This is your daily news rundown for Monday, Oct. 19. In this edition:
- Utah is one of several states whose top election officials were sent suspicious envelopes
- This northern Utah bird refuge finished a massive overhaul of water infrastructure
- Over the weekend, No Kings rallies focused on early voting
Utah’s postal inspector stopped a suspicious envelope headed to Lt. Gov. Henderson
Utah’s postal inspector intercepted a suspicious envelope meant for Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson’s office.
Henderson, who is the state’s top election official, said on social media it contained suspicious white powder and a threatening letter. She added, “nothing is going to disrupt the midterm election. We won’t let it happen.”
The envelope has been turned over to the FBI.
It’s one of several pieces of suspicious mail that have been sent to election officials across the country in the run-up to next month’s midterms. Election offices in Louisiana and Oklahoma were evacuated last week over mail threats.
Early in-person voting starts this week in Utah, with Election Day on November 3. Find more info on UPR’s election page.
This northern Utah bird refuge completed a massive water infrastructure project
The Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge recently wrapped up a massive project to replace old water control infrastructure.
Before, those structures had to be manned by two people lifting large, heavy boards together. Refuge officials say this method is outdated and has caused safety concerns.
Now, after a year and a half of work, there are seven new water control structures with mechanical radial arm gates.
Water that was removed during the construction process has also been redispersed to prepare for winter migration.
The Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge spans almost 75,000 acres, protecting both the marshes at the mouth of the Bear River and the wildlife that inhabit them.
The latest No Kings rallies in Utah focused on voting
Thousands of Utahns across the state came together once again for No Kings protests this weekend.
With the midterm elections in just two weeks, the rallies focused on the importance of voting.
The crowd in Salt Lake City, for example, marched from the state capitol to the Salt Lake City Public Library to cast their ballots. In Provo, protesters held signs promoting women voters specifically.
Similar events were held across the nation, from California to Georgia to Pennsylvania.
