Local & State

Box Elder County Sheriff Kevin Potter is on voluntary administrative leave after Ogden police confirmed he was driving a vehicle involved in a Tuesday crash that critically injured a 22-year-old motorcyclist near the mouth of Ogden Canyon. The Ogden Police Department and Weber Metro CRASH team are investigating; Potter remained at the scene and cooperated. Separately, a censure letter from Box Elder County commissioners last May revealed Potter had been disciplined over a January incident involving a confrontation with a private citizen and policy violations tied to storing and transporting alcohol in his county vehicle, though investigators found insufficient evidence of criminal conduct or DUI. Potter lost his Republican primary reelection bid earlier this year, though the sheriff's seat remains on this cycle's ballot.

St. Paul, Minnesota, Mayor Kaohly Her has nominated Assistant Chief of Operations Jeramiah Melquist to lead the city's fire department. Melquist, a 26-year department veteran, has held roles including assistant chief of medical services, deputy chief, district chief, fire captain and fire equipment operator. Her selected him from five finalists, three internal and two external, citing his experience and leadership style, which he describes as mission-driven and people-first. He pointed to the department's recent Class I rating from the Insurance Services Office, placing St. Paul among the top 1% of U.S. fire departments for protection and readiness. The nomination now requires confirmation by the St. Paul City Council.

Knoxville cut the ribbon on The Village at Inskip, a new 98-unit affordable housing community in North Knoxville offering 2-, 3-, and 4-bedroom layouts with rents starting around $1,300 a month; vouchers are accepted. Mayor Indya Kincannon attended the opening, noting the housing targets workers in hospitality and assisted living who need affordable options in a growing city. The development, built by local company Hopeful Housing over four years, sits near Inskip Park and includes a new KAT bus stop and crosswalk for residents without cars. Hopeful Housing president John Huber said the project aims to help low- to moderate-income residents avoid homelessness.

Wayne County Executive Warren Evans said at a Detroit Regional Chamber event that he isn't opposed to data centers broadly, but objects to deals he sees as lopsided, where companies receive large tax incentives while offering communities comparatively little in return. Evans recently vetoed tax incentives and a community benefits agreement for a proposed Google data center in Van Buren Township, citing a rushed process; county commissioners later overrode his veto.

Oakland County's Dave Coulter and Macomb County's Mark Hackel, appearing alongside Evans, said developers have failed to clearly communicate community benefits and often require nondisclosure agreements that limit public input. Coulter also warned of a potential saturation point leaving communities with vacant facilities. Clinton Township recently enacted a temporary moratorium on new data centers.