KDXU Sunrise Stories for December 5, 2023: Covid Cases on the Rise in Southern Utah

KDXU Sunrise Stories: Volume 107 

Statewide News – 12/05/23 

Covid Cases on the Rise in Utah 

According to a new report from the Utah Department of Health, Covid-19 cases are increasing across the state with select counties as hot spots. 

The health department came to this outcome thanks to their Sewage Surveillance System that monitors wastewater plants in Utah.  

The spike is not as bad as it’s been in previous years, but officials from the Utah Department of Health said it should still be taken seriously. 

Counties where Covid cases are most prevalent are Utah, Iron, Salt Lake, and Cache Counties. 

UDOT Sued Over Cottonwood Canyon Gondola Plan 

Multiple organizations in Salt Lake City are suing the Utah Department of Transportation over a proposed gondola at Little Cottonwood Canyon. 

The groups claim that the proposed plan exceeds the authority of UDOT by the Federal Highway Administration, and the group also said the plan violates environmental guidelines. 

Lastly, the lawsuit states UDOT ignored the majority of public comments regarding teh construction of the gondola.  

Officials from UDOT claim they haven’t seen any details of the lawsuit yet. 

Former Minority House Leader Running for Governor 

Brian King, a former state house minority leader, announced he would be running for the Democratic nomination for the Utah Governor position in the 2024 election. 

King said he plans to prioritize the “public good over personal interests,” and deliver “results, not rhetoric.” 

King currently faces no opposition as he’s currently the only notable Democratic candidate going into 2024. 

Southern Utah/St. George News – 12/05/23 

Pearl Harbor Ceremony in St. George 

December 7 marks 82 years since the Pearl Harbor attack roped the United States into the trenches of World War II.  

In honor of the over 2,400 who died in the attack, the American Legion will host an honorary silent event on December 7 at Tonaquint Cemetary at exactly 10:48 a.m. 

The actual attack occurred at 7:48 a.m. in Hawaii’s time zone, and when converted to Mountain Standard Time, the time would be 10:48 a.m. 

 The event is expected to take a few minutes with a few brief words from the American Legion, Taps will be played, and flags will fly at half-mast in silence. 

SUU Congratulates Maloy on Congressional Win 

Utah Congress Member Celeste Maloy’s electoral win is being celebrated by her alma mater, Southern Utah University. 

SUU representatives provided a short story detailing Maloy’s time at the university last week following her being sworn into congress. 

Maloy’s campaign mainly focused on the more rural voters of the second congressional district, and the new congress member expressed her gratitude to the voters of Southern Utah to get her where she is today. 

Funding Assistance Announced for Iron County Businesses 

Businesses in Iron County are being encouraged to get help with boosting economic growth in the coming months. 

Cedar City officials announced $60,000 in grant funding will be available to small businesses courteous of the Cedar City Business & Innovation Center along with the Iron County Economic Opportunity Board. 

The extra funding is meant to help small businesses with projects such as infrastructure developments and acquiring new equipment. 

Other 

Fun fact about Stockton Myers, the writer of Sunrise Stories. 

Stockton has been trying to stay as healthy as possible during the holiday season. Usually, Stockton gets a bad case of the flu during this time of year, but he’s been doing unexpectedly well. Here’s hoping he’s not jinxing anything.... 

Happy Tuesday!