Happy holidays from #OneUtah, a weekly update from the office of Gov. Spencer J. Cox. Here’s your recap of what we did this week, what's on the horizon, and more.

NOTE: We won’t be sending a newsletter next week, but will be back Jan. 6, 2023. Happy holidays!

Happy holidays, Utah!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! A time to spend with family and friends and a time to show compassion, to forgive and to help those in need. This holiday season, we encourage you to serve a fellow Utahn and spread holiday cheer. 

We have so much to be grateful for, and so much to look forward to in this upcoming year. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Highlights from 2022 

It’s been a true honor to serve as your governor this year! We’ve met so many impressive Utahns and had so many incredible experiences as we’ve traveled throughout the state, but here are a few personal favorites from 2022: 

• Substitute teaching at West Lake STEM Junior High School in Taylorsville;
• Signing meaningful tax cuts for the second year in a row;
• Honoring Utahns who give back with the first annual Governor’s Spirit of Service Awards;
• Signing a historic 18-years-in-the-making water rights agreement with the Navajo Nation;
• Launching the Adopt-A-School program;
• Camping in the Uintas and meeting great students from Kearns High School on the trail;
• Helping Afghan refugees shop for groceries;
• Naming two new justices to the Utah Supreme Court;
• Riding with the first lady in the annual Bison Roundup on Antelope Island;
• Seeing Utahns save billions of gallons of water and prevent hundreds of fires;
• Meeting with high school students across the state to talk about the importance of mental health; and
• Meeting with business leaders, law enforcement, National Guard members, teachers, social workers, local elected officials, legislators, Rotarians and so many other exceptional Utahns!

Thank you, Utah, for your willingness to do hard things,to help those in need and create One Utah. We are grateful for your commitment to each other and to the great state of Utah!

Spotlight: Governor’s Award for Excellence

Each week we are highlighting a state employee who was recently awarded the Governor’s Award for Excellence. This week we are recognizing Brian Kenney with the Department of Corrections.

Brian was instrumental in planning, coordinating, and leading the relocation of the Utah State Prison to the new Utah State Correctional Facility. For the last year, Brian has coordinated with multiple stakeholders within the Department of Corrections and many of our external stakeholders. Brian not only coordinated the move of the state fixtures, furniture, and equipment, he also directly coordinated the inmate movement and served as our incident commander throughout the relocation operation. Under Brian’s leadership, approximately 2,500 inmates were moved within five days, virtually incident free. Brian’s ability to work with others, communicate priorities, and follow through made the prison relocation a success and ensured public safety. The relocation took over 500 staff members working together from within the Department of Corrections and from more than 10 state and county agencies. Brian’s leadership, innovation, and experience led the way and ensured success.

Keep up the great work, Brian! To read more about the Governor’s Awards for Excellence, click here.

Celebrating Hanukkah

Utahns from all backgrounds filled the Capitol Rotunda on Sunday to celebrate the power of light over darkness and the resilience of the Jewish community on the first day of Hanukkah.

Started in 2007, the Utah Hanukkah Celebration kicked off the eight-day Festival of Lights with guest remarks, musical performances, hot potato latkes, and the lighting of the menorah. With help from Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson, Rabbi Benny Zippel and former U.S. Ambassador to Mauritius and the Seychelles John Price lit the menorah's first candle.

Many Utah leaders attended the celebration, including Department of Health and Human Services Executive Director Tracy Gruber, Senate President J. Stuart Adams, Sen. Luz Escamilla, former state Rep. Patrice Arent, and Rep. Blake Moore.

We're so grateful for our Jewish friends and neighbors and Utah. Chag Urim Sameach!

Utah’s Winter Helpers

A number of people work behind the scenes to keep Winter in Utah spectacular – and we are so grateful for all of their hard work. Visit Utah has the latest on some of these invaluable helpers:

• At Solitude Mountain Resort, a pack of highly-trained pups are an integral part of keeping winter guests safe while recreating on the mountain. Read all about them here.
• Kevin Irons drives a ski cat at Powder Mountain and takes patrons to places they can’t access by lifts and on foot. He tells Visit Utah “that everyone is so excited on a powder day.”

• And, finally, we have Park City’s Dog Sledding Team, a group of rescued pups that went from “unadoptable” to “unstoppable.” Read more about this pack.

ICYMI

• We want to hear from you about our state’s future! Share your opinions and thoughts at guidingourgrowth.utah.gov.
• In August, Lt. Gov. Henderson’s cousin Mandy was ambushed and killed by her ex-husband in Taylorsville. Watch KSL’s report on the three changes she hopes will help prevent more senseless domestic violence homicides.
• We often talk about “fiscal responsibility” and state government, but here’s what that means in Utah. We want to spend Utah’s resources responsibly and protect against a potential recession. While it starts with great legislators, here is a thread on how we do it.
• Return Utah, the state’s return-to-work program, wrapped up its fourth cohort this week. After 16 weeks, these Utahns have sharpened their skills and built confidence to jump back into the workforce after an extended absence. Learn more about Return Utah here.

Coming up

• Dec. 21: Lt. Gov. Henderson will attend the Homeless Persons Memorial at Pioneer Park in Salt Lake City to mourn and honor people experiencing homelessness who have died in the last 365 days.
• Dec. 25: Merry Christmas to all who celebrate! Our offices will be closed on Dec. 26. 
• Dec. 26: Happy Kwanzaa to all who celebrate!
• Jan. 1: Happy New Year, Utah! We are looking forward to a prosperous 2023. Our offices will be closed on Jan. 2, 2023. 
• Jan. 4: Happy Statehood Day, Utah!

Get involved!

Looking for a new job opportunity? From great employee benefits to versatile work schedules, the career opportunities with the state are truly endless. Join Team Utah today! 

Those looking to volunteer can also consider more than 300 boards and commissions. Find out which openings are available and how you can get involved here!

Get in touch!

You can reach the Governor's Office here. And you can follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and  YouTube for the latest news and updates.

Contact the Governor's Office