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Political Cornflakes: Trump’s trade war keeps Russian fish in U.S. school lunches

(Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune) Brenna Thomas serves children lunch at Creek View Elementary in Price Wednesday, August 16, 2017.

A trade decision by the Trump administration inadvertently protected a price advantage enjoyed by Russian-caught Pollock sold via China into the United States, much of which ends up in fish sticks sold to American school children. Alaska fishermen thought the administration’s move to slap a 10 percent tariff last year on thousands of imports from China was supposed to erase the price advantage. But the Russian Pollock ended up with an exemption. Worse, retaliatory tariffs from China imposed a 25 percent surcharge on Alaskan Pollock sold in China — where the market for U.S. fish had increased recently. [CNN]

Happy Friday.

Topping the news: Utah House Republicans met in closed caucus Thursday to discuss a bill to replace Proposition 3 for Medicaid expansion. House Speaker Brad Wilson said a final vote on it is likely Friday. But they are seeking to work out a back-up plan in case federal waivers needed for the new bill are not granted. [Trib] [DNews]

-> Scenic Legacy Parkway’s ban on big-rig trucks will likely disappear on Jan. 1 after a Senate committee rejected a bill to extend it. The ban and other eco-friendly design features of the road had been part of 15-year deal to stop environmental lawsuits that once blocked the highway. Neighbors say trucks will increase pollution and ruin adjacent communities. Truckers say removing the ban keeps old promises. [Trib] [DNews]

-> Howard Nielson Jr., President Trump’s nominee for Utah’s federal bench, will advance to the full U.S. Senate for consideration after approval by the Judiciary Committee on a 12-10 vote along party lines. Democrats criticized his work towards ending same-sex marriage in California and a memo he wrote stating the Geneva convention only applies to civilians held in enemy custody in the U.S. and not abroad. [Trib]

Tweets of the day: @BjaminWood “Maybe there should be a “Can you speak loudly into a microphone” test before people run for the Utah Legislature? #utpol

-> @BillKristol “AMI is awfully worried about something Bezos’s investigation might uncover. What? It can’t be just generalized sleaze. That’s not news. I’ve got to think AMI is panicked about something particular. Odds that it’s Trump-related?”

-> From @cboyack “Apparently Gayle Ruzicka just flipped the bird to Spencer Stokes in Senate Biz/Labor after Spencer publicly said she shouldn’t testify against the beer bill. The lobbyists in the room were pretty surprised. Good times. #utpol

Behind the Headlines: Tribune government and politics editor Dan Harrie, reporter Bethany Rodgers, and columnist Holly Richardson join KCPW’s Roger McDonough to talk about the week’s top stories, including the vote by a Utah lawmaker against the bill he’s sponsoring to replace Medicaid expansion in Utah. 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.

Friday Quiz: Last week, 99 percent of you knew that Ted Bundy is the focus of both a Sundance movie and a Netflix documentary, but only 46 percent knew that 64 percent of Utahns support passing a harsher hate crimes law. Think you kept up with the news this week? Take our quiz to find out. A new one will post every Friday morning. You can find previous quizzes here. If you’re using The Salt Lake Tribune mobile app, click here. [Trib]

Happy Birthday: to Itzel Hernandez, former employee of the Utah Office of Multicultural Affairs

In other news: White residents of San Juan County complain “it’s payback time” as the new county commission with a Democratic Navajo majority supports a resolution to reinstate the full Bears Ears National Monument that President Trump decided to shrink. [Trib]

-> In a talk at the University of Utah’s Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum, said President Trump’s proposed border wall is more of a powerful symbol than a symbol that solves real problems. [Trib]

-> In a first, a Utah environmental group is suing the federal government over energy leases in San Juan that it says threaten the “last great frontier for American archaeology.” [Trib]

-> A bill that would increase the alcoholic content of beer sold in Utah grocery stores from 3.2 to 4.8 percent cleared its first hurdle in a Senate committee Thursday. [Trib] [Fox13] [DNews]

-> West Valley City approves rules and restrictions in case a medical cannabis pharmacy opens there. [Trib]

-> A bill to legally allow electric scooters to zoom down busier and bigger roads in Utah cruised through a committee on Thursday. It also would also ban operating while impaired or having more than one passenger. [Trib]

-> Three months after the murder of University of Utah track star Lauren McClusky by her ex-boyfriend, a state senator wants all of Utah’s public colleges to develop detailed response plans for cases of sexual assault, stalking, and dating and domestic violence. [Trib] [Fox13] [DNews]

-> A House committee holds to allow more work on a bill seeking to force school districts to adopt policies restricting student cellphone use. The state school board is considering a similar move. [Trib]

-> In an interview with the New Yorker, Utahn Rebecca Kieffer discusses dealing with a medical condition that requires chemotherapy and what it would mean for her to be able to qualify for Medicaid. [TheNewYorker]

-> Tribune columnist Robert Gehrke, discusses why Utah cities officials should be required to abide by the same gifting limits that rule state lawmakers. [Trib]

-> Pat Bagley illustrates the radioactive mix of money and politics in Utah. [Trib]

Nationally: By a 5-4 vote, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a stay Thursday on a Louisiana law that would have resulted in just one abortion provider in the state. The merits of the case could be heard again as soon as the court’s next term. [Politico] [NYTimes] [WaPost]

-> Congressional leaders say they are closing in on an agreement to prevent a second partial government shutdown and resolve the months-long fight over President Trump’s proposed border wall. [TheHill]

-> House Democrats in Washington are discussing whether to invoke an obscure law with scant precedent that would allow the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee to request review of the President Trump’s tax returns. [NYTimes]

-> Liberal Democrats in Washington made good on their promise to propose a Green New Deal. The measure calls to eliminate additional emission of carbon by 2030 through a blueprint of infrastructure programs aimed at reducing carbon emissions while creating green jobs. [NYTimes]

-> Jeff Bezos, Amazon CEO and richest man on earth, accuses The National Enquirer of extortion. He says it threatened to publish a “below-the belt selfie” of Bezos if he did not comply with their requests for a public statement affirming its coverage of his extra marital affair. [WaPost]

-> Former Rep. John Dingell, the longest-serving member ever in Congress, dies at age 92. He served 29 terms. [WaPost]

-> Got a tip? A birthday, wedding or anniversary to announce? Send us a note to cornflakes@sltrib.com.

Lee Davidson and Christina Giardinelli

twitter.com/LeeDavi82636879, twitter.com/Ninetta89