Happy Saturday, and welcome to Inside Voices, a weekly newsletter that features a collection of ideas, perspectives and solutions from across Utah — without any of the vitriol or yelling that’s become all too common on other platforms. Subscribe here.
The Great Salt Lake is top of mind for many of us. During the legislative session, however, I’ve heard even more ideas on what must be done to save it.
One young Utahn, along with a state lawmaker, suggest passing a law that redirects funds.
“Our bill closes the funding gap by redirecting $200 million away from the proposed Bear River Development — a project that would further drain the Great Salt Lake — and using it instead to purchase or lease water for the lake,” write Muskan Walia and State Sen. Nate Blouin in an op-ed. “By matching the recent $200 million private pledge with existing state funds, it will put Utah financially on track to achieve our ‘Great Salt Lake 2034’ commitments without costing taxpayers a dime.”
Read more about SB250 and why its authors call it a chance for lawmakers “to listen to youth” and “to remember their promises.”
Three other authors are pitching a different kind of proposal to solve the “moral failure visible in Utah’s governmental response.”
“What is needed is a new system, one rooted in relationship, humility and respect for life itself,” write Forrest S. Cuch, Darren Parry and Max Perry Mueller in an op-ed. “That new system is perhaps the old one. We propose to return the governance of the Great Salt Lake to the Native nations who managed the Great Basin’s waters for generations before settlers arrived in the 1840s.”
Read more about their solution — and what Indigenous stewardship really means.
Have an idea, perspective or solution that helps your fellow Utahns? Find out how you can share it in this newsletter.
Utah Voices
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Students from Olympus High School in Holladay march down 3900 South to protest ICE, on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026.
The following excerpts come from op-eds recently published in The Tribune.
Why Utah students like me are walking out of schools
“I fear for my grandmother, for the woman who works at my favorite dessert shop and always finds ways to make me smile, for my fellow students and their families, for my best friend and for every person in Utah who is too afraid to go to work because ICE agents might show up in unmarked cars, wearing masks, with no way to identify themselves,” writes high schooler Leo Mildon. “These people have had their voices stolen. So I am using mine. We, the students, are using ours.” Read more.
German is on life support in Utah. As a teacher, I know it’s worth saving.
“As Utah increasingly measures educational ‘value’ by enrollment numbers, we are losing sight of what language learning offers,” writes high school teacher BreAnn Busboom. “From cultural insight to the cultivation of a global mindset, language learning should not be reduced to a simple head count or a direct pipeline to a career. As a state, we need to invest in language diversity, rather than focusing solely on programs with the highest enrollment trends.” Read more.
The LDS Church taught me what sanctuary should feel like. Why is it silent now?
“The fight for love, hope and freedom is now happening on the streets of America daily, as the good nature of humanity pushes back against the ugliest parts of humanity,” writes Emily Regan. “Neighbors rally, strangers stand, votes are cast. How embarrassing if The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which has such lofty claims on love and truth, were to be left behind in such a fight. If the church will stay silent, I will be loud. My faith and my humanity demand for the cry and the building of sanctuary.” Read more.
Utah families can’t afford a Netflix-Warner Bros merger
“Antitrust laws are sometimes misinterpreted as barriers to business growth,” writes former Utah Attorney General John Swallow. “In reality, they function more like guardrails intended to channel and preserve competitive markets, protect innovation and ensure consumers retain meaningful choices. That principle is especially important in the media and entertainment sector, where consolidation affects not only prices but also the menu of choices, investment options and new content.” Read more.
A Utah monument is under attack — again
“This new attack on Grand Staircase-Escalante from Congress — along with a parallel attack on Minnesota’s Boundary Waters — would set a national precedent with no public input that could upend public lands protection for years,” writes Stephen Trimble. “The exhausting years-long battle to protect the resources and restorative magic of Grand Staircase-Escalante can wear out supporters. But this place gives us no choice but to speak up once again.” Read more.
Share Your Perspective
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Ken Sanders is opening a new Children's Reading Room in his space at the Leonardo in Salt Lake City. on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022. Banned books in Utah
This week, another title was added to Utah’s growing list of books banned from public schools. I want to hear from you: Who do you trust to decide what books are age-appropriate for Utah’s students? Let me know what you think.
I’m always looking for unique perspectives, ideas and solutions that move our state forward. Learn more about our guidelines for an op-ed, guest essay, letter to the editor and more here, and drop me a note at voices@sltrib.com.