News

The Utah State School Board held off on a decision today to approve a tax deal that would bring a Facebook data center to West Jordan. The school board is one of five taxing authorities that have to sign off on the deal.

Former President Bill Clinton was at a private event in Park City Thursday campaigning for his wife and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

The American Thoracic Society is one of the organizations that has argued for years that less pollution would mean healthier Americans. The Environmental Protection Agency seemed to be listening last year when it tightened national ozone standards – a little. But new research suggests that even tougher pollution controls could save lives and improve health.

Archeologists say as tourism increases in Utah, graffiti becomes a growing problem in the state’s national parks and public lands.

Utah Governor Gary Herbert says he will vote for Donald Trump for president in November. Gov. Herbert told reporters at his monthly KUED news conference that  he’ll support Trump largely because of his vice-presidential pick, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence.

Environmental groups fighting what would be Utah’s first nuclear power plant are dropping their lawsuit over water rights. But they say they’re not abandoning the cause.

“What we are doing is essentially moving from fighting this in the courts to fighting it in the marketplace,” says Matt Pacenza, director of HEAL Utah.

The Salt Lake County Council this week decided to continue with parking restrictions near a trailhead that has affected the area’s residents.

Rhode Island Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse has given 144 speeches on the floor of the U.S. Senate about addressing climate change.

Following an embezzlement scheme at the Utah Communications Authority, the State Auditor has released review of the internal controls of the agency. Earlier this year the Utah Communications Authority announced that a former employee and her daughter had used credit cards for personal purchases, embezzling $1 million over a ten-year period.

The federal government is investigating Brigham Young University for potentially violating federal equity laws related to sexual assault reporting. Meanwhile, another alleged sexual assault victim has withdrawn from the school.

Salt Lake City kicked off a parking ticket amnesty program today that could help those with grossly overdue citations get sixty percent off of their fines. But there is a catch. They’ll first have to donate to a local nonprofit. 

Senator Mike Lee explained in a town hall meeting last month why he and Senator Orrin Hatch think federal land managers have it wrong when they forbid mountain biking in places where the Wilderness Act outlaws motorized vehicles.

“I don’t read it that way,” he told a caller. “Senator Hatch and I both believe that was a mistake in interpretation.”

The last week of July is normally Utah’s hottest, but the pattern lately stands out. The National Weather Service has reported nine days in a row when temperatures reached 100 degrees or above. That’s one day shy of the longest run ever. The weather service also reported three weeks straight of temperatures 95 degrees or higher – the all-time longest.

In wake of Utah Lake’s toxic algal bloom, Provo city officials are wary of jumping on a solution. Last week the Provo City Council and Mayor issued a joint resolution urging the state Department of Environmental Quality not to impose new water quality standards on Utah Lake.

Democratic State Representative Brian King is working on a string of bills to keep guns out of the hands of domestic violence abusers. And he’s got support from gun right’s activists.

A comedy troupe is coming to Salt Lake City, and all four members have Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism.

An Ogden man serving a life sentence on drug-related charges was granted clemency Wednesday by President Obama. The former judge who sentenced him is pleased with the President’s decision, but he says more needs to be done to reform the criminal justice system.

Salt Lake County insurance plans now cover the specific healthcare needs of transgender employees and employee dependents.

A survey by the nonprofit Utah Foundation found that most voters in the state are highly concerned about crime. Shawn Tiegen is a researcher with the Utah Foundation. He says half of respondents said they were more concerned about crime now than they were 5 years ago.

Plans are underway to build two new homeless shelters in Salt Lake County. But Mayor Ben McAdams says the goal is divert people into housing and toward services rather than keep pace with a growing demand for shelter beds.

Many of the US athletes arriving in Rio are not only participating in the Olympic games, they’re taking part in a research study about the Zika virus. A professor at the University of Utah is heading up that effort.

Unified Police officers say it’s been an unusually violent summer. UPD, which serves communities in Salt Lake County, investigated four homicides in July. UPD Lt. Lex Bell says his department usually sees about ten homicides in a year.

Salt Lake County officials on Tuesday unveiled long-awaited improvements to its 911 emergency response systems. They say the upgrades will save lives and money.

A state lawmaker is working on new legislation to curb pain pill addiction in Utah. This one starts at the doctor’s office.

State officials have narrowed down the specific parcel of land where Utah’s new state prison will be built. But some environmentalists say they need more information to feel comfortable with that decision.

The city of Draper has received a $10,000 grant to provide youth suicide prevention programs to the community.

A judge has sentenced internet entrepreneur Jeremy Johnson to 11 years in federal prison.  A Jury convicted Johnson in March of providing false information to a bank in connection with his online marketing company in St. George.

The outdoor recreation industry gathers again in Salt Lake City next week for its summer trade show. But, even before the hundreds of companies arrive, they’re having an impact statewide.

One example is Gregory Mountain Products, which has made backpacks for decades. It faced a big decision two years ago, when a Chicago company purchased the brand.

Both sides in the Bears Ears fight have called for compromise. But it increasingly looks unlikely they’ll find middle ground following a rowdy U.S. Senate field hearing Wednesday in Blanding.

A Judge has dismissed the corruption case against former Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff. The case against Shurtleff’s successor, former Utah Attorney General John Swallow will continue.