Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker SALT LAKE CITY — An early morning explosion rocked a Salt Lake City neighborhood near the intersection of North Temple and Redwood Road on Monday with authorities believing it was caused by natural gas A call was received at approximately 3:15 a.m they reported a smell of gas in the air and started checking on the nearby buildings Four fire trucks were dispatched to the scene While there was no active fire at the time officials said they found structural damage to a Chevron gas station including damaged walls and windows that had been blown out Watch: Officials discuss investigation into explosion "We don't know what happened or how it happened or where the origin of the gas leak was, but it does look like preliminary findings show that there's a decent probability of a natural gas incident," said Salt Lake City Fire Division Chief Bob Silverthorne Silverthorne added that it appeared the explosion itself may have blown out any fire that was started Enbridge Gas (formerly Dominion Energy) crews cut the gas to four buildings in the vicinity of the explosion No injuries were reported due to the explosion and gas company employees remained on the scene with investigators to determine the exact cause of the explosion The building will remain closed until it's deemed safe the director of Salt Lake City's Division of Public Utilities said Enbridge Gas has a good safety record “Our inspectors are constantly working with them so they’ve got an inspection schedule every year for every one of the Enbridge regions in the state," Parker said He added that they don't see natural gas explosions often “An explosion is rare because natural gas is lighter than air and it’s got a relatively high ignition point," he explained Parker urges the public to call 811 — or "Blue Stakes" — a call before digging “Most of the damage to utility facilities are due to people either not calling Blue Stakes before they dig or to people disregarding the marks when they dig,” he said Raynor Winn’s tale of 630-mile forced hike around south west coastal path should boost visitor numbers Some walk with a sense of escaping problems others with the idea of striding towards a goal Many more are expected to head to the South West Coast Path, the 630-mile route around the shores of Somerset, Devon, Cornwall and Dorset as the film The Salt Path hits cinema screens The movie, starring Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs, is based on the book of the same name by Raynor Winn telling the story of how she and her husband took to the path after being forced from their home and found peace A gala screening takes place close to the path at the Lighthouse Cinema in Newquay, Cornwall, on Tuesday before its UK release on 30 May – and the hope is that more people will be inspired to walk it People such as Jennifer Lessard, 45, from New York, who was found walking a stretch of the path in Torbay, south Devon “It’s just so beautiful,” she said as she looked across a tree-lined bay She plans to walk the path a few sections at a time during the visits to the UK “It’s life-affirming to walk,” said Lessard “And I like the pubs at the end of the day They live more than 300 miles apart and get together for walking holidays “It’s a great way for us to meet and catch up,” said Roy Psychologists have noted that walking is a good time to have difficult conversations – you are side by side but not engaging with eye contact Roy and Paul Saxton on the path near Babbacombe, Torquay. Photograph: Martin Godwin/The GuardianMartyn Green, 38, and his dog Rolo, were doing 30 miles of the path in a day. He is pretty much a full-time walker of the UK’s coastal paths, recording his adventures on TikTok “I don’t have any permanent abode; I float,” he said “I love it – you never see anyone unhappy on the beach When you’re close to water you tend to be happy.” Tourism leaders in the south-west are looking forward to a boost in walker numbers on the back of the film Jon Hyatt, the chair of Visit Cornwall, said there had been “significant” interest from domestic and international audiences “Last week we welcomed two influencers from the Netherlands on a Salt Path-themed visit timed with the film’s premiere there,” he said Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs in the film. Photograph: FlixPix/AlamyEmma Thomasson, CEO of Visit Exmoor said the film showcases locations across the area “We hope and expect that this will inspire a broad range of visitors from home and abroad It’s a great opportunity to show what’s here for everyone.” Julian Gray, the director of the South West Coast Path Association said the film was timely as there had been a downturn in visitors in recent years the increased interest in travelling overseas since the pandemic and the loss of foreign seasonal workers post Brexit have put tourism in south-west Britain under pressure Enjoying the sea view at Babbacombe near to the South West Costal Path Photograph: Martin Godwin/The Guardian“I think the film will raise awareness of the path and give us a chance engage with people about the transformational nature of trails,” said Gray On any given day about 25,000 people may be walking the path (though so spaced out it never feels busy) It brings in £500m a year to the south-west economy and the public health benefits are judged to be worth tens of million more The charity has noticed that more lone women younger people and families are walking the trail The charity is working hard on equity of access making sure that people such as refugees and older people get a chance to walk it to keep the path in good shape and clearly signed – more than £1m The climate emergency is putting huge pressure on the trail “What we’re seeing with climate change is a speeding up of the frequency of storms and an increase in their intensity,” said Gray “We’re having to deal with erosion and diversions far more often.” Gray said: “I see the film as an opportunity to engage with people on how they can make a difference to protect and enhance this world-class trail. If we want it for future generations, we need people to keep supporting us.” Armstrong Williams takes on the news of the week and asks the questions you want answered. Don’t miss our weekly town hall. Salt Palace sale terms called 'very unusual bad deal' for taxpayersby Brian Mullahy SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — An urban designer and architect called sale terms for a big part of the Salt Palace to Smith Entertainment Group "very unusual" and "a bad deal" for Salt Lake County taxpayers a member of the Salt Lake City Planning Commission and former dean of the University of Utah College of Architecture "They're getting a promissory note," Scheer said they're (the county is) making a loan to SEG for the money." The county council unanimously approved the $55 million sale last week with at least one county official saying proceeds would finance needed Salt Palace upgrades Loan payments by SEG---owners of the Jazz and Utah Hockey Club---will be stretched over 32 years Scheer called the payment amounts "a drop in the bucket" compared to potential Salt Palace improvement costs that could top $1 billion 2News reported the Salt Palace sales contract also requires county taxpayers to reimburse SEG for costs of demolishing palace buildings to clear land for its privately held arts and entertainment district The reimbursement could continue for six years after SEG closes on the property “We are grateful to the Salt Lake County Council for their continued support in the mission to reimagine downtown Salt Lake City," said Mike Maughan with Smith Entertainment Group adding it plans to "create a more activated and family-friendly future for our capital city’s urban core "We look forward to continuing the work underway in partnership with all stakeholders as we develop a world-class sports and convention district that will create an incredible year-round downtown experience for all.” Scheer was surprised a piece of the Salt Palace—-maybe 20% of the total convention center---is being sold at all "It would be a much better deal for the county to lease the land," she said the county at least would keep the property SEG released a eye-catching image of what its arts and entertainment district east of the Delta Center might look like and the Utah Legislature passed a law giving Salt Lake City authority to hike sales taxes for the development—-which the city council did But what does an arts and entertainment district mean have not been answered—-at least not in the public realm "We don't even know what kind of entertainment we're going to have," Scheer said "I mean what's going to entertain us?" -------------------------------------------------------- SALT RIVER PIMA-MARICOPA INDIAN COMMUNITY — After the Maricopa Community College District cancelled its cultural convocations indigenous graduates came together to celebrate their accomplishments in a tribe-sponsored ceremony Friday at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick you are the answer to your ancestors’ prayers so let’s get it done,” graduate and Pascua Yaqui Tribe member Anita Soto said The change in plans came after the Trump administration sent a letter to institutions requiring the end of activities based on race or national origin to maintain federal funding “We recognize that these required changes may be disappointing to some of our students and employees we remain committed to fostering a welcoming learning environment for all students as they pursue their educational goals,” an MCCCD spokesperson said in a statement the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community stepped in but we’re resilient and we keep moving forward,” Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Council Member Mikah Carlos said Graduate and Navajo Nation member Collin Skeets shared his story with his peers Friday night to prove to my daughter that I needed to finish school so that way I could show her things are accomplished,” Skeets said “I want to teach history and emphasize American Indian history with American history.” Report a typo A Salt Lake recycling plant caught on fire SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — A Salt Lake recycling plant caught on fire Salt Lake City Fire Chief Silverthorne said the department received several calls about a "decent-sized plume of smoke" coming from Metro Group, a scrap metal recycling plant. Seven units responded to the scene to extinguish the fire. The fire, contained to a debris pile, did not threaten any other structures, Silverthorne said. PHOTOS: Likely natural gas explosion structurally damages Chevron in Salt Lake Cityby Matthew Jacobson Utah (KUTV) — Emergency crews responded early Monday to an explosion at a Chevron gas station in Salt Lake City that caused significant damage to the building and adjacent businesses It's the second explosion to happen at the location in five years about an explosion at the station at the retail complex at thecorner of Redwood Road and North Temple Salt Lake City Fire Division Chief Bob Silverthorne said there were some conflicting 911 calls and initially it was believed that a car had crashed into the building Subsequent callers all reported an explosion First responders found all the windows blown out of the building and could smell natural gas they discovered interior structural damage to load-bearing walls and to the building's trusses the extent of the building's damage on the exterior became more apparent with windows and doors blown off their frames -- one of which was yards away from the building some sort of natural t gas incident happened," Silverthorne said "But we don't know the extent of where the gas was coming from or how it happened it sounds like it almost kind of blew itself out and the natural gas was still pouring out and trying to find an ignition source" when crews first arrived Enbridge Gas crews arrived on scene and disconnected the line to the area They were seen outside the building inspecting the natural gas meter "This situation began de-escalating almost as soon as it escalated," Silverthorne said "As soon as we got the natural gas cut off That's when the real investigative work comes." No firefighters were injured during the response The fact that no one was around was a bit of a double-edged sword "I think we're lucky that no one was around," Silverthorne said the explosion itself may have been prevented "If this was during the day and it was occupied it's more than likely someone would have smelled the (gas) initially and be able to go ahead and cut the gas off," he said the gas instead built up and then found an ignition source." He said anyone who smells a natural gas odor in their homes should immediately evacuate open any doors or windows they can along the way " Some people just kind of sit on the fence" about calling firefighters No injuries were reported in that explosion ENVIRONMENT 1:14 PM | Updated: 1:26 pm Sandbars stretching out along the shallow southern shore of the Great Salt Lake BY LEIA LARSEN, THE NEW YORK TIMES AND THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE NOTE: This article is published through the Great Salt Lake Collaborative, a solutions journalism initiative that partners news, education and media organizations to help inform people about the plight of the Great Salt Lake—and what can be done to make a difference before it is too late. Read all of our stories at greatsaltlakenews.org when Utah’s Great Salt Lake was at its lowest levels state lawmakers were alarmed enough to try what may be impossible: save the lake from drying up “Fast crises often get more attention than slow crises,” said Brian Steed the state’s newly appointed Great Salt Lake commissioner tasked with developing a strategic plan for the lake when we realized how dire the situation was.” But the measures the state is pursuing will take decades to reap results, if ever. Critics now say the pace and scale of the efforts must greatly increase. What is at stake, they warn, is a public health disaster, the collapse of an ecosystem that supports millions of migrating birds, and a devastating blow to the state’s tourism The Great Salt Lake in 2000 (L) compared to the lake in 2020 (R) And as climate change intensifies drought across the West it would also bring accelerated evaporation of the lake “They’ve stated they’ve done enough,” Deeda Seed a campaigner with the Center for Biological Diversity Utah has a conservative Republican governor and supermajority in the statehouse and most legislators bristle at regulation They have been reluctant to constrain the industries that use the most water. Real estate development is a priority in Utah, one of the five fastest-growing states in the U.S is the basis of much of Utah’s rural economy And the dairy and beef industries rely on alfalfa hay to feed cattle The state recently learned that the money would be released but it is unclear if there will be any future federal aid for the project Agriculture fuels much of Utah’s rural economy although that has nothing to do with action by lawmakers A recent year of record snow replenished mountain streams and reservoirs allowing more water to flow to the Great Salt Lake It currently is five feet higher than its all-time low but it will need to rise another five to attain a minimum healthy elevation To reach that level in five years, Mr. Steed’s analysis and strategic plan show all water users in the Great Salt Lake basin would need to cut their consumption by half The shift would have enormous consequences for the state’s economy “I just don’t think we have political support for that,” Mr “nor do I think we would have public support for that kind of drastic action.” He aims instead to reach the goal in 30 years the region would need to free up about enough water to support the equivalent of at least a million households annually The governor also sought $650,000 to monitor and begin mitigating the lake bed’s dust a hay farmer who sells to local dairies in Cache County the industries most vital to protecting the lake are largely on the sidelines Some farmers are benefiting from irrigation upgrades partly financed by the state But only a handful have signed up to lease water that could feed the lake “I certainly don’t want to see the lake dry up and disappear,” said Jason Westover a farmer who has not joined the leasing effort “But I also don’t want my industry that I’ve grown up with and love to be impacted just to prolong the inevitable.” Lawmakers earmarked $40 million in 2022 for a lake trust meant they created an Inland Port Authority that has offered state incentives for industrial developers to pave over wetlands in at least four crucial areas who spearheaded many of the policy changes benefiting the Great Salt Lake is also a prominent real estate developer — a third of the Legislature has ties to the industry Housing affordability and water supply will remain the state’s top challenges in perpetuity “We should continue to have a strategy to ensure we have enough water for our growth,” Mr “so our kids and grandkids can live here.” Water flows to the Great Salt Lake through three rivers that collect snow runoff and scour minerals from the Uinta and Wasatch Mountains While climate change has contributed to extensive water shortages in the Southwest the Great Salt Lake’s decline is mostly human-caused Agriculture uses 71 percent of the water that would otherwise flow to the lake according to research compiled by the Great Salt Lake Strike Team Utah lawmakers put a system in place to incentivize water rights holders — especially farmers — to repair the watershed They provided subsidies for more efficient irrigation equipment The legislators also made it possible for the state nonprofits or private entities to pay farmers for a temporary lease of the resulting surplus water The farmer has an incentive to use less water without taking a financial hit — potentially even making a bigger profit — while helping the lake recover the Director of the Saline Lakes Program for the National Audubon Society is photographed at the Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area that boarders the Great Salt Lake on Monday April 21 “We’re all trying to figure out the best way to make these voluntary transactions work both for the farmer and for the environmental purposes.” While the state grants for irrigation proved popular among farmers hardly any have agreed to lease their water rights “We’re tired of getting a black eye,” said Trevor Nielson general manager of the Bear River Canal Company which holds the rights for about 2,000 farmers but we’re also the ones who are literally changing how we do business.” an arid state with terrain that varies from hot deserts to cool mountain valleys About 65 percent of its land is owned by federal agencies to be the most sustainable and profitable food products to produce eat alfalfa hay that Rigby grew for their heard of cattle on Friday April 11 But alfalfa has become a scapegoat. Some urban residents have called on Utah lawmakers to buy out alfalfa farmers to “let the water flow,” without scrutinizing their own beef and dairy consumption habits Others have suggested encouraging farmers to transition to other crops But farmers are trying to compete in a national and international market where their alfalfa fetches higher prices than grain it would be equivalent to asking a rocket manufacturer to start building cars the former legislator and now the state’s natural resources director “All those things make it really difficult to flip a switch,” he said are the leading cause of water depletions in both the Great Salt Lake basin and the Colorado River researchers say that alfalfa is one of the few crops that can help watersheds recover It can go dormant for up to a year if farmers choose to lease their water One holdup with water leasing is that Utah has yet to build a comprehensive system that can track leased water and ensure it makes it from the farm to the lake without being diverted by another user But the state’s biggest hurdle may be earning farmers’ trust director of the state’s Department of Natural Resources and a farmer operating near the delta of the Bear River the lake’s largest tributary stands for a portrait on Sat farmers now often must expand their footprint If the state can pay more to lease water than the farmer it could take that property out of production bankrupt the farmer and put tractor mechanics seed wholesalers and irrigation pipe suppliers out of business “Our biggest fear is that long-term leasing of water shares may be the death of agriculture,” said Nathan Daugs a farmer and the manager of the Cache Water District Utah’s farmers have long watched farmland that goes out of production get gobbled up by subdivisions “Developers will pay more for water than I can pay,” said Mitch Hancock including the Center for Biological Diversity don’t feel Utah is moving fast enough on saving the Great Salt Lake arguing the state has a responsibility to ensure the saline lake’s survival The same concept — called the public trust doctrine — was central to a successful lawsuit involving Mono Lake in California in the 1980s The Los Angeles water department had bought and dried all the farmland around Owens Lake in an arid valley east of the Sierra Nevada and piped the water more than 200 miles south to support the growing city becoming the largest source of human-caused dust pollution in the nation After Los Angeles began doing the same to Mono Lake California’s Supreme Court ruled that the city had to curb its water diversions to protect it brought in a liberal state more open to regulation involved a single diverter — the water department — not the tens of thousands of water rights holders in the farmland and cities of the Great Salt Lake basin rising to the mandated level all these decades later Mono and Owens are a small fraction of the Great Salt Lake’s size an ecology professor at Brigham Young University and lead author of a report in 2023 that warned Utahns could see the lake disappear in as little as five years is photographed a the Great Salt Lake on Tuesday “We’ve done everything we can within the bounds of private property rights,” said Rep you send people to their corners and they can’t work together.” a judge rejected the state’s motion to dismiss the public trust lawsuit and appeared to rebuke the state for implying it had the right to let the Great Salt Lake dry and fill it in if it so chose But she also denied the plaintiffs’ request that the state restrict upstream water rights until the lake refills Utah’s lawmakers have acted against some businesses considered harmful to the lake They have blocked mineral companies from siphoning away more lake water to harvest lithium which is in demand for electric vehicle batteries Regulators have cracked down on US Magnesium — the country’s only domestic source of the mineral — refusing to allow the company more access to the receding lake They also denied an application to build a massive landfill on the shore that would have potentially accepted toxic coal ash from coal-fired power plants in other states Even so, lawmakers continue to encourage development that takes a toll on the state’s natural resources, including water. Among several major projects, they have spent more than $1 billion moving the state prison to the lake’s southern shore in 2022 power lines and water pipes have since opened a vast swath of land to industrial growth An irrigation pivot that uses less water that ValJay Rigby a Cache County farmer and president of the Utah Farm Bureau that has pushed development there and in three other counties around the lake with sensitive wetlands — although Ben Hart said he was encouraging builders to embrace less water-intensive and ecologically damaging projects Critics say that state funds earmarked to fuel development would be better spent helping the Great Salt Lake refill “I’d like to see us quit spending money to promote growth that’s already happening faster than we can handle it,” said Rep He introduced a bill this session that would have limited grass in residential construction A second called for more water-wise drip irrigation in new developments Buffalo graze near dry lake bed on the eastern shore of Antelope Island on Monday April 21 Editor’s note: Leia Larsen is a reporter at The Salt Lake Tribune. She spent a year as a New York Times Local Investigations fellow examining the intersection of politics and environmental issues The New York Times and the Salt Lake Tribune Metrics details Soil salinization hinders sustainable development of global agriculture Dopamine (DA) delivery is promising for mitigating the detrimental effects of salt on plants self-polymerization limits delivery and effectiveness Here we chelated DA with ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid and zinc to reduce self-polymerization a sodium lignosulfonate and octadecyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride nanocarrier is made for delivery to the plant the soil adsorption rate of the DA in the nanocarrier is 46.02% lower the nanocarrier group exhibits significant increases in growth indicators for tomato plants The beneficial effect is attributed to the increases in proline content Similar results are also observed with woody pear seedlings These findings provide insights into alleviating crop salt stress this extended duration fell short of the duration needed for mitigating plant salt stress particularly in intricate soil environments where ensuring the stability of DA is even more challenging delaying the self-polymerization of DA and using it to alleviate plant salt stress has become an urgent issue a Potential mechanism for dopamine polymerization; b binding mode of EDTA and DA; c Schematic showing how EZD reduced soil adsorption and alleviated plant salt stress it is urgent to develop nanodelivery systems with simple synthetic processes and excellent biocompatibilities to apply nanotechnology in the field of plant stress resistance there are few reports on the use of nanocarriers for delivering plant growth regulators a one-pot method for constructing lignin-based nanocarriers was developed based on the characteristics of the loaded substances while simultaneously incorporating dual-ligand dopamine without the need for ultrasonication we chelated DA with ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) and zinc to form the dual-ligand chelated EDTA/Zn/DA (EZD) electrostatic self-assembly is employed in construction of a lignin-based nanocarrier system loaded with EZD to mitigate soil adsorption of the organic compounds The underlying mechanism behind the formation of this delivery system is revealed and octadecyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride (ODBAC) the system is composed of low-cost chemical products the system can be synthesized successfully at room temperature and pressure within a short timeframe By assessing the ability of dopamine and its derivatives to alleviate salt stress in tomato and pear seedlings and examining the spatial distributions of Na+ and K+ within the plant tissues the mechanism by which DA alleviates salt stress is elucidated These findings offer a promising avenue for practical utilization of DA while offering technical support and a theoretical foundation for managing crop salt stress the proportions of the individual components in EZD were further optimized a UV–Vis spectra of EDTA/Zn; b appearance of samples containing dopamine after 30 days; c UV–Vis spectra of EZD; d XRD spectra and e FTIR spectra of EZD; f UV–Vis spectra of four dopamine samples adsorbed by soil the proposed dual-ligand scheme mitigated the self-polymerization of DA Two samples (1:0.5:0.5 and 1:0.8:0.8) with relatively high proportions of the chelating DA were selected for subsequent research The crystal structure of EZD was determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. As shown in Fig. 2d the diffraction peak for EZD at 34° was almost identical to that for DA at 34.3° After synthesis of the dual ligand complex a new diffraction peak for EZD appeared at 31.9° positioned between the peaks corresponding to Zn2+ at 30.6° and DA at 32.3° The diffraction peak for EZD at 22.6° was nearly identical to that for EDTA at 22.5° and the peak at 23.6° was almost the same as those for EDTA and DA at 23.4° the diffraction peak intensities of the dual-ligands were significantly less than those of the three monomers These results provided evidence for the formation of EZD Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is commonly employed to identify changes in functional groups within compounds and reveal reaction mechanisms. The FTIR spectra of EDTA, DA, and EZD are shown in Fig. 2e the peak at 1670 cm−1 was attributed to stretching vibrations of the C = O bonds while the peak at 920 cm−1 corresponded to the O-H bending vibrations of COOH groups These peaks were also present in the spectrum of EZD indicating the presence of EDTA within EZD a decrease in the intensity of the OH absorption peak suggested that OH provided a binding site for Zn2+ to form the coordination bond with EDTA the stretching vibrational peak at 3340 cm−1 corresponded to the phenolic hydroxyl group while the peaks at 3033 cm−1 and 1506 cm−1 corresponded to the N-H stretching vibrations and skeletal vibrations of the benzene ring The peaks of the phenolic hydroxyl group and benzene ring appeared in the EZD spectrum with significantly reduced intensities indicating that the phenolic hydroxyl group functioned as a binding site for Zn2+ and formed coordination bonds with DA the mechanism for formation of the dual-ligand EZD involved coordination of Zn2+ with the hydroxyl groups on both EDTA and DA the EZD = 1:0.5:0.5 and 1:0.8:0.8 groups exhibited significant improvements and the adsorption rates were decreased to 52.41% and 62.73% It was inferred that soil adsorption significantly reduced the utilization efficiency of DA; although dual-ligands had proven effective in mitigating soil adsorption there was still room for further enhancement This study was intended to increase the efficiency of dopamine utilization in soil through nanotechnology by selecting EZD = 1:0.5:0.5 with lower rates of soil adsorption for subsequent research Although the desired nanoparticles were not obtained strong adsorption of SL and EZD was observed This has valuable implications for nanoparticle syntheses a Schematic showing fabrication of the ODBAC/SL and ODBAC/SL-EZD; b Zeta potential changes during the formation of nanoparticles (n = 3 independent experiments the data are presented as means ± SD); c XRD spectra of ODBAC/SL and ODBAC/SL-EZD; d Particle size distributions of ODBAC/SL and ODBAC/SL-EZD; Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images of (e) ODBAC/SL and (f) ODBAC/SL-EZD The formation of nanoparticles mainly involves electrostatic attractions between substances with opposite charges; therefore, the reaction was initially assessed by monitoring the zeta potential. As shown in Fig. 3b and the emulsion exhibited a zeta potential of 59.37 mV The zeta potential of ODBAC/SL was −28.20 mV indicating that SL was adsorbed by ODBAC and deposited onto the surfaces of the emulsion droplets the electronegativity of ODBAC/SL-EZD decreased to −16.34 mV and decreased further with increasing EZD content the adsorption phenomenon between ODBAC/SL and EZD were related to their charged functional groups The crystal structure of ODBAC/SL-EZD was determined through XRD analysis. As shown in Fig. 3c The spectrum of ODBAC/SL-EZD was intermediate between those of ODBAC and SL characterized by a broader peak and an amorphous substance the intensity of the bread peak at 10–30° for ODBAC/SL-EZD surpassed that observed for ODBAC/SL These results demonstrated the crucial role of EZD in reinforcing the nanoparticles and confirmed its presence within them a FTIR spectra for the nanoparticles; b c XPS spectra of ODBAC/SL and ODBAC/SL-EZD; d UV–Vis absorbance spectra of ODBAC/SL-EZD adsorbed by soil; e Schematic showing the formation mechanism for ODBAC/SL and ODBAC/SL-EZD In the ODBAC/SL-EZD spectra determined after adsorption of EZD onto ODBAC/SL the benzene ring vibration peak of DA appeared at 1506 cm−1 in the ODBAC/SL-EZD spectrum decreased intensity was observed for the N-H peak at 3033 cm−1 in the EZD spectrum and the peak at 1030 cm−1 for \({{{{\rm{SO}}}}}_{3}^{-}\) in ODBAC/SL within the ODBAC/SL-EZD spectrum indicating that electrostatic interactions between N-H and \({{{{\rm{SO}}}}}_{3}^{-}\) facilitated EZD deposition on the nanoparticles a comparison of the absorption peaks for the key element (Zn) in the two samples revealed the absence of a Zn absorption peak for ODBAC/SL The peaks at 1044.8 and 1021.8 eV in the ODBAC/SL-EZD spectrum correspond to the Zn 2p1/2 and Zn 2p3/2 binding energies The negatively charged groups established electrostatic interactions with N+ resulting in the complexation of SL and ODBAC and the formation of negatively charged ODBAC/SL nanoparticles electrostatic interactions between the N-Hs of EZD and the \({{{{\rm{SO}}}}}_{3}^{-}\) on the surface of ODBAC/SL occurred To assess the efficacy of using nanotechnology to reduce the adsorption of dopamine by soil, an additional soil adsorption experiment was conducted. As shown in Fig. 4d the adsorption extent of DA on ODBAC/SL-EZD was significantly lower than those of the EZD samples This was 46.02% lower than the adsorption rate of monomeric DA and 22.54% and 32.86% lower than the adsorption rates of EZD = 1:0.5:0.5 and 1:0.8:0.8 These results demonstrated the feasibility of employing the nanotechnology developed in this investigation to increase DA utilization a Surface and b cross-sections of roots from the control group; c f cross-sections of roots treated with ODBAC/SL and ODBAC/SL-EZD Each experiment was repeated three times independently with similar results The titration method was employed to determine the loading rate of DA in ODBAC/SL-EZD as DA forms purple‒red complexes with FeCl3 in ammonia solutions The results showed that the loading rate of DA was 21.40 ± 1.14% this experiment did not demonstrate that the carrier materials possessed the capability to alleviate plant salt stress Images of tomato plants treated with a control and g NaCl+ODBAC/SL-EZD after 20 treatment cycles; h growth of plant heights (n = 5 independent experiments and k root surface areas (n = 5 independent experiments individual data point represents the means Boxes represent the 25th–75th percentile range white lines represent medians and whiskers show the minimum-maximum range); l chlorophyll content and o MDA content of tomato plants treated with NaCl NaCl+EZD and NaCl+ODBAC/SL-EZD after 20 treatment cycles (n = 3 independent experiments Different letters indicate statistically significant differences based on one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s HSD test analysis the propensity of DA for soil particle adsorption and spontaneous polymerization into PDA reduce its therapeutic potential and increase the deployment costs a strategy was developed that integrated dual-ligand chelation with nanoparticle adsorption to increase the stability and soil-binding resistance of the active agent This approach enabled ODBAC/SL-EZD to inhibit DA autopolymerization and enhance its soil adsorption resilience ODBAC/SL-EZD treatment promotes proline accumulation effectively mitigating the detrimental effects of salt stress on plant growth and significantly improving salt tolerance This refined formulation demonstrates a greatly enhanced capacity for DA to alleviate plant salt stress The concentrations of Na+ and K+ in the (a) leaves and (e) roots of tomato plants after 20 treatment cycles and the K+/Na+ ratios in the (b) leaves (d) stems and (f) roots (n = 3 independent experiments and (g–i) roots of tomato plants after 20 treatment cycles (n = 3 independent experiments The contribution of dopamine to alleviation of the salt stress in plants predominantly involved the regulation of K+ and Na+ levels dopamine stimulates the expression of SOS1 it enhances NHX1-mediated Na+ transport into vacuoles reducing Na+ toxicity in the cytoplasm and achieving ion compartmentalization dopamine restricts Na+ transport to leaves through HKT1;2 protecting photosynthetic tissues and indirectly maintaining a high K+/Na+ ratio ODBAC/SL-EZD markedly improved the utilization rate and potency of dopamine enabling plants to maintain beneficial K+/Na+ ratios amidst salinity stress This development positions ODBAC/SL-EZD as an advanced strategy for fortifying plant resilience to salinity which potentially increases agricultural yields in salt-afflicted terrains This study was intended to address the challenges of using dopamine to alleviate plant salt stress which is difficult due to its tendency to self-polymerize and undergo adsorption by soil A strategy was constructed in which a dual-ligand dopamine (EZD) was carried by a lignin-based nanoparticle (ODBAC/SL) via chelation and electrostatic attraction This strategy significantly inhibited dopamine self-polymerization and its adsorption by soil The ability of dopamine to alleviate plant salt stress was observed in both herbaceous and woody plants by increasing the K+/Na+ ratios Nanotechnology significantly enhanced the efficacy of dopamine by mitigating soil absorption and facilitating uptake into plant roots this modified strategy for dopamine significantly increased its application potential and provides an approach for alleviating plant salt stress Polyoxyethylene styrylphenyl ether was purchased from Zibo Yunchuan Chemicals Co. dichloromethane and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) were purchased from Aladdin Industrial Corporation (Shanghai SL (molecular weights: 1.0 × 104–1.2 × 104) was purchased from MeadWestvaco Inc Cultivation of Solanum lycopersicum cv ‘Kaideyali 1832’ and Pyrus betulaefolia Bunge No.1 seedlings were performed in a growth medium composed of a 3:1 volume ratio of peat to vermiculite A climate-controlled growth chamber was utilized to ensure optimal growing conditions featuring a light intensity of 250 μmol m−2 s−1 and temperatures regulated at 26 ± 2 °C (day) and 20 ± 2 °C (night) The onset of salt stress treatments commenced once the tomato and pear seedlings reached 35 and 90 days old and DA (0.155 g) were dissolved in 10 mL deionized water the deionized water solution of metal ion (M) and the deionized water solution of DA were mixed under magnetic stirring at 400 rpm 0.144 or 0.160 g) were separately weighed and dissolved in 10 mL of deionized water the deionized water solutions of EDTA and ZnSO4 were mixed under magnetic stirring at a speed of 400 rpm to obtain different reaction ratios of EDTA/Zn EDTA (0.335 g) and ZnSO4•7H2O (0.08 g or 0.128 g) were dissolved in 10 mL of deionized water The solutions of EDTA and ZnSO4•7H2O were then mixed under magnetic stirring at 400 rpm and the pH value was adjusted to about 4 with NaOH various quantities of DA were weighed and dissolved in 10 mL of deionized water Considering that the theoretical reaction ratio of chelation between Zn and DA was 1:2 the ratio design of EZD was based on Zn: DA = 1:2 and was gradually decreased to 1:1.5 The mixtures of EZD were prepared by mixing the above solutions in the molar ratios of EDTA: Zn: DA = 1:0.5:1 ODBAC (0.50 g) and polyoxyethylene styrylphenyl ether (2.00 g) were dissolved in dichloromethane (5 mL) to form an oil phase 20 mL of deionized water was added to the oil phase to form an oil-in-water emulsion under stirring SL (0.50 g) was dissolved in 50 mL deionized water The ODBAC/SL was formed by mixing the oil-in-water emulsion and the SL aqueous solution ODBAC/SL-EZD was obtained by mixing 10 mL ODBAC/SL solution with 10 mL EZD solution and stirring at 400 rpm for 8 h FITC-ODBAC/SL and FITC-ODBAC/SL-EZD were synthesized by incorporating additional FITC into the oil phase and repeating the aforementioned procedures 1:0.8:0.4) samples were diluted with tap water to a dopamine concentration of 50 μmol L−1 the samples were left at room temperature and their appearance was observed at 6 Japan) was used to detect the absorption value of DA in deionized dilution samples of DA The EZD powder obtained through vacuum freeze-dried was utilized for crystal structure analysis using XRD (Rigaku MiniFlex600 Germany) was used to record the infrared spectrum of material The size distribution and Zeta potential of ODBAC/SL and ODBAC/SL-EZD were documented using a Zetasizer Nano ZS (NanoBrook The nanoparticles underwent a cleaning process followed by subsequent testing The morphology was observed using TEM (JEM-1400Plus The surface elemental composition of the nanoparticles was analyzed using XPS (ThermoFischer ESCALAB 250Xi The thermal stability of the nanoparticles was evaluated using a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA 55 while crystal structure was examined through XRD analysis DA solutions with concentrations of 0.02 mg mL−1 Each solution was mixed with 0.8 mL of FeCl3 (2.0 × 10−2 mol L−1) and 0.5 mL of NH3·H2O and then deionized water was added to give a total volume of 25 mL This resulted in the formation of a purple‒red complex The absorbance of the purple‒red complex at 507 nm was measured with a UV‒Vis spectrophotometer The linear relationship between the concentration of dopamine and the absorbance of the purple‒red complex was evaluated and the linear regression equation was calculated The linear regression equation relating the concentration of DA and the absorbance of the purple‒red complex was Y = 0.0067x–0.0438 The ODBAC/SL-EZD formulation (2 mL) was centrifuged at 16117 × g for 5 min followed by placing the centrifuged nanoparticles in an oven at 60 °C for 24 h The dried nanoparticles were mixed with 0.8 mL of an FeCl3 (2.0 × 10−2 mol L−1) solution and 0.5 mL of an NH3·H2O solution and deionized water was added to give a constant volume of 25 mL The load of DA was calculated with the following formula: where A is the weight of DA contained in the nanoparticles after drying and B is the weight of the nanoparticles after drying EZD = 1:0.8:0.8 and ODBAC/SL-EZD were diluted with deionized water to a concentration of DA at 4 mmol L−1 20 mL of the diluent was added to sieved soil sample (5.00 g followed by centrifugation at 1791 × g for 5 min Extract 5 mL of the supernatant and filter it using a 0.22 μm organic membrane filter The ultraviolet spectra of 4 mmol L−1 DA standard solution and five groups of treated samples were detected by UV–Vis spectrophotometer The tomato seedlings received daily irrigation with a variety of solutions across 7 different treatment regimens and solutions supplemented with 50 μmol L−1 concentrations (c(DA)) of PDA or ODBAC/SL-EZD in the presence of 100 mmol L−1 NaCl the pear seedlings were subjected to bidaily treatments with analogous solutions the alleviative effect of EZ and ODBAC/SL (in accordance with EZ and ODBAC/SL concentrations in ODBAC/SL-EZD) on salt stress was verified in line with the aforementioned method Each treatment group included five biological replicates with each replicate encompassing five individual plants The FITC-ODBAC/SL-EZD was diluted to the dopamine concentration of 150 mmol L−1 and tomato seedling roots were immersed in the dilution for 7 d and the distribution of nanoparticles in the roots was observed by laser scanning confocal microscope (LSCM To visually represent the typical treatment effects a characteristic phenotype image from a single representative plant per treatment was captured The data were statistically analyzed using Tukey’s HSD test (P < 0.05) in SPSS software (version 22.0.) and are presented as the mean and standard deviations (SD) The data fitting and figure generation were performed using OriginPro 2018 software Further information on research design is available in the Nature Portfolio Reporting Summary linked to this article How plant hormones mediate salt stress responses Genetic mechanisms of abiotic stress tolerance that translate to crop yield stability Salt stress in plants and mitigation approaches Ethylene and hydrogen peroxide are involved in brassinosteroid-induced salt tolerance in tomato Positive regulatory role of strigolactone in plant responses to drought and salt stress and fruit quality in cucumber under nitrate stress and nitrogen metabolism in cucumber under nitrate stress Dopamine and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi act synergistically to promote apple growth under salt stress Dopamine alleviates salt‐induced stress in Malus hupehensis Exogenous dopamine mitigates the effects of salinity stress in tomato seedlings by alleviating the oxidative stress and regulating phytohormones Revealing the formation mechanism of insoluble polydopamine by using a simplified model system Codeposition of levodopa and polyethyleneimine: reaction mechanism and coating construction Dopamine alleviates nutrient deficiency-induced stress in Malus hupehensis Adhesive polydopamine coated avermectin microcapsules for prolonging foliar pesticide retention Adhesive nanocomposite for prolonging foliar retention and synergistic weeding and nourishing Oxidant control of polydopamine surface chemistry in acids: a mechanism-based entry to superhydrophilic-superoleophobic coatings Direct evidence for the polymeric nature of polydopamine Mussel-inspired surface chemistry for multifunctional coatings Elucidating the structure of poly(dopamine) Seed nanopriming: how do nanomaterials improve seed tolerance to salinity and drought Nano-biotechnology in agriculture: use of nanomaterials to promote plant growth and stress tolerance One-pot construction of epoxy resin nanocarrier delivering abamectin and its efficacy on plant root-knot nematodes Pyraclostrobin loaded lignin-modified nanocapsules: delivery efficiency enhancement in soil improved control efficacy on tomato Fusarium crown and root rot Lignin-modified electronegative epoxy resin nanocarriers effectively deliver pesticides against plant root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne incognita) CeO2 nanoparticles improved cucumber salt tolerance is associated with its induced early stimulation on antioxidant system Mitigation of the salinity stress in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) productivity by exogenous applications of bio-selenium nanoparticles during the early seedling stage Investigating the enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant defense by applying iron oxide nanoparticles in Dracocephalum moldavica L Manganese nanoparticles control salinity-modulated molecular responses in Capsicum annuum L through priming: a sustainable approach for agriculture Selenium and zinc oxide nanoparticles modulate the molecular and morpho-physiological processes during seed germination of Brassica napus under salt stress Application of nano-silicon dioxide improves salt stress tolerance in strawberry plants Exposure to ZnO nanoparticles alters neuronal and vascular development in zebrafish: acute and transgenerational effects mitigated with dissolved organic matter Zinc oxide nanoparticles alter hatching and larval locomotor activity in zebrafish (Danio rerio) Neurotoxicity of nanoparticles: insight from studies in zebrafish Cellular alterations in midgut cells of honey bee workers (Apis millefera L.) exposed to sublethal concentrations of CdO or PbO nanoparticles or their binary mixture Formation of uniform colloidal spheres based on lignosulfonate a renewable biomass resource recovered from pulping spent liquor Core/shell dual-responsive nanocarriers via iron‐mineralized electrostatic self-assembly for precise pesticide delivery A lignin-derived material improves plant nutrient bioavailability and growth through its metal chelating capacity A metal chelator as a plasmonic signal-generation superregulator for ultrasensitive colorimetric bioassays of disease biomarkers Soil mobility of synthetic and virus-based model nanopesticides Delivery of pesticides to plant parasitic nematodes using tobacco mild green mosaic virus as a nanocarrier Preparation of self-dispersed lignin-based drug-loaded material and its application in avermectin nano-formulation A smart patch with on-demand detachable adhesion for bioelectronics Lignosulfonate adsorption on and stabilization of lead zirconate titanate in aqueous suspension Influence of pH on the behavior of lignosulfonate macromolecules in aqueous solution Preparation of enzyme-responsive composite nanocapsules with sodium carboxymethyl cellulose to improve the control effect of root-knot nematode disease Enzyme-responsive lignin nanocarriers for triggered delivery of abamectin to control plant root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne incognita) Unraveling salt stress signaling in plants The role of Na+ and K+ transporters in salt stress adaptation in glycophytes Phosphorylation of SOS3-LIKE CALCIUM BINDING PROTEIN8 by SOS2 protein kinase stabilizes their protein complex and regulates salt tolerance in Arabidopsis A rice quantitative trait locus for salt tolerance encodes a sodium transporter AtHKT1 is a salt tolerance determinant that controls Na+ entry into plant roots AtHKT1 facilitates Na+ homeostasis and K+ nutrition in planta and leaf development are altered in a T-DNA insertional mutant of AtNHX1 the Arabidopsis vacuolar Na+/H+ antiporter H2S pretreatment mitigates the alkaline salt stress on Malus hupehensis roots by regulating Na+/K+ homeostasis and oxidative stress A wheat WRKY transcription factor TaWRKY17 enhances tolerance to salt stress in transgenic Arabidopsis and wheat plant MdMYB46 could enhance salt and osmotic stress tolerance in apple by directly activating stress‐responsive signals Inhibition of nitrite formation from hydroxylammoniumchloride: a simple assay for superoxide dismutase Effects of exogenous dopamine on the uptake and resorption of apple ionome under moderate drought S-nitrosylation of ACO homolog 4 improves ethylene synthesis and salt tolerance in tomato Download references This work was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (2022YFD1700500 2023YFD2301000) and Major Scientific and Technological Innovation Projects of Shandong Province (2022CXGC020710) These authors contributed equally: Jiang Du designed the project and interpreted the data All authors wrote and edited the manuscript The authors declare no competing interests Nature Communications thanks Osvaldo Ferrarese-Filho who co-reviewed with Wanderley dos Santos; and the other reviewers for their contribution to the peer review of this work Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations Download citation DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59493-9 Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: a shareable link is not currently available for this article Sign up for the Nature Briefing: Translational Research newsletter — top stories in biotechnology You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has used ionic salt for the electron transport layer of a perovskite solar cell to improve device stability and performance Test results showed a 26% power conversion efficiency with 2% degradation after 2,100 hours of 1-sun operation at 65 C Image: Dennis Schroeder / National Renewable Energy Laboratory From pv magazine Global An international team led by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has applied a new ionic salt at the electron transport layer (ETL) interface in inverted perovskite solar cells to overcome weaknesses in commonly used optimized buckminsterfullerene (C60) ETLs the solar cell is illuminated through the electron-transport layer (ETL) side; in the p-i-n structure “One big challenge for the conventional device stack is the weak interface between the perovskite absorber layer and the ETL,” Kai Zhu the researchers developed an ionic salt synthesized from C60 The CPMAC acronym is short for N-methylglycine and tert-butyl 4-formylbenzylcarbamate molecules and hydrochloric acid to form an ionic salt called 4-(1′,5′-dihydro-1′-me-thyl-2’H-[5,6] fullereno-C60-Ih-[1,9-c]pyrrol-2′-yl)phenyl-methanaminium chloride “We are excited that our new CPMAC ionic salt can significantly strengthen this interface by about a factor of three and it does not negatively affect device operation,” said Zhu the researchers used the CPMAC salt as the “electron shuttle” in inverted perovskite solar cells (PSC) and minimodules “This ionic salt layer fundamentally addressed the disadvantages of molecular C60 layer,” said the researchers Test results for the unencapsulated perovskite solar cell with CPMAC exhibited a 26% power conversion efficiency (PCE) with 2% degradation after 2,100 hours under standard 1-sun operation at 65 C The PSC had a 25.5% efficiency with about 5% degradation after 1,500 hours of operation at 85 C Mini-modules measuring 6 cm2 achieved a PCE of 23% with less than 9% degradation after 2,200 hours of operation at 55C The work is described in “C60-based ionic salt electron shuttle for high-performance inverted perovskite solar modules,” published in Science The scientists plan to explore the potential for solution deposition based on the research results “This CPMAC layer can be deposited by solution processing which is attractive for large-scale manufacturing We plan to further develop the solution processing conditions and integrate this new material in large module platforms,” said Zhu More articles from Valerie Thompson Please be mindful of our community standards and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" By submitting this form you agree to pv magazine using your data for the purposes of publishing your comment Your personal data will only be disclosed or otherwise transmitted to third parties for the purposes of spam filtering or if this is necessary for technical maintenance of the website Any other transfer to third parties will not take place unless this is justified on the basis of applicable data protection regulations or if pv magazine is legally obliged to do so You may revoke this consent at any time with effect for the future in which case your personal data will be deleted immediately your data will be deleted if pv magazine has processed your request or the purpose of data storage is fulfilled Further information on data privacy can be found in our Data Protection Policy pv magazine USA offers daily updates of the latest photovoltaics news We also offer comprehensive global coverage of the most important solar markets worldwide up to date information delivered straight to your inbox Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value" Welcome to pv magazine USA. This site uses cookies. Read our policy. × The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this Close SALT LAKE CITY — Fresh off a smash appearance at Coachella pop superstar Benson Boone has announced a North American tour that will end with a stop in Salt Lake City will head to the Beehive State on October 8 with the final show of his American Heart tour at Delta Center The tour will follow the release of his American Heart album on June 20 and is set to kick off on August 22 in St According to a release on the upcoming tour was the most-streamed song in the world last year leading to his appearances at Coachella and Saturday Night Live CLICK HERE for tickets for all Boone's concerts beginning on Thursday with a fan presale, followed by a public sale starting on Friday. Salt Lake scrap metal recycling plant catches on fireby Megan Brugger Salt Lake City Fire Chief Silverthorne said the department received several calls about a "decent-sized plume of smoke" coming from Metro Group Seven units responded to the scene to extinguish the fire Already have an account? Log in here Whether you’re a culinary hobbyist wanting to know the sweet secrets behind Salt & Straw’s celebrated ice creams or a dessert enthusiast looking for the newest treat there are two delectable options this month — the release of 'America’s Most Iconic Ice Creams: A Salt & Straw Cookbook,' and the debut of The Carrot Cake an 'ice cream-ified' version of the dessert Whether you’re a culinary hobbyist wanting to know the sweet secrets behind Salt & Straw’s celebrated ice creams there are two delectable options this month — the release of “America’s Most Iconic Ice Creams: A Salt & Straw Cookbook,” and the debut of The Carrot Cake an “ice cream-ified” version of the dessert Chef and Salt & Straw co-founder Tyler Malek co-wrote the book with James Beard-winning food writer JJ Goode digging into the details of ice-cream-making techniques and ingredients A special cookbook series of five specialty flavors will be available until the end of May to celebrate the release of the book Their seasonal ice-cream cake is roasted carrot cake churned with sweet cream and marbling of cream cheese frosting sandwiched between spiced carrot cake layers and finished with a crunchy pecan oatmeal streusel — sweet and an ideal marriage of cake and ice cream The Carrot Cake is available in Salt & Straw shops and online for nationwide shipping, and the book is available in bookstores and the scoop shops. saltandstraw.com Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Meet this year's Best of 425 cohort, find out how a Kirkland contestant fared on an episode of 'Wheel of Fortune' this week, and more in this week's Feel Good Friday.  Fresh oyster shucking, carefully crafted sushi, and more in this week's Sip & Savor.  Lynnwood gets a pickleball facility, downtown Bellevue debuts its first head spa, and more in this week's Feel Good Friday.  Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Pedestrian dies in Salt Lake City hit-and-run suspect found at nearby storeby Matthew Jacobson Utah (KUTV) — A man was discovered unresponsive in downtown Salt Lake City after a hit-and-run crash The individual was found by Gold Cross Ambulance emergency medical personnel at the 400 South intersection with 200 East at about 1:15 a.m The suspect was later found in the parking lot of a grocery store It wasn't clear from a police statement released later Friday morning whether investigators believed the fatal crash was recent or if the man had been lying in the street for a longer period of time the man died," according to the Salt Lake City Police Department statement It wasn't known if police dispatchers fielded any calls about the incident or about the pedestrian in the road police alerted the public that the suspect had been located and that investigators believe impairment likely played a part in the crash It wasn't immediately known whether the driver was aware that the pedestrian had been hit checking camera footage from its nearby Library Station to see if the incident was captured on surveillance Police have not yet released the identity of the victim nor the suspect no booking documents had been filed relating to the case The intersection of 400 South and 200 East was closed for several hours while investigators processed the scene 7:30p MT Kickoff Saturday for Second of Three Consecutive Road Matches; Claret-and-Cobalt Seeking Back-to-Back Wins for First Time in 2025 Season; Johnny Russell Could Make First Start/Appearance for RSL; Tickets Available for May 14 Home Return via www.RSL.com/tickets 10th West / 19th Shield) continues its three-game road run at 7:30p MT against current MLS Supporters Shield leaders and Concacaf Champions Cup Finalist Vancouver Whitecaps FC (7-1-2 Saturday’s match will be available via Apple TV+ / MLS Season Pass with Mark Followill & Warren Barton (ENG) on the call as are Nacho Garcia & Max Cordaro (SPN) RSL scored three goals for the first time since Sept. Luna’s heroics late in the first half and RSL’s subsequent excellence improved RSL to 38W-7L-12T when scoring first during the Mastroeni era – marking the fourth match won this season across all competitions when scoring first (Seattle against three losses (at home against Herediano The victory at San Diego also marked Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni’s 100th career coaching win across all competitions for the two Rocky Mountain Cup competitors World Cup stalwart has now amassed 100 wins 110 losses and 74 draws across all competitions for the Utah/Denver-based sides Mastroeni earned his 50th win across all competitions with RSL in a wild 4-3 road decision season win over LA Galaxy on April 5 marking his 50th MLS victory with RSL Mastroeni’s all-time coaching record is 61-53-37 Game Notes for Saturday’s RSL @ Vancouver Match Available Online The Adobe PDF version of the 2025 RSL Game Guide in advance of Saturday’s contest between Real Salt Lake and Vancouver can be found HERE. Media members looking to receive the document as an attachment or have further questions are asked to please contact RSL Communications via email at *RSLcommunications@RSL.com* Saturday also saw two RSL players achieve career milestones as 18-year-old Academy product Zavier Gozo earned his first-ever MLS start Utah-native going the full 90 minutes on the right wing in place of injured Polish international Dominik Marczuk The win at San Diego also marked the Claret-and-Cobalt debut for 25-year-old FW William Agada acquired a week ago Wednesday from Sporting Kansas City at the close of the primary transfer window and now the 222nd player in RSL’s 21-season Major League Soccer history This week in Vancouver could potentially see Agada – the Nigerian striker who wears the No 9 shirt for RSL – make his debut start for RSL Agada – now in his eighth season as a professional having scored 65 goals in 213 career games including 24 goals in 78 games across all competitions with Sporting KC (and now RSL) since his U.S arrival – could welcome his former Kansas City captain Russell was announced as a free-agent signing for RSL on Friday and joined the team on the trip to San Diego but did not dress With homegrown centerback Justen Glad missing the San Diego win with an adductor injury newcomer GK Rafael Cabral is the last remaining “Iron Man” this MLS season appearing in every minute of the Club’s 10 MLS contests this year the Brazilian also playing all 180 minutes of RSL’s Concacaf Champions Cup action to kick off the season RSL’s trip to Nashville on April 12 kicked off a run that sees four out of five contests played away and seven of 10 overall to be played on the road through the end of May Austin and LA Galaxy on the road in the coming weeks RSL owns just a 2-3-1 / 7-point road record this season under the guidance of fifth-year Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni despite each of the last two seasons marking the Claret-and-Cobalt’s best road campaigns in team history The 2023 side posted an 11W-8L-5T away mark across all competitions a record which includes both that year’s Lamar Hunt U.S and its road loss and elimination draw in the first and third games of the teams’ 2023 Audi MLS Cup Playoff series on the Shell Energy Stadium turf Mastroeni’s men registered the second-most road points in RSL history one which does NOT includes its heartbreaking multi-goal Leagues Cup elimination loss to the Dynamo following a home win over Atlas FC During each of Pablo’s previous three full seasons at the RSL helm the Club has increased its annual point total (47 in 2022 while increasing its Western Conference table position as well (7th in 2022 The 2025 campaign features RSL’s pursuit of a Conference-best fifth consecutive postseason berth a seventh in the last eight seasons and its 15th in the last 18 years Real Salt Lake returns nearly 21,000 collective minutes played from last year’s roster as the Club looks to build upon a record-setting 2024 campaign as last year saw RSL advance to the MLS Cup Playoffs for a fourth consecutive occasion the sixth time in seven seasons (2020 the lone exception) and for the 14th time in the last 17 seasons since first qualifying in 2008 (2015 The 2024 MLS regular season reached an all-time high of 59 points for RSL which finished third in the Western Conference and sixth overall in the 29-team MLS shield race while also establishing a new all-time scoring high of 65 goals --- ***www.RSL.com*** --- and organizations to revitalize neighborhoods with volunteer-led projects Applications for the next round of Love Your Block mini-grants open on May 1 “No one knows what a neighborhood needs better than its residents and that’s why Love Your Block exists—to empower Salt Lakers to bring their own ideas to life,” said Mayor Erin Mendenhall “During each of the last three years of this program we’ve watched Salt Lakers get more and more creative with each project they bring to life I can’t wait to see what the next round brings!” Mini-grants provide up to $2,000 to support small-scale ideas to be implemented between August and November 2025 Thirty-nine projects have been funded and completed through Love Your Block since 2022 a mini-grant helped microshelter residents build the Microshelter Community Hope Garden providing them with raised garden beds to grow vegetables Wasatch Community Gardens used a mini-grant to make accessibility improvements to the 9-Line Community Garden by replacing and refurbishing picnic tables Examples of other projects funded earlier in 2025 include:  “It’s incredibly fulfilling to see the visions and dreams of residents come to life,” said Diana Ramirez “Watching these small ideas bring neighbors together and strengthen Salt Lake City is what makes this work so special to me I am excited to see what new creative projects will come from this new cycle of mini-grants—each one has the potential to spark something amazing in our community.” Eligible neighborhoods in Salt Lake City include Glendale (Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Complex in Salt Lake City on Thursday A live music venue in the heart of Downtown Salt Lake City has a new owner The Complex — which has hosted big names like Billie Eilish, Travis Scott, Vampire Weekend, Macklemore, Billy Idol and more, has sold to a global live entertainment company — AEG Presents according to a news release from the company’s communication team This is the first venue the company will own and operate in Utah. The sale comes just four months after the venue’s previous owner was “sentenced to probation on marijuana conspiracy charges” according to reporting from BuildingSaltLake Located just down the street from The Gateway outdoor mall The Complex was established in 2010 and is true to its name The area consists of five separate venues: Rockwell (Migpxl Media) A photo of Billie Eilish performing at The Complex on April 7 “The Complex will continue to employ the existing staff Xavier Frey and the venue managed by General Manager Paul Brucks.” “After 15 years as an integral part of the Salt Lake City music scene we’re looking forward to taking things to the next level as an AEGPresents venue ...” The Complex also hosts local events like DJ Ricky Barrera‘s pop dance/sing-along events dedicated to artists like Harry Styles and Taylor Swift AEG Presents operates across five continents and helps facilitate music festivals such as Coachella and promotes tours for artists like Taylor Swift the president of the Rocky Mountains and Pacific Northwest regional offices for AEG Presents called The Complex the “backbone of live music in Salt Lake City.” said the balance between national artists and local ones AEGPresents also own music venues across the U.S. — like The Roxy in West Hollywood and and The Masonic Temple in Detroit The company has ties in all areas of live entertainment — from concerts to sports. In Los Angeles, they helped create an entertainment district called L.A. Live a convention center and more than a dozen restaurants Downtown Salt Lake City will see it’s own revitalization in the coming years. Construction for an entertainment and culture district will start in 2027 or 2028. This month, The Complex is set to host artists like Daughtry and Hippo Campus, as well as a Taylor Swift ‘Eras Night’ hosted by Barrera. For e-edition questions or comments, contact customer support 801-237-2900 or email subscribe@sltrib.com sltrib.com © 1996-2025 The Salt Lake Tribune (Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Steven Carter join the “Let Our Voices Be Heard" rally at the Salt Lake City Veterans Affairs hospital on Saturday The medical center is not accepting new patients for inpatient behavioral health treatment Officials at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Salt Lake City are not accepting new patients needing inpatient behavioral health treatment but VA officials have not explained why or how long this move will last we are diverting patients” to other facilities Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center near the University of Utah campus have been in place since at least last week Laird has said since last Friday he would provide information about the cause for the diversions how long it might go and the status of the veterans who were in the program (Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) The George E Wahlen Medical Center in Salt Lake City is diverting new patients seeking inpatient behavioral health services Inpatient services are provided to those veterans needing rehabilitation care or experiencing an acute mental health crisis The Salt Lake Tribune asked the Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General if it had any information or role in the patient diversion confirm or deny any ongoing investigations.” a spokesperson for the Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs said the state veterans agency was aware of the situation but did not know any details about why it was happening He said it was expected to be a temporary disruption According to the department’s executive director, Gary Harter, the VA told the state agency that veterans needing inpatient mental health services are encouraged to seek care as they normally would at the VA and to go to the emergency room on campus Harter said the COMPACT Act — a 2020 federal law providing for and outlining health care benefits for veterans — “guarantees that eligible veterans experiencing a suicidal crisis can receive free emergency healthcare at any VA or non-VA facility Veterans would then need to contact the VA within 72 hours of receiving emergent suicidal care to begin a claim A spokesperson for the Huntsman Mental Health Institute at the U said its facility is “here to help anyone who needs support.” And a claims worker at Veterans of Foreign Wars’ Utah branch had not heard about the treatment interruptions as of Wednesday president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 2199 said the federal department is “outsourcing veterans” because it lacks the staffing to accept new patients He said the agency has had a hiring freeze in place since the start of the Trump administration and had limited hiring new employees for a year before that “We have not been able to hire anyone for over two years,” Johnson said all probationary employees — those who had been hired within the previous year — were terminated has exacerbated staffing shortages elsewhere in the hospital “Our housekeeping department was down to 43 people for the entire hospital It‘s supposed to be up over 150,” Johnson said The shortage has meant shutting down one of the hospital’s operating rooms “We are completely understaffed in every department.” President Donald Trump signed an executive order Feb. 13 instituting across-the-board job cuts at federal agencies. A memo last month from VA Chief of Staff Christopher Syrek spelled out a plan to reduce staffing to fewer than 400,000 employees — which means eliminating 80,000 jobs nationwide within the department Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins said at the time that the layoffs would not impact veterans’ health care or benefits “We’re going to accomplish this without making cuts to health care or benefits to veterans and VA beneficiaries,” Collins said in a video posted on social media. “VA will always fulfill its duty to provide veterans, families, caregivers and survivors the health care and benefits they have earned. That‘s a promise.” Congress passed legislation in 2022 to add 60,000 workers within the VA to help improve service to the nation’s veterans. “It‘s going to affect the veterans — bottom line,” Johnson said. “If we don’t have enough employees and they start shutting down different departments, our veterans are … out of luck.” SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — The Salt Lake County Council voted to approve the sale of 6.5 acres of the Salt Palace Convention Center to Ryan Smith and the Smith Entertainment Group for the development of a new sports and entertainment district it was expected that SEG would demolish that part of the convention center and expand their footprint east from the Delta Center The county said the sale has been negotiated at fair market value The approval also green lights modernizing the convention center downtown The space will shrink by nearly 1/3 after the sale 50-percent of the Salt Lake Convention Center will be redesigned Completion of the construction was expected to be complete in 2031 “We’re looking at the 6.5 acres that the county owns and how best to utilize those acres for the public benefit going forward,” explained Council Member Arlyn Bradshaw who oversees District 1 where the Salt Palace sits The sale will help fund the nearly $1.8 billion dollar project which will renovate the rest of the Salt Palace along with infrastructure upgrades in the area The Convention Center Reinvestment Zone was created by Utah Lawmakers and combines tax revenue from the city and county to make the plan possible Salt Lake City also recently approved a .5 percent citywide sales tax to help repay $900 million in bonds that Smith is seeking towards construction costs on the land The Smith Entertainment group wants to develop a new Sports Culture and Convention District on the site “We’ve actually overbuilt our exhibit hall space and what we desperately need is a new ballroom and that is what we’re getting from what we accomplished today,” explained Mayor Jenny Wilson of Salt Lake County on Tuesday The county projects all of this should generate about $11 million in new tax revenue ever year and they allocated $5 million for Japantown During public comment many residents expressed concern about protecting Japantown “It’s all so enormously complex just trying to understand it There is so much public tax money going into this project it’s all very exciting but I think it is very important for the public to understand how their tax dollars are being spent,” explained Lori Wike She’s concerned about Abravanel Hall which will get some upgrades in this plan who owns Matteo Ristorante Italiano downtown hopes the short-term pain will drive more foot traffic in the long term “I’m just excited for how the 10-20 years of Salt Lake City will look and I just think it will be good for downtown,” he said This comes after tax incentives were given for a 26-story Hyatt hotel that was built and opened in 2022 that is attached to the convention center Which offers 60-thousand square feet of meeting space and a ballroom and junior ballroom The County hopes to complete renovations and have everything done by the 2034 Olympics here in Salt Lake City REAL SALT LAKE 9:52 PM | Updated: 9:55 pm CALIFORNIA - APRIL 26: Rafael Cabral #1 of Real Salt Lake looks on during the second half of a game against San Diego FC at Snapdragon Stadium on April 26 BY TANNER TRIPP Real Salt Lake traveled to Canada for the first time this season to take on the Vancouver Whitecaps FC who now sit atop the MLS Western Conference Standings with eight wins through 11 games and 26 points Real Salt Lake was coming off their most dominant win of the young season last weekend against San Diego FC where Diego Luna scored a brace en route to a 3-1 win Real Salt Lake was unable to carry over the momentum Final from Vancouver#VANvRSL | @SelectHealth pic.twitter.com/9ZVDQ85bSF — Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) May 4, 2025 Whitecaps had already won their first corner kick and were relentless from there on out he made several great saves to keep the scoreline at zeros Real Salt Lake found their first couple of scoring chances in the next few minutes with a cross into the box from Justen Glad followed by a corner kick from Diego Luna that nearly deflected off of Philip Quinton into the net being unable to take advantage of the scoring chances cost them as Jayden Nelson broke the other way and ended up scoring an incredible goal powered by his individual effort in the 20th minute 📺 https://t.co/5iPvbuZzRH #VWFC | #VANvRSL pic.twitter.com/hjUh05rn39 — Vancouver Whitecaps FC (@WhitecapsFC) May 4, 2025 Jayden Nelson didn’t let up after scoring either finding himself on another breakaway just two minutes later requiring Braian Odeja to intervene with a foul Real Salt Lake had numbers going the other way but Ari Piol turned it over trying to pass the ball back into the middle of the field Whitecaps remained dangerous as a cross was sent from the far side of the penalty box finding a wide-open Jayden Nelson once again Real Salt Lake’s two best scoring chances of the first half came in the last ten minutes Zavier Gozo put a beautifully weighted pass onto the feet of Diogo Gonçalves who crossed the ball on the ground across the face of goal but Ari Piol was just unable to catch up to it to put it away The second chance was once again treated by Gozo who crossed the ball from the near side onto the head of an unmarked Alexandros Katranis but he pushed it past the far post and out of bounds One of the stories of the first half was Real Salt Lake’s inability to maintain any possession not only taking scoring chances away from themselves Vancouver Whitecaps FC led Real Salt Lake 1-0 at halftime The second half started with Willy Agada’s Real Salt Lake debut Jayden Nelson continued his strong from on the left side of the attack giving Justen Glad a very hard time on the defense but the Real Salt Lake was once again able to bend and not break it seemed that the tides might have been shifting in Real’s favor when Zavier Gozo brought the ball into the box it was determined that there was no tripping infractioin committed It got worse for Real Salt Lake in the 66th minute when an aerial pass came into the box and Cabral came off his line to play it tripping Vancouver’s Édier Ocampo in the process The penalty was given and taken by Daniel Rios but Cabral made up for his own mistake by saving the attempt to keep his team within one Rafael Cabral with the big penalty kick save! pic.twitter.com/XOvz1JA2yb — Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 4, 2025 the deficit would expand just a few minutes later when Whitecaps were once again on the attack Sebastian Berhalter looked like he was going to put a cross into the box who sent it into the top right corner of the net with his first touch to double Vancouver’s lead 📺 https://t.co/5iPvbuZzRH #VWFC | #VANvRSL pic.twitter.com/huA0MH5l27 — Vancouver Whitecaps FC (@WhitecapsFC) May 4, 2025 While not much happened for Real Salt Lake in the final 20 minutes of the game they would be sent a lifeline during stoppage time Sebastian Berhalter stepped on the ankle of Justen Glad Diego Luna stepped to the spot and buried it after the Vancouver goalkeeper dove left they pushed to find an equalizer but were unable Download the new & improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. You can stream live radio, video and stay up to date on all of your favorite teams. Follow @tanner_tripp SALT LAKE CITY — One person is dead and another is in custody following a hit and run crash in Salt Lake City Friday morning Salt Lake City police say that around 1:15 a.m. a Gold Cross Ambulance found a 41-year-old man down at the intersection Officers were able to work with Utah Transit Authority to review their cameras in the area and identify the suspect's vehicle That information was then shared with public safety agencies throughout Salt Lake Valley was arrested after firefighters spotted his vehicle in the parking lot of a nearby Trader Joe's The crew approached to check Weathers for injuries and he allegedly attempted to drive off again before firefighters stopped him Weathers faces charges of automobile homicide failure to remain at the scene of a crash involving death The bureau’s public alert follows months of conversations with the telecom industry about the far-reaching cyber espionage campaign by a Chinese nation-state threat actor one of the most sophisticated foreign cyber campaigns ever directed at U.S has prompted intense government efforts to identify the full scope of the compromise lock down affected networks and harden defenses With U.S. officials warning that the campaign is likely far broader than what they have uncovered the recent FBI bulletin suggests that the government still needs more details about China’s operation “If you have any information about the individuals who comprise Salt Typhoon or other Salt Typhoon activity,” the bureau wrote “we would particularly like to hear from you.” The alert is also notable for its announcement that the FBI has placed a $10 million bounty on the heads of the Chinese government-backed hackers offering a massive reward for anyone who shares information leading to their arrest Salt Typhoon targeted telecommunications networks, which until recently were not subject to any incident-reporting requirements. The FCC only finalized reporting rules in March 2024 The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is still working on a final version of a broader incident-reporting mandate that would also cover the telecom industry It’s unclear how many private conversations the FBI has had with telecom executives about Salt Typhoon in recent months. The bureau has been rocked by turmoil in the new Trump administration, which sidelined the head of the FBI branch that oversees the Cybersecurity Division The FBI’s request for tips suggests a desire to supplement the direct assistance from telecom companies Those companies have said that they have worked closely with U.S authorities in investigating and remediating the attacks Telecom security has largely lurked in the background of discussions about U.S with sectors like water and health-care receiving more attention in the past few years But Salt Typhoon highlighted the telecom industry’s vulnerabilities from aging computer systems to poor network management after decades of mergers Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) recently placed a hold on Trump’s nominee to lead CISA and said he would continue to block a vote until CISA releases a report on telecom security Get the free daily newsletter read by industry experts The information security industry feared a lapse would lead to industrywide exposures of software vulnerabilities The agency is cracking down on the use of prohibited technologies following a series of hacks into US telecommunications firms Subscribe to Cybersecurity Dive for top news The free newsletter covering the top industry headlines (Fox 13 News) A small earthquake was centered near Independence early on May 1 A small earthquake rattled parts of Utah Thursday morning the University of Utah seismograph stations reported a 3.9 magnitude earthquake The quake occurred about 5 kilometers west of Independence but could be felt across the Utah and Salt Lake Valleys Read more at fox13now.com Related: This group is tasked with preparing Utah for the ‘Big One.’ Utah leaders voted to get rid of it. Real Salt Lake fell at MLS leaders Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2-1 on the B.C with only a late penalty kick conversion from starlet Diego Luna able to salvage stoppage-time hope for the visitors Vancouver took advantage of an RSL corner kick with winger Jayden Nelson counterattacking quickly and navigating around the defense to score the game’s opener Real Salt Lake entered the locker room down by one at the half opting for the recently-acquired veteran striker from Sporting KC in hopes of introducing dangerous new goal-scoring opportunities with ‘keeper Rafael Cabral adjudged to have fouled an attacker in the box despite the ball glancing off his outstretched hands The Brazilian reached across his body and stopped the PK in the 68th minute keeping RSL within a goal and providing stability at the back with clutch saves and unwavering composure under pressure Vancouver was able to convert a corner kick into a goal just shortly after While Real Salt Lake was able to create tangible goal scoring opportunities Midfielder Diego Luna was able to step up to the spot and bury his sixth goal of the season breathing some life into the visitors with just over 3 minutes left in extra time 11th West) is on the road for a third straight week next Saturday Kickoff is set for 6:30 PM MT and will stream on Apple TV with the MLS season pass Utah Royals FC  fell 2-0 to the North Carolina Courage at America First Field in Sandy on Saturday night The defeat was the second consecutive loss for the Royals The away team found the first goal of the night midway through the first half with a well-worked The team later found their second goal of the night at the 43rd minute after a fumble play in the Royals back line allowed them to attempt a cross in the box which was deflected by DF Kate Del Fava and put into the back of the net 4 pts.) will look to recover their footing on their visit to Los Angeles on Friday The Warriors found themselves down 20-0 at half at Maryland Soccerplex in Boyds on Sunday and this time couldn’t manage a big rally Utah got late tries from Miah Noaese and Fred Apulu but it wasn’t enough to dig out of the hole The Warriors now get eight days off before hosting Seattle at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman on May 12 LLC | www.heraldextra.com | 1200 Towne Centre Blvd (Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) John Paul Brophy Jr. one of the owners of Salt Lake City's Dead Goat Saloon inside the bar standing near autographed celebrity portraits in September Brad Wheeler found out his longtime friend and Salt Lake City music scene staple John Paul Brophy Jr was dying in an email from the man himself Brophy’s farewell email was deeply personal, Wheeler said, so much so that it prompted him to make sure Brophy was recognized for his enduring legacy in the Utah music scene. Wheeler wrote to Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, who went on to proclaim April 23 as “John Paul Brophy Jr Day” in recognition of his contribution to the culture and music scene in the state Brophy, one of the owners of the iconic local blues bar The Dead Goat Saloon died on April 28 at the age of 74 from prostate cancer Even though the bar closed over 20 years ago it’s not just a footnote in Utah’s music history The same can be said about Brophy’s influence on the music scene in Salt Lake City Under Brophy’s and his business partner Michael Ricks’ direction, the bar became the “premier venue for blues” music though acts from all genres stopped at the hidden venue — from Buddy Miles to Mick Taylor of The Rolling Stones to Levon Helm “[Brophy] and Otto Mileti at The Zephyr Club really were the backbone of live music in Salt Lake City,” Wheeler said The Dead Goat Saloon became a music hub for those looking to learn about the history of blues and Americana music Wheeler met Brophy through their shared love of blues music at another bar in Salt Lake but Wheeler already knew of Brophy through reputation: this was the co-owner of the bar that broadcasted live music on KRCL on the last Monday of each month (Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) A composite 2003 photograph of The Dead Goat Saloon on a quiet night in Salt Lake City You had to walk down an alley and then go down in the basement and go underneath this other building to get to it,” Wheeler who later worked at Dead Goat as a manager in the late ‘90 “When you searched it out and you went in there The Dead Goat Saloon was established in 1973 Brophy bought an ownership stake in the bar around 1990 while he was writing music reviews for The Salt Lake Tribune and writing for City Weekly (under the pen name J Wheeler said that Brophy was a steward of music history and gave “a lot of these old guys that couldn’t get a gig in the rest of the United States a place to come and perform.” The bar remains in the performer’s memories, too, like Texas blues musician Carolyn Wonderland who said she played nearly a dozen shows at The Dead Goat Saloon “Going to play for John Paul at The Dead Goat Saloon was a highlight on tours,” Wonderland said and the fact that he brought in a community We’d go play places as a band that nobody’s heard of and we would come to Salt Lake City and be like ‘We know at least we’re gonna have John Paul and his friends at the radio station.’” Dead Goat closed in 2003 while under new ownership Wonderland wrote a song about the bar’s demise with guitarist Scott Daniels “We danced our cares away underneath the Utah moon / All night at The Dead Goat Saloon,” the lyrics of the chorus go Wonderland has only demoed the unreleased song but is “highly tempted” to play it the next time she comes to town to honor Brophy – who heard it on a broadcast when Wonderland performed it at the High Sierra Music Festival in California “He always brought a family around him,” Wonderland said of Brophy be supporting your local artists the way he did … It was great.” The Dead Goat Saloon served as [an] incubator for young Utah bands.” Bands like The Tempo Timers and My Sister Jane had “formative gigs” at the bar Brophy and Ricks would also sponsor “New Band Night” midweek to support local musicians Charles Thorpe, who founded Anchor Stage Management and runs Space and Faders — a rentable space where musicians and bands can practice or record — was hired at Dead Goat at the end of the ‘90s. But the first time he went to the bar was long before that – at the age of 18 when he moved to Utah from Pennsylvania. “To end up years later, working there was kind of surreal,” Thorpe, who describes Brophy as a “father figure” said. Thorpe is now a stage manager for concerts at Red Butte Garden and Sandy Amphitheater, and has been entrenched in the local music scene for years. He said what Brophy was able to accomplish all those years ago laid a strong foundation for music in Utah. “He paved the way for what is kind of going on now [in the local music scene],” Thorpe said. “[Brophy’s] ethos is still strong in this city,” Thorpe said, tearing up as he detailed Brophy’s legacy. “What matters is that nobody forgets, because they say that you’re only truly dead when someone stops saying your name.” (Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Gigi Love performs at the Dead Goat Saloon in Salt Lake City in 2000. Brophy was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on January 24, 1951. He is preceded in death by his wife Wendy Whitney, brother and mother. At the age of 20, Brophy got into a motorcycle accident that left him with a lifelong spinal cord injury. He is survived by his daughter Rachael MacLaughlin and his beloved white Scottie, Willie. MacLaughlin said she was the only one who didn’t get an email, but rather a face-to-face message on Easter, when Brophy had his last meal. She and her dad shared a connection over music. “My life will be forever different,” she said. “He’s going to be missed by me and a lot of other people.” Services for Brophy will remain private, but MacLaughlin is planning a celebration of life event with details to come. VANCOUVER, BC – On a wave. After punching their ticket to their first-ever Concacaf Champions Cup final in mid-week Vancouver Whitecaps FC are set to return home to BC Place for a Western Conference clash against Real Salt Lake this Saturday The 'Caps will be looking to continue their club-record nine-match unbeaten run across all competitions Saturday will mark the 34th all-time meeting between the 'Caps and RSL It'll also mark the first of two meetings in MLS regular season action this year Vancouver Whitecaps FC will wrap up their stretch of five matches in 15 days with another key Western Conference clash against Real Salt Lake on Saturday in the warm confines of BC Place The match will begin a run that sees five of the next seven league matches take place at home and will be followed up by a full week of preparation leading into the MLS Season Pass Sunday Night Soccer clash against Los Angeles FC on Sunday Vancouver will aim to continue their strong home form scored 18 goals and kept four clean sheets across all competitions at BC Place this season 'CAPS AT THE SUMMIT: Following their 3-1 road victory over Minnesota United FC last weekend the 'Caps extended their climb at the top of the MLS Supporters' Shield and Western Conference standings with 23 points (7W-1L-2D) a full five points clear of second-placed Portland Timbers in the West the win saw Vancouver extend their unbeaten road record in league play to five matches to begin the year (3W-0L-2D) marking the best five-game start on the road in the club's MLS era the 'Caps are also riding a club-record nine-match unbeaten run across all competitions (5W-0L-4D) are tied for the most goals in the league with 20 and are tied for the least amount of goals conceded with seven JOB'S NOT FINISHED: Wednesday night will live long in the memory for many 'Caps fans The Blue and White punched their ticket to their first-ever Concacaf Champions Cup final with an incredible 5-1 aggregate victory over MLS rivals Inter Miami CF thanks to a clinching 3-1 win at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale The 'Caps will now face LIGA MX side Cruz Azul in the final on Sunday It'll mark the first-ever meeting between the two sides The winner of the final will move on to the 2025 FIFA Intercontinental Cup and qualify for the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup SALT LAKE CITY — Smith Entertainment Group has acquired a large portion of the Salt Palace Convention Center as its vision for downtown's future continues to take shape The Salt Lake County Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to approve a resolution to sell about a dozen parcels of county-owned land at a base price of a little over $55.4 million 300 West fell within "fair market value," according to Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson and will help kickstart funding for a massive project to remodel and "modernize" the convention center such as an extra $87 million in a 25-year lease agreement Salt Lake County plans to begin a process this week to find a project architect A firm is expected to be picked by the end of summer to help plan out the project's next steps partial demolition of the Salt Palace could begin as early as 2027 should also help finalize the goal of Salt Lake City and the state of Utah of keeping the Utah Jazz and Utah Hockey Club downtown for decades to come "This is just one step in a very complex process I think this was a major building block," Wilson said Smith Entertainment Group previously reached a partnership agreement with Salt Lake City over its desire to create a "sports culture and convention district" in and around the Delta Center their deal required that Smith reach some additional agreements with Salt Lake County over land it oversees east of the arena by July 1 The two sides spent months negotiating over the Salt Palace and other county properties Maps included in the purchase agreement show that Smith will acquire about every Salt Palace parcel west of 200 West excluding a garden between the convention center and the Japanese Church of Christ on the block It doesn't say how the site would be transformed, but Gov. Spencer Cox said earlier this month that he met with Wilson and state legislators about a "mid block" component of the downtown revitalization plan This map shows the Salt Palace Convention Center parcels that Salt Lake County agreed to sell to Smith Entertainment Group The red spot crossed out is a garden not included in the deal (Photo: Salt Lake County)The mid block is described as a "mixed-use development" that will "be a pivotal piece in facilitating greater east-west connectivity of the downtown core," according to a Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity document It's listed as part of the "entertainment" portion of the district and is expected to have ties to 2034 Winter Olympic venues Maps showed that it would be located by the parcels the county put up for sale Smith Entertainment Group renderings have also included a pedestrian plaza east of the arena in the spot where the Salt Palace's western end currently exists While the base sale is listed at $55.4 million the deal is expected to create "cash flows" of about $140 million over the next three decades the county's deputy mayor of finance and administration The document outlines an additional parking lease agreement with SEG Sports Holdings totaling $87.3 million over 25 years A draft rendering of what a plaza outside of the Delta Center could look like in downtown Salt Lake City that was first released on June 11 (Photo: Smith Entertainment Group)The Salt Palace already rakes in $426 million in annual economic impact but county officials estimate that upgrades could generate $105 million in additional value Its resolution also noted that it would provide funding for the remodeling and reconstruction of the Salt Palace while opening up nearly $5 million in annual county property tax revenue as the land switches over to nonexempt tax status Smith Entertainment Group executive Mike Maughan said the company is "grateful" for Salt Lake County Council's vote as the company begins its massive downtown overhaul The vote took place a week after Delta Center renovations officially began "Today's vote was one more important step forward in the long and inspiring process to create a more activated economically thriving and family-friendly future for our capital city's urban core," he said culture and convention district that will create an incredible year-round downtown experience for all." It's unclear yet if the vote satisfies the county conditions included in the Salt Lake City's agreement with Smith but the city is currently reviewing the sale it's at least a "significant" step toward it a spokesperson for the Salt Lake City Mayor's Office told KSL.com Tuesday's vote took place after a public hearing on the matter. Many of the comments touched on issues raised during the initial agreement process last year, including concerns over speed of the process and project clarity. But backlogged maintenance has already reached $120 million, and it's expected to grow, Casper said. Wilson added that the COVID-19 pandemic drastically changed the need for the current convention center configuration, as more conventions are asking for ballroom spaces over large event spaces like the Salt Palace's massive exhibit hall. The need to outcompete other cities for business would have likely required other major updates. County Council members said they wanted to make sure the Salt Palace continues to be the economic driver that it is, and agreements between the city, county, state and Smith over the past year opened the door to making that happen — it's what tipped the scale in their decision to sell. "This is critical," said Salt Lake County Councilwoman Aimee Winder Newton. "At some point, we're going to have to rebuild our Salt Palace, and this is a great mechanism to do it." While County Council members are eager for the block's next chapter, Lynne Ward, a Japanese Church of Christ elder, also called on them to consider both the church and the Salt Lake Buddhist Temple once demolition begins. Both buildings are located next to the Salt Palace section that is now destined for demolition. "There are some serious concerns about the demolition and construction phases," she said. Former Sporting Kansas City Captain Added to 2025 RSL Roster Ahead of Saturday’s Trip to San Diego HERRIMAN, Utah (Friday, April 24, 2025) – Real Salt Lake today added free-agent winger and long-time Major League Soccer veteran Johnny Russell to its 2025 roster, the 35-year-old Scot and former Sporting Kansas City captain eligible to compete in this weekend’s Claret-and-Cobalt match against San Diego FC (5:30p MT, Snapdragon Stadium / MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+). “We are pleased to add an accomplished MLS veteran to our team,” said RSL Chief Soccer Officer Kurt Schmid. “Johnny has seen virtually everything possible on and off the field during his storied career in both the U.S. and in the U.K., and we believe in his leadership, his work ethic and skillset.” In 2021, Russell scored in eight consecutive games as part of a run where he tallied 15 goals in 19 matches over the second half of the campaign. Russell was named the club’s MVP in 2020 and 2022, as well as Offensive Player of the Year in 2018, 2019 and 2021. During the recent 2022-24 campaigns, Russell scored 24 goals in 104 games across MLS, Open Cup and Leagues Cup matches for Kansas City. ”I’m really excited at the opportunity to come here; it’s a young, exciting team that are going in a great direction and I’m lucky to be a part of it. Again, really excited to get going and can’t wait to get out there. I’ve been on the receiving end of the RSL fan base’s - let’s say ‘enthusiasm’ plenty of times so it’s always in good fun, always competitive games with RSL and KC. Utah is one of the places I’ve enjoyed coming, so hopefully I can turn some of those opinions around. I’m someone who wears my heart on my sleeve, plays with a lot of pride and fiery passion, so I’m hoping that those fans see that, and they appreciate that, and turns a few folks in my favor.” Russell has 14 career caps for Scotland and scored his first international goal during a European Championship Qualifier in San Marino on March 24, 2019. He has also represented Scotland at the U-19 and U-21 levels. Russell joined Derby County in the summer of 2013 and marked his debut for the Rams with his first of nine goals in the 2013-14 English Championship as Derby fell just short of promotion to the EPL. He totaled 18 goals over the next two seasons. Prior to the Derby County transfer, Russell previously played for Dundee United, Forfar Athletic and Raith Rovers ShareAnthropic AI, the company behind the popular Claude family of AI models, made its Model Context Protocol (MCP) available to the industry in November to easily and securely connect large language models (LLMs) and AI agents to external data sources and tools for efficient operations and scalability open standard that any AI model can leverage to integrate with thousands of apps and data sources that also use the protocol “Think of it as a ‘USB port’ for AI: a standardized way for any AI assistant to connect to any data source or service without requiring custom-built integrations for each connection,” Erich Hellstrom, head of prompt engineering platform provider PromptLayer, highlighted in a blog post integrating LLMs with different data sources was a significant hurdle which led to a fragmented and difficult-to-scale architecture MCP aims to replace these ad-hoc integrations with a single streamlining the process and fostering a more interoperable AI ecosystem.” The protocol “represents a significant step towards a more open and capable AI ecosystem,” Hellstrom added MCP has been widely embraced in the AI and development fields and was the subject of a number of announcements at this week’s RSA Conference 2025 in San Francisco AI agents and security platforms can more easily integrate with a range of security solutions including network detection and response (NDR) Such integration capabilities make MCP servers crucial in a fast-evolving AI industry, including in the security field, where data is complex and comes in high volumes, Melissa Ruzzi, director of AI at AppOmni The easy integration “allows teams to easily cross over the different tools while leveraging all their AI-powered specialized benefits,” Ruzzi said “The MCP server makes it much easier for the security tools to interconnect.” It also helps MSSPs and other channel providers GSI partner director with the San Francisco-based company The standardized interface and seamless integration with security tools “facilitates a more cohesive security ecosystem,” Smith said MSSPs can access deep insights into SaaS identities empowering them to conduct more thorough threat investigations and analyses leading to faster and more targeted remediation actions.” The integration of insights reduces the manual effort needed to interpret SaaS configurations and data about activity which streamlines operations and lets MSSPs improve their efficiencies and more easily scale the delivery of their services AppOmni wasn’t alone in making MCP server announcements at RSA. API security specialist Salt Security rolled out its MCP server California company said combines its API intelligence and AI-native workflows to enhance context The new tool is important with the emergence of AI agents, according to Michael Callahan, Salt Security’s chief marketing officer. They reshaping how enterprises operate but also driving three to 10 times more API traffic which he calls a “surge of invisible risk.” “Every AI prompt, every microtask, every data fetch, it all travels through your APIs,” Callahan highlighted in a blog post are simply not designed for this new reality Without a better way to manage AI-driven API interaction organizations will find themselves vulnerable to invisible threats organizations can better understand their API fabric Cloudfare last week said it added four features to its cloud that will make it easier for organizations to build and deploy remote MCP services to its cloud including an OAuth Provider for authorizations McpAgent built into the Cloudflare Agents SDK to manage remote transport and the MCP Remote adapter that lets MCP clients to work with MCP servers its AI Playground chat interface is now a remote MCP client that allows user sto connect to remote MCP servers This week, the San Francisco company said organizations can connect to its MCP servers from Anthropic’s Claude AI systems and from other MCP clients The service provider also is partnering with Anthropic to bring remote MCP to Claude users and showed how other companies May 5 Choosing the right MSSP is more than a tactical decision; it’s a strategic partnership to secure an org’s future May 5 The latest offerings adds to the vendor's focus on building services that MSPs can deliver May 2 The administration's ongoing targeting of CISA and Krebs raises cybersecurity community concerns Earth Day Match: 10x your impact for nature today! we'll explore the complex story of a natural wonder whose fate will be decided on our watch Great Salt Lake is a bellwether for the fragile future of water in the arid West It’s a weighty new role for a saline Lake that for decades had largely been an afterthought scientists and conservation groups had long championed the Lake’s values but only when its demise felt imminent in 2022 did Great Salt Lake really strike a public nerve the Lake’s water levels dropped to a new recorded low depleted over decades by increasing diversions to accommodate the growing demands of cities A changing climate and frequent drought years added to the crisis Great Salt Lake garnered what was long overdue: public alarm national (even international) headlines and the interest of policymakers all of us became painfully aware of the many vital roles it plays—from biodiversity to air quality to Utah’s economy Mother Nature delivered a reprieve: one year of record-breaking snowfall followed by an above-average year of snowfall The winters of 2022 and 2023 were a boon—but not a solution but they remain below a healthy range for this complex ecosystem Utah still faces a stark reality: growing demands limited water supplies and dire climate change predictions The good news is that the Lake’s identity has been forever changed A brush with “collapse” has elevated Great Salt Lake to its deserved celebrity status Many Utahns—from diverse backgrounds—are keenly aware of why they need and want this vast inland sea to persist The question has now become whether and how our state can deliver a future in which Great Salt Lake thrives an unprecedented effort funded by the State of Utah to directly help address the Lake’s decline No solution for Great Salt Lake will be easy or fast It took a long time for the Lake to decline but the Lake’s importance demands our patience and enduring devotion Great Salt Lake has become the compelling “face” of a state that stands at a precarious crossroads for people and nature In this era of climate change and compromise the eyes of the West—and the world—remain on us How did we even get to a place where Great Salt Lake dropped to record lows Change has always been Great Salt Lake’s specialty much saltier than the ocean) because it has no outlet Ogden and Jordan Rivers feeds into the lake Stretching 75 miles long and 35 miles wide it reaches only 33 feet at its deepest points A remnant of a prehistoric Lake Bonneville the Great Salt Lake is spread thinly across the bottom of this ancient basin and it is constantly “breathing”—reacting to wet and dry years by filling up and expanding and then evaporating and receding Yet with all the variable wet and dry years of Utah’s past one constant has emerged: the state’s population growth and its increasing demands for water One of the fastest growing states in the nation just since 2000 Utah has added more than 650,000 people To feed the growing needs of cities and agriculture more and more water is diverted before it reaches the Great Salt Lake In 2017, Wayne Wurtsbaugh, a professor emeritus of watershed science at Utah State University co-published a groundbreaking paper in Nature Geoscience His data showed that since the arrival of the 19th-century pioneers there has been a persistent reduction in the water supply to the lake decreasing its volume by 48 percent and exposing approximately 50% of the lakebed the south arm of the Lake dropped to 4,191.3 feet—the lowest water level on record “For years, this complex system has been functional and resilient,” says Marcelle Shoop, who is the Director of the Saline Lakes Program for the National Audubon Society “We’re just now reaching the point where growth and climate change could truly threaten that resiliency and lead to irreversible consequences.” industry and urban users as well as from climate change." Scientists and conservationists have long known the Great Salt Lake’s value It is one of only a few places on Earth that can meet the food and shelter needs of millions of birds traveling along the Eastern Spur of the Pacific flyway—a migratory route spanning the Northern and Southern hemispheres Winging their way from places as far as South America and the Arctic up to ten million birds are drawn to the lake each year—many representing the largest gatherings of certain species in the world more than half a million Wilson’s phalaropes—the world's largest staging concentration—have been counted on the lake more than half of the North American population And the list goes on: 240,000 red-necked phalaropes one of North America’s largest breeding colonies of American white pelicans 250,000 American avocets and Earth’s largest breeding population of California gulls Those totals don’t capture the many other types of shorebirds waterfowl and other waterbirds—including ibis cormorants and terns—that also rely on the lake each year Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) avian biologist John Neill is quick to point out that behind all of the jaw-dropping numbers are hundreds of fascinating “The Wilson's phalaropes visit Great Salt Lake to feed,” he says “They consume enough food to double their weight and undergo an energetically taxing feather molt and then their fat reserves power a non-stop flight to Ecuador or Peru—a distance of over 3,400 miles!”  The lake’s billions of salt-loving brine flies and brine shrimp provide a critical nutritious food source for many birds on their migratory journey But it’s not just the lake waters that are important—it’s the mix of lands and waters along the lake’s shore habitats and food sources that truly make this a bird paradise the lake translates to one thing: survival The Lake’s water drops have triggered changes throughout the lake’s intricate web of life In a complex series of interactions that researchers are still studying vegetation and inhabitant lifecycles are all interdependent engages with the lake’s resources in a unique way Since the lake has always been naturally dynamic the birds are used to adapting to different lake levels—but only to a point explains: “year-to-year fluctuations and long-term declines in lake level affect the amount timing and location of wetland habitats for birds It’s assumed that birds have flexibility to respond to these changes by moving to track habitat at the lake but this tactic works only as long as some of their required habitat remains at the lake.” Part of the book outlines what the downward trajectory of water levels means to various species of birds the lake’s lower water levels can change and eliminate feeding or nesting habitat Receding waters can also open up land bridges allowing predators to access bird nests that were previously protected by water lower water levels mean higher salinity levels dictating which creatures can tolerate different areas—and impacting the food chain “recent bird surveys reveal a loss in numbers of critical species in the Great Salt Lake system.”  Take, for example, American white pelicans. One of the Western Hemisphere’s largest nesting colonies of these birds can be found on Gunnison Island, in the north arm of the Great Salt Lake. Avian biologist John Neill explained it this way for Utah Public Radio: “…if it [the lake’s water] drops too low the island becomes a peninsula and is accessible by land either by coyotes or people that might cause disturbance Even just one coyote at the wrong time of year can cause the whole colony to abandon.” including those long-distant travelers like curlews the shrinking lake is also a dire situation That’s because few—if any—other places can provide the mix of habitat and food they need to survive their migrations “Even before a habitat completely disappears at Great Salt Lake,” says Tavernia “we can expect to see potential negative effects of individuals crowding into smaller and smaller habitat remnants such as increased disease transmission or competition for food resources.” In 2019, a National Audubon Society assessment projected we could lose up to two-thirds of North America's bird species by the year 2100 The fate of the Great Salt Lake—one of Earth’s most vital bird habitats—could play a significant role in the realization of this grim future While there is a conservation community that has long embraced the Great Salt Lake’s worth—and birders have certainly increased in number (the Great Salt Lake Bird Festival is entering its 27th year)—the rest of the world has been a slow sell pungent lake remained decidedly underappreciated for many years my view of the Great Salt Lake didn't differ much from that of a friend who described it as a ‘giant stinky mudhole,’" said Tim Hawkes a former Republican state legislator and Chairman of the Board at the Great Salt Lake Brine Shrimp Cooperative from Centerville “I had no idea of its value and figured that any water that made it into the main body of the lake was wasted because the water was so salty as to be good for nothing.”  I know now that it's a vital and precious resource that we can't afford to lose Hawkes now serves as Chair of the Great Salt Lake Advisory Council which was established in 2010 to help advise the State of Utah on the health and sustainability of the Great Salt Lake ecosystem he spent years leading efforts in the Utah State Legislature to enact policy changes to protect the lake He knew his dismal first impression of Great Salt Lake was not uncommon and he embarked on a mission to share it with his fellow legislators the more I realized how much the lake is connected to our lives not just here locally nationally and even internationally,” Hawkes says “I know now that it's a vital and precious resource that we can't afford to lose.”  and fine particles of dust become airborne This is a lesson that has already been learned—the hard way on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California which was dried out by water diversions in the 1920s Its exposed lakebed became one of the nation’s largest sources of PM10 air pollution Those are dust particles small enough to get into your nose cardiac arrhythmias and heart attacks as well as asthma and bronchitis Even if you set aside the devastating health impacts there’s also the price tag—more than two billion dollars—to try to undo the damage As Los Angeles has had to re-water Owens Lake residents paid for it in their water bills For perspective: Great Salt Lake is 16 times bigger than Owens Lake a geography professor with the University of Utah Hip deep in snowdrifts at her monitoring site in Little Cottonwood Canyon Skiles measures aerosols in the air and snow Her findings: dust from Great Salt Lake’s exposed bed is being deposited on the Wasatch Mountains “This is a story that’s not told enough,” stresses Skiles. “Human activity is directly linked to dust, and the ripple effect is huge.” Skiles’ research revealed that in just one spring storm the amount of dust blowing off Great Salt Lake accelerated mountain snowmelt by five days and for anyone financially tied to Utah’s epic powder the timing and pace of snowmelt are critical “The implications for our water systems are serious,” says Skiles “Eighty percent of our water comes from snow Our current models don’t account for the impact of dust We are uncovering a whole different aspect to the importance of keeping water in Great Salt Lake.” While we’re on the topic of snow and mountains there’s one more piece to the lake story—the weather it generates itself when cold winds blow in just the right direction and at the right speed over the warm air rising from the lake’s salty The upshot: heavy bands of snow dump over the Wasatch Mountains—and some of Utah’s most popular ski resorts Even if you’re not a Utahn (or a Utah skier) chances are Great Salt Lake is still a part of your life threatening the lifecycle of a particularly unique lake inhabitant: brine shrimp these algae-eating crustaceans are just 15mm in size yet they are a huge component of the lake ecosystem They are a critical food source for the birds brine shrimpers haul around 9,000 tons of brine shrimp cysts out of Great Salt Lake which are sold to hatcheries as far away as southeast Asia to provide a nutrient-rich food source for farm-raised shrimp and fish This is the same seafood that ends up on your plate about 90% of the farmed shrimp we consume in the United States is imported and nearly 40% of the world’s supply of brine shrimp eggs—the food that grows the shrimp you eat—comes from the Great Salt Lake former president of the brine shrimp industry trade association in Utah spells it out: “a healthy brine shrimp resource secures essential health for larval stage fish and shrimp—which play a necessary role in providing much-needed healthy protein for people in both developing and developed countries around the world.” This eye-popping price tag includes not only brine shrimpers but also lake recreation and tourism and industries built on extracting or processing minerals from the lake North America’s only magnesium producer operates on the lake extracting a mineral that ends up in a vast array of products from aluminum cans and computers to cell phones and cars which is used to fertilize nut and fruit crops in California and Florida The lake’s receding waters have already forced some of the mineral companies to make costly operation changes such as extending canals and moving pumps to reach the water “The message has always been clear and is very understandable,” says Leonard most people will not accept the loss of a healthy Great Salt Lake until we have done everything in our power to preserve all that it contributes and represents.” Yet those working for the lake's protection over the years have long had to wage an uphill PR battle TNC made its first purchase at Great Salt Lake in 1984, protecting wetland bird habitat threatened by development. Since then, TNC has worked with a suite of partners to protect more than 12,000 acres of wetlands and uplands around the lake, including TNC’s Great Salt Lake Shorelands Preserve which stretches 11 miles and 4,531 acres along the lake’s eastern shore and serves as a crucial buffer against fast-growing development in Davis County  TNC also works with the Utah State University Botanical Center to run lake-based outreach and education programs, which have reached more than 25,000 Utah students, and offers a virtual field trip that highlights Great Salt Lake for viewers worldwide TNC has supported new science on lake health and championed policy changes to enhance lake protection and management In terms of conserving habitat around the lake TNC and many other entities have made real progress—sanctuaries around the lake have also been established by Audubon TNC is also a leader on new projects to restore and improve Great Salt Lake wetlands and bird habitat at our preserves which prove increasingly important to birds as the Lake shrinks Great Salt Lake has always been one of our top priorities and trying to safeguard the most vulnerable elements of the system—and honestly just trying to give the lake a seat at the table Another veteran Lake advocate, Lynn de Freitas, the Executive Director of FRIENDS of Great Salt Lake (FOGSL) FOGSL is dedicated to growing an appreciation of the lake through education and advocacy programs and De Freitas has spoken out about threats to the lake for years—from pollution to diversion to development but I feel we’re moving in a positive direction If we act in a timely way with a collective will fresh water has always been top of mind for policymakers throughout the West water is a notoriously complex—and controversial—topic is that a “business as usual” approach to Utah’s water is no longer going to work According to the Utah Geological Survey website “Increasing per capita water use coupled with rapid population growth and projected reductions in both snowpack and streamflow due to changing climate is not sustainable.”  Historically Utah ranks high on state water consumption lists Residents themselves could choose to make easy choices that would help from repairing leaky faucets and taking shorter showers to not overwatering their lawns farmers and ranchers are going to be key partners in any changing water use since a large percentage of Utah’s water goes to agriculture Legal issues governing western water users and historic laws are complicated and sensitive with far-reaching impacts Perhaps because water-related policy and attitude changes are so daunting—and because of its salty character—Great Salt Lake had historically not garnered much policy attention the State has never had a formally implemented policy to maintain Lake water levels at any particular elevation range  But as the Lake’s waters receded drastically in 2019 economic and environmental costs became increasingly apparent The report’s recommendations ranged from changing Utah water law and creating new incentives for agricultural and municipal water conservation to new tools for the acquisition of water rights that could protect the lake’s inflows Hawkes successfully prompted Utah policymakers to approve funding for two new Great Salt Lake projects: one to better quantify the contribution of groundwater to Great Salt Lake and its wetlands while the other was an effort to support local governments that are interested in incorporating smart water planning into their land use planning processes Hawkes said: “I think it’s important for people to understand one critical fact: people can make a difference Losing the lake is not a foregone conclusion we can keep lake elevations in a range where the lake continues to support all its primary beneficial uses.” water policy and water use culminated in a number of ground-breaking policy advances who once again served as a Great Salt Lake champion among his fellow legislators remembers it this way: “The 2022 session felt like a decade’s worth of water bills in a single year including several ‘once-in-a-generation’ type bills that will shape Utah’s water law and policy for years to come.” He points out examples including: ·       HB-410 – Great Salt Lake Watershed Enhancement Program (House Speaker Brad Wilson) which allocated $40 million to set up a water trust for Great Salt Lake which is now co-managed by TNC and Audubon ·       HB-33 – Instream Flow Amendments (Rep which significantly broadened Utah’s instream flow program and explicitly authorizes transactions to benefit Great Salt Lake This bill marked a historic change for Utah water law altering the long-standing and wasteful “use it or lose it” stipulation for water rights holders ·       HB-429 – Great Salt Lake Basin Integrated Plan (Rep Kelly Miles) appropriated $5 million to the Utah Division of Water Resources to study and gather data about the five watersheds that feed Great Salt Lake ensuring we have a better understanding of the complex water supply and demand in the Great Salt Lake Basin ·       HB-242 – Secondary Metering Amendments (Rep aimed to fix the longstanding problem of unmetered outdoor watering and encourage water conservation in municipal users ·       Several other bills that funded critical research and helped shore up long-term funding for the Lake and its water supply Hawkes noted “Utahns can and should be proud of the unprecedented steps Utah is taking to protect this vital resource.”  Momentum for policy reform around water and Great Salt Lake continued in Utah’s 2023 and 2024 Legislative sessions ·       HB-491 – Amendments Related to the Great Salt Lake (Rep established the Office of the Great Salt Lake Commissioner The Commissioner is appointed by Utah’s governor and is tasked with preparing and implementing a long-term strategic plan for getting the Lake to a healthy water level and ensuring coordination among all of the state agencies working on GSL issues ·       HB-513 – Great Salt Lake Amendments (Rep increases royalties on new mineral extraction on the Lake and requires mineral extraction operators to use technologies that minimize water depletion ·       HB-349 – Water Reuse Project Amendments (Rep which prohibits wastewater reuse projects within the Great Salt Lake Basin that would cause water to stop flowing into the Lake ·       HB-453 – Great Salt Lake Revisions (Rep which places constraints on the mining industry’s use of Lake water and protects water dedicated to Great Salt Lake from extraction The bill also applies a tiered tax for mineral extraction based on Lake levels and consumptive water use and it tasks the state engineer with regulating the measurement and distribution of Great Salt Lake water rights setting limits on the amount of water that mineral extraction companies can take or divert from the Lake during low water years allows for the creation of “saved water” in agricultural water rights which makes it easier for water-rights holders to send portions of their water rights to flow downstream to reach Great Salt Lake these bills represent a major sea change for Utah water policy—one that required unprecedented collaboration Dedicated Lake advocates like TNC joined forces with key legislators to enact these landmark water and Great Salt Lake policies TNC Utah’s Director of Policy and External Affairs the recent progress has been a highlight of her career “TNC has been working for a long time on many of these policy changes that benefit the Lake agricultural producers and communities across Utah,” says Nelson “It’s been incredibly rewarding to see the broad stakeholder and legislator support that enabled the crucial legislative wins of the last six years Utah’s water law has really risen to meet the challenge facing Great Salt Lake.” The Lake’s growing public following and Utah’s recent water policy headway has set the stage for where we are today our state is pursuing a coordinated and strategic intervention for Great Salt Lake Below are some of the current programs and advances TNC is most excited about: In 2023, the Utah Legislature created the Office of the Great Salt Lake Commissioner The commissioner has been tasked with developing and maintaining a strategic plan as well as coordinating collaborative work among all agencies and interests in relation to the lake TNC and the Trust are working closely with the Commissioner and other state entities to ensure our efforts are integrated toward the common goal of a healthy Lake level Never before have so many different people entities and organizations been focused on solutions for Great Salt Lake As Utahns recognize the Lake’s value and face the reality of growing water demands and increasing climate change impacts all of us are re-thinking how we use our water civic leaders and state agencies are coming to the table with fresh energy and ideas Only by working together will we find collaborative voluntary solutions that deliver a healthy future for Great Salt Lake—and for all of us Alongside this exciting momentum comes a new kind of pressure: to avoid slipping back into complacency While the Lake levels have rebounded to some degree and unprecedented collaboration is underway water demands and climate change predictions for our state are clearer than ever Rather than being out of the woods with respect to the Lake we are truly just beginning to see the extent of the “forest” around us stamina and patience will be key to navigating the long and complicated journey ahead to sustain the Lake Great Salt Lake is an immense watershed with many complicated and interconnected elements that touch many lives The most important thing is that we all work together.” While Tim Hawkes always knew that the Lake’s importance to public health and the economy would motivate the public and legislators the amount of life the lake supports,” he says “I took a trip to Promontory Point along the Union Pacific causeway in early autumn From the moment we could see water south of the causeway to the moment we arrived on Promontory the edge of the water was black with a thick band of countless birds I've never seen so many at one time and in one place.” It’s the type of epiphany that’s welcomed by Ella Sorensen, manager of the Edward L. and Charles L. Gillmor Audubon Sanctuary a 3,597-acre preserve on the lake’s south shore Sorensen has spent decades studying the Great Salt Lake’s birds and writing about the Lake for the Salt Lake Tribune When I ask her how to explain the lake’s importance to someone on the street “It’s not effective to say things about Great Salt Lake She often spends hours walking her daily route through the sanctuary’s sludgy marsh which provides vital habitat for migratory shorebirds such as American avocets and snowy plovers I bring people out here who’ve lived in Utah their whole lives but never understood the lake until they came and saw the birds and the wetlands for themselves Perhaps that sheer lake life force is part of what acclaimed author and environmental advocate Terry Tempest Williams wanted us to contemplate 35 years ago when she published her famous book Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place One of the Lake’s most celebrated and eloquent defenders Williams used her memoir to show how her own life was inextricably linked to Great Salt Lake and the birds Williams described living in a “virtually uninhabited” area near the Great Salt Lake Today roughly 80% of Utah's population (more than 3 million people) live within 20 miles of the Lake “The eyes of the future are looking back at us,” she wrote in Refuge “and they are praying for us to see beyond our own time.” TNC has been a driving force advancing science habitat protection and education to benefit Great Salt Lake Discover TNC’s role as a conservation leader and our three areas of focus to safeguard vital wetlands A new statue representing Church history has been added to Temple Square, and an interior renovation update has been given on the iconic Salt Lake Temple These updates were published in an April 29 news release on ChurchofJesusChrist.org Read this article in Spanish and in Portuguese: Visitors in downtown Salt Lake City can now see the statue Joseph Smith Receives the Plates Depicting a keystone event in Church history, the art piece shows Joseph Smith receiving the gold plates from the angel Moroni on Sept. 22, 1827. The 21-year-old Prophet would go on to translate the plates “by the gift and power of God” into the Book of Mormon (title page of the Book of Mormon) This statue stands in the southwest corner of Temple Square, west of the Salt Lake Tabernacle and near three recently restored monuments portraying the restoration of the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthoods and the Miracle of the Gulls particularly those available in the house of the Lord we fill our lamps with the oil of conversion.” Seven statues — four new and three refurbished — have been placed around Temple Square since September 2024 craftsmen and painters are meticulously restoring the beauty of the Salt Lake Temple’s interior Workers are restoring and replicating the ornate wood paneling These efforts include reapplying gold leaf adding detailed stencil designs and repairing aged wood elements This finish work continues to both enhance the aesthetic appeal of the interior and respect the temple’s original design The April 28 announcement comes almost four months after vertical coring the most extensive single activity on the Salt Lake Temple renovation project Church President Russell M. Nelson announced in a Feb. 14 social media post that “A current and comprehensive renovation to strengthen this sacred house of the Lord for future generations is now nearing completion.” The pioneer-era temple is scheduled to host an open house from April to October 2027. It attracts huge flocks of migrating birds — and birders — this time of year - Tens of thousands of birds look like tiny black and white specks floating on the surface of one of Minnesota’s most mysterious lakes Curt Vacek lists off their species: greater white-fronted geese he spots other birds that don’t reside in Minnesota but migrate through: snow geese The water in this 320-acre lake straddling the South Dakota border is salty — the saltiest lake between the Atlantic Ocean and Salt Lake City according to the Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union its brackish water draws birds — and bird watchers — that flock to its shores for a birding festival each spring Nearly 150 species have been counted there in a single weekend Appleton area wildlife supervisor for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Birding there has become so popular that this year’s festival was nearly called off because crowds were getting too large there were too few guides and too many people out there At one point we had a caravan of 28 [cars] .. It was a logistical nightmare,” said Trey Weaver the festival has been revamped with three free buses a meet-up point at Lac qui Parle State Park (where bird counts will be tallied) and a dinner at the American Legion in Marietta Extension educator for the University of Minnesota’s Master Naturalist program it was my first year and I was surprised this was here right in my backyard,” she said “The prairie is just as exciting as the North Shore Vacek has sought information on how the lake got its salinity Whatever the case, although the lake is only 4 to 5 feet deep, it is an important spot for migrating birds — some seeking respite on their long flight north and others looking to nest in the surrounding foliage. The Great Plains of Canada, northwest of Minnesota, holds thousands of saline lakes and wetlands. Research shows these bodies of water are vital for bird migration. Saline bodies of water are major breeding grounds for over 80% of North America’s ducks, according to the study. The amount of salt in the water affects vegetation, waterfowl nesting and the length of birds’ migration stops. Minnesota’s Salt Lake has about a third of the salinity of the ocean, according to the DNR. Shorebirds are drawn to the lake’s the mudflats that line the edges when the water recedes, as well as the small shrimp brine that live in the water, which aren’t found anywhere else in Minnesota, Vacek said. Sago pondweed that floats on the surface of the lake is food for the birds, and grebes use it to to nest. Salt Lake, a prairie basin, dries out about every 20 years and wind blows saline crystals away. That resets the wildlife cycle, Vacek said. But the lake is overdue for a reset because of years of tiling and wetland drainage, Vacek said. The last time it dried out was in 1982; it was almost completely dry in 1990, Vacek said. All that water has contributed to the disappearance of the crimson saltflat tiger beetle, which once populated the mudflats. Without a reset, the water may soon become too salty for the brine shrimp living there, and even someday become toxic to migrating shorebirds, Vacek said. The DNR began permanent protection efforts in 1973, and the lake now sits in the Salt Lake Wildlife Management Area, with the South Dakota side a federal waterfowl protection area. Mae Peterson, known as “the bird lady of Lac qui Parle County,” helped make sure the area was preserved, said Anthony Hauck, communications manager for Audubon Conservation Ranching, a branch of the National Audubon Society that aims to help declining grassland bird populations. Peterson banded more than 15,000 birds and saw more than 286 species in her life, with many of the rare sightings at Salt Lake, Hauck said. Her documentation of birds inspired others to start the Salt Lake birding festival 45 years ago, making it the state’s oldest birding festival, Hauck said. Festival officials are predicting robust bird-watching this weekend. Though all 125 seats available on the buses have been reserved, birders can drive around the lake in their personal vehicles. “We’re going to have puddles of water all over,” Vacek said, “and those small puddles are what really attract and keep hold some of the birds here to nest.” Alex Chhith is a general assignment reporter for the Minnesota Star Tribune. Outdoor Activities The state’s “Big 10″ account for nearly half of the annual harvest These three cousins were dropped in the middle of the Denali backcountry with nothing to do but explore Columnist Dennis Anderson and outdoors writer Tony Kennedy will be answering your questions about Minnesota’s largest opening day SALT LAKE CITY — Despite potential headwinds from a new state law barring public collective bargaining agreements Salt Lake City librarians made Utah history this week by voting to unionize A whopping 92% of Salt Lake City Public Library employees voted to unionize during a formal vote that wrapped up on Thursday They now join the American Federation of State which represents many other Salt Lake City employees setting up negotiations for what could be the first-of-its-kind collective bargaining agreement in the state — should HB267 be overturned are looking forward to negotiating our first contract and we finally have the tools to advocate for ourselves and for each other," said Christina Ordonez in a statement after the votes were tallied The city library system "respects and affirms" the election results "This moment reflects a renewed and shared commitment — by our employees and our leadership — to continue to be a workplace rooted in dignity I deeply appreciate the thoughtfulness and care with which our staff have engaged in this process," he added in a statement This week's vote marked the end of a long process that first went public over two years ago Over 60% of the city's workforce is represented by various unions, but city librarians were the largest department not unionized at the time staff revealed their intent to form one in April 2023 Employees said at the time they wanted to resolve "long-standing issues" related to the job and exclusion from decisions made by library system leaders They're now the first public library union in the state "This is a historic moment not just for Salt Lake City but for the entire state of Utah," said Jerry Philpot "Library workers have always served their community with dedication and now they will finally have a voice at the table to ensure their workplace is fair Once finalized by the state, the legislation will be held before going on the 2026 ballot. Unionization may not factor into the library's upcoming budget, but the system plans to pay employees "equitably and competitively" based on the results of a compensation study carried out by a third-party company, Baskett told Salt Lake City leaders last month. He added at the time that library staff had been "in close conversation" with union lawyers over the next steps. Next year's likely referendum will ultimately play a role in the future steps. "We are moving forward in the hopes that Utahns will vote in the best interests of their public workers," Philpot said. "This isn't just about union rights. It's about protecting the people who serve our communities every single day." The requested resource could not be found but may be available again in the future. sent to hospital in serious conditionby Megan Brugger SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — A two-year-old boy was hit by a suspected impaired driver and hospitalized in serious condition officers with the Salt Lake City Police Department received a report of a child hit by a car They responded to 532 North Dexter Street and found the two-year-old conscious The police department said they believe the boy broke free from being held and ran into a car as it exited an apartment complex The child was transported to Primary Children’s Hospital in serious condition The driver reportedly returned to the scene The police department originally said they did not suspect reckless driving or impairment they contacted KUTV 2News and said the driver was being processed "for driving while impaired." News & Analysis on Food & Beverage Development & Technology Food recalls are on the rise, posing risks to consumers and brands alike. As regulations evolve, food manufacturers must stay ahead of safety challenges while maintaining product integrity. Functional Health Benefits for Every Generation11-Apr-2022Content provided by Kerry Supplements with joint/bone health benefits grew at a global CAGR of nearly 50% over the last several years, fueled by interest from younger and older consumers alike. For more product information visit Kerry. Sporting Kansas City forward Johnny Russell (7) powers past Real Salt Lake forward Tate Schmitt (21) during an MLS soccer match Saturday, March 26, 2022, in Kansas City, Kan. (AP Photo/Nick Tre. Smith) Real Salt Lake fans have surely called Johnny Russell a lot of things over the years, more than a few of them unprintable here. In the history of the club’s rivalry with Sporting Kansas City, no player has scored more goals against RSL than KC’s former captain. Now Russell hopes fans in Salt Lake will call him something else: one of their own. The 35-year-old Scot signed a free-agent deal with RSL last week and could make his debut with his former rival this weekend. “I understand with the whole rivalry thing that some people wouldn’t be best pleased,” Russell said. “But I think people will see very quickly that I’m somebody who plays for the badge no matter where I am. I’m hoping the people who don’t quite appreciate it right now will grow to love it.” They likely will if Russell can do what he has done so many times during his seven seasons in Major League Soccer. The striker scored 67 goals during his time in Kansas City — seven of them against RSL. In Salt Lake, Russell’s new club has been desperately searching for a scoring punch since selling Chicho Arango, the team’s top scorer a season ago, during the offseason. It might be a stretch to imagine Russell filling that hole at this point in his career. But RSL coach Pablo Mastroeni believes the veteran will help. “It’s amazing,” the coach said after one of Russell’s first days of training this week. “It feels a lot like when Chicho first came to the group. He hasn’t even contributed on the field yet, but his presence is palpable. … He just brings up the level with his presence.” Russell’s leadership qualities aren’t in question. “He cares about all the boys in the team,” said forward William Agada, who played with Russell in Kansas City before being traded to Salt Lake last week. “He always brings energy. You know, leadership by example. That’s Johnny. He will run and ask you to run with him. He’s not just going to tell you what to do.” Russell said he was drawn to RSL’s talented youth who “maybe just need a little experience around, a little bit of help.” “That’s what I’m here to do, on and off the field,” he said. “Hopefully, I can share some wisdom, share some of my experiences and help them in the right direction.” He added: “If they need a little bit of a motivational push at times, I can give that. Or if they need an arm around their shoulder just to talk, I think I’ve got that balance. I completely understand I’m not captain of the team anymore. But it’s still something I’d do whether I’m captain or not. It’s part of me as a person, me as a player.” Russell hasn’t played in a match since October. But Mastroeni said RSL has been surprised by his readiness, saying Russell’s “physical metrics have been beyond what we expected.” “I looked after myself extremely well in the offseason,” Russell said. “There’s a difference between being fit and being able to play a full 90. I know that. But I don’t think it’ll be too far away.” RSL fans hope that means Russell’s goals won’t be too far away either. That’s something few thought they’d be saying a year ago. “I don’t think anyone would have thought that,” Russell said, taking in his new situation. It’s funny how the game works.” (Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Hikers walk among the wildflowers in Albion Meadow a wildlife biologist in the Dixie National Forest Reflected back was a pastoral picture of a meadow carpeted with tiny yellow flowers the black tops of pine trees rise up like merlons on a castle wall White clouds stretch back toward a sky that has turned cobalt as it struggles to hold back an incoming storm The photograph is titled “Wildflowers in Bloom at Morning Light, Dixie National Forest, Utah, USA.” Walmart sells prints of it for $37.91 Clues within the picture — like the conifer trees or the deep blue cliffs rising up in the distance — lead Boswell to believe it could have been taken near Cedar Breaks National Monument or the nearby Blowhard Mountain Possibly it was snapped near one of the boggy meadows atop the Pine Valley laccolith because that kind of wildflower beauty abounds in Utah — if you know where are great places for wildflower enthusiasts,” Boswell said “because you just get this kind of splash of color in summer and get up out of the heat.” One person who prides himself on knowing where to look for wildflowers is horticulturist Neal Dombrowski Dombrowski has been informing people about the nuances of Utah’s wildflowers through a seminar series offered at at Red Butte Garden for the past two years He said the locations of the best blooms generally stay the same Albion Basin in Little Cottonwood Canyon — considered the crown jewel of wildflowers on the Wasatch Front — can be counted on to have abundant flowers for at least a short stint every summer because of its elevation “The reason why Albion Basin is so special is that it has all this snow,” Dombrowski said the plants have to hurry up because they have a shorter growing season in order to reproduce before the next snow comes “It’s a little different down here at the garden It’s spaced out because there’s not all this snowpack.” Snowpack and temperatures dictate the timing of wildflower season each year A dry winter may bring on any early spring bloom a record snow year like the one Utah saw in 2022-23 could push peak wildflower season into September it’s not always the same in all parts of the state This winter, the northern Utah mountains mostly saw average to near-average snowfall. Meanwhile, some southern parts of the state were at 12% of average snowpack in February. March storms helped bring snow levels up, but southwest Utah was still only at 32% of average as of Thursday a park naturalist at Snow Canyon State Park near St said the lack of moisture is affecting the wildflower season there she suggested going to Snow Canyon before the end of May when “it will get a little toasty.” Then it will be time to head north and to higher elevations (Christopher Cherrington | The Salt Lake Tribune) Though its wildflower festival is held every July the blooms at Cedar Breaks National Monument could arrive early this year since that area saw below-average snowfall Mount Terrill — which is billed as having more than 50 varieties of forbs or potentially blooming plants — also could have an earlier-than-usual showing the snowpack in the Bear River Mountains near Logan is at or above average in many places That could spell a delay for the appearance of the paintbrushes lupines and the like often found along the Tony’s Grove Nature Trail Or follow the advice of Sarah Bennett, the executive director of Trails Utah and just take a hike along the Bonneville Shoreline Trail to get a sneak peak of what this season has to offer “The wildflower show in the foothills in the spring is outstanding and I feel like it is under appreciated!” Bennett wrote in a text “The high alpine flower show mid summer usually always gets the most attention but we have a super spectacular show going on at lower elevations starting right now.” wildflower watchers can catch sight of dainty forget-me-nots bright yellow arrow-leaf balsam root and even avalanche lilies will come in waves as the temperature changes “A good phone or a good camera,” Boswell advised, “can keep that flower alive forever.” Because, when it comes to wildflowers, a picture really is worth a thousand forbs.