In this week’s Utah news:
With Utah reporting 1,837 new coronavirus cases and hospitalizations reaching a new record high Thursday, Gov. Gary Herbert declared that “the time for talk is over — it’s time for action.” But that action isn’t coming from the Utah Capitol. Herbert said local governments will have to decide whether to enforce the mask orders and gathering restrictions that are in effect in almost every county — rules that many Utahns have defied or ignored.
Both The Salt Lake Tribune and the Deseret News announced they will cease printing a daily newspaper. The Tribune will be producing a weekly edition, while the Deseret News will print a weekly edition and a national monthly magazine. The announcement came after the two companies decided not to renew their long printing partnership. That joint operating agreement ends on Dec. 31.
A new analysis from The Salt Lake Tribune and the Center for Responsive Politics shows women in reliably conservative Utah have donated far more money to the former Vice President Joe Biden — who has raised $708,000 from female donors — than to President Donald Trump, who has brought in $429,000 from the group. The campaign donations represent a significant shift in the importance of female voters in this presidential election and demonstrate that women are now “putting their money where their votes have been,” said Morgan Lyon Cotti, associate director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah.
And Gail Miller announced that after owning the Utah Jazz for the past 35 years, she has entered into an agreement to sell a majority share of the team to Ryan Smith, a Utah billionaire best known as the co-founder of the Provo-based software company Qualtrics. The stunning sale was first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who put the sale price at $1.66 billion.
At 9 a.m. on Friday, Salt Lake Tribune interim editor David Noyce, reporter Taylor Stevens and news columnist Robert Gehrke join KCPW’s Roger McDonough to talk about the week’s top stories. Every Friday at 9 a.m., stream “Behind the Headlines” at kcpw.org, or tune in to KCPW 88.3 FM or Utah Public Radio for the broadcast. Join the live conversation by calling (801) 355-TALK.