Tag Archives: Mask Mandate

Take 2 Podcast: Back to school with COVID feels a lot like last year

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Host Heidi Hatch welcomes guests Maura Carabello, from the Exoro Group, and Greg Hughes, a former Speaker of the House in Utah.

Summer is over and it’s time for back to school and it feels like Groundhog Day as the delta variant of COVID-19 has brought back concerns about widespread coronavirus. This week the indoor mask mandate for Salt Lake County children 11 and under, while in school, was vetoed with a 6-3 vote along party lines from the Salt Lake County Council.

Did the Utah Legislature pass the buck by forcing county councils to make the decisions are are local decisions best? House Democrats supported the mandate ahead of the vote and what is the school year going to look like?

COVID-19 breakthrough cases are rising in Utah, accounting for 18% of all cases July 6 through Aug. 6 and 112 fully vaccinated Utahns were hospitalized since the beginning of August. What’s next? Meanwhile booster vaccines were approved for the immunocompromised.

Primary elections are over with ranked choice for 23 cities this fall. We talk about any surprises.

In Washington D.C., the bi-partisan infrastructure passed so what will Democrats do next?

While Sen. Mike Lee voted no, Sen. Mitt Romney helped broker the deal and voted for it. Democrats have released a $3.5 trillion budge resolution that would invest in paid leave, child care, pre pre-kindergarten, free community college, green energy and expansion of Medicare, along with a long list of programs.

In other news, new census numbers are out and its crush time for redistricting.

Take 2: Masks, lotteries, and Liz Cheney

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Heidi Hatch, Greg Hughes and Maura Carabello are ready to de-brief after another week of news.

Gov. Spencer Cox: Masks can be ditched the last week of school: He said schools will still have the option to require masks during the last week, but the state will no longer mandate the rule.

Cox wants to give away millions to encourage more Utahns to get vaccinated: Is this legal and is it a good idea? The announcement comes a day after Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine established a lottery system to give five people $1 million each as a vaccination incentive.

“There is no amount of money that is too much to help us get an extra 5% or 10% of people vaccinated,” Cox said.

CDC says vaccinated can toss the mask: Why Now? In a move to send the country back toward pre-pandemic life, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday eased indoor mask-wearing guidance for fully vaccinated people, allowing them to safely stop wearing masks inside in most places.

The new guidance still calls for wearing masks in crowded indoor settings like buses, planes, hospitals, prisons and homeless shelters.

Liz Cheney voted out of House leadership: Rep. Blake Moore voted to keep her, Owens did not vote, Curtis and Stewart voted for change.

Sen. Mitt Romney backed Cheney, Lee would not weigh in on the issue because it was in the House.

Plus, Heidi’s whirlwind trip to Washington, D.C. for an exclusive sit down with Utah’s Senators, in the same room at the same time. Watch 2 News at 10 on Thursday, May 20.

Take 2: 100 days of Spencer Cox, war of words over political cartoon

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Greg Hughes and Maura Carabello join 2News anchor Heidi Hatch to review this week in Utah politics.
They’ll review Gov. Spencer Cox’s first 100 days in office, the ongoing mask debate in Utah, Republicans’ opposition to President Joe Biden’s definition of “infrastructure,” and a war of words between Salt Lake Tribune cartoonist Pat Bagley and Utah’s congressional delegation over a cartoon criticism of Rep. Burgess Owens’ speech at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Take 2 podcast: Vaccines for everyone, bills not signed, Sec. Interior headed to Utah to discuss Bears Ears with state leaders

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KUTV’s Heidi Hatch hosts Maura Carabello and Greg Hughes about a variety of topics just after the end of Utah’s legislative session.

The trio discusses good news as all Utah residents 16 and older will be eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccines starting March 24.

Our trio also looks at:

BILLS SIGNED and NOT SIGNED

  • Mask mandate end April 10, still has not been signed.
  • What vetoes if any are going to happen?
  • HB228- no more mugshots will be made public, until a person is convicted of a crime.
  • HB308- prohibits state government from requiring Utahn’s to get a covid vaccine.

NEW SECRETARY OF INTERIOR HEADED TO UTAH

Before taking action on Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Escalante national monuments, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland will visit Utah, following the executive order of President Joe Biden. Haaland is a Native American, the first to serve as U.S. Secretary of the Interior and as a cabinet member. Her coming visit earned praise from Utah’s Republican politicians who are fearful Biden will restore Bears Ears to the size it was before it was reduced by a Republican president Donald Trump.

UTAH STIMULI PIE

Rep. Jeff Stenquist: “I’m stunned looking at the amount of federal stim-dollars coming to Utah: State Govt: $1.52B Local Govts:$1.1B Education: $1.1B Other Govt Agencies: $704M Individuals: $3.76B Total: $8.39B This on top of our current surpluses and strong economy. Holy smokes! #utpol #utleg”

INLAND PORT MEETINGS ARE BACK

The Utah Supreme Court has agreed to hear a lawsuit filed by Salt Lake City’s mayor over the inland port project. SB243 created “infrastructure banks” and sets aside $75 million for the Utah Inland Port Authority project areas.