Jon Reed

The Utah System of Higher Education Board of Regents voted Thursday to raise tuition at seven of the state’s eight public universities. 

In light of statewide recommendations to remain at home in order to slow the spread of coronavirus, domestic abuse calls have been on the rise over the last two weeks, according to the Salt Lake City Police Department.

The coronavirus outbreak is still relatively under control in Utah compared to other states. As of Friday afternoon, 112 people in the state had tested positive for the disease but officials warn the worst is still ahead.

As the economic toll of social distancing weighs on bars and restaurants, Gov. Gary Herbert issued an executive order Wednesday evening to make it easier for them to return the alcohol they bought in March but can no longer sell.

As schools and businesses gear up for closures, school districts in Utah are looking for ways to keep learning going outside the classroom.

Updated 11:27 a.m. MDT 3/15/2020

Gov. Gary Herbert announced Friday afternoon that all public schools in the state will be dismissed starting Monday, March 16. 

On Thursday, state officials made recommendations for all public universities to suspend large gatherings, restrict non-essential travel and move classes online to help limit the spread of coronavirus.

Beginning Thursday, Utah households will start receiving a notice in the mail to fill out the 2020 U.S. Census. The attempt to count everyone in the country happens once a decade and affects how billions of Federal dollars are distributed. 

Tourism is a big business in Utah. In 2018 alone, the industry generated $9.75 billion and brought in travelers from all over the world. That included a record number of visitors to the state’s national parks and ski resorts. 

Dragonfly Wellness, Utah’s first medical cannabis pharmacy, officially opened for business Monday. 

State lawmakers are considering a number of plans to reduce prescription drug costs this session, including a bill that would cap insulin copays and another that would allow the state to import drugs from other countries. 

Utah’s medical cannabis program is set to launch this weekend, with patients able to apply for a medical marijuana card online as early as Sunday morning. 

The Utah Geological Survey (UGS) packed up and moved an 18,000-pound sandstone block full of dinosaur bones Wednesday.

Provo city leaders narrowly voted last Tuesday to allow breweries in parts of the downtown area, sparking a broader debate over the changes residents want to see. And two days later, opponents of the decision filed a referendum to put the issue to voters. 

In what’s been characterized by some as an attempt to shield itself from the roughly 300 active sexual abuse cases it’s currently facing, the Boy Scouts of America filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Tuesday. 

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Utah has a mixed record when it comes to caring for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, according to Case for Inclusion 2020, a national report from United Cerebral Palsy and the ANCOR Foundation which measures how well states are supporting people with disabilities. 

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The attorneys who write bills that become Utah laws are always swamped during the legislative session. They work long hours and weekends, and often through the January and February holidays, including the upcoming President’s Day. 

A bill introduced in the State Senate Wednesday is looking to clear criminal records for those who’ve been convicted of offenses related to marijuana possession. 

S.B.121, sponsored by Evan Vickers, R-Cedar City, would expunge the records of those who’ve used marijuana medicinally, though would not apply to anyone caught dealing or selling it or those with felony charges. 

Utah is one step closer to launching its medical marijuana program as the Department of Health announced Monday medical providers may pre-register with the state ahead of the official rollout March 1.

It’s no secret Utah is booming, and Utah County is expected to grow more than any other. By 2065, it’s projected to add more than one million people, accounting for 37% of the state’s population growth.

The Sundance Film Festival brings in tens of thousands of people to the streets of Park City. And for many of the area’s small businesses, it’s one of the biggest weeks of the year. 

The legacies of the Sundance Film Festival and Harvey Weinstein are deeply entwined. Weinstein made some of his greatest finds at the festival — films such as “Reservoir Dogs” and “Sex, Lies, and Videotape” — which not only helped establish the festival’s reputation as a top market for independent talent but his own as one of the most powerful producers in Hollywood. 

Since Robert Machoian moved to Utah four years ago, he said he’s been thinking a lot about moral conflicts. That is, he’s become increasingly aware of how people navigate wanting to do the right thing and living according to their values, but so often run into challenges as they confront others who don’t share their view of the world.

Park City got a glimpse into the complicated personal life of a local legend Friday. The flamboyant developer and entrepreneur Ira Sachs Sr. is profiled in a documentary that premiered opening night of the Slamdance Film Festival. 

Not much is known yet about the motives behind the shooting last weekend in Grantsville. The suspect though is 16-year-old Collin Haynie, accused of killing his mother and three of his siblings in their family home. 

Earlier this month, Utah researchers unveiled their plan to help the state fight climate change. They called it the Utah Roadmap and laid out seven key “mileposts” the state should pass to improve air quality and address the impacts of climate change.

2020 marks the ninth year of Utah’s economic expansion. And with it comes a lot of benefits, like near record-low unemployment and more economic opportunity, according to James Wood, a senior fellow at the University of Utah’s Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute.