawmakers will have nearly $700 million extra to spend next year, and legislative leaders say that’s a good reason to double a tax cut they’ve proposed as part of a sweeping tax reform bill. The newest version proposes a $160 million tax cut, up from the $80 million previously floated. It would impose a wide variety of new sales taxes while cutting the overall income tax rate. Lawmakers are pushing for a special session this week to pass the tax reform bill. A legislative task force is expected to vote on it in a meeting Monday at 5 p.m. — Nicole Nixon

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