SLC and the creator of “The Whale” take 630 victory laps around a beloved public artwork.
BY CHRIS JONES
S AP
BOX
“Media Play,” April 24 Opinion
I liked Wes Long’s column about American journalism. The problem is connected to the general economic reality of the common people.
Things are just getting more and more expensive—why pay journalists, or pay for a newspaper, when the profits from these endeavors began as too meager and end as starvation rations?
Particularly in this moment in our history, independent journalism is emphatically necessary.
The country descends deeper into fascistic obsession, and the bulwark of laws, rules, norms, etc. that prevents dictator-
ship is bulldozed daily. There is far less time than people realize, and whatever fight is necessary to stave off disaster will only succeed in mitigating destruction, not preventing it. Anyways—I thought Long’s piece was great. Keep up the good work over there, we ought to put more money into Salt Lake City Weekly.
KARL OSCAR WEBER Herriman
“Free Your Mind, April 24 Cover
Zach Abend did an amazing job finding so many sources and getting to the root of [ketamine-assisted therapy’s] issues. Thanks for strong, ethical journalism!
MORGINTHEUT Via Instagram
“Full Steam Ahead,” April 23 Online
Let’s get to work! Contact your state elected officials and the state’s leadership and tell them it’s time to build the Rio Grande Plan.
RIOGRANDEPLAN Via Instagram
Yes! Yes! Yes! This is the investment we need—not gondolas for the rich.
A KEE TON Via Facebook
If it doesn’t involve sending money to the Smith/Miller families, it’s not happening.
JAMES CURNEAL Via Facebook
Boondoggle for real estate.
DAVID M. FIELDS Via Facebook
“The Dining Guide 2025,” April 17 Cover
Jesus f--king Christ will someone over there get Alex Springer to stop calling sandwiches “sandos”? Is he f--king 10 years old?
It sounds stupid, like those two minutes, 15 years ago, when f--king everyone thought it was cute to call breakfast “brekkie.” It’s not even shortening the words, they’re all still two f--king syllables. F--king grow the f--k up. F--k!
RICH KANE Via Facebook
Editor’s Note: Citizen Revolt returns! Planning a protest, march or other direct civic action? Fund-raising for an important cause? Trying to make Utah (and the world) a better place?
Let us know, and let our readers know how they can get involved. Email your events to listings@cityweekly.net with the subject line “Citizen Revolt,” including relevant locations, dates, times and contact information. We fight better when we fight together.
Care to sound off on a feature in our pages or about a local concern? Write to comments@ cityweekly.net or post your thoughts on our social media. We want to hear from you!
THE WATER COOLER
Do you have a nickname that people call you?
Carolyn Campbell
I always wanted to have a nickname. Sometimes people call me Carol, but I consider that a completely different name from Carolyn. In college, I hoped to call myself Carly for a nickname, but somehow it never stuck.
Katharine Biele
When I worked in Ogden I had an ironic nickname and one of our editors made me a nameplate - Buffy Biele. I won’t say why.
Wes Long
There are people who call me “Dub”. I can only imagine I’m referred to when I’m outside of earshot, however.
Krista Maggard
Sista Krista - my beloved karaoke nickname that actually caught on!
Paula Saltas
John Paul Brophy (RIP, sweetest person I’ve known) used to call me Polly Wolly.
Benjamin Wood
My brother’s friends have always called me “Little Jake”—although, I was recently told I’m now referred to as “Little Jake with a beard.” And there was one time on Main Street that a city employee I was chatting with mentioned something “Bike Lake City had tweeted” without knowing ... I am Bike Lake City.
PRIVATE EYE
BY JOHN SALTAS
The Last Honey Bee
I lost a buddy yesterday.
Don’t think I need to speak to say, I’m gonna miss him.
No words will grieve his memory, When I saw him last, he looked at me, And said, I’ll see you again. But he was gone Gone by Monday.
The lines above are from a song I wrote many years ago, titled “Gone by Monday.” That verse was originally written for my good friend, Frank “Woody” Robison of Fillmore, a Combat Marine who survived two tours in Vietnam. Robison survived the hill fights and siege at Khe Sahn in 1968, only to succumb to Vietnam demons here at home barely more than 20 years later. Since then, that song has consoled me far too many times to remember. I’ve lived long enough to lose many buddies along the way. Today is Monday.
Today, another buddy, John Paul Brophy, is gone. He of the mercurial smile, bluest eyes, positive attitude, lover of poetic words and meaningful song lyrics, astonished admirer to beautiful things great and small, especially colorful flowers, birds and honeybees. He of legendary Dead Goat Saloon fame, devotee of blues music—of nearly every musical genre and note for that matter—mentor and guide to a battery of Salt Lake City’s artistic musicians, performers and promoters.
He was my friend, my family’s friend, my mother’s special friend (they tie for first place in best eyes ever) and this newspaper’s friend. Few know, but we might not
even be here today if not for him.
He was everyone’s friend. He was a writer and editor on these pages since the earliest of our days. And yes, I’m gonna miss him.
The first verse of “Gone by Monday” pays homage to my lovable, adventurous, rescue dog, Zephyr—thusly named many years before the famous Zephyr Club opened on the corner of West Temple and 300 South.
I had a puppy long ago
All little boys need to know
That they can make a friend.
He went into the hills one day
To see the other side and stayed.
My Zephyr was gone like the wind.
But he was gone,
Gone By Monday.
When I met John Paul in the 1980s, he had a side gig helping the Zephyr Club with its monthly newsletter. I believe it was called Downtown After Dark. It was a marketing partnership that merged the membership lists of three separate clubs into a single newsletter—the Zephyr, Nino’s Private Club in the University Club building and, if memory serves, Cartoons Comedy Club in Arrow Press Square.
I already knew Brophy’s byline from his music coverage at The Salt Lake Tribune. In no time, he was writing for this newspaper (then called Private Eye) under the pseudonym of J.P. Gabellini—a homage to both his birth lineage and as protection against the overlords at The Tribune who frowned down upon all other print media, even then.
I had recently returned from Chicago, where I’d fallen in love with blues music. John Paul would soon educate me that my love of the blues was but a single flower compared to his passionate bouquet of blues knowledge.
More than 35 years later—and despite the fact that John Paul can learn no more—I will never come close to the encyclopedic knowledge he had of music and musicians. Nor can I ever match his love and affection for ev-
ery kind of musical note, especially those notes that are simply about living a good, honest life, not being overtly connected to a musical chord or riff at all. Life and music were the same symphony in John Paul’s world.
He knew the characters, the lineages, the riffs, the words. He knew the blues. He knew roots rock. He knew folk and folk rock. He knew jazz. Heck, his brother was a good friend of Beatle George Harrison. He knew it all.
Years beyond our first meeting, it was barely a surprise to me that he would become owner of the Dead Goat Saloon and fire-forge it into one of the most notable music clubs in the country. National blues artist Carolyn Wonderland would even sing about it. Local musicians like “Bad” Brad Wheeler will forever wax poetic about his life and mentorship as well.
I’ve been asked what my most memorable image of John Paul is. It is this. He randomly called one day to see if I was home. I said sure, come over.
He didn’t knock, but his truck was outside. I went to the side yard, where John Paul was on his knees digging the hole into which he would plant a small pine tree. If you knew John Paul, and the physicalities he never complained about, you know what I was thinking then and now: I am simply not that good.
In an email announcing his departure just last Tuesday, he quoted liberally from several notable movies with famous characters speaking lines about their impending death. Upon reading it I called him and said, “Well that was a rosy way to greet the day!” He laughed, as I knew he would.
I told him I could see him plainly right then, his sparkling eyes, his smile and his gaze out the kitchen window, past the beautiful flowers on his kitchen table placed by his adoring daughter, Rachael, into the backyard so carefully kept by his wife Wendy, who died herself only last year. He told me he wouldn’t make it to the day when Wendy’s honeybees returned. He did not.
Send comments to john@cityweekly.net
HITS & MISSES
BY KATHARINE BIELE
MISS: Crime Pays
Ammon Bundy is on the run, but hardly scared. He talked about his fugitive status and his good standing with the LDS church in an exclusive report in The Salt Lake Tribune—“exclusive” in that other news outlets haven’t tracked him down. Apparently, it’s easy. The Bundys are the cattle barons who flaunt the federal government and, you’ll recall, ran a huge publicity standoff-stunt at Oregon’s Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. It was so much fun that several Utahns went up to join them—until someone got killed. Bundy himself owes millions of dollars for refusing to pay grazing fees, among other things. He left his Idaho business and lost his multi-million-dollar home. But hey, he’s good now; has a new business and is living life. He’s lucky he’s not Mexican, Black or brown or he might be in El Salvador. In America, you’re fine— as long as you’re white.
MISS: Total Control
Utah Republicans see the end coming. Their solid lock on the supermajority just isn’t enough, they can see little cracks in their power wall—like when there was a party-switching movement in the Becky Edwards vs. Mike Lee Senate race. That Edwards won 29% in the primary really shook them up. And how about when Evan McMullin almost won the presidency—when he received zero electoral votes and placed fifth in the nation’s popular vote. And then McMullin surely frightened Lee when he went independent and held Lee to a mere 53% win. Now, the state GOP is getting ready to stop all that nonsense by keeping voters from changing registrations before a primary. Rep. Jordan Teuscher, RSouth Jordan, says it’s all about the integrity of the voting process. Indeed, what could be more honorable than restricting the public from voting if they don’t meet your litmus test?
HIT: Party Hard
None of that Republican carnival barking seems to be keeping the riffraff down. In the latest iteration of a GOP backlash, two diminutive political parties are joining forces, if only to make waves. The United Utah Party is merging with the Utah Forward Party, coming out strong with, well, about 2,400 registered party members. You might note a couple of high-profile members—Michelle Quist, who unsuccessfully ran for attorney general, is taking the reins as chair. And West Valley’s disaffected former Republican Sen. Daniel Thatcher has joined the new party’s ranks, saying that the Legislature doesn’t listen to its constituents. He’s right and she’s right—but can they win elections? The Forward Party, started by Andrew Yang, supports a grassroots strategy developed from the bottom up. With Republicans clearly at the top, it will be a struggle, but maybe one worth fighting. And given all the
voters in Utah, they
something. CW
Nettie News
“N
estled beneath the din of southbound Interstate 15 at the edge of Poplar Grove—facing the Folsom Trail and old Union Pacific railroad lines— stands a monumental site of local African American history,” City Weekly reported in February 2023, referring to Salt Lake City’s Nettie Gregory Center, located at 742 W. South Temple.
At the time, we—specifically, I—remarked that the unused building was in need of repair and, perhaps, historical designation. And never before have I been so happy that something I wrote stands out of date. This once-and-future community center was listed in the National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service in March.
“Listing in the National Register is intended to encourage preservation as well as provide recognition of a property’s significance,” Utah State Historic Preservation officer Christopher Merritt wrote in a letter to the center’s executive board. “A major benefit of listing on the National Register is the availability of tax credits for qualified restoration work on residential or income-producing properties.”
Such restoration work may include upgrades to the interior and exterior—which is precisely what the center’s board has in mind. They are currently preparing a capital campaign (nettiegregory.org) to raise funds for developing the exterior grounds and renovating the building’s interior so that it may once again be used as a public venue for west side Salt Lake neighborhoods and visitors from elsewhere in Utah. The vision is to make the building an anchor point for local organizations and citizens for a variety of community uses.
When we originally ran our story on Nettie Gregory (1890-1964) and the center, I never imagined I’d witness its path to renewed life commence so quickly. A month after the article, Jordan Kiyak of the Utah Division of History introduced me to Women’s History Initiative coordinator Katherine Kitterman, who had already been in talks with the Historic Preservation Office about nominating the center for the National Register. We arranged a meeting between representatives from the Division, the Preservation Office, the Nettie Gregory Center board and descendants of Nettie and William Gregory about a nomination effort. In the months that followed, state history officials worked closely with the Nettie Gregory Center board to examine the building’s condition, record oral histories and scan old photographs to build a case for the center’s nomination.
In the course of that process, I was invited to join the center’s board by president Duane Bourdeaux, a role I still hold today. This is not about me, however, except insofar as an observer who has now become a participant.
This is rather about a legacy that was developed by countless Utahns of many colors who created a space of safety and joy for the community at large. There’s still a long way to go, but this recent designation helps to bring a venerable history and a lofty future nearer to a present in need of both. CW
Crime & Comedy
Poker Face is finally back, but what else is out there in the comedy-mystery streamerverse?
BY BILL FROST comments@cityweekly.net
Way back in 2023, Peacock renewed comedy thriller Poker Face for a second season while the first season was still streaming week-to-week. Season 2 finally arrives this month, giving you some wiggle room to relive the 10-episode first season (worth it) or maybe even watch it for the first time (elongated wooorrrrth it). Either way, you’ll be hungry for another comedic mystery when it’s over. Here are a few other TV shows that fit the profile.
Poker Face (2023–Present; Peacock): Might as well start with creator/producer Rian Johnson and star Natasha Lyonne’s tribute to ’70s and ’80s detective shows, specifically Columbo (also streaming on Peacock). Charlie Cale (Lyonne) possesses the ability to spot a liar immediately, which helps her solve mysteries while cruising the country in a sweet blue 1969 Barracuda. She’s also on the run from some Very Bad People, adding an underlying tension to the comedy. Poker Face is easily Lyonne’s career best, and the Season 2 premiere on Thursday, May 8 can’t come fast enough.
Pretty Hard Cases (2021–2023; Prime Video): Baroness von Sketch Show alum Meredith MacNeill and Orange Is the New Black’s Adrienne C. Moore star as Toronto police detectives in Pretty Hard Cases, a procedural dramedy that was initially—and more perfectly—titled Lady Dicks. The three-season Canadian import follows a case-of-theweek format that allows MacNeill and Moore to shine both as competent cops and less-than-perfect off-duty women while never losing sight of the funny. If the U.S.’s genius tariffs ever apply to Canadian TV, then it’ll be time to panic.
Psych (2006–2014; Peacock, Prime Video): Before Suits, the USA Network ruled early-2000s cable with comictinged crime series like Monk, Burn Notice and the eightseason juggernaut Psych. The series centers on “psychic” Shawn (James Roday) and his business partner/BFF Gus (Dulé Hill) as they assist local police with solving cases in the criminal hotbed of … Santa Barbara, California. Over
the course of 120 episodes and four movies, Psych’s comedic batting average more than earned its rabid, pineappleobsessed fan base.
Bored to Death (2009–2011; Max, Roku Channel): Unlike Psych, HBO’s Bored to Death flew so far under the radar that most don’t believe it ever really existed: “There was a show starring Jason Schwartzman, Ted Danson and Zach Galifianakis that ran for three seasons? Get outta here.”
The series stars Schwartzman as a struggling Brooklyn writer who moonlights as an unlicensed private detective, taking on the smallest and weirdest of cases. The understated drollery of Bored to Death would probably never fly on today’s HBO, a.k.a. Bill Maher’s retirement home.
The Resort (2022; Peacock): What if The White Lotus was fun? Or at least fun-adjacent? Peacock had it in the oneseason-and-done series The Resort, even if few noticed. The eight-episode mystery-comedy stars Cristin Milioti and William Jackson Harper as a couple on vacation in the Mayan Riviera for their 10th anniversary. Their stay and their marriage are decidedly meh until they get caught up in solving the disappearance of two young lovers from the resort 15 years prior. A brief-but-engaging watch, as is
anything with Milioti (sidenote to Netflix: Give her a Black Mirror/U.S.S. Callister spinoff series already).
The Afterparty (2022–2023; Apple TV+): Christopher Miller’s exceedingly clever The Afterparty not only tells the story of a murder at a high school reunion afterparty from the viewpoints of several attendees, but also in wildly different cinematic styles. The episodes bounce from romcom to psychological thriller to action flick to even animation, propelled by a cast of comedy killers including Tiffany Haddish, Ike Barinholtz, Ilana Glazer and more. Season 2, set at a wedding, doesn’t fare quite as well, but it’s a valiant effort.
Mapleworth Murders (2020; Roku Channel): The shortform video streamer Quibi launched and folded five years ago, and we’re still discovering originals that escaped the fallout. Mapleworth Murders is a straight-up Murder, She Wrote parody starring the brilliant Paula Pell as Abigail Mapleworth, a murder-mystery novelist investigating suspicious deaths in her small town. The most impressive part of Mapleworth Murders is how it squeezes over 20 bigname comic actors into just a dozen 10-minute episodes. Quibi died so you could laugh. CW
Complete listings online at cityweekly.net
Pioneer Theatre Company: Waitress
It would be easy to focus on the tragedy that was part of Waitress’s origins—but that wouldn’t be doing the story justice. Writer/ director Adrienne Shelly was murdered before the film’s premiere in 2007, and never got a chance to see it become a beloved indie-film hit, or see it become the source for a Broadway musical in 2016. Yet it stands on its own as a delightful tale of a woman discovering that she has the ability to escape the life to which she seems destined and create her own happiness.
The narrative follows Jenna, a diner waitress and baker in the South who feels trapped in her marriage to an abusive husband, and then feels even more stuck when she discovers that she’s pregnant. But her boss believes she has the potential to win a big local pie-baking contest, with a $20,000 prize that would allow her to leave and start a new life. Things get even more complicated when Jenna falls for the town’s newly-arrived obstetrician, who is also married, and Jenna has to make even harder decisions about what she wants. With wonderful original songs by pop artist Sara Bareilles—like the beautiful first-act ballad “A Soft Place to Land”—it’s a Cinderella story that’s both funny and inspiring.
Pioneer Theatre Company presents the Utah premiere production of Waitress at the Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre (300 S. 1400 East) May 2 – 17, with performances Monday – Thursday @ 7 p.m., Friday – Saturday @ 7:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday matinee. Tickets are $57 - $88; visit pioneertheatre.org to purchase tickets and for additional event information. (Scott Renshaw)
Utah Opera: Madame Butterfly
Giacomo Puccini’s 1904 opera Madama Butterfly has become quite a problematic text in the 21st century, with its central plot—about an American sailor’s exoticized affair, and subsequent abandonment, of an Asian teenage girl who pines for him even unto her death—increasingly difficult to stomach. Yet director Matthew Ozawa saw the potential for a new vision of Madame Butterfly more in keeping with contemporary sensibilities, and a new production co-developed by Utah Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Cincinnati Opera and Detroit Opera turns the story into one where the sailor character, Pinkerton, experiences it as a virtual-reality fantasy.
According to Ozawa, in an interview with onStage Pittsburgh, development for this concept began during the 2020 COVID pandemic, with virtual reality still a somewhat nascent
technology. The idea allowed him to emphasize the idea of Pinkerton viewing Butterfly as a possession he could manipulate in any way he chose, as well as incorporating design elements to highlight certain moments of the material. “Because our setting is a video game, we introduced what we call ‘the glitch,’” Ozawa says. “Whenever Pinkerton says something particularly offensive or problematic, the game glitches. … The yellow lighting, in particular, is a reference to yellowface—a theatrical tradition where white actors wore yellow makeup to portray Asian characters. In these moments, we put everyone in yellow light, making the audience confront this legacy of misrepresentation.”
Utah Opera’s Madame Butterfly comes to the Capitol Theatre (50 W. 200 South) May 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11; showtimes vary. Tickets are $25 - $110; visit saltlakecountyarts.org to purchase tickets and for additional event information. (SR)
Pixar Putt @ Mountain View Village
It’s hard to believe it’s already been 30 years since Toy Story first came to theaters as the first-ever full-length computer-animated feature, launching a whole new era in family filmmaking. Over the subsequent three decades, the Pixar brand has become a reliable marker of quality, creating beloved franchises and characters that have brought in billions in boxoffice receipts, theme-park attendance and merchandise sales. So it’s no surprise, really, to find Pixar leaning into other family-friendly entertainment, including the touring Pixar Putt attraction that comes to Utah this summer.
This charming pop-up miniature golf opportunity features an 18-hole course themed to some of the favorite films of the Pixar catalog. You can tap your ball through the arms of The Incredibles’ threatening Omnidroid, take a tour around the world of Cars, putt through the tailpipe of the van from Onward or find a backdrop of Memory Orbs from Inside Out. Finding Nemo, Coco, Monsters Inc., WALL-E and, of course, Toy Story are also featured among the themed holes. Whether it’s a day for the whole family or a unique date night, you can try not send your golf score to infinity and beyond.
Pixar Putt swings into Mountain View Village in Riverton (13303 S. Teal Ridge Way) for a limited engagement May 2 through Labor Day weekend (Monday, Sept. 1), open 3 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. weekends through June 8, and 10 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. daily June 9 – Sept. 1. Tickets start at $25; visit pixarputt.com for reservation times and to purchase tickets. (SR)
Pixar Putt @ Mountain View Village
City Weekly’s Best Of Utah Top 10!
As most people have discovered for themselves, the ancient culinary traditions derived from Mexico produce dishes that are amazingly delicious and deliciously amazing. Thank our lucky stars, then, that we have so many Mexican restaurants so near at hand! As our readers have judged, these ten locations are standouts amidst a formidable and lengthy list. All of them are to be commended for the wonders they produce.
City Weekly’s Best Of Utah Top 10!
BEST MARGARITA
While its origin is unknown, margaritas are among the world’s most beloved cocktails. And no wonder, given its appealing mixture of orange, agave and lime flavors (among others) with the near-ubiquitous salt of the serving glass. Whether you are an experienced connoisseur or a curious newcomer, our readers have deemed these locations to be excellent byways to Margaritaville. Care to visit?
Each week, City Weekly will publish, email to our Best of Utah list and post on our socials an expanded version of our beloved Best of Utah issue. With over 400 categories to choose from, we selected our favorites to post from now til the Best of Utah issue in November. Remember, always support local!
“Out of the Blue”—commonly known as “The Whale”—rises from a roundabout at the intersection of 900 South and 1100 East.
ALL HAIL!
SLC AND THE CREATOR OF “THE WHALE” TAKE 630 VICTORY LAPS AROUND A BELOVED PUBLIC ARTWORK.
BY CHRIS JONES COMMENTS@CITYWEEKLY.NET
On a chilly, overcast morning in February, a fit man in his mid40s jogged steadily in small concentric circles, looping a roundabout in the middle of Salt Lake City’s eclectic 9th and 9th neighborhood. His gait was smooth and practiced, the stride of someone who has likely run marathons—someone familiar with the rigors of pushing through 26 grueling miles.
But on this day, he ran in tight, dizzying, .04-mile loops—630 of them, to be precise—around a fiberglass whale.
Tom Mi, founder of the Salty Star Run Club, said the image is a regular occurrence. He can’t help but laugh when he thinks of Jackson Bradshaw— the first person believed to have ever completed a full marathon around the whale sculpture, now dubbed the first official “Whale-athon.”
“It started as a joke,” Mi said. “But now it’s almost like this semi-religious cult following. Obviously, I don’t
think any of it is super serious, but people love it.”
Word spread fast, and soon others began to follow in Bradshaw’s footsteps. What began as a tonguein-cheek endurance stunt gradually turned into a badge of honor among Salt Lake City’s quirky and tight-knit running community, particularly among younger runners looking for something different and memorable.
The Whale—officially titled “Out Of The Blue”—has become a full-blown local phenomenon.
Runners gather there weekly, some wearing whale-themed shirts, others with temporary tattoos of the sculpture or faux devotional candles made in its likeness. One runner is known to bring a Bluetooth speaker and play whale songs during his laps.
And it isn’t just the running community that worships at the altar of the Whale—The Church of the Sacred Whale account on Instagram has more
than 4,500 followers and is a parody that pokes fun at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—sometimes with a light, satirical tone, and other times with more direct jabs.
On social media, the hashtag #ChurchoftheWhale has become popular for sharing not just workouts, but also moments of reflection, joy and local community.
The Whale has become more than just public art. It’s a hands-on (and feet-on) destination for joggers, jokesters and daydreamers alike. On any given day, you might find someone hanging a disco ball from its dorsal fin, snapping selfies or even lounging beside it in a chair, book in hand, soaking in the scene.
But it wasn’t always this way. Artist and creator Stephen Kesler recalls the early resistance to his quirky addition to Salt Lake City’s outdoor art.
“There was automatic pushback against it.” Kesler recalled.
Troubled Waters
It started as soon as plans for the whale were made public. At first, the concept seemed absurd. Why pay tribute to a whale in landlocked Utah, more than 600 miles from the nearest ocean? Why not honor something more regionally appropriate—like an American Bison or the California Gull?
Some residents—including a group that once decorated the roundabout with garden gnomes—objected loudly. People took to yelling from their car as Kesler worked, and at least one suggested someone should “blow up the whale.” At one point, there was talk of installing a chain-link fence to protect the sculpture.
Drive-by commentary from selfappointed art critics was common. As Kesler toiled under the midday sun, twisting 900 pounds of heavy metal tubing into what would become the
sculpture’s fabricated skeleton, he got an early taste of the backlash. One woman, zipping through the roundabout in her car, rolled down her window and shouted, “Boo! The whale sucks!”
It wasn’t a one-time outburst—the woman returned repeatedly during the weeklong installation, sometimes multiple times a day, to express her hatred. “I came to peace with it,” Kesler remarked, “realizing people are always going to find something to be unhappy about.”
Despite early criticism, Kesler felt the piece belonged in the neighborhood he’d called home for decades. Traveling west on 900 South, drivers ease down a modest hill and find themselves on a paved plateau that seems to appear “out of the blue”—a sudden change in the city’s rhythm.
Just beyond the slope lies a neighborhood known for its offbeat charm, eclectic storefronts and a community that embraces creativity and openmindedness. It’s a pocket of Salt Lake that feels both unexpected and entirely itself.
That’s the spirit the Salt Lake City Arts Council hoped to capture when they awarded the commission to Kesler. As part of the process, the council surveyed the neighborhood, asking residents not only what they envisioned for the artwork, but also how they saw their own community.
Felicia Baca, Executive Director of the Salt Lake City Arts Council, anticipated that the whale would spark conversation, invite whimsy and perhaps even stir some pushback. She was right on all counts—but what she didn’t expect was that the Whale would become a hands-on shrine to eccentricity. Its interactive nature went far beyond what she had imagined for the piece. In many ways, the community’s response to the Whale was, fittingly, out of the blue.
“We never could have predicted this kind of response,” says Baca. “I think that’s the great thing about public art. An artist may begin with a vision or intention, but in the end, it’s about how the public responds. An artist has to release their work into the public space—and they may never truly know how it will be received.”
The public’s embrace of the Whale is vindication for Kesler and the Arts Council, with the memories of angry drivers shouting from their cars replaced by the admirers like Grace Barratt, who recently met up at the sculpture with about 20 of her friends for a birthday bike ride up Emigration Canyon.
“The whale is iconic,” Barratt said. “It’s the perfect spot. Everyone loves the whale.”
Larger Than Life
Former Salt Lake County Council member Jim Bradley—an avid art collector whose wife owns a gallery at 15th and 15th and whose Avenues home is filled with original works—has long expressed his admiration for The Whale. He often imagined a companion piece on the city’s west side: the tail of a whale rising from another roundabout, echoing the front half in 9th and 9th.
In his vision, the two sculptures would create a whimsical throughline across the city, connecting neighborhoods with a shared artistic identity.
Bradley assumes the tail of the whale would stir just as much controversy as the head did when it was planned. But in his plainspoken way, he says he’d welcome it—just like the reaction to the Whale at 9th and 9th.
“Everybody who lived around that area had an opinion, something to say about it,” he said. “It seemed like it was about 50-50—maybe even a little more negative than positive. And my response to that is: that’s exactly what art is supposed to do. It’s serving its purpose. It gets people talking. And to me, that’s a serious measure of what makes something art.”
The sculpture has become one of those rare pieces of public art that people interact with and create rituals around. National examples include Chicago’s famous Cloud Gate (known as “The Bean”), where tourists and locals line up to see their reflection. Or there’s New York City’s Charging Bull and Fearless Girl, which have sparked not just tourist selfies but broad conversations about capitalism, feminism, gender representation and the evolving roles of American women in public and economic life.
During construction of The Whale, passing drivers would regularly shout insults at sculptor Stephen Kesler while he worked.
Closer to home—and on a smaller scale—there’s the bust of Abraham Lincoln on the second floor of Utah’s Capitol building. During the legislative session, lawmakers, lobbyists and tourists rub the 16th president’s nose for good luck—so often that the bronze has worn down to a shiny patina.
Downstairs, near the north entrance of the Capitol, Brigham Young’s statue gets similar treatment. Young’s outstretched hand has invited so many touches that his finger, too, gleams like polished gold.
It’s about connections to place, to memory and to each other. Art in public spaces creates shared experiences, and interacting with it gives people a sense of ownership and belonging. The tactile interaction—a rub on a nose, a lap around a sculpture—activates the senses and creates lasting impressions.
In an age when so much of life is digital and fleeting, physically engaging with art can be grounding, joyful, and even healing. When a piece of art becomes a landmark, like “Out of the Blue” has, it invites inside jokes, social rituals and stories that outlive the artist’s original intent.
“A lot of groups have kind of come up with their own stories, and storytelling of what it represents,” Baca noted, “that’s exciting to us.”
While Kesler’s whale has received both local and national attention, he continues to face the realities of life as a working artist. He’s able to pay his bills and keeps busy with other commissions, but he never expected fame or fortune.
“It’s about the art,” he says.
Many artists spend their lives creating without ever knowing if their work will connect with anyone. For Kesler, knowing that “Out of the Blue” has resonated so deeply—with runners, residents and visitors alike— is more than enough.
He often thinks about the early backlash—the bomb threats, the jeers from passersby, the woman who circled the roundabout daily to shout her disapproval. And yet, today, that same sculpture is embraced as a symbol of joy, creativity and community.
“Maybe my ultimate—not revenge, but payback— is they have to live with this colorful whale next to them,” he said with a smile. CW
Runners attempt a “Whale-athon,” or 26.2 miles of laps around “Out of the Blue.”
May Special Screenings
Blumhouse “Halfway to Halloween,” Frederick Wiseman documentaries, Keaton’s The General, Monty Python and the Holy Grail and more screen for the spring.
BY SCOTT RENSHAW scottr@cityweekly.net @scottrenshaw
B
lumhouse “Halfway to Halloween”: Lovers of horror films get to immerse themselves in those fright features every October, but as box-office receipts show, scary movies are popular in theaters year-round. Many recent hits have emerged from the Blumhouse production banner, and after a successful launch in 2024, “Halfway to Halloween” returns to bring some Blumhouse favorites back to big screens this spring. The three-week event launches with the creepy-A.I. toy thriller Megan on April 30 ahead of the sequel’s release later this year, then continues on subsequent Wednesdays with the haunted doll tale Annabelle (May 7), and Octavia Spencer as a creepy woman befriending neighborhood teens in Ma (May 14). For showtimes and participating Cinemark and AMC theater locations, visit the event website at halfwaytohalloweentickets.com
“Right Person, Wrong Time” Films @ Salt Lake Film Society: Shakespeare may have coined the phrase “star-cross’d lovers” for Romeo and Juliet, but the concept of love stories about people separated by history, bad timing or other unpredictable factors has fueled many wonderful movies. This month at the Broadway Centre Cinemas (111 E. 300 South), you can experience many of these ill-fated romances every weekend. Scheduled titles include: La La Land (2016) and Moonlight (2016), 5/2 & 5/3; Blue Valentine (2010) and (500) Days of Summer (2009), 5/9 & 5/10; Before Sunrise (1995) and Titanic (1997), 5/16 & 5/17; Juno (2007) and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004), 5/23 & 5/24: Lost in Translation (2003) and Little Women (2019), 5/30 & 5/31. Check website for showtimes, still TBD at press time. slfs.org
Monty Python and the Holy Grail 50th anniversary @ Megaplex Theatres: While the six-man British comedy troupe known as Monty Python has become legendary over time, studios weren’t exactly fighting each other to finance a period-accurate telling of the King Arthur legend made by first-time directors who had only previously created short absurdist sketches. Thanks to the support of rock legends like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and Jethro Tull, however, the Pythons scraped together the necessary funds— and thus we have the now-classic anarchic comedy that gave us the Knights Who Say “Ni,” taunting French soldiers, a persistent but increasingly limbless Black Knight and, eventually, the hit musical Spamalot. Celebrate the 50th anniversary of Monty Python and the Holy Grail at Megaplex Theatres locations on Sunday, May 4 and Wednesday, May 7; check the website for participating theaters and showtimes. megaplextheatres.com
Frederick Wiseman mini-festival @ Salt Lake Film Society: For nearly 60 years, Frederick Wiseman has set a standard for epic fly-on-the-wall documentaries, digging deeply into the people who make institutions work. This month at the Broadway Centre Cinemas (111 E. 300 South), you can get a rare local opportunity to see some of Wiseman’s major works on the big screen in restored versions. Currently scheduled titles, beginning May 18: High School (1968), set at Philadelphia’s Northeast High School; Ballet (1995), a profile of New York’s American Ballet Theatre; National Gallery (2014), examining the inner workings of the famed London museum; and Ex Libris (2017), set in the world of the New York Public Library. Check website for showtimes, still TBD at press time. slfs.org
Buster Keaton’s The General @ Peery’s Egyptian Theater: There are plenty of competitors for the title of “Greatest American Silent Film”—and if you chose Buster Keaton’s 1926 masterpiece The General, you wouldn’t get a lot of argument. Sure, it’s not ideal in this moment that Keaton plays a would-be Confederate soldier, but it’s a magnificent example of his clockwork action choreography. And to think that it was considered lost for many years, until a print was discovered in Keaton’s one-time residence by its new owner, actor James Mason. Enjoy this masterpiece with live Wurlitzer organ accompaniment at Peery’s Egyptian Theater in Ogden (2415 Washington Blvd.) on Tuesday, May 20 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 general admission, with the house doors opening at 6:30 p.m. ogdenpet.com CW
Team Effort
Urban Hill and Post Office Place join forces for some truly transcendent results.
BY ALEX SPRINGER comments@cityweekly.net @captainspringer
While there is some pretty fierce competition among our local chefs, it’s all driven by a deep, mutual respect for one another. Sometimes you get lucky enough to see that respect first hand, and it’s something that the Urban Hill Chef Series (urban-hill.com) will be showcasing this spring. These events will feature a chef collaboration between Urban Hill Executive Chef Nick Zocco and another local powerhouse in the restaurant scene, and I got a chance to attend the restaurant’s kickoff event this month. It was an evening that saw Chef Zocco join forces with Chef Brendan Kawakami, the Executive Chef at Post Office Place (popslc. com). It’s a rare thing to see in the wild, but there’s nothing quite as inspiring as seeing two hardcore culinary talents put their heads together.
Fans of our local restaurant scene should no doubt be familiar with both restaurants. Chef Zocco of Urban hill was a James Beard Award finalist in 2024 and a semifinalist this year. His work with Urban Hill has become widely lauded by locavores as some of the best our state has ever seen. Under the leadership of Chef Kawakami, Post Office Place was a James Beard semifinalist in 2023 and has continued to create an innovative and singular experience for its visitors. The chefs were joined by beverage manager and sommelier Katie Forstner
pastry chef Jane Bayle, both from Urban Hill. With talent like this helming our own personal dinner party within Urban Hill’s sleek dining space, it was definitely an evening to remember.
I got there a bit earlier than anticipated, which gave me some time to peruse the menu while having a pre-game cocktail at the bar. It’s a six-course affair that comes with an optional wine pairing. If you’re planning on going to one of these events, however, there should be nothing optional about taking advantage of Forstner’s expert-level wine curation. Each course represents an interesting contrast between the two chefs, and I thought that was best demonstrated with course number one.
It was a gem-like scallop aguachile topped with gorgeous slivers of mango, kumquot and jalapeño, which was paired with a rich lamb tartare and a bit of adobo. Both dishes succeeded handily in waking up the palate–the scallops had a luscious texture, and the sharp notes of citrus and capsaicin do wonders on the tongue. The lamb tartare was texturally similar, but where the scallops were light and breezy, the lamb was deep and unctuous. It was a great way to kickstart the evening.
Up next was the white asparagus and mushrooms, which seemed to be the best representation of Chef Kawakami’s aesthetic. The centerpiece of this dish was a silky sixty-degree egg served in an impossibly complex smoked dashi broth. It had strong ramen vibes, and that sous vide egg was melt-in-your-mouth fantastic. It was sprinkled with some crunchy wasabi popcorn to contrast with all that ethereal silkiness. Flavor-wise, this dish was packed with enough complexity to be interesting without upstaging its subsequent courses. It was course three that ran the risk of completely stealing the show. It was composed of two croquetas made with sweet
crabmeat. These were lovely–golden-brown crispness on the outside and a smooth crab cake texture on the inside. When you slid a bite through the muhammara, saffron aioli and lemon chimichurri, you got a lightning bolt of acid that you could feel in your knees. This was also paired with my favorite wine of the evening–the 2022 Maturana “Naranjo” Torontel from Maule Valley in Chile. Absolutely decadent.
The fourth course was a duck roulade on top of a farro risotto which digs deep into an autumnal flavor profile that was punctuated by figs and cherries. The farro risotto was an absolute bombshell–it’s a bold move making a risotto with farro, but the texture was absolutely perfect. This was a good set up for the final savory course of the evening, which was a bavette steak topped with a bone marrow bearnaise and served with coal-roasted celeriac. The highlight here was that bearnaise–bone marrow was meant to be turned into a steak condiment, and these layers of savory flavors are exactly why.
The dessert course really ended things with a bang, which I think is rare for cheffocused events like this. Pastry chef Jane Bayle really swung for the fences with her strawberry Charlotte, which was a vanilla sponge cake layered with strawberry mousse and topped with vanilla chantilly. This was a dish that absolutely screamed springtime with fresh strawberries at the forefront and a velvety texture to finish.
I’ll always be enamored with Urban Hill and Post Office Place individually–both restaurants are doing great things for Downtown Salt Lake. Getting the chance to taste a curated menu from Chefs Zocco and Kawakami was truly a convergence of great culinary minds, and I can’t wait to see what future collaborations will be serving up. CW
and
peekytoe
Duck roulade on farro risotto
2 Row Brewing
73 West 7200 South, Midvale
2RowBrewing.com
On Tap: Piney Peaks “West Coast IPA”
Avenues Proper
376 8th Ave, SLC
avenuesproper.com
On Tap: Steamy Wonder Rye Steam Ale
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, German Pale Ale, On Tap: Munich ‘Dunkel’, California ‘Steam’ Lager
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: Playground #13 - Hazy Pale with Lemondrop and Sultana
Craft by Proper 1053 E. 2100 So., SLC properbrewingco.com
On Tap: Steamy Wonder Rye Steam Ale
Desert Edge Brewery
273 Trolley Square, SLC DesertEdgeBrewery.com
On Tap: High Pressure Haze, Hazy Pale Ale
Epic Brewing Co. 825 S. State, SLC EpicBrewing.com
On Tap: 2024 Big Bad Baptist Imperial Stouts
Etta Place Cidery
700 W Main St, Torrey www.ettaplacecider.com
On Tap: Wassail Cider, Pineapple
A list of what local craft breweries and cider houses have on tap this week
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
On Tap: Cask Nitro CO2
Helper Beer
159 N Main Street, Helper, UT helperbeer.com
Hopkins Brewing Co. 1048 E. 2100 South, SLC HopkinsBrewingCompany.com
On Tap: Altbier
Kiitos Brewing
608 W. 700 South, SLC KiitosBrewing.com
Now with a full bar license & draft beer cocktails!
On Tap: Fonio - 100% gluten free beer; Schwarzbier
Level Crossing Brewing Co.
2496 S. West Temple, S. Salt Lake LevelCrossingBrewing.com
On Tap: El Santo Mexican Lager
Level Crossing Brewing Co.,
550 South 300 West, # 100, SLC LevelCrossingBrewing.com
On Tap: Fruit Bat Sour Ale
Moab Brewing
686 S. Main, Moab TheMoabBrewery.com
On Tap: Arnie (Co-Lab with 2 Row brewing): cream ale base with Lychee black tea and fresh pasteurized lemon juice.
Mountain West Cider
425 N. 400 West, SLC MountainWestCider.com
On Tap: Lavricot Bloom
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: ALES for ALS - 5.0% hazy pale
Policy Kings Brewery 223 N. 100 West, Cedar City PolicyKingsBrewery.com
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
On Tap: Steamy Wonder Rye Steam Ale
Proper Brewing Moab 1393 US-191, Moab properbrewingco.com
On Tap: Blizzard Wizard Hazy Pale Ale
Red Rock Brewing 254 So. 200 West RedRockBrewing.com
On Tap: Gypsy Scratch
Red Rock Fashion Place 6227 So. State Redrockbrewing.com
On Tap: Munich Dunkel
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: Anniversary Releases, Above the Clouds Hazy IPA, The Great 8 OenoBeer
Roosters Brewing Multiple Locations RoostersBrewingCo.com
On Tap: EL Doce Mexican Lager
SaltFire Brewing 2199 S. West Temple, South Salt Lake
SaltFireBrewing.com
On Tap: Where my Peeps at?Marshmallow Porter on draft
Salt Flats Brewing
2020 Industrial Circle, SLC SaltFlatsBeer.com
On Tap: FOG LIGHT - JUICY IPA
Scion Cider Bar 916 Jefferson St W, SLC Scionciderbar.com
On Tap: 2 Towns Cider - Bad Apple Imperial Cider - 10.5%
ABV
Second Summit Cider 4010 So. Main, Millcreek https://secondsummitcider. com
On Tap: Pear Taragon Pink Peppercorn 6.5%
Shades Brewing 154 W. Utopia Ave, South Salt Lake ShadesBrewing.beer
On Tap: Fresh Hop IPA (with homegrown local hops)
Shades On State
366 S. State Street SLC Shadesonstate.com
On Tap: Six Wheat Under Hefeweizen; Black Cloud Lager
Silver Reef
4391 S. Enterprise Drive, St. George SGBev.com
Squatters Corner Pub –Valley Fair
3555 Constitution Blvd, West Valley City squatterscornerpub.com
On Tap: Salt Lake Brewing Co. Acapulco Gold Mexican Lager
Squatters Pub Brewery / Salt Lake Brewing Co. 147 W. Broadway, SLC saltlakebrewingco.com/ squatters
On Tap: Salt Lake Brewing Co. Dog Lake American Pale Ale
Squatters and Wasatch Brewery 1763 So 300 West SLC UT 84115 Utahbeers.com
On Tap: 20 beers with 12 rotating small batch releases: Black Tea English Porter, Hazelnut Brown Ale, and more! Small Batch Series Release: Back Abbey Double Belgian Ale
Strap Tank Brewery, Lehi 3661 Outlet Pkwy, Lehi, UT StrapTankBrewery.com
On Tap: “Blood For Ra” American Sour with Tart Cherry and Vanilla; “Pineapple Haze” Hazy IPA with Pineapple
Strap Tank Brewery, Springville
596 S 1750 W, Springville, UT StrapTankBrewery.com
On Tap: “Orange Hopsicle” Hazy Pale; “Trouble” American Sour with Mango and Passionfruit
TF Brewing 936 S. 300 West, SLC TFBrewing.com
On Tap: Strata Fresh Hop Pale Ale
Talisman Brewing Co. 1258 Gibson Ave, Ogden TalismanBrewingCo.com
BEER NERD
Comings and Goings
We celebrate one brewery’s success even as we say goodbye to another.
BY MIKE RIEDEL comments@cityweekly.net @utahbeer
Wasatch/Squatters - Tropically UnCommon: This is a bittersweet review, as this beer is likely the last new offering to come out of the Wasatch and Squatters brewery in Salt Lake City. Monster Beverages—owners of Wasatch Squatters—announced earlier this April that, as of May 23, 2025, all operations in SLC will cease (including the pub), as owners they opted to not renew their lease on the long-standing brewery. You will still find Wasatch and Squatters beers in our market, but they will be made in other cities. So I invite you to stop into the brewery at 1763 S. 300 West, say “hi” to the staff and enjoy a few pints from this historical brewery. It pours a brilliantly clear straw color with a perfect white head topping it off. A muted nose of tangerine juice, stone fruit, and grain were all present, without anything in particular standing out.
Passionfruit juice, mango, papaya, citrus juice, and grass came in once I took sips of this, but all of these were in perfect balance with everything else. Mild oats, subdued but persistent hops and honeydew all combined for a wonderfully balanced 5.0 percent mouthfeel that had just a bit of grass rounding it out.
Verdict: This seems more reminiscent of something from the left coast; it’s balanced without brashness, and called for another round once it was gone. The bitterness was subdued, and there was just enough carbonation to keep this light at the same time, leaving me to wish that I had traded out for more of this. A wonderful and appropriately-named beer
from the use of California Common yeast, this left a damn good first impression. Like any good beer, it had me wanting more once I finished it off.
RoHa - Above the Clouds: This India Pale Ale was brewed to celebrate the RoHa Brewing Project’s 8th Anniversary. It pours a hazy, golden orange with a one-finger head of white that features good retention and lacing. Aromas of mild caramel and pale malt, citrus and dank hops, orange, grapefruit and cantaloupe emerged.
The flavor is pale malt, citrus hops, grapefruit, green melon, lemon and hints of pine, though the citrus aspect of the hops definitely pushes forward more than the other flavors. The hopping is aggressive, but with few of the tropical notes I’d expect from a NEIPA that looks like this. The malt is spot-on pale ale, but the hops are the stars here.
Fortunately for me, this has a very reasonable hop bitterness—especially in the finish—that kept my interest. The hop blend is pleasant, with plenty of Cryo Citra, but additional mixed fruit and melon from the Mosaic. There was quite a bit of dankness to the aroma, but less so in the taste. The result is a nicely made India Pale Ale that is hop-forward and bitter enough not to taste like stale fruit juice after half a glass, which is the downfall of most hazy ales. A satisfying 7.5 percent ABV finish with resinous citrus rind and pine bitterness, mediumbodied with light creaminess.
Verdict: If this is RoHa’s new approach to hoppy beers, I’m all in. Whether it’s enormous dry hopping or the use of new hop technology, it helps create a final product that is highly aromatic and flavorful, remarkably juicy and clean, insanely drinkable and contains practically zero bitterness.
Above the Clouds IPA is available at RoHa in 16-oz. cans, and is around until it ain’t. May 23rd is Wasatch/Squatters’ last day of operations, so there’s still plenty of time to stop by and reminisce over a pint or two of Tropically UnCommon (draft only).
As always, cheers! CW
BACK BURNER
BY ALEX SPRINGER | @captainspringer
NHMU Food Festival 2025
The Natural History Museum of Utah (nhmu.utah.edu) will be hosting its annual Utah Food Festival this weekend. Museum admission will grant you access to samples and vendors who are proffering local flavors that speak to the rich culinary history of the Mountain West. Not only is this a great way to see what’s new and tasty with our state’s regional cuisine, but amateur chefs and culinary hobbyists alike will want to check out some of the festival’s professional workshops. The Utah Food Festival will take place on May 3 and 4 during regular museum hours and workshops require additional fees and registration.
2025 Queer Food Festival
Speaking of food festivals, the Utah LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce (utahlgbtqchamber.org) will be hosting the 2025 Queer Food Festival next week. The festival is a celebration of all the great work our LGBTQ+ eateries have done for our restaurant scene and the contributions that our ally-owned restaurants have made toward continuing diversity and representation in Utah. The festival will feature plenty of great food from local eateries and plenty of great cocktails and spirits from local breweries and distilleries. It’s all happening on May 9 at the Mountain West Cider Garten (425 N 400 West) from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Hruska’s Kolaches Eyes New Location
The space on 1751 S. 1100 East that used to belong to Brownies! Brownies! Brownies! has been tapped by the Hruska family as another location for Hruska’s Kolaches (hruskaskolaches.com). Hruska’s opened its first store in Utah County and has since grown its brand to Sugar House, West Jordan, American Fork and an Orem location which just celebrated its grand opening. The bakery has been featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives and has quickly become a local favorite for savory and sweet kolaches. The 1100 East space has seen its share of bakeries come and go, and its current skeletal state implies some serious renovation before the ovens are fired up.
Quote of the Week: “Our responsibility is not only to cook good food, but to source and use practices to secure food for generations to come.” –Deborah VanTrece
“This is a genuine rare find. The food is excellent. The atmosphere is perfect for a small group or date night. The wait staff are friendly and attentive in the style of a community family. Many people there are clearly regular customers who interact with the wait staff like they’re old friends. This place is on my very short list for Salt Lake City!”
- Spencer
“Wow! I’m well traveled in the Middle East, and Mazza was perfectly designed to give you the experience of going abroad to the Levant. The restaurant has a traditional vibe, appropriate decorations, and a family owned feel. The professionalism and cleanliness and flavors were noteworthy. Extremely pleased. “
-Mariyah
Another Music Mailbag April ‘25
Riley H-P, Electric Outlaws and even more indie April releases.
BY EMILEE ATKINSON eatkinson@cityweekly.net @emileelovesvinyl
Iknow we already gave you one of these for the month of April, but the new music is rolling in faster than I can keep up with. Here are even more new local releases you’ll want to get your hands on.
Riley H-P, i gave up on imagination: Many of us probably remember that point in life when using one’s imagination became a little tougher. You stopped playing with toys, the stories you made up in your head were no longer as vivid. I remember it almost like a switch being flipped—suddenly playing with Barbies just wasn’t fun anymore. Local singer/songwriter Riley H-P explores these feelings on his new EP i gave up on imagination. “As a kid, imagination came easy—entire worlds built in seconds, colors brighter, everything bigger,” he says of the EP. “But growing up, it fades. It gets taken from us, or maybe it just gets harder to reach. Life flattens out, and suddenly, the impossible doesn’t seem possible anymore.” This EP is Riley chasing that feeling and trying to get it back, as elusive as it is. The alt/pop you’ll find on this collection of songs is both upbeat and slow; amusing and melancholy; thought-provoking but easy to get lost in. If you’ve felt that pull to get some of that childlike wonder back in your life, this music will speak to you.
Electric Outlaws, Brain Eating Amoeba: Brand-new band Electric Outlaws are hit-
ting the ground running with their first release being a full-length album. Brain Eating Amoeba is a delightful mixture of ‘80s-inspired electronic sound with a modern sensibility. While the subject matter here isn’t as serious as your Depeche Modes or New Orders, its whacky and otherworldly lyrics will make for an insanely fun night. “It lies in wait / It needs a home / There the bug will roam / Boys took the risk / That soak did serve / Bad bug did penetrate / The olfactory nerve,” they sing on “BEA.” These lyrics and singing style give off “Monster Mash” vibes, and would be so fun to have on at a party. Also, these lyrics are definitely giving Baldur’s Gate III vibes (shout out to the gamers). If you’re needing top-notch electronic sound with some fun and whacky themes, check out Brain Eating Amoeba.
The/Theys, Corduroy Fantasy: You don’t see too many improv bands around, so when you find one, you gotta jump on that train. Psychedelic/ soul/funk/jazz/rock group The/Theys is a group that’s bonded over their shared love of music, fueling their creative process, resulting in a unique and authentic style. As we get closer to May, we get closer to The/They’s debut album release—Corduroy Fantasy is a live album featuring improvised jams from 2023, according to the band’s website. “No talk of what key we were in, what genre we were about to play, what ‘vibe’ to look for,” they said. “Just start playing and see what happens. We would hit record, and play. That’s been our motto for a long time and it’s led us down some interesting paths and opened up a lot of opportunities having a ‘no one knows’ mentality about the whole process.” Watching/listening to jam bands come up with something on the fly is insane, awesome and incredibly entertain-
MUSIC
ing. The/Theys do a great job of coming together and mixing the aforementioned genres into something uniquely theirs. If you want to listen to a jam band create some awesome musical fusion, check out Corduroy Fantasy when it drops this Friday, May 2.
Sean Marshall, “Begging For a Change”: Summer is a great time to get out and catch your favorite locals at festivals. Singer/ songwriter Sean Marshall was born and raised outside of New York and has lived at the Jersey Shore, in the Midwest and now hangs out with us here in SLC. His sound is a delightful blend of classic folk, indie rock and country. His catalog is full of cozy and contemplative songs to comfort and soothe you. His new single “Begging For a Change” offers much of the same,
with a tinge of sadness this time around. This track is all about that relationship that isn’t quite working, but there’s still a hope that it can. Marshall’s lulling voice will pull you in, and the beautiful acoustic instrumentation, with a slide guitar that fades in and out, will immerse you in the folk/country vibes Marshall excels at delivering. “Begging For a Change” comes out this Friday, May 2, and you’ll be able to hear it live for yourself at the Utah Arts Festival this June in SLC. There will be tons of great local talent there, so don’t skip out on the festival as a whole, and definitely stop by to see Marshall while you’re there.
We’re creeping up on the halfway mark of 2025, and there’s been so much incredible local music released. It will be exciting to see what the rest of the year has in store for the local scene. CW
BEST BAR IN UTAH!
GREAT FOOD
MUSIC PICK S
Silversun Pickups @ The Union 5/1
Silversun Pickups have never been a band that lends itself to typecasting or instant identification. And indeed, throughout their career, their music has never dispelled that notion whatsoever. The California-based quartet continue to mine the same disparate sonic textures that have distinguished them since early on. After 25 years of collectively making music, their sonic sensibilities remain fueled by a combination of angst and anxiety, while also soaring on the strength of persistent propulsion, a sound that lends itself well to the band’s edgy disposition. It isn’t exactly easy listening, but they still manage to maintain a steady stride within the mesh of atmospheric indulgence, unsettled emotions and anthemic ambition. Granted, their general awareness, at least as far as the mainstream’s concerned, finds them well below the radar, but given the combination of melody and mayhem, they might easily be compared to such formidable forebears as the Foo Fighters, Sugar, the Psychedelic Furs, My Bloody Valentine, Buzzcocks, Smashing Pumpkins and Hüsker Dü. Shoegaze, electronic and relentless rock and roll have all found a place in their various albums, but the driving delivery always keeps the interest intact. So while songs such as “Kissing Families,” “Lazy Eye,” “Well Thought Out Twinkles,” “Substitution” and “The Royal We” tend to teeter between exuberance and uncertainty, the surprise and suspense somehow manage to coexist. Silversun Pickups perform at The Union on Thursday, May 1 at 8 p.m. Tickets are GA (standing room only) and cost $35 plus fees. Go to ticketmaster.com. (Lee Zimmerman)
SHOWS
MUSIC PICK S
Rinaly, Memory Loss @ Plumhouse 5/3
This weekend show at Plumhouse will take you on an international adventure! Electronic Continuum is bringing in Rinaly, the top trance DJ in Japan and Memory Loss, one of the top progressive and trance DJs in Canada. With two stages at Plumhouse (one main warehouse with bathrooms!) and a longer warehouse across the courtyard, each will have a mix of trance and techno. For trance fans, Rinaly’s love-filled music has emotional depth and textured sound that focuses on the uplifting side of the genre, so you will be sure to have a positive experience. Hailing from Tokyo, Rinaly has performed in every corner of Asia including EDC Japan and China, Ultra Japan and Lanna Sky Festival in Thailand. “Rinaly is on a mission to empower female producers globally and let them know her truth – that the sky truly is the limit,” her website bio reads. She will share the headlining spot with Memory Loss, who is on the quick come up! Her top original tracks like “Kizuna,” “Maybe Tomorrow” and “Stratosphere” are all examples of her uplifting music and show the complementary styles between the two headliners. This show takes place Saturday, May 3 at Plumhouse. Doors open at 11 p.m. for this 21+ show and will go into the early, early morning of Sunday, May 4. Supporting local artists include: Bless, Bluntbros, Brayan Zephyr, Buma, Floki, Lildino back-to-back with ZZenosaur, Massofbeats, Naylixa and Techninja. Tickets cost $20. Go to electroniccontinuum.ticketsauce.com. (Arica Roberts)
MUSIC PICK S
Cansisco, Flowerhouse, Dogpaw @ 5/4
SLC’s Cansisco writes songs “for your ‘what are we?’ moments,” according to their Instagram. There’s no shortage of needs for these kinds of themes, unfortunately. Cansisco’s specific brand of “what are we?” is dreamy and hard to stop listening to. Their indie/dream pop beats are upbeat and energetic, with tons of fun effects and reverby guitar that all come together to form musical nirvana. Their most popular track “Tulips,” starts out with a quiet effect that almost sounds like you’re walking around in a grocery store, before blooming to full volume with the aforementioned effects and guitar. There’s also groovy bass in this one that’s pulled to the front, offering a great balance to the other higher-pitched sound. Joining Cansisco is Flowerhouse, coming up to visit from sunny St. George. This indie rock band brings intricate instrumentation, epic sax and meaningful lyrics, all coming together to make the best kind of musical stew. Dogpaw is also joining the party, bringing their unmatched energy, always ready to rock. This show is going to be off the hook, come out and jam to finish out your weekend on Sunday, May 4 at 7 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages show are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. Grab tickets at 24tix.com. (Emilee Atkinson)
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit @
Sandy Amphitheater 5/5-6
Jason Isbell is an American treasure. At age 46 he has long since established himself as one of music’s most incisive and heartfelt lyricists, with forthright and heartfelt words forming the core of his original songcraft. Isbell first came to public notice as a member of Drive-By Truckers, playing with that group from 2001-07 where he participated in making three of the band’s celebrated albums. After leaving that band, Isbell formed the 400 Unit, while maintaining a concurrent solo career. His 2013 album Southeastern has been acclaimed by Rolling Stone as one of the greatest albums of all time, performing as a commercial success as well. Isbell has won six
Grammy Awards, nine Americana Music Awards and was named the Country Music Hall of Fame’s 2017 Artist in Residence. His music truly transcends genre: while rooted in country and Americana styles, Isbell has a rocker’s sensibility and rock-star status in the entertainment world. An outspoken and articulate soul, Isbell is passionate and vocal about the causes he supports, but music remains his primary vehicle. Jason Isbell appears with his full band on Monday, May 5 and Tuesday, May 6 at the Sandy City Amphitheater; tickets are $79.50 and available at ticketmaster.com. (Bill Kopp)
Buzzcocks @ Metro Music Hall 5/6
It’s difficult to imagine now just how revolutionary Spiral Scratch was in ‘76 now that everything is marketed as such, so nothing really is. The EP sounds just as brilliant today as it did all those years ago. What’s more important is that the four songs are all original diamonds and the band played them like virtuosos. I considered the “First take, no overdubs” notes as declarations of the band’s professionalism and skill, not the opposite. Due to being that magical combination of the right place at the right time, it proved to be a catalyst for The Buzzcocks. And, the newer stuff is still angry and exciting. “I take the elements of what people know from The Buzzcocks and the sound of the other records, and I try to move on a bit,” vocalist/ guitarist Steve Diggle told RNZ. “The wheels are back on the wagon with the band and have been. The band’s on fire now!” I defy anyone to say that they don’t like “I Don’t Mind.” This song encapsulates teenage misery in a perfect way in three odd minutes; I will never not love it. Seriously, if you haven’t checked out their back catalog it’s amazing. Their singles all stand as absolute classics, whether it is the one-note guitar solo of “Boredom” or Diggle’s hoarse shouting on “Harmony in My Head.” Treasure them live while you can. Strawberry Fuzz opens. Catch them at Metro Music Hall on Tuesday, May 6. Doors at 7 p.m. Tickets for the 21+ show are $30 at 24tix.com. (Mark Dago)
free will ASTROLOGY
BY ROB BREZSNY
ARIES (March 21-April 19)
To create microgardens, you plant vegetables and herbs in small containers placed on your porch, balcony, window sills and kitchen counter. Lettuce, peas, spinach and basil might be among your small bounties. I encourage you to use this practice as a main metaphor in the coming weeks. In other words, gravitate away from huge, expansive visions, and instead work creatively within existing constraints. For now, at least, “less is more” should be your operative motto. Meditate on how apparent limitations might lead to inviting innovations. Seek out abundance in unlikely places.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20)
Taurus author Nellie Bly (1864–1922) was known for being a daring trailblazer. It was almost impossible for a woman to work as a journalist in the 19th century, but Bly did it anyway. One of her sensational groundbreaking stories came when she did an undercover assignment in New York’s Women’s Lunatic Asylum. Her reporting on the neglect and brutality she witnessed there prompted major reforms. I nominate Bly as your role model for the foreseeable future. You are, I believe, poised for epic, even heroic adventures, in service to a greater good. (PS: Bly also made a solo trip around the world and wrote 15 books.)
GEMINI
(May 21-June 20)
Gemini painter Henri Rousseau (1844–1910) never saw a jungle in person. In fact, he never left his native country of France. But he painted some of modern art’s most vivid jungle scenes. How did that happen? Well, he visited zoos and botanical gardens, perused images of tropical forests in books, and heard stories from soldiers who had visited jungles abroad. But mostly, he had a flourishing imagination that he treated with reverent respect. I urge you to follow his lead, Gemini. Through the joyful, extravagant power of your imagination, get the inspiration and education you need. The next three weeks will be prime time to do so.
CANCER (June 21-July 22)
No, ruby-throated hummingbirds don’t hitch rides on airplanes or the backs of geese. They make their epic migrations completely under their own power. To get to their wintering grounds, many fly alone from the southern United States to the Yucatan Peninsula, crossing the 500-mile expanse of the Gulf of Mexico in 20 hours. I don’t recommend you attempt heroic feats like theirs in the coming weeks, Cancerian. More than usual, you need and deserve to call on support and help. Don’t be shy about getting the exact boosts you require. It’s time to harvest the favors you are owed and to be specific in articulating your wishes.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)
The golden pheasant is a dazzling bird. Among the bright colors that appear in its plumage are gold, red, orange, yellow, blue, black, green, cinnamon and chestnut. In accordance with astrological omens, I name this charismatic bird to be your spirit creature for the coming weeks. Feel free to embrace your inner golden pheasant and express it vividly wherever you go. This is a perfect time to boldly showcase your beauty and magnificence, even as you fully display your talents and assets. I brazenly predict that your enthusiastic expression of self-love will be a good influence on almost everyone you encounter.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
Virgo poet and visual artist Dorothea Tanning (1910–2012) had a few mottoes that endlessly nurtured her abundant creative output. Here’s one: “Keep your eye on your inner world and keep away from ads, idiots and movie stars.” As excellent as that advice is, it’s a challenge to follow it all the time. If we want to function effectively, we can’t always be focused on our inner worlds. However, I do believe you are now in a phase when you’re wise to heed her counsel more than usual. Your soul’s depths have a lot to teach you. Your deep intuition is full of useful revelations. Don’t get distracted from them by listening too much to ads, idiots and celebrities.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is essential for the functioning of your body and every other animal’s. It carries instructions about how to build proteins, and your cells are full of it. We humans can’t edit this magic substance, but octopuses can. They do it on the fly, enabling them to adapt quickly to changing environmental conditions. Even though you Libras can’t match their amazing power with RNA, you do have a substantial capacity to rewrite your plans and adjust your mindset. And this talent of yours will be especially available to you in the coming weeks. Your flexibility and adaptability will not only help you navigate surprises but may also open up exciting new opportunities.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
Is there a sanctuary you can retreat to? A relaxing oasis where you can slip away from the world’s colorful madness? I would love for you to be bold enough to seek the precise healing you need. You have every right to escape the rotting status quo and give yourself full permission to hide from pressure, demands and expectations. Is there music that brings you deep consolation? Are there books and teachers that activate your profound soul wisdom? Keep that good stuff nearby. It’s time for focused relief and regeneration.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
The chemical element known as arsenic is notoriously toxic for humans, but has long been useful in small amounts. Ancient Chinese metallurgists discovered that blending it with copper and tin made the finest, strongest bronze. In modern times, arsenic fortifies the lead in car batteries. People in the 19th century sometimes ingested tiny doses as a stimulant. In this spirit, Sagittarius, I invite you to transform potentially challenging elements in your life into sources of strength. Can you find ways to incorporate iffy factors instead of eliminating them? I assure you that you have the power to recognize value in things others may neglect or reject.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
Renowned Capricorn author Henry Miller (1891–1980) had to wait far too long before getting readers in his home country, the United States. American censors regarded his explosive texts as too racy and sexy. They forbade the publication of his books until he was 69 years old! His spirit was forever resolute and uncrushable, though. In accordance with astrological omens, Capricorn, I recommend you adopt his counsel on the subject of wonders and marvels. Miller wrote, “The miracle is that the honey is always there, right under your nose, only you were too busy searching elsewhere to realize it.” Here’s another gem from Miller: He advised us “to make the miracle more and more miraculous, to swear allegiance to nothing, but live only miraculously, think only miraculously, die miraculously.”
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
For now, everything depends on your foundation, your roots and your support system. If I were you, I would devote myself to nurturing them. Please note that you’re not in any jeopardy. I don’t foresee strains or tremors. But your graduation to your next set of interesting challenges will require you to be snugly stable, secure and steady. This is one time when being thoroughly ensconced in your comfort zone is a beautiful asset, not a detriment to be transcended.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)
The coming weeks are going to be a favorable time for you to build symbolic bridges. I hope you will link resources that aren’t yet linked. I hope you will work to connect people whose merger would help you, and I hope you will begin planning to move from where you are now to the next chapter of your life. I advise you to not model your metaphorical bridges after modern steel suspension bridges, though. Instead, be inspired by the flexible, natural and intimate bridges made by the ancient Incas. Woven from ichu grass via community efforts, they were strong enough to span rivers and canyons in the Andes mountains.
Go to realastrology.com for Rob Brezsny’s expanded weekly audio horoscopes and daily text-message horoscopes. Audio horoscopes also available by phone at 877-873-4888 or 900-950-7700.
urban LIVING
Rollin’ Rollin’
Last week, I wrote about the capital gains taxes that are applied when selling a personal residence. There’s an IRS rule stating that if you have lived in a property for two out of the last five years, you can get a $250,000 deduction off the sale profits if you’re single, or $500,000 if you’re married.
CROSSWORD PUZZLE
ACROSS
1. Prepare potatoes
5. Con game
9. Brainy org.
14. Say it again
15. Ballet bend
16. Movie excerpts
17. Not-quite-Olympic sport that takes forever to go downhill?
19. Bean eaten as “nibs”
20. Former “Bake-Off” cohost Perkins who’s somehow presenting “Chess Masters: The Endgame”
21. Hosp. workers
22. Absorbed the entirety of
This isn’t a once-in-a-lifetime thing—taxpayers can claim this deduction every two years. Many folks who haven’t sold in decades still think there is a one-time deduction of capital gains for those over 55. But that law went out in 1997 under Bill Clinton’s administration. There are other factors for whether you owe capital gains taxes or not, such as income and “boot,” so I recommend talking to a CPA before filing or amending your return.
But what happens when you sell an investment/rental property?
A 1031 tax exchange—often called a “like-kind exchange”—is a provision in the Internal Revenue Code (specifically Section 1031) that allows investors to defer capital gains taxes when selling a property and reinvesting the proceeds into a “like-kind” replacement property. It’s like swapping one investment property for another, while hitting the pause button on your tax obligations for a later year. That’s called winning!
The idea behind a 1031 exchange is to encourage continued investment rather than triggering a tax liability on the sale of an asset generating income in that next tax year. Basically, you can roll those gains into a new “like-kind” investment, allowing you to keep building wealth over time.
What skullduggery is this? It’s real and the first question I ask someone wanting to sell a rental is “do you plan on doing a 1031 exchange upon the sale”—or, do you plan on paying taxes on your profit when you file your taxes the next April?
There are rules that must be followed, like engaging a “qualified intermediary” and strict timelines for identifying “like-kind” replacement properties. And under a 1031 exchange you can’t touch any of your proceeds, except to purchase the next property.
There are a few other considerations and formulas to figure out how much you will be taxed and how much you’ll roll into the next purchase ... and the next and the next. The taxes will always be a liability, but you don’t have to pay them until you decide to liquidate your properties once and for all. Again, talk to a CPA! n
24. Not-quite-Olympic sport to get telephone poles and trees airborne?
27. Visit
29. Jon of “Napoleon Dynamite”
30. What it could be
31. Mani-___ (salon offering)
32. Car rental name
36. Wilson of Heart
37. Not-quite-Olympic sport that still involves beams?
40. Campers
41. #1
43. Spirited energy
44. Vital part?
46. Portrayals
48. Knights’ suits
49. Not-quite-Olympic sport with lines like “That’s an oval” and “It’s a hexagon”?
53. Secret group in “The Da Vinci Code”
54. “Packed house” initials
55. Wildebeest
58. Social division
59. Not-quite-Olympic sport where you can sample a bunch of events?
62. Uber alternative?
63. Oil bloc acronym
64. Root vegetable
65. Manuscript enclosures, for short
66. Evening, in ads
67. Scandinavian capital
DOWN
1. Disaster
2. “Know your rights” org.
3. Crams (in)
4. “In what way?”
5. Like some cakes
6. Don’t go together
7. Tank contents
8. Got involved with, without being asked
9. Source for a fast pick-me-up
10. Hyundai model since the ‘90s
11. “Anaconda” performer Minaj
12. Where tapas originate
13. “___ of Ice and Fire”
18. Unethical payments
23. 2006 Chamillionaire hit
25. Pre-album releases, sometimes
26. Item 100 of 100, e.g.
27. Cotton-tipped cleaner
28. Synthesizer output
31. Overdoes the workload
33. Gaming headset
34. Lord ___ Mountbatten
(openly gay British royal on season 3 of “The Traitors”)
35. Tax day IDs
38. Skirmish
39. Balzac’s “Le Pere ___”
42. Board member, perhaps
45. ‘70s pres. monogram
47. Restaurant requests
48. Vanish without ___
49. Concentrate
week’s answers
Complete the grid so that each row, column, diagonal and 3x3 square contain all of the numbers 1 to 9. 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
50. Old toothpaste brand featured in “Grease”
51. Blasts of wind
52. At this point
56. Oasis lead guitarist Gallagher
57. “Do ___ others ...”
60. Tech sch. in Troy, NY
61. “The White Lotus” airer
NEWS of the WEIRD
The Tech Revolution
Tien Kung Ultra took home the gold medal on April 19 in the Humanoid Robot Half-Marathon in Beijing, CNN reported. Ultra and more than 20 other robots ran alongside (but in a separate lane from) their 12,000 human competitors, supported by navigators, operators and engineers. It crossed the finish line in 2 hours, 40 minutes and 42 seconds, after three battery changes and one fall. The winner of the men’s race finished in 1 hour and 2 minutes. Almost every robot in the race suffered falls or overheating issues, and one spun in two circles after leaving the starting line, hit a wall and dragged its human operators down with it. Another’s head repeatedly fell off.
Police Report
On April 18, the Bozeman, Montana, police department held a press conference to share that 13 of its officers, including two sergeants, had been involved in a bingo game with different kinds of arrests on the card, KBZK-TV reported. The game took place over 12 days in mid-January, with custom bingo cards with squares reading “Over .30 BAC DUI,” “3+ Vehicle Accident,” “ButtAss Naked” and “Extinguish Fire Before BFD.” Police Chief Jim Veltkamp said the game was shut down and an investigation was done to make sure there were no wrongful arrests or officers acting outside their normal duties. He said the officers involved “were warned about how inappropriate this is.” He added that participating supervisors were disciplined.
There Goes the Neighborhood
A Rockport, Massachusetts, neighborhood is reeling from a wave of vandalism that has claimed at least 25 car mirrors in recent weeks, People.com reported on April 24. When resident Janelle Favaloro caught the culprit in the act, she posted on Facebook: “There has been a vandal breaking car mirrors. He is described as 18”-24” tall, wearing black and white, with a red hat.” If that sounds a bit like Woody Woodpecker, that’s because the guilty party is a pileated woodpecker the inspiration for the cartoon character, and a species that happens to be in the throes of mating season. Experts believe the felonious fowl is mistaking its own reflection for a rival, and residents have taken to covering their car mirrors in the hope of preventing the bird’s attacks.
Unclear on the Concept
Katelyne Dye, 33, a postal worker in Melbourne, Florida, was arrested on April 12 after she allegedly stopped to attend a house party along her route, ClickOrlando reported. Police were alerted to a postal truck driving the wrong way on South Harbor City Boulevard. When they caught up with the driver, the truck was swerving “in and
out of its lane”; Dye “appeared confused and disoriented.” She told police she had consumed two shots of vodka at the house party and had been falling asleep while driving, which caused her to swerve. Dye was charged with DUI.
An Unrefined Palate
When Luna—a 7-month-old Bernese mountain dog who had been vomiting and clearly in pain from a distended stomach—arrived at the Corona Animal Emergency Center in Corona, California, on Feb. 16, veterinarians took X-rays that revealed a large buildup in the pup’s gastrointestinal system, and quickly began exploratory abdominal surgery. The L.A. Times recently reported that among their findings were “24 socks, a scrunchie, two hair ties, a shoe insert, a onesie and multiple pieces of cloth,” for a grand total of 44 foreign objects. The center posted on Instagram that Luna survived and is recovering, and also served up a helpful PSA: “If your dog swallows something unusual, don’t wait—act fast and contact your vet.”
News You Can Use
On April 19, NOAA Ocean Exploration sent a remote-control camera inside the wreckage of the USS Yorktown, which had been sunk in the Pacific Ocean—about 1,000 miles from Honolulu—in 1942 during World War II, the Miami Herald reported. But along with all of the expected finds, the researchers discovered something odd: a “1940-’41 Ford Super Deluxe ‘Woody’ in black,” with flared fenders, what’s left of a rag top and chrome trim. Ocean Exploration officials called the car “an exciting find. Perhaps the car belonged to someone important on the ship or to the fleet: the captain or admiral.” The wreckage, about 3 miles deep, was first discovered in 1998.
Rude
A 20-year-old Indian man identified only as Rahul disappeared nine days before his planned wedding, The Economic Times reported, taking with him cash and jewelry and, most insultingly, the bride-to-be’s mother. On April 9, Rahul said he was going shopping for wedding clothes, but he later called his father to say, “I’m leaving. Don’t try to look for me.” Around the same time, his future mother-in-law also went missing without leaving a message. Police say the new couple may be in Uttarakhand, where he works, and are investigating there. Invitations for the wedding, scheduled for April 16, had already been sent. Bride-to-be Shivani said her fiance and her mother “used to talk on the phone a lot over the past three to four months. All we want is that the money and jewelry should be returned to us.”
Send your weird news items to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com
Final Notice and Public Explanation of a Proposed Activity in a Federal Flood Risk Management Standard Designated Floodplain
To: All interested Agencies, Groups, and Individuals
This is to give notice that HUD under 24 CFR Part 50 has conducted an evaluation as required by Executive Order(s) 11988, as amended by Executive Order 13690, in accordance with HUD regulations at24 CFR 55.20 in Subpart C Procedures for Making Determinations on Floodplain Management and Wetlands Protection. The activity is funded Federal Housing Authority (FHA) mortgage insurance financingunder an FHA 221(d)(4) new construction loan (FHA 105-35336). The proposed project(s) is at 470 W 600S in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, and is located in the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard(FFRMS) floodplain. The extent of the FFRMS floodplain was determined using a freeboard value approach.
The approximate 3.75-acre subject property consists of vacant unimproved land with railroad tracks and two (2) warehouse/commercial buildings (Miller Building and Casket Building). Development plans for the HUD Collateral (Silos Apartments), which is located within the 1.5-acre northwest portion of the subject property, include one (1) eight-story building (Floors 1 through 3 parking and floors 4 through 8 residential) housing a total of 275 apartment units. A total of 0.006 acres of FFRMS floodplain occur within the property boundary, all of which would be impacted to construct tenant parking for the multifamily community.
An additional 0.110 acres of offsite FFRMS floodplain would be impacted to grade the site, install utilities, and plant urban forest.
The subject property is currently located in a highly urbanized area and is already improved with two (2) buildings and paved parking areas; as such, the FFRMS floodplain functions minimally to store floodwater and control erosion. There is no critical habitat in the project area for any listed species.No unique recreational, educational, scientific, historic, or cultural resource values are known to occur on the property.
HUD considered the following alternative while evaluating the proposed action.
(1) The original project design planned for less parking, including no parking in the FFRMS floodplain; however, this alternative was rejected due to the need for additional parking spaces and small site footprint within which to locate the additional parking area. This alternative would have resulted in 0.0 acres of impacts to the FFRMS floodplain onsite, and 0.110 acres of impact to offsite FFRMS floodplain for grading the site, planting urban forest, and installing utility connections.
(2) As proposed, a total of 0.006 acres of FFRMS floodplain would be impacted to construct the parking areas. The proposed parking area provides best ingress/egress to the property and additional parking spaces were deemed essential to the development. This alternative was selected and slight encroachment into the FFRMS floodplain was considered unavoidable due to the limited site footprintwithin which to locate additional parking area. An additional 0.110 acres of offsite FFRMS floodplain would be impacted for grading the site, planting urban forest, and installing utility connections.
(3) No Action: Under this alternative, the subject property would remain underutilized as vacant unimproved land and/or commercial structures, and its development would not add additional housingunits to satisfy the anticipated future rental apartment demand in Salt Lake City. This alternative would not accomplish the project purpose or need. HUD would not insure the proposed development under the Section 221(d)4 program. A HUD loan would provide the additional loan proceeds needed to fully mitigate development costs due to the 40-year amortization and low interest rate. The alternatives toHUD financing would be a Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac forward commitment, which would provide significantly lower loan proceeds due to a higher interest rate and 35-year amortization. It is notfeasible to fully mitigate high development costs without HUD 221(d)(4) financing; thus, this alternative was rejected. This alternative would result in 0.0 acres of impacts to onsite and offsite FFRMS floodplain. Mitigation measures were designed to minimize adverse impacts and to restore and preserve natural and beneficial functions and intrinsic values of the existing floodplain. (i) As proposed, all residential living space would be elevated well above the FFRMS elevation and all parking would be elevated above the Base Flood Elevation. (ii) The sub-surface chamber system would detain stormwater from the 100-year storm and release it at a controlled rate into 500 West Street. Stormwater from events greater than a 100-year occurrence is designed to break away into 600 South Street to reduce the risk of onsite flooding. (iii) The current site has no observed way to clean storm water runoff, but the proposed stormwater chamber would trap and filter the first flush of storm water runoff, reducing pollution like silts and debris from going into the public system. (iv) The site currently discharges storm water runoff (up to 15.99 cubic feet per second in a 100-year storm) onto the public streets, and directly into the public storm drain system, which could strain the city’s piping system and cause flooding downstream. As proposed, stormwater would be discharged at 1.02 cubic feet per second, resulting in lower potential for scouring and erosion of soils, less pressure on the city system, and a reduction of flood risk in the nearby community. (v) The sub-surface chambers would retain and infiltrate (through the stone bed) a portion of rainfall events (2,461 cubic feet per storm)to groundwater. No additional modifications are necessary to minimize impacts to natural values as the proposed development was designed to retain stormwater in the watershed, filter and clean stormwater, and mitigate potential for on and offsite flooding through a sophisticated stormwater management system. (vi) All work would be completed in compliance with state and local floodplain protection procedures.
HUD has reevaluated alternatives to building in the floodplain and has determined that it has no practicable alternative to floodplain development. This is due to the projected need for multifamily rental units in the Market Area, underutilized parcel of land, and the ability to mitigate and minimize impacts on human health, public property, and floodplain values. The proposed impacts to the floodplain have been reduced as much as possible while still providing an adequate parking area essential for servicing the development. Environmental files documenting compliance with Executive Order 11988, as amended by Executive Order 13690, are available for public inspection, review and copy upon request at the times and location delineated in the last paragraph of this notice for receipt of comments.
There are three primary purposes for this notice. First, people who may be affected by activities in floodplain and those who have an interest in the protection of the natural environment should be given an opportunity to express their concerns and provide information about these areas. Second, an adequate public notice program can be an important public educational tool. The dissemination of information and request for public comment about floodplain/can facilitate and enhance Federal efforts to reduce the risks and impacts associated with the occupancy and modification of these special areas. Third, as a matter of fairness, when the Federal government determines it will participate in actions taking place in floodplain, it must inform those who may be put at greater or continued risk.
Written comments must be received by the HUD at the following address on or before April 9, 2025: HUD, West Multifamily Regional Center, One Sansome Street, 12 th Floor, San Francisco, California 94104, and phone (415) 489-6527, and Attention: Daniel Gallant, Underwriting Branch Chief. A full description of theproject may also be reviewed from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm at the same address as above. Comments may also be submitted via email at Daniel.C.GallantJr@hud.gov.
Date: April 1, 2025
Merritt Hospitality LLC –ENGINEERING PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE SPECIALIST seeking a specialist to handle preventive maintenance, including ceiling tile, light bulb, & vinyl patch replacements, along with scheduled maintenance, electrical inspections, minor repairs, & assisting w/major repairs. Additional duties include pool servicing, building exterior upkeep, & refurbishing guest room furniture/fixtures. Mon-Fri, 40 hrs/wk. Rqmts Bachelor’s (or foreign equivalent) in mechanical, electrical, manufacturing engineering or related field. Apply: Mail resume to Merritt Hospitality, LLC (dba HEI Hotels – Salt Lake Marriott Downtown at City Creek), 75 S West Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84101.