Also: A 'heart forest' was planted 30 years ago. Then it was forgotten
12 ways Utah is leading the nation, according to the data |
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| | U.S. News & World Report looked at 70 metrics to determine its annual "Best State Rankings." For the third year in a row, Utah came out on top, leading the pack in many of the data set's indicators. In addition to the study's data, the Deseret News looked at other research for evidence that corroborates Utah's excellence. We found 12 areas in which Utah excels, including education, infrastructure, economic strength, fiscal stability, upward mobility, health care, charitable giving and overall happiness and well-being. Two variables, specifically, connect to most of the metrics: faith and family. Experts say, "The percentage of parents who are married in a given state is typically a stronger predictor of the state’s economic mobility, child poverty and median family income than are the education level, racial makeup and age composition of its population." In relation to charitable giving, WalletHub said, "The state has a high population of religiously devout individuals, and these spiritual beliefs provide the foundation for Utah’s philanthropy." | Mariya Manzhos writes: "On a recent Saturday, about 500 volunteers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints wrapped around an 8-acre forest in the middle of a field in Kansas City. The scene was captured in a striking aerial shot, and what stands out the most when you look at it is the unusual shape of the forest. "In the early 1990s, local families, members of local churches, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts gathered at this site to plant 1,600 trees in the shape of a heart — a kind of environmental art installation imbued with symbolism and history. Back then, the trees were just 2-3 twigs with roots dangling on the bottom and sparse leaves on the top. 'You could hold 10 of them in one hand,' said Bob Berkebile, an environmental architect and community planner, who designed the forest and was part of the group that planted it ... "So Berkebile and a few other enthusiasts designed a heart-shaped forest in a field near the Kansas City Airport ... "But once the forest was fully planted, the enthusiasm around it began to wane." Read more about Kansas City's heart-shaped forest. | Business Space for sale (Deseret Magazine) Why a Chick-fil-A summer camp sparked a heated debate (Deseret News) Faith Religion has constrained my life. And that’s a good thing. (Deseret News) The chaplain (Deseret Magazine) Lloyd Newell bids farewell after 34 years of bringing inspiration from the Crossroads of the West (Deseret News) Entertainment ‘Inside Out 2’ brings Pixar a major box office win (The Washington Post) Martin Scorsese to Shoot Ancient Shipwrecks Doc That Will Bring Him Back to His Sicilian Roots (Variety) Utah Utah auditor's office creates 'hotline form' for reports of alleged violations of diversity law (KSL) Farmington neighbors file notice to sue 7 months after sewer flooding (KSL) St. George officials discuss future of animal shelter (St. George News) The Nation Cold comfort (Deseret Magazine) Reimagining early education (Deseret Magazine) A guide to explaining Juneteenth to your kids (Deseret News) The World Arthur Cyr: Australia’s expanding military importance (Deseret News) Cliff Smith: America needs to decide what ‘victory’ means in conflict (Deseret News) Wanna be a good dad? A 'School for Men' teaches diapering, ponytail making (NPR) Sports 5 players the Jazz should target with the 10th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft (Deseret News) Is BYU becoming a basketball school? (Deseret News) There is a lot of optimism about the Utah Jazz right now (Deseret News) 3-star LB Max Fonoimoana commits to Utah (Deseret News) |
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