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Political Cornflakes: Trump privately suggested slowing migrants at border by shooting them in the leg

(Evan Vucci | AP file photo) President Donald Trump speaks during an Armed Forces welcome ceremony for the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley, Monday, Sept. 30, 2019, at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va.

Happy Wednesday!

In private conversations, President Donald Trump has advocated for building a water-filled trench stocked with snakes or alligators along the nation’s southern border. He also wanted to electrify the border wall and top it with spikes and suggested that soldiers shoot migrants in the legs to slow them down. [NYTimes]

Topping the news: More than six months from the 2020 census, workers are trying to make sure it is known that everyone should be counted in the questionnaire. This year will mark the first the census is offered online. [DNews] [Trib]

-> “The Claw,” a massive structure that once served as U2′s traveling stage, has landed in Draper. [Trib] [Fox13]

> About 50,000 redesigned driver licenses have had to be returned because of a bad address printed on them. [Trib]

Tweets of the day: From @jessdonati: “Italian PM Conte expels a woman from room after she gives Secretary #Pompeo a big hunk of Parmesan cheese to protest tariffs”

-> From @billyeichner: “I will gladly endorse whichever Democratic candidate starts sending me fewer emails.”

-> From @KateBennett_DC: “. @HillaryClinton asked on @GMA what’s the gutsiest thing she’s ever done (her new book w @ChelseaClinton is called ‘Gutsy Women’): ‘Stay in my marriage.’”

Happy Birthday: State Treasurer David Damschen.

Also in the news: Abby Cox, Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox’s wife, said that her husband’s campaign is “missing women’s stories.” She’s ready to fix that. [Trib]

-> As President Donald Trump congratulated communist China on its 70th anniversary, Utah is gearing up for an anti-Communist holiday. [Trib]

-> Jimmy Carter had his 95th birthday yesterday and remains the oldest living former U.S. president. [Fox13]

-> A special task force will be studying the impact of ditching 3.2 beer for higher alcohol-content brews. [Fox13]

-> Enrollment numbers are far below what was expected for expanded Medicaid — advocates say undeserved Utahns don’t know they can sign up for the program. [DNews]

-> Former House Speaker Greg Hughes has reported raising nearly $500,000 for a potential gubernatorial race. [DNews]

-> Homelessness is rising as the housing market in Weber County squeezes renters out. [DNews]

Nationally: President Donald Trump’s administration beefed up a top-secret information storage system to prevent leaks of sensitive documents. The system was upgraded, in part so that officials would be able to track down suspected leakers if transcripts of the president’s conversations with foreign leaders were disclosed. [Politico]

-> The inspector general of the State Department requested an urgent briefing with congressional staff members after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pushed back on the House’s subpoena for Ukraine-related documents. [CNN] [WaPost]

-> President Donald Trump has kept his sights focused on finding the whistleblower. Now, he says he wants to interview the person. [NYTimes]

-> A federal judge has blocked a California state law that requires presidential candidates to disclose their income tax returns before their names can appear on the state’s primary ballot. [CNN]

-> Find out which 2020 Democratic presidential candidate raised the most money for their campaign this summer. [NYTimes]

-> The Department of Homeland Security is starting to say that white supremacist terrorism is a primary security threat after years of prodding. [NYTimes]

-> Someone allegedly tried to hack into West Virginia’s mobile voting app during the 2018 midterm elections. The FBI is investigating. [CNN]

-> Rudy Giuliani, following his subpoena by the three committees in the House of Representatives, has hired Florida attorney Jon Sale, who worked as an assistant prosecutor on the legal team investigating the Watergate scandal. [CNN]

Got a tip? A birthday, wedding or anniversary to announce? Email us at cornflakes@sltrib.com. If you haven’t already, sign up here for our weekday email to get this sent directly to your inbox.

-- Bethany Rodgers and Clara Hatcher