Utah
It takes a village: Are we doing enough to help our kids?
When it comes to reducing juvenile crime in the state of Utah, and even more, preventing younger generations from entering into a lifestyle of criminal activity, a new informal working group focused on violence prevention came to a traditional, yet possibly forgotten —in modern society— conclusion:
It takes a village to raise a child.
Headed by Rep. Tyler Clancy, R-Provo, around 30 public safety leaders, medical professionals, policymakers and community advocates brought a whole-of-community perspective on Friday to the concern of violence in the state, specifically with the state’s younger population.
Though an initial conversation, Clancy hopes the collaboration will create a unified front in the state calling for zero tolerance on violence by “confronting the individuals, calling them in and saying, ‘the violence is unacceptable. You have a choice, and if you continue to commit violence’” formal action will be taken. But the hope is that these partnerships will create a community full of support via families, peers and mentors, so that “formal action” will not even need to be taken.
When it comes to many of these kids who find themselves acting out, or committing crimes, or possibly joining a gang, what it boils down to is their need for community, Michael Osborn, an ER physician and director of the emergency department at Utah Valley Hospital, said during the discussion.
He also noted that he’s seen an increase in the number of young patients coming in with mental health struggles in the last 10 years.
Most of these kids, he said, “don’t have a pathway and lack belonging, and don’t have someone who loves them, someone who believes in them.”
“They often end up feeling depressed and sad and suicidal. Those are the things that often lead to violence,” he added. “I would say, from what we see, the majority of crimes that are violent are typically involved with drugs and alcohol, even with kids, they’re going hand in hand. Some of those are usually coping mechanisms and usually because they don’t have purpose, they don’t have drive, they don’t have direction.”
During a two-hour discussion, many of the agreed-upon multipartisan solutions included investing in families, schools and mentor outreach.
When it comes to the social determinants of crime, Teresa Brechlin, program manager at Utah Department of Health and Human Services, said that though it is not definitive, oftentimes when kids are raised with adverse childhood experiences, there is a higher likelihood they will become involved in criminal behavior.
But, “It’s not a matter of sorting to see who’s going to be violent. It’s a matter of looking at the community as a whole and doing our best to ensure that they have the healthiest circumstances they have to grow up.”
When it comes to what works for kids, Pamela Vickrey, executive director of Utah Juvenile Defender Attorneys, said it takes one person.
“No matter where you go, you can talk to people, and they will say, ‘What’s the program that worked?’ And if you talk to the kids, what the kids will say is, ‘it wasn’t the program. It was a person. It was one person.’”
While programs are put in place to help struggling youth, Vickrey said the ratio of youth to mentor is so outnumbered that it’s not a given that each juvenile will get proper guidance.
Rep. Verona Mauga, D-Salt Lake City, has a background in behavioral health and experience in residential treatments. She reiterated to the Deseret News that children need that personal and unique attention.
“When I work with youth who are in the criminal justice system, it’s always one person. Like you can have a really great program, but if you don’t have someone who you think, or a group of people who you think actually care, it’s hard for a child to care for themselves, or to feel seen or just to feel like they’re prioritized,” Mauga said. “Because once that connection happens, you start to see success. You start to see a shift in changes within them.”
Mauga added that it’s vital to discuss juvenile violence with those engaged in grassroots efforts. That means teachers, counselors, and even people who have been rehabilitated after being in prison, and who are working with youth.
She called the group on Friday “inspiring.”
“Everyone brings an important perspective,” she said. “Until we can actually collaborate thoughtfully, we don’t solve the issue, and we just end up at this table again every few years. So I’m really excited for the possibilities of doing work in the early stages of adolescence, and just trying to ensure that there are resources and supports for kids before it gets too late.”
Utah
Two killed, six wounded in shooting outside Mormon church in Utah
Two people were killed, and at least six were wounded when gunfire erupted outside a funeral at a Mormon church in Utah on Wednesday night, according to authorities and reports.
Eight people were hit by gunfire when shots rang out outside The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Redwood Road in Salt Lake City around 7:30 p.m., Salt Lake City Police Department spokesperson Glen Mills told the Salt Lake City Tribune.
Two people were killed, and six people were injured in the shooting that occurred outside in the church’s parking lot as dozens were attending a funeral service inside.
Of the six wounded, three individuals are in critical condition, the Salt Lake City Police Department posted on X. All of the victims were adults.
There were no suspects in custody as of late Wednesday night, and it is not immediately clear if there were multiple gunmen involved. A motive was also unknown.
However, police said they have obtained solid leads in the investigation and are working to locate individuals involved in the shooting.
“We believe this was not a random incident,” Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd told reporters.
The shooting was not believed to be targeting a religion, Redd clarified.
Roughly 100 law enforcement vehicles swarmed the area in the aftermath of the gunfire as helicopters flew overhead.
The area around the Mormon church remained closed into the evening as authorities urged the public to stay clear of the still active scene.
“This should never have happened outside a place of worship. This should never have happened outside a celebration of life,” said Mayor Erin Mendenhall.
The Salt Lake City Police Department did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
The incident remains under investigation.
With Post wires.
Utah
Kevin Love Admits He Didn’t See Jazz Trade Coming
The Utah Jazz’s experiment to bring in 18-year league veteran Kevin Love thus far into the 2025-26 campaign has been a pretty solid success in the first two-plus months of the season.
Love has been a positive voice in the locker room as the most tenured NBA veteran on the roster, he’s been vocal about enjoying his time and role with the organization, and for his time on the floor throughout the first 30 or so games of the regular season, he’s nestled into a consistent rotational player as the Jazz’s backup center as Walker Kessler has been out with a shoulder injury.
But when he first arrived in Utah via a three-team trade from the Miami Heat, packed within the deal that sent John Collins to the LA Clippers, Love didn’t quite know what to expect out of his experience; he didn’t even anticipate being traded to the Jazz in the first place.
“I didn’t know what to expect when I got here, but I’ve been very pleasantly surprised from everything, from ownership, and Ryan Smith to the front office to the coaching staff, players all the way through,” Love said of the Jazz on The Old Man and the Three. “It’s been a blessing in my 18th year to be a part of this team and some place, I mean, you never know where you’re going to end up.”
“I did not expect to be traded but as far as a landing spot goes and just saying, yeah, so many people are saying ‘Oh what if it doesn’t work out? What if it doesn’t work out?’ I’m like ‘What if it does?’, right?And I think just adding value whether I’m playing or not is something that’s given me a lot of happiness and a lot of joy this late in my career. And I think that has allowed me to see a lot of the good and what this team has been able to bring and move forward.”
Kevin Love Settling in Nicely With Utah Jazz
Love’s value stretches both on and off the floor for the Jazz, which makes sense for why the veteran big man has been loving his time since being on the roster. The 2016 NBA champion was vocal before the season about his desire to be a value add for wherever that may be, including Utah, and he’s been able to carve out just the right role for himself at this point in his career.
During his 20 games played for the Jazz this season, Love has averaged 7.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and shooting 41.1% from the field in just over 17 minutes a night when he plays, and has proven he can still be a guy worthy of a few minutes down the rotation to fill out an NBA frontcourt, as he has for the year in Utah so far.
It remains to be seen just how long Love’s time in Utah will last. There’s not even a guarantee that the 37-year-old will finish the regular season on the roster, depending on how the next few weeks transpire around the trade deadline and as the buyout market begins to gain some traction. But, for the time that he is in Salt Lake City, he’s made it into a nice home for what’s now the fourth roster he’s been on through nearly two decades in the league.
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Utah
Winter weather advisories issued for Utah valleys ahead of arriving snowstorm
Utah has significantly benefited from this week’s series of storms.
Alta, Brighton, Snowbird and Solitude resorts in the Cottonwood canyons all received over 2 feet of snow between Sunday and Tuesday, while several other resorts across the state’s northern half gained close to or even over a foot to 1½ feet of fresh powder.
What turned into the biggest storm of the season so far was great for winter recreation and for the state’s water supply. Alta gained nearly 4 inches of water through the storm, which helped Little Cottonwood Canyon’s snowpack jump from 58% of its median average on New Year’s Day to 110% of its median average for this point in the year.
The state’s average snowpack jumped from 57% of its median to 74% in just one week.
“(It) was some wet, water-logged snow,” said KSL meteorologist Matt Johnson, adding that many communities north of Salt Lake City were big winners, as Kaysville, the Ogden bench and Logan all ended up with over 0.75 inches of precipitation.
There’s at least one more storm before things begin to settle down, which this time includes more valley snow.
The National Weather Service issued winter weather advisories across the state’s mountains, which could receive another foot of snow or more by the end of Thursday. It also issued its first advisory of the season for the Wasatch Front and other valley communities, which could end up with a few inches of snow.
Storm timing
A pair of low-pressure systems — one off the California coast and another off the Alaska coast on Tuesday — are projected to collide over the Four Corners in the coming days, which factors into the forecast.
Some scattered snow showers ahead of the low are possible in northern Utah on Wednesday afternoon, before a mix of rain and snow arrives in more parts of the state later in the day, Johnson said. The rain is expected to transition into snow from Logan to central Utah by Thursday morning, possibly causing a slick commute.
Additional showers could linger into the afternoon, with the Great Salt Lake playing a “wild card” role in potentially aiding snow totals on Thursday and potentially again on Friday morning, before drier conditions return by the weekend.
Potential accumulations
Another 6 to 12 inches of snow is generally expected across the mountains in Utah’s northern half, while 4 to 8 inches are possible in the central and southern mountains by the end of Thursday, according to the weather service’s advisories. “Locally higher” totals are possible in the upper Cottonwood canyons and Bear River range.
❄️Our attention now turns to a colder system arriving late Wed that will bring valley snow between early Thursday AM and Friday AM.
➡️Slow down if you encounter adverse driving conditions (especially for the Thu AM commute!) and allow more time to reach your destination. #utwx pic.twitter.com/E7NHDfnrvE
— NWS Salt Lake City (@NWSSaltLakeCity) January 6, 2026
Lower elevations, including the Wasatch Back and valleys scattered across Utah’s northern half, could receive 1 to 4 inches of snow by late Thursday, with lake-effect snow potentially enhancing totals southeast of the Great Salt Lake.
Salt Lake City has collected only 0.1 inches of snow so far this season, but one weather service model lists Utah’s capital city as having over a 70% chance of collecting 2 inches of snow.
“Slow down and use caution while traveling,” the agency wrote in its alert.
Rain is more likely closer to St. George, but Johnson said there’s a chance of some flurries. The weather service projects that the city could wind up with about a tenth of an inch of precipitation.
A cool and dry weekend
Cooler and drier conditions are expected this weekend, as the system clears out. High temperatures may only top out in the mid-to-upper 30s across the Wasatch Front and northern Utah this weekend, with overnight lows in the teens closer to Logan and in the low 20s elsewhere.
Hazy conditions may also return across the Wasatch Front by the end of the weekend, as another lull in storm activity moves into the forecast, Johnson said.
High temperatures will dip into the 40s across southern Utah, but are forecast to return to the 50s by the end of the weekend. Full seven-day forecasts for areas across Utah can be found online at the KSL Weather Center.
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