Utah News & Current Events | Public News Service

Fans of solitude say the route density in Labyrinth Canyon can make it difficult to escape the noise of motorized vehicles. (Bureau of Land Management)

Groups Urge BLM to Keep Off-Road Vehicles Out of Labyrinth Canyon

Conservation groups say more needs to be done to protect the natural and cultural resources of Utah's Labyrinth Canyon from off-road vehicles…

A mountain peak near Provo is now Kweeyahgut Peak, one of 50 sites in Utah being renamed by the U.S. Department of the Interior. (Wikimedia Commons)

Interior Dept. Orders Changes to 650 Place Names to Remove Indigenous Slurs

The U.S. Interior Department has ordered name changes for nearly 650 sites on federal lands, in Utah and across the country, containing words …

During the COVID-19 pandemic, food pantries provided more than 60 million Americans with nutritious food. (aerogondo/Adobe Stock)

Inflation Brings Higher Demand, Fewer Supplies for Utah Food Pantries

During the pandemic, food pantries were a lifeline for thousands of Utah families experiencing hard times. Rising inflation, however, is making it …

Northern Utah'a air quality ranks among the worst on the planet, according to IQAir, a website that monitors pollution levels around the world. (Salil/Adobe Stock)

High-Pollution Days Bring Free Rides on Wasatch Range Transit System

Salt Lake City is notorious for its bad air days this time of year, but there is a silver lining to the brown cloud. The Free Fare for Clean Air …

Survey Ranks Utah Last Among States for Women's Equality

In the 1960s, women were told in ad campaigns, "You've come a long way, baby." But in Utah, that may not be the case. Women's Equality Day is this …

Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument was named for the multicolored layers of sedimentary rock that look like a stairway across southern Utah. (Dean Pennala/Adobe Stock)

BLM Seeking Comments on Grand Staircase-Escalante Management Plan

The Bureau of Land Management is kicking off its planning process for managing Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument with several public hearing…

In a recent survey on children's well-being, Utah ranked highest among the states in the Four Corners region. (Monkey Business/Adobe Stock)

Utah Ranks 4th Among States in Survey on Children's Well-Being

An annual report on children's well-being rates Utah among the best in the country, but advocates warn it also pointed to a growing mental-health …

The Recovering America's Wildlife Act passed the House of Representatives in June and is awaiting a vote in the Senate. (mramsdell1967/Adobestock)

Conservation Union Places Western Monarch Butterflies on Threatened List

The iconic orange and black migratory monarch butterfly has just made the Red List of Threatened Species, designated by the International Union of …

Studies show Utah has some of the best public schools in the country, but poor funding and a high student-to-teacher ratio keep them from being top-notch. (Grorodenkoff/Adobe Stock)

Study: UT Public Schools, Students High Achievers Despite Low State Funding

A new survey of public school systems around the country found Utah continues to rank among the top tier of states for its education system, but many …

Even before the pandemic, Utah hospitals and clinics treated about 70 people per day for self-inflicted injuries, many of which were suicide attempts. (etenwanich/Adobe Stock)

Advocates: New 988 Suicide Prevention Line Will Save Utahns' Lives

Mental-health advocates say the new 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline could save the lives of many Utahns and others facing mental-health crises…

Studies show that 40% of college students in Utah and across the country say food insecurity is affecting their academic performance. (prostock/Adobe Stock)

Study: Food Insecurity a Major Problem for Utah College Students

There may be some truth to the expression about the "starving college student" struggling to earn a degree. A survey of students enrolled in Utah …

Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, a network of 500,000 electric-vehicle charging stations will be built over the next decade. (trekandphoto/Adobe Stock))

Groups to Build EV Charging Stations Across Rural Utah, Western States

Electric vehicles (EVs) are an economical and environmentally friendly way to get from Point A to Point B, but the lack of charging stations often …

A report from The Sentencing Project found that calls for a return to get-tough youth justice policies are misguided and based on a false narrative rather that data. (BillionPhotos/Adobe Stock)

Report: Juvenile-Justice Reforms Show Progress in UT, US Systems

New research finds reports of skyrocketing youth crime are not only unfounded, but also are fueling calls for stricter punishments. A Sentencing …

Utah officials advise voters to double-check their ballot location after state redistricting officials changed several precinct boundaries earlier this year. (New China/Adobe Stock)

Senior Vote is Critical for Tuesday's Utah Primaries

Democrats, Republicans and other political parties in Utah hold primary elections Tuesday, and advocates for older voters are promoting the …

Salt Lake City and its surrounding region are among the Top 10 worst in the country for toxic ozone pollution/ (salil/Adobe stock)

Salt Lake City, Others Sue EPA for Stronger Ozone Protections

A group of health and environmental advocates has sued the Environmental Protection Agency over its failure to enforce air-pollution protections in 30…

Studies show that there is more than <a href=

one gun for each of 330 million Americans, and 110 people are killed every day due to gun violence. (Artfully-79/Adobe Stock)">

Utah Nonprofit to Turn Surrendered Firearms into Garden Tools

Gun violence has become an epidemic across America, leaving many people frightened and wondering what can be done about it. A Utah group is taking …

Utah school officials say almost 30,000 girls competed in high school sports in 2021. (spark/Adobe Stock)

Utah Families Sue State Over Law Excluding Transgender Girls from Sports

Two families are suing the State of Utah over a controversial law that allows schools to exclude transgender students from competing in girls' sports…

It took scientists a little more than a year to develop a viable vaccine against the coronavirus, but researchers are only in the early stages of studying

Study Seeks UT Volunteers to Unravel Mysteries of 'Long COVID'

The National Institutes of Health has begun a nationwide research project to better understand how to prevent and treat what's become known as "long" …

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,

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 />

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

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 …

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