U.S. Briefs: Utah probes security failures in Kirk killing

Utah Valley University (UVU) has outlined a timeline for its previously announced independent review of campus security protocols after Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk’s on-campus assassination in September. In a 22-page document posted to the school’s website, administrators called for third-party bids for the work, which will start in January and end before summer 2026. Reviewers must then submit a public report analyzing exactly what happened and recommending how to improve campus safety. UVU is the largest public university in Utah, and Kirk’s murder there during the kickoff of his American Comeback Tour sent shock waves through the state and nation. Schools across the country are now reconsidering their emergency response plans, and a new state-appointed task force is scrutinizing protocols at public colleges across Utah. Critics, including Kirk’s own security chief, Brian Harpole, have blamed UVU campus police for failing to secure rooftops and station enough officers on site. UVU confirmed it had just eight officers, alongside Kirk’s private security team, patrolling the event of over 3,000 attendees. The university plans to add another eight officers to its 23-person team. —Grace Snell

Colorado

Denver tops the list of dozens of cities, counties, and states where the minimum hourly wage for workers will increase on Jan. 1. In the Mile High City, the minimum will change from $18.81 to $19.29 per hour, making it one of the highest in the nation. Congress has not raised the federal minimum wage since 2009. In the absence of action at the national level, many states and ­cities have increased their own minimum wages. According to the Economic Policy Institute, 30 states and the District of Columbia boast a higher minimum wage than the $7.25 federal minimum. Advocates say raises benefit the economy by putting more money into the pockets of people who are likely to spend it. But many employers argue increased wage floors will force them to cut workers or raise prices. —Kim Henderson

District of Columbia

The Department of the Interior on Nov. 25 announced a modified pricing system for national park access. Beginning Jan. 1, annual passes will cost $80 for U.S. ­residents and $250 for noncitizen visitors. The passes currently cost $80 for all visitors. Nonresidents without an annual pass must pay an entrance fee and $100 per ­person for 11 of the most popular parks. Park entry on major holidays such as Memorial Day will be free for U.S. residents. “America-first pricing” comes in response to President Donald Trump’s July Executive Order calling for higher entry fees for foreign tourists. In 2018, about 14 million international tourists visited national parks and monuments. Federal officials say additional entry fee revenue will help maintain the parks. —Bekah Bernhardt

Minnesota

Immigration enforcement operations surged into the Minneapolis-St. Paul area in December with orders to track down and detain Somali nationals with final deportation orders. In the weeks leading up to the operation, President Donald Trump criticized the Somali immigrant community for the role that several individuals of Somali descent played in a yearslong welfare fraud scheme that siphoned hundreds of millions of dollars in food aid, autism services, and housing programs. Trump also said on social media that Somali gangs are tormenting the state. Minnesota has the nation’s largest population of Somalis, many of whom are now U.S. citizens. In November, Trump said he plans to end Temporary Protected Status for Somalia, which shielded about 700 Somali nationals from deportation to their home country. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter decried the crackdown and directed Somali immigrants to resources outlining their legal rights if they are targeted by immigration authorities. —Addie Offereins

New York

In late November, Costco sued the Trump administration, seeking a full refund for tariffs it paid on imported goods in 2025. The retail giant’s lawsuit comes ahead of a Supreme Court ruling that will determine whether President Donald Trump has the authority to invoke the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose tariffs. In August, a lower court ruled tariffs fall under the scope of congressional power, not the president’s. Even if the high court rules against Trump, Costco argues importers won’t be reimbursed for the tariffs they’ve already paid, unless courts require it. Roughly 70 companies, including Kawasaki Motors, Revlon, and Ray-Ban parent company EssilorLuxottica, have filed refund lawsuits. Costco did not specify the amount it hopes to win in its lawsuit, arguing U.S. Customs and Border Protection denied its request to extend the Dec. 15 deadline for final tariff calculations. —Bekah Bernhardt

Texas

Houston leaders unveiled an online database Dec. 2 that ­displays the number of firearm injuries and deaths reported by law enforcement, emergency responders, hospitals, and medical examiners across the city. SAFEWatch Houston is the first online dashboard in the nation gathering such information, including trauma-center reporting, in one place, according to city officials. An average of about 1,100 people each year received gunshot-related care in Houston’s trauma centers between 2019 and 2024, but these numbers are often unavailable to local agencies because of differing reporting requirements, privacy laws, and siloed systems. The new dashboard includes details such as location and time of incidents, related drug use and other risk factors, and demographic information. It also denotes unintentional shootings, which account for about 20% of injuries and disproportionately affect children and young adults, health officials said. The city will update the dashboard quarterly and use the synthesized data to refine gun-­violence prevention programs. —Todd Vician