🥞 Your favorite spots for birthday brunching

Free Furnace Filters

Utah House Minority Leader Angela Romero and Utah Senate Minority Leader Luz Escamilla have launched the Furnace Filter Exchange Program. It’s led by the University of Utah and provides free air filters to families on the west side and in West Valley to help improve indoor air quality. You can sign up online while supplies last. [KSL]

More School Closures

In a controversial and close vote (4-3), the Salt Lake City school board chose to close four elementary schools after the school year: Hawthorne, M. Lynn Bennion, Mary W. Jackson, and Riley. Enrollment has declined nearly 29% over the last eight years (about 3,000 students). Superintendent Elizabeth Grant foresees more closures as enrollment rates continue to fall. [FOX 13]

• Related: SLC School District answers our questions about the decision process. [City Cast Salt Lake 🎧]

Snow Squalls

This week, Salt Lake experienced a couple of snow squalls (a severe and sudden snowfall with extreme winds), warranting an emergency alert on our phones. It seems the snow is here to stay, at least through the weekend. [Salt Lake Tribune]

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Salt Lake City was just awarded nearly $1 million in grant funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to better improve our recycling efforts. Whether you are a loyal container rinser-outter or a recycling non-believer, we busted some myths. Because we might all be doing it wrong. [City Cast Salt Lake 🎧]

Hey Salt Lake readers know what’s good. Today, they’re recommending the best places for birthday breakfasts, acupuncture, and spending a day in Marmalade.

On Things To Do in Marmalade

“My wife and I moved here from Central City in 2020 and have never looked back! Vegan Daddy Meats, Salt Lake City’s plant butcher, has a brick-and-mortar presence on 300 W. that’s open Wednesday through Saturday. If you’re lucky, you might get served by the daddy himself! Marmalade Brunch House serves the most Café-du-Monde-like beignets in all of Utah — crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Take it from me, a New Orleans native.” — Carlos H.

“The Petal Coop, the local floral design co. on the corner of 200 W. and 600 N., the Marmalade Public Library, all the restaurants on 300 W. including great sushi at Shinobi, the Marmalade Brunch House, Uncle Hot Pot, and others in that retail strip. And Saturday Cycles, the beloved bike shop that for many years occupied the space on the NW corner of 300 W. and 600 N. Their new digs are 230 S. 500 W. and they deserve all the love and a mention in your Marmalade add-ons.” — Megg M.

On Acupuncture

“Community acupuncture is an important movement that centers access, equity, and community. Matt Jevtic at SLC QI couples these values with skilled hands, a calm presence, and wise advice. I see him regularly and refer all my friends and pregnant patients.” — Susanna C.

“I just found Aidan Paulk at Flow Acupuncture. He is the best. Check him out.” — Michelle B.

On Birthday Brunching

“We just had my daughter's birthday brunch at Ivy & Varley and it was amazing, and they brought her out a cheesecake with a cool sparkler on top!” — Kelly M.

“Woodland Biscuit Co.!” — Chandler R.

Rinsing Your Trash and Other Recycling Myths

Salt Lake City received nearly $1 million to teach people how to recycle better. Do you have the new-year itch to declutter your house? Same, but the question is: Is any of this junk recyclable? McKenna Tupa’i, sustainability coordinator for Wasatch Front Waste and Recycling District, talks with host Ali Vallarta about what you can and can’t throw in your blue bin in Salt Lake.