Utah journalists question whether local news is meeting the needs of the public.
BY WES LONG
UTAH'S INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER
By Wes Long
S AP
BOX
Don’t Kill Trump
On April 25, one Cole Allen allegedly charged a security checkpoint outside the Washington Hilton ballroom, where many of the nation’s most prominent politicians, journalists and entertainers were gathered for the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, bearing both arms and ill will toward some or all of those inside—almost certainly including U.S. President Donald Trump.
I’ve been in that ballroom. I’ve also been outside the exit, mere feet away, where there’s a historical plaque commemorating the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan, by John Hinckley, in
1981. I was there even as Donald Trump was too, campaigning for the support of several thousand anti-government extremists at the 2024 Libertarian National Convention. At which event, it’s worth noting, no one tried to kill him (that I know of, anyway).
Allen was quickly taken down after shooting a Secret Service agent (whose bulletproof vest fortunately stopped the bullet). It seems unlikely that he’ll get much enjoyment out of his future lifestyle. And whatever the reasons for his resort to attempted political assassination, the attempt almost certainly didn’t serve his desired ends ... and wouldn’t have even if he’d been successful.
This is not the part where I clutch my pearls about the evils of “political violence.” There’s no creature on Earth more violent than a politician, albeit usually at arm’s length and behind a wall of security to insulate him or her from negative consequences. Politics is violence, and I don’t see how shooting a politician is inherently more immoral than, say, ordering the murder of an 8-year-old American girl (Nawar Anwar al-Awlaki) or the bombing of a school in Iran, both of which Trump himself bears responsibility for. But it’s
probably no less immoral, either.
I’m no pacifist. I fully support violence in immediate self-defense of one’s own life or the lives of innocent others, and you won’t find me shedding any tears for those who, having overseen and ordered non-defensive violence, eventually pay the ultimate price for their misdeeds.
BUT! When considering an attempt to kill someone, even if the target arguably deserves to die, the likely consequences of one’s own actions are worth considering.
If Donald Trump—or any other president—dies at the hands of an assassin, two such consequences follow as night follows day. First, that president becomes a martyr. His party and/or movement become stronger, not weaker. Some of the things he or she was trying to accomplish become far more likely to happen through a process of lionization and memorialization. The assassination of John F. Kennedy arguably resulted in (to name two big things) passage of the Civil Rights Act and the moon landing. Both things might have happened anyway, but his death put them on rails.
Second, the regime that president led opportunistically uses the assassination to expand its police and surveillance
powers, and clamp down on dissent. Especially the varieties of dissent associated with the assassin’s persona.
If you happen to be “anti-Trump,” the last thing you should want is for him to die violently in office. Or, for that matter, even non-violently. If he has a perfectly ordinary fatal coronary tomorrow, he’ll still get the “martyr effect” (and a certain sub-set of his supporters will forever suspect foul play regardless of the evidence).
Absent revolution, which seems unlikely in this country and at this time, taking out figurehead politicians empowers rather than enervates their supporters, cronies and hangers-on.
Don’t like Trump, personally or politically? Your best bet is to persuade others to agree with you and start building sentiment and infrastructure for better times ... then wait him out. His time will come without your violent assistance.
THOMAS L. KNAPP
William Lloyd Garrison Center for Libertarian Advocacy Journalism
Correction: In the April 23 “Hits and Misses” column, a statement from state Community Impact Board chairman Curtis Wells was mistakenly attributed to another speaker.
THE WATER COOLER
What is your favorite local spot?
Wes Long
My OG was Sam Weller’s on Main (RIP), but I’m also quite partial to Memory Grove and Liberty Park.
Gavin Dahl
Anywhere with Salt Lake City Weekly available in print.
Katharine Biele
I’ll say Millcreek Coffee Roasters. A spot to spend money or time or have coffee.
Aimee Cook
During patio dining season, Casot in Salt Lake City or Mint Tapas and Sushi in Holladay.
Zach Abend
My favorite local spot is the Salt Lake City Cemetery—peaceful and one of the few places in the city where you can walk for an hour and think clearly.
Krista Maggard
All Chay! 100% vegan and delicious.
Benjamin Wood
Is it too broad to say Main Street between South Temple and 400 South?
Geographically, it’s the same amount of area as Liberty Park—four blocks in length with (what should be) a pedestrian promenade running down the center; five blocks if you add Temple Square.
OPINION
BY CHRISTOPHER SMART
The Secret Lives of SLC Dems
Holy smokes, Wilson, you’re never going to believe this. Four women have accused congressional candidate Eva Lopez Chavez of unwanted sexual advances. Yikes. The allegations make The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives look like Romper Room
All hell broke loose when Salt Lake City Councilwoman Lopez Chavez, who is running as a Democrat for Congress in Utah’s newly created District 1, said that state Sen. Nate Blouin, also a Democrat running for the District 1 seat, should drop out of the race because of comments he posted a decade ago that disrespected women. That’s when the four accusers said, “wait just a minute.”
Utah Democrats are having a cow. With redistricting, Dems have a chance to join Utah’s bright red congressional delegation. Yes Wilson, this is another fine mess they’ve gotten us into. The allegations—some of which are physical in nature—come from a fellow city councilwoman, two state legislators and a woman associated with Lopez Chavez from a political campaign. Through her attorney, Lopez Chavez said the allegations are false. You’re right Wilson, going forward, City Council work sessions are going to be a lot of fun. Bring popcorn.
The Onion Seeks Ownership of Alex Jones’ Infowars Hey Wilson, here’s some good news. The satirical publication The Onion is again attempting a takeover of Infowars,
the one-time cudgel of the conspiracy theorist and allaround shithead Alex Jones. The plan would be to make Infowars a parody of itself, like only those crazy, hilarious people at The Onion could do.
Here are some recent Onion headlines: “Epidemiologists Confirm First Airborne Transmission of Mar-aLago Face”; “Fractures Emerge Between GOP’s Pro-Pedophilia & Extremely Pro-Pedophilia Wings”; “RFK Jr. Spins Brain on Finger.”
You’re right Wilson, it would be great. For years, Jones contended that the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut was a hoax. Families of two victims sued Jones in 2018. A jury in Texas— where Infowars is based—awarded them $50 million.
Jones declared bankruptcy. Later that year, a Connecticut jury awarded the families $1.4 billion. Jones, through a court-appointed trustee, sold off Infowars
The Onion is now looking to license the website from the court-appointed manager of the site. Let the games begin.
Freedom of Speech at the U of U? Not Exactly
In his latest crackdown on the First Amendment, University of Utah President Taylor R. Randall and his minions banned an Earth Day flier because ... it might be too close to the truth.
A student organizing an Earth Day event made up flyers that said the program would include discussions of “environmental justice” and “advocating for communities disproportionately affected by climate change and environmental harm.” Citing the pretzel logic of the Utah Legislature, university spokeswoman Rebecca Walsh said, “This is our interpretation of the mandate that higher education institutions in Utah remain politically neutral.”
What? “Pollution is bad for the environment and for human health” is now a political statement. In the age of Trump and Taylor R. Randall, the U of U is no bastion of freedom.
Two years ago, students and others gathered on campus to protest Israel’s bombing of Palestinians in Gaza. The university brought in riot police with batons and shields and ended the protest—17 were arrested.
Afterward, Randall and Gov. Spencer Cox slapped themselves on the back for not putting up with “illegal” freedom of assembly. We’re speechless.
Postscript—That’s a wrap for another trend-setting week here at Smart Bomb, where we keep track of assassination attempts so you don’t have to.
The misdirected Southern California dude who had planned to take out the president and members of his cabinet at the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner left a “manifesto” that said, in part: “I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes.”
In an interview, “60 Minutes” correspondent Norah O’Donnell asked Donald Trump what he made of the language. No surprise, the Orange Monster went ballistic.
“Well, I was waiting for you to read that because I knew you would, because you’re horrible people. Horrible people,” Trump said. “Yeah, he did write that. I‘m not a rapist. I didn’t rape anybody.”
However, there is some information coming out of the Epstein Files that alleges Trump at least tried with a teenage girl. That notwithstanding, a New York jury in 1996 found Trump liable for “sexually abusing” advice columnist E. Jean Carroll, awarding her $5 million.
In September of 2025, a federal appeals court upheld a second jury’s award of $83.3 million to Carroll in a defamation suit for Trump’s repeated social media attacks against her. CW
Christopher Smart writes the weekly Smart Bomb column, available online at cityweekly.net. Send feedback to comments@cityweekly.net.
HITS & MISSES
BY KATHARINE BIELE
MISS: Underdogs Overperform
Oh, those wacky Republicans! They’ve got it all—and still they want more. Let’s talk about how representative government is supposed to work. It starts and ends with people you’re supposed to represent. Last weekend’s state GOP convention lifted Karianne Lisonbee of Handmaid’s Tale-style infamy over incumbent Congressman Blake Moore, the Trump-endorsed guy who just can’t shake his long-ago support of the anti-gerrymandering Prop 4 law. Then, delegates anointed former Congressman Rob Bishop with a state legislative seat. Bishop famously huffed out of a redistricting meeting, because the independent commission wasn’t diluting liberal voting blocs enough. His unspoken promise is to keep trying. The Democrats had their own fun at convention, where newcomer Liban Mohamed outpaced starpowered favorite Ben McAdams for Congress. That left state Sen. Nate Blouin and his unfortunate social media screeds way behind. But all this may be for naught, because conventions are for the fringiest voters. The primaries will be a lot harder to control because regular people will be voting.
MISS: The Name Game
We’ve been through this before—specifically in August of 2018. That was when LDS President Russell Nelson asked the world to use the full “revealed” name for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, instead of the common nickname “Mormon.” Many in the media dutifully tried to comply. Fast forward, and “Mormon” has been creeping back into the vernacular. The church whose name shall not be used is not amused, and is now suing the “Mormon Stories” podcast for trademark and copyright infringement over the latter’s use of fonts and images. The rebranding attempt continues. How’s that been working for other places? Weight Watchers’ stock took a 34% dive after they tried to go with WW. But Kentucky Fried Chicken won with KFC. So maybe the COJCOLDS needs to find a catchier acronym.
HIT: The Price is Right
If you’re worried about Trump-era inflation—you know, like the price of eggs—fear not. The Utah Legislature has your back, at least if you shop at dollar stores. After an investigation by The Guardian, Riverton Republican Rep. Candice Pierucci took up the banner for moms and price-conscious consumers and got a law passed to fine stores that overcharged customers at checkout. And while most people realize dollar store items are no longer $1, they don’t expect to be charged 48% more. Two national chains—Dollar General and Family Dollar—were in the hot seat, and if they continue to overcharge, they could be fined up to $10,000 starting May 6. Inspectors had found that Provo’s Family Dollar overcharged for items like soap, frozen pizza and disposable diapers. “If you’re like me, once you get to checkout, at that point I’m wrangling two kiddos and I’m not really checking what the amount is,” Pierucci told The
Rites of Spring
Throughout history, the moral majority often associated Walpurgisnacht as an unsavory gathering of witches who danced with Satan and worked their dark magic on the innocent. While the celebration—observed on the evening of April 30 to usher in the Celtic holiday of Beltane on May 1— is rooted in paganism, Walpurgisnacht is really a celebration of community.
Galena Ced, head of a local coven known as the Blue Rose Hearth, spoke about the origins of Walpurgisnacht and how curious parties can observe this traditional holiday. “It all goes back to pagan fertility rites and the coming of spring,” Ced said. “Beltane is all about fertility and the joy of living while Walpurgis is a direct exploration of pure sensuality—not sexuality per se, but engaging your senses fully without your ego.”
Those familiar with Samhain on October 30 will recognize Beltane as a seasonal opposite—the two holidays work as a binary of light and dark. On the evening preceding the shift in seasons, participants give themselves license to cut loose a bit and take a little stroll through the garden of earthly delights. This helps to wake a renewed dedication to work and responsibilities for the upcoming season.
“On Walpurgisnacht, we dive in and experience things fully with all of our senses,” Ced said. “It’s dancing without concern for how you might look and feeling the temperature and texture of your skin and the grass under your feet and the foods you are tasting.”
My observance of Walpurgisnacht has been a more meditative affair involving alcohol and folk horror movies. But there are no hard-and-fast rules to the day’s observance. As Walpurgisnacht is steeped in esoteric spirituality practices, visiting Crone’s Hollow (3834 Main St) or the Utah Pagan Market (unitedpaganmarket.com) are great places to stock up on any celebratory supplies while also getting in touch with our local pagan communities.
Thanks to a list provided by film critic Joe Bob Briggs, I’ll be tracking down thematic alcohol. The Hive Winery makes a seasonal mead called Ghost Town; mead has long been a fixture at pagan celebrations and is the foundation of my drink menu. I also learned that Bohemian Brewery’s Helles Bock is brewed in the maibock tradition, which has deep ties to German Walpurgisnacht. Briggs also suggested shots of Underberg bitters for good measure. Caputo’s Market & Deli and Central 9th Market have plenty of Underberg on hand, so I’m definitely ready to drink like the German pagans of old.
I think the part of Walpurgisnacht that is most resonant with me is its emphasis on community and letting go of inhibitions. Today’s social structures are increasingly siloed, and Walpurgisnacht is a way to reconnect with some of our foundational elements.
“The vibe of this holiday is celebrating together,” Ced observed. “We’ve just come out of winter and we were all hunkered down and cold; when the season turns it’s an invitation to go outside and see people.” CW
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A&E MEDIA ARTS
Go Pro
U of U’s Film & Media Arts Department Film Fest gives aspiring filmmakers a glimpse of preparing for a professional career.
BY SCOTT RENSHAW scottr@cityweekly.net @scottrenshaw
I
t’s possible that if you heard the term “student film,” you might get a stereotypical impression of something selfconsciously edgy. Miriam Albert-Sobrino—who works with film students at the University of Utah—would like to shift that perspective when it comes to her students’ spring showcase of work.
“Generally speaking, I think the overall expectation is that these don’t look like student films,” Albert-Sobrino says. “They are professional-looking films by filmmakers that happen to be students.”
This week offers an opportunity to put that notion to the test with the Film & Media Arts Department Film Fest, a curated showcase of submissions by University of Utah students. Once a springtime fixture of the department that used the Tower Theatre as its venue, then had a brief COVID-era life as a “drive-in” festival, the showcase has been on a hiatus for several years, but has now returned with the completion of an on-campus cinema with high-quality exhibition capabilities.
In part, the festival serves as the culmination of the Film & Media Arts Department’s capstone program, a year-long seminar for a select number of students that takes them through the entire film-
making process from script development through shooting and post-production. While capstone students all submit their work for the Film Fest, the process is open to other university students outside the capstone program.
Albert-Sobrino—who serves as coinstructor of the capstone class with her sister and filmmaking partner Sonia—describes the course and subsequent event submission process as a way to prepare aspiring filmmakers for the realities of applying to film festivals. “We’re trying to make sure students have a chance to see what that looks like in the real world: the submission process, meeting deadlines, getting judged by external professionals,” Albert-Sobrino says.
And for those students who want it, it also offers the chance to get feedback from the selection team if their project isn’t selected for the festival program— something that isn’t common in the rest of the film festival world.
“This mimics the film festival process, because we have to reject some films,” Albert-Sobrino remarks. “The main goal of this process is to get them ready for the industry, for professionalization. The process of getting that email, ‘we regret to inform you’ … it is heartbreaking. As a filmmaker, I know what it’s like to be rejected. But most film festivals, they just say, sorry you weren’t selected. We ask our judges to provide feedback.”
Preparing students for the “real world” of the film industry certainly involves plenty of technical detail in using specific equipment, editing software and the like in order to end up with a great film, but according to Albert-Sobrino, it also involves preparing them for the human side of working in an artistic form that is far more collaboration-based than most.
“First of all, don’t bring your egos,” Albert-Sobrino notes of the advice she gives to students. “You want the best people on your team to make the best work all together. Respect your team as if they are equals. The other thing is, just be a kind person, because this is a very difficult industry. People burn out quickly, the hours are very long, so it’s important to be kind to each other.”
That kind of advice is all part of the capstone program’s focus on a comprehensive preparation for the life of being a professional filmmaker, including inviting other industry professionals to speak.
“Sonia and I are practitioners, so we share our personal experience, but we expose them to [other] folks in the industry as well. It can have additional value when it comes from someone beside your teacher,” she adds with a laugh.
Some of that advice entails being willing to work on all kinds of projects— whether that includes filming commercials or doing music videos—even if your ultimate goal is feature filmmaking. “You need to be open to working on any kind of project, even if it doesn’t meet your expectations of when you’re leaving, if you want to get your reps, and make your connections,” Albert-Sobrino says.
“There’s nothing wrong with working as a waiter or a barista, but it’s taking away from your reps. Film is not a job market; it’s a network. This is an industry of who you know, so the only way to know people is to work.
“It is great to be called ‘writer/director’ or ‘director,’ but at the end of the day, the way the industry is moving, it’s more important to be called a ‘filmmaker.’”
That’s the kind of professionalism Albert-Sobrino expects to see in the Film Fest’s program, including those of her capstone students, though the festival lineup was not complete at press time. “I think they’re very mature projects,” she says. “They deal with grief, conflicted relationships with parents, some that are horror working within genre conventions, but in a very interesting way.”
And, perhaps not for nothing in 2026, she notes, “they are all human-made.” CW
F&MAD FILM FEST Saturday, May 2 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. University of Utah Film & Arts Department Cinema 370 S. 1530 East Free to the public finearts.utah.edu
theESSENTIALS ENTERTAINMENT
Complete listings online at cityweekly.net
PICKS, APRIL 30-MAY 6, 2026
Pygmalion Productions: (plan c)
When issues of reproductive health and women’s freedom are discussed, it’s too easy for those issues to turn into abstractions. Andrea D. Peterson’s (plan c)—receiving its world premiere through Pygmalion Productions this month—attempts to individualize those issues with the story of Ginnifer, a 37-year-old single, unemployed woman who finds herself pregnant after a first-date sexual encounter, and has to deal with the emotional and pragmatic realities of her situation.
According to playwright Peterson, “For too long, stories about women’s bodies and experiences have been told from a distance—often filtered through perspectives that don’t fully understand them. Our existence has felt like living inside a parenthetical statement: present, but set aside. I’m done with the parentheses. It’s time to be the full sentence, the full idea—full stop. … I hope this play sparks honest, uncomfortable, and necessary conversations about the systemic neglect of women’s health. I want audiences to reflect on why these issues are still so widespread, to feel empathy for those who have struggled to be heard in medical spaces, and to recognize how common these experiences really are.”
Pygmalion Productions’ presentation of (plan c) runs May 1 – 16 at the Rose Wagner Center Studio Theatre (138 W. 300 South), with performances Thursday – Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 4 p.m. & Sunday at 2 p.m. The Saturday, May 2 matinee will feature a post-performance talk-back with Peterson, director Fran Pruyn and the cast. Tickets are $21.50 - $29 at saltlakecountyarts.org; visit pygmalionproductions.org for additional event information. (Scott Renshaw)
Dancing With the Stars: Live
Time moves pretty fast, but it’s still kind of staggering when you realize that some bits of pop culture have been alive long enough to drink legally. That’s the case now for Dancing with the Stars, the beloved reality competition series that premiered in June 2005 with a cast including Seinfeld actor/National Dog Show stalwart John O’Hurley, supermodel
Rachel Hunter, boxer Evander Holyfield and eventual winner/actress
Kelly Monaco. Thirty-four seasons later, and including the transition to streaming for a few seasons, the show remains an entertaining watch—and one that translates well to a live presentation featuring some of the show’s terrific professional dancers. The 2026 Dancing with the Stars: Live tour features several fan favorite dancers including Val Chmerkovskiy, Britt Stewart, Alan Bersten, Brandon Armstrong, Jenna Johnson, Daniella Karagach, Pasha Pashkov, Ezra Sosa and Hailey Bills. Your cohosts for the evening are DWTS veteran dancer/choreographer Emma Slater and special guest Andy Richter providing an extra dose of humor. Get ready for a brandnew evening of spectacular dancing routines in every possible style, straight from your TV screens.
Dancing with the Stars: Live comes to the Eccles Theater (131 S. Main St.) for three performances, Saturday, May 2 at 3 p.m. & 8 p.m., and Sunday, May 3 at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $93.50, and a variety of VIP packages are also available, including prime seating, interactive experiences with cast members, photo ops, exclusive gift items and more. Visit live-at-the-eccles.com to purchase tickets and for additional event information. (SR)
Summer happenings in Draper
Lovell Holder: The Book of Luke @ The King’s English Lovell Holder has worked for many years in the world of independent film, as writer, producer and director. Yet the way he describes it, that’s not the kind of entertainment he seeks out when he’s looking to unwind. “Coming from indie films, I don’t want to watch indie films when I get home at night,” Holder said in an interview with Beyond the Cinerama Dome. “I want to watch something further from that. For me, that was always reality TV.”
That fascination with reality television became the inspiration for The Book of Luke, Holder’s debut novel. It follows the story of Luke Griffin, a gay one-time football prospect whose sports career was ended by injuries in a car accident, and who subsequently signs up for the cast of a Survivor-like competition series called Endeavor—to which he returns 10 years later after being involved in a public scandal. “I knew I wanted to tell a story about time and a person having to revisit who they were in a specific moment and trying to question, how have they changed?” Holder continued. “Can they change? What does it mean to do so in a fishbowl where there’s this wide cross-section of humanity?”
Join Lovell Holder for an author event at The King’s English Bookshop (1511 S. 1500 East) on Monday, May 4 at 6:30 p.m., in conversation with Survivor Season 15 winner Todd Herzog. Two ticketing options include $5 admission, with all proceeds going to the non-profit Brain Food Books; or $29, which includes a copy of the book. Visit kingsenglish.com for details. (SR)
SCREENINGS CINEMA
May 2026 Special Screenings Calendar
Queer Classics at SLFS; The Craft 30th anniversary; Monterey Pop; Made in Utah showcase; Repo! The Genetic Opera.
BY SCOTT RENSHAW
scottr@cityweekly.net
@scottrenshaw
Queer Classics at Salt Lake Film Society: The history of queer cinema is rich and varied, from tense dramas to sincere love stories to raucous comedies. Salt Lake Film Society covers a wide range of that territory in a month of repertory screenings with features spanning more than 50 years. The schedule includes To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar and The Birdcage (May 1 – 2); Gregg Araki’s The Doom Generation and the John Waters classic Pink Flamingos (May 8 – 9); Saltburn and Portrait of a Lady on Fire (May 15 – 16); and Academy Award-winner Sean Baker’s Tangerine and Gus Van Sant’s My Own Private Idaho (May 22 – 23). All screenings take place at the Broadway Centre Cinemas (111 E. 300 South), and individual screening tickets are $12.25 - $13.75. slfs.org
F&MAD Student Film Fest: See p. 10.
Made in Utah Film Showcase @ Park City Film Series: Utah isn’t just a place where people love to watch movies; it’s also a place where people love to make movies. A continuation of a program launched in
Showcase celebrates short films created by Utah-based filmmakers, offering a platform for the unique talents and voices of our local artists. The screening is followed by a filmmaker lounge for artists and industry professionals to mingle and network. Selections are TBA at press time, but the screening is free to the public at the Park City Library Jim Santy Auditorium (1255 Park Ave.) on Thursday, May 14 at 7 p.m. parkcityfilm.org
Shrek 25th anniversary: It began as an adaptation of a picture book by William Steig, with Mike Myers voicing a surly, solitary ogre and Eddie Murphy as a donkey named Donkey. A huge box-office success followed, along with the first-ever Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. A quarter-century later, the franchise is still alive and kicking—including a Broadway musical and the Puss in Boots spin-off features, plus a new Shrek feature due in 2027—so it’s worth celebrating the anniversary of the original film. Megaplex Theatres locations present screenings of 2001’s Shrek on Thursday, May 14, with admission only $5 as part of the “Reel Deals”
series. Visit the website for theaters and showtimes. megaplex.com
Repo! The Genetic Opera shadowcast performance: The concept was ready-made for cult-classic status—a musical set in a dystopian world where artificial organs can be repossessed—and that’s just what has evolved since the release of Darren Lynn Bousman’s 2008 feature. Scalpel Sluts and Out of the Shadows Theater Group present a screening with full shadowcast performance at Alliance Theater (602 E. 500 South) May 8 – 9 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25, and include an audience-participation pack. outoftheshadowsutah.ludus.com
KRCL Music Meets Movies @ Brewvies: Monterey Pop: Before Coachella, before Lollapalooza, even before Woodstock, there was the Monterey Pop Festival—an ambitious Northern California gathering of some of the biggest names in music in June 1967 as a kick-off to what would become known as “The Summer of Love.” Director D.A. Pennebaker was there to capture the lineup including legends like Simon & Garfunkel, the Mamas & the Pa-
pas, the Byrds, Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, The Who and the Grateful Dead, as well as the unique atmosphere. KRCL’s Music Meets Movies series at Brewvies (677 S. 200 West) presents 1968’s Monterey Pop on Thursday, May 14 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the door, or 2-for-1 with a KRCL shirt. brewvies.com
SLC Creatures & Features Market: The Craft: If you’re going to celebrate a cult classic, you should probably do it in the spirit of the movie itself. It’s the 30th anniversary of the 1996 teen-witch fantasy The Craft, and a collective of groups led by SLC Creatures & Features Market is presenting a day-long celebration that includes two different “ritual” screenings of the film (at 2 p.m. & 5 p.m.), along with an alternative vendor market, “spell jar” station, tarot readings and themed mocktails. The event takes place at Pioneer Hall (1137 W. 7800 South, West Jordan) on Sunday, May 17 from noon – 7 p.m., with movie tickets just $8 general admission. Visit facebook.com/events/1447789516799204 for ticketing link. CW
GOOD BAD ,
Utah
journalists question whether local news is meeting the needs of the public.
BY WES LONG
After Angie Toone moved to Rose Park in 2020, she quickly came to appreciate The West View, a quarterly newspaper that focuses on the city’s west side.
“I have always been very community oriented,” Toone recalled. “When I saw that the west side had its own newspaper, I thought, ‘That’s so cool.’”
Andy Cupp was likewise attracted to what The West View had to offer. With a background in television journalism, he particularly admired its hyperlocal focus, volunteer staff and nonprofit approach.
“I most enjoy those stories that don’t get told in mainstream media,” he said. “Those are things that I would never cover [in my day job]; there’s just not time enough in the day.”
Now the editors of The West View, Toone and Cupp are gratified by the voices they draw from among Salt Lakers, as well as the attention the paper brings to local organizations. And even with those west-side stories that are occasionally touched on by larger media groups—from Power Districts and poor air quality to homeless campuses and transit deserts—they are proud to offer an outlet for perspectives that won’t be found elsewhere.
Small donations and grants keep the paper going, along with advertising. But because of rising costs, The West View suspended its print publication and has leaned into a digital-only format. This, combined with the ever-present need for finding volunteer contributors, makes the venture a challenge, but one that is also liberating to them and their readers.
“These are real issues,” Cupp said. “I think having real people who are affected by those issues writing about them actually makes quite a difference.”
Toone suggested that the general public has interests that aren’t getting covered in a satisfactory way.
“A lot of media is guided by a perception of what is newsworthy that is, maybe, not totally accurate anymore,” she noted.
Concerns about the superficiality of mainstream media have only worsened in recent years, as consolidation and cost-cutting have shut down printing presses, shrunk newsrooms and reoriented broadcasts toward national topics. City Weekly interviewed several Utah journalists, working in differing formats around the valley, and heard a recurring concern that the needs of the public are not being fully served.
“Once the novelty has worn off, [a story’s] not considered newsworthy anymore, but a lot of people still care about it,” Toone said. “You get less deep reporting than folks might want.”
“Never Enough Time”
John Harrington has witnessed differing permutations of the market mentality upon American media throughout his career as a reporter. From his early days as a stringer for the Washington Post to his subsequent investigative work in print and television, Harrington can remember when hard-hitting journalism was still a prominent feature of local news.
“The ratings war was hardcore,” he recalled of his time at KTVX in the 1980s.
Local competition initially encouraged the “hard” stuff, but with the advent of cable, he said, stations increasingly shied away from risk. Harrington decries the networks’ shift to what he deemed personality cults around bankable anchors and the “non-news news” of filler, ads and happy talk.
“All of these promotional things took up more and more time for a newscast,” he said.
That cut into a time slot that even today amounts to little more than 18 minutes out of a half-hour.
“If you’re going to turn on the local news and expect to use anything with what they show, good luck,” Harrington said.
While she takes pride in her work, Robin Oguinye certainly doesn’t disagree with Harrington about some of the limitations of a traditional newscast.
“It’s a gripe of mine and broadcast reporters of old,” remarked the Fox 13 anchor via email. “There’s never enough time.”
Having previously anchored and reported in Iowa, Wisconsin and Texas, Oguinye noted that the length
of a story depends on the number of broadcasts a station airs.
“If you’re a reporter turning a story to be in a broadcast that day,” she explained, “you have about six hours to get your story idea approved, make calls to set up at least two interviews, go shoot said interviews along with footage for the story (if you’re a multi-media journalist, you’re shooting everything yourself), write the story, edit the story (again, if you’re a multi-media journalist, you’re editing on your own), and sometimes go on location to present the story live for the newscast.”
And after all that, Oguinye said, the piece is cut down to just two minutes of content, or less.
“Therein lies the problem of picking and choosing what to report,” she said. “Very rarely can you include all the reportable details in a one-to-twominute story.”
In her observation, the news industry has been shifting away from a model where anchors are detached from on-the-ground reporting. She typically contributes, for example, several consumer reports a week and a longer-form investigative piece about every other month.
“There are few stations left that let the anchors just anchor,” she said.
As Harrington suggested, there are distinct flaws to commercial news formats, even as, in Oguinye’s estimation, the potential for their positive impact remains. But if a recent study by the Pew Research Center is any indication, there is a wide variance of who is even watching, listening or reading anymore. According to Pew’s December 2025 report, overall attention to news has declined, with only 15% of young adults aged 18 to 29 saying that they follow the news “all or most of the time,” compared to 62% among the oldest Americans. These younger genera-
“I most enjoy those stories that don’t get told in mainstream media.”—The West View editor Andy Cupp
“Very rarely can you include all the reportable details in a one-to-two minute story.”—Fox13’s
tions are more likely to get—and trust—their news from social media incidentally, rather than intentionally, while their elders are more likely to intentionally seek out traditional formats, as well as to trust them.
But if more and more stations are being acquired by national entities like Nexstar or Sinclair, more and more newspapers by Alden Global Capital and Gannett, and most social media platforms owned by people like Larry Ellison, Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk, it casts a serious pall over the quality of news that anyone is currently getting.
Bryan Scott is the publisher of the City Journals, which produces multiple monthly papers for individual cities in Utah, plus two weekly publications in Idaho. He knows only too well the pressures of retaining stability within a commercial ecosystem, but he also contends that the medium in which he works remains essential.
“Even in a completely broken system,” he said, “I’ll take newspapers over social media or television.”
But whether the medium is the page, the screen or the airwaves, Scott hopes that the general obsession with covering the same stories, peddling in “confirmation bias” and drumming up “drama on things that just don’t matter” will go by the wayside.
“We’ve got to figure out how to fix that,” he said.
Crisis of Culture
“We’re in a dilemma,” veteran newsman Roy Gibson (1924-1989) once told an audience at the University of Utah, “we need the media, but we’re dissatisfied with how the media serve us.”
What’s to be done? To begin with, Gibson pointed out, news consumers can engage as reasonable critics who recognize the strengths and limitations of each medium. What television does well, for example, can-
not be replicated by radio, which in turn does something very different from the printed word.
Gibson himself provided unsparing media criticism for years on Utah televisions with KUTV’s “Media Man” segments. It’s a habit he recommended for all outlets to regularly practice. (Indeed, such was the genesis of City Weekly’s “Hits & Misses” column.)
“We have a stake in the products of our newspaper and broadcast stations,” Gibson continued. “We own the airwaves, and the printing presses wouldn’t exist without us to read what they publish. We deserve some input into the process because we are the ones who are ultimately influenced by what they do.”
The Roosevelt Institute similarly stressed the participatory nature of both media and its reform. In a 2025 report, the think tank noted that a functioning democracy depends on shared information, institutional trust and engagement with public life.
“When trust erodes and people withdraw from the civic commons, the conditions for accountability, deliberation and political inclusion weaken,” the Institute’s report stated. “The crisis of trust in news is therefore also a crisis of democratic culture. Unless addressed structurally, it risks deepening the fragmentation and disaffection that authoritarian movements often exploit.”
To this end, various efforts have been proposed and practiced by advocates across the country to improve the existing media outlets, as well as to create the new non-commercial landscape that democracy requires.
Media scholar Robert McChesney championed a “Local Journalism Initiative,” wherein public funds would be allocated to nonprofit journalism in every county, as decided by citizens through periodic vote.
Other federal efforts, like the Local Journalism Sustainability Act of 2022, would have created tax credits for donations and subscriptions to local news, to
businesses that advertise in local outlets and to local media owners for hiring and retaining journalists. Other kinds of subsidies and programs can likewise be developed on the state and municipal levels, as with Kalamazoo’s Public Media Network in Michigan and Philadelphia’s Community Access Media in Pennsylvania, both of which offer participatory journalism projects and hyperlocal programming.
These possibilities offer lessons for the Salt Lake Valley, the media landscape of which, in the estimation of Andy Cupp, tends to be one-dimensional and suffers from poor follow-up.
“You go and cover the same stories because your competitors are covering them,” Cupp related. “A lot of times you end up covering stories that aren’t necessarily the most impactful, but they’re still very flashy. While I’d like to think that we’re moving away from that bit by bit, it’s still very slow.”
Indeed, Paul Swenson (1935-2012) often remarked upon this across the pages of Utah Holiday Magazine, as with this observation from 1975: “Salt Lake City’s daily papers and TV news operations have long been victims of the inertia that grows out of habitually approaching the day’s news the same way one might buy baloney—a new slice every day—if for no other reason than that’s the way it’s always been done.”
Journalism, as Harrington explained, is a community service which, “if you’re doing it the right way, you can’t get rich—it’s impossible.”
That flies in the face of the traditional market mentality, which has also trained viewers, readers and listeners to think of themselves as an audience rather than a public.
If a commercialized media landscape is not meeting one’s needs, regardless of the format, it behooves the user to do something about it.
We’re citizens, after all—not consumers. CW
Robin Oguinye
The West View editor Angie Toone said journalists are guided by outdated perceptions of newsworthiness.
A Taste of the Himalayas
Exploring
the tasty collaboration between The 14 Peaks and The Yeti.
ITALIAN ITALIAN VILLAGE
BY ALEX SPRINGER comments@cityweekly.net @captainspringer
At this point in my life, I think it’s safe to say that the closest I am going to get to Mount Everest will be a dish of momos. And you know what? I’m totally okay with that.
What makes me even more okay with that is that our options for Himalayan and Nepalese cuisine on the Wasatch Front are only getting better. At the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon, for example, you’ve got The Yeti. It’s a fairly new bar and lounge that serves up cuisine prepared by The 14 Peaks, which is one of South Salt Lake’s up-and-coming Himalayan and Indian restaurants. It’s an interesting collaboration that has got me wondering if we’ll see more bar and restaurant co-ventures in the future.
The 14 Peaks has set up shop on that great little block of State Street that includes Tosh’s Ramen, Mahider and Afghan Kitchen; longtime patrons of these businesses will probably remember when the space was Asia Palace 2. It’s a welcoming little space—the tables are complete with runners and floral tablecloths, and tiny Tibetan prayer flags hang from the ceiling in intersecting patterns.
Once you dig into the menu, it soon becomes clear that The 14 Peaks has a curry for every occasion, and it’s very friendly to those after a satisfying plant-based meal. The vegetable coconut korma ($13.99) for example makes good use of the restau-
rant’s signature spice palate with a hint of coconut. The 14 Peaks also has a selection of goat, lamb and seafood curries so there is plenty of variety up for grabs.
While you could visit the restaurant every day for a week and still not fully gauge the length and breadth of the curry menu, the fun doesn’t stop there. The 14 Peaks has a fully stocked menu of grilled items including barbecued paneer tikka ($15.99) and the full chicken tandoori ($18.99) for those who can’t get enough of the traditional tandoori grill.
I am, was and will always be a momo man, and I know a Himalayan spot worth its pink salt will have these on the menu. At The 14 Peaks, you can get your momos with vegetarian filling ($13.99), chicken ($14.99) and bison ($14.99). Each momo has its own flavorful nuances, so it’s hard to say which one is superior, but I really liked the bison filling—plenty of deep, rich flavors to sink your teeth into.
It’s the jhol momos that really get the job done. These are traditionally prepared momos that are served in a broth flavored with the restaurant’s special spice blend. Momos are great on their own, but getting to swirl them around in a spicy, aromatic broth just adds to the experience. If momos are on your mind, this is the way to go.
Of course, if you want these same momos with a beer or perhaps a craft cocktail inspired by the smoky flavors of the Himalayas, that’s when you make way to The Yeti. It’s right between the Courtyard Marriott and Eight Settlers, and its proximity to the hotel makes it a great little lounge for out-of-towners or those on their way back down the canyon from a day on the slopes.
On top of that, it’s a pretty unique concept for a local bar. The nod to the Tibetan legend of the yeti is a clever way to connect our Wasatch Mountains with the Himalayas, and the interior evokes plen-
ty of Nepalese vibes. I happened to visit on Taco Tuesday—which is also karaoke night, for those interested—and had to admit that the playful midweek vibes were a welcome sight.
The regular food menu at The Yeti is prepared by the staff at The 14 Peaks, and all those well-balanced flavors are represented nicely here. I ordered the momo platter ($15) which has two each of vegetarian, chicken and bison. I also ordered a Campfire Tales cocktail ($15), since I thought the combo of scotch, cognac and garam masala honey would complement the meal well—which it did. Of course, the house draft beer ($7), appropriately named Shangri Lager, also makes for a decent beverage for your meal.
I’m a bit taken with The Yeti’s overall concept—more bars should be named after mythical creatures, if you ask me. All dorkiness aside, chasing a plate of bison momos with a glass of cold draft beer is a unique experience in Utah and should not be missed.
Both The Yeti and The 14 Peaks are great local spots in their own right—the former puts an Eastern spin on the classic aprés-ski lounge, while the latter offers a wide variety of Himalayan comfort food. The partnership between the two businesses made me curious enough to check both places out on their own turf. I’ve seen culinary collaborations like this before, most often with bakeries and dessert shops, but I’d be interested to see more of these bridges getting erected among our local eateries and bars. CW
THE YETI BAR & LOUNGE 7333 Canyon Centre Pkwy. Cottonwood Heights
2 Row Brewing
73 West 7200 South, Midvale 2RowBrewing.com
On Tap: Elder Berry - Fruited Blonde Ale
Avenues Proper
376 8th Ave, SLC avenuesproper.com
On Tap: White Out - White Stout
Bewilder Brewing
445 S. 400 West, SLC BewilderBrewing.com
On Tap: Pink Boots - Pink Pony Pilz
Bohemian Brewery
94 E. Fort Union Blvd, Midvale BohemianBrewery.com
NEW Releases: Kölsch, Dusseldorfer “Alt” Bier
Bonneville Brewery 1641 N. Main, Tooele BonnevilleBrewery.com
On Tap: Peaches and Cream Ale
Chappell Brewing 2285 S Main Street
Salt Lake City, UT 84115 chappell.beer
On Tap: Pie Hole - Strawberry Rhubarb Tart Ale
Craft by Proper
1053 E. 2100 So., SLC properbrewingco.com
O n Tap: El Hefe - Hefeweizen
Desert Edge Brewery
273 Trolley Square, SLC DesertEdgeBrewery.com
On Tap: Edge’s Special Bitter ESB
Epic Brewing Co.
825 S. State, SLC EpicBrewing.com
On Tap: A rotation of 8 new draft beers!
Etta Place Cidery
700 W Main St, Torrey EttaPlaceCider.com
On Tap: 435 Hopped Cider, Pineapple-Passion Fruit Session Mead
Fisher Brewing Co.
320 W. 800 South, SLC FisherBeer.com
On Tap: A rotation of up to 17 Fresh Beers!
Grid City Beer Works
333 W. 2100 South, SLC GridCityBeerWorks.com
In a Can: Extra Pale Ale
H eber Valley Brewing
501 N. Main Street, Heber City, UT hebervalleybrewing.com
On Tap: Yōtei - Japanese Rice Lager 5% ABV
Helper Beer 159 N Main Street, Helper, UT h elperbeer.com
Hopkins Brewing Co. 1048 E. 2100 South, SLC HopkinsBrewingCompany.com
On Tap: Tall Timber
Kiitos Brewing
608 W. 700 South, SLC KiitosBrewing.com
On Draft: Bliss IPA (Extremely Small Batch)
Kiitos Brewing Sugar House Bar 1533 S. 1100 East, SLC KiitosBrewing.com
On Draft: Bliss IPA (Extremely Small Batch)
Level Crossing Brewing Co. 2496 S. West Temple, South Salt Lake LevelCrossingBrewing.com
On Tap: Half a Weizen 3.3% ABV
Level Crossing Brewing Co., POST 550 South 300 West, Suite 100, SLC LevelCrossingBrewing.com
On Tap: Helles Munich Pale Lager
Moab Brewing 686 S. Main, Moab TheMoabBrewery.com
On Tap: “Big Drop” West Coast Pilsner
Mountain West Cider 425 N. 400 West, SLC MountainWestCider.com
On Tap: Hot Girl Summer (Pineapple Ginger Hard Cider)
Offset Bier Co 1755 Bonanza Dr Unit C, Park City offsetbier.com/ On Tap: DOPO IPA
Ogden Beer Company 358 Park Blvd, Ogden OgdenBeerCompany.com
On Tap: 11 rotating taps as well as high point cans and guest beers
Park City Brewing 1764 Uinta Way C1 ParkCityBrewing.com
On Tap: Cold Town - Cold IPA
Prodigy Brewing 25 W Center St. Logan Prodigy-brewing.com
On Tap: 302 Czech Pilsner
Proper Brewing/Proper Burger 857 So. Main & 865 So. Main properbrewingco.com
O n Tap: Strawberry Blonde
Proper Brewing Moab 1393 US-191, Moab properbrewingco.com
O n Tap: Strawberry Blonde
Red Rock Brewing 254 So. 200 West RedRockBrewing.com
On Tap: Gypsy Scratch
Red Rock Fashion Place 6227 So. State Redrockbrewing.com
On Tap: Grand Bavaria
Red Rock Kimball Junction 1640 Redstone Center Redrockbrewing.com
On Tap: Bamberg Rauch Bier
RoHa Brewing Project 30 Kensington Ave, SLC RoHaBrewing.com
On Tap: Bramble Brown
Roosters Brewing Multiple Locations
RoostersBrewingCo.com
On Tap: Hibiscus Sour
SaltFire Brewing 2199 S. West Temple, South Salt Lake
SaltFireBrewing.com
On Draft: Terpene Station - IPA with Pineapple Express Terpenes
Salt Flats Brewing 2020 Industrial Circle, SLC SaltFlatsBeer.com
On Tap: OPEN ROAD SERIES #3Barrel Aged Grand Cru
Scion Cider Bar 916 Jefferson St W, SLC Scionciderbar.com
On Tap: Newtown Pippin | ABV 7.40%
Second Summit Cider 4010 So. Main, Millcreek https://secondsummitcider.com
On Tap: Prickly Pear Habanero
Shades Brewing 1388 S. 300 West, Salt Lake City
ShadesBrewing.beer New Batch: Raspberry Pistachio Sour Ale
Shades On State 366 S. State Street, Salt Lake City
Shadesonstate.com On Tap: Six Wheat Under Hefeweizen
Silver Reef 4391 S. Enterprise Drive, St. George SGBev.com
Squatters Brew Pub Sugar House 2110 S. Highland Drive, SLC squatterspubs.com
On Tap: Salt Lake Brewing Co. Big U Pilsner
Squatters Brew Pub West Valley 3555 Constitution Blvd, West Valley City
squatterspubs.com On Tap: Salt Lake Brewing Co. Acapulco Gold Mexican Lager
Squatters Pub Brewery / Salt Lake Brewing Co.
147 W. Broadway, SLC squatterspubs.com
On Tap: Salt Lake Brewing Co. Emigration Amber Ale
Squatters Top of Main Brewpub & Brewery
250 Main, Park City, Utah squatterspubs.com
On Tap: Top of Main Utah Beer American Light Lager
Strap Tank Brewery, Lehi 3661 Outlet Pkwy, Lehi, UT StrapTankBrewery.com
On Tap: “Virgil the Guide” (Italian Pilsner); “Smiles und Sunshine” (German Leichtes Weizen)
Strap Tank Brewery, Springville 596 S 1750 W, Springville, UT StrapTankBrewery.com On Tap: “Orange Hopsicle” Hazy Pale; “Trouble” American
BEER NERD
Orange Ya Glad For IPAs?
Citrus makes a huge play, as spring gets sprung.
BY MIKE RIEDEL comments@cityweekly.net
RoHa - Into The Void: This Citra- and Amarillo-hopped IPA blurs the line (in the best way) between a modern IPA and a throwback American pale ale. One sip in, and you might find yourself questioning the label, but not the quality. This is a flavorful, balanced beer that leans into drinkability without sacrificing character.
The malt profile sets the tone early. There’s a noticeable caramel backbone here, supported by a firm presence of toasty barley that adds warmth and depth. It’s richer than what you’d expect from many contemporary IPAs, giving the beer a slightly nostalgic edge—like a nod to the malt-forward pale ales of the mid-2000s. Then the hops kick in. Citra and Amarillo bring a bright burst of citrus zest that lifts the palate. Tangerine stands out most clearly—juicy, slightly sweet, and vibrant without being overly sharp. It’s a softer citrus expression, more rounded than aggressive, which plays nicely against the malt base. As the sip develops, subtle layers of herbal grass and pine begin to emerge, adding a classic hop complexity that grounds the beer and keeps things interesting. What’s especially appealing about this 6.9 percent beer is the balance. The bitterness is present but measured, never overshadowing the malt or the citrusforward hop character. The body feels a bit fuller than the typical IPA, reinforcing that “big pale ale” impression. It’s smooth, slightly chewy and incredibly approachable for its size.
Verdict: Calling this an IPA might be technically correct, but stylistically, it drinks like a beefed-up American pale ale, albeit with extra depth and nuance. And honestly, that works in its favor. It’s a refreshing departure from ultra-dry,
hop-saturated trends—offering instead a harmonious blend of malt richness and classic citrusy hop expression.
Talisman - Man Crush: The brewers at Talisman bill this as an “Orange Cream IPA,” and that kind of descriptor feels completely earned. From the first pour, this hazy IPA radiates citrus intensity, with Mandarina Bavaria hops leading the charge. The aroma alone is striking—an almost uncanny wave of fresh orange character that feels more like walking through a citrus grove than cracking open a beer.
What’s most impressive is that this vibrant profile isn’t coming from juice, but from a thoughtful combination of hops, orange zest and a touch of lactic acid. The result is incredibly zesty and mouthwatering, with a brightness that immediately wakes up the palate. Each sip delivers layers of orange—ranging from juicy and sweet to slightly tangy and rind-like—creating a dynamic citrus experience that never feels artificial.
Then comes the twist.
Just as the citrus peaks, softer, dessert-like notes begin to emerge. Hints of vanilla glide in, followed by a subtle toasted marshmallow that adds warmth and depth. These elements don’t overpower the beer, but instead round it out, transforming what could have been a one-dimensional citrus bomb into something far more nuanced. The interplay between bright orange zest and creamy vanilla creates a distinct “Orange Julius” impression—nostalgic, indulgent and surprisingly refreshing at 5.0 percent ABV. The lactic acid provides just enough tartness to keep things lively, preventing the sweetness from becoming cloying.
The mouthfeel is smooth and hazy, with a gentle creaminess that ties everything together. Bitterness takes a backseat here, allowing the citrus and dessert-like qualities to shine.
Verdict: All told, this is a creative and well-executed IPA that fully delivers on its concept. Bright, creamy and delightfully unique, it’s a standout for anyone looking for something a little different.
Draft is the serving style for Man Crush, while 16-ounce cans drive Into The Void Both are available only for a limited time. As always, cheers! CW
the BACK BURNER
BY ALEX SPRINGER | @captainspringer
Derby Day at Laurel Brasserie & Bar
We have more than a few Kentucky Derby fans around town, and those who want to don their most ridiculous hats and show off their springtime fashion sense will want to check out Laurel on May 2. The event will feature a live broadcast from Churchill Downs, live music and plenty of Southern-inspired classics like shrimp and grits, deviled eggs and mint juleps. General admission is $75 and it includes event access and hors d’oeuvres, but there’s also a $150 VIP admission that gets you early access, drink tickets and a few exclusive chef hors d’oeuvres. The event goes from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., and all proceeds go to the Utah Food Bank.
Burger Lab Opens
A new “experimental” burger restaurant called Burger Lab (burgerlabbar.com) recently opened in downtown Salt Lake City at 270 S. 300 East. If you’re a fan of the Pym Test Kitchen in Disneyland’s California Adventure, this place looks like it might be up your alley. It’s got burgers called the Matador Reaction with a bison patty, salsa, avocado and queso fresco and the Huckleberry Catalyst with fresh-cut bacon and huckleberry jam. In keeping with the laboratory concept, Burger Lab also has a few signature cocktails on its menu—the website image of the Deconstructed Old Fashioned is clouded in smoke, which makes me think it’ll have a pretty cool tableside presentation.
New Brunch Menu at Hash Kitchen
The team at Hash Kitchen (hashkitchen.com) recently revamped the restaurant’s brunch menu at both the Salt Lake City and Draper locations. The spring season seems to have inspired the culinary team to experiment with color, particularly where pancakes are concerned. Now through June, diners can get a stack of Ube Dream Pancakes, tinged purple from the Japanese sweet potato used in the batter. The toppings lean into hues of violet with blueberry compote, ube cream and fresh blueberries—purple pancakes make a pretty picture. Strawberry Shortcake Pancakes layered with cream cheese frosting and strawberry compote will also be on the menu for those after a bit of crimson with breakfast.
Quote of the Week: “The hamburger is a gastronomic icon of modern times.” – Phyllis Richman
Provo Music Spotlight
The Backseat Lovers, The Aces, Queenadilla, Carson Ferris and Bonneville, just a few artists straight outta Utah County.
BY EMILEE ATKINSON eatkinson@cityweekly.net @emileelovesvinyl
Up and down the Wasatch Front, you can find talented musicians. Sure, a lot of the spotlight is on Salt Lake City, but venture a bit further north or south, and you’ll keep running into great bands. Provo is known for its talent and for the popular music venue Velour, where many of these musicians cut their teeth as they first get started in music. Whether they started in Provo or were originally formed there, here are some bands from the heart of Utah County that are worth checking out.
The Backseat Lovers: Formed circa 2018, The Backseat Lovers are probably one of the most recognizable groups on this list. Their 2019 single “Kilby Girl” skyrocketed them into the national spotlight, where they were able to share their indie charm with a larger audience. The track made an appearance on their 2019 album When We Were Friends, helping to make it a strong release; other standouts on the album include the opening track “Watch Your Mouth” and “Maple Syrup.” Sadly, there hasn’t been anything new from The Backseat Lovers since their 2022 album Waiting to Spill was released. Perhaps 2026 will be the year we get more from the beloved indie group.
The Aces: The Aces is another Provo group that has gained national popularity with their addictive pop tunes. Their
brand-new album Gold Star Baby: After Hours is big and bold, with a groovy feel. It starts with an audio clip of a fictional radio show welcoming listeners to a disco that’s featuring The Aces. As the album goes there’s funky bass, retro electronic effects and crisp vocals. The feeling of grabbing a pair of roller skates and hitting the rink grows and grows as the album progresses. The title track is one of the best examples of the electronic/disco vibes—upbeat and exciting, offering the perfect chance to get up and dance. The world is uncertain, but perhaps some funky disco-pop is the cure to one’s emotional ailments. Regardless, The Aces is definitely a band to watch, and have surely made Provo proud.
Queenadilla: If you’re one for riffin’ and rockin’, Queenadilla is the Provo band for you. The band describes their music as “riff-heavy rock ‘n roll played from the hips.” This group has been jamming together since at least 2016 (that’s as far back as their socials go), and released their debut album Hollow Man in 2019. It’s a bluesy rock romp that will leave you wanting more by the time it’s over. Their song “Train Racin’ Blues” on the album is a stand-out, with the band perfectly capturing what a train would sound like musically. Last October, they released their spooky single “Vampire” just before Halloween, and it should definitely be put on your playlists for the season. Unrelated to their music, frontman Chase McKnight posts hilarious sketches online of him as Fred Durst from Limp Bizkit—and who doesn’t love a Fred Durst bit?
Carson Ferris: The young Carson Ferris has been growing up in the public eye as a talented singer/songwriter well beyond his years. He picked up a guitar at six, wrote a love song at 11 and released the track by the time he was 13. On the surface, “Crazy” is a love song that many can relate to when it comes to the trials and tribulations of love. Ferris told City Weekly in 2023 that the song was really about his love for music and his determination
MUSIC
to make it in a music career. “The song is an anthem for anyone who has ever been told they’re too young, too inexperienced, or too anything to achieve their dreams. It’s a reminder that if you have a passion for something, you should never give up on it, no matter what obstacles stand in your way,” he said at the time. Ferris has released plenty of singles in between, but nothing new from him since 2024. Now at 16, Ferris is in a duo project called Late Entry, and performs live frequently. Hopefully the local community will get to enjoy his talent for years to come.
Bonneville: “We’ve always wanted to release something that felt like us and be able to name it after our band,” Bonneville said of their self-titled EP. “These songs really represent the important parts of
what makes us Bonneville, so it felt like the perfect project to be given that name.” The EP is moody and punchy—in songs like “Toe,” the vocals are more on the quiet side as the drums and guitar get in your face. The song “Marie” is softer at first, then explodes with melodic electronic guitar that will have you swaying back and forth with the tune. It’s a bit grungy, a bit emo, a bit shoegazey, but it’s all great. As the weather warms up, so too do the opportunities to see locals like Bonneville live, so don’t miss these guys as they perform the new EP.
That’s just a small snapshot of some of the great bands/musicians who currently or previously called Provo home, and more are certain to pop up as the years progress. Who is your favorite Provo band? CW
Bonneville
TUESDAYS
WEDNESDAYS
BEST BAR IN UTAH!
GREAT FOOD
MUSIC PICK S
Mac DeMarco @ The Complex 5/2
Salt Lake City’s favorite indie musician is back in town after a brief hiatus. The last time Mac DeMarco visited the state was for his Kilby Block Party headlining debut in 2022. Now, he’s playing an even bigger stage four years later with new music under his belt. As a self-proclaimed “blue-wave” and “slacker rock” artist, DeMarco pulls from the early 2010s lo-fi sound to define his artistry. And with Salt Lake favoring the indie, lo-fi spectrum, it only makes sense that he’ll be stopping in Utah. DeMarco’s most popular records, This Old Dog and Here Comes the Cowboy, sound as if you’re walking into a new, locallyowned coffee shop where everyone wears crop-tops and jandals with books piling in their bags. He is the definition of the lowkey, indie-millennial lifestyle—with the moustache to prove it, too. Listening to DeMarco feels like listening to one’s next-door neighbor who spends their morning on the porch with their cats, whistling in the wind without a care for their surroundings. For the slow mornings, long walks and sunsets, DeMarco always offers to be the perfect rotation contender wherever one goes. May it be in the woods or the city, the lightness of his voice and gentle strumming gets you through any bad headache knocking at the door. Catch his set at 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 2 at The Complex. Tickets can be found at saltlakecitystage.com and are resale only. (Laney Hansen)
Movie Night!
Featuring Local Cocktail Film “BAR”
Graveyard Violet
Kenmujo
WEEKLY LINEUP
Mother of None
Velvet Daydream Pianussy
MUSIC PICK S
WITCHZ @ The Complex 5/2
If you’re into moody, atmospheric tracks with strong emotion and clean production, the Las Vegas artist WITCHZ is worth a listen. Though his identity remains a secret, being mysterious is on-brand for this artist. Their cover of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” accrued over 13 million plays on Spotify, and since then, people have been paying attention. He’s known for other iconic remixes, like a hauntingly beautiful rendition of Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game,” capturing the dark, emotional vibe that feels cinematic but still really personal—like it’s made for late-night drives or headphones-on moments. WITCHZ’s own songs—like “VILLAIN MODE” from his debut album BRING ME TO LIFE and “The Magick” from the ENTER AFTERLIFE album—offer a unique blend of alternative, electronic and dark Western music. He has a talent for moving through sound like a shadow, providing his own breathy vocals with dark bass that transports you to a haunted, sexy nighttime desert. Described by the Independent Spirits music blog as having “a hot breath, soulful bursts” all “with minimalist elegance and delicious power” while the tour is described as more of a crossing to the afterlife than a simple concert. WITCHZ comes to Salt Lake City as part of his ENTER AFTERLIFE World Tour. This event takes place at The Complex on Saturday, May 2. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the show starts at 8:30 p.m. Tickets cost $36.50 at thecomplexslc.com. (Arica Roberts)
MUSIC PICK S
Tech N9ne & E-40 @ The Complex 5/3
Two rap legends Tech N9ne (Aaron Dontez Yates) and E-40 (Earl Tywone Stevens) have joined forces this year for the epic 2026 “Strange Wid’ It” tour. Both rappers have had incredible careers spanning 30 years as multiplatinum rappers, singers and songwriters and both defined ’90s hip-hop that is still as popular today as ever. Yates is from Kansas City, Mo. and is best known for songs like “Worldwide Choppers” and “Hood Go Crazy” that showcase his rapid-fire flow. Stevens, “hip-hop’s slang king,” is the epitome of west coast hip-hop, hailing from Vallejo, California and is known for his distinctive voice, delivery, and slang like “fo’ sheezy” and “slap.” He’s best known for his songs “Choices (Yup)” and “Captain Save a Hoe.” Yates and Stevens have previous collaborations like the eerie 2012 single “Zombie” and the defiant 2015 single “No K.” This tour highlights the rap titans and their unique styles that All-Music reviewer Jason Birchmeier called “bizarre hardcore rap.” The tour also includes special guest King ISO (Terrell Gulledge) known for his collaborations with Tech N9ne, such as on the song “Face Off.” You can expect a high-energy performance and lots of dancing. See Tech N9ne & E-40 at The Complex (Rockwell Room) on Sunday, May 3 hosted by AEG Presents. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $58.70 at thecomplexslc.com. (Arica Roberts)
Puscifer @ Maverik Center 5/5
There is no purity test for Puscifer. After five studio albums, Maynard Keenan and company do what they want, however they like, and you can get on board or not. I feel it appeals to my enjoyment of chunky riffs that sit alongside electronic fusion and those more typical metal sounds. It’s a big tent. Still, Keenan has plotted his own course as the frontman of bands Tool and A Perfect Circle with a loyal set of hardcore followers. However, Puscifer’s newest LP that dropped earlier this year, Normal Isn’t, should push them to the forefront. “Puscifer’s definitely been marginalized and relegated to the third side-project category” Keenan told The PRP. “I’ve always been on the side of
the underdog, that’s just kind of how I’m wired. The marginalized underdog is always going to get my vote.” If you aren’t familiar, give their back catalog a listen. The projects are tricksy and twisty turny. They suck you in. You definitely need to listen on headphones, no distractions. It’ll take about three or four listens for it to click. Then another ten to truly appreciate. Multi-instrumentalist and lead guitarist Mat Mitchell is a wizard and co-vocalist Carina Round is completely hypnotic. In the world of metal taxonomy, Maynard has crafted yet another true original. Dave Hill opens. Catch these musicians on the “Normal Isn’t” tour at the Maverick Center on Tuesday, May 5. Doors at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages show are $71.65 and can be found here ticketmaster.com.
(Mark Dago)
New Pornographers @ Commonwealth Room 5/6
While it’s quite common for jazz players to assemble in ad hoc ensembles, the concept of a supergroup is largely unique to the rock world. And while the most acclaimed supergroups, with lineups featuring members who have already established their reputations elsewhere—Cream, CSN&Y, Led Zeppelin, ELP, Eagles, Asia—had their heyday decades ago, today’s musical landscape features the New Pornographers.
An assemblage of top singer-songwriters, the Canadian group boasts Neko Case, Carl (A.C.) Newman, Todd Fancey, Kathryn Calder and John Collins; each made their name as a soloist or key player in another indie rock band. Even the three auxiliary touring members (Nora O’Connor, Adam Schatz, Josh Wells) bring impressive pedigrees to the band. Right out of the gate with their 2000 debut Mass Romantic, the band became a critics’ favorite with their brand of power pop-inflected tuneful rock. The New Pornographers released their tenth and latest album, The Former Site Of at the end of March. With opening act Will Sheff (of Okkervil River), the group comes to the Commonwealth Room on Wednesday, May 6 at 8 p.m. Tickets for this 21 and over show are $45 and up, available at axs.com. (Bill Kopp)
Puscifer
free will ASTROLOGY
BY ROB BREZSNY
ARIES (March 21-April 19)
In the 19th century, Aries photographer Eadweard Muybridge (1830–1904) resolved to settle a debate about whether galloping horses ever have all four hooves off the ground. He developed a system to capture rapid sequential images, which ultimately helped lead to the invention of motion pictures. His answer to a narrow technical question opened up an entirely new art form. Moral of the story: Solving a specific problem may create unforeseen revolutions. In the coming weeks, Aries, I invite you to stay alert for how your focused efforts to address one challenge might birth even more significant breakthroughs. Don’t get so fixated on your immediate goal that you miss larger innovations emerging from your work.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20)
May is Free Thinking Month for you. It’s also Free Feeling, Free Wheeling and Free Healing Month. To observe this festive period, indulge in any of the following acts: 1. Declare your independence from anyone who tries to tell you how you should live your life or who you are; 2. Declare independence from your history, especially recollections that dampen your sense of possibility and old self-images that impede your yearning to explore; 3. Declare independence from groupthink and conventional wisdom; 4. Declare independence from your former conceptions of freedom so you’ll be free to arrive at fresh understandings of it.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20)
The Navajo practice hózhó means “walking in beauty”: living in balance and harmony with life. But hózhó isn’t a static state you achieve once and possess forever. You must continually restore and reinvent it. I suspect you’re in a phase like that now, Gemini. Too much thinking and not enough feeling? Too much future and not enough present? I recommend you take corrective measures. Start by taking one physical action that grounds you. Have a conversation from the heart instead of the head. Spend an hour not planning the story to come, but simply loving what’s here right now. Refresh your hózhó!
CANCER (June 21-July 22)
If a honeybee colony becomes too crowded, scout bees search for potential new hive sites. When they return, they perform waggle dances for their colleagues to convey specific information about different locations. Negotiations ensue. Various possibilities are offered and considered through more dancing. Eventually, the swarm collectively makes a choice and heads out to its new home. Your challenge right now, Cancerian, is to be like a scout bee who facilitates your group’s decision-making process. I invite you to carry out a reconnaissance mission and then perform your waggle dances for your people. Make your case with vigor and precision. Trust the group’s emergent wisdom to make the best decision.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)
Like all of us, Leo, you have persistent aches from old losses, absences and wounds. They may seem like permanent burdens you will never be able to shake or transcend. But here’s some very good news: In the coming months, there’s a greater chance than usual that you’ll discover new approaches to healing them. The remedies won’t necessarily be logical or obvious. They may involve you conducting rituals, taking symbolic actions, or ambushing the pain from unexpected angles. Be alert for interventions that may seem too simple or unexpected to work.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
Your restlessness is building. How much longer will you pretend you don’t sense the pull of bright temptations and appealing sanctuaries? At what moment will you finally stop resisting your urge to slip past the usual boundaries and roam? The astrological omens hint that this pivot is close at hand. In the borderlands of your imagination, a daring journey is already taking shape. Where might it carry you? Here’s my guess: down into the raw, unfiltered depths of the future you secretly dream about.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
In fairy tales, when heroes are rewarded for their help and kindness, their gifts are often tools of protection: a cloak that renders them invisible, a magic club that chases off foes, or enchanted shoes that enable them to outrun any threat. In other stories, the reward is meant to deepen the hero’s delight in living: a genie’s lamp; a cauldron that cooks up exquisite food; or a horn that calls forth marvelous companions from the fairy world. I mention this, Libra, because I believe rewards for your past and recent generosity are on their way. If you have any say in what form they take, I suggest you request something from this second, pleasure-giving category.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
Poet Marie Howe wrote, “I don’t think we can love anything more intensely than we love a secret.” Many Scorpios feel this way. You understand that mystery is often a joy to be savored. Some truths reveal themselves only to those who summon the patient intelligence to be at peace amidst the confounding riddles. Non-Scorpios may be desperate to leave nothing hidden, but you like to learn from the teasing prickles. You know that some transformations need darkness to carry on their work. Your next assignment: Decide what truth needs more time in the deep before it’s ready to surface.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
Diamond is the hardest natural substance, while graphite is soft and slippery. Yet they’re both made of pure carbon. The difference is in their structure. Let’s extrapolate from this fact as we ruminate on your life, Sagittarius. I’m 97% certain that you already have everything you need. Maybe you imagine you lack key resources and powers, but from what I can tell, you are well set-up. So I propose that you simply reorganize what’s available to you now. Take the “carbon” of your life and arrange it in new patterns. Your task isn’t further accumulation but reconfiguration.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
My Capricorn grandfather was a master artisan. He told me that the best furniture is built twice: first in the imagination, and then with wood. Let’s apply that theme to you. I believe you have mostly finished the first step of visualizing what you want. Now you’re almost ready to launch the actual work. I’m eager to see the practical effects that will bloom from your detailed fantasies. The rest of the world is excited, too. These days, we all especially need your talent for turning beautiful dreams into vivid realities. You have extra power to inspire us to convert our idealistic notions into dynamic actions.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
I invite you to imagine a time in the past when you were almost perfectly content. Visualize that magical confluence of satisfying feelings. Where were you at the time? Who was or wasn’t there? What could you see, hear, smell and feel in your body? What made that moment so right? Next step: Make a vow to rebuild as many of those conditions as you realistically can over the next three weeks. Maybe you can’t recreate the exact scene, but you can approximate its essence.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)
The astrological factors now in effect are tending to generate useful and valuable cosmic jokes. I believe they may be disruptive and catalytic in helpful ways. In this spirit, I offer you the following affirmations, borrowed from internet memes: 1. “You may call me ‘melodramatic.’ I describe myself as a ‘creative problem-solver with flair and panache.’” 2. “I’m not overthinking; I’m overriding simplistic answers that hide the real truths.” 3. “You shouldn’t think of me as chaotic; the fact is that I’m generously non-linear.” 4. “I have a solid plan, but it’s always evolving to keep up with reality’s crazy insistence on ceaseless change.” 5. “Please dismantle your low expectations; I need ample room to exceed them.” 6. “I trust my instincts; they have often been wrong in interesting ways.”
urban LIVING
WITH BABS DELAY
Broker, Urban Utah Homes & Estates, urbanutah.com
Vroom Vroom Crash!
Iwas minding my beeswax, driving in the middle lane of Interstate 15, when I heard a really loud engine behind me … so loud that it scared me! I looked around and, almost instantly, a motorcyclist passed me on the left going over 100 miles per hour with no helmet.
Given his racing and weaving in traffic, I expected that I’d see him splattered all over the freeway a few miles ahead. Luckily, I didn’t end up witnessing what ER doctors call “donorcycles” or “mobile organ donors.”
Helmet laws are in effect in Utah, which require all riders under 21 to wear a helmet when operating a motorcycle or electric-assisted bicycle. This law was recently updated due to the growing popularity of ebikes and the increasing rate of collisions and injury among the young and old.
CROSSWORD PUZZLE
ACROSS
1. “I got it!”
4. Arcade violation
8. Danny of “Machete”
13. Ballpoint pen brand
14. Athletic footwear brand since 1979
15. Decks out
16. Unaware
18. Barry Manilow’s longtime label
19. Elvis/U2 mashup, maybe?
21. Stipulations
22. Accelerator particles
23. Symbol on a soprano’s staff
26. Anti-___ hand soap
28. Mammoth features
32. Fish eggs
33. Do equations and receive a perfect score?
36. “Superfood” berry
38. Seven, in Spanish
39. Roof overhang
40. Squishy place to see Benjamin Franklin?
43. Through
44. Authorization
45. Time to access some parks
Riders between ages 8 and 15 are not allowed to use bikes on public roads unless they are directly supervised by a parent or guardian or they obtain a new e-bike safety certificate.
There’s also a new “High Power Electric Device” category in Utah law, which covers electric scooters and electric motorcycles that can go faster than 20 mph. These devices require licensing and registration, just like gaspowered motorcycles.
I like the fact that a new safety certificate is available for younger, unlicensed bike riders. They must complete an online safety course, and the certificate allows children to ride unsupervised on public roadways.
Mind you, we don’t see bikes on the freeways, but many of our surface streets are actually state highways, such as 700 East (Highway 71) and State Street (Highway 89).
In Utah, there were 270 deaths on the roads last year, with roughly 70 of those fatalities being motorcycle riders, a record high. HandyLawUtah.com reports that motorcycle fatalities account for 32% of all roadway fatalities in the state.
Utah doesn’t collect e-bike crash data separately from acoustic bicycle crashes, but the Department of Transportation says that from 2020 to 2024 there were 2,988 total bicycle crashes statewide, with 45 fatalities. From 2024 to 2025, Utah saw a 66.7% increase in crashes involving e-mobility devices (both e-bikes and e-scooters).
In addition to online safety courses for young riders, there are several motorcycle training courses throughout the state, from Washington County and onward up north. There’s also a Harley-Davidson driving school. Plus, the DMV has a motorcycle practice test so you can learn and test for specifics in riding your bikes safely.
E-bikes will continue to surge in popularity because they are ecofriendly, cut through traffic congestion and cost considerably less than a car. But hell, people, please drive and ride safely and within the law, and make sure your kids have helmets and are trained properly to enjoy their rides. ■
46. Edit
48. Valueless
50. Confidentiality contract, for short
51. Army of skeletons?
57. Finnish DJ best known for 1999’s “Sandstorm”
59. Await
60. The Cars lead singer Ric
61. Monogram ltr.
62. St. intersector
63. Gave up
64. Empty spaces
65. Like sashimi
DOWN
1. Somewhat
2. ___ jump
3. Dermatological focus
4. Import taxes
5. Lendl and Reitman, e.g.
6. Cod cousin
7. “See ya”
8. NHL Hall of Fame locale
9. Take on liability from another company
10. “To be,” for Caesar
11. Protrude
12. ___-Locka, Fla.
15. Carpenter’s groove
17. Merle Haggard’s “___ From Muskogee”
20. “Better luck next time”
23. Pastureland
24. Cold-weather drink
25. Like kale and spinach
26. Without any prior information
27. Beauty brand owned by Estee Lauder
29. Fend (off)
30. “Dogma” director
Smith
31. Golfing legend
Sam
34. Beavers’ sch.
35. Bank charge
37. Remark of resignation
41. Badgered
42. Subtracts
47. Prepare potatoes, in a way
49. Onion’s relative
50. Cheapest tablet point-of-sale option
51. Singer Paisley
52. Bit of a branch
Complete the grid so that each row, column, diagonal and 3x3 square contain all of the numbers 1 to
No math is involved. The grid has numbers, but nothing has to add up to anything else. Solve the puzzle with reasoning and logic. Solving time is typically
to 30 minutes, depending on your skill and experience.
53. Tennis Hall of Famer Mandlikova
54. Distantly
55. Exploding star
56. “The Price Is Right” host Carey
57. Physician, familiarly
Balatro card
NEWS of the WEIRD
The Most Magical Address on Earth
The most important part of deciding where to live is, of course, location, location, location. For the Ewing family, that’s Disney World in Florida, People magazine reported on April 21. Adam, 41, Lauren, 36, and their two daughters live about half the year at an RV campsite at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort. Resort rules stipulate that a single resort reservation can’t be longer than 26 days, so every few weeks, the Ewings pack up their RV, go somewhere else for 24 hours and move back in the next day. “This has just always been our go-to place,” Adam said. “We developed a community of friends here and we never wanted to leave.” The family started living fulltime in their RV during COVID, and other times of the year, the Ewings find themselves in places like Utah, Canada and Vermont, but always make their way back home. Despite living at the most magical place on Earth, daily life for the Ewings is fairly typical of most families. “Most of the time, it is that normal life, working out, doing schoolwork, regular work, and then we’ll go to the parks ... mostly at night,” Lauren said. Living on Disney property comes with a Disney price tag—the family has paid up to $8,000 per month to stay on site, a cost they say is well worth it.
It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane ...
■ A spring football game at Virginia Tech was delayed after a parachuter crashed into the scoreboard over the school’s football field, Lane Stadium, the New York Post reported on April 18. Shortly before the game, which was scheduled to start at 3 p.m., two parachuters could be seen gliding over the field. The first one flew safely over, while the second crashed into the board, between the “C” and “H” in “Tech.” Emergency personnel were able to retrieve the parachuter safely, and the skydiver was not hospitalized. While fans waited for the game to start, the board displayed an explanation for the delay: “Attention please. We are waiting for EMTs to get out of the board. Thank you for your patience.” Over on X, Virginia Tech Athletics said, “We are grateful to report the skydiver was safely secured and is currently stable. Our primary focus remains on their well-being.” The football game resumed at 4 p.m.
■ That same day, on the other side of the country, a hot air balloon carrying 13 passengers made an unexpected stop in a backyard in Temecula, California, ABC 7 News reported. According to witnesses, the pilot announced that a lack of wind and dwindling fuel supply meant he had to land. “He was trying to get us to the street, but we couldn’t get to the street in time, so we landed in the people’s backyard, safe and sound,” passenger Brianna Avalos s aid. “He was an amazing pilot!” Neighbors alerted the homeowners, Hunter and Jenna Perrin, of the incident. “I open the sliding glass door, and there’s a basket full of 13 people in my backyard!” Hunter said. “The pilot ... got it right down inside, directly into the backyard, where there was nothing. The balloon didn’t catch on anything. No one was injured.”
Hot Dog!
Some high school students take a limo to prom. Others, like Breckan Andrews of Topeka, Kansas, roll up in the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile. According to UPI, the Seaman High School junior and his friends were at Sonic on Friday, April 17, when they spotted the vehicle at a nearby grocery store. An idea
f ormed. “One of my buddies was like, ‘Can we rent this thing?’ and I was like, ‘Well, what if we just ask about prom? What if they take us? It’s tomorrow,’” Andrews said. “You miss all the shots you don’t take,” he added. Driver—or “Hot Dogger,” as they say in the wiener biz—Maggie Dawson was happy to help and took the students to prom free of charge. “It was like a little light bulb,” she said. “We were like, ‘Well, what time is prom?’ And from there, we checked our schedule, and we were able to make it happen.”
Uncanny
Erika Brown of Anderson, Indiana, is an only child, but is looking for her doppelganger. UPI reported on April 18 that facial recognition software flagged Brown for potential fraud during her driver’s license renewal. A Fraud and Security Enforcement investigator had to verify Brown’s identity before allowing her to continue with the renewal. The officer showed her photos of another Indiana woman who is the same age as Brown but has a different name and address. Brown was stunned by the resemblance. “What are the odds that we look so similar, live in the same place, and have never crossed paths?” she said. “Seeing someone who looks so much like me was really strange and bizarre.” She was finally issued her license after three months of waiting but continues her search for her lookalike. “How does something like this even happen genetically?” Brown wonders.
Here’s the Buzz
It was an unusual sight on the side of the road on I-40 in east Tennessee: Beekeepers, donned in full gear, trying to collect 1 million bees after the truck they were in crashed on April 17 in Knoxville, the Associated Press reported. Tennessee Department of Transportation regional spokesperson Mark Nagi said the swarm shut down an exit and the truck was destroyed in the accident, but that there were no injuries. Nagi posted a photo of the bees and beekeepers on social media. “... the bees are ... well ... buzzing,” he said. “Unless you are dressed in this outfit please stay in your vehicles in this area.” All the bees were rescued and moved from the area.
A-moose-ing
Catching a glimpse of a moose in Montana is not unheard of. A moose in Montana taking a nap in front of a radio station called “The Moose”? Now that’s funny. On April 22, UPI reported that a moose was seen wandering around Bozeman. A Montana State University student, Alivia Ballenger, took a video of the moose running across a vacant lot near her apartment, and her father, a real estate agent, reposted it on his realty business page. “It’s a great lot,” he said. “I think the moose thought so, too.” Later that day, radio station The Moose 94.7 FM, shared a video of the moose lying down for a nap next to the station, with the caption, “We had a special visitor outside the ‘MOOSE’ studio this morning.” Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks declined to take any action. “Yesterday was the first time we had received reports that this moose was in the area,” Information Officer Morgan Jacobsen said. “We didn’t get reports that it was causing conflicts or obstructing traffic.”
