Hours away from a looming government shutdown, Trump tweets that Democrats are to blame. Ruth Watkins will be the first female president of the University of Utah. Utah guv creates task force to address youth suicide.

Happy Friday. We’re just a few hours away from the deadline for a government shutdown. At midnight — unless the Senate passes a stopgap spending bill — funding will run out. “Shutdown coming?” President Donald Trump tweeted this morning, trying to blame Democrats as they hold out for a possible deal on immigration. [WaPost]

Topping the news: In the case of a shutdown, here’s what would stay open and what would close. [Trib]

-> The Utah Board of Regents unanimously selected Ruth Watkins as the University of Utah’s next president. She will be the first woman to hold the position. [Trib] [DNews] [ABC4] [KUTV] [Fox13] [KSL]

-> Gov. Gary Herbert has assembled a team of local leaders to address the rising number of youth suicides in Utah. [Trib] [DNews] [ABC4] [KUTV] [Fox13]

Tweets of the day: From @JakeSherman: “THOUGHT EXERCISE. The state of the union is in 12 days. Last government shutdown lasted 16 days.”

-> From @taegannuscia: “Do people eat tide pods because Trump is president or is Trump president because people eat tide pods?”

Happy Birthday: On Saturday to former state Rep. Patrick Painter.

Congratulations: To Thom Carter, executive director of UCAIR, on his engagement to Andrea Mayo.

Behind the Headlines: Tribune reporters Luke Ramseth and Peggy Fletcher Stack, Washington Bureau Chief Thomas Burr and columnist Robert Gehrke join KCPW’s Emily Means to talk about the week’s top stories, including Rep. Mia Love’s meeting with President Donald Trump and the LDS Church’s new leader. Each Friday morning, stream “Behind the Headlines” online at kcpw.org or tune in to KCPW 88.3 FM or Utah Public Radio for the broadcast.

In other news: The United Utah Party is supporting a new ballot initiative that would increase income and sales tax rates to fund public schools by $715 million. [Trib]

-> Utah Rep. Rob Bishop is proposing a new bill that would allow research into the possible health benefits of medicinal marijuana. [DNews]

-> Crime may be drifting to the neighborhoods surrounding Salt Lake City as the homeless population migrates away from the urban center during Operation Rio Grande. [Trib]

-> After nearly 12 years of service, Utah County Attorney Jeff Buhman announced he will not run for re-election. [Trib] [DNews]

-> Salt Lake City will again offer a small fleet of buses for transportation between two TRAX stations and Capitol Hill during the legislative session. [DNews]

-> Pat Bagley depicts the lack of diversity among the leadership of the LDS Church. [Trib]

-> Bagley also sketches the finger-pointing going on behind a possible government shutdown in a Republican-controlled Congress. [Trib]

-> Robert Gehrke argues that it is too early for lawmakers to take credit for reducing air pollution in Utah. [Trib]

-> Michelle Quist says there is still an atmosphere of sexual harassment for women — even in the Utah Legislature. [Trib]

Nationally: A stopgap spending bill has passed through the House, but experts predict more difficulty in getting something through the Senate. [NYTimes] [WaPost] [Politico]

-> President Donald Trump seemingly contradicted Republican strategy when he tweeted Thursday that a long-term extension for CHIP should not be included in the spending bill. [NYTimes] [WaPost]

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— Courtney Tanner and Eric Baker

Twitter.com/CourtneyLTanner and Twitter.com/ebaker44

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