KSL's Inside Sources

• SLC council seat determined by a coin toss
• Attacks ramp up again between the U.S. and Iran
• Group launches to promote better civil dialogue
• State Senator running for reelection features endorsement he didn't receive
• What would Social Security insolvency actually look like?
• The influence of AI PACs on Utah's elections
• The potential influence of higher inflation on the ongoing midterm elections
• How childhood summer experiences can influence adulthood
• America250: Patriotism vs. Nationalism
• Don't blink! Or actually… maybe blink a little more?

New research from the University of Utah Health says we're not blinking enough, and it's largely thanks to our increased screen time. Greg doesn't quite buy it, but Holly totally does. They share their thoughts and talk about the 20-20-20 rule told to them by producer Andy: every 20 minutes, take 20 seconds to stare at something 20 feet away.

This land was made for you and me. As we move towards our nation's 250th birthday, we're taking time to look closely at our country's identity. In this segment, Greg and Holly talk about democracy, patriotism, and nationalism. A lot of the time these days, nationalism and patriotism are mixed. But that's not always a good thing -- it's led many people to harbor some deep-seated negative feelings towards our country. Inside Sources takes a more 'meta' approach to the whole thing.

As you look back on your childhood and the summers you experienced as a kid, do you remember the things you did? Do you remember the things you learned? A new opinion piece in the Deseret News explains how the summer activities we did as children can have a profound effect on adulthood and the way we act. Greg and Holly reminisce about their own summers as kids.

We've been talking about inflation going up and the higher cost of everything making it harder and harder on everyday Americans. And with the midterms well underway -- at least the primaries -- how might this increased inflation affect voters' decisions? Let's break down these new inflation numbers and their effects with our friend Robert Spendlove, senior economist at Zions Bank.

It's the season for home selling and home buying, but are people actually buying and selling? A new report from Realtor.com says that nearly 5% of home listings were taken off the market last month -- that's the highest share in 4 years. Between that and first-time homebuyers continuing to struggle, what kinds of things can we make out of this more wishy-washy housing market? For answers, Inside Sources is joined by Russell Faucette, co-founder of The Stern Team of Omada Real Estate.

AI and "big data" has sure taken a prominent place on the midterm stage both here in Utah and around the country. Now, we're learning more about the influence AI groups have on some Utah candidates, as AI-related PACs give money to a few people hoping to represent Utahns in the U.S. Congress. It's not chump change -- we're talking more than $1.3 million spent on Utah's primaries alone. Deseret News political reporter Brigham Tomco explains his latest reporting.

We've heard the same warning for decades now: Social Security is running out. Just yesterday, we learned Social Security could become insolvent by 2032… much faster than previously thought. Among the reasons for this drop are stiffening immigration policies and tax cuts. So if Social Security actually does run low on money -- or fully runs out -- what would that look like? Deseret News opinion editor Jay Evensen joins Inside Sources to share his thoughts.

Endorsements can hold a lot of weight. Or, they can also mean absolutely nothing. But either way, you don't say someone endorsed you unless they actually endorse you. In a hotly contested race in Utah's Senate District 18, one candidate included an endorsement from Senator John Curtis on some flyers, even though Senator Curtis hadn't endorsed him. And while State Senator Dan McCay's team has admitted the mistake, those flyers still showed up in voters' mailboxes, much to the chagrin of his opponent, current State Representative Doug Fiefia.

• Utah lawmakers look to make additional changes to voter information privacy
• Partnership penned between state, federal government over public land management
• Family: Helping young people start families, encouraging conversations among teens and parents
• Mixing sports and the law: Thoughts on a recent ruling on a Big 12 football player
• Artificial intelligence and our relationship with God
• Kearns High School removes mirrors from restrooms
• Pres. Trump nominates Todd Blanche to be next U.S. Attorney General
• China selling surveillance and policing to other countries; should we be worried?
• Hunting glow-in-the-dark scorpions; Happy 1st Birthday to Inside Sources with Greg and Holly!

Grab your black lights and glow sticks... we're hunting scorpions. Wait what? You'll want to hear what one Utah state park is doing. Greg and Holly also celebrate the first anniversary of the all-new Inside Sources.

International relations experts have been voicing concerns about China's influence for years now, and with the U.S. pulling out of a lot of foreign programs and partnerships, it's left this kind of empty hole that China's stepping in to fill. The New York Times reports that the South Pacific island nation of the Solomon Islands is getting a bunch of policing and surveillance help right now from China. Should we be concerned about this kind of thing? Brandon Amacher, Director of the Emerging Tech Policy Lab at Utah Valley University, joins the program to share his take on the situation.

President Trump is formally nominating acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to take over the DOJ post permanently. But the road to confirmation will be plagued by challenges and hurdles from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. You'll remember that Blache was the president's former personal defense lawyer and has served as head of the Justice Department since Pam Bondi left the post in April. Inside Sources discusses some of the controversies surrounding Blanche and why some lawmakers say they can't support him.

As beauty trends have evolved, it's become more and more necessary to use a mirror when getting ready for the day. But for teens at Kearns High School in the Granite School District, they may need to make some changes to their daily grooming routines now that the school has removed mirrors from all the restrooms on campus. The school says removing the mirrors will help cut down on loitering. The hosts share their thoughts on the development and read listener text messages on the topic too.

Artificial intelligence has become such a part of our lives and our society. Everything has become connected thanks to the internet, and AI is amplifying it all. Recently, Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke about the dangers of using AI in place of God. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints just released an entire series from Elder Gong that really dives into how AI affects all of our relationships. Greg and Holly discuss their favorite parts of the lesson.

The college football world is experiencing a bit of a shock today after a judge ruled that a Big 12 quarterback who admitted to gambling will still be eligible to play this upcoming season. The NCAA has a ban on gambling, including bets made on a player's own team. But a judge in Texas granted a temporary injunction for a Texas Tech player, which clears the way for him to play in the fall. It's not too often we get to mix sports and the law, so Inside Sources takes the opportunity to do that today.

Younger couples are waiting longer and longer to have kids -- we've talked about this trend several times over the last year. But is there anything we -- the elder adults -- can do to help our adult children have more children of their own? Also, raising a teen can be challenging and loud; but it can also involve a lot of silence between parents and kids, especially when it comes to really important topics. Deseret News reporter Lois Collins joins Inside Sources to share data on the disconnect between teens and parents.

For the first time in more than 100 years, the state of Utah will now have some say in what happens in the San Rafael Swell Recreation Area. Local officials say these agreements are good for the area and will help maintain stability when things like federal government shutdowns occur. Critics, however, worry these changes will allow lots of additional motorized, off-road traffic in the recreation area.

Changes this year to voter privacy laws sparked quite a bit of outrage. State lawmakers defended the move to publicize more voter information as a win for transparency. But now, we're learning that state lawmakers may make more changes to voter privacy laws in hopes of appeasing angry voters and falling more in line with federal voter privacy standards. KSL politics reporter Bridger Beal-Cvetko joins the conversation to explain why lawmakers are acting *now* to make changes.

Local versus federal control -- who will win out? Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County are teaming up in a new lawsuit against the federal government over the proposed ICE detention facility on the city's west side. In a bit of an interesting twist, members of the Salt Lake County Council say they were not informed or consulted on the lawsuit, which was ultimately filed by the county mayor. Greg and Holly discuss this new lawsuit and also get an update on agreements between ICE and local law enforcement agencies.

Topics we cover on this episode of KSL's Inside Sources include:

• Utah Firewatch: A dry, dangerous summer weekend
• Continued counting of ballots in California races upsets national Republicans
• Strengthening family connections and relationships
• Pentagon updates religious classifications... again. Plus more congressional updates from Washington, DC.
• Kamala Harris weighs running for president again in 2028
• America250: Have we forgotten how to argue with ourselves?
• Silent book clubs