City Weekly April 20, 2023

Growing Pains

Competition, costs and a heap of deactivated cannabis cards are harshing the vibe of Utah’s medical marijuana program.

By Benjamin Wood

Cover Story

By Benjamin Wood

S AP

BOX

Gun Speech Template

Okay America, let’s all do the mass shooting speech together now:

“We here in [put town name here] are all saddened by the senseless killing of [put number here] innocent [children, teens, adults, grocery shoppers, church members] who were senselessly killed [this morning, last night or yesterday, etc.] in our [town, city or rural area]. Our hearts, thoughts and prayers go out to all those families and loved ones affected by this senseless tragedy.”

“The sheriff and I and our team will

do all we can to apprehend the shooter, hopefully before he has taken his own life or that of other victims. Now, I will turn the mic over to the [school superintendent, deputy sheriff, medical director of local hospital] for an update. Then we’ll hear from our GOP representative.”

And now for the elected GOP representative speech:

“Like all of you, I am shocked and saddened by the loss of life that occurred here, but let me say that gun control is not the answer. Actually, we need more guns—not less. Your [senator, county commission, city council] is working with me in sponsoring a [bill, resolution, policy] which, if passed, will automatically place a gun in the hands of every American from age 6 on.

“I apologize for not being able to stay longer and personally extend my thoughts and prayers to each of those who were affected by this tragedy, but I’m scheduled to speak this afternoon at a NRA fundraiser.”

TED OTTINGER Taylorsville

“Royal

Bliss,” April 13 Cover

I remember seeing Royal Bliss waaay back in the day when I was a wee lad at Utah State University! I don’t know what’s crazier—that they are still going, or that I am.

WREESE1848

Via Instagram

Utah’s Nickleback

DOUG PETTERSSON

Via Facebook

So damn cool!

JEREMY MAX CONDER

Via Facebook

Right down the middle of the strike zone rock. Happy I’m a fan.

JAKE DINSDALE

Via Facebook

Good lookin’ cover right there!

ROYALBLISSBAND

Via Instagram

Clarification: In the April 13 issue of Salt Lake City Weekly—which featured the cover story “Royal Bliss: Twenty-fifth anniversary”—the cover photo was taken by Brian Medeiros.

Correction: In the April 13 Private Eye column “Travels With Mike,” the name of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was misspelled.

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

Has your life and health benefited from marijuana?

Katharine Biele

I use topical THC which helps rheumatoid arthritis. So, yes.

Benjamin Wood

Yes, tremendously.

Bryan Bale

It hasn’t benefited me personally, and I can’t stand the smell. But it shouldn’t have ever been classified as a Schedule I drug. I hope we can undo the damage done by propagandists and policy makers like Louis Gasnier (director of Reefer Madness), Harry Anslinger (who launched the “war on drugs”) and others.

Eric Granato

One hundred percent. It helps with my chronic pain, nausea and anxiety. Hasn’t helped my bank account one bit.

Kelly Boyce

Drastically. My health has benefited in relation to pain and anxiety. Creatively, it’s helped me focus and look at things from different perspectives. It also boosts my sexual performance! Giggity.

Jerre Wroble

The leaf (and the peace sign) were symbols of my generation. And we’ve now lived long enough to see cannabis go from being sold in baggies of questionable herbs to being sold—tested and pure—in bougie shops/pharmacies. Life is good.

Choose the Right

One of my good friends from up in Bingham Canyon— the only place in Utah that is marked with a star on God’s map of the universe—was Dennis Nichols. He was quite a bit older than I, closer in age to my older brothers, Gary and Sam, but everybody knew everybody back then. Whether he knew me or not, we each knew of the other’s family.

He was also well known because he was such a fine musician. And by the time I got around to graduation, he’d already made a name for himself with his talent, even as a U.S. troop entertainer in Vietnam.

Nichols taught music and played all over town. We became better acquainted years later when he’d perform at local clubs, especially at Club 90, which was owned at the time by a Bingham High classmate of his, Mike Kampros. His specialty was having a good time and making sure his audience did as well. He spiced his sets by taking all kinds of “Name That Tune” challenges from the audience and knowing every song, from Bach to the Beatles.

He also liked to layer in high school songs into his sets, notably—of course—“Bingham’s Sons and Daughters,” the fight song of his alma mater and the only high school fight song in Utah that even kids from other high schools had learned by heart (to mock us, but that’s for another day).

Nichols suffered a stroke that nearly disabled his playing, but he didn’t quit. City Weekly thus awarded him Best OneArmed Piano Player in one of our Best of Utah issues.

Too few people in Utah know that Dennis’ mother is also notable. She led an extraordinary life as a church and community steward, showing by example how to give willingly

BY JOHN SALTAS @johnsaltas

to public causes. Everyone in Bingham Canyon knew of Norma Nichols. Somewhere along the way, she helped conceive of an idea to help the youth of her Latter-day Saints Church progress forward in a positive way as they prepared for their baptisms.

What began as a local practice spread to other LDS wards and stakes, then into use by persons way beyond the typical baptismal age of 8. It was a simple ring—on it were the letters “CTR,” standing for the message to “Choose the Right.”

Today, a CTR ring is as notable a religious signal as anything else in the LDS faith, right up there with the lessobvious-to-see temple garments. The rings used to be quite a simple affair, but now come in a variety of silicone colors, bright metallics, more valuable silvers and, of course, in the popular spinner models. Who among you have not joined a business lunch, seen such a ring on someone’s finger and realized right away it might not be best to order a round of tequila shooters to celebrate the great big new contract?

What you did in that moment was to “Choose the Right,” because what could be more wrong than to order up glasses of Don Julio 1942 Anejo and offer them to your non-drinking co-workers? I don’t mean it’s wrong to never order it for them—even many of the best of the LDS faithful like a shot of whiskey here and there. I mean it’s wrong in that moment to order it because there’s no more severe an evil crime than wasting good tequila, and it certainly would be wasted when there are LDS drinking police present.

Over time, CTR—Choose the Right—became sort of a line in the sand between LDS and non. It has morphed in the public eye from a quaint and innocuous messaging tool for wide-eyed LDS primary kids into something far different than what was conceived in the 1950s. It’s taken to mean something beyond being a reminder to be stalwart before

the Lord at a baptism and has come to symbolize that the person opposite is making a clear statement that they are right, and you are wrong.

It pisses people off. I don’t think that was Norma’s vision, nor—I’m pretty sure—that of Dennis. They were righteously good people who didn’t have to keep proving it.

That’s the outgrowth of what the LDS Church has always proclaimed, however—it being the one true church. If anything ever divided the cultures of Utah, it’s that notion that a single faith is true, and all others are lost, fake or untrue.

As Utah’s religion and politics become ever more entwined, that symbolic rationale becomes ever more divisive, since many CTR ring wearers are no longer virtuously right at all. Couple the idea that LDS is “right” and non-LDS are “wrong” with the mythology that conservatives are “right” and the left is “wrong,” and in Utah (plus bassackwards Idaho) you have the makings for one-party rule.

Trouble is, the Republican Party is moving ever more “right”—ever more extreme, ever more fearful of anything on their composition labels that is not made from 100% pure and local ingredients. We’re not talking Florida Orange Juice here. In short order, state and federal officials in Utah will all be grown from the local, historical stock only.

We should just have two Election Day boxes: Right and Wrong. Everyone would get the drift and vote accordingly without having to explain that it’s OK to be both a good Democrat and a good Mormon, not to mention ending the Rubik’s Cube confusion cyclone of people explaining that they are both a good Republican and a good non-LDS citizen.

I suppose that’s why so many Utahns claim to be independents. I’m going to keep voting Wrong anyway—because in Utah, that’s the right thing to do. CW

Send comments to john@cityweekly.net

BY KATHARINE BIELE | @kathybiele

MISS: Foul Ball

If you trust the Salt Lake City mayor, you believe that she knew nothing about Major League Baseball coming to the city. Sure, she and her team had been negotiating with the Larry H. Miller Group for a long time after they announced they were pulling the plug on the Ballpark neighborhood and moving the Bees south to Daybreak. So Erin Mendenhall took to Twitter to explain in her heartfelt way that she “was completely surprised by this news” and the “potential of MLB never factored into our talks … if it had, I would never make a deal in one neighborhood at the expense of another.” At least the Ballpark neighborhood got $100 million from the Miller Group to do something. It won’t be for MLB, those benefits will be going to the new Power District on the west side, which is great news for them. But the Ballpark neighborhood has some money and a big question mark as its logo.

MISS: More Like Gon-Don’t-la

“Everybody, Anytime, All-At-Once.”

No, it’s not a movie—it’s what Murray resident Steve Camp warns is happening with the push for a gondola up Little Cottonwood Canyon. Never mind that it would be a huge taxpayer money-suck serving just two private ski resorts, UDOT appears poised to move ahead. If you haven’t already deleted TikTok, you might want to hear “Andrew, a 24year resident” of the canyon ask people to “think it through for themselves.” We’ve heard lots of arguments against, including that if you build it, they will come—meaning rather than solving overcrowding, it will exacerbate it. It might not do much, either, during avalanche closures, high winds or thunder and lightning. Icing could shut it down and mechanical problems would add to delays. But as Andrew says, he hopes not to live long enough to see a gondola winding up the canyon.

HIT: Make Yourself at Home

You can say a lot of things about Utah, but the state has consistently opened its doors and arms to immigrants. No one is sending them to Cape Cod or New York. And now, Gov. Spencer Cox has signed a law making it easier for professionals to get licensed in Utah. “Too many states are making it harder for those most in need who have amazing skills to actually enter the workforce. We are changing that here in Utah,” he told the Deseret News. Admittedly, we’re not talking about migrant laborers who could also use a hand up. But SB35 opens two pathways to work for trained immigrants who might otherwise not be able to work in their profession. A January 2023 Utah Business magazine article dubbed Utah one of the most welcoming states in the country. And a New American Task Force launched in 2022 furthered the ideals from the longtime Utah Compact on Immigration. No, Utah is not a terribly diverse state. But at least it knows that diversity matters.

Take Me to Church

Living in Utah, the strong influence of religion is inescapable. It leaks into daily conversation, sways public policy and hovers constantly in the background for most of us. Of course, the primary driver is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose cultural omnipresence is also visible through real estate.

Looking back at my 118 running routes covering the entirety of Salt Lake City’s streets, approximately 80% of them went past a meetinghouse, seminary or other LDS Churchrelated building. So, despite Salt Lake City’s strong countercultural vibe and the idea that Salt Lakers are somehow “different,” they really aren’t.

The unfortunate effect of the ubiquity of Latter-day Saint church properties here is that it masks the city’s otherwise impressive religious diversity and houses of worship that contain their own storied histories. One prominent example is the Calvary Baptist Church (above photo), located on 1090 S. State Street, which (according to the church’s website) was founded in the 1890s by a Black women-led prayer group banding together to form the church.

There are also several interesting pockets, scattered mostly on the west side, where you find wide-ranging denominations within just a short walk. For example, on 700 West between 500 North and 300 North—a span of a mere two blocks—there’s the Tam Bảo Buddhist Temple, the Islamic Society of Bosniaks in Utah Mosque and Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church.

However, the best illustration of a diverse religious concentration can be found on 1000 West just north of 1700 South in Glendale (photo below). It might break Kayak.com to piece together a flight itinerary between the capitals of Samoa (Apia) and Serbia (Belgrade), but here you can find congregants from both countries worshiping as literal neighbors.

Maybe it’s time to revisit this idea of Utah being a religious monoculture. After all, I’ve heard that the Church of the Sacred Whale of 9th and 9th is thriving, too. CW

A crucifix is formed by solar panels on the roof of Calvary Baptist Church on State Street.

The Samoan Independent Seventh-Day Adventists and Saint Archangel Michael Serbian Orthodox Church are neighbors.

Earth Day To-Do’s

A round-up of some local ways to celebrate sustaining the planet that sustains us.

BY ERIN MOORE comments@cityweekly.net

Every day is a great day to think about the planet and how our lives and lifestyles impact it; celebrating Earth Day is a great way to start that thinking. Whether you’re passionate about local flora and forestry, gardening and farming, birding or conserving habitats, or just learning how to compost or recycle, we’ve got a great list to start you thinking, “How can I sustain our planet which sustains us?”

Earth Week 2023: Indigenizing Utah @ University of Utah: Kick off Earth Day by celebrating Earth Week, with The U.’s slew of enlightening events, talks and activities. Some will already be completed by publication date, but on Friday, April 21, pop by the Guardsman Parking Lot to shred some paper, swap gently-used furniture, safely dispose of old medications and household e-waste (anyone else got a tangle of broken $10 gas station phone chargers?). Finally, on Earth Day itself (Saturday, April 22), volunteer for a shift at the campus’ Edible Gardens, from 8:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. at the Pioneer Garden. sustainability.utah. edu/news-events/earth-week

Party for the Planet @ Tracy Aviary: If you’re more of an Audubon enjoyer, head to Tracy Aviary for the kick-off of their

A&E

Earth Day revelries. Enjoy a powwow from aviary partner Li’l Features, plus arts and crafts, nature walks, plant pot decorating and a river cleanup, and munch on some food from El Toro Rojo and Donut Kabobs throughout. Activities are spread out between Friday, April 21 at the Liberty Park aviary (539 E. 1300 South) from 10 .m. - 4 p.m. and Saturday, April 22, at the Jordan River Nature Center (1125 W. 3330 South) from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. tracyaviary.org

Rose Park Nature Fair @ Salt Lake City Public Library Day-Riverside Branch: Spend your weekend in lovely Rose Park learning about the local environs and artworks in the area as a “community explorer.” Participants will engage with the nearby Jordan River Parkway, and with art in the community, likely including the branch itself, which neighbors TreeUtah’s EcoGarden, and exists to connect community members with information about urban farming and organic gardening. Stop in on Saturday, April 22 from 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. at the Day-Riverside Branch 1575 W. 1000 North. Events.slcpl.org

Party for the Planet @ Hogle Zoo: This two-fer offers daytime opportunities to learn how Hogle Zoo not only houses animals from all around the world, but works to sustain their habitats both locally and worldwide—your ticket is included in a zoo day pass. And for the first time, Hogle is extending their Party for the Planet into the evening with their 13+ event, where teens can dance, ride the carousel, eat and play into the evening. And for the young thrift-enthusiasts, there’s even an upcycled outfit contest—because clothes should be recycled, too. Visit both on Saturday, April 22—the daytime event runs from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., and the 13+ event runs from 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. at Hogle Zoo (2600 Sunnyside Avenue). Hoglezoo.org

Earth Day Jordan River Clean-Up @ Jordan Park: Passionate about our city’s beloved, winding, inter-neighborhood river?

Sign up to be a steward of it this Earth Day at this family-friendly community cleanup effort, where volunteers can enjoy a free breakfast and then help to weed, pick up trash, skim the waters and do art projects along 17 miles of the waterway. The event takes place on Saturday, April 22 from 8 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. at Jordan Park (1060 S. 900 West); register at stewardship.slc.gov

Earth Day Celebration @ Wasatch Brew Pub Park City: Recycle Utah and Wasatch Brew Pub are teaming up for this year’s Earth Day weekend to offer food, drinks and a fun silent auction to benefit Recycle Utah and its educational programming, which includes programs for elementary school students as well as adults, businesses and a Latinx outreach program. Cheers your beers to our one and only

Earth on Saturday from 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. at Wasatch Brew Pub (250 Main Street, Park City). Recycleutah.org

Earth Day All Year Long: Want more ways to engage year-round? Look into getting a compost bin, glass recycling or just plain old recycling for your home (slc. gov/sustainability/waste-management). If you’re apartment-bound, look into the glass recycling, plastic recycling and compost pick-up program offered by the local business Earthie Crunchie (earthiecrunchie.com). Have a fruit tree whose fruit production you can never quite keep up with? Keep that food off the ground and sign your tree up to be cared for and harvested by Green Urban Lunch Box, who distribute the fruit among participating homeowners, volunteers and GULB’s network of food distribution programs ( greenurbanlunchbox.com/programs/ fruitshare). CW

Complete listings online at cityweekly.net

Sinisterhood podcast “Full Moon Energy Tour” @ Wiseguys

The world can be a sinister place, but credit the dynamic duo consisting of comedians/ best pals Christie Wallace and Heather McKinney with shining some light into its darker expanse, and bringing some laughter to the situation all at the same time. Over the course of a combined 15-year career, they’ve culled merriment from the macabre, and found comedy in things that are creepy.

And while it may seem strange to find fascination with such unsettling sets of circumstances, they’re obviously not the only ones who enjoy delving into weirder realms. Their Sinisterhood podcast has been downloaded more than 30 million times worldwide, bringing them feature pieces in such respected publications as Marie Claire, Vulture, Women’s Health and AV Club. A staple on the Top Comedy Podcast Charts across Apple, Stitcher, and Spotify, it was also named “Best Podcast 2020” by their hometown Dallas Observer. These two tend to be fascinated by the blatantly bizarre, but there’s no arguing with the devoted following they’ve accrued since launching this eerie endeavor in 2018. Within three months, in fact, they had already accumulated a million downloads. Apparently, there’s a certain bliss that accompanies their banter and their celebration of all things spooky. Credit Wallace and McKinney with the ability to make the weird appear wonderful, even if it sometimes seems scary as hell as well.

Sinisterhood brings their “Full Moon Energy Tour” to Wiseguys Gateway (194 S. 400 West) on Thursday, April 20 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25 or $65 VIP. Visit wiseguyscomedy.com for tickets and event information. (Lee Zimmerman)

Complete listings online at cityweekly.net

Wasatch Theatre Company: Fun Home

The stuff of great theater can come from anywhere. While many successful, acclaimed musicals have taken their librettos from classic literature, hit movies or significant historical events, the 2015 Tony Award-winner for Best Musical, Fun Home, took its very personal story from life of author Alison Bechdel, originally presented in the form of a graphic novel. Bechdel’s story spans three phases in her life: as a 40-something successful writer, reflecting on her life; as a child, exploring “Small Alison’s” relationship with her closeted gay father; and as a college freshman in the 1980s, dealing with her own process of coming out as gay. It’s a story of tangled emotions, and the DNA is built into the show’s songs by writer/composer Lisa Kron, which bubble over with a sense of uncertainty and thoughts that haven’t quite managed to reach a resolution; lines are sometimes repeated compulsively, at other times interrupted in mid-stream. As City Weekly wrote about the local premiere of the show in 2018, “Kron’s dialogue and lyrics dig deeply into the unspoken things that leave so many familial relationships and individual lives damaged or unresolved. As haunting as these songs are in what they say, they’re even more devastating by emphasizing all the words that people just can’t quite get out.”

Wasatch Theatre Company’s production of Fun Home is scheduled to coonclude its run at the Midvalley Performing Arts Center (2525 Taylorsville Blvd., Taylorsville) April 21-29, with performances 7:30 p.m. Friday – Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $25/$20 student with ID; visit arttix.org for tickets and additional event information. (Scott

Renshaw)

LUCAS BYBEE

Complete listings online at cityweekly.net

Good Co. Theatre:

Queer the Stage

According to Good Company Theatre co-director Camille Washington, the idea for their new cabaret-style production

Queer the Stage was born out of a simple need to get the company’s groove back. “We came back so hard and so fast from being fully closed for the pandemic,” Washington says, “and it kind of burned us out. We thought about, ‘What do we really love and what do we want to do? Making cheeky comment on things we have issue with.”

To that end, Queer the Stage explores the history of gayness in the American musical theater, and how it has always manifested itself, even during eras—like the 1940s – 1960s Broadway “golden age” covered in this show—when gay people themselves generally had to remain closeted. “There’s no way to suppress us, no way to suppress queerness in any of these time periods,” Washington says. “It seems like such an obvious thing to some of us: ‘Duh, we’ve always been here.’”

Further, she recognizes a value in finding the tricky balance between entertaining an audience and addressing the realities of the era the show covers. “I think there’s power in that tension,” Washington says. “A lot of it is leaving it open to the performers, allowing them to make decisions for themselves what they want to perform—not overdoing it on my own nerdy, overly politicized stuff.”

Queer the Stage runs at the Good Company Theatre (2404 Wall Ave., Ogden) April 21 – 30, with performances Friday – Saturday at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 4 p.m. Tickets are $25; visit goodcotheatre.com to purchase tickets and for additional event information. (SR)

Growing Pains

Competition, costs and a heap of deactivated cannabis cards are harshing the vibe of Utah’s medical marijuana program.

BY BENJAMIN WOOD bwood@cityweekly.net

More than 66,000 Utahns hold an active medical cannabis card— according to the latest numbers from the Utah Department of Health and Human Services—providing them with the state’s legal blessing to purchase, possess and consume THC.

But another 30,000—roughly—have allowed their cards to expire and their participation in the sanctioned market to lapse, a worrying trend for proponents that is variously attributed to the out-of-pocket costs borne by cannabis patients, the limited availability of willing medical providers, cannabis dispensaries and specific products, as well as competition from both the traditional, unsanctioned marijuana market and new “Delta” THC offerings derived from hemp that can be sold over the counter without a cannabis card due to a series of federal and state loopholes.

After launching in 2019 in the wake of a successful ballot initiative, Utah’s medical cannabis program quickly blew past government projections for both patient counts and dollar sales. But Tim Pickett, founder and CEO of KindlyMD—formerly known as the Utah Therapeutic Health Center—said he believes the state is approaching a plateau as the medical marijuana effort moves past its early, experimental phase and into an era of increasing medical, corporate and social legitimacy.

“Everything has somewhat calmed down,” Pickett said. “There was a hope that we’d be at 100,000 patients now, or approaching that.”

During the 2023 legislative session, lawmakers voted to reduce the frequency—and by extension, cost—of card renewals, allowing providers to issue cannabis referrals of up to one year and swapping the numerical cap on patients that any one medical provider can oversee to a floating 1.5% of the state’s overall patient population.

Pickett said the changes should help with—but not eliminate—the issue of cannabis patients seeing a different medical provider each time they renew their card and instead help to create more scenarios where an enduring doctor-patient relation-

ship can be established. But he added that it’s a “double-edged sword,” as the requirements for less-frequent card renewals will likely mean less-frequent interaction between cannabis consumers and duly licensed medical professionals.

“We will now be able to see patients for less money, for more holistic care and not have to rotate through providers for all of our patients,” Pickett said. “Because it’s a cash-pay system, patients will demand to go as long as they possibly can [without renewal]. Is that good for patients? My fear is that it runs the risk of delegitimizing medical cannabis as a true medicine.”

On the production and dispensary side, monthly sales figures continue to climb steadily and Utah’s cumulative haul from legal marijuana purchases will soon cross $250 million—if it hasn’t by the time this article is published—according to reports released by the Department of Health. New product lines have come online, as well as more robust delivery services and competitive pricing levels.

“Our prices are not on the higher end, but they’re not on the lower end,” said Sen. Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City. “We’re pretty much in the middle.”

And last month, Curaleaf—an international consumer cannabis company—announced its acquisition of Deseret Wellness and its three dispensary locations in Utah for $20 million. The transaction adds to Curaleaf’s one existing dispensary in the Beehive State, as well as its roughly 150 locations nationwide.

“Utah is an important emerging market for Curaleaf, and we are excited to expand our medical retail footprint in the state,” Curaleaf CEO Matt Darin said in a prepared statement announcing the acquisition.

“Deseret has built a strong and profitable business, and we believe the combination of our two companies will enhance our competitive position in the Utah market.”

Rolling Paperwork

Pickett emphasized the need for greater coordination between insurance providers and medical marijuana practitioners. The state’s major health care institutions have largely avoided medical marijuana—pushing the majority of cannabis patients to cash referral clinics—but some traditional physicians have found success incorporating THC into their practices.

“If you’re billing the insurance for the visit, that patient does not count toward the cap,” Pickett said. “I’ve been lobbying for two years for this particular thing. We got some traction on it, and we feel like it legitimizes the legitimate providers.”

But trying to build up insurance billing in the specialty clinics—without the benefit of a hospital network or legacy practice—is burdensome, Pickett said, requiring compliance and communication with a host of credentialing agencies and insurance carriers. He said he’d like to see the broader medical community accept cannabis as part of total health care—not just to bring the cost of clinic visits down to a typical co-pay, but also to make sure that cannabis patients are having their other medical needs met.

“Our jive is to see how many patients we can switch from only medical cannabis to a holistic health care program,” Pickett said. “They still need colonoscopies. They still need mammograms. They might be using medical cannabis, and that’s OK—all of those are OK together.”

Escamilla—who runs point on cannabis legislation for the Utah Senate—said lawmakers would also like to see medical cannabis better integrated into traditional

Above: Sen. Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City, has been the Senate sponsor for most of Utah’s medical cannabis legislation. She is now exploring legislation around the use of psilocybin for medical purposes.

Right: KindlyMD founder Tim Pickett says cannabis specialty clinics are increasingly embracing hemp-derived Delta 9 THC in treatment routines.

COURTESY PHOTO

COURTESY PHOTO

health care services. And they have taken steps each year to facilitate that shift, she said. In addition to exempting insurancebilled patients from cap counts, recent changes to state law require Utah’s universities to incorporate cannabis training into their medical degree programs.

“We’re moving in the right direction,” Escamilla said. “I just wish the federal government could help on this, but I’m also proud that the state of Utah is treating this from a medical perspective.”

In addition to Utah’s 66,000 cannabis patients, the state’s program boasts just shy of 1,000 qualified medical providers, or QMPs, 725 pharmacy (dispensary) agents and 80 pharmacy medical providers, or PMPs. But the ratios are skewed by the rules around patient caps, with Pickett saying KindlyMD could dramatically reduce the number of QMPs it works with should regulatory hurdles be removed.

“We have over 60 providers,” Pickett said. “We could literally take care of the number of patients we have with seven or eight providers, and that’s better patient care.”

High on Supply

The other wrinkle in the state’s medical marijuana story is the emergence and proliferation of hemp-derived Delta THC formulations. Despite containing relatively high levels of THC and producing comparable psychoactive effects to traditional marijuana, Delta 9 (or 8, or 10, etc.) can be legally sold and purchased outside of strictly regulated dispensaries.

“These products retail at normal pharmacies—beyond just the vape shops, these are products in the apothecary up the street,” Pickett said. “It’s almost like it’s modifying the [medical cannabis] program without legislation.”

Delta THC is divisive within the broader marijuana community and often denigrated as a “synthetic.” But Pickett said he came to rethink his attitude toward hemp-derived medicines after creating his own formulation and registering it with the state, which required testing and other safety controls.

State law demands strict separation between clinical referrals and cannabis dispensary sales. But card clinics are able to sell Delta formulations directly to their patients, opening new sources of revenue for providers while offering a treatment option to patients that doesn’t require full participation in the medical program, or that could be a stepping stone to obtaining a “green” card (Pickett jokingly described Delta 9 as a “gateway drug” to marijuana).

“Sometimes these patients will have tried a product like that over the counter and that’s what made them interested in medical cannabis to begin with,” Pickett said. “Here’s something your aunt can try today without a card and see if they like it,

if it’s useful.”

Pickett couldn’t speak to the effect that the hemp-derived THC market is having on cannabis dispensary sales, but he said his patients are increasingly asking about Delta formulations. He said some individuals may find that the cannabinoids (CBD, CBG, CBN, etc.) contained in over-the-counter options are sufficient to treat their symptoms without a medical card.

But he added that hemp-derived THC will still trigger a drug test, and a patient could be vulnerable without the legal protections awarded to cardholders.

“As providers, we treat those just like any other medical cannabis product,” he said. “We are starting to not distinguish between the two.”

The trends further entrench the mainstream use of marijuana as a medical—if not recreational-adjacent—product in the Beehive State. Card clinics are operating more and more like primary care facilities, while traditional physicians are growing more and more comfortable with referring their patients to cannabis pharmacies.

And those pharmacies are operating more and more like adult-use dispensaries (they even accept debit cards now) while Delta THC is being openly sold in retail settings with a level of convenience comparable to a six-pack of beer.

The language around cannabis consumption is also growing increasingly corporatized. When Curaleaf announced its acquisition of Deseret Wellness—making it the largest cannabis-related entity in the state—there was obviously no talk at all of ripping bongs and rolling joints, but also relatively little talk of patient care and medical treatment.

Instead, the press release focused on market share and earnings potential.

“This deal represents the largest cannabis retail change of ownership in the state’s history and bolsters our strong position in the market with an attractive portfolio of retail assets,” said Curaleaf executive chairman Boris Jordan.

In some ways, the rapid success of the state’s program can make the once burninghot topic of medical marijuana seem politically dried out, like a hard-partying college friend who grew up and got a job. Escamilla noted that the now-annual legislation adjusting the cannabis program tends to pass with robust, bipartisan majorities—if not near-unanimous support—and while there remain skeptical holdouts on the Hill, she said, most lawmakers are listening to their constituents’ experiences and the feedback from medical and industry experts.

And while she and her colleagues will continue to pursue improvements to cannabis access over time, she said the conversation could shift to other areas of drug decriminalization—like magic mushrooms.

“I tried a psilocybin bill,” Escamilla said, “and I will continue to work on that.” CW

SAVE THE DATE!

The Grass Is Greener

The pros and cons of legal dispensaries versus your black-market plug.

BY MINDY MADEO comments@cityweekly.net

The following article originally appeared in Salt Baked City and is excerpted, in part, below. For the full text, visit saltbakedcity.com

Utah’s medical cannabis program has been running for close to three years now. Despite having more than 60,000 active card holders, many of Utah’s cannabis consumers still don’t have a medical card and choose not to participate in our medical program.

I wanted to explore the reasons why and see how we might make our medical program serve all Utahns.

Legalities

The most obvious reason to get a card and purchase medical cannabis products would be to protect yourself legally. A medical card may protect you from possession or DUI charges if you have cannabis products on your person or in your car or home.

A med card may also protect you during workplace drug testing. Many drug-testing centers will conclude you passed a drug test even if you test positive for cannabis as long as you have a provider recommendation to explain the positive result.

Med cards have helped those on parole and those with prior drug charges to be able to consume openly and legally. Med cards may also be important in situations where a former partner may be trying to use your cannabis consumption against you in matters of litigation and custody disagreements.

Safety

Products purchased from the medical program are batch tested by a state-approved lab for heavy metals, residual solvents, pesticides, microbes and fungi. And Utah is recently the first state in the nation to require testing for unintended synthetic byproducts.

Utah cannabis testing is not perfect, and I hope we get more comprehensive testing and additional labs to validate and interpret results. But I will always recommend a product batch-tested in the Utah medical program over any untested cannabis product.

A study published in 2022 analyzed 516 CBD-based edible and topical products in the U.S. market. Sixty percent were mislabeled, containing more or less cannabinoids, and they also detected the presence of lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, phthalates and other heavy metals.

A local group was curious how safe illicit vape carts might test, so they sent a popular illicit vape cart out of state to get third-party testing, and it came back positive for having high levels of two different pesticides not considered safe for human consumption. Lung injuries associated with vaping products reached a peak in 2019 and 2020, when irreversible lung damage was attributed to Vitamin E acetate in THC-containing vape carts.

In response, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and FDA recommended that people not use THC-containing e-cigarette or vaping products, particularly from informal sources like friends, family or in-person and online dealers.

Today, most illicit drugs carry the risk of added, dangerous contaminants like fentanyl. While it’s quite unlikely that fentanyl would be added to cannabis products intentionally, there have been cases where accidental cross-contamination of the very potent fentanyl has been reported.

But the thing you should be most concerned with is flower sprayed with compounds to make effects stronger. We see illicit cannabis flower being sprayed with things like lab-synthesized cannabinoids and even potentially dangerous synthetics like spice.

Cost

Cost is one of the biggest reasons patients don’t utilize the Utah cannabis program. There is the issue that a visit to a cannabis specialty clinic to see a QMP can cost up to $500 per year.

We are seeing the price decrease over time, but it’s still quite unaffordable for many. Shopping around and using an LMP can save you quite a bit of money. As legislators continue to refine our program, we might see restrictions loosening on allowing recommendations to be valid longer, with less paperwork, more user-friendly software interfaces, telehealth restrictions lifted, expanding state-run insurance coverage to include cannabis visits and other measures to lower the price to access our medical cannabis program.

Using recent state data from a cost comparison study, I compared the different ways Utahns might access cannabis. Due to competition among cannabis pharmacies and an increased product supply, the costs on average have continually lowered over time. Of course, we found illicit cannabis products to be the least expensive, which makes sense since the local dealer isn’t paying for safety testing, labeling, taxes, adminstrative costs or government fees.

Advice

The best advice I have for patients is to shop around. Become familiar with all accessible Utah medical cannabis pharmacies and feel free to visit them all. Look for coupons and sales, but remember that those are temporary. More importantly, notice who has lower prices on the products you love without the gimmicks.

If you have a favorite pharmacy, sign up for their rewards programs and text clubs to learn about discounts. Ask for senior, veterans and low-income discounts at your pharmacies.

The lowest-price products may be costing you more in the long run. If they are not as effective, you may consume more. And lastly, work on your tolerance if you believe it’s high. Less is more when it comes to medical cannabis dosing and often a lower amount will be much more effective after you take a tolerance break and learn to consume more consciously. CW

“The most obvious reason to get a card and purchase medical cannabis products would be to protect yourself legally.”—Mindy Madeo

Growing Your Own

Utah’s “Leafy Lawyer” on the rights and laws around home cannabis cultivation.

BY J.D. LAURITZEN comments@cityweekly.net

The following article originally appeared in Salt Baked City and is excerpted, in part, below. For the full text, visit saltbakedcity.com

Alot of conversations have occurred in the Utah medical cannabis program around the topic of patient “access,” which can take on many forms depending on who you ask. For some, access might mean actual, physical access to brick-and-mortar pharmacy storefronts. For others, it might mean access to home delivery services or more diverse product offerings/supply.

Access could also mean the ability to even participate in the program itself, especially where the costs associated with being a valid medical cannabis cardholder can be a barrier to entry for many. Although these points of “access” are undoubtedly important, and are ones that we should strive to protect and continue expanding upon, one topic that deserves more attention is the right to home cultivation.

Why Home Cultivation Is Important

With home cultivation laws being enacted in more than 20 states, it should go without saying that home cultivation has been regarded in many jurisdictions as a fundamental right for cannabis users. Indeed, home cultivation has been an integral part of legalized cannabis in the U.S. since the very beginning.

In 1996, California voters passed Proposition 215, which enacted the country’s first medical cannabis laws. Among other things, Prop 215 authorized those individuals with a valid doctor’s recommendation to possess and cultivate cannabis for personal medical use.

Since the passage of Prop 215, 22 other states, the District of Columbia and two U.S. territories have adopted laws allowing for home cultivation. However, this leaves 17 states with medical cannabis programs that have not yet granted patients home-cultivation rights. There is even one state, New Jersey, that does not allow any form of home cultivation despite it having enacted adult-use cannabis laws.

According to research from 2021, approximately 3.6 million Americans legally use cannabis to treat one or more medical conditions. Despite this prevalence, private insurance is unlikely to cover the costs of medical cannabis treatments (which can be quite cost prohibitive, as many reading this article can attest to).

The cost of medical cannabis only becomes more burdensome when it is combined with

the fact that certain patients with serious medical conditions have not only other medical expenses to contend with, but they often also experience a reduced ability to work and make a living. The reality, then, is that many of these patients are priced completely out of the market, or they are forced to return to the traditional market or turn to products that, while legal, contain cannabinoids or other substances that need more research before it can be determined that they are safe to consume.

To ensure access to their medicine, home cultivation of cannabis is the only real option for many patients.

Second, home cultivation improves access for those who live further away from a brickand-mortar pharmacy or dispensary location. In Utah, for instance, until the 15th pharmacy location opened recently in Price, the entire eastern and southeastern parts of the state had no reasonable access to a brick-and-mortar pharmacy.

Some may say that home delivery could solve the distance issue, which is at least partly true. However, again, this presumes that a patient even has the financial wherewithal to afford the cannabis sold at pharmacies.

Dispelling the Myths Around Home Cultivation

The first myth that many throw up as opposition to home cultivation is that granting people the right to cultivate their own cannabis will fuel the traditional market. Nothing could be further from the truth, however.

Allowing an adult to cultivate between six and 12 plants in the security of their own home will not lead to a spike in traditional market sales. Nevertheless, even if a few people decided to grow for the purposes of selling into the traditional market, this would have a negligible impact on cannabis supply in a given state and also would not materially contribute to any crime around illegal cannabis distribution.

Some opponents of home cultivation also cite that by allowing people to grow their cannabis, the government is only increasing the dangers/resource consumption that surround cannabis cultivation.

However, fears over electricity use, fires or other potential hazards are overblown and have not been shown in any real significance. Likewise, fears that allowing home cultivation will lead to everyone growing their own cannabis—which opponents say will lead to decreased taxes/fees recouped from cannabis—are also overstated.

One need look no further than the record money being pulled in by those markets that currently allow for home cultivation. For example, Colorado was projected to eclipse $1.8 billion in legal sales in 2022, with many millions of that money going to taxes.

With figures like this common across the country, it is safe to say that home cultivation is not negatively impacting cannabis sales and tax receipts. The same is true for any land use issues that opponents try to raise.

The simple fact is that a majority of people will continue to obtain cannabis through a pharmacy or dispensary and only a minority will try their hand at home cultivation. As any seasoned grower will tell you, growing cannabis is not as easy as you might think.

Why Utah Should Consider Home Cultivation

Ultimately, allowing home cultivation for Utah patients is a good way to solve the access question (at least partly). It helps to address the cost issue, the rural vs. urban issue, the availability of certain cultivars/product issue, any questions over what substances are or are not in a given product and a portion of the social justice issues that are tied to the continued jailing of persons for cannabis cultivation.

Regardless of the path that Utah takes toward home cultivation, there is little doubt that adopting home cultivation rights will benefit all Utah medical-cannabis patients. CW

Puff Passports

Join

Utah’s Cannabis Club and get Baked.

BY COLE FULLMER comments@cityweekly.net

If you enjoyed the cannabis content found in this year’s City Weekly 420 issue, you’ll love flipping through the rest of Salt Baked City’s sticky-icky pages. Scan the QR code to read the current SBC magazine and get access to more Utah cannabis news you can’t read anywhere else.

Registered medical cannabis patients already know they can grab SBC for free anywhere that legal cannabis is sold in Utah, but most are just learning how to really get Baked in the “Behave” State. To learn more about Salt Baked City’s new Puff Passport program, visit saltbakedcity.com and click subscribe. Becoming a Utah Puff Passport member will give registered medical cannabis patients access to exclusive medical cannabis discounts, invites to private parties and more perks found throughout Utah’s Green Scene.

It’s not easy or cheap to celebrate cannabis culture in Utah—that’s for sure—so let Salt Baked City save you some green on your green and help celebrate who you are.

COURTESY PHOTO

“As any seasoned grower will tell you, growing cannabis is not as easy as you might think.”

—J.D. Lauritzen

Signature Moves

A few local favorites for when your cravings get specific.

BY ALEX SPRINGER comments@cityweekly.net @captainspringer

There is a certain level of boldness that goes into basing an entire restaurant around one dish, and it’s a surefire way to get me to pay a visit. There’s something terribly attractive about a restaurant that only puts one or two signature items on their menu. Some of the most important innovations of our time were born from those brave enough to set creative limitations on themselves, and food is no different. When chefs decide to dedicate themselves to the perfection of one dish, you can be damn sure it’s going to be the best version of that dish you can get. It’s like throwing a gauntlet down and claiming true culinary supremacy over that particular item.

With that said, let’s take a moment to dive into a few local spots that have the market cornered on their signature dish.

FISH ON

Before about three months ago, Fish On was a mobile operation that sold beerbattered cod and salmon alongside some golden fries. They recently snagged a storefront in the Ivy Place Shopping Village and they’ve already started to make a splash in the neighborhood. Fish and chips is a sensible dish to build a restaurant around–this comfort food combo first popularized in the United Kingdom has been a hit for centuries. Fried fish is one of those dishes that is easy to phone

in. Starting with a halfway decent cut of fish, slather it in batter and chuck it into some hot oil, it’s not exactly rocket science. Ease of preparation aside, it is always possible to take a simple recipe and hone it to near perfection, which is what is happening at FishOn every day. Their preferred fish options are Alaskan cod and salmon and you can get both if you are willing to throw down with with the Yankee ($19.95), which features both options. The beer batter makes for some stellar eating–it’s light, crispy and perfectly seals in the fish’s natural flavors. Give them a spritz of lemon juice, scoop up a generous dollop of tartar sauce and take a bite to let that almost-too-hot-hotness just flood your mouth with comfort food goodness. Having tried both salmon and cod, I think it’s always a safe bet to go with the latter–something about the way cod flakes apart with each bite makes for a more satisfying fish and chips experience.

4700 S. 900 East, Ste. 19 385-416-8362

fishongourmet.com

NANA’S SONORAN HOTDOGS

The Ledezma family really did us a solid when they decided to bring the Sonoran hot dog to the Wasatch Front. This legendary, bacon-wrapped delight first made its way to the United States from Hermosillo, Mexico to Tucson, AZ where it’s widely available. Now that Nana’s has opened a food truck, we too can enjoy this overstuffed wonder of the street food universe. Nana’s makes their dogs the same way they’d do it back home–a bacon-wrapped hot dog nestled in a specially baked, pillowy bun and then topped with everything from pinto beans to Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.

You’d think the flavor of all those hardcore ingredients would just muddle their way into a general sense of beefy savoriness, but that’s never the case. These hot

dogs are vibrant and bright with each ingredient pulling its weight to create something familiar yet unique. You’ve got to follow Nana’s on Instagram pronto to see where they will be doing the Lord’s work next.

623-210-7320

@nanas_hotdogs

PIE FIGHT

Limitations are usually not your friend when running a bakery, but that hasn’t stopped the team at Pie Fight from garnering success. They’ve taken the idea of a signature dish to the next level by creating hand pies, which are a niche within a niche in the baking world. Hand pies also don’t have the cultural heft enjoyed by fish and chips, even when you consider the Pop Tart’s impact on society. So what makes Pie Fight work? What makes them so proficient at their signature dish that they’ve become a gem within the Ninth and Ninth dining scene?

It’s the crust, my friends. Yes, their fillings like blueberry lime, bourbon caramel apple and the occasional savory craziness like mac and cheese have won the affection of many local diners. But this crust is something magical. It’s something that would cause pastry chefs all over the world to bow their toques in reverence. It somehow retains the buttery flavor and light, crisp texture that a pie needs in order to achieve true enlightenment, but it’s sturdy enough to hold on to and eat like a sandwich. I’ve had hand pies that land the texture only to break apart in my meaty hands, and I’ve had leaden hand pies that have sacrificed flavor for structural integrity, but to have both is nothing short of culinary alchemy. CW 937 E. 900 South 385-222-5373

thepiefight.com

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

Avenues Proper 376 8th Ave, SLC

avenuesproper.com

On Tap: Blizzard Wizard - Hazy Pale 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

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

On Tap: Playground Hazy Pale Ale (lemondrop)

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

On Tap: That’s a Knife - Australian Cold IPA

Desert Edge Brewery

273 Trolley Square, SLC DesertEdgeBrewery.com

On Tap: Tropical Fruit Storm Pale Ale

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

On Tap: Tart n Juicy Sour IPA

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

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

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

On Tap: Extra Pale Ale

Helper Beer 159 N Main Street Helper, UT 84526 helperbeer.com/

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

On Tap: You can’t do that on Television! IPA

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

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

LevelCrossingBrewing.com

On Tap: Pink Boot’s “At Our Wit’s End!”

Bingo: Wednesdays at 7pm

Moab Brewing 686 S. Main, Moab TheMoabBrewery.com

On Tap: Bourbon & Blonde (Bulleit Bourbon Barrel-aged Blonde Stout)

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

On Tap: Pomme Paloma

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

On Tap: DOPO IPA

Ogden Beer Company 358 Park Blvd, Ogden OgdenRiverBrewing.com

On Tap: Injector Hazy IPA

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

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

On Tap: It’s Complicated Sour

Proper Brewing 857 S. Main, SLC ProperBrewingCo.com

On Tap: Cloud Chaser - Kölsch with Strawberry and Watermelon

Proper Brewing Moab 1393 US-191

Moab, Utah 84532

On Tap: Angus McCloud- Scottish Ale

Red Rock Brewing 254 So. 200 West RedRockBrewing.com

On Tap: Gypsy Scratch

Red Rock Fashion Place 6227 So. State Redrockbrewing.com

On Tap: Munich Dunkel

Red Rock Kimball Junction Redrockbrewing.com

1640 Redstone Center

On Tap: Bamberg Rauch Bier

RoHa Brewing Project 30 Kensington Ave, SLC RoHaBrewing.com

On Tap: Anniversary Barrel Aged Porter

Roosters Brewing Multiple Locations RoostersBrewingCo.com

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

SaltFire Brewing

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

On Tap: Charlotte Sometimes Blonde Ale

Salt Flats Brewing 2020 Industrial Circle, SLC SaltFlatsBeer.com

On Tap: Save the Lake Pilsner - 5% of sales donated to local non-profits to support preserving our Great Salt Lake

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

On Tap: Scion Apricot & Oak7.6% ABV

Shades Brewing

154 W. Utopia Ave, S. Salt Lake ShadesBrewing.beer

On Tap: Mango IPA

Live Music: Thursdays

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

On Tap: Mexican Lager Karaoke: Wednesdays

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

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

squatters

On Tap: Salt Lake Brewing Co.

Dog Lake (American) Pale Ale

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

On Tap: Top of Main Ginger Beer, 5% ABV

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: Yacht Rock Juice Box - Juicy IPA

TF Brewing 936 S. 300 West, SLC

TFBrewing.com

On Tap: Edel Pils

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

On Tap: King Slayer- Pilsner

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 saltlakebrewingco.com/ wasatch

On Tap: Wasatch Salt Lime Cerveza (SLC)

Zion Brewery 95 Zion Park Blvd, Springdale ZionBrewery.com

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

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

Can-o-bliss!

Beers so hoppy you’ll think they’re illegal

BY MIKE RIEDEL comments@cityweekly.net @utahbeer

Proper - SLC Pils: The label is an obvious play on the locally beloved film SLC Punk. Proper’s version of the traditional Pilsners doesn’t take any crazy detours in regards to hops and malts, it looks toward tradition and what made this style of beer the most popular in the world. The aroma is light, hops are subdued and the malts are hard to find.

That old world snap is evident on the palate too, where all the fruity, herbal and floral notes are allowed to sparkle and shine over a grain bill that is so clean as to be almost neutral. Pilsners often contain bready, biscuity maltiness but this one supplies little other than a faint honeyed quality.

It’s the hops that do all the talking in this relationship. But their bark is much greater than their bite; dry-hopping infused tons of flavor but left iso-alpha acids out of the picture. The bitterness at the end is crisp and brief, leaving a fleeting, grassy green aftertaste dominated by pleasant citrus skin notes. As a result, its drinkability is best summed up by that prototypical Northern Utah Skier term: crushable.

Verdict: Indeed, something about SLC Pils exudes that “every day is sunny, active lifestyle, you can ride your bike all summer long” kind of Utah essence. It’d be hard to find a better everyday beer for the modern craft beer drinker - it’s an explosion of tradition in a light, bright, chill and utterly chuggable package.

Offset/Grid City - S33ing Thr33s: What a lineup of hoppy participation: Citra, Mo-

CINCO DE MAYO

saic and Simcoe are all lined up for our tasting pleasure. The teams from Offset and Grid City gathered at Offset’s Park City brewery to brew this special Triple IPA (TRIPA). There’s no need to adjust your set, this is must-taste programing, made by the collaboration network.

Pours a translucent, sunflower-gold body topped with a finger and a half creamy, slightly off-white foam; solid head retention yields a slim layer of cap, a thin, frothy collar and a generous spattering of soapy, webbed lacing caked across the walls of the glass. Aroma finds fresh mango pith with an apricot tinge upfront, easing to earthy lemon accompanied by notes of grapefruit, pine and grassy resins; a soft, doughy malt undertone is revealed quietly alongside a subtle passionfruit inflection.

Taste brings orange and ruby red grapefruit to open, with lemon peel softened by mango esters over the midpalate as a flaky, bready malt settles through the back end of the profile. Mouthfeel shows a deft, medium body and a rounded, silky fluff of moderatefull carbonation, leaving a pseudo-bittering sensation phasing to slick resins through the mid-palate as creamy interludes preclude a dryness prevailing on the finish.

Verdict: Soft, attenuated nuance prevails as a potently resinous undercurrent steeps a deft malt foundation in explosive fruity texturing; another highly quaffable 10.0 percent IPA offering from the keen minds at Offset and Grid City.

S33ing Thr33s comes to you in a fairly small batch. I heard rumblings that a larger batch may be produced soon at Grid City’s larger brew system. We’ll have to wait and see. Until then you can Find it at Both Offset Bier, Grid City Beer Works, along with The Bayou and Slackwater. SLC Pils is at 5.0 percent and will be widely available at grocery and convenience stores and on draft where you’ll find Proper Brewing draft handles. As alway, cheers.

TUNES BY DJ LYRIC

Celebrate and see double

THURSDAYS

FRIDAYS DJ FRESH(NESS)

SATURDAYS POKER @ 2PM DJ DELMAGGIO

SHARK

SUNDAYS

POOL TOURNEY HOSTED BY JARED AND TANNER

MONDAYS REGGAE MONDAY WITH DJ NAPO

TUESDAYS

WEDNESDAYS KARAOKE

MIKE RIEDEL

MIKE RIEDEL

BY ALEX SPRINGER | @captainspringer

Post Malone’s Fast Food Facelift

If you’re wondering why the Raising Cane’s in Midvale (890 Fort Union Boulevard) looks a little different from their other locations around town, then clearly you are not a Post Malone fan. Last week, the Grammy-nominated artist unveiled a collaboration between himself and Raising Cane’s founder Todd Graves. The result saw this location of the fried chicken chain revamped into a pinkand-black portrait of Malone on the outside, and a mini museum on the inside–some of Malone’s iconic stage costumes are on display throughout the restaurant. If the rapid influx of fried chicken restaurants was an attempt to garner Post Malone’s attention, it looks like Raising Cane’s has become the belle of that particular ball.

The Invisible Vegan Screening and Panel

The Black Physicians of Utah (bpou.org) will be hosting a screening and panel discussion of the documentary The Invisible Vegan on April 26 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The film explores the prevalence of unhealthy dietary patterns within the African American community and offers guidance on ways to combat those patterns today. The event will feature a screening of The Invisible Vegan, some tasty food and beverages, and will include a post-film panel discussion consisting of local health experts and officials. The screening and discussion will take place at Kiln (26 S. Rio Grande Street) and registration can be booked in advance via EventBrite.

Onion, Leek and Shallot Workshop

Where would we really be without the aid of aromatics in our cooking? Nowhere, that’s where. For those who share this sentiment and are looking to take their appreciation for onions, leeks and shallots to the next level, Wasatch Community Gardens (wasatchgardens.org) has an event for you this weekend. On April 22 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., join instructor Marybeth Janerich for a workshop designed to teach learners how to plant and cultivate these delicious veggies and how to select the best variety for whatever your cooking job might be. The workshop will also cover how to plant each veggie correctly. Tickets can be purchased via the Wasatch Community Gardens website.

Quote of the Week: “I watch cooking change the cook just as it transforms the food.” –Laura

Esquivel

Why Fidelity

Chevalier provides a biographical portrait focused on satisfying an audience.

BY SCOTT RENSHAW scottr@cityweekly.net @scottrenshaw

In the opening sequence of Chevalier, a concert at a Paris opera house takes a pause so that the conductor can introduce himself—as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Joseph Prowen). Striking a cocky pose and inviting audience members to toss him requests, Mozart receives a response from a Black man, dressed in finery and sporting the powdered wig of the era’s aristocratic class. Abruptly, he and Mozart are engaged in a kind of violin battle, with the interloper so frustrating the legendary composer that he storms off the stage, wondering aloud who has shown him up in such a manner.

The answer: He is Joseph Bologne, Chevaliler de Saint-Georges (Kelvin Harrison Jr.). And as to whether such an encounter ever happened in real life, I neither know nor care. There’s a kind of cinematic biography that is concerned primarily with relentless fidelity, and then there’s a kind that seems concerned primarily with being an entertaining movie. Chevalier does the job of introducing an actual historical figure whose work is not widely known, but it does so while focusing on telling a satisfying story.

We get just enough of Bologne’s backstory—the illegitimate son of a colonial landowner and an enslaved woman, Nanon (Ronke Adekoluejo), brought to 1750s Paris by his father as a child to study music. There, as a “mulatto” among the wellborn French, he encounters the expected racism and rejection, until he becomes a

favorite of Queen Marie Antoinette (Lucy Boynton), and is given his title of chevalier. In time, his growing renown presents the opportunity to compete for the prestigious role of director of the Paris Opera.

The events surrounding that competition provide the narrative centerpiece, as Bologne becomes infatuated with amateur singer Marie-Josephine (Samara Weaving) and casts her as the lead in his opera, unbeknownst to her jealous, military-veteran husband (Marton Csokas). An affair ensues, and director Stephen Williams—a veteran of episodic TV including Watchmen and The Walking Dead, making his feature debut—allows us to luxuriate in not just the fancy circles in which Bologne travels, but two attractive people, discreetly intertwined. Even as the story dips into messier thematic territory, Chevalier never forgets to give us lovely things to look at.

That messy thematic territory provides some meat on the movie’s bones, and generally does so with success. Screenwriter Stefani Robinson (Atlanta) makes use of this story’s setting in the run-up to the French Revolution, recognizing the reality that the “egalité” part of the reform-

ers’ slogan didn’t necessarily apply in the same way to Black men, or to women.

That idea gets a bit awkwardly literal as Bologne and Marie-Josephine engage in an argument that amounts to “which of us is more oppressed,” further complicated when Bologne is reunited with his mother after she is freed upon the death of his father. As a tale of non-white people who think they can be accepted into privileged society if they just play by the right rules, it’s a bit unsteady, but generally engaging.

That’s largely because Harrison provides a charismatic center point in the leading role, conveying an arrogance of talent that keeps colliding with those—like the opera diva (Minnie Driver) who retaliates when Bologne refuses her amorous advances—who are determined to remind him of his proper place. His uncertainty regarding which side to ally himself with in the debate over the future of France’s governance, and even the vague sense of embarrassment he exudes over being reminded of his descent from an enslaved woman, make for a juicy character for an actor to bite into, and Harrison is more than up to the task.

It’s fair to say, though, that Chevalier works because it can approach all of these potentially thorny issues without ever once feeling like a lecture. Keeping the story narrowly focused on one part of Bologne’s life—rather than choosing a cradle-to-grave arc that would have included his eventual role as a soldier himself—shows a keen sense for crowd-pleasing rather than hitting historical bullet points. The climax involves the question of whether Bologne will defy the queen and play a concert for the benefit of rebels, and it’s the perfect way to build towards a rousing finish.

Apparently, that concert actually happened—but even if it hadn’t, I wouldn’t fault a screenwriter for creating it as a great way to end a movie. CW

CHEVALIER BBB

Kelvin Harrison Jr. Samara Weaving Lucy Boynton PG-13 Available April 21 in theaters

Kelvin Harrison Jr. in Chevalier SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES

Needle Drops

Record store day and the resurgence of vinyl

BY SOPHIE CALIGIURI music@cityweekly.net

Our means of production have bent backwards toward the mindset that what is instantaneous is also an advancement, and in today’s hustle and bustle, music has lost nearly all physicality. Available now directly at our fingertips in borderline frightening immediacy, music streaming services have split the vinyl industry—especially the indie record shop— at the seams.

With Record Store Day (RSD) quickly approaching (April 22nd!), Michael Maccarrone (owner of Sound and Vision Vinyl), and Rob Fenn (owner of Memento Mori) cut straight to the chase: why RSD–and vinyl itself–still f--king rocks.

Sound and Vision Vinyl opened in 2015 and looks exactly how a proper record haunt should. The quintessential ambiance of the shop coheres, given Maccarrone is a seasoned record shop virtuoso, running 10 different stores in New York from 1978 to 2010 before “making a wrong turn in New Jersey’’ and ending up in Salt Lake City.

Fittingly named after the Bowie song, crossing the shop’s threshold, one can’t help but think they are no longer “waiting for the gift of sound and vision” (as Mr. Stardust himself once said)—they’ve found it.

While signed posters jacket the walls, action figures, stereo equipment and instruments sit happily in their rightful places, nothing distracts from the legion of vinyl cases carefully filed and completely filled. Of the shop, Maccarrone says: “most people seem to enjoy my insanity, so it’s been a fun ride.”

Memento Mori was described by Fenn as “a place where Johnny Cash would grab a haircut, Elton John would grab the latest vinyl release and Edgar Alan Poe would tell stories over a game of 8-ball.” The business brings a razor’s-edge to the indie record store–pun intended.

Opened in July of 2022 by Fenn and “better half” Lindsey Armstrong, along with friend Rob Valdez, Memento Mori currently operates as a barber shop. On RSD, the trio will expand their storefront to encompass a full-blown record shop and art gallery, with all the waxed and ready to play vinyl greedy fingers can grab. In answer to why the barber shop/ record stop/art gallery combo, Fenn says “It dawned on me that you cannot order a haircut on Amazon. So, if I put in a couple barber chairs, then I could have a record shop.” Fair enough.

Sound and Vision and Memento Mori may appeal to different audiences, but both intersect at the heart of their business conviction: a rapture with music. Both disclose this straightforwardly and with a two-pronged approach.

First, they pay their due diligence to the medium in which music was meant to be experienced: on vinyl. Secondly, they mold environments in which other music aficionados can discover the raw power of the wax, RSD being just one avenue both have trotted down to benefit listeners and build creative communities here in SLC.

Still—why does RSD matter in 2023? Maybe the answer is simpler than we realize: because music matters. And if music matters, we owe it to ourselves to make listening an experience rather than a pastime. “Let’s face it: all that bullshit on your Pocket Jesus, you don’t listen to it. You couldn’t even tell me what’s on your phone right now. So that’s why I like vinyl,” Fenn says.

“There’s something about the needle drop, reading the liner notes, and seeing everything that goes into it.” Maccarrone rings a similar bell. “Listening to a physi-

cal record is the closest thing to replicating the sound of being in the same room with that band. The record doesn’t get put on the turntable by itself, the needle doesn’t drop by itself. You’re part of the entire process,” he said.

Being part of something is formulaic to belonging—and where there is belonging, there is affectivity. Matching listeners to records on RSD is blanketed as a job, but for Maccarrone and Fenn, beyond logistics preparation and ordering forms, there rests an undeterred passion for the process.

“It makes me happy when I’m able to be the conduit to putting a smile on somebody’s face. It’s the greatest feeling in the world, especially with music and records. It’s emotional. It’s a connection that’s very, very personal, and when you’re involved, it’s just a special feeling,” says Maccarrone.

“That’s the cool part of it,” Fenn says. “Rediscovery. Generations that wouldn’t quite know about vinyl getting to see it. The kid that never knew about Johnny Cash or David Bowie, maybe they grab that record this year. That’s what gets me excited about Record Store Day. People dis-

covering these artists, that in my mind, are just timeless.”

Timelessness seems to be a theme for both men, with memory embedded into the framework of their shops, whether it be through paraphernalia or the name itself. But don’t let tradition discourage your own dive into the culture of vinyl. “We’re a place for everyone. It’s not a niche or a clique, we don’t care who you are or what your income is. We just want everyone to stop by and find something that they connect to in our shop,” says Fenn.

As if they heard one another, Maccarrone says, “I want you to find a place that you love, and that you support, wherever it is you feel at home. Support them, give them love, because the people who are doing it are doing it out of love. I do this because I love this, and I love seeing people connect to it.”

So it goes: allow a place for time on your side and embrace the possibility that there is no designated frame within which (or where) you should begin your own vinyl collection, although RSD 2023 and these two local music havens could be a serendipitous start. CW

SOPHIE CALIGIURI

By Emilee Atkinson

Sierra Ferrell @ The Depot 4/22

It’s hardly surprising that Sierra Ferrell has been hailed as an Americana original. Her story captures the essence of what it means to revere the roots while creating a sound that reflects her singular style. “I want my music to be like my mind—all over the place,” Ferrell says on her website.

“I listen to everything from bluegrass to techno to goth metal, and it all inspires me in different ways that I try to incorporate into my songs and make people really feel something.” Despite that disparity, the emphasis is on honesty and integrity. Ferrell grew up in poverty in Virginia’s rural environs and left home at an early age to try her luck as a nomadic musician—hopping on freight cars, hanging around truck stops, living in her van, and busking on the streets of Seattle and New Orleans. She got her big break after moving to Nashville and a signing to Rounder Records on the strength of her live performances. Her debut album, 2021’s appropriately-titled Long Time Coming, featured a host of major marquee names, among them, Jerry Douglas, Tim O’Brien, Chris Scruggs, Sarah Jarosz, Billy Strings and Dennis Crouch. Not surprisingly, it underscored her critical acclaim, as did her performance of the album’s “In Dreams,” which garnered some six million views. Still, her sound isn’t easily defined, given that it boasts elements of bluegrass, country, jazz and her occasionally quirky persona. Sierra Ferrell brings her “Long Time Going” tour to The Deport, at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 21. Tickets cost $57. Go to ticketmaster. com—Lee

Zimmerman Sierra Ferrell

ALYSSE GAFKJEN

MUSIC PICK S

By Emilee Atkinson

Spence Sutherland, JORDY, Michael Minelli @ The Complex 4/25

Pop star on the rise JORDY takes inspiration from Y2K pop staples like The Spice Girls, Michelle Branch and Avril Lavigne —what a time for great pop indeed. JORDY released his full-length debut, Mind Games, in 2021. It spawned the standout track “Long Distance,” a relatable song about loneliness and the struggles of long-distance relationships during the pandemic. It resonated with audiences nationwide and simultaneously lit up TikTok. JORDY has been on a shortlist of rising stars that you won’t want to miss, especially as he continues to release music this year. JORDY is supporting singer/songwriter Spence Sutherland, who also produces pop tracks. Sutherland announced the tour last winter with much encouragement from fellow musicians such as Victoria Justice and Big Time Rush. The tour is named after his latest release, In His Mania, an exciting and soulful entry in his catalog. Rounding out the trio of acts is R&B/soul artist Michael Minelli, who hit 2023 running with a new album called Long Way From Home. Don’t miss your chance to see this pop packed show on Tuesday, April 25 at 7 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages show are $22 and can be found at thecomplexslc. com. (Emilee Atkinson)

MUSIC PICK S

By Emilee Atkinson

Dawn of Ouroboros, Ashbringer, Arsenic Addiction @ Kilby Court

4/25

There are more subgenres in metal than most people probably realize. There are countless ways to make the genre your own, and sounds from metal groups have grown and changed a lot over time. Dawn of Ouroboros is one of those bands that really tailors their sound. They have a progressive sound that blends elements of death, post and atmospheric subgenres. The California natives got together in 2018 and have been serving up their heavy tunes since. So far this year the quartet have released two new singles, “Velvet Moon’’ and “Rise From Disillusion,” both of which exemplify their genre-bending style. You get calm and serene moments that are followed by epic earsplitting screaming style vocals. Supporting Dawn of Ouroboros is fellow atmospheric group Ashbringer, who have nearly a decade of melodic and ethereal tracks to dig through. Starting the band as teens, Ashbringer has a fantastic connection that shines through in their music. Last but certainly not least, local metalheads Arsenic Addiction bring this perfect circle to a close. The SLC group has been around since 2006 and has an amazing sound. Driven by the powerful and intense vocals from frontwoman Lady Arsenic, you’ll be transported into a melodic witchy world with driving guitars and epic other-worldly lyrics. Don’t miss this epic heavy show on Tuesday, April 25 at 7 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages show are $12 and can be found at kilbycourt.com. (EA)

Redveil @ Soundwell 4/26

18 year-old Marcus Morton, redveil, began producing music when he was 11. Since his first time playing around with FL Studio, the success redveil has seen is already representative of a masterclass rapper/producer. It’s redveil’s production that sets his discography apart from his contemporaries.’ Soul and funk are the primary influences behind redveil’s sound, with beats that consistently utilize soulful vocals that set a chopped up gospel backdrop for his buttery flows. Redveil’s latest album learn 2 swim released in 2022 and was completely self-produced, as always. Redveil’s production style reminds me of the easy listening, instrumental dynamism of Kenny Beats, with the poetics of Earl Sweatshirt stitched

in. More recently, redveil has been featured in the videogame MLB The Show 23 with the song “Weight,” and has released two singles in 2023. “Black enuff” with JPEGMAFIA leans into a deeper bass and heavier tones, whereas “giftbag” is easily redveil’s party song— featuring a catchy hook and repetition. Alongside redveil at Soundwell, April 26 is femdot., a rapper with a similar sound, working with beats constructed of mostly smooth jazz, particularly notable in his latest release, Falling Out of Love. D’Mari Harris is also taking stage, providing a sound leaning towards something a bit poppier; think Amine if he strived to make an R&B album. Show starts at 7 p.m. for the 21+ crowd at Soundwell, and tickets can be found here, tixr.com. (Caleb Daniel)

The Beaches, Finish Ticket @ DLC 4/26

Releasing music has changed over the years. Many musicians are opting to release music in singles, or shorter EPs instead of full albums; it keeps listeners feeling like they have something fresh from their favorite artists over time. Of course, the pandemic messed up a lot of plans for planned releases, including for Canadian rock quartet The Beaches. “Albums today have such a short shelf life, because of the way streaming and TikTok work, so what you’re discovering — and not necessarily as big in rock, but more in hiphop or pop — is that people are releasing their albums in segments,” singer/bassist Jordan Miller told Toronto Star. “So that was our original plan: we were going to cut our album in half and release it as two EPs and then add some extra songs and that would be the full album.” Even though the pandemic messed up The Beaches’ plans to release music, they’ve still been consistently putting out singles and short EPs that are nothing short of fantastic. Their latest, End of Summer is high energy but still has that hint of melancholy that comes with the end of the summer season knowing the gloom of winter is looming overhead. Joining The Beaches is indie pop group Finish Ticket, a staple in the local San Francisco music scene. Come out and have a good time with these two acts on Wednesday, April 26 at 8 p.m. Tickets for the 21+ show are $20 and can be found at quartersslc.com. (EA)

Redveil

Featured

free will ASTROLOGY

BY ROB BREZSNY

ARIES (March 21-April 19)

In English, the phrase “growing pains” refers to stresses that emerge during times of rapid ripening or vigorous development. Although they might feel uncomfortable, they are often signs that the ongoing transformations are invigorating. Any project that doesn’t have at least some growing pains may lack ambition. If we hope to transcend our previous limits and become a more complete expression of our destiny, we must stretch ourselves in ways that inconvenience our old selves. I’m expecting growing pains to be one of your key motifs in the coming weeks, dear Aries. It’s important that you don’t try to repress the discomfort. On the other hand, it’s also crucial not to obsess over them. Keep a clear vision of what these sacrifices will make possible for you.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)

Satirical Taurus author Karl Kraus defined “sentimental irony” as “a dog that bays at the moon while pissing on graves.” Please avoid that decadent emotion in the coming weeks, Taurus. You will also be wise to reject any other useless or counterproductive feelings that rise up within you or hurtle toward you from other people, like “clever cruelty” or “noble self-pity” or “sweet revenge.” In fact, I hope you will be rigorous about what moods you feed and what influences you allow into your sphere. You have a right and a duty to be highly discerning about shaping both your inner and outer environments. Renewal time is imminent.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20)

In his poem “October Fullness,” Pablo Neruda says, “Our own wounds heal with weeping, / Our own wounds heal with singing.” I agree. I believe weeping and singing are two effective ways to recover from emotional pain and distress. The more weeping and singing we do, the better. I especially recommend these therapeutic actions to you now, Gemini. You are in a phase when you can accomplish far more curative and restorative transformations than usual.

CANCER (June 21-July 22)

After analysis of the astrological omens and deep-diving meditation, I conclude that the coming weeks will be a time for you to indulge in an unprecedented binge of convivial revelry and pleasure. My advice: Engage in as much feasting and carousing as you can without completely ignoring your responsibilities. I know this may sound extreme, but I am inviting you to have more fun than you have ever had—even more fun than you imagine you deserve. (You do deserve it, though.) I hope you will break all your previous records for frequency and intensity of laughter.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)

In 1886, Vincent van Gogh bought a pair of worn-out shoes at a Paris flea market. When he got home, he realized they didn’t fit. Rather than discard them, he made them the centerpiece of one of his paintings. Eventually, they became famous. In 2009, a renowned gallery in Cologne, Germany, built an entire exhibit around the scruffy brown leather shoes. In the course of their celebrated career, six major philosophers and art historians have written about them as if they were potent symbols worthy of profound consideration. I propose that we regard their history as an inspirational metaphor for you in the coming weeks. What humble influence might be ready for evocative consideration and inspirational use?

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

Gliding away from the routine for rendezvous with fun riddles? I approve! Delivering your gorgeous self into the vicinity of a possibly righteous temptation? OK. But go slowly, please. Size up the situation with your gut intuition and long-range vision as well as your itchy fervor. In general, I am pleased with your willingness to slip outside your comfortable enclaves and play freely in the frontier zones. It makes me happy to see you experimenting with aha and what if and maybe baby. I hope you summon the chutzpah to find and reveal veiled parts of your authentic self.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

The German word Sehnsucht refers to when we have a profound, poignant yearning for something, but we quite don’t know what that something is. I suspect you may soon be in the grip of your personal Sehnsucht. But I also believe you are close to identifying an experience that will quench the seemingly impossible longing. You will either discover a novel source of deep gratification, or you will be able to transform an existing gratification to accommodate your Sehnsucht Sounds like spectacular fun to me. Clear some space in your schedule to welcome it.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

Most of us have at some time in the past been mean and cruel to people we loved. We acted unconsciously or unintentionally, perhaps, but the bottom line is that we caused pain. The coming weeks will be a favorable time for you to atone for any such hurts you have dispensed. I encourage you to be creative as you offer healing and correction for any mistakes you’ve made with important allies. I’m not necessarily suggesting you try to resume your bond with ex-lovers and former friends. The goal is to purge your iffy karma and graduate from the past. Perform whatever magic you have at your disposal to transform suffering with love.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

The blues singer-songwriter B. B. King wasn’t always known by that name. He was born Riley B. King. In his 20s, when he began working at a Memphis radio station, he acquired the nickname “Beales Street Blues Boy.” Later, that was shortened to “Blues Boy,” and eventually to “B. B.” In the spirit of B. B. King’s evolution and in accordance with astrological omens, I invite you to identify areas of your life with cumbersome or unnecessary complexities that might benefit from simplification.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Proboscis monkeys live in Borneo and nowhere else on earth. Their diet consists largely of fruits and leaves from trees that grow only on Borneo and nowhere else. I propose we make them your anti-role model in the coming months. In my astrological opinion, you need to diversify your sources of nourishment, both the literal and metaphorical varieties. You will also be wise to draw influences from a wide variety of humans and experiences. I further suggest that you expand your financial life so you have multiple sources of income and diversified investments.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

It’s challenging to track down the sources of quotes on the Internet. Today, for instance, I found these words attributed to the ancient Greek philosopher Plato: “I enjoy the simple things in life, like recklessly spending my cash and being a disappointment to my family.” That can’t be right. I’m sure Plato didn’t actually say such things. Elsewhere, I came upon a review of George Orwell’s book Animal Farm that was supposedly penned by pop star Taylor Swift: “Not a very good instructional guide on farming. Would not recommend to first-time farmers.” Again, I’m sure that wasn’t written by Swift. I bring this up, Aquarius, because one of your crucial tasks these days is to be dogged and discerning as you track down the true origins of things. Not just Internet quotes, but everything else, as well—including rumors, theories and evidence. Go to the source, the roots, the foundations.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)

In accordance with astrological omens, I’m turning over this horoscope to Piscean teacher Esther Hicks. Here are affirmations she advises you to embody: “I’m going to be happy. I’m going to skip and dance. I will be glad. I will smile a lot. I will be easy. I will count my blessings. I will look for reasons to feel good. I will dig up positive things from the past. I will look for positive things where I am right now. I will look for positive things in the future. It is my natural state to be a happy person. It’s natural for me to love and laugh. I am a happy person!”

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

ACROSS

1. With 69-Across, actress who’d have a fun time introducing herself on Talk Like a Pirate Day?

5. Some distance runners

11. Karaoke venue

14. Atop

15. Mark in the low 90s

16. Org. concerned with mental health

17. Red and Yellow, for two

18. First First Lady

19. Something to build on

20. Actress/inventor who’d have a fun time introducing herself on Talk Like a Pirate Day?

22. Qualified

23. Rejections

24. Put new film into

26. ‘80s-’90s entertainment combo

29. Actor who’d have a fun time introducing himself on Talk Like a Pirate Day?

32. “Yee-____!”

33. Becomes slippery, in a way

35. “That’s wrong ____ many levels!”

37. How a pirouette is done

38. 1815 novel with the line “You must be the best judge of your own happiness”

42. The casino in “Casino”

45. PC key

46. Best-selling crime novelist who’d have a fun time introducing himself on Talk Like a Pirate Day?

49. Emerged from sleep

51. Ambrose who wrote the 1890 short story

“An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”

52. Ingredient in a Manhattan

53. Supreme Hindu goddess

54. Drummer who’d have a fun time introducing himself on Talk Like a Pirate Day?

61. Cheer for Real Madrid

62. Walking obediently, as a dog 63. DVR pioneer

a bad way

4. Well-harmonized

5. Some fiercely protective “bears”

6. Quran authority

7. Pre-euro currency

8. ____’acte (intermission)

9. It flows into the Rhine 10. Org. created under FDR 11. Last name in 2015’s “Creed”

12. Electrically balanced, in chemistry

13. Like every Quentin Tarantino movie

21. Greiner of “Shark Tank”

22. Oscar nominee Woodard

25. Broad shoe spec

26. Nevertheless, briefly

27. Touring band’s vehicle

28. Cars spotted in the game punch

urban LIVING

Housing Trends in the West

Ihave a friend who works at a convenience store/gas station and loves his job because he gets to meet a lot of people in the neighborhood, and the pay is good. But he doesn’t make a ton of money and is always complaining about the cost of rent. He’s also a concert addict and is always posting on his ’Gram about the shows he’s going to see or has seen.

We all have our priorities, don’t we? Some people may always be renters and others may always be owners. So many people moved here during the pandemic from places like California to get out from under high rents, traffic and the like.

cation,” per the Mayo Clinic

47. Danny of “Moonstruck”

48. Video game segments

50. Emmy winner Patricia of “Thirtysomething”

52. Caramel-filled candies

55. Maker of the Split Decision Breakfast

56. “99 Luftballons” singer

57. Understands

58. Verdi opera set in ancient Egypt

59. KOA visitor

60. Katy Perry hit with the lyric “Louder, louder than a lion”

62. NYC dance troupe

Last week’s answers

Some of you may not think that housing here is affordable but let’s take a look at the average list prices in some of our neighboring states, from realtor.com:

Jackson Hole, Wyoming: There are currently 133 homes for sale with a median listing price of $2.2 million. This is up from an average of $1.2 million in 2020. People used to go over the mountain to Driggs, Idaho, to find something reasonably priced, but now Driggs’ median list price is $919,000, up 70.5%!

California: In Palm Springs, the median list price is $799,000, up 6.7% over the past year. In San Francisco, it’s $1.3 million and in Los Angeles, the median home price is $1.1 mil, up 12% from 2021.

Arizona: The average list price is $465,000 in Phoenix, $985,000 in Sedona and $710,000 in Flagstaff.

Nevada: Reno’s median home price is $410,000; South Lake Tahoe’s is $763,000, up 2% over last year. In Las Vegas, a median home sells for $425,000.

Idaho: Boise homes are selling for an average $522,000, a downward trend of 8.7% over last year. Pocatello homes sit at $328,000, up 12% over 2022, and in Twin Falls the number is $353,000, up 4.2% this year.

Data Analyst(American Fork, UT) Analyze, manipulate, or process large sets of data using statistical software. Create graphs, charts, or other visualizations to convey the results of data analysis using specialized software. Identify business problems or management objectives through data analysis. Prepare & present evaluation and predictive reports. 40hrs/wk, Bachelor’s degree in Statistics or related required. Resume to Nutricost Fulfillment, LLC Attn. KIM, Saemi, 351 E 1750 N, Vineyard, UT 84059

SUDOKU X

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

Utah: The median list price for a home in Salt Lake City has dropped to $525,000, down from more than $650,000 during the pandemic rush. Provo’s average now is $435,000 and St. George is $537,000. But Ogden is one of the most affordable, larger cities in Utah, with a median home sales price last month of $368,000, down 7.7% over last year; and Logan is down 5.1% over last year with an average list price of $370,000.

Why such crazy price variance from city to city? Simple math—they aren’t building any more dirt, the cost of materials fluctuates depending on where you live and consumer demand may be high or low for a given area.

The good news is that lumber prices may be coming down, but drywall, concrete and metal costs are still going up around the country. The better news is that as mortgage rates have gone up, prices on new-construction homes have gone down and builders have been slashing prices on some inventory or downright pulling out of building high rise apartment buildings for the time being.

But as demand—like the tulips in your yard—grows, builders will not be so incentivized to cut deals. Utah Housing Corporation will be overseeing the $20,000 grant program for new home buyers that was just authorized by the Legislature—so get in the game and quit whining! n

WITH BABS DELAY Broker, Urban Utah Homes & Estates, urbanutah.com

NEWS of the WEIRD

BY THE EDITORS AT ANDREWS MCMEEL

Inexplicable

Tony Saunders of Steelton, Pennsylvania, led troopers on an odyssey on April 4, WTAJ-TV reported. Early that morning, officers stopped Saunders on suspicion of a burglary the day before. In the trunk of his BMW, he had a dead deer; when a trooper went to open the rear door, Saunders sped away and eventually got stuck on railroad tracks. He left the car and ran into a wooded area.

L ater that day, a school bus was reported stolen from Abbottstown, and again, police gave chase. Saunders finally ran away from the bus and through parking lots, shedding his clothing as he fled. He was nude when arrested. At some point, he had transferred the dead deer into the school bus; he told them he was going to use it for garden fertilizer. He faces multiple charges.

It’s Come to This

“There will be no plans to hunt eggs again.” So proclaimed Jessica Baer, the assistant manager of The Greene in Beavercreek, Ohio, after an Easter egg hunt went awry there on April 2. The Dayton Daily News reported that the activity, which was planned as a wellchoreographed event for children, was ruined when people didn’t listen to directions. Instead, during the time period restricted to 1- and 2-year-olds, adults ran out to hunt eggs, which prompted a free-for-all. Some people even allegedly pushed children out of the way or knocked them over. “This is absolutely unacceptable behavior,” officials said. “We feel the community will be better without the hunt.”

Unclear on the Concept

Siva Moodley, a pastor at The Miracle Centre near Johannesburg, South Africa, died on Aug. 15, 2021, Oddity Central reported. But until recently, his body lay at a funeral home—for almost 600 days—because his family members were convinced he would come back to life. The mortuary couldn’t move forward on a burial without consent from the family, who at first came to the facility to pray for his resurrection. “He was a well-known man and does not deserve this kind of treatment,” the mortuary owner said. Finally, he took legal action to further the pastor’s burial. In response, the Gauteng High Court authorized a mandatory burial or cremation, and on March 16, Moodley was finally laid to rest.

Compelling Explanation

In Dallas, grocery worker Coby Todd, 21, is sure that a “mischievous child ghost” pushed a shopping cart into his car as he was leaving work, Fox News reported on March 30. The day before, Todd had gone “ghost hunting” at a home in Frontier Village, Texas, and had sensed the presence of a “little boy” spirit, he said. He thinks the spirit followed him home and to work the next day. “Maybe he was trying to play with me,” Todd said. He checked out the store’s security footage to see who

might have pushed the cart, and it does appear to suddenly turn and roll on its own toward Todd’s car which is thought to be worth $25,000. The damage is not funny, and Todd said “it upset me. It’s not fake.”

Parenting Goals

TikTokker Will Meyers posted in early April that he had to “go pick up my kid from school today because I made a big mistake,” the Daily Mail reported. As Meyers packed his son’s lunch that morning, he loaded in a can of Guinness—because the black can looks a lot like Liquid Death sparkling water. “It looks like sparkling water, but it’s definitely not sparkling water,” Meyers said. Other parents weighed in, with one admitting they sent “two packs of cigarettes in a bag of paper plates and napkins to my daughter’s class.” A teacher soothed the guilty parents, saying it’s a common mistake.

Suspicions Confirmed

The Environmental Protection Agency released the findings of a study on April 4 revealing that more than 9 million lead pipes carry water into homes across the United States, the Associated Press reported. The survey also ranked the states in order of how many lead pipes are still in use; Florida was first, with more than 1 million pipes underground. Erik Olson of the environmental group Natural Resources Defense Council was surprised at Florida’s position on the list because lead pipes were installed mostly before Florida’s population rapidly grew. “We look forward to hearing an explanation,” he said. The survey will be used to distribute funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Bright Idea

Here’s a new thing to worry about: super pigs. Starting in the 1980s, Canadian farmers bred domestic pigs with wild boars, resulting in “super pigs” that are a headache for wildlife and crops, Yahoo! News reported. Now, the hybrids, which sometimes grow to 600 pounds, are moving south into the United States. “They are the worst invasive large mammal on the planet. Period,” said Ryan Brook, a wildlife researcher at the University of Saskatchewan. The pigs feed on agricultural crops but also damage the soil by digging in it. They eat reptiles, birds and even white-tailed deer, and they contaminate water. While some have suggested hunting as a way to control their numbers, Brook said, “You simply can’t BBQ your way out of a wild pig problem.” Officials in Montana have introduced the “Squeal on Pigs!” campaign encouraging residents to report feral swine, and North and South Dakota have reported possible populations. Soo wee!

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