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Behind the Headlines: Interior wants to shrink Bears Ears, lawmakers consider eliminating the food tax and state school board gets an earful about optional courses

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) The two buttes that make up the namesake for the Bears Ears National Monument reveal the vast landscape surrounding them as part of the 1.35 million acres in southeastern Utah protected by President Barack Obama on Dec. 28, 2016. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has recommended that the monument be reduced in size.

Welcome to this week’s episode of “Behind the Headlines,” where we speak to Salt Lake Tribune reporters about the biggest news of the week.

After a review of national monument sizes around the country, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s recommendation to President Donald Trump includes shrinking Utah’s Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante. Utah lawmakers discuss eliminating sales tax on food during a special session of the Legislature. And the Utah Board of Education hears from critics and proponents of the decision to make health, physical education, career awareness and arts courses optional for middle school students.

At 9 a.m. Friday, Salt Lake Tribune reporters Benjamin Wood, Taylor Anderson and Brian Maffly, as well as columnist Robert Gehrke, join KCPW’s Roger McDonough to talk about the week’s top stories.

Each Friday morning, stream “Behind the Headlines” online at kcpw.org or tune in to KCPW 88.3 FM or Utah Public Radio for the broadcast.