KSL's Inside Sources

The hotter-than-average temperatures we've been experiencing definitely don't feel like fall, but things are about to change. Fall activities are already underway and KSL Meteorologist Matt Johnson says the leaf-peeping season has already passed its peak. Holly and guest host Marty Carpenter discuss some of the more unique things about fall in Utah.

There are just over 7 years to go until the world comes back to Utah for the 2034 Winter Games. And preparations are well underway -- both at the state level and down at the local level. We're learning now that the city of Park City is considering a kind of funding pool to help local businesses prepare for the Games -- that's according to the Park Record. And the ski resorts are also getting ready, with several planning expansions, new lifts, and new runs to handle the onslaught of visitors.

Alright, let's be honest with each other for a minute: are you one of those people who doesn't always follow the rules of the road when it comes to the HOV lanes on I-15? The KSL Investigators routinely get emails and messages asking them why the Utah Highway Patrol doesn't enforce existing laws dealing with HOV lanes. But a new investigation finds law enforcement actually does enforce those laws… and often. KSL Investigator Matt Gephardt joins Inside Sources to explain.

AI is in everything nowadays, including in the courtroom. There's a really interesting situation in Arizona where a murder victim was able to "testify" at the sentencing for his murderer. How? Through an AI-created video! The sentencing was last year, but the Court of Appeals in Arizona just overturned the sentence, saying that the judge was overly influenced by artificial intelligence.

AI is playing doctor for Utahns who opt into a new program -- the first in the nation, in fact -- that will handle digital prescriptions. It means you'd never have to see a doctor for certain conditions. Right now, the program only deals with skin care. KSL's Shelby Lofton spoke with the group behind the pilot program; the hosts hear her report and talk about whether or not they'd be comfortable sharing private health information with AI.

For much of his second term in office, Governor Spencer Cox has been pushing for a pro-human approach to artificial intelligence. Last year, he announced a new initiative that would promote a balance between AI and humans; now, he's pushing that initiative to the next level. Yesterday, he signed an order that will add AI literacy training for state employees. The order also addresses how the state plans to use AI in healthcare. For more on that, the hosts turn to Tracy Gruber, Commissioner of the Utah Department of Health and Human Services.

Whether to act now or to wait -- that's the choice before Utah leaders as they grapple with toxic dust from the now-exposed lake bed of the Great Salt Lake. Researchers and advocates say we must do something now, but state leaders say things are at an okay level right now; that toxic dust hasn't exceeded EPA standards yet. Holly and Marty have a conversation about the status of the lake and the recommendations to help save it with Dr. David Parrott, Assistant Director of the Great Salt Lake Institute at Westminster University.

Whether to act now or to wait -- that's the choice before Utah leaders as they grapple with toxic dust from the now-exposed lake bed of the Great Salt Lake. Researchers and advocates say we must do something now, but state leaders say things are at an okay level right now; that toxic dust hasn't exceeded EPA standards yet. Holly and Marty have a conversation about the status of the lake and the recommendations to help save it with Dr. David Parrott, Assistant Director of the Great Salt Lake Institute at Westminster University.

A huge project involving more than 450 nuclear reactors in Carbon County is causing concern for at least one scientist who worries about the amount of heat that would come from the facility. It's called "Project Beehive," and it would include several data centers -- plus those nuclear reactors -- on more than 9,000 acres of BLM land near Price. KSL spoke with the physicist who has the concerns; Holly and guest host Marty Carpenter break down his arguments.

Are Utah's Republican leaders becoming more moderate? The Deseret News reports that a large network of moderate donors is quietly reshaping Utah's Republican politics. It's a movement being pushed by several groups -- including Doers Network and Governing Group -- and it aims to preserve Utah's distinct shade of red when it comes to our politics. Holly Richardson and guest host Marty Carpenter discuss the efforts to distinguish Utah's conservative politics from the rest of the country's.