Happy Friday 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.

Prioritizing safety on Utah roads

We know many of you are heading out over the long weekend and just want to remind you to please drive safely. We are still within the 100 deadliest days, and we need everyone’s help to reduce injuries and fatalities on Utah’s road. Remember to drive safe, focused, calm, sober, and buckled. 

And, finally, remember to plan ahead. You can find information on construction projects here. Have a safe Labor Day!

Helping all of Utah’s families succeed

This week we announced the creation of the new Office of Families and its first director, Aimee Winder Newton. This new initiative will support Utah families through proactive rather than reactive strategies and policies. 

This includes promoting what already makes Utah the best place for children and parents to thrive as well as pursuing policies, legislation and innovation that will strengthen families at all economic levels. 

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with the Cox-Henderson administration as we look for ways to strengthen families in Utah,” said Winder Newton. “We recognize families come in various shapes and sizes and our focus will be on ALL families – traditional two-parent families, grandparents raising their grandchildren, LGBTQ couples with children, foster families, single parent families, and more.”

We’re excited to have Aimee lead out on this issue, ensuring that government policies are not harming families and that we are coordinating government services to help parents and children succeed.

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Addressing traffic in Little Cottonwood Canyon

After more than 19 different studies over 30 years in Little Cottonwood Canyon, the Utah Department of Transportation has identified Gondola Alternative B starting at La Caille as a potential solution to traffic in the canyon.

UDOT reports that this gondola will be the most reliable mode of public transit in all weather conditions and best meets the transportation-related safety, reliability and mobility goals on S.R. 210 for all users. This includes phasing in enhanced bus service and other solutions to preserve the beauty of the Wasatch Mountains for future generations of Utahns.

We thank UDOT for their dedication and professionalism throughout this rigorous and thorough process. We also thank the stakeholders, agencies, and members of the public who have offered their input. A 45-day public review and comment period is open today through Oct. 17, 2022.

‘Utah 360’ goes to northern Utah

This week we continued our “Utah 360” tour with back-to-back visits with various groups in northern Utah. 

We were beyond impressed with the students at Logan High and Ogden High. These young leaders asked thoughtful questions and shared insightful stories about how they stay civically engaged and how they prioritize mental health. 

We were also lucky to visit with the staff of the Davis Behavioral Health Receiving Center. This vital resource provides a first line of crisis intervention for its community. 

A safe space for individuals experiencing mental health, substance use or other behavioral crises can be critical, and we appreciate those working so hard to provide compassionate and comprehensive solutions.

Building businesses in northern Utah

We were also happy to meet with various business leaders and community members in Davis, Weber, and Cache Counties to discuss challenges facing their communities and successes they’ve had this past year. Thanks to the Davis Chamber of Commerce, the Ogden Weber Chamber, Adams Wealth Advisors, USU Credit Union, Campbell Scientific, Cache Valley Bank, and everyone else who took the time to meet with us. We look forward to staying in touch and helping however we can.

Utah is the best state in the nation for business. We have a thriving economy and dedicated workforce.

Preparing for Utah’s rapid growth

As we visited with Rotary Clubs, students, teachers and business leaders, it’s clear that many are concerned about Utah’s rapid growth and so are we. As the fastest growing state, we must work collaboratively to ensure that growth is sustainable. 

Strong infrastructure is key to that, and UTA is leading out with projects like the new Ogden Express that offers riders a quick and environmentally conscious method of transportation. Team Utah was able to ride this bus on our way to a discussion with students and Weber State University President Brad Mortensen, and we must say, it’s an impressive ride. Thanks to all who attended our Walker Institute town hall for all the great questions!

We also met with USU students along with Brian Steed, director of the new Janet Quinney Lawson Institute for Land, Water, and Air at Utah State University to discuss the importance of conserving water, agricultural optimization, and more. Our natural resources are a crucial part of Utah’s growth. 

No one knows that better than farmers and ranchers and we were glad to meet with farmers, ranchers and members of  the Utah Farm Bureau. Thanks to all those who shared their expertise and input.

Celebrating Utah’s vibrant culinary culture

We’ve talked about Utah’s incredible food before, and this week we want to highlight a small German cafe in rural Utah.

Caroline Lott and Katy Harmer launched Das Café in 2011 on Spring City’s quaint and artsy Main Street. The menu is stacked with traditional German cuisine, offered with a sprinkle of American fare. 

“Our menu is straight up the recipes from our dad and the way that he always liked to make breakfast,” Katy said. “Sometimes I laugh at this little gem we’ve created, because this is just basically what I grew up eating.”

We also got a very tasty banana cupcake this week from The Cupcake Shoppe and Bakery in Ogden. We love supporting our local eateries!

Let us know what your favorite local restaurant is here!

ICYMI

• Check out this incredible StoryMap chronicling the history of Lake Bonneville and the origins of the Great Salt Lake!
• Governors welcome the steps taken by the White House and the Departments of Education and Labor to support states and territories as they invest in their educator workforce. Read more from our statement with the National Governors Association here.
• Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson participated in the Uintah Basin Energy Summit in Vernal this week.  We remain committed to bolstering common-sense energy production throughout the state without putting up needless barriers that stifle innovation.
• A new report by WalletHub ranks Utah as one of the hardest working states in America. We ranked high in several categories, including employment rate and annual volunteer hours per resident. 
• The Utah Department of Corrections continues to provide updates as staff and incarcerated individuals settle in at the new Utah State Correctional Facility. Read the latest here.
• Well-child checkups help families prevent illness, track growth, and give parents the chance to talk with their pediatrician about sleep, eating, behavior, and more. Learn more here.
• Lt. Gov. Henderson hosted a delegation from Ukraine this week and discussed how to coordinate resources for the country’s children, wounded warriors, and firefighters. The delegation presented her with the state with a flag from Ukraine’s eighth special forces unit!

Coming up

Sept. 8: We’ll be on a trade mission to Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. Stay tuned for details!

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!

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Contact the Governor's Office