A newly discovered, raccoon-sized armored monstersaurian from the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Southern Utah, United States, reveals a surprising diversity of large lizards at the pinnacle of the age of dinosaurs. Named for the goblin prince from J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit,” the new species Bolg amondol also illuminates the sometimes-murky path that life traveled between ancient continents.

“I opened this jar of bones labeled ‘lizard’ at the Natural History Museum of Utah, and was like, oh wow, there’s a fragmentary skeleton here,” said lead author Hank Woolley from the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County’s Dinosaur Institute. “We know very little about large-bodied lizards from the Kaiparowits Formation in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah, so I knew this was significant right away.”

Published on June 17, 2025 in the journal Royal Society Open Science, the collaborative research led by the Dinosaur Institute and the Natural History Museum of Utah (NHMU) reveals hidden treasures awaiting future paleontologists in the bowels of museum fossil collections, and the vast potential of paleontological heritage preserved in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and other public lands.

“Discovering a new species of lizard that is an ancestor of modern Gila monsters is pretty cool in and of itself, but what’s particularly exciting is what it tells us about the unique 76-million-year-old ecosystem it lived in,” said co-author Randy Irmis, associate professor at the University of Utah and curator of paleontology at NHMU. “The fact that Bolg co-existed with several other large lizard species indicates that this was a stable and productive ecosystem where these animals were taking advantage of a wide variety of prey and different micro-habitats.”

— University of Utah

Gov. Cox names Beau Mason commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety

Gov. Cox today announced the appointment of Beau Mason as Commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety (DPS), effective July 17, 2025. Mason will assume the role the day after Commissioner Jess Anderson retires on July 16 following nearly three decades of distinguished service to the state.

“Beau has spent more than 20 years keeping Utahns safe,” Gov. Cox said. “He knows every corner of DPS and has earned the trust of everyone who wears the badge. I’m excited to see where he takes the department.”

Since 2023, Mason has served as Deputy Commissioner, overseeing the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services (EMS), State Bureau of Investigations (SBI), Statewide Information and Analysis Center (SIAC), Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST), and the Division of State Security. Prior to his executive role, Mason rose through the ranks of the Utah Highway Patrol from trooper to major directing field operations, the Special Emergency Response Team, Executive Protection, Motors, and the Aero Bureau.

— Office of Governor Spencer Cox

Sen. Curtis pushes for accountability from the World Anti-Doping Agency ahead of 2034 Salt Lake Games

During a Senate Commerce Subcommittee hearing examining the effectiveness of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in ensuring international competitions remain free from doping and performance-enhancing drugs, U.S. Senator John Curtis (R-UT) highlighted Utah’s success hosting the 2002 Winter Olympic Games and reaffirmed the state’s commitment to upholding that legacy as it prepares for the 2034 Games in Salt Lake City. Curtis pressed top anti-doping officials and former Olympic athletes on how WADA’s inconsistent enforcement has led to unfair competition for American athletes and asked what specific reforms are needed to ensure fairness and integrity ahead of both the 2028 Los Angeles Games and the 2034 Salt Lake City Games.

Witnesses included Mr. Travis Tygart, CEO of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA); Ms. Katie McLaughlin, former Olympic swimmer; Dr. Rahul Gupta, President of GATC Health Corp and former Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy; and Ms. Dionne Koller, Professor of Law and Director of the Center for Sport and Law at the University of Baltimore School of Law.

— Office of Senator John Curtis

DABS launches new training for servers and bartenders to prevent alcohol over-service

The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services teamed up with restaurant industry partners and Utah’s Department of Public Safety on Thursday to launch a new training video for the thousands of alcohol servers and bartenders throughout the state. The message is clear: servers and bartenders play an important role in preventing the dangers that can come from customers’ drinking too much.

“Even one Utahn getting injured or killed due to impaired driving is one too many. Those working in Utah’s service industry play an important role by being alert and aware of when to cut someone off from ordering another drink,” said Tiffany Clason, Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services Executive Director. “That smart thinking can both save lives and prevent fines and penalties for businesses and employees.”

Clason says all owners, managers, and workers who serve alcohol are encouraged to watch the free, optional training video on preventing alcohol over-service. It can be found on the DABS website at abs.utah.gov/licenses-permits/training (direct YouTube link here). The video reviews behaviors that servers and bartenders can watch for, tips for navigating the tricky moments with customers, and the legal consequences for businesses and servers when alcohol over-service is proven.

The free, optional training video was developed at no cost to the DABS thanks to grant funding provided by the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association (NABCA), says Clason. The DABS applied for the grant to reduce the number of alcohol sales to intoxicated customers and to inform and educate about the harmful impacts of alcohol over-service incidents on the public.

— Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services