Utah Breaking News, Sports and Weather

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch may have so much plastic, it's changing the color of the ocean

Laura Paddison, CNN  |  Updated Nov. 5 - 7:39 p.m.  |  Save Story

Far out in the Pacific Ocean, between Hawaii and California, a wide patch of water has been changing color over the past two decades, becoming significantly bluer and greener. Scientists say it's due to plastic.

Whitney Leavitt's life beyond 'Secret Lives' is coming to Hulu

Margaret Darby, Deseret News  |  Updated Nov. 5 - 6:38 p.m.  |  Save Story

Six months after announcing her departure from "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives," Whitney Leavitt is returning to reality television with a Hulu series of her own.

Man gets probation for threatening family of man involved in Stratos data center project

Emily Ashcraft, KSL  |  Posted Nov. 5 - 6:10 p.m.  |  Save Story

A man was sentenced to two years of probation after being accused of threatening a man involved in the Stratos data center project as a spokesman for Kevin O'Leary.

Wisconsin infant is third measles-related death this week in US

Jen Christensen, CNN  |  Updated Nov. 5 - 5:37 p.m.  |  Save Story

An infant in Wisconsin has died in connection with a large, ongoing measles outbreak, the state health department said Thursday. The death marks the first measles-related death in Wisconsin in more than 35 years and the third reported in the U.S. this week.

Utahns vote to retain Supreme Court Justice Jill Pohlman, and other election updates

Bridger Beal-Cvetko, KSL  |  Posted Nov. 5 - 5:25 p.m.  |  Save Story

A top justice in the Utah Supreme Court will retain her seat after the midterm election, despite efforts from some Republicans to encourage Utahns to vote against her.

From Tonga to Utah's Capitol: Doug Fiefia celebrates historic Senate election

Eric Cabrera  |  Updated Nov. 5 - 5:03 p.m.  |  Save Story

Doug Fiefia is poised to become Utah's first Tongan-American state senator. He reflects on his family's journey from Tonga and what the historic milestone means for the next generation.

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Game-day entertaining tips to make you an MVP host

Kathleen Clove, KSL  |  Posted Nov. 5 - 4:57 p.m.  |  Save Story

Your turn to throw the weekend football watch party? Give your guests luxury-suite treatment with these simple hosting tips.

California Gov. Newsom says he will commute all death sentences in state to life without parole

Sophie Austin, Jaimie Ding and Christopher Weber, Associated Press  |  Updated Nov. 5 - 4:12 p.m.  |  Save Story

California Governor Gavin Newsom has announced he will change all 548 death sentences in the state to life in prison without parole. The state Supreme Court will have the final say in hundreds of these cases.

Groundbreaking ceremony held in celebration of Davis County's replacement animal shelter

VideoKennedy Camarena, KSL  |  Posted Nov. 5 - 4:05 p.m.  |  Save Story

A new animal shelter in Fruit Heights will be replacing an old facility in Davis County that also counts as the county's only animal shelter.

Felony charges filed against Utah man following 3 1/2 hour standoff

Pat Reavy, KSL  |  Updated Nov. 5 - 3:58 p.m.  |  Save Story

A man who police say threatened his wife with a gun and threw objects out a window at officers trying to arrest him has been charged.

Massive tech sell-off wipes $2.5T from the stock market

Elisabeth Buchwald, John Towfighi and Matt Egan, CNN  |  Updated Nov. 5 - 3:35 p.m.  |  Save Story

A punishing sell-off rippled through Wall Street on Thursday, wiping out roughly $2.5 trillion in market value from the Nasdaq Composite on fears that Democrats' midterm gains could put the brakes on the AI buildout.

Have You Seen This? Volleyball timeout turns into epic dance-off

Carter Williams, KSL  |  Posted Nov. 5 - 3:31 p.m.  |  Save Story

When Utah Tech's volleyball team isn't crushing their Big Sky opponents on the court, they're ready to tear up the dance floor

Utah leaders discuss homelessness solutions at statewide summit

VideoMadi Vollmer, KSL  |  Posted Nov. 5 - 2:40 p.m.  |  Save Story

Gov. Spencer Cox joined state leaders and community organizations in Salt Lake City to discuss homelessness, housing, mental health services and funding aimed at addressing the issue.

Russia and Ukraine trade airstrikes as reconstruction and security talks resume in Brussels

Derek Gatopoulos, Associated Press  |  Updated Nov. 5 - 2:13 p.m.  |  Save Story

Russia and Ukraine exchanged airstrikes overnight as talks were set to resume in Brussels on Thursday on postwar reconstruction and security guarantees once the fighting ends.

California resident is latest to be charged in Utah tap-to-pay scam

Pat Reavy, KSL  |  Updated Nov. 5 - 2:05 p.m.  |  Save Story

Prosecutors say a criminal enterprise has been sending people to Utah to purchase gift cards with stolen bank card numbers as part of a tap-to-pay scam.

Unemployment claims drop to 189,000, the fewest since mid-July

Paul Wiseman, Associated Press  |  Updated Nov. 5 - 1:40 p.m.  |  Save Story

Fewer Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week as layoffs remain scarce and most workers enjoy job security.

4 fun ways to put gratitude into action for kids

VideoLauren Tippetts, KSL  |  Updated Nov. 5 - 1:06 p.m.  |  Save Story

We talk about being thankful, but putting that feeling into action is a whole different story. Madison Tesimale shared four creative ways to bring gratitude into everyday family life at home.

Kalani Sitake, Morgan Scalley prepare for biggest matchup in rivalry history

Jaxon Wynder, KSL  |  Posted Nov. 5 - 1:03 p.m.  |  Save Story

Kalani Sitake and Morgan Scalley share a unique history, but Saturday's top-10 showdown will make Holy War history, with Big 12 Championship and College Football Playoff implications on the line.

2 unaffiliated candidates poised to win seats in Utah Legislature

Bridger Beal-Cvetko and Daniel Woodruff, KSL  |  Updated Nov. 5 - 12:55 p.m.  |  Save Story

Two unaffiliated candidates are in position to win election to the Utah House of Representatives, a previously unthinkable result in an era dominated by the two-party system.

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Did MAGA fail or did Republicans fail MAGA? The GOP's post-midterm divide

Brigham Tomco, Deseret News  |  Posted Nov. 5 - 12:51 p.m.  |  Save Story

The Republican Party suffered historic losses on Tuesday across the country. Now comes the fight about why.

Multiple flights in Europe again diverted after bomb threats deemed 'malicious hoaxes'

Colleen Barry, Angela Charlton and David Biller, Associated Press  |  Updated Nov. 5 - 12:37 p.m.  |  Save Story

Multiple flights in Europe have been targeted by bomb threats, causing emergency landings and military escorts.

State argues it alone should investigate leftover evidence after overturned 1985 murder conviction

Amy Donaldson, KSL  |  Posted Nov. 5 - 12:02 p.m.  |  Save Story

After an overturned conviction of the death row inmate accused in a 1985 murder, his defense says prosecutors haven't divulged any further evidence in the case.

El Niño has brought flooding. It's also slowly lifting Utah out of drought

Carter Williams, KSL  |  Posted Nov. 5 - 11:34 a.m.  |  Save Story

A large chunk of Utah is now out of drought as an onslaught of rain, tied to an El Niño oceanic pattern, continued to pepper the state over the past week.