Tag: Provo Newspaper

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State News

St. George Writers Conference Gears Up for July Event

Photo by MojaveNC, CC BY 2.5
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By Zach Collier 

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.

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Orem City News

Utah-Made Glasses Allow for Safe Watching of Eclipses

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By Richard Provost

Within the next year, people around the world will have two opportunities to witness a solar eclipse. This is a rare experience which won’t happen for another two decades. That’s why Eclipse Glasses is releasing a special collection of shades designed to help you view this event safely.

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In August 2017, millions of people were excited about the eclipse, but many were unable to fully experience it due to a shortage of appropriate viewing glasses. Roger Sarkis, an earth science educator at Utah Valley University, recognized this problem and took action. He repurposed thousands of locally found eclipse glasses and sent them to schools in other countries, allowing students to view future eclipses. Now, Sarkis has expanded his initiative to make eclipse viewing accessible to everyone in preparation for the upcoming October and April events.

“Most solar eclipses only happen just a few times in our lifetime and if you’re of the older generation, this might be your last, so why shouldn’t they be able to fully experience it?” said Sarkis. “With so many counterfeit and overpriced glasses on the market today, I wanted to find a way for kids and adults alike to safely view the incredible partial phases of these eclipses and create a memory that will always stick with them.”

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To fulfill this vision, Eclipse Glasses offers a pack of five glasses with a variety of designs, catering to different face shapes. These glasses are professionally printed, designed, and made from materials sourced in the United States. Suitable for all ages, Eclipse Glasses are now available for pre-order until June 30, priced at $6.99 per pack. International shipping is available, and customers can enjoy a discount of up to 30% for larger quantities.

Shipping will commence in late August, with orders processed within one to two days. Sarkis also seeks partnerships with educational nonprofit organizations and corporations, offering special wholesale pricing. To learn more about the product or place an order, please visit eclipse23.com.

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Orem City News

Lindon and Orem Exploring Changes to Water Usage

Upper Provo River.
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By Mike Romero

Urban irrigation in Orem, provided by the Provo Bench Canal & Irrigation Company and the North Union Canal & Irrigation Company since 1862, is facing potential changes. Lindon City is considering diverting its canal shares into the Provo River Aqueduct, resulting in reduced water flow and utilization in the North Union and Provo Bench Canals. Permission from the canal companies’ boards is required before filing for the change application, with potential conditions to protect remaining shareholders.

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Currently, there are around 100 water users who practice open irrigation, and their options include continuing with potentially less water, selling shares, or submitting ideas for consideration.

Lindon City aims to tap water from the Provo River aqueduct to maintain six miles of open ditches, benefiting the Lindon irrigation ponds. The primary drivers for this change are the costly upkeep of aging canals and the push for water conservation efforts requested by Utah Governor Spencer Cox. The canals are currently facing issues such as garbage and broken bottles being discarded into the ditches, resulting in diminished water flow and potential water deprivation for end users. To address this, Reed Price, the maintenance division manager for Orem, suggests using the city’s culinary water for more effective drip irrigation, while Lindon currently relies on secondary water for irrigation.

The cost for Lindon to connect to the Provo River Aqueduct is estimated at $1.1 million, a more cost-effective alternative compared to canal maintenance expenses. A shareholders meeting was held, and Lindon plans to construct the tap in the upcoming fall, allowing farmers to observe the impact on canal operations. The complete transition is expected to take place by 2025, with Orem and the majority of stakeholders expressing support for the proposed changes.

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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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University News

Kenneth Rooks of BYU Secures Consecutive National Championship

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By Charlie G. Patreus

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.

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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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Provo City News

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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Provo City News

Provo Tech Company Qualtrics Announces New Software

Qualtrics headquarters in Provo, Utah.
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By Mike Romero

Qualtrics, one of Provo’s largest employers, has announced the launch of their Customer Journey Optimizer, a new analytics tool. It helps organizations improve customer experiences by identifying key moments and areas of friction, allowing them to take the right actions to find a solution.

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Customer Journey Optimizer provides an omnichannel view of the customer journey, highlighting the customer’s stage, reasons for experience breakdowns, and the impact those breakdowns have on business. Its journey analytics capabilities enable teams to dive deeper into data, understand the impact on different customer segments and channels, and use pre-built integrations to troubleshoot and orchestrate responses.

An example of a Qualtrics analytics dashboard analyzing friction points in an online customer experience.
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For example: Credit Union of Colorado successfully utilized Customer Journey Optimizer to enhance digital engagement. They increased adoption of digital banking services, reduced contact center calls, and improved operations by identifying friction points and implementing personalized messaging.

Qualtrics, based in Provo, is the leader and creator of the experience management business category. They are a cloud-native software provider helping organizations identify and resolve points of friction across digital and human touchpoints. With over 18,750 organizations worldwide using Qualtrics’ advanced AI, the company has built the largest database of human sentiment through its experience data. Qualtrics operates globally with headquarters in Provo and Seattle, and has 28 offices worldwide.

The company also spends a vast amount of time and resources giving back. See how Qualtrics raised money to fight cancer last month.

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