Around Utah
Page 4 of 4: older stories, newest first.
- Politics
Amendments A and B ask Utah voters to change rules on public notice and tax initiatives
One measure would drop the newspaper publication rule for proposed amendments, while the other would require 60% voter approval for citizen initiatives that raise taxes.
- Business
Utah life sciences sector pays well above state average, backers say
Industry group BioHive Utah says biotech and health innovation have grown well beyond the state's medical device roots.
- Sports
Jazz starters all reach double figures in 119-109 preseason win over Spurs
Rookie Darryn Peterson led Utah with 14 points, and the Jazz forced 15 first-half turnovers against a Spurs team resting most of its regulars.
- Sports
Utah State linebacker Asher Cunningham named Pac-12 defensive player of the week
Cunningham had 17 tackles and forced two fumbles as the Aggies held Washington State scoreless in the second half of a 17-16 comeback win.
- Politics
Schultz says full repeal of 'preliminary municipality' law is on the table
The House speaker expects lawmakers to revisit SB258 in January after an uproar in Wasatch County, and Gov. Cox says he is open to changes.
- Politics
UTA says it can't go fare-free as riders push back on $3 base fare
Public comments on the proposed increase repeatedly called for free transit, but the agency says fares still cover about 6% of its revenue and state law requires them.
- Politics
Curtis among six senators calling Trump's Russian diesel move illegal
The bipartisan group says the administration skipped a required consultation with Congress before lifting sanctions on Russian diesel imports.
- Politics
Logan drafts limits on size, water and power for data centers
Draft rules would confine data centers to industrial park zones, keep them 1,000 feet from homes and cap their water use at 10 million gallons a year.
- Politics
Utah clerks from both parties defend vote-by-mail as ballots go out
Davis County's clerk detailed the chain-of-custody, signature checks and offline equipment that guard ballots, while clerks warned that national rhetoric is confusing voters.
- Politics
Three 4th District challengers lay out positions in Tribune voter guide
Democrat Jonny Larsen, Libertarian Taylor Wright and unaffiliated candidate Steven Burt answered questions on affordability and water, and Republican Rep. Mike Kennedy did not respond.
- Business
Heber Valley dairy farmer says worker shortage is getting worse
Farmers face high costs, drought and immigration enforcement fears while competing with better-paying industries for labor.
- Growth & housing
Lehi council agenda packed with housing, annexation and land-use items
A 405-townhome plat in Inverness, a 71-lot subdivision and a general plan change from residential to heavy commercial were among the items set for Tuesday.
- Politics
Utah orders AI training and human oversight for state agencies
An October 6 executive order directs covered agencies to train employees, document public-facing AI uses and safeguard automated decisions.
- Business
Baxter Aerospace wins Utah incentive for planned Washington City expansion
The company plans $19.55 million in investment and 90 jobs over five years; the tax benefit depends on meeting performance requirements.
- Sports
Lone Peak repeats as 6A girls tennis champion
The Knights edged Skyridge and Bingham for the team title despite losing five of seven starters to graduation.
- Growth & housing
Box Elder, Iron counties race to write data center rules as moratoriums wind down
Iron County's draft would cap water use at 50,000 gallons a day for big projects, and Box Elder officials say their rules will land on the restrictive end.
- Growth & housing
Lehi deal clears way for sale of Walker family land on State Street
The agreement limits business types and bars access from Trinnaman Lane, but neighbors say the long fight left them exhausted.
- Politics
American Fork council takes up FrontRunner, road deals and property sales
Agreements with UDOT on FrontRunner double tracking and the Pony Express Parkway corridor led the Oct. 13 agenda.
- Politics
Federal disaster aid approved for Beaver, Piute counties after fire and floods
A joint assessment found at least $47 million in possibly eligible damage from the Cottonwood Fire and the flooding and mudslides that followed.
- Growth & housing
Northbound I-15 traffic in Lehi shifted toward median until 2027
The shift gives crews room to start foundations for the new 2100 North interchange, part of a freeway link to Mountain View Corridor due in late 2028.
- Business
Lehi forms small business advisory council to cut red tape
The 20 local owners on the new panel held their first meeting Oct. 7 and will advise the City Council on regulations that burden small firms.
- Deep Dive · Feature
How Salt Lake paid for the 2002 Olympics
Utah’s early tax funding, Olympic sponsorships and government services helped stage the Games. The organizers’ surplus financed a lasting sports legacy, but it was only one part of the public bill.
- Deep Dive · Feature
Geneva Steel: a $110 million rescue, then another shutdown
A $110 million federally guaranteed loan helped Geneva Steel emerge from bankruptcy in 2001. Within a year the Utah mill was idle and back in bankruptcy; the government paid $92.1 million on its guarantee, and the equipment was sold to a Chinese steelmaker for $40 million.
- Deep Dive · Feature
RaPower-3: the solar lenses that sold tax benefits before electricity
A Utah promoter sold plastic solar lenses for $3,500 each with the pitch that buyers could zero out their federal taxes. Courts found the technology never worked, upheld a $50 million disgorgement order and denied investors’ credits, and a receiver has spent years chasing the money.
- Money & banking · Feature
SunFirst Bank: how online-poker payments reached a small Utah lender
SunFirst’s search for capital drew it into illegal online-poker processing. Its closure, a banker’s guilty plea and the receivership’s later termination show how payment access, bank solvency and customer protection intersected.
- Deep Dive · Feature
UTOPIA’s growing fiber network and the debt its cities still carry
Utah’s open-access fiber system has added customers and its financing partner has improved. The original agency’s obligations to bondholders and cities remain a separate part of the recovery story.
- Money & banking · Feature
First Security’s two merger paths: How Wells Fargo acquired a Utah banking leader
First Security’s failed combination with Zions and its 2000 acquisition by Wells Fargo show how shareholder decisions and local competition shaped Utah banking consolidation.
- Deep Dive · Feature
Utah’s finances: falling debt, substantial reserves and pressure beneath the totals
Utah has built financial cushions and paid down bonds. A review of its state accounts also finds slower growth in budget balances, a sharp preliminary drop in corporate taxes and financial controls that auditors said needed repair.
- Business
Utah Medical extends $75-a-share tender offer to October 27
Shareholders will have time to consider third-quarter results, scheduled for October 22, before the revised deadline.
- Education
University of Utah gains approval to bid up to $21 million for neighboring property
The Salt Lake Tribune reports that state officials authorized a bid for the 5.3-acre Pingree Center property. A purchase has not been announced.
- Growth & housing
Salt Lake student-housing projects advance as developers weigh vacancy risks
Building Salt Lake reports continued student-housing development while a university spokesperson puts campus occupancy at 86% as of last week.
- Growth & housing
American Fork to hold town hall on metered irrigation water rates
The city is moving from a flat secondary-water rate to tiered charges based on lot size and actual use, phased in over five years.
- Growth & housing
Six Ridge secures equity for 217-unit Bluffdale apartment project
An October 1 financing announcement advances a Utah housing development, with initial delivery targeted for August 2027.
- Politics
Utah updates public-fund depository list for the fourth quarter
The October 1 list updates institutional eligibility and limits for uninsured public deposits, with changes public treasurers need to check.
- Money & banking
Utah securities regulator issues warning about Apertum and DAO1
A September 29 investor alert raises registration and recovery concerns about offerings associated with Apertum Holding Ltd.
- Politics
FTC, Utah and Nevada sue Lens.com over alleged hidden fees
The FTC and the Utah and Nevada attorneys general sued Lens.com on October 2 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada. Their complaint alleges that advertised contact-lens prices omit substantial mandatory checkout fees and that AutoRefill charges, cancellation instructions and cancellation deadlines were not clearly disclosed.
- Money & banking
Utah’s August tracker lists five pending industrial-bank applications
Utah’s Department of Financial Institutions lists five industrial-bank applications as pending in a tracker last updated August 21. Four other industrial-bank proposals show state approval but remain opening pending.
- Growth & housing
Utah’s proposed Stratos AI data center draws scrutiny over scale, power and process
A new report examines the stalled Box Elder County proposal, local opposition and the infrastructure demands behind the proposed AI campus.
- Tech
Utah’s AI-Native banking conference: from AI demos to accountable workflows
The September 29 gathering in Salt Lake City put agentic AI in lending, servicing, customer experience and oversight on the same agenda. The practical question for banks is how to give software useful authority while retaining evidence, control and accountability.
- Tech
LoanPro and Spring Labs plan embedded complaint and quality-control automation
Salt Lake City-based LoanPro announced a partnership to embed Spring Labs’ AI tools for complaint management and quality assurance in its lending platform beginning in the fourth quarter of 2026. Credit, transaction and fraud-dispute workflows are planned to follow in 2027.
- Money & banking
FinWise data-breach settlement: exclusion and objection deadline passed Sept. 29; claims due Oct. 29
The FinWise settlement materials listed September 29, 2026 for exclusions and objections, which has now passed, and the objection instructions conflicted: the notice gave an administrator postmark deadline, while the court order required court filing and mailing to counsel. Claims are due October 29; the court has scheduled a final approval hearing for December 10, 2026, and payment requires final approval.
- Business
MoonPay agrees to acquire Utah-based North Capital
MoonPay announced a definitive agreement on September 23, 2026 to acquire North Capital Investment Technology, a Salt Lake City-based private-markets infrastructure provider. The deal is subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.
- Money & banking
Credit Acceptance settlement puts affordability and dealer add-ons under scrutiny
Utah announced its participation in a Credit Acceptance settlement providing $694 million in cash restitution and canceled debt nationwide. The headline amount is not all cash. Utah's announcement identifies 124 affected consumers and approximately $1.9 million in state-related relief, including amounts paid directly to the state. The states alleged unaffordable lending and inadequate oversight of dealer add-on products; those allegations should remain attributed.
- Politics
Curtis backs proposed protections for AI whistleblowers
Utah Senator John Curtis announced his support for the bipartisan AI Whistleblower Protection Act. His office says the proposal would protect covered disclosures involving federal-law violations, national security or public safety, prohibit retaliation and prevent nondisclosure agreements from blocking protected reports.
- Money & banking
Sunwest takes on Nano Banc deposits after California closure
California closed Irvine-based Nano Banc on September 25 and appointed the FDIC as receiver. Sandy, Utah-based Sunwest Bank agreed to assume substantially all deposits and purchase selected assets. Sunwest says customer access continues and the branch is scheduled to reopen under its name September 28.
- Tech
Salt Lake City hosts AI banking and fintech conference September 29
The Utah Bankers Association lists the AI-Native Banking and Fintech Conference for September 29, 9 AM–6 PM Mountain Time, at the Ken Garff University Club at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
- Money & banking
Utah’s banking ecosystem puts partnership controls in focus
Industrial banks, specialty lenders and fintech partnerships anchor Utah’s banking ecosystem. The ABA Annual Convention is scheduled for Salt Lake City, October 25–27.