Emily Hoeven

InDepth

Could psychedelic drugs become the new medical marijuana? Inside the potential benefits and high risks of ‘magic mushrooms’

On May 7, residents of Denver, Colorado, voted to decriminalize the use and possession of “magic mushrooms.” Oakland, California, followed suit on June 5. Oregon will vote on it in 2020. Does America really know what it’s getting into?

By Emily Hoeven

Children's toys and gas masks, covered by radioactive dust, are seen on beds in an abandoned kindergarten in the ghost town of Pripyat on March 10, 2006, in Ukraine. Pripyat, built nearly a mile from the plant to house the Chernobyl nuclear power plant's

InDepth

Is it ethical to take a selfie at a tragic site, like Chernobyl or Auschwitz?

How should we share photos on social media of places that are simultaneously sites of tragedy and sites of tourism?

By Emily Hoeven

2020 Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., speaks during a "community conversation" event at the Kermit Fire & Rescue Headquarters Station, Friday, May 10, 2019, in Kermit, W.Va.

InDepth

Should the U.S. give cash payments to the descendants of slaves to atone for slavery? Here’s what experts are arguing

Presidential candidates and academics have been debating the pros and cons of a reparations policy. But no two people have the same definition of the word “reparations.” What does that mean for our country?

By Emily Hoeven

The Normandy American Cemetery in France contains the graves of 9,837 soldiers and the names of 1,557 missing soldiers, many of whom lost their lives on D-Day and the Allied invasion of Normandy, which lasted through August 1944.

InDepth

How visiting Normandy, France, redefined patriotism for me — a millennial

The guide said that the French will never forget what the Americans did for them on D-Day. At her words, a strong and bizarre feeling bubbled up in my chest, similar to the feeling that you get when you’re about to cry, but slightly different.

By Emily Hoeven

Officers march past a Blue Lives Matter flag Wednesday, May 15, 2019, during a Peace Officers Memorial Day Service held at Lake Bluff Park in St. Joseph, Mich. The annual service is held in recognition of those who have lost their life in the line of duty

InDepth

‘Black Lives Matter,’ ‘Blue Lives Matter,’ ‘All Lives Matter': Do hate crime laws matter?

Are hate crime laws designed to protect those who have historically been discriminated against, or do they merely serve as a reflection of a state’s political values?

By Emily Hoeven

Alabaster's books integrate contemporary photography into the text of the Bible.

InDepth

Could this ‘Bible for millennials’ lead young people back to church?

What happens when faith is repackaged in order to appeal to younger generations, who may be more attuned to images than words?

By Emily Hoeven

The Deseret News' "Generation Vexed" series was one of six projects across the U.S. to receive the award, which recognizes projects that educate the public about mental illness and break down stigmas surrounding it.

InDepth

Deseret News’ ‘Generation Vexed’ series on teen anxiety wins Mental Health America Media Award, two public service awards

The Deseret News’ “Generation Vexed” series was one of six projects across the U.S. to receive the award, which recognizes projects that educate the public about mental illness and break down stigmas surrounding it.

By Emily Hoeven

The grave site of Lynne Brimley, a mother of five and grandmother of 20, who went to Portica Body & Face for liposuction in 2016 and 24 hours later was dead, at Mountain View Memorial Estates Cemetery Salt Lake City on Friday, April 5, 2019.

InDepth

Shrouded in secrecy: A beloved Utah mother and grandmother died after having liposuction. Why do so few people know?

A mother of five and grandmother of 20 went to a family physician for liposuction. The next morning, she was dead. Does this tragedy call for a closer look at the ever-widening pool of providers who offer cosmetic surgery?

By Jennifer Graham and Emily Hoeven

Michelle Disher, from Roswell, Georgia, and others dressed as characters from "The Handmaid's Tale", protest outside the Capitol where Georgia’s Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, was to sign legislation, Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in Atlanta, banning abortions once

InDepth

4 things you should know about the battle over abortion rights in Alabama, Georgia, Utah and other states

The Supreme Court’s conservative majority has sparked renewed debate over abortion, with left-leaning states seeking to expand abortion rights and right-leaning states working to roll them back.

By Emily Hoeven

President Donald Trump speaks during a National Day of Prayer event in the Rose Garden of the White House, on Thursday, May 2, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

InDepth

Fact check: Is President Donald Trump a champion of religious freedom?

The Deseret News fact-checked and contextualized President Donald Trump’s National Day of Prayer speech.

By Emily Hoeven

A firefighter tackles the blaze as flames and smoke rise from Notre Dame cathedral as it burns in Paris, Monday, April 15, 2019. Massive plumes of yellow brown smoke is filling the air above Notre Dame Cathedral and ash is falling on tourists and others a

InDepth

#PrayForParis. #NotreDame. Why do Americans mourn some international tragedies and ignore others?

Why, when I hear stories, or see photos on my Facebook feed, of Aleppo in ruins, do I not feel that same rush of self-identification, of personal loss, that I felt when I saw Notre Dame in flames?

By Emily Hoeven

Christine Cooke goes through talking points as members of Thirty Day Bae's executive committee meet in Salt Lake City to discuss season 2 of matchmaking on Wednesday, April 3, 2019.

Entertainment

‘We want to start a revolution in dating': Utah dating experiment Thirty Day Bae is open for applications

Would you apply to spend time with a complete stranger every day for a month if you thought that person could become your serious boyfriend or girlfriend?

By Emily Hoeven

FILE - In this April 10, 2018, file photo, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies before a joint hearing of the Commerce and Judiciary Committees on Capitol Hill in Washington, about the use of Facebook data to target American voters in the 2016 election.

InDepth

Why Facebook and Instagram are banning white nationalism and white separatism, and why some think it’s a problem

While many civil rights groups have applauded Facebook’s decision to ban white nationalism and white separatism, others argue it’s another instance of anti-conservative bias online.

By Emily Hoeven

Utah

Twitter reacts to Sen. Mike Lee’s Green New Deal speech

As clips of Lee’s speech circulated online, the senator quickly became a trending topic on Twitter, receiving praise from some and scorn from others.

By Emily Hoeven

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York, speaks during South by Southwest on Saturday, March 9, 2019, in Austin, Texas.

InDepth

What does the Senate vote against Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Green New Deal really mean?

Although no senator voted in favor of the resolution, many still see the Green New Deal as having sparked an important conversation about climate change.

By Emily Hoeven

This Dec. 11, 2006 file photo shows a silicone gel breast implant in Irving, Texas. U.S. health officials are taking another look at the safety of breast implants, the latest review in a decades-long debate. At a two-day meeting that starts Monday, March

InDepth

Are breast implants safe? FDA cracking down as links to cancer, other ailments come to light

Following complaints from thousands of women that their breast implants are causing a series of ailments, the Food and Drug Administration is holding a hearing on “breast implant illness.”

By Emily Hoeven

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, front, leaves Friday prayers at Hagley Park in Christchurch, New Zealand, Friday, March 22, 2019. People across New Zealand are observing the Muslim call to prayer as the nation reflects on the moment one week ag

InDepth

What needs to happen for America to unite behind a gun policy like New Zealand did?

The rapidity at which New Zealand and other countries have arrived at a consensus on gun policy after tragic mass shootings stands in stark contrast to the U.S., which has reached seemingly little consensus on how to prevent future mass shootings.

By Emily Hoeven

In this Friday, Jan. 11, 2019, photo, Darly Sotto, 21, of Guatemala holds her son, 1-year-old Jorge Sotto, as people check into the Catholic Charities shelter in McAllen, Texas.

InDepth

Border Patrol begins releasing undocumented immigrants as detention centers fill up

Due to an increase in the amount of Central American families crossing the border, there is no longer enough space to process and detain undocumented immigrants, Border Patrol officials said.

By Emily Hoeven

Women with twin brothers are more likely to drop out of high school and college and earn less money than women with twin sisters, a new study found. They are also less likely to marry and have children. These effects are due in part to girls being exposed

InDepth

Girls who have a twin brother are less likely to graduate from college, get married, have children. Here’s why

This is largely due to girls being exposed to higher-than-normal levels of testosterone while in the womb with their twin brothers, new research shows.

By Emily Hoeven

FILE - In this Aug. 12, 2017 file photo, white nationalist demonstrators clash with counter demonstrators at the entrance to Lee Park in Charlottesville, Va. The leader of a Southern California white supremacist group and three other members have been arr

InDepth

The rise of white nationalism is creeping onto Utah campuses. What you need to know

The amount of white supremacist propaganda distributed in Utah grew by nearly 500 percent from 2017 to 2018.

By Emily Hoeven

A slew of companies have launched campaigns for International Women's Day, raising questions about the role corporate advertising, marketing and social media campaigns should play in social movements.

InDepth

Lots of brands are celebrating International Women’s Day — but do they really support women?

Some companies took to Twitter on International Women’s Day to highlight the work women have contributed to their companies or to celebrate women in general. Do these companies really support women, or are they just trying to boost revenue?

By Emily Hoeven

Hundreds of Hondurans are blocked at the border crossing in Agua Caliente, Guatemala, Monday, Oct. 15, 2018. A caravan of Honduran migrants moved toward the country's border with Guatemala in a desperate attempt to flee poverty and seek new lives in the U

InDepth

The U.S.-Mexico border is at a ‘breaking point’ as 76,000 migrants cross in a month. Here’s what you need to know

More than 76,000 undocumented immigrants crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in February, more than double the amount that crossed during the same time period last year, according to data released by Customs and Border Protection on Tuesday.

By Emily Hoeven

FILE - In this Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019 file photo, U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces fighters take a break as the fight against Islamic State militants continues in the village of Baghouz, Syria. U.S. and Iraqi officials say IS fighters facing defeat

InDepth

What should happen to Americans who joined the Islamic State?

With the weakening of the Islamic State and Trump’s decision to pull American troops out of Syria, former members of IS are seeking to return to the U.S.

By Emily Hoeven

In this March 7, 2017, file photo, rowers paddle down the Charles River past the campus of Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. A lawsuit alleging racial discrimination against Asian-American applicants in Harvard's admissions process is heading to tria

InDepth

Is this the beginning of the end of affirmative action on college campuses?

New data shows the vast majority of Americans think race should not be considered in college admissions decisions. How does affirmative action fit into the purpose of higher education?

By Emily Hoeven

InDepth

A Texas judge just declared the all-male military draft unconstitutional. Will women be required to register for the draft?

A Texas federal judge ruled Friday that the all-male military draft is unconstitutional. But will this decision make a difference?

By Emily Hoeven

In this March 6, 2015, file photo, Troy Williams speaks to the Utah Legislature in support of SB296.

InDepth

Will Utah be the 16th state to ban conversion therapy for gay teens?

A bill that would ban therapy designed to change a teen’s sexual orientation or gender identity is expected to be introduced in the Utah Legislature Thursday with the goal of curbing the suicide rate of vulnerable youth.

By Erica Evans and Emily Hoeven

FILE - In this Jan. 19, 2019, file photo, U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, (D-New York) waves to the crowd after speaking at Women's Unity Rally in Lower Manhattan in New York. Democrats including Ocasio-Cortez of New York and veteran Sen. Ed Markey of

InDepth

Will Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s controversial Green New Deal become law? Here’s everything you need to know

A look at the Green New Deal, which comes from sponsors Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass.

By Emily Hoeven

Jack Jozefs places a sign at a memorial outside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019, on the one-year anniversary of the deadly shooting at the school that killed 17 people, in Parkland, Fla.

InDepth

Do Americans want more gun control? One year after Parkland shooting, 5 takeaways on what’s changed

One year after Parkland, the Deseret News takes a look at what has and hasn’t changed in five different areas relating to gun control and school safety.

By Emily Hoeven

President Donald Trump speaks during a rally at the El Paso County Coliseum, Monday, Feb. 11, 2019, in El Paso, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

InDepth

Congress has settled on a border wall deal, but will President Trump sign it? Here’s what you need to know

House and Senate negotiators have settled on a border wall deal “in principle” that would provide funding for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, but much less than the amount originally demanded by President Trump.

By Emily Hoeven

Preschool students at Woodrow Wilson Elementary School in South Salt Lake City participate in high-quality preschool programming through the pay-for-success Utah School Readiness Initiative.

InDepth

Paying for success: The story of how Utah became a leader in social impact investing

Utah played a key role in passing federal legislation that set aside $100 million for underserved communities — without the government having to pay a dollar upfront.

By Emily Hoeven