July 2022 | Vol. 22 Iss. 07
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n March, Sandy resident Heidi Petersen competed in her first Mrs. Utah America pageant. She placed in the top 10. Petersen’s win was a bright spot as she recovered from MS treatments and watched society grapple with racial inequality. “I know there’s sometimes a negative feeling that goes along with pageantry. But as I learned more about this and the Mrs. Prime Pageant that I’m now competing in, I related to the focus on self-care and service to others,” Petersen said. Petersen grew up in Maryland and spent a lot of time with her grandparents who set an example of service that stuck with her. “They had an open door policy at their home for people who needed a meal, even though their house was already full with 10 children and 20 foster kids. I really wanted to live my life the way they did theirs,” Petersen said. Petersen moved to Utah when she was 13 after her mom remarried. “It was culture shock! But I stayed here and married and raised my kids here. Now I’m 48 and an empty nester, so I am starting to think about my legacy,” Petersen said. The self-care aspect of the pageant hit home for Petersen when she was diagnosed with MS in 2015. “I wanted to try HSCT, which is a therapy that’s not approved in the U.S., so we had to go to Mexico. It takes about a month and is a reboot of your immune system where they take out your stem cells and then replace them,” Petersen said. When she got home, she had to isolate for six months. Just when her isolaContinued page 14 Heidi Petersen had a happy reunion with her kids in 2019 after she went to Mexico for her multiple sclerosis treatments. Left to right are Savannah Weaver, Heidi Petersen, Sophia Weaver, Darien Weaver. (Heidi Petersen)
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DRAPER DAYS 2022
Draper Days is a fantastic community event held every July in Draper, Utah. The event features a festival, parade, 5K race, sports tournaments, movie nights, concerts, and many other activities. Draper Days is sponsored by Draper City.
Rodeo - July 8 & 9
July 8-16
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Children’s Bike Parade - July 12 Heritage Banquet - July 13 Free Movie Night & Concert - July 14 (Encanto and Performer TBA) Park Activities - July 15 & 16 Free Draper Nights Concerts & Fireworks - July 15, featuring Sixwire and Felix Cavaliere of “The Rascals” 5K - July 16, 7 AM (more info TBA) Parade - July 16 (Parade Entry Registration) Free Car Show - July 16, 9 AM to 2 PM at Draper City Park Free Draper Nights Concerts & Fireworks - July 16, featuring Collin Raye Sports Tournaments - Throughout July
Food trucks will be on site for all events at Draper City Park. You are also welcome to bring food in to the venues. No glass or alcohol allowed. Page 2 | July 2022
Sandy City Journal
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Since we opened our doors in 2008, we have been overwhelmed with the support we have received from our community. It has truly been a joy to work and get to know our patients and their families. To show our gratitude and to share the love, we want to give back and gift free orthodontic care to someone whose life could be changed for the better with a beautiful smile. If you know someone who is deserving or you are that special someone, apply or nominate today! No purchase necessary. Winner will receive orthodontic treatment - no cash value. Contestants must be resident of Utah or Wyoming, between the ages of 8 and 80 years old and winner will be selected by Silcox Orthodontics based on personal, subjective information and will be selected July 31, 2022. Winner will be responsible for travel to and from appointments.
STOP THE BLEED 2022 FREE CLASSES Controlled bleeding can mean the difference between life or death. Learn simple steps to keep injured people alive until medical care is available.
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Alta View Hospital in the Blanch Family Education Center (Building 5, Level 0) Sign Up for this FREE life-saving class by calling Mary at (801) 501-2370. Each participant receives a t-shirt and a Stop The Bleed kit.
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July 2022 | Page 3
Writing connects experiences with imagination, author tells Albion students By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
“I
t may be best described as a James Bond movie with a teenage female protagonist.” That is how Millcreek author Tiffany Rosenhan introduced her book, “Girl From Nowhere” to Albion Middle School creative writing and English-Language Arts students. Shortly before school was out, the firsttime published writer shared with students about her creative process and becoming an author. She autographed books and some students, like seventh-grader creative writer Brooklyn Rosvall, already had read her novel which Brooklyn describes as “mystery and fantasy together,” while other classmates planned to read it this summer. Albion librarian Bridget Rees said students learn more about writing from Rosenhan as well as Albion alum Sasha Peyton Smith, who wrote “The Witch Haven” and spoke earlier in the school year to students. “Everyone has creativity inside them, and this helps them learn skills how to develop and share their creative selves and about the profession,” she said. With reviews saying “Girl From Nowhere” is a “fast-paced spy thriller with enough twists and turns to keep readers entertained’ and “a breath of fresh air: a heroine that thinks for herself, shows love and gratitude for family,” Rosenhan said that her book has a 16-year-old girl living in Montana hoping for a normal life after traveling with her diplomat parents—only it isn’t easy to forget her previous years living in fear. The book combines Rosenhan’s love and degree in political science and international relations with the passion of creative writing. Although her first thoughts were to join the foreign service or CIA, she ended up staying home with her four daughters. “I started writing as a way to entertain myself; I was never good at writing in a journal, but when I created stories, I better under-
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stood myself and was able to process my own emotions and feelings by creating stories about others,” she said, adding that she writes more for herself than for the pressure of annually producing a book. “I think it’s important to remind ourselves that we might not know who we want to become professionally for a long time. So, while I thought I would be in the CIA doing cool stuff, instead, I chose to write about it.” Creative writing became vital to her life. “Creative writing is personal, something I do for myself. Embracing creative writing is a tool you have at your disposal to better understand who you want to be, to better process your own feelings, emotions and circumstances. It’s really a powerful tool to do that,” Rosenhan said, adding that she was able to hone on the skills she used as a child playing outside, building forts and castles out of cardboard. In her own writing process, she often will research her topic. For example, in this case, how the girl lived internationally and learn about the countries and their culture, language, espionage and diplomacy. “I love this interconnected world of geography, policy, tradecraft, spy craft, military, ballistics and read encyclopedias and Cold War spy thrillers since I was seven or eight, long before I ever understood it. Those topics interest me, but your creative writing should be rooted in what interests you,” she told students. “It should be this convergence point between who you are and what your experiences have been and what you are uniquely interested in because that is where the magic begins.” Rosenhan addressed the way to start creative writing is “simply, by taking your first step.” With her book, Rosenhan said she not only quickly introduces the character and subject, but it hooks the reader’s attention and desire to read more: “Another knock at the
Local author Tiffany Rosenhan signs a book after talking to Albion Middle School students about creative writing. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
door—I seal my grip tighter around the pistol. I haven’t slept all night….” Rosenhan said she not only got the reader’s attention, but filled her first chapter with intensity, action and mystery. “When I originally wrote the first chapter, there were 50 pages. I cut 49 pages and not because they were boring, but through the process, I found where the story begins,” she said. “We have to trust authors know more about their story and characters than we do. However, it would be fun to have a section of the deleted scenes.” Another tip, Rosenhan said is for students to make a one-sentence pitch for their story. “That’s valuable because you have identified what it is you’re trying to write and it
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keeps you on your path,” she said, adding that an outline also allows authors to write more effectively. Rosenhan is considering a series. “I wanted this book to be an enjoyable read whether or not there is a sequel or prequel. I wanted it to be a book that you can enjoy as a standalone story. There’s no cliffhanger or trick, but I was careful about the setting and everything so it could become a series that is threaded together,” she said. “I love talking about the book, but my goal is to visit schools and discuss the creative writing journey to encourage students to find their own path to understand themselves and their world.” l
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Sandy City Journal
Popular middle school Book Blitz program teaches study skills, teamwork, builds community By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
“W
hite Bird.” “The False Prince.” “Wink.” “Game Changer.” These and 16 other books are likely being read by middle-schoolers this summer as they prepare for Canyons School District’s Book Blitz this coming school year. Since 2018, Canyons has offered its own book competition, allowing middle school students a chance to read books and as a team, recall titles and authors for points in a district-wide book competition. The team with the most points —two for each correct answer plus another for the author— wins. The contest is similar to America’s Battle of the Books, which the district previously participated in, but then would substitute books to better fit their audience, said Eastmont librarian Sonia Miles. So now, under their own program, the titles are chosen by the middle school librarians and the district leader, Gretchen Zaitzeff. “We decide as middle school librarians which books to use each year and come up with our own questions,” said Miles, who said that they purposely pick a variety of genres. “We want students to become more familiar with books that they normally wouldn’t read, and we try to choose a fair amount that have female and male characters and are on different reading levels. Then, we encourage students to read, take notes, utilize the digital notebook and Google classroom.” The popularity of Book Blitz is evident as some of the eight middle schools have their own tournaments to identify the top teams to send to the district competition, and an individual contest was added. At Albion, for example, more than 150 students participated in Book Blitz at the school level and 25 went on to compete individually at district, said librarian Bridget Rees. In the coming year, there are discussions to start the program in elementary schools and also, possibly hold a staff and faculty contest as well, Miles said. Teams can be creative with a team name or team shirt. While this year Indian Hills’ Bananna Splits of and Union Middle School team 2 led the other teams, Albion’s BMMMS and Penguins were close behind. There were book sets or trilogies for winning teams as well as individual books and medals for every district participant. “In the very final round, it went into overtime and we had to have a final elimination round,” said Albion’s Rees. “I was super proud of not only my kids, but all of them. It’s a pretty big accomplishment to work on this all year long, reading books they may not have otherwise, taking practice quizzes,
S andy Journal .com
At the Canyons School District’s Book Blitz competition, Eastmont students discuss and answer a question about a book. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
and working together.” While students enjoy the competition aspect, Miles said it’s more than that. For example, by using the digital notebook, students are able to take notes on characters, themes and major plot points to help them understand and remember the books they read as well as develop study skills and help in their English-Language Arts courses, she said. They also are learning how to interact and support one another while enjoying reading for pleasure, Miles said. “The thing that I love about it is our schools focus on small groups and with having four or five in the group, they keep each other accountable,” she said. “They work together; it builds unity. It builds a love for reading and a reading community. They tell their friends about these books they read.” The Midvale Middle Narwhals said they read books that they may not have checked out otherwise. Seventh-grader Ella Wood liked “Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus” and sixth-grader Quinn Profsky liked “The Last Day of Mars.” “The characters were realistic, and it was action-packed, so the plot kept going. I got into it.”
While seventh-grader Makoto Robinson said he already was friends with everyone on the team, others met one another and bonded as a team, seventh-grader Makenzie Dwyer said. Some teams split up the reading, so each team member read four or five books. Other teams accelerated, each member reading all or almost all the titles. Eastmont’s Chimeckos split up the reading, said sixth-grader Keegan Hutchinson. Sixth-grader Sophia Livinston read all the books and said some others on the team also read a few more than they were assigned and reviewed book summaries. Eighth-grader Michael liked “A Night Divided.” “It was interesting to learn about the Berlin Wall and how it divided families and about a girl trying to escape.” Seventh-grader Annika Goaslind learned more about events in New York and Afghanistan with “Ground Zero.” “It really interested me to learn more recent history and ask more about it,” she said. Mt. Jordan’s Fantasy Figures seventh-grade teammates Priya Davies and Rosemary Diamond read all the books, while seventh-grader Kaylie Call read all, but a couple. The three girls began their reading
for the last competition a few months prior and then would sit together at lunch to quiz one another on the books. “I’m a really big bookworm, so I’ll probably start next year’s reading this summer,” Rosemary said at this past spring’s competition. Penguins member Abby Eliason was excited to be on her team. “I like to read and really liked the ‘The War That Saved My Life,’” the sixth-grader said. “It was a well-written story. Book blitz is a fun challenge.” Her librarian said that the best part is that kids are excited about reading and participating about Book Blitz. “It’s not always easy to get kids excited about reading, so when I see kids whooping and hollering, like they’re at a basketball game, and having so much fun over books, it’s wonderful,” Rees said. “The kids are having a blast reading.” Albion sixth-grader Amelia Black, bonded not only with her best friend over Book Blitz, but also with reading. “When I joined, I didn’t really like to read and now I love it,” she said. “There are so many exciting books to read.”l
July 2022 | Page 5
Juan Diego students learn how experts understand, fight rise in wildfires By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
H
eadlines were bleak: “Smoke blankets the West” and “Wildfire smoke from out-of-state fires darken Utah skies.” With weather patterns, smoke was picked up in fires from California and Oregon, producing air quality so poor that the World Air Quality index, which tracks air quality across dozens of cities globally, ranked Salt Lake City amongst the worst in the world. The Utah Division of Air Quality recommended everyone avoid outdoor activity as much as possible and several schools canceled their outdoor activities and sporting events. That was summer 2021. Recently, Utah fire experts were cautious releasing the number of wildfires as of late spring had dropped in comparison to this time last year. As of early June 2022, there have been 177 wildfires that have burned 564 acres compared to 326 fires during the same time period last year. Both years, human-caused fires accounted for percentages in the 80s. In 2020, a record number of 350 fires were set with 81% by humans, fire experts attribute this to the push for outdoor recreating during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, with dry and changing conditions, experts caution this year’s summer could lead to a long fire season. Recalling last summer’s gloomy and unhealthy air, Juan Diego Catholic High School recently held the “Fire & Water in the West” symposium addressing the challenges around wildfire suppression and the urban interface with climate change. U.S. Forest Service chemical engineer Daniel Jimenez and Camp Williams Military Base fire management captain Jon Slatore spoke to students and community members about the past and future of wildfires. “Each decade there is a rise in the temperature during the fire season and our fire seasons are longer and a higher severity,” said Jimenez, who grew up in the Salt Lake Valley and now works with the fire science lab in Missoula, Montana. “It results in the change of the landscape.” He uses several models to see how conditions change annually, mostly which identify the climate becoming drier and hotter, combined with a deficit in the vapor pressure of the atmosphere drying up the vegetation. “We are seeing more and more fires in the landscape and a larger fire area,” he said, adding that in the future, by 2030, “We may see a drastic increase in the probability of fire.” Jimenez said with every fire that starts, the U.S. Forest Service is “97% effective putting out within a 12-to 24-hour period,” however, it is getting more difficult as more trees in the forest compete for the same or less moisture and nutrients, leading to the environment being more suspectable to beetle attacks and ripe for fires. While people tend to identify with the devastation of fires, there is a positive impact of forest fires. “It’s a very positive mechanism for wildlife and the ecosystem; it’s like a cleansing and rejuvenation,” he said. “After a fire, you see immediately within a second or first spring, a flush of grasses.” Jimenez pointed out the 1988 Yellowstone National Park fire was catastrophic with numerous dead lodgepole pines. Yet, now years later, those mature trees died and with the heat, it opened up new seeds that are abundant. However, the increase of fires is escalating. “We aren’t alone; it’s a worldwide issue,” he said.
Page 6 | July 2022
U.S. Forest Service chemical engineer Daniel Jimenez speaks to students and the community about the challenges facing wildfire suppression at Juan Diego Catholic High’s “Fire & Water in the West” symposium. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
“Fires around the world have grown wild. We’re seeing more extreme fires. In 2016, Canada had one of its worst fire seasons ever. In 2021, Greece had massive fires. In 2020, Australia had record-breaking fires. In the last two years, California has had nine of the largest fires they’ve ever had.” Jimenez said that at a South Carolina testing facility, fire scientists are learning how to address the issues facing “our new normal. We are studying where our highest area of risks is and where we focus the money and manpower to reduce that risk so when the fires come out of this landscape, we’re prepared for it. That is happening across the West, but it may or may not be happening fast enough in a town near you.” While that may sound bleak, Jimenez said that may be some of the reality of it. However, there is a paradigm shift with the fire management. “There used to be the mentality, this machismo tough guy on the ground, ‘we’re going to get it on that ridge, the fire is not going to get past this.’ Now the mentality is we’re going to pick the right ridge and we’re going to use our minds and our science and be smart about this. We have to recognize the fact that fire is a very present part of our landscape. We can be aggressive and smart about using resources and dollars, but there are also times where we just put up the white flag and let this thing rip until we get a change in weather, or it hits the right ridge. Then we can use the resources, technology and ability to engage and do it safely.” Slatore, who used to work for Salt Lake and Logan fire departments, said that they can’t do it alone.
“The role of the public cannot be diminished,” he said. “We like to have 30 feet from the structure clear of any kind of vegetation that can burn, and we’d like 100 feet of nice open country so the likelihood of a fire carrying to a house will be lessened. If we have entire communities adopt this sort of policy, we can keep a lot of these fires from taking down the whole communities at one time.” Meanwhile, urban crews are creating and maintaining fire breaks where communities meet the wild land. Near Camp Williams, a running path is being added to serve as a fire break. That may help overcome the issue in 2010 when there was a machine gun fire that spread outside the base and destroyed three structures. “Now look at that landscape. There are 200 homes that have been constructed within that fire area that was just 12 years ago; this is where our Wasatch Front looks like with so much growth. Draper has pretty much doubled in size since 1980 and the majority of it falls into the wildland urban interface,” Slatore said. While there are other fire breaks, such as the Shoreline trail along the Wasatch, which serves for hiking and mountain biking, crews are needed to maintain those. These wildland 20-member firefighting crews, who work 16-hour shifts with 50-pound packs on their backs, are those on the front lines “taking that fuel away from the fire to try and stop it; we rely on these guys a lot,” he said, adding that the mobile crews can get into places where mechanized equipment cannot. By mechanized equipment, Slatore is referring to
Sandy City Journal
Beehive Science and Technology Academy celebrates international day By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
B
razil, England, France, Greece, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Mexico, Oman, Palestine, Scotland, South Korea, Spain, Syria, Tatarstan, Turkey, India, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam and Yemen. Beehive Science and Technology Academy students could essentially travel the world in one day without ever leaving their campus. As part of Beehive’s international day, which the school chapter of National Honor Society helped sponsor, students dressed in traditional costumes, set up displays with trinkets from their native countries and had samplings of food from their heritage to try. Principal Hanifi Oguz said traditionally Beehive students are given the opportunity to choose a country to research and then share their findings with the school and community and it usually provides students the chance to share their own heritage. “We take education seriously and realize that students come to school to learn, but there is no reason why we can’t make it enjoyable for them to attend,” he said. “We have a large group of students that love this event, and they enjoy prepping for it and look forward to presenting it to other students and parents. It has turned out to be one of most popular activities we do.” Students are not required to present, but he said many look forward to doing it and learning about countries of cultures they research or learn from their peers. The displays have an education element to it, Oguz said, as the displays have maps, key facts as well as the traditions and cultural aspects. Junior Mitchell Crosby chose Italy to share his father’s lineage. “International day gives us the opportu-
nity to experience our culture or ones we’re interested in and share that with our friends,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to go to Italy, and I love baking, so I learned more about both. I learned zucchini bread started in the 1880s and I used our family recipe to bake six loaves.” He also shared facts such as “Italy is the No. 1 producer of wine and in 1861, a red wine fountain was established and is available for free” and “it’s the fifth most visited country and the only three volcanoes in Europe are all in Italy.” Close by juniors Cristie Veernapu and Ketura Murthy showed India’s map with its capitol and states, currency, religion and told their classmates because cows are considered holy, India has the highest population of vegetarians; the two shared some native dishes. They also had family items such as wedding jewelry and shoes and a baby’s silver cup and bowl displayed to show the culture and traditions. The two girls told their classmates about the country’s government which has both a president and prime minister to the rumor that slaves who took 17 years to build the white marble Taj Mahal, which was a gift from the emperor to his wife, had to cut off their thumbs afterward so they would never build anything like that again. Students who visited their display learned about their languages, including the word shampoo originated from the Sanskrit word meaning to massage and so the first shampoo was made from water mixed in with ground herbs. The country is diverse with many languages and dialects. “Sometimes different areas of each state, which has its own languages, will have different dialects, so there ends up being like 200
fire engines that can carry 200-800 gallons of water, but face the steep incline of the Wasatch Front. They also use bulldozers and graders as well as helicopters that can dump 50 gallons of water. Aircraft carrying 11,000 gallons of retardant also are used to fight fires and “work ahead of crews putting in the line that’s going to make it difficult for the fire to pass them,” he said. What’s difficult is winds limit the effectiveness as well as the ability to use aircraft. Slatore said they also work on a limited budget that is stretched thin when use of a plane costs “$22,000 per hour plus $60,000 for every drop of retardant” as well as the need to pay crews who work fighting fires 78 days longer than in the 1980s. However, location of infrastructure is something to consider when people build cabins in the forest or even when subdivisions continue to approach the forests. “What we saw with the Boulder fire
in December, and that county is very similar to us in elevation and snow, is something we’re seeing more and more common where it used to just be in California fires. We have subdivisions tucked away in the mountains with light flashing fuels all around and it’s becoming more of a common thing in the West. We’ve been seeing in Oregon the last few years and now Colorado fire, which affect roughly the same size as Cottonwood Heights. We’re talking about 1,000 homes in 100 mph winds.” In 2020, there was an 80-acre Neff Canyon fire. “We evacuated about 6,000 homes on that—that cost $1.9 million,” he said. “Parleys Canyon fire was 541 acres and 10,000 people were evacuated. We’re looking at a cost of $3.1 million and that was even without a loss of structure.” Slatore said with strong winds, older power grids have started fires in Utah and Wyoming, much like California. “Two years ago, winds came off the
S andy Journal .com
Beehive Science and Technology Academy juniors Ketura Murthy and Cristie Veernapu share with students and faculty about India during the charter school’s international day. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
languages in India, but they all originate from the ancient langue of Sanskrit,” said Murthy, who was born in India. In schools, teachers change rooms rather than students and tutoring before and after school is customary, she remembered. “There are high standards for kids and no time for extracurriculars like we have here,” Murthy said. Veernapu said that high expectations are still common here amongst students from India origins. “They most likely are hard-working and studious; Indian parents are stricter, and
it’s customary that high standards are set for kids,” she said, “We’re taught to strive to be the best we can be and make the most of the opportunities we have; there’s no time for slack ever. That’s how we are and it’s all we’ve ever known.” Both girls are National Honors Society members and wanted to share their heritage with others. “It gives us all a better understanding of who we are and how we can work together when we learn about one another,” Veernapu said. l
Wasatch at a downhill slope at 70 miles per hour knocking down trees, pretty much shut down our cities for a few days with power outages,” he said. “When that happened, the downslope wind accelerated faster and reached destructive speeds when it impacted our communities at lower elevations making it more concerning for dangerous conditions.” To combat those instances and others, crews are moving forward with prescribed fires, choosing an area and time to start fire on the ground. Slatore said it’s hard to burn thousands of acres of forests with cabins and infrastructure in place because of the possible damage to them or the beauty surrounding them, but if you don’t, there could be devastating results if a wildfire does occur. There also is a concern with prescribed burns near Salt Lake City with an international airport as well as about “how much smoke particulates and then the downwind populations and sensitive pop-
ulations concerning breathing,” he said. While working to thin the forests, the U.S. Forest Service is partnering with the timber industry in Oregon, Washington and parts of Montana and Idaho, Jimenez added. “You don’t see large timber coming off the mill…but the way we look at it, it’s great,” he said. “We’re keeping the community thriving, we’re meeting our objective by pulling fuel off the landscape so that we can put fire back on the landscape. And the question to follow up with that is if we’re going to use prescribed burns, how much is going to be enough. It’s never going to be enough. We just can’t treat 200 million acres. We’re identifying where our fuel treatments are going to be the most effective and those are the area where we’re using funds we have and the crews we have to treat that landscape.” l
July 2022 | Page 7
Draper Elementary’s long-time ‘organized and efficient’ secretary retires This is the first of three profiles spotlighting long-time Canyons School District employees. hen the teachers walked out of Draper Elementary for the summer, so did Administrative Assistant Marian Broderick—only she left for good. Broderick didn’t walk away alone. Principal Christine Waddell and Support Assistant Spring Park also are retiring; the three are taking a cumulative of 86 years of educational knowledge with them and leaving Support Assistant Deanna Brady to help break in the new front office staff. “I keep thinking I would really kind of like to stay, but nobody wants a 66-year-old secretary at the school,” said Broderick, who has been full time for 26 of her 29 years at Draper Elementary. “It’s hard to wrap myself around this knowing I’ve gone to work for all these years and love my job, but all of a sudden, it’s not going to be mine anymore. I think come July when it’s time to go back, I am going to start to miss the school and all the people here. I love the teachers and it’s going to be really hard to leave them.” That feeling may hit harder yet when school starts although the three retirees have plans to wave to the school on the first day as they head off to lunch together. Broderick knows much of Draper Elementary’s history from heart. She was at the school when it had open classrooms—“I don’t know why they ever thought that was a good idea;” and when they installed walls, they had to take down the school’s paintings and had a police escort to take the most valuable to the district office while they temporarily relocated to Union Middle. Skylights, secure entryway, and carpet upgrades have gone in since. She was there when Draper was the only year-round elementary school and had 10 portables to fit 1,400 students. “Draper was really starting to boom then. It’s when they started putting in neighborhoods of less than an acre property. People started coming when they could afford a house,” Broderick said, who lives in the Draper community on two acres with her husband, two horses and 14 chickens. In 1994, she said, the school switched to traditional school year. “Our numbers are around 700, but that’s still one of the highest (populated) schools,” Broderick said, adding that for a while Draper had the accelerated program and now, it hosts Chinese dual language immersion. Her job also has changed from a period where she didn’t use a computer to using it to make payroll and bank statements entries. “We’re always here to help the kids and patrons, answer phones, help teachers cut out things for bulletin boards, grade papers, organize things,” she said. “We cleaned out the ‘dungeon,’ as I call it, and found records from the 1940s (from the former Park
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Page 8 | July 2022
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com School) with report cards, PTA minutes and all sorts of papers. It was fun going through those because there were people I knew from when I moved into Draper.” Broderick, who is believed to be the second head secretary of Draper Elementary, followed Jean Smith in the position. “I had brought my first kid here in first grade and dropped him off. I went home and told my husband that I will be the secretary of that school, you wait and see, but I didn’t expect it to happen how and when it did,” she said. “I started part-time and the secretary that was here before, she taught me a little about everything. Back then, schools did their own bank statements. We were a track school at the time, so when we’d have three more weeks of the school year after the other schools were out, the secretary always went on vacation. When she was in Idaho, she called me and said, ‘Marian, I’m never coming back.’ It was kind of a crappy day and right after she said that, there was this big thunderclap.” Broderick told then Principal Ron Jarrett: “We had this big problem; we didn’t have a secretary to close the school. We had bills to pay; we had transportation costs and I didn’t know how to do them. We had to make sure all the kids got report cards and effectively schedule kids in classes. It was a nightmare because none of us knew anything. We did the best we can and then the principal asked me if I wanted the (full-time) job and here I am 26 years later.” Even though she didn’t have knowledge of everything, she was prepared to step into the role. “Back in high school, I took accountNot to miss out, Draper Elementary Administrative Assistant Marian Broderick and her granddaughter ing, typing, shorthand—nobody even knows were amongst the staff and faculty on the school roof ready to watch the 2015 lunar eclipse. (Photo courwhat that is, but I can still do it. I typed tesy of Marian Broderick) back on the old-fashioned typewriters with “Marian is the glue that holds Draper Elnon-correction ribbon. I typed my teacher’s friends, but damn she was organized.’” While teacher Madison Ellingson said ementary together. She’s pretty much amazthesis for her, and I thought, ‘man, I’m going to be a secretary. I love this,’ said Broder- the second part of the sentiment may be true, ing. If you need to know literally anything, you go to Marian. She knows it off the top of ick, who said her Viewmont High shorthand the first is not. “She makes such an impact and not just her head. She’s a plethora of knowledge and teacher was one who inspired her. Those skills were still to be found years for students who walk into our building, but is just amazing at her job,” she said. That experience comes from working later as she was known at Draper Elementa- also for the faculty and parents,” she said. ry for being organized and efficient with a “Marian is caring and looks for ways to under eight different principals in her career help others. She is the most selfless person, and thousands of students. no-nonsense approach to her work. “Kids call me Marian, I’m not known “I’m a type A personality. I can run and she wouldn’t say that, but she really is. four errands or go home and do a bid for my Every moment, she’s like, ‘how can I help as Mrs. Broderick. They come back and rehusband’s plumbing business in my half-an- you, what can I do?’ When I have tests to member me. I’ll know them because they hour lunch. My desk is always clean. I never correct, I take them down to her and she gets were my kids’ friends and now they’re have piles. I never put it off. I have always all giddy because she wants to score them for bringing their kids to school here. It’s really been really, really organized and you have to me. And she does that for everybody in the fun to get to know them again. Many of them building. She loves doing projects the rest of will say they remember coming to the office, be, to be a secretary,” she said. Her colleague, Park, who is retiring us hate because she knows she’s helping us and I’d give them candy,” she said, adding after 26 years, said Broderick often joked out. She thinks she’s just this grumpy lady she still keeps a candy dish on her desk. that sits in the back desk, but that’s definitely Waddell, who has worked with Brodabout her organizational abilities. erick the past five years of her 32 years in “Marian said you are good up front not true.” Ellingson, who was nominated along education, said her administrative assistant helping people; I’ll be in the back, taking with Broderick for the National Life Group’s is good with students. care of business because she could run a “Sometimes kids will get sent down to great office and was always ahead of the LifeChanger of the Year education award in game,” she said. “She said on her headstone 2018, said she knows Broderick is always work in the office for a little while,” Waddell said. “She seems to gravitate to those kids, it will say ‘she may not have had a lot of available to help.
Sandy City Journal
and she’ll talk to them, help them with the school work they’re doing, and ask them about their life. She really forms a relationship with them; it’s those kids who have behavior problems, she knows how to bring them around.” Waddell has been impressed by Broderick’s professionalism. “Marian is the most efficient secretary anybody could ever have. I talk with other principals, and they tell me how their secretaries are swamped and how they can’t seem to get their work done. Marian is done with her work so fast that she’s constantly doing stuff for teachers like cutting out stuff or correcting papers because she hates to sit there and do nothing. She is a no-nonsense kind of person. She doesn’t complain. She just gets it done,” she said. “And she’s personable. She is willing to talk to anybody; if parents call and need something, she takes care of them.” Broderick said it’s the job that has taught her that. “I’m quite the introvert and I’ve had to really learn to put myself out there and to make people happy. I like doing everything in my power to make them feel comfortable and loved to help make this school a happy place. You have to really care, and I do really care about the kids and the faculty. I just love it here,” she said. Ellingson said that’s apparent from Bunco nights she holds or planning and host-
ing staff and faculty gatherings. “Marian is the mastermind behind our socials. She plans them, with support from others, and hosts them. She wants to go under the radar and do her thing and recognize others, but she really has a bigger impact than she knows,” Ellingson said. Tamara Baker served as Draper principal for almost five years until January 2009. “Marian is the best,” said Baker, who also is retiring after being in education nearly 30 years. “One of the things I love about Marian is that not only did she just do her job with stellar efficiency, because she was so good at it, she was always looking for other things to do for the staff.” Baker recalled some teachers wanting to do hands-on learning with letter kits, but they knew the school didn’t have the money. “They didn’t come to me, but they told Marian about it, and she came up with a solution of buying little cabinets at Home Depot that have one million little drawers and then buying lima beans and writing the letters on the lima beans to use as manipulatives. Marian told the teachers, ‘I can do that for you’ and for weeks, whenever she had a minute, she had all these lima beans on her desk and was using her Sharpie, writing letters on thousands of lima beans to save money. That was Marian. She’s like, ‘OK, I have three minutes and can get 50 more lima beans written on.’ I could have looked into a grant, but Marian jumped right in as she
always did, to save the teachers time and she had thousands of lima beans written on in a matter of a week or two. She was just so incredibly fast and efficient by the time I caught on to what she was doing, she was about done,” she said. During her administrative assistant’s summer break, Baker decided to have a little bit of fun. “She likes her desk just so; it was always neat and orderly. One summer, I found a broken keyboard like hers, so I pried off the keys off and planted grass seed. Then, I found enough loose keys to write, ‘welcome back’ and put those on it. I trimmed the grass, put up a little lounge chair and substituted it for her keyboard. She came back from her break and looked at it and just started laughing. Then I hear, ‘Tamara, where’s my keyboard?’ You know, you don’t mess with Marian.” Baker said that Marian was not only a “a brilliant person,” but also big-hearted. “She quietly went about helping a child who needed something or if she sees a need in the community, she just fills it. There are many kids who would need something, and suddenly have it because she wanted to make sure they had what they needed, like any other student in the school,” she said. “She just has a huge heart and she never ever wanted recognition or anyone to know. She’s an incredible humble person, but she was generous and wanted to do it.”
Baker also recalled Broderick’s sense of humor. “One year we had tons and tons of rain and it made for a retaining pond for the playground. Hundreds of Canadian geese liked it right there and made it their personal home. We went out there and I turned to Marian and said, ‘What are we going to do?’ And Marian is a great problem-solver. She just said, ‘I’ve got this’ and she just ran out in the middle and all these geese took off in flight. They’d come after all of us, but not Marian,” she said. Broderick remembers other fun times, from when Steve Young give her a signed football when he came for an assembly to watching the 2015 lunar eclipse on the school roof with faculty. While she has some things lined up for her retirement—traveling, going to the family cabin, quilting, writing her life history and maybe even becoming a mobile dog groomer—she’s a bit anxious. “My biggest fear is that I’m going to sit on the couch in my PJs ‘til 11 (a.m.) and then shower, take a nap and watch some show,” Broderick said, realizing she won’t be helping faculty with their projects. “I will need something to do.” l
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July 2022 | Page 9
Generations of students, staff remember fun times at Bell View Elementary By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
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hen school resumes in August, youngsters won’t be filing into Bell View Elementary as they have since 1966. Instead, those schoolchildren and those of the former Edgemont Elementary will join at the new Glacier Hills Elementary. The former Bell View Elementary will be the new home for Diamond Ridge and Entrada students. However, before the campus started to be revamped for older students, many former students and staff came to walk through the halls, see Mustang T-shirts hung in the school gym and page through PTA minutes and scrapbooks and school yearbooks—and reminisce. “It’s a chance for everyone to mingle and celebrate Bell View,” said Tamra Baker, the last principal to serve the elementary school. “It’s fun to walk around and relive those memories of being a child in the building.” That’s what Mario Tapia was doing as he remembered getting Otter Pops after the school jogathon and built a bunker in the snow-covered wood chips and threw snowballs—which were allowed in the early 2000s, he said. “We also made a giant snowman,” he said. “But our forts would disappear every night.”
It was at this gathering Tapia learned his former principal, Howard Griffith, would drive his jeep onto the school playground at night to knock down the snow forts. “Someone even called the police on me once because I was racing around on the school grounds,” he said. “I knew the policemen and I would explain what I was doing. The students always built the forts back up, but I always had fun racing around the snow in my jeep.” Now the campus, with mature trees, doesn’t quite look the same, he said, adding that he always joined in playing tetherball and basketball with the students. Some nearby houses have been removed, making it easier for bus traffic into the school’s parking lot in recent years. “It was always very difficult back then to go in and out, especially with a lot of snow,” he said. “We always had issues with buses.” The campus in his day had about 550 students compared to a little over half that today. Back then, it had been recently renovated to closing the open classrooms. Bell View was Griffith’s first principalship; he currently serves at West Jordan High as vice principal, his seventh school in administration. “We had some fun times. I remember
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During the farewell of Bell View Elementary, former students and faculty look through the PTA memory books and other memorabilia. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Halloween, dressing up as Fred Flintstone,” he said. “It was very chilly; it was a very authentic costume.” The campus also had a hero assembly honoring local law enforcement and firefighters soon after kidnapped teenager Elizabeth Smart was found safely in Sandy. “We wanted to let them know how much we appreciated them, and it gave our students a strong sense of community,” he said. The students also rallied around their custodian, Hourimane Onechann, who came to the country to earn money for his family in Laos. “We collected balls and stuff and he’d repair any that needed it and took those back to his home country to give to neighborhood kids. We gave him a ton of money which he also took to help his community,” Griffith said. Jordan Bagley and Makoa Scholes were sixth-grade student body officers at the school then and credit their careers in video and film from their experience at Bell View. “We’d do the morning video announcements; it was our favorite thing,” Bagley said. “We’d talk about current events at the school.” Scholes said they’d lead the pledge and write scripts, then shoot the video. “We would talk to sweepers, which we got in trouble for distracting them, but we’d find out what it was like to do that job,” he said. “We’d interview classes about what they were doing. We talked about grandparents’ day, the jogathon, the library and just kind of had free rein filming what was going on.” Bagley said that with his mother (Jennifer Bagley, current head administrative assis-
tant) working in the office and then Scholes’ mother teaching sixth grade, they felt as if they ran the school. “During one of the parent-teacher conferences, we were hanging out back and some kid said we should push the incinerator button, so we did. We didn’t even know what it was and then it started smoking. We ran inside and hid, but we got found out. Mr. Griffith acted like he was super mad, but I could tell he felt sorry for us since we didn’t know what it would do,” the former student said. As a way to make amends, the boys were told to count the General Mills’ Box Tops for Education, which students collected to earn new playground equipment. “We volunteered to do that way too often as we found there was candy in a drawer there,” Bagley said. “It was good candy, too,” Scholes said. Students weren’t the only ones who pulled antics in the day. Retired teacher Bill Garber, who taught second, fourth and fifth graders from 1992 to 2012, remembered teaming up with former principal Bill Geist to pull one over on students. “I was talking about physical versus chemical changes and in came Principal Geist and he said he could better illustrate it and cut the tie I was wearing to show physical change to the students,” he said, remembering the gasps coming from the students. “We had it prearranged I’d wear an old tie that day, but it was a lot of fun. Bell View was a wonderful place to work, and I thoroughly enjoyed the students.” l
Sandy City Journal
Hillcrest Junior High first in state to install free period product dispensers
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t looked like a transformation to junior high. A group of females congregated into the girls’ bathroom at Hillcrest Junior High, smiling and laughing—only this time, the talk didn’t focus on boys, but rather menstrual period products. With the unanimous passing in the state legislature of HB 162, making free period products available in K-12 public and charter schools’ unisex and female restrooms, Hillcrest began the rollout this summer. With eighth-grader Alyla Ruiz snipping the bright pink ribbon, the dispenser installation in their bathrooms was celebrated by students, educators and advocates. Utah Period Project founder and president Emily Bell McCormick and other leaders took a subject that once was taboo to publicly discuss and brought it to the forefront. “Until today, there has been so much stigma around menstruation that you couldn’t say the word,” she said. “We worked with the Utah legislature a couple years before this and there were whole committee meetings where the words menstruation, period, tampon and pad were never mentioned even though they were talking about a bill like this. We just needed to normalize this because we know that it’s something four to six days every month for 40 years in life, 50% of our population experiences.” McCormick said that Hillcrest’s installation of free products is the first of 8,000 dispensers that will serve 337,000 females across the state this year and will help girls in “period poverty” situations. “Our studies show 84% of the girls in the U.S. have missed school or known someone who has because of lack of period supplies,” she said. “The reason this has mattered the whole time is that this very day when a 12-yearold who is sitting in fifth period and starts her period, she’s going to walk to this very bathroom and be able to use free period products here. She’s not going to the office; she’s not going to call home. She’s going to go back to class and that is a win.”
S andy Journal .com
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com Murray School District Superintendent Jen Covington said without access to period product supplies, education is impacted. “Our students often times will stay home from school or not participate as vigorously in school without access to period products,” she said. “Not all of our students come from homes or situations where buying period products is an option, so they stay home. This impacts what we do every day with these students. We want them here in our school. We want to be able to remove barriers.” Since 2018, the Period Project has been making products more accessible nationwide. While McCormick acknowledged others, including area Girl Scouts, in the past have worked to get products available in schools, often times, the products are just found in school offices, which can be “embarrassing” for girls. This launch is statewide and products are available in restrooms. “We didn’t want for every school to individually decide whether or not they wanted to do it. We wanted to work with the legislature to make sure this is a statewide mandate because it’s a need that’s been overlooked. We recognize there are kids in the state who face food insecurity, so we produce a free lunch program. In the same way, or even more so, you can’t go to school if you’re not caring for your period, so we just wanted to make sure that was understood,” McCormick said. With $1 million donations from both the Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation and The Andrus Family Foundation, dispensers are being installed in school restrooms. Initial funding from the bill will supply the tampons and pads, but ultimately the responsibility will fall upon school districts’ budgets. Covington said others will look to Murray School District’s program as they install their own dispensers. “They will take our feedback and share that with our messaging, how we put the dispensers up and at what heights along with feedback from students and
Hillcrest Junior High head custodian Heather Wilks and social worker Courtney Nolan stock the first free period product dispenser in the state with tampons and pads that are labeled, “changing the world, one cycle at a time.” (Julie Slama/City Journals)
parents to see how to roll this out throughout the state,” she said. “This really is a grassroots effort started in this school. Our social worker and head custodian have been very active in speaking about the need here and making sure girls have what they need to be able to get back to class.” It began when a food pantry donation was being made at the school. That’s when social worker Courtney Nolan confided that what the school really needed was menstrual supplies. “We have about 400 girls here and 50% of our student body is on free and reduced lunch,” she said. “Most stay home if they don’t have supplies. I’ve had girls come to my office to ask for a pad or tampon, but many are too embarrassed. In our society, it’s something that in the past has been unspoken.” Head custodian Heather Wilks has been called upon to
clean up from accidents, wash clothes and help students. “A lot of our students struggle with food, so having period supplies isn’t even an option,” she said. “I’m glad to jump on it and help. This will make it so girls can be here at school and participate and be on an even playing field as the boys.” McCormick said knowing the inequality fueled her passion for the project. “The thing that got me was when I heard Utah was ranked 50 out of 50 for women’s equality and I starting thinking, well, what are concrete things we can do to change that number?” she said. “Viagra and Rogaine are traditionally male products with a policy saying they’re tax-free products, so we worked on the tampon tax and got it passed. Then it got overturned, but we’ll be back working on that.” l
July 2022 | Page 11
‘Enchanting India’ exhibit explores Sandy artist’s heritage By Heather Lawrence | h.lawrence@mycityjournals.com
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rtist and Sandy resident Durga Ekambaram has called several places home. Her new art exhibit “Enchanting India” explores India, where she was born and raised. It’s on display in West Valley until July 20. Ekambaram said creating these works helped her grow as artist as she used several mediums. But the subject matter also connected her to her cultural identity. “When you look on social media for Indian art, you see the same things. It’s the Taj Mahal, Ganesha (the Hindu deity) and elephants. But we are much more than that,” Ekambaram said. “I give equal importance to things from all 27 states in India. Each has its own language, culture and food, and I try to capture as much of that as I can,” Ekambaram said. Her diverse exhibit is on display at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center, 1355 W. 3100 South in West Valley City, until July 20. Admission is free. Ekambaram’s works are also on Instagram @strokes_durga. Ekambaram grew up in the coastal city of Chennai where her mother was an artist. She took up art as a hobby, but chose engineering as a career. “A few years ago, I started looking around for shows where I could display
CELEBRATING
my art. I work in several mediums, including chalk, mixed media, oil, watercolor and acrylics. “I was very intrigued with the idea of doing a show all about India. I think people are interested to learn about it,” Ekambaram said. As the Indian population in Utah increases, so does the interest in Indian culture. Ekamabram said the Indian Cultural Center and Sri Ganesha Hindu Temple of Utah in South Jordan are places where Indian culture is strengthened. “We have a nonprofit and celebrate all the festivals there. There are language classes and dancing,” Ekambaram said. These diverse cultural aspects are the subjects of her art. “I try to capture all these. I feel it must be informative to others. I incorporate lots of colors and different mediums. I always want to use bright colors!” she said. One example is her mixed media piece “Natarajar,” which was created exclusively for this show. “It is a depiction of the Hindu god Shiva. The pose is described in many Hindu texts and it is a well-known sculptural subject in India,” Ekambaram said. She also used this piece to grow as an artist. “I used clay and mixed media on can-
27 Years
vas. There is a base coat and then colors on top to get a stripped effect. There is a lot of symbolism in this piece.” Looking closely, the viewer realizes the dancer is stepping on something. Ekambaram said this is symbolic of an evil thing that Shiva is destroying through dance. She also takes something traditional, like Ganesha (represented as an elephant-headed deity), but puts a new spin on it. “I painted ‘Ganesha’ using a reverse glass method, which I learned from my mother.” Her watercolor “Veena” shows the traditional stringed instrument, which Ekambaram learned to play when she was young. The exhibit at UCCC is her third that focuses exclusively on India. She’s shown work at the Utah Children’s Museum, and five of her pieces were included in Exhibitions on Main in Salt Lake. She also does a lot of chalk art. Ekambaram was highlighted as an emerging artist during the Utah Arts Festival in June. She demonstrated her most recent interest: the upside down method. “The entire painting was done upside down, and then flipped to be displayed right side up. This unique way of painting an artwork is equally challenging and gratifying,” Ekambaram said. Ekambaram is encouraged by how many people in her adopted home take art seriously. She’s participated in shows in South Jordan, where she used to live, and the Plein Air event in Sandy. The City Journals have included her in several articles.
“It’s very gratifying to know and learn from other artists, including young kids. We see each other at events, exchange ideas and keep in touch on Instagram. “It’s good to know art is something people look at seriously,” she said. “It’s a wakeup call that I could change from doing art as a hobby to becoming a professional artist.” l
“Natarajar” by Durga Ekambaram is on display at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center until July 20. It shows the Hindu god Shiva using dance as a way to overcome evil. (Durga Ekambaram/Instagram @ strokes_durga)
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Durga Ekambaram of Sandy was named an emerging artist at the Utah Arts Festival 2022 and uses her work to explore new art techniques and teach people about India. (Durga Ekambaram/Instagram @ strokes_durga)
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Continued from front page tion period was over, COVID hit, and she was back in isolation again. “I had a lot of time to think and process things. I wanted to challenge myself physically and mentally, and I learned that for me selfcare was essential,” Petersen said. In addition to her self-reflection, she watched as the world went through COVID and dealt with a lot of racial issues. As a Black woman from Maryland, she had some insight into that. Petersen remembered her mom Deborah Bay competing in the Mrs. Utah USA pageant when she was younger. In the back of her mind, she thought she’d always do the same. She realized that with a pageant comes a platform, and she could spread her message that diversity makes us stronger. “Race conversations can be hard. I remember in Maryland my friends said I ‘wasn’t Black enough.’ When I moved to Utah, I was a subject of curiosity because there weren’t many Black people here. “In my MS support group, we come from very different backgrounds, but our foundation is that we support and love each other through our challenges. “I thought, ‘What would our society be like if we looked at life that way? We can start with what we have in common and build our foundation from there,’” Petersen said. Her message resonated in the Mrs. Utah
America pageant, and when she represented Sandy she won the Mrs. Congeniality award. As part of her platform, she now is invited to speak at diversity training for businesses, community groups and anyone else who wants to have a conversation about inclusion. With a pageant checked off her list, she thought she was done. But then she heard about the new Prime Pageant. “Their approach is very different and is focused on self-love and self-care. The competition is in Orlando in September, and I was selected to compete as Mrs. Utah. “We make weekly goals to improve our mental and physical health which are part of the scoring criteria. They are certified to give out the Presidential Service Award to contestants who track and turn in enough service hours,” Petersen said. Going back to her grandparents’ legacy, service is something Petersen is passionate about. “I hope more pageants move in this direction. As women we take on so much and tend to forget about ourselves. The Prime Pageant connects contestants in weekly Zoom meetings, which I really enjoy,” Petersen said. Hearing stories from other women and sharing her own gives Petersen hope that society can work through issues, including racially loaded ones. “I hear about stories like the shooting in Buffalo and I know we still have a lot to talk about. These are not ‘black (lowercase ‘b’) and
white’ issues because people are not black and white. “When I tell my story of diversity, it includes experiencing many things: being a Black woman, from the East Coast, being a mother, being a stepmother, divorcing, remarrying, marrying into active military, being in a mixed-race relationship, living with chronic illness, giving service—all of these make me who I am,” Petersen said. Her website, www.Heidifordiversity.com, has specifics on her availability to tell her story and facilitate these conversations as a Diversity and Inclusion speaker. But she said real change will only come if we have honest conversations starting with our kids. “My husband, my three kids and my two step-kids have all made me a better person. My husband has encouraged me from the day we got married to do what I need to do to be a stronger and better person. “Our family has had challenges, but we’ve stuck together through it,” she said. “When I look back and see where I am today, I couldn’t have done it without my family.” l
After winning Mrs. Congeniality in the Mrs. Utah America pageant, Sandy resident Heidi Petersen decided to enter the Mrs. Prime Pageant which will be in Orlando in September. (Photo courtesy Urban Tulip Studios)
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Sandy City Journal
Fire safety a ‘shared responsibility’ say power company and Sandy fire department By Heather Lawrence | h.lawrence@mycityjournals.com
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ild fire risk hit home for Salt Lake County when wildfires started along the edge of the Great Salt Lake on June 17. Sandy Fire Department and Rocky Mountain Power both said that common sense and preparation will help keep residents prevent wildfires and stay safe during power outages. Safely discharging fireworks is one way residents can help. “Fireworks are only allowed to be discharged in Sandy City in certain areas. Go to www.Sandy.Utah.gov under the fire department website, and you’ll be able to find maps to tell you which areas,” said Sandy Battalion Chief Robert DeKorver on a YouTube video “Safe in 60 Seconds— Fireworks.” Aerial fireworks are allowed but only in certain areas. A warning label that says “shoots flaming balls” means that it’s an aerial. Fireworks are allowed July 2-5 and July 22-25. You can report illegal firework discharges to the non-emergency SLC Police Department line at 801-799-3000 or Sandy Police non-emergency dispatch line at 801-568-7200. Rocky Mountain Power also encourages people to prepare for summer.
Drought, combined with summer windstorms or active fires like the ones near the Great Salt Lake could lead to power outages. “We’re building our system to be more resilient long term, providing value to our customers for years to come,” said Curtis Mansfield in a press release. Mansfield is senior vice president of power and delivery. Mansfield said they’ve invested millions of dollars in a system with wildfire mitigation strategies. “This includes round-the-clock reporting of weather conditions; rebuilding portions of the grid with equipment upgrades; and using technology to monitor the system, while increasing inspections and vegetation maintenance on our lines,” Mansfield said. Jasen Lee works in media relations at Rocky Mountain Power and is a Sandy resident. He said a lot of fire prevention is common sense. “We need to be cognizant of what we’re doing. If you live closer to the benches, it’s drier and the risk is higher. Since Sandy is densely populated, we should be very careful about what we’re doing.
“Avoid doing anything that would create sparks or send up embers. It’s a courtesy to our neighbors,” Lee said. Lee said prolonged drought means people should be vigilant in how they behave. Rocky Mountain Power has invested a lot of money in technology, but they need help from residents. “We don’t want to inadvertently create a fire. We’re proactive in what we’re doing, we want our customers to do that as well,” Lee said. Rocky Mountain Power said that customers can update their account information and get alerts and messages in case of an emergency or outage. They encouraged customers to make an outage kit. Kits should include shelf-stable food and water for people and pets. Also pack flashlights, batteries and battery-powered fans during summer. Keep written lists of important information. Know how to manually open things like power-operated gates. “Customers who rely on electricity to store medication or operate medical equipment at home should enroll in the Medical Certificate Program to receive proactive communications about outages,” they said. Lee was reminded at the Utah Line-
man’s Rodeo on June 11 in West Valley City that keeping our area safe and supplied with power is a hands-on job, done by skilled linemen. The Sandy campus of SLCC is where many of these linemen are trained. They held an apprentice level rodeo on May 20. In rodeos linemen show off their skills, demonstrate safety and compete against each other. Rhett Bigelow is a program coordinator for SLCC. “This is an essential job, literally they help keep the lights on—and it is one of the top five most dangerous jobs in the nation. This is not a job for the faint of heart. It is an exceptional commitment to what they do to the communities they serve,” Bigelow said. Rocky Mountain Power said sharing the responsibility for safety is one way customers can help them. “Even as electric providers partner with federal, state and local agencies to plan and get ready for wildfire season, preparedness is a shared responsibility. Helpful information is available to help every customer take steps to plan ahead and be ready for wildfire-related power outages,” Rocky Mountain Power said. l
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July 2022 | Page 15
Unified track offers athletes of all abilities chance to compete By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
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n late spring, high school athletes from across Utah met to compete at the Utah High School Activities Association-sanctioned unified track meet. About 25 teams were there to compete, which is up from 15 teams in previous years, with some traveling to Copper Hills High from as far away as Cedar City, to take to the track, according to Courtnie Worthen, Unified Champion Schools manager with Special Olympics Utah, who helped coordinate the event. Bingham High’s coach Braxton Thornley said it was a great experience and competition. “I saw teams here that I haven’t seen before, so it was good to have more athletes and their partners,” he said. “It’s fun for my athletes to talk and compete with other athletes on other teams.” Thornley had three athletes in the 100-yard and 200-yard dashes and long jump. Then, the athletes partnered with peers in the 4x100 relay, in which the Miners won their heat. They had their studentbody officers supporting them from the sidelines, waving a huge
Bingham flag. Coach Alexis Brown, of Riverton High, had 16 athletes and 12 partners “work their hearts out” at practices held every other day. They competed in three of Riverton’s track team's home meets before the state meet. Decked in their athletic warmup shirts provided by U First Credit Union, her athletes warmed up for their events in the 100, 200, 400, and 4x100 relay on the track, and long jump and shot put in the field events. “It’s a fun opportunity for our students every year, and this year, everyone has had a buddy, so they were able to make sure they got to the right spot at the right time and could cheer each other on or run alongside them,” she said. “This is a great way to be inclusive and unify our school.” l
Jordan High’s 4x400 relay team share the baton at the state unified track meet. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Utah Asian Festival celebrates 45 years of connection and celebration By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
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he Utah Asian Festival, the longest-running festival of its kind west of the Mississippi, will be held in the Grand Building of the Utah State Fairpark (155 N. 1000 West) on Saturday, July 9, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Admission is free. Founded in 1977, the festival showcases Asian traditions, cuisine, dance, art and music from the dozens of nationalities that make up Utah’s fastest-growing ethnic population. Founders Jimi Mitsunaga, Lang Wong, Joe Arzacon and Chung Mun Lee organized the first festival with a vision to strengthen the connection between Asian communities in the state and cultivate ties with Utah residents. “In 2022, we will be celebrating 45 years of success,” said Dr. Shu Cheng, executive director of the Asian Association of Utah. “Three generations of Asian Americans have volunteered to make the annual Utah Asian Festival fun and educational. The event transforms
Page 16 | July 2022
Asian Americans into leaders and consolidates them into a cohesive core in Utah.” Asian people have been part of the state’s history for more than 150 years. In September 2020, archaeologists from the Utah State Historic Preservation Office discovered remnants of a house built by Chinese railroad workers. Preservation officer Chris Merritt declared it to be “the first Chinese [transcontinental railroad workers’] home…in the entire nation.” Utah’s leaders have assisted the federal government in sponsoring the resettlement of Asian immigrants and refugees from the Philippines, Vietnam, South Korea, Thailand and more, whose descendants have put down roots in the Beehive State. “Not only will this all-day gathering serve to connect recent immigrants and refugees to the historic diasporas in the region, [but the festival] is a platform deeply benefiting Utahns of any background, honoring the ways
in which our state’s Asian families have preserved, persevered and flourished against the odds,” said UAF chairwoman Eunice Lanean. “[It’s an] opportunity to reunite with old friends, make new ones, break bread with our elders and youth, and forge bonds across generations that will last generations.” The festival attracts thousands of people from all parts of the state and is the only event where Utah’s Asian communities come together to celebrate and honor their heritage, traditions and vibrant culture. This year’s event is described as “the boldest iteration yet” for the multicultural festival. For more information, visit UtahAsianFestival.org. “When I learned that UAF originated as an attempt to unify the various Asian ethnic groups, I felt a sense of duty to continue the mission, especially in the midst of resurgent anti-Asian violence and discrimination,” said Emilio Manuel Camu, UAF’s cochair. “Our committee's duty is to
Asian fan dancers will perform at the Utah Asian Festival on Saturday, July 9. The event highlights the culture’s contributions to Utah through dance, cuisine, activities and art. (Courtesy of the Utah Asian Festival)
honor the past, remain relevant to all our peoples’ needs, and create durable, meaningful, cross-cul-
tural and inter-generational friendships along the way.” l
Sandy City Journal
FDA approval provides COVID vaccines for children between 6 months and 5 years old By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
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ith COVID now the fourth leading cause of death for children under the age of 1 and the fifth leading cause of death for children ages 5 and under, medical professionals believe the approval of a new COVID vaccine for children is a glimmer of hope. Dr. Andrew Pavia, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at the University of Utah and director of epidemiology at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital, discussed the new vaccine approved by the FDA in June. “This is really a big step,” Pavia said. “We’ve had several months now in which there’s been a lot of disease out there and younger children have not had any vaccine availability to provide them protection. It’s caused a lot of heartache for parents.” The FDA reviewed scientific evidence submitted for vaccines by Moderna, for children ages 6 months to 5 years, and Pfizer-BioNTech, for children ages 6 months to 4 years. The advisory panel of outside experts unanimously voted for approval of both vaccines for this age group 21-0. Pavia understands many parents have vaccine hesitancy in regard to COVID. He suggests parents talk with a trusted healthcare provider to get reliable information about the vaccine and how it can help keep their children safe. “I think you should do it,” he said. “I would vaccinate my grandkids if I had any, but I think it’s really a decision every parent needs to make.” This age group is the last to be approved for a COVID vaccine, which can now be found at pediatrician offices, pharmacies, the Salt Lake County Health Department and other health
departments. “It’s a myth that children don’t get sick with COVID because they do and it’s been pretty tragic,” he said. At the beginning of the pandemic, COVID targeted older people but with the Delta and Omicron variants, the number of children infected is rising. More than 570,000 children under the age of 1 and nearly 2 million between the ages of 1 and 4 have been diagnosed with COVID since March 2020, with the numbers rising significantly since the beginning of the year. Numbers are expected to spike this fall and winter as kids return to school and daycare, and as new variants appear on the scene. “With Omicron, it really hit kids hard,” Pavia said. “During Omicron, 15% of all visits of children to the emergency department were due to COVID. This represented several million emergency department visits…Once Omicron hit, it was actually kids 6 months to 4 years old who had the highest hospitalization rates.” The vaccine is formulated for small children, with Pfizer suggesting three doses to provide optimal protection, and Moderna recommending two, although the company said three would be better. Infants under 6 months don’t need a vaccine if their mothers were vaccinated during pregnancy. In that case, the antibodies pass to the baby, offering immunity for the first six months of life. As with other COVID vaccines, side effects include soreness and redness at the injection site, possible swelling in the lymph nodes, fever and irritability. He said getting kids vac-
Children under 5 are now eligible for a COVID vaccine. The FDA approved the vaccines created by Moderna and Pfizer that are now available in pediatrician offices, pharmacies and health departments. (Stock photo)
cinated for COVID can help slow the disease and keep small children safer. “Talk it over with someone who really knows and that means your provider,” Pavia said. “Not a friend on Facebook, not a Reddit thread, and think it through because it’s important that you make that decision for yourself. However, if you compare it to other things we vaccinate our kids for, the vaccine is at least as safe, based on everything we know to date.” l
Salt Lake Valley mayors and police chiefs released a driver safety video, encouraging drivers to “Slow Down in Your Town.” (Courtesy of Salt Lake County)
‘Slow Down in Your Town’ video encourages safe summer driving
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olice chiefs and mayors in the Salt Lake Valley joined forces to create a video asking drivers to slow down. Utah Department of Transportation officials reports that Utah averages 100 traffic fatalities between Memorial Day and Labor Day, approximately one death per day. To combat dangerous driving practices like speeding, the mayors and police chiefs urge residents to drive the speed limit and be aware of road conditions. “We are now in the 100 deadliest days of summer, the time of year when more drivers are traveling to destinations and traffic fatalities rise. Many of the fatal accidents are caused by
S andy Journal .com
By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com excessive speed,” said Sandy Mayor Monica Zoltanski. The goal of the “Slow Down in Your Town” message comes after the summer of 2021, one of the deadliest summers in Utah history due to fatal traffic accidents. “Law enforcement is heavily enforcing traffic and speeding laws but we can’t be everywhere,” said Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera. The safety video urge drivers to slow down when there are dangerous road conditions caused by weather or construction, be aware of cyclists and give them ample space, and to be safe behind the wheel as speeding is a key factor
in auto accidents. Distracted driving and driving under the influence are other factors that contribute to auto fatalities. “I have joined the other mayors and police chiefs in the Salt Lake Valley to send a strong message to our residents to slow down,” Zoltanski said. “This is not just a Sandy issue; excessive speed is creating unsafe conditions in all of our communities. The goal of the ‘Slow Down in Your Town’ video is to amplify the message across the county. We can all solve the issue of unsafe roads by just slowing down.” View the video at youtube.com. l
elizabeth.s@thecityjournals.com
July 2022 | Page 17
Dancing Through the Ages event celebrates intergenerational connections By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
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lder adult residents at Cedarwood at Sandy enjoyed an intergenerational dance celebration aimed to connect generations through the love of dance. More than 100 dancers from Local Motion dance studio performed at the event, and the older adults joined in the fun. “Our favorite types of events to host at Cedarwood are those that bring our local community together,” said Katelen Perfili, wellness director of Cedarwood at Sandy. “We look forward to providing a unique opportunity for our residents to have fun and be engaged, as well as connect multiple generations in a monumental way that will leave a lasting, positive impact in our community.” The Dancing Through The Ages event corresponded with National Intergenerational Day on June 1 and featured more than a dozen dance groups performing a variety of genres from ballet to tap, jazz to hip-hop, and contemporary. But the first performance of the night featured the combined talents of Cedarwood of Sandy residents and Local Motion dancers. Marilyn McKay, a resident of Cedarwood at Sandy, participated in the intergenerational performance and was excited to get out on the dance floor with the
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Cedarwood at Sandy resident, Karen Lundquist, and her dog, Georgia, enjoy watching performers from Local Motion dance studio during an intergenerational dance celebration. (Peri Kinder/City Journals)
Dancers from Local Motion dance studio entertain residents at Cedarwood in Sandy during the community’s Intergenerational Day celebration. (Peri Kinder/City Journals)
children. Although she doesn’t have prior dance experience, her fun personality and confidence helped her get through. This event is similar to many of the activities McKay enjoys at Cedarwood. A natural-born leader, she is fond of the arts, and frequently participates in a reader’s theater group at the community, and has expressed interest in spearheading the start of ballroom dance class within the community. “I’ve always said I was born with two left feet,” McKay said. “But anytime I have the chance to be out on the dance floor or have fun with children you can count me in.” The performances were choreographed to a decade mix that included hits by Elvis Presley, The Beatles and Walk the Moon. Families of the residents and dancers supported the event and enjoyed free waffles from Waffle Love. “At Local Motion, we don’t just want kids to learn to love dance,” said Katie Lombardi, director of Local Motion dance studio. “We also want to encourage them to be involved in our communities, so we are excited to bring the fun of dance to the seniors of Cedarwood.” Cedarwood at Sandy is a community with active older adult residents. It offers independent and assisted living apartment homes, as well as memory care. “Intergenerational events provide the perfect opportunity for younger and older generations to learn from each other,” said Austin Sorenson, executive director of Cedarwood at Sandy. “It instills a positive sense of purpose in our residents and leaves a lasting impression on younger generations, teaching them to respect and value elders that help to keep memories and history alive within families and the greater community.” l
Sandy City Journal
JULY – AUGUST 2022 IN THIS ISSUE:
Connect With Us! sandy.utah.gov/citizenconnect
Z News.............................................1
Parks & Recreation Irrigation Team ....5
Sandy Passport Office FAQs ...............1
Police Department By the Numbers ...6
Short Term Rentals & Sandy ..............2
Now Hiring Crossing Guards ..............6
Sandy Justice Court Quick Tips ..........2
One Place to Connect with Sandy ......6
Sandy Jobs ......................................2
Fall Musical Auditions .......................6
Alta Canyon Sports Center.................3
Sandy Adventures..............................6
Parks & Recreation ...........................4
2022 Overlay Project ........................7
River Oaks Golf Course .....................5
Calendar of Events............................7
Sandy Arts: Crazy for You ...................5
Photo contest winner: Taylor Hatchell Photography
Z News Dear Sandy Resident,
Summer in Sandy cannot be beat! No matter your age or interest, there is something for everyone! Make sure to mark your calendars for Sandy’s upcoming Freedom Day Festival on July 4th. Our biggest celebration of the year is finally back after going dark the last two years due to Covid, and we’re so excited. This year, you’ll see the return of the parade, the Sandy Classic 4th of July 5k, the Youth Craft Fair and live music on the promenade. That night, grab your spot early on the promenade for Sandy’s biggest firework show ever! Please attend the city show and be aware of the mapped restricted areas where fireworks of any kind are prohibited (sandy.utah.gov/fireworks). For a list of all activities on the 4th of July visit sandy.utah.gov/July4th. For a list of all summer events check out the calendar in this month’s Sandy Journal. With drought conditions comes increased risks of fire due to fireworks. Make sure to check out the fireworks map to see where fireworks are allowed. Better yet, skip the personal fireworks and celebrate the holidays with Sandy City or one of the many large fireworks celebrations held throughout the valley. To view the fireworks map and get fireworks safety tips visit the Sandy City Fire Department fireworks information page at sandy.utah.gov. Have you checked out the lineup of concerts at the Sandy Amphitheater? I’m hearing from mayors all around the valley that they are amazed we’ve been able to attract so many headlining acts! You’ll want to get your tickets now at sandyamp.com. If that’s not enough entertainment for you, we’re in the middle of our Movies in the Park schedule, with three more movies scheduled for the month of July. We’re also really looking forward to this year’s Heritage Days festival in Historic Sandy on September 10th. It will feature a Horse Parade, great food, live music, and more. You won’t want to miss it!! I S S U E # 94
J U LY – AU G U ST 2 0 2 2
Now to a serious note, I’m sure you all heard about the serious multi-vehicle car crash on State Street and 10600 South last month which resulted in a tragic fatality as well as many others injured. My prayers are with all those families and those injured who are suffering as a result of this horrific accident. We are now in the 100 deadliest days of summer, the time of year when more drivers are traveling to destinations and traffic fatalities rise. Many of the deadly accidents are caused by excessive speed. Recently, I spearheaded a collaboration with my fellow mayors across the valley to launch a messaging campaign reminding drivers to slow down. A minute can save a life. Please know that our patrol officers in Sandy are out in force this summer to enforce all traffic laws, but they cannot be everywhere. We all need to do our part to slow down and drive aware. It’s better to get somewhere late than never. With hotter days, comes drier weather and the return of drought conditions. Here are a few steps you can take to conserve water this summer. Water less but don’t entirely stop watering - if you water at least one less time per week you can save an estimated 3,000 gallons of water for a quarter acre yard. Don’t water if it’s windy-turn off sprinklers on windy days or install a controller that automatically delays water cycles on windy days. Water at the right time - water between 7pm and 5 am to avoid evaporative loss. Water is life, we all need this precious resource and we all need to work together to conserve where we can. If you are a Facebook user, please take a minute to follow the Sandy Mayor Monica Zoltanski page. Social media is a quick and convenient way to share with residents the daily goings on in the Mayor’s office. It is also a great way to bring attention to any matters that need immediate action. Sign up for Sandy Notify to be contacted via text, email and calls during an emergency at sandy.utah.gov/myalerts. You can always connect with us by going to our website sandy.utah.gov/citizenconnect and by accessing our social media channels Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube for daily updated information. To reach me directly, please send an email to mayor@sandy.utah.gov. Yours in Service, Mayor Monica Zoltanski
Sandy Passport Office FAQ’s How do I apply? • You can schedule an appointment online at sandy.utah.gov/passports What do I need to bring? • Once you have scheduled your appointment, you will receive a confirmation email with a checklist of items to bring to your appointment • Most important: original proof of citizenship, a valid ID, and a personal or cashiers check, or money order
How long does it take to get a passport? • Routine processing is 8 to 11 weeks and expedited processing (for an additional $60) is 5 to 7 weeks. These processing times begin the day the U.S. Department of State receives your application. They are no longer using door-to-door timeframes How can I pay for my passport? • The U.S. Department of State requires a check, money order, or cashier’s check for each application. For prices and fees please visit our website or travel.state.gov P A G E
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What is a Short-Term Rental (STR) and does Sandy allow STR’s? A short-term rental (STR) is renting an individual dwelling or portion thereof for temporary sojourn or transient visit of guests for a period of less than thirty consecutive days. STR’s are allowed within Sandy City if the owner of the property meets specific criteria and obtains a special use permit and a business license. In 1998, the City ran into issues with short-term “ski-rentals” and the enforcement of city codes regarding this use. Through litigation, the city was directed by the Courts to revise how we defined short-term rentals and how it was to be enforced. In September 1998, the City created new land use regulations for residential districts and a new definition for Residential Short-Term Lease. Another update was made on this definition in October 1999. This new definition prohibited the use of short-term rentals less than 30 days in all residential districts. Since that time, companies such as Airbnb and VRBO popularized STR’s and played a large part in bolstering the sharing economy movement. The sharing economy movement garnered interest from the Utah State Legislature and a bill was introduced during the 2017 Legislative Session. The bill, as originally written, would remove the ability of Utah Cities to regulate STR’s, placing the ability in the hands of the State. Following negotiations between the State Legislature, the League of Cities and Towns, and elected local officials from around the State, a compromise was reached. In exchange for the right to retain the ability to regulate STR’s, Utah Cities would begin drafting local legislation to legalize STR’s. The City Council adopted new regulations for STR’s, which became effective on August 30, 2018.
Sandy Justice Court Quick Tips: In the 2022 Utah state legislative session the legislature passed several bills that impacted the state’s Justice Courts. Many of these changes do not have a direct impact to the public although a few of the bills passed may be of interest to the residents of Sandy. HOUSE BILL 139 creates a state-wide program that allows individuals charged with certain minor traffic offenses that qualify for the program to enter into a “Deferred Prosecution.” If the individual completes a 12-month period without any further traffic violations, and pays the fine and an administrative fee that will be set by the Utah Judicial Council, the case will be dismissed. Successful completion will result in no points being assessed on the individual’s driving record. To qualify, the offense has to fall within the approved minor traffic offenses and the individual may not have had certain traffic offenses within the prior 24 months. The individual also must be over 21 years of age and have a Utah Driver’s License that is not a commercial license. The program is set to begin on October 1, 2022 and new citations given after that date will likely include instructions on how to register for the program online. For more information about Traffic Tickets go to utcourts.gov/howto/traffic. HOUSE BILL 107 increases the amount an individual can sue in Small Claims court from $11,000 to $15,000 starting May 4, 2022. For more information on requirements to file a Small Claims case go to utcourts.gov/howto/smallclaims. HOUSE BILL 392 suspends the $135 ($150 in District Court) fee to file for an Expungement in the Justice Court for just over one year. If an individual files for an Expungement from May 4, 2022 to July 1, 2023 there will be no fee required to process the expungement. An individual may want to file an expungement to clear a Criminal Record and allow themselves to legally say that the arrest or conviction never happened. For more information on Expungements go to utcourts.gov/howto/expunge.
There are criteria the owner needs to comply with in order to get approval. The regulations can be found within the Sandy City Code (21-11-26 – Residential ShortTerm Rental). Some of the required criteria is: • The dwelling must be an owner-occupied primary residence and cannot be an investment property. • An individual shall prove ownership of the property using a transfer deed, valid government ID, tax returns, and an affidavit of ownership. • The maximum renter occupancy shall be no more than eight related people or four unrelated people in the STR. • A property shall not be rented as a STR for more than 182 nights per year. A property with a valid accessory apartment special use permit may use the apartment as a STR and have it rented for up to 365 nights per year. • There is a limit to the number of STR permits (based on how many single-family dwellings are within Sandy City). • Must provide a detailed parking plan. • If you see anything suspicious, contact the Code Enforcement Division at 801568-7254.
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P A G E
SENATE BILL 53 adds an increase to the fine of all speeding tickets where the cited speed is over 100 mph making the fine 150% of the Uniform Fine and Bail Schedule which outlines the fine based on the number of miles over the speed limit the individual is found guilty of. An example of this is if an individual was going 21 mph over the speed limit and cited as going 101 mph. The Uniform Fine and Bail schedule recommends a fine of $280.00, although since the speed was over 100 mph that increases the fine to $420.00. To review the Uniform Fine and Bail Schedule go to: utcourts.gov/rules/appendices/Appendix_C/Uniform_Fine_Schedule.pdf
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• Official/Referee/Scorekeeper
• GIS Coordinator
• Youth Camp Counselor I/II • Public Works Laborer
To see all available openings visit: sandy.utah.gov/jobs
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Sessions consist of eight lessons over two weeks, (based on instructor availability). This is the perfect opportunity for your child to learn the fundamentals of the sport. Lessons will focus on agility, balance, coordination of gross motor skills to accelerate skill development and basic stroke production needed to serve, rally and score.
BEFORE & AFTER SCHOOL (K-5TH GRADE)
9565 S. Highland Drive, Sandy, Utah 84092 HOLIDAY HOURS
July 4 Building Hours 7 a.m.–7 p.m. Open Plunge Hours 12 p.m. – 6 p.m Select morning classes. See website for full schedule. July 24 Building Hours 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. Open Plunge hours 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. See website for full schedule. July 25 Building Hours 5:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. Open Plunge Hours 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. Select morning classes. See website for full schedule.
KINDER CAMP (AGES 3-5)
The perfect camp for little ones! Each two-week session includes activities, games, arts & crafts, and a 30-minute swim lesson. Themes like pirates, reptiles, superheroes, and mad science will keep children engaged throughout the summer.
JR. LIFEGUARD
This camp is a 2-week long program for ages 9-14. Jr. Lifeguards will receive lessons that include American Red Cross Lifeguarding techniques, CPR/AED & First Aid skills, and safety. This program is taught by American Red Cross Lifeguards, Lifeguard Instructors, and Water Safety Instructors.
We provide transportation to and from school. We also provide all day care for children when off school. Children enjoy games, arts and crafts, field trips, homework time, snacks, and many fun activities throughout the school year. SCHOOLS: Brookwood, Granite, Park Lane, Quail Hollow, Silver Mesa, and Willow Canyon.
KARATE
Dedicated to teaching Shotokan Karate, IMA is a family-oriented dojo offering classes to children and adults of all abilities and levels. Friday night class at Alta Canyon Sports Center from 5-6 p.m. | imautah.com
TUMBLING
For beginner, intermediate, & advanced students ages 4-18. Twice weekly, 4 -5 p.m. Contact Whitney at (801) 440-8505
PLAY & LEARN PRESCHOOL
Searching for daycare or preschool for the 2022-2023 school year? Registrations are open! Children learn to express themselves through play, activities, and interaction with others. Through free play, group learning, and outdoor play, we offer a variety of activities to help children learn and grow as individuals. We provide a safe learning environment that allows children to be creative and build confidence. Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. with scheduled class time. For more information, visit our website.
PLAY-WELL TEKNOLOGY LEGO® STEM CAMPS
We strive to provide an environment where students can explore fundamental STEM concepts through play and express their creativity in ways they never thought possible. With tens of thousands of LEGO® pieces and the guidance of our passionate instructors, the possibilities are truly endless!
O.U.T.
There’s nothing quite like exercising outside: fresh air, sunshine, and green grass. Outdoor Ultimate Training (O.U.T.) Boot Camp is a group physical training program conducted by our personal trainer, Tess. This program is designed to build strength fitness through a variety of types of exercise.
POOLSIDE OUTDOOR PAVILIONS
Our beautiful pool is the perfect place to host birthdays, reunions, family gatherings, and friends. Our scenic backdrop and cool atmosphere will make any party a huge success. We have several options to choose from.
WATER AEROBICS
We offer four unique aquacise classes this summer. Come try Deep Water, Aqua Zumba, Splash & Grind, or Deep Water Aquacise. Look online for a complete summer schedule of classes.
SWIM LESSONS
All swim lessons are taught by American Red Cross Certified Water Safety Instructors. Instructors teach students through a variety of games, activities, and using swim props.
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2022 BASKETBALL CAMP Camps are designed and geared for boys and girls of varying ages and abilities. Emphasizing execution of fundamentals. Dribbling, passing, shooting, rebounding, footwork, along with offensive, defensive and team strategies. Dates: July 18-20 (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday) Grades: 3rd-7th Times: Boys 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Boys/Girls 1 to 4 p.m. Location: Sandy Parks & Recreation Gym - 440 East 8680 South
PA R K S & R E C R EAT I O N
SUMMER BASEBALL – MACHINE PITCH Registration includes 8 game season, staff, uniform, equipment, field maintenance, and league operations. Games starting as early as 6 p.m. and as late as 8 p.m. Registration Deadline: June 26 Game Beginning: July 12 Ages: 8-10 Cost: $57
SUMMER GIRLS SOFTBALL – MACHINE & PLAYER PITCH Registration includes 8 game season, staff, uniform, equipment, field maintenance, and league operations. Games starting as early as 6 p.m. and as late as 8 p.m. Game Beginning: July 11 Ages: 8-12 Cost: $57
SUMMER CAMPS – REGISTRATION ONGOING UNTIL FULL OR START OF CAMP.
JULY HAPPENINGS (Visit our website for costs and more details) • Movies in the Park – Bring your family, friends, blankets, lawn chairs and enjoy an outdoor movie on July 8, “Luca”, at Lone Peak 10140 S. 700 E. July 15, “the Incredibles 2”, at Flat Iron Park 1700 E. 8600 S. July 29 “Harry Potter and the sorcerer’s stone”, at Alta canyon park 9565 S. 2000 E. Movies start at Dusk. • Spock’s Skate Camp – Learn the fundamentals of skateboarding. Helmets, knee and elbow pads required. Sessions begin July 8, 15, 22 and July 29-Aug 5, 12. Camps held Fridays from 9–11 a.m. Camp costs are $65. Register online at sandy.utah.gov/registration • Food Truck Night – Every Monday night come out and enjoy the food trucks and amazing view from Amphitheater Park 9400 S. 1300 E. starts at 5 p.m. • Adult Sand Volleyball – Regular registration deadline July 5. Late registration begins July 7. Wednesday & Thursday leagues available. Cost $40 per player. Games starting as early as 6 p.m. Schedules runs in July and August with a tournament on August 31 and September 1. Register online at sandy.utah.gov/ registration. • Basketball Camp Old School Fundamentals Shooting & Offensive Skills – The camp is for girls & boys grades 7-12 and taught by Barry Hecker & Quincy Lewis and is designed to improve the most important skill in basketball - SHOOTING. Camp date and time: August 1-3, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cost: $150. Register online at sandy.utah.gov/registration. • Outdoor Adventure Club – Fun-filled activities will include crafts, games, and adventures. Such as go on a mini hike/walk, do a "dinosaur dig", bird watching, outdoor photography and outdoor survival skills. 2-hour sessions once a week for 3 weeks. Mondays July 11, 18, 25 and Wednesdays July 6, 13, 20. Time: 10 a.m.12 p.m. Ages: 5-9. Location: Grandpa's Pond - 900 W Shields Ln
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• Utah Elite Soccer July 11-15 and August 8-12 o Ages 4-12 o Times 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m. (times vary by age) o Cost: $45-$60 (cost varies by age) o To register: utahelitesoccer.org/sandy.html • Skyhawks Multi-Sport Camp (Soccer, Flag Football, Baseball) o Dates: 8/08/2022 - 8/12/2022 o Days: Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri o Time: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. MST o Age: 6-12 o To register: skyhawks.com
BALLOON FEST 5K Date: Time: Location:
Saturday, August 13 9 p.m. Sandy Promenade (10200 S. Centennial Pkwy (170 West) – participants will run through RSL stadium on the route Registration Fee: $25/individual or $20/family discount Registration Deadline: August 10 at 5 p.m. in person Online Registration: Closes August 10 at 7 a.m. Register online sandy.utah.gov/registration Late Registration: August 10-12 Online not available Late Registration Fee: $30/individual $25/family discount Packet Pickup: Friday, August 11 – Parks & Rec 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
FALL ADULT SOFTBALL LEAGUES Come play a short 8 game season. Double header leagues available. Registration: June 6-August 11 Divisions: Mens and Coed Leagues Begin: Week of August 29 Cost: $330/team
2022 FALL SPORT REGISTRATION Sport/Programs T-Ball & Coach Pitch Recreation Soccer Flag Football
Age / Grade 4-7 Grades PreK-12 Grades 1-4
Registration Begins June 6 June 6 June 6
Reg, Deadline July 31 July 31 July 31
P A G E
Page 22 | July 2022
Sandy City Journal
River Oaks Golf Course 9300 South Riverside Drive, Sandy, Utah (801) 568-4653 Sandy.utah.gov/golf NORTH RANGE TEACHING FACILITY Ryan is a class PGA professional. He has been teaching golf for 14 years. He is a Teaching Professional at River Oaks in Sandy City. Ryan is the 2016 Utah PGA Teacher of the Year. He has certifications with the Titleist Performance Institute, Trackman, and K-Vest. His Computer Science Degree from University of Utah helps him use the most up to date technology in his lessons. Ryan teaches players of all levels from beginning juniors to professional golfers. B A N Q U E T R O O M AT S A N D Y C I T Y
D R I V I N G R A N G E AT S A N DY C I T Y
NORTH RANGE TEACHING ACADEMY
To schedule a lesson or club fitting with Ryan, contact him at (435)-840-3102 or email ryanholtgolf@gmail.com
SUMMER GOLF ACTIVITIES • Junior Golf Classes – Taught by PGA Professionals from Inmotion Golf inmotionjuniorgolf.com • Women’s Golf Classes – Learn from professionals trained in the uniqueness of the women’s game • Golf Tournaments – Book your Company Golf Tournament Today • River Oaks Banquet Facility – Let us cater your summer party, family reunion, company party, or wedding. 19thhole@riveroaks.com
Meet Our Parks & Recreation Irrigation Team Sandy City Parks & Recreation Mission: To provide facilities, service, and programs that contribute to an aesthetically pleasing and enhance a safe environment with quality recreation, education, and cultural opportunities for the community we serve. BY THE NUMBERS: Parks irrigation team is a part of the Parks Division and is composed of eleven employees: • 2 Supervisors • 4 Crew Leaders • Up to 5 Seasonal Employees THE IRRIGATION TEAM MANAGES: • 257 acres consisting of 67 Parks and Sites • Manage 110 streetscapes which totals 18.6 miles or 11.3 acres • Sites consist of: º 1,900 spray or rotor valves º 388 drip valves º 351,788 feet of drip lines Staff Training & Development Our staff is certified in water auditing through the State of Utah. This certification is based on providing the proper amounts of water to landscape plants and turf and allows our staff to perform water audits that measure the effectiveness of the irrigation system. Staff are also members of the Irrigation Association and have their certified Irrigation Technician license. Parks carefully monitors water volume, water dispersed, and how long the water needs to run given a particular I S S U E # 94
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location. Due to normal wear and tear, vandalism and construction related problems, we will have breakdowns in our irrigation system. We encourage citizens to report problems regarding irrigation quickly to our department. Our policy is, if the problem cannot be fixed the same day, the zone is shut down avoiding water waste. Use of Non-Potable Water Lone Peak Park and Crescent Park are both hooked to non-potable irrigation water which is pressurized non-treated water used for watering the grass at these large parks. We hope to use this type of water in more of our parks in the future. Water Times Watering times for parks, streetscapes, and City buildings are usually complete by 6 a.m. In some cases, the water runs until 10 a.m. in the larger parks. Day watering only occurs during system maintenance or repairs. Our water window is from 9 p.m.–10 a.m. If you see water on after 10 a.m. please look to see if you see City personnel at the site, before calling. Our maintenance takes place from 7 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
components to fully utilize the system for greater water and cost savings. In the event of a line break in either the lateral line or mainline of the irrigation system, these components will allow the system to shut down watering on its own which will result in saving water waste due to the breaks. These components also give them the capability of shutting down all WeatherTrak controllers during a rainstorm if the amount of rainfall warrants that. In the past it would take at least 2 staff members the better part of the entire day to drive around and shut them down whereas now it takes 1 staff member 5 minutes to complete the exact same task.
Computerized Irrigation Control It is our goal to water to ET (Evapotranspiration) giving the plant life enough water to stay lush and green while minimizing any over watering. In 2016 the Parks Department made the decision to switch the Central Control Irrigation Systems from Rainbird Maxicom to Hydropoint WeatherTrak. Currently all major city parks and streetscapes have the WeatherTrak controller portion installed with continued implementation of new
Reporting Irrigation Concerns and More Information Residents can report irrigation problems either by accessing sandy.utah.gov/cityserve or by calling the Parks Department at 801-568-2900. For commercial or residential location, please call the Water Conservation Hotline at (801) 352-4466. • Parks info: sandy.utah.gov/1171/Parks • Water conservation info: sandy.utah.gov/692/Water-Conservation P A G E
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July 2022 | Page 23
Sandy Police Department by the Numbers • 15: New officers hired this year • 120: Sworn Officers Positions (114 filled) • 28: Civilian Employees • 6: Animal Services Officers • 18: Active Volunteers (VIPS) • 5: Police K-9’s • 22.3 Square Miles: Coverage Area Total calls for service • 2021 – 67,825 calls for service • 2022 (Jan 1 – May 25) - 24,459 calls for service
NOW NOW NOW HIRING HIRING
Walk & Talk Community Policing • 2021 – 2,766 • 2022 (Jan 1 – May 25) – 875 Vehicle Burglaries • 2021 – 860 calls • 2022 – (Jan 1 – Jun 1) - 165 calls
HIRING
Vehicle Theft • 2021 – 351 calls • 2022 – (Jan 1 – Jun 1) - 124 calls
CROSSING CROSSING GUARDSGUARDS
CROSSING GUARDS
Residential & Business Burglaries • 2021 – 322 calls • 2022 – (Jan 1 – Jun 1) - 98 calls
$ 15/hour part-time 15/hour part-time position position
$
$
Traffic Accidents • 2021 – 1678 calls • 2022 – (Jan 1 – Jun 1) - 660 calls
CONTACT: JANICE PARKER
(801) 783-0414
APPLY: sandy.utah.gov/policejobs APPLY: sandy.utah.gov/policejobs
Social Media Followers • IG – 1,445 • FB – 3,600 • Twitter – 2,600 • Nextdoor – 20,100
sandy.utah.gov/citizenconnect
ONE PLACE TO CONNECT WITH SANDY
In an effort to better communicate with you, we ask that you engage with us on our channels. @SandyCityUtah on Social
6
CONTACT: CONTACT: JANICE PARKER JANICE PARKER
15/hour position (801)part-time 783-0414 (801) 783-0414
APPLY: sandy.utah.gov/policejobs
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P A G E
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Sandy City Journal
2022 Overlay PROJECT
Know the laws and restriction for this summer visit: sandy.utah.gov/ fireworks
This year’s overlay project is on 1300 East between Creek Road and High Point Pkwy (8020 South). Work includes edge milling, end milling, asphalt paving and modifications to the lane striping configuration. There will be some sidewalk and pedestrian ramp replacement to fix broken concrete and tripping hazards and update the ramps to ADA compliance. Also included is utility raising and minor landscaping. Concrete work is planned to start at the end of June with paving operations taking place in mid-July.
SANDY CITY CALENDAR OF EVENTS
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Jul 5-6
Regina Spektor
8 p.m.
Sandy Amphitheater
sandyamp.com
Jul 7
Babysitting Academy
9 a.m.- 12 p.m.
Station 31: 9010 S 150 E
sandy.utah.gov/fire
Jul 7
Yoga in the Park
8-9 p.m.
Sandy Amphitheater Park
sandy.utah.gov/summeryoga
Jul 8
Cody Jinks
5:30 p.m.
Sandy Amphitheater
sandyamp.com
Jul 13
Trampled By Turtles
7 p.m.
Sandy Amphitheater
sandyamp.com
Jul 14
Yoga in the Park
8-9 p.m.
Sandy Amphitheater Park
sandy.utah.gov/summeryoga
Jul 15
Movies in the Park
7:30 p.m.
Flat Iron Park
sandy.utah.gov/movies
Jul 21
Yoga in the Park
8-9 p.m.
Sandy Amphitheater Park
sandy.utah.gov/summeryoga
Jul 22
David Gray
7 p.m.
Sandy Amphitheater
sandyamp.com
Jul 28
Babysitting Academy
9 a.m.- 12 p.m.
Station 31: 9010 S 150 E
sandy.utah.gov/fire
Jul 28
Yoga in the Park
8-9 p.m.
Sandy Amphitheater Park
sandy.utah.gov/summeryoga
Jul 29
Home Free
7:30 p.m.
Sandy Amphitheater
sandyamp.com
Jul 29
Movies in the Park
7:30 p.m.
Alta Canyon Park
sandy.utah.gov/movies
Jul 29-Aug 13
Crazy for You
7:30 p.m.
The Theater at Mount Jordan
sandyarts.com
Aug 1
Little Feat
7 p.m.
Sandy Amphitheater
sandyamp.com
Aug 2
Junior Firefighter Academy
9 a.m.- 12 p.m.
Station 31: 9010 S 150 E
sandy.utah.gov/fire
Aug 3
The Dead South
7 p.m.
Sandy Amphitheater
sandyamp.com
Aug 4
Yoga in the Park
8-9 p.m.
Sandy Amphitheater Park
sandy.utah.gov/summeryoga
Aug 6
Mat & Savanna
7 p.m.
Sandy Amphitheater
sandyamp.com
Aug 9
Lukas Nelson & POTR
7:30 p.m.
Sandy Amphitheater
sandyamp.com
Aug 11
Yoga in the Park
8-9 p.m.
Sandy Amphitheater Park
sandy.utah.gov/summeryoga
Aug 12
Whiskey Myers
6 p.m.
Sandy Amphitheater
sandyamp.com
Aug 15
Collective Soul & Switchfoot
6:30 p.m.
Sandy Amphitheater
sandyamp.com
Aug 16
Mt. Joy
7 p.m.
Sandy Amphitheater
sandyamp.com
Aug 17
First Aid, CPR and AED Class
9 a.m.- 1 p.m.
Station 31: 9010 S 150 E
sandy.utah.gov/fire
Aug 18
Andy Grammer & Fitz and the Tantrums
6 p.m.
Sandy Amphitheater
sandyamp.com
Aug 24
First Aid, CPR and AED Class
6-10 p.m.
Station 31: 9010 S 150 E
sandy.utah.gov/fire
Aug 24
Free - International Folk Festival
8 p.m.
Sandy Amphitheater
sandyamp.com
Aug 25
Elvis Costello
7 p.m.
Sandy Amphitheater
sandyamp.com
Aug 26
Imagine+
7:30 p.m.
Sandy Amphitheater
sandyamp.com
Aug 30
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
7 p.m.
Sandy Amphitheater
sandyamp.com
All events subject to change due to COVID-19. Go to sandy.utah.gov for more events. I S S U E # 94
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Hawks earn region title, reach semis at state Photos by Travis Barton
Serving Families Since 1885
LARKIN MORTUARY HONORS FAMILY PIONEER HERITAGE Larkin Mortuary is one of the most respected funeral homes in the Salt Lake Valley. Its pioneer founder, George William Larkin, arrived in Utah in 1863, having emigrated from Cambridge, England. He started the Larkin tradition of arranging funerals in 1885. Today, with six generations of history serving Utah families, four mortuaries, cremation facilities and two cemeteries, Larkin Mortuary remains locally owned and family managed.
Deacon Mearian (5) and Mason Egan celebrate a goal just before halftime of the semifinal matchup with Olympus. Mearian and Egan are part of a talented junior class returning next season.
Larkin’s vertically integrated services also provide a premier floral shop, monument, urn and vault manufacturing facilities, and beautiful memorial meeting and luncheon facilities. Multilingual staff honor and facilitate important traditions of many cultures.
LOCAL FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED Taking Care of your Family’s Needs every step of the way
Larkin Mortuary - Downtown 260 East South Temple Salt Lake City, UT 84111 (801) 363-5781
Larkin Sunset Lawn 2350 East 1300 South Salt Lake City, UT 84108 (801) 582-1582
Larkin Sunset Gardens 1950 East Dimple Dell Road (10600 S.) Sandy, UT 84092 (801) 571-2771
Larkin Mortuary-Riverton 3688 West 12600 South Riverton, UT 84065 (801) 254-4850
LarkinMortuary.com Page 26 | July 2022
Sophomore Ben Johnson scoops up a ground ball during the Hawks 12-5 defeat to Olympus in the semifinals at Westminster’s Dumke Field. Alta finished the year 15-4 going undefeated in region. The squad’s only losses were to Olympus (twice), eventual 5A winner Park City and Colorado-based Cherokee Trail.
Berkley Horoba led the Hawks in both goals (61) and assists (86) on the season. Horoba will lead Alta back onto the field next spring with a cavalry of returning contributors alongside him, including his younger brother Braxton.
Sandy City Journal
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July 2022 | Page 27
JULY-SEP EVENTS
2022
EVENING SERIES
Amphitheater Parking: 495 East 5300 South Ticket Information: 801-264-2614 or www.murray.utah.gov July 9 ...............................................................................Jenny Oaks Baker Violin & Cello Student Workshop July 15-16, 18, 21-23 ..................................................Sister Act July 29-30.....................................................................A Celtic Summer’s Night, featuring Mairead Nesbitt Aug 12-13, 15, 18-20 ..................................................The Drowsy Chaperone Aug 26 ............................................................................Toast – the Ultimate Bread Experience! Aug 27 ............................................................................Once Voice Children’s Choir Sep 2 ...............................................................................Carpenters Platinum – A Tribute Sep 9-10 ........................................................................Once On This Island Jr., Children’s Musical
LUNCH CONCERT SERIES
Tuesday at Noon in Murray Park Pavilion #5, FREE July 12 .........................................................................................................The Lazlos, Roots & Roll July 19 .........................................................................................................Iris (Britney Holman), Indie Pop/Folk July 26 ........................................................................................................Infusion Rock, Rock Ban
LIBRARY SUMMER SHORTS
Wednesday at 1 p.m. in Murray Park Pavilion #5, FREE July 6 ..............................................................................................Scales & Tails, Reptile Show July 13 ............................................................................................Scariff Irish School of Dance July 20 ...........................................................................................Monroe’s Mountain Melodies, with Puppets July 27............................................................................................Longwings, Bird Show
CHILDREN MATINEE SERIES
Thursday at 2 p.m. in Murray Park Pavilion #5, FREE July 14 ............................................................................................................Kenshin Taiko, Japanese Drumming July 21 ............................................................................................................Rick Schwemmer, German Cow Bells July 28 ...........................................................................................................Paul Brewer, Magic Show
FAMILY NIGHT SERIES
The 2nd Monday of every month at 7 p.m., FREE Murray Senior Recreation Center (#10 E 6150 S – 1/2 block west of State) July 11 ........................................................................................................Neo Vintage, Jazz & Bossanova Aug 8.........................................................................................................Company B, Oldies Sep 12 .......................................................................................................BD Howes Band, Acoustic Classic Rock
STOP IN FOR STORIES
Every Tues/Wed/Thurs at 11:15 a.m. in Murray Park White Gazebo, FREE Murray City Library sponsored outdoor story time full of books, songs and action rhymes for kids ages 2-7 and their families. Bring your blanket or lawn chair. This program has received funding support from residents of Salt Lake County, SL County Zoo, Arts & Parks (ZAP), Utah Division of Arts & Museums, Utah Department of Cultural & Community Engagement, Utah Humanities, and National Endowment for the Arts.
Page 28 | July 2022
Leaders in Salt Lake County reaffirmed their opposition to the proposed gondola and road-widening up Little Cottonwood Canyon. (Peri Kinder/City Journals)
Salt Lake County leaders stand firm against construction of the canyon gondola By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
T
o counteract what they feel is a pro-gondola media blitz, a group of bipartisan elected officials and community leaders met near the entrance to Little Cottonwood Canyon to express their opposition to the proposed canyon gondola and to set the record straight about what they consider to be a “misleading” and “detrimental” pro-gondola campaign. Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson addressed the crowd of nearly 100 residents and said her family enjoys the trails and ski slopes in the canyons, but believes the gondola project would be a mistake. “We are here because we love Little Cottonwood Canyon,” she said. “Don’t you think the canyon deserves a little more time to get it right?’ The Utah Department of Transportation is considering two options it hopes will alleviate traffic up the canyons. The first is the gondola with a price tag of nearly $600M. It would consist of 22 towers, with base stations at the entrance to Little Cottonwood Canyon and Alta and Snowbird ski resorts. Expanding the road up the canyon and enhancing bus service is UDOT’s second option with a cost of more than $500M. A majority of attendees at the gathering voiced opposition to the gondola, many arguing the project is more focused on economic development than solving a transportation problem. Brad Rutledge is a founding member of Wasatch Backcountry Alliance, a group dedicated to preserving the backcountry experience of the Central Wasatch mountains. The organization created a pilot shuttle program during
the 2021-22 ski season where people could ride for free or for a small donation. Rutledge said the program was a success. “We want to see increased bus service that’s affordable. We want to see incentives to get you out of your car,” he said. “We need solutions that work today so we don’t have to ruin the canyons.” The Salt Lake County Mayor’s Office listed what it calls “Common-Sense Solutions” that it believes would be more fiscally responsible and sustainable than widening the canyon road or building a gondola. These solutions include widening Wasatch Boulevard, purchasing more buses, creating a tolling infrastructure and more trailhead parking, and building a noise wall for residents living near the canyons. Officials said those solutions would cost less than $250M while preserving the integrity and beauty of the canyons. Salt Lake County Councilman Richard Snelgrove said the gondola would do “irreparable” and “permanent harm” to the canyons. “These mountains behind us are the crown jewel of Salt Lake County,” he said. “They need to be protected for future generations.” Department of Public Utilities at Salt Lake City Corporation Director Laura Briefer addressed the gondola project through the eyes of water quality, as the canyons provide drinking water for Salt Lake County. She issued a concern that construction of the gondola towers would create a destructive footprint that will compromise water quality to residents. These concerns are increased by the current historic drought and growth in the
Sandy City Journal
Now is the best time to buy cemetery property. PROTECT AGAINST RISING PRICES.
The Utah Interpreter Program turns 30 this year, recognizing nearly 600 certified interpreters in the state. (Stock photo)
Utah Interpreter Program celebrates 30 years of service By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
S
ince 1992, the Utah Interpreter Program has ensured that American Sign Language interpreters throughout the state meet the highest standards through certification and professional development as well as maintaining a statewide interpreter directory. This year marks UIP’s 30th anniversary of working directly with sign language interpreters and members of the Deaf, hard-of-hearing and DeafBlind communities. “Utah was 20 to 30 years ahead of many other states in its recognition and protection of the communication rights of Deaf, hard-ofhearing and DeafBlind citizens,” said Trenton Marsh, director of the Utah Interpreter Program. “As early as 1975, the Utah Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, in collaboration with local Deaf leaders, created a certification process for sign language interpreters, 20 years before it became state law.” After the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, the provision of interpreting services changed. Community organizations such as URID and the Utah Association of the Deaf asked the Division of Services of
the Deaf and Hard of Hearing to take on the responsibility of certifying interpreters and educating the public regarding communication access issues. This led to the creation of UIP. In 1993, Utah passed legislation requiring certification of sign language interpreters. “This is incredible since many states still do not have a similar law today,” Marsh said. Currently, UIP focuses on providing certification exams and oversees annual certification and professional development status for all sign language interpreters in Utah. It also educates the public about state interpreting laws and policies, and provides interpreting services for DSDHH and vocational rehabilitation staff, as well as for the Utah governor’s press conferences. UIP recognizes nearly 600 certified interpreters in the state. Interpreters can be certified after demonstrating skills, knowledge and judgment to be able to facilitate communication, including complex, technical or specialized situations. To learn more about the program, or to become a certified interpreter, visit jobs.utah.gov/usor/uip. l
county. “The canyons provide 60% of the water supply for a large and growing population in Salt Lake County,” Brief said. “[The gondola project] will widen roads and threaten the water supply in the short- and long-term.” Other elected representatives opposed to the gondola attending the meeting included State Sen. Jani Iwamoto and Reps. Suzanne Harrison and Carol Spackman Moss. Community groups voicing opposition included Friends of Alta, Friends of Little Cottonwood Canyon, Green Latinos, Latino Outdoors, League of Women Voters of Salt Lake, Salt Lake Climbers Alliance, Save Not Pave,
Save Our Canyons, Students for the Wasatch, Wasatch Backcountry Alliance and Wasatch Mountain Club. Sandy Mayor Monica Zoltanski said she doesn’t want taxpayers picking up the tab for the gondola and will “exhaust her last breath” to make sure decision-makers are aware of her stance. “The people of Sandy do not want a gondola up this canyon,” she said. “There are better ideas for what will work in Little Cottonwood Canyon. We have great minds here. Why can’t we put common-sense solutions to the test?” l
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Sandy City Journal
Sandy announces its Community Champion and Volunteer of the Year By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
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or Sandy residents Katie Johnson and Aaron Edwin Dekeyzer, community service is a responsibility. Their projects to make Sandy City more informed, educated and involved earned them recognition during the annual One Sandy Awards. Sandy native Johnson was presented with the Community Champion award for her efforts to help residents understand the importance of involvement with local government. Johnson created the Sandy Clock Tower resident page on Facebook to provide information and promote civic engagement on topics affecting the city. “It’s a group where people could discuss not federal, not national politics but local politics to learn more about it,” Johnson said. “I created the Clock Tower page as a place to do that. It’s a place we can have open discussions and people can ask questions they might not be able to ask elsewhere.” Johnson also started spotlighting local businesses each week to get residents more involved with small businesses and entrepreneurs within the city. With a degree in public administration, Johnson is interested in transparency, resident outreach, public safety and responsible growth. The Facebook page has hundreds of followers who come to the site to learn about the city. Johnson said the page has morphed over time, adapting to residents’ needs as they interact with each other. “It’s really a kind of a learn at your own pace, so if they want to learn about politics, they can, but there’s also stuff about local events and crime. It’s kind of a choose-yourown-adventure page,” Johnson said. “I was really flattered [to receive the award]. I didn’t start this page looking for accolades but it’s always nice to have people recognize that
you’ve put some work in.” For Dekeyzer, being honored as the Sandy Volunteer of the Year was a pleasant surprise. He’s lived in Sandy since he was in elementary school and feels a need to protect the city’s natural beauty and resources. “It’s a great community,” he said. “I love where I live. We live by the deer and there’s wild turkey and quail, so the wildlife is Sandy Volunteer of the Year Aaron great. We’re close to the Edwin Dekeyzer receives the award mountain and we love from Mayor Monica Zoltanski. Decamping and hiking and keyzer’s platform focuses on sustainskiing. There are just so ability and the environment, creating many places you can get programs to educate and inform city to in a day’s drive. It’s residents. (Photo courtesy One Sandy a pretty great place to Awards) live.” Dekeyzer’s 18-month effort to create a curbside glass recycling program was something he considered a huge win. He was also a proponent for HB 411, the Community Renewable Energy Act, that provided cities with tools to establish a community goal to use more renewable energy resources.
Mobile Covid testing sites operating for summer
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By City Journals staff
ree mobile Covid testing sites were opened by Nomi Health this summer to support the “Test to Travel” program. Each site is providing tests on a firstcome, first-served basis and are requesting proof of insurance. “Nomi Health’s Covid testing services are just one part of our offerings that’s evolving how we deliver care to patients,” said Sean Arroyo, Nomi Health vice president of operations. “As we're seeing an increase in testing demand across the state, we truly believe care should be where you are when you need it and that’s what we’re delivering.” Sites will also be offering Rapid Molecular Travel Testing for $179 with results within 30 minutes. Locations will exclusively operate as Covid testing sites at no cost to Utah residents. The average wait time is five minutes or less to get tested with results within an average of nine hours. No appointment is required but registration is suggested to ensure the most rapid service. Those interested can register at www. patient.nomihealth.com/signup/7?referrer=nomi_lp_ut. Current Mobile Testing Sites and Hours
S andy Journal .com
Nomi Health opens mobile testing sites including Test to Travel location in anticipation of summer. (Flickr)
of Operation: ● Sandy Library, 10100 Petunia Way; Mon.-Sat., 9 a.m.-6 p.m. (testing) ● West Valley City—Centennial Park, 5405 W. 3100 South (SW parking lot); Mon.Fri., 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. (testing) ● 777 N. 5600 West; Tuesday/Thursday/ Saturday, 12-7 p.m. (PCR, Antigen, Rapid PCR and Rapid Molecular Travel Testing for “Test to Travel” program) Note: Rapid Molecular Travel Testing provided at this location for $179. Results in 30 minutes for travel needs. l
Sandy Community Champion award winner Katie Johnson received recognition for her efforts to inform Sandy residents with the Sandy Clock Tower resident page on Facebook. Mayor Monica Zoltanski presented the award, with Johnson’s husband Chris in the background. (Photo courtesy One Sandy Awards)
He served on the Sandy City Sustainability Focus Group, ran for city council and county council, and is the co-director of Save Not Pave, a group of residents hoping to protect the natural environment. Whether he’s serving on boards, committees or at his children’s schools, Dekeyzer believes every person has the responsibility to care for their community. “There are just so many things we need to do better,” he said. l
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I mustache you, walk, don't run to jobs.slco.org and apply to be a lifeguard! Boys high school soccer teams will play two less games for the next three years due to being on probation. (Travis Barton/City Journals)
UHSAA places boys soccer on probation By Greg James | g.james@mycityjournals.com
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n a stand against poor sportsmanship, the Utah High School Activities Association has placed boys soccer on probation. Coaches have questioned if their decision was accurate and if it will change. “The Executive Committee voted to place the sport of boys soccer on probation due to the rise in ejections related to unsportsmanlike conduct,” the UHSAA said in a statement. “UHSAA programs will now have 14 allowable contests, down from 16.” The sport will be on probation for the next three years. The committee will conduct annual reviews to assess the sport’s progress. “I am really torn on this issue,” Hunter High School boys head coach Brett Solberg said. “UHSAA claims that in the past year 50% of all ejections were in boys soccer. I feel that is not a fair comparison. In soccer, you can get a red card for a handball or a foul as the last defender. If you foul out in basketball it is not considered an ejection.” In soccer, a red card forces the player or coach to be removed from the contest and the team’s following match. Red cards can be assessed for several reasons: two yellow cards are an automatic red card, a handball, a foul as the last defender before the goalkeeper, leaving the field of play without authorization, and poor sportsmanship. “Not a single coach or administrator I have talked to knew anything about this being considered,” Copper Hills head coach Sean Terry said. “Unfortunately, when you are dealing with high school boys in a competitive sports setting, you will have isolated instances of poor sportsmanship.” According to Terry referees have been instructed to take a no-tolerance approach to bad language on the field.
“I do not disagree with that approach, but if a player takes a hard foul from his opponent, then says something to the kid that fouled him, now he is red carded and out of the game. In football, that stuff happens, but the team will get a penalty and not an ejection,” Terry said. Coaches agree that sportsmanship needs to be addressed and some changes need to be made. They do not think removing two games from the schedule will affect a change. More players may skip high school soccer and continue playing for a club team, high school teams just lose two contests. “With the suspension of two games, we were hoping to travel to St. George in the preseason and play, but now we may not be able to,” Solberg said. Most high schools have player and fan contracts that they sign before the season. This helps remind participants of what is acceptable. “I work very hard with my players. We want them to be honest players,” Terry said. “We will not tolerate a dirty player. We are all human, I would never say we are 100% in this area. We strive to improve every year.” Player conduct will be re-evaluated after the season. “For a majority of our matches things were fine,” Solberg said. “We had a close match against Kearns. The game got heated and it led to pushing and shoving, which was not OK. Before our next match with them, we got all of the players together at center circle. We discussed the game and that bad behavior would not be tolerated, and it was not a problem.” l
Sandy City Journal
Fireworks pose major risks this summer
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remember the year vividly. We were doing our annual 4th of July fireworks in our circle with neighbors gathered. My neighbor… we will call him “Frank” to protect his identity, brought forward his homemade mortar – complete with his self-built mortar launcher. Frank lit the fuse and we watched as the mortar launcher tipped over, sending the mortar shooting into the road and making the loudest explosion that has ever graced our little neighborhood fireworks party. It was so scary! What if a car had driven past right then? What if it tipped the other way and shot towards one of our homes, or worse yet towards all of us where we were all sitting with our kids? Accidents with fireworks happen all the time. They can be made worse when you invite Frank to the party and he brings his homemade pyrotechnic creation, but still… they happen. Combine that with the dry brush from this year’s drought, and we have intense risk. My brother-in-law used to work for VECC, the valley’s 911 dispatch center. He always dreaded the July holidays because the high volume of calls regarding fireworks made it so difficult for people to get through who were having life-threatening issues. Because of the drought, Frank’s wild
Aimee Winder Newton
Salt Lake County Council | District 3
firework creations, and hearing my brother-in-law’s 911 stories, I decided last year that we were going to end the circle fireworks party. There are many better ways to celebrate the 4th and 24th. The ongoing drought (ranging from severe to exceptional), more people living on the borders of wildland, and increased recreation in the canyons within Salt Lake County, elevates our fire risk. Prevention and mitigation are much preferred to having to respond to and recover from a fire. The drought has left our reservoirs and lakes at record lows, contributing to dry conditions, and leaving firefighters with less water to combat fires. It is vitally important that we be fire smart this summer. Small things can make a big difference. It is estimated that exercising sensible fire practices can prevent roughly 70 percent of Utah wildfires.
These are things like discarding cigarettes in the proper receptacles, not driving over or parking your car on dry vegetation, and securing trailer chains to make sure they don’t drag and spark a fire. Use a mindful approach, such as only starting campfires in cement or metal firepits, never leaving them unattended, and fully drowning them until cool to the touch. Utahfireinfo.gov has even more information to consider for your summer plans.
Many residents celebrate the 4th and 24th of July with fireworks. Fireworks are a lot of fun, but I’d encourage you to attend professional fireworks shows instead of lighting your own. The professional shows have measures in place to ensure safety. I’m a big fan of liberty and freedom, but I’m also a big fan of personal responsibility, so join me in foregoing fireworks this year. Let’s be smart and be part of the solution!
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July 2022 | Page 33
Beyond the byline: Writer for Sandy and Holladay loves visiting London By Sarah Morton Taggart | s.taggart@mycityjournals.com Editor’s note: this seDid you ever visit Lonries highlights the writers don again? behind the stories found Yes! I loved London. here every month. I always wanted to go to eather Lawrence begrad school in London. gan writing for The While I was teaching, an City Journals in 2018 and opportunity came up to has written more than take some students. Ben 200 stories for the Sandy and I took seven high and Holladay papers in school students with us. the education and local We went for two weeks. life sections. This writer While we were there, we sat down with Heather Heather Lawrence had the chance found a school we could to learn more about her. to sneak around the Globe Theatre both do graduate proWhat did you study in in London when her husband grams at. We both got worked there in 2008. (Photo courcollege? accepted and lived there I studied English at tesy Heather Lawrence) for a year. My degree is the University of Utah. I in Education Policy and went to Dixie State UniSociety. versity first. So being an education writer is a good Is that where you met your husband? fit? Yes, Ben and I met at the University of Yes! And writing for Sandy is a good Utah. We did a study abroad trip to London fit because I grew up there. So, I still have a together. I had always wanted to go and lot of connections there and my sister still I didn’t know anyone else in the group. I lives there. (Heather currently lives in Midmet Ben through the planning meetings. vale, near the Sandy City boundary). We started meeting four or five months What advice would you give to a youngbefore the trip. We first dated in London. er version of you, if you could? When we got home, another student It’s a funny thing to have published on the trip asked him to write a story about writing. For years I was mortified to let the trip for the student newspaper. He people read what I wrote. I couldn’t hanwrote the story and got one paycheck for dle the critique or questions. I wanted it to like $20, which made him an employee of come out fully formed without needing edthe university. So when we got married the its or feedback. Getting used to that earlier next summer and we wanted our wedding would have been good. I had a really good reception at Rice-Eccles Stadium, we got teacher who drilled into me the editing a $300 discount on the venue rental. We process. For one assignment we had to graduated in 2003, the same year we got write a piece, then they said, “OK, now get married. rid of half of what you wrote.” What was your first job out of college? I did like writing letters to friends. AfI worked for Intermountain Health- ter scientific writing, journalism was probcare from 1998 to 2018. After graduation ably the last kind of writing I thought I’d do. I became a teacher at a private school, It just seemed too technical. I was trained teaching seventh through 12th grades. more to write essays and get an opinion There were a lot of international students, across. My inclination is to write in a more which I loved. There were kids from Korea, romantic style. It was a learning curve, Japan, Brazil. I taught ESL (English as a learning the journalistic style. I want to Second Language) and English literature. consider things from all angles and have Ben started teaching there a couple years all the information. later. I taught for five years.
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Sandy City Journal
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Page 36 | July 2022
Sandy City Journal
Home visitation program helps parents and families with young children By Sarah Morton Taggart | s.taggart@mycityjournals.com
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ne day in June, Lisia Satini was working with a young client. She asked the 3-yearold boy to name the plastic animals she held up, and was delighted when he named them all. “This was a child who could not speak before. His verbal skills were like ‘uh, uh,’” Satini said. “Now he’s able to say ‘zebra!’” Satini is the home visitation program supervisor for Children’s Service Society of Utah (CSS). The home visitation program offers parent education to families throughout pregnancy and until the child enters kindergarten. Satini had originally been working with the child’s older sibling. “The parent was able to pick up on the cues. She knew something was up,” Satini said. “We were able to detect at a young age that he was on the autism spectrum. So we screened him and saw a child development (specialist). We were able to consult with the parent about seeing a pediatrician and now we have him in an IEP (Individualized Education Program).” Satini continued working with the family and recalls another recent visit with that child. “He had the potty training seat on his head,” Satini said with a laugh. “You know, I’m sure it was clean, his mom was letting him. He’s working on potty training and this is how he’s connecting with it. He has the seat and he’s saying ‘circle’ because he loves shapes. I love it, going from where he was at couldn’t say words to now he knows shapes. Just the way he was connecting through the screen was awesome.” The home visitation program uses the Parents as Teachers curriculum, a method used throughout the United States and six other countries. Caregivers learn how to overcome challenges involved with parenting to help children ages 0 to 5 reach their full potential. Certified parent educators like Satini are trained on how to apply scientific information on early brain development into specific, practical advice for parents. For example, parents learn how to find teachable moments in everyday life to help improve their child’s language, social, intellectual and language skills. “This program, now that I know what it is, I recommend it to everyone,” Satini said. “You’re able to learn about the family and how it functions. Whether you’re a single parent home, two parent home, just a parent. It’s not easy. Children are not easy. We’re all still learning.” The parent educators usually visit twice a month, or once a week in the case of single parent households. “I didn’t know, besides just going to the doctor, that these are the milestones my children need to be at,” Satini said. “And knowing the statistics of what it does when you read to your child. It sets them up at an early age to be able to perform in the school system.” Along with lessons and advice, the educators offer screenings to assess the child’s development as well as connections to other
S andy Journal .com
The home visitation program offers parent education and support to families with children ages 0 to 5. (Photo courtesy Children’s Service Society of Utah)
resources that are available. “Right now we serve refugee families, Pacific Islanders, Spanish-speaking families, and also teen parents,” Satini said. “We have paraeducators trained to provide that culturally-sound connection where families can feel comfortable.” Of course, challenges arose at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. “In our curriculum we strongly push parent engagement. We talk a lot about limiting screen time,” Satini said. “But with the pandemic we had to start offering virtual visits, so then of course we’re going back to the screen. We went through a transition in the beginning with families not having the right technology. It was not easy doing visits through the phone.” In 2020, CSS organized fundraising campaigns and provided Chromebooks for all of the families in the home visitation program. But even with the new technology there were hiccups. “Visits are an hour long and we’d use most of that training them on how to get set up,” Satini said. “But now we have parents who have that skill. We can say that’s a plus. We have kids interacting on the screen and attention spans are a little longer. These are the little milestones that make it worth it.” Home visitation paraeducators are just beginning to make arrangements to visit families in person again, as long as everyone involved feels comfortable with meeting. Virtual visits will continue to be an option. Representatives from CSS are back to attending community events to let parents know about the home visitation program, and social media and word of mouth also drive participation. Interested parents can visit www.cssutah. org/services/home-visitation/ to fill out a refer-
The home visitation program offers parent education and support to families with children ages 0 to 5. (Photo courtesy Children’s Service Society of Utah)
ral form. “When we visit with these families, we learn how their family functions,” Satini said. “If they need resources we’re able to help them tap into all of these connections, from mortgage relief, rent relief, to free lunches in the summers.” Most families working with the home visitation program live in Salt Lake County, but educators have begun working in Davis County as well. “To me, home visitation is the true prevention program that exists in our community,” said Encarni Gallardo, the executive director of CSS. “The program puts educators and community health workers in their homes. They see where the struggles are, and offer the resources the families need. It tailors support to the family to ensure the children are safe and receiving the support they need to be ready for school.” “We always say CSS is the oldest child welfare agency in Utah,” Gallardo continued. “We’ve been around since 1884 and we’ve adapted services to meet the needs of the community as things change.” Today, CCS offers several programs in addition to home visitation: adoption services, Grandfamilies Kinship Care, and Care about Childcare, which offers services to parents and
providers. The organization’s newest venture is the Building Blocks Childcare Center in Taylorsville, which offers free and reduced cost childcare and preschool to low-income families in partnership with the United Way of Salt Lake. “I’ve worked with families of all kinds and all different incomes,” Gallardo said. “Children have a universal language. All children want to succeed in life. To me what CSS does is put a voice to those children. CSS is here to assure that caregivers have the support they need for children to grow up and succeed. These kids will be taking care of our future. Let’s give them the opportunity they need to stay healthy and safe.” Satini’s own children are nearly grown. When they were young she was a stay-at-home mom. She later worked in community health. In 2016, she joined CSS as a specialist for working with Pacific Islander families. “It’s the same work, except I’m now going into homes,” Satini said. “My baby is now 13, so I didn’t get to take advantage of it. However, I do love this curriculum because I still apply a lot of things with my teenage kids. I believe connection never stops with your children.” l
July 2022 | Page 37
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he Federal Reserve has been aggressively ramping up interest rates over the past several months to try to rein in inflation, which is at a 40-year high. After three years of near-zero interest rates, the Fed raised rates a quarter percentage point in March, a half point in May, and three-quarters of a point in June — the largest rate hike since 1994. The Fed has also indicated that it will continue significantly raising rates, by as much as an additional two percent, over the next year. Today’s borrowing costs are back to 2019 pre-pandemic levels, and they are expected to keep going up. Here’s what rising interest rates could mean for Utah consumers: Tackling credit card debt. If you carry a balance on your credit card, paying off that debt could become more difficult. That’s because most credit cards have variable interest rates, which typically rise and fall with market rates. The average credit card interest rate hit a twoyear high in June, topping 16.75%. As rates continue to rise, carrying a credit card balance will likely get more expensive. Today’s consumer has extra incentive to pay down credit card debt and other high-interest debt, or consider other strategies to offset rising interest rates, such as a
credit card balance transfer. Buying or selling a house. While mortgage rates have shot up over the past few months, Utah’s hot housing market has shown little sign of cooling. That could change as rates climb further, pricing more Utahns out of the housing market. With every 1% increase in the mortgage rate, a homebuyer pays about $300 more per month on a $500,000 mortgage. However, the Beehive State’s housing shortage will likely keep demand strong and prices rising, albeit at a slower pace. Building savings. Higher interest rates are welcome news for people who like to save. Though there isn’t a direct link between the federal funds rate and deposit rates, financial institutions generally increase the annual percentage yield that is paid on money market accounts, savings accounts, and certificates of deposit after the central bank raises rates. As the federal funds rate increases, consumers should start seeing a better return on their deposits, including savings accounts, money markets and CDs. Robert Spendlove is senior economist for Zions Bank, a division of Zions Bancorporation, N.A. l
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801.254.5974 Sandy City Journal
Teed Off
I
t was the height of COVID. We were trying to figure out Zoom meetings and DoorDash and online grocery shopping. I’d been laid off. The world was topsy-turvy. Stress levels were off the charts. My husband decided we weren’t fighting enough, so he thought he’d teach me to golf. I was young and naive and thought it would give us a break from the COVID lockdowns and Netflix binging. But two years later, it’s become the most infuriating part of my life. A sport with an uppity dress code should have been the first clue. We got to the golf arena and rented a cart, which is really the only reason to golf. Tom gave me the scorecard like I understood “par” or colors or numbers. We drove to the starting line and he proceeded to give me my first golf lesson. “What club are you going to use?” he asked. “How should I know? Sandwich? Soda? Strip?” Tom swore, handed me a club and instructed, “Widen your stance, get closer to the ball, shoulders up, head down, knees together, thumbs out, straighten the arms but bend the elbows. Twist, but don’t move your hips. Watch the ball. Watch the ball!” After getting me in peak form, I took a swing. I totally missed the ball and sprained
SANDY
Peri Kinder Life and Laughter
several unused muscles in my back. “You’re pulling up,” he said, unhelpfully. “Pulling up what?” “Just pulling up.” “I don’t understand the words you’re using,” I replied. I considered throwing a ball at his head. “You know, just don’t pull up.” I glanced around the course, certain a divorce lawyer had to be within range. “Watch,” he said. “This is what you’re doing.” Tom then proceeded to reenact my swing, which, according to him, looks like I’m trying to kill a spider with a baseball bat. “Don’t do that,” he said. “Understand?” “Do you understand alimony?” I mumbled.
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S andy Journal .com
It’s gone downhill from there, but at least now I’ve learned golf etiquette, like how driving the cart through those fun sand dunes is frowned upon. And I should whisper on the golf field unless I miss a shot, and then I’m supposed to yell a swear word and throw my golf bat in the lake. I also learned I shouldn’t shout “Fore!” every time I take a swing, and kicking the ball onto the fairway is a cool golf-pro trick. And the drink cart is like an ice-cream truck for grown-ups. After watching Tom’s conniption when he hit a ball into the creek, I asked him, “You do this to relax? Is it working?” He gritted his teeth and drove to the next hole. I sat back and watched the beautiful scenery. I’ve seen deer, squirrels, ducks and bunnies romping near the “greens,” which is a lazy name if I’ve ever heard one. Maybe during the next pandemic, Tom can teach me how to pole vault or we could join a curling team or maybe we could do a DIY extension to our house. There are just so many ways to start a fight. Peri Kinder is an award-winning humor writer and hosts the Life & Laughter podcast. She’s also a yoga/meditation instructor and life coach.
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July 2022 | Page 39
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