Category: Provo City News

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Provo City News

How To Navigate Stadium of Fire Today

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By Zach Collier

Tonight, legendary rock band Journey will headline Stadium of Fire – an annual Provo tradition held at Lavell Edwards Stadium at Brigham Young University. The event will feature musical performances, fireworks, patriotic festivities, and… tons of traffic.

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For locals, this can be problematic. Provo City has announced road closures surrounding the event. Barricades will be placed in the following locations to help keep things orderly:

  • At the intersection of E University Parkway and N 150 E headed north and east.
  • At the intersection of E University Parkway and N 450 E headed west.
  • At the intersection of W University Parkway and University Avenue headed East.
  • At the intersection of Stadium Avenue and N 150 E headed east and south.
  • On Stadium Avenue by Lot 47 Y.

Utah Transit Authority encourages people to park further from the stadium and to take the BRT to the event to reduce congestion. Tickets to the event are still available online here.

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Provo City News

Provo Watches Celebratory Flyover

Photo courtesy US Department of Defense.
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By Mike Romero

Residents of Provo just witnessed a remarkable event. The U.S. Air Force and Utah Air National Guard’s air refuelers took flight over northern and central Utah on Tuesday, commemorating a century of air refueling.

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On June 27, Tuesday, we honor the remarkable achievement of U.S. Army Air Service aviators who successfully executed the first-ever air refueling 100 years ago. It was on this historic day in 1923 when 1st Lts. Virgil Hine and Frank W. Seifert, piloting a DH-4B aircraft, transferred gasoline through a hose to another DH-4B plane carrying Capt. Lowell H. Smith and 1st Lt. John P. Richter.

The inaugural air refueling, once believed to be an impossible feat, marked a new era for combat aircraft. This innovative process enables planes to remain airborne for extended periods, conserving fuel and saving valuable time during long-distance flights.

Provo residents witnessed the flyover between 10:10 and 10:20 AM, with the three aircraft passing directly over BYU campus at 10:13 AM. Watch the flyover in the third slide below.

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Provo City News

Provo Municipal Candidates Will Address City on Thursday

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By Charlie G. Patreus

Candidates vying for municipal office in Provo are gearing up for the upcoming fall elections. The Municipal Council seats will be up for grabs, and Provo voters will have the chance to choose their representatives in this year’s general election. The primary election is scheduled for September 5, but before that, an opportunity awaits Provo voters to hear directly from the candidates on Thursday.

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Utah Representative Tyler Clancy, a first-term legislator representing a substantial portion of Provo (the area east of State Street and generally between 2620 North and 300 North) will host the forum. The event will take place from 6:30 to 8 PM in the Bullock Room of the Provo City Library.

Clancy has emphasized the importance of an informed electorate for a thriving republic and highlights the forum as a platform to actively engage in the political process and make well-informed decisions on election day. In a press release, Clancy expresses his hope that the event will foster open dialogue between the candidates and the citizens of Provo, build community trust, and lead to a more responsive government.

With a total of thirteen candidates vying for the four open seats, there is only one incumbent seeking re-election. In District 1, Craig Christensen and Stan Jensen are contending for the seat currently held by Bill Fillmore. For the District 3 seat, currently occupied by Shannon Ellsworth, the candidates are David Lewis and Becky Bogdin. Incumbent council member Travis Hoban is the sole candidate for District 4.

Meanwhile, Council member David Shipley has decided not to run for re-election for the City Wide II seat. Eight candidates are stepping forward to replace him: Joseph Penrose, Beth Hedengren, Ari Emmanuel Webb, Gary Garrett, Wendy Ahlman, Tanner Bennett, McKay Jensen, and Nathan Smith Jones.

The forum will allow the candidates to address crucial topics, respond to audience questions, and present their ideas for improving the community. After the event, the candidates will have tables set up for further discussions. The forum is free and open to the public, welcoming everyone interested in participating. See the map of Provo Council Districts below.

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Provo City News

French Fry Frenzy on I-15 After Truck Crash

Photos courtesy of Jeff Hall.
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By Zach Collier

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I was witness to the McMadness.

A chaotic scene unfolded on Father’s Day Sunday afternoon as Interstate 15 became a traffic nightmare due to a massive spill of french fries, impacting both drivers and emergency responders.

According to Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Devyn Gurney, a semi-trailer carrying a load of french fries overturned near the vicinity of 1450 North. It scattered french fries across four lanes on the southbound side and an additional two lanes on the northbound side.

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Authorities suspect that the truck lost control, leading to the unforeseen incident. As the vehicle collided with the barrier separating the northbound and southbound lanes, it also struck a light pole, which tore open the trailer and ejected hundreds of boxes full of fries across the area.

Cleanup operations persisted for several hours, causing significant traffic congestion spanning miles in both directions of I-15 on Father’s Day. However, the remarkable aspect of this ordeal was that despite the truck veering across multiple lanes, colliding with the barrier, and leaving behind an apocalyptic amount of potatoes, no injuries were reported.

Photo by Jeff Hall.
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Provo City News

Fork Fest 2023 Kicks Off Tonight

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By Mike Romero

The Aces will be headlining Fork Fest 2023 in American Fork, Utah, which begins tonight and runs through tomorrow evening. A long-time staple of the Utah music, The Aces have found national and international success after signing to Red Bull Records, with performances on late night shows like Late Night With Seth Myers and 2023 performances in England, Belgium, and Austria.

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The band has been releasing new material all year: the singles “Girls Make Me Wanna Die,” “Always Get This Way,” and “Solo.” This culminated in the release of their new album I’ve Loved You For So Long.

Fork Fest begins tonight with a stripped down kickoff concert featuring NPR’s Tiny Desk winner Little Moon, Book On Tape Worm, Kyle Henderson, Stuart Wheeler, and Stephanie Mabey (whose music recently received a high profile placement in Netflix’s First Kill).

Other significant acts to appear on the Fork Fest stage on Saturday are local legends Joshua James and The Strike; 2023 The Voice contestant EJ Michels; and Velour Battle of the Bands winners Beeson and Cardinal Bloom.

Fork Fest 2023 will feature a total of 32 bands, three stages, and a varied selection of local food trucks, artists, and vendors. Presented by The Harrington Center for the Arts in partnership with Velour Live Music Gallery, this year’s Fork Fest will begin tonight, June 16. The main festival will take place tomorrow, June 17, 2023. Tickets are on sale now at ForkFest.org.

You can check out the full lineup and hear The Aces’ new song “I’ve Loved You For So Long” below.

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Provo City News

Thread Wallets to Expand in Downtown Provo

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By Mike Romero

It started on accident. Colby Bauer was bodysurfing in Hawaii and lost his wallet. Out of necessity, he started holding his cards and cash together with a rubber band. His girlfriend (now wife and business partner) McKenzie decided to make him a permanent solution. She sewed him a better-looking sleeve out of stretch fabric.

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Soon, whenever he’d take out his wallet to pay for something, he’d get comments on McKenzie’s invention. Thread Wallets was born.

After a successful Kickstarter campaign, the Bauers took Thread from $140,000 to $4 million in sales in 3 years (from 2016-2019). Growth has continued since then, showing a 1900% increase in the last 5 years.

Recently, Mayor Michelle Kaufusi announced Thread’s plans to expand their headquarters, choosing to reinvest in Provo instead of moving elsewhere. Together, they identified the old Ford car dealership at 241 West Center. Thread and Provo City will work together to renovate this new location and turn it into Thread’s new corporate headquarters.

Check out the video below to learn more about Thread CEO Colby Bauer, and to catch a glimpse of the new space – complete with an indoor skate park.

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Provo City News

Folk Band Local Kin Wins Prestigious Local Talent Competition

Local Kin. Photo by Ivan Martinez.
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By Mike Romero

Last week, Velour Live Music Gallery hosted their semi-annual Battle of the Bands. Unlike most competitions of this nature, this week-long event has been consistently praised for its curation, feeling more like a music festival than an amateur level talent competition. Past winners include Neon Trees, Imagine Dragons, The Aces, and The Backseat Lovers.

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The 20-band lineup for the week was chosen from over 60 submissions. Attendance averaged over 200 people per night, with two nights selling out Velour Live Music Gallery completely. By the time the sold-out final show rolled around Saturday night, only five talented acts remained: Chi Chi le Möt, The Mellons, The Plastic Cherries, Local Kin, and Jumpmonk.

Provo Music Magazine praised Local Kin’s performance. In particular, they complimented their “earthy, down-home folk,” their “powerful opener,” and the “jubilant” feelings their set evoked.

In the end Local Kin was chosen as the winner of the competition. They took home a cash prize, free mixing and mastering services, and additional promotional help. You can listen to their song “The Crab” below.

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Provo City News

Instagram Stunt Prompts Action at Bridal Veil Falls

Zach Blocker via Facebook.
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By Mike Romero

A dangerous stunt at Bridal Veil Falls by skier, surfer, and skater Zach Blocker has prompted local government to take swift action up Provo Canyon.

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A large avalanche hit Bridal Veil Falls last January. Between 30 and 40 feet of snow crashed onto the frozen Provo River. While most of it has melted away, the icy remnants have formed caverns and cracks with access to the icy Provo River, which is at a dangerously high volume. Blocker found one such instance and used it to enter the river. While definitely not encouraged, Blocker’s video demonstrate just how strong and dangerous the Provo River currently is. The water was a mere 30 degrees.

[Story Continues Below]

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The video prompted local government to take action. Early Wednesday morning, the Utah County Sheriff’s Office cleared the snow block with explosives. Explosives have only been used twice in this area since 1996 to manage the large snowpack. The area remains closed until the remainder of the snow and debris is cleared.

“We didn’t make the area safe. We made it less dangerous. It’s trespassing if people come in here and we will take action on that if we need to,” says Spencer Cannon, public information officer for the Utah County Sheriff’s Office. “It’s fascinating to see, we understand that, and that’s one of the things that attracts people to it. But it’s too risky to come down here to the area itself and especially to climb on the avalanche deposit. The main reason we did this today is to prevent somebody from getting seriously injured or killed by doing what this guy did last week.”

Photo of the detonation at Bridal Veil Falls, Courtesy Utah County Sheriff’s Office.
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Provo City News

UDOT to Resurface Center Street

Photo by Javin Weaver.
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By Zach Collier

The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) will be resurfacing Center Street in downtown Provo from June 12, 2023 until the Fall of 2023. The goal of this project is to extend the life of the road from 500 West to Geneva Road (SR-114) and to construct pedestrian ramps for easier access.

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Work days are Monday – Friday from 7 AM to 9 PM. Some night work will take place from 9 PM to 7 AM when circumstances require. Once construction begins, on-street parking will be prohibited within work zones. While driveways and entrances will still be accessible during construction, businesses and nearby residents may experience noise, dust, and vibrations from construction and road equipment. Once construction is complete, on-street parking will be permanently prohibited from Geneva Road to 1600 West.

To receive weekly construction updates, you can contact the Jacques & Associates public information team at scott@ja-today.com. Enter “Provo Center Street” in the subject line. Jacques & Associates is the engineering firm working on the project.

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It’s Free Frazil Friday

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By McKinsleigh Smith

Founded in Utah in 2004 as a complementary venture to a prosperous shaved ice enterprise, Frazil makes a delectable frozen beverage that can be enjoyed conveniently throughout the year. The company swiftly distinguished itself by refining delicious flavor profiles and through their uncompromising commitment to incorporating consumer feedback.

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Convenient store proprietors eagerly embraced Frazil machines early on, but occasional malfunctions due to user error or wear and tear presented an inconvenience (to say the least). These unforeseen circumstances resulted in prolonged machine downtime until a Frazil technician could rectify the situation. Recognizing the need for a streamlined resolution, Frazil set forth to innovate.

Through their ingenuity, the company devised a solution that revolutionized the operational dynamics of their machines. When a Frazil machine encounters an issue or experiences a breakdown in a convenience store, an accompanying technological component promptly dispatches a signal to the central Frazil system. Then, a skilled technician is promptly dispatched to address the matter, sparing the store owner the burden of troubleshooting or reaching out for help. It’s been a massive help.

To commemorate their 20-year anniversary, Frazil has unveiled an enticing initiative: Free Frazil Friday. Throughout the month of June, every Friday presents an opportunity for customers to visit select locations in Utah, Idaho, and Nevada, where a complimentary 12 oz. Frazil drink (limited to one per person) awaits during regular operating hours.

Participating establishments include Maverik, Holiday Oil, ExtraMile by Jacksons, Terrible Herbst, Anabi Oil (Rebel), Fabulous Freddy’s, Fast Stop, Good 2 Go, Oasis Stop ‘N Go, Speedee Mart, Top Stop, Fast Gas, and Hunsaker Stores. For further details, visit freefrazilfriday.com.

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