Humanities Radio Presents: Comm 3520

Lead in: The Great Salt Lake is 11-thousand years old. The lake is a huge part of our lives on the Wasatch front and it’s in trouble. We know the lake exists but do we really care about it? Low water levels are having devastating effects on wildlife and the air we breathe. Jolene Croasmun shows the lake’s important role not only now but dating back to the Shoshones

((Nat. Seagulls and other bird sound from Antelope Island at the Great Salt Lake))

((Nat. sound of Native American singing.))

Jolene: Elder Darren Parry is a former Chairman of the Shoshone nation.

Darren Parry: (:15 ) “Native Americans have a relationship with water, we considered it our relative. My grandmother always called the Great Salt Lake our grandmother. And so when you look at water or land as a relative and not a commodity, you treat it different. The Shoshone creation story starts at Antelope Island. My grandmother would take me on plant walks out on the island and show me what plants were edible and what were used for medicine. And so I grew up just looking at everything differently through a different lens and before we left she would always sing a healing song to always make sure that our grandmother would be healthy.”

((Nat. sound of Native American singing.))

Jolene: Antelope Island is on the east side of the Great Salt Lake.

((Nat. sound of walking on Antelope Island at Great Salt Lake.))

Jolene: Over 1-million people visited the island last year. Yet, many Utahns never drive to the island. Ingrid Gonzalez is one of those folks.

Ingrid: (:14) “We have lived in Salt Lake City pretty much all of our lives and this is my second time and her first time here.  Because it's so close, we don't think about coming here often. So today we just kind of said, let's go, let's do it. Honestly, it's actually pretty cool.”

((Nat. sound walking away))

((Nat. sound giftshop on Antelope Island sounds))

Jolene: Paul Parker is a volunteer at the giftshop.

((Nat. sound of seagulls and birds))

Paul Parker (:42)  “We're open year round here in the island and so every different season brings a different world. What you see right now is that the hills are starting to turn green. The Buffalo we have 500 plus, because it's calving season. Springtime, this place once it turns green, is a different world. A lot of hiking, a lot of biking, a lot of horses. During the summer, when it gets warm, people go out and walk across our extended beach.”

((Nat. bird squawk))

“I'm supposed to know the name of that but I don't.  Ha Ha, But he's been circling and squawking all morning."

Jolene: The wildlife on Antelope Island depends on the ecology of the Great Salt Lake. When the water levels decrease the salinity increases. In 2022 the ecology of the lake came very close to dying because of salinity.

Kevin Perry (:20 ) “The salinity in the southern part of the lake was at 20-percent and at 20-percent salinity, the brine flies disappeared and the brine flies are half of the food chain for the birds that come here and the brine shrimp, which is the other half we're having trouble reproducing, and if we had stayed at those salinity levels for very long, the lake very well could have died in short order.”

Jolene: Kevin Perry is a professor of atmospheric science at the University of Utah. His research has been focusing on dust from the Great Salt Lake since 2013.

Kevin Perry (:26) “So as the lake shrinks, it exposes what used to be the bottom of the lake. The lake has shrunk so much that there's more than 800-square miles of exposed lake bed in the Great Salt Lake. It's huge, and when we have strong winds that move across that playa and the playa happens to be dry, then it can be a source of dust that can then move around into the surrounding communities and beyond.”

Jolene: Perry’s research has detected metals in the dust.  He says we don’t have a monitor to know how much people are being exposed to on a regular basis.

Kevin Perry (:36 ) “And the one that I talked about the most is arsenic. It's very carcinogenic and the concentrations, every measurement that I took in the soil in Great Salt Lake lake bed were higher than what would be recommended for routine exposure by the Environmental Protection Agency.”

Jolene: We don’t have a way to determine how much arsenic is in the dust or how much we are breathing in. People that live closer to the lake are impacted the most.

Kevin Perry (:30 ) “Ultimately there's two different ways to reduce the dust. One is to cover up those dust hotspots with water. We call that the nature based solution. Just add water and your problems will be solved. The ecology of the lake will improve. If however that doesn't work, then you might start to think about what we call engineered solutions, which are dust mitigation techniques that are specifically designed to reduce dust from these areas. That's extremely expensive.”

Jolene: The lake is shrinking in part due to climate change. But human use is responsible for two-thirds of the water loss.

Kevin Perry (:28 ) “It's within our power to fix the problem. The bad news is that we use 30-percent more water than what's sustainable for the lake. So what that means is that if we have to have 130-percent of normal snow pack in order for the lake not to shrink.”

Jolene: If we reduce our water use based on the snowpack, we could add more water into the lake. SNOTEL is an automated system that measures our snow to water values. Measuring the snowpack helps predict the amount of water we will have in a given year.  The data can help communities conserve during low snowpack years. Experts are optimistic that we have the tools needed to save this lake. Plus, Utah will be on display during the upcoming 2034 Winter Olympics.

Kevin Perry (:30 ) “The first thing that they see when they fly in is going to be the lake and the local air quality. And wouldn't it be great, if the first thing they came in and saw this wonderful lake that had recovered and air quality that was really good in the winter time and not the opposite of that,  because we don't, we don't want to be known as Dust Lake City. We really want to, you know, save our namesake and put the lake back in Salt Lake City.”

((Nat. sound of birds at the Great Salt Lake))

This is Jolene Croasmun reporting from the Great Salt Lake.

((Nat. sound of birds at the Great Salt Lake))

Lead in: The University of Utah Women's Outdoor Leadership Initiative is breaking down barriers for women. Jules Della Santina takes us outdoors to explore what the club offers its members.

((Nat. outdoor sounds))

Jules: The great outdoors promises adventure and freedom for everyone—yet beneath the surface, not all opportunities are equally accessible. The Women’s Outdoor Leadership Initiative, known as WOLI, is changing the game of the outdoors. By recognizing this imbalance, they are pushing to defeat stereotypes and empower women’s leadership. Vice President of WOLI, Dahlia Kraus, says the foundation of this club was built on making a difference.

Kraus: “So WOLI was founded in 2021 by a group of girls who loved the outdoors, but felt like there were significant barriers for women. And the original president of the club has just gone on a NOLS expedition where she noticed the women were lagging behind and weren’t part of the decision-making process.”

Jules: Kraus has been a part of this club since her sophomore year, bringing on several women to help run the club and spread their values to university students. Ava Chambers, soon-to-be club president, says how crucial it is to have these outdoor barriers for women to be broken down.

Chambers: “Inherently, there’s not discrimination of anybody in the outdoors. Like we are all meant to be here, we’re all ani mals, and somewhere along the line, there’s been this construct that these spaces are for men. So I think as much as WOLI is like an all-female group, we like doing events that involve the whole community because much like, sort of deconstructing the patriarchy, it’s gonna take everybody to do that. It’s gonna take men, it’s gonna take everybody.”

Jules: WOLI has put a great amount of dedication into their mission, hosting university events all year long. At the center, they work to create space for women to try a new skill while lifting each other up, all in the heart of Salt Lake City. Future outreach coordinator for the club, Lucy Peifer, says that the competitive outdoor culture in Utah can be challenging.

Peifer: “Going to school at the University of Utah, like we have the best outdoor recreation campus in the west, if not in the whole U-S, and that does, that is hard to fit into. So I think everyone who comes to school here, you know, there is pressure and there is, like, the game is on to fit in. Do you ski? Do you snowboard? Do you climb? Do you hike? Do you do all this stuff, and are you good at everything? And yeah, it’s intimidating.”

Jules: From outdoor yoga classes and climbing trips to springtime formals, WOLI hosts events for a variety of interests. For their outdoor excursions, like their climbing trip to Saint George, Utah, they make sure to nurture growth for those who are more experienced and also create comfort for those who are more inexperienced.

((Nat. girls hiking))

Chambers: “We recognize that like we are inclusive of all skill levels and that especially means the beginners, but that also means like how do we foster growth for more experienced people as well? It’s like it’s this really cool cyclical thing where like everybody’s getting better at their own thing in their own way, and it’s not a competition.”

Jules: WOLI’s biggest event of the year is their spring formal, where they host local bands and bring together members and non-members for a night full of fun and music.

((Nat. music from formal))

Jules: The women in this club have not only built a community, but also confidence within each other.

Chambers: “It’s really cool to see like…they come back from the trip and they have like ten new friends to say hi to on campus, along with all this confidence, and just like really good experience as well, that they’re able to pass down and build on.”

((Nat. girls laughing))

Jules: Future social media manager for WOLI, Hailey Henkenius, says that this club is the most powerful resource for outdoorsy women at the university.

((Nat. girls laughing))

Henkenius: “Everyone’s cheering them on, everyone is so happy for them. It’s really a space that’s completely judgment-free, and just people celebrating other people, and it’s very powerful and it’s very exciting always.”

Kraus: “I think with that sometimes it’s like not normalized to verbalize compliments or hyping each other up, but once a few people start doing it, then we’re all just like, it’s just fun and like it’s not so serious. We’re just like you got it girl! Like, get your right hand up on that rock! And it’s just fun.”

Jules: WOLI is so much more than a club. They are a way of belonging. This inspirational community is growing every day, and it will continue to grow for years to come.

Henkenius: “I would describe WOLI members as powerful.”

Chambers: “Joy.”

Kraus: “Grounded.”

Peifer: “Vulnerable.”

Jules: I’m Jules Della Santina reporting.

Lead in: What would you do if your job was slowly draining your health? If you work the night shift that could be your reality. Jacob Done has the story.

((Nat.. Signal horn sounds and belts and motors begin humming))

Jacob: Night shift workers are the unseen backbone of our economy. These warehouse workers work around the clock to ensure your online shopping arrives on time.

Javier: My name is Javier Rodrigues, I am a facilities engineer, and I have worked the night shift off and on for 20 years.

Jacob: As a facilities engineer, Javier oversees the maintenance and upkeep of a large shipping facility that operates 24 hours a day. A building like that takes a lot of maintenance to keep running.

Shane: Just running on adrenaline all night long so when I get home, I crash.

Jacob: Everyone I talked to agreed that the most challenging part of the night shift is staying awake and while that may seem obvious, the challenge of finding time to sleep isn’t easy to solve.

Joshua: There are definitely days when it’s hard to get any sleep, sleeping when the sun is out is a problem. Some nights are pretty difficult.

Jacob: Those hard nights mean they have to find a way to stay awake. Most use caffeine but that’s not the only way.

Javier: A healthy dose of caffeine, which does not mean, drink an entire pot of coffee. I usually have about two cups worth of coffee. And then I find that the days I have the energy to get a run in before work, I’m fine, I can coast through the night sort, the night shift, and not have any issues. If you get that done you are going to cruise. The problem, of course, is having worked the night before, having the energy to go out and do that.

Jacob: Working those late hours comes with a cost to their health. A study by UCLA found that there are five health risks to night shift workers. Those workers are at a higher risk for cancer, cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal disorders, mental health disorders, and metabolic disorders.

Javier: My sleep is usually not as good and that is known to increase blood pressure. And then the last couple times I’ve had to work night sorts I’ve had a lot of weight gain, which is an issue. So, I’ve had to adjust my diet and workout regimens, in order to mitigate those health effects.

Joshua: Heath wise, it is definitely difficult. From stupid things like making healthy choices on food, its more difficult at night because you don’t really have access. To, I like to work out which is more complicated because I am asleep during the day. It throws complications into pretty much anything you do, so health wise it actually is a lot more rough plus your sleep pattern is always thrown off which definitely makes an impact.

Shane: Personally, I feel like I’m always tired just because of having to be awake all night. I can do it but I know my health suffers from it. I feel like I’ve aged faster than I should have.

Joshua: The lack of sleep definitely makes things more taxing on you mentally. We all end up trying to push it. When I’ve been in school you’re trying to go to school in the day and then you’re working all night and you’re really cutting it short on sleep and putting that extra burden on your brain because you are constantly doing mentally strenuous activities at that point.

Jacob: The challenges for night shift workers goes beyond their health. It can be difficult to find t ime to spend with friends and family when your schedule is the exact opposite of everyone else.

Javier: It makes it difficult, I don’t really see family all that often. If I do see them its going to be on a weekend, typically see them on a Sunday or something. My relationship with my girlfriend right now, we try to make sure we have a middle of the week coffee get together just for an hour or so. But it does put a strain on, on relationships.

Joshua: Social life is definitely challenging just from being with the family, I mean, I’m asleep when they’re awake and then I’m leaving for work when they are getting home from school or getting home from work. So that’s difficult too. Hanging out with friends, we do a lot of game nights and I’m on my way to work and their playing games. So its hard to have any kind of social life cause I’m at work when everyone tends to be doing stuff.

Jacob: For Javier, his team, and countless others, working the night shift is a sacrifice. At the cost to their health, their relationships, and their daily lives, night shift workers keep the world running while most of us sleep. This is Jacob Done reporting. 

Lead In: Salt Lake’s Independent bookstores provide a sense of community .Hailey Edmonds takes a closer look at these bookstores and how they engage Salt Lake City in reading.

Hailey: First we’ll make a stop in Sugar House. Tucked next to Sugar House Coffee and The Village Vintage Interiors is Central Book Exchange. Taking over in January of this year, owner Calvin Asch describes what makes Central special.

Asch (:49) “We have a community that is welcoming of everyone. I don’t want to overuse the term safe space, but we really strive to make it a safe space for anyone and everyone to come in, read what you’re interested in.”

Hailey: Central book exchange has every book section you can imagine and what makes the selection unique is the diverse books that customers bring in for exchange. A section currently on display is the Utah Banned Books section. The books in this section are surprising including It Ends With Us, looking for alaska and the Court Of Thorns and Roses series.

Asch (1:23) “I’m really proud of our banned books section, actually. We have, we make sure that we always have all the books that are banned in public school districts throughout the state. It’s our little way of fighting against that, we think every book should be accessible for children to read.”

Hailey: Central also has a great deal for students and teachers making books affordable.

Asch (1:35) “For all of our students we give the trade price as long as you have an ID.”

Asch (1:42) “We know that being a student isn’t the most financially liberating time of our life.”

Hailey: Heading up 2100 south and left on 1500 east, you’ll run into King’s English Bookstore. Co-owner, Anne Holman says the store has a long history and community.

Holman (2:09) “The King’s English bookshop started in 1977, and back then, the building was a house and the family who built it had lived in the back, which is now a restaurant. It’s been a restaurant ever since it opened. And the King’s English part was kind of a dry good store, it was offices, there were hairdressers.”

Holman (2:26) “In 1977, Betsy Burton and her friend Anne Berman, rented it and kicked out the hairdresser’s and they were going to just use it as an office space and then they decided well let’s try and use it as office space and then they decided well, let’s try and sell some books and just see what happens.”

Holman (2:32) “So they hung the bells over the door and started selling books.”

Hailey: The King’s English Bookshop has become a staple part of the community on the corner of 15th and 15th.

Holman (2:45) “It’s just a fun block. People walk all over.”

Holman (2:49) “It’s fun to listen to what people say at the front desk about what they’re liking to read.”

Hailey: Heading downtown next to the Salt Lake Public Library is Ken Sanders Rare Books. Founded in 1990, Ken Sanders Rare Books is a unique addition to the Salt Lake Bookstore Scene. Ken Sanders, the founder, is no stranger to the book-selling business.

Sanders (3:32) “From about twelve on I would take the bus downtown on Saturdays and haunt the old junk stores and, oh man, it was a scene. There were gypsy fortune telling parlors and dive hotels and all the alchy bars and not probably the healthiest environment for a twelve year old, but I wasn’t interested in any of that.”

Hailey: Similar to Central Book Exchange, Ken Sanders Rare Books takes pride in their banned book section.

Sanders: (3:52) “We, like most independent bookstores, are about diversity. They’re about trying to bring people together, not pull them apart.”

Sanders: (4:02) “Books are completely and utterly dangerous. There’s no question about it. Reading and knowledge is power.”  

Hailey: Being a vet in the book world, Ken Sanders has seen changes within the community.

Sanders: (4:30) “There’s a lot better diversity with women right now. I will say that. Some of the brightest booksellers in the trade are young women right now.”

Sanders: (4:45) “We have scholarships that people can win and mentor with a bookstore for a year, no cost to them. They get paid and they can find out well, Is this anything I’d want to do or not.”

Hailey: The independent bookstores of Salt Lake City are focused in their efforts to make their community a more accepting place. The booksellers behind these stores care deeply about their customers and of course, books.

Hailey: I’m Hailey Edmonds, this is the University of Utah’s Humanities Radio 

Salt Lake Thrifting Culture is Oversaturating the Fashion Industry

ANCHOR: There’s a high volume of colorful shops on every corner of downtown, Salt Lake City. Most of these are high-end, vintage thrift stores. When it comes to fashion sense, Utah natives have it down to a T. Reporter, Laney Hansen has more.

Laney: Think about how many times you’ve heard someone say, “I thrifted this entire outfit.” In Salt Lake City, people know how to thrift and where to find the next trendy item.

From IconoCLAD, Vantage and Pib’s exchange, shopping second-hand couldn’t get any easier. University of Utah student, Maci Monaghan, says she is within walking distance from three vintage thrift stores.

Monaghan (5:28): “I lived in Reno for 18 years, and the thrift culture there is, like, the exact opposite, like there's no curated vintage shops like we have everywhere in Utah. I moved here, and I was like, ‘Oh my God. Like, I live right down the street from at least three curated vintage shops.’”

Jordan Thornblad works at Nordstrom and agrees that Utah has been labeled as thrifty.

Thornblad (2:02): I think it's because Utah is becoming really well known for, like, our style being mostly thrifted. Like I feel like when, like, you see TikToks, you can immediately tell when someone's from Utah based on what they're wearing.

Laney: In a USA Today survey, 71-percent of shoppers say prices have gone up. They’re not alone. Monaghan says that prices are higher since it’s become a culture.

Monaghan (7:44): “Yeah, it's like, a culture now, and I like it's cool. I like that. It's bigger now, instead of people buying retail. But like, there's got to be fine lines between going to thrift stops and selling everything on Depop and because you want that opportunity and it's convenient and affordable and you have to be you have to approach thrifting being pure of heart, okay, the Thrift will know if you're not pure of heart when you walk in there.”

Laney: Thornblad sees this issue and says that those who need to shop secondhand can’t access it the same as they used to.

Thornblad (4:04): “As great as it is that people are shopping more sustainably, and, you know, like, becoming more okay with, like, shopping secondhand, I think on the flip side of that the people that really need it like for survival aren't going to be able to anymore because these companies know that they can keep raising the prices, because it's still going to be cheaper than buying it brand new.”

Laney: Chase Miles, who works at Pib’s Exchange agrees.

Miles (8:55): “Not everyone has the luxury of being able to shop in a vintage store like this. There’s people in towns that don’t have this kind of access, so we’re very fortunate to be able to have that.”

Laney: Miles says he started thrifting out of need.

Miles (2:07): “I started thrifting out of necessity because we didn’t have a lot of money, so like I would either get booboo clothes from like Old Navy or like cool clothes from Savers, but that was still like kind of looked down upon, which, like now I think it’s desirable.”

Laney: And it is desirable. Which has changed from the fast fashion mindset from just a few years ago. 

Attitudes toward shopping have changed from the latest fashion trend to the more sustainable option since pre-Covid-19. According to a report by Eastern Progress, Utah had a lower increase in retail than the U-S average between the years 2020-2024.

Monaghan explained how she used to get the majority of her clothing from retail shops like Billabong and Volcom. Even she’s seen a change.

Monaghan (9:55): “I went to Volcom recently Volcom and Billabong are done. They're completely underwater, which is crazy to me. Like that for me, 10 years ago was all my mom shopped for with, for my dad, for me, like Volcom, Billabong that was it. Like, that's like, a big thing in, like, surf culture and California and like, that was a huge thing in Roxy's closing too. So all of that, to me, kind of just signaled like, like, no if they're going under, like, who knows what's going to go under next?”

Laney: Thornblad has seen a similar shift at Nordstrom since she started working there in 2021.

Thornblad (13:45): “But I do think that Nordstrom specifically is harder because of how expensive it is. Like, I think people are less willing to drop a bunch of money, especially right now.”

Laney: Monaghan, like many others, doesn’t have a bright outlook on the future of retail.

Monaghan (11:50): “I think we're going to see a lot of you know, like the original retail, like the big retail, I think we're going to see a lot more of those go under. And I think we're going to see a lot of new retail trying to come in and be ethical, like I was saying. And I feel like they're going to go under too unfortunately, because it's just not it's not easy to start a business here, anywhere in this economy, and people have a very strong thrift ideology now, especially in Utah, so I don't, I don't see retail growing at all.”

Laney: Miles agrees. He also says thrifting provides a community.

Miles (7:42): “You can know someone without like speaking to them just by what they’re wearing. But that’s also a really fascinating thing you can find your own community by like just what you’re wearing.”

Monaghan (2:51): “I like you can walk around in Salt Lake City and see everybody wearing a completely different outfit, and it's all reflective of their character.”

Laney: So, whether you thrift out of necessity, for a sustainable alternative or you’re searching for community, Utah might just have the thing for you. Just maybe not a Forever 21.

I’m Laney Hansen, reporting.

Lead in: Salt Lake County Meals on Wheels provides daily support to hundreds of homebound seniors. University of Utah reporter, Ava Hart, explores the program.

((Nat: Knock on door “Meals on wheels”))

Melinda: (5:04) “We serve about 1600 clients, give or take. Daily, we serve 1300 meals, and we have about 350 clients that receive meals on the weekend.”

Ava: The program delivers nutritious meals to isolated homebound seniors Monday through Friday.  Melinda Cudney is the program manager for Meals on Wheels, a part of independent aging. She has worked for Salt Lake County for 18 years.

((Nat: Handing a meal))

Melinda: (6:10) “My program for Meals on Wheels has five full-time drivers, and then to keep the program running smoothly, I usually have about 17 to 25 part-time drivers.”

Melinda: (5:30) “Last year for 2024, we served almost 400,000 meals.”

Ava: Brian Arbo is a driver for Meals on Wheels.

Brian: (9:56) “We load up our hot and cold meals. We have a route that we have to do. So you're gonna head out after your truck is loaded. You're gonna do the route and you're going to make sure that you deliver all the meals to everybody so you make contact. Which is a bonus too, because having contact with the client is pretty important to make sure they get the meal right?”

((Nat: Driver saying have a good day to client))

Ava: While drivers are responsible for delivering many of the meals, volunteers also assist with the delivery. Tracy Gibson is the volunteer services program manager for aging and adult services.

Tracy: (6:36) “Meals on Wheels currently has 585 volunteers, but 385 volunteers are serving on average.”

Ava: The program is always looking for more volunteers.

Tracy: (6:51) “You can call directly to the division, which is 3-8-5-4-6-8-3-2-0-0 and an outreach worker will direct you to a volunteer coordinated for Meals on Wheels. Or, you can go to our website, which is SLCO.org/aging, which has the information about becoming a Meals on Wheels volunteer. Or if you're interested in any other volunteer opportunities for Aging and Adult services.”

Ava: The Meals on Wheels program also works hand-in-hand with the Pets Plus Program.

Melinda: (12:45) “So our pets plus program is where we get food– dry food for cats and dogs, donated to our program, and we divy it up into one pound bags. And we give those to our clients that have pets in the home that maybe can't afford their pet food, because what we found out was they were sharing their meal with their pets.

Ava: Both programs are made possible through funding from various sources. Russ Stoddard is the section manager over independent aging for aging and adult services for Salt Lake County. He oversees three programs in independent aging.

Russ: (8:35) “Salt Lake County Meals on Wheels is funded by a combination of three sources: federal, state and local tax dollars with Salt Lake County. 
We also rely on donations from our clients. It's not mandatory.

Ava: Donations can be made through the Salt Lake County Aging and Adult Services website.  I’m Ava Hart reporting. 

Lead in: Today we’re talking to the team at Dolcetti Gelato, where there is already a line out the door on this sunny spring day. Ava Honigman takes a deeper look into how Dolcetti came to be.

((Nat.. inside Dolcetti on a busy day))

Ava: Porter England, the current manager of Dolcetti, talks about how the small, family-owned business exploded in popularity within the last decade, and became a well-known staple of the bustling Ninth and Ninth area of Salt Lake City

Porter (:35) “[My father and his first wife] started off with Italian ice carts at events like a farmers market, Pioneer Park, and had a few other spots around town…”(continues on to tell story)

Ava: Fast-forward fifteen years, and most Salt Lake City locals know of Dolcetti Gelato. Both locals and tourists hold it in very high regard. The shop continues to grow exponentially each year, this past year being one of the best in the business's history.

Porter (2:18) “Since I’ve taken over operations of the business, I have seen about 15% growth on average each year, which is very solid. I’m happy with it. It does seem like the last year in particular…winter was by far our best one ever…the last three weeks have been pretty dramatic, about 25% increase, even compared to last April.”

Ava: The success of Dolcetti is not lost on anyone, with customers consistently reviewing and noticing how busy the place is. We asked Nikki Gate, the longest-standing employee at Dolcetti, what she thinks makes the business so popular.

Nikki: (3:08) “The gelato itself as like the product, which is probably the best gelato in town…and ambiance and atmosphere. It’s unique, there’s no other shop that’s like doing what Dolcetti’s is doing…Even if people don’t like it or it’s not their thing, it stands out enough to just have like its own sense of attraction.

Ava: With the decor often being described as unusual and beautiful at the same time, and being the first thing people see when walking past and looking through the windows, Dolcetti has a “magnetism” to it, as Nikki put it, that attracts all kinds of people from all different walks of life. With pink walls, custom tables with entire dioramas underneath glass tops, and most notably, the various antiques, trinkets, and random objects that cover the entirety of the walls and shelves. There’s even a canoe hanging from the ceiling!

Ava: Casper, the second-longest-standing employee at Dolcetti, says that along with the location and quality of gelato, the decor helps to attract many different demographics from many different walks of life

Casper:  (2:12) “…Kinda like the cool like queers but mostly there’s a lot of mormon families…um so I guess we just get a little bit of everyone...”

Ava: While the vibe and story behind Dolcetti are alluring in and of itself, the real success story lies behind the gelato.

((Nat.. gelato machine whirring))

((clip of customer talking about the flavor; “We always come here to get the sticky rice.”))

Ava: The star of the Dolcetti show is surely the coconut sticky rice, which has been the best-selling flavor of gelato for years. It’s made with coconut cream and actual rice inside to give the gelato a creamy and rich flavor while adding a popular texture rarely found in gelato or ice cream

((clip of Ava asking staff their favorite flavors))

Ava: with an all-female staff, eclectic decor, delicious and varied flavors of gelato (the coconut sticky rice being the star of the show), and the fact that all of their products are made in-house create an attractive and alluring vibe to the place that people from every demographic are attracted to, and most people who try it once vow to come back. I’m Ava Honigman reporting. 

Lead In: The Utah Hockey Club is changing Utah's sports landscape. Dawson Janes takes a closer look at how this new NHL team came to Salt Lake and how fans embraced them

((Nat Sound: Crowd cheering, hockey ambience))

Dawson: In April 2024, Arizona Coyotes fans were surprised: after years of struggling to find a new home, the team revealed plans for a state-of-the-art arena to house their future. But just days later, billionaire Ryan Smith — owner of the Utah Jazz and Real Salt Lake — announced the purchase of the Coyotes for $1.2 billion. With the announcement came the birth of the Utah Hockey Club, and suddenly, Salt Lake had an NHL team to call its own.

((Nat Sound: Clip from Ryan Smith announcing the move))

Dawson: The decision didn’t just mark the arrival of a team — it signified the arrival of something big for Utah. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman recognized the energy and enthusiasm Utah brought to the table during the bidding process.

(Alma Bean's voice): “The Hockey Club has done so much for the city, not just on the ice, but off it too. You see kids and adults alike wearing Clayton Keller or other Hockey Club jerseys. What’s surprising is how quickly the fans embraced these players — it’s not just about the game; it’s about the community.”

Dawson: Alma Bean, a producer at KSL and a Utah Hockey Club insider, points out that the transition from Arizona hasn’t been easy for some, but the reception in Utah has been nothing short of heartwarming. While some doubted whether the players would adjust to the move, Bean says they’ve already shown their commitment to the community.

(Jake Hatch's voice): “The season has been incredible. Even though we didn’t make the playoffs, consider where this team was just a year ago. It’s a monumental success. There have been highs — electric moments — and there have been lows. But what they're building here is something Utahns will love.”

Dawson: KSL Sports Producer Jake Hatch sums it up perfectly. The team has gone through the ups and downs, but the biggest takeaway is the foundation they've set for future success. With a roster still developing and a fanbase growing by the day, it’s clear the Utah Hockey Club is here to stay.

((Nat Sound: Fade in: Concourse/team store noise))

Dawson: And fans have definitely noticed. Lauren James, a local student and avid supporter of the team, attended a recent game against the Buffalo Sabres and came away impressed.

(Lauren James' voice): “Even though they were eliminated from playoff contention, I was blown away by the energy. The crowd was totally into it, and you could tell the players were feeding off that energy. It was amazing to see the fans stay behind them until the very end.”

Dawson: James’ observation seems common. Many fans have shown their appreciation for the team’s resilience, and the connection between the players and the fanbase is undeniable.

(Damon’s voice): “It’s been an amazing first season. The team has really connected with the community. I’m not sure what the future holds, but for now, the support is there, and it’s growing really fast. The first season was fantastic, and I’m hoping for even more.”

Dawson: Damon, a student and local hockey enthusiast, shares in the excitement. While he's uncertain about the future, he believes the community support and rapid growth of the team bode well for its long-term success.

((Nat Sound: Fade in Hockey crowd roaring, sound of a slapshot or puck hitting the boards. Fans are excited like Damon.))

Dawson: And then there's Travis Kilpack, who may not follow hockey as closely but has still felt the excitement around the team. He believes that despite the ups and downs of the season, the atmosphere created by the team’s arrival is something Utah fans won’t forget.

(Travis Kilpack's voice): “I think they had a good first season. I’m not the biggest hockey fan, but I could feel the energy from the crowd when I went to my first game. The team’s relocation was received so positively, and with the renovations to the stadium coming, I think the future’s really bright for them. It was a tremendous first season under Ryan Smith’s leadership.”

Dawson: Kilpack, like many others, believes the Utah Hockey Club is just getting started. The excitement in the state is massive and with the team’s first season wrapping up, fans are already looking ahead to what’s next.

((Nat Sound: Radio highlight clip or announcer mentioning Utah’s season ending, then fades into crowd or music))

Dawson: As the Utah Hockey Club sets its sights on the future, the question remains: what’s next? Can the team push for the playoffs in their second season? With a growing fanbase, an owner committed to the long-term vision, and a team that’s already making an impact both on and off the ice, the future's looking bright for the newest addition to Utah's sports scene. For Sports Radio, I’m Dawson Janes. Thanks for joining me for this inside look at Utah’s newest team — the Hockey Club..

((Nat Sound: Goal horn → goal song →let’s go Utah chants— gradually fading))

Lead in: Caitlin Clark set the record for the highest sale of a women’s sports card on March 29. This marks a significant moment in the history of women’s sports cards. Reporter Graham Jones takes us back to the beginning of that journey.

((Nat: Cards being shuffled and played with))

Dick: “So this is how sports cards that we know today actually started. They go way back. Before they even became trade cards.”

Graham: Cindy Dick is the owner of On Her Mark Collectibles, one of the largest collections of vintage women's sports cards in the world. Dick has been collecting women’s sports memorabilia for the last three decades, focusing on items from the 1850s to 1972.

Dick: “Basically, when people were giving out, it's like a business card, almost. It was a card of their trade. So if you made shoes, it might be a picture of your shoe logo and it would be given out with your, you know, product that you just sold. And so that was called a trade card. And then people knew that those were popular. Trade cards were collectible, so they started putting on all kinds of pictures onto what became known as tobacco cards or cigarette cards. And athletes were one of the many things that they would picture on them.”

Graham: In the 1800s, women could not participate in most professional sports. However, with the creation of athletic clubs, women began to play games like tennis and golf. This was reflected in the trade cards created at the time, which featured well-dressed women carrying rackets or golf clubs and even occasionally playing. Over a century later, female athletes on sports cards look very different, and the way they’ve been received looks different, too. This can be seen and heard on the convention floor of the Crossroads Cards & Memorabilia Show.

((Nat: Convention floor sounds))

Hulet: “It's just awesome because we've been so underrepresented and now people are realizing that women's sports are just as exciting as men's.”

Graham: Utah sports memorabilia collectors Jordan Hulet and Nate Washington have seen a massive change in reception towards women’s sports and, in turn, women’s sports memorabilia.

Hulet: “I love to just give some of our cards away to little girls so that they see that they're represented, and some of them are soccer players, and you just want them to know that if this is your path. You can be on a card one day.”

Washington: “You really see super high-performing female athletes. You know Angel Reese, even though I don't maybe agree with all of her opinions on social media. Hell of a basketball player.  Right. Her. Caitlyn Clark. There's a lot of other up-and-comers. Many names that I don't know. But they're really placing a high demand on memorabilia.”

Graham: Memorabilia shops are rapidly trying to meet this demand after decades of only filling their shelves with men’s sports cards.

Washington: “And cards? Caitlyn Clark. Stuff sells amazing. You know, and I see now even more and more of the WNBA boxes that are coming out like the tops Chrome and these different things they're selling out, you can't find them. That was not the case three years ago. Everybody had them and they were trying to blow them out the door. So it's different. You know, it's a different landscape. The paradigm shift is definitely making its mark and I think that we're moving now towards where we're going to see more and more shops that carry like female apparel and memorabilia, not just the signed items.”

Graham: It looks as if the future of women’s sports cards is a bright one, I’m Graham Jones.

Lead in: Studying abroad can be exciting, but for many Korean students, language isn’t just a barrier—it’s a daily battle. The University of Utah’s Jeein Lee brings us stories from students facing academic English head-on.

((Nat. sound: typing on a laptop in a quiet room))

Lee: It’s 11 p.m. in a student lounge at The University of Utah. You hear soft tapping — a student sits in front of her laptop, writing yet another paper in English.

((Nat. sound fades))

Lee: For many Korean students, studying abroad isn't just about grades or making friends. It’s about surviving in a second language.

Hyovin: “When I first came here, even reading an assignment made me anxious. I had to translate every sentence.”

Lee: Hyovin, a second-year media arts student, moved from Seoul to Incheon Global Campus two years ago. She’s one of the growing number of Korean students facing the challenge of learning academic content in English.

((Nat. sound: flipping through papers))

Lee: According to the Korean Ministry of Education, over 170,000 students studied abroad in 2023, with English-speaking countries like the U.S., Canada, and Australia as top destinations.

Dawon: “I remember my first semester. I studied five hours more than my classmates just to understand lectures.”

Lee: That five hours is not unusual. A 2022 study by the Korean Educational Development Institute found that 64% of Korean students abroad reported spending more time studying than their peers because of language gaps.

Lee: Then there’s the issue of speaking.

Haein: “In class discussions, I had ideas, but I couldn’t find the words. So I stayed silent.”

Lee: Haein is a senior preparing for graduation. She says silence became her survival strategy.

((Nat. sound: quiet classroom, distant chatter))

Lee: But eventually, most students find a way.

Dawon: “The writing center helped me a lot. I was nervous at first, but they never judged me.”

Hyovin: “The conversation partner program made a huge difference. I wasn’t afraid to make mistakes anymore.”

Lee: More than anything, it was finding others going through the same thing that helped.

Haein: “Realizing I wasn’t alone made me feel less pressure. We supported each other.”

((Nat. sound: laughter between students, soft cafe ambience))

Lee: Learning a new language is tough. But it becomes easier when someone’s walking beside you.

Lee: I’m Jeein Lee reporting.

Women's soccer players at the University of Utah spend an incredible amount of time preparing for each game. John Leone takes us to the field.

((Nat.. “Noise from soccer practice, whistles, kicks, running etc.”))

John: Utah finished the 2024 season with a record of 8-6-5. Despite losing an all-conference caliber player in Taliana Kaufusi, the Utes are optimistic about their odds of making a run in 2025. Incoming talent across the board will give head coach Hideki Nakada a lot to work with in his fifth season.

Blaylock: (:19) “Everyone loves each other, and I’m excited to see how far we go because this is the best we’ve ever looked. I think we all play well together. We are not the team we were last year, that's for sure.”

John: The voices of Eliza Smith and other freshmen will be new to Utah women’s soccer team fans. The true freshman from Salt Lake City, Utah, joined the team this offseason and hopes to see the fans make an instant impact on the 2025 season.

((Nat sound of practice whistle and cheering.))

Smith: (:22) “My name is Eliza Smith. I am a forward, and I am a freshman. It just makes a big difference when you have people who aren't just your parents going to the games. And I think that the bigger the MUSS and the super section and the crowd, it just really influences how the other team feels too, because if they're in a hard environment to play in, I think that it gives us a leg up in the momentum, which is huge.”

John: The Big 12 conference has created a new landscape for Utah women’s soccer. Trips to Kansas, Texas and potentially even Florida can create difficulties for student athletes in managing their education, health and on-field success. Strategically balancing these aspects is something these players have learned to do well.

Smith: (:20) “I'm excited to go travel a lot to the big 12 schools. We have a lot of away games, and we have lots of fun campuses that we're gonna see, so I'm excited for the big competitions. I think we're gonna go to Disney World so that'll be fun."

((Nat sound of Lovell at practice.))

John: Student athletes like Londyn Lovell put in a considerable amount of effort to excel in their respective sports.

Lovell: (:17) “It's definitely hard it just takes like being able to sit down and like make yourself do school work for like, five hours because our mornings are pretty much taken for soccer and so it also takes me able to like tell people you can't hang out tonight or just stuff like that. So, lots of sacrifices.”

John: Look out for the Utes to make some noise in the Big 12 this soccer season. The young and energetic group will be a must-see team come Fall. I’m John Leone, reporting.

Lead in: The world’s game is preparing to take over the United States for the next two summers. Jack Lyman is here to preview the FIFA Club World Cup and FIFA World Cup. 

((Nat of rsl chant))

Jack: The beautiful game is on the horizon and players and fans from all over the world are preparing for the world stage, starting with the Club World Cup coming up in June. This year, the competition is taking on a new identity.

Rana: “With this new format what sets it apart [from other soccer competitions] is the matchups you get. Obviously, you know you have dedicated European competitions, North American competitions, South American, African, Asian, but when you take the best teams from each of these and you put them onto a competition, you’re getting matchups that you would’ve never gotten before.”

Jack: This will be the first year the FIFA Club World Cup is made up of 32 club teams, increasing from seven clubs in years past, which has fans like Adi Rana anticipating underdog victories. 

Rana: “I think it’s a unique experience and opportunity for the players to challenge themselves against some of the best of the best and see what they can do…we’re bound to get upsets, you’re bound to see some players make a name for themselves.”

((Nat of sounders chant))

Jack: On the other hand, the bigger clubs often take it as a chance to play their reserve players and rest the stars. Study abroad student Kian Rostami has seen some of the best players in Spain live but is worried he won’t see those same players in the summer.

Rostami: “I feel like in the Club World Cup a lot of people don’t watch because there’s reserve teams or it’s not as important because the prize pool is not as great, so clubs tend to not play their best team.”

Jack: Soccer, or as millions around the world call it, Football, is a sport like no other. People of all ages and cultural backgrounds unite and share their passion for the beautiful game. Zach Robert has played many sports but describes soccer as one of the most team-centered sports he’s ever been a part of.

Robert: “In soccer you need a whole team build up. You need defenders that are going to defend the goal, midfielders that are going to create, and then you need attackers that are going to score the goals.”

((Nat of ball hitting net))

Rostami: “Being out here in Europe has definitely shown that there’s a lot of pride and passion in your team. Whether you’re from a city that has a soccer club or you’re in a country, there’s a lot of pride in your national team and soccer in general I think is the largest sport, especially in Europe.”

((Nat of freekick goal))

Jack: For the first time since 1994, the World Cup will be held on North American soil. Last time out, the United States hosted across nine different cities. In 2026, Mexico and Canada will join as fellow hosts, making it the first World Cup to ever be played across multiple countries.  

Robert: “The World Cup means a lot to me. I’ve been watching the World Cup ever since I could remember, the first one that I remember was in 2010 South Africa.” 

Rana: “It’s like an escape in a way. It’s like a getaway from everything. Everything else in your life, at least for me in my life, gets put on hold. And it’s one and a half two month of straight, just soccer.”

Rostami: “It brings a unity and a love for the sport all around the world.”

((Nat sound of victory cheers))

Jack: The Club World Cup will kick off this summer on June 14th in Miami and the World Cup will start just over a year later on June 11th, 2026. This is Jack Lyman, reporting.

((Nat sound of victory cheers))

Lead In: They always say there’s no place like home, but for University of Utah athletes, being home means much more than just playing on their own field. Marcus Matias explores how home field advantage has a deeper meaning in Salt Lake City.

((Nat.. crowd noises at Utah events.))

Marcus: When opponents take the field at Rice-Eccles Stadium or step on the court at the Huntsman Center, they’re not just facing screaming fans, they’re facing conditions no one can even see. The altitude level of the campus sits at just over 4,700 feet, the second highest in the Big 12. Such an extreme elevation can cause a variety of issues for incoming opponents.

Marcus: Kaden Carpenter, a junior outfielder for the Utah baseball team explains how playing in Utah can be such a challenge because of random weather patterns and high altitude.

Carpenter: “The weather here in Utah, and kind of how bipolar it can be, it definitely prepares us to stay ready to play at any time.”

Marcus: As we head into April, Salt Lake is still ranging between daily highs of 48-81 degrees. In fact, the valley even saw heavy snowfall as late as May just last year. The ranging weather pattern also allows Utah athletes to be prepared for different weather when traveling for events out of state. Carpenter says that being able to practice in the heat, cold, snow, and rain allows him and his teammates to stay prepared for any conditions.

Carpenter: “Our coach sets the tone mentally for us of telling us like, “Hey, expect this to happen, but also be ready to play.” There might be some rain or some wind, but we’re not going to let that affect us and we're going to play through whatever weather conditions we deal with as long as we can.”

Marcus: But for opposing teams coming into Utah, that process is much more than a change of mindset. Athletes at the university are able to train at this altitude year-round, allowing their bodies to become used to the thinner air. But, teams who have never experienced it often struggle to adjust, both physically and mentally.

Carpenter: “Teams have a hard time with it. It was snowing in April and we were supposed to play Arizona State and Arizona State wasn’t used to playing in cold weather this late in the year. I think certain instances like that, where it’s pretty cold or the wind factor, or even the altitude; They have a factor when other guys come to play here.”

Marcus: Utah’s altitude and climate also can change how each sport is played. For example, in baseball the ball moves differently here than at sea level, or in football, quarterbacks and kickers are able to kick and throw the ball farther. 

((Nat..golf sounds.))

Marcus: But most noticeably, even for the average player, the thin Utah air affects golf like no other. Jay Carr, a sophomore golfer and a 1 handicap, explains his challenges transitioning to the golf scene in Utah.

Carr: “Playing golf in Vegas growing up, every time I had to travel to Utah for tournaments, I had to calculate the different elevation changes for each club.”

Marcus: While it might sound like simple addition, calculating new distances is much easier said than done. Carr says his distances can vary from 10-50 yards depending on the club he is using. With a par round of golf needing 72 strokes to be completed, learning that many new shots is not easy for most players to overcome.

Carr: “I think it is a hard state to play in for most people because the elevation of Utah is a lot higher than most surrounding states.  I think after a year of playing tournaments in Utah, I got a lot more used to it. But the first couple tournaments I played were a lot harder.”

Marcus: Utah’s golf scene also stands out from almost anywhere in the country. Many courses are placed along hillsides or in canyons which creates many unique and difficult shots for amateur players.

Carr: “Utah golf courses, I think, are set up a lot differently with a lot more trees and grass is everywhere.”

Marcus: But, the atmosphere created by Utah fans at all events are not to be forgotten. Utah fans have a reputation of being some of the loudest and most loyal in college sports, and when opponents come into Rice-Eccles Stadium, they struggle.

Marcus: Jett Gosdis, a student at the U and a lifetime Ute fan, says his experiences of attending some of Utah’s biggest games against teams like Florida, USC, and UCLA were ones to remember.

Gosdis: “Those are the ones where Utah football fans really show up. It’s definitely electric, completely different vibe. With that, atmosphere, it feels like the Utes can beat any team.”

Marcus: And the stats prove just that. In just the past 2 seasons, the Utes win total at home nearly doubles their win total when on the road. While Rice-Eccles is considered one of the smaller power 4 stadiums, it packs a punch as Utah fans have sold out every home game in a row dating back to the start of the 2010 season.

Gosdis: “Just, you know, their presence. They show up for every third down and scream at absolutely anything. Even last year, when we weren’t the best team in the world, they still came to games and were as loud as ever.”

Marcus: And it never truly matters about the overall success. Last year, the Utes finished an uncharacteristic 5-7, but average attendance for home games was 49,000 people, 4,000 over the stadium’s listed capacity.

Marcus: A big reason for that consistent crowd? The MUSS. Utah’s student section is known for its relentless energy and their ability to impact the game from the stands. Named the top student section in the nation in 2021, the intensity is no joke as crowd noise has registered on local seismographs during select home games.

Marcus: It’s loud. It’s cold. It’s thin. And for visiting teams, it’s a lot to handle. That's the home field advantage in Salt Lake. I’m Marcus Matias, reporting for the U.

Lead In: What is known as the “third place”, a place for social activity that isn’t work or home, is slowly disappearing since the pandemic. Georgia Metcalf explains.

Tolman (2:02:) “I think in some ways, like the Internet has become that, like third space, which I think it's not always the best way to foster real world connection.”

Georgia: The decline of third places has induced loneliness for some American adults. According to the Survey Center on American Life, 44% of Americans report they do not have a spot in their local communities they go to regularly. Orem barista Ella Child says she wants to change this.

((Nat of Child calling out an order))

Child (5:58): “I've been trying really hard to make this a space that people feel included in. I think it's hard when the majority of like, I don't know, I feel like there is a smaller group of younger people that come in here.

Fostering a community is something she said that she wants the coffee shop she works at to focus on.

Child (9:35): “It's really nice feeling like you have a community. And I think it's something that is shrinking because of how remote we're getting.”

Georgia: Utah’s culture, a point of fascination for many, has allowed these coffee shops to become a  “counterculture space” for those in the state who are not a part of the LDS community. Salt Lake City barista Blue Tolman says this might help third places in Utah.

Tolman (1:55): “I think we're almost lucky in Utah that coffee is counterculture because it allows us to have more of a shared space.”

Georgia: The types of real world connections these baristas have seen is a motivator for these baristas to continue their work.

Child (10:21): “You make friends with the people that come in. You have regulars. You have, you know, like, I can think of so many people that I'm so thankful for knowing in my life, because they've come in and just bought coffee. And that becomes a ritual. It becomes ‘Yeah, I'm gonna go in and I'm gonna see some of my buddies, and then I'm gonna go to work or go to school.”

((Nat of people talking))

Tolman (2:19): “I've seen so many first dates here, which are really cute. I think even making friends, being someone that works here,  being able to hold people's babies and… I've seen kids grow up, which is really cool. And it's been cool to make real friends that live near me just through working here.”

Georgia: Salt Lake Roasting Company barista London Hunter says despite third places disappearing, where she works has stayed relatively busy.

Hunter (2:52): “I think that we're lucky here, that it's kind of stayed busy throughout the years, and I love seeing people come in and just being able to connect with others, talk, meet friends, family, professors, good tutors, everything like that, because it's really fun.”

She also says that something as simple as meeting for coffee allows for important connections.

Hunter (3:00): “I think that it also creates a really good social setting, with technology and everything, people get very comfortable staying at home, talking to people over the phone, online, everything like that. It sounds silly, but just meeting people for a cup of coffee to sit and get your caffeine in and just have a good conversation, I think is super important.”

((Nat. sound of coffee mugs clinking))

Hunter (6:33): “Some of my favorite regulars are, like people who kind of come in here for comfort and food and coffee, and they are my favorite, like, my favorite regular name is Sarah. She's so kind. She's always coming in here, spending the entire day in here, from when I come in to when I leave.”

Hunter (8:54): “You really just can't compare, like, genuine in person interactions, you know, like, there's a physical energy that you can't you can't mimic over the phone or online.”

I’m Georgia Metcalf reporting.

Lead in: Across the country, books are disappearing from school libraries and classroom shelves, not because they’re outdated, but because they’re being banned. Today, we’re diving into the growing debate over what stories get to be told, and who gets to decide. Marin O’Brien dives into these bans.

((Nat… Quote from Audrey Davis, “Those who fail to learn from history are bound to repeat it”))

Marin: Book banning isn’t new. From To Kill a Mockingbird in 1984, literature has long sparked controversy. But in recent years, the number of formal challenges to books in schools has surged with hundreds of titles challenged or removed in 2024 alone.

((Nat… Audio from news clip regarding book bans))

Marin: According to PEN America, during the 2023-2024 school year, U.S. public schools implemented over 10,000 book bans, nearly tripling the previous year's count of 3,362. The content targeted by these bans includes themes related to race, gender, and sexuality.

Marin: The bans impacted approximately 2,877 authors, illustrators, and translators. Florida and Iowa led the nation in book bans, accounting for over 8,200 instances combined. 

((Nat.. Audio of Mandy Knapp’s message during National Library Week 2025))

Marin: During National Library Week 2025, the American Library Association released 2024 data on book and material censorship attempts in libraries.

Marin:  Most book censorship attempts now come from organized groups, with 72% initiated by officials, boards, and administrators.

((Nat.. “Ambient Background Music”))

Marin: The American Library Association says fewer censorship cases were reported in 2024 compared to 2023, but that doesn't mean censorship is actually happening less. There are many factors.

Marin: Underreporting is one of them. Many book bans aren’t made public. Library workers may be afraid to speak out because it could hurt their careers or put them at risk.

((Nat.. “Ambient Background Music”))

Marin: Censorship by exclusion is another. Some librarians aren’t allowed to get certain books, or they have to hide them where people are less likely to find them.

Marin: Some states made new laws that limit which books can be in schools and libraries, especially ones with LGBTQ+ characters, race-related topics, or anything seen as “sexual.” Because of this, many important books have been taken out.

((Nat… Audio from book ban protests))

Marin: As debates around education heat up, the pushback is growing louder. The Freedom to Learn collective took their message to the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court, protesting book bans, curriculum censorship, and what they called 'politically motivated' interference in classrooms.

Marin: The impact of book bans isn't just being felt in classrooms today it's shaping the future of education. Elle Broadhead, a college student studying education, who’s preparing to become a teacher. For her, the bans aren’t  just a policy issue it’s personal, and it’s shaping how she thinks about the profession shes about to enter. 

Broadhead: (:35) “They are banned for a reason and I don’t really have any reason to fight the ban. However some of these books are great books, but we shouldn’t be teaching controversial things in schools anyway. I do believe it causes a lot of issues in schools and I would rather dismiss the issues then create them.”

((Nat… “Ambient background music”))

Marin: But not all future educators see it that way. While Broadhead believes book bans are necessary to protect students, others see them as a threat to education itself. Genesis Diller and Audrey Davis, both education majors as well, who have very different concerns.

Diller: (:14) “Banning books harms students education because there’s a lot of topics that are being banned because it’s “sensitive” but it is something important that all students need to learn about.”

Marin: Diller says avoiding uncomfortable topics does more harm than good, especially when it comes to preparing students for the real world. Davis agrees, but her concerns focus more on the precedent these bans might set for the future of teaching.

Davis: (:17) “Erasing culture from the classroom, especially when you’re not someone who represents that culture, not only hinders students success, hinders differentiation, and when students can’t see and hear their experiences and others in text they lack the empathy and representation.”

Marin: With thousands of books challenged across the country, the conversation around what belongs in the classroom is far from over. And as the next generation of teachers steps into that space, they’ll be the ones navigating where education goes next. This is Marin O’Brien, reporting.

Lead In: The Copperview Recreation Center has grown outdated, and Midvale City has been awarded a bond for a new rec center. However, the Salt Lake Country Parks and Rec Department is yet to make an announcement and its proposal for the new center to be moved has been met with public dissatisfaction. Aidan Oneida takes you into the story.

Aidan: For many years. Midvale residents have hoped for access to better recreation facilities and a public pool. Now, Midvale is set to get a new, roughly 45 million-dollar, rec center.

((Nat of Rec Center Chatter))

Aidan: The Copperview Recreation Center has served the community of Midvale for over 50 years. However, it’s fallen far behind the rec centers of neighboring cities. Weight machines are old and often faulty, motion sensor lights come on for the first time of the day as you enter courts, and community satisfaction is declining.

Aidan: Midvale resident, Braedon Broyles, went to the Copperview Rec for many years. However, things have changed for him recently.

((Nat of Copperview Rec Basketball Court))

Broyles: “I grew up going to the Copperview rec, I would go every Sunday and play pick-up basketball with some guys from around the neighborhood.”

Aidan: These weekly basketball meetups were the only full 5 on 5 basketball games the Copperview rec had outside of youth leagues. Broyles was a patron for years, but after visiting commercial gyms, and the rec centers of other cities, he started branching out.

Broyles: “I couldn’t work out the way I needed to there ... so once I got my license when I turned 16, I started going to EOS.”

((Nat of bustling gym comes in loud then fades low before declining patronage line.))

Aidan: The Copperview Rec’s declining patronage over the years doesn’t allow for full pick-up basketball games like the rec centers of other cities. Murray City Park Center has games daily because their courts see consistent traffic.

Jackson Lloyd got a membership at the Murray rec over a year ago.

((Nat of 5 on 5 games at Murray rec fade after soundbite))

Lloyd: “I love the Murray rec … I’ve made a lot of friends playing on Wednesday nights when they have organized 5 on 5s.”

((Nat of very quiet, shifting papers))

Aidan: Midvale’s general election in 2023 featured a proposal for an 11.2-million-dollar bond for a new recreation center. The proposal passed with a vote of 2,345 in favor to 1,499 against. However, after the bond passed, the Salt Lake County Parks and Rec Department proposed that the build will be at a new location. Copperview rec patron, Kristie Cahoon, is not happy with the move.

Cahoon: “I don’t know why it can’t stay right where it is … I mean they have a massive field right behind the building, so there’s plenty of space for them to work with.”

Aidan: The community surrounding the Copperview Rec has a unique ethnic and cultural demographic. A disproportionately high population of Polynesian and Hispanic citizens allows the center to serve a diverse crowd. Mostly for rent housing, like duplexes and apartment complexes lie across the street from the rec center and make up the Copperview Community. Luz Miller is a member of the Copperview Community.

Miller: “It’s not the nicest, but there’s a lot of happiness here”

((Nat playground/skatepark background for soundbite.))

Aidan: Midvale city proposes that the new Midvale rec be built at Union Park at 7360 S 700 E, just a couple-minute walk from Hillcrest High. This means that it may now be in a higher-income area, away from regular patrons. However, not much information has been released surrounding it.

Miller: “I feel like communication has always been a problem” 

Aidan: An example of this problem started when Midvale Middle, and it’s public pool, were demolished in 2015. The City of Midvale became one of few in the Salt Lake Valley to not have a pool for its residents. For a long time, the community expected a new one, but plans were never made.

((Nat sound of Murray rec public pool))

Cahoon: “I figured that the city would build a new pool at the rec center but I guess I just never heard anything about it.”

Cahoon: “I would take my family to the pools of other cities.”

Aidan: Right now, there isn’t much information from officials about the new rec center. Despite the issuance of bonds being passed over two years ago, there hasn’t been an official announcement. 

Miller: “we really should have heard something”

Aidan: In his Monthly Message in August twenty-twenty-four, Marcus Stevenson, former Midvale Mayor, assured the community that the Salt Lake City Parks and Rec’s master plan will address the construction of the new Midvale rec center. 

((Nat of construction site))

Aidan: This may be a first step in development. Midvale taxpayers are paying for the bond, so public concerns should be taken under consideration. Communication has been a problem in the past, so now is the time for discussion before the plan is unveiled this spring. This is Aidan Oneida Reporting.

Lead in: Fans don't see the pressure experienced by athletes in competition. Elias Petersen explores the effects in the world of gymnastics.

((Nat sound. Grace McCallum announced at the Olympics for Team USA in Tokyo))

Elias: Most people dream of standing on an Olympic podium. For gymnast Grace McCallum, that dream came true in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, winning silver with team USA at just 18. But behind the medals and routines lies a truth many elite athletes face: the often invisible toll on their mental health.

Grace: “The worst thing about gymnastics is the expectation to be perfect to look a certain way to be judged on what you’re doing, but they can also be your greatest.”

Elias: What we don't see on the screen is the pressure, anxiety and expectations that come quickly when the cheering stops. As University of Utah gymnast senior Grace McCallum has learned, every setback holds a chance for growth.

Elias: After the Tokyo Olympics, McCallum transitioned directly into the life as a student-athlete at the University of Utah. While it seems like a seamless transition for an Olympic medalist, the reality was far from easy.

Grace: “It was a lot harder than what people thought it would be. Coming from elite the focus is the difficulty of skill, not necessarily the execution, where college is the exact opposite, it’s all about execution. So I struggled with that a bit, just knowing that there’s a lot of pressure on me and people have high expectations for how I would do in college and so I made it a lot hard on myself. I put those expectations on myself too and it definitely took a while to get used to and to really come into my own gymnastics and not think about other people and what they thought.

((Nat sound, commentators about grace))

Elias: That pressure doesn’t just come from the outside. It builds within. McCallum says it often starts in her own head.

Grace: “When I have days or routines that aren’t my normal it’s normally because I let out creep in I let those little thoughts of what if kind of take over instead of just going and doing my normal gymnastics and really trusting myself up on the equipment and I feel like that’s when I do my best gymnastics when I just trust myself and I have like an unshakeable confidence in myself that I can do what I need to do up there instead of letting those little creeping”

Elias: That mental discipline, knowing how to silence doubt, is just as important as the physical skills gymnasts spend years perfecting. Sports Psychologist dr Nick Galli says it's not unusual for athletes to struggle with stress. However, athletes must learn to manage their stress.

Nick: “When somebody becomes so immersed in sport and it becomes a large part of their identity... and they do it at a high level... it becomes more of a professional job. That introduces unique stressors. You're a human being, but also this performer. There are all these expectations, and there's money, name, image, likeness. There's so much on the line.”

Elias: McCallum says those expectations can weigh on you, especially during injuries or tough training days. But opening up about those challenges has made a difference.

Grace: “I struggled a lot with my coaches coming back from injuries those are all really hard. It’s easy to kind of get down on yourself and be hard on yourself and working with a sports psychologist has been really really beneficial for me just to help me build my confidence in myself and just gain that reassurance of like you are a good athlete you do work hard and if you want it, you will, everybody struggles with their mental health at one point it’s just you have to be willing to get the help you need if you want to succeed”

Elias: Dr. Galli says athletes are starting to embrace that kind of support more than ever before.

Nick: “The stigma of breaking down has been especially strong in sports for a long while. But now, universities like this, we have embedded psychology services. Nearly all of our coaches support them, and a good number of our athletes use them.”

Elias: For McCallum, learning to utilize the available resources, such as psychologists, academic advisors, and coaching staff, has helped her with her career.

Grace: “Utilising the resources here, academic advisors, the psychologist and coaches they have so many people here that are here to help and want you to succeed and so using all of those. I feel like it really important."

Elias: Even as McCallum continues to compete, her outlook on gymnastics has evolved. It’s no longer just about scores or perfect routines. It’s about leading with integrity, on and off the mat. To create the final touches, the gymnastics team needs to work as a team and as individual athletes.  “We’ve really made emphasis this year everybody on the team being a leader in their own way and just using those strings to help benefit the team and so I’m just glad that my strengths are helping the team move in the right direction I like to leave by action. I like to lead by example and so I don’t see that as an expectation because that’s kind of the standard for me. I’m gonna put my 100% in every day at practice and I just hope that others will follow that as well. I feel like I just wanna be known as like a good person a good teammate obviously the gymnastics for itself I can only do so much in that area but people people don’t remember the scores you got through routines you did but they remember the person you were how you treated them and so I feel like that’s the biggest thing I want to be remembered for.”

((nat sound grace sticking on beam))

Grace: “The thing about being a gymnast is just the freedom to just flip around express yourself on every event. I’m really be creative and just build an amazing community of people around gymnastics is a very small sport like everybody knows everybody and it feels very family oriented which is really special and creating."

Elias: For many athletes, such as Grace McCallum, the road to greatness involves not only navigating the physical challenges of sport but also the mental ones. And with the right support, even the most challenging moments can become the foundation for something stronger.

((Nat sound, of grace scoring a ten and the crowd goes crazy))

This is Elias Petersen 

Lead In: The Great Salt Lake inspires art that gives communities across Utah a way to show strength, raise awareness, and foster understanding, creating deeper connections. Emma Ratkovic explores how art becomes a powerful force for compassion and change through the voices of local artists.

Bornhoft (:01) “I think art has the power to build empathy in a way that really nothing else does.”

Emma: Kellie Bornhoft is an artist and an assistant professor of art & foundations coordinator at Weber State University. She has worked on several local art projects, highlighting the Great Salt Lake and its ecosystem.

Bornhoft (:20) “I just moved here a year and a half ago. Before here, I was living in the Bay Area, outside of San Francisco. And I fell in love with the Bay, which is a lot like the Great Salt Lake. It’s an overlooked space, it’s salty, it brings all the birds. And so, immediately, whenever I moved here, it felt like home to go to the Great Salt Lake.”

Emma: Bornhoft was one of 12 recipients selected for Wake the Great Salt Lake, a temporary public art project meant to raise awareness and inspire action to protect the Great Salt Lake. Her piece, By a Thread, featured hand-drawn images of 64 species found around the lake.

Bornhoft (:54) “I reached out to Dr. Bonnie Baxter. She’s one of the leading experts on the lake here. I also reached out to folks at the Utah Department of Natural Resources and connected with a couple folks in the wildlife division there. They helped me build a list of 64 species that they felt like needed better visualization. I went through and I sourced the images that were in the public domain, so images that people submitted to the Creative Commons. And I drew those species and then resubmitted them to the Creative Commons, so they’re open resources that anyone can use.”

Emma: Bornhoft collaborated with English professor Sunni Brown Wilkinson on a poetry project called The Word for Coal Compressing into a Diamond. The book explores the physical and emotional aftermath of motherhood, connecting those experiences to the geology of the region. Inspired by their shared love of nature and motherhood, the project includes references to gypsum crystals, also called “dirty diamonds,” found in the Great Salt Lake. “Dirty diamonds” are rare gypsum crystals that grow in salt-rich clay. So far, scientists have only found them forming naturally in two places: the Great Salt Lake and the Salt Plains of Oklahoma.

Wilkinson (1:57) “So we went out and dug those at different times of the year, collected them. And then wrote about how these diamonds connected us to not only the Earth, but what it is to create, right, to create seemingly something out of nothing, and how that links to motherhood and the creation of a new life inside of you.”

Emma: Wilkinson wanted to use poetry grounded in the natural world to explore the deep connection between the Earth and womanhood, especially through the lens of childbirth. Instead of seeing them as separate, she wanted to show how both undergo powerful, transformative processes.

Wilkinson (2:51) “Too often we separate our bodies from the earth and think, well, the Earth creates this way, but we're separate. We're different. But really, when you look at the creative processes and the way our bodies change and the way the Earth changes when it produces new things. There's breakage, there's rupture, there's tension, the land is really never the same after something changes like that, just like a woman's body when she gives birth to a child. So, it was really, it was really cool to marry those different artistic mediums, but then also to reflect on what that means for our understanding of what creation is and how amazing the body is, what the body can do.”

Emma: For Wilkinson, Antelope Island, part of the Great Salt Lake, holds a quiet kind of magic. A spring day she spent there with her family, listening to meadowlarks by the lake, became one of her most cherished memories. That moment later inspired her poem titled Valentine for the Great Salt Lake.

((Nat of Wilkinson reading the poem Valentine for the Great Salt Lake.))

(( (3:50) “From the sky, your clusters of brine shrimp eggs huddle and drift into thick brown swirls like pools of chocolate milk. You, mother to millions, amniotic sac waiting to hatch innumerable legs, flat and upright, that paddle and push tiny boats of creatures toward each other. You are buoyancy of bodies toppled with light. You are love potion. From the sky you are the brightest glint, shine of a gum wrapper, a wild lick across our desert face. From the sky you are a lost child. I bring my children to you and something primordial breathes under our feet. My sons wear your salty crust, your brush of mineral across their bare and freckled legs all the long drive home. They sleep inside your mottled and endless light. You are the place that held me while I listened to the meadowlark’s song on a Spring afternoon so wide and long that nothing but the wind in the brown grass and that single bird moved. You are the heart of stillness, heart of lark and coyote, pink heart of Floyd, the flamingo who fled the Salt Lake aviary and lived in the heart of you for years, migrating then returning, a sighting of him like a flash of pink, a thump in the chest, a one-legged valentine lost in blue.”))

Emma: Bornhoft and Wilkinson also created a video that weaves together their poetry about gypsum crystals and motherhood with visual art, accompanied by original music from Carey Campbell, an electroacoustic composer, performer, and professor of music at Weber State University. 

((Nat sound of Campbell’s musical work for The Word for Coal Compressing into a Diamond))

Emma: With over 15 years of experience, Campbell has collaborated with artists across theater, film, and visual art. For this piece, he composed a score that reflects the emotional and visual themes of the video.

Campbell (5:54) “The sum of the parts just turned out to be so much bigger than any of us thought it would be. That, in particular, was a difficult project, because not only is it sort of ecologically based, but it's also talking about pregnancy and childbirth and things like that.”

Emma: Campbell also collaborated with Bornhoft on a project called This Was Water. This Was Water opens May 16 at Dumke Arts Plaza in Ogden and turns the story of the drying Great Salt Lake into an immersive, interactive experience. Campbell and Bornhoft teamed up to create five large rock mounds with glowing crystal forms, sound that shifts as you move through the space, and a video piece playing on the plaza screen. Embedded speakers play a generative composition by Campbell that responds to movement using lidar sensors, while a soundscape fills the plaza to guide each visitor’s experience.

Campbell (6:50) “I just started writing this piece, This Was Water, for chamber ensemble and electronics. I mostly do electronic music. And so, I wanted to combine like familiar instruments, like flute, clarinet, violin, cello. I wanted to combine those with electronics. I wanted to amplify but alter their sounds to kind of give this sense of struggle, and you know in relation to like, the difficulties that the ecological collapse would cause for humans. In the process of doing that, I started thinking about the fact that humans are just a very, very small part of the ecosystem that would be decimated if this whole thing collapses. And so, I started incorporating field recordings of actual animal sounds, and it became a whole, a whole complete piece.”

Emma: For the This Was Water project, Bornhoft created a video that was paired with electronic music by Campbell.

((Nat sound of the performance))

Emma: This video, along with the music, was brought to life during live performances on April 5, 2024, and January 30, 2025, featuring a group of musicians and performers. The project has several upcoming performances scheduled as well. 

Campbell (8:25) “I have a tendency, for better or worse, for my work to make people feel slightly uncomfortable or like something is off like with the world, my hope is that people are able to sort of take that feeling of discomfort, of offness and apply it to the world that we actually live in, and be sensitive to those things and like fix them. I don't intend my work to be didactic, you know I'm not teaching people about the Great Salt Lake necessarily, as I am trying to encourage them to feel something about the Great Salt Lake which, I think, is what inspires action.”

Emma: Bornhoft, Wilkinson, and Campbell’s work shows how art connects us to nature, personal experience, and each other. Through their projects, they highlight the power of art to reflect, inspire, and create change within the Great Salt Lake’s unique landscape. I’m Emma Ratkovic reporting.

ANCHOR LEAD-IN: The Salt Lake City Trappers weren't just another minor league baseball team. In the summer of 1987, they did something no other professional baseball team has ever done. Here's Ron Sabala with the story of the Trappers' 29-game winning streak and my family legacy behind it.

[SCRIPT START]

NAT SOUND: Ambient park noise — wind, birds, faint traffic.

TRACK: Summer in Salt Lake City. 1987. Baseball season. But this year, something magical was brewing at Derks Field. TRACK: The Salt Lake City Trappers, a team independent from Major League Baseball, were rewriting the record books. Their 29-game winning streak still stands today as the longest in professional baseball history.

TRACK: For me, it’s more than just a baseball story. It’s family history.

ACTUALITY (GRANDMA) also known as (MUMA): My grandma goes on to talk about my grandfather's relationship with the team and what the energy was like around the city with the win streak. She also talks about what it meant to our family and him as baseball was something he always loved but was never the best at.

TRACK: That connection to the Trappers runs deep in my family. I grew up hearing about those games, those nights at the ballpark, the buzz around town, and the amazing stories my grandfather provided me as a young boy.

TRACK: The Trappers were part of the Pioneer League, playing their home games at Derks Field. They weren’t tied to any MLB franchise, but they had grit, character, and a whole lot of fun.

ACTUALITY (Uncle): My uncle describes what he could remember from the winning streak. As they kept winning, he remembered news tv stations surrounding the stadium, vendors being sold out, and Derks Field being completely sold out.

My dad talks about his favorite players and what it was like seeing their dreams for the MLB come true.

TRACK: The streak started quietly, but it picked up steam. The Trappers kept winning. And winning. After every victory, the team would head over to a local bar called Duffy’s and my grandpa always picked up the tab.

NAT SOUND: Baseball game crack of the bat, crowd cheering, umpire and fans yelling strike. Introduce “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” music”.

TRACK: The final numbers tell the story. 29 straight wins. A 49-21 season record. No other professional baseball team has come close.

TRACK: For perspective the MLB record for most consecutive wins is 26, held by the 1916 New York Giants, with one tie included. The Trappers beat that clean.

ACTUALITY Trappers former Player Todd Noonan: Todd discusses the celebrations at the teams infamous bar called Duffy’s Tavern where they would celebrate after winning. He also discusses his relationship with the owners, which include my grandpa, and also famous actor Bill Murray and how helpful they were to the team. He explains that the bond between his teammates,coaches, and some ownership group is unbreakable and that they still talk about it to this day.  

NAT SOUND: Outside park ambiance, trees rustling, kids playing, cars passing by.

TRACK: Today, the Trappers are gone, and Derks Field has been replaced. But that 1987 streak lives on in record books, in the city’s memory, The Hall of Fame in Cooperstown New York, and in my family’s stories.

TRACK: It wasn’t just baseball. It was legacy. It was community. It was summer magic in Salt Lake City.

[END OF SCRIPT] 

00:00 Salt Lake City is stepping into a new chapter. Once known for its quiet evenings and early nights, downtown is now alive well past sunset—and it's no accident. A steady rise in young professionals, new restaurants, and high-end bars has transformed the city into a true nightlife destination. The numbers back it up: since 2019, late-night restaurant and bar transactions have grown steadily.

00:28 Orders placed after 7 p.m. have jumped from 17.9% to over 26% of all transactions. Downtown also welcomed 20 million visits last year alone, with bars and restaurants leading the charge. To get a closer look at what’s fueling the change, I stopped by Eight Settlers in Cottonwood Heights—a bar and restaurant preparing to open a new location downtown this summer.

00:56 Their goal is to blend Salt Lake’s frontier history with a modern edge. Erin Aldred, manager of the upcoming location, says the city’s growing food and nightlife scene makes this the right move at the right time. "Personally, I think it's growing quite a bit, especially when it comes to the food and beverage scene. There’s a lot of new restaurants and bars bringing out more of a nightlife vibe," Aldred says.

01:24 She points out that while Salt Lake has always had some nightlife, there's now real momentum—and much more potential to tap into. "It’s not just about opening another bar," she says. "It’s about creating an elevated cocktail experience that fits downtown’s evolution." Unlike the faster-paced sports bars nearby, Eight Settlers aims to offer a more refined environment where guests can explore creative, spirit-forward drinks beyond the usual Jack and Coke or gin and tonic.

01:50 "For people just turning 21, they’ll be able to experience something new—flavors and cocktails they may not even know exist," Aldred explains. The vision reflects a broader trend happening downtown: not just more places to grab a drink, but more places offering something unique. Elevated cocktails, innovative menus, and a real sense of atmosphere are reshaping expectations for a night out in Salt Lake.

02:47 This growing demand for quality and creativity is also influencing the people behind the bars. John Gardner, a longtime local bartender, weighed in on the shift. "You gotta have a niche," he says. "If you don’t have the best fancy Lake Effect vibe or cheap drinks flying out the door, you need something special. I was telling Erin, our niche should be old fashioneds—make half the menu old fashioneds. Then people can say, ‘Have you been to the Eight Settlers old fashioned bar?’ That’s what makes you memorable."

03:45 Downtown Salt Lake City isn’t what it used to be—and for many, that's a good thing. Whether it’s new restaurants like Eight Settlers setting up shop, bartenders like John crafting personalized cocktail menus, or the growing crowds filling the streets, it’s clear the city is in the middle of a cultural shift.

04:16 Salt Lake has always moved to its own rhythm, but now there’s a real push toward something more vibrant, social, and alive after dark. While there’s still room to grow, if this momentum continues, downtown could soon become one of the region’s most exciting nightlife destinations.

It's no longer just about what Salt Lake is known for—it's about what it’s becoming. This is Max Valva, reporting from downtown Salt Lake City.