Author: Mariah Wheeler

OGDEN, Utah — Rep. LaWanna “Lou” Shurtliff, D-Ogden, died Wednesday night after a three-week battle with pneumonia. Weber County’s lone Democrat, Shurtliff, who was just reelected to represent House District 10, had been hospitalized for three weeks after becoming sick on Dec. 6. She entered the hospital a day later, and then early Thursday, her family acknowledged her passing on her legislative Facebook page. “It is with heavy hearts we regret to announce the passing of our beloved, LaWanna “Lou” Shurtliff,” the post said. “She was first and foremost a loving mother, committed grandmother, and generous great-grandmother. Her absence is already deeply…

OGDEN, Utah – The products many of us purchase on a regular basis — the water bottles, clothes and, perhaps especially in the era of COVID, take-out containers from our local restaurants — are often plastic, disposable and bound to outlive us for generations. But the enormous amount of plastic waste that humans leave behind is a logistical and ecological nightmare, and experts say potential solutions must be approached from multiple angles, both for the planet’s sake and for our own. Chemical engineer Paul Dauenhauer has dedicated his career to revolutionizing the materials we rely on most. He’s worked to derive crucial…