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By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

arlos Moreno was a student from Venezuela, attending school in the United States, when the Venezuelan government charged him with treason and conspiracy because Moreno was speaking out about the human rights violations happening in his country. The regime froze his bank account, leaving him with no access to money to pay tuition and expenses, or even to buy a plane ticket back to Venezuela. He applied for political asylum with the U.S. government which was granted for him, his wife and their son after only four months. “My asylum was granted in record time…I was lucky, I was blessed,” Moreno said. “So much stuff happened during that time. There were miracles I saw in my life. I don’t know if you want to call them miracles or good luck.” Two years ago, Moreno founded New Leaders for America, an organization that educates, inspires and encourages the community to be civically engaged. Utah Business recently presented Moreno with the Distinguished Leader 2023 award, given to him during the Living Color Gala. The event honors individuals who create inclusive programs and initiatives in Utah. In partnership with several diverse organizations throughout the state, including the Black Chamber of Commerce, the Utah Asian Chamber of Commerce, the Utah LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce, the Utah Muslim Civic League and the Pacific Island Chamber of Commerce, the gala celebrates and encourages contributions from different cultures to build inclusion. “It’s a great honor because it’s helping me to keep working,” Moreno said. “Having this recognition helps

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spread the message that we can do it, we can create a better world and we can help people even in this environment right now where politics is complicated…It’s like a light of hope for people who want to make a change in their own communities.” During the last legislative session, Moreno worked with advocates on a bill that would extend in-state college tuition to refugees and asylum seekers. Sponsored by Rep. Jordan Teuscher, (R-South Jordan), HB102 was passed unanimously and signed into law on May 3. “[Refugee students] are going to be grateful for their entire life for the United States because they finally got an education and a diploma,” Moreno said. “Wherever they go, anywhere abroad, they’re going to have this diploma with them for the rest of their life. That’s why this opportunity is a blessing. They can pursue their happiness, like the Constitution says.” Moreno has called West Jordan home for the last six years. He and his wife, Norbelys, are raising their three sons in a country he considers a miracle. As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Moreno served a mission to Barcelona, Venezuela, before he became a refugee and came to Utah to live in a community where he has friends. “You don’t want to be alone when you immigrate to some place. You want to be surrounded by people you know,” he said. “What I always say to people is this quote that came from me, ‘America is not a dream. America is a miracle.’” l

K-9 officer honored

West Jordan resident Carlos Moreno received the Distinguished Leader Award from Utah Business for his work to bring in-state tuition to refugees and asylum seekers. (Photo courtesy of Moreno)

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K-9 officer honored in West Jordan By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

hen West Jordan K-9 officer Maya was killed in action on Feb. 17, 2022, her death was a heartbreaking sacrifice. Shot in the line of duty, protecting her handler West Jordan police officer Taylor Longmore and other officers, Maya was remembered in the community for her courage and dedication to the department. A highly-decorated K-9 officer, Maya was a 6-year-old Belgian Malinois who had served with the West Jordan police department for two years after working as a K-9 officer in West Valley City for four years. Maya was presented with a posthumous Medal of Valor for her sacrifice. On Oct. 5, West Jordan City Councilmember Melissa Worthen and her husband, Mike Worthen, presented the city with a painting of Maya that will hang in the West Jordan Justice Court building, 8040 S. Redwood Road. The portrait, painted by Mike Worthen, is a gift that represents loyalty, dedication, sacrifice and service to the community. “I wanted it to show the importance of our canine officers. I think they’re just as important as our human officers,” Mike Worthen said. “I wanted this to be a symbol of that part of the force in our city.” When Melissa Worthen stepped down from her position at the end of October, after moving to Colorado, she had been looking for something to give West Jordan that represented her four years in office. The Worthens were driving through Colorado when they saw a K-9 memorial in front of the police station in Castle Rock. Entitled “Jax,” the bronze statue is a tribute to all police service dogs. “We just looked at each other and thought what better symbol of sacrifice and service than Maya who gave to our

Journals T H E

From left, West Jordan Councilmember Melissa Worthen, Jenny Longmore, West Jordan police officer Taylor Longmore and Mike Worthen pose with a portrait of West Jordan K-9 officer Maya. Mike Worthen painted the portrait as a gift to the city, representing sacrifice, loyalty, dedication and service. (Photo courtesy of West Jordan City)

community and saved the lives of our officers,” she said. “[Maya] represents true dedication, unselfishness and sacrifice to your community, and that’s what we were looking for.” Mike Worthen spent several weeks working on Maya’s portrait, trying to capture the essence of the officer, especially the light and joy in her eyes. He wanted to make sure the portrait was an accurate representation of Maya and the effect she

had on the community. West Jordan elected officials, city leaders, members of the West Jordan Police Department and residents from the community were on hand for the presentation of the portrait. “[This is important because] it means that somebody recognizes sacrifices made by our people, including our animal service officers,” West Jordan Deputy Chief Jeremy Robertson said. “It’s an amazing

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picture. It’s something that brings us closer together as an agency to have a reminder of what we’ve lost.” Longmore and his wife, Jenny, were on hand at the portrait’s unveiling and were brought to tears by the portrait of Maya, who had become a family member. They were presented with a digital copy of the portrait. Longmore is working with a new K-9 officer, coincidentally named Jax. l

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West Jordan City Journal

Students get a taste of international cuisine and culture By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

est Jordan Middle School students tasted foods from all over the world at International Day held Oct. 5. The celebration of food was part of a health class project. Students chose a country and researched it to find five facts and one traditional dish. With help from their families, they made the dish at home and brought it to school for their peers to taste. Lucy Jones chose to learn about the United Kingdom and its music and sports. Her food item was scones, which she made for the first time. Lucy Green made Indian samosas and Katie Lowe made gougeres from France. Braelyn Oliver, who loves Greek mythology, decided to make Greek lokma. “It’s not that hard to make, it uses very simple ingredients. They are these bite-sized pastries that are dipped in a really sweet syrup,” she said. West Jordan Middle School health teacher Kathy Howa has six sessions of health classes, which means she had a lot of foods to taste. “It’s really hard for me because there’s 35 kids in each class and they all want me to taste their food, and I’m telling you, I cannot take another bite when I get home, but I don’t want them to feel bad, so I taste it,” she said. Students and teachers look forward to International Day because once students in the class have sampled the dishes, they open up the tasting to other classes.

WestJordanJournal .com

International Day is held once a semester. “I teach half the year and then we do the same thing the second half, so we get to do it twice a year, and nobody complains,” Howa said. Howa said International Day, a tradition that began five years ago, is a fun way for students to learn about different countries and cultures, and to be exposed to new foods. It also gets the students’ families involved by helping to prepare the dishes. Some of the students, like Mike Fatiau, chose to make a dish from their own heritage. Mike made traditional Samoan dumplings called kopai. “It’s a very common dish and it’s very delicious,” he said. “This dish means a lot to me because my grandma likes to make it for me. I love my grandma. When I was a kid, she would always make it for me when I came back from school.” Howa said the students learn more about each other through the project. “I, too, get to learn so much about each one of my students that I wouldn’t have known,” Howa said. International Day is held during the nutrition unit of the health class required for eighth graders. “All the other assignments are all health stuff and this is something they just get to pick and brag about what comes from their country,”

With help from their families, students made food from different cultures to share with their classmates. (Photo courtesy of Kathy Howa)

Howa said. For the rest of the nutrition unit, students learn about essential nutrients, healthy eating habits and the effects of specific foods and ingredients on the body. “They are very interested in it,” Howa

said. “They ask a lot of questions and are very shocked when I tell them what different foods do to them. It’s really just so important that they’re finding out at an early age so that they are aware and can make better choices.” l

Nov. 2023 | Page 5

Eclipse viewing party brings out the science geek in everyone By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

unset Ridge Middle School science teacher Erin Clelland was thrilled when students and their families attended the annular solar eclipse viewing party held at the school on the morning of Oct. 14. “This doesn’t happen often, especially an annular eclipse, so we need to have our students looking at this kind of stuff,” she said. “It’s real-world and they need to experience this because we probably won’t ever see it again in our lifetime. It’s really, really rare. The planets have to align, truly, for this type of an eclipse.” Another annular solar eclipse won’t be seen in Utah for another 54 years. A partial solar eclipse will pass over Utah in 2029 and a total solar eclipse will pass over in 2045. Mark Schiszler, who also teaches science at Sunset Ridge Middle, said the viewing party was offered to get kids excited about a science current event, and to have a safe way to view the partial annular solar eclipse. Those who attended had access to solar-viewing glasses and a display of information about what causes different kinds of eclipses. “The Moon is farther away, so it appears smaller than the Sun and so you get a ring,” Schiszler said in explanation of an annular eclipse. “When it’s closer, the Moon is larger and blocks out the Sun almost completely. It’s just one of those weird phenomenon in the universe where the planet just happens to be about the same size as the Sun.” Some students and their families came to the viewing party just to pick up the solar-viewing glasses and take them home to watch the progress of the Moon across the Sun, while others remained at the school. “When I was in elementary school, there was an eclipse in the southern hemisphere and my teacher talked about how people travel from all over the world to go see eclipses and I thought, ‘Wow, if I ever get the chance, I’m going to see one!’” West Jordan resident Georgina Butts said. She and her family traveled to southern Utah in 2012 for the last annular solar eclipse and to Idaho in 2017 for the last total solar eclipse and were excited to watch an eclipse they didn’t have to travel far to see. West Jordan resident Agustin Castillo brought his family to the viewing party to see their first eclipse. “This is a good experience for my family,” Castillo said. “It’s the first time to watch the eclipse. I’ve never seen an eclipse before. This is great.” His son, also named Agustin, and who is an eighth grader at Sunset Ridge Middle said, “My experience was good because I came with my friends and with my family and I see the thing that not happen every day.”

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Jeronimo Soto, Juan Alajandro Contreras, Agustin Castillo Jr. and Agustin Castillo Sr. watch their first eclipse at the viewing party held Oct. 14 at Sunset Ridge Middle School. (Jet Burnham/City Journals)

The Oct. 14 annular solar eclipse, as seen from the viewing party at Sunset Ridge Middle School. (Erin Clelland/SRMS)

Both Schiszler and Clelland took the opportunity to educate those in attendance, pointing out the change in temperature and in the shape of shadows as the Moon passed over the Sun. Clelland hoped students appreciated the unique experience and that they had

fun.

Science teachers were on hand at the annular solar eclipse viewing party to point out the effects of the solar eclipse such as crescent-shaped shadows. (Jet Burnham/City Journals)

“You don’t have to be a science teacher to love this,” she said at the event. “You don’t have to be a science geek, you don’t have to be in a science class—just look at this, this is marvelous!” She said the solar viewing glasses

leftover from the viewing party will be used to let students view the partial eclipse which will be visible from Utah next April. “That will be during the school day so we’ll be able to take the kids outside,” Clelland said. l

West Jordan City Journal

New JROTC program trains leaders

he Mustang Battalion at Herriman High School is the first Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps program in Jordan School District. SFC (R) Konrad Wilson is the program instructor and emphasizes that, unlike college ROTC programs which focus on military recruitment, the JROTC is a leadership program. “About 40% of our cadets pursue a military career,” he said. “The other 60% are here about the leadership, about having fun, about having a class that is not the norm, so they can get out and do different things and learn and explore different aspects. It is not designed as a recruiting tool. This is designed to motivate young people to be better citizens and let them understand that they have the ability to make changes.” Cadets are encouraged to be involved in their local Community Emergency Response Teams and to serve in their communities. The program is structured to be run by the students. Emerging leaders take on leadership roles and are nominated to receive awards and promotions at the end of every quarter. Wilson said the cadets learn life skills and leadership skills such as decision making, negotiation, compromise, delegation, communication, confidence and how to work with other peoples’ personalities, weaknesses and strengths. “You learn to be a leader and what makes a good leader,” Gary Fiedler, a sophomore in the program, said. He serves as a team lead in his class and said, because of the skills he’s learned, he handled a recent accident situation differently than he previously would have. “Instead of being the one to freak out, I was like, ‘Hey, calm down, we’re fine, here’s what we need to get done and so then let’s do it,’” he said. Sophomore David Mason said he enjoys running drills and doing physical conditioning workouts in class. Fiedler likes the problem-solving exercises. During a bomb threat simulation the class did recently, Fiedler said they all had to rely on good communication and teamwork skills to work through the problem. “We had to be able to communicate with each other because only the person looking at the bomb can see what’s going on, and everyone else was just looking at a piece of the information we needed,” he said. Wilson said the structure of JROTC provides a safe environment in which cadets fail, try again and learn from their mistakes. “We go back and we talk about everything that we do—what went well and what we can improve on—so that the next time we do it, we can make it better, we can improve on it, and that helps them grow,“ he said. As part of the statewide JROTC program, cadets participate in skills competitions in orienteering, archery, precision marksmanship, robotics, drones, drills and physical fitness.

WestJordanJournal .com

By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

Members of Herriman High School’s Mustang Battalion participate in a JROTC orienteering competition. (Photo courtesy of Nancy Londelius)

Members of the Mustang Battalion, Jordan District’s first JROTC program, prepare to compete in an orienteering competition. (Photo courtesy of Nancy Londelius.)

“The idea is to expose them to a lot of different things and sometimes they’ll find that little thing that they never even knew they had an ability for and that it’s fun, too,” Wilson said. “They just find out about different interests and ideas and different ways to do things.” Senior Nancy Londelius said her JROTC experiences have had a positive influence on her life. To prepare for the orienteering competitions, she was newly motivated to resume her running routine which she had previously abandoned. “I wanted us to win since our group was

the smallest, and I wanted to better myself, so I started running a lot more,” she said. In addition to improving her physical fitness, she said the class has also helped her overcome some of her weaknesses. “It’s helped me with my personality and being able to open up more with other people and being able to become more of a leader,” she said. “Now I have to actually talk to people to get what I want. I have to communicate and I also have to tell people what to do, because I’m a team leader.” Wilson previously taught in the JROTC

program at Taylorville High School for 10 years and has seen how it can make a difference in young peoples’ lives. “I love teaching these young adults and helping prepare them for life after high school,” Wilson said. “For me, the biggest reward is that a-ha moment when that light comes on in that cadet’s eyes of ‘I get this.’ But what’s deeper than that is when those cadets come to me and say, ‘Hey, I made it because you taught me this and you had confidence in me, and I have that confidence in myself now.’” He hopes cadets learn to do hard things and to ask for help when they need it. The program is organized in a way that creates a close-knit group of students. “All the cadets in here support each other and rally around each other, so it helps them build each other up,” Wilson said. “It gives them that family environment to where they feel supported, and they have that platform to build off of to be successful.” Wilson said Herriman High Principal Todd Quarnberg has been working for several years to get the JROTC program set up. In this, its inaugural year, the program has 30 students. Wilson expects four times as many students next year as word of the opportunity spreads to other high school students in the area. Enrollment is open and students from Copper Hills and Bingham high schools are currently participating in Herriman High’s program. Providence Hall High School, a Herriman area charter school, and Taylorsville High School also have JROTC programs. l

Nov. 2023 | Page 7

Connections improves social, emotional and academic outcomes By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

est Hills Middle School staff members have implemented a 19-minute solution to improve students’ social skills, emotional well-being, attendance and grades. Students begin their school day in Connections, a short class which smooths the transition between home and school. “The purpose of it is exactly in its name— it’s connections,” language arts teacher Heather Reich said. “It’s to help students make a connection with a teacher who is not necessarily their teacher at that moment, more like an advocate. So it’s another set of eyes on the kid to help support them at school. It’s also to help them make connections with each other. The people in here are going to support you and be on your side.” West Hills Middle School Principal Cynthia VanderMeiden said students and teachers need to have a good relationship before teaching and learning can happen. “Our motto is ‘Connections precedes curriculum,’” she said. “The more that we can build those connections with our students and get to know them on a student level, one, the more we enjoy them, and two, they enjoy school as well, because we have a relationship outside of being graded.” Students receive a citizenship grade for Connections but there is no academic curriculum or graded assignments. Instead, there are

Heather Reich reads a novel to the seventh graders in her Connections class, the first class of the day at West Hills Middle School. (Photo courtesy of Heather Reich)

class activities centered on kindness, inclusion, suicide awareness, school policies, etc. The classes also read and play games together. “It’s just little low stakes things so it doesn’t feel like something really stressful and like work, but it’s more like a fun get-to-knowyou kind of thing,” Reich said. Seventh-grader Kaden Edwards said, “It’s a great way to start our day, and it helps us socially. We get to connect with each other in that class, and play games with each other, so I feel like it builds our confidence.” Reich said the class acts as a buffer, so

students can let go of what happened at home and get settled in at school, so they are ready to learn by the time first period begins. Having Connections at the beginning of the day instead of an academically demanding class prevents many problems caused by students running late in the mornings, said administrators, who have seen improved social/ emotional wellbeing, attendance and grades. VanderMeiden said previously when students arrived tardy, they would miss out on academic instruction given in the first few minutes of the first class of the day.

“We’ve seen an increase in our grades overall because our first period is not affected [by tardies],” VanderMeiden said. And because Connections teachers have the same group of students for all three years of middle school, they can have a relationship with the students and their families and are positioned to provide support and solutions for poor attendance patterns. This is the second year West Hills Middle has begun the day with Connections. Reich taught a ninth-grade Connections class last year and is starting over with a new group of seventh graders this year. “This group of kids is going to be with me for three years,” Reich said. “It’s really awesome because it really lets me build a relationship with them and lets them build relationships with each other. I love my Connections kids. I am so lucky to start my day with them.” Reich’s students said they feel lucky to start their day with her, as well. Teancum Brandley said when things are challenging or he has a hard morning before school, he can depend on Reich to start his day with some fun. “She really just goes above and beyond trying to make everyone feel special,” he said. Kaden said, “It’s nice to be in a class where you can connect with others and [Ms. Reich] just makes it a really fun class.” l

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Nov. 2023 | Page 9

AI can solve teachers’ No. 1 complaint

I is the solution to teachers’ number one problem, Jordan District Digital Teaching and Learning Administrator Jared Covili said. “The number one complaint teachers have is they never have enough time,” Covili said. “And with AI, one of the benefits we see is that it provides teachers with additional time to work on what they need to do with students.” Jordan District Digital Learning Specialist Kasey Chambers said the amount of time AI tools can save teachers depends on how much they are willing to use it. “It’s going to take a little bit of time to figure out where it fits into our workflow, but as teachers get more proficient and keep testing it out and keep being willing to delegate to AI, it’s going to be a big part of saving time,” she said. “The minute-to-minute decision making of teachers is exponential, so anything we can do to lessen that and make their jobs easier is a win.” Chambers highlighted time-saving AI tools at a professional development workshop held in September. She encouraged teachers, administrators and coaches to use AI tools to help customize material, generate lists, brainstorm ideas, improve lesson plans and to help write emails, newsletters, presentations and grants. “It’s like a thought partner,” she told teachers. “This is going to work with your brain to generate what you would have made and make it in way less time.” Jordan District provides teachers access to tools such as SchoolAI, which they piloted over the summer. The Digital Learning Department regularly features new tools and tips on their Instagram page, offers training workshops and shares tools and tips with the digital learning coach at every school in the district. Dan Clark, the digital learning coach at West Jordan Middle School, said his goal is to provide his colleagues with tech tools that reduce their workload. “We are introducing them to some of these things that lighten the load, because the load for teachers across the country is extremely large, but the load for teachers in Utah is even more so,” he said. One time-consuming task Jordan District teachers have is transitioning their letter grading systems to standards-based grading. With six to eight units and assessments each quarter, that’s a lot of work for teachers, Clark said. He encourages his colleagues to use AI tools to help break down each unit of study into measurable proficiency skills. With a detailed prompt, an AI assistant can, in less than a minute, generate a basic outline of assessments based on teaching standards. “Here’s this tool that will do a lot of it for you and it makes something overwhelming seem very within reach,” Clark said. “It can shoot out something pretty good and then

Page 10 | Nov. 2023

By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

Jordan District teachers attend a professional development training to learn how to leverage AI tools in their classrooms. (Jet Burnham/City Journals)

Elementary school teacher Jill Firkins uses AI tools to reduce time spent planning and increase time spent teaching. (Photo courtesy of Jill Firkins)

a teacher with a lot of experience can whittle that down to what they’re expecting students to do.” Clark said first year teachers, who face a greater than normal workload as they build lesson plans and assessments from scratch, can benefit greatly from AI tools. “I think it takes five years of teaching before you feel like you’re a good teacher, and that learning curve is bigger right now because we have a lot more teachers that are coming in on alternative routes to licensure,” Clark said. “I’m hoping that that learning curve can be a little shorter as I help teachers utilize some of these tools.” Another time-intensive aspect of teaching is differentiation—adapting information to meet a range of abilities. Chambers said it can be a lot of work when teachers have a lot of students who all need a slightly different approach to learning the lesson material. “It’s so much work and sometimes I can’t do it,” she said. “But AI can help do that so easily. I can plan quality, research-based interventions using AI as a tool to be a thinking partner.” Teachers can make lesson materials more

accessible to all students by using AI to read the text aloud, adjust the reading level or to translate it into a student’s native language. Fort Herriman Middle School teacher Kimberly Mendenhall has been surprised by how quickly AI tools generate content. She and her colleagues used SchoolAI tools to remotely collaborate on a customized digital literacy lesson plan. “It gave us a lesson plan, and then it was able to, with prompts, give us a worksheet that we could do, and then a ten-question quiz,” she said. She said the process took just a minute. Jordan District has been a leader in implementing AI tools, but other school districts and charter schools are finding ways to connect teachers with AI tools. At Providence Hall Middle, a charter school, history teacher Tanya Rauch said when she or her colleagues find a tool that will save them time, they share it with each other. Rauch, who has a master’s degree in technology, regularly uses ChatGPT and MagicSchoolAI to reduce her lesson planning time. “One of the eighth-grade standards was to compare historians’ interpretations of coloni-

zation,” she said. “I don’t have time to pull up ten historians—hey, Chat GPT!” West Jordan Middle School Principal Eric Price, a proponent of AI in education, said saving time is the purpose for developing new technology. “Technology has always existed to increase our abilities to do other things,” Price said. “We don’t go and plant each crop individually like they used to do back in the 1800s. We have machines that will allow us to do that, which then allows us to do other things.” The “other things” teachers do with the time they save is spend more time interacting with students, Jordan Hills Elementary teacher Jill Firkins said. Before she began using AI tools, she used to spend hours searching through resources for lesson and activity ideas. Now, she uses AI-powered searches to find and customize materials for engaging lessons in a fraction of the time. The time she saves is spent directly teaching her students and providing them with more in-depth feedback. “Whether it’s before school or after school or helping students that are struggling with homework, I can give that planning time to them,” she said. Chambers said while giving the extra time to students is good, teachers should also take some of that time back for themselves for the sake of their mental health wellness and worklife balance. “Maybe I’m not working two to three hours a night grading because AI helps me get it done in 20 minutes and I can give that time back to my family, and that’s okay, too,” she said. “Any benefit to a teacher making their job easier, making it more effective, is a benefit for students at the end of the day.” l

West Jordan City Journal

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West Jordan City Journal

Inaugural middle school unified soccer state tournament met by enthusiastic players, partners, fans By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

t was the first year of Utah’s middle school unified soccer and Jen Morphy was on the sidelines. She wasn’t one of athlete’s mothers, but rather a mom of a ninth-grade peer tutor, who was assisting the athletes with the ball so they could have the same opportunities to play. “It’s a really great program, and I love that,” she said. “Through unified sports these kids are getting to do so many things.” Unified soccer, a program of Special Olympics Utah in partnership with the Utah High School Activities Association, allows student-athletes with and without disabilities to play on the same team. While the teams are coed and play competitively five versus five on a smaller sized soccer field for two eight-minute halves, the focus is on development of skills, friendship, cooperation and sportsmanship as often players on either team will cheer for one another. Fourteen teams played in the inaugural state tournament, split in four divisions based upon ability, said Boston Iacobazzi, Unified Champion School’s college-growth coordinator. There were about 150 student-athletes from area middle schools: Mountain Creek, South Jordan, Oquirrh Hills, Joel P. Jensen, West Jordan and Mt. Jordan—as well as from nearby Alpine and Davis school districts. “They had a great time and loved it,” he said. “It was really cool as some of them had never played soccer before. Some were super pumped to get to wear uniforms with their school’s name on it.” Mountain Creek teacher Karlee English said that was true of her players, who were coached by volunteer Hannah Swett. “We have worked hard for weeks in preparation for the tournament,” she said. “Most of the kids had never even played soccer before this. By the time the tournament came most of the students understood the game and really enjoyed playing soccer. Most of all, there was a real camaraderie between the athletes and the peers they were playing with. I actually had to do a drawing for peer tutors because so many students wanted to do it.” Morphy’s son, Dane, has been a middle school partner athlete in unified basketball, which was introduced last winter, and with unified golf, which was new in spring 2022. “My older daughter was a peer tutor for two years; she would say, ‘they need friends too.’ Dane knew all these kids through his sister, so he became a peer tutor and absolutely loves it. My younger daughter wants to be a peer tutor next year,” Morphy said. As well as being a parent and a fan, Morphy also is Mountain Creek Middle School’s PTA president. “We want opportunities to include all our

WestJordanJournal .com

Mountain Creek Middle takes on South Jordan Middle in the middle school unified soccer state championship game. (Photo courtesy of Jen Morphy)

students, like this. We have one kid in their class who has seizures; half of his body doesn’t work how it’s supposed to. Last year, he was so good at basketball. It was fun to see him be able to do these things in a setting that allows him to excel. With soccer, our peer tutors would shag a ball and it goes right to one of the kids in the class to dribble back up the field. Our school had two teams and what’s fun about that is you have an entire sideline cheering you on. It’s not just parents, but you have all your peers there, so it feels even bigger,” she said. When teams scored, Morphy said, “The kids would get so excited and then the peers were happy for them and everybody on the field comes in with high-fives and hugs. The sidelines were jumping up and down. They’re so happy and love being a part of all of it.” English said the score at the end wasn’t what was important. “Honestly, the highlight for me was watching a young man and his peer on the opposing team (South Jordan) who were very enthusiastic in working the ball down the field and the athlete ended up getting the goal. It was so much fun to watch both teams cheer this young athlete on. It wasn’t about who won the game; it was celebrating as one in this victory for this young man as he scored. The beauty in this moment wasn’t directed by any adult to cheer for this young athlete; it just happened spontaneously,” she said. At the same time as the middle school tournament, Iacobazzi also was overseeing 54 unified high school teams in the state playoffs. “I’d love to get more middle schools involved and have high school soccer players help with their training. Ideally, we’d like each district to run its own middle school league

“The whole community was there together—so many parents, families and so many games going on. It was fun because at Mountain Creek, it’s a tight group. Some of our students could see their friends who had gone on to high school and give them hugs and they’d cheer each other as they played,” she said. Iacobazzi was planning surprise visits to present the medals to teams at their schools in early November. In division A, Moose Nation from Mountain Creek got first; SoJo White of South Jordan was second; Eagles Blue from Oquirrh Hills took third; and Mt. Jordan was fourth. In division B, Joel P. Jensen Jaguars were first, SoJo Blue of South Jordan was second; Moose Stampede of Mountain Creek placed third; and Eagles white of Oquirrh Hills, fourth. In division C, local teams West Jordan won, with the Mountaineers from Mt. Jordan, second; and in division D, Joel P. Jensen Panthers were the champions. l

then we hold one state event with teams from all the districts across the state,” he said. Morphy said the tournament was a huge event.

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Copper Hills, West Jordan among teams who excelled at state championship as Utah’s high school unified soccer program grows By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

ack-to-back champions. In any sport, it’s a difficult accomplishment. In the growing sport of unified soccer, it’s remarkable. This year, 54 unified soccer teams competed, up from 30 last year. Yet Murray High succeeded in that achievement to defend their state championship title. Murray High junior Mia Cox scored a goal in that title game and was receiving congratulatory hugs and high-5s afterwards from her teammates, friends and family, her principal and superintendent. “It was exciting,” she said. “I like kicking the ball with my friends on the team because it’s fun.” Unified soccer is a program of Special Olympics Utah in partnership with the Utah High School Activities Association that joins high school-age students with and without intellectual disabilities playing side-by-side on the same team. Five co-ed players take to a smaller-sized field in 10-minute halves playing in competitive or player development divisions. “We had teams from Richfield High School to up in Logan in eight divisions,” Boston Iacobazzi said, Unified Champion School’s college-growth coordinator. “Several schools had two teams and a couple had three.” Teams first played in local tournaments before they competed in the regional round robin competitions until the top two finishers from each division were determined. The state championships in those divisions played Oct. 10 at the Real Salt Lake stadium. “It was close competition for a lot of the teams at both the play-offs as well as at the championships. A lot of games went into overtime and ended in PKs, which was exciting,” he said. At the local tournament in Midvale, Hillcrest High senior Haylee Wardle was all about winning. “Let’s go!” she encouraged her teammates. “We want to get that gold.” Wardle, her teammates and coach Rebecca Remy watched as Hillcrest freshman Johnny Bisby brought the torch into the school’s stadium. ASL club members signed the national anthem as well as the athlete oath. “We have a lot of Husky pride and we want everyone to feel that at our school,” Remy said, who has been an assistant during her 20 years teaching, but stepped in as head coach this year. “I love seeing the students in other areas besides academics, witnessing their sportsmanship and inclusion and the unity with their peers, and using their skills on the field. It’s great our drill, band, cheer and a bunch of different clubs and teams are supporting all the unified teams competing.” In front of hundreds of fans at the RSL

Page 14 | Nov. 2023

West Jordan Jaguars were welcomed into the stadium to play in a unified soccer tournament. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

stadium, Hunter High junior Whitney Rasmussen took the athlete’s oath and sang the national anthem before joining her team to take a silver medal in their game. For many student-athletes, it’s an opportunity to not only compete, but also to develop their skills, meet people, see old friends and belong to a team. “It gives them a place to belong and to represent their school, just like their peers,” Iacobazzi said. Longtime friends Mia Jackman of Riverton High and Jaymi Bonner of Herriman High gave each other hugs when they saw each other at a tournament, which was supported by Jordan School District’s superintendent. Mia’s dad, Jared, is thankful for unified sports. “It gives them the chance to do things that they’re seeing typical kids do and a chance to interact with some of their peers,” he said. “It makes them feel part of the school.” Jaymi’s mom, Jeana, feels unified sports “enriches everyone’s lives and gives us perspective. It’s about teamwork and sportsmanship. It’s not only about winning and being the best. That’s a valuable lesson that our kids are teaching us.” Herriman High received silver medals at state. Jordan High junior Kaitlyn Unzaga decided to play because “it’s really fun and it gets

my energy out.” She was warming up at the RSL stadium before both Jordan teams would win their division championships. “I always play no matter what if I win or not win. I really love playing for my school with my friends,” she said. “At school, we eat lunch together and practice our kicking and defense, and how to move left and right. Then, we hang out.” Her coach, Jenna Fox, said the school’s program has grown from five students to 22. “The kids keep telling the incoming freshmen about it, so our numbers are getting bigger,” she said. “We have a developmental team and a more competitive one, so we’re getting all abilities playing time and we’ve got some awesome peer tutors who are playing with them. What’s fun is the kids are all friends and they respect each other. So, we play together, we go to class together, we celebrate together.” Several Jordan High students, teachers and administrators were watching the games along with Canyons School District’s superintendent and other district administrators and school board members. “Jordan SBOs gave us a sendoff. They lined up, creating tunnels for us to go through and we got cheered and waved off for state. That was super special for our team,” Fox said. “Having the championships at RSL, it makes them feel like royalty.”

Copper Hills High unified soccer team waves to the crowd as they parade in for a regional soccer tournament. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Both Jordan teams as well as other teams, including Kearns High, that took first, were given medals by royalty — Miss Utah Sarah Sun and Miss Utah’s Teen Jaylynn Lindley along with Utah’s first lady Abby Cox. l

West Jordan City Journal

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Copper Hills girls suffer narrow playoff loss in highly successful season

ny competitor will tell you that it’s never easy to lose a game, especially in a winor-end-the-season tournament scenario. Close defeats can be particularly painful. The Copper Hills girls soccer team knows all about this. The Grizzlies fell to Layton in the Class 6A quarterfinals Oct. 12, prematurely putting an end to an otherwise successful campaign. Copper Hills went 14-4 this season and placed second in Region 2 with a 9-3 mark. The Grizzlies were just a game behind first-place Mountain Ridge in the region race. It was quite a turnaround from the previous season. Last year, the Grizzlies were just 5-13 overall and fifth in the six-team Region 3 with a 2-8 record. The team struggled to score, suffering five shutouts and having six other games in which it scored just one goal. But this year, with new head coach Justin Hendrix at the helm, Copper Hills engineered a nine-game improvement and outscored the opposition by a cumulative score of 53-19. Hendrix helped change the outlook of the players and the culture on the team. “[Hendrix] is a coach that has taken me under his wing and improved my mindset,” freshman Camilla Palafox said. “He is also one of my mentors because he will never make anyone on the team feel like they are less than

Page 16 | Nov. 2023

By Josh McFadden | j.mcfadden@mycityjournals.com someone else.” Hendrix’s influence was obvious throughout the season, but it was the players who made things happen on the field. Copper Hills earned the No. 3 seed in the tournament, which ended in heartbreaking fashion. Facing sixth-seeded Layton, Copper Hills fell 2-1, with all three of the game’s goals coming in the first half. Palafox scored Copper Hills’ goal on an assist from Sydney Torres. But the Grizzlies couldn’t get the equalizer in the second half. Copper Hills began the state tournament on Oct. 10 with a 1-0 win over 14th-seed Lehi. In a hard-fought contest, it took two overtimes for the Grizzlies to prevail. In the second extra session, Josie Montejano scored to clinch the second-round win. Palafox and Brenna Arauzo, a junior, shared the team lead in goals this season with 11 each. Palafox also topped the Grizzlies in assists with 12. Eleven other players scored for Copper Hills this season. Junior Sena Bell had eight goals and three assists, Torres had seven goals and four assists, and sophomore Anna Hendrix had five goals and four assists. Junior goalkeeper Aspen Fraser had seven shutouts. With several key players coming back in 2024, Copper Hills could be a force in Class 6A next season. l

Copper Hills freshman Camilla Palafox (No. 9 in white) led the Grizzlies in goals and assists, helping lead the team to 14 wins. (Photo courtesy of Camilla Palafox)

West Jordan City Journal

West Jordan girls soccer enjoys more wins, success in 2023

he move to Region 4 of Class 5A was kind to the West Jordan girls soccer team. The Jaguars might have not won a region title, and they suffered a loss in the first round of the 5A state tournament. Still, with seven victories on the year, the team enjoyed its most wins since 2020. West Jordan was 7-10 this season, the same record it had in 2020. The Jaguars were 6-4 in league play, good enough for second place. But what was perhaps most significant was the difference between this year’s winloss record and that of the previous two seasons. Last year, the Jaguars were 2-14, while they went 1-15 in 2021. In both seasons, they weren’t able to pick up a single region victory. This season, West Jordan earned its first league win by game two with a 4-0 shutout of Cyprus on Aug. 24. West Jordan then beat Granger 3-2 on Aug. 29, which preceded two consecutive losses. However, wins over Hunter (2-1 on Sept. 12) and Cyprus (3-0 on Sept. 14) followed, giving the team four wins in a six-game stretch. The Jaguars won their final two games of the regular season, a 1-0 victory over Taylorsville on Sept. 25 and a big 1-0 shutout of Kearns on Sept. 27. The regular season finale was a huge accomplishment for the Jaguars, as the win gave Kearns its

By Josh McFadden | j.mcfadden@mycityjournals.com

West Jordan went 7-10 this year, marking its most wins in a season since 2020. (File photo City Journals)

only region loss of the year. The state tournament game was a rough one for West Jordan. Playing on the road in the first round at Alta, the Jaguars lost to Alta 6-0. It was close at halftime—2-0—but the Hawks turned the game into a rout with four goals in the second half. Still, the season overall

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was a positive one for a West Jordan team that has had some struggles over the years. Five different players registered goals for the Jaguars this season. Far away, the leading scorer was senior Lexi Nelson, who had 14 goals to go along with three assists. Fellow senior Clara Pauni had three goals, while senior Taylor Smith scored twice.

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Sophomore Tatiana Cortes got a goal at Copper Hills on Aug. 11. Senior Malory Skelton had a goal in the win over Kearns and added an assist at home against Cyprus on Aug. 23 and another at Granger on Sept. 19. Reagan Day and Aspen Olson had an assist each. West Jordan had four shutouts this season. l

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West Jordan City Journal

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My Cell: 801.440.7035 Nov. 2023 | Page 19

Managing Grief in the Holidays

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olidays in grief can be particularly challenging with familiar and sentimental sights, sounds, and smells reminding us our loved one is not here. Because this period of the year is built around relationships, a death in the family can make these weeks very difficult. But rather than attempt to just “grope our way” through these special days, there are ways to grow personally through the holidays as grief becomes transformative for us. Saying goodbye to a loved one is anything but easy, especially if well-meaning friends and family members expect you to just “get on with your life.” Allow time and space for grieving and crying this holiday season. Keeping a journal can provide a vital opportunity for reflection during the holidays. These weeks will not be the same as before because of the “empty chair” at the table so the pain is inevitable. A list of favorite holiday activities might be quite lengthy but make that list anyway. The list might include many holiday traditions such when the house is decorated, when and where worship takes place, and in whose home the family meals are shared. Though it is impossible to do everything “just like when Mom was here,” you can evaluate what you do for the holidays and determine, with your family’s help, which of those traditions you want to preserve. In evaluating holiday traditions, consider creating something new. Lighting a special candle, purchasing a unique holiday decoration, providing gifts to a needy family, or hosting an international student can become meaningful holiday traditions. Well-meaning friends or family may want you to attend parties and gatherings, hoping to “cheer you up” but take control of your schedule and do only as much celebrating as you feel ready to do. Choosing which events to participate in acknowledges that grief is a tiring experience. Even under the best of circumstances, holidays can be taxing so attempting to attend every event, party, or celebration may bring about total exhaustion. Instead, say “no” to some well-intentioned invitations. Simply remind friends, “My energy level hasn’t returned to where it was before he died; thank you for understanding my need to decline.” Pay close attention to physical well-being, too. Adequate rest, good nutrition, and moderate exercise is essential for the grief process. Lean meats with fresh fruits and vegetables are better choices than sugar- and fat-laden treats. If your health care provider approves, a brisk walk or other moderate exercise can help you feel better physically and emotionally. And eating a healthy diet coupled with moderate exercise is a remedy for insomnia for many mourners. Be sure to consider the spiritual aspects of life, too. Because holidays have spiritual roots make sure to include time for worship and reflection during this period. Volunteering to help others or making a memorial contribution is a meaningful way to put feet to faith during the holiday season. While it is inevitable to face pain at the holidays, following these suggestions can help bereaved individuals and families find transformative growth during this special season of the year.

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West Jordan City Journal

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Treating you like family for

FUNERAL SERVICES AND CASKET $3,490 • We Guarantee the Lowest Price! • We Come to You • Cremation $750 • Plan Ahead • 3 Locations • Utah’s Best Value

40 years.

WORK WITH SOMEONE

YOU CAN TRUST!

FREE MEMORIAL FOLDER & BOOK

($175 value)

• Personalized Service • Local Market Knowledge • Top Quality Representation

With Funeral Service

801-930-9822

www.premierfuneral.com

“Real Estate Joe” Olschewski 801.573.5056 joeolschewski41@gmail.com

UTAH SPECIAL NEEDS OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

This law was established by the Utah State Legislature (§53-7-401) in 2020 to provide school choice options for Utah children with disabilities and their families. The program is funded by tax-credit donations, and is administered by Children First Education Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

BENEFITS TO CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

BENEFITS TO UTAH TAX PAYERS

Scholarships for children in K-12 with disabilities Funds used for school choice options like private school tuition or homeschool costs • Scholarship range from $8,560 to $10,700 based on family size and income • 250 Children on a waiting list who need help

• 100% State income tax credit for donations from individuals or companies • No limit on donation amount • Donors redirect money they would already be paying in state income tax, doesn’t compete with other charitable giving • Credits can be carried back 1 year or forward up to 3 years

• •

Visit www.cfe-fund.org or call 801-332-9066 for more information

WestJordanJournal .com

Nov. 2023 | Page 21

November Specials Sugar Cookies Almond Joy Shakes

Now Serving Bowls of Chili! 7903 South Airport Road • West Jordan

801- 566-4855 RileysSandwiches.com

$1 OFF ANY SHAKE! Limit 4 per customer. Expires 12/15/23.

Tuesday, November 14th

registration is now open!

7:15am-3:00pm

Utah Cultural Celebration Center

2023

CHAMBERWEST CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

STRENGTH OF THE WEST

Keynote presenters opening session ‘navigating by the stars in Cloudy skies’

Robert Spendlove Senior Economist, Zions Bank

Closing session ‘the road to trust: navigating Difficult Conversations to Reach Higher Performance’

DON'T GET CAUGHT

IN THE SNOW!

Snowblower & Snowmobile TUNE-UPS

OFF

Mention this ad for

10% OFF (Up to $100 value) Expires 12/15/23.

Mayoral panel featuring

Mayor Dirk Burton

purchase of $25 or more Not valid with other offers. Expires 11/30/2023.

385.253.0707

Annette York

Senior Consultant, FranklinCovey, Salt Lake City, UT

519 East 12300 South • Draper 801-998-8155 sweetlakefresh.com

Utah’s #1 Self Proclaimed Pet Odor Remover F R E E E S T I M AT E

City of West Jordan

Mayor Karen Lang West Valley City

reserve your spot now

We Clean Upholstery

OPEN FOR TAKE OUT

DELIVERY: Door Dash, Grub Hub, Uber Eats

801-280-4099

7251 Plaza Center Drive • SpudToddos.com

Page 22 | Nov. 2023

FrattoBoys.com

Also tile cleaning!

• 5 Breakout SessionTopics • Exhibitor Tables • Networking • Continental Breakfast & Lunch

sponsorship

opportunities AvAilAble Contact Barbara Riddle 801-540-6312 barbara@chamberwest.org

Heck Ya!

Cannot be combined with other offers. Expires 12/15/23

City of Taylorsville

ConferenCe also features

801-301-2863 - Patrick

Buy One Get One 1/2 Off

Mayor Kristie Overson

https://bit.ly/ 23CWFallConference

West Jordan City Journal

Hark! the Herald Angels Scream

t was the Peri Kinder Cabbage Patch Kid Life and Laughter frenzy of '83 and parents had lost their dang minds. I was a young mother and didn’t think my 6-month-old daughter needed the trendy toy of the year, but watching crowds of people attack each other over a doll was inconceivable. TV news showed Black Friday sales where hundreds of loving parents trampled their friends and neighbors to get one of the elusive Cabbage Patch dolls. I understand wanting to find the perfect present, but having mom arrested the day after Thanksgiving because she shot a store employee with a crossbow doesn’t exactly ring in the holidays. Each year brought a new toy so necessary and valuable that people went shopping armed with baseball bats and pepper spray to ensure they got the Furby, Beanie Babies, Tickle Me Elmo or Teddy Ruxpin for their child who already had too many toys. Shoppers expected riots, looting, broken bones and black eyes for every Black Friday sale. News reporters showed videos of chaos, pandemonium and anarchy. If you didn’t get a concussion while saving on bath towels, was it even Black Friday? I didn’t often participate in Black Friday, although I once waited outside Toys R Us at 5 a.m., in freezing temperatures,

to save $50 on a Barbie Dreamhouse. My early-morning shopping adventures ended when a full-grown adult stole my 8-year-old daughter’s promotional football at Mervyn’s. If I wanted to experience holiday anxiety, panic and frustration, I didn’t need to shop the Black Friday sales. I could feel all that stress in the comfort of my own home. But now, if there was a Black Friday sale on gas, gluten-free cake mixes or bags of dog food I’d definitely get up at 4 a.m. Today, Black Friday just isn’t the same. Instead of waiting in line for hours while your toes freeze, people just turn on their phones and cybershop until their fingers bleed. There’s no frenzy, bedlam, fracas, turmoil or mayhem. Not even a hullabaloo. Just scrolling and clicking. Like every other day. Americans are a wacky bunch. We spend Thanksgiving Day offering appreciation for our abundance and then eat until our livers explode. By midnight, gratitude is over and it’s time to spend until our credit cards warp. Within hours of Thanksgiving dinner, we’re in combat-mode, ready for holiday shopping. It’s so on-brand for Americans. Buddhists teach about a realm of hungry ghosts who have large stomachs but tiny mouths. They are tormented by unrelenting cravings that can never be satisfied. A student once asked Buddhist teacher and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh, “What is it like in the realm of hungry ghosts?” he answered, “America.” Ouch. But accurate. Because it’s not just Black Friday anymore. It’s Small Business Saturday, Shell Out Sunday, Cyber Monday, TakeAll-My-Money Tuesday and What-Did-I-Even-Buy Wednesday. Social media platforms taunt us with shiny items that

might ease the relentless craving for more. But only for a moment. Back in 1983, I never imagined how the world would change in 40 years. I thought we’d go on beating each other up for toys until the end of time. I never dreamed we’d be buying holiday gifts online, watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on our phones or hanging Christmas lights that could be controlled through an app. I probably wondered if we’d ever learn that violence isn’t the best way to start the holiday season. Especially a holiday with the catchphrase, “Peace on Earth, goodwill toward men.” Let’s face it, holiday shopping will always be a jungle. Speaking of jungles, what’s on sale at Amazon?

WEST JORDAN

PROFESSIONALS CONCRETE WORK

Reasonable Prices, Quality Work, Prompt Service

Medicare Insurance

Value

• Aging-in to Medicare? • Need a new plan to better suit you needs? • Just don’t understand Medicare? Ask the AN experts PLACE AD:serving Utah IHC Specialty Beneﬁts Call or text Cheryl 801-941-5262 Call

without the typical water softener problems

RESIDENTIAL / COMMERCIAL PLUMBING We’re in your neighborhood.

Flat work, Driveways, Patios, RV Pads, Sidewalks, Etc.

Call Dan: 801.518.7365 WATER SOFTENER RELIABLE SOFT WATER • Zero maintenance • No breakdowns • 2/3 LESS salt

For free in-home estimate:

801-254-5974 PLUMBING

DECKER PLUMBING LLC

801-412-9293

FREE ESTIMATES

visit www.KineticoUtah.com or call 801-890-5344

Water, Sewer, Water Heaters, Faucets, Etc. Licensed / Insured

REMODELING

GENERAL CONTRACTOR

Basement Finishing And Remodel Projects

Additions, remodels, new doors, windows 30 years licensed and insured

Carlson Kitchen & Complete Remodeling

801-979-8855 PROFESSIONAL PAINTING

MILLER CONSTRUCTION

GARY (435) 901-1331 GUTTER REPAIR

NobleOne Professional Painting Jack’s Pro Gutter and Cleaning Residential, Commercial, Interior, Exterior Reliable, Dependable, and CLEAN 25 Years of Experience

Call: 801-750-0977

www.nobleonepropainting.com

WestJordanJournal .com

85% of gutters are repairable!

21 years experience - licensed and insured SENIOR DISCOUNTS

De-icing and leaf protectors Call or text Jack

801-865-6382

Automotive Services

Randy’s Tire and Mufﬂer

Complete Auto Repair & Service Manager Owned and Operated Serving Bluffdale/South Valley for 3 Generations 14250 S Redwood Rd 801.254.9971

RandysTireAndMufﬂer.com TREE SERVICES

INTERMOUNTAIN TREE EXPERTS

HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING

Apex Clean Air

Installations & Repairs Call today for a free in home estimate.

801-449-1939

CONCRETE

T3 Concrete LLC

Specializes in Driveways, Walkways, Patios, Foundations, Retaining Walls, Basement Entrances Stamp & Color Concrete Call Mate’ for a FREE Estimate

801-918-8843

TRIBAL HOUSE MOVERS

DRYWALL REPAIR & PAINT

Support Sober Movers in Recovery Full Service • Across Town • Across Country Fast & Efficient • Fully Licensed & Insured Spa Movers • Piano Movers

40 Years Experience

Licensed and Insured / 30+ Yrs Experience

Have your own truck? We can pack it.

Focus on Quality & Honesty! Textures, Water Damage, Patches, Trim, Basements

FREE ESTIMATES

801-599-9957

801-696-7735

CONCRETE

PATIO COVERS & HANDRAILS

Removals . Trimming . Pruning

801-244-3542

Call Ala for Estimate 801-835-0051

www.tribalhousemovers.com • movers@menstribalhouse.com

Don’t slip and fall this winter! We offer quality handrails to ensure your safety.

• Steel Covered Carports, Patios & Porches • Steel Handrails NOW • Quality Decks Call John today for a FREE estimate.

HIRING!

801-205-5999

AnEConstructionLLC@gmail.com

Quality and Integrity for over 25 Years

ROOFING

PERMANENT LIGHTING

801-272-7000

All types of roofs

$650 OFF any reroof over 2,000 sq. ft.

TRIMLIGHT

Permanent Holiday & Accent Lighting Experts! Save Up to $800 Off Your Lights Today! Visit Trimlight.com/saltlake for full details.

801-890-3381

Call Mike for Free Estimate EMERGENCY WATER STORAGE

Blue 160 gallon water storage tank

Sale price $449 (retail $699)

(385) 393-1566 UtahWaterVault.com

WATER SOFTENER & FILTRATION

Water Softener & Filtration NuWater Technologies - Smart Technology - High Efficiency - Zero Maintenance also offering Reverse Osmosis, Water Storage Call for no cost Water Test

801-856-9671

Nov. 2023 | Page 23

NO SURGERY. NO DRUGS. NO GIMMICKS.

THE PAIN STOPS HERE • BACK PAIN

• SCIATICA

• SPINAL DEGENERATION

• NEUROPATHY

• FAILED SURGERY

• SPINAL STENOSIS

• ARTHRITIS

• WHIPLASH

• HERNIATED & BULGING DISCS

• AUTO ACCIDENT INJURIES AND MORE

Join the hundreds of patients that have experienced complete relief from the frustrating pain of severe back, neck, and joint problems without surgery, without drugs, and without having to live feeling miserable.

SPINAL DECOMPRESSION

86-94%

ROBOTIC GUIDED CLASS IV LASER

SUCCESSFUL in the Treatment of Serious Spinal Conditions!

“Dozens of doctors told me that there was nothing more that they could do to expect to be in a wheel chair. I went from the top 1% in the army Special Forces to being in so much pain that I could not tie my shoe or hold my new daughter. I did physical therapy and pain killers for years, but nothing worked. Finally, I went to Dr. Smith and I improved exactly as he told me I would. I couldn’t believe it! My wife cried, “I have my husband back.” —Steve M., Army Special Forces

Comprehensive Spinal Exam, Consultation (X-rays if needed) & 2 Pain Relieving Treatments for $37

(801) 302 02-- 0280 AUTO ACCIDENT INJURIES ARE 100% COVERED BY AUTO INSURANCE

Matthew D. Smith

D.C. CSCS Chiropractic Physician