Deseret News

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Samuel Benson is the national political correspondent for the Deseret News. He covers politics and the 2024 presidential election. He recently interviewed Lee Greenwood, who sang "God Bless The USA" at the Republican National Convention, about why he is selling patriotic Bibles. "I knew Lee Greenwood's 'God Bless the USA' would be played, over and over again, during the Fourth of July weekend," Benson said. "But did people know that Greenwood was using his song, along with Trump's endorsement, to sell a custom Bible that includes copies of the Constitution, Declaration of Independence and Pledge of Allegiance? I got Greenwood on Zoom to discuss — along with a Utah evangelical man who led the effort against the volume, which he deemed 'Christian nationalism.' Both interviews were interesting. And both made very clear the dangers of mixing Christianity, or any religious belief, with partisan politics." Read more here: bit.ly/4dcbPfD

The Deseret News has covered Utah ties in the Olympics for years — from Tokyo to Beijing and beyond. As the world now turns its attention to the Paris 2024 Olympics, our reporters are bringing readers to the starting line, finish line and all the glorious seconds in between. Even before the Olympic flame arrives in Paris, the Deseret News will be on the ground in the City of Lights for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) final vote and announcement of the city who will host the 2034 Winter Games. In the early morning hours of July 24, the world will know if Salt Lake City, Utah, has won the bid to host the 2034 Winter Olympics as the IOC votes in Paris. Deseret News Olympics reporter Lisa Riley Roche and editor Sarah Jane Weaver will be in Paris with the Utah delegation for the announcement.

Ethan Bauer writes features, profiles and explanatory pieces as a staff writer for Deseret Magazine. He recently interviewed Jimmer Fredette, who was named to the U.S. men’s 3-on-3 Olympic basketball team.  “I was 15 years old when Jimmermania was happening, and I wasn’t a big college basketball fan, so I didn’t follow it too closely. Living in Miami, Florida, I had no connection whatsoever to BYU or Utah or the Church, either," Bauer said. "But I do remember his name coming up when playing basketball with some friends after school. One of them pulled up from near half court, shouted 'Jimmer range!' and clanked a shot off the corner of the backboard. As far as I know, that memory is the only time anything related to Utah/BYU/the Church penetrated my consciousness until I started working here five years ago." "For that reason, speaking to Jimmer was a unique thrill because, in a way, my journey to this moment in my life and career started with him. That’s why I wanted this story to look deeply at the significance of Jimmermania as a cultural force. As something capable of reaching someone as distant as a non-basketball-fan teenager across the country. A force like that is something special and unique, which is why I’ll really be looking forward to watching him in Paris this summer. We’re a long way from Jimmermania, but from what his teammates and coaches told me, watching him today is still pretty special and unique, and given that he’s getting on in years, it could be the last time the people he captivated in the past get to see that.” Read Bauer's article about what Jimmer and Whitney Fredette had to say about the path to the Paris Olympics here: bit.ly/4bKwkPr #BehindTheScenes #Olympics2024

Good news for those who like to be prepared: The food bucket of your dreams is available at Costco Wholesale for only $79.99. ReadyWise’s “apocalypse” bucket went viral this summer, according to Today.com. Offering 150 servings of food that have a shelf life of 25 years, the ReadyWise bucket might be able to satisfy even the pickiest eaters. The bucket comes with a variety of dehydrated or freeze-dried meals designed to sustain individuals during emergencies with a balance of carbohydrates, proteins and fats essential for maintaining energy, according to Costco. | By Sydney Jezik Read more here: bit.ly/3zMb4LP

The fourth phase of Salt Lake City International Airport’s redevelopment will include 12 new retail shops and restaurants and 16 new gates in Concourse B. The new additions are set to open in the fall of 2025 and 2026. According to Bill Wyatt, executive director of the Salt Lake City Department of Airports, “The new airport is continually recognized as having one of the best concession programs in the country, which we have worked hard to achieve. Keeping with the theme of The New SLC, many of the brands and concepts selected are Utah-based to highlight the unique flavor of the state.” The concession operators include new restaurant options like Aubergine Kitchen, Einstein Bros Bagels, Moab Brewery, Monarca, Moochie’s Meatballs and More, Mr. Charlie’s Chicken Fingers and Swig. | By Asia Bown

Krysyan Edler is the assistant editor over newsletters for the Deseret News and also writes about sports. She recently interviewed Brandi Chastain, who played in the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup Final. “The U.S. winning the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup transformed not only women’s soccer but all women’s sports," Edler said. "In honor of the final’s 25th anniversary, I wanted to talk to some of the players about its lasting impact, as well as Marla Messing, the World Cup organizing committee’s CEO and president, who took a big risk in deciding to host the tournament in such large stadiums. It was an honor to speak with her and soccer legends Brandi Chastain, Carla Overbeck and Kristine Lilly about that fateful game.” See what Chastain, Overbeck and Lilly had to say here: bit.ly/3zLILx5

Average U.S. inflation dipped to 3% in June, down from May’s annual reading of 3.3% and reflecting a month-over-month decline of .1%, the first monthly drop in over four years, according to a U.S. Labor Department report Thursday. The new data could help fuel an interest rate reduction move by the Federal Reserve in September, loosening up the monetary body’s long-running pause on its benchmark federal funds rate that’s been stuck in the 5.25% to 5.5% range since July 2023, the highest level in decades. According to Thursday’s Consumer Price Index Summary for June, a steep decline in gasoline prices, which fell 3.8% over the previous month and are down 2.5% in the last 12 months, helped offset rises in the cost of shelter, food and other consumer expenses. | By Art Raymond

Making the first of two appearances this week before Congress, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell on Tuesday demurred when asked by members of a U.S. Senate committee to spitball a future date for cutting the monetary body’s benchmark interest rates and stuck to his recent mantra about wanting to see more positive economic data before any potential moves are made. But the Fed boss did note that the U.S. jobs market was finally settling down after two years of demand far outpacing available workers and that while unemployment has inched up to 4.1% from the 3.7% rate that closed out 2023, the metric was still historically low and job growth so far this year is averaging over 200,000 new positions per month. | By Art Raymond

The Society of Professional Journalists recognized Deseret News photographer Laura Seitz with the prestigious 2023 Sigma Delta Chi Award this week. See the award winning photos here: bit.ly/3S0A1JJ