FARMINGTON, Utah (KSL.com) — Utah theme park Lagoon recently gained national recognition when its new Primordial ride was named 2024’s best new theme park attraction by USA Today’s panel of experts.

In claiming the top spot on a list of 10, Lagoon’s new roller coaster beat out other attractions from theme park giants like SeaWorld and Hersheypark — a distinction that Julie Freed, director of special events at Lagoon amusement park, says is well-earned.

The whimsically themed roller coaster is a uniquely designed “3-D interactive coaster” created exclusively for Lagoon, ensuring it will turn heads again when the new attraction sees its first full season of operation starting this March. The project, eight years in the making, opened in September 2023.

Additionally, on top of being a roller coaster created exclusively for Lagoon amusement park, Freed told KSL that Lagoon built the new coaster largely using local vendors and manufacturers — the fact that approximately 75% of the vendors and manufacturers used in the Primordial’s construction paired with theming around a fantasy forest housed on a massive mountain make the ride feel like a quintessential roller coaster representation of Utah.

“Everything about this ride is state-of-the-art,” said Freed, proudly explaining how all the track elements, screens, game systems and narrative elements have been thoroughly tested to serve the purpose of a massively immersive roller coaster experience for the whole family.

Primordial is not like your parents’ favorite roller coaster — in and around the 80,000 square-foot mountain that serves as the skeleton of the coaster, Primordial houses an array of unique ride elements that set it apart from your average roller coaster, such as a 31-foot-tall vertical drop track element, and is currently the tallest of its kind in the world.

Other unique features including interactive gaming elements, multiple narrative and track endings and its fantasy theme set Primordial apart from any other theme park attraction in Lagoon’s repertoire, Freed said.

“Every time it’s different, every single time it’s thrilling; you never know what you’re going to get. And you compete against the other riders in your vehicle so it’s always a competition,” Freed said, reflecting on her own positive experience riding on Primordial. She added that she particularly enjoyed the gaming element of the ride and perfecting her skills to try and get a better score than she did the time before.

Primordial, with a minimum height requirement of 36 inches and a top speed of 40 mph, is trying to equally appeal to young roller coaster fans and thrill-seekers alike, with a focus on being a thrilling ride that parents can go on with their kids.

The coaster is designed to be a narrative experience that tells a story of “saving the good guy,” according to Freed, who explained that so much interactive media involves shooting bad guys and that Lagoon wanted this new experience to be approachable and enjoyable for the whole family. Compared to Cannibal’s 2½-minute run time, Primordial features a notably longer run time of five minutes meant to facilitate the gameplay and narrative elements key to the experience.

Bolstering its interactive claims, Primordial boasts over 5,000 square feet of screens that riders use to play games by pointing built-in custom-made laser pointers. Furthermore, the coaster also offers riders a sense of adventure by building in multiple possible endings, distinct from one another, through switching tracks and a variety of narrative elements.

“It blew everyone’s expectations out of the water,” said Derek Perry, the director of communications for the American Coaster Enthusiasts club, which rode the attraction multiple times during the club’s fall conference held in Lagoon last October.

Perry told KSL it appeared that Primordial appealed to the roller coaster enthusiasts visiting Lagoon that day, adding that some of the people he was with rode the coaster as many as 10 times to experience as much of what the ride has to offer as possible.

“It was action-packed, unexpected, and was really well done,” Perry said, praising the coaster’s detailed theming and interactive elements. “It’s an attraction that’s perfect for everybody — whether you’re a thrill seeker or a kid who’s just starting to get into roller coasters.”

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(CNN) — Bill Hayes, a mainstay on the NBC soap opera “Days of Our Lives” for over 50 years, has died. He was 98.

The actor’s passing was confirmed in an email on Saturday to CNN from his agent Gregory David Mayo, who said Hayes died “peacefully” on Friday morning “surrounded by family including his wife, Susan Seaforth Hayes.” No cause of death was provided.

Hayes played Doug Williams on “Days,” husband to Julie Williams, who is played on the show by his real-life wife Seaforth Hayes. His character was also father to Hope Williams (Kristian Alfonso) – one half of the legendary “Days of Our Lives” supercouple Bo (Peter Reckell) and Hope.

Hayes first appeared on the daytime soap opera in February 1970, going on to appear in over 2,100 episodes of the show. His last appearance as Williams was on the December 22 episode last month.

“It is with a heavy heart that we share the passing of our beloved Bill Hayes,” the show wrote in a statement to CNN on Saturday. “One of the longest running characters on Days of our Lives, Bill originated the role of ‘Doug Williams’ in 1970 and portrayed him continuously throughout his life. He and his wife, Susan Seaforth-Hayes, remained the foundation of the Williams-Horton family spanning more than 50 years.”

“Days” executive producer Ken Corday shared, “I have known Bill for most of my life and he embodied the heart and soul of ‘Days of our Lives.’ Although we are grieving and will miss him, Bill’s indelible legacy will live on in our hearts and the stories we tell, both on and off the screen.”

Other television credits for Hayes include “Matlock” and “Frasier.” In the 1950s and 60s, he also appeared in TV movies of popular musicals “Kiss Me, Kate” and “Once Upon a Mattress,” and also played John Brooks in the 1958 TV movie “Little Women.”

“Bill Hayes meant the world to me – he is simply the best that a person could ever hope to be,” Mayo added in his statement. “He was not only a client, but a trusted friend and mentor. Bill will indeed be missed.”

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POCATELLO — A family of board game enthusiasts is bringing a convention for their favorite pastime to the Gate City.

Play-On Game Con, a convention for board games, will take place at McKinley Mansion from Thursday, Feb. 8 to Saturday, Feb. 10. Convention goers will have the opportunity to win prizes, make new friends and, of course, play board games.

“We’re excited to see all of our work come together,” said Kendra Andersen, one of the convention’s creators. “I think, for me, it would be successful if just to see smiles on people’s faces.”

While most people are likely familiar with games like Checkers, Monopoly and Scrabble, they might not realize there are a wide array of board games out there.

RELATED | Board game convention offers fun and community

“I was very surprised at how many board games there (are) in the world when I first started,” said Myles Andersen, another convention creator and Kendra’s son.

While many are familiar with card games, Myles said there are also war games, mystery games, role-playing games, and many others. One type of game he likes to play is called an “engine builder,” where the player improves their deck of cards to better generate resources.

People who attend the convention are encouraged to bring their board games they want to play. Around 40 game tables will be set up throughout the convention for groups to form and play games together.

There will also be “hot” new games attendees can play, which aren’t even available to purchase. Teachers will be available to instruct players on how to play and get groups going.

But the games won’t all be for fun. There will be tournament tables, where players will compete to win the board game they’re playing.

There will also be concessions, arcade games and a game library.

The convention has five vendors attending, but the Andersens hope more will join. Idaho Central Credit Union, Holidae Fun and Games, Round Table Games, Mystic Realm Fantasy Fair and Joe Magic Games will all be attending.

The family’s passion for board games started on Sundays after church when Kendra’s family would play together. They also played board games frequently at family gatherings.

“So that we didn’t sit around and stare at each other,” Kendra said.

Myles’s love of board games started when he played long and complicated games with his uncles, starting at eight years old.

“I’d play them, and I’d love them and, so that’s kind of just grown to an obsession,” he said.

Myles and his uncles often went to a board game convention in Utah, even for multiple years in a row.

RELATED | iCON board gaming convention coming to Idaho Falls this weekend

Last year, he said something ambitious to his parents.

“I think I can make one of these,” Myles said.

His parents responded, “Okay, well, why not? Let’s do it,” according to Kendra. A year later, the family’s convention is almost ready.

The price to attend the convention is $15 per person for one day, $25 for two days and $45 for all three days. People who book a room at the McKinley Mansion can get free admission to the convention for every day they stay in the room.

People can buy tickets either at the gate or online. If you buy from the website, use code JUMPTHEGUN and get $10 off your ticket.

If someone isn’t really into board games, the Andersens think they just haven’t found the right game yet.

“There’s such a wide range of board games that I guarantee you there is something out there for every single person,” Kendra said.

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The following is a news release from Brigham Young University-Idaho.

REXBURG — Brigham Young University-Idaho Center Stage will host the world-renowned BYU Living Legends on Friday, Jan. 19, at 7:30 p.m. in the Hart Auditorium.

In a celebration of the cultural heritage of North and South America and the South Pacific, Living Legends presents a vibrant display of energy, music, costume and dance.
Talented performers of native descent capture the rhythms of Polynesia, portray the fascinating legends of Native American people and dazzle the senses with the energy of Latin America.

Their lavish attire and intricate choreography are both authentic representations of the showcase cultures.

RELATED | BYU-I’s Center Stage announces Winter 2024 Season lineup

Living Legends prioritizes tours in their native lands, a practice that encourages excellence and inspires a love for native culture in both the performers and their audiences.

Tickets for the event range from $10-$15. Purchase tickets here.

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IDAHO FALLS — Community members are invited to walk through the newest exhibit on display at The Art Museum of Eastern Idaho.

The exhibit, known as “Thomas D. Mangelsen: A Life in the Wild,” is sponsored by Green Kids Club and is produced by David J. Wagner, LLC. It features forty classic photographs taken by the renowned nature photographer. Mangelsen’s work will be on display from Jan. 12 to March 30. Chloe O’Laughlin, a spokeswoman for the art museum, said this is his “legacy exhibit.”

“He’s been a photographer for 40 (plus) years but these are specifically the shots that are either the most well-known to the public or the most personal for him,” O’Laughlin explained. “They are giant photos. The photos you can find online of his stuff don’t even do it justice when you get to actually see them in person. The detail is unreal.”

She said the photos include shots of grizzly bears, eagles and moose in Yellowstone, as well as shots from his African journeys of cheetahs, jaguars, tigers and a gorilla.

“There’s a lot of variety in this exhibit of his career but also what he’s done for the areas he’s been to,” O’Laughlin mentioned. “There’s a very detailed description for each photo as well.”

On top of the exhibit, the art museum is holding a “Whiskey, Wine & Wildlife” meet and greet event Jan. 20 from 7 to 9 p.m. The event is sponsored by “Bruce Miller: Naturally Wild Photography.” There will be a selection of Mangelsen’s books available for community members to have signed, and local bar XVIII will cater the wine and whiskey tasting and refreshments.

“It’s going to be a stellar event,” O’Laughlin said. “It’s really rare for people to be able to get in contact with someone who is so well-known in the photography industry and the conservation industry as well.”

She added, “It’s going to be a fascinating night to see him retell his stories of how he’s waited hours in the snow to get this particular shot or how he had to hike this many miles to find this family of cheetahs. It’s going to be exciting.”

Tickets for the “Whiskey, Wine & Wildlife” are $80 for members and $100 for non-members. Spots are limited and people are encouraged to buy tickets early. Meet and greet tickets can be purchased here. For more information on hours and admission prices to the exhibit, click here.

Along with “Thomas D. Mangelsen: A Life in the Wild” exhibit, two additional exhibits are also on display in the studio galleries and corridor. There is The Art of Jason Wunderlich, who is a watercolor painter, and TAM’s Museum Artists Group Show which features sculptures, oil, watercolor and graphite work, which are all for sale.

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(CNN) — Jason DeFord, the rapper and country star known as “Jelly Roll,” testified during the Senate’s Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing on Thursday where he lobbied for stronger legislation against the ongoing fentanyl crisis in the United States.

DeFord began his testimony during the committee’s “Stopping the Flow of Fentanyl: Public Awareness and Legislative Solutions” hearing by sharing various figures on the rising number of fentanyl- and drug overdose-related deaths in the country, and stated his bipartisan position as he fights for a cause that is personal to him.

“I’ve attended more funerals than I care to share with y’all, this committee. I could sit here and cry for days about the caskets I’ve carried of people I love dearly, deeply, in my soul,” he said.

CNN reported in October that new estimates from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics project that more than 112,000 people died from a drug overdose in the 12-month period ending in May 2023, an increase of more than 2,700 from the previous year.

Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids were involved in the vast majority of overdose deaths, according to the provisional data.

On Thursday, DeFord urged the Senate to pass the FEND Off Fentanyl Act, which is a “sanctions and anti-money laundering bill to help combat the country’s fentanyl crisis by targeting opioid traffickers devastating America’s communities,” according to a description of the bill on the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee’s website.

“It is time for us to be proactive and not reactive,” he said, later adding, “I truly believe in my heart that this bill will stop the supply and can help stop the supply of fentanyl.”

In previous interviews, DeFord has spoken openly about his own history with drug-related crimes and the various incarcerations that they resulted in, saying during his testimony on Thursday that “I believed when I sold drugs, genuinely, that selling drugs was a victimless crime.”

Acknowledging the “paradox of my history as a drug dealer standing in front of this committee,” DeFord noted his awareness that he, at one point, “was a part of the problem.”

“I brought my community down. I hurt people. I was the uneducated man in the kitchen playing chemist with drugs I knew absolutely nothing about, just like these drug dealers are doing right now when they’re mixing every drug on the market with fentanyl. And they’re killing the people we love,” he said.

DeFord, who is now a two-time Grammy nominee and a CMA Award winner, went on to say, “I am here now standing as a man that wants to be a part of the solution.”

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IDAHO FALLS — The performance of “Chicago, the Musical” scheduled for Wednesday night at the Frontier Center in Idaho Falls has been postponed due to weather and travel conditions.

The show will be rescheduled and those planning to attend the musical are asked to hold on to their tickets for the new date, which will be announced once it has been confirmed.

If you have questions, call the Idaho Falls Arts Council at (208) 522-0471.

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(AP) — In his first interview since his assault and harassment conviction last month, actor Jonathan Majors said he hopes to work in Hollywood again.

“I pray I do, but it’s God’s plan and God’s timing,” Majors said in the interview that aired Monday on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” Asked whether he deserves a second chance, he responded: “I think I do. I hope other people think that.”

A New York jury last month found the 34-year-old emerging Hollywood star guilty of one misdemeanor assault charge and one harassment violation for a March altercation with his then-girlfriend Grace Jabbari. Majors was acquitted of a different assault charge and aggravated harassment.

Just hours after the verdict, Marvel Studios and the Walt Disney Co. dropped him from all upcoming projects, according to a person close to the studio who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

RELATED | Marvel, Disney drop actor Jonathan Majors after he’s convicted of assaulting his former girlfriend

The superhero studio cast the highly acclaimed Majors as the antagonist Kang the Conqueror, who was to span several films and series. Majors had already appeared in “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” and the first two seasons of “Loki.” He was also to star in “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty,” set for release in May 2026, but its future is now unclear. Disney declined to comment on whether it will recast the role of Kang or pivot in a new direction.

Majors said in the interview that he was shocked by the verdict.

“I was absolutely shocked and afraid,” Majors said. “I’m standing there, and the verdict comes down. I say, ‘How is that possible based off the evidence, based off the prosecution’s evidence, let alone our evidence? How is that possible?’”

Majors faces the possibility of up to a year in jail for the assault conviction at his sentencing Feb. 6, though probation or other non-jail sentences also are possible.

The dispute between Majors and Jabbari began in the backseat of a chauffeured car and spilled into the streets of Manhattan. Jabbari, a 30-year-old British dancer, accused Majors of hitting her in the head with his open hand, twisting her arm behind her back and squeezing her middle finger until it fractured.

“That did not happen,” Majors said in the GMA interview. Asked how Jabbari was injured, Majors responded, “I wish to God I knew. That would give clarity. That would give me some type of peace about it.”

Majors’ lawyers alleged at trial that Jabbari flew into a jealous rage after reading a text message — from another woman — on his phone. They said Jabbari had spread a “fantasy” to take down the actor, who was only trying to regain his phone and get away safely.

In the interview, Majors described his injuries as a scratch on his hand and one on his cheek that bled overnight. Surveillance video shows Majors running off with Jabbari chasing him.

“If you watch those videos and you reverse that and you saw a Black man chasing a young white girl down the street screaming and crying, that man is going to be shot and killed in the streets of New York City,” Majors said.

Separate surveillance video shows Majors lifting Jabbari into an SUV.

Majors said he was speaking because he “felt like it was time.”

“A lot has happened in my personal life, in my career, and the culture,” he said. “It’s about responsibility and coming forward and being brave and giving my part of the story.”

In a statement to ABC News, Brittany Henderson, an attorney for Jabbari, said it wasn’t surprising that Majors “continues to take no accountability for his actions” and the timing “demonstrates a clear lack of remorse for his actions.”

Asked if he could relive that night, Majors said he wouldn’t have picked Jabbari up or put her back in the car, or tried to keep her in the car.

“I would’ve gotten out of that car and ran — immediately,” he said.

Majors said he loved Jabbari, but over time it was revealed that their relationship wasn’t healthy. He said he stayed because he was scared and months before the incident there were red flags.

“I should have been brave,” he said. “I should have said, ‘No this isn’t working,’ and I should have walked away and I didn’t.”

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The following is a news release and photo from Shoshone-Bannock Casino Hotel.

FORT HALL — Country music star Brantley Gilbert will be coming to the Shoshone-Bannock Casino Hotel on June 15.

With back-to-back Platinum albums and a grassroots following millions strong, Gilbert’s music has been shared, covered and adopted as the soundtrack to Saturday night and Sunday morning by audiences around the world.

The Georgia native who started as the defiant life-of-the-party can still go ‘til sunrise, but he’s also emerged as something far greater: the leader of a massive tribe of hard-working, fun-loving believers for whom electric guitar-shredding, rapping, and twang can go hand-in-hand-in-hand. They call themselves the BG Nation, and when the BG Nation watches Gilbert on a stage, they don’t just see a star. They see themselves.

Seven No. 1 hits punctuate his career: RIAA 7x Platinum-certified “Bottoms Up,” 2x Platinum “Country Must Be Country Wide,” 2x Platinum “You Don’t Know Her Like I Do,” 2x Platinum “One Hell of An Amen,” Platinum-certified collaboration with Lindsay Ell “What Happens In A Small Town,” and two chart-toppers as a songwriter with CMA Song of the Year nominee “Dirt Road Anthem” and “My Kinda Party.”

Gilbert’s landmark record “Just As I Am” clinched the 2014 American Music Award for Favorite Country Album. Earning praise from the New York Times, NPR, American Songwriter, and more, Gilbert has mined a rich vein of conflict between the party and the pew on all of his albums.

Pre-sale tickets will be available from 10 a.m. on Jan. 10 through 10 a.m. on Jan. 12. Pre-sale codes will be available exclusively to Players Club members of the Shoshone-Bannock Casino Hotel through email. Players Club members can also receive the code from a Players Club Representative at the property. The public will be able to buy tickets beginning Friday, Jan. 12 at 10 a.m. For more information and to ensure the most affordable ticket prices, visit shobangaming.com.

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The following is a news release from Blackfoot Community Players. Stock image

BLACKFOOT — The historic Nuart Theatre in Blackfoot was selected by the Idaho Heritage Trust to receive $49,000 in funding to support the restoration of our beloved building. The money provided by this award will go directly to refurbishing the seat cushions to make our theater more comfortable for our patrons.

We are proud to be one of the nine historic theatres to receive $821,000 in funding through IHT’s Historic Theatre Revitalization Subgrant Program. The goal of which is to facilitate the restoration and preservation of these vital structures in Idaho’s rural communities (defined as having a population less than 50,000 people).

This program is supported by the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant Program funded by the Historic Preservation Fund as administered by the National Park Service (NPS), Department of Interior and the Idaho Heritage Trust Fund, and we have pledged to match $4,900 to complete our project.

The objectives for this subgrant program are to preserve and protect buildings of historic significance, ensure our rural communities have access to the arts and culture, reinvigorate a key economic component of historic Main Streets, and provide a tool for our smaller communities to capitalize on Idaho’s growing population and heritage tourism industry.

“The Nuart Theatre is the preserved gem of downtown Blackfoot and provides opportunities to perform and view the arts in our area,” said Sharon Hoge, the President of the Blackfoot Community Players, the volunteer organization that owns and operates the Nuart Theatre comments. “Our goal has been and always will be to maintain the historic integrity of our theater. With this grant we will be refurbishing the seat bottoms to make them more comfortable and safer for our patrons. They are quite old and need to be updated and repaired. Because the Nuart Theatre is nearing its 100th birthday, it is important that we maintain the historic accuracy of the building, and that is why we are choosing to refurbish the seats instead of replacing them with more modern seating. It is a one-of-a-kind theater in Idaho, and maintaining the historic accuracy will keep this theater an historic gem for many generations to come.”

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