Holladay Journal | June 2024

Historicalpreservation of city sites within Holladay has been a war for far longer than Kim Duffy expected.

“At this pace, we won’t have any left,” Duffy said.

Duffy is the vice chair of Holladay’s Historical Commission. She said five homes originally belonging to Holladay City founders have been torn down in the last four years following significant efforts to save them. The Brinton home was torn down in February as the latest casualty.

In response to proposed amendments that would alter the city’s preservation ordinance were brought up by the Holladay City Council in April, members of the Historical Commission used the opportunity to give their input.

The current ordinance, and now its proposed amendments, has received scrutiny not only from the city’s historical commission but by the larger organization Preservation Utah, which called it a “dormant” ordinance that hasn’t done enough to save historic sites in the area. The controversy surrounding the ordinance has been years in the making.

A controversial ordinance

Even before the proposed amendments, Holladay’s historical preservation ordinance had received scrutiny from Preservation Utah, which was the first statewide historic preservation organization in the western United States.

The statewide organization posted a picture of a local historic site with the caption, “Holladay currently has a preservation ordinance, but it went dormant many years ago. We hope that this listing will help motivate Holladay City to adopt a working preservation ordinance.”

David Amott, former president of Preservation Utah and previous Holladay resident, said the current ordinance and its amendments aren’t sufficient to protect homes and pale in comparison to other more active preservation ordinances in the state.

Amott lived in Holladay and included his grandparent’s home on the national historic registry, but failed to add it to the city registry. He applied to put it on the city’s historic registry when invited by city staff and waited half a year. But, after several more attempts, he gave up.

What are the amendments to Holladay’s preservation ordinance?

The proposed amendments designate the city council as the “Land Use Authority” and allows them

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"It started out as a normal outing. My wife and I had to run to the grocery store. We were driving down the road, casually going over our shopping list, when the car ahead of me started to slow down anticipating the yellow light. I started to move my foot from the gas to the brake as any normal person would do when they see brake lights in front of them but I couldn't. I couldn't feel my foot. The car kept moving forward and I just couldn't get my foot on the brake. And CRUNCH! I finally came to a stop when I hit the car in front of me."

This tragic story was shared with us by Bob S., a Salt Lake resident who has peripheral neuropathy. And while no one was hurt in this accident, Bob had suffered almost everyday of his life with tingling and burning in his feet until numbness set in and he could no longer feel even the brake pedal beneath his foot.

“The first stage is pain,” shares Dr. Stephanie Scott of Salt Lake Acupuncture Clinic. “You feel burning, tingling, sharp pains; or you feel like you’re walking on tacks or marbles. This pain eventually subsides and the numbness sets in. Unfortunately the numbness brings with it a whole host of problems.”

This was the case with Bob. "I said I wasn't going to drive again. What if that had been a pedestrian?"

It is terribly common that peripheral neuropathy and its debilitating symptoms interfere with a person's ability to live their life. Bob was now reliant on his wife to drive him around, even the simple pleasure of cruising down Highland Drive or taking her out to dinner was outside his capabilities. And even more common, Bob's general practitioner and several specialists told him there was nothing they could do other than prescribe him pills that would ease the pain of his neuropathy.

That's where Dr. Scott and her staff at Salt Lake Acupuncture Clinic come in. "About 75% of our current patients come to us suffering from the same condition as Bob," tells Dr. Scott.

"They're in constant pain from neuropathy, and it prevents them from not only living their lives but more importantly, it prevents them from enjoying it. Depending on the severity of their nerve damage, we typically see tremendous progress in 3-4 months of treatment. I like to say we're in the business of making your golden years golden."

"I can't lie," confides Bob. "I was skeptical at first. The folks at the U told me there was nothing that could be done and then there's a doctor right here in Sandy who tells me she can help. Turns out she was right! About three months after treatment I was able to confidently drive myself to my appointments! My wife and I celebrated by buying ourselves a new car! It's hard to put into words how incredible this is, quite frankly [Dr. Scott] gave me my life back."

While Salt Lake Acupuncture Clinic specializes in acupuncture and it's definitely part of their protocols in treating neuropathy, the real secret is in a more modern medical solution called ATP Resonance BioTherapy™. "This technology was originally developed by NASA to expedite healing and recovery" shares Ariel, a Patient Care Coordinator at the clinic. "It's like watering a plant. ATP Resonance BioTherapy™ stimulates the blood vessels to grow back around the peripheral nerve and provide them the proper nutrients to heal and repair."

You can learn more about Dr. Scott and Salt Lake Acupuncture Clinic by visiting SLCacu.com. If you're ready to schedule a consultation, call 801-477-7966 and do so quickly. Salt Lake Acupuncture Clinic is a very intimate clinic, and the staff takes pride in their ability to take their time with each patient, so they are very limited in their ability to take on new patients.

What to know about visiting the E.R.

By Dr. Alex Drake

At CommonSpirit Health, our vision is a healthier future for all – inspired by faith, driven by innovation, and powered by our humanity. This extends to all the care we provide our patients, whether it be in our doctor’s offices, our clinics, or our hospitals.

We want your visit to our care sites to be as comfortable as possible, and we know that visiting the Emergency Department (ER) is difficult for any patient and their loved ones. I would like to share some information about what to expect in the ER, so that you can be as prepared as possible.

Our emergency caregivers are here for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year to serve our community. We accept all patients – regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. A typical visit to the ER can take two-to-three hours, but please know that in the ER we must evaluate and treat our patients based on severity of their condition. This might mean longer wait times in the lobby or even after being placed in an exam room. However, this also means that if you’re having a life-threatening emergency, you will have the undivided attention of our doctors and nurses.

If you have mild-to-moderate symptoms – such as fever below 103 degrees without a rash, flu-like symptoms without shortness of breath, or sprains and strains – you may wish to consider calling your primary care provider or visiting an urgent care center, as these options may be faster and are often less expensive.

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All emergency physicians at CommonSpirit Holy Cross Hospitals are board certified in Emergency Medicine and have trained for many years to help you in your emergency. The doctors also have specially trained midlevel providers who can also help. Your provider may order tests like X-rays, CT Scans, Ultrasounds, bloodwork, urinalysis, an electrocardiogram (EKG), or others, depending on your health problem.

After receiving test results, the doctor will discuss the findings and diagnosis with you. If needed, they will advise admission to the hospital. If your condition does not need admission, they will give you written instructions about treatment to be followed at home. This may include prescriptions, tips for home care, and any referrals needed for following up with either a primary care or specialized doctor.

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to designate or discharge properties as historic in the city without public notice. Additionally, the amendments outline new requirements for a property to be considered historic and the restrictions on remodeling historic buildings.

Before being brought to the council, as is normal within the city process, the city’s Planning Commission reviewed the amendments. During that public meeting, Historical Commission members, including Duffy, expressed their concerns about having a more active role in working to preserve historic buildings and sites in the city.

While the Planning Commission approved the proposed amendments, they also included a specific recommendation to have the Historical Commission play a more active advisory role on future decisions regarding historic sites in response to the Historical Commission’s pleas.

The same point was brought to the City Council as they were presented to vote on the amendments with the recommendation from the Planning Commission. In response, the council considered an additional stipulation that would require notice to the commission about key decisions regarding historic sites, but has not included it officially into the amendments yet.

The Historical Commission is concerned the council won’t move forward with the stipulation to include them and historical sites will continue to be torn down without anyone advocating for their preservation.

The council is still deliberating the proposed amendments and has not set a date to vote on it.

What is the role of the Historical Commission?

Ty Brewer, Holladay councilmember and liaison to the Historical Commission, said Holladay’s code specifically states that the commission’s role within the city is an advisory capacity, limited to mostly researching the city’s history, preserving photos and other media, and educating the public.

Brewer said the roles’ boundaries were “healthy and good,” and that he supported the previous decision made by the council in 2017 that outlined the current historical commission’s role.

The motivating force behind the amendments to the original ordinance, Brewer said, is to make sure it respects residents’ property rights while incentivizing preservation within the city.

But, according to vice chair of the historical commission Kim Duffy, the commission was never “invited” to give advice or input on historical properties or given specific notice on the proposed amendment to the preservation ordinance. In short, she felt they weren’t even being used by the city as an advisory entity.

The purported lack of notice goes beyond the ordinance amendments. Historical Commission Chair Sandy Meadows said commission members weren’t even notified when potential historical sites were in danger of demolition.

“We just want the opportunity to go to the owner and say, ‘What can we do to preserve this building?’” Meadows said.

Duffy’s and other concerned residents’ comments during a city council meeting held on April 25, inspired further conversation in the council’s work meeting.

A concern raised by officials is the Historical Commission is a group of volunteers, not elected officials, which shouldn’t be mandated to participate in official decisions such as rezoning or granting of construction permits.

“Clearly she feels like they were excluded from the process. I think we can fix that by including, but I don't necessarily want to do that by ordinance and mandated by ordinance,” said Councilmember Paul Fotheringham during the meeting in April. “This is a volunteer committee. How do you mandate participation of people in a volunteer organization?”

Councilmember Emily Gray spoke of

her interest in involving the commission more when it comes to historic sites because she herself is not a historian.

“It does sound like there's a skill set that would be great to take advantage of this process. And so I would be interested in learning where to get that to work more seamlessly as an advisory capacity,” Gray said. “I think I would want that advice.”

Even if the council were to mandate the inclusion of the Historical Commission in the process, the council raised concerns about future volunteers in the group being “robust” enough in knowledge of the city’s history to be helpful.

Amott said perhaps the council’s concerns about resident-staffed committees being “too active” or “too activist perhaps is a better word” is valid, but regardless the council is not using the knowledge of the historical commission in the way the city originally intended and the city’s history is suffering the consequences as new construction and growth threatens to tear down more historic sites.

Is there room for historical preservation in a growing state?

Even among an industrious and quickly growing state, there is value in maintaining the “textured, interesting, real history” of Utah and its cities, Amott said.

“Why this matters for Holladay—why

this matters for the rest of Utah—is because of this rich architectural legacy which continues to be denigrated by redevelopment,” he said. “Developers are very, very, very well taken care of here in Utah and occasionally, it would just be nice for preservation to be given a bone.”

While Councilmember Brewer noted that historic preservation is important within the city, he describes himself as a “advocate for property rights” and said the amendments to the ordinance respects the need for preservation while still ensuring people’s rights as property owners.

“There’s a balance that has to be struck there,” Brewer said, referring to historical preservation and property rights.

Amott agreed, but added that cities need “to stop fearing historic preservation.”

“There can exist historic preservation and property rights within the same ordinance…and we don't even have to get creative. Just look at other examples,” Amott said, noting that Provo City has an exemplary historical preservation ordinance.

May was National Historic Preservation Month with the commission and the Holladay Arts Council hosting two events regarding Holladay’s historic buildings. l

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The Brinton home was torn down in February. (File photo City Journals

Holladay artist’s global exposure shapes worldview through the lens of a camera

By Collette Hayes | c.hayes@mycityjournals.com

From photographing regal lions in Kenya to gentle elephants near Kruger National Park in South Africa, Skyline High School student Laszlo Otis-Pasternak captures wildlife moments through the lens of his camera, each frame encapsulating the beauty and vulnerability of the natural world.

“I believe my photos can play a part in raising awareness of nature’s challenges,” Otis-Pasternak said. “The thought that my photography could contribute to wildlife conservation in some way is an awesome feeling.”

Recognized for his captivating wildlife photography, Otis-Pasternak has been selected by the Holladay Arts Council as the June 2024 Artist of the Month, an acknowledgment of his talent and artistic creativity in photography.

Originally from Florida, Otis-Pasternak's photography journey was uniquely shaped by his upbringing. His parents' international careers, his father as an international school superintendent, and his mother in global economic development, led the family to live on five continents. This diverse upbringing not only shaped his worldview but also offered him opportunities to capture the beauty of wildlife in photos across countries such as South Korea, Ghana, Bolivia, Germany, and various parts of the United States, a journey that continues to captivate and intrigue him.

“When traveling, I always have taken wildlife photos,” Otis-Pasternak said. “I became serious about photography when I was in Kenya in 2022. That’s the first time I began experimenting with photography as an art form.”

Otis-Pasternak has been interested in nature and conservation efforts for many years. In the summer of 2023, he had the opportunity to complete an eight-week internship in South Africa at a volunteer camp outside of Kruger National Park. During the week, he worked on conservation projects, such as removing invasive plants, rusty barbed wire and snare traps. Two days a week, he went on safari to study the artistic craft of photography.

“When I was 16, I attended a volunteer camp in South Africa,” Otis-Pasternak said. “While on safari, I learned to shoot wildlife photography with my camera in hand and three different lenses. The most rewarding part of photography is the experience of seeing those animals in the wild and capturing the moment. I’ll take the photo and then put my camera down and sit for a few minutes, appreciating the fact that I’m there with these huge elephants walking right next to the car— open roof, open windows. Experiences like this are the most enjoyable part of photography for me.”

National Geographic photographer Paul Nicklen, known for his conservation photography, inspires Otis-Pasternak to follow and faithfully adhere to Nicklen’s 20/60/20 pho-

Recognized for his captivating wildlife photography, Laszlo Otis-Pasternak has been selected by the Holladay Arts Council as the June 2024 Artist of the Month, a recognition of his talent and artistic creativity in photography. (Photo credit Laszlo Otis-Pasternak)

tography rule when shooting photos: spend the first 20% of your time getting the safe shots, spend the next 60% pushing yourself to take shots that stretch your technique, and the last 20% trying for that “once-in-a-lifetime” shot.

“I follow a lot of photographers and videographers on Instagram,” Otis-Pasternak said. “I study their styles, and occasionally, I reach out to them. They respond with helpful tips and opportunities they think will be of benefit.”

Looking toward the future, recently, Otis-Pasternak returned from a college tour trip back East.

“After graduation, I plan to attend college,” Otis-Pasternak said. “I particularly enjoyed touring Columbia University this spring. As a student at Columbia, I could customize my major, which would include psychology and photography. Recently, another opportunity presented itself: to attend a volunteer camp in South Africa as a photography assistant. It is tempting to defer registering for college classes for a year to return to South Africa and be paid for doing what I love.”

Utah’s wildlife and diverse landscape inspire Otis-Pasternak’s photo shoots, which primarily take place the first hour after sunrise and the last hour before sunset. To photographers, this time of day is known as the golden hour—a time to capture stunning photos.

“My favorite time of day to photograph is during the golden hour because the light is less harsh right after sunrise and right before sunset. This is because the sun’s rays have farther to travel when they are low on the horizon, providing a soft, diffused light,” Otis-Pasternak said.

Laszlo Otis-Pasternak enjoys capturing wildlife moments through the lens of his camera. (Photo credit Laszlo Otis-Pasternak)

Otis-Pasternak’s debut photography exhibit will be on display at Holladay City Hall through June.

If you would like more information about Laszlo Otis-Pasternak photography, visit: www.flickr.com/photos/195610389@ N02/albums/

To nominate a Holladay resident for Artist of the Month, visit www.holladayarts.org/ suggest-an-artist.l

“When I was 16, I attended a volunteer camp in South Africa,” Laszlo Otis-Pasternak said. “While on safari, with my camera in hand and three different lenses, I learned to shoot wildlife photography.” (Photo credit Laszlo Otis-Pasternak)

“When traveling, I always have taken wildlife photos,” Laszlo Otis-Pasternak said. “I became serious about photography when I was in Kenya in 2022. That’s the first time I began experimenting with photography as an art form.” (Photo credit Laszlo Otis-Pasternak)

May Preservation Month captures the essence of Holladay’s historic buildings

By Collette Hayes | c.hayes@mycityjournals.com

For historians, artists and community members passionate about art and history, the historic Holladay City Hall auditorium was a fitting backdrop for two engaging events during Holladay Preservation Month. The Kathy Murphy Historic Holladay Invitational, a showcase of plein air art capturing the essence of Holladay's historic buildings, and the Holladay Historical Commission Guest Lecture Series, titled "The Grand Estates of Holladay," delved into the rich history, opulent estates, and foundational businesses that have shaped the heritage of the Holladay community.

“Several months ago, Kathy Murphy and I envisioned sending local plein air artists out into the city of Holladay to create paintings of Holladay’s historic homes,” Historical Commission member Kim Duffy said. “Sadly, Kathy passed away before this idea came to fruition. The Arts and Culture Director Megan Attermann and past Holladay Arts Council member Beckie Rock and I met and decided to go forward with the project in honor of Kathy.”

The event was evidence of the strong partnership and shared vision between the Holladay Arts Council and the Holladay Historical Commission. Together, they brought to life the work of a diverse group of plein air artists across the Salt Lake Valley. The artists' talent and collective dedication to preserving the structures' historical significance were showcased during a memorable gallery exhibition that evening.

“Seeing the Historical Commission and the Arts Council collaborate was a thrill,” Attermann said. “Both groups contributed in an irreplaceable way to making the night a beautiful experience for our community. The City owes so much to our faithful volunteers. We are lucky to have such engaged people with such a burning desire to positively contribute to our community.”

Fourteen dedicated artists set up their easels and snapped open their paintboxes in various locations across Holladay throughout April. Their mission was clear: to capture the essence of the town’s historic buildings on canvas, preserving their beauty for future generations.

The evening began with a vocal performance by Anna Roelofs with accompanist Jean Lobrot. Roelofs is a senior at the University of Utah studying vocal performance and has received many vocal performance awards.

Thirty-five pieces were displayed during the Kathy Murphy Historic Holladay Invitational event, including previously completed works of historic homes by five additional artists.

Plein air and Impressionist painter

Anne Marie Osborn, known for her portraits of 240 fallen soldiers, completed paintings of the Harold Burton home and Burton Lumber in the heart of Holladay.

According to Historical Commission Director Sandy Meadows, Burton Lumber has been in operation since 1911 and is now in its fifth generation. It started on State Street, using a wagon and horse that initially belonged to the Salt Lake Fire Department. Burton acquired the Holladay

in Holladay was founded in 1975.

Artist Joan Ellsworth is a native Utahn. Her current portfolio consists of landscapes and still-life objects in oil. She completed two paintings in oil of the Cottages at Knudsen’s Corner, known as the “Honeymoon House.” The cottages were built in 1882 and are located next to The Cotton Bottom, 2820 E. 6200 South.

According to former Salt Lake Tribune journalist Jack Goodman, the larger building is a 552-square-foot cottage made originally from adobe and later clad in wood siding. Rasmus Christian Knudsen gave the house to his son Frederic and his wife Mary Cahoon as a wedding present, affectionately referring to it as the “Honeymoon Cottage.”

Former Director of Preservation Utah David Amott took the stage following the gallery event to present a historical lecture on feature properties belonging to the Walker, Bamberger and Dreyfous families. The families built palatial villas for pleasure and entertainment, rustic versions of what existed along South Temple. These beautiful Holladay villas were known for their pools, piazzas and unique architecture.

According to Amott, many chose Holladay as a place to vacation due to the tradition the Walker family had started. The Walker’s grand villa, Glenwood, was built in Holladay in 1895. Another reason for selecting Holladay to construct a villa was the location next to the mountains, rivers, streams and the natural canopy of trees that made life pleasant in an age when air conditioning did not exist.

Jacob and Bertha Bamberger built a beautiful Spanish Revival-style home in Holladay, known for its simulated fox hunts and for holding the most extravagant parties.

Jules Dreyfous, a conservationist and owner of the Salt Lake City department store, The Paris, built a Creole plantation-style home known as Happiness Farm. The Dreyfous family held a lavish party for all Paris employees every year.

yard from Olympus Lumber and Hardware in 1966.

Oil and acrylic artist Steve Stauffer, whose work appears in five galleries nationwide, completed six paintings, including an oil on linen of Leslie’s Bakery.

Alex and Betty Leslie immigrated to the U.S. from Scotland in 1948. The couple worked for Clawson Bakery in Salt Lake City for 25 years. Leslie’s son Bill and their daughter-in-law Kim decided to open their bakery. Leslie’s French Pastries

“The Kathy Murphy Historic Holladay Exhibit, along with the Speaker Series lecture with David Amott, was a beautiful tribute to one of the City's great volunteers,” Attermann said. “Kathy Murphy left us too soon, but her wonderful idea was very much alive that night. The music, art, lecture—all of it was a beautiful representation of this true Renaissance woman.”

To find a home, building, business or structure to tour historic Holladay, visit www.historicholladay.my.canva.site/ or visit the QR code on the signs in front of historic structures posted throughout Holladay City. l

Plein air and Impressionist painter Anne Marie Osborn, known for her portraits of 240 fallen soldiers, completed paintings of the Harold Burton home and Burton Lumber in the heart of Holladay. (Collette Hayes/City Journals)

Oil and acrylic artist Steve Stauffer, whose work appears in five galleries nationwide, completed six paintings, including an oil on linen of Leslie’s Bakery. (Collette Hayes/City Journals)

Inside look into unified basketball: Athletes say it’s more than a game

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

They want to be like Mike—dishing, swishing, jamming.

“I want to slam dunk like Michael Jordan,” said Bingham High sophomore Josh McDonald as he was playing in a regional basketball tournament.

Hillcrest High senior Dax Bowen also likes Jordan’s moves as does Corner Canyon High senior Jadon Medina.

The student-athletes all play for their unified high school basketball teams.

In unified coed basketball, there are five players on the court—three athletes and two partners. Teams play against other squads of the same ability in two eight-minute halves. Supported by Special Olympics and the Utah High School Activities Association, unified sports has both a competitive and a player development level, the latter which provides more of a cooperative environment with partners being teammates and mentors.

In the weeks leading up to the state championships, many of the unified basketball players took to the court, practicing skills they learned growing up and playing in regional tournaments.

Murray High started practicing once per week starting a couple months before the state contest. They also did a skills assessment to determine the ability of the players and then divide themselves into two teams.

“We practice shooting and making baskets,” said Murray High junior Parker May, who has a brother who taught him to “dribble, shoot and have my arms up on defense.”

Cottonwood High junior Alizia Sherard said, “We have a lot of practices where we dribble, we try to get the ball from the other team, and we make the shots.”

She learned to play from her dad and continues to play him in the family driveway.

Copper Hills High junior Corbin Roesbery also grew up playing basketball in his driveway. He started at age 12.

Alta High freshman James Miles learned how to play from his dad when he was 4 years old.

“We still play, but now, I’m practicing and playing with my friends and peer tutors in class,” he said.

Hillcrest’s Bowen also learned to play from his dad in a church gym.

“We would shoot around. On this team, we all count on each other,” he said.

Brighton High sophomore Tru Fiessinger said during their practices, they work on dribbling, defense and shooting.

“It comes easy, but to be good, I have to work hard,” Fiessinger said.

For others, basketball was a new sport they learned with their classmates to be able to exercise and be part of their high school unified team.

Jordan High junior Kaitlyn Uzcaga, who learned to play as a freshman, said her team practiced defense.

“We have practiced our blocking; we’re wanting to move a lot more on the floor,” she said.

Mountain Ridge sophomore Ash Perez said his team also has been practicing.

“Coach (Brock) Whitney, our PE teacher, taught me how to play; I love it,” Perez said.

This year’s unified high school basketball championship was the state’s largest as 80 teams from across the state converged on the University of Utah’s Huntsman Center and HPER courts to not just determine the winners in the divisions, but to have a chance to display skills

Olympus

High’s coed unified basketball team, seen here playing at the state tournament, forges friendships through learning teamwork and demonstrating sportsmanship. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

learned and to forge friendships on the court.

It was kicked off by the Special Olympics’ athlete oath and a welcome from Gov. Spencer Cox and First Lady Abby Cox, who then helped with a dunk team doing a trick.

Much like other athletes, these Special Olympians wanted to do their best—and win.

Sophomore Saiah Lono said Herriman High’s team has a routine as they prepare for a game.

“I’m the hype man,” the point guard said. “We do a little dance to warm up and we dance to celebrate.”

Cottonwood’s Sherard said she’s always wanted to play at the U.

“I want to be No. 1 here. I like winning,” she said.

West Jordan sophomore Robert West said they practiced to play their best, “but I’m excited to win.”

Alta’s Miles is self-proclaimed “overly competitive. I like to win.”

Teams prepared their strategies.

Bingham’s McDonald loves to play defense.

“We need to stop the other team from scoring. I have to make sure they don’t steal the ball from me, but I love to steal the ball myself,” he said.

Skyline High freshman Andrew Bouck said quick decisions are key.

“Whenever someone passes to me, I will get rid of the ball by shooting it,” he said. “If I don’t have a good look, I’ll pass it.”

Hunter High senior Angelly Velasquez sized up the competition.

“They’re lots of tall teams here,” she said. “We’re hoping we’re fast enough to go around them.”

Jordan’s Uzcaga said they started off playing well.

“We’re doing good and having fun. We’re being brave and trying our hardest,” she said.

Copper Hills’ Corbin said his team works together and helps one another to learn.

“We tell each other to never give up, to listen to our team, to listen to our coach and to have fun,” he said.

The last part, having fun together on and off the court is key, the athletes say.

Herriman’s Lono said they “hang out and have lunch together. We have dance parties.”

West Jordan’s West likes being with friends, seeing movies, playing basketball and listening to music, “mostly Taylor Swift.”

Similarly, Olympus High senior Bailee O’Conner says her favorite friends are on her team.

“We go to birthday parties, see movies at a movie theater and go to school dances together,” she said. “It makes me happy.”

Corner Canyon’s Medina knows he’s part of the Chargers’ student body.

“I like being a part of a team where I belong. I’m a part of it and a part of my school,” he said.

Skyline’s Bouck adds, “It’s fun to play here with my friends and have my family and friends cheering.”

Hunter’s Velasquez says she gives her teammates high-fives and cheers for other players when she isn’t on the court.

“We cheer for the other team, especially when they make a basket; it’s fun that everyone can be a winner that way,” she said.

She and other teammates have been part of other unified sports teams; many of the athletes compete in unified soccer. At Hunter, they also perform in their school’s unified musicals.

Murray’s May swims on his school’s unified swim team.

“I like to go fast and win races and be cheered on. I cheer on others too,” he said.

Copper Hills’ Roesbery placed in the top 10 in the 60 meters at the state track meet last year.

“The best thing on any team is teamwork. It’s good to listen and work together,” he said.

Riverton High seniors Travis Willis and Jason Johnson are the boys’ basketball team managers.

“We hand out towels and we go on the court to wipe the wet spots. If they’re sweaty, we pass the towels,” Johnson said. “We’ve made friends where we hang out, play basketball, listen to music.”

Willis said at unified sporting events, he gets to see middle school friends who go to other high schools.

Hillcrest’s Bowen said his team has gone through a coaching change and several of his teammates graduated last year.

“I’ve made more friends and since I’ve played on the team for a while, I know I need to help them and be one of the leaders on the team,” he said. “State is really big. It’s the main event. But our team is what’s most important.”

Mountain Ridge’s Perez agrees.

“I like helping my team and we love each other,” Perez said. “Unified basketball gives me friends and a good work out so getting a good sweat is worth it.” l

AsMorningside debate team wins big at state competition

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

Lynda Davis geared up for retirement at the end of the school year, she took 12 members of her fifth-grade debate team from Morningside Elementary (4170 S. 3000 East) to compete at the Utah State Debate. Students had spent the year learning how to debate, form an argument and speak in public.

With an impressive showing, her 12 students each placed in the event. It was one of the best send-offs Davis could have received.

“That was amazing, actually, really exciting, because that normally doesn’t happen,” Davis said. “I don't think I’ll ever have a job that is more meaningful and impactful.”

Fifth graders Ellie Sierer, Charlotte Demogines, Sam Spendlove, Ira Wilson, Anjana Penmesta, Mara Jurynec, Charlotte Sierer, Rain Wang, Anagha Karthik, Cissy Xie, Garrett Bouck and Drake Thueson each placed in the Utah State Debate. The topic focused on whether the benefits of social media outweigh the harm.

Arguing the affirmative, in the public forum debate, Ellie and Charlotte took first place with Sam and Ira finishing in third and Anjana and Mara taking 10th. Debating the negative, Charlotte and Rain finished in third place.

In the Original Oratory category, Anagha

finished third and Informative Speaking competitors Cissy, Garrett and Drake took third, fourth and fifth, respectively.

“Debate teaches kids to think, to analyze, to make inferences, to research, to look at things and pull out the strengths or weaknesses of both sides,” Davis said. “So I think it really helps to become a better problem solver and better communicator and stand up in front of people to speak. So public speaking is important. It gives a lot of confidence to a lot of kids.”

Davis has been teaching for more than 30 years with 23 years at Morningside. She enjoys teaching debate, speech writing, critical thinking, analytic argument and memorization because she feels those skills can be taken into any aspect of her students’ chosen professions.

Ira’s grandmother, Holladay Councilmember Drew Quinn, attended the state debate competition and was impressed by the students, their preparation and the skills they learned.

“The debate program teaches kids many things, such as public speaking and how to organize their thoughts and frame an argument,” Quinn said. “Most importantly, it helps children consider more than one side of an issue and appreciate another’s point of view.”

Fifth-grade students in Lynda Davis’s class at Morningside Elementary competed

bate. All 12 students placed in the top 10 in their category. (Photo

Davis came to Morningside more than 20 years ago to start the Accelerated Learning Center (formerly known as the magnet program for gifted and talented students.). She said it will be hard to leave the program since she was one of the founders.

As Davis ends her teaching career to en-

TheWesleyBellRingers.com

Contact email: TWBR@christumcutah.org

Instagram: @the_wesley_bell_ringers

Facebook: The Wesley Bell Ringers

YouTube: @thewesleybellringers

Since 1963, The Wesley Bell Ringers has provided a unique opportunity for youth in the community to learn and perfect the art of handbell ringing. As the oldest and longest-running handbell program in the state of Utah, more than 500 teens have performed with the group over the years.

Hosted by Christ United Methodist Church in Salt Lake City, the handbell musicians play 6 octaves of bells, 6 octaves of hand chimes, two octaves of cup bells, two octaves of silver melody bells, a 25-note set of Belleplates, a carillon and a boom-a-gong.. They’ve performed with The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Kurt Bestor, and have joined The Piano Guys on one of their Christmas albums.

Director Katie Lay said The Wesley Bell Ringers perform concerts throughout northern Utah, at both public and private events. In the summer, they go on a two-week concert tour to a di erent area of the United States, putting on free performances. Youth in the choir raise the money to a ord these tours and purchase equipment, teaching them the direct link between their hard work and a reward.

Tell us more about you, Katie.

I have been the director of The Wesley Bell Ringers for the last 10 years, and have been employed in the music department at Christ United Methodist Church for almost 20 years. I hold a bachelor’s degree in arts administration from Westminster College.

What sets your organization apart?

We are a non-audition group, meaning we will teach any youth how to read music and play handbells. We are the only youth choir in the nation who performs and travels so extensively. Our concerts provide audiences with the opportunity to hear beautiful music, and to see youth from di erent backgrounds working together to reach a common goal. We spend time learning music, having fun, and becoming lifelong friends. We create a place for all youth to feel accepted.

the

joy retirement, she hopes to find work as a travel guide and have the opportunity to explore the world. But she said teaching will always be her first love.

“I will miss the classroom and I will miss these kids,” she said. “I love these kids more than anything.” l

What is your best advice for someone considering joining your group or hosting a performance?

Simply to reach out. If we can perform for you or encourage a youth to join, we will! The opportunities provided to youth in The Wesley Bell Ringers are unlike anything they can nd elsewhere. Not the right age? Christ United Methodist Church has handbell opportunities for kids as young as 4th grade, and adults of all ages! Come join us!

Who is your ideal performer?

Ideal ringers are youth from ninth grade through freshmen in college. We want people who bring good attitudes and are willing to learn and work hard. All denominations are welcome. Ideal concert hosts and audiences are anyone who appreciates good music.

Are you currently hosting any upcoming events?

Our summer tour runs from June 8-23. We will perform in Nevada, California, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Washington and Utah. All concerts are free and open to the public. Concert information can be found on our website TheWesleyBellRingers.com.

We are also hosting a social for potential new ringers on August 25. Details on this opportunity will be posted on our website and in the City Journals.

in

Utah State De-

courtesy of Drew Quinn)

Holladay eases firework restrictions

By Travis Barton | travis.b@thecityjournals.com

Since 2021, when the state faced extreme enough drought conditions the governor declared a state emergency, increased restrictions were placed on personal fireworks.

In 2024, Holladay is rolling some of them back.

The City Council approved in a 5-1 vote to revert to the firework restriction map prior to 2021, citing the reduced risk from two healthy water years.

“I couldn’t, in my personal conscience, not go back to where we were two years ago,” Councilmember Ty Brewer said prior to the vote in late April.

The most notable change will be 1300 East. In the last few years, personal fireworks east of 1300 East were prohibited. The Unified Fire website has an interactive map that can tell you whether your area is restricted or not (unifiedfire.org/prevention/ fireworks).

Assistant Fire Chief Riley Pilgrim said they will always err on the side of public safety and advocate for restrictions, but recognized each city has its own discretion.

“(Increased restrictions) makes our job a little safer that time of year, but we do know this decision is up to every individual council and the risk they’re willing to take” during firework season, he said.

Neighboring cities to Holladay took different approaches. Cottonwood Heights also reverted to its previous map before 2021 while Millcreek chose to keep its restriction line at 900 East.

Undeveloped parks and wildland areas, as well as 200 feet within waterways, ravines and foothills are still restricted.

Pilgrim acknowledged circumstances are different to what they were in 2021, and risk is reduced “but our stance will al-

ways be to promote and encourage restrictions, but allow you to make that decision.”

Councilmember Paul Fotheringham, the lone dissenting vote who represents Holladay on the UFA board, was open to moving back to the old map but was concerned with the lack of coordination in an area like 3900 South. That’s where Millcreek and Holladay share a border so those east of 900 East on the Millcreek side can’t light fireworks while those on the Holladay side can.

“Might be worth waiting another year to coordinate better next year,” he said, suggesting changes “shouldn’t be a flip of the coin each year” and more of a “slow boat turn rather than a speed boat turn.”

Councilmember Emily Gray felt people would appreciate a nimble government that judges the situation each year. “If circumstances change, I’m more than happy to add restrictions next year.”

Councilmember Drew Quinn added residents are perceptive. She said people reached out to her asking why no changes after positive water years. “I think people understand why no fireworks on a drought year, but when they see good water years and in areas with low risk, why not allow fireworks there?”

David Steffensen lives east of Highland Drive and came to a couple council meetings requesting restrictions be rolled back.

“I just want to reiterate how much me and mine would like to enjoy the opportunity to light fireworks in Holladay again,” he told the council. “To enjoy that ability to celebrate the Fourth of July with fireworks. I just think they’re inseparable at this point.”

Councilmember Matt Durham said he lives on a high fireworks street where the restriction ordinance is more of a joke.

He preferred an approach that would focus enforcement on important areas.

“I’m not really comfortable with the idea of having this ordinance that is widely flouted and we don’t really do anything about,” he said.

Mayor Rob Dahle felt most residents, including him, don’t like the fireworks and he would prefer to continue restrictions but it is hard to justify that it’s drought related.

“I’d love to restrict them…but to continue banning under these circumstances is tough for me to support.” l

Areas where personal firework use is restricted will be loosened this summer. (Wikimedia)

calendars and reserve July 4th and your Saturday nights in July and August for your free summer concerts! Holladay Arts has another great line-up ready for 2024 that includes several great new performers and a few returning favorites. Here they are!

• 7/4 - Tad Calcara & New Deal Swing, with the Lindy Hops (“Big Band,” Swing, & Patriotic)

• 7/13 - David Park Quintet (classical, tango, cabaret, Bossa Nova)

• 7/20 - 23rd Army Band (“Really Big Band” that plays “Big Band,” Rock, Country and more!)

• 7/27 - Will Baxter’s Elvis Tribute Show (Returning favorite, this time as ELVIS!)

• 8/3 - Discographers (Featuring hits from Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks!)

• 8/10 - Broadway & Beyond: Melinda Kirigin-Voss & Brian Stucki (Returning favorites!)

• 8/17 - Seven Bridges Road (Hit songs from the Eagles!)

• 8/24 - Senxao (High Energy Latin Fusion - Blue Moon Festival Opening Act)

• 8/24 - The Great Salt Lake Yacht Club (So.Cal. 70’s Rock! - Blue Moon Festival Headliner)

Additional descriptions of each of the bands can be found on our website: holladayarts.org/summer_concerts. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of our Holladay Arts Volunteer Board, and to local sponsors like Holladay Bank & Trust for making our Summer Concert Series possible!

Unified Fire Authority and Unified Police Department

I join the Council in expressing our gratitude to our UFA Firefighters and UPD Officers for the care and professionalism they exercised in resolving a “literally explosive” situation in the south end of Holladay at the end of April. Details of the incident and the city’s response have been reported by multiple news outlets.

This incident is an example of why Holladay belongs to Unified Fire and Unified Police. When the unexpected happens, it’s to Holladay’s great advantage to belong to fire and police agencies that can bring regional specialized services to the table in the event they are needed…and needed they were. Thanks UFA and UPD. Holladay is a proud and grateful member city!

Spring Lane Elementary…Park

Spring Lane Elementary was closed by Granite School District last year. Since then, the City of Holladay has been in discussions with the District about repurposing the school property for use as a park for Holladay residents. Holladay has also contracted with a talented local architecture and design firm to suss out our best possibilities for park design and amenities, and to facilitate the public engagement process. Thanks to many Holladay residents who live near the property who have participated in workshopping this unique opportunity. The final step of this initial planning stage will be a “Final Concept” public presentation to the City Council and to our community at a June City Council meeting.

One Kind Act a Day

A few weeks ago, I attended a “Kindness Conference,” sponsored by the Semnani Family Foundation, dba “One Kind Act a Day.” It’s founder, Mr. Khosrow Semnani (a Holladay resident), has funded 100% of this organization’s mission of encouraging frequent, habitual kindness…in fact… “one kind act a day.” If you want some help being more frequently kind, check out powerofkind.org. Let’s be kind to each other.

Council Member Paul Fotheringham, District 3

Solicitors in Holladay

With the weather warming up, it is not surprising to see more people out and about in the neighborhood – including those we may not recognize knocking door-to-door. While most of these folks are out trying to make an honest living, it is good to be aware of any strangers who may be involved in suspicious activities in your neighborhood.

If you have someone soliciting in your neighborhood, please ask them to show their City business license and/or City Work Card. The City of Holladay requires all solicitors to apply for and receive an approved soliciting license prior to knocking on doors. Part of that licensing process is to pass a criminal background check as a first-defense guard to help protect city neighborhoods.

If a solicitor cannot produce either a temporary or permanent City business license (verifiable by the authorized signature and City logo present), please inform them that they are required by law to have a Holladay City business license and City Work Card to be knocking on doors here in Holladay – and politely ask them to leave.

If they continue soliciting in your neighborhood after this, please immediately call non-emergency police dispatch at 801-840-4000 and an officer will come assess the situation and issue a warning or citation.

For more information about solicitor regulations here in Holladay, please refer to Chapter 5.86 in the City Code accessed through the city website at holladayut.gov You are also welcome to contact Crystal Nichols at (385) 425-0853 with any additional questions.

NEW MEMBERS NEEDED

The Holladay Interfaith Council is looking for new members! The council meets monthly over lunch, plans an annual Thanksgiving Service for the community, coordinates interfaith service projects, and hosts round table discussions. If you don’t see your faith community represented in this list, please text or call Rachel Matthews at 801-870-5453. We look forward to adding your perspective and ideas to our council.

Baha’i Community

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Congregation Kol Ami Holladay United Church of Christ

Our Savior’s Lutheran Church

Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church

St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church Utah Islamic Center

Keep it Local – Shop Holladay!

By Ann Frances Garcia, Economic Development & Housing Manager and – Mike Hale, Holladay Business Advisory Board Member

We’ve all heard the phrase “Shop Local”, but do you truly understand the impact that this has on our community? Local shopping is crucial to our community and our character, but sometimes we can get caught up in the convenience of online shopping or shopping at big box chain stores. Right here in Holladay, our local shops are more than just businesses—they’re part of our town’s story.

Our local business scene is something that is unique to our city. For our residents, new or for those who’ve been around a while, supporting these places means keeping Holladay special. We have those special spots that aren’t just where we shop; they’re where we meet up, share stories, and feel at home.

Our local shops have a personal touch, offering unique items that you just can’t find anywhere else. And when you shop here, you’re helping our neighbors keep their dreams alive. Plus, every dollar spent stays right here in Holladay, helping our town thrive.

The math for buying locally is compelling – for every $100 spent at a locally-owned business, $73 remains in the local economy. When profits stay local, it increases our community’s tax revenue and our community’s standard of living. It means that those funds stay here to help provide vital services.

Our local business owners do more than just sell stuff; they’re our neighbors, sponsoring little league teams, helping with school fundraisers, and participating in community events. They invest in our community, making it a better place for all of us. When we support them, we say thank you for keeping Holladay unique and a great place to live.

Next time we decide to head out for a meal or need to pick up a gift, think Holladay first. It’s more than just shopping; it’s about strengthening our community bonds and keeping Holladay’s charm alive. Together, we can make sure our town stays vibrant and full of life.

Keep Your Dog Safe in Hot Weather

Salt Lake County Animal Services

Ensure you’re the ultimate pet owner and prioritize your pup’s comfort this summer! You and your furry friend deserve to stay chill and safe, steering clear of scorching cars, sizzling pavement, and sweltering balconies or patios.

Hot Cars: Don’t underestimate the danger. Once the mercury hits 70 degrees, car interiors can soar past 116 degrees in just 10 minutes. Even on a mild 75-degree day, cracking a window or seeking shade won’t save your pet from the lethal heat inside. Heatstroke, brain damage, and worse can result. If you spot a distressed pet in a vehicle—panting excessively, not responsive, drooling, or lethargic—act fast. Dial Salt Lake County Animal Service’s Animal Dispatch at 801-840-4000. Avoid breaking windows yourself; instead, document the situation by taking down the license plate, taking a photo of the pet and providing details to Animal Control Officers.

Hot Pavement: Protect those precious paws. Summer sidewalks can scorch, causing painful burns. Before stepping out, test the pavement with the back of your hand. If you can’t endure the heat for five seconds, it’s too hot for your pup. Plan to walk your dog during cooler morning or evening hours and skip outings to crowded events like festivals or markets.

Hot Balconies: Even shaded balconies can become danger zones. High temperatures can quickly make them unbearable for pets left unattended. Anxious and dehydrated, they may attempt risky escapes. If you witness a distressed pet on a balcony, reach out to Animal Control at 801-840-4000 immediately.

For additional information, please visit AdoptUtahPets.org or reach out to animal@slco.org. Keep your pet cool, safe, and happy through this summer!

CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS:

Rob Dahle, Mayor rdahle@holladayut.gov 801-580-3056

Ty Brewer, District 1 tbrewer@holladayut.gov 801-550-8747

Matt Durham, District 2 mdurham@holladayut.gov 801-999-0781

Paul Fotheringham, District 3 pfotheringham@holladayut.gov 801-424-3058

Drew Quinn, District 4 dquinn@holladayut.gov 801-272-6526

Emily Gray, District 5 egray@holladayut.gov 801-755-3477

Gina Chamness, City Manager gchamness@holladayut.gov

PUBLIC MEETINGS: City Council – rst and third Thursday of the month at 6 p.m. Planning Commission – rst and third Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m.

Spring Lane Update

This spring the City of Holladay and their consultant team, led by MHTN, have been developing a concept plan to guide the potential re-use of Granite School District’s old Spring Lane Elementary School campus. The group has been testing ways to improve the site as an outdoor recreation space and community asset.

Since February, the City’s team has met with adjacent property owners, the School District, County Parks and Recreation, and other key stakeholders to learn more about how the site has been used and how it could relate to other outdoor recreation amenities in this part of the valley. This information and results from a public survey in April are being used to inform the refinement of the concept plan, which is expected to be presented to Holladay City Council at the June 6 meeting.

“So far, the idea to improve Spring Lane and use it as a park has received strong support from the community,” said Holladay City Manager Gina Chamness. “We’re hearing that people want to maintain it as open space and add ways to enjoy the site with walking trails, gathering spaces and play equipment for various ages. Dog parks are also very popular,” she added.

With nearly 700 responses, the survey results indicate a need in Holladay for more walking trails, dog parks, sports fields, pickleball, and gathering places. Additionally, survey respondents want the history of the site to be remembered.

Councilmember Paul Fotheringham has been participating throughout the planning process and expressed the importance of maintaining some aspects of the elementary school.

“This is a place that holds many memories for our community, and we want to honor that,” he said. “The proposed concept does a nice job of repurposing some of the iconic aspects of the old building like beams and the trusses over the atrium gardens,” he said.

If approved, the City of Holladay will identify ways to phase changes to the site and work with Granite School District on the details of a potential use lease. The City intends to seek funding opportunities and grants to help cover the construction costs of the project. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/springlanepark

LIBRARY HAPPENINGS

Tiny Animals Program with - Taylor’s Traveling Troupe

Tues, June 11: 10:15 - 11:15am

AGE GROUP: PRE-K (AGES 0 TO 5 YRS)

Children will learn about small, live animals, and later, have an opportunity to touch and hold them.

Game Night - Drop in and play • Mon, June 10: 5 - 8:00pm

AGE GROUP: GENERAL AUDIENCE

Board games are a great way for people to learn strategy, planning, and social skills. Bring the whole family to play. Derrek from Game Night Games will be supporting the fun!

Dungeons & Dragons For Beginners •Thurs, June 6: 4 - 5:30pm

AGE GROUP: TWEEN (AGES 10 TO 11 YRS) TEEN (AGES 12 TO 18)

Embark on a great role-playing adventure. Learn how to play D&D!

Registration Required

Join us for this year’s 4th of July festivities, ALL located here at Holladay City Hall, 4580 S 2300 E. Start your day off with the best Bike Parade at 9AM at Pine Park. Breakfast by Isabella’s is from 8 AM -10:30 AM, for $8 per adult and $5 per kid 10yrs old and over. We accept VISA, Mastercard, Google and Apple Pay, and Cash.

End your festive day with a performance by Tad Calcara & New Deal Swing with the Lindy Hops starting at 8 pm at the Gazebo behind City hall. The concert is the kick-off to the Arts Council’s Summer Concert Series. We will end the night with a Patriotic Show starting at 10PM.

Olympus caps off successful track season with several standout performances

Bolsteredby top-end talent, the Olympus boys and girls track teams had excellent showings at the state meet, May 16-18 at Brigham Young University.

The Titans placed 10th on the boys’ side and fourth on the girls’ side. The girls were just two points behind the third-place team, Box Elder.

“We had a shot at second, but things didn’t fall our way,” head coach Reed Ericson said about the girls.

Individually, boys team star JoJo Jourdon was the Class 5A state champion in the 1600m and 3200m races. The boys 4x800 relay team of Brenen Elliott, Dillon Elliott, Finn Rutledge and Jourdon placed fifth at state. The girls 4x400 relay team of Susie Harris, Sofia Jourdon, August Bigler and Whitney Fisher took third. Meanwhile, girls discus thrower Dru Hill was fifth at the state meet, while Harris was third in the 200 and first in the 100. Fisher took home first place in the 100 hurdles and was runner-up in the 300 hurdles. Fisher was also third in the long jump.

“Overall, our state meet was a lot of positives,” Ericson said. “Track and field is a sport in which the odds of everything going perfectly are really low. We definitely had our moments where things didn't go perfect for our athletes, but that is how track and field works. But when zooming out on the big picture of the meet in the context of our season, there were a lot of moments for our athletes to hang their hats on and to be proud of. Our state championships this year were the most competitive they've ever been in our state's history, so even just qualifying and competing at such a prestigious meet is an incredible accomplishment for our kids.”

The girls team didn’t finish quite as high as Ericson and his athletes had hoped. But that didn’t deter from the efforts each girl made. Ericson was pleased with how they worked and the attitudes they had when obstacles got in their way. In particular, the girls team dealt with some untimely, unfortunate injuries.

“We were hoping for a top-two finish on the girls’ side,” he said. “However, that hope started looking quite difficult when our season started moving along and we had some unfortunate injuries pop up. We had a handful of girls who looked to be potential state placers that either missed all of our season or most of our season due to really bad luck. This allowed us though to just focus on each individual athlete and how to best help them. Once the season got going, we really didn't think much or talk much about state placing and were mostly focused on helping our athletes manage the season and get what they needed each single day.”

Olympus features several outstanding track and field athletes, and none came up bigger than Harris and Fisher. Ericson couldn’t say enough good things about how well they did at state and what the duo meant to the Titans’ program this season.

“[Fisher] and [Harris] were huge standouts at state,” Ericson said. “Neither of them necessarily went into state as the favorite in the events they won. They were among the favorites, but there were other girls who were just as likely or more than likely to win as they were. With [Fisher], she just always shows up when it means the most. I think she's the most steady and consistent athlete I've ever personally coached, and it showed with her kind of going on a heater the last few weeks of the season and running a huge personal best when it meant the most. With [Harris], she had a hard season and we were constantly working together to make sure she was able to keep moving forward in the season. There were a number of girls in the 100m final who were all capable of winning, but once the gun went off she was able to run a great race, stay composed and won by less than a hundredth of a second.”

Aside from where the athletes placed and where they finished at state and at meets throughout the season, Ericson was happy with the mindset the boys and girls had. He said the

By Josh McFadden | j.mcfadden@mycityjournals.com

athletes gave it their all, bought into the team philosophy and helped to continue the strong Olympus tradition the program has enjoyed. Though there were some inexperienced athletes on the team, they blended well with the more seasoned team members.

“Looking back at the season as a whole, it was really positive to see the growth in our program amid the success of our older athletes,” he said. “We had an overall very young team and we really wanted to start changing the culture of what is expected from our athletes. We still have a ways to go as we move forward, but almost all of our large amount of kids showed up every day and worked their tails off. We're excited to keep working with those young athletes and to keep adding new groups every year as the current ones get older and improve year by year.”

Ericson expect next season to offer some challenges and opportunities.

Olympus loses some team leaders and quality athletes. Ericson is eager to see which athletes emerge and step up to fill those roles. The work for next season is already beginning.

“Next season is going to be very different than this season,” he said “We went into this season knowing we had a group of senior athletes who were going to be very successful and were clear leaders of our team. We still expect to have success with many athletes next season, but who that is will depend on who ends up putting in the work between now and next season to become better athletes (not just in track) and who show up in the spring ready to take the sport seriously. We have a lot of exciting potential coming back, and I honestly can't wait to get back working with them and to see what they can do to keep the momentum we are starting to build in our program moving forward. We coaches are already working together on planning how we can improve our program to help build these young athletes up and next season will be a very important year in making sure we progress toward being a state championship contending team for a long time.” l

Olympus track athlete JoJo Jourdon celebrates a victory at the Class 5A state meet in May. Jourdon, a senior, capped a tremendous high school career. (Photo by Eddy Wall, Eddy Wall Photography)

Whitney Fisher is all smiles at the Class 5A state track and field meet this past May. She helped the Titan girls team place fourth at state. (Photo by Eddy Wall, Eddy Wall Photography)

Susie Harris takes first in the 100-meter sprint at the Class 5A state track and field meet. Harris was a big part of Olympus’ girls team’s success. (Photo by Eddy Wall, Eddy Wall Photography)

Yard & home section

A publication covering local yard and home stories and events in the Salt Lake Valley City Journals presents:

Real estate commission settlement to have minimal impact in Utah

By Jolene Croasmun

Spring is a busy time for buying and selling homes in Utah and sales were up by 9% in April and with the recent National Association of Realtors (NAR) lawsuit settlement, Utah realtors do not expect to see many changes in the way homes are bought and sold.

In March, a $418-million settlement was reached with the National Association of Realtors. The deal came after a jury ruled against the NAR in a class-action antitrust lawsuit. The suit was filed alleging that the association had colluded with some large real estate brokerages to keep real estate commissions inflated, benefiting real estate agents and costing sellers more in the commissions they pay to those agents.

Those rates nationally are about 6%. Approval of the settlement by a federal court would do away with set rates and let buyers and sellers negotiate those commissions with real estate brokers and agents.

The Utah Association of Realtors say the ruling won’t have much impact on buyers and sellers in Utah due to decades of proactive, consumer-friendly efforts by Utah realtors.

“We don’t feel that the lawsuit is going to have a big impact here in Utah,” said Adam Kirkham, president of the Utah Association of Realtors (UAR). “Anyone that sold a home could expect to receive a postcard about the class action suit. The lawsuit did not originate here because in Utah we have been using buyer-agent agreements for 20 years. Consumers in Utah have been more informed about what the commissions were.”

The lawsuit’s resulting rules aren’t expected to impact the inventory of available homes or values, which are based more on the supply and demand in the market, according to Kirkham.

“Millcreek has an affordability issue and between 2012-22 the average homes listed were 500 and post COVID the inventory

dropped and we have been hovering around 160 to 177 available homes for the last two years. Prices went up and the median price of a home in Millcreek is around $688,000 and in Salt Lake City the median price is $535,000,” Kirkham said.

Utah realtors have been using written, transparent agency forms with their buyer clients for decades and providing seller disclosures. This will be new for the rest of the country due to the settlement but was already being covered in Utah.

One of the new rules that came out of the lawsuit is that the buyer’s agent commission can no longer be listed on the multiple listing service (MLS) and this will create a lack of knowledge of what will be paid to the buyer’s realtor.

“Buyers will have to determine for each house what the sellers offering for the buyer’s agent’s commission,” Kirkham said. “This is a conversation you want to have before looking at the house and before you make an offer. The seller’s agent can still advertise the commission on social media or

on the realtor’s website but not on the MLS.”

“Commissions can fluctuate due to inventory and competitiveness of the market,” he continued. “It is worth it for the seller to offer a buyer’s agent commission due to it will bring a better educated consumer who still wants to hire a realtor.”

There will be additional training for realtors who are now required to enter into an agreement with a homebuyer before they look at homes. “So that they can agree upon a commission rate which has always been negotiable,” Kirkham said.

He warned buyers who forego representation to save the commission might regret it.

“Not having an agent can come back to hurt you in negotiation or hiring the wrong inspectors plus you want to be informed of the other offers or you could lose the bid,” Kirkham said. “Agents want to bring value to the process of buying and selling a home.”

Jason Eldredge, local realtor of The Eldredge Group with Equity Real EstateSolid said they always had a buyer-broker

agreement and have their customers sign one.

“The commissions have always been negotiable, and the standard was 6% but now we are seeing commission compression that is nationwide. With all of the iBuyers coming in, it compressed commissions and the new standard is about 5%, but it has always been negotiable,” Eldredge said.

“We meet with our clients and find out what is their situation, why you are selling. A good agent will have some flexibility,” Eldredge said.

The national settlement requires listing agents to disclose to sellers any portion of their compensation that will be shared with a cooperating broker. Sellers must also approve in writing the sharing of the listing agent's compensation. Which Eldredge said is the “bummer” part of the lawsuit.

“You cannot post the commission on the MLS anymore,” he said. “It is an additional negotiating step and could make it really tough for a new buyer. The buyer might have to come up with the commission.”

Deanna Devey, director of operations and communications at UAR, said the changes will be more procedural in Utah.

“The buyer has three options to pay the agent,” Devey explained. “The listing agent will offer to share compensation with the buyer’s agent or the buyer might negotiate directly with the seller to have the seller pay the compensation. The third option is the buyer might pay their agent outright.”

Eldredge added, “I think for the next few years sadly we might have more lawsuits due to buyers not having representation when purchasing a home.”

The new rules go into effect after Aug. 17. More information about the NAR lawsuit can be found at realestatecommissionlitigation.com and Utah FAQs can be found on the website Utahrealtors.com.

Additional reporting by Darrell Kirby.

Home for sale in West Valley City. (File photo Darrell Kirby/City Journals)

Salt Lake County breaks ground on ‘Flip the Strip’ project

By Shaun Delliskave | s.delliskave@mycityjournals.com

In a significant move toward sustainability, Salt Lake County celebrated the groundbreaking of the "Flip the Strip" project, May 16, at the Mountain America Expo Center in Sandy. The event, marked by the presence of Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson and other local officials, signaled the commencement of a $2.1-million initiative aimed at retrofitting park strips with waterwise landscapes across the county.

“Salt Lake County is committed to water conservation and smart water management. As such, landscape standards for waterwise park strips at county facilities have been identified,” the Salt Lake County Mayor’s Office said in a “Flip the Strip” guidebook.

“Water conservation is a critical issue to the well-being of our community as we grow and adapt to the changes our landscape faces,” Wilson said. “‘Flip the Strip’ aims to reduce water use and promote drought-tolerant landscapes.”

According to the guidebook, the project is a testament to the county's commitment to addressing the pressing issue of water conservation amid frequent droughts and changing environmental conditions.

The "Flip the Strip" project targets the

often-overlooked park strips—those narrow stretches of land between sidewalks and roads. These areas will be transformed into drought-tolerant landscapes, a move expected to save the county approximately 4 million gallons of water annually. The pilot program will be implemented at five key locations: the Mountain America Expo Center, the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office in South Salt Lake, Meadow Brook Golf Course in Taylorsville, Central City Recreation Center in Salt Lake City and Animal Services in Millcreek.

At the event, Wilson emphasized the critical importance of this initiative. “Salt Lake County is committed to long-term water conservation and smart management strategies in response to frequent emergency droughts and changing environmental landscapes. ‘Flip the Strip’ is just one way we are achieving this,” she stated.

The program, which allocates $2 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding, is set to convert four acres (177,860 square feet) of county-owned landscapes. This transformation not only aims to conserve water but also to enhance the aesthetic, environmental and economic value of these areas.

Involved in these efforts, the Salt Lake

RGS Exteriors & Construction doesn’t skimp on quality

Since its original inception more than 70 years ago, RGS Exteriors & Construction has evolved from being a weatherstripping and caulking service to becoming a toptier installer of quality siding, rain gutters, windows and more.

As a fth-generation business, what sets RGS apart from its competitors is its dedication to quality products, its guaranteed installation and its high-quality workmanship. RGS COO Kurt Fisher said the company has intentionally become experts in the industry by methodically incorporating new products and services.

“Our general philosophy has been to nd the best version of a product or the best material and then gure out how to install it in the most superior way,” he said. “If we’re going to do quality work, we want it to last a long time. So we have a 10-year warranty on anything that we do.”

The products used by RGS must live up to that warranty so they partner with superior suppliers to o er true value for money. Because RGS doesn’t cut corners with inexpensive materials, homeowners can be assured the investment they make in their home will be backed up with exemplary workmanship.

As the state’s premium rain gutter installation company for more than 60 years, RGS has spent decades re ning its products and services to protect homes from roof rot, damaged siding or leaky foundations.

Fisher said they are uncompromising when it comes to quality and their clients are willing to pay the extra expense for materials that are long-lasting, durable and installed correctly.

“We’re asking customers to pay more money to do this job the right way and that’s the only way anybody can justify paying more money for anything. There has to be tangible value,” Fisher said. “Our ideal clients are people who are really invested in their home, people who care about quality and have a high sense of value in their home.”

For siding projects, RGS uses James Hardie ber cement siding for its durability, style and low-maintenance lifespan. As the only Elite Preferred installer for James Hardie in Utah, RGS trains its installation crews to be incredibly knowledgeable about the product before they ever get to work on a home.

RGS also features triple-pane windows, expertly installed for the price of a double-pane window. With the extreme

temperatures in Utah, high-quality windows o er less temperature bleed-through, better sound dampening and added security.

With a variety of window options, homeowners can choose a style that re ects their home’s personality. Whether it’s a bay window, a picture window or a garden window, RGS backs its window installation with a lifetime warranty.

Other services o ered by RGS include remodeled entryways, custom metalwork, stucco, doors and chimney covers. Stop by the RGS location at 4235 Farm Road in West Jordan to talk with an expert, or for more information, visit rgsexteriorsutah.com or call 801-997-6616.

“Our whole executive team and our management team have the same paradigm; we would rather do it right,” Fisher said. “It’s so much easier to work with people when you know you’re providing a great product. We also give the reassurance that if we do something wrong, we absolutely, unequivocally will take care of it. That’s just our guarantee.”

Mayors from Salt Lake County, Taylorsville City and Sandy City broke ground on the start of a “Flip the Strip” program to make county-owned landscapes more sustainable for the future. (Photo courtesy of Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation)

County Office of Regional Development, released on their website that waterwise landscaping offers numerous advantages, including functional and attractive designs that are easy to maintain. These landscapes are not only visually appealing but also significantly reduce water waste, a crucial benefit in a region often plagued by drought.

Additionally, improved environmental health and economic savings are notable benefits. Less water usage translates to lower bills and simpler irrigation systems, which in turn reduce maintenance costs and enhance curb appeal, making neighborhoods and public spaces more attractive.

Salt Lake County is not stopping at retrofitting public spaces. The county challenges its 1.16 million residents to join the water conservation effort by reducing their own water use by 5%. If 25% of residents take up this challenge, the county could save approximately 2 million gallons of water daily. To help residents achieve this goal, the county offers practical tips. Reducing sprinkler use by 10% can make a significant difference. Watering during the cooler nighttime hours reduces evaporation and conserves water. Using a broom instead of a hose to clean driveways and sidewalks saves water and time. Adjusting sprinklers to ensure they water only plants and grass, not sidewalks or driveways, can help conserve water. Opting for drought-resistant plants, such as those native to Utah, can keep gardens beautiful

while conserving water.

The "Flip the Strip" project is just the beginning of a broader effort to promote sustainable landscaping and water conservation in Salt Lake County. By leading through example, the county aims to inspire its residents and neighboring regions to adopt similar practices.

Mayor Wilson said, “We anticipate that Salt Lake County will save around 4 million gallons of water with the conclusion of the five pilot locations. This initiative not only addresses immediate water conservation needs but also sets a precedent for future sustainability efforts.”

The project’s success will serve as a model for other communities facing similar challenges. Salt Lake County departments have planned to audit outdoor water systems to develop specialized water plans for current and future use. The county parks are relying on current technology to determine minimum watering schedules while continuing to maintain high-quality outdoor facilities.

For information on “Flip the Strip,” including details on rebates and resources from local government agencies, residents can visit the county's website at slcoh20. org.

Conservation fair highlights waterwise improvements

By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com

Tip 1: Planning and Design. Using the appropriate plants for sun, shade and wind can help sustain a beautiful garden. Visit Localscapes.com to find free, professional designs to make a Utah-friendly landscape. (City Journals)

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Tip 2: Practical Turf Areas. Getting away from the idea of “big lawns,” JVWCD suggests spicing up your outdoor space with waterwise plants and trees, and a reasonable amount of turf or ground cover. (City Journals)

Tip 3: Waterwise Plants. Drought-tolerant plants can add color, height and interest to your garden, without using a wasteful amount of water. Iris, daisies, catmint, ice plants and decorative grass are all examples of waterwise choices. (City Journals)

Small changes make a big difference. Last year the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District sent more than 1.6 billion gallons of water to the Great Salt Lake as a result of residents implementing waterwise conservation.

JVWCD held a water conservation fair at its Conservation Garden Park (8275 S.1300 West) in West Jordan in May, educating gardeners on how to create the healthiest environment for lawns, flowers, trees and shrubs in the Salt Lake Valley.

Here are seven suggested principles to create waterwise landscapes:

Tip 4: Efficient Irrigation. Learning where and how to plant trees is part of efficient irrigation that allows the trees to take root and bring long-lasting beauty to a landscape. Installing drip systems, maintaining irrigation and fixing leaks keep everything flowing. (City Journals)

Tip 5: Soil Improvements. Overused soil often needs more nutrients to maintain healthy plants. Keep soil healthy by using organic materials and protect topsoil with moisture-retaining mulch. Avoid putting chemicals in the soil, if possible. (City Journals)

Tip 6: Surface Mulches. Mulching with bark, wood chips and other plant materials protects against erosion and retains water. Mulch can also help control weeds and add color to the garden. (City Journals)

Tip 7: Appropriate Maintenance. Even waterwise landscaping needs to be maintained. Weed control, fertilization, healthy pruning and non-chemical integrated pest management will keep the landscape looking good for years. (City Journals)

The Conservation Garden Park is free and open to the public on Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, visit conservationgardenpark.org.

Cottonwood boys tennis improves on the court, shows well at the Region 10 Championships

By Brian Shaw | b.shaw@mycityjournals.com

For the Cottonwood Colts boys tennis team, the increase in numbers across all the school’s athletics programs enabled the team to not only be competitive in region play but also to earn a few victories along the way.

Cottonwood finished the Region 10 regular season with a 1-5 record overall, but entered region championships play with a strategy.

It paid off in several surprising ways as a number of Cottonwood’s student-athletes reached some milestones during the tournament that ran April 24 and April 25.

In second singles, senior Ethan Luker didn’t win his first match, to be sure. But, Luker’s performance in that first match based on having won one set [3-6, 7-6, and 3-6] still advanced him to the third round where he lost 2-6 and 3-6. Still and all, it was a great showing from Luker in his last region championships appearance.

In third singles, however, senior Benjamin Birich did win his first round match over Park City’s Nate Hadar, 6-0 and 6-1. Birich was defeated by Hillcrest’s Aarav Parikh 1-6 and 4-6, but again the overall performance launched the Cottonwood senior into the third round where Birich won, 6-1 and 6-1 over Tooele’s Josh Malmgren and wrapped up his championships run with a fourth-round victory against Hadar, 6-2 and 6-0 for a third-place finish overall.

It was rough going for senior Jacek Budge who lost to Park City phenom and freshman Chad Johnson in first singles, 0-6 and 1-6. All things considered, it had to have

been a rough first-round draw for Budge, who has been one of Cottonwood’s most consistent performers all season.

In first doubles, youth went wild as sophomore Rishi Patcha and junior Jacob Edwards had a tough go against a duo from Stansbury in the first round of competition at Hillcrest High in Midvale, losing 0-6 and 1-6.

But, in the second round, Patcha and Edwards started slow but ended with a flourish, winning the match 1-6, 6-1 and 6-2. That carried the Cottonwood top pair to the third round where they lost to a twosome from Hillcrest, 4-6 and 2-6.

In second doubles, juniors Spencer Thompson and Alex Covili lost 2-6 and 1-6 to a pair from Murray, but bounced back in the next round to take a duo from Tooele to three sets before falling by the final score of 6-2, 2-6 and 3-6.

At the 6A state tournament May 9 at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City in first singles, the Colts top senior and No. 24-ranked player in all of 4A, Budge would fall in straight sets to Timpanogos’ Carter Lee, 0-6 and 0-6.

In second singles at the state tournament, 17-seed Luker would provide a stiff test to No. 16 Carson Lund of Timpanogos but would ultimately fall as well, 1-6 and 4-6.

Birich would again prove to be a very tough out even with the stakes as high as they are at state in third singles; he lost but only just by the score of 5-7 and 3-6 to Mathison Beatty of Hurricane. Birich was the Colts’ highest seed in the state tourney in singles at No. 14.

In first doubles, the Colts’ duo of Patcha and Edwards again proved they were no fluke at state, but fell to Noah Hoff and Josh Haller of Crimson Cliffs, 0-6 and 3-6.

Finally, in second doubles, the Colts did not have anyone represented at the 4A state tournament.

That said, there were plenty of milestones for the Colts to be proud of this season. l

Olympus softball wins Region 6, advances and falls in state

By Josh McFadden | j.mcfadden@mycityjournals.com

Despite a disappointing ending to the season, the Olympus softball team has plenty to be proud of.

The Titans capped off the 2024 regular season with a Region 6 championship, going through the league schedule with an unblemished 12-0 record. The Titans built on that success with some big wins in the Class 5A state tournament.

With the No. 10 seed and a 14-8 overall record, Olympus hosted No. 23 Timpview in the regionals May 11 and 13 in a best-ofthree series. The Titans won two contests in one-sided fashion to advance.

Game one saw Olympus prevail 9-2, scoring three runs in both the fifth and sixth innings. Charlie Turner was big on the mound for the Titans, striking out nine batters and getting the win. Olympus also got 13 hits on the day. Kristina Walker hit a triple and brought in a run. Turner, Eliza Johnson and Adi Corner each had doubles, with Corner adding two RBI.

Two days later, Olympus moved on in the tournament with a 12-1 victory that only required five innings of play. The Titans got five runs in the fourth inning to put things away. Turner was once again fantastic, this time retiring 13 batters and hitting a double. Johnson and Charlotte Corner each had two

RBI.

The wins didn’t stop there.

Olympus continued its postseason success with a pair of wins in the super regionals. The Titans beat seventh-seeded Bonneville in a pair of road games to move to bracket play. Olympus won 6-5 in a close game May 16. Olympus totaled 13 hits on the day and got nine strikeouts from Turner. Walker drove in a pair of runs in the win, and Adi Corner hit two doubles and had an RBI.

In game two, Olympus clinched the series with another 6-5 win. Like the preceding one-run victory, this one came in eight innings with Olympus exhibiting clutch play and resilience. The Titans had two runs in the eighth inning to go up 6-4 and then held Bonneville to a single run in the bottom of the eighth. Charlotte Corner hit a home run and drove in two runs for Olympus. Allisson Robles hit a double and had an RBI.

In the double-elimination bracket round, Olympus found the going to be tougher. The Titans lost to Springville 11-2 on May 21, giving up nine runs alone in the second inning. Springville also held Olympus to just three hits on the day. Adi Corner had two RBI for the Titans.

The setback dropped Olympus to the consolation bracket where one more defeat

would end its season. Unfortunately, for the Titans, they ran into a red-hot Salem Hills team and lost 18-2 in a four-inning game.

The Titans ended the season with an 1810 record and have some key players coming back in 2025. Johnson is a junior, and Char-

lotte Corner is just a sophomore. Meanwhile, Adi Corner and Turner will be back for their senior seasons in 2025. In all, just three players graduate off this year’s team. l

Charlie Turner was big on the mound for Olympus this season. (File photo City Journals)

Baseball season ends for Olympus in super regionals

By Josh McFadden | j.mcfadden@mycityjournals.com

Following a successful run through the regular season and a second-place finish in Region 6, the Olympus baseball team saw its season end a bit early.

The Titans fell to Cyprus two games to one in the best-of-three super regionals, May 16 and 17. Olympus was the ninth seed in the Class 5A state tournament, meaning it had to play all three contests on Cyprus’ home field.

Olympus won game one, setting itself up nicely to advance. But the Titans dropped two in a row.

In game one, Olympus prevailed over the Region 4 Pirates, winning 6-2. Olympus led from start to finish and had 10 hits to eight for Cyprus. After getting one run in the seventh inning, Olympus held the Pirates scoreless in their last at-bat to secure the win. Cougar Vance was the winning pitcher and had three strikeouts. Luke Taylor had a big day for Olympus, hitting two doubles and driving in a run. Keaton Stinson hit a triple and had an RBI, while Nic Brown also hit a double for the Titans.

Needing to get one win in the next two games to advance to bracket play, Olympus came up short.

First, the Titans fell to Cyprus 6-4 on May 17, despite getting off to a 4-0 lead after two innings. It was 4-2 in the bottom of the

sixth when Cyprus scored four runs. The Titans couldn’t muster any runs in the seventh, ending their hopes of a comeback. In defeat, Jaxon Fox hit a triple and had an RBI. Taylor, Stinson and Jack Evans also drove in runs.

Cayman Sanchez struck out seven batters in a losing effort.

Later that day, Olympus saw its season end.

In game three of the series, Olympus fell behind 4-1 after one inning and 6-1 after two innings. The Titans couldn’t claw back into the game and ended up losing 9-5. Stinson had a great game with a triple and two RBI. Fox hit a pair of doubles and had an RBI. But it wasn’t enough.

Olympus finished the season with a 2010 mark overall. The Titans were 15-6 in Region 6 play, good enough for second place

behind 20-1 Brighton. The Titans had reached the super regionals with two blowout wins in the regionals over East, a team they had defeated three times during the regular season. Olympus won 11-1 on May 11 and 15-2 on May 13 to advance in the playoffs. In game one, Stinson hit two doubles and drove in three runs. Cade Felts and Chase Moseley each drove in two runs. Taylor hit a triple. The second game went Olympus’ way too with an explosion of runs. The Titans had five runs in the first, third and fourth innings,

only needing four innings at bat to claim victory. Fox hit a triple and had three RBI to lead the way. Stinson hit a double and brought in a run. Brown hit a double and had two RBI. Head coach Cortland Felts has now amassed 108 wins against 38 losses through six seasons. Next season, he’ll welcome back some talent and experience but also must replace some team leaders and accomplished players such as Brown, Stinson, Fox, Taylor and Moseley. l

Olympus boys soccer ends season with tournament loss

By Josh McFadden | j.mcfadden@mycityjournals.com

In a competitive Region 6, the Olympus boys soccer team had faced some tough foes all season long. And it faced two more in the state tournament.

Olympus defeated fellow Region 6 opponent West in the first round of the Class 5A state tournament by the score of 1-0 on May 10. This pitted the Titans against another familiar face: the Alta Hawks.

Olympus had split the season series with West, having won 4-1 just three days before

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the teams’ playoff meeting and having lost 2-0 on April 12. In the playoffs, playing at home, Olympus ousted West 3-2. The Titans, seeded 13th in the playoffs, prevailed in overtime after the score was tied 1-1 at halftime and 2-2 after regulation. Asher Gubler scored in overtime to secure the victory. In regulation, teammates Talmage Gilbert and Cardon Neff found the back of the net. Jameson Turpin, Paul Proctor and Brigham Marberger had assists.

The Titans then had to defeat an Alta

team in the second round that it lost to twice in the regular season.

The playoff matchup didn’t end differently.

Olympus lost at Alta 1-0 in overtime in a heartbreaking loss to the Hawks. The Titans played solid defense but couldn’t penetrate the Alta goal. It was just the third time all season that Olympus had suffered a shutout. With the loss, the Titans ended their season with a record of 7-8. The team was 5-7 in league play, tied for fourth. Olympus started the season 3-0 and 4-1 before getting into the heart of region action. Only one of the team’s eight losses came by more than two goals.

The Titans also had four goals in the season opener over Cottonwood on March 6 and four in a shutout over Brighton on April 16. In two other games, Olympus registered three goals in victories.

Individually, Neff was one of the most prolific scorers in Class 5A. His 16 goals ranked him fourth among all 5A players and 14th in the state. He was also second on the team in assists with four. Arden Harris contributed four goals on the season, with Gubler scoring three and leading the team with six assists. Goalie Nick Wright had three shutouts in the net.

Scoring goals wasn’t generally an issue this season for Olympus. The Titans tallied 37 goals on the season, third in Region 6. The team had a season-high seven goals in a six-point win over Highland on March 22.

Neff graduates this school year, so his career is over at Olympus. It will be no easy task filling his shoes. He had 22 goals and 21 assists during his time as a Titan. However, Gubler, a junior, and Harris, a sophomore, will return in 2025. Proctor will also be back, part of 22 underclassmen who will be in the program next season.

The offseason will be crucial for the Titans. Returning team members will play club ball before regrouping next March for the 2025 campaign. Olympus once again expects to face stiff competition among its region foes. l

Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for men beating each other with sticks but the ice-palooza circus we’ve experienced as the National Hockey League moved a team to Utah has been a bit much.

My sports-crazed husband is in hockey high-heaven, and he’s not alone. The former Arizona Coyotes (but currently unnamed Utah team) was welcomed by a multitude of rabid hockey fans as the team arrived in Salt Lake. The Utah Snow Angels (?) will now undergo a terrifying assimilation into the state’s culture.

Ryan Smith, new owner of the Utah Iceholes (?), spent $1.2 billion to bring the NHL team here and he has Big Plans! Plans that include restructuring a mall to create a hockey training center, reconfiguring the Delta Center so fans can see all the bloody hockey fights and gaining extreme control over three city blocks in downtown Salt Lake, although he promised not to blast the beloved Abravanel Hall to rubble. Yet.

In the ultimate power play, Smith asked lawmakers to contribute another $1 billion to the project, which includes a sales tax increase, so everyone can help finance the Utah Snowplows’ (?) salvation of the state’s pro sports scene.

(Sidenote: Sales tax? Really? Have our lawmakers seen the lines outside of

Peri Kinder Life and Laughter

Utah’s Miracle on Ice

food banks? People can’t afford Cheerios, let alone tickets to a hockey game.)

But it’s not just hockey. Government and business groups are willing to toss billions (BILLIONS) of dollars around to fund baseball stadiums in Daybreak and, potentially, Salt Lake’s west side.

This is a slap-shot to the face for women’s sports in Utah. If we’re going to invest billions, can legislators squeak the wallet open a bit more to give a portion to female teams? A survey showed overwhelming support for a redesign of the current Salt Lake Bees stadium to become a female-focused sports center. Where are the billions of dollars for that project?

Did you know our state has a championship female/non-binary Pro Ultimate Frisbee team, the Utah Wild? We also host the Utah Falconz, part of the Women’s National Football Conference. Where do they

play? On high school football fields. The only reason the Utah Royal’s soccer team has a beautiful venue is because it was built for Real, a men’s team.

Don’t whine and say, “But nobody cares about women’s sports.” For its opening game this year, the Royals set a record for the highest-attended women’s sporting event in Utah history.

Millions of fans watched the women’s college final as Caitlin Clark played her last game before being drafted into the WNBA with a four-year, $338,000 contract. I’m sure she was offered the same amount as her male counterpart, the first overall draft pick in last year’s NBA.

Record scratch! Hold up! Last year, top draft pick Victor Wembanyama signed a four-year contract with the Spurs worth $55.2 million. Sigh.

Acquiring the Utah Frostbite (?) was a great accomplishment, but the state has a chance to pull off a phenomenal hat trick: develop a hockey fan base, build a baseball utopia and create a haven for women’s sports.

How cool would it be, for a state that ranks last in women’s pay equality, to invest in women’s athletics? What message would that send to our daughters and granddaughters?

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I don’t know much about hockey but its success shouldn’t come with a sales tax increase, carte blanche control over a key center of downtown or at the expense of women’s sports.

With its shiny new logo and sparkly Zambonis, the Utah Windchill (?) could have a great first season as fans get behind them. But don’t be fooled. Hockey isn’t the only game in town.