Month: June 2025

The post 3 players Utah Jazz must avoid in 2025 NBA Draft appeared first on ClutchPoints.

The Utah Jazz finished the 2024-25 season with a 17-65 record, the worst in the NBA. They were rewarded for their efforts by sliding in the NBA Draft lottery. Utah slipped four spots, walking away with the fifth overall pick while the Dallas Mavericks vaulted to the top selection. However, the Jazz are one of seven teams with two first round picks to use on June 25. Will Hardy’s team already has an All-Star talent in Lauri Markkanen, but most of the roster is still yet to be determined.

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Throughout the season, the Jazz handed the reigns over to their young players. Keyonte George enjoyed a career-high year as a scorer while Walker Kessler averaged a double-double across the 58 games he played in. Despite that, Utah was the worse defensive team in the league, giving up 121.2 points per game.

While there are some trade rumors circling around the Jazz, their star has said that he wants to stay in Utah. Markkanen signed a 5-year, $238 million extension last summer, committing to the team. With him under contract for the next four seasons, it is up to the front office and general manager Justin Zanik to build a Western Conference contender around him. For a team in one of the smallest markets in the league, the draft is a big part of that process.

Markkanen, George, and Kessler are the core of the team’s long term plans. With that in mind, here are three players that the Jazz should avoid with the 5th and 21st picks.

Oklahoma G Jeremiah Fears

In his first and only season in Oklahoma, Fears almost single-handedly carried the Sooners into the NCAA Tournament. The point guard led his team in scoring, assists, and steals while playing more than 30 minutes a game. That heavy a workload and responsibility forced the 18-year-old to grow up fast. He finished the season strong, but the UConn Huskies sent him home in teh first round of March Madness.

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Fears can straight up score the basketball, that much is apparent. He topped 20 points in 12 of his 31 games as a freshman, including 31 against #15 Missouri. Those efforts, combined with his draft combine performance, have teams like the Brooklyn Nets interested in him. However, he is not on the same level as the premier prospects in this year’s class. If the top four picks in the draft go as expected, the Jazz will have their pick of Khaman Maluach, Tre Johnson, and Kon Knueppel, along with Fears.

Looking at the team’s depth chart, Utah already has their backcourt of the future in George and Isaiah Collier. They also have veterans to hold down the rest of the guard minutes in Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson. With Markkanen staying for the long haul, the Jazz could hang on to all four this summer, leaving little opportunity for Fears to get real playing time.

Illinois G Kasparas Jakucionis

When examining this year’s draft class, Kasparas Jakucionis and Egor Demin are two of the hardest prospects to evaluate. Both players bring great size to the guard position and are offensive-minded players. Jakucionis led a balanced attack for Illinois that saw them get to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

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Jakucionis embraced his role as a playmaker throughout the year, notching a double-double in a first round win over Xavier. The 6-foot-6 point guard also scored 20 or more points in almost a third of his games. Offensively, he can bring a lot to whatever team selects him in the lottery. However, scouts point to his defense as a major weakness.

Illinois fans were upset when Jakucionis made the tough decision to declare for the NBA Draft. Some experts were surprised as well, believing he should have stayed in college for another year to work on his defensive skills. Jakucionis’ size and lack of strength make him a walking target in a Western Conference full of talented guards and wings. On a team with enough poor defenders already on the roster, the Jazz could decide that he is not worth the offensive upside.

Michigan F/C Danny Wolf

Danny Wolf transferred from Yale to Michigan last summer. After experts questioned if his numbers would translate from the Ivy League to the Big 10, Wolf silenced them emphatically. He led the Wolverines to a Big 10 championship and a Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournaments. His numbers remained the same across the board, but he played one of the more unique roles in the country as his team’s pseudo-point guard.

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Wolf had a unique path to the NBA Draft, but it worked out for the seven-footer. He is expected to be picked later in the first round. His skillset is unlike any player in his range, making him a perfect swing-for-the-fences pick for a team looking for upside. As a point-forward, Wolf will not have to change who he is when he starts playing in the NBA.

Similarly to Jakucionis, though, Wolf’s problem lies on the defensive end of the floor. He and Vladislav Goldin shared the front court at Michigan, but Wolf was routinely blown by on the perimeter. In an ideal world, the Jazz want a player who can play alongside every combination of Markkanen, Kessler, and Kyle Filipowski. If Wolf is not the center in those lineups, they could suffer severely. He simply is too much of a liability on defense for Utah to ignore when deciding where to go with the 21st pick.

Related: Utah Jazz’s perfect outcome for No. 5 pick in 2025 NBA Draft

Related: Bill Simmons brainstorms Paul George for Lauri Markkanen 76ers-Jazz trade

According to Bill Connelly of ESPN, who authors the site’s SP+ metrics, the Big 12 has an average of 61.8% returning production in 2025, which is the highest among all FBS conferences.

So how does Utah stack up, specifically offensively?

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At first glance, Utah’s 75% returning production percentage given by SP+ seems too high. After all, the Utes are losing starting quarterback Cam Rising, virtually all of their running back room, including thousand-yard rusher Micah Bernard, and a sizable chunk of their receiver room, including Dorian Singer (53 receptions for 702 yards and one touchdown in 2024) and Zacharyus Williams (10 receptions for 101 yards).

The only group coming back in whole is the offensive line, which returns all five starters, including possible NFL draft picks Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu at the tackles.

But ESPN’s model takes into account the production of incoming transfers, and with pretty much every transfer to Utah this offseason having FBS experience, that goes into the calculation.

“The production of incoming transfers is mashed into both the numerator and denominator of the returning production formula — so if you lose your starting quarterback but bring in someone else’s from the portal, your returning yardage is probably somewhere around 50%. The production of transfers from schools below the FBS level get half-credit,” Connelly writes.

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With a 75% returning production rate on offense, the Utes are No. 11 in the country.

Here’s how they stack up amongst the Big 12.

Here’s a position-by-position look at what production returns for Utah, both from last year’s team and through the transfer portal, and which production from last year is leaving.

Quarterback

Production returning in 2025

• Isaac Wilson, sophomore. 2024 stats: 127 for 225 for 1,510 yards, 10 touchdowns, 11 interceptions passing; 47 yards rushing

New additions with past production

Devon Dampier, New Mexico, junior. 2024 stats: 2,768 yards, 12 touchdowns and 12 interceptions passing (57.9% completion rate); 1,166 yards and 19 touchdowns rushing on 155 carries.

Nate Johnson, Vanderbilt, redshirt junior. 2024 stats: 1 for 3 for 12 yards passing; 114 rushing yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.

Production leaving in 2025

• Cam Rising, senior. 2024 stats: 34 for 66 for 555 yards, seven touchdowns, three interceptions

• Brandon Rose, sophomore. 2024 stats: 19 for 26 for 157 yards, two interceptions, two touchdowns passing; 66 yards rushing

• Luke Bottari, senior. 2024 stats: 19 for 30 for 171 yards, one touchdown; nine carries for 34 yards rushing

Offensive line

Production returning in 2025

• Jaren Kump, senior. 2024 stats: 773 snaps, 67.2 PFF grade

• Caleb Lomu, redshirt sophomore. 2024 stats: 772 snaps, 75.6 PFF grade

• Spencer Fano, junior. 2024 stats: 770 snaps, 92.5 PFF grade

• Tanoa Togiai, senior. 2024 stats: 649 snaps, 79 PFF grade

• Michael Mokofisi, senior. 2024 stats: 405 snaps, 63.9 PFF grade

• Solatoa Moea’i, junior. 2024 stats: 276 snaps, 52.4 PFF

Production leaving in 2025

• Falcon Kaumatule, senior. 2024 stats: 161 snaps, 70.9 PFF grade

Running backs

New additions with past production

Wayshawn Parker, Washington State, RB, sophomore. 2024 stats: 137 carries for 735 yards and four touchdowns; 11 receptions for 108 yards and one touchdown.

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NaQuari Rogers, New Mexico, RB, senior. 2024 stats: 74 carries for 382 yards and five touchdowns; three receptions for 14 yards and one touchdown.

Devin Green, UNLV, RB, sophomore. 2024 stats: 29 carries for 123 yards and one touchdown.

Production leaving in 2025

• Micah Bernard, RB, senior. 2024 stats: 1,009 yards and four touchdowns on 197 carries; 30 receptions for 150 yards and two touchdowns

• Mike Mitchell, RB, redshirt freshman. 2024 stats: Seven carries for 158 yards and one touchdown, one reception for five yards

• Dijon Stanley, RB, sophomore. 2024 stats: 12 games, 66 rushing yards, 166 receiving yards and two touchdowns

• Jaylon Glover, RB, sophomore. 2024 stats: Three games, 12 carries for 60 yards

• Charlie Vincent, RB, senior. 2024 stats: 14 carries for 44 yards, two receptions for nine yards

Wide receivers

Production returning in 2025

• Daidren Zipperer, redshirt sophomore. 2024 stats: Eight receptions for 122 yards

• Luca Caldarella, senior. 2024 stats: Two receptions for 26 yards

New additions with past production

• Justin Stevenson, Wyoming, sophomore. 2024 stats: 17 receptions for 204 yards and three touchdowns.

Production leaving in 2025

• Dorian Singer, senior. 2024 stats: 53 receptions for 702 yards and one touchdown

• Zacharyus Williams, sophomore. 2024 stats: 10 receptions for 101 yards

• Mycah Pittman, senior. 2024 stats: Eight games, six receptions for 50 yards

• Munir McClain, senior. 2024 stats: Three receptions for 20 yards

• Money Parks, senior. 2024 stats: 21 receptions for 294 yards and three touchdowns

Tight ends

Production returning in 2025

• Dallen Bentley, senior. 2024 stats: Two receptions for 15 yards

New additions with past production

Otto Tia, Utah State, junior. 2024 stats: 44 receptions for 434 yards and seven touchdowns.

Production leaving in 2025

• Brant Kuithe, senior. 2024 stats: 35 receptions for 505 yards and six touchdowns

• Carsen Ryan, junior. 2024 stats: 10 receptions for 113 yards and one touchdown

• Caleb Lohner, senior. 2024 stats: Four receptions for 54 yards and four touchdowns

• Miki Suguturaga, senior. 2024 stats: One reception for three yards

• Landen King, senior. 2024 stats: Three receptions for 54 yards and one touchdown

Timothy Lee and other Natural History Museum of Utah staff closely watched as the race for Utah’s NHL team name unfolded — with a vested interest in one particular candidate.

Their hopes for the Mammoth then strengthened as the field narrowed to the final three at the start of this year.

“Once that happened and we saw that momentum, we were all crossing our fingers and hoping that Mammoth would be chosen,” said Lee, the museum’s director of exhibits.

Mammoth made sense, given the species’ long ties to Utah. And not only is there a massive adult Columbian mammoth replica on display at the museum, but Lee was hard at work preparing for the museum’s newest exhibit, “Mysteries of the Ice Ages.”

It’s an exhibit that features mammoths, among other things. The museum’s marketing team had even started placing tiny mammoth figurines throughout the building as a clue for visitors to guess what the facility’s next exhibit would be, months before the final announcement was made.

So when the hockey club’s announcement came down last month, museum staff were elated.

“We are hopeful that we can make connections and share stories of natural history, Utah’s amazing geologic history, and showcase science and what makes Utah so amazing,” he told KSL.com on Friday, standing a few feet from a display explaining the differences between mammoths and modern-day elephants.

“It’s going to be a global brand, so we’re really excited about the opportunity,” Lee added.

“Mysteries of the Ice Ages,” which opens to visitors on the third floor on Saturday, offers plenty of information about mammoths. It also provides many relevant ties beyond the state’s new prehistoric mascot.

It’s a traveling exhibit with over 120 items on loan from the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa, Canada. It features fossils and replicas of the animals that roamed the earth as far back as 80,000 years ago, such as muskoxen, caribou, wolves, cave bears and mastodon, the mammoth’s prehistoric cousin. There are also displays and artifacts from Neanderthals and early humans, explaining how they adapted to the cold.

A handful of interactive options also demonstrate how the last ice age formed and ultimately shaped geography across the world, which is especially relevant in Utah. Earth, Lee explained, is still technically in an ice age because of the ice that exists on its two poles, and the exhibit explores the potential impacts as those recede.

It ends with climate solutions and hope for the future, tying into another exhibit that the Natural History Museum of Utah opened in 2023. Having ties to exhibits on other floors of the building — like “Past Worlds” and “A Climate of Hope” — is ultimately why Lee booked this new exhibit two years ago, long before Utah even had an NHL team.

However, hosting a traveling exhibit from another country hasn’t come without some unexpected challenges. A few of the artifacts, including some taxidermy animals and ancient tools made of ivory, have yet to arrive. Those are expected to be installed in the coming weeks as the museum clears international regulations.

The exhibit will remain at the museum through Jan. 4, 2026, before another traveling exhibit takes its place. That gives Utahns plenty of time to learn more about the state’s newest mascot, as well as other aspects of the ice age that make Utah what it is today.

That’s ultimately what museum curators hope visitors will take away from the new exhibit. They believe that it could provide a new perspective on how the cold made the state into what it is now.

“The cold is so much of our culture today that we have something to protect,” Lee said. “I hope they leave with an enjoyment of everything that Utah has to offer: an understanding that ice and cold shaped Utah.”

Editor’s Note: “My Happy Place,” a CNN Original Series following celebrities on deeply personal journeys, airs Sundays at 10 p.m. ET/PT. CNN also tapped correspondents to share their happy places. Bill Weir feels a world away in Buckskin Gulch in Utah.

At first glance, the desert landscape of Southern Utah seems like a sweeping, sun-baked canvas — wide open and endless. But tucked deep within its sandstone folds are narrow slivers of magic: slot canyons, sculpted over millennia by wind and rushing water.

They draw hikers from around the world, eager to wander their labyrinthine paths and stand in awe beneath towering walls sometimes just feet apart. But as alluring as they are, these canyons demand more than admiration. They require preparation and a healthy respect for nature’s power.

“Slot canyons are fun and easy … until they’re not,” says Jim Clery, owner and guide at Utah Canyon Outdoors in Escalante, Utah. “You have to know when to say no.”

A different kind of hiking

Slot canyon hiking blends beauty, problem-solving and risk.

“It’s not just walking,” says Lura Snow, deputy operations manager for Wildland Trekking in Utah. “There’s often scrambling, navigating tight squeezes, standing water — and an otherworldly quality of light that feels like you’ve stepped into a secret place.”

Before any of that begins, there’s often a stretch of open desert hiking to reach the canyon itself. Exposed to sun and heat, these approaches can be deceivingly difficult.

“You’re not just hopping out of the car and into the canyon,” Clery notes. “Some routes require miles of walking through dry washes or sandy trails before you even get to the slot. It’s part of the journey.”

For many, slot canyons evoke a sense of awe and curiosity. “There’s a real sense of discovery,” says Clery. “Every turn reveals something new.”

Orientation and options in Buckskin Gulch

About an hour’s drive east of Kanab, Utah, Buckskin Gulch — believed by many to be the longest and deepest slot canyon in the US, and possibly the world — draws hikers with its immense scale and towering canyon walls. Stretching for approximately 16 miles through a twisting corridor of sandstone, its walls can reach heights of 300 feet while narrowing to shoulder-width in places.

There are a few ways to hike Buckskin Gulch, depending on how far you want to go. The most popular starting point is the Wire Pass Trailhead, which offers the quickest access to the narrows. From here, you have two main options.

For those up for an overnight
You can hike all the way through Buckskin Gulch to the White House Trailhead — a roughly 21-mile point-to-point trek. This route starts at Wire Pass Trailhead and travels the length of Buckskin Gulch, approximately 16 miles, before reaching its confluence with Paria Canyon.

While camping is not allowed inside Buckskin Gulch, you can set up camp once you reach Paria Canyon, where dispersed backcountry camping is allowed with a valid overnight permit. Because the trail begins and ends at two different locations, arrange a shuttle in advance to return to the starting point.

For a shorter, more accessible option
Many hikers choose an out-and-back route starting at the Wire Pass Trailhead. The trail follows a wash for about 1.7 miles before entering Buckskin Gulch, where towering walls and deepening narrows stretch for miles.

Just inside Buckskin, you’ll find petroglyphs etched into the rock — look low on the right as you enter. Most hikers continue a short way into Buckskin before turning around, making this route a rewarding and flexible way to experience the canyon’s scale and beauty without committing to the full 21-mile trek.

Recreation.gov advises Buckskin Gulch hikers to check weather conditions and river flow before setting out. Leave your itinerary with a reliable contact who will know who to call if your group doesn’t return on time.

If Buckskin feels intimidating, there are other places to begin.

Beginner-friendly alternatives

The Peek-A-Boo and Spooky Gulch loop near Escalante, Utah, in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is one of the most popular beginner-friendly options. This three-mile route winds through sculpted sandstone, with playful climbs, squeezes and narrow passages — but no technical gear required.

Peek-A-Boo greets you with smooth, swirling walls and natural steps, while Spooky Gulch challenges you with tight corridors where backpacks — and sometimes bodies — need to shimmy sideways to get through. The trickiest obstacle is a 12-foot climb to enter Peek-A-Boo, but solid handholds and good footing make it manageable. Because it’s a loop, you can explore both canyons without backtracking.

For those who want to ease into slot canyon hiking — or simply leave the logistics to someone else — guided trips offer an excellent alternative. Companies like Utah Canyon Outdoors and Wildland Trekking provide safety, gear, route knowledge and local insights, making it easier to focus on the experience without the stress of navigating on your own.

Flash floods and fatal mistakes

Slot canyons are carved by water — and can be flooded by it in an instant. “People hear ‘flash flood’ and think giant walls of water,” says Snow. “But even a relatively small amount can be deadly.”

The danger? Many hikers only check the weather at the trailhead. But flash floods can be triggered by storms miles away. Buckskin Gulch, for example, drains from the Paunsaugunt Plateau near Bryce Canyon over 100 miles away, meaning a storm there can send water cascading through the canyon long after skies clear near the entrance.

“Check the weather for the entire drainage,” says Snow. “Not just where you’re standing.”

Flash floods have caused fatalities in recent years, including two hikers who died in Buckskin Gulch in 2023.

Even experienced hikers can be caught off guard by storms miles away.

“You might have blue skies above you,” says Snow, “but if it’s raining 50 miles away, that water can still come barreling through.”

Not just water: Other hazards and surprises

Slot canyons may feel still and silent, but they’re full of surprises. Their shady, sheltered walls offer refuge for desert wildlife — from rattlesnakes and insects to the occasional tarantula.

“Slot canyons are shady places, so wildlife takes refuge there,” Snow explains. She once joked about tarantulas “raining from the sky,” but it’s usually just a spider dropping from a ledge — startling, not dangerous. (Tarantulas aren’t considered dangerous to humans; their bite is mild and rarely causes more than minor irritation.) While rare, these encounters are reminders to stay alert and tread thoughtfully.

Then there’s the terrain: narrow passages, slick rock and puddles that can be deeper than expected, sometimes even requiring a swim. Water hazards and the occasional patch of quicksand are also possible, especially after storms.

Trekking poles help with balance and testing depth, and sturdy shoes — and a sense of humor — go a long way. “Some people turn around at the first puddle,” Snow says. “But if this is your once-in-a-lifetime chance? Get in the puddle.”

Clery adds that most injuries come from people hopping off short ledges. “Even a two-foot jump can lead to a twisted ankle. If you’re wedged in a narrow canyon with a busted leg, getting out becomes a whole new problem.”

When to go — and when to turn back

Spring and late fall are generally the safest times to visit. Summer monsoon season (late July through September) can bring flash floods, especially in places like Buckskin. Even in dry months, storms can build quickly.

“Start early,” says Clery. “In summer, we’re on the trail by 6:30 a.m.. That gives us time to get in and out before the heat and storms hit.”

And if the weather — or your gut — says something feels off? “Be flexible,” he says. “Have a Plan B. Nature gets the final word.”

Planning, permits and prep

A little homework goes a long way. Try to narrow down what kind of experience you’re after — short and scenic, longer and challenging, guided or solo.

Check with local Bureau of Land Management (BLM) offices, visitor centers, outdoor shops or guide services for advice and current conditions. And grab a paper map — cell service can be unreliable, and batteries die.

Permits are required for both day hikes and overnight trips in the Buckskin and Paria Canyon area, and both are available through Recreation.gov. A $6 day-use permit covers hikes like the popular Wire Pass route, while overnight trips into Paria Canyon require a separate permit, limited to 20 people per day. Spots can fill fast, so it’s smart to plan ahead.

Be sure to pack plenty of water — at least one liter per hour in summer — plus salty snacks, sun protection, a basic first-aid kit and blister care.

“Desert hiking is slow, and you need to prepare for extra time,” Clery says. “We measure canyons in hours, not miles.”

Leave no trace

The rise in slot canyon popularity has brought an uptick in damage, from graffiti on petroglyphs to improperly buried waste.

“People have carved their names over 8,000-year-old rock art,” Snow says. “It’s ignorance, not malice, but it’s heartbreaking.”

Snow urges hikers to carry wag bags for human waste, use Kula cloths (reusable antimicrobial pee cloths), and pack out everything — especially toilet paper and your own poop. “Nothing breaks down here,” she says. “It’s the desert. It’ll be here forever.”

Your decisions can have unintended consequences long after you leave.

Even camping comes with a lasting impact. A single off-road vehicle can create a new track others will follow, slowly turning wild land into a road.

Clery’s advice? Stick to established sites. Stay on durable surfaces. And if you really love a place, pick up someone else’s trash on your way out.

Because in the end, exploring slot canyons isn’t just about seeing something beautiful — it’s about being part of something bigger.

It’s about traveling with intention, moving with care, and respecting the delicate power of these hidden places.

But wherever you go, says Clery, “Don’t expect to just show up and be spoon-fed a view. Slot canyons are immersive. They’re humbling. They make you pay attention — and in return, they give you something unforgettable.”

While past winter wasn’t a banner year for snow in Utah overall, some ski areas put up solid, even impressive totals for the season.

And while the state’s 15 resorts closed earlier this spring, three places in North America — all in the West — remain open for at least another week. Utah resorts are now gearing up for summer activities like mountain biking and hiking.

Preliminary data from the National Ski Areas Association released in May showed that the 2024-25 season marked the second-highest visitation on record at U.S. ski areas, with a total of 61.5 million skier visits, a 1.7% increase over the previous season. A skier visit is counted each time a person uses a lift ticket or pass at a ski area.

Ski resorts in the Rocky Mountain states accounted for nearly 43% of all skier days nationwide during the 2024-25 season, which turned out to be nearly the biggest year ever. The data was preliminary because some areas are still open.

Several resorts were close to if not above their average annual snowfall.

As usual, the resorts in Little and Big Cottonwood canyons picked up the most snow among Utah resorts during the past season. (Snow totals are per Ski Utah.)

Snowbird led the way with 542 inches, one of two resorts in the state to exceed 500 inches this year.

“It has been one heck of a season filled with powdery bliss, slush season frenzy and plenty of shredding to go around. The stoke was high, sometimes the vis was low, but it just meant we were getting dumped on. Where else would you want to be?” reads Snowbird’s season-ending posting.

Neighboring Alta Ski Area in Little Cottonwood Canyon checked in just behind Snowbird with 538 inches.

The long game

In Big Cottonwood Canyon, Brighton Resort had 578 inches, while Solitude ended with 420 inches. With an early opening last November, Solitude totaled 183 days of operation, the most in the state.

“We’ve melted out! We promised to keep you skiing and riding as long and possible — and we did! We kept our lifts spinning deep into May, but Mother Nature has decided it’s time to end the #LongestSeasonInUtah,” according to the resort.

On the Wasatch Back, Park City Mountain ended the season with 306 inches, while Deer Valley closed with 265 inches.

Despite a down snow year — 169 inches total — Brian Head in southern Utah managed to pull off the longest season in its 60-year history with 181 ski days.

“Thanks to our dedicated team, an early opening in November and strategic investments in snowmaking, we’ve delivered our longest season yet — all while keeping skiing affordable for everyone,“ Amber Palmer, Brian Head marketing manager, said in a press release.

More Utah ski resort totals

Here are totals for the other ski areas in the state, per Ski Utah.

Beaver Mountain — 242 inches

Cherry Peak — 186 inches

Eagle Point — 190 inches

Nordic Valley — 90 inches

Powder Mountain — 253 inches

Snowbasin — 276 inches

Sundance — 213 inches

Woodward Park City — 160 inches

Even though Utah resorts are closed for the year, some lifts are still spinning at Mammoth Mountain in California, Arapahoe Basin in Colorado and Timberline Lodge in Oregon, per OnTheSnow.

A convicted killer in Utah who developed dementia while on death row for 37 years is competent enough to be executed, a state judge ruled late Friday.

Ralph Leroy Menzies, 67, was sentenced to die in 1988 for killing Utah mother of three Maurine Hunsaker. Despite his recent cognitive decline, Menzies “consistently and rationally understands” what is happening and why he is facing execution, Judge Matthew Bates wrote in a court order.

“Menzies has not shown by a preponderance of the evidence that his understanding of his specific crime and punishment has fluctuated or declined in a way that offends the Eighth Amendment,” which prohibits cruel and unusual punishments, Bates said.

Menzies had previously selected a firing squad as his method of execution. He would become only the sixth U.S. prisoner executed by firing squad since 1977.

The Utah Attorney General’s Office is expected to file a death warrant soon.

Menzies’ lawyers, who had argued his dementia was so severe that he could not understand why he was being put to death, said they plan to appeal the ruling to the state Supreme Court.

“Ralph Menzies is a severely brain-damaged, wheelchair-bound, 67-year-old man with dementia and significant memory problems,” his attorney, Lindsey Layer, said in a statement. “It is deeply troubling that Utah plans to remove Mr. Menzies from his wheelchair and oxygen tank to strap him into an execution chair and shoot him to death.”

The U.S. Supreme Court has spared others prisoners with dementia from execution, including an Alabama man in 2019 who had killed a police officer.

Over nearly four decades, attorneys for Menzies filed multiple appeals that delayed his death sentence, which had been scheduled at least twice before it was pushed back.

Hunsaker, a 26-year-old married mother of three, was abducted by Menzies from the convenience store where she worked. She was later found strangled and her throat cut at a picnic area in the Wasatch Mountains of northern Utah. Menzies had Hunsaker’s wallet and several other belongings when he was jailed on unrelated matters. He was convicted of first-degree murder and other crimes.

Matt Hunsaker, who was 10 years old when his mother was killed, said Friday that the family was overwhelmed with emotion to know that justice would finally be served.

Big 12 Official Makes Final Decision on Controversial Penalty From BYU-Utah originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Utah athletic director Mark Harlan showed his passionate side during last year’s Holy War matchup. After storming the field and declaring his displeasure with the Big 12 in the postgame press conference, he was given a definitive answer on a controversial fourth down penalty. 

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Big 12 officials coordinator Greg Burks said the holding call that extended BYU’s game-winning drive against Utah was the correct call, according to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.

BYU was down by two points and faced a 4th and 10 at their own 9 with 1:30 to go. Quarterback Jake Retzlaff was sacked on the play, but it was negated due to a holding penalty with receiver JoJo Phillips on the ground. The Big 12 officials called a holding penalty on Utah’s Zemaiah Vaughn for pulling Phillips down. The call extended the drive, allowing Will Ferrin to boot a 44-yard field goal as time expired.

Harlan said the contest was “stolen” from Utah. He was later fined $40K by the Big 12.

The Avalanche-Journal obtained a copy of the Big 12’s response to the University of Utah through an open records request and published it on Friday. In total, Utah questioned six calls from the game. The one most scrutinized was the holding call.

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Related: Lil Wayne Turns Heads With Shout Out to Former BYU Star in Tha Carter VI

“(Retzlaff) looks to (Phillips) immediately after the snap, as the receiver moves to go around the defender, the defender grabs the receiver and prevents him from running his route. Correct call,” Burks said in response to Utah’s questioning of the call, according to The Avalanche-Journal.

Related: BYU Officials Send Clear Message About Jake Retzlaff’s Future in Provo

The report helps put to bed the controversy between the Cougars and Utes. This year’s edition of the Holy War will shift to Provo on Oct. 18.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 7, 2025, where it first appeared.

In the two months since Modere, a Utah-based multilevel marketing company, abruptly shut down, a picture of the company’s finances has started to take form.

Modere and its executives have not filed for bankruptcy. Shaklee, a nutritional supplement company in Florida, has bought most of the company’s assets, according to a news release issued May 23. But a lawsuit filed last week accuses Modere of being financially “insolvent” — which is why, the suit claims, Modere owes CSB Nutrition nearly $2 million.

CSB Nutrition, based in Spanish Fork, manufactures nutritional supplements and was one of Modere’s largest suppliers, the lawsuit claims. Even before Modere shut down, CSB Nutrition claims Modere was slow to pay its invoices and rarely paid them in full.

“Modere wanted to make just enough payments in attempting to ensure that CSB did not refuse to continue manufacturing existing or new purchase orders,” the complaint says.

Modere also is being sued in federal court by former employees who claim they are entitled to 60 days of wages and were entitled to 60 days of notice — which they did not get — under the federal WARN Act. The suit says Modere had about 160 employees who should have been eligible for the payout and the advance notice of their jobs ending.

[Read more: Here’s why Utah SkyWest workers know a layoff is coming — and Pluralsight employees didn’t]

CSB’s lawsuit includes evidence that even high-level executives at Modere did not see the closure coming. Billy Reif, Modere’s senior director of strategic sourcing and CSB’s main contact, sent a text to CSB co-owner Jeff Bancroft on April 11 claiming Modere “just informed me that they’ll be ceasing operations at 5pm today,” according to court documents.

Until the day it closed, Modere claimed it was growing and profiting, the lawsuit claims. It made “repeated written and verbal” statements to CSB that demand for its products was increasing and that it was “on a growth trajectory,” CSB claims. It bought “very large quantities” of CSB products until the day before it closed, the lawsuit claims.

Weeks before it closed, Modere also announced new products and touted the company’s success at a “major international convention in Prague.”

But behind the scenes, CSB’s lawsuit claims, Modere had “a huge amount of debt” and had failed to secure additional funding from its two private equity owners, who instead “walked away” from the company.

Now, CSB can’t reach Modere. CSB attorneys sent demand letters to Modere’s former in-house attorney, the lawsuit claims, who responded she would make sure it got in the right hands. She has not responded to subsequent messages, according to the complaint.

These new lawsuits follow litigation that’s still pending between Modere and former high-profile employees.

Last year, Modere sued top-tier distributors Amber DeLoof and Brynn Lang, along with Marina Simone and her distributor company Body Fuel Unlimited, Inc., arguing they had breached their contracts by working with a competitor.

But Judge Jill N. Parrish denied the company’s request for a temporary restraining order against the women last May. Modere had chosen to allow people to sign up as independent businesses — not as individuals — and it couldn’t hold the women to clauses in contracts that their companies had entered, Parrish ruled. Modere voluntarily dismissed its suit against the women weeks later.

Body Fuel Unlimited then sued Modere on March 28 alleging trademark infringement. Body Fuel offered a trademarked “5-DAY-DROP” — a weight loss service that includes made-to-order meal plans and dietary consultations, according to court documents.

Modere offered a competing weight loss service with a “nearly identical name — “5 Day Drop” — court documents allege, despite knowing the name was trademarked.

Modere also has a lawsuit pending against former contractor Justin Prince, a Utahn who it describes as “one of the most, if not the most, visible distributor at Modere and possibly the entire direct sales industry.” Prince and Modere have sued each other over claims related to his departure.

Meanwhile, Shaklee is selling Modere products — including those manufactured by CSB, according to the lawsuit — on its website.

Shannon Sollitt is a Report for America corps member covering business accountability and sustainability for The Salt Lake Tribune. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by clicking here.