From its politics to its public lands to polygamy, Utah has always been fertile ground for news.
KCPW and The Salt Lake Tribune present a fresh way for Utahns to process the headlines. Behind the Headlines, a live weekly broadcast, examines the week’s top local stories through the eyes of reporters on the beat.
A rotating panel of the state’s top journalists – including columnist Robert Gehrke, Senior Managing Editor Matt Canham, reporters Erin Alberty, Brian Maffly and others – join KCPW’s Roger McDonough to talk about what’s happening in the Beehive State along with the hows and whys.
Listeners can join the discussion by name-checking @KCPW on Twitter or calling (801) 355-TALK with comments and questions for the panel. Behind the Headlines airs Fridays from 9-10 a.m. and Sundays at 10 a.m. on KCPW. Streaming audio is available as well, and podcasts of the lates episodes can be found below.
Police shootings of minorities, lessons from polio, and Utah’s water use
A Salt Lake Tribune analysis shows Utah police disproportionately shoot at racial and ethnic minorities. Childhood polio survivors say that the unknown long-term effects of COVID-19 should concern us. And Utahns use more water than any Western state. Reforming the water-rate structure, experts say, could help. At 9 a.m. on Friday, Tribune reporters Paighten Harkins and […]
Undercounted school COVID cases, inland port’s rail plan, and trails debate
School coronavirus cases go undercounted as some parents refuse to report to Utah health officials. The Utah Inland Port pursues a new funding stream for a train-to-truck facility. And Salt Lake City’s mayor puts foothills trail construction on hold to consider charting a different path. At 9 a.m. on Friday, Salt Lake Tribune reporters Leia Larsen and […]
Killing the death penalty, ‘fixing’ Utah Lake, and Donovan Mitchell vs. Stuart Adams
Utah lawmakers say they’ll try again to abolish capital punishment even as a county prosecutor says he’s already done pursuing the death penalty. Developers want to “fix” Utah Lake by building massive islands on it, but experts warn the project would do more harm than good. And, in a newly surfaced video, Utah Senate President […]
School masks, vaccine resistance, and stadium safety
The U.S. Department of Education launches an investigation into Utah’s law preventing schools from enacting mask mandates. Health officials hope personal stories — like that of a Vernal woman who got COVID-19 after declining a vaccine — will help change minds. Gov. Spencer Cox questions the effectiveness of masks, contradicting health care professionals. And what […]
Paiute burials, Holland’s BYU talk and embattled school board member
Latter-day Saint apostle Jeffrey R. Holland criticizes BYU faculty members and students who challenge the faith’s teachings on same-sex marriage. A Utah school board member draws fire for posting a message critical of LGBTQ students. And research points to a likely burial site of Paiute children who attended an Indigenous boarding school in Utah. At […]