National Parks

The Trump administration has proposed a 25% cut to the National Park Service's budget, which could mean handing over some sites to the states. Citizens have conflicted opinions.

Recreation-focused staff and budgets at national forests have gone down as demand has gone up. This has been resulting in lengthy delays in responses to applications.

National Parks Week begins this weekend, kicking off with free entry to all parks on April 19. The park service says visitors may experience varying hours and other changes.

Climate Central analyzed data from the National Park Service and found that by 2050, the 25 most visited parks are likely to have five times as many extremely hot days.

Shoutout to the public servants who have dedicated their lives and careers to preserving and protecting our national treasures and making America a better place, one trail at a time.

New polling shows widespread support for increasing or keeping funding the same for the National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service. This comes on the heels of the Trump administration’s recent firings of federal park and forest employees.

Wayne County is one of Utah's poorest counties. National park firings could exacerbate existing housing and income challenges.

In other news, Salt Lake City and the Smith Entertainment Group are nearing a deal for a downtown entertainment district. And, a large barn fire in Salt Lake City seriously injured a civilian and caused problems for firefighters.

One supporter of the proposal says communities of color are three times more likely to live without access to natural areas compared with white communities.

In other news, Utah Natural Meat and Milk, the dairy company that had its permit to sell raw milk revoked in September, has had its permit reinstated. And, a rockfall has closed a section of road in Canyonlands National Park.