STATE
Small Businesses Keep the US – and Utah – Going
Corporate America dominates headlines, but small businesses drive the economy. That’s especially true in Utah, where over 99% of companies are classified as small businesses and employ almost half of the state’s total workforce. Read the full story — Jon Reed
Food Insecurity Persists In Utah Despite Low Unemployment
Food banks are handing out thousands of meals around the Thanksgiving holiday. Meanwhile, lawmakers are proposing a bill to raise the sales tax on unprepared food from 1.75% to the full 4.85% sales tax rate. Read the full story — Nicole Nixon
Winter Storm Warning Through Saturday Morning
The National Weather Service has the western two-thirds of Utah under a winter storm warning in effect now through Saturday at 10 a.m. Across the state, forecasters expect 1 to 4 more inches of snow today, making for slushy roads. Drivers will want to be extra careful, especially during periods of low visibility. — Roddy Nikpour
Navajo Lawmaker Takes Aim At Accountability For Missing, Murdered Indigenous People
A newly-created U-S task force has been established to study missing and murdered indigenous women. Navajo Nation lawmaker Amber Crotty says it's a start, but it’s not enough. She started her own group earlier this year to collect information about missing Tribal members. The group is currently compiling resources for families with missing loved ones.
The working group is also creating a database of all missing and murdered Navajo people. Preliminary numbers show almost twice the number of men go missing than women and girls. — Kate Groetzinger
Utah Police Dog Honored With Memorial Service In Farmington
A K-9 named Chopper, which served with the Davis County Sheriff's Office for more than five years, died last week. The 6-year-old Shepherd mix got out of its kennel last week and was killed instantly when the dog was struck by a vehicle after running into traffic. His job was to protect deputies and help them track drugs, search buildings and catch suspected criminals.
Chopper's memorial service is scheduled for Tuesday morning at the Legacy Events Center. The sheriff's office says K-9 handlers, other police dogs and the public are welcome to attend. — Roddy Nikpour