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February 2018 | Vol. 18 Iss. 02

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TWENTY-FIVE DISTRICT SCHOOLS HOLD DONATION DRIVES By Julie Slama | Julie@mycityjournals.com

his winter, Willow Canyon students brought in boxes of cereal—870 boxes to be exact. The Sandy students, lead by the school’s student council, wanted to make sure students who regularly counted on school breakfast had breakfast over the winter break. They gave their donations to their peers at Midvale Elementary. “Their helping hands culminated a month-long theme of service to others and the importance of being kind,” Principal Marilyn Williams said, adding that donations were also taken as part of their holiday school choir performance. Willow Canyon was one of more than 25 Canyons District schools to hold donation drives. Despite the robust economy, intergenerational poverty continues to be a problem in Utah, said Canyons School District spokesman Jeff Haney. “In Canyons District, we value service learning—the idea that we learn so much about ourselves when we’re in the service of others,” he said. “It’s heartwarming to watch school communities participate in their holiday donation drives every year. Across the district, we saw acts of charity, both big and small, that showed the depth of care of our community.” Canyons District administration also took the lead by raising $11,300 and collecting winter clothing for residents of The Road Home in Midvale, a homeless shelter within the District’s boundaries. An event to benefit their efforts was combined with a luncheon performance at Jordan Valley School and a silent auction. As part of Canyons’ partnership with the Sandy Area Chamber of Commerce, the District also gathered gently-used purses and jewelry for People Helping People, an organization that helps low-income women, primarily single mothers, find jobs with living wages. To support families in need, Canyons District schools hosted

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drives for food, clothing, stuffed animals, books and other items. Amongst the numerous service projects, at more than five schools, students supported their peers at another Canyons school with food and clothing drives. Students at about seven other schools donated food items to the Utah Food Bank. At Midvale Middle, books were brought in and Jordan High pitched in by donating clothing, all earmarked for the Boys & Girls Club. At Park Lane, students participated in Project Teddy Bear with the Bank of American Fork and Willow Springs donated items for The Road Home and Ronald McDonald House. Union Middle School students contributed to a local animal shelter while Brookwood held a fundraiser for Utah’s Ouelessebougou Alliance. Both Corner Canyon High and Brighton High were holding activities to benefit the Tyler Robinson Foundation, with Brighton’s to finish late January, and Indian Hills Middle and Hillcrest High held fundraisers to benefit Make-A-Wish Foundation. Indian Hills student council organized their coin drive fundraiser, which was slated Jan. 22 through Feb. 2, and included incentives such as faculty dyeing their hair, kissing a piglet, taking a pie to their faces and performing a dance routine. “We’re pretty excited for it,” said Kamil Harrison, seventh-grade social studies teacher and student council adviser. Hillcrest raised more than $14,400 to help three youth receive their wishes, said studentbody vice president Lizzie Jensen. “This year we added a lot to our own plates, but we really wanted to make the fundraiser a big deal. I think our all- day assembly may have helped a ton,” she said, adding that they raised more than $7,000 that day alone. One of the three wishes will go to an unnamed Hillcrest student’s wish as that student has been diagnosed with leukemia, Lizzie said, adding that students knew their donations were helping some-

Scan Here: Interactive online edition with more photos.

Students are excited about career day.

The “Save of Shave” event at Hillcrest High School helped raise more than $1,300, the most they’ve ever made through the event; the money was donated to Make-a-Wish Foundation. Seen here is senior John Ruff, who had his hair shaved to support granting three people’s wishes. (Melinda Schwendiman/Hillcrest High School Student Body Historian)

one from their school. “We made sure it was addressed on why we picked the MakeA-Wish Foundation,” Lizzie said. “She is a very sweet girl, we’re so glad we got to raise money to help her wish come true.” l

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Midvale City Journal

Midvale Middle’s performances at Jordan Valley engage both listeners and musicians By Julie Slama | Julie@mycityjournals.com

The Midvale City Journal is a monthly publication distributed directly to residents via the USPS as well as locations throughout Midvale. For information about distribution please email circulation@mycityjournals.com or call our offices. Rack locations are also available on our website. For subscriptions please contact: circulation@mycityjournals.com The views and opinions expressed in display advertisements do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions held by Loyal Perch Media or the City Journals. This publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent of the owner.

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idvale Middle eighth-grader and clarinetist Connor Oviatt said he appreciates his middle school band and orchestra performing for nearby Jordan Valley School’s students.

“We were able to play and connect with them for the holidays,” he said. “I liked being able to talk to them and give them shakers so they could help create part of the music.” Connor and his fellow band and orchestra classmates played a concert at Jordan Valley in December after also giving two performances at Midvale Elementary School. The idea to perform at Jordan Valley came from a parent, Midvale Middle music teacher Lena Wood said. “I wanted the students to have a chance to have an experience to perform in the community and wanted it to be personable,” she said. “This gives our students an experience to reflect on and be proud of and gives their students a chance to engage in music; it was a perfect suggestion.” Wood also wanted her students to make a connection, so she had her music students create shakers out of toilet paper rolls for the Jordan Valley students to play along. Jordan Valley students have severe multiple disabilities including autism, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, seizure disorders, communication impairments, genetic disorders and syndromes, deaf-blindness and students who are extremely medically fragile. The goal at Jordan Valley School is to improve the quality of life for students, age five to 22, and their families. “This may have given some of my students a first-time experience interacting with these students, and through the shakers, many of them engaged their peers through music,” she said. Eighth-grader and trombonist Tayvin Austin said he talked to Jordan Valley students. “It was fun to talk to them about what was happening and playing shakers alongside them,” he said. While Connor and Tayvin and other students may use this as their experience for the school’s Make a Difference project to help serve those around them, Jordan Valley Principal Mark Donnelly said it gives his students a chance to participate in an activity and interact with others in a different way. “They’re learning to socialize with their

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Midvale Middle School’s symphonic band give out shakers they made to Jordan Valley students so they could play along with the concert orchestra. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

peers, practice social behavior and use a different part of their brain than a typical day,” he said. “Music is engaging and they’re able to feel it. It’s wonderful to see how music opens barriers.” Jordan Valley Employee Support Professional Gary Ren said that it also gives his students a chance to respond to the music. “The students are relaxed, calm — most of them get into it rocking back and forth, responding to the music,” he said. “There aren’t many behavioral issues when they’re engaged in music.” Jordan Valley music therapist Sarah Mortensen said other groups have come to perform, but this is the first time it has been a concert orchestra and band performance. “I believe it is important to give the students the opportunity to hear live concert music, just as their peers in other schools would,” she said. “We don’t often have large instrumental groups perform at our school. The volume and quality of sound they make is something I am not able to duplicate on my own in music therapy groups, even with recordings. When the band and orchestra students interact with our Jordan Valley students, it gives our students an opportunity to practice appropriate social interactions and to further engage in the music. Playing instruments along with the music helps the students to be present and more

focused on what is happening around them.” In addition to Midvale Middle School, Jordan Valley recently hosted choirs this year from Brighton High School, Hillcrest High School and West Jordan High School. Mortensen, who teaches students in 10 classes for 30 minutes twice weekly, said there are a myriad of ways that music helps Jordan Valley students. “Some of my biggest goals in music therapy groups are to increase social interaction, increase communication skills, decrease agitation, increase range of motion and increase attention to task. Singing together is a great way to encourage the students to communicate vocally, sometimes more than they do in other settings,” she said. Through playing on her guitar or other instruments with students in class, Mortensen can see students listen and respond when she plays fast or slow tempos or plays softly or loudly. “This encourages the students to keep their attention on the song for an extended period of time in order to follow along,” she said. Connor said he hopes he can have more experiences like this one. “I like doing something which has a positive impact,” he said. “It’s been cool.” l

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Midvale City Journal

Quick Wits captivates with comedy specials By Ileana Brown | i.brown@mycityjournals.com

Bob Bedore kicks off the show by taking audience suggestions. The crowd goes wild as they shout out random words and phrases from left to right. (Photo/Quick Wits)

n a world where access to virtually endless prerecorded entertainment is available, comedic actors are turning to improvisation to keep audiences engaged and attending live performances. Improv is never the same and creates a unique experience each night for both the audience and the actors. It’s exciting and entertaining to watch the show unfold before one’s eyes while also aware that you are experiencing it for the first time along with the actors themselves. Quick Wits Comedy is Utah’s outlet for improv comedy. Quick Wits Comedy (QWC) is Utah’s first professional improvisational troupe. They opened in 1994 at the Off Broadway Theater and have performed nearly every weekend since, performing about 5,000 shows throughout the Salt Lake Valley and in several western states. They perform at The Midvale Performing Arts Center on 695 W. Center St. (7720 South). All shows are unscripted and performed on the spot with the help of audience suggestions creating a unique show. The first rule of improvisation is “yes” —meaning anything goes. Any verbal contribution to a discussion is accepted without judgment. This gives flight to creativity and critical thinking, leaving lots of headroom for endless opportunities. QWC is similar to television shows like “Studio C” and “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” Stand-up comedian and actor Bob Bedore and many of his fellow actors yearned for more creativity in the acting arena. They wanted to start an improv troupe, but were unsure how to. With Bedore’s passion and determination he caught an A&E special detailing the trade of improv. He showed the other actors and not long after that Quick Wits Comedy was founded. “Improv can be easy…at least the basic parts of it,” Bedore said. “You have to let yourself live in the scene and not worry about anything. It’s hard for people to just let go sometimes. They get caught up in trying to be funny or trying to force a scene in a direction they think it should go. But if you just let things happen around you and go with it, it’s always better. It’s like trying to swim against a riptide. Always better to let it take you.” With Bedore’s years in the field of performance, QWC continues to thrive and change allowing him to grow and gain the necessary skills in becoming an improv instructor of various theatre techniques, especially his theatre combat training.

Quick Wits is the official title for all of their shows, but around holidays and special occasions they like to spice things up with witty titles such as Classic Quick Wits, Turkey Bowl, Wheel of Fun-Derland, Schoolyard Brawl and Flinch Ball. Each show consists of two teams competing against one another in a battle of wits creating comedy sketches from audience shout outs. After, the audience may judge the winners. The holiday specials are a little different, meaning each show is based around their title’s theme. “The Thanksgiving Laughtovers show is something we’ve done for many years” Bedore said. “We do a fairly normal Quick Wits show, but we ask people to bring in food instead of money to pay for their admission. We usually end up with a few hundred pounds of food that we then donate to the Utah Food Bank.” Last year they took the proceeds from all of November’s shows and wrote a check for the Food Bank. Every Quick Wits show is different and amazing, Bedore said. “January rang in the new year with the start of the Wasatch Improv Festival held January 11, 12, and 13. The festival introduced a variety of troupes from out of state and within Utah. February will display a little more love, football, and fun. All the shows will have a great deal of laughs, that much is guaranteed.” Quick Wit Comedy shows are held every Saturday night at 10 p.m. in The Midvale Performing Arts Center. The whole family is welcomed. Occasionally there is an innuendo that gets out of control, but most of the time the actors keep a low key on profanity. “Improv is different than most comedy because it all happened in the moment,” Bedore said. “It loses something out of that moment. That doesn’t mean it’s not funny, it just means that seeing it live is what made it more special. My favorite moments are the ones coming up because I have no idea what they’re going to be and that is what excites me.” If you would like to see QWC at your work, they offer private parties and corporate trainings. Their techniques will surely break the ice between your coworkers and friends by opening up communication and building stronger bonds. Tickets for shows are available online at https://qwcomedy.com or at The Midvale Performing Arts Center. l

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February 2018 | Page 5

MidvaleJournal.com

Ray deWolfe’s journey to city council By Holly Vasic | h.vasic@mycityjournals.com

ay deWolfe, 29, is the new Councilmember At-Large for South Salt Lake and is looking forward to doing a good job for the city. His interest in politics occurred in a roundabout way, and he never expected his career in local government to take off so quickly. deWolfe grew up in Midvale, graduated from Hillcrest High School in 2006, and attended Southern Utah University. While there, he explored different broadcasting fields, including in radio and at the college TV station. He also worked in the field off campus doing the weekend weather for a St. George TV station. When he graduated in 2010, deWolfe hoped to continue his career in broadcasting, but things didn’t work out. After working as a camp counselor on the East Coast, he packed his bags and headed to Australia. He lived there for about a year and when he returned home he looked for jobs. He currently works for Mountain America Credit Union. In 2014, he happened to move next door to a council member at the time, Debbie Snow, in South Salt Lake and his interest in local government sparked. deWolfe had always been curious about national politics at a young age. He recalls his dad constantly absorbing news via TV and radio which began his intrigue. Due to Snow being his neighbor, his curiosity changed. “My politics kind of narrowed from more of a national level into a local level at that point and I started getting a lot more interested in the city and following it.” deWolfe spent time watching council meetings online and updating himself on what was happening through the meeting minutes. After a short time moving back to Midvale with his mom to save up for a home, deWolfe and his girlfriend, Megan Welsh, returned to South Salt Lake and purchased the house they were saving for. deWolfe knew he wanted to be involved in the city and Welsh helped open that door for him at an event where she met Mayor Cherie Wood. A lunch meeting with Wood in winter of 2016 eventually materialized into a seat for deWolfe on the city’s planning commis-

sion the following spring. “That’s really how I got my jump into South Salt Lake,” he said. deWolfe was enjoying his time on the planning commission, but when Johnny McConnell decided not to run for city council for another term, beginning in 2018, deWolfe was encouraged to give it a shot. “The mayor was the one that asked if I would be interested in running. I think she was alluding that I would do a good job,” deWolfe recalled. He and his girlfriend spent the weekend debating if they were prepared for the time commitment. In the end, deWolfe decided to go for it. Considering deWolfe had never done this before, Wood set up a meeting with Grass Roots Utah who helped him get started in what he calls “campaigning 101,” which included helping him set up a website. deWolfe said the biggest help was going door-to-door with Wood. “We would just go out on a lot of Saturdays together and just knock on doors. I got a lot of direction and help but a lot of the nitty gritty stuff we did on our own” deWolfe said. Welch also joined him knocking on doors and deWolfe recalls constantly being asked about their relationship. “We’ve been together for over five years and that was one of the number one questions, or things that we got, is if we’re married and we’re not.” deWolfe admits they have discussed it quite a bit but it just hasn’t happened yet, they’ve been busy traveling, buying a home together, and now working on city council. After the primaries, the seat was down to deWolfe and Aaron Frost, both Democratic delegates for the same district. deWolfe set his competitiveness aside. “I try to keep it really friendly, there was like no animosity between us, you know, we had talked to each other several times,” deWolfe said, even letting the other know they were planning on running. One of deWolfe’s favorite things about South Salt Lake is what

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he described as its spirit. “That sounds a little cheesy but this is one of these cities where it feels like a small city even though we are next to big Salt Lake,” he said. He loves the community he has experienced through city events as well as residents and government officials coming together during the homeless shelter selection. deWolfe is excited to learn more about South Salt Lake’s Promise program; Welsh is currently applying to be a tutor for the program. deWolfe does not have any big goals to accomplish during his time as a council member, he just wants to work hard and do a good job for the city he lives in. He and his girlfriend look forward to future involvement in South Salt Lake and everything it offers. l

Craig Burton, City Recorder, swearing in new council member Ray deWolfe. (Courtesy of Ray deWolfe)

Page 6 | February 2018

Midvale City Journal

Locals discuss international relations with visiting foreign dignitaries

By Ruth Hendricks | ruth.h@mycityjournals.com

s NATO obsolete? How can the average person living in Utah have any impact on international relations? These were some questions posed by local residents to visiting European dignitaries. The Viridian Event Center hosted a special panel discussion, “Across the Pond, In the Field” on Jan. 11. The discussion aimed to engage new audiences across the country to better understand how people outside Washington, D.C., view transatlantic relationships, trade alliances and other foreign policy issues. The visit was part of a project from The Center for a New American Security. The visiting dignitaries were H.E. Lars Gert Lose, Ambassador of Denmark to the United States; and Lord Browne of Ladyton (Des Browne), member of the House of Lords and former United Kingdom Defense Minister. The United Kingdom includes Great Britain and Northern Ireland, but Browne hails from Scotland. The discussion was moderated by Julianne Smith, a director with CNAS, a think-tank in Washington, D.C. Salt Lake City was one of 12 cities on the tour. Earlier in the day, the visitors had breakfast with a technology council, sat down with 200 students at East High School, met with the mayor of Salt Lake County and met with people at the Deseret News. The two men have a running joke between them about who can accumulate more people who claim either Danish or Scottish heritage. “He’s losing badly,” said Browne. The first issue discussed was NATO. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an intergovernmental alliance between 29 North American and European countries based on the North Atlantic Treaty that was signed after World War II in 1949. NATO is committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes. If diplomatic efforts fail, it can call for military power in response to an attack. “President Trump has been pushing our European allies to spend more on defense. This is not new,” said Smith. “Many presi-

dents have pushed them to do more. Trump has also said that the alliance is obsolete. It was needed after World War II, but he wonders why we need it now.” Lose of Denmark said that NATO today is more important than ever, especially in Europe where they are dealing with a very aggressive and uncertain Russia. “We need to stand firm and have a strong position towards Russia,” said Lose. “Without NATO this can’t be done. We live in the neighborhood of Russia, so we feel this very concretely every single day.” Lose agreed that there is a problem with budget sharing in NATO. “The U.S. is paying about 70 percent of the budget. We need to step up in Europe.” The alliance goal is for countries to be spending at least 2 percent of their gross domestic product on defense. The Danish government just decided to increase their defense budget by 20 percent. “We are still not at the 2 percent goal, but we’re going in right direction,” said Lose. Browne agreed. “This complicated and difficult world that we live in generates threats to us that we never imagined we would have to face,” he said. “No matter how big and powerful you are, you can’t face these threats yourself.” About the NATO budget, Browne said, “Scotland pays more than their 2 percent, but we don’t pay enough. We have depended on the generosity of America to pay for our defense for far too long.” Kate, an audience member, asked how we can be more supportive of international relationships in our communities when we live fairly isolated from other countries. Lose said that we live off of international trade. He saw a statistic that day saying 25 percent of all jobs in Utah were supported by international trade. It’s 75 percent in Denmark. “We have a tendency these days to look more inward, with terrorists, climate change, refugees and migrants,” Lose said. “We want

to close our borders and keep to ourselves, but that’s not a solution. We need international cooperation more than ever.” Browne closed with a thought on what we can do about international relations. We can get to know each other and respect the differences. “Stop trying to make people be like we are,” said Browne. “Because two things will happen. Either we’ll fall out with them, or if we succeed, it will become the most boring place you ever knew.” Browne wondered why we think differences are a threat. “We can rise above that.” l

Ambassador Lars Lose of Denmark, Lord Browne of the UK and Julianne Smith with the Center for a New American Security discuss international relations at the Viridian. (Ruth Hendricks/City Journals)

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February 2018 | Page 7

MidvaleJournal.com

Midvale students learn about careers from professionals By Julie Slama | Julie@mycityjournals.com

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Timpanogos Cave National Monument Ranger Annie Brantley teaches Hillcrest High students about career options. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

t began with Canyons School District Superintendent Jim Briscoe thanking community members who took several hours off work to share about their professions with Hillcrest High School students. “This is one of the more important things in public education,” he said about the value of professionals talking about their careers and possibly influencing the students’ futures. “Students can learn about careers, connect with business and industry leaders and talk to them about pursuing a career or even job shadowing them.” Work-Based Learning Facilitator Cher Burbank, who organized Hillcrest’s Career Exploration Day in November, said speakers talked about “success and the rules to be successful” as they exposed students to careers they may not have envisioned. Amongst the speakers were those in careers in engineering, music, geology, solar panel sales, photography, immigration law, 3D graphics and more. Similarly, at the elementary level, Midvale Elementary students’ Career Day in December allowed them to learn about 34 careers beyond what they may be familiar with, said Heidi Matthews, who coordinated the event. “We hope students make the connections between spelling, writing, math and science and with careers they’re learning about,” she said. Third-grade teacher Nicole Newbold said that Career Day gives them a look ahead into their future. “It’s important that they realize what they can work toward and relate what they’re doing now to what they may need to study in college for their career,” she said. In several classrooms, guest speaker and yoga teacher Stephanie Bay taught the students yoga techniques. “It’s not just doing it,” she told students. “I

had to learn about muscles and bones and how best to work with them so in many cases, they don’t hurt more. This is something that can help everyone and can help people deal with everyday stress.” Teacher Sharon Aitken said her students are excited about Career Day. “They are able to ask questions and learn what is out there,” she said. “They get so excited.” Often, students plan for one career, but fall into another, said Hillcrest High Principal Greg Leavitt, who illustrated that with his own life. He told Hillcrest students that he struggled with math in high school, yet in his Math 101 class at the University of Utah, he liked it and became a math teacher before a school administrator. “We don’t know what our career paths look like,” he said. “Even our top students are still exploring.” Film Actor Bus Riley, who recently appeared on Netflix as Santa in “A Christmas Eve Miracle,” echoed Leavitt. “I really believe you need to pursue your passion,” he told a classroom of acting students. “Do what you love and you’ll never have to work.” Even though his career was in sales, it wasn’t until he was older that he turned his desire into becoming an actor. “I did amateur stuff on the side, but only a small percentage of actors make a living in the profession. Actors have to have the passion, the commitment and the patience to accept rejection. It’s not all glamorous,” he said. Similarly, dentist Randy Roberts chose his profession because he wanted to be his own boss and set his own hours around his family life. He also wanted job security, however, it didn’t stop his hobby, which has become a side business— creating Kid History YouTube videos. “I can change the world through dentistry with helping people chew food or seeing a grati-

fying smile,” he said. “I really enjoy dentistry and being an entrepreneur, but it can be stressful. Before I became a dentist, I wanted to create music videos. I’ve learned I can take that passion and have positive influence as a blogger and YouTuber. I made hundreds of videos, but they weren’t successful until the creation of Kid History. I did it because I enjoyed it and that’s a key to any job—enjoyment.” Timpanogos Cave National Monument Ranger Annie Brantley said she is happy with her career choice. “Rangers get paid with sunsets,” she said. “We do the work of the heart. It’s what we love to do. It’s the best job I’ve ever had; it’s so much fun.” Although rangers interact with the public during their visits to parks, including telling visitors not to take selfies with bison in Yellowstone National Park, much of it has to do with preservation of natural resources, Brantley said. “As a park ranger, my job is protection and education,” she told students. Brantley gave students a dilemma to ponder. She told students that by paving Mesa Verde National Park to allow visitors to see Native American ruins, the park is crowded during its peak season. Two hours south, Chaco Canyon is an international dark sky national park with ruins, but since the road is not paved, fewer people visit. “The national parks belong to all Americans, so the question is ‘do we pave the road so more people can see what we’re protecting and learn about the ruins or do we preserve it and keep it the way it is, but that means fewer people will visit?’ It’s something we have to balance and decide,” Brantley said. “Being a park ranger is not a high-paying job, but it’s one where I’m making a difference and every day is fulfilling. To me, that is a successful career.” l

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Page 8 | February 2018

Midvale City Journal

Canyons’ middle school debate program grows as student interest increases

By Julie Slama | Julie@mycityjournals.com

fterschool one day in late October, hundreds of Canyons School District middle school students filled the halls and classrooms at Mt. Jordan. Some were talking fast while others scribbled notes. Others were found pacing or reciting in the hallways. These students are part of the District’s middle school debate program, which gives students a chance to try their hand at either debate or speech, said Leslie Robinett, the District’s English language arts specialist, who coordinates the program. “This gives students a real-world application of English and language arts,” she said. “They need to form an argument, research, write, speak and listen and this tests those skills. They work individually or with another in the competition, but ultimately, they’re part of their school team and are learning teamwork as well.” She said these skills—critical thinking, reasoning and communication—also will translate to their classroom work as well as benefit them in the real world. Robinett said that the program has steadily grown since she received a grant five years ago to help make debate an extension of the core curriculum. The result has been six of the eight middle schools developing at least one class, with Midvale and Butler middle schools looking into the possibility of adding classes in the future. “This means, most of these students are getting class time in addition to the one hour each week afterschool. They’re able to learn more from returning students, mentors and coaches in addition to researching and practicing,” she said. The interest has increased alongside. Last year, Robinett said about 250 sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students across

the district participated. This year, the number has increased to about 375. The students compete in four areas: policy debate, Lincoln Douglas debate, original oratory speech and extemporaneous speaking. Policy, which at this tournament had 95 entries or 190 students participate, is the area more students pursue as many of the students get an opportunity to compete in fifth grade, she said. While not all middle school coaches have a debate background, Robinett meets with all coaches together regularly to share ideas and talk about the season’s tournaments. Second-year Midvale Coach Stephen Bloom said many of his 30 students are motivated and spend time on their own, outside the one hour they meet each week after school. “I try to pair up the newcomers with experienced students to help teach them the basics,” he said. “I give students websites and databases to start with, but many of them watch the news everyday and are aware of issues. They come to practice with lots of energy and are really excited to compete at the tournaments.” Bloom said that students are learning more than speech writing, public speaking and research skills. “They’re gaining self-confidence and writing itself that will carry through to all levels of school and life,” he said. “They’re gaining a knowledge and view of the world and are able to examine issues from many viewpoints.” The tournaments are Jan. 11, 2018 and March 15, 2018, which will extend invitations to schools outside the district. The season will continue through the district and state tournaments in April. l

Midvale Middle School students Zoe Liu and Marianne Liu celebrate being top debaters in the Lincoln-Douglas Debate at the Jan. 11 tournament. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

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February 2018 | Page 9

MidvaleJournal.com

Off-season learning prepares local high school robotics teams for spring competition

ocal high school robotics teams are trying to puzzle out how their robots, which are trapped in a simulation arcade game, can escape. This year’s FIRST robotics competition, First Power Up, gives high school students six weeks to build a robot that can transport power cubes and climb, amongst other tasks, said Juan Diego Catholic High’s Jim Duane, who coaches the school’s team along with Eric Browning. “It’s a monumental challenge to be able to design, build and practice the task,” Duane said. “It’s giving them real-world experience. These high school students are paving the way in engineering and design.” Of the 3,700 teams worldwide, about 50 will compete March 1–3 at the Maverick Center. Half of those teams will be from out of state, even from other countries, Duane said. “Our stop build date is Feb. 20 so it allows teams to travel to the regional qualifier,” he said. “Utah is one of the first regional competitions in the world.” However, for many of the local teams it’s not just a two-month season. Many students learn, design and test their skills year round. Juan Diego was joined by Jordan, Brighton and Alta high schools in December for a ribbon-cutting ceremony where their robots cut sections of the ribbon for the new Alta View Clinic. Eighteen months earlier, the same teams used shovels for a symbolic groundbreaking. “We used the base and drive train from our robot, but then had to learn to add a shovel for groundbreaking and add motors so we’d be able to have a lot of power. For the ribbon-cutting, we had to have the arm be able to use scissors, so the students did some programming,” Duane said. Jordan High coach Cameo Lutz said her students helped with the STEM Action Center bus ribbon cutting including teaching Gov. Gary Herbert how to have the robot cut the ribbon with scissors. So for this ribbon cutting, they decided to slice the ribbon with a beet knife, symbolic of the school’s nickname, the Beetdiggers. They used a wheelchair chassis they had taken apart for the groundbreaking. Alta High coach Ron Strohm said the schools were invited because Intermountain Health Care wanted robots to be part of the ribbon cutting, symbolizing all their new technology available. Alta High recently acquired a robot from the Steve Jacobsen Foundation that was used as one of the animatronics from the Pirates of the Caribbean ride in Disneyland California. It joined the school’s robotic hand that was used in the movie “Short Circuit” in 1986. “They had them in the back room,” Strohm said, adding that students are learning how robotics can lead them to careers tied in with other professions. “We are using them to view and educate how animation is evolving.” Alta, as well as Jordan, Waterford, Hunter, Hillcrest, Jordan, West, AISU, Roots Charter and Judge Memorial schools, took part in the Academy of Math, Engineering and Science (AMES) off-season game of capture the flag. “The team alliances were random at the beginning and teams could earn points by how many

By Julie Slama | Julie@mycityjournals.com

Students intently look on during the final round of the capture the flag off-season competition in December 2017. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

flags you bring to the other side,” Lutz said. Sara Whitbeck, who coaches at AMES alongside Doug Hendricks and Laurie Williamson, said that details of the competition were worked out between her 50-member team, which is in its eighth year, and the other teams. “A couple years ago, teams from outside Utah dominated our regional qualifier,” she said. “So a bunch of Utah coaches got together and decided that we could make events to help us develop skills and leadership.” From that, AMES students began organizing and hosting an annual mock competition. The first year, six teams learned to shoot paper rockets at a target in Robot Rocket Rumble. Last year, 12 teams played Robo Pong, where the robots had to shoot Ping-Pong balls into a trash can. “Those years, it was more of an individual team event. This year, we wanted it to be more of an alliance game where the teams could refine their skills,” Whitbeck said about the 14 teams that competed in December. Hillcrest High Coach Clief Castleton said this year the competition was more like regular season, without the pressure. “The students who came could increase their skills in programming, designing and building,” he said. “It was especially helpful for our newer and younger students to experience before the regular season.” Lutz said it also gave them the experience of overcoming things that could go wrong before a competition — even though her students spent about two months’ preparing for the event. “It gave students the chance to know how to make things work last minute,” she said. “Alta was able to help us out with a motor the night before the event. At first, I didn’t understand FIRST’s term, ‘cooperition’ — cooperation and competition between teams. It isn’t just us against other schools. We’re all in it to become better.” Lutz said that Jordan, now in its second year, has been grateful for the support such as the men-

toring from Hillcrest, parts and camaraderie from Alta and practice space shared by Waterford. These events help to strengthen the relationship between teams, Waterford coach James Harris said. “There’s a lot of cooperation between schools as we’re all wanting to get better,” he said. “Our first couple years, we struggled so it was helpful when other teams helped us. We know how hard it is to get a program started. Our only goal is to inspire students in general and to enjoy problem-solving techniques to solve some interesting problems. In the real world, it will require collaboration, as we won’t have all the answers. We want students to collaborate in a wider community; that’s how problems will be solved.” Teams often mentor one another, such as helping with beginning robotics teams, such as Waterford’s 26-member teams did when helping Roots Academy’s and Navajo Mountain’s team. Or helping younger students learning through FIRST Lego League — such as AMES assisting the Autism Spectrum Clinic team and Hillcrest High helping a team in Wyoming. Others talk about the league with the community. Jordan adopted a class of special needs students at a West Jordan elementary, and Corner Canyon reached out to Draper Park Middle School as well as to a Bountiful elementary school. Others worked on educating the community, such as Alta hosting local Girl Scouts to learn about their robots. Hillcrest is hoping to receive a grant this year to start a robotics programs with school children, including one within the Midvale community. A few years back, when Comic Con was new to Salt Lake City, several teams showcased their robots at the event and even held a demonstration against R2-D2. This summer, Jordan’s students drove its robot around Sandy’s 4th of July parade and demonstrated it for Jordan School District’s STEM at the stadium event and at STEM Action Center’s STEMFest in Sandy. Schools use their skills to help the commu-

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nity in other ways. The past few years, Hillcrest’s team worked on iTRAC, developing a prototype and testing software that tracks eye movement in hopes it would help Jordan Valley School students communicate through blinking. “It has been a long-term project that allowed our students to use their skills in a real-world application to help others,” Castleton said. Others sharpen their building, fabrication, design, coding and programming skills through engineering labs and challenges within their schools or in their robotics classes. “Our students are often self-motivated and plan their own activities, such as building catapults so they can learn force, torque, rotary motion and how to make something happen,” said Brighton’s Robert Rainey, who coaches with Janice Spencer Wise. “Our team designed and built a robotic-controlled boat, called BoatBot, for last year’s play, ‘Pocahontas.’ This year, they built a winged horse of ‘Xanadu.’ It’s amazing to see brand new students timidly pick up a tool at the beginning to seeing them become quite good and able to problem solve and build their design. Anything they can do to better understand how to make things work is good.” Corner Canyon Coach Jill Kennedy said that this year, the team’s mentor suggested her 40-member team get involved with the Rage in the Cage competition. “It involves two small robots or Battle Bots, so our students are learning both those robots as well as the big one we use for the FIRST season,” she said. “It’s been great to have students actively learning electronics and programming so this year, with FIRST, they’ll have more experience.” All coaches say it isn’t just robotics’ skills they learn. It extends to planning and organization, marketing, communication, graphic design, cosmetics for robots and fundraising for the team. “We even go over how to brainstorm so they aren’t just locked into one person’s idea,” Brighton’s Rainey said. “We cross train from coding to design so everyone gains that knowledge.” Like most teams, AISU (American International School of Utah) first-year coach Aaron Burton said his 20 students, who comprise the Mechanical Dragon team, are reaching out to the community for support. “Fundraising is also a high priority in the off season; we look for sponsorship from local companies — and are still looking if any company owners want a tax deductible way to help a local team,” he said. The past couple years, AISU has hosted another community-wide event, RoboFest, which has taught students from fabrication to grant writing and leadership as well as brought in experts in the field. This year, the Leonardo will host the event. Burton, like many coaches, sums up his many goals for his students: “To see that they can accomplish hard and awesome things; to see what happens when teamwork works; to get a glimpse of engineering —and see if they want to pursue that for a career; to have fun; to make new friends; to learn from their failures; (and) to get some of the glory and excitement (normally reserved for sports teams) to shine on them.” l

Page 10 | February 2018

Midvale City Journal

Zero Fatalities installs sidewalk clings to encourage pedestrian safety

By Jennifer Gardiner | j.gardiner@mycityjournals.com

ragedy recently struck a Kearns family when a young wife and mother was hit and killed by a Granite School District bus as she attempted to cross the street in West Valley City on Jan. 11. In December, another family lost their mother as she crossed the street to attend the Festival of Trees in Sandy. A 53-year-old man was hit and killed while attempting to catch up with a bus in Taylorsville and a 19-year-old man had his life cut short in November when an alleged drunk driver hit him as he walked to McDonalds near his home. These are only a fraction of the stories of devastation that auto-pedestrian accidents can have on families and the community. But the Utah Department of Transportation and Zero Fatalities, a state run program that focuses on eliminating fatalities on Utah roadways, is finding ways to help prevent future tragedies from happening. Historically, December is the second deadliest month for pedestrian deaths in Utah. Together, UDOT and Zero Fatalities decided to start a campaign that would help people pay more attention when they are walking. The installation of outdoor advertisements is all part of the “Heads Up” pedestrian safety campaign being done at select locations around the state of Utah. The goal is to remind people to stay alert when walking. Twenty sidewalk clings were placed from Ogden to Provo along with retro-reflective advertisements at 50 bus shelters throughout Salt Lake City. UDOT selected intersections with high pedestrian traffic and crashes. “Unfortunately, we see far too many pedestrian deaths, especially this time of year,” said UDOT Traffic and Safety Director Robert Miles. “We hope these messages will remind Utahns to be more aware and more careful when walking close to traffic.” There are two different sidewalk clings. One reads, “The driver didn’t see the pedestrian. The pedestrian didn’t see the driver. Watch for cars, they might not see you.” The second cling reads, “Your life is in danger. Watch for cars, they might not see you.” “Pedestrian deaths are 100 percent preventable,” Miles said. “But to prevent pedestrian fatalities, drivers and pedestrians must work together.” Pedestrian fatalities are increasing at an alarming rate in Utah and across the nation. In 2017, 43 pedestrians have been killed on Utah roads, already surpassing the total number of pedestrian deaths in 2016. In 2016, 1,006 pedestrians were struck by motor vehicles; 898 were injured and 39 were killed. Pedestrians accounted for 1 percent of individuals in crashes and 14 percent of deaths. The 49 pedestrian deaths in 2015 were the highest in Utah since 1987.

Sidewalk tags to remind people to pay attention. (Photo/UDOT)

Statistics show 58 percent of drivers in pedestrian-motor vehicle crashes were under 40 years. Leading Contributing Factors of Drivers in Pedestrian Crashes : 1. Failed to Yield Right of Way (36 percent) 2. Hit and Run (11 percent) 3. Driver Distraction (8 percent) 4. Improper Backing (4 percent) 5. Speed Too Fast (4 percent) Of the pedestrians in crashes, 51 percent were under 25 years of age. Leading Contributing Factors of Pedestrians in Crashes: 1. Improper Crossing (12 percent) 2. Darting (9 percent) 3. Not Visible (6 percent) Fifty-five percent of pedestrians had no contributing factor in the crash. Nearly one-third (32 percent) of drivers who hit pedestrians were turning. Drivers need to watch for pedestrians before

AN ACTIVE 55+ COMMUNITY

turning. In Utah, historical crash data shows pedestrian fatalities increase during the fall and winter months. December is the second deadliest month, second to October, for pedestrian fatalities. Zero Fatalities offers these simple tips to preventing an auto-pedestrian crash: •Drivers need to remember to always be on the lookout for pedestrians, always yield right of way to pedestrians and never speed, drive while distracted, drowsy or impaired in anyway. •Pedestrians need to remember to never assume the right of way and stay alert, cross at designated crosswalks and adhere to traffic signs and signals, be visible by wearing reflective materials when possible and when doing everything right, still assume drivers can’t see you. Sidewalk signs were placed in various locations throughout Clearfield, Cottonwood Heights, Draper, Kaysville, Layton, Lehi, Midvale, Ogden, Orem, Provo, Salt Lake City, South Jordan and West Valley. Bus shelter location signs were placed around West Valley City, Taylorsville, Salt Lake City, South Salt Lake, Murray, Midvale, Provo, Sunset, Roy and South Ogden. l

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In The Middle of Everything City Hall – 7505 South Holden Street • Midvale, UT 84047

The Heart of the Matter MIDVALE CITY DIRECTORY City Hall Finance/Utilities Court City Attorney’s Office City Recorder/Human Resources Community Development Public Works Ace Disposal/Recycling City Museum Midvale Senior Center SL County Animal Services Midvale Precinct UPD Police Dispatch Unified Fire Authority Fire Dispatch

801-567-7200 801-567-1736 801-255-4234 801-567-7250 801-567-7228 801-567-7211 801-567-7235 801-363-9995 801-569-8040 385-468-3350 385-468-7387 385-468-9350 801-743-7000 801-743-7200 801-840-4000

MIDVALE CITY ELECTED OFFICIALS MAYOR Robert Hale Email: Rhale@midvale.com

801-567-7204

CITY COUNCIL District 1 - Quinn Sperry Email: qsperry@midvale.com District 2 - Paul Glover Email: pglover@midvale.com District 3 - Paul Hunt Email: phunt@midvale.com District 4 - Bryant Brown Email: bbrown@midvale.com District 5 - Dustin Gettel Email: dgettel@midvale.com (801) 567-1736 (801) 567-7202 (801) 567-7202 (801) 567-7212 (801) 567-7207 (801) 255-4234 (801) 567-7202 (801) 567-7213 (801) 567-7246 (801) 567-7235 (801) 256-2575 (801) 567-7231 (801) 567-7208 (801)256-2537 (801)256-2541

EMERGENCY OR DISASTER CONTACT Public Works Fire Dispatch – Unified Fire Authority Midvale Police Precinct or Police Dispatch Unified Police Department EMERGENCY

(801) 567-7235 (801) 840-4000 (385) 468-9350 (801)743-7000 911

We Want To Hear From You! Midvale’s Main Street is the historic center of Midvale City and has a long history of vibrant businesses, arts and culture. In the next few years, a new wave of investment in Main Street will bring more people to live and work in the heart of our city. This investment is intended to attract private capital investment, create jobs and contribute to the economic vitality and prosperity of Midvale City. What do you think the City should consider as it develops a plan for the revitalization of Main Street? Please take a moment to complete the brief Main Street Survey at: www.midvalemainstreet.org

CITY NEWSLETTER

By Mayor Robert Hale

Sidewalks in Winter: I know, I know; it has been a dry winter up to now. But winter brings hazards that need to be addressed. A few streets in our city have brand new sidewalks – mine being one of those. When the ﬁrst light snowfalls of the winter came, I had to learn how to best shovel the new sidewalk in front of my home. Other than my driveway and helping elderly neighbors, I hadn’t done that since 1969 when I lived at home with my parents! Homeowners, businesses and property managers are responsible to keep sidewalks safe for pedestrians year-round, but especially after a snowfall. Push sidewalk snow onto your property, not into the gutter or street. The city snowplows will likely push street snow onto your sidewalks anyway. If you have pushed your snow into the street before the snowplow makes a pass, you’ll just have to shovel it again. When there are elderly or disabled neighbors, and you are physically able to do so, give them the blessing of your time while you clean their walks, too. Shoveling while snow is loose is many times easier than pushing it off when it has become packed or melted and refrozen into ice. Yes, and a little ice-melt enhances your ability to reduce ice or slush down to bare concrete again. Winter Driving in Midvale: In my career in the Postal Service, I called letter carriers that delivered in delivery units like Midvale, “ﬂat-landers.” Unlike many delivery zones to the east against the

WHO TO CALL FOR… Water Bills Ordering A New Trash Can Reserving the Bowery Permits GRAMA requests Court Paying For Traffic School Business Licensing Property Questions Cemetery Water Line Breaks Planning and Zoning Building Inspections Code Enforcement Graffiti North of 7200 S Code Enforcement/Graffiti South of 7200 S

FEBRUARY 2018

foothills and alluvial plains, where slopes are commonplace, we have fairly level topography. A blessing, no doubt. But therein lies the hidden danger! Drivers, me and you, can get lackadaisical and complacent thinking we can increase our vehicle’s inertia, turn our vehicle direction, shift lanes, or decrease inertia to a stop in just the same distance and time on slick roads as we can on dry roads. But the negative energy of friction is greatly reduced with moisture on the roadway, driveway or parking lot. This illustration (at left) shows why even with groovy new snow tires, if we drive on ice, there will be practically no friction between the tires of our vehicle and Mother Earth. Four-wheel drive option is also virtually meaningless on ice! On snow, life can stand still if we begin to skid (slip ratio in the diagram), for this is when our vehicle seems to take so much time and distance to slow and come to a stop. Midvale Citizens, let us resolve: (1) To take time to drive and walk safely when moisture is present. (2) Don’t get shifty in your lane when crossing bridges. (3) Start your trip earlier, don’t hurry, arrive alive! (4) Keep our part (and a neighbor’s part) of the city sidewalk network clean and safe, too!

In The Middle of Everything

WWW . MIDVALECITY . ORG

Midvale Community Council

Reaching 100 Years and Beyond

My name is Andrew Stoddard, and I was just elected as the chair of the Midvale Community Council for this coming year. I am really excited to be in this position, and am thrilled for the great things the Community Council is going to accomplish this coming year! The Community Council is an organization where people gather to discuss things that are going on in the city, from development to city events and everything in between. At our meetings, we have representatives from different departments of the city that give us updates from their departments. The Mayor, the city manager, the police chief and two City Council members attended the last meeting and talked to the Council. It really is a great way to get involved in the city. Also, in the past, the Council has participated in service opportunities and helped with city events. The Council also has a presence at City Council meetings and is active in voicing the residents’ opinions to the City Council. The Community Council meets the ﬁrst Wednesday of every month at 7 PM at City Hall. Everyone is welcome to attend our meetings. If you are interested in participating in the Council, please email me at drewcstoddard@gmail.com and I can get you the information you need. The Council also has a Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/midvaleCommunityCouncil/ if you want to see what we are doing. We are looking to add more members from every area of the city, so we would love to have you come join at our next meeting on February 7 at 7:00 p.m.

They’ve seen so much and accomplished great things. They’ve witnessed countless changes and remember living in a simpler time. They’re wise and knowledgeable about the world around them, a world they have lived in for 100 years and counting! Midvale City honored two residents who have reached the 100-year milestone in their lives, Enedina (Dena) Stubbs and Olive Gammel.

Mayor Hale and Barry Gammel (accepting for his mom, Olive Gammel).

Free Feline Fix Prevent unwanted litters of kittens this spring! Bring your cat to the Free Feline Fix! Salt Lake County Animal Services will be offering this program for FREE* to Midvale residents, thanks to our non-profit partner, Utah FACES. We will hold a Free Feline Fix event the first Thursday of the month, from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 am., at Salt Lake Animal Services (511 W 3900 S), throughout ALL of 2018! The first 40 cats in the doors are eligible for these free services. So, be sure to stop by to get your cat spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped for FREE*!!! *All in jurisdiction cats will need to be licensed at the time of service ($15 fee.) Any out of jurisdiction cats will receive the same services that day for a $50 fee. In jurisdiction cities: Bluffdale, Herriman, Holladay, Midvale, Millcreek, Salt Lake City. In jurisdiction townships: Copperton, Emmigration Canyon, Kearns, Magna, White City. This free opportunity is sponsored by our non-profit partner, Utah FACES. Help keep the program alive and donate to utahfaces.org. Questions contact animal@slco.org or visit AdoptUtahPets.com.

Snuggle with Adoptable Pets! Salt Lake County Animal Services will be available with program information and licensing; and will be bringing adoptable cats and dogs to Midvale City Hall on the 2nd Thursday of every month. Come enjoy some time with a furry friend; you never know, you might just want to adopt one! Date: 2nd Thursday of every month (next event February 8) Time: 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Location: Midvale City Hall - 7505 South Holden Street

Mayor Hale and Dena Stubbs.

Officer of the Month (November 2017)

Officer Anna Walker

On November 30, 2017, Officer Anna Walker was assisting in the investigation of a stolen vehicle which was located at the Motel 6. Officer Walker was able to obtain a surveillance video which showed two suspects exiting the truck and entering a hotel room. Officer Walker and other assisting officers attempted to contact the suspects in the hotel room at which time one of them barricaded the door while the second suspect jumped out the back window and began fleeing on foot. Officer Walker engaged in a foot pursuit with the male suspect and followed him to the Denny’s Restaurant where he tried to hide under a parked car. Officer Walker was then able to take him into custody without further incident. This is but one example of the proactive, tenacious police work Officer Walker provides to the citizens of Midvale on a daily basis.

FEBRUARY 2018 CITY NEWSLETTER

WWW . MIDVALECITY . ORG Newly appointed Chief of Police – Randy Thomas I am incredibly honored to be chosen to serve as Chief of Police Services for Midvale City. I look forward to serving the community of Midvale and am excited about the future. As I’ve attended numerous council and community meetings, there have been a few common questions that I thought I’d share. Tell us about yourself: I grew up in Cottonwood Heights. I served in the Marine Corps for 4 years then returned to Utah. I have been married for 33 years and have 3 kids that I am extremely proud of. I support our Veterans, founded a non-profit that supports UPD K9 and am still excited to wake up each morning and put on the badge. What have I done in my law enforcement career? I’ve had a diverse career with many challenging assignments (Corrections, Motors, Patrol, Major Accident Team, SWAT, K9, Communications Division, Metro Narcotics Task Force). My most enjoyable assignment was as a K9 Handler and Unit Supervisor. My most challenging assignment was as the UPD Communications Division Commander. Our dispatchers have an incredible amount or responsibility as they quickly process calls, sending their officers to critical situations. What was my last assignment? I served as the Deputy Director for the S.L. Metro Narcotics Task Force. The task force identifies, investigates, disrupts and dismantles large drug trafficking organizations. I am passionate on the war against drugs. It saddens me to think that Utah has one of the highest national rates of opioid abuse. The

abuse effects all areas of our community. The task force consistently removes large amounts of illegal narcotics from our streets before they can be distributed. What can we do to make Midvale safer? Trafﬁc safety is a constant challenge for law enforcement. We respond to multiple and often tragic motor vehicle crashes each day. Distracted driving, speed and impatient drivers are often contributors to crashes. Hints? Plan accordingly for the weather, clear your windows, obey speed limits, PUT DOWN THE PHONE, and be a considerate driver. How can citizens help the police? The best way you can help us may sound cliché, “If you see something, say something”. Nobody knows your neighborhood better than you and when something doesn’t look right, follow your instincts and give us a call. Don’t make yourself an easy target for criminal activity. There are many affordable devices that deter crime. Well-lit yards as well as motion detecting light systems tend to deter. Security cameras are more affordable than ever before and most give you options to monitor your house while you’re away. We’ve seen an increase in citizens providing us with video to help solve crime. Today’s cameras are small enough to place in doorbells yet clear enough to provide key evidence in criminal prosecutions. Also, DO NOT leave your car unattended while it’s running, even just to warm it up. I look forward to writing future articles addressing issues particular to our community. Thank you for giving me an opportunity to serve Midvale.

Midvale City’s 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report Midvale City recently published its ﬁscal year (FY) 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR). This report is available for download on the Finance Department page of the City’s website, www.midvalecity.org.

Financial highlights from FY 2017 include: • Assets and deferred outﬂows of resources at the close of the 2107 ﬁscal year exceeded liabilities and deferred

inﬂows of resources by $102,230,048. This is an increase of $2,703,332 over the prior year. • General revenues for Governmental Activities increased by approximately $2.5 million. • At the close of the 2017 ﬁscal year, the General Fund had an unassigned fund balance of $3,784,485. This is equal to 20.1% of the original FY 2018 adopted budget for the General Fund ($18,786,000). The City Council has formally committed to maintain a General Fund unassigned fund balance greater than 15%. • Net (expense)/revenue from governmental activities totaled $(11,731,338). This represents program costs not covered through charges for services and grants, and therefore funded primarily by taxes. • Net (expense)/revenue from business-type activities totaled $(87,427). Business-type activities are self-sustaining; user fees are set at a level adequate to cover operating and capital expenses. CONTINUED >

In The Middle of Everything CONTINUED: Midvale City’s 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report

The following charts show the revenue sources of governmental activities during FY 2017 and FY 2016. These charts demonstrate the reliance on tax revenues by government funds.

The following charts illustrate consistency from FY 2016 to FY 2017 in the percentage of governmental activity expenditures for all categories except for redevelopment. Redevelopment expenditures increased by $2,022,044.

The following charts display the business-type activities for FY 2017 and FY 2016.

Business-type activities generally charge and receive only amounts required to cover expenditures of operations plus reserves for future capital improvements. The Telecommunications fund generates very little revenue from charges for services and receives a sizeable transfer from the General Fund each year. The information provided in this article is a summary of some of the ﬁnancial highlights from FY 2017. For more information regarding the ﬁnancial performance of Midvale City’s funds, please download the 2017 Midvale City CAFR from our website.

WWW . MIDVALECITY . ORG

Midvale Hosts the Best in Improv Comedy Three nights, 30 teams from around the country, over 400 audience members and a countless amount of big laughs – all went into the inaugural Wasatch Improv Festival held at the Midvale Performing Arts Center. Northern Utah was treated to a very unique opportunity as a variety of comedy acts descended into Midvale to perform, take classes, discuss issues around improv theater, and share in their passion. For the audience it was a true buffet of comedy as 30 different acts (over 70 individual performers) took the stage over the three-night festival. Improv Comedy is best known to people who have seen shows like “Whose Line Is It Anyway”. Actors take suggestions from the audience and instantly create comedy sketches without any preparation or script. Many improvisers describe it as jumping out of a plane without really knowing if you have a parachute or not. But for those watching it is closer to a magic act as scenes develop out of thin air. And some would say this festival was just like a good improv scene. Seemingly come out of nowhere. “When we decided to host a festival our first thought was, would any act want to come to Utah in January,” Bob Bedore, founder of Quick Wits and one of the festival’s organizers said. “But instantly we were flooded with submissions. We actually had to turn great acts away. We were blown away.” And it wasn’t just acts that had to be turned away. Sell out crowds meant that organizers second question of “would anyone want to come out and watch this?” was soon turned into “where can we find more chairs?”. The Midvale Arts Council played the role of major sponsor for the festival and is looking forward to seeing this grow bigger each year. For a first year festival the Wasatch Improv Festival has already gained rave reviews from teams across the country and troupes are already lining up for next year. “We’re going to get some sleep, much needed sleep,” said Jason Wild, a Midvale Arts Council Member and festival organizer. “But then we’re going to go through the festival and see what worked and what we can improve on. We already have a lot to live up to, but we are going to make sure that next year is even better.” For those not wanting to wait for a whole year before checking out comedy improv, you can always catch Midvale’s own Quick Wits every Saturday night at 10:00 PM. For show information you can go to qwcomedy.com. And if you’d like to volunteer for the arts in Midvale, please go to midvalearts.com and sign up as a volunteer.

February 2018 | Page 15

MidvaleJournal.com

MATHCOUNTS offers middle school students challenge By Julie Slama | Julie@mycityjournals.com

fter two rounds of complete silence, 132 Canyons School District middle school students were able to work together to solve 10 problems in the team round of MATHCOUNTS. “Math makes sense and it’s fun,” said Mt. Jordan eighth-grader Shaylee Neilsen, who is competing on her school’s MATHCOUNTS team for the first time. At the district competition, students had four rounds: a 30-question sprint round, a target round with four sets of two problems, a team competition where students work together on 10 questions, and then an oral countdown round. MATHCOUNTS is offered after school at the eight middle schools and promotes middle school mathematics achievement in every U.S. state and territory. Since 1985, students in the district have competed in MATHCOUNTS, said Bob McGee, Midvale Middle School teacher and coach of 39 club members. Up until last year, Midvale Middle has dominated the competition, winning 15 years straight until Waterford claimed the title last year. Last year at the chapter competition, Midvale scored 57 of the 66 points possible. “Our kids are practicing doing more questions and being exposed to more math questions from algebra to geometry to probability. These are tough questions they’re solving,” McGee said last year. This year, with a new chapter of private and charter schools formed, there were only seven Canyons schools competing at the district level on Jan. 3. Union Middle did not participate. The top 14 students, plus their teams, will compete next at the chapter contest in February, followed by state and even nationals. “The students get involved because they like doing math,” said McGee, who has accompanied the state team to nationals several times. “Some of these students who compete at the national level go to MIT and other high-end schools. They are able to problem-solve and are self-motivated to learn.” Midvale eighth-grader Zoe Liu said she studied on her own in addition to the club meetings once per week. “It’s like anything else you do — you have to practice,” she said. “The more you practice, the faster and more accurate you are. This gets harder every year; it’s become more competitive.” Zoe, who finished second in the overall competition, said she joined MATHCOUNTS to learn. “It’s a fun way to learn about math. It’s unique, creative and applies to the real world,” she said. Many schools, including the 11-member Indian Hills team, use MATHCOUNTS-prepared booklets to help students get

Canyon School District honored its top 14 middle school students in the recent MATHCOUNTS competition. (Rachel Marshall/Canyons School District)

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Elkins said. “We look at Pascal’s triangle and Fibonacci’s sequence just for fun. We’re trying to get students more college-ready, so while they’re having fun and collaborating with each other, they’re learning.” District instructional specialist Rachel Marshall said that because some accelerated students choose to remain in their neighborhood schools rather than attend Midvale Middle, which houses the Salta program, the past three years, they have encouraged all schools to offer the math enrichment MATHCOUNTS program. “We have advanced math students spread out throughout our district, so this provides students an enriching and dynamic way for them to be challenged,” she said. While all students competing received finalist medals, only the top 14 competed in the oral countdown round. The top three students received trophies and the top four students from each school form a team that can compete at chapter competition. This year’s top 14 students who placed in order after the countdown round were Eric Chen, Midvale; Zoe Liu, Midvale; Thomas Lu, Midvale; Marianne Liu, Midvale; Lucas Pearce, Eastmont; Will Pearce, Eastmont; Michael Watts, Indian Hills; Andrew Liew, Midvale; Hyun Chun, Midvale; Luke Holt, Butler; Ryam Pomeroy, Indian Hills; Ashley Nielsen, Draper Park; Matthew Telling, Albion; and Asiah Collinson, Mt. Jordan. l

ready for the competition, said math teacher and coach Allyson Derocher. “It’s for fun, for kids who enjoy solving math problems,” she said. “Our aim is to have fun and have our team compete at the chapter contest.” Butler Middle School coach Amy Giles supported Derocher, adding that her seven-member team consists of students who participate for “the love of math.” Eastmont coach Stephanie Schott said it also helps students learn to “problem-solve with friends. It’s taking what they learn, building upon it and applying it. They’re often solving problems a couple years beyond what they’re learning in the classroom.” Mt. Jordan Coach Michelle O’Reilly said the problems are purposely scaled above their difficulty. “It’s an enrichment above the ninth-grade problem set,” she said. Schott said that through competition, they’re learning how to collaborate with their team as well as attempt problems in multiple ways. At Albion, MATHCOUNTS coach and teacher Emalee Elkins said that often, her 17-member team works together to come up with the solution. “There’s some challenging questions; it’s hard stuff,”

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Page 16 | February 2018

Midvale City Journal

Go for it! Organizations encourage women to enter politics

By Aspen Perry | a.perry@mycityjournals.com

hile obtaining a seat in local government does not provide much financial reward, there are perks when running for office. Patricia Jones, CEO of the Women’s Leadership Institute (WLI), spent 14 years serving the Utah Legislature and was surprised at just how beneficial learning the system ended up being. As Jones explained during a mid-January interview, having an understanding of how government worked provided her and her family invaluable information when she began looking into long term care options for an aged parent. “There are just so many things you learn, that help you in your own personal life, and help your loved ones,” Jones said. It’s something many Utah women are beginning to discover. Utah’s rank for women in office is on the rise with more projected to run in future elections. “I think we’re seeing more women run, because they’re feeling more confident,” said Patricia Jones, CEO of Women’s Leadership Institute (WLI). In 2016, Utah ranked 45th among state legislatures for percentage of women holding office. A rank that can be disheartening considering Utah’s history of being ahead of the curve when it comes to women in politics. In 1896—24 years before women were granted the right to vote— Martha Hughes Cannon ran as a Democrat against her husband, and became the first female state senator of the United States. Though Utah fell behind the curve in regards to the number of women in office, it appears to be a statistic that is steadily increasing. In accordance with Utah Valley University, within just one year Utah’s rank went from 45th to 38th, with five women

Left to right: Hillary Hahn, Government Relations, Utah Symphony Utah Opera; Kelleen Potter, Heber City mayor; Holly Daines, Logan City mayor; Katie Witt, Kaysville City mayor; Bev Uipi, Millcreek City Council; and Alisa Van Langeveld, currently enrolled in PDS. (Women’s Leadership Institutue)

gaining seats in the House. Bringing the number of women serving the 104-member Legislature up to 21 (15 House, six Senate). Organizations with programs offering political campaign education to women are seeing a rise in participants as well, meaning Utah will continue to see an increase of women running in future elections. Jones of WLI, an organization formed three years ago with the intent to support women in both business and political leadership, has seen a significant rise in participants for their

political development program. “The first year we had 17 women that applied and that were in the class, last year we had 23, and this year we have 50,” said Jones. Jones explained that four of the female mayors elected during the November 2017 election were part of WLI’s political development program. Those four are: Michelle Kaufusi from Provo, Holly Daines from Logan, Kelleen Potter from Heber City, and Katie Witt from Kaysville. “The great thing about the [program] is they get to know

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February 2018 | Page 17

MidvaleJournal.com one another and want to help each other. It’s really a magical thing to see,” Jones said. Real Women Run (RWR) is another organization created to empower women, founded in 2011 at YWCA Utah. Erin Jemison, director of public policy with RWR, reported of the 98 women who were elected to office in the 2017 election, 23 were RWR participants. Kristie Steadman Overson, newly elected mayor of Taylorsville attended one of Real Women Run’s events six years ago, as preparation when she ran for a seat on Taylorsville City Council. Overson won the council seat, where she continued to serve until running and being elected mayor. During her campaign, Overson knocked on almost 3,000 doors and discovered communication was a top concern for her constituents. “Connecting with someone on their doorstep is a lot different than getting perspective during a council meeting. As I did that… I thought I can take this knowledge and use it, so communication is absolutely the key,” Overson said. Cottonwood Heights recently elected District 3 Councilwoman Tali Bruce also attended training through Real Women Run and found the personal testimonials of women who had run beneficial. “You can spend a lot of time prepping for something like this, but their advice was solid. To just go for it,” Bruce recounted of her experience. Along with Bruce, Christine Watson Mikell was the other woman who altered the all-male demographic of Cottonwood Heights previous city council. “I think boards or councils are better when there’s a diverse perspective. [Being] a mother, business owner, I offer a diverse perspective that may have not been on the council throughout the life of the city,” Mikell said. Though Mikell had planned to participate in one of WLI’s groups, due to schedule conflicts she was unable to attend before running for council. “I think those organizations are fantastic, and I wish I’d had the benefit [of one of those programs],” Mikell said. Although Mikell was unable to prep for her campaign through WLI or RWR her experience working on the board of Utah Clean Energy provided hands-on experience for collaboration. Newly elected South Jordan Mayor Dawn

Newly elected Mayor of South Jordan, Dawn Ramsey. (Mayor Dawn Ramsey)

Ramsey, shares a similar path with her years of service on the Utah PTA State Board of Directors, which provided an opportunity to work with other female elected officials. “I work with a lot of women who hold positions of capacity that make a big difference… I’ve learned a lot from those women,” Ramsey stated. For Ramsey, growth is the main issue that she will focus on during her term as mayor. “Working with other local mayors and legislators, to try to help protect what we love most about South Jordan, and to work hard to get the services and funding that we need to continue to enhance quality of life for all of our residents,” Ramsey said. All in all, it is looking to be promising year as more women enter the political arena in Utah. When asked what advice they would offer other women thinking of running for office in the future, the advice from all women was the same: Go for it! “We need more women in the legislature,” said Jones with WLI. She added, “There are real structural benefits of having gender balance… it’s not good enough to have just one woman at the table.” With the rise of females enrolled in political development education, Utah is sure to see more women on the ticket for 2018. l

Not Just News... Your Community News...

Page 18 | February 2018

Midvale City Journal

Salt Lake County Council’s

ME SSAGE

South Salt Lake City Editorial

I believe that the citizens I serve realize, for the most part, that basic public services such as roads, courts, planning and zoning, police, fire and paramedic, etc. are best left to local governments. These services are, of course, funded by taxes. Taxpayers rightfully expect efficient services in exchange for their hard-earned tax dollars. For the most part, particularly at the state and local level, I believe that is what they are receiving. In saying this, I want to highlight a program where I believe the taxpayers are getting an exceptional “bang for the buck”. It is the Zoo, Arts and Parks (ZAP) program. This program is funded by a tenth of a cent sales tax in Salt Lake County and raises over $23 million per year. The ZAP program was reauthorized by the voters in 2014 with 77% support. In Salt Lake County, the ZAP program is administered by two employees. A recommendation on the allocation of funds is made by two advisory committees made up of city mayors and other community volunteers. The final decision on the allocation of funds is then made by the Salt Lake County Council. In December, the County Council authorized the disbursement of $13.3 million of funds to worthy ZAP Tier I and Zoological organizations. This program helps fund a broad range of activities across the Salt Lake Valley. It is likely that you or someone you know has taken children or grandchildren to the Hogle Zoo, The Living Planet Aquarium or the Tracy Aviary, which together see millions of visitors per year. If not for the support received from the ZAP program,

SPOTLIGHT

By Richard Snelgrove Salt Lake County Councilman at Large

ticket prices to these and other popular venues would be higher and possibly Richard Snelgrove out of reach for many of our citizens. The same is true of many of our arts organizations. The Utah Symphony, Utah Opera, Pioneer Memorial Theater, Utah Museum of Natural History, Children’s Museum and Ballet West are the most well-known of these. But, there are many other large and small organizations that provide quality entertainment and cultural exposure to hundreds of thousands of patrons including the League of Utah Writers and the Midvale Arts Council. In addition, many of these arts organizations donate free tickets to disadvantaged residents as part of their agreement to receive ZAP funding. Lastly, Salt Lake County owns and operates 30 regional parks and recreational centers. These facilities are heavily used, as anyone who has visited them can attest. Because of this demand, in part, we are in the process of building additional ZAP supported parks and centers to make these types of facilities available to additional residents. Indeed, as a custodian of these funds, I am regularly approached by city mayors and other civic leaders requesting further ZAP funded services in their communities. They express appreciation for the facilities they have and acknowledge that they are well used. I extend my appreciation to the taxpayers of Salt Lake County for making the ZAP program possible and I can assure the taxpayers that in this program, they are getting their money’s worth. l

McDougal Funeral Home 4330 S Redwood Rd, Taylorsville, UT 84123

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n December 1950, R. David McDougal opened the doors to McDougal Funeral Home, located on the (then) quiet Redwood Road in Taylorsville, Utah. At the time, only fields surrounded the new mortuary. Ever since he was a small boy, David had dreamed of owning and operating a funeral home. When his loving grandmother passed away, eight-year-old David watched the gentle care and sympathy shown by the funeral directors, and knew this was what he wanted to do for his life’s work. David studied Mortuary Science in Wisconsin after graduating from high school and serving an LDS mission. He met his sweet wife, Joyce Muir, in Provo, Utah. He loved and respected “Joycie,” fondly calling her “his bride,” even into their advancing years. Joyce worked with David in the office, serving as receptionist, secretary, and in a variety of other roles. Her service was indispensable to its success. They raised their five children at the funeral home and taught them to love and care for each other. In the early 1960s, David’s younger broth-

er, Richard, joined the staff and together the two of them provided dignity and honor to the lives and legacies of the families they served. David and Richard recognized that the loss of a loved one brings challenges and difficulties to those left behind. Working together, David and Richard were uniquely qualified to address and assist in solving many of these concerns. They followed the admonition to “do unto others as you would have others do unto you,” and considered it a privilege and a blessing.

Two of David’s sons, Kirk and Spencer, joined the staff to continue the family legacy. The funeral home has been family owned and operated since its doors first opened. Today, it operates under the direction of Ronald McDougal, Darren Parker, and Michael McDougal. They know and understand the value of maintaining the high standard of compassion and dignity that has made McDougal Funeral Home one of the leading funeral homes in the Salt Lake Valley. It is their goal to pro-

tect this reputation as they continue to serve families in the community. The staff are also committed to excellence in service and work hard with consideration to care for each person experiencing loss. The staff also includes Family Service Counselors who are specifically trained to provide information for pre-planning all aspects of a funeral service; they offer monthly seminars to educate the community on the choices and aspects in preparing for the future. Many have come to recognize the value of these preparations. They have seen the great benefit and peace of mind provided to families at a time of loss. With services and plans already in place, families have had time to reunite, to remember, and to honor the one who has passed on. McDougal Funeral Home’s dedication to compassion and service, which began over 67 years ago on a quiet street in Taylorsville, is continued today. The determination to honor and respect the life and legacy of those served is second to none. Faith McDougal

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February 2018 | Page 19

MidvaleJournal.com

You were just in a car accident, now what?

nless you’re one of the few anomalies in the world, we’ve all been in an accident. We’ve experienced that sickening feeling when your car makes unwanted contact with another vehicle. We’re frustrated and disheartened. While we may want to crawl into a hole, we can’t. There are things to do and we’ve given you 10 to be aware of (in no particular order). 1. Have an emergency kit in your car. While this step comes before the accident occurs, it’s essential to be prepared. Whatever you kit entails, make sure it has a first aid kit, flashlight, reflective triangles and a small (and simple) camera in case there’s been damage to your phone. We’re typically frustrated or frazzled after an accident and not inclined to rational thinking. Being prepared limits the possibility of forgetfulness. 2. Take a deep breath. Accidents are traumatic experiences. Taking a breath will shift focus from what just happened to what needs to be done next. 3. Get a status check on everyone in the car. Check with each passenger to see if they are OK. Have someone call 911 immediately if someone is injured or unresponsive. 4. Move to a safe location. Most insurance companies recommend relocating the vehicle to the sidewalk or shoulder of the road as soon as possible after the accident. If the damage to the car is minor, this should be relatively easy. But if there are major injuries or questions about the safety of the car, leave it where it is, even if its blocking traffic. 5. Increase your visibility. Turn on your hazard lights and set out your attention items from the emergency kit—flares, orange cones, reflective triangles, etc. One accident should not lead to another. Take precaution to ensure other drivers on the road remain safe. 6. Stay calm. It is very easy to lose your temper in this situation, it’s human nature. Keeping your cool will keep the situation from

getting worse. If it wasn’t your fault, it’s easy to want to let your emotions loose on the other driver. This will cloud your judgment and may lead to something that does not help the situation. You still need to exchange information. 7. Exchange insurance information. This is imperative. If you are to file a claim on your car, you will need the other driver’s information. Most likely, after an accident you are feeling jumpy or stressed. It means when you try to write down their information your handwriting will look like ancient hieroglyphics and, unless you are a cryptographer, will be unable to read it later. We live in the 21st Century, take a photo of their information and take photos of the damage done to both cars. 8. Don’t admit guilt. Every insurance company will tell you to do this. Even if you are at fault and it was you to blame. This could drive your premium up or even lead to you being sued. Let the police and insurance companies determine this. 9. Call the police. While some minor accidents don’t require a report to be filed, it’s up to the discretion of the drivers in the accident to call the police. Law enforcement can take statements, get information on injuries and property damage. Be sure to ask for a copy of the accident report. If there is a dispute, the officer will be an important testimony. 10. See a doctor. Depending on the injuries suffered or not, it is easy to skip this. A large financial situation has just happened with the car accident, you don’t want another one by seeing the doctor and jacking up your health costs. It’s important to consider it, or possibly speak with one. Adrenaline can be pumping after the accident and one might not notice the amount of whiplash to your neck. Symptoms can take 24 hours to appear. The warning signs include neck pain, stiffness, loss of motion in the neck, headaches, fatigue, dizziness and pain in the shoulders or upper back. It can be better to be safe than sorry. l

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Page 20 | February 2018

Midvale City Journal

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MidvaleJournal.com

Local speed skater headed to Winter Olympics By Greg James | gregj@mycityjournals.com

knew I was competitive and like to race so they let me try it,” she said. She now races in speed skating’s sprint races—the 500 and 1000 meters. In the 2017 World Cup event at her home track in Kearns she placed fourth and 12th in her 500 meter events. She placed 11th in the 1000 meter. “In a sprint you have such a short amount of time. Your technique needs to be spot on and you need to be mentally prepared to make adjustments. If something goes wrong in the race you do not have a lot of time to fix it. A typical 500 takes about 38 seconds so if I make a little mistake that can make the difference between a podium or last place,” Tandiman said. The national team is based in Salt Lake and she trains here year-round. As a junior skater she made five junior world teams. Her competition schedule has taken her around the world including Russia, Norway, Italy and Japan. “I would not have ever been able to go to all of these places if not for my speed skating. It has been really cool to travel and learn a little bit about the places I have been. I try to learn a couple of phrases in the language and sightsee a little bit,” she said. She spends about six hours a day training on land and the ice. Rotating between racing, cardio and weight training. Along with prep work on equipment and other family chores she has little time to herself. When she does find free time she enjoys doodling, painting and graphic arts. “Going into this Olympics I don’t know if I expect to medal necessarily. I hope to race some of my fastest times,” West Jordan’s Jerica Tandiman finished fourth and fifth in the ladies 500 and 1000 meters U.S. Olympic Tandiman said. “There are other members of the team that have been to the trials, qualifying her for the 2018 Winter Olympics. (John Kleba/US Speed Skating) games before. They have really helped encourage me. I am going to get valuable he 2002 Winter Olympics had scarcely ended when then 7-year-old Jerica Tandiman fell in love with speed skating. experience and try my best. I do not want a lot of pressure. I She is now headed to participate in the world’s pinnacle winter want to enjoy the experience and race the best I can.” She has a part-time job with Dick’s Sporting Goods and sports event. “It feels pretty awesome to be an Olympian. I am still try- they also help sponsor her travel and training expenses. She ing to process it all. I am really excited, and it is something I graduated from Kearns High School in 2013 and attended have been working towards for years,” Tandiman said. “It feels BYU-Hawaii. The 2018 Winter Olympics are scheduled to be held Feb. good to finally reach that goal.” Tandiman started skating shortly after the Salt Lake City 9-25 in PyeongChang, South Korea. Her events will be held Winter Olympics finished and left behind the Utah Olympic Feb. 14 (1000 meter) and Feb. 18 (500 meter). She has three sisters: Justine, Julie and Jamie and her parOval in Kearns—within walking distance of her home. She was fascinated with the speed and her parents enrolled her in a ents are Edwin and Christine. They now live in West Jordan. “I am looking forward to representing Utah,” Tandiman learn-to-skate program. “It inspired me, I remember going to the oval and watch- said. “I have had so much support from people in my neighboring the speed skaters train. They went so fast. I was more inter- hood and friends that have known me growing up. I think it is ested in that than I was in figure skating or hockey. My parents going to be a great experience. It will be fun and exciting.” l

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February 2018 | Page 21

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Page 22 | February 2018

Midvale City Journal

Homemade Love

CASSIE GOFF

A commercial crazed Valentine’s Day can leave you broke. Americans spend billions of dollars to celebrate a holiday rumored to be started by Hallmark in order to sell cards—which aren’t cheap. Then there’s the overpriced dinners, expensive roses and the marked-up heart-shaped chocolate. Perhaps a more accurate expression of love can be found in homemade gifts, because your time, love and effort was put into them. Here are less expensive alternatives for homemade Valentine’s Day gifts; some not even requiring creativity. Instead of supporting Hallmark’s card industry (some cards are $13 now!), write your own card. It’s not that hard, I promise. Start by picking the front of your card. If you’re not feeling particularly magical, just print a picture. It can be a cartoon your sweetheart will find funny. Or perhaps print a photo of a fun memory, or something related to an interest of theirs. Now you’ll need to write something on the back or inside of the card. Google “Valentine’s Day card messages” for some inspiring poems and sayings. For more personalized content, close your eyes, think about your loved one and what they mean to you, type out your thoughts, and then write it on the card. Creating your own card doesn’t take too much time, and it’s usually

more memorable. Plus, you’ll save a few bucks! If you’re planning on buying candy or chocolate, don’t grab the heart-shaped ones. Candy specifically made for Valentine’s Day is anywhere from a few cents to a few dollars more than the everyday version of the same. Maybe it would be worth it if the candy tasted better, but usually the proportions are thrown off by festivity. I’d rather have a regularly proportioned Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, than a heart-shaped slab of peanut butter. One dozen red roses can cost anywhere from $20 to $50. Instead of buying something that will just die in a few days, make some flowers. This is where DIYers rejoice. It’s fairly simple to make some flowers out of material that won’t wilt. Pinterest is a great place to find instructions on how to make flowers out of any material you can imagine: books, tissue paper, felt, glass, cotton balls, buttons, seashells, pearls, Q-tips, pinecones, feathers, old jewelry, yarn, and even coffee filters. Unless you’re just aching to dine at a packed restaurant followed by watching a movie in a crowded theatre, don’t leave your house for Valentine’s Day this year. Luckily, we have many amazing streaming choices for entertainment. It’ll be much more relaxing to stay in, cook

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dinner, pop your own popcorn, and watch a movie together. Cook your partner’s favorite meal. If you need help in that area, many grocery stores have readyto-prepare meals that can help you. Or, try cooking something completely new together. If a movie or TV show is decided upon beforehand, try cooking something from that show. A great place to find ideas for corresponding a meal and a movie is the YouTube channel called “Binging with Babish.”

The best way to save money on Valentine’s Day is to be different and perhaps delay celebrating it by a day or two. Personally, I love a post-Valentine celebration: Dinner reservations are easy. Candy is back to its normal price and, best of all, stores such as Smith’s usually put all of their festive items on sale the day after. That’s when I can go stock up on stuffed animals and heart-shaped candy for my loved one. l

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MidvaleJournal.com

Laughter AND

PERI KINDER

MIDVALE

s our country devolves into a 24/7 protest, people are casting their eyes to the stars. They’re either hoping for a) an asteroid to hit the planet, b) our alien overlords to save us from catastrophe or c) the chance to flee to Mars to populate (and eventually destroy) another planet. Life on this beautiful blue marble (or beautiful blue dinner plate if you’re a flat-Earther) has had a good run. We’ve evolved from being hunters/gatherers to being couch potatoes while creating technology that is certain to bring about our impending doom. Do we really need a talking fridge? But Mars! Oh, the possibilities! I envision a world where everyone lives in hexagonal domes, speaks in British-accented tones, and wears white flowing robes. That could be a problem. I can’t wear white, even when I’m not living on a planet covered in red dust. Every night I would look like a red chimney sweep. NASA wants to send the first humans to Mars in the 2030s, which creates an interesting predicament. I’ll be too old to populate anything, but every planet needs a wise old woman giving cryptic warnings to the younger generation. I could fill that role, assuming I survive the seven-month journey to the Red Planet. The possibility of relocating to the planet of war has become an animated

discussion in our home. Me: Would you want to live on Mars? Hubbie: Of course! Me: Wouldn’t you be afraid we’d die on the way there? Hubbie: Wait. You’re going, too? Seven months is a long time to give someone the silent treatment. Describing the flight to Mars, NASA uses magical terms like “transfer orbit” and “astronomical position” which I’ve learned are NOT part of the Kama Sutra. Voyagers traveling to Mars could lose fingernails, have spinal fractures and vision problems, and there’s always the chance you’ll upchuck in your spacesuit and suffocate after blocking the air system with your intergalactic vomit. So, there’s that. Once we land, we’ll spend a lot of time cleaning up abandoned movie sets that Abbott and Costello, Matt Damon and Santa Claus basically trashed during filming. But once that’s done, then what do we do? I guess people will build greenhouses and grow food. I won’t be on that crew because I can’t even grow mold. Others will install solar panels. Solar companies are already training door-to-door salesmen for the Mars market. There will be a team working on communications so we can keep up with our favorite Netflix shows and hopefully

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