Fighting The Utah Republican Power Grab (Feat. Representative Lesser)

Every once in a while, I get a feeling that a story needs to be heard. And this is a story I hope everyone takes a moment to listen to.Today we launched a new podcast episode and it returns to the show's original premise: stepping outside our own lived experience and into someone else’s. And in this episode that someone is my friend, Ted Rogers. An Ogdenite who gave a lot to our community. Ted was living with terminal metastatic vocal cord cancer. I interviewed him on December 2nd, 2025. Twenty-one days later, Ted died at home, with his wife, Denise, by his side.There is no single takeaway or agenda for this conversation. It exists simply because there is something to learn from listening to someone who knows their time is so short. For me, sitting with Ted narrowed my focus to what truly matters—human connection, kindness, and love.I hope this conversation gives you space to reflect, to listen closely, and to carry something of Ted with you. Just as it did for me.

We are interrupting our coverage of the legislative session to do a quick mini-episode to follow up on our show with Andi Beedles about the Weber Housing Authority’s plans to open a permanent supportive housing project in Ogden. We have a special guest, George Barragan! You probably know George from 614’s social media as the brave 13-year-old who made poignant comments at the council meeting. I wanted to have him on to hear his thoughts about what made him want to speak his mind at that meeting. 

On rundown today, we’ve got yet another revenge bill. This time, the revenge is aimed directly at you, the citizens, and your ability to pass laws via ballot initiative. Speaking of citizen-led power, the ability to vote by mail is under attack as legislators want to make it harder for you to vote. And, of course, the state has to make sure they take their yearly punch at the transgender community. And lastly, in what might be the biggest threat to our health and safety, we give you the bill that warns you about vaccine lettuce!

If you’ve tuned into The Community Spread podcast before, we hope you’ve found value in the voices we’ve elevated, the topics we covered, and the opinions we’ve shared. We fundamentally believe the State Legislature here in Utah is doing a poor job of representing Utahns and that if more people heard the voices of their lawmakers during these sessions and were informed of the consequences of the laws they pass, they would be even more unpopular than they already are. So, for the next 5 or 6 weeks, we plan to bring you weekly information about a few bills that are under consideration by our lawmakers. We will bring their voices from committee hearings and the voices of the public as they courageously make their way to the capitol to oppose some of the worst impulses of our representatives. I’ve brought in our Social Media goddess here at 614 Productions, Kari Harbath, as well as political junkie Colby Petersen. We hope you have as much fun listening to the show as we did recording it. If this fills a void in your local news consumption and you like what you hear please share it with a friend. 

On the Pod today, On April 12, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and 50 other protestors and civil rights leaders were arrested in Birmingham, AL after leading a Good Friday demonstration. This demonstration was part of a campaign to bring to light the brutal treatment of of blacks in one of the most segregated cities in America at the time. This letter is a response to the local clergymen's op-ed piece in a local newspaper that was critical of Dr. King's tactics. Calling him an "outside agitator" and other such things. Dr. King was in solitary confinement at the time of this letter and many of his words, as they so often do, still ring true today. Please take some time to listen to his words spoken so eloquently by Wynter and take some time to reflect on today and the impact Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had on our society. Please, if you like this episode, share it with someone who may also enjoy listening in.

On the Pod today we have Andi Beadles. Andi is the executive director of the Weber Housing Authority and is working on a project that will house 25 of the most chronically homeless individuals in Ogden in Permanent Supportive Housing. This housing project will have 24 hour supervision and support from case managers. This innovative solution for Ogden would do a lot to care for our cities most vulnerable. However it is facing opposition from Ogden City Council and is up for a vote on January 14th. We need your help so that the council knows our community supports this type of project. You can contact the Ogden City Council members via phone or email here! Also a large presence of individuals who support the project showing up on January 14th will make a huge impact! So join us that day so we can prove that Ogden is different!

The aftermath of the 2024 losses left a lot of people concerned, discouraged, and frankly scared. Kevin brings back Angela Choberka, Stacy Bernal, and Rosemary Lesser (the Wonder Women of Weber County) to discuss how they are dealing with the loss and how they have found new purpose and courage in the midst of election results.

Currently women in Utah can receive and abortion up to 18 weeks but only because Utah courts have put a temporary stay on one of the most extreme anti-abortion laws in the country that The Utah Legislature passed in 2020. Kevin and Angela discuss just how extreme the state legislature is on abortion and why it's important to have a pro-choice voice like hers in the house. Mentioned in this episode:Rally for Reproductive Rights

Kevin and Representative Rosemary Lesser discuss the Utah State Legislature's deceitful power grab when they passed a constitutional amendment during an "emergency" special session. Amendment D will appear on ballots this November and if ratified by the voters it will effectively gut the power of the citizen led ballot initiative that brought us medical marijuana and Medicaid expansion in 2018.

Kevin discusses with Juli and Dirk how recent anti-transgender legislation has effected their son who is transgender.  Dirk and Juli wanted to share their experience because many people don’t get the opportunity to get to know people whose lives have been affected by anti-transgender legislation and a general culture in Utah where transgender people are vilified and marginalized.