Local News

Park City officials are continuing discussions about the future Arts and Culture District along Kearns Boulevard, which would include a new headquarters for the Sundance Institute.

However, Sundance’s planning efforts encountered a pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Betsy Wallace, the CFO and Managing Director for the Sundance Institute, said the outbreak last spring had the same impact on them as it did on other nonprofits.

The organizers of the Sundance Film Festival are proud that they were able to put on a successful online event, and were able to expose new artists and their work to viewers in all 50 U.S. states and in 120 countries.

Betsy Wallace, the CFO and Managing Director of the Sundance Institute, talked to KPCW about the seven-day, Park City-less 2021 edition of the festival. 

After midweek storms dropped feet of snow throughout Northern Utah, the Utah Avalanche Center has classified all of the Salt Lake area mountains as experiencing “extreme” avalanche danger. KPCW’s Sean Higgins has more on what that means and why you should be careful no matter where you are in the mountains.

After serving a second stint as Executive Director of the Historic Park City Alliance, Alison Kuhlow will be moving on at the end of June.

Kuhlow served as Executive Director of the Main Street business organization for six years between 2010 and 2016 when she left to take a job at the Park City Chamber Bureau. She started back up with the HPCA in September of 2019. 

She says her contract expires at the end June and she’ll be looking for something else.

“And while I love working with the organization,” Kuhlow said, “I'm ready for some new challenges.”

Long-time Wasatch Race Series Race Director Dave Hanscom talks about his retirement and takes a look back at Nordic skiing over the last four decades.

Today on Local News Hour:

(02:39) - Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Report

(07:03 ) - Long Time Wasatch Race Series Race Director Dave Hanscom on his retirement and a look back at how Nordic skiing has changed over the last four decades.

(37:12) - Historic Park City Alliance Executive Director Alison Kuhlow has an update from yesterday's board meeting.

Heber City has received a positive recommendation from the Small Urban Committee to award $1.5 million to build a portion of the eastern bypass road. Thefinal approval would be in May.  The New London and Red Ledges developments will fund two additional segments of the bypass project.

Protesting at private residences could be illegal if a bill passes the legislature.

Anti-mask protesters showed up at the houses of elected and appointed state officials last fall. Former Gov. Gary Herbert and State Epidemiologist Angela Dunn were among the targeted officials. 

In Summit County, Health Director Rich Bullough was also the victim of an anti-mask protest at his private residence. 

Utahns can soon get notifications alerting them of possible COVID-19 exposures. Utah will be using the Google/Apple Exposure Notification Express starting Wednesday.

Over the next week Utah residents can expect three alerts encouraging them to opt into a notification system for possible COVID-19 exposures. 

The system - which doesn’t track GPS location through phones - uses anonymous “tokens” exchanged through proximity. It logs encrypted interactions for 14 days. It logs encrypted interactions for 14 days.

Deer Valley Resort recently updated its uphill and mountain access policies in response to the increased number of backcountry skiers in the area in recent years.

It’s safe to say it’s common knowledge in the skiing and riding community to never duck a rope or ignore a ‘closed’ sign when you’re at a resort.

It looks like the former Colby School property will be changing hands again soon. 

After striking out on two development proposals for what was originally the Snowed Inn Bed and Breakfast before it became the Colby School, the owners of the nearly six-acre parcel on State Route 224 put the property up for sale last month. 

This wasn’t a typical sale. The owners are using a method called a “call for offers,” which will allow them to review and work with the offers before selecting a buyer.

  For the fourth day in a row, Utah has seen less than 1,000 new daily COVID-19 cases.

The Utah Department of Health announced 591 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday, which is about 300 fewer cases than the state saw at the same time last week.

There were 4,015 people tested for the first time, with 9,985 total tests administered. About 6% of “tests over tests” are coming back positive. 

Summit County reported seven new cases. In comparison, last Tuesday, Summit saw 17.

Recycle Utah Director Carolyn Wawra brings us a monthly update. Topics include the return of its Green Drinks event on March 9,  and relocation possibilities of a new center.  

Deer Valley Ski Patrol Director Chris Erkkila explains the resort's new policy on uphill skiing.

Erkkila says with a rise of backcountry skiers in the area, the resort's boundaries have been increasingly encroached upon.