City Weekly January 12, 2023

BY

BENJAMIN WOOD AND KATHARINE BIELE

A House of Shame

Do Republicans have absolutely no shame—including the Utah representatives who show no backbone, common sense or decency as they stupidly continue to support House Speaker Kevin McCarthy? Are their memories so short they can’t recall that McCarthy was among the Republicans supporting Trump in his efforts to overthrow the election?

When these reps come back home to face their constituents, they should have to look them in the face and explain why electing McCarthy speaker was more im-

portant than the many legitimate concerns in their districts.

Sorry, I temporarily forgot that every one of Utah’s reps—and its senator who supported Trump in overthrowing the government—are Latter-day Saint males. They neither have to be patriots or even smart to get re-elected. They just have to be temple-worthy men. It’s every much a part of the Utah fabric as fry sauce.

TED OTTINGER Taylorsville

10 Best New Year’s Resolutions,” Jan. 5 Opinion

For Utah Gov. Spencer Cox: Pretend to care about the people of your state as much as you care about a chicken’s happiness. Stop the mandates already!

MARIAFERLAND

Via Instagram

For Real Housewives of Salt Lake City’s Jen Shah: Pretend you’re not going to a glorified spa for 6.5 years.

THATJORDANGIRL Via Instagram

You forgot, “Get your Utah medical cannabis card.”

SALTBAKEDCITY

Via Instagram

Can we just buy them all gym memberships instead? The futility is the same.

ROLLRSK8ERJOE

Via Instagram

“An Artist’s Artist,” Jan. 5 Cover Story

Calvin Jolley’s description of the Stratford Hotel as, “downtown’s last bona fide indigent flophouse” is inaccurate. The Stratford has been a low-income rental unit for quite some time now.

JOHN WILKES

Salt Lake City

“UDOT: We Need Traffic Solutions,” Dec. 29 Soap Box

To my neighbor in Murray who seeks traffic solutions from UDOT, they are not the solution. The problem is much larger than short greens on left arrows and drivers running red lights.

A solution would require putting smooth traffic flow as the top priority for traffic control. It would require, for starters, a consistency in lane divisions, lane markings, road signage and the oft-neglected curb cuts. It would also require a retraining of drivers, who seem concerned only with what is directly in front of them (whether it’s the road or their phones) and not with anything beside or behind them. I’ve driven in nearly every state in the union and, yes, Utah drivers are, hands down, the worst.

A solution would also require cooperation among competing government agencies. Economic development, population density and environmental preservation are beyond the authority of any one entity, but all negatively impact traffic flow.

This solution is not going to happen, so I suggest you turn east on 3900 South and head home via 700 East. Happy motoring.

KEN UY

Murray

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

THE WATER COOLER

What’s the longest you ever stuck to a New Year’s resolution?

Bill Frost

I resolved never to watch a second of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City over two years ago, and I’m still holding strong.

Bryan Bale

I have a lifelong history of not making any New Year’s resolutions.

Sofia Cifuentes

I don’t make New Year’s resolutions. I make resolutions in general, and I stick to them as much as I can. But I don’t define them by the week, month or year!

Carolyn Campbell

I resolved to give up chocolate, and it lasted until 12:01 a.m.

Scott Renshaw

Last year, I did make a resolution to read more books, and I think that lasted almost through November. Feel pretty solid about that one all the way around.

Eric Granato

I don’t think I have ever fully committed to a New Year’s resolution enough to start the actual resolution.

Jerre Wroble

I quit smoking—not just because it was New Year’s but because I felt deathly ill. I held off smoking for years after that.

“Utah’s

PRIVATE EYE

BY JOHN SALTAS @johnsaltas

Delta Downer

Ican barely believe it’s been a week since returning to Salt Lake City from the Rose Bowl game between the University of Utah and Penn State. Like many or most, our group chose to drive there and back, and we somehow managed to miss the storms passing through central Utah during that journey.

Notably, we only saw one overturned car along the way, certainly some rookie driver who thought that speeding up in that nasty stretch between Scipio and Beaver was a good idea. On the bright side, the car in the upside down was heading north, so it was not driven by a Utah fan.

We’d left for Los Angeles at 5 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 30. Twelve and a half hours later, we were settled into our hotel in Woodland Hills—a nice place to make portage it turns out. Google did us a favor by routing us around LA through the edge of the Mojave Desert.

This is an area of California that doesn’t exist in tourist brochures. It will be too soon before I return to visit Llano, Pearblossom or Littlerock, a trio of towns left best for backdrops to sinister movies.

Woodland Hills was nice, though. The Los Angeles Rams practice nearby, so it was that we ended up seated near former Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford during the Georgia vs. Ohio State game on New Year’s Eve. That seemed like a good omen for Utah. Another was that I’m quite certain Woodland Hills is where University of Utah legend Bryan Borreson is from.

Borreson kicked the winning 41-yard field goal for Utah on Nov. 22, 2003, to secure a 3-0 shutout victory. Not one to rest on those lofty laurels, Borreson and his partners now operate the hotspot Ivy and Varley in downtown Salt Lake City. He’s a good Ute.

Alas, neither of those omens were enough to ward off the bad-luck demons that have affected our quarterback and defensive backs in the past two Rose Bowl games. If Cam Rising had not tweaked his previously injured knee, I believe we’d be celebrating now, not pouting. The only good that came of the ending was that the Penn State fans seemed to be genuinely nice. They also seemed to have mastered far more clever drinking games than are in the arsenal of Utah fans, who mostly default to shooting tequila.

The next day, we began our return to Utah at 4 a.m., missing the LA freeway mosh pit entirely and getting home in barely over 10 hours. Some of our party didn’t drive and flew instead. It was the week of the great Southwest Airlines fiasco, so many of them were scrambling for flights ’till the very last minute to make the game. Others flew Delta. Which begets the question: Why did so many people book Southwest first instead of Delta? After all, Salt Lake City is a Delta hub, the pride and joy of all things Salt Lake City International Airport.

The answer is simple: Despite all the favorable benefits our local governments bequeath to Utah, citizens don’t receive much favor. A Utah fan wanting to fly to the game could save hundreds of dollars by flying Southwest (or other airlines). So, fans bought those tickets up, even those routing through Las Vegas, Phoenix or even Denver, until the last flights available were basically all Delta flights.

And Delta charged like hell for those tickets. It’s what monopolies and companies that say, “Play with me, or I take my planes away,” do.

Or maybe Utahns are just stupid. For example, Atlanta and Minneapolis are also Delta hubs.

For grins, I selected the travel dates of Feb. 10 to Feb. 18 on Expedia.com to see what it would cost me to get to those

two cities from Salt Lake, and also from Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver and Phoenix. In all instances, airlines such as Jet Blue, Spirit, American and United flew to those cities cheaper from Salt Lake City than Delta.

Salt Lake to Minneapolis was showing up at $419 nonstop on Delta. It was $146 from Denver (on Delta), $169 from Los Angeles (on Delta) and $209 from Phoenix (on Delta). Travel to Atlanta was priced similarly.

On a lark, I looked at the price of a ticket from Denver to Chicago on Delta. It was $134. From Salt Lake to Chicago, the flight was $290. But the funny thing is that the $134 Denver flight routed via Salt Lake City! How can it be half the price to travel 30% more distance? Explain that to me like I’m Wilber Wright.

I learned a long time ago never to ask another passenger what they paid for a ticket, lest hard feelings arise. No one pays the same once the algorithms and recognized browsers start doing their gouge-the-customer magic. I really don’t get it. It would be like if you sit in a restaurant at 9 a.m. on Saturday, the biscuits and gravy are $5, but if you come an hour later, they are $7. And don’t even bother to learn what the guy pays for his eggs on a Sunday.

Who else does business like that? Barbers charge the same all day, every day. I get supply and demand. I also get suppressed supply. I guess I’m still mad at Delta for helping to lose my luggage for eight days in the Paris Charles de Gaulle airport this past September. Mad enough that I figured I’d rather drive through two nasty blizzards, the spooky towns of the Great Mojave and the crazy Los Angeles traffic than fly Delta to the Rose Bowl game.

Which is what I’ll do next year, too. Go Utes! CW

Send comments to john@cityweekly.net

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HITS & MISSES

MISS: Street Sweetening

For those trying to navigate Sugar House: Just suck it up and avoid 2100 South to Foothill Boulevard, and all will be well. Plans to improve transit along that corridor have been all over the place since 2010 or earlier, and nothing seems to work. Now, the plan is to address the area from 700 East to 1300 East. The good news is that the cute little streetcar through Sugar House and South Salt Lake has “spurred up to $2B in economic growth,” The Salt Lake Tribune reports. But no, it has done nothing for traffic congestion. And we know how Utahns love—and need—their cars. Plans for the street would eliminate on-street parking and one would add a bike lane and a turn-only lane. In “balmy” Utah, everyone loves to bike—or do they? Or can they? Sidewalks will be widened so you can walk from wherever you park. And businesses generally are concerned about the impacts. People already are avoiding 2100 South. It’s not quite a done deal yet, so try to comment while you can.

HIT: Pearl Clutching

In an increasingly anti-woke world, sometimes a little wokeness is welcome. While some in the GOP use it as an expletive, Fox News has a better definition to live by: “alert to racial or social discrimination and injustice.” So give the St. George City Council points not only for being alert, but for being reasonable. In a 4-1 vote, the council decided to continue sponsoring the Downtown Farmers Market, even though it—wait for it—had a booth featuring a drag Mrs. Claus and elves, The Salt Lake Tribune reports. We’ve seen the fear and indignation around drag events down there, perhaps thinking that they’ll “catch” the drag virus. In fact, opponents want to see anti-vaccination booths if drag booths are OK’d. It’s only fair, right? If they have to be exposed to drag queens, the public should be exposed to their conspiracy theories.

MISS: Don’t Tread on Homes

They call it an inland port extension, and they’re not entirely wrong. The Salt Lake City Planning Commission is getting ready to approve another warehouse district to be built in the Northpoint community. Opponents, including the Stop the Polluting Port coalition, say it will destroy wildlife habitat, pollute the air and displace residents. The plan has been around for awhile, but the recent urgency around the shrinking Great Salt Lake makes it seem not only unwise but outrageous. And, “it’s inhumane that during a housing crisis the city is proposing to make a residential area unlivable,” says Stop the Polluting Port. But humanity is the last issue on the minds of developers who seem to prefer warehouses over open space.

Small Lake City

If you’ve lived in Salt Lake City for a while, you’ve most likely had your fair share of random bumping into acquaintances. Such chance encounters seem so serendipitous that even the cheesiest of rom-coms would find them implausible. These happy happenstances have given rise to the city’s cheeky nickname—“Small Lake City”—a real life version of Cheers, where no matter how improbable, somebody, somewhere always seems to know your name.

My encounters are not so much with people but with places. A photo of some spot in SLC that I post online, regardless of how unusual or secluded I believe it to be, often garners responses by those who know about it. A garden statue on a cul-desac in Capitol Hill? They’ve delivered food there. A mailbox on a side street in Westpointe? That’s their neighbor. The driving course in Highland High’s parking lot near 1700 South and Parleys Canyon Boulevard (photo above)—something that was surprising for me to find—led to a slew of stick-shift-learning stories stretching back decades.

But where most residents associate this feeling of smallness to one of closeness, my interpretation of the phrase has morphed into something different. Through my project of running every street in SLC, I have a newfound appreciation of scale. With each mile I logged on foot, I was reminded that the city itself isn’t what’s small but, rather, we are.

Aerial photography—such as the two photos taken below around Sugar House Park, near 1300 East and 2100 South—reinforces this idea as even large crowds appear tiny when photographed from high above. Throngs of sledders after a recent fresh snowfall (on left) appear like ants on the slick hillside, whereas cars from a low-rider festival this past summer (on right) are more Hot Wheels than hot rods.

Apologies if this column elicits a slight existential crisis, but I’d imagine you’re not the only one in the city feeling that way—Small Lake City strikes again! CW

A driver’s education practice course on the campus of Highland High School in Sugar House.

Drone footage shows sledders and automobile enthusiasts enjoying Sugar House Park.

BRYANT HEATH

Anjelah Johnson-Reyes @ Kingsbury Hall

Celebrity comes in a wide range of forms in the 21st century—and it’s starting to feel like Anjelah Johnson-Reyes has experienced all of them. In the early 2000s, she got her first taste of the spotlight as a member of the Oakland Raiders’ cheerleading squad. Then her 2007 YouTube video “Nail Salon” went viral, leading directly to her stint as a cast member on MADtv and the creation of popular characters like rude fast-food employee Bon Qui Qui. Now, after more than a decade as a comedian and actor, Johnson-Reyes has added “author” to her résumé of fame, thanks to her 2022 memoir Who Do I Think I Am?

Her current tour—while certainly showcasing the funny woman known to so many— also serves as an opportunity to share from that memoir, as Johnson-Reyes reveals stories from her Northern California childhood, navigating her identity in a mixedrace background (Mexican-American and Native American) and as a Christian. As she pursues dreams of performing and a move to Los Angeles, she considers how to navigate the entertainment world while remaining firm in her faith, yet still allowing for an evolution in understanding that faith. The result is clean comedy that retains a bit of an edge, all in a voice that’s distinctive and personal.

Anjelah Johnson-Reyes appears at Kingsbury Hall (1395 E. Presidents Circle) on Friday, Jan. 13 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets begin at $48.50, with upgraded VIP packages available including signed copy of Who Do I Think I Am?, premium seating and backstage meet-and-greet. Visit kingsburyhall.org for tickets and additional event information. (Scott Renshaw)

The Second City Swipes Right @ Park City Eccles Center

The so-called “Incomplete Guide to the Ultimate Date Night” offers an education course everyone needs. After all, dating can be a tricky business. We’re on best behavior even if the ultimate goal is A) make the connection that will last a lifetime, B) get the other person into the sack or C) both. It often comes down to maneuvering, diplomacy, bravado and bragging, with a bit of nerve and naughtiness to boot.

So leave it to this national-tour offshoot of that legendary comedy troupe, Second City—launching pad for the some of the most legendary comedians of all time (including John Belushi, Gilda Radner, Bill Murray, Dan Akyroyd, Chris Farley, Stephen Colbert, Tina Fey and Steve Carell)—to skewer that turgid, tumultuous, tempestuous experience and provide an irreverent assault on everything we think we know about dating, courtship, romance and the superficial skills this ritual requires. A combination of sketch comedy and off-the-wall improvisation, it’s a free-for-all as far as cynicism and sarcasm, forcing you and your date/mate to tear down your defenses and come clean about what you want from your night out—truthfully, if not necessarily tactfully. Warning: What you find funny may not necessarily strike your partner the same way. You may need to come clean, even if that means getting a little bit dirty in the process.

The Second City Swipes Right take the stage at Park City’s Eccles Center (1750 Kearns Boulevard) at 7:30 pm on Friday, Jan. 13. Tickets cost $17.25 (seniors)$68.50. Go to parkcityinstitute.org for tickets and additional information. (Lee Zimmerman)

Kevin Nealon @ Wiseguys Gateway

Actor, comedian and author Kevin Nealon first came to fame as a member of the cast of Saturday Night Live from 1986 - 1995, earning him an Emmy as part of the show’s writing ensemble before going on to win further acclaim for his role in Showtime’s Golden Globe- and SAG-nominated series Weeds. His success continued courtesy of the parts he played on Monk, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Larry Sanders Show, Still Standing and, most recently, the CBS sitcom Man With A Plan. He scored with films as well, thanks to Anger Management, The Wedding Singer, Happy Gilmore, You Don’t Mess with the Zohan and more. In addition to several Showtime specials, he’s ventured further afield, courtesy of his self-produced web series Hiking with Kevin, in which he interviews celebrity friends in the great outdoors.

Yet while many still remember him as the anchor on SNL’s “Weekend Update,” politically incorrect private investigator Frank Gannon, the overtly odd Mr. Subliminal and, of course, half the faux fitness duo Hans and Franz (who were always determined to “pump [clap] you up”), Nealon retains a somewhat unassuming persona. A contributor to many animal and wildlife causes, he was recently awarded a Doctorate of Humane Letters by his alma mater, Sacred Heart University. That makes him a true wise guy in both deed and demeanor.

Kevin Nealon performs at Wiseguys Gateway (194 S. 400 West), at 7 pm and 9:30 pm on Friday, Jan. 13 and Saturday, Jan. 14. (Note: Both 7 p.m. shows are sold out as of press time.) Tickets cost $30; visit wiseguyscomedy.com for tickets and additional information. (LZ)

(Re-)Enter, Stage Right

BY SCOTT RENSHAW scottr@cityweekly.net @scottrenshaw

In 2020 and 2021, many performing arts companies dealt with the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic by shifting their presentation model to include recorded components. In 2023, Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company is showing how those times have changed—and changed the approaches of creative artists.

Included among the three performances that make up RWDC’s 90-minute Here Today program are two pieces with a lineage that includes dance films created to address health and safety concerns during the height of the pandemic. Rites: Come As You Are by choreographer Charles O. Anderson premiered as a dance film for Ririe-Woodbury in 2021, and is now being re-imagined for a stage presentation. Long View, by choreographer Molly Heller, is inspired by the 2020 multimedia work Full View, the filmed version of which will serve as the “prologue” before Here Today performances.

According to RWDC artistic director Daniel Charon, “When we were making work for the screen, it was a way to think of creative ways to move forward. Moving back to the stage, for me as a choreographer, it’s a sense of relief and coming home. It is a positive re-discovering of a process.”

For Heller, the choreographer of Long View and Full View, there’s a bit of bringing the piece full circle involved. When she was originally commissioned to create the work that became Full View, it was before COVID, and not originally conceived as a recorded project, involving dancers from Ririe-Woodbury and from The Heartland Project. “Over the course of nine months, it adapted and adapted until it became a film,” Heller says. “What you see in the film is 11 solos … so that was very much a by-product of isolation; all I could do was film solos. Two people couldn’t even be in the same room.”

Still, when Charon invited Heller back to re-stage Full View as a live performance piece, she had a different idea in mind than simply taking Full View and putting it on a stage. “When I thought about it, I really loved a lot of the visual elements [from Full View], but I didn’t want to repeat what it represented, which was peering into isolation,” Heller says. “It didn’t really feel reflective, two years later, of where we are. … I didn’t feel drawn to re-creating solos, when that was something that was needed at that time. Daniel was open to me making a new work that had an inspiration from Full View.”

The result is Long View, which is not so much a re-staging as what Heller thinks of as a “chapter two” or the “sister” of Full View. Indeed, Heller notes that Long View doesn’t even really represent any more the live-performance ideas she originally had, when Full View was originally conceived pre-COVID. “What I might have dreamed then isn’t showing up now,” she says.

In part, the need to re-think Full View was a function not just of a different time, but of different creative partners involved. Of the six Ririe-Woodbury dancers participating for Long View, only two partici-

pated in Full View, making the work fundamentally different. “So in a sense, it could never be the same,” Heller says. “I’m very much about who I’m working with in the room. I didn’t want to think about recreating something. There were so many collaborators [for Full View], and I wanted to honor that.”

Heller also acknowledges that being forced to create a virtual work resulted in a positive appreciation for the work of collaborators, in flexing some new creative muscles, and in being forced to think consciously about what presentation is best for any given idea. “I learned a ton about my ways of working, and I want to carry that forward,” she says. “Now, I think, ‘What does the work require? What does it need from me?’ Sometimes it benefits from a multimedia presentation, and maybe it doesn’t. So I get at the core of what it means to me, and decide what that means.”

For Long View, what that means is employing a wider range of the theater space available to her—including locations like

the loading dock. These kinds of experimentation are part of what Charon sees as the excitement of creators coming back to live performance spaces after a time away, and appreciating the unique opportunities those spaces afford them.

“Molly is really utilizing the theater space in a unique way, accessing spaces … that wouldn’t typically be used,” Charon says. “Raja [Feather Kelly, whose Scenes for an Ending fills out the program] has fluorescent lighting on the floor. So I see this excitement in returning to these theatrical elements. Our shows are either really complicated technically, or they feel complicated, because we’re getting our feet back under us.” CW

RIRIE-WOODBURY DANCE COMPANY: HERE TODAY

Rose Wagner Center Jeanné Wagner Theater 138 W. 300 South Jan. 12 – 14 7:30 p.m. $15 - $35 arttix.org

Ririe-Woodbury’s Here Today includes a legacy of its COVID time away from live performance.

A scene from Molly Heller’s 2020 multimedia piece Full View

LISTEN UP LISTEN UP

Some of the best ideas for Utah are coming from outside the House (and Senate).

Change is in the air, everywhere—it seems—but at the Utah Legislature.

In Salt Lake City and its environs, thirsty lawns are being replaced with water-wise landscaping; multi-acre McMansions are making way for apartments, condominiums and townhomes; e-bike sales are surging; green power is proliferating; and citizens are increasingly mobilizing to push action on issues from health care reform to economic modernization to the preservation of democracy itself.

How about on Capitol Hill? Only time will tell, but the annual 45-day legislative session that begins next week looks to be more of the same old thing, with lawmakers’ priorities so repetitive, a robot could write the preview article for City Weekly. (No really, we had a robot do it! See page 21.)

In recent years, the voting population made its wishes known on Medicaid expansion, medical marijuana and political redistricting—plus fairly definitive shows of op-

position to food taxes and support for liquor deregulation. The Legislature’s Republican supermajority dismissed all of the above, preferring to engage in snipe hunts on critical race theory, transgender athletes and ballot fraud, things that exist only in isolated, anecdotal incidents and the fever dreams of far-right conservatives.

On one hand, Utah’s population is concentrated in urban and suburban areas along the Wasatch Front. On the other, lawmakers adopted a partisan gerrymander that intentionally dilutes urban political power and that succeeded in making the Utah House a deeper shade of red, with an expanded membership in the unofficial “Crazies Caucus” (they know who they are).

On one hand, legislative leadership used its muscle last year to fund restorative efforts at the Great Salt Lake and to take critical steps toward water efficiency. On the other, those efforts were much too little and far too late, maintaining outsize leniency for agricultural

and industrial uses.

On one hand, cities are experimenting with road diets, paved trails and high-frequency transit connections. On the other, the Utah Department of Transportation is sharpening its knives to cut a bigger freeway through west-side neighborhoods and to effectively extend the private ski lifts at Alta and Snowbird to a massive car-parking structure, to be built at the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon, at taxpayer expense.

In the following pages, you’ll find an overview of the debates to come, as well as examples of regular Utahns who see the writing on the wall and are pushing broader conversations around transportation and environmental policy that get louder with each new participant. Who knows, maybe if Utahns get loud enough—about what they really want, about what actually works—their ostensible representatives might just one day hear them up on the north end of Main Street.

—Benjamin Wood, City Weekly news editor

WS

Future Tense

Young climate activists are at the Utah Capitol, whether lawmakers see them or not.

BY KATHARINE BIELE comments@cityweekly.net

Every Friday, every week, for the past three years, young climate activists have staged a silent protest in front of the Utah State Capitol. No matter the weather, they are t here—on the off chance that someone in power might take notice.

They never do.

In 2018, Raquel Juarez heard about a growing climate movement that started around the work of Greta Thunberg. Holding a “school strike for climate” sign, Thunberg began weekly sit-ins outside Stockholm’s Parliament House. She was just one kid, but by the next year, 25,000 people had turned out to chant and hear Thunberg’s message.

That was the beginning of Fridays for the Future, a global movement in which students skipped school on Fridays to demand climate action, including Juarez, who at the time was attending Ben Lomond High School in Ogden. But after a strong start, Juarez said the energy dwindled.

“I was kind of confused,” she said. “I kept striking weekly and during the last seven weeks of high school, it was only me.”

But slowly, people started to join in again. Then came a big, global demonstration in 2019. Locally, major organizations like the Sierra Club and the Southern Utah Wilderness Society participated, part of the roughly 2,000 people who marched to the Utah Capitol.

The so-called “Extinction Rebellion”—or XR—was a thing, particularly for young people. It still is. But lawmakers seem to have forgotten it or ignored it. Started in London, XR was a cry of desperation, taking a page from other grassroots movements like Occupy, the suffragettes and even the civil rights movement.

“While we were taking the reins in organizing climate strikes, we had less and less help from other organizations. It was mostly the youth,” Juarez said.

In 2020, Ava Curtis and Melanie Van Hook joined the movement. Curtis, now

at the University of Utah, was attending Taylorsville High when she was asked to set up a booth urging Granite School District to convert to clean energy. She never looked back. Van Hook, now at West High School, was in 8th grade at Salt Lake Arts Academy when she began striking every week.

While the weekly demonstrations were composed entirely of youth during 2020, the number of participants was growing. Then COVID hit. But teenagers are not easily thwarted.

“I got in contact with Raquel, then we got Instagram,” Van Hook says.

By maintaining a presence at the Capitol, people began to notice. The Sierra Club helped organize and social media played a big hand in getting the message out to what Juarez now calls a “leaderless movement” that has taken on a life of its own. “There are so many moving parts,” Juarez said.

Curtis said consistently showing up each week makes the urgency of climate activism visible for both lawmakers and the general public.

“This is an issue on the front of everyone’s mind, and it’s something young people really do care about,” Curtis said.

But do legislators see them—or do they care? Juarez says she can’t remember any elected officials talking to them, although former Democratic Rep. Patrice Arent says she did stop by. “Maybe I didn’t introduce myself as a legislator,” Arent said.

Arent was one of the few legislators who consistently focused on clean air and the environment. While public health is among the top concerns of Utahns, it doesn’t often make the list of priorities for lawmakers.

“The Legislature is dominated by

people from rural areas who really don’t care about urban air pollution,” says Brian Moench, M.D., of Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment (UPHE). “They have a conservative ideological aspect and a baseline skepticism of various things that scientists have long established.”

The skepticism over climate change is baked into Utah, where Republicans have a vice grip on policy. Climate change is among the most partisan issues in the United States, reports the data-driven organization Fivethirtyeight: “Those on the left care a great deal about climate change, while those on the right are more likely to identify immigration and border security as an important issue.”

Better late than never, the fate of the Great Salt Lake may now be grabbing lawmakers’ attention. Like everyone else, they are seeing reservoirs drying up and how Utah’s fondness for fossil fuels has shrunk the lake to a third of the size it once was.

“There are various environmental issues about the disappearing Great Salt Lake that are getting more traction because they can see [it] with t heir own eyes,” Moench said.

In a prepared statement, Utah House Speaker Brad Wilson, R-Kaysville, said that remarkable things happen when the people of Utah come together. And doing so, he said, is the foundation of the so-called “Utah Way.”

“This session, we will look to enact policies that address Utah’s most pressing issues—from safeguarding our natural resources, to keeping Utah affordable, to investing in our future.”

That aridification is a looming health disaster is obvious, but legislators may get serious now as the lake’s

environmental fate is becoming an economic and financial catastrophe. Gov. Spencer Cox has taken a band-aid approach to the lake, although he sees it as a dire issue. He suspended new water appropriations for the Great Salt Lake Basin and, of course, encourages conservation (and prayer).

The Legislature, on the other hand, has funded conservation efforts, but often with an eye to their own interests. Former Rep. Joel Ferry—now executive director of the Department of Natural Resources—added a provision to legislation for holders of water rights, like him and his wheat farm, to lease water for up to 10 years without losing their rights, according to the Deseret News.

Then there was what Wilson has called a “pipe dream:” the notion of building a saltwater pipeline from the Pacific Ocean to the Great Salt Lake— at a cost of maybe $100 billion.

“We look forward to debating and crafting policies that will ensure our state continues to be the best place to live, work, learn and play—not only now, but for generations to come,” Wilson said.

But beyond conservation and some updates to water infrastructure, there doesn’t seem to be much of an appetite to call out broader climate changeaccelerating behavior, or to address its long-term consequences … yet.

“They may start to pay more attention if frequent dust storms start blowing over the Wasatch Front, if real estate values fall, if in-migration and overall growth suffer and we can’t attract good workers,” Moench says.

A nd let’s not forget the Utah inland port and the air pollution it promises for the valley. UPHE recently financed

Students and climate activists participate in a weekly climate strike outside the Utah State Capitol.

COURTESY PHOTO

I Am a Robot

An artificially intelligent primer on the 2023 legislative session

BY CHATGPT | comments@cityweekly.net

a report evaluating the commercial potential of the port’s transloading facility.

“We totally dismantled the whole economic viability—the heart of the port,” Moench said. “But they’re still trying to resurrect some economic nirvana they tried to sell someone on several years ago.”

And in May 2022, UPHE released a stunning report on the health consequences of air pollution, one of many such papers from around the world that found virtually every type of lung disease is caused or made worse by bad air, and that polluted areas correspond with higher rates of breast, lung, prostate, cervical, brain and stomach cancers, as well as childhood leukemia.

The report also noted that even the lowest measurable exposure to pollution corresponds to an increase in mortality.

“[Air pollution] has detrimental effects in concentrations even well below t he EPA’s national standards,” the report states. “In other words, in the same way there is no safe number of cigarettes a person can smoke, there is no safe level of air pollution a person can breathe.”

Regardless of what specific disease air pollution may cause, the common denominator is inflammation, which is like “tissue barbecuing,” Moench said.

Some life stages have more of an impact. A pregnant mother’s placenta will suck up pollutants and transfer them to the fetus. “It’s not much of a leap that everybody’s health is affected,” Moench said. “We only get one shot at normal brain development”

Thunberg was warning the world—a world that wouldn’t listen. In her famous speech at the 2018 United Nations Climate Action Summit, she said that younger generations see the betrayal of their government leaders. “We are in the beginning of a mass extinction, and all you can

talk about is money and fairytales of eternal economic growth. How dare you!”

Juarez heard that call, but she was a kid, and her father was less than enthusiastic. He didn’t want her missing school and told her not to go protest.

“I went anyway,” she said. “He became more supportive when I kept up my grades. It just sounded odd to him, like, why should I be missing school?”

Juarez is 21 now and studying political science. She said the issue of climate change is highly political, and that it’s important to understand how and why the people in positions of power make the decisions that they do.

“There’s so much misinformation out there, and so much to learn,” she said. “It will equip me to be a person who can lobby. I mean, why not me? People don’t generally grow up to be politicians.”

Maybe not generally, but some do. This year, Maxwell Alejandro Frost became the first member of Generation Z to be elected to Congress, at age 25. He won in his Florida district after running on two issues— g un violence and climate change.

Curtis just entered the University of Utah in environmental sustainability studies, with an eye to nonprofit work. “When you get hundreds of young people together chanting and singing, you know this is important,” she said.

She, Van Hook and Juarez are just three of the countless youths nationwide who have been drawn together through Instagram and a powerful network of activists. They are part of a long line of climate activists who are likely to be at the Capitol every Friday—every single Friday—waiting for the older generations to pay attention and act.

“It’s not going to be possible without coordinated efforts with the younger and older generations,” Juarez said. CW

As the Utah Legislature begins its annual session, it’s clear that there are many pressing issues on the state’s political agenda. From education and health care to the economy and the environment, lawmakers will be tasked with tackling a wide range of complex and often controversial topics.

One of the most talked-about issues this year is the ongoing debate over Medicaid expansion. For years, Utah has resisted calls to expand Medicaid coverage to low-income residents, citing concerns about the cost and potential impacts on the state budget. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic highlighting the importance of accessible health care, many lawmakers and advocacy groups are pushing for change.

Another major issue on the legislative agenda is education. Utah consistently ranks near the bottom in terms of perpupil spending, and many educators and parents are calling for increased funding to improve schools and provide students with the resources they need to succeed.

The environment is also expected to be a key topic of discussion, with lawmakers considering measures to address climate change and protect the state’s natural resources. This could include legislation to promote renewable energy sources and reduce carbon emissions, as well as efforts to protect Utah’s iconic public lands.

Of course, no legislative session would be complete without a few controversial issues. This year, there are several bills on the docket that have sparked heated debate, including measures related to gun control, abortion and LGBTQ rights.

Ultimately, the decisions made by the Utah Legislature will have far-reaching implications for the state and its resi-

dents. As the session progresses, it will be important for Utahns to stay informed and engaged in the political process, and to make their voices heard on the issues that matter most to them.

As Salt Lake City continues to grow and develop, one question that often comes up is how to address the city’s transportation needs. One solution that has been proposed is expanding the city’s freeways, with the idea being that by adding more lanes, we can alleviate congestion and improve mobility.

However, this approach is not without its critics. Many transportation experts argue that building more freeways can actually create more problems than it solves. This phenomenon, known as “induced demand,” occurs when the construction of new roadways leads to an increase in the number of cars on the road, ultimately negating any improvements in traffic flow.

So what can be done to address this issue? One solution is to focus on alternative modes of transportation, such as public transit, biking and walking. By providing people with options for getting around, we can reduce the number of cars on the road and ease congestion.

Additionally, cities can implement strategies like congestion pricing, which charges a fee for driving on heavily trafficked roads during peak hours. This can discourage people from driving during peak times and encourage them to use alternative modes of transportation.

It’s clear that addressing congestion and improving mobility is a complex issue, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. However, by considering a range of options and approaches, we can work towards a transportation system that meets the needs of our growing city. CW

We asked the groundbreaking chatbot ChatGPT for a 500-word preview of the upcoming Utah legislative session. It delivered the following report, on deadline, with almost no editing required. Watch out, humans!—Benjamin Wood, news editor

Brian Moench, M.D., of Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment

COURTESY

PHOTO DREAMSTIME

S

Grande Slam

BY BENJAMIN WOOD bwood@cityweekly.net

When Christian Lenhart’s family visited Salt Lake City from out of state last month, he planned an evening of riding Trax through downtown to see the Christmas lights and decorations.

But because of the limitations of Utah’s transit services, Lenhart’s family first drove to and parked at Salt Lake Central Station. When they arrived, they found a crowd of people who had missed their connection with Frontrunner.

“There was nothing for them— Frontrunner runs every hour,” Lenhart said. “So there were a bunch of people standing out in the cold, in the snow, in the wind.”

He said his mother was upset by the predicament of her fellow travelers, nearly offering to drive them to Provo herself. But arriving Trax trains just delivered more and more people to the spartan slab of exposed concrete in a derelict corner of town that serves as Salt Lake’s primary train station.

“There is that sense of outrage that our city is really presenting itself very poorly if you come here by transit,” Lenhart said. “It’s just jarring that we have such high transit ridership but such a terrible Central Station that does not do our city any favors.”

The experience was the latest in a long line of frustrations that in 2020 prompted Lenhart, an engineer, to dream up what a proper SLC train station could be. And after studying successful rail rehabilitation projects around the country, he prepared a 60-page draft proposal calling for a so-called “train box” along 500 West that would move freight and passenger lines underground and reactivate the historic Rio Grande Depot as a bonafide transportation hub.

“The more I thought about it and looked at the grades going into the structure and going out, and how much land would actually be opened up and the way you could reduce the freeway impacts downtown, it started to seem so obvious that yes, this is the right thing to do,” he said.

Lenhart posted his idea to a message board for urban planning enthusiasts, where it caught the eye Cameron Blakely, a designer. They teamed up— with Lenhart providing the engineering technicality and Blakely the visual renderings—resulting in a slick, thorough concept known as the Rio Grande Plan that is increasingly gaining steam among local residents, advocates and even city officials.

“It was fun taking his initial idea and the engineering side of it, and then laying on additional layers and how it starts to look in real life,” Blakely said.

Under the Rio Grande Plan, much of the hostile infrastructure dividing the east and west sides of the city could be eliminated between North Temple and 900 South. That land could then be redeveloped, creating new opportunities for affordable housing and greenspace, adding to the growth of the Granary District, rejuvenating the area around The Gateway and Pioneer Park and likely recouping the cost of the project within a few years through taxes, development fees and economic impact.

Then there’s the effect on transit itself, which could be rendered leagues more welcoming to riders by placing an attractive urban train station within comfortable walking distance of destinations like Vivint Arena and the Downtown Farmers Market, and allowing for better TRAX connections into the city (ironically, the currentlyclosed Rio Grande is an impediment

to efficient transit, requiring trains to take a meandering 180-degree curve out and around the historic station).

If it all sounds too good to be true— it really isn’t. Train boxes in Reno, Nevada, and Alameda, California, are larger than what the Rio Grande Plan calls for. Denver, Colorado, completed a similar project restoring its Union Station, which has reshaped the downtown experience of that city.

“$500 million in public investment at Union Station has transformed what was once a decommissioned rail yard into a vibrant, mixed-use area, with more than $3.5 billion in private development projects in the surrounding area as well as more than $2 billion in economic impact annually,” Denver’s Regional Transportation District (RTD) states on its website.

Lenhart said the Rio Grande Plan involves more complexity than Denver’s Union Station project, meaning its cost and construction timeline can offer only a rough approximation of what Utah would be facing. But he added that Salt Lake City has advantages that Denver, Reno and others did not, namely an ultra-wide street grid and the fact that 500 West functioned for decades as a rail corridor. And because the Rio Grande Plan bypasses the existing lines, the bulk of construction could be achieved without disruption to rail services.

“We’re not squeezing something in like a foot that’s too big for the shoe,” Lenhart said. “The infrastructure was

built around the tracks, and it still fits, there’s been little modification to it.”

None of the above is to suggest the Rio Grande Plan would be easy. Rail projects are a jurisdictional quagmire, requiring the coordination of the city, state and potentially federal governments, as well as private freight operators like Union Pacific. There’s also the political reality that Utah does not value transit, with current facilities reflective of the state’s bare-minimum approach and with transportation officials overtly prioritizing highways—even at the expense of existing neighborhoods—with only incremental improvements to the passenger rail network since it was first built in the lead-up to the 2002 Olympic Winter Games.

The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) is in the early stages of an Interstate 15 expansion through Salt Lake and Davis Counties, estimated at $1.6 billion. In December, Gov. Spencer Cox said that while he hopes displacement can be minimized, some expansion is required. At a similar press conference in October, Cox said he was unfamiliar with the Rio Grande Plan.

“If we do have to move some of those families, they will be very well compensated for that,” Cox said. “We try to avoid that at any cost.”

In a statement, Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, said traffic planning is a key issue for Utah, one of the nation’s fastest-growing states.

“Keeping Utah’s high quality of life

Two Salt Lakers have a next-generation plan for transit that, just maybe, could save downtown.

CREDIT

An architectural rendering of the fully built Rio Grande Plan shows a bustling mixed-use neighborhood surrounding a modernized transit hub on 500 West, with inviting connections into the broader city.

COURTESY PHOTO

“There is that sense of outrage that our city is really presenting itself very poorly if you come here by transit.”—Christian Lenhart

Christian Lenhart

includes ensuring commute times are as short as possible for hard-working Utahns,” he said.

Over the past year, Lenhart and Blakely have focused on meeting with local officials and stakeholder groups. And while the Salt Lake City Council hasn’t formally supported the plan, the city has twice applied for grant funding to study the proposal, most recently in a “Reconnecting Communities” application that would explore various ways to mitigate the division between the city’s east and west sides. Without buy-in at the local level, Lenhart said, there would be little point pushing the issue up to the state.

A spokesman for the Utah Transit Authority said he was familiar with the proposal but not authorized to comment on it. UDOT representatives did not respond to requests for comment.

Salt Lake City Transportation director Jon Larsen said there are serious technical challenges that would need to be worked out with Union Pacific. But, he added, the Rio Grande Plan is among the proposals being “thoroughly” explored by planners.

“If we could pull it off, it would be an amazing benefit for the city in terms of healing the east/west divide and unlocking the potential of that area,” Larsen said.

But as lawmakers convene this month, the idea may have gained enough momentum to jump the tracks, so to speak. And rather than being mutually exclusive, both Lenhart and Blakely said the Rio Grande Plan could work hand-in-glove with UDOT’s I-15 project to achieve a more holistic solution that positions Utah for the

future, improving mobility without the need for bulldozing homes.

“I really thought we were done with this in Salt Lake, as far as taking neighborhoods and paving them over. People are rightly outraged about that,” Lenhart said.

“The best way you can build back some public rapport is to spend some money on planning for transit—at least planning.”

Lenhart and Blakely said they’ve sent informational materials to members of the state’s committees over infrastructure and economic development. And the duo are hosting a public open house at the Main Library on Jan. 26, where they hope to connect both residents and decision makers with transit and urban planning experts.

“One thing the Rio Grande Plan does offer is a high-capacity central station that could accommodate not only the existing transit lines but also future expansions and future lines,” Blakely said. “If UDOT were to ever consider—as an alternative to expanding I-15—maybe a light rail line up into Davis County, or expanded service on Frontrunner, the Rio Grande would be in a position to handle those new transit lines.”

In the meantime, the word-of-mouth campaign continues, gaining allies and advocates with each new introduction.

“The plan is extremely grounded in what it’s trying to do. It doesn’t involve anything new, everything is based on what other cities have done,” Lenhart said. “It’s got legs because people who hear it, they understand how real it could be, and it goes from one person to the next person.” CW

What’s

Sen. Wayne Harper, R-Taylorsville—35

Rep. Ken Ivory, R-West Jordan—35

Sen. Lincoln Fillmore, R-South Jordan—30

Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross—30

Rep. Jordan Teuscher, R-South Jordan—28

Sen. Dan McCay, R-Riverton—28

Sen. Jake Anderegg, R-Lehi—26

Rep. Casey Snider, R-Paradise—25

Rep. Ryan Wilcox, R-Ogden—23

Sen. Mike McKell, R-Spanish Fork—22 Rep. Kera Birkeland, R-Morgan—22

Curt Bramble, R-Provo—21

Good Morning, 2023!

A list of breakfast spots to get your year off to a good start.

BY ALEX SPRINGER comments@cityweekly.net @captainspringer

Ah, January. The misty-eyed herald of a brand-new year. If there was ever a month that felt like that long, gloomy stretch of morning before the dawn breaks, it’s January.

Being that I am not a morning person by any stretch, this entire month is pretty miserable to navigate. Which is why during this bleak morning of the year 2023, my thoughts have turned to breakfast. It’s really the only positive thing that morning has to offer—there are achingly few things that slice through the pre-dawn doldrums like a sweet and savory breakfast menu.

As January is little more than one long and ominous morning, here is a quick arsenal of breakfast menus that will sustain you until the springtime dawn.

Central 9th Market

161 W. 900 South, 385-332-3240, central9th.com

While I am fond of calling most of my dining excursions “research,” there are times when I am just looking for a bite to eat like a normal human. On one such occasion, I was in the Central Ninth neighborhood looking to rustle up some breakfast. I popped into Central 9th Market since I knew they whipped up a mean focaccia but was derailed in my quest when I saw a breakfast sandwich ($10) on the menu.

I was hungry enough for an entire sandwich adventure, so I ordered it on up. I took it with me and ate it on the way to the Trax station and had to stop numerous times to consider the majesty that I held in my hands. The over-hard fried egg, the grilled ham, the melty cheese and the spicy mayo just collided on my tongue, and I was taken aback at how positively fresh everything tasted.

When you order pre-made food at a market, it’s rare for it to taste “market fresh,” but the team at Central 9th Market is making it happen on the regular.

The Other Place Restaurant

469 E. 300 West, 801-521-6567, theotherplacerestaruant.com

Whether you’re going for breakfast, lunch or dinner, The Other Place Restaurant has been a long-time purveyor of all things comfort food. It’s a great place to get a traditional bacon-and-eggs breakfast, but nothing quite snaps you out of your morning funk like the Gyro Omelet ($10.95).

It’s everything you love about omelets

combined with everything you love about gyros, and it’s a magical blend. The pungent sliced onion and spicy peppers help zap your senses to attention while that perfect gyro meat and buttery feta cheese meld with the omelet’s classic, comforting flavor.

The Athenian ($10.95) is another solid bet—especially if you drank too much the night before. The onions and peppers are still there, but the gyro meat gets swapped for the breakfast trinity of sausage, bacon and ham. Whether you’re after a breakfast that is low-key and traditional or packed with firecracker flavors, The Other Place is your place.

Vertical Diner

234 W. 900 South, 801-484-8378, verticaldiner.com

No breakfast roundup is complete without a trip to Vertical Diner, Central Ninth’s most venerated plant-based eatery. Like most places on this list, Vertical Diner doesn’t just excel at breakfast time, but it’s always been a breakfast spot in my mind. Perhaps this is because of their famous Dude Cakes ($13), a bolt of culinary inspiration that has made Vertical Diner worthy of my utmost admiration.

If you’ve been to Vertical Diner, you know what I’m talking about, but if you haven’t—you are in for a treat. You get two pancakes, plant-based sausage, grilled peppers, onions, mushrooms and fries, all topped with a rich brown gravy.

It’s one of those menu classics that stands proudly in a league of its own.

I’m also a fan of their breakfast burrito ($13), largely because the tofu scramble is especially delicious when smothered in red sauce and plant-based cheese sauce. It’s also a monster that can contend with any breakfast burrito on the block. Like the entirety of Vertical Diner’s menu, don’t underestimate it just because it’s plant-based.

Beaumont Bakery & Café

3979 Wasatch Boulevard,801-676-9340, beaumont.cafe

Breakfast is a vibe to be sure, and the team at Beaumont Bakery & Café have managed to bottle up that vibe and painted their walls with it. When you enter this place in the morning and the smell of fresh coffee, toasted sugar and buttery croissants hits your nose, you know you have set food somewhere special.

I like everything on Beaumont’s menu, but this is the place I go when I want to eat dessert for breakfast but still call it breakfast. Likeminded diners can check out the croissant loaf French toast ($12.95), which is even better than it sounds. Paired with a cup of buttermilk bourbon syrup and some bruleed bananas, and you’ve got a meal that will turn the most dismal winter morning into something to sing about. While you’re there, you can grab a of their famous cruffins for when the sugar rush wears off. CW

2 Row Brewing 6856 S. 300 West, Midvale

2RowBrewing.com

Avenues Proper 376 8th Ave, SLC avenuesproper.com

On Tap: Proper Beer - English Golden Ale

Bewilder Brewing 445 S. 400 West, SLC BewilderBrewing.com

On Tap: Gluten Reduced Kolsch

Bohemian Brewery 94 E. Fort Union Blvd, Midvale BohemianBrewery.com

Bonneville Brewery 1641 N. Main, Tooele BonnevilleBrewery.com

On Tap: Peaches and Cream Ale

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

On Tap: Salted Caramel Porter

Desert Edge Brewery 273 Trolley Square, SLC DesertEdgeBrewery.com

On Tap: Out of Office Pale Ale

Epic Brewing Co. 825 S. State, SLC EpicBrewing.com

On Tap: Orange Stick Imperial Stout

Fisher Brewing Co. 320 W. 800 South, SLC FisherBeer.com

On Tap: Fisher Beer

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

On Tap: Extra Pale Ale

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

On Tap: Beehive Brown

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

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

LevelCrossingBrewing.com

On Tap: Vienna-Style Lager, it’s back! Bingo: Tuesdays at 7pm!

Moab Brewing 686 S. Main, Moab TheMoabBrewery.com

On Tap: Squeaky Bike Nut Brown

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

On Tap: Wet Hopped Cider

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

Ogden River Brewing 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/

Proper Brewing 857 S. Main, SLC ProperBrewingCo.com

On Tap: Hop Blooded - Belgianstyle Hoppy Red Ale

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

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

Red Rock Kimball Junction Redrockbrewing.com 1640 Redstone Center On Tap: Bamberg Rauch Bier

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

this week

RoHa Brewing Project 30 Kensington Ave, SLC

RoHaBrewing.com

On Tap: Rum Barrel Aged Porter

Roosters Brewing

Multiple Locations

RoostersBrewingCo.com

On Tap: Cosmic Autumn Rebellion

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

On Tap: Winter Sessions IPL

Salt Flats Brewing 2020 Industrial Circle, SLC SaltFlatsBeer.com

On Tap: 2 Hop 2 FuriousDouble Hopped Belgian Pale

Scion Cider Bar 916 Jefferson St W, SLC Scionciderbar.com On Tap: ANXO Hereford Gold 6.9% ABV

Shades Brewing 154 W. Utopia Ave, South Salt Lake ShadesBrewing.beer On Tap: Prickly Pear Sour Ale

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

Squatters 147 W. Broadway, SLC Squatters.com

Strap Tank Brewery

Multiple Locations StrapTankBrewery.com Springville On Tap: PB Rider, Peanut Butter Stout Lehi On Tap: 2-Stroke, Vanilla Mocha Porter

Stratford Proper 1588 Stratford Ave., SLC stratfordproper.com On Tap: Lake Effect Gose

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

On Tap: Edel Pils

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

On Tap: Udder ChaosChocolate Milk Stout on Nitro

Uinta Brewing 1722 S. Fremont Drive, SLC UintaBrewing.com On Tap: Was Angeles Craft Beer

UTOG 2331 Grant Ave, Ogden UTOGBrewing.com

On Tap: Lovely Lady Nitro Stout

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

Wasatch 2110 S. Highland Drive, SLC WasatchBeers.com

Zion Brewery 95 Zion Park Blvd, Springdale ZionBrewery.com

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

OPENING SOON!

Helper Beer 159 N Main Street Helper, UT 84526

Apex Brewing 2285 S Main Street Salt Lake City, UT 84115

Flat-Out Fantastic

A new direction at Salt Flats Brewing

BY MIKE RIEDEL comments@cityweekly.net @utahbeer

Understanding Utah’s beer market is critical to a brewery’s success. Luckily, Salt Flats Brewing knows this, and has brought on long-time Uinta brewer Eric Beaner to be their new head brewer. Beaner’s experience in this market covers decades, and you can taste all his experience and knowledge in the new and existing beers being poured now at Salt Flats. The changes are subtle, but I think you’ll find them most welcome.

Salt Flats - 2 Hops 2 Furious: This Belgian-style pale pours a cloudy, dingy golden-orange topped with an impressive white head; great retention leaves huge bits of thick, webby lacing that lasts, as well as a thick, frothy cap persisting through the finish. Aromas of bitter and complex fruity esters of peach, mango, berries and orange dominate, with underlying notes of funky yeast adding extra depth.

The taste shows a dense herbal bitterness tempered by fruity esters again coming through as a balancing factor (this time, I’m getting mainly peach and mango). This balance sees the bitterness toned down enough to reveal a brighter tone of fruit along with a funky yeast character that really smooths the finish. Mouthfeel reveals mildly stiff bitterness upfront, but stays relatively clean, as the bitterness sits perfectly well in its more passive role. A medium-light body includes balanced carbonation, and a very crisp, dry, and refreshing finish.

Verdict: The hops lend a traditional Euro flair to the beer, giving it authentic flavor. As a whole, it’s deep in character, dry and very refreshing. The yeast is from an Orval strain that is not overly phenolic, and keeps this pale from becoming too saison-like.

Salt Flats - Flux Capacitor: This single-hop pale ale features Nelson Savin hops.

It pours a hazy pale orange with a white half-finger-thick head and solid retention. There were some yeast particles in the bottom of the bottle, which predictably contributed to its hazy appearance. Upfront on the nose, I got a nice balance of earthy and citrus/tropical notes from the hops. There was a pleasant hit of canned Dole mandarin oranges, peaches and apricots. This was balanced harmoniously with some dankness, earthy-grass clipping notes and pine from the hops.

The taste follows the nose, giving a nice balance once again between the

herbal earthy tones and citrus/fruitiness of the hops. However, this is where more of the sweet malt characters shine through, developing a nice malty and caramel-like character in the middle. Towards the end, there was a bit of a lingering grapefruit bitterness–it’s noticeable, but it wasn’t overwhelming.

Verdict: This is honestly one of the best pale ales to come out of Salt Flats. Flux Capacitor has a nice balance between the hops and the malt, making this a well rounded and delicious beer.

Salt Flats - Delta 88 Porter: This is served on two different gasses: nitrogen and CO2. Each gas changed the beer slightly, but to keep things simple, the crux of the review will be about the CO2 version. This deep brown porter features brilliant garnet flashes when held to light. Bitter, burnt malt upfront in the aroma tapers to allow a rounded, mellow milk chocolate and citrus rind combination to dominate.

Sharp, smokey black malt bittersweetness along with an understated caramel presence emerge, counteracting the initially aggressive hop bitterness. Chocolate malt character flows in late, and combines with subdued dark fruitiness to lend a suggestion of cocoa-dusted dates. It finishes with an odd, transient pilsner-like crispness that yields to sweet chocolate.

Verdict: Delta 88 Porter is a surprisingly assertively hopped porter, unfortunately without a matching malt backbone. While flavorful, it lacks overall balance—a fine session porter overall.

All of these beers (plus many more) are available at Salt Flats Brewery, along with their “Garage” restaurants in Draper and Herriman on draft. The changes Beaner has implemented are subtle, but night and day compared to previous versions of Salt Flats’ ales and lagers. You’ll just have to figure out which works best for you. As always, cheers! CW

BY ALEX SPRINGER | @captainspringer

Bewilder Brewing Co. Turns Three

Our friends at Bewilder Brewing Co. (445 S. 400 West, 385-528-3840, bewilderbrewing.com) are celebrating their third year of operation on January 14. It doesn’t take an economic genius to tell you that 2020 was a helluva year to start a new business—especially one in the hospitality industry. But Cody McKendrick and Ross Metzger’s local brewery made it through and continues to brew some of Utah’s finest craft beers. The birthday festivities will include the release of a new beer, plenty of games, raffles and prizes. The event starts at 11 a.m. and will last until closing. If you’re a fan of all the hard work Bewilder Brewing has put into our craft beer scene, come check it out.

Porky’s Kuai Closes

I was extremely saddened to learn that Porky’s Kauai (785 E. 200 South, Lehi, porkyskauai.com) announced the closure of its location in Lehi. This place brought the lovely excesses of Hawaiian pulled pork to hot dogs and grilled cheese sandwiches to our humble state, and it’s too bad that they’re closing up shop. I wrote about Porky’s not long after they opened—once word of their porktastic menu came my way, I couldn’t help but show up at their door. The team still plans on running their location in Waimea, Hawaii, so all hope is not lost—I’ll just have to plan a few Hawaiian getaways to get my pulled pork hot dog fix.

JINYA Opens New Location

Speaking of Lehi, JINYA Ramen Bar has set the Thanksgiving Point area with its new location (3725 Thanksgiving Way, Ste. B, jinyaramenbar.com). JINYA has two locations up and running in Utah, and this third iteration will mark its entry into Utah County, a spot which is in need of some good ramen joints. JINYA’s been leaving an impression on U.S. diners with its unique toppings and traditional spin on Japanese ramen, and its slowly making its way across the Wasatch Front. The Lehi location celebrated its grand opening on January 9, and is officially open for business.

Quote of the Week: “A man who lies about beer makes enemies.” –Stephen King

More Than Words

Sarah Polley’s Women Talking adds visual and moral force to the source material

BY SCOTT RENSHAW scottr@cityweekly.net @scottrenshaw

Afew months ago, upon reading Miriam Toews novel Women Talking, I responded thusly: “I can see this concept working as a movie … As a book? Very much a slog through repetitive abstract debate.” It was important to keep that idea in mind as I prepared for writer/director Sara Polley’s film adaptation, just as it’s always important to keep in mind that a movie is not a book, and the success or failure of a story in one medium isn’t necessarily an indicator of how it will work in the other. Polley might have been considerably more initially enthusiastic about her source material than I was, but ultimately, that’s not as relevant as the extent to which she could look at the text and think, “I get how to make this work on a screen.”

Women Talking the movie is orders of magnitude more emotionally affecting that Women Talking the book, in a way that makes one seriously consider whether “Best Adapted Screenplay” should mean “Best Screenplay That Happens to Be Adapted” or “Best Job of Adapting Something Into a Screenplay.” Thematically, Polley wrestles the characters’ arguments into powerful moral lessons. Aesthetically, she finds visual motifs that break up the possible monotony of her central structure. And collaboratively, she gives these events greater impact through the work of her actors.

The premise—loosely adapted from real-life events—finds the women in an isolated Mennonite community facing a

turning point after the realization that men in their community have been serially drugging and raping them all. After several of the accused are arrested, the men collectively travel to the nearby town to arrange bail, giving the women 48 hours to forgive their attackers or face excommunication. Instead, the women meet to decide upon possible courses of action: Should they allow their community to continue unchanged? Should they stay and fight? Or should they leave their community behind?

Most of Women Talking consists of the debates engaged in by members of three elected families—including Ona (Rooney Mara), who has been left pregnant by a rapist; Salome (Clair Foy), whose 4-yearold daughter has also been assaulted; and Mariche (Jessie Buckley), who lives with an abusive husband—while minutes are taken by August (Ben Whishaw), the local schoolteacher, on behalf of the mostly-illiterate women. In literary form, it became difficult to distinguish between the voices of the various speakers, but the central performances here are all tremendous, giving those voices a fresh energy. And it’s particularly crucial when the two best

performances—by Foy and Buckley—capture a similar rage that has turned in two very different directions.

It’s also crucial that Polley doesn’t spend the entirety of Women Talking in the hay loft where the women have convened. While she never wallows in the horrors of the crimes being addressed, she provides snippets of insight into the moments of greatest pain, like half-remembered nightmares, so that it’s clear what’s at stake. She also employs a recurring portrayal of the community’s children at play in the fields, boys and girls interacting happily together, giving a heartbreaking face to the exploration of how these behaviors are learned, and at what point the male members of the community may be beyond hope of unlearning their dehumanization of women.

What’s ultimately most compelling about Women Talking is that the choices these women face aren’t just about the fate of their bodies, but about the fate of their souls. This may be a story set in a conservative religious community, and one built on a rock-solid patriarchy, but it is not remotely a dismissal of belief in God. Instead, it’s a recognition that the institu-

tions built by humans in the name of God can fall into error and cruelty, and that sometimes the truest measure of belief is understanding when to discard the dogma one has been taught—or, as one of these women says, that “our faith is stronger than the rules.”

There’s not as much that Polley can do with the character of August, unfortunately, either in his role as saintly representation of “not all men” (the phrase is literally used) or in his unconvincing star-crossed romance with Ona. His role is the rare case where Women Talking feels constructed to tick off some boxes, rather than to capture real wounded humanity. All credit to Polley and company for how much power they give this narrative by making it about much more than simply women talking. CW

WOMEN TALKING BBB ½ Rooney Mara Claire Foy Jessie Buckley Rated PG-13 Available Jan. 13 in theaters

MUSIC

The Time of Their Lives

Snarlin’ Yarns show that when it comes to great music, It Never Ends .

BY EMILEE ATKINSON eatkinson@cityweekly.net @emileelovesvinyl

Picture it: You pack a bag and hop on a plane heading out to Water Valley, Mississippi with some of your best friends in the world. Not necessarily a vacation destination, but a special place nonetheless. This city in Mississippi is home to Dial Back Sound, an old-school studio that’s had amazing acts pass through its halls since 2009.

Ogden’s own Snarlin’ Yarns have made this pilgrimage twice: They’ve recorded both of their albums at this beloved studio, having the time of their lives. Dial Back is almost a part of the band itself, an added bit of coolness sprinkled into the already talented and eclectic group.

The Snarlin’ Yarns were formed around 2016 or 2017—and by their own admission, they’re unsure which one. Not because it doesn’t matter to them, but because this tight-knit group is so close, it feels like they’ve been jamming together forever. “We just got together and jammed and enjoyed listening to one another,” said former Ogden Poet Laureate Abraham Smith. “We started playing locally around town, brunches and things like that and mainly did covers.”

The group also began to lean into gui tarist and vocalist William Pollett’s songs at the time, and things evolved from there. “It was kind of a feverish contagion. Ev erybody started writing their own songs,” Smith said.

Mara Brown (fiddle/vocals) and Jason Barrett-Fox (banjo/vocals) also made up the original quartet, but the Yarns have since gained Ryan Ridge (bass) and Tomas Dolph (ukulele/vocals), rounding out the lineup, making it feel complete. “It really fills out our sound. Above and beyond that, brings Ryan back to the fray in terms of being someone meditating on music and playing music a lot,” Smith said. “And, of course, Tommy’s a really long-term, longtime kind of local O-Town music hero.”

The Yarns’ debut album Break Your Heart dropped in September of 2020, a decidedly difficult time in the world. They recorded at the beloved Dial Back Sound, a place that means so much to the group. “There’s something about just the feeling of the room and the sound,” Pollett said. “They can capture us in a way that, I don’t know if we can be captured that way elsewhere

some of the band’s best work yet. They continued recording with live takes, and you can hear the care and enthusiasm the Yarns put into their work. “I think that is unique. It is unique to be able to go in and record live,” Brown said. “It’s not like we have just individual instruments isolated and playing their part and then it gets mixed together. But it’s really a natural process.”

It Never Ends is a stirring adventure containing intricate instrumentation paired with narrative, story-driven lyrics that will keep you wanting more. The title for the album comes from a chunk of lyrics from the track “Electric Prairie Run,” a standout on the new body of work. “It’s just one of the greatest songs that the band has ever made,” Smith said. “We felt that the album title needed to come from that song because I think it’s going to turn out

ing treat. They love what they do, and love sharing their music with the world.

This feeling is more inspiration behind the new album name. “I think it encapsulates our hopes and aspirations as well, just that it will never end, that we can continue to do this together. But at the same time, it’s looking at the experiences and the trauma that everyone’s dealing with,” Pollet said. “Somehow we feel that this can hopefully resonate with others as well because it seems that it never ends sometimes whether it’s a good time or whether it’s a bad time or what you have. You know it will end. There’s a temporary aspect to it all. But that claim, that just notion that perhaps it doesn’t, maybe it just goes on and goes on and goes on, whether it’s the road or the song or tune or the friendship and the love.”

Check out The Snarlin’ Yarns new album

are slotted to bring their vibrant

turning the formerly formidable Friday the 13th into a lucky evening after all. Talia Keys, Dave Brogan, Ryan Conger, Josh Olsen and Lisa Giacoletto comprise the band, and their tangible compatibility is embodied as clear, seamless harmonic chemistry, proving that truly, no other name but “love” could be used to describe this particular group. Their most recent album release, the 2022 Lessons, is best contextualized as a dirty kind of clean. The impeccable timing driven by the unfaltering bass and drum section fits splendidly in sync with the complex melodies offered by the continued presence of the unabashed guitar and keys, altogether crafting a sound which can only be described as spotless. Yet, the rough overlay of deep, from-the-toes-up vocals impassioned by a meaningful activist’s messaging gives the album the grit and elbow grease necessary to create a nuanced, obviously skilled sound. Local fans of other, multilayered projects emblazoned with the spirit of the blues such as Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, The Alabama Shakes, Nathaniel Ratecliffe and the Night Sweats and, of course, Amy Winehouse, will find themselves over the moon that a group just as talented is constructing tracks equally stirring and buzzing right here in the Beehive State. Come one, come all, come see for yourself on Friday, Jan 13. Tickets for the 21+ show are $21 and can be found at the stateroompresents.com. Doors for the show open at 8 p.m. (Sophie Caligiuri)

Talia Keys and the Love @ The Stateroom 1/13 Salt Lake’s own soulful ensemble Talia Keys and the Love

blues to The Stateroom this week,

Talia Keys

By Emilee Atkinson

By Emilee Atkinson

Spirit Machines, Strange Visitor @ DLC 1/13

If you’re looking for creative, enigmatic or just straight-up cool bands to listen to, they’re not hard to find in Utah. Spirit Machines is one of those bands, making a splash since their 2020 debut Feel Again. According to the band’s website, their goal is to “put rock ‘n roll back on top where it belongs.” Their efforts haven’t gone unnoticed, gaining attention from major music publications as well as rock gods Tool. In April 2022, Spirit Machines posted a mashup of Led Zeppelin’s staple “Kashmir” and Tool’s hit “Sober,” gaining viral traction. Tool later posted a clip of the video on their Instagram, praising the group. Entitled “Zober,” the track can be found on the group’s YouTube account, with an accompanying music video. Hopefully we see more tunes from the group as 2023 unfolds. Backing up the rock powerhouse is Strange Visitor, aka Wes from the band American Humor. The singer/songwriter from SLC has been putting out solo work since 2020, creating “acoustic music without boundaries,” according to his Instagram profile. His music features curious subject matter along with the singer’s clean-cut vocals, taking you on a journey. Once you press play on his 2021 release The Storm, you’ll want to keep listening to see where it takes you. Don’t miss these unique acts on Friday, Jan 13 at 8 p.m. Tickets for the 21+ show are $10 and can be found at quartersslc.com. (Emilee Atkinson)

By Emilee Atkinson

1/14

It’s hard to think about rock ‘n roll in Utah without this lineup of bands coming to mind. Living in Fiction have been around the block in the local music scene, continuing to grow and amass fans from all over. They boast millions of streams online with their fantastic music, whether it’s originals like their latest single “Through the Door” or covers like “Heatwaves,” their take on the hit pop track by Glass Animals. Living in Fiction graced fans’ ears with a ton of new music in 2022, plenty to showcase in this epic lineup. Joining in are fellow SLC rockers Classic Jack. Similar to Living in Fiction, Classic Jack have grown and expanded over the years, cementing themselves as a successful act from the Beehive State. They unveiled their latest single this week, “Blue Dream,” which hopefully is a precursor for a full album in the works, as we haven’t seen a full one from the group since 2019. Adding a little harder stuff to the mix, Acacia Ridge bring their signature brand of heavy rock/metal. SLC fans can be proud of Acacia Ridge, as they were just featured on the top five songs in Spotify’s “All New Metal” playlist. Rounding out the show is post-hardcore group Oceans Above Us, an up-and-coming group who unveiled their first EP in 2022. This exciting show isn’t one to miss, catch these groups on Saturday, Jan 14 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages show are $15 and can be found at soundwellslc.com. (EA)

Steady, pounding bass gives soul to the rapid-fire banjo which underlies the raspy, sweaty, homely lyrics of Tejon Street Corner Thieves. The alternative folk-bluegrass trio brings together each part of the ensemble to make energetic, quickly catchy, hearty tracks. Their debut album from 2016, Every Last Drop, consistently makes feet stomp and hips sway, all while making confessions from a dark place, touching on alcohol abuse and failed relationships, sprinkling in experiences with poverty. Six years later, the group has seemed to mature a bit tonally. The fourth track on their new album Thick as Thieves, “Be There,” tells the story of a man who actively loves in a less aggressive, more hopeful way with calmer, more soothing instrumentals. That’s not to say that the group has lost any of their gas, because that’s certainly not the case, as the track “Love Pilot” displays, introducing us to a louder fiddle not so leaned on in Every Last Drop. Folk Hogan is sharing the bill with Tejon Street Corner Thieves, and brings a similar sonic palette but with an exciting highland-sounding twist. Their song “I’m Still Drunk” features accordion, banjo and evident themes that transport you to a star-lit Irish wedding swinging arm in arm. Folk Hogan coming out of Salt Lake City rather than from across the pond is quite unbelievable, but certainly a gift to all of us. The main commonality between Folk Hogan and Tejon Street Corner Thieves comes from their prolific love of whiskey. If you’re 21 or older, stop by Aces High Saloon Saturday, Jan 15 at 8 p.m. for some swinging around, and make sure to buy the bands a shot of Jame-o. Tickets are $25 at the door. (Caleb Daniel)

Like their name suggests, Comply or Evict aren’t here to mess around. The grunge group aims to breathe life into the rock ‘n roll genre and get people to throw up horns once more. “Rock is not dead but merely shunted from the spotlight by corporate labels only pushing a pop music agenda,” they say on their website bio. “Comply or Evict is here to fuck some shit up and force rock grunge back into focus and have their music charting in America and around the world.” The quartet made their debut in 2022, hitting us with three heavy hitting and punchy singles. Joining the grunge masters are Blame the Deacon, a group who also draws inspiration from the ‘90s, but from alternative groups like Smashing Pumpkins and Foo Fighters. “I think we do have a unique sound,” singer/guitarist Easton Millet told Provo Music Magazine in November. “And with our original songs, we really like it because it’s a good amount of humor that pokes fun at the church that we’re all members of, while still being comedic enough to actually be funny to people outside of the church as well. It’s good for everyone.” Completing the lineup are young rockers Health Care from American Fork. They debuted their self-titled album last June and have been amassing fans since then. Another group influenced by the heyday of the ‘90s, they infuse the influence with their own sound, creating a unique yet nostalgic vibe. Catch this trio of bands influenced by the decade we all keep thinking was like 10 years ago, but is now over 30 years ago, on Monday, Jan 16 at 7 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages event are $10 and can be found at kilbycourt.com. (EA)

Living in Fiction, Classic Jack, Acacia Ridge, Oceans Above Us @ Soundwell

Tejon Street Corner Thieves, Folk Hogan, Captain Daniels & the Sunnybrook Sailors. Thick as Thieves @ Aces High Saloon 1/15

Comply or Evict, Blame the Deacon, Healthcare @ Kilby Court 1/16

Acacia Ridge Folk Hogan

Preseasoning With Weed

Elevate Your Workouts This Winter

By Cole Fullmer - Salt Baked City

Winter is here and that means it’s time for you procrastinating skiers and boarders to get those legs in shape. The problem is, you need to get your lazy asses to the gym first. Most would assume that’s not even possible for a Utah medical cannabis patient with all the couch-locking clouds they’re puffing. Or, is it?

It’s common to consume cannabis while on the ski lift, but have you ever thought about using this herbal medicine to create a stronger you on the slopes? If you’ve been paying attention to the War On Drugs this past century, we assume you haven’t dabbled with this new wizardry. If you have, we hope those pesky yellow jackets haven’t caught up with you on the slopes.

Medical cannabis use is mostly viewed as treatment for people suffering severe chronic pain or terminal diseases, but what about those who just want to improve their health and make better powder turns on the slopes?

As cannabis legalization crumbles around the country, the lazy stoner stereotype seems to be as fragile as the archaic laws we’re leaving behind. Decade after decade, those who consume cannabis have been considered unmotivated and indulgent freeloaders who only weigh society down – rather than boost it up. They definitely haven’t been considered gym rats before.

Let’s look at famous stoner movie characters like Cheech and Chong (Up In Smoke), Jeff Spicoli (Fast Times At Ridgemont High), Jesse Pinkman (Breaking Bad), Lester Burnham (American Beauty), Sanka Coffie (Cool Runnings), and Dale Denton (Pineapple Express). The list

is quite literally endless of deadbeats who habitually consume cannabis and lack self-respect, or even respect from their peers. Of course, this misconception leaps the movie screen and echoes throughout our modern day society, leaving no doobie toker or pipe puffer safe from its inaccurate representation. That means you, reader!

Where are all of the movie characters based off of athletes like Ricky Williams, Michael Phelps, Conor McGregor, Marshawn Lynch, Megan Rapinoe, Sha‘Carri Richardson, and countless others who verify cannabis helps them become better athletes. That list is also quite literally endless, but because of strict drug testing and harsh cannabis penalties, many athletes remain silent about their consumption.

Momentum from mass cannabis legalization throughout the country, however, is allowing some of these athletes to start sharing their stories for the first time, and some say the Pandora Box of cannabis training has been opened. No, we don’t mean the 6-foot Bong Olympics for those just catching on – we’re talking real sports here.

Scan the QR code to continue reading this sticky-icky content from Salt Baked City.

free will ASTROLOGY

ARIES (March 21-April 19)

Nigerian author Wole Soyinka reworked the ancient Greek play, The Bacchae In one passage, the god Dionysus criticizes King Pentheus, who is supposedly all-powerful. “You are a man of chains,” Dionysus tells him. “You love chains. You breathe chains, talk chains, eat chains, dream chains, think chains. Your world is bound in manacles.” The bad news, Aries, is that many of us resemble Pentheus. The good news is that the coming months will be a favorable time to shed at least some of your chains. Have fun liberating yourself! Try to help a few others wriggle free from their chains, too. Doing so will aid your own emancipation.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)

The coming weeks will be a great time to fill your journal with more intense ruminations than you have for many moons. If you don’t have a journal, think about starting one. Reveal yourself to yourself, Taurus! Make conscious that which has been vague, unnamed or hiding. Here are assignments to help launch your flood of intimate self-talk: 1. Write passionately about an experience you’ve always wanted to try but have never done; 2. Conduct imaginary interviews with people who rouse strong feelings in you; 3. Describe what deity, superhero or animal you are and how your special intelligence works; 4. Visualize a dream in which you appear as a bolder, more confident version of yourself; 5. Talk about a time you felt rousingly alive and how you plan to feel that way again.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20)

A stranger approached me at Wild Birds Unlimited, a store that sells bird food and accessories. “You write the horoscopes, right?” she asked. “I’m a Gemini, and I want to thank you for helping me tone down my relentless fidgeting. You made me realize I have been secretly proud of tapping my fingers on the table while talking with people, and constantly darting my eyes around the room to check out the ever-changing views. I’d unconsciously believed that stuff was a sign of my incredible vitality. But you’ve been a steadying influence. You’ve shown me ways to settle down and focus my energy better. I can see how restlessness sometimes saps my energy.” I told the woman, “You’re welcome!” and let her know that 2023 will be a time to do much more of this good work. Homework: Meditate on channeling your incredible vitality into being grounded and centered.

CANCER (June 21-July 22)

According to Cancerian author Ronald Sukenick, the writer’s work is “to destroy restrictive viewpoints, notice the unnoticed, speak the unspeakable, shake stale habits, ward off evil, give vent to sorrow, pulverize doctrine, attack and uphold tradition as needed and make life worth living.” I believe 2023 will be an excellent time for you to carry out those actions. You will have abundant power to bless and heal through creative rebellion and disruption. You will thrive as you seek out interesting novelty.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)

Psychotherapist Ryan Howes has wisdom you’ll benefit from heeding in the coming weeks. “We need to accept our age,” he writes. “We need to accept illnesses and addictions. We need to accept the past. We need to accept others as they are.” He goes on to say that this doesn’t mean we must like all these situations. And we can certainly try to make the best of them. But when we don’t struggle in vain to change what’s beyond our control to change, we have more energy for things that we can actually affect.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

Here’s testimony from musician Pharrell Williams: “If someone asks me what inspires me, I always say, ‘That which is missing.’” This is an apt message for you, Virgo. The best way to generate motivation and excitement in the coming weeks will be to explore what is lacking, what is invisible, what’s lost or incomplete. Check in with your deep intuition. Do you feel a stirring in your gut? It may tell you where to find important and intriguing things that are missing.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

“Every animal knows far more than you do,” declares a proverb of the Nimíipuu people, also known as the Nez Perce. Author Russell Banks provides further testimony to convince us we should be humble about our powers of awareness. “There is a wonderful intelligence to the unconscious,” he says. “It’s always smarter than we are.” These are good pointers for you to heed in the coming weeks, Libra. You will have a special power to enhance your understanding of the world by calling on the savvy of animals and your unconscious mind. They will be especially rich sources of wisdom. Seek out their educational input!

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

Psychologist Carl Jung said that the whole point of Jesus Christ’s story was not that we should become exactly like him. Rather, we should aspire to be our best and highest selves in the same way that he fulfilled his unique mission. So Jesus was not the great exception, but rather the great example. I bring these meditations to your attention, Scorpio, because I believe life in 2023 will conspire to make you, more than ever before, the hero of your own destiny. You will be inspired to honor only your own standards of success and reject all others’. You will clearly see that you are progressing at your own natural and righteous pace, which is why it makes no sense to compare your evolution to anyone else’s.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

A reader named Mary Roseberry describes her experience of being a Sagittarius: “I hate to be bored. I hate imperfections. I hate to wait. I hate sadness. I hate conflict. I hate to be wrong. I hate tension.” Wow! I admire Mary’s succinct understanding of who she doesn’t want to be and what she doesn’t like to do. I invite you to compose a similar testimony. You would benefit from getting clear about the experiences you intend to avoid in 2023. Once you have done that, write a list of the interesting feelings and situations you will seek out with intense devotion during the coming months.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

When he was 74 years old, Capricorn author Norman Maclean published his first novel, A River Runs Through It It became a bestseller. Capricorn film director Takeshi Kitano directed his first film at age 42. Now 75, he has since won many awards for his work in his native Japan. Capricorn activist Melchora Aquino, who was a leader in the Philippines’ fight for independence from Spain, launched her career as a revolutionary when she was in her 80s. She’s known as the “Mother of the Revolution.” I hope these heroes inspire you, dear Capricorn. I believe that 2023 is the year you will get an upgrade in any area of your life where you have seemed to be a late bloomer.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

According to my analysis of the astrological omens, you will soon be called upon to summon grace under pressure; to express magnanimity while being challenged; to prove that your devotion to your high standards is more important than the transitory agendas of your ego. The good news is that you are primed and ready to succeed at these exact assignments. I have confidence in your power to activate the necessary courage and integrity with maximum poise and composure.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)

“By dying daily, I have come to be,” wrote poet Theodore Roethke. He didn’t mean he suffered literal deaths. He was referring to the discipline of letting go of the past; shedding worn-out habits; leaving behind theories and attitudes that once served him well but no longer did; killing off parts of himself that were interfering with the arrival of the fresh future. I recommend his strategy to you, Pisces. To the degree that you agree to die daily, you will earn the right to be reborn big-time in a few weeks.

Go to realastrology.com for Rob Brezsny’s expanded weekly audio horoscopes and daily text-message horoscopes. Audio horoscopes also available by phone at 877-873-4888 or 900-950-7700.

Last week’s answers

2023 Wish List

How you doin’ on your New Year’s resolutions? Given up the spa membership yet? LOL.

I don’t make resolutions; I just attempt to change habits. And I spend some of my time daydreaming about what I could change in the world if I had superpowers!

Many have published their resolutions on social media, but I haven’t seen many “wish lists” out there, so here is mine for 2023:

Wish: Legislators need to get real about saving the Great Salt Lake. Latest news is it will be gone in five years if we don’t take extreme action. Throwing a few million dollars at the problem to “study it” ain’t gonna help in the immediate future, nor is the great snowpack we are chalking up this year.

Wish: We should take lessons from other states that pay farmers not to grow crops, since more than 80% of Utah’s water goes toward crops like alfalfa. Maybe if we did that for the next five years, our lake would come back, and our air would be saved.

Wish: Local mayors in Salt Lake County must quit saying, “We have enough beds for the unsheltered,” when I know we do not. My wife volunteers on the streets helping this population and works with many of our local heroes, such as Black Lives Matter Utah, Unsheltered Utah and O.U.Rs. (Our Unsheltered Relatives). Building a campus of mini homes is going to help the clients of the Other Side Academy, but not the general population of the unsheltered.

NVIDIA Corp in Salt Lake City, UT has an

opening at various levels. Please ref code & title and send resume to: NVIDIA, 2701 San Tomas Expressway, Santa Clara, CA 95050, Attn: KC HR or send to

NVIDIA-RecruitAd@nvidia.com. These positions will engage in and support the design, development, and/or marketing of NVIDIA’S GPU (graphics processing units), computer graphics, AI and supercomputing for gaming, professional visualization, data centers, and various industries (automotive, transportation, healthcare and manufacturing).

Sr. Architect (ARC152) Develop innovative architectures to extend the state of the art in deep learning performance and efficiency.

X

SUDOKU

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

Wish: Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County and the State of Utah have helped fund and build senior citizen housing, but it’s almost impossible trying to make a dent in the urgent need for those over 55 living on fixed incomes. The Utah Non-Profit Housing Corp. operates six projects for age 55+ and 17 for those 62+ but is barely making a dent in the crisis and need for affordable senior housing due to demand and lack of funds. They are the largest nonprofit developer of affordable multifamily housing for the past 50 years, but they can barely keep up with demand. Come on, Governor, let’s make senior housing a priority in this state!

Wish: It’s about time public transportation in this state is free and funded by our financially abundant state coffers. And, to go back to helping the unsheltered population, it would be a miracle if UTA could run buses, light rail and trains on major holidays.

It’s great if there’s a bed at a shelter, but how is a person without transportation (and say, in a wheelchair) going to get there? UTA staff and drivers are great folks, and even this kind of steady work is seeing it hard to hire drivers. Let’s increase pay for these rock stars of transportation and make sure service is available on holidays—not just for the unsheltered, but those forced to work blue-collar jobs on holidays. CW

Anger Management

Tennessee state Rep. Jeremy Faison, 45, had to be ejected from the stands at a high school basketball game in Johnson City on Jan. 4 after he became angry at a referee and tried to “pants” him—pull down his trousers. Faison’s son was playing on the Lakeway Christian Academy team, NBC News reported. Later, Faison tweeted: “Totally lost my junk and got booted from the gym. ... I hope to be able to find the ref and ask for his forgiveness. I was bad wrong.” Our advice to referees everywhere: Always wear a belt.

Government at Work

In the United Kingdom, as of Jan. 29, flouting a new rule will cost you up to 1,000 pounds, the Mirror reported. The rule requires someone inside a car to open the door with the hand farthest from the door, employing a technique known as the Dutch Reach. In other words, if you’re driving (on the right side of the car), you would use your left hand to reach around and open the car door. Rule 239 reads: “This will make you turn your head to look over your shoulder. You are then more likely to avoid causing injury to cyclists or motorcyclists passing you on the road, or to people on the pavement.” If a person in a car injures someone by opening with the wrong hand, a fine will be levied. Cycling UK estimates that more than 500 people are injured every year by car doors.

Wait, What?

Cameron Newsom, 42, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, was treated for stage 4 squamous cell carcinoma on her tongue in 2013, the New York Post reported. Removing the tumor meant also removing part of her tongue, which doctors replaced with skin taken from her thigh. Through all of her experiences in treating the cancer, she said, “The weirdest part ... was when I felt a rough texture on the ‘thigh’ part of my tongue—and when I looked in the mirror, it had started growing leg hair!” Newsom had to learn to speak again and still finds eating a challenge, but she’s back to being a gymnastics coach, even with her fuzzy tongue.

Clowns

When Mark, 38, and his wife left for work one morning in January, their back garden in Belfast, Northern Ireland, looked just like it does any other day. But when the wife returned that afternoon, there was a concrete slab painted with a creepy clown face propped against the wall, the Belfast Telegraph reported. “Someone would have had to come through our gate and down the steps to place it there—and deliberately place it so it was facing the window so we would see it,” Mark said. The clown was holding a lighted candle, and on the reverse, a Bible verse was inscribed: “Let your light shine. Matthew 5:16.” Mark contacted friends, neighbors and family members to see if it was a prank, or if others had received a clown, but no one had experienced anything similar. He threw the clown away, but remains creeped out: “It’s so unsettling.”

Thanks for Nothing!

Catherine Graham of Marshfield, Massachusetts, recently cashed in on her 15 minutes of fame on The Price Is Right with host Drew Carey. She flew to Los Angeles to visit her daughter and attended a taping of the show, which aired on Feb. 1. As luck would have it, Graham ended up on stage with Carey and played for a great trip—to New Hampshire! When Carey gushed, “New Hampshire is beautiful!” Graham replied, “Drew, I live in Boston! I’ve been to New Hampshire a million times!” But wait, there’s more! In order to collect the prize roundtrip airfare, she’ll have to travel to Los Angeles again to fly to Manchester, New Hampshire. “I just wish it was Tahiti ... or Bora Bora. A cruise around the world maybe,” Graham told WBZ-TV. But, she said, “It was so fun.”

Ooohhh-kkkaaayyyyy

Some romantic relationships are full of drama and strife, so maybe Sandra, 28, of Budapest, Hungary, has come up with a better model. According to Oddity Central, Sandra has fallen for Luffancs, a plastic model of an airplane. After breaking up with her latest human boyfriend in January, Sandra bought Luffancs for $660 and fell madly in love. “I don’t know why I love him, I just love him,” she said. Sandra

works in the aviation industry and is around airplanes every day, but says she will never cheat on Luffancs. In fact, she doesn’t know if she’ll ever date another human being. “Planes are more reliable as partners,” she said.

People With Issues

Prosecutors have accused 20-year-old Mauricio Damian Guerrero of Bensalem, Pennsylvania, of burglary after he traveled to Somersworth, New Hampshire, and hid in the attic of a woman he met on the website OnlyFans, WKBNTV reported on March 7. Guerrero allegedly descended from the attic and took videos of the woman while she slept, stole her underwear and planned to place a tracking device on her car. Police were called after someone at the home heard a noise; Guerrero was found on the roof. He was released on bail and ordered to wear a tracking device.

It’s a Dirty Job ...

In Australia, Queensland’s Bill Edgar is known to some as the Coffin Confessor. As such, Edgar shows up at funerals and speaks for the deceased, telling off family members, setting friends straight and delivering bad news about beneficiaries, News.com.au reported on April 14. But Edgar’s job doesn’t stop there. His services, for which he charges $2,000 to $10,000, have expanded to removing items from the deceased’s home that they’d rather the family not see: “Could be sex toys, messages of hate, love, whatever it is they’ve written down, that they want removed from their web browsers. One gentleman had ... a sex dungeon in one of his bedrooms. And that gentleman was 88 years of age, believe it or not,” Edgar said. He even delivers his services in the United States and United Kingdom, and he said Paramount has picked up the story for a movie.

Anti-Social Media

The Federal Aviation Administration has revoked Trevor Jacob’s pilot’s license, The New York Times reported on April 20, after concluding that Jacob purposely abandoned a plane he was flying and filmed it crashing into the Los Padres National Forest in California while he parachuted to the ground. Jacob then posted the 13-minute video on YouTube, calling it “I Crashed My Plane.” The FAA said Jacob acted in a “careless or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another.” In the video, the propeller can be seen as it stops spinning, and Jacob opens the door and jumps out with a parachute and a selfie stick. The FAA noted, “During this flight, you opened the left side pilot door before you claimed the engine had failed.” The agency also noted that Jacob did not contact air traffic control, try to restart the engine or look for a safe place to make an emergency landing. But he got 1.7 million views!

Crash Collector

Everyone needs a hobby. Christina Warren is a busy software developer, but in her free time, she collects the swag of epic corporate failure: from Enron to Fyre Festival to her latest acquisition, a PopSocket branded with the CNN+ logo. NPR reported that Warren isn’t interested in milquetoast meltdowns. She wants stuff from the companies that made a big splash and then sank to the bottom of the barrel. “I’m looking at the ones that were flying high, too close to the sun,” she said, which “makes it funnier to be out someplace wearing a shirt from one of those things.” But she doesn’t want to spend more than $75 on any one item. She avoids counterfeit merchandise, and said her “white whale, the thing I haven’t been able to obtain yet, is something officially from Theranos. I would even take a pen, you know, like a ballpoint pen.”

Bright Ideas

An unnamed man in Detroit was arrested in late April for illegally possessing guns, but the federal agents who arrived at his home with a search warrant were more interested in how he made a living: He sold marijuana from a vending machine attached to his house, clearing $2,000 a day, he told them. The Associated Press reported that agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made purchases from the machine to collect evidence before the bust. The man was released on bond.

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