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Daily news: 'Code red' alerts proposed to protect homeless people from extreme heat

The UPR daily news logo. It has the upr logo, phrase "Daily News," and a green microphone all within a speech bubble against a blue background.

This is your daily news rundown for Thursday, Jan. 31. In this edition:

  • Utah is considering a "code red" system to protect homeless people from extreme heat
  • A Utah conservation group is joining a global grassroots network to help the Great Salt Lake
  • The Provo Airport is set to receive $87 million in investments over the next 15 years

Utah considers a “code red” system to protect homeless people from extreme heat

Utah already has a “code blue” system to protect unhoused people during extreme cold nights, but now lawmakers are considering a similar system for extreme heat.

According to S.B. 182, these “code red” alerts would be sent by the state Department of Health and Human Services when temperatures were forecasted to hit 105 degrees or higher.

Emergency provisions would then be triggered, allowing homeless shelters and cooling centers to expand capacity by up to 35% to get more people off the streets and out of the heat.

Alerts would possibly be limited to certain months of the year to reduce costs for local governments. The heat threshold could also be changed to tie to the National Weather Service’s Heat Index instead.

Sen. Todd Weiler (R-Davis, Salt Lake), the bill’s sponsor, said these alerts would act as a companion to wintertime “code blue” alerts, but shouldn’t require additional overnight sleeping space since temperatures typically drop below that high threshold at night.

The bill advanced out of committee with no opposition and now heads to the full Senate.

Utah conservation group joins global grassroots network to help Great Salt Lake

As part of ongoing efforts to save Great Salt Lake, a Utah conservation group is joining a global network of grassroots organizers who advocate for water quality improvements.

The Utah Rivers Council announced on Thursday that it’s partnering with the Waterkeeper Alliance to form the Great Salt Lake Waterkeeper.

The group aims to highlight the lake’s importance not just in Utah but throughout the Americas — Great Salt Lake is home to over 12 million migratory birds, including many that end up in Central and South America during the winter.

Though Great Salt Lake has experienced a rebound in recent years after its historic low in 2022, it’s still below its minimum healthy level and likely won't reach that anytime soon.

Provo Airport to receive $87 million over the next 15 years

The Provo Airport is expected to receive a $87 million investment over the next 15 years.

Utah County’s investment into the airport will go towards expansion to meet the demands of the county’s booming population as well as the upcoming 2034 Winter Olympic Games.

Plans include expanding terminals and services and upgrading infrastructure so the airport can accommodate more passengers.

After an initial $19.5 million investment, the county will contribute $3.9 million to the airport annually over the next 15 years.

Duck is a general reporter and weekend announcer at UPR, and is studying broadcast journalism and disability studies at USU. They grew up in northern Colorado before moving to Logan in 2018, so the Rocky Mountain life is all they know. Free time is generally spent with their dog, Monty, listening to podcasts, reading or wishing they could be outside more.