By Sarah Gambles
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☀️ 43 – 83° Logan | ☀️ 58 – 84° Ogden | ⛅ 56 – 85° Salt Lake
⛅ 62 – 86° Provo | ⛅ 45 – 86° Manti | ☀️ 65 – 94° Moab
☀️ 57 – 90° Cedar City | ☀️ 71 – 102° St. George
🌅 Good morning!
Every September, a stunning grotto carved from ancient red rock becomes a concert venue.
The background: The Moab Music Festival has made “music in concert with the landscape” every year since 1992. Since 1993, the performances have included transporting a grand piano down the Colorado River.
Ariel Harmer writes: Looking up at the canyon walls, I couldn’t help but think of Ariel’s treasure cave in “The Little Mermaid.” As it turns out, I wasn’t far off; a park ranger told me the top layer of rock here is marine limestone, and the strata are embedded with fossilized shark teeth. The whole thing was under the ocean millions of years ago.
What artists are saying: “I find a lot of the experiences listening to music here to be more spiritual than a lot of other settings,” Geneva Lewis on violin told Harmer. “It just makes you feel really connected with the world around you, I think, to experience things here.”
Read more about the Moab Music Festival.
A day after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox met briefly with his closest circle of confidants, Brigham Tomco reported.
The background: At the time, the manhunt for Kirk’s killer was still underway, and Cox was tired. He called the day Kirk was killed “one of the darkest days in Utah’s history.” It was a public assassination in the United States unlike anything else in more than half a century.
What happened next with Cox? Over the course of three press conferences, Cox took the problem head on, condemning political violence, excoriating social media and asking Americans to look in the mirror, Tomco reported.
What Cox is saying: “I hope that the lesson is that we can come together, that we can find our better angels. That’s what I hope people will remember.”
Read more about Cox.
And watch the Deseret News roundtable: What we witnessed the day Charlie Kirk was killed.
Former Utah coach Kyle Whittingham is on a mission in Michigan, chasing with the Wolverines what eluded him with the Utes, Ethan Bauer reported. But after a nightmare start, he’ll need all the help he can get.
The background: At 66, Whittingham is out to prove not just himself but a whole philosophy. Two of the main coaches he brought in came from the state of Utah and much of his coaching staff at Michigan is new to the school.
Here’s what three people are saying about the Michigan coach:
Legendary BYU quarterback Steve Young: “When I was playing for the 49ers for many years, I could feel the East Coast-West Coast ‘bias.’ Having the people in Michigan, the blue-blood Michiganders, say, ‘The guy from Utah, let’s take him’ — that says a lot. … Him coaching at Michigan is kind of showing that we’re growing into a real something that is respected nationwide.”
Longtime BYU offensive coordinator Norm Chow: “The greatness of Kyle Whittingham is he’s never changed. He’s the same guy that he was when he started coaching. He never let it get to his head.”
Former Utah quarterback Tyler Huntley: “We were just working on everything necessary to be a great team. And he harped on that every day, from ball security all the way down to ending plays. So it was pretty dope.”
Read more about Whittingham.
Utah
Photo gallery: Park City Miners Day celebrates past with fresh activities (Deseret News)
‘Remarkable’ noses — new dogs in Utah corrections program can search for electronics (KSL)
The size of 20 Costcos: Can Utah residents drive data centers out of their county? (Deseret News)
Music Without Borders Symposium highlights the power of music to bridge cultures and strengthen global connections (Utah Policy)
'Unexpected parenting': Springville mother shares journey of raising adult son with special needs (KSL)
South Jordan restaurant donates day's sales to Nepal disaster relief fund (KSL)
Afro Utah Fest’s Jollof rice competition brings a taste of Africa to the Beehive State (KUER 90.1)
‘You can’t build healthy communities out of exhausted people’ (Utah Business)
100 mph pursuit ends with suspect dangling from St. George overpass, police say (St George News)
Nibley Elementary School hosted ‘Opening Ceremonies’ to celebrate Utah 2034 (Cache Valley Daily)
Provo City breaks ground on new Fort Utah Park on west side (2 KUTV)
Utah’s mining industry punched above its weight in 2025, according to annual report (ABC 4)
Health
Ebola epidemic outpaces containment despite influx of money and supplies (NBC News)
Drinking alcohol raises cancer risk. Is any amount safe for health? (Healthline)
Faith
Tours underway for Idaho’s newest Latter-day Saint temple (Deseret News)
Embrace the awkward: It can create ‘honor code-appropriate sparks,’ BYU president tells students (Deseret News)
More Salt Lake Temple open house tickets dropping in 2 upcoming waves (Deseret News)
Finding hope in the modern dating landscape with BYU’s Jason Carroll (Church News)
Politics
What to expect from Republicans’ first-ever midterm convention — and how Democrats plan to respond (Deseret News)
Republicans press Supreme Court in case over religious gatherings at home (Deseret News)
Trump administration to ban some Canadian motorcycles, dairy, alcoholic beverages in trade war's latest escalation (CBS News)
Heber City Police Department disciplined former Wasatch County sheriff candidate Eric Mainord multiple times, personnel file shows (The Park Record)
Utah bill seeks to waive immunity in civil lawsuits against ICE agents (Fox 13)
The Nation and the World
Holiday weekend sees ‘sobering milestones’ as U.S. gas prices continue to rise (Deseret News)
Why are Americans giving the nation’s K-12 schools a ‘Needs Improvement’ grade? (Deseret News)
U.S. strikes five Iranian tankers after attempted attacks on Navy warship, CENTCOM says (NBC News)
Artwork worth millions stolen from France's Renoir Museum (ABC News)
UK announces sanctions on West Bank settlements prompting furious Israeli response (BBC)
New report shows the economic toll of ICE raids (NPR)
Grand Canyon water supply to be restored in weeks, not months (The Associated Press)
Sports
Watch: New Jazz practice facility and Delta Center renovations coming along (Deseret News)
‘This is a big-time football game’: Arizona coach previews Wildcats’ attempt to upset No. 15 BYU (Deseret News)
Where BYU and Utah landed in the first AP top 25 poll of the 2026 regular season (Deseret News)
Meet Addie Evans, the Latter-day Saint sister missionary who earned the respect of Myles Garrett and the Atlanta Falcons (Deseret News)
Assistant coach Fesi Sitake on Legend Glasker, other BYU receivers who shined in season opener (Deseret News)
Utah’s governor spoke to a Major League Baseball insider about expansion. Here’s what he shared (Deseret News)
Utah injury update: 2 key offensive linemen ‘should be ready to go’ (Deseret News)
Entertainment
David Archuleta is releasing a new Christmas album — just in time for his new tour (Deseret News)
King Charles confirms Harry and Meghan’s status as royals (Deseret News)
🗓️ Events Calendar
We put together a calendar list of events and activities going on around the state of Utah during this month. Check it out, and let us know if we are missing anything!
Here are some highlights for events in Utah today:
Timpanogos Storytelling Festival | Lehi
Squeeze, with special guest Adam Ant | Capitol Theatre
Bonnie Raitt, with Jon Cleary | Red Butte Garden Concert Series
A.J. Croce presents Croce Plays Croce | Egyptian Theatre
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” | The Empress Theatre
“Avenue Q” | Ziegfeld Theater
“Moriarty: A New Sherlock Holmes Adventure” | Hale Centre Theatre
Salt Lake Bees vs. Round Rock | 6:35 p.m.
Utah State women’s volleyball vs. UCLA | 7 p.m.
Please reach out to me at [email protected] if you have any thoughts, feedback or ideas you would like to share!
✨ Cheers ✨
— Gambles