Happy Saturday, and welcome to Inside Voices, a weekly newsletter that features a collection of ideas, perspectives and solutions from across Utah — without any of the vitriol or yelling that’s become all too common on other platforms. Subscribe here.

Happy Saturday, friends. As we approach the end of the year, I wanted to take a moment to thank you all for subscribing to Inside Voices and reading along each week. My hope was to create a forum for opinions you won’t find elsewhere and to share your own experience without any of the vitriol or yelling that’s become all too common on other platforms.

I’m especially grateful to those of you who have shared your perspectives, analyses and ideas. To celebrate that, I’d like to take a look back at some of The Salt Lake Tribune’s most read Voices pieces from 2024:

1. LDS women should join me in skipping church on Sunday | Kierstyn Kremer Howes

2. If Ryan Smith can’t afford his own entertainment district, I have no choice but to assume he is poor | Brian Higgins

3. ‘Heretic’ brings back scary, suffocating memories of my LDS mission | Beth Adams

4. After three decades of being a Utah Jazz fan, I can’t do it anymore | Bryan Griffith

5. Christ put his trust in women, why won’t more LDS men? | Rosemary Card

6. Glen Canyon Dam has created a world of mud | David Marston

7. The Utah Jazz need to stop giving Karl Malone a platform | Ben Dowsett

8. For millennial women like me, LDS garments carry a complicated symbolism | Annie Mangelson

9. Natalie Cline bullied our child, and she should be impeached | Al and Rachel van der Beek

10. Weber State is embracing change in our approach to serving students. As its leader, I welcome scrutiny. | Brad Mortensen

11. I grew up in Park City, and I don’t recognize the place it’s become | Fletcher Keyes

12. Utah, it’s OK to go outside without winning | Brian Higgins

13. As a parent, I hated sending my kids to school so early. As a sleep researcher, I know how damaging it is. | Wendy Troxel

14. It’s time to step away | Paul Huntsman

15. I’ll be at my LDS church this weekend, pushing for change | Amy Watkins Jensen

16. Why Utah teachers say they’re leaving the profession | Tribune Readers

17. After six weeks on SLC public transit, I can’t give up my car quite yet | Elise Armand

18. I’m a Latter-day Saint and a horror expert. Here’s what ‘Heretic’ gets right — and where it went wrong. | Michaelbrent Collings

19. I’m in Oslo. But I see a big case of Stockholm syndrome in Salt Lake City. | George Pyle

20. As a former Republican senator in Utah, I’m embarrassed | Stuart C. Reid

21. Ogden has a rare piece of history. It shouldn’t sit around and gather dust. | Dana Parker

22. My LDS family adopted an American Indian child in the 1970s. It was wrong, and the church should apologize. | Thomas DeVere Wolsey

23. The University of Utah can’t ignore us — its staff and faculty — forever | Kristina Lynae

24. It’s time for Utah chefs to get off their gas | Victoria N. Stafford and Edwin R. Stafford

25. Liquor store refrigerators boldly usher Salt Lake beer-lovers into the mid-20th century | Brian Higgins

Thanks for sharing and for reading! If you’re interested in contributing an op-ed or Letter to the Editor in 2025, please take a look at our guidelines — which include several helpful prompts — and reach out to me at sweber@sltrib.com.

Utah Voices

The following excerpts come from op-eds recently published in The Tribune.

Health insurance

• “Too often, we’ve seen treatment denied because patients aren’t deemed ‘depressed enough’ by insurance standards, yet as I sit across from them, I see them suffering to the point of suicidal ideation,” writes Utah psychiatrist Alex Mageno. Read more.

Housing

• “Utah has the space to provide support for the unhoused and suburban communities have a chance to lead this charge,” writes Chandler Whitlock, a master’s student at the University of Utah. “Society thrives when we support each other. We can utilize existing resources to support one of our community’s most vulnerable populations.” Read more.

Education

• “In an era where people are concerned about controversial groups and bad actors infiltrating education, shared governance gives a name and a face to the people who are influencing education at the local level,” writes Utah teacher Sarah Nichols. “Parents consistently express trust for their child’s teacher and their own local schools. Removing teachers from the decision-making process will only weaken community influence on public education.” Read more.

Diversity, equity and inclusion

• “The legislators who presented HB261 said that student clubs were to remain untouched, but this did not happen. Instead, this ‘anti-discrimination’ law has undercut some of the most important anti-discrimination organizations in the state,” writes Michael Lee Wood and Jacob S. Rugh at BYU. “We believe the Utah Legislature can correct their mistake and stay true to the aims of anti-discrimination, rooting out racism and interracial support by repealing HB261 in the next legislative session.” Read more.

Transgender rights

• “Anti-trans laws are being proposed and passed almost every day in America. Federal lawmakers are condoning and/or encouraging violence against us. As a teacher and a trans person, my livelihood is in jeopardy,” writes Kiley Campbell. “My question would be: What does de-escalation do to help any of this?” Read more.

Share Your Perspective

I’m gathering predictions ahead of the new year. What do you see happening — or what would you like to see happen — in Utah in 2025?

From Bagley’s Desk

I’m always looking for unique perspectives, ideas and solutions that move our state forward. Learn more about our guidelines for an op-ed, guest essay, letter to the editor and more here, and drop me a note at voices@sltrib.com.

Dylan Guenther, seemingly, cannot be stopped.

The 21-year-old forward scored twice in Utah Hockey Club’s 2-1 win over the Minnesota Wild Friday at Xcel Energy Center.

Guenther extended his point streak to seven games and logged his ninth multi-point performance of the season in his team’s fourth consecutive victory. What’s more, Utah has won seven straight games on the road — this time against a divisional opponent.

“Big one. Every point is important for us going down the stretch. We’re playing well right now and just try to keep it going,” Guenther said. “I think when the team has success, so do the individuals. I’m just kind of the beneficiary of it.”

Much of Guenther’s success has come on the power play and it remained a difference-maker in Minnesota.

With the game tied 1-1 in the third period, Utah was put on the man advantage as Jared Spurgeon sat in the box for tripping at 9:56. Guenther was stationed at his regular left-circle spot and threw the puck on net where it hit off a Wild player and in. Guenther’s 16th goal of the season earned the final 2-1 scoreline.

Guenther leads Utah with seven power-play goals and has been a big part of the first unit’s hot streak this month. The team has scored eight times on the man advantage in the last six games — all of which was produced by the first unit of Guenther, Clayton Keller, Nick Schmaltz, Logan Cooley and Mikhail Sergachev.

Of those eight goals, five have been scored in the third period. Not only has the power play found consistency, but at critical moments of the game. Those five players have embraced the pressure and converted when it matters.

“I think we are building chemistry a bit,” Guenther said. “Just being able to reset and bear down when the time matters. I thought we’ve been doing that.”

The other side of special teams cannot be ignored. Utah’s penalty kill went 5-for-5 against the Wild, including a shut-down showing at the end of the second period which prevented Minnesota from taking a lead into the third. Utah has allowed just two power-play goals against in the last six games.

“I think we made some adjustments on the penalty kill and it worked well,” head coach André Tourigny said.

Karel Vejmelka has been one of Utah’s best penalty killers — and overall players — through that stretch. The goaltender made four saves on the Wild’s third power play and finished the night with 28 stops.

With his numbers — 2.29 goals against average and .918 save percentage — Vejmelka has put the question of whether he can handle a starter’s workload to rest. The answer is yes and he is doing it well.

“I’m just trying to focus for another shot,” Vejmelka said. “It’s all about focus to be ready. Doesn’t matter what’s going to happen, just be ready for another shot and try to find the puck early.”

The Wild’s only goal of the night came from Mats Zuccarello at 10:20 of the first period. The forward broke out on a 3-on-2 rush and one-timed a pass from Kirill Kaprizov past Vejmelka from the right side. Utah was quick to respond, though, and scored a minute later.

Guenther deflected Jack McBain’s initial shot in after driving the net. The goal made it 1-1 at 11:20 and marked Guenther’s fifth goal in four games.

Logan Cooley orchestrated the play and picked up his 22nd assist of the year. The second-line center powered through the neutral zone on entry and weaved around Minnesota players to get the puck to McBain by the left circle. Cooley tops Utah with assists and is three away from breaking his total (24) from his rookie season.

“I think it was a huge moment when we were able to tie the game pretty quick after they scored,” Vejmelka said. “Then we just got better every period and had a strong finish.”

Following Guenther’s second tally of the night in the final frame, Utah had 10 minutes to defend its one-goal advantage.

Just over a week ago, Utah led Minnesota by a goal with less than a minute remaining on the clock. The Wild tied the game in the dwindling seconds of regulation and grabbed the win in a shootout.

Utah locked it down in Friday’s rematch, however, and came away with the two points.

“Just really good composure. We’ve been in that situation a lot so I think we are getting better at it. Just another greasy win,” Guenther said. “Just trying to finish out games. We talk, good teams find ways to win. We don’t play our best and then we grind it out and find a way to win. Nice to get those ones.”

Former New Mexico offensive coordinator Jason Beck is getting a substantial raise in his move to Utah.

Beck’s contract to call Utah’s offense is for three seasons and runs from Dec. 6, 2024, to Jan. 31, 2028, according to a copy of the agreement obtained by the Deseret News via a public records request.

Beck made $400,000 last season in Albuquerque, according to a USA Today database of college football assistant coach salaries, and effectively tripled his salary in his move to Salt Lake City.

Utah will pay Beck a base salary of $1.25 million in 2025, according to his contract. He will get a $100,000 raise in each year of his contract, earning a base salary of $1.35 million in 2026 and $1.45 million in 2027.

While it’s a step down from the $2,050,000 that made veteran offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig one of the highest-paid assistant coaches in all of college football, Beck’s salary stacks up well in the Big 12.

Salary data isn’t available for private schools (BYU, TCU and Baylor), but Beck’s $1.25 million salary would have made him the third-highest-paid assistant coach in the league this season, behind Ludwig and Utah defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley, who made $2 million in 2024.

For comparison, Mack Leftwich, who recently signed a deal to be Texas Tech’s offensive coordinator, is making $1 million in 2025, $1.1 million in 2026 and $1.2 million in 2027, according to a copy of his contract obtained by the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.

Beck has been at Utah for just two weeks and has already made a massive impact on the Utes’ offensive revamp. Two staff members that have previously worked with Beck have been hired at Utah — running backs coach Mark Atuaia and receivers coach Micah Simon — and highly sought-after New Mexico quarterback Devon Dampier followed Beck to Salt Lake City.

Dampier totaled 3,934 yards of offense in 2024 — 2,768 passing and 1,166 rushing — in Beck’s offense, which was the fourth-most-productive in the country, generating 484.2 yards per game. The sophomore quarterback has been the perfect fit for Beck’s spread offense, which features a lot of quarterback runs and run-pass options.

Under Beck’s direction, the Utes have added seven players from the transfer portal to the offensive side of the ball, including Dampier, Washington State freshman running back Wayshawn Parker (735 yards and four touchdowns) and Tulsa receiver Joseph Williams (30 receptions for 588 yards and five touchdowns in seven games).