Situational Analysis | June 30, 2025

It's Monday and Social Media Day ð±

Congratulations to Leah Hansen on winning the special election for HD51 on Saturday! ð

What you need to know

"Is (the West) doomed to burn? I prefer âdestinedâ to âdoomâ. The West is going to burn. Fireâs part of the process,â said Casey Teske, the wildland fire science lead for the National Park Serviceâs Wildland Fire Program. The size of wildfires in the West have steadily increased since the 1970s, and more than 33,500 wildfire have burned 1.7 million acres in the U.S. so far this year. In Utah right now, the France Canyon fire has burned 33,000 acres and is 24% contained and the Forsyth fire has burned 12,000 acres, more than a dozen homes and is 26% contained.

Rapid Relevance

Salt Lake City airport ranked among the best in the nation; 8 budget friendly activities for summertime; Jake Retzlaff has reportedly told BYU teammates, staff he plans to transfer

Utah Headlines

Political news

Mike Lee pulls public lands sale from Trump tax bill (Deseret News)
Readersâ Forum: Mike Lee is unfit to serve as senator (Deseret News)
âMultiple full-time jobsâ: Inside the life of young parents in Congress (Deseret News)
GOP members of the Utah legislature: Thank you, Senator Curtis (Deseret News)

Municipal news

Kane County Commission denies ordinance eliminating 1 acre lots on county land (Salt Lake Tribune)
Beloved Pleasant Grove hillside light artist bids farewell (KSL)

Utah

In Utah, tipping fatigue has bottomed out. Is it time for an intervention? (Deseret News)
Horse sells for record-breaking $1.7 million at Heber auction (Salt Lake Tribune)
Buffalo Soldiers in Utah finally getting their due (Deseret News)
Photographer launches ethical photography program to help Utah wildlife thrive (KSL)

Biz/Tech

How to reclaim the human interaction thatâs been lost to technology (Deseret News)

Crime/Courts

Woman arrested after setting boyfriend on fire at Midvale gas station, police say (KSL)
2 dead in Hyrum after man with possible explosives opens fire on deputies (KSL)
Krishna Temple near Spanish Fork a target of recent hate crimes, leadership says (Daily Herald)

Culture/Community

When hikers go missing, this group never stops searching for them (Deseret News)
Why diversity still matters in business, education and other areas (Deseret News)
'Every Kid Outdoors' program reaches out to refugee teens (KSL)
Tears and laughter: Community celebrates colorful life of Utah designer killed at No Kings rally (KSL, KUER, Utah News Dispatch, Salt Lake Tribune

Education

In the age of AI, we need character education more than ever (Deseret News)
State initiative lends a helping hand to Southern Utah higher ed students (St. George News)

Energy

How geothermal energy may help the Point development (KSL)
Readersâ Forum: Thank you, Sen. Curtis, for championing clean energy tax credits (Deseret News)

Environment

Is the West doomed to burn? More like destined, wildfire experts say (Deseret News)

Faith

Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church finds new home in Utah (Deseret News)
Why a Black baptist church adopted âCome, Come Ye Saintsâ: âItâs one of our staplesâ (Deseret News)
How religious freedom allows Godâs children to share love (Deseret News)

Family

Whether itâs alcohol or marijuana, the message to parents is the same: Talk to your kids (KSL Newsradio)

Health

Deaths from heart attacks are way down. Here's what's killing us instead (KSL)

Housing

Where should the homeless go? A year after the Grants Pass ruling, advocates remain divided (Deseret News)
Opinion: With faith as our guide, Utah must embrace Grants Pass as a catalyst for real solutions (Deseret News)
Against the odds, Gen Z is breaking into the housing market (KSL)

National Headlines

General

Man found dead and lockdown lifted in Idaho after 2 firefighters killed, 1 wounded in sniper ambush (AP)

Political news - Trump

Trump calls for a Gaza ceasefire deal as some Palestinians are skeptical (AP News)
The Trump administration is building a national citizenship data system (NPR)
The first rule in Trumpâs Washington: Donât write anything down (Washington Post)
Trump urges Senate GOP to overrule parliamentarian (The Hill)

Other political news

Senate Republican says he wonât run for reelection after clash with Trump (Deseret News)
Elon Musk renews his criticism of Trumpâs big bill as Senate Republicans scramble to pass it (AP)
Thom Tillis denounces GOP megabillâs Medicaid cuts in fiery speech (Politico)
Senate rulekeeper deals blows to revised âbig, beautiful billâ (Politico)

Immigration/deportation

Republican Senator Mullin says babies born in US should be deported if parents are (Reuters)
Star witness against Kilmar Abrego GarcÃa was due to be deported. Now heâs being freed. (Washington Post)

Ukraine/Russia

Ukraine F-16 pilot killed in large-scale Russian attack, Zelenskiy calls for US help (Reuters)
Russia launches record aerial attack on Ukraine (NPR)
An AP photographer captures the moment a Russian drone dives into a residential district in Kyiv (AP)

Middle East

Netanyahu sees Iran outcome opening door to Gaza hostage return (Reuters)
How Israel-Aligned Hackers Hobbled Iranâs Financial System (WSJ)
Israel steps up Gaza bombardment ahead of White House talks on ceasefire (Reuters)

World news

At Bezosâ Venetian Wedding: Buzz, Bling and Backlash (New York Times)
In Sudan, where children clung to life, doctors say USAID cuts have been fatal (Washington Post)
Syrian forces massacred 1,500 Alawites. The chain of command led to Damascus. (Reuters)

News Releases

Mayor Jenny Wilson, emergency responders on fire risk this summer

Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson joined fire and emergency management professionals on June 27 to raise public awareness about fireworks restrictions and fire prevention efforts ahead of the July holidays. Local leaders and emergency management personnel discussed current fire conditions, as well as proactive fire suppression and mitigation efforts regularly carried out by the County and its fire safety partners. Speakers emphasized the importance of everyone following fireworks restrictions. Community members were encouraged to attend professional firework displays and leave the lighting of fireworks to the professionals. If community members choose to launch fireworks, they should only launch legal fireworks and comply with local restrictions. (Read More)

Silicon Slopes and Visit Salt Lake announce Summit for 2026

Silicon Slopes today announced the expansion and launch of Summit, its global innovation summit, set to take place from February 4-7, 2026, in partnership with Visit Salt Lake. Convening culture shifters, entrepreneurs, investors, civic leaders and more, the event will unite Salt Lakeâs sport legacy, multimedia advancements and next-gen storytelling to celebrate and amplify innovations driving Utahâs future. (Read More)

2025 Lifetime Service Awards to three trailblazers in law

The Utah State Bar awarded its prestigious 2025 Lifetime Service Awards, honoring three extraordinary legal professionals whose careers have exemplified commitment, integrity and transformative impact in the legal community. This yearâs honorees are Judge Noel S. Hyde, Reyes Aguilar and Professor Jensie L. Anderson. (Read More)

Kim Cordova sworn in as new Utah State Bar President

The Utah State Bar is proud to announce that Kim Cordova was sworn in as the new President of the Utah State Bar on June 26, 2025. With more than two decades of legal experience and a steadfast commitment to public service, Cordova brings a wealth of insight and leadership to this prestigious role. (Read More)

Gov. Cox names Ericka Evans executive director of the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services

Gov. Cox announced the appointment of Ericka Evans as executive director of the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services (DABS), pending Senate confirmation. Evans will replace Tiffany Clason, who is moving to the private sector after nearly four years of service with the state. Ericka will begin her service on Monday, July 28, 2025. Gov. Cox has appointed Todd Darrington to serve as interim Executive Director, effective Monday, June 30, 2025, until Evansâs start date on July 28, 2025. (Read More)

On This Day In History

1702 - Elizabeth Timothy is born. The colonial immigrant became the first female newspaper editor and publisher in America. After the death of her father, Timothy assumed his role in printing the South Carolina Gazette under contract with Benjamin Franklin.
1883 - Dorothy Tilly is born. She was a civil rights reformer who devoted her life to reforming southern race relations
1899 - Margaret Byrd Rawson is born. An educator and researcher, she identified and treated reading disorders including dyslexia
1906 - US Congress passes the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act; these laws owe much to the expose journalism of the period (Upton Sinclair's 'The Jungle' in particular)
1934 - Hitler orders the assassination of hundreds of members of his own political party in the Night of the Long Knives.
1982 - The ERA fails, 3 states short of ratification.
2014 - Burwell v Hobby Lobby is decided in a 5-4 vote
2021 - Donald Rumsfeld dies at age 88

Quote of the Day

âEveryoneâs saying you canât do anything until you can do everything, and in life Iâve never found that to be the case. To me, first you crawl, then you walk, then you run. And so letâs get on with it. Letâs stick something in the ground and not pretend that itâs perfect.â

â Donald Rumsfled

On the Punny Side

What's the best thing about Switzerland?
I don't know, but the flag is a big plus.