KSL+

All this week, KSL has been examining the lasting impacts of 9/11 as we approach the 20th anniversary. On KSL+ we dive deeper into the missed opportunities that may have kept us from the great divide we experiencing today.

To watch the full video version or read the full transcript, click HERE.

Families and the feds both pushing back on Utah's law, banning state-wide mask mandates in schools. Many worry now, that the law discriminates against kids with disabilities. 

For watch the video version or read a full transcript, go HERE.

ORIGINALLY AIRED FEBRUARY 25, 2021.

CONTENT WARNING: Discussion of suicide

It's been more than a year, and hospitals are again filling up with COVID-19 patients. While people outside try to get back to normal, people treating COVID patients, and those supporting that treatment, have had a nearly never-ending barrage of hard work and heartbreak. And it's taking a toll. We look at the mental health impacts of the pandemic and some of the barriers to treatment for those in the medical field.

To watch a video version and for a full transcript, go HERE.

As the world watches in horror at the fall of the Afghan government, just days after the US troop withdrawal, there are Utahns with a special connection to the country. Some served there in the military, some fled two decades ago. We talk with them.

To watch the full video version and read the full transcript, go HERE.

We sit down with Dr. Angela Dunn in her new role with the Salt Lake County Health Department. She explains her worries heading into the new school year, and her hopes for public health in the future.

Watch full video version or read a full transcript HERE.

Heal the people, protect the sacred. During this disruptive and devastating pandemic a group of Native Americans from Utah are bringing a different kind of healing to the people and the land across the United States. The Jingle Dress Project was inspired by a dream, a dream today and 100 years ago.

Watch the full video version and read the full transcript HERE.

The Tokyo Olympics look different than in years past. We chat with KSL Olympic veteran Alex Cabrero about what the games looks like this year for the media and athletes. 

To watch the video version and read a full transcript, go HERE.

It's been several months since extra unemployment benefits ended in Utah, which was meant to give many struggling industries a boost. For restaurants at least, that hasn't been the case--many still struggling to fill open positions. We speak with a restaurant owner, as well as a server who left the industry during the pandemic.

Watch full video version and read a full transcript HERE. 

"It's no longer a fire season. It's a fire year."

As fire seasons get longer and more intense, Utah is struggling to keep up, especially when it comes to staff. It's a lot of long hours, low wages, and dangerous work. We look at what will be needed to get firefighters to apply, and then stick around for wildland jobs as the need becomes greater across the country.

Watch the video version and read a full transcript HERE.

Republicans, led by Utah Representative John Curtis, are starting to address climate change. We talk with Rep. Curtis about what he hopes to get out of the new Conservative Climate Caucus. Plus, we talk with an environmental educator about the best ways to talk about climate change with people who may still be on the fence.

To watch the video version or read a transcript of this episode, go HERE

Across Utah and the country, several industries are struggling to get the qualified workers they need to build buildings and homes and to help put food on the table. Garna Mejia joins us to break down the solutions company owners want to see enacted. 

To watch the video version and read the full transcript, go HERE.

Who has power to do what, where? That’s the loaded question right now surrounding fireworks this year, in the middle of an unprecedented drought. KSL + looks at what can and can’t be done legally for fireworks.

To watch the video version and read a transcript, go HERE.

We dive into the debate on whether college athletes should profit off their name, image and likeness. KSL Sports Anchor/Reporter Sam Farnsworth helps break down the push to allow them to get paid and how we got here. And two former Utah college players explain why they think the country is headed on the wrong direction on this issue.

To watch the video version and for full transcript, click HERE.

The Western United States are facing a big problem--drought. Currently more than 50% of the western states are in a drought--100% of Utah is classified as in a drought right now. Reservoirs are at levels we usually see at the end of the summer, and it's only the second week in June.

Last week, Utah Governor Spencer Cox asked Utahns to pray for water. We need water, there's no denying that.

But the Utah Rivers Council says there are changes we could be making--and should have been making for years--to help us better prepare for years like this, where Mother Nature isn't cooperating.

As more and more Americans get vaccinated, there are worries we won't ever get to that magical "herd immunity" threshold. But we learn from one expert that it's not quite that simple. Plus, the mathematical formula that's predicting what COVID will look like in a decade.

Watch the full video version and for a full transcript, go HERE. 

If you know anyone trying to buy a house right now, you know that they’re probably having a rough time.

Utah real estate prices have shot up and everyone’s pointing fingers. From Californians moving to Utah, to the cost of lumber, to the pandemic, they’re all pretty common scapegoats for frustrated buyers. The fact is, no matter the cause, the number of homes for sale right now is significantly lower than normal.

So why exactly is this happening? What is next? How is this different from the housing crisis of 2008? What do you need to do set yourself apart in such a competitive market? Unaffordable Utah reporter Ladd Egan joins us to help break it down.

To watch the full video version and for a full transcript, go HERE.

The country is abuzz discussing the merits or dangers of a academic lens called Critical Race Theory. We look at what it is, what it isn't and what Utah students are learning now.

Watch the full video version and see the full transcript HERE.

(Originally aired 5/12/21) May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. We see the Asian influence all around us—from music to food to Oscar nominated movies. At the same time — anti-Asian rhetoric has peaked. For many of us, higher than we’ve seen our lifetimes and jumping to the forefront of our national conversations.

For people who are not Asian, this may feel like a sudden rise in Anti-Asian rhetoric brought on by COVID-19. But there’s a history here. And to better understand what’s happening now — we’re taking a look at the past.

Watch the full video version or see the full transcript HERE.

(Originally aired 5/6/21) 

President Joe Biden’s has touted the proposed American Families Plan as an investment in our children, our families, and our economic future. Like the American Rescue Plan, which passed in March, and the American Jobs Proposal, currently on the table, the Families Plan has a huge price tag.

As you might expect, this is getting a lot of mixed reaction from lawmakers. But we wanted to get Behind the Headlines and take a deeper look at where Utah families are struggling, and what impact the President’s proposal might have.

To watch the full video version and see the full transcript, go HERE.

(Originally aired 4/29/21) Earlier this month, a group of moms went viral in a video asking the Jordan School District to reverse its decision to move the Life Skills and Peer Mentoring program from every high school in the district to just a few. An online petition garnered more than 54,000 signatures and the district ultimately reversed the decision.

Our colleague Debbie Worthen reported on this story and we wanted to dive a little deeper, looking at some of the history and context around special education in this country. What does equal access to education look like? What is required by the law? And what should we be doing simply because it’s the right thing.

(Originally aired 4/22/21) 

Former Minnesota police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of all three charges against him in the death of George Floyd. The prosecution told the jury to believe their eyes — referring to the video seen around the world showing Chauvin kneeling on top of Floyd. And the jury believed it. Making their decision after roughly 10 hours of deliberation. And the reaction from Salt Lake City to Minneapolis was immediate.

What does the verdict in this one compelling case mean for the ongoing movement to change policing?

Watch the full video version and to see the full transcript, go HERE.

(Originally aired 4/1/21) This week on KSL+, we look at how the pandemic has impacted education, continuing our series looking at what the world will look like post-COVID. We look at the five changes that educators think will stick moving forward.

Watch the full video version and see the full transcript HERE.

(Originally aired 3/25/21) A year out from the beginning of the pandemic, this week marked nearly a year since Utah Gov. Gary Herbert launched the Stay Safe, Stay Home initiative, encouraging people to stay home where they could, especially encouraging people to work from home when they could.

That marked a huge change for many people. Now we recognize that not all industries were able to move to working from home. Healthcare, restaurants, construction, hospitality, all still required most workers to show up on site every day. But in many industries, working from home was possible and required a quick pivot–and has created some big changes in many different industries. For many, the pandemic has highlighted many problems within our businesses that have been around for decades–and is pushing us to find solutions.

To watch the full video version and to see the full transcript, go HERE.

(Originally aired 3/18/21) After every natural disaster, pandemic, or other traumatic event, there are ripples felt for generations. Families of 2.6 million people around the world are dealing with loss due to COVID-19 and countless more who have been impacted financially, mentally or physically.

What changes will we see 5, 10, 20 years down the road that we’ll trace back to the year 2020 and COVID? One year in, we’re looking at changes to healthcare that will likely stick around as we head into what many call our new normal.

Watch the full video version and see the transcript HERE.