A new direct flight started flying from Salt Lake City Airport this week which means 80% of the world is now within one stop of the city.
The flight from Salt Lake City to Incheon International in South Korea marks Salt Lake City’s first direct flight to Asia in 15 years, Carter Williams reported.
“This new service is more than just an additional route; it is the opening of a new air corridor connecting the U.S. and Northeast Asia,” said Daniel Dongik Shin, executive director of the Hub Strategy Group, which oversees Incheon International Airport expansion.
Tell me: What city would you like to see get a direct flight from Salt Lake City?
Why Utah’s seniors are the happiest in the U.S.
Utah is the happiest place for seniors, according to the Senior Happiness Index from Caring.com.
One of the reasons Utah ranked so high is because it has the third-lowest percentage of people ages 65 and older living alone, reducing their risk of social isolation, Caitlin Keith reported.
Another contributor to Utah’s happiness for seniors is the number of seniors who volunteer. According to Caring.com, over two-fifths (44%) of seniors in Utah volunteer, more than any other state in the U.S.
“This not only means Utah’s aging population is staying connected and involved with their community, but volunteering also contributes significantly to Utah seniors’ well-being and happiness,” per Caring.com.
Our lovely state isn’t just a happy place for seniors to live. WalletHub ranked Utah as one of the top five happiest states in general.
Read more about Utah as the happiest state for seniors.
Attending a live sporting event is getting more costly. What do Utahns think about it?
According to a recent poll, slightly more than three-fourths of Utahns say it is expensive rather than affordable for the average person to attend a sporting event in-person in Utah.
The average price of a Utah Jazz ticket this past season was $218, but the get-in price is considerably lower than that, especially for games against teams that lack star power, Dennis Romboy reported.
Here are more results from the poll:
82% of survey participants making $50,000 to $99,000 a year say tickets to sporting events in the state are very or somewhat expensive, the highest response among income categories.
Younger people found sports tickets more affordable than older people.
39% of respondents said there are too many separate television and/or streaming platforms needed to watch live sports while 42% said watching or streaming live sports is easy and accessible.
Recognizing the state’s vibrant community of innovators — from startups to established companies — and their breakthrough creations. Submit your nomination before July 9!
Utah
Why Great Salt Lake faces a ‘good news, bad news situation’ this year (KSL.com)
Lawsuit seeks to secure ownership rights for 23andMe customers’ data (Deseret News)
UDOT services its hardworking weather stations across the state (Deseret News)
For this Ogden mom, caregiving and disability advocacy go hand-in-hand (KUER 90.1)
More wealthy Utahns are choosing renting over buying (Axios)
Emerald Pools Bridge reopens in Zion National Park after yearlong closure (St George News)
‘A different beast’: Santaquin Canyon reopening a celebration for longtime residents, welcome surprise for newcomers (Daily Herald)
80% of the world is now within 1 stop of Salt Lake City thanks to its newest direct flight (KSL.com)
Utah State University researchers develop next generation of moon lander rocket motor (KSL-TV)
Health
Research changes view on how Tylenol stops pain (Deseret News)
How often should you see your doctor for a checkup? (Healthline)
Faith
Elder Stevenson honors strength of Latter-day Saints in Uruguay (Church News)
11 new Latter-day Saint hymns include classic ‘Still, Still, Still’ and originals like, ‘I’m a Pioneer too’ (Deseret News)
A convert’s full-circle moment at the Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple dedication (LDS Living)
Politics
Open letter from Utah business leaders calling for energy abundance, security and reliability (Deseret News)
DOGE cuts pass House, despite some GOP opposition (Deseret News)
Stephen A. Smith says he doesn’t want to run for office. His commentary suggests otherwise (Deseret News)
Is Wyoming the test case for the future of the nation’s conservative movement? (Deseret News)
The Nation and the World
Air India says 241 on board plane killed in crash with one British survivor (BBC)
Why there’s an unexpected surge in people claiming Social Security (NPR)
Sports
What stands out about Utah’s first Big 12 schedule under Alex Jensen (Deseret News)
Here are BYU’s 2025-26 Big 12 basketball opponents (Deseret News)
Here’s every game the Big 12 has against other power conference schools this season (Deseret News)
Entertainment
6 Utah teens just dominated on ‘American Ninja Warrior’ (Deseret News)
From ‘Footloose’ to Shakespeare to Disney, here are the shows coming to Utah theaters this summer (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: