Bootleg Madness
To prevent Utahns from bringing dangerous contraband like fireworks, microbrewed beer and low-tax cigarettes into the state, the Utah Highway Patrol is sending officers into Evanston, Wyo., to watch for potential lawbreakers from the Beehive State. According to The Salt Lake Tribune, the undercover investigations involve officers sitting in the parking lots of liquor stores and fireworks warehouses in unmarked cars—with Nevada plates, no less—until they see a vehicle with Utah plates loading up. The, they radio officers on the Utah side, who proceed to pull the miscreants over, confiscate their goods and remind people that Utah is not always “life elevated.”
Bohemian Capital
A recent ranking by the Martin Prosperity Institute tabbed Salt Lake City as the seventh-most bohemian city in North America, beating out bohemian enclaves like New Orleans, San Francisco and Montreal. The ranking was based, in large part, on the city’s concentration of artists, musicians and other creative types who pursue their creative endeavors fulltime. Although outsiders may be surprised, anyone hitting the gallery stroll, attending one of many concerts or theatrical performances around the valley or cruising the farmers markets can attest to a burgeoning bohemia.
X-ed Out Bar
Few local bars have the devoted clientele of Bar X, which has been serving beer—and only beer—since 1933. From the broken screen door at the entrance to the worn pool table crammed against a side wall, the bar lacked pretension, but made up for it with 3.2 percent beer and peanuts. People went there for two things: cold drinks and warm friends. On July 9, Bar X will serve its final beer. What happens with the space after that is unclear. The building’s owner, Gary Tedesco, was out-of-town and could not be reached for comment. Bar X owner Charmayne Clingman told the Tribune that Tedesco ended her lease, and she currently does not have plans to reopen in a new location. Even if she did, however, it would not be the same bar. The gritty character of Bar X was exactly that: character. And it will be sorely missed, especially in a downtown that is becoming a homogenized Pleasantville.
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Josh
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