Utah
Preserving and Preparing: Getting Utah Ready for the Winter Olympics and Beyond
By Clara Jane (CJ) Blye, PhD
The Winter Olympics are returning to Salt Lake City in 2034. After experiencing the excitement of the 2002 games, Utah is looking forward to hosting the world once again.
Are we ready? When it comes to venues for Olympic events, we’re well-prepared. We also need to think about preparing our wild spaces for an influx of visitors.
The Outdoors: Essential for Utahns, and Utah’s Economy
Utah’s stunning natural beauty and range of outdoor experiences are a big draw for tourists and the Olympics. Our economy is driven by the outdoors, with 10.6 million tourists visiting the state every year to see one of the “Mighty 5” national parks.
Many more come to ski on our slopes, raft or kayak our rivers, and hike and camp in our backcountry and public lands. Tourist recreation brought in about $12 billion to the Utah economy in 2022. This benefits businesses across the state with jobs and tax revenue.
To be clear: That money is not guaranteed for the Utah economy. It is from tourists who come seeking access to beautiful wild places. Healthy, intact ecosystems are vital to our economy. Conservation and preservation are good for nature—and they’re good for business.
Giving Everyone the Chance to Experience the Outdoors
My core memories are shaped by my childhood visits to national parks and wild places in my native Canada. I suspect the same is true for those of us who grew up or visited Utah as children.
These experiences with nature are a vital part of the human experience. Parks and wild spaces can help create a sense of belonging and welcome for everyone who visits. We all deserve to feel that connection, along with enjoying clean water, clear air, and abundant wilderness. Many people come here on vacation seeking just that.
Yet, with Utah’s exploding population, those natural spaces will be a little less wild and a lot more crowded. How do we let everyone experience these wild spaces while still keeping them…wild? How can we ease crowding while encouraging access? How can we open the outdoors to everyone without ruining natural places?
These are the kinds of questions I address as an assistant professor of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism at the University of Utah, where my research focuses on sustainable tourism. I believe the answers will come from education, awareness, and proactive management.
With major events like the Olympics attracting people from all over the world, finding those answers is more important than ever.
The Opportunity and Challenge of Hosting the Olympics
The Winter Olympics welcomes people who might not have come to Utah otherwise.
We’re in a unique position to ask: What exactly do we want visitors to experience? Fortunately, we have lots of knowledge in this area, not just from the 2002 Olympics but also from smaller regional events across the state.
We have a golden opportunity to show the best version of Salt Lake City to the world. We can help people have a positive and memorable experience. We do this by letting them know what to expect and how to engage with the city and its surrounding wild areas.
As part of the Leave No Trace Science Committee, I help oversee the Leave No Trace Gold Standard Program. Achieving this designation offers several advantages. It recognizes tourism destinations and cities like Salt Lake City for their commitment to environmental stewardship. This standard also helps protect our natural resources. It uses enhanced visitor education to reduce environmental impacts, leading to more resilient natural areas.
Achieving this standard requires building community pride and awareness. For Salt Lake City, the Leave No Trace Gold Standard designation can:
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Enhance Visitor Experience: Educate tourists on sustainable practices, ensuring our natural areas remain pristine and enjoyable.
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Show Leadership: Highlight our city’s dedication to environmental responsibility on an international stage.
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Foster Sustainable Tourism: Align with global sustainability goals, attract conscientious visitors, and promote long-term economic benefits.
Now is the Time to Prepare for 2034
We have several years left until the 2034 Winter Olympics. Let’s use this time to prepare and embrace the challenge. While we cannot know everything that will happen before then, we do know the Olympics will bring an influx of people to Utah. We know that many will be experiencing it for the first time.
We know this can be the best Winter Olympics yet, and it can support efforts to preserve Utah’s wilderness for future visitors and residents alike.
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Utah
Utah man dies of injuries sustained in avalanche in Big Cottonwood Canyon
SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — A man died after he was caught in an avalanche in Big Cottonwood Canyon over the weekend.
A spokesperson for the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office confirmed on Thursday that Kevin Williams, 57, had died.
He, along with one other person, was hospitalized in critical condition after Saturday’s avalanche in the backcountry.
MORE | Big Cottonwood Canyon Avalanche
In an interview with 2News earlier this week, one of Williams’ close friends, Nate Burbidge, described him as a loving family man.
“Kevin’s an amazing guy. He’s always serving, looking for ways that he can connect with others,” Burbidge said.
A GoFundMe was set up to help support Williams’ family.
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Utah
911 recordings detail hours leading up to discovery of Utah girl, mother dead in Las Vegas
CONTENT WARNING: This report discusses suicide and includes descriptions of audio from 911 calls that some viewers may find disturbing.
LAS VEGAS — Exclusively obtained 911 recordings detail the hours leading up to the discovery of an 11-year-old Utah girl and her mother dead inside a Las Vegas hotel room in an apparent murder-suicide.
Addi Smith and her mother, Tawnia McGeehan, lived in West Jordan and had traveled to Nevada for the JAMZ cheerleading competition.
The calls show a growing sense of urgency from family members and coaches, and several hours passing before relatives learned what happened.
MORE | Murder-Suicide
Below is a timeline of the key moments, according to dispatch records. All times are Pacific Time.
10:33 a.m. — Call 1
After Addi and her mother failed to appear at the cheerleading competition, Addi’s father and stepmother called dispatch for a welfare check.
Addi and her mother were staying at the Rio hotel. The father told dispatch that hotel security had already attempted contact.
“Security went up and knocked on the door. There’s no answer or response it doesn’t look like they checked out or anything…”
11:18 a.m. and 11:27 a.m. — Calls 2 and 3
As concern grew, Addi’s coach contacted the police two times within minutes.
“We think the child possibly is in imminent danger…”
11:26 a.m. — Call 4
Addi’s stepmother placed another call to dispatch, expressing escalating concern.
“We are extremely concerned we believe that something might have seriously happened.”
She said that Tawnia’s car was still at the hotel.
Police indicated officers were on the way.
2:26 p.m. — Call 5
Nearly three hours after the initial welfare check request, fire personnel were en route to the scene. It appeared they had been in contact with hotel security.
Fire told police that they were responding to a possible suicide.
“They found a note on the door.”
2:35 p.m. — Call 6
Emergency medical personnel at the scene told police they had located two victims.
“It’s going to be gunshot wound to the head for both patients with notes”
A dispatcher responded:
“Oh my goodness that’s not okay.”
2:36 p.m. — Call 7
Moments later, fire personnel relayed their assessment to law enforcement:
“It’s going to be a murder suicide, a juvenile and a mother.”
2:39 p.m. — Call 8
Unaware of what had been discovered, Addi’s father called dispatch again.
“I’m trying to file a missing persons report for my daughter.”
He repeats the details he knows for the second time.
3:13 p.m. — Call 9
Father and stepmother call again seeking information and continue to press for answers.
“We just need some information. There was a room check done around 3:00 we really don’t know where to start with all of this Can we have them call us back immediately?”
Dispatch responded:
“As soon as there’s a free officer, we’ll have them reach out to you.”
4:05 p.m. — Call 10
More than an hour later, Addi’s father was put in contact with the police on the scene. He pleaded for immediate action.
“I need someone there I need someone there looking in that room”
The officer confirmed that they had officers currently in the room.
Addi’s father asks again what they found, if Addi and her mother are there, and if their things were missing.
The officer, who was not on scene, said he had received limited information.
5:23 p.m. — Call 11
Nearly seven hours after the first welfare check request, Addi’s grandmother contacted police, describing conflicting information circulating within the family.
“Some people are telling us that they were able to get in, and they were not in the hotel room, and other people saying they were not able to get in the hotel room, and we need to know”
She repeated the details of the case. Dispatch said officers will call her back once they have more information.
Around 8:00 p.m. — Press Conference
Later that evening, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police held a news conference confirming that Addi and her mother, Tawnia McGeehan, were found dead inside the hotel room.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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Utah
Ban on AI glasses in Utah classrooms inches closer to passing
SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — AI glasses could allow you to get answers, snap photos, access audio and take phone calls—and now a proposal moving through the legislature would ban the glasses from Utah school classrooms.
“I think it’s a great idea,” said Kizzy Guyton Murphy, a mother who accompanied her child’s class on a field trip to the state Capitol on Wednesday. “You can’t see inside what the student is looking at, and it’s just grounds for cheating.”
Mom Tristan Davies Seamons also sees trouble with AI glasses.
“I don’t think they should have any more technology in schools than they currently have,” she said.
Her twin daughters, fourth graders Finley and Grayson, don’t have cell phones yet.
“Not until we’re like 14,” said Grayson, adding they do have Chromebooks in school.
2News sent questions to the Utah State Board of Education:
- Does it have reports of students using AI glasses?
- Does it see cheating and privacy as major concerns?
- Does it support a ban from classrooms?
Matt Winters, USBE AI specialist, said the board has not received reports from school districts of students with AI glasses.
“Local Education Agencies (school districts) have local control over these decisions based on current law and code,” said Winters. “The Board has not taken a position on AI glasses.
MORE | Utah State Legislature:
Some districts across the country have reportedly put restrictions on the glasses in schools.
“I think it should be up to the teachers,” said Briauna Later, another mother who is all for preventing cheating, but senses a ban could leave administrators with tired eyes.
“It’s one more thing for the administration to have to keep track of,” said Later.
The proposal, HB 42, passed the House and cleared a Senate committee on Wednesday.
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