Morethan 93 percent of Centerville’s households participate in the blue can recycling program, Wasatch Integrated Waste Management District officials told Centerville City Council members recently at their Sept. 3 meeting. This is among the highest in the 15 Davis and Morgan County communities that are members of the waste management special service district. (Bountiful is not part of the district).
In Centerville about 30 percent of households participate in the green can green waste program. District officials would like to see those numbers increase and are embarking on an education program this fall. Centerville residents can expect to see more information in their mail about what can and can’t be recycled and the best way to participate in those programs, WIWMSSSD Executive Director Nathan Rich told the city council that night.
The district handles about 40,000 tons per year of solid waste which equates to about a ton of solid waster per person per year generated in the district, Rich said. Over the past three years the district has seen an almost 20 percent increase in the amount of waste coming into its system.
“We attributed part of that to COVID,” Rich said. “We thought that that would be a bump, but numbers are still pretty strong.”
Over the past several years the district has implemented several programs to try and extend the life of the landfill which is currently expected to reach capacity in 18 years, Rich said. Among those is the practice of transferring about a third of the waste that comes into
Food trucks bring Farmington community together
By Shania Emmett | s.emmett@mycityjournals.com
Food trucks. For community events, parties, conventions, etc. people see these trucks almost everywhere something big is happening. During the summer and until the end of September several food trucks have come out to 980 Shepard Church Dr., Farmington. And it all started because one guy wanted to bring his community together.
“When I first moved into my townhome in Farmington Crossing back in 2006, I recall seeing artist renditions of what the community would look like once it was finished,” Aaron Waiss, one of the leaders on the Farmington Crossing HOA Board said. “Watercolor depictions of people walking around and socializing, sitting down on a bench by the pond, etc. At the time, and for many years after that, I was just fine staying home, barely even knowing my neighbors more than a passing ‘hi’. I suppose as I’ve gotten older, something changed where I wanted to get more involved in things and volunteer.”
Waiss said during the fall, he was encouraged to run for a spot on the HOA board and managed to get elected. “I wanted to get a little more involved in public service. I found that a lot of people actually shared the same interests as I did and just needed someone to get things started, so that’s what I did. I’m learning on the fly and doing my best to give people more things to do and become more involved if they so desire.”
An Earth Day community cleanup event back in the spring will hopefully become a yearly occurrence to help keep the property/trails cleared of trash, he said. “I don’t remember exactly what sparked it, but I was trying to think of other events that
the community might enjoy and I came up with the food truck idea, and people really seem to have enjoyed it.”
Waiss was able to get several food trucks to come to the neighborhood giving the community many options throughout the summer. From trucks like Nacho Average Nachos to Travelin’ Gyro there were quite a few food options to choose from.
“I was fairly surprised by just how easy it was to speak with and schedule most of the trucks and in general, most of the vendors have been great to work with and have been eager to give us a shot,” said Waiss. “I had so many options to choose from in the end that the trucks that didn’t respond to my inquiries I could simply move on from. All I had to do was reach out and engage them.”
There were a couple of trucks that required a minimum number of sales (where we would be responsible for the difference if they didn’t make that amount), he said. “With this being a new event this year, we really couldn’t afford to take that chance, but overall, the trucks have been very positive and happy with coming here, mentioning that everyone has been incredibly nice and generous.”
In the middle of September, Waiss had three food trucks come out and held a community-wide garage sale as well that gave the community a chance to sell things they didn’t need and socialize with the community at the same time.
“I wanted to make this an ‘event’ for community members and, really, the entire city of Farmington,” he said. l
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Hungry people wait in line at Rickle’s Food Truck. Aaron Waiss, a Farmington Crossing HOA Board leader, organized food truck events to bring the community together. Courtesy photo
IIn memory of Bradley W. Taylor-officers across Utah, Idaho, Nevada compete to honor fallen Sandy K-9 officer
n early September, the first Bradley W. Taylor Memorial K-9 Trials hosted more than 40 K-9 officers from across Utah, Idaho and Nevada in memory of fallen Sandy City K-9 officer, Bradley W. Taylor.
The event was hosted by the Bradley W. Taylor Memorial foundation which was started by Taylor’s wife, Marisa Taylor. Taylor hopes to encourage the use of K-9 officers and raise funds for K-9 training and equipment in her husband’s memory.
“I made the foundation to help Brad still reach [his] dream,” Taylor said. “Until you’re in the [K-9] world, you don’t realize just how important these dogs are, and then when you get there you realize how much work it is.” In honor of Bradley W. Taylor
Marisa and Bradley Taylor were raising their family in Davis County when tragedy hit.
Taylor’s tragic death occurred last year on Sept. 3 when he was only 29 years old. His death came suddenly, just weeks after being diagnosed with stage four melanoma and shortly after the birth of his youngest daughter.
“There is a little bit of a calm to know that he died loving his life—he loved his family, he loved his job,” Marisa Taylor said. “He had found a purpose and not everyone gets to say that.”
Marisa Taylor said she watched Bradley Taylor find his passion as a K-9 officer after he had tried many different career paths.
“When he found the police, there was a change in him in a good way,” Marisa Taylor said. “There he found his passion. He loved it. He loved that he had a purpose to help people, that he went to work every day and did something every moment he was there.”
It was in Sandy where he started training his Police Service Dog, Trigg.
“He trained that dog day and night,” Marisa Taylor said. “That dog was so spoiled—he got ice cream and he would have snow cones with us as a family. He did everything.”
After her husband’s death, Marisa Taylor started the Bradley W. Taylor Memorial to do three things: to support her husband’s dream, support K-9 units and help their young daughters know a different side of their dad.
“I will make sure my girls get to be involved in that world, and so they get to know that side of dad in a way that I can’t just tell them about,” Marisa Taylor said. “This way my girls get to know a different side of dad.”
She hopes to have her girls continue to attend the K-9 trials and be a part of that “family” of K-9 officers.
“I come to these trials, and they all know Brad,” Marisa Taylor said.
The annual K-9 trials hosted by the memorial foundation, she said, is an event to
By Rebecca Olds | rebecca.o@thecityjournals.com
not only push police officers and their dogs to train, but to offer outreach and support for underfunded departments.
“[Taylor] strongly believed that K-9 officers help to avoid deadly conflict and bring home officers and citizens alike,” reads the memorial’s website.
Its mission is “to help continue that legacy in his honor by providing essential funding for K-9 units” and “ensure these courageous canines are well-equipped to serve and defend.”
The first annual Bradley W. Taylor K-9 Trials
Participants for the K-9 trials came from institutions in Idaho, Utah and Nevada, including West Jordan and Sandy Police Departments, as well as Utah Transit Authority, who took home the prize for Explosives Top Agency per an Instagram post.
Sergeant Mike Jones from the West Jordan Police Department, leader of the national award-winning K-9 department, said all five K-9 trainers participated in the event to support the cause. He interacted with Bradley Taylor on several occasions when departments came from all across the valley to train in West Jordan.
Jones said after Bradley Taylor died, Marisa Taylor “wanted to make sure agencies that didn’t have the funding or support” would have “an option to reach out and have some money to get those things.”
“It’s expensive to run a good canine program, we are truly appreciative of being able to run this program,” Jones said of the West Jordan Police Department’s K-9 program. “Our dogs are getting called all over the place
to help other agencies that just don’t have the support that we do.”
West Jordan is one of the few agencies in the state, Jones said, that allow their handlers to spend at least two hours a day training with their PSDs. For other departments, most training is done on a police officer’s own time.
Jones’ PSD Vranik won first-place prizes in the obedience and agility categories and fourth place in the patrol area search and Tuff Dog competitions. The WJPD as a whole won the Top Patrol Agency Award of the whole event.
Taylorsville Police Department was awarded a new PSD who was trained by Next Level Canine during the event.
In total, the event raised more than $12,000 which will be used in part to host a winter training held by the foundation and the rest will be awarded to different police departments based on needs, Marisa Taylor said.
Police departments can fill out a form to apply for aid from the memorial on the memorial’s website at www.bwtk9memorial. com. l
West Jordan PSD Echo participates in the Brad Taylor K9 Memorial Trials, attacking a man in a Demanet bite suit. Photo courtesy Jossie Gagon
West Jordan PSD Harley stands next to award plaques for placing first in Top Patrol Dog and Vehicle Narcotics search, second in Criminal Apprehension and third in Agility. (Photo courtesy Mike Jones)bite suit. Photo courtesy Jossie Gagon
Farmington native named director of the SUU business program
By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
PaigeGardiner grew up on Lagoon Lane in Farmington. For years, she had a pass to the Lagoon Amusement Park where she loved to ride the classic, old roller coaster. Now, the Davis High School graduate is leading the Masters of Business Administration program at the Leavitt School of Business at Southern Utah University.
Gardener has worked at SUU for the last three years, teaching students the tools for digital and social media marketing. She’s excited to take on the challenge of this new role for a program that she said is improving lives.
“The SUU MBA is the largest MBA program in the state that’s publicly funded,” she said.
“In the southern part of the state, there’s not really an MBA program, so as St. George grows, we really want to be the dominant program to help all the people in the south part of the state. The goal is to continue to create accessible higher education opportunities for students that are affordable.”
Gardiner originally studied law but changed to business school after meeting her (now) husband, Carl. She thought his business classes looked fun and she soon discovered a love for marketing. She appreciated the creative aspect and enjoyed working with customers, helping them understand the psychology behind why people purchase a prod-
uct.
With a bachelor’s degree and MBA from Brigham Young University and a doctorate from the University of Wyoming, Gardiner will bring loads of experience to her new role. She’s also been teaching marketing to higher education students for more than 15 years. Her work background includes being on marketing teams for Novell, TenFold and Mediconnect Global.
The SUU MBA program is available online and can be completed in 1-2 years. More than 600 students in the program live in the Salt Lake or Davis County area. Gardiner said two of the biggest learning trends are business analytics and increased AI training.
“The students who are going to get the best jobs, and help us move forward, are students who have an understanding on how to use AI to write prompts, to increase our work productivity, to use AI to create videos and to use AI to create exams and documents,” she said. “We’re still on the frontier of AI. We don’t exactly know what that looks like, but we do know it’s important and we know our students need to have those skills.”
Gardiner looks forward to building the school’s MBA offerings, preparing students for careers and providing meaningful experiences during their time in the program. Flexibility and affordability are important to Gar-
diner as she wants to give students the best education that doesn’t break the bank. For more information about the program, visit suu.edu/academics.
“With the quality and growth of business in the state of Utah, the SUU MBA program is working to develop future business leaders that can continue developing economic
growth for our state,” Gardiner said. “I want the best for my students. I want them to have big lives which begin with a strong educational foundation. As director, I am proud to oversee an MBA program that offers premium education opportunities in a format that is accessible to all students in the Western region. ” l
Davis High grad Paige Gardiner was named director of the MBA program at Southern Utah University. She’s shown here with her husband, Carl, who also graduated from DHS. Photo courtesy of Gardiner
Two Centerville police officers receive promotions and recognition
By Linda Petersen | L.Petersen@mycityjournals.com
Two Centerville police officers were recently promoted and were recognized at the Sept. 3 Centerville City Council meeting. Both officers went through rigorous testing and interviewing before being recommended for their new positions, Police Chief Allen Ackerson said.
“We consider years of service with Centerville,” Ackerson said. “We send out peer evaluations to all the officers and staff where they are brutally honest in critiquing candidates. We consider education and training … There’s a written test and an oral board where they fire him with questions. They review his resume and then I have an opportunity to provide chief points based on my evaluation of them.”
Sergeant Shaun McWilliams, who was promoted in August, has been with the Centerville Police Department for seven years. He started his law enforcement career in Kansas as a state trooper where he served for 12 years before moving to Utah to become a highway patrol officer. He joined the Centerville Police Department in 2017 as a patrol officer and was promoted to a master officer two years ago.
McWilliams is a squad leader and negotiator with the Davis County SWAT team’s public order unit. He is also a member of the Centerville PD’s peer support team and is a standardized field sobriety test instructor.
In 2019 he was awarded the medal of valor by the Utah Peace Officers Association for his selfless actions when he helped rescue people trapped inside of a fully engulfed vehicle fire after a serious vehicle crash. In 2022 he and several other officers were presented with the Medal of Valor by then-Police Chief Paul Child in apprehending a suspected arsonist. Child also presented the detective division, then commanded by the
other officer being promoted, Lieutenant Will Barnes, then a sergeant, with a unit citation for their response to the same incident.
Barnes was hired by the Centerville Police Department in 2005 after putting himself through the Police Academy. He was a member of the former Centerville problem-oriented policing unit before being promoted to detective and then to sergeant. He spent time as the administrative patrol sergeant, followed by detective sergeant before being promoted to his new position in July.
Barnes is an assistant team leader with the South Davis Metro SWAT team and holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice administration from Columbia College.
“The lieutenant promotional process was once again a brutal employee evaluation where we consider years of supervisory experience, education and then we consider the number of supervisory specific trainings that he has received,” Ackerson said. “He goes through a panel interview where they grade him and then once again there are chief points and at the end of that process he was selected to be our lieutenant.”
Both officers not only survived this vetting but performed extremely well, Ackerson said.
Mayor Clark Wilkinson then took the opportunity to praise the department.
“I’ve noticed Bailey … here working hard serving food during Chief Child’s retirement [party] along with her mom, and I’ve seen that from all of your families at the department,” he said. “I’m just really impressed with how you involve the families as well. That’s really meaningful and important so thank you for that.” l
Bonnie McWilliams pins the sergeant’s badge on her husband Sergeant Shaun McWilliams. Courtesy photo/Centerville City
Bailey Barnes pins the lieutenant’s badge on her father Lieutenant Will Barnes. Courtesy photo/Centerville City\
STEM school NUAMES gives students head start on pathway to college
Editor’s note – This article was originally published in the Sept. 6 edition of The City Journal
Students and parents may not know there are other options besides attending a traditional high school, especially if they are particularly interested in the sciences. NUAMES (Northern Utah Academy of Math, Engineering and Science) is a charter school that offers classes specifically geared toward STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) along with the regular required curriculum.
“It’s been a school for 20 years,” said Nate Taggart, administrative director of business operations. “At the time, Gov. (Mike) Leavit wanted to make sure schools had a STEM emphasis that would give them a pathway to higher education.”
The Board of Education President went about establishing a partnership with Weber State University and put together Weber/ Davis/ Ogden campuses, he said. “It started small and there has been a partnership ever since.”
Kids can take regular classes and are eligible for college classes, said Taggart. “They can graduate with an associate degree. About half of our students graduated from WSU with an associate degree. They have a great start. It’s a great benefit.”
It’s a great culture, he said. “It’s rigorous but it’s a supportive environment.”
NUAMES has a platinum STEM school designation, Taggart said. “There is silver, gold and the platinum designation is the highest.”
It’s a safe environment where students feel comfortable, he said. “It’s a place where it’s cool to be smart and listen in class and do what the teacher asks you to do.”
Taggart said they have had exceptional outcomes on test scores. “We’re always at the top in the state both in ACT and end
Take an unusual journey with beloved fairy tale characters as they go into the woods seeking their heart’s desire in CenterPoint Legacy Theatre’s production of the Broadway musical “Into the Woods.” Follow Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk and Rapunzel as they cross paths and realize what they wished for might not be what they wanted.
The story begins with a boy who has run away from home and finds himself in the woods. A mysterious stranger gives the boy a book and through it the characters and their stories come to life.
The first story is of a baker and his wife who are longing for a child. A witch has cast a spell on their home because the baker’s father took vegetables from her garden many years ago. She tells them that if they will bring her certain items she will lift the spell and they will have a child.
One of her requests is a white cow. As they go in search of it they run into Jack who walks by with his white cow. He loves it but his mother has sent him out to sell the cow for the money they need. The baker and his wife try to outwit Jack in order to get his cow by trading it for some magic beans.
Other items the witch requires are a lock of golden hair, a golden slipper and a red cloak. As the stories of Cinderella, Rapunzel and Lit-
By Becky Ginos | becky.g@thecityjournals.com
of level testing. We’ve had an amazing number of students get scholarships. There were $7 million in scholarships offered last year.”
Students are being accepted by schools that are hard to get into like Harvard and MIT, he said. “There’s at least one student that gets a perfect score on the ACT. We’re starting to see kids come back who are successful in the medical or engineering professions. I feel we give the students a good base to go forward from.”
It’s a 10th - 12th grade public funded charter school, said Taggart. “There is no cost to those who attend. We make an effort to keep fees minimal.”
There are amazing teachers here, he said. “Some are from industry and have experience teaching and know how to make an impact on kids. Most have master’s degrees. A lot of concurrent enrollment classes are taught.”
Engineering, basic computer programming and aerospace engineering are popular classes, said Taggart. “We have a variety of computer science classes, game development to programming.”
There are also the typical courses such as science and math, all the core classes, he said. “Students also have the opportunity to take all of the classes WSU has to offer. Concurrent enrollment is only $5 a credit. Students can also receive a NUAMES scholarship. They have to have a certain GPA and ACT score to qualify for that. If they’re eligible they can easily get an associate degree and not pay anything to go to WSU.”
Ava Egan is a senior at the school. “I want to go into interior design,” she said. “I plan to major in business at WSU then get a master’s degree in business with a minor in interior design. I’ll graduate with an associate degree before graduating from high school.”
There aren’t the traditional extracurricular offerings at NUAMES like sports, dance, etc. “I’m a cheerleader at Northridge High,” said Egan. “They’ve been so supportive of me participating at my other school. I go to my first period there (Northridge) on campus. When they heard about my cheer they said ‘wow you’re going places.’”
Egan said she feels like she gets the full experience. “I get the best of both worlds. I do cheer there and go here so I have friends in both places. It’s helped my high school experience.” l
CenterPoint takes you ‘Into the Woods’
By Becky Ginos | becky.g@thecityjournals.com
tle Red Riding Hood unfold, the baker and his wife are making a plan to get what they need. Their craftiness plays havoc with the fairy tales, changing the outcome of “happily ever after,” but all is not what it seems.
The set is amazing with large trees draped in green and mist rolling across the stage. Drop down scenery for each fairy tale is fun and inventive. A booming voiced giant casts a shadow that looms large over the audience, spilling onto the stage frightening the characters below.
Delightful music and a great cast brings everything together in this mysterious tale.
Claire Glaittli (MWF) as the baker’s wife is wonderful as she schemes and manipulates her husband and the other characters into doing what she wants. Jake Heywood (MWF) plays her husband and gets sucked in by her wily ways.
Emily Sparks (MWF) makes the perfect Little Red Riding Hood with an innocent charm yet feisty nature that serves her well when it comes to the wolf (Dan Frederickson, MWF who also plays Rapunzel’s Prince) and the baker who is trying to talk her out of her red cape. Jack (Drew Dunshee, MWF) the wideeyed dreamer is unaware of everyone else’s devious intentions and just wants his cow back.
Cinderella’s Prince (Josh Egbert, MWF) and Rapunzel’s Prince (Frederickson) commensurate over the women they thought were
a dream come true only to find out that maybe they aren’t what they’d hoped for.
The musical is filled with well-loved fairy tale characters but with an unexpected twist that will have you wanting to go “Into the Woods.”
Into the Woods runs through Oct. 19, Monday – Saturday at 7:30 p.m. with Saturday matinees at 3:30 p.m. Tickets are $21.50$39.50 and can be purchased at CTPUtah.org or at the box office, 801-298-1302. CenterPointe Theatre is located at 525 N. 400 West, Centerville. l
NUAMES offers students a chance to complete an associate degree while they’re in school. Courtesy photo
Little Red Riding Hood (Emily Sparks, MWF) tells the baker’s wife (Claire Glaittli, MWF) about her encounter with the wolf.
Suicide prevention in the military community
Editors Note: Suicide is something that can affect everyone, but certain populations often find themselves at a higher risk. Active members of the military and veterans alike can struggle with increased stress, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress. Their struggles deserve to be recognized, and family and friends need to know the signs, and ways to help.
Suicide is complex. No two people end their lives for exactly the same reason. However there are common warning signs and risk factors that many people who die by suicide exhibited before their death.
We know that suicide can affect anyone, but we look at demographic data because some people may be at higher risk for attempting suicide or dying by suicide.
2023 preliminary data from the Utah Medical Examiner Database (Data Citation: Utah Medical Examiner Database, Office of the Medical Examiner, Utah Department of Health and Human Services.
TBy Teresa Smith, Jessica Brewer, and Jessica Bigler - Davis Behavioral Health
2024. (Population estimates are provided by the Kem C. Gardner Institute.)
• Nearly 700 Utahns died by suicide in 2023. This is the 2nd highest number after 2022.
• Among adults, veterans and service members in Utah die by suicide almost three times as often as non-veterans and non-service members.
• Among veterans who died by suicide with a current mental health problem, 25% had a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) compared to 2.4% of non-veterans.
Davis County (2023 suicide data for Davis County has not been released yet).
• In Davis County, 15,635 residents are veterans, who account for 6% of the county’s total population (U.S. Census).
Warning signs and prevention
Suicide is preventable when we know the warning signs and have the appropriate resources to reduce risk. Some warning
signs include:
• Talking about wanting to die, feeling hopeless or having no reason to live
• Looking for information about methods of suicide
• Sudden changes in behavior or extreme mood swings
• Sudden loss, move or rejection How can you help
If you feel that someone you know is in danger to themself or others, talk to them about safe storage of firearms and medications. The conversation can include locking up guns and ammunition separately or offering to store their guns or medications for them.
Resources
While the rate of suicide in Utah re-
mains unacceptably high, the resources available to prevent suicide have increased and become more accessible.
• If you are a veteran in crisis or concerned about one, the Veterans Crisis Line has caring, qualified responders available for free, confidential help 24/7. Call 988 and select 1.
• To learn whether stress and depression might be affecting you, the Veterans Self-Check Quiz is a voluntary and confidential service you can use online at vetselfcheck.org/Welcome.cfm
• Continue Mission is a program that provides recreational and educational events that offer healing and camaraderie which results in improved mental health. Check out continuemission.org/
• The Live On Military Playbook is designed specifically for service members and friends to learn the tools needed to help someone with thoughts of suicide. liveonutah.org/ l
New U.S. citizens celebrate a milestone moment
hey are business owners, college students and graduates, grandparents and community leaders, and now they’re citizens of the United States. On Sept. 13, more than 70 individuals, representing 32 countries, took the Naturalization Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America and declared loyalty to their new country.
“It’s a great honor to be here, to look forward to being a citizen of this beautiful nation,” said Ukrainian-American Vadym Storozhenko. “For every country that was represented here today, it's a great honor to be here today to share this achievement.”
Held at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center in West Valley City (1355 W. 3100 South), the event gathered new citizens and their families, Salt Lake County and Salt Lake City officials, and representatives from organizations that serve immigrants across the state.
Abdi Iftin, from the United Way of Salt Lake, came to Utah from Somalia in 2005 at 10 years old. He has since become a U.S. citizen and encouraged those in attendance to get involved in their communities.
“The journey to citizenship is not easy and each of us here today has our own stories to how we got here; stories filled with struggles, perseverance, resilience, and ultimately, stories filled with achievements,” Iftin said. “Citizenship is more than just a legal status. It is a call to participate, to contribute and to give back
By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
to the communities that have welcomed you with open arms...citizenship is not just about what we receive, but it’s also about what we give back.”
The naturalization ceremony was part of the Salt Lake Welcoming Week which included a proclamation signing and a resource fair for new citizens that provided voter registration, library information and other services provided by the county. The week also included a community history event and international celebrations.
The week’s theme of “We’re All In” was meant to encourage equitable conversations and inclusive opportunities for immigrant communities throughout the state.
Salt Lake County Clerk Lannie Chapman said more than 18 mayors across Salt Lake County signed the welcoming proclamation. While not all county mayors attended the event, mayors from Taylorsville, West Jordan and West Valley were on hand to welcome the new citizens.
Damian Choi represented the Salt
Lake City Mayor’s Office. As a naturalized citizen, Choi said he understood the emotions being experienced by those taking the oath of allegiance.
“Belonging provides us with an identity, a sense of meaning, connection and purpose. It happens when we join groups to solve tough problems in our cities, towns and movements that improve the conditions of our society.” Choi said. “My hope, as well as Mayor Mendenhall’s, is that you find the courage to continue towards kinship and belonging so that we build a culture of makers, thinkers and organizers to build a stronger community that is steeped in love and justice.”
Many new citizens and their families were visibly moved by the ceremony and eager to take their place as voters and community leaders. Several people spoke to express gratitude for the people who helped get them to this point in their lives. Lava Satini came to America from Tonga in 2019 and was among those taking part in the naturalization ceremony.
“I dreamed of this day ever since I was young,” Satini said. “My mom always taught me that America is the land of opportunities, but this day is so very special. This is a very monumental day for me and I’m grateful to be a part of this country and have the freedoms I have.” l
People from more than 30 countries took the oath of allegiance to become U.S. citizens at a naturalization ceremony during Salt Lake Welcoming Week. Peri Kinder/City Journals
HALLOWEEN SECTION
A publication covering local Halloween legends and activities for men, women, and children in Davis County
What’s Bigfoot up to these days?
By Braden Nelsen | braden.n@myscityjournals.com
October seems to be the perfect time for creatures of all kinds, but particularly those off the beaten path. Cryptozoology deals with and studies such creatures, those whose existence has yet to be proven conclusively, things like the Loch Ness Monster, Chupacabra, and, of course, Bigfoot. These animals, dubbed “cryptids” have all had their fair share of sightings, but in the United States, there’s one who seems to get in its steps more than any other.
Legends surrounding a large, human-like creature traipsing around the woods of North America have been around for at least 1,000 years, if not longer. These legends paint the creature sometimes as a threat, other times as a benevolent, if not antisocial force. The consistency, however, was the immense size of the creature, and its being covered in thick, often matted and messy hair.
It wasn’t until 1958, however, that the beast got the nickname so many know it by today: Bigfoot. This occurred when Jerry Crew, a worker in a logging operation in Humboldt County, California discovered 16-inch footprints near the worksite. Except for the immense size, they looked strikingly human, with five toes. Whenever something odd happened in the logging camp, the workers began blaming it on the “Bigfoot,” which has since become conflated with the legends of the large hairy human-like figure.
Although the footprints turned out to be a hoax, as admitted in 2002, the name has proved to have sticking power, and despite the other monikers like Sasquatch, the skunk ape, momo and others, Bigfoot rings familiar to most. Maps of Bigfoot sightings show a crea -
ture with incredible range, with sightings in most, if not all the continental United States, and major concentrations in the Pacific Northwest, and Pennsylvania.
But what about Utah? Has Bigfoot ever made a track in the Beehive State, and more particularly, Davis County? According to entries made on the Bigfoot Researchers Organization website, there have only been five sightings of Bigfoot in Davis County that people have actually come forward to relate.
The first happened in 1977 and tells the story of a bowhunter in Farmington Canyon. The anonymous report relates that the hunter heard an unknown growl coming from the undergrowth near his path on his way back to the hunting camp. Being an experienced hunter, familiar with most growling wildlife, the hunter was startled by the unknown sound and was again disturbed when, later that night, a dog brought by one of the other hunters began growling and barking at the same noise, this time, outside their tent.
The second account occurred in 2004 and involved three eyewitnesses. According to the account, all three witnesses were in a truck on Skyline Drive in Bountiful. Although it was nighttime, there was a bright moon out, and the driver saw an unidentified animal off to the side of the road. Not wanting to hit it if it bolted, he slowed and turned on his brights. All three watched as the animal rose to two feet, and ran up a steep mountainside nearby.
The other three sightings were attributed to media and newspaper reports at the time of the sightings, in 1996 and 1980 respectively. But what about more recently? Has Bigfoot left Utah for good? The most compelling photos and video recordings have been from as recent as 5-10 years ago, but, sightings
A still from the Patterson-Gimlin film, one of the most famous, and hotly debated images of Bigfoot. Public domain image
have still been reported as recently as last year, so who knows? Maybe Bigfoot is still around, keeping the Wasatch Range in check.
One thing is certain, believers in Bigfoot will keep believing, skeptics will keep being skeptical, but the sightings will likely continue. It’s also likely if Big -
foot is indeed out there, he (or she) may be more benevolent than malicious, as the records of sightings without incident are far more numerous than those in which the creature attacks. Besides, isn’t it a bit nicer to imagine a benevolent and protective spirit of the forest?
Frightmares nominated as top Halloween theme park event
By Bailey Chism | bailey.c@thecityjournals.com
Is Frightmares one of the best theme park thrills in the country? It just might be, having earned a nomination for one of the top Halloween theme park events nationwide. This prestigious recognition comes from USA Today’s 10Best, a highly regarded reader’s choice award that highlights standout businesses, restaurants, hotels, and attractions across a wide array of industries. With Halloween season fast approaching, this nomination places Frightmares in the spotlight, inviting both locals and tourists to experience its unique offerings.
USA Today praises Frightmares for creating an “entertaining atmosphere for thrill-seekers who prefer milder fun.” The park is adorned with elaborate Halloween decorations, transforming it into a festive wonderland that delights visitors of all ages. Themed performances and immersive experiences make Frightmares a memorable destination for families looking to celebrate the Halloween spirit. Notably, Lagoon’s blend of family-friendly attractions and haunted houses has garnered special recognition, with USA Today employing a unique spider rating system to gauge the level of spookiness – perfect for those who enjoy a thrill without going overboard.
This year, Frightmares is excited to introduce the “Nightmare Cabaret” at the Carousel Theater, a captivating performance designed to mesmerize guests with its thrilling spectacle. The show delves into humanity’s deepest fears and nightmares through a stunning combination of singing and dancing, promising to leave audiences spellbound. This artistic exploration not only entertains but also engages viewers on a psychological level, making it a highlight of this year’s event.
In addition to the cabaret, Lagoon is unveiling Peter’s Pumpkin Patch, a charming attraction brimming with fun activities for the whole family. Visitors can take part in pumpkin decorating, games, cookie decorating, and coloring activities, ensuring there’s something for everyone to enjoy. This new addition enhances the festive atmosphere of Frightmares, providing families with the opportunity to create lasting memories together during the Halloween season.
However, Frightmares faces stiff competition for the title of the best theme park Halloween event. Other esteemed nominees include Howl-O-Scream at SeaWorld, Brick-or-Treat at Legoland, Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens, and the iconic Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios, among others. Each of these events brings its own
unique flair to the Halloween celebration, making the competition fierce and exciting. Fans of Frightmares can show their support for this beloved Utah attraction by voting daily at 10best.usatoday.com/ awards/travel/best-theme-park-halloween-event-2024/ from Monday, Sept. 23 until Monday, Oct. 21 at 10 a.m. Each vote counts toward determining the winner, and the excitement builds as the deadline approaches. The results will be revealed on
Monday, Oct. 28, and the anticipation of who will take home the title adds to the thrill of the season.
Whether you’re a thrill-seeker looking for the perfect Halloween adventure or a family searching for festive fun, Frightmares offers an unforgettable experience. Don't miss your chance to be part of this spooky celebration and help Frightmares secure its place as one of the best Halloween theme park events in the nation.
Why we love to be scared: The psychology behind Halloween thrills
By Bailey Chism
As the days grow shorter and the air crisper, a curious transformation takes place. Porches are adorned with jacko'-lanterns, cobwebs, and eerie decorations, and people willingly seek out haunted houses, scary movies and tales of the macabre. The question arises: why do we love to be scared, especially around Halloween?
At the heart of this fascination is the adrenaline rush that accompanies fear. When faced with a frightening situation— whether it’s the jump-scare in a horror film or the ominous creak of a floorboard in a haunted house—our bodies react instinctively. The "fight or flight" response kicks in, releasing adrenaline and other stress hormones that heighten our senses and quicken our pulse. This surge of energy can be thrilling, especially when we know we are in no real danger. It’s the same reason people enjoy extreme sports or roller coasters; the controlled risk makes the experience exhilarating rather than terrifying.
Beyond the physical thrill, there’s a deeper psychological process at play: catharsis. Halloween, with its focus on the eerie and the supernatural, provides a socially
acceptable outlet for exploring our fears. In everyday life, we often suppress feelings of fear, anxiety, and uncertainty. Engaging with scary stories or participating in Halloween rituals allows us to confront these emotions head-on, in a safe and controlled environment. This confrontation can lead to a sense of release or relief, a psychological cleansing that leaves us feeling lighter and more at ease.
Another key aspect of why we enjoy being scared around Halloween is the social element. Fear, much like laughter, can be contagious. When we experience something frightening with others—whether it’s huddling together during a horror movie or navigating a haunted maze as a group—we create shared memories and bond over the mutual experience. The laughter and camaraderie that often follow a good scare are part of what makes these experiences enjoyable. They bring people closer, fostering a sense of connection and community.
The tradition of celebrating fear during Halloween has deep cultural roots. Originating from ancient Celtic festivals like Samhain, where people believed the veil between the living and the dead was at its thinnest,
Halloween has long been associated with the supernatural. Over time, these traditions evolved, blending with other cultural practices to create the Halloween we know today—a holiday where the scary, the strange, and the spooky are celebrated. Participating in these rituals, whether by donning a scary costume or telling ghost stories, is a way of connecting with these ancient traditions and honoring the past.
There’s also an element of curiosity and
exploration in our love of Halloween scares. The unknown, the mysterious, and the macabre have always fascinated humanity. Halloween provides a socially acceptable opportunity to delve into these darker aspects of life, to question what lies beyond the veil of our everyday existence. It’s a time to explore themes that are often taboo, such as death, the supernatural, and the afterlife, in a way that is both playful and profound. Halloween offers a form of escapism. In a world filled with daily routines and responsibilities, the chance to immerse ourselves in a night of fantasy and fear is a welcome diversion. It allows us to step out of our ordinary lives and into a world where anything can happen—a world of ghosts, goblins and ghouls.
So, as you carve your pumpkin, don your costume, or settle in for a scary movie this Halloween, remember that the thrill of fear is not just a seasonal pastime. It’s a complex, multifaceted experience that taps into deep-seated psychological needs and cultural traditions, making it a beloved part of the Halloween season.
Courtesy Lagoon's Facebook
10 family-friendly Halloween activities this month
By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
Halloween is a spooky time for families to create lasting memories. From eerie displays to costume contests, many activities in Salt Lake County cater to all ages, ensuring everyone gets in on the festive spirit. These family-friendly, spine-tingling adventures will bring excitement to your Halloween celebrations while keeping the scares at a comfortable level.
BooLights, Hogle Zoo (2600 Sunnyside Ave., SLC)
Specific nights from Oct. 2-30, 6:309:30 p.m., $12.95-$18.95
This after-hours light display transforms Hogle Zoo into a bewitching destination. With entertainment and attractions like Dr. Frankenstein's Lab Show at the Wildlife Theatre, the event is the perfect way to celebrate the season. Costumes are allowed, but face-covering masks and any resemblance of weapons are prohibited. Check HogleZoo.org for dates.
Little Haunts, This is the Place Heritage Park (2601 Sunnyside Ave., SLC)
October 11, 12, 18, 19, 25 and 26, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., $14.95-$18.95
Don your costumes and visit This is the Place for storytelling, trick-or-treating and take-home crafts. Learn about creepy bugs at the Creature Encounters and enjoy the petting corral, pony and train rides and more. Bring your own trick-or-treat bag. Tickets at ThisIsThePlace.org.
Riverton Halloween Bash, Riverton City Park (12600 S. 1452 West)
Monday, Oct. 14, 6-8 p.m., FREE
This annual Halloween tradition features age-appropriate games and activities for every family member. Snap holiday
pictures at the photo booth and enjoy the Scare Rodeo spook alley. Families are encouraged to wear costumes.
BOOtanical, Red Butte Garden (300 Wakara Way, SLC)
Oct. 17-30, Members $13, Public $16
BOOtanical Nights, 6-9 p.m. and BOOtanical Days, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Visit the magical world of Wonderland, where you can find hidden seeds and stop the Jabberwocky from transforming Wonderland forever. Join the adventure at RedButteGarden.org.
The Haunted Woods, Murray City Park (296 E. Murray Park Ave.)
Oct. 21-25, 5:30-9 p.m., $5
A family-friendly haunted attraction, the Haunted Woods offers a “Silly Trail” and a scarier “Spooky Trail” so everyone can have fun. All proceeds fund child abuse prevention programs. Tickets at MurrayHauntedWoods.com.
Monster Mash dance party, West Valley City Family Fitness Center (5415 W. 3100 South)
Friday, Oct. 25, 6-8 p.m., $5 per person, 50% off for members
The West Valley Halloween Dance Party is a fun time for the family with dancing, balloons and a costume contest. Pre-register by Wednesday, Oct. 23 at WVC-Ut.gov.
Halloween Fun Fest & Disability Resource Fair, Miller Conference Center (9750 S. 300 West, Sandy)
Saturday, Oct. 26, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., FREE
This event features trick-or-treating, sensory activities and DJ Rebecca to
keep the music hopping. Caregivers can chat with experts and find resources. Costumes welcome!
Samhain Festival, Gallivan Center (239 S. Main Street, SLC)
Sunday, Oct. 27, Noon-7 p.m., $13$15
Experience Samhain, the festival marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. Learn pagan traditions, enjoy live entertainment and food trucks, and activities for all ages.
Halloween Spooktacular, Abravanel Hall (123 W. South Temple, SLC)
Tuesday, Oct. 29, $8-$45 Wear a costume to this night of
Top 5 Halloween costume predictions for 2024
hair-raising melodies featuring music from Halloween favorites. Watch and listen as members of the Utah Symphony bring monsters to life. Find tickets at UtahSymphony.org.
Día de los Muertos celebration (Millcreek Common, 1354 E. Chambers Ave., Millcreek) Oct. 27-Nov. 2, FREE
Celebrate Día de los Muertos at Millcreek Common. Bring photos of loved ones for the community Ofrenda and enjoy the Halloween Party on Oct. 31 from 7-10 p.m. The big celebration is on Nov. 2, from 6-9 p.m., with the La Catrina parade, mariachi music, face painting, traditional treats and the movie “Coco.”
It’s always fun to watch the rotations of Halloween costumes over the years. From classics like ghosts and witches to pop culture references and puns, there’s something for everyone on Halloween. 2024 promises to have plenty of pop culture costumes, and so, in order to avoid dressing like everyone else at the party, here is our top five most likely Halloween costumes of 2024.
5. Dune – With the release of “Dune: Part 2,” there’s bound to be a few nods at Halloween parties to the cultural hit. While some costumes may be out of budget, and best left for the professionals, many other costumes are simple enough for
many to reconstruct without breaking the bank. Who knows, you might even see a sandworm or two in 2024.
4. Barbie and Ken – There are movies that are hits, and then there are movies that are a cultural phenomenon. Even though “Barbie” came out last summer, don’t be surprised to see more than a few people dressed in Barbie pink, or Ken’s fur coat. It’s an easy costume for a single person, a couple, or an entire group.
3. Beetlejuice – The “Ghost with the Most” returned to theaters this year, after a 36-year hiatus, along with his distinctive look. The striped suit, wild green hair, and pale complexion will likely make the rounds at Halloween parties, along with members of the Deetz family. Just don’t
say his name three times, or you might just never get rid of him.
2. Inside Out – The Halloween following the release of “Inside Out” in 2015 saw many families dressing up as the emotions from the subconscious of the main character, Riley. Pixar did a fantastic job making each emotion distinct in appearance in simple ways, and it made it possible for large groups to replicate. This year, with new emotions like anxiety, nostalgia and ennui, there’s bound to be more emotions out trick or treating.
1. Deadpool and Wolverine – Rising to the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time, 2024’s “Deadpool and Wolverine” brought some iconic comic-book era looks to life in the latest installment in the
Deadpool franchise, and the character’s introduction into the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s a sure bet that the bright red suit of Deadpool and Wolverine’s iconic blue and yellow will brighten Halloween 2024.
Of course, it’s a sure bet that other Halloween costumes will make an appearance this year. Iconic looks outside pop culture, classic monsters, pun-based costumes and more are ever present and represent the creativity of the world at large, but pop culture will likely continue to dominate the costume scene this Halloween.
Families have a variety of choices when choosing fun holiday activities in October. (Stock photo)
Clearfield Pumpkin Float returns
By Braden Nelsen | braden.n@myscityjournals.com
Is there any better time for pictures in Utah than the fall? The amazing colors on the trees, the slight drop in temperature, plus, pumpkins. There’s no more iconic symbol of the season than the bright orange gourd, and Oct. 14 those in Clearfield and the surrounding area can set theirs afloat in the third annual Pumpkin Float at Steed Pond.
Shaundra Rushton, Communication Manager for Clearfield City explained how the head of the city’s Parks and Recreation department got the idea years ago from attending a conference in which a city back East hosted a similar event. The city discussed it, and, finding there were really no similar events in the region, decided to host one of their own, and since then, it’s just taken off in popularity.
“It’s been really popular,” said Rushton, citing the 4,000 respondents from the Facebook posting for the event. Although floating the pumpkins is certainly the highlight of the event, a crowd favorite is returning for the 2024 Pumpkin Float –the Pumpkin Cannon. Built by the parks crew, this compressed air cannon will be launching pumpkins as part of the event. “Our residents think it’s legendary,” said Rushton, and the results speak for themselves.
One big change this year is a BYOP policy – bring your own pumpkin. As the event has grown, it has become more difficult to provide pumpkins for each attendee and participant, so, residents that want to see their pumpkin float, need their own gourd. Lights, and floats, however, will still be provided by the city. Rushton
a one-way ticket for the Jack o’ lanterns. Participants will not be able to recover their pumpkins following the event.
For “one night only, they’re going to shine bright,” said Rushton. Following the event, the parks crew will be there late into the night, recovering the pumpkins and the floats to ensure minimal ecological impact, and “give the pond back to the ducks.” All in all, a much better fate, and photo opportunity for a Jack o’ lantern than decaying on a porch in mid-October.
There is no registration necessary for the event, and Rushton encourages people from all over to “Just show up with their pumpkins. Come out, and give it a try!” People from all over, not just Clearfield are welcome, and even those who don’t have a pumpkin, or don’t want to set theirs adrift can come and witness the spectacle of these floating lights on the water. Yard games will be played, and hot chocolate will also be available while supplies last, but attendees should plan on eating either before or following the event, as there will be no food trucks.
The 2024 Clearfield Pumpkin Float will take place on Oct. 14, from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Steed Pond. Lights and foam boards for floating the pumpkins will be provided, but those wishing to participate need to bring their own carved pumpkins this year. More information on the Pumpkin Float and other Clearfield events can be found at clearfield.city/events.
also reminds participants that the float is
DAVIS COUNTY— Autumn offers a much-needed change of pace, and despite the pumpkin spice nay-sayers, it may well be one of the best times to get out and enjoy this
Gleaming faces reflect on the surface of Steed Pond during the Pumpkin Float.
Pumpkins are blasted out of the Pumpkin Cannon – a fan favorite that returns this year. Photos courtesy of Clearfield City, Shaundra Rushton
Summary:
beautiful world.
SteveA Life in the Wild: The Conservation Legacy of Steve Bates
Bates, a wildlife biologist on Antelope Island, has dedicated his career to conservation, driven by a childhood passion. He’s tackled habitats across the United States, especially Antelope Island.
“I grew up in the home of a wildlife game manager,” Bates said. “[I] knew that’s what I was going to do from the time I could walk, and did what I had to do to get there.”
Bates began at Utah State University Eastern, where he completed his associates program, before transferring to Utah State and finishing his bachelors in Fish and Wildlife Management. He finished his masters at BYU, after doing a field project on black bear.
After college, Bates moved his family to Florida, where he took a job for the Florida State Parks, managing threatened animals. During this time, Bates began doing a lot of prescribed wildfires, a controlled burn that targets overgrowth.
“[We] burnt a lot of acreage in Florida,” Bates said. “We were trying to get our parks to mimic natural conditions.”
Bates left his job with the Florida State Parks after Hurricane Andrew.
“I actually ended up as a manatee biologist for 10 days,” Bates said. “Then my wife and I just looked at each other and said ‘let’s head west.’”
After six and half years in New Mexico,
Editor’s note – This article was originally published in the Sept. 20 edition of The City Journal
It’s official – Autumn begins this week, Sept. 22, 2024. It’s a new beginning, a new season, and one full of possibilities. While the City Journal addressed the ‘Ber’ months in a previous issue, Autumn itself deserves some special attention. Unfortunately, the online community has labeled Autumn and those who enjoy this season as “basic” –something that is far too mainstream, and overhyped, but the following may just go to show why this season deserves all the love it gets.
For centuries, Autumn has marked a bracing for winter. Traditionally, Autumn has been the season of harvest, bringing in as much produce as possible before the first frost, and the first hard freeze threaten crops. Often, this harvest has also been part of larger celebrations, like Thanksgiving, in which the harvested bounty is shared with a community of friends and family, bringing warmth to home and hearth before the onset of winter.
As the years moved on, and the world became more connected, innovations in
By Bridger Park | b.park@mycityjournals.co
his brother sent him a job announcement for Antelope Island, where he has been for about 25 years and six months.
Bates said the important project was installing a 100,000 gallon tank, gravity fed down to four drinkers. Two mimic small creeks, and the others are like circular pylons. The lower are for the bison, and the upper feed mule deer and bighorn sheep. This project coincided with a major drought cycle, giving the animals more options in the hard years.
“Since I’ve been on the island I’ve just watched the water retreat back up the moun-
tain. So this was just a security measure and to get us through tough drought years,” he said. “It’s working really good – full and self-sustaining, and that was a real big get out here just to have consistent water supply.”
Bates has also installed 10 guzzlers across the island, which are usually like big water troughs. The guzzlers are mainly for the bighorn sheep, causing them to distribute to water supplies and expand their range. In 2018 these sheep contracted domestic sheep diseases.
“Nobody knows for sure what happened, but odds are we had a sheep wander off the island, contract the disease, and then come back,” Bates said. “They brought that to the remainder of the others on the island. They all pretty much succumbed to the disease.”
Two years after the eradication 11 miles of fencing was built around the southern end of the island, as a deterrent for sheep leaving the island, and the reintroduced sheep from Arizona and Montana, were all collared.
“There’s a few [sheep] now that don't have collars, but you can see where they go to the fence and then turn back,” Bates said. “So it’s working as intended, keeping them here.”
The icon of animals on the island, and the reason the island was founded in the first
Autumn – celebrating a season
By Braden Nelsen | braden.n@mycityjournals.com
shipping and food preservation made the focus on harvest less of a necessity and more of a tradition. Sure, in the 20th century, many people could find canned goods or even fresh produce in the dead of winter, shipped from warmer climes, but the traditions of harvest foods endured, like corn, potatoes, both sweet and savory, and of course, pumpkin with all its associated products.
This leads to one of perhaps, the most divisive aspects of Western autumnal culture – pumpkin spice. Love it or hate it, pumpkin spice has become the unofficial flavor of the season. Everything from lattes to cookies, to shakes and more, but what actually is in pumpkin spice? Ironically enough, the seasoning itself does not include pumpkin, although many products will add that flavor in addition. Pumpkin spice is a mixture of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger, with some mixtures including allspice.
Oddly enough, similar mixtures have been found in cookbooks dating back to the Middle Ages and Renaissance, but the official pumpkin spice, or pumpkin pie spice was codified in the 1890s. Pumpkin spice is a classic example of the old saying, if it’s not broken, don’t fix it. The spice has worked and been a favorite ingredient for over 700
place, are bison. Tourists from all over flock for the opportunity to see the staple of American history.
“When I started out here, bison weren’t really managed for anything but the enjoyment of the public,” Bates said. “Which is rightly so, it is the top priority.”
Bates converted the bison to a cow calf production unit, and people see more than they ever did before. A cow operation allows for more reproduction every year. Bulls are more fun for tourists to look at, but cows are far more important for birthing ratios.
“We used to get about a hundred animal bumps every year,” Bates said. “Now we’re over 250 every year.”
Bison from Antelope Island have fed countless conservation efforts across the country. Bates has done a massive amount of work with what was once a ragtag herd of bison, from habitat restoration, to genetics, there has been a noticeable uptick in the health of the herd.
These successes have defined Bates’ career. His influence on the island is there with men like John Freemont, Kit Carson, and John Dooly. The difference for Bates, unlike the others, is that there is no questioning his impact on the island was positive.l
years, why mess with success?
Variety, as the saying goes, is the spice of life, and Autumn provides a fantastic change of pace from the dog days of summer. There’s plenty to see and do in general, as well as the many Autumn-specific events in Davis like the Scarecrow Walk, Frightmares at Lagoon, concerts, and more. There’s never a better time to have a great season than the present, and fall 2024 promises to be an outstanding one. l
Public domain image.
Photo courtesy of Steve Bates
As auto insurance premiums rise, other car-related costs fall
Getting behind the wheel of a car has become more affordable – for the most part. New and used car prices are down, while inventory levels are up. Car-related costs like maintenance, repair and gas have all improved over the past year.
The price of used cars and trucks tumbled 10.4% from August 2023 to August 2024, while the price of new cars and trucks dropped 1.2%, according to the latest Consumer Price Index. Electric vehicle prices have fallen even further, a result of carmakers overestimating consumer appetite for the emerging technology.
It’s taken time for the automotive industry to recover from the pandemic-era declines in production, sales and international trade. Now that new car inventory is normalizing, it’s also easing the burden on the used car market that saw skyrocketing prices in the last several years.
With more new vehicles in showrooms, dealers are offering more incentives. Edmunds reported that the average discount for new vehicles climbed to $1,687 in the second quarter of 2024 compared to $611 in the second quarter of 2023.
Buying a new car is the most affordable it’s been in more than three years, according to the Cox Automotive/Moody’s Analytics Vehi-
Continued from front page
the landfill to the Waste Management-owned Tekoi Landfill on the Skull Valley Reservation. The district also owns a quarter of the Bay Hill Landfill in Utah County, but it is costly to send its waste there because it is 125 miles away, Rich said.
“We know that there are better things we can do with our waste,” he said.
District programs include green waste recycling and composting which processes about 25,000 tons of waste each year.
“It’s a good example of upcycling,” Rich said. “We take something of no value and turn it into value.”
The district also provides citizen drop off and recycling services along with free household hazardous waste and electronic waste drop off at the landfill and sees about 2,000 transactions a day on a busy Saturday, he said.
It also operates a thrift store where usable material is pulled out of the waste that’s delivered. Although it’s a small program, “it’s an excellent educational opportunity to help people understand how much of a throwaway society we are,” Rich said.
In addition the district processes methane from the decaying landfill waste to generate about 2.5 megawatts of electricity utilizing Hill Air Force Base generators.
The four-year-old materials recovery facility was originally designed to process raw municipal solid waste and pull recyclables from it to produce an engineered fuel feed but
By Robert Spendlove, Zions Bank Senior Economist
cle Affordability Index. This is due to a combination of lower prices and interest rates and higher incomes and incentives.
Interest rates on car loans fell slightly in August for the first time in two years. In September, the Federal Reserve dropped its key interest rate a half a percentage point, but it could take some time for the effects of monetary policy to reach the car market. Average car
was reengineered after partnerships to accept that product fell through. It now processes blue can recyclables and acts as a transfer station for material that will go to the Skull Valley landfill, Rich said. As the landfill reaches the end of its life, the district will need to add a second transfer station, he said.
District officials are hopeful that over time they can educate member cities and their residents about the benefits of bundled services, which would offer basic garbage disposal along with the blue and green can recycling programs to all residents. In the past
loan rates closely track the five-year Treasury note, which is influenced by the short-term Fed Funds rate. However, auto loans are also influenced by the borrower’s credit history, the type of vehicle, the loan term, and the down payment.
About 73% of consumers say they’ve held off purchasing a new vehicle because of elevated prices, according to a 2024 Edmunds poll.
there has been some resistance from some communities in making this a mandatory program, Rich said.
If member communities became more amenable to bundled services it could lead to more robust curbside recycling and could extend the life of the landfill by diverting even more waste, Rich said. In the meantime, the district has implemented a recycling incentive, a reduction on the cost of the standard garbage cans based on the amount of waste the cities are able to divert through the use of the recycling cans. Participating cities includ-
Now falling prices and more favorable financing terms may bring these potential buyers off the sidelines.
One car-related cost that continues to climb is auto insurance. Over the past year, car insurance prices have accelerated 16.5% –more than any other price category measured by the Consumer Price Index.
This surge in auto insurance premiums stems from a combination of factors. Up until last year, car insurers have been paying more in auto repair costs, along with the rest of us. While vehicle maintenance and repair inflation has slowed to 4.1% over the past year, it surged 12% from August 2022 to August 2023. There is a lag between when insurers incur extra costs and pass them on to consumers.
While the Fed was raising interest rates over the past few years in response to overall inflation, borrowing costs increased, causing car demand to drop. Persistent labor shortages sent repair costs surging, increasing insurance prices. Now, excess supply is leading to falling car prices, and lower interest rates should lead to lower borrowing costs.
Robert Spendlove is senior economist for Zions Bank, a division of Zions Bancorporation, N.Al
ing Centerville should shortly see the price drop, Rich said.
Wasatch Integrated Waste Management District will hold a public open house on Nov. 15, from noon to 4 p.m. at its materials recovery facility which is located west of the Davis County Landfill at 3404 North 650 East in Layton. Those who are interested in seeing what happens to their garbage will be able to tour the facility and enjoy some complimentary food. Tours can be organized at other times for those who are interested, Rich told the Centerville/Farmington Journal. l
Clearfield opens park designed by young city resident
By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
When Rosili Olson saw plans for the new playground near her home last year, she realized her little sisters, Airis and Addy, would struggle climbing on all the ropes. So the 11-year-old Clearfield resident drew up designs for a new playground that would accommodate younger kids. She decided to ask city officials if they could use her design instead.
Her mom, Annie Olson, called Eric Howes, Clearfield community services director, and asked if he would meet with Rosili to review her playground ideas. She just wanted her daughter to experience talking with city leaders but Olson could never have imagined what happened next.
Howes was impressed with Rosili's thought process and wanted to make her design a reality. He told her they had already ordered the playground equipment for the park near her home, but they had plans to add a playground at Bicentennial Park (931 E. 600 South).
“Rosalie had seen that there was something she didn’t like and so she drew all of those drawings and came to talk to somebody about it,” Howes said. “We went through all the details of what would make a good playground for her and her sisters.”
Using her drawings, Howes invited
For many in Utah and across the United States, growing up in the public school system meant learning about and celebrating the legacy of Christopher Columbus. He was introduced simply as the man to discover America, and that’s why we celebrated him. However, there have been some significant problems with this narrative that necessitate reinvestigation of the holiday this month.
One of the largest and most important reasons why Columbus Day has come under scrutiny is the way he interacted with the Native population he encountered. Slavery, murder, assault and other atrocities committed by Columbus and his followers have made many ask why he is a figure worthy of celebration. For many, the answer has been to rename the day Indigenous People’s Day, which is certainly a huge step in the right direction. For others, the claim that Columbus was still the one to discover the Americas merits, in their view, celebration.
There are some problems with this claim, however. Firstly, the existence of a native population confirms that Columbus did not, in fact, discover this land. There were already people living here, and therefore, they, their ancestors, or someone en-
of all ages can enjoy.
“I wanted everything to fit the park and look good with the park,” Rosili said. “We have some monkey bars for kids, some climbing stuff, some slides for younger kids and music stuff. My favorite part is the logs because they’re super fun to climb on and I think they’ll be fun for a lot of kids.”
Olson said Rosili has always looked out for others, especially her sisters. She said her daughter’s empathy is demonstrated by how she cares deeply for the people around her.
Rosili to become part of the design process for the new park. He reached out to Taft Egan, an engineer with Big T Recreation, and asked if he could bring Rosili’s park to life.
“She met with Eric and did a bunch of meetings,” Olson said. “They educated her
about taxes and the budget, and made sure things were up to code. They educated her on all that stuff and they went through the whole process together.”
Rosili learned about compromise, teamwork, park safety regulations, city procedures, tax dollars and collaboration. In less than a year, the park was completed. The city held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 24 to officially introduce Rosili’s park to the public.
Rosili, a seventh-grade student at North Davis Junior High School, was excited to go through the steps she needed to take with the city to make a place that kids
The case for Leif Erickson Day
By Braden Nelsen | braden.n@myscityjournals.com
tirely different discovered it. Furthermore, if the claim is that he was the first person of European descent to discover the Americas, there is another issue.
Leifur Eiriksson, more commonly known as Leif Erickson, was likely born
in Iceland in the 970s CE. A well-known figure in Norse and Viking history, Leifur carved out his niche as an explorer and was recorded in the “Saga of Erik the Red” and the “Saga of the Greenlanders” to have landed on and settled in the Amer-
“She is probably the most kind person and thoughtful person you’d ever know,” Olson said. “I think what drew her to this is her wanting to make her sisters happy.”
Howes was impressed that someone so young could see a problem and come up with a solution, instead of complaining. He wants to take that lesson to heart and hopes others can learn from how Rosili handled the situation.
“I've been doing this for 25 years and this is one of my favorite experiences of my whole career,” Howes said. “Somebody that young, handling a situation that she didn’t like, in that way. What an example.” l
ican Continent. If true, this account would credit Eiriksson as the first person of European descent to have set foot on the American continent, but, such sagas are always hard to verify.
The Norse Sagas have a habit of incorporating mythological elements into history, such as dragons, trolls or other creatures. However, in the 1960s, excavations at L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland unearthed an amazing find. An entire Norse settlement was found, including buildings, artifacts, and evidence of a bustling civilization, thereby confirming that Eiriksson, or others like him, did in fact reach the American continent sometime between 990 and 1050 CE. This puts their landfall at least 442 years before Columbus, and likely even longer.
It may well be time, given that Columbus was neither the first European here, nor was he an upstanding man, to retire Columbus Day as an American Holiday, and instead, recognize Leifur for his achievements, celebrating, in tandem, Indigenous Peoples Day, honoring the people that really were here first, both indigenous, and from across the sea. l
Rosili Olson, 12, worked with Clearfield City to design the new Bicentennial Park playground. (City Journals)
A statue of Leif Erickson, donated by the United States to Iceland, which stands in front of the Hallgrimskirkja in the capital city of Reykjavik. Photo by Braden Nelsen
The new playground at Bicentennial Park was officially opened on Sept. 24, as the designer, Rosili Olsen, was recognized for creating the play area. (City Journals)
Teen Living Center opens its doors to most vulnerable kids
Editor’s note – This article was originally published in the Sept. 20 edition of The City Journal
When Jill Bergman walked into Davis Education Director Jodi Lunt’s office almost three years ago, she knew about Teen Centers in the high schools that provided resources for kids experiencing homelessness, but she asked, “where will they sleep?” That’s when the idea for a Teen Living Center (TLC) was born. That idea came to fruition last month as the Center opened its doors to teens experiencing homelessness who need a place to stay while providing resources to keep them on track for graduation.
Jill and her husband Rod Bergman donated the money to buy the property for the 10,000 square foot 16-bed facility located at 75 N. Fort Lane just east of Layton High School.
“Look what we can do together collectively, the impact this community will have on lives and generations to come for our young people to have a future that has hope,” said Lunt. “I’m so excited to open these doors and provide futures and hope and light for some of our most vulnerable children who don’t know what tomorrow will look like. We are here to lift and ensure that everyone in this community has the opportunity to thrive and succeed.”
Third-party nonprofit, Switchpoint Community Resource Center, will operate the facility with Davis School District, Layton City and Davis County acting as coordinating partners in accessing key community resources, according to the Foundation.
“This fits our mission of self-sufficiency to get out of homelessness,” said Switchpoint CEO, Carol Hollowell. “If we can help youth at this level I won’t see them as adults. We can
By Becky Ginos | becky.g@thecityjournals.com
break the cycle now.”
Many of the kids who will come here don’t have life skills, she said. “A lot haven’t learned how to cook without a microwave or do simple housekeeping. We want to get them to a place where they can graduate from high school and move on to be self-sufficient.”
Kids staying here have to attend 90% of school, said Hollowell. “They have to have passing grades and participate in 20 hours of after school activities. It can be anything, clubs, athletics, etc.”
The average stay is four months, she said. “We will try to place them back with their family or find someone who can take them in, like a foreign exchange program where a functional family can take them for
ment for the kids. We help them with homework and filling out paperwork for college. We’re their support system.”
“There’s no question that the role of the Davis School District is to educate students,” said Superintendent Dan Linford. “Our students come in all shapes and sizes from diverse backgrounds. We take them all. We don’t turn anyone away but sometimes we have to do extraordinary things to help students and to preserve the learning environment for all.”
Linford said sometimes to meet the students’ needs the district builds football stadiums and provides coaches and teams. “Sometimes we provide food for students who have food insecurity. It’s impossible to know what others are going through. What we’re committed to is ensuring that in those rare cases that a student needs a place to sleep that we can at least point them to the opportunity to receive these kinds of resources.”
These are all things that help students learn, said Linford. “This helps us with our primary mission, to ensure that all students can learn at high levels.”
the rest of the school year.”
Hollowell said Switchpoint is a liaison with the school district. “We’re advocates and work hand-in-hand with the district. Ours is a support staff that can create a safe environ-
“The underlying goal is to give children hope so that they don’t repeat the cycle,” said Hollowell. “We’re breaking the cycle of poverty so they can say ‘I can do this.’ They can see the light at the end of the tunnel.” l
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2024 4:30-7:30 PM DAVIS CONFERENCE CENTER 1651 N. 700 W. Layton
Davis Education Director Jodi Lunt and other dignitaries cut the ribbon on the new Teen Living Center.
The 10,000 square foot 16-bed facility will assist teens experiencing homelessness with overnight housing.
Photos by Becky Ginos
Visitors tour the Center at last month’s ribbon cutting. The facility has a homey look and feel to it.
Monday Hoarders
A&E 6 p.m.
This reality series depicting the lives of those who suffer from compulsive hoarding disorder returns for its 16th season with two back-to-back episodes. The first episode focuses on Tim, while the second catches up with Nathan and Kathy.
The Price Is Right at Night
(2) KUTV 8 p.m.
Come on down to an all-new episode! Drew Carey hosts as audience members step up to win amazing showcase prizes by correctly guessing the price of everyday items in this prime-time edition of the classic game show. What will the contestants win this time?
Tuesday
An Oprah Special: The Presleys — Elvis, Lisa Marie and Riley
(2) KUTV 7 p.m.
Legendary broadcaster Oprah Winfrey visits Graceland Mansion in Memphis, Tenn., to interview Riley Keough, the granddaughter of Elvis Presley, about the king of rock and roll, her mother Lisa Marie Presley and the history of rock’s most famous family.
Accused
(13) KSTU 7 p.m.
The Season 2 premiere of this anthology series follows people caught up in the world of crime and punishment — but from the defendant’s point of view. This season features the likes of Debra Winger, Mercedes Ruehl, William H. Macy and Michael Chiklis.
Wednesday
Survivor
(2) KUTV 7 p.m.
Jeff Probst has the castaways on edge as they compete along the coast of Fiji’s beautiful Mamanuca Islands. Hoping to build upon their alliances, several contestants look to schmooze their way into the good graces of others to avoid being voted out. The Floor
(13) KSTU 8 p.m.
After a successful first season, this unique game show is back and bigger than ever. In fact, Season 2 adds 19 more contestants to make it an even 100. With more contestants vying for the $250,000 grand prize, expect things to be far more competitive.
Thursday
Big Brother (2) KUTV 7 p.m.
If ever there was a show that made living alone seem like a genius move, this is it. This season has felt like a bloodbath. While the veto made some interesting situations earlier on, even host Julie Chen Moonves must be looking over her shoulder.
Law & Order (5) KSL 7 p.m.
Living in New York City can be amazing — unless you’re a criminal. After the murder of an AI-infused dating app founder, officers Shaw (Mehcad Brooks) and Riley (Reid Scott) investigate who might want the romance-obsessed entrepreneur dead.
Friday
College Football (13) KSTU 6 p.m.
Northwestern heads to Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium in College Park, Md., to play the University of Maryland. With Northwestern leading the rivalry 3-1, can Maryland make a notch in evening things up? Or will Northwestern continue their dominance?
Social Studies
FX 11 p.m.
High schoolers in Los Angeles discuss
Nobody Dumps My Daughter LIFE 6 p.m.
As Neil Sedaka is fond of saying, “Breaking up is hard to do.” Especially if you are dating Theresa (Jasmine Vega), whose mother, Mary (Ana Ortiz), will stop at nothing to keep her daughter in a relationship, including bribery and hiring a hitman.
Saturday Night Live
(5) KSL 9:30 p.m.
Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night! This award-winning ensemble sketch comedy series has been entertaining audiences since 1976. Current cast members include Michael Che and Colin Jost. Ariana Grande hosts this episode. Stevie Nicks performs.
Sunday
America’s Funniest Home Videos (4) KTVX 6 p.m.
When he’s not holding down the fort on “Dancing With the Stars,” host Alfonso Ribeiro sits back with a studio audience to enjoy the funniest home videos from across the U.S. After viewing all the country has to offer for the week, they vote on the best.
Tracker (2) KUTV 7 p.m.
An entire family has gone missing in the deep forests of Arkansas in this Season 2 premiere. As Colter (Justin
Monday
(30) KUCW 8 p.m.
Superman & Lois
The Season 4 premiere of “Superman & Lois,” which airs Monday, Oct. 7, on The CW, finds Lois (Elizabeth Tulloch) and the boys, Jordan (Alex Garfin) and Jonathan (Michael Bishop), struggling with their grief over the death of Superman (Tyler Hoechlin). Meanwhile, Lex Luthor (Michael Cudlitz) just wants to enjoy the moment.
Celebrity Profile
By Jay Bobbin TV Media
Though Missy Peregrym was absent from “FBI” for a while toward the end of last season, many more cases are in her future.
The Dick Wolf-produced CBS and Paramount+ drama returns Tuesday, Oct. 15, for its seventh year — the first of three that it was renewed for at once, something quite rare. Peregrym’s character, Special Agent Maggie Bell, is still concerned with taking over the raising of a late FBI peer’s (Charlotte Sullivan, “Chicago Fire”) daughter (Rose Decker, “Mare of Easttown”). She also has a big investigation to handle in the season opener, as she and her colleagues clash with CIA operatives while investigating a New York-area plumber’s murder that has global implications.
“We have a new showrunner this year, Mike Weiss [‘Chicago P.D.’], who’s fantastic,” says Peregrym, who notes another big “FBI” change with co-star Katherine Renee Kane (“Extra Ordinary,” 2016) about to leave with her federal agent character Tiffany Wallace. “We have a new person joining the team this season [‘National Treasure: Edge of History’ star Lisette Olivera, as Behavioral Analysis Unit agent Syd], and we’re really looking forward to that, though I’ve loved working with Katherine. She’s so talented, and I have nothing but love and support for her move forward in her career.”
The subplot of Maggie considering parenthood came in large part from Peregrym, a real-life mother of two, who explains, “I really just wanted to have more of a maternal side of Maggie come out, outside of work. I thought it was interesting for her to get a child through a friend, and I’m excited that we’re able to continue that storyline.
As a sugar fiend, Halloween was a High Holy day in my childhood. Like a squirrel, I used the holiday to gather and hoard candy that would last me through the autumn months until Santa could fill my stocking with tooth-breaking peppermint discs.
On Halloween, my siblings and I would take pillowcases and trick-or-treat through the neighborhood. When the bags were full, we’d bring home our haul so Mom could scrutinize each piece. She’d look for razor blades poking out of apples, unwrapped candy laced with angel dust and Butterfinger bars that she confiscated as Halloween tax.
In sixth grade, I went trick-or-treating with a boy and we dressed as square dancers because Mr. Madson had taught us how to dance and it was an easy costume. The boy was more interested in trying to kiss me than in securing candy. So I told him we had no future and do-si-doed to the next house to see if they were handing out full-size candy bars.
The gathering of candy was just the beginning. After mom crime-proofed my loot, I’d sort it into categories: chocolate bars, Charms Blow-Pops, fruity Wacky Wafers, Pixy Stix, flavorless Smarties, wax bottles filled with questionable liquid, hard-as-rock orange taffy, Bazooka bubble gum and boring Tootsie Rolls. Then, I’d count each piece so I’d know if one of my bratty siblings took anything.
Once my bag-o-cavities was categorized and counted, I’d hide it under my pillow and sleep on it like Smaug protecting his treasure from the grubby hands of mortals. I sometimes woke up with a lollipop stuck to my face.
The real benefit of Halloween candy was having access to sweet treats at school. Sneaking candy to school was the tricky part. On Nov. 1, teachers knew we’d all have pockets full of candy and we wouldn’t be able to pay attention un-
Give Me Some Sugar
Peri Kinder Life and Laughter
til after Thanksgiving. But they attempted to confiscate any sugary substance, so I had to be strategic.
I’d pretend to look for something in my desk and shove a handful of Milk Duds in my mouth. Invariably, the teacher would call on me as soon as I had the candy stuffed in my cheeks like a chipmunk. Do you know how hard it is to talk with a mouthful of Milk Duds?
After school, I’d dash home to my pile of candy to recategorize and recount, and to punish anyone within screeching distance if one piece of Laffy Taffy was missing. Yes, I was a bit obsessive. I understand that now.
Halloween candy was also perfect for smuggling into Sunday school. If I could get it past my mom, I could snack all through the long Sunday services. At the time, dresses didn’t have pockets (those were hard times) so I had to resort to creative options.
My socks became repositories for candy contraband. I was too young to realize mothers notice when their child’s legs are suddenly shaped like Baby Ruth bars. Plus, the plastic candy wrappers strapped around my ankles made a crinkling and crackling noise as subtle as a bull in a china shop.
A week after Halloween, my candy stash had dwindled
significantly. I needed to cut back if it was going to last until Christmas but the Bottle Caps, the Sugar Babies, the Bit-oHoney and the Boston Baked Beans called to me like a siren on a rock.
Whether I battled the world’s loudest candy wrappers or faced the principal for participating in black market candy sales, Halloween remained my favorite holiday. I still squirrel away my favorite candies and I warn everyone to touch my cache at their peril.
