🥃 The best bourbon comes from Utah

Municipal Inauguration

Salt Lake City saw mostly familiar faces — and one fresh one — sworn into office Tuesday. Reelected council members Alejandro Puy (District 2), Dan Dugan (District 6), Sarah Young (District 7), and newly elected Eva López Chávez (District 4) were inaugurated alongside Mayor Erin Mendenhall, who is entering her second term. Everyone will serve four years except for Young, who will serve only two years to finish out her predecessor’s term. [Salt Lake City Corporation, City Cast Salt Lake]

Mormon Minority

According to a study by the Journal of Religion and Demography, Latter-day Saints make up 42% of the population in Utah, a significantly lower figure than the 60% reported by the church in 2019. Sociologists attribute the shift to factors like migration and declining birth rates. The study also highlights a growing number of former Mormons choosing not to adopt a new religious identity, possibly influenced by the LDS church’s teachings undermining the credibility of other faiths. [Religion News Service]

The Age of Utah Homebuyers

The average age of a homebuyer in Utah is 33, according to a study by the University of California, Berkeley — that’s six years older than the average in 1980, and four years older than the average in 2000. While some renters enjoy being untethered, median home values across the country have nearly doubled over the last decade, keeping homeownership out of reach for younger buyers. [Axios Salt Lake]

Hunting in the Avenues

Did you know that people hunt in the upper Avenues? We didn’t. Not only is it legal to hunt up there, but apparently it’s a great spot. So what does that mean for hikers, bikers, and our dogs? We asked the hunters. [City Cast Salt Lake 🎧]