Utah governor declares statewide state of emergency due to extreme drought conditions

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox issued a statewide state of emergency as over 60% of the state enters extreme drought conditions. Gov. Cox said all 29 Utah counties were in “severe …

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox issued a statewide state of emergency as over 60% of the state enters extreme drought conditions.

Gov. Cox said all 29 Utah counties were in “severe drought,” with 22 of those experiencing extreme drought.

The U.S. Drought Monitor reported that Utah’s drought conditions were significantly worse in 2026 when compared to 2025, when only 3% of the state was considered to be in extreme drought, and 42% was under severe drought conditions.

The dry conditions come after Utah had its warmest winter on record and the lowest snowpack levels ever recorded. According to the Utah Division of Water Resources (DWR), the state’s snowpack peaked three weeks early at 8.4 inches, which officials said was about half what the state typically receives by the beginning of April.

DWR added that the stream flow runoff was anticipated to be only about 50% of normal.

MORE | Water

“Our snowpack provides 95% of Utah’s water supply,” said Cox. “This winter, that supply fell short of what Utah needs. We are now relying heavily on reservoir storage, which remains at 70% capacity thanks to careful management during wetter years. But those reserves are being drawn down faster than we’d like. I urge every Utahn to treat water as the precious resource it is.”

The declaration activates the state’s Emergency Operations Plan, according to the Utah Governor’s Office, directing the state’s Drought Response Committee to review hardships caused by drought and recommend actions.

Gov. Cox also renewed his call for Utahns to conserve water by installing water-smart landscaping, smart irrigation controllers, following the Weekly Lawn Watering Guide and fixing any leaks inside and outside their homes.

Comment with Bubbles

JOIN THE CONVERSATION (3)

_____

Source: Utah News

Data center proponent steps back from China charges, puts focus on funding of critics

A key businessmen behind the Box Elder County data center proposal is stepping back from charges foes are linked to China and instead focusing on their funding sources.

Hundreds demonstrated against a proposed Box Elder County data center in Tremonton on May 4.

Hundreds more gathered last week at the Utah Capitol in Salt Lake City to sound off against the proposed project.

The outpouring has prompted skepticism from Kevin O’Leary, the main force behind the controversial project, who has characterized the critics as non-Utahns and suggested they are linked to the Chinese Communist Party, or CCP. Over the long haul, the plans call for a data center intended primarily for military needs and a power-generating network to serve it, capable of generating 7.5-9 gigawatts of power at full buildout.

“So these are proxies for the Chinese government is my argument. They’re just spreading falsehoods. This is the CCP at work here. There’s no question about it,” he said in a post on the social platform X last week, one of his more charged pronouncements. A week earlier, O’Leary said, without providing evidence, that more than 90% of the critics don’t live in Utah and that some are paid “professional protestors.”

But when asked for more specifics and whether the Utah organizations most directly involved in campaigning against the data center plans are somehow beholden to China, Paul Palandjian, chief executive officer of O’Leary Digital, seemed to take a step back. Among the many progressive organizations that have publicly expressed opposition or are helping with a demonstration this coming Saturday against the data center plans are Salt Lake Indivisible, the Salt Lake Party for Socialism and Liberation, Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment and Sierra Club Utah.

“We are not asserting that any specific local organizer is acting on behalf of a foreign government, and we are not characterizing any individual on that list as a foreign agent. Many of these are legitimate civic groups with long operating histories in Utah,” Palandjian said.

Rather, Palandjian charges that the “Utah progressive advocacy network” organized against the data center plans is funded by the Arabella Advisors network, which he calls “a structure currently under active federal scrutiny.” Arabella was acquired late last year by Sunflower Services, which calls itself a public benefit corporation that aids “nonprofit and social impact organizations.”

He singled out Alliance for a Better Utah and the Better Utah Institute, among others, as recipients of “direct grants” from the Arabella/Sunflower network. He also called for “full donor transparency” in funding of groups opposed to the data center projects, but otherwise levied no specific accusations against the organizations.

A website created this month focuses on the funding of Alliance for a Better Utah, which has posted critical comments on data center plans, and says public records reveal “a layered network connecting Utah progressive advocacy to Arabella Advisors-managed dark money vehicles.” It also looks at the funding of Grow the Flow Utah, Friends of Great Salt Lake, Elevate Utah and the Center for Biological Diversity, other organizations that have made critical comments about the data center plans.

Palandjian pointed to the website, saying it contains “documented evidence that shines the light of transparency on the network of money behind the protests and opposition to the project.” However, aside from questioning the sources of funding of the varied organizations, it makes no specific accusations against them. The author or authors of the website aren’t identified, but Palandjian suggested that it is a secondary matter.

“The underlying records are the point. We encourage you and your readers to examine them directly rather than focus on the messenger,” he said.

‘A very unreliable narrator’

Reps from the groups singled out by the O’Leary camp reject charges and insinuations that they are linked to China or the Chinese Communist Party. They also rebuff allegations that the rabble-rousing against the project is coming from forces outside of Utah.

Deeda Seed, of the Center for Biological Diversity, called the rapid rise of the movement against the data center plans “one of the most astonishing, organic outpourings” in her 40 years of involvement in public policy issues. Those opposed come from a range of viewpoints, worried variously about the government’s role in aiding the development and its potential impacts on the environment and dwindling water supplies.

“All we have is this rhetoric from a very unreliable narrator who’s calling all of us Chinese Communist Party operatives, which is absolutely absurd,” she said.

Elizabeth Hutchings of Alliance for a Better Utah noted that the organization’s funding information is public, downplaying the ominous tone of those taking aim at the group. In an interview with Fox News, O’Leary cast a suspicious eye on the Alliance, suggesting it might be linked to the Chinese government.

“All of our information on donations and stuff like that is publicly available. He’s kind of treating this as a very deep investigative dive, and it’s really not,” she said. “We are not beholden to China, we don’t take directives from the Chinese government, we don’t work on behalf of the Chinese government. We’re working on behalf of the people of Utah.”

Charges aimed at critics of the project are “a distraction,” Hutchings said, adding that O’Leary might be better served by listening to what critics have to say.

“I think that he should spend less time into crafting stories and going after local people and organizations and baseless claims, and focus a little bit more on answering the public’s questions and earning trust within the community,” she said. “I think he’ll face less opposition if people feel that he’s acting in good faith.”

The data center project publicly emerged in late April when the board of the Utah Military Installation Development Authority, a state entity that promotes economic development tied to military initiatives, approved plans for the proposal. Box Elder County commissioners approved plans related to the initiative a week later.

The development would take years and span 40,000 acres set aside for the project, though it would occupy only a fraction of that land.

Source: Utah News

University of Utah to launch groundbreaking DARPA-backed critical minerals testbed

The University of Utah, one of the nation’s leading research universities, is partnering with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to launch the Strategic Materials Accelerator & …

The Strategic Materials Accelerator & Research Testbed (SMART) initiative will provide a first-of-its-kind testing ecosystem to accelerate breakthrough technologies for rare earth elements and strengthen domestic supply chains.

SALT LAKE CITY, May 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The University of Utah, one of the nation’s leading research universities, is partnering with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to launch the Strategic Materials Accelerator & Research Testbed (SMART), a major innovation platform designed to accelerate the United States’ capabilities in critical minerals and rare earth elements.

U of U stack logo (PRNewsfoto/The University of Utah)
U of U stack logo (PRNewsfoto/The University of Utah)

SMART will serve as a national hub for cutting-edge biotechnology research, providing organizations with tools to develop, test and scale breakthrough technologies, accelerating solutions that directly strengthen national defense and power the innovations of tomorrow.

The U.S. faces a growing need to strengthen its domestic supply of critical minerals and rare earth elements, the essential components of advanced technologies including electric vehicles, cellphones, renewable energy systems and national defense. Meeting this challenge will require bold new approaches for identifying, extracting and refining these materials.

With deep expertise in earth sciences, engineering and commercialization, the University of Utah is positioned to drive new research pathways and innovation models, advancing U.S. capabilities and helping shape the future of technology and manufacturing.

This effort builds on the University of Utah’s recent announcement of the Institute for Critical and Strategic Minerals, a university-wide initiative focused on expanding sustainable domestic supply chains through research, education and workforce development. Together, SMART and the institute position the university as a national leader in addressing critical minerals challenges from discovery to deployment.

“Necessity is the core driver of innovation. The U.S. desperately needs a testbed to accelerate our strategic material supply chain,” said Jakob Jensen, associate vice president for research at the University of Utah. “SMART is a state-of-the-art testing ecosystem that addresses a pressing need.”

“The launch of SMART reflects how the University of Utah is stepping forward to help solve one of the nation’s most urgent challenges,” said University of Utah President Taylor Randall. “By bringing together our strengths in science, engineering and policy, we are accelerating solutions that strengthen national security and build a more resilient, forward-looking critical minerals ecosystem.”

This first phase launches a larger, multi-phase initiative to expand national capacity in critical minerals research, development and deployment. Phase I will support DARPA’s Environmental Microbes as a BioEngineering Resource (EMBER) program, which is pioneering new ways to unlock America’s supply of rare earth elements. SMART is establishing a state-of-the-art benchmarking space on the University of Utah campus to accelerate the path from lab discovery to real-world solutions. Benchmarking infrastructure is often difficult to fund, yet it is essential for validating breakthrough technologies and determining their potential to scale.

“One of the biggest challenges in this space is not invention, but translation,” said Sha-Chelle Manning, chief of DARPA’s Commercial Strategy Office. “SMART is designed to reduce the risk of scaling new technologies by giving innovators a place to validate performance at meaningful scale, helping accelerate the transition from breakthrough science to actual capability.”

The testbed was developed in coordination and with the support of multiple Utah entities, including 47G, the Utah Mining Association and the World Trade Center. This collaboration represents a distinctive model for research-driven innovation and helps position the state as an ideal home for the lab.

“47G is proud to have played a key role in forging the relationships that made SMART possible,” said Aaron Starks, CEO and president of 47G. “This initiative is more than a research platform—it’s a testbed that will serve our local industry here in Utah while also advancing innovation and supply chain resilience nationwide. Our mission is to connect partners, align priorities and create collaborations that drive real impact.”

SMART is just the beginning. By investing in this platform, the University of Utah is helping position the nation as a leader in critical materials research and innovation. We welcome collaboration from industry, researchers and policymakers to expand this work and build a stronger, more resilient innovation ecosystem.

About the University of Utah
The University of Utah is the state’s flagship institution of higher education, with 18 schools and colleges, more than 100 undergraduate majors and graduate programs and an enrollment of more than 36,000 students. It is a member of the Association of American Universities—an invitation-only, prestigious group of 71 leading research institutions. Ranked No. 1 public university in the West by the Wall Street Journal, the U strives to be a model public university in delivering unmatched value in higher education and health care while making social, economic and cultural contributions that improve the quality of life throughout the state, the nation and the world.

Media contacts:
Amanda Ashley, Amanda.ashley@utah.edu, director, marketing and communications, Technology Licensing Office, University of Utah

Cision
Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/university-of-utah-to-launch-groundbreaking-darpa-backed-critical-minerals-testbed-302778234.html

Source: Utah News

Salt Lake City Has So Much More Culture to Offer Than “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” Will Tell You

The Utah city has multiple festival offerings, including the recent Kilby Block Party and the Living Traditions Festival …

NEED TO KNOW

  • Salt Lake City raised its profile to reality TV fans with the debut of Secret Lives of MormonWives in 2024, but there’s another side to the city

  • Recently, Kilby Block Party brought indie music fans to the city, while the Living Traditions Festival celebrated cultures from around the world

  • The Utah capital also offers unique attractions like LGBTQ+ nightlife and scenic outdoor activities

If your knowledge of Salt Lake City is limited to what’s shown on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wivesor The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, you’re only getting half the story.

While the Utah capital is largely known for housing the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints headquarters, immaculate skiing conditions and reality TV drama, it’s far more culturally vibrant than one might think

During a recent weekend, for example, Kilby Block Party music festival brought thousands of indie music fans to the Utah State Fairpark to see headlining performances from Turnstile, The xx and Lorde. Attendees (including influencer Emma Chamberlain) spanned all ages. Many enjoyed mosh pits and crowd surfing for the more raucous sets, while others took in the music while sipping on dirty sodas or craft beers. 

Beach Bunny at Kilby Block Party in Salt Lake CityCredit: Jim Bennett/Getty

Beach Bunny at Kilby Block Party in Salt Lake City<br>Credit: Jim Bennett/Getty

“It’s a huge privilege to get to play here. I’ve been waiting to play here for a long time,” said Lorde on stage at Kilby Block Party, which marked her first-ever show in Salt Lake City. “I always heard good things about you guys. I heard that you really like good music, and I feel that to be true tonight. I also feel like this is the absolute coolest festival ever.”

Kilby Block Party wasn’t the only festival happening in Salt Lake City over the weekend of May 15 to 17. In Washington Square Park, the Salt Lake City Arts Council and the Utah Division of Arts & Museums put on the Living Traditions Festival, a free three-day event celebrating arts, culture and craftwork from various cultures present in the city.

The Living Traditions Festival featured an international food market with offerings from the Basque Club of Utah, the Utah Argentina Alliance, Oaxaca en Utah, the Utah Ukranian Community and the Nepalese Association of Utah, among others.

Advertisement

Attendees could also participate in demonstrations with craft artists making Armenian hand knotted carpets, Mexican piñatas, Belarusian woodcarvings, Native American beadwork, Japanese origami and more. The three-day event also included performances from New Orleans’ Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Alaskan performance group Panyua, as well as local acts like the Brazilian Brazuca Band and Japanese taiko drummer Kenshin Taiko.

Beyond the festivals, there’s lots of sightseeing to be done in Salt Lake City. Visitors can, of course, check out the LDS Church’s Temple Square — or head down the street to the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, which currently hosts the OUT LOUD 10-year anniversary exhibition featuring emerging artists’ poignant works exploring politics, religion and more through an LGBTQ+ lens. The city’s queer scene is quite vibrant overall, with bars like Club Try-Angles, The Suntrapp and more hosting nightly events for the community.

Millennials and Gen Z, at some point during their stay, will likely want to pay a visit to East High School, a main filming location of the High School Musical franchise, canonically set in Albuquerque, N.M., but filmed in Salt Lake City.

Utah Museum of Contemporary ArtCredit: Francis Dean/Corbis via Getty

Utah Museum of Contemporary Art<br>Credit: Francis Dean/Corbis via Getty

Tourists can then venture over to the nearby University of Utah campus, the Red Butte Garden & Arboretum or the Natural History Museum of Utah. All four destinations are also close to outdoor activities like the Hogle Zoo or various hiking trails with gorgeous nature views. For the less outdoorsy, the Van Ryder rooftop bar at the Le Méridian hotel has an outstanding view of the city.

While the popular reality TV shows set in Salt Lake City tend to focus on a small sector of its culture, the city’s approximately 111 square miles have much more to offer.

Read the original article on People

Source: Utah News

Hantavirus explained: What Utah residents should know about the cruise ship outbreak and local risks

A doctor from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Utah breaks down what hantavirus is, how it spreads, and why Utah residents should not panic — but should stay informed. SALT LAKE CITY — A recent hantavirus …

SALT LAKE CITY — A recent hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship has raised concerns among Utah residents, with 3 Utahns currently in quarantine following exposure. Dr. Mike Woodruff of Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah says the situation is being closely monitored, and the risk to the general public remains low.

Hantavirus is a respiratory virus most commonly contracted by breathing in dust contaminated with rodent urine or feces. It can cause lung inflammation and, in some cases, death. However, the strain linked to the cruise ship outbreak is the Andes virus, a person-to-person transmissible variant.

Watch: Health officials confirm 3 Utahns exposed to hatavirus

Health officials confirm 3 Utahns exposed to hantavirus, now in isolation

“Hantavirus is very different from coronavirus. It’s a respiratory virus that we usually get from rodent urine or rodent feces that we breathe into our lungs, causes inflammation, and can actually then be fatal. But there is a strain, and this is the one that’s on the cruise ship, it’s called the Andes virus, and it’s transmitted person to person,” Woodruff said.

Hantavirus infections are rare in the United States, with only about 30 cases reported nationwide each year. Cases are concentrated primarily in the western U.S.

“It’s really rare, actually. We only get about 30 cases a year across the entire US. It’s mostly in the western US, and this is usually the scenario — we’re cleaning out a garage, we’re sweeping up dust, and we breathe in that dust, and it has the virus in it,” Woodruff said.

For those concerned about exposure, Woodruff recommends specific precautions when working in areas where rodent droppings may be present.

“The best thing you can do is if you are doing something outside where you’re kicking up dust and you see that there are droppings from a rodent, either a mouse or a rat, you spray those down with a dilute bleach solution, and you actually don’t sweep it. You use a paper towel to clean it up, and you wear a mask and gloves,” Woodruff said.

The 3 Utahns exposed on the cruise ship are currently in quarantine. Woodruff noted that the virus has a lengthy incubation period spanning several weeks, but said the response from health officials has been reassuring.

“Those people are being watched carefully. We know who they all are, and we can keep a close eye on them and test them if they develop symptoms. So that’s going to keep a lid on this thing,” Woodruff said.

While hantavirus is drawing attention, Woodruff urged Utah residents to also focus on a more immediate local health concern.

“I think your time is probably better spent reading about and learning about measles, which actually, Utah is leading the nation right now in cases, and just learn how to protect yourself and your loved ones from measles,” Woodruff said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Source: Utah News

Utah imam raises concerns about Islamophobia after deadly San Diego shooting

A Utah imam said a deadly shooting at a San Diego mosque Monday was not shocking news as he raised concerns about rising Islamophobia in the U.S.

WEST JORDAN — A local imam said a deadly shooting at a San Diego mosque on Monday was not shocking news as he raised concerns about rising Islamophobia in the U.S.

Police said the shooting left three people dead at the Islamic Center of San Diego, and two suspected teen shooters were later found dead themselves of self-inflicted gunshot wounds.

Detectives were reportedly investigating the ordeal as a hate crime until proven otherwise.

At the Utah Islamic Center, Imam Shuaib Din said violent acts like these have almost become the norm.

“People in our society are committed to bringing that violence inside places of peace,” Din said. “These were considered, at one point in time, safe places, sanctuaries.”

Din expressed concern about what he believed was a trend of rising Islamophobia since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel.

“Whatever happens in the Middle East or any Muslim country in the world, it seems to affect the Muslims living in America,” Din said.

The imam said incidents like this one impact more than just the victims and their families, but also entire communities that surround them.

“It affects thousands of people — whoever belongs to that color or creed,” he said.

Din wasn’t the only leader locally to react to the deadly shootings.

Alex Shapiro, CEO of the United Jewish Federation of Utah, issued a statement condemning the attack.

“The United Jewish Federation of Utah is horrified by today’s deadly attack at the Islamic Center of San Diego, where three people were killed in an act of violence targeting a house of worship,” the statement read. “We mourn the lives lost and extend our deepest condolences to the victims’ families, the Islamic Center community, and the Muslim community in San Diego and across the country.”

Imam Shuaib Din, at the Utah Islamic Center in West Jordan on Monday, talks about the shooting that left three people dead at the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday.
Imam Shuaib Din, at the Utah Islamic Center in West Jordan on Monday, talks about the shooting that left three people dead at the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday. (Photo: Wesley Barton, KSL)

Din himself was the target of a shooting in February at the beginning of Ramadan, but prosecutors later determined the incident was not a hate crime and that it stemmed from past interactions with the suspected shooter.

He acknowledged he didn’t have all the answers for what took place on Monday.

“People seem to feed off of the internet; their hate, their fears, their Islamophobia,” Din said.

He urged others to do their part to stop hate where they see it.

“I think the people of goodwill should come together and say, ‘Enough is enough,'” Din said. “Become the keyboard warrior and do the best they can to shut these people down and say, ‘No, you are wrong.'”

The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.

Source: Utah News

Judge sentences Utah man to prison for meeting minor online, traveling to Omaha to sexually assault the child

A DOUGLAS COUNTY JUDGE SENTENCES THIS MAN. THIS UTAH MAN AND A CHILD SEXUAL ASSAULT CASE. MARCUS STEWART WILL SPEND 40 TO 45 YEARS BEHIND BARS. BACK IN MARCH, HE PLEADED GUILTY TO FIRST DEGREE SEXUAL …

Advertisement

Judge sentences Utah man to prison for meeting minor online, traveling to Omaha to sexually assault the child

TOMORROW. HIS FATHER IS EXPECTED IN COURT LATER THIS MONTH. A DOUGLAS COUNTY JUDGE SENTENCES THIS MAN. THIS UTAH MAN AND A CHILD SEXUAL ASSAULT CASE. MARCUS STEWART WILL SPEND 40 TO 45 YEARS BEHIND BARS. BACK IN MARCH, HE PLEADED GUILTY TO FIRST DEGREE SEXUAL ASSAULT OF A CHILD. STEWART MET A MINOR ONLINE AND TRAVELED TO OMAHA, WHERE HE SEXUALLY ASSAULTED THE VICTIM. DOUGLAS COUNTY ATTORNEY DON KLEIN SAYS THIS SENTENCE REFLECTS THE

Advertisement

Judge sentences Utah man to prison for meeting minor online, traveling to Omaha to sexually assault the child

KETV logo

Updated: 10:14 PM CDT May 19, 2026

Editorial Standards

A judge sentenced a Utah man in a child sexual assault case.In March, Marcus Stewart pleaded guilty to first-degree sexual assault of a child after meeting a minor online and then traveling to Omaha where he sexually assaulted the child.On Tuesday, Stewart was sentenced to 40 to 45 years behind bars.PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Utah man held without bond in Douglas County child sexual assault and enticement case“This sentence reflects the gravity of this offense and underscores our commitment to protecting children and seeking justice for victims. Cases involving crimes against children are among the most serious we prosecute. We are grateful to the investigators and prosecutors who worked diligently to bring this case to a resolution and to the victim and family for their courage throughout the process,” Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine said.Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |

A judge sentenced a Utah man in a child sexual assault case.

In March, Marcus Stewart pleaded guilty to first-degree sexual assault of a child after meeting a minor online and then traveling to Omaha where he sexually assaulted the child.

Advertisement

On Tuesday, Stewart was sentenced to 40 to 45 years behind bars.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Utah man held without bond in Douglas County child sexual assault and enticement case

“This sentence reflects the gravity of this offense and underscores our commitment to protecting children and seeking justice for victims. Cases involving crimes against children are among the most serious we prosecute. We are grateful to the investigators and prosecutors who worked diligently to bring this case to a resolution and to the victim and family for their courage throughout the process,” Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine said.

Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.

NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |

Weather Information

${data.primaryTemp}°