City Weekly December 12, 2024

CITY WEEKLY

Breaking the News

Layoffs hit KSL as Republican victories send shockwaves through the media industry.

By Katharine Biele

By Katharine Biele

S AP

BOX

“Hit the Dirt,” Dec. 5 News

Thank you for the article on the Rocky Mountain Power trail work. As a heavy trail user it is alarming to see, but it did not come entirely as a surprise, as some claim. I recall seeing several online posts on what was coming, as well as signage at the trailheads.

I also appreciated your brief reference to the motives of some of those opposed to projects the city has happily chosen to invest in regarding the Foothill trails. Too often, many of us have a “Not In My Backyard” attitude on issues like trail

improvement, while conveniently ignoring the fact that the backyard in question is not ours, but belongs to all citizens. It would be nice to see a regular series of future-looking pieces on what is being planned for public spaces like the Foothills so people feel better informed while they can still have a voice in the planning. I also think it is worthwhile to look back on past contentious issues to see what really happened. One that comes to mind in this context was the placement of the Olympic Rings on the hillside. Dire predictions of disaster were made and, 20 years later, it turns out were 100% wrong.

STEVE BOULAY

Salt Lake City

“Desert Rose,” Dec. 5 Cover Story

Are they building affordable housing for families? Most of the building going on is in apartments and townhouses that are tacking on HOA fees that put housing even further out of sight.

Not a fan of HOAs that wield too much power. Get behind on those fees and see

how fast they can foreclose on your home. I think gone is the day of single-family homes. More like 2 or 3 families living in one house to make ends meet, like so many of them do now.

PATRICIA GOURDIN Via Facebook

“Making a Scene,” Nov. 28 Cover Story

After hours in SLC hits different—when the city sleeps, EDM beats ignite the night!

ALOHA_KAINANI Via Instagram

Utah will always have a special place in my heart. Have so much love and respect for our community.

__AUDEAMUS Via Instagram

I am thriving here 100—the night life has grown so much because of these events and the people are just incredible.

CAVEOMUSIC Via Instagram

Thanks for touching on this. SLC’s scene is truly special and it’s an honor to be a part of it.

JAYLO_801 Via Instagram

Best scene ever! That’s why we get every other show cancelled and constant venue changes lol.

HONGHER Via Instagram

We definitely have the best scene. So stoked to see it get some coverage! ITSDYINGMOOSE Via Instagram

Forever grateful for those that helped to carve out and create the EDM scene here.

UTAHREALTORCHELSEA Via Instagram

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

What is the best thing you’ve splurged on?

Krista Maggard

When I needed a new coffee maker, I did a ton of research and finally settled on one with a built-in Burr grinder. It’s been about five years since I bought it and it’s still going strong!

Scott Renshaw

Air conditioning. We somehow spent 20+ years here with an evaporative cooler, and now I actually look forward to being in my house on summer days.

Wes Long

A trip to New Zealand to visit my sister. That was an experience I’ll never forget.

Paula Saltas

Finally, a refrigerator with a functioning icemaker

Benjamin Wood

I’m really not a splurger. My wife and I just bought a new dishwasher and once it’s delivered, it will essentially be the first time in my adult life that I’m not washing by hand.

Elizabeth Converse

Splurging on a handheld steamer and a good bra has been a game-changer. The steamer keeps clothes fresh and wrinkle-free in minutes, while the bra offers all-day comfort, better posture and a confidence boost. Two small luxuries that make a difference!

OPINION

BY WES LONG

Classroom of Commodities

Speaking with the Deseret News on Nov. 21, Utah Senate President J. Stuart Adams asserted that Utah should be jumping onto bandwagon technologies like AI as well as supplying a workforce in such fields as healthcare, biotechnology and defense.

“We need to embed those employers into the universities,” Adams said, “and we need to embed the universities in with the employers.”

To this end, he and his legislative colleagues are signalling their desire to cut—excuse me, “reallocate”—resources at our colleges and universities so that they will operate in a more “efficient” manner and more efficiently produce workers who are trained for these fields. Potential actions may include a shortening of the time required to earn a degree and narrowing options for what a student may pursue.

“Higher education is the heartbeat of our economy,” Adams explained.

And with this one statement, Adams gives away the charade of what so many in this world conceive to be the role of education—ironically said here not as a slip of the tongue but as an explicit point of pride, generally accepted today as some kind of universal truism.

Adams, whether operating from a place of public interest or not, confuses the business-minded, career-oriented “education for success” model for genuine education. To people like him, it’s the kind that really counts—the kind that pays.

I don’t wish to give the impression that I demean anyone who happens to work in so-called “hot” fields. What I resent is the attitude—which has been brewing for generations—that life’s vast tree of knowledge must be hacked down to only the portions we have chosen to find lucrative

for the moment, specifically those that aid corporate interests and their profit margins.

I would assert that education’s legitimacy does not rest on its ability to help us manipulate existence to our wills or to extort it for our benefit. Rather, it is a lamp that guides us toward that larger object: to live well, rather than merely living. And there is a difference.

“Will education feed and clothe you, keep you warm on a cold day, or enable you to build a house? Not at all,” Brigham Young once remarked to his congregation.

“Should we cry down education on this account? No. What is it for? The improvement of the mind; to instruct us in all arts and sciences, in the history of the world, in … laws of life, and how to be useful while we live.”

Having gone through school as a student and later as an employee, I know only too well the shortcomings of our modern system, stuck as it is between the sincere desire to help pupils and operating upon the impersonal methods of an industrialized factory.

How often have we been drilled to retain some bit of information for the purposes of an exam as we impatiently jump the required hoops to our coveted degree? Memorization, rote action and docile obedience to bureaucratic mazes frequently amount to the only lasting things we carry with us from such an environment.

Well, that and crushing debt.

More rare, but thankfully not extinct, has been the process of an improved mind and an expanded horizon when a student savors the fruits of education beyond the need to “market” oneself, pander to economic trends or—heaven forbid—discover another path that genuinely nourishes their soul.

For those mediocre but high-status individuals who expect certain qualities of their potential employees, all this other ivory tower stuff is harmful to profits. Inefficient, even.

“Official credentials, a foolproof shield against criticism and scrutiny, were naturally coveted most by those who needed them most: it was the poorly qualified who clamored for the status symbol of the degree,” a Utah professor observed of modern education in 1971. “As in

the days of the Sophist schools, the great demand for this valuable commodity caused factories to spring up everywhere, competing for degree-seeking customers by making their products ever easier and cheaper to get. At the same time the degree became the object—the sole object—of ‘education.’ And when it reached that point, it was, of course, worth nothing.”

As is always the case, it is money that is at the root of our woes.

We took the education of the human soul and turned it into a commodity. Resentful of anything that doesn’t directly benefit ourselves, we routinely underfunded our institutions to the point that they turned to mega corporations and partisan donors (see the countless buildings and programs tailored to their specifications). Vexed by how poorly that has worked out, we now heed the siren song of private boosters that promise improved programs with a minimum of the undesirable poor and best of all, minimal checks on how they operate.

From start to finish, our cupidity has hampered human education and will continue to do so until we disentangle ourselves from the dead-end lie of “education for success.” It’s high time we reacquainted ourselves with the lofty ideals of an education unencumbered by the dictates of capitalism and a school system free from the burden of being the arbiter of who is “qualified” to flourish in life.

Well did Shakespeare’s Timon of Athens speak of the malign influence of money upon his discovering gold: “Thus much of this will make black white, foul fair, wrong right, base noble, old young, coward valiant. Ha, you gods! why this? what this, you gods? Why, this will lug your priests and servants from your sides, pluck stout men’s pillows from below their heads: This yellow slave will knit and break religions, bless the accursed, make the hoar leprosy adored, place thieves and give them title, knee and approbation with senators on the bench.”

I can see why the powerful are threatened by an education in the humanities.

Private Eye is off this week. Send feedback to comments@cityweekly.net

HITS & MISSES

BY KATHARINE BIELE | @kathybiele BY BRYANT

HIT: Equal Rights Now

You may be one of those people who thinks the Equal Rights Amendment is a dead issue—especially after the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision. Instead, be one who still believes in hope and works for it. This past week saw another women’s march in Washington, but this year is different. The march—and its reverberation around the country—was a call to action. The ERA is not dead, but has been blocked again and again by politics since 1923. The amendment has reached its ratification goal of 38 states and stumbles only on an arbitrary deadline. Recent polls say that 85% of voters support passage. Tens of thousands of letters have been sent to President Joe Biden, pleading with him to order the Archivist to publish the amendment now. Get over your disappointment with him and urge the outgoing president to make a monumental change for women’s rights.

MISS: Stand Your Ground

You’ve probably seen the beautiful billboards telling you to “Stand for Our Land.” It’s not what you think it is. By “stand for” them, it means “stand down” and let the state do what it wants with public lands. It won’t be good, despite a Utah lawsuit against the feds to take over land management. We’re not sure what difference the billboards will make to a court case, but they have made a difference to our government budget. The Utah News Dispatch reports that the state has spent $1 million on this wide-ranging PR campaign. Of course, Utah wants to bypass the lower courts and go directly to the Trumpist Supreme Court so it can wrest control of the 18.5 million acres of federal public land, not only for grazing, but also for “good things” like mining and motoring.

MISS: In Good Health

As if the holidays aren’t stressful enough, now Utahns have to worry about losing their medical coverage. Voters approved an expansion to Medicaid in a 2018 ballot measure, but we know what lawmakers think of the public weighing in on what they want from the government. Right after the initiative passed, legislators moved in to weaken it. They also carefully crafted a “trigger law” that would signal an end to much of the Medicaid benefits if the federal government reduces funding. Right now, one in five people in the U.S. is covered by Medicaid and the incoming president has indicated a “concept of a plan” to get rid of Obamacare, and that means Medicaid is on the table, too. Legislators love the idea of work requirements, which studies debunk. And yet our conservative overlords seem ready to cut your taxes a little while eviscerating your health care. CW

Gone Tomorrow

With the seasonal change from the brightly colored leaves of fall to the barrenness and monochromatic coloring that winter brings, I’m reminded of all the changes Salt Lake City has experienced this past year. So let’s take a moment to reminisce about some of the recognizable Salt Lake sights that recently bid adieu (cue the Sarah McLachlan music for this oddball “in memoriam,” as it’s about to get quite emotional).

First on the list has to be the passing of By the Bucket: Hot Spaghetti to Go. Pour some marinara out on the curbside for this fast-casual restaurant that, despite only existing for two years, left quite the impression—both online through some controversial customer comments and in person through their still-standing signage depicting a quintessential caricature of an Italian person.

Where will fans of milquetoast pasta go to get their fix now?

Well, I’m happy to report that Fazoli’s is making a return to Utah in the coming years—delizioso!

Keeping with the restaurant theme, the Sugar House Sizzler getting demolished was also a major touchpoint for the city in 2024. This buffet, like most communal eateries where germ transmission ran rampant, was an unfortunate casualty of COVID-19. But the building remained in place until this past spring, when crews wiped it from existence in what seemed like the snap of a finger.

I will always remember the makeshift graffiti—spray-painted briefly in the summer of 2022—that now serves as an immortal epitaph to this place: “Surf and Turf fo Life, #RipSizz”

But without a doubt, the biggest loss for me personally was the renovation of the Big O Tires on 3300 South and 2000 East in Millcreek (photo above). By the looks of the standard, unadorned building nowadays, a current passerby wouldn’t register the epicness lost at this location. Real historical heads know what the former spraypainted scene meant to the valley.

Although the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization—yes, that is a real thing—does not include Utah as a preeminent Sasquatch sighting state, this mural begged to differ.

What will fade come this time next year? I’m not trying to instigate a riot, but if the original 2022 press release for the 9th and 9th whale is to be believed, it’s due for a repainting by April 2025. Nothing gold—or, I guess, multicolored—can stay. CW

HEATH

Leader of the Band

Markus Poschner discusses his new role as Music Director Designate of the Utah Symphony.

BY SCOTT RENSHAW scottr@cityweekly.net @scottrenshaw

On Nov. 18, Markus Poschner—whose roles include Chief Conductor of Bruckner Orchestra Linz, and Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana— was named to be the eighth Music Director of the Utah Symphony, beginning with a Music Director Designate term leading up to full duties beginning with the 2027-2028 season. Maestro Poschner spoke with City Weekly about what drew him to Salt Lake City, and the job ahead of him.

City Weekly: In the press release, you mentioned the experience of conducting the Utah Symphony for the first time in 2022 [including Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony], and feeling a sense of connection. I’m not sure how easy that is to describe in layperson’s terms, but what are some of the factors that lead to that connection?

Markus Poschner: In music in general, it’s never about wrong and right. There are so many options and possibilities to interpret a symphony. And in the end, it’s always a question of trust in the conductor, this bond of trust, how to get more meaning, more emotion. … You realize you’re speaking kind of the same language musically. A piece of music is a kind of vehicle to evoke emotions, to tell a story.

CW: You also mentioned that you think of a Music Director position in very geographically specific terms, that the choices

you would make in Linz differ from those you would make for Utah. Can you share an example of how those different choices might appear in programming choices?

MP: I feel myself more or less as a kind of explorer, who is very open and curious to experience new things. … I’m very inspired, for instance, by the culture of pioneers here in Utah, like it was with Maurice Abravenel. Our story, the chapter we’re about to start now, must be a new kind of story—the soundtrack of tomorrow.

CW: Obviously there were moments over the past several months where the future

together had been done in terms of vision and goals. And this was like a slap in my face. So I’ve been very much relieved.

CW: What will your role consist of during the Music Director Designate seasons?

MP: In our business, we are usually [scheduling] three or four years in advance; that’s part of the business. All of the decisions now affect 2027-2028. We always have one foot in the future—artistically, economically and all the other important parts. So we just have to prepare everything, to talk about our pathways and our course to bring everything together, to be very clear what is the midterm and long-term road.

CW: What are the challenges at this moment of balancing programming that pushes both audiences and the artists, with programming that attracts audiences so that the symphony can remain viable?

MP: Our home here, the strong bonding to our audience, supporters, donors, whatever, is very important. On the other hand, my goal and my responsibility is to raise our reputation nationally.

Abravanel Hall was somewhat uncertain. How important was it to you, and perhaps even to your decision to take this position, to know that decisions have been made supporting its preservation?

MP: For me, it’s fundamental. This hall, with this wonderful warm and embracing sound, is part of our identity. It’s not only a building, not only stones. It’s really an instrument. It’s deeply connected to our sound, to our vision of sound. So I was extremely shocked, let me say, … when those discussions came up. I’d been quite depressed at that moment, because we had such great conversation; the first steps

As a Utah Symphony, we are a unique institution with our own history, and we have to teach that to the world. I feel it as a push to our own sense of being a firsttier orchestra in the United States. … We need the best musicians for the future of the orchestra; we need to be as attractive as possible. … It’s a huge pyramid we have to build up [in terms of programming]: the masterworks, contemporary music. We want to show that music makes us feel like a community. As a child, I used to believe that it was the politicians who would give us the guarantee that the world would be a better place.

Now, I’m not so sure.

It’s artists that feel that connection as a community. … Music is a universal tool of communication, not depending on passport, religion, color, whatever. It’s going to be more important, wherever you look. We need to come together. CW

ON ALL KIDS SKI/BOARD GEAR! Bring in your kids & gear to get set up for the new season

of

Markus Poschner

theESSENTIALS ENTERTAINMENT PICKS,

DECEMBER 12-18, 2024

Complete listings online at cityweekly.net

Kimberly Akimbo

It’s certainly not unusual for a Broadway musical to have a play as its source material. It is, however, a bit less common for a playwright to look at his own previous narrative play, and see the seed for a musical interpretation. That’s what happened after David Lindsay-Abaire worked with composer Jeanine Tesori on the Broadway musical version of Shrek, and subsequently considered a return collaboration based on Lindsay-Abaire’s own 2000 play Kimberly Akimbo, about a 16-year-old girl with a progeria-like genetic disorder that causes her to age faster than usual. In a 2023 interview with Broadway World, Lindsay-Abaire described how the musical version—which won the 2023 Tony Award for Best Musical—allowed him to revisit the story and the characters from a more mature perspective. “The play is the play, and those are those characters, and [in creating the musical] we could forget them and try to hold onto whatever the spirit and the seed of the play was that we loved,” he said. “Twenty years has passed, I was in my 20s when I wrote  Kimberly and really connected with the teenagers, but now as the father of two boys I understand the parents in a way that I didn’t then.”

Broadway at the Eccles brings the touring production of Kimberly Akimbo to the Eccles Theater (131 S. Main St.) Dec. 10 – 15, with performances 7 p.m. Wednesday – Thursday; 7:30 p.m. Friday; 1 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. & 6:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets begin at $59; visit arttix.org for tickets and additional information. (Scott Renshaw)

theESSENTIALS

Doug & Lynne Seus: The Grizzlies and Us

For nearly 20 years, if you saw a grizzly bear in a movie, standing on its hind legs and roaring ferociously at a human or animal protagonist, chances are good that it was Bart the Bear. His filmography included Clan of the Cave Bear, Benji the Hunted, The Bear, The Great Outdoors, Homeward

Bound: The Incredible Journey, White Fang, Legends of the Fall, The Edge and many more, all showing off how owner/trainers Doug and Lynne Seus made him into an icon, whose success they later parlayed into the Vital Ground Foundation, dedicated to protecting grizzly habitat in the Rocky Mountains.

While Bart passed away in 2000, his legacy lives on in the Seuses’ other trained bears (including Bart the Bear II, no relation), and in a two-day Bart the Bear Festival that took place in Heber in November, partly as a book release event for Lynne Seus’ new memoir, The Grizzlies and Us. This week, Doug and Lynne Seus visit Salt Lake City to share stories from their lives as bear trainers and sign copies of the book. The event is also scheduled to include screening of clips from some of Bart’s film appearances. Attendees will also have an opportunity to donate to the Vital Ground Foundation.

Doug and Lynne Seus visit Ken Sanders Rare Books in The Leonardo (209 E. 500 South) on Saturday, Dec. 12 from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. The event is free and open to the public; visit kensandersrarebooks.com for additional event information. (SR)

theESSENTIALS

Fem Dance: Tetrad

Those of us aging Gen X-ers who grew up with Schoolhouse Rock have it burned into our brains that “three is a magic number.” But for Salt Lake City-based Fem Dance, the magic in 2024 is coming from the number four. This year marks the fourth anniversary of the company, and to mark the occasion, they’re producing an evening of four new pieces from four choreographers. And the event is appropriately named Tetrad

Company director Alicia Ross, Becca Webb, Christi Harris and Mary Timmer are the featured choreographers for Tetrad, addressing a range of themes. But perhaps above all, it could be considered a celebration of the company reaching some milestones, as Ross said via email. “This is our closing show of an especially wonderful year,” Ross noted. “As a company, we produced the most projects we’ve ever done in a season this year. After traveling to New York City, performing in the Utah Arts Festival for the first time, and producing three evening-length shows, we are beaming with pride. The four pieces in Tetrad explore themes of togetherness and joy, lightness versus darkness, and tapping into the deep power of feminine energy. We are thrilled to share what we’ve created for this intimate performance.”

Fem Dance’s production of Tetrad comes to the Regent Street Black Box Theater (144 Regent Street) at the Eccles Theater for two performances, on Friday, Dec. 13 and Saturday, Dec. 14 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 general admission for individual tickets, $20 for select group purchases. Visit arttix.org to purchase tickets and for additional event information. (SR)

From Our Friends At

Thank you to our host: The Salt Lake Masonic Temple

Thank you to our food suppliers:

Cluck Truck, Fillings & Emulsions, Oh Mai, Tona Sushi, Curry Fried Chicken, Violet Eatery, Delice, Vertical Diner, Chanon Thai, Ruby Snap, Salsa Queen, Why Kiki, Hog and Tradition, & Caffe Ibis

Thank you to our beverage providers:

Ogden’s Own Distillery, High West Distillery, Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits, Clear Water Distillery, Dented Brick Distillery, Spirit of the Wasatch Distillery, Moab Brewery, Squatters and Wasatch, RoHa Brewing Project, Bewilder Brewing, and Second Summit Cider

Thank you to our entertainers:

Michael Louis Austin Band, Why Kiki Drag Performance, The Utah County Swillers, Vinyl Koala Band, Craig Sorensen Comedy, The Salt Lake Pottery Studio, Only Forever Tattoo and the Salt Lake City Circus Center

A HUGE thank you to the 2024 Best of Utah Party Sponsors

Gold Sponsors

Ogden’s Own Distillery, Lucky 13, Second Summit Cider, Squatters and Wasatch, The Utah Arts Alliance

Silver Sponsors

Hyatt & Mar Muntanya, Big Willies, Fear Factory, Pho 33, Sunday’s Best & Pica Rica BBQ, Iconoclad, Lucero Hair, Ico Apartments

Bronze Sponsors

Humane Society, Abyss Body Piercing, Art Haus, Salt Lake Brewing, 9th and 9th Jewelers, La Casa Del Tamal, Workshop SLC & The Tailor Cooperative

Flowers Sponsor

Suncrest Flowers

SUPPORT LOCAL THIS HOLIDAY SEASON!

REVIEW CINEMA

It Gets Sweatier

Queer’s exploration of 1950s homosexuality gets lost in too much weirdness.

BY SCOTT RENSHAW scottr@cityweekly.net @scottrenshaw

Ithink—and I’m wise enough to use that qualifier—that I know what director Luca Guadagnino and screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes were aiming for in their adaptation of William S. Burroughs’ semiautobiographical novella Queer. It feels somewhat evident from the outset, as Sinéad O’Connor’s cover version of Nirvana’s “All Apologies” plays over the opening credits, with its well-known lyric “everyone is gay.” As we see the life of Burroughs’ counterpart William Lee (Daniel Craig) play out on screen, drinking and looking for connection among other gay American expatriates in 1950s Mexico, the soundtrack features other anachronistic songs—by New Order, by Prince, and even another Nirvana tune—evoking a time in which someone like Lee would not feel so emotionally isolated by his sexual orientation. It becomes kind of a melancholy suggestion that while eventually It Gets Better™ in a societal sense, Lee was just born at the wrong time to benefit from it. It’s an interesting idea. I get it. And Guadagnino’s way of exploring it just doesn’t work at all

There are some things about Guadagnino’s filmography and his style that would seem to make him an ideal candidate for adapting Burroughs. From the surrealist maximalism of his Suspiria remake to the observational gay romance of Call Me By Your Name, he’s got a unique bag of filmmaking tricks. The kind of sharp editing rhythms he favors are put to solid use here,

like in a scene where quick cuts to someone removing his shoes while on Lee’s bed provides the hint to him that things are about to get physical. And Guadagnino’s also willing to let scenes play out in actors’ faces, allowing Craig to convey Lee’s frustration and confusion over whether Eugene Allerton (Drew Starkey), the man with whom he has become infatuated, is actually gay as well.

But Queer has lots of other places it wants to go, both thematically and in terms of the geographical setting, and does so in a way that gets more baffling and frustrating by the minute. Guadagnino leans into hallucinatory dream sequences, allowing for a lot of weird imagery—a legless naked woman floating above a table; a centipede pendant coming to life—that tends to distract from the emotional core of Lee’s relationship with Allerton. Scenes start to drag on without nearly enough payoff, like a visit to a doctor as Lee goes through

heroin withdrawals. For an adaptation of a novella, Queer sure feels full of padding. Things go most clearly off the rails once the action shifts to the Amazon jungle, and Lee’s quest to experience the psychoactive plant yagé (better known to us as ayahuasca). In principle, its inclusion makes sense, as it connects to Lee’s desire for a kind of communication that doesn’t require language—being able to know, for example, if another man wants to be with him without having to take the emotional or physical risk of saying it out loud. Instead, that chapter turns into a showcase for Lesley Manville to go over the top as an American researcher in the Amazon, as well as for an extended sequence of Lee and Allerton’s shared ayahuasca trip that finds them literally vomiting their hearts out before engaging in a kind of modern dance where they eventually inhabit one another’s skins. It’s … a lot.

The damned shame of it is, you keep getting glimpses of the more delicate

character study Queer might have been. There’s a heartbreaking moment where we see Lee spooning Allerton while in the middle of his heroin withdrawals, noticing that Allerton has placed his own leg over Lee’s—a gesture of tenderness that stays with him until his actual deathbed. It’s a snapshot of how precious and rare such moments could be for a 1950s gay man, but Guadagnino becomes too enamored with mimicking the way David Cronenberg approached Burroughs’ Naked Lunch. While there may have been a point where the filmmakers wanted to signal that It Gets Better™, the result is a movie that just gets sweatier. CW

NEWS

Breaking the News

Layoffs hit KSL as Republican victories send shockwaves through the media industry.

BY KATHARINE BIELE comments@cityweekly.net

In the hyper-partisan jungle that is Utah and the United States today, “the media” has become “the enemy of the people” and journalists are paying the price with their jobs. And barely reported in Utah’s mainstream media were the recent mass layoffs at KSL and Bonneville International.

Did anyone care?

“It’s too bad,” said Joel Campbell, communications professor at Brigham Young University. “It’s the state of the industry. The business model for the industry has been broken for 20 years.”

While that may be part of the reason behind these recent cuts, bubbling beneath the surface is a conviction that politics is at play.

City Cast Salt Lake was among the first to report the layoffs, “side-eyeing” an official statement from KSL blaming economic forces and technology advances.

Yeah, right. KSL, owned by Bonneville International—which is owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—is hardly hurting.

From what City Weekly can determine, dozens of staffers were laid off—at least five of whom were on-air personalities. They include Lindsay Aerts, Ashley Fredde, Lauren Steinbrecher, Dan Spindle, Hugo Rikard-Bell, Briana Chavez and Yvette Cruz.

City Cast Salt Lake named Aerts and Fredde, both of whom have covered areas of high political interest—Aerts at the Utah Legislature and Fredde on homelessness. Steinbrecher was an Emmy awardwinning journalist who joined KSL in 2021. Spindle was a TV anchor and reporter.

“Friends … family … countrymen … lend me your ears!” Spindle posted on Facebook. “For those who haven’t heard already, I no longer work for KSL anchoring and reporting the news. The what, where, when, why and how will have to be a story for another time. I want everyone to know today that I’m overwhelmed with the love and support we’ve felt over the past few days.”

Spindle continued: “Had I not been laid off, I’d have never known that so many incredible opportunities were available. I know that’s what the temporarily unemployed are supposed to say but I’ve seen miracles this week. Our faith is unwavering! The work I’ve done for 5+ years is the strongest of my career and I’m excited for the next stage.”

Since 2020, KSL has been in the crosshairs of

Dozens of KSL employees, including at least five onair reporters, were laid off in November.

Utah’s senior senator, Mike Lee, who promoted the hashtag #SellKSL after what he perceived as unfair reporting on Donald Trump. Lee’s constant harping against media outlets and journalists—including reporter Bryan Schott, who was recently terminated from The Salt Lake Tribune—has been bolstered by Republican electoral victories and an online blowtorch of bias accusations from the far-right.

But is KSL really too liberal, its content “woker than The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints itself tends to be,” as City Cast put it?

The media industry is not only the subject of liberal-baiting, but it does have significant financial problems. In 2018, The Tribune laid off a third of its newsroom staff, not long after transitioning into a nonprofit organization. Like newspapers around the country, it suffered from advertising and subscriber revenue losses, compounded by the earlier ravages inflicted by its former owner, hedge fund Alden Global Capital.

“The Tribune was struggling, and things were looking bright with the new nonprofit model,” Campbell said.

But the Poynter Institute for Media Studies counters that nonprofits are no panacea, especially with the fragmentation of the audience.

People are getting their information from social media—TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and, of course, the right-wing podcasts and networks that have become so popular.

“Over the years, we’ve seen a continuing shift in

how readers are finding and engaging with The Tribune,” said Lauren Gustus, the Trib’s executive editor. “Increasingly, people are coming to us through social media platforms and search engines like Google. They are also reading, viewing or listening to Tribune stories on partner platforms, such as Apple News, YouTube and TikTok. This is all a trend shifting away from starting with our homepage.” Gustus continued: “It would be impossible for me to speak to what may happen regarding how many journalists will work here in Utah or anywhere else with any degree of certainty. I do think news organizations have to continue to adapt if we are to be relevant.”

What do you read, and how much do you pay for it? If you’re getting content that’s free, you may be leaving out real journalism and the people who make it happen.

The E.W. Scripps Company, which owns Fox 13, has experienced layoffs, as has the Sinclair Broadcast Group, owner of KUTV. In 2010, the Deseret News took a 43% reduction in staff.

It’s a bloody industry. Mis- and dis-information don’t help, with public officials crying #fakenews. It speaks to the “deep, deep unreliability of the industry,” City Cast said.

KSL employees, past and present, who spoke to City Weekly were stunned, nonetheless, and declined to comment on the record. While management may have been mulling the act for a while, it hit the newsroom unexpectedly, those employees said. CW

Trusted Voices

Word of layoffs at KSL first broke on November 13, when the media news website Ftvlive.com obtained the following internal email sent to staff by KSL General Manager Tanya Vea. KSL employees contacted by City Weekly independently verified this email.

Today is a difficult day for our company. Looking ahead to 2025 it became clear that we needed to adjust to the economic headwinds. As a result, we are restructuring staffing and expenses.

Bonneville is a unique company, but we are not immune from the disruptions in our business and the economic forces at play. Technology is advancing at a rapid pace, which is impacting all industries, including ours. That, combined with economic pressures, led to changes in our financial outlook.

As we learned during the Great Recession and, more recently, the pandemic, there are cycles to business. There are times when we dip down before picking back up again. Bonneville has done that successfully before and I am confident in our ability to do so again.

The media industry is undergoing significant disruption in distribution, but the appetite for audio and video is as strong as ever. We have made investments in key growth areas and been intentional about making our content available across multiple platforms. Audiences and advertisers are moving between all of these, and we are focused on ensuring our brands move with them across the modern media ecosystem. Our connection to the audiences we serve is critical regardless of where they are consuming our content.

While today is difficult, these steps are necessary to ensure Bonneville meets tomorrow’s challenges. Preserving who we are and facing the realities of our business are not trade-offs. To be viable in the future, we must address the organization’s financial health now.

Bonneville has a history of success in large part because of our commitment to quality and a willingness to evolve. How we do things is changing, but why we do them is not. Our mission to be trusted voices, to build up, connect, inform, and celebrate the communities we serve remains strong. I am deeply grateful for the work and contributions of everyone at this company and am confident in our ability to transition to a successful future.

DÉLICE FRENCH BAKERY AND CAFÉ

The KSL Broadcast House, located at the Triad Center on 300 West.

Climbing Higher

Meet Utah’s new Teacher of the Year: Northwest Middle’s Sayre Posey

BY CONNOR SANDERS comments@cityweekly.net

Imagine you walk into class on a random morning, only to find yellow caution tape stretched across the door frame. The room is dark and eerie music pours from inside. Upon entering, you see the outline of a body on the floor.

No need to worry. You have not stumbled into an active police investigation. It’s time to learn about the Boston Massacre in Sayre Posey’s history class at Northwest Middle School.

Posey’s out-of-the-box teaching methods and passion for the success of her students earned her the recognition of Utah’s 2025 Teacher of the Year on September 5. She loves to role-play with her students (like dressing up as a judge for the Boston Massacre trial lessons) and prides herself on going the extra mile to ensure that they enjoy learning.

“The students feel so much more excited [during a dynamic activity] than a lesson where we’re analyzing sources,” Posey told City Weekly.

Nearly every inch of Posey’s classroom is covered with photos she’s taken with students and with the massive tri-folds they’ve made for the National History Day competition each year. She loves her job because every day she’s “guaranteed” to get to laugh with her students, Posey said, but what’s most special to her is seeing what her students go on to achieve once they’ve left her classroom.

“I love seeing my kids who were 14, and now they’re 22, and they’re student teaching, or they’re in training in the police academy and telling me about all the court cases they’re [studying],” Posey said. “And they’re like, ‘Oh, we learned about that in government. I remember.’”

During a speech at the Utah State Capitol when Posey received the award, she said she only wished her students could be there to celebrate with her.

Posey is the eighth teacher from Salt Lake City School District of the last 17 to win the award.

Baltimore to Utah

Posey’s great-grandfather taught at a one-room schoolhouse in West Virginia’s “coal country,” she reported, starting a legacy of education among his descendants. Her mother taught kindergarten in Maryland and some of Posey’s earliest memories are of “giant elementary school kids running at me” when she would visit her mom’s class.

“[Teaching] has always just been in my blood and our genes,” Posey said. “And my mom is definitely a big inspiration for me.”

Posey graduated from the University of Maryland in 2016 and subsequently spent the next three years teaching at high schools in the Baltimore City Public Schools system (BCPS).

“When you have a depiction of an inner-city urban school, a lot of negative things typically come to people’s minds,” Posey noted. “And what I experienced in Baltimore was the most hardworking, passionate group of kiddos who were really, really impacted by poverty and gun violence, and it was their normal, everyday life.”

Many of the schools in BCPS are kingertaren through eighth grade and face staffing challenges at the middle school level. Some of Posey’s students would play hide-and-seek during class time because, she said, “there just weren’t teachers.”

This was a significant challenge for a young educator, but Posey did not get discouraged. Maryland requires students to take a standardized test in order to graduate high school, and the district’s average pass rate in Posey’s final year there was 35%.

Among Posey’s students, however, 77% passed.

“[That] was probably my proudest moment as a teacher,” Posey said.

Posey took an interest in rock climbing at a gym during her first year of teaching and had friends who had moved to Utah right out of college. She took a canyoneering trip with them in 2019 and fell in love with the natural beauty here. She went back to teach one more year in Maryland before landing a job at West Jordan High School.

Living History

Posey admits teaching at West Jordan was a “culture shock.”

“I remember coming in on the first day of school with my Baltimore City teaching style, and I was

like, ‘I am going to scare the children if I act like this in the classroom,’” she said with a laugh. She wanted to break a mentality that some students and teachers had fallen into after the COVID-19 pandemic—spending a 90-minute class period working on assignments in Canvas or other digital platforms—which pushed her to innovate on her lesson plans. Posey also taught Youth in Care at West Jordan, a program designed for students who live in a group home after being involved in the juvenile justice system.

Following that stop out west, Posey accepted the role she’s in now—teaching history at Northwest Middle School in Salt Lake’s Westpointe neighborhood. “I love it. It’s so diverse,” she said. “There’s so many founts of knowledge that my students bring … I feel like people don’t realize how diverse communities in Utah are. Before I moved out here, I had no idea that there were schools that had 90% minority enrollment like Northwest.”

Posey reports that most of the students at Northwest speak English as their second language and there are also many who are brand new to the U.S. after their families sought asylum here from countries like Afghanistan, Syria and Myanmar.

She rose to the challenge of the language barrier with a two-pronged attack: culturally relevant pedagogy and academic supports for multicultural learners. This approach means she focuses more on the indigenous perspective of American history.

“Culturally relevant pedagogy is the idea of students seeing themselves and learning about themselves and their history and their background within their curriculum,” Posey explained.

Sayre Posey started her career in the Baltimore City Public Schools system.

In Posey’s lessons on the Mexican-American War, she brings a tea set and name tags and asks the students to have small group “tea parties” where they embody the stakeholders of that time, from President James K. Polk to the indigenous people of California to the abolitionists.

Posey encourages students to create projects each year for the National History Day competition. One of the projects last year, from a student who is a member of the Northern Arapaho Tribe, focused on the effects of boarding schools on members of her nation and the Eastern Shoshone, who also live within the reservation on which she grew up in Wyoming.

On many occasions, Posey has stayed at school until 5, 6, even 7 p.m. to work on National History Day projects with her students.

When it comes to more practical support for English-learners, Posey focuses on being as adaptable as possible. She modifies assignments and uses ChatGPT to make readings more digestible for students at different levels of mastery.

For example, she might take an assignment that requires students to fill in the blank and add a word bank for students who are still getting the vocabulary down. She spends a lot of time working one-on-one with these students, which she enjoys.

“My kiddos who are brand new to the United States—I love their energy because so many of them are so excited and energetic to be in school in a different place,” Posey said.

It helps, too, that many of Posey’s students help their classmates with translations out of the goodness of their hearts.

“It’s so cool when we’re doing group reading, and I’ll hear some of my students at a table talking to a kiddo who may not feel as confident speaking because they just moved here last year,” Posey noted. “Hearing them say, ‘You can read this. We’re not gonna make fun of you. We’ll read it all together,’ is awesome.”

Reaching New Heights

While Posey loves to put in the extra work to make her students succeed, she acknowledges that finding the right work/life balance is tricky for her, as it is for nearly all teachers.

Posey said she had spoken with Carly Maloney—her Teacher of the Year predecessor and an English and government teacher at Viewmont High School in Bountiful—who advocated for teachers to find a better balance, and it helped Posey come to terms with the need to make a bit more space for herself outside of work.

“I really struggle with overworking because I always get in the back of my mind, ‘I need to change this’ or ‘this needs to be perfect’ or ‘I don’t have these directions bolded’—and then it’s like 9 p.m. on a Wednesday and I should have gone to bed 30 minutes ago,” Posey said.

Educator Angela Watson’s “40 Hour Teacher Workweek” program and other teacher self-care advocates online have helped Posey to move in the right direction, but ultimately she considers herself “lucky that I have a job that I care so much about.”

While she doesn’t climb as much as she once did, Posey is looking for opportunities to get back to it with her students. She was previously involved in a climbing program with Elevated Mountain Guides, where the apparel company Black Diamond donated shoes and other equipment for students to use at Westminster University’s climbing wall.

Posey is hopeful to get a similar program back up and running. She reports that her students are always asking her about when they’ll be able to climb. Even if it’s just for a single session on the wall, Posey wants to challenge her students to reach new heights.

That’s something she’s done over and over again. Carrying forward her great-grandfather’s legacy, Posey dedicates everything she has to seeing her students climb higher.

Nothing is better, she said in her award speech, than when she saw the eyes of one of her students, who was constantly late for class, light up because she told him she thought he would be a good teacher one day.

“I love this job so much and I care so much,” Posey said. “When you care a lot and when you love it a lot, you always want to work more.”

Posey says she’s lucky to work in a job that she loves so much. More likely, Utah is lucky to have such an enthusiastic, dedicated, and loving person to call its Teacher of the Year. CW

Digging Matteo’s New Digs

After a speedy relocation, Matteo is open for business.

BY ALEX SPRINGER comments@cityweekly.net @captainspringer

I

can’t think of many restaurants that celebrate their first anniversary with a complete relocation. In the case of Italian restaurant Matteo, however, I kind of get it. This is a place that rocked the Ninth and Ninth neighborhood with its Modena-inspired menu, courtesy of Chef Matteo Sogne and his family. When you generate the kind of hype that this place did over the course of a year, riding that momentum into a more centralized downtown location makes sense. I recently had a chance to check in on Matteo as the team settled into its new digs, and things are looking—and tasting—spectacular.

The new location is on 200 South, just catty-corner to the Salt Palace. Downtown diners should recognize this corner, as it’s swiftly becoming a hotbed of local fine dining options. As much as I liked having Matteo near the Ninth and Ninth area, I’ve got to say that this location is a bit more suited to Matteo’s sleek aesthetic. Like Mar Muntanya at the nearby Hyatt Regency, Matteo is going to look mighty attractive to all those out-oftown visitors come convention season.

It’s also looking pretty nice to these local eyes—the new space is gorgeous, complete with a gleaming bar and private dining room. It’s the kind of downtown restaurant you want to see on this particular street corner because it makes Utah look cool, and I like it when Utah looks cool.

I also appreciate that the menu has

deep roots in the cuisine of Modena, Italy, which is where Chef Sogne and his family originate. The sum total of the average experience at Matteo is a menu full of intergenerational recipes—Matteo’s parents are still very much involved in the kitchen—that look as good as they taste.

I started off with the polpette ($18), meatballs made with flavorful Italian sausage, which is foundationally awesome. I’ve had meatballs made with sausage before, and they tend to get a little overcooked and springy. That is not the case with these little babies. They’re possessed of a perfect, tender texture that lets you truly savor each bite. The pomodoro sauce adds some acid to the meaty richness, and you get a heavy-handed sprinkle of parmigiano reggiano to balance everything out. They take parm seriously in Modena, so you don’t miss a bit of that lovely flavor.

I also decided to check out the tartare de tonno ($21), which came highly recommended. After a few bites I could totally understand why. With its citrusy lime juice, it leans ever so slightly into the realm of ceviche; the tuna tartare has a gorgeous texture. While I liked both this and the polpette, I would definitely recommend the tartare de tonno if you’re after something a bit lighter to wake up those taste buds.

Matteo has some great options for pasta courses, but if you really want to take a peek at the culinary bones of this restaurant, you’ll want to go with the risotto Modena ($32). I will admit that this particular risotto isn’t much to look at until it gets a drizzle of some aceto balsamico, the aged balsamic vinegar that is famous in Modena. But honestly, the fact that it gets such a simple presentation is a sure sign that this is a dish that will knock your socks off; I still haven’t found mine after that first bite.

This was one of those moments where I realized that all of my previous risotto ex-

periences were nothing but counterfeits. This risotto has a beautiful texture—buttery and smooth with a toothsome kiss of a chew. It’s got plenty of parmigiano reggiano involved, so it’s full of that rich blend of creamy saltiness. Even if risotto isn’t that high on your priority list, this stuff is a must-try.

At a very close second to this risotto is the tagliatelle Bolognese ($24), which is taken from the recipe book of Chef Sogne’s beloved nonna. I’m no stranger to the simple delights of a Bolognese, but this is the kind of preparation that promptly takes your hand and guides you back in time to the very first time you fell in love with a Bolognese. I often wonder how dishes like this manage to make me rethink everything I thought I knew when they appear so simple on paper. That’s when I remember that there are people like Chef Sogne and his family who have pushed themselves as close to perfection as they can get—and God bless them for that.

For the final course, I would recommend the brasato ($36), a lovely cut of braised beef prepared with a bourbon honey reduction. It’s beautiful to look at, perfectly tender and that bourbon honey reduction warms you up from the insideout. It’s very unlikely that you’ll be hungry after trying the first two courses, but you’ll want to devour this anyway.

I was expecting Matteo to deliver even after completing such a speedy relocation, but I feel like this move perfectly defines the term “hit the ground running.” The menu is as delightful as it’s always been and the cool new digs will definitely be seeing an influx of downtown business. CW

Tagliatelle Bolognese

73 West 7200 South, Midvale 2RowBrewing.com

On Tap: Piney Peaks “West Coast IPA”

avenuesproper.com

On Tap: Steamy Wonder Rye

Bewilder Brewing

445 S. 400 West, SLC BewilderBrewing.com

On Tap:  Festbier

Bohemian Brewery

94 E. Fort Union Blvd, Midvale BohemianBrewery.com

On Tap: Cali ‘Steam’ Lager, ‘BrewSki’ German Pilsner, Munich Dunkel NEW: ‘Czechulator’ Doppelbock (9% ABV)

Bonneville Brewery

1641 N. Main, Tooele BonnevilleBrewery.com

On Tap: Peaches and Cream Ale

Chappell Brewing

2285 S Main Street

Salt Lake City, UT 84115 chappell.beer

On Tap: Playground #13 - Hazy Pale with Lemondrop and Sultana

Craft by Proper

1053 E. 2100 So., SLC properbrewingco.com

On Tap: Steamy Wonder Rye Steam Ale

Desert Edge Brewery

273 Trolley Square, SLC DesertEdgeBrewery.com

On Tap:  Ay Curuba! Curuba Sour

Epic Brewing Co.

825 S. State, SLC EpicBrewing.com

On Tap: 2024 Big Bad Baptist Imperial Stouts

Etta Place Cidery

700 W Main St, Torrey www.ettaplacecider.com

On Tap: Wassail Cider, Pineapple Passion Fruit Session Mead

Fisher Brewing Co.

320 W. 800 South, SLC FisherBeer.com

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

Grid City Beer Works

333 W. 2100 South, SLC GridCityBeerWorks.com

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: Cowboy Lite

Kiitos Brewing

608 W. 700 South, SLC KiitosBrewing.com

Now with a full bar license & draft beer cocktails!

On Tap: Gluten Free Peach Bellini

Sour

Level Crossing Brewing Co.

2496 S. West Temple, South Salt Lake LevelCrossingBrewing.com

On Tap: Rising Hope White Peach

IPA

20% Off all gift cards for holidays

Level Crossing Brewing Co.,

POST

550 South 300 West, Suite 100, SLC LevelCrossingBrewing.com

On Tap: Fresh Hop Little Suss 20% Off all gift cards for holidays

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: Cranberry Rosemary Hard Cider

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

Ogden Beer Company

358 Park Blvd, Ogden OgdenBeerCompany.com

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

Park City Brewing 1764 Uinta Way C1 ParkCityBrewing.com

On Tap: Tiny Kickturn - Hazy pale with Mosaic, Strata, Cashmere, and Chinook

Policy Kings Brewery

223 N. 100 West, Cedar City PolicyKingsBrewery.com

Prodigy Brewing

25 W Center St. Logan Prodigy-brewing.com

On Tap: 302 Czech Pilsner

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

On Tap: Steamy Wonder Rye Steam Ale

Proper Brewing Moab 1393 US-191, Moab properbrewingco.com On Tap: Blizzard Wizard Hazy Pale Ale

Red Rock Brewing 254 So. 200 West RedRockBrewing.com On Tap: Gypsy Scratch

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

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: Bourbon Barrel Aged Red Ale

Roosters Brewing Multiple Locations RoostersBrewingCo.com

On Tap: Roosters Piney Pale Ale

SaltFire Brewing 2199 S. West Temple, South Salt Lake SaltFireBrewing.com On Tap: 12 Monkeys DIPA

Salt Flats Brewing 2020 Industrial Circle, SLC SaltFlatsBeer.com

On Tap: Winter Amber with notes of Vanilla and Brown Sugar

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

On Tap: SCION MOSH PIT (Hopped) - 8.4% ABV

Second Summit Cider 4010 So. Main, Millcreek https://secondsummitcider. com On Tap: Spiced Peach

Shades Brewing 154 W. Utopia Ave, South Salt Lake

ShadesBrewing.beer On Tap: Fresh Hop IPA (with homegrown local hops)

Shades On State 366 S. State Street SLC Shadesonstate.com On Tap: Hellion Blonde Ale; Black Cloud Lager

Silver Reef

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

Squatters Pub Brewery / Salt Lake Brewing Co.

147 W. Broadway, SLC saltlakebrewingco.com/ squatters

On Tap: Salt Lake Brewing Co.

– Funky Cold Adeena SMASH Lager

Squatters and Wasatch Brewery

1763 So 300 West SLC UT 84115 Utahbeers.com

On Tap: 20 beers with 12 rotating small batch releases: Black Tea English Porter, Hazelnut Brown Ale, and more! Small Batch Series Release: Back Abbey Double Belgian Ale (available 11/22)

Strap Tank Brewery, Lehi 3661 Outlet Pkwy, Lehi, UT StrapTankBrewery.com On Tap: Lonesome Shadow (Schwarzbier); Fish Tank (Collaboration Munich Dunkle w/ Fisher Brewing)

Strap Tank Brewery, Springville 596 S 1750 W, Springville, UT StrapTankBrewery.com

On Tap: The Gambler (Mango Kolsch); Caught in

BEER NERD

December Splendor

Simple

and delicious light ales

for the holidays

BY MIKE RIEDEL comments@cityweekly.net @utahbeer

TF Kölsch: Believe it or not, this German-focused brewery has never made a Kölschbier before. Given the amount of detail that goes into the other TF offerings, I found myself expecting a true-to-style Kölsch.

It poured a nice golden color that took on more of an orange hue when held to the light. Nearly three fingers’ worth of fluffy, off-white head stayed until the end and left lots of patchy lacing behind. The aroma starts off with a medium amount of sweetness, with some fruity yeast being the first to show up; it imparts a nice apricot and stonefruitlike aroma that’s pretty nice. Up next comes a slight spice note, followed by the malts, which impart some pale, light biscuit and sweet malt-like aromas.

The taste seems to be similar to the aroma, starting off with a slightly lower amount of medium sweetness and the fruity yeast being the first to show up— but it’s a good amount, lighter this time while still imparting a little bit of an apricot-like aspect.

Up next comes a light spice flavor that goes into the malts, which impart the same aspects that they did in the aroma, though this time there’s also a cracker malt-like flavor. On the finish there’s no bitterness, with some sweetness taking its place, having a biscuit and cracker malt-like aftertaste.

This is a nice and fairly true-to-style Kölsch: smooth, crisp, clean, slightly refreshing, on the thick side of being light-bodied with a medium amount of carbonation. This beer has a mouthfeel that works well with the whole.

Verdict: I thought this was a pretty nice beer and a good example of a Kölsch. It had everything that I look for in the style and I thought the fruity yeast made it just a little unique from others of its kind. This beer has good drinkability.

Bewilder - Atta Boy Ingy: This new beer from Bewilder is named for Connor Ingram. If you’re not familiar with Mr. Ingram, you will be soon, as he is the starting goaltender for the Utah Hockey Club. This beer also features a new yeast from Escarpment labs called Elysium, which is said to be a strong producer of pineapple esters. It pours hazy gold with a slightly opaque appearance. One finger of offwhite head left great foamy lacing coating the sides—a solid-looking pour. It smells like a DIPA or a fresh-hopped IPA, featuring tons of citrus, peach and piney hops with lemon zest, pineapple, grapefruit, mango and fruity candy like gummy bears. Some crackers and toasted grains emerge, too, so this one has a lot of flavor at 5.0 percent ABV.

The flavors follow pretty closely to the aroma—very fresh-tasting, light and quaffable. More orange and tangerine appear in the flavor and the malt backbone brings wheat bread, crackers and toasted grains to the party for perfect balance. Light pineapple and floral notes linger and leave a lightly bitter finish. Mouthfeel is light, crisp and slick, with a light-to-medium body, average carbonation and a slightly bitter aftertaste with zero trace of the ABV. An excellent beer overall.

Verdict: Bewilder has a knack for pale ales like this. They’re always utilizing the toys in the box, and I enjoyed getting familiar with this new yeast strain. The pineapple esters add a lot here without hammering you over the head.

You can only find Atta Boy Ingy on draft at Bewilder. I had the standard pour, but should have gotten a stein. TF’s Kölsch will likely be an intermittent offering, and should be around (on draft) for another couple of weeks.

As always, cheers! CW

BACK BURNER

BY ALEX SPRINGER | @captainspringer

Laziz Closes Midvale Location

Popular Middle Eastern restaurant Laziz Kitchen recently announced a decision to close its Midvale location. The news came via Laziz’s Instagram page, which cited Dec. 1 as the official closure date. Per the social media post, the decision comes from a place of reflection and evaluation of “long term goals.” A longtime pioneer in the world of Middle Eastern dining locally, Laziz Kitchen has become a fixture in the Central Ninth neighborhood, as well as with its downtown location. Both of these locations will remain open for the foreseeable future. It’s always sad news when a beloved restaurant has to close, but with the Laziz brand remaining strong among local diners, we’re looking forward to see what they do next.

The Bambino Opens

I love a good pop culture reference just as much as I love a good pizza, and Midvale’s new spot called The Bambino (thebambinoslc.com) looks to have a bit of both. Fans of Babe Ruth and the Italian language will obviously recognize this new pizza place’s name, but anyone who knows their Utah film history will know that it’s a reference to The Sandlot, a 1993 comedy about a rag-tag group of pre-adolescent baseball fans that was filmed at various Utah locations. The Bambino’s menu features a few more nods to the classic film, but more importantly, it has a seasonal pizza served with fresh peaches on top—and I can’t wait to go beast-mode on that sucker.

JINYA Holiday Menu Returns

JINYA Ramen Bar’s (jinyaramenbar.com) seasonal menus are always a delight, and this winter JINYA locations are bringing back the popular Red Garnet. Not only does it sound like the subject of an Indiana Jones movie, but its crimson broth, sliced pork and traditional noodles will be sure to warm you up during these icy cold months. JINYA is also featuring an appetizer of curry rice croquettes—crispy, curried snacks that will undoubtedly go well with that spicy Red Garnet. Both menu items will be available at all JINYA Ramen Bar locations throughout the season, so you really don’t have an excuse to be cold this winter.

Quote of the Week: “You’re killin’ me, Smalls!” – “Ham” Porter (Patrick Renna), The Sandlot

Music Mailbag

December ’24

New releases from The Glitter Bombs, Ideal Horizon, Bone Throwers and more

BY EMILEE ATKINSON eatkinson@cityweekly.net @emileelovesvinyl

I

t’s crazy to think that 2024 is already coming to a close. It simultaneously dragged and sped by, and Lord knows there are some tough years ahead. For now, though, here are some (mostly) new releases for you to enjoy as we say goodbye to 2024.

The Glitter Bombs, “Goodbye”: Power pop group The Glitter Bombs make music that is pure joy. If you haven’t heard them, there’s still time to fix that. Their debut album Bombs Away released last year and now they’ve followed it up with their latest release “Goodbye.” Not only is the title the perfect sentiment for the end of the year, but the track is just right if you’re trying to ditch the bad vibes and say goodbye to the toxicity in your life. Whether it’s a person or a situation you need to say goodbye to, The Glitter Bombs’ newest song is the perfect anthem. The Glitter Bombs are always out and about playing shows, so head out and catch them live soon to hear this new bomb track.

Ideal Horizon, 185: Since their debut last July, punk/alt-rock group Ideal Horizon have been releasing singles leading up to their latest re-

lease, 185. The debut album from the group features their previously-released singles with some brand-new ones, including “something from me” and “dream, attempt, pretend…die.” Ideal Horizon has an excellent sound that lovers of alt/pop punk lovers will instantly feel at home with, one that harkens back to sounds of the late aughts/early ’10s and will make those of us who enjoyed those sounds back then feel super-nostalgic. Ideal Horizon’s sound is sharp, just loud enough and very energetic. This is the kind of music that makes you feel hyped up and ready to rock. Don’t skip out on 185.

Bone Throwers, “Sun Don’t Come Down”: It’s hard not to instantly want to listen to a band when they describe themselves like the Bone Throwers do: “a facemelting surf-punk thrash-jazz quatro which shall henceforth be known as Bone Throwers.” Their newest single “Sun Don’t Come Down” evokes a surf-rock sound that you could find at a pool party, but also could be a perfect track that plays as a cowboy walks into the sunset. I know those sound like two vastly different things, but give it a listen, and you’ll see what I mean. The song is drenched in reverb, features low and mellow vocals and has obligatory slippery guitar solos throughout. If you’re wanting something mellow, but not slow and sad, this song is just the ticket. Turn this one up to 11 and chillax.

Arsenic Addiction, “Mary Immaculate”: Metal band Arsenic Addiction have blessed listeners with many excellent videos, but one standout is this one for their song “Mary Immaculate,” which was released in November 2023. One year later, the video is still poignant, visu-

ally stunning and everything a metal fan can appreciate, especially those who vibe with the goth aesthetic. Full of religious iconography, the video is shot beautifully and features the band decked out in rad costumes while they play the incredible song. If you’re ever in the mood for some dark, gothic badass metal, look no further than Arsenic Addiction. They have plenty of awesome tracks and several videos that will have you watching over and over.

Classic Jack, “Sucks to Suck”: Classic Jack describe themselves as a band who “embodies the raw, gritty emotion that’s gone missing from hard rock as of late.” Since 2015, the metalcore group has been rising in the ranks with their heavy, visceral music. They’ve been steadily releasing new singles in 2024, leading into their upcoming release God Complex Part 2. “Sucks to Suck” is not only one of the best sayings, but is now a great entry for Classic Jack’s library. Featuring vocals from Left to Suffer’s Taylor Barber, the song starts out hard and doesn’t let up throughout. Their unapologetic sound isn’t easily ignored—

MUSIC

not that you’ll want to. This is the third release from their upcoming album, so stay tuned for the rest. As a sidenote and bonus, Classic Jack also does an incredible cover of “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes.

Cory Mon, The State Room Live: Earlier this year, singer/songwriter Cory Mon made a return to music with his intensely emotional album You Don’t Know Me. It was a long time coming, and so much love and care was put into the collection. The album came out in March, and the album release show followed later that month. It’s easy to have FOMO for moments like this, but never fear: that live show is online as an album for you to check out if you didn’t get to attend in person. There are a bunch of videos of the performance on YouTube, but if you’re not into watching videos and want to listen on the go, the full show was released as an album at the beginning of November. It’s beautifully produced, and makes you feel like you’re there if you close your eyes. Live albums are a little underrated sometimes.

Bone Throwers

TUESDAYS

WEDNESDAYS

BEST BAR IN UTAH!

GREAT FOOD

MUSIC PICK S

Shovels & Rope @ The Commonwealth Room 12/12

Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent—otherwise known as Shovels & Rope—are nothing less than a dynamic duo. Their current tour, “Something Is Working Up Above My Head,” takes its title from their current LP, and also defines the muse that inspires their songs. While some husband-and-wife duos tend to be a bit precious in their approach, this charismatic couple creates an insistent sound fueled by drive and determination. The result is a rich reserve of thoughtful melodies and a varied dynamic; the two can deliver an incendiary performance one moment, and a mellower melange the next. Either way, theirs is a riveting, resolute performance that eschews trivialities by getting down to basics. The aforementioned album focuses on the conflicts that can accompany the transition from youth to middle age, and the resulting realization that while life may lead us in an unexpected direction, it’s left to us alone to sort out the conflicts and concerns that follow in its wake. Trent and Hearst learned that firsthand while creating their connection. “The moral of the story is that we loved each other and we wanted to build something together,” Hearst recently told Rolling Stone. “This thing was born out of collaboration, and it’s still very much a blend of what we have to offer.” In that regard, Shovels & Rope are perfectly paired. Shovels & Rope’s “Something Is Working Up Above My Head Tour” with guest Al Olender comes to the Commonwealth Room Thursday, Dec. 12 at 8 p.m. Tickets for the 21+ show cost $38 plus tax and fees. Visit axs.com. (Lee Zimmerman)

SHOWS

NSPS Christmas Show

Boyfriend Sushi Town

Island of Misfit Toys

WEEKLY LINEUP

Silver Ball

Rugburn Hall Pass

EMPLOYMENT

IHC Health Services, Inc.

(dba Intermountain Health) seeks a Software EngineerTechnical Lead in Murray, UT. Position may telecommute from any state in the US except CA, HI, IL, PA, RI, and WA. Apply at https://imh.wd5.myworkdayjobs. com/IntermountainCareers or email resume to mary.hansen@imail.org. Salary: $144,955 - $154,955/yr.

Echosmith, Lisa Heller, Jackie Evancho @ Kilby Court 12/14

The chokehold that Echosmith had on the early 2010s was real. The pop trio has released several good songs, but are most well-known for “Cool Kids,” from their debut album Talking Dreams in 2013. Pure nostalgia for many, “Cool Kids” is an anthem about being yourself, even when you feel like you’re an outsider looking in. The video for the song boasts 154 million views on YouTube and nearly 600 million streams on Spotify alone, so it’s safe to say that the song has firmly cemented itself into pop culture history. Strangely enough, the song almost didn’t make the cut on the album. “That song was one of those songs that took months to write. Some songs take two hours, some don’t—and that one was one that didn’t,” lead vocalist Sydney Sierota told Fuse when the album came out. “The song related to all of us so much personally, and everybody has that desire, at some point, to fit in or be like somebody else. We just really wanted that song to be perfect, and we kept going back to the lyrics over and over and over again, really tried to make sure that it was right because it was such an important song to us.” Come bask in the nostalgia on Saturday, Dec. 14 at 7 p.m. Lisa Heller and Jackie Evancho open. Tickets for the all-ages show are $29.99 and can be found at 24tix.com. (Emilee Atkinson)

Echosmith

Olivia

Olivia

Linda Ronstadt

Linda Ronstadt

Bear Grillz @ Sky SLC 12/14

James Hazel first revealed his face and identity in 2016 on The Jerry Springer Show. Previous to this, Hazel wore a giant bear head helmet with glaring LED eye sockets and a perpetual grin, alluding to his artist persona, Bear Grillz. But even prior to this reveal, the Denver-based electronic bass producer was already a global music brand with sold-out shows in North America, South America, Europe and Australia. Revealing his identity was a risk that paid off, as his popularity has only increased since then. The face-melting, neck-breaking bass music of Bear Grillz is often created in collaboration with other powerhouse bass producers. From Hazel’s earlier Bear Grillz & Friends Volume 1 and Bear Grillz & Friends Volume 2, he’s great at teaming up for heavy bangers without being overshadowed. Ultimately, he is a producer who helps everyone in the industry win. This has continued in his later albums like Friends: The Album, which includes “Where We Are” featuring Adventure Club and JT Roach, “Run It” featuring Riot Ten and Bok Nero, and “Taking

Over” featuring Tisoki and Sam Nelson. It’s been eight years since the world has seen who is behind the iconic bear helmet, and Hazel is still going strong. The bear is still part of the gimmick, ever-evolving with Hazel’s music. V2 Presents is bringing Bear Grillz to Sky SLC for the Underland Part II Tour on Saturday, Dec. 14; doors open at 9 p.m. Special guest Perry Wayne. Tickets cost $25 at tixr.com. (Arica Roberts)

The Toasters @ Aces High Saloon 12/16

Established in New York City in the early 1980s, The Toasters were an explosive blur of rhythm and message, anger and euphoria, color and culture, great lyrics and smart moves. As one of the original American “Third Wave” of ska bands, the band spearheaded the heady days of two-tone-based fun with a dose of anti-racism thrown in for good measure. The Toasters’ current lineup, including founding member Robert “Bucket” Hingley, is still going strong. “In 1981, when I made the decision to start the band for real … of course, at that time I had no idea what was in store.” Bucket told Hardwired.com. “It

MUSIC PICK S

was originally just a plan for the moment. And look what happened!” This gig should be rammed to the rafters with everyone in one place for one collective purpose: to be there for the sheer enjoyment of ska. Both the music and The Toasters simply exude irrepressible dance-along fun. The Makeways and Atypical Heroes open. The Makeways, an SLC seven-piece band ska/ reggae act, showcases dancehall elements with soul and R&B flavor. Locals Atypical Heroes will most definitely make sure that your dancing suit does not rot away. Come on out and experience music that still stands the test of time. Catch these artists as they celebrate the “43 Years of Ska” tour at Aces High Saloon on Monday, Dec. 16. Doors at 7 p.m. Tickets for the 21+ show are $16, and can be found at 24tix.com. (Mark Dago)

Mannheim Steamroller Christmas @ Eccles Theater, 12/16-17

Originally conceived by Omaha-based Chip Davis in 1974 as a sort of proto-New Age musical endeavor, Mannheim Steamroller

gathered commercial success with a series of albums under the Fresh Aire banner. A decade after Mannheim Steamroller’s recorded debut, Davis recorded and released Mannheim Steamroller Christmas on his own American Gramaphone label. A runaway success, that album landed both with critics and the listening public. Mannheim Steamroller Christmas took on a life of its own; to date, Davis has released 30 Christmas-themed albums, including compilations and titles under his own name. And his success has been consistent, as more than a dozen of those albums soared into the Top Ten on the New Age and/or Holiday album charts, with eight going Platinum or multi-Platinum. The next logical step for Davis was to take the project on the road. This he did, eventually employing two complete musical casts, crisscrossing the country during the yuletide season, bringing joy to concertgoers far and wide. The groups gear up every year around September, honing the arrangements before setting out on a schedule that brings Mannheim Steamroller’s Christmas show to 85 cities in seven weeks. The local all-ages shows are at the Eccles Theater on Monday, Dec. 16 and Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $40-$60 at arttix.org. (Bill Kopp)

Bear Grillz

free will ASTROLOGY

BY ROB BREZSNY

ARIES (March 21-April 19)

If you were walking down the street and spied a coin lying on the sidewalk, would you bend down to pick it up? If you’re like most people, you wouldn’t. It’s too much trouble to exert yourself for an object of such little value. But I advise you to adopt a different attitude during the coming weeks. Just for now, that stray coin might be something like an Umayyad gold dinar minted in the year 723 and worth more than $7 million. Please also apply this counsel metaphorically, Aries. In other words, be alert for things of unexpected worth that would require you to expand your expectations or stretch your capacities.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)

The Taurus writer Randall Jarrell compared poets to people who regularly stand in a meadow during a thunderstorm. If they are struck by the lightning of inspiration five or six times in the course of their careers, they are good poets. If they are hit a dozen times, they are great poets. A similar principle applies in many fields of endeavor. To be excellent at what you do, you must regularly go to where the energy is most electric. You’ve also got to keep working diligently on your skills so that when inspiration comes calling, you have a highly developed ability to capture it in a useful form. I’m bringing this up now, Taurus, because I suspect the coming weeks will bring you a slew of lightning bolts.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20)

My upcoming novels epitomize the literary genre known as magical realism. In many ways, the stories exhibit reverence for the details of our gritty destinies in the material world. But they are also replete with wondrous events like talking animals, helpful spirits, and nightly dreams that provide radical healing. The characters are both practical and dreamy, earthy and wildly imaginative, well-grounded and alert for miracles. In accordance with your astrological potentials, I invite you to be like those characters in the coming months. You are primed to be both robustly pragmatic and primed for fairy-tale-style adventures.

CANCER (June 21-July 22)

In December 1903, the Wright Brothers flew a motorized vehicle through the sky for the first time in human history. It was a very modest achievement, really. On the first try, Orville Wright was in the air for just 12 seconds and traveled 120 feet. On the fourth attempt that day, Wilbur was aloft for 59 seconds and 852 feet. I believe you’re at a comparable stage in the evolution of your own innovation. Don’t minimize your incipient accomplishment. Keep the faith. It may take a while, but your efforts will ultimately lead to a meaningful advancement. (PS: Nine months later, the Wrights flew for over five minutes and traveled 2.75 miles.)

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)

During the rest of 2024, life’s generosity will stream your way more than usual. You will be on the receiving end of extra magnanimity from people, too. Even the spiritual realms might have extra goodies to bestow on you. How should you respond? My suggestion is to share the inflowing wealth with cheerful creativity. Boost your own generosity and magnanimity. Just assume that the more you give, the more you will get and the more you will have. (PS: Do you know that Emily Dickinson poem with the line “Why Floods be served to us—in Bowls”? I suggest you obtain some big bowls.)

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

The term “cognitive dissonance” refers to the agitation we feel while trying to hold conflicting ideas or values in our minds. For example, let’s say you love the music of a particular singer-songwriter, but they have opinions that offend you or they engage in behavior that repels you. Or maybe you share many positions with a certain political candidate, but they also have a few policies you dislike. Cognitive dissonance doesn’t have to be a bad or debilitating thing. In fact, the ability to harbor conflicting ideas with poise and equanimity is a sign of high intelligence. I suspect this will be one of your superpowers in the coming weeks.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

“Amazing Grace” is a popular hymn recorded by many pop stars, including Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley and Willie Nelson. Created in 1773, it tells the story of a person who concludes that he has lived an awful life and now wants to repent for his sins and be a better human. The composer, John Newton, was a slave trader who had a religious epiphany during a storm that threatened to sink his ship in the Atlantic Ocean. God told him to reform his evil ways, and he did. I presume that none of you reading this horoscope has ever been as horrible a person as Newton. And yet you and I, like most people, are in regular need of conversion experiences that awaken us to higher truths and more expansive perspectives. I predict you will have at least three of those transformative illuminations in the coming months. One is available now, if you want it.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

“Thinking outside the box” is an American idiom. It means escaping habitual parameters and traditional formulas so as to imagine fresh perspectives and novel approaches. While it’s an excellent practice, there is also a good alternative. We can sometimes accomplish marvels by staying inside of the box and reshaping it from the inside. Another way to imagine this dynamic is to work within the system to transform the system—to accept some of the standard perspectives but to also play and experiment with others. For example, in my horoscope column, I partially adhere to the customs of the well-established genre, but I also take radical liberties with it. I recommend this approach for you in 2025.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

I don’t recommend burning wood to heat your home. Such fires generate noxious emissions harmful to human health. But hypothetically speaking, if you had no other way to get warm, I prefer burning ash and beech wood rather than, say, pine and cedar. The former two trees yield far more heat than the latter two, so you need less of them. Let’s apply this principle as we meditate on your quest for new metaphorical fuel, Sagittarius. In the coming months, you will be wise to search for resources that provide you with the most efficient and potent energy.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

The world’s longest tunnel is over 35 miles long. It’s the Gotthard Base Tunnel in the Swiss Alps. I’m guessing the metaphorical tunnel you’ve been crawling your way through lately, Capricorn, may feel that extensive. But it’s really not. And here’s even better news: Your plodding travels will be finished sooner than you imagine. I expect that the light at the end of the tunnel will be visible any day now. Now here’s the best news: Your slow journey through the semi-darkness will ultimately yield rich benefits no later than your birthday.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

Would you like to avoid wilting and fading away in January, Aquarius? If so, I recommend that during the coming weeks, you give your best and brightest gifts and express your wildest and most beautiful truths. In the new year, you will need some downtime to recharge and revitalize. But it will be a pleasantly relaxing interlude—not a wan, withered detour—if in the immediate future you unleash your unique genius in its full splendor.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)

My treasured Piscean advisor, Letisha, believes that it’s a shame so many of us try to motivate ourselves through abusive acts of self-criticism. Are you guilty of that sin? I have done it myself on many occasions. Sadly, self-criticism rarely works as an effective motivational ploy. More often, it demoralizes and deflates a person. But the good news, Pisces, is that you now have extra power and savvy to diminish your reliance on this ineffectual tactic. To launch this personal transformation, I hope you will engage in a focused campaign of inspiring yourself through self-praise and self-love.

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Wide variety of job

to

Good pay: every Monday, Wednesday & Friday

University of Utah Health and the Moran Eye Center will be destroying medical records created prior to 01/01/2002 for all patients. UUH and Moran will also be destroying medical records created prior to 01/01/2014 for deceased patients who passed away prior to 01/01/2014 and who were over the age of 18 at the time of death. If you would like to request a copy of your records prior to destruction, or if you have a legal right to access a deceased relatives medical information and would like a copy of their records, you must contact the facility at 801-581-2704 before 01/01/2024. After that date, records will no longer be available.

Need a New Hive?

PARTLOW RENTALS:

urban LIVING

Cough, Cough

I

t’s that season again. No, not Winter or the holidays but the Wasatch Front’s “Inversion Season,” which lasts from late November until February each year. It’s a fact that dampens the sunlight and traps pollution in the air in many cities across the state.

Last week was particularly bad in the capital city, as you couldn’t see across the valley for more than five miles due to the haze. It’s one of the least-attractive aspects of living in Utah for people who might be considering moving here.

My memory tells me that the bad air hasn’t been so bad in the past few years due to more snow and rain storms. But this year, this nasty visitor has come on strong.

What causes this? Simple: cold air gets trapped in our valleys due to poor air circulation and pollution and it accumulates until wind and/or a storm comes through. I haven’t seen alerts on the freeway signs to take public transit, or UTA offering discounts to riders as they have in the past. But methinks the worse the pollution the bigger the need to stop driving—and UTA is a great alternative in our larger cities for travelers and commuters.

According to Kelley Blue Book, Utahns drive 15,243 miles each year on average. We have about 3.5 million people in the state, so that would equal 53,350,500,000 miles each year.

The local TV weathercasters used to call the inversion “The Haze” until they got enough complaints to finally call this what it is—pollution. Our car exhaust is a huge contributing factor to the bad air quality and we get all sorts of particulates in the air such as nitrogen oxides, ammonia, sulfur dioxide and volatile organic compounds.

For newcomers to the state, we also have Red/Green “burn days” that alert us when the Utah Department of Environmental Air Quality determines if you can burn wood or coal between Nov. 1 and March 1 each year.

Green condition means you can use wood or coal in your fireplace, yellow means people should eliminate wood and coal burning and red alerts mean the use of coal and wood fireplaces/ stoves is prohibited.

Obviously, burning wood and coal adds to pollution and back in the 1800s and early 1900s we had worse air quality here than in London, England! In 1891, Salt Lake City enacted its first air quality regulations, issuing fines for polluters and requiring that devices be attached to furnaces to capture the smoke before it could go into the air.

The first major air quality study in U.S. history was conducted by SLC, the University of Utah and the federal Bureau of Mines. Coal burning was phased out when natural gas became our primary fuel in the 1950s, so our notorious ‘pea soup’ fog decreased substantially.

Let’s do our part this season and drive less, take TRAX and Frontrunner when possible and pay attention to Red/Green burn days! ■

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

ACROSS

1. “Ivanhoe” author Sir Walter ___

6. Scary Spice’s other nickname

10. Mar.-to-Nov. period

13. Prefix with pod

15. “Bob Wehadababyits___” (fake collect call name in a 1990s Geico ad)

16. Shout of realization

17. Nonsense, to a religion that advocates world unity?

19. Comedian Mayall of “The Young Ones”

20. Direct, as a relationship

21. Martini garnish

23. Garr of “Young Frankenstein”

24. Assertion upon recognizing the peninsula linking Africa with the Middle East?

27. Picnic bug

29. What may make NATO neato?

30. Cuban dance

34. Sea-___ Airport

35. “Pericles, Prince of ___”

39. Series of interlinked Hawaiian verandas?

42. Greek vowels

43. Makeshift dwelling

44. Slight difference

45. Roswell sightings

47. Giants Hall-of-Famer Mel

48. Instruction on how to get to the Burj Khalifa?

52. Arena cheers

56. Completely

57. Forms a line, to Lineker

60. Send a question

61. Humble response from an Alaskan peninsula?

64. Jeans brand

65. March Madness org.

66. Respectable

67. Waze lines, for short

68. “___, Interrupted” (1999 film)

69. Twill weave

DOWN

1. Wooden shoe

2. Construction zone lifter

3. Multiple-choice choice

4. “Not ___ know of”

5. Threesome

6. “Speed-the-Plow” playwright

7. Regress

8. Rocker Reed

9. “Golly!”

10. “Beyond the Sea” singer Bobby

11. Hindu god of destruction

12. “Oh Myyy!” author

14. “What have we here?”

18. Cohesive group

22. “Goodfellas” actor Ray

25. “Game of Thrones” actor Bean

26. Impersonator’s challenge, sometimes

27. Poke bowl fish

28. Ballpark trayful

30. Cavs, on a scoreboard

31. Porkpie, e.g.

32. Actress de Armas

33. Fast ___ (restaurant category for Chipotle and Wingstop)

34. Sticks for blasts

36. Chinese principle with a counterpart

37. Mythical flyer

38. Suffix with ethyl

40. Drive out

41. “Freedom, ___ me loose” (line from the BeyoncÈ song used for Kamala Harris’ campaign)

46. Type of workplace cabinet

47. Work for an orchestra

48. Older TV features

49. Not yet solidified

50. Makes a Battenberg

51. Matching

54.

Off

55. Ill will

58. Abbr. at O’Hare

59. Ualapue strings 62. 13, converted to binary, then converted to Roman numerals

63. Pickle holder

Last

week’s answers

X

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.

52. Shearsmith who co-created and co-stars in “Inside No. 9”

53. “Up” voice actor Ed

Celebrity chef Eddie who wrote “Fresh

the Boat”

NEWS of the WEIRD

BY THE EDITORS AT ANDREWS MCMEEL

Animal Antics

They say fashion trends eventually come back around. ScienceAlert reported on Dec. 3 that orcas off the West Coast of North America have started wearing salmon as hats—again. The fad was first noticed in 1987 in Puget Sound, when orcas started balancing dead fish on their noses. Scientists believe they may be storing the food for later or “showing off,” or it may just feel good. Humpback whales have been known to wear hats of seaweed. “Honestly, your guess is as good as mine,” said Deborah Giles, science and research director at Wild Orca. With further study, “we may be able to gather enough information to show that, for instance, one carried a fish hat for 30 minutes or so, and then he ate it.”

Don’t Try This at Home

Firefighters battled a blaze for more than 16 hours in Weston, Connecticut, on Thanksgiving, WFSB-TV reported, after flames erupted as someone tried to fry a turkey. The fire, which started in the garage of a $4 million mansion, quickly spread to the rest of the house, and six other fire departments joined in the effort to fight the fire. None of the residents or neighbors were hurt, but the home was deemed “uninhabitable.”

Questionable Judgment

Amanda Joudrey LeBlanc of Blandford, Nova Scotia, found a dog sitter she liked and booked them several times over the summer, the CBC reported on Nov. 19. That is, until she discovered a video of the sitter advertising an account on OnlyFans. LeBlanc immediately recognized her own home in the background—her bathroom and her outdoor pool. She bought a subscription to the service and discovered more explicit content filmed in her house. “I am still shocked by it to be honest with you,” LeBlanc said. “Everyone can do whatever they want. I don’t care. I just don’t want it done in my home.” The dogs were not featured in the videos.

Least Competent Criminal

Maybe don’t record your crimes in your journal—that’s the lesson just learned by Vanessa Guerra, 30, of Mankato, Minnesota. The Smoking Gun reported that on the same day that a 2004 Ford Freestar van was stolen, Guerra wrote in her diary: “Totally stole a car today! Something I never thought of doing.” She sold the van to an auto salvage company for $2,000. As investigators closed in on Guerra as the thief, she told them she didn’t know the van was stolen—but they were “able to locate a journal belonging to Guerra” that included her admission. She was charged with two felonies.

Bright Ideas

If you’re fortunate enough to live in California, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas or Florida over the next couple of weeks, you can have your photo snapped while driving through Taco Bell, KTLA-TV reported. “Every day in our drive-thrus, we see moments that are so uniquely ‘our fans,’” said Chief Marketing Officer Taylor Montgomery. Select locations will be transformed into photo booths, with some of the photos ending up on a Taco Bell commercial during the third quarter of the Super Bowl. Participating fans will need to have the TB app and scan a QR code at the drive-thru. Photos will be sent to the account holder’s email address. Smile!

■ In Lone Tree, Colorado, on Nov. 23, police officer Jacob Tarr was busy arresting a suspect in a theft when the perp took off on foot, KY3-TV reported. Thinking fast, Tarr commandeered a kid’s bike to continue the chase, police said. “The suspect might’ve had a scooter, but Officer Tarr had determination, and a kid’s bike,” the police shared on social media. The suspect, who had three outstanding warrants, was eventually nabbed and charged with felony theft.

Awesome!

No doubt inspired by WKRP in Cincinnati, Esther Keim of Anchorage, Alaska, this year completed her third Alaska Turkey Bomb, the Associated Press reported. When Keim was growing up in rural Alaska, a family friend would drop turkeys to her family and others from a plane, along with newspapers and chewing gum. She started her tradition with a small plane she rebuilt with her father, and this year she dropped 32 frozen turkeys to people living beyond roads. Dave and Christina Luce live a 90-minute snowmobile ride from the nearest town. “I’m 80 years old now, so we make fewer and fewer trips,” Dave said. Keim has “been a real good friend.” She hopes to start a nonprofit organization to solicit donations and reach more people, with more than turkeys. “There’s so many kids out in the villages,” she said. “It would be cool to maybe add a stuffed animal or something they can hold.”

But Why?

Tyler Wade Gibson, 35, and his wife, Bailey Alexus Gibson, 32, were charged with child abuse on Nov. 27 in Columbia, Missouri, after Tyler tried to perform a circumcision at home on their infant son, Law & Crime reported. The parents took the child to Lake Regional Hospital after being alarmed by the amount of blood; Bailey told police she was “very hesitant” about her husband doing the procedure but helped him do it. Social services went to the home on Nov. 29 and removed five children. The Gibsons are scheduled to be back in court on Jan. 28.

Family Values

■ An unnamed mother in Cheshire, England, was recently sentenced to serve more than 7 years in prison for “extreme neglect” after her 3-year-old daughter was found to have been living in a drawer under a bed, the BBC reported. The mother hid the child from her siblings and even from a boyfriend, who discovered her in 2023 after hearing the child cry when the mom was away. The court said the 3-year-old was severely malnourished, looking more like a 7-month-old baby, and had a cleft palate, matted hair and other deformities. The mother told police she had not realized she was pregnant and was “really scared” when she gave birth, calling the child “not part of the family.” Judge Steven Everett said he could not “remember a case as bad as this in my 46 years.”

■ Three generations of one family in Palm Coast, Florida, celebrated Black Friday by shoplifting $400 worth of cosmetics and alcohol from a Target store, the Miami Herald reported. A 76-year-old woman, her 54-year-old daughter and a juvenile granddaughter were arrested after a Target loss specialist saw the juvenile putting items in her backpack, police said. The two adults were charged with theft and contributing to the delinquency of a minor; the girl was turned over to her father.

It’s Come to This

From the “But Why Would You Want To?” file: The New York Post reported on Dec. 4 that Miller High Life has released a new cologne, just in time for the holidays. Dive Bar-Fume evokes the smells of a bar counter, leather stools and tobacco so you can be in your favorite dive bar whenever you want. It also includes notes of sea salt (for the “basket of fries and popcorn”) and Champak blossom, which of course smells like Miller High Life. It’ll set you back $60 and comes in a fancy gift box. One commenter asked, “Does it smell like shattered dreams?” Touche.

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