PRICE — While Utah ranks among the fastest-growing states in the nation, it also only averages 32 people per square mile. And according to Paul Hill, founder of the Rural Online Initiative and a Utah State University Extension professor, it’s the rural residents who are struggling to find high-paying jobs and stay in their communities.
Hill noticed that job opportunities were limited in Utah’s small towns, leading many residents to move to larger cities and deplete the richness of Utah’s rural communities.
“The idea that there’s not talent in rural Utah — it’s just not true. And it’s only true because the talent has no choice; it has to go somewhere else,” says Gov. Spencer Cox in Rural Online Initiative’s 17-minute documentary.
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In 2018, USU’s extension program created the initiative after Gov. Gary Herbert signed HB327, which was initially planned as a pilot program; the sunset date has since been repealed, and the program has continued since then.
The program provides specialized training for individuals on how to work remotely, and when the workers are finished, they can receive remote work job recommendations — employment opportunities that might not even be based in Utah but are well-paying, according to Hill. That way, individuals can remain in their communities and enrich the economy of not just rural Utah, but all of Utah, he said.
Rural Online Initiative also provides the Certified Remote Work Leader course, a certification for business leaders looking to recruit remote employees from rural locations.
Since its implementation, 220 people have found jobs after obtaining the Rural Online Initiative certificates, according to the program’s documentary.
“We’re positioned really well to succeed in the global economy without leaving our state,” Hill said. “COVID accelerated remote work adoption by some estimates by 20, 30, 40 years at the current rate it was going before the pandemic, and so it’s changed our economy and it’s an opportunity for rural communities.”
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This month, the program received the 2023 Award for Excellence in Community Development Work from the National Association of Community Development of Extension Professionals.
“The Rural Online Initiative is one of the best rural economic development initiatives that we’ve done in the history of the state of Utah,” Cox said.
Lezlie Johnson, a remote employee with Rocky Mountain Power who recently received her Rural Online Initiative certification, noted how the program has helped her not just obtain training on how to work better, but it’s helped keep her in Price’s tight-knit community.
“When you work in Price, it’s a small city, small area, community and there aren’t a whole lot of high-paying jobs for people, specifically women, that are in this area,” Johnson said. “And so that has made a big difference for me working and living in a rural area but still working a job that pays well. It makes a big difference in my ability to take care of myself.”
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For others, like Erin Shepherd, a Rural Online Initiative-certified remote worker, the program helps her to take care of her family and job.
“It’s allowed me to be a mom. And a lot of jobs, you just can’t do that; there’s more and more demands put on parents these days,” Shepherd said. “When it comes to working from home and being a parent, as far as being rural, obviously there’s not too many job opportunities; lots of changes are going on in the economy, stuff like that. From what I understand, it gives you a lot more marketability.”
Now, Hill plans on continuing to work with the Utah House of Representatives to further the Rural Online Initative — especially state Rep. Carl Albrecht, R-Richfield, who “has been the champion of rural Utah,” Hill said.
In the future, legislators will especially be helping the program develop to help not just rural workers, but to provide funding for rural businesses needing digital tools to expand their workplace.
“Remote work provided new opportunities for residents of rural Utah and their careers, expanding the careers of rural residents,” Hill said. “E-commerce can expand and help rural businesses grow.”
According to Jake Fischer during his NBA rumors chat on Bleacher Report, Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson are both available. But he also says that the Utah Jazz would prefer to keep Walker Kessler. (Big shoutout to David J. Smith for the notice on this one.)
Enjoyed @JakeLFischer‘s NBA rumors chat. He says Sexton and Clarkson are both available, but that he thinks the Jazz prefer to keep Walker Kessler. It would take a major package to entice them to move him (So not the ones I see many LAL fans suggesting).https://t.co/dQnlHeInf3
This is not something new regarding each of these players but it does provide some clarity with Kessler. But this idea that it would take a “major package” to get him reminds me of something. Oh, that’s right, all of last offseason where we heard the same thing with Lauri Markkanen. That ended up turning into nothing, and we’re seeing the same playbook. Utah is happy with Kessler, but if there’s a team out there to give a major overpay, it sounds like Utah won’t turn that down. Looking back at this offseason and how it panned out. Teams like the Warriors and Kings, who were very interested in Markkanen, certainly look like they might regret not paying the huge price tag.
As far as Sexton and Clarkson, it seems pretty obvious that Utah is likely going for the highest possible package they can get for Collin Sexton. That may take time but Utah needs to think about the ramifications of having Sexton potentially costing them losses down the road. Utah is in an extremely tight race for Cooper Flagg and should think about making a move sooner than later to make that more possible.
TikTok has long known its video livestreams encourage sexual conduct and exploit children yet turned a blind eye because it “profited significantly” from them, according to newly unsealed material in a lawsuit by the state of Utah.
The accusations were made public on Friday, ahead of a scheduled Jan. 19 ban on TikTok in the United States unless its China-based owner, ByteDance, sells the popular social media app.
President-elect Donald Trump has asked the US Supreme Court to put that ban on hold.
TikTok has long known its video livestreams encourage sexual conduct and exploit children yet turned a blind eye because it “profited significantly” from them, according to newly unsealed material in a lawsuit. AFP via Getty Images
TikTok, for its part, has said it prioritizes safe livestreaming.
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Utah’s original lawsuit accusing TikTok of exploiting children was filed last June by the state’s Division of Consumer Protection, with state Attorney General Sean Reyes saying the TikTok Live streaming feature created a “virtual strip club” by connecting victims to adult predators in real time.
Citing internal TikTok employee communications and compliance reports, Friday’s largely unredacted complaint said TikTok learned of the threats Live posed through a series of internal reviews into the feature.
It said a probe known as Project Meramec uncovered in early 2022 how hundreds of thousands of 13-to-15-year-olds bypassed Live’s minimum-age restrictions.
It said many children were then allegedly “groomed” by adults to perform sexual acts, sometimes involving nudity, in exchange for virtual gifts.
The complaint also said a probe launched in 2021, Project Jupiter, found that criminals used Live to launder money, sell drugs and fund terrorism including by Islamic State.
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According to the complaint, a probe known as Project Meramec uncovered in early 2022 how hundreds of thousands of 13-to-15-year-olds bypassed Live’s minimum-age restrictions. Shutterstock
In addition, an internal December 2023 study “documented what TikTok admits is ‘the cruelty’ of maintaining Live with its current risks for minors on the app,” the complaint said.
User safety
TikTok had fought the disclosures, citing confidentiality concerns and its interest in “preventing potential bad actors from getting a roadmap” to misuse the app.
A Utah state judge, Coral Sanchez, ordered the release of much of the previously redacted material on Dec. 19.
“This lawsuit ignores the number of proactive measures that TikTok has voluntarily implemented to support community safety and well-being,” a TikTok spokesperson said on Friday.
“Instead, the complaint cherry-picks misleading quotes and outdated documents and presents them out of context, which distorts our commitment to the safety of our community,” the spokesperson added.
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Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes says the TikTok Live streaming feature created a “virtual strip club” by connecting victims to adult predators in real time. AP
In October, a bipartisan group of 13 states and Washington, DC, separately sued TikTok for allegedly exploiting children and addicting them to the app.
“Social media is too often the tool for exploiting America’s young people,” Reyes said in a statement on Friday.
“Thanks to Judge Sanchez’s ruling, more of TikTok’s shocking conduct will now be public through this unredacted complaint,” he added. “(The) full extent of its culpability can be demonstrated at trial.”
President Joe Biden signed a law authorizing the TikTok ban last April, addressing concern TikTok could gather intelligence on American users and share it with the Chinese government.
The Supreme Court will hear arguments on whether to put the ban on hold on Jan. 10. It is expected to rule quickly.
Utah Hockey Club (17-15-6, in the Central Division) vs. Dallas Stars (23-13-1, in the Central Division)
Dallas; Saturday, 8 p.m. EST
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BOTTOM LINE: The Utah Hockey Club visit the Dallas Stars after Lawson Crouse’s two-goal game against the Calgary Flames in the Utah Hockey Club’s 5-3 win.
Dallas is 23-13-1 overall with a 10-3-1 record in Central Division play. The Stars have a 13-6-1 record in games they have fewer penalties than their opponent.
Utah has a 4-6-1 record in Central Division games and a 17-15-6 record overall. The Utah Hockey Club serve 10.9 penalty minutes per game to rank second in NHL play.
Saturday’s game is the third time these teams square off this season. The Stars won the previous matchup 3-2.
TOP PERFORMERS: Matt Duchene has 15 goals and 20 assists for the Stars. Roope Hintz has seven goals and one assist over the past 10 games.
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Dylan Guenther has 16 goals and 18 assists for the Utah Hockey Club. Clayton Keller has five goals and eight assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Stars: 6-3-1, averaging 2.8 goals, five assists, 2.7 penalties and 5.7 penalty minutes while giving up 2.1 goals per game.
Utah Hockey Club: 5-4-1, averaging 2.8 goals, 5.3 assists, 4.1 penalties and 9.5 penalty minutes while giving up 2.6 goals per game.
INJURIES: Stars: None listed.
Utah Hockey Club: None listed.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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