Just in time for spring cleaning, Hogle Zoo’s Party for the Planet features an opportunity to repurpose and recycle materials that may otherwise be in a landfill. Utah Recycling Alliance will collect hard-to-recycle items like ski equipment, small electronics, and plastic packaging from 9 a.m.-noon in the zoo’s north parking lot for its Collection of Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM) event.

— press release from Hogle Zoo

Senator Mike Lee Returns from Congressional Delegation to Denmark, Estonia, and Finland

WASHINGTON — Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) recently returned from a congressional delegation to Denmark, Estonia, and Finland with Senator Rick Scott (R-FL). They met with senior government officials to discuss shared military and national security priorities. As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Multilateral International Development, Multilateral Institutions, and International Economic, Energy, and Environmental Policy, Senator Lee shares the Trump Administration’s goal of peace through strength.

Of the trip, Senator Mike Lee said:

“I enjoyed the opportunity to visit Denmark, Estonia, and Finland with my friend, Senator Rick Scott. Our meetings with government, military, and shipbuilding industry leaders, including Ministers of Defense, Ministers of Foreign Affairs, and legislators were productive. I walk away from this trip with a deeper understanding of the issues facing the region, as well as the regulatory burdens shipbuilders face. While abroad, I also had the distinct privilege to meet with U.S. service members, including one Utahn, at Tapa Army Base in Estonia, to discuss the Baltic region.

The nations I visited are United States allies who have made good on their commitments and have a shared focus on enhancing regional partnerships for shipbuilding and national security. It was an honor to represent Utah overseas, and upon returning home, it is clear to me that the United States is once again respected on the world stage.”

— press release from Sen. Mike Lee

Representative Burgess Owens seeks to address labor union transparency

Congressman Burgess Owens (R-UT) introduced the Start Applying Labor Transparency (SALT) Act to amend the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959, requiring greater transparency in financial transactions between unions and labor consultants, closing loopholes that have allowed backroom deals to thrive.

“Imagine working hard every day, only to find out that the person next to you–someone you trust as a coworker–is secretly on a union’s payroll, pushing its agenda without your knowledge,” said Rep. Owens. “Powerful unions and their high-paid consultants have operated in the shadows for too long, cutting backroom deals at the expense of hard working Americans. The SALT Act shines a light on these hidden transactions, ensuring every worker knows exactly where their money is going.”

— press release from Rep. Burgess Owens

St. Jude Dream Home Showplace breaks ground in South Jordan

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Oakwood Homes officially broke ground on Utah’s second St. Jude Dream Home Showplace in South Jordan on Thursday.

The event brought together local business leaders, volunteers and supporters to kick off the construction for a one-of-a-kind home in Oakwood’s SpringHouse Village at Daybreak community. Proceeds from the future sale of the home will directly benefit St. Jude, helping ensure families never receive a bill for treatment, travel, housing or food.

An event highlight was hearing from a Utah-based St. Jude patient family, who shared their daughter Claire’s inspiring journey through treatment for a rare brain tumor. Their story underscored the life-saving impact of the community’s support for St. Jude’s mission.

— press release from ALSAC (the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital)

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Announces 1,000th Graduate in Salt Lake City

Goldman Sachs celebrated the 1,000th graduate from its leading small business education program, 10,000 Small Businesses, at a milestone event with Governor Spencer Cox on Thursday.

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses also announced it is opening applications across Utah as part of its $100 million Investment in Rural Communities. The initiative, which first launched in 2023, equips rural entrepreneurs with results-oriented training to help grow their businesses, expands access to capital and to personalized support services.

Both announcements come as Goldman Sachs celebrates 25 years in Salt Lake City. 10,000 Small Businesses began in Salt Lake City in 2012 with a $15 million commitment. Nearly 30 entrepreneurs in this cohort represent the 35th cohort graduating from the program through its educational partner, Salt Lake Community College. Over 1,000 graduates of 10,000 Small Businesses in Salt Lake City represent over $2 billion in revenue and over 24,000 employees, underscoring the firm’s commitment to economic growth and job creation in the region.

— press release from Goldman Sachs public relations