A new book by a University of Utah anthropologist lays out the scientific evidence for evolution that wasn’t known when Charles Darwin did his research in the 19th Century. Professor Alan Rogers’ book, The Evidence for Evolution, takes on skepticism of Darwin, which has been seen here in Utah. KCPW’s Jeff Robinson asked him what his objective was when he set out to write the book.
Utah’s Martin Luther King, Jr., Human Rights Commission welcomed an Obama Administration official tasked with reaching out to minority-owned businesses to Salt Lake City yesterday. Michael Blake, Associate Director for the White House Office of Public Engagement, spoke at a luncheon downtown and later a town hall meeting at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center.
Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon wants voters to decide on a bonding measure for the upkeep and creation of parks in the county. But as KCPW’s Whittney Evans reports, some county council members weren’t buying his $110 million plan at yesterday’s meeting.
School is out for the summer, which means the hunt has begun for summer jobs. With unemployment rates up during the economic downturn, more and more older people are looking for any job they can find, which is bad news for teenagers looking for work. We sent KCPW’s Jessica Gail back to her high school to see what students there are planning to do this summer.
The Utah Department of Health is putting a spotlight on health disparities in geography and income, in addition to its current focus on racial and ethnic minority health. In response to a Utah law passed this year, the Center for Multicultural Health has been replaced by the Office of Health Disparities Reduction, which broadens its mission.
Utah’s tobacco laws could be getting stricter. The Utah Department of Health is changing the Indoor Clean Air Act to clarify which tobacco products cannot be used in public places, which could mean the end of hookah smoking in public statewide. A public meeting held yesterday drew dozens of people speaking for and against the ban. KCPW’s Jessica Gail reports on why some feel the change is necessary, and what it could mean for some Utah businesses.
Two former Department of Workforce Services employees who took part in circulating the names and information of people living in the state that were said to be illegal immigrants were sentenced Monday. The infamous “List” was released to the media and law enforcement last July, causing panic in the Hispanic community. As KCPW’s Whittney Evans reports, the director of a prominent Latino group says the punishments the two women received are an injustice.
Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon is hoping you’ll support a new bond measure for the county’s parks and trails this fall, which would mean a property tax hike. But first, he’ll have to get the Republican-controlled County Council to agree to put it on the ballot, an effort that begins at Tuesday’s council meeting. KCPW’s Jeff Robinson asked him how large the bond is, and what it would go toward.
LGBT Utahns celebrated their diversity at the Utah Pride Festival over the weekend, which was hailed as the largest in the state’s history. KCPW’s Jessica Gail spoke to many festival goers who say it has reached new heights, not only because those in the gay and transgender community feel more comfortable coming out, but because more businesses, politicians and families are supporting them.
Salt Lake County’s District Attorney isn’t surprised by a new report from the Global Commission on Drug Policy that says the War on Drugs has failed with devastating consequences. Sim Gill notes the United States spends in excess of $60 billion a year incarcerating people for drug crimes, compared to about $6 billion in the 1970s.
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