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Remembering Utah sports legend Joe Watts, whose influence was legend

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Remembering Utah sports legend Joe Watts, whose influence was legend


Joe Watts was an extrovert who never met a person he couldn’t talk to, didn’t want to talk to or didn’t look forward to chatting with. When you set him in a group of people, it fueled him. Then, smiles and energy just spilled out of him.

Watts, the face of Utah golf and a major sports figure in Utah for half a century, died Monday morning. Joe was 85 years old.

A former Logan High and Utah State guard, back in 1958, he made a pair of free throws in the final seconds against Pearl Pollard’s Jordan High team that ended the Beetdiggers’ 62-game winning streak and sent Logan to the state playoffs. Joe was a 120-pound guard.

After serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in New Zealand, Joe played a minor role as a backup guard for the Aggies. He also taught junior high school and worked as a sportswriter for the Logan Herald Journal — at the same time.

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I knew Joe because of sportswriting. He was the sports editor at the Provo Daily Herald before Marion Dunn, whom I replaced in the late ‘80s.

Joe and I had a lot to talk about. But, then, he had much to talk about with just about anybody alive.

He was kind, considerate and genuinely interested in everyone he dealt with.

Joe accepted the job as the executive director of the Utah Golf Association in 1990 and by the time he retired from that job, he’d put his mark on golf in the state, everything from the first electronic handicap system to the establishment of the Utah-Arizona amateur Ryder Cup match held each fall. He started Utah Golf Magazine, now Fairways Magazine, and helped UGA membership grow to more than 30,000 members.

If you could count the number of young high school, college and professional athletes who were profiled, covered or in someway administered by the works of Joe Watts, it would number in the thousands.

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Heading amateur golf in Utah was Joe’s dream job, according to his younger brother Steve, who retired as director of golf at Talons Cove. Joe got Steve hooked on golf when he was 12. The Watts brothers, Richard, Joe, Gary and Steve, were famous in the state for their love of the game; from Logan Country Club to Riverside and Alpine country clubs, they left their marks.

Former UGA president Mike Jorgensen remembers Joe well.

“His love for Utah golf, and especially the State Am, was truly remarkable. I learned so much about life and how to treat human beings just from his example. He is truly beloved.”

It was fun to watch Joe watch golf. He was so engaged in every shot players made. He was passionate about it, like this match or this shot was a chess movement, something upon which the world hinged.

I’ve never seen anyone so focused on so many nuances of a sport. It was like he was fixated, like Newton on the laws of motion. Only in his case, it involved a dimpled ball.

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He could be enthralled with a big drive, thrilled over a chip, amazed by a hanging putt that dropped. It was like watching a cartoon character you could count on for a reaction, like Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner. He never failed to disappoint in his reactions.

Watts, a UGA Gold Club Award recipient and member of the UGA Hall of Fame, was front and center for decades in the Utah golf and sports scene.

“I met Joe when he was the sports writer for the Daily Herald, and he covered a couple of our games at Springville,” said ABC4 sports anchor Wes Ruff, also a Gold Club Award recipient.

“Being a sports fan, I read his articles for years. When he became executive director of the UGA, I was able to get to know him better, and I was always amazed by his pure love of the game of golf. Everything he did was for the betterment of the game.

Former Utah Golf Association executive director Joe Watts gives the thumbs-up sign prior to the start of Utah State Amateur media day. | Randy Dodson, Fairways Media

“His unbridled joy of watching a great shot, like when he screamed ‘It’s in the hole!!!’ right next to our camera when Bruce Brockbank holed out on No. 12 at Oakridge CC in the final match of the Utah State Am against Devin Dehlin, was classic Joe Watts,” Ruff continued. “And how he signed off every email or correspondence with ‘Savor the birdies’ was the best. One of a kind, and he will be missed.”

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Joe was an amazing administrator, a creative innovator. He had so many story ideas as a journalist, you’d get tired just listening to his brainstorming exercises. He was always so busy, he could never in this life address his checklist, his dreams.

Over the years I’ve known Joe, I got to know his brothers Steve and Gary. You meet one Watts brother, you know the others, so much of their personalities are similar.

With Joe, one of the most endearing memories many will always have is his perch above a golf cart on Utah State Amateur media day barking out instructions. He’d have a weighty pile of administrative duties resting on his shoulders, but he’d know the name of every reporter, amateur and board member in the field and greet them. Then, nothing was more important than getting off the tee in time and having fun.

One of my favorite quotes at one of these events was when Joe, speaking of the golf skills of Fairways Magazine art director Garrett Johnson, quipped: “He has the greatest unproductive golf swing I’ve ever seen.”

We’ve never let Johnson forget that one.

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Joe Watts will always be a legend.

“There’s no doubt in my mind,” said his brother Steve. “If he can pull it off in heaven today, he’s organizing the HGA, the Heaven Golf Association.”

Yes.

And he’s probably collecting dues from the members.

The family is planning a Celebration of Life event that will be scheduled later this spring.

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Joe Watts, executive director of the Utah Golf Association, died Monday. He was 85 years old.
Joe Watts, executive director of the Utah Golf Association, died Monday. He was 85 years old. | Randy Dodson, Fairways Media



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Two killed, six wounded in shooting outside Mormon church in Utah

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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.

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Police stand outside the Salt Lake City church where at least eight people were shot, including two fatally on Jan. 7, 2026. AP
People hug outside the church after the shooting in Salt Lake City, Utah. AP

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. 

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The area around the Mormon church remained closed into the evening as authorities urged the public to stay clear of the still active scene.

Funeral attendees walk out of the meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Jan. 7, 2026. AP

“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.

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Kevin Love Admits He Didn’t See Jazz Trade Coming

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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Dec 15, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Caleb Martin (left) speaks with Utah Jazz forward Kevin Love (right) before the game at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

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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.

Be sure to bookmark Utah Jazz On SI and follow @JazzOnSI on X to stay up-to-date on daily Utah Jazz news, interviews, breakdowns and more!



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Winter weather advisories issued for Utah valleys ahead of arriving snowstorm

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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.

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“(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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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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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