SALT LAKE CITY — The Beehive State could one day be even more involved in the space industry.

State Sen. Jerry Stevenson, R-Layton, is sponsoring a bill that would establish a Spaceport Exploration Committee.

That committee would seek out a potential spot for a spaceport in the state and recommend it to lawmakers if they felt it made sense for Utah, according to the current bill text. 

Stevenson told KSL NewsRadio with Utah’s current resources for a potential leap to the space launches, like the state’s military bases and the West Desert, “It just seemed like kind of a natural place for us to take a step.”

Stevenson also noted Utah’s current role in space exploration, including most recently in September 2023 when NASA’s OSIRIS-REx capsule, containing material from an asteroid, ended its seven-year journey with a touchdown on the Utah Test and Training Range in the West Desert.

However, Stevenson said he doesn’t see Utah replacing Cape Canaveral or another major player in the space industry. Rather, he feels Utah has the space and the resources to launch satellites or other things from a large aircraft or maybe even a medium-sized rocket.

As to where this spaceport could be, “It could be at any airport that has the capability of… moving a larger airplane into the air,” Stevenson said.

Stevenson said the goal of this legislation is to create good jobs for Utahns. If the bill passes and Utah did one day have a spaceport, he feels that would accomplish the goal.

“Whoever thought we’d be where we are with this stuff now 30 years ago?” Stevenson said.

The bill is seeking $500,000 in one-time funding from the Legislature. If passed, it would take effect on May 7 of this year.

More on the upcoming legislative session:

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Fentanyl is the most common drug found in overdose deaths in the state, according to a new report from the Utah Department of Health and Human Services. 

There were 606 drug overdose deaths reported in 2023, a 14.3% jump from 2022. The report found 290 of those deaths involved fentanyl. Drug overdose deaths peaked in 2015 and haven’t dipped since. More people died from fatal drug overdoses in 2023 than ever before, and for the first time, there are more deaths from fentanyl than methamphetamine, according to the report’s findings. 

“The sharp increase in the number of fentanyl-involved deaths outpaces reductions in deaths from prescription opioids,” said Dr. Deirdre Amaro, chief medical examiner. “We will likely see an increase in the drug overdose death rate if this trend continues.”

With a record-number of Utahns dying from overdoses, state announces new fentanyl task force

Utah launched a fentanyl task force, which DHHS is part of, last October to combat the drug market. The objectives of the task force include educating the public, disrupting trafficking networks, partnering with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, addressing the root causes of fentanyl use, collecting data on drug usage, and looking at policies and penalties for those convicted of dealing drugs. 

“We appreciate the dedication and support of Governor Cox and the Utah State Legislature in addressing the overdose crisis,” said Tracy Gruber, DHHS executive director. “There’s much work to do but DHHS is committed to preventing unnecessary suffering and death in our families and communities and helping all Utahns have fair and equitable opportunities to live healthy and safe lives.” 

The task force met Thursday to discuss the report’s findings. 

“Our subgroup leaders identified immediate next steps for action, many of which are now underway, to reduce the impact of fentanyl in our communities,” Gov. Spencer Cox said in a post to X. 

Rep. Matthew Gwynn, R-Farr West, has introduced a bill that would make trafficking fentanyl or a fentanyl-related substance a first-degree felony.

In a post to X on Wednesday, the official Utah House Majority account praised the bill. 

“Rep. Matt Gwynn’s bill hands out presumptive prison sentences to fentanyl traffickers, increasing penalties while investing in law enforcement programs to disrupt the supply of dangerous drugs in Utah,” the post read.

The report also found that middle-age men have a significantly higher rate of drug overdose death; people who experience homelessness die at a much faster and younger rate than those who are not homeless; and southeastern Utah counties like Emery, Grand, Summit, Daggett, Duchesne and Uintah have higher rates of drug overdoses.

SALT LAKE CITY — Delta Center became the 91st unique venue in which the Rangers have played a regular-season game Thursday night when they beat Utah Hockey Club, 5-3, for the first time. 

There’s always a sort of buzz to a team that’s competing in a new place, and the Blueshirts were no different. 

The NHL era in Utah came quickly thanks to the diligence of owner Ryan Smith, who had been working on getting a team since 2022.

When arena and ownership issues hit a breaking point in Arizona back in April, Smith purchased the Coyotes assets from owner Alex Meruelo for $1.2 billion. 

Now, Utah is the 25th state or district in which the Blueshirts have played. 

In October, the Salt Lake City Council voted unanimously to approve and help fund Smith Entertainment Group’s renovation plans of Delta Center, which was constructed for the NBA Jazz and needs to be fixed for dual use with hockey now on the schedule, too. 

The remodel, which is expected to unfold in three phases and address the 4,000-5,000 seats with obstructed views of the ice, is expected to be completed by the start of the 2027-28 NHL and NBA seasons. 

“It felt pretty good,” Braden Schneider told The Post of his first touch of Delta Center ice. “I think it’s a cool rink. It’s a little different, it’s pretty steep. It looks nice. Everything that’s here with it is really nice. I think it’s a positive review from me.” 

The commitment to making hockey work in Utah is evident in the city’s planned contribution of $900 million, as well as in SEG’s pledge to invest a minimum of $3 billion, according to the Sports Business Journal. 

Hockey, however, already had a presence in Salt Lake City. 

Before Utah H.C., which is supposed to announce a permanent name between the end of this season and the draft, there were the Utah Grizzlies (now of the ECHL) and the Salt Lake Golden Eagles (defunct). 

Peter Laviolette played for the Denver Rangers in 1988-89, which was also the last time the Rangers head coach was in the city.

He got a good laugh remembering how there weren’t many IHL teams around either Denver or Salt Lake City back then. 

“God, we must’ve played them 25 times,” he said with a smile after the Rangers held an optional practice at the Olympic Oval in nearby Kearns. 

The Oval, which was built for indoor speed skating at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, was packed on a Wednesday afternoon with youth hockey and curling practice on the opposite side of where the Rangers skated. 

Players had to walk from the Rangers locker room underneath the main level, up a couple flights of stairs and into their designated rink, which was surrounded by a massive speed skating sheet that wrapped around the entire facility. 

The arenas and city may be new to most of the Rangers but not for Laviolette or assistant Michael Peca. 

Peca has fond memories after winning a gold medal with Team Canada in 2002. 

“Practice at the practice arena [felt] good for me because I know the Olympic Games were there,” Artemi Panarin told The Post before the game Thursday. “For me, Olympic Games are something special, and I just enjoy that energy from the arena. Pretty fun.” 

Igor Shesterkin stopped 28 of the 31 shots he faced in his 14th victory of the season. 

Zac Jones was a healthy scratch for the 10th straight game and the 12th time in the last 13. 

The Rangers scored a shorthanded goal for the second straight game, which gave the team seven on the season. That’s good for third in the NHL behind only the Panthers (11) and Lightning (8).