Church that's richer than Heavenly Father (and every other church in the world) soon could live on the interest from its more than $200b of investments, but naw, will require tithes anyway because it's in the Book of Malachi and they're saving up treasures in heaven for you! A couple billion more is always nice, so pay up your tithing even if your cupboard is bare! After all, the Prophet isn't selfish! He doesn't want to hoard all those blessings to himself!

https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2025/04/01/lds-church-wealth-day-soon-may/

No paywall:

http://web.archive.org/web/20250401171040/https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2025/04/01/lds-church-wealth-day-soon-may/

Can I just say, while I am endlessly scornful of how my state's leadership use their power, I do love love love the regular, everyday people who join activities like this here in #SaltLake.

My fat, unfashionable, probably autistic offline self has never felt such instant acceptance and comfort as I do when I'm among our LGBTQ+ community. You are amazing people.

I know how hard it can be at this time of year with the legislature. I speak up about every bill, but know how badly the deck is stacked.

I want to thank my Rep. Sahara Hayes for being out here today. Thank you for representing all your constituents and fighting what must be draining and frustrating battles for us in #utpol.

On this #TransDayOfVisibility, I can honestly say that though I'm crying, they're happy tears. This event is beautiful. No hate. Just solidarity and welcoming.
#trans #TransJoy

https://www.sltrib.com/news/2025/03/29/hundreds-celebrate-transgender-day/

'Utah teachers are getting a $1,400 raise, Gov. Spencer Cox announced Friday, telling public school educators, “We see you. We recognize you.”

'The announcement came exactly two weeks after Cox and the state Legislature stripped those same teachers of their right to collectively bargain.

'“I’m just so proud of the good people who are out there doing this work, day in and day out,” Cox said."'

<parody>Cox added "Here is your consolation cookie. Better enjoy it because it will be your last one for awhile!"</parody>

https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2025/02/28/utah-teachers-get-raise-2025-26/

I love that this teacher wants to continue to support his students, but if he, like many teachers, doesn't have the funds for a lawsuit, I hope he instead replaces the rainbow flag with rainbow pencils and rainbow chalk and rainbow markers and rainbow maps and rainbow handouts and a rainbow mat... You get the idea. There are plenty of non-flag options that don't break the stupid law.

https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/letters/2025/02/23/letter-i-wont-take-pride-flag-down/

The Utah Senate passed a surprise amendment to seize street planning power from Salt Lake City in an apparent effort to kill the Green Loop and force a UDOT mentality on the capital (aka converting every single street into a 7-lane expressway). Contact your representatives immediately to tell them to oppose SB195. https://buildingsaltlake.com/utah-legislature-moves-steal-salt-lake-citys-street-planning-power/

Didn't we call it?

This is only affecting Medicaid patients for now, so those holding up the slippery slope will claim it's the government's right to decide what's covered or whatever.

But if they get away with this, they'll be coming for total bans for transgender people of all incomes. That's the very next step and the camel will be all the way inside the tent.

https://web.archive.org/web/20250219185058/https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2025/02/18/utah-lawmaker-moves-restrict/

If you are in #Utah and want to support #LGBTQ and specifically #trans people,
#TransVisibility, and #TransJoy, sign up with #ProjectRainbow.

Even if you don't have a yard for a flag, you can donate to the community fund and/or volunteer with the project to put up and take down flags and/or help at events.

This is real, local action you can take to fight back against the effort to eliminate trans people in our community.
#utpol

https://projectrainbowutah.org/

I am disgusted with my state and alma mater.

There is no one I hate more than bullies, and this is bullying for bullying sake.

There is no good reason for this being a law.

There is no good reason for this even being a college policy. The issue was already resolved with that bigoted student moving rooms. But her Karen mom just could not endure her and her daughter's hate not being validated.

I hate this. I hate them. I hope the gal being targeted by the whole state government will be ok. I want to support *her*.

#Utah #utpol #USU #Aggies #trans #ProtectTransKids #LGBTQ

https://www.sltrib.com/news/education/2025/02/14/utah-gov-spencer-cox-signs-bill/

Hey, #Utah!

We have a Mastodon starter pack here: https://fedidevs.com/starter-packs/

If I follow you, but you're not in the pack, either your account settings don't allow me to link to you (see the FAQ https://fedidevs.com/faq/) or I don't know you're in/related to #Utah.

If you're on this list and not in/related to #Utah or don't want to be on the list, please tell me and I'll remove you.
#Utah #utpol #Utahn #SaltLakeCity #SaltLake

As a #USU #Alumnus, I am again called on to denounce my university.

No, it's not about a coach saying raped students lie or a series of cases where USU failed to follow #TitleIX. This time it's about the whole of Cache Valley being told to attack a person living on campus because she dared to take an RA job.

I lived in Merrill Hall. I remember how accessible the units are. I remember repeatedly having to lock our front door because my roommates had just popped out for a minute and there was a guy going around trying the locks in the all women residential hall.

I am furious and embarrassed that USU, Utah legislators, and the weirdo ex-cop who's made a living on LGBT hate and antimasking in a pandemic.

Maybe focus on your actual threats to safety, USU. You know, your unending rapes and domestic/intimate partner violence on and off-campus. Not a young woman just trying to live her life and not harming anyone.
#utpol

https://www.sltrib.com/news/education/2025/01/22/online-attacks-target-transgender/

ETA: For the curious outside of Utah, this is a good summary of the situation at USU. (Note, it's the cis, straight guys, USU!)
https://usustatesman.com/a-breakdown-of-title-ix-usu/

Nice. A "cop offender" registry.

#ACAB #1312 #UTPol

https://www.utahinvestigative.org/new-data-tool-allows-journalists-and-the-public-to-track-wandering-cops-in-utah/

Utah’s Department of Transportation is planning a study of a potential passenger rail network across the state. They’re also looking at reviving plans for rail lines from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas and Boise: https://www.fox13now.com/news/politics/passenger-rail-across-utah-and-to-las-vegas-boise-may-get-revived #utpol

A drying Great Salt Lake is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new study by the Royal Ontario Museum out of Canada. In 2020, the drying lake bed raised Utah's human-caused emissions by 7% alone: https://www.fox13now.com/news/great-salt-lake-collaborative/great-salt-lake-is-a-major-source-of-greenhouse-gases-study-says #utpol

If three school districts in Utah deem a book unsuitable for kids, the book gets banned from all Utah schools. Books removed will be "destroyed." Possibly by fire the way your soul is baptized upon confirmation or the way the Earth will be baptized and turned into a sea of glass upon Christ's return. But shredding is perfectly acceptable. No "nats" to "see" here, move along citizen.

https://www.sltrib.com/news/education/2024/06/11/heres-how-utah-plans-enforce/

(I think this article is free, and Wayback is being slow to archive it. lmk if it's paywalling you and I'll check again.)

Utah has a new-new hotline to report DEI violations after the last one got spammed.

It sure would be a shame if people were mistaken about any violations they submitted. It sure would be a shame if, like the last one, this hotline became so popular that it could no longer be used as a tool of the fascist state to impose discrimination and eliminate anti-discrimination efforts. It really does suck when people refuse to be oppressed!

[Note: I'm *already* getting an error at the link, so perhaps our work here is done!]

http://hotlineform.utah.gov/equal_opportunity

Per:

https://www.sltrib.com/news/education/2024/06/10/utah-launches-hotline-reporting/