It's Monday morning. You can do it!

• ☀️ Today's weather: Mostly sunny, with a high of 88.

Today’s newsletter is 938 words — a 3.5-minute read.

Tennessee's failed attempt to execute Christa Pike is renewing scrutiny of lethal injection — but Utah law still reserves the firing squad as a backup plan.

Why it matters: Lethal injection is Utah's primary execution method, used for five of the state's eight executions since the U.S. Supreme Court approved the death penalty 50 years ago.

Driving the news: Tennessee officials tried to execute Pike with pentobarbital last week, but she survived two doses of the drug and was hospitalized in critical condition.

• Pike's attorney said at least seven needles were used in the failed attempt, which he described as torture — adding that her arm turned purple and showed blistering and burning around the injection site.
• Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee called the failed execution "deeply disturbing," halted executions and ordered an independent review.

Friction point: The botched execution escalated national tension over capital punishment less than a week after death row inmate Douglas Carter was released from the Utah County Jail due to new DNA results that could challenge his conviction in a 1985 murder.

• Prosecutors have said they won't seek the death penalty if they decide to retry him.

The latest: Now the Utah Prisoner Advocate Network is calling for a death penalty moratorium here in light of Pike and Carter's cases.

• Gov. Spencer Cox's office did not immediately respond to Axios' query as to whether a pause was under consideration.

Between the lines: Utah is one of five states that allows firing squads instead of lethal injections.

Catch up quick: Before 2004, defendants could choose firing squad at sentencing, but now it's only a backup in the event that lethal injection is ruled unconstitutional or the chemicals are unavailable.

By the numbers: The Death Penalty Information Center says 75 of 1,054 lethal injections (about 7%) were botched from 1890 to 2010 — the most of any method.

President Trump's Justice Department reauthorized the federal use of pentobarbital after it had been halted by President Biden's DOJ.

The bottom line: Even if lethal injections end, Utah law orders a return to firing squads, whether the defendant chose it or not.

Go deeper

Fifty years ago this week, a Latter-day Saint leader introduced a metaphor that, while not creating new life, certainly took on a life of its own.

• This is Old News, where we track the etymology behind Utah lore.

What drove the news: During the church's 1976 fall General Conference, Boyd K. Packer delivered his now-infamous "little factory" talk, warning the faith's men and boys against masturbation.

• The sermon, titled "Message to Young Men," was then printed into the "To Young Men Only" pamphlet that stayed in circulation until 2016.

What they said: Packer referred to the male reproductive system as a "little factory" that "will sometimes produce an oversupply" of a "life-giving substance."

• Nocturnal emissions provide an acceptable "release valve," he explained.

Between the lines: After the talk, "little factory" escaped into secular parlance as a local euphemism for male genitalia.

By the numbers: If you're playing dirty-word Scrabble in Utah, "f-a-c-t-o-r-y" snags a word score of 15.

Tell a friend

🎰 Elder D. Todd Christofferson, a top leader for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, warned members against sports gambling during General Conference Saturday amid the rise of online prediction markets. (Associated Press)

Environmentalist Ken Sleight, who inspired a key character in the 1975 novel "The Monkey Wrench Gang," died Friday. He was 97. (Salt Lake Tribune)

🕺 An electronic music festival at America First Field in Sandy over the weekend spurred multiple noise complaints to the city. (FOX 13)

Utah's emerging bagel scene is about to get bigger with the arrival of two national chains.

The big picture: Utah has long been known for being a bagel desert, but Salt Lake City shops like the The Bagel Project and Baby's Bagels have helped change that with their New York-style varieties.

Driving the news: Florida-based Jeff's Bagel Run plans to open in Midvale by the end of the year, while Connecticut's PopUp Bagels recently revealed it's "coming soon" to Holladay.

State of play: Jeff's Bagel Run is betting big on the Beehive State, with plans to open 15 stores in northern Utah.

• In a statement, Jeff Perera, co-founder of Jeff's Bagel Run, said he was attracted to the state because of its "passionate food community" and "explosive population growth."

💭 My thought bubble: Salt Lake City is well known for its breakfast sandwich culture, but sometimes a girl just wants a warm bagel and a simple spread.

Pass it on

Axios Local helps you make sense of what's happening in your community and why it matters. Our journalism is free to read, but it takes resources to produce.

📍 Become a member today to support the reporters doing the work and help make more local reporting possible for everyone.

Thank you for reading and supporting local journalism.

Have an idea for an event that brings locals together?

State of play: Applications are now open for the mayor's annual Arts, Culture and Entertainment Grant, which helps support festivals, neighborhood gatherings and cultural celebrations in Salt Lake City.

• Awards range from $500 to $10,000.
• Four informational sessions will be held Oct. 14-29.

By the numbers: The program has $300,000 to award and typically supports more than 100 events.

Of note: The event must take place within city limits in 2027, promote cultural diversity, incorporate arts, education and technology and more.

Flashback: Last year's recipients included the Utah Blues Festival, Craft Lake DIY Festival and Utah Asian Festival.

What's next: Applications are due Nov. 1, and recipients will be announced in late December.

Share this story

🍁 Erin had a busy weekend of yardwork and Halloweening.

💙 Kim is back in Utah.

This newsletter was edited by Astrid Galván.