City Weekly October 31, 2024

CITY WEEKLY

GE T TING AROUND

Did Moab’s police chief fully disclose his leaving multiple departments while under investigation for misconduct?

BY ERIC S. PETERSON

S AP

BOX

Non-endorsement

isn’t ‘Objectivity’

In late October, the Los Angeles Times published its list of candidate/issue endorsements for this year’s general election. Missing from the list: Any endorsement for president. Semafor reports that the paper’s owner, Dr. Patrick SoonShiong, nixed the Times editorial board’s planned endorsement of Kamala Harris over Donald Trump.

A few days later, the Washington Post similarly announced that it won’t endorse for president this year or “in any future presi-

dential election.” Once again, NBC News reports, that decision was made by Post owner Jeff Bezos, who vetoed the editorial board’s planned endorsement of Harris.

The stories drew applause from some media critics—unsurprisingly, mostly those associated with the Republican Party—for a supposed move toward “neutrality,” or even “objectivity” (those two words do not mean the same thing) by the Times and Post

Those same stories, of course, drew condemnation from other media critics— unsurprisingly, mostly those associated with the Democratic Party—over their faux silence in the face of Trump as “existential threat to democracy.”

Let’s get that “neutrality” and “objectivity” nonsense out of the way first.

American news media are not and never have been “neutral.” Neutrality means taking no side in a conflict. American media—newspapers in particular—have a long history of identifying with political parties and endorsing those parties’ candidates in elections.

In fact, many newspapers once bore the

stamp of their party affiliations in their names (I grew up with the Lebanon, Missouri Daily Record, previously the Rustic Republican) and others still do (for example, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette). They weren’t “neutral.” They took sides.

In the 20th century, under the influence of commentators like Walter Lippmann, journalism began portraying itself as “objective.” While many (including far too many journalists) treat that as a synonym for “neutrality,” it isn’t. Objectivity means accurately representing reality to the best of one’s ability.

Reality, objectively reported, often implies a better or worse side.

Reality, neutrally reported, just reports the sides and refuses to take one.

In reality, most news media are neither neutral nor objective. Their reportage is biased, just more subtly than openly.

Most outlets use a more attractivesounding term for the side they support and a less attractive-sounding term for the side they oppose. Even if a story is accurate in its factual statements, it’s written to make one side sound like good guys

and the other side sound like bad guys. Quick example: Pro-choice and pro-life versus pro-abortion and anti-abortion. Or look at reporting on the war in Gaza. Supporters of one side or the other will mix and match words like “self-defense,” “resistance,” “terrorism” and “genocide” to make precisely the same actions sound better or worse depending on which side takes those actions.

We know which candidate the editorial boards of the Times and Post prefer— and which candidate the owners of those newspapers prefer. Silence on both isn’t “neutrality” or “objectivity,” it’s just one preference vetoing the other.

We’d all be better informed if the media just went back to wearing their biases on their sleeves.

THOMAS L. KNAPP

The William Lloyd Garrison Center for Libertarian Advocacy Journalism

Care to sound off on a feature in our pages or about a local concern? Write to comments@ cityweekly.net or post your thoughts on our social media. We want to hear from you!

THE WATER COOLER

Have you watched The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives?

Wes Long

Nope. There are more enjoyable ways to rot one’s brain than consuming a localinflected take on the grotesqueries of rich and vapid people.

Chelsea Neider

Yes, loved it, but definitely not that Mormon. I think it gave the world a totally different idea on what the Mormon religion is in Utah.

Scott Renshaw

Real talk: I have no interest in reality television unless at the end of it, someone has baked something or renovated something. No shade to those who find entertainment value there, but I checked out on the genre around season 3 of MTV’s The Real World, when it became clear that people now understood the celebritymaking value of being a complete a-hole.

Benjamin Wood

I did! No judgement for anyone who watches Real Housewives, but I found Secret Lives to be much truer to the Utah Mormons I grew up with.

Bryan Bale

I’ve never seen it. It’s honestly not something that interests me, just like all those other “real housewives.”

PRIVATE EYE

BY JOHN SALTAS

Just Say No

On Monday, October 28, all of Greece—plus Greeks and Hellenes worldwide—celebrated Oxi Day. That date celebrates the occasion in 1940 when emissaries sent by the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini knocked on the door of the Greek Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas at 3:00 a.m. They told him he should open his sleepy eyes and surrender Greece to the Italian army hunkered down in Albania, primed to attack Greece.

Metaxas replied, “Oxi” (Ochi). Oxi means “no” in Greek. Thus begat the Greek resistance to the fascist Axis powers that would last the next 219 days, until elite German forces overran Greece in 1941, remaining throughout the country until the end of the war. Over those four years of German occupation, nearly 400,000 Greek civilians and military would die, a sum of about 10% of the population of Greece.

Among them was my dad’s uncle, Nick. He came to the United States with my grandfather, but returned to Greece prior to the start of World War II. My dad told me his uncle died of starvation—a very common pathway to the heavens at the time, since it was also common that German soldiers would not only empty foodstuffs of the local citizens but also disable them from being capable of growing new crops to replenish the old. Nazis were not nice people.

While that was taking place on the mainland of Greece, my mother’s family was also suffering from food and staple shortages on the island of Crete, likewise begat of German occupation. When my mother met them for the first time nearly 60 years after the war ended, they showered her (and us) with huge meals to give thanks for her father

sending them Red Cross relief during the war from his earnings in the coal and copper mines of Utah. Without it, they said, they may not have survived.

Can you imagine that? Going nearly four years without a steady supply of the bare necessities or food? What Americans living today have even missed four meals in a row, let alone four years of them? It’s no small wonder then that fascism is not looked upon as kindly in Greece as it is here in the United States.

But as affinity for fascism is growing here in the Trump party (the former Republican Party), with all the definitive hallmarks of anti-semitism, racism, hatred of immigrants and minorities, populist conspiracy theories and dire economic warnings, it cannot be forgotten that fascism didn’t fully die in Greece. The fascist political party Golden Dawn had a brief but prominent spell during the Greek financial crisis of the previous decade.

Indeed, a study of the hateful, demeaning dialogue taking place in Greece (and also in other European countries with marginalized citizens) from that era is a pretty fair template for the dialogues taking place at Trump rallies today. One could almost exchange the dialogue of Trump’s Madison Square Garden hate-fest with that of a run-of-the-mill Golden Dawn rally in Athens in 2012: short on solutions; long on suspicion.

I told myself today that I wouldn’t spend much time on the topic of Donald Trump. Whatever I could say has been written 10,000 times already, and it is barely noon. So I won’t. Kamala Harris is going to win the general election next Tuesday anyway, and nothing I can say today is going to change that outcome. Which does remind me—why are so many people bothered that newspapers are loathe to make endorsements these days?

As best as I can recall, this newspaper has made only two political endorsements ever: one for Sheriff Aaron Kennard, a Republican running against the Democrat N.D. “Pete” Hayward in the early 1990s; and later endorsing Rocky Anderson against a herd of Democrats heading into

the Democratic primary for the year 2000. Pretty sure that’s it. If not I’ll chalk it up to lost gray matter. Anyway, who doesn’t know which way we would lean in nearly every race anyway? My vote has been cast and mailed. As in nearly every state and national election I’ve participated in since 1972, it’s not going to affect the outcome one bit. But I didn’t vote for the rapist nor his smitten enabler, Spencer Cox.

This week, it was reported that USA Today, like The Washington Post, would not make an endorsement for either Kamala Harris or Donald Trump. USA Today endorsed Trump in 2016, then “dis-endorsed” him, but would not take the next step and move its endorsement to Hillary Clinton. USA Today said she had too much ethical baggage. And now it cannot move to Kamala? What ethical baggage might she own that comes within an eyelash of what Trump possesses?

Then there’s The Washington Post, which apparently lost 200,000 subscribers when owner Jeff Bezos killed an endorsement for Kamala Harris that was set to run. That will cost him about $10 million in revenues at a company that already lost $100 million last year.

Bezos is worth $220 billion. It’s not going to hurt. The problem is less that Bezos owns a newspaper and more that he also owns businesses that contract with the government. This is a conflict that should be readily recognized in these parts: Can you imagine the Deseret News writing an editorial that conflicts with its ownership?

Would The Salt Lake Tribune ever do that? Gee, dunno (actually I do), but isn’t it in fairly fresh memory that the heavy hand of ownership there created at least a smidgen of newsroom tension in the last gubernatorial race? Bros will be bros, you know.

Let the reporters report freely and there’s no need for endorsements. Still, vote blue—at least mostly!

Send comments to john@cityweekly.net

HITS & MISSES

BY KATHARINE BIELE | @kathybiele BY WES LONG

MISS: Lie Man

For all the “earned media” Phil Lyman gets, you’d think he was the frontrunner for governor. Are we tired yet? Lyman has been pissing his way into our attention ever since he lost the GOP primary to Gov. Spencer Cox. To be clear, we’re talking about two Trumpian candidates who probably deserve oblivion rather than stardom. Cox endorsed DJT after the ear-grazing incident—he was questionably sure it had changed Trump’s heart. And Lyman loves then-President Trump for pardoning him for organizing an illegal public lands protest. Lyman has been lobbing insults at Cox and now wants the U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in on the primary. That’s unlikely, at best, because the Legislature made a signature path to the ballot law, weakening the fringe element of caucuses. And there’s no proof of misconduct. It’s not enough for Lyman, who successfully threatened to sue two other “Lymans” on the ballot for governor. Not that any of them would have won in this state that reliably votes “R,” no matter what.

MISS: Nuke ’Em

Your fall planting headquarters

While Utah has significant water and air problems, the energy question is what looms large. Two-thirds of the state’s energy comes from fossil fuels, which are on the downswing. Now we see big tech and billionaires lifting nuclear energy as the solution for the future. Is it? The question has been debated for decades. The Deseret News ran a story about public officials—Rep. John Curtis, for one—championing nuclear power in the state. All this is happening in tandem with attempts (and pushback) to approve uranium mines that would fuel reactors. Native Americans near the Grand Canyon want a mine shut down to save their land. The Ute tribe near Southern Utah’s White Mesa mill sees destruction on their native lands. It’s difficult to breathe amid all the urgency for energy, which groups like Uranium Watch say ignores the problems of mining, waste and, of course, cost. Even with revved up timelines, the nuclear enthusiasm wanes and might be better used to fund research on storage, not just for nuclear, but also solar and wind.

HIT: Holding Court

If not for the internet and, frankly, independent journalists like Bryan Schott, the public might never know how public officials are wading into national issues. We have long known that outgoing Attorney General Sean Reyes spends more time on out-ofstate cases than anything in Utah. But the national attention to Republican concerns seems to reflect directly on Utah lawmaking. Schott called out the governor and lawmakers for “quietly” filing a friend-of-the-court brief supporting Tennessee’s ban on genderaffirming care. The brief claims such laws protect kids, comparing bans on hormone therapy and puberty blockers to “lottery tickets and handguns.” Speaking of which, Reyes also filed a brief to “protect” 2nd Amendment rights and allow assault weapons. Never mind that it doesn’t protect life. CW

Organ Grinders

With the unseasonably warm conditions having held forth around town this October (*cough* lifestyleinduced climate change *cough*), my family thought it would be fun to get into the spirit of the Halloween season by seeking the atmospheric cool of a dark London fog. But travel prices being what they are, we supposed our best bet was a screening of Alfred Hitchcock’s early mystery tale, The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog (1927), which recently played at the Organ Loft in the Edison Street Events building at 3331 S. Edison Street in South Salt Lake.

Not having been to the Organ Loft since before the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020, it was a delight to return to this unostentatious screening house in the company of loved ones and fellow fans of film. Surrounded by the audial appurtenances of the venue’s mighty Wurlitzer organ, it was a treat to be inside once again.

With an accompaniment by veteran organist Blaine Gale and a filmed introduction by series planner E. Hunter Hale, Jr. (1938-2024), we had a delightful experience in viewing a film I had hitherto neglected to check out.

Hitchcock’s Lodger was fascinating, in that it contains so many kernels of ideas and techniques that would come into fuller bloom throughout the remainder of his career. I was particularly struck by its position as a thematic bookend with Hitchcock’s penultimate—and vastly underrated—thriller Frenzy (1972). The Lodger may not be particularly flashy or impressive to some viewers today, but one gets the impression that a group of creative people were experimenting and having fun with this production nonetheless. And even now, there remains some fun little Hitchcockian touches that can be appreciated nearly 100 years after it was made.

My thanks to all the folks at the Organ Loft for their part in putting these events together, which may become even more of a rarity in the days ahead. This season was the last planned by Hunter Hale, who passed away this September from cancer and—according to owner Larry Bray on the Edison Street Events website—“the rest of the team is aging into the 70-80-90s, two of which have Parkinson’s disease.”

I encourage Utahns everywhere to check out the Organ Loft’s silent film series while they still can. This family business has been around Salt Lake since 1946, so if you have yet to experience an Organ Loft screening, you’re truly missing out on a beloved local treat. The Phantom of the Opera (1925) played during October, and both F.W. Murnau’s Sunrise (1927) as well as Herbert Brenon’s Peter Pan (1924) are slated for November. Calendar dates can be found at edisonstreetevents.com.

“Will we continue with the silent film series?” Bray recently wrote to Organ Loft patrons. “How long before so long—time will tell. In the meantime, let’s enjoy and appreciate while the sun shines.” CW

Gallery Roundup

Current exhibitions at Finch Lane Gallery, Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, Phillips Gallery and more.

BY SCOTT RENSHAW scottr@cityweekly.net @scottrenshaw

Utah’s art galleries and museums consistently showcase some of the best visual artists from the state, the West, the country and around the world. Here’s just a sampling of what’s currently on display to experience distinctive creative visions.

Alexandra Fuller: A Participatory Universe @ Finch Lane Gallery: The way we frame things always exerts an influence on how we perceive them, and Utah-based photographer Alexandra Fuller takes that notion to a literal extreme in her current solo show. Fuller employs a physical black aluminum frame to draw attention to specific locations (“Lake Landscape” is pictured) in an attempt to convey that meaning is often derived from focus. A Participatory Universe runs now through Nov. 15 at Finch Lane Gallery (54 Finch Lane)—including a closing reception on Friday, Nov. 15—concurrent with the exhibition Losing Ground featuring works by Nancy Steele-Makasci and Marcus Vincent. saltlakearts.org

Ian Burnley: A Bee his burnished Carriage @ Utah Museum of Contemporary Art: Gifted artists have the ability to draw connections between seemingly disparate notions, and UMOCA Artist-in-Residence Ian Burnley offers a unique experience in his new show. Part of the exhibition is made up of cyanotype prints, a 19th-century photographic technique that historically was associated with floral life; Burnley’s prints evoke the way flowers were often used in the Victorian era as a coded indicator of passion. Juxtaposed with these images is a two-channel video installation inspired by daytime serial dramas, conveying a very different, often exaggerated representation of human passion. Burnley’s con-

A&E

nection of both creative forms to the idea of drawing attention is on display at the lower-level AIR Space of the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art (20 S. West Temple) now through Jan. 11, 2025. utahmoca.org

Monster of the Mind @ Urban Arts Gallery: As the Halloween season draws to a close, so to does Urban Arts Gallery’s latest group show, this one inspired by the things that terrify us—whether in popular culture, from real-life horrors, or the things in our brains that we just can’t escape. It’s an exhibition that blurs the line between what fears are based on reality and what fears are created by our own psyches, in works by Cara Jean Hall (“Sabotage” is pictured), Maylee Alba, Vinny, Darlene Spaid, Mors Smith, Benedict Halsy, Nick Lokeni and more. The exhibition runs through Nov. 3, free and open to the public at Urban Arts Gallery (116 S. Rio Grande St.). urbanartsgallery.org

Rebecca Livermore @ Phillips Gallery: A former graphic designer, Utah-based Rebecca Livermore now applies her eye to the landscapes of the American West, employing watercolor to bring those places to life. “I respond to local color but also use vivid color to more boldly evoke the feeling of my subject,” Livermore says in an artist statement. “I work with the transparency of watercolor and the tendency of its pigments to blend together in lively ways to add richness and appeal to the eye.” Recent work (including “Train to Elko,” pictured) is currently on display at Phillips Gallery (444 E. 200 South) through Nov. 8 during regular gallery hours. phillips-gallery.com

Seeing the West: Utah and Western Art 1900 – 1980 @ David Dee Fine Arts: The wide range of perspectives artists employed for representing the landscapes and life of Utah and the desert southwest during the earlier part of the 20th century is on display in this group exhibition. From the stark historical perspective of immigrants to Utah represented by Alfred Lambourne (“Gathering of Wagons, Chimney Rock” is pictured), to the wildflowers of Timpanogos Valley captured by John Hafen, to the Depression-era images of Maynard Dixon, these works mark a transition from the American frontier of myth to our modern society. The show runs now through Jan. 10, 2025 at David Dee Fine Arts (1709 E. 1300 South, Suite 201). daviddeefinearts.com CW

Alexandra Fuller

Ian Burnley

Monster of the Mind

Rebecca Livermore

Seeing the West

theESSENTIALS ENTERTAINMENT

Iliza Shlesinger

A lot of work goes into a comedian readying a new full set of material for a live taping—and veteran comedian Iliza Shlesinger made sure audiences understood that work when she participated in the 2019 documentary Over & Over, which chronicled the preparations for her Netflix special Elder Millennial. “You can only figure out your process through trial and error, repetition,” she says. “I only do my writing on stage. So for me, getting up every night, doing a couple shows a night, that’s where I do my writing. That’s where you get your batting practice in. … I just talk them out. That’s why these smaller shows are important, to do that work.”

So when Shlesinger takes the stage in Salt Lake City to record her next special—planned for a 2025 release on Amazon Prime Video—you can be sure that months of writing, re-writing, club gigs and fine-tuning went into the effort. But then again, Shlesinger has been working her career consistently ever since (and don’t emphasize this credit, because she gets tired of talking about it) winning Last Comic Standing in 2008. That’s how true professionals do it.

Grab tickets now to be part of the audience for another hour of the fine art of well-built comedy. Iliza Shlesinger brings the “Get Ready” tour to the Eccles Theater (131 S. Main St.) on Saturday, Nov. 2 for two performances, 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Tickets $39.50 - $99.50; visit arttix.org to purchase tickets or for additional event information. (Scott Renshaw)

An October Evening 2024 It might seem odd to have an event called An October Evening taking place on an evening in November—but that might be the least bizarre thing that comes out of this now-traditional multimedia evening dedicated to the spooky, macabre and otherwise perfectlyappropriate for the Halloween season. Now in its 18th annual incarnation, the 2024 version of An October Evening takes its thematic inspiration from Rod Serling’s creepy television classic The Twilight Zone, a series that was built around giving audiences a dose of the unexpected.

Traditionally, An October Evening whose creators include long-time Salt Lake Film Society operations manager Stephen Simmons—has been a showcase for a wide range of creative endeavors, including live music, fashion, film, visual art, dance and more. Scheduled performers include dancers Lea Kosterlitz and Jace Chadwick, whose work is promised to be, according to the event website, “a world of shadow and illusion, where light becomes the storyteller, and darkness, the stage … a journey where silhouettes come to life.” Whether it’s visions of monstrous creatures or uncanny artistic creations, you’ll find yourself in a world that will “peel back the layers of normalcy.” And it doesn’t particularly matter if it’s taking place in November rather than October.

An October Evening 2024 comes to the Salt Lake Masonic Temple (650 E. South Temple) on Saturday, Nov. 2, with doors at 6 p.m. and the event starting at 7 p.m. General admission tickets are $30 via Eventbrite; visit facebook.com/anoctoberevening for link to tickets and additional event information. (SR)

Broadway at the Eccles:

Peter Pan

Applause gives life to live theatrical performances—but that idea has rarely been used to such kindaliteral effect as it has been in Peter Pan since the beloved J. M. Barrie story about the boy who didn’t want to grow up first came to a musical theater adaptation in 1954. That’s because audience members have been invited, when the fairy Tinker Bell lies near death, to save her life by clapping their hands. It’s been a wonderful experience for children and their grown-up caretakers for 70 years now—and as the show celebrates that anniversary, a newly-reimagined version hits the touring circuit. Emmy Award-winning director Lonny Price has taken on the task of sprucing up Peter Pan for another generation of theater-goers, adding to the beloved songs by Jule Styne, Adolph Green and Betty Comden—including “I Won’t Grow Up,” “I’ve Gotta Crow” and “I’m Flying”—with new book material by playwright Larissa FastHorse, new choreography and new flying sequences. “Peter Pan is one of the great treasures of American Musical Theatre,” Price says. “The show nurtures and inspires the imagination of its audience and reminds us to keep alive the child within us all. … “If you loved this musical before, you will still see the show that enchanted you, while discovering a  Peter Pan that everyone can enjoy, without harm, for many years to come.”

Broadway at the Eccles’ presentation of Peter Pan visits the Eccles Theater (131 S. Main St.) Nov. 5 – 10 for eight performances. Tickets are $64 - $169; visit arttix. org to purchase tickets and for additional event information. (SR)

Gathering Place

Celebrating a single crucial spot in Here, plus November special screenings

BY SCOTT RENSHAW scottr@cityweekly.net @scottrenshaw

Here BB

It’s been 30 years since director Robert Zemeckis, writer Eric Roth and stars Tom Hanks and Robin Wright teamed up for Forrest Gump, a facile, overly sentimental approach to the sweep of history—and it looks like they haven’t learned much since then. Adapting Richard McGuire’s 2014 graphic novel, they tell the story of a single spot on the North American continent, almost entirely from a fixed camera location, spanning the ages from the primordial soup through indigenous cultures and the American Revolution, but mostly focusing on a single family from the 1940s –early 2000s: WWII veteran Al Young (Paul Bettany) and his wife Rose (Kelly Reilly), and Al’s oldest son Ricky (Hanks) and his eventual wife Margaret (Wright). The gimmicky premise also allows the filmmakers to peek in on other residents of the same house over the decades, to little effect but allow touchstones like the attack on Pearl Harbor or the COVID pandemic to make cameo appearances. But without the creative courage to go truly experimental the way McGuire did—capturing individual human lives as fleeting specks on a massive timeline—Zemeckis and company are left with a parade of CGI de-aging and a simplistic homily about carpe-ing the diem. If Forrest Gump was a cinematic version of Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” this is simply Fall Out Boy’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire.” Available Nov. 1 in theaters. (PG-13)

NOVEMBER SPECIAL SCREENINGS

Made-in-Utah Westerns @ Broadway Centre Cinemas: The distinctive landscape of Utah has made it the backdrop for many celebrated Westerns over the years, and Salt Lake Film Society begins celebrating several of them in November. Clint Eastwood’s The Outlaw Josey Wales kicks things off on Sunday, Nov. 3, followed by Thelma & Louise (Nov. 10), Jeremiah Johnson (Nov. 24) and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (Dec. 1). slfs.org

Luther: Never Too Much: Documentary filmmaker Dawn Porter—award-winning director of films including John Lewis: Good Trouble and The Way I See It—profiles celebrated R&B artist Luther Vandross in this feature from the 2024 Sundance Film Festival program. The screening takes place at the Salt Lake City Main Library Auditorium (210 E. 400 South) Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 7 p.m., and is free to the public. utahfilmcenter.org

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone with Utah Symphony: Utah Symphony re-starts its successful cycle of the original Harry Potter film series. Experience John Williams’ iconic score and the original cinematic introduction to Harry, Hermione, Ron and company with a live orchestra for three nights at Abravanel Hall (123 W. South Temple), Nov. 7 – 9, with tickets starting at $45. utahsymphony.org

Big Lebowski Festival: For the 10th year, Joel and Ethan Coen’s 1998 comedy about an easygoing stoner and a case of mistaken identity gets a full evening of celebration at Peery’s Egyptian Theater (2415 Washington Blvd.) in Ogden on Saturday, Nov. 9. Beginning at 5 p.m. with cocktails, art vendors and trivia, the event also includes a character costume contest at 7 p.m. before the film screening at 7:30 p.m.; an after-party at Brewski’s is free with screening ticket. Tickets are $20. ogdenpet.com

Filmmaker Showcase: Episodes: In the era of “peak TV,” we’ve all learned that episodic storytelling can be just as artistically creative and compelling as feature films. Utah Film Center presents a showcase of episodic work by local filmmakers, including Lauren Sunshine’s Vision for a Gender Healed World and Jedediah Thunell’s Delusions of Grandeur. Moderators Jason Faller and Kynan Griffin also lead a Q&A for the event at Edison House (335 S. 200 West) on Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. The 21+ event is free with online RSVP. utahfilmcenter.org

Filméxico @ Broadway Centre Cinemas: Salt Lake Film Society’s annual celebration of Mexican cinema brings a week of feature films and shorts, including opening night feature Valentina and the Serenity; the documentary Rebelled, about the 1980s Cine Mujer female filmmaking collective; Set Hernández’s profile of a blind undocumented immigrant, Unseen; and Abraham Escobedo-Salas’ Underdogs, about a group of young hip-hop dancers. Programming runs Nov. 14 – 20, with $60 full festival passes as well as individual screening tickets. slfs.org CW

Tom Hanks and Robin Wright in Here

Utah

Records show that Moab Police Chief Lex Bell was investigated for an alleged inapropriate relationship with a confidential informant.

GETTING AROUND

DID MOAB’S POLICE CHIEF FULLY DISCLOSE HIS LEAVING MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS WHILE UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR MISCONDUCT?

BY ERIC S. PETERSON COMMENTS@CITYWEEKLY.NET

The following story was reported by The Utah Investigative Journalism Project in partnership with Salt Lake City Weekly and the Moab Sun News

At a Sept. 27, 2022, Moab City Council meeting, then-Chief Jared Garcia introduced his new assistant chief Lex Bell to the council, as well as another detective. It was a standard small town welcome—Bell talked about how nice everyone was, how beautiful the town was and how excited he was to take on the job. He also gave a quick resume describing his experience overseeing a Drug Enforcement Administration task force, working for seven years in SWAT and 10 years in the Metro Gang Unit.

“I came from Unified Police Department where I was employed 21 years,” Bell said. “I worked pretty much every assignment you could work, but most of my career was especially in a detective role.”

Bell was sworn in as Moab police chief on Sept. 26, 2023, just a year after he’d hired on in the No. 2 spot.

The Utah Investigative Journalism Project recently teamed up with Chicagobased nonprofit journalism organization, The Invisible Institute, to acquire certification records for over 28,000 officers who have worked in the state, including more than 10,000 active officers. That dataset showed that Bell actually worked

18 years with the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s and Unified Police and that he then worked two years at the Herriman Police Department before heading to Moab.

The certification records also show that he resigned as a sergeant from the Herriman Police Department in 2020 while under investigation.

In fact, Bell quit his last two police jobs while under investigation for allegations of misconduct involving the same female confidential informant (or CI), according to records obtained by The Utah Investigative Journalism Project.

The woman was described in a 2018 Unified Police Department internal investigations report as a “known escort, prostitute and drug user.” That report identified a relationship “plagued with inappropriate, unprofessional, personal and flirtatious communications” that went on for years, with Bell receiving illicit photos from the woman, while he provided her information and help getting out of legal trouble. The Unified report noted that information Bell obtained from the informant “solved not one crime for the Unified Police Department or for any other agency for that matter.”

The same woman would be pivotal to a later investigation while Bell worked at the Herriman Police Department, where it was alleged that he accessed privileged information and gave it to the informant,

so she could then harass a woman dating her ex-boyfriend.

“Everything you’ve brought up as an allegation has been fully investigated and dismissed by POST or other law enforcement entities, after finding no wrongdoing on my part,” Bell wrote via email. “They have been closed for a long time.”

While POST did not discipline Bell for the separate allegations involving the informant, investigators with multiple law enforcement agencies found Bell’s behavior troubling. Unified Police recommended firing Bell, at which time he resigned his position. Herriman had an outside department investigating Bell when he decided to leave his position there.

“Thank You For Being Awesome”

The informant reported first meeting Bell when he pulled her over for a traffic stop in November 2014, according to a 2017 Unified Police Department report.

“She reports you reached into her car and took her phone and used it to call your phone to obtain her phone number,” the report read. “She was released from the scene with no other interaction with you.”

Soon, the two began texting back and forth and, according to the report, the relationship started off normally for an officer and a confidential informant.

“You would call her seeking informa-

tion, and she would call when she was in trouble,” the report said.

On Feb. 28, 2017, the informant was worried that police were coming to possibly arrest her and asked about warrants her boyfriend might have. Bell texted to reassure her “Police aren’t coming. I just checked. They were bluffing you,” according to the report. He also told her she had six warrants that were only “bs little ones.” After the informant thanked Bell, he responded “you owe me a pic tho,” but quickly followed it up with “JK. I’m not a creeper.”

The informant responded that she would send one but when it didn’t come through Bell followed up with another text: “So you sent one, or almost did, cause I didn’t get one. Anyways. No worries. Talk tomorrow.”

The informant then sent a photo of herself wearing a sports bra “and resting her hand on her breasts,” the report said.

Bell responded: “There you are!! Hottie.” After getting another photo of her breasts, he said “God damn those are big girl.” A few pictures later Bell responded “Thank you for being awesome.”

Bell told an internal affairs investigator that asking for pics was “an inside joke” and that the comment was “stupid and in poor taste,” according to the report.

Investigators noted that information he provided the woman about warrants was

After joining the Moab Police Department in 2022, Lex Bell was promoted to chief in 2023.

public record. But other information was not, such as Bell telling her that someone she asked about wasn’t charged for a crime because a witness refused to testify. The report stated that Bell acknowledged such information wasn’t public.

In another example, the informant provided Bell “a picture of a note she came across that appeared to be from an officer’s notebook” and asked if it was a “controlled buy list,” referring to documentation of drugs purchased from a dealer to be used as evidence. Bell told her he didn’t think it was.

“When asked about revealing what a controlled buy looks like, you replied you didn’t think it would be a big deal,” the report stated.

In another instance the Internal Affairs investigator noted that Bell asked a detective from Sandy to drop a case against the informant and had the courts recall a warrant against her so it wouldn’t interfere with a trip she was planning. The informant was supposed to provide information in return but never did.

The informant was interviewed by Unified investigators, who said she was “sober and spoke in a manner that came across as credible and honest.”

Bell had visited her alone at her apartment “about a dozen times” while on duty, according to her account. She said on three occasions she “stripped and danced topless” for him, letting him “touch her butt and naked-breasts.” She also gave him lap dances, but said things never became sexual. Bell denied the topless dances took place or that he ever saw her nude, and stressed to investigators that while he visited the informant without other officers, there were other people in the room with the two of them.

Besides these home visits, the informant said she had ridden in a car with Bell on multiple occasions, even accompanying him on surveillance outings. Bell did not deny ride-alongs happened, but said there were not as many as the informant had described.

The report ultimately let Bell know he would be recommended for termination. He resigned instead.

Investigators described Bell in the report as if he was the informant and not the police officer in the relationship, that it was Bell who provided all the information to the woman, including “whether or not a case is being handled by the DEA, that a subject was not charged because a witness refused to testify, the nuances of an officer’s notes as it relates to a controlled drug purchase,” and other information.

In return for the information she received from Bell, she wasn’t expected to supply actionable information to help solve crimes, she told investigators.

When asked what Bell meant in text and Facebook messages

to her saying “You owe me,” the informant said it was “understood” that “she owed [Bell] a strip dance, a naked picture, or something of the sort.”

Law and Order

In 2018, the POST council examined Bell’s behavior and considered whether it merited disciplinary action.

As part of the POST process a hearing is held before an administrative law judge to determine if misconduct occurred and, if so, the matter is referred to the POST council to determine appropriate punishment.

The administrative hearing focused on whether Bell acted inappropriately in providing privileged information to the source. Fellow officers testified on Bell’s behalf that he was trying to get the woman to provide information on an assault suspect—though she never did. Others testified that his interactions with the informant were attempts to get intelligence from her and to cultivate her as a CI.

“Since there was evidence that it was a common practice, it can be reasonably surmised that his sharing of warrant information was an attempt to further that effort and, therefore, was for a criminal justice purpose,” the ALJ decision read.

Marcus Yockey is the assistant attorney general representing POST who took the case against Bell in the 2018 case.

He said the case hinged on whether his actions had violated agency policy. The other officers testifying about Bell operating within standard practices and vagaries in the policy hurt POST’s case.

“Their policy has to be very specific about what is allowed and what is not allowed,” Yockey said. “That’s what killed us.”

When Bell left Unified Police in 2018 he immediately was hired on at the Herriman Police Department. Two years after POST had cleared him of wrongdoing in his dealings with the informant, the relationship became the focus of an investigation at his new job.

A woman complained to Herriman police in August 2020 that an officer may have disclosed her personal information to a woman—Bell’s informant from his days at Unified. According to a Herriman Police Department report, the informant had told her ex-boyfriend that “she had a long-standing friendship with several police officers and that she often did ride-a-longs with these officers.” She even “claimed/bragged that the officers gave her access to private information the officers had obtained from the police data base.”

The complainant told police that she had been receiving harassing text messages from mysterious numbers from her boyfriend’s ex. The victim believed that her privileged infor-

mation had been leaked because the harassing text messages included very specific details. She received a text at 4 a.m. one morning, for example, saying a tow truck was coming to pick her vehicle up and identified the car by make, model and VIN.

The Herriman officer handling the complaint checked to see if any officers had queried police databases for the woman’s information and found that one had—Lex Bell. The search occurred on Bell’s day off and the database showed he conducted no traffic stops or official business that day.

Herriman handed the investigation off to the Draper Police Department for an impartial investigation. The informant told a Draper investigator that she gave a license plate number to Bell to run, fearing she was being stalked. But she said Bell did not provide her any specific information about the owner of the vehicle.

Bell did not cooperate with the Draper investigation. Draper’s investigation concluded they could not prove Bell provided his old informant with protected information, or that she used it to harass her ex-boyfriend’s new girlfriend. However, the report was clear that Bell accessed a private citizen’s information while off duty without justification. The information was forwarded to local prosecutors.

On Sept. 8, 2020, Taylorsville City charged Bell with two misdemeanor counts related to intentionally accessing and disseminating protected information.

That case was set to go to trial until it was dismissed on Oct. 6, 2021. The docket offered no explanation. The Taylorsville City attorney’s office did not respond to a request for comment about the decision.

This matter was also taken up by POST but this time, even though it involved similar allegations to the 2018 case, never even made it before an administrative law judge. POST determined there just wasn’t enough evidence to hold a hearing.

A letter from POST to Bell on June 14, 2022, notified him the agency would not seek to suspend or revoke his license but did offer him a reminder that his “professional and personal conduct is a matter of constant scrutiny. Therefore, you must always maintain a professional and lawful demeanor, both on and off duty.”

The next month Bell, who had resigned from the Herriman department, was brought on as assistant chief of police for Moab.

“Clear and Convincing”

In a short email response to questions for this article, Bell noted that the city was fully aware of his background.

“I did disclose all pertinent information as to my work history to Moab upon my hiring as Assistant Chief of Police. They conducted a full background check at that time as well, although I am not privy to it and do not know the contents of that check,” Bell wrote.

Lisa Church, a spokesperson for Moab City, echoed that statement in an emailed statement.

“Chief Bell was thoroughly vetted and submitted to a complete and detailed background check as part of his hiring as the assistant police chief. Beyond that, for privacy reasons the city does not comment on personnel matters. Chief Bell’s work for the city has been exemplary and he has our full support.”

POST’s attorney Marcus Yockey said the agency does take seriously allegations of repeated misconduct by an officer, but said it was a different attorney who handled the investigation of Bell’s Herriman complaint and determined there was not enough evidence to take to a judge.

He also noted that POST has to meet a high bar to take disciplinary action against officers—“clear and convincing evidence” much higher than civil in matters.

While Bell had insisted that POST found no wrongdoing on his part in the allegations against him, the decision of POST from his 2018 complaint stressed that it found that his behavior did not clearly violate agency policy. But it was not an outright vindication of his conduct.

“The evidence presented at the hearing [indicated] that Bell probably made numerous errors in judgment, was unprofessional, and may have committed possible violations of policy in his handling of the CI in this case,” the POST decision reads. “But that was not the subject of the hearing.”

The Utah Investigative Journalism Project asked Bell to comment on all the allegations derived from official police investigations from the various departments but he would not address specifics.

“Your facts, particularly regarding names and events are factually so far off it isn’t worth my time to try to correct them,” Bell wrote. CW

LEX BELL VIA MOAB SUN NEWS

Masters of the Burgerverse

At A Lo Maracucho, the burgers eat you.

BY ALEX SPRINGER comments@cityweekly.net @captainspringer

I’ve noticed that burgers on modern menus tend to skew toward fanciness and fussiness. Black truffles, wagyu beef and even caviar are showing up on contemporary burgers to showcase the dish’s versatility. While I have no problem with ripping through a “fancy” burger, I do feel like such culinary ornaments run contrary to the burger’s spirit. The way I see it, burgers evolve by getting bigger, meatier and cheesier—which is how they do things at A Lo Maracucho

The word maracucho is a colloquialism that refers to someone from Maracaibo, Venezuela, which is also where most of this restaurant’s menu takes its inspiration. It’s no secret that I’ve fallen in love with the Venezuelan restaurants around town, so when I got word that A Lo Maracucho opened two locations—one in West Jordan and one in Herriman—I was excited to check it out.

For starters, A Lo Maracucho has an excellent spread of Venezuelan classics. The Patacone a Lo Maracucho ($13.99) is an excellent example of the patacone, a classic Venezuelan sandwich that swaps bread for two fried, flattened plantains. Like most of the entrees here, you get the opportunity to mix and match your proteins; everything from grilled chicken and sliced ham to smoked sausage and pulled pork is up for grabs.

arepa menu at A Lo

hits all the right beats. You’ve got your pabellon ($11.99) with fried plantain and black beans, and your creamy reina pepiada ($10.47) with shredded chicken and avocado. The king of this part of the menu would be the Super Arepa ($13.47), which offers your choice of protein along with a ton of pico de gallo and shredded cheese. The texture on all of their arepas is ideal—nice and crunchy on the outside while remaining chewy on the inside.

I was also a fan of the tapitas ($7.99 for one or $14.99 for two), which use smaller fried arepas stuffed with lettuce, tomato, crema and your choice of protein. Not only were these a bit more snack-sized than the traditional arepa, but they come with a cube of salty fried cheese on top. As much as I love arepas, they’re often a bit of a commitment if you’re having one for lunch. These little guys solve that problem, especially if you go with a lighter protein like grilled chicken.

While having the opportunity to get something on the smaller side is nice, it’s the moments when A Lo Maracucho leans into its Venezuelan roots to create something meaty and insane like the Street Burger ($13.99). It can be ordered as a double ($15.99) or a triple ($17.99), which means you can potentially get up to three proteins on this monster. I went with a triple (because of course I did), and I ordered with grilled ham, pulled pork and smoked sausage.

The picture of this burger in the menu is imposing enough, but nothing can really prepare you for this monster when it arrives. I didn’t have my measuring tape handy, but I would guess this thing stood about eight inches tall. It’s positively dripping with fixins: shredded lettuce, sliced tomato, crispy fried potato sticks, melty mozzarella cheese, meltier American cheese plus the three proteins

I ordered. The bottom bun is completely buried with all of this madness. I did my very best to slice it in half and try to pick the whole thing up, but it was an exercise in futility. This is a knife-and-forker, to be sure.

While the sheer existence of this burger makes the world a better place, its massive size does invite a few pokes and prods as far as balance goes. I really liked the smoked sausage; I would get this on any burger that I order here from now on. It’s smoky, juicy and tastes hot off the grill. The grilled ham is the same, though I could see swapping this out with bacon during another order.

The burger patty itself is a little dry, but it’s honestly just there so you can call this thing a burger. The weakest link for me was the pulled pork; it was also on the dry side, so scooping up a bite of this while chewing my way through the giant burger threw the vibes off a bit. It’s not a perfect dish—though I staunchly believe that perfection can be achieved with the right combo of proteins.

If you’re craving the lighter version of a Street Burger, I’d recommend the salchiqueso ($6.49). This is a street hot dog topped with ketchup, mayo and tomato that gets completely doused in crispy potato sticks and adorned with two thick slices of mozzarella cheese. It’s excellent, and requires much less stamina to tackle. Overall, the traditional menu of patacones, arepas and cachapas at A Lo Maracucho can hang with the best Venezuelan spots in town; expect a warm welcome if you’re already a fan. What makes this spot stand on its own, however, is its commitment to making enormous burgers that defy the rules of physics. CW

The

Maracucho

73 West 7200 South, Midvale

On Tap: Piney Peaks “West Coast IPA”

On Tap: I am the VVitch Seasonal Golden Ale with Pumpkin and Spices

BewilderBrewing.com

Bohemian Brewery

94 E. Fort Union Blvd, Midvale BohemianBrewery.com

On Tap: California Steam Lager, American Heritage Lager NEW: Oktoberfest Märzenbier

Bonneville Brewery 1641 N. Main, Tooele BonnevilleBrewery.com

On Tap: Peaches and Cream Ale

Chappell Brewing

2285 S Main Street Salt Lake City, UT 84115 chappell.beer

On Tap: HARVEST - Wet Hop Amber

Craft by Proper

1053 E. 2100 So., SLC properbrewingco.com

On Tap: I am the VVitch Seasonal Golden Ale with Pumpkin and Spices

Desert Edge Brewery

273 Trolley Square, SLC DesertEdgeBrewery.com

On Tap:  Ay Curuba! Curuba Sour

Epic Brewing Co.

825 S. State, SLC EpicBrewing.com

On Tap: 2024 Big Bad Baptist Variants

Etta Place Cidery

700 W Main St, Torrey www.ettaplacecider.com

On Tap: Imperial Cider, RaspberryHibiscus Session Mead

Fisher Brewing Co.

320 W. 800 South, SLC FisherBeer.com

On Tap: A rotation of up to 17 Fresh Beers!

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

On Tap: Cask Nitro CO2

Helper Beer

159 N Main Street, Helper, UT  helperbeer.com

Hopkins Brewing Co.

1048 E. 2100 South, SLC HopkinsBrewingCompany.com

On Tap: Raspberry Gose

Kiitos Brewing

608 W. 700 South, SLC KiitosBrewing.com

On Tap: Blonde Ale; Pale Ale [Gold medalists at the Great American Beer Fest!]

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

On Tap: Vienna-Style Lager

Follow us on Instagram: @ levelcrossingbrewing

Level Crossing Brewing Co., POST 550 South 300 West, Suite 100, SLC LevelCrossingBrewing.com

On Tap: Bat Country Blonde Ale FREE yoga every other Saturday. 10:15am

Moab Brewing 686 S. Main, Moab TheMoabBrewery.com

On Tap:  Arnie (Co-Lab with 2 Row brewing): cream ale base with Lychee black tea and fresh pasteurized lemon juice.

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

On Tap: Boysenberry Hibiscus Cider for a Cure

Offset Bier Co 1755 Bonanza Dr Unit C, Park City offsetbier.com/ On Tap: DOPO IPA

Ogden Beer Company 358 Park Blvd, Ogden OgdenBeerCompany.com

On Tap: 11 rotating taps as well as high point cans and guest beers

Park City Brewing 1764 Uinta Way C1 ParkCityBrewing.com

On Tap: Galaxy Haxy Pale - 5.0%

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

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

On Tap: 302 Czech Pilsner

Proper Brewing/Proper Burger 857 So. Main & 865 So. Main properbrewingco.com

On Tap: am the VVitch Seasonal Golden Ale with Pumpkin and Spices

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

Proper Brewing Moab 1393 US-191, Moab properbrewingco.com

On Tap: I am the VVitch Seasonal Golden Ale with Pumpkin and Spices

Red Rock Brewing

254 So. 200 West RedRockBrewing.com

On Tap: Gypsy Scratch

Red Rock Fashion Place 6227 So. State Redrockbrewing.com

On Tap: Munich Dunkel

Red Rock Kimball Junction 1640 Redstone Center Redrockbrewing.com

On Tap: Bamberg Rauch Bier

RoHa Brewing Project 30 Kensington Ave, SLC RoHaBrewing.com

On Tap: Brewers Select: Zamboni Hazy IPA

Roosters Brewing Multiple Locations RoostersBrewingCo.com

On Tap: Roosters Ogtoberfest

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

On Tap: Punk As Fuck 3XIPA

Salt Flats Brewing 2020 Industrial Circle, SLC SaltFlatsBeer.com

On Tap: Prickly Pear Kolsch

Scion

BEER NERD

Sweeter Things

Malt drives these autumn beers

BY MIKE RIEDEL comments@cityweekly.net @utahbeer

Top of Main - Märzen Style Fest Lager: As Oktoberfest season keeps on keeping on, more breweries continue to showcase their versions of Märzen-style Festbier. This version comes with a traditional 6.0 percent ABV.

This lager pours a deep, candied orange, close to amber. The beer pours with an aggressive head of yellowing bubbles that form a creamy canopy over the beer, about two fingers high. The head lasts for quite some time, but when it dissipates, splotches of fluffy foam are left behind.

In body the beer is clean yet dark, with a steady stream of carbonation from the bottom of the glass. Very little haze is present; light is easily visible from the other side of the glass. On the nose, the Märzen smells of caramel malts. Cooked biscuits and toffee swim thickly onto the nose and leave a sticky sense in the nostrils. Faint, spicy hops and grass play at the fringes of this beer’s smell. On the tongue, the beer begins as rich toffee and honey biscuits. Caramel, maple syrup, and rich breads play across the palate as the flavor slowly swings to the bitter end with dry grass, spicy hay and faint green tea. The finish is smooth caramel with touches of bitter grass, but the aftertaste is mostly grassy. The beer feels creamy, with a medium-plus body and a middling carbonation that works to try and keep the beer’s sweetness in check. It leaves a sticky feeling on the cheeks and a sweetness on the tongue.

Verdict: Very easy to drink and enjoyable, easily sessionable and not a problem at all in drinking a 16-ounce can. The beer tastes bready-sweet, with definite hop touches that provide a soft,

building bitterness that is slightly spicy.

A faint salinity can also be found in the malt character, and light acidity gives it light herbal notes. The balance of this beer leans slightly toward the sweet section, though the bitters do wonders for drying out the finish.

Grid City - Monogamy Barrel-Aged Porter: This new porter spent nine months aging in Rye and Bourbon barrels acquired from 8 Settlers Distillery in Cottonwood Heights. It pours black and looks viscous coming out of the can. The deep abyss of a body is capped by a thin-bubbled tan head, which recedes into small islands and a fading coastal blend of colors. If there has ever been a beer that smells like straight up fudge, this is it—liquid fudge doused in oak and booze.

It smells decadent. And it is.

The first sip shows dense, rich, chocolatey fudge with caramel and walnut highlights, making this a euphoric dessert experience. The oak and booze play supporting cast perfectly, rather than dominating the delicious base. A slight dark-cherry tartness only elevates the flavor. The mouthfeel matches just as it should; it is in fact decadent with a smooth, creamy, syrupy body. It’s definitely on the sweet side, but has a wonderful charred and oaky presence to keep it in check. Every sip coats the mouth, and lingers long enough to allow intermissions between each sip.

Verdict: Everything here tells me that I’m coming back for another visit. The well-integrated flavors from the barrel and base beer create high drinkability, considering its 10.3 percent ABV.

It’s 16-ounce cans all around this week as well. I’d love it if it were feasible for breweries to offer their boozier beers in smaller cans, but I understand it’s not entirely practical. As these two beers are seasonal offerings, there will be limited availability, so pursue them sooner rather than later at their respective breweries.

As always, cheers! CW

BY ALEX SPRINGER | @captainspringer

The Midway Nordic Yurt Preps for the Season

With winter very nearly upon us, it’s time for you to schedule a bunch of fun stuff to get you through the long, dark cold. Why not start with a lovely dinner at the Nordic Yurt (nordicyurtutah.com) out in Midway? Located at Soldier’s Hollow, the Nordic Yurt experience starts with a guided snowshoe walk through the woods until you reach a spacious yurt, alive with the bustle of prepping a four-course meal. This is perfect for those of you who like to get a little physical before dinner, as snowshoeing will burn plenty of calories before you sit down to your gourmet meal. You can reserve spots for this event online or by calling 435-602-4022.

Dirty Sodas In the New Yorker

When they write about Utah in the culinary history books, they’ll credit Hulu’s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives with making dirty sodas a national phenomenon. The New Yorker recently published an article by food critic Hannah Goldfield in which the author visited ground zero of the dirty soda trend, and unpacked its social and cultural significance to Utahns. Goldfield’s piece outlined her experience at a Saratoga Springs Swig location, where she was treated to a flight of the soda shop’s best sellers; it didn’t take long before she was a true believer. It’s always fun to see Utah make its way into the national discourse for something that’s not terribly embarrassing.

Coats for Kids Drive at Wendy’s

If you’re looking for some charitable opportunities while you’re snacking on a Junior Bacon Cheeseburger, look no further than your local Wendy’s. All Utah Wendy’s locations operated by the Flynn Group (flynn. com)—there are about 50 of them in the Salt Lake area—will be outfitted with bins where you can drop off any new or gently used coats that will be given to local kids who are in need of warm clothing this winter. The Coats for Kids drive recently kicked off and will last until Nov. 29. Remember to bring some excess coats along as you get your fast food fix this month.

Quote of the Week: “For many in Utah, dirty soda is not just a regional specialty; it’s an organizing principle of everyday life.” – Hannah Goldfield

HAIL SEITAN GO VEGAN!

Local Music Playlist Spotlight

October 2024

Local songs to add to your playlists

BY EMILEE ATKINSON eatkinson@cityweekly.net @emileelovesvinyl

We may be nearing the end of the year, but there’s never a deadline to refresh your playlists. Here are a handful of songs from locals that you’ll most definitely listen to over and over once you add them to your current mixes.

Muskies, “FOR THE PEOPLE!”: Pike psych has returned! SLC rockers Muskies have an exciting, addicting sound that will instantly bring a smile to your face. This group is cheeky, and it’s easy to tell they love having fun as soon as you press play on any of their songs, but particularly on “FOR THE PEOPLE!” According to the group, this track is their take on the classic boom-bap sound of groups like Beastie Boys, De La Soul and Ugly Duckling. If there’s anything this song does, it’s boom and bap at you—and it’s awesome. The sound is so in-your-face in the best way, and Muskies utilize a wide range of instruments and effects that make you feel like you’re hunting for Easter eggs full of treats; you never quite know what’s coming next, but you’re very excited about it. The song also includes a dial tone and a line about calling Muskies, making it feel like the best infomercial you’ve ever seen. “Need something? / Feeling lucky? / We’ve got you covered / Call 1-800 Muskies,” they

sing. This song is guaranteed (unless you have no soul) to put a smile on your face. Plus, they have a music video full of the same fun vibes on YouTube.

Little Moon, “bashful lovers”: It’s hard not to get swept away in Little Moon’s dense sonic tapestries, but then again, why wouldn’t you want to be? After Little Moon’s 2023 Tiny Desk win with NPR, listeners have eagerly been waiting for something new from the group. Their new album Dear Divine dropped on Oct. 25, and there are plenty of great tracks to choose from. It’s hard to settle on one, but “bashful lovers” is a great one to single out. “In ‘bashful lovers,’ I’m letting myself lean into the beauty of young love, even with all my shyness and nervousness,” frontwoman Emma Hardyman told Flood Magazine. “It’s a glimpse into my younger self, struggling to accept being so bashful while still craving romance. The song reminds me that love can sparkle and grow even in the quietest, most timid hearts, and that just being sincere in who I am is enough to deserve love, I think.” This song immediately sweeps you away with its beautiful melody and Hardyman’s equally beautiful and whimsical voice. Plus, the sweeping orchestrations make you feel like you’re listening to a Disney princess sing. Add this song to your playlists that make you feel hopeful and inspired.

The Mellons, “Please Baby Please”: There doesn’t seem to be enough baroque-pop out there, but The Mellons do what they can to fill that void. This whimsical quartet always brings full-bodied melodies and maximalist style to their music, and it’s fantastic. The Mellons’ debut album Introducing… The Mellons! gave listeners a taste of something nostalgic and fun with their retro-baroque sound, and are continuing to bring that sound we’ve come to love with

Psyche’s Cypher

MUSIC

“Please Baby Please.” Even though this song is the perfect match for a pool party, you can listen and enjoy it at any time of year because of its timeless sound. Its punchy, lively, boisterous and delightfully retro sensibility will have you dancing until you can’t anymore. This is a perfect track for get-togethers … or for solo dance parties in your living room.

Psyche’s Cypher, “April’s Rain”: A list of playlist recommendations wouldn’t be complete without a song you can headbang to. “April’s Rain” is the debut single from alt-rockers Psyche’s Cypher, and it has an incredible sound that fans of the genre will instantly gravitate towards. “April’s Rain” is melodic with chugging, steady rhythms and stunning vocals. There’s not too much to say here other than this is a fantastically solid rock song, and what more could you need? It has a great, upbeat rhythm and is excellently produced—perfect for your happy and or headbanging playlists. Hopefully this is a taste of more to come from Psyche’s Cypher.

Carson Ferris, “FOMO”: Young, dynamic pop artist Carson Ferris is back with a new single all about the fear of missing out.

“‘FOMO’ is a song about the fear of missing out. It’s a song about priorities, making decisions and figuring out what matters most to you and choosing that, even if it means missing out on other things,” he said. “This can apply to a lot of things, but what I specifically wrote ‘FOMO’ about is choosing to do music instead of being a normal teenager. We all come across hard decisions in our lives that will lead to missing out on something.” “FOMO” has everything you want from a Carson Ferris track: a strong pop beat, compelling vocals and relatable lyrics. No one is immune to FOMO, no matter your age. If you need an upbeat song that will get you hyped up, “FOMO” is a great addition to your peppy playlists.

There you have it, folks, another handful of great tracks for your library. If you’re ever feeling like you need a musical refresher, you know City Weekly always has you covered. CW

THURSDAY,

FRIDAY,

SATURDAY, NOV. 2

BEST BAR IN UTAH!

GREAT FOOD

Halloween Party @ The Green Room 10/31

Who’d have thought that listening to music and being able to hear your friends talk at the same time would ever be a “thing” to sell? The Green Room was designed with the purpose of providing a place for music-lovers to come together to enjoy recorded music played the best way possible: on vinyl, with an exceptional analog sound system and, of course, drinks. They have DJ Godina on Halloween doing an all-wax ’80s set.

A little information about the Green Room’s sound system: The high-end tube amplifiers are manufactured by Fezz, the Klipsch speakers (Cornwall II’s and Heresy) provide amazing dynamics and simply does do better, and the LPs behind the bar come from the personal collection of bar owner James Ramirez. It is a collection of genres from soul, funk & jazz to new wave, post punk & psych-rock, plus reggae, salsa and a variety of world music from every continent. Acoustics are as important as, if not more than, the actual sound system. This place has the necessary diffusion, so you don’t end up getting reverb reflections that suck out the energy of the frequencies in different positions in the room. A focus on music is always appreciated in this age of streaming algorithms and a SPOOKY visit to the Green Room sounds amazing, pun intended. Catch all of this at the Green Room (17 E. 400 South in SLC) on Thursday, Oct. 31 at 9 p.m. Admission for the 21+ event is free. For more information, check @thegreenroom.bar on IG. (Mark Dago)

The Green Room

AND 2 EACH 3 BUTTON KEY FOBS

MUSIC PICKS

Richard Thompson @ The Jeanne Wagner Theatre 10/31

It’s hard to imagine an artist more direct, distinctive, witty and pithy than Richard Thompson. Having initially gained fame during the folk revival of the mid and late ’60s courtesy of his extended stint in Fairport Convention—the British folk-rock band that transformed the traditional music of the British Isles by infusing it with the relevance and urgency of rock and roll—Thompson went on to create a remarkable solo career, first with his ex-wife Linda and, for the past 40 years or so, on his own. While Thompson’s sound tends to be more taut than tender—at least on first encounter—he never strays far from his insights into basic human emotions. That said, he’s often gone about his efforts in curious ways, as exemplified by the tale of a delusional woman in “From Galway to Graceland,” the tender yet tragic “Vincent Black Lightning” and a view of life’s perils imagined in the rollercoaster ride described in “Wall of Death.” Indeed, any encounter with Thompson’s work overall tends to infuse irony into the unexpected. He’s especially entertaining in concert, and given his legendary status as a singer, songwriter and guitarist, any opportunity to see him in concert is well worth the effort. Or, to quote from one of his most memorable songs: “If you really mean it, it all comes round again …” The State Room presents Richard Thompson’s Ship To Shore tour at The Jeanne Wagner Theatre on Thursday, Oct. 31 at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $47 - $67 at arttix.org. (Lee Zimmerman)

Richard Thompson

Dr.

Fresch @ BoxPac Project 11/1

If you are looking for the freshest house artist out there, look no further than Dr. Fresch. His real name is Tony Fresch, and he lives up to the homophonic adjective. What makes him stand apart in the world of electronic music is the recipe combining various genres such as West Coast hip hop, bass house and numetal. It’s a balance that works well, because he has had a decade in the industry to finetune his production. His big start in the electronic music scene was in 2013 after winning Insomniac’s Discovery Project Contest. Dr. Fresch’s life quickly changed, especially with the release of his remix of “Gangsta Gangsta” featuring Baby Eazy-E, which is the epitome of the sub-genre “Gangsta House” (known as G-House). While he’s been known for his hip-hop remixes like A$AP Ferg’s “Plain Jane,” he also has many original productions. For example, his newest songs “Mobbing,” as well as “Enemy” released this year with fellow producer, Habstrakt, stay true to that original sound, but are even more elevated

and woven with the hip-hop/house. His high-energy DJ sets will be a treat at Mutiny Music Collective’s 360-degree stage at BoxPac Project. The eclectic and energetic beats create a unique, forward-thinking sound. This show takes place on Friday, Nov. 1; doors open at 9 p.m. Tier 3 tickets are left, and cost $30. Mutiny’s shows often sell out, so get your tickets fast. Go to seetickets.us.

(Arica Roberts)

Queensrÿche @ The Depot 11/3

In the musical world, umlauts seem to be the domain of hard rock and metal bands: Motörhead, Mötley Crüe, Spin̈al Tap… and Queensrÿche. The last-named of those came roaring out of the Pacific Northwest in the early 1980s, brandishing a sound that combined the passion power of heavy metal, the arena-rock sensibility of ’70s giants like Queen and Van Halen, and the finesse and sophistication of progressive rock. The three-time Grammy-nominated group’s lineup has changed over the years—only

guitarist Michael Wilton and bassist Eddie Jackson remain from the original lineup—but Queensrÿche has been remarkably consistent in crafting intelligent and compelling music. Since forming in 1982, the group has released 16 studio albums of new material, five live albums and assorted other sets. Queensrÿche’s peak commercial period came in the late ’80s and ’90s, with a three-album run of platinum-selling releases, Operation: Mindcrime, Empire and Promised Land (1990’s Empire went triple-platinum). But the group endures to this day; 2022’s well-received Digital Noise Alliance charted in four European countries. While the latest album eschews the conceptual character that made albums like Operation: Mindcrime special, it delivers subtlety and heaviness in equal measure. Queensrÿche comes to The Depot on Sunday, Nov. 3 at 6 p.m. Tickets are $48 and up at livenation.com. (Bill Kopp)

W.A.S.P. @ The Depot 11/4

Hair metal, glam rock, shock rock: choose your sub-genre of over-the-top rock associated with the 1980s, and W.A.S.P. fits into it. Formed in 1982, the four-man outfit from

Los Angeles found widespread success with its brand of bombastic, theatrical music. Staking out a polarizing image, W.A.S.P.— especially in the person of lead vocalist and guitarist Blackie Lawless—has successfully tapped into the rebellion of teenage rock fans. Deliberately courting controversy has long been one of the band’s calling cards; they memorably butted heads with morality lobbyists Parents Music Resource Center in 1987. Yet for their trouble, the group has earned critical praise and an ardent following. While the band’s live presentation draws from rock’s tradition of shock (see also: Alice Cooper, Marilyn Manson), W.A.S.P. has often swung for the fences with its music, crafting rock operas like the two-part The Neon God (2004). More typical of the band’s oeuvre, though, is a release like 1989’s The Headless Children, their highest-charting release to date. Sixteen studio albums in, W.A.S.P. continues to provoke and entertain in equal measure. Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the band’s debut album, W.A.S.P. comes to The Depot on Monday, Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $59 and up at livenation.com. (BK)

Dr. Fresch

free will ASTROLOGY

BY ROB BREZSNY

ARIES (March 21-April 19)

Many people believe in the existence of ghosts. If you’re not yet one of them, you may be soon. The spirit world is more open than usual to your curiosity and explorations. Keep in mind, though, that the contacts you make might not be with ghosts in the usual sense of that term. They might be deceased ancestors coming to deliver clues and blessings. They could be angels, guardian spirits, or shapeshifting messengers. Don’t be afraid. Some may be weird, but they’re not dangerous. Learn what you can from them, but don’t assume they’re omniscient and infallible. Halloween costume suggestion: one of your ancestors.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):

When you attended kindergarten, did you ever share your delicious peanut butter and jelly sandwich with friends who didn’t like the broccoli and carrots in their lunch boxes? If so, you may be well-primed to capitalize on the opportunities now in your vicinity. Your generous actions will be potent catalysts for good luck. Your eagerness to bestow blessings and share your resources will bring you rewards. Your skill at enhancing other people’s fortunes may attract unexpected favors. Halloween costume suggestion: philanthropist, charity worker or an angel who gives away peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20)

For you, dear Gemini, the coming weeks could be the least superstitious time ever. There will be no such thing as bad luck, good luck or weird luck. Fears rooted in old misunderstandings will be irrelevant. Irrational worries about unlikely outcomes will be disproven. You will discover reasons to shed paranoid thoughts and nervous fantasies. Speaking on behalf of your higher self, I authorize you to put your supple trust in logical thinking, objective research and rational analysis. Halloween costume suggestion: a famous scientist you respect.

CANCER (June 21-July 22)

Which sign of the zodiac is sexiest? Smoldering Scorpios, who are so inherently seductive they don’t even have to try to be? Radiant Leos, whose charisma and commanding presence may feel irresistible? Electrifying Aries, who grab our attention with their power to excite and inspire us? In accordance with current astrological omens, I name you Cancerians as the sexiest sign for the next three weeks. Your emotional potency and nurturing intelligence will tempt us to dive into the depths with you and explore the lyrical mysteries of intimate linkage. Halloween costume suggestion: sex god, sex goddess or the nonbinary Hindu deity Ardhanarishvara.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)

In ancient Egypt, onions were precious because they symbolized the many-layered nature of life. Just as some modern people swear oaths while placing a hand on a Bible, an Egyptian might have pledged a crucial vow while holding an onion. Would you consider adopting your own personal version of their practice in the coming weeks, Leo? It is the oath-taking season for you—a time when you will be wise to consider deep commitments and sacred resolutions. Halloween costume suggestion: a spiritual initiate or devotee.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

Two of the world’s most famous paintings are the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. Both were made by Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519), one of the world’s most famous painters. Yet the brilliant artist left us with only 24 paintings in total, many of which were unfinished. Why? Here are two of several reasons: He worked slowly and procrastinated constantly. In the coming months, Virgo, I feel you will have resemblances to the version of da Vinci who created The Last Supper and the Mona Lisa. Some of your best, most enduring work will bloom. You will be at the peak of your unique powers. Halloween costume suggestion: Leonardo da Vinci or some great maestro.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

“When you are faced with a choice between two paths, it’s always better to take the most difficult one.” What!? No! That’s not true! A shamanic psychotherapist gave me that bad advice when I was young, and I am glad I did not heed it. My life has been so much better because I learn from joy and pleasure as much as from hardship. Yes, sometimes it’s right to choose the most challenging option, but on many occasions, we are wise to opt for what brings fun adventures and free-flowing opportunities for creative expression. That’s what I wish for you right now. Halloween costume suggestion: a hedonist, a liberator, a bliss specialist.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

Scorpio painter Pablo Picasso has been described as a “masterfully erratic pioneer.” He influenced every art movement of the 20th century. His Guernica is a renowned antiwar statement. Though a Communist, he amassed great wealth and owned five homes. Today, his work is valued at over $800 million. By the way, he was the most prolific artist who ever lived, producing almost 150,000 pieces. I nominate him to be your role model in the coming weeks. You are due for a Season of Successful Excess. Halloween costume suggestion: an eccentric, charismatic genius.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

Sagittarian Keith Richards, guitar player for the Rolling Stones since 1962, is a gritty, rugged man notorious for his rowdy carousing. Lots of observers predicted he would die at a young age because of his boisterous lifestyle, yet today he is 81 years old and still partying. But here’s his confession: “I never sleep alone. If there is no one to sleep next to, I’ll sleep next to a stuffed animal. It makes me feel secure and safe. It’s a little embarrassing to admit it. It’s important to me, though.” I bring this up, Sagittarius, because I feel that no matter how wild and free you are, you will be wise to ensure that you feel extra secure and supported for a while. Halloween costume suggestion: a stuffed animal or a lover of stuffed animals.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Halloween offers us a valuable psychological opportunity. We can pretend to perform our shadowy, wounded and unripe qualities without suffering the consequences of literally acting them out. We can acknowledge them as part of our make-up, helping to ensure they won’t develop the explosive, unpredictable power that repressed qualities can acquire. We may even gently mock our immature qualities with sly humor, diminishing the possibility they will sabotage us. All that’s a preamble for my Halloween costume suggestion for you: a dictator or tyrant. If you have fun playing with your control-freak fantasies, you will be less likely to over-express them in real life.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

Paganism and astrology have key affinities. They both understand that our personal rhythms are connected with the Earth’s cycles. I bring this to your attention because we are in the season that pagans call Samhain, halfway between the equinox and solstice. For Aquarians, this festival marks a time when you are wise to honor and nurture your highest ambitions. You can generate fun and good fortune by focusing on lofty goals that express your finest talents and offer your most unique gifts. How might you boost your passion and capacity to make your mark on the world? Halloween costume suggestion: your dream career.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)

I like how you are opening, widening, and heightening! Keep up the good work, Pisces! I am cheering you on as you amplify, stretch, augment and burgeon. Here’s a small alert, though: You may be expanding so fast and so far that it’s a challenge for less expansive people to keep up—even your allies. To allay their worries, be generous in sharing the fruits of your thriving spaciousness. Let them know you don’t require them to match your rate of growth. You could also show them this horoscope. Halloween costume suggestion: a broader, brighter, bolder version of yourself.

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Bye Bye Retail

Do you remember going to Kmart and experiencing the “blue light specials?” You could literally stand in the store and wait until an employee rolled up a cart with a pole that went up a few feet above the average human head, which was topped with a flashing blue light similar to a police car beacon on top of a patrol car.

As soon as the light was flipped on, you’d hear an employee over the speakers in the store announce the new sale item, aka “the blue light special.” Shoppers would scurry over to the half-price sale on tighty-whities, shampoo or slippers—whatever the store wanted to get rid of that day. It would last about 15 to 30 minutes and then the cart would move somewhere else in the store.

Kmart closed on Parleys Way in 2005 and was turned into a Walmart. The one on 900 East at 4900 South was bulldozed two years ago and in its place is a huge apartment complex. Well, the last full-sized Kmart in the U.S. has now closed in Bridgehampton, NY. There are still a few stores in Asia and a tiny version of it in Kendall, FL, but the retailer is basically kaput.

This isn’t surprising, as the company failed to trend after Target entered the market with their groovy offerings. And they couldn’t compete with Walmart’s low prices. Plus, in the past decade, Amazon and its free home delivery to members has decimated brick-and-mortar options for big box retail shopping. More people are working from home and shopping online, rents for retail spaces are high, and it’s hard to find workers in low-paying, blue-collar jobs.

Bed, Bath & Beyond disappeared from malls in 2023, when they closed the last of 900 stores nationwide. This year, Business Insider reports Walgreens is closing 1,200 stores after losing $8.6 billion last year.

Family Dollar is closing 1,000 stores. CVS has a three-year plan to close 900 stores and eliminate 2,900 corporate jobs. Big Lots has concluded with the close of 500 of its locations, and Denny’s will close 150 locations.

The 7-11 chain is shuttering 444 stores and has been bought out by a Japanese firm. They have had lower sales due to a reduction in SNAP benefits and flavored nicotine bans that had previously created a lively cash flow for the company.

The Walgreens and CVS failures are mainly due to prescription pricing wars and who controls the pricing of medications. There are hundreds of small pharmacies that have closed around the country due to this really FUBAR system, and it’s leaving retail deserts in big and small cities.

Sure, sometimes the little guys can’t compete with the big guys, but it’s very worrisome to see so many large retailers leave the landscape. On the other hand, Amazon’s One Medical, Amazon Clinic and Amazon Care are providing such conveniences as virtual health care and same-day appointments for less than $50 a month. n

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

ACROSS

1. “Pulp Fiction” star [*November 4 marks the 30th anniversary of my professional crossword debut, so here’s a throwback to that first puzzle!]

11. SALT concerns

15. “No, you got the wrong number, this is ___” (Chief Wiggum quote on “The Simpsons”)

16. Devonshire cream lump

17. Vehicle in a 1967 thought experiment

18. Old board game that means “I play” in Latin

19. Garfunkel and ___ (musical comedy duo)

20. To some degree

22. Jellied delicacy

23. Abbr. after Cleveland or Washington

25. Baltic Sea tributary

26. Dominant Mexican political party for most of the 20th century

27. Moliere play segment, maybe 30. “Benevolent” group

32. Alter

34. It’s also called a “majestic plural”

36. First human in space

38. Gets at

39. Struggle

40. Hard hitters of ancient literature?

41. Specialized vocabularies

42. Dash instruments

43. Words before “I say!”

45. Even ___ (chance of Kamala Harris winning the election)

46. ___ streak

47. Romanov ruler

49. Taco Bell’s Live ___ Scholarship

51. Trucker’s ID need

52. “Hoo boy ...”

54. Croupiers’ equipment

58. CT scan units

60. Surgical protection

62. Vet school subj.

63. Compliment, for some

64. Chat signoff

65. Engaging

DOWN

1. “Once more ___ the breach ...”

2. Paul Sorvino’s daughter

3. In ___-so-distant future

4. Video visits with a doctor, e.g.

5. His most famous work opens with “Mars,

the Bringer of War”

6. “Ceci n’est pas ___ pipe”

7. Co-authors Margret and H.A., for instance

8. New Zealand’s highest peak

9. Party after prizes?

10. Sur’s opposite

11. Letters often on an injury report

12. 1901-1904, in art history

13. Got with the times

14. Impassivity

21. Zaragoza’s region

24. “Ratatouille” setting

27. Noble

28. “Police Academy” head rank

29. Norm’s time to shine?

31. What shields allow you to take, in RPGs

33. Dip with fruit, onions, and salt

35. Snows

37. Workplace antidiscrimination focus

44. Talented talker

48. Lug

50. Laser gas

53. Cardinals’ beaks

55. “Today” host until sometime in 2025

56. First name in jumping

57. Sun-baked

59. 2011 World Series hat letters

61. “Hollywood Squares” block

Last week’s answers

Complete the grid so that each row, column, diagonal and 3x3 square contain all of the numbers 1 to 9. No math is involved. The grid has numbers, but nothing has to add up to anything else. Solve the puzzle with reasoning and logic. Solving time is typically 10 to 30 minutes, depending on your skill and experience.

NEWS of the WEIRD

Field Report

At the annual World Conker Championship in Southwick, England, on Oct. 13, veteran player David Jakins, 82, won the men’s tournament, the Associated Press reported. (Conkers is a traditional game played using the seeds of horse chestnut trees threaded on string; players try to strike and break each other’s conkers.) But controversy followed when Jakins was found to have a steel conker in his pocket. His opponent, Alastair Johnson-Ferguson, said his own conker “disintegrated in one hit” after Jakins struck it. “He was very closely watched by four judges,” said St. John Burkett, chair of the event’s organizing committee. “It looks like it was absolutely impossible for him to cheat.” Jakins has denied cheating.

Saw That Coming

An woman in Kitsap County, Washington, admitted to authorities that she’d been feeding “a dozen” raccoons in her yard over the past 35 years, The New York Times reported. Several weeks ago, more raccoons started showing up, and on Oct. 3, the homeowner had to call 911 when 100 animals arrived and became aggressive. “Anytime she comes out of her house,” said sheriff’s department spokesperson Kevin McCarty, “they swarm her until she throws them food. ... The new ones showing up scare her.” The woman fled her home, and trappers were going to charge $500 per animal to remove the raccoons. So the state department of fish and wildlife stepped in, suggesting she simply stop feeding them. “The raccoons appear to have started dispersing now that they are no longer being fed,” the department said.

Ironies

n When cops in Portland, Oregon, pulled over a 1994 Ford Taurus that had been stolen on Oct. 9, they met Reginald Reynolds, 35, and Mia Baggenstos, 37, along with their toys: a loaded .357 Magnum, a bag of methamphetamine, $1,360 in cash, three white pills that Baggenstos said were OxyContin, and a meth pipe. The Smoking Gun reported on Oct. 11 that a vehicle search yielded more meth, two scales, and a “brown bag that said on it, ‘Definitely not a bag full of drugs.’” Inside, they found more meth—a total of about a half-pound. Both were charged with multiple felonies.

n In Stadtallendorf, Germany, on Oct. 16, a state-ofthe-art fire station that had been open less than a year ... burned to the ground, The Guardian reported. The fire started in a vehicle and quickly spread, destroying 10 fire engines and causing between 20 and 24 million euros’ worth of damage. “It is a nightmare for a firefighter,” said district fire inspector Lars Schafer. He went on to say that the station was not required to have fire alarms because it was classified as a building holding equipment. Schafer said the building would be reconstructed quickly, for safety and for local morale.

Oops!

n In early October, The New York Times reported, passengers aboard a Qantas flight from Sydney, Australia, to Tokyo were treated (or not) to an R-rated film with “sexual material and brief graphic nudity” on their seat screens—and it couldn’t be turned off. Because of technological problems, passengers weren’t able to choose their entertainment, so the crew queued up Daddio, starring Dakota Johnson and Sean Penn, and let it run for about an hour before switching to something more family-friendly. “It was super uncomfortable for everyone,” one Reddit user wrote. “We apologize to customers for this experience,” a Qantas spokesperson said.

n The BBC apologized on Oct. 10 after releasing a weather forecast predicting winds in London of 20,000 kilometers (13,000 miles) per hour, Yahoo! News reported. Matt Taylor, a meteorologist for the network, soothed concerns: “Hurricane Milton hasn’t made it to us here in the U.K.!” He added that a data glitch had caused the extreme forecast, also warning of overnight temperatures of 759 degrees Fahrenheit in Nottingham. “Folk are working to solve the issue,” Taylor assured Brits.

Unconventional Weapon

In Port St. Lucie, Florida, on Oct. 14, police responded to an explosion, WPBF-TV reported. As they arrived at the scene, Joseph Moreton, 39, began yelling at them from his backyard, then came to the front yard holding a flamethrower. Police asked Moreton to drop the weapon, but he wouldn’t—luckily, one officer was close enough to grab it out of his hands. Moreton then moved inside and got a flashlight, which he tried to blind officers with. Law enforcement tased him, and he was taken into custody. Moreton was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and resisting an officer.

Bright Idea

Perfumer Michal Gilbert Lach was inspired by childhood trips in the 1980s to vegetable markets in Żywiec, Poland, to create his new scent: Polish Potatoes. TVP reported on Oct. 15 that Lach’s perfume is going viral on social media. “I create my scents as an olfactory deja vu,” said Lach, who visited markets with his grandparents. “The farmers market was a gateway to another world. Going to the market was like hunting for treasure.” Which is what buyers will have to find before picking up a bottle: 1.7 ounces will set you back $185.

Animal Antics

Paraglider Marshall Mosher of Atlanta, Georgia, was drifting over the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt on Oct. 14 when he noticed something unexpected walking around the top of the structure, the New York Post reported. Mosher posted a zoomed-in photo of a dog on Instagram with the caption, “A dog climbed all the way up the Great Pyramid of Giza!” Viewers worried about the dog’s safety, but back on the ground, Mosher posted again standing next to the adventurous dog and explained that dogs in the area often climb up and down the 454-foot-tall pyramid. People have nicknamed the pooch Anubis Pup after the Egyptian god of the underworld who’s often portrayed with a canine head.

Wait, What?

The Journal of Medical Case Reports published on Oct. 9 the highly unusual case of a cadaver of a 78-year-old man that was revealed to have three penises—only the second recorded case of triphallia, a condition just discovered for the first time four years ago in a 3-month-old Iraqi child. From the outside, the man’s genitalia seemed normal, but as the body was dissected, researchers found two smaller penises situated behind and below the primary one. Such occurrences are thought to result from genetic mutations.

The Entrepreneurial Spirit

Christopher Laney, 34, of Lancaster, California, was charged on Oct. 16 with using an unregistered drone to deliver narcotics to customers on multiple occasions, The Smoking Gun reported. The Drug Enforcement Administration alleges that Laney used the drone to deliver fentanyl from his home to a church parking lot last year; his client, a woman, died the next day of an overdose. Videos recorded by the drone itself, along with other drugs and three ghost guns, were seized during a raid of Laney’s home and used as evidence against him. He faces 25 years in prison.

Questionable Judgment

The owners of the Kith and Kin restaurant in Hudson, Massachusetts, were forced to close their establishment temporarily in the wake of a stroke of bad judgment, WBZ-TV reported. On Oct. 12, a group of World War II reenactors dined at the restaurant after an American Heritage Museum event. But two of the actors were wearing Nazi uniforms, which didn’t sit well with the locals. Gary Lewi, a trustee of the museum, called the incident “beyond thoughtless” and said the museum doesn’t even allow costumes with SS collars on its grounds. “It’s at a time when antisemitic violence is on the rise ... That’s repugnant,” he said. The restaurant received threats against its workers and apologized for allowing the costumed diners.