Utah News

Chief Deputy Utah Attorney General John Swallow is one step closer to taking over his boss’s job. Tuesday, he became the Republican nominee for Attorney General by defeating Sean Reyes.

Swallow called the heated primary a long and difficult battle, but says the real fight still lies ahead:

Better safe than sorry says the U.S. Forest Service. The agency has temporarily closed the popular Oak Grove Campground north of St. George in the Dixie National Forest because of extreme fire danger. A major factor in the move is accessibility. There is only one road in and out of the area and a wildfire could easily cut off campers from their only escape.

Despite a statewide red flag alert, the service also reports that firefighters have extinguished several abandoned campfires in the area near the campground in the past week.

The Forest Service calls the move a "proactive approach to safeguard the public during these extremely dry conditions."

Nearly 70,000 US communities are at risk this wildfire season, and with an average of 6.5 million acres burned each year, it's important for people to be prepared.

Pam Leschak of the U.S. Forest Service talked to UPR's Mackinzie Hamilton about the Fire Adapted Communities (FAC) Initiative, a national public service campaign that helps individuals, communities, and land managers to prepare for wildfire season.

60,000 acres burned in Utah last year and Leschak says, "This year's gonna be a lot more active than last year. It's early in the season and we're already seeing a lot of activity."

This is the second week of competition in the Gina Bachauer International Young Artist Piano Competition in Salt Lake City. This week's competitors are 14 - 18 years old.

Last week the 11 - 13 year old pianists competed in the Junior Competition. Ryota Yamazaki, a Japanese 13-year-old who lives and studies in Utah, was named the winner for his performance of Prokofiev’s Concerto No. 3 in C Major.

UPR's Mackinzie Hamilton spoke to Gary Billings, the director of the competition, and learned more about the high caliber of these performers.

Utah’s top law enforcement official says Monday’s Supreme Court ruling striking down much of Arizona’s illegal immigration enforcement law is mostly a win for Utah’s HB 497, a similar law currently tied up in federal court. But as Jeff Robinson reports, immigration advocates still think it will be struck down.