What’s within the water in Salt Lake Metropolis.Picture: Getty Photos
“What’s going on in Utah?” was the Brian Windhorst question that dominated the summer season because the Jazz’s CEO of basketball operations Danny Ainge jettisoned Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves for a boatload of first-round picks by 2029. The reply was Utah gutting their roster and Quin Snyder strolling away so the workforce could be free to pursue the highest decide in 2023. The concept was their roster would put them in pole place for the slalom race to the underside of the NBA hill.
Defensive specialist Royce O’Neal was traded to Brooklyn for a first-round decide. In August, Patrick Beverley was traded for Talen Horton-Tucker, one of the vital overpaid 21-and-under property within the NBA. In a league the place taking pictures is at a premium, Horton-Tucker is likely one of the league’s worst, drilling a paltry 27 % of his triples over the span of his first 4 seasons.
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Utah accomplished their roster deconstruction in September after they closed the saga with a commerce with Cleveland that surrendered Donovan Mitchell. What bought ignored within the fervor over the potential of the 2023-24 Jazz had been the veteran rotation gamers in addition they acquired in these trades and the influence they’d have on this season. Within the Gobert commerce, they hustled Malik Beasley, Walker Kessler, Jarred Vanderbilt and Beverley out of Minnesota. Within the Mitchell swap, Utah collected Lauri Markkanen, rookie wing Ochai Agbaji, guard Collin Sexton, plus three unprotected first-round picks (2025, 2027, and 2029) and two decide swaps (2026 and 2028).
Ainge’s managed demolition of the Jazz was their lottery ticket for Victor Wembanyama. With that summer season haul, Utah’s particular tank unit was supposedly assembled. As a substitute, the costs Ainge set off seem to have sparked one thing else. The Jazz are 8-3 and the complete league is pondering “what’s going on in Utah?” for fully completely different causes. The happy-go-lucky group Ainge cobbled collectively is enjoying and not using a true star, enjoying high-quality basketball below rookie head coach Will Hardy and possesses a camaraderie that the Mitchell-Gobert Jazz lacked.
By way of 11 video games, the Jazz lead the Western Convention in wins and boast the second-best profitable proportion within the convention. In addition they led the NBA in pyrrhic victories. A lot to the chagrin of Jazz followers, Utah is enjoying its manner out of the Wembanyama race they entered this summer season.
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This season’s Jazz are the George Costanza Reverse technique personified. Ainge tried to assemble a unit able to shedding at a prolific charge, however in a stunning twist, unlocked a selfless group that’s enjoying properly above their pay grade. Like Costanza, they’re fats and unemployed, stay with their dad and mom, and happy with it, but it surely’s inexplicably working for ‘em.
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All the pieces Ainge has accomplished of late works out the other as he meant. In Boston, Ainge’s persistence on the commerce market wore everybody skinny as he handed on delivering a bonafide famous person who might ship them on the trail to title competition. In 2018, he infamously handed on pairing a Kawhi Leonard rental with Kyrie Irving. As a substitute, the Raptors took a big gamble and Leonard erupted for one of the vital awe-inspiring campaigns in fashionable NBA playoff historical past.
Ainge plucked Brad Stevens from Butler in 2013, noticed him win 55 % of his video games in eight seasons, hit a brick wall within the Convention Finals twice, then Stevens changed him as president of basketball operations and reversed the Al Horford commerce because the Celtics superior to the Finals that eluded Ainge for the previous decade.
In the end, Utah’s pyrrhic victories might have a residual impact a 12 months on their roster a 12 months from now. Finally, the Western Convention’s elite groups will activate their pilot lights and the Jazz will probably be cooled down considerably. The play-in recreation is a pleasant comfort prize, however Ainge may have troublesome choices to make through the Commerce Deadline. In the event that they proceed alongside their present tempo or are packed into the middle of the Western Convention playoff herd, one other clearance sale could also be so as.
Ainge most likely ought to have considered arranging a yard sale earlier for a few of their rotation gamers he didn’t intend to host completely on Utah’s roster. A majority of the rotation Utah has deployed have confirmed to be too skilled, and too team-oriented to be the nucleus of a bottom-three squad. Particularly when in comparison with the uncooked, neophytes populating Oklahoma Metropolis, Houston and Orlando’s lineups on a nightly foundation. On the plus facet, they’ve raised their commerce worth.
Microwave-scoring Sixth Man of the 12 months Jordan Clarkson is averaging 5.3 assists an evening, practically double his career-high, throughout a contract 12 months. Malik Beasley is a marksman who has been unconscious from deep. Collin Sexton is a brash and daring combo guard who can warmth up shortly off the bench. Lauri Markkanen is placing his offensive scoring repertoire on show.
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Paradoxically, two of the groups Utah acquired first-round picks from this summer season, Brooklyn and Lakers are on the tumultuous, shedding trajectory Ainge desired. At 4-6 and 2-7 respectively, the Nets and Lakers are on an reverse course. L.A. surrounded LeBron with a few of the worst taking pictures lineups of his profession and Brooklyn is doing the other of Golden State and embracing calamity and are actually in Utah’s place within the NBA’s basement. Because the NBA’s regulation of equal alternate dictates, the basketball gods giveth they usually taketh away.
SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah man accused of holding his girlfriend and her family in their home for six months on a lie that “cartel” members were after them has been arrested.
Dominic Garcia, 23, faces 28 counts, including seven each of kidnapping and assault, after his arrest Saturday. He remained held Monday in the Salt Lake County jail, NBC News reported.
He allegedly told police he lied to the family about needing to protect them from a nonexistent “cartel,” according to the police affidavit.
“Dominic said that he continued this lie for several months because he did not know how to stop it in fear that they would not like him,” the affidavit reads.
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He had no attorney listed to speak on his behalf.
Garcia moved in with the family of seven in the Salt Lake City suburb of Millcreek in December. Soon after, he allegedly told them his own family had business ties to a cartel and the family needed to protect themselves.
Garcia allegedly began carrying a handgun and repeatedly told family members the cartel would kill them if they did not do as he told.
Other family members allegedly told police Garcia, at times, kept them from leaving the house for more than short periods.
Police went to the house after getting a call from someone inside, according to the affidavit.
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“The complainant reported they weren’t able to take it any longer, and they were holding Dominic at gunpoint until police arrived,” the affidavit states. “Officers arrived and took Dominic into custody without incident.”
On May 5, 2025, nearly 80 students, researchers, and professionals gathered at the Natural History Museum of Utah (NHMU) for the inaugural Utah SciComm Symposium – an event designed to empower scientists to communicate their work with clarity, creativity, and relevance. Supported by the Research!America Civic Science Microgrant, this event provided a platform for showcasing innovative science communication and fostering dialogue between disciplines and communities. While scientific rigor is essential, the true impact of research depends on how effectively we share it.
The Utah SciComm Symposium brought together voices from academia, government, and journalism. Julie Kiefer, PhD, shared insights from her work at University of Utah Health, emphasizing the power of connection in making science matter. Atim Enyenihi, PhD, offered a policy and industry lens, reminding attendees that the messenger’s identity shapes how science is received. Matthew LaPlante, PhD, drove the message home: “The challenge of science communication is not one of ‘dumbing things down,’ but rather ‘bridging our brilliances.’”
Nearly 80 students, researchers, and professionals gathered at the Natural History Museum of Utah (NHMU) for the inaugural Utah SciComm Symposium.
Following these talks, we hosted an Ask Me Anything (AMA) panel, where audience members submitted anonymous questions on topics ranging from career pathways in science communication to overcoming burnout, navigating misinformation, and rekindling a sense of wonder in research. This open dialogue created a space for candid conversations, making the event feel more like a community exchange than a traditional lecture series.
A centerpiece of the symposium was the SciComm Hackathon Finalist Presentations, where six graduate students showcased creative projects – including comics, visual storytelling pieces, an animated lecture, and a short-form video designed for social media – that translated their complex research for broader audiences. These projects were the result of months of dedicated work, as students developed and refined their materials with feedback from our expert judging panel and media consultant, Julie Callahan. Julie’s experience in multimedia graphics and public outreach was instrumental in helping students shape their ideas into compelling stories. More than just a showcase of scientific expertise, these projects reflected a shared commitment to storytelling, accessibility, and meaningful public engagement.
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“Science communication serves as a bridge between the public and trust in science,” said Kiefer. “Without it, knowledge stays in labs and datasets, when it should be changing minds and changing lives. I’m excited to see so many talented young scientists who are passionate about explaining science and its impacts in creative ways.”
Beyond presentations, the symposium featured interactive science activities led by Utah Brain Awareness Week members from the Department of Neuroscience at the University of Utah. Attendees had the rare opportunity to hold real human brains, learning fascinating facts about brain structure and function, while the concussion goggles module allowed participants to experience the disorienting effects of mild to severe brain injuries. By testing their motor skills through this simulated “patient” lens, attendees also gained a deeper appreciation for the importance of protecting the brain from injury.
Nearly 80 students, researchers, and professionals gathered at the Natural History Museum of Utah (NHMU) for the inaugural Utah SciComm Symposium .
The event’s design reflected the ethos of public engagement: breaking down barriers between science and society through conversation, creativity, and shared curiosity. The Utah SciComm Symposium wasn’t just about presenting research – it was about creating a culture of communication, where storytelling and public engagement are seen as essential components of scientific practice. In an era where misinformation and polarization threaten scientific trust, equipping researchers with these skills is a necessity. By fostering a culture of science communication, we aim to build a more informed, engaged, and connected community.
Utah families need more support for affordable childcare
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) A child holds up a sign during a rally to demand funding for childcare at the Capitol in May 2024.
By The Salt Lake Tribune Editorial Board
| May 18, 2025, 12:03 p.m.
Utah’s political leaders say they like economic growth. They also say they like strong families.
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But it is all so much talk unless our state’s political and business leaders do more — a lot more — to ensure affordable childcare services are available to more Utah families.
It is not necessary to care at all about the woes of individual families, about parents (mostly mothers) who have to leave college or vocational training before they finish, who have to quit their jobs or give up career advancements, all because they can’t find or afford adequate childcare.
A dollars-and-cents view of the problem shows what the Utah economy is losing because it lacks this vital part of a community’s basic infrastructure.
A 2022 survey published by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation — working with United Way of Salt Lake, Voices of Utah Children and the Salt Lake Chamber — was titled “Untapped Potential.” That’s because it measured what Utah loses due to inadequate child care availability.
According to the survey, the overall Utah economy loses $1.36 billion a year because of lost productivity, employee absenteeism and turnover, abandoned careers, degrees or certificates not completed. The state also comes up some $256 million short in annual tax revenues.
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And that’s not counting the human cost of dreams delayed or abandoned, of children left in unlicensed, inadequate, even dangerous, facilities.
There was some federal and state money put up to assist childcare providers and customers during and immediately after the coronavirus pandemic. It helped.
But that flow of funds has been running out, and a new administration that prides itself on randomly cutting large amounts out of the nation’s social and educational budgets is only going to make things worse.
Utah’s political, business and religious leaders need to step up.
Larger employers should see the benefits of offering on-site childcare facilities, where parents will be more likely to get to work on time and strengthen parental bonds by being able check in on their children during the day. Smaller employers can prioritize flexibility for parents, in a number of creative ways. Churches with spaces that go unused during the week, and school districts that have downsized, should provide room for care centers.
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The state should be more aggressive in providing subsidies, tax credits and other incentives to make childcare affordable for families and working in the field a desirable career. And we need a solution for the untenable cost of liability insurance, which is a massive problem for daycare centers.
It will cost money. But it will cost a lot less than $1.36 billion.
Editorials represent the opinions of The Salt Lake Tribune editorial board, which operates independently from the newsroom.
