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Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said Thursday he is preparing to have “uncomfortable, hard” conversations with cities this year about building more high density housing.

As the closing keynote speaker at Stanford University’s Abundance Agenda policy forum, Cox said the state is ready to use a more hands-on approach after struggling to get cities to make municipal affordable housing plans.

“We tried to do it the nice way, and if you want us to do it the heavy way we’ll do that too,” Cox said. “I’m okay being the bad guy on this one.”

Cox recognized that cities have had a lot to keep up with: during the past two years since Cox launched his initiative to catalyze 35,000 starter homes by 2028 the Legislature has approved at least 15 bills reforming zoning, financing and inspection for affordable homes.

One of the most significant pieces of legislation would make $300 million in public investment funds available to help local lenders offer low-interest loans for developers building affordable homes.

The other reforms specifically mentioned by Cox would allow condominiums to qualify for these low-interest loans and would update litigation protection around condos to decrease insurance costs.

“I’m at the stage where I’m just throwing everything against the wall and seeing if anything sticks and actually makes a difference,” Cox said.

As he has on a number of other occasions, Cox touted Utah’s streak of No. 1 rankings which he said were the result of residents’ ability to reject zero-sum thinking.

But, Cox said, the biggest obstacle to addressing Utah’s housing crisis might be public opinion.

Does high density need better PR?

While Utahns worry about their children not being able to afford to live near them, Cox said, that fear is not always tied to an understanding that affordability follows from increased supply.

Speaking to students, scholars and policy advocates, Cox highlighted a recent appropriation Utah lawmakers made for a public opinion campaign about the importance of high density construction like the Daybreak development in South Jordan.

“Showing some real wins, some places where people love to live where there’s actual density just helps change that narrative,” Cox said. “I think we just need to do better PR when it comes to to building and growth.”

In 2025, the Utah Legislature gave $1 million to Utah Workforce Housing Advocacy, a non-profit trying to raise awareness about affordable housing through its Demand More Supply initiative. A year earlier, the Legislature gave another $1 million to the organization.

Utah Workforce Housing Advocacy was created in 2023 by Craig Weston, a high-end developer; Derek Brown, later elected as Utah attorney general; Matt Lusty, Cox’s campaign manager; and Steve Waldrip, later appointed as Cox’s senior housing adviser, who remains a member of the unpaid board.

“I’ve learned that that we need to do better on the messaging side of this, trying to get the public on our side I think is really important,” Cox said. “Our big focus has been on our kids and grandkids.”

Utah’s founding was based on the positive-sum mindset of pioneers settling an unwelcoming land, Cox said in his opening remarks. In order to maintain the state’s success he said residents will need to prioritize abundance by rejecting “false choices” between growth and quality of life.

Cameron Diehl, the executive director of the Utah League of Cities and Towns, has worked closely with the Legislature in recent years to bring down housing costs while maintaining local control.

On Thursday, Diehl pointed out, the Wasatch Front Regional Council considered five station area plans in Draper, Taylorsville and West Jordan around transit stops, looking to accommodate 15,000 housing units.

“Cities want to see more affordable home ownership opportunities,” Diehl said. “But we plan for housing, we don’t build the housing, and we can’t control the market forces.”

COALVILLE, Utah (ABC4) — Water resources this year could become very slim in parts of the state plagued with record low snowpack levels, while other parts could be breathing a sigh of relief.

Echo Reservoir is sitting at 99.5% capacity. Currently, Utah ranks second in the West for overall storage capacity, just behind Oregon.

Jordan Clayton, Supervisor of the Utah Snow Survey with Natural Resources Conservation Service, says Utah is in a good spot. “Central Utah and the Wasatch Front are very close to full—if not already full—at many of our reservoirs, including large ones like Echo,” Clayton said.

Utah’s reservoirs (excluding Lake Powell) right now are averaging about 86% capacity—a strong number for this time of year.

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“They support agriculture, municipal water, industry—pretty much everything,” Clayton added. “But we are concerned, particularly in southern Utah.”

Southern Utah’s record low snowpack season has led to severe and  extreme drought conditions for Southwest Utah. And their reservoirs have likely already seen peak runoff for this year.

Candice Hasenyager, Director of the Utah Division of Water Resources, says water conservation is key right now, no matter where in the State we live.

“If we’re not in drought, we’re preparing for the next one. And if we have a hot, dry summer in northern Utah, that can really diminish our water supply. So using our water wisely is always the right thing to do,” Hasenyager added.

Water resource managers for Echo Reservoir say the reservoir was designed to be a one year supply reservoir. So it’s levels fluctuate drastically each year but don’t expect it to spill this year.

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After rushing in during the last minutes of a Wednesday evening hearing for the public to weigh in on whether Utah should move forward with a rule that would push thousands off of Medicaid, Angie Garcia leaned over and whispered to her daughter, “Show your fingers.”

The 5-year-old Aramina looked up from the game she was playing on her mom’s phone and wiggled her right hand in the air. Angie, Aramina and the child’s father have a genetic condition called Apert syndrome, which causes bones in the skull, feet and hands to atypically fuse.

“Now she’s able to do that, thankfully, because of Medicaid,” Garcia said of Aramina, who wants to become a veterinarian, “and that will help her write and work.”

Since President Donald Trump took office, Utah has begun the process of asking the federal government for a waiver to implement work and reporting requirements for some Medicaid recipients.

Wednesday was the last in-person public comment session, but the state’s Department of Health and Human Services will accept input online for another week. The dozens who joined the meeting, both at the Salt Lake City office building and remotely, unanimously opposed the proposal.

This is the second time Utah has sought to impose employment as a prerequisite for some low income Utahns to receive free or discounted health coverage — a maneuver aimed at reducing health care spending by the federal and state government.

Under the last Trump administration, in December 2019, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services signed off on Utah adding a condition that some adult recipients work, or seek work. The state pressed pause on the initiative just a few months later in response to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2021, President Joe Biden’s administration mandated that Utah and other states reverse previously proposed and approved work requirements. Although such rules have been subject to litigation in the past, the U.S. Supreme Court has never ruled on the matter.

To qualify for Medicaid in Utah, a single person must have a salary below $20,820, and a family of four can’t bring in more than $42,768 annually.

Utah’s DHHS initiated the most recent work requirement request, called an 1115 waiver, said Medicaid Director Jennifer Strohecker. “We did it in consultation with the governor’s office and lawmakers.”

Utah is one of 14 states, all Republican-led, to pursue such a waiver since Trump moved back into the White House, according to a tracker compiled by KFF Health News. The Beehive State’s pending action comes amid a push in Congress to establish Medicaid work requirements nationwide.

“If Utah has a proposal and Congress has a proposal, what happens with that? I’ll just say we don’t exactly know the answer to that right now,” Strohecker told Wednesday’s audience before implying that she expects a federal plan would be more strict.

Strohecker promised attendees that her office would review all of the comments and that they would be shared with the national office that approves waivers. State DHHS officials will meet with lawmakers to discuss the proposal next week.

One current lawmaker, Sen. Nate Blouin, D-Millcreek, joined the public comment session, as did two former Republican representatives — Paul Ray, of Clearfield, who is now DHHS’s director of legislative affairs, and Marsha Judkins, of Provo.

“We’ve had a lot of conversations already in the past about barriers that the most vulnerable Utahns have accessing just basic needs,” Judkins said. “And so when I heard about this waiver application, it just kind of broke my heart, and I felt like I needed to come and engage.”

The proposed rule would impact more than 75,000 adults in the state who use Medicaid.

Having one of a handful of characteristics, like being physically or mentally unable to work, can exempt recipients from the work requirement. But advocates for a variety of vulnerable populations say filing the paperwork and providing the documents to qualify for an exemption can be an insurmountable barrier for some.

Among the people who shared their stories with DHHS Wednesday was Marcella Patino, a nail technician whose child has autism. Because she is an independent contractor, and often has to take time away from work to care for her child, Patino told officials she is concerned she won’t be able to meet the potential work requirements.

“It’s already incredibly hard to be a working mom — please don’t make it harder,” Patino said.

Debbe Jones, a grandmother who cares for both her own mother and her grandson, said if anyone in her family loses Medicaid, “One simple surgical or health-related illness will make me homeless.”

Groups that support Utahns from a variety of vulnerable backgrounds — from those with mental illnesses, disabilities or struggling with addiction, to people experiencing homelessness or with chronic diseases — have coalesced under Protect Medicaid Utah to oppose this and other proposals to cut Medicaid.

Their representatives Wednesday pointed out how they expect the potential rule would slash more than intended from health care, and where they see exemptions fall short.

Matt Slonaker, who heads the Utah Health Policy Project, opened the meeting with a sentiment that was echoed throughout the evening: “Good health is a precondition to work, not the other way around.”

A former Nebraska football player has announced his transfer destination. Defensive back D’Andre Barnes will play the 2025 season for the Utah State Aggies.

Barnes originally came to the Huskers in 2023. He appeared in one game for the program in 2024, making his debut against UTEP. He will have three years of eligibility remaining with Utah State.

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He was a productive player in high school and had a promising senior season. According to statistics from MaxPreps.com, he was a key weapon for Regis Jesuit High School, catching 37 passes for 785 yards and nine touchdowns.

Now, he will have an opportunity to contribute to a program that went 4-8 in 2024. The Aggies have not had a winning season since 2021.

Nebraska football has seen several players enter the transfer portal and land on their feet. Barnes’ athleticism and speed could allow him to make an impact at Utah State.

Utah’s Braxton Watts finished atop the individual leaderboard at the NCAA regionals at Golf Mountain Golf Course in Bremerton, Wash., but the nationally-ranked No. 17 Utes fell just one stroke short of the cut to move on to the NCAA championships.

Watts finished 12-under during the three-day event, posting an even par in round one before finishing 6-under in both rounds two and three.

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Despite Watts’ excellent performance, the Utes fell just one spot short of the fifth-place finish they needed to advance, posting a three-day total of 1-over.

Utah posted scores of 3-over and 5-over during the first two days, then made a comeback attempt on Wednesday, finishing 7-under for a 1-over three-day score.

“This team has a lot of heart, and they don’t know how to quit,” Utah coach Garrett Clegg said in a press release. “We gave it everything to try to advance today but we just couldn’t get it done. I’m so happy for Braxton. He played incredible golf this week and it’s great that he will finish his season at the NCAA championships. It’s really incredible what the team did during this season, they’re truly a special group.”

The Utes were edged out by South Carolina, who finished the three-day event at even par, for the fifth and final spot. Watts will continue his season as an individual participant in the NCAA championships in Carlsbad, Calif., at Omni La Costa Resort.

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Watts led the charge for the finish with his 12-under score, but the rest of the team finished over par, with Gabriel Palacios finishing 1-over, Sergio Jimenez finishing 5-over and Davis Johnson finishing 15-over.

Florida finished 28-under to secure the regional title, while Arizona State (25-under), Colorado (4-under) USF (2-under) and South Carolina (even), all advanced to the NCAA championships.

The wait is over!

It’s been one week since Utah’s NHL team unveiled its permanent name — and now you can finally get your very own Mammoth gear from Fanatics.

The product launch includes a variety of t-shirts, hoodies, hats, accessories and collectibles.

According to NHL.com, Utah’s new primary logo, the “Mountain Mammoth,” includes the snow-capped Wasatch Mountains on the crown, the outline of the state of Utah in one of the peaks and tusks curving up to form a “U.”

Team colors will be the same used by the Utah Hockey Club: Rock Black, Mountain Blue and Salt White.

“Tusks Up” will be the team’s rallying cry.

Utah’s mammoth history

Mammoth fossils have been found throughout Utah. A complete skeleton was discovered in the Huntington Canyon Recreation Area in Manti-La Sal National Forest in 1988.

“We uncovered a little bit of the mammoth history in this state,” Utah owner Ryan Smith said via the Associated Press. “It was daunting — of how close and tied and whether it was Lake Bonneville or Fairview, Utah, or Lake Powell and the size of the mammoth and how fast they go, it became like this really cool thing.”

Mammoth replaces the 2024-25 placeholder name Utah Hockey Club. More than 850,000 fan votes were cast over the past 13 months to decide on the team’s permanent name.

The three finalists for the team’s official branding included the Utah Mammoth, the Utah Hockey Club and the Utah Outlaws.

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Utah Mammoth Fanatics Primary Logo Adjustable Hat – Gray/Charcoal

The Utah Mammoth has officially released licensed NHL gear for the first time since unveiling their new team name and logo only one week ago.

The Mammoth was revealed as the new name and permanent identity for the NHL franchise after a 13-month process that included 850,000 ballots cast by fans in multiple rounds of voting.

The team originated in Winnipeg, then moved to the Phoenix area in 1996 before taking this next move to Salt Lake City, Utah. It will play its home games at the Delta Center, a multi-purpose arena that also serves as the home venue for the Utah Jazz of the NBA. Delta

Utah Mammoth WinCraft Hockey Puck

Mammoth replaces the inaugural season placeholder name Utah Hockey Club, which was also one of the three finalists, along with Outlaws. Interestingly, Yeti was taken out of consideration when the cooler company bearing that name could not come to a copyright agreement with Utah ownership. Wasatch, a reference to the state’s mountain range, was also in the running for a bit but quickly replaced as an option by Outlaws.

The Mammoth are maintaining the same black, light blue and white color scheme and the road jerseys with UTAH diagonally down the front. The logo, along with mountains and a hidden “M” and more of what Smith called “Easter eggs,” also has a curved tusk that forms a “U.”

Utah Mammoth Fanatics Primary Logo Stadium Slub T-Shirt – Black

Mammoth fossils have been found throughout Utah, including a complete skeleton in Huntington Canyon in 1988. And it gives the team’s fans an outstanding rallying cry: “Tusks Up.”

Fanatics has a variety of Mammoth merchandise available in several categories. Here’s a link to the complete collection.

Remember, Fanatics offers FREE U.S. shipping on any purchases over $24.

Utah Mammoth Fanatics Combo Legacy Fleece Pullover Hoodie – Heather Gray

Here is the collection broken down by category:

In a rivalry game that had just about everything, three in-state kids made three spectacular plays Tuesday night to lift BYU to a 9-8 victory in the program’s 384th battle against Utah.

Freshman Ridge Erickson (Dixie High) belted a 3-run double in the Cougars five-run third inning to take a 6-2 lead in front of a full house at Miller Park.

“When I saw the ball inside on a 3-2 count, I got the barrel out and (drove in) three runs,” said Erickson, who came to the plate hitting .139 with just five hits on the season.

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However, standing on second base and watching his team celebrate his timely double, the back-up catcher was on top of the world.

“My heart was racing, I had no idea what to do,” Erickson said. “With limited at-bats, it’s hard to come in without playing for two weeks, but it definitely showed the ability I have to step in and prove myself.”

Luke Anderson (Snow Canyon) slid into home with a Cirque Du Soleil-like twist during a double steal to extend BYU’s advantage to 9-5 in the sixth inning.

Initially, Anderson was called out, but after a video review, it became clear that his hand touched the plate ahead of Derek Smith’s tag and the call was overturned.

Utah threatened in the eighth with runners at first and second and two outs when Kaden Kennedy (American Fork) lifted a foul ball down the left field line. Sophomore Ryker Schow (Pleasant Grove) made a diving grab to end the inning that is worthy of the catch of the year.

“You saw some guys who haven’t played a lot come in and do some really good things and pick us up,” said BYU head coach Trent Pratt, as BYU extended its all-time record against the Utes to 253-129-1, including 130-54 in Provo. “That’s what we need.”

Fresh off an impressive 2-1 series victory at No. 16 Arizona, the Utes remained relentless. Matt Flaharty’s two-run home run in the ninth inning pulled Utah within one run of the Cougars, but with the tying run at third, BYU freshman Rockwell Lybbert struck out Kennedy to end the game.

“I was super pumped,” Lybbert said. “I haven’t had a ton of innings this year and just recently started pitching again. My arm felt good, and it felt good to be in that spot.”

The Cougars used ten different pitchers to win their seventh straight early-week game, but the victory did not count towards the conference standings. BYU (25-25, 8-19), UCF (27-24, 8-19) and Utah (20-27, 7-20) head into the final weekend of the regular season fighting for the last playoff spot for next week’s Big 12 Tournament.

“The guys know it. We don’t have to talk about it,” Pratt said, as BYU looks to the first of their three-game series against Texas Tech on Thursday (6 p.m., ESPN+). “They know we are playing for something this week and we just have to go play good baseball and see where it ends up for us.”

Also on Thursday, Utah opens a series at home against TCU and UCF hosts Baylor. The Knights and Utes own a two-way tiebreaker against BYU. If they all tie for 12th place, the Cougars will get the nod because BYU has a win against first place West Virginia and the Mountaineers swept Utah and UCF.

In essence, the post season for all three teams starts on Thursday.

Dave McCann is a sportswriter and columnist for the Deseret News and is a play-by-play announcer and show host for BYUtv/ESPN+. He co-hosts “Y’s Guys” at ysguys.com and is the author of the children’s book “C is for Cougar,” available at deseretbook.com.