Latest news with #RainbowBridge
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘One-of-a-kind' stained glass dome unveiled atop new Utah Capitol north building
Reporters are given a behind-the-scenes tour of a new stained glass laylight that was recently installed in the Utah Capitol's new north building as construction nears completion at the Utah Capitol's complex in Salt Lake City on May 19, 2025. (Courtesy of the Utah House) Rainbow refractions — cascading through a collection of crystals embedded at the peak of the dome above — danced across Dana Jones' face as she showed off a one-of-a-kind work of art meant to make the Utah Capitol's newest building something special. 'We had a vision that we wanted Utahns to connect with this building in a way that if they were going to go on a road trip through Utah, they would be able to see the different landscapes (and its) symbols,' said Jones, executive director of Utah Capitol Preservation Board. A group of Utah reporters from various outlets, including Utah News Dispatch, were invited to the Utah Capitol on Monday for the public's first look at the stained glass dome that's been installed atop the new building that's currently under construction to replace what was once known as the State Office Building at the Utah Capitol's complex in Salt Lake City. The dome will act as a laylight for the north building's atrium — and Jones lauded it as one of at least several special works of art state officials will unveil as the north building nears completion. She said it's expected to be done by the beginning of next year, in time for the Utah Legislature's 2026 session in January. To capture a behind-the-scenes and up-close look at the stained glass masterpiece, reporters were invited to step atop scaffolding more than 200 feet in the air. As construction finishes, the scaffolding will be dismantled — and to most, the dome will only be viewable from hundreds of feet below. But Jones said state officials wanted to show off its vivid colors, textures, hidden symbols and intricate details before the platform came down. Glowing with sunlight, hues of blue, red, orange, yellow, green and every color in between poured through its glass. The 25-foot by 25-foot dome featured 89 panels of stained glass made up of 14,000 individual glass pieces. Its panes contain at least 34 depictions of Utah landmarks and symbols — some easier to spot than others. A flaming orange Rainbow Bridge arches over a seagull, Utah's state bird. Honeybees (the official state insect) buzz around blooming sego lilies (the state flower). The Colorado River flows through Bryce Canyon and Goblin Valley, two of several Utah state parks featured in the mural. A Bonneville Cutthroat Trout (the state fish) bursts through a creek flowing near a golden grove of quaking aspens, representing the famed Pando Aspen Clone — the world's largest collective root system found in Fishlake National Forest. You may have to squint, but hidden in the stained glass lead lines are symbols including a Utahraptor skull, a cougar, a dragonfly, a hummingbird, a lizard, a hopi kokopelli and anasazi symbol of the sun deity, and even an outline of the Great Salt Lake. The stained glass mural was designed by lead artist Dallin Orr at the Lehi-based stained glass studio Holdman Studios, selected through a competitive bidding process. Orr told reporters his goal was to capture 'harmony' by balancing all of Utah's 'chaotic and diverse biomes,' from the snowy mountain peaks to the deserts — all anchored around the dome's center point, the sun. Karen Ferguson, the building's architect, said the dome's shape — its double curve, transitioning from a square frame to a circle that rounds into a dome — makes it unique. Her favorite part? The bristlecone pine — made with sand collected from all of Utah's 29 counties. 'That has every county in the state, right there,' she said. 'And it's just so iconic of Utah.' Before walking reporters up to the top of the building to see the dome, Jones said the project has been 'near and dear to my heart,' and that she hopes others will experience a 'wow moment' like she did when she first saw it. 'We want this to connect with Utah,' she said, adding that the stained glass artwork is special because it's now 'part of the historic fabric' of the Utah Capitol complex. 'That is pretty special. We have built this to be long lasting, with the 100-plus year context of this building.' Jones said when she first saw the completed dome, 'it legitimately took my breath away.' 'At the risk of sounding cheesy, it was an emotional thing for me,' she said. 'When you pour your heart and everything into a project. … I mean, this is part of history.' Jones said for her, the elk seen trudging through the snow from behind a pine tree evoked memories of her dad — who she said died in the '90s while elk hunting after he suffered from a heart attack. 'He died doing what he loved,' she said. Like her, Jones said she hopes Utahns looking up at the mural will find something special they can 'connect' with 'in their own way.' The dome cost $1.6 million to complete, according to Jones — a price tag that she said was well worth it to create an iconic piece of art that will become 'the historic fabric of this building.' 'It deserves to have the presence that it has,' she said. 'Especially when it represents all things Utah.' The dome is just one piece of a larger construction project that's been underway at the Utah Capitol complex since 2022. At its groundbreaking, state officials estimated the building would cost about $165 million, but since then its price tag has hit about $208 million, with state officials blaming construction inflation for the price increases, the Deseret News reported. When combined with another $73 million for renovations to the Utah Capitol complex's central plaza fountain and an underground parking structure for lawmakers and state employees, the entire construction project has totaled about $281 million, according to state officials. The new north building will replace the old State Office Building, which was built in the 1960s. For years, state leaders had eyed replacing the building, which was not only aging and in need of upgrades, but didn't fit with the rest of the Utah Capitol complex. Now, the new north building will not only match the white stone and marble styling of the rest of the Utah Capitol's buildings, but it will be more than just an office space for state employees. It will also be the new home for the 'Museum of Utah,' as well as offer conference rooms, and other spaces for the public. The entire construction project, along with redoing the outdoor plaza and the underground parking lot, is all meant to create more space and help better connect Utahns with their Capitol. 'We're doing all this,' Jones said, 'to make coming to the people's house easier.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Yahoo
Dog dies after being found in basement of Ohio home
An Ohio shelter announced that a dog they recently rescued has died. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The Healthy Hearts and Paw Project announced on social media Sunday that Baby 'crossed over the Rainbow Bridge.' TRENDING STORIES: Officer injured after police hit by vehicle, police say Superload moving through Greene Co Monday: Expected route, timing 911 calls detail Clark County shooting that injured 1 Baby was found chained up in a basement at home in Warren, according to a Facebook post. 'The dog was found nearly unresponsive at the bottom of the filthy basement steps -- emaciated, dehydrated, and a ruptured mass on the abdomen -- with the heavy stench of decay and infection in the air,' the shelter said. Baby was rushed to a veterinary hospital, where doctors worked to save her life. She died Sunday. 'The decision to let her go wasn't easy, but it was the right thing to do,' the shelter said on its Facebook page. 'There simply was no coming back from the hell she was put through.' The shelter added that all photos will be submitted on Monday to consider charges. The photos shared by Healthy Hearts and Paw Projects are graphic. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Yahoo
"Deadly Perfect:" How SURFER Revealed a Top-Secret Indian Ocean Military Base
The United States Air Force is currently deploying a number of B-2 Spirit Stealth Bombers to the tiny Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia. A show of force in the volatile Middle East, "this unusual movement of stealth bombers may indicate preparations for potential strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen or serve as a deterrent message to Iran," reports In full transparency, no top secret war plans have been sent to any of the editorial team at SURFER via encrypted group chats. Additionally, we are not currently in communication with any of the leadership at the U.S. Defense Department or Homeland Security ... but I'm sure they have our numbers if they want to loop us in. Point being, Diego Garcia is holding some A-plus surf, and in 1982, about the same time President Ronald Regan was setting his sights on Iran, SURFER received an unlikely dispatch from the middle of the Indian Ocean. At only 11 square miles, Diego Garcia is the largest island in the Chagos Archipelago, but besides secret U.S. and British military personnel, nobody's allowed on the island. Which is a bummer because there's a reef break there that looks a whole like like Cloudbreak in Fiji. "In 1975 a young sailor from Palos Verdes named Tom Cress became the first person to surf Diego Garcia," wrote Mike Perry in the August 1982 issue of SURFER. "Carrying his trusty 8'6" pintail he was fortunately equipped for the down-the-line tube. Diego Garcias has little else in the way of surf. Coral reef points and angled staghorn coral shelfs offered waves that wound for 100 to 150 yards. Never under four feet and very often too big, the waves were deadly perfect," wrote Perry."The main hazards were no other surfers, shallow coral, fire coral, stonefish, and a variety of hungry, nosey sharks. This guy had more shark encounters than you could point a bangstick at," described Perry. "I joined the Navy as a screwed up kid and got out with a trade. I also got to surf Diego Garcia and I'm hoping this piece might help some other poor grunt headed that way," conceded Cress at the end of the piece. Funny side note, there's a special thanks to Daryl Diamond at the end of the magazine piece for connecting Perry and Cress. Diamond was a pit boss for Clark Foam and a key player in the Dana Point Mafia scene. Today, his son, Eric, is the pit boss for the Dana Point Surf Club, has run the Cosmic Creek Festival for over 20 years, and is a true ambassador of stoke. He's also one of the little babies in the opening scene of the Jimi Hendrix movie "Rainbow Bridge," which is rad. As for Diego Garcia, you'll have to enlist and or get an invite from a top secret group text to get on the island. But should you find your way to that tiny speck of sand and stealth bombers in the Indian Ocean, pack a pin-tail. It's holding.
