Utah

They run Utah's state prisons and are making history while doing so

Published

1 year ago

March 12, 2025

They run Utah's state prisons and are making history while doing so

SALT LAKE CITY — It’s never happened before in Utah, both state prisons have female wardens. Trailblazers and role models, both wardens worked their way up through the ranks of the Utah Department of Corrections and in observation of Women’s History Month FOX 13 News is committed to showcasing their stories.

Ironically, Utah’s first-ever female warden, Kristen Kiesel, wasn’t sure the corrections department would be her career. “But as I got into the field and seen all the opportunities within the department, I found the direction I wanted to go.”

In 2023, Kiesel was named warden of the Utah State Prison in Gunnison.

Utah’s second female warden, Sharon D’amico, began her career in corrections as a challenge to herself after seeing a help-wanted ad. “And I remember seeing the advertisement and going; I wonder if I can do that? Apparently, I guess I can do it because it’s now 29 years later,” D’amico remembered.

D’amico was named warden of the Utah State Prison in Salt Lake City last year. Now, both women are linked, not only through work but also historically. For the first time, both state prisons have female wardens.

Warden D’amico says her focus is on the job of running Utah’s largest correctional facility. “I honestly never even really thought about it until we both became wardens.
And we work really well together, we collaborate a lot so that our prisons are similar.”

Warden Kiesel agrees, “I like to go out and visit with my staff, be with them, see the challenges that they’re facing, and make those decisions with that in mind.”

Warden D’amico now hopes they can be role models to other young women.

“So I think it’s needed, and I really hope that women, more women come to this career and believe in themselves that they can do it because they can.”

Both Wardens say they work together to keep their facilities safe, engage their staff, and ensure that the inmates have every opportunity to rehabilitate and successfully reintegrate into society.

Source link

Utah

A new bar brings the Himalayas to the foot of Big Cottonwood Canyon

Published

12 hours ago

April 18, 2026

Press Room

A new bar brings the Himalayas to the foot of Big Cottonwood Canyon

Also from Utah Eats: A Utah baker ends his run on a Food Network competition; Lucky Slice’s territory grows.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Yeti, a Himalayan-themed bar in Cottonwood Heights, is pictured on Wednesday, April 8, 2026.

Source link

Utah

Zion National Park closes popular trail during ongoing search and rescue operation – KSLNewsRadio

Published

1 day ago

April 17, 2026

Press Room

Zion National Park closes popular trail during ongoing search and rescue operation – KSLNewsRadio

FILE: An entrance to Zion National Park is pictured on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020. The West Rim and Angel’s Landing Trails are temporarily closed in Zion National Park for an ongoing search and rescue operation. (Ravel Call, Deseret News)

(Ravel Call, Deseret News)

SALT LAKE CITY — The West Rim and Angel’s Landing Trails are temporarily closed in Zion National Park for an ongoing search and rescue operation.

According to park officials, an incident occurred on the Angels Landing trail at approximately 2 p.m. on Friday, April 17.

At the time of publication, emergency services and search and rescue officials were on the scene.

Views along the Angel’s Landing Trail, Zion National Park. (KSL)

No further information was available.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

Source link

Utah

Freezing cold temps linger, but much warmer this weekend

Published

2 days ago

April 17, 2026

Press Room

Freezing cold temps linger, but much warmer this weekend

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Happy Friday, Utah! Things will be a bit calmer in the north today, although lake effect snow could bring a few light morning showers to parts of the Salt Lake Valley and over the Oquirrh Mountains.

We may see snow showers hold on to the Northern Mountains as well, but the vast majority of the snow is behind us. Clouds will clear as we approach the afternoon with partly cloudy to mostly sunny skies on deck for most of the day.

While the snow is tapering off, the cold airmass is still around. Daytime highs will run 10-15 degrees below seasonal norms, only topping out in the mid to upper 40s for most of the state, and upper 50s to mid 60s for the warmer spots.

Breezy conditions are expected in southern and eastern Utah, but they’ll calm down throughout the day. Lower Washington County may wake up to gusty northerly winds, especially near the mouths of north-south oriented canyons where gusts are climbing to 50 mph. As a result, a Wind Advisory is in effect for this area until 9 am.

It’ll be another cold overnight with temperatures dropping below freezing, so don’t turn on your sprinklers or bring you plants back outside just yet. Freeze Warnings are in effect for most Utah valleys from the Wasatch Front to Cedar City and through much of Eastern Utah.

Temperatures will fall to the teens and 20s, posing a threat to sensitive vegetation and outdoor plumbing. The Freeze Warning is in effect from 8 pm Thursday until 12 pm Friday for most of the West Desert, the Wasatch Front, Castle Country, the Western Uinta Basin, Sanpete and Sevier Valleys, and Canyonlands.

The Freeze Warning goes back into effect at the same time Friday night into Saturday morning.

Saturday will kick off with freezing temperatures, but the warming trend begins. By Saturday afternoon temperatures will be closer to normal, reaching the upper 50s to low 60s for most valleys, and mid 60s to low 70s for the typical hot spots.

By Sunday temperatures will climb another 10-15 degrees, topping out in the low 70s for most, and 80s for St. George. The warm dry weather sticks around to kick off the workweek and temperatures continue climbing through Tuesday when the Wasatch Front could be flirting with 80s. We could see a change come midweek.

We’ll keep you posted on the latest developments in our 4Warn Weather forecast both on-air and online, we are Good4Utah!