HERRIMAN OFFERING TAX INCENTIVES TO ATTRACT BUSINESSES FOR NEW COMMERCIAL CENTER
By Elisa Eames | e.eames@mycityjournals.com
After the master development agreement was finalized, the city council unanimously approved a commercial business development called the Commons at Herriman Towne Center at in December.
The development will be located along the west side of Mountain View Corridor and the north side of 13400 South and will feature a variety of businesses, including restaurants, a bank or credit union, apartments, a big box store anchor and other retail stores. An average of 1.25 parking stalls per residential unit is planned.
“The Commons [is a project] we’re grateful and excited for,” City Communications Manager Jon LaFollette said.
Patrons will access the commercial space from Herriman Rose Blvd., Fort Herriman Parkway and 13400 South.
The developer, Elevated Acquisitions, anticipates the first businesses will open by the end of next year. The total area for the Commons at Herriman Towne Center will be approximately 32 acres.
Herriman is providing an incentive package to the developer to entice desirable businesses and to bolster the project in general. The total package value may not exceed $36,900,466 and expires in 2035, whichever comes first. It will use three methods: a sales tax incentive, credits to offset development fees and tax-increment financing.
“The council and developer… agreed to property tax and sales tax incentives… These incentives are designed to enable
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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 apart-
ments, 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 period] to share how pro-
posed 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/UTA-FiveYear-Service-Plan-2025-2029. l
HERRIMAN TEAM
The Herriman Journal is a monthly publication distributed directly to residents via the USPS as well as locations throughout Herriman. For information about distribution please email hello@thecityjournals.com or call our offices. Rack locations are also available on our website. The views and opinions expressed in display advertisements do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions held by Loyal Perch Media or the City Journals. This publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent of the owner. © 2019 Loyal Perch Media, Inc.
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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)
JROTC cadets lead the way at Herriman High
The Herriman High School Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps is making its mark as a leadership program. Although it’s only the second year for the JROTC Mustang Battalion at HHS, it won the state championship in orienteering last fall, beating defending champions West High School. The event involved using a map and compass to navigate to outdoor checkpoints.
The team consisted of nine cadets: Cpl. Gary Fiedler (team commander), Pfc. Parker Evans (executive officer), Staff Sgt. Andres Vegas, Cpl. Tucker Mortensen, Pfc. Caeden Argyle, Pfc. Collin Nielson, Pvt. Presley Evans, Pvt. Jack Simpson and Darrell Holt.
“We were excited about it since we’ve only been here one year,” retired Sgt. 1st Class Konrad Wilson said. “This is our second season, and this is the first season where we actually almost had a full team.”
Wilson leads Herriman’s JROTC Mustang Battalion which has grown from 30 students last year to nearly 60 this year. He said the orienteering championships consisted of three events: a cross-country navigation based on speed, a relay event to test team leadership and a partner challenge where teams had to find as many navigation points as they could in an hour.
“It’s pretty cool to have the trophy sitting
Continued from front page
the project to proceed immediately and attract high-value commercial tenants,” Director of Community Development Blake Thomas said. “These funds… allow expedited development… It enables the developer to seek and negotiate with highly desirable tenants, enticing them to come to Herriman.”
Sales Tax Incentive
Generally, Herriman receives 0.5% of the 7.25% sales tax charged on purchases within the city. As part of the incentive package, however, the city will allow the Commons to keep half of the 0.5% until the total value of the incentive package is reached.
“The only thing the city has to really bargain with is the thing that we want most, which is sales tax,” City Councilman Jared Henderson said.
Offset of Development Fees
When any new developments are built, developers pay impact fees to cities to compensate for infrastructure, utility and service costs, including water, roads, parks, storm drains, fire and police.
“For this commercial project, the city will not collect impact fees for transportation, water, storm drainage and parks,” LaFollette said. “Instead, the amount that would have been collected will be credited toward the overall incentive amount. The city will still collect im-
By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
right next to us for the state championship,” Simpson said. “Being a part of the orienteering team, I got introduced to a lot of people in JROTC and started building friendships with them. This year, as a junior, I decided to come and join. I plan to be a naval aviator in the future and an officer in the United States Navy. So I thought this would be an awesome opportunity for me.”
Wilson said a misconception about the JROTC is it’s only for high school students who want to pursue military careers. He considers the program to be a course on leadership development and life skills that will benefit any student’s future career choices.
While the course includes classroom lecture time, it often consists of out-of-class, hands-on training. Along with the orienteering team, the Mustang Battalion also has a raider team which is more physically challenging. Members tie knots, do lots of push-ups and participate in a timed three-mile hike and problem-solving exercises.
The JROTC also offers archery, precision rifle marksmanship, drone handling, color guard and drill. Wilson hopes to get a robotics program next year as well as compete in more academic challenges.
“They also do service projects and have opportunities to go out and to meet and work
with a lot of the civic leadership,” Wilson said. “They get out in the community and they’re involved. The JROTC is about people who want to be better citizens, people who want to be involved in the community and learn how to do things. It’s a fun class.”
Fiedler said he joined the JROTC because he plans to enlist in the military when he graduates. He enjoys the teamwork and appreciates the friendships he’s created through the program.
pact fees for fire and police services.”
Tax-Increment Financing
Tax-increment financing reallocates future property tax revenue from a specific geographical area toward funding infrastructure improvements or incentivizing development.
This method of financing requires an interlocal agreement, which is an arrangement between government entities enabling them to collaborate and coordinate on projects to benefit the public, including managing common resources and sharing responsibilities.
“In the case of the Commons at Herriman Towne Center, the interlocal agreements involve the various taxing entities,” LaFollette said.
Under the tax-increment financing agreement, a percentage of the property tax revenue that normally would have been paid to civic taxing entities, such as Herriman City, Salt Lake County and Jordan School District, will instead be paid toward infrastructure within the geographical area called the Herriman Towne Center Community Development and Renewal Area. This area was created in 2010 to help subsidize infrastructure construction surrounding the Towne Center.
These funds will reimburse Elevations for infrastructure projects, including improvements to 13400 South and 13200 South.
“A key perk was the construction of median landscaping on 13200 South, which was just finished,” Thomas said in December. The
“I thought it was a good way to develop my leadership skills and learn how the military works so that I can be more prepared as I go into that career,” Fiedler said. “It’s really great for team building, like doing the competition, and everyone is being a team and having fun together.”
The Mustang Battalion is the first JROTC in the Jordan School District. Students from Copper Hills and Bigham High School are also invited to participate in the HHS program. l
signal at 13400 South and Mountain View Corridor will allow a three-quarter intersection at the entrance to the site, and patrons will be able to turn left and right into the area.
“[Taxing entities] agree to redirect a portion of property tax revenue within the Herriman Towne Center [project] to fund infrastructure improvements or provide incentives for the project,” LaFollette said. “This collaboration helps the project move forward while still benefiting all participating entities in the long term through increased economic activity.”
“When this was put in place years ago, the city had to get those major property tax entities, mainly the school district and Salt Lake County, to agree to give up their portion of that property tax to give to the businesses coming in to help put in the roads, the water, the sewer, etc.,” Thomas said. “The Commons project will increase the amount of tax increment revenue coming into the city substantially by raising property values in that area.”
These three arrangements will be in effect until the total incentive ceiling is reached, at which point all incentives will end, and standard taxes and fees will then apply to the project. “Though [this is] not Herriman City’s [project], we’re grateful for… Elevated Property Company’s partnership and cooperation,” LaFollette said. “[This is] greatly needed in our community.” l
Council members discuss the Commons at Herriman Towne Center at the Dec. 11 city council meeting. (Photo courtesy Herriman City)
Cadets from the Herriman High JROTC Mustang Battalion celebrate their state championship win for orienteering. Enrollment in the program has increased since the JROTC started at HHS in 2023. (Photo courtesy retired Sgt. 1st Class Konrad Wilson)
Teachers are seeing an increase in numbers of students with ADHD, which affects their academic, social and emotional development. Some said one-third to almost half of the students in their classroom have ADHD. The diagnosis means their brains are wired differently, and it is challenging for them to complete tasks, stay focused, remember the steps they’ve learned and to control their impulses and emotional responses.
Deficit of understanding
ADHD behaviors require alternatives to traditional teaching and discipline methods, said Raquel Gonçalves Lubbers. When she was teaching, she didn’t understand how her students with ADHD brains’ processed information. Years later, when she, her husband and all of their children were diagnosed with ADHD, she became an expert in order to understand how to work through their struggles. She was shocked when she tended to know more about the subject than the mental health professionals she met with. She was also surprised to discover school teachers don’t receive any explicit training on ADHD.
“In school, they would tell us about some things we might see, some disabilities, learning disabilities, things like that, but as far as what to do about them, how to help those kids? — I didn’t get specific training,” third grade teacher Joy Edman said.
Eventually, Lubbers created a website of resources (adhdheroacademy.com) and became a certified ADHD coach to help people understand and manage their ADHD. She serves on the board for the newly organized Utah ADHD Collective and also hopes to start an ADHD podcast. She is offering a free webinar Feb. 27 at 6:30 p.m.
The impact of ignorance
Lubbers’ concern is that failing to address ADHD appropriately can be damaging to kids.
“These kids are underperforming because they need support, and they don’t even know they need support,” Lubbers said. “They just assume that they’re a terrible person, and so does everyone else, because everyone’s told them their whole lives, ‘You could be so much better if you just tried. Why don’t you care?’— all the language of failure, blame and shame.”
Research shows people with ADHD have higher rates of suicide, anxiety, depression and school dropouts, Lubbers said.
“It is shocking, isn’t it, that there isn’t more specific training to help this portion of the population that have really dire consequences because they aren’t getting the support that they need,” she said.
Lubbers developed a training pre-
There’s a deficit of attention for ADHD
By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com
sentation specifically for educators to help them understand the reasons behind the behavior exhibited from students with ADHD. She has reached out to school administrators and district representatives to advocate for more training, more understanding, more supports and more resources for both students and their teachers.
By educating parents and teachers, Lubbers hopes that attitudes toward ADHD will improve and kids will get the support they need.
Lubbers said many secondary school teachers don’t realize kids with ADHD can have as much as a 30% delay in the executive functioning skills needed to work independently.
“As executive functions go in their brain, they’re still in elementary school, but no one’s supporting it because they assume they should know this by now,” Lubbers said.
ADHD solutions in the classroom
Lubbers presented her training to the staff at Daybreak Elementary School and wishes more educators would prioritize ADHD-specific training.
“I recognize that the initial gut reaction of admins and teachers is probably ‘I can’t even do one more thing,’” she said. “They don’t realize that this ‘one more thing’ actually helps them in everything. It helps
themselves and it helps put them into a position to make tiny little changes that make everything easier in the classroom.”
Because she didn’t receive any specific training on ADHD, Edman said when she first began teaching, she struggled to understand her students with ADHD.
“As I’ve gotten to know the kids better, I realize that they legitimately think about things differently,” she said.
The strategies she now uses in her classroom to help these students were learned through experience and experimentation.
“It’s a lot of ‘Let’s try it and see if this works,’” she said. “And you’ve got to persevere through that hard time where it’s not working and not give up too early on something.”
Some of her students with ADHD are motivated by reward charts, especially when they are themed according to their interests. Others need a visual checklist to help them stay organized and on-task. Edman said many of the strategies she uses to help students with attention deficits and executive functioning struggles—repeating directions multiple times, having kids repeat instructions, using visual reminders and timers—are simply best practices for teachers.
Having learned that many kids with ADHD are motivated by reward charts, third grade teacher Joy Edman uses charts themed according to their interests, such as reptiles. (Photo courtesy Joy Edman)
effective are allowing students to take frequent breaks and using games and challenges to stimulate and motivate them.
“ADHD is such a grab bag of symptoms,” Boyles said. “It shows up in so many different ways and so many different combinations that what works for one kid doesn’t always work for the others. But
be
Some of the strategies fifth grade teacher Angelique Boyles
has found to
ADHD coach Raquel Gonçalves Lubbers presents information about ADHD to the staff of a Daybreak Elementary to help them better understand and help their students. (Photo courtesy Raquel Gonçalves Lubbers)
there are definitely ones that usually work so I try those first.”
Boyles actively follows ADHD experts on social media, reads books and listens to podcasts to continually learn new strategies.
“I’m always looking for something— what do I not know? What else can I try? What else can I put in my toolbox to try for these kids?” she said.
Boyles didn’t understand how ADHD was impacting her students until her own child was diagnosed with ADHD.
“Their brains just work differently,” she said. “They’re still good people, they’re very kind, they want to learn and they want to succeed just like anybody else, but their executive functioning skills, that part of their brain, is developing at two-thirds the rate of a normal child.”
Once she understood that, she was able to take a more compassionate approach when ADHD behaviors disrupted her classroom.
“ADHD is something you are born with,” she said. “It’s the way your brain is functioning, and it’s not something that you can train yourself and then you don’t have it
gies and resources. They can also work with students individually—at a parent’s request—to help them figure out ways to organize their assignments, manage their impulse control or regulate their emotions, which helps improve students’ behavior in the classroom.
Accommodations for ADHD
Students with ADHD symptoms severe enough to interfere with their ability to access learning can qualify for accommodations through a Section 504 plan. In Jordan District, 2,683 students (4.75% of all students) have a 504 plan to address ADHD, diabetes or other disabilities.
Ideally, Bailey said, students, parents, psychologists and teachers work together to determine the best accommodations.
“I think it takes everyone to help that child feel supported, and to look for ways that they can help them,” he said.
He said it’s helpful for secondary teachers especially to be involved so that they understand that the cause of the students’ behaviors is due to a difference in processing and development, not a defiant attitude.
Resources for families
anymore. You will always have ADHD. But there are strategies and things that you can do to help minimize those effects.”
She happily shares what she’s learned with parents or colleagues who ask. Without explicit training, that is how most teachers learn how to help their students with ADHD. In a school full of teachers, there’s always someone who has been through the same situation that you are struggling with now, Edman said.
“I’ve been so lucky to have great teachers around me that I could go to and say, ‘Hey, this is what I’m noticing—what do I do?’” Edman said.
School resources
Each school in Jordan District also has a psychologist who is available as a resource for teachers.
“Our training in mental health and assessment allows us to have that background knowledge, to know how to work with kids that are experiencing ADHD in the classroom,” Fort Herriman Middle School Psychologist Jared Bailey said.
Psychologists can help teachers understand ADHD and they can suggest strate-
Jordan District 504 Teacher Specialist Glenn Williams explains, “A 504 plan is about identifying what problems the disability is causing for the student in terms of barriers to participating and then taking those barriers out of the way so that they can participate like everybody else. We’re not intending to fix those problems; we’re intending to remove those problems from the equation, in a sense, so that the student has a level playing field, or just has an equal opportunity to succeed.”
Accommodations for students with ADHD commonly include being allowed to take frequent movement breaks, getting an extension on due dates, having teachers repeat or give written instructions, establishing a signal teachers can use to subtly direct the student’s attention back to their task or having teachers check in with the student periodically to keep them on task.
Because the effects of ADHD vary depending on the type and the student, 504 plan accommodations are individualized, based on what specific challenges a student experiences. However, not every student with an ADHD diagnosis qualifies for a 504, and not all proposed accommodations are possible.
Jordan District provides additional resources for parents and students with ADHD through the Jordan District Family Education Center, where the lending library has over 1,000 books covering a variety of topics including ADHD.
Classes offered at the Family Education Center can also help address behaviors associated with ADHD. There is a class specifically for parenting children with ADHD, but Bailey said other classes such as those that address anger management, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, social skills and mindfulness can also be beneficial.
Families can also utilize the Family Education Center’s free, short-term counseling services to get an ADHD diagnosis or to learn strategies and skills to reduce their challenges.
If parents suspect their child has ADHD, they can reach out to their child’s doctor or a school psychologist for an evaluation. While some parents are reluctant to label their kids because of a negative stigma or misunderstanding of ADHD, many experts say that without a diagnosis to explain their behaviors and struggles, a child is left exposed to inaccurate and hurtful labels such as “troublemaker,” “lazy” and “rude.” l
Textured wobble cushions are available to Joy Edman’s third grade students who need to move around in their seat without distracting others. (Photo courtesy Joy Edman)
Third grade teacher Joy Edman posts visual reminders in her classroom to help her students with ADHD, who need multiple reminders of instructions. (Photo courtesy Joy Edman)
Spate of legislative bills address public safety and southern border crisis
By Becky Ginos | becky.g@thecityjournals.com
Severallegislators are running bills this legislative session that would impact public safety and the southern border crisis. The bills address such things as organized crime, fentanyl, detention capacity, unlicensed drivers, human trafficking and more.
“The record number of people who crossed the border during the last few years is impacting states all across the country, including Utah,” said Rep. Karianne Lisonbee, R-Dist. 14.
Every state is now a border state, she said. “We welcome all who come here legally wishing to call Utah and the U.S. home. It’s part of our culture to welcome people who come here to search for a better life, to work hard, obey the law and to be part of our community. However, the chaos of the southern border has put serious strains on our communities, public safety, resources, education systems and more.”
Legislators are working on a package of bills to support local communities and address the public safety impacts of the southern border crisis on Utah, she said. “I want to underscore that this approach focused on public safety has widespread support. For example, a recent poll by the Deseret News found that 86% of Utahns support deporting illegal immigrants who commit crimes in the
United States.”
“I represent the Herriman and Riverton area,” said Rep. Candice Pierucci, R-Dist. 49. “This issue has especially impacted the southwest corner of the valley over the past two years as we’ve experienced a massive uptick in migrants relocating to our area. It’s been so significant that the Wall Street Journal reached out to me over the summer asking what was going on in Herriman.”
In just three years immigration cases have climbed to nearly 13,000 from 752 in 2020, she said. “This has put a massive strain on our community and has been unparalleled.”
Riverton City has had to triple its budget to cover the cost of translation services and its Justice Court to meet the growing needs of non-English speaking populations, said Pierucci. “We have had many schools that have seen over 126% increase in non-English speaking students, which has created massive challenges in trying to meet the needs of those students with existing capacity and resources.”
Pierucci said she will be building on the work that representatives have done in running legislation to increase the penalties for human trafficking. “We’ve seen an uptick in that as well. It’s critical that we’re cracking
Rep. Karianne Lisonbee, R-Dist. 14 and several other legislators introduced a package of proposed bills that deal with public safety and the southern border. (Becky Ginos/City Journals)
down on crime and working hand in hand with President Trump’s administration to expedite the process of exporting criminals who have entered our country either illegally or manipulated and abused our country's immigration system, who have come to America and then done harm to the public.”
COther proposed bills include repeat offenders, e-verify, property rights, foreign wire transfer fee and English language learners.
The 2025 Legislative Session started Jan. 21 and ends March 7. l
Old Dome Meeting Hall gains a reputation for quality art exhibits
elebrating more than a century of art, the Old Dome Meeting Hall (1452 W. 12600 South) in Riverton hosted a traveling art exhibit in January from the Utah Division of Arts and Museums. Selections from the State of Utah Alice Merrill Horne Art Collection, featuring pieces from some of Utah’s finest artists, were displayed during the exhibit.
“It’s 125 years of collecting for the Utah State art collection,” said Riverton City Arts Administrator Vicki Wartman. “If you look up Alice Merrill Horne, she was an amazing lady who had tons to do with education and art in Utah. I’ve been told by some of my art friends that the reason why we have art in school in Utah is because of Alice Merrill Horne.”
The exhibit featured works that spotlight moments in history throughout the state. Frank Tresser, a prisoner at Utah’s Territorial Penitentiary (now the location of Sugar House Park) created an oil painting of the prison in 1887.
Florence Ellen Ware (1891-1971) graduated from the University of Utah and attended the Art Institute of Chicago. In 1940, she was the first President of the Association of Utah Artists and taught at the University of Utah. Ware’s painting “Portrait on the Beach” was on display at the exhibit.
Carlos Anderson (1904-1978) was a painter and graphic designer who graduated
By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
from Jordan High School. The exhibit included his 1934 pencil drawing, “Home Main Street.”
The collection at the Utah Division of Arts and Museums also includes works from Utah artists Rob Chipman, Anna Mackay Allred and Emily Farnham.
“It’s so cool that we’re celebrating 125 years of art in Utah because in Utah we don’t get the recognition that we deserve, as far as art in the United States,” Wartman said. “So it’s cool that we are still really into our arts, as far as art galleries and productions and all that kind of stuff.”
Exhibits at the meeting hall are growing in popularity. Wartman said there aren’t a lot of galleries in the Southwest part of the valley and she’s encouraged to see more interest in the displays.
“We’ve had a lot of people come in and we’re getting more and more recognized or having an art exhibit here all the time,” she said. “You need to go see some art and Old Dome always has an exhibit going.”
Coming up next at the Old Dome Meeting Hall is the Not Your Parents Art Show featuring original art pieces made by youth up to age 18. The show runs from Feb. 3-26.
“This is my most popular art show,” Wartman said. “I usually get about 150 submissions…I think because it’s not juried. When the kids get into junior high and high school, their art gets juried and it’s hard on their egos and their self-esteem. I believe what Picasso said, that every child is an artist. It doesn’t matter what it looks like, it’s still art. Draw outside the lines, do whatever you want.”
Visitors can attend the Not Your Parents Art Show Monday through Wednesday, from noon to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday visits are available by appointment. To schedule a group or school tour, contact Wartman at 385-2373421 or events@rivertonutah.gov. l
Frank Treseder, an artist and prisoner at the Utah Territorial Penitentiary, painted a picture of the prison in 1887. His “Utah Territorial Prison” oil on canvas was displayed at the Old Dome Meeting Hall as part of a traveling exhibition from the Utah Division of Arts and Museums. (Photo courtesy of UDAM)
Benefits of afterschool club are stacking up
By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com
Bastian Elementary School’s administrators want to provide a variety of extracurricular enrichment opportunities for their students.
“It would be nice to have a wide variety of clubs that the kids could participate in, rather than just the standard, typical ones,” Principal Jessica Stowe said.
So when Herriman High School’s JROTC Sergeant Conrad Wilson proposed a cup stacking club run by his cadets, it fit with their vision.
“They talk about team building and how you have to work with others to accomplish goals, and that’s kind of the backbone for what they do, but it’s done through cup stacking,” Assistant Principal Kasey Dahl said.
About 15-25 students attend the afterschool cup stacking club. The high school students teach the younger students how to make basic and complex formations out of plastic cups. They memorize the sequence of steps to set them up and take them down and then practice to increase their efficiency and speed.
Students participate in individual and team cup stacking challenges. One of their favorites is when two kids team up to build a formation, each working one-handed.
“You stand next to each other and you can’t use your inside hand,” Wilson said. “And so I have to use my outside hand and he would use his outside hand and you have to do the same thing that you’re used to doing by yourself.”
Many kids attend the afterschool activity to have fun with their friends. Others come for the competition. One fifth-grade student said, “I mostly do it because I have, like, really bad ADHD, and I have to be moving, and if I’m at my house, I don’t have anything to do, so I just come here and do this.”
Stowe said the activity does help students develop focus and determination.
“There’s lots of mistakes to be made because the cups tumble so many times, but it’s really helped them with that no-quit attitude,” Stowe said.
Participation has even helped improve some students’ behavior.
“We have kids who sometimes have behavioral challenges in class, but they come to cup stacking, and they love it,” she said. “They’re highly engaged. It’s a creative outlet for them. It’s been neat to see some of them grow through that experience.”
Wilson said cup stacking develops eye-hand coordination, left brain/right brain communication, sequencing, sportsmanship and teamwork and is a good physical and social outlet.
“It’s a learning event where we’re having fun, we’re competing, but we’re still being good sports about it and everything,” Wilson said. “The kids love it and it gets them active, and for some of them it’s the first time they’re like, ‘Oh, I’m good at something.’”
The club is open to all students in grades 1-6 and doesn’t cost the school any money since it is run exclusively by the high school students who provide the equipment and the instruction.
Wilson hopes to expand the program to other schools so that they can organize a cup stacking competition. He promotes the program as a learning opportunity for both the elementary and the high school students.
“I use it as leadership development because the cadets have to plan everything and so they use their skills of planning and organization and management, which are the things that they’re learning as cadets,” he said.
Running the cup stacking club is just one of the community outreach activities the JROTC cadets offer. They also provide a color guard for school assemblies and teach flag etiquette classes to students who are responsible for flag duty at their school. Each year, cadets also plan and execute a community-wide service project.
Their project this year will take place on the evening of Feb. 11. Cadets will be out in the community, handing out valentines and educating community members about how to recycle batteries appropriately.
“It gives them an opportunity to learn that they can make a change and do something to make a difference in the community,” Wilson said. “So they learn that empowerment, but they also learn all the steps that they have to do— it’s not just something that magically happens.”l
Common busing issues resolved with tracking app
By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com
Two-hundred ninety-one buses transport 18,726 Jordan School District students on 168 different routes each day. For the most part, the system runs smoothly. But sometimes a problem arises and kids and parents are left wondering, “Where’s the bus?”
Two years ago, JSD equipped all their buses with a geotracking device. Using the Zonar MyView app, parents can see the exact location of their child’s bus, which solves many of the problems bus users face.
West Jordan resident Joshua Workman relies on the app to get information when his child’s school bus is delayed.
“When the bus is a bit late coming or going, I can pull it up and see where it’s at for some reassurance that we didn’t miss it in the morning or that it’s still on its way back from the school,” he said.
District Transportation Director Paul Bergera said the app has drastically reduced the amount of calls the dispatch receives from worried parents.
“We used to have kids waiting outside in 20 degree weather for 30 minutes because their bus broke down, and so now the communication is much more fluid between the app and the families,” he said. “It really has helped settle some of the nerves when it comes to bussing, which can be pretty stressful.”
In the app, Workman sets zones for home and school and gets notifications when the bus is near the bus stop in the morning and when it is leaving the school in the afternoon.
“I’ll get a notification when it crosses into the home zone and I can tell my kids it’s time to rush out the door,” he said. “With three young kids, it can be easy to lose track of the minutes in the morning, so when I get a ping on my phone it helps me make sure they don’t miss the bus.”
Bergera likes that multiple zones or geo fences can be created with customized text alerts to keep morning schedules running on time.
“So when the bus heads to the geo fence, it’ll say, ‘time to brush teeth,’ and they know they’ve got 10 minutes until the bus is coming to the stop, and then they’ll have another one set up in five minutes when it’s a little bit closer to the home, and once it gets there, they may have their message say, ‘backpack and out the door,’” he said.
Of the many benefits, Bergera said the app has been especially helpful to families of kids with special needs.
Jordan School District has 83 bus routes for students with special needs, most of whom are picked up at their homes. In the past, when the driver pulled up to the house, they would honk to alert the family they had arrived. If the child didn’t come out within two minutes, they would leave so they wouldn’t get behind schedule. With the app, parents can consistently have their child ready when the bus arrives.
And when those buses arrive at school, teachers can be ready to meet them.
“I’d say one of the biggest success stories is for the school personnel who didn’t know when the buses were going to show up, so they would have to call,” Bergera
Each Jordan District bus is equipped with a GPS tracker which allows parents to receive notifications when their child’s bus is on the way. (Jet Burnham/City Journals)
said. “But now they’re all able to track them so they can stay with their kids in their class and then exit out and get students that may be coming in on the bus that’s running a little bit behind schedule, so that they’re not having to wait out there for that entire time.”
The MyView app can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play. Privacy protections require that to set up an account, parents must have the school access code (which is available through Jordan School District’s transportation webpage) and their child’s student number.l
Bastian Elementary students race against the clock to stack cups into specific formations. (Jet Burnham/City Journals)
“A”chieving excellence: CommonSpirit hospitals recognized for steadfast commitment to patient safety
At CommonSpirit Health, the safety of our patients is our most important priority. We are honored to share that three of our hospitals along the Wasatch Front received an “A” grade for our commitment to patient safety in Fall 2024.
This recognition comes from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog focused on patient safety. Leapfrog assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to hospitals across the country based on over 30 performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent them.
CommonSpirit hospitals receiving an “A” for Fall 2024 include:
• CommonSpirit Holy Cross Hospital – Jordan Valley
• CommonSpirit Holy Cross Hospital – Mountain Point
• CommonSpirit Holy Cross Hospital – West Valley
We are proud of our physicians, nurses and all our caregivers for living our values of excellence, collaboration and compassion to ensure the safety of the patients in our care.
But our work isn’t done. Our vision of a healthier future for all calls us to continue to improve our delivery of compassionate, safe care to every patient, every time, in every care site across our CommonSpirit Health Mountain Region. Achieving that vision is our commitment to you.
Christine
McSweeney President
CommonSpirit Holy Cross Hospital – Jordan Valley
CommonSpirit Holy Cross Hospital – West Valley
At CommonSpirit Health, we make the healing presence of God known in our world by improving the health of the people we serve, especially those who are vulnerable, while we advance social justice for all.
CommonSpirit Holy Cross Hospital Mountain Point
Learn more about the services, care providers and missiondriven work of the Holy Cross hospitals and CommonSpirit Health at www.holycrossutah.org.
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Chris Stines President
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)
Students in Jordan School District’s Chinese Dual Language Immersion program are immersed in the Chinese language at least half of the school day beginning in the first grade. By the time students reach high school, they’ve passed their Chinese Language Advanced Placement test, so much of their learning comes from participating in competitions, organizing cultural events and seizing opportunities to go to China.
“I want my students to take what they’ve learned over the past 10–12 years and apply it in real-world settings,” high school Chinese DLI teacher Wei Wei said.
In November, she took her students from both Riverton High School and Mountain Ridge High School to compete with 22 other Chinese language teams for cash prizes at the High School Business Language Competition, which is held at Brigham Young University each year.
Mountain Ridge High School students Miles Garber, Kylie White and Brynlee Dalton took first place in the competition, and Riverton High School students Gracie Nelson, Clancy Wan and Olivia Stott took third place.
Students showcased their business and language skills by developing and presenting a marketing strategy for the Busankam Wola Foundation—which teaches women to weave baskets—to market their products to Chinese consumers.
Students said the project was a lot of work and it challenged them to manage their time and to hone their memorization and presentation skills.
Their presentation was given in Chinese, so students took the opportunity to expand their Chinese vocabulary with specialized business and commerce terminology.
“I just made a vocab list of probably 50 words that I didn’t know that were specifically business words, and then just memorized them, honestly, because if you don’t have them memorized, you can’t really talk about it and explain it in your presentation,” Dalton said.
The first-place team felt they won because they were well-prepared, with a completely memorized presentation. They also included cultural considerations in their marketing strategy.
“We tried to add a lot of the Chinese culture, like traditional words or colors that mean fortune or prosperity, and putting those Chinese words on the baskets,” White said.
Knowing young people in China are environmentally conscious and that they value honoring their parents, the students proposed marketing the hand-woven baskets as an environmentally friendly gift for parents.
Team members also decided to dress professionally for their presentation, wearing black clothing with red accents because of its cultural meaning.
Chinese DLI students win state competition
Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com
“Red is really significant in Chinese culture; red means luck,” Dalton said.
The winning team members also had a unique solution that they think helped them stand out from the other competitors.
“The biggest thing we were hung up on was shipping costs and this is where the kind of long shot idea came in,” Garber said. The team pitched the idea of shipping only
“Our students won so many awards, and they were over the moon about it,” she said. “That kind of recognition really fuels their passion for learning Chinese, creating this awesome cycle of hard work and success.”
Other opportunities high school Chinese DLI students have to apply and expand their language skills are at a statewide STEM competition, an international Model UN program in China, as well as local teaching opportunities and cultural celebrations.
Their next big event is the Chinese Language Fair which is hosted by Mountain Ridge High School each March. Students of all ages from all Jordan School District Chinese DLI programs participate in the fair, which features language competitions, talent shows and cultural crafts, activities, games and music.
“It’s always a hit, and the kids love showing off their skills,” Wei Wei said.
Garber, who is a senior, said he has developed a lot of unexpected skills by participating in these types of activities.
“I’ve been able to run Chinese events for our school—we’ve done a Chinese New Year’s Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival,” he said. “I’ve had lots of opportunities in leadership to delegate and plan activities and stuff that I never thought I would get from Chinese. So I’ve grown a lot as a leader from those. And the projects really test my creativity. There are lots that are super creative and this just really helps me grow a lot with my critical thinking and creativity that I never, ever thought it would. I’ve been able to do so many really cool things. The Chinese trip was one of them—that was just unreal.”
Garber and White both have gone on one of the cultural exchange trips Wei Wei tries to arrange as often as possible for her students.
“Last June, I took 20 students to Jiangsu Province, and it was unforgettable,” Wei Wei said. “They performed Chinese songs and dances, gave speeches, and even did interviews in Chinese. People were blown away, saying, ‘Their Chinese is so good!’ One of my favorite moments was seeing Chinese and American kids playing guitar and singing Taylor Swift songs together. It was such a beautiful reminder of how music, culture and language can bring people together.”
Dalton, a sophomore, is looking forward to the opportunity to visit the country she’s learned so much about her whole life.
the basket materials from Ghana and then assembling them in a factory in China, saving money on shipping costs and offering a faster turnaround time on the finished products. Their plan also included providing jobs and educational opportunities for the basket weavers.
Wei Wei said it was a great learning opportunity for her students.
“I really do want to go to China at some point—I think that would be a really, really cool opportunity for me,” she said. “I think you can learn Chinese as much as you want, but until you actually go there and experience it—. I think you just need to be able to experience it to really know what it’s like.” l
Mountain Ridge High School Chinese DLI students Miles Garber, Kylie White and Brynlee Dalton pose with their teacher Wei Wei after winning first place at the 2024 High School Business Language Competition. (Photo courtesy Wei Wei)
Students pose in front of the baskets that they developed a marketing strategy for. (Photo courtesy Kylie White)
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Stilson helping Herriman boys basketball play at high level
By Josh McFadden
Through 15 games, the Herriman boys basketball team had the best record in all of Class 6A.
The Mustangs have used a team effort to climb to lead 6A in the RPI rankings, sitting at first overall as of Jan. 17. Several players have helped Herriman achieve success this season. For instance, junior guard Carlo Mulford leads the Mustangs in scoring with an average of 18.3 points per game. Senior forward/center Cale Barclay isn’t far behind, scoring 16.9 points an outing while grabbing a team-best 7.7 rebounds a game. A third player, Stockton Blanchard, a senior guard, scores 10.5 points a contest and collects nearly five rebounds a contest.
Other Herriman players have been big contributors in other ways.
Senior guard Dray Stilson might not fill up the stat sheet with gaudy numbers, but he makes his presence known in other ways. He was on the football team this past fall and uses his physical gifts on both ends of the basketball court.
“Dray brings some toughness he gets from playing football all offseason and during fall,” head coach Doug Meacham said. “He's not afraid of contact and likes to play defense. He is really fun to coach.”
Stilson is averaging 3.2 points a per game to go along with 1.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists every game. He also has just over one steal a contest. He’s the kind of player that will do whatever it takes for his team.
For Herriman, Stilson sees himself as a good all-around player who likes to get his teammates involved. He’s not shy about having the ball in his hands and does well guarding bigger players.
“My strengths on the team are playmaking,” he said. “I have good vision on the court and can handle the ball under pressure. Defensively, I am a quick defender with a strong base, which is hard to move when a big tries to post me up.”
Basketball has been part of Stilson’s life for years.
Before he was even in grade school, Stilson started playing the sport. Thirteen years ago, his mom and dad signed him up for Jr. Jazz, and he quickly fell in love with the game. That passion has stayed with him since.
“I love the pace of the game and the scenarios,” he said. “I love playing with my teammates.”
Stilson also enjoys being a part of the Mustangs. He appreciates the team culture at Herriman. While some teams have one or two standout players, Herriman has a large cast of contributors. Stilson also said
everyone on the team helps one another out and isn’t worried about personal accolades.
“I love the development we have as a team, and I love building a winning culture,” he said. “I like how unselfish we are as a team and what we do to win games together. The chemistry of the team is great.”
Like many of his teammates, Stilson wants to win a region and state championship this season. He also has a goal to make the state All-Defensive team. As the season winds down, Stilson is focusing on improving some areas of his game.
“I am working on moving to open space to create a shot for myself and the team,” he said.
One challenge Stilson has faced as a player is his size. Though he is currently 6 feet tall, he sometimes goes up against bigger opponents. “I haven’t been the tallest player on the floor, so I overcame that with strength training In the weight room so I can play bigger,” he said.
After high school, Stilson plans to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After he completes his volunteer service, he wants to go to college, though he hasn’t yet decided what he will study.
Meacham is confident that Stilson will be successful in college and beyond. He said Stilson had excelled in the classroom.
“Maybe the most impressive about him is his attention to his studies,” Meacham said. “His is a high-honor roll student, and obviously, his work ethic carries over from the classroom to the court as well.”
Things could not have gone much better so far this season for Stilson and his teammates.
Herriman’s 14-1 start is coupled with a 3-0 start in a challenging Region 2. Through 15 games, the team’s only loss was to a squad from Colorado on Dec. 6 in the Tournament of Champions. Herriman began Region 2 play with three impressive wins: a 60-47 win at Mountain Ridge on Jan. 10, a 63-47 victory over Bingham on Jan. 14 and a 71-49 blowout of Corner Canyon on Jan. 17. In the win over Corner Canyon, Brady Ninow erupted for 36 points while Barclay added 20.
In the first 15 games, Herriman had won 11 by double figures and eight by at least 20 points. The dominant Mustangs look poised to capture the region title and be a force at state. Herriman’s final regular-season game will be Feb. 14 at home against Riverton. On Feb. 19, the Class 6A
state tournament begins at the home sites of higher-seeded teams. The second round follows on Feb. 21. By Feb. 24, the quarterfinals arrive, and the games move up to the University of Utah.
Last season, the Mustangs were 20-6 and advanced to the 6A semifinals, falling in heartbreaking fashion to Lehi, 63-62. l
Herriman’s Dray Stilson goes up for a layup against Riverton. Stilson, a multi-sport athlete at Herriman, is an excellent defender and team leader. (Photo courtesy of Dray Stilson.)
Merino sisters helping make Mountain Ridge girls wrestling tough to beat
By Josh McFadden
Lastseason, the Mountain Ridge girls wrestling team placed second in state. With most of last year’s starters back this season, the Sentinels are favored to contend at state again when the big tournament takes place next month.
Count on the Merino sisters to make it to the podium.
Senior captain Gabi Merino and junior Olivia Merino are team leaders and talented wrestlers. Gabi is an example to her sisters and the other Sentinel wrestlers on and off the mat. Olivia is a returning state finalist who has big goals this season—for herself and the team.
“My goals for myself this season include improving my personal record and achieving a higher ranking in my weight class,” Olivia said. “For the team, I hope we can work together to win the championship and build a legacy of excellence at Mountain Ridge. I also aim to help my teammates improve and reach their individual goals, fostering a culture of success and mutual support.”
Her sister has similar aspirations, including capturing state championships for Mountain Ridge and for herself.
“The goals I have this season are making it to finals at state,” she said. “A goal for the team is to defend our region title and win state.”
The Merino sisters got interested in wrestling largely because of their brother, who competed. Intrigued by the sport, and driven to follow in his footsteps, they both started wrestling in junior high school the same year. Gabi was an eighth grader when she began wrestling; Olivia was a seventh grader.
Gabi loves wrestling with her sister. She also loves how much wrestling helps her to test her limits and be at her best.
“The thing I enjoy most about wrestling is the way it pushes me mentally and physically and seeing how much my body can endure,” Gabi said. “Another thing I enjoy is being able to do it all with my sister. The thing that motivates me is how far I’ve come, and I owe it to myself to keep going. From injury to mental blocks, all I’ve worked through has got me to where I am today, and it keeps me going in the hardest times.”
Olivia also enjoys the physicality of the sport.
“What I enjoy most about wrestling is the aggressiveness,” she said. “I’ve always gravitated toward more physical sports. I seek so much validation and motivation in this sport. I love that this sport is always pushing me to be better because there’s always things I can improve on.”
In the relatively short time that girls wrestling has been a sanctioned sport, Mountain Ridge has developed a strong culture. The program has been one of the best in the state. Both sisters agree that team unity and closeness are big reasons for the Sentinels’ success.
“The best thing about wrestling for Mountain Ridge is the friendships I’ve built that I’ll have for life,” Gabi said. “Also, my amazing coaches that have pushed me to be the best. The thing I like most about the team is the way we support each other. Whether it be at practice during hard conditioning or during matches, we are always cheering.”
Olivia is proud to be a part of the team and bear the Mountain Ridge name as she competes.
“The best things about wrestling for Mountain Ridge is the respect they give to me and my team,” she said. “I am honored and grateful that I have such a good school that I get to represent every weekend. What I love most about my team is that we push each other, and even though we are teammates, we’re not easy on each other. We push each other because we can see each other’s potential I love my team very much, and I’m glad I have such a good sisterhood to have my back.”
Gabi is a resilient wrestler. She has battled injuries but still comes to work every day ready to compete and get better. She doesn’t give up, even when things aren’t going her way. She takes her role as captain seriously.
“I bring leadership and physical ability to the team,” she said. “As a team captain, I make it a point to lead by example at all times.”
Olivia has high expectations of herself and is always looking for ways she can improve and contribute to the team. She said she also brings a “goofy, honest personality” to the team. Olivia exudes confidence on and off the mat.
“I expect my teammates to bring it to every practice and tournament, though I am understanding that everyone has an off day or a bad match,” Olivia said. “So, through those times I try to be there for them and listen if they need to talk.”
Both Gabi and Olivia intend to wrestle competitively after they leave Mountain Ridge.
Next season, Gabi is slated to wrestle at Utah Tech while pursuing her college studies. She also has enlisted in the Utah National Guard and will head off to basic training after high school. Olivia is confident that the lessons she has learned by wrestling for Mountain Ridge will stick with her throughout life.
“I believe that wrestling has taught me valuable life skills, such as discipline, perseverance and teamwork, which will be beneficial in my academic and professional pursuits,” Olivia said. “I hope to study a field that interests me and possibly pursue a career related to sports or fitness.” l
Gabi Merino (in red) pins an opponent in a match earlier this season. Gabi is a team captain for the Mountain Ridge girls wrestling team. (Photo courtesy of Brandon Birch.)
(From left) Sisters Gabi and Olivia Merino are two of the top wrestlers for the Mountain Ridge girls wrestling team. The Sentinels were runners-up at state last season. (Photo courtesy of Brandon Birch.)
The Point hosts groundbreaking for Porter Rockwell Boulevard to start Phase One infrastructure
By Mimi Darley Dutton | m.dutton@mycityjournals.com
Fora 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
of infrastructure began in December. (Mimi Darley Dutton/City Journals)
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 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
JORDAN SCHOOL DISTRICT - Public Notices
SPECIAL EDUCATION CHILD FIND
Every child is entitled to a public education regardless of disability. Children with disabilities may go without services because families are not fully aware of their options. If you know of a child, birth to age 22, who is not receiving any education services or feel that your child may be in need of special education services, please contact your local school or call the Special Education Department in Jordan School District at (801) 567-8176
SPECIAL EDUCATION RECORDS DESTRUCTION
On January 31, 2024, Jordan School District will destroy special education records of students born prior to September, 1996. Former special education students who are 27 years old may request their records from the school last attended; otherwise, the records will be destroyed.
CARSON SMITH SCHOLARSHIP
Public school students with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) may be eligible for a scholarship to attend a private school through the Carson Smith Scholarship program. Further information is available at http://www.schools.utah.gov/sars/Scholarships.aspx
“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
Spotlight on Wightman Legal: Estate Law with Heart
At Wightman Legal, they’re not just about providing legal services—they’re about helping you protect your family, your future, and the things that matter most. They take pride in making estate planning approachable, understandable, and maybe even a little fun!
All the Services You Need
When people think of estate planning, they often think it’s just about wills, but estate law also involves trust planning, trust administration, trust funding, special needs planning, beneficiary designation advisement, guardianship/ conservatorship, review of existing estate documents, probate: formal and informal, and powers of attorney: medical and financial.
Rebekah Wightman, the founding attorney of Wightman Legal, emphasizes that estate law is the poster child for the idiom an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Her decade of experience has repeatedly shown her that ANY amount of planning is helpful after the death or incapacity of a loved one.
Over the last few months, here is a small list of real-life situations where estate planning led to better outcomes for Wightman Legal clients:
• a previously executed power of attorney helped streamline a guardianship appointment;
• a simple will reduced the cost of a probate;
• a trust outlined a executable strategy for a blended family structure and preserved inheritance and good feelings among the family; and
• a properly funded trust entirely bypassed probate after death.
A common benefit in all of these situations was a big reduction in stress for those involved.
Let’s Talk About Really Good Wills
Speaking of a reduction of stress… does estate planning make you feel overwhelmed? Does it feel too expensive? Do attorneys feel unapproachable and stuffy?
This is where Really Good Wills comes in!! Really Good Wills (a web application built by Rebekah and her computer programming husband) offers a user-friendly online platform that puts the power of estate planning right at your fingertips. Just answer a few short questions to make sure Really Good Wills fits your situation, then customize your documents, have a quick Zoom call with Rebekah Wightman, and sign online with the Wightman Legal team—it’s that easy!
AND GUESS WHAT? Really Good Wills is currently having its annual New Year’s Sale. 15% off all Really Good Wills plans. Check it out at reallygoodwills.com. It’s running through February 28th, 2025!
Why Clients Love Wightman Legal
At the end of the day, the Wightman Legal team knows that their work is about caring for people. Rebekah’s personal touch is what sets Wightman Legal apart. She’s the kind of attorney who listens—really listens—to what you need. Whether you’re sorting out a complex estate, need a comprehensive trust estate plan, probate help, a guardianship to better support a loved one in decline, or just want a really good will (see what we did there?), Wightman Legal is there to help!
Remember, visit: reallygoodwills. com to get 15% OFF Really Good Will plans through February 28, 2025. Or, if you’re interested in a more traditional law firm experience, call Wightman Legal at 801-382-7022, reference this article and they’ll waive their consult fee ($100 value) for appointments booked now through February 28th, 2025.
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 10-year 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 provided,” 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. (Photos contributed)
UFSA board approves 23% tax increase in 2025
By Bailey Chism | bailey.c@thecityjournals.com
Unified Fire Service Area board mem-
bers voted in a public meeting in December to approve a proposed tax increase for 2025. The 23% tax increase would yield $11,473,218 in revenue, according to officials.
The increase will be implemented in two parts, with the first part of the increase – referred to as the second phase of the 2024 increase – costing an estimated $5,088,123, according to the Unified Fire Service Area.
The second part of the proposed increase would address additional staffing in Kearns and Eagle Mountain, and is estimated to cost $6,385,095, according to UFSA.
“Most of the increase we’re talking about here is going to the firefighters,” Board member and Millcreek Mayor Jeff Silvestrini said at the meeting. “If we don’t pay competitive wages, they’ll go somewhere else and we’ll be even more short-staffed than we already are.”
With the 2025 tax increase being approved, the annual tax would increase from $405.35 to $498.58 for residential properties, and from $737.00 to $906.50 for commercial properties. Before 2024, the last UFSA tax increases were in 2008 and 2018.
done frivolously.”
The proposed tax increase would be used to address the cost of service, upgrade fire stations, add staff members and maintain a minimum fund balance, UFSA said.
The UFSA serves 12 jurisdictions: Alta, Brighton, Eagle Mountain, Emigration Canyon, Kearns, Magna, Millcreek, Taylorsville, White City and unincorporated Salt Lake County.
“UFSA’s primary source of income is property taxes which are collected from property owners located within UFSA boundaries,” UFSA explained.
UFSA is a “taxing entity that uses collected taxes to go directly toward fire service costs,” according to the Unified Fire Service Area. UFSA said it uses property taxes to pay its member fee to Unified Fire Authority, and that fee “is what pays for the actual service that UFSA residents benefit from.”
Many board members acknowledged that their own families would feel the effects
The 2025 tax increase would make a monthly difference of $7.77 (for an annual difference of $93.23) and a monthly difference of $14.13 for commercial properties (or an annual difference of $169.51), according to the UFSA.
of the increase, but they said property taxes are the only revenue for the UFSA.
“This is not an organization that is abusing the system,” Board member Kathleen Bailey of Copperton told residents after the public comment period. “This is not being
The taxes are also used to purchase and maintain property within UFSA boundaries (for example, building and maintaining fire stations). UFSA said taxes are also used to pay for administrative costs.
Full financial statements and annual budgets are available on the UFSA website. The tentative budget for 2025 is also available online. l
Fire Station 124 is one of three stations in Riverton City. (City Journals)
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.
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
Kensington Theatre 2025: ‘Man of La Mancha’ and
‘Little
Shop of Horrors’ on the docket
By Laura Spendlove Crapo | l.crapo@mycityjournals.com
Theater productions in Daybreak have helped feed South Jordan’s appetite for live entertainment since 2007. Daybreak’s Community Council started this when they approved the production of “The Wizard of Oz.” South Jordan Mayor Dawn Ramsey’s has an appreciation of the arts and has been a proponent for the city’s two theaters. Sandbox Theater is the other production company with a two-play per year contract.
“South Jordan City wrapped its arms around our company and encouraged a name change to reflect the entire community our company served. So, we became South Jordan Community Theatre and opened our first season with Peter Pan,” Toni Butler said.
After seven seasons they partnered with the free, public K-9 charter school Early Light Academy located at 17709 Vidania Dr. in South Jordan. The production company’s five-story building is easily identified with the “Performing Arts” label on the side. This height allows a flight-system that provides room to elevate set pieces and cast members.
“We changed the production company’s name to Kensington Theatre in homage to Peter Pan’s Kensington Gardens and his mantra of youth, joy and freedom,” Butler said, who is the artistic director, president and founder of Kensington Theatre Company. She has been involved in theater production for many years and graduated from the University of Utah in Theater Production.
Butler teaches Theatre Stuff for kids, teens and adults. The mission at Kensington Theatre is to give the
community quality, family-friendly performances in theatre and to provide education and performing opportunities for children and adults to participate in theatre in a meaningful way that fosters self-esteem, respect for others, cooperative interaction and commitment to family values.
“While we are called Kensington Theatre Company, Daybreak Community Theatre is still our parent company name,” Butler said. “We have an inclusive approach and have had students from up
to seventeen different high schools participate in productions.”w
The 2025 season auditions include an entertaining variety of plays. The “Man of La Mancha’s” auditions are for those 18 and older on Feb. 5. “Little Shop of Horrors” auditions for those interested in attending Teen Boot Camp are on April 18, and those interested must be in grades 10 to 12 in the 2025-2026 school year. “Big Fish” is for those 10 and older looking for a fun production with auditions on April 24. l
Full interview on Holly’s Highlights podcast. (Photo courtesy of Jayna Marie)
Learning to self-love. (Photo courtesy of Caleb Jones)
“Shrek” is one of the shows performed at the Kensington Theatre. (Photos courtesy Toni Butler)
Busting winter driving myths: what really keeps you safe on icy roads
Driving in the winter is a different kind of beast, especially when some of the most common advice for driving in the snow and cold isn’t always accurate.
With much of the country set to deal with snow, ice and bitter-cold temperatures, here are some of the most common winter driving myths.
Pump your brakes on ice
The age-old advice of pumping your brakes while on ice isn’t always true for drivers nowadays.
Pumping the brakes, when the driver steps on the brake pedal multiple times in a row to stop the wheels from locking up, is an old-fashioned way to prevent skidding on ice that can be counterproductive for many cars.
According to AAA, anti-lock braking systems, which pump the brakes for you, have become a standard since the 1990s. These days, most cars have anti-locking brakes, but it’s best to check the manual to make sure.
So, when cars with anti-lock brakes are on ice, the best practice is to apply steady pressure.
Gas freezes if you don’t have enough in the tank
This myth is close, but not necessarily true.
AAA said the gas in the tank won’t freeze until temperatures hit 50 degrees below zero, which means drivers will most likely not be finding a block of gas in the tank anytime soon.
However, your gas tank can freeze, so drivers should keep more gas in the tank in the winter. According to AAA, this can help minimize the space in the tank for water condensation to form. That condensation could enter your fuel line and freeze, preventing your vehicle from starting and damaging the fuel line.
o, the more gas you have in your tank, there’s less of a chance that condensation will have a place to form.
Let your car warm up before you drive
Cars used to need to idle for the carburetors to work and for oils to warm up, but with new technology, as long as your vehicle isn’t older than the early 1990s, you probably don’t need to let your car thaw before you hit the road.
By Bailey Chism | bailey.c@thecityjournals.com
When driving on slippery roads, be sure to keep double the normal amount of space between you and the driver in front of you. (Photo AI generated)
The U.S. Department of Energy notes that guidance from most car manufacturers says your vehicle is ready to drive after 30 seconds of warming up.
However, it can take your engine between five and 15 minutes to completely warm up, according to Business Insider. If it’s an extremely cold day, it may not be a bad idea to let your car run for more than 30 seconds before driving off.
Now, while we’re getting into the deep end of winter and finally starting to see some snow, there are some things you want to keep in mind as you hit the icy roads.
Slow down
This one might seem obvious, but given the number of people speeding down the freeway in both lanes during
Utahnsa snowstorm, the idea of reducing speed during increment weather appears to be a foreign concept to some Utah drivers.
The slippier it gets, the more you need to reduce your speed. Stopping on slippery roads can take more than triple the usual distance. Anticipate your moves and turns in advance and keep your steering and throttle input as smooth as possible.
Clear ice and snow from your vehicle before driving
Again, it may seem like this one is obvious, but there are more cars on the road with snow piled up and ice frosting the windshield than you may think.
As we’re taught in driver’s education, if you can’t see, you can’t drive safely. If you park your car outside, you’re bound to deal with ice, frost and fresh snow on some mornings. As much as it hurts to stand in the cold for that long, it’s much safer to clear your entire car of snow, frost and ice before leaving.
Give extra space to the vehicle ahead
When conditions are wet there’s no telling what it will take to avoid an accident, especially if you need to stop. In winter conditions, it’s best to give at least double the amount of space you’re used to for the vehicle ahead.
Having good tires will help you stop and keep control, but even with new tires it’s best to keep a healthy distance between you and the next car.
Read the road
During a drive on snowy surfaces, your traction will ebb and flow from moment to moment. Newer cars have a wide array of helpful safety technologies, but they shouldn’t replace your driver instincts and awareness – especially in adverse weather conditions.
Keep both hands on the wheel, turn down your music, avoid using cruise control and constantly assess how the vehicle and road feel. If you sense a loss of grip on the road, don’t panic. Slow down, take a deep breath and make slow, gradual movements as you keep driving. 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)
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.
