Thursday morning, Dec. 23, 2021
Northern Utah
University of Utah leaders say they’ve inadequately addressed racist incidents
In a statement Wednesday, senior leadership at the University of Utah said they’ve fallen short in their efforts to address racist incidents on campus. The statement was in response to a recent report of potential racist actions in a campus residence hall. An Instagram post said students “walked through residence halls in KKK uniforms and smeared poop on a Black student’s door.” The senior leaders added they do not tolerate this kind of behavior and that it's an offense to the entire campus community — particularly communities of color. The recent report is not isolated. Among the other incidents, two students shouted a racial slur and threw food out a window at a university contractor making a delivery at a campus residence hall in September. — Pamela McCall & Leah Treidler
Forecasters expect heavy snow in Utah mountains
Winter storm warnings have been posted for many mountainous areas of Utah. The Wasatch Mountains north and south of I-80, the western Uinta Mountains, Wasatch Plateau and Book Cliffs are in for 1 to 3 feet of snow by Christmas morning. And the Wasatch Back is in for 5 to 15 inches with higher amounts from Park City to Kamas. It's going to be windy too with gusts up to 50 miles per hour. The National Weather Service warns that travel could be very difficult to impossible in those areas. — Pamela McCall
Over 32,000 people have bought tickets to the Rose Bowl
According to a statement released Wednesday by Utah Athletics, the Utah Ticket Office has sold 32,319 tickets to the upcoming Rose Bowl game. University of Utah students have bought 1,856 of those tickets and more are still available through the Utah Ticket Office. The Utah Utes will play at the Rose Bowl for the first time on Jan. 1, 2022, facing off with the Ohio State Buckeyes. — Leah Treidler
Ski resorts create paid parking systems as more people turn to winter recreation
More people are turning to Utah’s canyons for winter recreation. After having more demand than physical spots last year, Alta Ski Resort has created a new paid parking system. People hoping to ski there over the holidays or on weekends will need to buy a parking pass in advance. Andria Huskinson, with the resort, said last weekend was the first time they tried it, and it helped them avoid overcrowding. The other resorts in the Cottonwood Canyons have some version of paid parking. John Gleason, with the Utah Department of Transportation, said he and all the resorts are encouraging visitors to use public transit and to carpool. Read the full story. — Lexi Peery
State
Billionaire resigns from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
An advertising-technology billionaire has formally resigned his membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Salt Lake Tribune reports Jeff T. Green wrote to the church president about his choice, saying he believes the Church has "hindered global progress in women’s rights, civil rights and racial equality, and LGBTQ+ rights.” Green has pledged to donate 90% of his estimated $5 billion of wealth. He’ll begin with a $600,000 donation to a Utah LGBTQ+ group, Equality Utah. Green said he hasn’t been an active member for over a decade but wanted to remove his name from membership records. The Church didn’t immediately return a message left by the Tribune seeking comment. — Associated Press
Region/Nation
Colorado State professor wants to change fruitcake’s reputation
Holiday fruitcakes have been the butt of jokes for decades, but Colorado State professor Jeff Miller hopes to clear its name. Versions of the fruitcake have a rich history, from being an energy bar for Romans to a sign of wealth in the Middle Ages. Then in the late 60’s and early 70’s, it went out of style. But Miller says it's moist, nutty and delicious — and it’s pretty easy to cook with some patience. Read the full story. — Madelyn Beck, Mountain West News Bureau