> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://utahpolitics.news/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Reopening Alcatraz - URL: https://utahpolitics.news/a-m-news-brief-reopening-alcatraz/ - Published: 2025-05-05T13:42:29.000Z - Updated: 2025-07-09T15:47:53.000Z - Author: Bryan Schott - Tags: Morning Memo ## Monday, May 5, 2025 ## ⏰ Tick Tock 2 days remaining to verify signatures for the HB267 referendum. (5/7/2025) 99 days to Utah's 2025 municipal primary elections (8/12/2025) 183 days until Election Day (11/4/2025) 547 days until the 2026 midterm elections (11/3/2026) ## 👀 Here's what you need to know for Monday morning: Thank you for being one of more than 1,200 people supporting Utah Political Watch with your free subscription. I'm so thankful to have you as a reader! "Morning News Fix" is a subscriber-exclusive newsletter curating the morning's top news headlines to help you get informed before starting your day. As an independent watchdog journalist, I work tirelessly to hold elected officials accountable and keep you informed about Utah politics. This vital work takes time, resources, and dedication. Support impactful local journalism by becoming a paid subscriber to Utah Political Watch today. For just $5 per month—less than the cost of a coffee—you'll get exclusive access to in-depth political coverage that matters to you and your community. [Upgrade to paid ](https://utahpolitics.news/membership/) ## Utah Headlines The Great Salt Lake is drying. Can Utah save it? \[[New York Times gift link](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/05/us/great-salt-lake-utah.html?unlocked%5Farticle%5Fcode=1.E08.koAt.euJdRQDvbTzo&smid=url-share&ref=utahpolitics.news)\]. As Utah's fluoride ban begins, health officials urge Utahns to protect their teeth. \[[Utah News Dispatch](https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/05/05/utah-fluoride-ban-drinking-water-begins-may-7/?ref=utahpolitics.news)\] Utah is producing more oil than ever. Even more could be on its way if a controversial railway gets built. \[[Tribune](https://www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2025/05/05/uinta-basin-railway-utah-produced/?ref=utahpolitics.news)\] Could an AI "hallucination" ruin your reputation? A conservative activist says it did. \[[Deseret News](https://www.deseret.com/politics/2025/05/02/robby-starbuck-files-defamation-lawsuit-against-meta/?ref=utahpolitics.news)\] Woman who held Elizabeth Smart captive for months is arrested after visiting park. \[[NBC News](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/elizabeth-smart-kidnapper-arrested-rcna204569?ref=utahpolitics.news)\] ## National/International President Donald Trump was asked if he has to "uphold the Constitution." He replied, "I don't know." \[[NBC News](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/trump-asked-uphold-constitution-says-dont-know-rcna204580?ref=utahpolitics.news)\] President Trump said on social media that he's directed his government to rebuild and reopen the Alcatraz prison in California. The site is currently a museum. \[[Axios](https://www.axios.com/2025/05/05/trump-alcatraz-prison-rebuild-reopen?ref=utahpolitics.news)\]' The "big, beautiful bill" to enact much of President Trump's agenda is running into problems as Republicans in Congress keep adding red lines they're unwilling to cross. \[[Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/05/05/trump-policy-bill-congress-red-lines/?pwapi%5Ftoken=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJyZWFzb24iOiJnaWZ0IiwibmJmIjoxNzQ2NDE3NjAwLCJpc3MiOiJzdWJzY3JpcHRpb25zIiwiZXhwIjoxNzQ3Nzk5OTk5LCJpYXQiOjE3NDY0MTc2MDAsImp0aSI6IjBmMWVhZjdhLWJlZTEtNDcxMS1iNzI4LThlNDllY2QyNTc1NSIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndhc2hpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS9wb2xpdGljcy8yMDI1LzA1LzA1L3RydW1wLXBvbGljeS1iaWxsLWNvbmdyZXNzLXJlZC1saW5lcy8ifQ.LLpjDHCHPSWcZTXszgCbhr%5FNXJE4dgH09ZP5YnNhh7s&ref=utahpolitics.news)\] President Trump says he's willing to lower tariffs on China because the two countries have essentially stopped doing business with each other. \[[Bloomberg](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-04/trump-signals-willingness-to-lower-china-tariffs-at-some-point?fromMostRead=true&sref=nXmOg68r&embedded-checkout=true&ref=utahpolitics.news)\] 46% of Americans say President Trump is mostly responsible for today's economy while 27% say Joe Biden bears responsibility. \[[Gallup](https://news.gallup.com/poll/660194/say-trump-rather-biden-economy.aspx?ref=utahpolitics.news)\] Conservatives in Congress want to include a proposal to shred hundreds of federal regulations in their massive party-line energy, tax and border security megabill. \[[Politico](https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/05/conservative-republicans-reins-act-budget-reconciliation-00319030?ref=utahpolitics.news)\] President Trump attacked Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum after she rejected his proposal to allow U.S. troops to operate inside her country to thwart drug cartels. \[[Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/trump-sheinbaum-mexico-drug-cartels-c2113e74cfc122f8f5a9e162644a470f?ref=utahpolitics.news)\] The Justice Department division that enforces voting rights laws is changing its focus to investigating voter fraud and making sure elections aren't marred by "suspicion." \[[Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-voting-rights-elections-fraud-0717d58a10daa11b3957d277a7ca8e0e?ref=utahpolitics.news)\] Wednesday is the deadline for having a Real ID compliant license to board a commercial aircraft in the U.S. \[[Axios](https://www.axios.com/2025/05/03/real-id-deadline-dmv-appointment-travel-delays?ref=utahpolitics.news)\] More than 15,000 Department of Agriculture employees have taken the Trump Administration's offer to resign – roughly 15% of the department's workforce. \[[Politico](https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/03/more-than-15000-employees-resign-agriculture-department-trump-00324834?ref=utahpolitics.news)\] Crude oil prices tumble after OPEC agrees to surge production by 411,000 barrels per day. \[[CNBC](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/04/us-oil-prices-tumble-after-opec-agrees-to-surge-production-in-june.html?ref=utahpolitics.news)\] The federal government resumes collecting defaulted student loan payments from millions of people today. \[[NBC News](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/student-loan-collections-restart-explained-rcna204494?ref=utahpolitics.news)\] ## Briefly... President Trump defended the estimated $45 million price-tag for his planned military parade in Washington, D.C. on his birthday. \[[NBC News](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/trump-defends-high-cost-military-parade-peanuts-rcna204581?ref=utahpolitics.news)\] President Trump announced plans to implement a 100% tariff on movies made in other countries and imported to the United States. \[[NBC News](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/trump-announces-new-tariffs-foreign-movies-rcna204747?ref=utahpolitics.news)\] The National Endowment for the Arts has begun terminating grants to arts organizations after President Trump proposed eliminating the agency in his next budget. \[[New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/03/arts/national-endowment-for-the-arts-grants.html?ref=utahpolitics.news)\] Chinese exporters "wash" their products in third countries to avoid Donald Trump's tariffs. \[[Financial Times](https://www.ft.com/content/147fddbb-7031-4347-9251-4425614e138d?ref=utahpolitics.news)\] Facebook allegedly detected when teen girls deleted selfies so it could serve them beauty ads. \[[Futurism](https://futurism.com/facebook-beauty-targeted-ads?ref=utahpolitics.news)\] California is running out of license plate numbers. \[[Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-04-25/california-is-running-out-of-license-plate-numbers-heres-the-license-plate-sequence-starting-next-year?ref=utahpolitics.news)\]