City Weekly September 21, 2023

CITY WEEKLY

BY WES LONG

GIVING PEACE A CHANCE

UTAHNS REJECTED NUCLEAR WEAPONS IN THE ‘80S. PEACE ADVOCATES WANT TO DO IT AGAIN.

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@SLCWEEKLY @SLCWEEKLY @CITYWEEKLY

City

Weekly Rewind

Hell, John Saltas looks pretty good for an old Greek guy. I remember him bartending in the reincarnations of Club 39. Can’t believe the paper has been around for 40 years—unless I look in the mirror.

Look at the bright side: City Weekly is now the largest (by number of pages) newspaper in the state! Since we lost Tom Barberi and some others, you are left holding the torch of reason now.

Keep the fires burning and keep our lousy politicians guessing and off balance. God bless and by all means have another cold one!

“Trust No One,” Sept. 14

Cover Story

Excellent story and counter to those crying about Utah’s efforts against children’s access to online media.

TROYRUSHTON.UT

Via Instagram

Salute to y’all for reporting on this.

THISGUYBABAKS

Via Instagram

“Take Shelter,” Sept. 13

Online News

So we are supposed to be congratulating the city for letting 50 unhoused people camp? This is a mere band-aid on a broken dam.

Where is the real leadership? Why doesn’t a church worth billions donate buildings and resources for the people living on their doorsteps?

HEATHERMEGA

Via Instagram

Let’s hope that this also comes with services and a plan to get these people off the

streets permanently. They shouldn’t be allowing these folks to live in easements and Liberty Park, for example.

These are public spaces, and no one appreciates seeing what appears to be people gaming the system that ultimately need to get a job and off the streets.

SOLOWERKS

Via Instagram

I’m sure developers at Post District will love having this across the street while trying to rent/lease all the new apartments and commercial space.

JCMALMAN8

Via Instagram

The LDS church has billions in their portfolio, and this is the crap Utah has to do for the less fortunate? Disgusting.

JOEL.SHOE

Via Instagram

This is unbelievably, stupidly wasteful and mere pretense. It’s a guarantee that our city will be filled with encampments—in parks, neighborhoods and elsewhere. This is the best these people can do?!

The mayor will continue to have police

and city contractors steal and destroy the property of unsheltered people as they push them off from where they are, without providing an alternative place for them to go. It’s an unnecessarily terrible problem for residents, homeless people and businesses alike.

ROCKY4SALTLAKECITY

Via Instagram

Hopefully, we lose fewer lives this winter. There is a man who is unhoused, and he has come to every Farmer’s Market since we started there three years ago. He has had a job for these three years, he is 66 years old and has been working on getting housing. But he has been denied multiple times or put on the waitlist. He is just trying to get back on his feet, and the system is not designed that way.

SAUCEDUPSALSAOFFICIAL

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

If you could bring back one dead fashion trend, what would it be?

Katharine Biele

They’re all back. Haven’t you seen all the bell-bottoms?

Benjamin Wood

We definitely don’t need to bring it back but I’ll always have a soft spot for puka shell necklaces.

Larry Carter

Bring back the skinny ties!

Wes Long

Call me an old soul, but I rather like the flat cap and Norfolk jacket that men often wore at the turn of the century.

Kelly Boyce

I don’t understand why I can’t wear flip flops everywhere. Think about the tan lines and reduced odor. Plus I have sexy feet. kboyce@cityweekly.net for rates.

Paula Saltas

Perms—so I can be back in style.

Derek Carlisle

Thumb rings and white Oakly sunglasses. I just like to know who not to talk music with at first glance.

Jerre Wroble

I’d love to see my old striped seersucker hip huggers come back in style. Groovy!

CORY S. OLSEN Sandy

PRIVATE EYE

BY JOHN SALTAS @johnsaltas

Grab a Shovel

For a number of years, City Weekly has conducted an annual tour to Greece in September. As it’s now September, I’m therefore in Greece with a great bunch of folks, and we’re currently on our seventh day of travel.

Just a couple hours ago, we reached our home for the next two days in Kalabaka, Greece, where the stunning monasteries of Meteora are situated on the rocky spires that rise nearly vertically from the valley floor. These monasteries, which once numbered 24 in the 1300s, still claim six in operation today, several of which we will visit tomorrow morning.

If you’ve seen the movie For Your Eyes Only, starring Roger Moore as James Bond, you, too, have seen these spires. He roped his way up and, in so doing, figured out how to stymie the bad guys.

They are also glimpsed in The Bourne Identity, Lara Croft Tomb Raider and Game of Thrones, in which the Vale of Arryn is said to be inspired by. In 1988, Meteora was established as a UNESCO World Heritage site, of which there are an additional 18 more in Greece.

By the look of things—including three tour buses in just our parking lot—Meteora is on more than one bucket list. Meteora is both mystifying and stunning. Well, all of Greece is that, and I say that with no shame or hyperbole— it simply is. Yesterday, we visited Pella (where Alexander the Great was born) and Vergina (where the Royal Tombs contained the remains of his father), also UNESCO sites.

We traveled to both of those from our recent base in the city of Thessaloniki, which is basically a living his-

tory class of all things related to early Greek, Christian, Roman and Byzantine cultures. When not gawking at such treasures as St. Demetrios Church, the Rotunda, the Arch of Galerius, the White Tower and notably the broad cultural thoroughfare of Aristotelous Square, our group found plenty of time to take in the other finer things of the region: bougatsa, grilled sardines and ouzo.

By the time this trip ends in early October, a little more than 80 people will have joined in. That’s a ton, and my tour-guide receptors are always set on “little” or “very little” patience. I’m simply not much of a tour guide, so we hire real guides when possible, which is a good thing since everyone along now has at least some idea that when my own grandmother was born in a log cabin near Vernal, Utah, in 1899, Greece was far down the path of building tremendous artifacts that are treasured worldwide.

Those artifacts still stand after more than 2,500 years— like the Parthenon sitting atop the Acropolis. Greece has also dispensed to the world such gifts as the values of societal literacy and education, thespian appreciation for humor and tragedy, the symbolic and powerful words of poetry, the need for both accepting and challenging logic, math and the sciences, the seeds of modern-day medicine and the structural pillars of civilized society, governmental rule and, of course, democracy.

For 20 of us, our first port this year was Athens, where democracy was born. We all stood there on the very rocks and pathways where some of history’s greatest orators spoke and also where the first pagan Greeks were converted to Christianity by the biblical Apostle Paul.

I remember one visit here when I ran into a group of about 10 Latter-day Saint missionaries singing away on Ermou Street in Athens. I approached and discovered that none of them knew where Paul spoke, despite it being in plain view from street level. Nor did they know where Corinth was or that Paul wrote his Letters to the Corinthians only 40 miles or so down the pike. I just figured, oh well, that’s how Americans are, we don’t really try to

learn about other cultures.

But a religion hellbent on gaining converts to the LDS church maybe should have tried harder. There are several reasons why there are less than 800 members of the LDS church in all of Greece (population nearly 11 million). I mean, even Zig Ziglar would counsel a salesperson to understand his client and the needs of the client before making a pitch. It’s not hard to figure out that suggesting to someone they’ve been wrong on a subject for 23 centuries is a tough starting point, but to also misunderstand them from the get-go?

Giving missionaries a primer on ancient Greek history would be a great starting point for sure. And undoubtedly there are faces lost to Greek history who were not the best of citizens, who were lesser of spine when it came to standing up to the corrupt. But that’s why in the movie Troy, Achilles (played by Brad Pitt) tells his aide and horse groomsman that history will not remember him, that only the brave will live on.

So, it is with some solace that as I wander these internet webs today (rife with images of Colorado Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert and some guy shagging at the local theater), I more easily understand and accept that the cowards of our own United States of America governments will be equally lost to time as was the boy who made his living by scooping the manure left by Achilles’ horse. Our halls of law, honor and justice are full of them today, elected officials to the greatest democracy in the greatest country in the world, somehow amplified to rarified status by means and behaviors that were not acceptable in ancient Greece.

The lingering greatness of ancient Greece could not have survived the clown shows begat of the likes of farcical horse-manure shoveling politicians like Boebert or Utah Sen. Mike Lee, just to name two. And neither can America, by the way. CW

HITS & MISSES

BY KATHARINE BIELE | @kathybiele

MISS: Retiring Romney

Hey generation not-Boomers, he’s talking to you. That would be Sen. Mitt Romney, who at 76 says he is too old to run for another six-year Senate term. Once you pick yourself off the ground and stop laughing, you’ll see that he’s talking—if wistfully—about the future. After all, President Biden and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell are already ahead of Romney’s age—you know, the same age that Donald Trump is. Of course, Romney’s right. The nation needs a younger generation of decision-makers. But in 2020, only half of eligible voters 18-to29 actually went to the polls, so it’s not looking good. Maybe it’s not all about age. Romney has been paying $5,000 a day for protection against the “deranged people among us,” the Nation reported. Slate called him the “last sane Republican,” whose party has left him behind. Hero or coward, they ask, as if anyone knows. The Atlantic posits that Romney is obsessed with death, but it may be less his own than the death of democracy.

HIT: Let Your Light So Shine

Given the rate of suburban sprawl in the American West, children may never see a sky filled with stars, a cloudlike Milky Way on the horizon, or the wonder of the infinite universe. And apparently, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is less concerned about stargazing than sending its own version of a bat signal to the heavens. The Wasatch County Council bowed to Utah’s predominant religion, which has broken ground on a new temple just outside Heber City. The church wants its lights (there are lots of them) to shine upward, toward “heaven.” Chaos ensued as the community broke into sides for or against the church, according a KPCW 91.7 FM report. Much like our Congress of today, the council couldn’t take the heat and sought a middle ground. That, of course, is better than nothing. Residential lights must be shielded and businesses have to turn lights out at dusk. Somehow the church will still be shining upward.

MISS: Medicaid Contraction

You don’t like the federal government, you don’t want to wade through the two-dozen-page application or maybe you just don’t know about the benefits. In 2022, Utah had the lowest percentage of people enrolled in Medicaid in the country, according to Becker’s Healthcare. The Salt Lake Tribune tried to make sense of it, finding that enrollment is difficult and requires renewals that are less than seamless. Oh, and there are cultural, language and political barriers to participation that can’t be discounted. And besides the lack of good outreach, there’s a stigma around Medicaid that keeps many eligible residents off the rolls. “Utah’s policymakers seem not to realize that access to health insurance reduces cost for everyone,” Daryl Herrschaft of Take Care Utah told the Tribune. He probably knows that Utah’s conservative lawmakers seem to think poverty is a personal choice, and that helping the low-income only enables them. CW

Ass Backward

BY BILL FROST comments@cityweekly.net

I’m nowhere near the two-wheel evangelist that City Weekly editor Benjamin “Cars Will Not Replace Us” Wood is, but I do enjoy the occasional downtown biking excursion. Back when I formally worked at the paper, I’d pedal to the old Main Street office during those rare intervals between frozen winter hellscape and scorching summer hellscape.

Salt Lake City tourism motto: “We Have Indoor Stuff, Too.”

While I’m used to the playful backand-forth between cyclists and the SLC motorists who are actively out to kill us—check out Death Race 2000 on Prime Video, it’s a hoot—I’m all for any street improvements that will benefit bikers. But, not every “safety” initiative is a smart idea, and one of Salt Lake City’s most un-smartest concepts is coming to an end in 2023: The backin-angle parking on 200 South.

Back-in-angle parking—also known as reverse-angle parking, reversediagonal parking, or reverse-echelon parking in Britain (so posh)—was established in 2006 on the section of 200 South between 400 West and West Temple. From the timing, I’m guessing this was the idea of the president, CFO and PR lead of the Rocky Anderson Fan Club: then-mayor Rocky Anderson.

(It just sounds like something Anderson would do, like run for a belated third term with the campaign tagline, “Rocky III,” named after the worst and least-necessary movie of the Sly Stallone franchise.)

The reverse-parking idea—where the 45-degree street stripes are inverted, compelling you to back into the slot—is theoretically safer for cyclists and pedestrians. Maybe it is elsewhere, but in a state where turn signals are optional (“My vehicular direction is a covenant between me and Heavenly Father”) and roundabouts may as well be alien crop circles—not so much.

Downtown drivers have been coming to a dead stop on 200 South and ass-backwarding into a reverse-parking slot for 17 years now. Did the practice increase drivers’ visual awareness of cyclists and prevent street mishaps? Likely a few. Perhaps Rocky III will include a component in his mayoral campaign called “Here’s All the Lives I Saved When I Wasn’t Even in Office— You’re Welcome, Salt Lake.”

As Salt Lake City Division of Transportation’s Kyle Cook told Fox 13 News, 200 South’s configuration has “reached the end of its useful life.” This is a strikingly progressive statement for Utah, considering that we usually hold onto everything long past its natural expiration date: Naming sports teams after Native American tribes; lawns in a desert; Willard Mitt Romney; etc.

According to city plans, 200 South sans back-in parking is going to be far more friendly to cyclists, pedestrians, public transportation and shade trees (remember, “summer hellscape”). You’ll see me there on my bike—but not if I see you first. CW

THEATER

Beyond Whodunnit

Murder on the Orient Express, and how knowing how it ends isn’t the end of its appeal

BY SCOTT RENSHAW scottr@cityweekly.net @scottrenshaw

With its season-opening production, Pioneer Theatre Company is offering Murder on the Orient Express, based on the 1934 Agatha Christie novel featuring master detective Hercule Poirot. It is a mystery, yet it’s based on a nearly-century-old source material, one that has received two film adaptations, including one just six years ago. As such, it presents an intriguing challenge to a creative team: How do you tell a whodunnit, when a significant portion of your audience probably already knows whodunnit?

For director Melissa Rain Anderson, who is overseeing PTC’s production, there are several answers to that question, all built around the idea that there’s so much more to the genre than the naming of the murderer. And many of them, for her, are based on the unique ways that mystery plays out on a stage compared to on a screen.

“I actually think the stage is a perfect platform to sort of keep the pressure on,” Anderson says. “We can’t do a close-up; it’s pretty much always a ‘wide shot.’ So that intense pressure that needs to build up is really fun to work on. … We talk a lot about ‘keeping the lid on the pot.’”

A&E

A big part of that “pressure maintenance,” according to Anderson, comes from the rhythms of dialogue and its pacing. “The language is so important,” she says. “If we keep the language at healthy tempo, living in that heightened space of style, it raises the stakes immediately— when we decide to stop, and a penny drops for Poirot, or any of the characters. When the rhythm is off, we can feel it; we can feel that the heart-rate has changed.”

Performance is key in a story that is in some ways about which characters are “performing” their innocence, and Anderson talks a lot about how to steer those performances so they are compelling to watch, even if you already think you know who’s lying, and when.

“The actors have been great about knowing that specificity of … who can let something kind of catch them off guard, and to what degree. Someone may know something, so we’re not trying to give away too much, and too soon. It’s about what to give away when, when people know things. … If you have a mask on [as a character], the pressure of hiding, it oozes out of the mask-holes every once in a while, then oozes back in. … That is part of the fun: The audience going, ‘Oh, it’s him! Oh, it’s her! Oh, it’s him!’”

While the nuances of watching the actors can make for a wonderful experience, there can also be a sense of discovery in this Murder on the Orient Express simply by virtue of it being a new adaptation, with a more contemporary perspective. Ken Ludwig’s 2017 version was commissioned by the Agatha Christie estate, and it makes some changes to the lineup of suspects, including combining some characters and changing the gender of others to add more female energy. Anderson added to this in her casting of actor John Tufts as Poirot, shifting the notion of the detective from an older veteran to someone younger.

“I didn’t cast a Poirot that you might see as a typical Poirot,” Anderson says. “He’s not the ‘type;’ he’s not David Suchet [who starred in the long-running British TV series about Poirot]. But I think if you have a really good actor, and you want to hire them for a role, I think looking to a younger person can be the way to go.”

Even the simple fact of the narrative’s setting—on a passenger train—can provide a unique experience for an audience, and a unique challenge for a theatrical artist. “[The story] takes place in a dayand-a-half. And trains are small. There’s time pressure, but there’s also space pressure. The cars move. That’s been fun trying to figure that out.”

All of these things can be true, yet there’s also a baseline reality—emphasized by the culture of online “spoiler warnings”—that a lot of people experience plays, books and movies wanting to be surprised by what happens next. Anderson contends that while, yes, a mystery is very much about the plot, it’s also about the experience of watching that plot unfold.

“I do think that there are enough nuances woven into the play that even if you do know, you’re likely to be captivated by the small little red herrings, the twists that the play takes to get to the end,” Anderson says. “Even if you know what happens, you’re watching Poirot figure it out. With a mystery, we’re following the breadcrumbs with the detective.

“For me, knowing how it works out doesn’t really spoil the journey that you’re on. You can relinquish yourself in that journey. How things are uncovered—and how they’re covered up—is part of this journey. That can be just as exciting: how people are lying and deceiving.” CW

MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS

Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre 300 S. 1400 East Sept. 22 – Oct. 7 $42 - $58 pioneertheatre.org

John Tufts and Edward Juvier in Pioneer Theatre Company's Murder on the Orient Express.

ESSENTIALS ENTERTAINMENT PICKS, SEPTEMBER 21-27, 2023

Complete listings online at cityweekly.net

FanX

It has certainly been an odd summer for pop-culture and fan conventions, as the ongoing strikes by the Writers Guild of America and SAG/AFTRA have changed the dynamic of what participating guests can talk about. Indeed, some guests are likely only available for appearances because they’re not able to work on new productions at the moment. So while the vibe at FanX might be a bit different for this, its 10th anniversary incarnation, it’s also boasting one of its most packed lineups ever for autographs and photo ops.

Among the biggest draws for 2023 are cast reunions, including the 1985 classic Back to the Future (Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd and Thomas Wilson), Smallville (Tom Welling, Kristin Kreuk and Michael Rosenbaum), and the original Scream (Neve Campbell, Jamie Kennedy, Skeet Ulrich, Rose McGowan and Matthew Lillard). But that’s just the tip of the guest-list iceberg, which also features motion-capture legend Andy Serkis (The Lord of the Rings’ Gollum, the Planet of the Apes series’ Caesar); John Rhys Davies (Indiana Jones’ Salah, The Lord of the Rings’ Gimli); Zachary Levi (Shazam!); Karen Gillan (Guardians of the Galaxy, Doctor Who); Grant Gustin (TV’s The Flash); and dozens more. And that’s on top of the full three days of fascinating panel discussions, gaming, and the massive show floor of vendors, authors and artists. FanX takes over the Salt Palace Convention Center (90 S. West Temple) Sept. 21 – 23. Singleday tickets are $20 for Thursday, $30 for Friday and $40 for Saturday, with some VIP and multiday passes still available. Visit fanxsaltlake.com for full schedule and additional event information. (Scott Renshaw)

Sting & Honey: Oleanna

More than 20 years before the #MeToo movement hit its full stride, David Mamet’s 1992 play Oleanna was an incendiary piece of theatrical kindling, addressing he-said/she-said allegations of sexual impropriety and the manipulation of gendered power dynamics. But while Mamet’s subsequent turn towards more conservative politics might have stacked the deck in terms of interpreting this challenging work, Sting & Honey Theater Company artistic director Javen Tanner believes that Oleanna—the story of a male college professor, his female student, and an allegation of sexual misconduct—offers a necessary complexity in addition to the dazzling dialogue characteristic of one of theater’s greatest writers.

“This is not a comfortable social problem play, after which the sophisticated, arts-loving audience members get to leave the theater feeling like they are the righteous practitioners of the one true social faith,” Tanner says via email. “You’re not meant to decide who’s right and who’s wrong, or what’s fair or unfair. Mamet won’t let you off that easily. Rather, you’re meant to see yourself in both characters, each of whom commits a truly heinous act in the course of the play. And when you see that, the question, in all its Richard III glory, becomes not about right and wrong, but about you and you.”

The Sting & Honey Company’s production of Oleanna runs at the Regent Street Black Box at the Eccles Theater (144 S. Regent St.) Sept. 22 – Oct. 7, with performances Thursday – Saturday at 7:30 p.m., plus 2 p.m. Saturday matinees. Tickets are $15 - $20 general admission; visit arttix. org for tickets and additional event information. (SR)

Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company: Groundworks

It has been a time of transition in 2023 for Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, as Jena C. Woodbury departed the company as Executive Director, replaced by Thom Dancy. Yet while that transition provides an opportunity for new creative energy in this 60th season for the company, it also presents a chance to remind audiences of the firm foundation and legacy on which the company rests. The season-opening production Groundworks serves that purpose by acknowledging several key touchstones in RWDC’s history. Company co-founders Shirley Ririe and Joan Woodbury are honored in Then and Now, which combines elements from several of their most celebrated pieces, including Woodbury’s 1991’s “L’invasion,” and Ririe’s 1990 “Banners of Freedom.” The company’s long creative partnership with Alwin Nikolais receives an acknowledgement through the inclusion of the choreographer’s 1983 work “Liturgies” (featuring guest performers from the BYU Department of Dance) and the fascinating 1955 piece “Tensile Involvement,” which finds the dancers connected by elastic bands (pictured). And as a recognition of the exciting ongoing work of the company, the program features current Artistic Director Daniel Charon’s 2021 piece “On Being,” which emerged from the post-pandemic return to performance and serves as a reminder of the healing and connection provided by art and community.

Groundworks comes to the Rose Wagner Center Jeanne Wagner Theater (138 W. 300 South) on Sept. 21 – 23 at 7:30 p.m. nightly ($35 general admission), with a “Moving Parts” family- and sensory-friendly performance Sept. 23 at 1 p.m. ($10 general admission). Visit ririewoodbury.com to purchase tickets and for additional event information. (SR)

Giving Peace a Chance

Utahns rejected nuclear weapons in the ‘80s. Local peace advocates want to do it again.

BY WES LONG wlong@cityweekly.net

The rain bore down upon the Salt Lake Valley on the evening of Aug. 23, with occasional strikes of lightning to accentuate the periwinkle blue of the clouds above. Amid the tumult—in the quiet reaches of the South Salt Lake City Council chambers—local citizens and elected officials deliberated on matters of peace and nuclear disarmament.

In an enthusiastic, unanimous vote, council members joined South Salt Lake Mayor Cherie Wood in endorsing the United Nations’ Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (2017) as well as recommending the steps advanced by the U.S. grassroots coalition Back From the Brink. It represented an effort to “break the nuclear status quo,” in the words of the city’s resolution, “and build broad support for fundamental change in U.S. nuclear weapons policy.”

“As a city, we’re taking this small step,” City Councilmember Clarissa J. Williams said. “We’re trying to protect humanity as a whole, not just for certain groups of people but for everyone.”

For Deb Sawyer and her colleagues at the Utah Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (UCAN), the council vote was the culmination of a year’s worth of advocacy work. “They did a wonderful job,” an ecstatic Sawyer said of the council.

South Salt Lake’s resolution was adopted just in time for this year’s International Day of Peace on Thursday, Sept. 21, and UCAN is one example of the many Utahns working to build a more peaceful world, one that more readily reaches for the book or the plough than the sword.

UCAN is working to advance similar resolutions in other Utah cities and is eager to work with anyone for the realization of a more peaceful world.

Advocates hope that a wide-scale rebuke of nuclear proliferation could prevent Utah from once again playing host to the nation’s expanding industrial militarism, a fight that echoes long-standing pro-peace efforts in the Beehive State and a successful campaign in the late 1970s and early 1980s to prevent Utah’s west desert from being used for the U.S.’s MX Mobile Missile Program.

“Until people make the connection between the threat to their existence and the welfare of their kids,” remarked peace advocate and retired educator Stanley Holmes, “too few will do anything.”

Working for Peace

Arguably, the earliest significant peace movement in Utah sprang up through the initiative of area women and, surprisingly, Czar Nicholas II of Russia.

At the suggestion of the foreign monarch, an international conference was arranged for 1899 at The Hague for the purpose of arms control and the establishment of arbitration among nations. The Hague Conference inspired a multinational committee of women to organize a universal peace demonstration for May 18, directly before the Hague Conference began.

The conference was a global media phenomenon, as described in 2018 by New Zealand-based historian Maartje Abbenhuis. Such engagement “spoke to people wanting to register to their governments that their voices mattered, that this moment mattered, that disarmament should count, that arbitration should be something that government engaged with,” Abbenhuis said.

The National Council of Women was among the leading forces organizing peace demonstrations around the conference. And having been involved with the council since its formation in 1888, Latter-day Saints like Emmeline B. Wells (1828-1921) and Elmina S. Taylor (1830-1904) utilized the organizations over which they presided—the LDS Relief Society and the Young Ladies’ Mutual Improvement Association (YLMIA), respectively—to sponsor peace meetings in Utah with the collaboration of such groups as the Ladies’ Literary Club, the Utah Women’s Press Club and the Council of Jewish Women. Starting in 1901, these peace demonstrations began to be held on an annual basis.

According to a public notice in 1902, committees were to be formed at local Relief Society and YLMIA units with the recommendation that each committee consider reaching out to “women of different religious beliefs and invite them to take part and unite.”

Sporting the tri-color peace flag of yellow, purple and white with the motto pro concordia labor (“I work for peace”) and decorating their halls in sunflowers and hyacinths, many Utahns heeded the call. Churches and schools devoted time each May to dwell on the themes of peace and the evils of bloodshed.

“If the introduction of peace flags, peace symbols and peace literature can effect a change and convert the youth of the age to a higher ideal of life and its pursuits than the paraphernalia and characteristics of war, then positive results may be expected from the organizations of women,” commented Wells in the May 1902 issue of Woman’s Exponent, “and the public demonstrations now inaugurated if kept up annually will keep the thought of peace in the minds of the people.”

Utah’s annual “Peace Day” reached a new stage in 1907, when then-Gov. John C. Cutler (1846-1928) proposed the creation of a state-level peace organization, which by 1908 became an official branch of the American Peace Society. But Utah’s annual Peace Day observance and its state Peace Society chapter only continued for a few more years and were ultimately abandoned during America’s entrance into World War I in 1917.

Since those days, many notable—if sadly forgotten— groups and individuals have worked to advance peace in varying ways around the Beehive State. One was Grant H. Redford (1908-1965), who, as a student, led a protest at Logan’s Utah State Agricultural College—now Utah State University—in 1935 against militarism and war propaganda. An editor for the Student Life newspaper, he had ample opportunity to speak his mind.

“Why must we be so blind,” Redford wrote, “as to let the vile economic and political militarists slip these patrioticcoated pills into our unsuspecting mouths?”

Some peace activists got involved in the electoral process, like Bruce “Utah” Phillips (1935-2008) who ran for Senate as a candidate for the Peace and Freedom Party. Others, like Phillips’ mentor Ammon Hennacy (1893-1970)—who ran the Joe Hill House of Hospitality—embarked on lone protests in the street.

It was during the Vietnam era that Dayne Goodwin got his start in activism. Among the many “exciting battles” he has fought was his involvement with an anti-war demonstration on May 15, 1971—Armed Forces Day. Led by a contingent of 25 active-duty GIs—as well as participants from Vietnam Veterans Against the War, the Utah Council of Churches, La Raza, Gay Liberation, Mothers for Peace and others—this demonstration was the largest anti-war event then held in Salt Lake City. Gov. Cal Rampton (19132007) even showed support by declaring May 15 as another “Utah Peace Day.”

Goodwin told City Weekly that after all these years, “qualitative change” is still lacking in Utah, but he hopes that today’s generations will be up to the challenge. To his mind, organizational knowledge is a must, a grasp of the depth of commitment required is another. He lamented the tendency of many to treat peace activism as a pastime that can be left on the backburner.

“In my day,” he said, “it was our lives.”

Stanley Holmes recognizes that people are busy, but he joined Goodwin in emphasizing the necessity of getting (and staying) involved. “If you decide you’re not going to do something,” he said, “then the folks who are in charge basically take that as tacit support for the status quo.”

Holmes knows whereof he speaks. He was a key participant in the massive grassroots effort to halt the U.S. military’s MX Mobile Missile program in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He has been involved in many peace efforts over the years, and small victories keep him going. But the MX fight, he said, was “a big win.”

Utah peace activists flew this flag during demonstrations in the early 1900s.

CORA DI BRAZZA FOUNDATION

David and Goliath

Proposed in the summer of 1979, the MX project would have taken over the deserts of Nevada and Utah for a massive system of mobile nuclear missile bases. Featuring thousands of miles of “racetrack” upon which hundreds of multi-warhead missiles would be constantly rotating in an enormous Cold War shell game (intended to leave portions of the U.S. arsenal intact in the event of a Soviet nuclear strike), the project was initially viewed as a done deal, with Senators Orrin Hatch and Jake Garn both voicing enthusiastic support.

But upon hearing of the project in a committee meeting, state Sen. Frances Farley (1923-2004) was horrified. Working with activist/legislator Steve Holbrook and KUTV 2 documentarian Chad Dobson, they discussed releasing the plans to the public and organizing opposition. This effort gave birth to the MX Information Coalition, which worked to inform the public and coordinate with interested parties. Holmes was set to leave for Tacoma as a VISTA volunteer when Farley and Holbrook reached out to him. He decided to stay and serve as a coordinator for the information center, which found space to operate in the basement of the Campus Christian Center (232 S. University St.). “It was very empowering,” Holmes recalled.

Working with other young people like himself, holding rallies and bringing disparate Utahns together in a shared opposition to the MX program enlivened Holmes’ hope that “a popular movement can actually win in this country.”

Historian Jacob Olmstead wrote in 2009 that “bound by a common interest, the opposition movement brought together an unlikely consortium of citizens, special interest groups and religious leaders spanning the political and ideological spectrum.” Whether it was on environmental, moral, economic, political or professional grounds, more and more people—from ranchers and homebuilders to hippies and students—turned against the MX program.

Churches proved crucial, as more religious leaders—such as the Rev. Richard Henry with Salt Lake’s First Unitarian Church; the Rev. Otis Charles, Episcopal bishop at the Cathedral Church of St. Mark in Salt Lake City; and the Rev. Dr. Stephen J. Sidorak, pastor of the Salt Lake Centenary United Methodist Church from 1978 to 1980—took part in speaking out against the storage of MX missiles. But there was initial silence from the “big kid on the block,” as Holmes described The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“But the LDS Church was very willing to listen,” Holmes said. “Anytime we brought in an expert to talk about [MX],

Richard Lindsey and Bill Evans of the church communications department never turned us away.”

The “Stop MX” campaign’s most influential liaison to the LDS church was University of Utah professor Edwin B. Firmage (1935-2020) who tirelessly sustained efforts to communicate the impact of the MX to LDS leadership.

Olmstead writes that after a lengthy information-sharing process with people like Firmage—as well as hearing moral arguments from religious leaders like Sidorak—LDS church leaders became convinced that “the MX issues were moral at their core and, therefore, rightly within the realm of the church’s purview.”

On May 5, 1981, the Latter-day Saint’s governing First Presidency issued a statement denouncing the MX project and citing multiple issues with the proposal, such as devastation to a “fragile ecology,” depletion of the West’s “woefully short” water supply and the “deadly fallout” such a system would engender.

“Our fathers came to this western area to establish a base from which to carry the gospel of peace to the peoples of the earth,” the First Presidency statement declared. “It is ironic, and a denial of the very essence of that gospel, that in this same general area there should be constructed a mammoth weapons system potentially capable of destroying much of civilization.”

Lingering public support for the MX project quickly evaporated following the First Presidency’s opposition. Countless Utahns were relieved and overjoyed at the subsequent announcement that the Air Force’s MX project would no longer be pursued in the area.

“David beat Goliath,” Holmes concluded.

The Business of War

Forty years later, Goliath got a second wind in the form of another nuclear weapons development project. With Pentagon backing, Northrop Grumman Corp. began building hundreds of new intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).

These next-generation Sentinel ICBMs would replace the U.S.’s current fleet of Minutemen rockets, the production of which violates America’s signed agreement on the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Back in 2020, the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development and the Economic Development Corporation of Utah both touted the expansion of Northrop Grumman’s operations in northern Utah, based on the employment it would offer to local communities. As Utah’s largest private-

sector employer in aerospace and defense, the company has since received multiple taxpayer subsidies, the economic projections of which have been kept secret despite a recent GRAMA request by Inkstick Media journalist Taylor Barnes.

Northrop Grumman is now primed for additional aid through the Utah Inland Port Authority (UIPA), specifically through an Amazon contract to manufacture rocket motors at their Bacchus plant in West Valley City.

At the UIPA’s July 17 meeting, deputy executive director Benn Buys called the project a “perfect match of a targeted industry” and “aligned with [the Utah inland port’s] focus.” Holmes surmises that the rocket program is likely linked to operations at the company’s ICBM facility in Weber County. “Though the rocket parts are intended for Amazon’s satellite program,” he said, “Northrop Grumman will rotate workers back-and-forth between its inland port location and the Bacchus military facility.”

Communication representatives for Northrop Grumman did not respond to City Weekly’s inquiries for this story.

The silent, outward air of inevitability on the part of companies like Northrop Grumman is a daunting challenge to seekers of peace today. Their advantage is compounded by longstanding financial ties to those in elected office, including regular donations to Utah politicians.

“It’s all money,” Toshiharu Kano said.

Kano was in utero and in the direct vicinity when the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan in 1945. His entire life has been haunted by war and its weapons. He views his opposition to nuclear weapons as a personal duty, and said he is troubled by the rush to arm foreign countries with more and more weaponry.

Kano sees the same phenomenon taking place today as had occurred during both world wars as well as the wars in Korea, Vietnam and Iraq. “We can’t afford to keep going back and making the same mistakes,” he stressed.

What keeps him going is the belief that mankind collectively can—and must—break its pattern of repeating old mistakes of fear, greed and hatred.

“We need to have a relaxed environment,” Kano said. “There’s got to be some resolution somewhere. You keep talking about war; do you really want that?”

On this year’s International Day of Peace, with so much to treasure from Utah’s past and so much to do in its present, readers might seek out ways to get involved and bring communities, groups, churches and friends along.

“I know peace is possible,” Kano affirmed. “But you’ve got to do it on the human level.” CW

“Until people make the connection between the threat to their existence and the welfare of their kids, too few will do anything.”

—Stanley Holmes

Deb Sawyer, back row far left, and other Utah Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons members worked with South Salt Lake City to pass an anti-nuclear weapons resolution.

WES LONG

COURTESY PHOTO

Rewind

Volume 5: 1988 to 1989

June of 1988 marked the beginning of the Private Eye’s fifth year in publication, and in a note upon the pages of that opening issue, the staff wrote that they considered it “a miracle” to have lasted this long, a miracle for which they had their readers and advertisers to thank.

“Lord knows this work is not easy,” they wrote, “and Lord knows we have wanted to quit many times.”

years of

salt lake CITY WEEKLY

BY WES LONG wlong@cityweekly.net

Indeed, the Private Eye’s fifth year proved to be full of notable developments, both for the paper as well as for the city it served. A new masthead design appeared, along with a reader comments section (with editorial replies), recurring features such as “News of the Weird” and cartoonist Matt Groening’s “Life in Hell” series. And starting in January 1989, the paper changed from a monthly frequency to printing issues twice a month.

As for the Salt Lake Valley: AIDS continued to impact countless individuals and families, both in its human toll as well as its social stigma; Soviet inspectors came to West Valley’s Hercules Aerospace plant in accordance with the International Nuclear Forces Treaty; House Bill 132, which would have continued the serving of alcoholic beverages on chartered buses and chauffeur-driven limousines, was defeated in the state Legislature with the backing of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Utahns balked over plans by local politicians and businesspersons to dike the Great Salt Lake and turn half of its area into a freshwater reservoir. And controversy arose from the State of Utah’s cowardice in leaving the recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a local option, rendering the message and legacy of the African American civil rights leader virtually nonexistent in such locales as St. George. “I guess news travels slow as winter molasses in Utah’s Dixie,” wrote Ron Yengich for the Jan. 18, 1989, issue. “Maybe they just haven’t heard of Martin Luther King Jr. It makes it awful hard to hear when you’re whistling Dixie with your head in the sand, and screaming ersatz rebel yells all the time.”

Remembering Vol. 5: In decline

“Die, Utah, Die,” declared the cover story for Private Eye’s June 1988 issue.

Below that provocative title was a story of a state with the third-lowest per capita income in the nation; a state with a high cost of living; a state with a net out-migration of 31,353 people over the previous four years.

“People are voting with their feet and going where they think there may be better opportunities,” observed taxpayer watchdog Jack Olson (1925-2009).

Salt Lake’s downtown area was being left to decay, the state’s $75 million surplus was going unused under the administration of Gov. Norman Bangerter and to add salt to the wound, a much-derided billboard campaign was then making the rounds: “Utah: a pretty, great state.”

“I just think it’s absolutely stupid, and borderline unconscionable,” local businessman John Price said of the expensive advertising campaign. “Yes, we need a new image, but we’re working so hard to cement the [negative] image that we have.”

To members of the community like Price, the ultimate symbol of Utah’s problems of economy and public reputation was its liquor laws. What was needed, in his estimation, was for the majority in positions of power to start listening to its minority and for the archaic laws to be removed since they impinged upon attracting people to the state and helping those who were here. Readers who wrote in response to this story appeared to largely agree with the reporting.

“Utah has beautiful surroundings,” commented Lisa Mortensen in the July 1988 issue. “But it is getting harder and harder to live here every day. But the leaders of this ‘great state’ do what they want, and they don’t really care about the peons like me!!”

“Without question,” began the editorial reply, “‘Die, Utah, Die’ raised some hackles; made us some enemies, and made us some friends. Now, we can only hope that it raises consciousness as well.”

In the voting booth

By the September 1988 issue, election day was nearing and then-junior Sen. Orrin Hatch (1934-2022) was running for re-election to a third term. This brought Private Eye’s political commentator Steve Lewis to devote some space to appraise the job that Hatch had done during his tenure. He was not impressed.

“Since Orrin’s inaugural appearance in the U.S. Senate,” Lewis wrote, “we’ve come to learn that many a short question of him is evaded by a long answer, and that Orrin’s idea of a simple conversation is a filibuster.”

A tedious and self-righteous man given to right-wing windbaggery, Hatch was nevertheless enjoying a significant lead in the polls for this race, in Lewis’s estimation. While he continued to raise funds and roar conservative stances about national topics, he was a “toothless tiger” on the subjects that actually mattered to Utahns: air, land, water, energy, etc.

“Our junior senator needs to be reminded that Utah, in addition to its pioneer heritage, has an array of rich diversity and talent wearing black, brown and yellow faces,” Lewis noted.

Hatch—whose initial 1976 election was primarily based upon the premise that then-incumbent Frank Moss’s 18 years in the Senate made him out of touch—ultimately occupied his senatorial position for 42 years. In 2019, Hatch was replaced by now-Sen. Mitt Romney, who announced last week that he will not seek reelection after a single term, calling for a “new generation” of conservative leaders to step forward.

In the ads

In July of 1988, advertisements for a course in wine appreciation began running in the paper and continued to do so for a number of weeks. Presented by Salt Lake Community College, the course was hosted by local oenophile—and Private Eye’s resident wine connoisseur—Jack E. Daniels (19202016). Born in Salt Lake City, Daniels served as a colonel in the Air Force during WWII, and later devoted himself to writing on subjects related to food and wine. With such a guide at the helm, we hope that many both attended and enjoyed the course.

In the issue for April 28, 1989, showtime listings were available for two notable movie houses on the Wasatch Front specializing in alternative programming. Cinema in Your Face! (formerly 45 W. Broadway) and the Blue Mouse (formerly 260 E. 100 South) each offered audiences arthouse fare from cinematic vintages both recent and aged. They sprang from a tradition that had begun with Art Proctor’s Avalon theater in 1963, and although both theaters are now gone, their mission lives on in the work of such organizations as the Salt Lake Film Society and Utah Film Center.

In the aisle

On the subject of film theaters, one of Salt Lake’s venerable old movie palaces—its last, in fact—was the Centre Theatre (formerly 299 S. State). As reported by Kelly Jacobs in the September 1988 issue, the Centre was facing its final days, its lease to Cineplex Odeon running out and the developer’s wrecking ball aching to swing.

Built in 1937 and sporting murals in metallic relief of gold, brass and bronze, the Centre was “a stunning example of late art deco,” noted Jacobs. Most striking was its circular canopy marquee below a 90-foot, illuminated, mission-style tower.

“All across the country, a movement has begun to save and restore the old houses that, due to economics and the lack of skilled artisans, could never be built again,” Jacobs said. “Something could be done to save the Centre, but in a city that seems to delight in destroying character in order to erect bland, mediocre and stultified architecture, it isn’t likely.”

Sadly, Jacobs proved to be prescient, for the Centre did not survive the hunger for its real estate. Despite local efforts to save it, the Centre was torn down the following year to make way for an office tower.

In the stacks

For the Feb. 16, 1989 issue, Private Eye’s book reviewer Heidi Buchi spotlighted some of the local bookstores that she preferred to frequent for her literary needs. “After all,” she mused, “you have to buy a book in order to read it and review it.”

First on her list was The King’s English Book Store (1511 S. 1500 East, SLC), which as of this writing continues to operate in the same location. Buchi appreciated the many books that were stacked about that establishment, the aroma of coffee and tea in the air and the occasional cat curled up on the shelves.

“One reason I love this store is because it reminds me of my own home,” Buchi confided, “and those of you who have been there will know what I mean.”

Other notable locations included A Woman’s Place Bookstore (formerly 1615 Foothill Drive), which closed in 1998; the counterculture haven Cosmic Aeroplane (then at 258 E. 100 South), which ended its quarter-century run in 1991; and Sam Weller’s Zion Bookstore (formerly 254 S. Main Street), which can now be found at Trolley Square. CW

C’mon Get Fluffy

The treats and drinks at Kumo Café will put you on cloud nine.

BY ALEX SPRINGER comments@cityweekly.net @captainspringer

Throughout my adventures through the Utah food scene, I’ve always considered myself a bit of a texture guy. A thoughtful crunch here or a deliberate wobble there usually tips the scales from good to great in my humble opinion. That said, texture is also very much a supporting factor in the dining experience as a whole—if the dish itself is a stadium concert, its textures are the roadies. So when I heard about the Japanese fluffy pancakes at Kumo Café, I had to ask myself one question: Can texture transcend its supporting role to be the star of a dish?

Before we dig into that question of questions, let’s talk a bit about Kumo Café. It’s an adorable little spot just south of the Chinatown Supermarket in South Salt Lake, and it’s owned by the folks who brought us Doki Doki Dessert Café Downtown. Anyone who has frequented Doki Doki for its marvelous crepe cakes knows that they’re not fooling around when it comes to frothy textures. The fluffy pancakes ($17.50) at Kumo Café are simply an extension of their quest to bring some of Japan’s creative dessert culture to Utah.

I took my wife and daughter, since they too are fans of all things sweet and jiggly, and put my daughter in charge of deciding the toppings for our fluffy pancake order. She decided on an Oreo cream topping with a Nutella spread and a scoop of cookies-and-cream ice cream. When the

plate arrives, you can’t help but shake it to make the stack of three fluffy pancakes break into a hypnotic wiggle. Watching this simply begs you to slide the edge of your fork through the pastry’s cloud-like exterior.

I tried a bite of the pancake without any of its accoutrements, and the best way to describe its texture is that of a perfectly roasted marshmallow—it absolutely melts in your mouth. Flavor-wise, these pancakes taste eggy with a subtle hint of sweetness. I was a little skeptical about the Oreo cream, but it captured the flavor combo of Oreos and milk, so it was overall a good call. The spongy texture within the pancake just soaks up everything on the plate, so sliding your bite around the plate to get a little bit of everything is imperative.

The fluffy pancakes can take anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes depending on how busy the staff is, so you should definitely pregame by ordering one of Kumo Café’s signature crepes. They’ve got sweet and savory options; we got the Breakfast Favorite ($13.99) and the Blossom ($10.99) with vanilla ice cream. While I could see getting the former bright and early in the morning, it’s awesome whenever you get a hankering for some breakfast flavors. The crepe is stuffed with melty mozzarella and sharp cheddar cheese, sliced ham, bacon and avocado which are all welcome to hang on any breakfast menu. On top, you get some sliced cherry tomatoes, Kewpie mayo and a drizzle of hollandaise. Essentially, this is a wonderful breakfast mashup—the mayo and hollandaise really push this over the edge. It’s a minor gripe, but I’d ask them to hold the lettuce next time—not sure it’s really adding much to the dish overall.

The Blossom crepe is a riff on the traditional Thai dessert of mango sticky

rice, and it’s great. You’ve got this silky coconut brulee that emphasizes the coconut sticky rice, and for a bit of sharpness, you get some sliced mango and kiwi. It’s then drizzled with a lovely passion fruit sauce and a bit of condensed milk. It’s luscious through and through, and perfect for those craving some fresh tropical flavors.

If crepes and fluffy pancakes are a little too ethereal for your tastes, you can also check out Kumo Café’s mochi waffles ($14.59). The mochi batter lets them crisp up on the outside while leaving them nice and chewy on the inside. Each variation comes stacked high with enough toppings; there are plenty of fresh fruit and berry options, but the hazelnut and ube waffles are the stars of the show here.

In addition to their edible goodies, Kumo Café has plenty of colorful beverages available—everything from tea to lattes to smoothies is available here. I think the best part of the drink menu is the latte section, where the Kumo Latte ($5.99) and the Oreo Latte ($5.99) hang out. With its abundance of sweet, frothy foam, the Kumo Latte is a nice complement to the fluffy pancakes.

I’ll circle back to my original question and go on record saying the fluffy pancakes at Kumo Café are indeed proof that texture can be the star of the dish. It’s the texture that causes the signature wobble that brings me more joy than it reasonably should, and it’s the texture that melts in your mouth leaving only good vibes behind. Anyone who needs to put this hypothesis to the test need only check out Kumo Café. CW

ALEX SPRINGER

TWO LOCATIONS

2 Row Brewing 6856 S. 300 West, Midvale 2RowBrewing.com

Avenues Proper 376 8th Ave, SLC

avenuesproper.com

On Tap: Midnight Especial- Dark

Mexican Lager

Bewilder Brewing

445 S. 400 West, SLC

BewilderBrewing.com

On Tap: Festbier

Bohemian Brewery

94 E. Fort Union Blvd, Midvale BohemianBrewery.com

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 4 with 1019 & Madusa

Craft by Proper 1053 E. 2100 So., SLC craftbyproper.com

On Tap: Purple Rain - Marionberry

Helles

Desert Edge Brewery

273 Trolley Square, SLC DesertEdgeBrewery.com

On Tap:  La Playa-Mexican Style lager

Epic Brewing Co.

825 S. State, SLC

EpicBrewing.com

On Tap: Pumpkin Porter

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: Pine Mountain Pale

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

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

On Tap: Bat Country Blonde

Level Crossing Brewing Co., POST 550 So. 300 West #100, SLC LevelCrossingBrewing.com

On Tap: Nitro Coffee Uncommon

Moab Brewing 686 S. Main, Moab TheMoabBrewery.com

On Tap: Golden Sproket Wit

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

On Tap: Tropical Crush–POG–Passionfruit, Orange & Guava!

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

On Tap: DOPO IPA

Ogden Beer Company 358 Park Blvd, Ogden OgdenRiverBrewing.com

On Tap: Injector Hazy IPA

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

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

On Tap: Tranquili-Tea HefeweizenEpic Collaboration

Proper Brewing 857 S. Main, SLC ProperBrewingCo.com

On Tap: Whispers from KrakatoaHelles Lager with Habanero and Mango

Proper Burger: Sour Ranger - Blackberry and Lemon Sour

Proper Brewing Moab 1393 US-191 Moab, Utah 84532

On Tap: Angus McCloud- Scottish Ale

Red Rock Brewing 254 So. 200 West RedRockBrewing.com

On Tap: Gypsy Scratch

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

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

Red Rock Kimball Junction Redrockbrewing.com

1640 Redstone Center

On Tap: Bamberg Rauch Bier

RoHa Brewing Project 30 Kensington Ave, SLC RoHaBrewing.com

On Tap:  Tactical Fanny Pack Hazy Double IPA

Roosters Brewing

Multiple Locations RoostersBrewingCo.com

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

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

On Tap: Deep Five Series - Fest Bier on draft

Salt Flats Brewing 2020 Industrial Circle, SLC SaltFlatsBeer.com

On Tap: Oktoberfest Vienna Lager

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

On Tap: Smokey Dokey (Teazaanti Collab) - 10.7% ABV

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

On Tap: Pear Pink Peppercorn & Tarragon Cider

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

On Tap: Hellion  Huckelberry

Sour Ale

Live Music:  Thursdays

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

On Tap: Hellion  Blond Ale, an ode to Ellie, manager at Shades on State

Karaoke: Wednesdays

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

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

On Tap:  Salt Lake Brewing Co.’s Dog Lake (American) Pale Ale

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

On Tap: Squatters & Kiitos Collab: Ginger Rye Lime Sour, 5% Strap Tank Brewery, Lehi 3661 Outlet Pkwy, Lehi, UT StrapTankBrewery.com

On Tap: Three on the Tree’ Hoppy Lager Collaboration with Proximity Malt and Roy Farms Hops.  Strap Tank Brewery, Springville 596 S 1750 W, Springville, UT StrapTankBrewery.com

On Tap: Three on the Tree’ Hoppy Lager Collaboration with Proximity Malt and Roy Farms Hops.  Stratford Proper 1588 Stratford Ave., SLC stratfordproper.com

On Tap: Yacht Rock Juice BoxJuicy IPA

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

On Tap: Mango Raspberry Berliner Weisse

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

On Tap: Oktoberfest- Maarzen

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

On Tap: Wasatch Apricot Lager Zion Brewery 95 Zion Park Blvd, Springdale ZionBrewery.com

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

BEER NERD

Sippin’ Saint George

Southern Utah brews with big appeal

BY MIKE RIEDEL comments@cityweekly.net @utahbeer

This week, we visit some of the best local beers that you may have never tried—because they’re from Saint George’s Silver Reef Brewing Company. Yes, there’s an actual brewery in Utah’s desert paradise. Silver Reef is part of a venture that includes a winery, distillery and the Ellis Island Brewery and Casino in Las Vegas. The brewery feeds Southern Utah and Las Vegas, and it’s slowly making its way north toward the Wasatch Front. If you’d like a peek at what they offer, please continue.

Silver Reef - Down Winder: “Down Winder” is a term for residents who lived in Utah, Arizona and Nevada in the 1950s and early 1960s, who were victims of fallout from nuclear testing in that area. This beer pours a lightly hazed orange-amber color, with a one finger head of white foam. The aroma of the brew is rather crisp, with notes of a cracker malt mixed with a light orange and harvest fruit smell, as well as a bit of grapefruit hop. Along with the grapefruit comes notes of pine and herbal hop, and a touch of hay and mustiness.

The taste begins with a crisp cracker and bready malt, with a little bit of caramel sweetness and a touch of tangerine. Right from the start, there is a nice hit of bitter grapefruit hops, starting out rather aggressively. As the taste moves forward, other hop flavors of an earthy and pine nature begin to develop, adding a nice bit of dankness. The earthiness amps up while the tangerine fades, bringing the taste to its end, where one is left with a nice bitter grapefruit and dank, crisp, and biting 7.0 percent ABV

taste to linger on the tongue.

Verdict: A classic resurrected. With all the attention IPA gets, it’s easy to forget the pioneering styles and flavors that made it so popular. This is an unapologetic tribute to those West Coast IPAs of decades past—the ones that get no recognition from the trends, but live on in the memories of the knowledgeable.

Silver Reef - Java Madre: This Imperial Stout pours a nice solid three fingers of light tan head on top of a thick dark brown thick base with nice sticky lacing; the film lasts until the end. Immediately, you get some espresso and roasty notes, followed by sticky fruits and a subtle thick creaminess, with some vanilla and strong semi-dark chocolate. It’s a really interesting aroma, with some more coffee notes eventually coaxed out.

Milk chocolate, coffee, then a mélange of creamy espresso, slight candied fruits like dates and a light bitterness lead off the taste. The creaminess is really tasty and interesting, blended with the chocolate and toasty caramel. There’s a licorice note in there as well, but mocha drives it. Then you get a dry, creamy caramel finish. It’s a bit on the sweet side, I think, but the flavor is quite intriguing. The lactose is definitely on the moderate side, which differentiates it from a typical stout.

Verdict: It seems far too sessionable to possibly be 9.0 percent ABV—really drinkable and for the style. I would say this is a stellar example, and it has a good mix of some more typical stout notes. It’s definitely worth a try for the uniqueness, but I think in terms of a regular stout, I would look elsewhere. This is super smooth, though, and it would be very easy to get through a few pints of this tasty brew.

You’ll be able to find these and other Silver Reef brews at their original brewery, of course, along with their new restaurant in downtown St. George. I have seen these pop up in SLC at Slackwater Pizza, and I’m sure they’re showing up at other craft beer pubs as well. Stay close for updates as they roll in. As always, cheers! CW

MIKE RIEDEL

BY ALEX SPRINGER | @captainspringer

Uncle Jeffi’s Opens

Anny Sooksri—the restaurateur behind local favorites like Chabaar Beyond Thai and Fav Bistro—recently opened the doors on a new project. It’s called Uncle Jeffi’s (1968 E. Murray Holladay Road, bestthaifoodinutah.com), and it looks to be a cozy breakfast and brunch spot. Sooksri and her team have already demonstrated an excellent track record when it comes to starting the day off right, and a restaurant that focuses on breakfast seems like a great fit. Its location near a few of Sooksri’s other enterprises on Murray Holladay Road will add plenty of local flavor to this neighborhood. At the moment they are in soft opening mode, so now is a great time to swing by and check things out.

One Noodle Bar Expands to Millcreek

Local ramen destination One Noodle Bar (onbutah.com) recently introduced its third location in Millcreek (867 E. 4500 South, 385-425-3979). I fell in love with this place when I visited the West Jordan location, and feasted upon some gorgeous duck confit ramen and a few sushi tacos. There’s something endlessly appealing to One Noodle Bar’s different ramen variations, and their tasty appetizers always make great accompaniments to a giant bowl of noodles and broth. The team doesn’t show any signs of stopping this expansion, as they also announced that a North Salt Lake location is on its way. Just in time for soup season!

Dave’s Hot Chicken Opens

I had a chance to check out the new Midvale location of Dave’s Hot Chicken (940 E. Fort Union Boulevard), a national chain that has one other location in Orem. I like the vibe of the place, and really like that you can get their moderately thick chicken tenders on a slider bun with some pickles and slaw. As the name implies, Dave’s operates in the Nashville niche of the fried chicken spectrum, and their spice levels are hot enough to bite back if you dig things spicy. I couldn’t help but notice this new location was right across the street from the Raising Cane’s that Post Malone helped decorate, so it’ll be interesting to see how these two monsters of fried birds divvy up our obsession with chicken sandos.

Quote of the Week: “All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast.” –John Gunther

No Elevator Required

It Lives Inside reminds that horror with style and thematic subtext is the rule, not the exception.

BY SCOTT RENSHAW scottr@cityweekly.net @scottrenshaw

Amodest proposal: Can we please retire the phrase “elevated horror” forever?

It emerged a few years as a way to describe a certain more art-house-friendly brand of scary movie—stuff like Robert Eggers’ The Witch and Ari Aster’s Hereditary—but on a more realistic level, it feels like an almost deliberately ignorant reading of the history of horror as a genre, and a way to downplay how vital that history has been.

From its very inception, horror has been allegorical and ripe with subtext, a way to explore complex subjects through the lens of fear and anxiety: grappling with the intersection between scientific inquiry and morality in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein; giving shape to carnality in Bram Stoker’s Dracula; understanding the capacity for evil within all of us in Robert Louis Stevenson’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Crude, exploitative violence as a defining characteristic of the genre has been the exception rather than the rule; it makes more sense to grant thoughtful scary fare the baseline description of “horror,” and refer to its ugly cousins as “degraded horror.”

On that level, writer/director Bishal Dutta’s It Lives Inside is no unicorn in its goals of using an unsettling supernatural premise to dig into decidedly earthbound, human ideas. It is, blessedly, one that veers from the recent tendency to make

finding a unique perspective by turning the pressure on immigrants to assimilate culturally into a literal monster.

It’s the story of Samidha (Megan Suri), an Indian-American high-school student living with her first-generation immigrant parents—tradition-minded mother Poorna (Neeru Bajwa), and more Westernized father Inesh (Vik Sahay)—in a mostly-White suburb. And as we meet her for the first time, it’s clear that she’s wrestling with her Indian-ness: shaving the hair off of her arms before going to school; fiddling with the filters on her selfies to change her skin tone; balking at her mother’s insistence that Samidha help prepare for a Hindu religious observance. Samidha’s focus is blending in with her White classmates, which means opting to be called “Sam,” and separating herself from her childhood best friend and fellow Indian-American, Tamira (Mohana Krishnan).

Things start to get weird when Tamira begins walking around in a zombie-like daze while carrying a Mason jar—and when the jar breaks, thanks to Samidha’s frustration, a dangerous force is unleashed. Dutta does a solid job of teasing

out the nature of that force, creating a mostly-invisible menace that allows for a lower-budget production that doesn’t feel like a lower-budget production. The centerpiece scenes of demonic menace maintain a PG-13 vibe but are satisfyingly creepy, benefitting from choices ranging from the orange glow of a dangerous basement, to the tension-ratcheting time that Dutta takes for Samidha to shift her eyes, and then her entire head, towards the threat she suspects is behind her.

But the reason It Lives Inside works as a narrative beyond its visceral pleasures is that Dutta understands how to build his metaphorical foundation. The story’s creature, we eventually learn through the backstory of a previous victim, feeds on negative emotions, with the word “shame” dominating the diary of that aforementioned victim. It’s a beast that threatens to consume her soul unless she’s able to trap and feed it in other ways—and it’s absolutely critical that the ritual that could accomplish that goal requires Samidha to embrace her culture’s language and spirituality rather than see it as a burden, and to work together with

the mother she has previously treated mostly with contempt.

There’s certainly a level on which It Lives Inside exists side-by-side with some of the cheesier horror film tropes rather than presuming to stand above them; it’s hardly a shock when Samidha’s first romantic encounters with a boy are followed by an unpleasant aftermath. It’s also a bit of a bummer that Dutta’s ending feels more built to leave open the option for a sequel than to give Samidha’s story a thematically satisfying resolution. Mostly, however, this is a smart, stylishly-executed scary movie with an understanding for how tales of suspense and shock can allow us to dig into all the things that make our lives feel unsettled. For that kind of journey, there’s no elevator required. CW

Megan Suri in It Lives Inside

NEON FILMS

Groove Thing

SLC new wave group Bleu Grave take a step of growth with their new EP.

BY EMILEE ATKINSON eatkinson@cityweekly.net @emileelovesvinyl

Sometimes it can be hard to get into your groove as a band—literally and figuratively. It takes work to write music that represents you as a group, and to make sure you vibe well as a collective entity. SLC new wave band Bleu Grave have found that groove—and there’s nowhere for them to go but up.

Bleu Grave dropped their first moody, new wave-inspired track a year ago this month, and have gained a fair amount of traction since then. The band has over 13,000 listeners on Spotify alone, and nearly 22,000 followers on Instagram. Though there was a lineup change earlier this summer, they say the future of the band is looking bright.

“I’m loving where we’re going now,” said vocalist/rhythm guitarist Solomon Swensen. Solomon is joined by his brother Smith Swensen (lead guitar), as well as brothers Nick (drums) and Luke (bass) Fabbri. “Nick and Luke are super-talented. They’re probably the most talented band members I’ve ever played with,” Solomon said.

Their first full, self-titled album was released with the previous lineup, and it laid a solid foundation for the group. But the boys of Bleu Grave are more excited about their EP Blush Ballet, and the future work they’ll be doing with these current members.

“I would describe [Bleu Grave] as a mix-

tape, with a lot of different genres on that album,” Solomon said. The biggest challenge putting it together was doing everything fully DIY, and having a perfectionist monkey stuck on their backs.

“I’m very much a perfectionist, but I already have to kick myself, because I know it’s never going to be perfect,” Solomon said. “This was during a time when I was still learning how to record things in my bedroom. I’m pretty proud of it. I mean, it’s got that raw aspect to it, which we were going for, not to be overly produced. I think there’s a lot of unique songs on there.”

Bleu Grave is a perfect demonstration of the band’s evolution according to the group, whereas Blush Ballet is the future. Watching Bleu Grave gush about Blush Ballet is like watching kids in a candy store— huge smiles and excitement for what will happen next. “Blush Ballet is just an upgrade to our self-titled record. It just got way better. And … Nick adding his drum parts to that was very significant,” Smith said. “We’re trying to outperform ourselves.”

The EP is heavily inspired by goth and new wave vibes, a niche Bleu Grave feel that they’re able to fill since there’s not a ton of other bands in the area with the same sound. However, there’s influence from each member of the band on the EP— some enjoy bands like Black Sabbath, Type O Negative, while others are influenced by the likes of Joy Division and New Order. They’ve taken all of these influences and their amazing connection as a group to create their signature sound. “It makes this kind of Frankenstein music, which is pretty sick. I think it’s awesome,” Smith said.

Blush Ballet dropped in June, but the band has two brand-new singles that are a must-have for your library if you’re in the mood for those new-wavy goth vibes. “Unseen” came out in August, and starts with a random riff, as many great songs do. From there, the rest came together with each member contributing elements until it got to where they wanted it. “I

think it just came naturally,” Smith said.

“It’s this slow dive, ’70s psychedelic approach that kind of wrote itself,” he said.

Their most recent release, “VALENTINE,” takes a bit of a different approach, starting out with energetic electronic elements and drums that will make you want to break out your legwarmers. Then as the song progresses, you get the heavilydrenched reverb sound from the guitar and the signature lamenting vocals. It’s the perfect song for anyone who just wants that one person to be their valentine.

Bleu Grave is very excited for what the future holds for them as a band. Their main goal is to do a full album with the current lineup, and share their music live as much as possible. The new album will definitely have a wide range of influences, like their previous releases, and with that, they hope they can appeal to more listen-

ers.

“I think we’re similar to The Cure, where they’re all over the place with their albums,” Smith said. They enjoy how The Cure put out a healthy mix of happier tracks mixed in with darker ones. “We’re wanting to test the emotions of our listeners,” he added. Bleu Grave is still trying to completely solidify their identity, but they believe they’re definitely on the right track.

Keep up with Bleu Grave and their future projects by following them on their Instagram @bleugrave, and by checking out their website bleugravemusic.com for updates and merch, if you feel so inclined. You can also catch Bleu Grave live at The Rise (247 W Center St.) in Provo on Friday, Sept 29 at 7 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages show are $15 and can be found at theriseutah.com, or bought at the door. CW

Bleu Grave SYDNEY SWENSEN

THURSDAYS

FRIDAYS DJ FRESH(NESS)

SATURDAYS POKER @ 2PM DJ DELMAGGIO

SHARK SUNDAYS POOL TOURNEY HOSTED BY JARED AND TANNER

MONDAYS REGGAE MONDAY WITH DJ NAPO

TUESDAYS

WEDNESDAYS KARAOKE

By Emilee Atkinson

Rina Sawayama @ Gallivan Center 9/22

Japanese-British musician and actor Rina Sawayama has been destined for big things since her debut album dropped back in 2020. On Sawayama, she combines several styles that shouldn’t work together, but do—and very well. The lyrics address important zeitgeisty issues while remaining light-hearted and full of personality, the music is unafraid to incorporate unfashionable elements like nu-metal tones and early ’00s pop/R&B, and the fact that it’s delivered with a batshit sense of humor doesn’t hurt. I can see how people could find a lot of the flourishes too dramatic or over-the-top. There’s more invention on this perfectly fine slice of pop, all things considered. On 2022’s follow up, Hold The Girl, the sounds in their individual details combine into a monster of an album. “It’s about knowing what kind of artist you want to be. There’s an approach where it’s a lot to do with sticking to the formula,” Sawayama told The Fader. “For me, it was more important that I write a record I felt happy with, because that’s what the first record was all about. As soon as I tried to take in other people’s opinions, I was scared the whole thing would crumble.” As the 36th year of the Twilight Concert series comes to an end, this is one show you do not want to miss. Anais Chantal, Disko Cowboy and Empress Of open. Catch these acts at the Gallivan Center on Friday, Sept 22. Doors at 5 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages show are $10.00 and can be found at 24tix.com (Mark Dago)

Rina Sawayama THURSTAN REDDING

MUSIC PICK S

By Emilee Atkinson

Chromeo @ The Depot 9/23

There are more non-electronic genres of dance music than there are electronic genres. These non-electronic genres of dance music can be found within classical, folk, pop, jazz, heavy metal, country, hell, even funk. Last we heard from the “Funklordz” of Chromeo—David “Dave-1” Macklovitch and Patrick “P-Thugg” Gemayel—they had shared their third single of 2023 with the electro-pop song “(I Don’t Need A) New Girl.” Chromeo’s upcoming sixth studio LP is coming very, VERY soon and by the sounds of it, the new era is shaping up to be album of the year material. “When you’re writing something, you don’t want it to show that it was methodical. Because if somebody can tell, it’s going to sound stiff or academic,” Macklovitch told Rolling Stone. “The same with our music—we put a lot of thought into it, but then it can’t show. No one wants to see how the sausage gets made, no one wants to see the seams, right?” The Montreal duo always come correct with that perfect blend of signature sounds, wah-wah guitar, killer talkbox and smoothed-out buttery vocals. You know it’s good when you can’t refuse singing along by the end of the first verse, and if “Old 45’s” doesn’t do it, it’s time to start checking pulses. Ric Wilson opens. Catch these acts on the Funk Yourself tour at the Depot on Saturday, Sept 23, doors at 7 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages show are $35 and can be found at livenation.com (Mark Dago)

Röyksopp @ Ogden Amphitheater 9/25

Röyksopp have been pillars in the Scandinavian techno scene since the ’90s. The Norwegian duo made up of Svein Berge and Torbjørn Brundtland met when they were kids, and they have experimented with several genres of electronic music throughout the decades. From their well-known single “Eple” from the album Melody A.M. in 2001, to their collaborative single with Swedish pop singer Robyn, titled “Do it Again” in 2014, they have continued innovating electronic and pop music. Röyksopp’s performances include ambient, house music and synth-pop, and they have a long-standing penchant for strong visual images, lasers and eccentric costumes. As a duo, Röyksopp have earned two Grammy Awards and seven Spellemannprisen awards, performed worldwide tours and released eight studio albums across two decades. However, this is their debut performance in Utah, and will be an experience you do not want to miss. This autumn, the duo is continuing their headline tour for the Profound Mysteries album trilogy with releases of new remixes. Expect energetic beats and seamlessly synthesized soundscapes that will immerse you into the profound mysteries of Röyksopp. Röyksopp performs at Ogden Twilight on Monday, Sept 25. Doors open at 5 p.m. and the headliner is scheduled for 9 p.m. Tickets are $15 at ogdentwilight.com. (Arica Roberts)

MUSIC PICK S

By Emilee Atkinson

Another Quiet Morning Release Show w/Obabo, Over Under 9/25 @ Kilby Court

One of the coolest local shows you can go to is a release show. Not only are you seeing a local live band, you’re getting to be there the first time they debut brand-new tunes that haven’t been heard by anyone else yet. You get to say you were there at the beginning. Young singer/songwriter Caden Abilla is premiering not one, not two, but three EPs at this show. This kid has been busy, writing music obviously, but finishing from high school so that he can spend more time making music. “For those who haven’t been following, Another Quiet Morning is my project. I try not to call it a solo project, because I’ve had so much help and so many kind people willing to help me,” Abilla said on Instagram in August. “But at the end of the day, all of the songs are mine and were written by me. Starting this year while finishing up high school, I set out to record. Not quite sure of how it’d go or what to expect, I’m very proud of how the songs turned out. They’re not perfect, and even after being done I’d still go back to change stuff- but sometimes you just have to accept what is and let it go. Yeah, my mom’s wind chimes are in every song whether I like it or not.” Catch Another Quiet Morning release three new EPs with fellow locals Obabo and Over Under on Monday, Sept 25 at Kilby Court. Tickets for the all-ages show are $10 and can be found at kilbycourt.com. (Emilee Atkinson)

Hanna Jadagu @ Soundwell 9/26

Graduating high school is already a tough time. You’re phasing out of childhood and into adulthood, with so much happening every month that passes by. Becoming a musician and releasing an album fresh out of high school makes that time even more interesting. Young bedroom pop artist Hanna Jadagu released her debut EP What is Going On? in 2021 to plenty of praise. It of course came out at a time where we were all asking ourselves what was going on probably every day, so the title alone is fitting. The collection of songs views the world’s struggles through a compassionate lens. “I want my songs to be both super-intimate and still universally relatable,” Jadagu told Song Pop in May. “With the EP, so many people told me that the songs resonated with them on a personal level, and that’s what I’m always hoping for.” The songs feature those bedroom pop qualities that you’d expect: lo-fi vibes, echoey vocals, plenty of keys/synths and chill drums. It’s nice to pair those aesthetics with the vibes of feeling like the world was going to end. Jadagu has had several releases since that debut EP, including her first full-length album, Aperture, which dropped back in May. The album has a more produced feel, a shift from her simpler bedroom-pop vibes, but it’s a good change. Jadagu having a more professional setting is only helping her. You get to hear more of her gorgeous vocals and get to have a new experience with this new music. Catch Jadagu at Soundwell on Tuesday, Sept 26 at 7 p.m. Tickets for the 18+ show are $18, and can be found at soundwellslc.com. (EA)

Röyksopp

Another Quiet Morning

free will ASTROLOGY

BY ROB BREZSNY

ARIES (March 21-April 19)

It’s the Building and Nurturing Togetherness phase of your astrological cycle. The next eight weeks will bring excellent opportunities to shed bad relationship habits and grow good new ones. Let’s get you in the mood with some suggestions from intimacy counselors Mary D. Esselman and Elizabeth Ash Vélez: “No matter how long you’ve been together or how well you think you know each other, you still need to romance your partner, especially in stability. Don’t run off and get an extreme makeover or buy into the red-roses-and-champagne bit. Instead, try being kind, receptive and respectful. Show your partner, often and in whatever tender, goofy way you both understand, that their heart is your home.”

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)

From May 2023 to May 2024, the planets Jupiter and Uranus have been and will be in Taurus. I suspect that many Taurus revolutionaries will be born during this time. And yes, Tauruses can be revolutionaries. Here’s a list of some prominent rebel Bulls: Karl Marx, Malcolm X, activist Kathleen Cleaver, lesbian feminist author Adrienne Rich, Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh, artist Salvador Dali, playwright Lorraine Hansberry and dancer Martha Graham. All were wildly original innovators who left a bold mark on their cultures. May their examples inspire you to clarify and deepen the uniquely stirring impact you would like to make, Taurus.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20)

Gemini writer Joe Hill believes the only fight that matters is “the struggle to take the world’s chaos and make it mean something.” I can think of other fights that matter, but Hill’s choice is a good one that can be both interesting and rewarding. I recommend it in the coming weeks, Gemini. You are poised at a threshold that promises substantial breakthroughs in your ongoing wrangles with confusion, ambiguity and enigma. My blessings go with you as you wade into evocative challenges.

CANCER (June 21-July 22)

Author Crescent Dragonwagon has written more than 50 books, so we might conclude she has no problem expressing herself fully. But a character in one of her novels says the following: “I don’t know exactly what I mean by ‘hold something back,’ except that I do it. I don’t know what the ‘something’ is. It’s some part that’s a mystery, maybe even to me. I feel it may be my essence or what I am deep down under all the layers. But if I don’t know what it is, how can I give it or share it with someone even if I wanted to?” I bring these thoughts to your attention, Cancerian, because I believe the coming weeks will be a favorable time for you to overcome your own inclination to “hold something back.”

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)

In her book Undercurrents: A Life Beneath the Surface, psychologist and author Martha Manning says she is more likely to experience epiphanies in “grocery stores and laundromats, rather than in the more traditional places of reverence and prayer.” She marvels that “it’s in the most ordinary aspects of life” that she is “offered glimpses of the extraordinary.” During these breakthrough moments, “the baseline about what is good and important in my life changes.” I suspect you will be in a similar groove during the coming weeks, Leo. Are you ready to find the sacred in the mundane? Are you willing to shed your expectations of how magic occurs so you will be receptive to it when it arrives unexpectedly?

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

“These are the bad facts,” says author Fran Lebowitz. “Men have much easier lives than women. Men have the advantage. So do white people. So do rich people. So do beautiful people.” Do you agree? I do. I’m not rich or beautiful, but I’m a white man and have received eadvantages because of it. What about you? Now is a good

time to tally any unearned blessings you have benefited from, give thanks for them, and atone by offering help to people who have obtained fewer favors. And if you have not received many advantages, the coming months will be an excellent time to ask for and even demand more.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

My favorite creativity teacher is author Roger von Oech. He produced the Creative Whack Pack, a card deck with prompts to stimulate imaginative thinking. I decided to draw one such card for your use in the coming weeks. It’s titled Exaggerate. Here’s its advice: “Imagine a joke so funny you can’t stop laughing for a month. Paper stronger than steel. An apple the size of a hotel. A jet engine quieter than a moth beating its wings. A homecooked dinner for 25,000 people. Try exaggerating your idea. What if it were a thousand times bigger, louder, stronger, faster and brighter?”

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

If you cook a bag of popcorn in your microwave, there are usually kernels at the bottom that fail to pop. As tasty as your snack is, you may feel cheated by the duds. I will be bold and predict that you won’t have to deal with such duds in the near future—not in your popcorn bags and not in any other area of your life, either literally or metaphorically. You’re due for a series of experiences that are complete and thorough and fully bloomed.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

Writer George Bernard Shaw observed that new ideas and novel perspectives “often appear first as jokes and fancies, then as blasphemies and treason, then as questions open to discussion and finally as established truths.” As you strive to get people to consider fresh approaches, Sagittarius, I advise you to skip the “blasphemies and treason” stage. If you proceed with compassion and good humor, you can go directly from “jokes and fancies” to “questions open to discussion.” But one way or another, please be a leader who initiates shifts in your favorite groups and organizations. Shake things up with panache and good humor.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Novelist and astrologer Forrest E. Fickling researched which signs are the worst and best in various activities. He discovered that Capricorns are the hardest workers, as well as the most efficient. They get a lot done, and they are expeditious about it. I suspect you will be at the peak of your ability to express these Capricornian strengths in the coming weeks. Here’s a bonus: You will also be at the height of your power to enjoy your work and be extra likely to produce good work. Take maximum advantage of this grace period!

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

The British band Oasis has sold 95 million records. The first song they ever released was “Supersonic.” Guitarist Noel Gallagher wrote most of its music and lyrics in half an hour while the rest of the band was eating Chinese take-out food. I suspect you will have that kind of agile, succinct, matter-of-fact creativity in the coming days. If you are wise, you will channel it into dreaming up solutions for two of your current dilemmas. This is one time when life should be easier and more efficient than usual.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)

“When sex is really, really good,” writes Piscean novelist Geoff Nicholson, “I feel as though I’m disappearing, being pulverized, so that I’m nothing, just particles of debris, smog, soot and skin floating through the air.” Hmmmm. I guess that’s one version of wonderful sex. And if you want it, you can have it in abundance during the coming weeks. But I encourage you to explore other kinds of wonderful sex, as well—like the kind that makes you feel like a genius animal or a gorgeous storm or a super-powered deity.

Software Developer for Outbox Systems, Inc. dba Simplus in Salt Lake City, UT design & develop API bridges & document API callouts; analyze & design scalable software solutions; develop multiple batchable & scalable solutions; perform impact analysis; write Software Solution Design Documents, UML diagrams, ERP Diagrams & Use Case Diagrams Option to work from home/ telecommute available Bachelor’s in Computer Science + 2 yrs ex in job off’d req’d Respond JE/Simplus PO Bx 4241 NYC 10163

urban LIVING

Growing & Golfing

Utah’s a popular state these days, with many of our cities experiencing phenomenal growth. Southern Utah is especially exploding, with big and small businesses alike moving there.

flip choice

40.American Federation of Teachers president Weingarten

41.Davis of “Do the Right Thing”

42.Naval force

43.Something to knock on

47.Bub

48.London’s ___ Gardens

49.Wind instrument named after a Greek god

51.Not worry

53.“Nixon in China” role

56.Decides not to make music together anymore ... or this puzzle’s theme

60.Indian drink with a popular mango variety

61.Daughter of Katie Holmes

62.Best Picture directed by Ben Affleck

63.Confident way to solve crosswords

64.“Can you find ____ your heart?”

65.Train from Manhattan to Montauk: Abbr.

66.Consumer products firm since 1837, informally 67.Big buck 68.Ruffles rival DOWN

1.Show on which Key and Peele got their start

2.Hilo “hello”

3.Boxes overlooking a stage

4.Entanglement

5.“A Girl, A Guy, and ____” (1941 Lucille Ball movie)

6.Put on again

7.Singer whose “Boo’d Up” won the 2019 Grammy for Best R&B Song

8.German pronoun

9.“Want me to?”

10.White House staffer

11.Admission of defeat

12.555, on a cornerstone

13.Michelle Obama, ____ Robinson 14.Hockey great Bobby 21.High schooler, usually

46.Spreading gossip

49.Faux ____

50.“____-wee’s Big Adventure”

51.Headquartered (in)

52.Squeezing (out)

53.Tennis great Sharapova

54.Fuming

55.Air freshener targets

56.Inconsequential occurrence

57.Frog genus that’s Spanish for “frog”

58.“SportsCenter” airer

59.Big event for Cinderella

If you haven’t heard, there’s a new mega-resort called Black Desert Resort (blackdesertresort.com). This luxury golf, dining and hotel/condo project sits on 630 acres in Ivins, about 8 miles northwest of St. George and will be the biggest resort in the state upon completion. Check out its focal point: a Tom Weiskopf-designed golf course— already open amid the lava and red rocks—so book your tee times now.

The hotel will open this fall, followed by ongoing construction of a total of 3,330 living spaces, 75 single family homes and hundreds of thousands of square feet of commercial and restaurant spaces.

Closer to home, although it’s been an unusually active summer of roadrepair hell, the repaving and work on 300 West between 900 and 2100 South is finally done, with new tar, a bike path, crosswalks and sidewalks. The road hadn’t been updated for 70 years—except for occasionally filling winter potholes—making it the largest construction project Salt Lake City has undertaken.

There are currently about 25 projects under construction by the Utah Department of Transportation in Salt Lake Valley alone—from work on State Street between 3000 South and 6400 South, in Big Cottonwood Canyon, along Redwood Road and on Interstate 80 in Sugar House.

Hundreds of tons of concrete and asphalt have been poured and laid, and there’s still plenty of work to be done.

Hunter Douglas Inc. seeks a Process Engineer in Salt Lake City, Utah to process definition, standardization and compliance for fabrication operation. Work as a division engineer developing assembly processes and equipment, establishing standard work and specifications, manage and drive improvements and changes focused on optimizing quality and costs.

Minimum Requirements: Minimum Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, or a related field, and 6 months of engineering experience in a manufacturing environment using lean manufacturing, process standardization, Vizio, SolidWorks, A3 and FMEA. Send Resumes to Hunter Douglas, nate.hancock@hunterdouglas.com.

Spooky Deals!

SUDOKU X

1 to

Complete the grid so that each row, column, diagonal and 3x3 square contain all of the numbers

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.

Downtown, Salt Lake City is working off of a voter-approved Funding Our Future street reconstruction bond. Work is ongoing on 200 South, and the city has just finished lower 9th & 9th with upper 9th and 9th now in full swing. The recent annual 9th and 9th street fair had to relocate to Liberty Park due to the massive construction.

Highland Drive in Sugar House is also under the bulldozers, and all of this construction fits in with the city’s plan to resurface 150 lane miles of Salt Lake City roadway.

Also in the capital city, you’ll see more than two dozen mid- and highrise buildings currently under construction, with folks now enjoying the recently opened Hyatt Regency on the south end of the Calvin L. Rampton Salt Palace Convention Center. You’ll see it when you go to FanX this week.

The last guard tower at Utah’s old prison at Point of the Mountain in the south end of the Salt Lake Valley has just been demolished, which means, after nine months, the demolition of the old prison is almost complete.

A mixed-use development on 600 acres of state-owned land called “The Point” will start construction in 2025 after the final scrape and prep work is done to the land. The longtime prison chapel that served inmates over the years is going to remain as part of the history of the site. n

WITH BABS DELAY Broker, Urban Utah

Last week’s answers

NEWS of the WEIRD

BY THE EDITORS AT ANDREWS MCMEEL

Walk of Shame

“It’s just a biohazard issue,” the pilot told air traffic control. And indeed, the Delta Airlines Airbus A350 was forced to return to Atlanta after two hours in the air on Sept. 1 after a passenger suffered an “onboard medical emergency”: uncontrollable diarrhea that left the entire length of the aisle covered in fecal matter. The Guardian reported that passengers said the flight crew did everything they could to clean up the mess, including spraying it with scented disinfectant. But that merely made the cabin “smell of vanilla s--t,” one traveler said. Back in Atlanta, passengers, including the afflicted traveler, waited eight hours for the plane to be cleaned up and the aisle carpet to be replaced, then reboarded and were on their way to Barcelona—again.

Bright Idea

A 38-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman have been arrested in the central Shanxi province of China, China Daily reported, for digging a shortcut through the Great Wall of China. Local police were alerted to the damage on Aug. 24 and followed tracks from an excavator back to the suspects, who explained that they needed the shortcut to get back and forth to their construction jobs. The Great Wall is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which has reportedly been “damaged beyond repair.” The two were charged with destroying a cultural relic.

Awesome!

Tennessean Tami Manis is going to see her name in the 2024 edition of the Guinness World Records book after 34 years of hard work ... not getting haircuts. United Press International reported on Aug. 31 that Manis’ mullet, measured at 5 feet, 8 inches long, earned her the prize in the female competitive mullet category. She had not cut the “party in the back” section of her hair since Feb. 9, 1990. “I’ve had people recognize me from 20 years ago because I’ve kept the same hairstyle,” she said. “This is amazing.”

What Could Go Wrong?

Frick and Riverview Parks in Pittsburgh have a problem: The deer population has grown to the point that the animals are dangerous to themselves and humans, Fox News reported. “With no natural predators, we are seeing an increase in car-deer collisions, relentless damage to our ecosystem and unnatural aggression toward pets and people,” the city’s website reads. What to do? The city is going to randomly pick 30 archers to participate in “a pilot program with archery-controlled hunts ... during the 2023-2024 deer archery season,” the city announced. Hopeful hunters will be part of a lottery system, and final participants must have a clean background check and a deer permit. In addition, “the selected archers will be required to attend an accuracy test” and will be confined to a specific area of the park to hunt. Those who kill more than two deer in their area will be given preference for subsequent seasons, according to the city. Keep that orange vest handy.

That’s One Way To Do It

A woman in China’s Fuzhou City is facing a prison sentence of three years and a $27,000 fine after she chewed her way to a new iPhone at an Apple store. According to the South China Morning Post , the woman, surnamed Qiu, entered the store and made a beeline to the phone display. She was seen on surveillance video examining an iPhone 14 (worth about $950), then looking around to make sure no one was watching. Then she put the antitheft cable in her mouth and chewed through it, secured the phone in her bag and left the store. Store employees noticed the severed cable and contacted police, who were able to track Qiu and arrest her at her home. She told them she planned to buy an iPhone but balked at the price and decided to steal one instead.

Least Competent Criminal

Nicholas Coffey, 23, couldn’t resist bragging on social media about his “new” Mercedes-Benz on Sept. 2, which made it easier for cops to track him down, Fox News reported. Coffey and an accomplice used the stolen car to break into other vehicles on Deltona, Florida, residential streets during the early morning hours, then stopped at a gas station, where Coffey was captured on surveillance video. Volusia County detectives caught up with him the following morning and arrested him on multiple charges.

Clothing Optional

The Chicago Park District just couldn’t let the city’s nudists have a little fun on Labor Day. Early that morning, someone posted a sign at Loyola Beach along Lake Michigan declaring “Nude Beach Past This Sign,” WLSTV reported. But, alderman Maria Hadden scolded, the sign was unofficial and “cheeky,” and workers had it removed by that evening. Hadden did share that in 1932, alderman George A. Williston proposed a resolution to create a nude sunbathing beach in the same location. Great minds ...

Inexplicable

Patrick Spina IV, 45, of Absecon, New Jersey, is facing criminal mischief charges after a bizarre series of stunts starting in June, WPVI-TV reported. After the Quality Inn in Galloway Township was targeted about a dozen times with a bright green dye launched into its outdoor pool by a drone, Sandra Woolston, the general manager, said she “had a meltdown” because the pool was largely unusable. In August, police got a call about a similar incident from a resident who was swimming in his pool when the dye was cast. The sea dye, normally used in search and rescue efforts, is damaging to swimming pools. Police got in touch with the FAA and learned the drone was operated by Spina. Detectives could not supply a motive but said they believed he was “pranking people.” “He was getting too happy with doing it,” Woolston said.

Crime Report

Xuming Li, 36, a Ph.D. candidate in the University of South Florida’s chemistry department, has been charged with multiple counts of battery, aggravated stalking and possession of a controlled substance after he targeted his neighbors, The New York Times reported on Aug. 27. Umar Abdullah, who lived above Li in a Tampa Bay condominium building, first started smelling a chemical odor in May. He believed it caused his family to experience breathing difficulties and burning eyes. For nearly a year, Li had “complained about footsteps. He complained about door closing sounds,” Abdullah said. The chemical odor came back in June, so Abdullah installed a hidden camera pointed at his front door, which captured Li on June 27 “injecting something” at the entrance. Preliminary testing showed the substances to be methadone and hydrocodone. Li was released on bond and will appear in court in December.

Saw That Coming

A 20-year-old Swiss man was taken to the hospital on Aug. 21 after trying not once, but twice, to put his face on the water nozzle at Geneva, Switzerland’s Jet d’Eau, the BBC reported. The attraction projects 110 gallons of water per second, reaching a height of 459 feet. His first attempt resulted in him being thrown backward; on his second try, he was thrown into the air and landed on a nearby cement walkway. He then dived into Lake Geneva, where officers found him and sought medical care for him. The company that operates the fountain intends to file a complaint against him for trespassing.