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City Cast Salt Lake

Terina Ria

City Cast Salt Lake podcast host Ali Vallarta visited all 511 parks in Salt Lake County and 

 in Salt Lake. If you’re looking to cool off on the cheap, here are the best pools and splash pads I’ve found in Salt Lake parks.

 are adjusting hours this year to help conserve water because of the drought.

Cottonwood Heights’ secret pool is tucked inside Crestwood Regional Park, with neighboring picnic tables and a few lap lanes. Open Monday through Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. and Sundays noon to 4 p.m. $3.50.

It was an 80-acre farm run by the Wardle family, now it’s Bluffdale’s hottest splash pad! Lots of room for play, plus an inch-deep lazy river for toddlers to toddle (and not get knocked down by the big kids). It’ll be open Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 8 p.m. Free.

What’s up in Kearns? A three-level dive tower, splash pad dumping cup, and toddler-friendly slides. BYO well-stocked cooler. Full summer hours start this Friday, June 5: Monday through Saturday from noon to 8 p.m. and Sundays noon to 5 p.m. $6-$8.

The pool for Salt Lake City slickers offers more for grown-ups than kids, and maybe that’s its best quality? Open Monday through Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. and Sundays noon to 4 p.m. $3.00.

 Do you look great in red? We are in a national lifeguard shortage. Get lifeguard certified and help keep our pools open 

: Not in Salt Lake, but Park City’s recreation center pool 

 after $9 million renovations. Expect more lap lanes and family features, like a climbing wall and slides.

We are under the oppressive thumb of a heat wave, and may even break a record temp on Saturday. If you’re looking to cool off on the cheap, here are the best pools and splash pads I’ve found in Salt Lake parks.

The Best Park Pools & Splash Pads in Salt Lake

The Best Park Pools & Splash Pads

Salt Lake Parks

Whether it's off-leash dog parks, pickleball courts, pools or playgrounds, we are ranking the best parks in the valley, from Herriman to Salt Lake City, and everywhere in between.

Every Park SLC: Visiting All 511 Parks in Salt Lake County

Every Park SLC

It’s June: Have you crafted your summer bucket list yet? Good news: It’s not too late. Here are some of 

 returns June 6, though it’ll look a little different while Pioneer Park undergoes renovations and parts of the market spill onto nearby streets. It’s also arriving after a devastating spring freeze, which means you may notice less fruit at the stalls.

Even more markets to check out

: A weekend pop-up cafe and listening room by Clubhouse SLC and Sound Brew Coffee. It begins June 13 and will be open Saturdays and Sundays. Expect specialty coffee, hi-fi listening events, and dine & vinyl nights with local chefs.

: Enjoy live jazz music at Caputo’s Market all summer long on Fridays at 15th & 15th and Saturdays in Holladay. Expect wine, cheese boards, and resisting the urge to scat along with all the cool cats.

It’s Pride Month, and there are so many ways to celebrate. Here are just a few:

There’s probably an outdoor movie happening at a park near you this month, but here are a few I’m especially looking forward to:

 starts with “Moulin Rouge” on Saturday, June 13 at Pioneer Park.

 in Taylorsville is playing “Freakier Friday” on Friday, June 19 at Centennial Plaza.

 in South Jordan kicks off Friday, June 19 with “Remember the Titans,” and each screening has a fun family activity before the movie starts.

It’s June: Have you crafted your summer bucket list yet? Good news: It’s not too late. Here are some of the best things to do as the season unfolds.

Your Guide to Salt Lake in June 2026

Find the best of everything that Salt Lake City has to offer.

Salt Lake’s Best

Salt Lake's Best

Emily Means

It's a crowded race for Utah’s First Congressional District, with four candidates making their case in the Democratic primary. City Cast Salt Lake sent a survey to all of them, so you can compare where they stand on the issues shaping Salt Lake right now. Here’s their take on the national issues affecting our communities.

Answers are fact checked (see editor’s notes), but are unedited, and candidates are listed in alphabetical order by last name.

Utah leaders want to invest in and develop more data centers, like the one proposed in Box Elder County, to support AI. They argue it's a matter of national security and an economic driver. What do you think Utah's approach to data centers should be?

"I support Bernie Sanders' call for a national moratorium on new data centers. We shouldn't be building more until we have strict federal rules barring them from water-stressed regions like ours, mandating 100% clean energy, and protecting communities from environmental harm. We also need to address workforce displacement and regulate AI to ensure transparency, accountability, and public safety. Utah's water, air, and utility bills shouldn't be sacrificed to subsidize Big Tech's profit margins."

"Ban them. Data centers should not be built in Utah. The proposed Box Elder data center alone would consume the equivalent water demand of a mid-sized city in a year, water we don’t have, in a state fighting against losing its largest body of water. I’ll sponsor legislation banning new data centers anywhere in Utah and require existing operators to disclose and fully offset water and energy usage. We either save the GSL or we have data centers; we can’t have both."

"I oppose the proposed Box Elder County Stratos project. I don’t oppose data centers categorically, but we should not approve them unless they meet high standards for water conservation, clean energy, transparency, community engagement, and real public benefit. This project is too close to the Great Salt Lake and adds pressure to an already endangered body of water. These facilities should benefit surrounding communities, not a giveaway to another billionaire running up the tab."

"I support a ban on building any hyper-scale data centers like the one proposed in Box Elder or other water stressed areas in the nation. We are facing one of the worst droughts, we cannot have a policy that compromises our real world for a virtual one. When it comes to a broader data center policy framework, I support mandatory water neutrality standards, cost-causation protections so residents are not subsidizing private infrastructure, and strong ecosystem, noise, and public health standards."

The Trump administration's approach to immigration enforcement has destabilized communities, and local leaders have pushed back against an ICE detention center planned for Salt Lake City. If elected, what specific actions would you take to advocate for Salt Lake's interests related to the detention center and immigration enforcement?

"I ran ‘ICE Out’ legislation in the State Senate to stop masked federal agents from terrorizing our neighbors. I've been protesting ICE and the Salt Lake detention center, and I'll keep showing up. In Congress, I'll fight to abolish ICE and to prosecute the agents and officials responsible for the atrocities. I'll use my oversight authority to demand access to every ICE facility in Utah, inspect conditions firsthand, and demand justice."

"Block the detention center by any means. I will abolish ICE, ban officers and agents from wearing masks, end qualified immunity for officers and agents who break the law, and create a real pathway to citizenship for undocumented residents, Dreamers, TPS holders, and farmworkers, coupled with expanded work visas and strong worker protections so corporations can’t exploit immigrant workers to drive down wages. I will also drive federal funding to more immigration judges for faster processing."

"I oppose the proposed ICE detention center in Salt Lake City, and I would use every congressional tool I have to stop it. That means oversight, appropriations, and public pressure to demand answers: who benefits, what it costs, how families will be treated, and how local communities are affected. I’d fight unlawful raids, require due process, protect Dreamers and mixed-status families, and push for comprehensive immigration reform so Washington stops using immigrants as a political weapon."

"I strongly oppose the building of an iCE detention center in Salt Lake. Doing so would only create fear in our immigrant communities and result in legal abuses like those in California and Minnesota. I would support abolishing ICE, defunding ICE, increasing the number of immigration judges, guarantee removal defense in detention proceedings, support bills that end private and mass detention systems, and work to both stop family separations while reuniting families that our government separated."

The 2034 Winter Olympics will likely be a catalyst for some public improvements, as we get ready to host the world in Salt Lake. What's one project you would prioritize and use some congressional muscle to support between now and 2034?

"The Rio Grande Plan is exactly the kind of bold, visionary infrastructure we should be investing in. Putting the rails underground and reactivating the Rio Grande Depot as a central transit hub would reconnect east and west Salt Lake, end the dangerous freight crossings that have divided neighborhoods since 1870, and unlock 75 acres for housing and development. It tackles transit, housing, and historic preservation in one project. I'll fight for the federal dollars to make it real."

"A real transit backbone for the Wasatch Front. I will push federal infrastructure dollars toward extending and expanding TRAX, electrifying and adding frequency to FrontRunner, building a Salt Lake-to-Park City light rail connection, and adding airport links worthy of an Olympic host. Olympics-driven highway widening is the wrong legacy, congestion always returns, but expanded rail capacity is permanent."

"Conservation of the Central Wasatch should be our Olympic legacy. As mayor, I helped bring stakeholders together around the Mountain Accord and worked to protect the Central Wasatch. In Congress, I’ll continue leading the effort to pass the Central Wasatch National Conservation and Recreation Area Act. In the Olympic spirit, Utah can rise to this moment by resolving generational disputes and securing lasting protections for the towering mountain peaks and majestic canyons that define us."

"The biggest is improving public transportation options, specifically environmentally sustainable options across the City. We are going to see an influx of people come in from all over the world and the Trax route to the airport is slow and inefficient. We should ensure the impact of this tourism as green as possible. I would also like to support programs that make current infrastructure more sustainable like initiatives to turn our buses that go to and from our canyons electric."

Want to dig even deeper? Follow these links to read more responses from the candidates:

City Cast Salt Lake sent a survey to all four First Congressional District candidates, so you can compare where they stand on the issues shaping Salt Lake right now. Here’s where they stand on the national issues affecting our communities.

Utah’s First Congressional District Democratic Primary: The Candidates on National Issues

Local Civics

What's being decided in Salt Lake City Hall and why it matters. We monitor local elections, political news, and Salt Lake City Council. 

Salt Lake Election and City Hall News

The Democratic primary for Utah’s First Congressional District is shaping up to be one of the state’s most-watched races, thanks to a newly drawn congressional seat that favors Democrats. So, will voters send a Democrat (and *gasp* maybe even a progressive) to Congress? You decide!

City Cast Salt Lake sent a survey to all four candidates, so you can compare where they stand on the issues shaping Salt Lake right now. Answers are fact checked but  unedited, and candidates are listed in alphabetical order by last name.

What makes you uniquely the right person for this job?

: “I'm the only candidate in this race with a real track record of showing up. For years, I've walked picket lines with striking workers, marched with protesters, and stood with the communities others only court at election time. In 2022, I beat a 36-year incumbent by over 50 points and became the loudest voice against Utah's GOP supermajority, even when it meant getting my mic cut on the Senate floor. This work didn't start when I filed to run, and it won't stop on election day.”

: “I've worked as a tax attorney for the past 12 years. I understand how our economic and tax systems work and I know what these broken systems do to ordinary families. I’m the only candidate in this race who isn't a career politician, didn't spend the last few years as a lobbyist, and takes zero money from PACs (corporate or otherwise)*. None of my opponents have the skillset or lived experience needed to make our federal government work for the American people.”

: “I’ve done this job before. I’ve built coalitions to tackle some of our toughest challenges and shown the courage to stand my ground and stand alone when courage is needed. In Congress, I voted to impeach Donald Trump knowing it could cost me my seat. It did. I’ve served as mayor, state senator, and member of Congress, and I know how to deliver results without losing sight of who pays the price when Washington fails. Utah needs someone tested, steady, and ready on day one.”

: “I am young, hungry, and the issues of affordability impact me directly like they impact many of your listeners. Buying a home, raising a family, and having quality health care all at the same time today seem like unreachable goals. I want to bring back the promise of the American dream to young Americans. I also have a track record of integrity. And when elected, I will be the only candidate with big tech experience in Congress**. Making me the most informed member to hold them accountable.”

: *This is a sweeping statement from Michael Farrell. According to federal campaign filings, neither 

 have (see "committee contributions"). The other claims are pretty subjective, especially Farrell's last sentence.

**Liban Mohamed's claim that if elected, he will be "the only candidate with big tech experience in Congress" is wrong. Big Tech is generally defined as the largest technology companies in the U.S. — Alphabet/Google, Meta/Facebook, Microsoft, Apple, and Amazon. Mohamed has 

. However, according to her biography, Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-WA, 

Do you consider yourself a moderate or progressive?

"I'm the proven progressive in this race. Government should work for working people, not corporate donors. I support Medicare for All, the Green New Deal, the PRO Act, and abolishing ICE. I won't take money from corporate PACs or AIPAC, and I'll say what too many won't: Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, and we must end all aid to Israel. Bernie, the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC, Natalie Pinkney and labor unions are with me because they know that I will never back down from a fight."

"I am a proud progressive. I believe every worker deserves at least a $20 minimum wage indexed to inflation, no one’s income should be based off tips, billionaires and corporations should pay their share, healthcare shouldn’t be a business, and that we should overturn Citizens United, abolish ICE, codify Roe, and pass the Green New Deal. Democrats win when we deliver for people, not when deliver for our corporate donors or our Big Tech employers or when we do nothing but post or hashtag at folks."

"I consider myself a leader with the courage to do what is right and the discipline to get things done. I voted to impeach Donald Trump and to protect Dreamers in one of the toughest seats in the country because both were right. I’ve also built coalitions to expand health care, protect LGBTQ Utahns, defend public lands, and solve hard problems. I’ll fight to lower costs, make childcare affordable, save the Great Salt Lake, and codify Roe. Call that moderate or progressive. I call it leadership."

"I consider myself a progressive, within the US political discourse, but I don’t see myself as anything more than a reasonably concerned member of society. I believe that healthcare, housing, and Pre-K and childcare should be universal. Also that we are stronger when we lead with genuine diplomacy, respect foreign sovereignty, oppose genocide, and oppose endless wars. We pay into a form of government for a reason, it is time that we have representatives and programs that respond to our needs."

What is your favorite restaurant in CD1, and what do you order there?

"I am a BIG fan of Big Tortas in South Salt Lake – the name really speaks for itself. My go-to order is the Pierna al Horno torta, which is a hearty helping of baked pork leg with cheese, avocado and other fixings, with a healthy helping of whatever sauce they decide to throw in the bag, because they’re all highly addictive. Be careful, because some of them are deceptively spicy!"

"It’s hard to pick just one. CD1 has some incredible restaurants and my wife and I are certainly foodies. We are vegetarians, so we love a great meal with fantastic drinks and a variety of options. Shout out to Rio Grande Cafe, Urban Hill, Cotton Bottom Inn, Wildwood, Saffron Valley, Buds, Franklin Ave, and Vertical Diner. But Eva is our favorite. We always get the gnocchi, brussels sprouts, and whipped ricotta. And don’t forget dessert! Their sticky date pudding is the best in the city."

"Sugar House Station. I love that it has revived restaurants I’ve enjoyed for years and brought them together in a walkable, welcoming spot. It has become one of my regulars. I especially like anything from Canella's menu. My go-to is the Italian salad. I love the walkability and good vibe of the neighborhood. I’d like to help fast-growing, transit-accessible neighborhoods like this keep a local feel, with affordable homes nearby and affordable spaces where local restaurants can thrive."

"Julia’s Mexican Restaurant and the green chicken enchiladas, and Sapa. Truly a gems in our City."

City Cast Salt Lake sent a survey to all four First Congressional District candidates, so you can compare where they stand on the issues shaping Salt Lake right now.

Utah’s First Congressional District Democratic Primary: Meet the Candidates

The Democratic primary election for Utah’s First Congressional District is June 23. Do you know where your favorite candidate stands on the issues? City Cast Salt Lake sent a survey to all four candidates, so you can compare. Here’s their take on affordability.

Answers are fact checked (see editor’s notes) but unedited, and candidates are listed in alphabetical order by last name.

Cost of living is top of mind for Salt Lakers. Gas prices are up, grocery prices are up, and local consumer sentiment is at its lowest since 2023. What's the first thing you would propose to make life more affordable for Utahns?

"The first thing I'd push for is raising the federal minimum wage to at least $20 an hour and indexing it to the cost of living. The federal minimum is still $7.25. It hasn't been raised since 2009. I sponsored legislation in the State Senate to fix that, because it's unacceptable that working families watch the price of groceries, gas, and rent climb while their paychecks stand still. A day's work should cover a dignified life. In Utah right now, it doesn't come close."

"First, I will drive down the cost of healthcare through universal healthcare. Nearly 1 in 12 adults has medical debt, and a single hospital stay can wipe out a lifetime of savings. I have lived this. My mom fell ill with a terminal disease when I was 21 and left a short hospital stay with a $150,000 bill. That is a system that is too broken to be fixed. It is a system that needs to be fundamentally reshaped. We are the richest country on Earth. We can afford nice things, including healthcare."

"I’d stop making Utah families pick up the tab for bad choices in Washington. Trump’s tariffs raise prices on food, gas, and everyday goods. War in the Middle East drives costs even higher. Tax breaks for billionaires propel the wealthy further ahead while the rest of us fall behind. I’d work to end the war in Iran, end reckless tariffs, close corporate loopholes, protect health care tax credits, lower drug costs, raise the minimum wage and invest in housing, child care, and good-paying jobs."

"When elected to Congress I will support a federal affordability package. This package will include policies such as: Medicare for All, Universal Pre-K and childcare, building more housing and preventing private equity from owning homes, relief and reform to our higher education loans system, and rent-stabilizing measures for fast-growing economies. It is time the federal government steps up to ensure the prosperity of its citizens."

Utah's primary approach to housing affordability has been supply/demand — the idea that if we build more housing, it will lower prices by lowering demand. What other strategies would you support at the congressional level to make housing more affordable?

"Building more housing matters, but the private market alone will never solve this crisis. We need to repeal the Faircloth Amendment so the federal government can build public housing again. We also need to ban the algorithmic price-fixing software corporate landlords use to coordinate rent hikes, crack down on private equity firms treating homes like financial instruments, and pass the Place to Prosper Act to curb unjust rent hikes and evictions. Housing is for people, not profits."

"Wall Street is buying homes faster than working families can compete*. I will work to increase funding for affordable housing to be sold at cost to first-time homebuyers. I will also ban hedge funds and corporations from owning single-family homes, force existing corporate-owned houses back onto the market, convert the mortgage interest deduction into a refundable tax credit, fund $20,000 in downpayment assistance for first-time homebuyers, and create a refundable renter’s tax credit."

"Supply matters, but it isn’t enough. I serve on a national housing crisis task force and advise cities and states on urban infill strategies to activate land near transit for affordable housing. I’ve published these ideas, helped draft legislation, and built relationships needed to get it done. In Congress, I’d turn that work into long-term affordability protections, cutting red tape to make it easier to manufacture modular homes, and more homes in vibrant, walkable neighborhoods."

"I will support legislation to ban corporate price-fixing algorithms for renters and restrict private equity ownership of housing. Expand federal affordable and social housing grants and incentivize first-time homeownership. Increase federal investment in social dense housing developments. Propose legislation to limit the number of units or acreage a person can own. And partner with state and local entities to cut unnecessary zoning barriers and accelerate the development of affordable housing."

: *Michael Farrell's claim that "Wall Street is buying homes faster than working families can compete" needs more context. Real estate website Redfin recently reported investor home purchases nationally have 

. In Utah, Axios reported last year that 

 — though they've held steady in Salt Lake City.

As housing prices have increased, so has Utah's homeless population. State leaders support a treatment-first approach, where individuals are compelled into mental health and substance use treatment, versus housing first, where treatment is voluntary. Which approach do you support and why?

"I support Housing First. Homelessness is fundamentally a housing crisis, people can’t get ahead until they have a stable place to live, and I know that first-hand. Compelled treatment is a punitive model that’s consistently failed to make communities safer or healthier. We need to invest in voluntary mental health and addiction services, expand affordable housing, and send trained social workers, not police, to respond to people in crisis. Dignity and stability get better outcomes than coercion."

"Housing First, and it’s not close. Decades of evidence show that stable housing is the foundation for everything else. People in stable housing complete treatment at higher rates, hold jobs, and reunite with families. Utah’s own pilot programs have shown that you can’t compel someone into recovery*. I will direct federal funding to permanent supportive housing, not coerced institutionalization."

 "As mayor, I helped reform our homelessness system and led the fight to expand Medicaid so people could access mental health and substance-use treatment**. I support Housing First. I oppose the proposed Salt Lake City homelessness mega campus. That approach reverses the hard work and progress I made when I was mayor. I support enforcing no-camping laws and keeping communities safe, but we must simultaneously provide adequate shelter, treatment, and real places for people to go."

"It’s hard to force anyone to do anything, and unless that person wants that change for themselves, compelling them to change will not end in long-term results. We also know that what gives people the most stability is a place to call home. At the end of the day, I believe that the only right answer here is a housing first approach. One of the core promises in my agenda is that housing should be a human right, this should not change just because one faces more or certain difficulties in life."

: *Michael Farrell's claim that "Utah’s own pilot programs have shown that you can’t compel someone into recovery" — it's unclear what programs he's referring to. 

Operation Rio Grande (see below) had a drug court option

 to funnel people into treatment in exchange for clearing their criminal charges.

**Ben McAdams' claim that he "helped reform our homelessness system" during his time as Salt Lake County mayor needs more context. As mayor, McAdams 

 (ORG), the state-led homelessness effort that primarily 

. It was followed by the closure of the large Road Home shelter and a transition to the scattered-site model for homeless resource centers. Critics of ORG call it "Operation Leaf Blower"; essentially, that it moved the unsheltered population from downtown to other neighborhoods.

City Cast Salt Lake sent a survey to all four First Congressional District candidates, so you can compare where they stand on the issues shaping Salt Lake right now. Here’s where they stand on affordability.

Utah’s First Congressional District Democratic Primary: The Candidates on Affordability

Did you receive a ballot for the Democratic primary in Utah’s First Congressional District? City Cast Salt Lake sent a survey to all four candidates, so you can compare where they stand on the issues shaping Salt Lake right now. Here’s their take on the environment.

Answers are fact checked, but are unedited, and candidates are listed in alphabetical order by last name.

Utah had the worst snowpack on record this past winter, and the Great Salt Lake has already reached its maximum elevation for the year. President Donald Trump has pitched $1 billion to save the lake. What specific solutions would you support funding with that line item?

"The Great Salt Lake is a public health emergency. As it shrinks, arsenic and heavy metals from the lakebed blow into the air along the Wasatch Front. One billion is a start, but saving this lake will take $1 billion+ a year. I'd direct that funding toward securing federal water leases, mandating minimum lake levels, and regulating Big Ag's water use, which accounts for the vast majority of consumption in the basin. The lake won't be saved by half-measures."

"Federal funding should prioritize funneling more water into the Great Salt Lake through coordination with neighboring states, restrictions on large agricultural water use (such as alfalfa farms), incentives for Utahns to convert their lawns to a xeriscape or zeroscape, watershed restoration, wetland protection, water reuse infrastructure, and dust mitigation to protect Utahns from toxic air caused by declining GSL levels. We also need a total ban on data centers being built anywhere in Utah."

"I’d eradicate thirsty phragmites and other invasive plants that are overgrown on the banks of the Jordan River. This would get more water to the lake and also make the Jordan River corridor safer and more recreation friendly. That would be about 10% of the solution. We won’t save the Lake unless we also address agricultural uses. Funding can pay for agricultural water diversion, conservation, metering, and water shepherding so conserved water reaches the lake instead of being reused upstream."

"Saving the Great Salt Lake is such a public health and national security threat to our lives, communities, and so many of our biomes, that I have made the promise to make an appropriation for efforts in this regard the first thing I do when I get to Congress. The following policies are some in my plan to save the Great Salt Lake: Minimum enforceable lake levels, Federal ecosystem restoration on-going funding, Interstate water conservation coordination, Wetlands restoration, Broader water law reform."

Gov. Spencer Cox wants to double the state's energy production in the next 10 years. What energy sources should we prioritize and why?

"We can't double energy production by doubling down on the fuels of the past. Utah sits on some of the best geothermal resources in the country, and with serious federal investment we can become the world leader in it. We should keep scaling wind, solar, and storage, modernize our grid, and make sure big industrial users pay their fair share instead of passing costs onto your utility bill. Clean energy is cheaper, better for the environment, and made right here."

"Geothermal, wind, and solar. Utah has world-class geothermal resources that we have barely tapped, and Utah’s ability to tap into sun and wind resources is nearly unmatched. These energy sources are faster to deploy than dirty energy, cheaper per megawatt-hour, and don’t require decade-long buildouts or unsolved waste problems. Congress should pass the Green New Deal, and America can lead the way in clean energy for at least the next 50 years. Instead we're currently letting China eat our lunch."

"I don’t accept the premise that Utah should double energy production at any cost. We should grow only as fast as we can do it sustainably — protecting the Great Salt Lake, improving air quality, conserving water, and preserving the public lands and outdoor way of life that make Utah special. As we grow, we should prioritize clean sources like solar, geothermal, storage, and efficiency that lower costs and create jobs without leaving our kids the bill."

"We need to prioritize green renewable energy, point blank and end of discussion. Both solar and wind farms should be at the front. It is an ambitious project, but we need to dare to once again lead. We have the will and the funds to make this transition, we just need the political power. We will need an increase in energy production to meet our daily needs in our near future. There is no reason to compromise our health, environment, or the prosperity of the younger generations to get there."

Salt Lake had the worst air quality in the country this January. Utah's air has improved over the past hundred years, but Salt Lakers still suffer on bad air days. What congressional levers would you pull to clean up District 1's air?

"Salt Lakers, especially on the Westside, are losing years off their lives due to health complications from our horrible air quality. I'll fight for federal investment in clean energy like geothermal, wind, and solar to retire coal and natural gas plants, secure permanent water flows to the Great Salt Lake so toxic dust stops blowing off the lakebed, expand public transit to cut tailpipe emissions, and strengthen the Clean Air Act and provide agencies with the resources to actually enforce it."

"First, fully fund the EPA and tighten national air-quality standards, and stop Trump from gutting them. Second, redirect federal transportation dollars to electrify TRAX and FrontRunner, expand bus service, and reduce single-occupancy commuting. Third, require federal permitting at the Inland Port to actually account for cumulative air pollution and the lakebed dust crisis. Salt Lakers shouldn’t have to choose between living here and breathing safely."

"I’d pull every federal lever to clean our air: EPA enforcement, replacing dirty diesel buses and trucks, electric vehicle incentives, transit, safe bike lanes, incentives to electrify homes and buildings and accelerate our transition to clean energy instead of fossil fuels. I’d also support housing near transit and walkable neighborhoods so people can drive less. Most importantly, I’ll fight to save the Great Salt Lake, because toxic dust from the exposed lakebed is an air quality crisis."

"Investing in clean renewable energy is my number one priority on this end. We must do what we can to reduce the number of admissions that we emit to the ozone. We also need to address the toxic dust that is making it to our lungs as the Great Salt Lake slowly dries up. As outlined above, I have a plan to save the Great Salt Lake but we are already getting a taste of it. I would also like to re-incentize electric vehicles but doing so in a way that we can increase our choices as consumers."

City Cast Salt Lake sent a survey to all four First Congressional District candidates, so you can compare where they stand on the issues shaping Salt Lake right now. Here’s where they stand on the environment.

Utah’s First Congressional District Democratic Primary: The Candidates on the Environment

Salt Lake County just released its annual 

list of dog-friendly restaurant and bar patios

. While there are far too many to note here — we’re 

, after all — here are a few standouts to add to your summer rotation.

At these approved spots, dogs are only allowed in designated outdoor dining areas, but not inside the restaurant unless they’re service animals.

You’ve got options. Grab breakfast with your pup at Park Cafe (you can walk around Liberty Park while you wait), Hub & Spoke, Skillets, or Emigration Cafe. And Tea Zaanti and Rose Establishment are great spots to linger longer.

Truly, what’s better than soaking in the sun while enjoying a cold beer or cider with your best bud? Try Uinta Brewhouse Pub, Apex Brewing, Hopkins Brewing, or Mountain West Hard Cider.

The list stretches beyond downtown Salt Lake City; maybe you can even try someplace new. I’ve got my eye on Localz Bistro in Sandy or Black Sheep Bar & Grill in West Jordan. Also shoutout to the number of Taqueria 27 locations supporting our dreams of tacos + pup-friendly patios + summer evenings.

Your dog deserves a taste of the finer things in life, too. Urban Hill, Harbor Seafood & Steak, Caputo’s on 15th, and Cucina Deli all made the list. What does your dog know about wine pairings and imported tin fish?

Check out the full list of dog-friendly restaurant patios below.

Gotta catch 'em all

Salt Lake County just released its annual list of dog-friendly restaurant and bar patios. While there are far too many to note here — we’re a dog-loving city, after all — here are a few standouts to add to your summer rotation.

Dog-Friendly Restaurant & Bar Patios in Salt Lake

The Best Dog-Friendly Restaurant Patios in Salt Lake

Salt Lake City’s first-ever food co-op, Wasatch Food Co-op, officially opens today. What a perfect excuse to round up some of the best small grocers around the valley.

After nearly two decades in the making, Salt Lake’s first community-owned grocery store is finally here. Unlike a traditional grocery store, the co-op operates under a member-owner model, and about 20% of its vendors are local businesses.

Japan Sage Market is packed with hard-to-find Japanese ingredients and specialities, like natto (fermented soybeans with a sticky texture). Don’t miss their lunch (katsu, ramen, bento boxes) served every day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

A much-needed Mexican/Latin grocery store in Herriman. They offer a Taco Tuesday promotion, where you select your choice of marinated meat, and it comes with a pack of tortillas, a 2-liter soda or Jarritos, and fresh salsa.

Shopping here feels like a treat because I know I’ll always find something seasonal, local, or downright special. Adriatic figs? Yuzu kosho? New Zealand ground elk? That’s my jam.

A Salt Lake institution for gourmet foods, Caputo’s has everything from chocolate to tinned fish to a whole a** cheese cave. Longtime readers already know this, but it’s one of my favorite places in the city.

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See if you can complete our City Cast Salt Lake crossword puzzle, in honor of tonight's season 3 premiere of "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives."

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What Salt Lakers have been wondering. We break down why things in Salt Lake City are the way they are and how they work.

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Ice cream is a yearlong treat but especially satisfying when the weather gets warm. As we head into summer, put your knowledge to the test: Do you know where you can find these frozen delicacies?

Spring in Salt Lake means blooming trees, warmer days, and that unmistakable smell. Test your knowledge on the city’s most notorious tree. 

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Name That Ice Cream

Test your memory with our mini news crossword. Every clue comes straight from a recent City Cast Salt Lake newsletter!

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Think you know what it costs to live in Salt Lake City? Take our quiz and guess the rent on these local listings.

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Maybe you skim the news, maybe you read everything: see how much stuck with this week’s mini news crossword.

Hint: Find the answers in recent City Cast Salt Lake newsletters.

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Lately, I’ve seen a number of Australian-style coffee shops in Salt Lake City popping up on my feed. But what even is Australian coffee?

“Australian coffee” isn’t necessarily a specific bean or roast, it’s more about the culture. Instead of chains, Australia’s coffee culture evolved through neighborhood cafes, with baristas focusing on quality and craft. It’s no wonder they fit right into Salt Lake City’s independent coffee scene.

If there is one drink that represents Australian coffee the most, it’s the flat white (though Australia and New Zealand both claim to have invented it). A flat white is made with espresso and finely frothed milk for a signature silky texture. Compared to a typical American latte, it’s stronger and contains a lot less milk.

Generally, flavored syrups aren't as common. But if you want something sweet try an iced coffee, which is espresso, milk, and ice cream. And if you’re in Tyra Banks’ Australia (aka Sydney) you can get a 

Where To Find Australian Coffee in Salt Lake

: One of the newest coffee shops in Millcreek. They take the laid back approach to Aussie coffee culture. Plus, they have a sick kookaburra mural, so you know they’re legit.

An Australian-owned restaurant in Park City that serves Aussie-style iced coffee (cold brew nitro and ice cream).

: With locations in Salt Lake City and Sandy, the founder has over 20 years of coffee experience that started in Sydney. You’ll find flat whites and iced coffee here.

: An Australian-style coffee truck, on a brief hiatus while the owner (a professional rugby player) plays rugby in Boston. But they’re set to reopen in the summer. Bonus: They 

Salt Lake, Explained

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Salt Lake, Explained

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