Tickets go on sale tomorrow morning for Utah’s last-ever Sundance Film Festival! Host Ali Vallarta and Hey Salt Lake newsletter editor Terina Ria have tips for making the most of it as a local. Plus, we give our own ‘Best of Sundance Awards’ and shout out great places. 

You might also like ‘Sundance Tips From Former Staffers’ [City Cast Salt Lake] 

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Cozy Earth - use code COZYSALTLAKE for up to 20% off

Everyone's favorite medical drama, "The Pitt," is back for season 2 tonight! Each season is an intense depiction of one 15-hour shift in a downtown emergency room. Salt Lake emergency medicine Dr. Aly Smith tells host Ali Vallarta how the cases and the institutional issues compare to a real local ER.

This episode first aired April 30, 2025. 

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ICO 

Flights From Home is sponsoring this episode, and they gave host Ali Vallarta her dream assignment: Plan four vacations for executive producer Emily Means using real Flights From Home deals out of the SLC airport. Here’s what to eat and see abroad on a shoestring budget in 2026 — take notes!

Explore this week’s free travel deals with Flights From Home, the sponsor of this episode.

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Could Salt Lake County's 15% property tax increase be overturned? Host Ali Vallarta, executive producer Emily Means, and City Cast Salt Lake contributor Andy Larsen talk about the citizen-led effort to put it to voters. Plus, the Poplar Grove "BioTower" and joyful picks of the week. 

Resources and references:

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Two people are dead and several are injured after a shooting outside an LDS church in Salt Lake City Wednesday evening. Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means share what we know so far. 

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SLC bartenders listen to everyone’s problems, even on holidays. But who is taking care of their mental health? Host Ali Vallarta asks One Small Miracle founder Matt Pfohl about a new program to help solve that problem in Utah.

Text Matt about One Small Miracle at 801- 419-7165. 

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Twenty-five new laws went into effect in Utah on Jan. 1. Host Ali Vallarta and executive producer Emily Means break down the biggest (and strangest) ones, so you stay out of trouble. Plus, our local predictions for 2026, heated Olympians, and the 9th annual Cage Week!

Here are 25 new Utah laws that went into effect on Jan. 1 [KSL]

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Nobody understands a city’s pulse quite like a City Cast host — and that makes them the best predictors for 2026’s biggest local stories. City Cast Salt Lake host Ali Vallarta joins CEO David Plotz and the other 12 hosts from across the network to talk about the big changes coming to our cities, from political shifts to data centers.

Become a member of City Cast Salt Lake today! It’s the best way to support our work and help make sure we are around for years to come. Get all the details and sign up at⁠⁠ membership.citycast.fm⁠⁠.

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New year, new ideas for making the most of Salt Lake City. Host Ali Vallarta, producer Ivana Martinez, and Hey Salt Lake editor Terina Ria assembled a guide to January in the valley, from an inspired new bar to a $20 facial and ways to get a little more involved. If you’re wondering why we know bars so well, it’s because we’ve been to all of them.

If you're new here, welcome! We’ve put together a starter pack for you, with episodes and articles to welcome you to the City Cast Salt Lake community. 

For even more tips on how to make the most of January in Salt Lake, check out Hey Salt Lake’s take on what to do this month. 

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Reach us at [email protected].

There are a host of weird and uniquely Utah things that our community tries to normalize, but have you fully adopted any of them? Host Ali Vallarta, newsletter editor Terina Ria, and executive producer Emily Means share their takes on Utah propaganda we’ve been sold and which ones we refuse to buy into. 

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