By McKenzie Romero | Editor
As he closes his term as chair of the Western Governors’ Association, just days before the July 4th holiday and amid America 250 fervor, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox chose a particular group to play him off.
A children’s ensemble from Mis Raices Academy performed the national anthem and “America the Beautiful” in mariachi style for the gathered governors, as Cox urged the “nation of immigrants” to celebrate the country’s founding with their own patriotic “flavor.”
In today’s Dispatch we share Cox’s passionate point about on patriotism alongside a noncommittal answer on birthright citizenship, the cities opting out of the governor’s statewide fireworks ban, and a multi-state agreement to bolster the West’s power lines.
“That is to note that we are a country, a pluralistic society with a lot of really different people who come from different backgrounds, and we can all be patriotic with our own flavor.” — Gov. Spencer Cox about a mariachi performance of the national anthem and “America the Beautiful” for Western governors.
A children’s ensemble from Mis Raices Academy performs for the Western Governor’s Association meeting in Park City, Utah on Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (Alixel Cabrera/Utah News Dispatch)
By Alixel Cabrera
Throughout his time in office Gov. Spencer Cox has expressed different views on diversity efforts — like signing a ban on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives to declaring June “Fidelity Month” rather than “Pride Month” — but in front of a bipartisan group of governors, he praised the diversity of Utah communities, arguing “life is really boring when we’re all the same.”
What inspired Cox to invite the young mariachi performers to the governors’ event, he said, was watching people from all over the world visit the U.S. to watch World Cup matches, wonderstruck by the perks of air conditioning and businesses like Costco and Buc-ee’s.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox issued an executive order enacting a statewide fireworks ban through July 5. (Photo by Barbara Hoberock/Oklahoma Voice)
By Katie McKellar
Citing dire wildfire conditions across the state, Gov. Spencer Cox last week sent a strong message of caution to Utahns when he issued an executive order enacting a statewide fireworks ban through July 5.
While most cities — including all in Salt Lake County — are keeping the governor’s “default” ban in place, some are bucking the trend. So even though the governor issued a statewide ban, what that actually looks like is a patchwork of different fire restrictions, depending on the city.
Governors Brad Little of Idaho, Mark Gordon of Wyoming, Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico, Spencer Cox of Utah, Josh Green of Hawaii, Jared Polis of Colorado and Joe Lombardo of Nevada stand together during a news conference in Park City, Utah on June 30, 2026. (Alixel Cabrera/Utah News Dispatch)
By Alixel Cabrera
A bipartisan group of 11 Western governors signed a letter endorsing the establishment of a multi-state task force to develop a study and action plan to update the region’s energy grid.
The hope is that a unified voice helps push permitting reform across the finish line, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox explained, saying that while permits are being issued quicker under the second Trump administration, states can still coordinate better to expedite timelines.
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