Fox13

Businesses across Piute, Beaver and Sevier counties are struggling after wildfires and flash flooding hurt tourism during one of the busiest times of the year.

Restaurant, motel and outdoor recreation owners say the back-to-back disasters have kept visitors away and caused major financial problems for small businesses that depend on summer travelers.

Residents of Junction, Utah gathered to review emergency plans as the Cottonwood Fire continues to burn, with high winds expected to make the situation worse.

After exploding in size in just hours, the Cottonwood Fire burning near Beaver slowed overnight, but “extreme fire behavior” resumed Tuesday, and helped the fire double in size.

As of 5 p.m. Tuesday, the fire has burned over 24,000 acres and 0% contained, while all evacuation orders are still in effect, and its cause is still undetermined.

A man who previously served as a church youth pastor has been charged with the murder of his wife, nearly 20 years after she fell to her death from Angels Landing in Zion National Park.

David Vander Meer was charged Tuesday with murder and insurance fraud by the Washington County Attorney’s Office. The charges came after the investigation into the death of Bernadette Vander Meer was reopened following a tip sent to the office.

Originally Published: 22 JUN 26 14:07 ET By Spencer Burt Click here for updates on this story     SALT LAKE CITY (KSTU) — Conditions that have fueled the Bonneville Fire near the University of Utah campus died down overnight, allowing crews to gain some containment as of Monday morning. The latest estimate places the fire at

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is looking to sell the Salt Lake City warehouse it purchased earlier this year to house an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center, according to a new report.

A family thought they could close a tragic chapter of their life on Monday when the woman accused of murdering their loved one was supposed to be sentenced. But a mix-up in court led to the family having to wait a little longer for justice.

“Anything that a son-in-law could ask for, really, she was a protector, she was always there for me whenever I needed her,” described Shiloh Alires about his mother-in-law, Nakeena Youngman. “She was the mom I never had and I wished for.”

A University of Utah student, just days away from graduation, has been arrested by ICE officials, according to his attorney.

Lisandro Pantaleon Pacheco, whose attorney Adam Crayk said has no criminal history, was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents earlier in the week while on his way to a new job.

Better late than never, family reunion and learning is fun.

All three of those phrases apply to a trio of ladies receiving their college degrees this week from Utah Valley University.

2026 marks UVU’s largest ever graduating class.

For over two hours Monday, the Davis County Bomb Squad removed explosives from a home in a West Bountiful neighborhood, throwing neighbors into a situation they’ve never had to deal with before.

“We’ve had lights flashing all weekend… and we weren’t sure what was going on yet,” said neighbor Lauren Paskett.

If you haven’t been to the Great Salt Lake lately, the impact is hard to miss. Lower water levels, an expanding shoreline, and ongoing concerns about the lake’s future are all on display. Now, Salt Lake County leaders are hoping a new visualization tool will help people better understand why — and what can be done about it.

Inside the Salt Lake County Government Center, a new display uses blue marbles to represent water. Each marble equals about 10,000 acre-feet, giving a visual breakdown of where water goes across the Great Salt Lake Basin, and how much of it never makes it back to the lake.

Last week’s freezing temperatures hit Utah’s fruit farms hard, with experts saying most lost their entire crop. But one farmer in Ogden credits the produce he thinks he can harvest to his homemade contraption.

Wyatt Romney has lived by the corner of 100 South and 500 West in Brigham City for many years, and his long-time friend Blake Smith moved in a little over a year ago.

“It’s always been a really quiet neighborhood. It’s a really nice neighborhood. We’ve got really friendly neighbors,” Romney said.

That was until Romney got a phone call from his mom on Saturday night asking if something was going on.

Graduation will look a little different for students at Utah Valley University at the end of the month, after the school chose to forgo having a featured commencement speaker.

Author and educator Sharon McMahon, who’s commonly referred to as America’s Government Teacher, was the original choice, but was dropped without a replacement after comments she made about Charlie Kirk, who was gunned down during an on-campus rally last year.

Christian Timothy is one of two siblings who survived a horrific murder-suicide that claimed the life of their mother, Kaylene Allred.

Now recovering from gunshot wounds, he is opening up about his path toward healing and the emotional weight he carries. “The people who I’m staying with are constantly like, ‘You need to rest, you need to take it easy,’ and I can’t,” Christian said. “I have to be doing something to keep my mind busy… It’s gonna be a long road.”

It was a secret they kept even from their family members.

A pair of Box Elder County siblings in their 70s is about to achieve a milestone no one saw coming.

Researchers and professors at Utah Valley University are using AI to help uncover ancient history from what they call The Buried Library.

“It’s a complete game changer for what papyrology can do,” said UVU philosophy student Orpheus Isom.

Three families are now picking up the pieces after a devastating car crash in Juab County.

“It’s been unfathomable. I mean, it’s just been something that is the worst nightmare you could ever go through,” said Ava’s father, Aaron Olivarez. “My heart just absolutely breaks for Xander and Ava. I mean, I don’t know how I’m going to move on.”

At Oakcrest Elementary in West Jordan, the sound inside the gym said it all. A roar of cheers and dozens of students on their feet, all excitement for one person: Music teacher Scott Knight.

It’s not every day an elementary school teacher gets that kind of reaction. But for Knight, it’s well earned. For the past five years, he’s been turning after-school musicals into something much bigger — giving students a place to grow, perform, and find confidence both on and off the stage.

A recent scientific find by University of Utah researchers could help combat the problem of toxic dust blowing off the exposed Great Salt Lake bed.

They have found a freshwater reservoir underneath the lake’s salty playa, in an area between Antelope Island and Farmington Bay. It started when scientists observed “islands” of the invasive plant phragmites in the exposed lake bed.

It just couldn’t moooooo-ve.

Multiple police agencies and local volunteers stepped up Wednesday to save a cow whose lack of fear got the best of it.

Three people have been arrested, including two listed as juveniles, after the site of the proposed ICE detention center in Salt Lake City was vandalized.

The vandalism at the warehouse located west of Salt Lake City International Airport included graffiti with a swastika that had a line going through it, and the words, “Kill all Nazis.” Several windows at the facility were also smashed, and what appeared to be paint was on the door.

A couple celebrating 65 years of marriage may have the answer to the timeless question: What’s the secret to a successful marriage?

Gordan and Joann Westover were married in 1961. This week, they took part in a “newlywed” style game at The Ridge Cottonwood retirement community to see just how well they know each other after decades together.

Dance can be a form of expression. For one Syracuse teen, Hannah Moore, she wants to take her passion for dance overseas.

Many people are familiar with tap, or hip hop, but Moore is a Professional Clogger.