The Local: Park City Community News From KPCW
This New Year, resolve to stay connected to the place you call home. KPCW keeps Summit and Wasatch counties informed and engaged, from local news and community voices to nonprofit partners and the music you love.
We’ve hand-selected recent stories that capture the energy of our vibrant, eclectic and deeply-engaged community. Read—and listen—like a local at KPCW.org.
Final Utah Sundance Film Festival to award first ‘illuminary’ award
By Grace Doerfler
The late Robert Redford will be honored during the first weekend of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival with an award that bears his name.
Redford, who died in September, founded the annual independent film festival more than 40 years ago. He also created the Sundance Institute, which runs the event and provides workshops and training for filmmakers.
The Robert Redford Illuminary Award will honor those who have employed their vision, resources and insights to “create possibility” where none existed and in doing so, made the world a better place.
Ed Harris and Gyula Gazdag will be the inaugural honorees.
The 2026 festival, the last in Utah, runs Jan. 22 through Feb. 1.
Park City School District to add program for students with autism
By Kristine Weller
The Park City School District Board of Education plans to adopt a new curriculum for young students with autism and significant developmental delays.
Superintendent Lyndsay Huntsman says the Star Autism Program includes step-by-step lessons for teachers, along with hands-on activities and other tools to help students grow adaptive learning and communications skills.
Huntsman says the number of students with autism has increased.
The program is designed for children with cognitive capacities from 18 months to 9 years old.
The district sought out a new curriculum after moving all of its special education programs to Jeremy Ranch Elementary School. The move helped teachers better identify the educational needs of students with level two or three autism learners.
N. Summit education board plans $125M in bonds for new high school
By Kristine Weller
The North Summit School District board will issue up to $125 million in lease revenue bonds to build a new high school.
District leaders say a new school is needed to ensure the safety of students and staff. The current school was built in 1977 and recent evaluations found its safety features may not prevent it from crumbling in an earthquake.
Plans for the school also include building a new pool.
With lease revenue bonds, the district takes on the debt and pays it off through property taxes. Based on the average home value of $722,000, it will cost taxpayers about $714 per year for a primary residence and $1,300 annually for secondary residences.
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