Access Utah

On this episode of Access Utah our guest is Pulitzer Prize-Winning New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof. The website for the Half the Sky Movement, founded by Mr. Kristof and his wife Cheryl WuDunn, says: “The central moral challenge of our time is reaching a tipping point. Just as slavery was the defining struggle of the 19th century and totalitarianism of the 20th, the fight to end the oppression of women and girls worldwide defines our current century.” We’ll talk about this and some of the individuals profiled in their book “A Path Appears,” who are effecting positive change. We’ll also talk about President Trump, journalism in our new era, fake news, Women’s Marches, and the dangers of echo chambers on campus.

The Outdoor Industry Association has announced that after next year, Salt Lake City will no longer host the Outdoor Retailer show, which has called Utah home for 20 years. Some companies, like Patagonia, had said they would not participate in the shows because of the Utah Legislature’s opposition to the new Bear’s Ears National Monument and desire to shrink the size of the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument.

For Meridian Wallace—and many other smart, driven women of the 1940s—being ambitious meant being an outlier. Ever since she was a young girl, Meridian had been obsessed with birds, and she was determined to get her PhD, become an ornithologist, and make her mother’s sacrifices to send her to college pay off. But she didn’t expect to fall in love with her brilliant physics professor, Alden Whetstone. When he’s recruited to Los Alamos, New Mexico, to take part in a mysterious wartime project, she reluctantly defers her own plans and joins him.

The confirmation battle over Education Secretary Betsy DeVos was riveting political theater, but it also highlights deep divisions regarding our K-12 education system. Quoting from the Washington Post: “Trump’s pick has intensified what already was a polarized debate about school choice. Advocates for such choice see in the Trump administration an extraordinary opportunity to advance their cause on a national scale, whereas teachers unions and many Democrats fear an unprecedented and catastrophic attack on public schools, which they see as one of the nation’s bedrock civic institutions.” We’re going to talk about education today. Our guests include UEA president, Heidi Matthews; Utah Association of Public Charter Schools, Communications Director, Cate Klundt; and Dr. Rich Kendell from Our Schools Now.

On Valentine’s Day 2017, we’re going to talk about the history, the idea, the cultural phenomenon of Valentine’s Day. It’s a wonderful day for some and painful for others. What do you think? Is Valentine’s Day an artificially-constructed minefield of expectations or a welcome opportunity to celebrate your romance? Has your view changed over time? What are your Valentine’s plans? We hope you’ll share your thoughts, your experience with us right now by email to [email protected]

The tumult at Rep. Jason Chaffetz’ recent town hall meeting made national news, but it’s not unusual of late. Marches and protests continue in the early days of the Trump presidency. In addition to the women’s marches, and protests at airports, there is the Indivisible movement and unusual events on Capitol Hill, such as the recent controversy surrounding Senators Warren and McConnell. Some are comparing the current situation to the Tea Party movement or Occupy Wall Street. Some Trump supporters say that protesters are sore losers and that the president should be given the chance to implement the policies he ran and won on. John Oliver, from Last Week Tonight, warns against resistance and anger fatigue and urges protesters to not just march but to give financial support to organizations they believe in.

From time to time we gather as a UPR community to compile a book list. On the next Access Utah we’re going to concentrate on Children’s Books. What are you reading to your kids? What are your children reading? What’s your favorite children’s book of all time? How about a new title or something you’ve just discovered that you’d like to share with us?

State Rep. Rebecca Chavez-Houck, D-Salt Lake has proposed that Utah follow the example of six other states and legalize assisted suicide (HB76 End of Life Options Act). Each of those states requires that the patient be of sound mind and have less than six months to live. Proponents say that individuals should have more control over decisions about quality of life and the timing of the end of life.

In an era when humans spend much of their time indoors staring at the dim glow of a screen, many of us have forgotten the simple pleasure of a stroll through a wooded glen, a hike up a secluded mountain path, or a nap in the grass. Many of us have a dog or go to the beach occasionally. But is that enough? In “The Nature Fix,” prize-winning science journalist Florence Williams asks, "What if?" What if something serious is missing from our lives? What if an occasional trip to the neighborhood park isn't enough? What if we've turned our backs on something that isn't merely pleasant and enjoyable, but is in fact vital to our happiness, our capacity to learn, and even our survival? And if the latest science shows that nature is necessary in our live, how do we recapture it?

In an era when humans spend much of their time indoors staring at the dim glow of a screen, many of us have forgotten the simple pleasure of a stroll through a wooded glen, a hike up a secluded mountain path, or a nap in the grass. Williams muses, many of us have a dog or go to the beach occasionally. But is that enough? In The Nature Fix, prize-winning science journalist Williams asks, "What if?" What if something serious is missing from our lives? What if an occasional trip to the neighborhood