By Seth G. Blaylock and Kris Boyle
blaylock@newsroom.byu.edu, kris@newsroom.byu.edu
Editor's note: Following are summaries of major stories that happened in the community and around the world during Spring and Summer Terms.
May
Vandalism in Provo
Thirty-one businesses were damaged during a string of vandalism attacks on May 2.
Calls to the Provo Police Department and the Orem Department of Public Safety reported destroyed windows and other vandalism.
Ken Garff Motors Porsche Audi Volkswagen Sales, at 410 S. University Ave., had at least $20,000 in damage.
Several windows were broken, with both paint balls and bullet holes found. Glass and other items scratched the paint on at least four showroom cars
One local business, Jones Paint and Glass reported it lost more than $10,000 in business because of the vandalism, and that was less than half the total damage.
Polygamist accused of rape
As reported by The Universe on May 25, admitted polygamist Thomas Green was charged with a count of rape of a child, four counts of bigamy, and one count of criminal nonsupport.
Green, who lives with his five wives and many children in rural Juab County, has defended his lifestyle on various television shows, including the Jerry Springer Show.
In July, a state judge ordered that Green must stand trial for alleged rape of a 13 year-old girl in 1986, who later became his wife.
June
Wrapsody closes its doors
After nearly three years of business, Wrapsody, a popular venue for local music, closed its doors on June 5.
'Selling the Wrapsody was one of those things the owner just thought he had to do from a business sense. He just wasn't making enough money,' Wrapsody manager Tisha Rudd said in the May 31 issue of The Universe.
The building was sold to Andy King, co-founder of the Roasted Artichoke, and is now the Blue Coyote Grill.
In The Universe story, Rudd said she felt the Wrapsody was forced to close because of the lack of community support.
'The Wrapsody was the last venue in Provo. I hope people use its closing as experience so when the next venue opens they'll support the local artist,' Rudd said.
Falling tree kills 2, injures 5
On June 5, a falling tree killed two and injured several others around 9 p.m. at South Fork Park in Provo Canyon.
The victims were having a birthday party at the park when a large tree fell on them.
Mollie Hobough Sorenson, 56, of Napa, Calif., and her granddaughter Mollie Rose Sorenson, 6, of Orem were killed from the crash, and five others were injured.
Provo City officials ruled the event 'a freak act of nature.'
LDS missionary killed
Elder Wen Ping Shi, missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was killed June 9 while walking near Interstate 15 in Springville.
Shi, 27, was from Fujin, China and had been called to serve in the Washington, DC North Mission to teach in Mandarin.
Shi was hit by a truck after leaving the MTC and hitchhiking to Springville.
According to Paula Ernstrom, public information officer for the Utah Department of Public Safety, Shi was worried about his family and was trying to get to Arizona to make contact with the Chinese Consulate.
Ricks to become BYU-Idaho
At a morning press conference on June 21, President Gordon B. Hinckley of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced that Ricks College would become a four-year institution named BYU-Idaho.
As part of the change, the college will expand to a year-round schedule.
Also, President Hinckley announced the phasing out of the athletics program.
'It (athletics) takes a great amount of time and energy. We think that in this instance we would like to change the emphasis. In the first place, Ricks is a long ways from everybody. They have to travel great distances to play. That's a factor in it. It is a very costly program,' he said.
But President Hinckley also stated the relationship between the students and the faculty will not change.
'Effective teaching and advising will be the primary responsibilities of its faculty, who are committed to academic excellence,' President Hinckley said.
Fight Club shutdwon
A pillow fight was the end result from a dispute between Provo City and Club Omni.
The conflict came after Club Omni attempted to hold a boxing match on June 27, similar to those held by the Fight Club. However, Provo City stopped the fight with a temporary restraining order, preventing boxing matches at Club Omni. Two city ordinances stood in the way of Club Omni: a fight ordinance and a zoning ordinance.
Instead, Club Omni changed the scheduled boxing match to a pillow fight.
According to Mayor Lewis Billings, the restraining order had to do with the zoning ordinance, which distinguished between forms of entertainment and sporting events.
July
LDS Web site update
In early July, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints added a new feature to its Web site - an archive of past LDS church magazines.
The site, www.lds.org, now features issues of The Friend, The New Era, and the Ensign from the past 30 years.
Other upcoming changes to the church's Web site include interactive tours of church historical sites.
Church vandalism in Oregon
On July 9, a group of vandals damaged 14 churches in the Portland, Oregon area, including six owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The vandals scrawled graffiti on walls, upended furniture, and damaged hymn books.
In late July, Oregon police arrested three suspects in conjunction with the crimes: Gregory Patrick Schley, 19, Richard Glenn Blount, 19, and Timothy Lee DeGeorge, 21.
The three were charged with second-degree burglary.
According to Oregon police, the investigation is continuing and more arrests are possible.
Oak Hill wildfire
On July 21, the string of Western wildfires contintued with the start of a blaze in the wilderness near Alpine, Utah County. According to officials from the Uinta National Forest, the fire was started by an unattended campfire. The fire eventually forced some residents to evacuate the area as firefighters fought to control the damage.
The fire eventually encompassed almost 1,000 acres before it was contained.
Alpine City is offering a reward of $5,000 for information leading to the arrest of the individual or individuals who started the fire.
LDS missionary relocation
On July 22, 46 missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were relocated from Fiji to New Zealand.
The relocation came after nationalist rebels kidnapped and held hostage ethnic Indian Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry.
All missionaries native to Fiji remained on the island.
Wells Fargo/First Security Bank Merger
After the proposed merger between Zions Bank and First Security Bank fell apart, Wells Fargo, the nation's seventh-largest bank, made its own proposal for a merger with First Security.
First Security shareholders voted for the merger on July 31, and the two banks are set to finish the merger sometime in October.
On August 22, the two banks announced the elimination of ATM fees for withdrawals at any of the banks for customers.
August
New Park for Storytelling Festival
On August 1, the Orem City Council approved plans for a new home for the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival, according to an article in The Universe.
The city will build Canyon Park, which will play host to the annual festival that brings world-renown storytellers and thousands of spectators to Orem every year.
The park will provide pavilions and space for tents for the festival. Other amenities of the park include jogging paths, fire pits, and volleyball courts.