AARP Utah

by Sid Kirchheimer

AARP Utah extends its warmest congratulations to Duane Blackwell, AARP’s Driver Safety Program 2014 Utah Volunteer of the Year who was recently selected as the Regional Volunteer of the Year for Western Region 2. He will now compete with seven other regional winners across the country for the Michael Seaton Volunteer of the Year, the highest award bestowed within the Driver Safety Program recognizing its most outstanding volunteer.

By Danny Harris, Advocacy Director, AARP Utah

By Alan Edwards, Social Security Public Affairs

In a statement released today, AARP Utah State Director Alan Ormsby said, “AARP Utah is disappointed that the Utah legislature did not advance Healthy Utah into law this session. This means that thousands of people who fall into the coverage gap will continue to suffer because of their lack of access to affordable health care. Some will die while waiting for treatment. It is truly disheartening when political posturing gets the upper hand over the outpouring of support for Healthy Utah from the public and organizations around the state. We hope that this vital piece of legislation will be considered and passed quickly in a special session of the legislature and intend to work with the committee to help ensure that this happens.”

On the heels of a new report showing the top scam in Utah is imposter scams, the AARP Fraud Watch Network offers tips so people can learn how to protect themselves from all ten of the top scams reported by Utahns in 2014.

With the Utah House failing to support SB164 Healthy Utah during a committee hearing Wednesday night—advancing HB446 Utah Cares instead—hundreds rallied at the capitol Thursday, March 4, in support of Governor Herbert’s bill. AARP Utah State Director joined legislators, religious leaders, citizen advocates, and health professionals to ask, "What's the hold up?" His comments are below:

We have come over a way that with tears has been watered,

AARP Utah unveiled a statewide survey that showed a growing concern over retirement savings in the state. The survey, Making Retirement a Reality: Helping Utahns Age 25-64 Save and Take Control of Their Future, engaged 1,000 Utahns age 25-64 and found that 85 percent wish they were able to save more money for retirement and 77 percent support the idea of a state-created retirement plan for those who lack access at their place of work. One in six of those surveyed has less than $5000 in savings. Currently in Utah, 53 percent of private sector workers [1] – and 21 percent of those surveyed -- do not have access to a retirement savings plan at their place of work. The results were presented during AARP Utah’s Democracy Day event at the Utah State Capitol on February 12.

As America celebrates the 50 th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act (VRA), millions of eyes are on the hard-fought battle that was finally won in 1965.