One school's attempts to bring Kevin Bacon to Utah

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Rural Utah Project

Forty years ago, Kevin Bacon graced the halls of Payson High School as Ren McCormack in “Footloose.” Now the students of that same high school are trying to orchestrate Bacon's return to Payson for their prom.

This anniversary has been even more special than in years past with the school soon moving to a new building.

“It seemed like if there was ever a time for him to come back and celebrate this movie, that this would be the year,” said Jenny Staheli, the school’s student council adviser.

This isn't the school's first attempt to bring Bacon to Utah. It has been an idea for at least 20 years, according to Staheli.

In what they've dubbed as “Footlose Year at Payson High,” the school and community have held several Bacon-themed events, including hosting a screening of the movie, raising money for Bacon's charity SixDegrees, putting on a production of “Footloose” and writing letters to Bacon.

A video from Gov. Spencer Cox persuading the actor to come back to Payson has also been instrumental in the school's efforts.

Sen. Mitt Romney’s answer when asked to pick a third candidate to run against Trump and Biden

Sen. Mitt Romney confirmed he wouldn't be running for president Thursday as a third candidate option against President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, but he has an opinion on who that candidate should be.

While at a passport fair on Friday, Romney told the Deseret News that his ideal third candidate would be “any Republican other than President Trump.”

“There are a number of people who ran for president in the Republican primary. I would have voted for all of them, other than perhaps Vivek Ramaswamy, and would have been happy to see them lead our party,” he said.

The senator believes the president should be “someone of judgment and capacity, but also someone of character, because the character of the individual who leads the country will help shape the character of the entire country.”

Read more of Romney's thoughts on the ideal candidate and the death of Alexei Navalny.

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