PUBLIC HEARING, INFORMATION MEETINGS SET ON PROPOSED BOND MEASURE FOR SCHOOL UPGRADES
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
Nov. 5 will not only be a day voters decide on the nation’s next president, but Murray residents will have a say in the future of Murray School District’s school buildings.
As the state doesn’t provide school districts with funding to build or renovate schools, Murray School District is proposing a general obligation bond measure to rebuild Riverview Junior High and add a classroom wing to Murray High School.
Voters will have the opportunity to vote to approve the $125-million bond referendum, which will be used to construct those facilities. School district officials say $90 million will be used for Riverview’s new school building while $35 million will be earmarked for Murray High’s additional classroom wing and security improvements.
The school district will hold four bond measure information meetings. Those will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The first will be Sept. 4 at Riverview Junior High, 751 Tripp Lane, and a second, Sept. 10, at Murray High School, 5440 S. State St. The last two will both be Oct. 1 and Oct. 7 at the school district office, 5102 Commerce Dr.
A bond measure public hearing is set for 5 p.m., Sept. 12 at the school district office.
Additionally, information tables will be available at parent-teacher conferences Sept. 23-24 at the elementary schools, Sept. 25 at Murray High and Sept. 25-26 at the ju-
nior high schools.
The bond measure will be on the November ballot. A simple majority is required for approval.
In the past 40 years, Murray School District has sought two previous bonds, both passed—one to rebuild Hillcrest
Junior High in 2012 and provide seismic upgrades to the district’s schools, and a second one in 2001 to rebuild Murray High.
If a general obligation bond measure passes in November, Murray High School will add a new classroom wing. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Recognizing Signs and Symptoms of Stroke from Holy Cross Hospital – Jordan Valley Stroke Team
By Dr. Rebecca Reiser
We know how important it is for patients and their families to find a hospital and a care team that you can trust - especially when emergencies, like stroke, happen. That’s why our team at CommonSpirit Holy Cross Hospital – Jordan Valley is so incredibly proud to be a certified primary stroke center with thrombectomy capability. Recently, our stroke care team was recognized by the American Heart Association and received their Get with the Guidelines Gold Plus Award with Stroke Honor Roll and Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll. This award means our facility met or exceeded the national recommendations for stroke care for our patients and it highlights our hard-working, talented stroke care team for providing excellent patient stroke care! To start, we work closely with our EMS partners to help them recognize patient stroke symptoms while they are out in the field. They are trained to let us know when they are on their way to our hospital so we can be ready for stroke patients before they even arrive. Our team is then able to evaluate each patient quickly and thoroughly to determine the best course of treatment. We have medications to help break up blood clots in the brain and a team of highly
trained vascular neurosurgeons who can remove a blood clot from the brain, also known as a thrombectomy. An important note - Holy Cross Hospital - Jordan Valley is the only hospital on the west side of the valley that has the capability of performing these state-of-the-art thrombectomies!
So, what are the signs and symptoms of stroke that you should be aware of? The easiest way to remember what to look out for is through the acronym, BEFAST:
● Balance changes
● Eye or vision changes
● Facial droop
● Arm weakness
● Speech difficulty
● Time
reduces disability among stroke survivors by 4%! That’s because about 2 million brain cells die every minute during a stroke until blood flow is restored. It is important that if you see someone showing the signs or symptoms of stroke outlined above, call for help immediately. When you or your loved ones come to Holy Cross Hospital – Jordan Valley for stroke care, you can expect state-of-theart stroke treatment and compassionate, healing care fueled by humankindness. From the teams in the ER to the stroke care teams to the physical, occupational and speech therapists that help care for patients throughout their rehab journey, and to the neurologists that assist in care decisions from the start, you are in good hands at Holy Cross Hospital – Jordan Valley!
At CommonSpirit Health, we make the healing presence of God known in our world by improving the health of the people we serve, especially those who are vulnerable, while we advance social justice for all.
It is important to recognize the above signs and symptoms because time matters! Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, but it is the leading cause of long-term disability. Studies show that every 15 minutes saved when a patient is experiencing stroke symptoms,
Learn more about the services, care providers and mission-driven work of the Holy Cross hospitals and CommonSpirit Health at www.holycrossutah.org.
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Our physicians provide the most advanced care and treatment options in orthopedics, including hip and knee replacement, total joint replacement, and sports medicine. We are committed to creating personalized treatment plans and providing extraordinary care to every patient.
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Dr. Rebecca Reiser Neurologist and Stroke Director CommonSpirit Holy Cross Hospital
Service is at the core of the crown for Miss Murray 2024, Allysa Sullivan
By Ella Joy Olsen | e.olsen@mycityjournals.com
She’s
just a beauty queen, you might think. She’s just a pretty face. (And she is pretty.) But there’s more to this year’s Miss Murray, Allysa Sullivan, than meets the eye.
There are five pillars to the Miss America (Miss Murray) contest: Style, Success, Service, Scholarship and Sisterhood... but Service is at the core of the crown, at least for Sullivan.
She has encountered challenges and has risen to meet them, inspiring her to give back to others, or to serve. Service
While in high school, Sullivan developed an eating disorder which affected her mental health, leading her to suicidal thoughts. Fortunately, when her need was greatest, she found the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
“When I first called for help, I was looking for someone to talk to, to vent,” Sullivan said. “They listened while I told them what was going on and what I was struggling with. They heard me and [the online crisis workers] taught me skills to monitor and improve my own mental health.”
And now, Sullivan is now a certified crisis worker, herself, and volunteers at the 988 Crisis Lifeline four hours a week.
As Miss Murray, her official community service initiative for 2024-25 is “Let’s Talk Suicide,” a program intended to reduce stigma around mental illness. As such, she’s created a presentation with state officials to talk with students and teachers, with the hope of presenting at all Murray School District schools.
“I talk about steps everyone can take, from teachers to friends, to peers, when dealing with someone in crisis,” Sullivan said. “Basically: ask, listen and refer. I like to think it’s really that simple. Notice others and have the courage to ask, or to say something.”
Even for younger children, Sullivan plans to reach out about caring for minds and bodies.
“Mental healthcare can start as early as preschool,” Sullivan said. “Recently, I presented at a Little Miss Murray Camp for girls ages six to 11 years old and we made charms with affirmations like, ‘I am enough,’ ‘I deserve to be happy,’ so they can look at them when they are feeling overwhelmed.” Scholarship, Sisterhood & Sash
Her schooling also plays into her passion for service. Currently, she’s at the University of Utah and will receive her
bachelor’s in social work, with an intention of continuing for her master’s in the same field.
“If you were to ask me about my five- or 10-year plan, I hope to work officially for the crisis lifeline. But when I dream bigger,” Sullivan said, “I would like to work in policy making with lobbying and funding, to secure more resources, which will trickle down to a greater number of individuals.”
Even with all the serious parts of serving, Sullivan is still Miss Murray, a pageant title holder, and once or twice a week she wears a sash.
So far this year she has been in eight or nine parades. “Basically, every Saturday in June and July,” Sullivan laughed.
She and her attendants are given dresses to wear of dusty blue and yellow, which complements the flowers on the Murray City float. She loves sharing the spirit of Murray with other communities around the state, but she especially loves meeting and interacting with members of the Murray community, itself. “The people who make Murray, Murray.”
She also loves her community of “sash sisters,” other Miss Murray contestants, prior winners, and title holders from other cities. “It’s like I have 10 new best friends.”
Thus far, Sullivan has earned about $4,000 from the competition, to be used in an educational manner, in her case college tuition. Then in June 2025, she will compete in the Miss Utah Pageant as a representative of Murray, against 50 other young women, with an opportunity to earn additional scholarship money.
Style & Stats
Aside from being Miss Murray, Sullivan is a classical pianist, a competitive dancer, and was the head captain for the Murray High drill team. She served a year-long mission to Japan for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
She is also the first Asian American Miss Murray, as her mother is from Japan and her father is from Houston.
Her parents met while at the University of Utah. Though her mother wasn’t a member of the church when she came to school in the states, her parents had heard that Utah was a safe place for young women to study abroad. They thought she’d attend BYU, instead she chose the University of Utah. Her father had served a mission in Japan and saw her mother one day across a crowded bus. He dared her to go on a date with him if he could name the Japanese song she was listening to. He got it right, and the rest is history.
Though Sullivan spent her childhood years in neighboring Taylorsville, one of her favorite childhood memories is playing in Murray Park. “Even as a 6 year old I felt like the kids in Murray were so friendly,” Sullivan said. “I think it’s the essence of what Murray is.”
Connect with Allysa Sullivan at @missmurrayut on Instagram. l
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Newly crowned Miss Murray and entourage: Allysa Sullivan, Ashlyn Talcott and Alexis Thompson (and Dimitri the service dog in training), attend the Murray Park Centennial Celebration. (Ella Joy Olsen/City Journals)
My County Rec Pass is not available at the Murray Rec Center...yet
By Ella Joy Olsen | e.olsen@mycityjournals.com
My County Rec Pass was introduced at all county-operated recreation facilities on June 1, 2024 offering a free pass to youths ages 5-18. Kids are required to sign up with a parent or guardian and those under age 9 are required to visit with someone over the age of 14.
So far, the pilot program has seen huge success. “At this point (early August) we’ve had about 60,000 registered,” Suzanne Harrison Salt Lake County Council at-large representative said. “The timing was perfect to catch youths during their summer break.”
“Several times through the summer we have hit capacity at many of the county pools,” Harrison continued. “And kids have flocked to our ‘Try It’ programs, lessons for things like golf, ice skating and rock climbing.”
The goal of the program is to support families with affordable and safe places to recreate together. To encourage exercise at every age, and to get youths off screens and interacting with one another, which has been proven to help combat loneliness and improve mental health.
“We have teens and families coming in to use the pool, especially because it’s a great way to spend a hot afternoon,” said Sam Maxwell, facility supervisor for Salt Lake City Sports Complex (Steiner Aquatics). Steiner is a county-run facility that honors the My County Rec Pass. “We’ve actually had a lot of traffic in all areas of the facility: families at public skate times, and lots of teens showing up to use the weight room.”
Vincent and Heloise Marciniak (and their two children) are excited about the My County Rec Pass. They relocated to Salt Lake from France for his job only a week earlier and said, “It’s great. We have already enrolled the children in ice hockey, swimming and golf.” They hope the children will make new friends through the activities provided.
Murray Rec Center does not currently honor the My County Rec Pass
Not all rec centers in the county are county-operated. Murray is one of them, as is Alta Canyon Sports Center, Kearns Oquirrh Park Fitness Center, West Valley Recreation Center and Cottonwood Heights Recreation Center.
Murray is a city that was settled and incorporated early and has many “independent” institutions, along with a historical taxing structure for the amenities provided. This includes Murray Parks & Rec, with a separate budget line item. In 2024, Parks & Rec utilized 17% of Murray’s General Fund.
“Murray has many of their own things: a school district, library system,
power, police, fire, and also their own rec center and programming,” Robin Chalhoub, director of Community Services for Salt Lake County, said. “It’s part of the complexity of local government.
“Murray has leaned into their autonomy, where as some places in the county have leaned into county-supported services. In many ways, towns like Murray have a philosophical difference, they decide at the local level how they want to tax and provide services to their residents.”
Kim Sorensen, director of Murray City Parks & Rec, responded, “There are definitely benefits to being independent. We use our rec center for our youth programming, things like basketball and volleyball. The high school uses it for swimming. Murray prides itself on controlling their own destiny, and we make sure to have first-class amenities and facilities.”
This doesn’t mean that Murray doesn’t receive any funding from the county, it’s more about how the money is appropriated. Murray receives county ZAP (Zoo, Arts & Parks) taxes for cultural programs, like Arts in the Park. They also apply for and often receive TRCC monies for capital improvements.
TRCC (Tourism, Recreation, Culture & Convention) is a “tourist” tax collected on things like hotels, restaurants and rental cars. In return, funds are appropriated to support tourism-like services: conventions, cultural activities like Abravanel, Eccles Theater, Mid-Valley Performing
Arts, museums and Clark Planetarium.
A portion of TRCC goes to parks and ice sheets, things that residents and tourists might enjoy, but there is also an annual grant component of the TRCC funding, where municipalities apply for funding for the things they most want. The hope is that the individual town (like Murray) will pinpoint the best use of the dollars for their own communities.
For instance, this year Murray partnered with the county to purchase open space adjacent to the Jordan River for recreation, and will likely receive funds for an anticipated Murray Park pool upgrade.
“We like to think of it as a layering on of amenities and services, providing a more nuanced regional approach,” Chalhoub said. “The county wants to be a good partner to cities and towns and still continue to meet their commitments for other county-provided services.”
Future of My County Pass for Murray Parks & Rec
As mentioned, the My County Rec Pass is a pilot program.
“We first want to demonstrate the proof-of-concept, then move forward with the best program possible,” Chalhoub said. “So far there have been many new users,
but we want to measure the benefits, to see if those were dollars well-spent, and if the program achieved our aims. After that we’ll present to the [county] council and the mayor for further allocation of funding.”
Murray feels the same way. “This is the first year of the county program and we’ll see how it goes,” Sorensen said. “It costs a couple million dollars with an increase programming, staff and the decreased revenue. But if it seems good, we’d be hopeful that county funding could help cover some of these additional costs.”
The county maintains they are committed to running the program. “In a perfect world we’d like easily affordable and accessible recreational programing at all facilities,” Councilwoman Harrison said. “And although the My County Rec Pass doesn’t currently work at Murray Rec, Murray residents are also residents of Salt Lake County, which means they can access the My County Rec Pass at all county-run facilities, regardless of where they live.” l
Sam Maxwell, the Facilities Manager at Salt Lake Sports Complex, says traffic at the center has increased due to the My County Rec Pass. He’s especially seen increases in pool usage by families and the weight room by teens. (Ella Joy Olsen/City Journals)
The Marciniak family recently moved from France to Utah for employment. They’re thrilled with the My County Rec Pass for their two children and hope they’ll meet new friends through activities at the Salt Lake Sports Complex. (Ella Joy Olsen/City Journals)
Irrigation in Murray—past and present
By Ella Joy Olsen | e.olsen@mycityjournals.com
Disclaimer: Much of the history found in this article originated from an interview with Max Reese, the secretary of the Little Cottonwood Tanner Ditch Company. He has held this role since 1984 and has been on the Board of Directors since 1975. He was the water commissioner for the Little Cottonwood Canyon for 18 years. He was an Advanced Placement Biology teacher at American Fork High, was a researcher at the University of Utah and Becton Dickinson, and has his master’s degree from the U of U in Biology. He is also a lifelong East Murray resident.
While most would consider him an expert (or at least an irrigation aficionado), and historical details were corroborated with a secondary source, he is also this reporter’s father.
If you’ve ever noticed a bit of running water alongside the road in a shallow furrow, or a concrete box with an odd wheel protruding from the top, and thought, “I wonder what that's all about?” This article is for you.
Early ditches and irrigation in Murray – a short history
The Mormon pioneers came into the Salt Lake Valley in 1847, and only one year later, by 1848, Brigham Young gave a mandate to a party of settlers to move south of the city to lowlands along the streams of the Little Cottonwood and Big Cottonwood creeks, using the creeks to provide easy irrigation for farming and good grasslands for grazing livestock.
Each settler would take directly out of the creek and run it to their property, but as more and more people arrived, plots not adjacent to the creek would access water via a ditch, and so it passed from neighbor to neighbor, all utilizing the same ditch.
“They understood the mechanics of irrigation,” Max Reese, secretary of the Little Cottonwood Tanner Ditch Company, said. “The most important thing is gravity.” Ditches were built on high paths, for example Vine Street is a high ditch path, taking advantage of gravity to run water to fields.
In the old days, houses didn’t have green lawns with crisp corners. The lawn was green only in places low enough to receive flood irrigation. This all changed with the invention of pumps and sprinkler-watering. Now, houses on hills can have green lawns and crops planted on high ground can easily receive water.
“It’s interesting to think about Idaho and their signature potato,” Reese mused. “Idaho is mostly rolling hills. If they had to take water out of the Snake River and get it to those crops using only gravity, they could never have grown potatoes at any volume, because you can’t flood irrigate over hills, this requires sprinkler ir-
rigation.”
By 1904, the State of Utah got involved with irrigation and acknowledged the ditch companies that had already organized to control the ditches, like Little Cottonwood Tanner Ditch Company (LCTDC), and formally awarded them a water right.
So, the State of Utah owns the water, but awards rights to ditch companies to use a percentage of the annual flow.
At the time of incorporation in 1904, there were five main ditch companies who irrigated out of Little Cottonwood Creek, LCTDC being one of them. In 1910, the Morris Decree determined how much each ditch company could use, as measured by cubic feet per second.
Originally the water rights were yearround and the ditches ran freely. Early ditches initially only used mountain-creek and spring-sourced water for irrigation. But when the cities needed additional water from creeks for culinary purposes, canals (with water sourced from Utah Lake and the Jordan River) were created to facilitate crop irrigation. Each year most ditches run mountain creek water when winter runoff is high, and in in the late summer months, switch to canal water.
So, historically, ditches were created first, starting in 1848. Canals, in the 1930s. Benefits of ditch irrigation to Murray (and beyond)
Ditch irrigation may seem old fashioned to residents with postage stamps of grass watered using modern sprinklers, but if we quit running irrigation water, many of the places that residents currently enjoy would dry up.
“Think about the green and verdant places we like to recreate: like Wheeler Farm, Woodstock Park, Mick Riley, the canal trails, and Highland Lake. Along with the farms that utilize irrigation water, these are all places who use creek and canal water routed through the LCTDC ditches,” Reese said.
“The places we like to spend time are adjacent to flowing water, where there are trees and its cooler. It’s meandering, aesthetic, and improves the quality of life. Not to mention, a water feature often increases a property’s value.”
Recycling Water
Little Cottonwood Creek originates a short distance south of the ski resort town of Alta and flows through Little Cottonwood Canyon until it reaches the valley. It travels north through Cottonwood Heights, Sandy, Midvale and Murray where it eventually empties into the Jordan River, and then the Great Salt Lake. Its whole length is nearly 27 miles.
LCTDC takes their water from the creek on Milne Lane about 1600 East and
7600 South and delivers it via ditches in a wide swath through Cottonwood Heights, Holladay and Murray for irrigation and aesthetic purposes. Murray residents would be surprised at all of the pocket farms and other owners (even commercial) who utilize this water.
“A great thing about flood irrigation is that the water we run replenishes the water table,” Reese said. “Our biggest reservoirs are groundwater; bigger than any surface reservoir you can think of in the
valley. Once the water is underground it doesn’t evaporate and the water is filtered and clean when you pump it out. Eighty percent of Murray’s drinking water depends on pumping from wells, and that’s groundwater.”
With sprinkler irrigation the water table is not replenished. The water only enriches the top few inches of soil. The rest evaporates and is gone.
Early sources and uses of water in Murray
This headgate is where water is taken from the Little Cottonwood Creek by the city for treatment as culinary water. (Courtesy Susan Reese)
Secretary of the Little Cottonwood Tanner Ditch Company, Max Reese, at an irrigation takeout from the canal in Wheeler Farm. (Ella Joy Olsen/City Journals)
“Murray was really wet everywhere when I was a kid,” Reese said. “We knew the Indians had camps here to take advantage of the water because you’d find arrowheads everywhere, like on Arrowhead Lane. There were swamps and we’d catch frogs and snakes all the time.”
Reese continued his recollection, “All the early residents in Murray either took their water out of the creeks or they had an artesian well, which means there was a really high water table. When I was young there was this big artesian well by Wendy’s on 900 East with so much pressure, it continually shot water sideways in a stream the width of a basketball, for a distance of 20 feet. This is now one of Murray’s wells used for culinary water.”
Historically, the ditch water was used for many purposes aside from irrigation, Reese recounted. “My great-grandfather would pull water from his ditch and make an ice pond every winter,” Reese said. “We’re talking ice three feet deep and two acres wide. He’d cut and deliver it throughout the summer for refrigeration. Those were different times.”
Murray is uniquely located between Big and Little Cottonwood creeks, but Murray has access to many additional water sources, such as wells and springs. As an early settlement in the valley, Murray gained early water rights. Like much of the western United States, Utah uses the “first
in time, first in right” method of appropriation. Lucky Murray.
These days, most wells are capped and used for consumption. “You can see well locations all over once you know what to look for,” Reese said. “There will be a water tank or a little house-like structure on top. There’s one by the swimming pool in Murray Park and there’s a big water tank next to Murray Cemetery.”
Murray’s culinary water comes from 19 wells (pumped groundwater), which provides 81.89% of delivered water. The remainder comes from eight springs. Last ditch effort? Little Cottonwood Tanner Ditch Company, today
LCTDC is one of the remaining ditch companies in Murray. It is a nonprofit corporation with a water master and a governing board.
The current water master is Art Quayle, who can often be seen wandering alongside the ditches with a shovel in hand. “This is a job that requires he know the status of the entire ditch system at all times during the water season. It’s a delicate balance and not an easy job.” It also requires hard labor: cleaning trash racks, adjusting headgates, and monitoring the flows.
The ditch system needs to be serviced every day during the irrigation season by Quayle, Reese and other members of the ditch company. “We pull out dead racoons,
roots, you name it. One time we realized someone was dumping used disposable diapers under a bridge, not understanding that the ditch has a function.”
If there is a ditch on a property, there will be a 15 foot easement around the ditch, meaning the company has access to the property to maintain it. There’s even an easement to the easement, meaning the owner can’t enclose the ditch and prohibit access.
“Sometimes a construction company figures they’ll just fill the ditch in, or people will decide it’s a good place to dump stuff like oil and garbage, and that’s not OK,” Reese said.
If you have a ditch in your yard and want access to irrigation water, you still need to own a share of the ditch company that provides the water, or lease that right from the ditch company. Shares are most often sold with the property.
Future of irrigation
There are miles and miles of ditches crisscrossing Murray, usable for both irrigation and utilized to catch storm water and control flooding. Regardless of whether the ditches are used to water fields, they need to be maintained for these other purposes.
“I optimistically imagine the future of irrigation might go something like this,” Reese mused. “As water bills go up and up, more people who have access to ditch
water will work to utilize it, pumping it out for their sprinkler systems, or using it for their water features.”
“But these days, people who use their water rights are old,” he continued nostalgically. “We hope a new generation will come to understand that irrigation water has value, and it’s available and ready to be used.” l
Murray resident and local farmer, George Katz, on his urban farm just off Vine Street. He uses irrigation to water his pastures, garden and animals.
(Ella Joy Olsen/City Journals)
A passion for hot air balloons inflates the Murray Chamber of Commerce with an idea: Balloon Palooza
By Ella Joy Olsen | e.olsen@mycityjournals.com
The idea took flight when Kathy White, who is the Board Chair for the Murray Chamber of Commerce, heard that the Park City balloon festival, Autumn Aloft, had been canceled.
“The first time I saw a hot air balloon rise it was absolutely magical,” White said. “I would go to the Park City festival every year, and when I heard it had been canceled, I approached Matt Gibbons [Murray Chamber President] about bringing a balloon festival to Murray the same weekend it would have been held in Park City and he, because he also loves hot air balloons, said, ‘Let’s do it.’”
That’s when they approached Tim Taylor. Taylor’s official title for this event (in all seriousness) the Balloon Meister. What this means is he’s in charge of coordinating air and ground crews at the event. He keeps the balloonists, audience and field safe. He’s also a balloon pilot.
Taylor began his love of flight at the Air Academy High School in Colorado Springs. As a junior cadet he could take flying lessons and he became a plane pilot at age 16. Fast forward: his bride-tobe was from Albuquerque, New Mexico (home of the international Balloon Fiesta, the largest hot air balloon festival in the world) and said she wanted to be married in a hot air balloon, so they did, and Taylor bought the balloon they got married in.
Fast forward: he and his wife have
enjoyed 37 years of marriage and ballooning. Now he travels to balloon festivals across the desert southwest with his own star-spangled balloon and is also the corporate pilot for the infamous red Chick-fila-A balloon.
Taylor has been instrumental in getting the Palooza in Murray off the ground. The Salt Lake Valley is somewhat congested, in that it’s hard to find space to launch a huge number of balloons, but in this inaugural year the Balloon Palooza intends to send up 10 to 15 balloons from the field at Cottonwood High.
This year the event is entirely sponsor driven (and they are currently looking for additional sponsors), but Taylor, White and the Murray Chamber would like to make the Balloon Palooza an annual event and would welcome sponsorship, city funding and grant assistance in future years.
The weekend-long festival will be held Sept. 20-22 at the Cottonwood High School soccer field, 5715 S. 1300 East.
Admission is free. There will be interactive activities for the whole family like face painting and balloon art. Attendees will have a chance to interact with the balloon pilots and crew.
Each morning of the festival (20, 21 and 22) at 7 a.m. the balloons will launch. There will be food trucks and tethered rides. The palooza is not an “all day” event. The balloons can only stay aloft un-
til the ground heats up and the wind currents shift.
One evening event, the Glow Palooza, will be held Sept. 21 (Saturday) at 5 p.m. with entertainment, vendors, food and rides, plus glowing balloons filling the
night sky.
For the latest details visit: www.hotairbaloonpalooza.com and to sponsor the event contact Kathy White at: boardchair@themurraychamber.com. l
Balloons fill the field at the Sandy Hot Air Balloon Festival in August. The Murray Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a similar festival at Cottonwood High Sept. 20-22. (Ella Joy Olsen/City Journals)
A family, holding their own balloons aloft, watches in amazement as a hot air balloon is inflated. Murray will host the inaugural Balloon Palooza Sept. 20-22 at Cottonwood High. (Ella Joy Olsen/City Journals)
Murray Chamber of Commerce Board Chair Kathy White and balloon enthusiast Murray resident Barbara Reynolds prepare the ground before helping to inflate the hot air balloons at the Sandy City Hot Air Balloon Festival in August. The Murray Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a similar event, the inaugural Balloon Palooza at Cottonwood High Sept. 20-22. (Ella Joy Olsen/ City Journals)
Balloon pilot Tim Taylor prepares the basket for flight at Sandy’s Hot Air Balloon Festival. The Murray Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a similar event, the inaugural Balloon Palooza at Cottonwood High Sept. 20-22. (Ella Joy Olsen/City Journals)
Big things could be in store for young Murray girls volleyball team
By Josh McFadden | j.mcfadden@mycityjournals.com
The last few years have been challenging for the Murray girls volleyball team, but there is a lot of hope in the program.
The 2024 Spartans are young but have some talented players who are eager to turn the team around. Head coach KaCee Weber is also optimistic. She’s confident the Spartans will win more games than many people expect.
“I have high expectations for this season,” Weber said. “We have a young team; most of our top players are sophomores, and I think this is the beginning of Murray volleyball really building a name for itself. I can't give a guess as to what our record will be, but I do think we're going to surprise a lot of people this season.”
The Spartans are in their second season competing in Class 4A’s Region 10. Last season, they were 6-22 overall and went 2-10 in league play. Not only is Weber hoping to see more victories this season, but she believes the team can advance in the state tournament and continue to build momentum for the future. Weber is challenging the players to improve on the court and have positive attitudes and mindsets.
“Our goal this season is to make it to the second round of state, but that's all dependent on achieving the smaller goals first,” she said. “We want to be a team that is truly mentally tough. Our motto this season is ‘Embrace the Challenge, Conquer With Grit.’ We also want to be a team that is genuinely connected out there on the court. Because our team is so young, this year will be critical for building a platform that will carry us all the way through the 2026 season.”
Achieving these objectives and having a successful season will only come if the players commit to the mental aspects of the game, Weber said. She wants her players to have confidence and be resilient, even when things aren’t going their way.
“I think that in order for this year to be a success, we must really dial in that mental toughness,” she said. “We've got the skills we need to succeed. These girls are wildly talented, but our players are young and need to get comfortable with acknowledging mistakes, learning from them, then forgiving themself for it. Their self-talk should sound something like: ‘Dang it, I forgot to drop my shoulder. OK, give me another ball. I'm going to drop my shoulder this time.’ In order for us to succeed, players need to fully embody our motto."
Murray has no shortage of skilled players.
Weber is excited about her starting lineup and other contributors. Five sophomores—outside hitter/right-side hitter
Ruby Fisher, setter Lexi Lee, setter Bailey Simpson, middle blocker/right-side hitter
Anna Roberson and middle blocker Grace Hanson—are among the top players.
“[Fisher] is the epitome of a power hitter,” Weber said. “The way the gym lights up every time she goes for a kill is surreal. She does a fantastic job of staying calm and confident, which is really crucial to mental toughness. She's a great player that you can feel confident in during those high-pressure moments. [Lee] is the playmaker for our team. If you watch Lex play, you'll be amazed at the sets she can put up even with passes that might not be right where she needs them. She's one of our quickest players and she's really growing into a driven, competitive mindset. [Simpson] might have a quiet temperament, but don't let that fool you, she's not someone you want to be matched up against. Of course she's a fantastic setter, but one of her superpowers is definitely her gnarly serve.”
Roberson and Hanson, along with the other sophomores Simpson, Lee and Fisher, are entering their second seasons on the varsity squad.
“I don't know if there has ever been a player who loves volleyball more than [Roberson],” Weber said. “We can be in a huddle, and I might be laying into the girls a little bit about what we need to adjust, and this girl never breaks eye contact or loses her smile. Even in the middle of our worst games, she stays eager to hear feedback and improve. I also have to say, the way Anna developed during club season is really exciting. She's got a swing that I would not want to be on the receiving end of. [Hanson] has worked her butt off long before she was on the MHS roster. The first thing that stood out to me
when I met her was how hard she works. She's the player who shows up early, runs the extra lap and helps with everything. Grace is truly a woman of integrity, which is something we prioritize here at MHS. I anticipate her having a lot of growth this season and being a very dominant middle blocker in our region.”
The Spartans also have junior middle blocker/right-side hitter Brinley Forsyth back on the team for the second year in a row. Senior libero Zonbaahi Gambler, senior libero/setter/outside hitter Toa Alofipo (a transfer) and senior libero Ana O’Grady are seniors but in their first seasons on the team.
Weber said Gambler “has a fire when she plays that is enviable.” She also said Alofipo is “one of the most well-rounded players I’ve ever coached.” Meanwhile, O’Grady is a former soccer player who has switched to volleyball.
“[O’Grady] is fast, works hard and wants to get better,” Weber said.
Weber is impressed with what she has seen from the team in the early going. She has noticed excitement around the program and a desire from the girls to compete and get better. She is also grateful for her assistant coaches the support the girls receive.
“We are looking really good,” she said. “I can't emphasize enough how much I believe in this team. We had the biggest turnout at tryouts that we've had since I started working at MHS. Our program is growing and becoming more competitive. Not only do we have incredibly talented girls, but we have the best support anyone could ask for. My assistant coaches are incredible. They see the vision, they have the integrity that this program preaches, and they have the work ethic and volleyball IQ we're trying to teach the girls. We look great as a team, we have great support, I'm really excited for this season.” l
As we launch into Spring of 2024, we are thrilled to be celebrating the 30th Anniversary for Replenish.
The beginnings of Replenish came about as a part of a conversation between Connie Cannon and Peter Lassig. Connie, in questioning Peter, said she was looking for something that would help the plants in her yard thrive and perform better. At the time, Peter, whose name is legendary in the horticulture industry throughout the country, was serving as the Head Gardener for Temple Square. He held this position for well over 30 years.
Following some counsel and suggestions from Mr. Lassig, the Cannons went to work searching for a formula of composted manure. Through great effort, scanning sources in Utah and Idaho, they eventually came up with the basic formula for Replenish. Initially, they would have a dump truck load dropped in their driveway. Their children were hired to bag the compost and deliver it to their neighbors and others in the area. Eventually the demand for their compost outgrew their driveway and their ability to meet the needs of all who wanted it for their yards and gardens. At that point the Cannons created the company known as ‘Replenish the Earth Products’. After building and running Replenish for 9 years, the company was sold to Mike Nitz, an employee of the Cannons, and Greg Bettin-
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
son, a committed customer who fully believed in the value and benefits of Replenish Compost. Wanting to expand the offerings of the Company, they changed the name to ‘Replenish Landscape Garden Products’.
For the past twenty-one years, Mike and Greg have grown the business and built a customer base of over 21,000 loyal customers along the Wasatch Front and beyond. Their business model has been to find the highest quality landscape materials and offer them along with what they believe to be the very best compost available anywhere. Replenish is proud to carry an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
Combined with what we hope will always be friendly, and efficient customer service, we enter this fourth decade with a sincere desire to continue to build the business and introduce an ever-expanding customer base to the benefits of Replenish Compost, and all of the other top-qual-
ity products we carry.
To you, our loyal customers, we extend a heartfelt thank you for your business, and your loyalty to us and our products over these many years. May the spring season bring happiness to you and your loved ones and may the beauty of your yard and garden bring added joy and peace in your life.
Any of the Replenish products: barks, colored wood mulches, playground chips, outstanding soil blends, box garden mixes, professional planters mix, decorative rocks, gravels, and sand are available for pickup at our Murray Yard, ei-
ther in bulk or bag. We will load your open truck or trailer, or small bags in your vehicle. We also deliver small bags of bulk products (loose), or in the Super Big Bag (1 cubic yard) to homes and businesses from Brigham City to Price.
Make your garden and yard work a successful, rewarding, and enjoyable experience. You can pick up any of the products in bulk or bag at our yard in Murray; 4660 South 200 West. (no appointment needed). Visit our website at Replenishcompost.com; or call Replenish Landscape Garden Products at: (801) 252-5962 for any questions you may have.
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UTA breaks ground for Midvalley Express bus service
By Tom Haraldsen | t.haraldsen@mycityjournals.com
W
ithin the next two years, a fleet of 10 all-electric buses will help connect westside communities to Intermountain Medical Center in Murray and Salt Lake Community College
At a ceremony on Aug. 28, the Utah Transit Authority began construction of the Midvalley Express, to be known as MVX. The seven-mile bus route will connect West Valley City, Taylorsville and Murray with dedicated service along routes that have signal prioritization. Those routes will also connect with Frontrunner and TRAX routes to add frequency and accessibility for passengers.
Andrew Gruber, executive director of the Wasatch Front Regional Council, which focuses heavily on transportation issues, said, “If people want to take the bus or the train, we should make that easy for them. They can take Front Runner or TRAX, then connect to the MVX.” He said the use of electric buses with separate lanes and coordination with signals will make travel faster and more efficient.
Construction activities have already begun, with canal bridge construction on 4700 South near Redwood Road completed earlier this year, and utility work along 4700 South continuing this month. More work in the MVX routes will take place over the next two years, with the plan to have the system fully operational by Fall 2026.
“We love our rail system. It works very efficiently, it moves a lot of people when we need it,” said Carlton Christensen, chairman of the UTA Board of Directors. “Bus rapid transit has
the ability to do similar kinds of movement at a much reduced cost. It will be a lot less expensive to build which allows us to build more transit options within our entire system.”
MVX is scheduled to be zero fare for its first five years thanks to a federal grant. l
This map shows the route of the Midvalley Express in the Salt Lake Valley. (Graph courtesy of UTA)
PERSONAL PILATES TRAINING BEGINNERS WANTED
FREQUENTLY REQUESTED NUMBERS
Grant Elementary . . . . . . 801-264-7416
Heritage Center (Senior Programming) . . 801-264-2635
Hillcrest Jr. High
. 801-264-7442
Horizon Elementary . . . . 801-264-7420
Liberty Elementary 801-264-7424
Longview Elementary 801-264-7428
Ken Price Ball Park 801-262-8282
Miss Murray Competition (Lindsey D. Smith) 801-699-2288
McMillan Elementary 801-264-7430
Murray Area Chamber of Commerce. 801-263-2632
Murray Arts Advisory Board (Lori Edmunds) 801-264-2614
Murray Boys & Girls Club
Murray City Cemetery
Murray Community Education
Murray High School
Murray Museum
Murray Parks and Recreation O ce
Murray Parkway Golf Course
801-268-1335
801-264-2637
801-264-7414
801-264-7460
801-264-2589
801-264-2614
801-262-4653
Murray Park Aquatics Pool 801 290-4190
Mick Riley Golf Course (SL County). .
801-266-8185
Parkside Elementary 801-264-7434
Riverview Jr. High
Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation
Salt Lake County Ice Center .
801-264-7446
801-468-2560
801-270-7280
The Park Center 801-284-4200
Viewmont Elementary 801-264-7438
C ULTURAL A RTS
2024 JURIED ART SHOW
The Juried Art Show is an annual event showcasing the artistic talents of Murray residents and is open to both amateur and professional artists aged 18 and older.
This event includes the following categories: Watercolors, Oil and Acrylic, Graphics (pen, pencil, pastel, ink), Original Photography, Mixed Medium, Ceramics, Woodwork, 3D.
Entries must be dropped o at the Murray Library on Monday, October 21st or Tuesday, October 22nd, between 3:30 PM and 7:00 PM. All entries must be picked up on November 14th between 10 AM and 1 PM. If you cannot collect your work during these times, please contact Caitlin at clarson@murray.utah.gov or 801-284-2510.
For more information visit murray.utah.gov/1648/Adult-Juried-Art-Show Questions? Contact Caitlin at clarson@murray.utah.gov or 801-284-2510
HAUNTED TALES
Be part of Murray’s haunted history! In 1874, the rst grave was dug in Murray Cemetery. 150 years later, this graveyard is lled with spooky stories. Do you dare to make yours one of them? Murray students K-12 are invited to chronicle their creepy creativity in this year’s writing contest. Winners will dig up prizes and all nalists are doomed to be recognized by our scary city. Be part of frightening Murray families forever (bwa-ha-ha-ha)!
2024 Entries Due: October 7, 2024 | Writers Showcase: October 28, 2024
6:00 PM at the Murray City Senior Recreation Center (10 E 6150 S)
M URRAY S ENIOR R ECREATION C ENTER
10 East 6150 South, Murray, Utah 84107
801-264-2635
murray.utah.gov/140/Senior-Recreation-Center seniorrec@murray.utah.gov mcreg.com
Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Thursday 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Closed Saturday and Sunday
Check our website for any changes in programs.
CALLING ALL SHOPPERS
‘TIS THE SEASON BOUTIQUE
Date: Monday, Oct. 14
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Cost: Free for the Public
CHEF OMAR LIMON
Daily Lunch
Date: Tuesday through Friday
Time: 11:30 a.m. – noon
Cost: Cost is $5; prior registration not required
CLASSES
Ceramics
Date: Tuesday and Thursday
Time: 9:00 a.m. – noon
Cost: $1.50 each class plus cost of supplies
History: How Did Hitler Rise to Power?
Date: Tuesday, Sep. 10
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Cost: Free
Grief Support
Date: Friday, Sep. 13 and 27
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Cost: Free
Vital Aging: Personality Psychology
Date: Tuesday, Sep. 24
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Cost: Free
Funerals of the Rich and Famous: Elvis Presley
Date: Thursday, Sep. 26
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Cost: Free
Fall Prevention
Date: Monday, Sep. 30
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Cost: Free; register now
DANCE
Beginning Line Dance Instruction
Date: Tuesdays
Time: 1:15 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
Cost: $5 for the month; register now
Line Dance Instruction
Date: Tuesdays
Time: 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Cost: $10 for the month; register now
Thursday Evening Social Dance
Live Music provided by Tony Summerhays
Date: Thursdays
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Cost: $5
FITNESS
Daily Fitness Classes – check our current newsletter for the schedule and fees
PROGRAMS
Bingo
Date: Wednesdays and Fridays
Time: 12:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Cost: Free, donations are appreciated
Bridge Lessons
Date: Mondays
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Cost: Free
Hand and Foot Card Game
Date: Mondays
Time: 12:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Cost: Free
Mexican Train Dominos Game
Date: Thursdays
Time: 12:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Cost: Free
HEALTH SERVICES
Haircuts
Date: Wednesdays
Time: 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Cost: $12; advance appointment required
CLUBS
Martial Arts
Date: Wednesdays
Time: 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Cost: $15 initial club fee; $10 per month
Photography
Date: Monday, Sep. 9 and 23
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Cost: Free
Quirks! (walk)ING Club Kick-Off
Date: Thursday, Sep. 12
Time: noon
Cost: $25 for Sep. through Dec.
Thursday Quilters
Date: Thursday, Sep. 12
Time: 12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Cost: Free
SEPTEMBER 2024
Veteran women’s entrepreneurial conference sparks innovation
By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
For almost 80 years, U.S. military veterans have been more likely to start and own a business than non-veterans. After World War II, nearly half of veterans owned or operated a business. With a strong work ethic and dedication to a cause, veterans often have attributes that make them successful entrepreneurs.
Though there has been a decrease in veteran business ownership over the past couple of decades, veterans are still more likely to own a company with about 1.9 million veteran-owned businesses today. Military spouses often struggle with creating a small business or finding long-term careers. With frequent relocations, the military lifestyle can make entrepreneurial success difficult.
That’s where the Veteran Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship comes in. Created by the Syracuse University D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families, V-WISE is a program that gives women veterans business tools, connections and resources to turn their passion into a successful venture.
“V-WISE created this amazing network for women,” said Misty Fox, IVMF director of entrepreneurship and small business. “They were meeting other women who were encouraging them to get started and how to balance family and entrepreneurship. Now we’re looking at 3,800 graduates from the 27 programs we’ve hosted.”
The V-WISE program begins on Monday, Sept. 16 with a 15-day online intensive that prepares participants for the three-day in-person residency in Salt Lake City on Oct. 11-13. For a registration fee of $75, female veterans and military spouses can learn skills to get their business idea off the ground. Lodging and meals are covered 100%.
Following the in-person event, participants receive one year of support focused on their small business creation and growth.
“It’s a time where they can meet with geniuses, or have meetings with subject matter experts,” Fox said. “They have time where they can meet one-on-one with folks to learn how to pitch their business or learn how to break barriers that might be holding back their business. So it’s a time they can immerse themselves and
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really get going on their business.”
Funding for the V-WISE program comes from the support of corporate and foundation partners across the country. Comcast has a history of supporting military causes and brings a wealth of information to the V-WISE program through a series of topics.
Experts from Comcast Business will help entrepreneurs safeguard against cyber threats, navigate the digital landscape, understand data protection and compliance, leverage data for brand identity, conduct risk assessment and secure business operations.
“Comcast has been a great supporter of this community for a long time and they’ve done that in several different ways,” Fox said. “With IVMF, they’ve partnered with us to host not only V-WISE but other entrepreneurship
programming. In reality, it’s not just a conference or a training sponsorship for them. [Comcast] has just been a really, really good partner in the veteran space for a long time.”
Those eligible to participate in the V-WISE program include honorably discharged women veterans or active duty women service members of any military branch, including the National Guard and reservists. Also eligible are women spouses, same-sex life partners or widows of veterans from any branch or era of service.
“Comcast’s commitment to military causes shines through its substantial support for the V-WISE program, bringing invaluable expertise in cybersecurity and digital navigation to empower veteran entrepreneurs,” said Deneiva Knight, external affairs director, Comcast Mountain West Region. “By partnering with IVMF, Comcast continues its longstanding tradition of fostering veteran success through entrepreneurship, strengthening the program’s impact on women veterans across the nation.”
For more information on Xfinity’s military deals and offers, visit: military.xfinity.com/#/ welcome. For more information, or to apply for the V-WISE program, visit ivmf.syracuse.edu/ programs/entrepreneurship/start-up/v-wise/.l
The Veteran Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship conference is coming to Salt Lake Oct. 11-13. The event helps women veterans and military spouses create a business or find careers. (Photo courtesy of Comcast)
Unseen kindness: Stories from a walker crossing America
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
Day 56. Mile total: 1,100.
Mike Bassett Sr. pushed his jogging cart across 11000 South on 700 East in Sandy.
Having started about 3:30 a.m., he left Millcreek, walking 700 East through Murray and Midvale. Draper was his destination for the day, which he would reach by noon. It was a short day for him, only 15 miles, compared to the day before when he walked through Salt Lake City and South Salt Lake or other days when he averages 20 to 25 miles.
Bassett, who grew up in Logan and once lived in Salt Lake City, is walking across America. He started at Cape Meares Lighthouse, 12 miles west of Tillamook, Oregon on the Pacific Coast and will walk to the Atlantic Coast, perhaps to Harbour Town Lighthouse in Hilton Head, South Carolina—his route is still unfolding as he walks.
“I have no agenda; I don’t care how long it takes me,” he said, adding he thinks he will be done by the holiday season. “I’m looking at heading on a more southern route by Texarkana, Texas because from what I’ve read, they’ll have milder temperatures come this fall.”
Soon after Bassett set out on June 1, he encountered three days of downpours in Oregon’s coastal mountain range, followed by every day nearing or bettering 100 degrees by the time he was in Sandy on July 26.
“It’s been baptism by fire. I start out my day early, trying to beat the heat,” he said.
Bassett worked in the automotive business for more than 40 years. He was once the general manager of Tim Dahle Nissan Southtowne in Sandy’s Auto Mall. Then, he moved 15 years ago to the Los Angeles area to continue working in the industry.
“Most people have a good reason why they walk the country. I really don’t. I had an office job for 40 years. Every time I went anywhere, I’d go to big cities and stay in nice hotels, but I’ve never seen this country. So, I just decided I would walk it,” he said.
Walking the country was never Bassett’s goal.
“It’s never been anything I dreamed of doing, but I knew after I finished my master’s degree in May from John Hopkins University, I wanted to do something epic. At first, I thought I’d climb Mount Everest, but the reason I moved from Utah is I don’t like the cold—and there’s snow on Everest. So, I decided not to do that,” he said. “Then I started watching YouTube videos about people who hiked the Pacific Crest Trail and Appalachian Trail and that led me to a guy who walked across the United States. When I decided to do it, I didn’t think I’d make it. I still not sure I’ll make it, but I
know I can walk to the next city, the next mile marker or the next telephone pole. So, I just keep doing that over and over. I just keep going.”
The 60 year old’s walk has taken him to visit his family and friends as he often ventures on the back roads and highways of the country. Some nights, he finds a motel—“I’m not roughing it as I could; I want to enjoy this, too, and a motel means a shower, free breakfast and internet”—but he can go five days camping in disperse lands and eating rehydrated food.
Bassett’s converted cart can weigh up to 100 pounds, often with three gallons or more of water, which he drinks from his bright pink Ozark Trail water bottle. He has a second water bottle he uses for coffee. His wardrobe is simple—two longsleeved quick-drying Jolly Gear shirts with hoods (one purple, one blue), two pairs of identical pants, four pairs of Darn Tough socks (he wears two at a time) and his black HOKA Ones shoes—“They work well because I walk on a lot of roads, and there’s rocks so having that extra sole helps quite a bit.”
Inside the zippered jogging cart, he packs rain gear, bug spray, sunscreen, first aid kit, pepper spray, a warm hat, a head net for mosquitoes, a headlamp, a camp stove, coffee, powdered milk, granola, prepared meals, a GPS, a tent, a chair, a sleeping bag and a recently purchased pillow. He also carries a solar charger, two battery power packs, headphones and a phone where he downloads books (recently by Stephen King, JK Rowling and others adventure tales, such as Peter Jenkins’ “Walk Across
my back in my hands because I push this cart,” he said.
Cooling off means “I run through sprinklers whenever I possibly can” and “eating ice cream. That’s the nice thing about burning five 6,000 calories a day; I can eat whatever I want,” he added.
Bassett isn’t worried much about dangers, saying he can use common sense for most situations. What scares him more is people driving and texting and not paying attention as well as dogs that are unsecured.
“If I am ever king in the world, there’ll be bike paths everywhere. There will be shoulders on every road because some roads have the white line and then it’s a drop off. About 90% of the people will move over and give you some room, it’s the others I need to worry about,” he said.
What makes him sad is to see beer bottles, vape pens and dirty diapers thrown alongside the roadside.
“This beautiful landscape has garbage everywhere. It’s pointless,” Bassett said.
The good outweighs the bad on his journey.
America”) to read when it gets too hot to walk. He also uses them to document his adventures on his OregontoCarolina Instagram account.
“My plan was to walk about 15 miles per day and then take some days off. Well, there’s nothing to do in some areas, so I just keep walking. I planned about $3,500 per month, but it’s probably closer to $5,000 because I do stay in motels,” he said. “I got everything I own in the world right here in this cart except for my diplomas, which my son has. I flew from graduation to his house so he could take me to the coast. So, I am very free. When I finish, maybe I’ll do some research or maybe I’ll do some writing.”
Bassett was on his third pair of HOKAs in Utah, having them mailed to him at certain destinations.
“They last me about 500 miles, and I’m estimating my route will be 3,700 miles. I’ve changed my route at least 20 times based on water, food, places to stay. I don’t set out to see a certain thing or visit a state or national park. If it’s within 20 feet, I’ll go see it. I was going through Twin Falls, Idaho and Shoshone Falls was five miles away and I didn’t see it. I’m not walking five miles out of my way. I have no desire to walk extra steps,” he said, adding the only plans he has are to visit his grandchildren for their birthdays.
Having walked about 10 miles per day for six months leading up to his journey, Bassett is thankful his only ailment so far has been chapped lips.
“I have not had a single blister. I’ve been lucky. I try to wear my sunscreen, but I do get burnt sometimes on my legs and
“I’m having a blast walking across the country. My favorite thing is meeting people and being able to share my journey,” he said. “As a car dealer, I drove and owned a lot of cars. When you drive across the country, you go so fast you don’t see things. Even going down 700 East, I’ve noticed things. I lived here for 20 years and now I’m noticing things I’ve never seen before.” From the coast, Bassett walked to the base of Mt. Hood then onto the remote Warm Springs Reservation.
He has tales of how at first, people looked at him strangely, thinking he was homeless until a friend from St. George mailed him signs, “Walk Across America,” which decorate the front and side of his cart. He is grateful a National Park Service employee, who he once sold trucks to, gave him a National Park Service hat to shade him along with a utility knife to use on the journey.
Bassett’s favorite makeshift campsite thus far was along the Snake River in Idaho, and he said semitruck drivers surprised him, often slowing down to hand him bottles of water.
He remembers the kindness of a 17-year-old boy who literally ran after him across the barren fields somewhere between Malta, Idaho and Snowville, Utah to give him some MREs (meals ready to eat) and water.
“I was amazed someone put that much effort into doing something. The generosity of people is overwhelming and has been this entire journey,” Bassett said, adding he doesn’t accept monetary donations, but water, popsicles and energy bars. “A guy in a dump truck yesterday stopped to give
Former area resident Mike Bassett Sr. is walking across America, pushing a converted jogging stroller with all his worldly belongings. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
me water. We talked for probably 20 minutes. People are curious as to what drives a person to walk across the country. For me, it’s more of my own journey. I’ve lived a different life, traveling to fancy places. Now I’m alongside the road in the dirt with mice.”
After he pushed his cart to Draper, Bassett ventured on toward Provo and then to Duchesne, Utah, where he encountered one-mile of road construction—with no shoulder. Understanding the desire for a continuous walk, the supportive foreman followed him in a truck with his lights flashing, while the road crew cheered and patient motorists waved.
Bassett got caught in another storm— and luckily, took shelter in an unlocked snowplow station. A motorist concerned for his well-being at an 8,020-foot summit called highway patrol; the officer gave him water and checked on him.
Often the encounters turn into people who follow his journey on his Instagram account. There Bassett has answered questions from explaining he wears his rain suit when he does laundry at a motel to how he has a traveling mailbox service that opens his mail, scans and emails them and follows his instructions to shred a document or deposit a check.
Bassett expects somewhere in Kansas will be his halfway point, and he looks forward to the flat plains after climbing Colo-
What’s your legacy?
rado’s Rockies.
“I tattooed my arm when I started with Cape Meares lighthouse. When I finish, I’ll do my other arm with the lighthouse at Hilton Head,” he said. “Dad, Grandpa, student, car guy—those are the labels I’ve choose to put on myself. Now I’d add walker too.” l
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Salt Lake City, UT 84111 (801) 363-5781
Larkin Sunset Gardens 1950 East Dimple Dell Road (10600 S.) • Sandy, UT 84092 (801) 571-2771
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Mike Bassett is walking across America, having started at Oregon’s Cape Meares Lighthouse, which he had tattooed on his arm. (Julie Slama/ City Journals)
Blurred home on Google Maps may act as burglary prevention
By Bailey Chism | bailey.c@thecityjournals.com
Haveyou ever searched your address on Google Maps? If so, you’re probably familiar with the eerie feeling of knowing that other people can find an up-close photograph of your home so quickly. You’re not alone if you’re uncomfortable with having your house on Google Maps. There are home security and safety concerns associated with having images of your home on the platform.
Luckily, there’s a fix for that. Some residents are now “blurring” out their homes in the street-view function on Google Maps.
“I’m aware of the trend, [I] haven’t seen it much here but it will catch on,” said Marvin Barlow, a sergeant with Murray City Police. “Criminals sometimes use online images of a home to look for valuable items worth stealing and any security barriers the home may have.”
Barlow said the photos can help criminals by giving them the possible layout of your home and the locations of security systems.
Burglars or stalkers can quickly check out your home on Google Maps and plot a way inside. Because it offers a thorough look at your house, it’s easy for people to understand the layout of your home and figure out how they’d breach your privacy and enter your home.
installing a security system.
“Do not post your travel plans or real time vacation photos online,” Croyle said. “Real time posting alerts potential thieves that you are not home. Wait till you return to post those beautiful pictures.”
She said if your home is broken into, call 9-1-1 and do not enter the home.
“Do not touch anything or clean up until the police have collected any available evidence,” Croyle said. “Write down any license plates of suspicious vehicles. Note the descriptions of suspicious persons in the area.”
How does the “blurring” function on Google Maps work?
It’s a relatively easy process to complete.
Users can find their property on Google Maps and click on “report a problem” on the upper left corner of the screen. You’ll then need to answer a few questions and submit your request on Google to make the change.
Barlow said blurring your home on Google Maps can also have an adverse effect.
mail/flyers or other deliveries that pile up giving the appearance that no one is home.”
It’s also important to have proper signage on your property, indicating the use of cameras or security systems, or even a guard dog at your home.
“It may raise the suspicions of the criminals, what are they trying to hide,” Barlow said. “In my experience, most burglaries are crimes of opportunity, they look for a weakness such as a garage door that’s been left open, doors/windows that are not locked,
Danielle Croyle, chief of Police for South Salt Lake, said the best ways to prevent your home from being burglarized are to keep all doors and windows locked when leaving the house or going to bed, leave the lights on when you are home, and consider
When you go through the steps to blur your home, make sure you’re absolutely sure you have selected everything you want to blur. Google cautions that once you blur something on street view, it’s blurred permanently. l
Example of a home blurred out on Google Maps. (Photo from Google Maps)
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Viewmont student reads to win $1,000 scholarship
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
This past summer, Viewmont fifth-grader
Jade Marshall had the goal of reading 100 books.
“I usually check out two from the school library and five from the branch near my home every week,” said the Taylorsville resident. “I read graphic novels or novels. I like adventure and action, mystery, informative, and some ghost stories, too.”
Shortly before school was out, Jade tracked her minutes from April 15 to May 15 as part of the Road to Success’s annual my529 Read-a-Thon contest open to kindergarten through sixth-grade students.
“I read something like 6,000 minutes in those 30 days. I read basically an hour or more every night and an hour every morning. I’d get up at six in the morning and read until seven. About then, my mom would yell at me to make my bed and stuff. Then, after school, I’d get home and read—unless I have soccer,” she said.
Those minutes Jade tracked on her watch helped her be the top reader that month at Viewmont Elementary. Her name was put into a pool with other students from Murray School District representing their schools and her name was randomly drawn.
Jade won a $1,000 my529 scholarship earmarked for college or further education’s
tuition and mandatory fees; books; required supplies; or equipment. The my529, Utah’s educational savings plan, is a Utah state agency which helps individuals save for qualified education expenses in a tax-advantaged investment vehicle account.
“I was outside with a couple of my friends playing Four Square when the intercom said something. I didn’t hear it because I was already outside, but then some more friends came outside and they said, you won $1,000. So, I ran inside to hear it. When I ran back outside, I started kind of dancing running around,” she said.
Jade already has plans to attend college. She wants to study at the University of Utah or Brigham Young University to get into the medical field or paleontology.
“I want to help people with their illnesses. I want to be the person, the technician, who talks to the patients and provides all the information for the doctor. Or else, I want to be a paleontologist. I want to use a brush to discover something and then dig it out. I’ve seen them at the Natural History Museum; that’s where I got my inspiration from,” she said.
Jade also wants to earn an athletic scholarship to help pay for school.
“I want to play soccer because I love
soccer, but I also play volleyball and tennis,” said the defensive player on the pitch who also can play goalkeeper.
Jade hasn’t always been a reader.
“I used to watch TV and stuff, but I’m now more into books. I discovered I like reading and I didn’t realize that before,” she said.
The incoming sixth grader gives credit to her school librarian, Emilee Barnett.
“It was in the fall that I started to read more. She told us about the Beanstack app to track our minutes, so we basically got on it every day to put in my minutes and check for anything new. When I saw the my529 contest, I started doing it. She’s been encouraging and she suggested books knowing what I like to read and learn,” Jade said. “Reading for me, it’s kind of just zoning out because I feel as if I’m in a different world or I’m in the character’s shoes. It makes me feel like I’m out of this world and into their world. I find inspiration from reading.” l
Viewmont fifth-grader Jade Marshall wins my529 Read-a-Thon contest to earn a $1,000 scholarship. (Photo courtesy of Jenalee Marshall)
Strong senior class leading Murray boys golf team
By Josh McFadden | j.mcfadden@mycityjournals.com
Any high school coach would agree that having senior leadership on a team is a wonderful luxury. At Murray High School, head boys golf coach Andy Hokanson is grateful for the group of seniors he has at his disposal.
The Spartans boast nine seniors on their squad of 15 players. The experience and leadership have proven valuable for the team. The top players are seniors Easton Toone, Backen Overby and Atticus Rogers. With this trio and the other seniors on the team, it’s no secret what Hokanson is shooting for this season for Murray.
“Our goal is to compete for a region title and make the state tournament,” he said. “We have a great group lead by our seniors. Everyone is welcoming and encouraging.”
The Spartans are in Region 10 alongside Park City, Stansbury, Tooele, Cottonwood, Hillcrest and Jordan. Hokanson said the region will be challenging, especially Park City, the favorite. Hokanson said the Miners “are going to be very good
again this year.”
In addition to the larger goal of winning region and getting the team to state, Hokanson has other objectives that he feels will get the Spartans to where they need to be. If the players develop their game consistently and if the team can have some high-scoring players, Hokanson believes Murray can be a difficult team to beat.
“Our goals are to improve each week,” he said. “We want to have four scores in the 70s each tournament.”
Murray started the season on a positive note, shooting 303 as a team at the opening tournament of the season at Murray Parkway. In the second tournament, Toone shot a 2-under 70 to lead the way.
The Spartans will work toward qualifying for the Class 4A state tournament, which will be held Oct. 16 and 17 at Meadowbrook Golf Course in Taylorsville. l
Riverview Junior High was built in 1960, with additions in 1962, 1965, 1972 and 1992.
Murray School District Superintendent Jennifer Covington said the aged building has outdated wiring, leaky roofs, inadequate ventilation and deteriorating plumbing.
“A new school would prioritize modern safety features and a healthy learning environment,” she said. “Modern schools can also incorporate energy-efficient features like LED lighting, water efficiency, and the possibility of geothermal ground loop systems for heating and cooling.”
Covington added there would be flexible learning spaces for technology integration and collaboration.
Murray High was completed in 2002, with an option for an additional wing when needed. This new wing would allow the incoming ninth graders space to learn as recently the Murray Board of Education approved ninth graders moving from the junior highs to the high schools and sixth graders will move from elementary schools to junior high schools.
With this wing addition, a new front entrance with a secure vestibule will be built for a single-entry point for visitors, which provides additional safety for Murray High.
With construction costs projected to
rise, Covington said delaying construction will only increase the cost to taxpayers.
“Currently, it is approximately $500 per square foot to build a school. Compare that to our last rebuild (Hillcrest Junior High School) in 2012, which cost roughly $180 per square foot to build,” she said.
The bond funding is designed for the school district to sell the bonds for the construction projects and residents pay back a portion of the principal and interest every year through their property taxes until the bond is paid off in full. Typically, general obligation bonds are scheduled to be paid out in 20 years, but the district has refinanced or refunded bonds to get a better rate on outstanding debt, which saves millions of taxpayer dollars, Covington said.
“Based on conservative projections, the property tax on an average home valued at $538,400 in Murray City will increase by about $172 per year. On a business, property taxes will increase by about $313 per year,” she said.
If the bond measure fails, the district will consider other financing options for the Murray High School addition, which will be more expensive to taxpayers and the school district. Riverview students will remain in its existing building, with repairs being made as funds allow, Covington said. l
Local high schoolers are changing lives nail by nail
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
Murray High senior Bridger Kissell was alongside his construction classmates, putting on house wrap on a tiny home, before it will get siding this fall.
The 400-square-foot home sat near a corner of Murray High School, close to the construction lab. With a pause on construction this summer as school isn’t in session, students will resume working on its interior this fall, with plans for it to be completed in time to provide the home to The Other Side Village for its grand opening in October.
Murray High is just one of several schools and technical centers that are constructing these tiny homes, said Camille Winnie, The Other Side Village vice president.
Each home is designed for a single occupant and will have a living/sleeping space, bathroom with a shower, laundry room and a kitchen. Within the village there will be access to social and medical services, a community garden, a chapel, a grocery store and more, she said.
The idea behind The Other Side Village is to create an affordable housing neighborhood with access to services to help people overcome chronic homelessness. Currently in the first phase of 60 homes, the three-phase community will have 400 homes located at 1882 W. Indiana Ave. in Salt Lake City.
“The state has a website that keeps track of all the CTE (career and technical education) programs, and I just started reaching out to them,” she said. “I’ve been able to present at their conferences. Weber Innovations High School was our first high school that came on board; locally, we have CTEC (Canyons School District’s technical educational center), Murray High and Salt Lake Community College building homes.”
Winnie said the goal of students building the homes is two-fold.
“It makes the cost of the homes much more affordable, about half the cost of what it takes to hire a commercial builder to build the homes, and it gives students the opportunity to be part of the solution of homelessness. I’ve gone and visited with many of the students, and I’m able to give them a little more information about the village,” she said.
Winnie said The Other Side Village provides the materials and funding for the tiny homes, which are built on the school’s location under the construction teacher’s supervision. Once completed and it passes inspection, it is transported to storage for the Village.
“Once our subdivision is developed, they can be placed on site and be ready to go,” she said, adding fall is the expected Phase I opening. “We’ve been building these houses for two years and we have several done and are already in storage. We should have several more being completed this year with more to be built after that. We’re getting a constant supply of houses being built, thanks to students.”
Kissell was glad Murray High wanted to be
a part of this project.
“It’s really good to give people second chances so this is good we’re building a home for them,” he said. “Hopefully, it will give a homeless person a chance to change their life and give it another shot. I do a lot of service projects, so if I were to be able to find a job that somehow benefited people, I would definitely be interested in that.”
About 35 Murray High construction students in the spring got the tiny home project underway after they completed their two-year project house that went for sale soon after its completion, said Tom Beck, assistant construction teacher.
“People always ask me, ‘Would you buy a house the kids build?’” he said. “The answer is absolutely. Because if a mistake is made, we have them tear down and build it again to do it right.”
Then, he looks at his team nailing the waterproof wrap to the tiny home.
“Plus, I’d say, the houses get 40% more nails because these guys like to hammer. Seriously, no house built by them is ever going to fall down,” he said with a smile.
Construction teacher Quinn Drury said the design has some nice features for the students to work on.
“I feel like The Other Side has put some upgrades to make it nice for the residents,” he said. “The roofline is cool and solidly built. The walls are two by six so they’re well insulated. The front doors are really nice with glass in
them. They’ve really tried to make these tiny houses homes.”
The timing of the opportunity has worked out for the Spartans. They gain firsthand experience while awaiting permits for their next project house.
“This has been a great project for us. The kids are doing a little bit of everything—framing, electrical, mechanical, plumbing—and it fits into the time we have,” Drury said.
Kissell said with it being a small house, the students work together on one aspect before moving on to the next.
“It’s easier to learn quicker, because we’re all doing the same thing,” he said.
Senior Curtis Sandstrom said he’s appreciated getting more experience.
“I’ve learned a lot from just the couple months we’ve worked on it,” he said. “I knew about framing, but I learned about routing windows. I learned how to fix problems when they come up like if a board is too long or too short, or it’s warped and how to use a board straightener.”
Sandstrom said that experience will give his classmates and himself a hand up when it comes to college and work. After serving a church mission, he would like to earn his construction management degree at Salt Lake Community College on scholarship.
“We’ve been given so many opportunities to learn and with our hands-on knowledge, we can jump into the workforce with an edge or a leg up on everybody else,” he said. “You can
only learn so much from a textbook. But we’re learning skills, little tips and tricks that normally would take years to learn in the field and we’re learning and practicing them every single day.”
Building a home for the homeless also appealed to Sandstrom.
“It’s a wonderful objective. I think a lot of times in this country, the homeless are ignored. A lot of them end up that way because of just the wrong circumstances. This is an opportunity for them to have a fresh start,” he said.
While Kissell also wants to enter the construction field, he has heard Drury talk about the skill set they learn.
“Mr. Drury says not everyone’s going to be a construction worker, but likely, everyone’s going to be a homeowner. So, we’re all going to need these skills. It’s important for everyone to know those skills; that way you can save money doing things around the house instead of hiring out,” he said.
Drury has been impressed with how quickly his students are learning and applying their knowledge.
“They’re becoming quicker with what they’ve learned,” he said. “This has given our kids hands-on experience and they’re giving back to the community, helping those who are struggling. Depending on our time frame, I’d like us to build another house to provide more service to our community.” l
Murray High students work on the tiny home which is expected to be finished and transported to The Other Side Village before the development’s grand opening in October. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Longtime staff member to lead Granite School District
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
There are 86,400 seconds in one day. But somehow, Ben Horsley can fit more into a single day than most people.
That was before he was appointed Granite School District superintendent on July 9. He replaced former Supt. Rich Nye who was named senior education adviser in Gov. Spencer Cox’s administration.
Horsley has worked 15 years with Granite District, including becoming the first chief of staff, serving to Nye the past three years. Previously, he worked under two other superintendents as the District’s director of communications and community outreach; he was responsible for media relations, marketing and community engagement.
Horsley was one of the top candidates in the nationwide superintendent search three years ago. The school board decided to forego a new search to name him to the position.
“In all sincerity, I wasn’t expecting this,” he said shortly after the appointment. “I expected Dr. Nye would be around several years more. I was honored to serve as his chief of staff and learn; he is an amazing educator. The (school) board came to me and expressed they felt that one person who could carry forth the vision Dr. Nye outlined and build on the foundation he had laid was me. They (school board members) asked if I would be willing to do that. After some consideration and conversations back and forth, I agreed. This wasn’t what I was looking for when I came to Granite School District, but I’m happy to be here. I love kids and what we do here.”
He plans to carry forth Granite’s strategic plan.
“Until he (Nye) came in, we had no formal plan or direction. We had initiatives and we had state accountability. We had several things we were trying to jump through, but there was no overarching vision that had been outlined since 2012 when the previous strategic plan was put into place. It was overdue,” Horsley said. “Dr. Nye and I built it and now we need feedback from our teachers and our administrators who are implementing this plan to ensure we’re moving in the right direction in providing quality instruction and improving student outcomes. Every child deserves an opportunity to have a quality education. We have a great foundation, and I’d like to keep that going.”
Granger High Principal Tyler Howe is excited about the direction Granite is heading.
“It’s been student-centered, trying to meet the individual needs of students and Ben is able to carry that shared vision forward,” he said. “He knows Granite. A comment he made in the meeting last week was, ‘I was here for that discussion 15 years ago; I remember how that started.’ There’s some power in having a superintendent who knows the district.”
can make a world of difference. That’s why I’m going to go out and be in our schools for much of my time each day. I’m going to listen to what people have to say.”
Besides, he said, “As chief of staff, a lot of my time entailed spending it in the classroom and oftentimes reading to kids or doing other activities; that’s the reward of the job so I would not want to miss out on that.”
He believes having those relationships and knowing what is needed in schools, along with his extensive knowledge of the District, will position him to be influential on capitol hill.
“I am the one who has to understand all the intricacies of their responsibilities and the impacts of the decisions we make at the District and at the state level on them so I can go appropriately advocate for them,” he said. “The relationships I have in place up there (in the Utah legislature) and the understanding of the process puts me in a distinct advantage in being able to advocate for our students.”
He said “most legislators are working toward the same goal most educators are and that is improving outcomes for kids.”
Howe remembers when he was a new principal and Horsley, then communications director, helped him set up a Twitter account for the school when the platform was launched.
“Ben has been a support to principals all these years. I’ve been in meetings with him and he’s able to prioritize everything to be in a lot of places at once. He has a lot on his plate yet he’s able to manage everything,” he said.
Howe said not only can Horsley manage to do a 48-hour job in 24 hours, but he’s someone he can trust and feels he’s on his level at the same time.
“Ben comes to this position not just as a communications director or someone in the superintendent’s cabinet, but also as a parent who is present for his five kids and cares for all kids,” Howe said.
In true Horsley fashion, he didn’t wait until his term began to work on his goals. Three days before he officially became superintendent, he had met with most of the District’s 120 administrators and principals, getting to know each of them personally, not just talking “shop.”
“I’ve worked with many of them, but I haven’t always talked about them, their families, their vacations, their dogs’ names,” he said. “I’m about relationships. I love to get to know people and understand how they work. This develops our relationships and bonds us in our common goal in providing quality education for our students.”
The Viewmont High graduate who performed in some school plays and ran cross
country also shares about himself.
Horsley is willing to take a pie in the face or do whatever to motivate students’ learning, but he draws the line at jumping out of a plane as he’s “tremendously afraid of heights.”
He loves barbecue and peaches; Abraham Lincoln is one of his favorite historical figures; and he would love to go see U2 in concert.
“When I was in high school, ‘Joshua Tree’ was my very first cassette tape” that Horsley paid for from mowing lawns. “It’s one of my all-time favorite albums,” and said if there was a superintendent playlist, U2 would be included. He also regularly walks his terrier-pug mix, Pablo.
During Horsley’s first 100 days as superintendent, his aim is to improve the culture Districtwide.
“We’ve been working on a few initiatives in how we support our schools,” he said. “Oftentimes, there’s a top-down mentality and we need to collaborate better with our schools.”
Horsley also is seeking a chief of staff who will serve as a key instructional leader for the District.
“The position will change from what I was doing to fill the needs I have,” he said. “At that point, we will have a strong foundation so the next 90 days are about what kind of house do we want to build and what color is it going to be? A lot of that has to do with improving our professional learning communities, giving adequate supports to our administrators and other small things that
His recent conversations focus on student attendance as some skip school and parents can excuse students from school for any reason.
“Chronic absenteeism has grown since the (COVID-19) pandemic. So, how do we honor and respect parental rights, but at the same time, also address parental responsibilities? Part of that has to do with how we address this huge gap in attendance,” he said, saying lawmakers are working with educators to find an answer.
When retired principal Terri Roylance learned about Horsley’s appointment, she knew, “The District is in good hands. As superintendent, he has the opportunity to influence on an even bigger stage. Ben has been right there alongside several superintendents. He knows people. He knows education. He knows the legislature. He knows the District. He can relate to all levels of employees and all levels of kids.”
She remembers Horsley helping make plans from when her school’s baseball team won the state championship on graduation day to tweaking something she’s wrote since “he’s an amazing wordsmith.”
Through her years being an elementary, junior high and high school principal, Horsley, in his calm demeanor, was “right there, answering questions. I’ve called him late at night when I’ve been concerned about something, and he answers his phone or texts an answer immediately. He must live with his phone under his pillow. He’s always been very responsive.”
Horsley intends to communicate with patrons and taxpayers alike.
“I hope those who pay the bill feel they can reach out and know we’re listening,”
Granite School District’s new superintendent, Ben Horsley, standing near a painting of his hero, Abraham Lincoln, is ready to take on the challenge of providing a quality education for 58,000 students. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
he said. “People know I’m good at listening, and they can share questions, concerns and suggestions. That skill set will serve me well advocating for our board’s vision, but at the same time, building collaboration, not just within our District, but within the entire community.”
He said those strong relationships and partnerships will be key in collaborating to support District families.
“Schools have traditionally been community centers, but with school choice, that has become more disparate and challenging. We need to make sure people know their schools are still the center of their communities and they’re a welcome place to come together and support each other,” he said. “At the same time, schools can’t do it alone. We have the highest amount of diversity and many of our students live in poverty. We need to continue engaging with community partners to provide necessary supports to our students and families. We have strong relationships with our city partners, who are supporting and providing resources to those families who are experiencing change, maybe they’re refugees, in poverty, multi-language learners right here within our communities.”
Granite has about 58,000 students. A report five years ago predicted the school district would level out at 55,000 students large-
ly in part to declining birth rates, so Horsley anticipates another dip of 3,000 students even though about “2,000 new multi-language learners come through our doors every year, with about 200 every year who need intensive support to learn the language.”
Horsley said not everyone is aware of the career and technical programs Granite offers, such as its successful CEO program, now in its third year. Through a partnership between the school and the local business community, about 20 students each year gain real-world experience each week by meeting with business owners, tour local companies, and are paired with industry leaders as mentors to learn entrepreneurial skills.
“High school looks different today than it did when I graduated in 1995,” he said. “We have 55-plus career pathways available to students. That includes certifications, undergrad work in a variety of diverse fields from robotics to biomanufacturing. We need to continue to expand those opportunities for our kids.”
GTI program facilitator Erin Paulsen said Horsley was helpful with the creation of the CEO program.
“Ben is a real go-getter,” she said. “He ensures the best results for students and gives them access to opportunities. He gives the time to help students become successful even
with his other administrative duties. He truly cares about the students and their education.”
Horsley said it’s important to identify students’ passions.
“Some students don’t engage in the same way in a traditional experience. So, we say, ‘Let’s help you meet the state requirements for graduation and at the same time, get you a skill and find you something you are interested in,’” he said.
Horsley knows an ongoing challenge with shrinking population means closing schools within the District. Recently, three elementary schools were closed on the east side and realizes when a study along the 31st South corridor on the west side concludes in December, more school closures likely will be recommended.
“We have lost a lot of students because of a variety of factors including loss to charter schools. It’s time to bring those families back into our schools where they’ll be provided and supported with a myriad of individualized educational options and supports for their families,” he said.
That doesn’t include the agreement between Cottonwood High and AMES, Horsley added.
“That’s a great partnership,” he said. “AMES students use a portion of the facility at Cottonwood and that gives our students
access to some of their coursework and their students benefit from Cottonwood’s elective offerings. It’s a unique hybrid. In the same vein, we created (Neil) Armstrong Academy, and we would look at more opportunities like this that provide students with individualized experiences.”
Parent Bruce Walton first met Horsley who was communicating school activities when his oldest son attended Neil Armstrong Academy.
“Ben is a knowledgeable man, who is a great resource for the entire District,” Walton said. “I was at a District-level meeting about the book selection process required by the state legislature. He was clear and concise and provided an understanding of how the District was implementing the process. He was fully versed about the issue. He knows the law, the issues, the people and our District.”
Cottonwood High teacher Adam Wilkins agrees.
“I don’t know anyone in the District who knows the nuts and bolts of the District better than Ben Horsley,” Wilkins said. “He lives and breathes Granite District and always has its best intention in mind. I’m optimistic about the future of our District with him leading the way.” l
Murray cross country team young but determined
By Josh McFadden | j.mcfadden@mycityjournals.com
Cross country may not be a sport for everyone, but those who take part in it can find great satisfaction in both individual and team accomplishments.
The Murray cross country team believes this, and the Spartans are giving it their all on racecourses this fall, regardless of the results.
Head coach Randall Quarez said cross country is unique because individual runners are focused on their own times as well as beating other runners. He also acknowledges that it’s a physically demanding sport, so those who participate have to be prepared for grueling workouts and races.
Murray has a youthful team without a lot of varsity experience. Quarez wants his athletes to gain confidence and work hard to improve each day.
“My expectations for the team this year are self-improvement and increasing the mindset of self-belief,” he said. “We’re a young team mixed with a few returners. Cross country is a tough sport because your competition is other runners and the clock. It’s a difficult and tough and demanding sport; you have to be able to endure pain and sometimes run alone. The team’s goal is to qualify for state either as a team or as many individuals as possible, along with self-improvement and confidence.”
Through Murray has many younger runners, there is no shortage of returning team members either. This gives Quarez a
nice blend of seasoned veterans and newcomers who can build the program for the future. Senior Parker Nelson, Jonas Bonnie and Diego Ramos are three of the team’s top runners. Dallin Rubaclava, a junior, is another athlete to watch for with the Spartans.
“They bring back a lot of experience, and the goal is to have them gel together and push each other to their full potential,” Quarez said of the four runners.
The girls team has a newcomer who has stood out to Quarez. Ali Hansen has been a strong contributor. She is an excellent runner and has other qualities that stand out and bring up the runners on the team.
“[Hansen] brings a lot of experience and leadership,” he said. “We also have a lot of young girls coming and running, which is great. It’s hard to put into words what leadership qualities they bring and how much they mean to the team.”
Murray will run against some quality opponents in Region 10 and across Class 5A. Quarez said the Spartans can achieve their goals if the athletes can create a positive team atmosphere and continue to support one another through all the ups and downs of the season.
“For this year to be a success, I want the kids to form a unique bond and realize that they are the motivation and inspiration for each other and to support each other, and good things will happen,” he said.
Running cross country isn’t easy. The
sport requires dedication, endurance and mental toughness. Some people may not see cross country as an exciting sport, but Quarez said the Murray runners love putting in the work that is required to be successful.
“I think one of their biggest strengths of this team is their dedication and commitment to the sport,” he said. “Cross country is not a glorious and glamorous sport. Most people in schools probably don’t even know what cross country is. It’s a sport that is supported and valued by those that have a connection to it.”
Aside from the talented teams and skilled runners the Spartans will see this season, Quarez thinks other difficult tasks lie ahead the rest of the way. He is urging his athletes to have confidence in themselves and in each other. He wants the runners to see the fruits of their efforts.
“I think we’re going to face the belief in the work that you put in and believing that you belong and believing that we can accomplish things that we put our energy and time into,” he said. “Belief in oneself is probably the biggest challenge we’re going have as a team, but this could also become our greatest strength.”
Murray has several more meets to take part in as it prepares for the state championships. The 4A championship meet will take place Oct. 29 at Sugar House Park. In the early part of the season, Quarez was encouraged by what he saw from the Murray athletes.
“So far this season, I’ve seen some incredible performances,” he said. “Of course, our first couple of meets were before school was in session, so some families had gone on their last vacation or weekend away, which happened to coincide with the meets. Those who have run so far have really improved on time. We have accomplished so many amazing things. As we improve, others will improve. The goal is to continue building that foundation and continue to push each other past their limits until the next limit that we come against and then push past that one the process.”
Coaching at this level can be a rewarding experience, Quarez said.
During his coaching career, Quarez has coached many athletes. He has been through the highs of winning titles and the lows of suffering disappointing seasons. But he said what matters most isn’t wins and losses or how fast the athletes run the races.
“The one thing I enjoy the most about coaching is the relationships and memories you create with these kids,” he said. “I’ve had the opportunity to coach state champions before in my career. I’ve had the opportunity to coach All-Americans at the regional level as well as the national level. I’ve also had the opportunity to see former runners have successful careers in college and some almost make Olympic teams. But it’s the relationships I have with these kids that is one of my greatest accomplishments.” l
After challenging nonregion schedule, Murray girls soccer ready to contend
By Josh McFadden | j.mcfadden@mycityjournals.com
Inhigh school sports, a season can essentially by divided into three parts: nonregion games, region games and the state tournament. The Murray girls soccer team had some rough patches during the first part of the season but has high hopes for the second and third portions of the year.
Murray went 1-3 in nonregion play but quickly rebounded with a pair of victories in its first two Region 10 outings. Murray defeated Tooele 4-2 on Aug. 19, followed by a 3-1 victory over Hillcrest on Aug. 26. Two days after that, the Spartans suffered their first league loss, a 2-1 setback at Stansbury.
The Spartans remain optimistic and have some lofty goals.
“We look to compete for a region title and make a strong playoff run,” head coach James McKenna said.
At Murray, team unity matters. McKenna is working hard to establish an atmosphere where all the girls can succeed and where everyone fulfils an important role. He wants all the players to enjoy playing together.
“Our team culture emphasizes teamwork, mutual support, always giving our best effort, learning from our mistakes, maintaining a positive attitude and most importantly, having fun playing the game,” he said. “Our goals are always aligned with this culture. Regardless of winning or losing, we always reflect on whether we are staying true to our culture and beliefs.”
As McKenna considers who his top players and leaders are, he reflects on not only their production and performance on the field but the way they prepare themselves in training. He also wants players who are committed to making the team better.
On defense, the Spartans have senior captain Bonnie Henderson and senior Amanda Shelton to anchor the group. McKenna said these players have good speed and are skilled at moving the ball up the field to the offense. Meanwhile, senior midfielders Addy Simmons and Elsie DeMann control the field and drive the Murray attack with good ball handling and passing. McKenna said Simmons and DeMann both demon-
strate “quick, agile play.”
Through seven games, Murray had scored 13 goals. Forwards Preslee Stock and Abbi Christensen are players to watch up front. Stock led the team in scoring during this span with four goals.
“[Stock] and [Christensen] will be crucial for scoring goals, using their physical strength to create opportunities in tight spaces,” McKenna said.
At the goalie position, senior Autumn Mead is back. She missed much of last season with an injury. McKenna is happy to have her back in the goal, leading the defense.
With still plenty of more games to go, McKenna knows more challenges lie ahead
for the girls. He said reaching the team’s goals will only be possible if the players learn how to respond to and overcome these challenges. He wants them to stay positive and focused, even when situations are difficult.
“Success this season will depend on our ability to stay resilient, learn from each game and consistently apply our team culture and belief,” said. “Our team is resilient. We’ve already faced challenging games and injuries, and our ability to reset and rebound from tough situations will be key to our success throughout the season.”
This is McKenna’s first season as head coach. He inherited a team that went 12-6 a year ago and finished third in Region 10 with an 8-4 record. It can be hard for players to respond to new coaches and adapt to change. McKenna acknowledges this and is pleased with how well the players who bought into his philosophies and the team’s goals. He has emphasized these points since the day he took over the team.
“One of our biggest challenges is adapting to a new coaching staff with different ideas and expectations,” he said. “We’ve spent a lot of time this summer discussing our playing style, focus areas, and team culture to ensure everyone is on the same page.”
Murray faced some talented foes in nonregion play, so the Spartans’ record may not have indicated how good the team is or how well it would play the rest of the way.
Murray had three consecutive shutout losses to Desert Hills, Copper Hills and East, respectively following a season-opening 5-1 victory over Taylorsville. McKenna believes that demanding schedule should pay dividends as the season progresses.
“Our preseason schedule was tough, and we didn’t get the results we wanted,” he said. “However, we believe that learning from each game and continuing to compete against strong opponents will benefit us as we move into region play.”
The Spartans face their six Region 10 opponents two times each—once at home and once on the road. The final game of the regular season will be Oct. 2 when Murray hosts Park City. The Class 4A state tournament kicks off Oct. 10 with the first round. The first round, second round and quarterfinals are held on the home fields of higher-seeded teams. The semifinals will be at Herriman’s Zions Bank Stadium on Oct. 21, followed by the 4A championship game on Oct. 25 at America First field in Sandy.
In this his first year at Murray, McKenna is impressed with the quality of girls he has on the team.
“We enjoy coaching this group because they are bonding well and learning to work and trust each other,” he said. “As coaches, we love showing up every day, knowing that this group is ready to work hard and improve both on and off the field.” l
The Murray girls soccer team was 3-4 through seven games. The Spartans have an experienced group that is working well together under new coach James McKenna. (Photo courtesy of James McKenna)
Budgeting should be considered an art form. It’s part theater (acting like you can afford groceries), part digital interpretation (online shopping for best prices), part graffiti (throwing mustard at the wall when you receive a surprise doctor’s bill) and all illusion (where did the money go?).
My paycheck stretches like it’s on a taffy-pulling machine, folding over and over itself, almost to the point of transparency. When did the basic costs of living become a luxury?
While grocery shopping, my husband can’t stop comparing prices from 60 years ago. “When I was a young boy,” he said. “I could buy a loaf of bread for a nickel.”
“Were you Oliver Twist?” I asked. He ignored me and walked down the dairy aisle, ranting about the cost of eggs.
At the check stand, several items rang up for more than what was labeled on the shelf. I asked the unenthused cashier, “Did you raise prices while I was in line?”
He shrugged and continued packaging my groceries, smashing bananas, eggs and bread with my magnum of wine. Just kidding. You can’t buy wine at grocery stores in Utah.
Driving to work becomes a nail-biting thriller as I gauge how much gas is left and if it will last until the end of the month. I was filling up my car the other day and the
Kinder Life and Laughter
Show me the money
gas pump showed the person before me had purchased $5 worth of gas. I hope that 1.6 gallons is enough to get him to the bank he needs to rob.
Even my chai tea latte from Starbucks has incrementally increased from $4 to nearly $6. That’s bonkers. I don’t mind paying a bit more so employees make a livable wage, but last year, Starbucks’ net revenue was $30 billion.
Then I learned the new Starbucks CEO was given a $75 million stock award, a $1.6 million salary and a $10 million signing bonus. The only signing bonus I ever received was when I got a free pen for starting a savings account when I was 8.
Corporate profits have hit all-time highs. And those rising prices are never going to drop because then how can the Starbucks CEO afford $1,500 sneakers for his Pomeranian without squeezing the life out of consumers?
My husband said, “Then don’t go to
Starbucks.”
“Shut up,” I replied. Housing costs are outrageous. Going to dinner and a movie requires a home equity line of credit. Tax increases nickel-and-dime us to death. Did you know Utah is one of only a few states that tax social security benefits? Thanks, Utah Legislators!
It’s not like I want to purchase Prada paper clips or Balenciaga bookmarks. I don’t need a Rolls-Royce or a personal library, complete with a rolling ladder and a fireplace. (Okay. I actually need that). I just want to afford a night out, maybe a weekend getaway or an annual massage without sell-
ing blood plasma.
My grandparents grew up during the Depression. Decades later, they still saved drawers full of tin foil and rubber bands in case we ever needed a defense against mind control or had to make emergency bouncy balls. Maybe I can learn from their frugal behaviors.
So, we tighten our belts, pinch pennies, clip coupons and say, “We’re right on budget this month.” The moment those words leave our lips, the garbage disposal explodes, the fence blows over or the basement floods. Budgeting might not be an art form, but it’s definitely a comedy.
