Ariel here! I’ve been contributing to Utah Today for the better part of a year, so it’s probably time I formally introduce myself.
✏️ I spend most of my time with the Opinion team as an editorial assistant, although I started off at the Deseret News last October as an intern on the Trending team. I’ve lived in Utah since I was 12 — I attended Waterford in Sandy for high school (go Ravens!) and graduated from BYU last April (although, as I’ve confessed, I never attended a football game).
🍩 Although I love writing, editing and reporting, my true passion is for food. My first job was at Waffle Love, and I worked at the grill at Cross E Ranch until last year. (Speaking of Cross E, the fall festival just opened, so you have to go try the apple cider donuts.) Sometimes I get to combine my interests and writeaboutfood, and I hope to start doing more of that soon.
✈️ I’m currently writing from Edinburgh, Scotland, the third stop on a six-week tour I’m doing of the U.K. to explore my family history. It’s pretty chilly here, so I envy the good weather expected in Utah this week. If you have any travel recommendations or suggestions for the newsletter, feel free to respond to this email or contact me at aharmer@deseretnews.com.
Also on our minds:
New York Times columnist David French will speak at BYU forum Tuesday
‘The Wild Robot’ director tells the Deseret News how he brought the children’s novel to life
‘The roof blew off’ — Utah Hockey Club wins its first-ever home game
Brogan Houstonattended the Utah Hockey Club's first-ever home game (and win!) yesterday, and it sounded incredible. Here's what he had to say:
The Utah Hockey Club will not be held liable for hearing loss incurred at its first-ever home game.
On Monday, the Delta Center was sold out, and from the moment security started letting fans into the building until after an overtime goal beat the Los Angeles Kings, the building was energized. All-Star winger Clayton Keller scored in overtime to give Utah a 3-2 preseason victory.
“I mean, the roof blew off,” Utah forward Liam O’Brien said. “So, I mean, yeah, it’s, it was just cool. And the energy was just, like I said, unreal.”
It’s clear that Utah’s players understand the assignment: They need to sell hockey to the people of Salt Lake City — and they did just that.
Read more about what it was like to witness Utah Hockey Club’s first win.
Sen. Mike Lee says Kamala Harris poses ‘severe threat’ to religious liberty
Our political reporter Brigham Tomco reported on recent comments from Utah Sen. Mike Lee, who said Vice President Kamala Harris presents a threat to people of faith. Here’s what you need to know:
Lee shared his comments on a thread on X, drawing attention to Harris’ support of the Do No Harm Act.
The Do No Harm Act would have overhauled the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, limiting its scope and removing legal avenues for faith groups seeking faith-based exemptions to civil rights laws.
💬 “A vote for Kamala Harris is a vote against any religious institution, including schools, universities, hospitals and charities,” Lee said. “This is the truth: Kamala Harris doesn’t believe that religious institutions should be able to live according to their faith. Rather, they must bend the knee to the popular social justice movement of the day.”
⛪ Harris has a religiously diverse background and belongs to the Third Baptist Church in San Francisco, but she has been vocal about her support of legislation that makes religious freedom advocates nervous.
📝 Kelsey Dallas, who covers religion for the Deseret News, recently reported that most Americans feel neither Harris nor Trump are particularly Christian or religious.
Read more about Lee’s remarks and Harris’ stance on religious freedom.
More in Politics
Rep. Burgess Owens says SAVE Act is a ‘no-brainer’ but will not pass (Deseret News)
A Nebraska change could hurt Kamala Harris’ chances of winning the White House (Deseret News)
Is Matt Walsh becoming the Sacha Baron Cohen of the political right? (Deseret News)
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