On our long walk through the Escalante region of southern Utah, my friend Brian asked what made this a “desert.” He pointed to lush green cottonwood trees taking root in the cool floodplain. It wasn’t what he was expecting. This was Brian’s first exploit into the area, but it doesn’t ...

The face of the man whose truck I had just driven my car into appeared at my driver’s side door while dust from the collision still swirled through the air along with the echoes of that dreadful thud. I can still remember his frightening, wild-eyed expression. If, at this moment, you think ...

Although Utah was recently ranked "The Best State in America" by U.S. News & World Report and receives many accolades, we have significant issues that need to be acknowledged and addressed. This includes high levels of domestic violence, sexual assault, child sexual abuse, and ...

Last month, my daughter graduated from DaVinci Academy of Science and the Arts. This is a big deal in a person’s life, sitting in the audience while your child’s name is called to walk across the stage. People have asked me how I feel about it. I haven’t really paused to reflect on what ...

Thinking back over the past seven-plus years, I can remember the feeling that originally catalyzed my run for Ogden City Council. It was a few months after the first election of Donald Trump to the presidency. Fear and dismay drove me to stop paying so much attention to national politics and ...

One terrific thing about the arts and humanities is that you get to experience what other people have experienced, without getting cold or wet or imprisoned. You hopefully learn from a character’s insights, share in their successes, and absorb their life lessons. I think that’s what ...