Utah first lady Abby Cox, left, her sister Lisle Dewey, center, and husband Gov. Spencer Cox help put together 1,500 thank-you kits for Utah’s foster and kinship families at Bridle Up Hope in Alpine on Tuesday, April 27, 2021. Gov. Cox called for more volunteering and less bickering Saturday at the state GOP Convention | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
Gov. Spencer Cox and members of congressional delegation push for party unity: “We are not a selfish party ... and it’s time to act like it,” Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox told the 1,904 delegates in attendance at the Utah Republican Party’s Organizing Convention on Saturday that they need to spend more time volunteering and coming together.
Cox, and Sen. Mitt Romney received boos and obvious disapproval at moments from some in attendance, but they and other political leaders continued to emphasize the need for unity as the state convention to select a new party leader got underway.
“Government was never designed to solve all of our problems,” Cox said. “If we want smaller government, we need bigger people.”
He encouraged Utah’s GOP to engage in better behaviors — “instead of protesting at the home of a local health care leader,” serve at the local food bank; and “instead of listening to another talking head on some radio or news program,” engage a new neighbor in uplifting conversation.
Cox touted some of the state’s accomplishments amid erratic boos and shouts from passionate republicans in attendance, including low unemployment, kids in school the greatest number of days, and a stellar economy despite the ongoing pandemic and the state’s reaction to it.
He said, “I know some of you hate me for some of the decisions that have been made,” but he encouraged all to come together.
“We are not a selfish party ... and it’s time to act like it,” Cox said on Saturday. The newly elected governor, who’s approval ratings have continued to climb throughout his months-long administration, said he’s made good on many of his campaign promises, including cutting taxes, cutting regulations and dealing with the pandemic.
He said that at the end of this school year, students will no longer be required to wear face masks, drawing strong positive reaction from the crowd.
“And there will be no more masks this fall. That is done,” Cox said to widespread applause.
The crowd at the Maverick Center in West Valley City turned on Sen. Mitt Romney when he appeared on stage, to the point of having to be told by outgoing party chairman Derek Brown to “be respectful.”
“Aren’t you embarrassed,” Romney chided, adding that he knows some people don’t like him.
“I’ve expressed my mind as I believe is right and I’ve followed my conscience as I believe is right,” he said, also calling himself “an old-fashioned Republican.”
“If we divide our party, we’re going to be a losing party,” Romney said. “The only way we’re going to win is by coming together.”
Sen. Mike Lee, as well as Representatives Chris Stewart, Blake Moore and Burgess Owens also addressed the crowd, garnering strong support as they expressed pride for the Republican Party.
“We love our country, God, family and respect women and authority,” Owens said, prior to denouncing racism and bigotry.
Lee thanked the crowd for being there.
“It’s a sign that you have faith in our future ... that you’re optimistic about our future,” he said before criticizing U.S. President Joe Biden for increasing American dependence on government, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for being “all about the control and not much about the disease.”
Biden this past week addressed the nation and announced growth in government programs that would total trillions of dollars, drawing criticism from Republicans and concern from some Democrats worried about the cost.
Stewart, who wasn’t at the convention, had members of his staff talk about his accomplishments. They played video and radio messages from Stewart, after emphasizing that the congressman hopes Americans can debate and disagree, but respectfully.
“I am troubled by the thunder of contempt that surrounds us,” Stewart said, adding that such contempt “is tearing at the fabric of our democracy.” He said people need to “speak with kindness, disagree with respect and listen” to others.
Freshman Rep. Blake Moore thanked the many who put him on the political path, then outlined his priorities — “military, public lands and county assistance,” while pushing to bring down federal spending.
And, Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes, who also endured a mixed reaction from the crowd, said he has withstood various attempts from “cancel culture” to shut him down.
“I’m still here, fighting for you,” he said.
Saturday’s convention aims to elect a new party chairperson, vice chairperson, secretary and treasurer, as the current leadership is moving on.
Stanford wide receiver Simi Fehoko (13) runs the ball during the first half of an NCAA college football game between UCLA and Stanford Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020, in Pasadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu) | AP
On Thursday afternoon, Simi Fehoko tweeted, “This weekend my childhood dream comes true. Thank you Heavenly Father.”
On Saturday, that became official, as the former Brighton High and Stanford wide receiver was taken by the Dallas Cowboys in the fifth round (179th overall pick) in the 2021 NFL draft.
“Wide receiver wasn’t considered much of a need for the Cowboys, who tout one of the more explosive groups in the NFL,” NFL.com’s Mark Dulgerian wrote in analyzing the pick. “However, Fehoko is an impressive size/speed specimen who can immediately help on special teams coverage units as he refines the details of route running.”
Listed at 6-foot-4 and 227 pounds, Fehoko broke out as a junior at Stanford in 2020, finishing with 37 receptions for 574 yards with three receiving touchdowns, which earned him First Team All Pac-12 honors. That led him to declare for the draft last December.
“He’s big, and he’s an athlete. Unfortunately, athleticism is less important for projecting wide receiver success, but it can have a major impact on draft position. ... Fehoko was able to use his size and speed to make big plays at the collegiate level, though perhaps not as often as you’d hope for a future NFL star,” wrote Pro Football Focus’ Kevin Cole.
The pick was applauded by a couple of former Utah high school stars — Zach Wilson, the BYU and Corner Canyon High quarterback to went No. 2 overall to the New York Jets, and former Bingham tight end Dalton Schultz, who plays for the Cowboys.
Incidentally, Fehoko was drafted by the Cowboys with the same pick they used a year ago to select another player with Utah ties, as they took former Utah defensive end Bradlee Anae with the 179th choice in 2020.
Phoenix Suns guard Cameron Payne drives as Utah Jazz forward Royce O’Neale (23) defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, April 30, 2021, in Phoenix. | Matt York, Associated Press
The Utah Jazz, without Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley, fell to the Phoenix Suns 121-100 on Friday night at Talking Stick Resort Arena.
High notes
The Jazz have a 45-18 record on the season, now tied with Phoenix in the win-loss column. Although the Suns own the head-to-head tiebreaker, the Jazz have a pretty easy schedule ahead of them. They’re a very good team tied for the best record in the league, but you wouldn’t know it from Jazz fans on social media. The Jazz are still in a very good spot with just nine games left in the regular season.
With two of the Jazz’s best players unavailable, Quin Snyder played around with the rotations a little bit, bringing in Trent Forrest and Jarrell Brantley at the end of the first quarter, starting the second half with Derrick Favors in place of Rudy Gobert and then bringing in Ersan Ilyasova to play with Forrest later on. Playing with rotations and subs is a good thing, especially if the game is an obvious blowout.
Also, Snyder unloaded the bench with just over eight minutes left to play, giving the Jazz’s most heavily used players a good amount of rest heading into tomorrow’s back-to-back home game against the Toronto Raptors.
Joe Ingles was aggressively shooting the ball and hit a 3 right out of the gate for the first score of the game. Love to see that kind of quick trigger and aggressive approach from him. He couldn’t hit another 3 for the rest of the night, but he kept shooting, and that’s a good sign.
There were a few times I found myself a little surprised by Jordan Clarkson’s on-ball defense. When he wants to be, he can be a pretty pesky defender.
Low notes
Royce O’Neale passes up open shots still. Nothing new there.
Bad shooting all around for the Jazz.
One thing you absolutely can’t do against the Suns is commit live-ball turnovers. They run and they run fast. The Jazz must have missed that memo.
“In this type of situation, against a team that is as good as Phoenix, you’re never going to be perfect, but you can’t make mistakes.” —Quin Snyder
Flat notes
I tried my best to talk people off the ledge before this game even happened. This was pretty much a scheduled loss considering that the Jazz were without Mitchell and Conley. That does not mean the Jazz are a bad team. It does not say something bigger about the Jazz that they have lost three games to the Suns. The Jazz lost the fourth game of the season to the Suns, an overtime game when they shot 25% from 3-point range, then they lost on Friday without two All-Stars. This is not the end of the world, no matter how much people on Twitter want you to think it is.
“You can’t look at this like it’s the end of the world or nothing. They still got games to play, we still got games to play. We’ve got to suit up tomorrow and beat Toronto.” —Jordan Clarkson
The Logan Grizzlies cruised into the 4A second round with a 3-0 shutout victory over Pine View. Logan’s Andy Martinez and Adrian Espinoza each recorded a goal and an assist to help boost the Grizzlies to the win.
Ben Lomond beat Tooele Friday afternoon for the third time this season, but this win carried more weight than the other two as it sent the Scots into the 4A second round. Riley Wright scored just three minutes into the game to help Ben Lomond secure the win.
The Aviators secured their spot in the 4A second round Friday afternoon by defeating Bear River by three goals. Tyson Carter and Landon Dunn each netted a brace for Cedar Valley.
Rhett Christophersen scored two goals in the first half for Uintah, but after Hurricane rallied in the second half to force overtime and then eventually penalty kicks, the Utes prevailed 6-5 in the shootout to advance to the 4A second round. Bryson Allen converted the winning penalty kick for Uintah, while keeper Macort Pickup made two penalty saves in the shootout.
The Reds advanced to the 4A second round thanks to a five-goal rout of Canyon View. Isaac Fletcher notched a hat trick for Cedar. Fletcher now has a team-high 13 goals on the season.
American Leadership Academy picked up its fourth win of the season on Friday and its third shutout with a 2-0 defeat of Union. Goalkeeper Marcus Haston was credited with the clean sheet for the Eagles who will play Morgan in the second round of the 3A playoffs.
Providence Hall picked up its second win of the season with a four-goal thrashing of South Sevier. Alan Dedic scored three of the Patriots’ five goals to help his squad advance into the second round.
Summit Academy opened its playoff quest with a dominant 8-0 victory over San Juan. Elias Holt recorded a hat trick for the Bears and Beckham Blair followed closely with two goals of his own. Summit Academy will now play in the second round of the 3A state tournament.
The Eagles thrashed the Thunderbirds Friday afternoon to punch their ticket into the 2A second round. Juan Medina (three goals) led the five separate goal scorers for the Eagles.
After a first half that saw them gridlocked with North Sevier, Merit Academy netted four goals over the final 40 minutes to secure a fairly comfortable first round playoff win. Sandro Diaz and Leo Monje each scored two goals for the Knights.
Kaleb Begg scored two goals while Kyler Begg added a goal and three assists as ICS picked up the first round win in the state tournament. Isaiah Longoria recorded the shutout.
Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) dries as Phoenix Suns forward Cameron Johnson (23) and guard Cameron Payne (15) defend during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, April 30, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) | AP
The Utah Jazz, who have been at the top of the NBA standings for the majority of the 2020-21 season, fell to No. 2 in the Western Conference with a road loss to the Phoenix Suns on Friday night.
Though the two teams are tied in the win-loss columns, Phoenix owns the tiebreaker, having swept head-to-head season series 3-0 against the Jazz.
The Jazz have nine regular season games remaining, starting with the second game of a back-to-back on Saturday against the Toronto Raptors, a game that kicks off a five-game home stand for the Jazz.
The Suns beat a depleted Jazz, who were playing without Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley.
Mitchell, who has missed seven games with a right ankle sprain, is scheduled to be re-evaluated on Saturday with an update on his status to follow.
Conley has missed two games after aggravating the hamstring that has been nagging him all season. Though he has missed time and only played in one back-to-back set this season in order to manage the stress on his hamstring, Conley has said that most of it has been out of an abundance of caution.
The Jazz are one of just four teams to have already clinched a playoff berth.
President Joe Biden departs after attending Mass at St. Joseph on the Brandywine Catholic Church as snow falls, Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021, in Wilmington, Del. | Patrick Semansky, Associated Press
Religious groups remain divided over the president’s approach to immigration, LGBTQ rights and other issues.
At his inauguration, President Joe Biden promised to be a unifying leader. But, 100 days and several faith-related policy moves later, religious groups remain divided over whether he has their best interests in mind.
More liberal denominations have applauded many of Biden’s actions, including efforts to reduce anti-LGBTQ discrimination and boost abortion rights. But these same decisions angered conservative people of faith, including leaders from Biden’s own church.
“The unalienable dignity of women and their unborn children deserves so much more,” said one Catholic archbishop after the Biden administration announced it would increase access to a chemical abortion pill.
He and other Catholic leaders are so angry with the president’s approach to abortion rights that they’ll vote this summer on whether Biden should still take communion, according to The Associated Press.
When faith groups from across the political spectrum have united, it’s usually been to push back against something Biden has done. For example, religious leaders of all stripes cried out when the administration tried to keep a Trump-era plan for refugee admissions in place.
“We’re in a global refugee crisis,” said Mark Hetfield, president and CEO of HIAS, a Jewish refugee resettlement organization, to Religion News Service last month. “This is a time to demonstrate real leadership.”
Overall, around half of Catholics (58%) and Protestants (47%) approve of the job Biden has done so far, according to Gallup. By comparison, 71% of religiously unaffiliated Americans are pleased with the president after 100 days.
Here’s a list of Biden’s key faith-related actions from the past three months, as well as notable responses from religious leaders.
Repealed President Donald Trump’s ban on travelers from some Muslim-majority countries
Within hours of taking office on Jan. 20, Biden signed an executive order rescinding Trump’s travel ban. Many religious leaders credited faith-based activism with inspiring the move.
“We have fought tirelessly for this moment,” said Iman Awad, legislative director for the Muslim group Emgage Action, in a statement at the time.
The travel ban, which Trump presented as a national security measure, was seen by many faith groups as an assault on religious freedom. Leaders from a variety of denominations praised Biden for standing up for Muslims’ rights.
The policy change “will help ensure that those fleeing persecution and seeking refuge or seeking to reunify with family in the United States will not be turned away because of what country they are from or what religion they practice,” said leaders from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Sent an immigration reform bill to Congress
Faith groups were also broadly supportive of Biden’s early work on immigration reform, which began on Inauguration Day. That’s when he sent his immigration plan to Congress and signed executive orders pausing certain deportations, as well as construction on the border wall.
“We ... celebrate what this legislative proposal symbolizes: a renewed appreciation for the ways in which the United States is strengthened by the contributions of immigrants,” said Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, in a statement on Biden’s immigration bill.
Since January, some of these good feelings have fizzled out, as the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border has grown more chaotic. But many religious leaders are confident that Biden remains committed to putting humane policies in place.
“We know that changes will take time but applaud President Biden’s commitment to prioritize assisting our immigrant and refugee brothers and sisters,” said Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishop’s Committee on Migration, in a February statement.
Instructed federal officials to tackle anti-LGBTQ discrimination
In yet another executive order signed on Inauguration Day, Biden took aim at anti-LGBTQ discrimination. The order expands federal civil rights protections by stating that existing bans on “sex discrimination” cover attacks on gay and transgender people, as well.
“It is the policy of my administration to prevent and combat discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation,” Biden wrote.
Leaders from more conservative faith groups were quick to point out that such a policy change could put church-state partnerships in jeopardy.
Federal officials may interpret the order to mean they shouldn’t work with denominations that oppose same-sex marriage, said Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, in a January statement.
“Ultimately, if this executive order is able to be fully carried out, it will affect everyday Americans who hold biblical and conservative values,” he said.
Ryan Anderson, president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C., tweeted that the order undermined Biden’s promise to work toward unity.
“Calls for unity while advancing (a) radical, divisive agenda ring hollow,” he said.
Rescinded the “global gag rule” keeping U.S. aid recipients from discussing abortion
Conservative religious leaders were also outraged by Biden’s decision to revoke the so-called Mexico City Policy, which kept some recipients of U.S. aid money from discussing abortion with their clients.
“Foreign aid is a vital part of American leadership in the world and should be used to protect life, not end it,” said Russell Moore, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, in a statement on the decision.
Biden is far from the first Democratic president to rescind the rule, but his Catholicism made the decision more controversial.
The Catholic Church officially opposes abortion rights. However, surveys have shown that around half of Catholics believe abortion should be legal.
“It is grievous that one of President Biden’s first official acts actively promotes the destruction of human lives in developing nations,” said leaders from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in a January statement.
Reestablished the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships
At several points in his presidency so far, Biden has leaned on faith groups to help him achieve his goals. For example, he’s urged religious leaders to talk to their congregations about the COVID-19 vaccine.
Getting vaccinated is “how we’re going to defeat this virus and that’s how we’re going to come together again in our communities, in our houses of worship,” he said during an April 1 call with pastors and other community leaders, according to The Hill.
In February, Biden showed his support for more formal church-state partnerships by reestablishing the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships. For the past two decades, the office has helped coordinate government outreach to religious organizations.
“I’m reestablishing the (office) to work with leaders of different faiths and backgrounds who are the frontlines of their communities in crisis and who can help us heal, unite and rebuild,” Biden said at the time.
A wide variety of religious leaders celebrated the move, as well as Biden’s decision to appoint Melissa Rogers, an expert on religion and policy, to lead the office.
“When she served in the Obama administration, Rogers successfully worked with people across faiths and the nonreligious to adopt policies that protect the religious freedom of people who use federally funded social services,” said Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, in a Feb. 14 statement.
Called on Congress to pass the Equality Act
One month after angering some conservatives with his executive order on LGBTQ discrimination, Biden stirred up more controversy by reiterating his support for the Equality Act, legislation that would add protections for gay and transgender Americans to the federal Civil Rights Act.
“The Equality Act provides long overdue federal civil rights protections for LGBTQ+ Americans, preventing discrimination in our housing, education, public services and lending systems. I urge Congress to swiftly pass this historic legislation,” the president tweeted on Feb. 19.
The bill would also limit certain religious freedom protections, leaving faith-based organizations more vulnerable to discrimination lawsuits. For this reason, some religious leaders have asked policymakers to either revise the Equality Act or abandon it.
“The Equality Act would discriminate against people of faith,” wrote five leaders from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in a February letter to Congress
Other faith leaders share Biden’s support for the bill, which passed the House on Feb. 25. They applaud the president for acknowledging that LGBTQ rights and religious freedom do not need to be in conflict.
“The Equality Act is a step forward to the full — and overdue — citizenship rights for LGBTQ persons,” said Rabbi Jack Moline, president of Interfaith Alliance, in a February statement.
The Equality Act is currently awaiting Senate action. Biden urged policymakers to make the legislation a priority during his address to Congress on April 28.
“I ... hope Congress can get to my desk the Equality Act to protect the rights of LGBTQ Americans,” he said.
Biden has yet to weigh in on the Fairness for All Act, which is sponsored by Rep. Chris Stewart, a Republican from Utah.
Unlike the Equality Act, the bill would balance LGBTQ civil rights protections with enhanced religious freedom rights. For this reason, it may be more palatable for Republican leaders and, therefore, have an easier route through the Senate.
Sanctioned two Chinese officials over human rights abuses
In March, the Biden administration, along with Canada, the United Kingdom and the European Union, sanctioned Chinese leaders over their treatment of ethnic and religious minority groups. Religious freedom advocates saw the coordinated action as a powerful step toward protecting people of faith around the world.
“Today’s announcement represents a major victory for religious freedom and an important step toward holding China accountable,” tweeted the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom on Mar. 22.
Later that month, Biden’s State Department described China’s actions toward its Muslim citizens as “genocide and crimes against humanity” in a report on human rights practices around the world.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations is among the faith groups that have praised Biden for being tough on China while also calling on him to do even more.
“Now that the Biden administration has recognized that China is committing genocide, our nation must take every possible action to stand against these crimes against humanity,” said the council’s executive director, Nihad Awad, in a March statement.
Decided not to raise the refugee ceiling but then agreed to reconsider
Biden’s most contentious faith-related decision came in mid-April, when the administration announced it would not raise a Trump-era limit on refugee admissions as soon as originally planned.
The pushback from people of faith was swift and intense. Religious leaders from across the political spectrum accused Biden of breaking his promises.
“The number of refugees who will be welcomed this year is far short of what we can do as a country and is not an adequate response to the immense resettlement need,” said Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Migration, in a statement released April 19.
Within a few hours, officials from the Biden administration announced it would reconsider the original plan. Refugee resettlement experts expect the new ceiling to be announced sometime in May.
“As Jews, we know too well the harm of turning away those seeking refugee. Our own historical experiences throughout the centuries remind us what it is like to be uprooted from home and to seek refuge in other countries. We demand nothing less than a significant increase in refugee admissions from an administration whose stated values must be matched by actions that reflect justice and compassion,” Rabbi Pesner from the Reform Jewish Movement said in a statement.
Juan Diego and Ogden play in a high school soccer game at Juan Diego on Wednesday, April 21, 2021. Juan Diego won 5-4 on penalty kicks. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
