This is your daily news rundown for Tuesday, August 27. In this edition:
- A majority of older Utahns are missing out on eligible food assistance
- A new poll found over half of Utah voters approve of Gov. Cox's endorsement of Donald Trump
- A search is underway for a man who went missing in Arches National Park
- A proposed Utah bill would restrict cellphone use in classrooms across the state
Majority of older Utahns missing out on eligible food assistance
4:13 p.m.
Nearly three-quarters of older Utahns eligible for food assistance haven’t enrolled, according to a new report.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, helps low-income individuals or families afford the increasing cost of groceries — but it requires those who are eligible to apply.
A new report from the National Council on Aging and the Urban Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, found 70.5% of eligible Utahns 65 and older aren’t participating.
Participation rates are lowest in northern Utah, with only 16% enrollment in Cache, Morgan, Rich, and Summit counties.
Across the country, 70.2% of eligible older Americans aren’t enrolled in SNAP. California and Iowa had the lowest participation rates at 17% and Rhode Island had the highest at 51%.
One barrier to enrollment may be education about eligibility and how to sign up.
Majority of Utah voters approve of Cox endorsing Trump, new poll finds
4:13 p.m.
Over half of Utah voters said they approve of Gov. Spencer Cox endorsing former President Donald Trump, according to a new poll by Deseret News and the Hinckley Institute of Politics.
For years, Cox was one of few Republican leaders to withhold support for the former president, publicly saying he wouldn’t vote for Trump in 2016, 2020, and — until recently — 2024.
Then, after the failed assassination attempt against Trump, Cox changed his stance, saying in a news conference in July that he supported Trump and would vote for him this November.
The new poll, conducted by HarrisX, found that 59% of respondents either strongly or somewhat approved of Cox’s decision, compared to 33% for disapproval and 9% for unsure.
A quarter of respondents also said Cox’s endorsement made them more likely to vote for Trump, though the majority (64%) said it didn’t impact their choice either way.
Search efforts underway for man missing in Arches National Park
9:07 a.m.
A search is underway in Arches for Francis Userovici, a 76-year-old male French national presumed missing since August 16.
A news release issued Monday by the National Park Service said Uservici's family has not seen him since Aug. 13.
Park officials say he has short gray hair and is 5 feet 6 inches tall. Additionally, officials said he may have a small red Nikon camera with him.
The search, which began Saturday, has turned into a multi-agency effort. Teams from the National Park Service, Grand County Search and Rescue, and the Moab Interagency Fire Center are involved in the search. Additionally, a helicopter from the Bureau of Land Management is assisting from the air.
Proposed bill would ban cellphones across all of Utah's schools and classrooms
9:07 a.m.
Two Utah lawmakers, Sen. Lincoln Fillmore (R-South Jordan), and Rep. Douglas Welton (R-Payson), announced Monday they plan to introduce legislation that would restrict cellphone use in all Utah schools and classrooms.
Fillmore is a former teacher who says the bill, which would be introduced during the 2025 legislative session, would preserve "local control" by allowing districts to create their own policies while also recognizing the impact that cellphones — especially smartphones — have on students and the learning process.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox sent letters in January to K-12 education leaders throughout the Beehive State sharing his concerns about the harmful effects social media has on children and asking them to remove cellphones during class time.
The announcement for the new legislation was made at Granger High School in Granite School District, which this year implemented a new policy that has removed cellphones from district schools.
