The Davis Journal | March 8, 2024

State Champs!

Education funding, tax cuts and two major league sports combine for successful session

SALT LAKE CITY—The 2024 Legislative Session ended last Friday and a lot happened over those 45-days. From education to water – bills ran the gamut. Some were controversial and met with resistance while others sailed right through. Over all, Senate President J. Stuart Adams thought it was a successful session.

“We funded education one more time,” he said. “We made a 5% increase to the WPU (Weighted Pupil Unit) and funded a record half billion.”

The legislature also made another tax cut this year, he said. “We’ve cut taxes again, again, again and again. It’s the fourth year of tax cuts. We reduced income tax from 4.65 to 4.55. It started out at 4.95 four years ago down to 4.55 this year. These small tax cuts equal the most tax cuts in the history of the state.”

Adams said they also put funding into infrastructure and continued to work on energy. “We’re trying to drive down energy prices. People are feeling that at the pump.”

Utah had the lowest priced electricity in the nation this last year, he said. “That’s because of

Boys volleyball gets underway in a new era

After several years of being part of the club ranks in high schools, boys volleyball has now emerged as a newly-sanctioned sport this spring within the Utah High School Activities Association. And, there’s plenty of buzz around the addition to the spring sports lineup.

“There is such a great excitement around boys volleyball in the state of Utah and it’s great to see it finally making its appearance underneath the high school umbrella,” said Bountiful High boys volleyball coach Sarah Chism.

Viewmont High coach Karl Lippa agreed. “There’s a lot of excitement among the kids for this first year of being sanctioned and they are beyond grateful

DAVIS BEAT PODCAST FEATURES

BHS MENS VOLLEYBALL COACH

The introduction of a new high school sport in Utah – boys volleyball – began this week for Davis County schools.

On our Davis Beat podcast, we interview Bountiful High boys volleyball coach Sarah Chism about what the sport means to so many players, as well as to the schools. She discusses the growth of the sport and where she sees it going in the future.

35. See story inside page 7.

Photo by Roger V. Tuttle

LANDON CHISM, BOUNTIFUL (22) spikes the ball across Davis blockers Kack Bennett (L) and Brigham Garber in the first UHSAA sanctioned Boys Volleyball match. The Redhawks took the win 3 games to 1, March 5, at Home.

Photo by Roger V. Tuttle

SENATE PRESIDENT J. STUART ADAMS believes the combination of things the legislature was able to accomplish brings a better quality of life for Utahns. The 2024 session ended March 1.

Photo by Roger V. Tuttle

Davis County Republican caucuses experienced some bumps on Super Tuesday

By Becky Ginos becky.g@davisjournal.com

BOUNTIFUL—Republican caucuses were held across Davis County Tuesday night for residents to vote in the Republican Presidential Primary Election and to vote for State and County Delegates. However, in some precinct locations there were some hiccups when the registration site was overwhelmed with too much traffic at once.

“Things were going smoothly and we had a good process to move voters through check in,” said Yemi Arunsi, Chair of the Davis County Republican Party. “Sometime during the night the registration website was having difficulty loading. Calls came in and in the moment we made the call to go ‘old school’ with the paper method.”

The format was the way it’s always been done in the past, he said. “We use voter registration and check it with ID. The voter list is the most up to date for Davis County.”

There was a short window of delay and then caucus volunteers jumped right in with paper, said Arunsi. “We had a plan and we executed it. We had a live role play practice last week to see what it would look like if we had a shutdown. I have a military background so we’re

By Braden Nelsen braden.n@mycityjournals.com

always prepared.”

There were some reports that people didn’t get to vote. “Those not registered only got turned away if they were a Democrat or underage,” he said. “They have to turn 18 before the November election. If they were unaffiliated they were not on the list to register but they had the option for a paper document they could fill out and then they could participate in the caucus.”

Arunsi said he wants to get a sense of what happened. “The feedback I got was that things were going well. There’s always going to be a line but anecdotally we heard locations were moving people through.”

Bountiful resident Andrea Edwards said she brought in her 17-year-old daughter but was told she couldn’t vote because the registration date was Feb. 23. “I had looked on the precinct portal and it said you could register the day of. I pushed back then went to the precinct secretary who said she could register. So she (daughter) voted.”

Clearly everyone there needs to know the rules on who can vote or not, said Edwards. “Especially teens. This is their first experience with the democratic system. We need to allow them to exercise their right to vote. We need to double down on education in schools so

Utah Republican Party Preliminary Results as of March 6

Showing 1 to 3 of 3 entries 78.8% of Precincts Reporting

DAVIS COUNTY Donald Trump

Binkley

Total: 12,444

there’s more participation. A lot of kids don’t even know they can vote (at caucus) before they turn 18.”

“It was the Davis County spirit of preparation that put us through,” said

Hill Museum to celebrate Black Military History

HILL AEROSPACE MUSEUM—When thinking about historical figures in Utah, most often what comes to mind are likely images of covered wagons and handcarts, pioneers blazing trails across the West. While this is certainly part of Utah’s history, that’s definitely not the whole picture. There’s a rich diversity that makes up the history of the state, and several institutions are dedicated to bringing that diversity, those stories, and those people to light.

In 1976, a project titled “Peoples of Utah” was assembled, and released by ethnographer Helen Zeese Papanikolas, and cataloged the stories and experiences of Utahns of many backgrounds, including Greek, Native American, Black, Chinese, Japanese, Jewish, Mexican-American, Middle Eastern, and others. This groundbreaking work started 48 years ago continues with the efforts of the Utah Historical Society (UHS), and what they have called, the “Peoples of Utah Revisited” project.

In cooperation with this project, and the UHS, the Hill Aerospace Museum will be hosting a landmark event focused on Black Military History in the state, on March 9. Elisabeth Cropper, Associate Director of Education at the museum shared how events like these are right in line with the mission of the museum, which aims to “inspire and educate people in the community.” For an event like this, there may be no better place.

“This Air Force base,” said Cropper, “is a central part of our story in Northern Utah.” Central is the right word for it, too. Of the thousands and thousands of people that Hill has employed since its early days, many of those who came to work there were minorities. Despite rampant and severe discrimination and segregation in many places across the nation, Hill Air Force Base, said

LEGISLATURE: Continued from pg. 1 the energy policies we put in place. We have one of the best economies in the nation. We’ve been working on energy for a few years. Especially this year.”

When gas prices go up it causes inflation, said Adams. “When inflation increases we see higher interest rates to curb inflation. When higher rates happen it slows the economy.”

Sen. (Scott) Sandall ran legislation to keep using fossil fuel, he said. “It’s a viable option while we move to renewable energy.”

Water was another big issue this ses-

Cropper, was one place where many could find good, steady work for good pay, “They are a part of our story.”

The event aims to expand and “build the information” surrounding these communities of people, many of whom came from out of state to work at Hill and made a home in the Beehive State. The event is open to anyone and everyone interested in learning more about Black Military History in the state, and the opportunities to learn more about this community will be plentiful. Representatives from the Sema Hadithi African American Heritage and Culture Foundation, as well as from the Ogden NAACP, the Project Success Coalition, and others will all be present, with invaluable information for attendees.

While anyone is welcome to attend, people who have materials related to Black Military History in Utah are especially encouraged to attend and bring those

sion. “We’re going to have a water state agent who will work with other states to solve our water problems,” said Adams. “Nevada is working with California on their desalination plants. We’d like to do the same type of things in Utah. We want to work with Idaho and Wyoming and we might look as far as Oregon and Montana and all the surrounding states to solve our water problems.”

Adams said the legislature also worked on affordable housing. “We passed legislation that will allow cities to use RDA funds if they zone developments for affordable housing for first time homeowners.”

Arunsi. “I want to thank all of the volunteers for all of their work. We want inclusion for all and to get people involved. We hope to make this an experience for everyone.” l

materials, be they photos, documents, or anything they are willing to share, and scan. Cropper shared that professionals trained in digital archiving will be on hand to digitize these items, which will become part of the “Peoples of Utah Revisited” project for all to see, and learn from. Scanned items will be returned after they are digitized. “We have a vested interest in people understanding the impact that people make in this community,” Cropper said, and while this may be the first event of its kind at the Hill Museum, Cropper hopes it won’t be the last, “This history is valuable…people take a lot of pride serving in the military.” No registration is required for the event, and more information can be found both on the Hill Aerospace Museum Facebook page, as well as by contacting Elisabeth Cropper herself, at - elisabeth@ aerospaceutah.org. l

The legislature allocated $60 million to homeless housing, he said. “Of that $8 million to $9 million went to Davis County to build a facility on the Layton/ Kaysville border. It’s a Davis Behavioral Health 60-bed facility for those with mental health disabilities.”

Adams said there were two big things that came out of the session as well. “We were able to put into place a process for a National Baseball League and National Hockey League to come to Utah. “It’s exciting everything we did to bring professional sports to Utah. Hockey would be in the downtown area and the power district area for baseball

on North Temple and close to Redwood Road. It’s minutes away from the airport.” It provides for a project area set up to attract teams, he said. “They can use the economic impact they generate from restaurants and businesses in the project area to help build the stadium.”

The combination of everything the legislature did increases the quality of life by bringing sports, cutting taxes, funding infrastructure, government services, education and roads, said Adams. “If you can do all of that together that is the highlight of the session. That’s a major accomplishment.” l

OGDEN ARSENAL employees packing ammunition.

OGDEN ARSENAL AFRICAN American employees working on Hobart welder.

BLAST FROM THE PAST NEWS BRIEFS

1924

Grandma Jenson celebrates ninety-first birthday

Grandma Jenson, mother of C.A. Jenson, for a number of years one of the newspaper staff, and former residents of Bountiful, but now live in Salt Lake City, celebrated her ninety-first birthday anniversary, Wednesday.

Grandma Jenson still gets around pretty well.

Last summer, she made several trips on foot to Liberty Park and back which is about nine blocks from her home.

1934

Five-year-old boy saves home from burning down

If it hadn’t been for the wide-awake little five-year-old boy and the Bountiful City Fire Department, the home of Sarah Arbuckle of Bountiful would have been burned down Tuesday afternoon.

Hal Briggs was playing in the backyard of his home next door when he saw smoke coming from the roof of the house. He immediately ran in and told his neighbor, who was reading. She came out and saw the smoke.

Mrs. Arbuckle wishes to thank the Bountiful Fire Department and also the little hero for their splendid quick work.

1944

Captain Dwight J. Williams is presented three medals

Captain Dwight J. Williams, Army Air Corps flyer now recovering from severe wounds in a hospital at White Sulpher Springs, Va., Monday was announced by the war department to have been awarded three medals for bravery in course of duty and wounds received in action.

Captain Williams, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas E. Williams of Layton, a few months ago visited his family in Davis County, shortly after the birth of a son on October 27 at Salt Lake City.

1954

Bountiful mother writes adventure children’s book

Bountiful seems to be having its

share of “celebrities” lately and now there is another one to add to the list. A book written by Mrs. Lenora Kimball Madsen was recently published under the title of Green-Eye Phantoms.

Mrs. Madsen’s book tells the story of Reddy, Blacky, and Buster and their pals Archie the dog and Andy the cat, who by means of a charm, journey to the moon. When they arrive the Man in the Moon sets them down in his kingdom and their adventures begin.

1964

Centerville plans recreation area

A group appointed by citizens of Centerville met with the city council this week to remind the council of the need for recreational facilities in the city. This group consisted of representatives from the Jaycees, Lions, Western Boys’ Baseball League, and the citizens’ group which had met to assist the city in helping to purchase land for these facilities.

1974

Overpass: who?

People in the area where students must cross Highway 91 and Interstate 15 to get to Woods Cross High School have stressed the need for an overpass to provide a safe passageway.

Davis County School Superintendent Bernett Wrigley met with the county commission to discuss the need and determine what could be done.

1984

Vehicle emission program ready to begin April 1

FARMINGTON – April Fool’s Day may be less than three weeks away, but with that dubious date approaching, so nears the start of the Davis County vehicle inspection and maintenance program.

By force of law, motorists must obtain an inspection from any of about 60 certified inspection stations certifying a “clean bill of health” for their vehicle’s emission standards – at least to an acceptable point depending on car or truck age, excepting diesel vehicles.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

March 11-17

Lego Night: Build a Leprechaun Trap

Monday, March 11, 6:30 p.m., FREE

Kaysville Library, 215 N. Fairfield Road

Simple Treasure Spring

Boutique

March 12-16, $1 Admission

Tues.-Fri. 10 a.m. - 8 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Legacy Events Center, 151 S. 1100 West, Farmington

NSL Senior Lunch Bunch

Wednesday, March 13, 11 a.m.noon, FREE

North Salt Lake City Hall, 10 E. Center Street

Davis Chamber of Commerce: Women in Business Luncheon

Thursday, March 14, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

$25 Chamber members/$35 guests

Roosters, 748 Heritage Park Blvd., Layton

‘Many faiths, One Heart’

The Interfaith Committee of Women is hosting the annual “Many faiths, One Heart” Women of Faith Service Project on March 16.

The committee is made up of women from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Bountiful Community Church, Episcopal Church of the Resurrection and Saint Olaf Catholic Church. Volunteers (8+) are needed to:

• Assemble hygiene kits for the homeless

• Assemble “Spring Break” kits for Woods Cross Teen Center

• Cut and sew wheelchair caddies and adult bibs

• Create “Thank a Nurse” notes

• Tie quilts for refugees, “Wrap the World With Quilts”

• Color a Smile for troops overseas and senior citizens

The project will be held from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Bountiful Community Church, 150 N. 400 East, Bountiful. Light refreshments will be served.

WXPD thanks crossing guards

The Woods Cross Police Department gave a shout out on Facebook last week to all of the crossing guards in the city. “The job they do is not easy and takes a lot of dedication,” the post read. “We are thankful for the work they do in keeping our community’s children safe!”

Suspect traveled from California to meet up with juvenile

A juvenile was discovered in a hotel room in Davis County on Sunday where four adults were present after the victim sent a message to a family member and shared their location.

On Sunday afternoon, Davis Dispatch received a report of a missing juvenile from Davis County, presumed to be a runaway. Family members of the victim reported the juvenile had not been seen since the early morning hours and they had not been able to reach them by cell phone, according to a Davis County Sheriff’s Office release.

Officers responded to the address, a hotel, and found the child who was taken to Primary Children’s Hospital for evaluation.

Austin Davis Arnold, 36, was arrested and charged with enticing a minor, a first-degree felony and sexual abuse of a minor, a class A misdemeanor. Arnold admitted to investigators that he traveled from California to meet up with the victim, the release said. The other three adults were questioned and released.

“Crimes against children continue to occur every single day in the State of Utah and the United States,” the release said. “We remind parents about the dangers of social media and the grooming tactics used by these predators to entice children. Never underestimate the depravity of someone who wants to victimize children. Parents need to remain vigilant in their efforts to educate their children about these dangers. Have an open dialogue with them and provide a safe space so children can report when unknown people contact them.”

Man shot and killed in Bountiful identified

BOUNTIFUL—The man shot and killed in the early morning hours of Feb. 29 in a residential neighborhood in Bountiful has been identified as Uatisone Kelemete of West Bountiful. An investigation is underway to determine what led up to the shooting.

“About 1 a.m. Bountiful Police received reports of shots fired at 1950 S. Bonneview Dr.,” said Bountiful Police Lt. Andrew Smith. “When officers responded they found a 20-year-old male in the roadway with a gunshot wound to the abdomen. He was given medical attention and transported to a local hospital where he passed away from his injuries.”

Smith said they found 18 shell casings at the scene. Detectives have identified a person of interest but have not released their name.

“We’re still putting the pieces of the puzzle together to find out what took place. If anyone has information about this incident we ask that you call our non emergency number, 801-298-6000 and reference case #B24-03652.”

K9 teams participate in Life Flight training

Master Garden Lecture on Your Bounteous Garden

Thursday, March 14, 6:30 p.m., FREE

Centerville City Hall, 250 N. Main Street

Small Stage Series: Chrome Street Quartet

Friday, March 15, 7 p.m., FREE

Abbington Senior Living, 350 S.100 West

Hasenyager Nature Trail Birding Adventure

Saturday, March 16, 10-11 a.m.

Explore the Farmington Bay Wetlands Eccles Wildlife Education Center 1157 S. Waterfowl Way, Farmington

Send event info to peri.k@davisjournal.com for inclusion in the Davis Journal community calendar.

The family members reported that the victim had changed their voicemail which made them believe it was a distress signal due to some conversations they had recently about safety. Investigators with the Davis Child Abduction Response Team responded to assist deputies in the search for the juvenile and around 8:30 p.m. the victim sent the message about their location.

This year’s annual Young Artist Concert, hosted by the West Bountiful City Arts Council, will celebrate the developing talents of young artists. The concert will feature a diverse range of performances and provide a platform for young artists to showcase their hard work and

Intermountain Life Flight provided a unique training opportunity last week to Davis County K9 Officers and their handlers. As part of the training, 16 K9 teams had the opportunity to get comfortable in a helicopter. Teams loaded, unloaded, and took a short but scenic flight around the Sheriff’s Office, according to a DCSO Facebook post.

“DCSO K9 Deputies Loki, Zeke, and Chaos and their handlers did great,” the post said.

dedication.

The concert will take place at the West Bountiful City Hall, located at 550 North 800 West, on Friday, March 15 at 7 p.m.

Come be a part of this special event and experience the joy and excitement of the arts in the community.

It’s more difficult to climb the ladder if you have to borrow it

Sportswriter Rick Reilly once wrote a column about two sixth grade basketball teams. I paraphrased part of it, and it resonated so much among Davis County Little League and public school coaches that I received numerous requests for the full text.

Why am I mentioning it here?

CYCLOPS

BY BRYAN GRAY

Read the end for the answer. But here is a small portion of what Reilly wrote:

The two sixth grade teams – the Titans and the Assault – are traveling to a tournament in South Carolina. The Titans are traveling on a privately-owned chartered 737 jet complete with First Class fare. They will arrive in 50 minutes. Once there, the player will head to a Hyatt or Omni hotel, their travel and rooms courtesy of a father of one of the players. They will meet for dinner, a luxury banquet selected by the team’s trainer-nutritionist.

The Assault won’t arrive by airplane. Some of their players, inner-city kids from the Washington, D.C. area, have never been on one. They pile into one of their coach’s aging Suburban. He hopes they don’t get carsick. He’s still trying to get the smell out of the car from the previous tournament trip. Upon arrival, they will stay in a bargain motel and probably gobble down some Kentucky Fried Chicken. A few times they got to splurge on Chickfil-A, all paid for by one of the coaches, a social worker.

The Titans will also have an entourage to watch the game. One time there were 95 Titan boosters, generally parents, who watched the team practice on a high school court. The Assault players won’t have a cheering crowd. Their parents are far too poor to travel eight hours away, and the team often must chase off adults and teens to get practice time at a local recreation center.

The Titans travel to games three weekends each month. The Assault’s social worker coach can’t afford that kind of money. What he does say about his economically disadvantaged team is this: “When you’re sharing a car for five or

Iguessthey’d started to wonder what was taking me so long.

It was late afternoon in Silverton, Colorado and I still hadn’t returned from a little shopping excursion.

“Little” because it was off-season in the high mountain town and there were only maybe four stores still open, so my husband and daughter didn’t expect it would take me hours to walk the few blocks to the main part of town and find a souvenir.

But I wasn’t just shopping. I was listening.

It started innocently enough. In most cases, the shopkeeper would get the ball rolling with something basic like, “Where are you from?” That was enough to tell me that they were interested and that they had some time. And when I answered, they had a connection or a question or a story of their own related to the place.

Off-season is pretty quiet in Silverton, and I was often the only one in the store at the time, or maybe the only one they’d see for the day, so it wasn’t a problem to chat while I was paying for my polished geode or my hand-made leaf-shaped earrings.

And once the conversation started, it didn’t often stop. For quite some time.

six hours, sleeping in the same bed as your roommate, he’s not your teammate any longer. He’s your brother.”

And what happens on the court? The Titans played the Assault team four times last year. The Assault won all four games!

So why bring this up now? Da-

vis County is not new to “comp teams” which regularly travel to hone the skills of young men and women. There’s nothing wrong with this. The parents pony up the money. One Bountiful woman told me she uses all her money from a second job to pay the travel and fees for her talented son.

But I get ruffled when I hear – and I hear it often – that college players, usually inner-city youth from single-parent families, should bow down and thank the universities for giving them a free education. “They shouldn’t get any of this NIL money,” people say. “It’s college; they should play for free. They should feel lucky.”

The Assault players will probably suit up for college teams too. They will earn millions of dollars in revenue for their institutions, and when they leave school or get injured the colleges will put up a plaque and say, “Thanks, good luck with your life.” Without NIL money, the schools have simply rented a profit maker on the cheap.

The Titans were lucky to have a financial base of support. I doubt the Assault felt so fortunate. Hey, it’s easy to climb up the ladder when you’re two feet away from the roof. It’s more difficult when you have to borrow the ladder – so I have no problem with them getting a payday when their college coach is earning $500,000 (or in the case of Utah’s Kyle Whittingham $4.7 million a year) and telling the players they are lucky to play for him.

Bryan Gray, a longtime Davis County resident, is a former school teacher and has been a columnist for more than 26 years in newspapers along the Wasatch Front.

Maybe it’s the old reporter in me, but I find it irresistible when someone is willing to tell me the story of their life or their hobby or their town. And with just a few stories of my own thrown in here and there to keep the conversation going, I often find out more about local people and history and controversies than I would any other way.

Remember who we are

Life is tough! It always has been, and the good guys don’t always win. So sometimes it may seem that the best we can do is to hold on; to simply survive. But there’s more to life than mere survival. Survival simply means enduring, but enduring well means we have a set of beliefs that guide our lives. I believe that if we want what we have not, we have to do what we do not.

JOHN WATERBURY

I believe that today is not yesterday. In other words, today can be different… if we choose to make it so. I believe that while a lot of things in life will undoubtedly go wrong, today can be different, if we choose to make it so. If everything looks black, we probably have our eyes shut.

I believe that these are extraordinary times!! The toughest times in life are those that force us to stand tall, to redefine who we really are, to take steps to move forward, and to solve our problems regardless of how difficult they may be. And so it is with each of us. Rarely are we able to see ourselves accurately. We often focus on our inabilities or on the pain that occurs as the “chips of life” are chiseled away by our loses and difficult life experiences. In reality, these chips are some of the key components in the refining process. And as they are removed, we eventually discover abilities and key components that make it possible to evolve to higher levels; to accomplish things that we may never have envisioned. We are all in some stage of being prepared to standup and take our place among those who make a difference in life. The problems we encounter and the successes and failures we experience are all part of the discovery and developmental processes that ultimately define our lives. And as this process unfolds, we’re drawn into the lives of others to touch and teach and motivate and love. Interestingly enough, these characteristics of confidence and determination make it possible to step forward and somehow replace our old perceptions of hesitancy and indecisiveness. They make it possible for us to rise above our old feelings of fear, anxiety, and uncertainty. In essence, we become a new creature. Our vision expands

IN THIS TOGETHER

BY LOUISE R. SHAW

Sometimes it’s easier to share things with people you know you’ll never see again – and they you. It’s safer somehow. And still a release.

These conversations are a highlight of any trip, and the top reason to not be in a hurry when you’re souvenir shopping. Or just even when you’re around other people in general.

Our trip to Maui last month was no exception. But the conversations took on a whole new weight as the people we spoke with shared their experiences with the tragic fire in Lahaina last fall.

Everybody had a story and many were anxious to share it.

“Can I show you a photo of what’s left of my house?” asked one young father we met in the parking lot of the condo tower that was to us a vacation stop, but to him, a place to stay until he could figure out how to rebuild his life and his family home.

“It helps me process this to show it,” he said, and as we looked at the cluttered moonscape of ground dotted with blackened sticks that once were 60-foot-tall trees, he told us about trying to escape with his family in his truck but having to abandon it and run for their lives. They made it. Many of their neighbors did not.

“Thank you for being here,” he said, calming our fears that the trip we had planned long before the fire would hurt rather than help. “We need you to be here,” he said. “My friends need to pay their mortgages.”

Like many we spoke with, the woman in the art gallery had lost her job when the fire burned the store where she’d worked. She had only just gotten this new job and

and higher principles that once seemed beyond our reach, somehow become attainable. Where before, our limited vision of ourselves may have been restricted and filled with fear and hesitancy, these healthier characteristics that appeared to be completely out of our reach, now become integrated in our lives. Our new, healthier vision opens up a new array of possibilities and comprehension. This process is not some sort of magical transformation, but is a developmental process that enables us to see ourselves more completely.

And so it is with each of us. Earlier in our development, our vision may have been clouded with fears and confusion. At that time, we may have been unable to see ourselves accurately. In reality, when the “chips” are chiseled away by these painful life experiences, we discover this new insight. And that makes it possible to evolve to higher levels as we grow beyond where we were, and more fully develop possibilities and life management skills for the future. This discovery really does encourage us to evolve into new levels of confidence and insight.

We’re all in some stage of being able to make a difference. The problems we encounter, and the successes we experience are all part of the discovery and developmental processes that ultimately define our lives. What are we being prepared for? Heaven only knows. To clarify, we are not only what has happened in the past with its pain, mistakes and devastation, and we are not alone by any means in this journey.

So, keep your eyes open. The best is yet to come.

John Waterbury is a retired Clinical Mental Health Counselor who has lived in Utah since 1984 when he moved to Bountiful with his wife and four children. Since then, he has written a weekly column for several years for the Davis County Clipper titled “The Dear John Letters” which was also used throughout the intermountain West focusing on addiction and mental health problems. This new column will focus on mental health and life management issues.

was grateful.

The man selling shirts at the outdoor market had a friend who’d gone back toward the fire to help others trapped in a building. He didn’t return.

The woman at the canoe rental said she’d just been allowed in to see where her house had been. It was the first time in five months they could have access, but her husband didn’t want to go. She’d hoped to be able to find something in the ashes, but the ashes were 10 inches deep.

Not everyone can talk about their losses. Not everyone wants to share. But when they do, our only job is to listen.

There are few things as rewarding or as interesting or as meaningful as listening. Because when you listen, you learn and maybe you start to understand. And maybe even you feel.

Louise R. Shaw is a writer and photographer whose work was featured at the Lamplight Gallery. She is an avid traveler and currently lives with her husband in St. George.

INTERN

Legislative interns work behind the scenes to keep the process running smoothly

By Becky Ginos becky.g@davisjournal.com

SALT LAKE CITY—Lawmakers have been on the Hill passing bills and balancing the budget this session but behind the scenes there’s a small army of interns who help keep things running smoothly. Although they’ve been working long hours over the last 45 days, two interns, Cutler Hollist and Lindley Richards said it’s been a great experience – but they’re also looking forward to a little rest.

“I leave at 5 a.m. and take FrontRunner from Provo,” said Hollist, who interned with Rep. Ray Ward, R-Bountiful. “I get home by about six or seven. My wife has supported me through it all.”

The hours can be hard and unpredictable, said Richards, who interned for Rep. Karen Peterson. R-Clinton. “I was leaving at 4:30 a.m. from Provo and getting home about 8 p.m. I’m back home staying with my family for now so it’s better now that I’m closer.”

Hollist is a student at Utah Valley University and Richards is attending BYU. This is Richards’ first year of college and Hollist’s last. Both are considering going into law after graduation.

“I felt like it would be a great opportunity,” said Hollist. “I’m 28 so I’m a bit older than most of the interns. I had to go through several interviews before I was selected. The people I interviewed with said it was an easy decision to place me with Rep. Ward.”

Richards just graduated from Fremont High School last May. “I’ve always been interested in government and public policy,” she said. “I was the Sterling Scholar for social science. I saw a poster at BYU and the deadline was in two days. I hurried and applied and I was lucky enough to get a spot.”

“Rep. Ward doesn’t have me do lots of writing,” said Hollist. “He has me contact constituents and sort through emails from constituents and those who are not. I help him with an email list so he can contact his constituents during and after the session. He really likes to respond personally.”

Hollist said he is also a facilitator for conversations with people. “If they’re on the Hill and want to meet with him, etc. I put that on his schedule. The main thing I do is bill tracking. Not really his bills because he knows where they are at. I follow bills on the reading calendars that he needs to review before they’re on the floor.”

If House bills are in the third reading Hollist said he tracks those along with any Senate bills coming through. “I also look at ones with money associated with it and any concerns from other legislators or interest groups, which ones other representatives are in favor of and those who are opposed.”

Interns are the staff, Richards said. “Anything that needs to be done, we do it. I do scheduling and bill tracking. I keep an eye on when she (Peterson) has to present at committee and other bills as they come through. I’m always listening to see what gaps need to be filled.”

Richards said if a constituent texts at the Capitol she forwards those to her and sets up a time for her to speak to them in person. “She responds personally to

emails. That takes a lot of time and energy.”

Before her internship Richards said she didn’t see the importance of collaboration. “When a bill is opened it has a far reaching impact. I also didn't see the importance of standing committees. That’s where you learn what’s going on and the public can comment.”

Both said they’ll miss the other interns. “I’ve built some amazing relationships,” said Hollist.

“It’s been great getting to know the other interns,” said Richards. “It really is a community.”

They would also encourage others to do it. “If you’re thinking about interning I would recommend this,” said Richards. “It’s just such a learning process. There are so many skills you pick up.”

“There’s a lot of good people up here trying to do good things,” said Hollist. “I’ve loved being a part of the process. It’s been exhausting but it teaches you so much. Not just about a career but it teaches you about yourself. It will guide your life for a long time.” l

Top spellers to compete at the Greater Northern Utah Spelling Bee

By Peri Kinder peri.k@thecityjournals.com

More than 100 schools will be represented at the Greater Northern Utah Spelling Bee on Saturday, March 23 at 9 a.m. at Wasatch Jr. High in Millcreek (3750 S. 3100 East). Sponsored by the City Journals community newspapers, the winner of the event will travel to Washington, D.C. to compete at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in May. Each school can send up to two spelling representatives to compete at the Utah bee. Students will complete a written test before the competition and everyone will have the chance to spell one word on the stage. After the first round, the top spellers will be announced and they will compete for the

state championship.

“The spelling bee is a foundation of the building blocks of education,” said Elizabeth Sweat, people leader at The City Journals. “It teaches children the importance of hard work, language skills and aiming for the best. It helps them become strong thinkers, ready to create a better tomorrow.”

The City Journals has hosted the regional spelling bee since 2014 and pays for the trip to Washington, D.C. for the winner and one parent. This year, Planet Tooth Pediatric Dentistry in West Valley will provide funds to ensure a second speller can also attend the national bee.

Last year’s winner, Surya Kapu, competed at the national event, finishing tied for third place. It was the third time the South Jordan resident had competed

at that level. Surya won the regional bee four times but didn’t attend the Scripps event one year because of COVID. This year, he is too old to compete, so there will be a new champion crowned.

City Journals publisher Bryan Scott is adamant about hosting the event each year and giving students the opportunity to shine.

“To me, children are synonymous with our future and our community,” Scott said. “Any time we get to celebrate a child is awesome. For some of these spellers, this may be the only time in their life where they are on a stage. Those few moments make all the difference.”

To support the regional spelling bee and competitors, donate with the QR code. Help send the champion to Washington, D.C. to complete at the national level. l

LINDLEY RICHARDS interned for Rep. Karen Peterson. She graduated from Fremont High School last May and she’s now a student at BYU.

Photos by Becky Ginos

CUTLER HOLLIST tracks bills for Rep. Ray Ward during the legislative session. Hollist is in his last year at Utah Valley University.

By Becky Ginos

DAVIS COUNTY—It’s been 10 years since Davis County started running secure, vote-by-mail elections and the County Commission marked the milestone with a “Resolution of a Proclamation Celebrating 10 Years of Vote by Mail in Davis County” at Tuesday’s meeting.

“We need to recognize and understand how we got to where we are today,” said County Clerk Brian McKenzie. “It wasn’t something that we just woke up one morning and said, ‘Hey, let’s try this new type of voting and see what happens.’ There was a lot of work that went in, not just in

our county but in the state of Utah.”

Pre 2000 in the state of Utah, you had to have an excuse for voting by mail, he said. “That included our military voters, our missionaries and all sorts of others with disabilities. Those were the voters who could request that voting method. They had to have a reason.”

It was in 2004 that the state kind of transitioned to allow a person to just sign up with no excuse, said McKenzie. “What we did see as well was the state allowed for rural elections conducted by mailbox. You could have small jurisdictions of 500 or less and you could allow people to vote by mail that way.”

Then in 2012, some things started changing, he said. “First of all, Duchesne

County voted all by mail. They were small enough that they could do that. But the other thing we saw that was really exciting, is we saw both major political parties in the state of Utah really advocate for and push and encourage people to sign up and vote by mail.”

McKenzie said something interesting they saw between the 2010 general election and the 2012 election was the significant increase in participation going up, 1.68% of the voters voted by mail. In 2012 it was 10.34%. So quite a bit of a jump from the efforts of political parties.”

In 2014, Davis County Clerk Steve Rawlings announced that the primary election would be vote-by-mail, he said. “There were a couple of reasons he did that. One is because of increased participation and interest and we were considering replacing our voting equipment. It was a possible option for us that would be less expensive to purchase the supporting infrastructure to conduct those kinds of elections.”

Also, Rawlings wanted to see if it would be a viable option to increase en-

gagement, said McKenzie. “We were very pleased with the results we saw there. In 2015 it was offered to our cities. In our election by mail, half of our cities chose to do that and had a great experience. The other half, many of them wished that they had voted by mail because of the desire for their citizens to engage in the election process through this method.”

In 2020 there was some significant movement across the nation to adopt it, he said. “Utah was in a position where almost every single one of our counties were already conducting a vote-by-mail. It is primarily vital that we also have our voting centers and early voting locations available. We have 15 voting centers in Davis County that are open on election days.”

McKenzie concluded by reading the resolution that read in part, “Whereas Davis County has found that providing multiple methods for citizens to participate in elections has resulted in greater engagement in elections…therefore, we as Davis County government do hereby commemorate 10 years of voting by mail.” l

COUNTY CLERK’S OFFICE STAFF CELEBRATE at Tuesday’s commission meeting after commissioners approve a Resolution of a Proclamation Celebrating 10 Years of Vote by Mail in Davis County.

Photo by Becky Ginos

Bountiful girls basketball defends 5A state title in dominating fashion

By Catherine Garrett c.garrett@mycityjournals.com

In last year’s 5A state girls basketball game, the Bountiful High squad battled Springville to the very end before freshman guard Milika Satuala scored the eventual game-winning layup with 16 seconds left on the clock. This year’s state title game was the complete opposite where the result was never in doubt. From the opening tip March 1, the Redhawks dominated Wasatch – outscoring the Wasps 17-0 in the first quarter – in a 62-35 win to stay on top of the 5A ranks for the second year in a row, bringing home its fourth girls basketball championship in school history.

“To be able to go back-to-back, it’s a dream,” said head coach Joel Burton. “As we started the year, as coaches, we sat down and we felt like we could put together a team that would be pretty darn competitive and give us a chance.”

Bountiful was up 29-7 at half after holding Wasatch to 5 percent shooting through the first 16 minutes of play. “We didn’t have much to address at halftime, so we just talked about how we needed to keep going as we couldn’t afford to let down,” Burton said. “We knew that all it was going to take is a few minutes of us letting down and all of a sudden it’s a different game. The message was to keep going.”

The Redhawks were led by 5A tournament Most Valuable Player junior forward Taylor Harvey with 24 points, eight rebounds, six blocks, four

steals and three assists while Satuala, who was named to the All-Tournament Team, added 19 points and eight rebounds.

“We are very blessed to have two of the very best players in the state,” Burton said. “Taylor and Milika have carried a huge load all year. There’s been games we’ve had hardly a point from anyone else ‘cause those two had to carry such a huge chunk at times ‘til our kids started to grow up.”

Also coming up big in the championship game was junior center Mae Johnson who limited the Wasps’ leading scorer Ashley Garner to just nine points, half of her usual average, while also scoring 10 points and grabbing eight rebounds. Johnson was also named to the All-Tournament squad. “Mae doesn’t get enough credit,” Burton said. “She leads us in rebounds most games and she gives everything she has on the defensive end.”

“We start practice every day with defensive stuff so we came into the championship with a good game plan of how to shut them down and we were good at it,” Burton said of his squad who held the Wasps to 17 percent shooting and forced 19 turnovers. “With several minutes left in the fourth quarter, my assistant Tony Harvey told me to just come and sit down and enjoy the moment. It was really special to have some good talks and just be laughing with the kids, especially knowing the battles we had where we just had to keep plugging away to find a way to get it done.”

Bountiful’s 5A championship run as the top seed began with a 67-54 win

over Viewmont Feb. 22 in the second round followed by a 62-30 victory against Brighton in the quarterfinals Feb. 24. A 61-53 win over Box Elder Feb. 27 in the semis set up the Redhawks/Wasps showdown for the trophy.

Harvey and Satuala combined for 36 points a game this season while they, along with Johnson, all recorded seven rebounds a game for the 24-3 Bountiful squad. Sophomore guard Adelaide Stevenson averaged three assists per game as well – including six in the state title game – along with her seven points a game with another key

piece for the Redhawks this year in junior point guard Isabeau Hoff, who was inserted into the starting lineup during region play. “Isabeau doesn’t get a lot of publicity, but she really stepped up to the plate and did a lot of good things for us,” Burton said.

Freshman guard Maleah Nelson also added six points a game on the year to help Bountiful offensively. Also on the BHS team that finished the season winning its final 20 games were senior Sila Tuakoi; juniors Anna

MAE JOHNSON, BOUNTIFUL (WHITE JERSEY) goes strong to the basket pursued by Wasatch’s Ashley Garner.

Photos by Roger V. Tuttle

TAYLOR HARVEY cuts off a piece of the net after defeating No. 2 Seeded Wasatch 62 -35 for the State 5A Championship at the Huntsman Canter, Friday, March 1.

MILIKA SATUALA, BOUNTIFUL (WHITE JERSEY) puts on some defensive heat against Wasatch’s F. Liava’a (23) helping to keep the Wasps without a sting and scoreless in the 1st Quarter.

“My staff has been unreal,” Burton said. “They’re the best staff in the state and they’re fun to work with. We could be having a pretty miserable day with everything going on around us and we would come into practice feeling light, having fun and progressing. It was actually a stress relief to go to practice as our whole team just loved each other and supported each other.” l

Larson and Abby Orme; sophomores Adeline Amisone, Olivia Brizendine, Caroline Cannon, Brook Dodge, Charlotte Johnson, Abrielle Kattelman, Quincy Miller, Aimee Moore and Raquel Schiess; and freshmen Brynna Castleton, Mia Loya, Carlie Neilsen and Faith Nixon.

Burton was assisted on the coaching staff this season by Tony Harvey,

Kendal Ludwig and Mary Jolly.

STATE: Continued from pg. 7

THE BOUNTIFUL HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL team poses for a photo after winning the State 5A Girls Basketball Championship against Wasatch High School at the Huntsman Center Friday, March 1, 2024. The Redhawks won 62 – 35. See story inside.

Photo by Roger V. Tuttle

THE WARM EMBRACE OF VICTORY: Milika Satuala holds the first-place trophy and gets a hug from her dad, Ului after beating Wasatch 62 – 35 at the State 5A Girls Basketball at the Huntsman Center Friday March 1.

POINT PRAYER: Wasatch students gesture in prayer for their team to score just one point after the first Quarter ended 17 – 0 and the Wasps were 0 for 12 shooting with 5 turnovers.

TAYLOR HARVEY, BOUNTIFUL (10), blocks the shot of Wasatch’s Ashley Garner (32). Harvey’s 4 steals and 6 blocks kept the Wasps without a sting with no score on the board at the end of the 1st Quarter. Harvey also led the team with 24 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists.

Photos by Roger V. Tuttle

ADELAIDE STEVENSON, BOUNTIFUL (4) keeps her eye on the ball as Wasatch’s Filifaiesea Liava’a has her hopes thwarted driving to the basket.

VOLLEYBALL: Continued from pg. 1 for the opportunity.”

Things got under way in the area with Davis and Bountiful facing off March 5 and Woods Cross competing against Park City.

The Redhawks beat the Darts 25-15, 25-20, 22-25, 25-17. In the loss, Davis’ Chase Valentine recorded a double-double of 10 kills and 15 digs.

The Wildcats varsity team lost to the Miners 27-29, 25-14, 24-26, 25-20, 159. “It was a battle and one of the longest matches I have ever coached,” said WXHS head coach Josey Hilton. There were a lot of good things happening and the future of Woods Cross boys volleyball looks very bright.” Hilton highlighted outside hitter Khang Tran for his aggressiveness and leadership on the court. “He was also instrumental in rallying the JV and varsity in cheering for our sophomore team, bringing tons of energy into the gym.”

In the JV match between Woods Cross and Park City, the Wildcats lost 25-

13, 25-5, 10-15, 15-10. “There was a lot of learning and trying different rotations,” Hilton said, particularly noting Lockwood Smoot’s contributions. “Lockwood is a natural leader and always full of positivity. He is always looking for ways to improve in whatever activity he is participating in at the time and ways to help where he can. We are super thankful to have him on our team.”

The sophomore match between WXHS and PCHS went to five set with Woods Cross winning 25-16, 15-25, 1511, 16-17, 15-11. “It was super fun and super intense with loads of learning,” said Hilton. “Weston Nelson played a vital role, doing a great job at guarding the net. He was also strategic on his attack placement and delivered the most points tonight. We are so excited to witness his growth as the season continues!”

“There is general curiosity and intrigue and I think anyone who attends will find the games to be very athletic, fast-paced and exciting to watch!” said Chism.l

MASON ALLEN, BOUNTIFUL (7) “dinks” the ball past Davis’ Chase Valentine (9) and Brigham Garber (22).

Photo by Roger V. Tuttle

ANNA LARSON, BOUNTIFUL (32) shuts the lid on Wasatch’s Dani Garner as the Redhawk defense closed out the game.

MAE JOHNSON, BOUNTIFUL (WHITE JERSEY) heads to the basket splitting two Wasatch defenders Anna Greenwell (20) and Mahala Speredon (34). Johnson tied two other teammates with 8 rebounds and 10 points and a blocked shot.

MILIKA SATUALA, BOUNTIFUL (WHITE JERSEY) tangles with Wasatch players going for the rebound. Satuala tied two teammates with 8 rebounds and dropped in 19 points in the Redhawk’s victory over the Wasps.

TAYLOR HARVEY, BOUNTIFUL (WHITE JERSEY), pressures Wasatch’s Ashley Garner for the ball.

SILA TU’AKOI cuts a piece of the net after the big win.

THOSE SEEKING PLAYERS, or those seeking teachers are both in luck at SaltCon.

Photos by

Braden Nelsen

Champions and newcomers alike enjoy SaltCon Spring

By Braden Nelsen braden.n@mycityjournals.com

LAYTON—Many events may claim that they have a little something for everyone, but few can make that claim more accurately than SaltCon: the board game convention held three times throughout the year at the Davis Conference Center.

The term “board game” may conjure up images of things like “Monopoly” or “Sorry,” and while those may be on the shelves of the game exchange at SaltCon, there’s so much more to it than that. Started by passionate tabletop gamers in 2009, SaltCon has grown to be one of the biggest conventions of its kind in the area, with thousands of people attending regularly, and tickets selling out for each event.

But what exactly is SaltCon? It’s a celebration of all things to do with tabletop gaming. Wandering around the convention, newcomers will see thou-

sands of enthusiastic individuals buying, selling, trading, and playing games of all kinds. In one room, for example, tables lined the hall, with players of all levels, and that’s not just hyperbole: Within that same room, there were national and internationally ranked players, as well as people who were just getting into the hobby.

That may be what sets SaltCon apart as well. New players who want to get into the hobby and community are able to grab a “Teacher Wanted” sign from the desk, sit down at a table with a game, and learn the rules with an experienced hand. Those with experience who just want to play a game can grab a “Players wanted” sign, and wait for people to come to them. It really is an event for all levels. Where do all the games come from though?

Some attendees bring their own, some buy or trade for new games, but for the rest, there’s the SaltCon library. Boasting a catalog of over 2,000 different games, all well organized, attendees

Serving Families Since 1885

LARKIN MORTUARY HONORS FAMILY PIONEER HERITAGE

Larkin Mortuary is one of the most respected funeral homes in the Salt Lake Valley. Its pioneer founder, George William Larkin, arrived in Utah in 1863, having emigrated from Cambridge, England. He started the Larkin tradition of arranging funerals in 1885.

Today, with seven generations of history serving Utah families, four mortuaries, cremation facilities and two cemeteries, Larkin Mortuary remains locally family owned and managed.

Larkin’s vertically integrated services also provide a premier floral shop, monument, urn and vault manufacturing facilities, along with beautiful memorial meeting and luncheon facilities. Multilingual staff honor and facilitate important traditions of many cultures.

LOCAL FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED

Larkin Mortuary - Downtown 260 East South Temple Salt Lake City, UT 84111 (801) 363-5781

Larkin Sunset Gardens 1950 East Dimple Dell Road (10600 S) Sandy, UT 84092 (801) 571-2771

Larkin Sunset Lawn 2350 East 1300 South Salt Lake City, UT 84108 (801) 582-1582

Larkin Mortuary - Riverton 3688 West 12600 South Riverton, UT 84065 (801) 254-4850 LarkinMortuary.com

can go in as soon as the library opens, and rent a game for the entire day. It makes trying out new games, or old favorites much more accessible, and, should the game prove to be one that the player wants to add to their personal collection, there are some amazing options.

Take the “Math Trade” for instance. Using a complex, behind-the-scenes system, “Math Trade” allows for the thousands of participants in attendance to bring and submit their unwanted games in order to exchange them with other participants’ unwanted games. It’s a system that satisfies everyone and isn’t based on market value, but rather supply – what each person is looking for. Of course, for those looking for a more traditional market, the Game Swap room satisfies that niche.

There are role-playing games ranging from Dungeons and Dragons to “Star Wars,” an escape room, and even an immersive “Star Trek”-esque experience where participants can take on the role of a crew member of a starship with mon-

itors, lights, and sounds. There’s even a quiet gaming room for those who may be overstimulated or just want a reprieve from the action of the convention.

Dale Gifford, one of the original organizers of SaltCon said, “Our whole goal is a family-friendly environment,” and an experience that “You can’t get at your local game night.” SaltCon definitely checks both those boxes. The environment is welcoming to anyone and everyone, and whether attendees go with a group or by themselves, they’re bound to make new friends, and have a blast trying out new games of all kinds.

The next convention will be June 7-9, 2024 at the Davis Conference Center, and will feature much of what was offered this spring. However, for those looking for the full experience, their biggest event is traditionally the Spring SaltCon, and will be returning next year. A full list of experiences and offerings can be found at saltcon.com.

THOUSANDS OF ATTENDEES pack the hall at SaltCon Spring.

Feed Utah food drive set to collect donations on March 16

By Tom Haraldsen t.haraldsen@mycityjournals.com

There are an estimated 317,000 Utahns who face hunger on a daily basis. Many families have been affected by inflation, the high costs of housing, or even periods of unemployment. Now residents of Davis County can lend a helping hand in efforts to provide food for those in need.

Feed Utah is the statewide food drive coordinated by the Utah Food Bank and local pantries like the Bountiful Food Pantry. On Saturday, March 16, volunteers from the BFP and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be going door-to-door to pick up food, then bring those donations to various dropoff locations in the county. From there, it will be delivered to the Bountiful pantry.

“Many residents will receive door hangers this week with information about the drive,” said Rebekah Anderson, executive director of the Bountiful Food Pantry. “Residents are asked to place non-perishable food items in the bags that came attached to the fliers, then place them on their front porches by 9 a.m. on the 16th. Our volunteers will then collect those donations.”

In Davis County, the drop-off locations are:

Bountiful: 480 East 150 North (Bountiful Food Pantry)

Farmington: 347 South 200 West (LDS Church)

Centerville: 1125 North 400 West (LDS Church)

Woods Cross: 600 West 2200 South

(Woods Cross High School)

“This is our largest food collection event of the year,” Anderson said.

“Last year we were able to collect over 157,000 pounds of food, and our goal is to exceed that this year.”

The BFP has been providing supplemental food to low-income families in Davis County for more than 45 years. Its 7,500 square foot warehouse distributes more than 2 million pounds of food – equivalent to 1.7 million meals – each year.

“Without a charge, we served 17,811 households, representing 64,216 individuals, between our market and mobile pantries in 2023,” she said. “That was an increase of more than 75 percent from the previous year.”

Anderson recently did a segment on our Davis Beat podcast talking about the need for food from the pantry. She praised the work of her more than 250 volunteers who help sort, stock and distribute food each week.

She also pointed out that the pantry can accept food that is past its “best used by” date because most canned food items have a longer shelf life than the dates printed by manufacturers.

“We don’t have a problem getting so-called expired food at the pantry,” she said.

Those who wish to donate for the drive can also bring their food to one of the drop-off locations, or to the pantry. Volunteers will be at the site on the morning of the 16th.

For more information, visit https:// bountifulfoodpantry.org. l

Ninth graders dissect sheep brains to learn more about the mysteries of the mind

By Becky Ginos becky.g@davisjournal.com

LAYTON—Kids at Central Davis Junior High definitely have something on the brain – sheep brain that is. As part of an introduction to psychology course, students had hands-on experience dissecting a sheep brain to see the connections between the animal’s brain and human biology and physiology.

“It’s the first course in the district in a junior high setting,” said psychology teacher Patrick Ferlin. “We’re focusing on anatomy and physiology of the brain month and looking at what the structures and functions do and if you were to cut out a part how it would affect you.”

With the sheep brain, students can see and feel the parts of it, he said. “Sheep brains are very similar to human’s. They can see the differences between us. There are parts of the brain like the frontal lobe that are bigger. It deals with complex thinking. That’s why studying it is so important.”

Psychology focuses on behavior in humans and animals, said Ferlin. “Anatomy can affect your job or the ability to do things.”

Ferlin referenced Phineas Gage, a railroad worker in the 1800s who survived an accident where a large iron rod was driven completely through his head. “It went through his frontal lobe and there was a massive change in his behavior. Parts of the brain affect behavior in social aspects.”

The class just barely started up in January, he said. “We wanted to expand the

psych department and my background is in neuroscience and we did research on bees and manipulated their DNA. We did dissection there. It’s the one thing that really cements everything in.”

Some kids were nervous and grossed out to dissect the brains, said Ferlin. “I told them I wanted them to at least try. After they made the first cut, they started to go ‘wow this is amazing. Why haven’t we done this already?’”

Austin Coburn is a ninth-grader at Central Davis and he’s in Ferlin’s class. “It was a little bit gross but I thought it was pretty cool,” he said. “It was interesting to see the different parts. Some regions are bigger or smaller and they affect psychology.”

The frontal lobe controls personality and emotions, said Coburn. “They’re similar to ours.”

Coburn said the class also did a brain project. “We were supposed to create a brain. We had different options like drawing, etc. I made mine out of rice Krispies and labeled the parts. It’s a pretty fun class.”

The class is only offered in ninth grade, said Ferlin. “It’s been a huge hit. All of the eight graders are excited to take it.”

Ferlin said he hopes this exercise will inspire students to pursue careers in neuroscience and psychology so everyone can learn more about the mind.

“We absolutely don’t understand the human brain and its complexity,” he said. “It’s ever evolving and we are decades behind other forms of medical technology and research.” l

STUDENTS IN PATRICK FERLIN’S introduction to psychology class at Central Davis Junior High dissect a sheep brain. The hands-on experience helps kids see the connections to the human brain.

Photo courtesy of DSD

THE BOUNTIFUL FOOD PANTRY is participating in the Feed Utah food drive on March 16.

Photo by Roger Tuttle

Photo by Roger V. Tuttle

Date

forever barred.

Written claims may be:

• Delivered or mailed to the Personal Representative at the address above; or

• Filed with the Clerk of the Second District Court, 800 West State Street, Farmington, Utah 84025 in Davis County.

Date of first publication March 1, 2024

/s/ Julie B. Randle

Publishing: 3/1/2024, 3/8/2024, 3/15/2024

NOTICE TO CREDITORS UPON DEATH OF GRANTOR

Re: Katharine W. Lamb, Deceased Grantor of the Katharine W. Lamb Revocable Trust, dated September 21 st , 1992, as amended and restated.

Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., whose address is Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Attn: Jennifer Georg, P.O. Box 41629, Austin, Texas 78704, is the trustee of the above-entitled trust. All persons having claims against the trust are hereby required to present their written claims to the trustee at the address above within three months after the date of the first publication of this notice, or their claims will be forever barred.

/s/ Wells Fargo Bank, Trustee

Attn Jennifer Georg PO Box 41629

Austin, Texas 78704

Tel. 737-218-5067

Publishing: 2/23/2024, 3/1/2024, 3/8/2024

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice to Alonzo Hennington: You are hereby summoned and required to answer the Complaint entitled WDG Syracuse, LLC v. Hopkins, on file with the Second Judicial District Court, Davis County, State of Utah, within thirty (30) days after service of this Summons upon you. The Complaint has been filed by WDG Syracuse, LLC (“Plaintiff”) regarding a certain tract of land identified as parcel #120350124, which is situated at 368 S. 2000 W. Syracuse, Utah 84075 (the “Property”). Plaintiff requests relief in the form of a decree that the special warranty deeds entered on November 14, 2022, transferring the Property to one Brooke Hopkins and then to you are null and void and must be removed from the Property. Plaintiff further seeks damages against you arising from your alleged attempt to fraudulently transfer title to the Property into your own name. Additionally, Plaintiff seeks a decree quieting title to the Property in the name of Plaintiff, and adjudging that Plaintiff is entitled to uncontested