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The backlash over Kevin O'Leary's #Utah data center plan was so big it caught Saturday Night Live's attention this weekend. But the moratorium in Box Elder is running short...
Box Elder and Iron have been busy as county data center pauses start to run out
Iron County will take more public comment on its rules Oct. 12. Box Elder is still working on draft regulations, which will be on the tighter side.
kuer.org
A doctor and a veteran walk into a debate... Last night was slogans and sharp contrasts on the Iran war, as both candidates tried to appeal to conservatives in Utah's redrawn 4th. #utpol #elections2026
Mike Kennedy, Jonny Larsen spar over gas prices and Iran in Utah 4th District debate
Republican Rep. Mike Kennedy stood by President Trump’s conflict in the Middle East as Marine veteran Jonny Larsen assailed the war as illegal and criticized Congress for not reining the administratio...
kuer.org
In the 50s, downtown St. George “was the place to be” — and then it wasn’t. Here's how they're trying not to be “another vanilla city.”
As St. George booms, it wants to rekindle some of that old downtown soul
Without a thriving downtown, St. George risks becoming just “another vanilla city.” But rising rents are making it hard for small businesses to stay.
kuer.org
When the call came, Tracy Mazur was “glad that it went to voicemail, and I didn't have time to answer it because I really, I wasn't sure what to say at first. I mean, I was very honored, and I was, ‘Are you sure you want me? You sure you wanted to call me?’”
A Utahn will design the Westminster Dog Show’s agility course (and judge it)
Tracy Mazur of Draper was shocked when she got a call from the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. The American Kennel Club-accredited dog agility judge is headed for the bright lights of New York City ...
kuer.org
Henderson doesn't know what the “end game” is for all of these efforts “because I am not creative enough, maybe — or devious enough — to think about what in the world the motivation could be.” #utah #utpol #elections2026 Produced in partnership w/ @utahnewsdispatch.com
Trump admin voting ‘gamesmanship’ keeps her up at night, says Lt. Gov. Henderson
Voting rights shouldn’t be ‘mucked around with’ for political gain, Utah's top election official said in a sit-down interview about her defense of voting rights leading up to the 2026 midterms.
kuer.org
Does the site become a park? A music venue? Or, as one rascally Moabite put it, a site with "big red letters that can be seen from the air, just ‘oops.’ Because it was an oops, and it still is an oops."
The end is in sight for Moab’s uranium tailings. What comes after the pile?
The pile just outside of Moab is almost gone, leaving locals wondering what should come of a prime chunk of land alongside the Colorado River.
kuer.org
We’ve all heard someone say they’re not a #math person. Maybe that’s you. Don't worry, parents. #Utah has a program for that. #stem
Utah has a bet on parents to boost preschool math skills
Utah’s MILO & Friends outreach program uses simple games to help families build a strong foundation in early arithmetic for their children
kuer.org
If it's good enough for Vegas or Phoenix, why not Cedar City, Utah — population 41,000? #water
Another Utah city joins the growing — but costly — wastewater reuse bandwagon
Cedar City’s water conservancy district is putting millions into recycling sewage to stretch its water. It’s one of many Western cities turning to wastewater reuse as drought and climate change strain...
kuer.org
SCOOP: Valar Atomics is planning a massive nuclear powered data center on public lands in Utah. The 9,600 acre site would include 456 reactors, along with fuel fabrication and waste storage facilities. www.npr.org/2026/09/30/n...
A startup wants to build a massive nuclear-powered data center on public land in Utah
Valar Atomics wants to place over 450 reactors on more than 9,500 acres in Utah to power a huge data center project.
npr.org
NPR reporting a huge data center is now planned next to Price, Utah
Geoff Brumfiel@gbrumfiel.bsky.social · 2w agoSCOOP: Valar Atomics is planning a massive nuclear powered data center on public lands in Utah. The 9,600 acre site would include 456 reactors, along with fuel fabrication and waste storage facilities. www.npr.org/2026/09/30/n...
Last night's meeting between McAdams and Owen was an exercise in politeness and similarities that said more about where voters are in the 1st District than the candidates.
McAdams, Owen toed a similar line but split on debt and economy in CD1 debate
Despite wide-ranging agreement that could appeal to 1st Congressional District voters, Democrat Ben McAdams and Republican Riley Owen didn’t see eye-to-eye on the national debt, Medicaid or solutions ...
kuer.org
“I’m not quite sure how I’ll be able to finish morning and afternoon sessions,” one judge said. www.kuer.org/politics-gov...
Utah immigration court is struggling to meet the Trump admin’s stepped-up pace
In a courtroom he described as “severely understaffed,” one judge didn’t finish all the cases on his growing calendar, and immigrants are getting less time to find an attorney.
kuer.org
Trail trash is a growing problem in #Utah, but that doesn't really explain why the Pliking volunteers once found an abandoned vacuum. 🤯
Utah’s trails are getting trashy. Going ‘pliking’ helps keep ‘em clean
It’s time to get out on a hike to see Utah’s fall colors pop, but the growing trail trash problem might make it less enjoyable. The best thing you can do to help is set a good example.
kuer.org
“Drought is stressful for plants, and extreme #drought is extremely stressful,” one scientist said. Not a good recipe for a vibrant, long #fall foliage season. #utah #fallcolors
Utah’s increasingly dry, warm weather could mess with leaf peepers’ fall colors
Drought stress can shorten foliage season or trigger trees to drop their leaves early. That’s not a good recipe for a vibrant, long season of fall colors.
kuer.org
I had the pleasure of talking to Ciara Hulet at @kuer.org about the Mormon church's Idaho letter on abortion, tax-exemption, and other related stuff.
Why LDS politicking against Idaho’s Prop 1 on abortion isn’t a tax status threat
Idaho leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sent a letter to bishops and stake presidents to read from the pulpit opposing a state ballot initiative on abortion. This isn’t the fi...
kuer.org
As the saying goes, when one dump goes up in price, another dump... opens up nearby? www.kuer.org/business-eco...
Weber County’s tale of two trash dumps gets a cheaper ending for Ogdenites
Ogden residents were peeved when the price to drop off trash at the Weber County Transfer Station more than doubled. Now another dump has ridden to the rescue.
kuer.org
If you’re wondering which of our problems today drive the plight of #GreatSaltLake, the answer is “all of the above,” said one hydrology professor. by @davidcondos.bsky.social #GSL #Water #Utah
Is the shrinking Great Salt Lake a climate problem, a farm problem or something else?
Agricultural water use usually gets the blame, but Utah data shows city water use now accounts for a record-high 25% of the water depleted from the Great Salt Lake Basin.
kuer.org
Uh oh. "The jump in nonrenewals is raising a lot of eyebrows, and it should," said state Rep. Matt MacPherson. via @murphywoodhouse.bsky.social
Utah saw the country’s highest home insurance nonrenewal rate in 2025
Roughly 4.5% of Utah homeowners’ policies — or nearly 1 in 20 — were not renewed. That's the highest rate in the country, and 1.5% higher than California, which sits in second.
kuer.org
“The first thing that we're emphasizing is for people to pump the brakes,” said Utah's assistant state climatologist — and not get out over your skis (meteorologically speaking).
Will Mother Nature (and El Niño) make up for last year’s lousy Utah winter?
Utah resorts are eager for a do-over after last year’s pitiful snowpack, and the impending super El Niño is fueling excitement about early openings. But the weather outlook suggests they might be gett...
kuer.org
“If the church wants young women to embrace marriage and motherhood earlier, we have to start asking what institutional investment makes that choice possible, makes that choice sustainable,” said religious researcher Caroline Kline.
Younger marriage could prop up fertility. For LDS women, it’s a big ask today
The president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints hopes a lower minimum mission age for young women will get them to marry earlier. But a therapist and a Latter-day Saint mom worry abou...
kuer.org
Utah law tells us how to drive around school crosswalks. It doesn't tell us exactly what a school crosswalk is. www.kuer.org/politics-gov...
Utah’s different crosswalk rules are confusing. We went down the rabbit hole
The term “school crosswalk” is missing from traffic code definitions and Utah’s driver handbook, and police departments phrase things differently when posting about it on social media.
kuer.org
After the judge sent the Charlie Kirk case to trial, Tyler Robinson's attorneys entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf.
Tyler Robinson will stand trial for the murder of Charlie Kirk, Utah judge rules
The man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk as he spoke at Utah Valley University last year will stand trial and could face the death penalty. Robinson’s attorneys entered a plea of not guilty to th...
kuer.org
Weber County deputies are averaging about 8 hours a week helping ICE. The agency will soon be reimbursed for that time. www.kuer.org/politics-gov...
Here’s how much Weber County is billing ICE for deputies’ help with immigration
Law enforcement agencies that collaborate with ICE can request reimbursement and bonuses, thanks to funding from the Big Beautiful Bill. At least two in Utah have signed on.
kuer.org
For Utah, the settlement vindicates its crusade against social media over teen mental health. "We will hold Meta to every promise it has made," Gov. Cox said.
Meta to pay $12B to Utah, other states, in teen social media addiction settlement
“For the first time, Meta must put kids’ safety ahead of its business model,” said Attorney General Derek Brown. Utah's share of the massive settlement is worth $212 million.
kuer.org
BREAKING NEWS: Dolly Parton has died at the age of 80. Her singular performing career spanned seven decades and only grew in prominence over all of that time.
Dolly Parton, one of country music's most singular performers, has died at age 80
The artist was a star performer in country music, and went on to become one of the genre's most recognizable and universally adored ambassadors to broader popular culture.
n.pr
Court docs corroborate earlier NYT reporting and say the gov't will “designate the Salt Lake Facility as excess property for disposition by the General Services Administration.”
ICE confirms it is abandoning its Salt Lake City warehouse detention plans
A joint motion to stay filed in Salt Lake City and County’s lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security confirms what was previously reported by the New York Times.
kuer.org
DACA renewal delays cost this Utah resident his job. Other ways to get work permits are gone or getting harder to come by. www.kuer.org/politics-gov...
From DACA to asylum, it’s becoming harder for immigrants to work legally in Utah
DACA renewals are taking months longer than usual, costing some recipients their jobs. Temporary Protected Status and asylum are also harder to come by as the Trump administration continues to overhau...
kuer.org
Trump’s move to drastically shrink Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante in Utah was the latest episode in a long tug of war over presidential power and public lands. My latest for @kuer.org explores how we got here and what it might take to end the back-and-forth ⤵️ www.kuer.org/science-envi...
Trump’s Utah national monument cuts won’t stop the legal tango over public lands
“Until you get either some kind of congressional solution or a binding judicial opinion as to what the president's authority is, then we get the unfortunate result of having things bounce back and for...
kuer.org
