This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated.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.

Obama's White House staff say goodbye on their final day. Poll: 52 percent of Utahns have an unfavorable view of Trump. Scathing audit takes issue with UFA's former leaders.

Happy Thursday. For many aides to President Barack Obama, today is the last day. Their time is up. After 10 or eight years or so serving their boss, some White House staffers will be turning off the lights and headed into a new adventure after today ahead of the inauguration of incoming president Donald Trump. [<a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/obama-aides-last-week-233819">Politico</a>]

<strong>Topping the news: </strong>Some 52 percent of Utahns have an unfavorable view of President-elect Donald Trump as he steps into power, a new poll shows. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4835790-155/most-utahns-give-thumbs-down-on-trump">Trib</a>]

-> A scathing audit accused former top Unified Fire Authority leaders of misusing public money and recommended the authority's board seek criminal investigations. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4834326-155/audit-says-former-fire-authority-leaders?page=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865671322/Scathing-audit-says-ex-chiefs-overbilled-hid-expenses.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>] [<a href="http://fox13now.com/2017/01/18/improper-bonuses-trips-and-porn-found-in-audit-of-unified-fire-authority/"; target="_blank">Fox13</a>] [<a href="http://www.good4utah.com/news/local-news/ufa-audit-reveals-misuse-of-funds-porn-use-with-company-equipment/642184960"; target="_blank">ABC4</a>] [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/former-fire-chief-calls-foul-on-scathing-audit-of-his-tenure"; target="_blank">KUTV</a>]

-> Polygamists from all over Utah are gearing up to fight Rep. Mike Noel's HB99, which seeks to leave no questions about polygamy's felony status in the state, and to humanize and protect the practice. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4817857-155/utah-polygamists-unite-to-oppose-latest"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

<strong>Tweets of the day: </strong>From @<a href="https://twitter.com/katewillett"; target="_blank">katewillett</a>: "Listening to Obama praise his daughters right now and really appreciating the way he's able to do that w/o implying he'd like to date them."

From @<a href="https://twitter.com/ryanbeckwith"; target="_blank">ryanbeckwith</a>: "Last chance for White House reporters to futilely shout out questions as he walks away."

From @<a href="https://twitter.com/MEPFuller"; target="_blank">MEPFuller</a>: "Free tweet storm idea: All the things Trump nominees don't know, like eating lead is bad, or that there are federal school disability laws."

From @<a href="https://twitter.com/jackhealyNYT"; target="_blank">jackhealyNYT</a>: "Of all the times to be an ocean away from Wyoming and interviews with its bear-besieged schoolchildren."

<strong>Happy Birthday: </strong>To our friend James Seaman.

<strong>In other news: </strong>An American Fork attorney says he's sick of standing by as Rep. Jason Chaffetz' serves himself in Washington — so much that he's considering running against him in 2018. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4834811-155/possible-gop-challenger-to-rep-jason"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

-> 280 people died on Utah roads in 2016 as yearly traffic fatality rates continue to creep up and officials beg for more seatbelt-wearing and less aggressive driving. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4830292-155/number-of-fatalities-on-utah-roads?page=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865671336/Utah-road-fatalities-hit-10-year-high.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>] [<a href="http://fox13now.com/2017/01/18/data-shows-2016-was-deadliest-year-on-utah-roads-in-last-decade/"; target="_blank">Fox13</a>] [<a href="http://www.good4utah.com/news/local-news/why-are-utah-road-fatalities-on-the-rise/642297420"; target="_blank">ABC4</a>] [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/utah-roads-claim-280-lives-in-2016-77-related-to-drug-alcohol-use"; target="_blank">KUTV</a>] [<a href="http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/the-deadliest-year-on-utah-roads-since/article_38230fb4-c387-5330-a2df-7d9e5cddd070.html"; target="_blank">Herald</a>]

-> A rezone critical to a planned new development near Trolley Square passed the Salt Lake City Council on Tuesday and moved on to the Historic Landmark Commission for review. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4834880-155/development-near-trolley-square-moves-ahead"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865671302/SL-City-Council-gives-thumbs-up-to-rezone-for-Trolley-Square-project.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>] [<a href="http://fox13now.com/2017/01/18/trolley-square-gets-zoning-approval-for-major-additions-including-apartments-and-hotel/"; target="_blank">Fox13</a>]

-> Salt Lake City Council members weren't too gung-ho on Tuesday about Mayor Jackie Biskupski's hope to negotiate with the Federal Aviation Administration to reopen Wingpointe Golf Course, but council member Charlie Luke convinced them to table the issue. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4830341-155/hope-for-wingpointe-golf-course-survives?page=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

-> Utah and Rocky Mountain Power will use a federal grant and state funds to build a network of electric vehicle charging stations from Salt Lake City to Disneyland to Yellowstone over the next three years. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4836217-155/rocky-mountain-power-state-leaders-plan"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865671358/Grant-will-drive-1500-miles-of-electric-vehicle-charging-stations.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>]

-> A lawyer for Utah ex-Attorney General John Swallow petitioned Tuesday to have Judge Elizabeth Hruby-Mills removed from Swallow's public corruption trial for what he argues are consistent biased rulings. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4834112-155/swallow-says-judge-is-biased-wants?page=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865671330/Ex-AG-John-Swallow-claims-judge-biased-wants-her-removed-from-case.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>] [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/former-attorney-general-asks-judge-to-be-removed-from-case"; target="_blank">APviaKUTV</a>]

-> Meanwhile, state prosecutors move to block the defense from using Davis County Attorney Troy Rawlings, who worked on the dismissed case of Mark Shurtleff, Swallow's predecessor, as a witness in Swallow's trial. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4835448-155/state-shurtleff-prosecutor-should-not-testify"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

-> A Utah Hospital Association official predicts how President Donald Trump will go about replacing the Affordable Care Act — and how he should respond to House and Senate politicians who disagree about the details. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4834892-155/obamacare-replacement-will-define-trump-presidency"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865671364/Utah-health-care-exec-says-Obamacare-changes-are-inevitable.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>]

-> The University of Utah celebrates Martin Luther King, Jr. week with keynote speaker Ta-Nehisi Coates touching on police violence, the modern fight for civil rights and the incoming president. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4835073-155/shadow-of-trump-inauguration-looms-over"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

-> Pat Bagley depicts a hot-headed Trump decrying the legitimacy of an overheating Earth. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/4835531-155/bagley-cartoon-hottest-year"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

-> Erin Alberty follows a 70-year old Navajo woman through her old home land in Bears Ears. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4830065-155/alberty-experiencing-bears-ears-through-the"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

<strong>Nationally:</strong> President Barack Obama addressed a room full of reporters for his last time as president on Wednesday. He promised not to stay silent if he felt hard lines were being crossed in the next administration, bid the press farewell with gratitude and said he thinks "we're going to be OK." [<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/18/us/politics/obama-last-news-conference-as-president.html"; target="_blank">NYTimes</a>] [<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-to-hold-final-news-conference/2017/01/18/033bc4c6-dd98-11e6-918c-99ede3c8cafa_story.html?utm_term=.a4605e0ba9a9"; target="_blank">WaPost</a>]

-> Senate Democrats exposed some of Trump Cabinet nominees' weaknesses in their crackdown at Wednesday's confirmation hearings. [<a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/al-franken-elizabeth-warren-senate-confirm-233805"; target="_blank">Politico</a>] [<a href="http://time.com/4638457/cabinet-nominee-rep-tom-price-grilled-on-stock-investments/"; target="_blank">Time</a>] [<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/18/politics/betsy-devos-elizabeth-warren-student-loans/index.html"; target="_blank">CNN</a>]

-> President-elect Donald Trump fills out his Cabinet just in time for Inauguration Day with his pick Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue for secretary of agriculture. [<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/18/us/politics/sonny-perdue-agriculture-secretary.html?ref=politics"; target="_blank">NYTimes</a>] [<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-picks-sonny-perdue-for-agriculture-secretary/2017/01/18/a26abbc0-ddec-11e6-ad42-f3375f271c9c_story.html?utm_term=.87677e09fce7"; target="_blank">WaPost</a>]

<strong>Where are they?</strong>

<ul>

<li>Gov. Gary <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/GovHerbert"; target="_blank">Herbert</a></strong> makes the rounds in Washington with Utah's congressional delegation, hits a Medicaid reform roundtable, a Utah Congressional reception and a Western states inaugural reception.</li>

<li>Lt. Gov. Spencer <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/SpencerJCox"; target="_blank">Cox</a></strong> heads to a staff meeting, attends the Silicon Slopes Summit and chats with UServe Utah and crisis response teams.</li>

<li>SL Co. Mayor Ben <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/MayorBenMcAdams"; target="_blank">McAdams</a></strong> heads to a Wasatch Front Regional Council meeting, sits down with Sean Barnett from Project Recovery and interviews with the media.</li>

<li>President Barack <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/BarackObama"; target="_blank">Obama</a> </strong>receives his daily briefing and enjoys a last lunch with Vice President Joe Biden at the White House.</li>

</ul>

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— Thomas Burr and Zoe Woolf McGinn

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