UDOT and state partners on Monday were selected to lead a federal pilot program to test advanced electric aircraft and other emerging aviation technologies.
https://ow.ly/LoQl50Ys9z6
This is what happens when 3 of the SLC Council members join tonight's formal meeting remotely...
UPDATE: SLCPU officials confirmed to me that they're planning on asking to return to Stage II of the city's contingency plan this year.
That adds some government/institutional restrictions + calls for voluntary cutbacks for other users
This is what the streamflow forecast looks like for SLC's system right now. LCC is fairly decent, but the others are in for a rough year unless there's a late season surprise.
"We will be asking people to conserve this year," Laura Briefer says.
Unofficial graphic from the presentation 🙈
SLC Public Utilities is providing an update on snowpack in today City Council work session, which (after being in multiple meetings with hydrologists since Jan.) I imagine will not be great.
The snowpack has been "dismal" the city's public utilities director points out, reflecting to those numbers
It might be both. I think the one along Highland Drive was the one that's happening soon because I believe that has the mural Young asked about
Some SLC transit news: SLC CRA says UTA plans to begin S-Line extension construction in late April. Demolition of a building in the Sugar House area will also be taking place soon.
CRA votes to approve the funding for further planning of the lamp posts. There was a strong conversation about installation for a wide number of reasons that are to be sorted out before the project comes together
Downtown SLC might soon be getting new lamp posts. The goal is to install 50 new beehive-themed lamp posts along Main Street over the next year.
Business community plans to raise $3 million for project. It's asking for $400,000 from the SLC CRA right now; another $400,000 from other institutions.
"We started getting lots of emails, lots of calls and a lot of angry people."
ICYMI: Utah DWR plans to switch its hunting/fishing license requirement at WMAs along the Wasatch Front around July 1, after a bill this year cleaned up one that sparked backlash last year:
www.ksl.com/article/5145...
Didn't include other states (for story length), but Utah was one 9 states that broke their winter avg. temp record.
Temperature-wise, this year (left) was an exact opposite of the 2023 winter (right) that helped produce a record-high snowpack in Utah. East got slammed with the cold this year
One of the craziest stats I found that highlights the warmer storms we received this winter, which is mentioned a bit in the article:
Alta (~8,500 feet elevation) received 150.9 inches of snow &
20.1 inches of overall precip this winter. Snowfall was 82 in. below normal; precip 1.7 in. above
Utah unsurprisingly broke its record for warmest winter on record, by over 2 full degrees over the previous statewide record.
Here's a look at the climate/weather trends that factored into the new record + how it impacted this year's snowpack #utwx:
www.ksl.com/article/5145...
NEW: Utah’s Senate president says this bill did NOT pass in time. “After careful review, I determined that H.B. 212 did not pass within the constitutionally required timeframe.” He says all bills are reviewed “to ensure compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements.” #utpol
Just in: The widow of Afa Ah Loo is suing organizers of last year's No Kings and the man accused of killing him.
This comes after SLC changed its event permitting application process amid issues it found with the organizers' application following the shooting:
www.ksl.com/article/5145...
As the clock struck midnight – literally – the Utah Senate passed the final bill of the 2026 legislative session. But as video shows, voting was still underway for a few seconds after midnight hit and the 45-day session had ended www.ksl.com/article/5145... #utpol
Tonight's sunset was a beauty. And it was the last pre-7 o'clock sunset for the next several months, which is even better
JUST IN: Gov. Spencer Cox has already signed this bill into law, causing it to take effect immediately. #utpol
You soon won't need a hunting/fishing license to enter it either.
One bill that quietly passed in the final week cleaned up last year's WMA license requirement along Wasatch Front. There will soon be a short PSA video you'll have to watch/digitally sign to enter WMAs like this or Farmington Bay
Gov. Cox is already getting to work signing bills post-session. He just signed 11 more, including one that establishes a new wildlife management area to protect the wetlands near Goshen Bay on the southern end of Utah Lake #utpol
Here's more on SB193, HB492 and HB212 that cleared the Legislature in the final 20 minutes or so, adding a new state holiday, tweaks to Salt Palace project funding + a new process for potentially breaking up SLCo #utpol:
www.ksl.com/article/5145...
My colleagues and I tried our best to recap major changes from this session here, but some really big bills also appeared to have passed at the literal last second:
HB212 passes 17-12 at midnight #utpol
Oh wow HB212 is being considered in the final minute.
House quickly adopts the HB492, rushing to get it time before the end of the session. Rep. Roberts said it gives Utah legislator more say on how funds are used on 300 West + certain funds on convention center rebuild #utpol
We're down to the last 15 minutes, and some big bills are still being considered. HB492 creating a Convention Center Reserves Restricted Account for the Salt Palace renovation passes the Senate after a late night conference committee. Heads back to House #utpol
We're getting a new state holiday too. SB193 has cleared the Senate 20-7, designating Good Friday as a recognized holiday in the state #utpol
Interesting last-hour vote: Teuscher's and McCay's county formation amendments bill (HB212) — perhaps an effort to split SLCo — fails in the Senate with a 13-14 vote #utpol
Update: Senate votes 26-0 to pass HJR30, sending that to Gov. Cox. Sen. Sandall clarifies that the land will be added to the Bear River Refuge that the USFWS operates #utpol
