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With the NBA Draft almost here, the rumors and smokescreens are going to heat up with each passing hour. To make sure and keep track, I’ll keep everything right here. Make sure to check regularly because we’ll keep each rumor here.

As of right now, on FanDuel, Tre Johnson has the best odds to be drafted by the Utah Jazz at #5. We’ll see if that holds up as the night moves along.

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Now, here are the latest rumors happening…

The Utah Jazz are considered a team to watch as one of the “movers and shakers” in the Draft

Shams Charania was on TV and said this about the Utah Jazz.

Considering Charania is the biggest news breaker in the NBA, it’s something to pay attention to. Charania goes on to mention John Collins, Collin Sexton, and Jordan Clarkson as players that could be of interest to other teams.

Will the Utah Jazz make a move with one of those players? If they do, what would it be for?

More from slcdunk.com:

Molly Hart’s new seat at the Utah State Board of Education monthly meetings is just a few steps from the one she previously occupied — but much has changed in recent weeks for the veteran educator.

For over four years, Hart was a USBE member, most recently serving as its vice chair. Now she’s sitting in the board room seat reserved for the state superintendent of public instruction.

Hart jokes that she’s simply trying to inch closer and closer to the board room’s thermostat. But her goals and objectives as the USBE’s newly appointed chief executive officer go far beyond board room climate control.

She’s now been on the job as superintendent for a couple of weeks, fueled by an exhaustive energy that’s to be expected at a moment of historic disruption in education happening in Utah and across the country.

“I feel very lucky and privileged to be able to serve in this way,” she told the Deseret News. “But I’m also tired. I want to do all the things — but most of all, I want to listen and learn.

“I am trying to be in as many positions or places that I can where I can listen and learn.”

Message to educators: Never stop learning

Succeeding Sydnee Dickson as Utah’s top K-12 education administrator was not listed on Hart’s career agenda when the Michigan native relocated to the Beehive State in 2012 to be the principal of Sandy’s Mount Jordan Middle School and, later, at Albion Middle School.

“I didn’t expect to be in Utah for a long time,” she said. “We thought it was a stop along the way.”

But the Republican’s tenure across multiple corners of Utah’s public education community now offers her insights from within the classroom, the principal’s office and the school board meeting room.

She’s been a teacher and an administrator at both a traditional public school and a charter school. Most recently, she served as the executive director of Summit Academy, a K-12 charter school with multiple campuses in Salt Lake County.

Hart’s also an avid quilter and reader, and relishes any opportunity to polish her golf game on one of Utah’s links.

But despite her wide professional background, Hart remains in perpetual learning mode for all things K-12 education. “The minute you step out of the classroom or out of a school, you really are obsolete,” she said. “If you don’t keep listening to the people that are still in those positions, then you’re done.

“You have to keep your ear to the ground and listen. Things change so quickly, and the realities of the classroom in the school are so complicated that if you think that you understand them just because you’ve been there before, you won’t be effective.”

Changes in Utah classrooms are happening in rapid, real time, she agreed. And they typically reflect what’s happening in society.

“It’s no small coincidence that we’re seeing (classroom) issues with behavior — and we’re also seeing issues of unrest in communities,” she said. “There’s a connection there. So as we at USBE are here to support and lead the public school system in Utah, you have to take the realities under consideration.”

So what’s keeping Superintendent Hart up at night?

Hart’s optimistic about the emerging opportunities for Utah’s school kids. But she acknowledges the challenges.

Counted among those challenges are classroom misbehavior, chronic absenteeism and local boards trying to determine how to meet the diverse needs and expectations of their respective communities.

“We don’t have the luxury of having a defined, narrow understanding of what a school should look like or what a school should accomplish — and because of that, it’s challenging,” she said.

“It’s challenging our boards, our principals, our teachers and our communities to make decisions, and it’s hard.

“And that’s why you see things like school choice, because we don’t have agreement.”

Hart: Don’t fear school choice

It’s impossible to examine K-12 education across the country today and not encounter spirited debates on school choice and attendant issues such as vouchers and charter schools. Those debates in Utah are happening on Capitol Hill, in the courtrooms and, of course, in Utahns’ kitchens and living rooms.

But Hart’s not afraid of school choice. It’s a reflection, she said, of the freedoms valued in American society. “Choice, when managed, is something that can strengthen the system. Choice is opportunity.”

She defends parents’ rights to choose an option outside of state-funded education.

“But for any child or family in Utah, I want the public education opportunities and choices to be absolutely top notch.”

Hart added that school choice is rarely nonlinear for Utah students. Many kids now being homeschooled will likely be enrolled in a traditional public school or charter school at some point. Others might move between schools to best meet their respective needs.

“We have a responsibility to make sure that there are different options for different families at different stages and in different situations — and to make sure that all of those options are exemplary.”

“Choice,” she added, “doesn’t scare me.”

Managing changes to the U.S. Education Department

In March, President Donald Trump signed an executive order seeking the elimination of the Education Department and pledged to move all things education “back to the states where it belongs.”

And earlier this month, the department’s 2026 budget request included billions of dollars to be cut from its 2025 appropriation.

Trump has vowed that traditionally funded education programs such as Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) would continue to serve students from low-income families and those with special needs.

But some worry changes to the federal agency will harm Utah students.

Hart is attuned to the educational disruptions happening in Washington, D.C., but she views them as opportunities for improved services for Utah schools. “I have never seen a problem that was better solved further from the actual boots on the ground. So I believe that there are some opportunities if, in fact, the U.S. Department of Education closes.”

Hart added that there has been plenty of talk and proposals about anticipated changes. “But when it comes down to it, the things that would affect a classroom are sitting in policy, and I haven’t seen policy changes.”

“So I remain optimistic that as this all shakes out, in whatever way, that Utah will be poised to see it as an opportunity and make things even better for our children and families.”

Hart repeats one of her favorite phrases when she considers uncertainties in education: You can’t stop the waves — but you can learn to surf.

“That’s the responsibility that we have as a state education agency.”

Hart also believes that Utah’s education system is better equipped to manage disruptions than many other states because it is less burdened by bureaucracy and is “very close to the people.”

Supporting Utah teachers

When asked about how USBE can support public school teachers in 2025, Hart said it is essential that classroom educators feel they have a voice.

Teachers, of course, need to be paid at a competitive wage.

“But once those needs are met, teachers (will still) burn out if their voices aren’t heard and if there’s a mismatch between what’s happening and what needs to happen in the classroom for their students to achieve.”

Communication with teachers, added Hart, remains essential.

“We have to be clear in our expectations. Clear about their lanes. We have to provide teachers with resources. We have to hear their voices and hear them as professionals — and then let them do their jobs.”

What would a ‘Parent-Superintendent Conference’ with Superintendent Hart look like?

If time allowed, Hart would enjoy sitting down with every Utah parent whose child is being served by the USBE.

Her advice for moms and dads is timeless:

“First, read with your children and read widely with your children,” she said. “Spend time and ask more questions than you give statements. Listen and learn from your child just as much as your child learns from you.”

And, she added, don’t apologize for being the grown-up in the room. “Don’t be afraid to be the adult and to set boundaries.”

Lastly, parents need not operate from a place of fear.

“When you fear the world, you share that with children and then they become fearful,” Hart said. “And then they don’t see the beauty, and they really struggle.

“I think that fear is where so much of the mental health issues come from. So don’t forget to stop, see the beauty, ask questions and enjoy the road.”

The recruiting news keeps on rolling in for the University of Utah, and its latest pickup is a big one.

Timpview safety Aisa Galea’i announced his commitment to Utah on Tuesday morning, giving the Utes their first in-state pickup of the 2026 recruiting cycle.

Galea’i is rated a four-star prospect by Rivals, but holds a three-star rating in the 247Sports composite system, which takes into account ratings by 247Sports, Rivals, On3 and ESPN.

Rivals rates him as the No. 6 overall prospect in the state of Utah, while 247Sports has him at No. 10.

Last season for Timpview, Galea’i totaled 82 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, three sacks, six interceptions, seven pass deflections and two forced fumbles. He was named to the Deseret News 5A All-State honorable mention team.

Galea’i took visits to Utah, BYU and UCLA before deciding to stay home and continue his college career in Salt Lake City.

Galea’i is the 11th player in Utah’s 2026 class, joining quarterback Michael Johnson, edge rusher Preston Pitts, running back LaMarcus Bell, linebacker LaGary Mitchell Jr., cornerback Major Hinchen, safety Carter Stewart, tight end Bear Fisher, wide receiver Perrion Williams, offensive lineman Rowdy Pearce and edge rusher Javion Ramon.

A 19-year-old University of Utah student who was arrested by federal immigration officers in Colorado earlier this month was released from federal custody Friday, according to a national advocacy group.

Caroline Dias Goncalves spent more than two weeks in immigration custody after she was arrested in Grand Junction on June 5. In a statement Monday, she called the 15 days she was confined to an Aurora detention center as the “hardest of my life.”

A Mesa County sheriff’s deputy pulled Dias Goncalves over for a traffic stop on Interstate 70 near Fruita on June 5 because she was following a semitrailer too closely. The deputy let Dias Goncalves go with a warning, but only after asking about her accent and discovering she was born in Brazil. He then shared information about her in a Signal group chat between local and federal law enforcement.

The group chat was created as part of a regional drug interdiction effort, but federal authorities in the chat used the information the deputy shared to target Dias Goncalves for immigration enforcement. She was stopped again in Grand Junction — a few miles down the road — and arrested by federal immigration agents, according to the sheriff’s office, which later pulled its deputies from the chat.

Dias Goncalves immigrated to the United States when she was 7 and her family overstayed a tourist visa, according to reporting from the Salt Lake Tribune, which also reported the family has a pending asylum application.

In a statement from TheDream.US., an organization that gives scholarships and ongoing support to undocumented immigrant students who don’t qualify for federal financial aid, Dias Goncalves called her detention a “nightmare.” She received a scholarship from TheDream.US to attend the University of Utah, and the organization has continued to support her after her arrest.

“In detention, we were given soggy, wet food — even the bread would come wet,” she said in the statement. “We were kept on confusing schedules. And the moment they realized I spoke English, I saw a change. Suddenly, I was treated better than others who didn’t speak English. That broke my heart. Because no one deserves to be treated like that. Not in a country that I’ve called home since I was 7 years old and is all I’ve ever known.”

Her attorney, Jon Hyman, did not immediately return a request for comment Monday. In a previous statement, he said Dias Goncalves’ arrest was the result of “improper coordination between local law enforcement and ICE.”

Patriotism is an oft-spoken word around Independence Day — and whenever there are historic moments grabbing Americans’ attention, such as U.S. military conflicts or a presidential election.

Given the fast-approaching Fourth of July holiday and the developing military crisis in Iran, Utahns can expect to hear plenty of talk about patriotism — and what it means to be a patriot.

It’s a complex subject that, while widely admired, is not always agreeably defined.

So where does the Beehive State rank on the “Red-White-&-Blue Pride Scale” compared to other states?

Pretty high — but not quite in the Top-10, according to a recently released WalletHub report.

Utah is ranked 12th in the “2025’s Most Patriotic States in America” report that measures 13 key indicators ranging from military enlistment numbers and veteran populations to volunteerism and voting in presidential elections.

“The most patriotic states have a lot of residents who serve or have served in the armed forces, high voter turnouts during elections and a high share of the population volunteering with national or local organizations,” noted WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo.

”Patriotism also isn’t concentrated in any one particular area — the top states are located in vastly different geographic regions.”

Utah’s celebrated volunteer rates are the primary reason for its top-12 report ranking in the patriotism study.

The state claimed the nation’s top spot in the “volunteer rate” and in the “volunteer hours per resident” metrics. Utah has an overall “civic engagement” ranking of No. 9.

But Utah’s overall patriotism ranking takes a bit of a hit because it’s on the back-half of the report’s “Military Engagement” ranking — coming in at No. 35.

Report: How to measure patriotism

In determining the most patriotic states, WalletHub compared all 50 states across two key dimensions: “civic engagement” and ”military engagement.”

The civic dimension counted for 75% of the scoring and included metrics such as a state’s share of adults who voted in the 2024 presidential election — along with several weighted volunteerism metrics such as “volunteers hours per resident” and service in volunteer organizations such as the Peace Corps.

Civic engagement points were also awarded for jury participation and whether a state requires civics education in school.

Utah: A volunteerism and civic education hub

Research recently gathered by the University of Utah’s Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute on the benefits of higher education revealed that Utah possesses greater income equality than any other state — while “ranking first for both formal volunteerism and informal helping among all 50 states.”

Informal helping is defined as the estimated share of residents who exchange favors with neighbors and do things like house sitting, watching each other’s children and lending tools to each other.

Institutionally, volunteerism and humanitarian service are also rewarded in Utah.

The University of Utah, for example, recently announced it would offer academic credit to students for “prior learning and service” that includes voluntary religious missions and participation in the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps.

Meanwhile, a recently passed law now requires graduating Utah high school students to pass 3.5 units of social studies — including a yearlong course on American constitutional government and citizenship.

Lower military engagement scores

Utah finished No. 35 in WalletHub’s “military engagement” dimension — which accounted for a quarter of the total points awarded in the patriotism report.

The report’s military-related metrics included the average military enlistees per 1,000 civilian adults between 2016 and 2021, veterans per 1,000 civilian adults, active-duty military personnel per 100,000 civilian adults, and the share of civilian adult population in military reserves.

A separate WalletHub study recently ranked Utah No. 29 in the state’s ability to provide veterans with a comfortable military retirement. In that study, the Beehive State scored high marks in economic factors — but much lower scores in quality of life and health care rankings.

‘Old Dominion’ tops patriotism report

So which state claimed WalletHub’s top spot in its 2025 patriotism report? Virginia.

For every 100,000 civilians in Virginia, there are over 1,850 active-duty military personnel, the third-most in the country, according to the report. And for every 1,000 civilians, there are over 103 veterans, the second-most in the country.

Virginia also ranks high on the report’s civic side.

The commonwealth has a high voter turnout rate, with 72.9% of residents having voted in the 2024 presidential election, compared to the national average of 66%.

Virginia also has the fifth-highest number of Peace Corps volunteers per capita, and it is one of the many states that require a standalone course in civics for high school graduation, according to the report.

The other four states numbered among the patriotism report’s top-5 list include Montana, Vermont, Colorado and Oregon.

Arkansas, meanwhile, is at the bottom of Wallethub’s “Most Patriotic States” list. It’s ranked No. 29 in “military engagement” and No. 50 in civic engagement.

A vote on whether to repeal a law banning public employee unions from negotiating contracts with their government employers won’t be on the ballot until Nov. 3, 2026, Gov. Spencer Cox announced Monday.

The governor had the option of calling a special election to put it before voters during municipal elections this November, but that would have come with some additional costs and logistical challenges.

In 2023, when the state had a special election to replace retiring 2nd Congressional District Rep. Chris Stewart, lawmakers allocated $2.5 million to cover the extra costs.

While many cities and towns have elections this November, some races are not contested — in Salt Lake City, for example, just four of the seven council districts are up — and voters in unincorporated areas of counties would not normally vote in those elections either.

Holding the vote in 2025, however, could have been beneficial for some lawmakers by ensuring that they would not be up for reelection at the same time as the vote on whether to repeal the anti-labor bill, Utah State University political scientist Damon Cann said recently.

The referendum could drive voter turnout and impact the outcome in swing districts.

Last session, Republican lawmakers passed HB267, a bill banning government entities from negotiating with public employee unions. Its main impact was on teacher unions, but it also impacted some police officers, firefighters, health care workers, librarians, and others.

Labor groups fought back, collecting more than 320,000 signatures in 30 days — 251,590 were eventually deemed valid — from voters to put a measure on the ballot to repeal the law, making it the most successful signature-gathering effort in state history.

The law has been put on hold pending the outcome of the November 2026 election.

Both the labor backers of the repeal effort and a group supporting the law and opposing repeal have said they were indifferent when the vote occurs and that their side would prevail, whether it is held this November or next.

If Cox had decided to call a special election, it would not have been the first time in Utah. In 2007, then-Gov. Jon Huntsman called a special election for a referendum to repeal the Legislature’s school voucher law. Utahns voted two-to-one to repeal the voucher law.