Utah News

Tune in to the Lieutenant Governor Debate, October 31 at 11:30 on Utah Public Radio

Dr. Julie Young is a wildlife biologist at the National Wildlife Research Center's field station in Millville, Utah. As one might guess from the yipping and howling frequently heard at the 165-acre site, Young studies coyotes.

One has to wonder why coyotes howl in the first place. What are they saying to each other, if anything? As it turns out, Young and her team of researchers has pondered the same question and are still vexed by the mystery.

During the Great Recession Utah's institutions of higher learning generally saw significant increases as out-of-work individuals flocked to college campuses, and as students, unable to secure employment, decided to remain in school.

Southern Utah University was the exception, where enrollment dropped during the economic downturn, presumably as parents elected to save housing expenses by sending their students to commuter schools closer to home.

Latino leaders gathered last week in Yuma, Arizona, to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month—and to stress the importance of the Colorado River.

Two years ago, the Colorado's water use – by Utah, six other states and Mexico – officially outstripped its total annual flow. Experts say the river is slowly drying up, with a combination of over-consumption, drought and climate change. Sal Rivera of the group Nuestro Rio says the Colorado has been used for centuries by Latinos for farming and recreation, but they can no longer assume it will be around forever.

The Utah roads will soon be icy and snowy, and it may be time to reevaluate your driving habits before you have to navigate them. AARP Utah offers a four-hour driver safety course for anyone who sits behind the wheel. Paulette Welch, the driver safety coordinator, says most older adults haven't received any driving instruction since they were teenagers – and a lot has changed since then.