March 2017 | Vol. 14 Iss. 03
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CHAFFETZ MET WITH ANGER AND CONTEMPT during town hall meeting By Cassie Goff | cassie@mycityjournals.com
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During the town hall meeting with Rep. Jason Chaffetz, audience members become passionate as President Trump becomes a topic of conversation. (Cassie Goff/City Journals)
Management (BLM). Before he answered, Chaffetz noticed some signs in the audience and asked what they were. In response, he was screamed and booed at for not answering the question right away. One woman even rushed toward the stage demanding that he give an answer. Chaffetz began to answer the question by saying he does enjoy wildlife and public lands. He then asked if people liked that he withdrew H.R. 621, a bill that would have sold off public
Local Postal Customer ECRWSS Scan Here: Interactive online edition with more photos.
land across the U.S., including hundreds of thousands of acres in Utah. “There are some aspects of the bill I think you’d really like,” he said. “One of the things that I helped champion was 300plus miles of the continuous wild receiving designation down Isolation Canyon. Did you like that? Because that was still the Public Lands Intuitive.” Chaffetz explained there is typically only one BLM police officer for every one million
INSIDE
righton High School’s auditorium was at capacity on Thursday, Feb. 9 for a town hall meeting with Rep. Jason Chaffetz. The event was scheduled from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., but residents started lining up at the front of the school around 3 p.m. By the time the town hall began, the auditorium held approximately 1,000 screaming residents while over 1,000 more chanted outside the doors in protest. Chants from the groups protesting outside included, “vote him out, “keep your hands off our lands,” “do your job,” “investigate Trump,” “you work for us,” “keep it public,” “impeach 45,” and an echo chant where the first group yelled, “show/tell us what democracy looks like” while the second group replied, “this is what democracy looks like.” Inside the auditorium, Chaffetz stepped on stage and was met with chanting, booing and screaming from the audience. “Thank you for being here,” he began. “I do believe as a representative, a part of my role and responsibility is to stand, and to listen, and to hear, and to have a public dialogue. That’s what this is about.” Chaffetz began his address by mentioning President Donald Trump. Those three words were all it took to make the crowd pipe up again. Chaffetz then called on an attendee to ask a question, who brought up the Bureau of Land
acres of land. If ever the BLM needs help, they contract with local sheriff offices. “What this bill would do, is get rid of the BLM enforcers and give that money and those assets and those responsibilities to the local sheriffs,” Chaffetz said. “The net effects of that is more law enforcement at the local level who can solve these problems and their crimes. That’s my intention, to actually have more law enforcement so they can actually enforce and protect public lands.” This comment sparked booing from the audience. The next attendee Chaffetz called on asked a question about Trump and his comments about Muslims. Chaffetz said he thought the negative comments made by Trump about Muslims were “absolutely wrong.” He said he then began to visit mosques in Salt Lake County. A Muslim community leader asked Chaffetz about Trump’s travel ban, asking why Pakistan and Saudi Arabia weren’t on the list. She then asked why Chaffetz doesn’t investigate the reasoning behind the selection of banned countries. “Honestly, I don’t know the answer to that question. I really don’t,” Chaffetz said. “I know that the seven countries that were on that list were identified largely by the Obama conitnued on page 15…
Cottonwood Heights’ own Biggest Loser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Multiple bills to impact Cottonwood Heights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 PTA seekings new members to serve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Specialized classs teaches swim skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
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LOCAL LIFE
Page 2 | March 2017
Cottonwood Heights City Journal
Cottonwood Heights Rec Center’s Biggest Loser enjoying new fit life By Kelly Cannon | kelly@mycityjournals.com The Cottonwood-Holladay City Journal is a monthly publication distributed directly to residents via the USPS as well as locations throughout Cottonwood and Holladay. For information about distribution please email circulation@mycityjournals.com or call our offices. Rack locations are also available on our website. For subscriptions please contact: circulation@mycityjournals.com 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.
Cottonwood Heights Team CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Bryan Scott bryan@mycityjournals.com EDITOR: Kelly Cannon kelly@mycityjournals.com ADVERTISING: 801-254-5974 DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING: Ryan Casper ryan.casper@mycityjournals.com 801-671-2034 SALES ASSOCIATES: Melissa Worthen melissa@mycityjournals.com 801-897-5231 Steve Hession steve@mycityjournals.com 801-433-8051 Josh Ragsdale josh.r@mycityjournals.com 801-824-9854 CIRCULATION COORDINATOR: Brad Casper circulation@mycityjournals.com EDITORIAL & AD DESIGN: Tina Falk Ty Gorton Cottonwood-Heights Journal 9500 South 500 West Suite 205 Sandy, UT 84070 Phone: 801 254 5974
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n August 2015, Rebecca Brannon was unhappy. She had taken a trip to Yellowstone National Park and when she got back, the photos of herself made her so unhappy. Not only was Brannon overweight, but she had also been going through a year of extreme pain in her feet. It was getting to the point where her doctors were talking about giving her injections to alleviate the pain. “It was quite obvious in the photo that I was unhappy,” Brannon said. “I looked at the photo and said, ‘Enough is enough. I shouldn’t have to go through this. I can make some changes.’” Brannon had seen advertisements for the Biggest Loser program at the Cottonwood Heights Recreation center for over a year. She decided joining the program would be her first step toward getting healthy and fit. “It really helped to have a network of people there who were supportive, to see some previous winners in that program who, despite being more than 10 years older than I was, were far more fit,” Brannon said. “It told me I could get fit too. I really found the existence of older participants to be very inspirational.” Sponsored by the Cottonwood Heights Recreation Center, the Biggest Loser program is similar to the television show of the same name. However, according to Brannon, it doesn’t have the same shortcomings of the show in that they don’t urge participants to lose weight at an unhealthy rate. “Instead, they help you understand that through adjustments in your diet and exercise, you can slowly take it off and keep it off,” Brannon said. “The program includes guidance on both nutrition and exercise and entertaining friendly competition, similar to the ‘Biggest Loser.’” Participants in the program have two exercise classes per week, and every other week they participate in a special exercise regiment, such as a scavenger hunt or rotating through different workout stations. Over the course of eight months with the program, Brannon lost 65
Rebecca Brannon before (left) and after (right) participating in the Biggest Loser. Brannon lost 65 pounds in eight months. (Rebecca Brannon/Resident)
pounds, going from 202 to 137. “When I started the program, I literally could not get off the floor without using my hands. I couldn’t hold a plank any longer than eight seconds and that was on my knees,” Brannon said. “And then over time and persistence, I can hold a full plank and I’m taking master’s swimming now. I feel better than I have in 20 years.” One of the benefits to the Biggest Loser program is the support system that naturally develops not only with others in the program but also through other residents who go to the recreation center. Brannon said when they learn you are part of the Biggest Loser program, they offer encouragement and support. “If you don’t make it to aqua aerobics, they’re going to ask where were you. They want you to be around to basically bolster each other up,” Brannon said. “You build an even bigger network of people who know what you’re trying to do and they’ll comment on it and be very support of it to try and keep you going. It was very effective.” Brannon especially wanted to thank Amy Wildermuth, the vice president of academic
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affairs at the University of Utah, where Brannon is a professor in the engineering department. “I was very grateful I was able to talk to the administration at the university and after having several years of extremely high performance, I kind of burned myself out,” Brannon said. “I didn’t allow myself to enjoy the good things in life so I could be productive at work without bringing myself down. I asked to take some time off without pay. She was instrumental in making that happen.” Brannon recognizes most people don’t have that kind of opportunity to take work off to focus on their health, but she is now back at work and still finds ways to get to the gym and maintain the friendships she made in the program. Even though it might be embarrassing to show the “before” picture of her weight loss, Brannon said she hoped it would inspire others. “I hope others can experience the joy that I’ve had having gone through that,” Brannon said. For more information about the Biggest Loser program, visit www. cottonwoodheights.com. l
March 2017 | Page 3
C ottonwood H eightsJournal .com
The BooK of MoRMoN
Spiritual & Temporal Witnesses Presentation
Two NighTs To Choose From Thursday, March 9th oR Thursday March 16th The Savior told his disciples “other sheep I have which are not of this fold.” John 10:16
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You will learn of the many Spiritual and Temporal witnesses between the Book of Mormon and Pre-Columbian History. Including Photos and Information from lDS and Non-lDS Scholars and archaeologists.
You Won’t Want to Miss This! ~ Free Admission ~ All Are Welcome to Attend. Over the last 30-40 years many discoveries have given great support to the Book of Mormon. Come see and learn for yourself. FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.BOFMWITNESSES.COM This is a great opportunity to share the Book of Mormon with your friends, family, or neighbors. They will enjoy this presentation. Casual Dress is appropriate. Please arrive 15 Minutes early. Refreshments will be served. This presentation is not produced by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
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LOCAL LIFE
Page 4 | March 2017
Cottonwood Heights City Journal
Library goers learn about birds of the world By Kelly Cannon | kelly@mycityjournals.com
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he small meeting room at the Whitmore Library was filled with the chirps and calls of different exotic birds during a special Birds of the World presentation on Saturday, Feb. 10. Presented by Scales and Tails Utah, the audience enjoyed not only learning about the different birds, but also had a chance to see them up close and personal. “We use the animal shows to get kids excited about science and reading,” said Shane Richins, the presenter from Scales and Tails Utah. “Conservation is also part of the show so we use a lot of facts. We want to get the kids excited about learning.” Scales and Tales Utah does shows for the public that include either birds or reptiles. The show at the Whitmore Library started with a pigeon. While they aren’t exceedingly rare, Richins told a story to the young audience about a homing pigeon that saved the lives of over 100 U.S. soldiers during World War I. Richins told this story while holding a white pigeon, who is new to Scales and Tails Utah and does not have a name yet. Richins then brought out a black European starling named Mozart. Richins said the European starling can be found all over Utah, usually in giant flocks. Starlings can also learn how to talk and mimic sound. Mozart was named after the famous composer because Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart kept a starling and taught it to sing his compositions. Richins brought out a small bowl of water where Mozart then took a bath. The next bird was an Austrailian laughing kookaburra named Zorro. These birds are known for their distinctive call. Richins trilled his voice, causing Zorro to “laugh.” The laugh of the kookaburra is often used as sound effects in movies with jungle
Shane Richins shows off Chicken, a green-winged macaw, during a presentation at the Whitmore Library. (Kelly Cannon/City Journals)
scenes, though the noise is often misidentified as a monkey. The next three birds were rainbow lorikeets named Blue, Charlie and Simone. Brightly colored and very friendly, lorikeets love to drink nectar, Richins said. Their beaks are specially designed to reach into flowers to drink the nectar. The last bird was a green-winged macaw named Chicken.
Richins said Chicken used to be a pet bird but the living situation of his owner changed, resulting in him being rescued by Scales and Tails Utah. Macaws have the reasoning intelligence of a 4-yearold. Chicken demonstrated his reasoning by solving different puzzles in order to gain access to food. However, Richins said macaws have the emotional intelligence of a 2-year-old, meaning Chicken can be very sensitive to the emotional state of his owner. Scales and Tails Utah does public and private reptile and bird shows all over the state. “We do anything that is safe and ethical for both the public and the animals,” Richins said. The winter months are the slow season for Scales and Tails Utah, usually only doing 60 shows a month. During the summer months, they can do between 80 to 100 shows a month. Richins explained the process for selecting the animals capable of doing shows. The first thing they look for is a species of bird or reptile that can psychologically handle doing a show. Being presented in front of all ages of people can be stressful for animals. “A chameleon would do great in a show,” Richins said. “But they can’t handle the stress.” The next trait they look for is stage presence. The animal needs to provide both entertainment and be educational. “That’s why we have starlings. There’s so much to talk about with starlings,” Richins said. After a species is selected, they look at rescue organizations to see if they can adopt an animal. The next option is breeders. For more information about Scales and Tails Utah, visit https://www.scalesandtailsutah.com. l
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March 2017 | Page 5
Megaplex Theatre to open in March By Kelly Cannon | kelly@mycityjournals.com
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esidents will have a new option for entertainment this spring when the new Larry H. Miller Megaplex Luxury Thetres opens. Located at 1945 East Murray-Holladay Road, the grand opening will be at noon on March 8. “One of the first major Hollywood films to premiere at the new Megaplex Luxury Theatres in Holladay will be Disney’s live action version of ‘Beauty and the Beast,’” said Jeff Whipple, vice president of advertising, marketing and public relations at Megaplex Corporate. “As a result, we are inviting Holladay residents to ‘Be Our Guest’ as we celebrate the opening of the new location.” The new movie theater has been in the works since Megaplex announced its plans in November 2016. “Residents in Holladay have shown a keen interest in a Megaplex location for some time. Holladay is a vibrant community that continues to show significant growth and a wonderful environment for family-friendly entertainment,” Whipple said. “Utah leads the United States in movie attendance and have repeatedly voted Megaplex Theatres as Utah’s favorite movie theaters.” The new theater will feature six state-of-the-art digital auditoriums, including a new laser projector system featured in the VIP Auditorium. Other amenities include heated power luxury recliners, big-screen video gaming, reserved seating, high resolution imaging at 48 frame rate, Coca-Cola freestyle beverage system, expanded concessions and premium dessert options, corporate events and banquet space, digital posters, menus and
A rendering of what residents can expect at the new Megaplex Luxury Theatre opening in March. (Jeff Whipple/Megaplex Corporate)
multimedia screens. According to Whipple, the location where the new Megaplex will be was once the site of another movie theater chain. It has seen undergone a complete top-to-bottom luxury renovation and state-of-the-art technology makeover. “The construction and design team have gone to great lengths to provide Holladay residents a completely new level of elegance in movie going,” Whipple said. “The new Megaplex Luxury
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Theatres in Holladay will offer nearby residents the opportunity to see first-run Hollywood films at a neighborhood theater for the first time in several years.” Whipple said the location’s private banquet area will be ideal for business meetings, company parties, family gatherings and more. Moreover, Whipple said the Megaplex Luxury Theatre team will work to ensure the highest level of guest services to provide residents the ultimate entertainment experience. Residents are encouraged to watch for updates about the theater on the Megaplex Theatre website www.megaplextheatres. com, as well as follow them on social media, www.facebook. com/megaplextheatres and @megaplextheatre on Twitter and Instagram. Residents are also encouraged to stop by the theater and ask for a tour. l
“Holladay is a vibrant community that continues to show significant growth and a wonderful environment for family-friendly entertainment”
ENTERPRISE
Page 6 | March 2017
Cottonwood Heights City Journal
Recycling: Economic benefits for consumers and businesses By Mandy Ditto | m.ditto@mycityjournals.com
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or years, Salt Lake Valley residents have put out big, green bins to support recycling. However, there isn’t a year that goes by where those residents find themselves unsure of exactly what can be recycled. Why Recycling is Important There are plenty of financial and environmental reasons to recycle, but some area experts say there are things residents should know in order to encourage them to recycle more efficiently. “A lot of our landfills will sustain us for about 15 more years, and then we will either need to ship things out further or have transfer stations,” said Dawn Beagley, who is in charge of business development at ACE Recycling and Disposal. “Or, we can keep all of the recyclables out of landfills and they will last a lot longer.” Besides the environmental impact on landfills, Beagley also believes recycling is simply the right thing to do. “It’s too bad we don’t have kids or grandkids that could invent something using these recyclables to reuse a lot more stuff — that would be best,” Beagley said. “I hate to see when someone throws a plastic bottle in the trash. I teach my kids at home, ‘No, that’s recyclable.’ I just think it’s very important.” Jennifer Meriwether, who handles business development for Rocky Mountain Recycling, sees recycling as real sustainability, “a good alternative, that also keeps people engaged and aware ... that is very important and necessary.” Rocky Mountain Recycling helps with curbside service in the valley by having items picked up by ACE taken to RMR plant facility to go through for contamination and recycling. Many Salt Lake Valley disposal companies want to use community engagement as a way to get people to see the good in recycling. Educating and getting kids involved is especially relevant and is something many parents are doing to show their kids how to make an impact in their community. For Trena L., a Murray resident, recycling definitely feels like she’s engaged and part of a community effort, she said. “There’s always that guilt that comes with it, if you don’t do it, and you feel like you should probably be doing it more,” she said. She puts her curbside bin out at least every other week. “But you are always aware of it and once you just do it, it becomes a habit.” What NOT to Recycle Unfortunately, no matter how much residents are engaged in recycling, there is still misinformation and confusion about what can or cannot be recycled. And though many
Recycling bins line the curbs of Murray streets ready for pick up. (Mandy Ditto/City Journals)
“It’s good for the local economy: it creates jobs, giving sustainable, long-term employment.”
things can be recycled, it depends on whether the city — and the disposal companies that service the city — has the resources to recycle every product, Beagley said. “Because, right now, the recycling numbers are down the products are not worth as much as they use to be,” Beagley said. “And with the recyclers, we are taking items to them that they don’t want as much as they use to.” Currently, plastic foam and any cardboard with wax film are items that recyclers don’t have any place for, and don’t want in recycling. It has also become cheaper for companies to make new plastic bags, rather than recycle and reuse them. When plastic bags are put into curbside recycling bins and taken to the lots where recycled goods are sorted, they are doing what recyclers and disposal companies call contaminating. An entire load may be deemed unrecyclable due to this contamination, unless it is sorted out in time. Plastic bags also frequently clog the recycling machines and local trucks that pick up curbside garbage, Meriwether said. Currently Rocky Mountain Recycling is trying to do a “bag ban” so that plastic bags can only be taken back to grocery stores to be recycled or reused, she said. Contamination is the biggest issue for recyclers. Food waste that is in or on recyclable products, as well as clothing and plastic bags, are a few of the things that can also cause contamination, Beagley said.
“We want the recycling bins to be clean. Food waste is the worst. And with clothing, that is the wrong place to recycle it. There are other places for that,” like donation centers, she said. The worst culprit of contamination in curbside bins is glass, since it can break and spread through an entire load of recycling. Glass is a great thing to recycle and reuse, and there are glass drop-offs throughout the valley for it. Most glasses can be recycled, but it is necessary for glass to be taken to specific dropoffs, so that it doesn’t affect other recyclables. There are a few types of glass that cannot be recycled, and those include ceramic, mirrored glass and light bulbs, all of which have problematic contaminants to get out once a load of glass is melted together. Pyrex products, such as pie plates, are also contaminants. The rule to live by with that type of glass can be recycled is: “basically if you can put it in your oven, it can’t be recycled,” noted John Lair, president and CEO of Momentum Recycling, a glass recycling company in Utah and Colorado. For a more comprehensive list of what cannot be recycled by ACE Disposal, which services in the Salt Lake Valley, go to: www.acedisposal.com/index.php/recyclingdisposal-for-your-home/residential-recycling. What TO Recycle Luckily, many items people use on a daily
basis can be recycled. “Glass is a low-hanging fruit: it’s easy material to identify, glass is always recyclable besides the few we listed and everyone can do it,” Lair said. Glass can also be reused playing another part in the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle cycle. “Glass is 100 percent recyclable. You can make a new container with glass that you can’t do with other (materials),” Lair said. “If you are shopping based on your sustainability preferences, glass is your best packing choice. I really encourage people to embrace glass and close the loop and make sure to recycle glass locally.” When it comes to plastics, papers and metals that can be recycled, there are many options and are not as limited as many may think. “A lot of people, they think they can’t put a lot of things in the recycling bin, so they put it in the garbage…it’s actually a lot easier than people think,” Meriwether said. “People think they have to go through a big process, sorting them and all and they don’t necessarily have to do that.” Below are household items that can be recycled: • Paper: office, note • Brochures, catalogues • Newspaper • Wrapping paper • Cardboard (flattened or cut) • Envelopes • Paper egg cartons • Plastic containers #1-7 • Washed out milk, juice, water jugs & bottles • Washed out laundry jugs and bottles • Aluminum cans • Tin cans • Clean aluminum foil • Aluminum disposable pans and plates For a more comprehensive list of recyclable items, visit: www.acedisposal.com/ index.php/recycling-disposal-for-your-home/ residential-recycling. Lair sees recycling as important for the entire community, and not just for environmental concerns. “It’s good for the local economy: it creates jobs, giving sustainable, long-term employment. Like ours, most are small businesses, which is very good for the community in many ways,” Lair said. “I would encourage people to get involved...and in the long run, help us conserve our limited, dwindling recycled materials. Whether it’s products or packaging, it doesn’t have to be dug from the earth; it extends longevity of natural resources, it’s the smart thing to do, and not just environmentally.” l
GOVERNMENT
C ottonwood H eightsJournal .com
2017 General Session bills could have direct impact on Cottonwood Heights By Cassandra Goff | cassie@mycityjournals.com
T
he Utah legislature has multiple bills this year that could directly impact the city of Cottonwood Heights. The Cottonwood Heights mayor, city council and staff are closely watching some of those bills in anticipation. On Jan. 20, the city council members attended a legislative breakfast with some of the local elected legislative representatives to discuss some issues that could face the city with this current legislature session. The breakfast was held at Market Street Grill.
Some of the bills currently in the Utah legislature will impact Cottonwood Heights directly. Local leaders meet with legislative representatives and lobbyists to discuss these bills. (Dan Metcalf/Cottonwood Heights)
On Feb. 7, Cottonwood Heights Lobbyist Brian Allen updated the council about happenings on the hill. “There are a record number of bills and a few new faces this year,” said Allen. “There will be over 1,700 bills. Some of the representatives have more than 25 bills, and there’s still time to open files.” Despite the record number of bills in session, Allen said only between three and four hundred will pass. “The good news is that everyone is communicating,” Allen said. “We are pretty optimistic about where things are at.” One of the bills the Cottonwood Heights City Council is concerned about is a short-term rental bill H.B. 253. “They are working through some definitions,” Allen said. The bill, Short-Term Rental Amendments, is sponsored by Rep. John Knotwell. The bill prevents a political subdivision, such as a city or county, from prohibiting a person from listing or offering a short-term rental on a short-term rental website such as Airbnb. Cities and other municipalities are concerned over zoning and business license issues in association with short-term rentals. “There is an issue with 180 days to justify being in a home-
owner occupy zone. How do you enforce something like that?” Mayor Kelvyn Cullimore said. Councilman Tee Tyler asked if a part of a bill that every city allows short-term rentals but have them locally zoned within the city. Allen wasn’t sure of the answer but said it doesn’t hurt to ask the local representatives since it is unknown what their bending points could be. Cullimore knew they needed to take advantage of that opportunity quickly. “The less likely it is we will have time to get something done if we keep talking about talking to him,” he said. “We need to find out where his guard rails are.” Allen said they are trying to figure out what Knotwell is trying to accomplish with the bill. Once that is figured out, they can work with him to minimize some of his concerns. Cullimore said when Cottonwood Heights became a city, it had a large amount of short-term rentals. “We have a good ordinance. Even the people promoting this bill have said we have a good ordinance. We are being punished as good actors by the bad actors,” Cullimore said. “We need to have this customized so that it can be something that accomplishes their goal, but in a way that represents local government and control.” Allen discussed some of Rep. Norman Thurnstone’s bills as well, including H.B. 298, which would require a political subdivision to pass an ordinance to impose a generally applicable time, place or manner restriction on free expression and would prohibit a political subdivision from prohibiting political activities outside of a public building. “No one has a policy on protesting,” Allen said. Allen briefly mentioned S.B. 142 and S.B. 139, which would eliminate schools from redevelopment agencies and limit tax increments from schools. Both bills are floor sponsored by Rep. Steve Eliason. Councilman Mike Peterson asked about the medical marijuana bill and funding for research on medical marijuana. “It would fund $1 million worth of research, studying three kinds of applications in cancer and pain. There would be three real clinical trials to determine if it can be helpful,” Cullimore said. “The bill funds the study. I think it has a very good chance of passage.” Allen said in general, the legislature has been generous and kind and are willing to adjust the language of bills. “We are tracking over 100 bills, about 180 bills total,” Allen said. “We will keep forging ahead.” l
March 2017 | Page 7
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GOVERNMENT
Page 8 | March 2017
Cottonwood Heights City Journal
CHPD officers recognized by local firefighters By Cassandra Goff | cassie@mycityjournals.com
Assistant Fire Chief Mike Watson recognizes Cottonwood Heights Police Department officers for their job performance on a CPR call. They were nominated for an award by some of the firefighters in Cottonwood Heights. (Dan Metcalf/ Cottonwood Heights)
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he Cottonwood Heights Police Department (CHPD) had some exciting recognitions to present on Tuesday, Jan. 24. This included the promotion of Chris McHugh, the introduction of Brayden Phelps and Assistant Fire Chief Mike Watson presenting awards of recognition to four of the CHPD officers. “We have spent the past decade building and achieving what we have today; a good product to give to our citizens,” Police Chief Robby Russo said. Part of my role is to ensure its success for the future. In order to do that, I have to make sure that I choose good leaders to follow and take over.” A sergeant position opened within the CHPD a few months back. Five different officers took the sergeants test in hopes of filling the position. Russo mentioned how all five of the officers could have easily received the position. “I wouldn’t want to compete against them myself,” he said. In the end, Chris McHugh scored number one on the test by a slim margin. “Chris is one of our originals,” Russo said. “It’s been fun watching him mature after the last nine years, watching his kids grow as their father’s career builds.” Mayor Kelvyn Cullimore praised McHugh, saying he has been successful in the DUI program and is one of the few officers who has been shot at. Russo explained as a tradition, the first promotion of an officer is not done publically because it’s a private moment to share with family. However, Russo wanted him recognized in front of the council. He called McHugh and his family to the front of the room and had McHugh’s son pin his new badge onto his lapel. After the recognition of the new sergeant, Russo introduced the newest recruit for the CHPD, Brayden Phelps. The CHPD will help put him through the academy before he works at least three years within the city. “I like the idea of growing our own and sending them through the academy,” Russo said. “We will turn the department over to them some day.” As Russo called Phelps and his family up to the podium, he mentioned that he had known Phelps’s father for over 30 years. Russo then told a story from when Phelps was a boy. “We took Brayden to the (shooting) range,” Russo said.
“He was screaming ‘U.S. Federal Agent! You have 10 minutes to comply! Surrender peacefully!’” Phelps said it was his dad who told him to apply to CHPD. “I really appreciate it,” Phelps said to the council. “Ever since day one it’s been like a family. I’ve had people come up to me to tell me that I’m appreciated.” Watson proceeded with the next recognition, for the Push to Survive program. “Firefighters can’t do their jobs without the police department,” Watson said. “They keep us safe on roadways, they block traffic and they protect us so firefighters don’t get harmed.” Push to Survive is a public education campaign designed to improve outcomes for victims of Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest (http://www.unifiedfire.org/services/outreach/classes/push_to_ survive/default.asp). “When done perfectly, we are getting much better outcomes with patients who go under full arrest,” Watson said. Two firefighters from station 110 nominated some of the CHPD officers for an award after working with them on a medical call and observing their work with Push to Survive. “This is the first time a fire crew has nominated police officers for the award,” Watson said A note of appreciation was sent on Jan. 3. Watson read some of this letter recognizing the officers. “Upon arrival, there were at least two officers on the scene. One officer was doing CPR and other had cleared the hallway to make more room to work,” Watson said. “As CPR continued, the other officers on scene shoveled the walkway and prepped the stretch for patient transfer, as well as prepping the IV bags.” Officers Kevin Salmon, Demitri Shirts, Gary Young and Damien Olson received a challenge coin for a job well done. “This challenge coin is the Lifesaving Challenge Coin. It’s very significant,” Watson said. “Thank you so much for your incredible service.” Cullimore said he was proud of the officers and the first responders. “We are fortunate to have these excellent employees in Cottonwood Heights and we are grateful for their service,” Cullimore said. l
GOVERNMENT
C ottonwood H eightsJournal .com
March 2017 | Page 9
Update from the public works department By Cassandra Goff | cassie@mycityjournals.com
A
s warmer weather approaches, the new Cottonwood Heights Public Works Department has been looking back on their busy winter season. Out of all the snow events the city has experienced, there have been no accidents with the plows. The department plans on ending the year under budget. The first winter season with the in-house public works department has been a success. Looking forward to warmer weather, the public works crew will work on flood preparation, pothole patching, tree trimming and other regular city maintenance. “We have done 11,000 miles of driving on the roads with snowplowing this season,” Public Works Director Matt Shipp said during his monthly report on Feb. 7. During the month of January, there were multiple freezing rain events, which required tons of salt to be used. “We used approximately 3,500 tons of salt this month,” Shipp said. “We still have about 1,100 tons sitting in the yard. The crew expects to go through that amount before the winter season completely ends.” In January, one of the last snow-removal days came after a wet storm. “There was a lot of slush on Monday but not a whole lot of accumulation,” Shipp said. “There were some complaints that came in. When we found out about them, we got out and took care of it.” Shipp said the department is improving every day and the staff is performing admirably. Mayor Kelvyn Cullimore praised the department, saying
The public works department headquarters. The crew will begin work on flood preparation and pothole patching, along with regular maintenance as the weather gets warmer. (Cassie Goff/City Journals)
management has been amazing this year, citing no accidents from the department. According to City Manger John Park, when the department really took shape in November, seven people did not have commercial driver’s licenses and 10 people had never really plowed snow. “We have done 26 events with no accidents. It’s amazing,” Park said.
To emphasize the accomplishment, Shipp said when Public Works Superintendent Danny Martinez was working with the county, there was at least one accident per person. As Shipp looked forward into the month of February, he said the long-range forecast is fairly warm. “We expect a few more storms, but it will be a little warming period for us. There will be plenty of moisture up in the mountains,” Shipp said. “After the snowfall, we will start preparing for flooding. We will be meeting with Mike (Halligan, assistant emergency manager) and Salt Lake County to get sandbags. We are working on figuring out where we can stage sand locations throughout the city.” Besides flood preparations, the public works department will be working on regularly scheduled maintenance throughout the city. “Danny sorts out the daily operations of what gets done and the daily assignments,” Shipp said in response to a question posed by Councilman Mike Peterson about daily operations. “The staff has been out diligently filling potholes. Highland Drive has been a big priority.” During the last few weeks, the crew has been using a tool called a vibratory roller to help with the pothole cold patching. “I have been pleased with how well the cold patches are staying in. They have been in about a week now and they haven’t popped out,” Shipp said. For more information on the public works department or to get into contact with them, please visit their website: http:// cottonwoodheights.utah.gov/city_services/public_works. l
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EDUCATION
Page 10 | March 2017
Cottonwood Heights City Journal
Ridgecrest school community greets the Year of the Rooster
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represented Taiwan specifically. The celebration is an expansion of the Chinese Dual Language Immersion Program (DLIP). There are four DLI teachers at Ridgecrest: Nana Zhao, Peru Hsieh Chen, Liping Zheng and Qian Li. They helped coordinate the event with the students, staff, parents and the partnering organizations. Ridgecrest notes on its website that it is one of seven schools in the Canyons School District with DLIP. Students are taught different subjects in English for half of the day, and in Chinese for the second half. “What a wonderful event,” said Jimmy Chen, executive advisor of the Chinese Society of Utah. “Thanks to Principal Winfree, teachers, staff, parents, students and volunteers.” In addition to the community night, Ridgecrest PTA sponsored a fundraising dinner, called Panda Night, on Feb. 3.This event extended the previous night’s celebration and was held at the Panda Express in Fort Union. The PTA used décor from the New Year’s celebration to help decorate for the fundraising dinner at the restaurant. The school received 20 percent of profits from the fundraiser. l
The Chinese dual language teachers wore traditional attire for the celebration. (L-R): Nana Zhao, Peru Hsieh Chen, Liping Zheng and Qian Li. (Ridgecrest PTA Facebook)
March 2017 | Page 11 SALT LAKE TRIBUNE
C ottonwood H eightsJournal .com
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Page 12 | March 2017
EDUCATION
Cottonwood Heights City Journal
Juniors and seniors explore career paths on Job Shadow Day By Rubina Halwani | r.halwani@mycityjournals.com
Brighton Seniors Berkely Pia and Brooke Bell enjoy the post-shadow luncheon. (Rubina Halwani/City Journals)
Guest speaker John Morgan shares career advice with students at the post-shadow luncheon. (Rubina Halwani/City Journals)
O
n Feb. 2, Canyons School District held its annual Job Shadow Day. This year is the seventh year of the district-wide event. Approximately 90 students and 40 mentors from businesses all across the Salt Lake Valley participated in the event. Eileen Kasteler, the work-based learning facilitator at Brighton High School, said students shadowed lawyers, CEOs, mechanics, engineers, Ninth-grader Jaxson Carr (Corner sales people, illustrators, computer Canyon High) took an opportunity programmers, community outreach to participate in the event. (Rubina workers, HR directors and doctors. Halwani/City Journals) “The activity is aimed for students in the junior and senior grades. Interested students sign up with the work-based learning facilitator at each of the high schools on a first-come basis,” Kasteler said. Kasteler explained that students would first drive to the site to meet mentors. They would then spend one to three hours shadowing. Finally, both students and mentors would dine and discuss the experience over lunch. Companies were asked to cover the cost of $20 per person for lunch. Computer Technology Education (CTE) Director Janet Goble welcomed students and their mentors at the post-shadow luncheon. “We just appreciate everyone, our business partners and students for taking advantage of this great opportunity,” Goble said. “By partnering with the business community, CTE programs prepare students for the workforce by exposing them to the technologies and job skills they’ll need.” Superintendent Jim Briscoe, school board members, high school principals/vice principals and work-based learning facilitators from each school also attended the luncheon. Briscoe thanked mentors and praised the job-shadow experience. He said the experience results in having a significant impact on students. “I am absolutely convinced that every single student in the United
Emma Weatherhead of the Sandy Fire Department poses with her three mentees. (Rubina Halwani/City Journals)
States should spend a full day (in the workforce),” Briscoe said. He mentioned that shadowing helps students realize whether or not to follow a certain career path in their future. Former professional football player and current business owner John Madsen served as the keynote speaker for the luncheon. He shared seven principles of motivation with students. The first five principles focus on elements for achievement: dream big, believe in yourself, pursue your passion, include magic ingredients (desire, determination and action) and persistence. The last two principles addressed personal fears. “Fear of failure kills success,” Madsen said. He said the same of the fear of criticism. He shared his own experiences with failure and success in his sports and business career. Emma Weatherhead from the Sandy Fire Department was a first-year mentor and had three students with her. She said she first learned about the shadow day from her neighbor. “I like the idea of mentorship, because it just gives people opportunities that they may not necessarily see regularly,” she said. Weatherhead said it was a wonderful experience to open up their horizons on how many different things they can go into in emergency services. She added that she plans to host her mentees for an additional day so the students can see and learn more about what happens in her job. Two seniors, Marin Ward and Zoe Kouris from Corner Canyon High School, had the opportunity to shadow Judge Mark S. Kouris, third district court. They both said they enjoyed the experience and would like to pursue law-related career opportunities. One highlight of the event was ninth-grader Jaxson Carr, from Corner Canyon High School, who joined the shadow-day event. He said he expressed a serious interest to his facilitator to participate. “We hope students come away excited about starting on their own career path,” Kasteler said. “Students are nearing the time when they will need to make crucial decisions about their career path and education. We hope our students will ask lots of insightful questions from their jobshadow host to gain some valuable knowledge about the real world of work so they can begin to plan for their futures.” l
EDUCATION
C ottonwood H eightsJournal .com
March 2017 | Page 13
PTA and PTSA boards seek new members to serve By Rubina Halwani | r.halwani@mycityjournals.com
S
pringtime symbolizes renewal as schools hold nominations of new Parent Teacher Association/Parent Teacher Student Association board members for the 2017–18 school year. Typical roles include president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and student representatives. Cottonwood Elementary has over 35 board positions and as many activities planned through the school year. Jacki Ball, director of government affairs of PTA National, praised their 120-year legacy in a 2016 training video to new board members. “Did you know that National PTA is the oldest and largest child advocacy association?” Ball asked. “We were founded in 1897 and our legacy of influencing federal policy to promote education, health and well-being spans 120 years.” Lindsay Kaelberer, co-PTSA president of Olympus High School, said she has enjoyed serving on the PTSA this year. “It has broadened my circle of friends and expanded my friendships in the Olympus community. Because of my service, I have a great relationship with the office staff, Mr. Perschon, and even many of the teachers. I feel comfortable and welcome in the place where my children spend so much time,” Kaelberer said. “There are also many issues, such as grade reconfiguration, that have been discussed at various meetings. It is nice to have the correct information as these issues will impact my children and family.”
An outreach poster inviting parents to join the PTA. (National PTA website)
Nominations serve as the first part of the election process, followed by voting. Only active members of the PTA can serve and select board members. Membership of the PTA varies by school. Ridgecrest Elementary PTA charges $5 for membership. The PTSA at Butler Middle school charges $7. At the local level, each school PTA conducts a variety of school programs. School PTA’s host/manage fundraising
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events, spirit week activities, various ribbon days, science fairs, Reflections submissions, spelling bees, etc. Board members typically meet once a month to plan events, discuss issues and review expenditures. In many schools, the principal also presides over meetings to offer suggestions, support or communicate school matters to the PTA. In addition to board positions, parents can support their local PTA by attending events, volunteering for specific activities or donating funding and resources for an array of programs. At the state level, the Utah PTA disseminates information related to legislation and statewide programs, like the annual Reflections contest. The Utah PTA encourages school PTA/ PTSA boards to hold elections in the spring, as noted on their website. The PTA was founded by Alice McLellan Birney and Phoebe Apperson Hearst. Since its founding, the National PTA performs advocacy for education, health and safety of students and schools across America. Historical achievements include ensuring schools serve hot meals during the day and assisting in the establishment of child labor laws. Parents who may be interested in learning more about board positions may visit their school’s PTA/PTSA website or speak to current officers. l
SPORTS
Page 14 | March 2017
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hough the Otter Swim Club may not contain actual otters, it does give swim instruction. The club is a Salt Lake County program designed for children with an autism spectrum disorder or intellectual disabilities to improve swimming fundamentals, water safety and social skills. “Really, every kind of aspect in life is what this program benefits, so it’s really amazing,” said Ivy Hausknecht, Salt Lake County adaptive aquatic manager. Hausknecht oversees the Otter Swim Club (OSC) program. Run year-round, OSC is available at various county recreation centers throughout the valley including Fairmont, Holladay Lions, Gene Fullmer, Dimple Dell, J.L. Sorenson and Magna. With drowning being the leading cause of death for children with autism, there is strong need for programs like the OSC. Hausknecht said the water proves vital for individuals who may have sensory processing sensitivities. “The water is so beneficial for that. You just can’t get that feeling anywhere else in life than being in the water,” Hausknecht said. “For some kids when they kind of have those sensory sensitivities, the water just touching their entire body kind of calms them and gives them a sense of relaxation and that 45 minutes is awesome for them.” Water bodes well especially for the general population of kids with Down syndrome who may experience joint issues, making it difficult to be physically active on land. Hausknecht said water allows for them to do everything. “They get great exercise, they get to learn this really important life-saving skill that a lot of us take for granted,” Hausknecht said. OSC, designed for youth ages 3-18, is divided into four levels for swimmers to progress through: water orientation, beginner, intermediate and advanced. Swimmers in the advanced level have the opportunity to compete with the county’s pre-competition teams. “Water orientation is meant for kids who are terrified of the water then work their way up to the swim team level so that is really cool,” Hausknecht said. With the program running in four-week sessions, the amount of kids accepted into each level is dependent upon the number of teachers. OSC averages one teacher per three kids. Hausknecht said different centers have varied staffing numbers. For example, Fairmont has enough where they can accept up to 10 kids in each level while other centers carry only one or two levels. Growing up with family members experiencing disabilities, Hausknecht said while those relatives are now grown up, she wished programs like these had been around
Teachers and swimmers perform their team cheer at the end of the Otter and Adaptive Swim classes. (Travis Barton/City Journals)
sooner. “If there were options like this 15, even 10 years ago, it could’ve changed their lives,” she said noting 20 percent of Salt Lake County has some form of disability. “We’re really pushing (adaptive programs), I just see how it could’ve benefited my family back then.” But working with the kids themselves might be Hausknecht’s favorite part of the OSC. “These kids, the smile on their faces, this is kind of their highlight coming to these practices once a week, they look forward to it. When they get to the pool, seeing how excited they are to be there it makes you excited to be there,” she said. OSC doesn’t have to be limited to these six centers. Hausknecht said if people want this program at other facilities they can call her. Once she sees it’s desired at another location, Hausknecht begins forming a plan to place OSC there. “I just need those requests so the more the community knows that we have this program, the more it will grow,” she said. “I want people to know that we can grow, they just have to call.” To contact Hausknecht or learn more about the program, call (385) 468-1903 or email at ihausknecht@slco.org. l
C ottonwood H eightsJournal .com
GOVERNMENT
March 2017 | Page 15
Chaffetz met with anger and contempt during town hall meeting (continued from front cover) administration.” Audience members began to chant “investigate Trump.” Chaffetz responded saying he had to say something people weren’t going to like. “You want to hear this. The president, under the law, is exempt from the conflict of interest laws,” Chaffetz said. “If you’re going to run for president, you should have to release your tax returns. I’m of the same opinion.” Chaffetz then called on another attendee for a question. Her name was Chelsie Acosta and she introduced herself as a teacher. She discussed how her classroom has many diversity students, including LGBTQ and Muslims students. “What am I supposed to say to my students? What am I supposed to tell them about where this country got to today?” Acosta said. Chaffetz thanked Acosta for touching the lives of children. “I do believe that the messages the kids are seeing on television, the disparity on television is wrong,” Chaffetz said. “I’m trying to be here to help. I don’t pretend that you’re Republican; I don’t pretend that you vote for me, but it’s important for us to have this dialogue.” As the conversation about immigrants continued, many attendees began shouting about Trump’s proposed wall. “As far as the wall, I don’t care how big, far and wide the wall is, if you don’t fix legal immigration, you never solve this problem,” said Chaffetz. As he concluded the answer to the proposed question, Chaffetz called on another attendee standing in the audience for her question. Another attendee told a story about how she survived cancer with the help of yearly screenings at Planned Parenthood.
“Sir, will you please explain to me why you are trying to take that vital health provider away from women like me, especially in light of the new reports that indicate that community health centers will not be able to fill the gaps with Planned Parenthood closed?” she asked. Chaffetz thanked the woman for her sincerity but said she’s going to disagree with his opinion on Planned Parenthood. “My concern is to give that organization federal tax-payer dollars, when we have so many in our community who disagree with that. There are a lot of people and a lot of money and a lot of services that can be offered through these community health,” Chaffetz said. Many protests from the audience erupted. Chaffetz tried to explain what he thought the better use of that money would be but he was interrupted by many protests, so he turned his attention to the students in the front row. “To the young people that are here up front, thanks for being here. You better get a lot of extra credit for this. You are our future. We want and need young people to be here and be involved and be engaged,” Chaffetz said. Chaffetz called on another attendee who identified herself as a retired teacher. “I rarely had a discipline problem because I would draw a line in the sand at the very beginning of the year and say ‘pass this line and this is the consequence.’ For the president of the United States, the consequence is impeachment .What I want to know, Representative, is: what is your line in the sand?” she asked Her question was reinforced with a whole auditorium of cheers. Chaffetz said his line in the sand is the law.
“Some of the accusations towards the president that I have heard don’t step over the line of the law,” he said. “The line is the law. It’s not a Jason Chaffetz line. It’s the law of the land.” Hannah Bradshaw followed with her own question. “What are you doing to help protect our water and air for our generations? Do you believe in science? Because I do.” Chaffetz stretched out his arm for the young lady to shake his hand before she returned to her seat. “We have a major problem here, in particular, Salt Lake Valley, with the inversion,” said Chaffetz. “We have to make sure that we are being responsible. One of the things we are going to have to do in our state, is look at how to deal with transportation.” Chaffetz was then asked to define tribal sovereignty. “That is a difficult, difficult question. If you recall, this Bears Ears mining is not on the Navajo Nation. You got about 3 percent of the Navajo Nation,” Chaffetz began, but was not able to finish because of the various protests. “I want to thank everyone for being here,” Chaffetz concluded. “I love this country. God bless you.” Chaffetz walked off stage around 8:20 p.m. Many of the event headlines stated that the meeting would go until 9 p.m., so many attendees were very upset. The town hall meeting was originally scheduled at Cottonwood Heights City Hall, but because of the size of the anticipated crowd, it was moved to the Brighton High School auditorium. “We understood the town hall was scheduled for an hour,” said Cottonwood Heights Mayor Kelvyn Cullimore. “The congressman remained for an hour and 20 minutes. He did not, based on our understanding, cut the event short.” l
SPORTS
Page 16 | March 2017
Cottonwood Heights City Journal
Bengals water polo looking at competitive season after state championships By Kelly Cannon | kelly@mycityjournals.com
T
he Bengals water polo team is ready to start their next season after both the girls and boys teams won the 5A state championship last year. The club has been around since 2004 but has significantly improved since Mike Morgan took over as head coach in 2014. Morgan said when he started, the girls team hadn’t won a game and the boys team was just average, despite a lot of talent on both teams. “Going into the spring 2015 season, everyone knew Brighton had been around for a while as a club. But our teams really weren’t that strong,” Morgan said. “I don’t think other coaches expected us to do as well as we did. We ended up with both teams in the 5A state finals.” The girls lost the final game by one point, but the boys ended up winning the championship. In the 2016 season, the girls had a tougher schedule but it ended up paying off when they won the state championship for the first time in the Brighton High School history. The boys also won their state championship, the second in a row. Morgan said because of the success of the team, other coaches are gunning to take the top spot away from the Bengals. However, Morgan isn’t worried. “We lose players every year but that’s kind of the fun of coaching high school water polo. Every year, it’s a different team dynamic and you have to work in a way to leverage every player’s strengths and to fill each other’s weaknesses to have the strongest team,” Morgan said. “It’s a lot of fun and it’s very rewarding and filling.” Though based out of Brighton High School, the Bengals water polo team is technically a club team that is registered with the USA Water Polo Association, and they practice at Cottonwood Heights Recreation Center. “The structure of the league in Utah is if a kid swims for their high school and that high school has an affiliated water polo team, they have to play water polo for that club,” Morgan said. “Kids who play on our team are all from around here or are from high schools that don’t have water polo teams.” While the majority of players are from Brighton High School, the team also has players from Corner Canyon High School in Draper and Alta High School in Sandy. The biggest rival every year for the Bengals has been Herriman High School. Two years ago, Cottonwood High School was also a big competitor. “But Viewmont (High School), we met them in the finals for the girls and the boys last season so I’m expecting them to really bring it this year as well,” Morgan said. “Maybe there are other dark horses coming up. You never know.” Morgan said the great thing about coaching youth competitive sports like the Bengals water polo team is the sport might be the only area of the kids’ lives where they can feel the satisfaction from the hard work. While kids can’t choose to not go to school, they can choose to be on the team. “The fruits of their labors, the trophies in the hallway, it’s due to their hard work, their sacrifice, and they take responsibility for each win and each loss. I feel that’s tremendously important,” Morgan said. “My goal for each of the players is that they put in their best effort to not only work as hard as they can and be to practice on time but also to make friends with all of their teammates and strengthen the relationships in the team. By doing those things, we can get the hard work in.”
Both the girls and the boys Bengal water polo teams won their respective state championships in 2016. (Lyse Durrant/Bengal Water Polo)
Eighteen-year-old senior Nicholas Nelson joined the water polo team because he liked the team aspect of the sport where players can build off each other. “Other sports like track or swimming, it’s just the individual time that creates the team,” Nelson said. “I like how we can work together to build something that others can’t.” Last year, Nelson said the team was confident going into the championship game because they knew they had conditioned enough and built up the team enough where they knew they would come out on top. This year, Nelson feels that the team has done a good job of playing everyone equally. “I like seeing that and I want to see more of that because we definitely grow when everyone on the team is included rather than just star players being given all the time,” Nelson said. “For me, I’m the goalie so I just want to block as many shots as possible.”
Seventeen-year-old junior Olivia Huntzinger started out playing water polo after swimming for the Cottonwood Heights aquatics team. After seeing her older sister play water polo, she decided to join the water polo team as well. Like Nelson, she also likes the team aspect of the sport. “I like to know that my teammates have my back and I can support them if they need it,” Huntzinger said. “I like the strategy too.” Winning the 2016 state championship for the first time in Brighton High School history was an amazing thing for Huntzinger. “It was really great for us because the year before, we lost in the last 10 seconds of the game. They scored another goal and we lost,” she said. “It was really great and it really brought us closer together and it was a great way to end the season.” l
“The fruits of their labors, the trophies in the hallway, it’s due to their hard work, their sacrifice, and they take responsibility for each win and each loss. I feel that’s tremendously important.”
The 2016 boys state championship was the second state championship win in a row for the Bengal water polo boys team. (Lyse Durrant/Bengal Water Polo)
The Bengal water polo girls team won the state championship in 2016, the first girls water polo state championship in Brighton High School history. (Lyse Durrant/Bengal Water Polo)
March 2017 | Page 17
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Cottonwood Heights City Journal
Jump into Spring Organization – Is there an App for That?
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common question I’m often asked is, “how do you get so much done in a day?” After all, in addition to running a busy Coupons4Utah.com, I also own a travel blog, 50Roads.com and contribute to a grocery website Crazy4Smiths. com. I have a segment on KUTV, write this article monthly and still find the time to hang out with my out-of-state grandkids. Initially, this tough question left me struggling for an answer. After a little thought I realized my most productive days come down to one handy tool. No, it’s not mood-altering drugs (good guess though). The answer is my phone. Now, if you’re like me in the 50-something age range, I know what you’re thinking, “Get a grip, we don’t need no stinkin’ phones!” And admittedly, I did just write an article about the importance of writing down your goals. So, let me be clear, I ALWAYS put my phone away during meals and it NEVER goes to bed with me (two habits I highly recommend for everyone). I’m of the mentality that I own my phone, it doesn’t own me. And while some days it proves to be more of a distraction, this one tool can keep me productive all day. Here are a few apps I use that you could find useful too.
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JOANI TAYLOR
sync my calendar to all my devices and put everything on. I even use it to block out times to take a moment and breath, to go to the gym, read a book, and even plan a vacation. Keeping to a schedule is my No. 1 tip for staying organized. If you’re an iPhone user check out Awesome Note 2 app. It brings together to-do lists, notes and your calendar. These are just a few ideas that will help you organize your time. You can find more apps we’ve shared on Coupons4Utah.com/get-app. The next time you feel overwhelmed with a task, you might just look to see if there’s an app for that. And remember to always check the privacy terms before registering. l
Grocery: ListEase is a free grocery app for your phone and even works with an Apple Watch. After a brief learning curve and initial set up, I found it easy to use for not only groceries, but for to-do lists to. There’s even links to coupons. If you’re a Smith’s or Macey’s shopper they both have great grocery list apps with coupons too. Photos and Kids’ Art: Keepy is a new free app that allows you to organize kids’ artwork and allows the user the ability to share it with family members who live far away. The app also allows you to record voice-over stories about your photos. Google Photos: There are tons of apps out there with cloud storage, but my personal favorite is Google Photos. It’s easy to use, free and offers editing options. Calendar: Yes folks, if you aren’t already, you need to learn to use your calendar. I
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nether-regions caught on brambles, until he came to the Tree of Knowledge. And the rest is history. Or is it? Fast forward to 2017 and male/female relationships haven’t improved much. It wasn’t until the last 100 years that women decided things had to change. They ate from their own trees of knowledge and became proactive in voicing opinions. What was the overall reaction from men? “These women are crazy. To the institutions!” “Why can’t women just be happy?” “Don’t they know they have inferior minds?” “Where’s my dinner?!?!” Nevertheless, we persisted. Our mothers and grandmothers and greatgrandmothers fought against the stereotypical bra burning, hairy armpitted, unsmiling, Birkenstockwearing feminists. They tussled with men who found them shrill, incompetent and wholly ungrateful; men who were possibly afraid of what a smart woman could do. We’ve quietly listened to blonde jokes, put up with mansplaining bosses and held our tongues for hundreds of sexist and/or patronizing comments. But maybe we can find common ground. I’m sure many young men feel the pressure to become muscular like Thor, brave like a Navy Seal and wealthy like that Monopoly guy. I’m sure men battle with confidence issues, body image concerns and are always trying to look smarter than the
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