1 big thing: Explaining gender-affirming care

Utah celebrates spring equinox with parties, concerts and reflection

2. Rites of spring

Yellow crocuses bloom in front of a yucca with pink thyme.

Is a new job in your future?

3. Fry sauce: Mix it up with these headlines

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4.📍 Here in Salt Lake

Today's weather: 🌧️ Rain with a high of 49°.

Today's newsletter is 911 words — a 3.5-minute read.

🎄Erin finally took down her Christmas lights.

This newsletter was edited by Shane Savitsky and Gigi Sukin and copyedited by Natasha Danielle Smith.

Plus:⚕️Gender-affirming care, explained

Salt Lake City

Get smarter, faster on the most consequential news unfolding in Salt Lake City

Axios Salt Lake City

1 big thing: Riding the anime wave

A new career is waiting for you

2. Charted: December's air travel meltdown

3. Fry sauce: A swirl of news

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4. Ski etiquette and Gwyneth on trial in Park City

Weather: 🌧️ High of 47°, with a chance of snow and rain.

Situational awareness: It's Ramadan! The month of fasting and prayer continues through April 20.

Today's newsletter is 932 words — a 3.5-minute read.

🍳 Erin must add her endorsement to the chorus of praises to Frankie & Essl's breakfast sandwich.

This newsletter was edited by Gigi Sukin and copyedited by Natasha Danielle Smith.

Editor's note: Yesterday's newsletter incorrectly stated that Snowbasin is in Little Cottonwood Canyon. The ski resort is located near the town of Huntsville in the Ogden Valley.

1 big thing: Our shrinking apartments

Asked to define "woke," columnist freezes in viral video

2. A columnist's viral silence

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3. Fry sauce: Chow down on this news

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4. Where in Salt Lake?

Today's weather: 🌧️ Partly sunny, then isolated showers. High of 50°.

Today's newsletter is 804 words — a 3-minute read.

🦁 Erin is loving this extra week of March in lion mode.

This newsletter was edited by Shane Savitsky, Gigi Sukin and copyedited by Natasha Danielle Smith.

Utah saw "high activity" of white supremacist propaganda in 2022

1 big thing: White supremacist propaganda spreads in Utah

Utah governor Twitter-fights free speech lawyer over social media law

2. Cox's free speech spat

3. Fry sauce: Savor the news

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4. St. Paddy's weekend is here

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New jobs to check out

This Salt Lake City breakfast sandwich is drawing crowds

5. 🍳 The breakfast sandwich you need now

Well hello, Friday — our dear ole friend!

Today's weather: ☀️ Sunny, with a high of 45°.

Today's newsletter is 935 words — a 3.5-minute read.

🌴 Kim is going on a road trip and will be back on March 27. 

1 big thing: Snowy winter but warming trend

On the job hunt?

2. Meet BYU's new president 

3. Fry Sauce:  Double dip these headlines

Illustration of a cutthroat trout leaping towards a french fry on a fishing hook.

4. 🏀  Sweet 16 dreams

Welcome — It's National Goof Off Day! Do with that what you will!

Today's newsletter is 725 words — a 3-minute read.

🥄 Erin is in total agreement that caper jars need bigger openings.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will donate 20,000 acre-feet of water to the Great Salt Lake in an attempt to save the shrinking body of water, the Utah Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced on Wednesday.

Driving the news: The church, one of the largest private landowners in the U.S., gifted 5,700 of its water shares in the North Point Consolidated Irrigation Company to the state.

Utah distributes water rights to water companies, which supply shares to other entities at a cost. DNR is managing the water donation. It said it will collaborate with the Great Salt Lake Watershed Enhancement Trust, established by the Utah Legislature last year with $40 million to enhance water quality.

The price tag of the church's donation was not disclosed.

Zoom out: House Speaker Brad Wilson announced last year the Weber Basin Water and Jordan Valley Water conservancy districts committed to sending an additional combined 30,000 acre-feet of water to the lake.

Flashback: Last summer, the church said it would work to reduce its water use in all buildings and facilities as much of the state experienced "extreme" drought. 

Great Salt Lake researchers released an alarming report in January that found the saline lake could disappear by 2027 if its current rate of water loss continued.

The Great Salt Lake's water levels have faced a steady decline since the late 1980s, per the report. Since 2020, the lake has lost an average of 1.2 million acre-feet of water annually.

Why it matters: If the lake dries up, it could result in severe environmental, ecological and health consequences, according to DNR.

The church's donation comes as local, state and federal leaders work to halt the lake's demise.

What they're saying: "The Church wants to be part of the solution because we all have a responsibility to care for and be good stewards of the natural resources that God has given to us," Bishop W. Christopher Waddell, first counselor of the Presiding Bishopric of the Church, said in a statement.

Joel Ferry, DNR's executive director, said the water will "benefit the lake year after year."

Context: The volume of water is equivalent to the size of the Little Dell Reservoir in Salt Lake County.

One acre-foot of water is parallel to 325,851 gallons, per the Utah Division of Water Rights.

This article originates from the Great Salt Lake Collaboration, a solutions journalism initiative designed to inform people about the plight of the Great Salt Lake. Read more here.

Mormon Church donates water shares to aid the Great Salt Lake

Since 2020, the lake has lost an average of 1.2 million-acre feet of water annually.

Illustration of the Salt Lake Temple with lines radiating from it.

Environment

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will donate 20,000 acre-feet of water to the Great Salt Lake in an attempt to save the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="shrinking body of water" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2021/07/07/utah-great-salt-lake-drought" data-vars-content-id="19757929-051c-42b5-b072-6a20eef1210c" data-vars-headline="Mormon Church donates water shares to aid the Great Salt Lake" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2021/07/07/utah-great-salt-lake-drought" target="_self">shrinking body of water</a>, the Utah Department of Natural Resources (DNR) <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="announced" data-vars-click-url="https://naturalresources.utah.gov/dnr-newsfeed/church-donates-water-to-benefit-great-salt-lake" data-vars-content-id="19757929-051c-42b5-b072-6a20eef1210c" data-vars-headline="Mormon Church donates water shares to aid the Great Salt Lake" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://naturalresources.utah.gov/dnr-newsfeed/church-donates-water-to-benefit-great-salt-lake" target="_blank">announced</a> on Wednesday.Driving the news: The church, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="one of the largest private landowners" data-vars-click-url="https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2022/04/05/new-database-gives-widest/#:~:text=Utah%2Dbased%20faith%20has%20at,nation&#x27;s%20fifth%20largest%20private%20landowner." data-vars-content-id="19757929-051c-42b5-b072-6a20eef1210c" data-vars-headline="Mormon Church donates water shares to aid the Great Salt Lake" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2022/04/05/new-database-gives-widest/#:~:text=Utah%2Dbased%20faith%20has%20at,nation&#x27;s%20fifth%20largest%20private%20landowner." target="_blank">one of the largest private landowners</a> in the U.S., gifted 5,700 of its water shares in the North Point Consolidated Irrigation Company to the state.

News

The Salt Lake City International Airport now accepts TSA PreCheck travelers' mobile IDs.

Driving the news: The Transportation Security Administration announced this week that TSA PreCheck members could use their Utah mobile driver's licenses to verify their identities before going through security at 15 participating airports.

Why it matters: TSA officials say mobile IDs make traveling through the airport more efficient.

Catch up quick: The move comes nearly two years after the Utah Department of Public Safety's Driver License Division launched its Mobile Driver License pilot in partnership with Get Group North America, an identity management company behind the GET Mobile ID app.

So far, more than 20,000 Utahns have signed up for digital driver's licenses with the app, KSL.com reported.

The intrigue: Salt Lake City's airport is the first in the nation to operate new Credential Authentication Technology — also known as CAT-2 — units at its security checkpoint, per TSA.

CAT-2 units are used to verify a passenger's identity and are equipped with cameras to capture a real-time photo of a traveler.

What they're saying: "TSA's use of CAT-2 is a screening enhancement that will improve our passenger’s experience from curb to gate," Bill Wyatt, the airport's executive director, said in a statement.

How it works: Utahns can sign up for a mobile ID by downloading the GET Mobile ID app on their Apple or Android devices.

At the airport, a CAT-2 unit scans the app. The system compares the traveler's photo to a real-time picture of them and pulls up their flight information.

Once the CAT-2 unit confirms a match, a TSA officer will green-light the passenger to proceed through the screening process.

Of note: Travelers are still advised to carry a physical ID.

Salt Lake airport accepts mobile IDs for pre-approved travelers

TSA officials say mobile IDs make traveling through the airport more efficient.

Illustration of a driver's license in the shape of a text message balloon.

Airports

The <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Salt Lake City International Airport" data-vars-click-url="https://slcairport.com/" data-vars-content-id="1dc40e23-945d-4918-a620-5aa7215c10b2" data-vars-headline="Salt Lake airport accepts mobile IDs for pre-approved travelers" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://slcairport.com/" target="_blank">Salt Lake City International Airport</a> now accepts TSA PreCheck travelers&#x27; mobile IDs.Driving the news: The Transportation Security Administration announced this week that TSA PreCheck members could use their Utah mobile driver&#x27;s licenses to verify their identities before going through security at <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="15 participating airports" data-vars-click-url="https://www.tsa.gov/digital-id" data-vars-content-id="1dc40e23-945d-4918-a620-5aa7215c10b2" data-vars-headline="Salt Lake airport accepts mobile IDs for pre-approved travelers" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.tsa.gov/digital-id" target="_blank">15 participating airports</a>.

The spread of white supremacist propaganda reached an all-time high in the U.S. last year, up 38% from 2021, according to a report by the Anti-Defamation League's Center on Extremism released earlier this month.

Driving the news: Utah was among the top 10 states with the most activity of propaganda distributed last year, the analysis showed.

The Beehive State was also one of a handful of states where the Patriot Front, defined as a white nationalist hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, was most active, per the report.

The big picture: Three groups — Patriot Front, Goyim Defense League and White Lives Matter — were responsible for nearly 93% of the propaganda spread in the U.S. last year, according to the report.

The ADL defines white supremacist propaganda efforts as the physical distribution of racist, antisemitic or anti-LGBTQ fliers, stickers, signs and graffiti.

Zoom in: In Utah, the ADL recorded 222 white supremacist propaganda incidents, nine antisemitic incidents, and three white supremacist events in 2022.

Patriot Front has displayed banners over Utah freeways in recent years.

What they're saying: Richard Medina, associate professor of geography who studies hate groups and terrorism at the University of Utah, told Axios SLC the Mountain West has been a "hotbed" for this type of activity.

Yes, but: "When it comes to like, real extremist behavior, and hate crimes, we're pretty minimal," according to Medina, who added the state's religious culture might be a deterrent.

Morgan Moon, an investigative researcher for ADL's Center on Extremism, told Axios the spread of propaganda intends to recruit new members, advertise their presence and intimidate nonwhite and LGBTQ+ groups.

"A lot of the time groups like Patriot Front will distribute this propaganda at Jewish institutions, or multicultural centers, or LGBTQ+ community centers…" she said. "That's intended to intimidate those who they perceive to be their enemies."

Moon added that often spreading propaganda is the "first step" hate groups take before hosting an event or demonstration.

The Beehive State was also one of a handful of states where the Patriot Front was most active.

Members of the Patriot Front in Washington, D.C. Photo: Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

White supremacy

The spread of white supremacist propaganda reached an all-time high in the U.S. last year, up 38% from 2021, according to a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="report" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/03/09/white-supremacist-propaganda-record-2022" data-vars-content-id="dbba92b3-fd48-41e5-a6c5-9a44eb21cef4" data-vars-headline="Utah saw &quot;high activity&quot; of white supremacist propaganda in 2022" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/03/09/white-supremacist-propaganda-record-2022" target="_self">report</a> by the Anti-Defamation League&#x27;s Center on Extremism released earlier this month.Driving the news: Utah was among the top 10 states with the most activity of propaganda distributed last year, the analysis showed.

Politics

If you've seen social media posts about Frankie & Essl's breakfast sandwiches, you're already on the right track.

What's happening: Word of the breakfast sandwich spot, which opened last month in Salt Lake City's Liberty Wells neighborhood, is already spreading on Instagram and TikTok.

Of note: While filling my cup of coffee at their self-serve station, a fellow patron told me he learned of the business on TikTok.

Context: The eatery is run by first-time business owners Clint and Macy McClellan, who each worked in finance and design respectively, before venturing into the food industry.

Details: The pair told Axios they share "a passion" for egg sandwiches and began planning the shop two years ago amid the pandemic.

They hired chef Tyson Noreen, who previously worked at downtown's Alta Club.

Since opening, the 835-square-foot shop has closed early most Saturdays and Sundays after running out of ingredients due to high demand, Clint said.

"The community has just been so supportive," Macy said.

Of note: The shop's name derives from their golden doodle, Frankie, and "Essl" is an acronym for egg sandwiches Salt Lake.

The intrigue: Most of their sandwiches include two over-medium, free-range eggs, cheese, arugula and your choice of protein between a fresh brioche bun made by a local bakery.

Clint said he wants the sandwiches to appeal to a broad range of Salt Lakers, including transplants.

What's next: The pair hopes to launch a new restaurant group to support chefs who want to start their own restaurants.

Tip: I inhaled their Canadian bacon sandwich.

Since opening, the 835-square-foot shop has closed early most Saturdays and Sundays after running out of ingredients due to high demand.

Canadian bacon sandwich. Photo: Kim Bojórquez

If you&#x27;ve seen social media posts about <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Frankie &amp; Essl&#x27;s" data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/frankieandessls/" data-vars-content-id="dd737f45-b5a6-440d-87ef-7f0041247f25" data-vars-headline="This Salt Lake City breakfast sandwich is drawing crowds" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/frankieandessls/" target="_blank">Frankie &amp; Essl&#x27;s</a> breakfast sandwiches, you&#x27;re already on the right track.What&#x27;s happening: Word of the breakfast sandwich spot, which opened last month in Salt Lake City&#x27;s Liberty Wells neighborhood, is already spreading on Instagram and TikTok.

Food and Drink

Business

Things to Do

Utah leaders aim to reduce the number of people experiencing homelessness and increase access to affordable housing under a new strategy revealed this week.

Driving the news: The state's Homelessness Council and Office of Homeless Services released a 24-page report outlining actionable goals to address the issue in the Beehive State.

Objectives consist of increasing permanent affordable housing across the state, boosting access to supportive services and case management, and expanding homelessness prevention efforts. Some strategies to accomplish these goals include:

Supporting localities' investment in permanent housing using public and private funds.

Establishing a state-level supportive-services working group to coordinate mental health care, addiction recovery and case management assistance.

The plan sets 2027 as a goal to hit specific objectives, like building or finding 574 housing options for homeless people and reducing the number of people newly experiencing homelessness by 20% each year.

In the report, stakeholders emphasized that more permanent housing was the "most important solution to ending homelessness."

What they're saying: "Despite years of focused effort and spending millions of dollars to solve problems, Utah’s experience with homelessness has proved to be perpetual and challenging," the report says.

At a Monday news conference Wayne Niederhauser, the state's homeless coordinator, said: "What we have is maybe not something that everybody likes perfectly, but we have a balanced plan."

Flashback: The strategy comes nearly two years after the Utah Legislature passed a bill directing the council and state homeless services coordinator to develop a strategic plan to reduce homelessness.

The council hired consulting agency, Homebase, which helped conduct the study, and compile data and interviews with stakeholders.

Context: Utah is facing a shortage of nearly 41,000 affordable and available rental units, per the National Low Income Housing Coalition.

Between 2020 and 2021, the number of Utahns experiencing homelessness for the first time increased by 14%, per a report from the state Department of Workforce Services.

Zoom in: In Salt Lake City, the development of what will be the state's first tiny home village is underway.

The state invested $55 million last September to create 1,078 affordable housing units. Salt Lake County was awarded the bulk of $30.2 million.

Utah reveals aggressive plan to reduce homelessness

Illustration of the dotted outline of a house key, but no house key.

Homelessness

Utah leaders aim to reduce the number of people experiencing homelessness and increase access to affordable housing under a new strategy revealed this week.Driving the news: The state&#x27;s Homelessness Council and Office of Homeless Services released a 24-page <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="report" data-vars-click-url="https://jobs.utah.gov/homelessness/homelessnessstrategicplan.pdf" data-vars-content-id="e4903f6b-c1a0-45ec-ad8e-d52f61de8fd4" data-vars-headline="Utah reveals aggressive plan to reduce homelessness" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://jobs.utah.gov/homelessness/homelessnessstrategicplan.pdf" target="_blank">report</a> outlining actionable goals to address the issue in the Beehive State.

Kim Bojórquez

Stories

Utah saw "high activity" of white supremacist propaganda in 2022

This Salt Lake City breakfast sandwich is drawing crowds

Mormon Church donates water shares to aid the Great Salt Lake

Utah reveals aggressive plan to reduce homelessness

Salt Lake airport accepts mobile IDs for pre-approved travelers

Newsletter editions

A bebop of cowboys

👋 Meet BYU's new prez

"Anti-woke" backlash

Utah's rites of spring

Propaganda spreads