Utah

Man Who Shouted Racist Slur at Utah WCBB Team Won't Be Charged After Investigation

Published

2 years ago

May 7, 2024

Man Who Shouted Racist Slur at Utah WCBB Team Won't Be Charged After Investigation

Myk Crawford/NCAA Photos via Getty Images

An 18-year-old man recorded on surveillance video shouting a racist slur toward the University of Utah women’s basketball team during the first round of the 2024 NCAA tournament will not be criminally charged, Alex Vejar reported for the Salt Lake Tribune.

Attorneys for the city of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, decided on May 3 not to prosecute the man, a student at a Coeur d’Alene high school, “based on a lack of probable cause and the potential violation of his constitutional right to free speech,” Vejar reported.

According to charging decision documents, the man admitted to “shouting the N-word and a sexually explicit comment from a car as the Utes players walked nearby,” per Vejar.

The documents revealed that police considered charging the man with “disturbing the peace, disorderly conduct and malicious harassment,” Vejar wrote.

But Coeur d’Alene Chief Deputy City Attorney Ryan Hunter wrote that the department had not found evidence that the man “acted with a specific intent to intimidate or harass any specific person,” and instead said evidence indicated the man’s “intent was to be funny,” Vejar reported.

Utah coach Lynne Roberts first publicly described the incident, which she said caused the team to change hotels, after Utah was eliminated by Gonzaga on March 26.

She described the incident, and the ensuing hotel switch, as a “distraction.”

The incident occurred outside a restaurant near the team’s hotel near Coeur d’Alene, where the team was staying prior to a game against Gonzaga due to a lack of hotel rooms around Spokane, per Doug Feinberg of the Associated Press.

Utah deputy athletics director Charmelle Green told KSL.com’s Josh Furlong that the women’s basketball team, as well as members of the cheerleading team and band, heard racial slurs shouted from people in white trucks while they were entering and exiting a restaurant on March 21.

The Coeur d’Alene Police Department said on its Facebook page on April 3 that police had found surveillance video and audio that “corroborates what was reported by members of the basketball program.”

Initial review of the audio recordings revealed that a “clearly audible” racial slur was used more than once, the police department said.

Teams playing at Gonzaga weren’t the only women’s basketball competitors located a half hour’s drive away from where the NCAA tournament was being played. The early-round locations for the women’s tournament are locked in on Selection Sunday, as opposed to the men’s neutral-location sites being selected in advance, Feinberg reported for the Associated Press.

The incident in Idaho could now spark a review of how host schools and hotel blocks are selected for the women’s tournament. NCAA vice president for women’s basketball Lynn Holzman told Feinberg the review could take place as soon as this year.

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Utah

Kentucky Wildcats set to host Utah transfer Terrence Brown on visit

Published

3 hours ago

April 14, 2026

Press Room

Kentucky Wildcats set to host Utah transfer Terrence Brown on visit

Kentucky basketball continues to stay aggressive in the transfer portal, hosting Utah transfer guard Terrence Brown for a visit, according to Matt Jones of KSR, as the Wildcats look to rebuild their backcourt heading into next season.

Brown, a 6-3, 175-pound point guard, is coming off a standout year in which he averaged 19.9 points, 3.8 assists, and 2.4 rebounds per game. He shot 45.3% from the field and 32.7% from 3-point range while starting all 32 games and playing over 31 minutes per contest.

There is already a connection between Brown and Kentucky, as he previously played alongside former Wildcat forward Ansley Almonor during the 2023-24 season before Almonor transferred to Kentucky the following year.

Kentucky’s interest in Brown comes as the program looks to reload at the guard position following multiple departures, including Jaland Lowe, Denzel Aberdeen, Jasper Johnson, and Collin Chandler. Head coach Mark Pope and his staff have made it a priority to evaluate all options, with Brown emerging as a serious candidate after a recent phone conversation between the two sides.

The Wildcats have also hosted other guards like Zoom Diallo, and currently, Rob Wright is on campus.

Brown’s visit is part of a busy stretch for Kentucky, with several other notable transfer targets expected to make their way to Lexington, including Alex Wilkins, Donnie Freeman, Jalen Cox, and Magoon Gwath.

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Utah

Utah delays imposing fee for wildfire mitigation program

Published

15 hours ago

April 13, 2026

Press Room

Utah delays imposing fee for wildfire mitigation program

The Utah Legislature tried to address the unaffordability or, for some, unavailability of home insurance last year.

The state created a program to inspect “high-risk” properties statewide and charge those properties a fee.

Its start date was supposed to be Jan. 1, but now lawmakers are giving state and local officials an extra year to implement it. House Bill 41, which Gov. Spencer Cox signed in March, moves the start date to Jan. 1, 2027.

Bill sponsor Rep. Thomas Peterson, R-Brigham City, says that’s to give time for cities and counties to petition the state to add or remove properties from the fee area.

“[The Division of] Forestry, Fire and State Lands has said they will work with the cities and counties to amend their maps, if it’s indeed justified,” the representative said during a House committee hearing.

The program targets properties with buildings in the “high-risk wildland-urban interface,” or WUI, meaning those that straddle wilderness and development. The Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands has a map classifying certain properties as high-risk WUI.

That’s the map local governments can petition to amend this year.

Those properties will pay a fee into the new Utah Wildfire Fund, which is supposed to offset fire-related costs. The fee pays for inspections to make sure property owners are being firewise and maintaining their land.

The fee is expected to range from $20 to $100 annually, depending on the size of buildings on a given property and risk level. The state forester has more information on an online FAQ page.

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Utah

This Utah Family Retreat Takes Its Elevated Design Cues From the Alpine Surroundings

Published

1 day ago

April 13, 2026

Press Room

This Utah Family Retreat Takes Its Elevated Design Cues From the Alpine Surroundings

as hard as it is to say goodbye to a special place where you’ve made countless memories, letting one good thing go can invite something even better to take its place. When one Chicago-based couple welcomed their first grandchild, they knew that it was time to part ways with their former Victory Ranch, Utah, retreat and expand into a custom-built home in nearby Kamas, which was designed to grow with their family.

With Jennelle Butera of Bloum Design Co. helming the design, every area of the expansive new homestead was tailored to suit the needs of a full, bustling household, with curated design choices that seamlessly coordinate with the majestic mountainous terrain on full display in nearly every room.

To give the space an artful signature all its own, Butera commissioned numerous custom accents. “We love working with local artisans,” she says. “We layered in pieces that feel deeply personal, from a solid walnut dining table with brass butterflies to a gunmetal kitchen hood and blackened steel fireplace surround.”

“We layered in pieces that feel deeply personal.”

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Though incredibly spacious and airy, the entire interior still has a warm and inviting feel, making it a natural home base for the entire brood to gather. From an intimate breakfast nook just off the main living area to a family room that’s ready for anything—from game night to cocktail hour—to a primary bathroom that could rival the most luxurious five-star spa, this is the ultimate entertaining home, sure to host countless reunions and gatherings in the years to come. And crucially, the space doesn’t feel cordoned off from the gorgeous natural world outdoors, but very much a part of it.

FAST FACTS

Designer: Jennelle Butera, Bloum Design Co.

Location: Kamas, Utah

The Space: A five-bedroom, six-bathroom home across 8,200 square feet

ENTRYWAY

Guests are greeted by subtle artistic touches.

Lucy Call

Wall paint: Revere Pewter, Benjamin Moore. Console: Greg Palombo. Stool: RSCollection. Rug: Utah Rugs. Flooring: Eco Outdoor.

An entryway needs to make a memorable first impression, and the one in this home, anchored by a distinctive custom walnut console table, is so much more than a simple pass-through. “This entry vestibule serves as an artistic moment,” Butera says. There’s subtle beauty to appreciate underfoot as well, as the dappled pattern of the natural stone pavers is used both indoors and out, providing a seamless visual transition.

THE GREAT ROOM

A comfy, calming space that lives up to its name.

Living room featuring a large green couch, coffee table with decorative items, and expansive windows overlooking a mountainous landscape.

Lucy Call

Rug: Armadillo & Co. Couches: Montauk Sofas. Coffee table: The Future Perfect. Chairs: Verellen. Floor lamps: Vaughan Designs.

Walking into the great room, visitors are struck by two distinct features: expansive panorama windows that showcase sweeping mountain vistas and a sumptuous seating area that practically begs sitters to stay awhile and appreciate the view. The deep olive green Montauk sofas were hand-selected not just for their gorgeous color and plush silhouette, but because they feel like a dream. “The clients even took a special trip to the Chicago showroom to personally sit-test them,” Butera quips.

DINING AREA

Gilded accents add polish to everyday meals.

Lucy Call

Table: Project Sunday. Chairs: Maiden Home. Rug: Utah Rugs. Light: Apparatus. Bar shelving: Handmade Industries.

Adjacent to the central seating zone is the dining area; at its heart is a custom-fabricated walnut table with cozy mohair-upholstered chairs that offer plenty of spots for dinner party guests to perch.

“Warm and chocolate tones were chosen to complement the natural landscape,” Butera says, and the effect is the total embodiment of—dare we say—quiet luxury. A sophisticated dry bar awaits service nearby, resplendent in its gleaming wallcovering by Alchemy Helio 3.0.

BREAKFAST NOOK

This bonus room is the go-to spot for quiet contemplation.

Modern dining area with colorful artwork and floral centerpiece.

Lucy Call

Banquette: Teerlink Cabinets. Table: Greg Palombo. Chairs: Maiden Home. Pendant: The Urban Electric Co.

For those in-between moments throughout the day, this light-filled breakfast nook, grounded by a custom ash wood table and banquette, offers a casual, quiet corner. “This intimate, everyday space allows them to enjoy the view while sitting with coffee or tea,” Butera says. “It’s also the client’s preferred workspace.”

KITCHEN

Soft moodiness pervades in this hyper-efficient cooking hub.

Lucy Call

Countertops: Bianco Superior. Pendants: Allied Maker. Stools: Thomas Hayes Studio. Cabinet hardware: Ashley Norton. Backsplash tile: Bespoke Studio.

“The kitchen showcases a curated interplay of dark and light,” Butera says. Subtle shifts in tone and mood are exemplified through the rich oxidized rift oak cabinetry, which contrasts against the smoky zellige tile backsplash. Crowning the range is a custom gunmetal hood, which Butera calls “the kitchen’s striking focal point.”

The space’s organizational flow was also meticulously mapped out through specialized, streamlined storage to ensure maximum efficiency while also allowing room for beauty. The client’s precious collection of pottery, handmade by her mother, holds court above the cook space in the glass-door upper cabinets.

FAMILY ROOM

A casual escape designed for off-hours enjoyment.

Modern living room featuring a sofa, chairs, and decorative elements.

Lucy Call

Rug: Antrim. Couch: American Leather. Chair: Younger + Co. Side table: Moe’s Home. Floor lamp: Visual Comfort.

On the lower level, this entertaining zone ups the casual quotient, offering ample storage space for the household to stash games, books, and other off-the-clock accoutrements. Ever ready for all hosting needs, the space includes an oxidized rift oak bar and kitchenette. “The bar was intentionally designed to be camouflaged and sleek,” Butera notes. It also alleviates the need to run upstairs for a refill.

BEDROOM

Relaxed refinement takes center stage.

Lucy Call

Wallcovering: Fromental. Pendant light: Visual Comfort & Co. Bed: Lawson-Fenning. Bedding: Boll and Branch. Rug: Rosemary Hallgarten.

Lucy Call

Cabinet hardware: Colonial Bronze. Rug: Overland Sheepskin. Closet sconce: The Urban Electric Co.

Waking up is never hard to do in this primary bedroom, which Butera calls “a zen-inspired sanctuary for enjoying the mountain views from bed.” She extended the serene tonal and textural palette to this calming space, adding a watercolor-inspired wallcovering to the room’s feature wall and extending it into the nearby boutique-inspired changing area.

PRIMARY BATHROOM

An everyday sanctuary replete with spa-level luxury.

Modern bathroom with a double sink, wooden cabinetry, and decorative elements.

Lucy Call

Countertop material: Crema Marfil. Sconces: The Urban Electric Company.

Lucy Call

Shower tile: Silver Wave. Shower fixtures: Newport Brass.

“This primary bathroom is a spacious sanctuary, flooded with natural light,” Butera says. Layers of materiality—limestone floor tiles, a marble sink countertop, a white oak custom vanity—read as a naturalistic extension of the alpine atmosphere just outside.

GUEST ROOM

This home-away-from-home practically guarantees sweet dreams.

Contemporary bedroom featuring a bed, artwork, and natural lighting.

Lucy Call

Wall paint: Card Room Green, Farrow & Ball. Pendant: Visual Comfort. Rug: Armadillo. Bed: Maiden Home. Nightstand: Maiden Home.

This entire home was designed with five-star hospitality in mind, so the guest rooms were certainly not an afterthought. “The main-level guest bedroom is a warm and welcoming space designed to make family and guests feel at home,” Butera says. The room’s biophilic-inspired sage, almond, and mauve hues cocoon the sleeper to put the mind at ease, while a lantern-like pendant from Visual Comfort & Co., aptly named “Paper Moon,” hangs overhead.

About the Designer

Jennelle Butera of Bloum Design Co. has been creating thoughtful spaces for over a decade. In each aspect of her projects, Jennelle and her team seek connection and collaboration with both their clients and their creative partners to create homes that are truly a team effort and reflect each contributing point of view.

Follow House Beautiful on Instagram and TikTok.

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