Axios Salt Lake City
Jury awards $350K for torture at Utah jail with sordid history of abuse, escapes
A defunct Utah jail is in the spotlight one more time after a federal jury this week awarded more than $350,000 to former inmates who said the guards tortured them for fun.Why it matters: This is likely the former Daggett County jail's final appearance on the public stage after a notorious history of staff wrongdoing and inmate escapes.Catch up quick: Former inmates reported that guards repeatedly shocked them for entertainment, ordered a police dog to bite them in training and withheld medical care.Inmates described suffering PTSD and constant fear from the bullying and torture.Five officers pleaded guilty in 2017 to...
Hazmat crews set off "ancient" explosives found in Utah home
Hazmat teams on Wednesday detonated "ancient dynamite" found in a Utah home, KSL TV reported. State of play: Fire officials evacuated nearby residents in Holladay the night before to conduct the controlled detonation.The explosion resulted in a minor fire contained to the home and was heard from as far as South Salt Lake, ABC 4 reported. The house was declared a total loss.Catch up quick: Authorities were called about the dynamite on Tuesday after the homeowner discovered a large amount in the house. No foul play is suspected.Between the lines: The exact age of the explosives are not known, but the materials had been passed down from generation to generation, according to United Fire Authority Capt. Tony Barker, per KSL TV.About 30 pounds of explosives were found. Sign up for Axios Salt Lake City for free.
Utah students aren't joining Israel-Palestine protests. Here's why.
While campus protests reach a fever pitch nationwide over U.S. policy in the Middle East, most Utah students are going to class as usual.Why it matters: Utah has the youngest population of any state and the second-highest number of enrolled college students per capita — demographics that normally are ripe for political demonstration.Yes, but: Quad lawns from Logan to St. George are occupied by springtime fun, and almost all the biggest protests since October have gathered off-campus.Here are five reasons Utah's halls of higher learning aren't part of the fervor.Commuters and worker beesUtah students tend to spend less time on...
SLC weekend events: Fostering kittens, Luis Miguel concert
From playing enjoying cocktails to learning how to foster newborn kittens, there's something for everyone in Salt Lake City this weekend.🍷 Lounge at DriftSip on sangrias at one of our favorite cocktail bars in town.When: Tuesday -Thursday 4pm-11pm; Friday-Saturday 4pm to 1amWhere: Drift Lounge at Woodbine Food Hall (545 W. 700 S., Suite 100)🐱 Fostering kittensBest Friends Adoption Center is holding its semi-annual classes geared toward caring for infant kittens up to a month old.When: Saturday and Sunday, April 27–28 from 11am to 3pmWhere: Best Friends Adoption Center (2005 S. 1100 E.)Admission: Free🇲🇽 Luis Miguel concertOne of Latin music's biggest artists, Luis Miguel, aptly called the "sun of Mexico," will belt out hits from his storied career.When: Sunday, April 28 at 8pmWhere: Delta CenterAdmission: Tickets start at $81 before feesSign up for Axios Salt Lake City for free.
Salt Lake emerges as AI job hotspot
Data: UMD-LinkUp AIMaps; Note: "AI job" defined as a job requiring technical skills to build and/or use AI models; A bigger circle indicates more new jobs per capita; Map: Kavya Beheraj/AxiosThe Salt Lake City metro area saw an influx of AI-related job postings in the first quarter of 2024, outpacing the national average as demand for the technology grows, according to a new analysis.Why it matters: Cities outside Silicon Valley have a chance to get in on the action — and reap potentially lucrative economic rewards.How it works: The estimates came by way of UMD-LinkUp, a collaboration between the University of...
Salt Lake emerges as AI job hotspot
Data: UMD-LinkUp AIMaps; Note: "AI job" defined as a job requiring technical skills to build and/or use AI models; A bigger circle indicates more new jobs per capita; Map: Kavya Beheraj/AxiosThe Salt Lake City metro area saw an influx of AI-related job postings in the first quarter of 2024, outpacing the national average as demand for the technology grows, according to a new analysis.Why it matters: Cities outside Silicon Valley have a chance to get in on the action — and reap potentially lucrative economic rewards.How it works: The estimates came by way of UMD-LinkUp, a collaboration between the University of...
Coffee consumption among westerners hits high
Data: National Coffee Association; Note: Polling was conducted in January; Chart: Axios VisualsThe West really loves coffee, despite Utah's peculiar relationship with java.The big picture: Nationally, daily coffee-drinking among U.S. adults is at a high of more than 20 years, according to a recent National Coffee Association survey.Zoom in: About 69% of adults in the West drank coffee in the past day, per NCA polling.That's a 6% jump from 2020.Flashback: In 2004, less than half of adults had coffee in the past day nationwide, per NCA polling.The intrigue: Utah's prominent religion, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, requires...
Utah honey bee farms on the rise after colony collapse
There could be a record number of bee farms in Utah right now, according to a new analysis from the The Washington Post.Why it matters: Unusually high hive losses in the early 2000s ignited fears that the domesticated western honey bee, an integral part of the world's food system, was headed for population collapse from pesticide, climate change and invasive mites.But recent data from the Department of Agriculture suggests that domesticated honey bee colonies are making a comeback.The big picture: Bees are kind of Utah's thing!By the numbers: A 2022 census by the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service suggests the number of Utah bee farms has more than quintupled since 2002, from 143 to 787.Yes, but: Inflation might be making bee populations look artificially high.The census measures operations that produce at least $1,000 of products per year. That means high honey prices could nudge some hobbyists into the count.Recent research also suggests that despite increases in bee population, honey yields in the U.S. have been decreasing since the 1990s because of changing climates and decreased soil productivity.Sign up for Axios Salt Lake City for free.
House flipping declines in Utah as profitability tanks
Data: ATTOM; Note: A flip is defined as any transaction between an unrelated buyer and seller within 12 months of a previous transaction; Chart: Axios VisualsUtah has one of the nation's highest rates of house-flipping — despite being one of the least profitable states for it.The intrigue: Flippers in Utah saw an average return on investment of less than 5% last year.That's well below the national average of 27.5%, and lower than any other state except Idaho, per a recent report from real estate data company ATTOM.Both states saw home prices slow over the past two years after pandemic-era spikes.Flashback: In...
House flipping declines in Utah as profitability tanks
Data: ATTOM; Note: A flip is defined as any transaction between an unrelated buyer and seller within 12 months of a previous transaction; Chart: Axios VisualsUtah has one of the nation's highest rates of house-flipping — despite being one of the least profitable states for it.The intrigue: Flippers in Utah saw an average return on investment of less than 5% last year.That's well below the national average of 27.5%, and lower than any other state except Idaho, per a recent report from real estate data company ATTOM.Both states saw home prices slow over the past two years after pandemic-era spikes.Flashback: In...
Salt Lake City's Bonnie & Clyde's sandwiches are a must have
Salt Lake City has a new 1930s-themed sandwich and coffee shop, serving tasty breakfast and lunch fare.State of play: Bonnie & Clyde's Food and Coffee Company opened earlier this year on the ground floor of the new 6th and Main luxury apartments, delivering a selection of sandwiches, salads and pastries.The vibe: Named after the notorious crime couple, the eatery carries a 1930s theme with an old-fashioned bookcase and lighting fixtures.What I tried: The gigantic Club House Massacre ($13.50) served on sourdough is packed with shaved turkey, candied bacon, Swiss cheese, fresh greens and tomatoes. The menu's meaty Cajun french fries ($5.50) and refreshing lemonade ($3.50) complimented the meal.The bottom line: Bonnie & Clyde's is an ideal spot to get remote work done while enjoying delicious sips and bites.Sign up for Axios Salt Lake City for free.
Popular Salt Lake homebrew supply shop will close next month
A fixture in Salt Lake City's homebrewing scene is closing its Midvale doors at the end of May after more than a decade of providing supplies and advice to Utahns who craft their beer.Why it matters: Homebrewing is where many of Utah's most successful brewers got their start.The loss of a hub in the hobbyist community could ripple through Salt Lake's beer industry.Driving the news: Salt City Brew Supply is going out of business due to rising costs and growing customer reliance on online shopping, the owners posted Monday on Facebook.Yes, but: Owners Ross Metzger and Cody McKendrick parlayed their homebrew shop into a successful brewery. Bewilder Brewing opened in 2019 and isn't going anywhere.What they're saying: "We've made dozens of lifelong friends, watched great customers turn their own dreams into breweries of their own, and watched countless others make innumerable gallons of beer, wine, and cider (and maybe some other stuff ) to share with their family and friends," Metzger and McKendrick wrote in the store's goodbye message.Sign up for Axios Salt Lake City for free.
Utah's new NHL team was an Arizona money pit
As the Arizona Coyotes decamp to Utah, the team's fraught history in the Phoenix area illustrates a pattern in big-league sports: A city can't get a team without public money, but taxpayer support is no guarantee they'll stay.Why it matters: Salt Lake City is considering a sales tax hike to cover up to $1 billion in bonds for downtown renovations, including stadium space, for the new hockey team.The NHL on Thursday approved the Coyotes' sale to Ryan and Ashley Smith, who own the Utah Jazz. The renamed hockey team will play alongside the Jazz at the Delta Center.At a Friday...
Utah's new NHL team was an Arizona money pit
As the Arizona Coyotes decamp to Utah, the team's fraught history in the Phoenix area illustrates a pattern in big-league sports: A city can't get a team without public money, but taxpayer support is no guarantee they'll stay.Why it matters: Salt Lake City is considering a sales tax hike to cover up to $1 billion in bonds for downtown renovations, including stadium space, for the new hockey team.The NHL on Thursday approved the Coyotes' sale to Ryan and Ashley Smith, who own the Utah Jazz. The renamed hockey team will play alongside the Jazz at the Delta Center.At a Friday...
Remembering when Utah's Hi-Fi murders shocked the nation
Editor's note: This story contains graphic descriptions of violence.Fifty years ago today, a group of men tortured five hostages and killed three during a robbery in an Ogden audio equipment shop, in one of the most notorious crimes in Utah history.This is Old News, where we turn back the pages of Utah history — even when we don't really want to look.What drove the news: Four men held up two employees at gunpoint in the Hi-Fi Shop on April 22, 1974, binding them in the basement and robbing the store.A 16-year-old boy arrived to speak with the shop owner and was...
Post Malone featured in Taylor Swift's latest album
Cottonwood Heights resident Post Malone is one of two featured artists on Taylor Swift's new heartbreak album "The Tortured Poets Department."State of play: The Grammy-nominated hitmaker sings alongside Swift in "Fortnight," a dreamy pop ballad about a short-lived romance.The intrigue: "Fortnight" is the album's opening song and lead single.What she's saying: "I've been such a huge fan of Post because of the writer he is, his musical experimentation and those melodies he creates that just stick in your head forever," she wrote in an Instagram post ahead of her album's release."I got to witness that magic come to life firsthand when we worked together," she said.Driving the news: Swift released her 11th studio album on Friday. Florence & the Machine is also featured. Between the lines: Post Malone was also included in Beyoncé's "Cowboy Carter" track "Levii's Jeans" released on March 29.What's next: A music video of "Fortnight" is expected to drop Friday at 6pm (MT).Sign up for Axios Salt Lake City for free.
Salt Lake City School District pauses bathroom access training
The Salt Lake City School District is pausing plans to present a slideshow to students on legislation that regulates public restroom access for transgender people.The big picture: The move came just before parents and students had planned a demonstration outside Emerson Elementary School on Friday morning, opposing the presentation scheduled for later that day. The latest: An email to parents on Friday at 7:25am said the district's superintendent Elizabeth Grant had asked all district schools "hold off on HB 257 training until further notice.""Given the uncertainty of how to implement the law, we decided to hold off for now and...
Utah's medical marijuana cardholders blaze past 80,000
Nearly 83,500 Utahns held medical marijuana cards at the end of March, a 19% year-over-year increase, per the state health department.Why it matters: The state generated $138 million in revenue from medical marijuana sales last year, Richard Oborn, director of the Center for Medical Cannabis at the state health department, told Axios.That's about a 16% increase compared to 2022 sales.What they're saying: "More people are talking about medical cannabis. More medical providers are joining the program and are becoming more educated about medical cannabis," Oborn said. "I think that has an impact on more patients becoming aware of it and...
How to celebrate Earth Day in Utah
Earth Day is Monday, but there are plenty of chances to get outside this weekend and enjoy or help our colorful li'l rock.Millcreek Common: Pollinator Palooza brings butterfly encounters, local honey and native plants to the town square.When: Friday-Sunday, 11am-9pm, with a special Earth Day celebration 2pm-6pm SaturdayCost: $5 for butterfly activities; celebration is freeScion Cider: A plant swap and pop-up shop gives you a chance to place your unwanted potted and basket plants in a happy home — or pick up cuttings and other lil' babies.When: Noon-4pm SaturdayWhere: 916 S. Jefferson St.National Park Week: Enjoy free entry to all NPS...
How to celebrate Earth Day in Utah
Earth Day is Monday, but there are plenty of chances to get outside this weekend and enjoy or help our colorful li'l rock.Millcreek Common: Pollinator Palooza brings butterfly encounters, local honey and native plants to the town square.When: Friday-Sunday, 11am-9pm, with a special Earth Day celebration 2pm-6pm SaturdayCost: $5 for butterfly activities; celebration is freeScion Cider: A plant swap and pop-up shop gives you a chance to place your unwanted potted and basket plants in a happy home — or pick up cuttings and other lil' babies.When: Noon-4pm SaturdayWhere: 916 S. Jefferson St.National Park Week: Enjoy free entry to all NPS...
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