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See the history and beauty of Central Europe with these Utah travel experts

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See the history and beauty of Central Europe with these Utah travel experts


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There’s a reason why Europe is such a popular vacation destination. Few places in the world offer so much rich history in such a relatively small area. In just a matter of hours, you could be touring castles, snacking on gelato, visiting cathedrals or snapping photos of famous landmarks in several different countries. You could live there for the rest of your life and never run out of things to see.

Anna Siampani of CEOWORLD Magazine summed it up nicely when she wrote, “Walking in the streets there is like walking in a fairytale and a trip to Europe is like a trip in time.”

Booking a trip to Europe can be stressful, as you usually want to visit as many places as possible. Coordinating transportation between countries alone is a part-time job! Take the frustration out of planning and just enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes of Europe on a guided tour through Dick Jensen and Alan McKay Tours.

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Here’s what’s on the itinerary

Dick Jensen and Alan McKay Tours’ Grand European Tour covers five countries and multiple different must-see stops over a span of 13 days.

See the history and beauty of Central Europe with these Utah travel experts
Photo: canadastock/Shutterstock.com

One stop includes a full-day tour of Mad King Ludwig’s fairytale Neuschwanstein Castle, the famous structure that inspired Sleeping Beauty’s Castle in Disneyland. One Google reviewer said, “Amazing palace in an amazing location between plains, lakes and high mountains. It looks medieval but is modern. Worth any voyage to come experience it and its surroundings.”

Another day you’ll visit Mirabell Gardens, which you might recognize from the “Do Re Mi” song in “The Sound of Music.” These gardens are in TripAdvisor’s top three things to do in Salzburg. You’ll also see See Salzburg’s majestic Cathedral Square (Domplatz).

In addition to these incredible stops, you’ll also visit:

  • Vienna with a photo stop at Habsburg’s magnificent Schönbrunn Palace, a trip to the great St. Stephen’s Cathedral and the State Opera House.
  • Budapest to visit Buda Castle, the 13th Century St. Matthias Church and views of Parliament from Fisherman’s Bastion.
  • Heroes’ Square and a Danube River cruise before continuing to a Hungarian dinner with gypsy music and a folklore show.
  • Wieliczka Salt Mine with its underground tunnels and salt sculptures.
  • Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp.
  • 1,000-year-old Prague Castle and the enormous St. Vitus Cathedral and other top spots in Prague.
  • Dresden to enjoy the artistic and architectural heritage of the Zwinger Palace and Semper Opera House.
  • The famous Berlin Wall and Checkpoint Charlie.

This isn’t even the full list. For a complete itinerary, visit djamtours.com/europeantour.

You’d never believe Europe could be this affordable

It’s safe to say that visiting Europe is high on most peoples’ wish lists — but it’s no secret that it’s also among the priciest traveling options out there. Unless, of course, you use the right travel agency. Dick Jensen and Alan McKay Tours prides itself on offering some of the best, most unforgettable trips around the globe at prices you won’t believe.

See the history and beauty of Central Europe with these Utah travel experts
Photo: Grisha Bruev/Shutterstock.com

Here’s how they save you money: The agency purchases blocks of airfare 11 months before the departure date to ensure the best deal on international airfare. Their group contracts also save people a lot of money — and since it’s a family-run business with low overhead and many automated processes, they pass the savings on to you!

The Grand European Tour includes round-trip air from LAX or San Francisco depending on the date: The Grand European Tour is $3,999 per person when you travel with a companion. Depending on the timing of your trip, this price covers round-trip airfare from San Francisco, Denver or the East Coast Airport transfers, hotel accommodations, all breakfasts, one river cruise dinner, activities on the itinerary, a chartered bus and your tour guides and host are all covered under that price. You’ll have a hard time finding a better deal!

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Refer a friend and save even more

In addition to their excellent prices, Dick Jensen and Alan McKay Tours offers a referral program to help you save even more money. For every referral from you that books with them, you get $100 and your referrals get $50 off the price as well. And you don’t have to go on the trip to get your $100 reward! Visit the referrals page for more information.

Spaces are selling out fast

Due to its popularity — and the virtually unbeatable price — Dick Jensen and Alan McKay Tours added additional dates in April and October for this Grand European Tour. Visit www.djamtours.com/europeantour to secure your spot as space is limited and tour dates fill fast.

In the meantime, you can browse the list of other upcoming trips Dick Jensen and Alan McKay Tours offers. In addition to Europe, the agency also offers expertly guided tours through Africa, Asia, the Americas, the Pacific, the Middle East and even Antarctica. Visit their website to view upcoming travel itineraries and plan that next great trip today!

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Here are the new and returning elected leaders in Utah County

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Here are the new and returning elected leaders in Utah County


OREM The first wave of results from the 2025 general municipal election is signaling several political shake-ups, as many cities will have new mayors replacing leaders who decided it was time to step down — and in some cases, incumbents who were defeated by their challengers.

Here are the results of some of the biggest races in Utah’s second-most populous county:

Vineyard

In preliminary results Tuesday night, Zack Stratton, an entrepreneur and businessman, had received 58% of the vote toward becoming the city’s next mayor. City Councilwoman Mardi Sifuentes trails Stratton with 41% of the votes.

Julie Fullmer has been the mayor of Vineyard for the last eight years. But she has faced some pushback from adherents of City Councilman Jacob Holdaway, who claims she is deceptive and corrupt. Fullmer, however, has said Holdaway has been combative and slowed progress in the city.

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Fullmer previously announced she would not be running for reelection this year, opening the door to significant change in the small city.

Sifuentes has served with Fullmer for several years now, and Stratton is backed by Holdaway. A Stratton win could mean a shift in the dynamic among City Council members as well as other changes within the growing city.

Vineyard residents were also tasked with electing an additional council member after 74% of voters favored Proposition 10 in last year’s election, which adjusted the city’s government structure by adding an additional council position.

In the race for the new seat, Parker McCumber was leading with 21% of the vote Tuesday night, followed by Jacob Wood with 20.6% of the vote and David Lauret with 20.2% in the unofficial results. Current Councilman Brett Clawson was trailing with nearly 14% of the vote, and Utah County administrator Ezra Nair, who is also vying for the role, had 12.8% of the vote.

Orem

In Orem, Mayor David Young is running again. Young ran on the idea of making Orem “Family City USA,” with a strong emphasis on opposition to high-density housing. But his time as the city’s mayor may be coming to an end.

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Tuesday night’s preliminary results show Young’s opponent, Karen McCandless, outpacing the incumbent with 52% of the votes to his 47%.

McCandless is CEO of Community Action Services and Food Bank. She previously served on Orem’s City Council from 2001 to 2014.

As mayor, Young has pushed for an Orem-only school, which was ultimately shot down by voters. He also faced some public scrutiny when his son was involved in a million-dollar fraud lawsuit in 2022. That lawsuit was resolved in December 2024 in an out-of-court settlement that the mayor was happy with, according to the mayor’s spokesman.

Three City Council seats are also up for grabs in Orem. Newcomer Quinn Mecham was leading the way in Tuesday’s unofficial results with 17.9% of the votes, followed by Doyle Mortimer (16.9%) and Angela Moulton (16.38%).

Current council members LaNae Millett and David Spencer were both trailing their opponents Tuesday night. Millett had 16.37% of the vote, and Spencer had 15.9%.

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Crystal Muhlestein, who serves as the chairwoman for House District 56 for the Utah County Republican Party, is also vying for a seat on the City Council. She had 16.2% of the vote on Tuesday night.

Provo

Mayor Michelle Kaufusi has been leading the city of Provo since 2018. Attempting a third term, she faced off against former Utah Rep. Marsha Judkins.

In a tight race, Kaufusi had 50.6% of the votes Tuesday night, but Judkins wasn’t far behind with 49.3%.

Provo residents are also voting on several seats on the City Council:

  • In the race for the citywide seat, current Councilwoman Katrice MacKay was up with 61.2% of the vote to Adam Shin’s 38.7%.
  • Two newcomers are vying for the District 2 seat in an extremely tight race. Early results show Jeff Whitlock ahead, with 50.13% of the vote, and Hannah Petersen right behind with 49.87%. The winner will replace current Councilman George Handley,
  • In the District 5 race, incumbent Councilwoman Rachel Whipple was outpacing newcomer Sam Blackburn with 67% of the vote to his 32%.

Eagle Mountain

Eagle Mountain is sure to see some change, as current Mayor Tom Westmoreland did not make it past the primary election, despite being endorsed by both Gov. Spencer Cox and former state Rep. Phil Lyman. This outcome may have stemmed from the city considering changing code to allow for a nuclear power plant to be built in Eagle Mountain, which residents vehemently disagreed with.

Council members Melissa Clark and Jared R. Gray faced off for the open position. In another tight race, Gray had 52.55% of the votes to Clark’s 47.45% Tuesday night.

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Other elections of note

Wade Menlove is running unopposed to be the first mayor of Spring Lake, a newly incorporated town situated between Payson and Santaquin.

In the race for Spring Lake’s town council, two candidates will be selected to serve four-year terms. David Charles was in the lead with 32% of the vote Tuesday, followed by Joy Benson with 29%.

Two candidates are also being selected to serve two-year terms on the Town Council. Robert Marsh was leading the way with 31% of the votes, with Sharon Bascom with 29% Tuesday night.

In the north end of the county, Lehi will also have a new mayor, as current Mayor Mark Johnson did not run for a third term. Councilwoman Paige Albrecht is vying for the spot to fill his shoes, facing off against newcomer Paul Binns. The race was tight Tuesday night, with Binns in the lead at 52.07% and Albrecht at 47.93%.

In a similar situation, Pleasant Grove Mayor Guy Fugal did not throw his hat in the ring this year. Two council members, Eric Jensen and Cyd Lemone, faced off for the seat. Jensen was in the lead with 57.87% of the votes, with Lemons trailing at 42.13%.

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A full list of Utah County results can be found on the state’s election website.



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Arizona State begins season at home against Southern Utah

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Arizona State begins season at home against Southern Utah


Southern Utah Thunderbirds at Arizona State Sun Devils

Tempe, Arizona; Tuesday, 9 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Sun Devils -16.5; over/under is 150.5

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BOTTOM LINE: Arizona State opens the season at home against Southern Utah.

Arizona State went 13-20 overall with a 5-9 record at home during the 2024-25 season. The Sun Devils averaged 74.1 points per game while allowing opponents to score 76.8 last season.

Southern Utah finished 3-11 on the road and 12-19 overall a season ago. The Thunderbirds shot 42.5% from the field and 31.3% from 3-point range last season.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Jazz G Isaiah Collier Nearing Season Debut After Injury

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Jazz G Isaiah Collier Nearing Season Debut After Injury


It looks like Isaiah Collier is nearing his opportunity to make his official season debut for the Utah Jazz.

According to a team announcement, Isaiah Collier has been recalled from the Salt Lake City Stars, the Jazz’s G League affiliate.

Collier was with the Stars for a few days as part of his conditioning work of returning to play, following up from his hamstring injury that held him out of the Jazz’s training camp, preseason, and start of the regular season.

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However, now that Collier is off the Stars’ roster and back on for the Jazz, the second-year guard should be preparing to make his season debut in the very near future, perhaps during Utah’s current five-game road trip.

Jul 14, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA;  Utah Jazz guard Isaiah Collier (8) dribbles the ball against San Antonio Spurs forward Dav

Jul 14, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Utah Jazz guard Isaiah Collier (8) dribbles the ball against San Antonio Spurs forward David Jones-Garcia (25) during the first half of a NBA basketball game at the Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images / Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

Collier was a welcomed bright spot of the Jazz’s roster upon arriving last year as the 29th-overall pick, making his presence felt in a major way pretty quickly within Utah’s backcourt.

In the 71 games he appeared in, Collier averaged 8.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 6.3 assists on just under 26 minutes a night, emerging as a nightly starter following the All-Star break, and being one of the best playmakers and facilitators on the roster.

Now for his second season in Utah, he’ll be entering a vastly different Jazz backcourt; one with no more Collin Sexton or Jordan Clarkson in the mix, and instead, currently being led by third-year guard Keyonte George and rookie Walt Clayton Jr.

As the Jazz continue their road of player development and expanding the roles of their young players this season, Collier should wind up having a solid role in Utah’s backcourt as the year goes on. As he returns initially, the year-two guard could find his place as a quality backup point guard within their already-young second unit. 

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His first chance to return to the Jazz’s lineup will come quickly against the Boston Celtics in TD Garden as part of Utah’s second leg of a back-to-back. But if not that soon, look for the following matchup vs. the Detroit Pistons as a potential date for Collier’s long-awaited addition back into the fold.

Be sure to bookmark Utah Jazz On SI and follow @JazzOnSI on X to stay up-to-date on daily Utah Jazz news, interviews, breakdowns and more!





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