April 2018 | Vol. 18 Iss. 04
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‘NUNSENSE’ HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE AND JOY OF LIVE THEATRE By Travis Barton | travis@mycityjournals.com
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ix years. That’s how long it was between Mandy Copier’s last theatre performances. She had a child and was doing karaoke competitions to scratch that performing itch. But when the Midvale Arts Council decided they were doing a show she loved, “Nunsense,” it was time for her return to the stage. “I’ve missed this so much,” Copier said. “It’s been the most fun I’ve ever had in a show.” Copier played Mother Reverend in the Midvale Arts Council’s production of “Nunsense.” The comedic musical is about five nuns trying to raise money for burial services after the rest die from a fellow sister’s cooking. The show ran for a week in March at the Midvale Performing Arts Center (696 W. 7720 South). The show was chosen by the arts council because of previous success and for the large female presence. All five characters are played by women. Director Nolan Mitchell, who has directed the play a few times, said “Nunsense” isn’t often performed even though its filled with fun humor and touching moments. The cast is made up of Mother Reverend and four nuns: Sister Mary Hubert (Aubrey Vance), Sister Robert Anne (Eva TerraNova), Sister Mary Leo (Nicole Neff) and Sister Mary Amnesia (April Kimball Thomas). Thomas plays Sister Amnesia who was struck in the head by a crucifix and suffers constant bouts of memory loss not even remembering her real name. It was a dream role for Thomas who saw the movie version in college. “I saw the Amnesia part and thought it was so hilarious,” Thomas said. “(Amnesia) had the best one liners. I just thought she was so funny and that’s kind of like my personality any-
April Kimball Thomas does a musical number in “Nunsense” with a puppet. Operating the puppet while singing was the most difficult part, she said. (Travis Barton/City Journals)
ways.” The character’s forgetfulness infected Thomas even further during rehearsals. She would forget her script or bring the wrong dance shoes. It reached the point where she was called “Aprilesia.” While Amnesia eventually remembers who she is, each character gets a moment to share their conversion story of how
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they became nuns. “It’s telling a story,” Mitchell said of the show. “And these guys told the story beautifully in the way they danced and the songs and the humor.” The show came with numerous challenges. First, the live music.
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Canyons District’s approach to keeping students safe By Joshua Wood | joshw@mycityjournals.com The Midvale City Journal is a monthly publication distributed directly to residents via the USPS as well as locations throughout Midvale. For information about distribution please email circulation@mycityjournals.com or call our offices. Rack locations are also available on our website. For subscriptions please contact: circulation@mycityjournals.com The views and opinions expressed in display advertisements do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions held by Loyal Perch Media or the City Journals. This publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent of the owner.
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he Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, has brought school safety and student freedom of expression to the forefront of public debate. Canyons School District has recently implemented a variety of measures to keep students in the area’s schools safe. The district has also taken measures to afford students ways to express their concerns about school safety. As students across the country have participated in walkouts to show their concerns about gun violence and safety in schools, Canyons School District has worked to find ways for students to participate in similar events while maintaining order in its schools. The district’s strategy has involved providing safe places and additional police security for walkout events on March 14 and again on April 20. “We respect students’ first amendment rights to express themselves,” said Jeff Haney, director of the Canyons School District’s Office of Public Communications. “We also want to preserve instruction time. Safe places are provided for students to participate in short demonstrations, while school goes on as normal for those not participating.” The District planned for additional police presence at schools on the days of expected demonstrations. In addition to planning for these events, Canyons School District has developed a strategy for combating and preventing violence in schools. One element of this
approach involves how visitors can enter and access schools. “Any visitor must go through the front doors and check in,” said Haney. “Visitors must have an appointment, and even volunteers who have registered in advance must check in.” Most schools in the district have been equipped with security vestibules, which require people to go into the office before being buzzed through the doors to enter the school. Schools that are scheduled to be built or remodeled using funds from the recent voter-approved bond will also be equipped with security vestibules. State law requires all volunteers in schools to go through rigorous background checks. All teachers and support staff must also pass background checks. In addition to secure entrances, schools in the district are equipped with security cameras. “There isn’t a time when we can’t see what’s happening in our schools,” Haney said. “We have access to real-time and archived footage.” All police departments with jurisdiction within the district’s boundaries have partnerships with Canyons School District to provide resource officers at all of its schools. “This is a huge help in sending a message to the community and building relationships with students,” Haney said. “So students feel like they can go up to them and tell them if something is happening.” Cottonwood Heights Police Department has been actively involved in the city’s
schools. “We have extremely good coverage with our officers and get in there with teachers to solve problems and to foresee any problems,” said Sgt. Ryan Shosted. “I feel lucky because we have such good guys in there.” In partnership with University of Utah Healthcare, students also have access to the SafeUT app. “The SafeUT Crisis Text and Tip Line is a statewide service that provides real-time crisis intervention to youth through texting and a confidential tip program — right from your smartphone,” according to University of Utah Healthcare. Through the app over the past year, students have relayed 10–12 tips per day concerning the well-being of friends or of students who could cause harm to another student. “This is a way for students to be the eyes and ears of schools,” Haney said. As the district works to build its new schools, committees providing input on the projects have insisted on additional security measures in the design of the new facilities. The new Alta, Brighton and Hillcrest High Schools will have security vestibules like other recently built schools as well as hallways with clear lines of sight to entrances. Concern for student safety continues to grow with each instance of violence. Preventing future incidents will require continued vigilance on a number of levels, from policy, school design, and resource officers to parents and students themselves. l
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Midvale City Journal
Celebrating 40 years of Irish-American heritage in Utah By Joshua Wood | joshw@mycityjournals.com
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atching Salt Lake’s St. Patrick’s Day parade is fun for all, regardless if they have Irish blood in them or not. But this year, the March 17 parade is more than just a St. Patrick’s Day celebration for parade viewers. This year’s parade marks the 40th anniversary of the Hibernian (Irish) Society of Utah. The organization was founded in 1978 to promote Irish culture and the contributions that the Irish have made in Utah and the United States. “The name Hibernian comes from ancient Rome,” said outgoing Hibernian Society of Utah President Patrick A. Dougherty. “When the Romans invaded what is now England, they built Hadrian’s Wall to separate their territory from the crazy Celts. They decided not to invade the island to the west that was full of crazy Celts, and they called it Hibernia.” The name was influenced by the Latin word hibernus, essentially naming the island
‘land of winter.’ To preserve and celebrate all things Irish, the Hibernian Society of Utah meets monthly from September through June. They also hold regular informal classes in Irish history, literature, music and culture. Heroes of Irish history and culture are celebrated along with the contributions of everyday Irish-Americans. In a February letter to the Hibernian Society, Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski stated, “As the oldest and largest Irish association in the State of Utah, the Hibernian Society continues to enrich the lives of residents and visitors.” Activities celebrating Irish culture can be found throughout the Salt Lake area with the culminating event being the St. Patrick’s Day parade. The Hibernian Society of Utah was founded in 1978 by John Brockert, Emmett Quinn, Michael Rodman, and John Welsh. The four gathered
regularly on 400 South in Salt Lake City for drinks, laughs, and Irish songs. Bemoaning the fact that Salt Lake had no St. Patrick’s Day parade, the four decided to remedy the issue by marching down the nearest street. With the help of two friendly police officers, the four survived the traffic and applied for a permit from the city for a more formal parade the following year. To plan the grand event and to organize fellow Irish-Americans in the community, the Hibernian Society was born. “We continue to build upon the shoulders of our Hibernian Society predecessors,” Dougherty stated. The Hibernian Society of Utah invites anyone interested in learning about and celebrating Irish heritage, whether Irish or not themselves, to find events on their website, www. irishinutah.org. l
This year’s St. Patrick’s Day parade marks the 40th anniversary of the Hibernian (Irish) Society of Utah. (Stock Photo)
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Understanding elected official compensation in the wake of pay raise controversy By Justin Adams | j.adams@mycityjournals.com Part of the reason for the public outcry about the mayor’s selfappointed raise is a lack of public understanding about how local elected officials are compensated. In response to a query on social media concerning this subject, respondents who live along the Wasatch Front said by and large that they weren’t quite sure how much their mayor was paid, but guessed anywhere in a range from $10,000 to $50,000. While some mayors’ paychecks do fall within this range, there are many others who are paid two or three times that amount. According to the report by KUTV, Bradburn’s initial salary when he took office was $147,000, meaning the raise would have brought him up to $162,000. That would have been more than double the median household income of Sandy ($76,807) as well as the highest salary of any mayor in the valley, including Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski. The resolution passed by the Sandy City Council set a minimum mayoral salary of $119,000 and a maximum of $144,000. Those figures were recommended to the council by Mike Applegarth, the council office’s director, who said that the mayor’s compensation should be based on “similarly situated cities” such as Provo or Ogden. In 2017, the mayors of those cities received salaries of The salaries of most of the mayors within Salt Lake County. There is a clear $109,500 and $128,699 respectively, according to information from distinction in pay between mayors in cities with a council-manager form of government and mayors in cities with a council-mayor form of government. the state of Utah’s public finance website, transparent.utah.gov. While the mayor’s new salary of $119,000 is more on par with some of the larger cities along the Wasatch front, it is still near the top witch hunt.” “A failure on many levels.” “An unfortunate of what a municipal mayor can make in the state of Utah. situation.” Of the 15 cities considered for this article (13 Salt Lake County Those are the terms used to describe a controversy that came to a municipalities plus Ogden and Provo) there is a wide range in the conclusion at a Sandy City Council meeting on Feb. 27. A few weeks amount of money that a mayor is paid. In fact, Salt Lake City Mayor prior, KUTV reported that Sandy’s recently-elected mayor, Kurt Biskupski made almost 10 times as much money in 2017 ($149,220) Bradburn, had given himself a $15,000 raise during his first month in as the lowest-paid mayor last year, former Riverton Mayor William office. Applegarth ($15,521). The news resulted in a firestorm of social media backlash— Of course, Salt Lake City and Riverton are two completely KUTV’s post on Facebook garnered 72 (mostly) angry comments— different cities in a variety of ways. First, Salt Lake City has more resulting in an announcement by Bradburn that he would take a pay than four times the number of residents as Riverton. Secondly, one cut instead. city’s budget is much larger than the others. Last year, the city of The city of Sandy appeared ready to move past the controversy at Riverton’s expenses totaled about $30 million, according to the city’s the Feb. 27 council meeting. Most of the residents who spoke as well 2017 financial report. Salt Lake City meanwhile, had a budget of over as the city council expressed continued trust in the mayor. The city a billion dollars. But the most critical difference between the two council also passed a resolution that codified mayoral compensation, cities, at least when it comes to determining mayoral compensation, meaning that the Sandy mayor will no longer be responsible for is form of government. setting his or her own salary. Utah state code specifies a few different forms of municipal The resolution also included an increased commitment to government and the roles and responsibilities of the mayor vary transparency. As suggested by Councilman Zach Robinson, the greatly from one to another. city will begin disclosing both the mayor’s and the city councilors’ The form of government in which the mayor has the most power salaries in the city’s budget. and responsibilities is the council-mayor form of government. The “If we’re going to publish the mayoral ranges, I’d recommend cities of Salt Lake City, Provo, Ogden, Sandy, Murray, South Salt that we publish the council ranges as well. I feel that would be an Lake, and Taylorsville fall under this category. Because this form of open and transparent communication from us to our citizens,” said government places more responsibility on the mayor, the position is Robinson. well-compensated.
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“In our form of government, the mayor position is a full-time position,” said Cherie Wood, the mayor of South Salt Lake. “I’m charged with running the city and we have a multi-million dollar budget and we have 300 plus employees.” Without an above-average salary, Wood said that the position would not attract candidates who are qualified to manage such a large organization. Another problem, according to Mike Applegarth, is that an extremely low salary might exclude all but the “independently wealthy” from running for office. In contrast, there are the five-member and six-member council forms of government. Under these forms, the mayor’s principal responsibility is to be the chair of and preside over the city council. The responsibility for the daily administration of the city instead lies with a City Manager. With the decreased responsibility comes a smaller paycheck; in some cities, the mayor even makes less than the city councilors. Holladay, Draper, Midvale, South Jordan, Cottonwood Heights, Herriman, and Riverton fall under these forms of government. “You don’t do it for the money, that’s for sure,” said Rob Dahle who is currently the mayor of Holladay, one of the municipalities with a council-manager form of government. According to Dahle, his main role is acting as a spokesman for the city. “We’re a pretty small municipality and it allows for a citizen mayor where their primary function isn’t to be employed by the city. It’s more of a service,” said Dahle. “These small cities don’t really justify a full-time mayor so that allows any citizen to be able to throw their hat in the ring to run for mayor.” Dahle said that transparency is the key to avoiding controversies similar to what happened in Sandy. “Whatever you do, you make sure it’s a public process. The mayor should not have unilateral authority to set his own pay. That’s just bad policy,” he said. When it comes to the compensation of city council members, there isn’t much of a difference between cities of different forms of government. Instead, the principle determinant seems to be population. The highest-paid city councils belong to the cities with the most people such as Salt Lake City, Sandy and Provo The average salary for a city councilor ranges from around $10,000 on the low end (Herriman) to over $40,000 on the high end (Salt Lake City). Residents who want to know more about how government entities spend taxpayer money, including employee compensation, can access that information through various online resources such as transparent.utah.gov and utahsright.com. As for Bradburn, he’s working to regain the trust of Sandy residents who felt betrayed by his actions, saying on a Facebook post, “I always said when I was campaigning that I was going to make mistakes, but I would always own up to them and fix them when I did. Hope you can still support me as I try to do the best I can while I have the privilege of serving you.” l
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Midvale City Journal
Three students to represent Hillcrest High at DECA nationals By Julie Slama | Julie@mycityjournals.com
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hree seniors will represent Hillcrest High School at the national DECA contest in April. After placing in the top five in the state, the team of Suraj Ramkumar and Rylee Brown will compete in the team entrepreneurship category and Cole Paradis will compete in the individual entrepreneurship contest in Atlanta April 20-25. The entrepreneurship category is new this year. The team of Suraj and Rylee return to nationals after placing in the final round in a different category at nationals last year. “They’re stepping up their game and gearing up for finals,” said adviser Emily Grass. “We’re hoping they will be on stage for being amongst the top in their event, role play or test.” DECA, a non-profit student organization, prepares emerging high school leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management. There are more than 215,000 members in 3,500 high school chapters across the United States. There are about 50 categories where students can compete individually or with another team member, or with two other members in a written project. To qualify for nationals, students need to place in the top of their category at state, Grass said. “We had seven finish in the top three at state, but none of those students could attend nationals, so those who finished behind them moved up into their spots,” she said, citing conflicts with Advance Placement and International Baccalaureate testing as being the main reasons that eliminated 14 of the 17 students who could have competed at nationals. Those students include seniors Gabriel Ciet and Ellie Runk, who took first place in hospitality services; seniors Tyler Ball
and Harini Srinivasan, who took second place in business law and ethics; junior Tess Jorgensen, who placed second in retail merchandising; and junior Emily Langie and sophomore Momina Sial, who placed second in entrepreneurship team. “I’m impressed how we did,” she said, adding that of the 28 students who competed at state, 25 of them were in the finals. “They represented our school well.” To qualify for state, students had to place well at region, which was Jan. 26. Hillcrest had 33 students of the 49 who competed place in the top three. “We had more freshmen and sophomore involved, but a number of them couldn’t compete at state with conflicts or they didn’t want to miss school,” she said. At state, Grass was recognized as well for being the DECA new adviser of the year. “They flashed my name in giant letters on the two screens before they announced it, but I didn’t see it until someone next to me said, ‘That’s you,’” she said. “Saraj, who is the state president, gave me a plaque. I don’t remember a whole lot; my mind was going millions of miles that minute, but I do remember him saying, ‘You took a giant W for us students.’” In addition to the plaque, she received $100. Hillcrest High students had 25 students advance to finals at the recent state Her anonymous nomination said that: “Emily’s DECA DECA contest. (Emily Grass/Hillcrest High School) program at Hillcrest High School continues to be a dominant force Grass said it’s the students who make the program. in Utah DECA and her development of the Hillcrest program is “We’re at club rush in the fall and if students are interested, a tribute to her dedication to her students and their passion for marketing. Emily is the kind of advisor who always pushes her we welcome them,” she said. “If they are able to articulate and students to leave their comfort zone in order to become better and share what they know, marketing can be taught. If they want to learn, they can be part of our team.” l grow as leaders.”
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Hillcrest High students shadow professionals to learn about careers By Julie Slama | Julie@mycityjournals.com
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illcrest High School junior Julie Ashby arrived at the Larry H. Miller Group of Companies early enough to find the correct place she needed to be for Canyons School District’s annual career and technical education job shadow day. Only, Julie went to the wrong building so she asked another woman who parked next to her for directions. She politely directed her to the correct location and started talking to her about school and her career plans. “I asked her what she does at the company and she said, ‘I’m the owner,’” Julie said. “It was only then did I realize I was actually talking to Gail Miller. She was so friendly and went out of her way to help me.” Those qualities are some of which Miller hit upon during her luncheon address to about 100 students and representatives from 40 companies that took part in the event. Students spent the morning job shadowing professionals in fields such as marketing, architecture, medicine, finance and others before networking with them during lunch. As chief operating officer, Miller oversees 11,000 people in 80 companies in 46 states. She was a silent partner in the family business until her husband, Larry, died of complications of diabetes in 2009. “I certainly didn’t need the headache of running a business that large, and I didn’t need the money,” she told students, but it was the responsibility of continuing the family legacy and values she wanted to continue—much of which resonated with Julie. Of the values Miller related, she told them, “Treat employees and customers and those with whom you interact with respect. You’re not better than anyone else so treat them with kindness you’d want in return. People are our most valuable asset.” Miller, who put money into perspective (“Use it wisely so you don’t become a slave to it”) also told students, “Don’t forget
your roots—where you can from—that’s where your values come from and that is part of you.” She recalled how they started out with one Toyota dealership in Murray before expanding to more than 60 car dealerships as well as professional sports teams, movie theatres and more. Miller still owns the original dealership today. “Give back to the community and pay it forward. No one can make it alone; the success belongs to those who also contribute,” she said, adding that they should share the knowledge they’ve learned as well as ask for help along the way. “Don’t be afraid to lead. Be a student always; learn something every day to add richness to your life.” With Miller’s help, Julie found Sandra Halladay, Larry H. Miller Total Care Auto compliance director, whom she job shadowed and learned about LLCs, contracts, changing business laws and statute and all the “legal part” behind car insurance. “It’s fascinating, but a lot of work to keep up-to-date what is going,” said Julie, who wants to pursue a career in the business field. “It was exciting to learn from her what is out there.” Canyons District CTE Coordinator Patti Larkin said that this opportunity linked students from all five Canyons traditional high schools as well as Canyons Technical Education Center with larger companies, such as eBay, O.C. Tanner, Larry H. Miller Group of Companies and Hunt Electronics, which supported the job shadow day and allowed students to explore careers in engineering, IT, medicine and diesel. Canyons Superintendent Jim Briscoe applauded students for getting a jumpstart in researching possible careers. “This will make a huge difference as you move on after high school; you’ll have this experience to know if these careers are your passion and a field you want to pursue,” he said. Canyons Board of Education member Nancy Tingey said that the opportunity was great.
Hillcrest High School junior Julie Ashby met Larry H. Miller Group of Companies CEO Gail Miller while job shadowing as part of Canyons School District’s annual career and technical education job shadow day. (Canyons School District)
“These community members support our students and give them the opportunity to receive valuable experience,” she said. Miller challenged students not only to think about their paths, but improving those around them. “Wherever you go and whatever you do, do something that makes a difference in this world,” she said. “Light your fire and while looking for your success, help others who are doing the same thing.” l
Continued from Front Cover..
Typically shows with live music feature a band or orchestra in front of the stage. The conductor or musicians can then recognize visual cues by the actors. For “Nunsense” the band was at the back of the stage. The drummer was even hidden from view due to lack of space. “That was a tricky part to add another layer on top of the show,” Thomas said. She added that the musical accompaniment, shepherded by Anne Puzey who played the piano, would frequently request consistency from the actors’ movements since she can’t see them. Her request for “consistency” certainly stayed with Thomas. “One night she said it over and over,” Thomas jokingly recalled. “Then I had a dream that the puppet turned into (Anne) and was chasing me around a dark alley saying ‘consistency.’” Having the band is “kind of a lost art,” Mitchell said. With a piano, French horn, bass guitar and drums, it allows for the actor to “feel in the moment” rather than follow the recordings. He said the technology is great, “but there’s no give and take with canned music.” “Which is what live theatre is all about,” according to Mitchell, who also plays bass guitar in the band. “In the moment to be able to go, ‘I need to slow this down because today this
feels very important that I slow this down. Or I speed it up, or I make it bigger or louder,’ With canned music you can’t do that.” Another difficulty was the short rehearsal time. Actors had one month to memorize lines and songs with only one rehearsal where they could request lines. The band only had three rehearsals together. (The band) came together real fast and it adds a more personal and human touch to it,” Copier said. Mitchell said that “to get this thing all accomplished in a short period of time has been pretty cool.” Despite the challenge, Thomas felt it was the right amount of time. “I feel like the cast was very professional, we were all on our A game and we just came and focused and worked really hard,” she said. “I don’t think it needed to be a lot longer because of the talent we had.” Thomas does a musical number with a puppet, her favorite part of the show. The ventriloquism, however, took time to master. “That’s what I was looking forward to the most and then it was just not natural to me. It was so hard,” she said. Choreographer Jan LeVitre decided to match the puppet’s movements to dance moves
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to simplify it for Thomas. One challenge for Copier was a scene where her character takes a drug out of curiosity. The ensuing 3-5 minutes consist of a high and wacky Mother Reverend. It was the scene that gave Copier the most anxiety about her role. “I’ve lost sleep over that particular scene, but getting up there and hearing the laughs is what really gets me to give even more and be even sillier when doing it,” she said. One night she jumped on a diner stool to then mistake the stool under her frock as a baby bump before telling the audience, “It’s a miracle.” It requires Copier to feel the audience, Mitchell explained. “She’s throwing things in left and right that are just funny,” but still in character,” he said. The scene serves as a perfect example for the magic of live theatre, which Mitchell hopes will always stick around. “It’s one of those things that can be lost and needs to be improved,” he said. “If you can spend $15 on a movie, you can spend $15 on a live production.” The arts council’s next show will be “The Drowsy Chaperone” at 7:30 p.m. on June 8-16 at the Midvale Performing Arts Center. Auditions were slated for March 27. l
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Midvale City Journal
Hillcrest High Husky Club showcases talent
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elcome to the greatest show.” Those words from Hillcrest High School student body vice president Lizzie Jensen may be the best description of what transpired on stage, according to special education aide Whitney Lott. “Some of these students have never gotten up to do something like this before,” she said. “This has given them so much support and confidence and a feeling of pride in doing it.” Lott is referring to the Husky Club talent show, the opportunity for special education students, peer tutors, and student body officers to showcase their talent in front of their peers and faculty. The Feb. 13 show began with Addie Morley and Makelle Espinoza as flag bearers and Ashlin Cootney singing the national anthem. Ashlin later sang, “How Far I’ll Go” from “Moana.” “I’ve been singing since I was a little girl, but I sang in the sixth-grade choir,” Ashlin said. “At first, I was petrified. I couldn’t get a note out, but I grew out of that fear.” Ashlin has sang at the Hillcrest unified soccer game versus the Real Salt Lake unified soccer team as well as auditioned for Hillcrest High School Idol. Eight students — Estephani Govea-Comargo, Alexis Tafoya, Dominic Williams, Kilepoa Walieson Tuitama, Aukia Finau, Jonathon Pascual, Sophia Lovell and Jake Tilby — danced to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” followed by Ike Campell singing “Born to Lie.” Special education teacher JoAnn Plant said they were well received. “The audience was clapping and cheering,” she said. “Ike loves to sing and when our class went to ‘The Greatest Showman,’ he learned every song.” Ike said he was ready to perform in the talent show. “It was exciting to be on stage,” he said. “I liked my song.” Students Luis Rodriguez and Yasmin QuispeRobles paired up to dance to “Promise” before Marissa Fuller danced to “So What?” with a guest cameo appearance by student body president Boston Iacobazzi. Luis, who moved to Utah from Peru, said he was nervous before he took the stage. “I had practiced, but I was happy how it went,” he said, adding that he likes to dance to Latino music. “I want to do it again next year.” Plant said many of her students prevailed to perform. Some are autistic, bipolar, suffer from anxiety or depression or have behavioral issues, seizure disorders, communication issues or other health conditions, but still are “brilliant and have so much to offer.” Many students had to overcome their timidity to perform. “Marissa was twirling and dancing and it’s just been amazing how far she has come to overcome her shyness,” Plant said. The duo of Christina Archuletta and Noor Al-
By Julie Slama | Julie@mycityjournals.com Baldawi sang “Closer” before Jordan Mathena performed his original song, “Techno Pizza.” The two girls not only practiced their song, but also determined what they’d wear for the performance, Noor said. “We practiced for the talent show and knew all the words, but the best part of it was the applause,” Noor said. Christina said it was hard. “I like singing, but it was hard (to be on stage),” she said. Plant said that Jordan used Garage Band he learned in his CTEC class to create the song. “He wrote it and just went with it,” she said, adding that Eight students danced to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” as part of the Husky Jordan is learning computer Club talent show, the opportunity for special education students, peer tutors, programs for his career goal of and student body officers to showcase their talent in front of their peers and writing video games. faculty. (Julie Slama/City Journals) Students Tyler Houchins, Several other students — Aubre Cooper, Dominic Williams and Jaden Hartman showcased their artwork. Tyler’s was Jorge Garcia-Guillen, Zach Rolfson and Joshua a piece titled, “Lego,” Dominic’s was “Donuts Herrera — helped as stage crew members along with helpers Giselle Gremmert, Joshua Griffel, Puzzle,” and Jaden’s was called “Tile.” Alexis Tafoya and Lizzie Jensen then sang, Ariel Corpuz, Tara Sharp, Lindy Schwendiman “How Far I’ll Go” from “Moana” before Jaxon and Hillcrest student body officers. The Husky Club, which started 25 years ago, Brady danced to “Cowboy Bebop.” “Alexis knew all the words and sang so allows students and their peer tutors to participate in several activities from going on outings such as beautifully,” Lizzie said. Special education paraeducator Debra movies and museums to playing in unified soccer Buchanan said that Jaxon always is showcasing his games to attending junior prom. Several students, including student body talent. “We can be at a TRAX station on a field trip officers, have taken active roles as mentors and and he will pull out his moves,” she said. “He’s a involve students in activities, Plant said. “Boston has been a mentor in our program really good dancer and used a lot expression.” and when he ran for student body president, he Jaxson said he just moves to the music. “Nobody taught me,” he said. “I just want to told the class that they’re a part of our school and he hasn’t forgotten that,” she said. “Our kids have do it.” Laney Cluff, who has played violin for five become more a part of the school and feel like they have a friend. He has gotten more support for our years, played “Hallelujah.” Her mother, Julie, said that she played in unified soccer program and has made it cool to be elementary school and recently just picked it back part of the team.” Plant’s granddaughter, Regan, is a peer tutor up again. “She loves music,” Julie Cluff said. “She has and is considering following in her grandmother’s been in choir for four years now and learns songs, and mother’s steps as a career. “I love making connections with them as I then comes home and picks them out on her violin. walk with them or sit with them at lunch,” she said. It’s kind of amazing.” The showcase concluded with Isaac Zaelit “They’ve become my friends.” Lizzie, who also is a mentor, values her performing his original dance to the “Next friendships with Husky Club members. Evolution of Dance.” “I loved that a lot of kids who got up on the What began as an eight-minute dance was whittled down to a three-minute presentation that stage are super shy and were doing something highlighted well-known moves through dance and out of their comfort zone,” she said. “I loved that they had a wide variety of talents and I loved that “made him the talk of the school,” Plant said. “He worked on this in front of a mirror for people came to support the kids at our school six months and it just took us by surprise when with disabilities because I know how happy it he performed,” she said. “We’re so proud of our made them. It really ended up being so sweet and students and what they’ve done to overcome so heartwarming.” l much to perform and to help put on this show.”
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Backyard Broadcast students find platform to stop child slavery By Julie Slama | Julie@mycityjournals.com
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s a young man, Kailash Satyarthi promised himself that he would end child slavery. In a recent Sundance film, bearing his name, about 20 Hillcrest High students who are members of Backyard Broadcast supported his story by pledging to buy products that are child-labor free, said club adviser Jordan Hulet. “It made us aware that we can learn more and do more here in Midvale and around the world,” she said after students discussed the film and what they could do to advocate for child laborers. Hillcrest students, joined by other Backyard Broadcast students from seven other high schools in the area, saw the film at a special screening that also included talk about human trafficking and the focus on finding a solution to the problem, said junior Emily Langie, who started the Backyard Broadcast chapter on campus. “We want to make people aware of the issue so they can fully understand it,” she said. “In the U.S., there are 100,000 children being trafficked and being forced into child labor or sex trafficking. Child trafficking is so much easier to transport across borders in our modern world; it’s become modern day slavery.” Emily first learned about Backyard Broadcast from national director Terri Palmer last year. “The idea of Backyard Broadcast is to encourage high school students to raise awareness of child sex trafficking and child labor,” Palmer said. “Students are learning the issues, leading clubs and speaking out — and people are listening.”
Emily met with administrators and found a teacher to advise the Hillcrest Backyard Broadcast students last spring. “When I learned about it, I wanted to do more and asked how I can help. We can advocate, we can make people more aware starting here at Hillcrest. Not all the students here understand the gravity of it,” she said, adding that she would like a career involving humanitarian work. When last year’s adviser moved, Hulet stepped up to advise the 30 students. “Emily is so passionate and wants to make a difference and help people her own age. She made me realize I could do more,” she said. Hulet said that she learned slavery didn’t end, but just found a new face. “It’s as prevalent as ever; it just looks different. Children are usually being forced to be laborers,” she said. With social media and awareness campaigns, Backyard Broadcast is educating their peers through distributing plastic band bracelets with contact information in case someone needs help as well as fundraise to provide survivor baskets for those who have been mistreated. “I’m passionate about advocating for these people and making a difference. It’s something I’m passionate about,” Emily said. “Education is the most important tool. We can work to make a change.” l
Hillcrest High Backyard Broadcast students attended a recent Sundance Film Festival documentary in support of stopping child slavery. (Jordan Hulet/Hillcrest High School)
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Page 10 | April 2018
Midvale City Journal
Midvale students encouraged to get involved in issues during Capitol visit By Julie Slama | Julie@mycityjournals.com
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idvale Middle School eighth-grader Connor Oviatt joined his school’s Parent-Teacher-Student Association because he wanted to make a difference in his school. “It is one of the most, if not the most, influential groups at school who can make an impact for the students,” he said. “I went to the Capitol to represent the school. I wanted to see how the government functions and learn how to have a voice.” And that’s what Connor did through listening to Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox speak to 318 students Feb. 7 at PTSA day at the Capitol as well as touring the capitol, participating in a mock debate and learning about digital citizenship. Cox encouraged students to get involved. “I want them to meet their legislators and talk to them about big issues and share their ideas,” he said. “Few people actually talk to legislators, especially students, and this is their opportunity to make an impact on their world and future.” He also spoke to students about issues that may concern them — teen suicide, education, air quality. “Teen suicide is a really big issue in Utah,” he said. “Any suicide is one too many as it impacts all of us. Out of about 200 of us, 40 will contemplate it.” Cox ensured students were aware of the statewide SafeUT electronic device app, which provides real-time crisis intervention with counselors to youth through texting as well as a confidential tip message to school administrators on bullying, threats, violence and depression. Parent-Teacher-Student Association president Rebecca Martin said that she was glad he addressed that. “We shouldn’t be afraid to talk about mental health or suicide. We want our students to watch out for friends and get them help,” she said. Cox continued to address issues, saying that by 2025, Utah will have a significant increase in education funding and a significant reduction in air pollution. “We’d like to have hydro transit pick you up at your houses by the year 2030 as a way to carpool going to work. We have 25 percent cleaner air than 10 years ago, but the bad news is Salt Lake City is always going to have air quality issues. The Native Americans called it the Valley of Smoke as the inversion can’t escape,” he said. Cox also told students that their founding fathers had great foresight. “The Capitol is an amazing building for being 100 years old. When it was built, it cost $300,000 and now it would be more than $3 million. It is one of the five most beautiful capitols in the country and you have the legacy to stand on to make changes for our future,” he said. Midvale Middle and Hillcrest students toured the Capitol and grounds. They learned the importance of items from seeing the desk made from some of the 93 trees that fell from the 1999 tornado that hit Capitol Hill to understanding the symbolism, such as the beehive representing industry and perseverance, seen throughout the building. They also viewed the house and senate, supreme court and Gold Room, saw the recent renovation for earthquake safety and looked for statues during a scavenger hunt. “We read the placards and learned why the statues were there and what they meant. We discussed how there’s a bill right now at the Capitol about exchanging the statue of Philo T. Farnsworth’s in the Capitol in Washington, D.C. with one of Mary Hughes Cannon,” Martin said. At press deadline, the bill was currently on the governor’s desk for consideration. At the Digital Citizenship Week session, Canyons School District spokesman Jeff Haney reminded students that what they
Members of Midvale Middle School PTSA attended the recent Parent-Teacher-Student Association day at the Capitol. (Rebecca Martin/Midvale Middle School)
post on social media would be available for people to see, not only now, but in their future, including college recruiters and employers. Martin said in the session, students searched for their names to see what popped up in connection with them. “He wants students to consider before posting what kind of person they are because when they apply for college and jobs, people will see what is there. He gave the example if they saw a sign on someone’s back, would they snap a photo and post it or would they take it off? He wanted them to realize that by posting mean things about others will perpetuate situations and magnify it and also reveal something about themselves instead of showing kindness and empathy. They learned their digital footprint lasts forever,” she said. Students participated in mock debate on whether cell phones should be allowed at school. Utah PTA Student Involvement Commissioner Betty Shaw said that through the debate, conducted by state auditor John Dougall and Rep. Ryan Wilcox, students were learning both sides of the issue. “We want students to gain a better perspective and be able to see both sides to every issue; they may learn something from the other side instead of just seeing their side,” Shaw said. “We want to get the kids to understand what goes on (at the Capitol), how laws are enacted or changed and how it affects them. We want them to start having conversations about current issues. It would be great to see them get involved in issues they have concerns about, if not at the Capitol then locally with their school board or local district agencies and city councils.”
Connor said that he plans to write Canyons Board of Education about an issue at school. “I want them to allow us to institute student clubs. When they looked at it, they said it was safer for students not to hold them. But our afterschool activities do a lot of good and they take place inside a locked building, so shouldn’t we focus on the good they do rather than what could possibly ever happen?” Connor said that the activities at the Capitol helped him look at what he will write and analyze his main message. “It’s important that teens have a voice and as a member of a diverse school, it’s important we include everyone and this is one way we can do that,” he said. Martin said the day provided students valuable leadership skills, including critical thinking skills. “They learned they can get involved and advocate on issues at school or outside of school on what’s important to them,” she said. Midvale Middle PTSA adviser Stephanie Liu already has walked students through parliamentary procedure as part of teaching students leadership skills. “We want our students to be efficient leaders and have a better understanding of our working government and how they can participate,” Liu said. In addition to Midvale Middle and Hillcrest High, four other Canyons traditional high schools and six other middle schools as well as students from Jordan and Murray school districts had students participate that day at the Capitol. About 180 additional students from across the state attended the event on a second day, Feb. 20. l
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In The Middle of Everything
CITY NEWSLETTER
City Hall – 7505 South Holden Street • Midvale, UT 84047 MIDVALE CITY DIRECTORY City Hall Finance/Utilities Court City Attorney’s Office City Recorder/Human Resources Community Development Public Works Ace Disposal/Recycling City Museum Midvale Senior Center SL County Animal Services Midvale Precinct UPD Police Dispatch Unified Fire Authority Fire Dispatch Communications
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MIDVALE CITY ELECTED OFFICIALS MAYOR Robert Hale Email: Rhale@midvale.com
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By Mayor Robert Hale
The Utah State Legislature concluded a month ago and now we begin to prepare for the results of the laws that made it all the way through the Governor’s signature. The 2018 session had more bills presented for consideration by representatives and senators than any previous session in history! Midvale City elected leaders, management, representatives, and its citizens, service agencies and business interests have spent countless hours shepherding, testifying, assembling data, answering inquiries, texting, phoning, and attending committee meetings in person and online. All this to preserve the valuable tax resources, increase State transportation funds, manage the effect of proposed 5G wi-fi antennas within the city rights-of-way, and provide the services our citizens need. Overall, we feel it was a positive year at the legislature. There were approximately 130 separate bills that were written to affect city government. We had a lot of support from the League of Cities and Towns in monitoring the language, affects and goals, committee status, and lobbying the voting for each of these bills. Some of these 130 bills had some large obstacles to municipal governments. (As I write this article, these bills are on Governor Gary Herbert’s desk awaiting his decision to approve or veto each one.) Here is a list of some of the prominent bills we worked on with your legislators: • • • • •
WHO TO CALL FOR… Water Bills Ordering A New Trash Can Reserving the Bowery Permits GRAMA requests Court Paying For Traffic School Business Licensing Property Questions Cemetery Water Line Breaks Planning and Zoning Building Inspections Code Enforcement North of 7200 S Code Enforcement South of 7200 S Graffiti
The Heart of the Matter
APRIL 2018
HB 38 – Fireworks Restrictions HB 462 – Homeless Services Amendments SB 136 – Transportation Governance Amendments SB 189 – Small Wireless Facilities Deployment Act SB 235 – Homeless Shelter Funding Amendments
For many weeks, City Administration and I spent three to five days on Capitol Hill conferencing with representatives and senators either directly or through the City’s lobbyists. I had an extremely brief moment to testify in favor of SB 235 in committee. After introducing myself to the committee, the chairman said time was short: “Are you in favor of the bill, Mayor Hale?” I gave a thumbs up and exclaimed, “Yes!” The sponsor asked for the vote and the bill passed 4-1 in favor. I found a convenient way to get to the State Capitol: UTA TRAX from Midvale to the Courthouse Station, then walk across Main Street to the UTA Bus 500 Stop at 449 S Main St. The UTA 500 Free Fare bus came about every 10-15 minutes and carried me up the Hill to either the West end or the East end of the Capitol. The total oneway trip would take 45 minutes. A short walk from the nearby bus stop to the doorways and I was near my appointment. The few times I did need to drive, it was quite a different experience: traffic, steep hill driving up Marmalade District roads, more traffic, driving around to find the one parking spot “Hambone” was holding for me. (Hambone’s absenteeism was high!) And finally, the blocks’ long walk down steep hills from 10,000 feet above sea level at the intersection of Cortez St. and Girard Ave. to the Capitol grounds through blizzard and rain. And then, of course, there is the return trip which began with buttoning up my overcoat and pulling up the collars for the Alpine mountain climb to 10,000 feet. Then the drive home in traffic.
Or the easy way: I just watched for the UTA bus on the RideUTA.com app on my iPhone. When the real-time icon showed the bus was coming down East Capitol Blvd., I strolled out to the east bus stop for a ride back down to the Courthouse TRAX stop. A safe inexpensive 35 minute ride put me back at a Midvale TRAX stop. The net effect of our hard work: • Fireworks use must be contained to July 2-5, July 22-25, and December 31. • The State of Utah and a very small amount of the Sales Tax normally returned to the cities and counties of Utah will become a fund managed by the State from which cities with homeless shelters can apply for reimbursement for law enforcement costs for resources used for causes specific to those shelters and residents. • The State will also provide monetary resources through the Department of Workforce Services to the agencies maintaining the homeless shelters. These funds will be augmented by donations gathered by the various shelter agencies. • The Utah Transit Authority, as we know it today, at least organizationally, will have (1) permanent leadership and local input; (2) more directed to transit development; (3) funds available to counties, and if not counties, then to cities, to fund roadways and transit development; and (4) an equitable method to tax non-gas fueled vehicles; etc. • One bill we had mixed success with was the 5-G network antennae deployment. The telecommunications industry presented proposals that were difficult to change. As a result, there will come above-ground antennae to broadcast 5-G Wi-Fi signals every couple of hundred feet from within the public rights-of-way. We attempted to reduce the impact of potentially many networks each with their own pole from our streets and neighborhoods, but with limited results. • The cities of Utah that do not have homeless shelters will contribute sales taxes (normally redistributed to cities) to a fund that cities that have homeless shelters can apply for reimbursements for law enforcement and emergency personnel costs which are designated for the care and protection of properties and people in and around the homeless shelters. Midvale demonstrated a many fold increase in vagrancy, police calls and emergency medical services calls from 2016, prior to the Salt Lake City Road Home Shelter at Rio Grande closing, and into late 2017. To protect businesses, passers-by and citizens, it was necessary to multiply the police presence around 7200 South west of State Street. I want you to know of our concern for you and your safety, night and day. Our Unified Police Department and our Unified Fire Authority personnel are the best of the best. Thanks to our Public Works Department for keeping our streets clean in each of the brief but heavy snowfalls this winter.
In The Middle of Everything Community Council Update Last month’s Community Council meeting was a success! It was great to hear from our City about the plans for our Main Street. It was great to have so many people there as well. This coming month our meeting will be held on April 4th at 7:00. We will have our elected officials from the legislature there to give us an update on the legislative update. And as usual, we will have reports from our local leaders about what is going on in the City. I know I mentioned this last month, but I just wanted to spread the word again. The Community Council is sponsoring a contest to design our new logo. This contest is open to any Midvale resident age 18 or under. The artist who designs the logo that is picked by the Council will receive $100. The deadline for submissions is April 30, 2018. If you would like to enter your design, please email it to drewcstoddard@gmail.com by the deadline. And if you have any questions about the Community Council or are interested in becoming a member, please email me at the same email address.
Are You And Your Dog a Nuisance? Spring is here, and you and your pup are going to be heading out into the great outdoors to sniff the flowers, roam the neighborhoods (on leash of course), and most likely poop on the neighbor’s yard (your dog, not you.) Leash’em Up! Prevent your dog from getting hit by a car or starting a dog fight with another dog by keeping them on leash. Your dog is REQUIRED to be on leash at ALL times, unless you’re at a designated off-leash dog park. If you’re caught with your dog off leash, you will get a ticket and have to pay a fine because your dog will be considered a public nuisance. Many violators of this ordinance will claim that they’re pet is friendly, or less aggressive when on leash. But Salt Lake County Animal Services would remind them that not everyone likes a “friendly” dog off leash, nor do other dogs that are on leash. A leash is not an optional accessory, it’s the LAW to wear one. Eww Pooh! Poop is a reality. Every dog must poop and nope, they don’t only poop at home. It’s the law to clean up after your dog, if you get caught not picking up their poop, expect to pay a fine. This is another public nuisance violation. Be a considerate neighbor or hiker and carry poop bags to clean up after your dog when they defecate out on an adventure, whether it’s in the neighborhood or on a busy hiking trail, you must pick it up. Don’t think anyone is watching you walk your dog? Think again. Thanks to our smart phones it’s extremely easy for your neighbor, another park goer, or someone on the trail to take video or pictures of you not cleaning up after your pet. They then submit that information, along with your name or address to Salt Lake County Animal Control Officers who will then write you a ticket. Curious about the ordinances in your city or township? Check out AdoptUtahPets.com and visit our “Laws” section to look up the ordinances in your area. Need to contact an officer? Call dispatch at 801743-7045.
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Crime Report Maps Available Online Active and engaged residents play a huge role in lowering crime. We encourage residents to review the Crime Report Maps which are accessible on the Unified Police Department’s website to see and understand where crime is happening in their community. Crime Report Maps are accessible on the www. updsl.org website as follows: -Select “Resources” -Select “Crime Reports Map” -Select the Year/Month Report -Under the “Midvale” header, make your report selection from the following options: • Map • Call Case • Other • Persons • Property To report a crime, call 911 if it is an emergency and 801-743-7000 for non-emergency crimes.
Help Stop Graffiti In Midvale Experience has shown that removing graffiti as soon as it occurs is the best prevention against future graffiti. Whenever you see graffiti please contact the Unified Police Department Graffiti Removal Program at 385468-9769 or graffiti@updsl.org. UPD will send someone out to take a photo to document the graffiti and then either remove the graffiti or provide the property owner with paint and solvent if they prefer to remove the graffiti themselves. If someone tags the location again, report it again. It may take two or three times before the vandal gives up or gets caught. Graffiti is not a prank, it is a crime. Graffiti can be graded anywhere from a Class B misdemeanor for less than $500 in damage to a second-degree felony for more than $5,000.
I-15 Northbound Environmental Assessment Public Open House The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) is studying possible transportation-related solutions on northbound I-15 from Bangerter Highway to I-215. Come to the next public open house to discuss current and future traffic conditions and provide input on potential alternatives.
WHEN Wednesday, May 2, 2018 4 - 7 p.m. WHERE Midvale Senior Center 7550 S. Main St., Midvale To receive email updates throughout the study process, contact a project representative by calling 801-747-9950 or emailing i15northbound@utah.gov. For more information, visit udot.utah. gov/i15northbound.
APRIL 2018 CITY NEWSLETTER WWW . MIDVALECITY . ORG
National Prescription Drug Take-Back Initiative On Saturday, April 28, 2018, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Hillcrest High School, the Unified Police Department Midvale Precinct and the Midvale Mayor and City Council members will participate in the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Initiative. This initiative, supervised by Drug Enforcement Administration, coordinates a collaborative effort with state and local law enforcement agencies focused on removing potentially dangerous controlled substances from our nation’s medicine cabinets. This one-day effort will bring national focus to the issue of pharmaceutical controlled substance abuse. Last April Utah local law enforcement partners collected 17,364 pounds of unused/unwanted prescriptions; and more than 450 tons were collected nationwide! Unused or expired prescription medications are a public safety issue, leading to accidental poisoning, overdose, and abuse. Pharmaceutical drugs can be just as dangerous as street drugs when taken without a prescription or a doctor’s supervision. The non-medical use of prescription drugs ranks second only to marijuana as the most common form of drug abuse in America. The majority of teenagers abusing prescription drugs get them from family and friends — and the home medicine cabinet. Unused prescription drugs thrown in the trash can be retrieved and abused or illegally sold. When flushed or thrown away, unused medications are hazardous waste that pollutes our waters and environment. The Take-
Back programs offer a secure and environmentally sound way to dispose of leftover medications. The program is anonymous for participants and all medications collected will be destroyed. Participants may dispose of medication in its original container or by removing it from the container and disposing of it directly into the disposal box. Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should remain in the original container with the cap tightly sealed. If you are unable to attend the Take-Back event on April 28, we encourage you to drop off your unused or expired medications in the drop box located at the Midvale Police Station lobby. Be sure to stop by during business hours, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Thank you for doing your part to keep medications out of the hands of potential abusers! For additional information regarding the National Take-Back Initiative and drug disposal information, please visit www. utahtakeback.org. For more information on prescription drug abuse, visit www. opidemic.org or www.DEA.gov.
City Proclaims April Child Abuse Prevention Month April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and Midvale City is spreading the message that everyone can help contribute to the prevention of child abuse. The Mayor and City Council proclaimed April 2018 as Child Abuse Prevention Month at the Midvale City Council meeting on March 27, 2018. “April is a time to celebrate the important role that communities play in protecting children and strengthening families,” said Mayor Robert Hale. “Everyone’s participation is critical. Focusing on ways to connect with families is the best thing our community can do to strengthen families and prevent child abuse and neglect.” Every child deserves the right to grow up in a safe and healthy environment. However, this is not the case for many children. Child abuse occurs at every socioeconomic level, across ethnic and cultural lines, within all religions and at all levels of education. Often, children and teens are abused and neglected by the people who are closest to them, including family. Through their perpetrators, child abuse victims suffer many forms of abuse. Physical injuries such as severe bruises, burns, strangulation and human bites are inflicted. Constant criticizing, belittling, insulting, rejecting and withholding love, affection, support and/or guidance are some examples of emotional abuse. Neglect is caused by the failure to provide a child with the basic necessities of life such as food,
clothing, shelter, medical care and education. Finally, sexual abuse includes rape, incest, molestation or pornography. Everyone can contribute to the prevention of child abuse. The Children’s Bureau, within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, provides the following information about getting involved to strengthen your community and families. Baby steps • Meet and greet your neighbors • Go to a parent meeting at your child’s school • Participate in an activity at your local library or community center Small steps • Set up a playgroup in your community at homes or a local park. Consider inviting people who may not have children at home, like local seniors. • Organize a community babysitting co-op • Volunteer at your child’s school • Encourage local service providers to produce a directory of available services that are easy to find in the community Big steps • Organize a community event • Run for an office in the Parent Teacher Student Association at your child’s school
While child abuse and neglect is a significant public health problem, it is also a preventable one. Free courses that deliver comprehensive child sexual abuse prevention education are now available online. The courses are mandated by a Utah law for all Utah school personnel, including teachers, administrators, staff and any others working with children. Parents and guardians are encouraged to access these courses online at pcau.enspark.com. If you or someone you know needs help, call the Unified Police Department at 801-743-7000 or the Division of Child and Family Services at 1-855-323-3237. Visit https:// pcautah.org/ for more information. In addition, the SafeUT Crisis Text and Tip Line is a statewide service that provides real-time crisis intervention to youth through texting and a confidential tip program – right from your smartphone. Licensed clinicians in the 24/7 CrisisLine call center respond to all incoming chats, texts, and calls. The number is 1-800273-8255. The SafeUT App is available for both Apple and Android devices.
In The Middle of Everything
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NEW MONTHLY Bulky Item & Green Waste Program! Program replaces bi-annual Clean Up events
Starting April 16, customers who pay for waste collection services through Midvale City will be able to dispose of bulky and green waste items on a MONTHLY basis. Items will be picked up on the third FULL week of every month on the customers normally scheduled trash day (see calendar). The City encourages everyone to recycle bulky items that can be reused by donating them to a local charity. If you have items that you need to dispose of, please follow these guidelines: • Place bulky and green waste items curbside the night before or no later than 6:30 a.m. on your normally scheduled trash day. • Place all green waste in one pile and bulky items in another. Be sure to keep the piles at least 2 feet apart. • Loose materials (leaves, twigs, wood chips, etc.) must be placed inside bags of boxes. • All green waste must be cut into 4-foot sections and be twined together in 18” diameter bundles. • Freon must be removed from items (refrigerators, freezers, etc.) by a professional and be tagged with a copy of the receipt.
All green waste must be cut into 4-foot sections and be twined together in 18” diameter bundles.
We will not pick up the following items:
• All items must weigh less than 75 pounds or they cannot be picked up.
• Dirt, rocks, concrete or sod
• Leaving a bag of grass clippings lying around in the hot summer sun waiting for bulky waste collection day conjures up awful smells. Therefore, grass clippings are not to be put out for bulky waste collection. Plus, grass clippings are too valuable to waste! When left on the lawn, properly mowed grass clippings filter down to the soil and decompose rapidly. During the breakdown process, the clippings feed soil organisms, recycle plant nutrients, and contribute organic matter to the soil. As a result, water is conserved and less fertilizer is needed grass. If you must dispose of your clippings, please dump clippings on top of other trash in your receptacle so they don’t get stuck in the bottom.
• Flammable materials such as oil and gas • Hazardous and toxic waste • Explosive and radioactive materials • Vehicle parts, tires or propane tanks • Metal and debris from construction, remodeling or demolition projects Visit www.midvalecity.org to learn more about the bulky item and green waste program.
April 2018 | Page 15
MidvaleJournal.com
Huskies’ unified soccer team to represent Utah at USA Games By Julie Slama | Julie@mycityjournals.com
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illcrest High junior Tanner Cluff was excited when he learned Hillcrest High unified soccer team members would represent Utah at the Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle this summer. “I want to know what it’s like to win a gold medal like the Olympics,” Tanner said. “I’m excited, but as (Hillcrest Football) Coach (Cazzie) Brown told us, ‘take care of business every day,’ and that’s what I plan to do.” Tanner, who was a manager for the football team under former Coach Brown and a member of the National Honors Society, said that through Hillcrest’s two unified soccer teams, he has learned the fundamentals of soccer. “It’s a slower pace than regular ed varsity boys soccer, but it’s a better pace for me,” he said, adding that his favorite team is the Seattle Sounders since he grew up in Seattle. “It’s going to be so much fun to play back home.” Hillcrest representing Utah will be one of nine teams from eight states to compete at the USA games, athletic director John Olsen said. “We’ll have 10 students – five athletes and five partners who will play,” he said, adding that they were selected in part for their involvement in Hillcrest’s unified soccer program. The team includes Tanner, Aubreanna Cooper, Moises Gonzales, Jaden Hartman, Boston Iacobazzi, Jocelyn Lopez, Adairah Morely, Luis Rodriguez, John Ruff and Sierra Webster. “It’s an amazing opportunity to be selected to go. For some of our students, it’s the first time they’ve been on an airplane or will ever get to be a part of something like this,” Olsen said, adding that they will march in the opening and closing ceremonies, much like the Olympics that recently took place in South Korea. Olsen, who along with coaches Shannon Hurst and Whitney Lott will accompany the team, said the team plans to live up to the Special Olympics motto: “Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.” “It’s a competitive model. It’s not just playing, but competing and playing well,” he said. “We could bring in incredible athletes, but instead we’re bringing their mentors — students who are dedicated and realize what a difference this makes for the athletes. We’re giving students an opportunity to play in high school sports who may not otherwise play so we don’t want to take the opportunity away from them, but instead, compete as a team.” Hillcrest, who has hosted the state unified soccer tournament for the past five seasons and each team winning the title in recent years, was the first school to participate in Special Olympics of Utah, Olsen said. Special education teacher JoAnn Plant, who decided not to
Members of Hillcrest High’s unified soccer team, pictured here after winning last year’s state title, will represent Utah at the Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle this summer. (Photo/Julie Cluff)
coach the Seattle team, said that the support on the Hillcrest High and Hillcrest Husky unified soccer teams is evident. “Everyone feels like they’re going; they’re all very supportive,” she said. “The team will take our Hillcrest banner with them to Seattle.” Plant said the team’s training begins with the high school unified season, which they will play teams from Alta, Bingham, Brighton, Jordan, Wasatch and others before hosting the state tournament May 5. “We’re working on flexibility, nutrition and stamina,” she said, adding that they may have a mini-camp to practice leading up to Seattle. “Our parents and our school have proven to be supportive to these athletes.” Lott, who is taking Plant’s place as coach in Seattle, is an aide in the special education classroom and a coach of the freshmen-sophomore girls basketball team. This is her first season with Hillcrest’s unified soccer program. “The kids are motivated to play and realize that this is something that is life-changing; it would never happen to them without this opportunity,” she said. “It’s a big honor.”
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Hurst, who teaches physical education as well as coaches the unified team and is an assistant coach for the school’s cross country team, said that their days will be packed with playing tournament games and other activities planned such as an old fashioned Fourth of July barbecue. “We’re looking for our athletes to improve and play well, but also to have fun and enjoy this experience that may only happen once in our lifetime,” she said. The team will be housed in University of Washington dorms and play on the collegiate soccer field. Recently, they were given Fitbits to help prepare them for the Games and measured for their uniforms, which along with the trip, are paid for by Special Olympics. Hurst said it is the athletes who make the sport worthwhile. “I could be having a crappy day, but then I see the smiles on their faces and see how happy they are over the littlest things and it totally changes my perspective,” she said. Olsen agrees: “I didn’t know what to expect when I started coaching, but I quickly realized how it has changed my life and makes all the difference in the world to these kids.” l
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Page 16 | April 2018
Midvale City Journal
Students join nationwide protest, many focus on kindness By Julie Slama, Justin Adams, Lori Gillespie and Travis Barton
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cross the country students made their voices heard on March 14, one month after the school shooting at a Parkland, Florida high school. They honored the 17 victims with tearful moments of silence, they protested gun laws and pledged kindness to their peers. Salt Lake County was no different as schools around the valley participated with walkouts and “walk ups.” Murray “I’m scared at school and I hear that from my friends as well,” said Academy of Math, Engineering and Science junior Grace Wason. “I don’t think fear should be in a place of learning.” About 150 students, most wearing black in mourning, lined 1300 East near the Murray school. They held signs showing each victim and chanted, “Books not bullets; no more silence. We are change.” During the walkout, Grace recited names of each victim, then added: “These are only 17 of the 75-plus students we are mourning today. We do this in solidarity not only with lost victims, but also their mourning friends and families. This has gone too far.” Grace participated in a routine school lockdown earlier in the week. “It was daunting,” she said. “I was working on the posters and saw them on my desk as I hid in the corner and thought, this is the exact thing those Florida students went through only they had someone with a gun come in their door.” Students, many who planned to take part in the “March for Our Lives” rally at the Capitol March 24, also signed up to vote as leaders organized voting registration as well as planned to hold a letter-writing campaign to Congress. Murray Board of Education Vice President Kami Anderson said Murray School District allowed students from Murray High, Hillcrest Junior High and Riverview Junior High the opportunity to walkout. “As a school district, we wanted to facilitate the conversation between students and parents about what the walkout means and why or why not participate and provide a safe place for them,” she said. “We need to allow students to make the choices for themselves.” Murray High student body president Kate Spackman said student government ushered the student-organized walkout to the school plaza, which had about 250 students participate. “Some students stood up and spoke out; we paid our respects to the victims,” Kate said. “I felt the kids who walked out for the right reasons supported the victims and it was awesome. For the kids who walked out to miss school, I hope they realize what this is all about and the importance of it.” Kate and other student government leaders organized “17 days of kindness of positivity.” Suggestions include to make a new friend, smile at 17 people, post a picture on social media “NeverAgain” in support and write to Gov. Gary Herbert and the legislature. “We wanted to do something that will make a difference immediately in kids’ lives,” she said. Cotonwood Heights Brighton student government also will hold a kindness campaign to create a more welcoming environment, said Principal Tom Sherwood after about 500 students participated in the student-led walkout. “I believe if students want to make a statement about changes to protest future lives, they have a right,” he said. “Students for generations have used civil disobedience in the community or country to stand up for what they believe is not right — and they still do.” Students, who gathered in the football stand, were silent for 17 minutes as the names of victims were held up and read out loud. Student leaders also urged students to use their voice — “we can’t let kids our age die in vain,” to vote and to write to their representatives.
Afterward, two juniors — Evelyn Compagno and Lilly Olpin — lingered. “I’m so glad we raised awareness for such a horrible thing,” said Evelyn, adding that she had friends who survived the Las Vegas shooting. “Those kids were murdered for no reason.” The future of the country is being impacted as well, Lilly said. “You never know the potential those children had. They could have been someone great, like the next Isaac Newton,” she said. Community members and Jim and Bonnie Despain came with their signs supporting the students. Jim Despain, who once hunted rabbits, said that he has wanted better gun control for years. Bonnie is a retired Ridgecrest Elementary schoolteacher and remembers faculty discussing the best course of action after the Columbine and Sandy Hook shootings. “It’s taking the kids across the nation to say enough and get the movement going on this,” she said. Utah State Rep. Marie Poulson, who taught English in the south end of the valley, agreed and supported students who participated. “I’m so proud of the courage, how they came out and spoke Students link arms around the football field at Highland High School on up,” she said. “It’s taking our young people’s activism to come March 14 as part of the nationwide walkout. (Lori Gillespie/City Journals) out to remind us to look at it and make changes. Kids should have The administration took a hands-off approach to the the right to feel safe at school.” demonstration, letting student leaders organize it themselves. Poulson said she recalled how the Columbine shooting They did notify the PTSA so that parents were aware of the terrorized both students and teachers and puzzled them about walkout, many of whom attended to show solidarity for their what they could do to make schools safer. Since then, she said children. phones and panic buttons have been installed in classrooms. The students formed a large circle and had a moment of silence “And we’re still discussing it now, but I’m hoping these to honor the victims of recent school shootings. Afterward, some students caught the attention of other officials and have of the student organizers spoke through a megaphone about the embarrassed them to do more,” Poulson said. “We don’t want need for more gun control and more kindness between students, schools to become an armed camp, but we want our students to noting that many of those who carry out school shootings were be safe. We’ve called a school safety commission and if they can previously victims of bullying. find a way to make a difference, we’ll call a special session (at the One of those students, Lydia Timms, said that the opinion and legislature) and I hope they do.” activism of students across the country shouldn’t be discounted just because of their age. “Just because we’re young doesn’t mean Kearns that we can’t be patriotic,” she said. Kearns Jr. High focused its energies on what principal Scott Following the demonstration, the majority of students Bell hoped would be a “positive direction” rather than getting into promptly walked back into the building to return to class. the political aspect. LeRoy said he was impressed with the behavior of the The school’s “walk up” concentrated its attention on students throughout the demonstration. “For most of these supporting school kindness and safety, standing united against students, this was their first experience in civic engagement so we school violence and honoring the 17 Parkland shooting victims. wanted to make sure that it went well,” he said. “My hope was there would be a uniting activity for us as a Eric Holley, one of the parents who attended, said that he school and I think it exceeded my hopes. It really turned out just thought it was a valuable experience for his daughter. “Something awesome,” Bell said. like this works for these kids on their level,” he said. Before exiting the school, a student-made video was played with students requesting those watching to stand against school Midvale and South Jordan violence and pledge to do 17 acts of kindness. On the lawn While several Canyons School District schools had student outside, students and faculty held a moment of silence for two walkouts, Midvale Middle students not only participated March minutes, 14 seconds (the date of the tragedy 2/14). 14, but also on Feb. 23 when 400 students participated in a Once students returned to class they were given a KJH Cares spontaneous demonstration, said spokesman Jeff Haney, who card with 14 suggested acts of kindness and three blank lines for added as long as students returned to class after the walkout, they them to come up their own ideas. were not marked tardy or absent. “We’re giving a challenge to our students over the next month Jordan School District spokeswoman Sandra Riesgraf said to do 17 acts of kindness for others and to use the #KJHCares to that students who walked out were asked to check out, but they share their acts of kindness on social media,” Bell said. were marked truant, according to district policy. Bell was impressed with his students saying they struck the “It doesn’t stay on their record,” she said, adding that they right tone of respect and solemnity. could make it up with an hour of homework time. “Some didn’t “One thing I didn’t count on was the level of emotion it had check out because they thought it best expressed their civil for some students,” he said. “We had some of our students and disobedience. We just want to know where our students are, for staff be a little emotional about it. There was a real connection their safety.” with what we were doing.” At Bingham High, where students also are participating in acts of kindness, Riesgraf said that about 75 students lead a Holladay peaceful and respectful walkout by the street. At Churchill Jr. High, Principal Josh LeRoy estimated that “We fully support students exercising their free speech and 80 percent of the student body joined the nationwide walkout. peaceful discussion,” she said. l
April 2018 | Page 17
MidvaleJournal.com
Shot clock or no shot clock? That’s the ongoing question By Catherine Garrett | c.garrett@mycityjournals.com
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he high school basketball seasons may have ended, but the discussion about whether or not to have a shot clock (a timer designed to increase the game’s pace and scoring) continues. Eight states – California, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota and Washington – have employed the use of a 30- or 35-second shot clock while other states are moving towards the idea, including Wisconsin, which is slated to have a shot clock for the 2019-2020 season. Many coaches around Utah seem to be in favor of the shot clock, according to Joe Ogelsby, Utah High School Activities Association assistant director and director of Basketball Operations. One of those coaches is Corner Canyon High girls basketball coach Jeramy Acker who said, “We not only need it, we as coaches are wanting it. Every level of basketball has a shot clock. We are really doing a serious disservice to the student-athlete and really inhibiting the game by not having a shot clock.” Acker points out that there are more 20-point scorers in the state than ever before, indicative to him of the “different style of basketball that they are wanting.” “The game is about playing with pace and tempo which typically has you scoring within 15 to 20 seconds,” he said. “It seems that the teams that struggle offensively employ the stall tactics and try to control possessions.” The coach of the 5A Chargers program in Draper said he was “bitten by stalling” earlier in his coaching career. “What I’ve found since is that wins and losses comes and go, but what is more important to me is, ‘Am I helping my player to develop to the next level?’ Stalling doesn’t help me do that,” he said. Bryce Valley boys basketball coach Gary Syrett said that speaking for his 1A program, “We would like it,” he said. “It’s a fun type of basketball. Even though stalling can be effective at times – and we’ve taken some minutes off the clock at times – I still like basketball to be played up and down and most of the kids do too.” Syrett said his staff and school administrators have discussed the shot clock and recognize the cost, but are still in favor of moving that way. Bruce Bean, principal of 3A Carbon High in Price who was a basketball coach for 13 years, also said he would welcome a shot clock. “In my coaching style, we better get a good shot off before we turn the ball over. That lends itself to needing to move the ball quickly towards the basket,” he said. “If we are supposed to prepare our kids for the next level, they need to be familiar with what’s going on. I don’t think it’s going to bother the game.” “Change is inevitable,” Bean said. “I’m old enough to remember when the three-point line came in and we had to adjust to that. I remember when we went from two officials to three and
Cottonwood High basketball coach Lance Gummersall walks the sideline underneath the scoreboard. Is it time for Utah to institute a shot clock in high school basketball? (Travis Barton/City Journals)
at first everyone was asking, ‘Why do we need this?’ and now it seems like no one is arguing that point anymore.” Tom Sherwood, Brighton High’s principal, feels a shot clock would positively impact the game in the state. “We’ve discussed it several times and as basketball evolves, it’s worth revisiting the issue,” he said. When Brighton’s 5A boys basketball team played in the Under Armour Holiday Classic in California over the Christmas break this past season, they used a shot clock and defeated nationally-ranked teams from Torrey Pines (California) and Oak Christian (California). “The shot clock was good for us in the tournament and I think we thrived with it,” Sherwood said. “I think it encourages kids to be more aggressive offensively and be less hesitant to take open shots when you’re on a clock.” Former NBA coach Barry Hecker called the shot clock a “double-edged sword,” saying that it hurts struggling or average teams while
it favors better teams. He said that while he was coaching at Westminster, his squad, who was picked to finish last in the conference, ran “four corners” to spread the ball around offensively and found themselves at the top of the division much of the season. “If we would have had a shot clock, we would have got our butts spanked,” he said. Hecker also noted that a shot clock would appeal to spectators and would get those on the court ready for the use of the shot clock in college. So, where does the UHSAA sit on the issue of bringing a shot clock to the state? Oglesby from UHSAA said the shot clock topic has been brought up over the years and their organization has given – and continues to give – the subject extensive time, research, thought and discussion. “Our organization is completely membership-driven which drives a rules process and feasibility of things while being
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risk adverse,” Oglesby said. “We have to do not just what is in the best interest of segments of student-athletes; we have to safeguard to ensure that decisions made are done with the best interest for everyone. We have to be concerned with equity.” Oglesby said that the UHSAA is “not negligent with knowing” about how coaches and administrators feel about the shot clock issue, but that there are “fundamental issues that we need to answer,” that have received the support of many coaches around the state, while not being able to “get a lot of support from athletic directors and principals,” according to Oglesby. The two main points, he said, are financing the acquisition and maintenance of shot clocks and staffing the running of the shot clocks during games. Estimations on shot clocks vary depending on the type of scoreboards schools already can range in the thousands of dollars. A shot clock operator is simply “one more position to pay for,” said Oglesby. “Several larger classifications want to just do it,” he said. “Things are always moving and we are not wanting to make any quick changes. It’s going to take a long time to get through the process.” The National Federation of State High School Associations does not allow for the use of a shot clock, so the states that do have them are not allowed representation on the Rules Committee within the organization. In an article, “Shot Clock in High School Basketball – the Debate Continues” by Mike Dyer from Feb. 5, 2015, the NFHS Director of Sports and Officials Education Theresia Wynns said that the NFHS stance on the shot clock is that the high school game does not need the shot clock. It is in good shape as it is. Their summary: 1) A shot clock takes away strategy from some coaches to slow the ball down to match up to the opponent. 2) Some committee members are opposed to “state adoption” because everyone should be playing the same game. 3) Education-based basketball does not warrant that student-athletes and coaches play to entertain the public. Carbon High’s Bean said that there are valid points of financing that he would have to consider being a school from a rural area and he understands the equity part of the shot clock discussion. Brighton High’s Sherwood also said he can see both sides of the shot clock issue and the costs associated with a change, but he suggested a pilot program within the 5A or 6A ranks to see the results. “The girls may not be ready for the shot clock, but the boys might be,” he said. “Who knows who’s ready if we don’t try it?” And so, the discussion continues… l
Page 18 | April 2018
Midvale City Journal
Hillcrest High girls basketball wins 6A region 2 title, falls in quarterfinals By Jennifer Gardiner | j.gardiner@mycityjournals.com
Yearbook photo for the Hillcrest girls basketball team. (Hillcrest High School)
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here is no doubt the Hillcrest Huskies girls basketball team was overwhelmed with excitement from their recently finished season. The Huskies clinched the Region 2 title and won their first round playoff game against Clearfield before succumbing to Westlake. The team went 12-0 in region, and finished the regular season 16-4 overall,, a vast improvement over the prior years. Last season
they went 11-10, and lost to Maple Mountain in the first round of the 4A playoffs. The year before they were 5-16, and in 2014-2015 they went 2-19. Coach Devin Olenick said they have 13 girls on the varsity roster with a combined GPA of 3.82. Two of their players also completed the International Baccalaureate program. Four starters returned from last season, and they added four newcomers to their roster. “This season we have a talented group of seniors, who are buying into the concepts of ball movement and finding quality shots offensively, and have been sharing the ball tremendously well this season,” Olenick said. “Team chemistry has been a huge focus for us this year, and many of our girls have made huge strides in their ability to stay composed on the floor, and to communicate with each other in a productive way.” Cara Snowder plays the forward position and is a huge part of what they do on both ends of the floor. “She is one of the hardest working players I’ve ever seen, truly leading by example,” Olenick said. “She (averaged) 13.4 points per game, and her 9.4 rebounds per game is tops in class 6A. More importantly, though are her efforts on the defensive end, as she often draws the assignment of guarding their best post player, and is like our quarterback defensively.” Gabrielle Desjardins is the Huskies point guard and has been a key leader for them this year. “She immersed herself in the game, having a clear understanding of not just what she is supposed to be doing, but the rest of the girls as well, as a point guard should,” Olenick said. “She leads the state in assists with 6.8 per game, and a lot of our success on the offensive end is due to her. She has done a great job of keeping our team
composed, and at a place emotionally where we can be successful.” Annabella Jensen has been a four-year starter at Hillcrest and has always had the ability to score the basketball in several different ways. “She has taken her game to new places this season, and her and Cara have worked tremendously well in the post together, sharing the ball effectively and finding the best shot available,” Olenick said. “She also has committed herself on the defensive end of the floor, playing a crucial role in our full court press, using her length and speed to disrupt opponents.” Olenick said they are excited for the future, a new school that is scheduled to be built soon, which will include a new gym. “We are grateful for the support that we receive from everyone at Hillcrest, from students, administration, faculty, etc. We are hopeful to build a program that will be competitive year in and year out, and that this season will begin to build excitement and energy that we can expand on in the future,” Olenick said. “This group of girls has worked tremendously hard for several years, and for their hard work to be recognized and appreciated by their peers really means a lot to them.” Olenick made the move to Utah from South Carolina when he accepted the role as the new head coach for the 2017-2018 girls basketball team and physical education teacher at Hillcrest High School. Olenick said once he heard he got the job at Hillcrest, he packed up his wife Laura, their 2-year-old son Owen, and their two dogs in a Penske truck, and traveled across the country. Shortly after arriving in Utah, Olenick’s wife gave birth on November 1 to their son Logan. l
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April 2018 | Page 19
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Page 20 | April 2018
Midvale City Journal
Safe Driving Habits Spring is upon us and with warmer temperatures and (hopefully) blue skies on the horizon, drivers can’t blame slick roads or blinding flurries for their faulty driving anymore. Driving safely requires good driving habits. Habits. Not occasionally safe maneuvers. The following are some prudent practices to implement in your daily travels. Blinkers and blind spots Driving 101. If you plan on changing lanes, let others in on your secret. Everyone will appreciate it. Others want to know what you are planning. Likewise, if you see a blinker come on indicating your lane is that car’s desired destination, let it in. This isn’t the Daytona 500. We are not racing for $19 million. It is common courtesy, if we want people to use their blinkers, then we should reward them for doing so. Remember the blinker doesn’t automatically assume safe passage to the next lane. And while your car’s sensors in the rearview mirrors are helpful, they are not omniscient. Check your blind spot with your own eyes. There’s a reason it’s called a “blind” spot. Tire, pressure This one is almost as simple as the first. Check your tire pressure on a regular basis to know if there is a small leak. Maybe you drove over a nail and didn’t realize it. We often don’t look at the tires on the passenger side since we don’t approach the car from that direction, checking regularly allows you to examine those opposite side wheels. It will keep your car’s handling in its best condition. Each vehicle can have different appropriate PSI (measurement for tire pressure), but when temperatures drop, so does the pressure in your tires. Keep car maintained Since you’ll be regularly checking the tires, might as well keep regularly scheduled maintenance on your car. This can range from
oil changes to transmission flushes. Simply checking windshield washer fluid or the antifreeze level in your car’s reservoir can prevent serious issues happening on the road. Wash your car especially after storms or if you’ve parked under a pine tree where birds can drop their white business on the hood or sap could drip onto the roof. Left untreated, these outdoor stains can ruin the paint on your vehicle. Drive defensively This means keeping distance between you and the car in front of you. Touching their bumper does nothing for you. And if you need to get that close to read their license plate or sticker, your eyesight is troubling and you probably shouldn’t be behind a steering wheel. Also you can’t always see what’s in front of the car before you. They may have to slam on their brakes due to an unexpected obstruction. If you rear end them, insurance rarely works out in your favor. This can also mean slowing down on wet roads or not weaving in and out of traffic. Distractions This is the No. 1 reason for accidents. This is not limited to using the cell phone, though texting, checking news alerts or making a phone call are all terrible decisions to make while driving. It also extends to dozing off or checking the price at the gas station you just passed. Be alert, stay vigilant. Other drivers may suddenly stop, they may not see you as you yield or turn. By staying engaged and sharp, your reactions can be sharper and you may even anticipate what other drivers are looking to do. One way to stay engaged is to vary your daily commute. Changing your routine alerts your brain, breaking you from the monotonous snooze you may find yourself after traveling certain routes hundreds of times. These habits are important and it is not overdramatic to say that they could save a life. l
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April 2018 | Page 21
MidvaleJournal.com
Horizon students meet Utah leaders at Capitol By Julie Slama | Julie@mycityjournals.com
Carpe Di End
After Horizon students meet Gov. Gary Herbert, they pose by his cardboard cut-out in the state capitol. (Merissa Graves/Horizon Elementary)
S
ixth-grader Curtis Sandstrom jumped at the chance to attend Parent-Teacher-Student Association Day at the capitol when it was offered to him. “I want to join the military and fight for our country so I want to learn about the country’s laws and rules so I know how to protect us,” Curtis said, adding that his uncle served as an Air Force lieutenant colonel and his grandfather was a master sergeant in the Army. Through a day of planned activities—from observing the representatives and senators in action to exploring statues on the grounds—Curtis realized from Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox speaking to 318 participants on Feb. 7 that he can be involved in the government now, that he doesn’t have to wait until he’s older. “Lieutenant Governor Cox talked about how often questions are taken to the government and what is being done to address some of the concerns now, like cyberbullying,” Curtis said. “He said that being in government isn’t always easy, but it’s up to the next generation to get involved to help shape our nation’s future. He said that if there are problems I’m concerned about, I could write my representative.” Curtis said he’s thinking of writing his representative, asking, “What can we do to make life better for the president and ourselves?” “I have an idea. If he (the president) could go out in random cities to see what is going on, then he’d have a general idea of what is happening. Right now, it’s like the game telephone where the message starts right, but it ends up being all wrong. If he went out for himself, it won’t get screwed up and people would respect him for that,” he said. Cox said that he wanted students to realize how important the 45-day legislative session is to students. “It impacts their lives, and I hope they get involved,” he said. “I want them to meet their legislators and talk to them about big issues and share their ideas. Few people actually talk to legislators, especially students, and this is their opportunity to make an impact on their world and future.” Curtis, who said touring the Capitol also worked toward the Boy Scout Duty to Your Country merit badge, also participated in a mock debate about whether cell phones should be allowed to be used at school. “I said, ‘yes,’ so students could call 911 in case the teacher phone is unavailable,” he said. Utah PTA Student Involvement Commissioner Betty Shaw said that through the debate, conducted by state auditor John Dougall and Rep. Ryan Wilcox, students were learning both sides of the issue.
“We want students to gain a better perspective and be able to see both sides to every issue; they may learn something from the other side instead of just seeing their side,” Shaw said. “We want to get the kids to understand what goes on (at the Capitol), how laws are enacted or changed and how it affects them. We want them to start having conversations about current issues so they can get involved.” Shaw, who said she had no idea about her state’s government while growing up, said she hoped students got “a flavor of what is going on and see part of their history.” “They’re our future so they need to see the process and how it works. It would be great to see them get involved in issues they have concerns about, if not at the capitol then locally with their school board or local district agencies and city councils,” she said. Curtis wasn’t the only student who has recently visited the capitol. Rep. Bruce Cutler, who represents District 44, which includes Murray, invited about 100 Horizon fifth-graders to tour the Capitol. While expecting a routine tour, some fifth-graders got a surprise—a firsthand meeting with the state governor, Gary Herbert. “We were touring the governor’s office when he walked out on the way to a conference,” fifth-grade teacher Merissa Graves said. “He gave the kids some high fives, a couple handshakes and talked to the kids as he walked by. Our tour guide said that it’s rare to see him, so we were really lucky.” Graves said that she was taken aback by actually meeting the governor, that she didn’t have time to get her camera ready. Instead, they posed next to the cardboard cut-out of him and Lt. Gov. Cox to remember the encounter. “It’s something we will all remember, so when we come to our government unit, the experience will stand out,” she said. “We didn’t see his press conference, but we did see all the cameras set up for it in the Gold Room.” Their tour also included watching representatives and senators on the floor discussing current bills, having a mock trial in the Supreme Court and learning the process of a bill passing into a law. The students also learned about the discussion involving exchanging the statue of Philo T. Farnsworth in the Capitol in Washington, D.C. with one of Mary Hughes Cannon, which at press deadline, was currently on the governor’s desk for consideration. “The day made it come alive for the students and they realize there’s people up there representing them and their concerns,” Graves said. l
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Midvale City Journal
The Value of Choices I recently watched a Netflix Original show called “Ozark,” starring Jason Bateman, Laura Linney, Julia Garner and Peter Mullan. The show opens over a lake, late into an evening sunset. Over the next three minutes, a dimly-lit montage of the main character doing some menial tasks makes the audience question the morality of the character. Bateman’s voice is tracked over this scene.
by
CASSIE GOFF
“Money: that which separates the haves, from the have-nots. It’s everything if you don’t have it, right? Half of all American adults have more credit card debt than savings. Twenty-five percent have no savings at all. And only 15 percent of the population is on track to fund even one year of retirement. You see, I think most people just have a fundamentally flawed view of money. Is it simply an agreed upon unit of exchange for goods and services? Or is it intangible – security, happiness, or peace of mind? Let me propose a third option; money as a measuring device. You see the hard reality is how much money we accumulate in life is a function of….patience, frugality, and sacrifice. When you boil it down, what do those three things have in common? Those are choices. Money is not peace of mind. Money’s not happiness. Money is, at its essence, that measure of a man’s choices.” For months, the above quote has stuck with me, challenging my perceptions of money, poorness, richness, currency, and value. As the season of new beginnings—spring—approaches, it is a time to challenge ourselves to think
more positively, meditate incrementally, comprehend the daily quotes from calendars. If you aim to change mentality, instead of physicality, as part of your new beginnings, I challenge you to begin questioning the perception of money. Most of us view money as an agreed upon unit of exchange for goods and services. You’re reading this newspaper segment with the word “coupon” in the title, hoping to find ways of protecting those units already possessed. Without such coupons, or mentality of frugality, those units diminish. In viewing money as units of exchange, statistics like the ones mentioned above are frightening. Half of all American adults need to earn units to replenish the units they’ve already exchanged, instead of inheriting them. Fifteen percent of the population has not obtained enough units to exchange for a oneyear lifestyle free from work and responsibility. However, if we perceive money as a measure of an individual’s choices, those statistics are less anxiety-ridden. Half of all American adults made choices to live outside of their means. Fifteen percent of the population chose to live a different lifestyle. As I’ve been challenging my perception of
money, I’ve observed less stress about the number of units in my bank account and wallet. I’ve realized that the choices I make are my own. Some of my choices may not be acceptable, or even viable, for others within my community or country. I may not understand or support others’ choices as well. That’s why we make different choices, the ones that make sense to our individual selves. Our own currencies enrich our lives in different and meaningful ways. Choices are indefinite. We are provided the opportunity of choice with every moment we are alive. Our behaviors may be influenced; but we are the ultimate decision maker in what we wear, what we say, what we do, where we sleep, where we live, how we respond, who we fear, who we love, and who we are. Our money reflects those choices. And if we were to perceive money as a measure of human choice, I’d be pretty wealthy.
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April 2018 | Page 23
MidvaleJournal.com
Out in Left Field
Life
Laughter AND
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PERI KINDER
Baseball has been America’s favorite pastime for more than 150 years, followed closely by gun control debates, reality TV and overeating. There’s just something about sitting in a ballpark surrounded by drunk fans that screams ‘Merica! The hubbie and I spent a weekend in Phoenix for spring training where teams get together for pre-season games and fans hope for a glimpse of a mega baseball star like Mike Trout or one of the racing sausage mascots from Milwaukee. As San Francisco Giants fans, we sat in a sea of orange and black, surrounded by men who obviously missed their calling as ESPN baseball announcers. Their color commentary got slurrier and slushier with each beer they drank. It made me wish real ESPN announcers would drink on the job. Whenever we walk into a ballpark, my husband turns into a 14-yearold boy. The crack of the bat, the smell of a leather glove and the roar of the crowd makes him absolutely giddy. Hubbie: We’re at a ball game! Me: I know. Hubbie: Maybe I’ll catch a foul ball! Me: Maybe. Hubbie: Do you think they’ll run out of
MIdvale
players and call me up to play? Me: Me: You’ve been in the sun too long. But it’s not just my husband, nearly every man there is reliving childhood dreams of baseball stardom, talking about games they watched with their dads or reminiscing about baseball legends they revered as teens. I love baseball, but not in the way my husband does. A lot of my experience revolves around food (as most things do). At ball games, I eat food I’d never eat in real life. My 74-ounce Coke and foot-long Bratwurst was an appetizer for my shredded pork nachos, drenched in a fluorescent orange “cheese” stored in plastic buckets in the basement of the stadium. I ate French fries so salty, I actually pooped jerky. Baseball is about tradition: team loyalty, peanuts, Cracker Jack, not caring if you ever get back, and yelling at the umps after every bad call. The drunker the crowd, the more hilarious the insults. “Can I pet your Seeing-Eye dog after the game, Blue?” “That’s why umpires shouldn’t date players!” “You drop more calls than Verizon!” And so on.
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Then there’s the stats. Baseball statisticians use more abbreviations than texting teens. You have your standard 1B, HR, BB, SB, K, L and ERA. But occasionally, a stat will appear on the scoreboard that leaves everyone confused. “What the hell’s a UZR?” slurs a drunk ESPN announcer. We all scratch our heads until someone Googles it. (Ultimate Zone Rating, if you were wondering.) Each game holds the opportunity to witness an unassisted triple play, a grand slam, a no-hitter, a perfect game or a squirrel being chased off the field by an octogenarian ball boy. Ballparks
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are national treasures, each one unique and representative of their community. But my main reason for loving the game is this: baseball is a game of patience. There’s no time limit to a ballgame. It could last 3 hours or 5 hours; 9 innings or 13 innings. As our lives get busier, a ballgame is a reminder to sit in the sunshine, to talk to the person next to you and to order a hot dog without guilt as you root for your favorite team. All you have to do is sit, eat and cheer someone on. Shouldn’t that be America’s favorite pastime?
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Midvale City Journal
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