Utah News

Is there any aspect of life where a 99.72% success rate would call for external intervention? A medical treatment that cures 99.72% of patients generally does not call for additional surgery. A school that teaches 99.72% of its students to read does not need additional reading intervention.

Similarly, Utah’s recent voter roll audit found that 99.72% of registered voters in the state are U.S. citizens legally registered to vote, and the Lt. Governor’s office immediately removed the ineligible people from the rolls. This clearly shows that Utah does not need the federal bureaucracy to intervene to keep its voter rolls clean.

Federal intervention in elections has, unfortunately, been a bipartisan affair in recent years. Earlier this year, President Donald Trump issued an executive order seeking federal intervention in voter registration, as did President Biden in 2021. The Democratic-controlled Congress in 2021 attempted to pass the For the People Act, while the Republican-controlled Congress is currently seeking to enact the SAVE America Act. Both bills would intervene in state voter registration in different ways.

But there is no need for federal bureaucracy involvement if the evidence shows that state and local election officials are doing their jobs. That is exactly the case for Utah, as evidenced by the recent voter roll audit, which found that of more than two million registered voters in the state, only 52 were flagged as noncitizens or likely noncitizens. Further, many of the 0.28% of voters whose citizenship could not be verified registered before voter ID was required.

Candidates and voters in Utah need confidence in election outcomes, whether the winning margin was narrow or a landslide. That’s why in addition to removing ineligible people, Utah’s election officials are currently verifying the citizenship of every unverified voter to make certain that only U.S. citizens are allowed to vote.

What about Utah’s election administration makes federal intervention unnecessary?

First, and most obvious, is the quality of Utah’s election officials. If our voter registration system is achieving a 99.72% success rate, it is reasonable to conclude that the people overseeing it are a major part of that outcome.

Second, beyond hardworking, civic-minded election officials, Utah has something going for it that applies to every state in the republic: federalism. Significant fraud in voter registration becomes impossibly difficult and prohibitively expensive when it requires the cooperation of dozens of state and local election officials.

This highlights the irony of attempts to federally intervene in voter registration: They make voter registration fraud simpler, and therefore more likely. Centralizing voter registration in the federal government means you can accomplish significant voter registration fraud by corrupting a handful of officials at a single federal agency, rather than having to get hundreds of election officials across dozens of states to go along. That would make voter registration fraud much more achievable. In a world where hostile foreign actors have proven they are willing to attempt to manipulate and undermine American elections, federal intervention that simplifies voter registration fraud is unwise.

Does this mean that the federal government has no role in ensuring secure elections? No. Again, Utah’s voter roll audit points the way.

A federal policy that incentivizes states to periodically verify voter citizenship through a voter roll audit, like the one Utah just completed, can boost election security while bolstering federalism. This principled approach will either identify states that may need additional intervention or reveal that further intervention is unnecessary nationwide.

Utah election officials should be commended for their successful efforts in maintaining secure voter registration. Utah voters can be confident that voter rolls are being systematically protected from fraud. Leaders in Washington, D.C. should follow Utah’s lead and incentivize citizenship audits of voter rolls. Then voters’ interests, rather than partisan interests, can be served by identifying and addressing potential problems based on the evidence.

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food is making preparations after a case of New World screwworm (NWS) was confirmed in Texas.

According to an announcement from the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF), the case was identified in Texas near the southern border and is currently the only confirmed case in the United States.

Dr. Sabo, Utah’s Assistant State Veterinarian, says that the fly has been moving up South and Central America over several years and has been found in livestock in the U.S for the first time since it was eradicated in 1968.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that New World screwworm is a parasitic fly that feeds on the tissue or flesh of warm-blooded animals and people. NWS are attracted to wounds and body openings where they lay eggs.

NWS can pose a specific threat to livestock and on the food supply. UDAF says it could cost billions in treatment costs and in loss of livestock production. Additionally, while human cases are rare, individuals who work or spend extended amounts of time with or near livestock and warm-blooded animals are at a higher risk.

While there have not been any confirmed cases in Utah, officials say that they have been preparing to handle NWS since mid-2025 and have response plans in place to mitigate any spread.

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“We want to be very clear that there is no public health or food safety concern with
regards to New World screwworm at this time,” said UDAF Commissioner Kelly Pehrson. “While we are ready to take action and eliminate it, NWS does not currently pose a risk to the
food supply.”

Dog and cat owners are now required to obtain a health certificate from a veterinarian in order to bring their pets into Utah from Texas.

UDAF is also encouraging livestock producers to regularly inspect their animals or any signs of the parasite. Symptoms include seeing or feeling maggots, skin wounds or sores that worsen, and foul-smelling odors and bleeding from open sores.

“When it is here, we have to reduce livestock movement, and unfortunately, that does have an impact on animal businesses” Sabo said.

“The U.S. has eradicated this fly before and we will do it again,” said state veterinarian
Dr. Amanda Price. “The keys to eradication are rapid detection, compliance with quarantine and
movement restrictions, delaying procedures, and sterile fly release.”

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Throughout the Utah Jazz’s draft process to this point, it’s largely been a two-man race for who their second-overall pick will eventually end up being later this month.

In most mock projections, you’ll see them end up with either BYU wing AJ Dybantsa or Kansas guard Darryn Peterson; two prospects seen as the top 1 and 1A names in the class, and both more than capable of even being as high as the number one pick.

But it seems like when asking those inside the Jazz’s building, it’s not quite as simple as taking the one of those two that the Washington Wizards don’t end up selecting.

Utah Still Doesn’t Have Consensus Selection at No. 2?

During an interview with KSL Sports, Jazz president Austin Ainge made it clear that he and the front office are trying to take a different approach than just basing their selection off of the general consensus. 

Instead, he and Utah are trying to do more of the opposite; turning over every stone to make sure they’re making the right choice with their first top-two pick in over 40 years, and “fight” that consensus ranking.

“We’re trying to force ourselves to keep an open mind and not get locked in until we have all the information,” Ainge said.

“Make sure we’re processing everything correctly. We’re almost fighting a consensus or a predetermination. We’re trying to make sure we go through it as thoroughly as possible before we lock in.”

The Jazz’s Methodical Approach Is the Right One

Many fans invested in the Jazz’s selection might view this year’s draft pick as the easiest they’ve had to make since they first started their rebuild four summers ago. And in reality, it’s more than likely Utah ends up landing on one of the two top names, Peterson or Dybantsa.

However, for those actually set to be in the war room and pull the trigger on what might be the Jazz’s most valuable pick in franchise history, taking these next few weeks to unpack everything there is to know about this year’s class is the right approach to take.

Is there any real concern to be had surrounding Peterson’s medicals? Does Dybantsa have the true two-way ceiling that many scouts and experts project him to have? Does Cameron Boozer or Caleb Wilson deserve any consideration at all?

Those are all questions the Jazz are answering in the building right about now. So for Ainge to say there’s still no consensus in the room less than three weeks away from the action is far from the wrong approach to have.

“I would say there’s always a ‘blink’ reaction when we get our pick,” Ainge said. “We’re trying not to do that on purpose. We’re fighting groupthink, and we’re fighting media narratives. We’ll use all of the tools we have.”

“You guys can picture a room full of [people] who spend all of their lives trying to figure out these players. We don’t have a consensus in our rooms. There are arguments. There are a lot of opinions. We are all just trying to share, grow, learn, and come together at the end.”

In due time, the Jazz will have landed on their verdict of where each of the top prospects ranks on their board, and who their most likely selection might be once they’re officially on the clock later this month.

Until then, though, expect this front office to have their heads down and meticulously breaking down every detail there is to know about this year’s incoming class.

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“Shark Tank” investor Kevin O’Leary says he is prepared to shrink a sprawling artificial intelligence data center development in Utah after top state lawmakers pushed for major reductions and additional environmental safeguards, according to reports.

O’Leary told NBC News on Wednesday that he is willing to reduce the size of the proposed Stratos data center project after Utah Senate President J. Stuart Adams called for a 75% reduction in its footprint.

“I have no choice,” O’Leary told NBC News at the Washington AI Network’s AI Honors gala.

The project, which has been promoted as one of the largest AI-focused data center developments in the world, would span roughly 40,000 acres in Box Elder County.

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Kevin O’Leary, Chairman of O’Leary Ventures, arrives to speak before a Senate Committee on Aging and House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party joint hearing on April 9, 2025, in Washington, DC.  (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images / Getty Images)

In a letter sent Monday, Adams urged O’Leary to reduce the project area to approximately 10,000 acres and adopt additional environmental safeguards before moving forward.

“I’ve sent a letter directly to Kevin O’Leary calling for a 75% reduction in the proposed data center project area, from 40,000 acres to approximately 10,000 acres,” Adams said in a statement.

The Republican Senate president also called for stronger conservation measures, greater public transparency and protections for Utah’s natural resources.

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Kevin O’Leary, Chairman of O’Leary Ventures, speaks before a Senate Committee on Aging and House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party joint hearing on April 9, 2025. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images / Getty Images)

Among his requests, Adams said the project should commit to using the latest technology to minimize water consumption, dedicate any excess treated water to the Great Salt Lake and enter into agreements with state officials to preserve wildlife habitat and agricultural land.

“Utah can pursue economic opportunity while protecting our water, air, wildlife and communities,” Adams said. “We can and must do both.”

O’Leary suggested the demand was driven in part by political pressure as opposition to the project continues to grow.

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High-tech data center with server racks (iStock / iStock)

“I know he did it for political reasons,” O’Leary told NBC News. “He has to address those issues, and so do I.”

Residents and environmental advocates have raised concerns about the project’s potential demands on water supplies, power infrastructure and nearby communities.

O’Leary has previously dismissed some of those concerns as misinformation and accused opponents of spreading false claims about the project.

US BANS NEW FOREIGN-MADE CONSUMER INTERNET ROUTERS OVER SECURITY CONCERNS

“All these people have a right to get information,” O’Leary told NBC News. “Why are they getting it from a false initiative? Who is spending all this money to put out all these falsehoods and straight-out misinformation and lies and agitate these people?”

Adams noted that several legislative committees are examining how large-scale developments could affect Utah’s water supply, energy system, land use and environmental resources.

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Utah has also invested more than $1 billion in water conservation and infrastructure projects while increasing oversight of large-scale developments, Adams said.

O’Leary told NBC News he plans to formally respond to Adams by Friday with details of a revised proposal.

WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — While a pending charge of aggravated sexual assault was dismissed on June 4, 2026, the man accused of sexually assaulting a woman at knifepoint in 2024 didn’t walk away a free man.

Dillon McKay Price, 32, of Wichita Falls, was indicted on charges of aggravated sexual assault and failing to comply with sex offender registration requirements in November 2025.

The charges stem from an alleged assault in December 2024, in which Price was accused of brandishing a knife before sexually assaulting a female victim at the Wayfarer Motel in Wichita Falls.

PREVIOUS STORY: Man formally charged for sexual assault at knifepoint

Price, who is registered as a sex offender in the state of Utah, was set to face a judge and jury in the 89th District Court during the summer of 2026. However, during a scheduled pre-trial hearing on June 4, 2026, a plea agreement was reached.

Court documents show the two pending charges against Price were dismissed. On Thursday, Price instead pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, stemming from the same December 2024 incident.

According to court documents, Price was sentenced to 20 years in prison, with credit for 429 days of time already served in county jail.

This is a developing story. Stick with Texoma’s Homepage for updates as more information becomes available. All individuals charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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WASHINGTON — Celebrity investor Kevin O’Leary had appeared to dig in his heels in recent days after facing backlash on all sides over a planned 40,000-acre AI data center campus in Utah. But now, he tells NBC News, he’s willing to shrink the project.

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