Midvale Journal March 2017

March 2017

|

Vol. 03 Iss. 03

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Hillcrest High School art students paint portraits of Syrian refugee orphans and through Memory Project the children received the personal keepsakes. (Kari Bennett/Hillcrest High School)

HILLCREST HIGH STUDENTS paint Syrian children’s portraits

By Julie Slama | julie@mycityjournals.com illcrest High School junior Brady Hartog was excited to paint a portrait of a Syrian refugee girl as a class project.

“It was a new experience to make a portrait of someone on the other side of the world, to connect to them was appealing and intriguing,” he said.

Brady and 23 other students in Hillcrest’s advanced placement and international baccalaureate programs decided to participate in painting portraits of Syrian refugees in conjunction with an organization called the Memory Project.

The Memory Project gave Hillcrest students photographs to paint, then the students gave The Memory Project the portraits to deliver to the children. The high school students then received a video of the children receiving their artwork.

Hillcrest art teacher Kari Bennett said her students chose to work with Syrian children.

“When I asked if anyone was interested in doing the Memory Project, it was anonymous. Last year, we painted Ethiopian orphans. When I gave them the choice of countries, the students chose Syria,” she said.

First, the students learned about the situation in Syria.

“Part of the IB curriculum is connecting to the world so they shared with the class the lead up of the country’s civil war, the conditions of these refugees and where the 2.7 million refugees are

taking refuge,” she said.

Then Bennett had her students learn more about painting portraits from which colors to use to shadowing and proportions.

Several worked in watercolor, some tried oil paints and others chose colored pencils.

Although the portraits, which were sent in 9-inch by 12inch plastic sleeves in early 2017 would be given to the children, Hillcrest students photographed their work beforehand so it could be used in their portfolios as well as a memento of helping “brighten a child’s day and reminding them there are people in the world who care about them,” she said.

“We allowed some liberties with the portraits such as if there is a scar, students could eliminate it, or if the colors were dull, we’d allow them to use bright colors to give them a nice portrait.

They need a little more color in their lives,” Bennett said.

When the Hillcrest students received the 30 photographs of the students from Memory Project, she laid out them out so students could study the children. Then, they were allowed to select one and “spend time over Christmas with them,” she said.

“I wanted them to consider their situation and what this portrait will mean to them. By far these have been the most successful since they invested the time and made that connection,” Bennett said.

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Brady picked nine-year-old Aleppo, who likes the color red.

That was the only information Memory Project shares with the artists.

But Brady saw more.

“I picked Aleppo for her intriguing expression; she is half smiling. I studied her so I felt I got to know her personally. I found myself doing that expression. Facial expressions are a universal language so I began to understand her,” he said.

Then, he began to sketch her and experiment with colors and proportions. He said he learned drawing children was “completely different in proportions than adults I’ve been drawing.”

Brady also said he learned her skin tone was different than others he has been used to drawing in this part of the world.

“I needed to use different colors and blend them to create her skin tone. I made a few preliminary sketches where she was too skinny or too old or her eyes weren’t right. As I understood her circumstances in Syria, I could see her apart form both common humanity and see her expression as a bit of joy,” Brady said.

After he began his final version, it took him about eight hours to complete it.

“The best part was not for my personal artistic work, but for the job it will bring to the heritage of others and that it may be kept in her family for generations to cherish,” he said. l

Shakespeare ‘smushed’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Midvale, Murray boundary change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Hillcrest Spanish students engage in culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Husky swimming wraps up ‘outstanding year’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

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LOCAL LIFE

Page 2 | March 2017

Midvale City Journal

“Divergent” author talks new book, offers life advice at Utah visit

By Travis Barton | travis@mycityjournals.com The Midvale City Journal is a monthly publication distributed directly to residents via the USPS as well as locations throughout Midvale.

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osing her voice from being sick, famous author Veronica Roth appeared at Granger High School on Tuesday, Jan. 24 as part of a tour to promote her new book, “Carve the Mark.”

Roth, best known for her Divergent trilogy—international best sellers that were made into movies—was joined on stage with Sarah Enni, host of the First Draft podcast, where they discussed everything from aliens versus robots to their Harry Potter fandom. They answered audience questions along the way.

“We’re happy to be here even if I sound like I swallowed a frog that is now speaking through my vocal chords,” Roth said of her illness.

Hundreds of people attended the event, sponsored by King’s English Bookshop, with 100 fans randomly selected for a special meet and greet after the show. Roth’s appearance came just in time as she was forced to reschedule her appearance in Texas the following evening due to her illness.

“She was awesome, literally awesome,” said Maddie Durham, 16.

“She was even sick too and she still came out for this.”

Whitney Berger, children’s marketing manager at The King’s English Bookshop in Sugar House, said it was a great opportunity for youth to meet Roth with people sometimes not connecting the book to its author.

“You could just see the thrill and excitement in these teenagers’ eyes, who ya know are going through high school, which is an awkward period of time and meeting their favorite author meant a lot to them,” Berger said.

With help from the Granite School District, The King’s English Bookshop was able to not only get Granger High to host the event, but the district also purchased a certain number of books and tickets to allow their students to come.

“We got to see a lot of kids who maybe can’t afford her new book,” Berger said.

While authors typically will do events at the bookshop on 1511 S. 1500 E., Berger said this event allowed community members a chance to meet an author they otherwise wouldn’t normally get a chance to see.

“It’s a way for us to reach out to families and kids who don’t live in the neighborhood where our bookstore is located,” Berger said.

It wasn’t only teenagers who came to hear from Roth. Adults from across the valley came to hear her as she spoke about her new book, writing and fan fiction.

Dale Rogers, a Midvale resident, came with his wife and two kids. He said it was an experience to remember hearing from a famous author.

“I’ve read the books and seen the movies, they’re fun, they’re entertaining,” said Dale Rogers, a Midvale resident. “She had some really good, thoughtful messages for kids tonight so I’m glad mine got to hear it.”

Durham added, “I learned a lot about being strong and having courage from her books.” Books still carry a level of importance, Berger said.

“The relationship between the written word and people is still very powerful,” Berger said.

Those messages were ones of encouragement as Roth spoke about

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Veronica Roth (right) speaks to audience members with Sarah Enni at Granger High School. Roth was promoting her new book, “Carve the Mark.” (April Hendriksen/ Tri-Color Times)

empathy for people who suffer from illnesses.

Roth, who suffers from generalized anxiety disorder, said she feels “what we need more of is compassion for people who have these problems,” in response to an audience question about one of her book characters who experiences post-traumatic stress disorder.

Roth also shared how she learned the importance of being the best version of yourself and not someone else.

“There’s a lot of people you will love and admire and a lot of qualities that are awesome, but it takes all sorts to make this world work so just be the very best person you are,” she said.

Her encouragement extended to writers too, likening writing a book to climbing a mountain.

“What you do in the beginning is pack your backpack so you don’t put things in there that you don’t need to get to the top of the mountain…so if there are elements (of your story) that are really just there that aren’t doing anything to help you get to the end, you should take them out,” Roth said.

Roth said she wrote 12 different versions of “Carve the Mark” before finalizing on the now published version. The initial concept for the book, which tells of a man who must learn to live with the enemies that kidnapped him, came to her when she was 12 years old.

“When you think of the things you wrote when you were 12, maybe you’re like me and think ‘oh that’s embarrassing,’ but never throw them away because there’s always something in there that interested you that’s totally worthwhile. I encourage you to save your work, always,” Roth said. l

March 2017 | Page 3

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LOCAL LIFE

Page 4 | March 2017

Midvale City Journal

No strings attached: “Avenue Q” returns with all your favorite puppets

By Travis Barton | travis@mycityjournals.com

I

t is not your typical puppet show.

“Avenue Q”, the Tony Award-winning musical, played at the Midvale Main Street Theatre from Feb. 2-18. It tells the story of a neighboring group of puppets and humans living in New York City as they face real-life issues.

“I was so invested in this show that…I’m like dying at the stuff I’m seeing onstage and I’m just laughing and enjoying myself the whole time, that’s a real gift to me,” said Director Tammy Ross after the show’s opening night on Feb. 2.

The show is famous for its comedic songs and heartfelt messages.

“I like how dynamic it is, how much depth there is to it. It has a lot of humor you laugh throughout it, but then there’s really, really touching moments,” said JJ Bateman who plays Brian.

After putting on the show a few years ago, Ross said it was time to bring back a musical where most of the characters are puppets held by unhidden actors.

“You have to think of your puppet as an extension of yourself. You have to express your emotions through your hand muscles and that’s really hard to get the grasp of,” said Taylor Lawrence who plays Lucy the Slut and Mrs. Thistletwat.

Learning not only how to puppeteer, but how to convey feeling and emotion were a few ways actors had to prepare for the show which required some arm exercises to keep their puppets aloft for long periods of time.

“Physically it was very demanding… we’d have to physically strengthen our bodies to be able to keep them suspended the whole show,” said Jake Holt who plays supportive friend Nicky.

Actors also need to match their puppet’s mouth movements to syllables of their own voice or match the puppet’s facial movements and expressions.

Lauren Call, who plays Kate Monster, said it was difficult to get the mannerisms of

“Avenue Q” is played at the Midvale Main Street Theatre, 7711 S. Main Street, from Feb. 2-18. (Midvale Main Street Theatre)

the puppet at first such as a tilt of the head or ensuring the mouth was open.

“This was the hardest show I’ve ever been in because of that (matching her facial expressions). I think a lot of times I wouldn’t open the mouth…it took a really long time for me to feel like I was comfortable with [Kate Monster],” Call said.

It also requires balance from the actors to keep the focus on the puppets. “You emulate your puppet, but you don’t upstage your puppet,” Holt said.

Difficulty of puppet interaction extends to characters not holding any puppets as well like Gary Coleman (Talia Heiss) and married couple Christmas Eve (Selah McKenna) and Brian.

“That was my hardest part is trying to interact with the people and not look at their faces,” Heiss said.

McKenna added that the “puppets are so expressive just by themselves and when they’re so close to you it’s so intense, it’s like ‘back off’.”

Ross bought actual replicas of the puppets originally used in the Broadway show and the puppet creator for the show, Joel Gennari,

recently helped design and create puppets used in an off-Broadway show.

The set design—made up of hand-cut Styrofoam also painted by hand—includes the look of three small buildings, something set designer Sean McLaughlin thought would be impossible to do on a small theatre stage.

Though the puppets and design draw the audience’s eye, the cast and director said the messages found in the comedic show help make it relatable.

“It highlights a lot of mistakes that normal people make and hardships normal people have. The puppets just make a caricature of it,” Holt said.

Whether it’s singing about tolerance, racism, growing up or schadenfreude, Christian Earl, who plays Princeton, said the issues it brings up are relevant.

“It talks about them in such a blunt, honest way from the perspective of us selfish humans that it really opens up a whole different part of the conversation that we aren’t willing to talk about as people,” Earl said.

Portraying such themes with puppets could be shocking to some at first—the show does contain strong language and adult content

with a warning on the program’s cover—but cast members feel it’s also the funniest part.

“The things I can say in person do not even emulate what that little puppet can say and get away with,” said Jeremy Heaps who plays Rod. Whether it’s pointing out how an actor and their puppet look similar or dancing backstage during a song, the cast—who do the show for free—stressed the special bonds they’ve forged during production.

“This production has a really great cast.

Everybody’s really easy to get along with… it’s also great when you come and do a show like this and then you have people you can trust on stage,” said Danny Eggers who plays Trekkie Monster.

Creating that family atmosphere is something Ross said is one of her biggest goals during a production. She said that bond and that closeness emulates out into the audience and “they see and really know that these people genuinely love and care for each other.”

The cohesion allows for seamless logistics, which can prove problematic in a show where puppet operators need doors and curtains opened for them or various puppets require multiple wardrobe changes.

And with people clamoring to be part of the show, Ross was grateful to every member of the musical.

“I think it’s something really special and I think this cast is absolutely the most amazing group of people I’ve worked with in a long time,” Ross said.

“Avenue Q” also includes a scene in Act II where the cast will accept donations from members of the audience to be given to Planned Parenthood. Ross said the cast decided to raise funds for a special cause. One that comes out of a special show.

“With the state of the world right now,” Call said. “It may be too soon for some people but it feels good to be able to come somewhere and laugh for a bit.” l

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LOCAL LIFE

M idvalejournal.com

March 2017 | Page 5

Shakespeare ‘smushed’

By Travis Barton | travis@mycityjournals.com

W

illiam Shakespeare’s most famous play is coming to Midvale, along with his other 36.

Midvale Arts Council will present “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)” at the Midvale Performing Arts Center on March 3, 4, 6, 10 and 11. The show sees three actors (Wendy Dang, Blake London and Matt Oviatt) take the audience on a modernized ride through all of Shakespeare’s plays reenacting and satirizing his famous work.

“I’ve seen it three times before and I just absolutely love it.

It’s not a show you see done a lot in community theatre and when I saw that they were doing it I leapt at the chance,” London said.

It is a play the cast and crew hope welcomes people to Shakespeare.

“Everybody thinks of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and ‘Hamlet,’ two of the deepest tragedies. But he has so many comedies and in our show we took all of them and smushed them all into one and its great,” said Candice Jorgensen, the play’s director.

The play, written by Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield, sees all 37 of Shakespeare’s plays acted out in 97 minutes. But it’s not what you might typically expect from a Shakespeare story.

“Hopefully, the takeaway for the audience is that Shakespeare is accessible, Shakespeare isn’t old and boring. It is wild and crazy, that it’s really a ton of fun to watch,” Oviatt said.

Featuring a rap number during Othello, a cooking show for Titus Andronicus and one section where they enact a play in reverse; the actors playfully modernize all of Shakespeare’s tragedies, comedies and histories.

“It’ll be nice to expose the audience to the shows that aren’t very popular like the histories…[those] will be really exciting to make fun and enjoyable,” Dang said of what is possibly the most physically active part of the show.

The cast also voiced their excitement about the audience interaction that takes place.

“It’s a little different for me, a different energy interacting with audience members, but it is a lot of fun cause that’s where the most exciting, engaging parts of the show are,” Oviatt, a freshman at UVU, said.

Much of the show rests on the shoulders of the three actors and their onstage chemistry. It was something Jorgensen was looking for and knew she had when all three rapped the Othello section at the callback audition.

“It was as if they had been rehearsing it forever, they just

Matt Oviatt, Brenda Dang and Blake London will be performing in the Midvale Arts Council’s “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)” at 7:30 p.m. at 695 W. Center Street on March 3, 4, 6, 10 and 11.

(Midvale Arts Council)

stepped right in and got the beat of it and it all connected,” Jorgensen said. “The moment the three of them stepped together I leaned over to [production assistant] Kristen [Thelen] and said, ‘I think that’s my cast.’”

The actors noticed the chemistry as well.

“That was like the bonding experience we had at auditions. We were like, ‘wow we really got this going,’…it just works together, it’s beautiful,” Dang said.

For Jorgensen, this play is one of her favorites. So much so that she owns a DVD and copy of the script in addition to seeing it various times.

“This is my number one play that I want to direct so it’s like a dream come true. A dream show with my dream cast,” Jorgensen said.

With everyone in the show a self-proclaimed lover of Shakespeare, Thelen said you can feel that passion onstage.

“There’s an enthusiasm about the actors and that comes through on the show. So, they’re having a good time on stage, you’re going to have a good time as an audience…I think [they’re] rock stars,” she said.

In a play where the three actors play multiple roles (including themselves), not only are there “crazy costume changes,” but it requires lots of preparation—be it inhabiting the various characters or the challenging dialogue.

“When it’s iambic pentameter, when it’s vocabulary you don’t use on (a) daily (basis) it’s a little more difficult,” Dang said.

London, who plays Romeo and Julius Caesar among others, said it is both easy and difficult to play so many characters.

“I’m trying to make sure each character is different so it’s clear this is one character and this is different by the way I talk, the way I stand, the way I move,” London said. “But that’s part of the fun is getting to be 15 different people instead of just one.”

Oviatt, who heard about this audition two hours before it happened, said he tries to use a different voice for each person he plays, especially his female roles. Juliet, being a teenager, carries what Oviatt described as a Valley girl dialect while Ophelia is flighty with a high-pitched, British accent.

For Dang, she loves the characters she gets to play. “I get to play the ones I’ve always wanted to play that I, as a female and ethnic actress, would never be cast as—Hamlet or Macbeth or Othello or Titus Andronicus,” she said.

Jorgensen said there’s many messages in the show that she hopes people focus on how they pertain to their lives.

“And if they don’t go that deep into the performance, I hope they at least are just very, very entertained,” she said. l

“…Shakespeare is accessible, Shakespeare isn’t old and boring. It is wild and crazy, that it’s really a ton of fun to watch.”

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GOVERNMENT

Page 6 | March 2017

Midvale City Journal

We belong to the people says new Midvale Judge Vo-Duc

By Travis Barton | travis@mycityjournals.com

G

eorge Vo-Duc is a man who loves soccer and skiing, is a voracious reader and has prosecuted hundreds of court cases over the last 15 years as a lawyer. He is also the new judge of the Midvale City Justice Court having been sworn in on Jan. 24.

“Midvale picked me as much as I picked Midvale…Midvale truly did feel like the [city] that was the best fit for me,” Vo-Duc said. He replaces Judge Ronald Wolthuis who retired at the end of 2016.

Vo-Duc was a deputy district attorney for Salt Lake County since 2002 before applying for a judgeship in 2016, but his journey started long before that.

A first-generation immigrant from France, Vo-Duc came to Utah in 1984 before eventually serving four years in the Navy, helping him to pay for college. He earned a philosophy degree from the University of Utah which served as a crossroads for his ensuing career path which could branch into academia, government or law to name a few.

“I was a big student of ethics and the more concrete aspects of philosophy. I figured the law was a good junction between philosophy and the real world,” Vo-Duc said.

Earning his Juris Doctorate in 2001— from University of Utah’s law school—VoDuc spent the next 15 years as a prosecutor where he worked on cases of all types of crime including narcotics, homicides, gang, domestic violence and sex crimes.

Judge George Vo-Duc and the Midvale Justice Court administration shortly after he was sworn in. (Midvale Justice Court)

After 15 years, he said his perspective is much broader.

“You can only pay attention to the consequences of your actions and learn from them. There’s no way to accelerate that, which is why I guess they call it practicing law,” VoDuc said.

Now serving as a judge in Midvale, VoDuc spoke of the most important traits a judge should have and what he brings to the position.

There are the traits the public can see, he said, noting he can earn people’s trust by being respectful, fair, reasoned, considerate and compassionate when needed.

“To be just, to give community the most bang for their buck as a judge, you have to have perspective of the people you’re dealing with, of what you can achieve and you only get that perspective by practicing law.”

In his second crossroad of life, Vo-Duc began exploring other avenues to utilize his talents. Lawyers can go into private practice, pursue political careers, turn to academia as a teacher. Vo-Duc saw it as a natural progression from prosecutor to judge.

“You take stock of who you are, what you can do, and where you want to go. Those three things led me to apply to the bench,” Vo-Duc said.

With his time and experience, Vo-Duc developed a confidence born out of diligence and capability. But it’s the perspective he acquired that may be the most important.

“To be just, to give community the most bang for their buck as a judge, you have to have perspective of the people you’re dealing with, of what you can achieve and you only get that perspective by practicing law,” VoDuc said.

“I don’t want them to see a fire breather,” he said. Then there are the qualities the public can’t see like his experience, perspective and philosophical outlook.

“I bring tangible, visible qualities to the bench designed to increase the confidence of the people in Midvale, of the court and the city,” Vo-Duc said. “Also I bring visible and less tangible qualities of experience and judgment.”

Accessibility is important to Vo-Duc. He’s implemented a walk-in calendar where people can come in on Wednesdays between 5-6 p.m. Their case will be called up and they can talk about the issue at hand.

“We do belong to the people. We are here for them, they’re not here for us,” VoDuc said. It is a philosophy Vo-Duc is keen to convey, that the justice court is a part of the community and not above it. “We want to be

more accessible, more responsive, we want to be fair.”

Vo-Duc presence is not only felt in the courtroom. Fluent in French and a former ski instructor, he holds a variety of interests outside the courtroom that include building gaming computers, karate (he’s one step away from a black belt) and spending time with his 13-year-old son.

He loves reading, and at the beginning of the year he was reading “Team of Rivals” about the Lincoln presidency, a science fiction book, a book on philosophy and one on how to work with leather.

“I have a lot of interests, I don’t like to limit myself,” Vo-Duc said, which could apply to both his book spectrum and his list of hobbies.

Vo-Duc said he’s excited to be in Midvale adding how Midvale City’s interests align with his, in that “the days of justice courts as a cash cow are done.”

“We are not here to take their money… (people) will be treated fairly. We have a duty, especially in traffic cases, to promote safety in the community,” Vo-Duc said. “We’ll fulfill our role honorably, we’re here for the service of Midvale.” l

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GOVERNMENT

M idvalejournal.com

March 2017 | Page 7

Public Works officially appoints its director, subdivision approval to pave way for apartments

By Travis Barton | travis@mycityjournals.com

Your Career Begins

with Us!

Member Care Representative Software Sales Specialist Public Works Director Larry Wright raises his hand as he’s sworn in by City Recorder Rori Andreason during a city council meeting. (Travis Barton/City Journals)

L

arry Wright was officially sworn in as the Public Works Director of Midvale City during the Jan. 17 city council meeting. Wright had been serving as the interim director since September 2016.

“We’ve been very pleased with what Larry’s been able to do over these past few months,” said City Manager Kane Loader during the meeting. “He’s shown a lot of leadership and expertise in dealing with personnel. He’s a proven leader.”

Other items that took place during the Jan. 17 meeting included two unanimous approvals from the city council.

The council approved a subdivision of the 5.58-acre property located at 7090 South Union Park Avenue where a six-story office building and parking lot are currently situated.

Subdividing the land into two separate lots will help pave the way for redevelopment of the land.

While the office building would remain on approximately three acres of the site, plans are to eventually replace most of the surface parking with a 209-unit apartment building and its accompanying four level commercial parking structure.

“This proposal is just the subdivision plat, it’s not for the redevelopment that would possibly occur in the future,” said City Planner Lesley Burns. “It’s just to divide the property into two parcels” that would help facilitate future redevelopment.

The Planning Commission recommended the approval with three conditions: that the subdivision be reviewed and approved by the city engineer and city council, that it notes all

existing easements to remain on the property, and the subdivision notes all new parking and access easements between the two lots along with other operational agreements.

A second unanimous approval from the council saw an ordinance approved to rezone part of the property at 7697 S. Holden St. located next to Unique Auto Body. The body shop purchased the building next to it in an effort to expand its business, making their operations more effective.

Unique, whose been at its current location since 1983, needed the building it plans to remodel for its expansion to be rezoned from historic commercial to regional commercial.

In the Planning Commission’s recommendation for approval it states the rezone “helps to redevelop the existing commercial area to generate economic revitalization and improved physical conditions for the property.”

It also based its decision that it will help “rekindle interest and investment in the Main Street area” and “support a long-time, successful, local business.”

In the same meeting, the city council passed a resolution that saw the appointment of Councilman Paul Glover to be the city’s representative to the Salt Lake Valley Fire Service Area and Unified Fire Authority board.

Mayor JoAnn Seghini had previously been serving in that position.

The resolution serves as an affirmation from the city for Glover to fulfill the position.

“Appreciate him taking on this assignment, I think he’s going to do a great job,” Loader said. l

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Page 8 | March 2017

Introducing...

Midvale City Journal

This land is our land: Midvale, Murray agree to annex property

By Travis Barton | travis@mycityjournals.com

M

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idvale City Council unanimously approved a resolution indicating the city’s intent to adjust its boundary line with Murray City at approximately 6604 – 6654 S. 700 W.— just north of Bingham Junction—that will annex the land into Midvale’s boundaries. Both Midvale and Murray City Councils approved the resolution on Feb. 7.

This decision came about as Garbett Homes—which is in the process of purchasing the properties to build around 94 to 139 singlefamily homes—found that Murray City’s sewer lines would have difficulty connecting to the proposed development.

Murray suggested the lines be connected to Midvale’s utilities, but Midvale city officials declined that option feeling it wasn’t in the best interests of their residents. This led to the proposition of adjusting boundary lines to include the development in Midvale and connect to the city’s utilities.

“We were attracted to this because it is more single-family (homes) which we think kind of balances out the situation with the amount of apartments we have in the Bingham Junction development,” said City Manager Kane Loader during the city council meeting.

Loader added the staff feels comfortable that the city has the water capacity and ability to provide storm drains for this to happen. Midvale has an existing station in the nearby Riverwalk area that will handle services for the homes.

“To me this is a no-brainer,” said councilman Paul Glover. “We have all our citizens come in and want us to have singlefamily homes, it’s like, ‘okay let’s have singlefamily homes instead of more apartments.”

Councilman Stephen Brown agreed with that assessment.

“In Midvale it’s, ‘let’s build more singlefamily homes.’ Our common response is ‘where?’ There’s just not space,” Brown said. “[This] gives us more space which is already going to be allocated to single-family homes…I think it’s kind of a win-win for us.”

Councilman Wayne Sharp said he doesn’t oppose the annexation, but was concerned about the impact it will have on the city and ensuring it will be single-family homes built on the properties.

“We’re looking at basically a land use

Land located at approximately 6604 – 6654 S. 700 W. will potentially be annexed from Murray to Midvale. (Travis Barton/City Journals)

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The city council voted to enter an agreement with VanCon Inc. for the construction of a metering station near 7600 S. 700 E. Eastern portions of Midvale receive water from Sandy City which, City Engineer Keith Ludwig said, has caused water pressure issues for both cities with the plan to have water supplied by Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District (JVWCD) instead. Ludwig said this is the first phase of that transition.

“We would like to move this project forward as fast as we can, we’d like to have this meter station up and operational prior to the high demand summer season,” Ludwig told the city council.

Ludwig added this should take care of any water issues taking place around 1000 East as water will be more available to that area.

Ludwig said he hopes by the end of spring 2018, they should be totally disconnected from Sandy and supplied by JVWCD. l

issue, taking more land into our community, is there any assurance in this,” Sharp said.

Assistant City Manager Phillip Hill said they’ve had those exact discussions with Garbett and Murray.

“We’ve stated that as we go through this process, we will memorialize the fact that this project stays what [Garbett Homes] says it will be today,” Hill said.

This isn’t the first time Midvale’s adjusted their boundaries before. Loader said the city adjusted its boundaries in 2001 with Sandy and Murray.

With the resolution approved, a public hearing on the matter will be held at 7 p.m. on April 18 at City Hall.

In order for this to be officially recorded by the state by July 1, the matter will need to be placed on the lieutenant governor’s desk by April 30.

Another item from the Feb. 7 city council meeting:

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March 2017 | Page 9

M idvalejournal.com

In The Middle of Everything City Hall – 7505 South Holden Street • Midvale, UT 84047 MIDVALE CITY DIRECTORY City Hall Finance/Utilities Court City Attorney’s Office City Recorder/H.R. Community Development Public Works Ace Disposal/Recycling City Museum Senior Citizens Center SL County Animal Services Midvale Precinct UPD Police Dispatch Unified Fire Authority Fire Dispatch

801-567-7200 801-567-7202 801-255-4234 801-567-7250 801-567-7225 801-567-7211 801-567-7235 801-363-9995 801-569-8040 385-468-3350 385-468-7387 385-468-9350 801-743-7000 801-743-7200 801-840-4000

MIDVALE CITY ELECTED OFFICIALS MAYOR JoAnn B. Seghini Email: joanns@midvale.com CITY COUNCIL District 1 - Quinn Sperry Email: qsperry@midvale.com District 2 - Paul Glover Email: pglover@midvale.com District 3 - Paul Hunt Email: phunt@midvale.com District 4 - Wayne Sharp Email: wsharp@midvale.com District 5 - Stephen Brown Email: sbrown@midvale.com

801-567-7204

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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 Graffiti North of 7200 S Code Enforcement/Graffiti South of 7200 S

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EMERGENCY OR DISASTER CONTACT Public Works (7 am to 5 pm) (801)567-7235 Public Works On-Call (after business hours) (801)580-7274 OR (801)580-7034 Fire Dispatch – Unified Fire Authority (801)840-4000 Midvale Police Precinct (385) 468-9350 or Police Dispatch Unified Police Department (801)743-7000 EMERGENCY 911

MARCH 2017 CITY NEWSLETTER

As I See It

By Mayor JoAnn B. Seghini It is starting to feel like spring. The days are getting longer, I have daffodils trying to bloom, and birds are nesting under my patio roof. It is time for all of us to look over our yards and think about cleaning up our properties. Our Bulky waste pick up will begin on April 3. Check your water bill for the exact dates for your neighborhood.

Now that the snow is almost gone, you can trim trees, bushes, and take advantage of the bulky waste pickup. This is a great benefit the City provides our residents. It helps cleanup yards and makes our neighborhoods flourish.

For those that don’t like to water lawn during the summer, there are some very attractive low water designs for yard that you can take advantage of. Visit the Jordan Valley Water Conservation Garden Park for some great information and ideas for your yards. The address is 8275 South 1300 West, West Jordan, or online at https://

conservationgardenpark.org/ where you will find a host of events and classes you can take advantage of.

Please remember to trim bushes and tree limbs that have overgrown onto the sidewalks. Summer is a wonderful time to go for walks. Walking is much easier if the sidewalks are not overgrown with bushes or trees.

It has been a difficult winter and it might not be over yet so remember to remove the snow from sidewalks in front of your home or business after each snowfall. Also, remember the “No Parking on the Street” between 1:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. City ordinance so the snowplows can clear the roadway.

Let’s help keep our community beautiful. Be proud of your neighborhood and do your share to make it a beautiful place to live.

The Problem with Plastic Bags Americans use more than 380 billion plastic bags a year. Utahans throw away 940 million bags a year. Despite their durability, these bags are lightweight, aerodynamic and often end up in trees, fences, rivers and storm drains contributing to millions of dollars in municipal cleanup costs. Plastic bags are also the most prevalent debris surrounding landfills. While most of the garbage that is dumped at a landfill remains in place until it is buried beneath 6 inches of dirt at the end of the day, plastic bags easily fly away and end up as litter on surrounding properties. Litter from plastic bags is so problematic that many landfills install large, curved “Jurassic Park” fences to catch airborne bags. Last year, Trans-Jordan landfill spent more than $40,000 on litter control.

Here in Utah plastic bags are not accepted in curbside recycling. Do NOT bag recycling before bringing it out to the bin or place any types of plastic bags (grocery bags, sandwich bags, bread bags, etc.) in your recycling. Even if the plastic bag has a recycle symbol or claims to be recyclable, it is not accepted in curbside recycling bins.

Plastic bags wreak havoc on the automated equipment at recycling facilities by wrapping around spinning parts. Every day, machinery has to be shut down and plastic bags cut away. As recycling is sorted at our local materials recovery facility, plastic bags are removed from the recycling stream and sent to the landfills.

What can you do?

• Reduce the amount of plastic bags by remembering to take reusable bags to the store.

• Reuse bags to clean up pet messes or lining your small trash cans. This will prevent the bags from becoming flying litter.

• Recycle your plastic bags by returning them to the grocery store.

Most stores have recycling container in the front entrance

MIDVALE CITY

SPRING CLEAN-UP

PROGRAM – 2017

Beginning April 3rd, and during the 4 weeks of April, Ace Disposal will pick up both bulk waste items, and green waste items that are too big to fit in your trash cans. There will be separate trucks picking up the items. Green waste will be the first to be picked up, followed by bulk waste. We will provide a map showing the week your area will be ready for pickup. All items for pick up must be placed out on the curbside prior to 7:00 a.m. on the Monday of your specified week. Please watch for the flyer in your March Utility Bill.

Page 10 | March 2017

Midvale City Journal

In The Middle of Everything

Falsely Inflating Refund Claims on the IRS “Dirty Dozen” List of Tax Scams for 2017

WWW . MIDVALECITY . ORG Don’t Fall for Scam Calls and Emails Posing as IRS

The Internal Revenue Service today warned taxpayers to be alert to unscrupulous tax return preparers touting inflated tax refunds. This scam remains on the annual list of tax scams known as the “Dirty Dozen” for 2017.

“Exercise caution when return preparer promises an extremely large refund or one based on credits or benefits you’ve never been able to claim before,” said IRS Commissioner John Koskinen. “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”

The “Dirty Dozen,” an annual list compiled by the IRS, outlines common scams that taxpayers may encounter.

These schemes peak during filing season as people prepare their returns or hire others to help with their taxes. Scams can lead to significant penalties and interest and possible criminal prosecution. The IRS Criminal Investigation Division works closely with the Department of Justice to shutdown scams and prosecutes the criminals behind them.

Scam artists pose as tax preparers during tax time, luring victims by promising large federal tax refunds. They use flyers, advertisements, phony storefronts or word of mouth to attract victims. They may make presentations through community groups or churches.

Scammers frequently prey on people who do not have a filing requirement, such as those with low-income or the elderly. They also prey on non-English speakers, who may or may not have a filing requirement.

Con artists dupe people into making claims for fictitious rebates, benefits or tax credits. Or they file a false return in their client’s name, and the client never knows that a refund was paid.

Scam artists may also victimize those with a filing requirement and due a refund. They do this by promising larger refunds based on fake Social Security benefits and false claims for education credits or the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), among others.

Scams continue to use the IRS as a lure. These tax scams take many different forms.

The most common scams are phone calls and emails from thieves who pretend to be from the IRS. Scammers use the IRS name, logo or a fake website to try and steal money from taxpayers. Identity theft can also happen with these scams.

Taxpayers need to be wary of phone calls or automated messages from someone who claims to be from the IRS. Often these criminals will say the taxpayer owes money. They also demand payment right away. Other times scammers will lie to a taxpayer and say they are due a refund. The thieves ask for bank account information over the phone. The IRS warns taxpayers not to fall for these scams.

Below are several tips that will help filers avoid becoming a scam victim.

Falsely Claiming Zero Wages Filing a phony information return, such as a Form 1099 or W-2 is an illegal way to lower the amount of taxes owed. The use of self-prepared, “corrected” or otherwise bogus forms that improperly report taxable income as zero is illegal. So is an attempt to submit a statement rebutting wages and taxes reported by a third-party payer to the IRS. Some people also attempt fraud using false Form 1099 refund claims. In some cases, individuals have made refund claims based on the bogus theory that the federal government maintains secret accounts for U.S. citizens and that taxpayers can gain access to the accounts by issuing 1099-OID forms to the IRS. Taxpayers should resist the temptation to participate in any variations of this scheme. The IRS is aware of this scam and the courts have consistently rejected attempts to use this tax dodge. Perpetrators receive significant penalties, imprisonment or both. Simply filing this type of return may result in a $5,000 penalty.

The IRS sometimes hears about scams from victims complaining about losing their federal benefits, such as Social Security, veterans or low-income housing benefits. The loss of benefits comes as a result of false claims being filed with the IRS that provided incorrect income amounts.

• Require the taxpayer pay their taxes a certain way. For example, demand taxpayers use a prepaid debit card.

Choose Tax Preparers Wisely Honest tax preparers provide their customers a copy of the tax return they’ve prepared. Scam victims frequently are not given a copy of what was filed. Victims also report that the fraudulent refund is deposited into the scammer’s bank account. The scammers deduct a large “fee” before paying victims, a practice not used by legitimate tax preparers.

The IRS reminds taxpayers that they are legally responsible for what’s on their return even if it was prepared by someone else. Taxpayers who buy into such schemes can end up being penalized for filing false claims or receiving fraudulent refunds.

Taxpayers can help protect themselves by doing a little homework before choosing a tax preparer. Start with the IRS Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications. This tool can help taxpayers find a tax return preparer with the right qualifications. The Directory is a searchable and sortable listing of preparers registered with the IRS. It includes the name, city, state and zip code of: Attorneys, CPAs, Enrolled Agents, Enrolled Retirement Plan Agents, Enrolled Actuaries, and Annual Filing Season Program participants.

Also check the preparer’s history. Ask the Better Business Bureau about disciplinary actions and the license status for credentialed preparers. For CPAs, check with the State Board of Accountancy. For attorneys, check with the State Bar Association. For Enrolled Agents, go to IRS.gov and search for “verify enrolled agent status” or check the Directory.

To find more tips on choosing a preparer, understanding the differences in credentials and qualifications, researching the IRS preparer directory or learning how to submit a complaint regarding a tax return preparer visit www.irs.gov/chooseataxpro.

In most cases, an IRS phishing scam is an unsolicited, bogus email that claims to come from the IRS. Criminals often use fake refunds, phony tax bills or threats of an audit. Some emails link to sham websites that look real. The scammers’ goal is to lure victims to give up their personal and financial information. If they get what they’re after, they use it to steal a victim’s money and their identity.

IRS employees will NOT: • Call demanding immediate payment.

The IRS will not call a taxpayer if they owe tax without first sending a bill in the mail.

• Demand payment without allowing the taxpayer to question or appeal the amount owed.

• Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.

• Threaten to contact local police or similar agencies to arrest the taxpayer for non-payment of taxes.

• Threaten legal action such as a lawsuit.

• If a taxpayer doesn’t owe or think they owe any tax, they should: • Contact the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. Use TIGTA’s “IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting” web page to report the incident.

• Report the incident to the Federal Trade Commission. Use the “FTC Complaint Assistant” on FTC.gov. Please add “IRS Telephone Scam” to the comments of your report.

For those taxpayers who get a ‘phishing’ email, the IRS offers this advice: • Don’t reply to the message.

• Don’t give out your personal or financial information.

• Forward the email to phishing@irs.gov. Then delete it.

• Do not open any attachments or click on any links. They may have malicious code that will infect your computer.

More information on how to report phishing or phone scams is available on IRS.gov.

All taxpayers should keep a copy of their tax return. Beginning in 2017, taxpayers using a software product for the first time may need their Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) amount from their prior-year tax return to verify their identity. Taxpayers can learn more about how to verify their identity and electronically sign tax returns at Validating Your Electronically Filed Tax Return.

March 2017 | Page 11

M idvalejournal.com

MARCH 2017 CITY NEWSLETTER

WWW . FACEBOOK . COM / MIDVALECITY

Midvale Arts Council Auditions

2017 MUNICIPAL ELECTION Mayor – At Large District 4 – City Council Member District 5 – City Council Member

The Midvale Arts Council will be holding auditions for their summer musical Hairspray early in March, 2017. Dates and detail information can be found on their website www.midvalearts.com. This year to accommodate the summer concert series, this musical will be performed inside at the Midvale Performing Arts Center.

Hairspray is an energetic musical with plenty of singing and dancing. All parts are open for audition. Director of this show is Kristie Post Wallace with musical direction from Janzell Tutor.

All questions should be emailed to productions@midvalearts.com

DECLARATION OF CANDIDACY JUNE 1-7, 2017 • 8:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M. Midvale City Hall, City Recorder 7505 So. Holden St. (2Nd Floor), Midvale, UT

CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS: • United States citizen at the time of filing.

• Registered voter.

• Resident of the municipality for a period of 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the date of the election.

• Reside within the City Council District running for.

• Mentally competent, have not been convicted of a felony, and have not been convicted of treason or a crime against the elective franchise.

A person seeking to become a candidate for Midvale City Mayor or City Council Districts 4 or 5 must: • File a Declaration of Candidacy, in person with the Midvale City Recorder during the office hours of 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. between June 1st and June 7, 2017.

• Pay the $25 filing fee for City Council Member or the $50 filing fee for Mayor at time of declaration.

For additional information, please contact Rori Andreason, Midvale City Recorder, at (801) 567-7207 or randreason@midvale.com.

Employee Spotlight Jessica Stephens Receptionist

Jessica started part-time at Midvale City in 2014 and became the full-time receptionist in March of 2015. As the receptionist, Jessica’s main responsibilities are answering inbound calls and assisting Midvale City Hall visitors. Some of her other duties include renting out the senior center, filing invoices, writing employee spotlights, and making digital copies of paper records.

Jessica likes to spend her free time playing video games with her husband and having deep philosophical conversations with her Chihuahua. She also enjoys hiking, spending time with family and friends, and watching horror movies.

When asked the following questions, Jessica’s responses were…

Coke or Pepsi?

Coke, without a doubt.

Who is your favorite author?

Probably a tie between George R. R. Marin and L. M. Montgomery.

Morning Person or Night Person?

Night Person.

If you could meet any famous person, who would you meet?

Bill Nye the Science Guy. What is your favorite fairy tale, myth, or legend?

I’ve always liked the Little Mermaid.

What is the weirdest food you have ever eaten?

Probably cow heart. It was not something I’d like to eat again.

If someone made a movie of your life, who would play you?

Sophie Turner or Felicia Day.

If you were a wrestler, what song would they play while you walked to the ring?

Crazy Train by Ozzy Osbourne.

What is your favorite dinosaur?

Stegosaurus.

If you had to change your first name, what would you change it to?

Stephen. Then my name would be Stephen Stephens.

Page 12 | March 2017

In The Middle of Everything

2016 Torchbearer Award For Excellence In Hospitality and Service We’re excited to share that the Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG) has awarded the Staybridge Suites Hotel in Midvale Utah the 2016 Torchbearer Award. The IHG global company operates seven hotel brands including Staybridge Suites. The IHG system is comprised of more than 4,900 hotels and is in nearly 100 countries and territories around the world. Staybridge Suites Midvale Utah was recognized by the Intercontinental Hotel Group for achieving the highest level of excellence in all aspects of operation and quality of service to customer satisfaction The Torchbearer Award is only given to the hotels whose staff provide the highest quality and service to their guest. This honor of receiving this prestigious award is given to only top system hotels that meet all the criteria from IHG. Staybridge Suites Midvale is very proud of our staff for being recognized as an exceptional model of hospitality and service excellence.

How Winners Are Determined: Factors that distinguish our hotel from its peers is determined on three core fundamentals: happy professional team members who demonstrate aggressive friendliness, a clean and functional property and completely satisfied guests.

The Torchbearer is IHG’s highest honor for quality and service and is awarded to the top Staybridge Suite hotels in North America superior in all operations over 12 consecutive months.

Staybridge Suites Hotel Midvale Utah opened in September 2013, and has since received the following Awards from IHG: The New Development Design Award 2014 The New Comer Award 2015 The Torchbearer Award 2016 Staybridge Suites Hotel in Midvale Utah is owned and operated by Utah Hospitality Group: Utah Hospitality is committed to creating quality hotels that provide warm, welcoming hospitality to the traveling public. Utah Hospitality has been managing hotels in Utah and throughout the U.S. since 1994. They currently own and operate the Staybridge Suites Midvale Utah. Towne Place Suites West Valley Utah, Fairfield Inn Midvale Utah, Comfort Inn & Royal Garden Inn Salt Lake City Utah, and Holiday Inn Express Buckeye Arizona. A new Residence Inn is currently under construction and will open fall of 2017. Utah Hospitality maintains a field operations office in Salt Lake City headed up by Rich Rosa, CHA, Vice President of Operations.

Items made of multiple materials, such as paper cups/plates and aseptic containers (i.e. soy milk containers) do not belong in your recycling bin! For more recycling information visit slco.org/recycle or email us at recycle@slco.org

Midvale City Journal

WWW . MIDVALECITY . ORG Midvale Senior Center

7550 South Main Street • Midvale, UT 84047 • 385-468-3350

Upcoming Events HEALTH FAIR – Friday, March 3rd at 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

(All the community is welcome to attend) ST. PATRICK’S DAY – Friday, March 17th at 11:00 a.m., Entertainment at 12:00 p.m. Lunch: Corn Beef and Cabbage

AARP Tax Assistance for Seniors 60+ Do you need help filing your taxes for FREE?

By Appointment Only – 385-468-3350 Wednesdays, February 1st – April 12 Free Feline Fix the 1st Thursday Every Month The Free Feline Fix is back! Salt Lake County Animal Services will be offering this program. Salt Lake County will hold a free fix the first Thursday of the month throughout ALL of 2017! Get your cat spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped for FREE!!!

All in jurisdiction cats will need to be licensed at the time of service ($10 fee.) Any out of jurisdiction cats will receive the same services that day for a $50 fee.

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EDUCATION

M idvalejournal.com

East Midvale students celebrate world cultures at Living Traditions Nights

By Julie Slama | julie@mycityjournals.com

March 2017 | Page 13

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East Midvale Elementary students learn an ancient music art form from the Salt Lake Kenshin Taiko Drummers during the school’s annual Living Traditions Night. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

W

hen East Midvale students walked into the ninth annual Living Traditions Night, they received a passport to six different Asian countries, and were presented with such questions as: what is a traditional Indian dish and how many languages are spoken in China?

About 450 students and their families walked the school hallways Jan. 19 to see exhibits created by each grade.

“We have over 20 countries represented by our 600 students in our school so this is a chance for us to get to know some of them and celebrate the students’ countries which strengthen our diversity,” Principal Justin Pitcher said.

Posters of Bangladesh, little booklets about South Korea, nesting dolls from Russia and more decorated the hallways.

“I love it,” said Amber Rice, parent of Shaun, a kindergartener. “I’ve learned things I didn’t know and it makes it a more enjoyable experience when students are involved and learning from each other.”

Second-grade teachers Robert Carter and Katie Alvord incorporated comprehension and fluency in the booklets that they had their students fill out about South Korea. Alvord, who taught in South Korea, also introduced some of the culture to students by telling them about school, the Korean writing system, sports, hobbies and the Olympics that were held there.

Fourth-grade teacher Michelle Schultz had her students use computer research skills to tie into writing and art when, as a team, they created posters. Then, they gave oral presentations to their classmates.

“Fourth-grade curriculum addresses where they fit into the world,” she said. “We start with Utah history and then broaden it to the United States and this takes it one step farther. It fits into every grade level, such as kindergartners learn traditions and celebrations. It gives us a chance to

embrace our world and each other.”

Fifth-grader Samantha Erickson said that she likes celebrating different customs and has learned more about cultures since a girl from Bangladesh is in her class.

“She moved here in October and has told us about different foods and clothes,” Samantha said.

“They play soccer and have a bigger meal at lunch than at dinner. They have a festival where they spray colored water in the streets and it sounds like lots of fun.”

Samantha and other students made their way to the multi-purpose room where a Chinese dinner was served to families. Then, each grade level sang songs from different countries. Kindergartners and fifth-graders sang “Holi Re,” a song from India and Bangladesh. First-graders sang the Russian song, “Volga Boatman” and second-graders performed “Arirang” from Korea. Third-graders sang “A New World” from China and fourth-graders performed “Wandering” from Jordan.

Following the students’ performance, Salt Lake Kenshin Taiko Drummers performed an ancient art form of music. After their performance, they invited students to beat their drums.

The celebration also included international flags decorating the hallways, which was part of a Boy Scout Eagle project donated by TJ Smith, a Brighton High student. Walls were covered with students’ interpretations of “What Diversity Means to Me,” which also were hung earlier at TOSH, the school’s business partner.

Community School Facilitator Shelley McCall said that during the week several families from other countries came into classrooms to share their culture and customs.

“It’s neat how we are learning each other’s differences so we can appreciate and have a greater understanding of one another,” she said. “It brings our community richer and gives our students a positive light of a bigger world.” l

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EDUCATION

Page 14 | March 2017

Midvale City Journal

Lessons in culture engage Hillcrest Spanish students

By Julie Slama | julie@mycityjournals.com

O

ne Saturday, Morgan Lorenzo-Greer and a couple of her Hillcrest High School classmates in Spanish 3 Honors class could be found reading a recipe in Spanish so they could make a tortilla española or Spanish omelet.

Then, Morgan’s team and other groups of students brought their tortillas to class so they could sample each other’s cooking and vote which one was best. This was how students finished their unit of learning about Spain and just one of the several ways Hillcrest Spanish teacher Michelle Hawkins has intermixed culture into her teaching.

“It’s one thing to learn a language but it’s a completely different thing for students to be able to experience the culture for themselves in order to gain a greater appreciation and understanding for the language,” Morgan said. “Señorita Hawkins does this by letting us explore the other culture. We’ve eaten empanadas, made homemade tortilla from Spain and we learn about the teenagers of other countries and how they compare and contrast to us.”

The empanadas were the celebration after completing their unit learning about Chile. The students sampled several South American empanadas brought in from Empanada Express as part of their fiesta which also allowed them to meet their “Amigos Secretos” or pen pals from a native Spanish-speaking class.

“We want to make more cross-culture connections and learn from one another,” Hawkins said. “The pen pals gave students a chance to write to one another and ask them questions and reply in the language. I gave them some topic ideas, but they could write about subjects they wanted as well. They met and talked for

Hillcrest Spanish students gain firsthand cultural experience by painting each other’s faces with skulls, flowers and scars across their lips for Dia de los Muertos. (Michelle Hawkins/Hillcrest High School)

20 minutes that day. Since then, I’ve seen some students talk in the hall, so it’s a way we can develop friendships and positive relationships.”

Her newly developed native-speaking class or Spanish Heritage Speakers allows those bilingual students to learn how to read and write Spanish since they only speak Spanish at their homes, Hawkins said.

“We have them read at home to their siblings and parents so they develop more Spanish literacy skills,” she said, adding that through the exchanges with her Spanish 3 Honors class, they could share their culture with other students.

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A fun experience for the students was Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead. Not only did Hawkins’ students learn the symbolism behind the memorial day, they also had the experience of painting their faces with skulls, flowers and scars across their lips, symbolizing the traditions of the culture.

“We chose more light-hearted designs to show it being a fun holiday and students were excited and wore the face-painting around school, so more conversations about the culture came about. Their peers were learning the values of other cultures,” she said.

Some of the experiences for the students have been more studious as 10 members of her Spanish Heritage class took part in the Spanish-speaking section of the Model UN conference at Brigham Young University.

“It was a challenge for them to learn how to debate and create resolutions in Spanish because even though they are bilingual, they have not been schooled academically in their language and this discourse was much more formal. Still, they learned how to role play as diplomats and learned that their Spanish-speaking skills are marketable,” she said.

Ahead for the class will be Colombian hot chocolate this spring, which Hawkins said she learned includes cheese in the recipe. She also said that her students will learn a dance, probably the Tango from Uruguay, but she will have students help decide.

“Through these activities, I see them improving their Spanish and taking it to a higher level,” she said. “The students are much more engaged and are having fun while learning about different countries’ cultures.” l

EDUCATION

M idvalejournal.com

March 2017 | Page 15

Hillcrest High School theatre students to perform “Hamlet”

By Julie Slama | julie@mycityjournals.com

I

magine Hamlet as a boxer on stage in a contemporary setting and that’s the William Shakespeare play Hillcrest High theatre students will perform.

“Hamlet” will be performed at 7 p.m., Friday, March 17 and Saturday, March 18 as well as Monday, March 20 on Hillcrest’s stage, 7350 South 900 East. Ticket information is available at hillcresttheatre.com.

Hamlet will be played by junior Gabe Aina.

“This opportunity to play Hamlet is quite spectacular,” he said. “Most people may see Hamlet as this ‘golden role’ that no one can relate to, or an emotional wreck of overthinking. I can’t blame them. Even I did before we started rehearsing.

What’s really cool is that, in all reality, Hamlet is actually a relatable human being that feels relatable human emotions — all of Shakespeare’s characters are. I don’t think lots of people realize that and that’s where the power of theatre comes in.”

Gabe is joined by junior Nathanael Abbott who plays Claudius. The character of Gertrude is performed by senior Faith Johnson, Ophelia by junior Madi Parker, Horatio by senior Steven Hooley, Polonius by senior Kirstin Van Renselaar, Laertes by junior Luke Morley, Rosencrantz by senior Lindsay Kenner and Guildenstern by senior Collin Everett.

“Our goal as a cast is to make this production more comprehensible for audience members that

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may not know anything about ‘Hamlet’ besides ‘to be or not to be…’ and to give them a different point of view on Shakespeare. With an amazing cast, and a director that has a lot of Shakespearean expertise, we are gradually, but promisingly, reaching our goal by giving our hearts to this production and adding a twist of modern into the mix. It’s all quite fascinating and beautiful, and we are excited to eventually show what we are able to create,” Gabe said.

“Hamlet” is being directed by Josh Long with the stage design, sound and lights under the direction of Giselle Gremmert.

Long said he has been scared of approaching “Hamlet” before this year. “‘Hamlet’ is Shakespeare’s greatest play and it’s intimidating to think about attempting to perform it,” said Long, who has directed Hillcrest theatre for 10 years. “It’s the apex of a career, not something people should just attempt. When I think of the great things these kids can do and I’ve seen them command the language and the stage, I knew it was time to do it. They’re four-time champions at the Utah Shakespeare Theatre competition and they are ready.”

The cast was announced in December, then they began doing text analysis. Several students also studied the play in their AP English literature class before rehearsals began in late January.

Long said that actually there are four versions

Hamlet, portrayed by Gabe Aina, right, tells Guildenstern, played by Collin Everett, about his pipe during a rehearsal in early February. Lindsay Kenner as Rosencrantz is seen in the background. (Julie Slama/ City Journals)

of the play and scholars argue which one was the final version or the one used for performances.

Long, himself, examined all the versions and crafted the best of all to shorten the 4.5-hour play to about two hours.

“Our script will go fast and get right to the conflict and it will be physical, there won’t be any standing around. The characters will always be in motion and their actions will be connected to the words they say. It will be full of intrigue and intensity,” he said.

Hillcrest’s “Hamlet” will be in a modern-day setting rather than Elizabethan times.

“We will still be using the Shakespeare script, with his beautiful insight in English language, but have it set in contemporary society with television screens around the stage so the audience can distinguish when his thoughts are in his head versus outside his head,” Long said. “The screens will also serve as surveillance cameras so there is a way they can spy on one another.”

The stage design not only will use technology, but innovative theatre design with pillars that will move about to create several scenes.

“We will have them connected to our fly system so they can move horizontally or vertically to create an original look,” he said.

The characters also will be wearing sleek contemporary wardrobes with a Renaissance flair, not the traditional Elizabethan robes, Long said.

“This will be a fast, immersive, physical play with the greatest thoughts of the English language ever created. Hamlet addresses who we are, how we think and who we become,” he said.

Hillcrest’s final production of the school year will be “Mirrors” and original theatre piece that is being written especially for Hillcrest High School with assistance from Europe’s Tony Award-winning Frantic Assembly. It will be performed Thursday, May 18 through Saturday, May 20. l

SPORTS

Page 16 | March 2017

Midvale City Journal

Husky swimming wraps up ‘outstanding year’

By Travis Barton | travis@mycityjournals.com

Katelyn Davies was given the girls Outstanding Swimmer award at the swim team’s end of year banquet. (Marie Otto/Hillcrest swim team)

I

n a region with various schools who have celebrated swimming state championships, Hillcrest High School swim team had multiple swimmers and relay teams qualify for state.

“Overall, I’d say it was an outstanding year,” said head coach Ryan Thierbach.

The Huskies qualified nine swimmers in individual events with five of their six relay teams also traveling to Brigham Young University for the state meet.

Thierbach said qualifying times for state were extremely fast this season.

“This year 4A was the toughest classification by far and you know to even qualify for state was a feat this year. I mean it was that tough. To qualify we’ve never seen times this fast,” Thierbach said.

Five records were broken on the final day of the 4A meet. On the girls side it was the 100-yard freestyle, 100-yard backstroke, 100-yard breaststroke and 200-yard freestyle relay. While for the boys it was the 400-yard freestyle relay.

“I honestly wasn’t sure we’d have boys

Freshman Uso Tagoai begins the 100-yard backstroke breaststroke at the 4A state championships. (Travis Barton/City Journals)

that qualified for state. You know, it was that tough and all three of our senior boys qualified in the individual events,” Thierbach said of seniors Eliot Kang, Timothy Hui and Munchie Dow. Hillcrest’s region holds state champs Skyline along with perennial contenders Olympus, Kearns, Murray and Judge.

“It was a tough region but the kids held their own,” Thierbach said.

Dow took fourth at their region meet in the 100-yard backstroke—a race that included four of the top five finishers at state—with a time of 58.15. While Hui finished third in the same meet for the 100-yard breaststroke and 10th at state with a 1:03.98 for his best time.

Though the season started out rocky for the Huskies, the team felt good about the way they finished.

“Season got off to a little bit of a slow start, slower than I expected. But, in the end, the kids really stepped up—a great finish,” Thierbach said.

Added Kang, “Our team started out kinda

The captains of the Hillcrest High swim team. (Marie Otto/Hillcrest swim team)

jumbly, but we pulled it together right towards the end. We got a lot more wins towards the end so I feel good about it.”

According to Thierbach, many of those wins were due to Kang’s dynamism, swimming in multiple events.

“He really took one for the team this whole year. I swam him all over the place and you know, he was willing to do any event at any time just to help out the team and help us win dual meets. I attribute most of our wins to him, I could just throw him in anywhere,” Thierbach said. “I can’t say enough about Eliot Kang and the way he stepped up.”

At the Huskies’ region meet, Kang finished fourth in the 100-yard freestyle with a 51.19 time and sixth in the 50-yard freestyle at 23.26. In the 500-yard freestyle he beat his best time of the year by almost seven seconds.

“I kinda liked it being able to try all the different events and find out what I like the best,” Kang said.

Watching the team grow and finish the season strong was the most satisfying aspect

of the season, Thierbach said.

“I think it was watching those boys grow up, especially our senior boys you know. And just the way they stepped up and took charge and they really led the younger boys in the right direction,” he said.

Heading into next year, the Hillcrest coach is very encouraged for the girls team.

The team will have important contributors like freshman Uso Tagoai, junior Gabrielle Ciet and sophomore Katelyn Davies returning.

“We have a young team,” Thierbach said of the girls. “We had some freshman really step up, as a matter of fact I think I used all our freshmen girls here at state. That’s really boding well for the future.”

Though Kang will be graduating, he said it has been a special four years with the swim team.

“Because it really is like a family, like I’ve been on the team for four years and I see it as my family for four years. We’re all really, really close,” Kang said. l

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SPORTS

M idvalejournal.com

March 2017 | Page 17

Hillcrest drill team takes second at state

By Julie Slama | Julie@mycityjournals.com

H

illcrest High School’s drill team are proud of their second-place trophy they brought back from the Feb. 4 finals of the state competition.

“We are very excited that we finished second and super positive,” senior Ali Willits said. “We have no regrets. We danced the routines we loved and did our best.”

Hillcrest drill team coach Chelsea Divine said that after the first dance, the school’s military routine with its upbeat feel, the “vibe was good.”

“We felt good about everything,” she said.

“Our spacing was flawless. We were clean. Our goal is always to be the best and place first, but I’m very proud of this talented team. The tricky part of this sport is it is subjective and talent runs high that’s why we always have to be precise.”

In 4A, Bountiful High took first place, with Maple Mountain, third and Uintah High, fourth.

Hillcrest took second place in its military dance, first in its dance routine and fourth in kick, using the song “Money” from the musical “Cabaret,” and the girls were wearing wacky money glasses, hats and T-shirts.

“To be able to dance a military precise routine with difficult stunts, be graceful in a dance routine and then come back with a kick routine from a Broadway show shows our versatility and is extremely hard to do,” Divine said.

Divine said their dance routine was “a stand-out routine.”

“We performed it to Celine Dion’s ‘Power of Love’ and it was beautiful, lyrical and gracious. We felt what love can do and just felt the music and love. It was emotional, impactful and incredible,” she said.

For each routine Hillcrest placed, the team received a plaque. They also received the sportsmanship award, which was voted on by all the teams at the competition.

“That’s big. Our team is talented, but humble, so when other teams are looking up to us and see the positive attitude, our hard work and the respect we give our competitors and voted to give us this award, it speaks a lot about our girls,” she said.

Dancing to Celine Dion’s song, “Power of Love,” Hillcrest High drill team awed the judges and crowd with their dance routine during the state competition. They won the dance category. (Scott Tarbet/Hillcrest High School)

Hillcrest advanced to state by winning region where they placed first in every category.

It’s the third year the school has won its regional competition.

“It’s fun when we bond and do our best,” Ali said.

Competitions aren’t the only times the team performs. They took center field during football half-times as well as mid-court during basketball games.

“I really love football half-time shows. It’s a good high school moment,” Ali said.

Ali, who began dancing ballet at age three, learned jazz, hip-hop and other styles of dance at a studio before making the transition to drill team.

“Before we could come at the competition time, find a way to stand out to shine and afterward, be with our families. Now we all get ready together in the dressing room and everything about drill is the opposite. I think it has really helped me grow to a different level,” she said.

Divine said that it unites the girls.

“The team looked at why we do what we do — dress the same, have the same hairstyles, have the same bags, everything. It’s an opportunity for them to bond and grow as a team,” she said.

The week before state, team captains took from the year-long “This is Why” theme to examine and share why they do drill.

Ali, who is a captain and a senior, said it was emotional, but they made a “special connection.”

“It’s been a part of my life these past years and I love the coaches and girls. I especially struggled my second year financially. The team helped with fundraisers and Chelsea let me know that I wouldn’t be left behind,” she said.

Team captain and senior Alyssa Gustafson shared that this year was especially challenging for her coming back to compete after having surgery.

“The hardest were the recovery days, but somehow, the team knew it and was there,” she said. “I learned it was time to get better and stop feeling sorry for myself. I realized that I needed

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my team more than they needed me. It was a humbling experience. They’re like angels and I love them.”

She said that even though she knew state would be her last competition, it didn’t hit until after the routines were over.

“I felt so much love from this sisterhood that the tears just started pouring. Drill has been a huge part of my life,” Alyssa said.

The team will put on a year-end show at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 21 in the school gym. The show will showcase all the team’s performance numbers. Tickets are $5 in advance and $6 at the door.

“Each girl will get an 8-count solo and captains and seniors will have two counts of 8 to perform. I’m looking forward to dancing military once more. It’s my favorite style and I’ll miss that most,” Ali said.

Hillcrest drill team also plans to travel to New York this spring to not only see some of the tourist sights and 9-11 World Trade Center memorial, but to take a class from the Rockettes in the Broadway Dance Center.

“We’ll go backstage of Radio City and see their costumes and dressing rooms. We’ll also see ‘Aladdin’, which has some incredible dance routines, and ‘Wicked’, which is considered the best musical on Broadway. This will give our girls a chance to learn more about dance,” Divine said.

Alyssa said that she looks forward to helping with next year’s auditions, which will take place Tuesday, March 28 and Thursday, March 30 afterschool.

“We will help teach the choreography and then, after the team is selected, hand them roses and give them advice,” she said.

Next year’s Hillcrest Drill Team will not return to 4A since the Utah High School Activities Association has realigned its regions.

Hillcrest will compete in 6A. “It will bring us new challenges,” Divine said. “State will be really competitive as those teams are incredible.” l

Page 18 | March 2017

Midvale City Journal

Jump into Spring Organization – Is there an App for That?

A

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JOANI TAYLOR

common question I’m often asked is, “how do you get so much done in a day?” After all, in addition to running a busy Coupons4Utah.com, I also own a travel blog, 50Roads.com and contribute to a grocery website Crazy4Smiths. com. I have a segment on KUTV, write this article monthly and still find the time to hang out with my out-of-state grandkids.

Initially, this tough question left me struggling for an answer. After a little thought I realized my most productive days come down to one handy tool. No, it’s not mood-altering drugs (good guess though). The answer is my phone. Now, if you’re like me in the 50-something age range, I know what you’re thinking, “Get a grip, we don’t need no stinkin’ phones!” And admittedly, I did just write an article about the importance of writing down your goals.

So, let me be clear, I ALWAYS put my phone away during meals and it NEVER goes to bed with me (two habits I highly recommend for everyone). I’m of the mentality that I own my phone, it doesn’t own me. And while some days it proves to be more of a distraction, this one tool can keep me productive all day.

Here are a few apps I use that you could find useful too.

sync my calendar to all my devices and put everything on. I even use it to block out times to take a moment and breath, to go to the gym, read a book, and even plan a vacation. Keeping to a schedule is my No. 1 tip for staying organized. If you’re an iPhone user check out Awesome Note 2 app. It brings together to-do lists, notes and your calendar.

These are just a few ideas that will help you organize your time. You can find more apps we’ve shared on Coupons4Utah.com/get-app. The next time you feel overwhelmed with a task, you might just look to see if there’s an app for that. And remember to always check the privacy terms before registering. l

Grocery: ListEase is a free grocery app for your phone and even works with an Apple Watch. After a brief learning curve and initial set up, I found it easy to use for not only groceries, but for to-do lists to. There’s even links to coupons. If you’re a Smith’s or Macey’s shopper they both have great grocery list apps with coupons too.

Photos and Kids’ Art: Keepy is a new free app that allows you to organize kids’ artwork and allows the user the ability to share it with family members who live far away. The app also allows you to record voice-over stories about your photos.

Google Photos: There are tons of apps out there with cloud storage, but my personal favorite is Google Photos. It’s easy to use, free and offers editing options.

Calendar: Yes folks, if you aren’t already, you need to learn to use your calendar. I

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March 2017 | Page 19

M idvalejournal.com

Life

Laughter AND

by

PERI KINDER

MIDVALE

Equal to the Task

A

fter God created Adam and Eve, he plunked them down in the middle of a garden and told them to start naming dinosaurs.

Adam dove headfirst into the task and went to work giving names to the millions of creatures walking around his backyard. They lived together in ignorance and innocence, walking around naked and coming up with funny names like “chicken turtle” and “spiny lumpsucker.”

After a time, Eve thought there had to be more to life than mind-numbing sameness every. single. day.

She’d walk to the forbidden Tree of Knowledge and stare into its branches, wondering how bad knowledge could be. Then along came a snake and blah, blah, blah—knowledge entered the Garden of Eden.

Adam came home from work that afternoon to find Eve wearing fashionable fig leaves. Before he could comment, Eve enthusiastically told him all the amazing things she had learned. Knowledge was awesome!!

Adam was furious. He didn’t need no smart woman telling him what to do. He turned to reprimand Eve, but she was writing poetry, doing math and creating crafts to put on her Pinterest board.

Not to be upstaged by a lowly rib-woman, Adam stormed off through the jungle, getting his

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nether-regions caught on brambles, until he came to the Tree of Knowledge. And the rest is history.

Or is it?

Fast forward to 2017 and male/female relationships haven’t improved much. It wasn’t until the last 100 years that women decided things had to change. They ate from their own trees of knowledge and became proactive in voicing opinions.

What was the overall reaction from men?

“These women are crazy. To the institutions!” “Why can’t women just be happy?” “Don’t they know they have inferior minds?” “Where’s my dinner?!?!”

Nevertheless, we persisted.

Our mothers and grandmothers and greatgrandmothers fought against the stereotypical bra burning, hairy armpitted, unsmiling, Birkenstockwearing feminists. They tussled with men who found them shrill, incompetent and wholly ungrateful; men who were possibly afraid of what a smart woman could do.

We’ve quietly listened to blonde jokes, put up with mansplaining bosses and held our tongues for hundreds of sexist and/or patronizing comments.

But maybe we can find common ground.

I’m sure many young men feel the pressure to become muscular like Thor, brave like a Navy Seal and wealthy like that Monopoly guy. I’m sure men battle with confidence issues, body image concerns and are always trying to look smarter than the

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women in the room. So, see! Common ground.

Feminism is the promotion of women’s rights based on equality, meaning anyone who believes women are (at least) equal to men is a feminist. And, come on, really? We’re at least equal to men.

Here’s my vision for the next 100 years (assuming we survive the next four).

• Women take an equal role in leadership, possibly creating an effective education system.

• Men embrace a woman’s ability to communicate with emotion and passion as a strength, not a weakness.

• Girls around the world are educated, respected and live in peace.

• Someone creates a gluten-free cinnamon roll recipe that doesn’t taste like cinnamonflavored concrete.

(Okay, that last one has nothing to do with equal rights. But still. Get on that, Pillsbury.)

Smart women shouldn’t be scary to men. We still do the majority of child-rearing and you don’t want a stupid person raising the next generation.

Maybe in 200 years, this could be a headline: “Is America Prepared for a Male President?”

Maybe, like Adam and Eve, we can work together to create a new world. l

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