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Tag: Utah

  • Utah’s Supreme Court Rejects Appeal to Overturn Congressional Map With Democratic-Leaning District

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    SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah’s Supreme Court rejected on Friday an appeal by Republican lawmakers and left in place a congressional map that gives Democrats a high chance of picking up one of the state’s four Republican-held U.S. House seats in the fall.

    In the order signed by Chief Justice Matthew B. Durrant, the court explained that they do not have “jurisdiction over Legislative Defendants’ appeal.”

    The lawmakers had appealed a decision in November in which a Utah judge adopted a congressional map creating a Democratic-leaning district over one poised to protect all four of the state’s U.S. House seats held by Republicans.

    The map keeps Salt Lake County almost entirely within one district, instead of dividing the heavily Democratic population center among all four districts, as was previously the case.

    Republicans have argued the court does not have legal authority to enact a map that wasn’t approved by the Legislature.

    Utah’s Republican Senate President Stuart Adams pushed back on the ruling, saying the “chaos continues.”

    “We will keep defending a process that respects the Constitution and ensures Utah voters across our state have their voices respected,” he said in a statement.

    Katharine Biele, president of the League of Women Voters of Utah, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, applauded the ruling.

    “We are encouraged that the court dismissed this improper appeal and allowed the process to move forward without disruption to voters or election administrators,” she said in a statement.

    The redistricting stems from an August decision in which Judge Dianna Gibson struck down the Utah congressional map adopted after the 2020 census because the Legislature had circumvented anti-gerrymandering standards passed by voters.

    The ruling pushed the state into a national redistricting battle as President Donald Trump urged Republican-led states to take up mid-decade redistricting to try to help the GOP retain control of the House in 2026.

    The approved map gives Democrats a much stronger chance to flip a seat in a state that last had a Democrat in Congress in early 2021.

    Emma Petty Addams, co-executive director of Mormon Women for Ethical Government, another plaintiff in the lawsuit, said in a statement Friday that “the courts have provided an important check on the Legislature, affirming the people’s constitutional right to alter and reform their government.”

    The ruling comes weeks before the deadline to file for reelection.

    There is another appeal pending in federal court that was spearheaded by two of the state’s Republican members of Congress. The lawsuit filed in February argues the state judge violated the U.S. Constitution by rejecting the congressional districts drawn by the Republican-led state Legislature.

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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  • Department of War transports next-generation reactor in nuclear energy milestone

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    The Department of War on Sunday transported a next-generation nuclear reactor aboard a C-17 from California to Utah, advancing President Donald Trump’s executive order to modernize America’s nuclear energy infrastructure and strengthen U.S. national security.

    The reactor was flown from March Air Reserve Base in California to Hill Air Force Base in Utah and is expected to be transported to the Utah San Rafael Energy Lab in Orangeville for testing and evaluation – a key step in assessing how advanced nuclear systems could support military installations and remote defense operations.

    The Department of War shared images on X showing the reactor loaded onto the C-17 aircraft.

    “We’re advancing President Trump’s executive order on nuclear energy,” the post read. “Moments from now, we will airlift a next-generation nuclear reactor.”

    TRUMP ADMIN POURS $1B INTO MASSIVE EFFORT TO RESTART NUCLEAR REACTOR AT HISTORIC MELTDOWN SITE

    The Department of War said the successful delivery and installation of the reactor will open new possibilities for energy resilience and strategic independence for the nation’s defense, highlighting what officials described as an agile, innovative and commercial-first approach to addressing critical infrastructure challenges.

    “By harnessing the power of advanced nuclear technology, we are not only enhancing our national security but championing a future of American energy dominance,” the agency said in a press release. “This event is a testament to the ingenuity of the American spirit and a critical advancement in securing our nation’s freedom and strength for generations to come.”

    Fox News Digital has reached out to the Department of War for additional comment.

    THREE MILE ISLAND NUCLEAR PLANT MAKES COMEBACK WITH $1B IN FEDERAL BACKING TO MEET INCREASING ENERGY DEMANDS

    The Department of War airlifted a next-generation nuclear reactor to Utah, advancing President Trump’s push to modernize U.S. energy and strengthen national security. (U.S. Department of War X)

    In May, President Donald Trump signed several executive orders aimed at expanding domestic nuclear energy development. At the time, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said America led the postwar world on “all things nuclear” until it “stagnated” and was “choked with overregulation.”

    War Secretary Pete Hegseth added that the U.S. was “going to have the lights on and AI operating when others are not because of our nuclear capabilities.”

    One of Trump’s nuclear directives called for reforming Energy Department research and development, accelerating reactor testing at national laboratories and establishing a pilot program for new construction.

    ENERGY SECRETARY REVEALS HOW US NUCLEAR TESTS WILL WORK

    Nuclear energy, the White House said in the order, “is necessary to power the next generation technologies that secure our global industrial, digital, and economic dominance, achieve energy independence, and protect our national security.”

    The nuclear expansion effort is part of a broader administration push to reinforce domestic energy production and grid reliability across multiple sectors.

    Days later, Trump signed another executive order directing the Department of War to work directly with coal-fired power plants on new long-term power purchasing agreements, arguing the move would ensure “more reliable power and stronger and more resilient grid power.”

    The order, “Strengthening United States National Defense with America’s Beautiful Clean Coal Power Generation Fleet,” states, “The United States must ensure that our electric grid … remains resilient and reliable, and not reliant on intermittent energy sources,” calling the grid “the foundation of our national defense as well as our economic stability.”

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    “It is the policy of the United States that coal is essential to our national and economic security,” the order adds.

    Fox News Digital’s Jasmine Baehr and Charles Creitz contributed to this report.

    Greg Wehner is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital.

    Story tips and ideas can be sent to Greg.Wehner@Fox.com and on Twitter @GregWehner.

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  • Indian Health Service to Phase Out Use of Dental Fillings Containing Mercury by 2027

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    ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The federal agency that provides health care to Native Americans and Alaska Natives has announced it will phase out the use of dental fillings containing mercury.

    The Indian Health Service has used fillings, known as dental amalgams, that contain elemental mercury to treat decayed and otherwise damaged teeth for decades. Native American rights and industry advocates have called for an end to the practice, arguing it exposes patients who may not have access to private dentistry to a harmful neurotoxin.

    The use of mercury-containing amalgams, also known as “silver fillings” due to their appearance, has declined sharply since 2009 when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reclassified the devices from low to moderate risk. The industry has largely abandoned them in favor of plastic resin alternatives, which are also preferred for aesthetic reasons.

    The Indian Health Service says it will fully implement the move to mercury-free alternatives by 2027. Already, the percentage of the Indian Health Service’s roughly 2.8 million patient user population receiving them has declined from 12% in 2005 to 2% in 2023, the latest year of available data, agency documents show.

    The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees IHS, said growing environmental and health concerns about mercury exposure, and global efforts to reduce materials containing the hazardous heavy metal prompted the change announced this month.

    “This is a commonsense step that protects patients and prevents harm before it starts,” Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., said in a statement.

    The agency’s switch to mercury-free alternatives also upholds legal responsibilities the U.S. government has to the 575 federally recognized tribes, he said.

    According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, dental amalgam fillings can release small amounts of mercury vapor during placement, removal, teeth grinding and gum chewing. It recommends that certain people at high risk for adverse effects of mercury exposure, including pregnant women, children under 6, and those with existing neurological conditions avoid the fillings. But the administration, along with the American Dental Association, says available evidence does not link mercury-containing fillings to long-term negative health outcomes.

    The World Health Organization has created a plan to encourage countries around the world to phase out the use of dental amalgams, citing potential for mercury exposure. In 2013 several countries, including the U.S., signed onto the Minamata Convention, a global agreement targeting the adverse health and the environment effects of mercury. In November, signatories to the convention agreed to phase out the use of mercury-containing dental amalgams by the year 2034.

    While Kennedy’s decision to stop its use within the IHS by 2027 puts the U.S. ahead of the global schedule, the country is still behind many other developed nations that have already banned the practice.

    “The rest of the world is light years ahead of us,” said Rochelle Diver, the U.N. environmental treaties coordinator for the International Indian Treaty Council, adding that IHS patients should not receive treatment that is considered antiquated by many dentists.

    In a statement, the American Dental Association acknowledged declining use of mercury-containing fillings, but said they remain a “safe, durable and affordable material.”

    The use of mercury in other medical devices, including thermometers and blood pressure devices, has also declined sharply in recent decades. While mercury-containing amalgams have fallen out of favor in the U.S. private dental sector, patients relying on government services may not have a say, according to Charles G. Brown, president of the World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry.

    Many state-administered Medicaid programs continue to cover mercury-containing fillings as a treatment for tooth decay, Brown said.

    “If you’re on Medicaid, if you are stuck in the Indian Health Service, if you were stuck in a prison or other institution, you just don’t have any choice,” Brown said.

    Brewer reported from Oklahoma City.

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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  • Judge in Charlie Kirk Case to Consider Bid to Disqualify Prosecutors

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    Feb 3 (Reuters) – Lawyers for the man ‌accused ​of assassinating conservative activist Charlie ‌Kirk will urge a judge on Tuesday to dismiss the prosecution ​team due to alleged conflict of interest because the lead prosecutor’s daughter witnessed the killing.

    Attorneys for ‍22-year-old Tyler Robinson, who is ​charged with seven criminal counts in the shooting death of Kirk at a Utah ​college campus ⁠last year, will appear before District Court Judge Tony Graf in Provo, Utah.

    Defense attorneys have said in court filings that the Utah County Attorney’s decision to seek the death penalty for Robinson less than a week after Kirk’s death on September 10 showed a “strong ‌emotional reaction” by the prosecutor.

    The prosecution denies bias. The lead prosecutor has not been ​named ‌to protect the privacy of ‍the 18-year-old ⁠daughter, who was in the crowd when Kirk was killed. 

    Robinson, charged with aggravated murder, witness tampering and obstruction of justice, will not enter a plea until after a preliminary hearing, tentatively scheduled for mid-May. 

    The accused, who was studying to be an electrician, is alleged to have fired a single round from a rooftop that hit Kirk as he debated students at Utah Valley University ​in Orem during a tour of U.S. colleges. 

    In court documents, the prosecutor’s office said the decision to seek the death penalty was motivated by the nature of the murder, which put other people’s lives in danger.

    Prosecutors have asked to show a video of Kirk’s killing during Tuesday’s hearing to demonstrate that the young woman was just one of thousands of witnesses. The Utah County Attorney said prosecutors do not need or plan to have her testify. 

    Robinson’s team has contended that showing the video, taken a few feet from Kirk, will violate the defendant’s ​right to a fair trial. The hearing will be televised, and the defense has argued the video would taint potential jurors because it is too graphic.  

    Kirk is credited with mobilizing young voters who helped President Donald Trump win the 2024 ​election and his death underscored rising political violence in the United States.

    (Reporting by Andrew Hay in New Mexico; editing by Donna Bryson)

    Copyright 2026 Thomson Reuters.

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  • Park City, Utah: A Complete Winter Getaway Guide

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    There’s something about a real vacation that resets everything. Not the kind where you scroll through emails from a beach chair, but the kind where you actually disconnect, do something new, eat something great, and come back feeling like a different person.

    Last year, that reset came courtesy of Isla Mujeres, a sleepy little island off the coast of Cancun. While Cancun is all about the party, Isla Mujeres is its laid-back, gorgeous younger sister: stunning beaches, incredible ocean views, and the kind of casual island energy that makes you forget what day it is. Driving the length of the island in a golf cart and wandering among the Mayan ruins at Punta Sur was one of those experiences that sticks with you. It’s the quiet little moments like that which make travel so worth it.

    So when it came time to plan my next recharge, I wanted something completely different. Sand and sea are great, but I was craving snow. I wanted to relax without being bored, have some genuinely memorable experiences, enjoy amazing food, and maybe indulge in a little luxury along the way. If you’re in the mood to find a weekend getaway, a winter mountain escape is hard to beat. After some searching and a lot of reading, I landed on Park City, Utah, part of the Vail Resorts family of mountain destinations.

    So, What Exactly Is Park City?

    Nestled high in the Wasatch Mountains, Park City is a historic western mining town that dates back to the 1860s. What started as a silver rush settlement eventually became one of the most beloved ski towns in the country. Today it’s home to the largest ski resort in the United States, with over 7,300 acres of skiable terrain, plus sophisticated dining, boutique shopping, and world-class events like the Sundance Film Festival. But here’s the thing: despite all of that, Park City still has its authentic small-town feel. The mining heritage is everywhere if you know where to look, and that’s part of what makes it special.

    It’s Unlike Anywhere Else

    Here’s something that genuinely surprised me: Park City is the only ski resort in the country with lift access directly to its historic Main Street. That means you can literally ski down to the shops, restaurants, and galleries that line the heart of town. Just step off the mountain and into a world of boutiques and great food. For someone who gets bored easily, that kind of flexibility was a big draw.

    Historic Main Street in Park City, Utah

    The Food Is Where It’s At

    I’ll be honest: I will absolutely travel for food. And Park City did not disappoint. The culinary scene here punches well above its weight for a mountain town, with restaurants that could hold their own in any city.

    The Farm

    One of Park City’s standout restaurants, The Farm is built on a farm-to-table philosophy, sourcing ingredients from local farms and artisans within 200 miles. The menu changes seasonally to celebrate what’s fresh and local. It’s the kind of place where everything on the plate feels intentional. Reservations are a must.

    Viking Yurt Dinner in Park City: The Best Night Out on the Mountain

    The Viking Yurt in Park City, UtahThe Viking Yurt in Park City, Utah

    If there’s one experience that defines a Park City winter trip, it’s dinner at The Viking Yurt. This is not your average night out. Your evening begins with a 25-minute sleigh ride up 1,800 vertical feet, with sweeping views of the night sky, the twinkling lights of Park City, and the surrounding mountains. When you arrive at the yurt, you’re greeted by a warm fire and a mug of hot glögg, a spiced berry cider. Then comes a six-course gourmet dinner, all served over four hours with a live piano performance. Only 40 guests are seated each night, so it never feels crowded or rushed.

    The Viking Yurt was named Best of State Utah in both 2024 and 2025, and after one night there, it’s easy to see why. Pricing runs $225 per person during regular season and $295 per person over the holidays (alcohol and gratuity not included). If you’re planning a trip to Park City this winter, book this one first. It fills up fast. It’s the kind of cozy, indulgent evening that pairs perfectly with a good hot chocolate when you get back to the lodge.

    Sleigh ride up to the Viking Yurt in Park City, UtahSleigh ride up to the Viking Yurt in Park City, Utah

    On the Mountain: Guided Ski Experiences

    I’m going to be upfront: I am not a confident skier. At all. And with over 300 trails across 7,300 acres, the idea of just showing up and figuring it out sounded pretty daunting. That’s where Park City’s Guided Mountain Experience comes in. An expert guide takes you on a personalized tour across the resort, part sightseeing, part ski lesson. Your guide helps you tackle terrain you’d never try on your own, you actually learn something along the way, and you’re grouped with other adults at your level. You also skip the lift line wait, which means more time actually on the mountain. For someone like me, it was worth every penny.

    Guided ski experience at Park City MountainGuided ski experience at Park City Mountain

    See also

    And Then There’s Snowshoeing

    I’d never been snowshoeing before this trip, but think of it as snow hiking, and it might just be my new favorite thing. Park City has seasoned outdoor guides who take you off the beaten path, through aspen and evergreen forests and up to snow-covered alpine lakes. It’s a great way to discover mountain wildlife, soak in the views, and quietly shake off some stress. There are plenty of local guide companies to choose from, with options ranging from leisurely walks to serious workouts. A perfect way to spend a day off the slopes.

    Snowshoeing through the forests near Park City, UtahSnowshoeing through the forests near Park City, Utah

    Getting There Is Easy

    One of the best things about Park City is how accessible it is. It’s only about a 35 to 40 minute drive from Salt Lake City International Airport, and you can book lift tickets, lessons, and dining reservations online ahead of time. Less planning, more enjoying the mountain. And if you’re still figuring out what to pack, check out our packing tips before you head out.

    The Bottom Line

    Park City has everything I was looking for in a winter getaway: stunning scenery, great food, memorable experiences, and a relaxed mountain town vibe that never feels rushed or touristy. Whether you’re an expert skier or someone like me who just wants to enjoy the mountain without the pressure, there’s a place for you here.

    Park City Mountain is one of the standout destinations across the Vail Resorts collection. If you’re ready to plan your own mountain getaway, start at parkcitymountain.com. And if you’re looking for more winter getaway ideas closer to home, we’ve got you covered there too.

    Disclosure: This post was originally created in partnership with Vail Resorts and has since been updated with current information. All opinions are my own.

    Better Living uses affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, we may receive a small commission (for which we are deeply grateful) at no cost to you.

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  • Sundance Film Festival saying goodbye to Park City, Utah

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    After more than 40 years, the Sundance Film Festival is leaving its longtime host of Park City, Utah, and heading to Boulder, Colorado. Sarah Horbacewicz reports.

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  • Longtime Festivalgoers Say the Final Sundance in Utah May Also Be Their Last

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    PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — Attendees at this year’s Sundance Film Festival could not stand in line, step onto a shuttle bus or walk into a lounge without hearing one common question: “Will you go to the festival when it moves to Boulder?”

    The media professional from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, considers this the last year of the festival in its true form, “because a Sundance outside Utah just isn’t Sundance.”

    A group of women walked down Main Street on Saturday wearing yellow scarves that read “Our last Sundance 2026.” Another festivalgoer with a film reel balanced atop her head held a sign dubbing this “the last Sundance.”

    “It’s not just a resistance to change,” said Suzie Taylor, an actor who has been coming to Sundance on and off since 1997. “Robert Redford’s vision was rooted here. And isn’t it poetic that he passed right before the last one?”

    For Julie Nunis, the joy of Sundance is grounded in the tradition Redford created in Park City more than four decades ago. The actor from Los Angeles has come to the festival nearly every year since 2001 and said she doesn’t want to experience it any other way.

    Redford, who died in September at age 89, established the festival and development programs for filmmakers in the Utah mountains as a haven for independent storytelling far from the pressures of Hollywood. Before his death, Redford, who attended the University of Colorado Boulder, gave his blessing for the festival to relocate.

    Boulder emerged victorious from a yearlong search in which numerous U.S. cities vied to host the nation’s premier independent film festival. Sundance organizers decided to search for a new home because they said the festival had outgrown the ski town it helped put on the map and developed an air of exclusivity that took focus away from the films.

    Some film professionals and volunteers said they were willing to give Boulder a try but worried Sundance could lose its identity outside its longtime home.

    Lauren Garcia, who has come from Seattle to volunteer at Sundance for the past six years, said curiosity may lead her to Boulder for future festivals. She described feeling a sadness lingering over the final Utah festival and wondered if Redford’s death means it’s time for Sundance to close this chapter.

    “How is the festival going to express itself in a new place and continue his legacy? It’s a huge question mark,” said Garcia, an anthropologist. “The truth is, it’s never going to be the same now that he’s gone.”

    Redford’s daughter, Amy Redford, who serves on the Sundance Institute’s board of trustees, said she’s excited about the transition, even if it comes with a steep learning curve.

    Nik Dodani, an actor and filmmaker passionate about telling LGBTQ+ stories, said he’s excited to experience the festival in a new state that embraces diversity, but he worries the departure will create a “vacuum” of those stories in Utah.

    Amy Redford assures that won’t be the case.

    The piece of her father’s legacy that she said meant the most to him — the institute’s lab programs for emerging screenwriters and directors — will remain in Utah, at the resort he founded, about 34 miles (54 kilometers) south of Park City. Filmmakers will continue to “create the civil discourse that we really need to be having in the state,” she said.

    “Boulder, Colorado, will be a new adventure. It will feel like our beginnings when we were trying to figure things out, and that will have an important impact on what we do,” she told The Associated Press. “But the way that we meet artists where they need to be, well, that evolves out of a heartbeat that is here” in Utah.

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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  • Dave Franco and O’Shea Jackson Jr. Lead Road Movie Gone Wrong, Bringing Comedy to Sundance

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    One of the latter comes from filmmaker Macon Blair, a Sundance veteran and grand jury prize winner for “I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore,” whose new movie might best be described as a road movie gone wrong.

    Dave Franco and O’Shea Jackson Jr. play two down on their luck guys and general screwups who are hired to transport a troubled teen (Mason Thames) to a treatment facility in “The S—heads,” which had its world premiere in Park City, Utah Friday night. It’s one of the films looking for distribution at the indie film festival.

    Blair and Alex Orr started working on the script over 10 years ago. It almost got made in 2017, but financing fell apart when they were in pre-production.

    “Over time it got a little darker, a little seedier, a little angrier. It’s still a comedy, it’s still meant to be fun and breezy and a good time,” Blair said. “But there was a current of something that became a little more pronounced.”

    When they decided to try again, Franco was the one who helped get it across the finish line, joining as a producer, finding the money and suggesting Jackson and Thames for their roles. Blair loved watching Franco work, in particular.

    “Every single thing he does, you’re like, ‘Oh that could go in the movie,’” Blair said. “He’s so prepared, so dialed in. It was impressive to watch.”

    The film also features surprising supporting performances by Kiernan Shipka and Peter Dinklage, who Blair became friends with after getting a beer at Sundance not too long ago. His hope is to find a distributor who might be open to a theatrical release, citing a movie like “Friendship ” as an example of a more unconventional movie that audiences turned out for.

    “I hope someone gets the vibe of the movie on its own terms,” Blair said. “You don’t name a movie this because you want it to be a Merchant Ivory thing. But there’s other things in it. I think about O’Shea’s performance and how vulnerable he gets in this. I’m hoping people laugh, I’m hoping people have a good time. But I’m also hoping people see that he’s a great actor too.”

    Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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  • Multiple Tahoe athletes, including a 15-year-old, are named to US Olympic ski and snowboard team

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    2026 MILAN-CORTINA OLYMPICS. AND THIS MORNING, THE U.S. SKI AND SNOWBOARD TEAM HAS ANNOUNCED THE 97 ATHLETES WHO ARE GOING TO BE REPRESENTING THE U.S. IN NORTHERN ITALY. AND WE HAVE QUITE A FEW FROM THE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AREA. SO WE’LL START WITH THE ALPINE TEAM. THREE WOMEN AND ONE MAN, ALL FROM TEAM PALISADES TAHOE. KEELY CASHMAN FROM STRAWBERRY HEADING BACK TO THE OLYMPICS. SO IS AJ HURT FROM CARNELIAN BAY AND NINA O’BRIEN OF SAN FRANCISCO. THOSE THREE GREW UP TOGETHER AND NOW WILL GO TO AN OLYMPICS TOGETHER. AS FOR THE MEN, BRYCE BENNETT OF TAHOE CITY ALSO GOING TO ANOTHER OLYMPICS IN CROSS COUNTRY. JAKE SCHOONMAKER OF TAHOE CITY IS AN OLYMPIAN ONCE AGAIN IN FREESKI WOMEN’S HALFPIPE. KATE GRAY OF CROWLEY LAKE AND THE MAMMOTH MOUNTAIN SKI TEAM, NOW AN OLYMPIAN AND SO IS 15 YEAR OLD ABBIE WINTERBERGER FROM TRUCKEE. SHE’S ON THE OLYMPIC FREESTYLE FREERIDE, AND SHE’S ALREADY BEING CALLED ONE OF THE RISING STARS OF THE SPORT. NOW LET’S GO TO THE SNOWBOARDERS. THREE MAMMOTH RIDERS ARE ON THE WOMEN’S HALFPIPE TEAM. THEY’RE LED BY TWO TIME OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST CHLOE KIM OF TORRANCE, ALONG WITH B KIM OUT OF PALOS VERDES AND OUR OWN MADDIE MASTRO OUT OF WRIGHTWOOD IN SLOPESTYLE. WELCOME TO THE OLYMPICS, HANNAH NORMAN OUT OF TRUCKEE JUST TURNED 2020, I THINK. AND IN SNOWBOARD CROSS. HANNAH PERCY OUT OF TRUCKEE AS WELL. SHE’S 18 AND THERE ARE A COUPLE OF VERY NOTABLE NAMES THAT ARE NOT ON THE LIST THIS MORNING. JAMIE ANDERSON, THE TWO TIME GOLD MEDALIST AT A SOUTH LAKE TAHOE TRYING TO COME BACK OUT OF AFTER A THREE YEAR BREAK, TRYING TO QUALIFY FOR A FOURTH OLYMPICS. HER NAME NOT ON THE LIST THIS MORNING. AND THEN ALSO DAVID WISE OF RENO, WHO HAD TWO GOLDS AND A SILVER AND WAS GOING FOR HIS FOURTH GAMES IN FREE SKI SLOPESTYLE. SO 97 ATHLETES, ROUGHLY 220 ATHLETES WILL GO. SO IT’S A HUGE NUMBER OF ATHLETES FROM SKI AND SNOWBOARD, AND FOUR OUT OF TEN TEAM USA ATHLETES TOTAL ARE SKIERS AND SNOWBOARDERS. SO THIS IS A HUGE LIST MAKING IT OFFICIAL TODAY. SO NOW IMAGINE BEING THE PARENTS OF THESE ATHLETES, THOSE WHO HAVE NOT TRIED TO BOOK ANYTHING YET, TRYING TO SCRAMBLE TO GO SEE THEIR KIDS. A LOT OF EMOTIONS FOR SURE. A LOT OF EMOTIONS. AND IF YOU GO BACK FOUR YEARS AGO, WE WERE STILL IN PANDEMIC RESTRICTIONS AND THOSE FAMILIES DIDN’T GET TO GO TO BEIJING. SO IT’S FOR THE FOR THESE ATHLETES, VERY JOYOUS, BUT ALSO

    Multiple Tahoe athletes, including a 15-year-old rising star, are named to US ski and snowboard team for the Milan Cortina Olympics

    Updated: 8:25 AM PST Jan 22, 2026

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    Northern California will be well-represented on the slopes for the Milan Cortina Olympics with multiple athletes from the Tahoe area competing. They include returning Olympians and rising stars. U.S. Ski & Snowboard on Thursday announced the full roster of 97 athletes who will represent Team USA in Northern Italy. Returning Olympians from the 2022 Beijing Olympics include Alpine skiers Keely Cashman from Strawberry, AJ Hurt from Carnelian Bay, and Bryce Bennett from Tahoe City. All are from the club Palisades Tahoe, along with Nina O’Brien, who is from San Francisco. The team also includes returning Olympic cross-county skier James “JC” Schoonmaker, who is from Lake Tahoe. For the women’s halfpipe in freeski, Kate Gray of Crowley Lake, representing the Mammoth Mountain Ski Team, and 15-year-old Abby Winterberger of Truckee, a member of the Olympic Valley Freestyle Free-Ride, have been named Olympians. Ahead of her Olympic debut, Winterberger is already being called one of the rising stars of the sport.Other first-time Olympians from Truckee are snowboarder Hahna Norman competing in slopestyle and Hanna Percy in snowboard cross. The women’s halfpipe snowboarding team includes three Mammoth riders: two-time gold medalist Chloe Kim from Torrance, Bea Kim from Palos Verdes, and Maddie Mastro from Wrightwood.Meanwhile, a decorated Olympian who grew up in Lake Tahoe, Jamie Anderson, did not make the cut. The snowboarder won two gold medals and a silver in previous Olympics and was aiming for a comeback after taking three years off from her sport to have two children.Another Olympian, David Wise of Reno, who has two gold medals and a silver, also failed to make the team. Outside of California competitors, this year’s Olympic team will feature skier Lindsay Vonn returning to racing at age 41 after a partial knee replacement, and Mikaela Shiffrin competing in her fourth Olympics. Shiffrin failed to win a medal in Beijing.Overall, the team has 50 women and 47 men who range in age from 15-year-old Winterberger to 44-year-old snowboardcross rider Nick Baumgartner. See the full list of athletes named to Team USA below, along with their hometowns, clubs, colleges, birthdates and past Olympic teams.2026 U.S. Olympic Alpine Team(Hometown; Club; College; Birthdate; Past Olympic Teams)Women*Mary Bocock (Salt Lake City, UT; Rowmark Ski Academy; Dartmouth College; 10/7/2003)Keely Cashman (Strawberry, CA; Team Palisades Tahoe; Montana State University; 4/4/1999; 2022)Katie Hensien (Redmond, WA; Rowmark Ski Academy; University of Denver; 12/1/1999; 2022)AJ Hurt (Carnelian Bay, CA; Team Palisades Tahoe; Dartmouth College; 12/5/2000; 2022)Breezy Johnson (Victor, ID; Rowmark Ski Academy; 1/19/1996; 2018, 2022)Paula Moltzan (Prior Lake, MN; Buck Hill Ski Team/Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; University of Vermont; 4/7/1994; 2022)Nina O’Brien (Denver, CO; Burke Mountain Academy/Team Palisades Tahoe; Dartmouth College; 11/29/1997; 2022)Mikaela Shiffrin (Edwards, CO; Burke Mountain Academy/Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 3/13/1995; 2014, 2018, 2022)Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail/Buck Hill Ski Team; 10/18/1984; 2002, 2006, 2010, 2018)Jacqueline Wiles (Aurora, OR; White Pass Ski Club; 7/13/1992; 2014, 2018, 2022)Isabella Wright (Salt Lake City, UT; Snowbird Sports Education Foundation; 2/10/1997; 2022)MenBryce Bennett (Tahoe City, CA; Team Palisades Tahoe; 7/14/1992; 2018, 2022)Ryan Cochran-Siegle (Starksboro, VT; Cochran’s/Mount Mansfield Ski & Snowboard Club; 3/27/1992; 2018, 2022) *Sam Morse (Carrabassett Valley, ME; Carrabassett Valley Academy; Dartmouth College; 5/27/1996) *Kyle Negomir (Littleton, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; Dartmouth College; 10/3/1998)River Radamus (Edwards, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 2/12/1998; 2022)*Ryder Sarchett (Sun Valley, ID; Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation; University of Colorado Boulder; 7/28/2003)2026 U.S. Olympic Cross Country Team(Hometown; Club; College; Birthdate; Past Olympic Teams)WomenRosie Brennan (Anchorage, AK; Alaska Pacific University; Dartmouth College; 12/2/1988; 2018, 2022)Jessie Diggins (Afton, MN; Stratton Mountain School; 8/26/1991; 2014, 2018, 2022)*Lauren Jortberg (Boulder, CO; Mansfield Nordic Pro Team; Centre National d’entraînement Pierre-Harvey Team; Dartmouth College; 4/12/1997)*Kendall Kramer (Fairbanks, AK; Alaska Pacific University; University of Alaska Fairbanks; 6/26/2002)Julia Kern (Waltham, MA; Stratton Mountain School; Dartmouth College; 9/12/1997; 2022)Novie McCabe (Winthrop, WA; Alaska Pacific University; University of Utah; 12/15/2001; 2022)*Samantha “Sammy” Smith (Boise, ID; Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation; Stanford University; 9/22/2005)Hailey Swirbul (El Jebel, CO; Alaska Pacific University; University of Alaska Anchorage; 7/10/1998; 2022)Men*John Steel Hagenbuch (Ketchum, ID; Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation; Dartmouth College; 10/1/2001)*Zak Ketterson (Minneapolis, MN; Team Birkie; Northern Michigan University; 4/2/1997)*Zanden McMullen (Anchorage, AK; Alaska Pacific University; 5/31/2001)Ben Ogden (Burlington, VT; Stratton Mountain School; University of Vermont; 2/13/2000; 2022)James “JC” Schoonmaker (Lake Tahoe, CA; Alaska Pacific University; University of Alaska Anchorage; 8/12/2000; 2022)Gus Schumacher (Anchorage, AK; Alaska Pacific University; University of Alaska Anchorage; 7/25/2000; 2022)*Hunter Wonders (Anchorage, AK; Alaska Pacific University; 8/7/1998)*Jack Young (Jay, VT; Green Racing Project; Colby College; 12/17/2002)2026 U.S. Olympic Freeski Team(Hometown; Club; College; Birthdate; Past Olympic Teams)HalfpipeWomen*Kate Gray (Crowley Lake, CA; Mammoth Mountain Freeski Team; 6/29/2006)*Svea Irving (Winter Park, CO; Winter Park Freeski Team; University of Colorado Boulder; 2/27/2002)*Riley Jacobs (Oak Creek, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; University of Colorado Denver; 8/14/2003) *Abby Winterberger (Truckee, CA; Olympic Valley Freestyle Freeride Team; 5/1/2010)MenAlex Ferreira (Aspen, CO; Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club; 8/14/1994; 2018, 2022)Nick Goepper (Lawrenceburg, IN; Cork Tech Freeski; 3/14/1994; 2014, 2018, 2022)*Hunter Hess (Bend, OR; Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation; Salt Lake Community College; 10/1/1998)Birk Irving (Winter Park, CO; Winter Park Freeski Team; 7/26/1999; 2022)Slopestyle & Big AirWomenMarin Hamill (Park City, UT; Park City Ski & Snowboard; University of Utah; 4/5/2001; 2022)*Rell Harwood (Park City, UT; Park City Ski & Snowboard; University of Utah; 6/1/2001)*Grace Henderson (Madbury, NH; Waterville Valley BBTS; University of Utah; 4/28/2001)*Avery Krumme (Squamish, British Columbia; BC Freestyle Team; 8/23/2008)MenMac Forehand (Winhall, VT; Stratton Mountain School; 8/4/2001; 2022)Alex Hall (Salt Lake City, UT; Park City Ski & Snowboard; University of Utah; 9/21/1998; 2018, 2022)*Troy Podmilsak (Park City, UT; Park City Ski & Snowboard; 8/23/2004)*Konnor Ralph (Helena, MT; Wy’East Mountain Academy; Salt Lake Community College; 1/27/2003)2026 U.S. Olympic Freestyle Ski Team, Moguls & Aerials(Hometown; Club; College; Birthdate; Past Olympic Teams)AerialsWomen*Kyra Dossa (Cleveland, OH; Park City Ski & Snowboard; University of Utah; 1/24/2004)Kaila Kuhn (Boyne City, MI; University of Utah; 4/8/2003; 2022)*Tasia Tanner (Park City, UT; Park City Ski & Snowboard/Fly Freestyle; University of Utah; 7/26/2002)Winter Vinecki (Gaylord, MI; Park City Ski & Snowboard; University of Utah/St. Mary’s University School of Law; 12/18/1998; 2022)Men*Connor Curran (Cincinnati, OH; Park City Ski & Snowboard/Elite Aerial Development Program; Utah Valley University; 9/23/2004)*Quinn Dehlinger (Cincinnati, OH; Elite Aerial Development Program; Salt Lake Community College; 6/8/2002)*Derek Krueger (Cleveland, OH; Elite Aerial Development Program; University of Utah; 6/2/2003)Chris Lillis (Rochester, NY; Bristol Mountain Freestyle Team; University of Utah; 10/4/1998; 2018, 2022)MogulsWomenOlivia Giaccio (Redding, CT; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; Columbia University; 8/15/2000; 2022)Tess Johnson (Vail, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; Harvard Extension School; 6/19/2000; 2018)Jaelin Kauf (Alta, WY; Grand Targhee Ski & Snowboard Foundation/Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; University of Utah; 9/26/1996; Olympic Teams: 2018, 2022)*Elizabeth “Liz” Lemley (Vail, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; Oberlin College; 1/22/2006) Men*Charlie Mickel (Durango, CO; Wasatch Freestyle/Durango Winter Sports Club; University of Utah; 7/6/2004)Nick Page (Park City, UT; Wasatch Freestyle; 8/1/2002; 2022)Dylan Walczyk (Rochester, NY; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 6/25/1993; 2022)*Landon Wendler (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; Los Angeles Film School; 10/12/2000)2026 U.S. Olympic Nordic Combined Team(Hometown; Club; College; Birthdate; Past Olympic Teams)MenBen Loomis (Eau Claire, WI; Flying Eagles Ski Club; DeVry University; 6/9/1998; 2018, 2022)*Niklas Malacinski (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; Colorado Mountain College; 12/7/2003)2026 U.S. Olympic Ski Jumping Team(Hometown; Club; College; Birthdate; Past Olympic Teams)Women*Annika Belshaw (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; University of Utah; 6/13/2002)*Josie Johnson (Park City, UT; Park City Ski & Snowboard; 10/3/2006)*Paige Jones (Park City, UT; Park City Ski & Snowboard; University of North Dakota; 8/30/2002)MenKevin Bickner (Wauconda, IL; Norge Ski Club; 9/23/1996; 2018, 2022)*Jason Colby (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 3/30/2006)*Tate Frantz (Lake Placid, NY; New York Ski Education Foundation; 3/28/2005)2026 U.S. Olympic Snowboard Team(Hometown; Club; College; Birthdate; Past Olympic Teams)HalfpipeWomen*Bea Kim (Palos Verdes, CA; Mammoth Snowboard Team; 1/25/2007)Chloe Kim (Torrance, CA; Mammoth Snowboard Team; 4/23/2000; 2018, 2022)Maddie Mastro (Wrightwood, CA; Mammoth Snowboard Team; 2/22/2000; 2018, 2022)*Maddy Schaffrick (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 4/29/1994)Men*Alessandro Barbieri (Portland, OR; Tahoe Select Snowboard Team; 10/5/2008)*Chase Blackwell (Longmont, CO; Summer Action Sports Club; 2/27/1999)Chase Josey (Hailey, ID; Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation; 3/31/1995; 2018, 2022)Jake Pates (Eagle, CO; Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club; 7/30/1998; 2018)Parallel Giant SlalomWomen*Iris Pflum (Minneapolis, MN; G Team; 7/13/2003)MenCody Winters (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 4/20/2000; 2022)SlopestyleWomen*Lily Dhawornvej (Frisco, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 8/14/2009)*Hahna Norman (Truckee, CA; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 10/26/2004)*Jess Perlmutter (Millburn, NJ; Killington Mountain School; 12/2/2009)Men*Jake Canter (Evergreen, CO; Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club; 7/19/2003)Sean FitzSimons (Hood River, OR; Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation; 9/22/2000; 2022)Red Gerard (Silverthorne, CO; 6/29/2000; 2018, 2022)*Ollie Martin (Wolcott, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 6/15/2008)Snowboard CrossWomenStacy Gaskill (Golden, CO; International Snowboard Training Center; University of Colorado Boulder; 5/21/2000; 2022)*Hanna Percy (Truckee, CA; Gould Academy Competition Program; 7/7/2007)*Brianna Schnorrbusch (Monroe Township, NJ; Gould Academy; University of Utah; 1/30/2006)Faye Thelen (Salt Lake City, UT; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; Westminster College; 3/24/1992; 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022)MenNick Baumgartner (Iron River, MI; 12/17/1981; 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022)*Nathan Pare (Bethel, ME; Gould Academy; 2/1/2005)Jake Vedder (Pinckney, MI; International Snowboard Training Center; 4/16/1998; 2022)Cody Winters (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 4/20/2000; 2022)*Denotes first-time Olympian See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

    Northern California will be well-represented on the slopes for the Milan Cortina Olympics with multiple athletes from the Tahoe area competing. They include returning Olympians and rising stars.

    U.S. Ski & Snowboard on Thursday announced the full roster of 97 athletes who will represent Team USA in Northern Italy.

    Returning Olympians from the 2022 Beijing Olympics include Alpine skiers Keely Cashman from Strawberry, AJ Hurt from Carnelian Bay, and Bryce Bennett from Tahoe City. All are from the club Palisades Tahoe, along with Nina O’Brien, who is from San Francisco.

    The team also includes returning Olympic cross-county skier James “JC” Schoonmaker, who is from Lake Tahoe.

    For the women’s halfpipe in freeski, Kate Gray of Crowley Lake, representing the Mammoth Mountain Ski Team, and 15-year-old Abby Winterberger of Truckee, a member of the Olympic Valley Freestyle Free-Ride, have been named Olympians. Ahead of her Olympic debut, Winterberger is already being called one of the rising stars of the sport.

    Other first-time Olympians from Truckee are snowboarder Hahna Norman competing in slopestyle and Hanna Percy in snowboard cross.

    The women’s halfpipe snowboarding team includes three Mammoth riders: two-time gold medalist Chloe Kim from Torrance, Bea Kim from Palos Verdes, and Maddie Mastro from Wrightwood.

    Meanwhile, a decorated Olympian who grew up in Lake Tahoe, Jamie Anderson, did not make the cut. The snowboarder won two gold medals and a silver in previous Olympics and was aiming for a comeback after taking three years off from her sport to have two children.

    Another Olympian, David Wise of Reno, who has two gold medals and a silver, also failed to make the team.

    Outside of California competitors, this year’s Olympic team will feature skier Lindsay Vonn returning to racing at age 41 after a partial knee replacement, and Mikaela Shiffrin competing in her fourth Olympics. Shiffrin failed to win a medal in Beijing.

    Overall, the team has 50 women and 47 men who range in age from 15-year-old Winterberger to 44-year-old snowboardcross rider Nick Baumgartner.

    See the full list of athletes named to Team USA below, along with their hometowns, clubs, colleges, birthdates and past Olympic teams.

    2026 U.S. Olympic Alpine Team
    (Hometown; Club; College; Birthdate; Past Olympic Teams)

    Women

    • *Mary Bocock (Salt Lake City, UT; Rowmark Ski Academy; Dartmouth College; 10/7/2003)
    • Keely Cashman (Strawberry, CA; Team Palisades Tahoe; Montana State University; 4/4/1999; 2022)
    • Katie Hensien (Redmond, WA; Rowmark Ski Academy; University of Denver; 12/1/1999; 2022)
    • AJ Hurt (Carnelian Bay, CA; Team Palisades Tahoe; Dartmouth College; 12/5/2000; 2022)
    • Breezy Johnson (Victor, ID; Rowmark Ski Academy; 1/19/1996; 2018, 2022)
    • Paula Moltzan (Prior Lake, MN; Buck Hill Ski Team/Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; University of Vermont; 4/7/1994; 2022)
    • Nina O’Brien (Denver, CO; Burke Mountain Academy/Team Palisades Tahoe; Dartmouth College; 11/29/1997; 2022)
    • Mikaela Shiffrin (Edwards, CO; Burke Mountain Academy/Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 3/13/1995; 2014, 2018, 2022)
    • Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail/Buck Hill Ski Team; 10/18/1984; 2002, 2006, 2010, 2018)
    • Jacqueline Wiles (Aurora, OR; White Pass Ski Club; 7/13/1992; 2014, 2018, 2022)
    • Isabella Wright (Salt Lake City, UT; Snowbird Sports Education Foundation; 2/10/1997; 2022)

    Men

    • Bryce Bennett (Tahoe City, CA; Team Palisades Tahoe; 7/14/1992; 2018, 2022)
    • Ryan Cochran-Siegle (Starksboro, VT; Cochran’s/Mount Mansfield Ski & Snowboard Club; 3/27/1992; 2018, 2022)
    • *Sam Morse (Carrabassett Valley, ME; Carrabassett Valley Academy; Dartmouth College; 5/27/1996)
    • *Kyle Negomir (Littleton, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; Dartmouth College; 10/3/1998)
    • River Radamus (Edwards, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 2/12/1998; 2022)
    • *Ryder Sarchett (Sun Valley, ID; Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation; University of Colorado Boulder; 7/28/2003)

    2026 U.S. Olympic Cross Country Team
    (Hometown; Club; College; Birthdate; Past Olympic Teams)
    Women

    • Rosie Brennan (Anchorage, AK; Alaska Pacific University; Dartmouth College; 12/2/1988; 2018, 2022)
    • Jessie Diggins (Afton, MN; Stratton Mountain School; 8/26/1991; 2014, 2018, 2022)
    • *Lauren Jortberg (Boulder, CO; Mansfield Nordic Pro Team; Centre National d’entraînement Pierre-Harvey Team; Dartmouth College; 4/12/1997)
    • *Kendall Kramer (Fairbanks, AK; Alaska Pacific University; University of Alaska Fairbanks; 6/26/2002)
    • Julia Kern (Waltham, MA; Stratton Mountain School; Dartmouth College; 9/12/1997; 2022)
    • Novie McCabe (Winthrop, WA; Alaska Pacific University; University of Utah; 12/15/2001; 2022)
    • *Samantha “Sammy” Smith (Boise, ID; Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation; Stanford University; 9/22/2005)
    • Hailey Swirbul (El Jebel, CO; Alaska Pacific University; University of Alaska Anchorage; 7/10/1998; 2022)

    Men

    • *John Steel Hagenbuch (Ketchum, ID; Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation; Dartmouth College; 10/1/2001)
    • *Zak Ketterson (Minneapolis, MN; Team Birkie; Northern Michigan University; 4/2/1997)
    • *Zanden McMullen (Anchorage, AK; Alaska Pacific University; 5/31/2001)
    • Ben Ogden (Burlington, VT; Stratton Mountain School; University of Vermont; 2/13/2000; 2022)
    • James “JC” Schoonmaker (Lake Tahoe, CA; Alaska Pacific University; University of Alaska Anchorage; 8/12/2000; 2022)
    • Gus Schumacher (Anchorage, AK; Alaska Pacific University; University of Alaska Anchorage; 7/25/2000; 2022)
    • *Hunter Wonders (Anchorage, AK; Alaska Pacific University; 8/7/1998)
    • *Jack Young (Jay, VT; Green Racing Project; Colby College; 12/17/2002)

    2026 U.S. Olympic Freeski Team
    (Hometown; Club; College; Birthdate; Past Olympic Teams)

    Halfpipe
    Women

    • *Kate Gray (Crowley Lake, CA; Mammoth Mountain Freeski Team; 6/29/2006)
    • *Svea Irving (Winter Park, CO; Winter Park Freeski Team; University of Colorado Boulder; 2/27/2002)
    • *Riley Jacobs (Oak Creek, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; University of Colorado Denver; 8/14/2003)
    • *Abby Winterberger (Truckee, CA; Olympic Valley Freestyle Freeride Team; 5/1/2010)

    Men

    • Alex Ferreira (Aspen, CO; Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club; 8/14/1994; 2018, 2022)
    • Nick Goepper (Lawrenceburg, IN; Cork Tech Freeski; 3/14/1994; 2014, 2018, 2022)
    • *Hunter Hess (Bend, OR; Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation; Salt Lake Community College; 10/1/1998)
    • Birk Irving (Winter Park, CO; Winter Park Freeski Team; 7/26/1999; 2022)

    Slopestyle & Big Air
    Women

    • Marin Hamill (Park City, UT; Park City Ski & Snowboard; University of Utah; 4/5/2001; 2022)
    • *Rell Harwood (Park City, UT; Park City Ski & Snowboard; University of Utah; 6/1/2001)
    • *Grace Henderson (Madbury, NH; Waterville Valley BBTS; University of Utah; 4/28/2001)
    • *Avery Krumme (Squamish, British Columbia; BC Freestyle Team; 8/23/2008)

    Men

    • Mac Forehand (Winhall, VT; Stratton Mountain School; 8/4/2001; 2022)
    • Alex Hall (Salt Lake City, UT; Park City Ski & Snowboard; University of Utah; 9/21/1998; 2018, 2022)
    • *Troy Podmilsak (Park City, UT; Park City Ski & Snowboard; 8/23/2004)
    • *Konnor Ralph (Helena, MT; Wy’East Mountain Academy; Salt Lake Community College; 1/27/2003)

    2026 U.S. Olympic Freestyle Ski Team, Moguls & Aerials

    (Hometown; Club; College; Birthdate; Past Olympic Teams)

    Aerials
    Women

    • *Kyra Dossa (Cleveland, OH; Park City Ski & Snowboard; University of Utah; 1/24/2004)
    • Kaila Kuhn (Boyne City, MI; University of Utah; 4/8/2003; 2022)
    • *Tasia Tanner (Park City, UT; Park City Ski & Snowboard/Fly Freestyle; University of Utah; 7/26/2002)
    • Winter Vinecki (Gaylord, MI; Park City Ski & Snowboard; University of Utah/St. Mary’s University School of Law; 12/18/1998; 2022)

    Men

    • *Connor Curran (Cincinnati, OH; Park City Ski & Snowboard/Elite Aerial Development Program; Utah Valley University; 9/23/2004)
    • *Quinn Dehlinger (Cincinnati, OH; Elite Aerial Development Program; Salt Lake Community College; 6/8/2002)
    • *Derek Krueger (Cleveland, OH; Elite Aerial Development Program; University of Utah; 6/2/2003)
    • Chris Lillis (Rochester, NY; Bristol Mountain Freestyle Team; University of Utah; 10/4/1998; 2018, 2022)

    Moguls
    Women

    • Olivia Giaccio (Redding, CT; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; Columbia University; 8/15/2000; 2022)
    • Tess Johnson (Vail, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; Harvard Extension School; 6/19/2000; 2018)
    • Jaelin Kauf (Alta, WY; Grand Targhee Ski & Snowboard Foundation/Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; University of Utah; 9/26/1996; Olympic Teams: 2018, 2022)
    • *Elizabeth “Liz” Lemley (Vail, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; Oberlin College; 1/22/2006)

    Men

    • *Charlie Mickel (Durango, CO; Wasatch Freestyle/Durango Winter Sports Club; University of Utah; 7/6/2004)
    • Nick Page (Park City, UT; Wasatch Freestyle; 8/1/2002; 2022)
    • Dylan Walczyk (Rochester, NY; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 6/25/1993; 2022)
    • *Landon Wendler (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; Los Angeles Film School; 10/12/2000)

    2026 U.S. Olympic Nordic Combined Team
    (Hometown; Club; College; Birthdate; Past Olympic Teams)

    Men

    • Ben Loomis (Eau Claire, WI; Flying Eagles Ski Club; DeVry University; 6/9/1998; 2018, 2022)
    • *Niklas Malacinski (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; Colorado Mountain College; 12/7/2003)

    2026 U.S. Olympic Ski Jumping Team

    (Hometown; Club; College; Birthdate; Past Olympic Teams)

    Women

    • *Annika Belshaw (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; University of Utah; 6/13/2002)
    • *Josie Johnson (Park City, UT; Park City Ski & Snowboard; 10/3/2006)
    • *Paige Jones (Park City, UT; Park City Ski & Snowboard; University of North Dakota; 8/30/2002)

    Men

    • Kevin Bickner (Wauconda, IL; Norge Ski Club; 9/23/1996; 2018, 2022)
    • *Jason Colby (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 3/30/2006)
    • *Tate Frantz (Lake Placid, NY; New York Ski Education Foundation; 3/28/2005)

    2026 U.S. Olympic Snowboard Team
    (Hometown; Club; College; Birthdate; Past Olympic Teams)

    Halfpipe
    Women

    • *Bea Kim (Palos Verdes, CA; Mammoth Snowboard Team; 1/25/2007)
    • Chloe Kim (Torrance, CA; Mammoth Snowboard Team; 4/23/2000; 2018, 2022)
    • Maddie Mastro (Wrightwood, CA; Mammoth Snowboard Team; 2/22/2000; 2018, 2022)
    • *Maddy Schaffrick (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 4/29/1994)

    Men

    • *Alessandro Barbieri (Portland, OR; Tahoe Select Snowboard Team; 10/5/2008)
    • *Chase Blackwell (Longmont, CO; Summer Action Sports Club; 2/27/1999)
    • Chase Josey (Hailey, ID; Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation; 3/31/1995; 2018, 2022)
    • Jake Pates (Eagle, CO; Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club; 7/30/1998; 2018)

    Parallel Giant Slalom
    Women

    • *Iris Pflum (Minneapolis, MN; G Team; 7/13/2003)

    Men

    • Cody Winters (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 4/20/2000; 2022)

    Slopestyle
    Women

    • *Lily Dhawornvej (Frisco, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 8/14/2009)
    • *Hahna Norman (Truckee, CA; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 10/26/2004)
    • *Jess Perlmutter (Millburn, NJ; Killington Mountain School; 12/2/2009)

    Men

    • *Jake Canter (Evergreen, CO; Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club; 7/19/2003)
    • Sean FitzSimons (Hood River, OR; Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation; 9/22/2000; 2022)
    • Red Gerard (Silverthorne, CO; 6/29/2000; 2018, 2022)
    • *Ollie Martin (Wolcott, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 6/15/2008)

    Snowboard Cross
    Women

    • Stacy Gaskill (Golden, CO; International Snowboard Training Center; University of Colorado Boulder; 5/21/2000; 2022)
    • *Hanna Percy (Truckee, CA; Gould Academy Competition Program; 7/7/2007)
    • *Brianna Schnorrbusch (Monroe Township, NJ; Gould Academy; University of Utah; 1/30/2006)
    • Faye Thelen (Salt Lake City, UT; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; Westminster College; 3/24/1992; 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022)

    Men

    • Nick Baumgartner (Iron River, MI; 12/17/1981; 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022)
    • *Nathan Pare (Bethel, ME; Gould Academy; 2/1/2005)
    • Jake Vedder (Pinckney, MI; International Snowboard Training Center; 4/16/1998; 2022)
    • Cody Winters (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 4/20/2000; 2022)

    *Denotes first-time Olympian

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  • Attorneys for Tyler Robinson trying to disqualify prosecutor in Charlie Kirk murder case

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    Attorneys for Tyler Robinson trying to disqualify prosecutor in Charlie Kirk murder case – CBS News









































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    Lawyers for the man accused of killing Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk are trying to disqualify one of the prosecutors on the case. CBS News reporter Andres Gutierrez has more.

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  • Charlie Kirk’s accused killer asks judge to disqualify prosecutors because attorney’s child was at event where Kirk was shot

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    The 22-year-old Utah man charged with killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk is due back in court Friday as his attorneys seek to disqualify prosecutors in the case over an alleged conflict of interest.

    Tyler Robinson is charged with aggravated murder in Kirk’s Sept.10 shooting on the Utah Valley University campus in Orem, just a few miles north of the Provo courthouse. Prosecutors with the Utah County Attorney’s Office plan to seek the death penalty if Robinson is convicted. Robinson has not yet entered a plea.

    An 18-year-old child of a deputy county attorney attended the campus event where Kirk was shot. The child, whose name was redacted from court filings, later texted with their father in the Utah County Attorney’s Office to describe the chaotic events around the shooting, the filings from prosecutors and defense lawyers state.

    Defense attorneys say that personal relationship is a conflict of interest that “raises serious concerns about past and future prosecutorial decision-making in this case,” according to court documents. They also argue that the “rush” to seek the death penalty against Robinson is evidence of “strong emotional reactions” by the prosecution and merits the disqualification of the entire team.

    Tyler Robinson appears in court for a hearing in Provo, Utah, on Dec. 11, 2025. Robinson is charged with murder in the shooting death of Charlie Kirk.

    Pool


    Several thousand people attended the outdoor rally where Kirk, a co-founder of Turning Point USA who helped mobilize young people to vote for President Trump, was shot as he took questions from the audience. The child of the deputy county attorney did not see the shooting, according to an affidavit submitted by prosecutors.

    “While the second person in line was speaking with Charlie, I was looking around the crowd when I heard a loud sound, like a pop. Someone yelled ‘he’s been shot,’” the child stated in the affidavit.

    The child later texted a family group chat to say “CHARLIE GOT SHOT.” In the aftermath of the shooting, the child did not miss classes or other activities and reported no lasting trauma “aside from being scared at the time,” the affidavit said.

    Prosecutors have asked District Judge Tony Graf to deny the disqualification request.

    “Under these circumstances, there is virtually no risk, let alone a significant risk, that it would arouse such emotions in any father-prosecutor as to render him unable to fairly prosecute the case,” Utah County Attorney Jeffrey Gray said in a filing.

    Gray also said the child was “neither a material witness nor a victim in the case” and that “nearly everything” the person knows about the actual homicide is mere hearsay.

    The Associated Press left email and telephone messages for Robinson’s defense attorney, Kathryn Nester.

    Prosecutors have said text messages and DNA evidence connect Robinson to the killing. Robinson reportedly texted his romantic partner that he targeted Kirk because he had “had enough of his hatred.”

    At recent hearings, Robinson’s legal team has pushed to limit media access in the high-profile case. Graf has prohibited media from publishing photos, videos and live broadcasts that show Robinson’s restraints to help protect his presumption of innocence before a trial.

    The judge has not ruled on a suggestion by the defense to ban cameras in the courtroom.

    Prosecutors are expected to lay out their case against Robinson at a preliminary hearing scheduled to begin May 18.

    Last month, Kirk’s widow Erika, who now leads Turning Point USA, joined CBS News for a town hall where she explained the “game-time decision” of publicly forgiving the man charged with her husband’s murder.

    “I forgive him because it’s what Christ did and is what Charlie would do,” she said in her eulogy at her husband’s memorial service.

    When asked if she had any words for his accused killer, she said: “Nothing. I have nothing to say to you. Nothing.”

    She added that there’s a difference between forgiving someone and still wanting justice. “We serve a just God, and I rest easy in knowing that. He’s sovereign, but he’s just. And so let the Lord handle that.”

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  • Salt Lake City LDS shooting: Manhunt underway after two killed, six injured

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    Two people are dead and six injured following a shooting at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) meetinghouse in Salt Lake City on Wednesday night, according to local media outlet ABC4.

    Newsweek reached out to the Salt Lake City Police Department via phone for comment and left a message.

    Glen Mills, Salt Lake City Police Department public information officer, confirmed that a call came in about a shooting at 7:36 p.m. local time, per ABC4. A funeral was taking place and an altercation broke out, Mills says.

    Three of the six injured victims are in critical condition and the statuses of the other three are unknown, ABC 4 reports, citing Mills.

    Mills says there’s a manhunt underway and the number of potential suspects is still being determined by law enforcement.

    ATF Denver posted to X Wednesday night, saying, “BREAKING NEWS @ATF_Denver Salt Lake City Field Office Special Agents are responding to a reported shooting incident in the 600 block of N. Redwood Rd. to assist local law enforcement in their investigation. Please direct all media inquiries to local law enforcement authorities.”

    This is a developing story that will be updated with additional information.

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  • Ice Castles is a winter wonderland

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    NORTH WOODSTOCK, N.H. — The wait is over for the return of Ice Castles to the White Mountains region, the family friendly destination up north that has been bringing winter fairy tales to life since its inception in 2011.

    According to a press release, crews worked around the clock over the Christmas holiday to put the finishing touches on this year’s castle. The Dec. 27 opening marked the earliest opening date ever for the Ice Castles located at 24 Clark Farm Road in North Woodstock, one of five locations around the country and the only one on the East Coast.

    “We are excited to open the icy gates in our cherished North Woodstock community with a historic December debut,” said Ice Castles CEO Kyle Standifird. “Celebrating 15 years, we’re proud to welcome guests into a beautifully crafted castle filled with winter magic over the holiday season.”

    Sunrise at Ice Castles in North Woodstock, New Hampshire, which opened for the season last month. (COURTESY JAMO SAMS)

    Founder Brent Christensen developed the patented process used to create Ice Castles while building a winter playground for his kids in the front yard of their home in Utah. The project drew crowds who came out to tour Christensen’s frozen creation and since then and as a result, Ice Castles has turned into an internationally renowned tourist attraction with multiple locations across North America.

    Guests are able to step into a world of wonder at the New Hampshire spot, exploring a landscape filled with ice slides, towers, tunnels and caverns. The experience features stunning new sculptures crafted by internationally renowned ice sculptors along with the thrill of the tubing hill and enhanced features on its Mystic Light Walk and sleigh ride trail.

    The icy fortress also features a frosty twist with the Frozen Tap Ice Bar, the coolest spot in town to enjoy beverages in a one-of-a-kind ice bar experience, and guests can also warm up with hot drinks and indulgent sweet treats available at on-site concessions.

    For more information and to purchase tickets and visit icecastles.com.

    Ice Castles in North Woodstock, New Hampshire is winter fun for all ages. (COURTESY AJ MELLOR)
    Ice Castles in North Woodstock, New Hampshire is winter fun for all ages. (COURTESY AJ MELLOR)

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    Danielle Ray

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  • AI renewing some prescriptions in Utah pilot program, Politico reports

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    In Utah, artificial intelligence can now renew some prescriptions. A Politico exclusive says the pilot program will “test how far patients and regulators are willing to trust AI in medicine.” Yasmin Khorram, economic policy reporter for Politico, joins CBS News to discuss her reporting.

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  • Some states set to impose SNAP bans on soda, candy and other foods

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    Starting New Year’s Day, some food-stamp recipients around the U.S. will be banned from using the government nutrition assistance to buy candy, soda and other foods. 

    Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Utah and West Virginia are the first of at least 18 states to enact waivers prohibiting people enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, from purchasing certain foods. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins have urged states to strip foods regarded as unhealthy from the $100 billion federal program.

    “We cannot continue a system that forces taxpayers to fund programs that make people sick and then pay a second time to treat the illnesses those very programs help create,” Kennedy said in a statement in December.

    The efforts are aimed at reducing chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes associated with sweetened drinks and other treats, a key goal of Kennedy’s Make America Healthy Again effort.

    Confusion for SNAP recipients?

    But retail industry and health policy experts said state SNAP programs, already under pressure from steep budget cuts, are unprepared for the complex changes, with no complete lists of the foods affected and technical point-of-sale challenges that vary by state and store. And research remains mixed about whether restricting SNAP purchases improves diet quality and health.

    The National Retail Federation, a trade association, predicted longer checkout lines and more customer complaints as SNAP recipients learn which foods are affected by the new waivers.

    “It’s a disaster waiting to happen of people trying to buy food and being rejected,” said Kate Bauer, a nutrition science expert at the University of Michigan.

    The new restrictions are the latest source of concern for SNAP recipients. Food aid distributed under the program, which is used by 42 million Americans, was interrupted during the 43-day U.S. government shutdown. Reliance on food stamps typically surges during economic downturns, such as the sharp slump that followed the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020.

    Nearly 62% of SNAP participants are in families with children, while roughly 37% are in households with older adults or people with disabilities, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a nonpartisan think tank. 

    Roughly 14% of U.S. households reported food insecurity on average between January and October, up from 12.5% in 2024, according to Purdue’s Center for Food Demand Analysis and Sustainability.

    While the prevalence of food insecurity around the U.S. fluctuates month to month, the overall rate had been declining since 2022, when an average of 15.4% of households were food insecure as inflation hit 40-year highs following the pandemic. 

    Retailers fear impact

    A report by the National Grocers Association and other industry trade groups estimated that implementing SNAP restrictions would cost U.S. retailers $1.6 billion initially and $759 million each year going forward.

    “Punishing SNAP recipients means we all get to pay more at the grocery store,” said Gina Plata-Nino, SNAP director for the anti-hunger advocacy group Food Research & Action Center.

    The waivers are a departure from decades of federal policy first enacted in 1964 and later authorized by the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, which said SNAP benefits can be used for “any food or food product intended for human consumption,” except alcohol and ready-to-eat hot foods. The law also says SNAP can’t pay for tobacco.

    In the past, lawmakers have proposed stopping SNAP from paying for expensive meats like steak or so-called junk foods, such as chips and ice cream.

    But previous waiver requests were denied based on USDA research concluding that restrictions would be costly and complicated to implement, and that they might not change recipients’ buying habits or reduce health problems such as obesity.

    Under the second Trump administration, however, states have been encouraged and even incentivized to seek waivers – and they responded.

    “This isn’t the usual top-down, one-size-fits-all public health agenda,” Indiana Gov. Mike Braun said when he announced his state’s request last spring. “We’re focused on root causes, transparent information and real results.”

    How many people are affected

    The five state waivers that take effect Jan. 1 affect about 1.4 million people. Utah and West Virginia will ban the use of SNAP to buy soda and soft drinks, while Nebraska will prohibit soda and energy drinks. Indiana will target soft drinks and candy. In Iowa, which has the most restrictive rules to date, the SNAP limits affect taxable foods, including soda and candy, but also certain prepared foods.

    “The items list does not provide enough specific information to prepare a SNAP participant to go to the grocery store,” Plata-Nino wrote in a blog post. “Many additional items — including certain prepared foods — will also be disallowed, even though they are not clearly identified in the notice to households.”

    Marc Craig, 47, of Des Moines, said he has been living in his car since October. He said the new waivers will make it more difficult to determine how to use the $298 in SNAP benefits he receives each month, while also increasing the stigma he feels at the cash register.

    “They treat people that get food stamps like we’re not people,” Craig said.

    SNAP waivers enacted now and in the coming months will run for two years, with the option to extend them for an additional three, according to the Agriculture Department. Each state is required to assess the impact of the changes.

    Health experts worry that the waivers ignore larger factors affecting the health of SNAP recipients, said Anand Parekh, a medical doctor who is the chief health policy officer at the University of Michigan School of Public Health.

    “This doesn’t solve the two fundamental problems, which is healthy food in this country is not affordable and unhealthy food is cheap and ubiquitous,” he said.

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  • Transcript from October closed hearing for Charlie Kirk murder suspect released by Utah court

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    A Utah judge on Monday ordered the release of a transcript from a closed-door hearing in October over whether the man charged with killing Charlie Kirk must be shackled during court proceedings. 

    State District Judge Tony Graf said public transparency was “foundational” to the judicial system before ordering the release of details from the Oct. 24 closed hearing. Attorneys for media outlets, including The Associated Press, had argued for access because they said it was also the first time defense attorneys suggested a ban on cameras in the courtroom.

    Prosecutors have charged Tyler Robinson with aggravated murder in the Sept. 10 shooting of the conservative activist on the Utah Valley University campus in Orem. They plan to seek the death penalty. Robinson has not yet entered a plea.

    In a 97-page transcript released later Monday, attorneys for Robinson argued that widespread videos and photos of him shackled and in jail clothing could create bias against him among potential jurors. Defense attorney Richard Novak said prohibiting cameras would be “very easy” for the court to enforce and could help curb visual prejudice.

    “We’re not litigating this case in the press,” Novak said during the Oct. 24 hearing.

    The transcript contained limited redactions to remove discussions of security protocols in the closely watched case. Graf also ordered the release of an audio recording of the hearing, again with redactions.

    Robinson was not present in court Monday and appeared via audio feed from the Utah County Jail.

    Graf has not ruled on the defense’s suggestion to ban cameras, but he has implemented other limitations.

    Days after the closed-door hearing, Graf ruled that Robinson could wear civilian clothes in pretrial hearings but must also wear restraints to ensure the safety of court staff and Robinson himself. Utah court rules require defendants who are in custody to be restrained or supervised at all times unless otherwise ordered.

    Graf also prohibited media outlets from publishing photos, videos and live broadcasts that show Robinson’s restraints to help protect his presumption of innocence before a trial.

    The judge briefly stopped a media livestream of a hearing earlier this month and ordered the camera be moved after Robinson’s attorneys said the stream showed the defendant’s shackles. Graf said he would terminate future broadcasts if there were further violations.

    Lawyers for the media wrote in recent filings that an open court “safeguards the integrity of the fact-finding process” while fostering public confidence in judicial proceedings. Criminal cases in the U.S. have long been open to the public, which the attorneys argued is proof that trials can be conducted fairly without restricting reporters.

    In a separate ruling Monday, Graf denied a request from attorneys for the media who sought to intervene in the case. The judge said members of the press do not need to be formal parties in the proceedings to access court records. 

    Still, Graf said the involved publications must be notified of future requests to close hearings or restrict access to court filings.

    Prosecutors are expected to lay out their case against Robinson at a preliminary hearing scheduled to begin May 18.

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  • Michigan hires former Utah coach Kyle Whittingham to lead the Wolverines

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    The University of Michigan hired a new head football coach after firing ex-coach Sherrone Moore on Dec. 10 for having an “inappropriate relationship” with a female staffer. Moore was arrested hours after his firing and later charged with home invasion, stalking and breaking and entering.

    U of M announced Friday night that Kyle Whittingham, 66, who served as the Utes’ head coach at the University of Utah for 21 seasons, had agreed to a five-year contract that runs through 2030 to lead the Wolverines. 

    Details of the contact have not been disclosed. 

    “Kyle Whittingham is a well-respected and highly successful head coach who is widely recognized as a leader of exceptional character and principled leadership,” said Michigan Director of Athletics Warde Manuel. 

    Whittingham said: “My family and I are thrilled to join the University of Michigan community, and we look forward to helping our players grow, develop, and reach their highest potential — on the gridiron, in the classroom, and as leaders. It’s a privilege to be part of something that inspires pride in every Wolverine fan.”

    Michigan is hoping to turn things around after the Moore‘s firing. Moore served as coach for the 2024 and 2025 seasons after working under former coach Jim Harbaugh since 2018. Michigan later announced that its athletic department was under review amid the investigation against Moore.

    Whittingham joined the Utes staff in 1994, first as a defensive line coach. He worked through the ranks, also serving as defensive coordinator, linebackers coach and safeties coach, before he was named head coach in 2005.

    In Whittingham’s first seven seasons as head coach, he led the Utes to seven bowl games, winning six of them. Whittingham ended with a 177-88 career record with the Utes and an 11-6 bowl record. His best season was in 2008 when he led the Utes to an undefeated record and a victory in the Sugar Bowl.

    Whittingham is Utah’s all-time wins leader, and his 177 wins rank third among active FBS coaches. He led the Utes to 10-plus wins on eight occasions and posted 18 winning seasons. 

    On Dec. 12, Whittingham announced that he was stepping down. The Utes finished the 2025 season with a 10-2 record and are now preparing for the Las Vegas Bowl against Nebraska. Whittingham will not coach Utah in its bowl game and instead will join Michigan at the Citrus Bowl. 

    Meanwhile, the Wolverines (9-3) are gearing up for the Citrus Bowl against Texas, with interim coach Biff Poggi leading the team. Poggi told reporters earlier this week that he interviewed for the job, and the university was hoping to hire its next coach before the bowl game.

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  • Lompoc Mother Pleads Not Guilty in Daughter’s Killing

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    Ashlee Buzzard is accused of shooting her nine-year-old daughter Melodee in the head and abandoning her child’s body in rural Utah

    In the last image that shows little Melodee Buzzard alive, the nine-year-old stood at her mother’s shoulder, a gray hoodie pulled tight over a black wig as she shared a tense smile with an agent at a car rental facility. It was October 7, 2025, and her mother Ashlee, was about to take her daughter on a deadly road trip in a rented white Chevrolet Malibu.

    During the trip, investigators say, Ashlee swapped out her wig and switched her license plate as she traversed through Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, and Nebraska. Two days into the trip, Melodee and her mom were spotted near the Utah-Colorado border. On Oct. 9, investigators now say, Ashlee pulled over on a scrubby road in the unincorporated community of Caineville, Utah, a place set against the backdrop of a stunning red rock vista, and shot her daughter in the head.

    Then Ashlee continued her multi-state road trip back to California without her daughter, likely returning to the Lompoc home, thinking she had gotten away with what investigators now call a calculated, cold-blooded murder.

    Ashley Buzzard took her daughter, prosecutors say, on a deadly road trip just days before she was reported missing
    Credit: FBI

    Only, by then, Melodee’s teachers were buzzing. The curly-haired child who had spent much of her life being home-schooled hadn’t been to an independent study that had been mandated that summer, and no one could reach her mother. So on Oct. 14, officials with the Lompoc Unified School District reported her disappearance to the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office, launching a tireless investigation into the missing child’s last days by detectives who “encountered deliberate efforts to prevent them from locating Melodee and uncovering the truth.” Stonewalling by the missing girl’s own mother.

    Within hours of the school’s report, detectives executed a search warrant at Ashlee’s home on Oct. 15 and found evidence of the car rental. Detectives retraced the road trip with painstaking detail, learning that Ashlee Buzzard had taken a route home to California through Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Arizona and Nevada – without her daughter. On that day, Santa Barbara Sheriff Bill Brown said, Ashlee was more than uncooperative. Instead, she was combative and “provided no verifiable explanation for Melodee’s whereabouts.”

    But, they continued searching, releasing images of Ashlee Buzzard and Melodee at the car rental facility and a detailed timeline of their travels.

    Melodee Buzzard Timeline courtesy Santa Barbara Sheriff's Office - Mother Ashlee Buzzard arrested and charged with her murderMelodee Buzzard Timeline courtesy Santa Barbara Sheriff's Office - Mother Ashlee Buzzard arrested and charged with her murderCredit: Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office

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    Brown said he and his detectives “hoped against hope that she would be found alive.”

    Then, on Dec. 6, the call his detectives had been dreading came from colleagues in Utah. The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office had responded to a report of a decomposed body discovered off the roadway near the 3300 block of East State Route 24 in a remote area of Wayne County.

    A child’s remains had been found by tourists who stumbled upon the heartless crime while taking a photo of a sunset. The victim had suffered “gunshot wounds to the head.”

    On Dec. 22 – three days before Christmas – the remains were confirmed by an FBI lab to be Melodee’s. Sadly, the dead child’s DNA was a match to the familial profile of the woman who is now charged with killing her.

    On Friday, Ashlee Buzzard pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder with additional charges of lying in wait and the intentional discharge of a firearm. At her arraignment, the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office announced it would not seek the death penalty but would argue for a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. The 40-year-old accused killer’s public defender, Adrian Galvan, successfully argued for a gag order in the case.

    Melodee was born into tragedy. Her father, Rubiell “Pinoy” Meza, was killed in a 2016 motorcycle accident when his daughter was just six months old. His family was in the courtroom on Friday to face the woman who is accused of snuffing out Melodee’s young life, wearing pink ribbons in her memory.

    In 2021, when Ashlee was hospitalized in a mental health facility, social services contacted Meza’s mother, Lily Denes, to take in Melodee, which she did. But when Ashlee was released, she cut off contact with Denes, sparking a custody battle for Melodee that was still active when she was murdered, the slain girl’s grandmother says.

    “Everybody’s asking themselves, ‘Why did she do this?’… How can you do that to a baby?” Denes asked after Ashlee’s arrest. While everyone still held out hope, she prayed directly to Melodee. “I know your dad is watching you from heaven.”

    So are Brown’s investigators. “This investigation does not end here,” Brown said. “We remain committed to working closely with prosecutors to ensure justice is pursued with integrity, care, and compassion. Melodee deserved a far better life, and she will never be forgotten.”

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    Michele McPhee

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  • Video: Homebuilder in Utah builds replica of the house from “Home Alone”

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    “Home Alone” is one of the most classic Christmas movies of all time, and it inspired a homebuilder in Utah to pay homage to the legendary film.A Utah builder decided to live his lifelong dream and build the ‘Home Alone’ home.”I mean, it could be viewed as certainly nerdy for somebody to go and invest seven million dollars into a home that’s based on a movie that they happen to love when they were kids, right?” Nathan Shaffer said.If the brickwork and windows don’t provoke a Christmastime déjà vu, the Oh-Kay Plumbing van with the Wet Bandit sticker will.A replica of the McCallister home Kevin was left alone in. “I remember watching it and a lot of us connected with that kid because it was like, dude, what would that be like to kind of be on our own,” Shaffer said.There aren’t many lookie-loos yet, but Shaffer’s crew will host community events where young and old can step into Kevin McCallister’s shoes.“We want them to just come and like be looking and using their creativity, right, to kind of use their imagination to find the things from the movie,” Shaffer said.Architect Josh Warner said the exterior is nearly identical.But since the interior was actually a soundstage, they modeled 60 to 70 percent off the real Chicago house — thanks to an online listing when it went up for sale.While there is no basement, there is an attic and a movie-style veranda with glass walls.

    “Home Alone” is one of the most classic Christmas movies of all time, and it inspired a homebuilder in Utah to pay homage to the legendary film.

    A Utah builder decided to live his lifelong dream and build the ‘Home Alone’ home.

    “I mean, it could be viewed as certainly nerdy for somebody to go and invest seven million dollars into a home that’s based on a movie that they happen to love when they were kids, right?” Nathan Shaffer said.

    If the brickwork and windows don’t provoke a Christmastime déjà vu, the Oh-Kay Plumbing van with the Wet Bandit sticker will.

    A replica of the McCallister home Kevin was left alone in.

    “I remember watching it and a lot of us connected with that kid because it was like, dude, what would that be like to kind of be on our own,” Shaffer said.

    There aren’t many lookie-loos yet, but Shaffer’s crew will host community events where young and old can step into Kevin McCallister’s shoes.

    “We want them to just come and like be looking and using their creativity, right, to kind of use their imagination to find the things from the movie,” Shaffer said.

    Architect Josh Warner said the exterior is nearly identical.

    But since the interior was actually a soundstage, they modeled 60 to 70 percent off the real Chicago house — thanks to an online listing when it went up for sale.

    While there is no basement, there is an attic and a movie-style veranda with glass walls.

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  • Three Days Before Christmas

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    Three Days Before Christmas – CBS News









































    Watch CBS News



    “48 Hours” Live to Tell: Two sisters who survive a deadly home invasion share their journey to hell and back.

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