This Day In Gay Utah History April 27th

27 April 

1855 –Brigham Youngs’ feisty 15-year-old daughter, Alice, said "Salt Lake needs only to be roofed in to be the biggest whorehouse in the world."  

1887 Richard Bubbles and Arthur Curtis the two boys recently convicted of a“Crime Against Nature” came before court to receive sentence. Judge Kirkpatrick who had been appointed counsel for the boys, made a request which Mr Varian joined, that the age of the offenders be considered and the sentence be suspended.  The Judge °however knowing the incorrigibles better said he thought a suspension would do no good and gave each three months in the Penitentiary. Salt Lake Herald

1953-President Dwight D Eisenhower signed executive order 10450, making homosexuality grounds for exclusion from federal employment. Effective May 27, 1953, it revoked President Truman's Executive Order 9835 of 1947, and dismantled its Loyalty Review Board program. Instead it charged the heads of federal agencies and the Office of Personnel Management, supported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), with investigating federal employees to determine whether they posed security risks. It expanded the definitions and conditions used to make such determinations. Under the order thousands of lesbian and gay applicants were barred from federal employment and over 5,000 federal employees were fired under suspicions of being homosexual. It came as a part of the US "Lavender Scare" witch hunts which contributed to and complemented the McCarthyist Red Scare. From 1947 to 1961 the number of firings based on sexual orientation were far greater than those for membership in the Communist party. It was not until 1973 that a federal judge ruled that a person's sexual orientation alone could not be the sole reason for termination from federal employment, and not until 1975 that the United States Civil Service Commission announced that they would consider applications by gays and lesbians on a case by case basis. Without explicitly referring to homosexuality, the executive order responded to several years of charges that the presence of homosexual employees in the State Department posed blackmail risks. Attorney General Herbert Brownell Jr. explained that the new order was designed to encompass both loyalty and security risks and he differentiated between the two: "Employees could be a security risk and still not be disloyal or have any traitorous thoughts, but it may be that their personal habits are such that they might be subject to blackmail by people who seek to destroy the safety of our country." The executive order had the effect of banning gay men and lesbians from working for any agency of the federal government.

Tolson & Hoover

1972-FBI director J Edgar Hoover testified before Congress that there are no homosexuals in the bureau.  From the 1940s, rumors circulated that Hoover, who was still living with his mother in his early 30's to 40's was a homosexual. The historians John Stuart Cox and Athan G. Theoharis speculated that Clyde Tolson, who became an assistant director of Hoover in his mid 40's, was a homosexual lover to Hoover (and became his primary heir) until his death. Hoover reportedly hunted down and threatened anyone who made insinuations about his sexuality. Truman Capote, who enjoyed repeating salacious rumors about Hoover, once remarked that he was more interested in making Hoover angry than determining whether the rumors were true. Cox and Theoharis concluded that “the strange likelihood is that Hoover never knew sexual desire at all.”

1980- Golden Spike Humanitarian Award was given to KRCL by the Royal Court of the Golden Spike Empire of Utah

Robert McIntier

1986 Elder Tony Feliz and Elder Lamar Hamilton officially organized Salt Lake into a branch with Bob McIntier called to be Branch President and Mike Howard as his first counselor. About 15 people attended Sacrament Meeting. Elder Lamar Hamilton shared a revelation about our Mother In Heaven. 

1987-Dignity/USA ran an ad in Newsweek magazine to protest the Vatican's decision to evict all Dignity chapters from the Catholic churches in which they had been holding services.

1989 - PANTRY VOLUNTEER MAKES VISITORS FEEL AT HOME A visit to an emergency food pantry can be an uncomfortable experience, but Ann Lamborg, a volunteer at Crossroads Urban Center, goes out of her way to put clients at ease. Lamborg has given more than 12 hours a week to the center for the past three years, performing various tasks, said Chuck Whyte, who works at the center. Deseret News

1991 A new state AIDS bureau has opened its doors to cope with a growing number of cases, but advocates of those infected with the deadly virus say public apathy is at an all-time high. Ben Barr, executive director of the volunteer Utah AIDS Foundation, said it's getting tougher to meet emergency needs as donations and grants dwindle. The cupboards of the foundation's food bank are nearly bare, he said, and some sufferers with no other resource may go hungry. "There's just no money," Barr said. "We've never had to turn people away, but I'm afraid in the next year it may come to that." Geoff Wertzberger, director of the new State Bureau of HIV-AIDS Prevention, said part of the problem lies in a wide spread belief that Utah has

Ben Barr

managed to escape the worst of the epidemic. In fact, he said, "As total number of AIDS cases go, state by state, we are closer to the middle than the bottom." The new agency has taken over the job formerly done by the Health Department's Bureau of Epidemiology. Wertzberger said the change was made for practical reasons. "It is a nice recognition as a major health problem overall," he said. "But it was simply a move to make us more responsive to the needs." Since 1983, when record-keeping began, there have been 376 cases of AIDS in Utah, and 228 men, women and children have die Since 1983, when record-keeping began, there have been 376 cases of AIDS in Utah, and 228 men, women and children have died.  Twenty-five new cases have  been diagnosed this year. Utah's numbers seem insignificant compared to New York's, with 34,496 last year alone. But Idaho had 79 cases in 1990, Alaska had 99 and North Dakota the least with 34. Wertzberger and his 15-member staff performa variety of functions, including tracking the number of developed AIDS cases and people who are infected with the humanimmunodeficiency virus, or HIV, that causes it. The bureau also notifies the partners of newly diagnosed patients and teaches preventivemeasures. The AIDS Foundation also provides aspectrum of support, but  Barr said itsemergency assistance fund has twice beendepleted this year.   The foundation's budget was $20,000 in 1988and about $250,000 in 1990. A three-year, $250,000 grant runs out this year, and Barr said services may have to be cut.   Robert Austin, the foundation's associate director, suggests the public simply may be tired of hearing about the disease. "I think the nation as a whole has a pretty short attention span. It's pretty hard to go day in and day out dealing with HIV as something that's always news worthy," he said. Education remains the best defense against the virus, and Wertzberger said that has "drastically slowed" its spread. Barr relies heavily on volunteer teachers, including a handful of people with AIDS. "Instead of coming here for

help, they come here to help," he said. One is Barb Barnhart, a registered nurse and graduate of Brigham Young University who represents the growing number of AIDS sufferers who are neither homosexual men nor intravenous drug abusers. She was infected sexually as a teen-ager, but went undiagnosed for several years. "I had all the classic symptoms, but nobody tested me because I was a woman," she said.  Barnhart has taken a disability leave from her job as head nurse at University Hospital in Salt Lake City and spends at least four days a week as an AIDS educator. She usually waits until the end of her presentation to disclose that she has the disease. "Sometimes they can't believe it," she said.” I’m tired of the image that all AIDS patients are gay men and drug users." - (04/27/91 Page: B1)

1994- Gay and Lesbian Community Council of Utah's Study Group Task Force met to get more people involved with the council from the community. Topics discussed were educating the community on the history of the council, and having a booth at pride day to introduce the community to GLCCU

1994 Deseret News Weber House race still may got to primary despite ballot fuss by Bob Bernick Jr., Political Editor A question has been raised about the convention balloting in a controversial Democratic House race in Weber County, but it's likely the race will still go to a June primary, county Democratic leaders say. Ed Allen, chairman of the Weber County Democratic Party, said a hearing will be held Thursday night before the Weber County Democratic convention's Election and Credentials Committee over the matter of votes in the Jack Arrington/Betty Sawyer race. Last Saturday, Sawyer came within one delegate vote of  eliminating Arrington, a 16-year incumbent, and winning the nomination outright in the

David Nelson

county Democratic Convention. David Nelson, founder of Gay and Lesbian Democrats, was at the Weber convention supporting Sawyer's candidacy, said Allen, and noticed that "some paper" apparently passed between two people before voting in Arrington's district took place. It could be the paper was a ballot, and it is possible that the ballot was given from a district delegate to a non-delegate and then put in the ballot box. "Does that constitute an absentee ballot?" says Allen.  "We don't allow absentee ballots in convention voting." However, it  appears that the delegate wasn't absent at the actual time of the balloting, but, for some reason, may have just given the ballot to someone else to put in the ballot box. Even if the committee decides that ballot could have been illegally cast, there appears little that can be done. "We don't know how that delegate voted; it is a secret ballot and we can't ask him. So what do we do?" said Allen. Allen guessed that regardless of the committee's decision, the Arrington/Sawyer race will likely go to the June 28 primary. The race is notable because of Arrington's  recent problems. A conservative Democrat by most standards, Arrington represents a central city Ogden district that some Democrats say has more minorities than any other in the state. Arrington made some unfortunate  statement last year about the ability of minorities to serve on juries. Arrington apologized for the statements and said they were taken out of context when reported to the press. Arrington is white; Sawyer is a leader in Utah's small black community. And while both say race and/or minority status aren't issues in the intraparty race, Arrington's relatively weak showing at the convention - where he barely survived elimination - shows that his support is in question.

•         April 30, 1994 Deseret News Democrats reject challenge over Party's Weber balloting Associated Press The Weber County Democratic Party has given new life to state Rep. Jack Arrington's re-election bid by affirming the delegate voting in his House District 9 race. Last weekend at the party's county  convention, in-party challenger Betty Sawyer got 45 delegates votes to  Arrington's 20. Sawyer later challenged the validity of a ballot cast for Arrington. Party rules say any candidate getting 70 percent of the vote in a convention avoids a primary showdown. Sawyer had 69.2 percent of the vote, but if an Arrington ballot was disqualified, her voting percentage would shift to slightly more than 70 percent. After a two-hour hearing Thursday night, Weber Democratic leaders said the convention vote was reaffirmed and would stand. "At this time we are going to take no action and the election will stand as tallied," said credentials committee Chairman Randy Richards. David Nelson, a Sawyer supporter, had said he saw delegate Gus Bolos hand his unmarked ballot to his brother-in-law, Jeff Arrington, who is a grandson of Jack Arrington. But Richards said Nelson left the room and did not see who deposited the ballot in the box. Party Chairman Ed Allen said other witnesses saw Bolos himself drop his ballot into a ballot box. Bolos insists he put his ballot in the ballot box himself. What he gave to Jeff Arrington was a sheet of paper that explained how to mark the punch card ballot. ______

Todd Koolmo

1999 Todd Dean Koolmo was sent to prison for up to 20 years for fatally shooting his wife last year at their Salt Lake City home. He believed she was having a Lesbian affair.  Melissa Koolmo strangled to death on blood gushing into her lungs from a bullet wound in her face. 

 1999Page: A10 Public Forum Letter Ignorant Critics Here we go again! During a recent "multicultural" assembly at East High School, the Gay Straight Alliance gave a six-minute presentation informing the audience of the correct definitions of symbols and labels used by the homosexual community, and briefly mentioning the Stonewall Riots of 1969. It seems that a handful of students and some 300 outraged and uninformed parents packed a school community council meeting demanding the resignation of Principal Kay Petersen; and in so doing demonstrated the kind of ignorance from which fear and hatred is bred. From the information given by the news media it seems that the GSA was trying to give much needed information, not trying to corrupt or recruit students to their "culture." My suggestion to those of you who are always at the forefront of protests to rid East High of anything related to the GSA is to investigate the meaning of multiculturalism and try embracing all people instead of shunning those who are different and going on yearly witch hunts. JENNIFER GILLESPIE Salt   Lake City

27 April 2000 GAY STUDENT CLUB Page: A1 Judge Rules in Favor Of School Gay Club District deemed unfair in barring East High club, must allow it to meet pending outcome of lawsuit, Judge Rules In Support Of Gay Club BY HEATHER MAY   THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE   The Salt Lake City School District must allow East High School students who want to form a club to discuss Gay and lesbian issues to meet on campus pending the outcome of their civil-rights lawsuit, a federal judge ruled Wednesday.   U.S. District Judge Tena Campbell's ruling is the biggest victory yet for Gay and lesbian students and their supporters who have been fighting since 1995 to be allowed to meet at high schools in Utah's capital city.   Campbell's ruling applied to the People Respecting Important Social Movements (PRISM) Club at East High. Plaintiffs Jessi Cohen and Margaret Hinckley, both juniors, tried to create the club in January to provide a forum for students to discuss Gay and lesbian perspectives on sociology, U.S. history and government and politics.   But district Assistant Superintendent Cynthia Siedel, who oversees club applications, rejected PRISM, saying it wasn't academic. Nonacademic clubs were banned in 1996 to prevent students from forming a support group for Gay, lesbian and bisexual students. Students filed a lawsuit in 1998, but the court upheld the district's ban.   Backed by the Utah chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, Cohen and Hinckley filed their lawsuit on April 10, claiming the district's denial violated their First Amendment rights of free expression.   In granting the students' motion for an injunction forcing the district to allow the club to meet, Campbell wrote that the district had denied their application based on an unwritten rule that was not applied consistently.  In so doing, said ACLU attorney Stephen Clark, Campbell "reaffirmed the important principle that when government officials, including school officials, set about to restrict free speech, they have to do so through clear and consistent and coherent principles."    "All the students were seeking was to be treated equally," he added. "That's the important thing this court recognized."   Cohen said PRISM could meet as soon as Monday. "I'm pretty excited about it," she said. "I'm glad somebody listens to the voice of reason."   In an earlier hearing, Siedel said the PRISM club would be "viewpoint exclusive" because it focused too narrowly on Gay and lesbian issues. Such clubs are as impermissibly political as young Democrat or Republican groups, she said.   Campbell, however, attacked all of the district's arguments in her 23-page ruling.    The requirement that clubs have no "exclusive viewpoint" does not exist because it is not included in the district's club policy or applications to form a club, Campbell wrote. The district had argued that such a standard is implied.   "There is no requirement [explicit or implicit] that the club addresses the entire subject matter of the class from every conceivable viewpoint," the judge wrote.   Even if such a rule exists, Campbell wrote, the district has not applied it to all clubs. The Polynesian Club at East High, for example, would have to be considered "viewpoint exclusive" because it focuses on Polynesian culture.   Moreover, Campbell wrote, "club membership is not limited to Gays and lesbians, and there is nothing in the club application that would even indicate that only pro-Gay viewpoints would be tolerated in club meetings."   Dan Larsen, an assistant state attorney representing the school district, said he may appeal the injunction to the 10thU.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The district could also amend its policy on clubs to address Campbell's complaints and expressly forbid those with a narrow viewpoint, he said.   But Campbell, perhaps anticipating such a move, wrote in a footnote that a rule against "viewpoint exclusive" clubs wouldn’t make sense.    "All clubs are, in a sense, viewpoint exclusive: French clubs are 'viewed' from the perspective of French-speaking students. . . . All student clubs are 'viewed' from the perspective of Utah high school students."   For their part, Cohen and Hinckley now can advertise their meetings in the school paper, and PRISM will have a chance to be in the school yearbook. Clubs that aren't school-sponsored, such as the Gay Straight Alliance that was the subject of the 1996 lawsuit, don't get those perks. Under state and federal law, non sanctioned clubs must rent space from the school, pay for liability insurance and find an adult sponsor.

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2002 Wasatch Women of Leather (WWOL) In February of 2002 it was decided that there was a need for a women's group in the community. Ronnie N organized and set up the first meeting held on April 27th, 2002. It was decided that anyone who attended a meeting during the first three months would be a founding member. There were 20 founding members with three elected officers. The original officers were: Chairman Ronnie, Co-chairman Bullet, and Secretary Lisa. Mission Statement: Wasatch Women of Leather (WWOL) is a social organization dedicated to creating an understanding that leather and BDSM do not mean abuse. For them, nothing is more important than having fun together and building a safe place for women of leather to gather and support each other.

• Their values: * Integrity * Honesty * Tolerance * Honor * Striving for excellence * Community responsibility * Acceptance and overcoming challenges WWOL  seeks to: * Create a strong leather community * Remove the guilt * Provide service to all parts of the community * Redefine the social definition of leather women * Holistically support their members Meeting places vary from month to month depending on the planned activity. During its first 6 months, fundraisers were held for the Titleholder's Travel fund to help Ronnie N and Rod F (Mr Salt Lake Leather at the time) to travel as needed for their titles, and the Club Blue Legal Defense Fund. WWOL also had a booth at the Blue Alley Fair and the Pride Day Celebration. They collected donations for the Battered Womens' Shelter at the YWCA. Club pins were created to interlock with the Wasatch Leathermen's Association pin to show the unity between the two clubs and a patch was designed for the group.
•  Rocky Mountain Ms Leather 2002-2003 When Ronnie N decided to run for the Rocky Mountain Ms Leather Title at Thunder in the Mountains in Denver Colorado in 2002, it provided an opportunity for the four different leather groups to unite together in a common cause. Utah Power Exchange, Utah Power Play and the Wasatch Leathermen's Association all donated money to her travel fund and sponsored her at the event. And even though the Wasatch Women of Leather was still new they provided plenty of support in helping her to prepare for the competition. She was the first Utah titleholder to bring the title home from Denver. During her title year she helped organize a fundraiser to benefit the Club Blue Legal Fund. She participated in a fundraiser in Denver to raise funds for the Colorado Springs Gay and Lesbian Center that was burned down by vandals. In January of 2003, she resigned the title for personal reasons. Jae from the Denver area assumed the title and became the official Rocky Mountain Ms Leather 2002-03 from that time forth. Before stepping down, Ronnie took on this project of putting together as much information as she could on the history of the leather community in Utah so that people could see how the Utah leather community has evolved over the years.

         

2006 Quiet, noise battle bias against gays Day of Silence: Utah students join national event to educate others By Jennifer W. Sanchez and Julia Lyon The Salt Lake Tribune Salt Lake Tribune Some students had forgotten what it was like to live a lie. As "queer teenagers" in the closet, they never spoke up when openly gay students were teased and harassed. They were afraid of getting beaten up. They pretended to like the opposite sex. "For a while, I was trying to ignore it," 16-year-old Daniel Hill said about being gay. "I didn't want to seem different." Hill and many students who participated in the national Day of Silence on Wednesday said the event reminded them of what it was like before they told their families and friends that they were gay. "Today was just a taste of that again," said Hill, an openly-gay East High School junior who helped organize about 15 students on campus for the event. "I wanted to talk, but I couldn't," he said. "I kept thinking – I have stories to tell." Hundreds of Utah students, many with duct tape across their mouths, didn't speak for most of the day as part of the 10th annual Day of Silence that started at the University of Virginia. This year's theme was "Silence is Loud." Supporters hoped the event raises awareness about intolerance and discrimination faced by the gay community. The day had a particularly potent meaning this year for many students who watched the Utah Legislature debate and finally reject a ban on gay student clubs earlier this year. An estimated 15 Salt Lake City-area campuses participated in Day of Silence. By lunchtime on Wednesday, Mel Elizondo's mouth had started to hurt from the duct tape strapped across her lips. "It shows that we're not going away, and we're still here and doing our thing," said Elizondo, a straight Hunter senior. Some of the 20 Hunter participants wore Day of Silence T-shirts and held signs explaining why they were mute. Sean Jarvis and other students clustered around Elizondo as they read the explanation. "If they're gay or lesbian, I may not totally agree with it, but I have no say in it," said the Hunter junior. Katelynn Shelton, a straight Hunter student who was silent, wanted classmates to see how much people suffer when they're forced to deny who they are. "It's more important just because of everything that did go on with the legislative people trying to completely wipe us out and putting us back in the dark and keep us silent," Shelton said. On Wednesday night, roughly 100 people, mostly high school students, attended the Night of Noise at the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Community Center of Utah. They shared poems about their fears of coming out of the closet. They talked about their experiences throughout the day - a teacher who forced them to speak and students who teased them. Cameo Garrick, a West Jordan senior, didn't speak for eight hours Wednesday. She said she hopes that someday she won't be stared at for holding her girlfriend's hand in public. jsanchez@...

2006 The Mountain West Flag Football League - Spring Season 2006 Registration/Tryouts - April 20th (This Thurs.) Spring Season will begin April 27th and end on June 1st 1700 S. River Pk. (1150 W.) All games will be played from 6:30 – 7:30pm on Thurs.

2007 Celebrating Queer Spirit A Gay Men's Retreat Come enjoy a relaxing weekend retreat in Spring City Utah at the Wind Walker Ranch, April 27-29. This will be a gathering of gay men to explore our personal relationship with ourselves. The weekend will include discussion groups, activities, movement, socializing, and will end with a traditional Native American sweat lodge. REGISTER TODAY! This will be a weekend you'll remember for a long time. Feel free to contact one of the facilitators: Jerry Buie John Cottrell

2010 St. George high schools to allow gay clubs Tuesday, April 27, 2010  GEORGE — Starting next fall, four St. George high schools will have after-school clubs for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students and the friends who support them. The forums have been approved for Desert Hills, Dixie, Pine View and Snow Canyon high schools. A small group of St. George students launched an effort last year to form Gay-Straight Alliance clubs at every Washington County high school. The American Civil Liberties Union of Utah helped secure programs at the four schools. Nationally, there are about 4,000 such clubs.

2014 Salt Lake City, UT-Jake Rowe, age 37, passed away

Jake Rowe

on April 27, 2014. He was born on November 30, 1976 to Debbie Jacobson Reese and William James Rowe Sr. He graduated from Granite High School as valedictorian and a sterling scholar. Jake received his Eagle Scout during high school. He received a full scholarship to Westminster College, where he graduated with his MBA in Business. He was an owner of Big City Transportation, volunteered at Alliance House, and worked for GE Investments and Fidelity Investments. He traveled the world and was politically active throughout his life. He was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. - 

• Mark Lawrence-For those who knew my nephew Jake. His shameful obituary doesn't tell who he was. Jake was an out and proud gay man. He struggled with demons and mental illness that made him stronger and more full of hope and strength than anyone I've ever known. Jake was driven by the desire to heal and to conquer the demons. This young man was kind and sweet and full of love. And as I said before, an out proud gay man. Jake you will always be in my thoughts.
• Cousin of Activist Toni Palmer and nephew of Mark Lawrence

2018 Furclubbing  “A repeat/regular nightclub event by furries for furries.” The concept has been spreading since the late 2000’s. It’s a dance party independent of cons. It builds on their growth but takes things farther. It’s more ambitious than informal meets and events that happen once. Those can stay inner-focused, but this brings partnership with new venues and new support for what they host. It crosses a line to public space, so a stranger can walk in and discover their new favorite thing. It encourages new blood and crossover to other scenes. It makes subculture thrive. It’s a movement! SLC Fluff Party launch: Fluff Party was started on April 28, 2017, at Club Try-Angles, then known as “Bar Night” in the local Utah Furry group. Fluff Party started out with a sizeable furry group, for a small major city, with around 25 attendees. During the 2017 AWU Convention in downtown SLC, “Bar Night” transformed into Fluff Party. The event, held on October 27, ended up being the largest to date with nearly 75 attendees from Washington, Colorado, and Idaho. The January 2018 Fluff Party eclipsed it, drawing in approximately 100 attendees. In February 2018, the Party extended the weekend to include a Saturday event with its first ever After Party, held at Area 51. Inspired by Tail! Party in California, Fluff Party was started by Oaken. It uses the house DJ at Try-Angles. What kind of party: Fluff Party is a bar atmosphere with billiards going on all evening, and fursuit dancing to DJ music. Styles of music depend on the DJ but range from old to current pop, electronic music. When: Fluff Party occurs the fourth Friday of each month. Initially, the party coupled with Try-Angles’ “Leather & Gear Night”; however, due to lack of participation from the local leather community and immense support from the local Furry community, club ownership granted the furs their own night. Where: Fluff Party: Club Try-Angles, 251 W. Harvey Milk Blvd., starting at 9 p.m. After Party: Area 51, 451 S. 400 West. Furries attend from Salt Lake and surrounding cities (Ogden to Provo). Several furs have come in from Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Colorado. Unique to most major cities, Try-Angles is one of two identifying gay clubs in the entire state of Utah. Try-Angles plays host to many lifestyles, kinks, and fetishes. Supporting nights such as Drag events, Bear, Underwear, and Leather nights. The general public has received furries at Fluff Party in excellent light. A review posted on the club’s Google page stated how they were going to attend Furry night! Local furs have mentioned going to events such as Pride in fursuit and having the public mention the furry event at Try-Angles. Many general public attendees have become regulars at Fluff Party. About Fluff Night organizer Oaken Oaken first danced in fursuit at 2016 RMFC and became inspired to provide an event for the local Utah Furry group which already organized regular monthly events at a public location that was geared more toward the furry adult crowd. After being convinced to overcome his fears of going to a gay club’s Underwear Night, Oaken found Club Try-Angles and the local gay community to be welcoming of all walks of life. Wearing his tail to the club a few times and getting a warm response from the locals, Oaken approached club owner Gene Gieber about having fursuiters come to the club. Many years prior, a few locals had gone to the club in fursuit but never in large numbers nor the immense support that Fluff Party has received from the local furry community. Fluff Party continues to grow and expand. “For the April 27 event, we are celebrating our first anniversary and will be showing the owners our appreciation with furry-themed gifts. There will also be a furry DJ, fursuits, furry-themed drinks,” said Oaken.

2018 Salt Lake Men's Choir perform a retrospective of the last 35 years worth of music! The choir pays tribute to the music, directors, and singers who led us to where we are today. This eclectic line up included showstoppers, crowd favorites, spirituals, Broadway hits, and American poetry. "This show will make you laugh, cry, and just be proud that a Men's Choir (in Utah!) has stood the test of time and lasted 35 Years, and counting!" Performance at First Baptist Church 

• Dan Fahndrich I went to the 35 year Anniversary Salt Lake Men's Choir concert last night and was pretty impressed and here is why. I have gone for the last 30 years and supported this group. It has had it's ups & downs. Even though I dont have a "trained" ear, Last night was an evening of EVERYBODY in sync with the harmonies, etc. I dont recall ever being able to say that before. Kudos go out to Dennis M. and the whole Choir.