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.
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.
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.
In a groundbreaking achievement, students from Brigham Young University (BYU) have designed, engineered, and built a sustainable, zero-energy dwelling directly on campus. Tucked away behind BYU’s Snell Building, this two-bedroom, two-bathroom residence has received hundreds of visitors this month.
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Affectionately known as the “Triple Dome Home,” this architectural marvel comprises three interconnected monolithic concrete domes. A featured dwelling in the Utah Valley Parade of Homes, this zero-energy domicile spans a modest 850 square feet and stands as a testament to the prowess of student builders. This transportable house can be relocated wherever a crane can be stationed. In fact, this particular dwelling will soon be uprooted and transported to California for sale later in the fall.
Built as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon, it’s meticulously designed. The house aims to minimize its carbon footprint, curtail water consumption, and effortlessly maintain a consistent temperature throughout both frigid winters and scorching summers.
The interior of the BYU Triple Dome Home by BYU Photo.
The Triple Dome Home boasts several remarkable engineering features, including the utilization of fiberglass in lieu of rebar as the primary material for reinforcing the concrete structure. Additionally, a PVC membrane envelops the entirety of the exterior walls, providing insulation and imperviousness to water. Portions of the exterior walls are concealed beneath soil, rocks, and plants, creating an innovative berming technique.
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The residence harnesses the power of 34 double-sided solar panels seamlessly integrated into a carport and an adjacent pergola. Thanks to its concrete dome construction, the house boasts windproof and fireproof properties while remaining resilient to extreme temperatures. Enhanced energy efficiency is achieved through the inclusion of triple-paned windows.
This undertaking has stretched the physical and intellectual capabilities of over 20 students involved in the design, engineering, and construction processes.
BYU represents one of the 15 universities hailing from the United States, Canada, and India that took part in the esteemed Solar Decathlon Build Challenge. Later this year, the BYU team and their Triple Dome Home will also compete in the Orange County Sustainability Decathlon.
There are only two days left to tour the home before it moves to California. The Utah Valley Parade of Homes is happening now, and concludes on June 24.
The Orem Utah Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be dedicated on January 21, 2024, despite minor construction issues along the way. The dedication and open house dates were announced by the church’s First Presidency, along with the closure date for the Provo Utah Temple.
The Orem Utah Temple will have a public open house from October 27 to December 16, with exceptions for Sundays and Thanksgiving Day. A media day will be held on October 23, followed by invited guests touring the temple from October 24 to 26.
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The dedicatory sessions will be broadcast to all units in the Orem Utah Temple district, and more details about the dedication will be shared later.
The Provo Utah Temple will be closed starting from February 24, 2024 for reconstruction. During the closure, members are encouraged to attend other temples, and those seeking ordinances should contact nearby temples for arrangements.
Utah has a total of 28 LDS temples, including the Orem and Provo temples. The state is the global headquarters for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with a membership of 2.2 million people. The Saratoga Springs Utah Temple will be dedicated on August 13, and the St. George Utah Temple will be rededicated on December 10.
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.
Who stole your dream? And why did you let them steal it? These are just two of the poignant questions that the St. George Writers Conference plans to discuss on Friday, July 14 in southern Utah.
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“At the St. George Writers Conference, these questions will be addressed – and time will be given for you to answer them for yourself,” says event organizer and author Eileen Telford. “The speakers chosen for this conference all had dreams – and they made their dreams come true.”
Deanna Draper Buck had a dream – to find a book which told powerful scriptural stories in a way that preschoolers would understand. When she couldn’t find one, she wrote one. At the writer’s conference, she’ll share how she fought hard to make her dream come true and found an ally at Deseret Book.
In addition to buck, other speakers include writer Rebecca Lange, graphic novelist Tarl Telford, and event organizer Eileen Telford. Other topics covered include Sweet Romance, Christian Writing, Traditional vs. Indie Publishing, and Cover Design secrets.
The conference will be held at The Washington County Dance Hall in CottonTown Village Square. Breakfast, lunch, and dessert during a post-conference reception will be provided. Tickets can be purchased at StGeorgeWritersConference.com.
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.
In an impressive display of skill and determination, Kenneth Rooks, a junior at Brigham Young University (BYU), has claimed the coveted national men’s steeplechase title for the second year running. Rooks achieved this feat during the recent NCAA championships held in Austin, Texas, with a remarkable finishing time of 8:26.17. This accomplishment not only solidifies his place among the nation’s elite athletes but also establishes BYU as the first institution in history to produce back-to-back winners in this event.
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Rooks asserted his dominance by finishing more than six seconds ahead of the runner-up, Duncan Hamilton. Throughout the race, he reserved energy in the middle of the pack before a final burst during the last 400 meters, which propelled him towards the championship.
With his stellar performance on Friday, Rooks has now earned the title of three-time steeplechase All-American and holds the fastest recorded time in BYU’s program history for this event. He joins an esteemed group of previous BYU champions, including Kyle Perry (2009), Josh McAdams (2006), and Bob Richards (1966), and becomes the first male athlete from BYU to claim an individual steeplechase championship since Clayton Young in 2019.
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.
Provo Tribune: Local News for the Provo/Orem Area 