$1.50 October 4, 2024 | Vol. 3 Iss. 35
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Also...
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Fire engine 'push in'
page 7
South Davis Metro Fire Station 81 gets a new engine Page 4
Morgan County ranked 10th healthiest community in U.S.
page 21
Legislature’s appeal to Utah Supreme Court is defeated
Dame Maggie Smith passes away
SALT LAKE CITY—A unanimous Utah Supreme Court ruling voids Amendment D. It will still appear on the ballot but votes won’t be counted. Amendment A will most likely be voided as well.
Dame Maggie Smith, famous for roles on stage, and screen such as Professor McGonagall in the “Harry Potter” franchise, and Violet Crawley in “Downton Abbey” passed away Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Smith was 89 years old at the time of her passing. Known for her outstanding performance in every role, as well as her perfectly believable and witty delivery of her lines, Smith was extremely dedicated to the craft of acting. During the production of the last “Harry Potter” films, for example, Smith was battling cancer, and undergoing harsh treatment, but continued to show up on set and give some of her best performances.
By Becky Ginos becky.g@davisjournal.com
T
he Utah Supreme Court ruled last week in favor of the 3rd District Court’s decision to void Amendment D and although it will still be on the ballot, votes will not be counted. The legislature passed Amendment D in a Special Session held in August that would have changed the Utah Constitution and given the legislature the ability to repeal or amend citizen initiatives. After the 3rd District Court’s ruling, the legislature filed an appeal and the Utah Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Sept. 25. That afternoon in a unanimous decision the court ruled in favor of the lower court’s decision. Senate President J. Stuart Adams and Speaker Mike Shultz released this statement after the ruling: “The Court’s action is unprecedented and troubling. The Legislature offered the Court a way to preserve the voting rights of all Utahns, but instead, the Court took the chance to vote on Amendment D out of the voters’ hands. It’s a sad day for Utah and voters, whether for or against the constitutional amendments.” “The district court correctly ruled that neither constitutional prerequisite was met with respect to Amendment D,” the Court’s decision read. “The Legislature did not cause the amendment to be published in newspapers throughout the state for two months Please see AMENDMENT: pg. 5
NEWS IN BRIEF
Hurricane Helene hits the south The southern United States were pounded as Hurricane Helene made landfall. Numbers are still coming in, but over 100 people have lost their lives to the storm, with the death toll still rising. The storm has affected four states and has left millions without power, and many struggling to escape the floodwaters. As the winds weakened, the storm surge caused many problems, flooding streets, homes and businesses with contaminated water. FEMA and the Red Cross have both started implementing plans to help those affected by the disastrous hurricane, which, according to CNN, some are calling one of the worst in modern history.
VISITORS WALK ABOUT at the Capitol during the 2024 Legislative Session. The Legislature filed an appeal to the Utah Supreme Court on a ruling by the Third District Court over Amendment D. The Court ruled in favor of the district court’s decision voiding the amendment.
Photo by Roger V. Tuttle
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