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Opinion

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Robert Gehrke.

Utah needs 41,000 units of affordable housing. Robert Gehrke explains how the state aims to help.

By Robert Gehrke | March 29, 2023, 11:52 a.m.

(Jon Elswick | AP) A letter from Chinese President Xi Jinping to Cascade Elementary School fourth grade students in early 2020, is photographed Feb. 13, 2023. China’s global influence campaign has blossomed in Utah, where state officials were thrilled with Xi’s letter. It was heavily covered in Chinese state media, which quoted Utah students calling Xi a kind “grandpa” — a familiar trope in Chinese propaganda.

Key takeaways from AP’s report on China’s influence in Utah

By Alan Suderman and Sam Metz | The Associated Press | March 28, 2023, 12:00 p.m.

(Rick Bowmer | AP) Taowen Le, a Weber State University professor of information systems and technologies, speaks during an interview at Weber State University on Oct. 11, 2022, in Ogden. An investigation by the Associated Press has found that China and its U.S.-based advocates spent years building relationships with Utah's officials and lawmakers.

Amid strained U.S. ties, China finds unlikely friend in Utah

By Alan Suderman and Sam Metz | The Associated Press | March 27, 2023, 5:38 p.m.

From left, Millcreek Mayor Jeff Silvestrini, Midvale Mayor Marcus Stevenson and Holladay Mayor Robert Dahle.

UPD 2.0? Here’s what could lie ahead for a police force in turmoil.

By Blake Apgar | Jordan Miller | March 27, 2023, 1:54 p.m.

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Transit Authority headquarters in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, March 8, 2023. Gov. Spencer Cox signed a bill into law Thursday that could jeopardize millions of dollars in future federal funding for the transit agency.

Gov. Cox signs bill threatening millions in federal funds for UTA

By Jordan Miller | March 24, 2023, 11:55 a.m.

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Gov. Spencer Cox signs two social media regulation bills during a ceremony at the Capitol building in Salt Lake City on Thursday, March 23, 2023.

Utah first state to pass social media regulations aimed at protecting minors

By Bryan Schott | March 23, 2023, 11:11 p.m.

(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Gov. Spencer Cox is joined by from left, Sen. Jerry Stevenson, R-Layton, Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton and House Speaker Brad Wilson, R-Kaysville for the ceremonial signing of 6 bills in the Capitol Gold Room, Mar. 22, 2023.

‘Historic’ $480 million tax cut signed by Gov. Cox. Here’s how it will impact Utah taxpayers.

By Bryan Schott | March 23, 2023, 4:27 p.m.

(Rick Bowmer | AP) Utah Sen. Dan McCay, R-Riverton, unfurls the state's new flag during a Senate media availability on Thursday, March 2, 2023, in Salt Lake City. Opponents of the new state flag have filed a referendum in an attempt to bypass the Legislature and let voters decide on the design.

Utah has a new state flag after Gov. Cox signs banner bill — for now

By Bryan Schott | March 21, 2023, 11:03 p.m.

(106 Reforestation) This image from a promotional video shows how a Utah company called 106 Reforestation bulldozes overgrown forests on the Tavaputs Plateau with the hope of restoring aspen that have been crowded out by subalpine fir and other conifers. The Utah Legislature has appropriated $4.4 million dollars since 2019 to promote the experimental forest treatments as a way to enhance stream flows.

Legislature gave $1 million to sell company’s ‘roller felling’ to federal land managers

By Brian Maffly | March 21, 2023, 7:47 p.m.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) The governor’s mansion at 603 E. South Temple in Salt Lake City is pictured on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023.

Got an ethics complaint against an elected official? You’ll need insider knowledge and email address.

By Emily Anderson Stern | March 20, 2023, 1:11 p.m.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) A female mountain lion after being captured by scientists in the Oquirrh Mountains in 2011.

Cox signs wildlife bill that includes year-round cougar hunting, trapping

By Brian Maffly | March 18, 2023, 12:27 p.m.

Gov. Spencer Cox holds his monthly news conference at PBS Utah in the Eccles Broadcast Center in Salt Lake City, Thursday, March 16, 2023.

Social media companies ‘are killing our kids,’ Gov. Cox says, and Utah is ready for lawsuits over new regulations

By Bryan Schott | March 17, 2023, 1:51 p.m.

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Gov. Spencer Cox talks in Salt Lake City on the last day of the legislative session, Friday, March 3, 2023.

Abortion clinic ban signed by Utah Gov. Cox; abortion still legal up to 18 weeks

By Emily Anderson Stern | March 16, 2023, 1:02 a.m.

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Nick Wells at work in Salt Lake County's ballot processing center on the first day mail-in ballots began arriving, in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 21, 2022.

Elections audits and restrictions for changing parties: Here’s how voting systems will change in Utah.

By Bryan Schott | March 14, 2023, 11:55 a.m.

(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah legislators applaud after a speech by Utah Supreme Court Chief Justice Mathew Durrant on the opening day of the 2023 session, Jan. 17, 2023. The state's lawmakers would go on to pass a record number of bills.

Andy Larsen: Median bill got less than 10 minutes of floor time (& more fun facts from 2023 legislature)

By Andy Larsen | March 11, 2023, 5:35 p.m.

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Transit Authority headquarters in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, March 8, 2023. Utah lawmakers passed a bill last month that would strip collective bargaining rights from some Utah Transit Authority employees, an action that potentially jeopardizes millions of dollars in future federal grant funding for the transit agency, transit union members say.

Utah lawmakers pass bill that could jeopardize millions in federal transit funds

By Jordan Miller | March 10, 2023, 12:52 p.m.

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Gov. Spencer Cox delivers his State of the State address at the Capitol building in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023. Salt Lake Tribune journalists discuss what happened in the 2023 legislative session on "Behind the Headlines."

From school vouchers to Great Salt Lake, a Utah Legislature recap on ‘Behind the Headlines’

By The Salt Lake Tribune | March 9, 2023, 11:55 p.m.

(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Opponents of of SB31, the bill to change Utah's state flag express their opinion in the House gallery at the Capitol, Mar. 2, 2023. SB31 adopts the redesigned flag as the official flag of Utah and gives three iterations of the current flag historical designation.

Lawmakers approved a new Utah state flag, but now opponents want voters to repeal the banner

By Bryan Schott | March 9, 2023, 12:52 p.m.

(City of West Wendover) Public comment at a West Wendover, Nev. city council meeting Tuesday, March 7, 2023, during debate to allow a Planned Parenthood clinic in the city.

An abortion clinic 2 hours from Salt Lake City? West Wendover City Council says ‘no.’

By Emily Anderson Stern | March 10, 2023, 5:56 p.m.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Robert Gehrke.

Has Utah lost its ‘Utah Way’? Robert Gehrke says we’re headed in the wrong direction.

By Robert Gehrke | March 8, 2023, 3:43 p.m.