Republican Governor of Utah Spencer Cox and Democratic Governor of Pennsylvania spoke in Washington, D.C. They called on Americans to stop using violence against political opponents.

Two of the nation’s top state leaders who have had close brushes with political violence in 2025 hosted a panel on Dec. 9 where they called on Americans to stop hating their political enemies before it leads to “civil war.”

“We’re passing all the checkpoints, well ultimately towards failed states and things like civil war, I hate to even use that phrase,” said Spencer Cox, Utah’s Republican governor whose longstanding campaign for political unity was thrust into the national spotlight with the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in September.

Cox participated in the panel alongside Pennsylvania’s Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, whose house was firebombed in April. 

Tuesday’s panel comes at a point where in addition to the killing of Kirk and the firebombing of the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion, a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband were killed and another lawmaker and his wife were injured at their homes in June; two Israeli embassy workers were shot and killed in D.C. in May; and a National Guard member was killed and another injured in a shooting also in the nation’s capital in November.

The pair spoke at Washington National Cathedral, about three and a half miles northwest of the White House.

Early on in the panel, Shapiro called out President Donald Trump for stoking hate in politics.  

“When you’re a governor, when you’re a president of the United States, you’re looked to for that moral clarity,” Shapiro said, “and we have a president who fails that test on a daily basis.”

Trump at a rally in September following the killing of Kirk said that he hates his opponents. 

The U.’s board of trustees will vote on the matter Tuesday.

Facing rising costs in college sports, the University of Utah hopes to put the future of its athletics department’s finances in the hands of a new for-profit company backed by a private equity firm.

The U.’s board of trustees will vote Tuesday on whether to approve the deal involving New York private equity firm Otro Capital.

The proposal calls for the creation of Utah Brands & Entertainment, a company to oversee the athletics department’s revenue sources. Otro Capital would be the minority owner of Utah Brands and handle operations such as ticket sales, media, stadium events, concessions, and trademark and licensing matters.

The U., through its nonprofit University of Utah Growth Capital Partners Foundation, would have majority ownership of the company and Utah Athletic Director Mark Harlan would serve as the chairman of its board. The athletics department would continue to oversee student athletes and their scholarships, coaches, fundraising and NCAA compliance.

Otro describes itself as a company with “deep expertise across sports, entertainment, and media.”

University officials have declined to say how much Otro Capital plans to initially invest because the deal has not been finalized. Yahoo! Sports reported the partnership could bring in more than $500 million in revenue. The U. expects the deal to be completed early next year.

Private equity investors have zeroed in on college athletics in recent years.

In the wake of the House vs. NCAA settlement, colleges can now pay their student athletes up to $20.5 million annually.

That has contributed to significant deficits at schools around the country. Last month, the University of Colorado projected a $27 million deficit for its athletics program. Earlier this year, Ohio State University claimed a $37.7 million deficit.

The Tribune will update this developing story.

Beth Launiere, the longest-tenured volleyball coach in Utah history, has retired, the school announced Monday.

Over 36 years as Utah’s coach, Launiere amassed 689 wins and took Utah to the NCAA tournament 20 times.

With Launiere in charge, the Utes won six Mountain West titles and advanced to the Sweet 16 four times, most recently in 2019.

“After 36 years as the head volleyball coach at the University of Utah, I have made the difficult decision to announce my retirement,” Launiere said in a school press release.

“While it is not easy to walk away from a lifetime’s work, I am ready and excited to begin the next chapter of my life. Thank you to the hundreds of players whom I have had the privilege to coach, and the many assistant coaches, support staff and administrators who were my daily collaborators to build this program into what it is today.

“I will miss the daily interactions, but I know our relationships will last a lifetime. It has been an honor to represent one of the greatest universities in the country. I will forever love Utah and will always be a Ute!”

Utah was ranked in the AVCA Coaches Top 25 poll for 183 weeks under Launiere’s leadership, and the program produced 16 All-Americans.

During her 36-year career at Utah, Launiere was rewarded with three Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year awards and one Pac-12 Coach of the Year award in 2019.

In her final season, Launiere and the Utes made the NCAA Tournament, finishing the season with a 15-15 record with wins over No. 23 BYU and No. 13 Kansas before losing to the University of Northern Iowa in the first round of the NCAAs.

Launiere will leave a lasting legacy as the volleyball program’s greatest coach.

Utah athletic director Mark Harlan wasted no time naming her successor, appointing Alyssa D’Errico as the sixth head coach in program history.

“Alyssa D’Errico is a tremendous identifier of talent and is elite in developing student-athletes and building genuine relationships,” Harlan said. “With her championship pedigree, All-America playing experience, and the three years she has spent at the University of Utah as associate head coach, she is uniquely equipped to take over leadership of our volleyball program.

“I’m thrilled to appoint Alyssa as our new head coach, and excited to see her establish herself as this program’s leader, building on the legacy that Beth Launiere has built.”

D’Errico is a three-year assistant of Launiere’s, joining the program ahead of the 2023 season.

“I want to sincerely thank Mark Harlan, Charmelle Green and Jason Greco for their trust and support in giving me this opportunity to lead Utah volleyball,” said D’Errico in a press release.

“Of course, I also must thank Beth Launiere. I am deeply grateful to Beth for bringing me out here to be a part of this incredible volleyball program and athletic department. Her countless contributions to our sport, her care for the athletes, and the legacy she leaves behind are inspiring — truly leaving the program better than she found it.

“As I step into this role, I am honored and energized to help guide our program into the next era, with new heights in sight and a strong vision for sustained excellence. I look forward to building on our foundation, elevating our competitive standard, and fostering a culture where our student-athletes thrive on and off the court.”