BELLA VISTA CELEBRATES PRESTIGIOUS NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL AWARD
By Julie Slama
Blue confetti rippled down upon smiling students, teachers applauded and Bella, the tiger mascot, gave out high-fives after a banner was unrolled at the school assembly.
Bella Vista Elementary in Cottonwood Heights received national praise for its efforts to better serve all its students. It was one of three Utah schools and 356 nationwide to earn the National Blue Ribbon status in 2024 by the U.S. Department of Education.
In an Instagram post, Gov. Spencer Cox congratulated the schools and acknowledged the distinction.
“Grateful for the dedicated educators, and for the commitment of students and parents to high quality education,” he said.
Instructional excellence, high standards, and effective data-driven teaching methods are among the hallmarks of National Blue Ribbon Schools, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Bella Vista further distinguished itself by its strong STEAM programming.
“Blue Ribbon Schools are raising the bar for our nation’s students,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “Let us look to these schools for inspiration as we champion education as the foundation of a brighter future for every child.”
Bella Vista’s Blue Ribbon banner hangs inside the front doors of the school. Principal Barbra Winder said there will be a plaque hung with the distinction as well.
It is the second Canyons School District school to receive the distinction in the 42 years the federal education department has honored schools with the Blue Ribbon honor for achieving at high levels or executing strong work in closing the achievement gap. Peruvian Park Elementary in Sandy received the honor in 2018.
“It’s been a week of celebration,” Winder said.
Early Detection is Key: Breast Cancer Signs, Symptoms and Next Steps
By Cara Guilfoyle, MD
It likely isn’t a stretch to say that you know someone who has had to battle breast cancer within their lifetime, or maybe you have even been diagnosed with it yourself. With the new age of social media, stories of survival and those walking through their breast cancer diagnosis and treatment journey may be inundating your feeds. These stories of hope can certainly be inspiring but may also feel a bit unsettling.
So, what do you need to know about breast cancer and how can you be sure that you’re on top of your health? Let’s start with what breast cancer is and how it occurs - breast cancer occurs when abnormal cells grow out of control in one or both breasts. These cancer cells can spread to nearby tissues and form a mass called a tumor. The cells can spread within the breast, to nearby lymph nodes and other tissues, and to other parts of the body.*
“We are lucky that breast cancer is, for the most part, very treatable,” said Cara Guilfoyle, MD, FACS, Breast Surgeon and Medical Director for CommonSpirit Medical Group –Specialty Care in Utah.
Dr. Guilfoyle stresses the importance of getting yearly 3D mammograms beginning at 40 years old, “mammograms can find breast cancer on an average about five years earlier than you can feel it.” You do not need your physician to write you a prescription or complete
an order form for you to have a screening mammogram - you can self-request to make an appointment for your annual mammogram.
“It is important to stay current with your breast cancer screening because finding breast cancer at an early stage allows more treatment options and a better opportunity for long-term survival,” said Dr. Guilfoyle. “Early detection allows for much less aggressive treatment (for example, omitting chemo and/or radiation).”
Women with a strong family history of breast cancer should talk to their doctor about genetic testing and risk assessments as some high-risk women can start breast imaging earlier.
While it is important to know your family history and risk… Dr. Guilfoyle shares that family history doesn’t tell us everything. “About 75-85% of women (three out of four) diagnosed with breast cancer have no family history or known risk factors.”
So, what should you look out for when doing self-assessments? Dr. Guilfoyle says that you should “never ignore a new lump!” Other possible indicators for cancers can include:
•New skin dimpling
•Skin changes
•Nipple retraction
•Nipple rash
•Nipple discharge
•Lump under the armpit
“At Holy Cross Hospital - Jordan Valley, we have state of the art equipment, including breast MRI, 3D mammogram, SAVI scout for localizations and a soon-to-come Trident for intraoperative specimen imaging,” said Dr. Guilfoyle. “Our multidisciplinary team presents each breast cancer patient to a tumor board and allows for a collaborative academic discussion to formulate the most appropriate personalized treatment plan.”
We strive to exemplify all five of CommonSpirit’s core values of compassion, inclusion, integrity, excellence and collaboration when treating each and every one of our patients. If you are interested in seeing Dr. Guilfoyle at Holy Cross Hospital – Jordan Valley or Holy Cross Hospital – Mountain Point, you may call 385-345-3555 to make an appointment.
“I love being in a field that allows me to make a huge impact on patients’ lives,” said Dr. Guilfoyle. “I try to exude optimism and empower women to tap into the strength they need to face their challenge, and to reinforce that they are not alone!”
Learn more about the services, care providers and missiondriven work of the Holy Cross hospitals and CommonSpirit Health at www.holycrossutah.org.
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On Sept. 23, she called a faculty meeting with Supt. Rick Robins and former principal Angi Holden present to deliver the news and celebrate with blueberry muffins and a Blue Ribbon cake.
“When the staff came, I think I put Angi on the spot,” Winder said. “It was not my news to share. Angi got choked up; she expected to be in the background. But she did an impeccable job in the application saying all the incredible things that are happening at Bella Vista. When I got appointed this year, all it was waiting for was to see the results of our RISE (standardized test) data. Once we got that, we were chosen.”
Holden, who had submitted the 20-page Blue Ribbon School application last winter after receiving an invitation to do so, didn’t tell the faculty the school was under consideration.
Without their knowledge, she wrote a school overview, which included the approach to curriculum, instruction and assessment. She included learning strategies and data and “specific curriculums, interventions, content, support, and other curriculum areas” including the STEAM education and its Beverley Taylor Sorenson arts program. Holden also pointed out the provided tier systems of support for all their students, family engagement, school leadership and professional leadership.
“Barbra was so gracious to invite me to be there when we announced it,” Holden said. “It was meaningful to the teachers and the staff. This is a big boost for the Bella Vista community. It’s well deserved;
the teachers and staff work hard.”
Winder agrees: “The staff has been creative about our scheduling, how to bring STEAM education to all the students, prioritizing attendance and getting students excited about coming to school. I told my teachers to celebrate; they’ve worked their tails off day in and day out and they’ve have supported each other.”
Holden, along with Asst. Supt. McKay Robinson and several Canyons Board of Education members, came to the assembly Tuesday where a portion of the national announcement was shared with students.
“I got lots of hugs from the kids,” she said. “They were cute.
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They were excited Bella Vista was recognized and they were excited to celebrate.”
Winder said it was fun to see their reaction.
“The kids brought it home for everyone. After the banner was unrolled and blue confetti popped out into every corner of the gym, the kids were hooting and hollering. You could just see the joy in the kiddos’ faces,” she said.
Parents learned about the accomplishment through school communications as well as parent-teacher conferences. The week ended with the school DARE officer giving blue popsicles to the 218 students, which
were provided by school board and the school district.
The two principals, along with District Director of Elementary Schools Sally Sansom and School Achievement Coach Rachelle Pease will attend the official Blue Ribbon Schools ceremony in early November.
“I really want to highlight Rachelle, because it was her hard work, and her mastery at tracking the data that Angi used for the application,” Winder said. “Rachelle is supporting teachers to get their students to continuously improve. She’s a big reason why we have the success that we have here; she really is leading
out on the instructional piece at our school.”
Holden agrees.
“Rachelle is the heart of Bella Vista,” she said. “It’s through her efforts that we’re having these results, these improvements. As an instructional coach and an instructional leader, she is the one who drives the day-to-day with teachers through her coaching. She’s so involved in the intervention for our students who need extra support. One of her strengths, I think, is providing targeted interventions and small group instruction. She’s good at reviewing the data, and meeting with each grade level team to identify students for extra help and providing strategies. She is a genius when it comes to that. She’s passionate; that makes a huge difference.”
Both principals say her consistency has helped to give students’ success and the school, overall academic improvement.
That’s because in the past decade, Bella Vista has had six principals, with the longest stint of three years being Principal Eric Gardner, who served before Holden. Winder and Holden both credit him with the vision they’ve implemented.
“A lot of the systems that are working well here are because of his leadership,” Winder said. “Then Angi picked up the torch and carried it strong. Now I’m doing the same thing. It’s been a great way to start our school year and I want to spend this whole year celebrating. In the announcement, Secretary Cardona said the ‘hard work is beginning. This is the launching pad,’ so we’re going to continue to excel and thrive and reach for the stars.” l
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Bella the tiger congratulates Bella Vista Elementary students for being named one of three schools in Utah to earn the National Blue Ribbon status in 2024. (Photo courtesy of Canyons School District)
It
From drab to fab: Eight artists bring color to Cottonwood Heights streets
was as if she won a second time.
In 2011, then Brighton High sophomore Amber Gustaveson entered a school contest to design a ferocious Bengal. She won, and then months later, former Brighton art teacher Adam Fernandez projected and painted her design on both sides of the gymnasium.
“It’s a front-facing tiger with his claws out and bared,” she said. “When opponents faced the wall, they saw my ferocious Bengal glaring at them. He was crouched down, showing his toughness, ready to pounce.”
With the rebuild of Brighton, her tiger went down in rumble.
Gustaveson hoped it would come back with the new school, but when it didn’t, she thought, “that was the end of it.”
Now, a few years later, came the re-emergence of her ferocious Bengal.
It came about when Cottonwood Heights Arts Council member Laura Garcia reached out to Brighton High asking if they would like to participate in the arts council’s newest activity, decorating electrical boxes. Garcia talked with Brighton High Legacy Committee Chairman Jerry Christensen, who reached out to alumni to participate.
Christensen knew Gustaveson had drawn the original Bengal on the gym wall from years of helping coach the wrestling team. He had even photographed it as the demolition took place.
“I took a financial literacy class from him,” Gustaveson said. “He told me we had the opportunity to design some electrical box wraps, and would I be interested? I met with them and went over what they needed. At that point, there were a couple of boxes unspoken for, including a big one, so I said, I’d like the big one, which is by Brighton’s tennis courts and playing fields.”
Knowing she had five designs to cover the box, she tweaked her digital version of her ferocious Bengal and added the words, “Welcome to the Jungle.” Then, in Adobe Illustrator, she designed two more Bengals and created a geometric jungle for the other sides.
“One Bengal is walking to the left and the other is pouncing to the right. Then, I added words that lined with positive sports’ attributes, ‘fast, fierce and ‘fervent,’ to the Bengal facing the tennis courts. We now have a family of Bengals,” she said. “As I worked on each side of the box individually, I made sure my canvases were the exact size of each side of the box. From there, I submitted the digital files to Laura and to the company that makes the wrap.”
Garcia worked with Schmidt Graphics to produce the wraps.
“They’re vinyl, the same material that they do car wraps. It was interesting to watch them install them, because they use heat guns to shrink it and get around all the weird little curves and bumps on the boxes,” she said.
The idea for the wraps started years ago,
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
Garcia said.
“We saw them pop up in other communities when we were traveling and as I talked with other councilmembers and staff who work with the arts council, we all said how cool they were and how we would love to do this,” she said. “Then a member of the parks, trails and open spaces committee approached us about doing it, so we got in touch with someone in Holladay who let us know how they did it and that started the ball rolling. Every city takes a different approach, but we wanted to make sure our boxes were things related to Cottonwood Heights or artists who have a connection to the city.”
After getting approval from Rocky Mountain Power, Garcia said the eight-member arts council approached artists.
“Everyone we asked was thrilled and wanted to do it,” she said.
With help from Zoo, Arts & Parks program and Utah Division of Arts & Museums, the first eight boxes were funded. Each box features original artwork which the public can view as they walk or drive city streets.
The artwork is diverse. Bold, black and white geometric animal abstracts by Gailon Justus contrast with the swirling bicyclist heading to the mountains painted by Savannah Cottam and the vibrant watercolor hues of an octopus with the city logo in the wrap by Jeff Anderson.
Some wraps highlight Cottonwood Heights, such as the geometric mountains by Brekke Sjoblom and the mountain lake and sky landscape by Laura Williams. There is local nature photography by Kylie Pregill and photos of Brighton High by Christensen.
In addition to Gustaveson, Christensen, Cottam and Pregill are Brighton graduates.
“We knew we wanted to work with artists who have ties to the community and who have different styles,” Garcia said. “We let the artists pick their locations of electrical boxes we had available because it may mean something to them, or they may have felt they wanted to create something special for that space.”
She said some electrical boxes, such as Cottam’s, was surrounded by weeds. After talking to the owner of the lot, Garcia received permission to re-landscape it. With the help of Christensen, they worked with Cottonwood Heights’ 9/11 National Day of Service committee who “volunteered their time to clear out all the weeds and add new gravel and made it stand out. It was such a huge improvement in that area.”
In the spring, there will be more electrical boxes available to artists with ties to the community, Garcia said.
“We’ll pick some boxes that are relevant to our community, like schools, parks
and gathering places, and hope to find artists that are relevant to those places. We’ve talked about including the schools next time as well as in the parks,” she said. “The response has been very positive. People love it. It’s been really satisfying.”
Garcia and other volunteer arts council members also coordinate the Cottonwood Heights musical, Artists of the Month, have art activities at events such as Light the Heights in November and supported the October’s Hallow-Ink guest artist, who gave daily online pen and ink lessons. They also will be supporting a free Dec. 6 Eclipse 6 concert, art activities to tie into Chinese New Year and a February paint night. l
Brighton High alum Amber Gustaveson, who’s “ferocious Bengal” won the school competition and was painted in the school gym in 2011, was excited when she was asked to create a wrap for Cottonwood Heights electrical boxes near Brighton High’s tennis courts; she incorporated her “ferocious Bengal” into the design. (Photo courtesy of Amber Gustaveson)
Brighton High alum Amber Gustaveson’s electrical box, “Welcome to the Jungle,” takes the community back to when her ferocious Bengal graced the gym walls in the former Brighton High school. (Photo courtesy of Amber Gustaveson)
Brighton High theatre season lineup includes family-friendly favorites
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
Somefavorite childhood characters will come to life on the Brighton High stage this school year.
The season starts with a beloved, precocious 5-year-old bookworm, Matilda, in the show with the same name based on the book by Roald Dahl. Matilda lives with her brother and parents, who are unappreciative of her. She uses her telekinetic abilities to overcome obstacles caused by her family and school, with the help of her kind-hearted teacher.
“It’s a fun musical with modern music,” Brighton theatre director Makayla Conner said. “The cast loves the dancing in it. This is something they wanted to do and they’re excited to perform it.”
Sixty-six students will perform on stage and another 18 are part of the tech crew. Students help with costuming and design the posters and videos.
The show opens at 7 p.m., Nov. 21 and runs through Nov. 23. There also will be a 2 p.m., Nov. 23 matinee. Tickets are $10 for general admission and $8 for children age 12 and younger and are available on brightonbengals.org. The show is on the school stage, 2220 Bengal Blvd.
“The show has a strong message of empowerment to kids. We live in a world where kids are trying to have their voices heard a lot more, and they have the abilities and the platforms too. This show has messages about kids standing up for what they believe in, and kids having a voice. That’s important for the generation we have in high schools right now to understand how important their voice is in so many different aspects. With social media, they can have their voices heard a lot more, but it’s important they learn how to use their voice in a proactive light so they can be more successful with using those platforms,” she said.
The musical theatre class has been reading the novel as they have been rehearsing.
“There are a lot of connections to the original book, which I was surprised about, because I hadn’t read it before,” Conner said. “We have 35 kids from the cast in that class, but we include everyone who auditions in the musical. With the musical theatre class, we have featured sections of dancers, so they are the ones who learn those ahead of time, and then they can teach the rest of the cast. The same with featured actors. It helps when we have a short time to rehearse before a production.”
During the show’s run, the thespians will have drop boxes for those who want to support their drive to provide personal hygiene and essentials, such as socks, for those impacted by the recent hurricanes.
The show comes on the heels of success the thespians found at the 48th annual Utah Shakespeare High School Festival.
The school’s Shakespeare team earned second place in the overall sweepstakes and
second in their ensemble piece, “Coriolanus.”
Senior Kate Cutler won first in props in the Tech Olympics while senior Jeffrey Burnham finished fourth in sound. The Larry Lott Award, the highest acting award at the competition, was given to junior Lucia Glime for her performance as Coriolanus in the ensemble.
“It was a huge weekend for our Shakespeare team,” she said about the 24 students.
“We picked ‘Coriolanus’ because it has a lot of themes of political conflict, and especially in this election year, it brings a modern discussion. The kids have their own personal experiences with political conflict in this modern day, so it’s cool for them to be able to see that those issues still applied when Shakespeare wrote.”
While in Cedar City, the team also participated in team-building exercises.
“It’s important, especially with ensemble work, that every kid understands their role is crucial, even if they feel like, ‘I’m only in the background and I have no lines.’ That’s not the case. Through those team bonding exercises, they bond as a team and see the whole goal as a bigger picture than just themselves,” Conner said.
Those skills will pay off as they plan to perform their one-act play, “Martyrs Crossing” by Melissa Leilani Larson.
“It’s about Joan of Arc and how she was
guided by angels to help her make the decisions she did in her lifetime. It’s written by a local playwright and a fascinating idea of even though you’re trying your best to make the outcome correct, it still will end the way that it was supposed to or needed to,” she said.
Pending approval for the show as of press deadline, the thespians will perform the show
at 7 p.m., March 6-8, 2025 and again at 2 p.m., March 8 in their black box theatre. They also plan to compete with it in their one-act at region in March. State is in April.
The spring production company show returns to childhood favorites with “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.”
“I love how fun it is to be in this show and how simple it is. The music’s great, the dancing is fun, we’ll wear traditional costuming. Everyone just loves Charlie Brown; everyone has some kind of connection to Charlie Brown,” she said.
Conner said the tech crew is going to “focus on the artwork in the comic strip for the sets and the lights and utilizing that for inspiration for their set they’re going to design” to make it historically accurate and include “that childhood nostalgia.”
The show will be at 7 p.m., May 1-3, 2025 in the school auditorium. A 2 p.m. matinee on May 3 is planned, with a possibility of a meet-and-greet the cast and photo opportunity in the works.
The season’s theme is from the Charlie Brown musical.
“The kids picked it. It’s called, ‘Why not fly?’ It comes from the song, when Charlie Brown tries to fly the kite over and over, and it doesn’t work. At the end of the song, he gets it to fly,” Conner said. “The idea sometimes it might be hard to push through a long rehearsal or feel like there’s no way we can, we can. They picked it because they wanted to have the open-ended question of, ‘Why aren’t we pushing ourselves?’ so it’s giving them a motivated idea behind everything they’re doing this year.”
Brighton opens its improv season at 7 p.m., Nov. 1 in the black box theatre. The 12-member team also has three other shows planned on Dec. 6, March 28, 2025 and May 9, 2025. Tickets are $5. l
Brighton High thespians perform in the showcase with their ensemble piece from “Coriolanus“ at the Utah Shakespeare Festival. (Photo courtesy of Bella Koza)
Brighton High’s team smiles with the awards they earned at the Utah Shakespearean competition in Cedar City. (Photo courtesy of Bella Koza)
Students embrace practical learning in new pharmacy tech program
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
AltaHigh senior Anna Black knew she was interested in a medical field, but she found her likely career path when she enrolled in the new pharmacy technician program at Canyons Technical Education Center.
“It’s really cool,” she said. “We learn medical terms and about different medicines each week so I’m already getting that introduction to the field. As a pharmacist, I’ll be able to help someone without all the blood and gore.”
She, along with Hillcrest High senior Lillie Phillips and Corner Canyon High senior Ellie Blankenstein, had just finished the weekly quiz on medications. Next, they were going to learn how to make blister packs.
Phillips wanted to enroll in the new medical course.
“I already have taken anatomy, physiology, intro to health sciences and CNA (certified nurse assistant) classes so this class is a new experience and it’s a lot of fun,” she said. “I want to become a veterinarian so a lot of what I’m learning will give me that core understanding and knowledge.”
Blankenstein wants to work in the psychology field.
“Once I earn my pharmacy tech certificate, I can work in the field while I’m in college,” she said. “Learning all the medications will be helpful in my career.”
While the students acknowledge there is a lot of memorization, they’re quick to acknowledge their instructor, Makenna Mitchell, supports them by not only making assignments fun, but also “redirecting us to correct something when we realize we didn’t get it right,” Phillips said.
With just weeks into the course, they know the difference between creams, lotions and ointments by the texture and simple versus compound medication.
During the class, students reviewed the advantages of blister packaging versus medication in a pill bottle including easier to track medications and convenient to carry. Mitchell questioned why long-term facilities may prefer the blister packs and students quickly responded with it provides increased safety and quick checks to identify if a resident had taken their medication.
The three seniors, along with their classmates, counted Smarties or Skittles using pharmacists’ spatulas on silver trays by fives, practicing as a technician would do it in a pharmacy. They placed them in individual doses before sealing and labeling the month’s mock supply of medication.
They worked at lab tables in front of a mock pharmacy, which was stocked with over-thecounter medication bottles and on the shelves, other pill bottles and boxes filled with beads and beans, were available for student to pull to fill a pretend prescription. The pharmacy includes a landline to take orders by phone as well as a computer to check the patron’s prescription and refill number, the patient’s address and
phone number, medication delivery method and other information.
“They can pull up a patient’s profile for a prescription, then fill it by counting the drugs on the tray and labeling it before selling the prescription to a patient,” said Mitchell, who has been a pharmacy technician for the past decade.
She said that students will explore the differences between pharmacies; CTEC’s mock pharmacy has sections to represent both one they would see at a hospital as well as in the retail world.
“This gives them the familiarity of both kinds of pharmacies,” she said.
Soon, laminar flow hoods will be installed so students will wear protective gowns and gloves while they learn how to draw medication from a vial to insert and prepare IV bags for patients. They also will learn how to compound medication in a sterile setting.
“Maybe that would look like crushing a tablet with a mortar and pestle and mixing it with syrup to make it available for a child to take if they can’t swallow a pill,” she said, adding that students also will follow the compounding log, fill out appropriate forms, print correct labels and check it with her, as an acting pharmacist, for accuracy.
This mock pharmacy and lab are new to CTEC, said Janet Goble, Canyons Career and Technical Education director.
“We remodeled the tech center starting last year so there’s a lab, a mock pharmacy and a lecture classroom for the program, which serves about 25 students in both the morning and afternoon,” Goble said. “It provides students another viable pathway in the medical field.”
Mitchell said students, who attend class for 2.5-hours per weekday, also earn concurrent enrollment credit through Salt Lake Community College.
“This first term is a lot of medical terminology so they’re memorizing more than 200 drugs – their brand and generic names and their drug class and what the drug treats. We’re also talking
about pharmacy law, all the regulations and standards for both Utah and nationally, and they’ll do a pharmacology section as well, learning about the individual body systems and the drugs that help with those body system,” she said.
During the program, students need to complete an unpaid 180-hour state-required externship as part of their pharmacy tech licenses. Mitchell already has lined up a mix of hospital, retail, independent community and compounding pharmacies for students.
In the second semester, the class will discuss more about compounding and pharmacies, complete their externships and prepare students to take their exams.
“We’ll be talking a lot about insurance, so they’ll gain a good understanding of what a commercial insurance is, the difference between Medicaid and Medicare and the different parts of Medicare. They’ll put in insurance into the pharmacy system and bill it as well,” she said.
At the end of the program, students will receive a Canyons School District certificate of completion.
A national certification test also is required
for students to earn their pharmacy tech licenses. The program itself is working toward the American Society of Health System Pharmacists accreditation.
“All the students this year, when the program is accredited at the end of the school year, will have attended an accredited program through ASHP,” she said.
Mitchell said there is a demand for pharmacy technicians.
“Pharmacies are desperate for technicians. There’s been a shortage recently so right now, getting pharmacies fully staffed has been a hard thing,” she said, adding that an average starting salary may be about $20 per hour. “For students who have their ultimate goal to be a pharmacist, a pharmacy technician is a good stepping stone because you get experience with how the pharmacy works. You go into pharmacy school having a basic understanding of medications and what that specific medication does. When they’re in pharmacy school, they would understand a lot deeper about the drugs and how they interact with each other, and what to look for, but this gives them that first overview and understanding.”
Mitchell earned her licensure and worked as a pharmacy tech to pay her way through college.
“I’ve kept with it because I like what I do. The best part for me is interacting with patients, building a relationship with them. There’s a level of trust there and I like helping them work through any problems with their medications or if their medications are too expensive for them,” she said.
Students also will practice both communication, math and workplace skills in the program.
“What’s cool about this program is that they get a lot of hands-on experience,” Mitchell said. “They’re counting medications, they’re learning to answer a phone call and talk with a patient, they’re practicing giving injections and they’re calculating supplies of medications and will know how long an IV bag with last at a certain flow rate. They’re learning a lot by doing.” l
CTEC instructor Makenna Mitchell explains to pharmacy tech students how to create blister packs of medications. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
The CTEC pharmacy tech program is new this year and at the completion of the program, the enrolled students, seen here packing mock medication, have the option to test to become certified. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
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righton athletes receive honors on and off the field of play. The academic all-state designation from the Utah High School Activities Association (UHSAA) awarded to five Brighton students for fall trimester is among the highest of those honors. It indicates both excellence in the student athlete as well as school rigor.
"Being at the top of a sport while being top in the classroom speaks to the student-athlete's dedication. These athletes represent the teams well on and off the field at Brighton. They are great teammates and good examples to all the players in the program,” said Garrett Wilson, Brighton’s athletic director.
Academic all-state awards are typically given to only 10 senior student-athletes for each 5A sport across the state. The awarded students typically maintain a perfect 4.0 grade point average to qualify among the top 10 in their sport. The Brighton trimesters aligns near seamlessly with the three sports seasons: fall, winter and spring. For the fall sports season the Brighton academic all-state winners are: Davis Cook - from the boys varsity golf team; Leo Larson - from the boys varsity golf team; Max Pohlman - from the boys varsity golf team; Eliza Rosevear - from the girls varsity volleyball team; and Luke Ericksen - from the region champion varsity football team.
The nomination process is found at UHSAA.org.
Each sport and activity season, the UHSAA opens nominations through RegisterMyAthlete. Parents/students enter their RegisterMyAthlete account and click on the Academic All-State tab to enter their unweighted cumulative high school GPA, ACT/SAT score, and submit the nomination form. Schools will confirm the student-athlete is a varsity contributor, confirm the GPA and ACT/SAT score, verify the student is a senior, and upload a current transcript prior to submitting the nomination to the UHSAA by the specified deadline. l
Brighton High School fall 2024 Academic All-State Awardees: Davis Cook - Golf, Leo Larson - Golf, Max Pohlman - Golf, Eliza Rosevear - Volleyball, Luke Ericksen – Football. (Photo Brighton High)
Brighton football merits awards and high postseason seeding
By Jerry S. Christensen | j.christensen@mycityjournals.com
“BHSwon the lottery when coach (Casey) Sutera joined our football team. Parents love him, players respect him and other teams fear him,” notes the booster group that runs Brighton football’s Instagram account. The Utah High School Activities Association (UHSAA) agrees with that sentiment and awarded third-year Brighton football head coach its 5A Gold Star Coach award this year. This high honor is given to one 5A coach for all sports.
UHSAA instituted this annual award to recognize coaches who lead by example in creating a positive and competitive environment throughout their programs while inspiring students to strive for success in all aspects of their lives. Such coaches model for their student-athletes how to work hard, be self-disciplined, be leaders and serve others.
Principal Marielle Rawle paused the first home game of the season on Freestone Field to honor Sutera. “I can’t say enough good about Casey Sutera. He embodies an all-around excellent coach who sees himself as not only a coach, but as a mentor to the young men in his program. He teaches them about hard work, learning from challenges, and most of all how to serve each other and our school community. We feel very lucky to have Casey as our head football coach at Brighton and look forward to
an amazing future of Brighton.”
And of the hundreds of student-athletes that he has coached and inspired since coming from Corner Canyon to Brighton High, one gained the honor of being named Deseret News Athlete of the Week. Senior running back Mason Haertel earned this statewide honor in week two of the season after running for 174 yards and two touchdowns against 6A powerhouse Syracuse. He bested those numbers a week after receiving the award by rushing
for 265 yards and two touchdowns versus 5A region rival Highland. Haertel ends his senior regular season with 1,185 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns.
“Mason is a very hard worker and great leader on our football team. He has done a great job improving his strength, size and speed this offseason and it is showing up in his play on the field,” Sutera said. “Whether it is on the field, in class, or in the weight room he is always representing our program in the most positive way.”
Haertel leads the top five ranked Brighton team with 841 yards of offense and 10 touchdowns after the first six games of the season. Of the coming postseason playoff prospects, Haertel says “we won’t take any days off. We will be prepared to go all the way to Rice Eccles Stadium.”
Off the field Haertel lead the team to service on the 9/11 National Day of Service. While hauling gravel and shoveling dirt on the Brighton Bengal Beautification project, he happened upon a fellow worker who began his Brighton football career 50 years ago in 1974. George Swan, also a team captain for Brighton football in his 1976 senior year, was coincidentally also named a Deseret News Prep of the Week. “It was quite an honor to be recognized as one of the best in the state,” recalled Swan. Once a Bengal always a Bengal.
Brighton football ended the 2024 regular season with a narrow 7-6 victory over the West Panthers to claim a stake in the region championship. Their record of 9-1 grants the team a bye in the first round of the state championship playoffs. It also puts them in the same bracket as the Olympus Titans who handed the Bengals their only loss in mid-September at Olympus. Should both teams win out in their first two postseasons games, they will be on Brighton’s home field for a rematch Nov. 8. l
A nearly five decades difference: Deseret News Prep of the Week 1976 George Swan with Deseret News Athlete of the Week 2024 Mason Haertel and captain Gus Blake. (Jerry Christensen/City Journals)
Unveiling reality: The challenges and joys of raising special needs athletes
Murray High parent Kim Domiguez used to watch other mothers taxi their kids from one practice to another.
Then, while her oldest, Braedon, was in high school, Special Olympics introduced unified sports and Murray High was one of the first Utah schools to jump on board.
Coed soccer and basketball were the first sports, now track and field, swimming and e-sports are options at the high school. The athletes with differing abilities are joined with partners, often peer tutors, to play alongside each other on the same team.
“It used to be that we came up with stuff to do on our own, but now with unified sports, we’re busy,” she said. “I can tell you from a special needs parent’s standpoint, I now understand what soccer moms go through. Unified sports definitely keeps kids involved.”
While Braedon has graduated, he is a constant face on the sidelines of four unified sports, cheering on his brother, Reilly, or more commonly called, Turbo. The high school junior nicknamed himself after the Dreamworks movie, “Turbo,” when he first saw the movie at age 6.
“The only person who he allows to call him Reilly is his brother,” his mother said.
While Domiguez may have an idea of what typical parents do to shuffle their kids and prepare them for competition, not many under-
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
stand preparing a unified athlete to play.
At Murray, unified soccer and basketball athletes practice 90 minutes once per week.
“As parents, we get their bags ready and then, some of us help the teachers get their gear on, make sure their shoes are tied and are ready
for practice. Most of the kids complain about it, asking ‘why do we have to do it?’ It’s outside of their comfort zone. But once they get there, they love it,” she said.
Domiguez said few unified athletes grew up playing the sport, so they’ve had to learn the skills. Her family also had her sons watch the Utah Royals on TV and YouTube to understand fundamentals.
“It’s been a work in progress. When we first started the program, most of our kids would just stand out on the field. They’ve learned how to kick the ball and where to kick it. Now they play defense. Lots of our kids love to be the goalkeeper because they realize they don’t have to run up and down the field, but then they had to learn how to stop the ball, how to pick it up and throw it. We had to start all over with basketball. At first, they’d stand on the court, put their hands up and somebody would dribble around them. It’s been with the help of the peers, with other teams, the coaches and all these reps, that our kids come to play,” she said.
Turbo doesn’t have hours of homework, but he does have a life skills class so his mother has him practice the skills at home.
“Sometimes he does well, sometimes I will need to redo it. He loves the vacuum, and he loves to shred. I know if I need something shredded or something vacuumed, it will get done very well. If I need a table wiped off, and I’ve explained it to him 1,000 times, I know I’m still going to have to redo that,” she said.
same without disruption. Each kid is different, but most special needs kids love their schedules, and they like it being always the same. I don’t tell him we have a soccer match the night before so he won’t get upset that he will be missing class and will have to make it up. From a special needs standpoint, getting ready and to the event can almost be as difficult as being in the event,” she said.
Turbo gets up at 5:30 a.m. before being at school two hours later “because he’s not in a hurry to do anything in his life. He could shower and then lay down a little, take his time at breakfast.”
On a game day morning, he used to be “on edge.”
“Turbo is a creature of habit. He likes things to be the same, but now he knows what to expect so it’s easier. He knows there’s going to be people there he knows. He’s going to have a chance to ride on the bus. It’s going to be a fun adventure,” his mother said.
Domiguez’ husband, Dean, offered his help to coach the team alongside special education teacher Jessie Agiriga and other educators who have guided the program from its inception.
“Turbo listens to Dean. He didn’t want to come today and we had to put in effort to get him here,” she said about an early fall tournament at Highland High. “Now, he’s all in.”
Still, when the regional tournament rolled around, and Turbo got frustrated, his dad explained, “Turbo’s ideal soccer game is not to play it, but to watch it on TV.”
The frustration came about from Turbo playing on a higher skill level team than he previously competed on as an underclassman. At the beginning of the season, every school tests students’ abilities and from there, it’s determined what unified division level of teams the school will have and where athletes will be placed.
“It’s not always sunshine and roses and he will let us know that. When he’s reaches the end of what he can handle, he needs some downtime,” his mother said. “What’s different about playing unified is everybody is so wonderful and gracious; they want everybody to score and do well. It’s fun to see the competitive nature of a lot of these kids come out, but then also their humanity side comes out even more. If there’s a kid who has shot at a basket six times in a row, you’ll find everybody rooting for the seventh, eighth and ninth attempts until he finally scores. Then we all cheer.”
Domiguez said that’s different than a typical sporting event.
The night before a game or a meet, it’s not early to bed for Turbo.
“He’s not a go-to-bed early kid. He’s a ‘I’ll go to bed when I am darn-well-ready kid.’
We say nine o’clock, take your melatonin and pajamas and he’s still up at midnight walking around. We try to keep the boys’ schedule the
“But don’t get me wrong; our kids still like to win. They know when they come in first or second. They understand our team didn’t win, we might not advance,” she said.
As an increasing number of Utah high schools now have unified programs, competition has stepped up. At the metro regional tournament, there were 55 area teams. Several
Brighton High’s unified team member races ahead of Riverton’s to get to the ball at the regional tournament. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
schools, like Murray, have added additional teams.
Every year Murray’s unified athletes and their partners have qualified for state, even winning the championships multiple times. This year, both teams fell short of being in the championship games while three other area teams — West Jordan High, Alta High and Hunter High — all qualified and finished second in their divisions.
“There’s disappointment. They must face it just the same as any other kid. Sometimes they do well with that, other times they do not. When they don’t, we just talk through it. It’s a lot of the same dynamics and feelings as a typical kid losing, only our kids’ emotions might be a little bit more on the surface,” she said, then added, “Luckily for us, basketball rolls in right after and we’ve already started swimming.”
Her husband, a former Murray High swimmer and water polo player, also coaches unified swim. He’s able to spend time with the team as he has macular degeneration, so he retired from his desk job, and now, with Braedon and Braedon’s grandfather, does construction work for the family business.
Domiguez said both her sons, who were born premature, were diagnosed with autism before age 2 after doctors were monitoring their progress. They attended a preschool for students with autism before entering Viewmont Elementary. Braedon integrated into a kindergarten class while it wasn’t until second grade that Turbo fully integrated.
“His peers didn’t know he spoke until second grade. He was very quiet, and he was a runner. The kids were so helpful, if Turbo got up and ran out, a nice girl would go after him,” she said. “Every year, I’d go to their classes and talk to the kids about what autism is, or answer their questions, ‘why is Turbo acting the way he does? Or should I be afraid of him?’ We thought the best way to combat bullying was let the kids get to know us.”
Now some of those classmates are the ones who fill the bleachers at games or are the cheerleaders rallying for Turbo and
Domiguez, as the sole driver for the family, says it isn’t easy, as she herself often attends unified games in a wheelchair as she has “really bad arthritis. We’re a lot better than we look on paper, but we do live in a very different world than I think a lot of people. I used to be a type A personality. Now it’s ‘Let’s just see where the day takes us.’”
She knows she can’t leave her younger son without a “Turbo-sitter” as he has a track record of dumping out all the kitchen spices or emptying the fire extinguisher, but she is pleased he likes his classes such as video editing, ceramics, cooking and zoology. He also participates in Best Buddies program and has attended school dances.
“Turbo got himself a rainbow sequined suit for a Halloween dance. He asked one of his peer helpers to go with him, and she had the same suit. They wore matching rainbow suits and had a lot of fun with it,” Domiguez said.
And those special moments, such as when Braedon scored a last-second shot to win a basketball game, are often relived.
“Everybody went nuts, running onto the court, screaming and dancing. And an hour or two later, we’re driving home, and the kids were still excited. Braedon still brings it up and they talk about how great it was,” Domiguez said. “Those are some of the moments that make us smile and make it so worthwhile.”
This year, Turbo had a memorable goal.
the rest of the unified team.
“What’s been fun for the team is when we people are there to cheer for them; they love the support,” she said.
That gift of acceptance and being part of the school is not lost as the Domiguez family returns their support, often going to soccer, softball, volleyball and basketball games to cheer on those players who have helped the unified teams. They even support their classmates in the school musicals and attended University of Utah women’s basketball games, after those players practiced with Murray’s unified team.
During the season, Murray High ate dinner with the Utah Royals’ unified team and the Spartans met their mascot and the Utah Royals players. Then the two unified teams scrimmaged on the America First field.
“We got our butt handed to us, but Turbo scored a goal, and that’s all that mattered,” his mother said. “When they score, that’s when they’re the happiest and the whole team jumped around, they high-fived each other, and even the Royals unified girls gave them high-fives. We got one goal. Oh, by golly, we celebrated the heck out of that goal.” l
A Little Shop in Millcreek Making a Big Impact
Nonprofit thrift shops have seen a significant surge in popularity in recent years, offering secondhand treasures at affordable prices and a compelling way to reduce, reuse and recycle. One such shop in Millcreek has captured the hearts of loyal thrifters by offering the allure of finding one-of-a-kind items with the added appeal of supporting the community with each and every purchase. The Assistance League Thrift Shop, operated by the Assistance League of Salt Lake City®, is known for its carefully curated merchandise and boutique-like atmosphere, but what many of its customers may not know is that 85% of the revenue from the shop is returned to the community through the nonprofit’s philanthropic programs.
With the mission of improving the lives of children and adults through hands-on philanthropic programs, the Assistance League of Salt Lake City is a volunteer-driven nonprofit that is part of a national network of Assistance League chapters. The local chapter of 250 volunteer members served over 30,000 individuals last year by providing more than 5,000 bags of new winter clothing to children needing school clothes, urgent dental treatment, books to thousands of young readers, Assault Survivor Kits ® and essential baby items to partnering hospitals, entertainment to seniors and more. Assistance League’s Assisteens auxiliary, made up of 7th-12th grade volunteers, served over 12,000 individuals through their community service projects. And in 2023, the Salt Lake chapter provided 12 scholarships to local college students.
All of this is made possible by the proceeds from the thrift shop and generous donors! To find out more about Assistance League Thrift Shop or how to become a member of Assistance League, please visit our website at alslc.org
Assistance League Thrift Shop 2090 East 3300 South Salt Lake City, Utah 84109 (801)484-3401 Email: info@alslc.org
Shop Hours: Tues–Sat
Alongside partners, a Cottonwood unified athlete brings up the ball against Brighton High in the regional soccer game.
(Julie Slama/City Journals)
City’s Thanksgiving 5K a community tradition
By Cassie Goff | c.goff@mycityjournals.com
The 2024 annual Cottonwood Heights Thanksgiving 5K Race will bring this long-standing tradition into its 40th year. Near-and-dear to many locals hearts, many residents, organizers and runners are especially excited for this year’s race.
“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else on Thanksgiving morning,” said resident Michael J. Peterson. “It’s a beautiful course with spectacular views of the mountains.”
Peterson has run all 39 previous Thanksgiving 5K races and hopes to make this year his 40th run. Besides being a repeat runner, Peterson was integral in the creation and maintenance of the event as he previously worked for the Salt Lake County’s Parks and Recreation District, served in the Cottonwood Heights Parks and Service, and was elected as a former Cottonwood Heights Councilmember and Mayor.
In 1984, part of Peterson’s role in the Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation District was to maintain working relationships with the various communities the County’s District served. That meant, he frequently attended various citizen advisory board meetings throughout the area. At one such meeting, the former Cottonwood Heights Recreation Center Director Dick Guthrie approached him and asked for assistance putting together a 5K Race for the would-be city.
“(Guthrie) turned it into a great community tradition each year,” recounted Peterson. “The first race had approximately 20 runners and was a great success.”
When the city of Cottonwood Heights did incorporate in 2005, they decided to partner with the Cottonwood Heights Recreation Center to help grow the Thanksgiving 5K Race and became the primary sponsor of the event.
“What a fun, in a punishment-type-ofway to get out and about by thinking ‘I got to run before I can eat all the food,” said Councilmember Suzanne Hyland.
Former Mayor Kelvyn H. Cullimore Jr. was invited to run the race – with the caveat of anyone who could beat him would be awarded a medal.
“This created a ton of interest and helped the race grow to what it is today,” Peterson said.
Over the years, thousands of walkers and runners have participated in the Cottonwood Heights Thanksgiving 5K Race. The Cottonwood Heights Recreation Center team anticipates over 2,000 participants to register this year.
“Enveloped with the annual Turkey Run crowd, which has grown over the years to sell our proportions, is exhilaration,” said Councilmember Ellen Birrell.
Current Mayor Mike Weichers proud-
ly carries on the tradition for runners to “beat the Mayor.” He recounts his favorite interactions over the past two years/races being with people as they pass him on the way to getting their medal. He anticipates even more of these interactions this year as he has been dealing with a hip injury.
“The good news is that extra medals have been ordered to plan ahead,” Weichers laughed. “Good luck to all our runners, and I’ll see you soon.”
The 2024 Thanksgiving 5K Race will be held on Nov. 28 at 9 a.m. The 3.1-mile course begins at the Cottonwood Heights Recreation Center (7600 S. 2700 East), meanders east through the community’s neighborhoods along Banbury Road up near Wasatch Boulevard, and back to the Recreation Center.
Registration will begin on Nov. 2 with variable pricing up through day-of registration on Nov. 28 (open until 8:50 a.m.).
A portion of each participants entry fee ($35-$50) will be donated directly to the Cottonwood Heights Parks & Recreation Foundation.
“Get your Turkey Trot in the morning of Thanksgiving,” Hyland encourages.
If runners cannot attend the Thanksgiving 5K on Nov. 28, a celebration for the completion of the first Neighborhood Byway will be sponsored in conjunction with the Cottonwood Heights Parks, Trails, and Open Spaces Committee on Nov. 16.
“Come join in the fun by walking, scootering, strolling, or bicycling…on the new Neighborhood Byway,” Birrell said.
The route will take participants from
Bywater Park (3149 Banbury Road), through Banbury, Nutree, Winesap Drive and/or Racquet Club Drive, up near Alpha Coffee. Interested participants are encouraged to meet at Bywater Park on Nov. 16 at 2 p.m.
To learn more about the Cottonwood Heights Thanksgiving 5K and to register, visit: www.raceentry.com/cottonwood-heights-thanksgiving-day-5k/ race-information l
“Over the years the race has run in all weather (a couple times in rain and snow), but most years it has been crisp and clear,” said former Cottonwood Heights Mayor Mike Peterson. (Photo courtesy of Mike Peterson)
“Events like the Cottonwood Heights Thanksgiving 5K allow the community to come together…to begin their holiday celebrations with family and friends,” said former Cottonwood Heights Mayor Mike Peterson. (Photo courtesy of Mike Peterson)
“It's always a family affair with my wife, my children, and grandchildren running in most years,” said former Cottonwood Heights Mayor Mike Peterson. (Photo courtesy of Mike Peterson)
Sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade runners dashed around the 2.25-mile course at Jordan High before temperatures reached a record-breaking 86 degrees on Oct. 12. It was the Canyons School District’s annual intramural cross country championship for all eight middle schools. Midvale Middle’s seventh-grader Nora Goodman ran 15:35 to win the race of 59 girls while Indian Hills’ eighth-grader James Gardner ran 14:32 to win the boys race of 67 runners. However, it was the Butler Bruins who claimed both girls’ and boys’ team titles. Draper Park and Albion finished second and third, respectively, for the girls while Albion and Indian Hills were second and third for the boys (Photo by Julie Slama) From start to finish line: Young runners race in middle school championship
$150 One offer per household. Expires 12/15/24. $25 off for first-time customers One offer per household. Expires 12/15/24.
Crime rates down for September in Cottonwood Heights
By Cassie Goff | c.goff@mycityjournals.com
TheCottonwood Heights Police Department (CHPD) is starting to notice their annual decrease for inbound calls and crime rates as summer comes to a close and temperatures fall. Their overall statistical data for the month of September was pulled by Police Support Specialist Candie Smith (previously Terry) and presented to the city council on Oct. 15.
“When you compare…with the (Salt Lake) countywide team that targets high crime areas Cottonwood Heights doesn’t even compare,” said Cottonwood Heights Police Chief Robby Russo.
A total of 1,431 calls for service in September was down a few hundred calls from the 1,646 calls in July and 1,563 calls in August. The majority of those calls originated from District 1 (473), followed by District 3 (347), and District 2 (215), while District 4 saw the least amount of calls coming in (209).
Forty-two total crimes were reported during the month of September within the city: 31 thefts, five assaults, five burglaries, and one stolen auto vehicle. This was down six reported crimes from last year’s 48 crimes. Arrest numbers are starting to dip significantly as well from 84 in July, to 68 in August, and now 39 in September. DUIs are
also starting to go down from 18 in July, to 10 in August, to three in September.
The average response time for a high-priority call was 7 minutes and 3 seconds; with only a 30 second difference between Priority 2 calls (8 minutes and 35 seconds). Response times for Priority 3 calls averaged to 10 minutes.
“We had several of our traffic officers in training, so it was a sporadic and hectic
month,” Smith said.
The number of traffic citations issued during September came down to 269 citations (and 141 warning) from the previous 372 citations (and 221 warning) during August. One hundred and fifty-one of those citations were issued in District 1; 118 citations were issued in District 2; 71 citations were issued in District 3; and the remaining 13 were issued in District 4.
Only one of the frequently pulled statistics saw an increase. Accidents were up to a total of 43, after 38 accidents reported in August, and only 29 reported in July.
Russo and Smith also reported on a collaborative property clean-up project. After years of complaints regarding an unkept property along 2700 East, Russo finally asked the council to consider changing their codes and ordinances related to nuisances. A few months of noticing, code enforcement visits, and fines later, the CHPD asked the city’s Public Works team to help conduct a property clean-up. Together, they hauled away 14 dump truck loads of debris collection.
“Residents found reason to come by to engage with us,” Russo said. “They were so pleased with the house being cleaned up.”
Now, the Public Works Department and CHPD will evaluate the costs related to the property clean-up, together with the city’s finance director. From there, a bill will be sent to the property homeowner. If the bill for services isn’t paid within a timely manner, the city will put a lien on the property for those costs.
“There are more properties on the list to clean up so we will keep going,” Russo said. l
The CHPD appreciated everyone’s help in making their property cleanup successful. (Photo courtesy of Candie Smith/Cottonwood Heights)
Residents, business recognized for landscaping work prioritizing city’s values
By Cassie Goff | c.goff@mycityjournals.com
Fiveproperties within the Cottonwood Heights City boundaries are recognized for their landscaping attention, efforts, and work each year. Residents and neighbors are encouraged to anonymously nominate the properties they believe to beautify their neighborhoods. Each of the councilmembers for the city’s four districts then visit all of those nominated properties and score them based on landscaping priorities. After working through the process this summer, the 2024 Beautification & Landscaping Awards were presented by the city council on Oct. 1.
“The Landscape Beautification Awards program is a public recognition…of the properties in the city that show pride of ownership and evoke the Cottonwood Heights character,” said Community and Economic Development Director Mike Johnson. He noted how residential and commercial landscapes have been recognized over the past seven years with plans to continue this program into next year.
The Landscaping Award winner for District 4 was a duplex property located on 7660 S. Avondale Drive. The landscaping
work was praised for its attention to keeping dark skies. Councilmember Ellen Birrell also noted its welcoming entry way and the flow between the adjacent properties.
“We so value every resident no matter the property value,” said Birrell. “I highly value that the owner has gone to the trouble to select native plants as well.”
Resident Margie Crowley appreciated the comments. “I carried those bricks 15 at a time in my Prius to build the retaining walls,” she said.
The home at 2371 E. Sundown Ave. won the District 3 Landscaping Award. This
property was also praised for its use of waterwise landscaping and variety of plant species. Councilmember Shawn Newell noted the unique creative choices in creating a pathway to the front of the house as well.
“The design of the steps to the doorway with the windows is inviting,” said Newell.
The homeowners living on 7846 S. Danish Point Place won the Landscaping Award for District 2. The property was praised for the apparent attention toward water conversation utilizing mulch throughout. It was also signified as an important stop along Danish Road as the property is not fenced off and
District 1’s landscaping winner is 6750 S. Hollow Dale Drive. (Photo courtesy of Cottonwood Heights)
District 4’s landscaping winner is 7660 S. Avondale Dr. (Photo courtesy of Cottonwood Heights)
Alpha Coffee has won the Landscaping Award for this year’s commercial property. (Photo courtesy of Cottonwood Heights)
District 2’s landscaping winner is 7846 S. Danish Point Place. (Photo courtesy of Cottonwood Heights)
invites pedestrians to sit on the bench facing the sidewalk.
“These wonderful owners have opened themselves up to the community,” said Councilmember Suzanne Hyland. “The property captures the pride and spirit of what our city is.”
Councilmember Birrell shared her experiences biking past their property often and seeing them laboring in their yard. She took a moment to thank the property owners for providing a spot for everyone to enjoy along the route.
District 1’s Landscaping Award was designated to the 6750 S. Hollow Dale Drive property. Councilmember Matthew Holton praised how clear it was that the property owners had spent so much time and effort into taking care of their yard.
“Your home stands out and is a bright beacon for that cul-de-sac,” Holton told the homeowners. “Thank you for sharing your passion and love.”
While the residential property award winners are selected from the anonymous
nominations submitted to the city, the business award winner is selected from all the business properties within the city’s boundaries by the mayor.
“It screamed to me that this is a business that cares about its community,” said Mayor Mike Weichers.
Alpha Coffee was this year’s commercial winner for landscaping. Their recent development work was praised for the careful planning of landscaping features to veil the parking lot behind foothills and mountain views. It was also evaluated for being waterwise with the inclusion of a rock path for that water. Alpha Coffee’s recently-developed deck was noted as a feature for patrons to spend more time outside as well.
“As residents and business owners, we love Cottonwood Heights,” said Alpha Coffee founders and owners Carl and Lori Churchill.
Each of the Beautification & Landscaping Award winners received a gift card to Home Depot and, new this year, a sign to put in their yard that calls them out as winners. l
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District 3’s landscaping winner is 2371 E. Sundown Ave. (Photo courtesy of Cottonwood Heights)
Regulations for short-term rentals in the works
It is estimated that there are 400 unregistered short-term rentals within the city boundaries of Cottonwood Heights. Increasing residential concern has led to the Cottonwood Heights City Council beginning preliminary conversations to update their short-term rental ordinances. even though there are some state limitations to what the local municipality can do in relation to some identification and enforcement issues.
“We can’t ignore it anymore,” said Councilmember Suzanne Hyland. “Ski season is right upon us and there is a lot of chatter for the legislative session in the next year.”
After hearing from Rep. Gay Lynn Bennion at the state level and listening to many residents who asked for help getting shortterm rental issues under control, Hyland has asked her fellow councilmembers to work with her on an attempt to pull together a process for updating the city’s short-term rental policies with the intention of getting as many short-term rentals into compliance.
The city’s current code of ordinances related to short-term rentals sets a fine of $100 per day for those out of compliance. However, short-term vacation rental (like Airbnb and VRBO) profits are often worth incurring that fine for many residents. Hyland refer-
By Cassie Goff | c.goff@mycityjournals.com
enced the recent action by Brighton to increase the fee to $650 per day and suggests Cottonwood Heights follows suit.
“(CHPD) Chief (Robby) Russo said we have to increase the fine since they are making $1,200 per night,” Hyland said.
Hyland would also like to see a larger effort made to work with the city lobbyists so they fully understand how much the city is being effected by the inconsistencies related to managing and legislating short-term rentals. The State of Utah has been in ongoing conversations related to identification, legislation and enforcement of short-term rentals for the previous few years. Some of their solutions to address issues related to short-term rentals have limited (and negatively impacted) local municipalities.
In order to effectively have those conversations with city lobbyists, legislators and representatives, she would like the city council to start identifying their main objectives in relation to housing within the city’s boundaries. Hyland has asked her counterpart councilmembers to read up on some research related to short-term rentals.
“We need to identify who we are as a council and start with policy objectives,” Hyland said.
In the meantime, she has recommended
establishing a small subcommittee to focus in on the details of these conversations related to short-term rentals. This small subcommittee would meet regularly and report back to the city council with recommendations.
“We don’t want to be working in a vacuum,” Hyland said.
Hyland suggested this small subcommittee be comprised of one councilmember, one member from the city’s Planning Commission, one city staff member from the
Economic Development Department, and one code enforcement officer.
Ongoing conversations related to shortterm rentals will continue through the year as the Cottonwood Heights City Council works to establish their objectives for a short-term rental ordinance update. Shortterm rentals are also anticipated to be at the center of some hot conversations well into next year with the upcoming state legislative session. l
“The rise of short-term rentals negatively impact the housing affordability and reduces the long-term availability of housing. (Kem C. Gardener Policy Institute Analysis of Lighthouse and U.S. Census Bureau Data/University of Utah David Eccles School of Business)
Blinded by the light, blocked views by billboards rev up residents
By Cassie Goff | c.goff@mycityjournals.com
Billboardregulation, sign brightness, and skyline visibility disruptions are just a few of the recurring conversations in state legislative sessions each year. Constituents often voice their disdain for ill-placed billboards in residential neighborhoods and LED signs illuminating too many blinding lumens at night. Such concerns are usually in opposition to the priorities of the billboard and signage company lobbyists.
The function of and authority over Wasatch Boulevard has been a constant struggle for years as well, not only during the legislative session but throughout the remaining months. Even though the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) maintains primary authority over State Road 210 (as it’s commonly referenced by state entities), the asphalt is technically within the borders of the city of Cottonwood Heights so the city’s residents are the frequent daily commuters of Wasatch Boulevard (as it’s commonly referenced by city documents). Many state leaders and agencies priorities (and fund) SR-210 as a highway “corridor between/through the canyons” while Cottonwood Heights leaders and residents would like Wasatch Boulevard to be recognized as a residential byway. These contentions over the authority and purpose of the road lead to disagreements about the speed limits, roadway reconstruction, traffic filtering, surrounding development, and overall character of the area.
While these massive, and often passionate, conversations may seem rather disjointed, recent construction of signage along Wasatch Boulevard and a billboard along Ft. Union Boulevard has found the middle of the overlap.
In early July, UDOT announced a new construction project for “Cottonwood Canyons Message Signs” consisting of three overhead variable message (VM) signs and three traction warning signs on roadways leading up to Cottonwood canyons. These signs were to be constructed within the cities of Sandy, Cottonwood Heights and Holladay.
On Aug. 5, Cottonwood Heights Councilmember Ellen Birrell wrote, “Without consultation with the Cottonwood Heights elected representative or staff, we learned of the building of this freeway-sized overhead VM sign.”
The VM sign was constructed along 7650 S. Wasatch Blvd. in August and many neighboring residents voiced their frustrations to the Cottonwood Heights City Council in response. Homeowners living nearest the sign shared their experiences of the bright light shining directly into their homes. When they went to UDOT with the same concern, they were told that the surrounding trees should provide enough cover. Neighboring residents questioned how the eyesore
played into the city’s Wasatch Blvd. Master Plan.
“We incorporated as a city to stop the signs and billboards,” said resident Leslie Kovach on Aug. 20. “The residents want dark skies.”
As if right on queue, Reagan Billboards began constructing a double-paneled billboard along 2296 E. Ft. Union Blvd. (on the way up to Wasatch Boulevard when heading east) in the 7-11 parking lot.
Cottonwood Heights residents quickly began sharing their outrage in person, over the phone and online to city councilmembers, city staff members, and state representatives. The main concerns being how big the billboard is in relation to its surroundings while cutting off the view of the mountain range and the disregard for the historic resident opposition for billboards in neighborhoods. Suspicions about who profits from the billboard circulated through these conversations as well.
“Unfortunately, this is another case of the power of billboard companies and the negative impacts on communities,” wrote Rep. Gay Lynn Bennion on Facebook. “This is not what we as citizens want to see in our community.”
On Oct. 17, Cottonwood Heights City
released a post across their social media platforms. It clarified that the city’s zoning regulations do not allow new billboards to be constructed.
“Utah State Code preempts local zoning regulations and authorizes a billboard to be relocated up to one mile away from its original location upon written request to the city, with or without approval. Reagan Outdoor Advertising originally requested this relocation in 2021.”
Residents rallied together for a peace-
ful protest on Oct. 18, from 4 until 7 p.m. Based on the number of positive responses, the neighborhood organizers are working on a social media page to keep residents updated about next steps.
“Community events give citizens opportunities to organize around events we are passionate about, learn from each other, and strengthen our bonds,” wrote resident Anna McNamer sharing her post-protest reflections. l
Cottonwood Heights residents are upset by how large a newly constructed billboard is within the neighborhood in comparison to the surrounding features. (Cassie Goff/City Journals)
Fee increases for water services to stabilize Public Utilities budget
By Cassie Goff | c.goff@mycityjournals.com
With emergency repairs, water line rehabilitation, treatment plant reconstruction, regulation compliance costs and inflation, the Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities found it necessary to increase monthly fees for their users. Residents may have noticed an increased fee on their August billing cycle as the new rate went into effect on July 1.
“It’s a catch-up fee to help us equalize,” said SLC Public Utilities Director Laura Briefer during her annual update to the Cottonwood Heights City Council on Oct. 15.
Briefer described various contributing factors to their current financial climate. The previous rate structure established in 2018 did not anticipate a decrease in water demand. As revenues dipped, expenditures only continued to increase as the waterways continue to age and new federal regulations are passed.
“Revenues plummeted last year in a significant way,” Briefer said. “Reduced water demand and inflation with larger capital projects was a huge factor.”
It became apparent that the Public Utilities Department needed to take some action to be able to balance their budget. They began to embark on a new water-rate study focusing on rate design to account for the new water demand model seen today. The focus is to find stability for fixed costs.
“We have a new normal of what water rates look like and what efficient water usage looks like,” Briefer said.
As work to alter their fee schedule, the stabilization fee has been implemented in the meantime. The expectation is to recoup enough revenue within the year through the increased fee so it will not have to be rolled over and implemented in future years.
“Our revenues are only from what is on your water bill,” Briefer said. “We do not get extra taxes of anything like that.”
That also means when there’s concern inspiring an active social climate toward water conservation, the Public Utilities Department collects less fee revenues.
“We have a bad business model,” Briefer said. “I want to applaud the amount of conservation even through it means less revenue.”
Even though there’s been significant conservation efforts over the last few years, the Great Salt Lake remains in critical condition. As of publication, the lake’s elevation was at 4,192.3 feet. Briefer mentioned that the ideal is to see that number at 4,198 feet.
However, state leaders and hydrologists reported to Briefer at the Utah Water Summit that the other reservoirs statewide were at 72% capacity – which is a higher than average number.
“It’s a really good thing to enter a
new water year with that capacity,” Briefer said. “We manage the water supply that serves 365,000 people in the Salt Lake Valley; from the Wasatch Mountains and the ground water in the Provo Water Project, up to the Deer Creek Reservoir.”
Thirty percent of that water supply comes from federal river projects through accessing the Provo Water Project, between 5% and 10% comes from the Central Utah Water Project, and additional contract water is received from the Central Utah Water Conservatory District. The bulk of the water supply comes from the 190 square miles of land in the Wasatch Mountains that the Public Utilities Department actively protects.
“We think of ourselves often as a one-water agency where we are managing all aspects of water that comes through our community. Even though we are a municipal district and retail water provider, we act like a regional water provider,” Briefer said.
Because of these important regional, state and federal connections, it’s imperative for the Public Utilities Department to remain in compliance with all set regulations. However, coming into compliance with some of the new regulations will be one of the more costly expenses for the Department of Public Utilities, which is one of the primary reasons for the fee increase.
A recent requirement through the Clean Water Acts mandates all waterlines containing lead must be removed within the next decade.
“The first part of compliance is to inventory all lines in the 900,000-plus connections,” Briefer said.
Inventorying the entire system for lead will be a mighty endeavor for the Public Utilities team so they have asked for assistance from residents. A public survey is available through their website for residents to submit any information they may know about the water lines on and surrounding their properties (link information provided at the end of this article).
Briefer feels rather confident that inventorying the entire water system for traces of lead won’t uncover too much unknown contaminants, however. The Public Utilities Department does routinely test for more than 90 contaminants within the water and are currently in compliance for all safe water drinking requirements. (Those reports are published annually through their website for residents to read.)
“Salt Lake City’s service area has not had issues with lead in drinking water because the quality of drinking water that comes in is not erosive,” Briefer said. “It leaves a calcium deposit where it doesn’t interact with the lead as much.”
As potential health risks related to flu-
oride being within drinking water has been in the news recently, SLC’s Public Utilities team reviewed their data on the usage of fluoride within their operations. The health department is looking into and analyzing that study to see what it really tells us in related to risk.
Briefer relayed some of the residential concerns the department had been receiving referenced back to a recently circulated study that found potential health risks with 1.5 mg fluoride per kg of water. As a water treatment operation, they are required up to 0.7 mg fluoride to water.
One such facility where water is treated within the service area is the Big Cottonwood Canyon (BCC) Water Treatment Plant. Originally constructed in the 1950s, the overdue reconstruction is one of those larger capital projects contributing to the increasing expenses of the SLC Public Utilities Department.
“To rehabilitate a water treatment plant can be hundreds of millions of dollars,” Briefer said.
In addition, crews are currently working to replace three main water pipelines. A
new 36-inch welded steel pipe will be installed as the connecting line between the Big Cottonwood Water Treatment Plant and the Salt Lake Aqueduct. Active road closures for this construction along Ft. Union Boulevard and Big Cottonwood Canyon Road will continue through the end of the month.
While the BCC Water Treatment Plant rehabilitation work, water pipeline replacement, and related road/infrastructure reconstruction will most directly impact the residents of Cottonwood Heights, the SLC Public Utilities Department is anticipating a handful of multiyear rehabilitation and reconstruction capital project costs coming down the pipeline.
The water quality report contains information about sources of drinking water, the water system and water quality results. The 2024 Water Quality Report, and previous reports, are available online at www. slc.gov/utilities/water -quality/.
To learn more about SLC Public Utilities and water services, visit: www.slc.gov/ utilities. l
The SLC Department of Public Utilities provides water service to areas that include Salt Lake City, Millcreek, Holladay, Cottonwood Heights and other portions of Salt Lake County. (Photo courtesy of Public Utilities Director Laura Briefer)
The Salvation Army in Salt Lake County offers assistance year-round
Volunteers with The Salvation Army in Salt Lake County are much more than season bell-ringers. The organization’s programs include helping people experiencing homelessness, hosting food pantries and assisting families affected by disasters.
Captain James Combs has served with The Salvation Army since 2013. He oversees the Army’s programs and activities within the area and works with local partners and agencies to get people the resources and help they need.
Services include homelessness prevention and emergency assistance to help pay rent, emergency housing needs or transportation issues during an immediate crisis. The Army also provides hygiene kits and clothing or furniture vouchers.
“The most sought-after program we offer is our utility assistance program,” Combs said. “We have agreements with Salt Lake Water, Rocky Mountain Power and Dominion Energy and contract with them to help with utility assistance. There’s a wide variety of emergencies that people are facing. So we have an emergency fund that can step in and help somebody get back on their feet.”
The organization is also home to its Client Choice Food Pantry, operating Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to noon, Wednesdays from 2-4 p.m.
By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
and Fridays from 2-4 p.m. Located at 438 S. 900 West, the food pantry is run like a grocery store where people can choose the items they need for their family.
On Thanksgiving Day, Salvation Army volunteers take over the county’s Meals on Wheels program, delivering nearly 1,000 meals to homebound residents.
“You’d be surprised at how fast that goes with the number of people that are there to help,” Combs said. “The clients call us to reserve a hot Thanksgiving meal. It’s really fantastic.”
During the holidays, the Army’s Angel Program and Golden Angel Program provide gifts to thousands of children and senior citizens. Through the programs, people can adopt a child or senior to help for the season.
In 2023, The Salvation Army had more than 26,000 food pantry visits, prepared 42,000 meals, assisted nearly 2,700 people with utility payments and helped more than 142,000 people across the state.
Funding for the program is paid for through partnerships, donations and the generosity of people who donate to the Army’s bell-ringers at Christmastime. Last year’s donations exceeded more than $2.2 million in Utah. There’s also a virtual kettle where people can donate online through Venmo, Apple or
Google Pay.
“Community volunteers are always welcome, especially during the holidays,” he said. “If people want to help ring the bell, which helps more than just at Christmas. It helps us do everything we do all year long. They can volunteer to ring the bell for two hours at a time. That goes a long way to help support our programs.”
Combs said The Salvation Army isn’t a cookie-cutter organization. It adapts and creates programs based on the needs of the resi-
dents it serves. All donations received, stay in the area they are given.
Volunteers are always needed to help at the food pantry, deliver meals, help with emergencies or work at the service center. For more information about services or volunteer opportunities, visit saltlakecity.salvationarmy.org.
“A lot of our programs, over the last few years, have taken a shift,” he said. “We wanted to make sure that our folks were making the impacts and filling the needs that were needed here in Salt Lake County.” l
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Assistance for people experiencing homelessness is just one of many ways The Salvation Army in Salt Lake County helps residents needing help. (Stock photo)
Preparing Thanksgiving dinner never gets easier. I always start with lofty culinary goals based on recipes from “The Pioneer Woman” that include truffles and capers but end up scraping scorched gravy into a dish and hoping the turkey won’t give anyone food poisoning.
Because of my poor cooking skills, I’m always looking for Thanksgiving hacks to make meal preparation more sunshine and less hurricane. I thought I’d share some tips I found to survive the food frenzy that is Thanksgiving.
Ask for help. Stop being a martyr. Don’t complain about having to do everything and then refuse any help. Give out assignments and not like “Can you bring one can of olives?” or “I need someone to pick up some napkins.” No. Ask someone to bring mashed potatoes or all the desserts or even the turkey. You don’t get a blue ribbon for Thanksgiving suffering.
Don’t make foods no one eats. Stop wasting time preparing “traditional” foods, even if it’s a recipe handed down from your quadruple-great grandmother. Especially if it’s handed down from your quadruple-great grandmother because there weren’t a lot of food options in the 1800s besides lima beans and fried hominy.
Use a mandoline to slice vegetables.
Hacking Thanksgiving
Peri Kinder Life and Laughter
Not to be confused with a stringed instrument from the 19th century, the mandoline slices onions, celery and carrots quickly and easily. The guest who finds the tip of my index finger in the stuffing wins a prize!
Make only one batch of dinner rolls. Homemade rolls are always a hit but now you can use them as leverage. Your grandson wants a second, hot-buttered roll? He’d better start washing dishes. Bonus hack: Purchase pre-made bakery rolls. You won’t get docked Thanksgiving points. I promise.
Thaw the turkey in water. Not only will this leave you with a bucket full of disgusting waste water but then you can spill it all over the kitchen floor on Thanksgiving morning. Maybe don’t even cook a turkey. There are no Thanksgiving laws. Have chicken wings or spaghetti bolognese.
Spatchcock the turkey. If you insist
yourself? Leave it to the pros!
www.utahsbesthomepros.com
on roasted turkey, watch a three-hour video explaining how to spatchcock the bird, which involves removing the turkey’s backbone so it lies flat and cooks quickly. (Sidenote: Who spatchcocked Utah’s governor and legislators?)
One tip said, “Use tongs to stem kale” and none of those words make sense together.
Use a Thermos to keep gravy warm. Gravy is notoriously dreadful when served cold. Trust me, I know. Grab your sisterin-law’s gallon-sized Stanley cup to ensure there’s hot gravy for the mashed potatoes.
Use pre-made pie shells. People think pies need to be made from scratch to get that flakey, buttery crust. Baloney. Unless you’re a professional pie baker, do yourself a favor and buy frozen pie crusts. Right now. Even better, get delicious pies from the grocery store.
Celebrate Thanksgiving dinner on Friday. There’s nothing worse than working three days and trying to fit in Thanksgiving preparation. On Friday, it can be a celebratory meal after everyone’s done shopping online.
Create a fun playlist. Before Uncle Jim can cue up the Jan. 6 prisoners’ chorus singing “The Star-Spangled Banner,” have a variety of tunes ready to go. Include ev-
erything from Bach to ZZ Top, to equally irritate every family member.
Give yourself a break. I’ve overcooked turkey, burned gravy, made inedible broccoli-cornbread stuffing, forgot the cranberry sauce, dropped a pumpkin pie and used Tupperware lids when I ran out of dinner plates. No one cares. If you’re being judged for the way Thanksgiving dinner turns out, it’s time to find a new family.
