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🌅 Good morning!

Utah is being recognized once again for our fascination with soda. This time it's by Chick-fil-A. The chain is testing out two new soda treats in just four cities — Salt Lake City included.

It began testing out the Icedream Float and the Icedream Spin this week.

The new beverages allow you to combine your favorite Chick-fil-A fountain drink — Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Cherry Coke, Sprite, Barq’s Root Beer, Dr Pepper, Diet Dr Pepper and Hi-C — with their very own Icedream dessert for an Icedream Float or Icedream Spin, Bethany Twede reported.

🥤 Read more about Chick-fil-A's new soda treats.

Trump calls for the elimination of Education Department

We are bringing three major political news stories to you today.

1. The first is that President Donald Trump signed an executive order to begin the dismantling of the Education Department.

Long before he was reelected, presidential candidate Trump pledged to scrap the 46-year-old federal agency, saying “we will move everything back to the states where it belongs," Jason Swensen reported.

Not completely eliminated: White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that the "critical functions" of the department would continue but will look "much smaller than it is today."
What's next? Congress will decide what happens to the Department of Education.
Gov. Spencer Cox responds: “Let us implement our education policies in our state, and we’ll all be better off without the bureaucracy."

Read more about Trump's executive order.

2. Gov. Cox says destructive DOGE protestersshould be imprisoned

During a press conference, Gov. Spencer Cox said that those protesting Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency by vandalizing Tesla vehicles will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, Brigham Tomco reported.

“People should protest to their heart’s content — and they should be imprisoned for any property damage or breaking of any laws,” Cox said.

BYU buries its Big Dance demons, executes its way past VCU with an offensive clinic

The Cougars did it. BYU got its first win in the NCAA tournament since 2012, beating VCU 80-71.

The last time the team won in the tournament was with Jimmer Fredette, who led the team to two wins, also in Denver, ending with an appearance in the Sweet 16, according to Jay Drew.

“This win was absolutely huge, just for the program and what coach Young is trying to build,” Dallin Hall said. “Getting that first win in the tournament is the hardest, but we also know there is a lot ahead for us and the job is unfinished for us. We aren’t satisfied.”

Here are some key stats from the explosive offensive game:

BYU became the first team to score 80 points on VCU all season.
BYU shot 50% from the field.
BYU shot 35% from 3-point range.
BYU committed just 12 turnovers.

Utah

Why feds are asking people to avoid these popular Utah climbing spots, for now (KSL.com)
Man accused of robbing bank after just arriving in Utah (KSL.com)
Utah Naloxone, law enforcement partners reach milestone in overdose reversals (Utah Policy)
How Jorge Barragan founded The Picklr (Utah Business)
Foreign migration boosts Salt Lake metro growth (Axios)
Cedar City financial manager arrested after employer reports $165,000 missing (St George News)
Northern Wasatch Home Builders Association donates food, supplies to school teen centers (Standard-Examiner)
Elementary students join professional orchestras in annual Link Up Concert (Herald Journal)

Health

Why don't we remember being babies? Brain scans reveal new clues (NPR)
TikTok's 'Cozymaxxing' trend could improve your mental health, experts say (Healthline)

Faith

Growing grace: How the Black Church Food Security Network is cultivating food security with faith (Deseret News)
Behind the scenes of general conference: The staging crew (Church News)
What Dallas Jenkins wants you to know before watching ‘The Chosen’ Season 5 (Deseret News)

The Nation and the World

The spring equinox: Celebrating the first day of spring around the world (Deseret News)
From bowling alone to dining alone: Why many Americans are unhappy (Deseret News)
Judge temporarily blocks DOGE access to sensitive Social Security Administration systems (CBS News)

Sports

BYU outside hitter Keoni Thiim has had elevating effect for No. 6 Cougars (Deseret News)
Takeaways from the Utah Hockey Club against the Buffalo Sabres at home (Deseret News)
What Taysom Hill said about his faith, his injuries and his family’s fertility journey during a recent podcast appearance (Deseret News)

🗓️ Events Calendar

We put together a calendar list of events and activities going on around the state of Utah during the next month. Check it out and let us know if we are missing anything!

Here are some highlights for events in Utah today:

St. George Home Show | Dixie Convention Center, St. George
Grand Funk Railroad | Tuacahn Amphitheatre
Dvorak’s Symphony No. 8 | Abravanel Hall
The Department of Theatre & Youth Theatre at the U presents: “Charting Neverland” | Kingsbury Hall
Utah Jazz vs. Boston Celtics | 7:30 p.m.
BYU men’s tennis vs. UCF | 4:30 p.m.
U of U women's basketball vs. Indiana | 11:30 a.m.
U of U softball vs. Kansas | 4 p.m.
U of U baseball vs. Oklahoma State | 6 p.m.
USU men’s tennis vs. Montana | 11 a.m.
SUU softball vs. California Baptist University | 1 p.m. / 3:30 p.m.
SUU Dance Team Showcase | 6:30 p.m.

Please reach out to me at sgambles@deseretnews.com if you have any thoughts, feedback or ideas you would like to share!

✨ Cheers ✨

— Gambles

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🗓️ Events Calendar