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August 5, 2022 | Vol. 3 Iss. 31
UTA’s Microtransit service coming to Davis County on Aug. 8 By Tom Haraldsen tom.h@davisjournal.com
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tarting on Monday, Aug. 8, there will be a new and much more convenient way for south Davis County residents to ride Utah Transit Authority buses and trains. That’s when UTA’s new microtransit service, called UTA on Demand, will begin from North Salt Lake to portions of Farmington. The private-public partnership is part
NEWS BREAK
of an app-based program that will improve connectivity for residents in Davis County, according to Beth Holbrook, a UTA Board of Trustee and a resident of Bountiful. She spoke to the Bountiful City Council on July 26, explaining the new program which has been operating in Salt Lake County for several months. “Microtransit will improve flexible mobility options, help us repurpose underperforming bus routes, expand our transit access and service coverage, and provide first and last mile connections,”
FULLY-BRANDED UTA VANS like this one will offer microtransit services to residents of south Davis County.
Photo courtesy of UTA
she said. UTA on Demand is designed to provide corner-to-corner service within certain zone boundaries, giving patrons an easy way to connect to UTA bus stops or the Woods Cross FrontRunner station. By using an app on your cell phone, you can request a ride and a fully-branded Please see MICROTRANSIT: pg. 2
Gas prices plummeting in most of U.S.
After months of high prices at the gas station, prices have fallen for the past six weeks. On Monday, the average price for a gallon of gas nationwide was $4.278, down more than 12 cents from a week ago and more than 60 cents lower than in early July. The lower prices are due, at least in part, to simple economic forces. On Monday, AAA pointed to “low domestic demand for gasoline,” a marked change from recent trends, and one likely caused in part by inflation. AAA spokesman Andre Gross said consumers “appear to be taking the pressure off their wallets by fueling up less. And there’s reason to be cautiously optimistic that pump prices will continue to fall, particularly if the global price for oil does not spike.”
Idaho sued over abortion ban
The Justice Department has sued Idaho over a law that the agency said would inhibit emergency room doctors from performing abortions in medical emergencies. The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday, is the first the Biden administration has filed to protect access to abortion since the Supreme Court ended the constitutional right to terminate pregnancies. Attorney General Merrick Garland said “there have been widespread reports of delays and denials of treatment to pregnant women experiencing emergencies.” The lawsuit argues that a federal law, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, bars states from imposting restrictions that would prevent emergency room doctors from treating those women.
PAM BEACH SPEAKS WITH art-goers surrounded by her paintings at the BDAC Pop Art Show.
Artist’s work tells a story through paintings
By Becky Ginos becky.g@davisjournal.com BOUNTIFUL—Pam Beach paints people – but not in the traditional way – her artwork has symbolic meaning with multiple layers. She believes that everyone has a story and she’s going to tell it through her paintings. Beach has been the Artist in Residence at the Bountiful Davis Art Center for the last year and has created 14 large paintings and 200 small pieces for her exhibit You/Me/Us that opened on July 29. “We all get to feel the exact same things, just at different levels,” she said. “We have common feelings, they just look different in people’s lives. When we hear each other’s stories it changes us for the better.” Beach has loved painting since she was child. “I went to BYU on scholarship and got a degree in painting,” she said. “I did some painting after then I got married and had six kids. I never stopped. It just changed. We would do huge murals in front of our house. I made peace that it was not going to be what it was before.” Now her youngest is almost six. “I thought I might be able to paint,” she said. “She paints with me. It surprises me every day that I do it because I never thought I’d do it again.” When she applied to become the Artist in Residence, part of the process was to explain what the focus of the show would be. “They wanted to see if you were willing to push
Photo by Roger V. Tuttle
I’m fascinated with people. If I listen they’ll tell me what to paint. If I’m having a hard time then I need to go back and listen to them more. That way I can be true to who that person is, what’s important to them and what they value and who they are. The people make the artistic decisions for me. Pam Beach outside of your comfort zone,” said Beach. “They wanted to know why you create and how you create art – a full picture of your process.” It’s a year long position that comes with studio space, she said. “I live in a home in Bountiful and I was painting in a corner of my kitchen.” Her large paintings are 36”x 62” and focus on individuals, Beach said. “I have 200 paintings on one wall that are 3”x3” with just eyes. I painted these with the hope people will Please see BEACH: pg.4
Nursing home staff turnover is up 25 percent from last year
The national nursing home staff turnover rate for all employees is up 25% from last year. That’s according to findings included in the 45th annual Nursing Home Salary & Benefits Report released Thursday by Hospital & Healthcare Compensation Service. The average national turnover rate across executive-level positions and those in dining services, environmental services, marketing and therapy was 29.17%, according to the report. The national average turnover among registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and certified nursing assistants was 38.68%. Last year’s overall turnover rate was 48.5%, up from 39% for all nursing home staff positions in the previous year.
Beef prices may be headed higher during sell off
U.S. cattle producers are sending higher numbers of breeding stock to the sale barn, and some are liquidating their herds entirely, signaling a trend that analysts say will likely push already-elevated beef prices even higher in the not-too-distant future. The latest cattle report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows the market has contracted to levels not seen in years, with total inventory dropping 2% to 98.8 million head since July 2021. But it’s not just the reduction in cattle overall that is of concern. It's what is getting sent to slaughter. There is a notable boost in calf-producing females getting sold for processing in addition to steers, which are typically favored for consumption.