Animal rights advocates seek change in how Utah sells pets in commercial storefronts
Tessa Lara Westlund
Jan. 19, 2019
Utah animal rights advocates are looking for ways to change laws on the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits in a commercial storefront and have found success in some cities.
Protesters gathered on 800 North in Vineyard on Jan. 19, where they hoped to take a stand against Puppy Barn. Many of the protesters were owners of dogs that had been infected by the disease called parvovirus — a highly contagious disease in dogs that can cause vomiting, severe bloody diarrhea, fever and weight loss. It is often fatal, especially in puppies.
Karlee Bursach said parvovirus affected her puppy Eevee, which she got from Puppy Barn. The puppy was treated by a vet and has since recovered.
“We took our puppy to the vet four days after we brought her home, and she had parvo,” Bursach said. “They don’t offer to help pay for medical expenses.”
Center Street fire collapses Provo restaurant roof
Jessica Smith
Feb. 12, 2019
Flames destroyed Provo restaurant Los Hermanos last night after a fire erupted at around 8 p.m.
Restaurant Manager Kevin Self said the fire originated in the basem*nt and spread unnoticed until smoke started billowing out the doors and into the skyline. Firefighters rushed to the scene to face what became several hours worth of battle to contain the damage.
Braden Lanham is a resident of 63 Center, an apartment complex adjacent to Los Hermanos. He was sitting at home when the fire alarm went off and he said he could smell smoke.
“At first, I thought it was just a drill, but I could smell the smoke and then I heard my neighbors leaving, so I grabbed a few things and headed outside,” he said. “An hour later at 9:01 p.m., they let us back in. But then policemen came and made everybody leave again because the flames had gotten a lot worse.”
Provo police officers try to cope with loss of fallen brother while honoring his memory
Sahalie Donaldson
Feb. 14, 2019
Senior Patrol Officer Scott Nielsen was at home when he learned his friend and fellow officer at the Provo Police Department had been shot. He heard the sirens and looked at his phone — it was an alert informing him Officer Joseph William Shinners was in surgery fighting for his life. Nielsen immediately went back to the station and started taking calls.
Not long after arriving, Nielsen received a domestic violence call about a man who was shooting rounds off into a vehicle. He got into his patrol car and drove to respond to the incident like he would any other call, but something felt different this time.
“It was weird because I was pretty scared and I wasn’t used to that. I’d been on a lot of dangerous calls before and always thought that it will be fine, it works out, but man, it made it way more real,” Nielsen said. “I didn’t like the way I felt when it was happening.”
The officers took the shooter into custody without any problems. Shinners succumbed to his injuries later that day, Jan. 5. He was 29.
Provo statues embody cherished values of community
Jessica Smith
March 18, 2019
Statues line Provo's streets as memorials to the city's rich history. While some embody individuals or institutions that contributed to the community, many of the statues merit a closer look. The symbolism expressed in these immortalized figures offer passersby a glimpse into the values that shape the Provo community.
The Provo City Center Temple features a statue — visible from the street — of a mother and father teaching their daughter to walk.
The statue's artist, Dennis Smith, said he originally asked his neighbors Keith and Teri to model for him in 1976 when the Relief Society from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints commissioned him to create a monument for Nauvoo women. Keith and Teri had just had a baby girl named Melissa. Smith said his vision was to create a statue depicting a mother and father with open arms teaching a child to walk by the time Melissa was old enough to take her first steps.
Anti-vaccination movement threatens global health
Jenna Alton
April 15, 2019
BYU nursing professor Beth Luthy said her life’s darkest moments came when she was a 19-year-old first-time mother and her infant son Michael desperately needed a liver transplant to survive. After putting Michael on the liver transplant waiting list, Luthy could do nothing but wait.
“As a parent, to feel completely helpless … There was nothing I could do for him,” Luthy said.
Michael was fortunate enough to receive a liver transplant when he was a year old, but the transplant didn’t eliminate his health problems. He took what his mother called “elephant doses” of immunosuppressant medications so his body wouldn’t reject his new liver, making him extremely susceptible to disease and unable to receive his immunizations.
“I was really concerned and thought, ‘Well, but what if he catches chickenpox? What if he catches all of these different diseases?’” Luthy said. “And the transplant team would tell me, ‘That would be bad. That would be life threatening to him.’”
Media experts, consumers discuss ‘Provos Most Eligible’
Maxwell Atwood
May 10, 2019
The first episode of “The Bachelor of Provo,” a show created by two BYU students that mirrored the popular ABC show “The Bachelor,” garnered over 132,000 views on YouTube. The show was removed and renamed “Provo’s Most Eligible” because of a copyright claim but remained widely viewed.
Spoofs and spinoffs of the show in Provo and on BYU campus followed, but they never reached the same virality that “Provo’s Most Eligible” achieved. That virality is accompanied by a myriad of possible effects on its viewers.
BYU assistant communications professor Scott Church, who teaches a class about pop culture, said one reason he thinks the show gained popularity is that American culture has been primed to like reality television shows.
According to a Vox article, roughly 750 reality television shows aired on cable in 2015, which was 83% higher than the number of scripted shows. Of those roughly 750 reality shows, about 350 of them were new in 2015, and Vox projected the number would only continue to climb.
Church first heard of the show when students told him about it. He said students either seemed to love it or hate it and he was surprised by their intensity.
BYU grad uses billboard to search for love
June 28, 2019
Joseph Carson
Dating in Provo has never been easy, and most people looking for love usually turn to dating apps like Mutual and Tinder or their young single adult wards.
Not Braden Sharp.
Inspired by the recent “LDS Millionaire” billboards and buoyed by a bonus at work, Sharp, a 2017 graduate of Brigham Young University, took out ad space on two billboards along I-15 to advertise something unexpected — himself.
The billboards say “If the millionaire doesn’t work out, here’s your chance to settle for much, much less,” and at the top share a link to his website. The billboards have been up since June 3 and are expected to come down soon. Sharp said the response has been overwhelming and has worked “surprisingly well.”
Love, patriotism roar from Stadium of Fire performances
Aaron Fitzner
July 5, 2019
The Stadium of Fire had Keith Urban, Flippenout, cheerleaders, dancers and hang gliders — everything necessary to throw a massive celebration in honor of America.
All of this made for a one-of-a-kind celebration, but that is not what impressed me the most.
As an outsider to the U.S., I have always seen how much Americans love their country — it’s not very difficult to figure out. The bigger, the better in the U.S. That is often seen in the form of lifted trucks, juicy cheeseburgers and loud music. What impresses me the most does not have anything to do with with the life that these inanimate objects bring to the U.S. What impressed me the most, is the spirit that is brought by people celebrating their country.
Hawaiians work to save language
Sahalie Donaldson
Aug. 7, 2019
It was early morning. Waves slapped against the sides of a double-hulled canoe as it cut sleekly through the water.
The canoe, propelled forward by a group of high school students, streamlined through a stretch of ocean in which three Hawaiian islands were visible at once — Molokai, Maui and Lanai.
The high schoolers, students at a Hawaiian language immersion charter school called Nawahiokalaniopuu, were sailing from Oahu to the Island of Hawaii — a two-day trip.
Kawehi Housman, who was 16 years old at the time, stood on the deck and looked on as the rising sun streaked across the ocean. It was her turn to sail.
“I had this weird aha moment where I felt connected to my ancestors and was in awe,” she recounted about the experience. “It was like I went through this time change kind of thing where I just felt everything at once.”
Housman described it as a spiritual moment — one in which she realized she has a responsibility to give back and bless the next generation of Hawaiians.
Church leaders, cast and crew express excitement for upcoming Book of Mormon videos
Emma Benson
Sept. 10, 2019
BYU graduate and Mexico native Liliana Corona originally auditioned for a part in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint's videos depicting scenes from the Bible. Although she had the acting ability, she was told her physical features didn't match the Mediterranean figures from the Bible. Since then, she has been eagerly awaiting the filming of the Book of Mormon videos, since the Book of Mormon is a 'record of God's dealings with ancient inhabitants of the Americas,' according to the book's introduction.
The Church’s website states, “The Book of Mormon is another witness of Jesus Christ and confirms the truths found in the Holy Bible. Far from undermining the Bible, the Book of Mormon supports its testimony of Jesus Christ.”
Corona, who plays the wife of Book of Mormon Lamanite king Lamoni, said she's been waiting 10 years for the production.
“It's such an honor to be cast as the queen. It's an epic role — one of the few females in the Book of Mormon,” Corona said.
After three years of planning, casting, writing and filming, the crew has nearly completed three seasons of the Book of Mormon video series. Season one's first episode, detailing the experiences of Lehi and Nephi and their family leaving Jerusalem, will be released Sept. 20. Unlike the Bible videos, which contain segments that are just a few minutes each, the Book of Mormon videos will be released as weekly 13- to 20-minute episodes.
New Church youth program encourages personal spiritual growth
Natalie Baugh
Oct. 4, 2019
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will discontinue its Personal Progress, Boy Scouts and Duty to God programs starting January 2020 in favor of a new youth program that focuses on helping youth set their own goals and develop faith in Christ.
Wards were given booklets and shown a video with information about the program on Sept. 29. Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will hold a Q&A to help Latter-day Saints understand the new program on Nov. 17.
Several interviewed parents and leaders expressed positive reactions to the program.
“I think it’s going to be a great transition into becoming a more family-organized, family-focused, church-supported curriculum,” Trish Johnson, a mother and youth leader, said.
Provo protestors rally to support impeachment of Donald Trump
Karina Andrew
Oct. 16, 2019
Protesters rallied outside Provo’s historic courthouse Saturday, Oct. 12., in support of impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump. The rally, hosted by Women’s March Provo, was one of hundreds across the United States held this weekend.
House Democrats called for an impeachment inquiry against Trump after a whistleblower broke news about a phone call between Trump and the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump urged the Ukrainian government to investigate his political opponent former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden, according to the reconstructed call transcript. The White House has refused to comply with investigations.
“People are demanding that our Constitution be honored and the impeachment process be honored,” said Jorden Jackson, president of Women’s March Provo and rally coordinator. “The White House can’t just refuse to participate.”
The rally included an overview of impeachment proceedings, slam poetry from community members and speeches from local political leaders.
Velour owner encourages open mic performers’ dreams
Natalie Baugh
Oct. 27, 2019
Acoustic guitars and melodic voices echo through Velour Live Music Gallery during the gallery’s open mic night held every Wednesday. Local artists use the night as a springboard for their music careers.
Velour owner Corey Fox is a huge factor behind the night’s success.
“My motivation is definitely finding young talent, like at open mic night, and pushing them to do more with their talent than they would on their own,” Fox said.
Fox managed venues and bands for many years and continues to coach local artists to higher places.
In addition to open mic night, Velour hosts many concerts for bands and has become a well-known venue for bands to find a fan base and grow. Famous bands and artists that started out performing at Velour include Neon Trees, Imagine Dragons, The National Parks and Joshua James.
The audience listens to musician Jack Mazin play the bass guitar on Wednesday, Oct. 23 at the Velour Live Music Gallery’s open mic night. (Addie Blacker)
Shannon Ellsworth to take seat as Provo’s youngest City Council member
Thomas Madrigal
Nov. 11, 2019
Shannon Ellsworth will be the youngest and only female member of the Provo City Council come January 2020, according to election results.
She will be joined by Bill Fillmore, Travis Hoban and David Shipley as the council’s newest members.
Although Ellsworth was the only woman to win a seat, she was one of three running in this year’s elections alongside Valerie Paxman in District 4 and Janae Moss in the city-wide race.
In addition to being the only woman voted into the City Council, Ellsworth is also the youngest member. At 30, she said she is approximately 30 years younger than the average City Council member. She said this isn’t something that made her any less confident though.
“I was not intimidated,” Ellsworth said.
BYU student breaks world record for longest rap marathon
Lisi Merkley
Nov. 15, 2019
BYU senior Joshua Palmer rapped for 30 hours and eight seconds to break the Guinness World Record for the longest rap marathon on Nov. 14 and 15 at Lowes Xtreme Air Sports.
After 30 hours of freestyling and rapping original songs, the “Bee Movie” script and songs from well-known rappers like Eminem and Drake, Palmer’s voice was gone — but he said it was worth it.
“Other than my voice, it wasn’t that bad,” he said.
The previous record was 25 hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds and stood for over two years.
Palmer’s roommate Braden Smith said Palmer had been practicing in their apartment leading up to his attempt.
“He’s been doing it pretty consistently for like the last month,” Smith said. “He’s been pretty serious about this.”
Provo police reopen decades-old case of murdered BYU student
Thomas Madrigal
Nov. 17, 2019
The Utah Cold Case Coalition announced that the Provo Police Department reopened a 41-year-old murder case on Saturday, Nov. 16.
Former BYU student Marla Rae Scharp was reportedly raped and strangled in her Provo apartment while her roommates left the apartment for about 30 minutes on June 29, 1978. The case was closed after police concluded that Henry Lee Lucas, who confessed to around 600 murders including Marla Rae Scharp’s, was the culprit.
The Provo Police Department decided to reopen Marla Rae Scharp’s case after the Utah Cold Case Coalition provided evidence suggesting that Lucas may not be Marla Rae Scharp’s murderer.
Karra Porter of Utah’s Cold Case Coalition said the cases’ reopening could spark a national trend.
“The Cold Case Coalition is calling on law enforcement agencies throughout the entire United States to please reopen and reexamine any case that was closed with a Henry Lee Lucas confession,” Porter said.
