This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Debate commission readying third podium for possible third-party invite. Utahn plans independent bid for president. Poll: Herbert has strong lead over Weinholtz.

Happy Tuesday. Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson could get his wish. The venues that will host the presidential debates are drawing up plans for a three-person forum that would provide a lectern for a third-party candidate to stand on stage next to Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. Johnson has yet to meet the 15-points-in-the-polls threshold but he has continued to rise as frustration with both major-party candidates increases. [<a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2016/08/debates-clinton-trump-johnson-stein-226806">Politico</a>]

<strong>Topping the news: </strong>Evan McMullin, a Provo native and BYU alum with years of CIA counterterrorism experience, entered the presidential as an independent candidate Monday; although, his chances of winning are not high. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/home/4209714-155/provo-native-byu-grad-joins-race"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/mckaycoppins/anti-trump-republican-launching-independent-presidential-bid?utm_term=.dwWDbdxN9#.xdpPGR7ky"; target="_blank">Buzzfeed</a>] [<a href="http://fox13now.com/2016/08/08/anti-trump-conservatives-recruit-candidate-for-wh-bid/"; target="_blank">Fox13</a>] [<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/08/politics/evan-mcmullin-conservative-trump-clinton/"; target="_blank">CNN</a>] [<a href="http://www.nationalreview.com/article/438790/evan-mcmullin-conservative-presidential-candidate-national-review-interview?utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A+Trending+Content&utm_content=57a95cfd04d30145af60b04d&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter" target="_blank">NationalReview</a>] [<a href="http://www.vox.com/2016/8/8/12401642/evan-mcmullin-president-trump"; target="_blank">Vox</a>]

-> A UtahPolicy poll shows Donald Trump holds the lead in Utah, but Libertarian Gary Johnson is gaining traction. [<a href="http://utahpolicy.com/index.php/features/today-at-utah-policy/10413-poll-donald-trumpmaintains-lead-in-utah-libertarian-gary-johnson-surging"; target="_blank">UtahPolicy</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865659665/Poll-Trump-leads-Clinton-in-Utah-Libertarian-Johnson-surging.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>]

-> Another part of that poll shows Gov. Gary Herbert with a 41-point lead over Democrat Mike Weinholtz. [<a href="http://utahpolicy.com/index.php/features/today-at-utah-policy/10425-">UtahPolicy</a>]

-> Brigham Young University is under federal investigation for the way it handles reports of sexual assault. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4209983-155/former-student-madi-barneys-complaint-spurs"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865659718/BYU-under-investigation-by-Department-of-Education-for-handling-of-sexual-assault-reports.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>] [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/byu-under-federal-investigation-for-how-it-handles-sexual-assault-reports"; target="_blank">KUTV</a>]

<strong>Tweets of the day: </strong>From <a href="https://twitter.com/DanaSchwartzzz"; target="_blank">@DanaSchwartzzz</a>: "<a class="twitter-atreply pretty-link js-nav" href="https://twitter.com/Evan_McMullin">@Evan_McMullin</a> be honest are you doing this for the twitter followers? because I checked this morning and you had 150 and now you have 18k"

From <a href="https://twitter.com/itsmattfred"; target="_blank">@itsmattfred</a>: "Michael Phelps/Katie Ledecky 2016"

From @<a href="http://www.twitter.com/gdebenedetti">gdebenedetti</a>: "What Bernie Sanders' primary effort was to minor league hockey arenas, Hillary Clinton's campaign is becoming to swing state craft breweries."

From <a href="https://twitter.com/ddiamond"; target="_blank">@ddiamond</a>: "Lilly King is tougher on Russia than Donald Trump's foreign policy plan."

<strong>Happy Birthday: </strong>to former Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff.

<strong>In other news:</strong> Two Salt Lake City police officers were justified in shooting a 17-year-old when a drug deal went wrong outside a homeless shelter, Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill has ruled. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4208284-155/justified-police-are-cleared-in-shooting"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://kuer.org/post/county-prosecutor-says-abdi-mohamed-shooting-justified"; target="_blank">KUER</a>]

-> Several LGBT advocacy groups want the Big 12 to shun BYU because of the school's intolerance of homosexual behavior. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/sports/4209943-155/byu-athletics-lgbt-groups-call-for"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/25-groups-petition-big-12-not-to-add-byu-to-conference-over-lgbt-issues"; target="_blank">KUTV</a>]

-> Millcreek mayoral candidate Fred Healey is dropping out of the race because of his kidney cancer. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4210112-155/ailing-candidate-fred-healey-is-leaving"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865659724/Healey-withdraws-from-Millcreek-mayoral-race.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>]

-> The Federal Trade Commission says Draper-based 1-800 Contacts has eliminated competition by entering into agreements with competing companies that have increased consumer prices. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4209281-155/federal-regulators-say-1-800-contacts-illegally"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

-> Utah is assessing how much Rocky Mountain Power coal waste washed into Price River during a flash flood Thursday. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4208271-155/utah-assessing-how-much-rocky-mountain"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

-> West Jordan is considering $240 million in tax breaks as part of an effort to convince Facebook to build a data center there. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4208725-155/w-jordan-considers-a-240m-incentive"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865659720/Facebook-data-center-may-break-ground-this-month-in-WJ-despite-concerns.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>]

-> Over 2,000 public employees in Salt Lake County earn six-figure compensation packages. Here's a look at the highest earners in each jurisdiction. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4143055-155/who-says-civil-servants-cant-make"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

-> The University of Utah hospital is cutting back on wasteful testing, which saves the hospital around $10 million every year. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4108146-155/u-hospital-cutting-wasteful-testing-to"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

-> Native American leaders and government officials are meeting at the annual Native American Summit, where yesterday they discussed educational and economic opportunities, as well as tribes' access to health care. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4208577-155/utah-regional-tribal-and-state-leaders"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

<strong>Nationally:</strong> Donald Trump outlined some of his economic policies, including affordable child care and income tax reductions, in a speech in Detroit. [<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/09/us/politics/donald-trump-economy-speech.html?emc=edit_ne_20160808&nl=evening-briefing&nlid=75850776&te=1&_r=0"; target="_blank">NYTimes</a>] [<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/08/trump-econ-speech-detroit/494888/?utm_source=nl-atlantic-daily-080816"; target="_blank">Atlantic</a>] [<a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2016/08/trump-economy-226799"; target="_blank">Politico</a>] Fortune fact-checked the speech. [<a href="http://fortune.com/2016/08/08/fact-check-trump-speech-economy-detroit/?xid=timehp-popular"; target="_blank">Fortune</a>]

-> Fifty Republican national security experts signed a letter saying Trump "would be a dangerous President and would put at risk our country's national security and well-being." [<a href="http://time.com/4444125/trump-gop-security-experts/"; target="_blank">Time</a>] [<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/group-of-50-former-gop-national-security-officials-trump-would-be-most-reckless-president-in-american-history/2016/08/08/6715042c-5d9f-11e6-af8e-54aa2e849447_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_trumpletter-430pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory" target="_blank">WaPost</a>]

-> The United States is leading in the Olympic games with 19 medals. [<a href="http://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/rio-2016/medals/countries/china"; target="_blank">BBC</a>] [<a href="http://www.cbssports.com/olympics/news/rio-olympics-2016-day-3-schedule-events-and-how-to-watch-live-stream/"; target="_blank">CBS</a>]

<strong>Where are they?</strong>

<ul>

<li>Gov. Gary <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/GovHerbert"; target="_blank">Herbert</a> </strong>attends the Native American Summit at Utah Valley University in the morning. In the afternoon, he attends the Public Education Leadership quarterly meeting at the State Capitol. In the evening, he attends Deer Valley Music Festival in Park City.</li>

<li>Lt. Gov. Spencer <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/SpencerJCox"; target="_blank">Cox</a></strong> spends the day at the Native American Summit at Utah Valley University.</li>

<li>State Auditor John <strong><a href="http://twitter.com/FrugalDougall"; target="_blank">Dougall</a> </strong>releases an audit report titled "Review of Internal Controls at the  Utah Communications Authority."</li>

<li>SL Co. Mayor Ben <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/MayorBenMcAdams"; target="_blank">McAdams</a> </strong>attends a County Council meeting and hearing.</li>

</ul>

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— Thomas Burr and Kayla Goodson

<a title="Thomas Burr" href="https://twitter.com/thomaswburr"; target="_blank">Twitter.com/thomaswburr</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/kay_goodson"; target="_blank">Twitter.com/kay_goodson</a>