September 29, 2020 Update

Another super busy day.  The Mayor pressed me into service to record a "conversations with Kaufusi" video (along with Travis Ball, Karen Larsen and Dave Decker) to talk about utility billing issues.  If you are in Customer Service, you know exactly what the issues are.  :)  We will post a link when the video goes online so you can all better understand what has been happening, why, and what we are doing about it.  I missed meeting with our new employee group, including Shelby Wilkie in Parks and Recreation, who is married to my wife Julie's cousin's son.  How is that for a family tree moment?  Welcome Shelby!  And welcome to Lilian Montoya and Travis Whitney in Customer Service and Braden Nielsen in Parks and Rec as well.  You are going to love it here!

Thanks also for your comments about the ICMA award and your concerns about our Coastie.  You all are awesome!  

CORONAVIRUS STATS

Nationally, the CDC reports 7,129,313 cases with 204,598 fatalities.

Utah:  72,136 cases (up 694 from yesterday); 3,807 hospitalizations; 457 deaths (up 4 from yesterday)

Utah County:  19,046 cases (up 254 from yesterday); 650 hospitalizations; 57 deaths (no change from yesterday)

NEWS YOU CAN USE

• Last week included National Voter Registration day, so if you haven't registered to vote yet, please make sure you do!
• Flu season is just beginning and Dr. Eddie Stenehjem, an Intermountain Healthcare infectious disease physician, believes it might mix with COVID-19. He, along with others, are encouraging getting the flu shot to prevent this combination.
• Provo School District is moving forward with their plans to move to "Phase 2", which will include Monday through Friday classes with earlier dismissal times and remote learning on Fridays. They cites low virus rates in schools and student engagement levels as justification for this transition.

PROVO SOCIAL MEDIA

THE MAYOR'S DAY

Today, Mayor Kaufusi:

• Filmed Conversations with Kaufusi
• Participated in the Utah County Covid-19 Economic Recovery Committee meeting
• Had an interview with the Daily Herald

FUN STUFF

You already know I love The Roots (big band and a little rap along the way), and I recently heard a couple of songs from the hot K-Pop and hip-hop group BTS.  (I don't totally get the K-Pop craze, but BTS seems to cross over into other genres.)  Well, last evening the Roots and BTS got together on the Tonight Show and performed BTS's hit single Dynamite.  It lives up to its billing.

Have a great evening.  For some of us political junkies, it will include a gubernatorial and a presidential debate experience as well.  We'll talk more tomorrow!

Wayne