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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The clock is ticking but Native American leaders say they're in the midst of a health crisis and unable to weigh in on a proposal by U.S. land managers that will guide oil and gas development for years to come in an area held sacred by some Southwest tribes. The chairman of the All Pueblo Council of Governors was joined Friday by U.S. Sen. Tom Udall of New Mexico and others in renewing calls for the Bureau of Land Management to extend the comment period on a management plan for the area surrounding Chaco Culture National Historical Park. The agency has yet to respond.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Under Utah’s phased reopening plan, hair salons, gyms, restaurants and bars are allowed to reopen Friday. Shani and Sergei Oveson were excited to restart dine-in seating at their small downtown Salt Lake City restaurant that saw an 85% drop in sales since mid-March. Now the couple has only modest financial expectations as Utah and some states begin allowing certain businesses to reopen as the U.S. emerges from its self-imposed, hunkering down phase of the COVID-19 outbreak. Meanwhile, Mike Turner was ecstatic about meeting his friend for a beer at a bar, saying he missed being able to unwind with friends.
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — The Navajo Nation Council scheduled for Friday has been cancelled so all of the Legislative Branch buildings can be disinfected and sanitized. Council Speaker Seth Damon announced Thursday night that the move was made “out of an abundance of caution” due to the coronavirus pandemic. Under Legislative Branch protocol, the first instance of a symptomatic report will automatically result in a further closure of program offices. The Legislative Branch is comprised of 13 programs that have been operating on extremely limited office staff since March. Damon says work will continue to move forward under expanded remote work plans with each of the programs.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — As the number of new Utah residents claiming unemployment slowed for the fourth consecutive week, officials warned workers Thursday that they must accept offers to return to work or risk losing state and federal jobless benefits. State officials say people who fail to report a suitable offer to return to work and stay on unemployment may be forced to pay back state and federal checks. Though far less than the pandemic peak of 33,000 people, the 12,000 new unemployment claims last week were still higher than any single week on record before the COVID-19 pandemic.
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