Your Daily Guide

Utah added seven more book titles to its statewide school ban list this week, in one fell swoop, including “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl,” by Jesse Andrews. This is the biggest single batch since the sensitive materials law took effect in 2024. That brings the total to 44 books prohibited from students in every Utah public school. [Salt Lake Tribune]

• Need a refresher on the ban? Under Utah law, once three school districts (or two districts and five charter schools) determine a book contains “objective sensitive material,” every public school in Utah must remove it. The state board can consider overturning a statewide removal if a board member requests a vote within 30 days. [Utah State Legislature]
• Two districts have an outsized impact: Nearly all of Utah’s statewide book bans have originated in Davis and Washington County school districts, according to a Salt Lake Tribune investigation. [Salt Lake Tribune]
• Authors whose books have been removed are suing Utah, arguing the law violates First Amendment rights. Last month, a federal judge rejected parts of the state’s attempt to dismiss the case. [ABC4]
• Meanwhile, one of the country’s most-banned authors is headed to Salt Lake. Jodi Picoult, the fourth most-banned author in the U.S. according to PEN America, will headline the inaugural Salt Lake Book Festival on Oct. 17. Her novel “Nineteen Minutes” is among the 44 books banned in Utah public schools. [PEN America, Salt Lake Book Festival]

Free Shots for Pets & People

Visit Salt Lake County’s free drive-thru vaccine clinic Friday, Oct. 2, from 3-6 p.m. at Cottonwood Dog Park, for pets and people! Pet services will be free, while human vaccines are free for uninsured folks and billed to insurance for those who have it. [Salt Lake County]

Building Utah City’s Downtown

Utah City is bringing big city developers, behind projects like Hudson Yards in NYC and Bellagio in Las Vegas, to shape Broad Street, a 250,000-square-foot shopping and entertainment district on the shores of Utah Lake. [Salt Lake Tribune]

How Do Ski Resorts Choose an Opening Day?

Resorts look to their elevation, snowmaking capacity, and historical data on snowfall and temperatures to make their best guess. Brian Head ski resort is hoping for a Nov. 6 opening day after already getting its first snow of the season. [FOX 13]

Is Rep. Trevor Lee's Disgraceful Resignation That Shocking?

Turns out, Utah has a history of lawmakers stepping down after being charged with crimes. We talk about the public impact of these headlines and what will happen now that SLC's biggest culture war troll is gone. [City Cast Salt Lake 🎧]

City Cast Salt Lake Neighbors know what’s good in the neighborhood. Here’s what they’re highlighting this week:

📣 Greta S. wants to shoutout “Mecca Cafe, the cutest cafe with the best curated drinks and homemade sourdough bagels! Try their butternut squash latte and a blueberry-ube bagel!”

📣 Katie B. loves “Whoever made the ID card for Sully the neighborhood cat who hangs out at the Cottonwood Rec Center. My hero.”

If you want to share your own local obsession, become a member today.