In an unexpected move Monday, the Utah Legislature’s Redistricting Committee chose a citizen map for new state school board boundaries. As KCPW’s Whittney Evans reports, a software designer from Logan had the golden ticket, when several maps drawn by lawmakers and school board members did not make the cut.
While Utah Congressman Jason Chaffetz is out of the running for U.S. Senate, a Republican lawmaker is still considering a challenge against longtime incumbent Senator Orrin Hatch. State Senator Dan Liljenquist of Bountiful was first elected to the Utah Legislature in 2008.
The newly-elected chairman and other leaders of the Utah Democratic Party have embarked on a “Red Rock Tour.” The party says Jim Dabakis and others are traveling more than 1,100 miles across Southern Utah, telling voters in cities like Cedar City, Moab and St. George that they should get their own congressional district.
Republican Utah Congressman Jason Chaffetz says he would like to return to Washington, but not as a senator… at least for now. In a surprise announcement Monday afternoon at the University of Utah’s Hinckley Institute of Politics, Chaffetz said he will not be running against Senator Orrin Hatch in 2012. KCPW’s Jessica Gail spoke to the Congressman about what prompted his change of heart, and reports on what it means for Utah’s political future.
After a heartbreaking incident of vandalism, the Jean Massieu School of the Deaf near Salt Lake City kicked off the new school year by opening up its new playground to students this morning. As KCPW’s Whittney Evans reports, the school spent two years raising money for the project and finally, with help from the community and a state lawmaker, the children now have a place to play.
eBay is bringing more than 2,000 new jobs to Utah. The online auction giant just announced plans to build a new facility in Draper, saying it will create 2,200 jobs in the state over the next 20 years. Spokesman Michael Frandsen says eBay has been happy with its Utah employees, which is one of the reasons it chose to expand here.
It’s time for most students across Utah to go back to school, and in keeping up with the state’s rapid growth, some of the largest school districts continue to grow as well. But as KCPW’s Jessica Gail reports, for the first time in several years, the legislature was able to appropriate funding to help ease some of that load.
An inventory conducted this past winter shows Salt Lake City parks could use millions of dollars worth of updates to infrastructure. Parks and Public Lands Director Emy Maloutas says it’s needed for things like restrooms and ball fields, many of which she says are outdated. But she says most of the parks are up to standard, and there aren’t any concerns related to public or environmental safety.
Utah’s legislative redistricting committee took another look at citizen maps today at the State Capitol. Residents continue to urge the committee to keep communities of interest intact, while lawmakers say that’s harder than it looks. As KCPW’s Whittney Evans reports, the committee heard from several communities, including the Navajo Nation.
Utah politicians have fought for years against No Child Left Behind. And the end of the much-criticized law may be in sight as the Department of Education relaxes the rules. What does this mean for Utah public schools and education reform? We talked with State Superintendent Dr. Larry Shumway.
Additional Programming Provided by
