HERRIMAN, Utah — University of Utah quarterback Cam Rising has been busy this off-season, hosting his first-ever “Rising Stars” football camp at Herriman High School.

“I’ve been in Utah for quite a while now; it really has become home to me,” said Rising. “Utes fans always come out and show so much support for us, so we’re giving to the community and doing anything we can.”

His football camp was for all athletes, grades K-12, and special needs athletes got to be a part of the fun with the “12th man” portion of the camp.

“I just wanted to make sure everybody has the opportunity,” Rising said. “Football is sometimes only for a select few, and when you can invite more people to be involved with football, it just expands the horizon.”

Supported by GATS Entertainment, this football camp was more than just sport. There was also a semi-truck that was being loaded up with food to contribute to the “For The Kids” Foundation, plus a portion of the camp’s money raised will be given to Herriman High School.

Joining Rising at the camp were also some of his Utah football teammates, who said it was important to them to be there.

“I saw Cam was having a camp and he was just talking to us in the locker room and he said, ‘Come have fun,’ so I came out here,” said Utah cornerback Tao Johnson. “It’s an amazing opportunity to give back to those same kids who are in the stands on Saturdays.”

Running back Jaylon Glover added: “Anything for Cam. This is what you live for, you know, coming to the next level you want to give back because I remember when I was in these kids’ shoes.”

One of the special needs campers, who got to hang with Rising, shared that the support was the best part.

“Oh, this was so fun,” he said. “To have all these people come and support you and help you be a part of what they do, it’s really the best feeling in the world.”

Utah opens its 2024 football season with Rising leading the way on Thursday, August 29, at home against Southern Utah.

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Treasure hunters and adventure-seekers, grab your hiking boots and get ready. The fifth annual Utah Treasure Hunt kicks off today, giving the winner a chance to take home $25,000.

Saturday, June 15, organizers David Cline and John Maxim released this year’s riddle — with a twist. It’s all in Spanish.

“A lot of the movies and stuff that we came up with like ‘The Goonies’, for example, the treasure map is all in Spanish — so it’s not that weird for us to be like, hey, this time the treasure is in Spanish,” Maxim said.

Cline said they often try to change aspects of the hunt each time to keep it fresh. Every year, he said, they’ve received messages requesting a poem in Spanish and are excited to have now put one together. He said one word can have multiple translations, adding another layer of the riddle to solve.

The Utah Treasure Hunt has become a beloved event for treasure hunters since the first one in 2020, with a prize of $5,000. Each summer since, Cline and Maxim release a riddle for hunters to solve — leading them to a treasure chest with a QR code inside to claim the winnings. Whoever solves all the clues and finds the chest this year will win $25,000.

Cline said he first approached Maxim with the idea at the height of COVID when everyone was locked inside to get them a chance to have an activity where they could safely go out and adventure. Smiling, Cline said the two are truly kids at heart.

“We’re just students of ‘The Goonies’ and ‘Indiana Jones’, and we just thought it was the coolest thing ever. Like, what if we created some kind of event where you know, any age from, you know, kids to grandparents could all get outside and go treasure hunting together?” he said. “We just love that idea. That first hunt, 2020 was only $5,000, but it sparked this whole passion for the outdoors and for just treasure hunting.”

Maxim said over the years they’ve heard stories of what the Utah Treasure Hunt means to the community — with some treasure hunters falling in love on the hunt, others saying it helped their mental health, and families saying they bonded together as they went exploring.

“We did it that first time to get people out. COVID was such a downer, but since then, the impact we’ve seen it have on people and the treasure hunters has been phenomenal. And so it’s almost something that we feel like we can’t stop doing because it’s just so great for them and for us in hiding it,” Maxim said.

Last year was unique because hunters were eagerly searching for around two months — that was the longest it took for anyone to find the treasure. Overall, Cline and Maxim said it was a positive experience, and they look forward to creating another memorable summer with this year’s hunt.

“I hope people find adventure and discover parts of Utah that they’ve missed out on and being in, you know, fall in love with nature and those kinds of things,” Maxim said.

Cline said it can be a challenge to find the line between making the riddle possible, but difficult enough that the hunt stays fun for participants.

“Each year is getting tougher and tougher because…you know, people are getting smarter and they’re getting used to kind of how we think…This year we have another kind of switch up, which we’ll see how people take it, but we’re excited about it,” he said.

Cline and Maxim said safety is paramount when they choose locations for the treasure, so to keep that in mind, and know you won’t need to rock climb or dig — but do remember to bring enough water and sunscreen.

In addition to the riddle, fans can sign up to receive a clue each Friday until the treasure is found. To stay on top of the Utah Treasure Hunt, follow @the.cline.fam and @onthejohn on Instagram.

Utah Treasure Hunt 2024 Riddle

Si sufres dolor que se cura con oro
Busca el atajo donde canta el coro
Encuentra el lugar por el cual se nombra
Dale la vuelta y sigue la sombra
¿dónde aprendes a oler el helado?
¿O comimos langostas en el pasado?
Cuando vuelves a mirar el amanecer
Sigue derecho, lo puede hacer
Mira los números como si fueras un cuervo
La edad cuando el llegó es lo que observo
Ahora estás cerca, una última pista
Muévete al lugar con la mejor vista

Riverton Mayor Trent Staggs’ pursuit of Utah’s open U.S. Senate seat got a fundraising boost after winning the nod from GOP delegates at April’s state convention, but donations to his campaign have been dwarfed by supporters of Rep. John Curtis ahead of the upcoming Republican primary election.

The latest financial disclosures filed with the Federal Election Commission show Staggs raised nearly $260,000 between April 8 and June 5, with most of that money coming after he triumphed in front of party delegates. He has $375,000 on hand heading into the final stretch ahead of the June 25 primary.

Curtis, the frontrunner in the race according to a poll commissioned by his backers, raised more than two-and-a-half times as much as Staggs during the same period, pulling in just under $970,000. More than $351,000 came from the joint fundraising committee he shares with the Conservative Climate PAC and the NRCC, which is the campaign arm for House Republicans. Curtis also has more cash on hand than Staggs, with $575,000.

Staggs reeled in an endorsement from former President Donald Trump the morning of the state convention. After that endorsement, Staggs’ campaign made three $40,000 payments to American Made Media Consultants, a company created in 202 by Jared Kushner, the former president’s son-in-law.

A complaint filed to the FEC by the Campaign Legal Center said Trump’s campaign laundered more than $600 million in campaign funds through American Made Media Consultants to companies tied to the ex-president and his family. Federal officials dismissed the complaint in 2022 after the bipartisan commission deadlocked along party lines. The Campaign Legal Center has filed suit over the dismissal.

A spokesperson for Staggs’ campaign told The Salt Lake Tribune that American Made Media bought ad time for the campaign on streaming services.

Utah’s airwaves have been blanketed with pro-Curtis advertising. Disclosures show his campaign spent more than $1 million on advertising from the first part of April to the first part of May. Since the campaign started, outside organizations have poured more than $8.4 million into the state to boost Curtis.

Brad Wilson’s fundraising has fallen off dramatically in the last couple of months. He only pulled in $27,000, the least of the four candidates in the race. His campaign spent more than $1.7 million in the last two months, including more than $1 million on advertising, but that effort did not reverse his difficulties in gaining traction with Republican voters. His campaign has not spent any money on advertising since the end of May.

Wilson has raised more than $4.7 million since last year, with loans he made to his campaign comprising $3 million of that. The former speaker of the Utah House reported having $554,000 cash on hand. Candidates can repay themselves using money from donors.

Moxie Pest Control CEO Jason Walton raised just $36,000 over the last two months, reporting 14 individual donors. Since entering the race, he has loaned his campaign $2.5 million.

Cash in other Utah congressional delegation campaigns

Of the five Republicans vying for Curtis’ seat in the 3rd Congressional District, State Sen. Mike Kennedy has raised the most money in the last two months, pulling in just under $90,000. He also has the most cash on hand, with $208,000.

Kennedy reported $6,700 in campaign donations from Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz and another $3,300 from Schultz’s wife. He also received $1,000 from the Summit County GOP.

Kennedy spent $341,000 during the reporting period, with $182,000 for advertising. He has put $160,000 of his own money into the race.

Trampoline park entrepreneur Case Lawrence’s campaign reported $16,000 in donations from six donors. That shouldn’t impact his operation much during the last stretch, though. Since mid-April, Lawrence has loaned his campaign more than $2.5 million, including a $100,000 loan earlier this week.

Lawrence’s campaign spent more than $1.35 million over the last two months, with the vast majority (more than $900,000) going toward advertising. He reported just $26,861 available cash.

Stewart Peay received just over $82,000 in donations, the second-most in the field, including $3,300 each from Sen. Mitt Romney and son Tagg Romney. He has $108,000 cash on hand.

Roosevelt Mayor JR Bird reported $27,000 in donations with approximately $148,000 cash on hand. He’s loaned his campaign just over $1 million.

State Auditor John Dougall raised the least money, reporting just $11,000 in donations and has $35,000 in the bank.

Sen. Mike Lee’s surprise endorsement of Colby Jenkins to represent Utah’s 2nd Congressional District over incumbent Rep. Celeste Maloy helped him bring in just under $124,000 in individual donations over the last two months, slightly less than the $134,000 reported by Maloy.

However, $172,000 from political action committees supercharged Maloy’s fundraising during the same period. Maloy reported nearly $167,000 in available cash, more than double Jenkins’ $82,000.

In Utah’s 1st Congressional District, Paul Miller defeated incumbent Republican Blake Moore at the state nominating convention. Despite that victory, Moore is light years ahead of Miller in fundraising.

Moore raised $177,000 in April and May, more than 38 times the $4,600 in donations to Miller. Moore’s campaign has more than $1 million in the bank. Miller has spent more than he raised, leaving his campaign balance in the negative.

Moore has begun repaying personal loans he made to his campaign when he first ran for Congress in 2020. He’s used donor money to repay himself more than $205,000, including just over $100,000 during the most recent reporting period.