Story by Evan Teng

Despite creating several hit singles such as Human and Read My Mind and releasing 4 chart topping albums, Killers drummer Ronnie Vannucci is still not happy with where the band is at. “Let’s put it this way. If the band were to die, I wouldn’t be satisfied with what goes on the epitaph.” Says Ronnie. Ronny does not know when or even if they will reach the desired level of creativity, ingenuity, and capability, but he is optimistic. The band certainly has the work ethic, passion, and lifetime of experience needed to make that sort of transformation.

Ronnie has always been around music. When he was growing up, the radio served as his babysitter, keeping him entertained when his parents were away. His parents could not afford a babysitter and were usually gone for long periods of time. Early on in his life, he had no siblings to keep him entertained, so this tended to happen often. Many of his influences in music, such as blues bands and 80s rock, came from those early years. His drumming ability, or as he likes to call it his “Caveman Gene,” also asserted itself during those early years. “I would see a dryer or washer in the garage and…start to beat on it,” says Ronnie, adding that he would take off his clothes before beating on it for comedic effect.

Following high school, Ronnie enrolled in the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, or as Ronnie affectionately calls it UNLV, which he claims stands for “you never leave Vegas.” “All of my peers were going to college, so it just felt like the thing to do at that time,” says Ronnie. After initially pursuing a biology degree, he decided to switch to a music degree. His decision to switch majors was vindicated when he was lucky enough to fill in for and eventually completely replace The Killers’ main drummer. Upon joining the band, Ronnie immediately hit it off with half of the band members. The two individuals who he didn’t hit it off with were the bass player and the drummer. The original bass player and drummer left the band after Ronnie and bassist Mark Stoermer joined.

Once the band formed, they quickly started to put short demos up online on a site devoted to the Las Vegas Local Music Scene. The band used the site to arrange dates and locations for concerts and quickly gained a following. The site was also frequented by record representatives who represented major record labels. Once the record label noticed them, they would send a representative to hear them live in concert and negotiate a potential contract with them.

As the band gained more popularity, they began to get more record offers. At one point, the band had offers from all the major record labels, making the choice to select a permanent record label challenging. “We were looking for a label that would allow us to have freedom to dress the way that we wanted and have creative freedom,” says Ronny. “That is why we went with Def Jam.” But being signed up with a record label brought its own problems. “Record labels are basically banks and marketing firms,” says Ronny. He adds, “We [received] stipends and had to pay them back through record sales. Although they did receive some additional money from concerts, it was hardly enough to live on. The record label also took a 50% of the profits that the band made through record sales.”

Fast forward to today and the band has conquered many of the challenges that they faced. Band members earn a steady income despite the record restrictions due to success that they have experienced. The band has also adapted well to their success and the fans that come with it, even though it can be overwhelming at times. “We’re regular people [and] for the most part, people respect that. If we have a heavy breather, we just tell them to calm down. For the most part people listen. There are some people that don’t listen but they are in the minority.” Overall, Ronnie is just grateful that people like to listen to their music.

Story by: ALICIA HOPKINS

With more stores than ever racing to open their doors on Thanksgiving, millions of retail workers are spending more time on the clock than with their own families and loved ones. The success of Black Friday, the biggest shopping day of the year, is leading many companies to want to flip on their open signs earlier and earlier to earn as much profit as possible from this huge weekend of holiday spending.

Companies such as Best Buy, JC Penney, Target, Macy’s, Kohls, Walmart, and many more are now opening for Black Friday on Thursday, Thanksgiving Day. A Target executive even called shopping at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving a “tradition” when the company announced its opening time. On November 26, this past Thanksgiving, a record number of stores were open. Shoppers may have been in paradise, but retail employees and their families did not share the sentiment.

To many Americans, Thanksgiving is a significant national holiday—whether it means eating profuse amounts of food, spending quality time with family, or watching football. For the lucky ones, work is usually the furthest thing from their minds. Thanksgiving has traditionally been a day for Americans to give thanks and be grateful for everything they have.

However, with stores now opening on Thanksgiving and advertising such great deals, it is easy to give into the temptation of going shopping. It is easy to forget that people have to give up time with their own families in order to work—in order to help feed our insatiable consumer appetites. It is easy to forget that retail workers are real people. The only difference is that they do not get a break or a holiday. They do not get to eat profuse amounts of food, spend quality time with their families, or watch football on Thanksgiving.

Mario Torres, a Best Buy employee, had to work on Thanksgiving this year like millions of other retail workers across the United States. This year was his second consecutive Thanksgiving he spent working at Best Buy. He recalls the exact words his old general manager said last year. “There will be absolutely no calling-out on Thanksgiving. I don’t care if you’re in the hospital. I’ll drag your hospital bed to work!” She was joking obviously, but they take this day very seriously. “It’s all hands on deck. Nobody gets to spend the day off,” said Torres.

Torres felt especially angry this year because he had been with the company for longer than many of his coworkers and his new manager had promised to let him choose whether he wanted to work on Thanksgiving or not. However, he was forced to work without any say and even worse, he was left with a broken promise. He had made plans to spend the day with his family and girlfriend, but instead of eating Thanksgiving dinner with them he spent his time at work helping what he described as many greedy and ungrateful strangers. “If you’re in retail, you better hope that you’re close to your coworkers. You spend more time with them during the holidays than you do with your own family,” said Torres.

Kelsey Faut, a coworker of Torres, expressed the same anger. “It sickens me that I don’t get to spend time with my family because instead of being thankful for everything they have, people are lining up for door busters,” she said. “When I’m out of retail, I will never do that to someone! This holiday is being pushed away due to the selfishness of humanity.”

In fact, Torres and Faut are not the only ones upset about working on Thanksgiving. Millions of retail workers across the nation are feeling their same exasperation. Some of them even took to Change.org, the world’s most powerful platform for petitioning and one of the most influential tools for online activism, to express their anger.

More than 280,000 people signed petitions on Change.org in favor of retail stores staying closed on Thanksgiving Day. There are over 100 petitions related to “saving Thanksgiving” on the website. Unfortunately, most of these petitions will fail because many companies cannot afford to close their doors on Thanksgiving—there is just too much revenue to be made. The only way to stop companies from continuing to open their doors on Thanksgiving would be for consumers to give up shopping on that day altogether.

It is safe to predict that next year even more stores will be opening on Thanksgiving Day, which means even more people will be spending their time on the clock. These retail workers will not get a break. They will not get a chance to spend time with their families. They will not get a Thanksgiving. It is astonishing how so many consumers still have enough energy to go shopping after eating a whole plate of turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes.

AJ Anderson

Mountain Accord is creeping its way through every legislative hoop without much resistance. Similar to a runaway train it will crash through anything that gets into its path.

Mountain Accord is a study group established to figure out the best way to get paying customers into the Central Wasatch. It is built on four main pillars, which are; transportation, recreation, environmental, and economical. These four subjects are to be studied and have public comment provided before moving forward. Mountain Accord has developed a proposed blueprint for transportation.

Blueprint/mountainaccord.com

This is the transportation section of the blueprint, and it shows a variety of options being considered for each canyon. In Little Cottonwood Canyon there are many different options, but some of the more focused options are light rail trains. These trains would go from the mouth of the canyon to the town of Alta. At the top of Alta, there would be tunnels created that would connect Park City, and Big Cottonwood Canyon together. There are proposed routes and transportation changes for Parley’s Canyon as well. There are three other blueprints focused on the other areas of study found at mountainaccord.com.

This planning group will affect all residents in Utah

Many Utah residents have no idea that Mountain Accord exists. This is something that will affect everyone who lives in the state as one single aspect of the plans for Little Cottonwood could cost more than 2 billion dollars. Mountain Accord is no stranger to the media; this article from The Salt Lake Tribune is written by Todd Leeds who writes about some of the steps taken by the Mountain Accord and how it is being rushed. There are other articles about Mountain Accord located on the website’s media tab. There is a potential of billions of dollars of taxpayers’ money that will be spent to accomplish some of the desired goals established in the proposed blueprints. Another example of wasted money is UTA officials taking several trips to Europe to study the ski resorts and the transportations there. This has been in the news recently as a great controversy; UTA board member resigns after controversial Swiss trip. There were several officials who went on this trip to Switzerland including Mountain Accord public relations specialist Laynee Jones. They were looking into transportation systems.

Mountain Accord and the NEPA process

Mountain Accord has recently entered the National Environmental Protection Agency process, commonly known as NEPA. Created January 1^st 1970, this process was created to make sure plans that requested government funding are legitimate. Representatives from the government come and do a study of their own based on the studies already performed. Once the studies are completed there will be a decision whether or not to fund the proposed plans.

This has been a rushed process. The public has only recently been learning of the studies performed by Mountain Accord, and it has already entered the NEPA process.

Neighborhoods are outraged about the Mountain Accord

There are those who live in the canyons or at the mouth of the canyons who are very concerned about the Mountain Accord and its proposed plans. The concerned public began taking actions to try and prevent some of the developments planned that will affect their lives. A concerned resident and environmentalist stated, “The public are going to pay to lose their canyon, and make the wealthy elite prosper even more.” She helped raise awareness, and other concerned neighbors who were enlightened because of her created Little Cottonwood Canyon Communities. LCCC’s goal is to make sure the voices of the people living in or near the canyons are heard. They only learned of Mountain Accord two years ago. Once they had heard of it they immediately took action. They created meetings inviting the public and representatives from Mountain Accord. Addressing issues and concerns they had, not only with their situations but as well with the proposed plans presented.

Utah needs to be better informed of Mountain Accord. This group was established in 2013, yet the public has only been aware and able to participate since February of 2015. Since the blueprint was released to the public, Mountain Accord has been making huge decisions. One year of public input is not nearly enough time and in fact most Utah citizens are still very unaware of even the existence of this planning group. The legislative leaders need to do more to inform the public they represent. Mountain Accord has the ability to do the good they claim they want to in preserving the Wasatch Front, but if left unchecked and funded by parties with too much to gain it could prove disastrous for Utah residents.

Utah moves up the rankings on the nation’s education report card; will it stay the same in 2016?

by Nick Jacobs

While Utah moved up the rankings on National Assessment of Education Progress, you’d be hard pressed to find anyone in Utah who doesn’t think our education system needs improvement. Utah spends less per student on education than any other state. Our test scores for 4^th grade math and science are going down. Our classrooms are the biggest in America, and our teachers are paid less per pupil than any other state. But there is one plus: at least it’s not getting worse.

Utah’s move up the rankings was not a result of improved education, but rather the result of the quality of education falling in many other states. However, there is evidence that education is on the rise in Utah. The new and innovative pay-for-success program put forth by Salt Lake County Mayor helped improve the pre-school education for at risk students. Graduation rates for Latino students have increased since 2009. The legislature even increased funding for education last year, though modestly.

Yet for education in Utah to be higher than average, funding has to increase. Funding in Utah has been on the decline ever since a 1996 amendment to the Utah Constitution allowing for state income tax to be used for purposes other than K-12 funding. Before the amendment, all of the state income tax went directly to K-12 funding. According to State Senator Jim Dabakis this “robbed billions of dollars from Utah’s school children.” The next decrease in education came from a flat tax bill in 2006. The legislation allowed billionaires to pay the same income tax rate as a family making $12,200. This change takes “$280 million every year from Utah public school children.” The last large cut to education came in 2008 as a result of the recession rather than legislation.

However, there has been a push to increase education funding over the last few years. In December of 2014, Governor Herbert released a budget proposal that called for a $500 million increase in funding to education, which included a 6.25 percent per-student increase. Governor Herbert and many others hoped this would bring funding back to what it was before the recession. However, lawmakers at last spring’s legislative session only improved a modest increase of 4 percent per student, or about $100 million total. The increase is to be funded mostly by an adjustment to the dormant statewide property tax.

Education will be a big issue at this next year’s legislative session that runs from January 25 to March 11, with 73 education bills already on the docket. Speaking at a breakfast event on November 29, House Speaker Greg Hughes described education “as both the toughest issue and the top issue facing legislators in next year’s general session”. Unfortunately, with elections coming up for many senators and representatives next fall, it is unlikely that funding will increase since an unpopular tax increase would have to follow as a result.

As the legislative session gets closer more and more information is released regarding new programs and improvements. One bill that will be highly debated this spring is a $100 million school-technology program that would give digital devices to students. There are other tech initiatives on the docket as well, such as a Computer Science Initiative for Public School and amendments and provisions to Digital Teaching and Learning.

In addition, there are also calls to improve early education. The Salt Lake Tribune reports that two business organizations, “threw their support on three education bills that would expand full-day kindergarten and public preschool and provide grant funding for teacher-training programs”. Social studies programs may also see changes if a new proposed standard passes which would favor debate and fostering critical thinking skills. Before being voted on though, the draft of new standards will go through a 90-day review period.

While funding per pupil and teacher pay in Utah are still at the bottom of the nation, education is on rise in Utah; and not simply because other states’ quality of education is falling. However, it’s too early to tell what the full effects of last years legislation had. Additionally, we won’t know all of the upcoming changes to education this year until the legislative session ends on March 13. Nevertheless, hopes are that Utah will move up the rankings for a second year straight.

Story By: Nathan Biddle

On Nov 2, 2015, Time Inc. issued a new contract to freelance photographers. This is not out of the ordinary. What is out of the ordinary are some of the clauses buried within the contract.

Time Inc. sent the contract to photographers who have worked with or are currently working with the company. The contract will go into effect on January 1, 2016. Jeniqua Moore, Associate Director of Digital Assets Contracts and Rights Management with Time Inc., issued this statement with the contract: “No new assignments will be made to you after January 1, 2016 unless you confirm your agreement to the attached new Time Inc. commissioned photography agreement be signing the agreement.” This statement is pretty aggressive. Why were such words used when the new contract was released? Some answers may be lying within the contract.

As you read and study the new contract you will come across clause 4 which mentions the “Idea House Projects”. Any job that you take when on an “Idea House Assignment” is work made for hire. In other words, you release all rights to any and all work that the photographers have created for Time Inc.

Clause 5 states that any assignment that is never published is in the embargo period. This means that the photographer cannot re-license the image to anyone else until the assignment has been published. There could be no end to the embargo period. Many photographers accept these assignments knowing that there is possibility to re-license the image, but if an image remains in an embargo period the photographer cannot try to re-license that image(s).

Clause 6(b) states that payment will be made upon the acceptance of the photograph(s). If the photograph(s) are not acceptable (this is completely subjective), or if the story is cancelled before the image(s) can be delivered, Time Inc. is under no obligation to pay the photographer.

Time Inc. offers this reason for the adjusted terms: “Our goal is to create a new management system that will allow us to track the use of commissioned editorial photography and to foster a consistent approach across Time Inc,” a statement by Norm Pearlstine, Chief Content Officer for Time Inc. There may be more that lies beneath the surface. Allen Murabayashi, writer for PetaPixel.com, suggested that Time Inc. has come under some difficult financial pressure. In May of 2015, before Time Inc. separated from Warner, their stock prices fluctuated from the low to upper 20’s, but once separated, their stock dropped drastically. As of December 2015 their stocks are in the mid teens. It is possible that Time Inc. is trying to recover lost ground in any way they can. Sports Illustrated (SI), which Time Inc. owns, laid off their entire photographic team in hope that they can rely on freelance photographers to fill the void.

“I don’t see the new contract as a way of intentionally screwing freelancers out of a fair wage but simply a form of self preservation and a last ditch effort to stay afloat,” stated local freelance photographer Chad Hurst, who has worked with SI as a freelance photographer.

Is change necessary for Time Inc. to survive? I do believe so. The best way to move forward is to get all who are involved with making Time Inc. successful and see what they can do together that would benefit both sides. “While publishers need to legitimately shift their business models, they should be working with their freelance contributors rather than regarding them as an impediment to make progress,” stated by Tom Kennedy from American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP).

This contract is one sided to the advantage of a major publication. What can the photographic community do to help revise this contract so that it benefits both sides? Kennedy released the following statement for freelance photographers:

Register their objections with all in Time Inc. that might be dealing with them, from Norman Pearlstine on down to the picture editors they work with most closely. … [P]hotographers need to think long and hard about whether such contracts are worth accepting. Many long-time contributors are refusing to sign and I think change can only occur if all stand firm in their resolve not to sign.

Time Inc. is making a move to try to help save a great publication. In an effort to so they may have possibly damaged an integral part. If we continue down this path it may be a race to the bottom.

Story by Kayla Vidal

It’s the most charitable time of year — but what happens to the ‘spirit of giving’ when the holidays end?

The holiday season is a time of giving. People are constantly giving gifts, happiness, and cheer unto others. With high amounts of giving in the air, people often turn their thoughts to charity work and there are thousands of opportunities for them to do so. Grocery store entrances have Salvation Army Santa Clauses ringing bells ready to accept coins in their donation bucket. Radio stations all over the Salt Lake valley give money and gifts to listeners in need so that they are able to have a good Christmas. There are plenty of Christmas themed commercials, movies, advertisements, billboards, fundraisers and more that continue to inspire the giving spirit that exists within the holiday season. The question is: what measures are being used the rest of the year to get others to help those in need like they do during the holiday season?

For research purposes for this article, an online survey was given out to 18 college students who mandatorily do at least 20 hours of charity work through the school year. The survey was comprised of five questions all based around their charity work. The questions ranged from how many hours they put in to when they feel the most charitable through the year. When asked what season they volunteer most in, 14 out of the 18 responders said that they do most of, if not all, of their charity work during the holiday season; and when asked if the holiday season increased their chances of volunteering, 15 out of the 18 respondents said yes.

“All the volunteers come around Christmas. There’s an abundance of help, sometimes we can’t even find somewhere for them to help,” said Marian, an activities director at St. Joseph’s Villa Nursing Home, “But come January, the help dies down and so does the amount of volunteers. February to November, we’re barely scraping by with help, and then all of the sudden, come Christmas and the holiday cheer, we have more volunteers than we know what to do with. It’s not fair.”

The United Way of Utah, which is the organization that runs Sub-For Santa and other non-profits throughout Utah, has a specific section on their website labeled “Holiday Volunteering Opportunities”. In that specific section, there are over 12 ways that a person can donate or volunteer that relate back to the holidays. There’s options such as sponsoring a child for the holidays, suggesting gift ideas for those in need, giving to the Giving Tree at University Mall in Provo along with the Angle Tree at ShopKo. Sub-For-Santa is their biggest holiday non-profit and is able to help over 1,500 Utah families alone per year. That amount of money for other organizations year around could result in big changes for society.

Although the holiday season is a perfect time to be thankful and give to others, there should be a way for the community to know that the spirit of giving to the less fortunate should be a year long event. In 2014, the Comprehensive Report on Homelessness put out by the State of Utah stated that there was 13,621 people that experienced homelessness. Of that 13,621 people, 46 percent of them were families. The Utah Food Bank states that there are 423,000 Utahans who are unsure where their next meal will even come from everyday.

“We appreciate every ounce of help we’re able to get. But at the same time, I wish we could get the same amount of help all year long that we get from November to December.” said Alexis Santoyo, a program coordinator for Friends For Sight, a foundation that offers screenings and education about vision problems to those who need it.

There are people in need 365 days a year, seven days a week, 24 hours a day. It is not surprising that the holiday season brings out the need to give because there is so much to be grateful for and so much is being given, but that need to give and gratefulness should be something that is felt everyday. Non-profits are looking for all the help they can get. The high volume of charity work done in December is highly appreciated and brings in a lot of profit for the non-profit, but that money and support cannot last them all year. The spirit of giving should last year around, and not just during a time that the amount of giving equates to what is received.

Story by Kimberly Rodriguez

Thanksgiving is a time filled with turkey, pumpkin pie, and shopping that starts immediately after dinner. Black Friday has become such a popular event in American culture it has almost become a ritual to wait outside stores for hours. But are the deals worth leaving loved ones at the dinner table?

Black Friday has always taken place the day after Thanksgiving, but it was not until the 1930s that it was regarded as the beginning of Christmas shopping season. There have been many theories as to how the term “Black Friday” got started, but the most common dates back to the 1950s in Philadelphia. According to University of North Carolina neuroscientist Bonnie Taylor-Blake, the term was used by police officers in the area to describe the copious amount of shoppers from the suburbs that flooded the city days after Thanksgiving. Attempts to change the name of the event to something more politically correct, like “Big Friday” never stuck.

Today, Black Friday is considered the busiest shopping day of the year and has been since 2003. People line up in front of stores for hours waiting for them to open. Some even set up tents in order to keep their spot. A few stores have taken advantage of this popularity and even started their sales the night of Thanksgiving. Stores flourish as people shop the sales, but is this event worthy enough to garner the attention that it does? Do the sales really outweigh the time one could be spending with family or loved ones?

“I don’t think the sales are worth it,” said Ashley Stronach, a Black Friday shopper. “For standing in line for a half hour in the cold, all I got from Colombia was a ten dollar coupon. I would rather shop online.”

Stronach, who went to the Traverse Mountain Outlets in Lehi on the evening of Thanksgiving, was not the only person to think that. With the success of Black Friday and the ease of access to the internet, a majority of stores also had their sales online over the four-day weekend. According to the National Retail Federation, about 139.4 million adults visited stores’ websites during Thanksgiving weekend. Online sales reached more than 17% on Thanksgiving and 21% on Friday over last year according to IBM Benchmark.

Despite sales also being available online, stores still remain open and welcome the influx of people. Megan Gingerich, an employee for Coach, was working this past Thanksgiving night from 8:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. and Black Friday from 1 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. While it was a hectic time, Gingerich remained optimistic about working those days.

“I work at Coach year round and it is almost a requirement. We also get paid extra (time and a half) on thanksgiving night. We are so busy that time goes by really fast as well,” she stated.

Gingerich was patient and prepared to handle Black Friday, but she also believes that the sales are not worth the buildup people make it out to be.

“It’s such a big deal to people because they think they are getting a really good deal on products. I think that a lot of people need to realize that sometimes you’re not really getting a good deal on Black Friday. Do your research.”

Stores have sales throughout the year, yet the public still remains under the illusion they are saving money because of the amount of advertising that gets produced for this day. Retailers make it seem as though there have never been sales like the ones being promoted, yet they are only discounting a couple dollars off products probably found cheaper elsewhere on a regular day. Because Black Friday is still a prevalent event, it means that people still have to sacrifice their time to work that holiday weekend.

“I think Black Friday definitely gets in the way of people who want to be with their families. The retailers I talked to all complained about having to work. Some of them were going to be there all night and I felt very bad for them,” said Stronach.

Black Friday has solidified itself as a cultural norm in the United States, regardless of whether or not sales are good. It has even made its way onto the internet with increasing popularity. Who knows, maybe this is a step in the right direction so people will no longer have to leave their loved ones back home while they are dealing with the frenzy of people in the stores.

Shopping on Black Friday at City Creek Center was very different than expected, it was almost just like any other day at the mall.

This year’s Black Friday shopping at City Creek Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, may have been one of the most relaxed Black Friday’s ever — it was almost eerie, sort of like a ghost town. It wasn’t until 8 on Friday morning, that the doors of City Creek Center opened. One of the early bird shoppers, Annie, said that “being one of the first people to get into the mall is such an advantage, I get first pick on discounted items in my favorite stores.”

Black Friday is one of the only days of the year where many big name stores like Macy’s, Sears, Dillard’s and Nordstrom have major discounts. People wait in line for hours to score big deals on their favorite store items. However, this year was not as busy as some in the past, or at least that’s how it used to be. The mall wasn’t even busy until about 2 pm.

Manager Erica Crosby at Alex & Ani described the day as a “letdown.” The store was projected to make around $67,000 dollars on Black Friday, but, with low amounts of walk-in traffic, they were behind their final goal by about $20,000. “For the last two years we had lines out the door. This year, we aren’t even half as busy,” Crosby said. “And it’s not just us either. It’s Papyrus, Lush, Pandora and even Steve Madden.”

With having stores at City Creek being over-staffed, open early, and close late on Black Friday, people might not think it is fair to go out and shop on this once a year event. It is not necessarily fair to the people that work on Black Friday if the store is not making a profit, and it is not fair to the public to have to shop in a crowded mall in the freezing cold to only get special deals once a year. Maybe some stores will consider having better deals year round to improve profit and a better shopping experience.

Being one of the biggest shopping days of the year, Black Friday can really change your wallet, and holiday gifting with a lot of remarkable savings. However, some stores in the mall have the exact same discount as they did last year. Alex & Ani, American Eagle, Sunglass Hut, Anthropology and J.Crew had the same discounts as the previous year, and they weren’t all that significant. This year, majority of stores have their deals online as well, plus free shipping. If people want to stay at home in their pajamas and shop online, they still get the benefit of Black Friday savings without dealing with crowds of people and cold weather. Jackie, a shopper at City Creek Center said, “most of my family and friends shop online instead of coming out with me to shop. They don’t like to be in big crowds and wait in long lines, they think it’s a lot easier shopping online, but I like the chaos of it all.” Jackie also discussed that she was familiar about the lack of sales but still wanted to shop nontheless. While some people, like Jackie, actually enjoy the craziness of Black Friday, some might think Black Friday is just a crazed scene of intense shoppers.

Not only has this year’s Black Friday changed the way people shop on this day, it also has extended to the following Monday and sometimes Tuesday as well. By doing this, there is no rush to get everything at one time. Peter, a sales associate at the store Lush, said that “I love that our store extends our deals, it makes it so Black Friday isn’t as insane and not so many people come in at one time. [Extending deals] makes it so the other staff members aren’t so overwhelmed and exhausted by the end of their shift.” Some people prefer to spend their holiday weekend solely with their loved ones instead of going out to shop. Therefore, Black Friday deals are now extended, a great change to this once a year shopping event.

Shopping on Black Friday will continue to change every year with stores starting their sales early and extending them into the next week. Online shopping for Black Friday has become a huge improvement and a time-saver for many. Black Friday shopping this year was out of the norm, and maybe it will change back to its crazy ways in the future. However, as of this year, shopping at City Creek was not as much of a hassle like it has been in the past, it was just a regular day at the mall.

Story by: Madison Facer

Picture this, you’re relaxing on a beach, feet buried in the sand, listening to the waves crashing calm and repeatedly on the soft beach, you’re kicked back in a lounge chair with a nice cool drink and… a Santa hat? Christmas in paradise is the new black, or rather, red (and white and green) and you’ve decided to get away from the old trends of Christmas at Grandma’s and the same old questions year after year. You’ve opted for the heat of the tropical sun, and the only questions you’re getting asked are if you want a refill. But where will you go? This is a guide to this year’s hottest (or coolest) holiday destinations and adventures.

Many travelers are traveling purely for holiday joy may be looking for destinations with those goals in mind. Around the world countries celebrate the holidays in their own special ways. Whether you’re interested in a massive Christmas beach party on Australia’s Bondi Beach or a spectacular Disney style wonderland, these destinations are for you.

Mickeys Very Merry Christmas image by: http://www.wdwinfo.com/holidays/mvmcp.htm

Orlando, FL: Travelers looking to stay within the states this year may want to check out the spectacle put on by Disney World Resort in Orlando Florida. The Disney Resort throws an annual party known as Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. The party includes events at all 4 of the resorts parks, with special events in the Epcot Park featuring Holidays around the World, The Magical Kingdom hosts a Christmas Time parade down Main Street USA with a Mickey and Santa meet and greet. And a Holiday Parade in the Disney Animal Kingdom gives guests even more fun

Lapland, Finland: Travelers in hopes of an international vacation that has offerings for both children and adults, look no further than the Arctic Circle. Lapland, Finland is the official home of Santa Clause and this small town has a “to-do” for everyone in your party. You can start your trip with a tour of the town in a Reindeer drawn sleigh, and follow this up with a trip to the local post-office and see all of Santa’s letters, or head over to Korvatunturi, the town capital where Santa does his business. You can also enjoy a more calming side of the town with the various ski lodges or ice hotels and relax under the lights of the Aurora Borealis. If you’re interested in visiting Santa this winter, read his tips for your visit to get more ideas.

Viennese Christmas Markets image from: http://www.blog.salutetovienna.com

Vienna, Austria: Austria year round offers guests a beautiful destination to enjoy and take in all the history and sites the city has to offer and the holidays are no exception to that. The city hosts several Christmas markets and villages around the city, such as the Viennese Christmas Market which offers guests the chance to learn the history and traditions of the city, get in the Christmas spirit with workshops for Christmas cookies and candles. Or get in some last minute shopping at the Christmas Village at Belvedere Palace with more than 40 festive market stalls with special holiday goodies and decorations.

Venite Festival in Lucerne image by: http://www.raredelights.com

Many travelers have differing experiences with holiday travel, I had the opportunity to speak with several Utah residents about their experiences. I recently spoke with local business owner Russ Mellor and his wife Joy about their history of holiday travel. Mellor and his wife took a 3 week vacation to Europe over the holidays last year and visited 9 countries in total on their “destination” holiday. The couple decided to opt for a holiday trip instead of the usual holiday celebrations after their youngest child moved out and as their way of celebrating 25 years together.

The couple described the beauty of the sites and cities they visited and how amazing some of the holiday markets, festivals and celebrations were. Joy Mellor talked about her favorite stop of the visit was Lucerne, Switzerland. “I loved it, it is such a beautiful old city sitting on the shores of the massive lake, and surrounded by the towering Swiss Alps, it was definitely a once in a lifetime experience.”

Lucerne Switzerland, a Winter Wonderland. image by: http://www.raredelights.com

The couple also talked about how much they enjoyed the “Venite” holiday festival they had the chance to experience. The festival features booths from twenty nearby countries, with each booth presenting holiday items and Christmas traditions from their homeland.

Russ Mellor described his feelings about the festival and stated “I loved getting to see all of the holiday items and booths and traditions from the different countries, the whole experience was neat getting to see not only all of the different countries, but then having the opportunity to see the holiday side of them too, it was really something else.” The couple overall stated the whole experience was an extremely positive one and given the chance would do it again.

Traveling for the holidays has always been a fun and exciting prospect. Whether traveling to see family, or to get away from them, people around the world will embark on adventures around the globe this season. Hopefully you are feeling inspired to get out and explore this season and stop letting Santa have all the fun.

Santa, having all the fun! image by: http://www.newsweek.com

Story by: Sabrina Esposito

December 4th, 2015

For the past 12 years the Melting Pot, located in downtown Salt Lake City, has taken part in the “Thanks and Giving” fundraiser for St. Jude’s Research Hospital. With every ten dollars that the diner at the restaurant donates they get back a Donate and Dine card that is valued at twenty dollars when redeemed at the restaurant wither their next visit. 100 % of the donations given to the restaurant are sent to St. Jude’s to fund cancer research.

“This fundraising campaign for St. Jude is very dear to my heart because it truly shows our core values and vision for the Melting Pot statewide,” explains Zac Black, part owner of the Melting Pot downtown. “It shows our core values by giving to the research hospital to help fight against childhood cancer and many other life-threatening illnesses.” The campaign starts mid-October and runs until mid-December. Not only does the Melting Pot partake in this campaign, but it also supports St. Jude throughout the year with sales of chocolate fondue wafers.

St. Jude’s Research hospital was founded in 1962, and has made an enormous effort in breaking through childhood cancer ever since. Not only does the hospital take part in cancer research, but it also cares for and treats many different cancers and other life-threatening diseases in children from all over the world. Families of these children do not receive bills for treatment, travel, housing or any additional costs because it is all about helping their child survive. According to the St Jude’s organization, 75% of the budgeted costs of St. Jude are covered by public contributions.

Since the Melting Pot started collaborating with St. Jude, they have raised more than nine million dollars. “During the time of the Thanks and Giving campaign, the whole restaurant is focused mainly on selling the Donate and Dine cards for St. Jude,” explains Black. “What’s great is not only do our employees sell them while working but they also take time to sell these cards while out of the restaurant. It just shows how strongly we support this campaign.” The Donate and Dine cards are most often sold in the restaurant, but servers will also attempt to sell these cards outside of work to help raise more funds.

The SLC Melting Pot is one of 138 Melting Pot restaurants in the United States and is in the top 20 highest rank of raising. “The goal is to be in the top 10 within the next couple years as we keep getting better and better at raising money and selling these cards. We want to do as much as possible that we can do in this month of selling cards,” Black says. Although they haven’t yet reached top 10, top 20 is a huge accomplishment for the Melting Pot.

“The season of giving is a bunch of fun, people are very happy to give back to charity so it makes my job a little bit easier,” Amanda, an employee at the melting pot explains. Amanda is one of the highest selling employees at the Melting Pot for the Donate and Dine cards. One of her biggest tactics in getting donations is selling these cards outside of the restaurant to get more people seeing and hearing what it is all about. Just last week she sold up to 100 cards in one day of being outside City Creek letting shoppers know what the campaign is all about. This is a great example that not only does the melting pot make it a goal to get donations in the restaurant, but that they also make it a goal to get donations anywhere else that they can.

Melting Pot has been doing a great job while taking part in the Thanks and giving campaign for St. Jude’s Research Hospital. They have been increasing the amount of their donations every year and the goal just keeps getting set higher and higher by every employee working at the SLC melting pot. The campaign hasn’t ended just yet so make sure to get to the Melting Pot and get your chance to donate to the St Jude’s Research Hospital.

By Chris Ayers

I have done this literally hundreds of times before, but it still feels just as exciting and new as it did the first time. I walk through the tunnel, with “The Ecstasy of Gold” playing in my head. I finally reach the end and see the entirety if Rice-Eccles Stadium before my eyes; a sight that will never get old.

Today is the final game of the regular season for the Utes, and also senior night.

I don’t bring that much gear with me when I’m about to shoot a sports game. I bring my camera, my lens, a teleconverter to multiply the lens’s focal length, and sometimes one of the Chrony’s lenses (Canon 300mm or 400mm) plus a monopod. I would like to get a second camera so I don’t have to change lenses, but that’s not in my budget right now.

After parking in the “Media” section of the lot, I go inside and take the elevator up to the press box. There is a room that was originally a photocopy room, but photographers took it over to place their big, heavy, expensive lenses without the fear of them getting stolen. Outside of it is a buffet exclusive to those who have a pass (steak is on today’s menu).

The week before, it was sunny but cold. Then the shade crept in, and it was just cold. I was joking with other photographers that I would’ve preferred it to be cloudy on a rare afternoon game; shade diffuses light, which avoids creating harsh shadows and is more consistent and even. Luckily, it didn’t rain on our parade: it snowed instead. I’ve never covered a game in the snow before. But the Chrony’s photo editor, Chris Samuels, doesn’t mind at all, and actually enjoys it.

“The snow gives us depth perception and the clouds makes the lighting even,” Samuels says

He was correct, as I took some of my best football shots during the game. Despite the snow giving a good perception, it caused problems. Besides the obvious of it making it colder and wetter, it caused my camera some problems. Thankfully, my camera and lens are both weather sealed, but the snowfall confused my camera’s auto focus on what it wanted to capture.

As I’m covering the game, I’m always aware what is going on. Unlike basketball, I have to constantly move with the action. Wherever the line of scrimmage is, I’m at least 20 yards from it. I check my photos between plays/quarters and mark the ones I think look best. This saves a ton of time when I have to sort through them later since I typically take 800-1000+ per sports game (even more today since it’s Senior Day).

The deadline to submit is only one hour after the game. I don’t need to edit them too much since I know what settings to use on the fly while shooting, but minor edits (such as cropping) are essential. I took 1253 for today’s game and I ended up using 25, which is actually quite above the average amount of keepers (normally around 10-15). Every 20 pictures I take guarantees at least one good picture, but the number dwindles because I need to choose only one specific frame captured. I sometimes submit a couple pictures of the same play and give the burden to the photo desk to determine which is better.

Almost every single picture that is a keeper was marked previously in camera. The photos are ready and I finally upload them to our Google Drive.

After the edits are saved, I write cut lines for every picture with the AP format: “[year] [position] [player name] (number) [action] during an NCAA football game against the [team] at Rice Eccles Stadium on [day, month date]. [Photographer/organization].”

As I make my way back towards the tunnel, I remember that this is it until next year. With the sun finally creeping in, I saw a sight that would last forever in my mind. But because my long term memory isn’t great, I took a picture just to be safe.

When people tell me “you have such a cool job!” I always feel tempted to say to say something along the lines of “It doesn’t pay well” (it doesn’t). But then I remember that amazing feeling I get whenever I walk onto the field.

“Yeah, I do.”

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About Me: I am currently a University of Utah student pursing a major in Communication and a minor in Spanish.

I hope to pursue a job in advertising because the field has always fascinated me.

My biggest hobby would have to be photography. I have remembered loving it since I was old enough to know how a camera worked.

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I am an aspiring journalist and writer who loves learning and writing about interesting subjects such as technology, politics, and animals.

I have had my pieces published in the University of Utah student newspaper, The Chronicle, and have written for The Catalyst Magazine, a local magazine based in Salt Lake City.  I am always looking for fascinating stories and love keeping up with current events.

I am currently a staff writer at the University of Utah student newspaper, but I would love to expand my resume with other unique positions and experiences.

MY STORIES:

• Bryan Luftglass: The man behind Expansion
• Black Friday Eve: The new Thanksgiving

ABOUT ME:

Writing has always been an important aspect of my life. Ever since I was little, I have always been creating little poems and stories in my spare time. However, I wish I could say I always knew it was the field I wanted to go into. When I arrived at the University of Utah in fall of 2013, the possibilities were limitless and I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I changed my major at least four times before discovering the wonderful world of communication. I will be graduating from the U in spring of 2017 with a BS in communication, an emphasis on strategic communication and a minor in business. At 20 years old, I wish I could say I know what I want to do with my life now. However, I still have no idea. I can at least say that I am happy with where I am at and my journey is just beginning.

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Currently, I am a strategic communication major and sophomore at the University of Utah. I am striving to further my professional education as well as accumulating work experience in the fields of public relations, advertising, and marketing.

Feel free to find me on LinkedIn

My Stories:

Dr. Taylor Hartman speaks out about the Color Code 

Mountain Accord: The Great Unknown

About me:

I am a student at the University of Utah, working on a communications degree.  I am hoping, as many students are, that my degree will help me find a career that is fulfilling and satisfying.

About Me:

I am a Sophomore at the University of Utah studying political science and economics and interested in a career in law and politics.

Since I arrived at the University of Utah a little over a year ago I have been constantly involved in student leadership, and I am always excited for the next opportunity to take my skills and involvement to the next level. I keep busy by challenging myself with with hard courses, engaging in leadership positions on campus, and participating in local politics. I like to spend my spare time hanging out with friends, hanging out at coffee shops, and reading about and discussing politics.

Check out my articles here

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About Me:

I can tell you that I have always known that I love to write. More so, I love to write fictional stories about danger and adventure. Imaginary things have always come easy to me and I never seem to run out of ideas. I have been an artists since I was a child and still love expressing myself through art and creative ways.

One thing I can tell you for sure is you wouldn’t expect me to love the things I do by looking at me. Never judge a book by its cover. On the outside I look like a normal girl but in my mind it’s everything horror. I love the dark side of things, morbidity and gore. I don’t know where I get it from but I can express it freely when I go to work at Nightmare on 13th haunted house. I have been there for four years and enjoy every minute of it. I am an actor in the house along with being Costume Girl that deals with all of the costumes and props that go with the actors every night.

I am not a normal person, but who would want to be?

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About Me:

Well, I guess I’ll have to go back to my days in middle school to begin. I was 12 years old when I made my first stop motion video and I continued to make them until I was 15. During those years, I made live action videos with my brother and his friends. At that age, I started doing some Flash animation and started getting into photography. Originally more into video, I did research about DSLR cameras (that was when they starting having video) since I was going to receive a new camera for my 16th birthday. As I learned more about DSLRs, I learned more about photography, and made the jump (while still doing the occasional video).

It took me a while, but I started to build a reputation for my photography skills, never missing a single home football, basketball, or hockey game at my high school.

Coming into the U declared as a film major, I still wanted to continue photography, but didn’t know how I’d get on the field for sports games. That was when I saw an ad in The Daily Utah Chronicle saying photographers were wanted. Without hesitation, I applied and got the job. I (again) gained notoriety for my photographs, but my reputation rose much quicker than in high school. I got to go to Las Vegas for the 2014 PAC-12 basketball tournament: at the age of 18.

After being told I probably wouldn’t get to, on the day of the concert, I was told I would get to cover the east coast hip-hop group Wu Tang Clan; my first concert I got to cover.

In November of 2014, I received an email confirmation confirming a press pass for the legendary Judas Priest (the day before the concert). That was perhaps my biggest moment.

In May of 2015, I asked to take photos of Passion Pit for the Red Butte Garden concert series and my request was granted on one condition: write a review while I was at it (something I’ve never done before).

While not my best article (being my first ever), it was good enough for the art’s desk to ask me to write a review for an upcoming concert: Royal Blood. This one was much improved, and the art’s desk was so impressed with my writing that they asked if I was interested in becoming a writer for the art’s desk. Seeing this as an incredible opportunity to expand my horizons, I gladly accepted. As far as the staff at the Chrony is knows, I am the first person to have a position on the photo desk and a writing desk at the same time.

On the first day of school my junior year, I got to write a concert review for my childhood hero: Weird Al. On the Thursday of that week, I had to take pictures for the St. Vincent concert (more on that later). Two days later, I was at the Dazed Out hip hop festival: with headliners Atmosphere and Snoop Dogg.

Guitar manufacturer Ernie Ball contacted me a week after St. Vincent was in town, asking for a non-exclusive agreement to purchase my pictures of her with her guitar (it was her second show playing it). They have used it for their Facebook cover photo.

I have also written album reviews, my own opinion pieces, and covered the heavy-metal band Korn since then.

I’m still doing photography and writing and have declared as a communications major (journalism) on top of my film major. Oh, and I decided to minor in writing.

My ultimate goal is to be hired as either the official photographer for the SF Giants or a band photographer (have not decided which yet). Or write for Rolling Stone.

When I’m not taking pictures or writing, you can find me playing guitar, listening to music, watching Giants baseball, or at a concert (just for fun).

Even if I end up not making it into the real world of journalism, I can at least look at my work and know I tried my best; considering all the events mentioned above occurred before I even graduated college.

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• Articles for the Chronicle

Story by Carly Adair

         Alex & Ani is a jewelry company that has recently excelled in the business world. Currently at its peak, the company is not expected to excel for many more years. The company’s mission statement is to create jewelry that changes lives. Each piece of jewelry is handmade in America, made out of eco-friendly materials, and has a deeper meaning to it that gives it importance.

Based out of Providence, Rhode Island, Alex & Ani started in 2004. According to Chad Cox, a manager at the Alex & Ani in Salt Lake City, the store is always busy, and the workers have almost have no down time because they are always helping customers. Chad said “on Black Friday last year, there were lines out of the door for people wanting to shop at Alex & Ani.”

Alex & Ani is a trend company, primarily making bangle bracelets with charms on them. Each bangle bracelet comes in a gold or silver finish; essentially there is something for everyone. Each piece of jewelry is supposed to bring positive energy into your life and make a lasting impact. Chad spouts information about how many of the pieces are classic, and how some of them are trend pieces. The jewelry that Alex & Ani makes is designed to be classic, but with how popular the company is at the moment, the jewelry may just be a fad.

Alex and Ani does not have a primary demographic but a “wide variety of people who shop at Alex & Ani, young teenage girls, mothers, grandmothers, husbands shopping for wives, or even boyfriends shopping for girlfriends. There are even guys on occasion that shop for themselves.”

Something very amazing about this company is how much they give back. With a line of jewelry called “Charity By Design”, 20 percent of each piece of jewelry goes to a different charity, cause, or foundation. There are almost 50 different organizations that Alex & Ani gives back to, each one holding a 2 year agreement with the company. Charity By Design is what keeps Alex & Ani alive, with giving back to a good cause, the company will hopefully continue to excel. Although, Alex & Ani is a trend company, and is not expected to stay as popular for much longer, Charity By Design helps them strive for greatness. In just the year of 2015, Charity By Design has already given back 2 million dollars to the American Heart Association.

According to Chad, “Alex & Ani also has a very special process of who works for the company. With many interviews and background checks, it is important that we find people with a positive outlook on life that are willing to help people make a positive impact in their life with meaningful jewelry”. There are certain charms that Alex & Ani makes that really create a positive impact. For instance, the Path of Life charm, means strength, motivation, and knowledge. It is great for people that need a change in their life or that are going through hard times.

Chad explains that people come in with life altering stories and look for charms to remedy their lives or bring themselves happiness through the charms. Chad says that, “working for Alex & Ani is such a reward in itself. I get to see how the jewelry makes people happy, and how it makes such an amazing impact on our community—not to mention, the people I work with are pretty amazing as well, we’re like a tight-knit family”. In a nutshell, Alex & Ani aims to be the cure-all for anyone looking to incorporate positive vibes into their daily lives.

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About Me: University of Utah student, strategic communication major in progress, social media sports intern for Chrony Sports ….. #GOUTES …..