GOP sticks with convention winner despite eligibility concerns
The Utah Republican Party is sticking with their nominee for the upcoming special election to replace Rep. Chris Stewart, despite concerns raised about her eligibility.
Celeste Maloy, the former chief legal counsel for Rep. Stewart, won a surprise victory in the GOP’s special convention on Saturday. However, some party delegates claimed she wasn’t eligible for the party’s nomination because she hadn’t voted in the state for the past two federal elections, which meant she was listed as inactive.
According to Maloy, she hadn’t voted in 2020 and 2022 because she was working for Rep. Stewart in Washington, D.C. at the time and wanted to protect him from allegations of voter fraud. She re-registered as a Republican on June 15 when she realized her inactive status, three days after filing as a candidate.
The U.S. Constitution doesn’t require federal candidates to be registered voters, but Utah law says a candidate can’t file a declaration of candidacy for a political party if they’re not a member of that party. It’s unclear if Maloy was inactive but still officially registered with the Republican party when she filed, or if her name had been purged.
Despite these concerns, Utah GOP Chairman Robert Axson said he’ll submit Maloy’s name as convention winner. Each party has until July 5 to certify their nominee to the state elections office.
SLCPD warns public about spam calls asking for donations
The Salt Lake City Police Department (SLCPD) is warning the community about scam phone calls seeking donations for the police department.
The SLCPD said they don’t call individuals and request money under any circumstance, and that scams in the past have used the identity of actual department employees to make the scam seem more legitimate.
They gave tips on how to avoid becoming a victim of a scam, including never giving out personal or financial information, and being wary of someone cold-calling and asking for a sudden payment of any type.
Anyone who receives a suspicious call is advised to hang up and report the call to the SLCPD at 801-799-3000.
Two new lanes coming with construction in West Jordan and Sandy
In Salt Lake County, 900 South between West Jordan and Sandy will be under construction beginning in early July to add two new lanes and other road improvements.
The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) said the construction will begin after Fourth of July celebrations, with a scheduled completion in May 2025. It will span from Redwood Road in West Jordan to 700 West in Sandy.
Besides one extra lane east and westbound, UDOT said road improvements will include a bike lane, continuous sidewalk and replacing the Jordan River bridge.
Commuters should expect shifting, narrowed lanes, as well as night and weekend lane closures.
A public open house about the project will be held at Riverside Elementary School in West Jordan on Wednesday, June 28 at 5:30 p.m. More information about the project can also be found at the UDOT website.
