Utah News

Republican Utah State Rep. Trevor Lee says Harvey Milk Boulevard, a portion of 900 South that runs through Salt Lake City, should be changed to Charlie Kirk Boulevard because Kirk has a far greater connection to Utah than Milk.

D.J. Bracken has been paying off Utah kids’ school lunch debt with his own money. He had learned about the $2.8 million statewide tab in 2024, and couldn’t imagine his 7-year-old daughter going hungry or accumulating debt just to eat lunch.

Bracken created the Utah Lunch Debt Relief foundation to help. But it’s just gotten worse — school lunch debt in Utah surpassed $3.6 million in 2025, a 31% increase from 2024 and a 90% rise since 2023, according to data gathered by FOX13.

Now he has a new idea. He’s offering to pay for license plates for 500 Utahns, funding their preorders so his foundation can apply for a special group license plate to raise money for lunch debt.

“Theoretically, if we get enough people across the state, this is the kind of thing that could raise millions of dollars for lunch debt a year,” Bracken said. “Something that you just pay 20 bucks once a year, and it has a huge impact.”

Using a grant, his foundation will cover the initial costs for the first 500 plates. Then the vehicle owners who take him up on his offer will cover the annual renewal fee, he said.

Paying the steep fees charged by the state Motor Vehicle Division (DMV) to create a special group license plate is a costly endeavor, but Bracken believes the payoff will be worth the investment.

When he learned of the 2024 debt, “I just could not believe that number,” said Bracken, whose daughter attends school in the Jordan School District. “It honestly made me angry even thinking about it.”

Getting a special license plate approved

Jason Gardner, deputy executive director of the Utah State Tax Commission, which oversees the DMV, said the law allows a sponsoring group to pay the fees for the first 500 plates.

However, vehicle owners must still pay the yearly fee — at least $25, depending on the amount the group sets — along with their regular registration costs to keep the plate, Gardner said.

“This is important because if an entity does not maintain more than 500 vehicles actively registered with the plate, the plate is discontinued,” Gardner said.

Gardner outlined several costs involved in creating a special group license plate in Utah, including:

• The sponsoring group must pay $3,900 to add the new plate to the state’s system and update websites.

• There’s a design fee for creating a plate that meets Utah’s standards. This fee can range from $10,000 to $17,000, depending on how complicated the design is.

• The group also needs to collect 500 paid preorders. Each preorder requires a $25 contribution, so that means raising at least $12,500 before the plate can be approved. Additional costs include a $12.50 special plate fee, a registration replacement fee and postage to mail the plate, according to the DMV website.

Sixty-six special license plates are listed as active on the DMV website, either raising funds for specific causes or honoring groups of people. Nine plates are no longer issued, including the Ski Utah plate and one created for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games.

Bracken said he has collected nearly a third of the 500 preorders needed, largely through promoting the campaign on social media. To get one of the free plates, Utahns can fill out a form his foundation has set up on its website.

Since the foundation’s inception, Bracken said, it has raised over $130,000 to clear lunch debts at more than 30 Utah schools.

But donations are not enough to keep paying off the debt long term, he said, so the license plates are meant to be a steady way to keep funding the cause.

Efforts to curb school lunch debt

Lawmakers have taken steps to help curb the debt in recent years.

Gov. Spencer Cox redirected $1.2 million in COVID-19 relief funds in 2024 to help pay off school lunch debt. He also signed HB100 in March, which ensures students in families who qualified for reduced school lunch prices now get meals for free.

Bracken said his foundation helped advocate for the bill, but added that while it offers some relief, it is “unfortunately, again, not nearly enough to make a dent.”

Eventually, Bracken hopes to see Utah eliminate school lunch debt by enacting free school lunch programs.

Nine U.S. states have adopted statewide policies for universal free school meals, including California, Colorado and New Mexico in the West. Utah is one of 14 states that have not taken that statewide stance or introduced free school breakfast, according to the Food Research and Action Center.

In Utah, policies around school lunch debt vary by district, Bracken said. Some districts send collection notices to parents of students who haven’t paid for lunch, he said, while others don’t.

And in some cases, students with unpaid lunch debt are given a separate cold lunch instead of the hot meal served to paying students, he said.

“It’s cruel for kids who can’t control any of this,” Bracken said. “The fact that this is happening anywhere, [and] in Utah, of all places. A prosperous place where we’re winning best state of the year all the time, apparently, but our kids are just accruing debt at an enormous rate.”

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — The Utah Film Commission announced another round of film incentives today for seven productions, including reality TV show “The Bachelorette.”

The Utah Board of Tourism and Development approved seven new productions for film incentives, and those productions will contribute $15.6 million and over 300 new jobs to the Utah economy. These productions will be filming in Salt Lake, Summit, Washington, Wayne, and Weber counties.

6 new movies and TV shows are going to be filming in Utah

Season 22 of reality TV dating show “The Bachelorette” was approved for a Utah Motion Picture Incentive, starring Utah native Taylor Frankie Paul, an influencer and star of “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.” The season is scheduled to begin filming across Utah this fall.

VP of Production Incentives at Warner Bros. Discovery, Lex Pascual, said, “Utah offers a stunning and diverse natural backdrop that is perfect for this romantic reality series.” Pascual also cited Utah’s blend of small-town charm, friendly communities, and strong family values as reasons for filming this season in Utah.

A new western, “Blood on the Promontory,” was also approved for a Utah Motion Picture Incentive. The film will follow five convicts who escape in Wyoming territory in the 1870s. The team behind this film also produced Kevin Costner’s western, “Horizon: An American Saga,” and it will begin filming in Washington County this winter.

An independent film called “ICONOCLAST” is also on the list of productions approved for Utah Motion Picture Incentives. It will film this fall in Salt Lake and Weber counties. Line producer Steven Lee mentioned Utah’s landscapes and working with local crews, who he described as “world-class,” as reasons for filming in Utah.

‘Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ star Taylor Frankie Paul is the new Bachelorette

A new children’s puppet series is going to be filming in and around Utah County this fall. “Ladybug’s Garden” was approved for a Utah Motion Picture Incentive, and it will be produced by a local team behind several Disney and Halestorm productions.

“Monsters & Aliens” is a new documentary series that was approved for a Utah Community Film Incentive. It will film in Salt Lake and Summit counties this fall, and local filmmaker Gary Auerbach said that Utah has the best talent, crews, and film commission.

A documentary film called “Into the Wilderness” was also approved for a Utah Community Film Incentive. It will follow a group therapy program, focusing on the power of nature to heal, according to producer Julian Cautherley. It will film at locations in and around Washington and Wayne Counties this fall.

Finally, a pilot with the working title “Jesus Sees Us” was approved for a Utah Community Film Incentive. Producer Keith Grover said that it will be a first-of-its-kind production combining live-action, 2D, 3D, and AI-enhanced animation. It will begin filming in and around Utah County this fall.

How do film incentives work?

Tax incentives for film production are a win-win for the production companies and the states sponsoring the programs, according to Women in Film and Video (WIFV). States benefit when production relocates to their area, bringing economic growth through the creation of jobs, an influx of money, and infrastructure development. The production companies like it because they can save a lot of money.

Film incentives first took off during the 1990s because film production was leaving the U.S. in favor of countries like Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom, according to WIFV. The incentives were an attempt to lure production back to the States, and it worked.

WIFV says that some states offer grants to production companies for filming, but the most common forms of film incentives are rebates and tax credits. Rebates are paid to the production company for a percentage of their expenses, and they function similarly to grants, but they are taxable.

Refundable tax credits are issued to production companies in the form of tax refunds after the tax return has been filed. These are the kind of credits that Utah offers. Some refundable tax credits are transferable, which means that the state offsets in-state tax liabilities. Production companies can transfer these credits to other companies by selling them on the open market.

Non-transferable, non-refundable tax credits are issued to offset in-state tax liability, but they cannot be converted into cash in any way. The state does not give the production a check, and the credits can’t be sold on the open market.

Utah offers a fully refundable tax credit of 20% for in-state spending, and productions can get an extra 5% if they employ 75% of the cast and crew from Utah and film 75% of production days in rural Utah, according to guidelines from the Utah Film Commission.

Utah has two programs, the Motion Picture Incentive Program and the Community Film Incentive Program. The Community Film Incentive Program is for projects that originate in Utah, and it is meant to foster up-and-coming local filmmakers and productions.

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There’s one new player on the BYU football roster whom coaches Kalani Sitake, Jay Hill and Aaron Roderick admit to being a little partial toward.

That player is reserve linebacker Max Alford, a transfer from Utah State. Alford joined the No. 23 Cougars in July, and already is starting to make his mark as the backup to starting middle linebacker Siale Esera.

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Thrust into significant playing time when senior Choe Bryant-Strother sustained a season-ending knee injury, Alford has appeared in all four games and made two tackles, including one for a loss.

“Man, being here at BYU has been nothing short of a blessing,” the 6-foot-1, 230-pound Alford said last week. “I’m a faithful guy, and I recognize God’s grace over my entire situation, how it kind of went down. … I am just blessed to have the opportunity, despite the adversity and challenges I have been through.”

Adversity first struck Max and his family on Aug. 12, 2013, when his father, Aaron Alford, died unexpectedly of an apparent heart attack at the age of 39.

Max was 9. He has two brothers, Elijah and Samuel, who played for Montana. His mother, Linda, was suddenly tasked with raising the family alone in Park City.

“Just having God as my foundation has been really, really helpful for me. And I just have a different respect for mothers. My mom is my superhero.”

BYU linebacker Max Alford

“It was a little bit tough on me, but I’ve come through it OK,” Max said. “I think it is super important for kids to have a father figure in their life, or father in their life. I’ve been super blessed. Some of my closest friends and family (have ensured) that I had a ton of father figures in my life after my dad passed.”

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Some of those father figures include the aforementioned BYU coaches. Sitake, Hill and Roderick all coached with Aaron Alford from 2007-10 when they worked together at the University of Utah. They have all known Max since he was a toddler.

“I worked with Aaron, and I am good friends with him and his family,” Sitake said. “I know the whole family (and are) very familiar with them. … I am thankful that Max is with us and love his father, who passed away a while ago. Aaron Alford was a great, great man. He was a great friend to me. I am glad I get to coach his son.”

Aaron Alford played defensive back for Colorado State in the 1990s, then went into coaching after a shoulder injury ended his playing career. He worked at Southern Utah — with Roderick — in 1999 and 2000 and also coached at Western Illinois, Wyoming and Akron. He met Linda Stover when he was at SUU and married her in 2001.

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When he died, Aaron Alford was serving as executive director of New Beginnings Behavioral Treatment Agency in West Jordan, a center for troubled youth. He was also the athletic director for Park City High and a board member for Ute Conference Youth Football.

“I knew him very well. … He lived a couple houses up the street from my kids in Park City, or his family does,” Roderick said. “I did get a chance to watch Max play in high school, because he went to the same high school as my kids. Yeah, we think he’s a really good football player, and great kid.”

BYU’s Hill, the defensive coordinator, watched Max play for Park City High as an outstanding linebacker and running back — he ran for 1,020 yards and nine touchdowns as a junior but was injured during the season opener of his senior year — and tried to recruit him to Weber State when Hill was head coach at the Ogden school.

“We have known about Max for a long time,” Hill said. “He has done a great job. He has picked up the defense quickly, which is a very difficult defense to learn. He has added super valuable reps for us and I see him getting better and better.”

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From Park City to Utah State to BYU

BYU recruited Max Alford out of high school a little bit, but the multisport star at PCHS wanted to play defense in college, and the Cougars seemed to be more interested in him as a running back. So he chose the Aggies, having been recruited to Logan by now-BYU linebackers coach Justin Ena.

At Utah State, Max Alford got off to a blazing start, starting in four games and appearing in all 13. He made 40 tackles in 2022, including four for losses.

However, he was injured the first defensive play of the 2023 season, at Iowa, and sat out the remainder of that season. Last year, he played in the first four games, got injured again, and redshirted.

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With Utah State hiring former BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall, Max decided to enter the transfer portal last winter.

“The new staff and me, we just felt like it was time to split up. I never really got to meet (Mendenhall). But we just both thought it was best for me to move forward. My time there was nothing short of great. I am grateful. I met some of the best people that I call brothers over there. But it was just time to split ways.”

Max said when he was in the portal he had two or three offers, and had been given a deadline from those schools to commit. On the day he was supposed to make a decision, he got a call from BYU’s Ena with an offer to play for the Cougars.

“Coach Ena is a respected linebackers coach in the college ranks. He’s put a lot of dudes into the league (NFL),” Max said. “I felt this was the best move for my future. It was a good move. I have learned so much here, just as a player in terms of building my football IQ and all that.”

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Defensive end Bodie Schoonover said Alford has fit in seamlessly to one of the best defenses in the Big 12.

“I have got to know Max pretty well. He is an awesome dude. He is a very hard worker. That’s what stands out. He is very smart. He knows the game,” Schoonover said. “He is just a solid player and a solid dude. You can count on him.”

Jumping into the linebackers rotation

With Esera, Jack Kelly and Isaiah Glasker, BYU has one of the best linebacker lineups in the Big 12, if not the country. But with Strother-Bryant going down and freshman Pierson Watson inexperienced at the position but said to have a huge upside, Max has filled a big need.

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“You’ve seen Max play on the field a lot more, because we have a system where we want to keep guys fresh. … When we lost Choe it was important for us to keep the rotation somewhat consistent, so we can keep our guys fresh,” Sitake said. “That’s why you’ve seen Max. He’s done a great job. Other linebackers, like Miles Hall and Ace Kaufusi, done a great job, too.”

Though it all, Max has leaned on the coaches who have known him since he was 3 or 4, in addition to his faith and his mother, Linda.

“Just having God as my foundation has been really, really helpful for me,” he said. “And I just have a different respect for mothers. My mom is my superhero.”

The Edmonton Oilers acquired goaltender Connor Ingram from Utah Mammoth, the team announced on Wednesday.

In exchange for Ingram, the Mammoth received future considerations and retained $800,000 from Ingram’s $1.95-million cap hit. The 28-year-old is entering the final year of his three-year contract.

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The purpose behind the salary retention is to allow the Oilers to send Ingram down to the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors without having an impact on the cap, according to The Athletic’s Chris Johnston. However, when he is active on Edmonton’s roster, he’ll count for $1.15 million against the cap.

This trade comes a few days after Utah placed Ingram on waivers. Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong addressed the possibility of finding a new home for Ingram ahead of training camp, mentioning that waivers were a likely route.

The Oilers acquiring him with some of his salary retained might explain why they went down this road, rather than claiming him last Friday.

Ingram is coming off a season cut short when he entered the NHL and NHLPA’s Player Assistance Program in early March. The program cleared him to return on Aug. 20, but Ingram and the Mammoth decided he would not participate in training camp.

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In 22 starts last season, the 6-foot-1 netminder put up a 9-8-4 record for Utah while registering a .882 save percentage and a 3.27 goals-against average. However, he was exceptional in the campaign before that.

In 2023-24, the Saskatoon, Sask., native started in 48 games for the Arizona Coyotes, recording a .907 SP and a 2.91 GAA. He earned the Masterton Trophy that season as well.

Ingram also has a hint of playoff experience from his time with the Nashville Predators in 2021-22. He started in three games, recording a 3.64 GAA and a .913 SP. His team was swept by the eventual Stanley Cup champions, the Colorado Avalanche, in that first-round series.

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LOGAN, Utah – Turning Point USA returned to Utah Tuesday night for its first event in the Beehive State since the conservative campus organization’s founder, Charlie Kirk, was assassinated at a college speaking event earlier this month.

Kirk was scheduled to appear on campus at Utah State University in Logan as part of his speaking tour, but a revamped cast of speakers includes Gov. Spencer Cox, Rep. Andy Biggs and former Rep. Jason Chaffetz.

‪Cox received a mix of boos and cheers, but the moderator urged hecklers to calm down — ‬invoking Kirk’s memory and calling for an uninterrupted discussion.

Kirk had criticized some of Cox’s more moderate positions. The governor is a Republican.

Ex-fbi Agent Turned Uvu Professor Breaks Down The Evidence Trail Tyler Robinson Left For Detectives

He acknowledged that while he had disagreements with Kirk in life, Kirk’s assassination changed him personally and politically. Cox called Kirk’s assassination “an attack on American ideals.”

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“It was treasonous,” he said, before noting that Utahns wouldn’t respond with rioting and violence — prompting a loud cheer.

Kirk was shot and killed in the courtyard at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10.

Cox called Kirk’s murder “the first high-profile assassination of his lifetime.”

The suspect, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, faces charges including aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm, witness tampering and obstruction. He could face the death penalty if convicted.

“The person who committed this horrific crime is responsible for their decision,” Cox said.

Fox News contributor Jason Chaffetz, who witnessed the shooting, described seeing Kirk collapse.

“I saw him fall back,” he said. “It was terrifying.”

Chaffetz revealed President Donald Trump’s reaction to hearing about the shooting, saying Trump told him, “I don’t know that I’d be President without Charlie Kirk.”

On Tuesday, supporters showed up hours early from all around Utah for the event, which saw greatly enhanced security measures, including drones, security at every door, uniformed police officers and teams in tactical gear, including counter-snipers.

The crowd topped an estimated 5,000 in what organizers said was likely the biggest crowd drawn to date.

Early in the event, the leader of the campus chapter thanked police and security guards for their presence, prompting thundering applause.

Turning Point Usa Says Security Lacked Jurisdiction To Monitor Rooftop When Charlie Kirk Was Assassinated

During the discussion session, Cox emphasized that they were working with law enforcement to learn everything they could from the UVU attack and to prevent it from happening again by adding more security and safety technology at events.

“I hate that we have to go through security to get into things because it feels very un-American to me,” Cox said. “But I also know that we need to protect not just the people who are on stage, but the people who are out in this audience tonight.”

One student raised concerns about universities indoctrinating students, using the example of Robinson, who attend Utah State University for one semester. The student asked what steps government could take to prevent higher education from becoming “indoctrination camps.”

“We’re not trying to replace forcing liberal ideas on all of our students with conservative ideas. This is the founding of Western thought,” Cox said.

“These are Aristotle…Marcus Aurelius…our Founders…Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass and Martin Luther King studied in college. We have to have a foundation to even have these debates, and we’ve lost that foundation,” he continued.

Chaffetz tied the issue to free speech and safety. He stressed that freedom means the right to live life as you choose.

“We’re all children of God,” he said. But Chaffetz drew the line when speech becomes violent.

“Those people need to be arrested. They need to be detained…and some of them need to be incarcerated.”

Prior to their remarks, Sen. Mike Lee appeared remotely, blaming the looming “Schumer shutdown” and his Senate responsibilities for not being present in person.

“I desperately wish I could be there with you in person. And under any other circumstance, I would be,” Lee opened. “My virtual appearance will have to suffice for now, but it really is an honor. And a pleasure to be asked to pay tribute to my friend Charlie Kirk.”

The event had kicked off just a few hours before the deadline to pass a bill to fund the government.

Lee recalled first meeting Kirk as a teenager, introducing him to his daughter as a “future president of the United States.”

Biggs described Kirk’s death as a turning point.

“Charlie’s martyrdom is catalyzing the public across this country,” he said.

He urged young conservatives to follow Kirk’s example.

“Be courageous,” Biggs pressed. “Live a life of value and meaning.”

Turning Point Usa Draws 2,000 At First Tour Event Since Kirk’s Assassination

Before Kirk was set to speak at the TPUSA event, Utah State University issued a statement in response to concerns raised by students and alumni. The university acknowledged receiving messages expressing unease about the event, which was organized by the campus’s chapter. Hours before the event started, a bomb squad detonated a “suspicious device” that was found on campus.

The university emphasized its commitment to free speech, academic inquiry, and maintaining a neutral platform for the exchange of ideas.

“Anytime a controversial speaker comes to campus, university community members have several options and can decide what is right for them,” the school wrote.

While student organizations are allowed to invite speakers of their choosing, the university clarified that it does not endorse or align with any group’s views.

Original article source: Turning Point USA returns to Utah for first time since Charlie Kirk assassination

Nearly three weeks after the assassination of Charlie Kirk, Turning Point USA returned to Utah for a stop on its “This is The Turning Point” campus tour. Fox News Digital visited Utah State University for the event and spoke with attendees.

Attendees began lining up as early as 3 p.m. for the 6:30 p.m. event. Security was significantly heightened compared to previous events, including officers and personnel stationed at every corner, snipers positioned on multiple rooftops, drone surveillance overhead, K9 units, metal detectors, bag checks, and a strict no re-entry policy once inside the venue.

Utah Students Lift Voices In Prayer At Vigil For Charlie Kirk’s Christian Legacy: ‘Felt Called By God’

Charlie Kirk Built A Movement. Now, These Conservative Influencers Are Continuing His Legacy

“There is a lot of fear right now due to the amount of violence, but I do think that more of us need to stand up,” said Utah State student, Gavin.

“I think a few weeks ago, you know, as we can see, there wasn’t as much security and just walking up to the venue, drones flying around, everything, it made the atmosphere feel more surreal almost, just looking back at what happened a couple weeks ago,” said Utah native, Jackson.

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I was really looking forward to coming and seeing Charlie Kirk, But coming here, I feel like it’s a way to kind of show that my support towards him and what he did for all of us,” said Utah State student Nick.

Utah native Cammie said, “I’m hoping that we can all come out better educated and that we’ll be able to find ways to debate whether we agree or disagree. But honestly, I hope everybody can take home the fact that hatred is not the answer, violence is not answer, and that can just be peacemakers.”

“I think there’s more danger now,” said Jax, a student at Utah State.

Madison, also a student, shared, “It’s a little more heavy, but I’m not just gonna hide. I’m gonna stand back and not, you know. I still gotta put my voice out there. I’m still gonna go out, show my beliefs.”

Young Conservatives Fear Campuses Unsafe After Charlie Kirk Killing, But Vow To Press On

“I want there to be a lot of inspiration that comes from this event to influence people to stand up for what they believe in, stand up for their faith, and stand up for the same mission that Charlie Kirk was for and preached with civil discourse and civil conversation,” Gavin added.

A “suspicious device” was detonated by law enforcement at Utah State University on Tuesday afternoon prior to the first Turning Point USA event in the state since Charlie Kirk was assassinated. A device was located and deemed to be a non-explosive device. Out of an abundance of caution, the bomb squad detonated the suspicious device. Old Main building is now clear and safe. All scheduled events may resume as normal,” the university statement read.

Fox News’ Adam Sabes, Garrett Tenney, and Claudia Cowan contributed to this report

Original article source: Turning Point Utah stop marked by resilience and heightened security