?In-Person Events At Sundance Canceled + Food & Blood Needs High – Patch.com

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First, today’s weather:

Remaining cloudy. High: 47 Low: 36.

Find out what’s happening in Salt Lake City with free, real-time updates from Patch.

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Here are the top 4 stories today in Salt Lake City:

1. Salt Lake County officials have issued an advisory statement calling for the public to take more stringent precautions against the spread of COVID-19 as transmission rates spike and the rolling seven-day average for new cases is at an all-time high. Among these precautions, the advisory urges the public to avoid large gatherings, mask up, and get vaccinated as well as other well-known mitigation efforts. (Salt Lake Tribune)
2. The Sundance Film Festival has announced that it will adjust its hybrid model of online and in-person events it had spent the last year planning by canceling all of its in-person events this month. Citing the dramatic spike in COVID cases and the spread of the Omicron variant in Utah, Sundance will return to an all-online format for its 2022 festival. (Fox 13 News)
3. January marks National Blood Donor Month at ARUP Blood Services, and (surprise!) donations are needed. The holidays and winter weather typically slow down donations, so the need is particularly evident as ARUP, the only provider of platelets to the University of Utah and the Huntsman Cancer Institute, encourages community members to add donating blood to their New Year’s resolutions. (KUTV 2News)
4. Demand at the Utah Food Bank rose during the holidays and is expected to remain high throughout 2022. CEO Ginette Bott said the organization is gearing up to respond to an increased need over the next 18-24 months. (KUER 90.1)

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Today in Salt Lake City:

• Hear from community organizations Save Our Great Salt Lake and HEAL Utah at Brewviews Cinema tonight, for a breakdown of the upcoming legislative session and learn how a bill becomes a law, how your voice can influence environmental policy, and all the different ways to advocate for our environment. (6:30 PM)
• Sneak into the second installation of flora & fauna embroidery workshops put on by Clever Octopus Inc. at their Creative Reuse Center as you will be guided through basic embroidery skills, to create a piece inspired by flora and fauna native to Utah. (6:30 PM)
• Ring in the New Year, again, with bubbles at the Gallivan Center. It’s the Gallivan Wine Night, featuring an array of sparkling wines from around such as Italian Prosecco, Spanish Cava, along with California, and French sparkling wines. 21+ event. (7:00 PM)

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From my notebook:

• “Ballerina legend, Lauren Anderson, came to Salt Lake City to coach our dancers in the roles of Flora and Svetlana during rehearsals for Ben Stevenson, O.B.E.’s Dracula. Here is a special moment of Lauren presenting flowers of congratulations for newly promoted Principal Artist, Kat Addison, on opening night” (Ballet West)
• “The Utah Wildlife Board met today and voted to restrict the use of trail cameras and other hunting-related technologies and also approved some changes to black bear and cougar hunting in the state, as well as a few other items.” (Utah Division of Wildlife Resources)
• “Join NHMU January 29–30 for everyone’s favorite event, DinoFest: In Living Color! Our sixth annual DinoFest will feature world-class paleontologists who will reveal the colorful details of what dinosaurs and their world really looked like!” (Natural History Museum of Utah)
• “Tracking bird migration patterns has grown in sophistication and is closely followed by SLC Airport’s wildlife mitigation team. Recently, a Rough-legged Hawk, trapped by airport wildlife specialists yielded data showing the bird’s migration pattern from 2018 through 2021. This was due to a telemetry unit that had been placed on the bird by Hawk Watch when it was a juvenile. Because of the sensory unit, the transmission path of the bird had been recorded for the past four years providing the migration pattern in this photo. This data is considered a win for the raptor community and its research on migration patterns, which is important when studying the impact on ecosystems.” (Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC))
• “Did you know that we have daily science and art activities lead by our instructors that are included with admission?! Check our calendar for each day’s programming!” (Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum)
• “Portions of our district and school websites are currently experiencing problems loading. We are working with our website provider to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. Thank you for your patience.” (Salt Lake City School District)
• View the latest list of Patch’s Salt Lake City area pets who need a home. Find dogs, cats, and more. (Salt Lake City Patch)

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You’re officially in the loop for today! I’ll see you soon.

— Joseph Peterson

About me: Joseph is a writer and marketing communications strategist with a degree in Mass Communication and Public Relations from the University of Utah. He’s keen on city life, public libraries, national parks, and promoting events that build community.