April 2026 | Vol. 23 Iss. 4
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Midvale
Main Street boost See Grant program will help businesses host more events Page 8 Inside...
Teaching more than music Hillcrest teacher honored after four decades
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Hillcrest’s Eva Zimmerman makes history with fourth state wrestling title By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
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va Zimmerman never set out to win four state wrestling championships. Her goal was simpler: improve every day. This winter, Zimmerman closed out her high school wrestling career by winning her fourth consecutive state title, finishing an undefeated season and becoming the first wrestler in school history — girls or boys — to achieve the feat. “There’s about five girls in the state ever who have won all four years,” she said. Girls wrestling was added about four years ago as its own sport, said Utah High School Activities Association Assistant Director Jeff Cluff. With that, it grew from 250 girls competing against boys to about 2,000 girls participating with their own championship. “I’m happy I won, but it also is a big relief,” Zimmerman said. “I tried not to put a ton of pressure on it, because it’s not fun that way, but there was building pressure all season since I hadn’t lost. It was never my goal since it wasn’t something I can control, but I’m glad I did it and can move on to the next stage.” At the state meet, “the energy was electric, and the crowd was huge.” “It was fun competing with my sister, too. Katie won this year, her second time winning; and my teammates, Caroline and Cassie Pastrana, won titles too,” Zimmerman said. Zimmerman comes from a large family. She’s number six of 10 children; her older brother Zeke was “a really good wrestler” who competed at state and older sister, Eliza, who now helps coach the team, is a three-time state champion. Younger brother Isaiah is on Hillcrest’s team as well.
Even with enough to make their own team, Zimmerman said the living room doesn’t become a mat of competition. “My dad owns a jiu jitsu gym so sometimes we’ll go there and work out; our family is really active,” she said. Zimmerman took up wrestling, following the lead of older siblings. “I started wrestling as a freshman. I wish I stared sooner, but I followed Zeke and Eliza. I look up to them,” she said. “Early on, they were like, ‘Eva, you could be really good; you’re athletic.’” Her success came quickly.
“Wrestling is hard. You have to learn to love the grind.” — Eva Zimmerman “To come in and win state the first year of wrestling says a lot about how hard she works,” Hillcrest coach Nick Pappas said. “She was beating boys in the room in a very short time. Her learning curve is remarkable.” But Zimmerman said the journey wasn’t easy. She recalls struggling through grueling practices. “I wouldn’t say I hated wrestling, but my freshman and sophomore years, I would cry at least once a week at practice,” she said. “Wrestling is hard. You have to learn to love the grind.”
Hillcrest’s Eva Zimmerman, who won her fourth state title and the most outstanding wrestler award, is joined by her coach, Nick Pappas. (Photo courtesy of Eva Zimmerman)
Ho Ho or Humdrum? Navigating Mental Health During the Holidays
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ur favorite big box stores and online ads have been reminding us for weeks that the holidays are to our Community Sponsors for just around the corner. Happy time, right? supporting City Surprisingly theJournals holidays can be a time of increased stress and can trigger mental health challenges for many. A 2023 survey by the American Psychological Association found that 89% of U.S. adults feel stressed
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Loneliness. The holidays can create a heightened sense of loneliness for those who are separated from loved one or grieving a loss. According to Dr. Jared Lambert, a CommonSpirit family medicine physician in West Jordan, there are several things we can do to manage holiday stress and even find joy in a season that is meant to be joyful.
– sleep, exercise, and healthy eating – still matter at this time of year. Third – Set a budget. Having a financial plan going into the holidays helps with avoiding excessive spending. There’s nothing quite so deflating as January credit card bills that exceed what we can afford. Fourth – Find joy in small things. Make time to talk to a friend or family member who