Utah Gov. Spencer Cox used his annual State of the State ad­dress on January 22, to urge lawmakers to focus on education, housing affordability and civic responsibility as the 2026 legislative session begins. Speaking to a joint session of the Utah Legislature at the State Capitol, Cox framed his remarks around the upcoming 250th anniversary of American indepen­dence, arguing that prosperity and freedom depend not only on policy choices but also on civic character and persona

Utah’s congressional delegation is consider­ing use of a rarely in­voked federal law that could overturn the cur­rent management plan for Grand Staircase- Escalante National Monument, drawing attention from both supporters and critics of federal land manage­ment. The proposal has prompted questions locally about what, if anything, would ac­tually change at the monument. A landscape view within GSENM. The current congressional debate focuses on the monument’s management plan r

The Zion Discov­ery Center, a public learning center located along the highway just before Zion National Park’s east entrance, is making progress in its construction, with developers estimat­ing the facility’s main buildings will be com­pleted in July. The Zion Discovery center is set to complete construction in summer 2026. The courtyard and entry gazebos are intentionally placed back and away from the highway, emphasizing the natural approach to the Center. Photos by Ty Gan

Utah health officials report the state’s measles outbreak continues to grow, even as no new public expo­sure sites have been identi­fied in Kane County since the hospital alert reported earlier this month. According to the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Utah has now recorded around 210 confirmed measles cases associated with the ongoing outbreak, up from roughly 170 in early January - with nearly 60 of those diagnoses coming in the last three weeks. Most infect

Southern Utah Uni­versity (SUU) and Best Friends Animal Society (Best Friends) are marking a major milestone in their long-running partnership to expand access to profes­sional education in animal services, with more than 1,500 learners now par­ticipating nationwide and more than 770 professional certificates awarded. Photo courtesy of Best Friends Animal Society. The collaboration blends SUU’s flexible higher-edu­cation framework with Best Friends’ on-the-ground ex­perience

The Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah released a public statement this week addressing community concerns related to recent re­ports of immigration enforcement activity in southern Utah. In the statement, dated January 12, the Tribe said it is aware of social media posts and news reports de­scribing Immigration and Customs Enforce­ment activity involving individuals believed to be undocumented im­migrants. Federal im­migration enforcement has increased nation­wide, the statement no

The meeting of the Kane County Com­mission held on Janu­ary 13, opened with a series of recognitions for outgoing county and service district board members for their service to the com­munity. Said Commis­sioner Meyeres, “We just wanted to formally recognize all of the community members who have given their time and expertise to be part of a district board, a county board, a committee … all of those things in a rural community where, if we don’t just roll up our sleeves and g