Utah beers win three gold medals in World Beer Cup
Utah breweries won several awards at the World Beer Cup this past week in Las Vegas.
The event is one of the most prestigious beer competitions in the world, and breweries from Utah managed to bring home three gold medals and a bronze.
Salt Lake’s Templin Family Brewing won gold in the fruit-and-veggie “field beer” category with its Guava Coconut brew and in the "juicy or hazy strong pale ale" category for its Squirrel!! ale.
St. George’s Silver Reef Brewing Company won gold in smoke beers for its Mas Fuego and bronze in "wood-and barrel-aged beer" for its Smokin’ Barrel.
The World Beer Cup this year featured more than 10,000 beers submitted by 2,376 breweries from 51 countries.
Multiple Republican incumbents forced into primaries
The Democratic and Republican state nominating conventions over the weekend confirmed some of the candidates who will appear on November’s ballot, while others are still in question.
Three prominent Republican incumbents were defeated by challengers for the nomination but will still advance to primary elections. That includes current Gov. Spencer Cox, whose opponent Rep. Phil Lyman got 67% of delegate votes, more than the required 55% to earn the party nomination.
Notably, former Gov. Gary Herbert earned only 44% of the delegate vote in 2016, but still defeated his opponent in the primaries with more than 72% of the vote.
Rep. Celeste Maloy and Rep. Blake Moore also lost their nominations to insurgents Colby Jenkins and Paul Miller respectively.
Other votes had more decisive victories. Democrat Caroline Gleich won 92% of Democratic votes for the U.S. Senate Seat being vacated by Sen. Mitt Romney this fall, sending her right to the November general election. There are also several Democratic candidates advancing to general election uncontested.
Delegates also voted on positions such as state treasurer, state Senate and House positions, and Utah Attorney General.
Utah’s primary elections for federal, state, and local primaries outside of the presidential race will happen on June 25, and the general election will be on November 5.
Children’s Justice Center opens relocated American Fork location
The Children’s Justice Center hosted a grand opening for its relocated American Fork location on Saturday.
The new location for the North Utah County Children’s Justice Center, a 150-year-old house, was originally purchased in November 2020, but there were reportedly complications with COVID-19 and with making sure the older home met modern commercial standards.
Now, three and a half years later, the center is open to continue its work as a child-oriented facility for victims of abuse.
According to the Utah Department of Human Services, there were over 10,000 confirmed victims of child abuse and neglect in Utah in 2020.
Cache County School approves new Dual Language programs
After reviewing polls and public comment the Cache County School District Board of Education approved a recommendation to shift Dual Language Immersion (DLI) programs to two magnet schools, rather than each elementary school having its own program.
The recommendation was to turn Spring Creek Elementary School into a magnet school for the Spanish and French programs and turn Cedar Ridge Elementary School into a magnet school for the Portuguese and Chinese programs. No other county schools will have a DLI program.
Superintendent Todd Mckee said that over the next two years, the district will try to find ways to increase accessibility for students to attend the magnet schools.
The DLI program changes will happen in the fall of 2026.
State Rep. Phil Lyman nominated as gubernatorial nominee
Utah Republicans nominated State Rep. Phil Lyman as the gubernatorial nominee at the party's convention Saturday.
Lyman, a former county commissioner turned legislator who is best known for organizing an illegal ATV ride in protest of a federal land decision, won about two-thirds of votes from the nearly 4,000 delegates.
Despite the nomination, political observers say incumbent Gov. Spencer Cox remains the likely favorite in the upcoming primary.
Cox, who took office in 2021, is seen as well positioned for the June 25 primary. He has gathered enough signatures to qualify for that ballot despite not getting the nod from the convention, and would advance to the November general election if he wins in June.
Vernal officer shot multiple times drives self to hospital
A Vernal police officer was able to drive himself to a hospital after being shot multiple times late Saturday.
Police were called to 750 North near 400 East after a report of an intoxicated man threatening a neighbor with a firearm.
When officers arrived, they located 27-year-old Rookus R. Curry who opened fire on the police and sheriff vehicles. The officer and responding deputies returned fire, striking Curry, who fled on foot but was later arrested a short time later.
Both the officer and Curry were treated at a local hospital before being flown to Wasatch Front hospitals, police said. The Vernal officer's condition was stable Sunday afternoon, according to a statement from the Utah Department of Public Safety. A sheriff's deputy also sustained minor injuries and was treated at a local hospital and released.
The Utah State Bureau of Investigations will be investigating the incident.
