Utah
Utah's fallen officer to get lasting honor
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.”
A Utah physician is warning that 21 data centers in various stages of development could significantly worsen air quality along the Wasatch Front.
Dr. Brian Moench, with Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, said the planned data centers are cause for alarm. Each facility is expected to generate its own electricity using natural gas power plants.
While natural gas is cleaner than coal, Moench said it still produces nitrogen oxide, which contributes significantly to ozone, particulate formation, and smog.
“There’s no safe level of air pollution. All of it is harmful, even at the very lowest doses,” Moench said.
Moench said health advocates have legitimate reasons to be concerned about what the facilities could mean for public health in the region.
“There is a real legitimate concern on the part of any health advocates about what this impact will mean to the Wasatch Front and public health if all these data centers are built or even if just a few of them are, and that’s not to address the impact on the Great Salt Lake shrinking up and becoming a toxic dust bowl. That’s the next leg of this argument,” he said.
Moench also raised concerns about electronic waste. As computer chips and equipment become obsolete and are replaced, he said the volume of e-waste produced is something no one has yet addressed.
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UTAH COUNTY, May 11, 2026 (Gephardt Daily) — Two males, ages 14 and 19, were transported to area hospitals Sunday after the side-by-side they were riding rolled down the side of a mountain.
Utah County Sheriff deputies and Santaquin police responded to the 6:07 p.m. call. Two medical helicopters were called to the scene, in the Pole Canyon area, as was a Department of Public Safety helicopter with a hoist in case it was needed, Sgt. Austin Edwards, Utah County Sheriff‘s Office, told Gephardt Daily.
“Eventually, rescue workers were able to make it to the spot on the hill where the vehicle had come to rest, and they were able to secure the victims, stabilize the victims, and get them back down the hill again to where the helicopters were waiting,” Edwards said.
“The 19-year-old male was transported to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo, and the 14 year old was transported to Primary Children’s in Lehi.”
Both were said to have critical injuries, which were not considered to be life threatening, Edwards said.
“The cause of the rollover is still under investigation, so we don’t have that information available just yet.”
Photos: Utah County Sheriff
In what has a chance to be one of the most important nights in Jazz history, the Utah Jazz jumped in the NBA Lottery to the #2 spot for the upcoming NBA draft.
Here are the final results, which show all the movement.
Aside from it being a massive night for the Wizards, Jazz, Grizzlies, and Bulls, it was a devastating night for a few teams, but no one more than the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers, in their trade for Ivica Zubac, had a stipulation on their pick that if the pick was top-4 they kept it. But if it fell below 4, they would give it to the Clippers which is exactly what happened. Now, the Clippers, who are without Zubac, find themselves with a #5 pick to build around.
For the Jazz this is a culmination of four years of rebuilding that ends with an extremely satisfying end. Utah will now have one of the tier-1 players from this draft: AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson. The player Utah drafts will be one of their cornerstone pieces and will have the chance to not only play, but be a part of a team that will be competing for the playoffs this season.
The Utah Jazz now have a Sinister Six core: Darryn Peterson (If AJ Dybantsa goes #1), Keyonte George, Ace Bailey, Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Walker Kessler (if he signs). It’s quite the core with a mix of youth and veterans in their prime. With this group, the Jazz will have a chance to be one of the top teams in the Western Conference. Yes, the Thunder and Spurs are going to be difficult to beat, but Utah has the mix of talent, coaching, and depth that could absolutely do the trick.
Now the Utah Jazz look forward to the NBA Draft that be on June 23rd. Let the posturing begin!!
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