This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Senate votes to begin the end of Obamacare. SL County, SLC spar over homeless plans. Lt. Guv: Utah has 'serious need' for affordable housing.

Happy Thursday. Republicans have begun to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare as it's known affectionately and not so affectionately. After debating seven hours through the night, the Senate voted early this morning to take the first real step toward repealing Obamacare — a top goal of congressional Republicans and President-elect Donald Trump. Republicans said the 2010 health care law is broken and must be repealed and replaced with something better — although just what that replacement plan will look like has not yet been revealed by congressional leaders. [<a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/01/11/senate-begins-obamacare-repeal-process-all-night-voting-marathon/96447956/">USAToday</a>]

-> Meanwhile, residents near the Simpson Avenue property want city officials to pick a new location outside of their neighborhood for the shelter. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4792311-155/residents-pack-meeting-say-only-solution?fullpage=1">Trib</a>]

-> Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox says Utah has a "serious need for more affordable housing." [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4808326-155/poor-utahns-face-big-shortage-of">Trib</a>]

<strong>Tweets of the day: </strong>From: @<a href="https://twitter.com/KyleNeubeck">KyleNeubeck</a>: "you know who *hasn't* been accused of committing treason with the Russian government? Joel Embiid #NBAVote"

-> From @<a href="https://twitter.com/deonbenfrank">deonbenfrank</a>: "Remember when Obama refused to take a question from Fox after they kept pushing the birther conspiracy? Me neither."

-> From: @<a href="https://twitter.com/MrTommyCampbell">MrTommyCampbell</a>: "Trump spent ages insisting Obama born in Kenya citing 'extremely credible source' and now he's crying about fake news."

-> From @<a href="https://twitter.com/jdawsey1">jdawsey1</a>: "Have lived in DC two weeks and have had as many intense political conversations outside work as I had during almost five years in NYC."

<strong>In other news: </strong>Pat Bagley offers his take on the diverging opinions of city and county officials over which space is "the place" for homeless shelter sites. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/4809452-155/bagley-cartoon-this-is-the-place">Trib</a>]

-> Columnist Robert Gehrke suggests SLC Mayor Jackie Biskupski may have a pattern of keeping residents in the dark. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4804431-155/gehrke-once-again-the-mayors-tin?fullpage=1">Trib</a>]

-> Gehrke also takes aim at President-elect Donald Trump, saying he behaved like an orangutan at Wednesday's press conference. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4808587-155/gehrke-a-more-tempered-trump-a">Trib</a>]

-> Utah environmentalists are suing the Diesel Brothers, personalities from a TV show on The Discovery Channel, for modifying vehicles to produce 30 times the amount of emissions allowed under current limits. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4808971-155/utah-environmentalists-file-suit-against-discovery">Trib</a>]

-> The Park City Council will purchase the approximately 1,400 acres known as Bonanza Flats. [<a href="http://www.parkrecord.com/news/park-city-reaches-38-million-deal-to-acquire-bonanza-flats/">ParkRecord</a>]

<strong>Nationally:</strong> President-elect Donald Trump covered a lot of ground at his Wednesday press conference, including calling CNN "fake news" and saying "Russia will have much greater respect for our country when I'm leading it." [<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/11/us/politics/trump-news-conference-highlights.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=b-lede-package-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news">NYTimes</a>] [<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-admits-to-russian-hacking-even-as-he-attacks-us-intelligence-community/2017/01/11/40941a34-d817-11e6-b8b2-cb5164beba6b_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_trump802pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.544dd8bdd038">WaPost</a>]

-> Trump says he shifted his company assets into a trust to be managed by his two sons in an attempt to avoid conflicts of interest; the company, he says, will also not make any foreign deals during his presidency. [<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-outlines-plan-to-shift-assets-give-up-management-of-his-company/2017/01/11/8c7527d8-d801-11e6-b8b2-cb5164beba6b_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_business-interest-1220p%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.9b196a47f9db">WaPost</a>] [<a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/trump-business-ties-conflicts-233468">Politico</a>]

<strong>Where are they?</strong>

<ul>

<li>Rep. Jason <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/jasoninthehouse"; target="_blank">Chaffetz</a></strong> chats with the postmaster general and casts his vote.</li>

<li>Rep. Mia <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMiaLove"; target="_blank"><strong>Love</strong></a> sits in on a Financial Services Committee meeting, speaks with staff, attends a coin ceremony and votes.</li>

<li>Lt. Gov. Spencer <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/SpencerJCox"; target="_blank">Cox</a></strong> visits a masters of public administration class and sits in on a Utah State Board of Education meeting.</li>

<li>State Auditor John <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/FrugalDougall"; target="_blank">Dougall</a> </strong>meets with the Utah State Board of Education's finance committee, reviews audit reports and chats with Boyd Matheson of the Sutherland Institute. <strong> </strong></li>

<li>President Barack <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/BarackObama"; target="_blank">Obama</a> </strong>holds meetings in the White House.</li>

</ul>

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— Thomas Burr and Miranda Tilley

<a title="Thomas Burr" href="https://twitter.com/thomaswburr"; target="_blank">Twitter.com/thomaswburr</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/mtilley11">Twitter.com/mtilley11</a>