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THE DIGEST

September 2024 VOL. 2 / NO. 9

Deseret News

Church News

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50 years later, a reunion between the boy who died and the man who brought him back

Notre Dame Religious Liberty Summit: Restoring ‘faith in faith’

The fate of the Senate lies in the West

The rural Utah community at the crossroads of the fentanyl epidemic Utah has seen an influx of fentanyl into the state. What happens to the rural communities traffickers drive through as they distribute drugs?

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We are pleased to introduce you to The Digest, a sampling of some of the best stories written every day by the dedicated journalists at the Deseret News, Deseret Magazine and Church News. Our hope is that you will make us your trusted news source each day at a time when there is confusion and contention in the nation. The Deseret News brand stands for unimpeachable journalism centered on the issues most core to the human heart. While the Deseret News since its beginning in 1850 has evolved to meet the demands of its audience — reimagining print offerings, launching an acclaimed magazine and increasing the visibility and reach of its award-winning website — the publication remains committed to certain timeless ideals. We stand for truth and light. We stand for faith and family. We stand for liberty and responsibility. We provide news and perspective, exploring society’s thorniest problems in search of solutions that will improve your life. That’s our commitment to our readers. We invite you to discover what we can offer you:

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September, 2024

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Salt Lake City, UT — In a groundbreaking move, the Utah Legislature has passed a new bill this year that significantly advances the state’s position as a leader in regenerative medicine. This legislation, which was approved with overwhelming support, provides a robust framework for the use of stem cell therapies in clinical settings. The new law establishes approval of and clear guidelines for the use of stem cells in treating a range of conditions here in Utah, even though the stem cells are not FDA approved yet. This ensures that patients have access to safe, effective, and state-of-the-art therapies, placing Utah at the forefront of medical innovation. Central to this advancement is the Regenerative Research Group (RRG), a clinical-stage biotechnology company located in Sandy, Utah. RRG specializes in developing placental-derived allogeneic human cell and tissue products, which are meticulously processed in their state-of-the-art facility. The company’s commitment to quality, innovation, and 3rd party testing, makes them a vital player in the regenerative medicine field and has put Utah on the map for regenerative medicine. Visit regenerativeresearchgroup.org to learn more. In a strategic partnership, Freedom Integrated Medicine, a medical clinic in South Jordan, has joined forces with RRG to deliver these revolutionary stem cells to patients right here in Utah. Freedom Integrated Medicine offers stem cell therapies delivered through ultrasound-guided injections, ensuring precision and efficacy in every treatment. They also have the ability to deliver stem cells through IV. “We are thrilled to be at the forefront of this medical revolution,” said Dr. Alec Laracuente, NMD at Freedom Integrated Medicine. “By partnering with RRG, we can offer our patients the highest quality stem cell treatments, supported by the latest research and delivered with the utmost care.” For individuals interested in exploring the benefits of top-notch stem cell therapy, Freedom Integrated Medicine is celebrating this Utah milestone with 15% off any stem cell therapy during the month of September. To schedule a consultation visit www.freedomclinicutah.com or call 801-571-1338.

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50 years later, a reunion between the boy who died and the man who brought him back Scott Nicol to Fred Jepsen: ‘I get to say thank you; I literally owe you my life.’

Brice Tucker, Deseret News

Fred Jepsen, left and Scott Nicol, right, pose for a photo in Jepsen's backyard, Jepsen saved Nicol's life on a backpacking trip in the Uintas 50 years ago, when Jepsen was 23 and Nicol was 11, in Taylorsville on Thursday, July 18, 2024. Jepsen didn't stop doing CPR for 61/2 hours, until Scott started breathing again. Jepsen's actions stabilized Nicol until a life-flight helicopter landed the next morning and transported Scott to the University of Utah Hospital. By Lee Benson Deseret News

Fifty years ago, deep in the forest in the High Uintas wilderness area, 11-year-old Scott Nicol lay dead at the bottom of a Spring Bar tent as his Boy Scout leader, 23-year-old Fred Jepsen, kneeled next to him. Fifty years later, they’re sitting in the living room of Fred’s home in Taylorsville talking about it. You don’t need to tell either of them about how fragile life is, and how much we need to rely on one another to keep it going. *** Fred and Scott — everyone called him Scotty back then — were in the middle of a six-day Boy Scout backpacking trip in the rugged mountains in northeastern Utah. They had just completed a 10-mile hike over Dead Horse Pass when someone in camp shouted out, hey something’s wrong with Scotty! He wasn’t moving. He didn’t appear to be breathing, either. Word soon reached Fred, the trip’s de facto leader, a position thrust on him chiefly because he’d done this very hike the year before and could make sure they didn’t get lost. It had been a tiring day. Scotty had awakened with a cough and a scratchy throat — a product, Fred suspected, of the boy walking through streams with his boots on the day —

and Fred had spent most of it nursing Scotty along the trail. He’d hoisted the 90-pound boy on his back for five or six miles when he complained he couldn’t walk any farther. Now what? But the mood changed when Fred got to Scotty’s tent and noticed everyone had stopped talking. Two of the other adult leaders had arrived on the scene ahead of him. This was a troop affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, from a ward in Pleasant Grove. Fred, an outsider who had been invited on the trip because his in-laws lived in the ward, caught the tail end of the priesthood blessing the men were giving Scotty: “we command you to live until we find help.” When they were finished, Fred felt for a pulse. There was none. The quiet of the camp was interrupted only by boys whispering Scotty’s dead! But that didn’t mean there was nothing left to do. Shooing the others aside, Fred knelt down, ripped off Scotty’s shirt and started administering CPR: five compressions on the chest, followed by one breath in the mouth, repeat. The odds of this happening, of having someone practiced in CPR arriving at that precise moment in time, are incalculable. Not a lot of people, especially non-physicians, even knew CPR existed in 1974. The first effort to teach the public

en masse had taken place only two years earlier, in 1972, and that was in Seattle. Just three months prior, that clueless-about-CPR club included Fred. It was only by chance he’d been introduced to cardiopulmonary resuscitation when in spring semester he needed to take an elective at the University of Utah and chose a class on first aid. Mad, frustrated and scared, instead of counting off the seconds in the usual “one one thousand, two one thousand,” Fred inserted cuss words as he started doing compression. But angry or not, Fred Did. Not. Stop. Part of what kept him going was remembering from his CPR training that once you started you couldn’t quit until one of three things happened: 1, the person started breathing, 2, someone qualified in CPR spelled you off, or 3, you were too exhausted to go on. But even after he passed the point when exhaustion and common sense said he should quit, a bigger part that kept him going was remembering those men promising Scotty that he’d live. Daylight turned to dusk, dusk turned to dark, midnight came and went, the cussing ended, and still Fred kept going. Then, around 1 a.m., Scotty’s body twitched. A few seconds passed and it twitched again. Then Scotty started to breathe. It had been 6½ hours since Fred started CPR. Not at all sure this would last, not even sure this was actually happening, Fred didn’t move, didn’t leave Scotty’s side. The boy was still unconscious. But he was breathing. Every few minutes Fred checked his pulse just to make sure. At first light the camp sprang to action, fashioning a makeshift stretcher to haul Scotty over Rocky Sea Pass and out of the Uintas. But the fortuitous turn of events, i.e. miracles, was not over. In the night, three of the oldest boys in the troop had set out for the ranger station at Mirror Lake to see if they could muster help. They set such a pace they quickly dropped the leader who went with them. When the leader came back to camp, there was considerable doubt whether the boys would make it over Rocky Sea Pass — a rugged stretch of wilderness that included a two-mile stretch of treacherous glacier boulders — in the night. But they did make it in the night, and they found the ranger, who called for help, and when the forest service said it couldn’t authorize sending a helicopter, Scotty’s mother, who by now had been notified, got on the phone and called Utah Gov. Cal Rampton, who in turn called the National Guard, and before Fred and the others even had a chance to pick up their stretcher they looked up and there was a chopper descending from the heavens above Dead Horse Pass. The degree of difficulty for a 1974 helicopter to land and take off at 12,000 feet is a story for another day, but with Fred and Scotty aboard they were soon airborne. Fifteen minutes later they landed at the helipad at University Hospital. CONTINUES ON PG. 6

DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2024

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6 DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2024 As soon as he got home from Dead Horse Pass, Fred certified. He estimates he’s taught over 100,000 people in groups large and small over the past half-century. He did it on the side when he worked full time for the Boy Scouts of America. At 73, he’s now retired from his day job, but even though he’s in a second bout with prostate cancer, he says he’ll never stop teaching CPR. I tracked down Fred, called his cell, and discovered that he and Scott hadn’t seen each other in decades. They both got busy getting on with their lives. While Fred immersed himself in his Scouting career, Scott joined the U.S. Army and saw the world. He was stationed in Korea, California and Hawaii before settling back in Pleasant Grove and retiring with his army pension in 2015. Now, at 61, he works for Pride Transport in Salt Lake — when he’s not riding his motorcycle, playing his guitar and enjoying life with his wife Sue, their four kids, eight grandkids and three greats. Fred was able to locate Scott’s contact information and forward it to me so I could call and ask if he was interested in a reunion, and would it be OK if the media was there? Both men jumped at the chance to get together again. It turned out Scott’s job is only a mile or two from Fred’s home in Taylorsville. Instead of going straight back home to Pleasant Grove after work on a recent July afternoon, Scott steered his motorcycle to Fred’s street. They look a tad different than 50 years ago, when Fred was a strapping 6-foot1, 180 pounds and Scott was 90 pounds soaking wet.

They agreed they wouldn’t have given each other a second look if they’d passed on the street. Didn’t matter. As soon as they shook hands the years melted away. “I wouldn’t have recognized you, but I know what you did,” said Scott. “I’ve really been looking forward to this. I get to say thank you. I literally owe you my life.” Not a day goes by, Scott said, that he doesn’t think about that night. Not about the details of what happened — to this day he can’t remember anything from when he walked into camp until he came to in the hospital almost 24 hours later — but about what wouldn’t have happened. “You’d be dead,” said Fred, “simple as that.” “Simple as that,” Scott agreed. When Fred, downplaying his role, observed, “many little miracles made this happen,” Scott added, “I won’t say I’m religious like he is, but I’m spiritual and I definitely believe God played a big part in it.” It pleased Scott to hear that Fred tells the story to all his CPR classes, and that through the years Fred’s students have relayed many instances of using their training to help save lives. Fred: “When I tell the story I always ask, ‘think what would have happened if we hadn’t done that, think how many lives would have been adversely affected,’ and then I say, ‘Look, even if you forget some of the things I’ve taught you, if you’re ever in a position to help, try, just try, you’ll never feel bad about trying to save somebody’s life.’” In parting, after leaning in to give a big bear hug to Fred (who is not a hugger), Scott said, “I don’t take life for granted, I never have. I was dead and he brought me back to life. You don’t get a better second chance than that.” With that, Scott walked to the curb, kicked his Harley, waved so long and roared off. Big as life. And Fred? He went inside to get ready for his next CPR class. Once you start …

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Scott Nicol hugs Fred Jepsen before parting ways after meeting each other again for the first time since Jepsen saved Nicol's life on a backpacking trip in the Uintas 50 years ago, when Jepsen was 23 and Nicol was 11, in Taylorsville on Thursday, July 18, 2024. Jepsen didn't stop doing CPR for 61/2 hours, until Scott started breathing again. Jepsen's actions stabilized Nicol until a medical flight helicopter landed the next morning and transported Scott to the University of Utah Hospital.

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Scotty regained consciousness that afternoon. He was diagnosed with a bad case of bacterial pneumonia, but the doctors found no sign of brain damage. After two weeks he was free to go home. The news spread like wildfire, or as fast as wildfire could spread in the days before social media. Fred and Scotty were featured on local TV and in all the daily newspapers. Reader’s Digest sent a reporter to Utah to write the story. The American Medical Association, wanting to confirm if what they were hearing was true — CPR for 6½ hours! — sent a representative to Utah to interview Fred, Scotty and the others for verification. To this day Fred thinks it might be a world record. He’s never heard of one lasting longer. *** In June, a reader emailed the Deseret News. He thought the High Uintas CPR story of 1974 deserved a 50-year anniversary re-telling. He said he’d heard about the rescue only recently when he took one of Fred’s classes. You probably don’t need more than one chance to guess what Fred teaches. For 50 straight years he’s been a CPR instructor.

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CHURCH NEWS

Notre Dame Religious Liberty Summit: Restoring ‘faith in faith’ ‘We must prove to the secular world that the world is a better place with religious freedom or belief — even for those who do not believe,’ implores the dean of Notre Dame Law School By Sarah Jane Weaver Deseret News

NOTRE DAME, Indiana — More than a decade ago, David Palmer, a Christian and businessman from Indianapolis, Indiana, learned of an immediate need for his city’s homeless population. Men, many of whom had addictions or criminal records, needed jobs. Palmer vowed to help. He started Purposeful Design, a nonprofit furniture building company that works with large office complexes in Indiana. Among those impressive clients is Notre Dame University, said G. Marcus Cole, dean of Notre Dame Law School. Speaking July 10 during the 2024 Notre Dame Religious Liberty Summit in Notre Dame, Indiana, Cole referenced Palmer — who lived in upscale Carmel, Indiana. “If you ask David Palmer what he is doing, he will tell you that he’s not building furniture, he’s building men,” he said. Since its inception, Purposeful Design has helped more than 300 men who were homeless find a better way of life. Some of those individuals were able to use their earnings to buy their first home, settling in a crime-ridden area called “the Swamp,” which was located near the Purposeful Design factory. They made changes in the area, building playgrounds and organizing neighborhood watch groups. The crime rate dropped. Grocery stores and schools followed. And so did Palmer. “David Palmer left his large, luxurious home in Carmel and moved his family into a house in the Swamp,” Cole said. Why? “He will tell you he felt called of God to use his abilities to be of service to those in need. David Palmer doesn’t just believe in God, he lives his belief,” said Cole. Cole said Palmer is an example of what’s missing from the narrative about freedom of religion. “We need to emphasize the good that religion can bring,” he said.

religious liberty to flourish, it cannot be an issue of the right or the left,” said Cole. “It cannot be the property of conservatives or liberals. It cannot be valued by some and derided by others.” Religious liberty, he said, should be championed by all people of faith — and by people of no faith. Offering remarks at the evening gala, Cole said people of faith should be thoughtful when they speak about religious liberty to the rest of society. Talk about religious freedom can feel like a foreign language to some, he said. “It’s a scary language, a threatening language.” Over the last few years, defenders of religious freedom have won tremendous, hard-fought victories in a court of law, he said. But “these legal victories are fleeting if we don’t also win in the court of public opinion,” Cole said. “We’ve won victories of the mind. We also need to win victories of the heart.”

The flourishing of religious faith

Father Robert Dowd, president of University of Notre Dame, said during the summit that at their best, religious faith communities unite people across differences and “call us to something higher and deeper and truer than any ideology can contain.” They also can inspire people to make sacrifices for others beyond their affinity groups. “That is crucial to the functioning of any decent society, especially a society that calls itself a democracy,” said Father Dowd.

“The freedom and flourishing of religious faith — the faith that feeds spiritual hunger, and often physical hunger, that builds community and bridges social divides — is the key to a just, peaceful and humane future.” Elder Alexander Dushku, a General Authority Seventy and general counsel for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said “if religious freedom is to be the means of human flourishing, … then it must be conducive to a just and livable peace among contending factions so that all may flourish.” Stephanie Barclay, director of the Notre Dame Religious Liberty Initiative, also spoke about the importance of worship in a polarized society. She noted that as the number of people who are not attending church increases, “we have another lost opportunity where people can sit on a pew with someone that they disagree with, who sees the world differently.” John Inazu of Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, addressed the topic learning to disagree amid the polarization. “Social change isn’t going to happen without individual change,” he said. It starts with listening, learning, forgiving and understanding.

Search for truth

Religious liberty itself should not be polarizing, said Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades during the summit. “Indeed, Americans seem to be in agreement that religious freedom is important.” Referencing both the Beckett Fund’s religious freedom in-

Restore ‘faith in faith’

Almost 200 leading scholars, advocates and faith leaders from more than 10 countries gathered on the Notre Dame campus to discuss “Depolarizing Religious Liberty” during the 2024 Notre Dame Religious Liberty Summit. During this time of political and cultural polarization, the best way to make the case for religious liberty is to “restore faith in faith,” Cole told them. “We must prove to the secular world that the world is a better place with religious freedom or belief ” — even for those who do not believe, he said. While welcoming guests to campus, Cole said the summit comes at an important time. In 2024, more than half of the world’s countries are engaged in electing new national governments, said Cole. In recent weeks, for example, France, the United Kingdom and India have all just held elections, and, later this year, the United States will elect a president. But the challenge for those who know the importance of religious freedom is to take religious liberty out of politics. “For

Matt Cashore/University of Notre Dame

G. Marcus Cole, dean of the Notre Dame Law School, and his wife, Angie, welcome participants to the 2024 Notre Dame Religious Liberty Summit awards gala in Notre Dame, Indiana, on Wednesday, July 10, 2024.

DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2024

For example, people of faith build hospitals and schools because it is what they believe God wants them to do. “Religion is fundamentally a matter of truths that make certain claims on our lives, claims that are more important than the claims of any earthly government. If religion in all its permutations involves truth that is discovered, not made, then religious freedom is a matter of allowing people room to seek and find it.”

What’s missing in the narrative?

Matt Cashore/University of Notre Dame

Participants of the 2024 Notre Dame Religious Liberty Summit tour the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Notre Dame, Indiana, on Tuesday, July 9, 2024.

dex and a recent Pew report, Bishop Rhoades said a majority of Americans “think religion is good for public life. The idea that people should be free to practice their religion seems to be thoroughly ingrained in the American imagination.” So what’s the problem? “It seems to be that many of our disagreements have to do with where the limits on religious liberty ought to be,” he said. Religious liberty is not an unconditional right, and one cannot claim a religious liberty right to commit an injustice or to cause harm to the common welfare, he said. “Many people who wish to unduly restrict religious liberty seem to understand themselves as simply putting reasonable

restrictions on religious practice,” he said. Bishop Rhoades said the search for truth should be the reference point for all seeking to depolarize religious liberty. “Religious freedom is not a pretext for the individual to engage in any activity he or she wishes,” he said. “The idea is that when we seek religious truth and then come to believe we have found it, an obligation imposes itself on us to follow through on this search and conduct ourselves in light of the truth as we understand it.” Religion, he said, is something that comes from outside an individual. “It’s not something I invent. Rather, first and foremost, religion is about truths that are discovered.”

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In efforts to protect religious liberty, law and the religious freedom court victories are important, Cole said. But religious liberty is a battle that must be won through legal challenge and in a court of public opinion. “And that courtroom is in each heart. We cannot win hearts with reason. We must win hearts with love.” In the United States, Cole said, religious freedom has “produced a lot of love.” The single largest provider of health care in this country is the Catholic Church, he noted. The Catholic Church is also the largest provider of education in the United States. “And those numbers are multiplied by orders of magnitude all around the world, especially in the poorest communities of the world.” Each year, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gives away more than $1 billion in 190 countries around the world, and other faith traditions do the same, he said. “These actions are not compelled by law or paid for with taxes. This work is an expression of faith, rooted in love. Religion is good for the world. But it can only be good for the world if we are free, not only to believe but to actually live our beliefs. Religious freedom allows us the freedom to show others that we love them. And so we should.” Legal victories in court are not enough, said Cole. “In a politically polarized world, these legal victories will last only as long as people believe that religion is a good thing.”

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As the school year starts, what’s on teachers’ minds? Public K-12 teachers consider poverty, absenteeism and mental health as major problems, a Pew survey found By Marjorie Cortez Deseret News

At Midvalley Elementary School in Midvale, Jen Stark was hard at work organizing her third grade dual immersion classroom in anticipation of the academic year starting. There’s “a buzz” at the start of each school year, she said, as educators meet with administrators and other faculty members and teachers peruse “our new list of friends we’re going to be with for the next 9½ months.” Then there’s those familiar smells of a deeply cleaned school, construction paper, and fresh crayons and pencils. “It’s always exciting. It’s stressful getting ready for all of it. But once they’re in the room with us, we get to teach and build a community. That’s the best part,” she said. Just as in Midvale, students across the country are heading to school, most of them returning students but also others attending for the first time. There’s a mix of emotions among educators, students and their parents or guardians as summer break comes to an end and the school year begins. For educators like Stark, there’s excitement but also the weight of challenges that can impact student learning. According to the results of a national survey for Pew Research Center, teachers identified the three top challenges in America’s public schools: poverty, chronic absenteeism, and student anxiety and depression. The national survey of 2,531 public K-12 teachers indicates poverty cuts across the urban-rural divide. Sixty-two percent of teachers in urban schools and 60% in rural schools said poverty is a major problem for their students, while in suburban schools, 42% of educators said the same. Chronic absenteeism, defined as students missing a substantial number of school days, is particularly challenging at high schools. The survey results revealed 61% of educators saying this is a major problem where they teach. For teachers at middle and elementary schools, fewer identified it as a major problem in their schools but those who perceive it that way totaled 46% among middle school educators and 43% of elementary school teachers. When students at Canyons School District’s Midvalley Elementary School start to miss a lot of school, educators make home visits to tell parents how much their children are missed and to explain how chronic absences impact learning. “A lot of times poverty goes along with that because there tend to be parents that both work or work multiple jobs. That kind of trumps getting kids to school sometimes,” she said. “That’s hard. It’s one of the things we don’t have a lot of control over. We just keep trying to communicate and tell the kids we want them there and hope that those kids help the parents follow through and say, ‘We’re doing this fun thing at school. I really want to get there’ or ‘My teacher really misses me when I’m not there and I feel lost when I come.’ So we’re trying to have the kids be our ally in that, too,” Stark said.

Brice Tucker, Deseret News

Third grade teacher Jen Stark looks up at her daily schedule board as she prepares her classroom for the first day of school at Midvalley Elementary School in Midvale on Monday, Aug. 12, 2024.

According to the survey results, student mental health continues to be of great concern to teachers. Sixty-nine percent of high school teachers and 57% of middle school teachers say anxiety and depression are major problems among their students, as did 29% of elementary school teachers. The survey results suggest lingering effects of the pandemic with respect to behavior and academic performance. About 8 in 10 teachers said the lasting impact of the pandemic has been “very” or “somewhat” negative. Nearly half — 49% of the teachers polled — say the behavior of their students is fair or poor. Thirty-five percent said it was good and 13% described it as very good or excellent. Stark said student behavior is among her concerns as an educator. Midvalley Elementary has “really good systems in place, but I think post-COVID, there’s been behavior problems that have been hard. But we’re very fortunate to have two social workers, school psychologists and a principal and an assistant principal, so we have a lot of support. But that’s kind of one of the things on my radar.”

As for academic performance, 48% of educators said the academic performance of most of their students is fair or poor while a third said it was good and 17% described it as very good or excellent. The survey results suggest teachers feel like they’re not getting the support or reinforcement they need from parents. Seventy-nine percent of teachers said parents do too little to hold their children accountable for misbehaving in school. The survey also found 68% of teachers said parents didn’t do enough to help their children with schoolwork and 63% said parents did too little to ensure their children’s school attendance. The survey, conducted Oct. 17-Nov. 14, 2023, and reported by Pew in April, found some good news. Fewer educators view bullying as a major problem at their school. It was higher among middle school educators at 34%. The margin of error for the full sample of teachers was plus or minus 2.4 percentage points.

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12 DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2024

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PRICE, Utah — The highway headed into Price, Utah, has more roadkill on it than moving cars. Through the windy canyons, there is an abandoned, sunken ghost town and periods of time without cellphone reception. Highway 6 may seem outof-sight and out-of-mind to northern city slickers, but it is one of the routes drug traffickers take to distribute fentanyl and heroin to dealers across the state. Price, in the heart of Utah’s Carbon County, is at the crossroads of a growing, deadly drug problem in Utah. With a population of just over 8,000 residents, this rural city has seen the devastation of opioid addiction and fentanyl use firsthand. Many residents work blue-collar jobs with a higher potential for on-the-job injuries and the county’s poverty rate exceeds what is typically seen on the Wasatch Front. The rate of opioid-related deaths in Carbon County and its two neighboring counties, Grand and Emery, overwhelmingly exceeds the state’s death rate. Utah’s overall rate is 18.3 deaths per 100,000 people, but these counties on the highway from Mexico to Salt Lake City see a death rate of 42.7 per 100,000 people, according to the most recent data on the Utah Department of Health and Human Services from 2021. The rate of opioid prescriptions? It is also higher. Numbers yet to be finalized for 2023 expected to be released

in an analysis later this month show a dramatic rise. Fentanyl has become “the most significant drug threat,” according to a recent report from the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, the group appointed by the White House to coordinate federal, state, and local response to violent drug trafficking organizations. “Unprecedented levels of availability and demand have flooded the region with fentanyl pills, and increasingly, fentanyl powder,” the report read. “A significant decline in price, high potency, and common use in polydrug compounds which continues to drive fatal overdoses, elevates the threat of fentanyl throughout local communities in the Rocky Mountain region.” To understand the fentanyl epidemic, the Deseret News searched through years of data and interviewed more than 20 people connected to the crisis, including those in recovery, former fentanyl distributors, law enforcement officials and recovery specialists. This is the first in a series of articles analyzing the problem and seeking potential solutions. More potent than morphine, fentanyl has flooded the streets. According to the DEA, 7 out of every 10 fentanyl pills contain a lethal dose. And as fentanyl is on the rise, so are two other opioids — xylazine and carfentanil. Carfentanil is a synthetic opioid, like fentanyl, but stronger. It is used for tranquilizing elephants and other large mammals. It is 100 times more potent than fentanyl and can be lethal at a mere 2-milligrams (a fraction of a penny), said Bill Newell, coordinator for the Utah

Crime Gun Intelligence Center. Xylazine, sometimes called tranq, is a sedative and muscle relaxer used on animals. On the streets, it is mixed with fentanyl. Naloxone, used to combat heroin, will not reverse an overdose. The vast majority of fentanyl is manufactured outside the U.S., says Dustin Gillespie, the assistant special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Rocky Mountain Division. Fentanyl is made by the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels in Mexico, said Gillespie, who along with other DEA agents, Enoch Smith and Brandon Scott, spoke to the Deseret News at the DEA’s Salt Lake City office. “They need to get the precursor chemicals from somewhere and they don’t produce those in Mexico,” said Gillespie. “So, they have to get them from China, and to a lesser extent India.” Since those precursor chemicals have legitimate uses, it makes it difficult to monitor. The chemicals are mislabeled when they are shipped from China to Mexico, and the cartels will acquire them at ports along the western seaboard, said Gillespie. The fentanyl drug market is decentralized because it does not take much equipment to make the drug. “It’s all through extortion and violence. There is no retirement plan,” said Gillespie. People who make fentanyl often die due to exposure or are killed by the cartel, Gillespie explained. The cartels have oversaturated the market with fentanyl and Price, seat of Carbon County, sits right on a highway drug traffickers use.

Jackson: ‘This is my opportunity to live the life I should have lived’

Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

Allison Jackson, who is recovering from an opioid addiction, wipes a tear during a music activity at USARA Price Recovery Community Center in Price on Wednesday, July 10, 2024.

Price resident Allison Jackson is someone who knows firsthand the devastating impact opioids can have. After police arrested Jackson for drug distribution, she sat in the Emery County jail for two months wondering how she got there. Jackson’s drug addiction started when she was 28 years old after a doctor prescribed her pain medication. Jackson said she experienced withdrawals after the pills were abruptly taken away. As a young mother of four children at the time, she said going through these withdrawals took away time from her children and she had the itch to find more pills. So she did. And then she developed an addiction to opioids and eventually heroin. “Continuing in my addiction instead of seeking help sooner means I walked away from my kids, my home, any relationship that was meaningful to me because my addiction had control,” Jackson said in an interview. Life during addiction was misery, said Jackson. She and her husband — who also suffered from substance use disorder — fought with each other. Fearful of jobs that might drug test her, she worked under the table. She wasn’t able to see her children. Going to jail was “very eye-opening.” Jackson had two months to contemplate her life and started to realize why she used drugs to feel numb. As a child, she said she experienced abuse. Her sense of self-worth was obliterated and she didn’t have a vision of a better life for

DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2024 herself. Jail changed that. She connected with a jailer who was able to relate to her. “I started praying again when I was in Emery County Jail and that helped a lot,” said Jackson. “It was just asking for the strength to get through this, asking for the strength of knowing what to do and just having the feeling that I was on the right path.” The path Jackson found was drug court, which she described as her “saving grace.” Her road to recovery started because she said she wanted more out of life. She entered drug court in March 2023 and quit using for 4½ months. Her husband was considered “an association” due to his active use, so she had to cut contact with him. She had a relapse when they reconnected and she went to jail again.

The drug crisis in Price

“I think our fentanyl problem stems from prescription abuse and prescription addiction,” said Alyssa Potter, a prevention specialist in Carbon County, adding that coal miners and oil field workers sometimes get injured at work and are prescribed opioids to cope with the pain. Other recovery specialists said the same thing — and added that these workers often cannot afford to take off work due to the rising cost of living in the area. “It starts at a basic level: a person gets injured, has to go to work, takes prescription opiates to combat pain,” said Carbon County Sheriff Jeff Wood while sitting in his office. It is something Wood has become familiar with over the years. But fentanyl has added a more terrifying dynamic into the mix. Wood said on the streets, there are both “blues” — a term for fentanyl pills — and other drugs like heroin and cocaine laced with fentanyl. “We’ve seen it really ramp up in the last couple of years,” said Wood. He said it has been scary for him and those in his office to see people come into jail addicted to opiates, get off

their medication while incarcerated and then die of an overdose a few days after they leave. “Everyone knows somebody that’s affected by this,” said Wood. Carbon County is hit hard by fentanyl, but so is the rest of the state. It has surpassed methamphetamine as the No. 1 narcotic found in state lab testing of drugs in Utah. “I have a fear that fentanyl is going to be firmly entrenched in first place for a long time,” said Newell. The most recent data shows 299 Utahns died in 2023 as the result of a fentanyl-involved overdose, according to the Utah Department of Health and Human Services. That is up from 182 deaths in 2022, 170 in 2021 and 125 in 2020. Fentanyl accounted for over 43% of all drug overdose deaths in 2023. “It’s a drug that reaches all classes of our society and it’s highly addictive,” said Tanner Jensen, director of the Department of Public Safety’s Statewide Information. The number of fentanyl busts by police agencies has also steadily risen, said Jensen. Five years ago, task forces across the state seized close to zero pills and this year is shaping up to be the biggest year for fentanyl seizures yet. Now, driven by Mexican cartels, operations have seized more than 774,000 fentanyl pills, with nearly half a year remaining. In addition to seizing fentanyl pills, Jensen said the labs are seeing fentanyl mixed with other drugs.

Recovering in Price

Four Corners Community Behavioral Health social detox program manager Savannah Eley knows exactly what it is like to recover from an opioid use disorder. She took a Percocet after struggling with postpartum depression and eventually started using harder drugs. Eley said she had to white-knuckle it during her recovery because there were not a lot of resources available.

FROM AROUND THE WORLD AND LOCAL

“When I got sober, there wasn’t even a recovery meeting,” said Eley. Now seven years later, she helps people recover. There are different options for substance use recovery programs — but none are in-patient, the closest in-patient service is in Utah County. There are Narcotics Anonymous meetings and a syringe exchange program. There is even a new crisis receiving center where Eley, Four Corners case worker and program director Cacilia Jensen works. The center is located near the Price downtown area and has a homey feel with a living room area for playing board games and watching movies. It is the first crisis center for people experiencing substance use disorders or mental health crises in rural Utah. Eley said the center is important because it offers another option for people going through detox. Oftentimes, people in the area will go to the hospital to detox and rack up a $20,000 bill, but Eley said, social detox at the crisis center offers a more affordable option. Both Jensen and Eley called the center a win for Utah, but also said people outside of rural Utah sometimes do not know how to best address the fentanyl and opioid crisis in these areas. As an example, Jensen spoke about telehealth services like a virtual crisis outreach team. While in theory, telemedicine seems like it could be a boon for rural communities which struggle to attract people who are willing to work for a lower-paying salary in a remote area, in practice, success is elusive. In addition to the isolation created just from having to drive through canyons to get to Price, Carbon County has unique struggles when it comes to recovery such as housing, transportation, staffing and stigma. CONTINUES ON PG. 14

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Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

Coordinator Mersades Morgan holds a lighter up during a music activity at USARA Price Recovery Community Center in Price on Wednesday, July 10, 2024.

“Our cost of living within the last five to six years has skyrocketed,” said Jensen, adding that it mirrors urban centers, but wages have not kept up. There is no homeless shelter in the city and there are not many affordable options for housing. “It’s not safe for individuals sometimes,” said Jensen, adding they have to refer out to urban areas, especially during the cold winters and hot summers, because it can be difficult to find a housing solution. Relocating for these individuals usually means losing their job because they have to relocate north. As for transportation, if you do not have a car, Jensen said it is difficult to get around. “We don’t have a bus system, we don’t have taxis. There’s no Uber. There’s no Lyft.” So, if you live a couple towns over and Price is the closest area with a recovery center, it would not be safe or practical to travel over on foot. Staffing recovery centers can also be difficult because it is a remote area and the salaries are lower. “We’re a small community, so stigma plays a huge role in someone getting help, asking for help, admitting they need help,” said Eley. Being around the same people your whole life may make it harder to feel like you can admit you have a problem. And then, other times, the addiction is generational — it can be all you know. “Just generation after generation, addiction is kind of the culture … in some families,” said Jensen. Eley remembered working at a detox facility and speaking with a young woman who had overdosed multiple times. The first time she used meth was when she was 11 years-old with her mother. “You’re watching your parents cope with difficult days using substances or you’re using substances together with your parents,” said Eley. “You grow up, in a way, thinking this is normal.” Just a couple minutes drive away, there is another recovery center called Life Balance Recovery. Susanna McGee said she ended up coming down here because of the lack of resources. “In Salt Lake City, there’s AA meetings, 12-step meetings, every day — multiple ones a day. And down here, there’s one AA meeting a day, and two, three NA meetings a week,” said McGee. She also said there were issues with housing. While people can couch surf or live in hotels when they are homeless, said McGee, that does not last long and it is hard for those individuals to stay sober. Mersades Morgan, peer recovery coach at Utah Support Advocates for Recovery Awareness in Price, said there can

be a “revolving door” of barriers individuals face when they are trying to get treatment. If they don’t have a car, they might not be able to maintain a job or go to doctor’s visits, which impacts their ability to recover. Without a car, Morgan said a person in recovery might not be able to visit with their children. “If you do have a criminal record, you have a hard time finding employment,” said Morgan. However, USARA has created a list of workplaces in the area that do allow people with criminal records a second chance to give people a starting point. Morgan said the generational nature of substance use disorder can have ripple effects that might not be expected — like a person never getting their driver’s license and then having to do that later in life. “You don’t know what you don’t know.” “Sometimes it’s just about sitting with someone and sitting in the dark if you need to — holding their hand through the process. We meet people where they’re at,” said Morgan. “We just don’t leave them there.” There are also community efforts to prevent opioid and fentanyl addiction in the first place. Potter has worked on campaigns in the community to educate them about the impact of opioids. In addition to billboards, they wrapped 10 semi-trucks with messaging about the resources that are available to them. “The public isn’t aware of the risks or things that are available for them, then that’s a huge barrier,” said Potter. She and other prevention specialists are laser-focused about getting the word out because, as she said, fentanyl is especially dangerous. “Because of the high potency being found in fentanyl, a lot of the deaths we’re seeing from fentanyl overdose are just a one-time use and just that high risk of one time could be the time that takes your life,” said Potter.

loads where they’ll send a car over that will get intentionally stopped.” Then, when law enforcement stops this car and seizes fentanyl, other cars get through. Once it crosses the border, Smith said it often comes up to Utah through I-15 out of Los Angeles or San Diego. Sometimes they will be driven straight up the highway to Salt Lake City and other times they will divert onto Highway 6 or Redwood Road. Though the drug manufacturing process is decentralized, the transportation process is not, said Gillespie. Cartels know who is handling the product and where it is going. But once it is handed out to different distributors in a city, it comes decentralized. “What’s made that even more difficult and challenging for law enforcement is the fact that with prices so low and availability of pills so high, those barriers to entry to becoming a distributor or becoming a low to mid-level distributor of pills are now gone,” said Gillespie. With the prices so low, the availability of pills so high and 7 in 10 fentanyl pills containing a lethal dose, the influx of fentanyl has created a crisis in Utah and across the country. But what these three agents said the public does not understand is the cruelty that exists top to bottom. Gillespie has listened to wiretaps of cartel members laughing about overdose deaths because for the cartel members, it means the demand for the product increases. “I think that’s what people don’t realize is that the cartels, they don’t care. They don’t care about killing our kids,” said Scott. “They don’t care about more and more people developing substance use disorders.” Fentanyl is connected to gang activity in Utah, said Scott, explaining drug trafficking, money laundering, extremism and violence go hand-in-hand. The people arrested for drug distribution often have extensive violent criminal histories, he said. Even setting all that violence aside, Smith said fentanyl itself is still violent. It has a disastrous impact on families, society and personal relationships. “It’s not a victimless crime,” said Smith. CONTINUES ON PG. 16

How fentanyl gets to Utah

Nature is not involved in the production of fentanyl, said Newell. That is why Mexican cartels turned to manufacturing it as opposed to other drugs which come from natural substances. Scott, who has worked at the southern border, said the most fentanyl comes into the U.S. from semitractor-trailers and passenger vehicles. The cartels will do this by hollowing out the floor of trailers and stuffing pills inside car engines. “It’s just through sheer volume of the amount of vehicles that cross the border,” said Smith. “At any given time, they will often use tactics that are what they refer to as suicide

Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

Carbon County Sheriff Jeff Wood stands near Carbon County Jail in Price on Wednesday, July 10, 2024.

DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2024

16 DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2024

Motorists drive on Main Street in Price on Wednesday, July 10, 2024.

Keeping the community safe

The relationship between law enforcement and recovery specialists is not adversarial. McGee and another specialist go into the Carbon County Jail once a week. They can only go see the women. She goes to show there is support in the town for the women struggling with addiction, but she laments that the men — who are more likely to struggle with opioid and fentanyl addiction — have a huge resource gap. Morgan called the Price City Police Department “one of our strongest partnerships” and “big advocates” for recovery work.

Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

Allison Jackson, who is recovering from an opioid addiction, right, hugs USARA Price Recovery Community Center coordinator Mersades Morgan in Price on Wednesday, July 10, 2024.

Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

Law enforcement officials said the lack of resources in the immediate area pose an issue for them, too. There are people who get arrested for possession while in active addiction — they are not in a place where they want to start treatment. “We find our jails get used a lot for that and it’s really not the place for those folks,” said Wood. “These folks probably ought to be in some kind of a structured treatment program like you would see on the Wasatch Front.” Wood said he would also like to see a fast-track option for prosecutors to help people get into drug court sooner because right now prosecution is months behind on its caseload. “Here in Carbon County, we have an opening for a deputy county attorney that hasn’t been filled for quite a while and it’s just not being able to find an attorney that’ll work for the wage.” “We want to protect our community and we want to make sure people are safe, but we also have empathy for folks that are struggling with addiction.” Wood said rural counties have fought for years for an in-patient facility, but there are not enough people in the area to sustain a business. Brandon Ratcliffe, captain for the Price City Police Department, said the city does have a drug task force to try to identify the distributors in the area. “It’s been difficult with that: our task force is made up of two people, and for the last two and a half years, we’ve only had one,” said Ratcliffe. “We have one guy trying to put out a fire with a garden hose.” Ratcliffe said the price of fentanyl is around $5 a dose in the area. While it is higher than urban areas like Salt Lake City, it is a cheap drug on the market. Heroin costs around $20 to $25 a dose. But they have found fentanyl in just about every drug. “We understand that every substance abuse issue is an issue, but we try to prioritize what’s most likely to have the greatest effect on our community,” said Ratcliffe. “And right now, it’s obviously a life you can’t put a price on. If we can prevent one overdose, then that’s what we’re going after.” Before Ratcliffe was captain, he worked on the drug task force and arrested one of the most efficient dealers. After she got out of prison, she sent him a message of appreciation. Now she helps out with law enforcement training, has had a large amount of her record expunged and has received college degrees. People like her made the job worth it, Ratcliffe said. Other officers in the department have forged similar relationships

with the community. He said one of the biggest struggles they face is lack of funding. The cost of living has increased dramatically, but their wages have not — the city council did not deliver on a significant increase Ratcliffe thought they would give this year and also, decreased the typical 2% increase down to 1%. “It’s a little disheartening and frustrating because we don’t want to leave,” said Ratcliffe. “We love our community, but ultimately, the community is going to feel it if we start losing our officers.” Wood said illicit drugs come through Highway 10 off of the main pipeline of I-70 as well as Highway 6. “We have deputies that are involved in interdiction, but it’s on a smaller scale just because we don’t have the resources to assign somebody to only that,” he said, adding Utah Highway Patrol’s interdiction team is often helpful. Drugs mostly move through the county, said Wood, and fentanyl in particular moves from Mexico through border states like California, Arizona and Texas up through Utah. Fentanyl has posed a safety concern for officers because if they get fentanyl on them, they can absorb it. “The fentanyl dealers themselves probably never touch the stuff,” said Wood. “They’re just feeding it off to someone else. They’re addicted to money.” Calling it a money-driven business, Wood said he wants to see the fentanyl stopped at the border before it even gets to Carbon County and impacts the people there. “You may know somebody that lives on your block (in bigger cities), but you may not really know them,” said Wood. “And by that, I mean, you didn’t grow up with them. You didn’t know them from the time they were a kindergarten kid until the time they were an adult and that’s the people that live here.”

Jackson: Finding hope and recovery in Price

Since Jackson’s last stint in jail, she has lived a sober life and progressed to the third phase of drug court. She continues to receive counseling for past trauma, takes classes and now has a job she loves working at a local hotel. After four years without seeing her children, Jackson has reunited with them. “It’s been phenomenal,” said Jackson beaming as she explained she has started to rebuild her relationship with her children. She said she has found happiness in everyday life. She deeply connects with people and has rekindled a love of reading as she now can concentrate on the pages better. When Jackson was a kid, her grandmother told her to always choose love, no matter what happens to you. “Love is the light, and that is one of the ways I live now,” she said. Whether it’s checking a guest into the hotel or having a conversation with a loved one, Jackson said she is now the happiest she has ever been. But tragedy and difficulties have also accompanied her recovery. Jackson lost her husband to a drug overdose — the same night she was reunited again with her children. She had dealt with heart problems stemming from a heart attack and complications from her addiction. Still, Jackson now dreams of a future where she helps people who experience substance use disorder and has discovered qualities about herself that she loves like her newfound positive outlook on life and her problem-solving skills. She said she looks forward to phase five of drug court because she wants to do a community project. Her friend, a Price police officer, has encouraged her during her recovery and is helping her find a project. “This is my opportunity to live the life I should have lived. That I’m going to live,” Jackson said. The number of resources in Carbon and Emery counties for those wishing to recover has increased even just in the last couple years, said Jackson. Recovery center employees and law enforcement both echoed Jackson’s observations — the community has rallied together more resources — just not enough.

DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2024

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DESERET MAGAZINE

The fate of the Senate lies in the West At present, Democrats hold a slim 51-49 majority in the Senate. This year, 23 of those seats are up for election By Samuel Benson Deseret News

Not far from where the Colorado River flows into California, a local watering hole in this tiny recreation mecca in western Arizona transformed into America’s political epicenter this spring. Behind the run-down bar, four dozen folding tables were dragged into a gravel parking lot and draped with alternating red, white and blue tablecloths. A stage went up, a giant American flag flanking it. So many other American flags dotted the premises — on tables, on T-shirts and hanging vertically from a crane overhead — that when the audience stood for the national anthem, uncorked beers in hand, everyone was facing different directions. Then Kari Lake took the stage, and everyone’s attention turned to the woman who has quickly become the most recognizable Republican in Arizona since she traded a career as a Phoenix news anchor for one in politics. She ran for governor in 2022 and lost a close race to Arizona’s Democratic secretary of state. Lake refused to concede, however, claiming election fraud, and filed a series of lawsuits. When the courts offered little reprieve, she decided to run again. This time, she’s the front-runner for her party’s nomination for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Kyrsten Sinema, the eccentric Democrat-turned-independent who is not running for reelection. Lake views this as a race that goes beyond Arizona. But she needs to convince Arizona voters of that first. Sporting jeans and well-polished cowboy boots, she told her Lake Havasu City audience to pay attention. “Guess what?” she asks. “The road to the White House and the road to the Senate majority goes right through Arizona. We are the most consequential, important state in this upcoming election. Do you understand that?” One man offered a half-enthusiastic cheer. The rest of the crowd seemed unenthused, as if Lake were simply regurgitating a well-rehearsed talking point. The bit about Arizona deciding the White House is, by this point in an election year, common parlance — just about every pundit in America has dubbed Arizona one of a handful of swing states that could decide whether Joe Biden or Donald Trump occupies the Oval Office for the next four years. But Lake’s real pitch about why her race matters hasn’t seemed to gain much traction. This group of Lake Havasu, Arizona, voters — coupled with Americans in other far-flung parts of Arizona, Nevada and Montana — could well decide the fate of the U.S. Senate this fall. At present, Democrats hold a slim 51-49 majority in the Senate. This year, 23 of those seats are up for election. At the time of this writing, the Cook Political Report projected 15 of those seats would remain with Democrats, while West Virginia is expected to flip to Republicans with the retirement of Sen. Joe Manchin, whose recent decision to leave the party and become independent has fueled speculation he may run for reelection after all. Four others “lean Democrat,” including the race in Arizona, where Congressman Ruben Gallego, a progressive Democrat with deep ties throughout the state, hopes to succeed Sinema. Of the remaining three “toss-up” races, two are in the West: Montana, where three-term Democratic Sen. Jon Tester faces a reelection challenge from Tim Sheehy, an ex-Navy SEAL; and Nevada, where mild-mannered Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen seeks a second term against Sam Brown, a retired Army captain. As they have for months, the three races in the West could again shift from leaning to

Illustration by Deseret News staff

toss-up and vice versa as Election Day approaches. Democrats and Republicans will spend the next several months defining Senate races across the country as “critical” in many ways. If Democrats can hold on to a seat in Wisconsin, Biden should win that key battleground, too. The same is true in Pennsylvania. But it’s the Western states — the races in Arizona, Nevada and Montana — that could determine who controls the Senate. If Democrats hold on to all three, they remain in control. If Republicans manage to win even two of them, the new year could open with a Republican-controlled Senate. And that’s not only crucial for the political parties. Voters can be reminded of how a Republican-led Senate during the Trump administration led a conservative transformation of the federal court system, including the U.S. Supreme Court. For better or for worse, depending on your politics, it has been a check on the House of Representatives and the White House agendas. And for voters who have a more provincial perspective on their Senate races, the upper chamber’s ability to legislate for them is only as effective as its political makeup. “Senate races in the Western states really could usher in, if they go in a Republican direction, a sea change in vital issues like land use, water rights, economic development and even labor rights,” says Wendy Schiller, director of the A. Alfred Taubman Center for American Politics and Policy at Brown University and scholar on the U.S. Senate. Despite the high stakes, it’s no easy task to convince people that their votes matter. In this kitschy outpost on the California border, where Arizonans and sun-craving tourists mix amid the hum of Jet Skis and wake boats, voters seem oblivious — not to the key role they could play in who wins the White House, but that they will also choose which party

controls what has long been called the world’s greatest deliberative body. No one is certain where that impressive title came from — the credit usually goes to President James Buchanan — but it is perhaps the best descriptor of what the chamber has become. The Constitution’s framers seemed to craft it to that end, prioritizing debate and deliberation. Weeks of discussion went into how representation in Congress would be awarded. Would it be proportional, based on states’ populations, or would it be equal, as the Articles of Confederation called for? Eventually, the framers settled on a compromise: The House of Representatives would be a larger body, and a state’s delegation would fluctuate in size, proportional to its population. The Senate, however, would be a smaller body, where each state would receive an equal number of representatives — two. At its best, the Senate provides a forum for the priorities of each state to be recognized and heard. “The fact that the Senate has kept its original rules of debate and procedure substantially unchanged, is very significant,” Woodrow Wilson said in 1907. “It is a place of individual voices.” Those individual voices often change the trajectory of the country — from creating Social Security to enacting civil rights to reforming criminal justice. In recent years, the Senate secured a conservative Supreme Court majority; shepherded historic legislation on infrastructure and clean energy; approved large funding packages for businesses and individuals during the Covid-19 pandemic; and oversaw aid to foreign allies in war. Oftentimes, the House of RepresenCONTINUES ON PG. 20

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20 DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2024 tatives or the White House gets credit, or blame, for these milestones. But the true power to legislate, nominate judges and negotiate the federal budget lies with the Senate. The party with majority control of the Senate decides what the group’s legislative priorities will be. As the West deals with drought and conservation issues, this year’s elections determine whether Republican or Democratic voices are louder. As population growth reshapes the West, a Republican majority could lead to a surge of deregulation and tax restructuring; a Democratic majority could continue its emphasis on domestic manufacturing and clean energy. The West has been here before. Just two years ago, in the 2022 midterm elections, Democrats secured a one-seat Senate majority by clinching a win in Nevada. Less than a month later, Arizona’s Sinema announced she’d be leaving the Democratic Party and becoming an independent, putting the majority’s influence in flux. The 1952 election carries shades of the present. Going into that fall, Democrats maintained a narrow two-seat majority in the Senate, but the country’s involvement in unrest around the world — particularly the Korean War — and the nascent Cold War led to widespread discontent with President Harry S. Truman’s Democratic White House. Truman decided not to run for reelection, leading to Republican victories across the board. The victory in the Senate was cemented by flipping two key seats in Western states: Arizona and Wyoming. Both were surprise victories. In Wyoming, Republican Gov. Frank Barrett entered the race late and knocked off a three-term incumbent. And in Arizona, Democratic Senate Majority Leader Ernest McFarland faced a challenge from Barry Goldwater, a fiery member of the Phoenix City Council with little political cachet. When a friend asked Goldwater why he thought he could pull off the upset, Goldwater demurred. “I think a guy running for office who says exactly what he really thinks would astound a hell of a lot of people

around the country.” Eisenhower went on to carry Arizona by double digits, and Goldwater deemed himself “the greatest coattail rider in history.” Never since have both chambers of Congress changed hands in a presidential year. But 2024, in many ways, is different. It’s possible that each state’s voters split their respective tickets, by supporting a Senate candidate of one party and a presidential candidate of another. And thanks to three distinct races in three very unique states, each could go either way — and take control of the Senate with them. In Montana, with its huge land mass but small population — there are more cows than people across the state — Tester’s reelection to a fourth term has a small-town feel. A farmer and butcher, Tester is missing three fingers on his left hand because of an accident in a meat grinder. And while Montana is a red state, Tester, an old-school Democrat, is fairly popular due to his pragmatism. It helps that in a small state, he spends a lot of time with his constituents. “Voters

will say they know Jon Tester, they like Jon Tester, they trust Jon Tester,” says Schiller. “Tester manages to withstand the winds of polarization and nationalization of these elections because of his individual reputation, and the relationships he’s forged with residents of Montana.” Where Tester derives strength from his genuineness, his challenger, Sheehy, can’t seem to get out of his own way. He claimed a gunshot wound in his arm came from his time in Afghanistan, but he later backtracked, saying it came from falling on a hike at Glacier National Park. (He later changed the story again, telling a park ranger he inadvertently shot himself in the arm.) And in an effort to play up Montana’s hominess, he claimed that there are more bears than people in the state — a fact that experts dispute. Still, early polls show Tester and Sheehy neck and neck: A March poll from J.L. Partners shows Sheehy up by three points, and another from Emerson College has Tester up by two percentage points. Both results are within the margin of error.

Voters seem oblivious — not to the key role they could play in who wins the White House, but that they will also choose which party controls what has long been called the world’s greatest deliberative body.

DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2024 It’s a veteran-versus-incumbent showdown in Nevada, too. Republican Brown, who received the Purple Heart for his service in Afghanistan, is challenging first-term Democrat Rosen, a former computer programmer with no political experience before her election to the House in 2016. Before entering politics, Rosen served as president of Congregation Ner Tamid, Nevada’s largest reform synagogue, making her the first former synagogue president ever elected to the Senate. She has been one of the staunchest allies to Israel in the Senate since the October 7 Hamas attack, and her Republican opponent largely walks in lockstep. But the similarities mostly end there: In addition to preparing for a showdown with Rosen, Brown spent much of the primary mitigating infighting among MAGA Republicans, seeking support from Trump and his allies. Whether Rosen or Brown prevails will be because they ride the coattails of their state’s party organizations, bolstered in an election year. The state’s powerful tourism-related labor unions, especially the Culinary Workers Union, are critical to delivering the vote for Democrats in Nevada; in both 2016 and 2020, Trump and the Republican National Committee built extensive ground operations in the state. “Nevada, to me, represents probably the best bellwether of the organizational capacity of the two parties,” says Schiller. It will be a bellwether of the strength of Trump and Biden’s candidacies, too. Nevada is a key swing state, as it has been in every presidential race since 2008. Nevada isn’t the only swing state in the West. Arizona will help determine the presidency, too. But the Senate race there is also crucial, where a Lake-Gallego showdown has the same external makeup as the elections in Nevada and Montana: a firebrand Republican taking on an establishment Democrat. Gallego has represented Arizona in the U.S. House since 2015. He “neatly personifies some of the state’s emerging demographic trends,” writes Tom Zoellner, an Arizona-born

journalist. He’s young, progressive, Hispanic and an out-oftowner — he moved here from the Midwest in 2006. “Since territorial days, a big part of Arizona’s pitch to the rest of the country is how friendly it is to newcomers, despite the heat and cactus thorns,” writes Zoellner. “You can move here cold and get plugged in fast.” Gallego, 44, has quickly become one of the most prominent Democrats in the state. Lake seeks redemption after her 2022 loss in the gubernatorial race that she won’t accept. She’s managed to burn bridges within and without the GOP, helping to force the resignation of the former state party chair and install an election denier in his stead. She’s continued her claims of election fraud in her 2022 gubernatorial race, leading to a defamation lawsuit filed by a top election official in Maricopa County. But the far-right schtick may be coming home to roost: After a controversial abortion ruling shook Arizona in the spring, Lake began to moderate her message on abortion, hoping to win over a wider swath of moderate voters. “The thing that gives her a chance is that Ruben Gallego is perceived to be quite far-left, and Arizona is not a far-left state,” says Tyler Montague, a Phoenix-area political strategist. “This is a well-known thing in Nevada, at this point — that Nevada is a consistent toss-up state. It’s a consistent battleground,” says Kenneth Miller, assistant professor of political science at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. But are Nevadans used to being key voters in determining the fate of the Senate? “I’m not so sure,” Miller says. Lake Havasu is known for its oddities. The town gets its name from a body of water created by Parker’s Dam, 20 miles to the south, backing up the Colorado River to form a particularly wide, lake-like inlet just below the town. The city’s main attraction is the old London Bridge — the same bridge that once crossed the Thames but was purchased and shipped here brick-by-brick by local tycoon Robert McCulloch in the early 1970s.

Another oddity in Lake Havasu — and perhaps in other parts of Arizona and Nevada and Montana — is that voters don’t seem to understand or care about the impact they have in deciding the fate of the U.S. Senate, and in turn, deciding the federal government’s priorities. Candidates, like Lake, are trying their best. The stakes are high, she told the rally’s attendees, and voters can’t afford to stay home: The road to the Senate runs through Arizona. “We are ground zero,” Lake says. “Everything that’s going on, Arizona is right there in the middle of it.” Many seemed well aware of Arizona’s crucial status in selecting the next occupant of the White House. Even at this rally for the Senate race, Biden got far more boos than Gallego. That may be the strategy Senate campaigns are forced to use, says Montague: Hitch your wagon to your party’s presidential nominee, and hope that residual momentum from the presidential race carries over. “Senate races rank below presidential races in the minds of voters,” he notes, “but they are still ‘top of the ballot’ and voters are paying attention.” It is easy to sell voters on why the other party is bad, and why the other party’s presidential candidate — or Senate candidate — will destroy America. It is more difficult to explain why the Senate, as an institution, is important, and why their vote will make a difference. When I asked attendees what they thought of Arizona’s role in determining control of the Senate, I got mostly blank stares. “This election’s going to determine the way the state goes,” Tony M., a 54-year-old man hovering near the bar at the back of the lot, tells me. (He declined to share his last name.) But what about control of the Senate, where landmark debates over water, jobs and growth will shape the country’s coming years? He shook his head. “No one’s talking about that.” This story appears in the July/August 2024 issue of Deseret Magazine. Learn more about how to subscribe.

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FALL GUIDE

Best audiobooks for road trips: Top picks to keep you entertained Going on a road trip? Try one of these audiobooks for the drive to fly by

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By Eva Terry Deseret News

After arguing about what music or podcast to listen to for the hundredth time, as what feels like hour 47 of your lengthy road trip comes and goes, you may be wishing you had downloaded an audiobook for your trek. Not to fear. The following books will make time fly and keep you on the edge of your seat, even when cornfields are the only thing you see for miles and miles. Here are the eight best audiobooks for your next roadtrip.

The 8 best audiobooks for road trips ‘My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry’ by Fredrik Backman When 7-year-old Elsa’s grandmother dies, she finds a box of apology cards written to various people, containing instructions. These instructions “lead her to an apartment building full of drunks, monsters, attack dogs and old crones but also to the truth about fairy tales and kingdoms and a grandmother like no other,” per Goodreads. Backman also wrote “A Man Called Ove,” which was made into a film in 2015. Both are available on Audible. Notable quotation: “I want someone to remember I existed. I want someone to know I was here.”

‘The Dutch House’ by Ann Patchett Narrated by Tom Hanks, this novel spans over the lifetime of siblings Maeve and Danny Conroy. Book critic Heller McAlpin called “The Dutch House” a novel about “obsessive nostalgia.” She continued, “Patchett’s eighth novel is a paradise lost tale dusted with a sprinkling of ‘Cinderella,’ ‘The Little Princess’ and ‘Hansel and Gretel.’” Notable quotation: “But we overlay the present onto the past. We look back through the lens of what we know now, so we’re not seeing it as the people we were, we’re seeing it as the people we are, and that means the past has been radically altered.” ‘Greenlights’ by Matthew McConaughey Read by McConaughey himself, this book is a combination of diary extracts and commentary. Many readers and critics have praised McConaughey for the honesty in his writing. One librarian described McConaughey as a “natural story teller,” saying the book is “up front, honest and visceral in the details of his life.” She continued, “He brings the ugly, the perfect, the funny, the shameful and the unbelievable of his life into vivid detail.” Notable quotation: “I have a lot of proof that the world is conspiring to make me happy.”

‘Cyrano de Bergerac’ by Edmond Rostand Cyrano’s nose is so enormous, but it doesn’t stop him from fighting for love. This play, based off the real Cyrano de Bergerac’s life in 1600s France, tells the story of a man who wins over his love despite his lack of appealing features. Notable quotation: “You blessed my life! Never on me had rested woman’s love. My mother even could not find me fair: I had no sister; and, when grown a man, I feared the mistress who would mock at me. But I have had your friendship — grace to you. A woman’s charm has passed across my path.” ‘The Good Sister’ by Sally Hepworth Hepworth’s novel is a murder mystery that switches points of view between two twin sisters, Fern and Rose. Fern is unmarried and experiences frequent sensory overload. Since Rose is infertile, Fern believes she should act as a surrogate, since her sister has done so much for her. The narration switches between Fern’s present day and Rose’s childhood journal. Notable quotation: “The library belongs to everyone. The library, Janet used to say, is one of only a few places in the world that one doesn’t need to believe anything or buy anything to come inside.”

DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2024 ‘Schindler’s List’ by Thomas Keneally Adapted into a Steven Spielberg film in 1994, Keneally’s story follows a man named Oskar Schindler, a German, who saved thousands of Jews during the Holocaust by employing and housing them in his metal-item factory, per History. After its 1982 publication, The New York Times reviewed the book, praising Keneally’s storytelling. Columnist Paul Zweig wrote, “He leaves us with the remarkable story of a man who saved lives when every sinew of civilization was devoted to destroying them.” Notable quotation: “The principle was, death should not be entered like some snug harbor. It should be an unambiguous refusal to surrender.” ‘The Boys in the Boat’ by Daniel James Brown With research conducted from the journals of the boys on the team, “The Boys in the Boat” tells the true story of how an eight-man rowing team at the University of Washington took a gold medal at the the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, right before the start of World War II. Brown’s website describes, the “heart of the tale lies with Joe Rantz, a teenager without family or prospects, who rows not only to regain his shattered self-regard but also to find a real place for himself in the world.” Notable quotation: “All were merged into one smoothly working machine; they were, in fact, a poem of motion, a symphony of swinging blades.” ‘Piranesi’ by Susanna Clarke “Piranesi” is a fantasy/mystery, told through Piranesi’s journal entries. He’s been stuck in an seemingly endless house, and he is visited weekly by someone called the “other.” Irish book reviewer Adrian Rose described, “Piranesi has no memories from his earlier life, and he’s happy in this world, until a few strange occurrences cause him to start asking questions.” Notable quotation: “Perhaps that is what it is like being with other people. Perhaps even people you like and admire immensely can make you see the World in ways you would rather not.”

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FALL GUIDE

Here are 16 movies coming to theaters this fall Movie fans might experience some deja vu of summer 2023’s ‘Barbenheimer’ era on Nov. 22 — the official release date of both ‘Wicked’ and ‘Gladiator II’

Sanaa Lathan, Aunjanue Ellis and Uzo Aduba star in "The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat." The film is hitting theaters this fall. By Margaret Darby Deseret News

The surge of sequels, prequels, spinoffs and reboots continues this fall with “Moana 2,” “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” and a “Transformers” prequel, “Transformers One.” Ongoing franchises have proven to score big at the box office in 2024. The 10 highest-grossing movies of the year so far are all sequels or prequels, with “Inside Out 2” still dominating the top position, per Box Office Mojo. But audiences also have a roster of original upcoming movie releases to look forward to during the fall, such as “Here,” starring Tom Hanks and Robin Wright. Movies fans might experience some deja vu of summer 2023’s “Barbenheimer” era on Nov. 22 — the official release date of both “Wicked” and “Gladiator II,” so gear up for a double feature. Here are 16 fall 2024 movies to look forward to:

16 fall 2024 movie releases you can’t miss ‘The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat’ A trio of best friends, Odette (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor), Barbara Jean (Sanaa Lathan) and Clarice (Uzo Aduba), call themselves “The Supremes.” The three women have endured a lifetime of experiences together — marriage, children, loss and joy.

When new challenges present themselves to the Supremes, their decades of friendship are tested in unique ways. Release date: Aug. 23 Rating: PG-13 ‘Reagan’ Based on Paul Kengor’s 2006 book “The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism,” Ronald Reagan (Dennis Quaid) proves he is much more than a Hollywood star as he makes an enduring impact in the Oval Office. Release date: Aug. 30 Rating: N/A ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ In the wake of a family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return to the infamous home in Winter River. Lydia (Winona Ryder) is still traumatized by her decades-old experiences with the “trickster demon” Beetlejuice (Micheal Keaton). So when Lydia’s rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid (Jenna Ortega), discovers a portal into the afterlife, Lydia fears history will repeat itself. Life in Winter River spirals out of control when Beetlejuice’s name is announced three times, unleashing the maniac once again. Release date: Sept. 6 Rating: PG-13

Dana Hawley, Searchlight Pictures

‘Transformers One’ “Transformers One” shares the origin story of arch-nemeses Optimus Prime (Chris Hemsworth) and Megatron (Brian Tyree Henry). Before their feud, Optimus Prime and Megatron were tight friends, bonded together like family. Together, the Transformers changed the fate of the planet Cybertron. Release date: Sept. 20 Rating: N/A ‘The Wild Robot’ Following a devastating shipwreck, intelligent robot Roz (Lupita Nyong’o) is left stranded on a deserted island. She adapts to her new habitat and forges relationships with the surrounding plants and animals. When Roz discovers an orphaned gosling, Roz begins to look after the creature like a mother. Roz is not sure she has the programming to care for the helpless bird, so she seeks help from other wild creatures so she can teach the gosling to fly, swim and hunt. Release date: Sept. 27 Rating: PG ‘Monster Summer’ Summertime in Martha’s Vineyard is nearly flawless — until a strange force begins haunting Noah (Mason Thames) and his pack of friends. Desperate for answers, they turn to a reclusive former po-

DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2024 lice detective (Mel Gibson) — who tells them there are monsters on the loose. The kids join forces with the curmudgeonly detective to put a stop to the monsters’ growing threat. Release date: Oct. 4 Rating: PG-13 ‘Piece by Piece’ Singer, songwriter and record producer Pharrell Williams’ life story — both highs and lows — is told with the help of LEGO animations. Release date: Oct. 11 Rating: PG ‘Blitz’ As World War II becomes increasingly dangerous in London, Rita (Saoirse Ronan) sends her 9-year-old son, George (Elliott Heffernan), to live safely in the English countryside. Homesick, George is determined to reunite with his mother and grandfather (Paul Weller) in London. George takes off on foot for a journey back home, which lands him in danger. When she hears George has run off, Rita desperately searches for him. Release date: Nov. 1 Rating: PG-13 ‘Conclave’ When Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with selecting a new pope — a process known as a conclave — he finds himself at the center of conspiracy. As Lawrence searches for the right person to serve as pope, he discovers a secret that could upset the foundation of the Catholic Church. Release date: Nov. 1 Rating: PG

‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever’ Based on the best-selling children’s book of the same name by Barbara Robinson, “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” tells the story of the Herdman family. The six Herdman children are known as the worst-behaved children in the world. They bring mayhem wherever they go. So when the Herdman children are selected to participate in the town’s annual Christmas pageant, the townspeople are holding their breath — but the children teach the community a lesson on the true meaning of Christmas. Release date: Nov. 8 Rating: PG ‘Red One’ When Santa Claus (J.K. Simmons) is abducted from the North Pole, Callum Drift (Dwayne Johnson), an E.L.F. (Extremely Large and Formidable) security guard, is tasked with retrieving Father Christmas. Callum partners with the world’s most infamous tracker (Chris Evans) to embark on a dangerous mission to save Christmas. Release date: Nov. 14 Rating: PG-13 ‘Here’ Over the course of a century, multiple different families from different generations live in the same home — while centered on the lives of American couple Richard (Tom Hanks) and Margaret (Robin Wright). Each family has unique life experiences of love, loss, joy and despair under the same roof. Release date: Nov. 15 Rating: PG-13

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The Drowsy Chaperone

Aug. 22 – Sep. 14, 2024 | Preview: August 21 | Mainstage | PG A humorous and lovable homage to the 1920s Jazz Age of musical theatre, this show-within-a-show is full of mistaken identities, wild dream sequences, and an anxiety-riddled narrator whose love for the show at times causes even more confusion and chaos.

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Feb. 27 – Mar. 22, 2025 | Preview: February 26 | Mainstage | PG-13 With music by Andrew Lloyd Weber and lyrics by Tim Rice, this rock opera tells the story of the last seven days of Jesus’s life from the perspective of Judas Iscariot. Judas begins to doubt that Jesus’s actions match his teachings—including his close friendship with Mary Magdalene. Torn between his doubts and his faith, Judas considers betraying his dearest friend to the enemies who want him dead.

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‘Wicked’ A young student named Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) is not understood by her peers due to her green skin. She creates an unexpected yet profound friendship with Glinda (Ariana Grande), a girl whose sole desire in life is to be popular. After Elphaba and Glinda have transformative experiences with the Wizard of Oz, the nature of their relationship changes and their lives take on different paths. Release date: Nov. 22 Rating: Not yet rated ‘Gladiator II’ Still haunted from witnessing his uncle kill Maximus, Lucius (Paul Mescal) must enter the Colosseum to reclaim his home from Roman emperors. Motivated by fury and the threats facing the future of his empire, Lucius looks to the past for guidance and the strength he needs in the fight to bring Rome back to its people. Release date: Nov. 22 Rating: Not yet rated ‘Spellbound’ When a strange spell turns the king and queen into monsters, princess Ellian (Rachel Zegler) reluctantly takes off on a journey to break the spell — before its effects become permanent. Release date: Nov. 22 Rating: PG ‘Moana 2 Moana embarks on a voyage on the far seas of Oceania after she receives a call from her wayfinding ancestors. She is accompanied by a group of rag-tag seafarers on her most treacherous journey yet. Release date: Nov. 27 Rating: PG

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DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2024

Utah Always Anwsers The Call For Help Utah Gives highlights the work of non-profit organizations across our state. This section connects readers with meaningful causes, volunteer opportunities, and community events. Our goal is to raise awareness and support for various charitable efforts. Whether you want to get involved, donate, or learn more, Utah Gives is your gateway to making a positive impact.

FOSTER BELONGING BECOME A REFUGEE FOSTER PARENT CCSUTAH.ORG

A little charity with big results

FOSTER LOVE

BECOME A REFUGEE FOSTER PARENT CCSUTAH.ORG

Donate at AbilityFound.org

FOSTER NEW BEGINNINGS

There’s no place like home.

BECOME A REFUGEE FOSTER PARENT CCSUTAH.ORG

The Children’s Center Utah provides comprehensive mental health care to enhance the emotional well-being of infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and their families and caregivers.

www.survivorwellness.org

Make a donation

Volunteer with us!

DONATE NOW

Need help? Visit

Providing emergency shelter, supportive services, and housing programs to families with children, men, and women for over a century.

childrenscenterutah.org

“This place heals the things the doctors cannot.”

HIGHLIGHT A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION TODAY!

FOSTER HOPE

BECOME A REFUGEE FOSTER PARENT CCSUTAH.ORG

contact Samantha Campbell scampbell@deseretnews.com

30 DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2024

40, No. 40

PARENTS: Children don’t yet realize that weight is more about having a healthy body and less about how that body looks. To put it into perspective, explain that carrying extra weight means the body must work harder—and that extra work can keep a person from feeling their best.

When a high school in Pennsylvania put up posters telling students how much fat was in different foods, the students changed what they ate for lunch.

A C D E F I L N O P R S T X Y

Look at the graph that shows what kinds of food they chose before and after the posters were put up. Then answer these questions:

We get these by eating bread, cereal, pasta and other foods made with grains. These give us energy.

How many fewer cheeseburgers were chosen after the posting of the nutrition posters? How many more plain burgers were chosen than cheeseburgers after the posting of the nutrition posters?

What do you think the nutrition posters said about the fat content of cheese?

Our bodies need different kinds of nutrients to perform at their peak. The different nutrients we need come from different kinds of food. Look at the nutrients below. Then follow the maze to find out what each nutrient does for your body and what foods provide each nutrient.

Good nutrition is a key ingredient for good health. But there are two more important ingredients you need as well. Use the code to discover them.

We get this from meat, fish and beans. In order for our muscles and organs to grow and be healthy, our bodies need this.

Fruits and vegetables are an important source of these. They make our hair shine, our eyes sparkle and our bodies healthy.

We can get this from a variety of foods including dairy products, dark green leafy vegetables, soy beans, almonds, figs, broccoli and butternut squash. Our bodies need it to grow and keep our bones strong.

Make up a Classified Ad to sell a bunch of carrots. Look at the Classified Ad section of the newspaper to get ideas on how these ads are written.

NUTRITION APPLES POSTERS BREAD HEALTH SHINE CHEESE ORGAN OBESITY BEANS FISH CALCIUM LUNCH BURGERS BONES

M S H C N U L P N S

U Y T I S E B O N N

I T L A S Y I S A A

C H A E E T A T G E

L S E P I D A E R B

A H H R P H L R O O C T T I H L S S Y N E U A T N W E I E E

N B U R G E R S F S

Standards Link: Letter sequencing. Recognize identical words. Skim and scan reading. Recall spelling patterns.

Talking Heads

Look for newspaper pictures of people’s heads. Cut some of these out and glue them onto a piece of paper. Write down something for each one to say about eating well. Draw a bubble around the words to make the pictures look like comics. Ask if you can post these in your lunchroom!

Standards Link: Health/Nutrition: Students know healthy eating practices.

Find the two identical dinners.

DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2024

EVENTS 2024 Wasatch Mountain Film Festival

Taylorsville Farmers Market

Fall Festival

Salt Lake Bees vs. Oklahoma City Baseball Club

Board Game Night

Little Women

Sept. 19 - 22 Time: 9am-10:30pm Location: 1274 S 1300 E - SLC https://wasatchfilmfestival.org

Sept. 19 - 22 Time: 6:35pm Location: 77 W 1300 S - SLC

End of Summer Block Party

Sept. 20 Time: 7pm-1am Location: 1249 E 3300 S - SLC https://liquidjoes.ticketsauce.com/e/end-of-summer-blockparty?aff=cityspark

Gem Faire

Sept. 20 - 22 Time: 12pm-6pm Location: 9575 S. State Street - Sandy https://gemfaire.com

10th Annual Marmalade Jam Fest

Sept. 21 Time: 10am-10pm Location: 280 W 500 N - SLC https://www.nowplayingutah.com/event/10th-annualmarmalade-jam-fest/

Real Salt Lake vs. Portland Timbers Sept. 21 Time: 7:30pm Location: 9256 S State St - Sandy

Lehi Arts in the Park 2024

Sept. 22 - 13 Time: 7pm-9pm Location: 500 North Center Street - Lehi https://www.lehi-ut.gov/event/51332/2024-09-22/

Sept. 24 Time: 5pm-9pm Location: 2625 Taylorsville Blvd - Taylorsville https://www.nowplayingutah.com/event/taylorsvillefarmers-market Sept. 25 - 16 Time: 5pm-9pm Location: 2011 1100 E, - SLC https://sugarhousecoffee.com

Pitbull: Party After Dark Tour

Sept. 25 Time: 8pm Location: 5150 S 6055 W - West Valley City

The University of Utah School of Dance presents "cross • roads"

Sept. 26 - 5 Time: 5:30pm-7pm Location: 201 Presidents Cir - SLC https://www.nowplayingutah.com/event/the-university-ofutah-school-of-dance-presents-cross-roads/West Valley

The Heart of Robin Hood [Arts Pass Event]

Sept. 27 - 29 Time: 7:30pm-9pm Location: 375 S 1400 E - SLC https://www.theatre.utah.edu/blog/item/711-24-25-seasonannouncement

Utah Football vs. Arizona Wildcats Football Sept. 28 Time: TBD Location: 451 S 1400 E - SLC

Oct. 4 Time: 5pm-8pm Location: 516 W Aspen Hills Blvd - Saratoga Springs http://www.saratogaspringscity.com/calendar.aspx?CID= 28,14,25,22,24,23,26,27,29&showPastEvents=false Oct. 4 - 14 Time: 7:30pm Location: 9351 S Mountaineer Ln - Sandy

Utah Jazz vs. New Zealand Breakers Oct. 4 Time: 7pm Location: 301 W South Temple - SLC

The Dinner Detective Comedy Mystery Dinner Show - Salt Lake City, UT Oct. 5 - 12 Time: 6pm-8:30pm Location: 255 South West Temple - SLC https://eventvesta.com/events/79181/t/tickets

Imagine Dragons: LOOM WORLD TOUR Oct. 11 Time: 7pm Location: 235 North 500 West - SLC https://www.bandsintown.com/e/105445525?app_ id=pkvts0on0m&came_from=287&utm_ medium=api&utm_source=partner_api&utm_ campaign=event

Tales At Treehouse Book Festival

Oct. 11 - 12 Time: 10am-5:30pm Location: 347 22nd Street - Ogden https://www.nowplayingutah.com/event/tales-attreehouse-book-festival/

*Events and details are subject to change. Please visit the event websites for the most up to date and correct information.

32 DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2024

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