Category: Provo City News

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Provo City News

Nu Skin Reports Financial Results for the Third Quarter of 2023

Photo by Goudshark.
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By McKinsleigh Smith

A prominent feature of the downtown Provo skyline, Nu Skin Enterprises is one of Provo’s largest employers and a frequent sponsor of community sporting and entertainment events. Publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange as NUS, Nu Skin Enterprises Inc. operates Nu Skin and Rhyz Inc. As such, its economic health directly impacts the lives of Provo residents.

Local news is funded in part by Spengler Industries, Utah’s provider of fine metal roof tech.

Nu Skin is a multilevel marketing company that develops and sells dietary and nutritional supplements, oils, and skin and beauty products under the Nu Skin and Pharmanex brands. It operates in 54 markets and has an affiliate network of 1.2 million “independent distributors.”

Rhyz is Nu Skin’s strategic investment arm and was formed in 2018. It is attempting to develop an economically sustainable ecosystem of consumer, technology, and manufacturing companies focused on innovation in the beauty and wellness space. This branch of the business was likely formed in response to the increasingly negative public perception of MLMs and declining revenue. For example, in 2014, the Chinese government investigated Nu Skin and fined them $540,000 due to their sales tactics.

In 2022, the company began an intense restructuring process and initiated layoffs. At the time, CEO Ryan Napierski said the company wanted to be recognized for the way it designs beauty and wellness products, and not for the way it sells them.

Nu Skin CEO Ryan Napiersky. Photo courtesy of Nu Skin Enterprises.

Unfortunately, third quarter results in 2023 were “softer than expected,” according to Nu Skin. The company brought in $498.8 million – $8.1 million less than the same quarter last year.

“Although we are disappointed in the third quarter results of our Nu Skin business, we are encouraged by stabilization and modest growth in three of our Nu Skin reporting segments, highlighted by double-digit gains in Europe/Africa,” said Napierski in a press release. “We are also pleased with accelerated growth of our Rhyz businesses as we lean further into our synergistic enterprise ecosystem.”

Despite these challenges, Nu Skin is still expecting to bring in $1.96 billion in revenue by the end of 2023, according to James D. Thomas, Nu Skin’s chief financial officer.

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Provo City News

New Pedestrian Bridge Opens in Downtown Provo

Photo courtesy of Provo City.
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By Mike Romero

After months of construction, the Utah Transit Authority has opened the new pedestrian bridge at Provo Central Station. The public celebrated its opening in a ribbon-cutting ceremony yesterday, November 14.

This news is brought to you in part by Spengler Industries.

The goal of the bridge was to improve safety, air quality, and to more efficiently connect downtown Provo to the broader public transportation network. While the bridge is operational, elevators within the structures are not yet usable. They’re still pending inspections from state government.

It cost roughly $7 million to build the bridge. 35% was paid by federal funding and 65% was paid by local sources. The bridge spans two FrontRunner tracks and two Union Pacific Railroad lines near 600 South and 100 West in Provo, Utah. It’s 145 feet long.

For pedestrians, this area is often blocked by trains. This makes crossing difficult, dangerous, and at times impossible. This bridge addresses those challenges.

Photo courtesy of Provo City.
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Provo City News

Man Left Dead in Provo Hit and Run

Where the accident occurred (with the victim's body obscured out of respect). Photo courtesy Provo PD.
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By Mike Romero

The Provo Police department has arrested and booked Jose Sandoval into the Utah County jail on suspicion of failure to remain at the scene of an accident involving a fatality. He has not yet been formally charged.

Around 4:30 AM on Friday, October 27, Provo PD received a report of a man lying near Center Street on the east side of 500 West, headed northbound. The man was 43-year-old Brian Coltharp, who had been hit by a moving vehicle.

According to Provo Police Department public information officer Janna-Lee Holland, for some reason Coltharp – who was wearing dark clothing – fell into the roadway and did not get up. A light-colored van then traveled through the intersection and hit him, but did not remain at the scene. Provo PD obtained this information after reviewing footage from traffic cameras.

“It is not known if the driver knew they hit a person, or thought they hit an object,” Holland said. Later in the morning, officers obtained license plate information and located the vehicle and driver, Jose Sandoval.

The investigation is ongoing.

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Provo City News

Provo Woman Scammed Victims Out of $6 Million

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By McKinsleigh Smith

Last Thursday, Provo woman Nelly Idowu was convicted in federal court after participating in an online romance scheme. Idowu, age 39, was found guilty by a federal jury of one count of money laundering conspiracy and two counts of money laundering.

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From 2017 to 2019, Idowu and three others created tons of fake online profiles on sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Christian Mingle. They would then use these profiles to target victims, primarily single elderly women over 65, and flirt with them. Once a romantic bond had been formed, they would claim they were in dire financial circumstances and in need of help. All told, they scammed victims out of more than $6 million.

According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s office, Idowu earned over $1 million into her personal and business bank accounts before sending the money out of the country in an attempt to conceal these earnings. These accounts were located in China and Nigeria.

The Salt Lake City FBI field office investigated the case. Charges were brought against Idowu and her co-conspirators in 2020. Idowu’s sentencing is scheduled for January 30, 2024, at 10 AM at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah.

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Provo City News

Provo Halloween Festival Celebrates Its 5th Anniversary

Photo courtesy of Buzzards & Bees.
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By Mike Romero

It’s been 5 years since Alex Vaughn, Corey Fox, Paul Nahrwold, and Dean Cheesman unleashed Buzzards & Bees on the world. A spooky music festival Provo had never seen before, their vision featured costumed indie musicians and costumed concertgoers filling venues all across downtown Provo.

Utah’s only Halloween-themed music festival, it consists of two events: Goth Prom and the Buzzards & Bees Music Festival itself. Goth Prom is a kickoff event for the weekend and is held every year at Velour Live Music Gallery on University Avenue. Participants dress as their saddest selves and have the time of their lives. The actual music festival is Saturday and features 80+ Utah bands.

Goth Prom featuring DJ KID MACHINE will take place tonight, October 20. Buzzards & Bees will take place across 11 venues in downtown Provo on October 21, 2023.  Tickets for both events are on sale now.

Additional festivities include street performers, a costume contest, a mask-making station, spooky story-telling, and more. One ticket gets you in to all 11 venues. It’s one of the busiest single nights of the year for Provo music. Check out the schedule below.

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Provo City News

Provo Sports Network Nominated for 2 Regional Emmys

Photo by Mark A. Philbrick/BYU Photo
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By Mike Romero

BYUtv Sports made a name for itself during the independence era of Brigham Young University Athletics. As a college sports team unaffiliated with a major conference, the school had to build out the resources and connections that would allow their games to reach BYU fans all over the world. One of the ways they did that was by investing heavily in the sports production arm of BYU Broadcasting. And boy has it paid off.

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Recently, the Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences nominated BYUtv Sports for 2 Emmys. These regional awards recognize the best television broadcasts in Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Southeastern California.

BYU Broadcasting was nominated for Best Live Sporting Event / Game (Single Game or Series). The team members nominated include producer Harrison Collier, director Michael Hunter, play-by-play announcer Spencer Linton, and analyst McKell Merkley. The group was nominated for their broadcast of the Best of Utah Gymnastics Meet. Gymnastics meets are notoriously difficult to cover because of both the variety and the sheer number of sub-events all happening simultaneously. Other organizations nominated include The Utah Jazz and Pac-12 Networks.

A still from the Best of Utah Gymnastics Meet, courtesy of BYUtv Sports.

BYU Broadcasting was also nominated for Best Live News Producer / Sports Producer. The nominee? BYUtv Sports producer Harrison Collier – his second nomination of 2023.

“I am grateful for the incredible talent I get to work with day in and day out at BYUtv,” says Collier. “Their commitment to telling the stories of the student athletes that we cover is second to none. Not many broadcast companies will do a four team gymnastics meet live. I’m grateful that we are being recognized for taking such risks.” In addition to his two nominations this year, he was a 2022 Emmy-nominee for Best Live Sporting Event. Collier is also a 4-time SVG award winner for live event production.

BYUtv Sports producer Harrison Collier.

For BYUtv and BYU Athletics, the independence era began in 2011 and ended in 2022 (notably with a bowl victory over SMU in the New Mexico Bowl during the football season). During that time, BYU played in front of millions on national television. They took on the likes of Baylor, Oregon, Notre Dame, Arkansas, and more.

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Independence was a huge win for the university. It put BYU in the national spotlight and was also a resounding financial success, according to publicly available earnings and expense data from the US Department of Education.

By setting the highest standards for their sports broadcasts, BYUtv Sports was able to land a deal with ESPN in 2011. ESPN became the official broadcaster for most BYU Football games. As part of that deal, one home game per season would air live on BYUtv along with reruns of home games that were broadcast on ESPN’s networks. That coverage also included the BYUtv Sports-produced pre-game and post-game shows like Countdown to Kickoff. BYUtv Sports and ESPN have a close working relationship to this day, even after joining the Big 12 Conference.

Photography by Nate Edwards/BYU Photo.

BYU Broadcasting’s reputation for quality extended well beyond football and basketball. BYUtv Sports consistently broadcasts sporting events for baseball, gymnastics, soccer, softball, and volleyball. In addition to this year’s nominations, their efforts have led to several regional Emmy nominations in preceding years.

Winners for this year will be announced at a black tie event on Saturday, November 4th 2023 at the Chateau Luxe in Phoenix, Arizona. Make sure to follow BYUtv Sports on Instagram. You can watch the broadcast of the 46th Annual Rocky Mountain Regional Emmys Nominations below.

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Provo City News

Provo City Council Primaries are in Full Swing

Photo courtesy of Provo City.
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By Mike Romero

Over the last week, we’ve been spotlighting candidates running for Provo City Council. In Provo, our community is divided up into neighborhoods and districts. Members of the City Council represent districts. For districts with a large number of candidates, these candidates must undergo the Primary Election process.

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This year, only candidates for the Citywide II Seat are listed on the ballot for the primaries. The purpose of the Primary Election is to narrow down the number of candidates for the general election. The two candidates with the most votes advance to the general ballot. District 1, District 3, and District 4 already have a narrow number of candidates, so they bypass the Primary Election process.

The candidates for the Citywide II primaries are:

While the Primary Election is Tuesday, September 5, mail-in ballots have already been sent out to Provo residents who are active, registered voters, and voting is already underway. A postage paid envelope should have been provided for convenience, but to save taxpayer dollars, Utah County has provided several drop box locations. Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked before election day.

Alternatively, you can drop your ballot off at an early voting location or an Election Day voting location. You can find a location near you here. While the deadline to register to vote in the Citywide II primaries has passed, voters may register to vote at an early voting location or at a polling location on Election Day. You’ll need to bring at least two forms of identification to the polling location to prove your citizenship and residency. The deadline to register to vote online is November 10.

The Primary Election is September 5, 2023. The General Election is November 21, 2023. Ballots will not be accepted after 8 PM on these days.

If you did not receive your ballot or need a replacement ballot, call Utah County at 801-851-8128. 

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Provo City News

Meet the Candidates for Provo City Council: Nathan Smith Jones

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A Note from the Provo Tribune Editorial Team

Election season is upon us. Part of our mission at The Provo Tribune is to help Provo citizens to become active, informed voters who are anxiously engaged in building their community. To further this mission, we’re highlighting every candidate running for Provo City Council this year. These features do not constitute an endorsement, and are done as a public service for the community.

Who is Nathan Smith Jones?

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Nathan Smith Jones is a Doctor of Media, Education, and Epistemology (from University of Northern Colorado). He has taught for 20 years in schools in and around Provo, Utah.

A student of politics and history, he is running for Provo City Council in the City-Wide II primary election. He’s seeking public office because he believes that he can help Provo grow in healthy ways for all parties involved.

“I never had the honor of serving in the military,” he says. “But I want to serve my country by serving my community.”

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Provo City News

Meet the Candidates for Provo City Council: McKay R. Jensen

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A Note from the Provo Tribune Editorial Team

Election season is upon us. Part of our mission at The Provo Tribune is to help Provo citizens to become active, informed voters who are anxiously engaged in building their community. To further this mission, we’re highlighting every candidate running for Provo City Council this year. These features do not constitute an endorsement, and are done as a public service for the community.

Who is McKay R. Jensen?

Inspired by his father’s 40 years as a town clerk, McKay Jensen grew up witnessing the importance of public service. Following in his father’s footsteps, he has been trying to make Provo better for 25 years.

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With nearly a decade of experience on the Provo School Board, as well as leadership roles as President of the Provo Board of Education and Chair of the MTech Board of Trustees, McKay has made contributions to local education. He also served on the Governor’s Commission on Excellence in Education, gaining a front-row seat to the legislative processes and procedures that bring more funding to Provo.

As Provo experiences rapid growth, McKay recognizes the need for cautious expansion through experienced leadership. His campaign platform emphasizes the importance of addressing “critical needs” rather than prioritizing “frivolous wants.”

He is an outspoken advocate for responsible budgeting practices. This includes investing in essential services like public safety, infrastructure, and sidewalks. With a focus on transparency, McKay wants to help residents understand how their tax dollars are being spent.

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Provo City News

Meet the Candidates for Provo City Council: Wendy Ahlman

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A Note from the Provo Tribune Editorial Team

Election season is upon us. Part of our mission at The Provo Tribune is to help Provo citizens to become active, informed voters who are anxiously engaged in building their community. To further this mission, we’re highlighting every candidate running for Provo City Council this year. These features do not constitute an endorsement, and are done as a public service for the community.

Who is Wendy Ahlman?

Wendy Ahlman is running in the City Wide II – Primary Election for Provo City Council. She has called Provo home for the last 27 years.

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“I have been fortunate to raise all six of my children here,” says Ahlman. “As a teacher and business owner for over 20 years, I started Chrysalis Preschool and Kindergarten in our historic home in downtown Provo in 2004 with a newborn in my arms and my toddler learning at my feet. After a lot of hard work and dedication, I’ve expanded Chrysalis Preschool and Kindergarten into what it is today.”

When she outgrew the preschool space in her home, she bought an abandoned historic pioneer building on University Avenue, and completely restored it in 2017.

“As my business has grown I’ve developed a strong team of employees, which has helped me branch out further into the community,” she says. “I’ve served as PTA president and on several school boards at my children’s schools over the years.”

In 2022 she earned her master’s degree in Educational Leadership from BYU. Her goals for being on the Provo City Council are to keep Provo historic with a small town feel, and growing in a way that’s best for every resident.

She loves spending time with her family, playing the guitar, speaking Swedish, and writing and illustrating children’s books.

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