Box Elder News Journal's Podcast

Reed Kirkland raises an American Flag during a dramatic live retelling of the birth of the United States of America as part of a 250th Independence Day stage show in Corinne on Friday, July 3. Kirkland, Colton Smith, Colby Nelson, and Heston Morris all played roles of the Founding Fathers. At the conclusion of the festival—which was dreamed up and brought into reality by Beulah Wells—members of th...

The decade-long effort to build the Forest Street overpass reached another milestone Tuesday morning as city officials, state lawmakers, contractors and community members gathered atop the bridge for a ceremonial ribbon cutting ahead of its expected opening later this month. Mayor DJ Bott called the overpass a “generational project,” comparing it to other landmark public works that have shaped Bri...

As the Bear River Health Department transitions to a managed-care Medicaid model, current Medicaid patients receiving substance abuse treatment will be able to continue seeing their existing providers, under certain conditions, according to Bear River Health Department Director Jordan Mathis. "Everyone who's currently receiving substance abuse treatment will be able to continue with thei...

The first human case of West Nile virus in the Bear River Health District, which includes Box Elder, Cache and Rich counties, has been found in Box Elder, prompting officials to remind residents how to stay safe this summer. The culex species of mosquitos, the transmission vector of West Nile virus to humans, benefitted from an extremely mild winter that allowed them to survive in adult form with...

Utah entered the 2026 fire season with record-low snowpack and heightened concerns about wildfires, which are already burning across the state. As of early July, there have been 390 wildfires across Utah burning 296,063 acres. Of these fires, 278 have been human caused, 73 caused by lightning, and 39 with the a cause yet to be determined. While the earlier fires were at mid-elevation in grass, bru...

Strained resources With critical fire danger escalating across the state and drought conditions straining water supplies, officials are urging all residents to exercise extreme caution. As fire activity intensifies, please recreate responsibly to help prevent new wildfire starts while crews manage ongoing incidents. Statewide precipitation in valley locations was 51% of normal for the month of Jun...

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During its June 25 meeting, the Willard City Council unanimously adopted a fiscal year 2026-27 budget totaling about .35 million across the city's general, capital projects, water and sewer funds after discussing concerns that police spending has increased faster than inflation and city growth. The adopted budget includes .4 million in general fund expenditures, 0,000 in capital projects fund...

The Willard City Council approved year-end amendments to the city's 2025-26 budget June 25, updating revenue and expenditure estimates across the general, capital projects, and water and sewer funds to reflect the city's financial activity as the fiscal year came to a close. Ryan Child of Child Richards CPAs & Advisors said the amendments primarily reflected routine differences betwe...

This pie was an entry in a baking contest held as part of Brigham City Rec Fest activities at Pioneer Park on Friday as part of the city’s America 250 events. For more photos from the event see page 4. For more upcoming Independence Day activities schedule of events calendar see page 5. Article Link

Republican primary voters reshaped Box Elder County government Tuesday, denying three incumbent county officeholders another term and selecting new nominees for sheriff and two county commission seats, according to unofficial election results. Mike Allred won the Republican nomination for sheriff, receiving 5,716 votes, or 61.1% of the unofficial vote, compared with 3,341 votes, or 35.7%, for thre...

Perry Police Detective Zachary Waddoups was presented the department’s Medal of Valor Thursday in recognition of his actions during what officials described as a “chaotic family disturbance” on Nov. 7, 2025. Police Chief Scott Hancey read the department’s Medal of Valor policy, saying the award may be presented to an officer “who in the line of duty distinguishes themselves by the performance of a...

Box Elder County municipalities took different approaches after Gov. Spencer Cox’s wildfire emergency order temporarily prohibited consumer fireworks statewide unless cities designated areas where they could still be discharged. Four of Box Elder County’s eight incorporated municipalities chose to designate areas where consumer fireworks remain legal, while the other four did not designate any dis...

The Box Elder County Commission approved revisions to the Bear River Health Department's interlocal agreement Wednesday and appointed Bear River Mental Health Executive Director Trevor Cook as the region's behavioral health director, continuing a restructuring of behavioral health services that has been underway across Box Elder, Cache and Rich counties since 2024. The revised agreement...

A headline in last week’s edition on a story about the Box Elder School District budget contained an error. The district did not bond million for two elementary school projects. The district used a different debt instrument: A lease-purchase agreement. We regret the error. Article Link

In 2021, Idle Isle Café on Main Street in Brigham City celebrated its 100th anniversary. At that time, the restaurant, a centerpiece of the community—everyone in the community seemingly had a connection to it— was touted as Utah’s longest continually operating restaurant. But in May 2025, that record came to an end when owners announced the restaurant’s closure amid financial difficulties that inc...

A Brigham City police officer assigned as a school resource officer at Box Elder Middle School has been charged with one count of Class B misdemeanor assault following an interaction with a student earlier this year. The charge against Officer Casey Carlsen was filed June 18 in Box Elder Justice Court. Court records show Carlsen is scheduled to be arraigned July 21 before Judge Dustin Ericson. The...

A 44-year-old Salt Lake-area man was killed June 23 when a small aircraft crashed in Box Elder County near the Willard area foothills, according to the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies, assisted by a Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter, located the wreckage after receiving a report of a possible aircraft crash. The pilot, who was flying solo, was found deceased at the scene. The...

The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday approved a low-income property tax abatement for a resident who narrowly exceeded the program’s income limits because state law required the inclusion of a deceased spouse’s income from earlier in the tax year. The resident told commissioners she applied for the abatement because of her limited income but was pushed over the eligibility threshold after...

The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday approved two Utah Department of Agriculture and Food Invasive Species Mitigation Grant Program agreements totaling ,077 for continued control of rush skeletonweed and knapweed across Box Elder County. Darren McFarland of the county’s Weed and Road Department told commissioners the county received ,000 for its annual rush skeletonweed mitigation program...

The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday reappointed members to administrative control boards and boards of trustees for several special service districts across the county, recognizing volunteers who oversee services ranging from flood control and watershed management to cemetery maintenance. County Clerk Marla Young thanked those willing to continue serving, telling commissioners the positio...

The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday approved a five-year contract with City of Fun Carnival to continue operating the exclusive carnival midway at the Box Elder County Fair through 2030. Under the agreement, City of Fun will pay the county ,000 annually plus 30% of presale ticket revenue while retaining exclusive rights to operate carnival rides, games, and food trailers during the fair....

Virginia-based artist Layton Scarbrough’s largest scale mural, to date, can now be seen at Tremonton’s Midland Square. The fiveday project honors military members and also pays tribute to the fallen officers Sgt. Sorensen and Officer Estrada who were killed in the line of duty last year, along with a tribute to the historic Midland Hotel of Tremonton. Estrada and Sorensen’s last names are seen on...

Prosecutors presented evidence over a two-day preliminary hearing in 1st District Court last week in the case of Ryan Michael Bate, the man charged in the killings of two Tremonton–Garland police officers, building directly on amended allegations filed days earlier in the case. At the conclusion of the hearing, the court allowed the case to move forward to trial, finding sufficient probable cause...

The Perry City Council unanimously adopted the city’s fiscal year 2026-27 budget Thursday, approving a .9 million general fund without increasing the city’s property tax rate. In a separate action, the council also approved utility rate increases that will add about .28 per month to the average residential utility bill while leaving garbage rates unchanged. A typical bill will include .13 for wate...