Midvale September 2016 by The City Journals

September 2016

Mural Pays Respect to Midvale History

Vol. 2 Iss. 9

FREE

Your Career Begins

with Us!

By Chris Larson | chris.larson@mycityjournals.com

page 2

The new mural at the Old Towne Tavern features renditions of historical images sourced from the Midvale Historical Society Museum. – Chris Larson

Member Care Representative Software Sales Specialist Customer Service Gaming Guru Travel Consultant (Sabre) • Full and Part Time • Excellent Beneﬁts after 60 Days • Casual Fun Environment • Exciting Contests and Events • Flexible Schedules to Fit Your Lifestyles

Harvest Fest Headliners

page 4

• Worldwide Career Opportunities

Champions on the Rise

page 8

• Paid Training

• Immediate Positions Available

Local Postal Customer ECRWSS Your Career Begins Scan Here: Interactive online edition with more photos.

with Us!

Member Care Representative Software Sales Specialist

Apply online at

teleperformance.com

Apply online at teleperformance.com

Presort Std U.S. Postage PAID Riverton, UT Permit #44

ON THE COVER

Page 2 | September 2016

Midvale City Journal

Mural Pays Respect to Midvale History By Chris Larson | chris.larson@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.

The Midvale Team CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Bryan Scott bryan@mycityjournals.com EDITOR: Travis Barton travis@mycityjournals.com ADVERTISING: 801-254-5974 DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING: Ryan Casper ryan.casper@mycityjournals.com 801-671-2034 SALES ASSOCIATES: Melissa Worthen melissa@mycityjournals.com 801-897-5231 Steve Hession steve@mycityjournals.com CIRCULATION COORDINATOR: Brad Casper circulation@mycityjournals.com

rtists, who wished to remain anonymous, completed a new mural in Midvale’s Old Town as a way to pay homage to Midvale’s historic legacy while increasing the visibility of a local business. Located on the north side of Old Towne Tavern, 7662 Main St., the mural depicts historical scenes from the city’s earlier days including images of miners, beet farmers, a steam locomotive and a scene of Main Street in the 1920’s. Recent hire, Paris Hawkins, said she is friends with the artists and represented them in an interview with the Midvale City Journal. She also said the idea of doing the mural came from a conversation she had with the general manager some weeks ago. “We just have all that great real estate to work with,” Hawkins said of the 73-foot wall that faces a parking lot visible to southbound traffic on Main Street (700 East). The artists didn’t explain to her why they wanted to remain anonymous, Hawkins said, but suggested that they have completed other works in Utah and in other states, such as Washington. “(They) tried to stay really focused more on the history and less on bar swag because we wanted to do something that celebrated the history of Midvale but also stay true to their artistic side,” Hawkins said. The artists started the spray paint project on July 21 and ended on July 31. The old red brick was prepped with what Hawkins said was a “buffer” because “the brick absorbs a lot of paint.” The scenes were completed and sprayed with a clear coat 10 days later to complete the project. For inspiration, the artists visited the Midvale Historical Society and Museum, which is serendipitously located down the street. Volunteers, who frequently help staff the museum, said young men in their late 20s or early 30s came into the museum asking questions about what Midvale was like in the past and directly sourced many of the scenes, notably the scene of a locomotive, sourced from historical photos found at the museum. From left to right, the mural features a large steam locomotive, a scene depicted in a historic photo of the Colorado Hotel Saloon, miners eating from pails, a saloon girl, a Vincent Drug storefront, a beet farmer holding a sugar beet, a landscape of one of the smelters and a scene of the night time drive of Main Street. The artist had several suggestions for what to do with the space but felt it was necessary to do something that captured the historic nature of the town with rumors swirling of a revitalization project for the area. “There was an elk in place of where the (Colorado Hotel Saloon) is,” Hawkins said. “A lot of the patrons like elk hunting, but what does that tell about Old Town Midvale?”

EDITORIAL & AD DESIGN: Melody Bunker Tina Falk Ty Gorton

Midvale City Journal 9500 South 500 West Suite 205Sandy, UT 84070 Phone: 801 254 5974

Designed, Published & Distributed by

MISSION STATEMENT Our mission is to inform and entertain our community while promoting a strong local economy via relevant content presented across a synergetic network of print and digital media.

free l community l papers

Thank You

to our Community Sponsors for supporting City Journals

The main drove on Main Street as is used to be. The anonymous artists wanted to capture what it was really like when industry made for a booming nightlife in Midvale. – Chris Larson

Before the Old Towne Tavern was established in that building, a bar called Christine’s Lounge held the building for a while, according to the Midvale museum. An obituary from Oct. 7, 1998 in the Deseret News states that Christine Kelley “for many years owned and operated Christine’s Lounge in Midvale.” Records also show the same address once housed the famed Vincent Drug.Tiles near the front door indicate the building used to be a drug store. Vincent Drug store was featured in the sports movie, “The Sandlot.” The drug store has since closed, like several shops on Main Street. Throughout the years, the Midvale area has suffered from the loss of the railroad, mining and smelting industries, a story common across industrial America. Bar regulars and residents said that once these businesses folded, so did much of economic stability. The Old Town area appears to be in varying states of disrepair, while some buildings appear to be recently improved. This causes severe clashes in appearance between brick facades and actual structural brick. Old Towne Tavern is actually the combining of two separate addresses. The location that used to share a wall — now removed — used to house Forget Me Not Gift Wrap, Rambling Rose Tavern and Amusement Sales. l

September 2016 | Page 3

M idvalejournal.com

Buying or selling a home? LET ME HELP YOU!

DOES YOUR FOOD BUDGET...

With hundreds of realtors advertising, it’s hard to know who to work with.

NEED HELP?

Why not choose an agent with a proven track record who enjoys helping you? I believe that selling Real Estate is not just selling properties, it’s treating people with honesty, loyalty and excellent service.

FREE SENIOR

32+ Years of Experience

FOOD BOX

“Real Estate Joe” Olschewski • 801-573-5056

Call Today: 801.887.1275 To qualify income must be under $1,287/month for a household of 1.

LOCAL LIFE

Page 4 | September 2016

Midvale City Journal

Famous Headliners Close Harvest Days By Chris Larson | chris.larson@mycityjournals.com

he conclusion of the Midvale Arts Council’s Levitt AMP Midvale Music Series and the Midvale Harvest Days came with a bang — literally — as fireworks and concerts by “American Idol” season five winner Taylor Hicks and local sensation Alex Boye dazzled attendees. The Midvale Arts Council, a local nonprofit, was awarded a $25,000 matching grant from the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation to put on a free concert series to “(e)nrich lives through the power of free, live (m)usic.” According to Wade Walker, chairman of Midvale Arts Council Board of Directors, much of the total $50,000 went to paying artists. On top of directing most of the grant money to the artists, the arts council was able to advertise the free concert series, something that Concert Chair Melanie Beardall identified as a limitation to the success of the previous free concert series. On average, between 400 and 600 people attended the concerts. One of the better attended events was the 23rd Army Band. However, with the combination of the Midvale Harvest Days, the concert series and two very popular acts, attendance estimates hovered around 1,500 concert attendees.

“Part of (the grant) was to attract local, regional and national artists to an area,” Walker said. “(The Levitt Foundation) really wanted us to up our game and get more professional artists.” Walker said the purpose of the Levitt AMP Midvale Music Series and the art council generally is to bring the community together with art experiences that people may not get the opportunity to experience otherwise. The city-organized Midvale Harvest Days approached the arts council about the possibility of combining the conclusion of both events. This created a great deal of anxiety for Beardall, a volunteer. “When the city initially approached us about doing a combo event, I had no intention of getting two big acts,” Beardall said. The booking of both acts, despite the anxiety of having to fill two headline slots, came with a bit of serendipity. When trying to book Boye for the conclusion of the Levitt AMP series, slated on Aug. 5, she happened to be referred to the same booking agent she worked with to book the bands, The Crescent Super Band and Latin Roots, who performed in earlier concerts. “[Boye] loves to perform locally and that

Boss gone fishing!!!

makes it a little easier to book him…He can stay close to his family,” Beardall said. As is offered with the grant, Levitt AMP helped Beardall connect with booking agents to fill the second closing concert. “We kind of happened upon Taylor Hicks,” Beardall said. “His agency said he would love to and he was in our price range. It really happened by luck.” Beardall said her favorite acts were the Latin band, Incendio, and up-and-coming folk/ indie group, Edison. The Denver-based Edison was founded by a former member of the The Lumineers, Maxwell Hughes. Beardall said Edison heard about the grant and approached them about performing. “They are up and coming and thought it would be a good opportunity to sign on a band who had just gotten a recording contract,” Beardall said. Beardall appreciated Edison’s humor and laid-back approach to the administrative side of things. Specifically, she liked that the band had named their van, “Van Morrison” and their trailer, “Trailor Swift.” l

any new or used computer system

– laptops too!

Half Off Diagnostics • Top Flight Technicians New FUNTASTIC Computers • Virus Slayers Jaxn Computers / Crossaction Computers 801-233-0563 • 8530 South 1300 East, Sandy

WELCOME TO

SSCO E D

Jesus The Way

Diesel Electric Service & Supply Co., Inc.

Sunday Worship 11:00 am Wednesday Bible Study 7:00 pm

– G ON NA C L E A R T H E ST O R E –

$100 OFF

Alex Boye performed at the Midvale Harvest Days on Aug. 5. –Midvale Arts Council

Industrial Gas and Diesel Engines All Types of Generators SINCE 1952

A Non-Denominational Christian Church

7250 So 672 W Midvale, UT 84047 385-215-0734 – Pastor Ibrahim

Spirit Filled Church

Now Hiring

BEAT WRITERS

(801) 972-1836 652 W. 1700 South in Salt Lake City

www.dessco.com

Earn extra cash. Be involved in the community. Write for the City Journals. Send a resume and writing sample to bryan@mycityjournals.com

EDUCATION

M idvalejournal.com

September 2016 | Page 5

Hillcrest High Junior Crowned Miss Teen Of Utah By Julie Slama | julie@mycityjournals.com

Hillcrest High junior Megan Okumura recently was crowned Miss Teen of Utah. — Sharon Okumura

illcrest High junior Megan Okumura wasn’t looking for a pageant to enter. In fact, the 16-year-old had never entered a pageant until a letter arrived in the mail inviting her, based upon her scholastic achievement, to compete in the Miss Teen of America pageant. “This pageant was not a beauty pageant, (but it was) focused on scholastic achievements, service to school and community, personal development, general awareness of today’s world, personality, projection and confidence,” Megan said. “When people hear the word ‘pageant’ they immediately associate it with the word ‘beauty,’ but this specific pageant was designed to help youth in America reach their full potential and gain recognition for their hard work and achievements, not based on their looks. That was the most influential reason why I decided to participate.” She also was motivated to compete when she learned the pageant was linked to the Special Olympics and the winner would receive a $250 inclusion event at the competitor’s high school. “Having worked with special needs students in school and at my church, I decided it was a wonderful opportunity to be able to bring more awareness of the Special Olympics in Utah, if I won,” she said. Although Megan prepared for the competition, she failed to prepare herself for being crowned Miss Teen of Utah. “I was in awe when I won. I became so close with all the girls competing in my state that it didn’t matter if I won or not because I felt all the girls were qualified to represent the state of Utah, so my expectations were ‘whatever happens, happens. I will be happy with whoever wins.’ I honestly didn’t know it would be me who won, though. My family wasn’t prepared for me to win, either. They didn’t have their cameras ready or anything for the big moment,” she said. Her dad, Mike, said winning wasn’t the goal, so he was caught off guard when his daughter was crowned. “We were surprised and overwhelmed with happiness,” Okumura said. “As her parents, we always knew she was a wonderful person, but to see her crowned showed her that other people saw her great qualities, too. My wife [Sharon] and I had tears in our eyes because we came here to help Megan increase her self-confidence. Winning was not necessarily the goal so when she won, it was an overwhelming feeling of

An accomplished pianist, Megan Okumura played “Argentina” in the talent competition, which she won, in the Miss Teen of Utah pageant. — Sharon Okumura

Megan Okumura, a junior at Hillcrest High, was awarded the title of Miss Teen of Utah. She will compete in the national title this November. — Sharon Okumura

gratitude and proudness.” Okumura said that once Megan decided to enter the competition, she became more sure of herself while putting forth a lot of effort. “Her mom told her that she would support anything she wanted to do and if this was something she was willing to put a lot of effort into, then go for it. Her mom asked her current event questions and they discussed issues together,

the soonest?’ and the answer was mascara. Another was, ‘who is on the one-dollar bill?’ and the answer was George Washington,” she said. Other categories of judging included scholastic record — Megan has a 3.987 grade-point average on a scale of 4.0; achievement and service to school and community; personality projection in formal wear; and personal development of talents and skills. Megan, who has played piano for 10 years, played “Argentina” by Catherine Rollins for her talent competition. It was a piece she had performed for the Salt Lake South Valley Honors Concert, held at Assembly Hall on Temple Square. She has received 19 superior ratings the past 10 years in the National Music Piano Federation competition. In addition to playing piano, Megan also competes for her school’s cross country team, is on the school honor roll and is a National Honor Society member. Amongst other achievements, Megan has been the student body secretary, has received trophies in Utah ParentTeacher Association’s Reflections arts program, received the American Institute of Chemical Engineers award at the regional science fair; received the third-place trophy in the Salt Lake Region History Fair; been involved in several service clubs; been involved in Model United Nations, math and chess clubs; written and directed a Stake Young Women’s Play for her church and is a weekly volunteer at the Utah Humane Society. In addition to the title, and hosting a Special Olympics event at Hillcrest High, Megan received $1,000, which she plans to use to attend college at Brigham Young University. She hopes to write children’s books as well as become a special needs teacher. “I have had much experience in working with special needs in my church and at my school, and I am currently learning sign language in order to communicate with everyone. I have two cousins who were born with a rare form of muscular dystrophy and growing up around them influenced me to want to be involved more with special needs,” said Megan, who works as a special needs peer tutor. Megan, who plans to speak to elementary-age children about Special Olympics, will compete for the national title Nov. 20 in Minneapolis. l

“This pageant was not a beauty pageant, (but it was) focused on scholastic achievements, service to school and community, personal development, general awareness of today’s world, personality, projection and confidence.” but stressed that if she [Megan] wanted to win this, she would need to be herself and authentic. This [pageant] has increased her [Megan’s] self-confidence and given her more a greater sense of who she is and her abilities,” he said. Megan said she researched previous titleholders for Miss Teen of America as well as talked to someone who had participated in pageants to help her feel more confident in answering questions. “I did a lot of research on past titleholders for Miss Teen of America in order to prepare myself for qualities they were searching for in their title holder. The interview portion was 25 percent of the judging criteria, which made it imperative that I prepared for interview questions, as well as having confidence in who I was and what I stood for,” she said. Megan said another portion of the pageant was a written test. “You really can’t prepare for the written test. One question I was asked was ‘which make-up product expires

EDUCATION

Page 6 | September 2016

Midvale City Journal

New Copperview Principal To Focus on Life Skills By Julie Slama | julie@mycityjournals.com

Christine Webb became Copperview’s new principal in July. She is pictured here talking to Bell View Elementary kindergartners last fall. — Julie Slama

ew Copperview Elementary Principal Christine Webb wants students not only to master classroom subjects, but also appropriate behavior. “I want students to know and practice appropriate behavior in general such as saying, ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ and engaging in active listening,” she said. “It will not only help them in the classroom, but in social settings. It’s a life skill.” Webb, who was principal at Bell View before this appointment, has faculty and staff give a “caught being good” slip to students to acknowledge their positive behavior. Then, students can receive a reward from a small fun prize to school supplies. “I’d like to start one or something similar. Copperview already acknowledges students with its ‘Cougar Tracks,’ but I’d like to include a behavioral procedure or strategy called ‘PAL — Principal Assisted Learning,’” she said. When students repeatedly do something inappropriate in a classroom, such as being out of their seat or talking out of turn, Webb said that they would be candidates for PAL. “They would come to the principal and we’d role play behavior and re-teach what is appropriate and help them to understand why it’s important to practice it. Once they understand, then they would need to apologize to their teachers

You Can Save Lives. Donate Plasma at Biomat USA Taylorsville.

Copperview Elementary Principal Chanci Loran, in background, looks on in 2011 as First Lady Jeannine Herbert, left, reads with students. Loran will assume responsibilities at Bell View Elementary as principal this school year. — Julie Slama

and ask to return to class,” Webb said. “It’s helping them take responsibility for their learning and practicing it. It’s not an office disciplinary referral, but more of an opportunity to come to the principal to learn some stuff.” Students also may get to know that their principal has swam with dolphins in both California and Hawaii as well as has three dogs and four rabbits. The learning curve also will apply to faculty. Teachers will continue to incorporate resources in their teaching and classroom management, such as pulling information from “Teach Like a Champion.” In addition, Webb plans to consult the Utah Education Policy Center for coaching, advice and in-service for positive behavior intervention system, mastery of subjects and coaching models. “This is a great school. This just gives us an opportunity to improve on what we’re doing,” Webb said. Webb replaces former Principal Chanci Loran, who on July 1 became the principal of Bell View Elementary in Sandy. Loran is proud of the community support and faculty teaching at Copperview. “I’m going to miss all the support and care I’ve received from the community,” Loran said. “We have a diverse group of learners and these hard-working teachers give their all

Earn Up to $365 in One Month!

Walk-ins Welcome 2520 W 4700 S Taylorsville, UT 84118 (801) 965-9160

Required items: MATCHING Social Security Card & photo I.D.

New Donors: Bring in this coupon to Biomat USA Taylorsville or Sandy to redeem for a special bonus!

Ask ab ou our ne t w buddy bonus !

every day to ensure these students are learning. They have high expectations of what learning looks like and with the help of the community, parents and teachers, these students have a sense of college and career readiness.” Many students at the Title I school haven’t had generations in their families who have attended college, so teachers model and showcase college degrees to the students, from indicating where they attended and what they studied to putting up memorabilia around the school students write requests for, she said. “I’ll miss our community school model we’ve built here— youth development, academic learning, parent engagement and support, health and social service and community partnerships. It’s all in place to support academic learning and everything has been done to improve the school. I’m proud of our students, faculty and staff and community who have united to help Copperview students succeed,” Loran said. Another administrative change will be at Canyons School District Office, Misty Suarez, who has been Salt Lake City School District’s director of student services, will become Canyons District’s new director of special education. She will succeed Robin Collett. Suarez has 16 years of administrative experience, including six years as the principal of Mount Jordan Middle, and is licensed in special education. l

You Can Save Lives. Donate Plasma at Biomat USA Sandy.

Walk-ins Welcome 727 East 9400 South Sandy, UT 84094 (801) 566-2534

Required items: MATCHING Social Security Card & photo I.D. 4A

SPORTS

M idvalejournal.com

September 2016 | Page 7

Sober Soccer: How the World’s Favorite Sport Aids in Addiction Recovery By Sarah Almond | sarah@mycityjournals.com

here are 149 drug and alcohol addiction treatment centers throughout the state of Utah*. These facilities attract thousands of people from across the country who want to fight addiction and find a new life through sobriety. One such individual came to Salt Lake City in hopes of getting sober and ended up achieving much more than that - he’s chasing his passion. Twenty-seven-year-old Brian Knight moved from California to Utah 18 months ago to seek addiction treatment. Here, he joined the Fit To Recover gym in downtown Salt Lake City, where he met a community of individuals who were all working towards one goal: to free themselves from the thralls of addiction and live a life of sobriety. “It was a community that I really wanted to get involved in,” Knight said. “One of the things that helped me stay sober was definitely the Fit To Recover gym, but also rediscovering the hobby of soccer - something that has always been a passion for me growing up.” Within weeks of moving here, Knight found himself playing at the Gardner Village Indoor Soccer arena almost every night of the week. “It kept me sober and it gave me something to look forward to everyday and something to make me feel accomplished,” Knight said. “I just wanted to share that passion with other people.” Though Salt Lake City has an expansive sober community with dozens of programs designed for those in recovery, Knight immediately recognized an opportunity to combine his drive to live a sober lifestyle with his passion for the game of soccer. “There are other sober sports like volleyball and softball, but there was no sober soccer,” Knight said. “So I just wanted to take the initiative and see if I could get people involved.” After deciding to launch a soccer program for those working towards sobriety, Knight started networking and getting the word out about his idea. “I started talking to people at Fit To Recover; I started talking to the alumni department at my recovery center; I started announcing it at AA meetings,” Knight said. “Wherever I would go, I would promote it by word-of-mouth.” It took time, but Knight’s efforts paid off. Though just six people joined the sober soccer program in the beginning, now, nearly a year later, more than 40 recovering addicts gather every Saturday and Monday to play the world’s most popular sport. “One of my biggest goals of starting sober soccer is to get people involved even if they don’t do other forms of recovery like AA programs or treatment centers,” Knight said. “I wanted to give them somewhere they could come and be around people of similar backgrounds who are trying to achieve the same thing, which is changing your life and doing something positive in sobriety.” Though Knight recently established a men’s team, the majority of the sober soccer program is coed, with ages ranging from 19 years olds to players in their late 40’s. “We have four teams right now,” Knight said. “One of our teams is called Fit To Recover, and another is called FTR - pretty much short for Fit To Recover. We also have one called Socceriety and another called Attacking Sobriety.” The sober soccer program runs in eight-week intervals with session games played every Saturday and Monday from 5 to 10 p.m. at Gardner Village in Midvale or Let’s Play Sports in Murray. Knight also holds weekly optional practices on Wednesday nights at 6 p.m. at Stratford Park near Sugarhouse. “We end every game by getting together and talking about

Brian Knight (in blue) runs drills with several participants of the sober soccer program during a Wednesday afternoon practice. When Knight started the first sober soccer team, just six people came out. Today the program has four different teams with players of all skill levels. –Sarah Almond

“We talk about teamwork and how you can’t win a game on your own - you need your team. And that’s the same in life, you know? You can’t stay sober on your own; you need people around you. When one of us is struggling, the rest of us are there to pick them up.” ways we can directly relate our recovery to playing soccer,” Knight said. “Things like communication - that’s a big one; for people who haven’t played a lot, it’s about achieving something and doing it with no judgment. “We talk about teamwork and how you can’t win a game on your own - you need your team. And that’s the same in life, you know? You can’t stay sober on your own; you need people around you. When one of us is struggling, the rest of us are there to pick them up.” For many sober soccer players, this sense of sportsmanship is one of the biggest draws and benefits of the program.

“My favorite part of playing soccer here is the friendships I’ve made,” said Mario McLaughlin of Midvale, who’s been with the program for the past eight months. “It’s been a blessing to know Brian, because his drive to get people involved with being active in sobriety and his leadership have really helped me get to where I am.” Knight said that many of the people who come out for sober soccer have little to no experience with the sport, yet their willingness to grow as both individuals and players is something that inspires him and gives him purpose. “I haven’t played soccer since I was a kid,” said player Steven Lopez of Sugarhouse. “But playing now, it’s challenging, and I think that’s helped me in my sobriety. It challenges me to get out of my comfort zone, to think less selfishly, and to work through things even when I want to quit.” Lopez, who’s only been playing with the program for two months, found sober soccer after joining the Fit To Recover gym. “Being here in Utah, there are a lot of different options in the sober community and a strong sober group here,” Lopez said. “But I can totally see this soccer program really growing and taking off.” And growing the program is exactly what Knight intends to do. Though his biggest challenge is funding the program, Knight hopes to continue spreading the word about sober soccer and getting people from across the Salt Lake Valley interested in the program. “I would love to eventually get Real Salt Lake involved,” Knight said. “But I have this bigger plan right now of trying to do something within the youth community. Once we have the numbers and the stability, I’d like to start a camp for youth were we not only teach them about soccer but we teach them about addiction and substance abuse and alcohol.” Ultimately, Knight hopes the program will grow large enough to create a sober soccer league and that sober soccer will continue to inspire other leaders to start sober initiatives of their own. Lastly, Knight’s biggest hope is that the program spurs community involvement and increases awareness of active addiction recovery. To learn more about sober soccer or to get involved, email Brian Knight at bjknight12@hotmail.com or visit Fit2Recover. org/contact-us. l *Statistics drawn from 2015 National Directory of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Treatment Facilities compiled by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (www. samhsa.gov).

SPORTS

Page 8 | September 2016

Midvale City Journal

Champions on the Rise: Hillcrest High School Girls Soccer Team By Sarah Almond | sarah@mycityjournals.com

uperstar Katy Perry dropped her hit single “Rise” on July 15, 2016 as a tribute to the athletes headed to compete in the Rio Olympics. In an interview with media and entertainment company Mashable, Perry said she thought the song seemed to “match the spirit of the athletes.” This year the Huskies have adopted it as their own theme song as a reminder to continually rise to the challenge of becoming better players.

“Rise” by Katy Perry

Members of the Hillcrest girls soccer team warm up with ball handling drills before practice. More than 40 girls made the team after trying out at the beginning of August. –Sarah Almond

or the Hillcrest High School girls soccer team, the start of the 2016 season was expected to be challenging. Not only did the group graduate 12 players last year, but the Huskies also welcomed a new coaching staff, which often means practicing different training tactics and learning new playing formations. However, after tying longtime rival Jordan High School in a preseason game on August 9, the girls are excited about how these new changes might lead to greater overall success this season. “So far, things are going a lot better than expected,” said senior co-captain Amanda Estrada. “We took on a big group of freshman and we have a lot of new players coming onto the varsity pitch.” More than 40 girls showed up to the Huskies’ two-day, three-session-long tryout period on Aug. 2 and 3. Every girl made the team. “There’s a lot of instant chemistry with the team, which is really nice,” said new head coach Kristine Jaussi. “We haven’t had any issues and the girls get along great.” Though this is Jaussi’s first year as head coach, the Hillcrest math teacher has been an assistant coach for the girls and boys soccer programs for the past five years. “Having a whole new coaching staff has been different,” said senior co-captain Elizabeth Weaver. “The whole transition has been interesting, but smooth.” This year, Jaussi focused on getting an early jump on preseason conditioning. On the first day of tryouts Jaussi introduced a new training tradition to the team: a three-mile run on State Street from Hillcrest High School to Holladay. “Before every practice we go on at least one run,” said junior co-captain Kensley Hill. “The coaches are really trying to focus on getting our skills up with tired legs to reenact a game scenario. We also run ladders and gassers where you have to run 50 yards in less and less time. We start with a lot of time and typically get down to about 25 seconds.” For Jaussi, this type of training is designed to get the players used to running for extended periods of time. With hard conditioning out of the way, she can start working with the team on improving tactical skills and making calculated, split-second decisions on the field. Aside from changing the Huskies’ training methods and altering their style of play, Jaussi is placing emphasis on the

importance of unity within the group. “At the end of the season, I want these girls to leave feeling like we’ve won as a team and lost as a team,” Jaussi said. “We stand together on and off the field. I want this to be a program that the school is proud of and that the girls are proud to be a part of; that the community is excited about and proud to support.” This message has been well received by the team. “I feel like the coaches are definitely putting more of a winning aspect on this season,” Estrada said. “They aren’t playing any favorites when it comes to seniors or juniors.” Hill elaborated. “This year is definitely more about skill level and who is putting in the most effort and giving it 100 percent,” she said. “And I think this is really encouraged healthy competition between us as players.” This fresh concept of working hard to earn their spot has sparked a new sense of vigor amongst the team. As a reminder to never stop fighting for success, the team’s nine senior players developed an overarching theme for the 2016 season: Rise. The theme was drawn from pop-singer Katy Perry’s hit anthem for the 2016 Olympics, “Rise,” where she sings about victory being achieved by dedication, hard work, and determination. “We are super excited to get this theme going,” Hill said. “We are going to use ‘rise’ in different ways, like ‘rise’ to playing against a team that has always beat us and ‘rise’ to the challenge of pushing through even when you’re tired. We’re excited to use it to get the team pumped.” With the team’s first conference game being held just weeks after tryouts, both Jaussi and her players are looking forward to a successful season full of growth, team unity, challenging games and hopefully, some hard-earned wins. “I’m just really excited about being involved with these girls,” Jaussi said. “They are a great group of girls and it is so fun to watch them play and have fun, and it’s so fun to watch them improve. I’m excited to watch these girls learn that even though soccer can be really hard, it can be really fun and it can be a beautiful sport.” The Huskies play their first conference game at Hillcrest High School against Cyprus on August 23 at 3:30 p.m. Their final home game of the season is against Olympus High School on September 29 at 7 p.m. l

I won’t just survive Oh, you will see me thrive Can’t write my story I’m beyond the archetype I won’t just conform No matter how you shake my core ‘Cause my roots, they run deep, oh Oh, ye of so little faith Don’t doubt it, don’t doubt it Victory is in my veins I know it, I know it And I will not negotiate I’ll fight it, I’ll fight it I will transform When, when the fire’s at my feet again And the vultures all start circling They’re whispering, you’re out of time But still, I rise This is no mistake, no accident When you think the final nail is in, think again Don’t be surprised, I will still rise I must stay conscious Through the madness and chaos So I call on my angels They say Oh, ye of so little faith Don’t doubt it, don’t doubt it Victory is in your veins You know it, you know it And you will not negotiate Just fight it, just fight it And be transformed ‘Cause when, when the fire’s at my feet again And the vultures all start circling They’re whispering, you’re out of time But still, I rise This is no mistake, no accident When you think the final nail is in, think again Don’t be surprised, I will still rise Don’t doubt it, don’t doubt Oh, oh, oh, oh You know it, you know it

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

801-255-5428 801-561-5773 801-842-8524 801-567-8709 801-783-0962

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

(801)567-7258 (801)567-7202 (801)567-7202 (801)567-7212 (801)567-7207 (801) 255-4234 (801)567-7202 (801)567-7213 (801)567-7246 (801)567-7235 (801) 256-2575 (801)567-7231 (801)567-7208 (801)256-2537 (801)256-2541

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)468-0350 or Police Dispatch Unified Police Department (801)743-7010 EMERGENCY 911

SEPTEMBER 2016 CITY NEWSLETTER

As I See It By Mayor JoAnn B. Seghini On August 9, 2016 we had a wonderful attendance at the City Council meeting. We greatly appreciate the individuals coming to the meeting to voice their opinions. The elected officials and Midvale City staff try very hard to make sure the citizens of our great community are informed and have a voice. We welcome your comments. The City Council holds regular meetings on the first and third Tuesdays of the month where citizens can comment on anything they would like during the “Public Comment” period which starts at 7:00 p.m. During these meetings, issues are raised for consideration by the City Council. Your elected officials welcome your comments, opinions, and concerns about any issue. Every meeting agenda and public

notice is published on the Midvale City website at www.midvalecity.org; on the Utah Public Notice website at www.utah. gov; and posted at Midvale City Hall outside the City Council Chambers. Your involvement is greatly appreciated. The Midvale City Journal is distributed on a monthly basis; however, the timing of articles may not lend themselves to the delivery time of that newspaper. We definitely do not want articles or notices going out in this newspaper for events that have already taken place. So timing for these articles continues to be a challenge. However, we will continue to try and get as much news out to the community as possible. MIDVALE CITY CLOSURE DATES The Midvale City officials are always looking for ways to communicate better with the community. We welcome your ideas, sugSeptember 5, 2016 – LABOR DAY gestions, or recommendations on new ways to get the word out. November 11, 2016 – VETERAN’S DAY Please feel free to send your comments or suggestions to Rori AnNovember 24, 2016 – THANKSGIVING dreason, City Recorder, at randreason@midvale.com. These ideas November 25, 2016 – DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING will then be presented to the City Council. December 23, 2016 – CHRISTMAS DAY (Observed) It is easier to make decisions when people are informed. Please check the City website or call City hall. We welcome you and want December 26, 2016 – DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS (Observed) you to work with us as we plan our community together.

Introduction to the Redevelopment Agency Many residents are unaware that Midvale City has a Redevelopment Agency. Redevelopment Agencies (RDAs) are a tool used by local government to improve communities and implement the development goals of the municipality. They are authorized by state statute and governed by a Board of Directors that consists of the City Council and the Mayor. RDAs assist communities by encouraging investment in blighted areas, increasing job opportunities and improving the various types of housing available within a community. RDAs are required by State statute to work within a designated part of the community which has been targeted for assistance by adoption of a redevelopment plan. The RDA of Midvale has two project areas: • Bingham Junction – 350 acres consisting primarily of the former Midvale Slag site and surrounding property • Jordan Bluﬀs – 265 acres consisting primarily of the former Sharon Steel site and surrounding property Tax Increment Financing (TIF) is the primary financing method for redevelopment projects. Tax increment is the increase in the property taxes generated in a project area over and above the property taxes generated prior to the new development. The RDA captures

this increase in taxable value to pay for development within the project area. After the project area expires, the increased amount of tax revenue goes entirely to the taxing entities. As part of the initial plan and agreements, the RDA will reimburse the developers for the cost of installing the base infrastructure throughout the project areas. This includes the water, storm and sewer systems as well as the major collector streets. Also included in this work is the additional burden cost for constructing within a former superfund site. In addition to the burden costs and trunk infrastructure, the RDA has entered into reimbursement agreements with owners of specific developments. These projects provided significant benefits to the RDA or Midvale City in terms of taxable value, economic growth and/or attracting tenants and development. RDAs are one of the financing tools available to a city. Without RDA assistance the city would need to spread the costs of providing services to the new project areas on to the existing residents. Through the RDA these costs have been passed on to the developers who will be reimbursed only if the project generates sufficient property tax increment. Instead of having to pay these costs upfront, the city essentially foregoes the collection of revenue for a period of time and allows the development to pay its own way.

In The Middle of Everything Chief Tony Mason Retires After 35 Years Of Service Chief Tony Mason Career started out his career at the Bingham County sheriff ’s office in Blackfoot Idaho where he worked for three years after attending Idaho State University. He left the County sheriff ’s office in 1981 to work for the Midvale Utah Police Department. While working at Midvale, he attended Columbia College and obtained Bachelor’s Degree Magma cum Laude. He worked assignments in patrol and crime prevention and was assigned to work the 2200 Olympics as a supervisor at the Delta Center, which was switched to the Ice Center. He supervised the nighttime events along with Sergeant Shreeve working 16 hour shifts throughout the Olympics. As a result of the experience he received from doing this, he was hired by the private company who was hired to provide security for the Olympics in Greece. He went to Greece for a month to act as a consultant to their Olympics. After returning from Greece, he helped Midvale set up and establish a crime free multi-housing program, which resulted in reduction in crimes in all the multi housing units. He was then assigned to the Salt Lake Metro Gang Unit as a gang unit member. He worked an undercover sting operation for a period of one year where he went undercover on the storefront where he purchased stolen property, cars, drugs, and posed as a gang member. At the conclusion of the sting, they made 76 arrests and took down the leadership of seven different gangs. At the conclusion of that operation, he designed the operation, obtained funding, and supervised it. That operation was featured on the Learning Channel. From there he worked his way up the chain of command from Sergeant to Captain to Assistant Chief and then to Chief of Midvale City. He assisted in the merger with the Unified Police Department in 2011. He started many good programs in Midvale, which were very successful. He worked for Midvale City for 35 years.

WWW . MIDVALECITY . ORG

SEPTEMBER

2016 CITY NEWSLETTER

WWW . FACEBOOK . COM / MIDVALECITY

Midvale Property Taxes and Inflation A common misperception is that when property values increase, property tax also increases. This is not the case in the state of Utah. Utah Code limits taxing entities to the same amount of property tax revenue each year, plus new growth. If a $200,000 home is taxed at a rate of .005, the property tax due is $550: ($200,000 x 55% x .005 = $550) If the value of that home increases by 20% the following year, the tax rate is decreased proportionally to produce the same property tax revenue: ($240,000 x 55% x .0042 = $550) Similarly, if the value of the home had decreased by 20%, the tax rate would increase proportionally to produce the same property tax revenue: ($160,000 x 55% x .0063 = $550) This law protects taxpayers from inflation and prohibits taxing entities from windfall revenue. It also protects taxing entities from revenue loss when property tax values are declining, as they did in 2008 and 2009. Each taxing entity’s property tax rate is calculated and prescribed annually by the state. The prescribed rate is called the “Certified Tax Rate”. There are two ways a City can increase property tax revenue; 1) by adding new homes and businesses, or 2) by a Council vote to increase the property tax rate above the state prescribed Certified Tax Rate. In order for a city to increase its Certified Tax Rate, the state requires the City to advertise the new rate in the newspaper, and to hold a public hearing. If you have any questions, please call Laurie Harvey at 801-567-7238.

Employee Spotlight Janice Evans

Utilities Cashier Janice has been a part of the Midvale City team for eight years. She works directly with Midvale’s citizens in person and over the phone with their utility payments and with questions they have regarding their utilities. Some of Janice’s other responsibilities include handling the mail payments, reserving the Bowery for residents, and balancing the tills. Her professional attitude and friendly demeanor make her an excellent customer service provider. In her free time Janice likes to golf, boat, ski, and ride Harleys. She likes to vacation and recently returned from a trip to Alaska. More than anything else, Janice likes to spend time with any of her sixteen grandchildren. When asked the following questions, Janice’s responses were… What was your favorite TV show growing up? Gilligan’s Island If you won a million dollars, what’s the first thing you would buy? A vacation on a secluded beach. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live? Tortola. Cats or Dogs? Dogs. If you could go back in time, what year would you travel to? 1970. Muppet Show or Sesame Street? Neither. Do you believe in any Urban Legends? Nope, I’m a realist. Where is the furthest from home you’ve ever been? Puerto Rico. What is your favorite holiday and how do you celebrate it? Labor Day, by being sad about the end of Summer. At what age do you become an adult? You become an adult when you feel like an adult.

LOCAL LIFE

Page 12 | September 2016

Midvale City Journal

Charity Helps Those in Need with Sustainable Resources

eidi Totten is asking Sandy residents to come out and help her change the lives of people around the world. Totten is the founder of 100 Humanitarians, a nonprofit that provides sustainable resources to families in Kenya. 100 Humanitarians is hosting a fundraiser event on Oct. 22 at Club 90, 9065 S. Monroe St. Called “Taste of Kenya,” the event will have authentic Kenyan food, a silent auction and karaoke. All of the donations will go towards Business Boxes. “The Business Boxes now include a cow, a goat, five chickens, three square foot garden boxes, 10 trees to replace the wood in the garden boxes and then reusable feminine hygiene kits for the women in the family,” Totten said. The idea for 100 Humanitarians came after Totten went on a humanitarian trip in March 2015. Afterword, she was inspired to start the group on Facebook. The response was overwhelming and soon two trips were planned. “From there, the concept of 100 Humanitarians is what is the power of 100 people working on any given project in the world to create change. So if you’re interested in stopping human trafficking

By Kelly Cannon | kelly@mycityjournals.com in Warsaw, Poland, We’re the other 99 people would be interested in helping with that project,” Totten said. “My big focus is on Kenya but we have others who are focused on Guatemala, who want to work in India and Nepal and Ghana. It’s basically connecting people to projects that call to them.” During the first trip, the group built desks and a kitchen at a school. Soon after, Totten realized she wanted to focus on sustainable projects within families. This lead to the creation of Business Boxes. “With those boxes, we determined that if we give a family a box, then they can sell the milk, they can sell the eggs. They can use it as food for their families. When they generate income, they can pay for their own school fees,” Totten said. “If I were to sponsor one child all the way through high school, that could be a couple thousand dollars. Or, with the Business Box, you mentor and teach families how to use it and then they pay for all of their children because they’re able to build the revenue.” So far, four families have received a cow, including a widowed mother of five.

“We gave her a cow and mentored her and taught her how to use it. Now, she’s selling three liters a day and making about a $1.80 a day, which she can then use to pay for school fees and to buy other things her family needs like rice and corn,” Totten said. “She’s our prototype. What we’re doing on our next trip, we’re going to build square garden boxes and test that out.” The plan is to introduce new parts of the Business Boxes over the course of six months so as not to overwhelm the families. The boxes currently cost about $1,000 each but Totten believes once the animals start breeding, the cost will go down. “That’s part of our plan, with paying it forward with the animals for these families,” Totten said. The next big goal for the nonprofit is to build three cultural centers that would function as mentoring centers for the people in the program. It would also establish mentorships in-country so there would be less traveling during the year. For more information about 100 Humanitarians, visit http://www.100humanitarians.com. l

One of the families benefiting from the Business Boxes.—100 Humanitarians

100 Humanitarians focuses on projects that help keep girls in school.—100 Humanitarians

LOCAL LIFE

M idvalejournal.com

September 2016 | Page 13

Thirty by 30 By Alisha Soeken | alisha.s@mycityjournals.com

Your Career Begins

with Us!

April Norton proudly displays her many metals. –Patricia Donohue

ndiana Jones looked for the cup which promised it and Doctor Who was healed by an elixir that gave it. Mankind and moviegoers have long searched in vain for it—the fountain of youth. But when April Norton faced turning 30, instead of grasping for myths and elixirs, she got to work. “Turning 30 was scary to me because I felt like I hadn’t accomplished enough,” Norton said. Norton turned that fear into determination and a good plan, making a list of 30 goals to achieve by her 30th birthday. “I decided that I could change the way I felt if I set some goals to do things I wanted to accomplish. Then maybe turning 30 wouldn’t be so bad,” Norton said. And accomplish she did. Norton’s goals ranged from running 30 races, going to a ballet, talking to a stranger, learning to paint, surf, play an instrument, design a quilt and say no. “I came up with some big goals like losing weight and running a half marathon. But I also chose goals that were just fun, random ones I wanted to try. My family really loved my goal of cooking new recipes,” Norton said. There is something transforming about taking control. Putting the force of life’s direction in your hands. Norton experienced that thrill. “My favorite goal was completing the Pixie Dust Challenge in Disneyland. It was difficult to run three races but I completed over 50 miles in three days plus I improved my time by a half an hour. I felt so amazing when I crossed that final finish line. I kept thinking, ‘Wow I did this,’” Norton said. There would be no apprehension in aging if it washed away in a fountain of youth. But without that option Norton learned, challenged and ran her fear into the shadows. Despite that triumph, it wasn’t always easy. “In each goal I found things that were challenging. Goals take a lot of time and dedication and I learned to be flexible because

sometimes they don’t always turn out how you thought they would,” Norton said. Yet as a wife, daughter and mother Norton’s struggles inspired. “My wife inspires me everyday to accomplish my own personal goals with her dedication to what she wants to achieve,” Tony Norton said. “It has been amazing watching April accomplish her goals. She has inspired me to do some of them along side of her,” Patricia Donohue said of her daughter. Though Norton’s apprehension of aging isn’t unique, her mechanism of coping is. And unlike the fountain-of-youth trends of surgery or injections, her benefits proved authentic. “Achieving my goals felt great. I found that each thing I checked off my list added more confidence in myself. I was more focused on achieving my goals then turning 30,” Norton said. And that was the power of Norton’s plan—work was her elixir. “Doing this project was fun. Turning 30 wasn’t as bad as I thought. But let’s see how I feel about 40,” Norton said. l

Apply online at teleperformance.com Patricia Donohue, Julie Houtz, April and Tessa Norton show a handmade quilt. – Jolene Houtz

Salt Lake City • Ogden • Sandy

SPORTS

Page 14 | September 2016

Midvale City Journal

Murray High Students, Community Gather for Annual ArtsFest

“Ghostblasters: We Ain’t Afraid of No Jokes!”

By Julie Slama | julie@mycityjournals.com

esert Star Playhouse, the theater that’s built a reputation for producing laugh out loud, family-friendly musical comedies, continues its 2016 season with a comedic take on the supernatural, “Ghostblasters: We Ain’t Afraid of No Jokes!” The show opens Thursday, August 25th. Dr. Stanley Bonkers is busy putting together a new exhibit of priceless artifacts at the city museum, but his colleague, Dr. Polly P. Pratt is busy trying to catch his eye! When Dr. Bonkers gets possessed by the evil sorcerer Drool, there’s only one group she can call on for help, Ghostblasters! Supervised by their inventive leader, code name A-1, the Ghostblasters have added the clairvoyant I-15 to their ranks; but will she be accepted by her fellows? On the other side of town, Ghostblaster 401K is sent to investigate strange disturbances in journalist Fanny Berrett’s apartment (aside from all his failed

attempts at getting her to go out with him!) And with the increase of supernatural activity, can the Ghostblasters save the day without divine intervention? Find out in our hilarious new show! Directed by Scott Holman, Ghostblasters runs from August 25 to November 5, 2016. The evening also includes another of Desert Star’s signature musical olios following the show. The Monster Rock ‘n Roll-io will feature some new and classic rock music favorites with a dash of Halloween fun, and always hilarious Desert Star twist! Desert Star audiences can enjoy gourmet pizza, fresh wraps, burgers, scrumptious desserts, and other finger foods as well as a full selection of soft drinks and smoothies while they watch the show. Food is available from an á la carte menu and is served right at your table.

CALENDAR: “Ghostblasters: We Ain’t Afraid of No Jokes!” Plays August 25 - November 5, 2016 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 7pm Saturday at 2:30pm, 6pm and 8:30pm And some Saturday lunch matinées at 11:30am, and Friday late shows at 9:30pm

Tickets: Adults: $22.95, Children: $12.95 (Children 11 and under) 4861 S. State Street, Murray, UT 84107

801.266.2600

Call for reservations For additional information, visit our website at www.DesertStarPlayhouse.com

Murray High School students enjoy a number of student performers on stage as part of the school’s 13th annual ArtsFest. — Julie Slama

undreds of Murray High students and community members could try their hand on the pottery wheel, help with a mosaic for charity or drive a nail to win. These and other activities were enjoyed by participants at Murray High School’s 13th annual ArtsFest. Senior Shay Potter tried her hand at henna, spray painting and tie dying early in the event that had the theme of “Artopia.” “I like to try new talents and learn how to express myself in many ways,” Shay said. “I’ve loved the ArtsFest. Every year, they add something new or mix it up so there’s always a variety.” She, and her basketball teammate, junior Jurnee Murray, were painting cards. Shay was painting a flamingo. “I love flamingos — and peacocks and other birds — so I thought I’d try painting one,” Shay said. Jurnee was painting two fish — one that was a mix of orange, red and yellow and the other shades of blue, green and purple. “I like painting and doing art for fun,” Jurnee said. “I thought the local breakdancing and choirs and bands were great. There are food trucks and all sorts of art to try. Last year, we had fun on the obstacle course so that’s been my all-time favorite thing.” Being exposed to a variety of types of art is part of the ArtsFest goal, said Becky Powell, ArtsFest co-coordinator and Parent-TeacherStudent Association ArtsFest Committee Chair, who teamed up with teachers Anna Lewis and Audra Kasparian to coordinate the event. “Our goal is to make the event more interactive to allow students to learn and try as much art as possible,” Powell said. “We invited

more professional artists this year to teach and demonstrate for students.” Some of the ArtsFest stations included learning the art of cartooning, getting a cosmetic makeover, learning how to hula, professional face painting, printing a fossil and learning to draw with a professional artist. More adventurous opportunities included testing physical prowess with the Marines, a 5K fun run and climbing a rock wall with the National Guard. “We had many of our students involved this year. The Latinos-in-Action helped with a booth of custom-made stencils that included a monster under the bed and the Loch Ness monster. They sold T-shirts with the designs spray painted them on them. Other students helped with booths where they made jewelry, taught computer gaming and did foil rubbings,” she said. Many students also displayed their art — paintings, ceramics, woodworking, photography and more while others took to the stage playing instruments, singing and dancing. “This ties into our student art show with ceramics, fine arts, woodworking, photography and our student performers on stage. It’s a chance for students in the arts to showcase their work to not only their peers, but to the community. It’s a celebration of the arts,” Powell said. Students also could pick up a “Quest at the Fest” passport where they completed activities at participating booths. After having the passport stamped, students could redeem the stamps for prizes as well as share it with their teachers to earn credit for participating in the ArtsFest, Powell said. l

M idvalejournal.com

LOCAL LIFE

Teens from Northern Ireland, Utah Foster Friendships through Differences By Tori La Rue | tori@mycityjournals.com

September 2016 | Page 15

Your Text isn’t Worth It!

Americans teens hold up posters to welcome teens from Northern Ireland into Utah for the Utah Ulster Project. The Ulster Project is a peace project designed to bring Protestant and Catholic teens together despite their differences. –Utah Ulster Project

welve catholic and protestant teens left their homes in Northern Ireland and travelled to Utah for a monthlong peace project aimed at unifying their nation. Northern Ireland’s conflict between its mainly protestant unionists and mainly catholic nationalists, referred to as “The Troubles,” officially came to an end through the Belfast Good Friday Agreement of 1998, but when the divide between the two sectarian groups continued, Reverend Kerry Waterstone founded the Ulster Project, a program designed to bring future catholic and protestant leaders together through association with religious teens in the United States. Utah’s been part of the project for 30 years. “You can definitely tell at the start of the month they are in the ‘impress phase,’” Adam Dahlberg, director for Ulster Project Utah, said of the 12 Irish and 12 American teens who are part of the project. “They are just getting together, so they want to be cool, but by the end of the month that has faded and they are able to be themselves which is really hard for teens to do. It’s fun to see that transition.” The Irish teens–six Protestant and six Catholic–roomed with an American teen of the same religion and similar background from June 27 to July 22. The 24 participants had their monthlong schedule filled with service, outdoor and faith-building activities each day. Maddie Bossarte, of Taylorsville, and Emma Hagan, of Omagh, Northern

Ireland, barely spoke to each other when they first met, but by the second day Emma was braiding Maddie’s hair and Emma was helping Maddie to put on her shoes, said Ann Charat, Maddie’s godmother. The two teens bonded as the group of 24 visited historical sites, rode roller coasters and slides at Lagoon and Seven Peaks, camped, went rafting, attended a REAL Salt Lake game, and volunteered at the Utah Food Bank, Humane Society and at Kauri Sue Hamilton School for students with disabilities, among other activities. “We’ve become best friends,” Maddie, 14, and Emma, 15, said simultaneously when asked how they’ve changed since the first day of the Ulster Project. “It’s like everyone here became best friends,” Maddie added. “I’ve really learned to talk with other people and be confident in what I say and to accept the differences in others.” Emma, a Protestant, said she didn’t associate with Catholics very often before she came to Utah’s Ulster Project, but after a month of spending time with catholic and protestant teens from her own country and the United States, she said she’s ready to accept people no matter where they come from. “At home we have separate schools for protestants and Catholics, and they don’t really interact much, but now when I get home, I’ll try to make an effort with the Catholics,” Emma said.

JP Murray, a 15-year-old Northern Ireland resident, said he believes the prejudice between Catholics and protestants will die off as his generation ages. While older people are prone to think of the divide between the group, the teenagers are “more chill” and want to get to know each other, he said. JP’s American roommate for the duration of the project was PJ Mannebach from Salt Lake City. The directors must have had a sense of humor to pair them together, JP said. Despite the similarity in their names, the two 15-year-olds had many different interests that made their situation ironic, PJ said. “At first, it was just really awkward, and I was thinking about what I got myself into,” PJ said. “Then I started talking with all the people in our groups, and I realized that all of these guys were pure fun. I used to avoid talking to people in group settings, but now I enjoy it, and that’s something that I’ll always carry with me.” Aaron Smithson, a counselor from Ireland, said it was amazing to see JP and PJ’s self-confidence increase through the project. “They used to be some of the quietest kids around here, but then they started being the loudest and most annoying, and that was a good thing to see,” Smithson said. “All of them have really opened up and have been able to see past religion and their cultural differences.” l

Nearly 330,000 injuries occur each year from accidents caused by texting while driving. 1 out of every 4 car accidents in the United States is caused by texting and driving. PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

LarkinMortuary.com

Page 16 | September 2016

Midvale City Journal

Council invests in Equestrian Park’s future

fter many months of meetings and ongoing communication between horse owners, county staff, and community members, the future of the Salt Lake County Equestrian Park is now set. We recently voted as the Salt Lake County council to keep the park in it’s current form but also to invest in a litany of deferred maintenance needs in the park. This park has been a long-standing fixture of our South Jordan community, and the county as a whole. Unfortunately, many maintenance needs of the park had not been adequately funded and addressed over the years. In addition, as a county we lacked good information about the actual use of the park among members of the community. In essence - the county was not investing in the park properly, and was not understanding the full value of the park sufficiently. I first posed questions about this park in the fall 2015 budget process, and then again in a blog post in January 2016. My position was clear - if we as a county are going to have an equestrian park, we need to be willing to invest in it, as well as measure the actual use and value to the community. For the past six months, a dedicated group of equestrian park advocates (known as the Equestrian Park Coalition) worked diligently to provide good information to me as well as other council members. They shared new information about the

various events at the park, the level of use, and most importantly shed light on the many maintenance needs of the park. Thanks to their hard work in collaborating with our county parks department, we now have a clear vision for the future of the park. This group also recommended some fee increases to users of the park. Some of the deferred maintenance repairs include things like: new restrooms for park users, entry gates with controlled access points that will give us more precise data on park use, upgrading or renovating some of the barns for the horses, and upgrading footing (dirt) where applicable. These are just some of the many deferred maintenance needs that will be addressed through this investment. In addition, the fee structure adjustment will help enhance the park’s revenue stream to better fund its operations. The controlled access points will give us precise data on the number of users of the park, as well as let us better collect appropriate usage fees. We are also creating an ongoing Equestrian Park User Advisory and Oversight Committee, which will be an official mechanism through which users can provide valuable feedback to county staff as well as the park’s management. I’m excited about these improvements and the positive

CALL THE GARAGE DOOR EXPERTS! LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED

Horses in their stalls at the Salt Lake County Equestrian Center. The aged stalls are part of along list of possible renovations that new funding could bring to the facility. - Kimberly Roach

impact they will have on the equestrian park. This is an example of good civic engagement at its best. Members of the public effectively and respectfully educated the council, and we’ve incorporated their feedback into the plan moving forward. l

ADVERTISE Your Business

• Same Day Service • Free Door Estimates

Here

• Broken Springs • Licensed & Insured • No Hidden Charges • All Work Warrantied • I.D.E.A. Certiﬁed Techs

FREE

Annual Garage Door Service

Service Call & 18 Pt. Inspection

Tune Up, Lube & Safety Inspection

With any repair. Not valid with other offers or emergency service. Valid Mon-Fri. Exp. 9/30/16

Offer good during reg. business hours Mon-Fri 8-5. Must present coupon at time of service. Not valid with other offers. Exp. 9/30/16

Just $49!

1,000’S OF SATISFIED CUSTOMERS

801-260-2030

VISIT OUR SITE FOR MORE OFFERS & COUPONS:

www.APlusGarageDoorsUtah.com

Call us at

801.254.5974

www.mycityjournals.com

September 2016 | Page 17

M idvalejournal.com

Topgolf

hat happens when you leave enterprising brothers bored and alone on a driving range? Whatever you thought, I’m sure it was epic! Topgolf is the progeny of such thinking. The fusion of the entertainment, food and sport — Topgolf seeks to facilitate the best times people have ever had. “That’s a lofty goal,” you think with an eye roll. You can’t blame them for being ambitious. Topgolf founders Steve and Dave Jolliffe wondered what they could do with the driving range experience if they could know exactly where golf balls landed and where people could have a good time while working on their golf game. The Jolliffe brothers developed and enterprised a driving range that uses “top secret” (their words) technology to record where the ball goes in correspondence to sensors on the range. But that’s only part of the experience at Topgolf. Like a driving range, Topgolf has driving bays. But these bays are climate controlled and upscale, offering a comfortable place for players to play any number of driving range games. The food and drinks they say “would put any sports bar to shame.” It’s delivered directly to player’s bays by Topgolf staff called “Bay Hosts.” This one-of-a-kind experience is now open for business in Midvale. The Midvale location opened May 20th and held a grand opening event on June 2 which featured a number of celebrities including comedian Bill Engvall, pro snowboarder Louie Vito and Utah Jazz Coach Quin Snyder. With dates available through August, the Topgolf’s

KidZone Summer Academy offers a weekly, half-day clinic to teach junior golfers in a low student-to-professional golfer ratio. The relaxed atmosphere is ideal for teaching junior golfers everything from how to chip, put, swing to rules and etiquette. On Sept. 10, 2016, Topgolf will hold a tournament to crown a regional champion to send to a national tournament in Las Vegas to compete for a $50,000 grand prize. Twoperson teams, over 21 years old and regardless of gender, will participate in a rise and shine hot breakfast, a minimum of 2.5 hours of team tournament play, two Topgolf Tour t-shirts and Topgolf swag. PGA and LPGA players not eligible. Registration cost is $150. The Utah facility includes three levels of 102 climatecontrolled hitting bays and a rooftop terrace with fire pits. It also houses more than 250 high-definition flat-screen televisions, a full service restaurant and 3,000 square feet of private event space. That means that Topgolf has everything to make all your entertainment dreams come true. With 26 locations in the United States and United Kingdom, Topgolf serves a projected 8 million guests annually. Most of which don’t identify as golfers. Those that do golf regularly can put their skills to the test against one another to see who is the best of the bunch. “How did this fairy tale end?” the Topgolf website said. “Well, it hasn’t. Today, Topgolf serves more than 8 million annual visitors worldwide. We want you to be one of them. Let’s Play!” l

Quotes taken directly from Primo Steamo Facebook reviews

Visit Citydeals.com/sevenpeaks

Page 18 | September 2016

Midvale City Journal

The Crunch, Crunch, Crunch Under My Feet

h, it’s here, fall. Here come the treasured foods of warmth, kids back in school, Halloween and that wonderful sound of crunching leaves under your feet when you head outside. There is nothing like the splendor of our amazing canyons with their fiery colors this time of year – anywhere else. Enjoying our canyons in the fall season is not only beauty to the eyes; it can be as cheap as a few gallons of gas and a picnic lunch too. Whether you’re leaf watching consists of a quick scenic drive on a Sunday afternoon or a weekend stay amid the trees, we can agree that, when the conditions are right, autumn time in Utah is worth celebrating. Here are a few ideas of where to see fall leaves that won’t disappoint. Lets start with The Grand Prix of Leaf Watching (Heber, Midway, and Sundance) By picking a central location; you can spend the weekend enjoying beautiful colors and a variety of fun activities in all directions. Midway If you are looking for a unique adventure amid the fall foliage, Homestead Resort in Midway welcomes you. The sprawling cottages provide the perfect setting and destination for the most devoted leaf watcher and a place we try to visit yearly. When the day is done, take a dip in the Crater where the temperature is always a balmy 90-96 degrees. You can find a discount for Crater swimming on Coupons4Utah.com/ Heber No matter where you are coming from, Heber always feels like home. Heber’s small town charm is a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of big city life. When it comes to fall activities, Heber is the one of the best destinations for family fun. For many, the Heber Valley Railroad is a longtime family tradition for every season. Come ride the Pumpkin Train, but be sure to stay and celebrate the Annual Scarecrow Festival or brave through the spine-tingling Sleepy Hollow Haunted Wagon Ride. More adventurous visitors may choose to soar from above and take in the views on one of two different courses with

Zipline Utah. The Flight of the Condor course spans 4 zipline and a suspension bridge. The Screaming Falcon is the world’s longest zipline course over water! It consists of over 2 miles of 10 ziplines and 7 suspension bridges, while also showing you some of the most amazing views Utah has to offer Visit coupons4utah.com for news about available discounts on the train and/or the Zipline.

Silver Lake at Bright Ski Resort

Sundance Nestled at the base of Mount Timpanogos, Sundance Ski Resort places you right in the middle of the fall splendor. After a day of enjoying the fall colors, you can savor wonderful cuisine made special from local and organic growers. For as low as $29.00 you can enjoy a fabulous adventure on the Bearclaw or Halloween Zipline Tour at Sundance or choose to ride the tram up for some amazing views from above. Details are on coupons4utah.com. Emigration Canyon Take Sunnyside east past the zoo where you’ll find dozens of trails full of fall color. Make a day of it and stop by the historic Ruth’s Diner for a lunch on their fantastic patio.

g n i r i H w No

20% OFF

with purchase of two entrees. 801-694-7378

801-694-7378 Lynda Talbot Lynda Talbot, Licensed Insurance Agent Free gift wouldLynda be givenTalbot with qualifying purchase. Licensed Insurance Agent

HealthMarkets Insurance Agency is the d/b/a, or assumed name, of Insphere Insurance Solutions, Inc. which is licensed as an insurance agency in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Not all agents are licensed to sell all products. Service and product availability varies by state. Licensed Insurance Agent HMIA000589

Coupon must be present. Expires 9/30/16

(801) 944 0505 • 3176 East 6200 South Cottonwood Heights, UT 84121

Silver Lake at Brighton Ski Resort The good news, the easy access for people of all ages doesn’t detract from the beauty. The lake is just large enough to provide amazing colors and scenic views and small enough for the littlest of fans to enjoy the stroll. Guardsman Pass This is a beautiful and quiet drive offers breathtaking views. The winding road takes you from Deer Valley over to Park City and Midway. Mirror Lake Highway Reaching north from Kamas, Utah, to Evanston, Wyoming, traverses nearly 80 miles through the Uinta Mountains. The highway has panoramic views of the alpine landscape from the road’s high point at Bald Mountain Pass. There are also numerous lakes that offer splendid view including its namesake Mirror Lake. Red Butte Gardens It may seem cliché to suggest visiting the gardens. But if you are stuck in the city and need a quick change in environment to recharge your spirit, Red Butte doesn’t disappoint no matter the season. Take a sack lunch with you; there are some wonderfully tranquil little hideaways for lunching at the gardens Wheeler Historic Farm Wheeler Farm is a kids favorite with its mature leafy trees, open grassy space, and rustic buildings, and don’t forget the super cute farm animals Wheeler Farm is a great place for the family to visit. Remember to take your camera for this one. Wheeler farm is a photographers dream. Last, I want to share with you a secret little stop in Draper. Beautiful Leaves can be as close as the next neighborhood over. Go east on Wasatch Blvd. until you reach Hidden Valley Park. Follow the Bonneville Shoreline Trail as it wraps around the east bench where you’ll find amazing views of the valley. These are just a few of the magnitude of places Utah offers for enjoy fall. Where is your favorite place to see the beauty of fall? l

EARN extra cash! BE INVOLVED in the community. WRITE for the City Journals.

Send a resume and writing sample to bryan@mycityjournals.com

September 2016 | Page 19

M idvalejournal.com

Survival of the Fittest

’ve always associated Yellowstone Park with abject terror. A childhood vacation to this national park guaranteed me a lifetime of nightmares. It was the first time we’d taken a family vacation out of Utah and we were ecstatic. Not only would we stay in a motel, but we’d see moose, bears and cowboys in their natural habitat. We prepared for a car ride that would take an entire day, so I packed several Nancy Drew mysteries, and some Judy Blume and Madeleine L’Engle novels just in case. Because my parents couldn’t hand us an iPad and tell us to watch movies for six hours, we brought our Travel Bingo cards with the transparent red squares that you slid over pictures of silos, motor homes and rest areas. For more car fun, there was the license plate game, the alphabet game, sing-alongs, ghost stories and slug bug. Even then, we got bored. Dad decided he’d prepare us for the Yellowstone Park adventure that lay ahead of us. That’s when the trouble started. He told us how beautiful the park was. Then he explained if we fell into a geyser, the heat would boil the flesh off our bones and bleach those bones bright white, and those bones would never be found. He told us when (not if) we encountered bears, we had to play dead or the bears would eat us. We even practiced drills in the car.

MIDVALE

Dad would yell “Bear!” and we’d all collapse across the station wagon seats (we didn’t wear seat belts) until the danger had passed. (It usually took an hour or so.)

He said if we wandered away, it would take just a few days until we died of starvation—unless the bears got us first. He warned us to stay away from every animal, describing in detail the series of rabies shots we’d need if a chipmunk bit us. We were cautioned to avoid high ledges (we’d fall to our deaths), moose (we’d be trampled), buffalo (again with the trampled) and the requisite stranger warning (we’d be kidnapped). By the time we reached Yellowstone, dad had thoroughly instilled us with horror. When we arrived at the motel, we frantically ran to our

PROFESSIONALS

Value SIDING

PLACE AN AD: Call

801-254-5974 YARD SERVICES

Affordable Yard Care / Capitol Exteriors Tree & Removal Siding – Sofﬁt – Fascia – FlowerTrimming Beds, Hedges, Railroad Ties, Raingutters

Call NOW For SPECIALS (801) 253-2566 HOME REPAIRS

Handy Home Services Electrical, plumbing, drywall, painting, bathrooms & kitchens remodeled…

NO JOB TOO SMALL

Mark Landers 801-641-9644 CARPET CLEANING

Primo Steamo

Experience First Class Carpet Cleaning Residential and Commercial

801-577-0270

mikey@primosteamo.com

Mulching, Sod, Concrete Senior Discounts

Call Dan:

801-518-7365

TREE SERVICES

Intermountain Tree Experts

Trimming, removal, stump grinding

GARAGE DOORS

A PLUS GARAGE DOORS

Service Available 24/7 Certiﬁed Experts 100% Warrantied

GARAGE DOORS

801-280-3419

www.rascalsruffhouse.com

Free Estimates

801-471-9688

CONTRACTOR

Mention this ad for 10% off service www.dcgaragedoorsutah.com

801-455-1778

HELP WANTED

YARD CARE

Local Drivers need in Salt Lake City

Call Amera at

Walks, playtime, feedings and lots of love! Bonded & Licensed. Call 801-815-0611

Fence & Handyman Service

Tree Planting / Rock wall work Call for FREE ESTIMATES

Call Dale at

801-244-3542 IN HOME PET CARE

“Get Your Project On”

PET CARE

House Sitting-Taxi-Walks Celebrating 12 years of Loving your pets! Give us a call for a Free in-home consultation! Call Aimee 801-699-2192 Lovingpethc.com

VEHICLES WANTED

Gumby’s Auto Parts

Locally owned family business. GECK0 We sell & install garage Concrete Tear-outs / Demolition We’ll buy your Non-running, wrecked doors & openers Bobcat / Mini Track-hoe Work or broken car, truck or van

Jumpstart / Fuel Deliveries / Tire Changes Vehicle Required, No Experience Necessary

Rascal’s Ruff House – We come to you!

FENCING

Fence/Handyman

801-260-2030

Licensed and Insured Call Spencer:

room, afraid there were bears, moose or chipmunks waiting to drag us off into the woods. That night, as we climbed into bed, Dad tucked us in and said, “Technically we’re sleeping on a huge volcano that could erupt at any time and blow up the entire state of Wyoming. See you in the morning. Probably.” The next day, he was perplexed when we didn’t want to get within 125 feet of a geyser, when we didn’t want to be photographed near a bison or when we refused to gaze into a boiling hot spot. My sister started crying, “I don’t want to fall in and have bleached bones.” Then there was Old Faithful. Dad had built up our expectations to the point that anything less than a geyser that spewed glitter, fairies and candy would be a disappointment. We were underwhelmed. But the souvenir shop redeemed our entire vacation. We were each given $5 to spend, which was a wealth of frivolity. I chose a doll in a green calico dress with beautiful red hair— because nothing says “Yellowstone National Park” like an Irish lassie. As we left the park (with my sister quietly weeping because she’d changed her mind about which souvenir she wanted), we were thrilled to be returning home in one piece. But then my dad said, “We should visit Timpanogos Cave. Have I told you about the bats?” l

267-270-5225

REAL ESTATE INVESTING

REAL ESTATE INVESTOR Seeks Trainee $10K per Month

801-997-0778

MICHAEL DEAGLE LANDSCAPING

Utah’s Finest in Lawn Care, Spring/Fall Clean-ups, Aeration, Weekly Cuts All Your Landscape Needs

Call Mike: 801-597-0143 ROOFING

801-449-9875

All types of roofs

$650 OFF any reroof over 2,000 sq. ft.

call or text anytime

(801) 506-6098

FLAT ROOF SPECIALISTS

OLYMPUS ROOFING

801.887.7663 SERVING WASATCH FRONT SINCE 1973

VOICE OVERS

Learn to Earn Voicing Doing Commercial, Narration, DVD’s, etc.

Visit www.voscott.com/workshops.html for more information