In a major green-up, Salt Lake City is planting more than 400 trees and other flora along the 9 Line bike route and future Fleet Block corner park.

Why it matters: Plants — especially shade trees — are increasingly crucial to making outdoor spaces hospitable as temperatures rise due to climate change.

State of play: The 9 Line Trail is getting the bulk of the attention, converting nearly 2 miles of "gravel park strips into green ribbons planted with 285 trees and 350 water-wise shrubs that will add shade, cool the air, and improve air quality," per the city's announcement yesterday.

The big picture: The trail is one of Salt Lake's most central east-west bike routes, running near 900 South from Redwood Road to the whale statue on 1100 East.

• The path includes some long, intermittent shadeless stretches, which can make it a suboptimal summer commute to any destination where you don't want to arrive red-faced and drenched in sweat.

Zoom in: The project also will add benches, tables and signs.

Meanwhile, the Fleet Block public open space at 900 South and 300 West will get about 150 trees, plus other landscape plants and some grass.

Between the lines: Trees take years to grow into a canopy, so it'll be awhile before the benefits are clearly visible.

• That also means the earlier they're planted, the sooner they'll reward our future selves.

Follow the money: The upgrades are being paid for with $11.5 million in grants from the Bezos Earth Fund's Greening America's Cities initiative.

What we're watching: Whether the searing Parley's Trail will someday get the same treatment.

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Utah officials have revoked the license of Provo Canyon School's Springville Campus.

The big picture: The behavioral treatment center has faced abuse allegations for decades, including from hotel heiress and media mogul Paris Hilton, who stayed there when she was 17.

The latest: Provo Canyon School, operated by Universal Health Services, was sanctioned by the state health department in May for delaying medical care to a teen patient.

• The license was revoked "because of the Provider's failure to provide applicable health and safety services for clients," according to a notice issued Monday by the department.

State of play: The revocation comes less than a month after Hilton appeared in Provo to support two families suing the treatment center after their children faced delays in receiving medical care.

• Hilton urged state officials to shut down the facility. She was joined by majority assistant whip Mike McKell, who's authored legislation tightening regulations for teen treatment centers in the state.

What they're saying: "For more than fifty years, children came forward with stories of abuse, neglect, and trauma. Today, the state confirmed what survivors have known all along: Provo Canyon School failed the children in its care," Hilton said in a statement.

The other side: "We disagree with the state's decision to revoke Provo Canyon School's Springville Campus license and are evaluating all available legal and administrative options, including an appeal," Provo Canyon School CEO Tim Marshall said in a statement to Axios.

What's next: The treatment center has 15 days to appeal.

• Barring a successful appeal, the facility must stop providing services and halt new enrollments by Aug. 6.

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⚖️ The preliminary hearing for Tyler Robinson, accused of killing Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University last year, yesterday entered day two of the weeklong proceeding. (New York Times)

• Law enforcement testimony revealed Robinson interacted with Turning Point USA representatives at UVU the morning of Kirk's rally.
• Then, in the early morning hours the day after the shooting, a police officer encountered Robinson near UVU and recorded his license plate number as authorities searched for the suspected shooter.

🔥 The Babylon Fire, the largest active wildfire in the U.S., has surpassed 100,000 acres burned. (FOX 13)

• The cause remains under investigation, and the fire is still 0% contained.

LeBron James is on the move again, and suddenly every NBA city thinks it has a shot.

Why it matters: Even at 41, James remains one of basketball's defining figures. He is the league's all-time leading scorer, a four-time champion and one of the only active players whose arrival could instantly alter the trajectory, relevance and national profile of a franchise.

• So naturally, we were asked to make our best pitch for why James should come to Salt Lake City.

The intrigue: The King has heard enough from front-office executives. Now it's our turn.

Our pitch: Salt Lake City isn't as flashy as Los Angeles or Miami, but we make up for it with our sweeping views, outdoor access and no paparazzi.

• It's been nearly 30 years since the Utah Jazz reached their peak with Karl Malone and John Stockton. The franchise has spent years rebuilding, and there's no one better to turn the tide and deliver Utah's first NBA championship than LeBron James.
• He could even ditch his VersaClimbers for the real thing: the Wasatch Mountains.

Other Axios Local pitches

If you're traveling north and need a stopping point, Idaho Falls is one of the nicest surprises I've found in the West.

The intrigue: My family got stuck there this week because our car broke down, so it shouldn't have been fun.

Yes, but: Idaho Falls exceeded expectations on every level.

• Everyone I met, from the tow truck guy to strangers at the Salt Lake Express bus station was friendly, sure — but also thoughtful, interesting and very proud of their hometown.
• We figured the place would be dead on a Sunday night, but the restaurants were bumping, the scene was diverse, and everything felt easy.

Zoom in: That's largely thanks to the River Walk, which is one of the most successful lengths of pedestrian infrastructure I've ever seen in a city where pretty much everyone (except me) has a car.

The bottom line: Give your green spaces, third places and walkable neighborhoods just a little love, and they'll love you back.

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