This is your daily news rundown for Monday, Jan. 13. In this edition:
- The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected Utah's bid to take control of federally-controlled public land
- The Sundance Film Festival will continue as planned despite devastating California fires
- A grazing herd of elk forced highway closures at the mouth of Parleys Canyon
Supreme Court rejects Utah’s bid to take control of public land
The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected a lawsuit from Utah that hoped to regain control of vast areas of federally controlled public land in the state.
Federal agencies combined have jurisdiction over almost 70% of Utah land. Utah’s legal challenge targeted about half of that, leaving national parks and monuments in federal hands.
The state claimed local control would be more responsive and give them access to revenue from development projects and taxes.
Opponents claimed the lawsuit would result in millions of acres of public lands being sold to the highest bidder, and that Utah had promised not to make a claim on federal land when it became a state.
In a brief order on Monday, the Supreme Court refused Monday to let the lawsuit be filed, giving no reasoning for its decision as is typical.
Sundance Film Festival to continue as planned despite California fires
The Sundance Film Festival is moving forward as planned despite the California wildfires that have affected thousands connected to the film and entertainment industries.
Several major film events like the Critics Choice Awards have been canceled or postponed due to the fires, but Sundance told southern California registrants in a letter Monday the event would still run from Jan. 23 to Feb. 2 in Park City, Utah.
One of the many people to lose their homes in the devastating Los Angeles-area fires was Michelle Satter, a founding director of the Sundance Insitute and its artist programs. She’s among those being honored at the festival’s opening gala.
At least 24 people have died and hundreds of thousands have been misplaced in the four fires, which are still uncontained.
Grazing herd of elk forces highway closure at mouth of Parleys Canyon
A moving herd of elk prompted highway closures at the mouth of Parleys Canyon Monday morning.
The animals were seen on the grassy medians between I-80 and I-215, sometimes moving across the busy highway lanes.
Eventually, the area was closed as the Utah Highway Patrol and a biologist moved the herd back toward the canyon with no injuries reported.
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources still cautions drivers in the area to be cautious of elk and other wildlife.
