The story begins almost 250 million years ago, with the ocean and geology and gypsum. It starts with the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area under an ancient sea, at a time when what is now Utah marked the continent’s coastal boundary.

UNLV Boyd School of Law Professor Bret Birdsong will put theory into practice in his new role as senior lawyer at the Bureau of Land Management, giving advice to the Secretary of the Interior and members of the BLM. Birdsong says he won’t directly make policy, but in his role as a lawyer, he will directly influence it.

Water fight • A return to the negotiating table with Nevada would likely leave Utah with a stronger hand; another option is court.