It's Wednesday! Happy birthday to Dizzy Gillespie, who was born 109 years ago today. Hope you're groovin' high up there.

• 🌧️ Today's weather: Mostly sunny then slight chance of showers and thunderstorms, with a high of 74.

Today’s newsletter is 972 words — a 3.5-minute read.

Utah is suing Kalshi for what state lawyers call a "brazen disregard for Utah's gambling laws," comparing the company to "the manager of a back-alley gambling den."

Why it matters: A judge could order Kalshi to suspend its operations in the state while the case is pending if the court grants the state's requested injunction.

Follow the money: The state estimates Kalshi has collected about $30 million-$60 million in fees from Utah users, and another $5.5 million in profits from wagers they lost.

• The lawsuit says Utah should get all of that money, plus punitive damages.

The other side: "As a national derivatives market … Kalshi answers to federal law, and no single state should have a veto over it," a Kalshi spokesperson wrote in a statement to Axios.

• "This latest state court action does not affect our ongoing federal litigation."

By the numbers: As of February, Kalshi reported 32,940 fully active accounts with Utah addresses.

What they're saying: "That represents 32,940 Utah residents who now have ready access to gambling and are potential problem gamblers," the lawsuit states.

The intrigue: February numbers cited by Kalshi in another lawsuit show Utah users accounted for a little over 1% of Kalshi's open wagers on that date.

• If that level of participation has been constant, state officials calculate that Utahns have placed more than 3 billion "illegal wagers" on the platform since it launched in 2021, each worth a $1 payout to the winner.

Catch up quick: The state's estimates come from information in a lawsuit Kalshi filed earlier this year, arguing Utah couldn't enforce its anti-gambling rules against the platform because it's a financial exchange, subject only to federal regulators.

• A federal judge threw out that lawsuit in an August ruling that Kalshi says it will appeal.

Between the lines: Utah AG Derek Brown filed the lawsuit barely two weeks after a leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints defined prediction markets and online sports betting as sinful.

• Church members took to social media to post mourning videos and vows to delete their apps.

Share this story

Salt Lake City is scrapping two vintage aircraft formerly housed at The Leonardo after multiple efforts to auction them failed.

State of play: The full-size planes — a C-131 Samaritan, designed in the U.S. as a "flying hospital," and a MiG-21, a Soviet Union fighter jet — were part of the museum's aviation exhibit for nearly a decade. The Samaritan has already been demolished.

• Both were produced during the Cold War.

Catch up quick: The struggling science and art museum closed more than a year ago, citing extensive renovations and repairs, but never reopened.

• During the closure, the museum launched an auction to sell the planes, but it was canceled.
• After The Leonardo's lease at the city-owned property was terminated last November, the city took possession of the items left behind.

Zoom in: The city also made several attempts to find buyers for the planes and held an open house for prospective bidders, but no one showed up, according to a statement from the city's public services department.

• Because of their size and the lack of buyers, the city was forced to take them apart.

What's next: The city plans to use a portion of the former museum space for administrative offices.

Pass it on

💰 Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson released her 2027 budget proposal yesterday, which includes a pay increase for all county employees and a property tax increase of almost $6 a month to expand jail capacity, among other proposals. (KUTV)

🏃‍♀️ Orem is hosting the Ironman Triathlon next August, with a 1-mile swim at Deer Creek Reservoir and a 13-mile run at Provo River Parkway Trail. Registration opens Oct. 29. (FOX 13)

🔍 The FBI is investigating a letter addressed to Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson's office that contained a suspicious white powder. (Utah News Dispatch)

• Henderson said a local postal inspector prevented the letter from reaching her office and gave it to authorities.

After decades as Salt Lake's literal beacon of holiday cheer, Frosty's Winter Wonderland is pulling the plug on its annual Avenues Christmas lights display.

Yes, but: Before it melts away, you can bring its light-up candy canes, drum-wielding nutcrackers and blow-mold Jesuses to your own decked halls.

Driving the news: The homeowners are holding a massive rummage sale 9am-5pm Saturday at 805 E. 18th Ave.

Pro tips: I've been to a few of these sales when Salt Lake's haunters retire or move — and they can turn into a bit of a Black Friday situation, with doorbusters lining up at least an hour early.

• Make sure your Venmo account is functioning, and bring cash as a backup. If you can't pay, someone else will.
• Have a plan to transport larger items, and bring a friend to guard your purchases if you need to make multiple trips.

Touchy-feely: As a fellow over-the-top holiday decorator, I know the only reason to amass this many plastic Santas is to connect with the community during a time that's special to you.

• Even when the treasures are animatronic slasher zombies and cemetery fences, sellers get misty.

The other side: Now we'll get to see Frosty's wonders sprinkled around Utah this December, making new neighborhood traditions twinkle.

Tell a not-so-secret Santa

🎃 Erin is so proud that her child said it's "a weird flex" to get off the school bus and have the other kids see her walk into our Halloween house.

🥘 Kim plans to make the most out of DC's food scene during her short visit.

This newsletter was edited by Astrid Galván.