Cottonwood Heights Journal | March 2024

COMMUNITY PLAY NEEDS VOLUNTEERS, ACTORS AND DANCERS

The Cottonwood Heights Arts Council is off to a booming start this 2024 year as they conclude a handful of events and prepare for even more, including their annual play.

The Arts Council will be showing Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” for the July 2024 summer musical. They are currently searching for actors, wig/hair artists, makeup artists, stage crew volunteers, set builders and a stage manager.

Actor auditions will be held on Friday, March 15 and Saturday, March 16. Initial auditions are by appointment or can be submitted by video by March 15. Callbacks are currently scheduled for March 23.

“Hopeful actors should prepare 30 seconds of a song that is in the style of the show or from the show. It’s best to choose something that showcases your vocal range,” said Culture Coordinator Katie Hoflich.

There is only one child role for this show, the role of Chip, which could be played by an actor who can play the role of an 8 to 12 year old. Hoflich noted that the show will have dancing, so strong dancers are encouraged to audition as well.

“We will also be featuring some small moments en pointe, so dancers who have ballet experience in pointe shoes would be great to see,” Hoflich said.

“Beauty and the Beast” will be directed by Brighton Sloan.

The Arts Council has recently hosted a number of full celebrations and activities for Cottonwood Heights residents.

Painters gathered at Cottonwood Heights City Hall (2277 Bengal Blvd.) on Friday, March 1 at 6:30 p.m. for a Valentine’s Day Event called Sweetheart Paint Night.

Whitney Horrocks, a Cottonwood Heights-based Smartest Artist guided painters through their own version of a mountain inspired image with trees and a sunset in the background.

Continued page 18

By Cassie Goff | c.goff@mycityjournals.com

The wall of fans were painted by students from a prestigious Chinese university art program and were on display in the United States for the first time. Showcased at City Hall throughout February, the art exhibit was the second of the year by the Arts Council. (Katie Hoflich/Cottonwood Heights)

Brighton basketball on and off the court

High-quality, innovative health care with a heavy dose of compassion

With a focus on health care excellence, community service and faith – the doctors, nurses and care teams at Holy Cross Hospital – Salt Lake are committed to compassionate and highquality care for their neighbors.

It has been nearly a year since CommonSpirit Health took over five Wasatch Front hospitals that now bear the name Holy Cross, a reference to the Sisters of the Holy Cross, who brought Catholic, faith-based health care to the people of Utah nearly 150 years ago.

Today, the hospitals are reinvigorating the Sisters’ vision while caring for all with open arms, including at the original hospital they opened in 1875 that cares for patients 24/7 on S. Temple Street.

“We have returned to our roots in the way we care for the people of the Salt Lake Valley, and we are so excited to re-emphasize community-focused, faithbased health care for the people of Utah,” said Kevin Jenkins, Market CEO for the Holy Cross hospitals. “Our care is truly focused on neighbors helping neighbors.”

Besides innovative health care in services that include orthopedics, bariatrics, neurosurgery, heart care, and robotic-assisted technology, the hospital’s teams are actively involved in helping to make their communities better outside the walls of the hospital. These efforts range from food pantry donations and first aid sponsorships with local arts festivals to partnering with the American Heart Association to educate our communities about heart health.

Through its Hello Humankindness program, CommonSpirit is actively promoting the health benefits

of kindness and recognizing employees who go above and beyond the call of their jobs to help those in need.

“We believe that simple acts of kindness have a profound impact on the lives of our patients and communities, in addition to the medical expertise that our doctors and nurses provide,” Jenkins said.

The Holy Cross hospitals have also re-started volunteer and chaplaincy programs, which had not been a priority for the previous owner.

“We have a Director of Mission and Ministry who leads our chaplaincy program to provide prayer and other support for our patients – regardless of who they are or faith tradition - and is making sure our healing mission is carried out in our hospitals,” Jenkins added.

CommonSpirit’s mission includes advancing social justice for all, and last fall, it bestowed eight grants from its Health Equity & Advancement Fund to local nonprofits that are working every day to improve lives in ways that include health screenings for Spanishspeaking neighbors and mental health treatment for children and families.

With a long legacy of service and healing, CommonSpirit is just getting started in extending health care excellence for all Utahns at the Holy Cross hospitals.

“Our vision is a healthier future for all – inspired by faith, driven by innovation, and powered by our humanity,” Jenkins said.

Learn more about the services, care providers and mission-driven work of the Holy Cross hospitals and CommonSpirit Health at www.holycrossutah.org.

Orthopedic care with compassion at its core.

Our physicians provide the most advanced care and treatment options in orthopedics, including hip and knee replacement, total joint replacement, and sports medicine. We are committed to creating personalized treatment plans and providing extraordinary care to every patient.

SPONSORED CONTENT

Kevin Jenkins, Market CEO

Bella Vista third graders bring famous figures to life in annual wax museum

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

Michael Jordan in a Chicago Bulls hat held a basketball. Jane Goodall cuddled a stuffed animal. Anne Frank, with her yellow Jewish star, clutched her red plaid diary and Neil Armstrong, in his astronaut suit, grabbed his helmet.

Albert Einstein’s bushy gray eyebrows didn’t move. Rosa Parks’ round black brimless hat stayed securely on her hair, which was neatly tied back in a bun. Others, such as Harriet Tubman, J.K. Rowling and even Taylor Swift stood motionless in the school gym, waiting for their paper buttons to be pushed. When pressed, the famous people sprung to life, sharing their stories.

It was Bella Vista’s third-grade wax museum, where families and classmates could learn a slice of history from 33 famous people.

Stan Lee, portrayed by Phoenix Banks, conceived the Fantastic Four with Jack Kirby. Visitors learned that the comic book writer, editor, publisher and producer went on to create the Marvel characters.

“It would be fun, but a lot of work to create superheroes, but that’s what I want to do,” said Phoenix, adding that Black Panther is his favorite.

Walt Disney was born in Chicago, but as a youngster moved to a farm in Marceline, Missouri.

“He loved the farm and the animals there. Some of his characters came from his farm days,” said Beckham Luthi. “I loved learning about Disney. He said, ‘It’s kind of fun to do the impossible’ and I learned he never gave up on his dreams. That’s something I’ll remember. I want to be a pizza maker.”

Amelia Earhart built a roller coaster from the second story of her grandparents’ house. She’d sled down the steep hill in front of the home, dodging horse-drawn carriages. She went on to become the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean and broke a lot of

records, said Evelyn Pacecly.

“I liked how she inspired girls in multiple ways,” Evelyn said. “She was brave. I want to be a pilot like her.”

Those thoughts make their teacher, Wendie Nielson, smile.

“They were so excited to get to do it,” she said. “They see it the year before and know it’s coming up. The fourth graders come through and talk about who they got to be.”

The wax museum project began shortly before the holiday break when students decided which famous person to research. Many of the students read student biographies from Golden Books or one from the series, “Who Is?”

“They learned how to research (both on the internet and in books) and how to summarize. They practice sequencing, writing and editing before typing their report. They learn public speaking and memorizing so that they could share what they learned,” said Nielson about the skills that tie into the third-grade core curriculum.

Students also create a timeline and draw a portrait of their famous person, which with their typed paper, is mounted on poster board. After six weeks, the students could dress as their famous people for the wax museum.

“This is a good way to learn the skills, but also, they learn about people that they didn’t know about. Maybe it will inspire them to read more biographies and learn about a variety of people. Maybe they’ll be inspired by them,” Nielson said.

She said by doing this project, some students learned about themselves.

“A lot of them were afraid to talk in public so we practiced and shared our reports with each other beforehand in class,” she said, adding that a few of her students who just moved to the United States, practiced their English skills to share about themselves. “Some, like

Kobe Bryant over there, dream of playing basketball for a career and maybe some others will discover a profession they’re interested in.”

Third-grader Bo Brady shared about Alexander Hamilton, who served the country in the military, as a lawyer, a statesman and author, helped to establish the Bank of New York and the First Bank of the United States. Bo picked the famous American because he learned “I’m related to him.”

Archer Atkin shared about the 44th U.S. president, Barack Obama.

“He grew up with his grandparents in Hawaii; his dad gave him his first basketball and (his stepfather) taught him to box so he could stand up to other kids,” he said. “He signed many landmark decisions while in office. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.”

Archer learned some things about Obama he didn’t know.

“I learned how he believes that everybody should have equal rights,” he said. “And I liked that I was born the same year that he got his dog, Sunny.” l

COTTONWOOD

The Cottonwood

is a monthly publication distributed directly to residents via the USPS as well as locations throughout Cottonwood Heights.

For information about distribution please email hello@thecityjournals.com or call our offices. Rack locations are also available on our website. The views and opinions expressed in display advertisements do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions held by Loyal Perch Media or the City Journals. This publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent of the owner. © 2019 Loyal Perch Media, Inc.

Bryan Scott | bryan.s@thecityjournals.com

Travis Barton | travis.b@thecityjournals.com

ADVERTISING

Mieka Sawatzki | mieka.s@thecityjournals.com

Jason Corbridge | jason.c@thecityjournals.com

Ryan Casper | ryan.c@thecityjournals.com

Greg Tanner | greg.t@valuepagesutah.com

On the left, Bella Vista’s third-graders share with other students and parents about famous people they portray in their class wax museum. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Racing the clock:

Canyons high school students unleash creativity in four-hour art contest

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

Jordan High junior Olivia Hill was surrounded by about 60 other high school artists all busily drawing, painting, sculpting, printmaking and perfecting other art techniques.

The clock was ticking.

Their mission was to create a piece of work from scratch in four hours. While they could bring in any reference and could explore any medium, there was no theme. Their artwork only had to fit into five categories: fantasy, contemporary, traditional, 3D sculptural and 3D functional.

This is Artstock, Canyons School District’s art competition for students in six high schools: Alta, Brighton, Corner Canyon, Diamond Ridge, Jordan and Hillcrest. A Utah Arts Festival juror would judge their pieces and medals given to the top three in each category as well as best of show and Sweepstakes for best school overall. Every student would receive feedback from the art teachers and the students also could vote for a people’s choice award.

It’s a contest that has been around for at least 20 years.

“Competition brings out the best of us,” Brighton High art teacher Derek Chandler said. “It goes along with Canyons School District’s motto of getting students ready for college and career. This is what artists do. We not only compete with ourselves and try to make a living, whether or not it’s our full-time job, but we create and like to see what others create. This is a good way for students to see all the different spices and varieties, and what’s possible. It advances their own art tremendously. Students are seeing what works, what doesn’t, what others are doing, what’s possible.”

Hill had never participated in an art competition before.

“Just being around other people who like to paint and like art is cool,” she said as she used watercolor on her mermaid painting. “I wanted to do something that had a lot of movement so I thought mermaids and then I thought it would be cool if the mermaid was restrained somehow. I like acrylics but I wanted a challenge so I’m doing watercolor.”

She is enrolled in Advanced Placement Drawing, so she was planning to include this piece of art in her portfolio.

Chandler said that is the point behind not having a theme.

“A lot of these students are AP artists, meaning they submit a portfolio for college credit,” he said. “We wanted to keep the theme open so they could use their artwork from Artstock for that portfolio.”

Jordan High fine arts teacher Collette

Baddley said that it’s “an awesome opportunity for them to pursue their interests.”

“My students tell me that it really helps them to learn time and how to pace creating their art,” she said. “They get to see techniques other schools are doing and talk to them about their common interest. I love watching what they come up with; it’s just impressive.”

Nearby, Brighton High’s Corbin Stewart has been doing art ever since he could remember.

At Artstock, he was using dip pens to create a comic art style painting.

“I like the DC Comics art; it’s pretty aesthetic looking,” he said. “I love dip pens and to experiment with textures that they can give me. I prefer how they work compared to other paints because you can do a lot with them.”

The high school junior is looking into architecture as a possible career.

“I thought this would be fun and something I can put on my resume. I can zone out and destress from school. It’s something I enjoy; art has always been a joy for me.”

Nearby Brighton junior Chiara Onwuegbu was using watercolor to create a humorous dog painting.

“I saw this on Pinterest, and I just think it’s funny,” she said. “I think I’m good at drawing animals so I thought I’d do it here. I’m going to put it on my wall of my room. Watercolor works well with this. It’s very forgiving; I can fix things easy. I love the shading that you can do with watercolors.”

Onwuegbu started art lessons in first grade.

“It’s fun, it’s creative, it can make you think, feel and be expressive,” she said. “The best part is finishing. It makes me feel proud at the end, seeing it all come together.”

This year, Alta High won the Sweepstakes, ending Hillcrest High’s two-year winning streak to claim the traveling trophy. Corner Canyon was second and Hillcrest placed third.

Overall individual winners went to Alta’s Blake Carter for best in show and Hillcrest’s Faith Furgeson for people’s choice.

Fantasy category winners were Elizabeth Nelson, Alta, first; Romana Beaver, Jordan, second; and Kripa Thapa, Corner Canyon, third. In contemporary, Mia Bell, Alta, first; Brooklyn Jackson, Corner Canyon, second; and Josilyn Stevens, Jordan, third. In traditional, the winners were Kale Davis, Corner Canyon, first; Annika Amundson, Hillcrest, second; and McKenna Gibbons, Corner Canyon, third.

3-D functional winners were Evan Wolf, Corner Canyon, first; Taylor Allen, Jordan, second; and Ellie Bouck, Hillcrest, third. 3-D sculpture winning students were Kaden Huffman, Alta, first; Kay Allen, Diamond Ridge, second; and Tyler Pullmer, Hillcrest, third.

Honorable mentions went to Brigh-

ton’s Ohwnuegbu; Corner Canyon’s Vivian Huh, Alex Jensen, and Sarah Naylor; Diamond Ridge’s Hailey Dyoree; Jordan’s Grace Mahoney and Lynslie Calacino; and Hillcrest’s Cecily Bennett, Cassidy Boykin and Ares Lou. l

About 60 Canyons School District high school students took in the four-hour Artstock competition where they could explore any medium in the District-wide contest. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Painting was just one of several mediums high school students chose during the annual Canyons School District Artstock competition. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

This

optional program is helping Brighton teachers gauge learning and understanding by evaluating student responses

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

SomeBrighton High teachers are realizing it’s a good thing when their classroom is silent after they ask a question. Others may be reviewing how many students use the same standards-aligned vocabulary. Other teachers, too, will evaluate if the response is measured by one student versus a group discussion.

Measuring student talk is on the forefront of Brighton High teachers’ professional development.

“There’s tons of academic research about student talk; it increases performance across every subject,” said Brighton Instructional Coach Jackie Ricks.

While Canyons School District administrators regularly review teachers’ practices, their reviews don’t measure student talk.

“Our administration evaluates twice per year for all teachers, four times for first-year teachers,” she said. “One of the things that our District evaluation doesn’t have is student talk; we haven’t been able to measure it well in the past.”

That measurement became apparent to Ricks, who, as a first-year instructional coach in 2021, saw a need for increasing student engagement following online instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“COVID was hard because teachers were trying to replicate what happens in the normal classroom in an online environment and they were trying to find ways for students to interact with the content and assessing who gets it or not. What couldn’t be replicated well on the computer was that student dialogue. When students came back, our attendance wasn’t great, and some students weren’t engaged. We needed to check for understanding in real time, instead of waiting back and forth in between assignments,” she said.

Ricks learned about the web-based application, TeachFX.

“It provides teacher with instructional feedback privately and gives information about portions of class time when the teacher talks, students talk, groups talk and waiting time. Teachers can evaluate their questioning technique, the academic vocabulary, participation, and the ratio of teacher versus student talking to improve their practices,” she said.

In spring 2021, the program was piloted by a few Brighton High math and English teachers. With a $70,000 schoolwide grant from the Utah STEM Action Center, all Brighton teachers can use TeachFX through next school year.

“The STEM Action Center is allowing us to use it across the subjects with their funding because they believe in how impactful student talk is increasing those scientific practices, collaboration, communication, inquiry,” Ricks said. “With what usage we’ve

Now our teachers are talking approximately one-third to one-half of each class period, which has increased the opportunity for students to process their understanding.

Jackie Ricks

had from the beginning of last year, teachers were talking two-thirds of every class period on average. Now our teachers are talking approximately one-third to one-half of each class period, which has increased the opportunity for students to process their understanding.”

At Brighton, the program is optional for teachers.

“Teachers have so much put on them right now. It’s a tricky balance how to introduce it to them without making it required. We had about half of our teachers who recorded at least one last year, and about one quarter of our teachers who are using it regularly We have a lot of interest across English, science, math and cores subjects, about half of our world language teachers wanting to use it,” she said.

Ricks has seen the benefits of the program.

“One teacher came to me and said, ‘Look, I’m grading so much I can’t keep up with it.’ And I thought, ‘You know what? The students probably can’t keep up with it either,’” she said. “We looked at her practices and talked about checking for understanding in class. How you get that information from them? Sometimes it’s writing, but sometimes it’s also speaking. We worked on ways to increase opportunities for students and all of a sudden, she wasn’t taking home stacks and stacks of papers every night. TeachFX provided a way for us to measure the impact of the students’ understanding because there’s no other program that measures student talk.”

The program reevaluated instructors’ teaching methods and delivery.

“Using their phone or their iPad or their computer, it records and collects that dialogue and delivers a report to them, telling them how much of the period they talked, how much their students talked individually, how much the students talked in group, how much silence there was and the ratio,” she said, adding that there are no names attached to students so it maintains their priva-

cy. “It also gives teachers information about the types of questions that they’re asking and provides some coaching to the teacher. The program calls it ping pong questions when the student answers a really quick answer, and it comes back to the teacher, and they just play ping pong with each other. Or volleyball questions when the teacher asks a question, a student answers it, it passes to another student before it comes back to the teacher. It’s a method to get more students involved.”

Another benefit of the program Ricks likes is that it identifies questions students asked during the class period.

“Teachers can look at that report and review patterns and types of questions students were asking. With the recording on their device, they can make note if a student asks a question that they want to circle back; the program does a good job of picking out those snapshots for them,” she said. “It functions as an instructional coach for the teacher in a private way because the teachers receive the report, nobody else—admin, me as a coach, nobody—has access to them. TeachFX allows them to look at their practice with this kind of microscope to help them improve.”

The report also creates a word cloud revealing the words the teacher used frequently and the words students use.

“The takeaway was that some teachers were using the academic-rich vocabulary, but their students weren’t. So now the teachers see that word cloud and can implement strategies to get students to use that vocabulary,” Ricks said. “Another thing the program does, which is powerful, is measuring wait time. Sometimes it’s awkward to be the person asking the question and have that silence afterwards. Our teachers are discovering by using that silence, it allows students to think deeper about it rather than just the first two kids who shoot their hands up in the air every time. Often by waiting, it can increase the talk that happened afterwards.”

Ricks said teachers are improving their own methods to better help students learn.

“We’re seeing students have that ability to communicate in real time and formulate their thoughts. That dialogue is so important. It is a way of improving our writing. When you can talk through your thoughts first then you can write better,” she said. “Every core subject has some common themes that they can use throughout their whole unit. In history, they’re looking at cause and effect and change over time. English is examining author’s ideas. Sciences evaluate cause and effect and patterns and math is making sense of problems. All our teachers are trying to engage students, to have them verbalize their thoughts, which provides feedback in the students’ understanding.”

While only Brighton and a couple

schools in Canyon District uses TeachFX, Ricks said it is used districtwide in nearby Jordan, Granite and Alpine districts.

“It’s mostly used at the district level. They have cohorts of teachers like they’ll have their district level math specialists, working with a cohort of teachers from the district,” she said.

However, by having the option to incorporate it within the entire school, Ricks said at Brighton, there already has been a 7% improvement in active student engagement.

“When administrators go into a classroom, they measure active versus passive engagement. Active engagement may be when students are doing something with the information like reading, writing, speaking versus passive when they’re sitting there and maybe listening, but it’s hard to tell what’s happening in their brain because they’re not doing anything with it,” she said, adding that the increase may not be entirely because of the program. “They could be reading, writing or speaking, but a portion of it might be because of this as teachers are saying, ‘I need to increase the students’ use of academic vocabulary.’ So they intentionally go back to the classroom with that information and have students write this or talk about it.”

To support the program, Ricks offers teachers a monthly, optional 30-minute professional learning opportunity.

“They bring a report, they have an option to share, they talk to each other. They bounce ideas off each other and then they focus on those things for the next month. It’s a good reflection and summary opportunity and it keeps it in the forefront of their mind,” she said. “If teachers are finding success with it, if they’re still interested in pursuing it, then I would absolutely recommend that we continue refining and reflecting.” l

Image from TeachFX website

Brighton basketball ‘team together’ on and off the court

By Jerry S. Christensen | j.christensen@mycityjournals.com

Players and coaches from Brighton’s boys basketball team, known as “the Heights,” have made it a season of service and unlikely upsets.

“We've preached a concept of ‘team together’ all year long,” said second-year head coach Tim Gardner. Early in the season players from all four Brighton High School boys basketball teams (freshman, sophomore, JV and varsity) visited The Road Home over a couple of nights to learn about The Road Home community and serve those staying there.

The Road Home supports people experiencing homelessness with shelter, food and other services.

“We felt it would be good to have firsthand interactions with people living in different and more difficult circumstances than what we’re used to,” continued Gardner. Brighton was able to have all of its players attend and perform meaningful service together.

“Spending time at The Road Home was a great experience,” said senior Luke Christensen. “Seeing the circumstances of the less fortunate made us appreciate the work we were doing. Serving as a team made the workload feel lighter, as well as giving us a chance to represent Brighton off the court. At the end of the day, we felt satisfied with our work and were happy to have made a difference in the lives of others.”

“It made us feel good to visit The Road Home, and it just gave us a better perspective of the challenges people are going through and how we can use our platform to help them,” said senior Kaden Morzelewski. “It showed us there are people going through some rough times but doing everything we can to help them get back on their feet again is a good feeling.”

“The project was fantastic,” said Bradley Easton, a junior. “It was a great opportunity to give back to the community and help the homeless. It was very eye-opening. Half of us helped in the kitchen and the other half helped in the warehouse where we sorted the donations that they got and helped out there.”

The team bonding continued at the Salt Lake City Christmas market, Christkindlmarkt, where the team combined efforts to collect donations for the Ron McBride Foundation.

“I think it’s good to provide service as a team to understand there are things more important than basketball. It’s also a good team bonding and team building activity to do this together as a team,” Nash Matheson, a senior, said.

The team esprit de corps translated late season into another notable team effort on the final home game of the season—senior night on Feb. 13. This time

the task was banding together to face the No. 1 ranked 5A team and the defending state champions—the Alta Hawks.

Brighton needed another win to secure a postseason first round bye and home court advantage. Given that Alta had beaten the Bengals soundly in their first matchup at Alta, the prospects of that last win were bleak.

Garrett Wilson, Brighton’s athletic director, noted the importance of the game.

"It was a big night—a senior night celebrating three players who have been very important to the basketball program: Nash Matheson, Kaden Morzelewski and Luke Christensen. We were hosting the defending 5A state champs Alta. The stakes were enormous.”

Coach Gardner successfully got the team to reach deep and pull on the “team together” mantra.

“We did a good job of defending and rebounding against a very talented team. Our guys shared the ball offensively and turned down average shots to get great shots,” he said.

The lead change was constant through two quarters of play. But in the second half, the Bengals dominated the state champions, won the game by a convincing 16-point margin and secured home court for the playoffs where the Bengals reached the quarterfinals as the No. 8 seed to play No. 1: Alta. l

Brighton basketball players volunteer at The Road Home. (Photo Azar McMaster)

Brighton basketball players volunteer at The Road Home. (Photo Azar McMaster)

Brighton basketball players with Ron McBride. (Photo Azar McMaster)

Boy Scouts launch 38th annual statewide Scouting for Food Drive

By Collette Hayes | c.hayes@mycityjournals.com

Utah State University Assistant Professor and Food Security Council Leader Palak Gupta reports that one in 10 Utah households experience food insecurity, and more than 102,000 Utah families do not have the resources to buy enough food. To address food insecurity in Utah, Crossroads of the West Council, a local council of the Boy Scouts of America, launched its 38th annual statewide Scouting for Food Drive in February.

A kickoff event was held on Feb. 8 in the Teen Center at Cottonwood High School in Murray. The event sponsors, Bank of Utah, Red Hanger Cleaners, Souper Bowl of Caring, Young Automotive, Arctic Circle, Utah National Guard, and Smith’s Food and Drug joined together in launching the annual event and asked the public to help fill the state pantries with nutritious and nonperishable canned and boxed foods. Each of the sponsors actively supported the event by donating bags to customers, publicizing the food drive and acting as a collection site for donors.

“Today, we will mobilize over 400 Cub Scout Packs, Boy Scout Troops, and Venture Crews to provide for 16 community food pantries across the state of Utah,” Crossroads of the West Council board member Ben Taylor said. “We will also ask customers for food donations at 53 Smith’s Food and Drug stores statewide on Feb. 10. We are grateful to the Utah National Guard for playing a valuable role on this day by providing the equipment and the workforce to pick up hundreds of pounds of food and deliver it to the food pantries.”

Boy Scout Jaren Roberts opened the event by reading a declaration by Utah’s Gov. Spencer J. Cox declaring Feb. 10 through March 2, 2024, as Utah’s Scouting for Food Drive to actively address food insecurity in Utah. The drive came at a needed time when food supplies at local food banks were beginning to thin, primarily due to the holiday season.

According to Lorna Koci, Scouting for Food chair member, last year, the drive collected over 100,000 pounds of food for Utahns experiencing food insecurity in 2023. This year, the Boy Scouts throughout Utah hoped to gather even more food in an ongoing effort to fight hunger in Utah.

The teen center at Cottonwood High School is a safe space where students struggling with basic needs can do laundry, shower, study, receive food from the adjacent food pantry, and connect with

mental health specialists and housing resources. Assistant Superintendent Leslie Bell provided a glimpse of the district's ongoing need.

“Granite School District is the third largest district in the State of Utah, serving over 58,000 students,” Bell said. “About 47% of our population, which is about 2,700 students, qualify for the federal free and reduced lunch program. Also, we have about 1,600 students who are experiencing some level of homelessness in their communities. The teen center and the student pantry, which exist side by side at Cottonwood High School, are what it takes to support our students in 2024. We are grateful to the Crossroads of the West Council and the Boy Scouts of America and their desire to continue to support our youth and families across the entire state of Utah.”

Brighton High School student and Life Scout Orion Ehrhart, Scout Troop 197, welcomed Smith’s Food and Drug shoppers on Feb. 10 at the store on Bengal Boulevard. As customers entered the store, Ehrhart encouraged them to donate food to the drive and provided information on needed items.

“It’s great being at Smith’s with my friends and helping to provide food for those in need,” Ehrhart said. “Scouting provides a lot of opportunity to grow as a person. My astronomy merit badge so far has been my favorite badge to work on. Personal fitness was the most difficult merit badge for me because I had to provide daily updates tracking my physical fitness progress over three or four months. I think everything I have to accomplish to achieve Eagle rank will definitely help me to achieve my future goals.”

Scouting provides opportunities for youth to build essential life skills, such as long-term friendships, academic skills, citizenship skills, ethics and leadership skills.

“The Boy Scouts of America is a wonderful program for young men and young women to be involved in from Logan to St. George,” Koci said. “Helping to feed the needy provides character-building opportunities for our young people. There are openings in all 400 scouting units for those interested in joining a local pack or troop.”

If you are interested in receiving more information about the Scouting for Food Drive or the Crossroads of the West Boy Scout Council, visit utahscouts.org. l

“It’s great being at Smith’s with my friends and helping to provide food for those in need,” Life Scout Orion Ehrhart said. “Scouting provides a lot of opportunity to grow as a person.” (Collette Hayes/City Journals)

“The teen center and the student pantry, which exist side by side at Cottonwood High School, are what it takes to support our students in 2024,” Assistant Superintendent Leslie Bell said. “We are grateful to the Crossroads of the West Council and the Boy Scouts of America and their desire to continue to support our youth and families across the entire state of Utah.” (Collette Hayes/City Journals)

The cost to play high school sports may increase next school year

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

he cost to participate in high school athletics in Canyons School District may increase next school year, but District officials say it’s to match inflation and the rising costs

The proposed bump “isn’t unusual; it occurs every couple years,” said Canyons School District Director of High Schools

“The UHSAA (Utah High School Activities Association) has had an increase for the cost of officials the past few years; they’re paying more to attract more officials, so we have to account for that,” Sherwood said. “We don’t raise fees every year. We try

One of the least expensive sports, cross country is proposed to cost a maximum of $2,560 per student-athlete, up $265 from last year and up $655 from 2021-22 season. While the UHSAA participation fee has increased $40 during the past few years, camp costs have increased $325 and team travel,

Cheer, one of the more expensive sports, has risen from $3,950 in 2021-22 to a proposed $4,240. However, the increased from last year to this year is only $40. During the past couple years, UHSAA participation fees have remained the same, but its camps, clinics and team meals that have fluctuated.

“We tried to equalize the sports in terms of travel and camps and clinics. There’s no reason to have a camp and clinics cap different by sport. It should be the same for all sports and the same can be said for travel,”

Canyons’ proposed camp and clinic maximum within each sport is $400. Travel, at $1,500, matches the current school year’s

“It’s important to realize that the maximum amount per student in athletics and in activities is $5,000. That doesn’t mean every student will reach that amount. Last year, we only had one student who did. It also doesn’t mean every coach will spend $1,500 per student on travel; we’re setting the boundaries and trying to make it fair across the board,” he said. “All this money goes to that program and to kids by rule. We don’t use it to pay for anything outside of that program or for the kids. None of this goes into the coaches’ pockets or to the school. This is just the operational costs for these activities. A few years ago, the (Utah) legislature made it so every activity had to be self-funded. The kids have to pay whatever it costs to play that activity. So, when the activities become more expensive than what we’re collecting, we got

Canyons School District’s fees also increased for soccer, golf, track and volleyball. The proposed fees for Canyons’ sports and

In Canyons School District, cross country and other UHSAA-sanctioned sports may experience a price increase next school year by its school board to cover rising costs. Other school districts’ school boards also will review athletic fees. (Julie

activities can be found at www.feeschedules. canyonsdistrict.org/#/home/700.

The student fee proposal will be reviewed by the Canyons Board of Education through its March 12 meeting, said Canyons spokeswoman Kirsten Stewart. Patrons can address the Board through public comment or by contacting their school’s Board member.

“No child has ever been turned away from an activity,” Stewart said. “We always work with families.”

Families who qualify can apply for fee waivers. Schools, on a case-by-case basis, may grant fee waivers to a student who does not qualify for a waiver, but because of extenuating circumstances, is not capable of paying the fee, she said.

Sherwood added that most teams also provide fundraising opportunities.

The cost of student fees for athletics and activities is reviewed annually by school districts. While each district may break it down differently and can vary per sport, usually it accounts for participation fee, camps and clinics, uniforms and clothing, team activities and meals, travel and miscellaneous costs.

Murray School District’s proposed student fees for the 2024-25 school year can be found at www.murrayschools.org/highschool-fees.

Jordan School District’s proposed student fees for the 2024-25 school year can be found at www.proposedfees.jordandistrict. org/schedule/high.

Granite Board of Education will review their high school student fees at a March meeting, said spokesman Ben Horsley. l

Slama/ City Journals)

WOMeN’S SECTION

A publication covering local influential women in honor of International Women’s Day

Utah-educated doctor chosen to lead National Institutes of Health

By Mimi Darley Dutton | m.dutton@mycityjournals.com

For the first time, a University of Utah medical school graduate sits at the helm of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Monica Bertagnolli, M.D., was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in November 2023. She is the second woman to serve as NIH Director since its inception in 1887 and the first surgeon in that role.

The NIH is located in Bethesda, Maryland and is comprised of 27 institutes and centers. The organization has a budget of more than $47 billion and serves as the largest public funder of biomedical research in the world.

President Biden stated: “Dr. Bertagnolli has spent her career pioneering scientific discovery and pushing the boundaries of what is possible to improve cancer prevention and treatment for patients and ensuring that patients in every community have access to quality care. Dr. Bertagnolli is a world-class physician-scientist whose vision and leadership will ensure NIH continues to be an engine of innovation to improve the health of the American people.”

Bertagnolli first earned an engineering degree from Princeton University, then she attended and graduated from the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine in 1985. She was interested in immunology but discovered a different passion. “I signed up for surgery as my very first clinical rotation, just because I wanted to get it out of the way. I still vividly remember my first day in an operating room because I immediately knew that’s where I belonged,” she told the ASCO Post.

In more recent years, she served as chair of the Huntsman Cancer Institute’s External Advisory Board. Bertagnolli was previously a professor of surgery at Har-

vard Medical School and chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. She has been president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and leader of the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology.

Prior to her current role at the NIH, Dr. Bertagnolli was the first female director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), a role she took in October 2022. NCI is a component of NIH. One month into her time at the NCI, a routine mammogram led to Bertagnolli being diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer. Since then, she has called herself a cancer survivor.

“Fortunately, my prognosis is excellent. And this is due to NIH-funded research over the last several decades. And the many women who participated in clinical trials before me,” she said.

Her upbringing on a ranch in rural Wyoming as the daughter of first-generation immigrants has shaped her professional approach by providing an understanding of the medical challenges rural communities experience. An NIH press release said, “Equity is a core value that drives all her efforts, which includes ensuring NIH research is equitable and accessible to all people from all walks of life regardless of income or zip code.”

Huntsman Cancer Institute CEO Mary Beckerle, who has known Bertagnolli almost since her Utah med school days, compares her to the late Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, who also grew up on a ranch: A “bundle of wit, resilience, and can-do spirit,” Beckerle said in Science magazine, December 2023 edition.

Beyond being a cancer surgeon for more than 35 years, her research has

DR. MONICA BERTAGNOLLI is a 1985 graduate of the University of Utah medical school. She served on an advisory board for the Huntsman Cancer Institute and was recently confirmed by the U.S. Senate to lead the National Institutes of Health (NIH) which is made up of 27 institutes and centers for biomedical research.

focused on the genetic mutations that lead to gastrointestinal cancer and how inflammation stimulates cancer growth. In her current role, she hopes to leverage commonalities such as how inflammation causes cancer but is also a component of Alzheimer’s, autoimmune disorders, arthritis, Long COVID and other diseases.

In 2023, she was named one of the 100 Influential Women in Oncology by Onco Daily.

Bertagnolli said in a December 2022 NCI statement, “Having been an oncologist my entire career, it was always—and still is—all about the patients and survivors. It’s one thing to know about cancer as a physician, but it is another to experience it firsthand as a patient as well. To anyone with cancer today: I am truly in this together with you.” l

Photo credit: Chia-Chi Charlie Chang/NIH

‘Look Good, Feel Good’ conference focuses on inclusion for Pacific Islander women

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

The inaugural “Look Good, Feel Good” conference, held in February at Hale Centre Theatre in Sandy, was organized to empower Pacific Islander women in Utah. In partnership with the Creative Pacific Foundation, the Women’s Executive Alliance held the event to celebrate women of the PI community through education and connection.

La Wolfgramm serves as president of the WEA, the women in business arm of the Utah Pacific Islander Chamber of Commerce, that just celebrated its first anniversary. As the owner of Pasifika Kitchen, Wolfgramm wanted to bring women together and provide a fun environment where they could learn about holistic empowerment, covering physical and mental health, hair and fashion.

“We started WEA because we felt that there was nothing out there for PI women,” she said. “I wanted our PI women to see that there’s someone that looks like them, that talks like them and walks like them. It’s a comfort thing to know they can come in, and if they want to, they can start a business.”

The “Look Good, Feel Good” event marked the first time Utah PI experts in food, health, entertainment and fashion joined together in one place to offer support and information.

Guest speakers included Aveda beauty and hair expert Ben Powell, “Project Runway” designer Afa Ah Loo, mental health expert Celia Moleni (owner of Manaaki Mental Health) and wellness expert Alex Millions, RN, (owner of ModeRN Hydraesthetics). The conference ended with a keynote address from Sui Lang L. Panoke, senior vice president of culture at Zions Bank.

In addition to workshops, the event featured a DJ, a 360-degree photo booth, catered food and mocktails.

Analei Samasei’a serves on the WEA board of directors. She wants PI women to understand that they belong in these spaces and that what they contribute to the community has value.

“A lot of our women are caretakers. They stay home with their families, they take care of their aunties or uncles or mothers or fathers. That’s what we inherently do in our culture,” Samasei’a said. “So they’re not always available to go to these types of events, nor do they have accessibility. But now, we have all these experts here in the room. They were all mingling together and asking questions.”

Partnering with Creative Pacific allowed WEA to host the “Look Good, Feel Good” conference with a focus on inclusion while

strengthening bonds between PI women. Creative Pacific is a nonprofit that celebrates cultural diversity.

For information about WEA and the Utah Pacific Islander Chamber of Commerce visit

Upichamber.org. To learn about Creative Pacific, visit CreativePacific.org.

“We had a mental health expert who walked us through some exercises to connect back to ourselves and understand the sensations we were feeling and how

our thoughts determine actions. It was like a good therapy session,” Samasei’a said. “And so it unified everybody in that room. We’ve all shared this experience together, and now we can talk about it to our friends.”

l

“PROJECT RUNWAY” designer Afa Ah Loo talks to Pacific Islander women about fashion at the “Look Good, Feel Good” conference.

City Journals

MORE THAN 70 WOMEN attended the first “Look Good, Feel Good” conference for Pacific Islander women at Hale Centre Theatre in Sandy. The event celebrated women of the PI community.

City Journals

LA WOLFGRAMM is president of the Women’s Executive Alliance, the women in business branch of the Utah Pacific Islander Chamber of Commerce.

City Journals

Salt Lake Community College President Deneece Huftalin leaves behind a legacy of student-centered leadership

By Rachel Aubrey | r.aubrey@mycityjournals.com

For more than 30 years Deneece Huftalin has been a student-focused leader at Salt Lake Community College serving in various capacities within administration. What began in September 2014, when she became president of SLCC, will come to a conclusion in June of this year as Huftalin officially retires. She will have been the longest serving female president within the Utah System of Higher Education.

With the most diverse student body in the state, Huftalin said she always aimed to keep true the SLCC mission “[to] engage and support students in educational pathways leading to successful transfer and meaningful employment.”

To “support students” is something that she spent her career being focused on.

A Salt Lake City native, and a University of Utah graduate, Huftalin spent some time outside of Utah on various higher education campuses including Northwestern University, Stanford University and University of California, Los Angeles. But it was a job at Harper Community College in Palatine, Illinois that helped open her eyes to the community college system.

“I worked in orientation, but they considered their student affairs people faculty, which was a really cool model,” Huftalin said. “I was able to teach a little and serve on the college senate, but also have kind of a staff role.”

That position at Harper, although brief, left an impression. As Huftalin found herself back in Utah, returning so her husband could take a job opportunity, she found herself looking for work again on another college campus.

“There’s something [magical] about campuses,” Huftalin said. “People are thinking, discovering, laughing, having fun and testing waters, and it’s a good place to be.”

As Salt Lake Community College was booming with growth and expansion in the early 1990s, Huftalin realized that her time at Harper’s gave her a bit of competitive edge when it came time to apply for positions at SLCC. She began her tenure as the director of academic and career advising in 1992.

“I always feel fortunate that Harper College gave me a little bit of knowledge and a kind of step into a community college role,” Huftalin said.

That first role led to her eventual “dream job” in the mid-1990s, as the dean

of students. Being involved with students was always where she saw herself.

“I just love being with students,” said Huftalin said.

Over the years, colleagues took notice of that student-centered persona. Alison McFarlane, who became the Vice President of Institutional Advancement in 2012, worked closely with Huftalin, who was the Vice President of Student Services at that time.

“Deneece is the most student-focused leader I could have possibly imaged,” McFarlane said. “You always hear about Deneece being the voice for students.”

Cassidy Behling has been the Administrative Assistant to the President for the last 10 years, and has watched as Huftalin, who often gets pulled in so many different directions, has been able to focus on what truly matters in higher education.

“Her care and concern for her students is always her guiding force,” Behling said.

Huftalin admitted that she worries

about current and future students and how heavy the world is on them, especially when it comes to mental health.

“It takes a lot to break through and come and be courageous and learn and try something new,” Huftalin said.

Despite never seeing herself in the role of president of SLCC, Huftalin said that being in leadership roles has allowed her to model behavior that she has witnessed over the years. Throughout her career, she was able to be a part of women-led communities, allowing for the formation of friendships and connections.

“Younger women are experiencing things differently than I ever have,” Huftalin said. “But I do think there’s some continuity of support…and having lived longer and navigated different things, I can give advice and support or encouragement.”

While in office, Huftalin realized several goals such as, but not limited to, the addition of the Westpointe Workforce Training and Education Center in Salt Lake City and

the Juniper Building in Herriman which has increased geographical access to classes and the Open Education Resources (OER) initiative that allows students access to public domain textbooks for general education courses.

According to McFarlane, who retired in October 2023, one of the many ways that Huftalin has been able to accomplish these goals is because she is a “connector” of people and ideas, fostering collaboration within the college and the surrounding communities.

“When she sees opportunities, she’s very [eager] to give them to other people,” McFarlane said.

Those connections have led to great relationships with students, faculty and staff, and Huftalin said she will miss those the most after retirement.

“…Those relationships are hard to step away from,” Huftalin said. “Because they’ve just meant so much.” l

DENEECE HUFTALIN has been president of Salt Lake Community College since 2014 and when she retires in June, she will have been the longest serving female president within the Utah System of Higher Education (USHE).

Photo courtesy of Salt Lake Community College

Resident petition urges city council to call for a ceasefire in Gaza

By Cassie Goff | c.goff@mycityjournals.com

“Iamcurrently working on a petition in Cottonwood Heights to call for a ceasefire in Gaza,” said Cottonwood Heights resident Sara Anderson on Feb. 6.

Seventy cities across the country have been passing resolutions or proclamation of support of a ceasefire. As Salt Lake City was deliberating on issuing a statement of support as well, Anderson saw an opportunity for Cottonwood Heights to use their voice.

“I would like to see Cottonwood Heights be a leader in this effort,” she said.

During her 3-minute public comment, she briefly recapped the situation.

“Over 35,000 Palestinians have been killed since Oct. 7,” Anderson reported. “Ninety-two percent of the 40,000 people killed in Gaza in the last four months have been civilians.”

The International Court of Justice had determined the likelihood of Israel committing genocide. This would be against Humanitarian Law.

“We are witnessing an unparalleled catastrophe, a humanitarian disaster, unfold before us. I believe it’s the first time in history where we have been able to see this happen in real time,” Anderson continued. “I feel we are able to do something about it in real time.”

Since starting her petition, she was overwhelmed by the voices of support within Cottonwood Heights. This lead her to research the support for a ceasefire among the voter base. She reminded the Cottonwood Heights City Council that 75-80% of Democrats, 50-55% of Republicans, and 59-66% of all voters are in support of a ceasefire.

Anderson reported her progress on the petition to call for a ceasefire during the council meeting on Feb. 20.

“I urge Mayor Weichers and our city councilmembers to apply pressure on our president and congressional representatives to support an immediate ceasefire in Gaza,” Anderson said.

She updated the council on what had been going on in the last two weeks since she spoke last.

“The so-called safe area of Rafah is currently under bombardment with an impending ground invasion where 1.9 million displaced refugees are currently sheltering in tents…Millions are at imminent risk of death from starvation, dehydration, disease, and bombardment if a ceasefire is not achieved and humanitarian aid is not delivered without delay,” Anderson said.

“It’s hard to know what we can do here in Utah, thousands of miles away. But I do

know that the U.S. federal government holds immense diplomatic power to save Palestinian and Israeli lives,” Anderson said.

Anderson again asked the Cottonwood Heights City Council to urge the current administration for a ceasefire.

On Feb. 20, the Salt Lake City Council adopted a Joint Resolution for Peace. Stated within the resolution: “Salt Lake City condemns Islamophobia, antisemitism, anti-Pal-

estinian, anti-Israeli, or anti-Arab rhetoric and urges all our residents to build bridges of understanding between all our communities.”

Even with Salt Lake City formerly passing the resolution and protests in Park City to do the same, Anderson is still collecting signatures in a petition for Cottonwood Heights to pass a resolution to call for a permanent ceasefire. l

Why A Locally Owned, Family Operated Mortuary Really Matters

Larkin Mortuary is the most respected funeral home in the Salt Lake Valley. Its pioneer founder, George William Larkin, arrived in Utah in 1863, having emigrated from Cambridge, England. He started the Larkin tradition of arranging funerals in 1885 and today, with seven generations of history serving Utah families, Larkin Mortuary remains locally family owned and managed.

Our quality reputation is everything to our business and we have established ourselves in the local community as a quali ed and trusted resource. We are not a national franchise and are not controlled by any outside in uences. Larkin can meet any need by providing all varieties of funeral and graveside services, cremation facilities, cemeteries, indoor and outdoor mausoleums, cremation niche and scattering gardens, personalized life memorials and legacy keepsakes.

One of the most important aspects of being locally owned and operated is our rsthand knowledge of the communities we serve. With 139 years of excellence and innovation in providing quality memorial products and compassionate service, Larkin Mortuary provides a full spectrum of end of life services.

Being a quali ed resource to you is our core mission. Larkin’s vertically integrated services provide a premier oral shop, monument, urn and vault manufacturing facilities, and beautiful memorial meeting and luncheon facilities. This full range of services o ers individuals and families the exibility to design a custom memorial tribute for their loved one. Multilingual sta honor and facilitate important traditions of many cultures. Larkin can also assist with legal transactions and documentation for timely and e cient transfers to other countries.

We are community minded and donate either monetarily or with our time to many worthwhile causes in the local area. Being community-minded is who we are. It de nes our character and provides a solid foundation with the people we serve.

Memorial preplanning services are o ered by quali ed and compassionate Larkin counselors who will help determine nal wishes. Advanced funeral arrangements can provide peace of mind knowing that end of life plans are complete and will be carried out exactly as speci ed. Preplanning reduces the details and decisions loved ones must confront during a time of grief.

The family and sta at Larkin Mortuary understand that arranging a funeral or memorial service is a deeply personal experience. Realizing the sacred nature of the profession, Larkin is honored to serve the community by providing genuine care at this sensitive time of life.

Our memorial services are available in any of our beautiful buildings amongst our four locations along the Wasatch Front or in a building of your choice.

For more information, please visit www.larkinmortuary.com or call (801) 363-5781 for an appointment with an experienced funeral director.

“Ceasefire—now!” call Salt Lake City residents on Feb. 20 as they urge their Salt Lake City Councilmembers to pass a proclamation in support of peace. (Photo courtesy of Salt Lake City/Youtube)

Brighton wrestling season peaks at state tournament with 12 state qualifiers

By Jerry S. Christensen | j.christensen@mycityjournals.com

The high school sport of wrestling is both an individual sport as well as a team sport. Wrestling coaches are fond of saying things like “sometimes you win and sometimes you learn.” A 6-minute, three-round match can expose a wrestler’s weaknesses. A four-month season can expose a team’s weaknesses and reveal its strengths.

After only four seasons as a UHSAA-sanctioned sport, girls wrestling at Brighton has established itself as a top 10 5A program. It joins the boys wrestling program as a Brighton strength.

The two teams set preseason goals to qualify as many wrestlers as possible to the coveted state tournament in February. State qualification is a grueling process. Wrestlers work all season to be competitive at their chosen weight classification. In late January, a two-day “Divisionals” tournament is held where eight wrestlers out of a typical field of 32 aspirants rise to the top of the brackets and achieve “state wrestler” status. Those eight wrestlers prepare to compete against the eight state qualifiers from the other Divisionals.

Brighton achieved its goals by sending an even dozen wrestlers to the state tournament.

From the boys team: Jarom Gappmayer, Nathan Collins, Landon Hill, Jack Burton and Ben Tillman.

From the girls team: Daisy Dastrup, Kat Walden, Lydia Lewis, Elise Lewis, Sanne Taufa, Ava Nye and Mei-Mei Engebretsen.

While it is a team and an individual honor to reach the goal of qualifying for state, the rare air is “achieving the podium” or placing among the top six at state. Three of Brighton's girl wrestlers took the next step and placed at state. Mei-Mei Engebretsen, a sophomore, placed third at 120 weight class; Elise Lewis, a sophomore, placed fourth at 125 weight class; and Saane Taufa, a junior, placed third at 235 weight class.

“All of these girls wrestled with heart beating wrestlers that they had previously lost to, making well-earned state pins and coming back from difficult positions” noted first-year girls wrestling head coach Joidee Gappmayer. l

Larkin Mortuary is one of the most respected funeral homes in the Salt Lake Valley. Its pioneer founder, George William Larkin, arrived in Utah in 1863, having emigrated from Cambridge, England. He started the Larkin tradition of arranging funerals in 1885. Today, with seven generations of history serving Utah families, four mortuaries, cremation facilities and two cemeteries, Larkin Mortuary remains locally family owned and managed.

Larkin’s vertically integrated services also provide a premier floral shop, monument, urn and vault manufacturing facilities, along with beautiful memorial meeting and luncheon facilities. Multilingual staff honor and facilitate important traditions of many cultures.

Larkin

Brighton girls wrestling produced three state placers: Saane Taufa, Mei-Mei Engebretsen and Elise Lewis. (Jerry Christensen/City Journals )

State wrestler Landon Hill, a sophomore, shows strength. (Jerry Christensen/City Journals)

“It’sa socks and underwear year—and you need to buy your own underwear,” Councilmember Matthew Holton recapped the sentiment of the 2024 General Legislative Session.

“I want to remind you this is a family show,” laughed Mayor Mike Weichers during the Cottonwood Heights Legislative update meeting on Feb. 15.

“Anything that requires money may not happen this year,” restated lobbyist Greg Curtis.

Principal lobbyist Brian Allen, Executive Assistant Chantel Nate, and Curtis updated the Cottonwood Heights City Council on the ongoing discussions within this year’s legislative session along with the latest movements on the bills of interest that could have an impact to the city.

“There’s a possibility we could hit 600 bill files for the first time in history,” reported Allen on Feb. 22, as the legislature was at 586 filed bills.

Here’s a review on some of them:

H.B. 180: Short-term Rentals Amendments sponsored by Rep. Gay Lynn Bennion, would prohibit the use of short-term rentals without a permit issued by the overseeing municipality.

Allen reported that the League of Utah Cities and Towns along with the Property Rights Coalition did not like the wording within this bill.

“(Rep. Bennion) kept watering it down, and watering it down, to a point where no one was happy,” Allen said. “It was a ‘death by a thousand cuts’ scenario where pretty soon no one likes the bill and it just dies.”

Allen did report that the Property Rights Coalition would “be willing to give up the prohibition on enforcing on the websites using those as a enforcement tool if they can get something in return.”

H.B. 84: School Safety Amendments has been sponsored by Rep. Ryan Wilcox and Sen. Don Ipson.

By Cassie Goff | c.goff@mycityjournals.com

“The thing that’s perplexing is a requirement of a guardian for all of the schools,” Cottonwood Heights City Manager Tim Tingey said. “The concept is great but it’s who these guardians are, what they do in schools, and how they are funded that’s not specified.”

Allen believed the intent was that the school guardians were unpaid positions, so a parent could volunteer. Guardians would have a concealed carry permit.

“The fear is that the people who will volunteer are the ones who you don’t really want to do it,” Allen said.

The bill also had a specification for schools to require ballistic-level glass on the lower level of all schools.

“That would be millions for the school districts that the legislature is not funding,” Allen said.

As of Feb. 23, the Senate committee opted to not consider this bill.

S.B. 185: Residential Building Inspection Amendments sponsored by Sen. Evan Vickers and Rep. Calvin Musselman focuses on the availablity of third-party inspectors.

Tingey is worried about the implications for liability with the processes of inspections proposed within this bill.

Allen reported that the League of Cities and Towns has been actively opposing this bill. Even with the opposition, it was circled through the Senate on Feb. 23.

H.B. 13: Infrastructure Financing Districts sponsored by Rep. James Dunnigan and Sen. Kirk Cullimore was opposed by Cottonwood Heights and the city’s lobbyists last year.

Allen recapped that the bill gave businesses imminent domain authority which took away local municipality authority. There were also issues with policing. This year, the bill includes a statement for an occupancy permit. With the necessary changes, this bill was placed on the Senate’s Reading Calendar on Feb. 22.

H.B. 155: Discharge of Fireworks Amendments has been sponsored by Rep. Rex Shipp. Originally, this bill would allow for fireworks to be set off in the evening of Sept. 17 for the celebration of Constitution Day. It has since been substituted to remove the provision for Constitution Day, but allows for the purchase of fireworks online anytime. The House Committee recommended a favorable action on Feb. 20.

“We worked the Constitution Day aspect of it,” Allen said. “It’s a completely different bill now.”

H.B. 502: Critical Infrastructure and Mining was sponsored by Rep. Casey Snider, substituted by Feb. 15, and read by the House on Feb. 22.

“There is no one that asked the legislature to do this,” reported Councilmember Holton. “House leadership just came up with it and it’s clearly not a priority bill.”

On Feb. 22, Allen reported that H.B. 502 will be shifted to a study item (studying areas of mining) over the summer and it will not be changing the law at this point in time.

“I think the intent was always to bring people to the table,” Allen said. “This gives us some time to sit down, talk through what the issues are, and what the potential solutions are.”

“We are working diligently to identify and oppose bills that could harm our city and reduce or eliminate local control,” said Weichers on Feb. 13.

“I encourage each of you to find out who represents you at the legislature and ask them where they stand on any legislation that threatens the local authority of cities,” continued Weichers, speaking to his constituents.

The 2024 Legislative Session will run until March 1, with the last day of veto power from the governor being March 21.

Residents can view current bills by visiting the Utah Legislature website at: www. le.utah.gov.

Various bill trackers can be found through specific company, entity, and municipality websites.

The Utah League of Cities and Towns bill tracker can be found by visiting: www. ulct.org/advocacy/bill-tracking.

The Wasatch Front Regional Council bill tracker can be found by visiting: www. wfrc.org/billtracker/.

The Salt Lake Tribune has partnered with Utah AI company Seer to implement a new bill tracking tool this year. This is available at: www.app.withseer.ai/explore/us/ut/ state.

Continued from front page

Tickets cost $12 for the full kit including supplies and refreshments. The event was sold out three weeks in advance.

The Chinese New Year Celebration included musical performance and kung-fu demonstrations, along with a visit from current Miss Utah, Sarah Sun, the first Chinese American Miss Utah.

Registration for the the Chinese New Year Celebration quickly filled up but the Arts Council did allow additional people to show up the day of.

“This event was a huge success!” said Hoflich. “Our estimate is that we had around 150 people there.”

The most recent Art Exhibit to be showcased at Cottonwood Heights City Hall was the Artwork of the Asian Arts and Culture Association. The exhibition was first revealed on Feb. 2 and continued to show until Feb. 29.

The exhibit featured a community of artists dedicated to traditional Chinese arts, particularly ink painting and calligraphy. Images of bamboo and lotus flowers, which represent strength, resilience, purity and spiritual enlightenment flowered the entrance of City Hall. Some of the artistry depicted the four seasons, using nature’s cycling rhythm as a metaphor for the ever-changing tone of life.

“As guardians of traditional Chinese arts, these artists aim to share cultural narratives and foster a deeper appreciation for Eastern arts,” detailed the Exhibit’s plaque.

Their mission is to promote Eastern artistic expressions and preserve techniques that are firmly rooted in a rich cultural heritage.

Hoflich pointed to one of the Arts Council Instagram followers who mentioned, “Love to see cultural events be-

ing embraced in our neighborhood!”

The first Art Exhibit of 2024 on display at City Hall was titled “The Eyes Have It.”.It was unveiled on Jan. 2 and cycled down on Feb. 1.

All of the artwork shown was digitally or analog captured to create images. Prints were designed by using silver gelatin traditional, alternative or digital/archival ink printing methods.

“We were honored by a visit from the artists themselves who loved the exhibit and the beautiful natural light that fills our lobby at City Hall,” said Hoflich.

The exhibit included work by photographers including: Brian Buroker, Laurel Casjens, P. Kent Fairbanks, Kathy Gardner, Hunter Jackson, Kent Miles, Steve Proctor and Ike Sanders.

The Arts Council is always looking for volunteers. They would like to emphasize that you do not need to be an artist to be on the Arts Council. As stated by the Art Council, “We are looking for folks that have a love for the arts and want to get involved in the community. There are a lot of non-artist skills that are needed if you served on the council such as event planning, social media and other skills.”

If you would like to be involved, visit the Arts Council page on the Cottonwood Heights City website (ch. utah.gov) or reach out to Culture Coordinator Kate Hoflich, khoflich@ch.utah.gov. l

Miss Utah Sarah Sun, the first Chinese American Miss Utah, attends the Cottonwood Heights Arts Council Chinese New Year Event. (Katie Hoflich/Cottonwood Heights)

Top spellers to compete at the Greater Northern Utah Spelling Bee

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

More than 100 schools will be represented at the Greater Northern Utah Spelling Bee on Saturday, March 23 at 9 a.m. at Wasatch Jr. High in Millcreek (3750 S. 3100 East). Sponsored by the City Journals community newspapers, the winner of the event will travel to Washington, D.C. to compete at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in May.

Each school can send up to two spelling representatives to compete at the Utah bee. Students will complete a written test before the competition and everyone will have the chance to spell one word on the stage. After the first round, the top spellers will be announced and they will compete for the state championship.

“The spelling bee is a foundation of the building blocks of education,” said Elizabeth Sweat, people leader at the City Journals. “It teaches children the importance of hard work, language skills and aiming for the best. It helps them become strong thinkers, ready to create a better tomorrow.”

The City Journals has hosted the regional spelling bee since 2014 and pays for the trip to Washington, D.C. for the winner and one parent. This year, Planet

Tooth Pediatric Dentistry in West Valley will provide funds to ensure a second speller can also attend the national bee.

Last year’s winner, Surya Kapu, competed at the national event, finishing tied for third place. It was the third time the South Jordan resident had competed at that level. Surya won the regional bee four times but didn’t attend the Scripps event one year because of COVID. This year, he is too old to compete, so there will be a new champion crowned.

City Journals publisher Bryan Scott is adamant about hosting the event each year and giving students the opportunity to shine.

“To me, children are synonymous with our future and our community,” Scott said. “Any time we get to celebrate a child is awesome. For some of these spellers, this may be the only time in their life where they are on a stage. Those few moments make all the difference.”

To support the regional spelling bee and competitors, donate with the QR code. Help send the champion to Washington, D.C. to complete at the national level. l

The City Journals sent South Jordan resident Surya Kapu to Washington, D.C. last year to compete at the Scripps National Spelling Bee. This year ’s regional bee will be held on Saturday, March 23. (Photo courtesy of Udaya Kapu)

Shaping the future: Two Canyon View Elementary boys’ let their food donations do the talking

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

In the days preceding the Super Bowl, Canyon View students were aligned with experts in leaning toward the San Francisco 49ers to beat the Kansas City Chiefs.

However, these kindergartners through fifth graders were letting their food donations do their talking.

For the second year, fifth-grader Grant Mucha, along with his family and friends, decorated and set up boxes labeled with each team’s name and colors. Students and staff could bring in their nonperishable donations to vote for their favorite team.

“It’s pretty close, but eyeballing it, the 49ers are ahead by a little bit,” said the San Francisco fan. “Each can or item gets one vote, and then the team with the most votes wins.”

Last year, Canyon View students overwhelmingly picked the Philadelphia Eagles over the Chiefs, by two-to-one donations.

“It’s OK that we got it wrong. All the food helped The Road Home shelter kids in Midvale,” he said about more than 250 donated items.

Grant got the idea to hold a school food drive after donating jackets with his church to the homeless shelter in winter 2022.

“I thought, ‘What could I do more to help?’ I am lucky enough to have a good family where I am supported, and I go to a good school with good friends. But everyone doesn’t have that, and I want to help everybody have that,” he said. “I thought maybe the next person can step up to help, but it wasn’t happening. I realized if I want to make a big change, the first step starts with me. I want to make the world a better place. I’ve always liked to make people happy because everyone deserves to be happy.”

So, Grant talked to his mother about helping more; she suggested donating food. His family previously had helped with the USANA Foundation’s Kids Eat program, so he was familiar with the need of helping provide food to those in need.

“I thought about it a lot that night, and then it came on my mind that we should do something with the Super Bowl. Last year, we made posters and put out the boxes. It worked out so well last year, I wanted to do it again this year,” he said.

Grant, who donated macaroni and cheese and ramen, added that he would like his school to donate 300 items this year.

“It would be nice because that’s more food than last year and that means more can be shared with those who need it,” he said, adding that it wasn’t hard to give up some of his favorite foods because “others need it more than I do.”

Last year, he said his family, along with friends, loaded up the car, then dropped off the food where they were met by staff members.

“We filled up these two big carts and a little bit into a third. It was a lot. They were just really happy,” he said. “I hope those kids can have a full belly when they’re going to school.

Just having a full belly in general makes your life so much happier and better. I’m excited to help them out, but it’s not just me doing this. I could not take this on by myself. I have six amazing friends and my little brother and sister and parents who helped me—and the whole school generously is making donations.”

Grant isn’t the only Canyon View student who is aiming to make a difference.

Growing up, fourth-grader Benjamin Adams noticed his aunt collecting pop tabs.

“We’d go swim at her pool and every time, she showed us big bags full of that pop tabs,” he said. “It’s really cool to see because when you know what they’re going toward, it’s nice to help people a little at the Ronald McDonald House.”

This school year, Benjamin and his mother got jars, labeled them and put in each classroom as well as the office and faculty room. At the end of the school year, he will donate them to the Ronald McDonald House of the Intermountain Area, where the tabs will be recycled, and proceeds are earmarked for helping care for families staying at the house while their critically ill children undergo hospital treatment.

“I try to put myself in their place for a sec. I know it would be hard if you don’t have enough money to stay in a hotel because you have to pay for your kid to be in the hospital,” he said, adding that he looks for every opportunity to add tabs to the collection, even once collecting a bunch of tabs off cans at a wedding so he could donate those. “That was a huge donation I could make, but other kids are donating a lot too.”

Every month, Benjamin weighs the number of donated tabs.

“My mom and I go and collect them and whichever class has the most, in weight, gets a little prize. At the end of the year, we’re going to have ice cream for the winners because I thought it might be fun, and it would motivate everyone,” he said. “When you see your class may only have gotten eight ounces, it can feel like practically nothing. But when you see how many add up when all the classes get eight ounces, it’s so many more than you think. It’s cool to see how many there are and how you’re doing this little thing that benefit kids’ families who need the help. The whole school has been collecting them and bringing them from home. Everyone knows it’s helping people.”

Canyon View Principal Kierstin Draper said these two aren’t the only students who are stepping up to serve the community. Within the school, she has students who help with mixed recycling, trying to make the world not only better, but greener.

“These are individual kids who are taking it on their own, wanting to step up and help their community,” she said. “They’re making amazing things happen.” l

Fifth-grader Grant Mucha organized and led Canyon View Elementary in a food drive for those in need during Super Bowl week. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Canyon View fourth-grader Benjamin Adams has distributed jars around his school to collect soda pop tabs to donate to the Ronald McDonald House. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Cottonwood Heights mayor issues first state of the city address

By Cassie Goff | c.goff@mycityjournals.com

Cottonwood Heights Mayor Mike Weichers called on the city’s residents to: focus on driving cautiously by adhering to all traffic laws; discourage crime by watching out for neighbors and reporting suspicious activity; and to contact legislature representative to ask them where they stand on any legislation that threatens local authority of cities.

These pleas for resident involvement were only part of the state of the city address delivered on Feb. 13 by Weichers.

“The state of (Cottonwood Heights) is strong and sound,” Weichers said.

Weichers summarized the city’s achievements over the past year to a crowd of over 80 attendees including: Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson, Salt Lake County Councilmember Ann Granato, State Rep. Gay Lynn Bennion, Canyons School District Board of Trustees Member Amber Shill, former Cottonwood Heights City Councilmembers, current city staff members and department heads, city committee leaders, volunteers and city residents.

Over 90 residents volunteer on the city’s various boards, commissions, programs and projects (many of which were in attendance as well). Weichers recognized all of these local leaders and impassioned residents before detailing some reasons why the city is currently in a strong position.

“Volunteers serve quietly and without fanfare, yet their impact for good is immeasurable,” Weichers said. “Our community is so much stronger because of the great service of our residents and their attitude of volunteerism.”

The current councilmembers of the Cottonwood Heights City Council believe it is one of their prime responsibilities to create and maintain the city’s budget.

“The city is financially secure,” Weichers said.

Unique for 2023, the city was issued a $13,157,000 bond for purchasing the Hillside Plaza area. Even with last year’s expenditures, the 2023 General Fund ending balance was $9,474,275 (which represents 34.3% of the city’s budgeted revenues). Entering the 2024 fiscal year, the city has approximately $7,075,971 in reserve ready to be budgeted and spent on various city projects and programs.

Weichers boasted that the city’s Finance and Administration Department has received the Distinguished Budget Presentation award for 16 consecutive years, along with the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for 11 consecutive years.

Weichers mentioned that the city is one out of only two municipalities in Salt Lake County to not raise the property tax rate within the last five years, noting the inflationary environment of the last two years as well.

“We were one of only two municipalities to not raise the property tax rate within the next five years even within the inflationary environment within the last two years,” Weichers said.

The Public Works Department remained

busy managing and maintaining the city’s infrastructure during 2023. The Public Works team surveyed 2,779 manholes, collected 650 tons of debris while street sweeping, repaired 4,180 potholes, cleaned 4,387 storm drain grates, raised 172 storm drain manholes (that had been covered before the city’s incorporation), and applied 1,972,386 square feet of slurry seal improvements.

The Public Works Team also applied for and received grants for: the installation of a HAWK light on Fort Union Boulevard near Bella Vista Elementary School; enhancements for crossing Bengal Boulevard near Brighton High School; a $600,000 grant for the construction of a pedestrian trail project on Highland Drive; and $500,000 for the construction of a pedestrian trail project on Bengal Boulevard.

During 2023, a variety of road enhancements throughout the city were finished, sidewalk improvements along 2700 East were completed, the new Ferguson Park was constructed, the Prospector Drive storm drain waterway project was underway, and the reconstruction project for the Big Cottonwood Canyon Trail was completed.

A new Public Works building is under construction with plans to finish by this spring. The new building will allow for better and more salt storage, which the team believes will lead to an expeditated response in snow removal during the winter.

“Our Information Technology (IT) staff

continues to exceed expectations in keeping us safe,” remarked Weichers.

The last year came with increased training and implementation of cybersecurity measures to protect the city.

Over 2023, the Community and Economic Development Team reviewed 60 land use applications, 829 building permits and 71 Design Review Committee (DRC) requests. In addition, they conducted 2,116 site and project inspections.

The Community and Economic Development team also revised the Sensitive Land Ordinance within the city’s code, received two planning grants to develop a master plan for the Hillside Plaza area and to conduct a feasibility analysis for expanding the East Jordan Canal Trail.

Wiechers praised the accomplishments and collaborations with the city’s emergency management team, business association, planning commission, architectural review commission, human resources department, arts council, planning staff and Butlerville Days Committee.

“The Cottonwood Police Department has continued to be one of the most effective public safety organizations in the state,” Weichers said.

He explained that the officers continue to work closely with the community to foster trust and build/maintain relationships. The officers undergo specialized training with regards to intervention response to people with autism

spectrum disorder and mental illnesses.

A licensed clinical social worker was brought in to provide counseling services to the police staff including offering instruction to develop mental toughness and resilience, working through strategies for maintaining family health, offering strategies for identifying and combatting depression and anxiety, and building coping patterns for burnout and compassion fatigue.

The council recently decided to expand the department by dedicating a traffic safety of four new full-time officers focused on traffic management and enforcement of traffic-related incidents. The goal is quicker response to resident-related complaints.

“This initiative aims to enhance the safety of both motorized and nonmotorized forms of transportation. The unit will bring a heightened focus to anyone driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, as well as inspections for commercial vehicles driving within city limits,” Weichers said.

Weichers emphasized the training the officers go through for exercises with the community’s schools to maximizing response time and efforts. He wants to ensure the schoolchildren’s parents that the city is putting a lot of effort in to ensure the schools are as safe as possible.

The CHPD’s K9 program is one of the best ranked in Utah. They took first place in narcotics detection last year.

Weichers acknowledged the firefighters and representatives from UFA for their timely responses to pedestrian and auto efforts.

“Their heroism has saved many lives and the city is blessed by fortitude and courage,” he said.

Weichers also expressed gratitude for the entities that partner with the city including: Canyons School District, the Cottonwood Heights Parks and Recreation Service Area, Salt Lake City Public Utilities, Cottonwood Improvement District, the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District, Wasatch Front Waste and Recycling District, Holladay Justice Court, the South Valley Chamber of Commerce, Salt Lake County and the State of Utah.

Looking forward into 2024, the city council will be reviewing their priorities of: continuing to find ways to improve road safety and enhance pedestrian protection; continuing to support the city’s public safety efforts; building a tax base through effective, economic development efforts; finalizing a vision for future redevelopment of the Hillside Plaza area, enhancing continuous improvement and efficiency in city work; facilitating planning processes to formulate and adopt an updated general plan; continuing to work strategically and methodically through the budget process to be effective and efficient in the use of taxpayer dollars; working to secure additional funding to maintain existing infrastructure, and continuing to preserve and enhance existing trails and open space areas. l

The Cottonwood Heights Police Department’s K9 program is one of the best ranked in Utah. They took first place in narcotics detection last year. (Beatriz Mayorga/Cottonwood Heights)

As I’ve gotten older (but never wiser), I expected the hot flashes, mood swings and irritability. What I didn’t expect was that my age would turn my hair into a mortal enemy. Each morning, I stare in the mirror and prepare for what feels like a battle to the death.

If the indignity of having my face turn a heat-blasting shade of scarlet at any given moment wasn’t enough, I suddenly developed cowlicks along my hairline, giving my head the appearance of constant swirling, like Van Gogh’s “Starry Night.” My hair suddenly changed directions and refused to be bullied into lying flat.

In fairness, my hair and I have been through some stuff. We endured the spongy, pink curlers mom twisted onto my head every Saturday night. We survived my feathery Farrah Fawcett era, the spiral perms, the lemon bleaching in the summer, the sky-high bangs of the ’80s and a decade of nothing but ponytails when my daughters were little.

Maybe my hair never forgave me because now there is no amount of styling products or heated irons that make my hair manageable. It usually looks like newlywed hawks nested on my head to raise their young.

After another morning struggling to arrange my hair in some semblance of

Peri Kinder Life and Laughter

Letting my hair down

control, I threw my hair straightener down the hall and burst into tears. My husband walked out of his office and asked what was wrong. I pointed at my head and kept bawling.

“I don’t care if your hair looks like a tornado emoji,” he said. “You’re always beautiful to me.”

“I don’t want to be beautiful to you,” I sobbed. “I want to be beautiful to complete strangers.”

He doesn’t get it. Men can be bald or gray or have a comb-over or just a Van Dyke beard and they’ll still be considered handsome, even distinguished. But if a woman can’t style her hair using a tube sock, a bottle of mousse and a barrette, the TikTok police jump out of nowhere and create harsh videos for public shaming.

But it’s not just the random cowlicks that give my scalp the appearance of a tropical storm weather map, it’s the breakage and the sensitive scalp and the way my

hair just refuses to comply. My hair breaks so often, it looks like my stylist started to give me a bowl cut and then got bored after trimming the first layer.

I’ve invested in expensive shampoos and luxury leave-in conditioners with no effect. My hair just twirls insolently from my head. I purchased soft brushes and vitamin supplements and I paid someone good money to rub my scalp for 45 minutes. The pampering hasn’t paid off.

There’s no such thing as “styling” my hair. I have to distract it, wrestle it into place, staple it down and spray it with a light coat of cement. It doesn’t matter.

Within minutes it’s spinning around my face like it drank too many mimosas for breakfast.

Maybe the lack of compliance is the reason many older women end up cutting their hair into cute pixie styles, easy crops or elegant bobs. But my face is too round for a short haircut. I end up looking like a basketball wearing a toupee.

I hope at some point my hair and I can become friends again. Between my mood swings and hot flashes, I don’t have the patience to be irritated at one more thing.