31+ min ago (456+ words) As an architecture professor at UVU, I witnessed how a recent campus shooting created waves of distress in our community. A couple of weeks later, another attack in a Michigan church affected me even more personally as I pictured my own family in those pews. These events are symptoms of a broader sickness as political discourse collapses into hostility. Extremist rhetoric fills our public square, and hate groups are increasingly comfortable expressing their views. Increasingly polarized elected officials deepen divisions by deflecting blame instead of reflecting on their own words and policies. Commentators often cite gun control and social media as causes of our fractured civic life. These are critical issues that deserve careful deliberation, but there is a deeper structural issue that rarely enters the conversation: the way we've built our cities. Consider the daily life of the average…...

52+ min ago (915+ words) Ken Jennings had 30 seconds to come up with the answer. The clue: Most of this firm's 70,000 seasonal white-collar employees work only four months a year. Jennings wrote his answer down quickly. His competitor, Nancy Zerg, took a little longer. And then time was up. Zerg, who was in second place with $10,000, revealed her response: H&R Block. She was correct. Her $4,401 wager put her just a dollar ahead of Jennings. All eyes were now on the reigning champ. It was the gasp heard round the world. Sounds of disbelief rang throughout the "Jeopardy!" studio. Even Zerg's mouth dropped open. Jennings smiled through it all. He shook Zerg's hand and the two hugged, marking the end of a "Jeopardy!" era. (Zerg would end up losing her very next game.) That shocking episode aired 21 years ago. On Nov. 30, 2004, Jennings was dethroned after…...

2+ hour, 30+ min ago (265+ words) Editor's note: This story was originally published on Nov. 30, 2024. On Nov. 30, 2004, "Jeopardy!" fans saw Ken Jennings end his 74-game winning streak as he lost to real estate agent Nancy Zerg. In truth, the game had been taped in September, but Jennings had to sit on the loss for a couple of months before the world knew. Still, there is no need to feel sorry for one of Utah's native sons. Jennings parlayed his run into a fine career in the entertainment industry, authoring books, speaking of his experiences and now hosting the show he rose to fame on. All while maintaining the charm that endears him to his fans. The Deseret News has followed Jennings' career from the start. Twenty-one years later, here are some delightful articles from colleagues about Jennings, his past, his future, his faith and "Jeopardy!" itself:…...

19+ hour, 5+ min ago (409+ words) As I was watching the Utah Jazz's NBA Cup game against the Oklahoma City Thunder last Friday at the Delta Center, I noticed a woman seated in the family section (where the players' families usually sit, near the Jazz's locker room tunnel). My eyesight isn't great and I was on the other side of the arena so I couldn't quite make out exactly who it was. Who was she? And what was she reading?! I had to know. Some quick reconnaissance in the locker room after the game and the truth was revealed. It was Verna, Lauri Markkanen's wife. He got her on FaceTime and she showed me the book she had with her. Oh just a little classic Russian literature. Some light reading of Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina, that's all. A woman after my own heart. What a legend....

1+ day, 22+ hour ago (382+ words) With around 60 cottages and nearly 500,000 lights, Ogden officials are finalizing preparations for this year's Christmas Village installment, eager for the holiday cheer it generates and the visitors it draws. "It's great for the community just as a community-building event, but it's also great, I think, economically for the downtown area. It brings a lot of people downtown," said Monte Stewart, Ogden's parks and cemetery director. Opening night " which includes the Holiday Electric Light Parade through downtown Ogden, the official lighting of Christmas Village and fireworks " can draw 20,000 to 30,000 people, Stewart said. Over the course of December, the free attraction on the grounds around the Ogden Municipal Building, 2549 Washington Blvd., can draw up to 100,000 people in all. It actually goes through Jan. 1. "The community loves it. It's a tradition," Stewart said, even among people who live outside Ogden. Work to set…...

1+ day, 23+ hour ago (602+ words) Utah's capital city is already prepared to give its arguably most prominent inanimate creature a colorful makeover in 2026. And now Salt Lake City is searching for a local artist to transform Out of the Blue, the large whale sculpture that has captivated many residents and visitors since it was installed over three years ago in the city's 9th and 9th District. Salt Lake City Arts Council officials launched an online application process for the 23-foot sculpture's new design on Monday. The city says it is looking to find a Salt Lake County-based artist or resident who can create a "dynamic, community-centered mural" celebrating the neighborhood's "creativity and character." Artists have until the end of the day on Jan. 2, 2026, to apply with examples from their portfolio. A new design will be painted onto the whale by the end of next summer, following a…...

2+ day, 14+ hour ago (837+ words) By the time I started work this morning, I already had dozens of emails waiting to leap at me with breathless exclamation marks. "Season of savings!" "New deals just dropped!" "Score early deals now!" Strolling through these daily missives is like walking down the midway of a carnival. I am warned not to pass up great offers. Money? Don't worry, I'm told, I can pay later. Mercifully, the survey didn't ask about leftover expenses from the year before that. Which means it's time again to play my favorite seasonal time-travel game. The rules are simple. Imagine you can visit any year in the past, and you must prepare a shopping list for Christmas from newspapers or catalogues of the day. Oh, and your salary is the same as it is today. Pretend as if inflation never happened. Otherwise this wouldn't…...

3+ day, 21+ hour ago (528+ words) Kate, Princess of Wales, delivered a compassionate holiday message calling for a shift in attitudes toward individuals struggling with addiction. The princess marked the start of Addiction Awareness Week with a rare personal message urging people to reach out and show "empathy and support" to those suffering from an addiction and hold back judgements. Kate has served as the royal patron of the Forward Trust, a charity that helps addicts recover and break the cycle of addiction and leads the Addiction Awareness week campaign. "Addiction is not a choice, or a personal failing, but a complex mental health condition that should be met with empathy and support. But still, even now in 2025, people's experience of addiction is shaped by fear, shame and judgement. This needs to change," Kate shared in her message. She added that it has been "humbling" to…...

4+ day, 1+ hour ago (339+ words) The 99th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is marching back into New York City, and in case anyone was wondering, no, Macy's won't be helping with any engagements or wedding ceremonies at the parade. The parade route stretches 2.5 miles through the heart of New York City, starting on the Upper West Side and ending in Midtown. Macy's says public viewing areas are open on the west side of Central Park West, the south side of Central Park South and on 6th Avenue along the parade route. Weather-wise, the parade goes on rain or shine. Current AccuWeather predictions detail mostly sunny skies with wind gusts that could reach 20-30 mph, though those gusts aren't expected to keep the balloons grounded. "If sustained winds are higher than 23 mph or gusts surpass 34 mph, then the balloons will be grounded," AccuWeather says. The parade kicks off at…...

4+ day, 3+ hour ago (591+ words) A lot has happened since "Stranger Things" last released new episodes " just look at the stars of the hit sci-fi horror series. Millie Bobby Brown, who plays Eleven, married Jon Bon Jovi's son, Jake Bongiovi, and adopted a girl. Finn Wolfhard, who plays Mike, starred in a "Ghostbusters" movie, directed his first feature film and released a solo album. Joe Keery, who plays Steve, went viral for his music. He released a new album and made his debut at both the Coachella and Glastonbury music festivals. He's also up for a Grammy next year. Now, after three apparently busy years, the wait for a new season of "Stranger Things" is finally over. The Netflix show releases the first four episodes of its fifth and final season Wednesday night. Here's a look at the release schedule " and what to expect from…...