This is your daily news rundown for Thursday, July 23. In this edition:
- Utah Lake is hosting its first-ever fireworks show for Pioneer Day
- Utah has the highest rate of melanoma in the country, and it keeps rising
- Rescue crews saved a missing 83-year-old hiker in Grand Canyon National Park
You can watch a fireworks show on Utah Lake for Pioneer Day
For the first time, Utah Lake is hosting a fireworks show for Pioneer Day.
Local and state representatives put the plan together in less than two weeks amidst this year’s hybrid fireworks policy.
The show will be held near American Fork Marina at 10 p.m. Friday night. Fireworks will come from two barges, one best viewed by boat and one best viewed by shore.
It will also include synchronized music for those that tune into FM 100.3.
For those who want to appreciate the show on the water, remember that only motorized vessels are allowed on the lake after dark.
Utah has the highest melanoma rate in the country
Utah has the highest melanoma rate in the country, and it continues to rise.
According to the most recent federal data, Utah’s rate of the rare but deadly skin cancer was almost double the national one in 2023. It’s also risen much faster in the last 20 years.
Some possible factors include Utah’s majority-white population and a love of outdoor recreation.
However, those rates don’t only mean there’s more disease. They also mean screening is getting better at catching skin cancers that years ago might’ve gone undiagnosed.
According to the American Cancer Society, melanoma accounts for only 1% of skin cancers, but causes a majority of skin cancer deaths.
The biggest way to lower the risk of melanoma is to protect yourself from UV rays. That includes wearing sunscreen, wearing protective clothing, and avoiding tanning beds.
The Mayo Clinic has more information on melanoma symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.
Rescue crews safely recovered a missing 83-year-old hiker in Grand Canyon National Park
Rescue crews saved an 83-year-old hiker on Wednesday a day after he went missing in Grand Canyon National Park.
The Kanab man was separated from his hiking partner Tuesday evening in a remote area of the canyon’s North Rim.
Coconino and Kane counties both sent out search and rescue teams, who found the hiker Wednesday evening. They got him safely to a nearby roadway, where emergency personnel evaluated him.
According to the U.S. National Park Service, it’s important to plan hiking trips ahead of time for safety. That includes having a way to communicate besides a cell phone, such as a personal locator beacon, and bringing extra food and water.
