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WASHINGTON (AP) — America's energy boom is fueling population growth west of the Mississippi River. The Census Bureau shows 8 of the 10 fastest-growing counties are located in or near the oil- and gas-rich Great Plains and Mountain West. The nation's second-fastest growing county is Utah's Duchesne County, which showed a 5.5 percent increase. Wasatch County's population grew by 4.4 percent.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The state tourism office is launching a marketing campaign in western states this week to attract visitors to the Utah's five national parks. The Mighty 5 campaign focuses on Utah's five national parks -- Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands and Arches. State officials say visitors in 2012 spent $7.7 billion in Utah, which generated $960 million in state and local taxes.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah Gov. Gary Herbert has signed into law a measure changing the state tree from the blue spruce to the quaking aspen. The change was propelled by a fourth-grade class at Monroe Elementary School in Sevier County. Students there argued the aspen was a better representation of Utah because it has a strong root system akin to the state's cultural focus on family history and genealogy.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Zach Randolph had 22 points and 13 rebounds, and his two free throws with 11 seconds left clinched the Memphis Grizzlies' 91-87 come-from-behind win over the Utah Jazz last night. Though Memphis is the team in a tight playoff race, the Jazz exerted extra effort for steals and dove for loose balls and led for most of the contest.
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