March 2 2021 Update

I know I sound like a broken record, but it has been a very busy day today.  We had a very productive meeting with our directors group (which we do monthly).  I am constantly impressed with our leadership team and with all we are working on to make Provo better.  It is also a Council Tuesday; we are covering some really critical topics like parking, budgets, and capital investments in these meetings today.  I appreciate the dedicated service of our council members; they are such an important part of Provo's success.

I was reminded after yesterday's post - and rightly so - that our first responders include our dedicated public safety telecommunicator team, led so effectively by Dennis Harris.  These colleagues of ours were a big part of the response to the police shooting incident last week, and in many ways they are always the "tip of the spear" in our response to any emergency.  Thanks to the dispatch team for their good work last Thursday and always!  

CORONAVIRUS STATS

Nationally, the CDC reports 28,456,860 cases with 513,122 fatalities.

Utah:  371,979 cases (up 487 from yesterday); 14,753 hospitalizations; 1,949 deaths (up 9 from yesterday)

Utah County: 90,268 cases (up 125 from yesterday); 2,429 hospitalizations; 335 deaths (up 2 from yesterday)

NEWS YOU CAN USE

• Today is Dr. Seuss's birthday, which makes it Read Across America Day.
• Some of the bills heard in yesterday’s Senate Education committee included the Dixie State University name change, Campus Safety Amendments, homeschool tax credits, student religious accommodations and more. Check out which passed and which didn't.
• A bill to lay out the "endgame" for COVID-19 in Utah is headed to the full Utah House of Representatives. This would include the end of mask mandates, business restrictions, and social distancing requirements.
• Also making news to day is that Sen. Mitt Romney was knocked unconscious when he fell in Boston over the weekend, leaving him with “a lot of stitches” and a black eye. He made a good-humored joke that stated “I went to CPAC, that was a problem,” referring to the Conservative Political Action Conference that ended Sunday.

PROVO SOCIAL MEDIA

THE MAYOR'S DAY

Today, Mayor Kaufusi:

• Participated in Director's meeting
• Met with the City Attorney
• Participated in the APPA Board of Directors Legislative & Resolutions Committee meeting
• Met with the Deputy Chief
• Participated in Council Work Meeting from 12:00 - 5:30pm
• Participated in Council Meeting from 5:30 - 8:00pm
• Participated in a handful of American Public Power Association Virtual meetings with Senators and Congressmen

FUN STUFF

As we begin to come out of the pandemic - however quickly we are able to do it - there will be moments like this for all of us.  The optimistic view of this senior couple on Instagram is a message we all need to hear.  And besides, they are just so darn cute!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Katie Couric (@katiecouric)

Hope your day is going well.  We appreciate all you do.  

Wayne