Judge Dianna Gibson issued her decision just before midnight Monday, ruling that the Legislature’s Map C, adopted through Senate Bill 1012, violates the standards outlined in Proposition 4 — Utah’s 2018 voter-approved redistricting reform measure. She said the legislature’s map “unduly favors Republicans and disfavors Democrats.”

Gibson found that Map C “fails to abide and conform with the requirements of Proposition 4” and ordered the state to instead use Map 1, one of two maps submitted by the plaintiffs, for the 2026 congressional elections. The ruling blocks the legislature’s plan and directs the lieutenant governor to implement the plaintiffs’ map until another valid plan is approved or overturned on appeal.

The decision could reshape Utah’s political landscape by potentially creating a more competitive district among the state’s four U.S. House seats.

Republican House Speaker Mike Schultz called the ruling “a sad day for Utah,” saying it disregards the legislative process and the will of the voters.

“One judge has chosen to override the work of the people’s elected representatives,” Schultz said. “The legislature acted within the bounds of the law, and we’ll continue to defend that process.”

Republican State Rep. Candice Pierucci, who helped draft Map C, sharply criticized the ruling, calling it politically motivated.

“This is a clear example of judicial activism,” Pierucci said. “One unelected judge decided that her personal opinion outweighs Utah’s Constitution and the will of the people — and that’s unacceptable. Our Constitution should be interpreted, not rewritten from the bench.”

Pierucci added that lawmakers worked under strict deadlines set by the court.

“The judge drove the entire process, set aggressive deadlines and refused to grant an extension. We followed her direction every step of the way — turns out, she was orchestrating it from the start,” she said.

The legislature could appeal the ruling to the Utah Supreme Court. Unless a higher court intervenes, Map 1 — created by the League of Women Voters of Utah and Mormon Women for Ethical Government — will be used in the 2026 elections. The map keeps Salt Lake County, heavily Democratic, within one district instead of dividing it among the four districts.

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The event in Logan, part of the “This is the Turning Point” tour, was hosted by conservative podcaster Alex Clark. It featured high-profile Republican figures and a message focused on continuing founder Kirk’s mission after his assassination at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10.

“I see this empty chair, and it just does something to me, and I know it does something to you,” Tyler Bowyer, chief operating officer for Turning Point USA, told the crowd, referencing Kirk’s absence.

Attendees erupted into chants of “Charlie, Charlie, Charlie!” as the evening began with a moment of tribute. Many in the crowd said they came specifically because of what happened to Kirk and to support the broader conservative message.

“After what happened at UVU, I still wanted to come up and be helpful and show support,” attendee Walker Manning said.

More than 6,000 attended, according to organizers. The panel included Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs, former Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox.

Sen. Mike Lee also made a virtual appearance from Washington.

Despite the interruption, the panel continued with reflections on Kirk’s legacy and discussions about the future of the U.S. conservative movement.

“Fighting for freedom, fighting for faith, fighting for open markets and limited government,” Manning said. “We’re trying to continue Charlie’s mission.”

Hours before the event, campus tensions briefly rose when Utah State University Police issued an evacuation order prompted by a suspicious package.

The alert went out around 2:45 p.m., during class hours, prompting dozens of students and staff to gather on a quad. Shortly before 3:30 p.m., witnesses heard authorities shout “Fire in the hole!” followed by a loud detonation noise. The all-clear was given around 4 p.m.

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She said lawmakers bypassed the independent redistricting commission established by voters and drew maps that unlawfully favored Republicans. Her ruling means new congressional maps must be drawn ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Gibson said when legislators enacted the new congressional map in 2021 using HB 2004, it violated the law already established and “cannot lawfully govern future elections in Utah.”

The legislature has until Sept. 24 to redraw districting lines that align with the ballot initiative called Proposition 4. The plaintiffs and third parties will also have the opportunity to submit maps that could be used if the legislature’s maps do not meet requirements.

Gibson’s ruling is the latest in a saga of court hearings regarding Utah’s congressional districts. It also comes as some states are looking to redraw congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Texas and California have already moved ahead with new maps.

The case began after the Utah legislature repealed Proposition 4, passed by voters in 2018. That initiative created an independent redistricting commission and established rules against partisan gerrymandering.

Lawmakers replaced the initiative and drew new maps outside of the redistricting commission in 2020, a move critics argued violated rights protected by the state constitution.

In 2022, the League of Women Voters and other plaintiffs filed a lawsuit over alleged gerrymandering against legislature. That lawsuit eventually made its way to the Utah Supreme Court in 2024. In a landmark ruling, the Utah Supreme Court determined the legislature had overstepped by repealing Proposition 4, saying government-reform initiatives are constitutionally protected from “unfettered legislative amendment, repeal or replacement.”

The ruling allowed some room for the legislature to amend a government-reform initiative, so long as those amendments did not impair the initiative.

While the Utah Supreme Court ruled Utah’s citizen ballot initiatives were protected under the state’s constitution, it did not issue a ruling on the lawsuit, instead kicking it back he lower court.

“We hope it sends a message to the legislature that we want to work with them,” said Catherine Beeley of the League of Women Voters. “We want to work hand in hand with them because representatives should represent their voters.”

After Gibson’s ruling on Monday, Senate President J. Stuart Adams and Speaker Mike Schultz released a joint statement saying they were disappointed by the court’s decision.

“While disappointed by the court’s decision, we remain committed to protecting the voices of Utahns and upholding the Legislature’s state and federal constitutional authority to draw congressional districts. We will carefully review the ruling and consider our next steps,” the statement said.

However, the Utah House Democratic Leadership Team also released a statement calling the verdict “a victory.”

“This verdict is a victory for the people of Utah, who demanded fair representation when they passed Proposition 4 and established an independent redistricting commission,” the statement read. “This decision is a powerful affirmation that voters of all backgrounds deserve a voice in the democratic process.”

Other politicians released statements on the ruling, including Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson, who supported the verdict.

“Utahns expect politicians to play fair and play by the rules. Rigging the game so you never lose isn’t fair — and now, after years of legal challenges, it is clear to everyone that it is also decidedly against the rules,” she said. “This decision is a strong signal that the people’s voice cannot be brushed aside. Utahns spoke loudly when they passed Proposition 4, and the court recognized the weight of that decision today.”

Rep. Trevor Lee posted a simple statement against the ruling, saying the Constitution is “very clear” in that “the judiciary cannot assume the legislature’s responsibility.”

Chairman Robert Axson of the Utah Republican Party shared a similar message, saying this was an instance of judicial activism.

“Once again, certain members of Utah’s judiciary abandon the principles of our Constitutional Republic,” he said. “Using earlier flawed rulings to justify their opinions over the principles of our founding is a special kind of hubris — Judicial Activism in Action!”

Ryan Bell with Better Boundaries, an organization fighting against gerrymandering, said the ruling is about respecting the people’s voice.

“We respect the power that the legislature has. We expect the legislature to respect the power that the people have,” Bell said.

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A White House official confirmed with the Associated Press on Wednesday that Trump pardoned the convicted rapper. Shortly after, Gaulden scheduled a concert tour beginning in September 2025. He has had four No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 and one Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, according to AP.

The 25-year-old rapper publicly thanked Trump, saying the pardon gives him “the opportunity to keep building — as a man, as a father, and as an artist.”

“This moment means a lot. It opens the door to a future I’ve worked hard for and I am fully prepared to step into this,” his post read.

The rapper was among several high-profile people Trump pardoned this past week, including a former New York congressman (Michael Grimm), a labor union leader (James Callahan  of Lindenhurst, New York) and a reality TV star couple (Julie and Todd Chrisley).

Other rappers who have received pardons from Trump in the past include Kodak Black, Lil Wayne and A$AP Rocky 2021.

“Mr. Gaulden pled guilty to the charges in this investigation, and we feel strongly the Justice System in Cache County is far from a weaponized system of justice,” the statement read. “We have highly trained, honest, experienced and professional sheriff’s investigators and county prosecutors, along with respected District Court Judges and Defense Attorneys.”

Gaulden admitted to his role in what police called a “large scale prescription fraud ring,” pleading guilty to 46 charges of prescription drug fraud. He was fined $25,000.

He also served time in Louisiana for gun-related charges.

The full statement from Cache County officials:

“Cache County Attorney Taylor Sorensen and I have recently been made aware that President Donald Trump has pardoned Kentrell Desean Gaulden aka NBA Young Boy who pled guilty in November 2024 to his role in a prescription drug fraud ring in Cache County. He also pled guilty to additional charges in other jurisdictions. His pardon comes in a grouping with other convicts across the country. The reason given for these pardons was to correct. ‘a politicized and weaponized justice system.’

“We are extremely proud of the work our investigator and prosecutors did on this case as well as grateful for all the help we received from other local and federal agencies. Mr. Gaulden pled guilty to the charges in this investigation, and we feel strongly the Justice System in Cache County is far from a ‘weaponized system of justice.’ We have highly trained, honest, experienced and professional sheriff’s investigators and county prosecutors, along with respected District Court Judges and Defense Attorneys. We, along with all of our staff are proud of the work we do in Cache County.”

— D. Chad Jensen, sheriff, & Taylor Sorensen, Cache County attorney

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The Utah State Legislature announced that the bill would go into effect on May 7.

The news has sparked both praise and controversy. The new law was signed Thursday, just weeks after President Donald Trump appointed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as his secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy had previously expressed his concern over water fluoridation.

The Utah bill, sponsored by Rep. Stephanie Gricius and Sen. Kirk A. Cullimore, was passed during the 2025 General Session of the legislature. It prohibited the addition of fluoride to Utah’s public water systems and banned the government from enacting new laws that would allow fluoride in the state’s water supplies.

According to Health and Human Services, a systematic review of published scientific literature regarding the association between fluoride exposure and neurodevelopment and cognition found that higher levels of fluoride exposure, “such as drinking water containing more than 1.5 milligrams of fluoride per liter, are associated with lower IQ in children.”

However, the data did not confirm whether the lower recommended fluoride level for U.S. drinking water supplies of 0.7 milligrams per liter negatively affected children’s IQ. The review also found no evidence that fluoride exposure had hazardous effects on adult cognition.

Fluoride, a chemical commonly added to drinking water and dental hygiene products to prevent tooth decay, has been locally and nationally debated for decades. Supporters argued that it was an effective public health measure, while critics believed it raised health concerns and violated personal freedoms.

Kennedy told NPR last year that “fluoride made sense in the 1940s when they put it in, but now we have fluoride in toothpaste. We don’t need fluoride in our water and it’s a very bad way to deliver it because it’s delivered through the blood system.”

About 63% of all Americans have fluoride in their community water systems, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics. The CDC has called fluoridation of drinking water one of the nation’s top 10 public health achievements of the 20th century, according to Reuters.

The new law says residents who wanted to keep fluoride for personal use could get a prescription for a supplement. The Division of Professional Licensing was tasked with creating pharmacist guidelines for prescribing fluoride.

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Steve Terry and his son Kyler discovered a post on Facebook showing two dogs – one black, one brown – nestled against the headstone of Steve’s late father, Sam Terry.

The black puppy bore a striking resemblance to Sam’s childhood dog, Duke, a black lab with a white patch on its chest.

“I almost felt like that dog had a purpose, like it was meant to be there,” Steve reflected.

Sam Terry, who grew up on a farm in Idaho, shared a deep bond with his dogs, who accompanied him for daily chores.

For the Terry family, the puppies’ presence felt like a message from Sam, who passed away in 2023.

“It feels like a tender mercy to say ‘Hey, look what’s happening here.’ I think there’s a deeper meaning,” Steve said.

The puppies, believed to be between 8 and 10 months old and possible lab-shepherd mixes, were taken to the Washington City Animal Shelter, 95 E. Industrial Drive.

Witnesses reported seeing a man abandon them near the cemetery before driving off.

Shelter staff have named the puppies, both girls, Sally and Clara.

This Christmas, the Terry family is finding solace in the unexpected visit from the puppies, viewing it as a reminder of a father’s love.

“There’s a real connection between dogs and people. They care for us, and I think these dogs showed us that love in a really unique way,” Steve said.

“Sam was a very loving person, with people and with his dogs. I think there’s a connection there and I think they’re watching over us every day,” said Judy Terry, Steve’s mother.

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The warrant was signed by a Utah Third District Court judge after Jaswinder Singh Dhillon, 46, of Ridgefield, Washington, was officially charged with aggravated murder and aggravated kidnapping in the death of Jaspinder Singh of California.

Both charges are first-degree felonies.

Singh was found dead Sept. 26 when a co-worker noticed his GPS had stopped moving. The co-worker went to the truck’s location, where Singh was found with stab wounds to his neck and lower extremities, according to charging documents.

Investigators poring over surveillance footage and license plate reader data found that Singh’s truck was constantly being followed by an individual driving a white Mercedes-Benz.

The vehicle, and an individual wearing a hooded jacket, is seen arriving at and possibly surveilling Singh’s semi at multiple stops once inside the state. It’s not clear how long the Mercedes had been following Singh, but video evidence shows it was over a course of at least 300 miles, where the car is seen pulling into a gas station a few minutes behind Singh’s truck in Winnemucca, Nevada.

It’s more than a four-hour drive on I-80 from Winnemucca to Delle, Utah, where the occupant is seen approaching Singh’s parked truck before the semi eventually pulls away from the station’s parking lot.

The truck’s GPS data shows the truck eventually made its way to the on-ramp near I-80 mile marker 70, where it parked and stayed put until Singh’s co-worker stopped to investigate.

The white Mercedes was registered to Dhillon, who also matched the description of the hooded individual who had been tailing the tractor-trailer.

Authorities in Clark County, Washington, where Dhillon resides, arrested a man who was booked on suspicion of felony charges and is listed as a fugitive.

It wasn’t immediately confirmed whether the Jaswinder Singh Dhillon who was booked into jail is the same Jaswinder Singh Dhillon wanted for the murder of Jaspinder Singh.

Other than a person’s name, their booking date and the charges, details on a person’s arrest in Washington are confidential under state law.

The Dhillon arrested has only “fugitive” listed in the charges section.

Washington has hundreds of residents named Jaswinder Singh Dhillon, which is a common name in the Sikh tradition of equality.

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The envelope, containing white powder and signed by the so-called “United States Traitor Elimination Army,” was intercepted in Reno, Nevada, Lt. Gov. Henderson’s office said.

Law enforcement officials are reportedly investigating the threat and testing the substance.

Lt. Gov. Henderson said the incident is the latest tactic in a nationwide trend of threats and intimidation toward election officials.

“But we will not be intimidated,” she said. “I am grateful for the swift action of postal workers and law enforcement and the perseverance of election workers who show up and do their jobs every day despite all the rhetoric and risk. We love them. We owe them. They are heroes.”

Lt. Gov. Henderson’s office said Utah is one of at least 20 states targeted recently.

“The lieutenant governor and state law enforcement officials will continue to monitor the situation and take all necessary precautions to ensure the safety of election workers and maintain an orderly election,”Lt. Gov. Henderson’s office said.

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The center is urging caution for anyone taking medications like Ozempic or Wegovy, which contain semaglutide, a GLP-1.

These drugs have gained significant popularity, so much so that brand names like Ozempic are in such short supply that the FDA now allows them to be compounded.

This has led to issues like people not asking enough safety questions and self-medicating.

The drug is being prescribed in various settings, including doctors’ offices, medical spas and even through the mail.

The increase in cases to the Poison Control Center was first reported by the University of Utah Health.

Amberly Johnson, director of the Utah Poison Control Center, said many of the calls stem from individuals mistakenly taking the wrong dose of the compounded version of semaglutide.

“They’ve been calling in saying they’ve accidentally given themselves 10 times the amount,” Johnson said.

Symptoms of overdose include severe nausea, vomiting and diarrhea — which can persist because these drugs stay in the body for a long time.

Since 2020, Poison Control has seen over 300 cases related to these drugs, with more than 100 occurring in 2024. Twenty-eight percent of the cases result in hospitalization.

“This is very unique,” Johnson said.

Salt Lake County pharmacist Akram Refaat explained that some individuals mistakenly believe that taking a higher dose will result in faster weight loss.

“This is also a risk with an unmonitored medication like that,” Refaat said. “The source can be an untrustworthy source, and then the patient can go ahead and misuse it.”

Both Poison Control and Refaat emphasize the importance of caution. Refaat advised patients to consult with their medical professionals or pharmacists before using the drugs.

“It makes perfect sense to me for a medication that sells the dream of losing weight to cause this kind of complaint,” Refaat said.

Poison Control urges individuals to do their homework before taking these drugs and to reach out for guidance if necessary.

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Initially, 94 women filed a lawsuit against Broadbent, but after the Utah Supreme Court overturned a lower court’s dismissal of the case last month, more women have come forward.

Attorney Adam Sorenson, who is representing the plaintiffs, revealed that the number of women involved has now exceeded 200.

These women, from different towns and backgrounds, say they are united by their similar experiences with the doctor. Their stories reveal patterns of behavior during medical exams.

Broadbent was a gynecologist whose office was near Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.

“There are a lot of young girls who are maybe getting married and going to see their OB-GYN for the first time, and they don’t know what to expect,” Stephanie Mateer said. “That was my position. I was 18, maybe 19. It was around my birthday when I went. I didn’t know what to expect. I’d never had another examination.”

Angela Kraniski was also a student at BYU when she went to Broadbent. She said it was after she had moved out of state that she realized what had happened.

“It was shortly after my exam with Dr. Broadbent, we moved to Dallas, and the wonderful women in my church congregation gave me referrals to female OB-GYN doctors they liked. I just remember feeling so much relief during that exam because it wasn’t painful, and they didn’t perform a rectal exam, and they used gloves,” Kraniski said. “They actually found signs of an STD. And I was a virgin, churchgoing, temple-attending BYU student. So, because he didn’t use gloves, I got an STD. Then in later years, as I went I exclusively saw female midwives and OB-GYN doctors over the next decade.”

Mateer recalled how bad the examination was.

“I remember I felt violated,” she said. “I felt like that was so wrong, and it felt so off to me.”

While multiple women have talked to media before, this is the first time Kraniski is speaking up.

“I am so grateful to the women who are the original 94,” she said.

In 2022, the lawsuit filed by 94 women was dismissed, with the judge suggesting it should be a medical malpractice case. However, the recent Supreme Court ruling has allowed the case to proceed, leading to a significant increase in plaintiffs.

“The more we heard, the more accounts, and this was before there was any media about it, all of these accounts had so many similar actions that were occurring,” Sorenson said. “I think you compare it to Tyndall at USC; I think you compare it to Larry Nassar. It’s on that scale.”

Sonia McGrath, a mother and alleged victim, said she hopes this can be an important reminder to parents.

“Educate your own children. I have a 15-year-old daughter at home who will go to an OB-GYN and have exams,” she said. “I want her to understand that this can really happen to anyone. You have to get educated enough to know what you get into in one of these visits, and what to expect.”

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