This is your daily news rundown for Wednesday, Feb. 26. In this edition:
- U of U scientists discovered a record number of black holes in dwarf galaxies
- A scenic route in Zion National Park has reopened after a rockfall on Monday
- A bill overhauling Utah's vote-by-mail system is advancing in the legislature
U of U scientists discover record number of black holes in dwarf galaxies
Researchers at the University of Utah have discovered the largest ever sample of dwarf galaxies with black holes.
The team used a powerful, four-meter telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory in Tuscon to capture images of 410,000 galaxies.
Of those, 110,000 were dwarf galaxies, and 2,500 of those had active black holes at their center.
It’s the largest sample of such galaxies to date, expanding understanding and further research on black holes.
Zion National Park roadway reopened after rockfall
A scenic roadway through Zion National Park has reopened after a rockfall closed the road earlier this week.
On Monday afternoon, a block of sandstone 144 meters up failed and fell onto the road. Officials then stopped traffic in both directions and evacuated visitors from the north end of the rockfall.
The road was closed for about a day in case of additional rockfall before being cleared and reopened Tuesday evening, though signs saying “Caution: rockfall zone ahead” have been posted in the area.
Overhaul of vote-by-mail in Utah advances in the legislature
The Utah House passed a bill on Tuesday that would overhaul Utah’s vote-by-mail system.
Originally, House Bill 300, sponsored by Rep. Jefferson Burton, a Republican from Salem, required mail-in voters to present an ID and for drop boxes to be manned.
After pressure from the public and negotiations with state leaders, the bill was changed to instead require voters to put the last four digits of their ID on the ballot envelope. The drop boxes rule was taken out entirely.
What currently remains from the original bill is that voters would have to opt in to mail-in voting every eight years, and ballots would have to be received by Election Day rather than being postmarked by then.
Supporters of the bill say this version addresses worries about losing vote-by-mail while preserving security and providing faster election results. Opponents say it restricts access to voting, especially the disabled or those in rural areas.
The bill passed the House 57-15 and now heads to the Senate.
