March. 2022 | Vol. 9 Iss. 03
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TAYLORSVILLE WOMAN HEARD TONGA VOLCANO ERUPTION WHILE SPEAKING WITH FRIGHTENED RELATIVES ON THE PHONE By Carl Fauver | c.fauver@mycityjournals.com
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t’s almost always tomorrow in Tonga. And right now, a month-and-ahalf after an underwater volcano devastated that South Pacific country, Tongans are still working long, hard days to improve their tomorrows. The 105,000 people who inhabit the 170-plus islands that make up Tonga are just west of the International Date Line, 20 hours ahead of Utah in the winter and 19 hours ahead after our clocks spring forward. So, unless you’re on the phone with someone there between midnight and 5 a.m. our time, you’re talking to tomorrow. That’s what Taylorsville resident Ivoni Nash was doing at 9:14 p.m. Friday, Jan. 14, which was 5:14 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 15, for her nervous relatives in Tonga. They were on edge, because scientists had been warning the volcano, named Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha‘apai was giving every indication it was about to blow. Then it did. “I was on the line with my cousins, who already knew a tsunami was coming (caused by an earlier, much smaller eruption),” Nash, 75, said. “I was scared to death for them. We had been talking about 10–15 minutes when I heard the eruption over the phone. It was so loud. Then the phone went dead.” Scientists have since described the eruption as “the strongest anywhere on earth in more than 30 years, more powerful than 100 atomic Continued page 4
The volcano eruption in Tonga generated 4- to-6-foot tsunami waves that struck the country’s capital of Nuku’alofa. (Consulate of the Kingdom of Tonga)
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Continued from front page bombs.” An Oxford University researcher reported, the measured height of the volcanic ash plume (24 miles) was the “highest ever detected in earth’s atmosphere.” In the days following the cataclysmic eruption, Ivoni heard all these staggering statistics, just like everyone else. But what she could not here for well over a week, were any of her relatives’ voices. “The phone lines remained down day after day,” she said. “We tried to Facebook call, but that wasn’t working. We did finally hear from others in the area that electricity had been restored. But it was horrible not being able to reach them.” Nash did finally learn here relatives were uninjured and their homes had not been damaged by the tsunami. But, like everyone in the region, their rooftops and cars had been damaged by falling ash and rocks from the eruption. The thick coating of ash also killed crops and family gardens almost instantly. Ivoni was born in Tonga in 1946 and immigrated to Utah to attend college in 1968. Four years later she married Utah native Michael Nash. The parents of one son and grandparents to his four teenage children will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary this year. The couple moved to Taylorsville in 1976, the same year Ivoni earned her United States citizenship. Nash is now the program director for the Murray-based National Tongan American Society. According to NTAS literature: “The Tongan population continues to be the fastest growing and largest Pacific Islander community in Utah. Founded in 1994, NTAS, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization is one of the longest running organizations to advocate for and empower Tongan-Americans and other Pacific Islanders.” Ivoni is one of only two paid NTAS employees. The other is Executive Director and Co-Founder Fahina Tavake-Pasi. She too still has lots of family in Tonga. And they suffered even more dire consequences from the volcano eruption than Nash’s relatives. “Between my husband and I, we have a couple of hundred relatives in Tonga,” Tavake-Pasi said. “My auntie and other relatives were not particularly hard hit. But the tsunami completely wiped out the family home my husband grew up in. It was one of two of his relatives’ homes that were destroyed. The water took everything. And they were not
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beachfront houses. They were a couple streets in from the beach.” Fahina and her husband, Ala Pasi, have already wired money to their family members. But they are also working with others here in Utah, to do something much more significant later this year. “We are going to send a barge loaded with construction supplies and other essentials from Oakland (California) to Tonga sometime this summer or fall,” she said. “My brother has arranged for a barge to be donated., but now we have to contract a tugboat to haul it. Since we’re not sure gasoline will be available in Tonga when the barge arrives, the tugboat will have to haul cans of gas for the round trip.” For the record, the distance from Oakland to the Tongan capital of Nuku‘alofa is 5,324 miles, or 10,648 round trip. Cost estimates for the massive humanitarian undertaking are not yet available. Anyone interested in donating to the effort can learn more about it at the National Tongan American Society website, ntasutah.org. When NTAS is not focused on coordinating volcano disaster relief efforts, the organization remains busy in many other ways. Funded almost entirely through federal grants, NTAS maintains several different programs designed to meet varying needs of the Utah Tongan community. The NTAS Mission Statement reads: “The mission of the NTAS is to provide services and resources that will maximize the living standards and opportunities for Tongan people. We act as advocates for Tongan citizens to local, state, federal and international institutions and organizations.” Among its offerings, NTAS offers adult English language classes, assists qualified individuals in obtaining medical benefits for children and provides domestic violence intervention, administered by licensed social workers. “Utah has the highest Pacific Islander population, per capita, of any state in the country,” Nash said. “It’s only natural the National Tongan American Society would be headquartered here. But we serve Tongans in many different states and even some in other countries. We help with immigration papers; we’ve hosted COVID-19 vaccination clinics; and every summer we coordinate a big festival that draws about 3,500 people.” The “Friendly Islands Tongan Festival” will mark its 25th year, this Aug. 12–14, at Salt Lake’s Jordan Park (1060 South 900 West). Ivoni Nash also hosts a weekly, bilingual public affairs radio program on KRCL 90.9 FM. The show, “Tala Koula” airs from 10 p.m. to midnight on Sundays.
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NTAS Program Director Ivoni Nash and Executive Director Fahina Tavake-Pasi (L-R) each have several relatives in Tonga who were among those devastated when a volcanic eruption spewed ash and generated tsunami waves. (Carl Fauver/City Journals)
"Tala means ‘to tell’ and koula means ‘gold,’" Nash said. "Golden messages are very important messages. That's what Tala Koula means. We are telling really important messages to the people in our community.” If you listen to that program until it ends at midnight— and then quickly call a friend in Tonga to tell them about it—you’ll both be speaking on Monday. But if you wait four hours, you’ll once again be talking to tomorrow. l
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Taylorsville City Journal
District Crisis Team helps students deal with the unexpected
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long-time elementary school teacher dies over a weekend. A school shooting happens off-campus but during school time. A fifth-grader is hit by a car on her way to school. Events such as these trigger the Granite School District Crisis Team. Often when such events occur, the statement is made that “grief counselors will be available at the school.” The grief counselors are the District Crisis Team. When a crisis occurs, Ben Horsley, chief of staff for the district, and school directors, who are district staff overseeing numerous schools, are notified. From there, the District Crisis Team is activated. “I get notified, and I start a text chain,” Judy Petersen, director of college and career readiness, said. “We always communicate everything using our technology. So I’ve got my crisis group and my leadership group. And we get everybody in those groups together and communicating and make it happen.” The team The District Crisis Team supports a school’s crisis team. Every school has a crisis team of the principal, vice-principals, counselors, social workers, the school psychologist, and others. They are the first to stand up. In the case of a teacher’s death at Wright Elementary, only one member of the District Crisis Team was needed because the local crisis team had called upon neighboring schools. They had social workers from Lake Ridge Elementary, Orchard Elementary, Matheson Junior High and Cyprus High School. Other times, like the recent Hunter High shooting, the entire five-person team is deployed. But, again, it depends on local resources and local needs. The team has developed an easily accessible virtual folder available on all computers in the district. “It’s our crisis folder,” Petersen said. “It has resources. It has the protocol for principals to follow, sample emails to parents to teachers, a sample script of what to say in your staff meeting, what to say in the classroom. So, we’ve gone over as much as we possibly can think of and put it in that file. And it’s dynamic. We’re always adjusting it.” The protocol The protocol is designed to flex depending on the situation. For example, when the teacher died over the weekend there was time to prepare. Petersen explained the first step was a before-school meeting with administration, teachers and staff. Relevant details were shared, and a plan for the day was drawn up. The plan called for teachers to
TaylorsvilleJ ournal.com
By Bill Hardesty | b.hardesty@mycityjournals.com
deliver the news. However, a District Crisis Team member could support the teacher if a teacher didn’t feel capable. “You want kids to know before they get their social media because news travels fast,” Petersen said. “We have a little script we follow,” Petersen said. “The script says you probably have people in your family who have passed away. You know of people who are sick, and you’re worried about them passing away. We talk about how that’s just part of life. It’s OK to feel sad. It’s OK to be scared. It’s OK not to know what to expect. Sometimes with the little kids we’ll use children’s books to help them understand grief.” Teachers were also instructed to look for students who needed extra support. Those students are provided an increased level of intervention. “We just talk to the kids because there’s that empty desk in the room. And it takes some time to process all of it,” Petersen said. Petersen mentioned that by lunchtime, most students are feeling OK. “In the afternoon, we flip it,” Petersen said. “After we’ve gone through our script, and we know that the kids are OK, then we turn it to a positive.” The crisis team asks students to write cards for the family. The team models what to say. “In this case, dear Mrs. So and So’s family. We’re so sorry about her passing. And then we asked them to write something really positive that they remember about that person, and then have them sign their name,” Petersen said. “And boy, some of the cards that we get are just so touching. We screen them because we don’t want anything inappropriate going to the deceased person’s home. But they’re just really, really good.” In the case of an event like the Hunter shooting that happens suddenly, the District Crisis Team adapts the protocol because changes are happening so fast. For Hunter, there were two variables to control. First, the team could not enter until the school was safe, and secondly, a lot of planning and scheduling had to happen. For example, the information had to be sent to parents about the incident and the school’s response before being dismissed. Another planning issue was changing the bus schedule to allow a 1 p.m. dismissal. The crisis team also provided support to the Granite School District Police, who responded to the event. Regardless of the size of the crisis, the District Crisis Team “Gathers the list of names of all of the students who their teachers and others identified to meet individually with a social worker. Because before we
The memorial on the side of the road in honor of the two Hunter students who died in January. The District Crisis Team had to adapt protocol the day of the shooting because of the variables involved. (Greg James/City Journals)
leave the school, we make sure that every parent of every student that we’ve met with during the day gets a call.” The final action is a debriefing meeting for all people involved. The district crisis team wants to identify steps that went well and document learning points for the next crisis. The personal cost Members of the District Crisis Team have other responsibilities, but they drop their work at a moment’s notice. “It takes a toll on us. It just zaps your energy,” Petersen said. “Before we leave the room or wherever we are debriefing, we articulate to each other what our plan is for self-care for when we get away from the situation. And that’s invaluable.”
SafeUT Petersen mentioned how helpful the SafeUT app is for students. According to their website, “The SafeUT app provides a way to connect to licensed counselors that are ready to listen to any sized crisis or concern. Help is immediate and confidential, and as easy as reaching for your phone and sending that first text.” Originally, SafeUT was designed for students and educators. However, the initiative proved successful, that two more SafeUT apps were created. SafeUT Frontline is for frontline workers like law enforcement, fire/EMS, healthcare professionals and their families. SafeUT National Guard is for members and their families serving in the Utah National Guard.l
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Former Taylorsville resident Ally Isom working for seat in the U.S. Senate By Carl Fauver | c.fauver@mycityjournals.com
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bout the same time Taylorsville was officially becoming a city, in the summer of 1996, the community was also welcoming a new family into its borders. It was a time of big change for Utah’s “Centennial City” and for Ally and Eric Isom and their young family. “We moved in near Arcadia Elementary School (3461 West 4850 South) in June 1996—with hardly any furniture—and two daughters: one about to start kindergarten (Alyssa) and the other age 2 1/2 (Kenna),” Ally Isom said. “Growing up, my family had moved 13 different times. So, I wanted to be [in Taylorsville] awhile.” She got her wish, spending the next decade in that Taylorsville home. Two more children, both sons (Jace and Tate), joined the family while they were residents. She also helped on a couple of successful political campaigns during that time. But she was never a candidate herself—until now. Former Taylorsville resident Ally Isom, 51, wants to be your next United States senator. She and her campaign volunteers are working hard on a big challenge. They hope to derail Utah’s senior U.S. Sen. Mike Lee on his path to a third six-year term. But don’t think for a minute that long odds are going to scare off Isom. She’s been facing down challenges and doing “whatever it takes” since the moment she began calling Taylorsville home. “Right after we moved in, I became pregnant, and I get horribly ill when I’m pregnant,” Ally said. “But we were bound and determined to have a healthy son. I ended up on 14 weeks of bedrest, before delivering Jace at 25 weeks, six days. He was my miracle baby, an extreme preemie. His weight was 1 pound, 5 ounces, and he was 11 inches long.” Ally wasn’t the only mom with young kids in her area. Another was Salt Lake County Councilwoman Aimee Winder Newton. “Ally and I were in the same Taylorsville neighborhood, and she became one of my dear friends,” Winder Newton said. “We joined with other women in our neighborhood to form a dinner coop, involving four families. Monday through Thursday nights we took turns cooking for all four families. It was a lot of work on your cooking night, but you got the other three nights off.” Isom said the same families also formed a babysitting co-op. One Friday night each month, three sets of parents dropped their kids at the fourth home. Once they hosted that slumber party one month, each couple had babysitting covered one night, for the next three months. “The co-ops were great; they really made me feel connected to the neighborhood,” Isom said. “One time we came back to pick up our kids at Aimee’s house, and
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Back in 2003, when this portrait was taken, U.S. Senate candidate Ally Isom and her family called Taylorsville home. (Courtesy Ally Isom)
Kenna was sound asleep in her bathtub.” “When we were putting all the kids to bed that night, Kenna wanted a quieter place to lie down,” Winder Newton said. “So, I put a bunch of blankets and pillows in the tub, and she snuggled right in.” Winder Newton would love to see her longtime friend represent Utah in the United States Senate. “I appreciate the service of Sen. Lee, but told him I would be supporting Ally,” she said. “Ally Isom is a classic conservative Republican who knows how to get things done. She will work hard for Utah and knows how to fight for the things that matter.” Another high-profile Taylorsville Republican who’s been on both sides of Ally Isom’s political savvy is Utah House District 39 Rep. Jim Dunnigan. In 2001, Isom volunteered on Russ Wall’s race for Taylorsville City Council against Dunnigan. With Ally’s help, Wall won. So, the next year, Dunnigan recruited her to help him win his seat in the state legislature. He’s been in that seat ever since. “Ally really knows how to get things done, politically,” Dunnigan said. “She was really good for Wall when he beat me for the city council seat. And she was a big help in my House race the following year. She listens; she’s fair; I think very highly of her.” To this day, Dunnigan has a gift from Isom in his office. “After we won the [2002 Utah House] race, Ally gave me a plaque with a Lincoln head penny on it,” he said. “The inscription on the plaque reads: ‘As you represent our district in Utah’s House of Representatives, be honest like Abe, remember to trust in God and never forget every penny counts! You’ll do great!’ I have cherished that plaque ever since. Ally is an incredibly competent woman." Ally met Eric while the two were at-
Ally Isom once called Taylorsville home. Next year she hopes to call Washington D.C. home, after staging an upset Utah Republican primary election win over incumbent U.S. Sen. Mike Lee. (allyforutah.com)
tending BYU, where they each earned degrees, hers in political science, with a minor in Communication. Their June 1989 wedding came seven years before the move to Taylorsville. That’s when Isom first became involved in politics, helping former Gov. Gary Herbert in his campaign for Utah County Commissioner. Years later, after the Isom family had moved from Taylorsville to Kaysville, Herbert asked Ally to be his deputy chief of staff in the governor’s office. At that time, Isom had served a year on the Kaysville City Council, after being appointed by the other council members to fill a vacant seat. “It was a tough decision, because I enjoyed serving on the city council and was planning to run for reelection,” she said. Isom says she loved working for Herbert. But there was a time when she knew she needed a change. “It was after our 21-year-old daughter Alyssa suddenly passed away,” she said. “That’s when I realized I needed some time to heal. It’s also when I decided to spend my energies serving and connecting people in meaningful ways.” Isom went to work for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as one of its directors, working in public affairs and global messaging. Years later, she was recruited to work for a tech startup as acting executive and chief marketing officer. “I’ve had experience in government, with a worldwide religious nonprofit and in the private sector,” Isom said. “Each of those has prepared me to serve in a unique way.” Isom’s decision to challenge Lee in the Utah Republican primary came at the same time throngs of President Donald Trump
supporters were rampaging through the United States Capitol, 14 months ago. “On Jan. 4, 5 and 6 last year, three different women in my life reached out to me, separately, to encourage me to challenge Mike Lee,” she said. “When I saw our nation under attack on Jan. 6, I wondered how did we get to this place? How can there be so many marginalized people? It feels to me like the incumbent is adding fuel to the flames. I want my party back. I want my country back.” Isom and her volunteers are now working to gather 28,000 petition signatures from registered Utah Republicans before April 8, in order to get her name on the June 28 primary election ballot. Lee and at least one other Republican challenger, former state lawmaker Becky Edwards, are doing likewise. If a Utah Republican signs petitions for two of them, only the first candidate to turn that signature in to election officials gets to count it. Isom, Lee and Edwards will also each try to gain enough support during the April 23 State Republican Convention to get on the primary ballot through that channel. For more information about Isom’s campaign, visit allyforutah.com or email the campaign at hello@allyforutah.com. “I miss living in Taylorsville so much,” the grandmother of five said. “My husband was a [Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints] bishop for nearly five years, until we moved. We return often for weddings and other activities. There’s not a time when I drive on I-215 past the 47th south exit when I don’t think ‘I should be getting off.’ Our Taylorsville years (1996 to 2006) were a wonderful time in our lives.” l
Taylorsville City Journal
Taylorsville Youth Council roaring back a year after coronavirus effectively shut them down By Carl Fauver | c.fauver@mycityjournals.com
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hen Youth Council Mayor and Student Ambassador Emma Powers concocted her idea for a community service project, the Taylorsville High School senior’s goal was humble enough. But thanks to generosity from throughout the community, the result of her clothing drive was nothing short of tremendous. “My original goal was to gather 60 pounds of donated clothing, and we ended up with 415 pounds, stuffed into 17 big plastic bags,” Powers said. “As for the cash donation, I didn’t even solicit monetary contributions. I heard after the fact, The Crossroads of Taylorsville donated $5,000. And an anonymous donor doubled that, creating a $10,000 donation.” Powers’ incredibly successful community service project is just one of several highlights the Taylorsville Youth Council has enjoyed since last fall, in what can only be described as a “bounce-back” year for the group. For years, the Taylorsville Youth Council adviser has been City Council Coordinator Kris Heineman. “COVID really messed up our Youth Council year (from September 2020 through June 2021), with nearly everything being cancelled for the kids,” Heineman said. “That group missed out on a Sub-for-Santa project, the Day at the Legislature, our leadership conference at Utah State. It was awful. But so far this year (September 2021 through June 2022), with The Taylorsville Youth Council donated sacks and sacks of food, for a Thanksgiving feast, to a needy family. (Courtesy Kris Heineman) vaccines and masks, it’s been much better—almost completely back to normal.” Youth Council members to meet Gov. Spencer Cox, Lt. Gov. Next up for the eight boys and seven girls who make up Deidre Henderson and several legislators. The group also enthe Taylorsville Youth Council is that three-day, two-night joyed a guided tour of the State Capitol and sat in on a House leadership conference at Utah State University, March 17–19. debate. “This will be our council’s first USU Leadership ConThe day on Capitol Hill came about a month after Powers ference since 2019,” Heineman said. “Of course last year, the completed her clothing drive. She organized the event to fulfill entire event was cancelled. But back in 2020, so many student one of her student council ambassador obligations. Once she leaders from around Utah were registered that they broke it and fellow ambassador Brandon Sorensen complete their reinto two sessions. Half the kids got to attend the first session, quired activities—including separate community service projin early March. But then the total pandemic lockdown hit, and ects—the Taylorsville City Council will award each of them a the second —session including our —were out of luck. Our $750 college scholarship. council members were crushed.” “I designed fliers advertising the clothing drive and postLittle did they, or any of us, know then, that was just the ed information on social media,” Emma said. “Then I had two beginning of lots of cancellations and reschedulings. big events to accept the donations. First, we had a big donation “All 15 of our Taylorsville Youth Council members will box at the Saturday with Santa (Dec. 4) event, at the Taylorsattend this year’s conference,” Heineman added. “I’ll also be ville Bennion Heritage Center. Then five days later, our collecthere, along with Mayor [Kristie] Overson. I’m guessing some tion box was out again when the city hosted its holiday open city council members will show up too.” house at the [Mid-Valley Performing] Arts Center. I would say “I’m looking forward to the USU conference because our the amount of donated clothing was pretty evenly split [from Taylorsville Youth Mayor and Ambassador Emma Powers collected more than 400 pounds of shirts, pants, socks, hats and other items students learn so many leadership skills and participate in lots the two events].” during her holiday season clothing drive. (Emma Powers) of service projects,” Overson said. “We’re all still concerned Taylorsville Economic Development Specialist Jean about COVID and will take precautions. But things are open- Ashby says it was at that second event where The Crossroads ing up. It’s a fun opportunity for our council members.” of Taylorsville shopping complex officials learned of the drive the monetary donation,” Powers said. “I am so thankful to everyone who helped me organize the clothing drive, and, of Overson and Heineman also joined 12 of their 15 youth and decided to open their checkbook. council members for the annual Day at the Legislature on Jan. “They contacted the city [after the open house], and it course, to all the people who donated. I’m so excited about 19. Again, that event, sponsored by the Utah League of Cit- was all because of Emma’s clothing drive,” Ashby said. “It how it turned out.” One final note, the Taylorsville Youth Council was ies and Towns, had to be scrubbed last year. Taylorsville City was a blizzard that night of the holiday social (Dec. 9), but we Council members Anna Barbieri, Ernest Burgess and Mere- still had 100 to 110 people there. Luckily, The Crossroads of also able to return to another pair of traditions the pandemic dith Harker also tagged along. Taylorsville people attended. This is one of the largest dona- spoiled the previous year, when they assisted a needy fami“Our Day at the Legislature was amazing,” Powers said. tions I have ever seen, especially for a youth project like this.” ly of five in the community. The council provided the family “I was able to go in 2020 as a sophomore, and I was really disAfter searching with no luck to find a Taylorsville-based with a Thanksgiving meal in November and spent about 800 appointed when it was cancelled last year. Part of the fun this charitable organization that could accept the 415 pounds of donated dollars to purchase Sub-for-Santa Christmas gifts the year came when we attended a flag orientation class. I guess donated clothing, Powers turned instead to the Rescue Mis- following month. “This is such a good group of student leaders—super-mothey are considering changing our Utah state flag. So, after the sion of Salt Lake. Meantime, Crossroads of Taylorsville doclass, we got to draw our own flags. Mine had mountains and nors were able to time their $5,000 donation so it would be tivated for community service,” said concluded. “I would say a few (natural red rock arches). It wasn’t very good, but some matched by an anonymous Rescue Mission donor. That’s what this is one of the top two Taylorsville Youth Council groups I have ever had. I’m so happy we’ve been able to return to a other council members drew great ones.” turned their $5,000 into $10,000. This year’s Day at the Legislature allowed Taylorsville “I was so amazed and humbled when I found out about more normal schedule of activities for them this year.” l
TaylorsvilleJ ournal.com
March 2022 | Page 7
This new four-diamond softball grandstand at Salt Lake County’s Big Cottonwood Regional Park is nearly identical to what’s now under construction at Valley Regional Park in Taylorsville. (Carl Fauver/City Journals)
County spending millions in Taylorsville, constructing grandstands and launch ramps By Carl Fauver | c.fauver@mycityjournals.com
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ff and on for half a decade you’ve read stories in these pages about the roughly $40 million Salt Lake County was spending to improve arts and culture opportunities for Taylorsville residents, through the design and construction of the Mid-Valley Performing Arts Center, southeast of city hall. The MVPAC concept was first announced during a December 2016 news conference. Two years later—five days before Christmas, 2018—city and county dignitaries gathered for the official groundbreaking. And, unless you are taking this social distancing way too far, you know the MVPAC ribbon cutting was last May 26. But now that MVPAC and the adjacent Centennial Plaza are in place and enjoying increased use, thoughts of “what have you done for me lately, Salt Lake County?” may be starting to creep in. This time around, the answer comes not from the County’s Arts & Culture Division but from its Parks & Recreation Department. “We’re working on two significant projects in Taylorsville,” SLCO Parks & Recreation Communication & PR Manager Sean Bailey said. “Thanks, in part, to a $5 million donation from the Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation, we are replacing the grandstand, restrooms and concessions structure at the (Gary C. Swensen) Valley Regional Park (5130 South 2700 West). And we also have a work crew constructing a canoe and kayak launch ramp, into the Jordan River at Millrace Park.” Granted, these projects are “apples and oranges.” The softball grandstand will cost $6 million while the boat ramp comes in at about $175,000. But they are both designed to improve outdoor recreational opportuni-
Page 8 | March 2022
ties for Taylorsville residents. “We do an annual survey [of city residents] each year to determine what their priorities are, and outdoor recreational opportunities always receive a very strong response,” Mayor Kristie Overson said. “I appreciate the County’s plan to complete both these projects. We’re delighted the Miller Family’s donation has helped make the new softball grandstand possible. And any improvements along the Jordan River are welcome. That’s a great place for a boat launch, because Millrace is such a well-used park.” City leaders are not participating in either of these construction projects, financially. But, because Taylorsville elected officials are likely to receive “what’s going on?” questions from their constituents, City Engineer Ben White briefed council members about them last month. “I think residents will be quite happy to see these improvements,” White said. “Both of these projects will improve their ability to recreate.” SOFTBALL GRANDSTANDS As most older Utah Jazz fans know, Larry H. Miller was an outstanding fastpitch softball pitcher long before he owned a fleet of car dealerships or an NBA team. Miller is a member of the International Softball Congress Hall of Fame and the Utah Softball Hall of Fame. And, even though he’s been deceased since 2009, Larry Miller’s family still finds ways to lend a helping hand to the Utah softball scene, financially. “A few years ago, the Miller Family agreed to donate $5 million to upgrade our county softball complexes in Big Cottonwood and Valley Regional Parks,” Bailey said. “But [county officials] determined, we would need more like $12 million to
The portion of the Jordan River Trail on the eastern edge of Millrace Park in Taylorsville is receiving an upgrade this spring, as Salt Lake County installs a new canoe launch ramp. (Carl Fauver/ City Journals)
replace both of the existing grandstand structures, which were built in the 1970s. The Salt Lake County Council approved the additional $7 million through our Tourism, Recreation, Culture & Convention fund.” Taylorsville City’s resident on the county council, Aimee Winder Newton, is pleased with that decision.
“We were thrilled when the Miller family donated funds to help with this project,” she said. “The renovation was definitely needed, and I’m grateful our county council was able to allocate the rest of the funds.” The new softball stands have already been completed at the 47.5-acre Big Cottonwood Regional Park (4300 South1300 East). Meanwhile, the old stands were recently torn down in the 89-acre Valley Regional Park. No softball games will be held there this year, but County officials expect the new facility to open a year from now. “[Salt Lake County] does have other softball fields, but these are the only two large tournament complexes [the County owns and operates],” Bailey said. “The seating capacity will not increase much from the old structures. But the buildings were getting very old and needed to be replaced.” CANOE LAUNCH RAMP Meanwhile, the much less expensive canoe launch ramp now under construction in Millrace Park (1150 West 5400 South)— on the west bank of the Jordan River—is just one small piece of a project that spans virtually the entire river corridor through Salt Lake County. Angelo Calacino is a 20-year county employee, with 17 of those years in the Parks & Recreation Department. As Park Development Project Manager, he’s overseeing all the work being done, to make the Jordan River more accessible to canoers and kayakers. “The County is putting the finishing touches on a Jordan River Water Trail Master Plan,” Calacino said. “Through that plan, we have identified several places along the river that need boat ramps or boat
Taylorsville City Journal
portages. One of the many places we identified for a ramp is the Millrace Park site.” Structurally, ramps and portages are basically the same thing. The difference is, portage ramps come in pairs, a ramp where boaters pull out (upstream from a water hazard, normally dams) and another ramp to put back in. The Millrace Park project is simply a launch ramp, not located near a river hazard. “The cost for each canoe launch ramp is about $175,000,” Calacino said. “For portages it is more like $400,000, which counts both ramps, and an asphalt foot path, connecting the two.” The Millrace Park canoe launch is expected to take 2–3 months to construct. First, that part of the riverbank must be cleared of vegetation and excavated to create a walkable angle down to the water’s edge. “Our engineers design the ramps to run at about a 30-degree angle into the water,” Calacino said. “Some will be longer than others. The cement path is 6 feet wide, running from the top of the riverbank down into the center of the river bottom.” When it comes time to pour cement into the river bottom, Calacino says crews must install copper dams into the river, to divert the flow out of the work zone. Rock retaining
walls are also installed next to the ramps, to protect the concrete from washing away. “We have this beautiful recreational amenity that, for the past 30 years, has not been completed,” Calacino said. “The continuous Jordan River Trail was only finished two years ago. Now we finally have the funding put together to make this a truly good, safe, navigable river. We are overwhelmingly improving the river, making it a real feather in the cap for the state of Utah.” For more information about each of these Taylorsville construction projects, visit slco. org/parks-recreation. On the website you will also find this information about the 75th anniversary the department has been celebrating for nearly a year: “Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation was formed back in May 1946 by community-minded citizens who wanted to coordinate recreation activities throughout the County, build more park space, trails infrastructure and manage the rapid growth of recreation programs.” New softball grandstands and a canoe launch ramp may not be on a par with a $40 million performing arts center. But nonetheless, many Taylorsville residents are undoubtedly thrilled with “what the county is doing, lately.” l
The half-century-old softball grandstands were recently demolished at Valley Regional Park to make room for a new $6 million structure. (Salt Lake County Parks & Recreation)
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Valley Softball Complex reduced to rubble, but memories remain By Greg James | g.james@mycityjournals.com
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he Valley Regional Softball Complex is being destroyed and in its place, a new and improved facility will rise into existence. Memories of the games and experiences will soon be replaced with new and better ones. “I sprained my ankle sliding into third base,” Taylorsville resident Greg Roberts said. “I also broke my toe trying to catch a line drive. Heck, we played for real back then.” Valley has hosted week-day leagues and many tournaments since its construction in the late 1970s. The complex’s dilapidated fields and stadium seating will be reconstructed because of a donation of $5 million by the Larry H. Miller foundation. The county completed the renovation of the Cottonwood Complex before last summer and has now begun the project in Taylorsville. The design and construction will mirror the already completed facility. Miller was a softball fanatic and a very accomplished player and team owner. He is a member of the Utah Softball Hall of Fame and the International Softball Congress Hall of Fame. He pitched in more than 1,000 games and had 819 fastpitch softball victories. In 1989 his Miller Toyota fastpitch team finished third at the ISC softball world championships. The team was consistently highly ranked. He also sponsored youth teams in an effort to grow the game in Utah. The surrounding park was renamed for Gary C. Swenson in 2015. He helped the county purchase the proper-
ty where the fields and park now stand. Valley, as it is affectionately called, has hosted several tournaments including the Pioneer Days and UHSAA state championships. “My senior year (at Taylorsville High School) we won the 5A softball state championship,” Brooke Mckeever said. “The championship game was fun, but the semi-finals was one of the funnest I have ever played in. I think we were down 10-4 going into the seventh against Bingham. Somehow we scored like 12 runs with two outs and ended up winning the game. It was insane.” Taylorsville won the softball state championship in 2007 when Mckeever was a member of the team. They also won in 1997. “The whole tournament was so much fun. It was like having a home-field advantage. The entire stands and behind the outfield fence were filled with fellow students cheering us on,” she said. That season the Warriors won five straight games in the tournament to capture the title. The construction will feature the same amount of fields, new bleachers with shelter, and press boxes. The project is scheduled to last about a year. The pandemic halted all play on the fields until late July in 2021, a 15-month absence. The county held an accelerated girls tournament then and another in September before opening fall league play. “Larry was passionate about softball,” Miller's widow Gail said in a statement. “These complexes will forev-
Trucks and other heavy equipment line up to haul off the remains of the Valley Softball Complex. (Greg James/City Journals)
er be part of our family's legacy. He not only enjoyed the competition, but he also enjoyed the social aspect of the game. This will be a great tribute to Larry, our family, and the game of softball.” The softball complex will be rebuilt but the surrounding park and frisbee golf course will remain the same. The park is also the host of Taylorsville City’s Fourth of July celebration, Taylorsville Dayzz. l
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Taylorsville City Journal
Young Warriors swim team traverse choppy season By Greg James | g.james@mycityjournals.com
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his year's swim season was placed on detour several times, but the Taylorsville team still persevered and worked hard to compete. “It was a crazy season,” Warriors head swim coach Mary Ward said. “We still had Covid and a lot of my kids were exposed to it or had it. We had to cancel some meets out of safety for the team. We also had some pool issues and for part of the season, it was down. It was hard to get a rhythm going.” The Warriors only had three seniors on the roster this season. In all, 55 swimmers competed at one point or another during the season. They qualified for state; a boy's relay team along with individual swimmers Jaci Hou, Tori Tye, and Ben Eberly. “We had a good showing at region. Nearly 60% of the team dropped their times, which is great", Ward said. “I feel like that was a good end to the season.” Hou is scheduled to swim in the 50 and 100 yard freestyle events. Her season's fastest times in both events had her in the top 20 statewide. She finished third overall at the Region 2 50 yard freestyle finals with a season-best time of 25.99 seconds. “I think Jaci has done well. She had some shoulder issues, but she is highly competitive and that is what it takes in some meets,” Ward said. Tye is a senior and is scheduled to make her first appearance at the state swim meet. She will swim the 200 yard individual medley and the 100 yard butterfly. At the region finals, she placed sixth in the 100 fly. “Jaci (Hou) went to state last year in the same two
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events, but Tori (Tye), it is her first time. I am really excited for both of them. As a senior Tori really deserves it,” Ward said. At the Region 2 finals, the boy's 200 yard medley relay took fourth place and the 200 yard freestyle relay team of Eberly, Jonathan Sampson, Nathan Bingham, and Dillon Nguyen placed fifth. “All of these kids are amazing kids. They have worked so hard,” Ward said. “Region and state are such short turnarounds, but state always makes them swim faster.” Eberly ranks sixth in 6A breaststroke this season. He placed third in region. “He has a lot of potential. He dropped nearly three seconds on his breaststroke. As he gets older and faster it will be more difficult to drop time. He just has a work ethic that cannot be beaten and is easily coached,” Ward said. Other top finishers at the Region 2 championships included juniors Dillon Nguyen, who finished eighth overall in the boy's 100 yard fly, Jonathan Sampson finished 11 in the 100 yard free, Nathan Bingham finished 10 in the 100 yard backstroke. The girl's 200 yard freestyle relay team placed fourth. The team included Hou, Tye, Kaimen Maxfield, and Tammy Phung. Phung also placed fourth in the 100 yard breaststroke. The Warriors placed fifth overall in the region. “We only had three seniors. Next year we are only going to get better. They are a good group of kids. They are positive and hard-working and very dedicated,” Ward said. “I have always said it is great if you can win meets, drop time and go to state, but I would rather create kids that will
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Iv’rson Lavizzo was the primary ballhandler for the Kearns basketball team putting up 12 points and four assists per game. Lavizzo fulfilled multiple roles as the team’s point guard from his excellent perimeter defense to his ball facilitation on the offensive end.
Taylorsville City Journal
City of Taylorsville Newsletter 2600 West Taylorsville Boulevard • 801-963-5400
MAYOR'S MESSAGE Dear Friends and Neighbors, This year marks the 20th anniversary of the 2002 Winter Olympics, hosted by our own Beehive State. Can you believe it’s been two decades since we came together to put on these unforgettable Games? The anniversary brought a flood of memories Mayor Kristie S. Overson back for me. If you recall, the 2002 Olympics were held in our home state just a few months after the tragedy of 9/11. We were scared and unsure. There were deep concerns about safety, and doubts about whether the Games would even go forward. But they did and something unexpected happened. We all came together in support of one another and in celebration of our athletes. The Games had a calming and unifying effect, and from them, came a beautiful spirit of community. In a smaller way, I experienced some of those same feelings when watching this year’s Olympic Games in Beijing on television. I know that with the coronavirus pandemic, the last two years have been difficult. The Games brought a reprieve from these recent challenges, as we were able to root on several medalists from right here in Utah. We cheered as, among them, Nathan Chen won gold in men’s figure skating and Erin Jackson received 'Mayor Recalls her gold medal in speedskating. Celebration of In all, more than 80 Olympians with Utah 2002 Olympics' ties participated in the Beijing Games, in nearly every sport. I congratulate each one and PAGE 5 thank them for reminding us of what life is really about — building a peaceful and better world through mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play. It was especially fun to reminisce about the 2002 Games with fellow Mayors from across the Salt Lake Valley at a recent event that brought us together. I remembered the chance to attend the Opening Ceremonies and the moving moments of seeing the flag that had flown at the World Trade Center on 9/11, and of hearing the Tabernacle Choir sing the national anthem. At lighter times, I found joy in collecting Olympic pins and waiting in line in Park City to snag a treasured Roots beret. (You can see some more pictures from my pin collection on Page 5 of this section). Yes, I would jump at the chance to host the Olympics again. It was a feeling of celebration and happiness that I would like to bottle up and take with me wherever I go. –Mayor Kristie S. Overson
WHAT ’S INSIDE – MARCH 2022 Frequently Called Numbers, Page 2 Council Corner, Page 3 Getting to Know TVPD, Page 4 Heritage Remembrances, Page 7 Environment, Page 8
www.taylorsvilleut.gov
March 2022
Citywide Survey Shows Taylorsville Headed in Right Direction
A new citywide survey indicates residents ratings there. Services are rated as excellent are happy with the way the city is being run or good for the tax dollar, and neighborhoods and say Taylorsville is headed in the right di- are viewed as friendly and safe.” rection. They also give overwhelmingly high The survey was conducted from Nov. 6 marks to the city’s elected officials. to Dec. 12, 2021. In all, 746 residents comIt is the third time in three years that a comprehensive, citywide poll has been conducted for Taylorsville in an effort to garner a benchmark and gauge of the health and wellness of the city and its services going forward. In addition to the kudos regarding the direction of the city and its services, residents rate their quality of life in Taylorsville positively, giving it a rating of 75 on a scale of 0-100. Eighty-six percent are likely to recommend Taylorsville as a good place to live, with a high majority saying it’s a great place to raise a family. Responses were evenly “Residents are really happy with gathered from each of the city’s the way the city is being run,” said five City Council Districts. Kyrene Gibb, vice president of research and municipal services for Y2 Analytics, pleted the survey, representing a balanced who presented the findings to the City Coun- geographic distribution of responses across cil at their Feb. 16 meeting. “There are good the city and a 3.6 percent margin of error. The
CITY SURVEY CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
FREQUENTLY CALLED NUMBERS
PAGE 2
| www.taylorsvilleut.gov
Emergency ...................................................................................................911 Police Department ............................................................... 801-840-4000 Poison Control Center .................................................... 1-800-222-1222 Animal Control Shelter ....................................................... 801-965-5800 Animal Control After House Dispatch ........................... 801-840-4000 Building Inspection ............................................................. 801-955-2030 Chamber West (Chamber of Commerce) ...................... 801-977-8755 Fire Department ................................................................... 801-743-7200 Gang Tip Line ......................................................................... 385-468-9768 Garbage/Recycle/GreenWaste Pick-up ........................ 385-468-6325 (Wasatch Front Waste & Recycling) Granite School District........................................................ 385-646-5000 Health Department ............................................................. 385-468-4100 Highway Conditions (from cell phone) .............................................511 Park Reservations ................................................................. 385-468-7275 Public Works (Salt Lake County) ....................................... 385-468-6101 Dominion Energy ................................................................. 800-323-5517 Rocky Mountain Power ...................................................... 888-221-7070 Salt Lake County Recycling/Landfill .............................. 801-974-6920 Taylorsville Bennion Improvement District................. 801-968-9081 Taylorsville Food Pantry ..................................................... 801-815-0003 Taylorsville Senior Center .................................................. 385-468-3370 Taylorsville Code Enforcement ........................................ 801-955-2013 Taylorsville Justice Court ................................................... 801-963-0268 Taylorsville Library ............................................................... 801-943-4636 Taylorsville Recreation Center ......................................... 385-468-1732 Swimming Pool (Memorial Day to Labor Day) ........... 801-967-5006 Taylorsville-Bennion Heritage Center ........................... 801-281-0631 UDOT Region 2 ...................................................................... 801-975-4900 Utah Transit Authority (UTA)............................................. 801-743-3882
EVENTS MARCH 2022 March 2 & 16 – 6:30 p.m.
City Council Meeting @ City Hall and online. Watch a live-stream of the meeting on the city’s website, www.taylorsvilleut.gov
March 4 – 7:30 p.m.
Taylorsville-SLCC Strings Concert @ Bennion Jr. High School. Tickets are $5, purchased at the door.
March 4 & 5 – 7 p.m.
A Broadway Musical Review @ Mid-Valley Performing Arts Center. Presented by the Taylorsville Arts Council. Tickets are $10. (See ad on Page 6).
March 8 – 7 p.m. & March 22 – 6 p.m. Planning Commission Meeting @ City Hall.
March 13 – 2 a.m.
Daylight Saving Time begins. Move your clocks ahead one hour. Find our calendar of events every month on the city’s website, where you can also submit your own events for possible publication. Go to www.taylorsvilleut.gov Also, a standing event every Thursday, from 2 to 4 p.m., at City Hall is the “Mayor is In.” During this time, Mayor Kristie Overson has open office hours to meet with residents about any issue on their minds. Drop by and meet with the Mayor. All are welcome.
City of Taylorsville Newsletter CITY SURVEY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 data were weighted to reflect the demographics of registered voters in Taylorsville, specifically in regard to age, gender, home ownership and City Council district. Fifty-eight percent of residents said the city is headed in the right direction. What residents like most about Taylorsville is its central location. “It’s easy to get from place to place when you live in Taylorsville,” Gibb said. “It’s close to downtown without being downtown.” Residents mentioned as top draws the recreation opportunities along the Jordan River, the open space in the city and quiet neighborhoods, Gibb said. “Location, location, location — that is really one of the driving themes here,” she said. In addition, a remarkable 90 percent of respondents said they either approve or strongly approve of the job the Mayor and City Council are doing. “The high approval rating of local officials is remarkably consistent and even saw improvement this year,” Gibb noted. “Congratulations to the Mayor and City Council. That’s a great approval rating. Congress would only hope to have such.” Nearly half of respondents said Taylorsville is doing better than five years ago, and they are particularly pleased with access to parks and recreation. When considering aspects of their individual neighborhoods, residents are consistently happiest with their neighborhood’s walkability and easy access to parks and recreation facilities, Gibb said. Residents expressed their most concern about traffic, crime, growth and housing for the future. “Future concerns remain the same from 2019 and 2020 with housing arising as a top concern from previous years,” Gibb said. At the same time, the new Taylorsville Police Department also received high ratings for professionalism, trustworthiness, commitment to solving issues, and doing what it takes to keep citizens safe. Ninety-three percent of residents said they feel safe walking in their own neighborhood during the day while 56% felt safe doing so at night. Overall, residents largely describe their neighborhoods as friendly and quiet, filled with good people, Gibb said. When asked to allocate funds to various city services in Taylorsville, residents allocated the most money to police services. In addition, police services were statistically tied with street and road maintenance as the budget items that appealed to the most residents. Mayor Kristie Overson said the survey provides a useful guide for the city. “It is helpful for us to identify what residents are thinking and areas where we might improve,” she said. “Achieving a baseline going forward is especially valuable as we set goals and priorities for the city.” An overview of the survey results can be viewed on the city’s website at taylorsvilleut.com
Mortgage Relief Available for Residents Affected by COVID The Community Development Corporation of Utah has received funding to provide temporary mortgage assistance for households impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and residing in Taylorsville. Households that have experienced a loss of income or been otherwise financially affected due to the pandemic may be eligible for a grant of up to $5,000 to cover one to three months of mortgage payments. Eligibility criteria includes levels of income, based on household size. “We want our residents to know that these funds are available,” said Mayor Kristie Overson. “They may be of help to certain families in need.” There is about $45,000 remaining of the funding received by the state, and if it is not distributed, the money will be forfeited back to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development at the end of June. Information about eligibility and instructions on how to apply, as well as the application itself, can be found on the city’s website, www. taylorsvilleut.gov under the News section.
March 2022
COUNCIL CORNER By Council Member Ernest Burgess We hope everyone will save the date for Taylorsville’s Annual Cleanup Day. In past years, the Taylorsville Green Committee has held this popular event on Earth Day in April, but the coronavirus pandemic delayed this past year’s event to June and it was so successful that we have decided to put it on again in June this year. So mark your calendar: The 2022 Taylorsville Annual Cleanup Day will be held on Saturday, June 18 at Taylorsville High, from 8 a.m. to noon. As in past years, residents can drop off their unwanted an unused items for recycling and disposal. It is such a great way to not only keep our community clean and tidy, safe and beautiful but also to conserve, recycle and reduce resources. The event aims to keep electronics out of the landfill and chemicals out of storm drains. It is an opportunity to drop off household hazardous waste, electronic waste, document shredding, prescription medicine, green/yard waste, bulk waste, clothing donations and recycling. (See specific items that will be accepted — and those to leave home — listed on our ad on Page 5 of this section). This will be our 10th year in which the Green Committee has sponsored the event, and every year the Cleanup Day has grown in popularity. Last summer’s was our most successful one yet. The event grew from about 225 cars dropping off items to 470 last year. In all, more than 500 Taylorsville residents participated, and
2600 West Taylorsville Boulevard • 801-963-5400 |
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Save the Date: Annual Cleanup Day is Set for June 18 literally tons of items were dropped off and collected — from 12,300 pounds of electronic waste to 8,680 pounds of paper for shredding, 2,000 gallons of latex paint, 4 tons of clothing items for donation and more! Our volunteers who make this event happen each year are fantastic, and we can’t thank everyone enough for your participation. We are lucky to have so many people who care about our community and give so freely of their time, and we are looking for volunteers to help with the event this year. If interested, you may call me as Committee Advisor; my number is 801-6544482. Truly, this event would not be possible without our many volunteers, participating vendors and the enthusiastic support of our residents and city leaders alike. Thank you! There is one change this year to the event: Paper for shredding will be accepted only until bins are full. That means it will be taken on a first-come, firstserved basis, and we will not be able to take additional shredding items after capacity. We are doing this because we want to focus on helping homes with a place for shredding (and not necessarily the largecapacity needs of businesses). Turning to another item, we also want to thank our legislators for all their work at the Capitol this year. The 45-day General Session of the 64th Utah Legislature is set to conclude on March 4. I have found each of our legislators representing Taylorsville to be highly accessible. They will listen. You can give them your
LEFT TO RIGHT: Bob Knudsen (District 5), Curt Cochran (District 2), Anna Barbieri, Chair (District 3), Meredith Harker, Vice Chair (District 4) and Ernest Burgess (District 1)
input and you will be heard. (You can find their contact information in last month’s Taylorsville Newsletter). We want to encourage everyone to be involved not only in state government but city government, as well. We know that these efforts make a real difference in growing a successful community, and we’ve seen that success first-hand in Taylorsville over and over again. Get involved with the City Council or Planning Commission. Volunteer with the Green Committee, or one of our many others. We know you won’t be disappointed!
Volunteer Raises Funds to Help Pets at Animal Shelter Alex Brotherson, brother of fallen West Valley City Police Officer Cody Brotherson, continued his family legacy of service with recent efforts to raise a large donation for the Animal Shelter serving Taylorsville. Alex, who has been volunteering at the West Valley City Animal Shelter for about seven years, raised more than $7,000 to purchase food for pets there. Animal Services Director Melanie Bennett said it’s believed to be the largest single donation to the shelter. “I am, in a good way, overwhelmed,” Alex Brotherson said, “I love the shelter, all the people, and
all the animals here — being with them and playing with them.” On a sunny afternoon this past month, officers from West Valley City and Taylorsville police departments helped unload the food donations. The Fallen Hero Network, which supports families of fallen officers, also made their semi-truck available for the delivery. Alex said seeing all the agencies come together to help meant the world to him. He also encouraged residents to adopt a pet from the shelter. “Come get your best friend,” he said. “I promise, it will change your life.”
Special Pricing for Taylorsville Residents
TAYLORSVILLE CITY CEMETERY PLOTS AVAILABLE PLEASE CONTACT LEE BENNION — 801.834.4325
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City of Taylorsville Newsletter
| www.taylorsvilleut.gov
Street Crimes Investigations Unit Quietly Fights Crime Everyday Get to know the new TVPD. Check this space each month for articles highlighting the units and employees that make up the Taylorsville City Police Department. TVPD’s Street Crimes Investigations Unit falls under the Special Operations Division. The unit consists of one sergeant and three detectives. In total, they have roughly 50 years in law enforcement, including 20 of those years in street crimes. The street crimes unit is a proactive investigations unit. They utilize statistics and tips to prevent and deter crime within Taylorsville. Their focus is fugitive apprehension, illegal firearms seizures, narcotics enforcement, nuisance house abatements and stolen vehicle investigations. All tips related to drug activities are routed to our street crimes unit for follow-up. They also assist other detective units and patrol as needed. Often their investigations lead them all along the Wasatch Front, but Taylorsville City always benefits from their work. This is often because those who commit crimes in Taylorsville do not reside in our city. Given their work, our street crimes detectives prefer to keep a low profile, which is why we have included pictures of our department’s collector coin to accompany this article. We often do not hear about the daily subtle battles that are won each day in law enforcement. Often the most successful investigations go unnoticed. Even as officers, we do not always recognize or see the effects that positively impact our community and the individuals within. Here are few examples from our street crimes unit: • Street crimes detectives were highlighted in the December 2021 Taylorsville Journal, as they very likely saved a life. A suspicious person was observed by one of our detectives. A stop was initiated, and a loaded firearm with two rounds was located on the person. It was later determined this person was stalking another person in the area. Thankfully, that day we were investigating an illegal firearm possession case instead of a homicide or suicide. • Street crimes detectives investigated a Taylorsville residence determined to be a nuisance house. After an extensive investigation, a warrant was served. Drugs, paraphernalia and multiple illegally possessed firearms were seized. The residence was shut down by the Salt Lake County Health Department. TVPD is now working with the property owner to re-establish their residence in an orderly manner. • Street crimes detectives were investigating a known Taylorsville nuisance residence. As part of this process, detectives regularly follow-up to ensure compliance with state and city laws. During these checks, detectives were led to a residence in West Jordan. A warrant was served and large amounts of distributable illegal substances, as well as 18 firearms, were seized. We can only guess what crimes were prevented by this seizure. In their free time, our street crimes detectives enjoy camping, hunting, fishing, mountain biking, sports, riding all-terrain vehicles, exercising or simply hanging out with their families. TVPD is honored to have an outstanding team of detectives working as our street crimes unit.
TVPD Employee of the Month
Please join us in congratulating Officer Thomas. Not only is he one of our newest officers, he is also our most recent employee of the month. Officer Thomas has worked in law enforcement for more than 13 years. He has worked for Ogden, West Valley and Lehi police departments in patrol and community policing and served as an emergency vehicle operations instructor. Additionally, Officer Thomas retired from the United States Army after 22 years. He was sworn in as a TVPD officer at the City Council’s December meeting. Chief Brady Cottam and Sgt. Bennett recently recognized Officer Thomas’ outstanding performance as he assisted with a critical incident. Sgt. Bennett described Officer Thomas’ response and actions to this incident as “calm and deliberate.” Officer Thomas reacted quickly, calmly and decisively. During this incident, a person was critically injured. Officer Thomas’ extensive medical history in the U.S Military provided him the means to render crucial aid. Later, the attending physicians credited Officer Thomas’ rapid and professional medical treatment to saving this individual’s life. We extend our sincere gratitude and thanks to Officer Thomas. We are glad you are a part of TVPD and Team Taylorsville!
March 2022
2600 West Taylorsville Boulevard • 801-963-5400 |
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Mayor Recalls Celebration of 2002 Olympics, 20 Years Ago On the 20th anniversary of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Utah, Mayor Kristie Overson took the time to recall what she was doing and feeling then, even bringing her pin collection to City Hall to share some of the experience. “Yes, I got caught up in the spirit,” she said with a laugh as she placed some of the prized pins on the table in her office. “It was such a fun time. There are so many good memories.” Her collection includes two of the coveted green Jell-O pins, a fry sauce pin and even one with a red Kool-Aid pitcher. There’s one depicting “funeral potatoes” and another of the metal detectors necessary after the tragedy of 9/11 that proceeded the Games just a few short months before. There’s another, too, showing the flag that was recovered from the wreckage of those attacks and carried into the Olympic stadium by an honor guard of American athletes. A notebook from Eisenhower Jr. High is illustrated on one pin, and on another two missionaries are bicycling by. “After a really dark time, it felt so good to get out and celebrate together,” Mayor Overson said. “There was a need to come together and gather and support one another. There was a friendliness and kindness to strangers. It was a time to be happy, and I loved it all.”
ANNUAL CLEANUP DAY Saturday, June 18th 8AM TO NOON @TAYLORSVILLE HIGH
Taylorsville Community Gardens The Taylorsville Community Gardens opens on Saturday, April 2. Cost is $25.
NORTHWEST PARKING LOT For Taylorsville residents only PLEASE DO NOT BRING: TIRES AND MATTRESSES COMMERCIAL DISPOSAL FREON IN APPLIANCES AMMUNITION MEDICAL WASTE LARGE APPLIANCES
You can take motor oil to some auto parts stores or Oil Change Stations. Just verify that they are a recycling center for oil.
**WE WILL BE ACCEPTING: HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE GLASS AND PAINT ELECTRONIC WASTE DOCUMENT SHREDDING
PRESCRIPTION MEDICINE BULK WASTE GREEN-YARD WASTE RECYCLING DONATIONS OF GOOD QUALITY
Please contact Green Committee Advisor Ernest Burgess at 801-654-4482 or by email eburgess@taylorsvilleut.gov for more information or to volunteer.
If you are interested, call Toni Lenning at 801-414-4192
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| www.taylorsvilleut.gov
City of Taylorsville Newsletter
Businesses Celebrate Taylorsville Openings, Welcome New Customers Several new businesses marked grand openings with ribbon-cutting celebrations over the past few months. They include: Maria’s Mexican Restaurant — The new restaurant is located at 1732 W. 5400 South and served up cake, music and of course plenty of good food at its autumn opening. Owned by Ana and Salvador Paredes, Maria’s Mexican Restaurant offers a great place to spend quality time with your family and friends while enjoying authentic Mexican food. “Our staff is committed to the satisfaction of our customers — quality and experience guaranteed,” said Ana Paredes. “We are so happy to have you here in Taylorsville,” said Mayor Kristie Overson. “We feel like we’re at home here, ready to enjoy a wonderful meal together.” Ana Paredes noted that she and her husband, who have been married 15 years and have three children, are from San Luis Potosi, Mexico. They have worked in restaurants since coming to the United States. “Food is part of our culture; we grew up cooking,” she said. “We love Mexican food because it has always been in our hearts, and it is the reason why we wanted to start this project. Opening this restaurant has always been our dream.” Maria’s Mexican Restaurant also has a location in Ogden. They are open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays.
THE TAYLORSVILLE ARTS COUNCIL PRESENTS
A broadway M ARC H 4T H & 5 TH @ 7 P M MID-V AL LE Y P E RF O RM I NG ART S CE NTE R
TI C KETS $ 10 FEATURING SHOWS THAT DIDN'T WIN BEST MUSICAL AT THE TONYS
Aaron’s — Located at 5688 S. Redwood Road in The Crossroads of Taylorsville shopping center, Aaron’s sells a wide variety of affordable, rent-to-own furniture, electronics and appliances. “Shopping should be fun but that’s tough when you’re worried about credit,” said Aaron’s Regional Manager Joe Villasenor. To celebrate their grand opening, Aaron’s employees joined city officials and ChamberWest representatives for a Ribbon Cutting on Jan. 20. Villasenor noted that Aaron’s makes it quick and easy to shop for name-brand furniture, electronics and appliances. “You can pay little by little until you own your purchase through affordable and flexible payments, including 12-, 18- or 24-month plans,” he said. “We offer fast, stress-free approvals in a matter of minutes. We strive to make it easy to get what you need, when you need it.” Mayor Overson welcomed Aaron’s to Taylorsville. “Your store is clean and inviting, and your merchandise is not only affordable but beautiful,” she said. “We thank you for choosing Taylorsville and filling this niche in our community.” Aaron’s is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. St. Mark’s Taylorsville Clinic — The new clinic in Taylorsville at 5360 S. 2700 West currently offers spine care and primary care services, and it plans to add additional specialties throughout the year. “We’re excited to be able to respond to the growing needs of the community,” said the clinic’s Assistant Administrator Jamison Robinett. “Our freestanding emergency center opened a few years ago, and the addition of this new clinic right across the street underscores our commitment to continue to provide the best care possible to the communities we serve.” Clinic administrators, doctors and staff joined city officials and representatives of ChamberWest in celebrating the clinic’s grand opening on Jan. 21. Among them, Dr. Jeff Weixler, a primary care provider at the clinic, said he and his colleagues look forward to serving the community. Mayor Overson congratulated the clinic. “We have long enjoyed having St. Mark’s as our next-door neighbor to City Hall,” she said, “and we are grateful for these additional patient-centered services and the convenience they provide.” The clinic is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Read additional details and more about other new businesses opening in Taylorsville on the city’s website, www.taylorsvilleut.gov.
March 2022
2600 West Taylorsville Boulevard • 801-963-5400 |
Taylorsville Bennion Heritage
REMEMBRANCES
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TAYLORSVILLE SENIOR CENTER 4743 S. Plymouth View Drive
Grab Lunch, Visit with Friends at the Senior Center The Taylorsville Senior Center, 4743 S. Plymouth View Drive, offers lunch daily from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Just get a ticket at the front desk, and view the menu, as well as a program schedule, online at www.slco.org/taylorsville-senior-center Remember becoming a member is free and it allows you access to the Taylorsville Senior Center and all the other county Senior Centers. Come in and see Daisy to fill out an intake form to get an access card.
Don’t Miss These Library Events The Taylorsville Library has planned several programs during the month of March. You’ll want to mark your calendar for these events:
Did you know that the Taylorsville-Bennion Heritage Center museum has a plethora of wedding dresses? It seems that folks are unsure what to do with their loved ones’ special dresses so they donate them to the museum. It’s quite an honor to house these lovely dresses. The first two dresses pictured with this article are from the 18th century. Dress 1 is Minnie Webster Frame’s. She was the wife of Archibald Frame Jr. and who wore the dress in 1892. Dress 2 was worn by Jennie Bennion Gerrard who married J. Tom Gerrard in 1898 and lived in the museum home. Dress 3 shows the gown and shoes worn by June Meyers Paxton, who married Calvin Paxton in 1942. Dress 4 is the gown and veil worn by Audrey Jones Steadman who married Virgil Otto Steadman in 1940. She, too, lived in the museum home for about 23 years. Their portraits are also on display at the museum. Notice the difference a century makes in the design and material of the dresses — from the fabric of cotton to shiny white satin. Visit the Taylorsville-Bennion Heritage Center to see the dresses in person. The museum is open Tuesday mornings, 9 to 1 p.m., Wednesday evenings, 6 to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 2 to 5 p.m.
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VIRTUAL ADULT LECTURE | THE PLATINUM QUEEN: Elizabeth II, the Monarchy and 70 Years of British History Monday, March 7, at 7 p.m. Register here: thecountylibrary.org/LectureSeries Dr. Julie Taddeo will highlight the ways Elizabeth II re-fashioned her role to match the demands of the late 20th and 21st centuries. The United Kingdom and the Commonwealth will celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022. Seventy years ago, the British media heralded the arrival of “a new Elizabethan age.” Elizabeth II remains the final link between Britain and its imperial past. Professor Taddeo will also discuss the Queen's often troubled relationship with the British media, family scandals and what the future may hold for the next generation of monarchs. She is Research Professor of British History at University of Maryland, College Park. She has published numerous books and articles on such topics as the Bloomsbury Group, the novelist Catherine Cookson, Steampunk and British-period drama television. She often gives public lectures on Victorian scandal and crime, as well as the historical lessons learned from period dramas like “Downton Abbey,” “Poldark” and “Bridgerton.” VIRTUAL ADULT LECTURE | EXCITING AMUSEMENT RIDES and the Engineering Behind Them Tuesday, March 22, at 7 p.m. Register here: thecountylibrary.org/LectureSeries Have you ever wondered what goes into designing and building a roller coaster? Paul Lattin will explore different kinds of amusement rides and the engineering that makes them possible. Lattin will talk about towers, swings and various types of roller coasters and the science of fun. Learn how the concepts that end up as rides employ principles of engineering and physics, and the requirements that need to be met to keep the rides safe. Lattin, PE, SE is Engineering Director and Structure Engineering Manager at S&S Worldwide, Inc. He oversees a multidiscipline engineering department, including structural, electrical, mechanical, manufacturing and research and development engineering for roller coaster and tower structures all over the world. His structural background includes the design and analysis of structures under unique dynamic loads with consideration for fatigue and global codes. Lattin has been practicing structural engineering since 2001, with experience in amusement rides, specialty structural engineering, architectural engineering and forensic and expert witness services.
ANNUAL COLLECTION DAY PAGE 8
| www.taylorsvilleut.gov
City of Taylorsville Newsletter Cut FOG for Clean Sewer Systems
MARCH UPDATES Subscription Green Waste Program The Weekly Green Waste Collection Program will resume beginning Thursday, March 17 for Taylorsville residents. Taylorsville currently has 1,298 out of the 9,478 districtwide subscribers. Residents can sign up and help divert green waste from the landfill by having it processed into mulch. The mulch can then be purchased for use from the Salt Lake Valley and TransJordan landfills. There is a onetime start-up fee of $60 to pay for the can, and at $126 per year, a green waste can is less expensive than an additional black garbage can at $204 per year. For more information on this program, please visit WFWRD’s website at: http://wasatchfrontwaste.org/green-waste.
Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG) have the potential to cost you money if not handled properly. Problems can develop in your household drains and the district’s sewer collection system due to the improper disposal of FOG. Commonly used cooking oils and grease disposed in sink drains can lead to sewer line backups in homes and businesses. Sewer main backups may overflow onto streets creating adverse impacts to public health and the environment. The easiest way to solve the FOG buildup problem is to keep it out of the sewer system. Here are a couple of tips: • Pour cooled FOG into a can or other container with a tight lid (coffee can, glass jar or plastic container) and dispose of it in the garbage. • Place baskets/strainers in sink drains to catch food scraps and other solids then empty the drain baskets/strainers into the trash. Tell your family, friends and neighbors about problems associated with grease in the sewer system and how to keep it out. The solution starts in your home with your actions.
2021 Customer Satisfaction Survey Results The results of the district’s 2021 Customer Satisfaction Survey are in. WFWRD contracted with Y2 Analytics for its 2021 survey. WFWRD customers were invited via email, postcard and/or social media and website to complete the online survey. Y2 Analytics received 3,169 responses to the annual survey. Satisfaction # of Responses Garbage Collection: Recycling Collection: Curbside Green Waste: Curbside Glass Recycling: Area Cleanup: Green Waste Trailer Reservations: Bulk Waste Trailer Rental: Overall Satisfaction:
Taylorsville 512 (16.2%) 97% 93% 96% 93% 86% 93% 90% 94%
Districtwide 3,169 95% 93% 94% 91% 87% 91% 89% 94%
The district thanks all residents who took the time to complete this survey, and it’s proud to provide these services to our community.
Landscape Maintenance Now is the perfect time of year to trim your trees. Municipal Ordinance requires that trees and landscaping that overhang the street pavement need to be trimmed to a minimum height of 13½ feet above the street pavement. Following these guidelines will help trucks navigate through neighborhoods and empty your cans without potential damage to your trees, other property and district trucks.
If you have any questions, please contact Taylorsville-Bennion Improvement District by calling 801-968-9081 or visiting www.tbid.org. Follow TBID on Facebook and Twitter.
R E C Y C L I N G
Granite to offer new hands-on entrepreneurial program this fall
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ranite Technical Institute is accepting applications from incoming seniors for its new program, Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities, or CEO, that will be offered this coming fall. Through a partnership between the school and the local business community, 20 students will gain real-world experience each week by meeting with about 40 business owners and representatives, tour local companies, and be paired with a business leader as a mentor to learn entrepreneurial skills. “I’m super excited; during the first semester, they will do a class project, which teaches students how to start a business and most of the time it’s more event-based, where they will think about the details of the event and what does it take,” GTI’s CEO program facilitator Erin Paulsen said. “The second semester, they actually start their own businesses, and it results in actual products or services that they sell at a trade show event we’ll hold at the end of the year.” Interested students in Granite and other Salt Lake County school districts are invited to apply by March 14 for the program that will pick them up from a Granite high school and meet from 7:45 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. three days per week. A panel will select students without knowledge of their names or schools, but solely on the applications that include students rating themselves, answers to questions and letters of recommendations including one from a school counselor that addresses standing in school, attendance and if they’re hard workers, she said. “I’m expecting the kids in CEO to want to learn; they see a value in it and want to connect,” Paulsen said adding that students will be evaluated by their understanding and proficiency on projects in the program where they will receive Career and Technical Education credit. “One of those projects may be here is $5, turn it into $100 by next week. They have to think outside the box and figure out, how can I make this money?” During the first semester, students will focus on a business or likely, a one-time event, such as a trivia night, murder-mystery, bowling or drive-in night. It will be decided on by the class and money raised from that can be used as seed money for individual businesses second term. Some of those businesses may help students pay for college either by continuing it or selling it. “For a lot of kids, this is going to be their opportunity to have a business during college and then they’re done; maybe it’ll just be a learning experience and then they’ll be done. We could see a very successful company come out of this, especially since they’ll have connections,” she said referring to the partnerships with local business leaders. “The high school entrepreneurship
TaylorsvilleJ ournal.com
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
This class is going to be really hard work. They’re starting their own business. It’s not that they’re doing it because I want them to do it. It’s they’re doing it because they want to make money in their own businesses; they want to do it. It changes the motivation. Granite Technical Institute CEO program facilitator Erin Paulsen classes are more learning about it versus this is doing it. This class is going to be really hard work. They’re starting their own business. It’s not that they’re doing it because I want them to do it. It’s they’re doing it because they want to make money in their own businesses; they want to do it. It changes the motivation.” Community business leaders play an active role as guest speakers, mentors, investors or to give tours to students, said Centeva chief finance officer and chief operating officer Matt Thomas, who is the chairman of the nine-member CEO program board. He was one who reached out to business chief executive officers, CFOs and others to get involved. “We targeted companies and industries that would give a good variety of experiences to the kids in the class; there were a lot of people who are willing to help out,” he said. “Everybody sees the value in getting some of that real-world experience earlier with some structure from the community and making those connections at an early age. The students are expanding their perspective as to what’s possible. I wish that I would have had that perspective and experience as a 17-yearold instead of having to stumble into that perspective later in life.” Thomas said that many business leaders want to develop relationships in the community and this program allows for potential for partnerships or future employees. “People are interested in the perspective of people from a younger generation as consumers and leaders from the next generation, so it is a two-way street,” he said. “I
Granite Technical Institute will offer the CEO entrepreneurial program this fall to 20 high school seniors. (Courtesy Granite Technical Institute)
think that entrepreneurship as a discipline doesn’t get enough attention. People assume that those who have that in their blood will jump in and figure it out. I think more and more people would do it if they knew how and if they saw it as a viable option and if they had a better sense of what the rewards are. These people are willing to share their experiences.” Paulsen said that local businesses invest in the program, paying for bus transportation so students can tour companies weekly. Those businesses involved in the program range from software companies to carpet cleaners, from restaurants and entertainment industries to credit unions and insurance companies. “There are all kinds of different industries so they can explore and get ideas of ‘how can I improve an existing product and make a company out of that’ or maybe there’s a need that is lacking that they know of. We want students to think entrepreneurially instead of just checking the boxes and taking the test,” Paulsen said. “We’re wanting them to explore in a way that makes them think: ‘I could do this. I could solve this program and start my own business.’ We’re going to do it experience-based and ask students questions that provoke them to think different ways and solve the problems themselves.” While Paulsen can help put students in touch with companies and even GTI programs to “match them with people who know that skills and know what they need to do that step,” students also will rely upon mentors in the business world. Mentors will review students’ business plans, look at their weekly progress, read students’ journal entries about their experiences in the weekly tours and in meetings with business leaders, and follow up with students about what
they’re learning. During the weekly tours of businesses, students will learn how they got started, what they do, what people they serve so “they can start to think about their target market and how to reach them and how they may get started,” Paulsen said, adding that with guest speakers, students will learn firsthand about their experiences. The year-end trade show will feature professional booths featuring students’ businesses and services and will serve as a fundraiser for start-up funds for next year’s students in the program. Granite School District, which partnered with Midland Institute of Entrepreneurship to offer the CEO program, has taken the past year to set up this program. Midland provides not only the experience it has gained from years of offering the program, but also materials, training and the website template. The institute also will help with retention of the program. Paulsen said the CEO program has been successful in the Midwest, but this is the first in Utah. She has firsthand knowledge of the program as many members of her extended family are involved in it as mentors and board members, and as students trying to sell their products in Illinois. “I’m seeing it from all angles and have seen what a cool program it is. It’s a whole community initiative,” she said. “I’m excited about having it here. I hope that in a few years, we can open a CEO program at each high school. If we’re able to do that, we can involve each and every community as part of it. This is the perfect marriage between business and education; it’s a great way to support these students.” l
March 2022 | Page 23
Salt Lake County receives $2 million grant to help families
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alt Lake County’s Green & Healthy Homes Program is receiving a new $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The funds will allow the Salt Lake County program to help 130 additional families and individuals during the next three and half years. Salt Lake County was one of 60 agencies chosen nationally to receive funding to make low-income families’ homes safer and healthier. “For people with asthma, residents aging in place and others, these funds make a difference in their lives,” Randy Jepperson, Salt Lake County Housing Program manager, said. “It’s not just fixing up the home, it’s making a difference in their daily lives.” The Green & Healthy Homes Program focuses on creating housing that is both energy efficient and safe for low- to moderate-income families. The program targets several different issues that can be found in homes, including: • Radon gas safety • Presence of lead • Trip and fall hazards • Causes of asthma or any severe respiratory problems • Energy efficiency • Retrofits to keep the elderly in their homes, so they can age in place For West Valley City resident Hector Carreon, having his home recently updated to increase safety and ac-
cessibility gives him long-term freedom. Carreon, who has muscular dystrophy, said he no longer feels like a prisoner in his own home. “No matter how bad my disease will be, I’ll always be able to stay in my home,” Carreon said. “I won’t be homeless. I have freedom in my own home now and that’s how it’s supposed to be. The program made critical modifications.” Residents can apply for assistance if they are 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) or below. For a family of four, the federal income guidelines currently set the AMI at $73,750 or less. The program is open to Salt Lake County homeowners, including refugees, regardless of legal status. Households are selected based on data and the greatest need for intervention. “Salt Lake County cares deeply about our residents, especially those who need help the most,” Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson said. “Our staff are committed to improving each individual’s life, one home at a time.” For more information about the program and what makes a healthy home, visit slco.org/green-healthyhomes/. Residents with program eligibility questions can contact Sara Hernandez at shernandez@slco.org.l Funds from the county’s housing program will help residents fix different issues found in their homes, some for elderly to age in place rather than move. (File photo City Journals)
An outpouring of love for Hunter athletics day
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unter High School student-athletes and staff were greatly affected by the tragic shooting of its students on Jan. 13. The outreach from opposing teams has been edifying. “The community has shown Hunter High faculty and students a lot of support and love,” Wolverines Athletic Director Pam Olson said. The victims of the shooting were football players at the school, 14-year-old Tivani Lopati and 15-year-old Paul Tahi; the third victim, Ephriam Asiata was recently released from the hospital after several weeks of care. As the athletic department moves on from such a tragedy, opposing schools have tried to relay a hand of friendship to the Wolverines. One week following the tragic event Cyprus hosted the boys basketball team. In pregame ceremonies, Pirates and Wolverines stood arm in arm with Cyprus players wearing white and blue shirts that said “We are Hunter” on the front. “Our kids have played with and went to junior high school with a lot of these kids,” Cyprus boys head basketball coach Tre Smith said. “Hunter has been through a lot, tragically. It was only right for us to do something special.” Unity toward its student-athletes flowed in from all of its opponents. T-shirts were made and passed out and tributes have honored Hunter’s teams.
Page 24 | March 2022
By Greg James | g.james@mycityjournals.com
Morale at the school has been low. Recently students have visited a memorial on 4100 South to pay tribute to their friends. In the weeks that followed the incident the faculty and students were on high alert. Sources around the school have seen several students withdraw from classes and parents of football players have voiced fears for them if they continue playing at Hunter. “We are a community, we need more love to go around,” Smith said. “Everything you see is negative. I push that with these guys. Everyone needs to do their parts and leave things just a little bit better than you found them.” Faculty and students have struggled with the idea that this happened in their own backyard with everyone processing it differently. There have been several community events, get-togethers, food donations, and prayer circles. “I know some of the teachers have assessed the emotional state of the students,” said one parent who wished to stay anonymous. “Teachers have encouraged those with feelings of doubt to seek help. We need to have unity, be a community. It does not matter what school you go to or if you are purple or green. We need to be together.” Counselors are reportedly seeing cases of survivors’ guilt—a stage of wonderment at what they could have done differently to change the situation.
Hunter boys basketball team leaves the final two seats on the bench empty in tribute to their fallen classmates. (Greg James/City Journals)
Older generations have reached out to stop the violence. l
Taylorsville City Journal
Salt Lake County receives additional $10 million from Treasury for rent relief
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early two years into the pandemic, many Salt Lake County families are still feeling the impacts and fear losing their housing. Because of Salt Lake County’s strong performance in distributing rental assistance funds to residents during COVID-19 thus far, the U.S. Treasury is providing the County with an additional $10 million in aid. Salt Lake County is also forming a new program with Utah Community Action (UCA) and Centro de la Familia. The organizations will work with residents struggling to make rent by helping them apply for and complete applications for rent assistance. The program will extend much needed support to families of all backgrounds and situations dealing with housing insecurity. “Housing stability continues to be critical for our residents as we navigate new COVID-19 variants and their impacts on our workforce,” Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson said. “We are constantly striving to improve access to our most vulnerable and diverse populations and are grateful for UCA’s and Centro de la Familia’s commitment to provide application assistance.” UCA and Centro de la Familia will provide direct help to residents interested in or working on applying for Emergency Rental Assistance. Salt Lake County’s goal is to make the emergency application process more user friendly and get money into the hands of people who need it. “We’re trying to make Emergency Rental Assistance easier to access,” Lauren Littlefield, Salt Lake County’s Housing Stability and Recovery manager, said. “We listened and learned we needed more dedicated application assistance and took steps to fill that gap.” In 2021, one of the largest reasons for rental assistance application denials was the lack of response from applicants when documents or information was missing. By creating this new system, Salt Lake County is enabling partners to:
• Increase communication to submit complete applications • Work together to secure necessary documents for qualification • Provide physical and virtual opportunities for application assistance in geographic areas across Salt Lake County • Provide application status updates This will be enhanced by additional language assistance, education, and outreach efforts from other community organizations, which the county is currently working to procure. “We understand that applying for rental assistance can be daunting,” Sahil Oberoi, UCA director of Housing and Case Management, said. “Our goal is to simplify this process by walking clients through the application and helping them identify the necessary documents needed to successfully submit their application.” For direct rental assistance application help and troubleshooting, Salt Lake County residents can contact Utah Community Action at 801359-2444 or Centro de la Familia at ERAP@ cdlf.org or 801-707-9986. “We aim to make emergency rental assistance available to the families who need help the most but are often least able to access the program on their own,” said Teri Peters, Centro de la Familia’s Program Design & Monitoring manager. Salt Lake County residents have received at least $64 million in Emergency Rental Assistance. In total, more than 48,000 Salt Lake County residents have been impacted by this program since March 2021. There are currently $93 million in funds available in the State of Utah for residents. Residents who have been impacted by or during the pandemic can apply for rental assistance funds if their combined household income is at or below 80% of area median income. For a family of four the income limit is $73,750 or less. The application is available at rentrelief. utah.gov/.l
Because of Salt Lake County’s strong performance in distributing rental assistance funds to residents during COVID-19 thus far, the U.S. Treasury is providing the County with an additional $10 million in aid. (File photo City Journals)
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High school students learn engineering offers variety, creativity, advancements By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
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Granger High and Granite Technical Institute senior Hayden Young examines a prosthetic leg during the high school engineering career day. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
illcrest High junior Amber Parker wanted to get a glimpse into potential future careers in engineering, specifically aerospace engineering, so she was excited to attend high school engineering career day. “I learned how engineers got into their positions and specifically what local companies are doing in the engineering field,” she said. “It’s pretty interesting.” Parker attended sessions presented by Boeing, VPI Engineering and the University of Utah. Other presenters came from Ottobock, Rocky Mountain Power, Horrocks Engineering, Hunt, Reaveley Engineering, Comfort Systems USA and Salt Lake Community College, which hosted the half-day conference for mostly high school juniors and seniors from the Salt Lake and Tooele valleys. Canyons School District Career and Technical Education District Coordinator Patti Larkin said that the focus of the fair was to provide about 250 students with possible career opportunities within the en-
gineering field. “They’re getting to meet all different types of engineers, make those connections, and understand their specific pathways,” she said. “We hope students can see what is needed, so they have the opportunity to get an internship or a job shadow and set their path of study toward their career.” Taylorsville sophomore Danna De Leon said she learned a range of engineering. In Ottobock, she learned about the different prosthetics made with 3D printers ranging from snowboarders’ knees to swimmers’ ankles. “They test different varieties, adding weights, forces or whatever is needed to make improvements,” she said. “In the Boeing session, I learned some of the ways they designed commercial airplanes.” Granger High and Granite Technical Institute senior Hayden Young, who wants to become a biomedical engineer, also attended the Ottobock session. “I’ve learned composites are a
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Taylorsville City Journal
very big part of it,” he said. “With engineering, designs may start on paper then move to CAD (computer-aided drafting). Designs can be improved for better comfort, better manufacturing time, better about anything, to help solve or improve what is needed.” Murray High Work-Based Learning Coordinator Brady Smith said the 15 students who came from his school appreciated being able to interact with industry professionals. “Our goal is to connect the students we work with to the career paths they can continue down once their time is completed here at Murray High School and this is a great opportunity for that to happen,” he said, adding that some students appreciated learning about the Luke Skywalker Arm that is being worked on at the U of U to the engineering careers at Rocky Mountain Power. Brighton High senior Amelia Ackler said that she appreciated the robotics session she attended. “They could make it walk, dance, and do all sorts of cool things through coding,” she said. She was with freshman Audrey Fleckenstein who said that through Reaveley Engineering, she learned how engineers perform a series of tests on structures. “They were designing buildings and
tested them and reviewed to ensure their designs would withstand earthquakes,” she said. “It isn’t just a one-time test, but over and over again.” Brighton sophomore Stephanie Guzman De La Haz said she learned about heating and cooling and the laws of thermodynamics in the Comfort Systems session. “I hadn’t heard of it before; it was actually really interesting,” she said. Olympus senior Ben Walston said he’s considering a career in mechanical engineer and through the conference, he learned more about what was available through his sessions with VPI and Ottobock. “It’s amazing and just fun to see how they can make something that is needed through their eyes and creativity,” he said. Having a creative mindset in engineering was what many students discovered that day, said Brighton High Work-Based Learning Facilitator Eileen Kasteler. “Engineers are thinking innovation from health care to video games, so this day gets our students thinking if it’s a good feel for them—and reflecting upon that long after the visit,” she said. “It’s a glimpse into the future of wanting to see what there is. It opens their eyes.”l CJ
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was eight when I ran away from home. It was the summer of ’76 and my mother did the unspeakable. She banned a book in our home. In the stack of books I’d checked out at the library, there was a paperback copy of “Jaws” I instinctually hid from Mom because she could be irrational. The book cover, with its looming shark and nearly-nude swimmer, might make her think the novel wasn’t “proper” for an 8-year-old. With a plateful of homemade oatmeal cookies, I sat on my bed engrossed in shark attacks. My bedroom door opened and Mom (without knocking!) entered my room to put clothes away. Her mouth dropped open when she saw what I was reading. She grabbed it out of my hands and banned the book from the house. How dare she! I fumed and realized there was only one answer to such blatant oppression. I got my red suitcase and packed a nightgown, a change of clothes, my toothbrush and a Nancy Drew book. I stomped down the stairs, ignoring Mom as she stood in the kitchen doorway with her arms crossed. Before I walked out of the house forever, I told her I couldn’t live with her cruelty any longer. I walked two blocks to my Aunt Judy’s house and announced I was moving in because Mom was an unreasonable tyrant.
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I stayed the night, knowing Mom must regret her terrible behavior. I figured by the next day, she would be frantic with worry. Served her right. (I later learned she’d called my aunt to let her know I was heading her way.) When I returned home, I asked her if I could read “Jaws.” She said no. You can bet your sweet bookends I found a copy of “Jaws” and secretly read it cover to cover. My effort to read banned books didn’t stop there. As I got older, I tore through Judy Blume's books, inhaled the “Flowers in the Attic” series, and absorbed “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Twice. My cousin and I would sit on the bookstore floor, reading salacious parts of popular bodice-ripper novels written by the queen of romance, Kathleen Woodiwiss. Mom realized it was counterproductive to forbid me from reading books, and we ended up having conversations about racism, in-
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equality, sex and sharks. I make it a point to read banned books, buy banned books, promote banned books and encourage my daughters to do the same. I figure if a book is so powerful it has to be banned or burned, that’s a book I need to read. Anything that gets people’s knickers twisted and touches a literary nerve goes on my toread list. Parents and lawmakers are increasingly trying to create laws that shelve books that don’t fit in with their (mostly conservative) ideals. When that happens, society loses. Didn’t you read the (ironically) banned “Fahrenheit 451?” I agree that 8-year-olds don’t make the best choices, but if we control the curriculum, frame the narrative, and put a conservative slant on history, we’re not doing those 8-yearolds any favors. In January, when a school board in Tennessee banned the Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel, “Maus,” parents pushed back. The Salt Lake County Library System has dozens of copies of the Holocaust story where the Jews are depicted as mice, Germans as cats, and Americans as dogs. I was happy to see it has hundreds of hold requests. Looks like I’m not the only one making sure I read things that make me uncomfortable.
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