Happy Friday from #OneUtah, a weekly update from the office of Gov. Spencer J. Cox. Here’s your recap of what we did this week, what's on the horizon, and more. Reply to this email with any questions or suggestions regarding the newsletter. And thank you for subscribing!

Let’s use Fire Sense, Utah!

Summer is finally here! But with rising temperatures also comes a higher risk for wildfires. Even with Utah’s record snowpack this year, we still need to use good fire sense. Most fires start in grass and shrubs, and with rising temperatures we will see these plants dry out and become fire hazards.

Last year, we saw a 60% reduction in human-caused wildfires! Here are a few ways you can prevent wildfires this year: 

• If you’re having a campfire, keep a bucket of water and shovel nearby to extinguish your fire, and check the heat before leaving. 

• When you park your car, park away from dry grass and keep your vehicle properly maintained to prevent roadside fires. 

• Be sure to check local firework restrictions to make sure you are having fun in a safe and legal manner. 

Visit utahfiresense.org for more information!

Congressional Update 

We received Rep. Chris Stewart’s resignation from Utah’s Second Congressional District, effective Sept. 15, this week.

To fill his vacancy, we issued two proclamations to set a new election schedule. The first calls for a special election and establishes timelines for the election. The second calls the Utah Legislature into a special session to appropriate money for the elections, change municipal election dates and other election-related matters. 

Rep. Stewart has admirably represented the interests of Utahns and we thank him for his public service. We wish him and his family all the best. Read more about these two proclamations here.

Bryce Canyon Centennial 

We were honored to join state and local officials, National Park Service representatives and Paiute leaders this week to celebrate the centennial celebration of Bryce Canyon National Park. 

Bryce Canyon showcases one of the largest and most colorful concentrations of erosional geologic features in the world, including hoodoos, fins, windows, fluted cliffs, bridges, arches, and grottoes.

Simply put, Bryce Canyon is my favorite national park. This “helluva place to lose a cow,” as quoted by its namesake, Ebenezer Bryce, is a heavenly place to find one’s soul and will continue to be a destination for Utahns and tourists to visit for centuries to come!

A paw-some guest 

This week a very special guest joined us in the Governor’s Office: Yeti the UDOT dog! We discussed all the important transportation projects happening in Utah. Yeti even reviewed some paw-licy and had some excellent questions. Humans aren’t the only ones benefiting from the hard work of those at UDOT; our furry friends will get to enjoy the new trails network announced in 2022. A big thank you to our friends at UDOT for stopping by with Yeti! Mondays can be ‘ruff’, but smiles were not in short supply Monday morning in our office! 

Check out this video from UDOT to see just how paw-sitively great Yeti’s visit was!

Stay safe, Utah!

It is no surprise that Utah boasts some of the most stunning, photo-worthy scenery. However, some of the more daring (and even mildly daring) selfies can result in personal injury and damage to the environment. To protect Utah's most prized scenery (and you of course), here are 5 rules for responsible selfie snapping. 

1. Before you turn your focus to your camera, make sure you are first aware of your surroundings. That includes cliffs, water, wildlife, and even other people. The last thing you want is a mother moose chasing you down!

2. Use your common sense. Think to yourself “is this a responsible picture to take, or am I interfering with nature or people's privacy?” Be a good role model for how to interact with our environment. 

3. Be sensitive to sensitive areas. Utah is full of spectacular sites, but one’s that can easily be damaged if not careful. One positive trend that is helping reduce stress at beautiful areas is to not “geotag” on social media, meaning not sharing the location of where you took the photo. 

4. Know where you can fly your drone. Drones are not allowed to fly in many places such as national parks, so to see where you can fly your drone see the FAA’s mobile app B4UFLY to see where it is authorized. 

5. Focus on the view, not the viewfinder. We’ve all been there, trying to snap a picture of a stunning view but having a photo not do it justice. Try to soak it all and enjoy the views! 

Read more here. 

ICYMI

• We met with UPEA this week! Grateful for our public employees. 

Coming up

• June 9: We’re speaking at the opening of the Utah Summer Games in Cedar City.

• June 10: We’re excited to attend the Unified Sports Exhibition and Clinic in Cedar City.

• June 12: We can’t wait to meet some of Utah’s future leaders at Utah Boys State to discuss the importance of being involved in government. 

• June 15: We’re looking forward to marking the unique partnership between the Utah National Guard and Morocco. Stay tuned for details!

Get involved!

Looking for a new job opportunity? From great employee benefits to versatile work schedules, the career opportunities with the state are truly endless. Join Team Utah today! 

Those looking to volunteer can also consider more than 300 boards and commissions. Find out which openings are available and how you can get involved here!

Get in touch!