May 13, 2020 Update

Happy Wednesday.  I hope your week is going well.  There is obviously a lot happening in the city organization and in Provo, but we are starting to see a little glimmer of light at the end of the pandemic tunnel. 

Coronavirus Statistics

• Nationally, there are 1,364,061 cases with 82,246 fatalities according to the CDC.
• In Utah, there are 6,620 cases with 553 hospitalizations and 75 fatalities.
• Utah County has 1,400 total cases with 85 hospitalizations and 11 deaths.
  

News You Can Use

• A recent study by Moody's Analytics evaluated the top 100 metro areas in the nation in terms of their ability to rebound economically from the coronavirus pandemic.  No surprise to us that Provo is in the top ten cities in the analysis.  The report cited Provo's highly educated work force, our strong tech sector, and our relatively low density housing as factors in their review.
• Yesterday, I mentioned that pajamas are significantly outselling pants at clothing retailers.  Another interesting trend is that outdoor recreation items are in high demand.  Mountain bikes and trampolines have the strongest shortages, but kayaks, skateboards, and tents are also being sold in large numbers.  I guess we are all having a hard time with being cooped up for so long.
  

Provo Social Media

The Mayor's Day

The Mayor had a bit of a unique start to her day today.  She began early this morning with a long bike ride in the mouth of Provo Canyon with Councilmember George Handley and several city staffers.  The group looked at some of the environmental damage that has been done in the canyon recently and discussed ways to resolve those issues.  And they saw some spring wildflowers along the way.

Other activities on the Mayor's calendar included:

• Meeting with city staff and the Mountainland Association of Governments (MAG) and UDOT to discuss some upcoming proposed amendments to the Regional Transportation Plan and how they might impact Provo and the central part of the county.
• Meeting with a concerned citizen
• Several phone calls with various stakeholders regarding the pandemic and its impacts on Provo
  

Fun Stuff

I thought I might take a minute and introduce you to my kids and their partners today.  This photo is a couple of years old.  But it is the most recent group photo because it is getting increasingly difficult to get the whole gang together.

• From left to right - my daughter Alycia and her husband Kyle.  She is a stay at home mom with 6 kids and her husband is a CPA with Vivint and they live in Spanish Fork.  
• Next, my daughter-in-law Sonrisa and my son Spencer.  Sonrisa is a lactation consultant for an OB/GYN and my son is the finance director for the City of Westmont, Illinois.  They live near Chicago with 3 kids.  
• Next is my wife Julie and me.  
• Next is my daughter Kara and her husband Casey.  They live in Vernal with 2 kids, where he is a certified financial planner and she is taking a break for the moment to be a mom but is a school teacher.  
• Next is my daughter-in-law Katelyn and my son Taylor.  Katelyn works from home for a law firm and my son is a turf and irrigation specialist for Draper City Parks.  They live in Eagle Mountain with 2 little ones.  
• Finally, my son Grant is a Coast Guardsman stationed in the San Francisco Bay area and is assigned to a national security cutter currently at points unknown in the Eastern Pacific interdicting drug runners and smugglers.  

Last of all, here is one of those fun videos with musicians getting together virtually on Zoom.  This group is called Camden Voices and the cover is of "Here Comes the Sun."  Enjoy.

Have a great rest of your day.  Back at ya tomorrow.

Wayne