OGDEN — A northern Utah man accused of falsifying his deceased wife’s will to give himself property and other assets is facing criminal charges.
Jody Allen Rhorer, 43, of Eden, Weber County, was charged Monday in 2nd District Court with computer crimes interfering with critical infrastructure, a second-degree felony; plus two counts of fraudulent handling of recordable writings and two counts of recording a false or forged instrument, both third-degree felonies.
According to charging documents, Rhorer was married to Deone Ehlers-Rhorer, 54, who died on Aug. 22. Ehlers-Rhorer was the owner of Lady Bug Realty in Ogden.
In November, Rhorer used Ehlers-Rhorer’s login and password information and assigned himself through the Utah Department of Commerce as the principal agent of the property management group, Four Boys Investments LLC, the charging documents state.
“Jody was not registered with the business prior to Deone’s death, and he signed the document via an electronic signature claiming to be Deone herself. By doing so, he then transferred ownership of multiple properties into his own name,” the charges state.
In Ehlers-Rhorer’s will, she named her son as executor, “and this son was assigned as Deone’s only personal representative,” according to the charges.
“Mr. Rhorer vehemently denies the accusations contained in the criminal charges filed against him on Monday, Dec. 28,” attorney Jonathan D. Porter said in a statement. “There have been allegations in the press that Mr. Rhorer divorced Ms. Deone Ehlers-Rhorer in 2013; this is completely baseless and false. The couple was married until her tragic passing in August of this year.” He added that Jody Rhorer was “a faithful and committed spouse.”
On Dec. 16, Rhorer “filed a new will for Deone with the 2nd District Court, which gave him the sole rights to all property and assets. However, after further investigation, it was discovered Deone’s signatures had been forged, as well as the notary public signature and stamp used to pass the document as authentic,” according to the charges.
“Through the computer fraud, forgery and the filing of a false will, Jody attempted to transfer property and assets to himself while deceiving and depriving victims of those assets. Additionally, during his booking, Jody stated he has four dependents and no income, which is false. Jody owns a construction business, lives alone in a home worth over $1 million,” the charges state.
Prosecutors also noted in the court documents that Rhorer “has a history of engaging in threatening behavior” and have asked that he be held in the Weber County Jail without bail.
“Mr. Rhorer is confident that, over time, the evidence will prove that the charges lodged against him are meritless,” Porter said.
Correction:An earlier version said Jody Rhorer and Deone Rhorer divorced in 2013, but the divorce was to a different woman.
Deseret News Rewind’s Dusty Litster and Dane Stewart share their favorite memories, as well as many thanks, as a four-year partnership with the Deseret News to provide exclusive video content from high school sports comes to a close.
LEHI — A man was killed when a FrontRunner train hit him near Lehi Thursday night.
The 35-year-old man was hit at 298 North and 500 West, near the Lehi rodeo grounds, said Utah Transit Authority spokesman Carl Arky. The man, whose identity wasn’t release pending notification of family, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.
The investigation shut down FrontRunner service between American Fork and Lehi, but Arkey said a “bus bridge” was set up to shuttle passengers from the American Fork train station to the Lehi train station.
More information will be posted as it becomes available.
Utah guard Alfonso Plummer (25) shoots over UCLA guard Jules Bernard during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020, in Los Angeles. | Marcio Jose Sanchez, Associated Press
Utah basketball dropped a close one to UCLA, losing 72-70 at the Pauley Pavilion on New Year’s Eve.
Here are three takeaways from the game:
Down by two with three seconds to go, Utah’s Pelle Larsson drove the lane but threw the ball away, securing UCLA’s win. Alfonso Plummer had three free throws to tie the game with five seconds left with Utah down by three, but he made two out of three. The turning point came with Utah down by two with a minute remaining. Timmy Allen stole the ball but turned it over, leading to two free throws by UCLA’s Jalen Hill, which pushed the Bruins’ lead to four points with 28 seconds left.
Plummer led the Utes with 22 points and was on fire to start the game. Plummer made his first five shots and scored Utah’s first 14 points to start the game. Utah led 16-4 before UCLA outscored Utah 37-16 to close the half.
Utah’s offense fared pretty well, except for the costly turnovers late in the game. The Utes shot 50% from the field and 41% from 3 but allowed the Bruins to shoot 46% from the field and 50% from 3.
Utah State’s Justin Bean, right, gets the upper hand on the ball from Air Force’s Nikc Jackson during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020, at Air Force Academy, Colo. | Jerilee Bennett/The Gazette via AP
Utah State stayed perfect in Mountain West Conference play by rolling to an 83-48 victory over Air Force on Thursday at Clune Arena.
Both teams will face each other again Saturday in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Here are three takeaways from the Aggies’ win:
Utah State (6-3, 3-0 MW) won its fifth straight game by forcing turnovers and capitalizing on those opportunities. The Aggies forced the Falcons (3-4, 1-2 MW) into 26 turnovers and turned those into 45 points. Air Force, meanwhile, scored just five points on nine Utah State turnovers. The Aggies had 11 steals in the game, led by Justin Bean with three.
In addition to a wide gap in turnovers between the two teams, there was also a large disparity in field goals. Utah State shot 29 more field-goal attempts than Air Force — the Aggies made 34 of 65 (52.3%), while the Falcons hit 17 of 36 (47.2%). Utah State also more than doubled Air Force in 3-pointers made, 12 to 5.
Utah State had twice the number of assists than Air Force, 24 to 12, including a team-high six from Marco Anthony. Five Aggies scored in double figures, led by 15 from Bean and 14 from Brock Miller, who hit four 3-pointers.
Young Electric Sign company workers install the new Deseret News sign Saturday, July 2, 2011 on the Triad Center. | Scott G. Winterton, Deseret News
As we unwrapped our last Sunday edition of the daily Deseret newspaper, my family found yet another reason to mourn in this surreal year. We will truly miss our daily papers!
I grew up reading the Deseret newspaper in my home and kept that tradition alive as we raised our family. My husband and I read it daily at breakfast and lunch, respectively. My sons looked at the sports section every morning. My daughters checked out the ads to see where the latest deals were. Gratefully, we will still get to see the weekly edition of the Church News that kept us informed of the progress of the church worldwide.
Thanks to all who have ever had a hand in producing this great newsprint over the years. To all the production people, writers, editors, staff, delivery people and readers — thank you! We will continue to support the Deseret News in any way we can, so that we will continue to get the news we need to make a difference in the world.
Republican Burgess Owens speaks during a campaign launch event at Hale Centre Theatre in Sandy on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Republican Congressman-elect Burgess Owens says he’s backing a planned objection to Congress certifying the presidential election next week in order to fight for freedom and because the outcome doesn’t make sense to him.
Owens questions how President-elect Joe Biden obtained more votes than President Donald Trump when the president did well with various minority groups. He also claims there were irregularities like 42,000 votes being counted twice in one state.
“Seventy-four million votes and we’re supposed to believe that, of course, in this case here that Joe Biden is more powerful this time than Barack Obama. It doesn’t make sense to me anecdotally or factually,” he said Thursday on KSL Newsradio’s “Live Mic.”
Biden tallied 81.2 million popular votes in the November election to 74.2 million for Trump. Biden holds a wide margin in the Electoral College, 306-232.
Congress will convene in a joint session next week on Jan. 6 to certify the presidential vote.
Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala., and Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., intend to object to the certification, which observers say has little to no chance of succeeding. Congress will only hear an objection to the election results that is in writing and signed by both a member of the House and a member of the Senate.
CNN reported Thursday that two Republican members of the House say they expect at least 140 of their GOP colleagues in the House to vote against counting the electoral votes.
Owens is among at least 10 incoming GOP freshmen in the House who intend to back Brooks. He said he doesn’t know if he will simply stand with Brooks or raise his own objection. Either way, it would be his first action as a newly sworn congressman.
“This is all new to me, so I’ll figure that out as we get close,” he said.
Democrats, Owens said, want people to believe the outcome is a foregone conclusion. He said every option should be used to “hold on to this great thought of freedom that we have and not be bullied.”
A former NFL player, he compared it to playing a game until time expires regardless of the score and leaving everything on the field.
“It comes down to this. It’s not even the numbers. It’s the principle. It’s what we stand for. It’s what we’re willing to fight for,” he said. “I’m not going to give in just because people say that the score is against me. We’re going to fight this process through.”
Once Congress tallies the electoral votes, Owens said “whoever’s the president I will support, I will recognize him as the president.” He said he will support policies that are in concert with his beliefs and fight against those that are not.
Owens, a frequent Fox News guest, defeated incumbent Democratic Rep. Ben McAdams in Utah 4th Congressional District. He will take the oath of office when the House convenes at noon on Jan. 3 as specified in the Constitution, which will be a little unusual because it falls on a Sunday.
“Very, very excited about it. It’s been quite a journey, to say the least,” Owens said, adding that he intends to head to Washington on Friday.
The Utah Department of Workforce Services’ main administration building in Salt Lake City. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
SALT LAKE CITY — The $900 billion economic relief package that President Donald Trump signed at the beginning of the week will deliver vital aid to millions of struggling households and businesses, but the nearly one-week delay in signing the bill means that it will take that much longer for the financial support to arrive.
“We are dedicated to ensuring these critical benefits are made available as quickly as possible to those who are eligible,” said Bethany Hyatt, public information officer with the Utah Department of Workforce Services.
The agency does not have a set timeline for processing the distribution of new funding from the new stimulus package, as administrators await official guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor. Upon receiving that information, officials will be able to better evaluate the timelines to implementation.
“Initial review from the (Labor Department) believes there will not be a lapse in benefits with the delayed signing of the relief bill. Any delays resulting from the slowed guidance and implementation will be paid retroactively for eligible weeks,” she said. “It is important to note that claimants should continue to file their weekly continued claim and processing is still 21 to 30 days for new claims. Our department will contact the claimant if there are issues with the claim.”
The state Department of Workforce Services did not release data over the holidays, but in its pre-Christmas report noted more than 30,000 Utahns were seeking help in first-time and continuing claims. Nine months after the initial stages of the pandemic, Utah continues to see about four times more weekly claims than it did during 2019.
The package that Trump signed on Sunday will extend two unemployment benefit programs providing aid to 14 million people that expired last week. It will also provide small business loans and up to $600 in cash payments to most individuals — some of which have already been received. In addition, it extends a moratorium on evictions for one month.
The legislation extends the two federal jobless aid programs until mid-March and adds a $300 supplemental weekly payment. But because Trump signed the bill on Sunday, a day after the two programs lapsed, that could cost the unemployed a week of benefits, with payments not restarting until next week, an analyst told The Associated Press.
The date was really unfortunate,” said Michele Evermore, a senior policy analyst at the National Employment Law Project, a workers’ advocacy group. “Now there’s some question as to when this gets paid out.”
It is possible that the Labor Department will interpret the law to allow payments for the week ending Jan. 2, Evermore said. But if the bill had been signed Saturday, payments clearly could have restarted this week.
And it will likely take two to three weeks for states to update their computer systems to resume the aid programs and pay out the extra $300, Evermore said.
Months from now, economists say, the widespread distribution and use of vaccines could potentially unleash a robust economic rebound as the virus is quashed, businesses reopen, hiring picks up and consumers spend freely again. Yet the aid likely won’t last long enough to support struggling small businesses.
“Some aid is better than no aid,” said Gregory Daco, chief U.S. economist at Oxford Economics. “It’s positive. But it’s likely going to be insufficient to bridge the gap from today until late spring or early summer when the health situation fully improves.”
Meanwhile, the number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits last week fell by 19,000 to 787,000, still a historically high level. the Labor Department reported Thursday.
While at the lowest level in four weeks, the figures are nearly four times higher than last year at this time before the coronavirus struck. Employers continue to cut jobs as rising infections keep many people at home and state and local governments re-impose tighter restrictions on businesses and public activities.
Jobless claims were running around 225,000 per week before the pandemic struck with force last March when weekly jobless claims surged to 6.9 million and sent U.S. economy into a deep recession.
The total number of people receiving traditional unemployment benefits fell by 103,000 to 5.2 million for the week ending Dec. 19. That’s still far greater than the 1.7 million a year ago when the unemployment rate was hovering around a half-century low of 3.9%.
Unemployment claims peaked in May at 25.9 million.
The four-week average for claims, which smooths out weekly variations, rose last week to 836,750, an increase of 17,750 from the previous week. Economists believe that the holidays, in addition to broad confusion over the status of a COVID-19 relief package, suppressed applications for benefits last week, so the numbers may be worse than they appear.
Protesters with shields and gas masks wait for police action as they surround the statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee on Monument Avenue in Richmond, Va., on June 23, 2020. | Steve Helber, Associated Press
It’s true, 2020 was a year marked by extremes that often felt both disturbingly dystopian and comedically surreal. Given its context in U.S. history, perhaps it does warrant the title of the “worst American year” as noted by Washington Post columnist George Will.
I think it also warrants the title “America’s year of accountability.”
Many of the extreme moments this year point out the hyperbolic mannerisms of the “woke” culture that has swept a nation in turmoil with its own past and identity.
But at the same time, I wonder if we have focused too much on the extremes of the year and not enough on the everyday steps of progress that have been made in the wake of America’s recent “awakening.”
Calling for the removal of the names and statues of every person in both U.S. and colonial history who ever participated in slavery in any way, used the n-word, acted racist in their own social circles or those who happened to share the same last name as another person who did is, of course, a bit ludicrous.
Attempting to hold those who are perceived to have “sinned against” 21st-century sensibilities in their own times won’t realistically make the present or the future better in any tangible or experiential way — other than that perhaps people will come to see that their actions, no matter how small, can have long-term consequences.
On the other hand, if we believe that the morals and ethics we uphold and abide by in our Constitution and in the Declaration of Independence are truly universal truths that are worth fighting for — ideals like all humans are created equal, freedom of speech is a right, every person should have the opportunity to pursue happiness and seek for justice — then the argument that people in the past didn’t fully understand such truths even while writing them is hardly sound.
Of course, that doesn’t mean that every negative thing a person — historical or not — does in their lifetime should be held against them throughout the eons of time.
But those are the extreme cases.
In reality, the intention behind most of the requests, petitions, protests and even the riots aimed at reshaping the historical narrative displayed by this nation’s monuments and institutions — which have quite literally been carved in stone — are coming from a place of exasperated pain and hope, and a belief in the ideals our country upholds.
Is it really so unreasonable to want to remove the mementos of this nation that laud its history of racism, genocide, abuse and other systemic oppression of various groups of people?
At the time the protests and riots occurred, many reports made claims that such actions were an attempt to rewrite the history of the nation by imposing today’s moral agenda on a different time and society that knew nothing of today’s standards. I would disagree.
Such actions, rather, indicate that Americans are finally waking up to the difficult truths of their history, and they’re doing so in a way much like a toddler learning to walk. They’re stumbling along the way.
America was formed with a great purpose in mind, but we must not forget that it was done so very imperfectly.
This year, like many before it, has given us the opportunity to stumble and rise again as we work to “disentangle” the good and bad parts of our history. Don’t let the momentum of accountability for our past, present and future stop here.
Members of the Al Hammoud family — Shahad, 12, left, Hind, 14, Nada, 6, Fatima and Nour, 10 — laugh on the couch in their home in Neu-Anspach, Germany, on Friday, Sept. 13, 2019. The Al Hammoud family left Syria when after weeks of bombing in their city, a ordnance exploded next to their home. In desperation, the parents took six of their children and headed for Germany. Their story is one of many Tad Walch covered in 2020. | Shane Thomas McMillan, for the Deseret News
This article was first published in the ChurchBeat newsletter. You cansign up hereto receive the newsletter in your inbox weekly.
Of course some stories are more fun to write than others. Some are more meaningful and memorable. The reason a story rises on any of those measures is almost always because of the people I met and want to share with you.
Here are a few of my favorite stories from 2020:
Watching Misty Pantle walk over and sift through the burned rubble of her home with her three children and her sister was unforgettable. She came to represent the dozens of Latter-day Saint families who lost their homes to a vicious fire in southern Oregon this fall, and she had a tremendous ability to convey their feelings.
After the pandemic began to spread on a dramatic global scale, the church orchestrated a massive global airlift to return some 30,000 missionaries to their native countries. For me, the sandals flying off 13-year-old Bella Steuer’s feet as she ran to meet her returning brother were a symbol of the feelings families had as they welcomed their loved ones safely home again.
The text was short and colorful: “Jell-o Nation.” With that code phrase, the missionaries of the Hong Kong Mission knew that the preceding text ordering them to evacuate to the mission home was real. That tidbit was part of our look at the church’s worldwide response to the pandemic.
Within moments of meeting a 14-year-old Syrian girl on a trip to Europe, I knew she would be the compelling centerpiece of my story on Germany’s response to the refugee crisis. Please meet Hind Al Hammoud and her family and spend some time in their shoes. She is a captivating young woman with a story worthy of your time.
When I started reading the death notices for missionaries in the church’s magazines from 1918, I knew I wanted to write a piece about the parallels between then and now. With the wonderful help of some wise historians who provided deep perspective, we published “200 years later, the story of the Restoration is the story of overcoming adversity.”
The personalities of President Russell M. Nelson, apostles and other church leaders shone through in the footnotes of their October general conference talks, which I mined for lessons about the state of the church around the world and their teachings.
The Kirby family invited me into their home with a photographer to show how Latter-day Saints around the world literally conducted home-centered gospel study after the church shut down all meetings around the world. I also talked to a family in Korea.
The pain remained evident in the men’s voices as I interviewed them 51 years after their college football careers abruptly ended for simply considering a protest during their game with BYU. But I also heard a new and sweet sense of joy and redemption about their remarkable new partnership with the church to bring 180 tons of food to hungry people across the country during the holidays this year.
A returned missionary I interviewed for my popular story on the prayer after the BYU-Boise State game this fall was named a first-team All-American this week. That’s the tremendous honor for Brady Christensen. Last month, I shared how he told me that prayer is a huge aspect of his football career and life.
Another returned missionary just set an NBA record in his rookie season. When the Milwaukee Bucks set the record for most 3-pointers made in one game, 29, it was Sam Merrill who hit the record-shattering 28th 3-pointer for them.
Popular Latter-day Saint youth speaker and BYU religion professor Hank Smith lost his brother to COVID-19. This is a tender profile of what happened.
A missionary painted a “Light of the World” (in German) mural on the Berlin Wall.
Arizona’s Court of Appeals issued a noteworthy ruling recently, overturning a lower court judge’s ruling that “Mormonism does not fall within the confines of Christian faith.” Of course, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints worship Jesus Christ. The longstanding issue is whether its doctrine fits within traditional Christianity. The Court of Appeals said the question is inappropriate to consider in a court of law, based on the First and Fourteenth Amendments.
Behind the Scenes
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
A view of the Salt Lake Temple renovation earlier this month, which marks the end of the first year of work in a four-year project.
MIDVALE — Unified police used a police K-9 early Thursday to arrest a man accused of stabbing a woman inside a motel.
Benjamin Peterson, 21, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of aggravated assault resulting in serious injury, aggravated assault, burglary, spitting on police, interfering with an arrest and intoxication.
Just before 1 a.m. police were called to the Inn Towne Suites, 151 W. 7200 South, on a report of a guest being assaulted.
Officers arrived to find Peterson holding a pair of scissors and disobeying officers’ commands, according to a police affidavit.
“After attempts to de-escalate and take Benjamin into custody, he attempted to run toward officers with the scissors in hand. Benjamin stumbled and dropped the (scissors),” the affidavit states.
After “lunging” toward officers in “an aggressive manner,” police deployed a Taser twice on Peterson “with minimal effect. Benjamin was able to disable the (Taser) by disconnecting the wires,’ the affidavit says.
After Peterson stood up and began walking toward officers again, a police K-9 was deployed and was able to hold him until he was taken into custody.
Detectives then reviewed recorded surveillance video from the motel showing that prior to officers arriving, Peterson was chasing his girlfriend with a weapon, according to the affidavit.
“Benjamin is also seen running through the hallways in an apparent attempt to locate (her). He is seen forcing his way into a room,” police wrote.
A woman in the room — whom Peterson did not know — had opened her door to see what was going on. When she did, Peterson head-butted her in the chest as she opened the door, then sat on top of her and punched her in the face, the affidavit states.
“He had an object in his hand that he used to hit her with” and she later realized “she had been stabbed in the right side,” police wrote in the report. The woman suffered multiple cuts to her right side and a puncture wound.
Detectives reported finding a “large bloody knife” in the victim’s room and “large amounts of blood throughout the hotel hallways.”
SALT LAKE CITY — A Salt Lake man was charged Thursday with murder in a shooting that started with an attempted robbery inside a bar.
Kasim Mumin Sheikh-Mumin, 41, is charged in 3rd District Court with murder and five counts of discharging a firearm causing serious injury, all first-degree felonies; and possession of a gun by a restricted person, a second-degree felony.
On Dec. 22, three people — Salesi Tvivailala Katoa, 37, of Salt Lake City, George Wolfgramm, 29, and Vilaketi Bloomfield, 24 — entered the Kings Lounge, 25 Kensington Ave., after it was closed, according to charging documents. Sheikh-Mumin was already inside with two other people. He was previously acquainted with Katoa, police say.
The trio asked to see Sheikh-Mumin and another woman's watches. After handing them the watches, Bloomfield held the woman and another man at knifepoint while Wolfgramm “was fighting and repeatedly punching” Sheikh-Mumin in the head, the charges state.
That’s when another man with Sheikh-Mumin pulled out a gun and shot Wolfgramm in the arm, according to the charges. He then fired another round as Wolfgramm, Bloomfield and Katoa ran out the door.
The woman ran after the trio because they still had her watch. Moments later, she reentered the bar after being shot in the arm, the charges state. The other man put his gun down to attend to the woman. That’s when Sheikh-Mumin allegedly picked up the gun and walked outside.
Eight to nine shots were heard, and Sheikh-Mumin walked back in the bar shortly after stating, “I think I killed him,” according to the charging documents.
Katoa was found deceased in the driver's seat of a car parked outside the business. Nine shell casings were found by police near the car and Katoa was shot seven times, the charges state.
Responding officers also followed a blood trail that led them to Wolfgramm, according to the charges.
At the time of his arrest, police said “detectives have reason to believe that (Sheikh-Mumin) was no longer in grave danger” at the time he allegedly shot Katoa, who was trying to get away.
Due to prior convictions, Sheikh-Mumin was prohibited from possessing a gun.
In 2012, Sheikh-Mumin pleaded guilty to attempted possession or use of a controlled substance and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, court records show. In 2017, he pleaded guilty to unlawful acquisition or possession of a transfer card.
In 2019, Sheikh-Mumin was charged with exploiting prostitution, possession or use of a controlled substance, and use or possession of drug paraphernalia.
Bloomfield has also been charged several times in 2020, including on Thursday when he was charged in 3rd District Court for an incident on Dec. 10 with theft by receiving stolen property, failing to stop for police, drug possession and interfering with an arresting officer.
Wolfgramm was charged with theft by receiving stolen property in November and had a warrant out for his arrest at the time of the shooting for failing to shot up to court, according to court records.
Rep. Chris Stewart, R-Utah speaks at an election night event for Republican candidates at the Utah Association of Realtors building in Sandy on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
I agree with Chris Stewart that countering misinformation is vital (“Rep. Chris Stewart: The biggest threat to our country is misinformation,” Dec. 15). I disagree, however, with what he identifies as its core cause: people who believe, among other things, that our country is deeply flawed. His view seems rooted in mistrust. As he notes, there are people who believe that to create a better America we have to break it down and build it back up. One might strongly disagree with that approach, but what we all share is the desire for a better America.
No country is perfect, and a first step in building strength is to identify weakness. We certainly don’t take notes on how to improve from other countries; for us, productive criticism must come from within. Many citizens today enjoy rights secured by patriots willing to critique (and fight against) the nation’s status quo (Civil Rights Act of 1964, 19th Amendment, etc.). The heart of our country’s problem with trust does not lie here.
Oddly, Stewart doesn’t acknowledge the pervasive misinformation from the president. His cries of a fraudulent election continue despite dozens of court cases dismissed, dropped or lost. If at this point his lawyers haven’t been able to present evidence of fraud in court, why do we abide claims that sow deep mistrust in our electoral processes? This corrosive disinformation goes to the heart of our democracy. Where is Chris Stewart’s voice on this?
Outgoing Utah Gov. Gary Herbert gives a farewell speech in a prerecorded video message on Monday, Dec. 28, 2020. | State of Utah
Editor’s note:On Thursday, U.S. Sen. Mike Lee honored outgoing Utah Gov. Gary Herbert with a speech on the Senate floor. Read his remarks as prepared for delivery.
Mr./Madam President,
I rise today to honor my friend, Gary Herbert, governor of the state of Utah for the last 12 years, who after a long career in public service is embarking on a well-earned retirement.
He has served the state of Utah with enthusiasm, dedication and spirit, and I am grateful to have worked alongside him throughout his tenure.
Gary was born in American Fork, Utah, and grew up in Orem. He served a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on the East Coast and later attended Brigham Young University.
He first began his public service after college, serving in the Utah Army National Guard for six years and becoming a staff sergeant.
After his time in the National Guard, he set up a real estate firm and eventually became president of the Utah Association of Counties and Utah Association of Realtors.
Starting in 1990, he served as a commissioner on the Utah County Commission for 14 years and then began his service at the state level.
In 2004, when Jon Huntsman ran for the governor’s seat, Gary became his running mate for lieutenant governor, with the pair going on to win the race that November.
It was then that I first got to know him myself, when I was hired to be the general counsel for Gov. Huntsman.
One of my first memories of him was when we began to move into the governor’s office suite.
The day before he was sworn in, Gary came and gave a warm welcome to all the staff, along with sound advice about the importance of staying grounded as we entered the political fray.
I soon learned that he was not only a skilled politician, but also a formidable pingpong player.
Right after he and Gov. Huntsman were sworn in, the staff got together as a team several times at the governor’s mansion, where there was a pingpong table in the basement.
I then learned the hard way that Gary’s table-tennis skills are off the charts.
While serving Gov. Huntsman, I always found Gary to be friendly, approachable and willing to tackle every assignment with eagerness and poise.
Whenever Gov. Huntsman’s schedule became chaotic or would change unexpectedly, Lt. Gov. Herbert would routinely be dispatched to speak on his behalf — often to remote corners of the state and often at inconvenient times.
He never once complained and was not only willing, but always eager and happy to help.
Likewise, whenever there was an issue that needed to be addressed and the governor was unable to meet with a particular group, Gary was assigned the case.
He would meet with all the different stakeholders, legislators, and people from different sides of an issue, bringing them all together and wading through the intricate details of the matter.
What’s more, he had the skill of figuring out the best path forward for all parties involved and for making everyone feel heard and understood.
The same traits I saw in him as lieutenant governor would go on to make him an effective and beloved governor himself. In office since 2009, he is currently the nation’s longest-serving governor.
And our state has seen exciting achievement and prosperity with Gov. Herbert at the helm.
In the last eight years, Utah has seen continued, steady growth in our economy — with improvement in our GDP, number of jobs and unemployment rate.
We have seen the boom of Silicon Slopes.
We celebrated the centennial of the driving of the Golden Spike, when it was an honor to stand alongside him at the celebratory reenactment.
And so too was it an honor to join Gary when President Trump shrank Bears Ears National Monument, when we could stand together and celebrate reclaiming the land back for the people of Utah.
Through his enthusiasm and zeal, Gary has championed our state and the things that we stand for. He can rattle off figures and metrics about Utah at the drop of a hat and is a compelling spokesman for our values.
His spirit has helped Utah to attract talent and investment and to make it the good place that it is to live.
Not only that, but Gary has been an instrumental partner in supporting initiatives that reflect and strengthen the values of our state.
To champion the reclamation of our lands, he signed into law the Utah Transfer of Public Lands Act.
He also signed into law innovative criminal justice reforms in Utah, making a far-reaching impact across the state and paving the way for the work Congress and President Trump were able to do at the federal level.
He has been a strong supporter of Utah’s family culture, and was helpful in the Senate’s work promoting the child tax credit during tax reform. And on a more personal note, he had the wisdom to put my brother, Tom Lee, on the Utah Supreme Court.
For all his public achievements, Gary is most proud, however, of his own role as husband, father and grandfather.
He and his wife Jeanette have six children together, as well as 16 grandchildren, and he is known to encourage them to “follow in his footsteps and marry up.”
In a myriad of ways, Gov. Gary Herbert has been a champion and a spokesman for all that is good about our state.
It has been an honor to serve the people of Utah with him, and I wish him all the best as he embarks on his retirement.
Outgoing Utah Gov. Gary Herbert gives a farewell speech in a prerecorded video message on Monday, Dec. 28, 2020. | State of Utah
Editor’s note:On Thursday, U.S. Sen. Mike Lee honored outgoing Utah Gov. Gary Herbert with a speech on the Senate floor. Read his remarks as prepared for delivery.
Mr./Madam President,
I rise today to honor my friend, Gary Herbert, governor of the state of Utah for the last 12 years, who after a long career in public service is embarking on a well-earned retirement.
He has served the state of Utah with enthusiasm, dedication and spirit, and I am grateful to have worked alongside him throughout his tenure.
Gary was born in American Fork, Utah, and grew up in Orem. He served a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on the East Coast and later attended Brigham Young University.
He first began his public service after college, serving in the Utah Army National Guard for six years and becoming a staff sergeant.
After his time in the National Guard, he set up a real estate firm and eventually became president of the Utah Association of Counties and Utah Association of Realtors.
Starting in 1990, he served as a commissioner on the Utah County Commission for 14 years and then began his service at the state level.
In 2004, when Jon Huntsman ran for the governor’s seat, Gary became his running mate for lieutenant governor, with the pair going on to win the race that November.
It was then that I first got to know him myself, when I was hired to be the general counsel for Gov. Huntsman.
One of my first memories of him was when we began to move into the governor’s office suite.
The day before he was sworn in, Gary came and gave a warm welcome to all the staff, along with sound advice about the importance of staying grounded as we entered the political fray.
I soon learned that he was not only a skilled politician, but also a formidable pingpong player.
Right after he and Gov. Huntsman were sworn in, the staff got together as a team several times at the governor’s mansion, where there was a pingpong table in the basement.
I then learned the hard way that Gary’s table-tennis skills are off the charts.
While serving Gov. Huntsman, I always found Gary to be friendly, approachable and willing to tackle every assignment with eagerness and poise.
Whenever Gov. Huntsman’s schedule became chaotic or would change unexpectedly, Lt. Gov. Herbert would routinely be dispatched to speak on his behalf — often to remote corners of the state and often at inconvenient times.
He never once complained and was not only willing, but always eager and happy to help.
Likewise, whenever there was an issue that needed to be addressed and the governor was unable to meet with a particular group, Gary was assigned the case.
He would meet with all the different stakeholders, legislators, and people from different sides of an issue, bringing them all together and wading through the intricate details of the matter.
What’s more, he had the skill of figuring out the best path forward for all parties involved and for making everyone feel heard and understood.
The same traits I saw in him as lieutenant governor would go on to make him an effective and beloved governor himself. In office since 2009, he is currently the nation’s longest-serving governor.
And our state has seen exciting achievement and prosperity with Gov. Herbert at the helm.
In the last eight years, Utah has seen continued, steady growth in our economy — with improvement in our GDP, number of jobs and unemployment rate.
We have seen the boom of Silicon Slopes.
We celebrated the centennial of the driving of the Golden Spike, when it was an honor to stand alongside him at the celebratory reenactment.
And so too was it an honor to join Gary when President Trump shrank Bears Ears National Monument, when we could stand together and celebrate reclaiming the land back for the people of Utah.
Through his enthusiasm and zeal, Gary has championed our state and the things that we stand for. He can rattle off figures and metrics about Utah at the drop of a hat and is a compelling spokesman for our values.
His spirit has helped Utah to attract talent and investment and to make it the good place that it is to live.
Not only that, but Gary has been an instrumental partner in supporting initiatives that reflect and strengthen the values of our state.
To champion the reclamation of our lands, he signed into law the Utah Transfer of Public Lands Act.
He also signed into law innovative criminal justice reforms in Utah, making a far-reaching impact across the state and paving the way for the work Congress and President Trump were able to do at the federal level.
He has been a strong supporter of Utah’s family culture, and was helpful in the Senate’s work promoting the child tax credit during tax reform. And on a more personal note, he had the wisdom to put my brother, Tom Lee, on the Utah Supreme Court.
For all his public achievements, Gary is most proud, however, of his own role as husband, father and grandfather.
He and his wife Jeanette have six children together, as well as 16 grandchildren, and he is known to encourage them to “follow in his footsteps and marry up.”
In a myriad of ways, Gov. Gary Herbert has been a champion and a spokesman for all that is good about our state.
It has been an honor to serve the people of Utah with him, and I wish him all the best as he embarks on his retirement.
Levi Atkinson, a University of Utah Health medical assistant, sanitizes his air-purifying respirator after administering a nasal swab COVID-19 test, offered by the Wellness Bus and University of Utah Health, at the Utah State Fairpark in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
SALT LAKE CITY — The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many societal sacrifices, leaving most everyone wanting for a sense of normalcy.
Perhaps more than anyone else, health care workers want to see things change.
But with another record high daily case count on Thursday, it’s anyone’s guess as to how long this may last.
“Caring for patients the way we used to” is something Mackenzie Visentin, a nurse manager at the Women’s Center at Intermountain Healthcare’s Alta View Hospital, hopes the future will bring.
“My wish for 2021 would be that we would see something after COVID,” she said, adding that she’s proud of her team of nurses who have “chosen to have a good attitude through this challenge.”
“We have never been challenged to this extent,” said Breno Rodrigues, acute care physical therapist at Alta View. “There have been days we’ve been on our last nerve ... fuses have been very short and we have come together as a group of humans that care about other humans.”
He said the increased stress brought out the best in his colleagues in order to save lives.
Utah has reported 1,269 deaths resulting from COVID-19 infection throughout the state — lives that would not have been lost otherwise. As part of that, 13 new deaths were listed on Thursday.
The known number of infections has reached 276,612 with 4,672 new cases of COVID-19, a new daily record for Utah. The previous record for cases reported in a single day was 4,588 on Nov. 20 and 5,352, including backlogged data reported on Nov. 14.
“Today’s case counts are a sobering reminder that we are still in this battle. With schools and universities set to reopen in the coming weeks, each of us must do our part now to ensure schools can operate smoothly,” according to a statement from the Utah Department of Health.
The health department is asking anyone who traveled or visited with people outside of their own household to assume potential exposure to the virus and limit interactions with others.
Anyone with symptoms, however mild, is asked to get tested and stay home until results are posted. Those with positive tests must isolate for 10 days.
“Doing so can help protect our already strained hospitals and health care workers in the coming days and weeks,” the health department stated.
The percentage of positive tests is still hovering at 25.6%, meaning that 1 in 4 people tested has the virus. It also means that a lot of spread is continuing to go undetected in society, particularly in people who do not get tested.
The state has tested 1.7 million people since the pandemic hit Utah in March.
And while it appeared that hospitalizations were easing up earlier this week, Thursday’s report includes 510 people currently hospitalized with COVID-19.
The health department does not plan to release a COVID-19 update on New Year’s Day.
Visentin said she wishes people would have “come together to wear masks early on ... it’s taken a long time to get the majority to wear masks in our state,” a mistake she said if rectified would have helped to subside the rampant spread of disease a lot sooner.
But even with the seemingly endless need for caregivers to work overtime and become innovative with how they provide care, some health care workers have found a silver lining.
“It’s shown me how strong we can all be in the face of adversity,” said Jake Elkins, a labor and delivery technician at Alta View.
“I am most hopeful that we can come out of this and learn from it and overcome our challenges in the future,” he said, adding that he hopes people will “learn from our mistakes.”
Caregivers, along with others, however, hope to never have to experience another pandemic.
“I’m hopeful for the end of this pandemic,” said Dr. Dean Mayer, medical director at Intermountain’s Riverton Hospital. He said he hopes Utahns come away from this with a knowledge of how important it is to foster “community acceptance and commitment to the safety of each other.”
“We work hard every day to take care of our patients who are very sick,” said Chris Taylor, an imaging technician at Alta View. He’s proud of how much caregivers have accomplished during this trying time and that “very few of us have gotten the virus from our patients.”
“I’ve learned how determined and how resilient our country is, how everyone is throughout the hard times we’ve experienced in 2020,” Taylor said.
The COVID-19 pandemic, they said, is something they’ll be happy to bid farewell, though, just because the year changes, doesn’t mean 2020’s problems will go away. Health care workers are expecting that the vaccine might help put an end to increased capacities and public health regulations preventing more typical social behaviors.
“I want to see my friends again,” said LeAnne Blair, a nurse manager at Riverton Hospital.
So far, the state has issued the first of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine regimen to 30,200 people, though many more doses are waiting in storage, as the process for each vaccination is carefully documented.
“The vaccine has brought hope of brighter days ahead but until every Utahn has the chance to be immunized, we must continue to make small sacrifices now,” the health department said in its statement.
“I’m most hopeful that enough people in our communities will be vaccinated ... so that we can be with our families again and have our life back to normal,” Cathie Randle, a nurse supervisor at Alta View, said. She said families and patients have endured so much suffering and sorrow due to the novel coronavirus.
Health care workers, she said, may have witnessed the pandemic in different ways than the public.
“Sometimes suffering can bring out the best in people,” Randle said. “All of our caregivers have stepped up in this time and worked so many extra hours and have gone above and beyond in so many ways that they’ve just saved the day for each other and the patients.”
The health department reiterated that everyone should “wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth anytime you are in public or around someone you don’t live with. Physical distance as much as possible. Only gather with the people you live with. Wash your hands often. And stay home if you are sick, test positive or have been exposed to COVID-19.”
For more information about the vaccine, case numbers or current public health recommendations, visit coronavirus.utah.gov.
In this Oct. 21, 2020, photo provided by the Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, Gov. Cuomo provides a coronavirus update during a news conference in the Red Room at the State Capitol in Albany, N.Y. Cuomo said Friday, Nov. 13, 2020, that six northeast U.S. governors are having an “emergency summit” on COVID-19 this coming weekend as the coronavirus continues to spread throughout the region. | Mike Groll/Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo via Associated Press
Distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine has sparked a long overdue conversation in America. It is a discussion that reflects the character of the nation, and yet no one seems willing to engage in it.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York sparked outrage in some quarters of his state last week when he prioritized recovering addicts in residential rehab to receive COVID-19 vaccinations ahead of the elderly, teachers and some essential workers.
In explaining his decision, Cuomo said, “These are congregate facilities. Congregate facilities are problematic. That’s where you have a lot of people in concentration.” Groups of people clearly create increased potential for spread of the virus and threat to life.
In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis was also under attack as he decided to prioritize those 65 and older to receive the vaccine ahead of some younger essential workers. His decision jumped 5 million older Floridians to the front of the vaccine line. “Jumping the line” has never been invoked this loudly or often outside of the elementary school recess queue.
The debate over who gets the shot first spans the country. The case has been made that for the continuation of government, federal and state officials and their staffs should get the vaccine, regardless of age. Others make the case for cancer patients, delivery drivers, grocery store workers, state and federal judges, prison inmates, pharmacists, the homeless and those awaiting surgeries.
All of this questioning leads to the overarching question that no one is asking: “What is the value of a life?” Which could be followed by another question: “Is one life more valuable than another?”
We should embrace and become fully engaged in these questions. The question should be asked regarding the aged and infirm at the end of life, as well as the yet-to-be-born at the beginning of life. It should also include those living on the street, in halfway houses or even those in broken homes.
This question about the value of a life transcends who should get a vaccine first. How a society answers that question in the way it treats the poor, the aged, the yet-to-be-born, the most vulnerable, the homeless, the addicted, the sick and so many others, speaks volumes about the character of its nation. That is a conversation worth having, and a character worth discovering, defining and developing.
What is the value of a life? The answer won’t be found by determining who should get a vaccine first. It will be found in the depths of our hearts and then displayed in the way we compassionately treat each other in our daily living.
Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, left, and President Barack Obama spar during a presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y., on Oct. 16, 2012. | Charlie Neibergall, Associated Press
Religious observance has declined steadily over recent decades. That is a shame, because the church, or else ethical prophets, have always been the ones to challenge and correct bad behavior in the citizenry and in politics.
America is now at the point Rome was when that democracy fell: disorder and disarray.
In Rome, a very few retired presidents (consuls), together with others, were elevated to the civic position of “augur” to serve as the conscience of the nation. Augurs were well-versed in ethics, science, theology and law. They taught the people about the unchanging purpose and operation of the founding laws.
A retired consul named Cicero stood up to remind Romans of their traditional citizen responsibilities, but he was too late. Caesar relieved them entirely of those duties.
Where are men, or women, like Cicero today? We have perhaps one, Mitt Romney. Could Barack Obama be another? But that is far too few for the task. And another thing, are these individuals too late and too short of the mark?
CLEARFIELD — A Clearfield man was charged Thursday with sexually abusing a teenage girl that he provided beer to.
Rollison Jr Alpen, 27, is charged in 2nd District Court with object rape, a first-degree felony, two counts of forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony, and three counts of providing alcohol to a minor, a class A misdemeanor.
On Aug. 30, a 14-year-old girl and two friends were at Jacobsen Park in Clearfield where police say Alpen provided them with beer. The girl became intoxicated and Alpen inappropriately touched her, according to charging documents.
One of the girl’s friends told Alpen to go away. The girl later fell asleep on a park bench but awoke to Alpen sexually abusing her, the charges state.
“She told him to stop but he would not,” according to the charges.
When interviewed by police, “Rollinson disclosed he was intoxicated and could not recall if that happened,” according to a police affidavit.
BYU Cougars wide receiver Dax Milne (5) catches the ball for a touchdown during an NCAA football game at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020. Milne announced on Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020, he will enter the 2020 NFL draft. | Yukai Peng, Deseret News
Former walk-on out of Bingham High had a breakout season in 2020
Perhaps the most pleasant surprise for the BYU Cougars as they put together their great 2020 season is moving on.
Leading wide receiver Dax Milne announced via Twitter Thursday that he is skipping his senior season and entering his name in the 2021 NFL draft.
“My heart is full,” Milne wrote in part in a message. “The last 3 years have been a dream come true. The experience I have had playing football for BYU has given me more than I can put into words. It has been such a special place to play the game I love.”
The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Milne arrived at BYU in 2018 as a walk-on out of Bingham High and didn’t do a whole lot his first two seasons, catching 31 passes for 354 yards with no touchdowns. This season, however, he broke out, becoming quarterback and roommate Zach Wilson’s favorite target as Wilson has become a likely first-round pick.
On the year, Milne tallied 70 receptions for 1,188 yards with eight touchdowns and is a finalist for the Burlsworth Trophy, which is given to the best player in the country who started his career as a walk-on.
The 1,188 yards is the fifth-best single-season total in Cougars history, and the 70 receptions is ninth-best.
Milne becomes the second Cougar in as many days to announce he is declaring for the draft, as All-American left tackle Brady Christensen did so Wednesday. Milne is looking to become the first BYU receiver to be drafted since 2009 when Austin Collie was taken in the fourth round by the Indianapolis Colts.
Prior to Collie’s selection, Todd Watkins in 2006 (seventh round by the Arizona Cardinals) was the first Cougars receiver taken since Mark Bellini was taken in the seventh round in 1987 by the Colts.
Col. Jenise M. Carroll, the new 75th Air Base Wing commander at Hill Air Force Base, talks about her new position at the base near Clearfield on Monday, Aug. 3, 2020. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News
HILL AIR FORCE BASE — Long before Col. Jenise Carroll became an accomplished military officer she had a strong sense that she could attain whatever goals she strived for if she put in the effort, even if, she says, it wasn’t always necessary.
“(I was) very energetic, all around sports and very smart,” the Houston native described herself growing up in southeast Texas. “(I) made straight A’s in school, never studied. I’m one of those kids. Would do my homework and go out and play football, dodgeball, you name it, ran track, played volleyball.”
Then, as she approached high school graduation, she thought, “OK, the sports are great, but what do I need to do with my life?”
Steve Griffin, Deseret News
Col. Jenise M. Carroll, the new 75th Air Base Wing commander at Hill Air Force Base, talks about her new position at the base near Clearfield on Monday, Aug. 3, 2020.
The eldest of two daughters, Carroll said she was raised primarily by her mother and maternal grandmother after her father passed away when she was a young kid.
“Really, it was about embracing the village. So it was my mom, her (nine) siblings and so I grew up really, amongst my mother (and her) sisters and brothers,” she said. “That’s really how my foundation was formed, with my grandmother and all of my aunts and uncles.”
“My grandmother was a homemaker ... truly was my bedrock and my inspiration that basically let me know that there was nothing I couldn’t do,” Carroll said. In the ensuing years, she has applied that inspiration to forge a successful career in the U.S. Air Force.
Earlier this year, Carroll took over as the new commander of the 75th Air Base Wing at Hill Air Force Base. A career personnel officer, she had previously served at the Pentagon as director of Legislative Affairs for U.S. Central Command.
In her new role, she leads efforts to support the Ogden Air Logistics Complex, two fighter wings, along with 50 associated units while supervising 27,000 active duty, civilian and contractor personnel. In addition, she also heads up base support for the operation of the 1,500-square-mile Utah Test and Training Range in Utah’s west desert.
Ironically, being a military officer was not anything she aspired to in her youth growing up in Space City.
“My goal was to be a businesswoman and travel the world,” she said. “I would tell my grandmother, ‘I’m going to I’m going to be a Fortune 500 businesswoman, travel the world and make big decisions.’”
While she did make good on those aspirations, her career path was not at all what she imagined. After graduating from high school at 16, she enrolled at the University of Houston but left after a semester because she wanted to save money “to go away to school.”
Having learned about cars from her late father, who built race cars and owned a gas station, she got a job at an auto parts store where she became a manager before joining the Air Force.
“When I (enlisted), my goal was to join, get my degree, get out and then pursue that professional job of being a businesswoman to travel the world. Never in a million years did I believe I’d still be sitting here now as the wing commander of a huge installation — the second largest installation in the Air Force,” Carroll said. “I didn’t even think that it was possible because I’d never seen a female wing commander during all the time as as a young airman.”
She credits having great leaders to help her reach her full potential as an airman. She described how once while serving as a member of the honor guard at a ceremony, Thomas Moorman Jr., a four-star general and former vice chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force, approached her and inquired if she had ever considered becoming an officer.
“My response was ‘no’. And he says, “‘Well, you should think about it,’” she recalled. “At the time, I was like, ‘No, I don’t want to do that. I’m just gonna do my time, get out and then go for it.’”
Not long after another leader, Chief Master Sgt. Al Forte, told her that if she was not going to pursue being an officer then she should get out of the military.
“I challenged the chief and I said, ‘Well chief, I’d like to be the first female chief master sergeant of the Air Force,’ she explained. “He says, ‘Well, I think you’ll be better served to be a commissioned officer.’ And I said, ‘Why is that?’ And he says, ‘I just think you can make a larger impact.’”
“So I thought about it. He said, ‘You really should consider applying. It doesn’t hurt you to apply,’” Carroll said. “So of course, I apply. I get selected and the rest is history. I get commissioned in January of 1996. Looking back, it took them to push me to get a commission because there was no other leaders that I saw that looked like me.”
Since then Carroll has spent the past 20-plus years literally moving up the military ranks to the position she holds today. And she still wants to do more in the years ahead.
“It’s really about how to move things forward when it comes to being a woman in this position. We’ve only had three (female) African American (generals) active duty in the entire 70 years of the Air Force,” she said. “So for me serving as a wing commander, there are no guarantees, but it does afford me the opportunity to get to the next level. If the Air Force invests in me and believes that I should be a general officer, it’s totally up to the Air Force. You get to a certain rank, it’s left up to the Air Force to decide if they will promote you to the next level.”
Sahil Oberoi, director of housing and case management for Utah Community Action, talks about rent relief programs for individuals and families whose income was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic during a press conference at the Neighborhood House in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News
This year, many of our friends and neighbors experienced housing insecurity, sometimes for the very first time. People have struggled to come up with rent, some of them relying on the Housing Assistance Programs to keep a roof over their heads.
The Utah Housing Coalition would like to thank the programs that have worked tirelessly to make sure as many people who needed help could access it. In addition, many landlords across the state have dedicated their time and energy, working to keep their tenants housed through payment options, waived late fees and housing assistance. We extend the deepest gratitude for all who have gone out of their way to keep people in their homes.
We also extend our gratitude to all those who worked to pass the much needed relief bill that will extend the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention moratorium and provide additional funding to the Housing Assistance Program. This will continue to keep Utahns in their homes during the prolonged crisis. In particular, our thanks goes out to Sen. Mitt Romney, who understands the importance to maintain individuals and families housed during this pandemic.
State Rep. Mike Kennedy, R-Alpine, speaks during the Utah Republican Party state convention in 2018 when he challenged Mitt Romney in the U.S. Senate race. Kennedy was chosen to fill an open Utah Senate seat. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
SALT LAKE CITY — A former state lawmaker who ran unsuccessfully against now Sen. Mitt Romney in the 2018 GOP U.S. Senate primary is returning to the Utah Legislature — this time as a state senator.
Republican Mike Kennedy won the Utah County Republican Party’s special election Tuesday night to fill the vacant seat left behind by Senate Majority Whip Dan Hemmert, R-Orem, who resigned to serve as Gov.-elect Spencer Cox’s director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development.
Kennedy previously served in the Utah House when he was first elected in 2012 to fill a seat left vacant by John Dougall when he resigned to run for state auditor. He won reelection twice, but announced he would not seek reelection in 2018 in order to run for U.S. Senate. He lost to Romney in the GOP primary.
But Kennedy handily won over Utah County GOP delegates in Tuesday night’s online special election, consistently beating five other candidates vying for the Senate District 14 seat in all five rounds of voting. In the final round, Kennedy won with 186 votes over 91 votes for Utah Valley Magazine publisher Jeanette Bennett, according to the party’s election results. He also beat candidates David Shallenberger, Staci Valentine Carroll, Jon Anderson and John St. Clair.
“I’m humbled by the amount of support my campaign received,” Kennedy said in a prepared statement issued Wednesday. “I want to thank the voters who entrusted me to represent and advocate for our district, the many people who volunteered, and of course my loving wife who managed my campaign. I love to serve and I’m ready to get to work for the people.”
Kennedy promised to be an “accessible” senator for District 14, which encompasses parts of Alpine, Highland, Cedar Hills, American Fork, Pleasant Grove, Lindon and Orem. He committed to balancing “the health-related needs of citizens with protecting our constitutional rights.
“We have to make sure businesses can function while promoting health and well-being,” Kennedy said. “A lot of people are hurting from the government’s response to COVID-19, and I hope to help our state navigate through this difficult time.”
Kennedy, of Alpine, is an attorney with a law degree from Brigham Young University and doctor with a medical degree from Michigan State University. He campaigned using his medical background, telling delegates in a candidate video “there are currently no medical doctors in the state Senate. And yet one of the top issues the Senate will deal with is the effects of COVID-19.”
“My unique and diverse experience in this race sets me apart,” Kennedy said in the video. “As a physician, I’m a trained listener. As an attorney, I’m a trained advocate. And as a legislator, I learned the best way to find solutions is by working together. The legislative session is just weeks away. Now is not the time for story telling or on-the-job training.”
Kennedy also said he’s been “on the front lines” treating patients and said he personally had COVID-19.
“I’m the only candidate who can speak with credibility on addressing a public health crisis,” he said. “I’ll ensure we use experience, data and sound practices to find solutions that protect public health and our constitutional freedoms.”
Kennedy also promised to help “clear the path for economic recovery,” starting with cutting taxes, removing unnecessary regulations and rolling back excessive government spending. He told delegates he has a “trusted record of supporting education.”
“Everyone in this race will talk about defending religious liberty, the right to life, parental rights, free speech, our Second Amendment, our property rights and more,” he said. “But I’m the only one running with a proven conservative voting record you can trust under pressure.”
Kennedy’s election fills a final vacancy left by former lawmakers who left to work for Cox’s administration. The seat left behind by Lt. Gov.-elect Deidre Henderson was filled by Rep. Mike McKell, R-Spanish Fork, in the November election. McKell’s empty House District 66 seat was filled by retired Maj. Gen. Jefferson Burton, who helped lead day-to-day operations of the Utah Department of Health through the first five months of the pandemic.
BYU head coach Mark Pope talks to his team in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Southern California, Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020, in Uncasville, Conn. | Jessica Hill, Associated Press
BYU managed to play 11 nonconference games during the pandemic.
But the Cougars’ West Coast Conference opener, scheduled for Thursday afternoon at Pepperdine, has been postponed in following contact tracing protocols due to a positive Pepperdine COVID-19 test that came back Wednesday.
It’s the first BYU game that has been postponed this season. The team had already left for Southern California when the announcement was made.
Pepperdine will go on pause and the Waves’ games against BYU and Saturday’s contest against Saint Mary’s are off.
The Cougars (9-2) are scheduled to play at San Diego Saturday (6 p.m., MST).
It’s too soon to know any specifics about this BYU-Pepperdine game, but the plan is to try to reschedule it.
It seemed fitting that the Cougars and Waves were going to play on New Year’s Eve in the WCC opener for both teams.
BYU’s final regular-season game — and final win of the 2019-2020 season — happened in Malibu, California, on Feb. 29.
That day in front of a packed Firestone Fieldhouse, including throngs of BYU fans, Yoeli Childs scored a career-high 38 points on 17 of 27 shooting and collected 14 rebounds in an 81-64 victory.
With the win, the Cougars clinched the No. 2 seed at the WCC Tournament at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.
After postgame interviews with reporters, Childs stuck out his hand as he customarily did in those settings but then quickly pulled back his hand and instead offered an elbow bump.
“We gotta be careful of the virus,” he said.
A couple of weeks later, the NCAA Tournament would be shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic as the world, and lives, would change.
Ten months later, the pandemic rages on.
The Cougars, who have won four straight contests, are hoping to continue winning, challenge perennial league favorite and No. 1 ranked Gonzaga, and earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament in March.
“We know ourselves so much better than we did 11 games ago. I don’t know if I’ve ever learned as much about a team in the nonconference as I have about these guys,” said coach Mark Pope. “We still have so much more to learn and so much more to go but it’s been a barrage of information, really dynamic, changing every game. I’m really proud of the progress we’ve made. We know each other way better. If we can keep going that direction, we do have a chance to be a really terrific team by the end of the season.”
Senior guard Alex Barcello is leading the way for the Cougars, averaging a team-high 16.9 points and 4.8 assists. He’s shooting a 63% from 3-point range, which is No. 1 in the nation among players who have shot 40 or more 3-pointers.
In that game at Pepperdine last season, Barcello broke his left wrist. That injury was never reported at the time and few were aware of it.
Instead of undergoing surgery right away and sitting out for six weeks, Barcello decided to play in the WCC Tournament, where the Cougars fell to Saint Mary’s, 51-50, in the semifinals.
Barcello’s injury occurred with just a few minutes remaining in the game against Pepperdine. After stealing a pass, he raced to the basket and was fouled so hard that he landed on his head and wrist.
His teammate, Jake Toolson, rushed from his seat on the bench and onto the court to check on Barcello. Toolson was ejected from the game.
Trainer Rob Ramos diagnosed the injury as a serious wrist sprain initially but when Barcello’s wrist swelled up the next day, X-rays revealed that the bone was broken.
But Barcello decided to play anyway and his wrist was wrapped up for the Saint Mary’s game. In 32 minutes, he went 1 of 2 from the 3-point line and finished with three points, two assists and one rebound.
“I could still dribble and pass with it but it was definitely painful,” Barcello said last spring. “I obviously didn’t shoot a lot in that game. I played fine. It was painful but I could still push through and use it. It was a pain I had to push through.”
Now, as the Cougars enter conference play, Barcello is pleased with the way his team is playing and what it can achieve.
“We’re 9-2 right now,” he said. “I’m so happy for these guys, the ceiling that we have and how much we have to learn.”
Deseret News Rewind’s Dusty Litster and Dane Stewart reflect on the 2020 Utah high school football season by giving out their annual 6A football awards, including Most Outstanding Player of the Year, Offensive MVP, Defensive MVP, Most Unheralded, Mr. Rewind and Coach of the Year.
A vehicle destroyed in a Christmas Day explosion remains on the street Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020, in Nashville, Tenn. | Mark Humphrey, Associated Press
It’s been a particularly tough year for Nashville, but the city has remained strong.
Against all of 2020’s odds, it was a typical Christmas morning for me. My family woke up at about our usual hour, had our annual Christmas breakfast casserole, opened gifts and cherished the reverence of the holy day. It wasn’t until later that morning that I realized something was amiss, after I received a text message that alerted me to the fact that breaking news was happening in Nashville, just a few minutes down the road from my family’s home on the outskirts of the city.
Much earlier that morning, residents near 2nd Avenue in downtown Nashville were startled awake by the sound of automatic gunfire, which repeated itself at least twice more over the next several minutes. Then came the warnings.
In a scene as disconcerting as anything in fiction, an eerie, computerized voice started emanating from an RV parked there on 2nd Avenue, interrupted dramatically by snippets from Petula Clark’s hit 1964 song “Downtown.” Punctuated by alarm noises that seemed straight out of a dystopian sci-fi movie, it directed everyone nearby to evacuate the area and broadcast a countdown to the detonation of a bomb. (The unsettling message can be heard at the beginning of this video of security camera footage.)
Then the RV exploded, raining destruction on an entire block of historic Nashville buildings. Thankfully, and creditable to the heroic efforts of police officers who responded to the shots of gunfire and successfully evacuated the area, no one besides the suicide bomber was killed, nor did anyone even sustain critical injuries.
FBI/ATF via Associated Press
In this photo provided by the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, FBI and ATF Evidence Response Teams process the scene, Monday, Dec. 28, 2020, of the Christmas Day blast in Nashville, Tenn.
Though I can’t offer eyewitness testimony, I can recount how I felt viewing footage of the aftermath, seeing a familiar street I’ve walked countless times blackened by the blast. To see storefront entrances I’ve crossed through with friends and family simply gone, replaced by rubble, was surreal and scarcely believable.
I’ve line-danced (poorly) at the Wildhorse Saloon, a historic tourist spot I’ve taken many an out-of-town friend to. And I have one or two memories from growing up of eating at Nashville’s Old Spaghetti Factory, where — laugh at me if you must, but I come from frugal Midwestern stock — I felt like royalty as a kid. For Christmas last year, my siblings and I gave our parents a fancy meal at the city’s Melting Pot, a gift they never got to cash in because Nashville was under lockdown for much of 2020. Now all three establishments are gone, their facades blown away by a lone man with a screw loose; the structural integrity of the historic buildings is still being evaluated, but it could be over a year before they reopen.
Brian Ericson, Deseret News
The bomb shattered windows at the historic Washington Square office building, pictured on Dec. 29, 2020, a few blocks away from the detonation site.
It’s been a particularly tough year for my hometown. Back in March, just a week or two before the coronavirus gripped the nation, a pair of tornadoes ripped through the city, killing 25 people and injuring 309. One of those tornadoes became by some metrics the sixth-costliest in U.S. history. In May, after the pandemic was in full swing, Nashville was slammed by a “derecho” that felled trees and damaged buildings all over the metro, leaving 130,000 people without power for several days. Then in June, the mayor and city council approved a massive 34% property tax increase, a blow to families and businesses that were already struggling under the pandemic and the city’s strict lockdown responses to it.
Now, fittingly for 2020, we have a bomb.
And yet, Nashville has remained as tough as the year. Through each challenge, something of an unofficial motto has emerged: #NashvilleStrong. With a dogged determination and relentless hope emblematic of the rest of the nation, Nashville has shown what America looks like at her best:
After the tornadoes, the Volunteer State lived up to its name, with hordes of kindhearted folks out on the streets clearing debris and delivering food and supplies to the storm’s victims. After the wind storms, rather than anarchy, people waited their turn at huge intersections with defunct streetlights, and neighbors lent one another backup generators. And now, less than a week after the bomb, the streets of downtown still bustle with residents and tourists, familiar music blaring out of Broadway’s honky-tonks just feet away from police tape reading “Crime Scene — Do Not Cross” that blocks off an entire district of the city.
It’s an extraordinary resilience that the rest of the country can both aspire to but also already embodies. From wildfires in California to the deadly September windstorm right here in Utah, 2020 has shown that as a nation, we’re a tough crew. And if we carry that scrappy hope into the New Year, we have a bright future to look forward to.
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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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Steve Griffin, Deseret News
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FBI/ATF via Associated Press
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Brian Ericson, Deseret News
