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Utah's parental leave policies are changing
Data: U.S. Department of Labor; Map: Tory Lysik/Axios VisualsPaid family leave is still not mandated in Utah, but new laws across the country are expanding access to benefits for expecting and new parents.The big picture: Utah employers must offer 12 weeks of job-protected, unpaid family leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act.Meanwhile, most countries guarantee paid maternity leave and paid paternity leave.Why it matters: Studies have shown parental leave can lower the risk of developing postpartum depression and can provide better interactions between the birthing parent and child.State of play: More Utah moms are going back to work less...
Trump expected to make campaign stop in Utah
Former President Trump is making a campaign stop in Utah in August, the Deseret News reports.Why it matters: Trump, who survived an assassination attempt earlier this month, has not received the same level of enthusiastic support from Utah Republican voters compared to other red states.State of play: Trump is slated to attend an Aug. 29 fundraiser co-organized by Papa John's Pizza founder John Schnatter, per Deseret News.It will be his first visit to the Beehive State since 2017 when he made drastic cuts to Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments.He was initially scheduled to arrive in June for a...
"Ballerina Farm" bombshells dim Utah influencer's sheen
A new profile of the famed Utah "tradwife" influencer Hannah Neeleman is raising eyebrows with its portrayal of the misogyny Neeleman has experienced while becoming "Ballerina Farm."Driving the news: The Times of London obtained unprecedented access to Neeleman's Summit County ranch for a recent story that depicts a pattern of sexism in the family, from pressures to marry young to the health effects of parenting eight kids in rural isolation.Why it matters: The profile is calling into question claims that the tradwife trend celebrates women's choice by elevating those who elect to fill traditional gender roles, centering motherhood and domestic...
4 Utah Royals players are competing in the Summer Games
Data: NWSL; Note: Includes alternates; Chart: Simran Parwani/AxiosUtah Royals fans will get a chance to root for some familiar faces during the Summer Games in Paris.The big picture: A record number of National Women's Soccer League players are suiting up for Olympic competitions, and the NWSL reports it is fielding more players in the Games than any other league in the world.That's 56 players representing 11 countries, including the United States.State of play: Macey Fraser (New Zealand), Amandine Henry (France), Ifeoma Onumonu (Nigeria) and Mina Tanaka (Japan) are playing in this year's Olympics.Between the lines: The Utah soccer club paid a six-figure...
SLC events: Peruvian Festival, Wildflower hikes and comedy
Here are a few options to get your weekend started in Salt Lake City.🇵🇪 Peruvian festivalThe state's largest annual celebration of Peruvian culture will feature multiple vendors, food options and live music.When: Saturday noon to 11pmWhere: 1354 E. Chambers Ave., MillcreekAdmission: Free🌸 Wasatch Wildflower FestivalTake a hike while you learn about native flowers in Little Cottonwood Canyon.When: Saturday at Snowbird Resort and Sunday at Alta Ski Area 9am–2pmAdmission: Tickets start at $10🎭 Ralph BarbosaThe laid-back comedian released his Netflix stand-up special "Cowabunga" in 2023.When: Sunday 6pmWhere: WiseGuys Comedy ClubAdmission: $40 before fees
Judge tosses part of social media giants' lawsuit over Utah age rules
A federal judge threw out part of a lawsuit filed against Utah by social media companies over the state's pending age restrictions for the platforms.The big picture: Meta, Google and TikTok say Utah lawmakers are violating users' First Amendment rights by requiring age verification and parental consent for minors to use social media.The lawsuit also disputes the state's ban on features like video autoplay and push notifications on minors' accounts, arguing it violates a federal law that prevents online platforms from being held liable for content posted by their users.Driving the news: That federal law, the 1996 Communications Decency Act,...
A look back at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City
The Winter Games are coming back to Salt Lake City in 2034.Flashback: Here's a look at how the Winter Olympics unfolded in Utah in 2002: Photo: Harry How/Getty ImagesView of the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Feb. 8, 2002. Photo: Harry How/Getty ImagesEight VIPs carried the Olympic flag into the stadium during the Opening Ceremony at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Feb. 8, 2002. Photo: Darren McCollester/Getty ImagesSalt Lake Organizing Committee President and CEO Mitt Romney spoke about the upcoming 2002 Olympic Winter Games during a January press conference. Photo: Simon Bruty/Anychance/Getty ImagesPicabo Street of USA...
Salt Lake City named host of 2034 Winter Olympics
Salt Lake City will host the 2034 Winter Games, the International Olympic Committee formally announced Wednesday in Paris.State of play: Thousands of fans waving flags with the Olympics symbol celebrated the news at a watch party in downtown Salt Lake that started around 3am MT. The long-awaited decision comes as the IOC board convenes ahead of this year's Summer Olympic games, which kick off July 24. Giant screens live streamed the meeting which coincided with Pioneer Day and saw dozens of people camping in the city overnight. Zoom in: A delegation of Utah leaders, including Gov. Spencer Cox and Salt...
Utah's low wages hit single parents hard
Data: Oxfam; Chart: Rahul Mukherjee/AxiosUtah has an above-average share of low-wage workers — with single parents faring particularly poorly.The big picture: It's not just teenagers and affluent moms with Etsy shops driving down Utah's wages, researchers with Oxfam America reported in a study last week.By the numbers: More than 25% of Utah workers make less than $17 per hour, compared to a national average of about 23%.That's more than 457,000 people in the state.Zoom in: That includes nearly 51% of Utah's single parents — the 7th-highest rate in the nation, exceeding even high-poverty states like West Virginia and Alabama.34% of Utah's working...
Rocky Road takes the crown as Utah's favorite ice cream flavor
Data: Instacart; Note: Calculated by comparing the share of most popular selected flavors within a state and selecting flavors whose share deviates most from the average; Graphic: Jacque Schrag and Sarah Grillo/AxiosRocky Road is Utah's favorite ice cream flavor, according to an analysis of summer 2023 purchase data from Instacart.The big picture: While there are some regional trends in the top flavors, like Rocky Road in the West and moose tracks in the Midwest, many states have a different top flavor than their neighbors.Overall, classic flavors like vanilla, chocolate, and cookies and cream are the most popular nationwide.Zoom in: Rounding out Utah's top five are:Chocolate ChipPistachioVanillaMint Chip
SLC travelers remain stranded as Delta's flight delays persist
Dozens of flights in and out of Salt Lake City were canceled Monday as Delta Airlines struggled to recover from the weekend's travel meltdown.The big picture: Delays and cancellations plagued almost every airline starting Friday due to a technical problem with widely used cybersecurity software that also affected hospitals, law enforcement and more.The intrigue: Most airlines have recovered, but Delta had canceled about 20% and delayed about 15% of its Monday flights as of mid-morning, per FlightAware.Technical issues were stymying Delta's crew-scheduling software, which matches available pilots and flight attendants to particular flights, Delta CEO Ed Bastian said in a...
When the church banned Black kids from Boy Scouts leadership
Fifty years ago this week, the NAACP sued the Boy Scouts of America over a Mormon ban on Black scouts in troop leadership.This is Old News, where we scout the annals of Utah's past to clarify the present.Catch up quick: Until 1978, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints banned Black members from entering the faith's temples or holding the "priesthood" — a status available to most other male members starting at age 11.That affected who could serve as senior patrol leaders in church-affiliated Boy Scout troops, which automatically gave the normally elected position to the sponsoring congregation's "deacon's...
How Mormonism plays into Utah Gov. Cox's sudden embrace of Trump
Days after saying he would not vote for former President Trump, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox "pledged" his support in a letter he sent to Trump after the shooting last weekend at a Pennsylvania rally. Why it matters: Cox refused to vote for Trump in 2016's and 2020's presidential elections —...
Finalists announced to host future Sundance Film Festivals
Data: Sundance Institute; Map: Axios VisualsThe nonprofit behind the Sundance Film Festival on Friday named the finalists in the running to host the iconic event starting in 2027. Driving the news: Park City and Salt Lake City's joint bid made it to the last phase, along with five other cities: AtlantaBoulder, ColoradoCincinnati, OhioLouisville, KentuckySanta Fe, New MexicoWhat they're saying: "We are committed to working in partnership on a new vision of 'Two Cities, One Experience' with a shared goal of reinvigorating the festival with an even greater tradition for storytelling over the next 40 years," according to a statement from...
Utah's COVID-19 wastewater levels are high as summer surge takes hold
Data: CDC. Map: Axios VisualsUtah's wastewater is showing "high" levels of COVID-19 as more people get out of their homes this summer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Why it matters: The prevalence of COVID is especially high in the West, where test positivity in the region comprising Arizona, California, Hawaii, and Nevada stood at 15.6%, and viral activity in wastewater has been rising over the past month, CDC data shows.Threat level: COVID-19 cases are growing or likely growing in 45 states and territories, and more than half of the states have virus levels that are "very high"...
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