Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) needed to defend his state’s ban on gender-affirming healthcare for minors on Sunday. “It’s not nearly offering care or not offering care,” Cox stated on Sunday’s Meet The Press. “It’s about whether or not we would doubtlessly be harming younger individuals, not having sufficient proof to see what the long-term outcomes of this are and offering higher psychiatric assist for these younger people who find themselves going by this.”
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Ultimately the Republican who was beforehand praised for standing up for trans children landed on a doubtful protection. Cox insisted it’s solely a “pause” till there is “higher information.”
“Effectively, we take energy away from [parents] on numerous issues involving our younger individuals. If there may be potential long-term hurt for our children, we have to discover that,” Cox stated on Meet the Press. “And what Utah did was simply push pause till we get higher information. We have now a mandate within the invoice to exit and have a look at the very best information all throughout the nation after which decide.”
This looks as if an inexpensive ask upon first studying, however let’s seek the advice of the invoice. The invoice’s textual content doesn’t have an finish date, simply an “efficient date.” Nevertheless, included in Part 1 of the invoice is a “systematic medical proof overview” that goals to “present the Legislature with suggestions to contemplate when deciding whether or not to raise the moratorium described in Part 58-1-603.1.”
To place it as plainly as potential: The invoice has a date that it turns into legislation, and that’s it! Will probably be in have an effect on in perpetuity in Utah except a court docket blocks implementation or the state legislature passes a brand new legislation. There is no such thing as a incentive to repeal the legislation or cross a brand new one.
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Cox’s protection will not be affordable. Think about if we simply “paused” his potential to get well being care? He is utilizing the guise of concern for kids that permeates conservative ideology as a manner to paint trans individuals—youngsters and adults alike—as deviants. That is straight out of the decades-old playbook demonizing and outlawing anybody who’s not straight and cis on this nation, and calling it momentary doesn’t make it any higher.
The Farmington native made program history after advancing as an individual in the NCAA regionals.
(Stephen Brashear | AP) Utah’s Braxton Watts is pictured during an NCAA golf tournament on Monday, Sept. 23, 2024, in Seattle.
| May 23, 2025, 12:00 p.m.
The Captain is headed to California.
Ute golfer Braxton Watts is set to represent the University of Utah in the 2025 men’s NCAA Championships this week in Carlsbad, Calif.
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With his berth this season, the Farmington native is now the fourth Utah golfer in program history to compete as an individual in the NCAA Championships three times. Utah alums Dustin Pimm, Kyler Dunkle and Tristan Mandur are the only others to achieve the feat.
The Utes fell short in their Bremerton, Wash., regional last week. But Watts’ first-place finish at Gold Mountain Golf Course earned him a spot in the championships.
“This team has a lot of heart, and they don’t know how to quit,” Utah golf head coach Garrett Clegg said. “We gave it everything to try to advance [as a team] but we just couldn’t get it done. I’m so happy for Braxton. He played incredible golf this week and it’s great that he will finish his season at the NCAA championships. It’s really incredible what the team did during this season, they’re truly a special group.”
Watts, also known as “The Captain,” debuted in the NCAA Championships during the 2022 season while the Utes placed fifth at the Norman regional. Last season, following Utah’s fourth-place finish in the Austin regional, Watts advanced again to the championship round for the second time in his career.
Despite the Utes not making the cut last season, Watts continued on to the fourth round in the championships and finished tied for 27th on the individual leaderboard.
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This year, the Ute senior had to tally the best score of any non-individual in the 2025 NCAA regionals to advance to the championships.
He went even on day one of the event. On the second day, he stormed back with a 6-under 67 to keep the Utes within a pair of strokes of fifth place. Watts’ dominance continued the next day. He opened his final round with back-to-back birdies. On the back nine, the senior played bogey-free golf and added four more birdies to climb into first place.
Heading into the championships, Watts ranks as the fifth-seeded individual golfer of the tournament, where he’ll be grouped with the other five golfers who posted the best individual score at their respective regionals and have a non-advancing team.
How to watch
Dates: May 23-28
Where: Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, Calif.
The Utah Jazz have four selections, 5, 21, 43, and 53, in the June 25th NBA Draft. Because of this, they’ll be able to cast a wide net of players that they could select to add to their team next season.
That has led to an exciting and busy time for fans as we wade through the waters and search for who the team could select. Next up on our list is Liam McNeeley, the forward from Connecticut who could surprisingly be available at 21.
A year ago, I pleaded for the Jazz to go up and get a different UConn Husky in Stephon Castle. 12 months later, the Jazz could have a different player from Dan Hurley’s team fall right into their laps with their second pick in the first round.
McNeeley is a big wing standing at 6’8 and 215 pounds. Your opinion of him likely comes down to how you view his shot. Billed as an elite shooter, McNeeley shot under 32% from deep on the year despite his reputation. On top of that, his athletic limitations led to struggles within the arc as well.
I do believe in McNeeley as a shooter. His form is picturesque, he has a quick release, he shot nearly 87% from the charity stripe, and his reputation as a knock-down shooter all give me confidence in him becoming a spacing weapon at the next level.
While the shot is the main draw to McNeeley, he’s more than just a shooter. He’s a smart passer with the upside to operate as a high feel connector or secondary playmaker as he develops. While I don’t see him turning into a high-usage guy, he’s intelligent and makes winning plays for his team offensively.
McNeeley is also a solid rebounder for a wing. Because of his above-average rebounding and size, I wonder if McNeeley will be at his best as a floor-spacing power forward at the next level. Some of the higher-end outcomes I can see for McNeeley would be Nets forward Cam Johnson and former Jazzman Bojan Bogdanovic.
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Both Johnson and Bogdanovic make their money as floor spacers. They’re the same height as McNeeley, have similar athletic limitations, and are not heralded for their defense.
Speaking of defense, I wouldn’t say it’s a strength for McNeeley. His steal and block numbers in college were startlingly low. He doesn’t possess the foot speed to stay in front of drivers, and, while he is tall, his 6’8 wingspan isn’t impacting many plays.
Overall, if McNeeley is available at 21, he could certainly be in play for the Jazz. A projectable shooter, McNeeley will need to become more reliable and consistent from deep, but NBA guards should manufacture easier looks for him. If he does enough elsewhere, he could carve out a long NBA career.
Above: Wilkes Center energy future panel discussion: from left, Laura Nelson (Idaho National Laboratory), Joseph Moore (Utah FORGE), William Anderegg (Wilkes Center for Climate Policy and Policy), Teresa Foley (rPlus Energies), Logan Mitchell (Utah Clean Energy)
At a recent panel discussion at the Wilkes Center for Climate Science & Policy’s annual summit at the University of Utah, energy experts gathered to discuss the future of alternative energy in Utah.
The panel represented a diverse cross-section of Utah’s energy landscape, featuring leaders from a national laboratory, academic research, non-profit advocacy and private industry. What emerged was a picture of a state uniquely positioned to lead in the clean energy transition, with abundant natural resources and a collaborative approach to energy development.
What also became evident during the discussion, moderated by Wilkes Center director William Anderegg, is that the U continues to be a key player in moving publicly funded research directly and often quickly to market, scaling new technologies for the benefit of all Utahns. “One Utah” and “The University for Utah” are not just aspirational mantras but actual products and services currently materializing in communities across the state. Large-scale energy production and grid expansion and resilience are no exception.
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Utah’s ‘energy royal flush’
Theresa Foxley
“Utah was dealt the energy royal flush,” said Teresa Foxley, chief of staff for rPlus Energies, referencing an op-ed her company published recently about Utah’s diverse energy resources. Beyond traditional fossil fuels, Utah boasts exceptional renewable resources including solar, wind and geothermal, positioning the state for leadership in the energy transition.
Foxley’s company, a Salt Lake City-based renewable energy developer, exemplifies this potential. rPlus Energies is currently constructing the Green River Energy Center in Emery County, a massive 400-megawatt solar project paired with 400 megawatts of battery storage. When completed in 2026, it will be “the second largest project of its type in the country,” she said and represents a $1.1 billion investment in rural Utah.
The company is also developing pump storage hydro projects, a technology that pairs well with both renewable and nuclear energy by storing energy when abundant and releasing it during peak demand periods.
World-leading geothermal research
Joseph Moore
Josepth Moore, a research professor at the U, highlighted the state’s leadership in enhanced geothermal systems (EGS). He directs the Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy (FORGE), a Department of Energy-funded project in Milford, Utah.
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“FORGE is the only facility of its kind in the world, and so people around the world are certainly looking at us,” Moore stated. “We are leading the world in enhanced geothermal development already.”
Unlike traditional geothermal systems that rely on naturally occurring hot springs, EGS creates geothermal reservoirs by fracturing hot rock deep underground. The FORGE project has made significant advances in reducing drilling costs and developing new stimulation techniques that have attracted interest from major energy companies.
Moore emphasized geothermal’s enormous potential: “Tapping even 2% of the energy between two and six miles would give us more than 2000 times the yearly US energy needs. Keep in mind, this is clean. This is benign, very low environmental impact, very low induced seismic risks.”
Nuclear’s role in a clean energy future
Laura Nelson
Laura Nelson, Idaho National Laboratory’s (INL) regional engagement lead in Utah, discussed how nuclear energy can contribute to a reliable, clean energy future. Often considered “the nation’s nuclear energy lab,” INL, located in Idaho Falls, has been at the forefront of nuclear energy research for 75 years.
“We have a vision to change the world’s energy future,” Nelson said, describing INL’s mission to create “a resilient and sustainable energy future for everyone…that’s affordable, reliable, resilient and accessible.”
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Nelson highlighted the growing interest in advanced nuclear reactors in Utah and throughout the West. Unlike the large nuclear plants built in the 1970s, she explained, these newer designs include small modular reactors (SMRs) and micro-reactors that offer flexibility for various applications, from providing consistent power for AI data centers to supporting military operations in remote locations.
“We need power that’s available when other resources may not be available, that we can call on 24/7, that can be there to meet our energy needs when maybe other resources aren’t available, or if we have failures on the system,” Nelson explained, emphasizing the importance of “firm power” in an increasingly renewable-heavy grid.
Clean energy economics and climate action
Logan Mitchell
Logan Mitchell, a climate scientist and energy analyst with Utah Clean Energy, brought the climate perspective to the discussion. As a nonprofit organization that has worked for 25 years to accelerate climate solutions in Utah, Utah Clean Energy focuses on decarbonizing buildings, transportation and the electricity sector.
Mitchell highlighted how economics is now driving the clean energy transition: “Clean energy is the most cost-effective form of energy production. It’s just more efficient…right now. This is the economics, and the efficiency of it is really overtaking other motivations.”
He also emphasized how renewable energy is bringing economic benefits to rural communities through tax revenue: “This pays for the local community center, the pharmacies and the pharmacists and the hospitals in those communities and is giving a lifeline to those communities.”
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Collaboration as Utah’s strength
A common theme throughout the discussion in front of an appreciative late-afternoon crowd was Utah’s collaborative approach to energy development. The panelists agreed that Utah’s pragmatism and willingness to work across different energy resources has positioned the state as a leader in energy innovation.
As Mitchell noted, “We all need to get there together. We can’t leave behind the communities that powered us in the past. We all need to get there together.”
When asked about Utah’s electricity mix in 2035, the panelists offered varied predictions but generally agreed that the state would see more renewable energy, storage solutions and potentially nuclear power in its future. Mitchell suggested the grid could ultimately reach about 70% wind and solar with 30% “dispatchable” resources like geothermal, nuclear and hydropower
For Utah to overcome barriers to scaling these technologies, the panelists identified several challenges: misconceptions about renewable energy reliability, regulatory hurdles and permitting timelines, technological limitations and costs. Even so, they remained optimistic about Utah’s potential to lead in clean energy development through continued innovation and collaboration.
Higher education’s impact happening now
As Utah’s flagship RI university, the U is a critical player in the future of energy production in the Beehive State. Beyond hosting the 2025 Wilkes Climate Summit, which annually convenes leading policymakers, and nationally recognized scientists, foundations, and innovators to discuss the most promising and cutting-edge solutions for climate change, the U demonstrates repeatedly how academics and research translate directly and often quickly to public benefits.
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As Nelson summarized: “Utah is a special place, and I appreciate that we often come together collaboratively when we disagree upon solutions, and our energy system is a critical part of that, because it’s so important to our quality of life, to our economies.”
