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Bountiful

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Mayor Kenneth Romney holds multiple regional and local roles as of 2026

Kenneth Romney, the Mayor of West Bountiful, holds several roles across regional and local boards. His current mayoral term runs through December 31, 2029, according to a city directory page published on December 8, 2021. This official record also notes that Romney was elected Mayor in November 2009 and was re-elected in 2013, 2017, 2021, and 2026. Before his tenure as Mayor, Romney served on the City Council from 2008 to 2009 and on the Planning Commission from 2006 to 2008. Beyond his municipal duties, the December 8, 2021, directory lists Romney as a representative for the Council of Governments and the Wasatch Front Regional Council, as well as a board chairman for the RDA and a board member for the South Davis Metro Fire District. In early 2026, Romney's involvement in regional infrastructure was further solidified. According to a city resolution passed on January 6, 2026, the West Bountiful City Council consented to the Mayor's appointment of Kenneth Romney as the city's representative to the South Davis Sewer District Board of Trustees, for a term ending on December 31, 2027. During his leadership, the City Council has taken various legislative actions. On June 16, 2026, the Council passed Ordinance #513-26, which temporarily suspended Chapter 2.34 of the West Bountiful Municipal Code and all associated Youth City Council bylaws for a period of six months. This ordinance, as recorded by the City Recorder on June 17, 2026, was intended to allow the Youth City Council to continue operating as an advisory and service organization while the city reviewed and redrafted the existing bylaws. Under the interim standards established by that ordinance, the Mayor or a designee held the authority to appoint youth participants to the council and to appoint adult advisors to supervise the program. Financial management also falls under the council's purview, and Romney's signature appears on significant budgetary documents. A resolution passed by the City Council on June 16, 2026, enacted a second amendment to the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 budget. This resolution, which took effect immediately upon passage, was necessary to recognize transfers, revenues, and expenditures. The amended budget, as of the June 16, 2026, vote, included various adjustments to the General Fund, such as changes to total taxes, licenses and permits, and intergovernmental funds. The resolution was approved by Councilmembers Ahlstrom, Butterfield, Enquist, Nielsen, and Thompson, and was attested by City Recorder Remington Whiting.

Utah Transit Authority Implements Systemwide Zero Fare for System Upgrades

The Utah Transit Authority implemented a systemwide Zero Fare period from Sept. 18 through Sept. 20, 2026, to facilitate a major fare collection system upgrade. During this three-day window, all UTA services, including TRAX and FrontRunner, were free to riders as the agency modernized its software and hardware.

Utah Partners Launch Utah Rail Safety Week 2026 Campaign

Utah transportation partners have launched an annual campaign for Utah Rail Safety Week 2026 to promote public safety around railroad crossings. The initiative involves several organizations working together to educate pedestrians, cyclists, drivers, and transit riders across the state.

Bountiful City Council Scheduled for Sept. 22 Meeting

The Bountiful City Council has scheduled a meeting for September 22, 2026, which will include a work session and a regular session. The meeting will cover various topics including public safety discussions and several city ordinance approvals.

Bountiful High School Football Holds 3-2 Record Heading Into October

Bountiful High School's boys varsity football team holds a 3-2-0 record according to recent team data. Upcoming matchups for the team include games against Alta High School, Brighton High School, and Olympus High School.

Name game: Why is BYU’s Bear Bachmeier quoting Mary Poppins?

BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier spoke to local reporters for the first time in more than a month on Tuesday, addressing last Saturday’s 17-10 win over TCU and looking ahead to Friday’s Big 12 showdown with Iowa State. Cougars on the air Iowa State (3-2, 1-1) at No.

via Deseret NewsStatewideOctober 8, 2026

Destructive invasive species has entered Utah portion of Colorado River

State wildlife biologists found live adult zebra mussels below Westwater Recreation Area last month, which were confirmed by lab testing on Wednesday, according to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. Zebra mussels, much like quagga mussels that have been found before in Utah, are invasive and clog pipes and infrastructure, which can potentially cause millions in damage.

via KSLStatewideOctober 8, 2026

BYU Basketball Fans Celebrate Marriott Madness at Marriott Center

BYU basketball fans gathered at the Marriott Center on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, for the annual Marriott Madness event. The festivities featured fan games, musical performances, and player introductions for both the men's and women's teams.

StatewideOctober 8, 2026

Alpine School District Uses $15 Million in Trust Lands to Support Classrooms

In an undated notice from Alpine School District, officials explained how School Community Councils direct millions of dollars in Trust Lands revenue to local classrooms. This funding, which does not require additional taxpayer money, is managed through the Learning And Nurturing Development program to address specific school needs.

StatewideOctober 8, 2026

El Salvador’s Consul General Visits Timpanogos Elementary for Hispanic Heritage Month

Timpanogos Elementary students concluded a series of Hispanic Heritage Month visits from international representatives with Fernando Pérez, Consul General of El Salvador in Utah. Speaking in Spanish, Pérez introduced students to El Salvador’s culture, traditions and national symbols, inviting them to compare what they knew about the Central American country with their own experiences. He began by asking students about their favorite foods, the weather and familiar American traditions, incl

StatewideOctober 8, 2026

Author Karla Arenas Valenti Brings María Mariposa to Franklin and Timpanogos Elementary

“Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt lonely.” Children’s author Karla Arenas Valenti posed the question to students during recent visits to Franklin and Timpanogos Elementary Schools, where she shared her picture book María Mariposa as part of Operation Literacy’s Book Drop program. The program is organized by the nonprofit Operation Literacy that brings authors to Title I schools and provides students with books of their own. Throughout the reading, Valenti occasionally spoke Spanish and paused

StatewideOctober 8, 2026

Management Club Opening Social Scheduled for Oct. 8 at SUU

The Dixie L. Leavitt School of Business has scheduled a Management Club opening social for Oct. 8, 2026.

StatewideOctober 8, 2026

Utah’s MUSS is finally showing up early to football games. Here’s what changed.

After years of late arrivals, MUSS leaders overhauled how students get tickets and where they sit. 3, 2026. Comment Add as Preferred Source If you pay attention to the usually sold-out Rice-Eccles Stadium crowd, the first few minutes of the first quarter are often filled with fans slowly filtering into the stadium.

via Salt Lake TribuneStatewideOctober 8, 2026

Isaias Intensifies into Atlantic's First Hurricane Ahead of Gulf Coast Landfall

Hurricane Isaias has intensified into the Atlantic season's first hurricane, maintaining maximum sustained winds of 80 mph as it moves toward the northern Gulf Coast. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey has declared a state of emergency for 40 counties in anticipation of the storm's possible landfall as a hurricane by Friday.

StatewideSalt Lake CityOctober 8, 2026

A new film makes the case that an 1844 photo shows the face of Joseph Smith

These researchers are sure a 19th-century photograph shows the face of Joseph Smith. A new film contains their proof. A documentary, which premieres Friday, makes the case that an 1844 daguerreotype shows the image of the LDS founder. (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) A locket containing a daguerreotype reported to be from the 1840s.

via Salt Lake TribuneStatewideOctober 8, 2026

Most Utahns oppose building more data centers. Here’s what they want done about them.

8, 2026. Comment Add as Preferred Source Note to readers • This story is made possible through a partnership between The Salt Lake Tribune and Grist, a nonprofit environmental media organization. As the number of planned data center projects seemingly explodes across Utah, most residents aren’t happy with how their elected leaders have handled them, according to a new survey.

via Salt Lake TribuneStatewideOctober 8, 2026

Ask an Expert – Five ways to help someone struggling with mental health

USU Extension press release Guest article written by Ashley Yaugher Observant family members can be the first responders to mental health or substance use concerns. Recognizing changes, listening without judgment, and simply being available can make a meaningful difference.

via etvnews.comStatewideOctober 8, 2026

Anti-trafficking activist Tim Ballard says LDS Church excommunicated him to hide child abuse in the faith

Tim Ballard accused people within the LDS Church of conspiring to have him booted from the faith to keep him from becoming a U.S. senator after he sounded alarms about pedophilia within the church ranks.

via Salt Lake TribuneStatewideOctober 8, 2026

Distinct Malaria Parasites “Hidden in Plain Sight” May Contribute to Human Disease Protection

A new study has found that people with the sickle cell genetic variant are almost exclusively infected by a distinct variety of malaria parasites, which might help protect them from disease.

StatewideOctober 8, 2026

Box Elder School District Schedules Oct. 14 Board Meeting

The Box Elder School District has scheduled a school board meeting for Oct. 14, 2026, to provide district updates. This meeting follows the appointment of A.J. Gilmore as Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Learning for Secondary Education earlier this year.

StatewideOctober 8, 2026

Sen. Lummis came to Washington as a trailblazer. She hopes to be remembered as a ‘spark for the West’

After a trailblazing career, Wyoming Sen. MDTSee More Deseret News Stories In Search Eliza Anderson, Deseret News Purchase ImageBy Cami Mondeaux Cami is the congressional correspondent for the Deseret News reporting from Washington. She covers national news with a special focus on policy issues affecting Utah and the West.

via Deseret NewsStatewideOctober 8, 2026

WATCH: Utah 4th Congressional District Debate with Mike Kennedy and Jonny Larsen

Facebook Bluesky Threads Twitter LinkedIn Email Incumbent Republican Rep. Mike Kennedy, the current 3rd District congressman, will debate Democratic challenger Jonny Larsen, a Marine veteran and 5th-generation Utahn. Kennedy took up the mantle for the new fourth district after Utah's court-ordered redistricting shuffled things up and the retirement of Rep.

via KUERStatewideOctober 8, 2026
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