A new wildlife protection advisory board created by the Trump administration is filled with trophy hunters. Mitt Romney faces 18 other candidates in the race to fill Utah’s U.S. Senate seat. State lawmakers are looking at school safety after students held walkouts nationwide to mark the Florida shooting.
Happy Friday. The Trump administration has created a new 16-member advisory board to revise the rules for wildlife protection and importing the heads and hides of big game. Many of the appointees, though, are international trophy hunters. That includes Steven Chancellor, who has logged kills of at least 18 lions, 13 leopards, six elephants and two rhinos, and Olivia Opre, who has brought home 150 animal carcasses. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke defended the group’s make-up, calling it a “strong partnership” with balanced views. [AP]
Topping the news: Mitt Romney may be the powerhouse candidate running for U.S. Senate in Utah, but he will face 18 other candidates vying for the seat. [Trib] [DNews] [ABC4] [KUTV] [KSL]
-> Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake will not run for re-election, but he hopes that, if elected, Romney will fill his role as the leading Trump critic. [Trib]
-> Utah state lawmakers are reacting to the nationwide walkouts over gun violence and plan on conducting additional studies on school safety. [Trib]
-> LGBT students at the Mormon church-owned Brigham Young University held a rare school-sanctioned panel Thursday about faith and gender identity. [Trib]
Tweet of the day: From @maggieNYT: “WH officials are describing the current climate as either the walls closing in or the reset that Trump needs. Pick one.”
Happy Birthday: To former state Rep. Stephen Sandstrom.
Behind the Headlines: Tribune reporters Lee Davidson and Benjamin Wood and columnist Robert Gehrke join KCPW’s Roger McDonough to talk about the week’s top stories, including the exodus of more than 20 state lawmakers from the Utah Legislature and a student walkout in protest of gun violence. Each Friday at 9 a.m., stream “Behind the Headlines” online at kcpw.org or tune in to KCPW 88.3 FM or Utah Public Radio for the broadcast.
In other news: Residents visited Gov. Gary Herbert’s office Thursday to ask him to veto the controversial proposal to create an inland port in Salt Lake City. [Trib]
-> Utah Rep. Rob Bishop has proposed legislation that would include counts for Mormon missionaries living abroad during the 2020 census. [DNews]
-> A federal appeals court ruled that a Utah company affiliated with a polygamous church will have to pay $200,000 to compensate children who worked for it harvesting pecans. [Trib]
-> Controversial Davis County Sheriff Todd Richardson has announced that he will not run for re-election. [DNews]
-> Herbert made the first donation to the annual Scouting for Food drive that will supply food banks across the state. [DNews]
-> Pat Bagley depicts Russian President Vladimir Putin, U.S. President Donald Trump and Utah Rep. Chris Stewart as “no collusion” nesting dolls. [Trib]
-> Michelle Quist argues that the Utah Bar needs more diversity — and the solutions may not be too difficult. [Trib]
-> Paul Rolly writes about the childhood experience that shaped his attitude about minorities. [Trib]
Nationally: President Donald Trump imposed a series of sanctions on Russia over election interference and cyberattacks. [NYTimes]
-> Trump intends to oust H.R. McMaster, his national security advisor, in the latest shake-up to the White House leadership. [WaPost]
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— Courtney Tanner and Eric Baker
Follow @sltribpolitics