The Daily Buzz

A Salt Lake County Council member is pressing for a new policy barring men from using women's locker rooms at county recreation facilities. Dea Theodore, a conservative Republican from Sandy, announced her effort in between media appearances and public testimony Tuesday by county resident and GOP activist Candace Duncan, who asserted she had been confronted by “biological males” twice in women's locker rooms recently at the Northwest Recreation Center in Salt Lake City.

Bryce Canyon has the second-most Instagram posts per square mile out of all the National Parks, according to a new study.

To save travelers from paying more for food, drinks and other items once they pass through security, Salt Lake City International Airport instituted a policy to bar vendors from charging more than they do out on the street. According to an airport shopping excursion of sorts by The Salt Lake Tribune, the pricing policy seems to be working. Read more: https://www.sltrib.com/news/2023/07/04/little-known-policy-that-keeps

Under an end-of-year tradition n the Alpine School District, kids could leave this Utah school after two hours of class. One student, his parents said they later learned, used the unsupervised time in May 2022 to have sex with his girlfriend — during school hours, in the parking lot of the Lehi campus. The Latter-day Saint couple, whose faith prohibits premarital sex, sued the district and some administrators, arguing that their constitutional right to parent their child and freedom of religion had been violated. Read more: https://www.sltrib.com/news/education/2023/06/29/utah-teen-had-sex-school-heres-why

Legal experts recommend getting an application in ASAP. Fees to expunge a criminal record in Utah will cost more than four times higher beginning July 1.

Public records show that a Department of Government Operations employee ‘got in trouble' for posting an LGBTQ+ Pride image on the agency's official social media pages. Read more: https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2023/06/27/utah-state-agency-shared-an-lgbtq

This Saturday marks the one year anniversary of Roe V Wade being overturned. So where does Utah currently stand when it comes to abortion access?

Landlords across the state filed more than 2,600 eviction cases in the first four months of 2023. That's 40% more than the first quarter of 2022 and more than double the number of eviction lawsuits filed in the first four months of 2021.

Lawmakers say pushing back Utah's 2023 municipal election scheduled to coincide with the 2nd Congressional District race will prevent voter confusion and be less expensive for the state.

As Planned Parenthood Association of Utah fights a blocked near-ban on abortion and a recently passed abortion clinic ban in Utah courts, its only facility that offers abortions outside Salt Lake County “temporarily” closed in March, providing no explanation to patients. Read more: https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2023/06/14/utahs-only-abortion-clinic-outside/

Utah is one of 18 states in the nation with an established all-payer claim database (ABCD). Essentially, every bill sent to a health care insurer is logged into one massive database, which then researchers can work with to answer all sorts of healthcare questions: which procedures are being done most often, with medications are given and when, how much each procedure costs, which hospitals and doctors are most and least expensive, and so on. Read more: https://www.sltrib.com/news/2023/06/10/andy-larsen-understanding-health

After extensive forensic comparisons, however, Curtis Weber, an independent Latter-day Saint researcher in Utah, now believes that the daguerreotype found in a locket by a Smith descendant, Daniel Larsen, is indeed a photo of the man who proclaimed that he saw God and Jesus in a New York woods as a boy and launched a global religious movement. “I always believed it was him,” says the owner of the hotly debated daguerreotype. Adds an LDS historian: “The mere possibility of its veracity reminds us that Smith was a historical figure of flesh and bones.” To read more, check out https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2023/06/08/new-forensic-research-provides/

After a yearlong wait, Utah's Hogle Zoo successfully captured the birth of a new 98-pound male zebra on camera. Ziva, a 10-year-old Hartmann's mountain zebra, delivered the baby zebra — also called a foal — at approximately 7:11 p.m. on June 2. Within the first hour of his birth, the foal nursed, stood on his own and began walking. “He was super active right off the bat, super energetic and doing lots of what we like to call zoomies,” said Rachel Mozingo, a senior keeper of the zoo's African Savanna exhibit. “Zoomies” are playful gallops that are natural behavior for young zebras in the wild who need to quickly be on the move from predators after birth, she said. Visitors can now catch a glimpse of the yet-to-be-named baby zebra in the African Savanna exhibit. Read more: https://www.sltrib.com/news/2023/06/06/baby-zebra-born-utahs-hogle-zoo-is

This past Monday, 38 inmates at Utah State Prison celebrated getting their high school diplomas through the South Park Academy which is now run by the Salt Lake City School District. Read more: https://www.sltrib.com/news/education/2023/06/06/these-utah-state-prison-inmates

Downtown Salt Lake City may be forever changed by the coronavirus pandemic, with its future now less about workdays and more about nightlife. Three-plus years after the U.S. onset of COVID-19, about a third fewer workers are commuting each weekday to a workplace in the central business district, compared to late 2019. As the pattern persists, effects of remote work and all those empty cubicles are now combining with higher interest rates, pockets of layoffs and rising economic uncertainty to produce a major slowdown in the city's office sector. At the same time, evidence suggests downtown as a whole is unbowed in its dramatic recovery since fall 2021 in visitation numbers even as some office workers stay home, with overall trips to the urban core now 139% ahead of pre-virus levels. Read more: https://www.sltrib.com/news/2023/06/05/downtown-slc-office-vacancies-are/

The spray-painted sunglasses that would eventually become Pit Vipers were once traded for beers and rides to the slopes. Now an established brand popular among skiers and speed demons, the Salt Lake City company "is serious about taking things less seriously." Read more: https://www.sltrib.com/artsliving/2023/06/05/salt-lake-city-sunglasses-brand/

The needs of senior gays and lesbians are particularly acute as they get older. While many straight seniors have children and other relatives to help care for them, that's not true for many of the older members of the queer community. Today's Daily Buzz is a look at some of the resources that do help people in this group. Silver Pride Senior Drop-In: https://utahpridecenter.org/calendar/silver-pride-senior-drop-in-50-in-person-1686600000 Sew Much Pride: https://utahpridecenter.org/calendar/sew-much-pride-1684353600 Read more: https://www.sltrib.com/news/2023/05/31/utah-pride-center-does-what-it-can/

Utah NHL fans could have their dream turn into a reality. There's about a one in six chance that Salt Lake City is the next location for the Arizona Coyotes. Read more: https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2023/05/30/will-arizona-coyotes-move-utah-why/

Multiple sources have confirmed to The Salt Lake Tribune that U.S. Rep. Chris Stewart plans to resign, citing ongoing health issues with his wife. First elected by Utahns in 2012, Stewart is serving his sixth term in Congress. But what happens when a congressman resigns? There will be a special election. Read more: https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2023/05/30/what-happens-us-rep-chris-stewarts/

Some are surprised by the designation, but data indicates Salt Lake City is pretty gay, even if LGBTQ people say there's room for improvement in Utah's capital.

The Utah Supreme Court upheld a law that limits access to some of Utah's rivers and streams, a ruling that impacts anglers and those who want to float many of Utah's waterways.

Salt Lake City is considering an e-bike rebate similar to one offered in Denver.y Mayor Erin Mendenhall's 2024 budget request includes $230,000 for an air quality incentives program that could, in part, provide rebates for electric lawn care equipment, air purifiers or filters and electric bikes. However, e-bike incentives are not beloved by all, including Sen. Mitt Romney.

California, Arizona and Nevada have agreed to use less Colorado River water in the next few years. And while the deal doesn't apply to the Upper Basin states like Utah, it doesn't mean Utahns won't feel any impact. The Colorado River supports around 40 million people living in seven Western states, tribal reservations and Mexico, but its volume has dropped by one-third in recent years. About half of the river basin's water goes to beef and dairy production, recent research has found. Climate change coupled with population growth in the region has further fueled water shortages. Read more: https://www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2023/05/23/utah-isnt-forced-make-cuts-will

For many, Interstate 15′s expansion through northern Salt Lake and southern Davis counties is a certainty. After all, state money has been identified for the project and an environmental impact statement is due out this fall. So these people choose a place at the table to form, rather than fight, the road. Others, especially those who may be displaced or affected by a bigger highway, aren't about to raise a white flag. They battle on, aiming to halt the project altogether. Read more: https://www.sltrib.com/news/2023/05/20/farmington-slc-latest-i-15/

Dorothy Durrant has operated a farmers market on her property north of Utah Lake since at least 2020. The lot between Center Street and Country Lane, off a spur called Farmers Market Street, is home to her Lehi Farmers Market on Fridays and Saturdays. It has also been a recreational vehicle park, petting zoo and a launch site for hot air balloon and helicopter rides, with food trucks, tractor rides and firework shows. On paper, the more than 4-acre lot isn't permitted for many of the attractions hosted there, including the namesake farmers market, said Bryce Armstrong, associate director of Utah County Community Development. It isn't even technically in Lehi. Read more: sltrib.com

From the Bear River in the north to the Virgin River in the south, communities throughout Utah are flooding as the state's record-busting snowpack melts. But as public officials have urged Utahns to prepare by purchasing insurance policies, thousands may not have access to it and few communities participate in a federal program to make it more affordable. Over two dozen Utah municipalities with a flood hazard area do not participate in the Federal Emergency Management Agency's voluntary National Flood Insurance Program, cutting their residents off from accessing flood insurance policies through the government. And only 13 communities in the state have implemented flood mitigation standards that would cut their residents' rates to purchase such policies. Read more: https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2023/05/18/should-utahns-get-flood-insurance/

Utah has the highest rate of teens as part of the workforce and the second-highest rate of teens working in the nation. More than half of Utah teens were part of the state's labor force in 2021. Learn more: sltrib.com

Fentanyl has made headlines in Utah. From St. George to Summit County, the synthetic opioid has been the “main driver” of increases in drug-related deaths, according to a 2021 report. So what is it and how does the drug get into the state? Read more: sltrib.com

FrontRunner has been serving Utahns for 15 years — but not on Sundays. The Utah Transit Authority's commuter rail system serves riders from Ogden to Provo, but only operates Monday through Saturday. The train provides service every 30 minutes during peak travel times on weekdays — and every 60 minutes on Saturdays — but the agency does not currently have the infrastructure to run service on Sundays, a spokesperson said. However, Sunday service could be added after the ongoing ”FrontRunner Forward” project is completed. The train currently operates on a single track over the majority of its length, according to documents from the Federal Transit Administration, and the project will add an additional track running parallel to certain portions of the 83-mile corridor — which will increase service frequency and help avoid delays. Read more: https://www.sltrib.com/news/2023/05/14/why-doesnt-frontrunner-run-sundays

Utah got more than $1 billion in several rounds of federal coronavirus funding for K-12 education. But where did the money go? By one count, the state has spent 49.4% of the main funding stream, known as Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief, or ESSER funds.

Mini “port” proposals keep popping up across Utah, which may signal a shift in strategy and purpose for the Utah Inland Port Authority. To read more, check out https://www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2023/05/11/it-seems-theyre-hyperdrive-least-9/

Finding an affordable home or apartment in Washington County to rent poses a challenge. According to a recent report, a full-time worker in the county had to earn $20.21 an hour to afford to rent an average two-bedroom apartment without exceeding 30% of their income. But the average hourly income for workers in the area is just $14.19. The waitlist to get into lower-income housing in some complexes can be two years or more. To read more, check out: https://www.sltrib.com/news/2023/04/24/st-georges-housing-crunch-leaves/

Utahns are more likely than most Americans to believe there are good financial times ahead but are still uncertain about the economy. Consumer sentiment, which measures attitudes, feelings, values, motivations and behaviors of people within a particular market, rose less than one point between March and April 2023, according to a new report from the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. Read more: https://www.sltrib.com/news/2023/05/09/how-utahns-feel-about-economy

Homeless shelters will now be allowed in most areas of Salt Lake City under an ordinance the City Council passed just hours before a self-imposed deadline to set new regulations was due to expire. Now, homeless shelters will be permitted in all zones except those dedicated to manufacturing. Previously, shelters were allowed in only a few zones. Read more: https://www.sltrib.com/news/2023/05/05/new-rules-will-allow-homeless

Some community members are calling for the Salt Lake City School District to consider building a new high school on the west side of the city — where students deal with the distance between neighborhoods like Glendale and east side high schools. But it would come at a high cost while the district is already working on repairs to two older schools.

Utah is just one of nine states that allow swan hunting, and until this year, that included trumpeter swans, considered North America's largest bird. The trumpeter swans are still struggling to reestablish migratory populations nearly a century after hunters blasted them to near extinction. But now Utah wildlife officials have proposed banning the taking of trumpeter swans. Tundra swans would remain legal to shoot during Utah's 73-day fall swan-hunting season.

Planned Parenthood and other clinics can continue to offer abortions in Utah, at least for now, a district court judge decided Tuesday in the latest development in a case that will determine the future of reproductive options in the Beehive State. Whether a law that bans abortion clinics in Utah goes into effect now depends on a larger question that lies with the state's highest court as it considers the state's blocked trigger law: Is the right to an abortion protected by the Utah Constitution? In his order Tuesday, 3rd District Court Judge Andrew Stone completely avoided that question, saying it is out of his jurisdiction. He instead focused on whether the law unfairly targets abortion clinics like those run by Planned Parenthood. Read more: https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2023/05/02/breaking-utah-court-blocks-abortion

Whether the news coming out of Zion National Park over the weekend is good or bad largely depends on a person's perspective — and whether they have designs on visiting the Southern Utah jewel in the near future. The optimistic takeaway is that the park was less crowded in 2022, when its visitation dropped from a record 5 million visitors the year prior, according to a news release issued by the National Park Service on Friday. More pessimistically, last year still ranked as the second-busiest in Zion's history with 4.5 million visitors. Among the 63 official national parks, it saw the third-most visits. Read more: https://www.sltrib.com/news/2023/05/03/zion-national-parks-visitation-is/

As the temperatures warm and snow melts, five waterways in northern Utah are forecast to experience minor flooding over the next few days, according to the National Weather Service. Read more: https://www.sltrib.com/news/2023/05/01/utahs-record-heat-record-snowpack https://www.sltrib.com/news/2023/05/01/five-northern-utah-waterways-see

Utah's Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) is proposing a reduction in deer tags after a harsh winter devastated the population in the northern counties. The state's deer population is at 335,000, well below the target of 405,000, due to drought and severe winter conditions. Read more: https://www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2023/05/01/utah-reduce-deer-tags-after-winter

Built into the new prison, which opened nearly one year ago, is a four-bed nursery for moms and infants. But as the Department of Corrections tries to get the program off the ground, it's run into a major roadblock — it wasn't able to secure funding from the Legislature during this year's legislative session. The Utah Legislature cited oversight concerns after numerous shortcomings in prison health care were detailed in back-to-back audits. To read more, check out https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2023/04/27/utahs-prison-is-trying-launch/

If you went to a concert in Salt Lake City in the late 2000s, you could probably find the show's promotional poster, designed by artist Leia Bell, and the band's latest album on vinyl — all in one building. Located at 221 E. Broadway at the time, Bell's downtown store and gallery, Signed & Numbered, sat in the basement, with record store Slowtrain just above it. The one-stop spot once well known to music lovers has since been demolished, but Bell and her husband, Phil Sherburne, are still celebrating 15 years of being in business as Signed & Numbered. These days, the two are more focused on building and selling custom frames than being a poster shop, and their store is now located in South Salt Lake, next door to the Salt Lake Bicycle Collective. Read more: https://www.sltrib.com/artsliving/2023/04/24/after-15-years-frame-print-shop

Robert Gehrke joins the podcast to talk about his latest column, which is a collection of short stories that had been left in his reporter's notebook. Gehrke gets to the bottom of a fundraiser for Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, who the governor appointed as his new energy czar and why a tax lien was taken out against the Utah Republican Party. Today's episode also marks the beginning of a hiatus for “The Daily Buzz.” The show will now be on pause while the newsroom looks to improve how we deliver the day's biggest stories and investigations to Utahns. Thank you for being a listener. The Salt Lake Tribune will continue to share our reporting with you in print, online and on all of our social media pages.

In this episode, reporter Kolbie Peterson gives listeners an update on how Moab and its residents are faring just days after the historic flash flood that swept through southern Utah. And host Daedan Olander discusses his reporting about a Ukrainian woman who fled to Utah to escape the Russian invasion. However, due to U.S. immigration law, she may not be able to stay.