Utah
Grand County Sheriff: Search for missing Moab couple changes from ‘rescue’ to ‘recovery’
MOAB, Utah (ABC4) — The search for a missing Moab couple has officially transitioned from a ‘rescue’ mission to a ‘recovery’ one, according to Grand County Sheriff Jamison Wiggins.
Ray and Maranda Ankofski have been missing since June 21 after they traveled the Steel Bender off-road trail in Grand County. A search for the couple began after they didn’t return on time and their vehicle was reported as abandoned.
The son of the couple, Raymond Ankofski told ABC4.com earlier this week officials were planning to scale back their response at the end of the week because of the costs associated with the search efforts. According to a press release from Grand County Sheriff’s Office, as of Tuesday, eight agencies were involved in the search.
“Despite exhaustive efforts, including the use of advanced search techniques and resources, Ray and Maranda Ankofski have not been located,” stated a press release from Wiggins. “The decision to transition from a search and rescue mission to a recovery was made based on evidence at the scene during the operation.”
In the days following their disappearance, the couple’s children started a fundraiser via GoFundMe, with the initial goal of raising $25,000 — but Raymond Ankofski explained the money would not be for the family.
“The money is going towards the search and rescue to bring my parents back, and to find my parents,” Rauymond Ankofski said.
Utah
Curry helps Golden State bury Utah 140-124 behind a flurry of 3-pointers
By John Coon, The Associated Press
SALT LAKE CITY — Stephen Curry scored 27 points, Moses Moody had 26 and the Golden State Warriors beat the Utah Jazz 140-124 on Wednesday night.
Gui Santos had 16 points off the bench for the Warriors. Golden State made 23 3-pointers and never trailed over the final three quarters. Moody led the way with five 3s.
The 140 points scored by the Warriors was their season high.
Brice Sensabaugh scored 22 points off the bench for Utah. Keyonte George had 19 points and seven assists. Ace Bailey also scored 19 points for the Jazz and Lauri Markkanen had 18.
Utah trimmed a 22-point deficit to single digits entering the fourth quarter. The Jazz drew to 108-100 on a pair of free throws from Isaiah Collier with 9:52 left. Curry made back-to-back baskets to restore a double-digit lead.
Golden State used a 20-2 run to go up 136-109 with 3:29 left.
Golden State made it rain from the perimeter early, going 15 of 31 from long distance before halftime. Eight different players made an outside basket for the Warriors in the first half. Buddy Hield and Moody accounted for three apiece before halftime.
Hield buried back-to-back 3s a minute into the second quarter to cap a 19-8 run that gave Golden State a 40-24 lead. The Warriors built a 16-point lead three other times in the second quarter — the final time when Quinten Post made a 3-pointer to make it 64-48.
Golden State expanded its lead to 22 points in the third quarter, going up 91-69 on a pair of free throws from Curry.
Up Next
Warriors: Host Detroit on Saturday night.
Utah
Inmates create first‑of‑its‑kind documentary inside Utah State prison – KSLTV.com
SALT LAKE CITY — A groundbreaking documentary — conceived, filmed, and produced entirely by inmates at the Utah State Prison—is giving the public an unprecedented look at life behind bars.
The film, Breaking Chains, follows six incarcerated men and women as they confront their pasts, reflect on their choices, and work toward rebuilding their lives.
The Utah Department of Corrections collaborated with the One Kind Act a Day initiative to secure funding and equipment for the inmates. The result is a raw, emotional film that highlights a little‑known educational program operating inside the prison.
The documentary opens with a stark confession from participant Casey Vanderhoef.
“When I was incarcerated in 2021, I had no more answers,” Vanderhoef says in the film. “I knew I was broken in a way I couldn’t fix.”
Vanderhoef, now living in a halfway house as he completes his sentence, says revisiting his past on camera wasn’t easy.
“There are certainly regretful decisions—and sometimes embarrassing ones—that are definitely part of my story,” he explains.
The project was coordinated from outside the prison by filmmaker and educator Bo Landin, who says the decision to have inmates interview one another created a level of honesty he didn’t expect.
“It’s authentic. It’s raw. It’s emotional,” Landin says. He admits he became emotional himself while transcribing the conversations. “I think it’s important because it is their voice. They are telling us a story.”
The program began with roughly 18 to 20 students learning the fundamentals of filmmaking, storytelling, and production.
The One Kind Act a Day initiative—created by philanthropist Khosrow Semnani—donated the professional equipment used to make the documentary. The Semnani Family Foundation will now support an ongoing media program integrated into the prison’s career‑training and productive‑time initiatives. Semnani hopes the effort encourages compassion in a place where it can be hard to find.
“Human nature is born with kindness,” Semnani says. “But in prison, it’s not there.”
For Vanderhoef, the experience has been transformative.
“As I look back at the mistakes that were made, I have some regret and embarrassment,” he says. “But I have a lot more gratitude.”
Semnani says he recently spoke with U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi about expanding the program nationally, potentially bringing similar opportunities to prisons across the country.
Breaking Chains debuted at the Utah International Film Festival and won the Audience Choice Award. Landin now hopes to promote it at film festivals worldwide in hopes of getting it in theaters for the public to see.
Utah
Nina Dobrev Wears a Bathrobe While in Utah for Sundance Film Festival
Nina Dobrev‘s bathrobe photo has fans checking in from Park City, Utah, during Sundance weekend. She posted it 18 hours ago, tagged Park City, and wrote, “Final Sundance in Park City, Utah? bittersweet doesn’t begin to describe it…” Nina’s carousel from the Sundance Film Festival reads like downtime between screenings. The post shows about 480.8K likes and 888 comments.
Nina Dobrev shares a bathrobe photo from Utah during Sundance Film Festival
Have a look at Nina Dobrev in a bathrobe:
The “Vampire Diaries” alum wears a plush white hotel robe, loosely cinched at the waist. It falls open at the neckline. Her hair looks half-done, pinned up at the crown, with loose lengths down.
The warm bathroom lighting highlights marble counters and polished wood doors. The photos also landed after she discussed recovering from a dirt bike injury. Fans replied fast, with one writing, “Such a cutie,” another said, “Gorgeous,” and a third added, “THE DIVA”.
Originally reported by Santanu Das on Reality Tea
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