Why we sent a reporter to Orlando

Dear subscriber:

I’ll be honest, I didn’t want them to go to Florida. 

Neither did Sports Editor Joe Baird. With COVID-19 cases rising and hospital beds filling, sending two reporters into the hottest of the nation’s hot spots seemed risky bordering on foolish. 

But, boy, are Eric Walden and Andy Larsen persuasive. 

We met with them several weeks ago to discuss the pros and cons of flying to Florida to cover the reboot of the NBA and the Utah Jazz, and they had arguments at the ready. They promised to mask up, keep to their hotel rooms during downtime and limit contact with others. Being in the building would allow them to detail the surreal experience of the team returning after a four-and-a-half month hiatus and playing in an arena without fans, they argued. They could describe the chemistry between coaches and teammates — especially the relationship between center Rudy Gobert and guard Donovan Mitchell which had been strained by early infections of the coronavirus — in a way that watching on TV wouldn’t allow. It was clear they weren’t going to shrink away from the opportunity to cover a monumental moment in Utah Jazz history.

I still had my doubts, so we agreed to set some benchmarks and watch the numbers over the intervening weeks. As our data guru, Andy pored over Florida’s Orange County statistics and we set thresholds for case counts, test positive rates and ICU occupancies. If the numbers exceeded our limits, we’d pull the plug.

Before flight time, two of the three data points hit the mark and the third was within striking distance. Eric’s trip was on. We’ll do a similar analysis to determine if Andy will fly to Orlando for the start of the playoffs next month.  

This is the sort of calculus Tribune reporters, photographers and editors have been making every day since mid-March: How can reporters stay safe covering news conferences, protests and public meetings during the pandemic? 

Reporter Courtney Tanner and Photographer Rick Egan doublemasked and kept their distance in a crowded Utah County Commission room as they reported on a raucous protest to a proposed mask mandate. Reporter Zak Podmore and Photographer Leah Hogsten took PPE suits, masks and extra bottles of Five Wives hand sanitizer on a trip to the Navajo Nation to report on the lack of running water. Reporter Sean P. Means masked up to talk with frustrated stage hands as they marched to the Capitol to seek government help for live events which have gone dark. Reporter Peggy Fletcher Stack and Managing Editor David Noyce are using Zoom to record their popular Mormon Land podcast, and a rotating cast of reporters — this week Reporter Tony Semerad discussed COVID-19’s impact on Utah businesses and employees — is using Facebook Live to provide long-form interviews.  

Important topics like these deserve coverage and The Tribune is committed to bringing you news that matters to you and yours and our entire state. I’m tremendously grateful to our team for their commitment to documenting this peculiar time while figuring out safe ways to do it.

COVID-19 and Utah’s communities of color

You’re three to seven times more likely to contract the coronavirus if you’re Latinx, Polynesian, Native American or Black than if you’re white in Utah, according to the Utah Department of Health. This sobering fact has led our reporting team to ask why, to explain and analyze the statistics, but also to amplify personal experiences from within these communities during this moment. 

Sometimes these narratives are harder to draw out.

“For the most part, I have found that people are willing to talk about their experience because they feel like their community is often not reported on and feel like their stories should be shared,” says Reporter Norma Gonzalez, our BYU sports beat writer who reported on the state’s lag time in addressing high infection rates among Latinos. “However, some may only talk if we agree not to disclose their name for fear or retribution at work or fears of discrimination.”

Reporter Becky Jacobs wrote about the impact the coronavirus is having on Utah’s Pacific Islanders and profiled Haviar Tuitama Hafoka, a 33-year-old who initially resisted going to the hospital out of shame.

“There's a lot of stigma surrounding COVID-19 in the Pacific Islander community, and people didn't want their names put out there,” she says. “I think Haviar Tuitama Hafoka was comfortable because he had made it through the virus and was in recovery. But it was still very brave of him to speak publicly.” 

The Navajo Nation in San Juan County has been hit harder with the coronavirus than any other area in Utah, says Reporter Zak Podmore.

“The stories that people have shared with The Tribune have been heartbreaking: the families isolated without cell reception, running water or electricity who were told to quarantine; Navajo Nation residents who lost family members to the outbreak at Blanding's Four Corners Regional Care Center where eight residents have died,” he says. 

And it’s often personal stories that get people thinking and talking and problem solving.  

“There was good social media response from the initial story about the state being slow to react to the problems faced in the Hispanic community. And through reporting, other story ideas have come up,” says Reporter Alex Vejar, who’s been covering both sports and Latinx issues during the pandemic.

We’re always looking to tell stories with impact, which might mean they start a conversation or maybe even launch a widespread call for policy change. If you’ve got a compelling story to share, check out our Story Tip Line.

Coming up on 150 years

In 1871, a state governor was impeached and removed for the first time (for the curious, it was William Holden of North Carolina), Major League Baseball made its debut, the first photographs of Yellowstone National Park were taken and “Boss” Tweed of Tammany Hall infamy was arrested for bribery. 

And in Utah, a start-up called The Salt Lake Daily Tribune and Utah Mining Gazette printed its first edition. Today, The Tribune remains Utah’s largest circulation newspaper and its independent voice. 

To celebrate this milestone, Tribune Director of Photography Jeremy Harmon is painstakingly reviewing thousands of photos from The Tribune archives and working with Senior Managing Editor Matt Canham to distill some of the most memorable moments from the past 150 years into a single volume. 

Creating this keepsake book is still a work in progress, but so far we think you’re going to love this coffee-table retrospective. You can find more information and pre-order copies here. 

This book is just one part of a full menu of anniversary festivities we’re planning in the coming months, so stay tuned for further announcements and details. 

The Tribune is a resource for all Utahns and you’re all invited to our community-wide celebration. We hope you’ll celebrate with us! 

Thank you from the entire newsroom. Until next month, stay safe and healthy. 

— Jennifer Napier-Pearce