City Weekly May 11, 2023

Bryant Heath and Benjamin Wood

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Lead by Example

Is the city of Palo Alto putting religioninfused Salt Lake City to shame for its lack of creative effort to prevent homelessness? For two years now, this California city has empowered churches to provide safe parking for so-called “vehicle dwellers,” impoverished folks who live in their cars. These people are just one step away from homeless tent life on the streets, but are often seriously looking for work. (“More churches step up to provide safe parking for the unhoused,” Palo Alto Online, April 26). Churches in Palo Alto apply to the city,

clear their participation with the neighborhood and provide toilets, handwashing and garbage cans, in addition to free parking. People stay anywhere from several days to several weeks and even several months.

I wonder if churches in Utah’s larger towns and cities could be doing more than just preaching salvation. Maybe it’s time to provide some?

KIMBALL SHINKOSKEY Woods Cross

Save Our Wide Streets

The Beckerites and bicyclists have ruined Brigham Young’s wide boulevards. I propose two solutions to improve safety.

First, make all streets in the downtown area one-way travel—even-numbered streets running north and west, oddnumbered streets running south and east). Second, get rid of all mid-street crosswalks that are not signaled. Out-of-town drivers do not expect them, as they are unique to Salt Lake.

G. PETE HOGELIN Sandy

“Beerhive State,” March 16 Beer Nerd

Salt Flats Brewing’s Save the Lake Pilsner

is an admirable effort. The brewers certainly can’t match the hubris of the Utah Legislature. However, the brewers should simply use the name of “Slager” for their new brew. It doesn’t get stuck on the tongue like “Save the Lake.”

Then again, getting stuck on the tongue just might have been the Salt Flats plan all along.

DON NASH

Mesquite, Nevada

City Guide Corrections

I noticed that you named Columbus Center Library as an attraction in the latest City Guide. However, there is no longer a library at this location—it is currently a community center.

Meanwhile, we have a new beautiful library in South Salt Lake down the street from the old library. It’s located where Granite High School used to be and is called Granite Library (3331 S. 500 East). I am a children’s librarian there.

There is a beautiful new Create Space at this library that’s great for artists! (Other libraries in the county have Create Spaces—Kearns and Daybreak, for example).

AMANDA PAIGE South Salt Lake

In “Mapping Utah’s Literary Landscape,” it incorrectly states that Paisley Rekdal’s intention was to delve into the history behind the transcontinental railroad through a poem “that had been carved on the walls of Ellis Island Immigration Station during the Chinese Exclusion Act.” Chinese workers were actually detained at the Angel Island Immigration Station, which was established in 1910 in San Francisco. Some consider Angel Island as the “Ellis Island of the West,” which may be the error made by the author of the article.

Editor’s note: You’re correct. Rekdal’s quote about the immigration station was in reference to Angel Island, not Ellis. Apologies to readers for our transcription error.

THE WATER COOLER

Are you worried about your house flooding? Do you have flood insurance?

Wes Long

As our house is in a fortunate location, I’m not terribly concerned. Having been through floods in previous homes, however, we are familiar with the drill.

Scott Renshaw

Fortunately, we’re not in a particularly risky flood zone. But considering I’ve experienced water damage unrelated to flooding (just good old-fashioned leaky pipes) and the accompanying cleanup/ mold abatement/etc. required, I’m pretty serious about doing whatever is required not to have to go through that again.

Paula Saltas

Contemplating on getting a sump pump vs. flood insurance. So far, no issues yet, but getting somewhat nervous.

Kelly Boyce

I can’t afford flood insurance. Let alone a house.

Benjamin Wood

I’m not too worried. Ironically enough, this is one of the instances where homes on the west side of the Jordan River are in a better position than those on the east.

Jerre Wroble

My house converts to an ark in times of need, so we’re good. Climb aboard, y’all.

PRIVATE EYE

Pop Me a Bud A

s I write this column, former President Donald J. Trump has just been found liable for sexual abuse and defamation by the New York City jury that has been hearing the case brought against him by E. Jean Carroll.

Carroll is expected to collect $5 million in damages per this verdict. That’s a lot of money for just about anyone, but especially for the people living in rural Arkansas who love the guy.

Even a scoundrel who daily milks his base of supporters for donations—what billionaire doesn’t do that?—will now have to re-think how he handles himself in the company of women. For Carroll and the potentially dozens of others who assert Trump sexually assaulted them at some point in the past, the solace of being validated is likely more worthwhile than the money.

Some people keep score with money. Others keep score by other metrics: the number of Christmas cards received, how many likes one gets on a social media post, how many hugs they get in a day, by winning awards or gaining recognition from peers.

Trump is a money scorekeeper. Throughout his entire life, he’s used the cachet of a $100 bill to silence his critics or to open doors where others had to earn their way in. None of that really matters now, because among all things Trump, he’s for decades proven he can move on from such an adversity as if nothing happened—which was his defense in the first place.

He’s not going to change. He will not become more stately or presidential. He’s not going to be contrite or apologetic. He’s going to pay the settlement at some point, likely after exhausting every court channel and delay tactic possible. He will simply be angry.

He’ll shrug off the settlement and ask his supporters for

BY JOHN SALTAS @johnsaltas

more money. He’s an earworm in that regard, just playing the same song over and over and over. I guess some people don’t mind getting their music on defective music devices.

You all know what will come next: attacks on the accuser; attacks on the system; attacks on the judge, the jury and the rule of law. That’s all part of the Trump earworm, too. If he’s been anything in his life, it’s that he’s been predictable in how he conducts himself. The surprising thing is that people still buy it.

A comeuppance for the man was long overdue. The biggest mystery to me—who first became aware of Trump in the late 1970s—has always been how such a pompous jackass could rise to become an American president. Mike Lee’s earworm is that our Constitution and democracy are on shaky ground. Mine is that when the best person for the job is a serial liar, when a person convicted of sexual assault could even sniff the White House, we are lost.

When people who are supposedly good people—even creepy Mike Lee—close their eyes to all that they know is evil and wrong, while supporting outcomes that are not good and correct, then what comes next?

Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has called for a civil war. That will be interesting. Does she mean red states like Texas, Florida and Utah somehow team up to fight blue states like California, Illinois and New Mexico? I’m not sure that will work logistically.

Maybe she means a civil war of ideas? Then that might boil down to blue cities doing battle with rural communities all over the map. But this will be hard since there are blues among the reds and vice versa.

I love the people of rural Utah. I have no beef with them— they just vote wrong. I don’t want their guns, I don’t want to close their churches. I just hope the power granted to them in the form of gerrymandered districts would cause them to take political rule seriously.

I can’t believe for a moment they have a plug nickel in

common with Donald Trump. He will use and has used them. The lesson is not lost on lower-level politicians who have embraced the Trump method of keeping people scared, enabling divisive politics, mocking anyone who opposes them and flat-out lying through their teeth.

Trump’s most ardent supporters include not just Lee and Greene, but Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert, South Carolina Sen. Lindsay “shame on me” Graham and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. Each—and many other politicians—have spent the past weeks setting the stage for this day, claiming it’s all just been a political witch hunt.

The next phase—more diversion—is already happening on social media, where Boebert and Greene wasted no time after the verdict to rave about the border crisis. Again. The wagons of Trump protection are circling.

But poor Ted Cruz—his face and fate born to be aggrieved—is not only harping on the southern border, but also on not drinking Bud Light because of a commercial that was kind to the transgender community. It would appear that there are as many women who have made accusations against Donald Trump as there are transgender persons in all of Texas.

Not now, not ever, will I boycott Bud Light—my favored morning elixir when camping the North Fork of the Duchesne River. I mix it with Spicy Hot V8. It’s a better wakeme-up than coffee. If you doubt that, anyone of any stripe, gender, ethnicity or religion is welcome to join me. Just bring some bait and a guitar.

This would be a good time for Cruz, Lee and the rest of the sideline abusers and enablers in the halls of Congress to rethink where they have taken us. For if the U.S. Constitution doesn’t account for a woman to have a fair and honest trial, then what good is it? CW

Send comments to john@cityweekly.net

HITS & MISSES

BY KATHARINE BIELE | @kathybiele

HIT: Good Guys With Guns

It’s no exaggeration to say there’s been a mass shooting in the country almost daily. In fact, there have been more mass shootings than days so far in 2023. Whether you have been shocked or numbed by the carnage, you should take heart that the Legislature is doing something about it. Or is it? Lawmakers no doubt have been feeling a certain pressure to act, although their Second Amendment mindset often ties them in knots that prevent any real action. Now, Gov. Spencer Cox is calling a special session to deal with what might be a legal problem. He wants to tackle flooding and its costs—and while they’re at it, fix a gun law. The gun bill itself is hard to understand, but we’ll assume it’s benign to require background checks when returning a firearm to someone from evidence. But something went awry with a provision about a person with a nonimmigrant work visa, the Deseret News reports. Like so many Utah laws, changes to the law will probably make it easier to carry a gun. We can at least hope for a robust dialogue.

MISS: Adult Entertainment

Who knew so many people—and so many parents!—would come to the defense of PornHub? Certainly not Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross, who nonetheless is gleefully posting tweets from his detractors since he ran a bill requiring age verification on adult websites. The New York Times found the whole kerfuffle newsworthy, even as Utah lawmakers try haplessly to save the little children, if not from banned books and the ravages of alcohol, then from porn. Turns out it’s not that easy. We’re talking about the internet and how you’d verify age. Privacy? PornHub, meanwhile, is blocking Utah users. A message from adult performer Cherie DeVille warns that the law will send kids to other sites with fewer safeguards. Weiler jokes now that he’s sold a lot of Virtual Private Network subscriptions since the law. Take a page from China, where VPNs open the door to the banned internet.

MISS: Cottage Industry

Housing development is an ongoing and contentious issue in Salt Lake City, where scarcity and prices are pushing people out. The city is hoping new incentives will help, but maybe the city should call it greed? The latest idea is to allow taller buildings and speedier approval in exchange for incorporating some share of affordable dwellings in new developments, The Salt Lake Tribune reports. Watch for more duplexes, triplexes, backyard cottages, row houses and other smaller housing types in your neighborhood. Planning Commissioner Brenda Scheer is alarmed, saying it could open a Pandora’s box in neighborhoods. Mayoral hopeful Rocky Anderson sees the issue being framed as a battle between the wealthy and housing advocates. He suggests that better planning could preserve historic neighborhoods while protecting from predatory institutional investors. It’s hard to know, and Salt Lake continues to throw buckets of water at an out-of-control fire. CW

To the Wall

One of my favorite pastimes I engage in while running around town is to map all of the exterior murals that I’ve happened upon. A project with humble origins has since ballooned to more than 500 entries and a quartermillion views, with no signs of slowing down any time soon.

Where sculptures and statues typically remain in place indefinitely, murals come and go just like the tenants in the buildings—or sometimes the buildings themselves—they adorn. In my two years of tracking, I’ve seen several dozen disappear for a variety of reasons, relegated to “whatever happened to…”type conversations.

Granted, some were designed to be temporary in nature. The Hip-Hop Education and Resource Center on State Street and Whitlock Avenue—a place where youth can learn the art of mural making—contains a rotating wall that gets regularly painted over. The latest iterations were done by local artist duo Smock and Roll (above photo), but currently the wall is back to its natural blank state.

Demolitions are another common reason for vanishing murals, and developments in the Granary District alone have taken out several.

Where Slackwater Pizza now resides, there used to be an interesting patterned mural by Dave Doman and Josh Scheuerman and an iconic “Love This City: Salt Lake City”—part of a famed cross-country series by artists Pat Milbery and Pat McKinney—was removed to make room for Industry SLC’s expansion off of 600 South and 500 West. There are a few exceptions, though, that either through preservation efforts of sheer luck tend to last much longer. The “Utah Acme Co.” mural—done in distinct Deseret font by artists Trent Call and Gailon Justus on a residence at 600 West and Girard Ave—still looks great even though it was painted over a decade ago (bottom left).

But hands down, the winner for mural longevity goes to the gigantic arch on 100 South and West Temple. This uniquely colored piece was painted in 1977 by Paul Fischer and Gyll Hugg (bottom right). A real-life Methuselah by mural standards.

Regardless of how long they stay up, wall murals are one of the things that make cities more interesting—so a big “thank you!” to any artist who has painted one! CW

Change is constant on the walls of The Hip-Hop Education and Resource Center (aka The HERC).

These senior citizens of Salt Lake’s mural scene have stood for a decade, left, and four decades, right, respectively.

In the Pink

Utah author Shannon Hale on receiving—and responding to— conservative criticism of nontraditional gender expression in children’s literature

BY SCOTT RENSHAW scottr@cityweekly.net @scottrenshaw

In April, Utah author Shannon Hale—who co-writes the Princess in Black illustrated book series with her husband, Dean—responded on Twitter to 1-star Amazon reviews of the latest installment, The Princess in Black and The Prince in Pink. The subject at hand was people responding negatively to a boy character expressing traditionally feminine characteristics. Shannon Hale spoke with City Weekly about the subject, and the bigger issue of people responding negatively to books for children and youth that have subject matter deemed too progressive.

City Weekly: In terms of the books in the series before this one, what has been the ratio of negative to positive response?

Shannon Hale: Ninety-nine percent positive. I don’t really hear anything negative.

CW: So does it feel like the character of a boy with more traditionally feminine qualities is pushing more buttons than the character of a girl with more traditionally masculine qualities.

SH: Yes. … From the beginning, 10 or 11 years ago, we never had anybody say, “You’ve degraded this girl by putting her in shorts and a mask and having her fight monsters; that’s what boys do.” We’ve only had praise. But when we have a boy that does something aside from stereotypical

gender expression, it’s a problem. … If you look at Amazon, and you look at the Princess in Black books, they’re 5 stars across the board. And then you look at The Prince in Pink, 67 ratings so far, 28 percent are 1 star. “Transgenderism in a book for kindergarteners,” “Pushing an agenda on our kids” … these are just the titles of the reviews. And it’s the same thing the series has been about for nine books.

CW: This is obviously part of a bigger conversation regarding adults trying to police the content of books for children and youth. How has this climate affected writers and publishers for any books with a more progressive sensibility?

SH: I told our illustrator [LeUyen Pham], “This is the book that’s going to get this series banned.” I knew. But I wasn’t trying to be controversial; I did it because kids have been asking for it. It’s one of the most common questions I’d get: “Will there be a Prince in Pink?” We didn’t do it as an “agenda,” but because it felt like a natural storyline in this universe. The publisher has been very supportive, but they knew, too.

CW: Where do you think Utah in particular is regarding where we’re headed in terms of objections over books for children and youth?

SH: We’re one of the more serious cases, for sure. We’re one of the states that has specifically passed a law about this [H.B. 374 in 2022]. It may be that we don’t hear as much about it, because it’s done more quietly. There’s more-obvious book-banning, like what’s happened in the Alpine School District. What’s much more common is quiet banning; teachers and librarians are understandably afraid that they can be held liable, because the law is so vague, so they quietly remove them.

CW: You responded to a negative Amazon reviewer with sympathy and almost sadness for the worldview that produced

A&E

it. Do you also think on a pragmatic level that’s a better way to deal with those who hold such black-and-white views of gender roles?

SH: I was raised in the LDS faith, in a very conservative state, and conservative people are my family, my friends, my foundation. They’re not my enemy. I don’t believe in us-and-them mentality, at all. But I also know it’s so hard, in all aspects. If we can’t truly have compassion for ourselves, and our own mistakes and our own shadow selves, we can’t have compassion for others. … I understand the reaction of, “These people are literally trying to kill my children.” It is life and death, and it feels scary. But I have a very endgoal mentality. That’s why I’ve been such a prolific writer. So, what do I want to have? A world of love and unity where we all respect each other. And what’s the best way to have a society of love and compassion? You’ve got to be loving and compassionate.

CW: So where do we go from here? What feels like the best path forward for creating an atmosphere where books about and for kids of all kinds aren’t perceived as a threat?

SH: There are experts smarter than me who have really actionable plans. … I don’t love making myself a target; I don’t love being an activist. I’m really a hermit. But like with that Twitter thread, I sometimes feel like there’s something I have to say, and that it might spark curiosity in other people. … I guess I’m past the age where this wounds me personally. I’m worried about those kids out there, ashamed of being who they really are. I hope things change for their sake. CW

SHANNON HALE & DEAN HALE: THE PRINCESS IN BLACK AND THE PRINCE IN PINK The King’s English Bookshop

1511 S. 1500 East Saturday, May 13 11 a.m. kingsenglish.com

JENN FLORENCE

Author Shannon Hale

KRCL Music

Meets Movies: Meet Me in the Bathroom

KRCL’s “Music Meets Movies” series has presented a wide range of documentaries over the years, ranging across decades and genres. For this season’s closing offering, the series dives into a very particular subject of the bands that emerged from the turn-of-the-millennium New York City indie-rock scene.

In Meet Me in the Bathroom, directors Dylan Southern and Will Lovelace (the LCD Soundsystem doc Shut Up and Play the Hits) employ only contemporaneous footage (sometimes supplemented by voice-over interviews that clearly took place a bit later) to explore the years 1999 – 2003, as bands like The Strokes, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Interpol and more emerged in local clubs like the Sidewalk Café and Mercury Lounge, before finding the inevitable perils of fame. The wealth of live performance footage is bound to be a draw for fans, while Southern and Lovelace fill in the blanks with kaleidoscopic images of New York and obvious historical touchstones like 9/11 and the August 2003 blackout. There’s interesting material here about why this particular “scene” could only have happened when it did, before gentrification priced out the artists and clubs that had thrived in Brooklyn, and plenty of stuff for those who knew the bands back when.

Meet Me in the Bathroom plays at Brewvies Cinema Pub (677 S. 200 West) on Thursday, May 11 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets go on sale at 6:30 p.m. the day of the event, $10 per person or 2-for-1 with a KRCL T-shirt and free for KRCL High Fidelity members; attendees must be over 21. Visit krcl.org for additional event information. (Scott Renshaw)

theESSENTIALS

Complete listings online at cityweekly.net

Pioneer Theatre Company: The Prom

The word “wokeness” has lost all meaning as it has become a conservative bugaboo, making it harder for the notion of “performative wokeness” to retain its original intent. But it’s hard to find a better expression for the silliness at the core of The Prom, the 2018 Tonynominated musical from the creative team behind Elf: The Musical which got a Netflix movie adaptation in 2020, and makes its Utah premiere with Pioneer Theatre Company.

ENTERTAINMENT PICKS, MAY 11-17, 2023

It’s the story of a group of Broadway actors who, for a variety of reasons, find themselves at down-and-out phases in their careers. Seeking to make themselves relevant again, they look for a cause to which they can attach themselves on social media. They find it in Emma (Celeste Rose, pictured), a lesbian high-school student in Indiana who has been told that she can’t take her girlfriend to the school prom. When the actors show up in an attempt to help Emma—but really to help themselves—a media circus ensues, involving the actors, the students, the PTA and the principal all working towards different ends. According to PTC artistic director Karen Azenberg, who directs and choreographs the show, “The Prom, with its feel-good message of love and acceptance, is exactly what our world needs right now.”

Pioneer Theatre Company’s production of The Prom runs at the Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre (300 S. 1400 East) May 12 – 27, with performances MondayThursday at 7 p.m., Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. Tickets $48 - $72 in advance, $5 more day of show; visit pioneertheatre.org to purchase tickets and for additional event information. (SR)

STEPHANIE DUNN, BW PRODUCTIONS

Complete listings online at cityweekly.net

Plan-B Theatre Company/KUER Radio Hour: The Case of the Missing Dog

After 15 previous installments, Plan-B Theatre Company’s Radio Hour project—collaborating with KUER on broadcast performances in the style of vintage radio drama—is hardly a brand-new concept, especially for returning artists like actor Jay Perry (who has been part of every previous installment). That doesn’t mean it can’t be a fun new experience for folks like playwright Brandon Ngo, who penned The Case of the Missing Dog in a humorous homage to old-school gumshoe tales.

But more than just playing within the detective genre, Ngo is having fun with the particular requirements of writing for radio. “I knew I would have to rely on pure dialoguedriven storytelling,” Ngo shared in a Plan-B blog interview. “Every plot point, every joke, every moment of character building relied entirely on dialogue. It was an exciting challenge and I soon discovered this was my favorite kind of dialogue in media: indulgent, extremely drawn-out monologues where, for no particular reason, characters divulge to each other way too much information about their thoughts and intentions.” And as for the canine character of the title: “This play features speaking parts for a dog because I want to hear actors make dog noises. Was this worth my time, and will it be worth anyone else’s? That’s for listeners and god and Hollywood to decide.”

Plan-B Theatre Company’s production of The Case of the Missing Dog can be heard in a live broadcast on Saturday, May 12 at 11 a.m. on KUER (90.1 FM), and rebroadcast at 7 p.m. on RadioWest. Visit planbtheatre.org for additional information. (SR)

COURTESY PHOTO

Paint the Town

Get outside and go for a mural crawl with this City Weekly map.

BY BRYANT HEATH & BENJAMIN WOOD comments@cityweekly.net

Utah has emerged from a long, cold, snowy winter. It’s great news for anyone hoping for a future in which Salt Lakers aren’t driven from their homes by toxic dust, but it’s still a drag having to wait until May to get out and about.

To make up for lost time, we’ve prepared a map of murals that intrepid urban explorers can visit in a single bike ride or in three segment walks. Each segment is clustered near Trax light rail (Tip: Stage 2 is the shortest). Along the way, we’ll share information about the artists and point out areas of interest, including friendly businesses ready to serve you a quick bite or a cold drink—tell ’em City Weekly sent you.

But wait, there’s more! Readers can enter to win a pair of tickets to an upcoming City Weekly event, including the Slick Rock Beer Festival in Moab (hurry, it’s next weekend!), the 12th annual City Weekly Pride Pageant (June 1), the 4th annual Utah Cann (July 15) or the 13th annual Utah Beer Festival (Aug. 1920). To enter, snap a photo of yourself holding this issue with one of the following murals in the background, then post to social and tag us (Twitter: @CityWeekly; Insta: @SLCWeekly; Facebook: /slcweekly), or email comments@ cityweekly.net with “Mural Crawl” in the subject line. Entry deadline is May 18.

STAGE 1: GREATER GATEWAY

Begin: North Temple Bridge/Guadalupe Station (500 West and North Temple; Trax Green Line; FrontRunner)

Mural: “Atlas”

Artist: Shae Petersen aka SRIL (@srilart)

Info: Among the largest pieces on this map, “Atlas” was created in 2018 and is located on Hardware Apartments, overlooking the North Temple Frontrunner platform. “For me, the piece of art is public. It has nothing to do with the people who live here and who don’t,” Peterson told City Weekly at the time.

Points of interest: A new pedestrian bridge is under construction at 300 North, which will help residents avoid delays due to freight rail. This location also marks the approximate start of the underground train box envisioned by the Rio Grande Plan. Pit stops: None, as Utah and UTA struggle to understand the benefits of mixed-use amenities near transit stops.

Next steps: Head west on the newly built Folsom Trail, then turn south on 600 West.

STOP 1: Metro Music Hall (615 W. 100 South, SLC, 385-528-0952, metromusichall.com)

Mural: Metro Skull

Artis: Trent Call (@trentcall)

Info: The multicolored skull on the east wall of Metro Music Hall is roughly 20 feet tall, creating a striking landmark for this storied west side concert venue tucked under the shadow of I-15. Call’s work also appears on the Zions Bank building at Main Street and 100 South, on a wall at Kilby Court and at South Salt Lake’s Beehive Distilling.

Points of interest: The community garden located across the street was briefly slated to house a homeless resource center, part of a slate of shelter sitings announced in 2016 that were subsequently abandoned after public backlash. The Utah Arts Alliance is next door to the west.

Pit stops: Metro Music Hall (obv); The Sun Trapp; The Complex.

Next steps: Head east on 100 South.

STOP 2: The Gateway (400 W. 200 South, SLC, 801-456-0000, atthegateway.com)

Mural: Various

Artist: Designed by Caroline Kane and Alli VanKleeck (@smockandroll)

Info: The Gateway is a mural crawl in and of itself, with pieces scattered throughout the open-air retail center. For today, we’ll focus on the colorful crosswalks at the intersec-

tion of 100 South and Rio Grande Street that are refreshed periodically with a new look.

Points of interest: Beyond the aesthetics, decorative crosswalks are proven to slow driving speeds (as do the cobblestones on Rio Grande Street), making the space more inviting to pedestrians. The Urban Arts Gallery is located a stone’s-throw away.

Pit stops: The Store; Hall Pass; Flanker Kitchen & Sporting Club; Italian Graffiti; Wiseguys; The Depot

Next steps: Continue east on 100 South until it dead ends at the Salt Palace.

STOP 3: The Salt Palace (underground at 100 South and 200 West, SLC)

Mural: 200 West Community Mural Artists: Traci O’Very Covey (@toverycovey), Evan Jed Memmott (@evanjed), Chuck Landvatter (@chuckaintnobody), Matt Monsoon (@mattmonsoon.art), Jimmi Toro (@jimmitoro), Alexis Rose

Info: Commissioned by The Blocks, an organization that promotes downtown Salt Lake City, this piece is unique for having been painted by community members who filled in the outlines of a design by the artists listed above.

Points of interest: This area was once Salt Lake City’s Japantown, commemorated by a pocket park on the north side of 100 South. It is also one of the few locations in the city where through-traffic passes beneath a

commercial structure.

Pit Stops: Few nearby, as the Salt Palace is pretty uninviting to pedestrians. But options like Adelaide, Van Rider, Patrick’s Pub and other bars and eateries can be found around 300 West or 200 South.

Next steps: Head south on 200 West.

STOP 4: Valter’s Osteria (173 W. 300 South, SLC, 801-521-4563, valtersosteria.com)

Mural: Untitled

Artist: Karabo Poppy Moletsane (@karabo_poppy)

Info: Created in 2018 by South African artist Karabo Poppy Moletsane, this work—commonly known as “The Jazz Mural”—celebrates the Utah Jazz and stands more than 75 feet tall and 30 feet wide. Valter Nassi, the beloved former owner of Valter’s Osteria, passed away last year.

Points of interest: The protected bike lanes on 200 West and 300 South were the first of their kind in the city, championed by then-Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker.

Pit stops: Valter’s Osteria (obv); Squatters Pub Brewery; Zest Kitchen & Bar; Poplar Street Pub; Settebello Pizzeria Napoletana; Gracie’s; Eggsburg; Sonoma Grill.

Next steps: Congratulations! You’ve completed Stage 1. To continue onto Stage 2, head south on 200 West or hop a train to the 900 South Trax station.

“Atlas” by SRIL (Shae Petersen)

Metro Skull by Trent Call

The Gateway

An underground mural at The Salt Palace

Several artists contributed to this design.

Jazz mural at Valter’s Osteria

STAGE 2: WEST CENTRAL

Begin: 900 South Station

(850 S. 200 West, SLC; Trax Red, Blue and Green lines)

Mural: “Reconfigured”

Artist: Trent Call (@trentcall)

Info: Located on the west side of Alinéa Lofts and Snowmobile Pizza, this mural welcomes Trax riders to the Central 9th Neighborhood, which is quickly establishing itself as one of the most walkable, transit-friendly areas of the city with passenger rail, high-frequency bus service and the 9-Line Trail.

Points of interest: Across the street to the west, you can check the new digs for SpyHop, a digital media arts center for school-age children. The southern arm of what will one day be a Green Loop around downtown has been built on 900 South, where vehicle lanes were reduced to create space for a multiuse trail and green landscaping.

Pit stops: Snowmobile Pizza (obv); Water Witch; Laziz Kitchen; Scion Cider Bar; The Pearl; Central 9th Market; Blue Copper Coffee; Nohm; Seasons.

Next steps: West on 900 South.

STOP 1: Volunteers of America (888 S. 400 West, SLC, 801-364-0744, voaut.org)

Mural: “We Make the Future”

Artist: Unknown

Info: Located across the street from the Volunteers of America Youth Resource Center, this mural is one of several in the Granary District that brighten up otherwise dilapidated spaces.

Points of interest: If Salt Lake City ever gets another Trax line, the most likely scenario is that it will run along what is currently a decommissioned rail corridor on 400 West and, beginning at this location, curving east to where it would ultimately connect to the existing Trax lines at Ballpark Station. To the east of this mural, the future trailside home of the Bicycle Collective is currently under construction.

Pit stops: Vertical Diner; Club Try-Angles; Golden Gyros (on the way between stops 1 and 2); El Viroleno (one block north and west).

Next steps: Go north on 400 West and then hang a right to head east on 800 South.

STOP

2: Fisher Brewing Co.

(320 W. 800 South, SLC, 801-487-2337, fisherbeer.com)

Mural: Fisher Brewing mural

Artist: Josh Scheuerman (@jscheuerman)

Info: You’ll have to duck down the alley on the west side of Fisher Brewing to get a good look at this monochromatic piece by Josh Scheuerman, which was based on archive photos from the original Fisher Brewing facility near the Jordan River on the city’s west side.

Points of interest: Scheuerman also produced the large landscape of Bears Ears National Monument across the street (keen observers will note the addition and subsequent removal of a “for sale” sign, by the artist, at two politically relevant points in time) and his work is regularly featured in the pages and events of City Weekly

Pit stops: Fisher Brewing (obv); Good Food Gluten Free Bakery; RubySnap Fresh Cookies, Roots Coffee.

Next steps: Pop around the corner on 300 West and head toward the south.

STOP 3: Fleet Block

(300 West between 800 South and 900 South, SLC)

Mural: Various

Artist: Various

Info: Beginning with the image of George Floyd following his 2020 murder by a Minneapolis police officer, these portraits appeared without formal approval, protesting police violence and commemorating some of the lives lost in Utah. Over time, the area has come to be a location of community gathering and tribute.

Points of interest: The portraits stalled city plans to redevelop the so-called Fleet Block, but that effort was recently “un-paused” after several rounds of engagement with victims’ families and other stakeholders. While plans are not finalized, the Fleet Block is expected to be divided into smaller parcels for housing, retail and new park space.

Pit stops: Yoko Taco; Tacos Garay; Trails Gentlemen’s Club.

Next steps: Continue south on 300 West.

STOP 4: Maven West (945 S. 300 West, SLC, 801-410-4180, mavenwestslc.com)

Mural: “Be the Light”

Artist: Brooke Smart (@ brookesmartillustration)

Info: Based on the poem recited by Amanda Gorman during President Joe Biden’s 2021 inauguration, this mural by Brooke Smart corresponds with two additional pieces by the artist on the flagship building of the Maven District at 200 East and 900 South.

Points of interest: The construction dust is starting to clear around the 300 West Cycle Track, which ends just north of this location at the 9-Line Trail, setting up a potential hub of pedestrian activity. Long term, the city has plans to extend the cycle track north into town.

Pit stops: The Dough Miner; T.F. Brewing, Kaiser’s Barbeque and General Store.

Next steps: Congratulations! You’ve completed Stage 2. To continue onto Stage 3, travel south on 300 West and turn east on 1700 South, or travel by train to Central Pointe Station and conduct route in reverse.

This Fisher Brewing mural is based on archive photos.

Trent Call’s mural at the Alinéa Lofts, above Snowmobile Pizza

“Be the Light,” by Brooke Smart

This Granary District mural faces the Volunteers for America Youth Resource Center.

Protest murals wrap the Fleet Block, which is slated for redevelopment.

STAGE 3: SOUTH CITY

Note: Readers may choose to reverse this route if traveling on foot and/or transit.

Begin (or end): Friar Tucks Barbershop (11 W. 1700 South, SLC, 385-242-7665, ftbarbers.com)

Mural: Various

Artist: Various

Info: Check this building and around the nearby Sweet Lake Biscuits & Limeade for a great cluster of street art. Points of interest: There’s a lot of new sprinkled among the old along 1700 South, as you leave the big box stores of 300 West behind and enter a unique blend of housing, retail and industrial spaces. The ongoing effort to rehabilitate the neighborhood around Smith’s Ballpark is also likely to accelerate the transformation of this part of the city.

Pit stops: Sweet Lake Biscuits & Limeade; Honeysuckle Coffee Co.; New Golden Dragon; Pho Tay Ho; Comcom Kitchen; Loco Burger; Big Willies; Manny’s Again; El Meño’s.

Next steps: Hook the corner on Main and head south.

STOP 1: The Towers on Main (1810 S. Main, SLC, 385-381-8253, towersonmainapts.com)

Mural: “Renewed Spring”

Artist: Josh Scheuerman (@jscheuerman)

Info: Another contender for title of largest mural, this massive image features native Utah plants like Desert

Paintbrush and Apache Plum. The building was formerly known as The Argyle and featured an argyle pattern on its facade, which was changed to a solid color before Scheuerman added his design.

Points of interest: It’s easy to miss, but Boulevard Gardens Street ends just north of this location. Despite its name, Boulevard Gardens Street is not a street—at least not any more—and instead is a grassy lawn between two rows of homes, with a concrete sidewalk on either side. We should all be so lucky, amirite?

Pit stops: Penny Ann’s Cafe; Grove Market and Deli.

STOP 2: Central Pointe Condos (2150 S. Main, South Salt Lake, 801-467-8015)

Mural: “New Day Rising”

Artist: Thomas Turner (thomasturner_tt)

Info: Created in 2022 for South Salt Lake’s annual Mural Fest, this mural features several state symbols including a honeybee, a sego lily and an elk antler. On an Instagram post describing the piece, Turner said the growing flower represents the birth of Utah.

Points of interest: Few cities have leaned as hard into street art as South Salt Lake, which commissions a series of new murals every year to dress up the bare walls that dominate the area. This year’s festival is happening now, with an artist meet-and-greet on May 13. A full list of murals (and map) can be found at themuralfest.com.

Pit stops: Mad Greek Too; Z Best Greek; Snowfox Sushi; Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers (to the east).

Next steps: Continue south on Main Street and turn west at Bowers Way.

STOP 3: SaltFire Brewing Co.

(2199 S. West Temple, South Salt Lake, 385-955-0504, saltfirebrewing.com)

Mural: “Depths of the Abyss”

Artist: Dan Toro

Info: One of several Mural Fest pieces on either side of West Temple that delineate the new “downtown” of South Salt Lake.

Points of interest: The Parleys/S-Line trail offers an alternative route between Main Street and West Temple, but cyclists attempting to take the trail to either Sugar House or Central Pointe Trax station will find their efforts frustrated by dead ends and hostile curbs—the result of a persistent lack of coordination between South Salt Lake, Salt Lake City and UTA.

Pit Stops: SaltFire Brewing Co. (obv); Beehive Distilling

Next steps: You’re almost done! Head north on West Temple and then take a quick left to head west on Utopia Ave.

STOP 4: The Commonwealth Room (195 W. 2100 South, South Salt Lake, 800-501-2885, thestateroompresents.com)

Mural: “High Water”

Artist: Matt Monsoon (@mattmonsoon.art)

Info: Located on the south side of The Commonwealth Room, this mural by artist Matt Monsoon was created in 2019 for the city’s Mural Fest.

Points of interest: The adjacent Central Pointe Station is the only Trax stop served by the Red Line, Green Line, Blue Line and S-Line Streetcar, making it one of the most transit-connected locations in the state. But a failure of design and property-line issues has left the train station inaccessible from the east.

Pit stops: Shades Brewing, Pat’s Barbecue

Next steps: Congratulations! You’ve completed Stage 3. Even though you can see the train, you’ll need to meander your way around to 2100 South before you can catch a Trax back downtown. CW

“New Day Rising” by Thomas Turner

“Depths of the Abyss,” by Dan Toro

“Renewed Spring” at The Towers on Main

“High Water” by Matt Monsoon at The Commonwealth Room

Street art on the wall of Friar Tuck’s Barbershop

The Mother of All Brunch Roundups

Even if your mom hates you, she’ll love these brunch options.

BY ALEX SPRINGER comments@cityweekly.net @captainspringer

Regardless of who your mom is, you should take her to brunch this weekend. The problem—and it’s a good problem to have—is that there are so many different brunch options in town, you have to pause and think about what vibe best matches your mom.

Is she the type of diner who doesn’t like surprises and only likes what she knows?

Or is she the type of mom who documents every family outing and gathering for her Instagram followers?

Regardless of which archetype best describes your mom, I’ve got things covered. Though I am not traditionally considered a “brunch guy,” my affection for breakfast has given me an inside track on the different bruncheries around town. I also taught high-school English for seven years, which has given me a decent understanding of Utah mom archetypes. Honestly, when it comes to Mother’s Day brunch recommendations, you could do a lot worse than yours truly. Here are some places both you and your mom will dig this weekend.

For the Traditionalist: Sometimes there’s a mom who talks a big game about living life to its fullest and trying new

things, but clams the hell up when you suggest cuisine that she’s not familiar with. While you may be tempted to bring this type of mom to Village Inn out of spite, consider the Sunday brunch buffet at Laurel Brasserie and Bar (555 S. Main Street, 801-258-6708, laurelslc.com). Here you’ll find classics like Belgian waffles, omelets, lemon ricotta pancakes and more than a few types of eggs Benedict. Though the brunch menu is traditional, the team at Laurel takes great care to elevate each menu item to a high standard.

I also think that a traditionalist mom would enjoy Laurel’s restaurant space. Whether you’re sitting inside and basking in all that spring-colored tile or outside on their spacious patio, Laurel is a gorgeous place to spend a few hours.

For the Mom Who Says She Doesn’t Like Brunch but Secretly Likes Brunch: As one who took a bit of time to get over a brunch-shaped chip on his shoulder, I know that there is some serious antibrunch sentiment out there. And that’s okay; the brunch concept and its adherents can be extremely irritating to moms who are a bit more down-to-earth. If you have such a mom in your life and you still want to celebrate with a morning meal, give Sweet Lake Biscuits and Limeade (multiple locations, (sweetlakefresh.com).

I suggest Sweet Lake because long ago, it was the place that first helped me understand that brunch is a spectrum, and it truly belongs to everyone. Its unassuming space, bodacious biscuit breakfast sandwiches—just get the Hoss and you’ll know what I’m talking about. Sweet Lake is also a nice spot for moms who don’t imbibe but still like the concept of getting a special drink with their meal. All of Sweet Lake’s limeades are tasty, vibrant and can really make a non-brunch situation feel more like a brunch one. Which it’s not. Or is it?

For the Momstagrammer: Utah is big on moms momming it up on social media, so where can you go that will make a bomb-ass Instagram Story? Sunday’s Best (10672 S. State Street, 801-441-3331, brunchmehard.com), that’s where. With its cheeky slogans like “champagne in the membrane” posted on the walls coupled with a Palm Springs design aesthetic, this Sandy restaurant is a primo backdrop for any #brunchbunch. Their menu of Southern-inspired classics—like beignets and fried chicken & waffles—is sure to please any palate, and their cocktail menu is full of colorful options. This is one you’re going to want to book in advance, as momstagramming is a full-time job, and a tasty local restaurant that gushes with upscale kitschy style is always popular among those ladies who play as hard as they work.

For the Mom Who Is Perpetually Disappointed in You: This is a tough one, and it ain’t gonna be cheap, but hear me out. If you’re dealing with this type of mom, you’ll want to go to Franck’s (6263 Holladay Boulevard East, 801-274-6264, francksfood.com). Since this type of mom will likely find a way to turn this kind gesture into a trip down generational trauma lane, you may as well get one of the best damn meals of your life out of it. They’re serving up a five-course fixed price brunch that includes burrata cheese with sundried lime marmalade, sorghum butter roasted sashimi, a blistered green tomato emulsion with a croque monsieur crouton, some sweet tea-braised wagyu beef cheek and a strawberries and cream cake.

If you play your cards right on this one, not only will you be able to enjoy a meal from one of our finest restaurants, but maybe—just maybe—you’ll be able to get your mom to pay the bill. I mean, she’ll still think you’re a failure, but hey! Free brunch. CW

ALEX SPRINGER

a Knife - Australian Cold IPA

Desert Edge Brewery

273 Trolley Square, SLC DesertEdgeBrewery.com

On Tap: Tropical Fruit Storm Pale Ale

Epic Brewing Co. 825 S. State, SLC

EpicBrewing.com

On Tap: Peach Cream Ale

Fisher Brewing Co.

320 W. 800 South, SLC

FisherBeer.com

On Tap: Up to 17 Fresh Beers!

Grid City Beer Works 333 W. 2100 South, SLC GridCityBeerWorks.com

On Tap: Extra Pale Ale

Helper Beer 159 N Main Street Helper, UT 84526 helperbeer.com/

Hopkins Brewing Co. 1048 E. 2100 South, SLC HopkinsBrewingCompany.com

On Tap: Apricot Wheat

Kiitos Brewing 608 W. 700 South, SLC KiitosBrewing.com

Level Crossing Brewing Co. 2496 S. West Temple, South Salt Lake

LevelCrossingBrewing.com

On Tap: Philly Sour Fruit Bat Bingo ($1,000 jackpot): Wednesdays at 7pm

Moab Brewing

686 S. Main, Moab

TheMoabBrewery.com

On Tap: Bourbon & Blonde (Bulleit Bourbon Barrel-aged Blonde Stout)

Mountain West Cider 425 N. 400 West, SLC MountainWestCider.com

On Tap: Pomme Paloma

Offset Bier Co 1755 Bonanza Dr Unit C, Park City offsetbier.com/

On Tap: DOPO IPA

Ogden Beer Company 358 Park Blvd, Ogden OgdenRiverBrewing.com

On Tap: Injector Hazy IPA

Policy Kings Brewery 223 N. 100 West, Cedar City PolicyKingsBrewery.com

Prodigy Brewing 25 W Center St. Logan Prodigy-brewing.com

On Tap: It’s Complicated Sour

Proper Brewing 857 S. Main, SLC ProperBrewingCo.com

On Tap: Cloud Chaser - Kölsch with Strawberry and Watermelon

Proper Brewing Moab 1393 US-191 Moab, Utah 84532

On Tap: Angus McCloud- Scottish 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 Redrockbrewing.com

1640 Redstone Center

On Tap: Bamberg Rauch Bier

RoHa Brewing Project 30 Kensington Ave, SLC RoHaBrewing.com

On Tap: Flash Flood Belgian Pale Ale

Brewers Select: Strength in Numbers Wheat Wine

Roosters Brewing

Multiple Locations

RoostersBrewingCo.com

On Tap: Identity Crisis Session West Coast Hazy Cold IPA – the name says it all!

SaltFire Brewing 2199 S. West Temple, South Salt Lake SaltFireBrewing.com

On Tap: Deep Dive Series - Steam Beer

Salt Flats Brewing 2020 Industrial Circle, SLC SaltFlatsBeer.com

On Tap: Save the Lake Pilsner - 5% of sales donated to local non-profits to support preserving our Great Salt Lake

Scion Cider Bar 916 Jefferson St W, SLC Scionciderbar.com

On Tap: Colorado Spruced Glider 6% ABV

Shades Brewing 154 W. Utopia Ave, South Salt Lake ShadesBrewing.beer

On Tap: Mango IPA

Live Music: Thursdays

Shades On State 366 S. State Street SLC Shadesonstate.com

On Tap: Mexican Lager

Karaoke: Wednesdays

Silver Reef

4391 S. Enterprise Drive, St. George StGeorgeBev.com

Squatters Pub Brewery / Salt Lake Brewing Co. 147 W. Broadway, SLC saltlakebrewingco.com/ squatters

On Tap: Dark Haze Honey Porter (Nitro)

Squatters and Wasatch Brewery

1763 So 300 West SLC UT 84115 Utahbeers.com

On Tap: Pink Boots Collab Hazy DIPA, 9% ABV

Strap Tank Brewery

Multiple Locations

StrapTankBrewery.com

Springville On Tap: PB Rider, Peanut Butter Stout Lehi On Tap: 2-Stroke, Vanilla Mocha Porter

Stratford Proper 1588 Stratford Ave., SLC stratfordproper.com

On Tap: Yacht Rock Juice Box - Juicy IPA

TF Brewing 936 S. 300 West, SLC TFBrewing.com

On Tap: Edel Pils

Talisman Brewing Co. 1258 Gibson Ave, Ogden TalismanBrewingCo.com

On Tap: King Slayer- Pilsner

Uinta Brewing 1722 S. Fremont Drive, SLC UintaBrewing.com

On Tap: Was Angeles Craft Beer

UTOG 2331 Grant Ave, Ogden UTOGBrewing.com

On Tap: Love Punch for us –Tropical Hefeweizen-5% ABV. Pride beer! A portion of proceeds are donated to Project Rainbow

Vernal Brewing 55 S. 500 East, Vernal VernalBrewing.com

Wasatch 2110 S. Highland Drive, SLC saltlakebrewingco.com/wasatch

On Tap: Wasatch Salt Lime Cerveza (SLC)

Zion Brewery 95 Zion Park Blvd, Springdale ZionBrewery.com

Zolupez 205 W. 29th Street #2, Ogden Zolupez.com

A list of what local craft breweries and cider houses have on tap this week

Brews From the Altitude

Two brilliant IPAs from Heber Valley Brewing

BY MIKE RIEDEL comments@cityweekly.net @utahbeer

This week, we get into a couple of brews from the altitude—and by that, I mean Heber Valley Brewing Company. The small-town brewery doesn’t seem to get a lot of attention from the Wasatch Front, and I think that’s the way they like it. They specialize in small-batch beers of all stripes—like the two IPAs that we’ll be covering here—that take you by surprise as you exhale a quiet, “Whoa …”

Heber Valley - Citrocumulus: It pours an almost turbid golden burnt-orange body, capped with two fingers of lush, fluffy, white foam. Good head retention yields a thin layer of cap, a hearty, expansive collar and a generous spread of webby/spotty lacing coating the walls of the glass. Aroma opens to deeply-floral citrus, refined to fresh orange juice accents and a fluffy lime undertone; papaya rind and soft melon ease over the middle, as tinges of black peppercorn phase effortlessly into flaky, plush malt profile on the back end of the bouquet.

The taste shows mango upfront grazed with pineapple tartness, transitioning to lemon meringue against a fluffy malt base over the mid-palate. Melon touches the back end, a briefly sweet interlude as musty grass and delicate, underripe passionfruit and grapefruit finish. Mouthfeel in this 7.0 percent ale offers a medium body with a fluffy, moderate-high carbonation, dispersing a hoppy twang fusing to juiciness over the mid-palate. The back end highlights a zesty character invigorating a taut, drying finish.

Verdict: All of the layers here work

quite well together. The pillowy malt profile supports the zesty citrus and pangs of sweeter tropical nectar in playful contrast, common with some of the more noted IPAs in and outside of our market. This one proves very enjoyable to drink.

Heber Valley - Eclectic Avenue: The beer pours a hazed orange-yellow color with a one-finger head of fluffy white foam. The head has a great level of retention, slowly fading over time to leave a ton of foamy lace on the sides of the glass. The aroma of the brew is big, with a tropical fruit smell of papaya and mango; it’s similarly strong in a bready malt smell. Along with these smells comes a rather decent showing of bitter grapefruit, as well as a touch of hay and a moderate showing of boozy alcohol. Overall, you get a pretty sweet and warming aroma.

The taste begins with a thick, bready taste that has a moderately strong presence of caramel and a hint of light tropical fruits like tangerine, papaya and mango. At the start, there is also a lighter presence of herbal and grapefruit hops, which grows stronger and stronger as the taste advances. These flavors are joined by a nice earthy hop taste, as well as some notes of peppery spice and some pine. Toward the end, the sweet fruit fades a tad, and is replaced by more caramel, leaving the drinker with a somewhat malty and moderatelyhopped taste to linger on the tongue. The body of the brew is thick ,with a carbonation level that is on the slightly higher side. Overall, considering the bready and thick malt nature mixed with the hops, it makes for a nice-sipping 8.0 percent brew with lots of flavor.

Verdict: A rather tasty and slightly heavier interpretation of a double IPA. Quite nice.

Sadly, at this time there’s no distribution for these beers outside of Heber. So if you want to taste the magic, a scenic trip by car or bike will be in order. Citrocumulus comes in a 16-ounce can, while the stronger Electric Avenue is in a more appropriate 12-ouncer. As always, cheers! CW

MIKE RIEDEL

the THANK YOU! FOR TELLING US WE HAVE THE GREATEST BURGERS FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS! HERE’S TO ANOTHER 15!

Queer Food FEASTival

Breakfast • Salads Sandwiches • Pasta • Burgers Protect Your Loved Ones CITY WEEKLY salt lake DRIVER WANTED DRIVER WANTED Please email: Eric Granato Egranato@cityweekly.net

BACK BURNER Monday-Saturday 10:30am-2pm Dine in, Delivery, Take-Out, or Catering mypeppercinis.com @mypeppercinis

After the success of the Utah LGBTQ+ Chamber’s inaugural Queer Food FEASTival last year, the organization is excited to usher in year two of its local food celebration. This event is a gathering of small queer and allied restaurants, entertainers and purveyors of spirits, and will be an excellent way to sample some of Utah’s culinary talent. Participants include Laziz Kitchen, Sugarhouse Coffee, Sweet Hazel & Co., Kahve Café, San Diablo Churros, Tea Zaanti and Fry Me to the Moon. The event takes place at Mountain West Hard Cider (425 N. 400 West) on May 12 from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., and tickets can be purchased at utahlgbtqchamber.org

Zoo Brew at Hogle Zoo

The 2023 season of Zoo Brew at Hogle Zoo (2600 Sunnyside Avenue, 801-584-1700, hoglezoo. org) will be kicking off on May 17 at 6:30 p.m. For those new to the experience, Zoo Brew is a series of 21+ evenings where attendees can enjoy the sights and sounds of Hogle Zoo, but with 100% more beer. It’s perfect for those seeking a deeper connection with their animal counterparts through the imbibing of local brews and the consumption of tasty treats. Each Zoo Brew event will benefit different environmental efforts, with the first event focusing on the Jordan River Restoration conservation project. Zoo Brew will take place every Wednesday through Oct. 18; tickets can be purchased via the zoo’s website.

Stack 571 Burger and Whiskey Bar Opens

The owners of the recently-opened WildFin American Grill have brought another one of their Washington-based concepts to Riverton, and it sounds awesome. It’s called Stack 571 Burger and Whiskey Bar (13311 S. Tree Sparrow Drive, Ste. PD-S3, 801-285-0068, stack571.com)—and, as you may have guessed, it specializes in burgers and whiskey. Their burger menu is impressive, and incorporates classic dishes like poutine and banh mi into their roster of classics. On top of that, you can get milkshakes with a shot of local spirits, doughnuts and plenty of whiskey cocktails. These Washington restaurateurs are continuing to bring some interesting concepts to our neck of the woods, and I am looking forward to exploring this one.

Quote of the Week: “We all need to make time for a burger once in a while.” -- Erica Durance

City Weekly is looking for drivers for the SALT LAKE AREA. Drivers must use their own vehicle and be available on Wednesdays

Building a Better Mousetrap

BlackBerry takes the “based on a true product” movie trend in great new directions.

BY SCOTT RENSHAW scottr@cityweekly.net @scottrenshaw

You could spend a lot of time—and many writers already have—on why 2023 in cinema has seemed to be the year of “based on a true product.” From Air to Tetris, from the upcoming Flamin’ Hot to this week’s BlackBerry, movies are tonguekissing the entrepreneurial spirit. Maybe it’s an indication of how we tend to mythologize business innovators/disruptors/ billionaires-with-too-much-time-ontheir-hands. Maybe it’s a chance to show us just how down-and-dirty corporate shenanigans can get. Whether it’s either of those or something else entirely, it’s clearly … a thing.

The problem you encounter when focusing on the common threads that make up a trend is that you can overlook what might make one specific case within that trend unique, or at least more effective than its siblings. BlackBerry, for example, hits several notes that some of the others don’t even seem to be trying for. It succeeds as character study, as an acting showcase and as a profile of what rapacious capitalism can do to even the best intentions.

It opens in 1996, with Canadian engineers Mike Lazaridis (Jay Baruchel) and Doug Fregin (co-writer/director Matt Johnson) trying to sell their latest product concept—a hand-held device that combines the utility of a phone with access to email and internet—to a manufacturer represented by executive Jim Balsillie

(Glenn Howerton). Balsillie barely seems to be paying attention to their pitch, but when he finds himself out of a job, he shows up at Lazaridis and Fregin’s door with an offer of seed money if he can become co-CEO. And he turns out to have what it takes to make the newly-dubbed BlackBerry a retail phenomenon.

Since it’s likely that no one reading this currently owns a BlackBerry, it’s not exactly a spoiler to note that the giddy heights the company reaches in the early 2000s precedes an equally precipitous fall. So as is generally the case when the audience already knows how your story ends, the success of BlackBerry depends on how it unfolds along the way. Johnson and co-screenwriter Matthew Miller—adapting a non-fiction book by Jacquie McNish and Sean Silcoff— demonstrate an ideal sense for how to convey the story visually, employing a pseudodocumentary style of hand-held cameras and snap-zooms providing a you-are-there urgency. Johnson also understands how to be brutally efficient in conveying information, in a manner that plenty of directors could take lessons from; it takes a montage that lasts all of 12 seconds to let the

audience know “BlackBerry is now hugely popular,” before moving on to much more important plot points.

That also leaves more time to build characters, most vividly accomplished in Howerton’s performance as Balsillie. The fact that Balsillie is a total dick is clear from the outset, as he does an end run to take credit for a co-worker’s efforts, and that continues in various profane tirades throughout the movie. But BlackBerry never dismisses that Balsillie also has a particular kind of brilliance, leading to opportunities his techie colleagues never could have managed. Howerton is phenomenal at evoking the ego of someone who’s always certain he’s the smartest guy in the room, and he’s able to do just as much with a red-faced rant as with a dropping of the eyes that suggests utter contempt for the person he’s dealing with.

The clash between Balsillie’s cutthroat sensibility and the creative spirit of Lazaridis’s engineering team—whose cluttered workspace doubles as a theater for their movie nights—also allows BlackBerry to be something considerably more than an act of cheerleading for quarterly growth

numbers. It’s not particularly subtle that Johson’s headband-and-tank-top-wearing Doug becomes a kind of mouthpiece for the dangers of “selling out,” but the movie effectively shows that achieving the kind of maximum efficiency demanded by a whip-cracking new COO (Michael Ironside) comes at a cost of being a place where people actually want to work. It’s a bit of a bummer that Lazaridis isn’t fleshed out as fully as Balsillie—Baruchel turns social awkwardness into his only defining characteristic—but BlackBerry’s conclusion still finds poignance in the idea that some of the most basic visions he had for his creation have been lost. Here’s a movie that may be part of a trend, but like so many successful businesses, it finds a way to stand out by being both different and better. CW

BLACKBERRY BBB 1/2

Jay Baruchel in BlackBerry IFC FILMS

THURSDAYS

FRIDAYS DJ FRESH(NESS)

SATURDAYS POKER @ 2PM DJ DELMAGGIO

SHARK SUNDAYS POOL TOURNEY HOSTED BY JARED AND TANNER

MONDAYS REGGAE MONDAY WITH DJ NAPO

TUESDAYS

WEDNESDAYS KARAOKE

Ye’s Life Matters

SLC Indie hip hop artist takes shots at Kanye West

BY EMILEE ATKINSON eatkinson@cityweekly.net @emileelovesvinyl

“Ifielded one too many questions about why Jews run the show biz,” said Jewish indie hip hop artist Lex Ether. So what do you do as a musician when something bothers the hell out of you? You write about it, of course.

Ether debated on whether to release “Ye’s Life Matters” in 2023, wondering if it would still be relevant from when he wrote it. As it turns out, it is.

“I made the judgment call, yes, but just on the fact that people still sometimes will ask me strange questions about Kanye West,” Ether said. More than ever, famous people can get on social media and podcasts to project their bigoted views. Famous people like Kanye “Ye” West have spent way too much time spewing vitriol about the Jewish community, much to the frustration of people like Ether, who are brought into the conversation when they’d rather not be.

“The breaking point for me was probably stupid messages on Facebook,” Ether explained. “Conversations that are meant to be fodder, but that get brought into at an increasing rate, and the most difficult part for me personally about this is the people that are bringing me into these conversations are not necessarily Utahns.”

A lot of the comments come from friends in Chicago, where Ether lived before com-

ing to Salt Lake. “It’s people that I grew up with that Kanye West—for people especially in Chicago, where he’s from—is never going to be wrong,” he said. “It became a little bit emotionally draining.”

“Ye’s Life Matters” was added at the last minute onto Ether’s latest project, First 9. He was already working on the album when the frustration over dealing with antisemitism came to a head. The song is a scathing diss track towards West that includes beautifully-crafted yet punchy lines that pair deliciously with the beats like cheese to a fine wine. “Don’t let him get his hooks in you / Say I’m a race, that’s a race to the bottom,” Ether spits. “Race is only real when they take you for a problem / Or see an opportunity to say you coulda shot ’em / Same way I wanna write a bad contract.”

Ether also adds bits of Hebrew in the song as an extra gut punch to West. The song opens with “L’chaim,” which can be heard repeatedly throughout the track. It’s hard not to dwell on the lyrics that Ether doles out on this song, but they’re just so well done. “Ye’s life matters / Each time that we chatter / ’Bout the merits of what one person is saying / Ye’s life matters / Each time the glass shatters / At a temple where my people are praying / Ye’s life matters / Let’s hang and fly banners / And not worry how we spelling his name.”

The rest of First 9 is just as smooth as “Ye’s Life Matters,” though not as scathing. Ether has perfected his craft when it comes to pairing blistering rhymes with addicting backing tracks. First 9 is the first in a series of new projects for hip hop artist. He’s fascinated by numerical patterns, especially in intervals of nine.

“I’m not a math person; I’m a humanities person, I’m a words person, obviously. However, I do kind of spiritually get drawn

to patterns, shapes, numbers, etc.,” he said. Ether has plenty of songs on the backburner to release in the second nine, third nine and so on.

Live shows are a goal for Ether as well, especially as he ramps up recording and releasing music. “If by the end of 2023 I had maybe five or ten shows that I”ve performed at that were significant shows, that’s a modest goal,” he said. “The world knows nine tracks of mine, I’ve made about 200 plus since the quarantine by itself. … Hopefully I can get at least to Fourth 9 by the end of this year, and just continue to build my brand, meet awesome people and continue to just try to make this transition. If I don’t, just have it be a fun thing that I’m doing, but make every song meaningful.”

First 9 was a good mix of songs from Ether, but he’s interested in possibly making future projects themed and more elements that tie together the album as a whole. “The next one, Second 9, is going to be a dirty-sounding—very lyrical bars driven with a little bit of anger and sarcasm and an alternative type of a vibe to it. A future one will maybe be all love songs for ladies. A different one could be gospel-sounding, uplifting songs,” he said.

As Ether releases new projects, he hopes listeners identify with his music the same way he identifies himself through his music. “I’m grateful for people taking time to listen,” he said. “If they’re willing to and if they like the music, then it’s just going to do what it does.”

He also hopes that people take inspiration to do things they’re passionate about— or frustrated about.

“There’s a lot that can be done from being creative, and that’s kind of what I want people to be able to identify with, is that all of us have this side of what we dream about,

and what we wouldn’t be doing, or what we’d be doing if we didn’t have to do our grinding job right now,” he said. “I want to be getting across to the world that if somebody’s going to be 40 years old in corporate America, I could still rap my ass off, and therefore I think that I deserve consideration to be a full-time rapper.” CW

MUSIC PICKS

By Emilee Atkinson

Pond @ The Depot 5/11

A live album from a band can be so transportive. Throwing on your best headphones and closing your eyes while the album is playing will make you feel like you’re in the room— minus the sweaty, pushy crowd around you. The latest release from Australian psych legendsvPond is live from the Marc Riley show on BBC6, and features four of their iconic tracks. The production on them is incredible; the sound is so full and crisp, it’s hard to tell that they’re live recordings, but then again, Pond has been around the block a few times over their nearly 15-year career. The group offer an enticing mix of psych sounds blended with groovy bass and sharp vocals. “America’s Cup” has all of these aforementioned attributes, and the live version will have you putting the track on repeat. Each of the songs on this live EP is newer, released in 2021, but journeying back through some of the band’s older work is a captivating journey. Their most streamed song on Spotify, “Paint Me Silver,” comes from their 2017 album The Weather, and it’s a perfect summer song that’s high-energy, cheerful and perfect for blasting with the car windows down. Join Pond at The Depot on Thursday, May 11 at 7 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages show are $40 and can be found at livenation.com. (Emilee Atkinson)

Live Music

Pond MATSU

By Emilee Atkinson

Escape From the Zoo, Doom Scroll, Captain Daniels and the Sunnybrook Sailors at Aces High Saloon 5/12

Aces High Saloon is the go-to place for a variety of rock and metal music. Each week, there’s a showcase of so many different subgenres that there’s always something for everyone. This weekend, you can get your fill of three unique bands united by one attribute: Punk. Glorious punk. Headlining are Houston natives Escape From the Zoo, who affectionately describe their sound as music that “makes you think, feel and want to mosh simultaneously” on their website. According to the band, their latest release Countin’ Cards is a perfect blend of all three of these feelings. Escape From the Zoo offers up a fun, exciting ska twist on the genre, mixed with more hardcore elements like screaming vocals; there’s no way you can listen to their music without headbanging. Joining along in the fun is Doom Scroll, who will undoubtedly share new tunes from their latest album Immoral Compass. They offer up yet another twist on the punk genre, incorporating folk sounds into their repertoire. “Doom Scroll delivers an aggressive melodic punk/crust wave of complexity, instrumentation and dangerously irresponsible harmonies,” as stated on their website. Rounding out the show is local act Captain Daniels and the Sunnybrook Sailors, who manage to bring together folk and ska like the previous groups, along with some rock sounds. If you want to experience a delightful variety of punk, come out to this 21+ show on Friday, May 12 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 the day of the show. Grab tickets at aceshighsaloon.com. (EA)

Kilby Block Party @ Utah State Fairpark 5/12-14

I’m sure you’ve already heard, but I’m going to tell you anyway: This lovely mid-May week marks the ushering in of Salt Lake City’s very own Kilby Block Party, now in its fourth iteration. Those used to the intimacy and trendy quaintness of Kilby Court should know that our local and longtime music sanctuary is equivalent in cool factor but no match in stature to the behemoth that is the Block Party. Boasting four different stages and three 10-hour days filled to the brim with local and national acts, Block Party 4 promises to be the most prodigious of Kilby’s endeavors to date. The Strokes, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Pavement are the heavy-hitting headliners, though the lineup also flaunts other superstars including (but certainly not limited to) Pixies, Run the Jewels, Alex G, The Walkmen, Weyes Blood, Osees, Mannequin Pussy and Alice Phoebe Lou. Homephone, Worlds Worst, Sunhills, and Anais Chantal are just a few of the local legends to watch on this glorious weekend as you gear up for the main events. But wait … there’s more! With two kick-off concerts slotted on May 11 and three after-parties spread out between the 12th and the 13th, I don’t even feel like I need to tell you that this will be a weekend to remember. General admission and VIP tickets are on sale now at 24tix.com. Tickets for the all-ages festival can be purchased for single days or as a three-day pass and range in price. All after- and kick-off party tickets are sold separately, and all but one are 21+.

(Sophie Caligiuri)

MUSIC PICK S

By Emilee Atkinson

The Golden Hour @ The International 5/15 Golden Hour brings an evening of passive participation, while being actively engaged by your host, Peter Goldie. Every Monday night, you can count on weekly guest DJs and performing artists, live hairstyling and often a movie showing on VHS. Golden Hour moves through musical moods and art to casually facilitate engagement between the patrons, bar staff and performing artists. Goldie’s curiosity drives the experience into the liminal space between performer and audience, artist and art-observer, hoping to better balance connections between people co-existing in temporary spaces. The curation of Golden Hour focuses on honing a physical setting, and capturing the opportunity to transform fleeting moments into memories—a place where one could find power, beauty and emotional resonance. With the intention of honoring International’s oft-sought lounge-feel, maintaining ambience in the space is a requisite feature of Goldie Presents; having an active host is key to creating comfort and a welcoming environment. Goldie keeps the volume controlled to encourage a space where the audience can exist and interact, outside of the traditional late-night setting. Caricature artists, illustrators and painters creating live onstage to a soundtrack curated by the host - with an open invitation for performance artists who would like a stage to work on. He is actively seeking new collaborators, and can be contacted for bookings through @goldieandtheguise Instagram. Catch the Golden Hour at 6 p.m. on Monday, May 15th at the International. General admission is free for the 21 and over show. More information can be found at internationalbar.com (Mark

Dago)

Morgan James @ The State Room 5/16

Soulful songstress Morgan James is stopping by SLC for an intimate evening at The State Room, offering showgoers a chance to experience James’ powerful, entrancing voice in an intimate showcase. The singer did a tenure with Epic Records, but has since been able to take control of her music in ways she wasn’t able to before. “I feel like I am a part of the lineage of soul music. My guiding force throughout my creative process is “What would Aretha say? What would Otis say?’ It’s not a retro or throwback by any means,” she states on her website. “This music is me: classic elements, timeless melodies, and lyrics from my soul and experience. We need that right now. We need real music now more than ever.” James seamlessly blends her distinct voice with thoughtful stories to create music that takes you on a journey full of truth, beauty, heartache and thoughtfulness. Her latest release, Nobody’s Fool, is an exciting work that starts out with a strong funk vibe that will have you wondering what comes next. As it progresses, you’re hit with slower and more contemplative tracks, mixed in with songs full of that heartache James is known to bring. Come spend an evening with Morgan James on Tuesday, May 16 at 7 p.m. Tickets for the 21+ show are $30-42, and can be found at thestateroompresents.com. (EA)

TRAVIS SHINN

Pixies Morgan James

free will ASTROLOGY

BY ROB BREZSNY

ARIES (March 21-April 19)

We’re always telling ourselves stories—in essence, movies in our minds. We are the producer, the director, the special effects team, the voice-over narrator and all the actors in these inner dramas. Are their themes repetitious and negative or creative and life-affirming? The coming weeks will be a favorable time to work on emphasizing the latter. If the tales unfolding in your imagination are veering off in a direction that provokes anxiety, reassert your directorial authority. Firmly and playfully reroute them so they uplift and enchant you.

TAURUS

(April

20-May 20)

A famous coach once said his method was to manipulate, coax and even bully players into doing things they didn’t like to do. Why? So they could build toughness and willpower, making it more likely they would accomplish formidable feats. While this approach may work for some tasks, it’s not right for many others. Here’s a further nuance: The grind-it-out-doing-unpleasantthings may be apt for certain phases of a journey to success, but not for other phases. Here’s the good news, Taurus: For now, you have mostly completed doing what you don’t love to do. In the coming weeks, your freedom to focus on doing fun things will expand dramatically.

GEMINI

(May 21-June 20)

Most of us have an area of our lives where futility is a primary emotion. This may be a once-exciting dream that never got traction. It could be a skill that we’ve never found a satisfying way to express. The epicenter of our futility could be a relationship that has never lived up to its promise or a potential we haven’t been able to ripen. Wherever this fruitlessness resides in your own life, Gemini, I have an interesting prediction: During the next 12 months, you will either finally garner some meaningful fulfillment through it or else find a way to outgrow it.

CANCER (June 21-July 22)

Many of us Cancerians have high levels of perseverance. Our resoluteness and doggedness may be uncanny. But we often practice these subtle superpowers with such sensitive grace that they’re virtually invisible to casual observers. We appear modest and gentle, not fierce and driven. For instance, this is the first time I have bragged about the fact that I have composed over 2,000 consecutive horoscope columns without ever missing a deadline. Anyway, my fellow Crabs, I have a really good feeling about how much grit and determination you will be able to marshal in the coming months. You may break your own personal records for tenacity.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)

Why do geese fly in a V formation? For one thing, it conserves energy. Every bird except the leader enjoys a reduction in wind resistance. As the flight progresses, the geese take turns guiding in front. Soaring along in this shape also seems to aid the birds’ communication and coordination. I suggest you consider making this scenario your inspiration, dear Leo. You are entering a phase when synergetic cooperation with others is even more important than usual. If you feel called to lead, be ready and willing to exert yourself—and be open to letting your associates serve as leaders. For extra credit: Do a web search for an image of migrating geese and keep it in a prominent place for the next four weeks.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

I boldly predict that you will soon locate a missing magic key. Hooray! It hasn’t been easy. There has been luck involved, but your Virgo-style diligence and ingenuity has been crucial. I also predict that you will locate the door that the magic key will unlock. Now here’s my challenge: Please fulfill my two predictions no later than the solstice. To aid your search, meditate on this question: “What is the most important breakthrough for me to accomplish in the next six weeks?”

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

Losing something we value may make us sad. It can cause us to doubt ourselves and wonder if we have fallen out of favor with the Fates or are being punished by God. I’ve experienced deflations and demoralizations like that on far more occasions than I want to remember. And yet, I have noticed that when these apparent misfortunes have happened, they have often opened up space for new possibilities that would not otherwise have come my way. They have emptied out a corner of my imagination that becomes receptive to a fresh dispensation. I predict such a development for you, Libra.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

Kissing is always a worthy way to spend your leisure time, but I foresee an even finer opportunity in the coming weeks: magnificent kissing sprees that spur you to explore unplumbed depths of wild tenderness. On a related theme, it’s always wise to experiment with rich new shades and tones of intimacy. But you are now eligible for an unusually profound excursion into these mysteries. Are you bold and free enough to glide further into the frontiers of fascinating togetherness?

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek (1632–1723) worked at a variety of jobs. He sold cloth, was a land surveyor and bookkeeper. He managed the affairs of his city’s sheriffs and supervised wine imports and taxation. By the way, he also had a hobby: lensmaking. This ultimately led to a spectacular outcome. Leeuwenhoek created the world’s first high-powered microscope and was instrumental in transforming microbiology into a scientific discipline. In accordance with astrological omens, I propose we make him your inspirational role model in the coming months, Sagittarius. What hobby or pastime or amusement could you turn into a central passion?

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

I wonder if you weren’t listened to attentively when you were a kid. Is it possible you weren’t hugged enough or consistently treated with the kindness you deserved and needed? I’m worried there weren’t enough adults who recognized your strengths and helped nurture them. But if you did endure any of this mistreatment, dear Capricorn, I have good news. During the next 12 months, you will have opportunities to overcome at least some of the neglect you experienced while young. Here’s the motto you can aspire to: “It’s never too late to have a fruitful childhood and creative adolescence.”

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

As I’ve explored healing my traumas and disturbances over the past 20 years, I’ve concluded that the single most effective healer I can work with is my own body. Expert practitioners are crucial, but their work requires my body’s purposeful, collaborative engagement. The warm animal home I inhabit has wisdom about what it needs, how to get it and how to work with the help it receives from other healers. The key is to refine the art of listening to its counsel. It has taken me a while to learn its language, but I’m making progress. Dear Aquarius, in the coming weeks, you can make strides in developing such a robust relationship with your body.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)

Can we surmise what life might be like as the expansive planet Jupiter rumbles through your astrological House of Connections and Communications? I expect you will be even more articulate and persuasive than usual. Your ability to create new alliances and nurture old ones will be at a peak. By the way, the House of Communications and Connections is also the House of Education and Acumen. So I suspect you will learn a lot during this time. It’s likely you will be brainier and more perceptive than ever before. Important advice: Call on your waxing intelligence to make you wiser as well as smarter.

ACROSS

1. Darth Vader’s boyhood nickname

4. “____ la vista!”

9. Big name in transmission repair

14. Eggy seasonal drink

15. Infotainment program once co-hosted by Ryan Seacrest

16. Spin, as a baton

17. Pair of contacts? (SNOW + SLEET)

19. Thrown for a loop

20. “I’ve had ____ to here with you!”

21. Try, as a case

23. Scott in an 1857 case

24. Maritime first responder: Abbr.

25. “I’m such a ding-dong!”

27. Orthodontist’s org.

28. Sound of a sly chuckle

29. Seed covering

33. “____ away” (“RuPaul’s Drag Race” catchphrase)

35. With 43-Across, what a worried game show contestant might do? (SNOW + FREEZING RAIN)

37. Makes use (of)

38. Why a person might choose skim milk over whole milk? (RAIN + SLEET)

40. P.R. liability

43. See 35-Across

47. Counsel 48. Shutter part 49. “Look at THAT!” 50. Drug that’s dropped 51. Poli ____ 53. Be insufferably sweet 54. Spencer of “Good Morning America”

56. Arduous journey 59. Fleischer and Onassis

60. Prayer opening

62. January weather forecast, perhaps ... or this puzzle’s theme

65. Where Hercules completed his first labor

66. “____ these mean streets like a villain”: Patti Smith

67. Ristorante suffix

68. Writing contest entry, maybe 69. Meshlike 70. ____ Fridays DOWN

1. Carpenter ____ 2. “Ah, makes sense” 3. “Ah, makes sense”

Good for Bad

Starting this month, people with bad credit may be able to get federally insured mortgages, thanks to other people getting new loans with good credit. I’m so not making this up!

4. Dickens villain Uriah

5. ____ Arbor, Michigan

6. Meeting, informally

7. Cute, cutely

8. Syrian strongman Bashar al-____

9. Justice Dept. division

10. Make ____ (earn big bucks)

11. Fashion designer and judge on “Project Runway All Stars”

12. Guided by a statement of faith

13. “Good” times?

18. Haul

22. 1982 Grammy winner for Record of the Year

24. 1989 “Weird Al” Yankovic movie about TV

26. “____ Got Time for the Pain” (1974 hit)

29. Montezuma’s people

30. 2021 Aretha Franklin biopic

31. Happening offline, to a texter

32. “Thank you for coming to ____! Sit back and relax! Enjoy the show!” (old theater chain jingle) 34. It’s a wrap in Bollywood

Last week’s answers

Roughly 25% of homebuyers with FHA loans are people of color who, on average, have fewer savings for down payments on homes and condos and often have lower credit scores. Newsweek reported that this can be attributed to distrust of the banking system or even a lack of understanding of the nation’s financial systems among first-generation Americans. Data from FinMasters noted that the average credit score in white communities was 727 in 2021 compared to 667 in Hispanic communities and 627 in Black communities.

The new incentives come at a cost for buyers with good credit who saved money, and some believe this unfairly penalizes Americans with a stable history. Critics charge that rewarding folks with bad credit doesn’t help access to housing. Instead, we should focus on inflation, cutting energy costs and investing in infrastructure in cities across the nation.

This program will increase mortgage payments for good-credit buyers by roughly $40 per month.

It reminds me of the years 2007 and 2008 when minimum-wage workers were approved for huge home loans without any money as a down payment and not great credit. Sadly, many of them lost their homes when the Great Recession hit.

Certainly, people with lower income should have an opportunity to own a home. But the question is will those with bad credit be able to make payments on time? The mortgage broker I work with is more than willing to help first-time homebuyers understand not just the process of getting a home loan, but often to repair the potential buyer’s bad credit before applying for a mortgage—at no cost to the borrower.

It’s imperative to get pre-approved for a loan before making an offer on a home, as the protocol is to show the seller that the borrower has passed certain loan guidelines.

There’s lots of grumbling in the industry about this new program, but the basic facts are that 1. inventory is low and 2. affordable housing is extremely hard to find unless you’re willing to commute to the suburbs.

And when closing costs for a mortgage are 2% to 3% of the sales price, an extra $40 shouldn’t break the bank for a first-time buyer—especially if the buyer’s broker can negotiate with the seller to help pay some of the buyer’s closing costs.

BY THE EDITORS AT ANDREWS MCMEEL

Creme de la Weird

For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, a ritual event took place at the Sensoji Temple in Tokyo on April 22, The Guardian reported. The traditional “crying sumo” event features pairs of infants, held up by the parents facing each other, who are frightened into crying by staff wearing “oni” demon masks. The first baby to cry wins the match. “We can tell a baby’s health condition by listening to the way they cry,” said Hisae Watanabe, mother of an 8-month-old. “I want to hear her healthy crying.” Crying sumo events are held throughout the country. “In Japan, we believe babies who cry powerfully also grow up healthily,” explained Shigemi Fuji, chairman of the Asakusa Tourism Federation, which organized the event.

Clothing Optional

Police in Mesa, Arizona, responded to the One Life Church on April 16 after receiving a call about a naked man in the church’s baptismal fountain, AZCentral reported. Officers said Jeremiah Sykes, 20, was asked to leave repeatedly but wouldn’t comply; he then wrapped himself in a blanket and wandered about the property.

Sykes told officers he was baptizing himself. During his booking procedure, he punched two officers, compounding his charges.

Wrong Place, Wrong Time

Shivdayal Sharma, 82, died in a freak accident in the Alwar region of India on April 19, LBC reported. As Sharma urinated near a train track, a Vande Bharat express train struck a cow, launching it 100 feet into the air before it landed on him. Sharma was killed instantly, and another man narrowly escaped being hit also. Ironically, Sharma worked at Indian Railways before retiring 23 years ago. Officials are calling for metal fencing to keep cows away from the tracks, along with the removal of garbage and vegetation.

The Passing Parade

On April 19, Viktoria Nasyrova, 47, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced to 21 years in prison for a bizarre plot that she cooked up against a lookalike friend from Ukraine, NBC News reported. Nasyrova wanted to avoid being sent back to Russia, where she faced charges in a 2014 murder, according to the Queens district attorney’s office. So in 2016, she laced a cheesecake with phenazepam, a powerful toxin found only in Russia, and fed it to her “friend.” The victim survived, but her Ukrainian passport and $4,000 in cash were stolen. Nasyrova’s attorney said that she will likely be deported after serving her sentence.

The Continuing Crisis

In Carmarthenshire, Wales, residents have responded to the condition of a rural road that they describe as the “worst in the county” with a clever road sign, Wales Online reported on April 27. “Caution: Remove dentures.

Adjust bra straps. Secure your nuts,” the sign reads. Abergorlech Road is full of potholes, and while some have been filled, local residents believe that “the road is so worn and damaged that it requires complete resurfacing in many places,” a spokesman said. “Whilst the sign is intended to be funny, the constant wear and tear on our vehicles is a real issue.” The Carmarthenshire Council contends, however, that there is no money budgeted for resurfacing, but residents say it’s “ironic that the police can check our vehicles to ensure that they’re safe for the road, but no one is ensuring that the road is safe for our vehicles.” Maybe it’s time to call the Terminator.

Awesome!

Seventh-grader Dillon Reeves of Warren, Michigan, is being hailed as a hero after he came to the rescue of a wayward school bus on April 26, ABC News reported. Reeves noticed as he was riding the bus home from school that the driver was “in distress.” Superintendent Robert D. Livernois said the student “stepped to the front of the bus and helped bring it to a stop without incident. I could not be prouder of his efforts.” The bus driver had lost consciousness; emergency personnel tended to the driver, and students were delivered home on another bus.

Inexplicable

The Madison County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office is investigating the mysterious mutilations and deaths of six cows spread over three counties, Fox News reported on April 22. The cows were found along a highway with their tongues cut out, but strangely, no blood had been spilled and there were no signs of the cattle struggling. Furthermore, investigators said, the carcasses had lain undisturbed by scavengers for several weeks. All the cows were found in the same position: lying on their side, with the face cut along the jawline and the tongue neatly removed. There were no discernable tracks in the area, sheriff’s officers said. They’re working with other law enforcement agencies across the U.S. to identify similar incidents.

T The Coniston Tavern in Nuneaton, England, is allegedly haunted by the ghost of a former drinker there, according to the landlord, Andy Gadsby. Fox News reported that on April 24, CCTV video captured an incident where a beer glass suddenly exploded, showering three pals with shards of glass. Earlier, at the same table, a different customer’s glass suddenly slid to the floor. Gadsby said the ghost is Dave, who used to live in an apartment above the pub. “One night he drank a bottle of brandy and had a heart attack and died,” Gadsby said. “Maybe his spirit is around the pub and he’s desperately trying to pinch people’s drinks. The two incidents have spooked people out.”

Send your weird news items to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com

Systems Engineer IV (SE-ST) in Midvale, UT (Telecommuting permitted from anywhere in U.S.) ServiceNow configuration mgmt. database (CMDB) dvlpmt activities. Reqs BS followed by 5 yrs prog rltd exp. Send resumes to Zions Bancorporation at ZionsCareers@zionsbancorp. com. Must reference job title & code in subject line.

Data Engineer (DE-PK) in Midvale, UT. Design, dvlpmt & support of the ETL process for Salesforce Unification project. Telecommuting Permitted. MS+2orBS followed by 5 yrs prog rltd exp. Send resumes to Zions Bancorporation at ZionsCareers@zionsbancorp. com. Must reference job title & code in subject line.

Logistics Coordinator. Provide two-way contact w/ assigned custs., receivers, pot’l. carriers, teammates, & upper mgmt. of org. Resp. for rsrch. of avail. carriers & routes, coord. & probl. solve on behalf of clients & transportation teams. Oversee investigation process for right solution w/ optim. time perf. & fin’l. outcome. Plan & help participate in training of Supply Chain interns from local Universities Bach. or foreign equiv. in Business Admin., Logistics, or closely rltd. field. Must possess knowl. or understanding of basic cmptr. prgms. incl. MS outlook, word, excel, & teams. Must be able to read & write English & comm. thru text & verbally. Limited telecommuting may be available per co. policy. Must wk. w/in commutable distance to office for trainings & necess. meetings. Salary: $58,074/yr. Send resume to: Legacy Logistics LLC, 480 N. 700 West, North Salt Lake, UT 84054 or leah.jacobson@baileysholding.com