Local News

Gov. Spencer Cox declared a state of emergency Thursday, noting every county is in a state of severe or extreme drought after a dry winter marked by record warmth robbed Utah of its snowpack and left rivers and streams running low. The declaration opens the door for farmers and ranchers to tap into federal funding and loans managed by the state. It also gave state leaders another opportunity to urge homeowners to cut back on watering their lawns and replace some of their grass with less thirsty plants. Speaking to reporters at Little Dell Reservoir east of Salt Lake City, Cox referred ...