With the federal shutdown dragging into its third week, the Salt Lake City International Airport has opened a food pantry to help unpaid federal employees. 🔗 Utah News Dispatch: buff.ly/1sq7DaI

McAdams’ reemergence underscores what’s at stake in Utah’s maps: whether moderate, solutions-focused leaders can realistically compete. 🔗 Utah Political Watch: buff.ly/ZyRJjC5

Let’s be clear: paying people top dollar to undo a voter-approved reform isn’t “saving Utah,” it’s selling it off. Real democracy can’t be bought by those already in power. 🔗 Utah Political Watch: buff.ly/h6wBpRs

The GOP’s repeal push isn’t just about maps, it’s about maintaining a system where power is concentrated, unaccountable, and insulated from the public’s voice. 🔗 KSL: buff.ly/guvhHVB

Lawmakers gave preliminary approval to a bill clarifying ownership of geothermal energy, which could determine which specific land rights are needed to profit from the state’s abundant geothermal energy. 🔗 Utah News Dispatch: buff.ly/G0okXZl

Utah officials are preparing to launch a state-approved digital ID system that would allow residents to verify their identity digitally. 🔗 KUTV: buff.ly/v7KfMeP

The real test is whether lawmakers are willing to apply this kind of restraint not just to bill counts but to their appetite for power grabs and culture-war legislation. 🔗 FOX 13:

Sen. John Curtis told the Conservative Climate Summit that the federal government shutdown could last a long time because Americans aren’t feeling the pain of this shutdown as they normally do. 🔗 Salt Lake Tribune: buff.ly/QyFhjLz

The Utah GOP, along with their friends in high places like the Utah Attorney General @agderekbrown are out to steal more power for themselves by erasing what Utahns votes for in 2018: fair voting maps.

Utahns showed that democracy still has defenders willing to show up. The No Kings movement speaks to a deeply rooted belief that no person, president or otherwise, is above accountability. 🔗 KSL: buff.ly/bkJLVCd

This case is about more than lines on a map—it’s about whether Utahns get a fair shot at having their voices heard. 🔗 Utah News Dispatch: buff.ly/UL0HB51

Thatcher’s exit highlights a quiet realignment underway in Utah politics. The Forward Party remains small but represents a growing discomfort among moderate conservatives with a hardline GOP. 🔗 Utah Political Watch: buff.ly/cvKdbuL

🚵 National parks open to off-road vehicles? Senators Mike Lee and John Curtis have introduced a bill to open Capitol Reef National Park to off-road vehicle access. buff.ly/cpglb8t

💸 Property taxes surging across Utah Utah’s property tax system is supposed to reflect fairness and shared responsibility—but right now, it’s doing the opposite. Corporations can shield parts of their property data while families see their bills soar. buff.ly/wljBzpg

With the federal government shut down, state leaders slow-walking reform, and accountability in short supply, this weekend’s “No Kings” Rallies are a chance to show that Utahns still believe in democracy—not monarchy. Find your local rally here: buff.ly/uYBUQAN

🏘️ Housing shortfall projected by 2055 A new study found that Utah needs to build 842,515 homes by 2055 to keep up with demand, but is projected to come up short by 235,000 homes under current growth. buff.ly/c4MBg1w

🧑⚖️ Cox mulls change: expanding Utah Supreme Court The move would shift the balance of influence on the state’s highest court, especially at a time of growing disputes between the judiciary and the Republican supermajority in the state legislature. buff.ly/xwIP9QS

Redistricting: Utah GOP moves to block changes to electoral map, undo voter-backed law  Utah News Dispatch: buff.ly/YjFXZRc Decline to sign and tell your friends & neighbors

Utah’s higher-ed enrollment bucks national trends (many states are seeing declines). That growth can provide leverage in political and budget negotiations, especially as lawmakers continue to scrutinize higher education spending. 🔗 Deseret News:

After the high-profile murder at Utah Valley University, a lawmaker is proposing that all state colleges perform regular security vulnerability assessments. 🔗 Utah News Dispatch: buff.ly/3GCZGNv

The Utah GOP is gathering signatures to overturn Prop 4—the voter-approved law for fair, independent redistricting. This is a power grab to protect gerrymandered maps. Utahns voted for fair maps in 2018. Read more: buff.ly/DgMGnlU

A recent analysis finds that compensating agricultural producers to reduce water usage delivers greater conservation per dollar than many regulatory approaches. 🔗 KSL: buff.ly/Hu8wyVH

More statutes with harsher penalties may satisfy law-and-order messaging, but the long-term outcomes—rising incarceration costs, backlogged courts, reentry challenges—are rarely scrutinized in the legislative process. 🔗 KUER:

With Utah’s plaintiffs withdrawing, the issue moves squarely into the legal realm. The Supreme Court’s upcoming decisions in related cases become critical and will determine the future of Utah’s transgender sports ban. 🔗 The Salt Lake Tribune:

Amid a broader trend of airports rejecting a partisan video by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, SLC International Airport has confirmed that it will not show it, citing state law that bars political content on city-owned equipment. 🔗 The Salt Lake Tribune: buff.ly/74s8E8O

Utah advocates warn of potential scarcity in food assistance if shutdown continues While October’s benefits are secured, the looming uncertainty for November marks a serious risk. buff.ly/dG0s7rp

Cloud seeding might help a little but it won’t fix the root causes of our water crisis. Utah can’t pray or spray its way out of drought while still approving massive water-intensive developments. 🔗 FOX 13: buff.ly/ygTgeZp

Every dollar funneled to private schools is a dollar that doesn’t reach the classroom where most Utah kids actually learn. Education should lift every child, not create a two-tiered system for those who can afford more. 🔗 Salt Lake Tribune:

Public service should be judged by merit, not ideology. Rejecting a qualified Latina leader because she stood for inclusion sends the wrong message about who belongs in Utah’s institutions. Diversity isn’t a threat—it’s a strength. 🔗 Salt Lake Tribune:

Upcoming event: No Kings Protest - October 18 | All Day | Statewide Find your local protest here:

The federal shutdown is already hitting Utah’s economy and workers—from IRS employees in Ogden to staff at Hill Air Force Base. But if Congress doesn’t act soon, key healthcare programs such as premium assistance and Medicaid could also be at risk.

Utah’s record-breaking graduation numbers are worth celebrating. Education lifts families, strengthens communities, and fuels opportunity. 🔗 Deseret News: buff.ly/kWBLakK

A Utah business is moving forward with a new geothermal project that doesn’t rely on groundwater—potentially a major breakthrough for renewable energy in arid regions. 🔗 Utah News Dispatch:

Utah’s homelessness system needs improvement, but speed isn’t the same as progress. Local coalitions—from St. George to Ogden—understand their communities best. A truly compassionate system listens first and acts with care, not control. 🔗 The Salt Lake Tribune:

Utah’s “shutdown economy” makes clear how interconnected our communities are. When public workers are sidelined, local businesses bleed too. It’s a reminder that government jobs aren’t abstract—they keep Utah’s economy humming. 🔗 KUER:

Utah Rep. Blake Moore warned this weekend that the painful government shutdown is about to get “really, really dramatic and pretty bad in a week or two,” but his party’s actions helped make this crisis possible. 🔗 The Salt Lake Tribune:

Get Utah’s top headlines distilled for you with The Beehive Briefing; a near daily newsletter with bite size versions of big stories buff.ly/52MW4kg

KUER reports that a flaw in the Utah GOP’s preferred “partisan bias” test may distort how “fairness” in congressional maps is measured. buff.ly/zQ3pNsE

The fight for fair maps isn’t over. With the Legislature’s map now in court, Utahns should stay informed and engaged. Follow Better Boundaries(buff.ly/8G1I7uW ) and The Beehive Briefing(buff.ly/5o2SB0k ) for updates as the judge reviews the maps.

ICYMI Utah News Dispatch published our analysis comparing three maps under consideration—two drawn by plaintiffs and one by lawmakers—showing how each would shift partisan outcomes and representation across the state. buff.ly/yqtEUfu

Utah’s energy future shouldn’t be dictated by hype or haste. Nuclear power may play a role in reducing carbon emissions, but transparency, safety, and long-term waste solutions must come first. 🔗 FOX 13: buff.ly/N6y2zpd

🙏 Faith and Fair Maps: Mormon Women for Ethical Government’s Role in Redistricting NPR profiled Mormon Women for Ethical Government (MWEG), one of the plaintiffs whose lawsuit forced Utah lawmakers to redraw the state’s congressional map.

Now that Utah lawmakers have voted on which map to send to the court, and the plaintiffs have submitted their map, there are three maps for the judge to choose from. We created an easy to understand analysis of these maps: buff.ly/teXq6Yz

The Bureau of Land Management leased over 17,000 acres for oil & gas development last week, most of it in eastern & central Utah. Conservation & recreation groups say the sale threatens public lands and outdoor economies, warning it could signal a broader rollback of protections.

A tweak to Utah law by Sen. Chris Wilson requiring strict compliance with the truth in taxation process led to the denial of 35 local tax increase requests this year. The move has frustrated city leaders who say it limits their ability to maintain basic services. 🔗 KSL: buff.ly/jjslTm8

Every child deserves the chance to play, belong, & grow. Utah’s transgender sports ban was never about fairness—it was about fear. While the courts debate, real kids are left feeling excluded. 🔗 KUER: buff.ly/7BnzZjD

Lawmakers also approved a bill granting broad authority to raise the berm separating the Great Salt Lake’s north and south arms. 🔗 KSL: buff.ly/LVAI8Cd

Another bill passed Monday transfers the authority to select the Utah Supreme Court’s chief justice from the justices themselves to the governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate. buff.ly/ZQXRHJd

As the Legislature passed the new congressional map, one Utah Republican, Sen. Brady Brammer, suggested impeaching the judge overseeing the redistricting case if the court rejects their plan and selects one of the plaintiffs’ maps. buff.ly/KrWDPUU

Republican lawmakers also passed a new set of “redistricting standards” during the session—rules they wrote themselves to define what fairness supposedly looks like. 🔗 KUER: buff.ly/reb6cAu