The top government employees at the Utah Capitol earn more than their counterparts in some of the country’s most populous states, according to publicly available salary information.
The chiefs of staff for the Utah Governor’s Office, Utah Senate and Utah House all made over $300,000 in 2024, with each position receiving a 40% raise over the previous two or three years, according to data that is accessible through the Utah state auditor’s Transparent Utah website.
Legislative leadership said the salaries and raises are justified because Utah’s part-time Legislature and its relatively small number of legislative staff require the people in full-time positions to cover a variety of responsibilities, making the jobs demanding and difficult to fill in the state’s tight labor market.
Read more about why top government staffers in Utah make more than their big-state counterparts.
Mia Love’s family announces funeral plans for the former congresswoman
‘Holy cow’: Salt Lake Bees have a new hive. Here’s a look at their new ballpark
My colleague Krysyan Edler was invited to tour the Salt Lake Bees’ new home at The Ballpark at America First Square, and she said it’s a sight to behold.
Bees catcher Zach Humphreys told reporters that his first impression of his new baseball home was, “Holy cow.”
Although crews are still working to finish construction before the inaugural game on April 8, the stadium already boasts state-of-the-art facilities and a phenomenal view of the mountains.
Some of the exciting upgrades to this ballpark include:
Field-level suites, which will be closer to the catcher than the pitcher is
A nine-hole mini-golf course on the concourse level
Traditional concession stands, space for food trucks and a “grab and go” concessions option
An Amazon Go-like store, where customers scan their credit card as they enter, grab their items and leave without having to stop and pay
Read more and take a look at our photo gallery to see what the new ballpark is like.
If you visited one of Utah’s “Mighty Five” national parks last year, you’re not alone. In fact, more than 11 million people had the same idea.
Apart from its incredible national parks — Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef and Zion — Utah is also home to 13 other national monuments, national recreation and geologic areas and national historic places.
Here are some interesting facts about how Utah’s national parks have fared recently, according to a new report from the University of Utah’s Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute:
National park visitation in Utah grew 100% between 2005 and 2024.
National Park Service jobs grew 8%.
As of 2024, more than 1,200 federal employees worked in tourism-related jobs in Utah, including 658 in leisure and hospitality (including national parks and recreation jobs).
Park visitors spent $1.9 billion in Utah, generating a $3 billion economic impact in the state in 2023.
Read more about how much the feds put into Utah’s national parks.
More in Utah
Funeral plans for former Utah Congresswoman Mia Love (Deseret News)
How a Salt Lake underpass became a quasi-park, with an assist from an RSL legend (KSL.com)
2 teen girls named as persons of interest in southern Utah stabbing death (KSL.com)
Mother of AMBER Alert children identified by police after being found dead (ABC4)
Suspect taken into custody after hours-long standoff on I-15 in Juab County (KUTV)
FROM UTAH BUSINESS
Utah Business 2025 Executive Excellence Nominations
It’s time to recognize executive team members for their strategic vision, resilient leadership, and profound influence. Nominate before April 18!
Politics
Sen. John Curtis asks Mike Huckabee to clarify feelings about Church of Jesus Christ in Senate hearing (Deseret News)
Senators call for a full investigation into Signal group chat on strikes against Houthis (Deseret News)
What to know about the Supreme Court’s latest gun control ruling (Deseret News)
Trump’s crackdown on ‘Big Law’: Retaliation or reform? (Deseret News)
The U.S.
U.S. home prices accelerated in January (Deseret News)
Trump unveils new automobile tariffs in prelude to ‘liberation day’ decree (Deseret News)
Turkish student at Tufts University detained, video shows masked people handcuffing her (The Associated Press)
The World
Missing U.S. soldiers in Lithuania killed: NATO chief (The Hill)
Zelensky hopes US will 'stand strong' in face of Russian demands (BBC)
Sports
‘Intensity and urgency’: BYU focusing on what got it here in Thursday’s matchup with Alabama (Deseret News)
Rutgers transfer Mawot Mag, BYU’s ‘3 and D specialist,’ takes center stage in return to Big Apple (Deseret News)
Why Lake Placid’s bobsled track may no longer be needed for Italy’s 2026 Winter Games (Deseret News)
Will Hardy rips team after loss: ‘The NBA will stop for no one, and our program will stop for nobody’ (Deseret News)
Faith
28% of U.S. adults have switched religions since childhood. Here’s how other countries compare (Deseret News)
Church strives for energy independence on North Shore Oahu, Hawaii (Church News)
Entertainment
Dallas Jenkins responds to concerns ‘The Chosen’ is not biblically accurate (Deseret News)
HBO ‘Harry Potter’ cast update: Nick Frost is nearing a deal to play Hagrid (Deseret News)
🗓️ Events Calendar
We put together a list of events and activities going on around the state of Utah in March. Check it out and let us know if we are missing anything!
Here are some highlights for events in Utah today:
Holst’s the Planets: An HD Odyssey in Ogden | Browing Center at WSU, Austad Auditorium
Utah Jazz vs. Houston Rockets | 7 p.m.
BYU women’s tennis vs. Iowa State | 12 p.m.
BYU baseball vs. West Virginia | 6:30 p.m.
U of U women’s tennis vs. Kansas | 12 p.m.
Check your inbox tomorrow morning for more news from the Beehive State and beyond!
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