May 2022 | Vol. 18 Iss. 05
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BRIGHTON WINS FIRST UNIFIED COED BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT, BUT IT’S MORE THAN THAT By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
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n its first unified basketball season, Brighton High Bengals brought home the gold. But it meant more than that. It was an opportunity for inclusion, partnership and belonging, said First Lady Abby Cox, who supports unified sports through her Show Up initiative. “Every student has a chance to be included and every student gets the chance to compete,” she said at the opening ceremony of the state unified basketball tournament where 32 teams played against—and sometimes, played together—for a chance to represent their team and school for a ribbon or medal. “We clapped when the other team makes a basket— absolutely—but there is some competition because that’s part of life,” Brighton unified basketball coach Jared Denslow said. “What Special Olympics is trying to teach us is we’re helping kids with special needs to get equal opportunities. We want to treat people equally and to make it an even playing field.” The tournament included coed athletes from 25 high schools running through a gauntlet of Utah Jazz and Weber State cheer squads and professional teams’ mascots, all there to support unified sports. It is the first high school state tournament, said Unified Champion Schools manager Courtnie Worthen, since during pre-COVID-19 years, the tournament was held for community teams vying for the state title. The 2020 tournament, which was planned to be a statewide event, was canceled because of the pandemic, and last year, regional competitions were held to reduce the numbers and possible spread of the pandemic. Worthen said after the statewide soccer tournament A Brighton High player gets a fist bump from Leo, RSL’s mascot, and one of about a half dozen who came to cheer on the unfiled basketball players at Continued page 15
the first state high school unified basketball tournament. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Page 2 May 2022
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City seeks residents’ opinions on various issues through survey By Cassie Goff | c.goff@mycityjournals.com
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ottonwood Heights has contracted with Y2 Analytics to draft, distribute, and collect data from a residential survey. Before surveys can be distributed to a random sample of residents, the Y2 Analytics team must prepare a draft of questions to include for residents to answer about city services. On March 1, Y2 Analytics Vice President of Research Kyrene Gibb and Data Analyst Emily Shill discussed what should be included on this year’s survey with the city council. They asked the city council what they were hoping to learn from the resident’s responses to the survey. Gibb suggested considering information to guide specific actionable items and will continue to be helpful in guiding city decisions one year from now. “We want to make sure the information isn’t too vague to be useful,” Gibb said. Councilmembers Scott Bracken and Doug Peterson mentioned development as a key topic to include on the survey, as there are upcoming developments for Hillside Plaza, the Gravel Pit, and additional projects along Fort Union. Peterson is especially interested in this topic “with the legislation talking about what may or may not be imposed upon us.” Councilmember Shawn Newell would like to gather more information related to housing, affordability, and density. “We have to avoid the word ‘density,’” Gibb mentioned. “We will have to talk about it without triggering a visceral response.” Mayor Mike Weichers wanted to get more information about how residents communicate with the city and wanted to ensure active listening within the community was highlighted throughout the survey. Councilmember Ellen Birrell suggested questions about traffic calming, crosswalks, shuttles and a senior center. “Pickleball will definitely be on the question list,” Gibb said with a laugh. The council voiced preferred emphasis for city council engagement and response, active transportation, affordable housing and trail development. Additional items to potential include questions about involved housing developments, housing types, diversity tax base, children and family, traffic, walkability, and providing more neighborhood access.
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“All of these questions add up quickly, so we need to be constrained,” Gibb said. “We need to get the questions that are most valuable.” “We do want brevity,” Newell said. “Surveys can get so specific and then you can get tunnel vision on specific topics. That’s not the information we want to receive.” After Gibb and Shill had a good understanding of what the council hoped to learn through this survey, they began to create a draft with many potential questions. The draft included questions to survey residential perception broadly, evaluate city services over time, about residential communication with the city, and to gather demographic information. “The survey focuses on perceptions of services and dissemination of information,” said Gibb. “We include specific questions on senior centers.” Questions within the draft were divided into specific sections. The first section of questions asks about the city’s general plan so responses can be benchmarked comparatively to neighboring cities. The second section uses a Likert scale to survey residential values within the city (such as if the city is a great place to live, if city services are managed appropriately, and if the city is growing in a positive way). Questions within the third section utilize a sider to gather feedback about street evaluations. A section regarding transit throughout the city with cycling-specific questions has been included. The last section gathers demographic information. Gibb and Shill ensured the council they will be checking for bias within the survey in a variety of ways. “We have no dog in the fight,” Gibb said. “We are making sure to frame dichotomies in a way that doesn’t create a false choice for residents. We will be doing our best to frame questions in a way that’s not leading or priming respondents for specific answers.” When finalized, these surveys will be distributed to a random sample of residents. Y2 Analytics wants to ensure a fair representation of the city both demographically and geographically. They use address-based sampling reliant on the registered voter list. “Voter registration lists are really high which gives a close to full general population,” Gibb said. After responses from residents are gathered, Y2 Analytics will conduct a post-field analysis based on census and layout estimates.
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Cottonwood students ‘Rock The Street, Wall Street’ when it comes to finances By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
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n the financial sector, women make up only 2.5% of hedge fund managers or 9% of mutual fund managers. It could be because by age nine in the United States, girls lose interest in math. Those statistics and more, is why “Rock The Street, Wall Street” was launched. The financial and investment literacy program is designed to spark the interest of a diverse population of high school girls to enter careers in finance, said “Rock The Street, Wall Street” teacher Amy Johnson, who also is Grandeur Peak Advisors’ senior manager of client relations. “As a firm, we have enjoyed having perspectives from a diverse group of employees and yet we find it very difficult to hire women; in the finance industry, women are underrepresented,” she said. “We have an initiative to reach out at the college level and engage more women and provide educational opportunities so that more people are aware of the financial industry.” With the support of her company and with the newly recognized Salt Lake chapter of 100 Women in Finance, Johnson got the support to offer the “Rock The Street, Wall Street” program to high school students. She knew Cottonwood High offered the Academy of Finance, gained support from administration, counseling and teacher Jen Riches and together, they began offering 10 one-hour sessions to a small group of girls after school. Senior Georgia Barrus was one of the girls who participated. “My dad always says it’s important to know where your money is coming from, to learn how to take care of it, to understand it, but I didn’t have time in my schedule to take any in-depth financial lit classes,” she said. “I thought, this is a great resource for me, to go and get a little bit of knowledge, especially since I’ll be going to college. I realized I didn’t know much about investing in stocks or much of the financial world, and felt it was important that I learn about my finances.” Even though Barrus plans to be an elementary school teacher, Johnson said she will need to understand the State of Utah’s pension plan and how they invest money for retirement. Similarly, other girls in the program will need to learn about finances as one wants to start her own business, and another wants to make a profit from thrifting. “We talked about savings, investments and budgeting. Through the program, they made connections with oth-
CottonwoodHeightsJournal .com
In high school, you’re making economic decisions all the time about where you spend your energy and how you divide up your time to do your homework and all your activities. Those skills are the same that come into play whether I should buy stock in Amazon or Tesla. Amy Johnson
er females in the financial profession,” Johnson said. The first five weeks last fall, the students had skills training, role playing, case studies, learned basic investment and personal finance concepts. They went from learning what a stock and bond is to understanding a case study and determined the fixed costs versus variable costs and the discretionary costs in a budget. During the course, students followed a sample portfolio of Amazon, Google, Lululemon, Airbnb and Netflix and watched what’s happened to their stocks weekly. “We looked at the stock market so it wasn’t intimidating; they could ask questions and learn what they’re looking at. I hope they will continue to have the curiosity to ask questions and the belief that they are capable of understanding and participating. I think most women discount themselves mentally from being eligible as understanding investing and that’s just false. There are plenty of professional working women who make budget financial related decisions all the time about how they spend their time, where they invest their earnings and savings, they have to pick their 401(k) and their company plan. Even in your own personal life, you should invest and participate. Women save a lot of money, but they don’t invest it,” she said. Johnson related that to the teens’ friendships, activities and homework. “In high school, you’re making economic decisions all the time about where
In a small group discussion, “Rock The Street, Wall Street” girls prepare for their personal financial futures after learning about the financial world. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
you spend your energy and how you divide up your time to do your homework and all your activities. Those skills are the same that come into play whether I should buy stock in Amazon or Tesla,” she said. After those five weeks of hands-on learning, the group had an all-day onsite visit to Grandeur Peak Advisors, a micro to mid-cap global equities investment firm. After a tour, the students met with the team and asked questions like, “How does a trade get from one company to another?” and “What does buying power mean?” They met with female professionals and learned their stories, Johnson said. Barrus said it was there that she began to feel more comfortable in understanding the financial world. “In the fall, I was hesitant because I felt like I didn’t know as much as the others here. But then I just stared learning to ask questions. When we visited Amy’s work, it was such a fun day to learn what they do and until then, I’ve honestly never thought that I would go into career within financial layers, but now I feel I could definitely have a good start,” she said. During the five weeks this spring, the students had mentoring sessions and learned how to prepare resumes, create LinkedIn profiles and practiced interview skills and pitches. Riches gave an example of her personal pitch, then encouraged students to “own your greatness. It’s hard not to feel
cocky, but you need to let your confidence shine through.” Riches said that “Rock The Street, Wall Street” allowed students to become fully invested in their personal growth and in understanding the financial world. “They’ve learned how to build their resume, invest in themselves, learn about finances and advocate for themselves. It’s been fun to see the growth and interact in a small group; we’re reaching a different group of people than we do in a traditional class,” she said. Barrus said that because of this program, she is now able to have a conversation about the stock market and has started a budget for herself for college. “I know how to read a stock; I can tell what’s happening with it and what to expect. I’m able to talk to my dad about stocks and investing,” she said. “After doing a budget assignment, I’m not just looking as a teenager does with money for fast food, clothes and not really planning ahead or thinking about a house budget, with rent, bills and phone bills. That hadn’t even crossed my mind before, but with my mom, I’ve created a budget to save up for my dorm, meal plans, and other things I’m realizing I’ll need. What I know will really stick with me is learning to advocate for myself. Teachers don’t get paid as much as they should, and I will need to use my voice and skills I’ve learned here.” l
May 2022 | Page 5
Who is that?
The chaos of the Easter Egg Hunt ensued promptly at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 16.
Easter egg hunt returns Photos by Cassie Goff
After devouring the treats within their Easter eggs, these two couldn’t be stopped. Many turtles and flowers were brought to life over Easter weekend.
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Cottonwood Heights City Journal
The Cottonwood Heights Easter egg hunt was divided into specific age groups for children to find their eggs.
Balloons artists captured not only the children’s attention but the parents as well.
The streamers sectioning off the various age categories were just as entertaining as the hunt itself.
Not sure if we’re frightened or excited by the big bunny?
“Look! What’s up there?”
CottonwoodHeightsJournal .com
Mayor Mike Weichers ushers in the annual Easter egg hunt.
May 2022 | Page 7
Dominic Burchett sworn in as Unified Fire Authority’s 14th fire chief By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
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hen Dominic Burchett was sworn in as Unified Fire Authority’s 14th fire chief in the agency’s 100-year history, he took over the reins for Utah's largest fire agency, serving 15 communities from Emigration Canyon to Eagle Mountain. His appointment follows the retirement of Dan Petersen, who served as fire chief since 2017, a man Burchett has worked with and respects. “Chief Petersen taught me the value of collaboration,” Burchett said. “He helped me understand the value of working with partners and stakeholders, searching to find the best answers for the community.” Burchett, a Utah native, has extensive fire experience that stems from more than 20 years serving Salt Lake County, most recently as assistant chief of support services. He was responsible for the daily operations of fire prevention, IT, logistics, and special enforcement. He also led the seismic retrofitting of all UFA stations and helped with several station rebuilding projects. His fire career began in 1997 when his brother, Matthew Burchett, took a seasonal wildland job with Salt Lake County. “He came home dirty and stinky, and I was in,” Burchett said. “I was able to be outside and work with people I really respected.
I was with my brother and other people who were working hard. I followed wherever he would take me.” When Matthew died in August 2018, working on a fire line of the Mendocino Complex Fire in California, Burchett lost his brother and best friend. “We grew up incredibly close,” Burchett said. “The healing process for me was a lot of therapy and people helping me through it. I think because of him I was able to step outside my comfort zone. He’s there kind of guiding me down certain roads and I feel his presence in different situations.” Over the years, Burchett has taken opportunities for growth that helped him step up the chain of leadership. He moved through the ranks as a firefighter, wildland specialist, paramedic, captain, and division chief. As the new fire chief, Burchett has three main areas of focus; the health and well-being of fire personnel, understanding the communities served by UFA, and continuous improvement for himself and the agency. He said, historically, fire departments have acted in a reactionary way to issues such as suicide, PTSD, and burnout, dealing with problems as they come up. He created a video that detailed his own struggles in the
hope it will create an open dialogue about mental wellness. “I want to look at these things more holistically and focus on prevention,” he said. “There’s a lot of responsibility on my shoulders and I want to do what’s best for my people. My focus is really providing the best service for the community and being the best fire chief.” Over the last five years, Burchett said UFA has come a long way under the previous fire chief. Building on Petersen’s foundation, he doesn’t need to do a big overhaul of the department, just implement small changes to keep moving the organization forward. “We have to be in tune with what our communities’ needs are. Our crews have to know what their communities want and how In April, Dominic Burchett was sworn in as Unified to provide that,” Burchett said. Fire Authority’s 14th fire chief. (Photo courtesy With nearly 700 employees, UFA serves Unified Fire) more than 420,000 residents in Salt Lake and Utah counties. In 2020, UFA responded to be successful.” 31,226 emergency incidents with 59,056 Burchett lives with his wife, Jillian, and unit responses from 24 fire stations. their five children. He enjoys being outside, “He has some big shoes to fill,” UFA traveling, and participating in IRONMAN Board Chair and Holladay Mayor Robert competitions, which he’s completed five Dahle said. “That said, we are certain, given times. He owns a small business and earned the full support of our board and the backing a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the of both civilian and sworn members of this University of Utah. l incredible organization, he cannot help but
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Cottonwood Heights City Journal
Middle school basketball tournament gives student-athletes chance to develop skills By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
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wo Albion Middle School teams took first in the middle school 3-on-3 intramural basketball district championships. Albion’s eighth-grade girls’ team and its seventh-grade boys’ team, coached by Nate Foster, took home championship trophies. Midvale Middle won the eighth-grade boys’ trophy and Draper Park Middle won the seventh-grade girls’ top place. Indian Hills sixth-grade girls team won as did Mt. Jordan sixth-grade boys. At Midvale, coach Mitch Edmonds held practices Mondays and Wednesdays after school, but he often would find “some of the boys would get up and go to the gym to practice as early as 5:30 a.m. or as late as 10 p.m.” He said the eighth-grade boys’ leadership with the younger teams and communication on the floor helped them in their overtime win against Albion, beat Mt. Jordan and then knock off Draper Park in the semifinals. Their win against Union in the finals sealed their victory. Draper Park’s winning seventh-grade girls’ team also were
champions as sixth-graders so they “repeated as champions this year,” Draper Park coach Rhodes Baker said. Draper Park’s teams practiced three days every week leading up to the tournament. Baker said there was so much interest at the school, they held their own tournament to determine which teams would represent Draper Park in the district tournament. “Most of the kiddos have played basketball for a few years and know how to play, but I tried to teach them the basics so they could do well at the district tournament,” he said. “On offense we worked on the ‘pick ‘n roll’ and ‘give ‘n go.’ On defense, we worked on boxing out and going to the boards to get the rebound. Overall, I thought the kids played great.”l
Midvale Middle School eighth-grade boys basketball team, coached by Mitch Edmonds on the right, won the district title over Union Middle for the championship trophy. (Photo courtesy of Mitch Edmonds/Midvale Middle)
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Former NBA coach hosting camp By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com
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tah native Barry Hecker, who coached in the NBA for more than two decades, continues to teach the game of basketball to young players. At the beginning of summer, he will host a camp June 7-10 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. in Sandy (location still to be determined) for boys and girls in third through ninth grades. “These camps are all about the basic fundamentals of basketball,” Hecker said. “We focus on quality fundamental instruction, we work hard with a lot of discipline and structure and we have a lot of fun. When these kids walk out of there, they know they’ve been taught and improved.” The cost of the camp is $85. Registrations will be open soon online by visiting www.sandy.utah.gov/735/Barry-Heckers-Basketball-Camp The veteran coach, who lives in Murray, said the values he has learned from his basketball coaching journey—beginning at Oxon Hill High School in Maryland and spanning through Salt Lake Community College and stints with the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies—are invaluable. Being able to share those principles of hard work, teamwork, unselfishness and persistence, along with the physical skills of the game itself,
with others thrills him. “I don’t care who I coach or when I coach,” Hecker, who has worked with current Jazz players Mike Conley and Rudy Gay, said. “I simply enjoy teaching the game. It’s great to see a smile on someone’s face as they experience success. If you help somebody, you’ll be somebody.” Hecker has conducted clinics all over the world for more than 40 years, including many since his retirement from coaching in the NBA. He said he particularly enjoys working with the youth. “If you teach skills, that leads to confidence and that confidence can allow anyone to do anything they want,” he said. “I have more fun with young kids than with the pros. In the NBA, you have guys who are making millions and they don’t listen. These kids are making nothing and they’ll listen to you.” l
Former NBA coach Barry Hecker has been teaching the game of basketball for more than 40 years. (Catherine Garrett/City Journals)
Sandy resident raises alarm about invasive beetles By Heather Lawrence | h.lawrence@mycityjournals.com
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hris Seibert is a self-described “tree hugger” who lives in Sandy near Flat Iron Mesa Park. Last September, he was alarmed by what he saw in his neighbor’s blue spruce tree—a distressed area in the top canopy. “I had been out of town for a while, and when I saw the tree again it looked like maybe lightning had struck it while I’d been gone. I called a tree specialist I’d used in the past to come check it out,” Seibert said. Seibert’s tree specialist was Scott Taylor, owner of Wasatch Ecocare. Taylor, a certified arborist, knew immediately what he was seeing. “I diagnosed the cause of the damage as an Ips beetle. It’s an invasive insect that attacks conifers. That includes blue spruce, cedars and other fir trees. It’s the same insect that’s killing a lot of fir trees in the Uinta Mountains. They cause a lot of damage,” Taylor said. The pest, also known as an engraving beetle, is so small that it’s hard to spot. Taylor treats 400 to 500 trees per year with the problem, and has only seen the beetle once: when he was on the University of Utah campus and they saved a beetle in a jar. “This is a black and white issue and as simple as this: if you have any of these types of trees, get them treated,” Taylor said. Some signs to look for are localized
Page 10 May 2022
dead branches in the upper part of the canopy, branches with a brownish or purplish look to them, and a look similar to drought stress. Seibert’s neighbor allowed him to treat her tree, and they both hoped it would be enough to save it. Unfortunately, the damage progressed over the last six months. Taylor believes it’s past saving and should come down. “Homeowners often don’t see the insect, just its effects. It lays its larva inside the tree. While the larva grows, they feed on and chew the tissue in the tree,” Taylor said. The larva attacks the vascular system of the tree. The delivery of water and nutrients is cut off, and the health of the tree compromised. That’s why Seibert saw dead areas at the top of the tree. Once the beetle gets in and starts to chew, there’s a window of 12 to 18 months where treatments will help. “If you have any fir trees on your property, you should get them treated. Preventative measures are your best course of action. “If you start to notice dead areas, damage has already been done. If there’s more than 20% damage, it’s too late. The tree usually can’t be saved,” Taylor said. Looking back, Seibert realizes he saw warning signs but didn’t know they were there. “A friend of mine asked me about some
pines nearby that looked sick. I hadn’t seen them yet, so I didn’t think about it. And in the spring and early summer I saw all these little black beetles I’d never seen before. I didn’t think they were doing any harm, so I didn’t do anything. “If I would have asked Scott to come out and look at them, he could have told me right off the bat what they were, and maybe we could have stopped them from spreading,” Seibert said. Now Seibert is thinking not just about his trees, but the city at large. He hopes the warning can spread faster than the beetles do. “The thought of losing this large tree is so sad for us. We want to stop the damage from spreading. But the beetles do migrate. I’m near Highland Drive and Newcastle and then it’s just a short trip up to the Albion Basin,” Seibert said. Now that the beetle is on his mind, Seibert is noticing damaged trees in other areas. In addition to looking bad, they’re a fire hazard. They’re also more likely to blow down during a storm and damage property. If you’re concerned about the trees on your property, you can call the Cottonwood Heights branch of the U.S. Forest Service at 801-733-2660 for advice. You can also hire Taylor’s company Wasatch Ecocare at 801-
The tree in Chris Seibert’s neighborhood first caught his eye in September 2021 when the top looked like it was dying. (Courtesy Chris Seibert)
870-0164 or another private company to treat your trees. “The trees in my neighborhood, in Flat Iron Mesa Park, in all of Sandy are just as important to me as those in my yard,” Seibert said. “I’m willing to do whatever it takes—make up a flyer and go door to door, go to a Sandy City Council meeting. I just want people to know so we can save our trees.” l
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May 2022 | Page 11
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Children receive free or reduced cost glasses through EyeCare4Kids, a nonprofit in Midvale dedicated to bringing the gift of sight to children around the world. (Photo courtesy EyeCare4Kids)
EyeCare4Kids gives children a chance to see the world By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
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Page 12 May 2022
oseph Carbone tells the story of a young boy who came to him for a pair of eyeglasses. Once they were ready, the boy put them on, looked out the window and said, “I didn’t know trees had leaves.” The boy’s words hit home and Carbone made it his mission to provide glasses for children all around the world. “It’s just such a happy experience,” he said. Carbone is a board-certified optician who opened his own clinic, The Eye Doctor, in 1978. In 2001, he started EyeCare4Kids, where he provides eye education and exams, vision screening and new glasses for children. The nonprofit headquartered in Midvale has given out hundreds of thousands of eyeglasses. “While in my practice I saw many kids went without professional eye care because of lack of access or their parents couldn’t afford it,” he said. “Last year, we presented our 400,000th child with a pair of glasses at the Boys & Girls Club with our mobile clinic.” After more than 20 years, Carbone has expanded his nonprofit into Nevada, Arizona, New Jersey, and soon he’ll open a clinic in Kenya, in cooperation with a Catholic hospital in the area. Each year, he spends a few weeks at the Navajo Nation, providing exams and glasses to children. Children living in poverty don’t usually get new items, receiving hand-medown toys, clothes or shoes. Often, these children get eyeglasses handed down from an older sibling because the family can’t afford a new pair. But the used glasses don’t fit the vision needs of the child. “They rarely have something that’s their own and kids can become self-con-
scious,” Carbone said. “When they receive a pair of glasses from EyeCare4Kids, they get to choose their own frames from a vast selection of options. They get glasses to call their own. They love the glasses and they love to wear the glasses.” Children are often referred to EyeCare4Kids through educators who notice a student isn’t improving academically. Other referrals come from service providers and church organizations. Through donations, Carbone continues to fund new glasses, which usually cost $90 per pair. People living in poverty receive the glasses for free. If a child has Medicaid, the insurance covers the cost. For those who don’t qualify for Medicaid but can’t afford to visit a private optician, a pair of eyeglasses is $35. “It’s so meaningful when a mom just takes your hand and says thank you,” Carbone said. “She knew her child needed something but she couldn't provide it.” With his mobile clinic that travels to rural areas, and his goal to have a clinic in every major city across the United States, Carbone said there will be no reason for a child to go without professional eyecare services or glasses. For more information, or to donate to the cause, visit EyeCare4Kids.org. “I’m the most blessed man on earth,” Carbone said. “I have the greatest gift. I’ve retired from my regular practice and I’m 70 years old. I hope my wife and I get to do this for 10 more years.” l
Cottonwood Heights City Journal
Athletic trainers have an important place at the school By Greg James | g.james@mycityjournals.com
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igh schools have several coaches and administrators that keep programs running smoothly. A position that is often overlooked but very important is the athletic trainer. “I overall have liked being a trainer,” former Copper Hills and West Jordan High School trainer Chaz Beckstead said. “Depending on the size of the school it can be overwhelming. Copper Hills is one of the largest schools in the state so that means a lot of athletes.” Trainers are contracted to high schools to provide health options for the student-athlete. They work for an outside agency and are located at the school to provide the service. Their duties include pre-practice events like taping ankles or providing physical therapy for injuries with the athletes. During games, they provide coverage in case of injuries. “It can be fast paced. Sometimes we had four or five events going on at the same time. It is very time-consuming,” Beckstead said. Sports trainers need to meet qualifications including board certification exams and state licensing requirements. They provide more than triage or emergency care. The student-athlete can be diagnosed, treat-
ed, and receive rehabilitation. “We can make referrals and many will go to their own doctor for treatment. We can save the athlete from going to additional doctors. It is also convenient because they can get treatment right at the school,” Beckstead said. The student-athlete usually understands the trainer's role, but many parents do not. “I have had instances when going to an athlete that was injured and the parents have questioned what I was doing. It is understandable that most people do not know what we do,” Beckstead said. Hailey Pabst is the current trainer at Copper Hills High School. She is employed with University of Utah Health. They are contracted to the school to provide trainer coverage. She worked at West Jordan High School and started at a school in Las Vegas. “I love working at the high school,” Pabst said. “The kids are hilarious. They can say the strangest things. I get to hear all about prom and the stuff that is going on. High school kids can say some strange things, but it is more about the relationships we can build. Some of these kids are going through a traumatic injury. In the time we work together we can talk about a lot of things and get to know each other.”
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Athletic trainers provide triage care for injured high school athletes. (Stock photo)
Pabst works with all of the coaches and gets to know how the athletic program works. The trainers see different types of injuries depending on the sports season. Ankle sprains and strains top the list of the most popular injuries. They also treat swollen muscles, knee injuries and lacerations. During football season they see concussions
and broken bones. “It is super rewarding. I get to see the kids grow. They grow from a little freshman to big seniors, not only in stature but in maturity. Plus, I can provide help to them at times when they really need it,” Pabst said. “Most people do not understand what we do,” Beckstead said. “We do provide a necessary service.” l
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May 2022 | Page 13
LGBTQ+ artists from Utah and around the world to be featured at festival By Sarah Morton Taggart | s.taggart@mycityjournals.com
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stefani Schubert is a queer Uruguayan Jewish poet, painter and social worker. And Schubert, is just one of dozens of artists to be featured at the Queer Spectra Arts Festival. “Queer Spectra is one of the only multidisciplinary queer arts festivals in the world,” said Max Barnewitz, one of the festival’s founding organizers. “There are other queer arts festivals focused on film or 2D art, but we are focused on being interdisciplinary. There will be a traditional gallery setting with 2D art along with sculpture and we’ll have a series of performance-based art including poetry, dance and film.” “Our goal is to make a space for queer artists and have conversations about why space for these artists is limited and why there’s so much censorship around queer art,” Barnewitz said. Schubert, who uses they/them pronouns, agrees. “I feel like there’s a lot of censorship in general with these new laws being passed,” they said. “The ‘Don’t say gay’ bills, what books are allowed to be read. With all that in the air it’s kind of scary sometimes, if you’re not in a space for queer people, to be honest about who you are.”
Schubert will have a digital collage featured in the online and in-person gallery at the festival. The piece combines vintage images of two women kissing and chains breaking along with the word “surrender.” For them, the piece is specifically about the euphoria they felt when they came to terms with their own queerness. “Growing up, I feel like I really expressed my fluidity through art because I couldn’t express it anywhere else,” Schubert said. “The colors, the shapes… I don’t know how to explain it. Getting it out on paper, letting it out. Not festering in my body, but it could also be a secret. Maybe other people couldn’t interpret it, and that made it safe.” Thirty-three different artists from six states and five countries will share their work at Queer Spectra. An adjudicating committee worked with the intention of showcasing diverse art with a mix of 50% locals and 50% out-of-towners. “We have artists from all over the world,” Barnewitz said. “It might be easier to showcase their art here. It’s a testament to the spirit of artists to want to share their art no matter what the cost. It’s proof of the strength of the queer community
Estefani Schubert’s digital collage “Surrender” will be displayed online and in a physical gallery space at the Queer Spectra Arts Festival. (Photo courtesy Estefani Schubert)
Page 14 May 2022
One of the world’s only multidisciplinary queer arts festival will be back in person May 21. (Photo courtesy Nora Lang)
that they want to participate in these events and find this community internationally, even if it’s intense.” Queer Spectra debuted in 2019 with 30 artists and more than 300 attendees and more than twice that number of artists participated during the two years the festival went virtual. According to the festival’s website, “spectra” means more than one spectrum and can be used to classify something in terms of its position on a scale between two extreme points. “These events are not only for the Salt Lake City liberals,” Barnewitz said. “We’re starting important conversations with people in Utah about queer identity and art. That’s always been our mission.” What does it mean for Schubert to be a part of Queer Spectra? “It means everything. I was scared I wouldn’t find a space like that,” they said. “Slowly but surely you find more queer people. It’s like a scavenger hunt. And I feel like I’ve struck gold.” Schubert moved to Utah from California in 2019 and has bounced around from West Valley City to Cottonwood Heights and Salt Lake City. Because of COVID-19, Schubert wasn’t able to connect with the arts scene as much as they wanted to at first. They now run a monthly poetry open mic at Under the Umbrella, an LBGTQ+ book shop in Salt Lake. “The idea festered when I was living in Cottonwood Heights,” Schubert said. “I was away from everyone in a nice house with a little porch next to a graveyard. It was a mystical place.”
Schubert was the first in their immediate family to go to college. They struggled to narrow their studies to a single major, eventually graduating with a degree in communication studies. They are now looking into pursuing an advanced degree in social work. “I accidentally became a social worker while being a receptionist,” Schubert said with a laugh. “It was so stressful that I needed to find a new job. I typed in ‘bilingual’ on Indeed and found a job at The Road Home shelter. It turns out that I love it. I have a passion for anything related to social justice.” Schubert’s parents are Uruguayan and their paternal grandfather was a Holocaust refugee who fled to South America from what was then Austria-Hungary (now Romania). “My dad taught me, since I was very young, that the Nazis not only came for Jews, but for the LGBT community, the Romani people, the Black community, basically anyone who was not Aryan,” Schubert said. “This shaped the way I navigate the world around me.” The Queer Spectra organizers want to convey a sense of honesty and acceptance in this year’s theme, which is a quote from the author and social activist bell hooks: “the function of art is to do more than tell it like it is — it’s to imagine what is possible.” “There’s always a duality with the theme,” Barnewitz said. “Two panel discussions will address each side of the theme. What is the role of art? What is our art trying to speak to? It’s a really fun way for the audi-
ence to ask questions and for artists to reflect on their work and engage with each other.” The festival will take place Saturday, May 21 at Sunset Studios at 1400 S. Main in Salt Lake City. Attendance is free, but tickets need to be reserved in advance for COVID-19 safety and capacity reasons. Accessibility is extremely important to the organizers. “We’ve learned to be mindful of the way we hang art, and a quiet space will be available to help with sensory accessibility,” Barnewitz said. “We are requiring masks at this point, and we saw that being online helped people engage across abilities, so we want to keep that virtual gallery.” The online gallery will be set up with screen readers in mind, and the live portions of the festival will have ASL interpreters. The virtual portion of the festival can be accessed online at www.queerspectra.com. This year’s festival is made possible through grants from the Salt Lake City Arts Council, Zoos, Arts & Parks (ZAP) funds, the Salt Lake City Mayor’s Office Arts, Culture, and Events (ACE) Fund and loveDANCEmore. Queer Spectra itself offers minigrants to artists through a partnership with Clever Octopus Creative Reuse Center. “Art is one of the most fundamental ways we can share our identities,” Barnewitz said. “It creates a unique atmosphere and so much authenticity to have these conversations, and we really want the community to participate.” l
Cottonwood Heights City Journal
Child abuse prevention measures highlighted at council meeting By Cassie Goff | c.goff@mycityjournals.com
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n April 7, the Cottonwood Heights City Council proclaimed the entire month of April as Child Abuse Prevention Month. The city council hopes to highlight the seriousness of child abuse and its impacts to the Cottonwood Heights community. “Investing in children’s general welfare, safety, and livelihood is of utmost importance,” said Mayor Mike Weichers. “All children deserve to grow up in a safe and nurturing environment to assure that they are able to reach their full potential.” Cottonwood Heights recognizes child abuse as a serious problem thought the world. It can cross all racial, religious, socio-economic and geographic boundaries. In 2010, there were 10,564 cases of physical, mental, sexual, or emotional abuse of a child in the State of Utah. “On average, one in 10 Utah children will be abused before they turn 18,” reported Eric Biggart from Salt Lake County. “Each instance of child abuse impacts not only the family but also the entire community,” stated Weichers. The council hopes to raise awareness of child abuse within the community. They encourage residents to be educated on the signs of child abuse and to be attentive to the families around them. While signs of abuse vary
Continued from front page last fall, which was held at Rio Tinto stadium and had the support of Real Salt Lake, interest in unified sports grew. “A lot of it was thanks to the First Lady’s initiative, Show Up,” she said. “More schools started to see what unified sports could be and wanted to be a part of it, so we saw a lot of growth. This was an incredible event.” That included eight of the nine high schools in Davis School District competing as well as Jordan Education Foundation pledging to support 10 new teams. Wasatch High’s team will even represent Utah at the national Special Olympics games. Since Worthen began overseeing unified sports four years ago, the competition has more than doubled from 22 to 50 teams involved in soccer, basketball and track. “A coach told me that this whole week they have seen inclusion, that their students have made friends with unified partners and even students who weren’t participating. They talk to each other and the students on the unified team feel like they’re a part of the school for the first time,” she said. It’s not just high schools. Worthen said that by the end of the school year, unified sports activities will have quadrupled in the past year, bringing participation up to 160 elementary and secondary schools. In May, unified golf will be introduced at the middle school level.
CottonwoodHeightsJournal .com
widely case by case, some of the key behaviors can may include: hyperactivity, social withdrawal, poor concentration, distractibility, bed-wetting, phobias, and nightmares or other sleeping problems. The council is committed to doing everything they can to prevent child abuse, and they hope residents within the city will do the same. For a full resource guide on child abuse, visit: www.ChildWelfare.gov. For more information on preventing child abuse, visit Prevent Child Abuse Utah at: www.pcautah.org. For more information about the Utah Chapter of Prevent Child Abuse, visit: www. PreventChildAbuse.org The Utah Department of Human Services can be contacted through www.dcfs. utah.gov. For more information about preventing or treating child abuse, visit Family Haven (www.family-haven.org). l
Prevent Child Abuse Utah encourages residents to educate, engage, and empower. (Photo courtesy of Prevent Child Abuse Utah)
Unified sports also gained the community’s support. The basketball tournament, which was supported by the Utah Jazz, had four sections: two developmental and two competitive divisions. The winners of each division were invited to be recognized at the Utah Jazz game April 6, where a highlight reel of the tournament was shown. However, the focus at the tournament was on basketball. A maximum of two partners or peer students could be on the floor with its athletes, or special needs players; the rest of the team regularly rotating in and cheering for both teams on the sidelines. Several schools had banners and families and friends cheering. One of Brighton’s teams won its competitive division at both region and state, the developmental team placed third at region and sixth at state. They had a total of 12 players and 12 partners on the teams. “I got a call from one of my students’ parents who said, ‘Hey, would you be willing to do this?’ It just gives the kids an opportunity to go out there and have some fun,” Denslow said, adding that quickly the school community came to support the team from taking their photos to show on the school’s televisions to providing team members’ free physicals so they could play. “It has really helped to unify the school.” He said that it helped teach some partners “to put aside their ego and realize, this isn’t about me,” and “see the smiles on the kids’
faces who were proud to represent their school and community; that was what it was about.” Brighton’s practices began in February, working on basic dribbling to learning how to move and communicate on the court. Players saw one another and learned they could do hard things, so “not only does it help them with physical attributes, but it also helps them in many mental ways,” he said. “We also learned how to win with dignity and how to lose with dignity, just to be good sports and to be kind and to help other people.” The team was treated to a parade through teh story’s main hall with students lining the balconies. Denslow said that it also allowed them a different social skill activity and they made friends with their peers. The school now plans to host a special needs prom at the school. Canyons School District, thanks to a Hillcrest High student who received a $1,000 Youth Innovation grant, will also hold a unified dance this spring. Hillcrest, which finished third at region and fifth at state in their competitive division, was excited for the chance to play ball. Huskies senior player Raymond Bryant was ready for his opportunity. “I play like 24-7,” he said. “I’ve learned how to take better shots, have better ball handling, and pass the ball when my teammates are open. I like how my team works together. It’s been so much fun learning more about basketball, but also making friends with my
team.” His teammate sophomore player Dax Bowen said that it has been fun. “We’ve learned how to throw the ball, how to move to an open spot on the court, how to block by having our hands up,” he said after playing in front of his extended family. “It’s just getting a chance to play, play with my friends at school and have fun when we’re playing basketball together.” That’s how Jordan High freshman Tegan Mast felt. “I like that we’re getting challenged to play basketball,” Mast said. “We’re really learning new things and getting to meet friends and getting to play; it wasn’t canceled this year because of the pandemic.” Mast’s teammate, freshman Kaitlyn Unzaga agreed. “It’s been so much fun and we’re getting to play basketball and learning a lot with our friends,” she said. The Beetdiggers placed fourth in region and sixth at state. Denslow said the best thing was a compliment he received when another coach said this team was “the kindest; they showed the best sportsmanship and for me as a teacher and as a father, that meant the most to me. That meant that as a team, people thought we were kind and accepting and that was the best compliment, better than the gold.” l
May 2022 | Page 15
SheTech encourages females to enter STEM field, bring diversity, fill jobs By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
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tah Gov. Spencer Cox isn’t shying away from the numbers nor his goals when it comes to closing the gender gap in women working in the STEM field. “We want to close the gap when it comes to STEM careers,” Cox said. “We would love to get to 50% and we’re working hard. There is a huge gap in not every part of STEM, but in most parts of STEM.” Cox has been a long-time supporter of the annual SheTech Explorer Day, now in its eighth year. The STEM career exploration day brought in about 2,000 high school girls from 150 high schools and attracts 1,000 mentors and volunteers from 250 tech companies to teach hands-on workshops in programming, engineering, aerospace, robotics, product invention and entrepreneurship, biomedicine, digital marketing, ecommerce, gaming, esports, virtual reality and more fields. “The world is changing right now, every single career, every single industry in the world is being influenced by technology,” he told participants. “The connection to tech is so important and there’s a huge gap in STEM more than anywhere else. We desperately need more women in STEM for lots of reasons. We have the best economy in the nation. There are only four states in the country that have more jobs now than they did before the Coronavirus pandemic started two years ago. In the state of Utah, our unemployment right now is 1.9%. That’s the lowest in our state’s history…but with that, it also means right now we have thousands of jobs available that are going unfilled; there are really good jobs and most of those are in STEM-related fields.” Cox said the need to fill those is real for “people who see the world differently in these jobs. We don’t need a whole bunch of guys in these jobs; we need creativity. I hope you bring that creativity to whatever it is you want to do.” Cydni Tetro, president and one of the founders of Women Tech Council, said that the SheTech Explorer Day was created to help target young women to enter the STEM pipeline. “We need the diversity,” Tetro said. “We have 4,000 open tech jobs. We need (women in) them in every field—computer science project managers, UX designers, data scientists, all of them.” The goal of SheTech to show girls technology in a fun atmosphere while meeting STEM role models to learn about opportunities in the fields. The high schoolers have access to internships, college pathway information and other opportunities. Hillcrest High ninth-grader Angelinne Guiterrez was exploring the TechZone, which showcased aerospace programs, technology in soft drink distribution, museum and aquarium careers and working in local
Page 16 May 2022
Gov. Spencer Cox, who has been a strong supporter of SheTech through the years, gave the opening address to about 2,000 high school girls this year. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
and worldwide software companies. “I was really interested in how math probability works,” she said after learning more about it at an exhibit. Her friend, sophomore Samantha Erickson, felt weightlessness while trying out a bicycle gyroscope. “The force of it was moving me in that direction, which was really cool to experience,” she said. “I’ve checked out every science—biology, aerospace, physics. Marine biology interests me.” Hillcrest sophomore Elena Parker was investigating future job opportunities, including working at a museum. “I love being surrounded by history and making exhibits would be really cool,” said Parker, who would like to work at a museum through college before creating her own cartoon series. “My dream is to inspire people to find their passion.” Cottonwood High sophomore Keian Flake was checking out exhibits in her first SheTech visit. “This is all very cool; I’ve seen everything from computer science to robots,” said
A high school student tries out feeling weightlessness during the SheTech Explorer Day, which resumed being in-person after going virtual during the pandemic. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Cottonwood Heights City Journal
Midvalley, school district says goodbye to beloved custodian, others who will retire By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
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or nearly 40 years, third head custodian Jim Sheely carried around 136 keys for Midvalley Elementary. Since the new building opened in 2020, he had only 10 keys, which he turned over April 15 upon his retirement. During his 41.5 years as a custodian, he remembers watering saplings in front of the former school building’s entrance with five-gallon bucket since there were no sprinklers, then watched them grow into mature trees to being pulled out with the construction of the current building. He constantly fought rusted galvanized pipes, refinished floors removing more than 20 years of built-up wax until carpeting went in, replaced tiles and fixed leaks, and nursed the “Great Dragon,” a nickname given to the old school’s boiler, until it finally quit in 2015. He climbed the metal rod ladder to the roof to throw down countless balls, cleaned up from thousands of school lunches and knew “every brick in the old building,” according to a former colleague. Sheely, who had mounted a framed Intermountain Contractor magazine cover featuring the old school building as well as a 1958 dedication ceremony program to then the “Home of the Chipmunks,” now Junior Huskies, in both his old and current office, was on hand for the school’s 60th anniversa-
the future architect designer. Jordan High juniors Kat Marshall and Alicia Appleton learned about technology in video game development and 3D modeling. Both may pursue a career in forensic science. Alta High freshman Nariska Clement, who wants to be a mechanical engineer, was looking at some robotics and CAD opportunities while her friend Mariam Ilaha Mujadidi was learning more about coding as she may want to enter the IT field as a software engineer. American Preparatory Academy students Camille Liebsch and Natalia Gutrierrez were coding Ozobots. “This is a real opportunity to learn a lot of cool things in tech and to make the world better,” Liebsch said. “It gives women a chance to step it up.” Gutrierrez said that the atmosphere was inviting. “It’s a safe space where everyone is supporting the learning that is going on here,” she said. Business leaders also prospered from the interaction with the girls. “At Oracle, we’re the world’s largest database management compa-
Midvalley Elementary custodian Jim Sheely leans on a shovel after the new Midvalley Elementary’s groundbreaking; he retired April 15 after more than 40 years. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
ry, the forming of the new school district and the ribbon-cutting of the current Midvalley Elementary. On his final day, he managed to keep his eyes dry despite the numerous hugs and high-fives he received from students during
ny and we have women in our leadership so empowering girls in STEM education is important,” said Catherine Hammond, fusion cloud ERP customer support manager. Caroline Lamph, director of product management at Entrata property management software, said that it’s important to get girls in the predominantly male-oriented tech industry. “We need the diversity of women in technology,” she said. “It makes us holistic. We want more opportunities for women so we’re actively looking to find more women leaders.” Maple Mountain senior Victoria Parrotti is one of about 30 girls who make up the SheTech student board which helped plan the event. “I like seeing other women who have similar interests as I do,” she said. “This is an important day. We’re making female connections and are finding opportunities through SheTech.” At the end of the day, the high school students participated with adult visionaries and mentors in a 45-minute Tech Challenge where they ideate, solve and pitch solutions.l
CottonwoodHeightsJournal .com
Midvalley’s long-time custodian Jim Sheely said he felt “like a rock star” as students gave him high-fives and hugs during his final walk-out of the building. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
his clap-out. “I did it for the kids,” he said. “They’re all good kids.” Now, Sheely and others school district
teachers, staff and administrators who are retiring can hang up there “gone fishing” signs after being honored at a Canyons School District dinner on May 12. l
Two students checked out the controls on a Utah Valley University plane at SheTech Explorer Day. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
May 2022 | Page 17
City to change on-street parking permit procedure By Cassie Goff | c.goff@mycityjournals.com
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ottonwood Heights will be changing their procedure for residential on-street parking permits. Currently, on-street parking permit areas are originated by a resident petition or city council authority. The city’s plan is to appeal the whole petition process in attempts to create a more balanced approach to parking on streets throughout the city. “We need to amend or repeal Chapter 11.22 (Parking Permit Program) of the City Code,” said Community and Economic Development Director Michael Johnson on March 22. “The purpose of the ordinance is to provide preferential treatment when competing with commuter vehicles for on-street parking in residential neighborhoods.” An on-street permit parking area is identified and regulated when a facility within a residential area attracts non-residential commuters. Such facilities increase population in the area and demand of on-street parking. In doing so, it exacerbates a shortage of on-street parking for residents within the area. Examples of such facilities may be schools or other large amenities or buildings. “When these permit areas are created, it can push parking further into other areas resulting in additional parking areas outside of those originally approved,” City Manager Tim Tingey said.
“There are technically three on-street parking permit areas within the city right now. Two areas with three permits,” Johnson said. The second on-street parking permit area approved by the city council expanded the area of the first permit area. On a geographical map, the area encompasses the same neighborhoods even though they are technically two different permits. Councilmember Scott Bracken mentioned the Cottonwood Heights Rec Center as such a facility. During the summer, the Rec Center draws much commuter traffic for those visiting the outdoor pool and dive tank. The commuters would park within the surrounding neighborhoods which limited onstreet parking for the residents living there. Instead of creating an on-street parking permit area for the neighborhoods surrounding the Rec Center, the city put up signs regulating parking only within certain hours. The current procedure for implementing a residential on-street permit parking area includes meeting certain criteria. A resident petition including signatures from the majority of neighbors living in the affected area must be submitted to the city. When a petition is filed, city staff members review the application to determine if the area is eligible and make a recommendation to the city council.
Then, the city council must vote to either approve or deny the creation of an on-street parking permit area. Councilmember Shawn Newell believes there needs to be a route for residents to be able to address and elevate such concerns. However, he recognizes “there are some unforeseen challenges that play into allowing these permits.” Councilmember Ellen Birrell agreed with Tingey that on-street parking permit areas seem to have more of a band-aid effect instead of addressing ways to implement lower traffic citywide. The councilmembers were mostly in agreement about having options for residents when encountering commuter traffic in neighborhood areas, but they would ultimately like to keep public streets available for public use. The council was ultimately in favor of appealing this process and creating a more blanket-style approach. The new ordinance will not allow for the creation of an on-street parking permit area by either resident petition or council authority. Instead, the city council will only be able to modify permit parking areas following a specified process (and those previous onstreet parking permit areas will be grandfathered in). l
While non-residential parking around the Rec Center is regulated, the area was not established as an on-street parking permit area. (Photo courtesy of Cottonwood Heights)
Fiber optic infrastructure options explored by City Council By Cassie Goff | c.goff@mycityjournals.com
O
n March 22, UTOPIA Fiber’s Executive Director and CEO Roger Timmerman visited the Cottonwood Heights City Council to discuss the possibility of developing their infrastructure throughout the city. UTOPIA is a fiber-optic infrastructure operating on an open access community fiber network. UTOPIA constructs, develops, manages, and owns the network but leases the infrastructure out to a variety of different services. UTOPIA Fiber is an interlocal entity by the Utah State Code definition. “We build fiber, but you don’t get service from us,” said Timmerman. “We allow different services to utilize the network so there is still competition.” Timmerman offered the metaphor of an airport. “Many different airlines compete with each other within an airport,” he said. Currently, 16 different providers compete on UTOPIA’s system. Every customer can choose from the 16 services offered which are: Veracity Networks, Brigham. NET, XMission, SenaWave, FirstDigital Telecom, Voonami, Sumo FIBER, InfoWest, 1Wire Fiber, Beehive Broadband, Intellipop, Fibernet, Rise Broadband, CentraCom, Mereo Networks, and Advanced Stream. As fiber lines are direct to every residential address, customers have the capability for 10 gigs of speed, unlimited usage, and no data caps. For residential customers, UTOPIA charges a base of $30 per month. Total monthly cost does depend on the individual services opted into. Timmerman mentioned how UTOPIA can run indefinitely without power, which is important nowadays as
Page 18 May 2022
residential use tends to exceed commercial use. He mentioned peak time for residential data use is 10 p.m. as everyone within a home is working, gaming, or streaming. UTOPIA Fiber has bonded for $400 million in projects which are paid through subscription revenues. There is no cost to the city. UTOPIA Fiber’s infrastructure does not require micro trenching as they utilize traditional underground boring. They use a horizontal directional drill that cuts 1-3 feet deep. With this method, UTOPIA can run indefinitely without power. “Microtrenching is an anti-competitive method of construction,” Timmerman said. Once someone microtrenches within an area, no one else can cut into the microtrenches. “We’ve never seen anyone overbuild us,” Timmerman said. UTOPIA Fiber has 45,000 subscribers with their network spanning the Wasatch Front. UTOPIA Fiber is already developed in Brigham City, Centerville, Layton, Lindon, Murray, Midvale, Orem, Payson, Tremonton, Perry, and West Valley City. They also partner with Woodland Hills, Idaho Falls, Morgan, West Point, Clearfield, Pleasant Grove, Syracuse, Cedar Hills, Bozeman, and Santa Clara. UTOPIA Fiber has already designed all of Cottonwood Heights. “We have designed your whole city. We know every foot, every box, every connection that would go in, what it would cost, and how long it would take us,” Timmerman said.
Every residential home within Cottonwood Heights would have a direct fiber connection if UTOPIA fiber is implemented citywide. (Photo courtesy of Roger Timmerman/UTOPIA)
Mayor Mike Weichers mentioned Google Fiber and Century Link have been invited to give similar presentations before the city council makes any sort of decision. “We do have the top Google rating score, even better than Google,” Timmerman shared. l
Cottonwood Heights City Journal
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CottonwoodHeightsJournal .com
May 2022 | Page 19
ANNUAL MEMORIAL DAY PROGRAM
to Honor Military Veterans for Their Service to Our Country. Monday, May 30, 2022 at 10:00 am.
At Larkin Sunset Gardens Cemetery 1950 East Dimple Dell Road (10600 South), Sandy
Brighton’s Zoey Keefer evades the Alta defenders moving downfield. After a slightly back-and-forth first half, the Bengals pulled away in the second half for a 17-6 win. (Travis Barton/City Journals)
The featured speaker is Congressman Chris Stewart. Program will include: Hill Air Force Base Honor Guard, Utah Firefighters Emerald Society bagpipes, Patriotic Music by Brian Stucki and the Minuteman Brass Quintet and Refreshments Courtesy of Cedarwood at Sandy.
The Bengals celebrate a first-half goal against Alta by Grace Garrett (4). At press time, Brighton was 9-1 with six games remaining in the regular season. (Travis Barton/City Journals)
OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. Page 20 May 2022
Cottonwood Heights City Journal
Girls lacrosse is the highlight of Brighton's spring sports
B
righton girls lacrosse fell from the No. 2 state ranking the No. 3 spot after a narrow 10-9 loss to 6A Skyridge in Lehi at the end of March. Otherwise, the senior-rich team is undefeated at press time. "Our team is literally the largest team in the state," coach Melissa Nash said. "Our ranks grew by 20 girls which allows us to field deep teams at both varsity and JV." This wealth of numbers pushes the Bengal team leaders to work hard. Two Brighton standouts have committed to play at the next level—Zoe Heffernan at Rochester Institute of Technology and Hunter Doyle at Westminster. They are joined on the much vaunted World Cup National team by Bengals Hannah Bangerter, Courtnie Scan for team schedule. Wright and Ayla Cole. This select team is coached by Brighton's Nash. They compete this July in Baltimore at the World Festival tournament in conjunction with the Women’s World Cup. "I think we have a lot of girls interested in joining our team for a few reasons—we are a very successful team (both JV and varsity) and because of our inclusive, fun and kind team culture," Nash said. The winter work and spring success of the team will hopefully help bring more wins this month. The schedule leading up to the May 18-21 state tournament can be found at the attached QR code and BHS.canyonsdistrict.org. l
By Jerry Christensen | j.christensen@mycityjournals.com
Brighton girls lacrosse holds one of the biggest programs in the state, helping the team to an excellent season so far. (Photo courtesy Melissa Nash)
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CottonwoodHeightsJournal .com
May 2022 | Page 21
Brighton wrestling legacy in the hands of new coach By Jerry Christensen | j.christensen@mycityjournals.com
P JUNE 2021 EVENTS
2022
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EVENING Season Tickets: $49 Adult,SERIES $45 Senior, $29 Child Amphitheater Parking: Amphitheater Parking:495495East East5300 5300South South Ticket Information: 801-264-2614 www.murray.utah.gov Ticket Info: 801-264-2614 or orwww.murray.utah.gov
June 3 .......................... The Sound of Music, Movie Sing-Along June 44 ................................. Les Miserables, Sing-Along June .......................................................... Murray Movie Symphony Pops June 5 ................................................... Murray Concert Band June 16-18, 20, 23-24 ......... Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical June 17-19, 21-23 ........................ Disney's The Little Mermaid June 25 .............................................................. Murray Concert Band June 26 ...................................................... Murray Symphony
LUNCH L U N C H CONCERT C O N C E R T SSERIES ERIES Tuesday at Noon in Murray Park Pavilion #5, FREE
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LLIBRARY I B R A R Y SUMMER S U M M E R SHORTS SHORTS *Wednesday Wednesdayatat11p.m. PM inin Murray MurrayPark ParkPavilion Pavilion#5, #5,FREE FREE June ...................................................... Magic Show June 82 ............................................. MagicMont, Show,Magic Paul Brewer June 15 9 ........................................... & Tails AnimalShow Show June .............................................. MadScales Science, Science June 16 ................................................................ Mad Science June 22 .................... Spiderman/Black Widow, Meet & Greet June 23 .......................................... DJ Juggling & Magic Show June 29 ............................... Miss Murray, The Gift of Movement June 30 ......................................... Woody & Jessie, Characters
airings. A great meal is paired with a proper beverage. Little Cottonwood Canyon is crowned with world class ski resorts. A legacy sports program is paired with an accomplished coach. Brighton wrestling is a program that has produced a record 77 individual state champions, has 14 team state titles, was ranked third in the nation at times and was guided by two hall of fame coaches (Don Neff, Dave Chavis). Stepping onto the mat this fall is a new coach prepared to continue the Brighton legacy. Coach Burke Gappmayer understands the gravity of the task ahead. "Brighton has such a solid, historical wrestling base that I know the program is well positioned for success,” he said. “This is a great opportunity to start a new career as an educator and to help build success on a legacy program."
Gappmayer has a stellar wrestling pedigree from Heber City where he wrestled under legendary coach Steve Sanderson at Wasatch High School. He comes most recently from Corner Canyon's accomplished wrestling program. He adopts American wrestler Cael Sanderson's mantra: "Unless you continually work, evolve, and innovate, you’ll learn a quick and painful lesson from someone who has.” A bankruptcy attorney by trade and a Jiu Jitsu black belt, Gappmayer brings his talents and focus to Brighton as a history teacher and wrestling head coach. Besides new energy and program vision, he brings his wife Joidee, his senior son Gavyn and his freshman son Jarom all of whom become key components of Brighton wrestling this fall. A proper pairing. l
New Brighton wrestling coach Burke Gappmayer with his sons, Gavyn and Jarom Gappmayer. (Photo courtesy Burke Gappmayer)
CCHILDREN H I L D R E N MATINEE M A T I N E E SERIES SERIES *Thursday Thursdayatat22p.m. p.m.ininMurray MurrayPark ParkPavilion Pavilion#5, #5,FREE FREE June 2 ............................. Two Shields, Native American Dance June 93 -.............................................................. Just Jumpin' .............................................. Jump Rope June Noa Polynesia, Dance June 10 - Spiderman ...................................... Karate & Photos June 16 ................................. The Puppet Players, Puppet Show June 17 - Ballet Folkorico .................................... Las Americas June Viva Mexico Ballet, June 24 24 ................................................... - Ballet Center Utah, Inc .......................... BalletDance Dance June 30 ......................................... Ballet Center Utah, Inc., Ballet
F A M I L Y NIGHT N I G H T SERIES S ERI ES FAMILY Bring Whole Family Young The 2nd the Monday of every month at 7and p.m.,Old! FREE
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Location mayfunding changesupport from This program*has received residents of Salt Lake County, SL County Zoo, Arts & This program has received funding support from Parks (ZAP), Utah Division of Arts & Museums, Utah residents of Salt Lake County, SL County Zoo, Arts and Department of Cultural & Community Engagement, Utah Parks (ZAP), Utah Division of Arts and Museums, and Humanities, NationalEndowment Endowment Arts. Museums and & National forforthethe Arts.
Page 22 May 2022
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Brighton athletics brings in new coaching talent By Jerry Christensen | j.christensen@mycityjournals.com
N
ew faces are added this season to Brighton's athletic leadership. Brighton's premier athletic programs, state-of-theart facilities and renown community support draw high-quality coaches. "Brighton searches for coaches who not only build the athlete, but also build the student citizen," stated Brighton principal Tom Sherwood. Garrett Wilson - Athletic Director Replacing a multi-decade legend like Lynn Moncur is not easy. But as Moncur retires next year, BHS basketball coach Garrett Wilson moves to the corner office as Athletic Director. Immediately, Wilson is about hiring his replacement and other new head coaches. "Brighton is obviously a place with great athletic tradition so we are excited to have hired some great new coaches," Wilson said. Tim Gardner - Head Boys Basketball Coach Replacing Garrett Wil-
The now-former basketball coach will be the new athletic director. (Photo courtesy Brighton High School)
The former Weber State assistant coach will take over the boys basketball team. (Courtesy Tim Gardner)
son on the hardwood is Tim Gardner who brings a basketball heritage from Juan Diego, Judge Memorial and six years as assistant coach at Weber State University. He graduated as an all-state player from Judge Memorial before playing collegiate ball at University of Puget Sound. "Trust the process" is his coaching mentality as well as "relentless rebounding and solid defense leads to scoring."
Gracie Jones - Head Drill Coach "I am beyond excited to give my all to this incredible program," exclaimed Gracie Jones upon her appointment as Brighton's new drill coach. "I was always so impressed with the Brighton Accadians since I was on drill at Corner Canyon. The talent is unmatched, and the girls have a certain spark that I just love. My parents
Gracie Jones takes over the vaunted Accadian drill program at Brighton High. (Photo courtesy Gracie Jones)
went to Brighton, and my mom cheered." Jones danced on the UVU hip hop team and was the dance president for two years. She draws her coaching philosophy from John Wooden: "A good coach can change a game. A great coach can change a life.” l
It’s graduation time for 800-plus local high school seniors By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
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ore than 850 Brighton and The ceremony, which will Cottonwood high school include board members Julie seniors will turn their tassels at Jackson, Nicole McDermott and commencement exercises this Clarke Nelson along with retirspring. ing Principal Terri Roylance and At 2 p.m., Wednesday, May other administrators, will include 25, about 465 Brighton High performances by the school band, seniors will throw their mortarorchestra and Madrigals. The boards in the sky in celebration theme, chosen by the senior class of graduating from high school. officers, is from NBA great Kobe The exercises will be held at the Bryant: “Great things come from Maverik Center, 3200 Decker hard work and perseverance. No Lake Drive, West Valley. Famiexcuses.” lies, friends and guests are invitPreceding the ceremony, ed to attend; graduating seniors soon-to-be graduates will parade will be given ticket information. through local junior highs and Speaking at the commence- Canyons School District will celebrate graduating seniors who include those elementary schools on May 31 ment exercises is Canyons who have attended school all 12 years since the creation of the district in where younger students will cheer School District Superintendent 2009. (Image courtesy of Canyons School District) for them. That evening will be the Rick Robbins. The graduation annual senior sunset, where setheme comes from author JK niors will meet one last time on the District’s history. Rowling: “We are only as strong as we are football field and open the letters that they Cottonwood seniors will walk in united; as weak as we are divided.” wrote to themselves at the beginning of the their commencement exercises at 1 p.m., Also, to commemorate Canyons Wednesday, June 1, in front of their families school year during senior sunrise. School District’s first graduating class that and friends for graduation. The exercise is a Cottonwood High’s Grad Night 2022 will include students who have spent their ticketed event; seniors will be allotted eight party is from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., Wednesday, entire K-12 school years in the district, tickets. The ceremony will be held in Cot- June 1 at All Star Bowling in West Valley each graduate will receive a gift from the tonwood’s auditorium, 5715 S. 1300 East, City. l Canyons Board of Education and Admin- Murray. istration signifying their place in Canyons
CottonwoodHeightsJournal .com
May 2022 | Page 23
Brighton's ‘cherished treasure’ retires after 49 years By Jerry Christensen | j.christensen@mycityjournals.com
I
t was the Nixon administration when Penny Petersen began working at Brighton High School. Gas was 39 cents per gallon. This year, Petersen ends her 49-year “stint” with Brighton in favor of a well-earned retirement. She came to the newly built high school in the early 1970s simply to fill time after her youngest child began first grade. It turns out that the new and bustling Brighton culture matched her own gifts for relating to teenagers and promoting student excellence. Perhaps the newly forming Brighton took its culture for athletic and academic excellence from Petersen. In her 49 years at Brighton, she has, day by day, added kindness, respect and accountability to the Brighton culture. “Penny simply is one of the best,” said Brighton football standout and NFL linebacker Bryan Kehl. “She represents everything that is amazing about Brighton High School.” Canyons District Chair of the School Board Nancy Tingey said, “Penny Petersen has had generational impact on students and staff at Brighton.” “Penny Petersen is the definition of institutional memory at Brighton High. She has been involved in so many diverse aspects of Brighton over the last 49 years that she understands how programs, administrations, teams,
careers have evolved over the years,” Tingey said. In 1996, Petersen was awarded the Super Fan Award by the Utah High School Activities Association. She and her husband Bryce were inducted into the Brighton Wall of Fame in 2001 and given the Bengal volunteers of the year award in 2006. However, much of Petersen’s service to the school community has largely gone unrecognized. In fact, the essence of her contribution can be summed up in two words—student recognition. In the 1970s she fell into the role of taking pictures at Brighton sporting events. She found that student athletes loved being recognized when those pictures were displayed in hallway cases. They became keepsakes as they were distributed to the students at the end of the year. She and her husband Bryce distributed tens of thousands of such keepsakes over the decades. In the 1980s, Petersen organized the school Pep Club under the moniker B.A.B.E.S. to promote school spirit and student recognition. This was during a period when Brighton would often take seven state championships a year in various sports. A highlight for Petersen was at the wrestling state championship when an unprecedented 10 Brighton wrestlers qualified for the finals. The Brighton 10 lined up
Penny Petersen has worked with Brighton High School for almost half a century. (Jerry Christensen/City Journals)
on one side of the mat in their white singlets to face wrestlers from the rest of the 5A schools. It was a Brighton moment supported by Petersen’s B.A.B.E.S. Mixed into the student recognition efforts was Petersen’s “Bengals in the News” wall. For decades, Petersen has meticulously scoured the local news to find any mention of Brighton students. She cuts the articles out or
prints them from online sources, highlights the student names and posts them in the main hallway. Students and visitors alike enjoy seeing the student and school accomplishments. Forty-nine years of student recognition—a good time to recognize Petersen as a key component of Brighton’s positive culture. “She is a Brighton cherished treasure,” Tingey said. l
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Boys volleyball approved for sanctioning in 2023-24 By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com
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epresentatives of the Utah Boys Volleyball Association had sat in meetings with the Utah High School Activities Association before—over the past four years in a formal fashion. So, when the UHSAA board again put the sanctioning of boys volleyball to a vote, the UBVA members braced themselves. They had been here before, and had walked out disappointed every time. Yet, on this day, March 24, 2022, it would finally be the outcome they had wanted when their organization was formed in 2015. After decades of boys playing the sport in Utah, boys volleyball is official, and with a 10-4 vote, will now be a UHSAA-sanctioned sport beginning in the 2023-24 school year, joining the ranks with 25 other states nationwide. “We had a lot more hope and momentum this time, but it was so surreal to sit there and hear it announced. We were just in shock,” said UBVA co-founder Jill Davis. This latest attempt at sanctioning laid 10,000 signatures in front of the UHSAA board along with written support from local politicians, including Norm Thurston of the Utah House of Representatives, who was in attendance at the meeting, to BYU athletic director, Tom Holmoe, BYU men’s volleyball coach Shawn Olmstead and USA national men’s volleyball coach John Speraw. UHSAA assistant director Jan Whittaker said, “The UHSAA is excited to be sanctioning boys’ volleyball for the 2023-24 schools year. This will allow many boys who have not been competing in a sport for their school the opportunity to be part of the high school sports experience. They will be able to benefit from the positive impact that high school athletics has on students.” Davis said, “It’s a wonderful sense of accomplishment and it was an honor to be in the seat. A lot of people told us it wouldn’t happen, but our grassroots efforts and the community support made this happen. This is a victory for everybody, especially the boys and their families.” Davis has helped spearhead the UBVA’s effort the past few years to get the sport sanctioned. Her sons, Parker and Price, were part of a Bingham High boys volleyball program who three-peated in state titles from 2017 to 2019. She, UBVA co-founder Warren Van Schalkwyk and Duke Mossman, who coaches at Wasatch High, formed a collaborative effort of continually gathering statistics and surveying coaches statewide to keep up with the growing interest and participation in the sport. What they found was: • Boys volleyball is one of the fastest growing sport in high schools across the nation. • Boys volleyball is one of the largest club sports in Utah. In 2015, the state had 24 club teams; last fall, that number was up to 56. • In 2019, 81 high school teams represented 56 schools in Utah. This year, 122 high school teams are playing from 64 schools with more than 1,500 boys competing. • More than half of those 64 high school teams had such a demand in numbers that coaches had to cut players at tryouts due to popularity of the sport and lack of facilities. • Most of the 5A and 6A schools have full teams with the 3A and 4A classifications having a more mixed representation and the more rural schools in 1A and 2A coming in with the lowest participation rates. • 53% of the boys volleyball programs pay for gym rentals from their schools in order to play and practice. • 90% of participants statewide just play boys volleyball and are not multi-sport athletes. “The push that Jill stayed on to make was really key,”
CottonwoodHeightsJournal .com
Corner Canyon High boys volleyball director Dan Penrod said. “Over this long process, there have always been a few parents that wanted to get the sanctioning ball rolling, but when their boys were finished playing, the momentum died down. Jill staying on after her boys graduated was everything in making sure this happened.” Whittaker noted how the Emerging Sports Program that the UHSAA formed three years ago played a key role in the sanctioning of boys volleyball. “That program was created to grow meaningful participation opportunities for student-athletes, particularly for female student-athletes, in sports and activities,” she said. “A sport can be considered for sanctioning after it meets a certain threshold of participating of our students in member schools. Boys participating in volleyball has steadily grown over the past few years.” Whittaker said once boys volleyball had met initial criteria for sanctioning consideration the UHSAA Board of Trustees looked at several factors in the ultimate decision-making process including: • The impact on Title IX compliance • The percentage of member schools that facilitate interscholastic competition in the emerging sport • Participation in community-sponsored leagues for the sport • Whether other state high school athletic associations sponsor or sanction competition in the sport • University, college and junior college opportunities for participation after high school • Whether the sport is a lifetime sport or activity, easily accessed in later life, that contributes to public health or fitness • Whether the NFHS or other recognized governing body publishes rules for interscholastic competition in the sport • Assistance available for growing the sport from national governing bodies, in-state coaches association and/or in-state officials associations • Significant obstacles to growing the sport, such as lack of facilities, expensive equipment, risk of injury, lack of experienced coaches and officials • The opportunity for student-athletes to participate equally from all socio-economic backgrounds • Whether sanctioning the sport will divert participants from and weaken an existing sanctioned or emerging sport • Whether there is significant competition for student-athletes to participate in this sport outside of school • The length of time the sport has been an emerging sport • The burden on member schools, districts and on the UHSAA of sanctioning the emerging sport • Utah Division of Risk Management concerns and input “This is not a check off list, but are items that were discussed prior to making the decision to sanction boys volleyball,” Whittaker said, adding that each school and district will “make the determination whether they will sponsor a sport that UHSAA sanctions.” Davis said that the sanctioning of boys volleyball is a “win-win.” “This legitimizes it for the boys and creates stability and consistency across the board under a fabulous umbrella. Scholarships are secondary,” she said. “Plus, county rec leagues can still function for those who were cut from their high school teams as well as those who just want to play.” Davis, the former director of Bingham boys volleyball
Skyline’s Kai Sorenson and Nick Allen reach to block a Bingham attack with Jordyn Vagana also ready on defense during a game at Riverton High School. (Photo credit Josh Henderson)
teams, has been gearing up to step away from UBVA since 2020 when her son graduated but “needed to stay in the game” to see the sanctioning process through. “Personally, to be able to serve these boys has been a thrill, and it’s an even bigger thrill to betting Utah on the map with boys volleyball,” she said. “I’ll forever be a part of the sport, but this ‘cherry on the top’ is so exciting for these kids and a great way to go out for me.” “Jill is an absolute angel for doing all of that. She did an amazing job, and it means so much to the boys,” said Olympus High boys volleyball club director Brett Peterson. Peterson, who has been directing the Olympus boys volleyball program for several years—with Ben Chamberlain coaching the varsity squad—said he’s thrilled to have the boys experience sanctioned volleyball. Peterson’s own experience was competing for two years in sanctioned play in California, and then helping build a club team at Olympus High, where he was a player/coach over his final two seasons, while his mom, Chris, ran the program. The UBVA will continue to host the state boys volleyball tournament for the next two seasons as budgets, schedules and regional alignments are put in place for the 2024 spring season when UHSAA will take the reins. For more information on the UBVA, visit www.ubva. info or email ubva.info@gmail.com. The addition of boys volleyball will come just after Salt Lake City hosts the high school boys volleyball national championships in summer 2023.l
May 2022 | Page 25
Attendees at the 2019 SHINE Gala helped raise money for The Children’s Center of Utah. The annual fundraiser helps pay for comprehensive mental health treatment for children up to 6 years old. (Photos courtesy of Sparkle Photography)
The Children’s Center of Utah recognizes Children’s Mental Health Awareness Month By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
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ach year on May 7, Children's Mental Health Awareness Day brings recognition to the value of a child’s mental health. But The Children's Center of Utah will highlight the importance of children’s mental health all month long. “Our organization is inviting the whole community to become involved,” said Rebecca Dutson, The Children's Center of Utah president and CEO. “On our website, people can find a whole lot of ideas they can be engaged in or their business can be engaged with. The more we talk about it, the less there will be a stigma.” The Center is asking businesses to give a portion of proceeds to The Children's Center of Utah during May and invites everyone to promote its mission on social media platforms. Yard signs are available to put outside a home or business, promoting awareness for children’s mental health. Anyone interested can contact Joni Clark at jclark@tccutah.org to reserve a sign. Or visit childrenscenterutah.org/awareness for more ideas on how to become an ambassador for mental health and raise money for the cause. “The best thing we can all do is start talking more openly about not just our own mental health but mental health in the family,” Dutson said. “There is so much support. One of the promises we make to our community is that we do not turn anyone away for inability to pay.” Supporters are also invited to attend The Children's Center of Utah’s SHINE Gala on Friday, June 3, at the Gallivan Center Plaza. The gala will be in-person, the first time in two years, and there is lots of interest from long-term supporters.
The SHINE Gala, which started more than 20 years ago, features a social hour, silent and live auctions, entertainment and a buffet dinner. In the past, the event has raised more than $500,000 to help pay for children’s mental health services. Registration is available on The Children's Center of Utah website. “We’re shining a light on the importance of early childhood mental health and comprehensive mental health care for children,” Dutson said. “Every child and every child’s needs are unique. We encourage families who have concerns about their child to reach out and start a conversation.” COVID shone a light on mental health issues. Children were heavily impacted by their parents’ stress, the change of schedules and isolation from friends and family during the pandemic. “[The pandemic] allowed for more conversations about mental health. We just want to continue to build on that,” Dutson said. “The relationships that children have with their caregivers and parents are so important. It’s usually those adults that realize there might be a concern. When we talk about mental health it can change the trajectory of a child’s life.” The Children's Center of Utah works with children from infants through 6 years of age. Its mission is to bring a heightened awareness to the issue of children’s mental health. For more than 50 years, the organization has used evidence-based treatments, helping more than 1,800 children each year to increase resilience and develop healthy emotional well-being.l
Cottonwood Heights City Journal
Intermountain Healthcare donates more than $500,000 to address domestic and sexual violence in the state. (Wikimedia)
$540k donation from Intermountain Healthcare will provide help for domestic and sexual violence survivors By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
O
ne in three women will experience domestic violence in the state of Utah. Statistics also demonstrate that one in six women and one in 25 men experience rape or attempted rape, and one in three women will experience some form of sexual violence. With such concerning numbers, Intermountain Healthcare is donating $540,000 and partnering with the nonprofit Utah Domestic Violence Coalition to assist Utahns who need help in recovering from the impacts of abuse. “Access to resources is an essential part of the healing process,” said Mikelle Moore, senior vice president and chief community health officer at Intermountain. “The members of the UDVC work together to support domestic violence survivors in a way that makes access easier and the use of funds more efficient. Intermountain is proud to support their efforts ensuring services are available where and when survivors need it.” Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, sexual and domestic violence cases have risen 8.1% in Utah. The UDVC provides advocacy and education to member programs and community partners. Its membership includes nonprofit domestic violence shelters and sexual assault advocacy organizations. The donation from Intermountain will
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help cover the operations costs of UDVC members. These community organizations provide resources to address healing from trauma such as the reduction of psychological suffering. UDVC will distribute the donation to more than a dozen local organizations: Canyon Creek Services, CAPSA, Dove Center, Friends Against Family Violence, Gentle Ironhawk, Healing Pathways, New Hope Crisis Center, New Horizons Crisis Center, Peace House, The Refuge, Safe Harbor, Seekhaven, South Valley Services, YCC, YWCA, Rape Recovery Center and Restoring Ancestral Winds. To learn more about the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition, visit udvc.org. "The Utah Domestic Violence Coalition and our member programs are so grateful for the financial support from Intermountain Healthcare in meeting the increased need for services for survivors,” said Jennifer Campbell, executive director of UDVC. “Having operational funding will help our programs continue to provide their life-saving services and ensure that when someone is in need, they can find help." l
May 2022 | Page 27
I
Salt Lake County uses federal ARPA dollars for affordable housing, water conservation and workforce development
believe one of the most important roles for an elected official is acting as a steward of your taxpayer dollars. Residents entrust us to judiciously use funds to perform essential functions for the community, and as such residents expect that every dollar spent by the government will be carefully scrutinized. I used these principles to cast my vote for the allocation of federal ARPA dollars, which included funding for affordable housing, water conservation, and workforce development. Included are some details about each of these projects. These funds do not come from property or sales taxes. They are funds given to counties from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocated by the federal government. These funds are meant to support COVID-19 response efforts, replace lost public sector revenue, support immediate economic stabilization, and address systemic public health and economic challenges. They cannot be used to pay down debt, lower taxes or give refunds back to taxpayers. We know affordable housing is a huge issue. In 2021 rental costs increased by 12 percent and homeownership costs increased by 28 percent. Low to moderate household incomes have experienced significant supply and cost barriers to access safe and affordable housing. We know there is a far greater cost to society if
Aimee Winder Newton
Salt Lake County Council | District 3
youth end up homeless because their families can’t afford a place to live. Homelessness disrupts educational opportunities and puts them at higher risk of ending up in jail or utilizing government welfare services. This would end up costing taxpayers more than an upfront investment. Stability is key to helping young people succeed. The Salt Lake County Council allocated $20 million dollars to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. This trust fund will leverage state and local government funding to preserve, construct, and assist 1,200 units of safe, affordable housing in Salt Lake County. Utah is experiencing its worst drought in 50 years and water conservation is a top concern. The Salt Lake County Council allocated $2.1 million ARPA dollars to Integrated Water Conservation & Land Use Municipal Partner-
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ships. Salt Lake County will partner with cities to implement approved water conservation plans. The Salt Lake County Council invested $10 million dollars to implement the Workforce Inclusion and Successful Employment (WISE) program. This program is designed to identify effective solutions that empower lower income communities to get education, skills and training needed to engage in the workforce. It is the goal of the program that by 2026, a net tax impact will be shown by comparing WISE
program expenses with tax savings achieved through (1) increased revenue due to higher salaries and (2) reduced expenses due to less need for government assistance. Every vote I cast as a county council member comes after thoughtful consideration of how it will impact the county overall, as well the constituents whom I represent in this role. I believe these ARPA funds are a once in a generation opportunity to invest in projects that will provide better opportunities and outcomes for residents now and in the future.
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Cottonwood Heights City Journal
Investments of $30 million-plus tackle affordable housing, jobs and water conservation By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
I
n a response to the state’s housing crisis, the Salt Lake County Council recently approved $20 million in funds to build and preserve nearly 1,200 affordable housing units. The housing will be near childcare resources and jobs, with access to broadband, transportation and schools. “More affordable housing is desperately needed,” Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson said. “There are way too many hard-working households that are left behind because of skyrocketing home prices, rising rents, and fewer options to choose from. Salt Lake County is listening to residents and responding with significant funding to build and preserve housing.” Funding for the project comes from the American Rescue Plan Act with an additional $12.1 million earmarked for water conservation and workforce development. With the steady increase of rental and home ownership costs, and stagnant wages, the council approved the ARPA funds in the form of grants to community housing organizations, nonprofit housing providers, municipalities, and private developers. In 2021, rental costs increased by 12% and homeownership costs increased by
28% or more in the county. In March 2022, the median price for a Salt Lake County single-family home sold for $580,000. “Housing is one of the things that keep us up at night,” said Dina Blaes, director of Salt Lake County’s Office of Regional Development. “But, fortunately, the county has a lot of expertise in affordable housing. So, we’re going to leverage our expertise with this new funding to enable thousands of families to remain living and working in Salt Lake County.” Workforce development will receive a $10 million boost for the new Workforce Inclusion and Successful Employment program. Through grants, WISE will help nearly 2,000 students complete trainings that lead to higher-paying jobs. Students will also be connected with childcare, mental health and mentorship services. “I think this is an awesome opportunity for Salt Lake County residents who might be working two or three jobs. We’re making it easier for them to succeed with career goals that really help themselves and their families,” said Jevon Gibb, Salt Lake County economic development director. Water conservation receives the final allocation of ARPA funds, with $2.1 mil-
In a response to the state’s housing crisis, the Salt Lake County Council recently approved $20 million in funds to build and preserve nearly 1,200 affordable housing units. (City Journals)
lion going to a regional water conservation program. By collaborating with cities and unincorporated areas in the county, the development of water conservation and landuse action plans will address the state’s
Q&A Business Spotlight Desert Star has another rip-roaring musical mash-up ready to make you laugh your abs off with the show “Hunk-cules: I’m Too Sexy For My Toga.” The laughs will keep going with this musical melodrama for the whole family. Written by Beth Bruner and directed by Todd Michael Thompson, the story opens with our hero Hercules battling a fiendish lion which wins him the hand of the princess Meg. But the King wants someone else to marry his daughter, so they give Hercules three supposedly impossible tasks. Much to their chagrin, Hercules begins to breeze through them so they send Prince Diaredes to foil Hercules and steal the girl. Jump in your chariot and ride on down to Desert Star to find out if love prevails. “Hunk-cules: I’m Too Sexy For My Toga” runs April 21 through June 4. The evening also includes one of Desert Star’s comical musical olios, following the show. The “Mountain Music Olio” features the backwoods, mountain music to bring out the granola inside, mixed with Desert Star’s signature comedy. Food is available from an á la carte menu and is served at your table. There is
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current drought, the worst in 50 years. As growth in Salt Lake County is projected to add 600,000 residents by 2065, water for current and future populations is a top concern for the region. l
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May 2022 | Page 29
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Cottonwood Heights City Journal
X marks the spot
H
e might not have a parrot or an eye patch, but my dad has found more buried treasure than any pirate. Inside his mild-mannered dad costume lurks the heart of Captain Jack Sparrow, ready to tackle any adventure with dashing flair and comic grace. On a blustery day in April, he took a pickaxe and hammer to help his great-grandkids find fossilized shells and pieces of quartz on the side of a mountain near his home in central Utah. He was excited about every discovery, and everywhere he looked, he saw treasure. He pointed to the west and said, “That mountain is full of blue agate.” He pointed down and leaned in to whisper, “We’re standing on the biggest gold mine in the state.” He pointed east to where dinosaur bones hide in the hills and pointed south to Native American sites where he’s examined petroglyphs and rock paintings. I’ve explored with Dad many times, usually only finding spiders, cacti and the occasional rattlesnake. He can stick his hand in a hole in a rock and pull out gemstones, old coins and a jackalope skull. Dad’s always had a sense of adventure. If he could make a living exploring
COTTONWOOD
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ghost towns and spelunking in caves for lost treasure, à la Indiana Jones, he’d be the happiest man on earth. With his keen, scientific mind, he built model airplanes and assembled rockets that exploded in midair, not always on purpose. He’d ignite a mini cannon on the Fourth of July that freaked out the neighbors, cracked a basement window and set off car alarms. We’d run inside and hide like the Feds were after us. They probably were. For him, life has been one big treasure hunt. He often takes his metal detector to parks and always shows up when a road is being dug or a house demolished. You never know what he’ll find; sometimes a rare penny, sometimes radioactive marbles. He once discovered a class ring and
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