Eric Peterson is the Executive Director of The Utah Investigative Journalism Project. Eric has been an investigative journalist, private detective, and writer for over 10 years. LISTEN TO THE PODCAST WATCH THE VIDEO Eric’s passion is uncovering the truth when greater powers are attempting to hide their corruption and misdeeds. He has no fear to point out … [Read more...]
A Tale of Two Prisons: Construction of a modernized state penitentiary is underway almost 70 years after the closure of Utah’s first state prison in Sugar House
Nearly 70 years ago, Utah’s first state prison closed its doors and was transformed into the much-loved Sugar House Park. Construction is now underway on a new penitentiary that is 15 miles away but vastly different from its predecessors. The Utah Territorial Prison opened in 1855 with 16 cells on 80 acres selected by Brigham Young. The original facility was built of brick … [Read more...]
Cash Canyon: Former Lawmaker’s Bill to Allow Canyon Tolling Benefit His Development Project
The following story was written and reported by The Utah Investigative Journalism Project in partnership with Utah Stories. In the 2018 Legislature, then-Senate President Wayne Niederhauser, one of the most powerful legislators on the hill, presented a bill in a committee to pave the way for toll roads to be established in the state. The soft-spoken Sandy Republican … [Read more...]
Why should a Millennial be Utah’s next governor? An interview with Zachary Moses.
Millennials and Utah Work Ethics Millennials get a lot of attention in the press: How they seem to operate by a different set of values and priorities: They place more importance on experiences and fancy cocktails, tattoos than security and things. Older generations (including Gen Xers) like to point out that many of them have spent most of their lives getting “achievement … [Read more...]
If It Bleeds It Leads : A conversation with Rod Decker from KUTV News
“If it bleeds, it leads.” That’s the mantra you have to follow to attract viewers in the local TV news business said local news stalwart Rod Decker when I sat down and spoke with him for our Utah Stories podcast. I suppose I agree. Not much blood in this story, mostly because the heart has been removed from local news. Rod Decker was a very young reporter … [Read more...]
Utah Senator Luz Escamilla Headed into a Campaign to be Elected Salt Lake City Mayor
Utah Senator Luz Escamilla hardly broke stride as she exited her 11th legislative session last month and headed straight into a campaign to be elected mayor of the state’s capital city in 2020. In 2008, the odds were not in favor of a 29-year-old Mexican immigrant from the West Side of Salt Lake City to be elected to the Utah Senate, she said in an interview the day after … [Read more...]
Utah Liquor Laws: 3.2 to 4.8 % ABV : A conversation with Senator Jerry Stevenson
Listen to our conversation with Senator Jerry Stevenson regarding Utah liquor laws. Utah Liquor Laws Utah liquor laws are considered some of the wackiest in the country. Namely, the new DIU Limit for blood alcohol content level is 0.05 percent, the lowest in the country. In addition, our allowable alcohol content in beer sold in supermarket is 3.2. Consequently, Utah is … [Read more...]
Utah’s Air Policy and why won’t our leaders do anything about industrial pollution
More people die and end up in emergency rooms in Utah on red air days than any other day. Our poor air quality is probably the most serious environmental problem we face in Utah and very little is being done about all of the industrial polluters along the Wasatch Front. Why is this? In this wide-ranging episode, we speak to Marty Gray a compliance manager for the Division of … [Read more...]
Would The New Green Deal work for Salt Lake City, Utah? The Mayor Jackie Biskupski Thinks So.
Climate Crisis activism is heating up. “We want a better environment!” “When do we want it!” “NOW!” ...Seems to be the widespread sentiment. The jargon and the social justice warriors are treating climate change as if it were “our World War II” according to newly elected Democratic Socialist Alexandria Ocasio Cortez. Climate activism also appears similar to … [Read more...]
The LDS Church Faces a Lawsuit over the Compromise Bill
The LDS Church Faces a Lawsuit if the Compromise Bill is Passed in its Current form The Patients for medical cannabis organization called TRUCE, issued a statement to the LDS Church that they will file a lawsuit if the Church continues to direct the State Legislature in the Compromise Bill that they are pushing forward in the Utah State Legislature. The Church has … [Read more...]