Katie McKellar

Katie McKellar

[email protected]

Katie McKellar is a senior reporter at the Utah News Dispatch. She is based in Salt Lake City. She has worked in journalism for 10 years, specializing in government and policy reporting. Before coming to Utah News Dispatch, she led state and local political coverage for the state’s oldest newspaper, the Deseret News. She has won multiple awards from the Utah chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists for her work reporting on city and county councils, the governor, and the Utah Legislature, covering every legislative session since 2014. She has particular expertise in growth and housing issues, and she’s most passionate about keeping Utahns informed about decisions that impact their daily lives.

‘We need help’: Homeless cleanup nonprofit furloughs employees, faces full shutdown
Utah

‘We need help’: Homeless cleanup nonprofit furloughs employees, faces full shutdown

7:02am ET
Katie McKellar
A longtime Utah social enterprise nonprofit that employs more than 100 people experiencing homelessness and other challenges has furloughed almost all of its staff — and it’s days away from shutting down completely if it doesn’t get an infusion of...
Wasatch County sheriff offers to go on paid leave ahead of council vote on call for his resignation
Utah

Facing felony charges, Wasatch County sheriff goes on paid leave

Oct 21, 2026
Katie McKellar
Embattled Wasatch County Sheriff Jared Rigby sent a letter to County Council members Tuesday night offering to go on paid administrative leave until his term ends at the end of the year. The letter , obtained by Utah News Dispatch...
Group calls on justice to recuse from redistricting case because he signed Prop 4 repeal effort
Utah

Group calls on justice to recuse from redistricting case because he signed Prop 4 repeal effort

Oct 21, 2026
Katie McKellar
A progressive advocacy group is calling on a Utah Supreme Court justice to recuse himself from the state’s ongoing anti-gerrymandering court battle after reports that he signed a petition to repeal Utah’s 2018 voter-approved independent redistricting law before he was...
Utah sues Kalshi for ‘brazen pattern’ of violating state’s gambling ban
Utah

Utah sues Kalshi for ‘brazen pattern’ of violating state’s gambling ban

Oct 20, 2026
Katie McKellar
Utah Attorney General Derek Brown filed a lawsuit against the major prediction market platform Kalshi on Tuesday, seeking to block the company from taking bets from Utahns. “Utah has said no to gambling since statehood in 1896, and that didn’t...
Will $1 billion for the Great Salt Lake materialize? Sen. Curtis says he’s working on it
Utah

Will $1 billion for the Great Salt Lake materialize? Sen. Curtis says he’s working on it.

Oct 20, 2026
Katie McKellar
During a discussion focused on water and saving the shrinking Great Salt Lake, U.S. Sen. John Curtis said on Monday he’s trying to drum up the political will in Congress to help President Donald Trump’s $1 billion proposal for the...
Letter with white powder addressed to Utah Lt. Gov. Henderson intercepted, given to FBI
Utah

Letter with white powder addressed to Utah Lt. Gov. Henderson intercepted, given to FBI

Oct 19, 2026
Katie McKellar
Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson is among several election officials across the country that have been sent suspicious white powder and threatening letters ahead of the midterm elections. Reports of the letters in Arizona , Ohio , Oklahoma and Louisiana...
Utahns say their quality of life is at a 15-year low, new report says
Utah

Utahns say their quality of life is at a 15-year low, new report says

Oct 19, 2026
Katie McKellar
Utahns’ perception of their quality of life is the lowest it’s been in 15 years, according to a new report. The report issued last week by the nonpartisan research nonprofit, the Utah Foundation, says Utah’s quality of life index measured...
Of 5K Utah voters needing to prove citizenship under new law, fewer than 2K have responded
Utah

Of about 6K Utah voters needing to prove citizenship under new law, fewer than 2K have responded

Oct 15, 2026
Katie McKellar
Of at least 6,191 Utah voters who state election officials have notified that they need to provide proof of their U.S. citizenship before this year’s November election, only 1,827 have responded and confirmed their citizenship, according to Utah’s lieutenant governor’s...
Federal judge blocks Trump administration from moving Forest Service headquarters to Utah
Utah

Federal judge blocks Trump administration from moving Forest Service headquarters to Utah

Oct 14, 2026
Katie McKellar
A federal judge has issued a preliminary ruling blocking the Trump administration from moving the U.S. Forest Service’s headquarters from Washington, D.C., to Salt Lake City while the rest of the lawsuit over the relocation plays out in court. In...
Rep. Moore says he puts policy over ‘toxic’ politics; Crosby calls himself a chance for change
Utah

Rep. Moore says he puts policy over ‘toxic’ politics; Crosby calls himself a chance for change

Oct 14, 2026
Katie McKellar
In the race for Utah’s newly-drawn 2nd Congressional District, Republican incumbent Rep. Blake Moore squared off with one of his challengers, Democrat Peter Crosby, on the debate stage at Utah State University on Tuesday, three weeks before the Nov. 3...
What’s up with amendments A & B? Lawmakers are asking voters to change the Utah Constitution (again)
Utah

What’s up with amendments A & B? Lawmakers are asking voters to change the Utah Constitution (again)

Oct 13, 2026
Katie McKellar
In addition to all the congressional, legislative and local races Utahns will need to sort through after they get their by-mail ballots starting this week, there are two wonky but important questions for them to answer. The questions titled Amendment...
Utah House speaker says he’s open to repealing controversial development law
Utah

Utah House speaker says he’s open to repealing controversial development law

Oct 12, 2026
Katie McKellar
Amid ongoing controversy over a state law that allows landowners to essentially self-form a new city or town, one of Utah’s top Republican lawmakers says he’s open to a change — or even a full repeal of the law. House...