Just in: A group of Utah residents/groups who opposed the Box Elder data center are now suing Fox News and Kevin O'Leary over defamation tied to claims they were acting as Chinese agents #utpol

Just in: SLC CRA has approved a $2M disaster loan for Chenzo, LLC, allowing them to rebuild after last year's Main Street fire. Chenzo owns where London Belle and Los Tapatios were. Their $7.5M plan calls for a drastic rebuild along Main Street:

I had heard there could be some wild new designs in the area as the businesses rebuild. This is the proposed new concept in that space at 319-321 S. Main:

My article focuses on Utah, but as you can see here, it's really a regional challenge. Nine states (from Texas to California) also set new records for warmest first half this year:

I started working on this before the latest heatwave, but last year was Utah's hottest since at least 1895 — and the first half of this year puts it on pace to beat last year. Here's a look at how we got there and what could cool down this run in the second half #utwx www.ksl.com/article/5159...

Unified Fire says ~4 acres burned near Tanner Park/Parleys Nature Park this evening, but crews were able to contain it quickly before it could reach any of the homes in the area

BREAKING: We've done it. A new all-time record high in SLC history #utwx

This is the current Western drought + the long-range forecast for next week. The latter hasn't changed much across various models in recent days, which is a good sign

Utah WMA rules enforced by belted kingfisher

Nothing like spending the Fourth of July at Farmington Bay, with: -Red-winged blackbirds -American white pelicans flying in formation before the F-35s ever came through -Great blue herons

With hotter, drier conditions picking back up again this week, fire activity has also grown again. This year's acreage just surpassed 2020 (somewhere between 316K and 330K acres depending on source) in terms of acres burned. 2026 is now the worst, size-wise, since 2018

Breaking: The 9th & 9th Whale appears to have given birth recently

Not much of a surprise after today, but we've now surpassed all of last year (~165K) in acres burned this season. Makes this year Utah's busiest since 2020 (1,547 fires, 329,732 acres)

2 new fires -- the Maple Peak and Cherry fires — have now merged, burning ~20,000 acres. I believe that combo one is what to this being picked up on UDOT cameras

This cluster of new fires may indicate we've got wind sparking new fires near each other. Keep in mind embers can travel long distances. 2 of the new fires today (Cherry Fire and Maple Peak) have each already grown to 500+ acres, per Utah Fire Info

What's in the new Museum of Utah? Utah Historical Society director Jennifer Ortiz gave me a tour of it the other day, and there are so many stories packed into 4 sections. The museum, which is free, opens to the public for the first time tomorrow.

Indeed, SLC is joining the firework ban for next week:

Utah Fire Info just updated its data on the season. 135K+ acres burned on 351 fires (387.1 ac/fire) so far --with total acres jumping 10x in one week. For comparison, last year's total was 1,161 fires & 164,874 acres (142 ac/fire) #utwx

NEW: Eagle Point Resort owner Shane Gadbaw confirms there has been "significant property loss" at the resort and surrounding area from the Cottonwood Fire. The resort will be closed "for a considerable time."

Big shakeups tonight up in Davis County, as Senate President Stuart Adams and Rep. Trevor Lee each appear to be conceding their primary races just now #utpol

Also looks like Millcreek city council member Silvia Catten will win the nomination for the Senate district Nate Blouin is departing from, which covers parts of southern Salt Lake City. Rep. Pitcher having no issue in her primary race tonight #utpol

Looks like we could see some big legislative shakeups with Adams, McCay & Lee among those down tonight (by big margins in some cases). As for some SLC impacts, Stephen Otterstrom (who nearly upset Petro for SLC Council D1 last year) in the lead for nomination to replace retiring Rep. Hollins #utpol

Interesting tidbit from the coin flip. h/t Axios for asking about it, but last week's resolution noted the coin flip should go in order of last name alphabetically. They chose before the flip to go in order of first name. So Scott Lyttle should have been heads, which was the winning side

Here's JNP showing off the coin that determined the seat

I'm here at #SLC City Hall, where the interviews for a new D4 City Council member are set to begin this afternoon. 27 people applied for the recent vacancy but 4, including former Council member Ana Valdemoros, have already withdrawn

I guess we're not getting a Phoebe Bridgers secret show but she will be at the Delta Center later this year 👀

More on #SLC Council's District 4 vacancy race: The City Council just passed a resolution outlining the process to select a replacement, which could be determined by a coin flip if there's a tie at the end👀

7 more names have been added to the field, giving the City Council 27 people who will be interviewed next week before 1 is ultimately selected. Former Trib exec editor/Cox comms director Jennifer Napier-Peace & SLC planning commissioner Lilah Rosenfield among latest candidates

The application window is now closed for the #SLC Council District 4 vacancy. At least 20 people applied, including: -Former SLC Council member Ana Valdemoros -Former SLC planning commissioner Brenda Scheer -Former Downtown Community Council Chair Tom Merrill

Its future was also on display, following a recent project to add new water lines ahead of Phase 1 of its upgrades project. Some of its old buildings will be torn down this fall before the brunt of the project takes place beginning next year