Utah News & Current Events | Public News Service

A program by the Utah Division of Water Services is showing residents how to save water by digging up thirsty plants on park strips and lawns and replacing them with drought-resistant species. (alexin21/adobe Stock)

FlipBlitz Program Converts Grassy Utah Landscapes to Curb Water Use

After two decades of drought and with no relief in sight, many Utahns are looking for ways to conserve water, and for many residents, part of the …

Since the National Association of Letter Carriers began participating in the annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, they have collected an estimated 1.8 billion pounds of food for families in need. (Andrii/Adobe stock)

UT Letter Carriers Help 'Stamp Out Hunger' with Food Collections

Utahns can expect their mail to be delivered as usual this Saturday but with a catch. Your letter carrier will be asking for something in return - a …

White cliffs along the shore of Lake Powell show how much lower levels in the lake have become over the past decade. (Prochasson/Adobe Stock)

Lake Powell Cutbacks Signal Need for Long-Term Water-Supply Solutions

Federal officials ordered limits this week on how much water is released by Glen Canyon Dam, in order to maintain sufficient levels to generate …

Studies show oil and gas wells, like this one in Duchesne County, are a major source of methane pollution in Utah's Uinta and Wasatch regions. (Wikimedia Commons)

Report: Utah's Low-Producing Wells Emit Half of Methane Emissions

A new study found low-producing oil and gas wells make up about half the methane emitted from all well sites in the U.S., while accounting for just 6%…

Extremist groups are trying to undercut the 30x30 Initiative in President Joe Biden's America the Beautiful Program. (JoPanuwat/Adobe Stock)

Conservationists Call Out Extremist Group for Dispensing Disinformation

Disinformation has sadly become a part of American political discourse, but one environmental organization is calling out a group of anti-government …

National Healthcare Decisions Day is this Saturday, an opportunity to talk with family members about their end-of-life choices. (ashtproductions/Adobe Stock)

Healthcare Decisions Day: Time for Utahns to Examine End-of-Life Issues

Saturday is National Health Care Decisions Day, a reminder Utahns and others should have plans in place in case they need medical attention and are …

The Summer Nutrition Program provides free meals and snacks to all Utah children 18 and younger when school is not in session. (Sandra Cunningham/Adobe Stock)

Looming End to Pandemic Waivers Puts Utah Kids at Risk of Hunger

Federal waivers put in place at the height of the pandemic allowed federal child nutrition programs more flexibility in delivering meals to households…

Inability to pay was the most cited reason for educational disruptions, according to an analysis by the Latino Politics and Policy Initiative at UCLA. (Adobe Stock)

For Some in UT, College Dreams Cut Short by Pandemic

Low-income families in Utah may have shifted funds from education to pay for pandemic-related costs, a trend in line with findings showing Black and …

The Utah Legislature passed a series of bills in 2017 to reform the state's juvenile detention system. (Jan Andersen/Adobe Stock

Study Finds Flaws in How States Manage Juvenile-Justice System

America locked up almost a quarter-million children in 2019, according to the report, "Too Many Closed Doors," from The Sentencing Project. The …

According to the American Civil Liberties Union, "Including trans athletes will promote values of non-discrimination and inclusion among all student athletes." (Adobe Stock/Eric Cote)

Utah Lawmakers Ban Transgender Girls from Women’s Sports

Utah's Legislature has overridden Republican Gov. Spencer Cox's veto of House Bill 11, which now mandates young transgender athletes can play only …

A medical aid-in-dying bill had a hearing in Utah for the first time but failed to move out of committee on a 9-2 vote. (Adobe Stock)

Polling Shows Utah Voters Want Medical Aid in Dying

Despite polls showing most voters support the right to a peaceful death, a bill to legalize medical aid in dying has once again failed to advance in …

Over a 40-year career, the pay deficit for Utah women is between $80,000 and $800,000. (Adobe Stock)

Equal Pay Day 2022: Utah Women Still Far Behind

Today is Equal Pay Day, representing how far into 2022 women would have to work to make what men did in 2021, on average. In 2021, full-time wages …

It's estimated that motorist/wildlife collisions result in more than 200 human deaths and 26,000 injuries annually in the U.S. (Eric Kilby/Flickr)

Utah Approves $1 Million for Wildlife Crossings

Utah is taking new action to reduce the deaths of wildlife along roads and highways. Congress allocated $350 million in the bipartisan …

Health-care advocates say thousands of Utah kids may need to re-register for health insurance coverage when the pandemic-driven health-care emergency ends in the coming weeks. (Monkey Business/Adobe Stock)<br /> — Health-care advocates say thousands of Utah kids may need to re-register for health insurance coverage when the pandemic-driven health-care emergency ends in the coming weeks. (Monkey Business/Adobe Stock)

Advocates Say Officials Need to Act Now to Keep Utah Kids Insured

With the end of the pandemic-driven public-health emergency looming, a new report reveals that millions of children in Utah and elsewhere are at risk …

Utah is one of the most wildfire-prone states in the U.S., experiencing between 800 and 1,000 ground fires, surface fires and canopy fires each year. (rck/Adobe Stock)

Poll: Utahns, Westerners Voice Concerns for Water, Climate Change

Voters in Utah and across the West are increasingly anxious about the effects of climate change on the beauty and ecology of their Rocky Mountains…

Food banks and pantries across Utah saw double the normal number of families in need during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Utah Food Bank)

UT Lawmakers Ponder Permanent Working Group on Hunger Issues

Statistics showed during the pandemic, the number of Utah families experiencing food insecurity grew, and advocates argued the state needs to take a …

Members of the Rural Utah Project have assisted thousands of voters with registration and helped hundreds of tribal families become officially "addressed" so they can receive mail, including election ballots. (Vernon Key/RUP)

Utah Legislation Targets Registration Drives, Mail-In Ballots

By almost any measure, Utah's 2020 elections were among the most successful in state history, with record turnout and no evidence of voting …

Glen Canyon Dam is 710 feet tall and impounds the Colorado River to form the 26-million-acre-foot Lake Powell reservoir. (shuvro ghose/Adobe Stock)

A Contest to Change Glen Canyon Dam, 'Re-Wild' Colorado River

A contest to "Re-Wild the Colorado River" is seeking engineering alternatives from the public for the future of Glen Canyon Dam. Conservation groups …

The Mill Creek Dinosaur Tracksite features more than 200 dinosaur tracks preserved in sedimentary rock, representing 10 distinct species of dinosaur. (Center for Biological Diversity)

Conservation Groups Blame Feds for Damage to Rare Dinosaur Tracks

Conservation groups say it was a close call last week when a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) contractor began clearing a site near Moab which containe…

The primary cause of rapidly increasing extinction rates is due to habitat loss caused by human activity, with drought from climate change an increasingly potent accelerant. (PAOLO/Adobe Stock)

Scientists: Sixth Global Mass Extinction Event Happening Now

New research suggests Earth's Sixth Mass Extinction event, on par with the one that ended the age of dinosaurs, is already under way. Noah Greenwald…

Thousands of qualified caretakers are needed to provide services for Utahns with developmental and intellectual disabilities. (New Africa/Adobe Stock)

Provider Shortage Triggers Access-to-Care Crisis for Disabled Utahns

Advocates say Utah has a shortage of qualified workers to deliver home and community-based services to people with developmental and intellectual disa…

Licensed Paralegal Practitioners are a lower-cost alternative for Utahns who may need legal help but can't afford attorney fees or retainers. (Monkey Business/Adobe Stock)

Licensed Paralegals Bring Lower-Cost Legal Services to Utahns

The cost of hiring a lawyer can be out of reach for many Utahns, creating "justice gaps" in rural areas and marginalized communities where fees are …

Five people died as a result of pro-Trump protesters storming the U.S. Capitol complex in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6, 2021. (Brett Davis/Flickr)

Report: Utah Cities Should Prepare to Counter Political Extremism, Violence

A new report outlines ways local government officials in Utah and elsewhere can push back on threats from the type of anti-democratic radical groups t…

A new federal law prevents surprise medical bills, also called balance billing, that show up when a patient sees an out-of-network provider at an in-network facility. (antonioguillen/Adobe Stock)

New Federal Law Blocks Doctors From Sending 'Surprise' Medical Bills

A new federal law, which took effect on New Year's Day, the No Surprises Act, expands protections already in place in Utah and across the U.S…

The continuing pandemic and poor economic conditions in rural communities are keeping demand high at Utah's food banks. (Elena Shi/Adobe Stock)

Groups Scour 2022 Utah Budget for Funds to Fight Hunger

Advocates in the battle against food insecurity are urging lawmakers to find room in the upcoming Utah state budget to increase aid to food banks and …

Grand Staircase-Escalante in southern Utah is one of dozens of national monuments that could be fully protected under the 30x30 Conservation Plan. (Andrushko/Adobe Stock)

Conservationists See 2022 as Critical Year for 30x30 Initiative

Conservationists say significant progress was made in 2021 toward the goals of the 30x30 Initiative, to have 30% of the world's land and oceans …

The American Library Association has established an Office for Intellectual Freedom to deal with the growing number of challenges to books and other library materials. (StockPhotoPros/Adobe Stock)

Utah Teachers, Librarians Alarmed by Calls to Ban Controversial Books

SALT LAKE CITY -- Utah teachers and school librarians are reacting with alarm to a growing problem of parents and other groups demanding books they fi…

The cost of regular gas and jumped from $2.24 a gallon one year ago to $3.59 last week in Utah, while oil and gas companies are reporting record profits. (moodboard/Adobe Stock).

Report: Soaring Oil Industry Profits Costing Consumers at Pump

SALT LAKE CITY -- As Utahns continue to endure some of the nation's highest gasoline prices, 24 of the top oil and gas corporations made nearly $174 …

The Build Back Better Act contains provisions that would bolster coverage through the Children's Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) and Medicaid. (Arlette/Adobe Stock)

Children's Advocates: Build Back Better 'Crucial' for UT Kids' Health

SALT LAKE CITY -- Health-care reform advocates in Utah are pressing the U.S. Senate to approve the Build Back Better Act. They say it would improve …

The once-a-decade process of redrawing a state's political boundaries based on U.S. census results can have a profound effect on the outcome of elections. (vesperstock/Adobe Stock)

Backers of Independent Panel Cry Foul Over Utah Redistricting Maps

SALT LAKE CITY - Backers of Utah's Independent Redistricting Commission are crying foul over the Republican-controlled Legislature's approval of what …

A legislative report shows that more than 100,000 Utah families are considered food insecure and regularly depend on food banks for assistance. (areogondo/Adobe Stock)

Task Force Recommends Ways to Cut Utah's Poverty, Food Insecurity

CEDAR CITY, Utah - A new legislative study shows that more than 100,000 Utah families are periodically food insecure, meaning they do not have the …

Former U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Ryan M. Pitts was awarded the Medal of Honor during a White House ceremony in 2014. (US Army)<br /><br /> — Former U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Ryan M. Pitts was awarded the Medal of Honor during a White House ceremony in 2014. (US Army)

Museum, Monuments Planned to Salute Medal of Honor Recipients

SALT LAKE CITY -- As the nation prepares to mark Veterans Day, former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton joined forces in a …

The release of methane is one the largest sources of greenhouse gases contributing to global climate change. (Leonid Ican/Adobe Stock)

Utah Officials Hope Climate Summit Spurs Action, Results

PARK CITY, Utah -- As talks continue at the annual international climate summit, Utahns are among those urging the U.S. to follow up on its …

Experts say health insurance through the Affordable Care Act is much improved after Congress passed the American Rescue Act earlier this year. (Tada Images/Adobe Stock)

Open Enrollment Begins for 2022 'Obamacare' Health Care Plans

SALT LAKE CITY -- Open enrollment for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act is underway in Utah and across the country, and experts are …

The number of people camping in national parks and other public lands in Utah and elsewhere has skyrocketed in the past six years, according to a new study. (merrvas/Adobe Stock)

Study: Camping's Popularity Spikes on Utah Public Lands

SALT LAKE CITY -- If you went camping on Utah's public lands this past summer, you were not alone, literally. A new survey shows a major increase …

Research shows low-income families spend a much higher percentage of their income on food than families with a higher income. (Adobe Stock)

Ogden Legislator Leads Push to Eliminate Utah's Food Tax

OGDEN, Utah - Utah is one of only a handful of states that taxes food, but one state legislator says taxing groceries should become a thing of the …

Droughts caused by climate change can lower water levels in creeks and streams and affect water quality, making it difficult, if not impossible, for anglers to pursue their sport. (Mikhail/Adobe Stock)

Report: Hunters, Anglers Must Speak Up about Climate Change

SALT LAKE CITY -- Few people spend as much time in the wilderness as hunters and anglers, and a new report aims to be a springboard to bring their …

More than 300,000 Utahns have graduated from college with significant amounts of debt, but many in careers considered public service could have their loans forgiven. (kimmytws/Adobe Stock)

Student-Loan Forgiveness Could Help Thousands of Utah Grads

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah -- Major changes are coming to the U.S. Department of Education's Public Service Loan Forgiveness program that could have a big …

Utah's Goblin Valley State Park is one of four areas that could see oil and gas exploration if the BLM auctions off the parcels for mineral leases. (Colin/LindaMcKee/Adobe Stock)<br /> — Utah's Goblin Valley State Park is one of four areas that could see oil and gas exploration if the BLM auctions off the parcels for mineral leases. (Colin/LindaMcKee/Adobe Stock)

Judge's Ruling Puts Utah Wildlands at Risk for Oil-Gas Exploration

GREEN RIVER, Utah -- Despite a January presidential order pausing all oil and gas leases on public lands, the federal government has restarted the …

Geothermal energy is produced by drilling deep into the earth's bedrock, pumping in water, and using the resulting steam to generate power. (Utah FORGE)<br /><br /> — Geothermal energy is produced by drilling deep into the earth's bedrock, pumping in water, and using the resulting steam to generate power. (Utah FORGE)

Geothermal Has a Role in Utah's Clean-Energy Plan

SALT LAKE CITY -- A researcher at the University of Utah said plans for generating renewable energy should include a power source right under our feet…

Coal mining and coal-fueled electricity generation provides direct employment to about 2,500 Utahns, and millions of dollars in royalties to state and local governments. (agnormark/Adobe Stock)

Biden Could Face Uphill Battle in Utah Over Clean-Energy Plan

SALT LAKE CITY - President Joe Biden's $150 billion clean-energy plan aims to rid almost half the power grid of carbon-based fuels by 2035, but …

Utah housing advocates recommend that tenants who face possible eviction or are negotiating back rent with a landlord should contact an attorney to help protect their rights. (Vitali Votelaskyi/Adobe Stock)

End of Federal Eviction Moratorium Puts Pressure on Utah Renters

SALT LAKE CITY -- Since the end of the federal eviction moratorium in August, renters in Utah who are behind on their payments may be forced to …

Thousands of Utah school children lose access to their daily school lunch and breakfast meals during the summer and other school breaks. (Anatoly/Adobe Stock)

'Stop Child Hunger Act' Aims to Fill Gaps in School Meal Programs

SALT LAKE CITY - Many Utah students, particularly those in rural areas, often are left without access to their school's meal program during breaks in …

U.S. officials are using large military transports, such as C-17 Globemasters, to evacuate Americans and Afghan allies from the Kabul airport. (rebius/Adobe Stock)

Utah Agencies, NGOs Prepare to Resettle Afghan Refugees

SALT LAKE CITY -- Utah officials and private agencies are preparing to assist refugees from Afghanistan when they arrive in the Beehive State…

Using data from the 2020 Census, Utah will draw new legislative districts for the 2022 midterm elections and the rest of the decade. (WScottMcGill/Adobe Stock)

Two Panels to Produce Maps for Utah Redistricting Process

SALT LAKE CITY -- Now that the Census figures are out, the once-a-decade redistricting process begins in earnest in Utah. It will be different this …

Despite concerns of Utah parents that school-age children could be vulnerable to COVID-19 when they return to class, the state bars school districts from requiring face masks. (Rido/Adobe Stock)

Utah Officials Urged to Approve K-12 Mask Mandates

SALT LAKE CITY -- As the Delta variant drives a growing number COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations in Utah, particularly among young adults and …

Children enrolling is Utah public schools must show evidence of receiving six different vaccines to protect themselves, and their classmates, from infectious diseases. (IPC-PROD/Adobe Stock)

Doctors Urge Parents to Get Kids' 'Back-to-School' Exams, Shots

SALT LAKE CITY -- It is getting to be "back-to-school" time in Utah, and pediatricians say a visit to the doctor is as important as new pencils or …

Across the United States, 46 states have laws allowing for harsher punishment for crimes based on bias. (Ludk/Adobe Stock)

Report: Utah Could Improve Its Hate-Crime Laws

SALT LAKE CITY - With rising numbers of people targeted in hate crimes and related violence, a new report analyzes the hate-crime laws in each state…

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