COUNCIL VOTES UNANIMOUSLY TO HELP QUALIFIED EMPLOYEES PURCHASE A HOME WITHIN DRAPER
By Mimi Darley Dutton | m.dutton@mycityjournals.com
Thanks to the combined efforts of Draper City and Ivory Homes, city and school district employees may be able to realize the dream of home ownership, even in a city as expensive as Draper. The Clark and Christine Ivory Foundation (CCIF) has made seven housing units available for sale at cost and Draper City is contributing $100,000 per unit to buy down the prices using Community Reinvestment Agency (CRA) funds.
“This is an amazing contribution by the Ivorys,” Mayor Troy Walker said.
Qualified applicants must be full-time employees in good standing and having completed their employment probationary period. Combined annual income for buyers
City or school district employees who meet employment and income standards may be able to purchase a townhome like this under very favorable terms in Draper’s Big Willow Subdivision. The median home price in Draper is $780,000 according to Redfin, but seven homes will be offered for less than $500,000 to qualifying employees because of a special arrangement by the Ivory Foundation and Draper City. (Courtesy Draper City)
is capped at 80-120% of the Salt Lake County household median and takes into consideration the number of family members and size of the housing unit. For example, a four-person family would have an average income of $96,000-$144,000 to qualify for a three-bedroom unit according to Housing and Urban Development (HUD) standards.
“I think we’ll have some interest, and I think we have a good number of employees that might fall within that income range,” said Assistant City Manager Kellie Challburg. The city’s CRA funds come from developers and are managed by the city for the purpose of affordable housing.
The program has several stipulations to ensure the homes are bought and sold as intended. The homes are restricted to 4% appreciation per year, so if the buyer sells in three years, their profit is limited to 12%.
“Someone can’t just sell it and make a huge windfall,” Challburg said. No agent commissions are allowed and the homes are deed restricted for 50 years meaning they’ll
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Career ready: Young Professionals Summit preps Canyons students for the workforce
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
Hillcrest High junior Allisson Guerrero knows the importance of preparing for a job interview.
At the recent Canyons School District’s Young Professionals Summit, she learned essential tips from industry professionals: “what to do, what not to do, what to wear, how to ask questions to the employer, to always make sure to email them after your interview, and it’s OK to include high school activities on the resume that relate to the job and highlight them during the interview.”
More than 100 students from Canyons’ five comprehensive high schools attended the summit, featuring keynote speaker entrepreneur Bryce Smith from Beacon Medical Products. Students participated in workshops on professionalism with Sarah Simpson from the Utah Transit Authority, communication skills with Alyssa Olsen from Cyprus Credit Union, and interview techniques with Shaylee Pulham and Shari Laney from Prestige Financial Services.
Guerrero found the experience valuable.
“It was a good experience and very hands-on,” she said. “It was good being able to mix in with students for the other schools and learn to ask questions and network. I found the interview tips to be the helpful. I learned how to talk professionally with someone older than me and questions I need to be prepared for.”
The summit originated from a spring breakfast with Canyons’ work-based learning department’s
Canyons School District high school students interact with one another while learning how to network and communicate with others through a bingo game at the recent Young Professionals Summit. (Cher Burbank/Hillcrest High)
business partners, said Janet Jefferson, Alta High’s work-based learning coordinator.
“We asked them, as educators, ‘What are some skills you feel students need more of as they move into the workforce?’” she said. “They came up with being able to interview well and present themselves professionally, having communication skills, working as a team and networking.”
These skills formed the foundation of the summit, with professionals leading breakout sessions to help students build confidence for their future careers.
The keynote speaker is an Alta alumnus and former aerospace en-
gineer; he shared insights from his transition into the medical device industry.
“Bryce talked about the root of inspire, which comes from the Latin words ‘to breathe into’ to motivate students to be successful,” Jefferson said.
Smith shared the acronym of CPR — creativity, perception and reliability — as qualities essential for success.
“He said the C is to be creative and innovative, to look for ways to solve problems in a creative way,” Jefferson said. “Then, the P to be perceptive, to notice details, to pay attention to what's going on, to perceive what needs to be done and do
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it. The R is to be reliable, to be somebody people can count on, and to do what needs to be done and what you've been assigned to do.”
Hillcrest junior Prajeet Verma appreciated the message.
“His speech was essentially telling us to trust in ourselves and to be curious,” he said. “Don't let other people tell you what is a good or isn't a good idea.”
Guerrero appreciated hearing how Smith was able to “switch careers and still love what he’s doing.”
Verma said many of the workshops focused on effective communication and presenting themselves with confidence and competence, while also demonstrating a willingness to learn.
“We learned communication techniques, both verbal and nonverbal, such as specific hand gestures. We learned how to introduce ourselves, how to give an elevator pitch, how to find the most important person in the room. We practiced networking through a bingo game where we had to introduce ourselves and ask each other questions so we couldn’t be shy. We went over how to dress to impress and interview questions like, ‘tell me about yourself’ and ‘how do you deal with conflict in your team’ and some commonly asked questions which are difficult to answer, but they led us in simple responses,” he said.
Cher Burbank, Hillcrest’s work-based learning coordinator, noted the skills the students learned could be applied immediately.
“I noticed a lot of students who
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were going to be in FBLA competition the next week asked questions which they could apply when they communicate or present,” she said. “Some of the questions they were asking fell in line with that. They said, ‘OK, I’m presenting. How should I stand? Should I do this or that? How much is too many hand motions?’ They got in-depth answers and skills for them to apply. They learned how to emphasize a point when they're presenting, and some students said they were going to practice it for when they give presentations.”
Burbank believes students now will have more effective communication and professionalism.
“This was a good opportunity for them to hear from our community business partners what they need to know and to practice it. I hope they gained insight from these industry partners that may give them a different edge, a skill, professionalism, something that might stand out, that they learned, something they could apply when they communicate or network,” she said.
Canyons Career and Technical Education Director Janet Goble, who hopes to offer the summit again next year, can see the benefit to the high school students.
“I hope our students took to heart the presenters’ messages, whether it was your elevator speech, how to network, how to talk to people, how to communicate better,” she said. “All are ways to help them become more successful.” l
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From struggles to success: Entrada helps adults achieve their dreams
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
MattJungert once felt embarrassed to admit to his church priest, Father Anthony Savas, he had not graduated high school.
“It was a sore spot, and I was ashamed I hadn’t earned it, but I learned to face it and, not let it hold me back,” he said. “It got brought up when Father Anthony asked if I would consider becoming a deacon and to become a deacon I needed to have a bachelor's degree.”
Jungert had attended West Jordan High and later Valley High, but his time in school was marked by frequent absences.
“I was just a hard-headed teenager and hung out with some kids I shouldn't have,” he said.
After turning 18, Jungert stayed in Salt Lake City while his parents moved, working various jobs from Pizza Hut to working in warehouses living paycheck to paycheck. For the past 15 years, he has driven trucks, hauling oil to refineries, which offered more stability, but the thought of returning to school lingered.
Father Anthony’s encouragement led Jungert to pursue his GED through Entrada Adult High School.
“I was helping him light the candles for the service that night when he asked me, ‘Is becoming a deacon something you'd want to pursue?’ I said, ‘Yes,’” Jungert said. “I remember how beautiful the candles were around the altar. That’s when I started taking a computer science class at Entrada. Soon after, Mark (Mataya, Entrada’s adult education director) called me into his office. He took the time to talk with me about my plan, and I learned that getting my GED would be a better path than trying for a diploma. So, I completed packets in math, history and social studies and took the tests.”
Six months later, at the age of 39 and 21 years after his classmates graduated, Jungert spoke at Entrada’s commencement about his journey.
“There’s an energy at Entrada; the teachers want people to succeed. One teacher, David Dau, gave me some tips for the first test. When I passed, I went back and told him; he was so excited for me. Having the support of David and Mark really helps. They love their jobs, and it shows,” Jungert said.
Now, he is pursuing a computer science degree at Western Governors University with his next step, enter the diaconate program.
Jungert is just one student who found success at Entrada. The high school’s enrollment has surged in recent years, upward of 800 students, and graduates about 180 each year, driven by high demand for both Entrada and its sister school, Diamond Ridge High. The two schools moved to the former Bell View Elementary School more than two years ago to accommodate their growing student body.
This school year, Entrada was recognized as the state’s “Best All-Around Adult Education Program” by the Utah State Board of Education.
Mataya credits the school’s success to several factors, including the establishment of a mental health wellness program, apprenticeship partnerships and the implementation of personalized competency-based learning. This teaching strategy allows students to learn at their own pace while still participating in a traditional classroom environment.
Teachers Rachael Coleman and Lynn Gutzwiller team teach the course and emphasize students can start at their current skill level and focus on gaps in their knowledge, rather than repeating what they already know.
“Our students come from diverse backgrounds, with varying skills and knowledge, so we don’t start from scratch with every student,” Coleman explained. “We tailor our teaching to meet students where they are so it’s an efficient way to help them progress.”
Mataya says Entrada's hybrid approach, blending traditional and personalized learning, has been highly effective.
“When you walk into their classroom, it’s activity central. Students have the freedom to focus on what they need to learn, and they understand the expectations. They know how to push themselves to reach their goals. When they see working hard allows them to finish faster and move on with life, it becomes more rewarding,” he said. “They’re in control of their learning pace, not looking for ways to avoid work, but looking for what helps them in life—whether it’s getting a job or advancing their education. There’s a real energy in the room, an authentic, hopeful kind of learning.”
Mataya said not all of Entrada’s 200 classes use the same approach, but personalized competency-based learning has shown impressive results. While about two-thirds of students are enrolled in traditional classes, the remaining students in the competency-based classes tend to achieve “probably four times as much, in terms of credit they earn.”
“Last year, five of our classes adopted this model; this year, it’s up to 15,” he said. “It’s intensive, and not every student is ready for that level of challenge, but for those who are, it makes a big difference.”
Gutzwiller said the goal is to create a hybrid class with both teacher-directed and hands-on elements.
“The course is designed to let students move from one skill to the next, and as instructors, we need to support them along the way. We work one-on-one or in small groups, meeting each student and it shifts the teacher-student relationship to more of an advocacy role,” she said. “Many of our students come in feeling beaten down. To see them believe in themselves is powerful.”
Mataya emphasized the goal is to guide students in their own learning journeys.
“We want to empower them, whether they’re in a competency-based or traditional class,” he said.
That philosophy resonates with Steve Wrigley, a former Canyons school board member who has been teaching at Entrada for three years. In his U.S. Government and Citizenship class, he encourages students to advocate for their own learning.
“We discuss issues around a topic, and at the end of class,
I ask them, ‘What did you learn, and how can you apply it to your life? What’s important to you? Give me three things in your community that need to be addressed, and how would you do it?’” he said.
While the questions may seem simple, Wrigley admits they can be tough for students.
“Sometimes, the students don’t grasp the full magnitude of these issues. I have students tell me they’ve learned they need to pay more attention to their community,” he said. “Often, they’ve felt unheard in high school, so when I invite a school administrator or even the mayor of Sandy to speak, they’re surprised. They realize they have a voice, a vote, and the ability to make a difference.”
Last spring, Sandy Mayor Monica Zoltanski visited his class, along with Canyons School District Director of High Schools Tom Sherwood. Wrigley also has hosted city councilmembers and the district’s superintendent.
“The mayor told them she was no different than they are,” Wrigley said. “She was advocating for Dimple Dell, and realized she could make a difference in government. The students were impressed she came, shook their hands and answered their questions.”
During a discussion with Sherwood on topics ranging from transportation to mental health, the students were invited to email their suggestions and concerns.
“He promised to take their feedback back to share with others,” Wrigley said. “It showed the students that their voices matter.”
His class covers diverse issues such as naturalization, voting, homelessness and the environment, but he’s aware many students don’t learn in a traditional way.
“I always ask, ‘Here’s the subject—how does it relate to you?’” Wrigley said. “Our goal is for students to believe in themselves, so they see they can succeed. Every teacher here wants these students to succeed. Our future depends on them.” l
Entrada graduate Matt Jungert, seen here with his wife, Gretchen, and his daughter, Isabel, spoke about educational journey during his school’s commencement address. (Photo courtesy of Matt Jungert)
SL County Mayor Jenny Wilson discusses goals for second term in office
By Shaun Delliskave | s.delliskave@mycityjournals.com
It is not an easy task leading the nation's 37th most populous county with over one million residents. Yet Salt Lake County voters have decided to let County Mayor Jenny Wilson have a second term as mayor. Wilson reaffirmed her oath of office on Jan. 6 at the Midvalley Performing Arts Center in Taylorsville.
“I’ve had a great working relationship with the current council and am looking forward to working cohesively with new and existing members in the coming years,” Wilson said. “I’m confident we’ll work constructively moving forward.”
Planning for Growth
With Salt Lake County’s population projected to reach nearly two million by 2060, Wilson acknowledges the importance of regional planning. “Salt Lake County advocates for and leads regional planning efforts to maintain and improve quality of life for our growing population,” she explained. This includes initiatives like the newly announced Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Arts Center in South Jordan and the development of 13 miles of multiuse trails at Butterfield Trailhead Regional Park in partnership with Kennecott Rio Tinto and the Bureau of Land Management.
“Trail connectivity is important to us,” Wilson said. She highlighted the county’s commitment to recreation through its 10year Recreational Facilities plan, which identifies countywide needs and opportunities. “Informed by national best practices and public input, the next plan will be published in 2025,” she added.
Homelessness and Housing
Affordable housing remains a cornerstone of Wilson’s administration. Under her leadership, the county has implemented a comprehensive action plan addressing homelessness, behavioral health and criminal justice reform. “Our shared vision is that homelessness is brief, rare and non-recurring,” Wilson said.
The plan prioritizes affordable and supportive housing, along with new initiatives
like the HOME Court program and the upcoming Kem & Carolyn Gardner Crisis Care Center. Scheduled to open in 2025, the center will provide critical mental health resources. “It is essential that systems—criminal justice, behavioral health treatment, workforce, housing and temporary shelter—are functional and intersect for efficiency and effectiveness,” Wilson said.
Salt Lake County’s Housing Trust Fund, which has invested over $25 million, is another example of her administration’s commitment. “We’ve set a goal to build 1,000 affordable and supportive housing units in five years,” she said. Recent changes to the accessory dwelling unit ordinance also aim to increase housing density and affordability. Public Safety Challenges
Although a proposed $507-million public safety bond failed to pass, Wilson remains focused on addressing the county’s jail capacity issues. “The jail is at capacity, and there are a lot of residents who would benefit from the resources that the Justice and Accountability Center would have pro-
vided,” she said. With the county’s population having grown by 300,000 since 2001, she stressed the need for expanded facilities and services. “We are moving toward efficiently operating only one expanded county jail…ensuring it has the mental health and medical resources that many people with justice involvement so desperately need,” Wilson said.
Preparing for the 2034 Winter Olympics
Looking ahead to the 2034 Winter Olympics, Wilson’s administration is working closely with public and private agencies to ensure success. “Venues are definitely a priority, as is lodging, volunteers, and ensuring that everyone involved in the Olympics has an incredible and memorable time,” she said.
According to Wilson, the county’s efforts aim to capitalize on the opportunities the games will bring while enhancing infrastructure and community engagement.
Balancing Budgets and Fiscal Responsibility
“I am proud to tout that Salt Lake County is one of the best-run counties in the nation,” Wilson said.
Salt Lake County’s financial stewardship is a point of pride for Wilson. “Salt Lake County has a triple AAA bond rating, effectively placing us in the top 1% of all counties in terms of creditworthiness,” she said. Despite the fiscal pressures from inflation and reduced tax revenue, her administration has maintained balanced budgets. “Annually, we go through a months-long budget process where each budget request is analyzed and weighed against competing needs and priorities,” she said.
Environmental Leadership
Water conservation is a key focus for Wilson as the county grapples with the ongoing drought and the plight of the Great Salt Lake. “We allocated $2 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to support efforts to flip park strips to waterwise landscaping and replace outdated irrigation systems with smart water management tools,” she said.
“At Salt Lake County, we are doing our part to conserve water. From monitoring our snowpack to implementing water-wise initiatives, we are committed to long-term water conservation amid frequent emergency droughts and changing environmental landscapes,” Wilson said.
Preserving Quality of Life
Programs like the My County Rec Pass, which offers free access to recreational amenities for youth, reflect Wilson’s dedication to enhancing residents’ quality of life. “Since the My County Rec Pass program launched, more than 66,000 youth have become pass holders,” she said.
Other priorities include conserving open spaces, improving air quality, and supporting arts and culture through initiatives like the Zoo, Arts & Parks (ZAP) tax. “The ZAP program enhances Salt Lake County resident and visitor experiences through arts, cultural, historical, zoological and recreational offerings,” Wilson said.
Collaborative Governance
Despite the county council’s partisan divisions, Wilson has fostered a spirit of cooperation. “Every budget I’ve proposed as mayor has been balanced and approved with bipartisan support,” she said, adding that the 2024 budget passed unanimously.
Wilson also notes that although there was one dissenting vote against the 2025 budget, the reason provided was related to a council proposal intended to actualize cost savings.
A Vision for the Future
As she begins her second term, Wilson identifies affordable housing, homelessness and economic stability as the county’s biggest challenges. “Working with my incredible team of employees, county partners, and other elected officials, I remain committed to finding common-sense solutions that are fiscally responsible and meet the most basic of all human needs for everyone,” she said. l
Jenny Wilson was sworn in for her second term as county mayor on Jan. 6. (Photo contributed)
Local author takes Corner Canyon and Butler book clubs behind the scenes of her writing process
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
Corner Canyon sophomore Glory Weaver sat with her friends eagerly awaiting the arrival of local author Ally Braithwaite Condie at the high school’s book club. Weaver had read Condie’s book, “The Only Girl in Town,” in preparation for the event.
“I’m excited to meet her; I really like her style of writing,” she said. “I like how this book flashes between now and before to include the main character’s back story.”
Many of the other 85 members of Corner Canyon's book club had also read Condie’s “Matched” series, which was a No. 1 New York Times bestseller, as well as her novel “Summerlost,” and Edgar Award Finalist, honoring the best in mystery fiction.
The Cedar City-born author, who writes young adult fiction, has also published adult books and a picture book. In addition to her writing, Condie founded the WriteOut Foundation, which runs a writing camp, and serves on the Yallwest Board, which aims to make books more accessible to children.
Students from both Corner Canyon and Butler Middle School filled the atrium, eagerly anticipating what Condie would share. However, they had to wait another week when a family emergency delayed her visit.
Corner Canyon librarian Maria Jones explained that the 50 students who returned were rewarded for their patience with Condie’s presentation, which included a question-and-answer session. Condie also took time to sign their books. To ensure that students from Butler Middle didn’t miss out, Condie held a second presentation at the school in Cottonwood Heights.
Condie’s writing process is unconventional compared to some other authors. She doesn’t begin her novels with an outline.
“She said she doesn't really outline because her characters aren't developed yet,” Jones said. “The one time she submitted an outline to a publisher, she never wrote the book because she didn't like the feel of it.”
Condie began writing as a youth, starting with a journal and later collecting her poetry. After graduating from college, she taught high school English but stopped that career to raise her four children. Working as a sorority mom, she set a goal to write 1,000 words per day, inspired by local author Shannon Hale.
“When that didn't work out, she set it at 500, and that worked for her and she still keeps to that goal, six days per week,” Jones said. “She made the time to write. She said, ‘If I don’t have time now and I'm busy, I'll never write.’ So, she just started.”
Condie draws inspiration from the world around her.
“She takes breaks while she writes by walking and seeing the world. She said she
may still think about the characters, but she isn’t staring at a screen. It helps her develop where her characters are, what they would do in certain situations, or how they interact with other things,” she said.
Condie told the group “The Only Girl in Town” was inspired by the short story, “There Will Come Soft Rains” by Ray Bradbury.
“It's about the house that still lives even though the people are gone after a nuclear bomb, much like the main character realizes she’s all alone without people in her world,” Jones said.
When students asked about the location for the cliff-jumping scenes in “The Only Girl in Town,” Condie explained that they were based on two real places: one near Cedar City, where she grew up, and another in Ithaca, New York, where she lived later.
“She shared photos of both places,” Jones said, adding that the use of varying fonts, gray tones, and different chapter lengths was intentional to reflect the different time periods in the story.
At the novel’s conclusion, Condie purposely left it up to readers to decide whether the ending was a work of science fiction or an allegory about depression and mental health.
“She wanted it to be a very open in the conclusion. Some students liked that, and some didn’t, but it sparked a lot of discussion,” Jones said.
The topic of the love triangle in “Matched” came up during the question-and-answer period.
“One student asked if she had to pick one of them, which would she choose. She said she put half of her then husband's good qualities in one character and the other half of his good qualities in the other character. So as she was writing, she didn't even know which one she the main character was going to pick until halfway through the third book, but she would only answer, ‘with all the things that had happened, there was only like, one’ since she didn’t want to spoil the ending for those who haven’t read her series yet,” Jones said.
When discussing “Summerlost,” a student asked if the book was intended to be a mystery.
“She always knew it was a mystery, but the publisher said it isn't. Then it won an award for middle grade mystery,” she said.
Condie also revealed that the photo of her grandmother’s house featured on the back of the book’s new cover was one she provided.
When asked which of her books was her favorite to write, Condie shared that her favorite was the picture book “Here,” because she wrote the text, and then, it was
“beautifully illustrated.”
“She has a second picture book, ‘There’ due out next fall,” Jones said, adding that Condie also is working with Dan Santat on a project and is writing an adult mystery due out next spring.
Corner Canyon’s book club has hosted several authors in recent years, including Neil Shusterman, Erin Stevenson, Tricia Levenseller, Emily Inouye Huey, and Tiffany Rosenhan. Jones is also planning to invite Draper author Lisa Tolk to share her book “Eden” this spring.
Earlier in the school year, Eastmont teacher Mark Gregson shared his book, “Sky’s End” and discussed the writing and editing process.
Each month, students in the club receives a free copy of the book they read and can participate in monthly discussions.
Butler Middle teacher librarian Jen Van Haaften said the 25 students in their
eighth-grade book club appreciated the engagement and intensity of “The Only Girl in Town.”
“It's difficult to find clean books that are intense and suspenseful, but this one was one we could read and keep the kids engaged,” she said. “They liked the short chapters whether it’s a conversation with the therapist, or text messages, or a journal. The varied format made it a fast-paced story.”
The Butler book club reads seven books per school year and discusses them during their lunchtime.
“We try to read different genres and books more current, so they capture the students’ interest and attention,” Van Haaften said. “We're wanting these kids to engage in reading and change the perception of themselves. We want them to like and find joy in reading.” l
Local author Ally Condie signs books for Corner Canyon High book club members after she shared insights in her writing process. (Maria Jones/Corner Canyon High)
Valentine’s Day. A day of love. A day we often focus on showing such love to our family, our friends, our coworkers, and even through Valentine’s we get for our children to give to their teachers. However, regardless of whether we are single, married, or in a relationship, we can often overlook showing a little love to ourselves.
Jayna Marie, a renowned celebrity makeup artist in L.A. whose work has transformed many lives, says “Loving ourselves is so important because we teach other people how to treat us.” She cautions, “The way we see ourselves determines the love we are going to accept from other people.”
In today's fast-paced world, it's easy to get caught up in societal expectations and lose sight of our uniqueness as we focus on our imperfections. We often struggle with body image concerns, seeking validation, or simply focusing on the challenges of life we face. Instead, Marie encourages us to embrace imperfections and celebrate individuality as an integral part of who we are through the following three steps:
1. Overcoming insecurities
2. Having gratitude for one's body
3. Understanding and accepting one's story
Overcoming our insecurities is not to
Embracing self-love this Valentine’s Day
By Holly Curby | hello@hollycurby.com
be expected overnight, but rather a lifelong process. Marie lives by a mantra of “breathe in self-confidence, breathe out self-doubt.” Criticism often mirrors personal insecurities and by understanding this, we can better support one another's journeys. “Seeking validation from others can be both exhausting and unfulfilling,” Marie says. Instead, she encourages introspection and support for each other.
As for having gratitude for one’s body, Marie emphasizes, “We are never going to
be younger than we are right now. Before we know it another 10 years will be gone and we’ll be wishing we looked like we do now or had the energy we do now.” Marie believes we are in either a phase of glowing or growing. Growing can be painful, but the glowing part is the outcome after the difficulties and hard work have been put in. There is such significance in having gratitude for our current selves and the fleeting nature of time, so might we cherish the present and live authentically.
Continued from front page
stay in the affordable housing pool beyond their first owner. A 5% down payment is required and the interest rate has been arranged to be about 5.6%. Draper City also holds first right of refusal to repurchase the homes.
“If they were to sell, the city would have the opportunity to buy it back first to sell it to another city employee,” Challburg said. The city will use nonprofit Housing Preservation Fund to prescreen potential applicants.
The first three homes for sale through the program will be available in early April with the other four available in December 2025 or January 2026. “We’re rolling out three right away which will go to city employees first,” Challburg said. If there isn’t enough interest among city employees, Challburg said they’ll open it up to the school district. It has yet to be determined how the seven total homes will be shared between city and school district employees, whether a 5/2 or 4/3 split.
“April is going to come quickly,” Challburg said.
Two of the first three homes available in April have a market price of $575,000 discounted $45,000 by CCIF and another $100,000 by Draper City, for a sale price of $430,000. The third home is slightly bigger and more expensive because it has a finished basement. It would sell for $580,000 but is discounted to $475,0000.
Marie advises, “Part of understanding and accepting one’s story is being courageous and believing it’s going to end beautifully no matter where we are at in our story.” She continues that, “sometimes we have a hard time embracing our story because we aren’t where we want to be.” She encourages embracing faith in what is to come compared to the fear of where you are at on your journey. Resilience is gained through faith during such challenges of life. Both self-love and self-acceptance are significant in overcoming life challenges as we seek to live authentically, celebrate our unique stories and differences, and build a supportive community of mutual support and growth. “No matter where you are right now, how hard or scary it might seem, it’s exactly where you are to be,” encourages Marie.
As we navigate our journeys, let us remember that we are wonderfully made and that our stories can be more beautiful than we ever imagined. Listen to this inspiring interview in full and embark on a journey of self-love and empowerment on Holly’s Highlights Season 4 Episode 3. Embrace your inner beauty and cherish the present moment as you transform your life through self-love this Valentine’s Day. l
The homes are in Ivory’s Big Willow subdivision located at approximately 11400 S. 540 West. The neighborhood is a mix of townhomes and freestanding homes, many of which are rentals owned and managed by Ivory with the exception of the seven available for sale through this special program.
CCIF has already collaborated with South Jordan and Park City for similar projects. The South Jordan collaboration happened in April 2021 with nine homes offered for sale. “They had 11 or 12 interested in the nine units, so almost everybody was able to get in one,” Challburg said.
Challburg presented the plan Jan. 7 and the council voted unanimously to spend $700,000 from CRA funds. “It’s a way to help employees try to buy a house with this money that has been in this fund for a while, money that developers in the area paid into the CRA (formerly known as Redevelopment Agency or RDA). The state is looking at everybody’s CRA funds or they could possibly be pulled,” Challburg said.
“This is something I’ve wanted for a long time. It’s going to be an asset. There’s research that says your community is stronger when police and fire can live within the city. This is something we should feel really proud of,” said Councilmember Tasha Lowery.
“My only wish is that there were more than seven,” Councilmember Fred Lowry said.l
Full interview on Holly’s Highlights podcast. (Photo courtesy of Jayna Marie)
Learning to self-love. (Photo courtesy of Caleb Jones)
The Point hosts groundbreaking for Porter Rockwell Boulevard to start Phase One infrastructure
By Mimi Darley Dutton | m.dutton@mycityjournals.com
For a project touted to be unequaled in the nation and world, the standard groundbreaking with shovel-wielding politicians just wouldn’t do. Instead, The Point put dignitaries in the driver seats of several large excavators and had them ceremoniously scoop dirt from the landscape where the prison once stood. The Dec. 17 event kicked off the construction of infrastructure for The Point, including the extension of Porter Rockwell Boulevard which will be central to the site and its main connection to the rest of the region for people and supplies.
“We kickstart development of a site that is owned by all Utahns,” Utah Governor Spencer Cox said. “This is really unique all over the world. It’s the epicenter of the fastest growing part of the fastest growing state in the country. We understand how important infrastructure is and infrastructure supports good development.”
The event was a veritable who’s who in Utah with the governor, legislators, mayors, school district officials, construction leaders, media and others gathered in the middle of a dusty construction site. Two years prior, the public was invited to watch the first prison guard tower come toppling down on a frigid winter day, an event that happened safely but took much longer than planned.
“It took so long to tear that tower down, the media left. I feared that would be symbolic of this entire process,” Draper Mayor Troy Walker said. But by August 2023, the prison had been demolished and the final tower came crashing down successfully.
According to Cox, who previously served as co-chair of the Point of the Mountain State Land Authority (Land Authority), progress has been swift beyond that first tower toppling hiccup. “I advised that we’d rather be right than fast on this project. This board has actually done both, they’ve gotten it right and in record time,” he said.
Another thing that sets development of The Point apart from most projects, according to Executive Director Mike Ambre, is how they’re going about building the infrastructure.
“This is unlike usual developments that start on the edge. Instead, we are starting at the center, accelerating the success of this project,” he said. The Point is promised to be a place of open spaces, parks, trails and trail connections, housing, retail and restaurants, entertainment, public transit, jobs and innovation stemming from universities and entrepreneurs working together. Of the thousands of new housing units planned for the site, the state promises some will be “affordable” to help alleviate the housing crisis.
State representative and Land Authority co-chair Jordan Teuscher explained why he thinks there is national awareness of what’s happening economically in Utah.
“This is not just another development…. Utah is already the innovation capital of the
U.S. There is nothing like it in the country,” Teuscher said.
Senate President Stuart Adams credited Silicon Slopes for helping make Utah’s economy strong. “The Wall Street Journal says we have the top job market”, he said. But Adams’ eye is on the AI prize. “I believe within me that the country who controls AI will control the world…I believe we are in an arms race, an AI arms race, and this will help us solve our future cause of it”, Adams said.
House Speaker Mike Schultz said Utah has been ranked the best economy in the country for the last 17 years in a row. Schultz added The Point will help continue and even improve on that while also solving the state’s most complicated challenges and providing dividends for generations to come. “We believe in limited government and how to get government out of the way so businesses can drive and Utah can thrive,” he said.
The Point’s officials are quick to point out the project belongs to the people of Utah and they promise a strong return on investment. With the old prison gone, all the metal removed and the concrete from that decades old building recycled for use at the site in new roads and foundations, it’s now a blank slate of more than 600 acres of state-owned land to which the legislature has loaned $165 million for infrastructure. That legislative investment will be coupled with billions of private-sector investment dollars The Point’s development partners are projected to bring in for what has been nicknamed “Utah’s Innovation Community.”
“Utah taxpayers will stand to benefit from a more than doubling of a return on investment. The loan will be paid back with interest from revenue generated by future leases as development progresses,” said The Point’s press release. The Point Partners (TPP) were previously chosen to lead development of Phase 1. TPP includes international Lincoln Property Company working with Colmena Group and Wadsworth Development Group, both Utah companies.
Because the state-owned land for The Point falls within Draper City limits, Walker said the development not only requires various state and local governments working together, but also consensus among Draper’s city council. “They’ve helped carry the vision too. As a city, we’re working closely with The Point to bring this to fruition. We’ve spent a lot of time, we’ve argued, we’ve still got a lot to do, but we’re moving forward in a positive way. I think it is great for our future, not just for my community…we’re going to be the epicenter of something…that’s going to make a difference,” Walker said.
According to Assistant City Manager Kellie Challburg, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was developed between Draper City and The Point in December. The MOU
“This pivotal milestone symbolizes the start of a new era as Utah’s Innovation Community rises from the ground,” said a statement from The Point. With the old prison gone and development partners in place, construction of infrastructure began in December. (Mimi Darley Dutton/City Journals)
clarifies the city will be part of the discussions and planning of infrastructure components to address such things as deviations between The Point’s design and the city’s design standards. Compensation details must also be hammered out because the city is expected to eventually service The Point with police, fire and sanitation. Draper City and The Point have yet to
reach a final agreement and no financial obligations have been decided.
“It’s not easy when you have local government, county government and state government working together and they’ve done it because this project is worth doing,” Cox said. l
Leatherheads Sports Bar recognized by City Weekly for its ‘unexpected programming’
By Katherine Weinstein | k.weinstein@mycityjournals.com
Leatherheads Sports Bar & Grill was recently recognized in the Best of Utah 2024 issue of City Weekly for having the “most unexpected programming.” Under the category of “Staff Picks,” Leatherheads was commended for its eclectic entertainment.
Acknowledging that most clubs present musical acts that stick to a particular genre, City Weekly described Leatherheads as having an emphasis on hard rock, metal and tribute acts along with decade-specific dance parties, karaoke, games and the occasional mid-day drag show. The magazine summed it up as “free-wheeling fun.”
General manager Jay Gibb said finding out Leatherheads was selected for the Best of Utah issue was “a really nice surprise.” He explained that he decided to establish the venue about 14 years ago when Draper had only one option, Donkey Tails, for folks seeking a drink after work. “I thought that Draper needed something more, something different,” he said.
At the time, liquor licenses for bars were in short supply so Leatherheads opened initially as restaurant. As a teen, Gibb’s daughter, Jayden, washed dishes in the restaurant. She now works there as a bartender. “The best thing about working here is the sense of community,” she said. “We all find a family here within these four walls.”
Named after the leather helmets worn by football players a 100 years ago, Leatherheads is “first and foremost a sports bar,” Gibb said. An array of large, high-definition screens in the bar show local, college and professional sports. “All the sports are over at 10 or 10:30,” he said. “Between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m. we do bands and ka-
raoke.”
When it comes to live music, “We like to promote local talent, sometimes national acts,” Gibb said. The musical genres range from hard rock and metal to country. He enjoys booking artists who played stadiums back in the 80s. “To have them play an intimate venue like Leatherheads is an honor,” he said. “These are people who sold millions of records. It is breathtaking to see them here.”
Metal guitarist Lita Ford, formerly of the Runaways, the late Jack Russell from Great White and Vince Neil from Mötley Crüe are just a few of the artists who have performed at Leatherheads over the years.
Jayden has received an education in music by working at the bar. “I’ve been introduced to so much,” she said. She too has developed an appreciation for 80’s rock and mentioned an all-female Mötley Crüe tribute band as one of her all-time favorites. Classic rock tribute bands are a mainstay of the live music offerings at Leatherheads.
The venue also supports the local music scene. Gibb said that one of the most popular local bands to play the venue is the Salt Lake City-based rock band Royal Bliss. Jagertown, a country band, also gave a memorable concert there.
This month promises a variety of live music at Leatherheads. Sisters of the Moon, a Fleetwood Mac tribute act will perform on Feb. 1 followed by Nashville recording artist Carver Louis on Feb. 8, Cash’d Out, a Johnny Cash tribute on Feb. 15 and Blasted Past, a 60’s, 70’s and 80’s tribute band on Feb. 22.
In addition to live music, Leatherheads has special game nights like Texas Hold ’em tournaments, cornhole and bingo. By far the most popular activity at the bar is karaoke. “We have karaoke five nights a week, we do it after events,” Gibb said. “It is the most popular and loved thing. We never set out to be a karaoke bar!” It is yet another example of Leatherheads’ variety of entertainment.
Leatherheads Sports Bar & Grill is located at 12147 State Street. For more information, follow Leatherheads Sports BAR on Facebook or @leatherheadssports on Instagram. l
Leatherheads Sports Bar & Grill, located at 12147 State Street, was recognized in City Weekly magazine’s Best of Utah 2024 issue for its wide variety of entertainment. (Katherine Weinstein/City Journals)
Draper deployed a crew of four firefighters in a Type 3 engine to California
By Mimi Darley Dutton | m.dutton@mycityjournals.com
Once again, Draper firefighters have helped answer the call of a neighboring state in need. The city’s fire department sent a crew of four personnel and one engine to help fight the fires ravaging Southern California. They joined other Utah agencies in sending 70 personnel total in 15 fire engines. Utah crews departed Jan. 9 from the Maverik Center and are expected to fulfill an initial 14-day commitment. They’ll be gone 17-18 days total including travel time.
Sandy, South Jordan, West Jordan, West Valley City, Salt Lake City and Unified Fire all sent crews and resources.
“This is something we train for, it’s part of our job, so they were excited to be able to go and use their expertise to support those efforts. But they also understand that is one of those, we hope, once-in-a-lifetime events that has caused so much devastation and destruction. They knew they were going into an area they wouldn’t have seen before and probably experience some feelings they haven’t felt before,” Draper Fire Chief Clint Smith said.
Draper’s crew traveled in one of the city’s Type 3 engines rather than the Type 1 fire engine typically seen around town. Type 1 engines are larger and carry more water and hose. “The Type 3 engine is more agile, reduced in equipment, but specifically suited for wildland/urban interface fire,” Smith said.
The crew overnighted Thursday in Victorville, California and spent the first half of Friday going through CalFire’s vehicle inspection and check-in process. Then they drove three hours to their assignment, the Palisades fire. “They were deployed as soon as they got there to do structure protection and assessments. They saw a lot of erratic fire behavior from where they were stationed that first night. The amount of devastation is hard to comprehend, but they have conveyed to us how grateful the residents are to know that we would send resources and that they are there working to assist them. They have been treated tremendously by the residents because our crews are there to help them in their time of need,” Smith said. The crew worked 40 hours straight until 10 p.m. Saturday at which point they rested.
Smith said they’ll be actively firefighting if the winds pick up and the situation worsens, otherwise they will be working to fortify fire breaks and fire lines to make sure hot embers can be held, all in an effort to stop the fire from growing or jumping containment lines. If fire lines can be held, crews will transition into “mopping up and rendering areas safe for residents to go back in at some point to see the damage and hopefully find something remaining in their respective homes,” Smith said.
As the 14-day initial commitment draws to a close, California officials will reassess to determine whether more crews are need-
ed. “We’ll have to see what that fire behavior does. If California continues to need that help, we are prepared to do a crew swap,” Smith said.
Locally, Draper’s fire department has worked to prevent devastating wildland/urban interface fires that could happen within city limits in areas like Corner Canyon and SunCrest. Smith said his department has banned fireworks and open fires in those greater-risk areas. They’ve also made efforts to educate people about those risks and they’ve enforced restrictions. “Secondly, we’ve invested a lot in fuels mitigation work over the last five years. You will see our seasonal members have done a tremendous amount of thinning and clearing of brush to help limit the expansion or growth of fire, in the most prone areas, to give us a fighting chance,” Smith said.
Draper’s Fire Chief said he is grateful for the recent decision to increase city property taxes to better support public safety. “It is a demonstration by city leadership of the importance of public safety, to invest in our personnel in wages, benefits and additional allocations. It’s important that we hire and retain the best of the best. To have our residents support that shows us they appreciate the programs we have in place, and it’s important to them to fund and sustain those programs so we can continue to provide the best fire and emergency services to our residents.”
There’s something each resident can do to try to prevent the devastation witnessed in California from happening here in Utah. “We all recognize it’s a great privilege to have Corner Canyon in our backyard, but it comes with responsibility for everybody that visits the area to adhere to restrictions and to look out for each other so we do everything in our power to not find ourselves in a similar situation,” Smith said.
If there’s one upside to sending a crew to help others in a time of total devastation, Smith said it’s the learning experience that may prove useful in Utah at some point. “It’s not ideal for us to have to deploy for these types of incidents, but the one thing we’ve always said is these give us great learning opportunities. It’s unfortunate that this is happening to those people in California, but it gives us an opportunity to send our people and gain experience. It allows us to bring that knowledge and training back and implement it for the benefit of our residents,” Smith said.
Smith, whose department lost Matt Burchett on a California wildfire deployment several years ago, said he offers this advice to his crew at their departure. “My words to them are always go and represent your department and your families well, represent your training well, but most of all, take care of each other.” l
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Draper Fire Department sent four crew members in a Type 3 engine to assist with fighting the fires that ravaged areas around Los Angeles. Pictured L-R are Engine Boss Nick Prokopis, Captain Brian Garn, engineer Wade Cooper and firefighter Parker Hansen. “Our crews learn early in this career to be adaptable, even in a different place than they’re normally used to. They really are prepared to be effective in making a difference right from the get-go,” Draper Fire Chief Clint Smith said. (Courtesy Draper Fire
Chargers girls basketball off and running with experienced squad
By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com
The Corner Canyon High girls basketball team return four key seniors – forward Sorrelle Nielsen and guards Brooke Luper, Addi Yeomans and Kenzie Randall – from last year’s squad who lost to eventual 6A champion Lone Peak in the semifinals.
The Chargers other senior, forward/ center Aubrey Mulitalo, has been leading the team in scoring through the first 11 games with 14 points a game. Nielsen is averaging nine points and a team-leading five rebounds per contest.
“This is such a fun group of girls,” said head coach Craig Morris, who is in his fourth year at CCHS. “Our goal is to build on the finish from last season. “We’ve got girls focused on the inputs that will help us get to the next level.”
Corner Canyon started the year with a 54-44 win over Green Canyon Nov. 20 behind 19 points from Mulitalo before losing 61-59 in overtime to Morris’ former team, Cedar Valley, Dec. 3. Nielsen had 18 points in the losing effort. To conclude in-state preseason matchups, the Chargers
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outscored opponents 492 to 299 to win its next eight games with Mulitalo scoring 130 points over that span. During a holiday tournament in California, CCHS went 1-2 with a 56-45 win over Spanish Springs (Nevada).
“It’s been a great start to the season,” Morris said. “Our region has three teams in the current top five, with upcoming games against No. 1 Copper Hills and No. 3 Bingham.”
Going up against the top-ranked 6A team in Copper Hills Jan. 9, Corner Canyon lost 45-27. The Chargers actually outscored the Grizzlies in the second half, but managed just six points in the first 16 minutes as the game got away from them. Nielsen, who is the team’s second-leading scorer at nine points a game, had 14 points to lead the team in the loss.
“We’ve managed to stay relatively healthy with no injuries and we’ve gotten better every game,” Morris said. “We’re working towards peaking at the right time so we’re playing our best ball in the state tourney.”
Also on the CCHS team, who is currently 10-4 overall and 0-1 in region play at press time, this season are juniors Olivia Gleason, Hailee Johnsen, Kate LeRoy, Allie Walquist; sophomore Addi Paynter; and freshman Maija Mortensen.
Corner Canyon is also scheduled to face Mountain Ridge, Herriman, Riverton, Bingham and Copper Hills in Region 2 home-and-away games prior to postseason play. l
CCHS boys among top five in state
The Corner Canyon High boys basketball team was right there at the end last season, losing to Lehi in the 6A state championship game, and hope to ride that momentum with two key returning seniors in forward Noah Bendinger and guard Bryon Valdez.
The Chargers began the 202425 campaign with back-to-back losses to Mount Zion, Illinois 73-67 and Timpview 60-57 despite 21 and 30 points, respectively from Bendinger. But, Corner Canyon blew through two tournaments with six straight wins – by an average of 20 points –over Rock Canyon, Colorado; North Broward, Florida; and Rocky Mountain, Idaho at their own Tournament of Champions and Timberline, Idaho; Cardinal Ritter, Missouri; and Eastern Hills, Texas at Lehi’s Holiday Hoopfest. Bendinger scored 138 points over that stretch to lead the Chargers.
After a three-game stint in Arizona, losing to Sunnyslope and Perry by 20 points and Higley by just one, Corner Canyon returned to the state and its winning ways. Since 2025 began, the No. 3 Chargers have defeated American Fork 62-49 behind Bendinger’s 36 points, Lone Peak
By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com
65-62 with Bendinger’s 24 and Copper Hills 74-65 with Bendinger’s 27. On Jan. 14, they pulled out a 63-61 win over Mountain Ridge and lost 71-49 to Herriman Jan. 17.
“We’re very athletic with outstanding shooters,” said head coach Dan Lunt.
Bendinger averages 24 points a game with Valdez adding 11 and sophomore center Mo Brown recording five rebounds a contest.
Also on the CCHS squad this season are seniors Hudson Brown, Brigg Jensen, Tag Jensen and Peterson Lunt; juniors Khi Davis, Drew Liljenquist, Tyler Mortensen, Dillon Robert and Peyton Torkornoo; sophomores Diesel Dart, Krew Eckman, Andrew Morrell and Carsen Schultz; and freshman Josh Tolman.
Corner Canyon, 10-6 overall and 2-1 in Region 2 play at press time, is also scheduled to play Mountain Ridge, Herriman, Riverton, Bingham and Copper Hills matchups to close out the regular season. The 6A state tournament runs Feb. 19-27. l
Corner Canyon High senior Noah Bendinger is averaging 24 points a game for the third-ranked Chargers. (Photo courtesy All-Star Photography)
The Corner Canyon High girls basketball team is off to a 10-4 start this season. (Photo courtesy Elly Wolfley)
Draper actor Jack Jewkes, age 9, tours the U.S. in ‘Les Misérables’
actor Jack Jewkes, age 9, has been on the road since September performing in the North American tour of “Les Misérables.” The tour is the adventure of a lifetime for Jewkes whose career goal is to act professionally on both stage and screen. He plays the role of Gavroche, an orphan of the Parisian streets, in the Broadway musical which will make its way to the Eccles Theater in Salt Lake City Feb. 26 through March 15.
“We can’t believe how fast it’s been. It’s just wild!” Jack’s mom, Kim Jewkes, said of her son landing the role. It was only September 2023 when Jack auditioned for his first show, “A Christmas Carol” at Hale Center Theater in Orem. He played Tiny Tim in that production and fell in love with theater.
“I loved it so much,” he said. “That’s how I got into acting.”
Jack’s journey to become an actor began with his school choir. He discovered that he enjoyed singing at school and auditioned for Rise Up Children’s Choir. Amy Oakeson, founder and director of Rise Up, suggested to Jack’s parents that he give acting a try. “None of this would have happened without Amy,” Kim said. “She noticed that he had something special and encouraged him to try theater.”
After “A Christmas Carol,” Jack played Bruce in “Matilda” at Draper Historic Theatre, landed roles in five commercials and signed with Utah’s Talent Management Group. While Jack has never taken formal acting classes, he takes private singing lessons and has had an acting coach.
A Los Angeles-based talent agency, Maxed Management, reached out to him over Instagram last July and started finding more audition opportunities for him, including the one for “Les Misérables.” Jack and his dad flew to New York City for callbacks.
The offer for “Les Misérables” came just after Jack was cast as Chip in “Beauty and the Beast” at Hale Center Theater last fall. The Jewkes family was disappointed to turn down that role but felt that joining a national tour was a once in a lifetime opportunity for Jack. The family’s decision to allow him to join the cast of “Les Misérables” was made after careful consideration. Jack’s mom and dad take turns accompanying him on the tour which means juggling work and care of Jack’s 12-year-old brother back in Draper.
As Gavroche, Jack sings and acts as one of the Parisian street dwellers swept up in the June Rebellion of 1832. He has solo verses in several of the musical numbers and sometimes speaks to the audience, introducing other characters. Jack’s father, Kevin, explained, “Gavroche is not one of the revolutionary fighters, but he gets caught in a battle. He has to lie perfectly still on stage.”
“I just stay limp,” Jack said, “It’s only two minutes!”
He is one of two young actors who alternate playing Gavroche on the tour. Both
By Katherine Weinstein | k.weinstein@mycityjournals.com
are present at each performance in case one has to fill in for the other at the last minute. Jack has two costume changes and applies makeup that looks like dirt to his arms, legs and face.
While he relishes performing, Jack said that the best part of being in the show is the people that he meets. “I like that I make tons of friends,” he said. “I love to meet people and sign autographs at the stage door.” He was thrilled to meet the cast of “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” after one performance.
Depending on logistics, the touring company of “Les Misérables” travels by air or by bus from one city to another. “We get to see new places sometimes for as long as two weeks. I’ll be in Utah for three weeks,” Jack explained.
In visiting cities across the United States, Jack has had many new experiences. He enjoyed shrimp dinners in Virginia and went trick or treating in Hartford, Connecticut. His family celebrated Christmas together in Chicago. Jack visited the zoo in Cincinnati, Ohio and cat cafés in Rochester and Syracuse, New York. “I miss my cat very much,” Jack said.
He manages to keep up with his school work. “We have a set teacher and my school gave me workbooks so I could work on stuff on the tour. I go to ‘school’ every day. Everyone does different things. Everyone lives in different states and is in different grades.” He added that they go on field trips in many of the cities they perform in.
By the time “Les Misérables” comes to Salt Lake City this month, Jack will have performed to approximately 150,000 people across the U.S. as Gavroche. It is quite an achievement for a 9-year-old actor. “He has the most confidence of maybe anyone I’ve ever met,” Kim said.
Jack’s six-month contract with “Les Misérables” ends in April. He auditioned for and landed a guest role on a television drama series which has yet to air. Aside from that, the Jewkes family does not know what will be next for Jack. “His manager is very hard working,” Kim said. “She’s going to find more opportunities. We want to be selective and choose projects that will forward his career.”
With the knowledge that the life of an actor has its ups and downs, Jack’s family supports his dreams of working on both stage and screen. His future is looking bright.
Broadway at the Eccles will present Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s “Les Misérables” at the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Theater Feb. 26-March 15. The theater is located at 610 E. South Temple Street, #20, in Salt Lake City. For tickets and more information visit saltlakecity.broadway.com/shows/.l
Jack Jewkes as Gavroche from the Les Misérables National Tour. (Photo Matthew Murphy)
Raise Your Expectations
Juan Diego boys basketball ready for next step in Region 4
By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com
The Juan Diego Catholic High School boys basketball team has been finding their way through the 5A ranks the past couple of seasons, finishing second in Region 4 last year and losing to Brighton in the second round of the state tournament.
All-State senior forward Luke Meyer and All-Region senior guard Stockton Young returned from that squad and have been leading the Soaring Eagle squad this season.
“Luke is one of the best players in the state and is an anchor inside both offensively and defensively,” said head coach Drew Trost, who is in his 12th year at JDCHS. “Stockton took over the reins at point guard and poses an outside threat for us.”
Meyer has been averaging a double-double so far this season with nearly 20 points a game and 11 rebounds while Young adds 14 points.
Other key varsity players this year have been senior forward Hunter Chamberlain, senior guard Jake Wyatt, junior forward Deng Deng, sophomore guard Evan Colarusso and junior guard Trey Nicolodemos.
“We have great size and length, great talent and experience and some new younger talent,” Trost said. “We worked hard all offseason at playing with two posts on the floor, something that is not very common anymore. We are trying to capitalize on those strengths.”
Juan Diego began the year with four straight wins – over Murray 60-47, Hillcrest 59-52, Brighton 57-55 and Desert Hills 6763 – with Meyer putting in 75 points to lead the team. They stumbled a bit heading into Region 4 play, going 2-5, until dominating
in two region games over West Jordan 6955 and Granger 70-49 with a balanced effort of seven players scoring in each game, led by Meyer’s 21 and 23 points, respectively. Against Cyprus the Soaring Eagle squad won 47-36 and then 73-63 over Hunter.
Also on the 2024-25 JDCHS team, that is currently 2-0 in Region 4 and 8-5 overall, are seniors Deniz Akbas and Lucas Mouawad; juniors Christ Jimerson, Nicolas Salgado Mayorga and Kingston Taban; sophomores Zach Abraham, Keurik Bare, Tony Barnard, Evan Colarusso, Lucas Lowry, Easton Putzke, Sam Vansice and Anthony Young; and freshmen Jacob Ahlstrom, Omar Allan, Elijah Emadi, Drew Grams, Colin Hill, Austin Morris, Zach Muirbrook, Francisco Olivo, Michael Reams, Henry Roman and Aryan Sabharwal.
“These guys really work hard and play together, ones that have embraced our mantra of Effort, Attitude and Teamwork,” Trost said.
Trost is being assisted this season by Joe Colosimo, John Mitchell, Matt Logan, Andrew Zinman and Matt Kitzman.
Juan Diego is also scheduled to play region home-and-away games with Hunter, Kearns, Taylorsville, West Jordan, Granger and Cyprus before the 5A state tournament begins Feb. 19.
“We think we have a good opportunity to compete for the Region 4 Championship,” Trost said. “Ultimately, we want to be playing our best basketball at the end of the season. Then we can see if we can make a run in the tournament. I truly believe we are building something very special.” l
Juan Diego Catholic High School senior Stockton Young, an All-Region player a year ago, is averaged nearly 14 points a game this season for the Soaring Eagle squad. (Photo courtesy Mikelle Marston)
Accomplished swimmer and coach heads up the JDCHS program
By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com
New Juan Diego Catholic High School swimming coach Chad Starks has been swimming for as long as he can remember. “I think my parents had me go so I would stay out of trouble. Never really looked back. I have basically swam my whole life,” he said, noting that he was a distance swimmer at West Jordan High School.
Starks is now bringing his lifelong passion for the sport to Juan Diego to head up the program after successful coaching stints at Jordan and most recently at Judge Memorial, where his boys three-peated from 2021 to 2023 and the girls Bulldogs squad won consecutive titles in 2022 and 2023.
But Starks hasn’t removed himself from swimming as he accomplished what’s known as the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming where he swam the English Channel, Catalina Channel and around the island of Manhattan, achieving the feat Aug. 17, 2019. He became the third Utahn to swim the English Channel and the third from the state to earn the Triple Crown.
Starks got into coaching to give back to the swimming community. He and his wife additionally own the USA swim club Wasatch Water Dragons locally. “I also wanted to give back to the kids so that they can compete in a sport and have the feeling of being on a team that some wouldn’t usually be able to,” Starks said. “Swimming has always been a place
to go when kids had no other place to go. Everyone always brings everyone close and it’s a family.”
The 3A boys coach of the year in 2023 joined former JDCHS swimming coach John Moran last season to assist the program with the intent to step into Moran’s shoes when he stopped coaching. Starks said the swimmers have been tremendous in the transition. “This is all about the kids,” he said. “I love to see them improve and swim their best. It is awesome to see the look on their faces when they achieve a personal best time and watch them complete in something that they never thought they could do.”
Starks also emphasizes the “student” aspect of his student-athletes. “I make sure they know that school is the number one priority,” he said. “If they need help they come to swim to get the help they need. I make sure all the kids have access to the help with schoolwork that they need and a lot of our swimmers help each other to ensure that the school work is completed. These kids are great to coach.”l
From start to finish line: Over 120 runners race in middle school championship
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. l
New Juan Diego Catholic High School swimming coach Chad Starks works with a swimmer from his Wasatch Water Dragons swimming club. (Photo courtesy Chad Starks)
Photo by Julie Slama
Cremation Services
At Larkin Mortuary, we understand how challenging planning endof-life services can be. That’s why our caring team is here to help you create a meaningful and personalized experience. We specialize in cremation services. Whether you prefer a traditional funeral or a contemporary life celebration, we’ll help you design a ceremony that reflects your loved one’s unique life and story. We also offer support with flowers, catering, and grief resources to help you every step of the way.
Annual
summer dance rescheduled for Valentines connection
By Katherine Weinstein | k.weinstein@mycityjournals.com
In this photo from 2019, dads and their daughters enjoy themselves at Draper's annual Daddy Daughter Dance. This year, the dance will take place on Friday, Feb. 21. "It used to be tied to Father's Day," Community Events Manager David Wilks explained. As June is usually a busy month for special events in Draper, this year's dance will be tied to Valentine’s Day. "We'll see how it goes," Wilks said. "This is one of our most popular events. We never advertise and it always sells out." The first Daddy Daughter Dance, which celebrates the special relationship between daughters and fathers, was held in 2012. This year, guests can enjoy story time with Princess Ariel and an opportunity to take photos with her. Each couple will
also receive a photograph to commemorate the evening. “There will be lots of desserts, a live DJ and lots of dancing,” Wilks said. “We’ll also have bags of party favors.” The event is recommended for children age 11 and under and is open to any parent-child combination regardless of gender. The Draper City website suggests “smart casual dress” for the event. The dance will be held at the Day Barn from 6:30- 8 p.m. As the Day Barn can only accommodate a maximum of 45 couples, tickets must be purchased online in advance. Visit the events page of the Draper City website at www.draperutah.gov/ events-programs/community-events/daddy-daughter-dance. l
New Year’s baby born to a family from Murray
Discover the peace of mind that comes with planning ahead. Learn about the benefits of advance funeral and cemetery planning, and why it makes sense for you and your family.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
2/12/25 Wednesday - 12 PM
Chuck-A-Rama Buffet: 744 E 400 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84102
2/20/25 Thursday - 12 PM
Chubby’s Cafe: 1276 W 12600 S, Riverton, UT 84065
2/25/25 Tuesday - 12 PM
Le Jardin: 1910 Dimple Dell Rd, Sandy, UT 84092
RSVP: (801) 829-1772
Space is limited, so please RSVP now!
Zyani
By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
Tala Hyatt was born just a few minutes after midnight, on Jan. 1 at 12:03 a.m. to become the first baby born at an Intermountain Hospital in Utah in 2025.
Her parents, Marygene and Bronson Hyatt, were excited about the unexpected delivery, which was originally scheduled for Jan. 16. Zyani, and their 4-year-old son Bruxs, were both born at Intermountain Health Riverton Hospital.
“They gave us a [gift] basket from Intermountain Hospital,” Marygene said. “It was nice of them to do that. Most of the staff, from the doctor down to the nurses, kept coming and visiting. It was really cool. It felt like a family and they took care of us.”
In 2024, 2,400 babies were born at Intermountain Riverton Hospital, a slight increase from previous years. More than 26,000 babies were born at Intermountain Hospitals in Utah in 2024. l
Marygene Hyatt gave birth to the first baby born at an Intermountain Hospital in 2025. (Photo courtesy of Intermountain Health)
New UTA bus line to connect Herriman to Daybreak and Draper
By Elisa Eames | e.eames@mycityjournals.com
Traveling around Herriman and the South Valley is about to get much easier. In December, Herriman City made an exciting and long-anticipated announcement.
“A bus route is coming to Herriman!” it said via Facebook.
Last year, responding to stakeholder feedback, the Utah Transit Authority put forth possible new routes around Utah, including one called Route 126, which would serve the Herriman area on an hourly basis during weekdays. This new service is part of UTA’s April Change Day for 2025—one of three each year (April, August and December) during which the agency implements service changes.
Herriman’s Mayor Lorin Palmer and many others helped determine the Herriman course using estimated ridership and data for transit vans already serving the city.
“The Utah Transit Authority has worked with the city, elected officials and other stakeholders around the community on a proposal for a new bus route,” City Communications Manager Jon LaFollette said.
The route would connect the Daybreak and Draper Trax stations and is expected to begin running on April 13. “You'll start seeing bus stops pop up pretty quick here in the city,” Palmer said.
“Route 126 will be a new east-west service between the TRAX Red Line Daybreak Parkway Station in South Jordan and the TRAX Blue Line Draper Town Center Station via 12300/12600 South and 13400 South corridors with connections to Draper FrontRunner Station and Herriman SLCC/Real Academy,” UTA said. “UTA regularly reviews and adjusts our services… to ensure the system is working well for our riders and communities.”
The route also covers the city hall area, including adjacent townhomes and apartments, and then continues to Redemption Bar and Grill and Sentinel
Ridge Boulevard. “There's a lot of growth out there,” Palmer said. “This connects from Daybreak TRAX station all the way over to the FrontRunner station in Draper. It weaves through the city.”
The bus line also runs the opposite way from Draper to Herriman. The city expects UTA to make adjustments to the route in the coming years as it collects ridership data.
“We're grateful that UTA has decided to implement a bus line in our city. And while we hope for more bus lines in the future, this is a great start and something that's needed and appreciated,” LaFollette said.
During a comment period that closed Jan. 1, UTA accepted public input regarding the route in Herriman and other proposed bus lines. “The public has the chance [during a public comment peri -
od] to share how proposed changes may impact them and how UTA can support the community should any changes be approved,” the organization said on its website.
Apart from public comment periods, UTA’s customer service department collects and tracks service requests. Herriman has posted all proposed routes on its social media platforms, and maps can also be found on UTA’s website.
The public review process was in compliance with Title VI and helped finalize and approve service changes before they are implemented. Title VI is a section of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and bars discrimination based on race, color or national origin within programs using federal funds.
Still subject to change, the route is part of a five-year service plan adopted
by UTA’s Board of Trustees in December. Additional changes based on research and community collaboration are planned for later this year and next year.
Objectives for the five-year service plan include preparation for future service projects, implementation of community and stakeholder feedback, increased access and the restoration of service in areas where it had previously been decreased.
UTA has also begun the final phases of a new multi-phase fare system and fare capping program that aims to be simpler, more convenient, equitable, affordable and easier to understand. Multiple fare products will be eliminated, and customers will use pre-paid, reloadable accounts, electronic tap cards, bank cards and mobile phones.
For more information about the April Change Day for 2025, visit www.rideuta. com/Rider-Info/Change-Day/April-2025Change-Day, and for more information about the five-year service plan, visit www.rideuta.com/Current-Projects/UTAFive-Year-Service-Plan-2025-2029. l
A new UTA bus route in Herriman is expected to be operational in April. (Photo courtesy Herriman City)
The proposed Herriman bus line will include stops near city hall and the RSL Academy. (Photo courtesy UTA)
Testing and prevention are key to reducing lead poisoning in children
By Jolene Croasmun | j.croasmun@mycityjournals.com
High risk areas for lead are in many zip codes around the Salt Lake Valley that have homes built before 1978. These homes more than likely have been painted with lead paints. The soils around these older homes could contain lead. The Salt Lake County Health Department offers help with testing and ways of preventing lead poisoning in families.
Lead particles can be found in older homes and buildings. “Prevention is the educational portion and how to live within your environment,” said Candice Briese, health educator with the Salt Lake County Health Department.
“Our focus is children under 6 since they have a faster breathing rate and they are exposed to lead dust. They put everything into their mouths and touch the ground more often,” Briese said. This makes children more at risk for lead poisoning.
No level of lead is safe for a child. If a child has 3.5 µg/dL then this needs to be addressed right away. Lead poisoning can cause learning and behavioral problems, lowered intelligence, digestive issues, hearing and speech concerns and has been linked to incarceration later in life.
Have your child tested. “Testing can be done at the doctor’s office,” Briese said.
“We will do a home visit if a child test results are at 3.5 µg/dL. We will bring the XRF analyzer to the home so we can test and discuss the dietary needs of the kiddos and we really encourage reading. Reading is a good way to build those neurons and compensate for that loss from lead poisoning,” Briese said.
There is a real concern with nutritional aspects for children with lead exposure. “Lead can mimic calcium and iron in our bodies. What it does is cause things like anemia because it replaces the iron in their bodies. What we like to do is encourage the dietary approach in that the kids have the required amount of iron and vitamin C, which can help with the absorption of iron,” Briese said.
“Lead can store in the bones for 10 to 20 years. We encourage women that want to get pregnant to get tested,” Briese added. Lead poisoning can cause miscarriages and developmental effects on the growing fetus like low birth weight or hurt the baby's nervous system, kidneys and brain.
“We do testing events in the community and we have an XRF analyzer that we have when we are out and about,” Briese said. People can bring Ziplock bags full of paint chips from their homes or bags of soil along with spices to be tested at the events to see if there is lead there. “We are always happy to test the products if people want to check for lead.”
“With older homes painted with lead paint, you can encapsulate it, but if you get a ding on the wall, you want to cover it up,” Briese said. “It is important to find ways to make your old home safe. There is a program in the county that is called Lead Safe Housing that can come to your home and test for lead. There are requirements for this service like if you have a child in your home or a pregnant woman is visiting.”
Homeowners may want to get connected to lead safe certified contractors by visiting www.saltlakecounty.gov/ and search for the Lead Safe Housing program.
“Our primary objective is to find it and get it out of the environment. We see it with mugs and the paint on the product,” Briese said. “We want to get it out of there and get the nutrients into the child’s body and then let’s read.”
“We encourage wet cleaning to dust since lead does not break down quickly. It has a very long life. We need to be aware if it is there and wash our hands more often.”
Growing a garden in the yard of an older home could be concerning since lead could be present in the soil. “Certain vegetables will be better than others for growing in the yard of an old house. We might encourage a raised bed in those areas,” Briese said.
Spices can be a concern. “If buying them online or if from other countries those are the ones we worry about having lead in them. We see it in turmeric, lead is heavy and it is added to a spice they get more bang for the buck. It makes the color more vibrant and lead is sweet. This is why kids eat paint chips. It has a sweet taste and that is why they add it to the spice,” Briese added.
Some makeup from certain communities might use kohl liner or surma around their eyes, which has lead in it. This makeup is typically bought online or from other countries. Check the ingredients in the products you purchase to be sure no lead is in it.
A person can be exposed to lead when visiting a gun range. "Every time you fire the gun you get lead dust back splashed onto you. So it is important to wash your hands, face and your clothes afterwards,” Briese said.
Fishing exposes a person to lead. If you use lead fishing sinkers you will want to wash your hands along with any children who are fishing with you before eating food due to the lead exposure. There is the Safe Kids Fare on Feb. 22 at the Mountain America Expo that residents can get things tested at and if more information is needed, email leadprovention@saltlakecounty.gov. l
Water pipes in homes built before 1978 are places where you might find lead. (Wikimedia)
Utah Veteran Business Resource Center launches the ‘Year of the Veteran Entrepreneur’
By Bailey Chism | bailey.c@thecityjournals.com
The Utah Veteran Business Resource Center at Salt Lake Community College has declared 2025 the Year of the Veteran Entrepreneur. To launch the statewide initiative, the VBRC hosted a networking event, bringing dozens of veterans to The Mill Entrepreneurship Center at SLCC’s Miller Campus in Sandy to share their success stories.
Several veteran-owned business entrepreneurs gave presentations about their companies at the event and explained how the VBRC helps them find resources, partnerships and support as they navigate their business journey.
“Bringing veterans together who are in all different stages of owning or starting a business provides them with the camaraderie that they experienced while in the military. They really connect and want to see each other succeed,” said Becky Guertler, VBRC manager. “Utah’s veteran business community is poised for unprecedented growth, and we’re excited to support them and recognize their contribution.”
The VBRC has worked with about 2,300 vet entrepreneurs since its founding in 2017. With nearly 19,000 veteran-owned businesses in Utah, the center offers assistance during every stage of business, from idea creation to getting financial assistance.
Navy veteran Donyale West, owner of 21West Productions, provides video production and digital marketing to businesses to build brand awareness and recognition.
“This is an invaluable opportunity for our
veterans to network, share experiences, and support one another on our business journeys,” West said. “The VBRC provides support and space to celebrate our successes, navigate challenges, gain insight into resources, and camaraderie around balancing military service, family and entrepreneurship. We discover we are not alone on our entrepreneurial paths.”
Other presenters included Katie Fry (Warrior Revival), Michael Donnell (Measure Once Cut Once), Bear Bangs ($99 Weddings), Joshua Benson (Salt Lake Dumpster) and Brian Herbstritt (Fidelitech).
“Some of the things that I’ve learned over the years is collaboration over competition,” Benson said. “When I learned about this pro-
Utahnsgram, I realized this is an opportunity to actually come meet with other businesses. A lot of people get in the mindset of ‘we’re in this for ourselves’…But as I’ve gone through this business process, I’ve realized that working together, we can do so much more than we can alone.”
These VRBC networking events usually sell out but it’s just one component of services offered to veteran entrepreneurs. The Strive program is a deep dive into business start-ups and the Minnow Tank Pitch Competition offers a platform for entrepreneurs to win prize money for their ideas.
Fry started her nonprofit, Warrior Revival, about 18 months ago. Its purpose is to
empower veterans as they transition to civilian life through wellness retreats, recreation adventures and community building.
“I noticed that there was this big gap of services on weekends and at night for military and veterans,” Fry said. “At first, we were offering one event a month, and now we’re up to about eight events a month, just getting veterans out doing recreational activities.
“We’re trying to really work with service members while they’re in service, as well as when they get out of service. We believe it’s a life-long process. The first year tends to be the hardest.”
For more information, visit utahvbrc.org. l
Salt Lake Volleyball brings professional game back to Utah
have always been fans of volleyball, whether it’s through recreational play or their local church leagues. And boys’ volleyball became an officially sanctioned high school sport just last year.
Now professional women's volleyball returns to Salt Lake City as part of the League One Volleyball (LOVB, pronounced “Love”). The city has one of six franchises for the first-year league that kicked off on Jan. 8 in Atlanta. It was founded in 2020 as a “holistic volleyball ecosystem” that covered players from the beginner level through clubs and the pros. The plan was to start a pro league after the Paris Olympics, and now play is set to begin.
The teams don’t have names, other than the cities they play in. The six teams this year are in Atlanta, Austin, Houston, Madison, Omaha and Salt Lake. Utah’s team includes two-time Olympic medalists and 2020 gold medal winners Haleigh Washington and Jordyn Poulter, who lead a ros-
By Tom Haraldsen | t.haraldsen@mycityjournals.com
ter with 21 collective All-American honors.
Several come from local colleges like former Brighton High and University of Utah player Dani Drews, and former BYU teammates
Roni Jones-Perry and Mary Lake. Reigning VNL Best Libero Manami Kojima of the Japanese National Team will patrol the backcourt. U.S. National Team assistant Tama Miyashiro will instruct the squad, and she’ll be assisted by Bruno Chateau, who’s found success coaching internationally and in his native France.
Salt Lake played its first home match against Houston on Jan. 22 at Salt Lake Community College, where all of its home matches are scheduled except for the “Weekend with LOVB" on Feb. 7-8 at the Maverik Center in West Valley City. The team will play matches on both days that weekend.
Other home matches are set for March 20 against Madison, April 4 against Madison, April 5 against Austin. League finals will be held in mid-April in Louisville, Kentucky.
Members of the 15 player roster for Salt Lake Volleyball are as follows:
• Jordyn Poulter, S, Illinois
• Tamaki Matsui, S, Japan Women's College of Physical Education
• Morgan Miller, OH, Cal
• Maddie Haynes, OH, Cal
• Skylar Fields, OH, USC
• Tori Dixon, MB, Minnesota
• Sophie Fischer, MB, Georgia
• Serena Gray, MB, Pittsburgh
• Roni Jones-Perry, OH, BYU
• Haleigh Washington, MB, Penn State
• Manami Kojima, LIB, Aoyama Gakuin University
• Dani Drews, OH, Utah
• Mary Lake, LIB, BYU
• Claire Hoffman, OH, Washington
• Heidy Casanova, OPP
Every game will be broadcast through the ESPN family of networks, streamed on ESPN+ or broadcast through the league's website at LOVB Live. Ticket information available on line at www.lovb.com. l
The new logo for Salt Lake Volleyball, which has begun play in the LOVB league and will host home matches at the Maverik Center and Salt Lake Community College. (Logo courtesy of LOVB)
Veteran entrepreneurs Bear Bangs, Nick Reithel, Donayle West, Michael Donnell, Joshua Benson, Brian Herbstritt and Zachary Wellman gave presentations about their businesses during a networking event with the Utah Veteran Business Resource Center at Salt Lake Community College. (Peri Kinder/City Journals)
A fighter, a writer, an avid skier and an optimist—nothing stops Harriet
By Rebecca Olds | rebecca.o@thecityjournals.com
Harriet Wallis is a fighter, a writer, an avid skier, an optimist and so much more.
She’d tell you she’s led an “average” life as the girl who was the last to get picked to do any team sport in school.
You would have never guessed her life would be what it is now given where she started in school—but she has been an active adventurer with a life full of outdoor activities and skiing the slopes.
Despite having two artificial hips and knees at the age of 84, Sandy resident Wallis continues to ski and maintain an active lifestyle, including walking daily, swimming weekly, participating in local bike club activities and working in her yard.
Skier
Her passion for skiing is really what started it all for her in her 30s when she first learned how to ski with her then-husband and two young children.
“My husband said, ‘I'm going to learn to ski,’” Wallis said. “Now, I thought that was something crazy people on the other side of the planet did. So I'm processing that thought and then he said, ‘And you can babysit the kids.’ And I said, ‘Over my dead body, we're all going to learn to ski,’ and so we did."
Learning to ski was a game-changer for how she saw herself for the rest of her life.
“I didn't think of myself as being athletic with volleyball and team sports,” she said. “When I learned to ski, I realized, ‘Hey, I can do this.’”
She has been skiing recreationally ever since and so have her kids.
Eventually, Wallis worked as a ski instructor for two different ski resorts on the East Coast before moving westward.
In Utah, even in her off years she still finds time to ski at least 40 days out of the season. Metal hips and all.
Outdoorswoman
Not too long after learning to ski, in 1974 Wallis and her family completed a challenge they’d accepted as members of the Appalachian Mountain Club to climb the 100 tallest mountains in New England.
“By world standards, they are not that high,” she admitted. But “the highest is 6,000feet Mount Washington, but it gets some of the worst weather in the whole world.”
For three years, she and her family would drive every weekend, hike 25 miles on Saturday and head home on Sunday, just to do it all over again the next weekend.
She added mountaineering to her growing list of hobbies, including fishing, camping and biking.
She also describes herself as an avid fisherman and goes camping and biking regularly with her housemate Laurie when the weather is warm.
“I am not macho,” Wallis said. “I'm an average person who enjoys doing things outdoors and being active.”
This past year, the housemates volunteered to be a part of the safety team for the annual Bonneville Bike Club's 3,000 all-women fundraiser for Huntsman Cancer Institute.
Writer
Writing was a pastime that stemmed from her love of pottery and shaping nearly five tons of clay into homemade goods each year while she lived in New England as her kids were growing up.
She lived in Connecticut and began writing for a local newspaper on different topics from the art she made and to how to cut costs on an expensive energy bill. Wallis worked her way up from a freelancer to a full-time paid writer for the paper. During her time there, she wrote on a “checkerboard” of topics including weddings, gardening and eventually skiing.
Wallis started writing for the City Journals when it was still the Valley Journals and still contributes to the online Cottonwood Heights Journal regularly.
Every year, she writes a year recap for friends and family.
Optimist
What’s driven her to keep going even when many people she knows have long given up on the active lifestyle she enjoys, is her optimism and willingness to adapt and change to her circumstances.
“It's thinking outside the box, finding ways to do things, and having a positive attitude,” she said. “It's much more fun to have a positive attitude than it is to be a downer. I think those are three things that make me tick.”
The health challenges that come with living a long life can’t stop her; she refuses to let them.
In recent years, despite a cancer diagnosis and difficult treatment, Wallis has continued to walk as she is able and adapt her activity to how she is feeling. But she doesn’t stop. She continued to ride her bike through the “agonizing side effects” of her chemo treatment.
Overall, Wallis strongly advocates for an optimistic, adaptable mindset as a key to overcoming challenges and continuing to live an active, fulfilling life.
“I think it's come about kind of as a lifelong thing,” Wallis said. “It's nothing that just popped up. But it's crucial to me now.”
Every year for the past few years, Wallis has chosen a new mantra she writes in her yearly Christmas letter which she plans to live by for the year to come.
Her 2025 mantra will be similar to those of years past—a positive one. She shares with family and friends a yearly letter stating 2025 will be a year in which she "expects the best— and works hard to achieve it.”
Her mantra for the year is “Quit looking back. You're not going that way.”
Wallis’s 85th birthday was on Jan. 7, and who knows what adventure she’ll be on next. l
Despite having two artificial hips and knees at the age of 84, Sandy resident Harriet Wallis continues to ski and maintain an active lifestyle. (Courtesy of Peak Photo Alta)
Among her many outdoor hobbies, Harriet Wallis is an avid fisherman in the summer months and often uses her inflatable canoe. (Courtesy of Harriet Wallis)
10 National Days to observe in February
By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
f you’re not a fan of Valentine’s Day and President’s Day doesn’t seem like a celebration, there are still many ways to bring some fun to February. You can create your own holiday this month or use these National Days to build new traditions with friends, family or coworkers.
Feb. 7: Send a Card to a Friend Day
When was the last time you sent someone a letter, oldschool-mail-style? Well, today’s the day. Find (or make) a card that reflects your friend’s or loved one’s personality then write a heartfelt note that expresses appreciation, love or humor. Stick a stamp on it, drop it in the mailbox and pat yourself on the back for making someone’s day a little brighter.
Feb. 8: Kite Flying Day
You’d think Kite Flying Day would be observed in April because it’s hard to fly a kite during a blizzard, but here we are. If it’s too cold and wet outside to fly a kite, this is a good day to build a kite or research kite-flying celebrations around Utah. It’s a time to dream about warm weather and sunny days.
Feb. 9: National Pizza Day
Sure you can stop by The Pie Pizzeria and bring home a tasty Mountain of Meat pizza, but to really honor this day, spend time making homemade pizza. Invite family or friends over to create individual pizzas and have a variety of toppings to choose from. Give a prize for the most
creative pie.
Feb. 11: Inventor’s Day
This day is a tribute to all the people who’ve made our lives better. Watch a documentary about your favor ite scientist, dress up like Thomas Edison, host a family science fair or create your own invention. Bonus points if you share your invention on social media.
Feb. 12: Plum Pudding Day
If this Dickens-esque dessert is a favorite, today is your day. Knock yourself out.
Feb. 15: Wisconsin Day
Revisit your eighth-grade U.S. history class by learning some things about the 30th state. Take a virtual tour of Milwaukee, read about the Wisconsin residents who started Harley-Davidson, learn the history of Lambeau Field and don’t forget the cheese plate. Did you know Wisconsinites eat more than 20 million gallons of ice cream each year? Challenge accepted, Wisconsin.
Feb. 17: Random Acts of Kindness Day
Every year, this national day grows in popularity. Spreading positivity through small acts of kindness is a
way to bring more love to this world. Call a friend, take groceries to the local pantry, buy a stranger’s lunch, take cookies to the fire department or share a poem with a loved one. The options are endless.
Feb. 20: Love Your Pet Day
You should love your pet every day, but make today a little more special for your furry friend by lavishing them with praise, healthy snacks and an extra walk. Homemade dog treats, a catnip toy, playing catch in the backyard or a snuggle session on the couch will help your pet feel loved.
Feb. 26: Tell A Fairy Tale Day
Fairy tales date back hundreds of years and we’re still enthralled by the stories of princesses, knights, fairies and wolves. Find your favorite fairy tales at the library and spend an evening retelling the stories. You could also write your own fairy tales and have a family fairy tale night.
Feb. 27: Retro Day
Unpack the roller skates, slap a cassette in the player and spend the day reliving a bygone era. Choose your favorite decade and honor its fashion, hairstyles, music, food and lingo. Show up at work in a zoot suit and dance the Charleston during lunch. Dust off your disco attire and impress family members with your Electric Slide. Have fun. That’s the point. l
Don’t let the February blues get you down. Observe some of the fun National Days this month, including Retro Day on Feb. 27. (Stock photo)
With visions of Jack White, Prince and Sophie Lloyd strumming in my head, I started taking guitar lessons last year to prove that old dogs can still be tricky. After months of lessons, I confidently state Jack White can rest easy. I won’t be coming for his job.
Guitar lessons have challenged my patience but expanded my capacity for playing incorrect chords on a slightly outof-tune instrument. I pluck through terrible-sounding riffs and know practice time is over when I drop the guitar pick in the sound hole for the hundredth time.
Each week, I meet with the ever-patient Emily at Guitar Center so I can go over my lesson. I spend most of the time trying to convince her I really did practice while ignoring the eye twitch she develops whenever I play an F chord.
She’ll give me advice like, “Press the strings harder” or “Change the position of your thumb” or “Maybe take up baking.” I go home and practice chords and strums and fingerpicking until even the dog leaves the room. But after practicing “Blowin’ in the Wind” for six weeks, my husband finally recognized the chorus.
I’ve gained an appreciation for guitar players, and I get enraged by people who say they taught themselves to play the guitar because that can’t possibly be a thing. Like every child in Utah, I took piano lessons, and that background has helped with counting and timing but that’s the extent of its helpfulness when it comes to the guitar.
The hubby and I visited Nashville in October, where even toddlers can play the intro to “Stairway to Heaven,” and it highlighted how much I still have to learn. Every dive bar had an exceptional guitarist strumming chords while holding a beer bottle. I ate chicken wings and sipped margaritas, mesmerized by their talent.
Time to face the music
Peri Kinder
Life and Laughter
Not only were they exceptional, but they could play any song by heart. My brain has no storage capacity. My hard drive is full. I can’t memorize songs, and I can barely remember chord progressions. I’m still looking at chord charts like they’re hieroglyphics.
Learning guitar is mostly about finding new ways to use your nondominant hand. In theory, a plucked string should create a musical vibration. In reality, a plucked string provides a muffled thud because I’m not on my fingertips or I’m too far from the fret or I can’t stretch my hand into a barre chord or I’m just inept. All of those things can be true.
After I played “If I Had a Hammer” for several weeks, my husband said if he had a hammer he’d smash my guitar. Not nice. But fair.
I grew up listening to singers like Joan Baez, Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash. Mom and my aunt would visit assisted living centers (they were called rest homes in the ’70s) to sing and play the guitar, entertaining the captive audience. Sometimes I’d sing along and screw up their “Leaving on a Jet Plane” harmonies with my squeaky 8-year-old voice.
Learning to play the guitar is a connection to my late mom. I can’t say my guitar music honors my mom because no one deserves that kind of honor, but I can imagine her
smiling (and probably grimacing) whenever I pick up the guitar. Maybe there are earplugs in heaven.
Watching Prince perform at the Super Bowl, seeing Jack White in concert and hearing Sophie Lloyd shred has become an act of reverence. I stand in awe at their talent as I slowly pick through “Five Hundred Miles” for what feels like the 500th time.
