From the Bear Den: Issue 4
Updates, upcoming events, community features
From the Bear Den
Issue 4
Box Elder Accountability Referendum(B.E.A.R.) •
• June 29, 2026
In This Issue:
June 25th commission meeting recap, legal update, news articles, upcoming events, and more!
The Legal Update
As of today, June 29, 2026, these are the legal updates:
Judge Maynard recused himself from the appeal case.
Judge Walsh of Cache County has been assigned to the appeal case.
At this point, it seems unlikely the court will decide in time for any vote to appear on the 2026 ballot. However, the appeals process also buys us valuable time to prepare for what comes next
Events Recap
June 23, 2026 Primary Election
There were several wins for the state and for Box Elder County with this primary election.
Stuart Adams(State Senate President and chair of MIDA) - VOTED OUT
Both commissioners of Box Elder County - VOTED OUT
33% of the registered voters in Box Elder County showed up and let their voices be heard.
The primary election was a historic referendum on transparency, respect, and accountability. It proved that the people of this county are not a captive audience to be scolded; we are the stakeholders, the taxpayers, and the citizens who actually live with the consequences of the commissioners votes.
Congratulations Box Elder!
June 25, 2026 Commission Meeting:
The commission meeting was packed again, though this meeting was not a data center-centric meeting. There was one motion, Resolution 26-17 that approved a Mineral Lease Board. At this point, we are unsure what this entails or if it is related to the data center.
I addressed the commissioners during the public comment period. I told them that it has been 52 days since they yelled at their own constituents to “for hell’s sakes grow up”, and there still has not been a public apology. That as a result of their actions, their attitudes and short tempers, and their failure to listen to their constituents, we, the already grown up people of Box Elder County showed them what we think of their behavior last Tuesday when we voted two of them out.
I told them that while they still hold their seats for the remainder of their terms, that we are watching every single decision they make between now and January.
HELP WANTED
To apply for a support role, fill out the
*All positions in B.E.A.R. are volunteer positions.
Current Roles we are seeking:
Table helpers for events!
Parade walkers for the upcoming 4th of July, 24th of July, and local festival season!
People ready to be boots on the ground when we can gather signatures!
Newsletter helper!
Our amazing social media manager is looking for people to interview about how they feel the data center will affect their way of life! Here’s her video!
If you are willing to do any of these things, please fill out the volunteer form above, and/or email/message us!
If you have already filled out the volunteer form, somebody should be reaching out to you shortly if they haven’t already - if you have not had any contact and it’s been more than a couple weeks, please reach out to us! (We are learning new things every day to streamline the process! Thank you so much so far for your patience with us.)
Press corner
News articles featuring the Box Elder Accountability Referendum Team and other relevant news
June 22, 2026
Utah’s Proposed Stratos Data Center Project Raises Questions About Water, Energy, and Sustainability
Nobody Here Wants the Data Center: An Oral History
June 23, 2026
Box Elder data center campus claims two casualties: a pair of incumbent commissioners
Box Elder County commissioners who voted for data center project trailing in primary voting
The Fight Against AI Data Centers Is the Newest Frontier of Global Class Warfare
How a data center backlash is twisting Utah’s primary
Stuart Adams is out: Utah Senate president concedes to Republican challenger
Commissioners, sheriff unseated in Box Elder County primary
June 24, 2026
Data center fallout upends Utah politics, ousting Senate president
Utah Senate President Loses Primary After Data Center Backlash
Mother of four who beat Stuart Adams is not ‘hard no’ on Stratos project
Cache County Council dodges bullet by imposing preemptive moratorium on data centers
Unpacking Utah’s primary upsets: The race that’s sending ‘shockwaves’ through the Legislature
June 25, 2026
Timeline: How the Kevin O’Leary data center plan came to be, and what’s happened since
Kevin O’Leary walks back accusations that data center opponents are funded by China
Before the Stratos data center, there was Deer Valley and Sundance
Data center developers move forward despite voter backlash aimed at Sen. Adams, others
June 26, 2026
MIDA hires new director following Box Elder data center backlash
Why data centers are getting bigger: The rise of the multi-gigawatt mega campus
June 27, 2026
Nobody Wants These Goddamn Data Centers. Trump’s Blowing $17.5 Billion On Nukes To Power Them
June 28, 2026
Are Republicans Souring on Data Centers?
Discussions on Data Centers
What are all the data centers in Utah being used for? Why does the United States need so many? The United States currently has almost 4,500 data centers. Second in the data center “race” is Germany… with just over 520.
So why the push that we have to beat China in this data center race? We already have 10 times more data centers than China, who has just over 440. This isn’t even a race.
And why are they insisting on building them in drought prone areas like Utah?
Submit your responses!
Mark Your Calendar!
Upcoming Events
July 4th
We will be in the Willard, Perry, and Honeyville parades!
To walk with us, meet at:
Mama Bear Shannon will be at Willard and Perry, Mama Bear Brigette will be at Honeyville.
Willard: Lineup is at 9am, meet 200 n 200 w
Perry: Lineup is at 10:30am, meet at 900 w 2700 s (west side of 89)
Honeyville: Lineup is at 10am, meet at 7360 N 2800 St W, Honeyville, Utah
Wear sunblock and bring a water bottle! Just show up ready to walk with us!
July 8, 2026
Grow the Flow Panel in Brigham City!
USU Brigham City Campus
6pm
SAVE THE DATE!
Stratos documentary screening!
8:30PM
Shuman Park, Tremonton
210 N Tremont St
24th, County Fair, Peach Days
We want to invite everyone who wants to join us, to come walk in the 24th of July, County Fair and Peach Days parades. Specific details coming!
Voices from the Den: What’s On Your Mind?
A newsletter shouldn’t just be a one way street, it’s a community megaphone. Moving forward, this section belongs entirely to you. This is where we will feature your thoughts, letters to the editor, questions, and personal perspectives on the future of Box Elder County.
Issue 1: What was your immediate reaction to the May 4th Commission vote, and what are you most concerned about if Project Stratos moves forward as planned?
Issue 2: If you attended the B.E.A.R. rally on Saturday, June 13, 2026, what was your favorite part? What can we do better at future rallies/community events?
Issue 3: Do you feel the county’s new 6-month pause is a genuine step toward protecting Box Elder, or is it a case of “too little, too late”? What specific rules or protections do you want to see our local leaders put in place over the next 180 days to actually protect our watershed and earn back public trust?
Issue 4: Do you worry more about our environment collapsing, or how the data center would affect taxes and utilities in the future?
You can submit your responses with these buttons!
Cave Paintings
Submit your artwork for future newsletters!
The Backyard
Pull up a chair and relax! The fight to protect our county is hard work, so this is our space to slow down, share a local recipe, and challenge our brains.
Here is this week’s puzzle! You voted for sudoku, you get sudoku!
You can click the puzzle to play or print.
The Picnic Basket
The community recipe corner! If you have a recipe you’d like to share with the community and see featured here, please send it over to:
Let me know if you’d like your name included as the contributor, just initials, and if you’d like any social media linked.
This week’s recipe:
This week has been such a Monday so far, I just wanted to share one of my favorite summertime “stay cool” treats. Stick a can of Dr. Pepper(or other favorite soda) in the freezer for about 15-30 minutes. DO NOT FORGET IT IS THERE! (Ask me how I know.) After the freezer time out, take it out, pop it open, and enjoy a soda slushie!
I find it works best with cans, or maybe I just like the taste of the can vs. the bottled soda better.
Share your favorites with us!
Feedback & suggestions
Did we miss something? Want to see something added? Constructive feedback is always welcome! (Please don’t make me cry.) Thank you so much for reading, subscribing, and for just being you. We couldn’t do this movement without you.
Brigette Cottam
Box Elder Accountability Referendum Mama B.E.A.R.
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BEAR Box Elder Accountability Referendum
Awesome work as usual Mama Bear!