Booms in Idaho, Utah buck curve of slowing US growth
SALT LAKE CITY â Two Western states known for their rugged landscapes and wide-open spaces are bucking the trend of sluggish U.S. population growth, which dipped to the lowest level since the Great Depression, though different forces are powering the population booms in Utah and Idaho.
In Utah, births largely drove the fastest growth in the country over the past decade. In neighboring Idaho, newcomers from California and other states helped it capture the second spot.
For both states, which have long been lightly populated, the expansion comes with rapid economic growth, sparking concerns about strains on infrastructure, rising housing prices and a sharp increase in the cost of living that could threaten the area s quality of life in the long term.
Coal miners, crawfish offer, full-capacity Opry: News from around our 50 states From USA TODAY Network and wire reports
Alabama
Montgomery: Public health officials are urging people to get COVID-19 shots as soon as possible, after the White House informed governors last week that it might reallocate supply from states with decreasing demand. Distribution has been in steady decline for several weeks, according to Alabama Department of Public Health data. “Y’all, we want shots in the arms and off the shelf,” Gov. Kay Ivey said. “If you have not made it a priority to schedule a vaccine, I encourage you to go get the shot as soon as you are able. If you are hesitant to get the COVID-19 vaccine, please speak to a physician you trust and ask if he or she would recommend it for you. If we don’t use it, we could lose it. This is our ticket back to normal. The vaccine is free and could possibly save your life.” In the early stages of the vaccine rollout, the Al
From USA TODAY Network and wire reports
Alabama
Montgomery: Public health officials are urging people to get COVID-19 shots as soon as possible, after the White House informed governors last week that it might reallocate supply from states with decreasing demand. Distribution has been in steady decline for several weeks, according to Alabama Department of Public Health data. “Y’all, we want shots in the arms and off the shelf,” Gov. Kay Ivey said. “If you have not made it a priority to schedule a vaccine, I encourage you to go get the shot as soon as you are able. If you are hesitant to get the COVID-19 vaccine, please speak to a physician you trust and ask if he or she would recommend it for you. If we don’t use it, we could lose it. This is our ticket back to normal. The vaccine is free and could possibly save your life.” In the early stages of the vaccine rollout, the Alabama Department of Public Health heavily targeted vulnerable areas, particularly those with large
U.S. Rep. Yvette Herrell (R-NM), New Mexico’s only Republican in Congress, continued in the charge against energy policies enacted by President Joe Biden’s administration which Herrell said threatened her home state more than most in the U.S.
Herrell joined a forum held Friday by Republican members of the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources which pointed to purported negative impacts of Biden’s policies on state economies and America’s oil and gas industry.
Upon taking office, Biden via executive order placed a temporary pause on new federal oil and gas land leases, while calling on the Interior Department to review its federal energy policies.