With thanks to

⛅ 23 – 49° Logan | ⛅ 31 – 50° Salt Lake

🌦️ 20 – 42° Manti | 🌦️ 35 – 52° Moab

🌦️ 22 – 47° Cedar City | ⛅ 39 – 60° St. George

Good morning!

As Utah addresses the Sundance Film Festival’s departure, we must face its impact in more than economic terms.

The festival only provides about 0.06% of Utah’s annual GDP. Some of that lost revenue will be mitigated by extra ski tourism replacing the resorts and restaurants that were filled by festivalgoers.

“However, this is about more than just dollars and cents,” The Deseret News Editorial Board writes. “Over its more than 40 years in Utah — and prior to the 2002 Olympics — Sundance came to define Park City.

“Sundance lent a creative and entertainment flair to the state that will be difficult to replace. It was also a springboard, particularly in its first decade, to assist aspiring screenwriters in Utah and the West.”

Nevertheless, Utah’s filmmaking industry continues to grow. Sundance’s departure doesn’t signal the end of film in Utah, but how might it change the dynamic and offer an opportunity for growth?

Read more about how Utah will recover from the loss of Sundance.

Also on our minds:

Musk is not leaving DOGE early, U.S. Press Secretary states
Rep. Burgess Owens wants to rename congressional press gallery after Frederick Douglass
This Utah ski resort is among the snowiest ski areas in North America

Trump puts the world on notice as he announces global tariffs

Brigham Tomco writes:

President Donald Trump announced Wednesday the most expansive tariff regime since 1872 with a blanket 10% tariff on all foreign imports and rates of up to 50% on imports from countries with significant trade barriers.

The so-called “Liberation Day” proclamation marked the most significant shift in U.S. trade policy in decades. It also represented the fulfillment of campaign promises Trump has been making for nearly 10 years.

In addition to a baseline 10% tariff that includes more than 100 foreign trade partners, Trump unveiled what he called “kind” or “discounted” reciprocal tariffs that will be equal to half of a country’s trade barriers toward the U.S. as calculated by the administration.

The immediate impact of Wednesday’s announcement on Utah businesses will be uncertain, according to Ben Kolendar, the chief of staff at World Trade Center Utah, a nonprofit organization that helps Utah companies make international connections.

“It’s going to take some time to build out our supply chains,” Kolendar said. “And the reality is, we’re going to have to import goods for some time, even if they are more costly.”

Read more about the tariffs that could have the biggest effects on Americans and how Utah businesses responded.

Meet Sage, the USU police dog who is connecting the campus

When Caitlin Keith told me she was heading to Utah State University to follow the campus police for an article, I was intrigued. I was ecstatic to learn she would, in fact, be following a K-9 unit and its star: a very good girl named Sage.

Caitlin has actually known Sage, an 18-month-old English Labrador retriever, since she was a puppy. Caitlin can personally attest that Sage is a loving, mellow dog who is willing to greet everyone and is a serious help for stressed students.

“Unlike most police K-9 animals who can’t be petted or greeted by those they pass in their duties, Sage is meant to make friends, receive many pats and be a comfort to everyone around her,” Caitlin writes. “Sage is a community engagement, critical incident and crisis response K-9, the first of her kind in Utah.”

When Caitlin followed Sage around campus, she witnessed firsthand Sage’s unique ability to seek out students who needed support and offer help and comfort.

Read more about how USU’s unique K-9 unit bridges gaps in the community.

Utah Business 2025 Executive Excellence Nominations

It’s time to recognize executive team members for their strategic vision, resilient leadership, and profound influence. Nominate before April 18!

Politics

Trump press secretary denies Politico reporting on Elon Musk and DOGE, following Bret Baier interview (Deseret News)
Utah Rep. Burgess Owens pushes to rename congressional press gallery after Frederick Douglass (Deseret News)
How far can red states go to oppose Planned Parenthood? Supreme Court debates Medicaid restrictions (Deseret News)
Sen. John Curtis leads effort to financially assist Taiwan allies amid Chinese pressure (Deseret News)

The U.S.

Outrage grows over Maryland man’s mistaken deportation to El Salvador prison (The Associated Press)
Central U.S. braces for tornadoes and flash flooding as powerful storm approaches (NPR)

The World

Mexico bans junk food in schools. Is the U.S. next? (Deseret News)
Israel to seize parts of Gaza as military operation expands (The Associated Press)
A third global recession in 20 years looms (Axios)

Sports

‘I have way more to prove’: Why star linebacker Jack Kelly is returning to BYU for one more year (Deseret News)
Where will Kevin Young take BYU in second year at the helm? (Deseret News)
3 NFL rule changes that passed this week — and 1 that didn’t (Deseret News)
BYU gymnastics is moving onto the second round of NCAA regionals (Deseret News)

Faith

North Star Conference encourages reconciliation between faith and sexuality (Deseret News)
Photo Gallery: End of Ramadan (Deseret News)
April 2025 general conference: How to watch, listen and follow (Deseret News)

Health

Judge foils FDA plan to regulate lab-developed tests (Deseret News)
Denali Therapeutics set to advance groundbreaking treatments for neurological diseases (Deseret News)

🗓️ Events Calendar

We put together a list of events and activities going on around the state of Utah in April. Check it out and let us know if we are missing anything!

Here are some highlights for events in Utah today:

April 3 — Utah Hockey Club vs. Los Angeles Kings | 7 p.m.
April 3 — UVU women’s soccer vs. Utah Royals
April 3 — SUU women’s gymnastics regional championship
April 3 — BYU men’s volleyball vs. Stanford | 7 p.m.
April 3-12 — “Ride the Cyclone” | Westminster Performing Arts Center, Salt Lake

Check your inbox tomorrow morning for more news from the Beehive State and beyond!

And reply to this email or email newsletters@deseretnews.com to tell us what you think of Utah Today.

Thanks for reading!

— Ariel