City Weekly January 9, 2025

CITY WEEKLY salt lake FREE SAFETY FIRST

Utah’s workplace safety agency quietly downgrades charges for deaths at Northrop Grumman plant.

BY TAYLOR BARNES

By Taylor Barnes

S AP

BOX

Donald Trump’s Top 10

Positive Attributes

Editor’s note: In his Jan. 2 “Private Eye” column, City Weekly founder John Saltas invited readers to “Name the Top 10 positive attributes of Donald Trump before the world ends.” Various readers submitted individual attributes—the following Top 10 was submitted in its entirety.

You asked for it, here it is:

1. Donald Trump is a loving, devoted family man.

2. Donald Trump is real—he says what

he means and means what he says, he is not a politician.

3. Donald Trump is a fighter—he never backs down, he punches back twice as hard.

4. Donald Trump is a man of action—he does what he says he will do, he takes charge.

5. Donald Trump loves his country—has nothing to gain by serving and everything to lose.

6. As president, Donald Trump launched missiles into Syria in April of 2017 and immediately restored America’s credibility to its global allies and adversaries alike, after eight years of the Obama/Biden administration “leading from behind.”

7. As president, Donald Trump restored the United States’ economy from the effects of the 2008 Great Recession via the Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017 and massive deregulation, which resulted in record foreign and domestic capital investment, job creation and low unemployment without corresponding inflation increases, re-

sulting in real wages finally exceeding 1979 levels.

8. As President, Donald Trump, through Executive Orders, secured our southern borders.

9. As President, Donald Trump nominated 234 federal judges who were confirmed, including three Supreme Court justices, with the results to date including the upholding of First Amendment rights (particularly freedom of religion) and the striking down of decades of wanton judicial activism (particularly Roe v. Wade and Chevron deference).

10. And before the world ends, the impending administration of President Donald Trump will restore our nation’s faith in its institutions, including a functioning Congress, respect for law and order and a society free from government repression.

KENNER SIEBUS Murray

“Village People,”

Dec. 30 Online News

To get out of homelessness and poverty is difficult, but this [tiny home village] is a wonderful opportunity for people to have a fighting chance to do just that. Very excited to see this in our home state.

KATALYNROSE Via Instagram

Feeling hopeful, thanks to the donors, investors and compassionate people making this happen.

MMC_BAKESANDCAKES Via Instagram

Statistically speaking, let’s see what the ROI is in two years—not for the residents, but the officials in charge of this. I bet it looks good on a resume and not much else.

VERBALLYUNRESTRAINED Via Instagram

Care to sound off 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 brought you joy in 2024?

Carolyn Campbell

Writing for City Weekly and having my first granddaughter.

Eric Granato

My family and radio-controlled trucks.

Katharine Biele

A unanimous Utah Supreme Court decision on redistricting. Of course!

Wes Long

Seeing my friends and family reach positive milestones in their lives, my cat Crumpet, and my meeting someone special on the dating scene.

Scott Renshaw

Why, traveling with the Saltases in Greece, of course. Ten out of ten, would recommend to a friend.

Benjamin Wood

Morning bike rides on the Bonneville Shoreline Trail, breakfast sandwiches at Central 9th Market, lunches at Siegfried’s, head-clearing walks on Main Street downtown, afternoon beers at Cheers To You, commuting via high-frequency Trax and bus lines, and evening movies at Brewvies or Broadway!

Kayla Dreher

My cats, sunshine, making new friends and being able to go camping more.

OPINION

BY RON YENGICH

Rest Up on High

The Vail Resorts conglomerate that owns Park City Mountain Resort (PCMR) seems determined to devalue those weary ski travelers who paid for costly ski trips by providing them long lines, fewer open runs and but a few scab ski patrollers to assist them. The conglomerate (synonymous for “scofflaw” in American finance), is leaving their customers shushing in place over a raise of two bucks per hour, demanded by the Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association members who refuse to work.

Yes, you read that correctly … two George Washingtons.

These are the men and women who patrol the slopes as highly-trained skiers, EMTs and the cops on the mountain beat. They are professionals—no longer like uncle Franz, who did it for his ski pass and a chance to ogle the ski bunnies back in 1958, when Sverre Engen lived across from my post-Bingham Canyon family on Galena Drive in Sandy.

Ski patrollers are trained in getting injured would-be Franz Klammers and Lindsey Vonns untangled from trees and one another, then down the mountain safely. They monitor avalanches and go willingly into danger zones to prevent serious injury and death at the risk of their own lives. They teach, prepare and patrol so there isn’t a Gwyneth Paltrow incident every 10 minutes high upon those mountains.

The spokeswoman for Vail Resorts choked out the defense that those 4,069 Mexican centavos might just break their corporate piggy bank (“pig” being the operative word here) and argued that, besides, they provide the Professional Ski Patrol with the equipment to do their job, which is costly. She expects snowblind peons to think hers is actually the Vail Corporate Benevolence Society.

Upon reading the resort’s official statement, I mumbled a very bad word. Long ago, unions fought to provide safety equipment and proper protective clothing for employees. They fought so that John Saltas (the founder of this newspaper) and I were later provided hard-toed boots, gloves, a hard hat (for our stubborn, ethnic heads) and protective eyeglasses back when we worked on the college track gangs in the Kennecott Copper Mine in Bingham Canyon 50 years ago. Unions fought so we youngens didn’t “Go to Die Upon that Mountain” (apologies to Vince Gill) or leave a toe, a finger or an eye there.

A friend—who has ski patrolled for some 40 years and worked at PCMR, but who left for another resort for more money and better work conditions—lifted the veil on Vail. He said that Vail fears paying a fair wage at any one of their resorts, as such demands could spread and threaten their vortex of greed.

These are the same corporations that pay no taxes while demanding better public roads, bridges and snow removal to make coming to their venues more attractive to those now skiing in place on Park City Mountain.

The spokeswoman for the Ski Patrol Association (the union) suggested that since PCMR charges 25 George Washingtons for a hamburger, 10 more for a beer and more than 200 for a day pass, they can afford the minimal two-dollar raise for those who do the heavy lifting.

I just think the union is being reasonable: They underbid on their demand. Two bucks won’t even pay for the pickles on a PCMR burger.

During one mining strike, my father, Nick Yengich— a union man who put in 50 years in the same hole John and I worked as summer hires—was on the negotiating committee of the Mine Mill and Smelter Workers Union, Local 485. Sitting next to him was the Union President, Joe Dispenza—his father was seriously injured in Ludlow, Colorado, where members of the National Guard famously attacked and killed strikers and family. My dad’s father had been seriously injured in a cave-in at Bingham and walked with a pronounced limp the rest of his life.

Neither father of those strong-minded union negotiators were given a penny, let alone two bucks for their pain. Their sons, therefore, knew who they were dealing with when they bargained with the human corporate checkbooks sitting across from them.

These were working union men who understood the reality of mountain work.

The negotiations dragged for weeks as the company resisted every small concession. The company representatives and their lawyers requested that the bargaining stop so they could go home to their families in New York for a long weekend, even though every day meant more financial pain for the working stiffs.

My father, Joe and their union team huddled and then agreed but, the old man said, “yeah, you go fly home to New York. Take your family out for steaks at Delmonico’s and the Stork Club while you nickel and dime our people. You figure you can starve us out, the people who just want to take their families out to Dee’s for a hamburger, Coke and fries? We will be here when you get back.”

With that, the union men got up and left the room. The strike continued for a while, but the New Yorkers eventually returned and capitulated.

Greed lost that round, but the fight is always hard with American corporate greed. They are always looking out for the conglomerate of selfishness. Associations like the Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association and the Old Mine Mill and Smelter Union are there to make them shift their eyes to those who do the hard work.

I feel bad for those whose ski vacations were compromised or destroyed. But I feel even worse for the hardworking people who are underpaid and underappreciated by their employers.

Thank God for the Ski Patrol—be pissed and tell the corporate conglomerate to pay their workers “Who Go High Upon their Mountain.”

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

50% TRADE IN VALUE

HITS & MISSES

MISS: Sore Winners

Can we just tell the far right, “OK, you won. Get over it”? Apparently it’s not enough that America is skating into an incendiary presidency. Now, the “losers” have to worry about safety, their livelihoods and even their families. The rising militias are just one portent of what’s to come. Let’s start with Chief Justice John Roberts and his state of the judiciary, in which he whined about threats to the justices and a general disregard for the rule of law. Before you start laughing, know that it’s already here. ProPublica recently wrote a piece about “The Militia and the Mole,” an insider account of the militia underground. It talked about a dossier on a Utah reporter, which appears to be Bryan Schott. Schott says militia members have stalked his home and threatened him in person, as they will do. He likely won’t be the only target. The far right doesn’t like being challenged—at all.

MISS: Pass Fail

Next up—academia. Campuses are in the crosshairs of the Legislature. Never mind that they’ve already eviscerated DEI because it’s “woke” (read: inclusive). And, of course, they want to quash “critical race theory” making students feel bad about the country’s past. So it’s not unusual that Utah universities are facing major budget cuts—money being the great influencer. A Salt Lake Tribune story suggested support for mental health counseling and disability services faces up to a 25% cut at the University of Utah. Meanwhile, conservative surveys are homing in on academics feeling stifled by “liberal” preferences in speech and promotional opportunities. One Deseret News commenter said all his professors were “communists,” while another opined that science follows facts and conservatism does not. It’s not all about the U and “liberal” politics. A Tribune story about BYU highlighted loyalty oaths and fear of retribution there.

HIT: Seller’s Market

There’s no argument that buying a home in Utah is a frustrating, if not futile, task. First-time homebuyers must prepare themselves for a sprint to the finish line—first come, first served, if you’ve got the cash. It’s not unlike an auction on eBay, where the algorithms win every time. But a stunning fact is that some 25% of buyers are investors who have no intention of living in the home and are up-scaling for rental or higher-market prices. Rep. Gay Lynn Bennion, D-Cottonwood Heights, will be running a bill to require buyers to sign a voucher committing to live in the house for a year. She’ll be up against free-market and property-rights advocates while she tries to stem the tide of corporate greed. Her ammunition: “from 2018 to 2023—10,000 homes that were owned by private individuals have been bought by corporations,” she says. CW

Christmas Tags

As someone who has extensively chronicled Salt Lake City streets through photographs over the past several years, I can say it’s undeniable that there has been an uptick in graffiti. It’s pretty pervasive: on walls, on electrical junction boxes, on lampposts and even on rooftops. It can be found everywhere in the city, from far west along 8000 West to the easternmost portion up the Wasatch Mountains—here’s looking at you, HRock and all its variants.

But is this bad? Like most things in life, context is everything and the answer is probably “it depends.”

There is general disapproval when works of art like the Constellation Owl mural on State Street and 200 South (by renowned artist Yvette Vexta) gets tagged by the prolific ZOOT and WOE. But local businesses—like Veggie House at 1700 S. State Street—may opt to allow or even commission graffiti artists to provide a fresh new take on their branding.

My personal favorite type of graffiti, though, is the innocuous kind: ones that are clever with their defacement, bringing more smiles than dissatisfied looks when passersby come across them. Lower Avenues residents may have seen the simple graffiti at the intersection of P Street and South Temple, which transformed the stamped “P ST” on the sidewalk into “PASTA” by squeezing two stenciled “A”s into the street name.

Another text-based subversive conversion occurred at the former home of the Even Stevens sandwich shop. Remaining abandoned for some time now, the signage at their former Sugar House location on 2100 South and 1700 East got a sly update from “Even” to “Evan”—most likely a nod to the ingenious perpetrator—which went unnoticed for quite some time.

But by far the most well-received graffiti has to be the annual Christmas message the QX Crew emblazes on the side of an overpass near the I-15 on-ramp at 900 South/West Temple (photo above). Whereas early editions would get buffed in a matter of weeks—if not days—this year’s “All I Want 4 QXMas Is U” remained for a full month before getting scrubbed after the holidays.

Maybe UDOT is a big Mariah Carey fan, or maybe they are just coming around to how graffiti, occasionally, can be fun. CW

Plan 30

Trent Harris reflects on the 30th anniversary of Plan 10 from Outer Space.

BY THOMAS CRONE comments@cityweekly.net

When Plan 10 from Outer Space opened on Jan. 19, 1995, the initial showing at the Sundance Film Festival was so overcrowded that cast and crew members were sliding family members in through side entrances, as tickets were no longer available and Park City’s Egyptian Theatre had filled beyond capacity. That situation was soon the rule as well at the Tower Theatre, the erstwhile 9th & 9th movie house selling out showing after showing. Things went so smashingly that the arthouse film was, briefly, the single highest-grossing film in the U.S., based on per-screen average.

True, it was a single theatre showing the movie, but even so…

“When we showed it in Salt Lake City, it broke records,” says Trent Harris, the film’s writer and director. “It was the number one film in America. Honestly. This was printed in Variety magazine. We sold more than 10,000 tickets in Salt Lake City alone. People were lined up around the block, literally.”

The success was a major win for Harris, who shot the lowbudget feature guerrilla-style. It was filmed in and around familiar Salt Lake City locations of that moment—such as the Blue Mouse cinema and the underground club Playskool—as well

as cast members’ homes and offices, plus the streets, alleys and hills around SLC. The film’s look was augmented perfectly by the set design of the production’s David Brothers, a longtime SLC creative known as a large-scale visual artist, as well as a filmand-video producer in his own right. Seldom has heavy-grade cardboard been so deftly used to create an entire film’s aesthetic.

It’s a film that would definitely appeal to a B-movie fan with some knowledge of Mormon traditions, though the work can be appreciated by those without that background, too, as Harris takes an aim at the church’s myths and mythos, while also tweaking the cultural mores of the city in which it was shot. It’s steeped in smarts, but the humor’s also wed to the absurd, with physical comedy the rule, à la its fanciful dream sequences and low-brow invasion footage.

Surprisingly, for a film with a rich vein of satire centering on the teachings and lore of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, the official response was muted at best. Little-to-zero blowback came Harris’ way, as he recalls the initial reception.

“The critic from the Chicago Tribune liked the movie,” Harris says. “She saw it at Sundance. She called the church for comment. The church said, ‘That doesn’t sound like something a member would make.’”

The plot—as quickly sketched out on Harris’ website, echocave. net—notes that principal lead character Lucinda Hall “discovers a century-old book penned by a mad Mormon prophet. She deciphers this odd artifact and is sucked into a world where space-

theESSENTIALS

Complete listings online at cityweekly.net

RDT: Emerge

A&E

men, polygamists and angels run amuck. Is she nuts or has she uncovered a diabolical plot to change the world led by Nehor (Karen Black), a peeved alien from the planet Kolob?”

Harris notes that he did grow up in Idaho alongside LDS members, wed to “that world and

ENTERTAINMENT PICKS,

JANUARY 9-15, 2025

It’s an almost embarrassingly-simple concept, so it’s kind of crazy that it feels so unique when Repertory Dance Theatre—as it has for a decade now—pulls it off. The winter Emerge concert celebrates the fact that there is always undiscovered talent bubbling up beneath the surface in Utah, whether it’s in local dance studios, in university programs or among dancers who might be a little older. And with a spark of inspiration and opportunity from RDT choreographers, audiences can see them all in one great showcase.

The 2025 Emerge program offers several new works designed for that purpose. Among them are four new works by RDT’s Associate Executive/Artistic Director Nicholas Cendese, including one featuring participants in RDT’s Prime Movement for dancers over the age of 40, a collaboration with Weber State University dance students, a piece for young students from Tanner Dance, and a duet featuring students from South Valley Creative Dance studio. Additional offerings include two new dance films by RDT dancer Lindsey Faber; a choreographic collaboration between RDT dancers Trung “Daniel” Do and Megan O’Brien highlighting dance instructors from across the valley; a piece featuring Davis High School dancers; and additional work highlighting community dancers.

RDT’s 10th annual Emerge program comes to the Rose Wagner Center Leona Wagner Black Box (138 W. 300 South) for three performances, Friday, Jan. 10 at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, Jan. 11 at 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 general admission; visit saltlakecountyarts.org to purchase tickets and for additional event information. (Scott Renshaw)

Plan 10 from Outer Space

calls. “There are jokes that will have a special meaning if you have a Mormon background, but the film won the Raindance Film Festival in London. It won the Grand Prize there, and those people don’t have any background in Mormonism. So you didn’t need that to have fun with the movie. And the Mormons had fun with the movie, too. It’s not meanspirited towards Mormonism; it’s quite the opposite, I think.”

When it’s suggested to Harris—also the creator of the cult classic Rubin & Ed (1991), among many other works—that he may not have thought the film would be playing in theatres 30 years later, he’s quite quick to counter the idea.

“When I made this movie, I thought that it would be around for a long, long time,” he says. “Because there’s nothing else like it. Oddly enough, I sensed that it would have a historical presence. I betcha this movie lasts for 100 years. I’m not exaggerating. They’ll be dragging this out in a hundred years saying, ‘Look at this damned thing.’ I’m really pleased with it. It works on all sorts of levels. And considering that there was no budget, at all, I thought it was an extraordinarily well-done piece, because of the people I roped into working on it.”

that society,” a fact that informs the film. But he wanted to make something bigger, a film that could be understood by those who had not grown up alongside the faith.

“Everybody said that nobody’s going to understand this movie if they’re not Mormon,” he re-

Plan 10 from Outer Space has shown in Salt Lake City at multiple revivals over the years and there will be a pair of 30th anniversary showings slated for Broadway Centre Cinemas (111 E. 300 South) on Friday, Jan. 10, at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Videos of the film can also be purchased at echocave.net. CW

theESSENTIALS

PTC: Dial M for Murder

Dial M for Murder began as a 1952 play by Frederick Knott, before becoming a beloved mystery film directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Yet it’s also proven successful in a new stage adaptation by veteran playwright Jeffrey Hatcher. His established relationship with Arizona Theatre Company led to a presentation of Dial M for Murder in fall 2024, a co-production with Pioneer Theatre Company that now results in the entire Arizona cast visiting us here in Utah—a show that Chuck Graham of  TucsonStage  called “an intricate clockwork plot paced so skillfully, with an impressive froth of unexpected twists and turns, as each of the actors carefully times every clue, every word, to keep the tension rising.”

Some of the story may already be familiar, including the premise of a man named Tony who believes his socialite wife, Margot, is having an affair, and subsequently plans to have her murdered. Hatcher’s new version offers a twist by having Margot’s lover be a woman. Keeping the play set in the 1950s adds the tension of a closeted lesbian fearing blackmail for reasons beyond marital infidelity. But as to the rest of the play’s developments, those are best left discovered by anyone new to the material.

Pioneer Theatre Company’s Dial M for Murder at the Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre (300 S. 1400 East) runs Jan. 10 – 25, with performances 7 p.m. Monday – Thursday, 7:30 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $44 - $62; visit pioneertheatre.org for tickets and additional event information. (SR)

Patrick Warburton @ Wiseguys Gateway

David Puddy—the laconic sometimesboyfriend of Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s Elaine on Seinfeld—became one of the most popular recurring characters in the show’s run. But it easily might not have turned out that way. Puddy was not originally intended to appear beyond the single original episode in which he debuted (1995’s “The Fusilli Jerry”), but Warburton’s audition and his trademark deadpan delivery so won over the show’s creative team that Puddy went on to appear in several more episodes.

Over the subsequent 30 years, it became easy to see what made Puddy (and Warburton) so appealing to the Seinfeld team. In live-action, he played the title role in the TV adaptation of the cult comic book The Tick, followed by the successful CBS sitcom Rules of Engagement. But his work as a voice actor has made him most beloved to generations of fans, as his gravelly tones have been heard over the years as the dopey henchman Kronk in Disney’s The Emperor’s New Groove, as Joe Swanson in The Family Guy, and in appearances ranging from Teen Titans Go! to The Venture Bros. And that’s leaving aside his iconic Disneyland roles as the “flight attendant” Patrick delivering the safety spiel before the Soarin’ attraction and the computer-modulated voice of the security-check robot in Star Tours.

Fans of Patrick Warburton can see a different side of him when he brings his stand-up performance to Wiseguys Gateway (190 S. 400 West) for showtimes on Wednesday, Jan. 15 at 7 p.m. & 9 p.m and on Thursday, Jan. 16 at 7 p.m. The Jan. 15 tickets are sold out at press time, but resale tickets may be available. Visit wiseguyscomedy.com for additional event information. (SR)

Last Year’s Leftovers

Two “technically” 2024 releases make their way to local theaters.

BY SCOTT RENSHAW scottr@cityweekly.net

Better Man BBB ½

Count me all-in on the trend—after the “Pharrell-asLEGO” documentary Piece by Piece and this oddball endeavor—of bypassing the Walk Hard musical biopic clichés through imaginative representation of the central figure. In this case, that figure is British pop icon Robbie Williams, whose life story—from lower-class kid to boy-band icon to troubled superstar—is chronicled by turning Williams into a digitally animated chimpanzee (voiced by Williams and motion-capture performed by Jonno Davies). The character logic for the decision tracks through the portrayal of Williams as a self-loathing fame whore trying to work through a lot of daddy issues, even if you miss the passing use of the word “unevolved.” Plot-wise, it’s not radically different from a lot of portrayals of messed-up artists trying to keep their heads above water while bottoming out in substance abuse, but director Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman) makes the most of the jukebox-musical format for a bold and lively presentation, most notably in the street-party marking the fame of Williams’ band Take That set to “Rock DJ,” and the montage of his relationship with fellow pop

star Nicole Appleton (Raechelle Banno) set to “She’s the One.” The overall effect is both tremendously entertaining and a format that helps to humanize the notorious “bad boy”—which is kind of ironic, since the version we see of Williams isn’t actually human. Available Jan. 10 in theaters. (R)

The Last Showgirl BB

A premise like this one—about a 50-something Las Vegas showgirl named Shelly (Pamela Anderson) facing the prospect of ending her career when her long-running casino show is cancelled—seems tailor-made for celebrating a veteran actor. The operative word there, of course, is “actor,” which is not exactly Ms. Anderson’s forte. There’s certainly some potential for the character in Kate Gersten’s script, which finds Shelly looking at her gaudy T-and-A spectacle with rose-colored glasses in order to justify the choices she made, including being an absentee mother to her daughter Hannah (Billie Lourd). Anderson, unfortunately, doesn’t really have the chops to find nuance in that self-delusion, to the extent that Shelly merely comes off as kinda dumb. It doesn’t help that there’s a potentially far more interesting story in that of Shelly’s friend, former colleague and aging gambling-addict cocktail waitress Annette, played with gusto by Jamie Lee Curtis. When Annette breaks into a dance performance set to “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” it’s the kind of expression of defiance in the face of “age-appropriate” expectations that we never get from Shelly’s story. Throw in a few other half-realized subplots in just over 80 minutes, including the surrogate family of Shelly’s fellow dancers and her relationship with the show’s director (Dave Bautista), and you end up with a thin attempt at a character study that could stand a bit more studying. Available Jan. 10 in theaters. (R) CW

CINEMA

January 2025 Special Screenings

KRCL “Music Meets Movies”: Moonage Daydream: Director Brett Morgen (Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck) creates a kaleidoscopic profile of pioneering pop icon David Bowie in this 2022 documentary. The onenight-only screening takes place at Brewvies Cinema Pub (677 S. 200 West) on Thursday, Jan. 9 at 7:30 p.m., tickets $10 at the door. brewvies.com

Sunday Brunch Feature: The Invisible Man: With director Leigh Whannell’s new spin on a classic movie monster—Wolf Man—due later this month, Brewvies presents the 2020 version of The Invisible Man starring Elisabeth Moss. Showtime is noon on Sunday, Jan. 12; admission is free to the public while seats last, doors open at 11:30 a.m. brewvies.com

Twilight Saga: The hit horror-romance series based on Stephenie Meyer’s best-selling books returns to theaters for special week-long engagements at select Megaplex Theatres locations, beginning with 2008’s Twilight (Jan. 17), followed by New Moon (Jan. 24), Eclipse (Jan. 31) and Breaking Dawn parts 1 & 2 (Feb. 7). Tickets are $5 per screening; a special marathon of all five films takes place on Saturday, Jan. 18 at assorted Megaplex Theatres locations at 8:35 a.m. megaplextheatres.com

The Goonies 40th anniversary: Gen X-ers, rejoice! The 1985 youth adventure classic comes back to theaters for a limited engagement on Jan. 19 and Jan. 20 at Megaplex Theatres locations. megaplextheatres.com

SAFETY FIRST

UTAH’S WORKPLACE SAFETY AGENCY QUIETLY DOWNGRADES CHARGES FOR DEATHS AT NORTHROP GRUMMAN PLANT.

The following report was originally published by Inkstick, a nonprofit news platform. It is reprinted here with permission.

Defense contractor Northrop Grumman will avoid the worst penalties it could have faced for the deaths of two workers from argon gas asphyxiation at a Utah missile plant in 2023 due to a settlement with the state’s workplace safety agency that removed the most severe citations from the case, documents obtained by Inkstick through a public records request reveal.

Northrop Grumman and Utah Occupational Safety and Health (UOSH) reached a settlement that removed two “willful, serious” workplace safety citations—the

BY TAYLOR BARNES COMMENTS@CITYWEEKLY.NET

most severe category used by OSHA—from the case involving the deaths of employees Jonathan Steinke, 24, and Ken Tran, 48.

UOSH downgraded those citations to just “serious.”

A “willful, serious” violation would have triggered UOSH to refer the case to the local district attorney’s office for prosecution—or justify in writing why it did not do so—and also to include the company on an OSHA blacklist known as the Severe Violator Enforcement Program (SVEP).

In a twist, the settlement both acknowledges the primary safety violation that led to the men’s deaths—that Northrop Grumman “reclassif[ied] a space that had previously been determined to be a permit-required confined space

to a non-confined space”—while also vacating two of the original citations that fined Northrop Grumman for removing that classification without documenting its justifications for doing so.

Steinke and Tran died while argon gas, which is used in industrial welding processes and displaces oxygen, was leaking into a part of a plant in Magna that workers referred to as the “pit,” an underground area below a large vessel known as an autoclave that is used to subject materials to high heat and pressure.

The permit designation would have required the company to perform a series of controls and safety measures to protect employees before entering the pit, such as atmospheric testing and providing

workers respiratory equipment. And even though the new settlement removes the key “willful” language that triggers the most severe penalties, it then goes on to order Northrop Grumman to reinstate “full permit-entry protocols” to the basement area where Steinke and Tran died.

The company was tight-lipped about the deaths from the day they occurred, declining to publicly name them and publishing just a short note of condolences in local media. Through public records requests and interviews with families and coworkers, Inkstick became the first outlet to name the men and detail the circumstances of their deaths in an exposé last October, which was republished by City Weekly the following month.

Continued on page 14

Defense contractor Northrop Grumman came under scrutiny after the death of two men at the missile-maker’s plant in Magna.

UOSH offered Inkstick Media no explanation for why the agency agreed to downgrade the citations, and the settlement records include no reasoning for the changes. Northrop Grumman did not respond to requests for comment on why it appealed the original citations or a request for a copy of its appeal. The Utah Office of Attorney General did not respond to questions from Inkstick about why it advised UOSH to accept the seemingly one-sided settlement. A spokesperson for the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s office told Inkstick that the worker death case had not been referred to it for criminal charges.

“Criminal prosecutions are one of the few ways that you can actually get under the skin of a major company,” Eric Frumin, the former health and safety director for the labor union-affiliated Strategic Organizing Center, told Inkstick. That’s because the fines levied by OSHA are so low—in the revised settlement the company will pay just $81,918 in penalties for the safety violations that led to Steinke and Tran’s deaths—that they do little to deter corporate wrongdoing, Frumin added.

Dodging the OSHA Blacklist

A less harsh, though meaningful, response to the men’s deaths would have been Northrop Grumman’s inclusion on an OSHA blacklist known as the Severe Violator Enforcement Program. Created by OSHA in 2010 to “more effectively focus enforcement efforts on recalcitrant employers who demonstrate indifference to the health and safety of their employees,”

the program involves systematic surveillance and inspections of dangerous workplaces.

A “willful-serious” fatality citation would have landed Northrop Grumman on the list, though Utah SVEP records Inkstick obtained through a public records request showed that the state only included three small companies on the list during all of 2023 and 2024. The defense contractor never made it on. In addition to the nuisance of increased scrutiny—during which inspectors could easily find other safety violations to fine the company for—inclusion on SVEP also comes with “reputational damage,” Frumin explained.

The fallout from Steinke and Tran’s deaths could have been very different if Republicans hadn’t won control of Congress and the White House in 2016. Workers’ rights were embedded into the federal procurement process for a “brief period of time,” Frumin said, due to an Obamaera set of regulations known as the Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order.

Those regulations required federal contractors—the largest of which are the defense ones— to disclose OSHA and labor law violations before applying for federal contracts and for agencies to deny contracts to companies that repeatedly violate workers’ rights. “That was an extremely, extremely controversial move by the Obama administration,” Frumin said, “to put labor law violations that far and deeply embedded into the federal procurement process.”

Shortly after the 2016 election, a Republicancontrolled Congress voted to repeal the regulations, and then-President Donald Trump signed the repeal into law.

A spokesperson for the Defense Contract Management Agency told Inkstick that “there are no automatic repercussions” for workplace fatalities among defense contractors and that “generally any action taken in response to OSHA violations, including workplace fatalities, would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis rather than trigger an automatic response from the government.” Those repercussions could have included the government ordering the contractor to draw up a corrective action plan to remedy the violations and, if the request is not fulfilled, the government eventually withholding payments or potentially canceling a contract, the spokesperson said.

Big Business, Small State

Northrop Grumman, the world’s largest nuclear weapons manufacturer, is the prime contractor for the new intercontinental ballistic missile, called Sentinel, that is projected to cost more than $140 billion. The nuclear missile is being produced at a number of facilities across Utah, including the Magna plant where Steinke and Tran died last year.

A spokesperson for the Air Force, which manages the contract for the new Sentinel missile, did not respond to questions about whether Northrop Grumman faced any of those repercussions due to the fatalities.

Frumin, who has spent five decades advocating for compliance with and strengthening of OSHA laws, didn’t hide his frustration that cases like these could end up having no consequences for a company continuing to receive billions of dollars in taxpayer-funded federal contracts.

AN INTERNAL PRESENTATION SLIDE OBTAINED BY INKSTICK NOTED THE DEATHS OF TWO NORTHROP EMPLOYEES ERIC FRUMIN, FORMER STRATEGIC ORGANIZING CENTER H&S DIRECTOR

COURTESY PHOTO INKSTICK

Continued from page 13

“All of [the federal procurement process] would have changed if the Congress hadn’t repealed those revised reg[ulations]s in early 2017 that the Obama crowd issued,” Frumin said. “All the serious and willful and repeat violations would have been shoved down the throat of every defense procurement bureaucrat, and they would be choking on them.”

Buoyed by the Sentinel contract, Northrop Grumman has been the largest defense contractor in Utah since 2019, securing $3.5 billion in defense contracts in the state last year.

That corporate behemoth faces a UOSH that is already “anemic” in carrying out its mission to prevent injuries and deaths on the job and seek justice after harm has occurred, Lauren Scholnick, an attorney with Utah Jobs Justice and an adjunct professor of employment law at the University of Utah, told Inkstick.

“When you have a small state like ours, the big employers, you don’t want to run afoul of them as the entity that runs the state,” she said. “There is not a political will to push these things forward.”

Workers continue to suffer on-the-job injuries at Northrop Grumman. Eric Olsen, a spokesman for the Utah Labor Commission, told Inkstick in September that the commission was “aware and investigating” reports of several hand and foot injuries, including allegations that three workers’ feet were crushed by a falling 6,750-pound piece of equipment, at plants in Promontory and Clearfield.

The injuries point to the dangerous nature of the work of missile production. An internal

safety training slide for Northrop Grumman, sent by an employee to Inkstick, says that 104 fatal injuries have occurred at Northrop Grumman’s propulsion systems properties since 1960.

Those worker deaths included ones at companies Northrop Grumman acquired such as Hercules, which formerly operated the Magna plant, and Thiokol, a chemical company whose search for “cheap, unproductive land” where it could conduct “explosive” operations in the early years of the Cold War are part of the origin story of the nuclear weapons industry in Utah.

Spokespeople for Northrop Grumman did not respond to repeated requests for comment on the alleged workplace injuries and the historical death figures.

Labor Union Sidelined

The fallout from the Magna deaths also could have been very different had it not been for loopholes in OSHA law and enforcement that allowed Utah to reach the settlement without including the labor union, the Steelworkers, that represents some workers at the Magna plant.

(That a Northrop Grumman plant has any representation by organized labor is a major anomaly—the company has the lowest unionization rate out of all of the “big five” defense contractors, at just 4%.)

Federal law allows states to opt for enforcement by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration or to establish state-level programs, which 22 states, including Utah, have done. Those are supposed to be “at least as effective” as the federal OSHA program.

The federal government issues an annual report monitoring states’ compliance with that “at least as effective” standard. But Frumin, the workplace safety expert, said that “the Feds’ failure to fulfill its monitoring function has been well documented” by watchdogs like the Government Accountability Office.

In states that participate in the federal OSHA program, labor unions are, as a right, given the opportunity to review and object to settlements. But Scott Higley, an assistant attorney general who advised UOSH in the settlement, told Inkstick via email that “Utah is a state plan, so it doesn’t have all the same requirements that a federal plan may have.”

He further added: “I’m not aware of any legal right or requirement in Utah for a labor union to review or approve an Occupational Safety and Health settlement” and that “[w]ith that understanding, I didn’t speak with anyone from the Union, and I’m not aware of a copy of the settlement being provided to a Union representative for review or approval.”

Scholnick, the employment attorney, argued that low monetary fines like the ones levied against Northrop Grumman were “never going to be enough of a deterrent that stopped the deaths in the future” at a major defense contractor. The most meaningful part of the settlement, therefore, are the so-called “safety enhancements” that Northrop Grumman agreed to, such as reinstating permit controls for the “pit.”

“The important thing is, going forward, are they [UOSH] going to really enforce this stuff?” she asked. CW

INTERNAL NORTHROP SLIDES ON FATAL INJURIES UNDERSCORE THE DANGEROUS NATURE OF ITS LINE OF WORK.

UTAH ATTORNEY AND EMPLOYMENT LAW EXPERT LAUREN SCHOLNICK

Sugar House Sichuan

Spice up 2025 with Beijing Restaurant.

BY ALEX SPRINGER comments@cityweekly.net @captainspringer

When I was growing up, my family had a casual tradition of getting Chinese takeout for dinner every New Year’s Eve. It was on these annual trips with my mom to pick up boxes of fried rice, lo mein and broccoli beef that I started to associate Chinese food with celebrations. Now that I’m a bit older, of course I understand that Chinese food is awesome regardless of the occasion. However, there is something about New Year’s Day that makes me remember those little takeout boxes of fried rice and broccoli beef that helped my family and I ring in a new year. So, as I shuffled the deck of exciting new restaurants that 2025 would deal to me, tradition dictated that Beijing Restaurant would have to be my first pick of the year. Beijing Restaurant is only a few months old, but it has already built up a decent amount of buzz for local Chinese food fans. I’ve noticed an exciting trend where international restaurants are including a wider range of regional cuisines on their menus, and Beijing Restaurant is no exception. Most of the restaurant’s offerings are culled from China’s Sichuan province, which is what initially got me in the door. As was noted in my 2024 year-end roundup, I’ve become a pretty

big fan of mapo tofu, and I love that it’s becoming more widely available in these parts. Beijing Restaurant’s mapo tofu is an absolute knockout, so let’s start things off there, shall we?

Beijing Restaurant’s mapo tofu ($15.95) is listed on the menu as “Tofu in House Special Spicy Sauce,” so if you also kneel at this particular altar, that’s what you want to get. It has the telltale chili pepper icon beside its name on the menu, and it’s possible to ask for the heat levels to be ramped up a bit if you want your mapo tofu to put the hurt on you. I wanted to try out the default heat levels before I got too crazy, and what I got was just right for my own heat tolerance—I could even see myself requesting a bit more heat in the future.

Everything here is designed to be served up family style, so you do get a lot of bang for your buck with each entree. The mapo tofu arrived in a lovely gobletshaped serving dish—and it’s absolutely gorgeous. Those pearly white cubes of silken tofu marinating in a deep crimson sauce and topped with fresh scallions and plenty of black pepper had me feeling weak in the knees.

A buck will get you a refillable bowl of white rice with your dish, which is a necessity if you want to soak up all that fiery sauce. It’s a dish that leans heavily into the Sichuan peppercorn, which imparts a lovely numbing sensation to the tongue and is one of the reasons that this dish has become so near and dear to my heart. It’s a sensory-altering experience that doesn’t go too hard but is just strange enough to be enjoyable—and it’s also a lifesaver if you ever do get in over your head with those heat levels.

I also tried out the Chongqing-style chili chicken ($18.95), which I thought

was an excellent contrast to the mapo tofu. Where the latter’s silken tofu and oily broth caress the tongue with their flavors and textures, the chili chicken’s shallow fry and dried chili garnish is drier and crispier.

When it arrives piled high with dried chili peppers and a reddish hue on the breading, the chicken looks as if it will absolutely set your taste buds ablaze. I didn’t find that to be the case, however. Yes, there is a nice chili kick from the dried peppers and the chili oil that coats the meat, but there’s a great depth of flavor going on here. The boneless chicken meat is chopped into perfectly bite-sized pieces, and each bite explodes into a spectacle of savory and spicy flavors that even maintain a hint of sweetness. It’s one of those dishes that implies a broad seasoning palate along with a deft hand to keep those flavors balanced. I thought this was truly remarkable stuff, and kept finding myself popping these wonderful little morsels into my mouth long after I felt full.

Beijing Restaurant is the type of place that inspires a certain level of commitment from its diners. There were so many things on the menu that I had never tried before, and I am already planning repeat visits in order to broaden my culinary horizons. Based on my initial visit, I feel like this is a special addition to Utah’s restaurant scene as it will impress many fledgling and veteran foodies with its meticulous tributes to Sichuan cuisine. CW

2 Row Brewing

73 West 7200 South, Midvale

2RowBrewing.com

On Tap: Piney Peaks “West Coast IPA”

Avenues Proper

376 8th Ave, SLC avenuesproper.com

On Tap: Steamy Wonder Rye Steam Ale

Bewilder Brewing

445 S. 400 West, SLC

BewilderBrewing.com

On Tap: Belgian Pale Ale, Cosmic Pop IPA, Lord of the Ryes Stout

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

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

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

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: Belgian Tart with Apricot

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, S. Salt Lake LevelCrossingBrewing.com

On Tap: Rising Hope White Peach IPA

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

Red Rock Fashion Place 6227 So. State Redrockbrewing.com On Tap: Munich Dunkel

On Tap: Scion Fruitcake 7.1%

ABV

Second Summit Cider 4010 So. Main, Millcreek https://secondsummitcider. com

On Tap: Pear Rosemary 6.5%

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

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

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

On Tap: 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.

– Holiday Nut Brown Ale

Talisman Brewing Co.

1258 Gibson Ave, Ogden TalismanBrewingCo.com

On Tap: Witches Brew

Top of Main Brewery

250 Main, Park City, Utah topofmainbrewpub.com

On Tap: Top of Main Brewery –

Hop Carousel Rotating IPA

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

On Tap: Was Angeles Craft Beer

UTOG

2331 Grant Ave, Ogden UTOGBrewing.com

On Tap: Golden Grant 5% ABV. Vernal Brewing

55 S. 500 East, Vernal VernalBrewing.com

Wasatch Brew Pub

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

On Tap:  Top of Main – Salt Lake Brewing Co. Hef Baum Hefeweizen

Zion Brewery

95 Zion Park Blvd, Springdale ZionBrewery.com

Zolupez

Level Crossing Brewing Co., POST

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

On Tap: Fresh Hop Little Suss

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

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: Crisper Drawer Golden 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: Anko Rice Lager on draft

358 Park Blvd, Ogden OgdenBeerCompany.com

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

Salt Flats Brewing 2020 Industrial Circle, SLC SaltFlatsBeer.com

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

Squatters and Wasatch Brewery 1763 So 300 West SLC UT 84115 Utahbeers.com

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

Strap Tank Brewery, Lehi 3661 Outlet Pkwy, Lehi, UT

StrapTankBrewery.com

On Tap: Redeemer Rauchbier, God of Thunder Roggenbier

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

On Tap: Candy Cap English Mild

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

On Tap: Strata Fresh Hop Pale Ale

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

BEER NERD

Best Beers of 2024

The five local brews that shined brightest last year.

BY MIKE RIEDEL comments@cityweekly.net @utahbeer

It was damn hard trying to come up with Utah’s five best beers of 2024. There were so many impressive offerings this year, and I’d say that, whether due to time or geography, more than a third never made it past my tongue. But these are five ales and lagers that left a big impression on me—ones for which I kept going back until they were gone. I hope you were able to find your best of 2024 beers; we’d love it if you could share them with us.

Bewilder - Big Crispy: This West Coast pils proves interesting in that there is a lot of citrus character, but it’s not juicy per se; it’s more about the pithy, rindy, bitter nature of the citrus, bringing a lot of aromatics. There is some juiciness, but not a lot. The beer is pretty simple in its flavors, and everything works well together—a dry, crisp lager with lots of hop character. There’s a good deal of bitterness here, but it doesn’t linger long on the finish. A subtle peach sweetness comes through from the toasted malt, especially after the quick finish from the hops subsides. It’s light- to mediumbodied, nicely carbonated with a clean, crisp, dry finish. Very drinkable and refreshing at 6.0 percent ABV.

Offset - The New Feels: Melon pops out in the palate at first swig, with grass coming up next and berries close behind. Soft and bright pilsner malt dominates the mid-palate, with a burst of citrus breaking out for a bit of extra life as you proceed towards the beer’s end. Not overly grassy, light, or diesel-like, this reminds one of a lively, active West Coast pilsner. At 5.0 percent ABV, you have a winner with this beer, as a bit of fruit cocktail and apricot juice emerged once it fully warmed up.

lager is 50/50 wheat malt and pilsner malt. It has a noticeably pillowy feel, kinda like a muffin with 85% of the sugars stripped-out—delicately sweet with little yeast profile. Toasty profiles are subtle and complementary; it’s in that realm between German pils and an American wheat ale. The use of wheat malts in this lager seems to enhance the body a little and make the hops stand out in the aroma and the taste. There is an interesting complexity in the contrasting citrus and herbal notes, despite this being only a single-hop beer. It is very drinkable at 4.8 percent. I can’t get enough of this damn lager.

Templin Family - Protect Ya Neckta: There’s a perfect level of malt for this 8.8 percent beer. It has substance, but also form; it gracefully does not become too heavy and is made lighter by a good carbonation. The mouthfeel is fuller than the typical IPA, but very big. The fruit is ripe and prominent, as the apricot and melon combine to create a sweet fruit sensation. What alcohol there is offers just a mild warmth, as it finishes with a citrus hop bitter that seems much weaker than it really is next to all that sweet fruit. It finishes sticky and sweet but drying on the tongue.

Epic - Big Bad Baptist Black Gold: The taste is immediately bold and rich. Medium sweet dark chocolate and roasted barley jump out at first, then big coldbrew coffee flavors push aside the roasted malts and assert a rich and spicy blast that is equal parts fruity and floral. At the midpoint, the bourbon barrel begins to play its part, adding oak, toffee and vanilla along with a bit of booziness. Toward the end of the palate, nougat creates a toothy Milky Way bar sweetness that plays well with the coffee and bourbon thump. The finish is roasty and slightly dry, as lingering acidic tones from 14.7 alcohol and parched coffee bathe the tongue. The texture here has a weighty yet velvety coating effect in the mouth. Some of these are still out there, so seek them out! The others? I’m hoping they’ll be back in the coming months. Meanwhile, I can’t wait to taste what 2025 will bring. As always, cheers! CW

Grid City - Coyote Elvis: This wheat

the BACK BURNER

BY ALEX SPRINGER | @captainspringer

Drunken Kitchen at Grid City Beer Works

In an exciting turn of events, the team at Drunken Kitchen (drunkenkitch.com) recently unveiled a collaboration with Grid City Beer Works (gridcitybeerworks.com) that is shaping up to get the new year off to a good start. In what sounds like a match made in heaven, Drunken Kitchen has moved its operation to Grid City Beer Works, where lucky diners will be able to indulge in this local up-and-comer’s menu of Taiwanese and Chinese classics while sampling Grid City’s taproom. It makes a serendipitous kind of sense for a place called Drunken Kitchen to operate out of a brewery, and I can’t wait to head over and take advantage of this dynamic duo.

Woodbine Food Hall Welcomes Dom’s Burgers

The already stellar lineup at Woodbine Food Hall (woodbineslc.com) recently welcomed Dom’s Burgers (@domsburgersslc) into its ranks. Local burger fans have been enjoying the signature smashed burgers from Dom’s via some impressive pop-ups at Roux, but now they’re available to a more consistent degree thanks to their spot at Woodbine. For those who are unfamiliar with Dom’s Burgers, it’s a gnarly take on a smashed burger that got its start on a toasted English muffin with some pickles and Fresno chilis. Dom’s menu is no stranger to the classics, as it has also included a mushroom-and-Swiss burger, along with a Western burger topped with a thick onion ring. Burger fans need to check this place out ASAP.

Heber Valley Restaurants Spotlighted on The Road Less Eaten

Outside TV’s travelogue The Road Less Eaten recently featured Heber and several of its local restaurants as part of the show’s second season. Each episode of The Road Less Eaten follows Chef Biju Thomas around the country looking for restaurants and hangouts that aren’t always in the tourist guides. In the Heber Valley episode, Chef Thomas visited Midway Mercantile, Lola’s Street Kitchen, Ritual Chocolate, Hawk & Sparrow, Heber Valley Artisan Cheese, Heber Valley Railroad and the Midway Farmer’s Market. It’s the kind of national traction that makes Utah diners want to spend a bit more time exploring the cool spots that Heber has to offer.

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

– Erica Durance

Music Mailbag

January 2025

New releases from Tomper, Muskies and more

BY EMILEE ATKINSON eatkinson@cityweekly.net @emileelovesvinyl

I

t’s crazy that it’s now 2025. We’re halfway through the decade, even though most of us swear 2020 was just a year ago. As we move into the new year, there’s plenty of new music to enjoy, so here are some releases you’ll want to add to your libraries to carry you through and start 2025 off right.

Tomper, Fresh Air: Even though the air outside isn’t fresh, you can listen to Tomper’s new EP Fresh Air and get the same feeling. Who needs to breathe clean air, anyway? Indie duo Tomper have popped in here and there to share a single or two, and now those tracks—in addition to a couple of new jams—have been compiled into the duo’s first EP. Their debut single “Cruise Control” perfectly opens it up before moving into one of the brand-new songs, “Without You.” Tomper’s music exudes charm, joy and addicting sound effects, and there’s plenty of all of that in “Without You.” “Call In” is in the middle of the EP, acting as an anchor as one of Tomper’s most fun tracks. The sound of this one swirls around you while listening, and it’s easy to play on a loop. Another new track, “Magnet,” follows and its cheerful atmosphere will have you feeling like you’re skipping through a field of flowers. Rounding out the EP is “Baby Come On.” Originally released in February 2023, the

song is the perfect bookend for this body of work. If you love low-key yet beautifully crafted bedroom pop sounds, Fresh Air is definitely for you. If you aren’t usually into that sort of thing, give it a listen anyway— it’s hard to believe anyone could dislike Tomper’s sound.

Muskies, Muskies: The loveable and entertaining “pike psych” masters are at it again, and this time they have a full album of adventurous tracks that you’ll be excited to dive into. The LP opens with their single “Out on the Water!” which is a perfect start to the album. The track acted as the band’s introduction in February 2023, so it’s fitting to open their first album with it. From there you get another previouslyreleased single, “Atomic Avenue,” and then to one of the first brand new tracks, “BIG BOY.” Muskies effortlessly blend elements of rock, psych and delightfully tonguein-cheek lyrics that will have you coming back for more. “BIG BOY” is on the heavier side, featuring loud vocals with chugging guitar and bass. Their single “Nancy Reagan” follows, before another fresh track, “Kool Rudy.” This one is super-exciting and impossible not to bob your head to. After “Kool Rudy” there are five more brand-new songs that I won’t spoil here, so be sure to check them out. Muskies and their music are weird, fun, silly, interesting … and it’s dang near impossible not to have a good time while listening to them.

Gag City, “Terminator”: Gag City describe themselves as “a five-piece femme garage grunge band hailing from Salt Lake City. Influenced by the sounds of ’90s grunge and psych-punk, Gag City mixes punchy lyrics with harmonic, intimately familiar licks. Described as ‘immensely

MUSIC

relatable to all genres’ by [guitarist] Ashley’s mom and ‘wow that song was really good’ by someone at a show, Gag City is here to provide a fresh new sound along with some added theatrics.” The grunge group is hitting us with their debut single “Terminator,” an immensely entertaining, satisfying and crunchy song that’s easy to get lost in. Fans of the grunge sounds of yesteryear will feel instantly at home here, as “Terminator” feels like coming home with its chugging guitar, floaty yet punchy vocals and the general “fuck you” attitude that you want in this type of music. It’s a perfect song for when you want to rock out and rage at the world—definitey crank this one up to 10 when you press play.

Mopsy, “I Call My Homies Baby Girl”: SLC trio Mopsy are wellknown for their garagerock shenanigans. With titles like “Making Out at Butt Rock” and their latest, “I Call My Homies Baby Girl,” you know you’re in for a fun time with Mopsy’s music before you even hit play. Then,

as you listen on, you become enveloped in wall-to-wall sound that’s inescapable— not that you’d want to get away from it. The distortion is cranked up to 11, and the screaming vocals hit you like a gut-punch. The ideal way to listen to Mopsy is live at a show, but throwing this in your ears is almost just as good.

OrcaMind, Focus: OrcaMind’s gift to listeners last year was their new EP Focus, released on Christmas Eve. Dreamy as ever, the EP takes listeners on a journey that feels like gently drifting down a peaceful river. Between the angelic vocals and whimsical effects, you’ll easily get swept up in this EP. OrcaMind is also heavily influenced/inspired by video-game music, so taking a dive into their catalog for more of those sounds is always a treat if you’re into that sort of thing.

There you have it: Some songs to start your year off right. Here’s to celebrating more local tunes in 2025! CW

SATURDAY,

BEST BAR IN UTAH!

GREAT FOOD

MUSIC PICK S

Bad Charm, Body of Leaves, Nehezda @ Kilby Court 1/9

If you’re looking for a way to start the year off with a great show, look no further than this fantastic local lineup. At the top of the bill is Bad Charm, an alt-rock group who expertly infuse their music with shoegaze sounds that make you want to listen again and again. Their self-titled 2023 EP debut is an incredible introduction that’s also an easy and delightful listening experience. The four tracks are energetic, loud and dreamy. Once you get to that last track, you’ll be sad it’s over, but then will be able to start it over and have just as much fun as the first time. Bad Charm also released “Shorty” in November, leading up to a new EP that will be released at this show, so you don’t want to miss out. Joining Bad Charm is Body of Leaves, who have an addicting post-punk/new wave sound that’s dark, brooding and extra crunchy. Last and certainly not least on the lineup is Nehezda, who offers a similar rock/punk/grunge sound. Their 2024 EP Battery is moody, contemplative and will rock your socks off. This is a lineup of acts that complement each other in the best way. Come check them out on Thursday, Jan. 9 at 7 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages show are $10 and can be found at 24tix.com. (Emilee Atkinson)

AND 2 EACH 3 BUTTON KEY FOBS

MUSIC PICK S

GUDFELLA @ Sky SLC 1/9

Fresh from the iconic New Year’s Eve festival Decadence, GUDFELLA (Kyle Domingo) is coming to Salt Lake City for a night full of electro-pop/bass house. For fans of electronic artists Madeon and Mura Masa, Domingo is one not to miss out on. The Filipino DJ and producer (now based in San Diego) makes music that is heartfelt, such as “Feel This Way” (featuring multi-Grammy-nominated singer Bipolar Sunshine) and the collaboration “back2u” with Disco Lines. However, his best-known collaboration is “Rule The World (Everybody)” with Tiësto, Tears For Fears and NIIKO X SWAE. The song’s title is a reference to the first line of “Charlie Don’t Surf” by The Clash, alluding to the human desire for power and control. The lyrics “Acting on your best behavior / turn your back on Mother Nature / Everybody wants to rule the world” suggest that people often prioritize their own interests over environmental concerns or ethical values. The mesmerizing vocal hooks and dynamic instrumental backdrops accompany the deeper messages of the lyrics, such as the impact of personal choices and the fleeting nature of worldly pursuits. Also check out the singles “Highroller” and “She Knows” for more of his magnetic vocal hooks. GUDFELLA plays at Sky SLC on Thursday, Jan. 9. Doors open at 9:15 p.m. for this 21+ show. General Admission costs $15 or free entry before 10:30 p.m. with RSVP. Go to tixr.com to RSVP. (Arica Roberts)

GUDFELLA

Olivia

Linda Ronstadt

Drag Battles: Girl Groups Vs Boys Bands

@ The Depot 1/10

When Ray Davies sang the immortal lyric that accompanied the Kinks’ “Lola,” a song that detailed a certain curious encounter with a possibly trans individual—“Girls will be boys and boys will be girls / It’s a mixed up, muddled up, shook up world”—he certainly didn’t know that the song would foretell the experiences and enticements of today’s LGBTQ+ community. In a sense, it also sets the stage for the ultimate drag showdown, one that finds entertainers from across the region battling it out in what’s being touted as a lip-sync extravaganza. This uniquely entertaining encounter will find girl groups taking on boy bands in a display of sass, style and persuasive performances. As a result, we expect an evening of rowdy, rambunctious competition, which not only puts talent to the test, but also fosters an inclusive environment reflecting how equity and empowerment are essential elements for diversity and community. It also reminds us that every individual has the right to express themselves in a way that brings joy and fulfillment. Consequently, when we all take the opportunity to share in that celebration of self, it’s bound to bring us together in a most

welcome way. The only question is, who do we root for? That’s left to each of us individually. Drag Battles: Girl Groups Vs Boys Bands takes place at 8 p.m., Friday, Jan. 10 at The Depot. General admission tickets for the 18+ event cost $31.68, reserved table for four costs $214.15 at depotslc.com. (Lee Zimmerman)

Thee Sacred Souls @ Union Event Center 1/11

Chicano soul—sometimes called “brown-eyed soul”—is a subgenre that gained traction in 1960s Los Angeles. Based in part on rhythm & blues and Latin rock, the genre was a rich mix of styles that resonated with Latino communities and beyond. Chicano soul’s heyday persisted into the 1970s, but the sweet soul sounds of the form never really went away. At the forefront of the current Chicano soul revival is San Diego’s own Thee Sacred Souls. Launched in 2019, the trio—vocalist Josh Lane, bassist Salvador Samano and drummer/guitarist Alejandro Garcia—made its recording debut with “Can I Call You Rose?” a standout track that would feature on the group’s self-titled debut album in 2022. Widely acclaimed by critics, Thee Sacred Souls ended up on many best-of

MUSIC PICK S

album lists for the year. After the band’s performance on NPR’s influential Tiny Desk Concert exposed Thee Sacred Souls to an even wider audience, including joining the roster of tastemaking Daptone Records, the group released a follow-up, Got a Story to Tell in October. Joined by a powerhouse backing ensemble, the group is currently bringing its 21st-century sweet soul to audiences across America and even to Europe. Thee Sacred Souls come to the Union Event Center at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 11. Tickets are $45 at ticketmaster.com. (Bill Kopp)

Monét X Change @ The Rose 1/15

If a person has talent, then let them entertain. And drag queens, well … they either live on their stilettos or fall over on them. The singer-songwriter, comedian, podcast host, drag entertainer Monét X Change can really do it all. When it comes to music and Rupaul’s Drag Race contestants dropping contemporary type club bops, Monét sidesteps all conventions. Essentially, “pop

songs” are about “Boy meets Girl” / “Girl meets Boy,” then someone gets a broken heart and they grow up and mature. The intersectional relationship complications of drag queen lyrics and emotion elevate the game. “When I started writing this show two months before its premiere—yikes!—never did I imagine the emotional journey it would take me on and the absolute catharsis it has on my audience members,” Monét told Blavity.com. “Through my style of humor, storytelling and sangin’, I’m beyond proud of how my coming-of-age story in Life Be Lifin ’ leaves audiences gagging.” Monét’s first EP, Unapologetically, played with dance and disco elements, while showing off her classically-trained bass-baritone operatic range. With her latest, Grey Rainbow, Volume 1, she switches gears with an R&B orientated banger. Look, you can only be surprised by something that’s inevitable if you’re not paying attention. Monét’s discernible level of musical ability, stagecraft and artistry is not to be ignored. Catch this act at the Life Be Lifin’ event at The Rose on Wednesday, Jan. 15. Doors at 8 p.m. Tickets for the 18+ show are $39.50 - $49.50 at saltlakecountyarts.org. (Mark Dago)

free will ASTROLOGY

BY ROB BREZSNY

ARIES (March 21-April 19)

Aries poet Charles Baudelaire said that if you want to fully activate your personal genius, you will reclaim and restore the intelligence you had as a child. You will empower it anew with all the capacities you have developed as an adult. I believe this is sensational advice for you in 2025. In my understanding of the astrological omens, you will have an extraordinary potential to use your mature faculties to beautifully express the wise innocence and lucid perceptions you were blessed with when you were young.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)

In many Asian myths, birds and snakes are depicted as adversaries. Their conflict symbolizes humanity’s problems in coordinating the concerns of earth and heaven. Desire may be at odds with morality. Unconscious motivations can be opposed to good intentions. Pride, self-interest, and ambition might seem incompatible with spiritual aspirations, high-minded ideals, and the quest to transcend suffering. But here’s the good news for you, Taurus: In 2025, I suspect that birds and snakes will cooperate rather harmoniously. You and they will have stirring, provocative adventures together.

GEMINI

(May 21-June 20)

Using a fork to eat food was slow to gain acceptance in the Western world. Upper-class Europeans began to make it a habit in the 11th century, but most common folk regarded it as a pretentious irrelevancy for hundreds of years. Grabbing grub with the fingers was perfectly acceptable. I suspect this scenario might serve as an apt metaphor for you in 2025. You are primed to be an early adapter who launches trends. You will be the first to try novel approaches and experiment with variations in how things have always been done. Enjoy your special capacity, Gemini. Be bold in generating innovations.

CANCER

(June 21-July 22)

Psychologist Abraham Maslow defined “peak experiences” as “rare, exciting, oceanic, deeply moving, exhilarating, elevating experiences that generate an advanced form of perceiving reality, and are even mystic and magical in their effect upon the experimenter.” The moment of falling in love is one example. Another may happen when a creative artist makes an inspiring breakthrough in their work. These transcendent interludes may also come from dreamwork, exciting teachings, walks in nature and responsible drug use. (Read more here: tinyurl.com/PeakInterludes) I bring these ideas to your attention, Cancerian, because I believe the months ahead will be prime time for you to cultivate and attract these peak experiences in your life.

LEO

(July 23-Aug. 22)

According to my analysis of the astrological omens, your life in 2025 will be pretty free of grueling karmic necessity. You will be granted exemptions from cosmic compulsion. You won’t be stymied by the oppressive inertia of the past. To state this happy turn of events more positively, you will have clearance to move and groove with daring expansiveness. Obligations and duties won’t disappear, but they’re more likely to be interesting than boring and arduous. Special dispensations and kind favors will flow more abundantly than they have in a long time.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

One of my most enjoyable goals in life has been to expunge my “isms.” I’m pleased that I have made dramatic progress in liquidating much of the perverse cultural conditioning that imprinted me as I was growing up. I’ve largely liberated myself from racism, sexism, classism, ableism, heteronormativity, looksism and even egotism. How are you doing with that stuff, Virgo? The coming months will be a favorable time to work on this honorable task. What habits of mind and feeling have you absorbed from the world that are not in sync with your highest ideals?

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

Here’s one of my predictions for you in 2025, Libra: You will reach the outer limits of your domain and then push on to

explore beyond those limits. Here’s another prediction: You will realize with a pleasant shock that some old expectations about your destiny are too small, and soon you will be expanding those expectations. Can you handle one further mind-opening, soul-stretching prophecy? You will demolish at least one mental block, break at least one taboo and dismantle an old wall that has interfered with your ability to give and receive love.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

If you’re not married and would like to be, 2025 might be your best chance in years to find wedded bliss. If an existing intimate bond is less than optimal, the coming months will bring inspiration and breakthroughs to improve it. Let’s think even bigger and stronger, Scorpio, and speculate that you could be on the verge of all kinds of enhanced synergetic connections. I bet business and artistic partnerships will thrive if you decide you want them to. Links to valuable resources will be extra available if you work to refine your skills at collaboration and togetherness.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

I wonder how you will feel about the fact that I’m declaring 2025 to be the Year of the Muses for you Sagittarians. Will you be happy that I expect you to be flooded with provocative clues from inspiring influences? Or will you regard the influx of teachings and revelations as chaotic, confusing or inconvenient? In the hope you adopt my view, I urge you to expand your understanding of the nature of muses. They may be intriguing people, and might also take the form of voices in your head, ancestral mentors, beloved animals, famous creators or spirit guides.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Astrologers in ancient China had the appalling view that more than two-thirds of all omens are negative, threatening or scary. I haven’t seen formal research into the biases of modern, Western stargazers, but my anecdotal evidence suggests that they also tend to be equally pessimistic. I regard this as an unjustified travesty. My studies have shown that there is no such thing as an inherently ominous astrological configuration. All portents are revelations about how to successfully wrangle with our problems, perpetrate liberation, ameliorate suffering, find redemption and perform ingenious tweaks that can liberate us from our mind-forged manacles. And they always have the potential to help us discover some of the deeper meanings beneath our life experiences. Everything that I just said is essential for you, Capricorn, to keep in mind during 2025.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

Over the years, a few people who don’t know me well have accused me of “thinking too much” or “overthinking.” They are wrong. While I aspire to always be open to constructive criticism, I am sure that I don’t think too much. Not all my thoughts are magnificent, original and high-quality, of course; some are generated by fear and habit. However, I meticulously monitor the flow of all my thoughts and am skilled at knowing which ones I should question or not take seriously. The popular adage, “Don’t believe everything you think” is one of my axioms. In 2025, I invite you Aquarians to adopt my approach. Go right ahead and think as much as you want, even as you heighten your awareness of which of your thoughts are excellent and which are not.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)

I’m pleased, bordering on gleeful, that your homecoming is well underway. All the signs suggest that as 2025 unfolds, you will ripen the processes of deepening your roots and building a stronger foundation. As a result, I expect and predict that your levels of domestic bliss will reach unprecedented heights. You may even create a deeply fulfilled sense of loving yourself exactly as you are and feeling like you truly belong to the world you are surrounded by. Dear Pisces, I dare you to cultivate more peace of mind than you have ever managed to arouse. I double-dare you to update traditions whose emotional potency has waned.

Data Engineer (DE-KS) in Midvale, UT. Resp for dvlping & deploying enterprise grade platforms that enable datadriven solutions. Telecommuting permitted within area of intended employment. MS+2 or BS followed by 5 yrs rltd prog exp. Send resumes to Zions Bancorporation at ZionsCareers@zionsbancorp.com. Must reference job title & code in subject line.

Need a New Hive?

urban LIVING

Wanna Be a Realtor?

It’s a new year and many folks think about getting a new job or career as one of their resolutions for 2025. The National Association of Realtors sent out data recently showing that 74% of all realtors sold 0 homes in 2024; 2% sold between 11 and 20 homes; and 0.14% sold 45 or more homes last year. Basically, when you are a salesperson in most any industry, 10% of people sell 90% of the inventory, and that’s true for real estate as well.

Getting a license to sell property in Utah isn’t hard. You must be 18 years old, have at least a high school diploma or equivalent, complete 120 hours of (state-) approved real estate education, pass the Utah real estate exam, complete a background check, provide two fingerprint cards, and meet the statutory licensing requirements of honesty, integrity, truthfulness, reputation and competency. The exam is actually two parts—mostly a general national exam and a local exam which you have to pass with 70% on each test. You can fail one part and re-test.

Once you complete all this, then you hopefully get approved to work for a broker. And then every two years you must complete 18 hours of continuing education courses approved by the state and pay a renewal fee.

Once you pass the tests and are approved by the state to sell real estate within our borders, you aren’t approved to sell in other states. You would have to test in each state on their local laws, but might not have to re-test the national exam. And you don’t just go off and work on your own—you must be sponsored by a licensed real estate broker who will act as a guide and supervisor during your transactions. Our laws here state that a person must be licensed as a sales agent or broker to negotiate or consummate the sale, lease, exchange, or purchase real estate in Utah.

Can you sell your own properties and/or manage them without being an agent? Of course! The licensing requirements do not apply to an owner who manages their own property if they manage an apartment building and live in the building at reduced rent compensation, or if they are a fulltime salaried employee of an HOA.

Sadly, most of those who do get licensed don’t end up picking real estate as a career. When I taught in real estate school the odds weren’t great—you’d last about 15 months self-employed and would probably file bankruptcy on account of ill-training and from paying taxes and/or fees each month to your broker and Board/MLS so that you had little left for advertising.

But hey, there are over 10,000 members of the Salt Lake Board of Realtors, over 1,000 in the Park City Board of Realtors and almost 1,000 members in the Washington County Board of Realtors. Many are making a great living! ■

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

ACROSS

1. Bitter brews

5. Actress Gadot

8. 77%, often

13. “I got it!”

14. Actress Delevingne

15. Alpaca’s relative

16. Leaf-and-stem angle

17. Meta nickname?

18. Nibble away

19. Reminiscent of a photographer’s storage closet?

22. Marbles, in a series run by YouTuber Jelle

23. Medical pet handler

27. Hex- halved

28. Cardio exercise

29. Auto designer Ferrari

30. Fruit drink ending

33. “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” spinoff

35. Good ___ (fully repaired)

36. Getting enough sleep, practicing mindfulness, etc.?

39. Bit of inspiration

40. Longtime Boston Symphony Orchestra conductor Seiji

41. “Well, look at that!”

42. Haul

43. Slop site

44. They get blocked by blockers

46. Metallic playing marble

48. Winter activity

51. Understands a “Beverly Hills Cop” instrumental theme?

54. Fast food offering with dressing packets

57. Actor Ke Huy ___ of 2025’s “Love Hurts”

58. “SNL” featured cast member Wakim

59. Old Texas mission

60. Huge coffee containers

61. Nevada city near Tahoe

62. Like candles or crayons

63. ___ out a win

64. Appease, as hunger

DOWN

1. Computer debut of 1998

2. “Inside Out 2” studio

3. Persona’s counterpart, to Jung

4. Pick

5. Magnetic induction unit named for a German mathematician

6. St. Louis landmark

7. World’s largest artificial reservoir by sur-

face area (located within Ghana)

8. Chin dimple

9. Try out, as a driving simulator

10. Rower’s muscle, for short

11. “Kill Bill” star Thurman

12. Pre-college exam

14. Catherine the Great, e.g.

20. Set up a new billiards match

21. Table support

24. Film score composer Morricone

25. From Prague, perhaps

26. “Could you elaborate?”

28. Rapper who pioneered trap music

30. Aides to execs

31. Railroad station

32. Make happy

34. Like monstrosities

35. Easternmost U.S. national park

37. Pinball prize (if you match digits)

38. Rises

43. Grab a chair

45. Philly team, for short

47. Deceived

48. Pogues lead singer MacGowan

Last week’s answers

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

49. Ancient Greek site where Hercules slew the lion

50. Quick flash of light

52. Ankara native

53. Arctic Ocean drifter

54. Lumberjack’s tool

55. Carte starter 56. Permissive

NEWS of the WEIRD

Unclear on the Concept

Sam, 22, is an assistant manager at a frozen yogurt shop in Florida, Newsweek reported on Dec. 26, but even at his young age, he is able to recognize cash that might be counterfeit. Unlike his employees, that is, who flagged a $10 bill and a $5 bill as FAKE. “I shed a tear because of the sharpie they scrawled onto the bills,” he wrote on Reddit. Sam said he had to explain that the bills were “just old, not counterfeit.” He admitted that people his age and younger might rarely use cash: “It’s a digital world nowadays, so I would suspect that to be one reason (they flagged the bills).”

Questionable Judgment

On Dec. 17, California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers in Madera County shared a photo on Facebook of a Honda Ridgeline truck they had pulled over, Carscoops reported. With an unintentional nod to The Grapes of Wrath, the truck was piled to at least twice its height with random items, some of which were flying off into traffic, officers said. “It is important to always secure your load/cargo and not exceed your vehicle’s load capacity,” CHP cautioned. “Flying debris can make motorists take evasive action and potentially be involved in a traffic crash.”

Saw That Coming

The Rockwall County Herald-Banner in Texas reported that Valencia Smith, mother of a former football player for Rockwall-Heath High School, filed a suit on Dec. 23 against the team’s former coach, John Harrell, and 12 other coaches. Smith’s suit stems from an incident in January 2023, in which the coaches allegedly used excessive exercise as punishment for wearing the wrong uniform or failing to show enough “hustle.” Students were forced to perform more than 400 pushups within an hour, which led to at least 26 players being diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis, a condition that causes muscle to break down and enter the bloodstream. Smith said her son spent seven days in a hospital. The lawsuit seeks compensation for his medical expenses. Harrell resigned in March 2023; he settled two other lawsuits, but this is the first that names the assistant coaches as defendants.

Bright Idea

Canadian business student Javeria Wasim, 19, was with a friend in Toronto when she hatched the brilliant idea to try to bite into a 3-inch jawbreaker, the Daily Mail reported on Dec. 24. Immediately, Wasim’s jaw began to hurt, and a tooth became loose. X-rays revealed that she had suffered two fractures in her jaw. The following day, she underwent surgery and had her jaw wired shut for six weeks. She said she would “probably never try a jawbreaker again. It hurt really bad, I was crying a lot when the ambulance came,” she said. “All my bottom teeth are messed up. I lost seven pounds in two weeks. It was a dumb idea.”

Reunited

A Florida family got just what they wanted for Christmas when they answered a 2:30 a.m. doorbell ring on Christmas Eve to find their missing dog. Brooke Comer, a Green Cove Springs resident whose 4-year-old German shepherd, Athena, went missing on Dec. 15, spent the ensuing nine days receiving tips from neighbors and people in nearby towns about Athena sightings, but the frustrated family would always arrive too late, NEWS10 ABC reported. After several heartbreaking near-misses and with Christmas just one day away, Comer received an early morning notification from her Ring doorbell. “I was kind of like in a daze, and the dog was barking, and as soon as I heard that ring, I looked at my phone and you could see in the video it was Athena and she was jumping at the door, ringing the doorbell,” Comer said. Athena seemed no worse for the wear after her journey, but will receive a full exam (and a microchip) soon.

The Foreign Press Belarusian retailer ZNWR, called the “Balenciaga of Belarus,” is making headlines with its newest line of dresses and jackets, starting at about $116, fashioned from bubble wrap. The Times of India reported on Dec. 30 that the air-filled pockets provide a satisfying, quirky popping experience. The brand hyped the dresses as perfect for those who want to stand out on New Year’s Eve (rather than wear the tired old velvet and satin). At least when you fall down drunk, you’ll be cushioned!

Least Competent Criminal

In Haines City, Florida, on Dec. 29, Jervin Omar Mendieto Romero, 40, arrived at the home of his former partner, ClickOrlando reported. Romero wanted to speak with her, but when no one answered the door, he crawled into the house through a window, police said. “Once inside,” police said, Romero “confronted ... his ex-domestic partner and her new boyfriend.” The boyfriend was shot five times; in the process, Romero managed to shoot off his own ring finger. “This caused (him) to drop the firearm and flee the residence on foot,” police reported. They tracked him down less than a mile away, and he was charged with attempted first-degree murder and armed burglary with assault or battery, along with other offenses. The boyfriend is expected to survive.

Inappropriate Behavior

Jude Hill of Plymouth, England, traveled to Thailand a few months ago after a fire at her home in September, Metro News reported. Around 3 a.m. on Christmas, Hill and her boyfriend were seen in the lobby of the Flipper Lodge Hotel in Pattaya, Thailand, consummating their relationship on a sofa. Witnesses said the pair then tried to move to a glass table, but it shattered. “We approached them and discovered they were not hotel customers, so we ushered them out,” an anonymous worker said. Hill ran away but was detained by an armed officer near the beach. The hotel plans to press charges.

That Rule Doesn’t Apply to Me

Magnus Carlsen, 34, the No. 1 chess player in the world, dropped out of the Fide World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship in New York on Dec. 27 because he didn’t want to change out of his blue jeans, Sky News reported. Officials said he had broken the dress code; Carlsen wasn’t moved. “I didn’t even think about it. ... They said I could (change) after the third round today. I said, ‘I’ll change tomorrow if that’s OK’ ... but they said, ‘Well you have to change now.’ At that point it became a matter of principle for me.” Carlsen said he’d head somewhere with better weather.

Lost at Sea

A shark caught in the net of a fisherman is nothing new, but when it’s the first Lego shark find since a cargo ship lost its load of nearly 5 million pieces at sea 27 years ago, the news makes waves. The BBC reported on Dec. 28 that hundreds of pieces from the Tokyo Express cargo ship have been recovered this year; the ship was hit by an unexpected wave on Feb. 13, 1997, and lost 62 shipping containers some 20 miles off Land’s End, England. Since then, the BBC reports that the pieces have been washing ashore in southwest England, the Channel Islands, Wales, Ireland and even the Netherlands and Norway, but the shark find in August by fisherman Richard West, 35, of Plymouth, England, was the first of the 22,200 dark gray and 29,600 light gray Lego sharks lost in the incident. “The sharks sink, which explains why so few have been found,” said Tracey Williams of the Lego Lost at Sea project. “There are probably some 50,000-plus still lying on the seabed, some making their way ashore, others heading into deeper waters.”

Application Support Engineer IV (ASE-CB) in Midvale, UT. Telecommute permitted from anywhere in the U.S. with approval. Dvlp ServiceNow enhancements & modifications to existing appls, as well as create custom appls. MS+3 or BS followed by 5 yrs rltd prog exp. Send resumes to Zions Bancorporation at ZionsCareers@zionsbancorp.com. Must reference job title & code in subject line.

Model Risk Management Analyst III (MRMA-ADC) in Salt Lake, UT. Telecommute permitted from anywhere in the U.S. Evaluate statistical & machine learning model soundness & limitations. Assess model design against economic theories, empirical evidence & economic envirn. Reqs PhD. Send resumes to Zions Bancorporation at ZionsCareers@zionsbancorp.com. Must reference job title & code in subject line.