Utah Rep. Burgess Owens introduced legislation Wednesday to rename the Santaquin Post Office on 20 West Main Street in honor of Utah police Sgt. Bill Dean Hooser, who was killed in the line of duty on May 5, 2024.

“Sgt. Bill Hooser served Utah with courage and dedication, making the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty,” said Owens, who represents Utah’s 4th District.

“Renaming the Santaquin Post Office in his honor is a fitting tribute to Sgt. Hooser’s legacy — one that truly embodied our state’s spirit of service and will ensure his contributions to our community become an indelible part of Utah’s story. May God continue to comfort the Hooser family in their time of grief and watch over all who answer the call to serve.”

He told the Deseret News Wednesday morning he hopes to get this bill across the finish line this year.

Hooser’s career in law enforcement began at the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office in New Mexico eight years ago. He came back to Utah in 2017 and joined the Santaquin Police Department. Earlier in February, Hooser was promoted to the rank of sergeant, according to KSL.com.

He died on May 5 while assisting a Utah Highway Patrol trooper with a traffic stop involving a semi-truck and 53-foot trailer. The semi-truck driver crashed into the police car. Hooser is survived by his spouse of 29 years, two daughters, and one granddaughter.

Owens attributed Utah’s success to its frontline workers, like the fallen officer, who keep the community safe, he said over the phone.

The entire four-person congressional delegation attended Hooser’s funeral service in Utah Valley University’s event center in Orem. Owens worked with Reps. Blake Moore, John Curtis and Celeste Maloy to find the “perfect way” to honor Hooser.

To change the name of a post office building, the rules require the consensus of the entire state’s congressional delegation, which can be tough in some instances, said Owens. But he and the other three understood what Hooser’s loss meant and agreed it needed to be done.

The three other Utah representatives are co-sponsors of this bill. “I am deeply honored to commemorate the bravery and sacrifice of Sgt. Hooser by renaming this post office in his memory,” said Rep. John Curtis, who represents Utah’s 3rd District.

“This act serves as a lasting tribute to his dedication to the Santaquin community and to all of Utah’s law enforcement officers who risk their lives daily to protect our communities. May this serve as a constant reminder of his service and sacrifice.”

Rep. Blake Moore, who represents the 1st District, said, “This bill will provide a way for Utahns in Santaquin to remember Sgt. Hooser and his family, along with law enforcement families across the nation who are forever changed by senseless tragedies like this.”

Rep. Celeste Maloy, who represents the 2nd District, also said she was honored to be a part of this legislation to rename the Santaquin building. She said she hoped it serves as “a symbol of our support for law enforcement.”

Santaquin Mayor Daniel Olson said he saw Hooser as a friend after years of knowing him.

“He faithfully served the city, the citizens of Santaquin and neighboring communities and has always been a model of faithfully executing the duties of his office,” said Olson. “He was a friend to all and a mentor to those who served alongside him. His ability to reach out and teach was a gift we will always remember.”

Owens said he was grateful to Hooser’s family for allowing him to honor the late officer, and other members of law enforcement.

“When I was growing up, we had some respect for that. All the kids wanted to be one day was a policeman,” he said, adding, “We need to get back to having that same kind of respect again.”

“Ronald Reagan supported the people who are willing to fight for freedom,” said candidate Stewart Peay, a military veteran.

The five Republicans running to replace Rep. John Curtis in Utah’s 3rd Congressional District voiced support for Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s invasion. Where they differed during Wednesday night’s primary election debate was on whether the United States should continue to provide weapons, ammunition and other financial support, or even if America should honor its commitment to NATO.

Stewart Peay, the only candidate in the pentad to serve in the U.S. military, said America cannot afford to waver in its support for Ukraine, because it will likely embolden other countries.

“Right now, we see an evil block of Iran, North Korea, China and Russia coalescing against America and its interests. Ukrainians are on the front lines. We should provide them with the weapons and and ammunition they need to hold the line,” Peay said. “The one time they struggled was when we failed to support them.”

Roosevelt Mayor JR Bird said he was not in favor of providing more aid to Ukraine, but suggested the U.S. is not doing enough to punish Russian aggression through sanctions.

“Russia is laundering oil through Greece and India, and we’re buying those products. They’re being funded on the backside that way,” Bird said. “There is so much more we can do to starve Russia that we’re not doing.”

State Auditor John Dougall, who has built much of his political identity around fiscal austerity, said it’s imperative that the U.S. continue to support Ukraine.

“Defense is the key reason for the federal government. We need to support Ukraine. I’d rather send bullets than boys. I don’t want boots on the ground,” he said.

[READ: Five Republicans vie for Utah’s empty seat in Congress. Here’s their views on abortion, immigration and water.]

Entrepreneur Case Lawrence said his support for Ukraine would depend on certain variables.

“I don’t believe in foreign aid. I believe in foreign investment and investment in American interests. Future aid to Ukraine will be based on facts on the ground and how those affect American interests,” Lawrence said.

That answer drew the ire of Peay who called out Lawrence during the post-debate question and answer with reporters.

“That answer tonight, we would have to make the decision based on facts on the ground. Ronald Reagan rolled over in his grave when he heard that. Ronald Reagan supported the people who are willing to fight for freedom,” Peay said.

State Sen. Mike Kennedy was sympathetic to the plight of the Ukrainian people, but expressed a preference for a more isolationist policy, saying America “cannot be the police officer of the whole world.”

When asked if they would have voted in favor of the $61 billion aid package for Ukraine approved by Congress in April, Kennedy was the only candidate who refused to answer, saying he had not read the bill. When pressed on why he dodged the question, Kennedy said campaigning gets in the way of boning up on the topic.

“If you’ve ever run a campaign, you have no idea how complicated it is. I keep in touch with the complicated issues of the day, but I am focused on marketing my message and winning this campaign,” Kennedy said.

The remaining four candidates were split on whether they would have voted in favor of the aid package: Peay and Lawrence were in the yea column, while Dougall and Bird would have been a nay. In April, Utah Reps. Blake Moore and John Curtis voted for the aid package and Celeste Maloy and Burgess Owens voted against.

Kennedy was the only candidate who said he would not support sending American troops into the conflict if Vladimir Putin were to invade one of the NATO member countries, which is one of the provisions of the NATO treaty.

“When it comes to our NATO allies, we’ve agreed to support them, but that does not mean we send our young men and young women to give their lives for a foreign conflict that does not directly implicate our national security interests,” Kennedy said. “We can support our NATO allies without the blood of our young men and young women.”

Aside from foreign policy, Wednesday’s debate touched on a handful of other topics, too. The candidates agreed that the federal government did not have a role to play in addressing housing affordability. Instead, they said the government should work to reduce regulations to empower the private sector.

On the topic of energy policy, all five said the federal government should do more to incentivize all forms of energy production and slow down the push toward renewables.

“Americans demand reliable, affordable energy. And that’s what we should be providing. We need a free market with all of the above energy solutions, with green solutions and traditional sources that are reliable,” Dougall said.

REYKJAVIK, Iceland — A Utah delegation is looking to Iceland to help pave the way for a cleaner energy future for the state. 

The delegation is focused on geothermal power, but they’re also looking at ways to get closer to net zero emissions.

Carbon capture and recycling could play a major role.

If you’ve ever heard of carbon credits, a lot of them go to a facility called Mammoth. It is the world’s largest carbon storage facility, and is run by Carbfix, a subsidiary of Reykjavík Energy.

“Definitely, there’s potential in Utah,” said Mick Thomas, director of the Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining. “It’s about being able to capture every molecule of energy off of certain carbon molecules we go through.”

Thomas said it’s one of two solutions he believes Utah leaders will take a close look at.

Carbfix captures carbon emissions, turning it into a liquid.

Wells like the ones in Iceland send the carbon deep underground to where it’s solidified by nature. But the challenge is that this process takes a lot of money and energy.

The end result looks similar to what naturally occurring carbon rocks look like.

A sample of stored carbon. (Mike Anderson, KSL TV)

“The closer you can get the injection site and the storage facility to the actual point source of the CO2,” Thomas said. “The less cost it is.”

That’s the kind of approach Carbfix takes, with a lot of the expense being covered by individuals and companies that want to reduce their overall footprint and offset their own emissions through buying those credits.

Carbon molecues recycled

But those carbon molecules can be recycled too.

On Wednesday, the Utah delegation heard from Carbon Recycling International that converts some of the emissions into methanol, which can be used in fuel.

“I’m thrilled,” Thomas said. “It’s very exciting. Yeah, as a geologist, very cool.”

Utah delegates speak to Carbon Recycling International. (Mike Anderson, KSL TV)

Thomas said it’s a big deal to be able to pull a useable product and recycle the carbon rather than simply burying it.

“There’s a significant interest in Utah compared to other states that I have worked in to make this a reality,” he said.

The likely application would be to reduce coal and natural gas emissions as they continue to serve as reliable baseload sources.

“Solutions are very expensive,” said Dusty Monks, acting director for the Utah Office of Energy Development.