In June of 1883, 21-year-old Thomas Kearns arrived in Park City with little to his name and no guarantee of success. Like many young men drawn to the mining camps of the West, he was poor, ambitious, and willing to take whatever work he could find. After months of grueling labor underground as a mucker in the Ontario Mine, Kearns distinguished himself through persistence and curiosity, spending his evenings studying manuscripts on mining and land rights long after his shifts ended.

That quiet discipline soon changed his fortunes. A chance observation while tunneling led Kearns and a small group of partners to lease nearby claims, uncovering one of the most productive silver deposits in Utah history. In less than a decade, the immigrant laborer had become a millionaire and a central figure in Park City’s economy, setting in motion a rise that would carry him far beyond the mines.

After years in Salt Lake City and an interlude in Oregon, Kathie Chadbourne settled on Price as the location for her new rock shop. The town appealed to her because of its strong ties to geology and archeology, and its place within the Dinosaur Diamond. At first, she wondered whether a shop like hers might already exist there.

What may sound like noise or nonsense to adults often carries meaning inside today’s classrooms. From oversized, sticker-covered water bottles to repeated phrases borrowed from online videos, small habits have become shared language among students. This is what student culture looks like heading into 2026.

Moving away from your hometown can come with many blessings. But for some, it also comes with just as many bouts of loneliness. That ache of not knowing where to meet people, or grieving the friends you left behind, comes in waves. Workplaces and churches can sometimes provide ready-made communities, but what happens when they don’t? Where do you go to find true belonging?