Forty years ago, Salt Lake was reeling in terror as multiple bombs exploded in deadly attacks around the city, stemming from a forgery spree involving purportedly historical Mormon documents.

• This is Old News, where we process patterns of trauma and healing in Utah's past.

What drove the news: Two people were killed Oct. 15, 1985, when they picked up packages wrapped in brown paper and rigged to explode.

• The first blast, around 8am at the Judge Building downtown, killed financial adviser Steven F. Christensen, 31.
• Two hours later, 50-year-old Nancy Sheets died after picking up a package left outside her home in Holladay. Her husband was a former business associate of Christensen — and the company they had once built was rumored to be nearing collapse.

That was the motive police suspected until a third bomb exploded the next day, critically wounding a rare documents dealer named Mark Hofmann.

• Yes, but: Hofmann's injuries didn't match his account of the blast, police said. They also found checks and other evidence showing Christensen had just paid Hofmann more than $100,000 in connection with "rare historical documents pertaining to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."

Catch up quick: Hofmann had gained notoriety in previous years for historical records he claimed to have found, some of which challenged church narratives of its origins.

Between the lines: Although Hofmann's documents had been scrutinized by historians, investigators later found irregularities in the ink on Hofmann's documents, revealing them to be forgeries.

The bottom line: Hofmann said he had amassed debts and obtained advance payment to provide Christensen documents he didn't possess and hadn't forged.

• He told investigators he killed Christensen to buy time and avoid exposure. The Sheets bomb was a red herring.
• He pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder and other charges related to deception.

The big picture: The Wasatch Front filled with panic in the days following the bombings.

• BYU professors and other historians feared they would become the next targets; some fled for safety.
• Police received hundreds of calls over benign packages and other false alarms. One deliveryman said he'd become the town villain; another was chased and beaten.

The latest: The saga of the bombings has spawned Netflix's "Murder Among the Mormons" in 2021.

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A little over a year after the state's NHL team first hit the ice, the Utah Mammoth unveiled their new mascot: a mammoth named Tusky, said to have a mischievous side.

State of (icy) play: Tusky emerged from a block of ice before the team's home opener against the Calgary Flames yesterday.

• The blue-furred beast sported a jersey and the team's colors — "rock black," "salt white" and "mountain blue" — from head to toe.
• Fans can expect his mohawk to change colors over time, according to the team.

Flashback: Mammoths, which roamed Utah over 100,000 years ago, once stood over 14 feet tall, but Tusky tops out at 6-foot-5.

What we're watching: Tusky never passes up a chance to pull a prank.

• And he's a talented skater.

Context: The Utah Mammoth, formerly the Utah Hockey Club, revealed its permanent team name in May after asking fans to weigh in.

What they're saying: "We named the Utah Mammoth mascot Tusky to lean into our team's 'Tusks Up' rallying cry," Ryan and Ashley Smith, owners of the Utah Mammoth, said in a statement.

Follow Tusky on Instagram, X or TikTok.

Tell a fan

"No Kings" rallies and marches are planned for Saturday in at least a dozen Utah towns and cities as millions are expected to gather across the nation.

Why it matters: The latest round of protests comes amid growing frustration about the ongoing government shutdown and tariffs, and widespread opposition to President Trump's military crackdown on Democratic-led cities across America.

The intrigue: Republicans have ramped up criticism of the recurring movement against the Trump administration.

• Republican leadership, including House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), called the protest "a hate America rally."

Here are some of the Saturday events scheduled in Utah:

• Salt Lake City: 11am-1:30pm at Utah State Capitol
• Ogden: 10am-noon at the Ogden Municipal Building
• Logan: 1-2:30pm at the Cache County Historic Courthouse
• Provo: 2-4pm at Provo City Hall
• St. George: 1-3pm at 300 S. 400 East

What we're watching: Whether SLC protesters remain deterred by a fatal shooting at the June 14 "No Kings" march downtown, allegedly by guards who police said were part of the event's "peacekeeping" team.

• Before the shooting, anti-Trump rallies here drew crowds of 10,000 or more — among the largest in recent Utah memory. But turnout dropped sharply after that.

More events

🚨 A 28-year-old man was arrested after law enforcement authorities said he made threats on X against University of Utah fans ahead of a football game against Brigham Young University. (FOX 13)

⚖️ The American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado is suing Department of Homeland Security officials on behalf of immigrants, including a University of Utah student, detained by ICE. (Utah News Dispatch)

🏛 U.S. Rep. Blake Moore (R-Utah) told reporters this week that the government shutdown could stretch out longer than he anticipated and accused congressional Democrats of "holding the government hostage."(KSL.com)

Spooky season will be over before you know it.

• Here are some ways to spend it in and around Salt Lake:

👩‍🌾 Scarecrow Festival: Stroll through 50 acres at Lehi's Ashton Gardens at Thanksgiving Point spotlighting fall hues and scarecrows made by locals. Tickets.

• When: 9am-7pm now through tomorrow, with a 10am opening Saturday.

🎃 Halloween Bash: Check out the haunted trail, a spooky exhibit, live music and yard games. Free.

• When: 6-8:30pm tomorrow
• Where: Layton Amphitheater Plaza

🎭 An October Evening: Take in this immersive, apocalypse-themed show, now in its 19th year, packed with live performances, film, fashion and music. Tickets.

When: 7-9pm Saturday

Where: Salt Lake Masonic Temple

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