Utah Politics

Box Elder data center process was ‘not good,’ Gov. Cox says — and calls for MIDA reforms

Addy Baird, Emily Anderson Stern — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 17:26:05 +0000

The process for approving the controversial Stratos data center in Box Elder County was ”not good” and the state board that approved the hyperscale center should be reformed, Gov. Spencer Cox said at a PBS Utah news conference Thursday.

‘It wasn’t a little war’: John Curtis warns Iran war mistakes resemble Vietnam

Addy Baird — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 16:47:50 +0000

The senator said the Vietnam War was "as close to a constitutional crisis as this country has ever had," and worried about the similarities to the unauthorized Iran conflict.

Utah’s new public records chief is deciding cases twice as fast as the committee — but not everyone’s happy

Robert Gehrke — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 12:01:42 +0000

When journalists demanded to see security footage and plans in the aftermath of the killing of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk last year, it was Lonny Pehrson who told them no.

What counts as a large data center? Utah wants to make it clear in state law.

Megan Banta, Addy Baird — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Amid rising sentiment against data centers, Utah is rethinking its approach to the large facilities that mostly help train and run artificial intelligence models.

After election loss, Utah Senate president threatens to sue four critics for alleged defamation

Robert Gehrke — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 14:19:45 +0000

Lame-duck Utah Senate President Stuart Adams is threatening to sue four critics — including State Auditor Tina Cannon — for statements his attorneys say were false and defamatory about Adams’ role in the approval of a controversial Box Elder data center, changing a law to benefit a relative and relocating the auditor’s office.

95% of voters used a mail-in ballot this year — but Utah’s elections are changing in 2029

Emily Anderson Stern — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000

A Salt Lake Tribune analysis found that in the first federal election since Trump retook the White House, his ongoing attack on mail-in voting has had little influence on its popularity in Utah.

Utah Sen. Curtis wants to use post office properties to help solve a major national crisis

Megan Banta — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Provo • Next to Nu Skin’s downtown Provo offices and a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints temple is a one-story post office. A half-acre employee parking lot sits across the street.

Donald Trump has financial stake in the nuclear industry he is championing

Jade Lozada, NOTUS — Sun, 16 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000

President Donald Trump could stand to profit from his administration’s unprecedented investments into the nuclear energy industry.

Report: Trump appointee asked aircraft to fight 7-acre wildfire near his Idaho ranch as Utah burned

Addy Baird — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 12:00:01 +0000

A Trump administration official asked for aircraft firefighting support for a small fire near his Idaho ranch as massive fires raged across Utah and other western states, The Washington Post’s Bianna Sacks and Andrew Ba Tran reported Friday.