SALT LAKE CITY — The latest version of Utah’s traction laws may upset people looking to enjoy Big and Little Cottonwood canyons before a storm even hits the area.

With the newest update to the law being implemented by the Utah Department of Transportation, officials are now able to enforce traction requirements up to 24 hours before a storm front moves in.

UDOT says the update, which came through legislation passed earlier this year, allows drivers to “prepare before snow starts falling.” The revised law also requires vehicles in the canyons to have at least 5/32 inch of tire tread, and allows for “stricter enforcement” during storms.

The new version enables law enforcement agencies to issue citations for those who violate the traction law.

“Our new, enhanced traction requirements are all about safety,” UDOT Region Two Director Robert Stewart said. “These updates make sure drivers have the right equipment before heading into the canyons, even if a storm rolls in while they’re parked. We hope this gives everyone more peace of mind knowing they, and the drivers around them, are ready for winter conditions.”

Traction law enforcement is handled by the Cottonwood Heights and Sandy City police departments, with additional support from the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office for roadside and parking enforcement.

UDOT is working to help drivers prepare, offering the free Cottonwood Canyons Sticker Program, which provides voluntary winter tire inspections at more than 140 tire shops. Those inspections run from November 13 to February 28.

The sticker program is free and voluntary, and the stickers are not required to drive in Big or Little Cottonwood Canyon. The stickers work to show that a vehicle has proper traction devices for traveling in the canyons when the Traction Law is in effect.

“It takes all of us working together to keep our canyons safe,” Stewart said. “Winter recreation is a Utah tradition we all value. A little preparation now means more time enjoying the mountains, and less time worrying about safety or compliance.”

According to UDOT, since launching the sticker program in 2021, 86% of participants say they noticed more vehicles in the canyon that are properly equipped for winter.

Drivers are also encouraged to plan ahead, slow down, and consider using transit to reach ski resorts. Real-time updates on canyon conditions are available through the UDOT website.

SALT LAKE CITY — As the calendar nears December, the National Retail Federation predicts holiday sales will surpass the one trillion dollar mark for the first time. But how does that add up when, at the same time, officials claim consumer confidence is in bad shape?

“This is kind of the disconnect that we’re seeing in the economy right now,” explained Zions Bank senior economist Robert Spendlove.

According to Spendlove, a trillion dollars in holiday sales would be a 4 percent increase over last year’s numbers. It would be an increase despite the federation sharing numbers that show consumer confidence hasn’t been this low in 50 years.

“That’s both at the national level and at our state level. And I hear this when I talk to people that they just don’t feel great about the economy, but they continue to spend,” said Spendlove.

That’s just the news Amanda Stewart wants to hear as owner of Mochi Kids in the 9th and 9th shopping district. Her store features a children’s clothing line, along with toys and gifts from all over the world.

“Holiday shopping is so crucial. We’ll sell probably, like, three times more during the holidays than we do during a normal month,” Stewart said.

Amanda has sensed the lack of confidence in the economy and seen an increase in wholesale prices due to tariffs, forcing her to make adjustments so she doesn’t price out her clientele.

“We’ve experienced probably about 10% price increase across the board compared to last year, and so we’ve definitely had to change how we buy,” Stewart said. “We purchased things that are a little less expensive, knowing that some people, you know, who are spending more on groceries will have less of a budget to spend on toys this year.”

Nonetheless, both the experts and those on the front lines, like Stewart, anticipate brisk sales once the holiday shopping season kicks into high gear later this month.

“Even though consumers don’t feel good about inflation, they don’t feel good about the government shutdown, they’re nervous about tariffs, we expect that in this holiday season, consumers will be spending about $890,” Spendlove said.

“It’s not surprising to me,” added Stewart. “I think people want to have a magical experience for their families, no matter what the economic circumstances are. I think that’s just part of our culture here in the U.S.”

SPANISH FORK — The man charged with capital murder in the death of Santaquin Police Sgt. Bill Hooser is once again facing additional charges for allegedly spraying a deputy at the Utah County Jail with an unknown liquid.

Michael Aaron Jayne, 43, of Garrett, Indiana — who is already awaiting trial on a charge of aggravated murder and is facing a possible death sentence if convicted — is now accused of propelling an unidentified liquid into the face of a Utah County sheriff’s deputy while incarcerated.

On Sunday, about 6:50 p.m., Jayne allegedly used his hands “to forcefully hit something on the inside of his cell door through the crack, causing liquid to spray out onto the victim. When this happened, the cell door was shut. It took planning and effort to shoot the substance through the crack in his door at the right time. The victim then stepped back and radioed for an additional deputy. I then entered the unit and saw the victim wipe his face and liquid droplets on the victim’s pants and shirt,” according to a police booking affidavit.

Deputies later reviewed surveillance video and saw Jayne watching the deputy as he entered the housing unit to do a head count, the affidavit states.

He was initially arrested and later charged for allegedly running over Hooser with a semitruck intentionally on May 5, 2024, according to charging documents. A preliminary hearing in that case is scheduled to begin Nov. 24.

In August, Jayne was charged with aggravated assault by a prisoner, a second-degree felony; two counts of assault by a prisoner, a third-degree felony; and causing property damage, a class A misdemeanor. In that case, he is accused of attacking multiple deputies on July 30.

In September, his defense team filed a motion stating they are “gravely concerned” that if their client isn’t moved out of the Utah County Jail, he may not live to see a trial. But just a week later, that motion was withdrawn.