ALPINE — Prop 11, a ballot initiative in Utah County, could create a new school district by splitting up Alpine School District.

The ballot initiative will be voted on by citizens in Northern Utah County: Voters in Alpine, American Fork, Cedar Hills, Highland, Lehi and a portion of Draper will decide whether or not to create the new school district in this November’s election, according to Utah’s public notice website.

“For years, we have worked hard to understand the concerns of constituents on both sides of this issue. Our children are our future, and we want to act in their best interest,” said Lehi City
Councilmember Heather Newall in a press release.

Alpine is currently the largest school district in the state with over 84,000 students, and it’s still growing fast, a spokesperson for the city of Lehi said. If Prop 11 is passed by voters, the new district would take nearly 36,000 of those students, as well as 34 school buildings.

Six city councils in Northern Utah County collaborated in studying whether or not creating a new district was realistic — they determined it was, but decided it was an issue best left up to voters.

“Ultimately, we believe that voters should be empowered to make the decision that works best for them and their families. That is why every city council has unanimously voted to put Prop 11 on the ballot,” Newall said.

A spokesperson for Lehi said the cities heard from residents, teachers and others about how a new school district would impact them.

“The opportunity to create a new school district is unique and doesn’t come around very often,” Highland Mayor Kurt Ostler said in a press release. “I encourage all residents to get involved, stay informed and make their voice heard in this once-in-a-generation opportunity to vote on something that will be such a critical decision for our children’s future.”

If Prop 11 does pass in November, voters in the area will elect school board members the following year, the spokesperson said. Then, they expect the new district to start operations in 2027.

After high temperatures extended the state’s summer into October, Utahns should brace for a brief dose of winter weather as back-to-back cold fronts are expected to bring snow and below-average temperatures this week.

Forecasters at the National Weather Service said they expect Wednesday to be the last warm day of the season, with a high set to hit near 80 – which is 15 degrees above normal for this time of year. A dry and mostly sunny Wednesday is expected, with the afternoon seeing a 20% chance of rain.

While strong southwest winds and abnormally low humidity will create critical fire conditions for western Utah, Wednesday evening’s expected cold front will bring the start of snow in the western Uintas and Wasatch Mountains.

Forecasters also warn of dry microbursts – or downdrafts that may threaten life and property – for western Utah Wednesday.

A second, stronger cold front — dropping average temperatures to 30 degrees — will move in Thursday night into Friday morning. Heavy to moderate showers are expected, with snow for areas above 5,000-to-6,000 feet.

This is the weather service’s first winter storm watch of the season.

“This is going to be a significant pattern change,” said Monica Traphagan, senior meteorologist for the NWS Salt Lake City office, “particularly as we’ve been seeing these very warm temperatures.

In the valley, residents may see some snow flakes, with one to two feet of snow for the upper Cottonwoods. Residents on the benches may see more significant snowfall that may make travel difficult in areas such as Parley’s Canyon, Traphagan said.

“If you can, avoid travel in the mountains,” Traphagan said, “If you have to be there, be prepared for temperatures getting significantly colder.”

The winter storm, Traphagan said, will likely suppress The Yellow Lake Fire, which has grown to 31,193 acres within the Uinta Mountains as of Tuesday morning. Smoke and haze from the fire will likely decrease with the storm.

As of Tuesday afternoon, air quality was considered “good” at the Salt Lake City International Airport. Park City stood with an air quality index of 57, which is considered “moderate.” Kamas was also in the “moderate” range.

Heading into the weekend, according to the forecast, Friday and Saturday temperatures are expected to drop to 15 degrees below average with a low in the mid-30s and a high near 50.

Outside the Wasatch Front’s urban spread and lower Washington County, Utah will see its first hard freeze by Friday, the weather service said. Traphagan suggested Utahns winterize RVs, sprinkler systems and swamp coolers, and protect sensitive vegetation.

Starting Sunday, Utahns should see “normal” temperatures in the 60s for this time of year, with a high pressure system expected throughout next week.

The Jazz improve to 4-1 in the preseason, beating the Sacramento Kings in an electrifying clutch win with a final score of 117-114.

What a game. This one was a nail-biter to the end that gave us a look at what the young guys can do in a down-to-the-wire situation. Keyonte George led the Jazz in scoring with 24 while Taylor Hendricks and Brice Sensabaugh contributed to some clutch shots in the fourth quarter.

Utah distanced themselves with a noteworthy 3-point variance against Sacramento, nailing 14 triples to their 9. It’s especially impressive considering it was against the team with the 4th most 3-point makes last season.

Without Isaiah Collier, the Jazz missed a primary ball handler that the Jazz could run with in non-Keyonte minutes. It was indicative in the result; the Jazz piling for 24 team turnovers once the final buzzer rang.

Don’t take this Tuesday night preseason game for what it looks like on the surface. In fact, this game was just as entertaining as a regular season game. The first half alone has 17 lead changes between the two teams — the Jazz having as small a lead as 6 before clinching the game in the final stretch.

Game Notes

Keyonte George catches fire early

Keyonte George returned to action tonight after missing Saturday’s matchup in San Antonio due to a mild knee sprain. It goes without question that the Jazz missed his willingness to take shots and how he creates for himself. George lights up the Kings in the first quarter, recording 8 points and 1 assist off 3-4 FG to lead the Kings 31-30. He found his groove in a majority of ways, starting off with a smooth drive to the rim to go along with two triples. The second quarter was just as explosive, pairing another lay-in and floater bank to nail a 12-point half. Hopefully Utah can find more and more ways to get him in a position to be the defense’s primary attention on the floor.

Patty Mills makes Utah Jazz debut

It was only in August that the Jazz acquired Patty Mills on a $3.3M deal for the sake of a locker room veteran to mentor this young Utah Jazz team. After missing Utah’s first 4 preseason games due to rest, the Aussie checked in to tonight’s game at the 3:25 mark in the first quarter. Patty Mills nailed his first bucket as a Jazzman on a lead-taking layup assisted by Jordan Clarkson in the second quarter. It wasn’t the only Clarkson to Mills point of the night. Late in the third quarter Jordan Clarkson found him beyond-the-arc for his second bucket. His minutes on the floor are going to be exactly what the Jazz need in terms of leadership.

John Collins makes a revelation on the bench

While his contract has always made him an interesting gamble for the Jazz, he was nothing short of great for the role he played off the bench against Sacramento. He contributed 12 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal and 3 blocks in his 20 minutes on the court. He was aggressive, driving and getting in the lane. Not only that, he had flashes of improved defense that you’d expect from an 81st percentile shot-blocker. He contested a few shots around the rim to make Sabonis’ life a tad more difficult around the rim. Collins’ new role off the bench allows him to focus on more of the little things rather than trying to replace Kessler as an interior presence.

Next Up:

The Jazz complete their preseason tour on October 18th to face the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center. Tipoff is scheduled to be at 8 PM MT.