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ECONOMIC INDICATORS
• Utah is ranked No. 9 on a list of best states for older workers, compiled by Seniorly, based on an analysis of data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census Bureau and Federation of Tax Administrators. It considered six factors: median income, income tax, remote work, labor force participation, business growth rate, and age-related workplace discrimination. Utah was No. 4 for median household income for seniors, at $67,374; tied for No. 11 for having 32.5 percent of older adults in the labor force; and No. 13 for having 18.9 percent of older workers who work remotely. It also was No. 14 for age discrimination at work, tied for No. 23 for top personal income tax rate, and tied for No. 42 for annual business growth rate. The best state overall is Washington. The worst is Mississippi. Details are at https://www.seniorly.com/resource-center/seniorly-news/best-states-for-older-workers-2025.
• Utahns collectively drank 103,570,355 standard alcoholic drinks (or 9,328,706 gallons) over the winter, according to a study by MyBioSource, based on a survey. Utah is ranked No. 44 nationwide when it comes to per capita drinking. The figure was highest in Louisiana, at 234 standard drinks over the season, or about 18 per week. The number was lowest in Alaska, at 39 standard drinks, or about three per week. Details are at https://www.mybiosource.com/learn/sips-surge/.
• Utah is ranked No. 26 on a list of “Best States for Birdwatching,” compiled by Lawn Love. It compared the states on five factors, including the number of Audubon centers and sanctuaries, bird species, endemic bird species, and birdwatching groups. The top-ranked state is California. The lowest-ranked state is Iowa. Details are at https://www.lawnlove.com/blog/studies/best-states-birdwatching/.
• A film festival manager at the Sundance Institute in Park City is Utah’s “coolest career,” according to a survey by Career.io. In second place is avalanche forecaster at the Utah Avalanche Center in Alta. The top cool career nationally is animator at Pixar in California. Details are at https://career.io/career-advice/survey-reveals-the-coolest-careers-in-each-state.
ENERGY
• Complete Solaria Inc., an Orem-based solar technology, services and installation company, has rebranded as SunPower. The company’s stock ticker symbol changed from CSLR and CSLRW to SPWR and SPWRW, respectively. SunPower was founded in 1985, came public in 2005 and broke the $1 billion revenue barrier in 2008.
ENVIRONMENT
• The Salt Lake City/Provo/Orem metro area is ranked No. 9 on a list of most polluted cities in the U.S. in a report released by the American Lung Association. Its 2025 “State of the Air” report noted that the area was No. 9 for ozone pollution (smog) for the second straight year. The report looks at the latest quality-assured air quality data from 2021-2023. The local ranking is based on the area’s worst county’s average number of unhealthy days, at 25.7 days per year, an “F” grade, in Salt Lake County. The Salt Lake City/Provo/Orem area is No. 25 for worst short-term particle pollution. The ranking was based on the area’s worst county’s average number of unhealthy days, at 8.3 days per year, an “F” grade, in Salt Lake County, Utah. Last year, it was 19th-worst, at 10 days per year. Salt Lake County also received an “F” for the year-round average level of particle pollution, ranking it 54th-worst in the nation. It was No. 37 last year. Economic development officials in Utah have long noted that poor air quality is a factor when companies consider placing operations in the state.
• Salt Lake County and ASM Global, a development and full-service venue company, have announced that the Salt Palace Convention Center has been awarded Gold certification in the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program. LEED was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council and is a green-building rating system and an international symbol of excellence. LEED-certified buildings are deemed to contribute to a healthier and more sustainable world through sustainable design, construction and operational practices. The Salt Palace earned its Gold certification by implementing strategies for sustainable site development, water conservation, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality.
HOSPITALITY
• Dynamic City Capital, a Provo-based real estate investment firm specializing in premium-branded hotels, has acquired The Wilde Resort and Spa in Sedona, Arizona. Financial terms were not disclosed. The acquisition marks DCC’s expansion into the luxury spa resort market. The property features 137 rooms and suites, a full-service spa, and curated wellness programs.
MANUFACTURING
• Clarity Pharmaceuticals, an Australia-based clinical-stage radiopharmaceutical company focused on cancer treatment, has signed a commercial-scale supply agreement for copper-64 isotope with Nusano Inc., whose 190,000-square-foot facility in West Valley City is expected to begin production in 2025, with copper-64 isotope supply planned to commence in early 2026. Clarity is progressing a number of late-stage clinical trials and fast approaching commercialization. Nusano plans to begin production of other medical isotopes, such as copper-67 and actinium-225, both of which are used in clarity’s products, in 2025-26. The supply agreement is for an initial period of three years, with automatic renewal for successive two-year periods.
• The board of directors of American Pacific Corp., a Cedar City-based subsidiary of NewMarket Corp., has approved a capital investment of up to $100 million to expand its ammonium perchlorate production. AMPAC is a manufacturer of critical performance additives used in solid rocket motors for space launch and military defense applications. The anticipated investment will allow AMPAC to construct an additional production line, increasing capacity by more than 50 percent. The project remains subject to approval by NewMarket’s board of directors and is currently scheduled to be completed during 2026. Founded in 1955, AMPAC has one operating facility and approximately 170 full-time employees. NewMarket acquired AMPAC in January 2024.
REAL ESTATE
• Cricut Inc., a creative technology company, has extended the lease term for its 128,000-square-foot corporate headquarters at 10855 S. River Front Parkway, South Jordan. Cricut occupies the entire five-story, Class A office building. Cricut’s headquarters houses its core office, operational and design functions. The company has been a tenant at the building for the past 10 years. The new lease agreement will add two more years, with a term now running through at least 2029. The announcement was made by Cushman & Wakefield. Its team, led by Executive Managing Directors Dana Baird and Mike Richmond, represented the tenant in the transaction.
RETAIL
• Walmart has announced plans for three store remodels this year in Utah: 2228 W. 1700 S., Syracuse; 3180 S. 5600 W., West Valley City; and 660 S. 1750 W., Springville. The remodels include new displays to better showcase merchandise, expanded departments, and changes to pharmacies. Walmart plans to remodel more than 650 stores across the U.S. this year. In the past five years, Walmart has invested more than $280 million to upgrade stores throughout Utah. Walmart previously announced it will build a new Supercenter in Eagle Mountain, to open in late summer and feature about 300 new jobs. The company has 59 units and four supply chain facilities in Utah that employ over 20,500 people. The company also announced that more than 10,400 hourly, frontline associates in Utah received a bonus in March; more than 1,300 associates in Utah were promoted to jobs with more responsibility and higher pay last year; and more than 1,600 part-time associates in Utah were promoted to full-time positions last year. Walmart also announced that it donated a total of $22.8 million to local communities in Utah in fiscal year 2024; spent $2.6 billion with Utah suppliers in fiscal year 2024 to support more than 25,600 supplier jobs across the state; and donated a 10.6 million pounds of food to local food banks in Utah in fiscal year 2025, which is the equivalent of 8.9 million meals.
SERVICES
• A new Always Best Care Senior Services franchise at 8817 S. Redwood Road, Suite A, West Jordan, has been opened by Jeremy and Julianna Thorne. It will provide high-quality senior care services, including non-medical in-home care and senior living referral services. First-time business owners, the husband-and-wife team has more than 25 years of experience in a variety of industries, ranging from business marketing, health care and education. Both graduated from Western Governors University.
TECHNOLOGY
• LVT (LiveView Technologies Inc.), an American Fork-based company focused on life safety and security, has announced an integration with Axon Fusus. The integration aims to provide additional situational awareness to security operators and law enforcement, helping enable a more timely and optimized response to security incidents. LVT customers can expedite emergency response times by providing local law enforcement access to LVT Unit cameras, enhancing communication and situational awareness. First responders can view enabled LVT Units through Axon Fusus to stream live video, control cameras, and gain full situational awareness to execute an informed response to security incidents and protect everyone involved. Axon Fusus customers can leverage the features and functionality of their LVT investment without leaving the Fusus console.