News

West Valley City Police are closing the investigation into Susan Cox Powell’s disappearance, but authorities say they will continue to pursue any credible leads should they arise. Susan Powell was last seen at her West Valley City home in December 2009. 

Poverty in US suburbs is on the rise, but especially in Utah. A new book released Monday shows that the number of people living in suburbs below the federal poverty line has more than doubled in three major metropolitan areas in Utah over an 11-year span. In fact, the Salt Lake City area ranked number 3 in the nation for fastest growth in suburban poverty. 

  Mormons marching in their Sunday best were a big part of last year’s Utah Pride Parade in Salt Lake City.  This year, even more could turn out to support the LGBT community.

The group Mormons Building Bridges will be joined by the group Mormons for Equality.  In all, Corey Howard with Mormons Building Bridges expects as many as five hundred marchers.

At the annual state GOP convention, delegates vote to keep the current nominating system, the party elects a new chair, and Mia Love officially declares she’s ready for a rematch with Congressman Jim Matheson.

Saratoga Springs Mayor Mia Love officially declared Saturday that she will run again for the congressional seat occupied by Democrat Jim Matheson. Love's announcement came during a speech to several thousand delegates at the Utah Republican Party's annual organizing convention.

“You and I have some unfinished business with Jim Matheson. So combining my confidence in you delegates, with the inspiration you’ve given back to me, we are stronger than ever, and I am certain, we will win,” said Love to applause.

Utah GOP Chairman Thomas Wright gave his final address to Republicans as their state leader on Saturday. Wright called on his fellow party members to be more inclusive.  

Thomas Wright announced earlier this year that he would not run for re-election as the state Republican Party leader.  At Saturday’s organizing convention, he called on Utah Republicans not to push away groups that may not traditionally embrace conservative values.

Utah Republicans decided at their convention on Saturday to keep their system in place for choosing party nominees. A proposal to raise the percentage of votes needed to avoid a primary sparked heated debate about how best to give lesser-known candidates a fair shot. 

Utah Republicans elected former state legislator James Evans to lead the state GOP.  Evans is the first African-American to hold the post. 

Outside of politics, Evans is the owner of Checkline, a payday loan franchise. Going into the convention, he had support from Utah Senate President Wayne Niederhauser and other state lawmakers in his bid for party chairman. During his speech at the GOP organizing convention, Evans showcased his experience and his ability to successfully market GOP values.

Unemployment in Utah dipped to 4.7 percent last month, the state’s lowest rate since November 2008. Utah also added more jobs, prompting Governor Gary Herbert to declare the recession over in the state. 

Utah’s job growth in April was 3.5 percent, more than double the national average. Over one year, 43,000 jobs have been added. Juliette Tennert is Chief Economist in the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget. 

The wife of LDS President Thomas Monson passes away, the University of Utah receives a grant to research child asthma, and some members of the Utah Republican party propose a change to the delegate system.

  Frances Monson, the wife of President Thomas S. Monson of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, passed away early this morning at the age of 85.

A news release from the church says Sister Monson never sought the spotlight, but President Monson said she was the practical partner in their 64-year marriage.  Speaking at the church’s General Conference in 2008, he recalled the moment when she woke up in the hospital after living in a coma for almost a month.

  Salt Lake City's Living Traditions Festival is this weekend and lots of other entertainment choices are available.  But Dan Nailen's excited about a band that's making a stop in Salt Lake.  He talks with KUER's Dan Bammes.

Dan Nailen reports on entertainment for KUER and blogs at slcene.com

Some members of the Utah GOP Caucus favor changes to the delegate system that could increase the number of primary elections in the state, according to a recent survey. This weekend at the state Republican convention delegates will consider the proposed changes including an increase in the vote threshold candidates must obtain to avoid a primary.

The University of Utah has received a 1.9 million dollar research grant to study asthma in children and how better monitoring of the disease could improve health.  The award comes from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. 

Flory Nkoy is Research Director for the Inpatient Division at Primary Children’s Medical Center, and is leading the study which will involve 10 Utah health clinics and hundreds of local families. Nkoy says this project puts parents in the driver’s seat, so they can control their child’s asthma symptoms rather than the other way around.

Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill has confirmed that he and Davis County Attorney Troy Rawlings are looking into whether or not the Utah Attorney General’s office has violated any state laws.

Utah lawmakers look into ways to encourage people to buy long-term care insurance, a state Senator suggests that the Attorney General become an appointed position, and the Utah Republican Party considers pushing for the elimination of the Common Core academic standards.

Delegates to the Utah Republican Party Convention will consider a resolution this weekend calling for the state's withdrawal from the Common Core academic standards. The resolution comes on the heels of the Republican National Committee’s decision to take a stand against the initiative as well. But education officials say the statements within the resolution are “less-than-accurate”.

The State Government Operations Interim committee discussed today the possibility of making Utah’s Attorney General an appointed position rather than an elected one.

Utah lawmakers are considering a bill that would encourage citizens to buy private long-term care insurance. More than 35 states already have this type of public-private partnership.   

Utah insurance broker Craig Oberle told the state Health and Human Services committee that people don’t like to think about long term care, and how much it might cost.

“We all know the baby boom generation and what’s happening, it’s an absolute tsunami that’s coming,” Oberle said.

A legislative commission is asking Utah’s governor to take another look at an agreement with Nevada over water rights in the Snake Valley.  Federal law required the states of Utah and Nevada to work out an agreement before the Southern Nevada Water Authority could pump groundwater from the Snake Valley to Las Vegas.  The deal was worked out more than three years ago, but Governor Gary Herbert decided just last month he wouldn’t sign it based on opposition from residents living in the area.  

The West Valley City mayoral race heats up, Utah’s business mergers and acquisitions reach an all time high, and the Utah House considers its options on how to deal with the allegations surrounding the Attorney General.

Utah’s business mergers and acquisitions reached an all-time high last year. That’s according to a report from the MountainWest Capitol Network to be released on Thursday this week. 

The 2012 Deal Flow Report shows that there were 292 deals, topping 11 billion dollars.  Of those, 110 were mergers and acquisitions of Utah companies. Devin Thorpe is President of the MountainWest Capitol Network, and he says 2012 deals increased more than 60% over the year before.

The Utah legislature is meeting this week for their monthly interim meetings but they don’t plan on discussing the fate or potential impeachment of Attorney General John Swallow.

Speaker of the House Rebecca Lockhart says she’s concerned about the recent allegations brought against Attorney General John Swallow and that they’re looking into how the legislature might address them.

  Restoring the credibility of West Valley City’s police department is the top priority for Margaret Peterson, who announced her candidacy for mayor of Utah's second-largest city this week.

With its drug investigation unit disbanded, more than a hundred cases dismissed by prosecutors and several officers on administrative leave, Margaret Peterson believes it’ll take strong leadership from the mayor to bring the police department back.  But she says the city should stop short of a wholesale housecleaning.

The U.S. government tries to stop a new Utah law from going into effect, sequestration could have a large impact on wildfire season, and local fallen police officers are honored in Washington D.C.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for Utah filed a complaint against the state today and obtained a temporary restraining order to stop a law from going into effect tomorrow. They say the new law violates a clause in the U.S. Constitution.

Federal officials are preparing for what is expected to be a challenging fire season this year, specifically in the west. The forecast comes amid diminished federal firefighting dollars as a result of sequestration. 

Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says the number of fires that have already burned across the U.S. this year are down from last year by about 5,000. But Vilsack warns not to be lulled into a false sense of security. He says droughts continue to plague much of the country and federal budgets are strained.

Fallen police Officer Jared Francom’s name is to be added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial on Wednesday in Washington, DC. Francom was killed as the Weber Morgan Narcotics Strike Force attempted to serve a warrant. Five other officers were injured in a gun battle that ensued. Francom’s family as well as Weber County Attorney Dee Smith is in Washington for the ceremonies. Smith says people should not forget the sacrifices these officers make every day for their community.

Utah strikes a deal to split responsibility with the federal government for its health exchange, the Unified Fire Authority puts a deputy chief on administrative leave for prescription fraud, and the Utah fire season arrives.