Nick Lobos cleans his 1950 Ford during the Rumble in the Park car show in Salt Lake City on June 13, 2021. A bill is being considered to “streamline” Utah’s license plate process, including temporarily pausing new personalized license plates from being issued. (Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)

Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah is on the verge of temporarily pausing its personalized license plate program once again.

The Utah House of Representatives passed HB26 with a 53-18 vote Tuesday, sending it to Utah Senate for final approval. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Norm Thurston, R-Provo, calls for a two-year moratorium on the personalized license plate program, or vanity plates, while also tweaking the process regarding how sponsored special group license plates are created.

It isn’t much different from a bill that Thurston sponsored last year, which also cleared the House of Representatives but stalled in the Utah Senate. The representative told KSL.com at the time that he believed it would have passed but the second chamber “didn’t get around to it” before the 2022 legislative session ended.

Thurston explained that the point of the bill is to “streamline” the license plate process in the state. It would set aside more options for standard Utah license plates and also alter the process for specialty license plates so that the legislature doesn’t have to spend time looking at bills every year, while also making it clearer where the money from those license plates goes .

It would even allow a county to exempt some motor vehicles from emissions inspections regardless of whether or not they have vintage plates.

The bill also tackles a potential issue with the state’s personalized plate program. Thurston said the primary issue with the program is that its criteria for what is and isn’t considered offensive are about as “vague” as other states that have been sued over their criteria.

Thurston said he believes there are three options the state could do to handle the situation. Utah could do nothing; however, he argued during a House Transportation Committee meeting last week that there is a “reasonable chance” that the state gets sued if the Legislature doesn’t amend its program, where it may lose that court battle. The state could also just approve every license plate request if it wanted, he added.

“The third option is that we could put this on pause and not issue personalized license plates until we have better information from the courts as to where that line should be drawn,” he said. “In this bill … we’re opting for that third option. Let’s just hit the pause button (and) let’s let other states spend their attorney money figuring out where the lines are drawn.”

This would allow time for Utah to amend its criteria to fit what federal courts decide in the future, he added. All existing personalized license plates approved before the proposed ban would still be allowed if the bill passes.

But not everyone agrees with this approach.

Chris Colwell, of Saratoga Springs, first learned about the bill only after the Utah House of Representatives passed it in 2022. His only issue with the bill is the personalized plates component of it, as he has three personalized license plates himself and he’s always been a fan of others’ plate creativity.

Colwell contends that, sure, there are some plates that may skirt the line; however, he says most represent a driver’s individuality. They highlight a person’s hobbies, interests, favorite sports team, nickname or humor in a way that’s different from a bumper sticker. He also believes the vast majority of people would not try to file for vulgar license plates, citing what happened in Maine when they lifted the rules.

Maine lifted its regulation in 2015 over similar concerns only to reverse that decision in 2021, according to the Associated Press. The state ultimately found there were only about 400 offensive plates worthy of being recalled among the 124,000 vanity license plates in the state, or less than 1% of all of the personalized plates.

So when Colwell saw that Thurston was bringing the bill back again this year, he decided to create Utahns for Custom Plates. The group argues against the ban, calling it a “slippery slope” that could end in a more permanent ban in the future.

“I think most people would not care to see vulgar things on license plates but I feel like punishing the entire population to keep up us from a minute chance of seeing (a lawsuit) is not a good choice,” Colwell told KSL.com Wednesday . “The chances of that happening are so small.”

He added that he hopes the Utah Senate will amend the bill and remove the personalized plates component of it.

It’s unclear when the Utah Senate will take up the discussion. The bill was sent to Senate Business and Labor Committee on Wednesday afternoon.

The chamber has until March 3 to vote on the measure.

×

Related stories

Most recent Utah Legislature stories

Carter Williams is an award-winning reporter who covers general news, outdoors, history and sports for KSL.com. He previously worked for the Deseret News. He is a Utah transplant by the way of Rochester, New York.

More stories you may be interested in

PROVO, Utah — Year after year, trailer owners across America have voted the Original Equal-i-zer Sway Control Hitch as the travel trailer hitch Gold Award winner. Equal-i-zer has been honored 11 times in a row and is the only hit to have received RV Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Gold award.

“They say the customer is always right, which makes it even more of an honor to have the Equal-i-zer hitch recognized as the best hitch on the market by the people who tow with it day in and day out,” Progress Mfg CEO Jed Anderson stated in a company announcement. “We have always been a user-focused company, working to provide Equal-i-zer users with the safest and easiest-to-use hitch on the market.”

With over 75 years of innovation and engineering advancements, the Equal-i-zer hitch resists sway better than any other hitch on the market. Manufactured in the USA from 100% American-made steel, it is the only hitch with Integrated 4-Point Sway Control. The result is superior sway control performance, excellent weight distribution, exceptional quality, and ease of use.

“The focus for our engineering team is to keep families and everyone safe on the road when towing trailers. The Equal-i-zer Sway Control Hitch has been leading the industry in sway control and safe towing for decades,” said Progress Mfg engineer, Jason Harper, “The fact that Equal-i-zer has earned this award for 11 years, and that every other hitch manufacturer is attempting to copy or imitate the Equal-i-zer hitch, is strong evidence of the hitch’s superiority.”

After months of waiting, delays, and speculation, the figurative envelope carrying the inaugural Big 12 schedule arrived at the Student Athlete Building in Provo on Tuesday. The letter might as well have been postmarked July 1, 2011, but even if it was late, it’s been welcomed with open arms. Having had the opportunity to digest the news, here are five things I like and five things I dislike about BYU’s first conference slate.

Things I like

1. BYU is in a Power 5 conference

After 50 years of being one of the winningest programs in the sport, BYU has a seat at the table. The schedule’s existence is enough to make a grown man weep, and certainly enough to view the schedule as perfection no matter who is on it.

2. The home slate looks light and that’s good

Many of the Big 12’s top teams will not be visiting Provo this season, but that could be a blessing in disguise. SUU and Sam Houston State were both FCS level in 2022. Cincinnati is making the same transition to the P5 level without the head coach that got them there. Iowa State and Oklahoma both finished 2022 with losing records. While it is not ideal for season ticket values, BYU’s most winnable games will be played where BYU is best at winning. That’s a positive.

October 3, bye week before TCU

Having a bye before week 11 for the first time in three years is a huge win for player health and safety. Having a full 15 days to prepare before traveling to face the defending national runner-up is a bigger win.

4. BYU gets Texas and Oklahoma

BYU is the only Big 12 newcomer that gets a crack at both Texas and Oklahoma this season. Visiting Austin is a college football bucket list item and Oklahoma will be the first blue blood to visit Lavell Edwards Stadium in a decade. While they won’t be in the conference long, it’s fun to play both. Remember: No matter what happens this fall, BYU will be the only Big 12 member with an all-time winning record against both.

5. Oklahoma on Senior Day

Let’s do a quick rundown of BYU’s eight Senior Day opponents since 2016. Utah Tech, Idaho State twice, San Diego State, New Mexico State, UMASS, Utah State and… Oklahoma. First off, I love the shade thrown by the Conference to send a departing member to Provo in late November. I also love the match up for fans and players who put up with 10 years of lackluster November matchups. I love that for the first time in years, a senior class will be sent off in a Gonzaga 2020 type atmosphere.

A live reaction of all of us opening twitter at noon on Tuesday.

Scroll to Continue

Things I don’t like

1. The first Big12 game is on the road

It’s ok to be a little bummed that BYU’s first P5 conference game is away from home. Enjoying the biggest moment for BYU football since 1984 from a couch rather than at Lavell Edwards Stadium feels wrong. At the end of the day, though, as long as the game happens, it doesn’t matter where it’s played. Lawrence, Kansas is a great city with great barbecue and great sports history. The moment will be worth the trip.

2. BYU’s Big 12 Home Opener against a fellow newcomer on a Friday

Let me first express how generous it was for the Big 12 to accommodate BYU’s wishes to not play on general conference Saturday. However, I’d prefer BYU’s first BIG 12 home game wouldn’t require fans scrambling to get off work. Additionally, I love Cincinnati, but playing them first feels a bit anticlimactic since we are not accustomed to seeing the Big 12 logo on their uniform like we are an Oklahoma State or Texas. Still, Cincinnati will become just the second College Football Playoff participant to visit Provo and would make a celebration partner for a historic moment at Lavell Edwards Stadium.

3. No Baylor

I get that BYU and Baylor played the last two years, but there is just too much to love about this match up for it not to be played every year. It rates through the roof on TV, the fanbases are similar demographically, and between former coaches and players, Baylor has already transformed themselves into BYU-Waco. It might take a second for the dust to settle, but I am ready for the Bible Bash to become an annual tradition.

4. Two weeks on the road to Texas and West Virginia

BYU will travel over 3,000 miles during that two-week stretch. Brutally. Couple that with this being the back end of a BIG 12 gauntlet (at TCU, vs Texas Tech, at Texas and at West Virginia), BYU could be reeling by the time they reach Morgantown. West Virginia is one of the more winnable games on paper, but coming off that stretch makes it more dicey than most BYU fans would like.

5. Two home games between September 9th and November 11th

Six home games per year is a college football standard, but BYU’s current slate features two early, two late, and a long way from home in between. BYU will play two home games between September 9th and November 11th, which is a bummer for fans, but also something to monitor as BYU lives out their suitcases for nearly two months.

Bonus thing I like

1. BYU is in a P5 conference

Did I mention this yet? This schedule release represents blood, sweat and tears of coaches, administrators and student athletes over the past 100 years that have led the university to this moment. Allow me to speak for all of them in saying this moment is long overdue.

Harrison Epstein, Daily Herald

Passengers board the first flight for Breeze Airways out of the Provo Airport on Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022.

The COVID-19 pandemic took people out of the public, including traveling, and with rising costs and issues at airlines across the country, Breeze Airways is hoping to get Provo residents into the sky.

Breeze Airways announced Tuesday sale prices of $29 from Provo-Salt Lake City, according to a Breeze press release. Provo Municipal Airport is the Utah home base for the airline.

Sales are available on 11 of the company’s routes out of Provo including those to Las Vegas, San Francisco, Phoenix, Orange County-Santa Ana, and Los Angeles.

“Upwork predicts that 22% of the American workforce will be remote by 2025 and the couch is now a work station, not just a place to relax and unwind,” said Tom Doxey, president of Breeze Airways. “But remote work is just that – remote – so why not grab some really low fares, get off the couch and experience some amazing destinations.”

Newsletter

Join thousands already receiving our daily newsletter.

Marci Harris, Special to the Herald

BYU head coach Kalani Sitake prepares to take the field before the 2OT win over Baylor at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022.

In conjunction with the Big 12 Conference release of its 2023 football matchups, BYU announced Tuesday its inaugural football schedule as a member of the Big 12 Conference.

The Cougars’ nine-game 2023 Big 12 schedule will feature four home dates with Cincinnati (Sept. 29), Texas Tech (Oct. 21), Iowa State (Nov. 11) and Oklahoma (Nov. 18), and five road matchups against Kansas (Sept. 23), TCU (Oct. 14), Texas (Oct. 28), West Virginia (Nov. 4) and Oklahoma State (Nov. 25). The four Big 12 members not on BYU’s 2023 regular-season schedule include Baylor, Kansas State, Houston and UCF. BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF officially join the Big 12 on July 1.

“We are very excited to get started with a new era of BYU football,” said BYU director of athletics Tom Holmoe. “The 2023 football schedule provides us with some great matchups. We are excited to welcome teams we’ve never had at LaVell Edwards Stadium before and also travel to new venues we’ve never visited. With the challenge of weaving in four new teams into an unprecedented 14-team Big 12 schedule, we’re thankful for how deliberate the conference has been in the development and release of this schedule. We can’t wait for the season to get going and for Cougar Nation to experience Big 12 football here in Provo and throughout the country.”

Prior to beginning conference play, the Cougars will open the 2023 season with three nonconference contests, hosting Sam Houston (Sept. 2) and Southern Utah (Sept. 9) in LaVell Edwards Stadium before traveling for a road contest at Arkansas (Sept. 16) of the Southeastern Conference.

BYU’s 12-game slate in 2023 includes six home games and six road contests. The home schedule features three teams coming to LaVell Edwards Stadium for the first time–Oklahoma, Texas Tech and Sam Houston–while the three other home games–Cincinnati, Iowa State and Southern Utah–feature teams that have each made just one previous trip to Provo to face the Cougars.

The road schedule will be full of challenging games and new venues for Cougar fans. After concluding nonconference play with the Razorbacks of the SEC in BYU’s first football game played in the state of Arkansas, the Cougars will make five Big 12 road trips, including three games in stadiums the Cougars have never visited. While the Cougars have previously faced Kansas, West Virginia and Oklahoma State, BYU’s trips to David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, Kansas; Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, West Virginia; and Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma, will be first-ever opportunities. A major stadium renovation to Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth will also give BYU’s visit to TCU a new look, while the Cougars’ return to Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin to face Texas will be their first since 2014.

Overall, the 2023 schedule features eight teams that qualified for a bowl game last season and two programs that finished the year in the final regular-season College Football Playoff rankings, including national runner-up TCU. BYU’s 11 FBS opponents achieved a 78-61 record last year, with the eight bowl-qualifying teams earning a .604 winning percentage.

Nonconference Schedule

Sam Houston – Sept. 2

Sam Houston and BYU will meet for the first time when the Bearkats travel from Huntsville, Texas, to Provo for the 2023 season opener on Saturday, Sept. 2 in LaVell Edwards Stadium.

The 2020-21 FCS national champions, Sam Houston will be making the move to Conference USA and the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2023 after competing at the Football Championship Subdivision level since 1984. The Bearkats bring a combined 16-5 record over the past two seasons playing in the Western Athletic Conference.

Southern Utah – Sept. 9

The Cougars host FCS foe Southern Utah the following week on Saturday, Sept. 9 in the second contest between the two in-state schools.

BYU defeated the Thunderbirds in the only previous meeting in Provo in 2016, a 37-7 victory during Kalani Sitake’s first season as head coach of the Cougars. An in-state school out of Cedar City, Southern Utah went 5-6 last season, including a 17-7 win over Sam Houston in the regular-season finale.

@Arkansas – Sept. 16

The Cougars travel to face the Arkansas Razorbacks of the Southeastern Conference in Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 16 to conclude nonconference play.

BYU hosted the Razorbacks in Provo last season with Arkansas earning a 52-35 win in a high-scoring inaugural matchup. The return game in Fayetteville in 2023 marks BYU’s first football game played in the state of Arkansas in program history. Razorback head coach Sam Pittman will be entering his fourth year leading the Arkansas program, winning back-to-back bowl games the last two years.

Big 12 Conference Schedule

@Kansas – Sept. 23

BYU’s inaugural Big 12 Conference game will be against Kansas on Saturday, Sept. 23 at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, Kansas.

The Cougars and Jayhawks have met only once previously in football when the two schools battled in a Christmas-day matchup for the 1992 Aloha Bowl in Honolulu, Hawai’i. Kansas came away with the upper hand in a closely contested contest, edging BYU 23-20.

Under head coach Lance Leipold, the Jayhawks are coming off the program’s first bowl season since 2008. Kansas battled Arkansas in a 55-53 triple-overtime defeat at the 2022 Liberty Bowl to finish 6-7 overall after going 3-6 in conference play.

Cincinnati – Sept. 29

The first Big 12 home game played at LaVell Edwards Stadium pits league-newcomers BYU and Cincinnati in a featured Friday night matchup on Sept. 29 in Provo.

The Cougars and Bearcats last met in a two-game home-and-home series played in 2015 and 2016 with Cincinnati as a member of the American Athletic Conference and BYU as an independent. The Cougars claimed victories in both games, earning a 38-24 win in Provo in 2015 followed by a 20-3 triumph at Cincinnati in Sitake’s first season in 2016.

The Bearcats are coming off five consecutive bowl games, including three seasons with 11 wins or more and an appearance in 2021’s College Football Playoff. Cincinnati enters 2023 with a new head coach in Scott Satterfield, who brings a 76-48 record (.612) in 10 years at the helm of Louisville and Appalachian State.

@TCU – Oct. 14

After a bye week in the team’s sixth week of the season, BYU returns to Big 12 play facing the national title runner-up TCU at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas on Saturday, Oct. 14.

The former WAC and MW conference colleagues will meet for the 12th time in the series, with TCU holding a 6-5 edge in the series. The two schools first met in 1987 in Fort Worth and last met in 2011 at Cowboys Stadium (AT&T Stadium), home of the Dallas Cowboys, BYU’s first year as an independent and the Horned Frogs’ last campaign with the MW before joining the Big 12. The Cougars last visited Amon G. Carter Stadium in 2010; however, a major stadium renovation completed since BYU’s last visit will provide a new experience on game day in 2023.

In his first year as the head coach of TCU, Sonny Dykes led the Horned Frogs to last year’s College Football Playoff, defeating Michigan 51-45 in the Fiesta Bowl before falling to Georgia in the College Football National Championship. TCU finished the year 13-2 overall and 9-0 in conference games, winning the league championship.

Texas Tech – Oct. 21

One of BYU’s more unfamiliar foes in the new league, the Cougars will welcome the Red Raiders of Texas Tech to LaVell Edwards Stadium for the first time on Saturday, Oct. 21.

The two schools have played only once previously, back in 1940 in Lubbock. The Red Raiders won that game with a narrow 21-20 victory. Texas Tech has been a member of the Big 12 since 1996, last winning the league in 2008 under the late Mike Leach, a BYU alum.

The Red Raiders have been bowling in back-to-back seasons, winning the 2021 Liberty Bowl and 2022 Texas Bowl. Under first-year head coach Joey McGuire, Texas Tech finished 8-5 overall and 5-4 in Big 12 play in 2022, finishing the season with a 42-25 bowl victory over an Ole Miss team that was ranked as high as No. 7 during the year.

@Texas – Oct. 28

BYU will get the opportunity to return to one of the most spirited venues in college football with a capacity of more than 100,000 fans when the Cougars play Texas on Saturday, Oct. 28 at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.

The Cougars have had success in Austin, winning the last trip there in 2014 by a score of 41-7 behind three touchdowns from quarterback Taysom Hill. BYU has a 4-1 record all-time against the Longhorns, highlighted by the 2014 road win and 2013’s 41-20 win at LaVell Edwards Stadium. The Cougars set a program record with 550 rushing yards, including 259 from Hill, now in the NFL with the Saints, and 182 from Jamaal Williams, who led the NFL in touchdowns this season with the Lions.

Steve Sarkisian, former Sammy Baugh Trophy winner and All-American quarterback at BYU in 1996, is entering his third season as the head coach of the Longhorns after going 5-7 and 8-5 the last two years. Texas went 6-3 in conference play last season and finished the season ranked No. 25 in both polls.

@West Virginia – Nov. 4

The month of November kicks off with the longest road trip of the year, a Nov. 4 matchup against West Virginia in Morgantown.

The Cougars are making their first visit to Milan Puskar Stadium but have faced the Mountaineers one other time. During Sitake’s first year as the head coach at BYU, the Cougars played West Virginia in a neutral site game at FedEx Field in Maryland, home of the Washington Commanders. The game came down to the wire before the Mountaineers came out on top in a 35-32 battle.

West Virginia finished 5-7 last year and 3-6 in league play while earning wins over three teams that were ranked in the top 10 during the season in Baylor, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. The Mountaineers are coached by Neal Brown in his fifth season with the program.

Iowa State – Nov. 11

After two road games, the Cougars return to LaVell Edwards Stadium to face Iowa State on Saturday, Nov. 11.

The Cyclones last made a visit to Provo back in 1973 and handed BYU a 26-24 loss in the second season of Hall of Fame BYU head coach LaVell Edwards’ 29-year career. Iowa State also came to Provo in 1968 to earn a victory in the first meeting between the two schools. BYU is 0-4 all-time against Iowa State, including two trips to Ames in 1969 and 1974.

Head Coach Matt Campbell has led the Cyclones to a winning record in five of his seven seasons at the helm, including a 9-3 record in 2020 and a win over Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl. Iowa State finished 4-8 last season, despite having the Big 12’s stingiest defense, allowing just 20.3 points per game.

Oklahoma – Nov. 18

For senior day in 2023 the Cougars will welcome one of the winningest programs in college football history when the Oklahoma Sooners make their first-ever trip to Provo on Saturday, Nov. 18.

Oklahoma has won 934 games since its first season in 1895, the sixth-most wins in all of college football. The Sooners’ 50 conference championships are the most by any program and, with seven Heisman Trophy winners, Oklahoma is tied with Notre Dame and Ohio State for the most Heisman winners in history.

After dropping a 35-32 game to Florida State in the Cheez-it Bowl last season, the Sooners finished with a losing record at 6-7 for the first time since 1998 and just the fifth time since 1960. Oklahoma is coached by Brent Venables, entering his second season in 2023.

Overall, BYU is 2-0 against the Sooners, with a win in the 1994 Copper Bowl and a thrilling 14-13 victory in the 2009 season opener at Dallas Cowboys Stadium (AT&T Stadium), the first college game played in the NFL venue that annually hosts the Big 12 Championship game. BYU, ranked No. 20 at the time, defeated the No. 3-ranked Sooners featuring Heisman Trophy winner quarterback Sam Bradford.

@Oklahoma State – Nov. 25

BYU concludes its regular season on the road to face Oklahoma State on Saturday, Nov. 25 at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

Like the Cougars’ matchup with Oklahoma, BYU and Oklahoma State will be playing their first-ever game not at a neutral site. The two schools played in a pair of bowl games in the 1970s, facing off in the 1974 Fiesta Bowl–BYU’s first postseason game–and again in the 1976 Tangerine Bowl–the second bowl game ever played by BYU. The Cowboys were victorious in both matchups, defeating the Cougars 16-6 in the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Arizona, and 49-21 in the Tangerine Bowl in Orlando.

Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy is the longest tenured coach in the Big 12, entering his 19th season in 2023 as the head coach of the Cowboys. Gundy has led Oklahoma State to a winning record 18 consecutive years, missing the mark in just his first year in back in 2005. After being ranked in the top 10 during the year, the Cowboys finished 2023 with a 7-6 record and 4-5 conference mark.

Season Tickets & TV

The process for BYU season ticket renewals begins on Feb. 13. Cougar Club, corporate partners and 2022 season ticket holders will receive ticket renewal and seat selection information directly via email, including their scheduled renewal selection dates and times.

Fans who are not already members of the Cougar Club, corporate partners or returning season ticket holders can fill out this season ticket interest form to receive priority ticket purchasing options and important updates.

Television plans and kick times are yet to be determined.

Newsletter

Join thousands already receiving our daily newsletter.

Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios

Utahns have a lower risk of burnout than workers in any other state, a new study reveals.

Driving the news: Relatively low weekly work hours and short commutes mean Utah scored dead last for burnout risk in national rankings of “hustle culture” by the employment website Lensa.

• The study also reviewed wage data and Google searches for the word “burnout.”

By the numbers: Utahns work 37.1 hours per week on average, the lowest in the nation, according to American Community Survey data from 2019 and 2021.

• At 22 minutes, Utah had the 11th-shortest average commute of any state.

zoom in: In a separate study by the remote access technology company Kisi, Salt Lake City ranked No. 1 in the nation for work-life balance.

• A 2017 survey by Slack also ranked Salt Lake No. 1 for work-life balance, citing the 72% of workers who said they seldom have to be available for after-hours work and the 90% who said their lives were well-balanced or somewhat balanced.
• A 2019 study by the personal finance company Fabric ranked three Utah metro areas in the top 10, with Provo-Orem at the very top.

Between the lines: Women’s weekly work hours are likely driving down the state’s average.

• Utah has the highest share of women working part time and the lowest share working full time of any state, according to 2021 census data.
• Having one parent stay-at-home while the other works full time is the most desired family arrangement, according to statewide polling in 2022; two parents working full time was the least desired.

Of note: The Lensa study uses the total number of Google searches for “burnout” and wage data unadjusted for the cost of living.

• Axios calculated search volume per capita and adjusted wage data according to average rent in each state. Using Lensa’s scoring formula, Utah still ranks in the bottom three states for burnout risk despite high housing costs.

Support local journalism by becoming a member.

learn more

More Salt Lake City stories

No stories could be found

Get a free daily digest of the most important news in your backyard with Axios Salt Lake City.

Support local journalism by becoming a member.

learn more

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

Westlake’s Brayden Robison (top) takes down Juab’s Chase Ingram during the 2023 Ross Brunson Utah All-Star Dual at the UCCU Center in Orem on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023.

Tournament action was light as teams prepared for their divisional tournaments coming up this weekend, but there were some big dual meets where region titles were decided.

Boys Wrestling: When Utah prep wrestling went to divisional tournaments to determine qualifying for the state tournament, region titles were decided by dual meets. This past week the Region 4, 8 and 9 titles came down to the final dual meets of the season to determine their champions. And all of the meets were exciting affairs decided by just one single point.

Westlake won the Region 4 title going on the road to defeat Pleasant Grove 30-29. And the meet had plenty of drama as each team lost team points for participant misconduct.

The action started at 106 pounds and Westlake shot out to a 13-0 lead as Corbyn Robison (106 pounds), Keagan Pitcher (113) and Korbin Chuchran (120) all won their bouts. Pitcher won his match with a first period pin. But during that stretch of matches Westlake was docked a team point for flagrant misconduct and the Thunder lead lessened a bit to 12-0.

Pleasant Grove’s Jacob Carson (126) won by pin while his teammate Devyn Greenland (132) won by decision to make the score 12-9 in favor of Westlake.

The Thunder would take control winning the next five matches as Josh Fish (138), Curtis Borge (144), Brayden Robison (150), Kaizen DeToles (157) and Bryton Harding (165) all won their matches. Harding’s 6-5 win over Jose Calderon was an important turning point as it gave Westlake a commanding 30-9 lead.

The Vikings did win the last four bouts starting off with a pin by Jake Closson (175). But when Hunter Gillman (190) won his match by decision 9-7, there was a team point deduction, and all of a sudden Pleasant Grove’s chances to win the dual were now mathematically eliminated though Trevyn Gates (215) and Ray Griffin (285 ) won their matches by pin.

Westlake head coach Jeff Newby thought the environment made the dual meet a memorable one for the fans.

“The atmosphere was one of the best I’ve ever seen for a high school dual meet,” Newby said. “The wrestlers wrestled hard for both sides and made it fun for all involved.”

Newby said the victory over the 5-time defending state champions was an important stepping stone for the Thunder program.

“It’s always fun to win a big dual like that and definitely helps grow the expectations we have for our program,” Newby said. “Our program is still growing and becoming better each year. We are excited for the future of Westlake wrestling.”

The Lehi at Mountain View Region 8 showdown didn’t have any less drama as the Pioneers won 39-38.

Lehi led 39-35 going into the meet’s last match at 150 pounds that featured a bout between two wrestlers that placed at The Rockwell Rumble.

Mountain View’s Tyler Blevins did win the exciting 2-1 match against Ammon Cannon, but since he didn’t win by pin or technical fall, the Bruins fell short by a single point.

The matches started at 157 pounds and Mountain View shot out to a 6-0 lead thanks to a pin by Kevin Weekes.

But Lehi scored a huge upset win when Hayden Johnson pinned Landon Shumway at 165 points to knot the score at 6-6.

Mountain View retook the lead 12-6 when Isaac McGee won by pin at 175 pounds but Lehi flexed his muscles with his powerful upper weight wrestlers as Will McCleary (190), Cole Eldredge (215) and Isaac Terrell (285) all won by pin .

With the Pioneers leading 24-12 as the matches turned the corner back to the light weights, the Pioneers tackled on two more pins by Anthony Eav (106) and Kenneth Fink (113) to extend their lead to 36-12.

Mountain View’s Glade Harman (120) broke the Pioneer momentum a bit with a technical fall win but Lehi’s Gunnar Richins won a critical match at 126 pounds by a single point over Sirius Cummings 4-3 to give Lehi a 39-17 team lead.

Mountain View’s Oakley Shumway (132), Mason Grow (138) and Cody Burr (144) all won by pin to cut the Lehi lead to 39-35 setting up the last match of the night where the Bruin wrestler Blevins did win, but not by pin or a big enough margin which left the Pioneers triumphant.

In Region 9 Wasatch prevailed over Spanish Fork 37-36 and the Dons lost a team point for coach’s misconduct that proved critical in the outcome.

Wasatch hosted the meet and got wins by Beau Frentheway (120), Ben Kohler (126), Austin Kelly (132), Ryder Robinson (138), Bryson Lloyd (150), Henry Hansen (157) and Patrick Winegar (165). Lloyd’s 8-5 win over Spanish Fork’s Ryker Olson was the meet’s closest bout as all the other matches were won by pin, technical fall or major decision. Spanish Fork’s Preston Graver (190) did win by forfeit. Other victorious Don wrestlers were Brody Vogelsberg (106), Karson Shelley (113), Junior Wetzel (144), Hyrum King (175), Luke Graver (215) and Grant Barney (285).

In other dual meet action of the week, Payson whipped Wasatch 51-21 in a non-league tilt while in another non-region dual meet Orem and Provo tied at 33-33 with Orem winning the tiebreaker for having more forfeit victories. Lone Peak and Skyridge also tied 39-39 with Lone Peak winning by criteria with the most first points scored. Other results had Payson pummeling Tooele 76-6, Timpanogos topping Orem 52-23, Lone Peak defeating American Fork 45-29, Corner Canyon crushing Skyridge 54-22, Cedar Valley jolting Jordan 64-12, Pleasant Grove cruising past Corner Canyon 41- 28, while Westlake doubled up American Fork 46-23.

At the High Country Classic hosted and won by South Summit, Pleasant Grove, Timpanogos and Wasatch did send wrestlers though many of their top varsity wrestlers sat out the event.

Wasatch’s Farrell Burman (106) and Henry Hanssen (157) won titles as did Pleasant Grove’s Hunter Gillman (175) and Timpanogos’ Eli Bonyata (190).

Girls Wrestling: While the Thunder boys won a stirring dual meet against Pleasant Grove, the girls had an easier time with their Viking foes dispatching Pleasant Grove 66-12.

Winning wrestlers for Westlake were Ashlyn Ballantyne (100), Aubriana Wadley (105), Ella Arnold (115), Ashley Cannon (125), Alissa Lafterty (135), Hailey Piig (140), Emmy Finlinson (145), Sarah Johnson ( 155), Lizzie Raleigh (170), O’dessa Laititi (190) and Keilikki Nau Rarick (235). Pleasant Grove got victories from Hallie Hansen (110), Ariana Bustamante (120), and Ava Krebs (130).

The Thunder also defeated Mountain Crest 44-39 in a battle between the returning 6A and 4A state champions.

Kara Williamson (110), Cannon (125), Lafferty (135), Piig (140), Finlinson (145), Raleigh (170), Laititi (195) and Rarick (235) all picked up wins for the Thunder.

At the Lady Templar tournament hosted by Manti, Wasatch was fifth and Tintic 12th in the 18-team field. Uintah easily won the tournament while Stansbury was second. Wasatch’s Laynee Bonner (130) and Tintic’s Addison Kriegh (170) won silver medals.

Four girl teams battled at the High Country Classic hosted by South Summit and Pleasant Grove was the top team. The tourney used weight groupings instead of predetermined weight divisions to maximize competitive opportunities. Hallie Hanen, Ariana Bustamante, Ava Krebs, Anna Camry Carlos, and Emillya Peters climbed to the top of the podium for the Vikings.

Newsletter

Join thousands already receiving our daily newsletter.

An American Fork man was charged Monday with aggravated assault for allegedly running over his wife while two children were in the car. (Zolnierek, Shutterstock)

Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes

PROVO — An American Fork man was charged Monday with running over his estranged wife while their kids were in the vehicle.

Thomas James Fawcett, 33, is charged in 4th District Court with aggravated assault, a second-degree felony; two counts of domestic violence in the presence of children, a third-degree felony; and damaging a phone, a class B misdemeanor.

On Friday, Provo police were called to a residence where a woman had been hit by a car. They learned that Fawcett had gone to his wife’s residence where they had “an argument about keeping the house clean and her cleaning,” a police booking affidavit states.

The argument turned physical and Fawcett slapped his wife in the face, according to charging documents. When the woman said she was going to call 911, Fawcett allegedly took her phone and told her he was taking their two children to St. George.

“After placing the children in the car, Timothy Fawcett started the car and placed it in drive. The victim attempted to prevent Timothy Fawcett from taking the children to St. George by placing herself in front of the car, leaving 5-7 inches between After the victim was on the ground, Timothy Fawcett ran the car over the victim with the tires,” the charges state.

When officers arrived, they reported that the woman had “a large bump and a large amount of swelling to her head and forehead area, along with swelling to her arm and some scrapes and a cut to her hands.” The woman suffered injuries “to the extent that she was transported to the hospital and was almost unable to stand,” according to the affidavit.

Officers also noted that the woman “was very incoherent, possibly due to injuries to her head.”

Fawcett was convicted of torturing a companion animal in March 2022. He was sentenced to perform 250 community service hours at an animal shelter, serve one day in jail and be placed on two years of probation.

In that incident, Fawcett got mad at his wife’s 4-month-old border collie, according to charging documents, and hit the dog as well as picked it up and threw it.

“An X-ray was performed and it showed that the dog had a dislocated hip and that both of his back legs were broken. The dog also had a road rash on its stomach,” the charges state.

Domestic violence resources

Help for people in abusive relationships can be found by contacting:

×

Most recent Police & Courts stories

Pat Reavy is a longtime police and courts reporter. He joined the KSL.com team in 2021, after many years of reporting at the Deseret News and KSL NewsRadio before that.

More stories you may be interested in

The Province is taking an important step to remove systemic barriers and support community-based housing opportunities in four African Nova Scotian communities.

“African Nova Scotian communities have unique needs when it comes to housing. Historically, governments have not always engaged before making important program decisions,” said Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister John Lohr. “We’re working together to understand historical and existing issues that impact residents and identify options to create more sustainable community-owned housing opportunities now and in the future.”

A new memorandum of understanding with the Preston Area Housing Fund will launch discussions to address inequities and explore opportunities to support long-term housing needs in the area, including work to transfer up to 50 provincially owned housing units in Cherry Brook-Lake Loon, North Preston, East Preston and Westphal to the non-profit organization.

The government is also providing $3.5 million to support the ongoing repair, maintenance and sustainable operation of the units.

Quotes:

We’re committed to working with African Nova Scotian communities to find community-focused solutions. Organizations like the Preston Area Housing Fund know the needs and the strengths in their communities, and we want to give them the support they need to succeed.
Pat Dunn, Minister of African Nova Scotian Affairs

Placing ownership of more housing directly in the hands of community is one more step to address systemic barriers and historic wrongs that have affected African Nova Scotian communities for generations. This process will create more opportunities to build equity and address housing security in our communities.
Dwayne Provo, Associate Deputy Minister, African Nova Scotian Affairs

We as a community have been waiting for such a long time for community members to participate in housing decisions, not having someone else make decisions for them. It’s important to have ANSA under Associate Deputy Dwayne Provo at the table, which allows the ability to talk openly and know that we will be listened to and understood. It is comforting that we will have someone in place that is looking out for the community and not taking from it.
Bruce Johnson, board member, Preston Area Housing Fund

Quick Facts:

• the units under consideration for community ownership were developed under a variety of federal and provincial housing programs that no longer exist
• Discussions will be initiated in other communities where similar opportunities may exist at a later date
• the Nova Scotia Affordable Housing Commission recommended collaboration with underrepresented communities to support removing barriers to home ownership and affordable housing opportunities

-30-

“It must be founded in being able to advance an employee’s professional and personal journey. Those journeys running parallel are important to driving higher engagement, productivity and success,” Anas said.

The COVID-19 pandemic blurred the line between work and home to the degree that it’s now basically nonexistent. As a result, savvy HR leaders must serve their employees holistically, taking into account all aspects of their life. That means expanding benefits and perks, which brings us to Anas’ second biggest lesson.

“I continued to learn more about my own well-being, as well as the well-being of my employees,” Anas said. “Employees have to be able to choose what works for them, and leaders must be able to show empathy and meet employees where they’re at.”

Whether it’s physical, mental or financial well-being, HR leaders must be providing resources to assist employees in their daily struggles both in and out of the workplace. Thus, more companies are offering health and wellness perks (fitness class reimbursements, home exercise equipment, etc.), mental health benefits (counseling, free subscriptions to Headspace and Calm, etc.) and financial resources, such as tuition assistance and student loan debt relief.

As for her third biggest lesson, Anas said, “so much has come at HR that you have to be ruthless and focused, prioritizing what matters and being unapologetic about that prioritization.”