Meg Walter’s quest for the perfect chips and salsa continues.
This time, she traveled from Salt Lake City to St. George in her search.
Her rubric is as follows:
I’m looking for a sit-down restaurant. Meaning, I want a place where a hostess will lead me and my party to a table, hand us all menus, and set out chips and salsa. I need a large Diet Coke, preferably in a giant red cup.
While chips and salsa are what I’m focused on most, the entrees obviously need to be good, because if I’m going to return to this place often, I want to have a great meal every time, not just a great appetizer.
Even though my personal go-to will need to be in Salt Lake County, where I live, I’m trying spots all over the state to best inform readers.
She checked out the menus at Chili’s in Orem, Los Tapatios in St. George and Red Iguana in Salt Lake City.
Spoiler alert: She says one of these three spots has claimed the best chips and salsa experience so far.
Tell me: Do you have any other recommendations for the best chips and salsa?
Gov. Cox: How Sen. Lee’s public lands proposal can get back on track
Gov. Spencer Cox said on Tuesday he supports the aims of Sen. Mike Lee’s public lands proposal that has ignited national debate, but he said previous versions of the legislation were too broad, Brigham Tomco reported.
After some backlash, Lee submitted more restrictive language for his initiative, limiting the lands that can be sold for private home development to include only Bureau of Land Management lands within 5 miles of a population center.
Cox believes Lee’s bill can still be a great opportunity to balance community concerns with housing needs if it recognizes that federal land sits at a “public nexus” that requires public “support and trust,” Tomco writes.
“It works,” Cox said. “It can help lower the price of housing, and we desperately need more space for housing in places like Utah and all throughout the West.”
Here are three key points:
There are hundreds of thousands of acres of public lands in or around city limits in Utah.
Lee’s proposal has elicited a wave of social media pushback from environmental groups, conservative influencers and lawmakers from both parties over the past week.
The final version of Lee’s bill should tailor public lands sell-offs to just those locations that would already “be used for housing, but for the federal government owning it,” Cox said.
Molly Hart is Utah’s new state superintendent of the Utah State Board of Education.
For over four years, Hart was a USBE member, most recently serving as its vice chair. Now she’s sitting in the board room seat reserved for the state superintendent of public instruction, Jason Swensen reported.
She’s already been on the job for a couple weeks — at a time of historic disruption in education happening in Utah and across the country.
“I feel very lucky and privileged to be able to serve in this way,” she said. “But I’m also tired. I want to do all the things — but most of all, I want to listen and learn.
“I am trying to be in as many positions or places that I can where I can listen and learn.”
Here are three things to know about Hart:
She’s been a teacher and an administrator at both a traditional public school and a charter school.
Hart’s also an avid quilter and reader, and she relishes any opportunity to polish her golf game on one of Utah’s links.
Hart’s not afraid of school choice. It’s a reflection, she said, of the freedoms valued in American society. “Choice, when managed, is something that can strengthen the system. Choice is opportunity.”
Recognizing the state’s vibrant community of innovators — from startups to established companies — and their breakthrough creations. Submit your nomination before July 9!
Utah
Why these 100 elephants ‘migrated’ through Utah (KSL.com)
Utah Olympians bring smiles to young patients at Primary Children’s Hospital on ‘Olympic Day’ (KSL-TV)
The Forsyth Fire is ‘heartbreaking,’ says a Pine Valley resident who stayed behind (KUER 90.1)
A historic Garfield industry rises from the ashes (Utah Business)
These 5 SLC hikes are on public land proposed for possible sale (Axios)
France Canyon Fire swells to 25,550 acres; power outage scheduled for portions of Southern Utah (St George News)
Wildlife officials warn of the dangers of approaching free-roaming bison at Antelope Island State Park (Standard-Examiner)
Health
FDA approves HIV drug based on University of Utah biochemist’s findings (KSL.com)
Why prior authorization for some medical procedures might be going away (Deseret News)
2 more adults diagnosed with measles, Utah health department says (KSL.com)
Faith
Dallas Jenkins says ties between ‘The Chosen’ and Angel Studios are officially severed (Deseret News)
Should public school teachers be allowed to lead students in prayer? Here’s what Americans think (Deseret News)
Practical advice for first-time temple goers (LDS Living)
Ground broken for 1st temple in Hungary (Church News)
Politics
‘Fire up the deportation planes’: Supreme Court backs Trump immigration push (Deseret News)
Iran-Israel ceasefire holds so far — but only after Trump swears in frustration (Deseret News)
Democrats accuse Republicans of ‘hiding facts’ after abrupt cancellation of Iran briefings (Deseret News)
Why Trump’s labor secretary says it’s ‘America First’ to expand the migrant workforce (Deseret News)
The Nation and the World
Millions swelter as heatwave descends on North America (BBC)
ICE holding a record 59,000 immigrant detainees, nearly half with no criminal record, internal data show (CBS News)
4th of July travel likely to shatter records: What to expect (ABC News)
Detectives narrowing timeline of missing Idaho teens (Cache Valley Daily)
Sports
Landing of 5-star QB Ryder Lyons should be a seminal moment in BYU football history (Deseret News)
Ryder Lyons commitment illustrates changes in how BYU sells itself (Deseret News)
🗓️ Events Calendar
We put together a calendar list of events and activities going on around the state of Utah during this month. Check it out, and let us know if we are missing anything!
Here are some highlights for events in Utah today:
Orem’s Farmers Market and Food Fest Wednesdays | City Center Park, Orem
Park City Farmers Market | Park City Resort, Park City
Jake Shimabukuro | Egyptian Theatre
“Svetlana” | Regent Street Black Box at Eccles Theater | Salt Lake City
“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” | Timpanogos Arts Foundation at Valentine Theater, American Fork
Real Salt Lake vs. LAFC | 7:30 p.m.
Please reach out to me at sgambles@deseretnews.com if you have any thoughts, feedback or ideas you would like to share!
.png?width=1200&upscale=true&name=Utah%20Today%20Banner%20(v2).png)
-Jun-24-2025-08-56-28-8567-PM.jpg)
-Jun-24-2025-08-56-28-7614-PM.jpg?width=1120&upscale=true&name=1-Newsletter%20(2)-Jun-24-2025-08-56-28-7614-PM.jpg)
.png?width=750&upscale=true&name=Round%20out%20your%20day%20(v5).png)
