Herriman Journal | November 2024

CITY SENDS OUT MULTIPLE ENCROACHMENT

NOTICES TO HERRIMAN HOMEOWNERS

By Elisa Eames | e.eames@mycityjournals.com

Whena Herriman property owner opened his mailbox on a sweltering day in mid-July, he wasn’t expecting anything unusual, much less a city notice stating that improvements in his yard were encroaching on city property. Dated July 9, the notice gave him 10 days to contact the city. Wondering if it could be a scam, the homeowner, who asked his name not be used, dismissed the notice.

He also initially doubted the letter’s validity because the structures—a fence and a shed—were there when he purchased the property as a rental in 2022. “How could the property be sold to us in this condition?” he said. The city is not involved in private property sales, and home inspections rarely include boundary surveys indicating encroachment.

“The city has been pursuing compliance for illegal encroachments onto public property,” Herriman Communications Manager Jon LaFollette said. “Violation notices have been delivered to multiple people, and the city is working with those people to remove encroachments.”

The homeowner wondered about the reason for the seemingly sudden enforcement of the encroachments. “Why is this an issue after 20 years or so of being this way?” he said, referring to the structures on his property.

Herriman has worked to address encroachments since 2022 when city employees happened to notice some obvious residential problems. “That made us wonder, how many of these are there?” Herriman Police Division Commander Brent Adamson said.

This launched an ongoing discussion about how to han-

dle the encroachments, 85 of which have been identified thus far. The city began with the largest issues and is working its way through the list. Herriman anticipates it will be over halfway done resolving existing encroachments by the end of the

year. “We can only do so much at one time,” Adamson said. The property owner has also expressed disbelief that these encroachments were allowed to be built in the first

The owner of this home in Herriman received notices from the city stating he needed to move the fence and shed. A survey stake shows where the property ends. (Photo courtesy homeowner)

Early Detection is Key: Breast Cancer Signs, Symptoms and Next Steps

By Cara Guilfoyle, MD

t likely isn’t a stretch to say that you know someone who has had to battle breast cancer within their lifetime, or maybe you have even been diagnosed with it yourself. With the new age of social media, stories of survival and those walking through their breast cancer diagnosis and treatment journey may be inundating your feeds. These stories of hope can certainly be inspiring but may also feel a bit unsettling.

So, what do you need to know about breast cancer and how can you be sure that you’re on top of your health? Let’s start with what breast cancer is and how it occurs - breast cancer occurs when abnormal cells grow out of control in one or both breasts. These cancer cells can spread to nearby tissues and form a mass called a tumor. The cells can spread within the breast, to nearby lymph nodes and other tissues, and to other parts of the body.*

“We are lucky that breast cancer is, for the most part, very treatable,” said Cara Guilfoyle, MD, FACS, Breast Surgeon and Medical Director for CommonSpirit Medical Group –Specialty Care in Utah.

Dr. Guilfoyle stresses the importance of getting yearly 3D mammograms beginning at 40 years old, “mammograms can find breast cancer on an average about five years earlier than you can feel it.” You do not need your physician to write you a prescription or complete

an order form for you to have a screening mammogram - you can self-request to make an appointment for your annual mammogram.

“It is important to stay current with your breast cancer screening because finding breast cancer at an early stage allows more treatment options and a better opportunity for long-term survival,” said Dr. Guilfoyle. “Early detection allows for much less aggressive treatment (for example, omitting chemo and/or radiation).”

Women with a strong family history of breast cancer should talk to their doctor about genetic testing and risk assessments as some high-risk women can start breast imaging earlier.

While it is important to know your family history and risk… Dr. Guilfoyle shares that family history doesn’t tell us everything. “About 75-85% of women (three out of four) diagnosed with breast cancer have no family history or known risk factors.”

So, what should you look out for when doing self-assessments? Dr. Guilfoyle says that you should “never ignore a new lump!” Other possible indicators for cancers can include:

•New skin dimpling

•Skin changes

•Nipple retraction

•Nipple rash

•Nipple discharge

•Lump under the armpit

Care with a mother’s touch.

“At Holy Cross Hospital - Jordan Valley, we have state of the art equipment, including breast MRI, 3D mammogram, SAVI scout for localizations and a soon-to-come Trident for intraoperative specimen imaging,” said Dr. Guilfoyle. “Our multidisciplinary team presents each breast cancer patient to a tumor board and allows for a collaborative academic discussion to formulate the most appropriate personalized treatment plan.”

We strive to exemplify all five of CommonSpirit’s core values of compassion, inclusion, integrity, excellence and collaboration when treating each and every one of our patients.

If you are interested in seeing Dr. Guilfoyle at Holy Cross Hospital – Jordan Valley or Holy Cross Hospital – Mountain Point, you may call 385-345-3555 to make an appointment.

“I love being in a field that allows me to make a huge impact on patients’ lives,” said Dr. Guilfoyle. “I try to exude optimism and empower women to tap into the strength they need to face their challenge, and to reinforce that they are not alone!”

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

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.

SPONSORED CONTENT

Cara Guilfoyle, MD

CommonSpirit Holy Cross Hospital - Jordan Valley

Girls invest in developing women’s financial skills

By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

Ahighschool junior has watched her family make many mistakes with their money and realizes she cannot rely on them to give her good financial advice.

“They buy things they don’t need,” she said. “They just buy just for being popular or something and it's not good.”

So, she joined the Girls’ Investing Club at Herriman High School and is learning to take control of her own financial future.

“I think investing is really important and I think everyone needs to learn about it,” she said.

The Girls’ Investing Club was started this fall by seniors Lizzie Anderson and Kaylee Arsenault, and junior Baylee Zuniga, as part of the InvestHER Initiative they developed for a DECA business competition.

“The goal is to improve financial literacy for women, because we found that there's a major lack in education for women when it comes to finances,” Anderson said. “We want to try and help women know how to invest, know how to be a finance professional and feel confident in that.”

Club members meet monthly to hear guest speakers talk about investments topics such as the stock market, mutual funds and investing in real estate and business.

Vincenza Vicari-Bentley, a financial counselor and Head of Financial Wellness at Utah State University, spoke at the Oct. 18 meeting. She showed club members the value of educating themselves, the reasons for beginning to invest early, and warned them about get-rich-quick schemes.

Members tell club leaders which topics they want to learn about, and they invite businesswomen in the community to present information on those topics.

“We had a lot of girls asking questions about starting their own businesses, which was incredible, and so we just want to make it easier for them to be able to do that,” Zuniga said. She is arranging for a woman, who is an immigrant and owns her own company, to be a future guest speaker.

A sophomore student said, “I joined the club because I've always heard about investing in things, but I've never known what it is, so I wanted to know more about it.” Another sophomore said she’d always heard investing was good to start at a young age and with the club she is learning how. Club members participate in a stock market simulation to give them some hands-on experience with buying and selling stocks.

“We believe the best way to learn to invest is by doing it,” Anderson told club members.

The three club founders are excited about the response from their peers—they have more than 110 members (which even includes a few boys.) They’ve also had a positive response from community members and businesses. Crumbl Cookies donated cookies for club meetings and Cyprus Credit Union gave them a grant. After their first guest speaker tagged them on her social media, a business owner reached out. That relationship resulted in a partnership to provide free swag for club members.

“Instead of doing club shirts for everybody, we're actually getting customized Pura Vida bracelets through GIMME beauty,” Arsenault said.

The three club founders had different reasons for starting the club.

Anderson realized she lacked knowledge when she took a college level finance class.

“For a lot of it, I had no idea what any of the words that were being said meant,” she said. “I was really intrigued by it and wanted to learn more about finance and investments.”

She was determined to educate herself so that she can live the life she wants.

“There are studies that have been showing recently that

five years from now, the middle class won’t be able to afford things like housing and new cars and college education and a lot of just basic needs, and so I want to make sure that I combat that by being very knowledgeable about my finances, so that I can reach financial stability and then invest from there, so I can not only have financial stability but the freedom to make a more high quality life for me and my family,” Anderson said.

After realizing she could either depend on her dad to help her with taxes or learn to do it herself, Arsenault decided she didn’t want to be dependent on someone else for her financial decisions.

The two seniors began developing the InvestHER Initiative at the beginning of the school year and soon teamed up with Zuniga, who had had a different experience. Her mom had taught her about investing and IRAs from a young age, and as a prerequisite for getting her own car, Zuniga had to read 50 financial books. She is passionate about sharing what she knows with others because she knows not everyone has parents or finance classes that have taught them the skills to be financially prepared for adulthood.

“We just want to be that resource for kids at school,” Zuniga said. “We want to make sure that the members in our group are prepared for their life. In school, there are financial literacy classes, but school doesn't really prepare you for the real world. And so, like in my personal experience, it's just really making it normal for the younger generation to have jobs, to start earning money, to start investing.”

The club has an Instagram platform and a website with resources, book recommendations and links to informative videos about investing.

Hoping to widen their reach of educating and empowering girls and women, the three club leaders are working to arrange financial education presentations at local middle schools, the YWCA, homeless shelters and community organizations.

“This has become so much more than the DECA projects for us,” Anderson said.

The club leaders believe they are helping club members become more knowledgeable about investing, which will lead them to make better financial decisions, reach their financial goals, improve their self-esteem and build a strong networking system of friends. l

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Herriman High School junior Baylee Zuniga helps members of the Girls’ Investing Club, which she and two friends started, get set up on a stock market simulation. (Jet Burnham/City Journals)

As a student of Shakespeare, Herriman

High School senior Abigayle Berbert was in awe of the professional performance of “Much Ado About Nothing” she saw at the Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City.

“It’s the most comedic show of Shakespeare I’ve ever seen—it is so funny,” she said. “Shakespeare can be so boring sometimes, but it was this love interest type show where they were like enemies-to-lovers, and they did it in a way that made all of us literally on the edge of our seats.”

Students from Mountain Ridge High School who saw the play were impressed with the way the actors projected their lines without needing microphones. They were also thrilled to watch the professional stage crews reset the stage.

“I got to watch the set change from “39 Steps” into the “Much Ado” set, which was really cool to see it happen on stage,” a student who works on stage crew at MRHS said. “The [MRHS] tech team was all kind of freaking out on how big that stage was—it goes 60 feet back and 100 feet wide—and they are able to move these, like, 3,000 pound sets with, like, four people.”

Theater and choir students from Mountain Ridge and Herriman High Schools traveled to Cedar City Oct. 3-5 to learn from professionals through performances and skill-building workshops, and also to compete with students from 99 other schools from Utah, Arizona, Nevada, California, Idaho, and Wisconsin in the 48th Annual Shakespeare Competition in early October.

Students interpret the works of Shakespeare through performance in acting, dance/choreography, music and technical theater categories to earn awards and scholarships. More than 3,000 students attended this year’s competition, which is the largest scholastic Shakespeare compe-

Much Ado about Shakespeare

By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

tition in North America.

Schools compete in one of six divisions, determined by school-size.

Herriman took third place in three of the music competitions: Madrigal Division (large ensemble choir), Canzonetta Division (medium-sized choir) and Troubadour Division (with a solo performed by Elise Farmer.)

MRHS students competed in the Tech Olympics in eight categories testing backstage skills. They sorted director’s notes, built set pieces, tied knots and arranged stage lighting within a time limit. Two MRHS students placed first in their individual events: Matthew Estes in Lighting and Clark Fowler in Rigging.

MRHS’s ensemble team performed a comedy mash-up of scenes from “Much Ado About Nothing” set in a 1980s cafe. Other students performed duo/trio scenes and monologues from “Two Gentlemen of Verona” and “The Tempest.”

HHS students performed scenes from “Macbeth,” “The Tempest,” “Much Ado About Nothing,” “Two Gentlemen of Verona” and “Merchant of Venice.”

Adjudicators scored performers on acting and singing skills and interpretation of the pieces.

“The Shakespeare language can kind of be confusing,” Berbert said. “But what it’s talking about, whether it’s in different languages, or just hard to understand the English, you need to know, to show that emotion.”

She said, especially for the choral performances of Renaissance music, which has no dynamics and uses Old English, they had to figure out the meaning of the song before they could perform it.

HHS senior Drew Skillin said judges are also looking for expression and movement that matches the music.

“You’re putting on a show while you’re singing, and that’s why you need to connect to the music, so you can put on

that emotion in that show,” he said. “The judges love connection. That’s the main part with the music in the Shakespeare Festival, is connecting—connecting with the people you’re singing with, the song, the judges, your director and all that.”

He said performing for audiences that know and love Shakespeare was different than singing for the school student body.

“It’s such a different experience performing down there at competition, where you know you’re surrounded by all these other people who just enjoy what you do, and everyone is just there for the arts,” he said.

For the theater and choir students who traveled to the competition, the social aspect was a highlight of the trip.

“The best part was definitely the people, for me,” one MRHS junior said. “The people that went down with us made it a wonderful experience.”

First-time attendee HHS junior Ashley Barnum said the trip was an opportunity to form friendships.

“You get to room together, and you get to go from place to place,” she said. “I feel like it’s just a really big opportunity to

get to know people and to build those relationships that you can’t just get just from school.”

Students said that the annual event has a good atmosphere because students from other schools are kind to and supportive of each other.

“It’s just so different because we all have the same hobby, and we’re all just sharing our passion and what we love,” a MRHS student said. “Obviously everyone wants to bring home the trophy, but I think everyone just enjoys being in each other’s presence.”

Many students compete in the Shakespeare competition all three years in high school to improve their skills and to have fun.

“The Shakespeare competition has a sort of feel about it where we’re all learning,” Berbert said. “We go to learn about the new things, and Shakespeare and the old Renaissance Era and things like that. But it’s really, definitely more so a connecting thing, where you go and you get to see other schools perform. I think that’s something magical, like the ‘magic air of Shakespeare,’ as people call it, just connects to everyone.” l

Prepare for emergencies with free classes at Herriman’s Columbus Center

By Elisa Eames | e.eames@mycityjournals.com

Aftera brief pause, Herriman’s own Columbus Adult Education Center has resumed free community emergency education classes. Earlier this year, community members opted to hold the classes in place of an annual emergency preparedness fair that has partnered in the past with local church groups and the city.

“We decided to do a series of classes on a variety of topics and hopefully, get more people inspired about self-reliance and emergency prep,” class director Scott Maw said. “This is a new way to reach out to the community on these topics.”

Classes began in April, took a hiatus for the summer to accommodate busy schedules and center closures, and resumed in September. The last class of the year will be held on Nov. 14, and plans for courses next year are already underway.

“The city wholeheartedly supports any community effort to be as prepared as possible for disasters or other emergency situations,” city officials said. “It’s always a good time to get started or take the next step in our emergency planning.”

Taught by various teachers, classes offer information about lifesaving first aid, food storage, canning, cooking, emergency supplies and how to survive an emergency with limited

medical assistance.

“We need to know how to keep our families healthy and avoid medical emergencies,” center director Shandra Madsen said via the center’s Facebook page.

Gavin Rich, president of West Jordan preparedness company Shield-Safety, presented last month’s class, and the November class will be taught by emergency preparation and self-reliance specialist Larry Madsen, who is also the center director’s father-in-law.

During lessons, presenters demonstrate

products, display food and first aid supplies and use PowerPoint presentations to lead discussions. “Some instructors are professionals, but a lot just have a passion for and a special interest in these topics and have become great knowledge sources,” Maw said.

Everyone is welcome to attend classes, and no registration is required. “All of us have areas where we could be better prepared for emergencies and disasters, sometimes in ways we aren’t even aware of,” Maw said. The monthly courses are geared toward adults and

older teens.

“It's more important than ever that we know how to protect and keep our city safe during an emergency,” Shandra Madsen said. “We are seeing back east that there is very little medical care available in some of the hardest hit areas. This could be our area following a major earthquake.”

“The city and its first responders, as dedicated and hardworking as they are, cannot solve every problem quickly in a wide-scale emergency,” the city said. “Public safety personnel and other emergency responders will provide help as quickly as they can, but in many cases, it’s up to the community and individual families to be as prepared as they can be.”

The center uses local churches, group chats and newsletters to advertise. “All interested individuals are encouraged to come! They have been very interesting classes. Lots of perspectives on ways to be prepared. It’s a great way to learn,” Maw said.

“Spread the word!” Shandra Madsen said. “Hope to see you there!”

The last class of the year will be Nov. 14 from 7:15 to 8:45 p.m. in the basement Community Room of the Columbus Center at 13011 Pioneer St. Use the east entrance. l

Emergency classes take place in the Community Room at the Columbus Center. (Photo courtesy Shandra Madsen)

place. However, most cities do not have officials who oversee or prevent encroachments, and municipalities often grant building permits stipulating only that a structure be a certain size and distance from neighbors or residences. Building inspectors ensure construction, including plumbing and electrical systems, are to code but are not responsible for preventing encroachments.

When he spoke with the city, the homeowner said the community service officer insisted the issue needed to be resolved within 10 days or the city would begin court proceedings.

The city maintains the notice gives the property owner 10 days to contact the community service officer, not to come into compliance, and is the same amount of time for cases where owners need to remove weeds or junk vehicles from properties.

“When I asked for more specifics…, I was told, ‘For you to get the specific data you are looking for, you will need to get a survey done on your property that will show you your property boundaries,’” the homeowner said.

“We can’t go out and do a survey ourselves. That’s simply not a service the city provides. We rely on the mapping data we have internally and through Salt Lake County,” LaFollette said.

Allowing for a 12-inch margin of error, the city says its information comes from the Salt Lake County Assessor and uses Geographic Information System mapping data to overlay property lines onto an aerial photograph. This image is then provided to homeowners.

Parcel maps are also available to the public on the Salt Lake County Assessor website. City officials say they hope the margin of error will prevent residents or city personnel from having to pay for an on-site survey.

At the end of July, the homeowner received a second notice stating that the city would take action, including possible criminal or civil proceedings, if they didn’t hear from him in another 10 days. The letter also stated that a lien could be put on the property for charges incurred by the city in addressing the encroachment. “I had been sending emails and leaving voicemails, but I could not do anything without some answers to our basic questions,” he said.

“There was a communication break-

down,” Adamson said. “And some of the verbiage of the second letter needs to be changed.” The city appreciates all feedback and regrets the homeowner’s experience.

“I know a lot of people are frustrated,” LaFollette said, emphasizing that Herriman has made efforts to be lenient where possible to minimize impact. “We’re trying to be as reasonable as possible while protecting public property.”

When determining a timeline, the city says it considers size, expense, seasonal changes affecting work and other issues raised by the property owner. It may allow more time for homeowners to comply as long as they’re making reasonable efforts.

If officials can’t reach an arrangement with a homeowner, the case may go to the administrative law court, where a judge may grant 30 to 90 days for the homeowner to provide a plan for compliance, not to become compliant. This proceeding differs from those of a judicial court.

The city says no one has been asked to remove any trees or structures attached to homes, though some residents have destroyed sections of driveway or removed gazebos, sheds, trampolines and sprinklers to comply. So far, the largest section of fence that has been removed was 150 feet.

After discussing solutions for over a year, the city council determined earlier this year that the only way to be fair was to treat all encroachments equally. The council rejected selling the land in question to affected homeowners as a solution for the encroachments.

“All property owners are asked to remove the encroachment and return the land to its natural state,” LaFollette said. “Additionally, many of the dedicated open spaces have stipulations requiring they remain open spaces and cannot be developed or sold. The city can’t sell in many cases because of agreements with developers.”

To complicate matters, Herriman irrigation infrastructure rests against the homeowner’s fence. City officials have explained that after a resident becomes compliant, the city reviews the removal or alteration of landscaping or irrigation on a case-by-case basis.

Based on a survey, for which he paid $1,650, the homeowner moved the shed and fence late last month. This cost him another $5,000. “The survey… shows a significant difference than the Google Map image…,”

the property owner said. “He will need to work with the Community Services Officers about that disputation,” LaFollette explained.

“Based on the initial investigation by the title company, [my title insurance] does not cover the cost of resolving this issue,” the owner said.

“The city will perform an inspection of the completed work, photograph and document the work, and provide the homeowner with a Notice of Compliance so the homeowner and the city have a record showing the issue has been resolved,” city officials said.

The property owner suggested that the city council could benefit from the encroach-

ment situation by working with contractors or survey companies. City officials have emphasized that no city council member is personally benefiting from addressing the encroachments.

“That’s why we specifically tried to remedy this without a survey,” Adamson said. “And we wouldn’t steer you to a specific survey company. We’d never refer homeowners to a specific contractor or anything like that. Some contractors may be getting business, but that’s not our goal. And there are many other different types of things that need removal, such as landscaping.”

A court date was assigned to this case but was subsequently canceled by the city. l

The owner of this home in Herriman received notices from the city stating he needed to move the fence and shed. (Photo courtesy Google Maps)

A notice the homeowner received from the city warns of court proceedings for noncompliance. (Photo courtesy homeowner)

A fence and shed at this Herriman home were moved last month to comply with city encroachment notices. (Photo courtesy homeowner)

Herriman

High School presents “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella”

Nov. 20, 21, 22, 23 at 7 p.m. (with a possible matinee Nov. 23)

Tickets are $10 for adults/$8 for students, seniors and children and can be purchased online or at the box office.

Junior Ashley Barnum, who plays the role of Cinderella in Herriman High School’s upcoming production of '“Cinderella,” said the show is emotional, heartfelt, romantic, magical and comedic, and will be a hit with audiences.

“My favorite part is the fairytale aspect, how we get to incorporate that with the music, and the costumes and the makeup,” she said. “I think it will be really fun for kids and also adults to live out that fairytale that every girl wants.”

HHS drama teacher KayCee DeYoung said, while “Cinderella” is a well-known fairytale, this 2013 version differs from the traditional stories, cartoons and TV movies most people are familiar with.

“It fleshes out the characters in a way that makes them even more relatable and three dimensional—they are so much more than fairy tale characters,” she said.

Drew Skillin, a senior who is the director of music, hair and makeup, said audiences will love the story and the “big” and “operatic” music score, which will be provided by the school orchestra.

By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

“It still is the magical ‘Cinderella,’ but it’s new and it’s still going to be very entertaining,” he said.

Some of the new aspects of the show will be provided by the stage crew members who are experimenting with various methods for special effects fog and lighting. Actors are also experimenting with puppetry.

Abigayle Berbert, who plays the role of Fairy Godmother, said the show has an uplift-

ing message for audiences.

“This is such a hopeful show,” she said. “I feel like it's really going to send a message of ‘literally nothing is impossible.’”

She said it’s also funny. “There's also characters that have me rolling on the ground laughing—the stepsisters are absolutely hysterical,” she said.

Berbert said that the 48 members of cast and crew have formed a family-like connection

they hope audiences will see reflected in the genuine chemistry between the characters.

“The pure love we all have for each other, you can see it in the show, you can just tell that everyone loves each other onstage and offstage,” she said.

The show’s production manager, senior Baylee Hopkins, is excited for audiences to see the show, which runs Nov. 20-23.

“There are a lot of beautiful lines and moments and messages in this play,” she said. Her favorite line, ‘Don’t wait for everything to be perfect,’ is said by the Fairy Godmother to Cinderella.

“That’s been one of my mottos that I’ve been implementing into this show, that nothing is going to be perfect, but if you wait, then the opportunity is going to pass you by,” Hopkins said. “So it's just this beautiful story of just grabbing life and going for it and not waiting.”

A matinee show may be added to the show run, which would include a meet-and-greet opportunity with the cast members.

“I'm really excited to make connections with the audience afterwards whether it's kids or adults, cause you never know when a show is gonna change somebody’s life,” Barnum said. l

The cast of “Cinderella” rehearses for their show, which opens Nov. 20. (Photo courtesy Lily Morton)

Guaranteed laughs at MRHS performance of ‘Once Upon a Mattress’

By Jet Burnham | j.burnham@mycityjournals.com

Mountain Ridge High School theater teacher Sydney Southwick chose this year’s fall musical based on the students’ skill sets.

“These students are so funny that I wanted to do a comedy because they’re hilarious and watching them do it is so much fun,” Southwick said. “The students are just so creative and so funny, and I love seeing the choices that they make. They are so creative in coming up with how their character should act and things like that. They are so creative and fun to be around.”

The storyline of “Once Upon a Mattress” is, as one senior explained, “an unhinged ‘Princess and the Pea.’”

“We guarantee you'll laugh a ton,” she said. “I’m laughing while I’m on stage, there’s no way you can’t be laughing in the audience.”

One of the funniest characters doesn’t have any lines.

“There is a lot of physical comedy going on, thanks to our king,” a student said. “He is a mute character, so he can't speak, and so he's doing all of his lines through actions.”

The king, played by a sophomore, relies on hilarious games of charades and silly bouts of pantomime to get the other characters to guess what he is trying to communicate.

“It's a challenge as an actor, because one of the main tools you have to convey the story is just completely out of your disposal, but it makes you realize how much more fun you can have with physicality,” the student playing the role of the king said. “I feel like a totally mute scene, but with a lot of acting, would be more fun than a speaking but no acting scene.”

All the movement makes the scenes more alive and

“Once Upon a Mattress”

Nov. 14, 15, 16 and 18 at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $10 adults/$8 students and can be purchased online or at the box office.

Director: Sydney Southwick

Technical Director: Alex King

makes the show more entertaining for him and for audience members, said one student. “This whole musical is just about having fun, that’s the most important thing,” he said.

Students have had fun together, developing their characters and interacting in their roles.

“I hope that the actual chemistry that is behind-thescenes can be perpetrated into the audience to feel the connection between every character,” a student said.

Audiences will see the cast of 60 embracing the playful nature of the show with the on-stage games of duck-duckgoose, charades and pretend-play which are part of the script.

“The children are going to enjoy this one,” the stage manager said. “It's been very centered around childhood humor, like kids playing dress up in the backyard.”

He said the message of the show is to not take life too seriously and to learn to continue to be a child. And while the high school students have fun on stage, they take their responsibilities in the show seriously. In this student-led production, the lights, sets, props, costumes, sound and stage crew and stage management are all responsibilities of individual students. l

Music by Mary Rodgers Lyrics by Marsha Barer

Book by Jay Thompson, Marshall Barer, and Dean Ful er Presented w th permission from Concord Theatricals

Salt Lake County Library’s Daybreak branch earns a Net Zero Energy certification

With more than 500 solar panels on the roof’s shade canopy and geothermal energy under the parking lot, the Salt Lake County Library’s Daybreak branch produces 102% of its onsite energy needs.

Since the building opened in 2022, its energy production and consumption have been tracked and has now attained Net Zero Energy, the first public building in Utah to reach that goal. Net Zero Energy refers to a building that consumes no more energy than it needs to function and produces that energy from renewable sources.

County leaders, the building’s designers, library personnel and patrons attended an event on Oct. 18 to celebrate the certification.

“I’m delighted that the Daybreak branch fulfills our mission to provide a great place for everyone to visit while integrating this stellar level of energy efficiency,” Salt Lake County Library Director Joey McNamee said. “Our employees and the architects went above and beyond to meet the Net Zero Energy requirements and I could not be prouder. From materials to services to programs to solar arrays, there are plenty of opportunities to learn, create and connect with others at the County Library, a vibrant community space that has such a profound impact on the lives of Salt Lake County residents.”

Located in South Jordan at 11358 Grandville Ave., the library features a rooftop garden, outdoor amphitheater, meeting rooms and study areas, along with thousands of books and resources. The County Library system receives more than 2 million visitors each year, checking out 12.5 million items.

“When you look at this broad valley, the change in the growth and the demands and needs around here, it’s not just what can our library system do, but what can we inspire our public to do on their own,” Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson said. “The sustainability efforts are so appreciated, and I know this has made a big impact, not just on the families that are here today, but on our environment. It’s due to your efforts and the great planning and the values that we hold here at Salt Lake County.”

Designed by Architectural Nexus, the Daybreak library was created as a transit-oriented and pedestrian-friendly location, maximizing space while incorporating native landscaping and energy efficiency.

Architectural Nexus Principal Architect Holli Adams said the firm was proud of the certification and the dedication of county leaders to make it happen. She said they will take the lessons learned with this building to apply to other projects.

“This library has a unique system that the county has used on several buildings, but we really took big advantage of it on this building,” Adams said. “It has a ground source heating and cooling system, it has abundant natural daylight, really well-insu-

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

lated walls and high-performance glazing. This building is 78% more energy efficient than a typical library.”

Daybreak branch manager Leslie Schow said she enjoys taking visitors on a tour of the building and seeing the awe on their faces when they realize how the library is sustainable and environmentally friendly.

Schow took it as a challenge to reach Net Zero Energy by dimming lights, turning off computer monitors and printers every evening and adjusting sensors so lights would shut off when rooms were not in use.

“The unique features of the Daybreak branch have given us a great way to share STEM and STEAM learning with the community,” Schow said. “You’ll notice that the branch is full of natural daylight thanks to the 23 solar tubes that help us light the building during the day without electricity.”

Wilson said as the county continues to grow, it is vital to do so thoughtfully, responsibly and sustainably.

“The efficiencies built into this County Library branch, and the individual energy-saving actions regularly taken by employees, are saving taxpayer dollars,” she said. “Additionally, by using innovations in design and building technology, we’re improving the quality of life for ourselves and the generations to come.” l

Salt Lake County Library’s Daybreak branch in South Jordan becomes the first public building to earn a Net Zero Energy certification. (Peri Kinder/City Journals)

Sentinels win Region 2, reach state semifinals in girls soccer

By Josh McFadden | j.mcfadden@mycityjournals.com

Despite facing a grueling schedule, the Mountain Ridge girls soccer team lost just twice all season. For their efforts, the Sentinels captured the Region 2 title.

Mountain Ridge went 11-1 in league play, winning the region by two games over Copper Hills and Corner Canyon. Overall, the Sentinels were an impressive 17-2, the best record the program has had in the school’s young history.

The Sentinels rolled through region action, losing only to Copper Hills, 2-1 on Sept. 3. When those two teams met again at Copper Hills on Sept. 26, Mountain Ridge returned the favor with a 2-1 victory. Mountain Ridge outscored its region foes by a collective score of 44-13 and totaled 58 goals on the year while giving up just 22.

In league games, Mountain Ridge was clutch in close games, winning five by a single goal. The team was also dominant in other contests, boasting seven victories by three goals or more. Mountain Ridge scored at least two goals in all but four games this season and tallied three or more goals 10 times.

The season ended with a tough loss to a hot, talented Davis team in the Class 6A semifinals.

Playing at Zions Bank Stadium in Sandy on Oct. 22, the Sentinels fell 5-0, their

first loss in 10 games. Mountain Ridge fell behind 3-0 at halftime and couldn’t find the back of the net.

The Sentinels qualified for the semifinals with a pair of state tournament wins. First, they took care of Region 2 foe Riverton in the second round 4-0 on Oct. 15. Playing at home as the No. 2 seed, Mountain Ridge added to a 1-0 halftime advantage with three more goals. It was the third win of the season over Riverton, as the Sentinels had previously defeated the Silverwolves 4-1 on Aug. 20 and 3-0 on Sept. 12. Kya Newton had two goals and an assist. Natalie Shober and Kelsey Goodwin also scored, while Kelsie Peterson and Kaislee Johnson had assists. McKinley Stowell and Kayda Rowberry shared goalkeeping duties, each earning half a shutout.

In the quarterfinals on Oct. 17, Mountain Ridge got another home game. This contest was much tighter, with the only goal coming in the first half courtesy of Peytyn Bullard off an assist from Johnson. Stowell and Rowberry both got half a shutout again.

The victory advanced the Sentinels to the semifinals against Davis.

Three Sentinels reached double digits in goals. Newton paced the team with 16 goals and 11 assists. The junior will enter her senior season in 2025 with 54 career goals and

29 career assists. This season, she scored in 12 games and had two goals in a contest four times. Meanwhile, senior Jocelyn Wright had 12 goals and seven assists, while Johnson, a junior totaled 11 goals and seven as-

sists. Goodwin, a freshman appears to have a big career ahead of her. She tallied five goals and two assists in her first season with the team. Rowberry had four shutouts in the net; Stowell had three. l

Kya Newton, in the dark jersey, shown her in early season action, was one of the top players for the Mountain Ridge girls soccer team. The Sentinels were 17-2 on the year and won Region 2. (Photo courtesy of Jeremy Stowell.)

Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Arts Center coming to Daybreak

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

Salt Lake County and the Miller Family Foundation announced a partnership to construct a regional arts center in South Jordan. While still in the design phase, the arts center is expected to include an 800-seat main stage theater, two performance and rehearsal event spaces, classrooms and a dedicated visual art gallery.

Located in the downtown Daybreak area, the arts center will be operated and managed by Salt Lake County Arts & Culture. The Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation donated $25 million for naming rights to the theater, with the proposed name being the Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Arts Center.

“We are incredibly fortunate to partner with the Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation to bring this important regional arts center to life,” Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson said. “Their unwavering commitment to the arts in our community is inspiring and this new venue will be a vital cultural hub for the rapidly growing southwest valley.”

The facility will join other arts centers in the Salt Lake Valley operated by Salt Lake County Arts & Culture including the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Theater, Abravanel Hall, the Rose Wagner Performing Arts

Center, Capitol Theatre and the 430-seat Mid-Valley Performing Arts Center in Taylorsville.

Construction on the new arts center is expected to begin in January 2026 with an expected opening date in early 2028.

“We believe that the arts have a profound ability to enrich lives, foster connection and strengthen communities,” Gail Miller said, chair of the Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation and co-founder of the Larry H. Miller Company. “This donation is an investment in the future of our community, providing a space where creativity can thrive and where people of all backgrounds can experience the transformative power of the arts.”

Additionally, Larry H. Miller Real Estate has donated three acres in downtown Daybreak to ensure accessibility to the center. The Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Arts Center will join nearby Daybreak Field at America First Square as part of a mixed-use entertainment district that includes a Larry H. Miller Megaplex facility featuring movie screens, bowling lanes and arcade games.

Construction is already underway for the 6,500-seat Daybreak Field, scheduled to open for the Salt Lake Bees Triple-A season in 2025.

Located between the new Daybreak Field and the Salt Lake County Library’s Daybreak branch, the Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Arts Center will include an 800-seat theater. (Rendering courtesy Salt Lake County)

The arts center is expected to provide performance, rehearsal and exhibition space to meet the needs of the Southwest Valley. Based on the county’s 2008 and 2020 cultural master plans, an identified need called for publicly owned regional art centers to serve

arts organizations in the county.

“We are honored to work with Salt Lake County to support the creation of this new arts center and look forward to seeing the impact it will have for generations to come,” Miller said. l

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Breast cancer survivor retreats offer support, resilience and hope

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

Breastcancer survivors often struggle with challenges beyond the physical aspect of the condition and treatment. Anxiety, depression, body-image issues and cognitive changes can cause emotional and psychological challenges.

Image Reborn offers breast cancer survivors the opportunity to gather with other women going through similar issues by holding free renewal retreats. The program is a chance for survivors to talk about their experiences and offer support to other women.

“We’re actually in our 26th year,” said Bobbi Lord, Image Reborn executive director. “We have weekend retreats that are a place for women to focus on their feelings. The best part is to see that connection as these women come together. They instantly know what the other one’s going through without having to vocalize it, which I think is very powerful.”

Retreats are held in private homes with a small number of attendees (usually less than 10 women) who are pampered and nurtured during a two-night stay. A chef provides healthy meals while women can take part in yoga, massage therapy, group counseling sessions and a grief circle. A medical provider attends part of the retreat to talk with women and answer questions.

Several health aspects are included in each retreat including mindfulness, physical activity and tools for handling emotional distress. Because medical bills quickly add up during a cancer diagnosis and treatment, women can attend the renewal retreat at no cost.

“The only requirement to attend is that they have breast cancer,” Lord said. “The re-

treats themselves are completely free. We do ask for a small $100 deposit to save their space, and then it’s returned after the retreat.”

Cinthya was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022. She attended a retreat earlier this year after her radiologist gave her a pamphlet about the program.

“It was a way for us to have a break from everything and celebrate the end of treatment,” she said. “It was a great experience. I met a lot of ladies, and I learned a lot about their experiences. After that, I started volunteering for them because I felt I wanted to give back to the organization.”

Each retreat is facilitated by professionals experienced in addressing the concerns of women with breast cancer. Renewal retreats are held several times a year and have expanded to include events in Florida, Texas and Colorado. Women are invited to attend at any time during their cancer experience but most sign up two or three years post-diagnosis.

Image Reborn also holds events for women with specific needs including young survivors, women with stage 4 cancer and Spanish-speaking women.

The organization provides ongoing wellness activities for survivors including virtual grief-tending, restorative yoga, virtual hypnotherapy and a sex conference. Additionally, adventure retreats during the year focus on mental and emotional health but include a challenging component.

“Last year we partnered with the National Ability Center, and we did canoeing at Flaming Gorge,” Lord said. “We also did one down in Southern Utah that was canyoneering.”

Volunteers are always needed at Image Reborn. They might help at an event, pick up women from the airport or donate their home as a retreat location. Financial support can be provided through monetary donations, fundraising or by linking the Image Reborn Foundation to a Smith’s Rewards card.

Image Reborn held its annual gala at the beginning of November and was expecting to

Thisbring in more than $300,000 in donations. The money is used to provide free retreats, offer travel scholarships for those coming from outof-town and fund ongoing wellness programs. For more information, visit ImageRebornFoundation.org.

“We are trying to grow across the nation,” Lord said. “We have wait lists and our goal is to make this available for everyone.” l

Bright economic numbers signal a strong holiday shopping season

fall’s better-than-expected economic showing is good news for the upcoming holiday shopping season.

Retail sales rose 0.4% in September, beating analysts’ expectations. Meanwhile, the economy added a remarkable 254,000 jobs in the month – 100,000 more than most forecasters predicted. The national unemployment rate dropped from 4.2% in August to 4.1% in September, while wages accelerated to 4% in September compared to 3.8% the previous month.

Bolstered by a strong job market, winter holiday spending is expected to grow between 2.5% and 3.5% this year, according to the National Retail Federation. That’s in line with historical averages and similar to Deloitte’s 2024 projection of 2.3% to 3.3% sales growth. Most of the growth will be driven by online purchases, which are expected to jump 7% to 9% over 2023.

Holiday shoppers’ dollars will stretch further this year than in 2023 and 2022, thanks to slowing inflation and rising wages.

By Robert Spendlove, Zions Bank Senior Economist

The Consumer Price Index slowed to 2.4% in September, down from 2.5% the previous month. And inflation in the mountain region of the U.S. slowed even more, to 1.4% in September.

While wage growth has been outpacing inflation since May 2023, household income has yet to fully recover the purchasing power lost to inflation in recent years. Many people are starting off their holiday shopping season already in debt. Credit card debt hit a record $1.14 trillion in the second quarter of 2024, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. And half of credit card holders are carrying a balance from month to month – the highest level in four years, according to Bankrate’s 2024 Credit Card Debt Survey. Nearly half – 48% – of Utahns say they are worse off financially compared to a year ago, according to the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute’s Survey of Utah Consumer Sentiment. The way people feel about the economy often influences their spending decisions. However, easing inflation and lower

interest rates could improve Utahns’ feelings about the economy.

This holiday season may bring price relief in certain categories. Toy prices, for example, dropped 2.9% over the last year. Some electronics, including televisions and computers, are also cheaper overall. Motor fuel prices are down 15.5% nationally and 18.6% regionally. These are all great trends.

Other factors impacting holiday spending include an abbreviated shopping season. With Thanksgiving falling on Nov. 28 this year, there are 26 days from Thanksgiving to Christmas. Additionally, the economic uncertainty surrounding the U.S. presidential election could play a role in how consumers do their holiday shopping.

Robert Spendlove is senior economist for Zions Bank, a division of Zions Bancorporation, N.A l

At Image Reborn renewal retreats, breast cancer survivors can access mental and emotional support while creating new friendships. (Photos courtesy of Image Reborn)

Unique initiative merges technology and soccer for Utah youth

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

Acollaboration between Real Salt Lake, Utah Royals and Comcast NBCUniversal + Xfinity provided an interactive experience for youth involved in Comcast’s nonprofit partner organizations in the state, including the International Rescue Committee, YMCA of Northern Utah and the PROG Development Center.

RSL Stadium hosted the “Game On: Tech Meets Soccer” event on Tuesday, Oct. 1, to provide youth with an understanding of technology’s impact on professional soccer while inspiring students to envision careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering, arts and math. The intention was to create an experience that would raise an interest in technology and sports.

“This unique gathering offers our youth an unparalleled opportunity to witness first-hand how technology is continually revolutionizing the sports industry,” said RSL Club President John Kimball. “This event is not just a glimpse into what the future offers; we hope it serves as a catalyst for inspiration, opening young minds to innovative career paths and sparking the curiosity and ambition of the next generation.”

Youth at the event got a rare, behind-thescenes glimpse into the world of sports technology, exploring how cutting-edge innovations can revolutionize the game. Students toured the facility, listened to a panel discussion, visited the control room and learned how technology controls all lighting and interactive signage during the games, as well as keeping the grass on the field suitable for games.

RSL athletes helped the youth understand how science helps the players manage their health, recover from injury and maintain their diets. Each student had the opportunity to get a photo and autograph with the athletes.

“The ‘Game On: Tech Meets Soccer’ event is a game changer for our young people, giving them a firsthand look at how technology and sports intersect,” said Rhonda Clark, Salt

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Lake regional director, YMCA of Northern Utah. “It opens up new possibilities for their futures, sparking curiosity in career paths they may not have considered before.”

Comcast is committed to being a forward-thinking corporate partner. By exposing Utah’s youth to tech careers within the sports field, Comcast aims to future-proof the state’s tech landscape, offering a unique value proposition that resonates with participants and partners alike.

“At Comcast, we are dedicated to harnessing the power of technology to create meaningful change in our communities,” said Deneiva Knight, external affairs director, Comcast Mountain West Region. “The ‘Game On: Tech Meets Soccer’ event is a testament to our commitment to digital opportunity and innovation, inspiring the next generation to explore exciting career opportunities in sports technology.”

Jesse Sheets, director of development and strategic initiatives at the International Rescue Committee in Salt Lake City, said the “Game On: Tech Meets Soccer” event created a gateway for refugee youth to explore the intersection of technology and sports.

“It ignites their imagination and introduces them to potential career paths they may have never thought of, which can fuel their curiosity and drive,” Sheets said.

Comcast is bridging the digital divide with Project UP, a program offering affordable, highspeed Internet to low-income families, installing Lift Zones for free WiFi access throughout northern Utah, and its Digital Navigators program that trains people to get online and acquire digital skills.

“In over 10 years, we’ve connected more than 10 million people,” said Knight. “Together, we can empower the next generation of tech leaders and sports enthusiasts.”

For more information, visit Corporate. comcast.com. l

Youth from nonprofit organizations enjoy an interactive experience at Real Salt Lake Stadium, learning how technology is used in sports. Photo courtesy of Comcast

Olympus Gymnastics’ largest senior class approaches collegiate signing day

By Rebecca Olds | rebecca.o@thecityjournals.com

Both Riverton residents, Ava Jackson and Sage Curtis have trained at Olympus Gymnastics in South Jordan since they were around 5 years old, making Nov. 13 a momentous day 13 years in the making.

It’s signing day where they’ll officially commit to their chosen university for the upcoming year.

Jackson and Curtis’ graduating class from Olympus Gymnastics is the largest under owner and head coach Ryan Kirkham who coaches bars and coach Jessica Duke McDonough who coaches beam and floor.

Seven seniors from across the valley including the cities of Riverton, South Jordan, Cottonwood Heights and Draper and one from Park City will sign to attend universities with nationally acclaimed gymnastics programs. Six of them have earned full-ride scholarships as 5-, 4- and 3-star recruits to their respective schools.

“It's very rare to have as much talent as we do on our team, all at the same time, they're all really, really, really talented, driven and accomplished athletes,” Kirkham said. “We have a lot of fun, but we also are very driven by producing high-level athletes and trying to help them reach their full potential as athletes.”

This year's recruits include Jackson who will be attending Ohio State University and Curtis who will be attending University of Utah, as well as Sophie Stuart, Sophie Schriever, Hayli Westerlind, Zoe Hale and Finley Weldon who will be attending the University of California Berkeley, University of Washington, the

University of Missouri, Brigham Young University and Iowa State University, which are some of the top in the country for gymnastics per the National Collegiate Scouting Association.

Olympus Gymnastics has been recognized nationally. In 2021, it was officially announced as the top club in the country and scored as one of the best clubs in the country since then. In 2023, the top recruit of the country came from Olympus.

Kirkham said that the cohesive coaching style from the lower levels to higher

levels at Olympus makes it so athletes can feel comfortable progressing and reach new heights.

“It's an environment where kids can thrive and make mistakes, and it's OK,” he said.

What made all the difference for Jackson was the team and camaraderie she felt during her time at Olympus.

“I've never met a group of girls or seen another team that truly wants and roots for each other's successes as much as their own,” Jackson said. “We as a team come together to push each other and ourselves.”

“The team and the environment that our coaches, Jess and Ryan, have created for us has changed my life for the better,” she said. “I'm just really excited to be part

of a program that's building a legacy.”

As signing day approaches, the excitement rises.

Curtis is one of two of the graduating class members to stay in the state, along with Zoe Hale who will attend BYU in the fall. Curtis will be one of the newest Red Rocks at the University of Utah, which has been her dream since before she started at Olympus.

“That was my No. 1 starting and, I mean, even after all the visits, it was still my No. 1,” Curtis said. “This is where I was meant to be—this is the coaching staff and the team that I want to be a part of, and this is where I fit in over the other schools.” l

Ava Jackson (left) and Sage Curtis (right) practice at Olympus Gymnastics. (Courtesy of Rebecca Waldock)

Gymnast Ava Jackson conditions on bars while at Olympus, she’ll be officially committing to Ohio State University in November. (Courtesy of Rebecca Waldock)

The next graduating class (left) of Olympus Gymnastics competing at a national competition. (Courtesy of Sage Curtis)

Sage Curtis performs a beam routine. (Courtesy of Sage Curtis)

6 local nonprofits to support this holiday season

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

Salt

Lake County residents have long demonstrated a commitment to service, upholding the belief that collective action leads to meaningful change and stronger communities.

With hundreds of nonprofit organizations in the area, there are many options to donate time, money or expertise to a cause close to your heart. Take time this month to show gratitude for all you have by supporting one of these charities doing big things in the Salt Lake Valley.

Murray Children’s Pantry, 170 E. 5770 South, Murray

Providing food to any family in need, the Murray Children’s Pantry offers boxes of food to feed one person for two days, or family boxes. With the help of dedicated volunteers, the pantry creates thousands of meals every month and gives them to those who need help, no questions asked. Support this organization through monetary or food donations, or volunteer to help pack meal boxes. More information is available at murraychildrenspantry.org.

Wasatch Wanderers Animal Rescue

It’s not just cats and dogs being abandoned along the Wasatch Front. Rabbits, domestic ducks, turtles, lizards, chickens, guinea pigs and other animals are often dumped by their owners in the wild, where they don’t survive long. Wasatch Wanderers rescues these rejected pets and finds new homes where they can be part of a loving family. Get involved with this organization by adopting or fostering an animal, transporting rescued animals to rescue farms or donating money to their care. Visit WasatchWanderers.org for more information.

Warrior Rising

Through strategic partnerships, Warrior Rising helps veterans become thriving business owners. Using a network of professionals from a wide range of backgrounds, the nonprofit created a remote learning platform that uses mentors, coaches, experts and grant money to provide vets the opportunity to build a successful life after they have served the country. Entrepreneurial volunteers are needed to teach skills and help vets through the business start-up process. Find more info at WarriorRising.org.

The Christmas Box International, 3660 S. West Temple Open all year, The Christmas Box International is a short-term, emergency shelter helping children suffering from abuse, neglect, trafficking and homelessness. More than 14,000 children were served at the home last year and organizers are always looking for donations to help support

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the programs offered including resource rooms and international projects. To honor the children they serve, The Christmas Box International only accepts new donations of clothing, books, toys and toiletries. Monetary donations are also accepted. Learn more at Thechristmasbox.org.

Encircle, 331 S. 600 East

Based on the premise that the LGBTQ+ community deserves to live free from discrimination, prejudice and violence, Encircle offers programs and therapy to strengthen LGBTQ+ youth and their families. Volunteers, monetary donations, fundraising, interns and community supporters are all needed to create a safe environment for these young people. With art and music nights, brunch and friendship circles, volunteers can find the most effective ways to donate their time and talents. Visit EncircleTogether.org for more information.

Fourth Street Clinic, 409 W. 400 South

With cold temperatures on the way, people experiencing homelessness will need extra support to stay safe. Fourth Street Clinic provides health care to a population that often doesn’t receive continual medical attention. The clinic accepts donations including travel-size hygiene items, tents, sleeping bags, tarps, gloves and hats, new underwear and warm socks. Monetary donations to Fourth Street Clinic are leveraged to create an additional in-kind donation dollar for every $1 raised. Learn more at FourthStreetClinic.org. l

Salt Lake County confronts aging population challenge at Regional Solutions event

will Salt Lake County look like when over 20% of its population is at retirement age?

This pressing question drove local leaders, planners and experts to convene Oct. 2 for the "2024 Regional Solutions: Aging in Place" event at the Viridian Event Center in West Jordan, where they sought answers and solutions for supporting the county’s aging residents. With demographic projections indicating a significant shift in the coming decades, the event provided a critical platform to address how communities can adapt to meet the needs of older adults, ensuring they can live independently and comfortably for years to come.

The event brought together both local and national speakers who highlighted existing initiatives and future plans aimed at helping older adults age gracefully within their communities. Liz Sollis, communications director for the Salt Lake County Mayor’s Office, emphasized, "Balancing immediate and future needs of an aging population is something we have been doing for many years and intend to continue. The Regional Solutions events are one way we inform our practices and policies."

Planning for a Growing Demographic Shift

By Shaun Delliskave | s.delliskave@mycityjournals.com

With the retirement-age population expected to rise, Salt Lake County has been implementing measures to ensure that aging residents can remain independent and connected. Ryan Anderson, Municipal Services and Regional Planning program manager for Salt Lake County, explained that the county is bringing planners together to integrate long-term strategies into regional planning.

"Our goal is to support infrastructure and services that meet the evolving needs of older adults, lessening the reliance on social services in the future," Anderson said.

Salt Lake County’s Aging and Adult Services department has long provided programs such as Meals on Wheels, Senior Centers and Rides for Wellness, which directly assist older adults. But as Anderson noted, preparing for an aging population involves more than just expanding existing services—it requires comprehensive planning to accommodate older adults' needs through thoughtful community design and affordable housing solutions.

Addressing Financial Instability

Among Older Adults

Economic stability is a growing concern for Utah’s older adults, especially as the state’s median income falls below $60,000 during retirement years. Nearly 60% of

renters aged 65 and older are considered cost-burdened, spending more than 35% of their income on housing. As housing costs rise, Salt Lake County has prioritized affordability in its plans.

for both recreation and transportation. Initiatives like these underscore the importance of creating environments that enable older adults to remain active and engaged.

Integrating Healthcare and Community Resources

Aging in place is not just about where one lives; it’s also about having access to essential services. Although the county is not the primary provider of healthcare, it partners with organizations to ensure older adults can receive necessary support. Programs such as Medicare counseling and long-term care assistance help residents navigate complex healthcare needs.

Anderson highlighted that the county views its role as facilitating partnerships between healthcare providers and community organizations to ensure aging residents have access to affordable and quality care. “The 'Aging in Place' event served as a platform to discuss ways to improve these connections and identify models that can be implemented in Salt Lake County.”

The Future of Aging in Salt Lake County

"The 'Aging in Place' event is a key forum to explore these financial challenges," Sollis stated. "Salt Lake County is committed to integrating affordability into its regional planning initiatives, focusing on livable communities that support residents of all income levels." One of the county’s initiatives involves changes to the accessory dwelling unit (ADU) ordinance, allowing homeowners to build secondary residences on smaller lots, thus providing more affordable housing options for older adults.

Additionally, the Housing Trust Fund supports the development of affordable and special-needs housing. By encouraging denser, more accessible housing, officials hope to create a system where aging residents can live close to family or caregivers while maintaining independence.

Promoting Age-Friendly Community Designs

Beyond affordability, Salt Lake County is focused on designing communities that are more age-friendly. Accessibility, walkability and connectivity are at the forefront of the county’s planning. According to Anderson, the Planning and Transportation Division has been improving infrastructure to ensure safety for all modes of travel, catering to residents of all abilities.

"Parks and Recreation recently added an accessible boat dock at Pioneer Crossing Regional Park, and the new trails within Butterfield Trailhead Regional Park are wide enough for adaptive bikes," Sollis said. Other efforts include improving the connectivity of regional trail systems, allowing residents to use soft or paved trails

As more people retire, the workforce is likely to shrink, leading to potential labor shortages. Salt Lake County has already developed programs to counteract this trend, such as the Salt Lake County Pre-apprenticeship Program, which focuses on helping underserved populations enter high-demand careers. While not exclusively aimed at older adults, the program offers a model of how skill development can help maintain economic stability across different age groups. Salt Lake County officials were keen on learning from successful models nationwide. The event featured keynote speaker Danielle Arigoni, known for her work on community resilience and housing. Her insights on integrating housing, transportation and healthcare services provided local planners with valuable guidance as they work to design age-friendly communities.

According to Sollis, Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson has long prioritized access to services for people of all ages and this event is an extension of that commitment. "Balancing the immediate needs of our aging population with long-term sustainability goals is central to our planning efforts. By addressing the needs of older adults now through better urban design and housing affordability, we are building resilient communities that will benefit residents of all ages in the future."

For more details on affordable housing initiatives, visit the Housing and Community Development website at www.saltlakecounty.gov/regional-development/housing-community-development. l

Mallory Bateman, Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute director of demographic research addresses Salt Lake County’s Aging in Place event. (Photo courtesy of Salt Lake County Regional Development)

Cultivating thankfulness this Thanksgiving

By Holly Curby | hello@hollycurby.com

Thanksgiving is more than just a holiday; it’s an opportunity to cultivate a deep sense of gratitude in our lives. The question many often wrestle with is what does it actually mean to be thankful, especially in the face of challenges. One of the keys to this hurdle is to evaluate happiness and joy. Happiness is often circumstantial and fleeting, dependent on external factors. Joy, however, is a state of being that comes from within, often rooted in faith and a sense of purpose. Focusing on joy rather than fleeting happiness is just the beginning of helping us cultivate a lasting sense of gratitude.

There are certain principles we can embed into our routine that can help us to not take our blessings for granted and rather to be thankful this Thanksgiving.

1. Change our attitudes. Entitlement and discontentment are major obstacles to gratitude. Such attitudes can prevent us from being thankful.

2. Embrace each day as a gift. By focusing on the present and not worrying about future uncertainties, we can find joy in the moment.

3. Share our blessings with others. By connecting with others and sharing what we are thankful for, we can spread the spirit of Thanksgiving and inspire others to adopt a grateful mindset.

Although a secular holiday, Thanksgiving is deeply rooted in biblical principles of giving thanks and worship. In 1863, Abraham Lincoln wrote a proclamation where he declared a national day of fasting

We are excited to announce that our community has welcomed several new businesses in the past month! These businesses bring diverse services and products that will enrich our local economy and enhance our community’s vibrancy. We had the pleasure of hosting ribboncutting ceremonies for the following establishments:

• Serendipity

o 5236 W Herriman Main Street, Herriman

• Woodspring Suites

o 1478 W 14000 S, Bluffdale

• Mind, Body, Soul Chiropractic

o 14241 S Redwood Road

Ste A130 (basement of North bldg)

and thanksgiving. Lincoln’s words remind us that despite our “growth in numbers, wealth, and power… we should not forget the gracious hand that has blessed us.” This Thanksgiving, let us unlock the spirit of Thanksgiving by choosing joy, contentment, and gratitude as we embrace each day as a gift while sharing our blessings with others. Happy Thanksgiving! For more in-depth on this topic or for related episodes, check out Holly’s Highlights podcast Season 3 Episode 24. Holly’s Highlights podcast is available wherever you listen to podcasts such as Spotify, Pandora, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts, as well as on www.hollycurby.com. l

We are the bridge between businesses and the community in Bluffdale, Herriman, and Riverton.

Woodspring Suites is the first hotel in Bluffdale. They offer low hotel rates that become even more affordable the longer you stay.

You’ll find their extended stay hotel conveniently located just 4 miles from I-15, close to the cities of Herriman, Riverton, Draper and Lehi. The guest suite layouts are spacious and modestly furnished, giving government contractors, military personnel, business travelers, students, traveling nurses and vacationers a nice place to rest and relax. Their thoughtfully designed apartment-style suites include queen- and king-bed options, a bathroom, living room and kitchen. At Mind, Body, Soul Chiropractic, Dr. Allen believes that the mind, body, and soul are very interconnected. If there is an imbalance in any one of the three, it will affect the others and cause a lack in your performance. For this reason, they look at you as a whole person and not as a bunch of symptoms to fix. Dr. Allen has two locations and is waiting to help unlock your body’s healing potential with their expert chiropractic care using neurology based techniques to find your peak performance.

Suffering from Depression, Anxiety, or OCD?

Our TMS machine can help you get your life back

• NOT medicine

• NOT shock therapy

• NOT invasive

• IS safe and effective

• IS COVERED by most insurance

We also ManagementMedicationofferservices with little to no wait time to be seen.

A Thanksgiving meal with loved ones and friends. (Photo courtesy of Scott Harding)

NeuroHealth

Whilemental health issues for men have often been underestimated or overlooked in the past, growing awareness is creating space for men to set aside generational stigmas and reach out for help. Initiatives like Movember hope to break down barriers that leave men feeling isolated or reluctant to express their emotions.

Starting in 2003, the Movember campaign encouraged men to grow a mustache or beard during November to challenge them to speak up about men’s physical and mental health issues.

High rates of depression, substance abuse, suicide and suicidal ideation in men underscore the need for a societal shift to support men’s mental health with empathy and understanding. As more athletes and celebrities open up about their own mental health challenges, the conversation potentially allows men to reach out for help.

“The more we talk about it, the less taboo the topic becomes and the easier it becomes to get help,” said NeuroHealth Manager Jason Corbridge. “We need to be present, we need to be available and we need to make men feel valued and respected.”

NeuroHealth is situated to help men navigate their mental health, offering transcranial magnetic stimulation and ketamine therapy.

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

Corbridge said these methods have had profound effects on his clientele, offering a potential lifeline for those struggling with treatment-resistant depressive disorders.

Men with underlying mental health conditions often have symptoms that include the lack of desire to engage with friends and family, low energy, lack of enjoyment, violent behavior, feeling closed off, sleep issues, anger, substance misuse, trouble concentrating, risky behavior and a loss of sex drive.

“We see many patients who have suffered from PTSD in the past, or who are going through a difficult time, and we have had awesome success in alleviating those heavy and dark moods,” Corbridge said. “More than 80% of patients who go through our treatments say their depression has decreased and they feel better and 63% of those who go through our treatments say their depression is just gone. The results speak for themselves, with virtually no side effects like you would typically get from medications.”

Corbridge said TMS is an FDA-approved treatment that is easy and effective and usually covered by health insurance. It’s a non-invasive procedure using magnetic pulses to improve nerve cells in the brain. A TMS study performed in 2022 showed individuals who received TMS treatment had significant-

ly lower levels of suicidal ideation compared to the control group.

NeuroHealth is located at 10437 S. Temple Drive in South Jordan and Corbridge said the clinic is dedicated to creating higher levels of mental health for men. Along with TMS treatment, NeuroHealth also administers ketamine therapy in a controlled setting. Considered an emerging treatment for depression,

ketamine is a potential lifesaver for those facing treatment-resistant depression.

For more information, visit NeuroHealthUtah.com.

“When it comes to men’s mental health, we need to talk about it,” Corbridge said. “Speak up when you are struggling and don’t try to handle this alone.”l

NeuroHealth brings attention to the stigmas and possibilities for men’s mental health issues and treatment during November. Stock photo

Preparing Thanksgiving dinner never gets easier. I always start with lofty culinary goals based on recipes from “The Pioneer Woman” that include truffles and capers but end up scraping scorched gravy into a dish and hoping the turkey won’t give anyone food poisoning.

Because of my poor cooking skills, I’m always looking for Thanksgiving hacks to make meal preparation more sunshine and less hurricane. I thought I’d share some tips I found to survive the food frenzy that is Thanksgiving.

Ask for help. Stop being a martyr. Don’t complain about having to do everything and then refuse any help. Give out assignments and not like “Can you bring one can of olives?” or “I need someone to pick up some napkins.” No. Ask someone to bring mashed potatoes or all the desserts or even the turkey. You don’t get a blue ribbon for Thanksgiving suffering.

Don’t make foods no one eats. Stop wasting time preparing “traditional” foods, even if it’s a recipe handed down from your quadruple-great grandmother. Especially if it’s handed down from your quadruple-great grandmother because there weren’t a lot of food options in the 1800s besides lima beans and fried hominy.

Use a mandoline to slice vegetables.

Hacking Thanksgiving

Peri Kinder Life and Laughter

Not to be confused with a stringed instrument from the 19th century, the mandoline slices onions, celery and carrots quickly and easily. The guest who finds the tip of my index finger in the stuffing wins a prize!

Make only one batch of dinner rolls. Homemade rolls are always a hit but now you can use them as leverage. Your grandson wants a second, hot-buttered roll? He’d better start washing dishes. Bonus hack: Purchase pre-made bakery rolls. You won’t get docked Thanksgiving points. I promise.

Thaw the turkey in water. Not only will this leave you with a bucket full of disgusting waste water but then you can spill it all over the kitchen floor on Thanksgiving morning. Maybe don’t even cook a turkey. There are no Thanksgiving laws. Have chicken wings or spaghetti bolognese.

Spatchcock the turkey. If you insist

on roasted turkey, watch a three-hour video explaining how to spatchcock the bird, which involves removing the turkey’s backbone so it lies flat and cooks quickly. (Sidenote: Who spatchcocked Utah’s governor and legislators?)

One tip said, “Use tongs to stem kale” and none of those words make sense together.

Use a Thermos to keep gravy warm. Gravy is notoriously dreadful when served cold. Trust me, I know. Grab your sisterin-law’s gallon-sized Stanley cup to ensure there’s hot gravy for the mashed potatoes.

Use pre-made pie shells. People think pies need to be made from scratch to get that flakey, buttery crust. Baloney. Unless you’re a professional pie baker, do yourself a favor and buy frozen pie crusts. Right now. Even better, get delicious pies from the grocery store.

Celebrate Thanksgiving dinner on Friday. There’s nothing worse than working three days and trying to fit in Thanksgiving preparation. On Friday, it can be a celebratory meal after everyone’s done shopping online.

Create a fun playlist. Before Uncle Jim can cue up the Jan. 6 prisoners’ chorus singing “The Star-Spangled Banner,” have a variety of tunes ready to go. Include ev-

erything from Bach to ZZ Top, to equally irritate every family member.

Give yourself a break. I’ve overcooked turkey, burned gravy, made inedible broccoli-cornbread stuffing, forgot the cranberry sauce, dropped a pumpkin pie and used Tupperware lids when I ran out of dinner plates. No one cares. If you’re being judged for the way Thanksgiving dinner turns out, it’s time to find a new family.

it yourself?

BACK PAIN STOPS HERE

“I would recommend the LaZR-DCoM program to anyone who has back and leg pain like I had.”

“I spent last year in so many doctor offices for severe back and leg pain. I was on all kinds of meds, but nothing “fixed” the problem... I drove 3 hours to do my LaZR-DCoM treatment and it was worth every minute… I finally feel so much better.”