SOUTH JORDAN STATE OF THE CITY: ‘EXCITING AND TRANSFORMATIVE TIME’
By Tom Haraldsen | t.haraldsen@mycityjournals.com
When Dawn Ramsey became mayor of South Jordan in 2018, the city’s population was about 60,000. Fast forward seven years, and more than 100,000 residents are now part of the city.
With that rapid growth have come a myriad of changes and improvements, many of those outlined by participants in the community’s second annual State of the City program held Jan. 15 at the South Jordan Community Center. Among the mayor’s invited guests were Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson; Amanda Covington, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer for the Larry H. Miller Corporation; Beth Holbrook, Utah Transit Authority Trustee; and Susan Pulsipher, recently retired Utah State Legislator who represented the city.
“This is an exciting and transformative time in South Jordan’s history,” Ramsey said. “I am sincerely grateful for the trust placed in me and our other elected leaders, and for the expertise of our amazing staff as we work tirelessly to preserve what makes South Jordan so special, while creating opportunities to make it even better.” She praised the work of the city council members, all of whom were in attendance, along with city employees.
Each of the four powerful women leaders on stage discussed specific projects they’ve worked on with the community.
Wilson spoke of the proposed South Valley Performing Arts Center, where ground will be broken in 2026 in South Jordan thanks to a partnership between the county and the Larry H. Miller Family Foundation. She said the Miller partnership pledged $25 million to build the new center.
“We take our arts and culture very seriously in Salt Lake County,” she said. “Had it not been for Larry H. Miller and the city working in partnership, you would have been waiting another 8 to 10 years for this.”
Ramsey said the county did a feasibility study to determine the best location for the center, and South Jordan was the choice.
Wilson also spoke on a three-way partnership between the city, county and Jordan School District that will bring new lap lanes to the South Jordan Fitness and Aquatics Center. Though she says she’s not a swimmer, she “is willing to take a dip into those new swimming facilities when completed. We’re excited to be working with the city and schools on this.”
Continued page 4
South Jordan Mayor Dawn Ramsey spoke of the tremendous growth and development at the second annual State of the City. (Tom Haraldsen/City Journals)
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The developments of Downtown Daybreak are dominant in the growth of South Jordan. Covington discussed both the Ballpark at America First Square, which will open as the new home of the Salt Lake Bees (opening night is April 8), and the LHM Megaplex and Family Entertainment Center and Plaza adjacent to it.
“The Millers are incredible stewards of our state,” she said. “Our company focuses on arts and culture, helping to build robust communities.” The stadium is privately funded and will host events year-round once completed, she said. The Megaplex and Plaza will include shopping, dining, an amphitheater, a playground and a winter ice rink. And regarding the ballpark, Covington said several officials from both major league and minor league teams visited the site recently.
“They said the ballpark is better than many MLB stadiums,” she said.
Critical to that development is the extension of the TRAX Red Line to a new stop adjacent to the stadium and the plaza. Holbrook said adding the new stop “is exactly what UTA believes our mission to be–transporting people. Helping them connect.” She credited, as did the other panelists, the Housing and Transit Reinvestment Zone in Salt Lake County that allows a city to use tax dollars to develop housing around public transportation stations.
“We want to be sure we can get you to those places where you want to go,” Holbrook said of UTA’s extension into South Jordan.
Covington said there will be 400 workforce housing units built in the area over the next three years.
“This has become a very special public-private partnership,” Ramsey said of
working with all three entities.
Pulsipher said her favorite part of serving in the Utah Legislature was helping the city in which she lives.
“We worked to limit the scope of eminent domain to protect century farms, including those in South Jordan,” she said. “The city has been great in working with lawmakers to let us know of any way we can help.”
“Our micro-economy is strong and we are committed to our promise of being a business-friendly city, allowing for economic development that will keep taxes low as we maintain our high service levels and ensure our continued quality of life,” Ramsey said. l
“We take our arts and culture very seriously in Salt Lake County. Had it not been for Larry H. Miller and the city working in partnership, you would have been waiting another 8 to 10 years for this.”
— Dawn Ramsey
The South Jordan Journal is a monthly publication distributed directly to residents via the USPS as well as locations throughout South Jordan.
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Continued from front page
Panelists for the second annual State of the City event, left to right, were Beth Holbrook, Utah Transit Authority Trustee; Amanda Covington, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer for the Larry H. Miller Corporation, Mayor Dawn Ramsey, Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson and recently-retired Utah State Legislator Susan Pulsipher. (Tom Haraldsen/City Journals)
Artist’s rendering of The Ballpark at America First Square. (Courtesy of Miller Sports + Entertainment)
Kensington Theatre 2025: ‘Man of La Mancha’ and ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ on the docket
By Laura Spendlove Crapo | l.crapo@mycityjournals.com
Theater productions in Daybreak have helped feed South Jordan’s appetite for live entertainment since 2007. Daybreak’s Community Council started this when they approved the production of “The Wizard of Oz.” South Jordan Mayor Dawn Ramsey’s has an appreciation of the arts and has been a proponent for the city’s two theaters. Sandbox Theater is the other production company with a two-play per year contract.
“South Jordan City wrapped its arms around our company and encouraged a name change to reflect the entire community our company served. So, we became South Jordan Community Theatre and opened our first season with Peter Pan,” Toni Butler said.
After seven seasons they partnered with the free, public K-9 charter school Early Light Academy located at 17709 Vidania Dr. in South Jordan. The production company’s five-story building is easily identified with the “Performing Arts” label on the side. This height allows a flight-system that provides room to elevate set pieces and cast members.
“We changed the production company’s name to Kensington Theatre in homage to Peter Pan’s Kensington Gardens and his mantra of youth, joy and freedom,” Butler said, who is the artistic director, president and founder of Kensington Theatre Company. She has been involved in theater production for many years and graduated from the University of Utah in Theater Production.
Butler teaches Theatre Stuff for kids, teens and adults. The mission at Kensington Theatre is to give the
community quality, family-friendly performances in theatre and to provide education and performing opportunities for children and adults to participate in theatre in a meaningful way that fosters self-esteem, respect for others, cooperative interaction and commitment to family values.
“While we are called Kensington Theatre Company, Daybreak Community Theatre is still our parent company name,” Butler said. “We have an inclusive approach and have had students from up
to seventeen different high schools participate in productions.”w
The 2025 season auditions include an entertaining variety of plays. The “Man of La Mancha’s” auditions are for those 18 and older on Feb. 5. “Little Shop of Horrors” auditions for those interested in attending Teen Boot Camp are on April 18, and those interested must be in grades 10 to 12 in the 2025-2026 school year. “Big Fish” is for those 10 and older looking for a fun production with auditions on April 24. l
Old Dome Meeting Hall gains a reputation for quality art exhibits
By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
Celebrating more than a century of art, the Old Dome Meeting Hall (1452 W. 12600 South) in Riverton hosted a traveling art exhibit in January from the Utah Division of Arts and Museums. Selections from the State of Utah Alice Merrill Horne Art Collection, featuring pieces from some of Utah’s finest artists, were displayed during the exhibit.
“It’s 125 years of collecting for the Utah State art collection,” Riverton City Arts Administrator Vicki Wartman said. “If you look up Alice Merrill Horne, she was an amazing lady who had tons to do with education and art in Utah. I’ve been told by some of my art friends that the reason why we have art in school in Utah is because of Alice Merrill Horne.”
The exhibit featured works that spotlight moments in history throughout the state. Frank Tresser, a prisoner at Utah’s Territorial Penitentiary (now the location of Sugar House Park) created an oil painting of the prison in 1887.
Florence Ellen Ware (1891-1971) graduated from the University of Utah and attended the Art Institute of Chicago. In 1940, she was the first President of the Association of Utah Artists and taught at the University of Utah. Ware’s painting “Portrait on the Beach” was on display at the exhibit.
Carlos Anderson (1904-1978) was a painter and graphic designer who graduated from
Jordan High School. The exhibit included his 1934 pencil drawing, “Home Main Street.”
The collection at the Utah Division of Arts and Museums also includes works from Utah artists Rob Chipman, Anna Mackay Allred and Emily Farnham.
“It’s so cool that we’re celebrating 125 years of art in Utah because in Utah we don’t get the recognition that we deserve, as far as art in the United States,” Wartman said. “So it’s cool that we are still really into our arts, as far as art galleries and productions and all that kind of stuff.”
Exhibits at the meeting hall are growing in popularity. Wartman said there aren’t a lot of galleries in the Southwest part of the valley and she’s encouraged to see more interest in the displays.
“We’ve had a lot of people come in and we’re getting more and more recognized for having an art exhibit here all the time,” she said. “You need to go see some art and Old Dome always has an exhibit going.”
Coming up next at the Old Dome Meeting Hall is the Not Your Parents Art Show featuring original art pieces made by youth up to age 18. The show runs from Feb. 3-26.
“This is my most popular art show,” Wartman said. “I usually get about 150 submissions…I think because it’s not juried. When the
kids get into junior high and high school, their art gets juried and it’s hard on their egos and their self-esteem. I believe what Picasso said that every child is an artist. It doesn’t matter what it looks like, it’s still art. Draw outside the lines, do whatever you want.”
Visitors can attend the Not Your Parents Art Show Monday through Wednesday, from noon to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday visits are available by appointment. To schedule a group or school tour, contact Wartman at 385-2373421 or events@rivertonutah.gov. l
“Shrek” is one of the shows performed at the Kensington Theatre. (Photos courtesy Toni Butler)
Frank Treseder, an artist and prisoner at the Utah Territorial Penitentiary, painted a picture of the prison in 1887. His “Utah Territorial Prison” oil on canvas was displayed at the Old Dome Meeting Hall as part of a traveling exhibition from the Utah Division of Arts and Museums. (Photo courtesy of UDAM)
Bingham High’s concerto night will be the last one for longtime conductor’s baton
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
Concertos, popularized by classical-era composers like Mozart and Haydn, offer a unique performance experience. Unlike traditional concerts, they often feature a dynamic exchange between soloists and orchestras, much like a musical conversation.
At Bingham High, the annual Concerto Night is a time-honored tradition showcasing the talents of student instrumentalists. Directed by long-time orchestra teacher Jim Thompson, this year’s event will feature 11 student soloists—nine seniors and two juniors—who were selected to perform one movement from works by composers such as Edvard Grieg, Franz Haydn and Antonio Vivaldi.
The Concerto Night will take place at 7 p.m. on Feb. 20, and the community is invited to attend. At the close of the evening, the soloists will be honored with flowers for their performances.
After school was excused for winter break, Thompson sat in his office to review the repertoire for the upcoming concert.
“We have a marimba this year. We also have a saxophonist, two celloists, two violinists, a violaist, a clarinetist, a trombonist, a flutist and two pianists,” he said. “We’ve rented the music for the orchestra to perform with them; we’ll have January and February to rehearse.”
About 20 students auditioned for the opportunity to perform, presenting their skills before Thompson and an outside judge.
“We see how well they’re prepared, the difficulty of these pieces and how they’ve been practicing. If they’re not also in Bingham Symphony, they need to be in a regular curriculum performing class so that narrows down the auditions,” he said.
Thompson’s voice falters briefly as he
reflects on the significance of this year’s event—his final Concerto Night at Bingham High. After teaching for 23 years at Bingham and 43 years in total, he plans to retire at the end of the school year.
“I’ve been teaching a long time and conducted many concerts. The first musical I directed the music for here was ‘Damn Yankees.’ I’ve done most of them twice,” he said.
Thompson came to Bingham High in 2001 when the former music teacher encouraged him to apply; the principal and a former district music supervisor supported the application. Before Bingham High, Thompson taught at Granger and Granite high schools, as well as two elementary schools and a junior high. He continues to work with the Granite Youth Symphony.
At first, teaching wasn’t Thompson’s intended career, but he’s grateful it became his path.
“I started teaching because I didn’t get in the Utah Symphony. I tried out; I made it on their sub list and played some ballets. Teaching has been fun and I like the kids. I was a music nerd, and I like being with the music nerds,” he said.
Thompson’s love for music came from his mother, a pianist and organist, who insisted he take lessons. He began piano at age 5 and violin at 6. In high school, he transitioned to string bass after the school orchestra needed one, eventually falling in love with the instrument.
“I played violin up through ninth grade and then switched to bass because the high school teacher needed a bass player. I fell in love with the bass. I played in the Mormon Youth Symphony and on the side I got lots of gigs. I’ve made money with it. I taught it. I’ve performed in concerts and some concer-
tos. It’s my thing,” he said.
Thompson’s reputation as a musician extends far beyond teaching. He’s the associate conductor of the Murray Symphony, conductor of his neighborhood church orchestra and plays in City Jazz. For 26 years, he performed tuba with the National Guard Band and jazz quintet and played bells and cymbals in the marching band.
In 1994, Thompson traveled to Russia on a peace mission with the National Guard.
“It was soon after the (Berlin) wall came down (in 1989) and Russia had just gotten some freedoms, but in a lot of places, like at the airport, you could see where they had machine guns mounted on walls that used to be manned during the communist regime,” he said.
For 10 days, the National Guard band exchanged performances with Russian musicians. Thompson was struck by the Russian musicians’ skill despite having limited access to quality instruments.
“They played on some very bad instruments because they couldn’t get good instruments, and they had to hand copy because they didn’t have access to printers. But Russia is very cultured, very educated. There were lots of musicians on the streets who were very good. Even though we wore civilian coats and ties, they knew we were Americans, so they’d immediately start playing ‘Stars and Stripes Forever.’ I gave tips both in Russian rubles and American dollars to every musician,” he said.
Thompson earned a bachelor’s degree in music education and a K-12 teaching certificate, followed by a master’s in music and music education in the 1980s. He completed his doctorate in music education while still teaching. All his degrees are from the Uni-
versity of Utah, where he not only performed in the orchestra but also played bass guitar in the pep band at many football and basketball games.
“‘Utah Man’ - do I know the words? No, but I know the tune I played many times,” he said.
In his years at Bingham High, Thompson has taught the 97-member Bingham Symphony, string orchestra, symphonic orchestra, guitar classes, AP music theory, American music of the 20th century and even biology earlier in his career. He also teaches Music 1010, a music history class, and advises the school’s Utah Symphony club.
Thompson and other high school conductors oversee the Jordan School District’s 48-member honors orchestra, which was scheduled to perform at Bingham High on Jan. 23.
Even with his retirement approaching, Thompson remains passionate about inspiring his students.
“I tell this year’s kids, ‘they’re the best.’ It butters them up to keep practicing and keep playing beautifully,” he said.
The school’s music program will embark on a tour to California in April, performing at Disneyland and attending music clinics. Students will also take in a Los Angeles Philharmonic concert.
The spring will bring regional and state competitions, culminating in the Bingham Symphony’s year-end concert at 7 p.m. on May 22 at Libby Gardner Hall at the University of Utah.
“Fifteen years ago, we rented Abravanel Hall for the concert, but I prefer Libby Gardner Hall better. It’s smaller, more intimate, and near perfect as possible for acoustics,” Thompson said.
Seen here in May 2022, Jim Thompson conducts Bingham High’s largest symphony orchestra in Libby Gardner Hall on the University of Utah campus. (Photo courtesy of Jim Thompson/Bingham High)
Looking ahead, he added with a bittersweet smile, “That will be my last Bingham concert.”
In his office, a portrait drawn by a student depicts Thompson in his signature plaid shirt. On another wall, there’s a “Most Inspirational Teacher” certificate, as well as another labeled “Most Likely to Retire at Age 90.”
“My students gave me that, but I’m retiring because I’m old. I’m 68. My house is paid for. My solar panels are paid for. My wife and I would love to travel,” he said.
Despite saying he’s “old,” Thompson has no plans to slow down.
“I live for hiking. I volunteer with a non-denominational Scout troop of 50 kids from East Millcreek, sponsored by the Millcreek Lions Club. I do the high adventure with the high school-aged kids, and I sit on their Eagle board of reviews,” he said.
Thompson has hiked numerous routes, including the 10-mile Mayberry Lake trail in Little Cottonwood Canyon. He also enjoys Coyote Gulch in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, the Sawtooth Mountains in Idaho and the Wind River Range in Wyoming.
When he’s not hiking, Thompson enjoys kayaking, having paddled on rivers such as the Weber, Colorado, Green, Salmon and San Juan. He also spends time snowboarding in the backcountry, filming his son’s acrobatic tricks from the mountaintops.
Thompson’s children, who are all accomplished musicians, continue his musical legacy. His daughters play the cello and his sons play bass.
Thompson’s impact on the “thousands” of students he’s taught will leave a legacy at Bingham High. Many of his former students still recognize him around town, and he holds mostly fond memories, easily recalling those who performed in his groups.
“There are some kids who are naturally gifted, but every student can play,” he said. “They learn to put their fingers in the right place, they move the bow in the right place and apply the right pressure. It takes a lot to play. Some have an innate ability and can play gorgeous every time. Other kids, I teach and motivate. Concerto Night helps do that; it encourages them to start working hard as sophomores so by the time they’re seniors, they can audition and will be on the stage to perform.” l
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Bingham High orchestra teacher Jim Thompson, preparing for the upcoming concerto night after classes were excused for winter break, will retire at the end of the school year after teaching 43 years, 23 at Bingham High. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Jim Thompson, seen here after performing with the Utah Oratorio Society in December, will oversee Bingham High’s concerto night in February before he retires at the end of the school year. (Photo courtesy of Elisabeth Long-Jones)
Solution reached aims to be largest benefit for South Jordan residents
By Laura Spendlove Crapo | l.crapo@mycityjournals.com
The final Shields Lane Solutions Development Study
Open House was held on Dec. 11, 2024. The third concept out of the four presented was the concept decided on. Residents living along Shields Lane were active participants in the first two open houses with their questions and suggestions. The request for a cohesive bike network and trails for residents were what prompted this study to begin with.
“The meeting was a success,” City of South Jordan Chief Deputy Engineer Jeremy Nielson said. “The majority of attendees expressed support for the preferred concept, which features a multi-use path on the south side of Shields Lane. Attendees also appreciated the city’s focus on biking and pedestrian traffic, as well as the planned trees and additional crosswalks.”
There was widespread support for the preferred concept. This support came from the stakeholders, including a few residents, the city council, the Wasatch Front Regional Council, UDOT, Merit Medical and the school district. This large group’s input was essential in providing the planners with good feedback from a cross-section of the community.
“We sent letters to everybody who lives along Shields Lane to encourage participation,” Nielson said. “Valuable feedback was also received regarding on-street parking, maintaining driveway accessibility and school pick-up and drop-off considerations. A few comments raised concerns about potential increase in crime, light pollution and privacy concerns.”
The next step is to review this preferred solution and put together cost estimates. Then, applying for grants, which are already in place, on the state and national level for active transportation is the next requirement for funding.
“It’s a competitive process, so there’s no guarantee, but I think we can make a really good case for Shields Lane,” Nielson said. “It has a lot to offer the community, both regionally and to the city itself.” l
Residents asked questions at the final open house for Shields Lane. (Rebecca Olds/City Journals)
Deputy Engineer Jeremy Nielson discusses concepts for Shields Lane. (Rebecca Olds/City Journals)
Valentine’s Day. A day of love. A day we often focus on showing such love to our family, our friends, our coworkers, and even through Valentine’s we get for our children to give to their teachers. However, regardless of whether we are single, married, or in a relationship, we can often overlook showing a little love to ourselves.
Jayna Marie, a renowned celebrity makeup artist in L.A. whose work has transformed many lives, says “Loving ourselves is so important because we teach other people how to treat us.” She cautions, “The way we see ourselves determines the love we are going to accept from other people.”
In today's fast-paced world, it's easy to get caught up in societal expectations and lose sight of our uniqueness as we focus on our imperfections. We often struggle with body image concerns, seeking validation, or simply focusing on the challenges of life we face. Instead, Marie encourages us to embrace imperfections and celebrate individuality as an integral part of who we are through the following three steps:
1. Overcoming insecurities
2. Having gratitude for one's body
3. Understanding and accepting one's story
Overcoming our insecurities is not to
Embracing self-love this Valentine’s Day
By Holly Curby | hello@hollycurby.com
be expected overnight, but rather a lifelong process. Marie lives by a mantra of “breathe in self-confidence, breathe out self-doubt.”
Criticism often mirrors personal insecurities and by understanding this, we can better support one another's journeys. “Seeking validation from others can be both exhausting and unfulfilling,” Marie says. Instead, she encourages introspection and support for each other.
As for having gratitude for one’s body, Marie emphasizes, “We are never going to
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be younger than we are right now. Before we know it another 10 years will be gone and we’ll be wishing we looked like we do now or had the energy we do now.” Marie believes we are in either a phase of glowing or growing. Growing can be painful, but the glowing part is the outcome after the difficulties and hard work have been put in. There is such significance in having gratitude for our current selves and the fleeting nature of time, so might we cherish the present and live authentically.
Marie advises, “Part of understanding and accepting one’s story is being courageous and believing it’s going to end beautifully no matter where we are at in our story.” She continues that, “sometimes we have a hard time embracing our story because we aren’t where we want to be.” She encourages embracing faith in what is to come compared to the fear of where you are at on your journey. Resilience is gained through faith during such challenges of life. Both self-love and self-acceptance are significant in overcoming life challenges as we seek to live authentically, celebrate our unique stories and differences, and build a supportive community of mutual support and growth. “No matter where you are right now, how hard or scary it might seem, it’s exactly where you are to be,” encourages Marie.
As we navigate our journeys, let us remember that we are wonderfully made and that our stories can be more beautiful than we ever imagined. Listen to this inspiring interview in full and embark on a journey of self-love and empowerment on Holly’s Highlights Season 4 Episode 3. Embrace your inner beauty and cherish the present moment as you transform your life through self-love this Valentine’s Day. l
Full interview on Holly’s Highlights podcast. (Photo courtesy of Jayna Marie)
Learning to self-love. (Photo courtesy of Caleb Jones)
Utah firefighters in California to battle devastating wildfires
By Mimi Darley Dutton and Bailey Chism
South Jordan firefighters have helped answer the call of a neighboring state in need. The city’s fire department sent a crew of four personnel and one engine to help fight the fires ravaging Southern California. They joined other Utah agencies in sending 70 personnel total in 15 fire engines. Utah crews departed Jan. 9 from the Maverik Center and are expected to fulfill an initial 14-day commitment. They’ll be gone 17-18 days total including travel time.
Units from Sandy, Murray, Draper, West Jordan, West Valley City, Salt Lake City and Unified Fire all sent crews and resources.
“This is something we train for, it’s part of our job, so they were excited to be able to go and use their expertise to support those efforts. But they also understand that is one of those, we hope, once-in-a-lifetime events that has caused so much devastation and destruction. They knew they were going into an area they wouldn’t have seen before and probably experience some feelings they haven’t felt before,” Draper Fire Chief Clint Smith said.
Draper’s crew traveled in one of the city’s Type 3 engines rather than the Type 1 fire engine typically seen around town. Type 1 engines are larger and carry more water and hose. “The Type 3 engine is more agile, reduced in equipment, but specifically suited for wildland/urban interface fire,” Smith said.
The crew overnighted Thursday in Victorville, California and spent the first half of Friday going through CalFire’s vehicle inspection and check-in process. Then they drove three hours to their assignment, the Palisades fire.
“They were deployed as soon as they got there to do structure protection and assessments. They saw a lot of erratic fire behavior from where they were stationed that first night. The amount of devastation is hard to comprehend, but they have conveyed to us how grateful the residents are to know that we would send resources and that they are there working to assist them. They have been treated tremendously by the residents because our crews are there to help them in their time of need,” Smith said. The crew worked 40 hours straight until 10 p.m.
Fire Department sent
with fighting the fires that
Wade Cooper and
members
Type
engine
areas around
“Our crews learn early in this career to be adaptable, even in a different place than they’re normally used to. They really are prepared to be effective in making a difference right from the get-go,” Draper Fire Chief Clint Smith said. (Courtesy Draper Fire Department)
Saturday at which point they rested.
Smith said they’ll be actively firefighting if the winds pick up and the situation worsens, otherwise they will be working to fortify fire breaks and fire lines to make sure hot embers can be held, all in an effort to stop the fire from growing or jumping containment lines. If fire lines can be held, crews will transition into “mopping up and rendering areas safe for residents to go back in at some point to see the damage and hopefully find something remaining in their respective homes,” Smith said.
As the 14-day initial commitment draws to a close, California officials will reassess to determine whether more crews are needed. “We’ll have to see what that fire behavior does. If
California continues to need that help, we are prepared to do a crew swap,” Smith said.
“We typically deploy for seven to 16 day tours,” said Joseph Mittelman, Murray Fire chief. “Most of the time it’s the full 16-day period.”
Mittelman said the receiving location decides how long they need outside help and resources. For Murray City Fire Department, Mittelman said those deployed outside of Salt Lake County are off-duty crews only using equipment that isn’t normally on the front line. Mittelman said that can be equipment that’s normally used when a front-line engine needs an oil change or other maintenance.
The California Office of Emergency Services sent an Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) to the DPS’s Division of Emergency Management (DEM), requesting strike teams and task forces.
EMAC is used to facilitate assistance between states during state-declared emergencies. Utah crews could be out in California for at least 14 days, with “a possibility of extension dependent on expected fire behavior and weather conditions,” a press release from DPS and DNR said.
If there’s one upside to sending a crew to help others in a time of total devastation, Smith said it’s the learning experience that may prove useful in Utah at some point. “It’s not ideal for us to have to deploy for these types of incidents, but the one thing we’ve always said is these give us great learning opportunities. It’s unfortunate that this is happening to those people in California, but it gives us an opportunity to send our people and gain experience. It allows us to bring that knowledge and training back and implement it for the benefit of our residents,” Smith said.
Smith, whose department lost Matt Burchett on a California wildfire deployment several years ago, said he offers this advice to his crew at their departure. “My words to them are always go and represent your department and your families well, represent your training well, but most of all, take care of each other.” l
Bingham’s ‘True Blue’ supports Kari Sue Hamilton School and Make-a-Wish Utah
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
Someone “dropped the baton,” quipped Bingham High’s orchestra teacher Jim Thompson.
His baton joke refers to not being given a heads-up students could donate funds to pie their favorite teacher as part of the True Blue’s closing assembly on Dec. 20, 2024. Thompson was the recipient of two pies – but without that pre-knowledge, he wasn’t wearing old clothes.
“It was in the last four or five minutes, so I thought I was safe, but then, they got me,” he said. “It was fun and awful at the same time. I’m glad I could support them, but it was a mess. The whipping cream irritated my eyes, so I haven’t been able to wear my glasses all day, I got cut in the head from the tin and I’m wearing this Bingham football shirt since I didn’t have a change of clothes.”
Even so, he was glad he was pied for the good cause — $85,741
was split between the Kari Sue Hamilton School and Make-aWish Utah.
“I’m proud of the students for wanting to give of themselves to support others,” Thompson said. l
Despite whipping cream irritation from getting pied in the face, Bingham High orchestra teacher Jim Thompson smiled from getting pied to help youth at the Kari Sue Hamilton School and Make-a-Wish Utah. (Photo courtesy Jim Thompson/Bingham High)
Draper
four crew
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“A”chieving excellence: CommonSpirit hospitals recognized for steadfast commitment to patient safety
At CommonSpirit Health, the safety of our patients is our most important priority. We are honored to share that three of our hospitals along the Wasatch Front received an “A” grade for our commitment to patient safety in Fall 2024.
This recognition comes from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog focused on patient safety. Leapfrog assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to hospitals across the country based on over 30 performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent them.
CommonSpirit hospitals receiving an “A” for Fall 2024 include:
• CommonSpirit Holy Cross Hospital – Jordan Valley
• CommonSpirit Holy Cross Hospital – Mountain Point
• CommonSpirit Holy Cross Hospital – West Valley
We are proud of our physicians, nurses and all our caregivers for living our values of excellence, collaboration and compassion to ensure the safety of the patients in our care.
But our work isn’t done. Our vision of a healthier future for all calls us to continue to improve our delivery of compassionate, safe care to every patient, every time, in every care site across our CommonSpirit Health Mountain Region. Achieving that vision is our commitment to you.
CommonSpirit Holy Cross Hospital – Jordan Valley
CommonSpirit Holy Cross Hospital – West Valley
The
CommonSpirit Holy Cross Hospital Mountain Point
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.
Learn more about the services, care providers and missiondriven work of the Holy Cross hospitals and CommonSpirit Health at www.holycrossutah.org.
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ICYMI: Council split on flag lot idea as possible housing solution
Could a home built behind another house (commonly known as flag lots) be a compromise to Utah’s housing crisis? The South Jordan City Council dealt with that idea directly in December as a homeowner bought two lots in his neighborhood with the intention to build two more homes behind them on the same property.
The council was split on the decision, denying the development agreement in a 2-3 vote while approving the rezone in a 3-2 vote allowing for a flag lot overlay zone.
The approval saw two adjacent properties along 3010 West at 10555 South and 10537 South (between Bison Ridge Road and South Jordan Parkway) be allowed to subdivide creating two lots behind the two existing lots.
Dan Milar lives approximately a quarter mile down the road. He bought the homes for his family, he wrote in a letter to the city, to “provide a home for my in-laws, build a new home for my family and provide an investment in the future to build a fourth home.”
“This is a personal thing,” he told the council during the December council meeting.
Milar has six kids between ages 5-16 and wrote they are mindful of housing and doing what they can to both keep them close
By Travis Barton | travis.b@thecityjournals.com
and ensure they “have the ability to stay in the community they were raised in if they so desire.”
“This is at the heart of it,” said Milar, who works in construction for his dad’s custom home builder Gordon Milar Construction.
He added the hope is to build a personal house on the southeast lot in the near term and then work with the others over time.
The proposal was previously addressed in October, with the council expressing concern over the possibility of detached accessory dwelling units or guest houses being built on the properties. In the proposed development agreement, Milar agreed to disallow the guest houses but not internal ADUs like basement apartments.
Milar said ADUs, and especially flag lots, are essential “and uniquely suited” to address the city’s housing needs while “having minimal impact on neighborhood character and density.”
“While it is not my intent to build and rent out multiple ADUs on these four proposed properties I cannot in good conscience agree to never put a single ADU into any of them,” he wrote to the city.
The proposal faced pushback from some neighbors, however, with two speaking at the
council meeting.
“We don’t want it,” Ivan Klotovich, a neighbor who’s lived in South Jordan for 84 years, told the council. “It’s stressful for the older people. What we’re worried about is if this starts a trend…put yourself in our shoes.”
Cheryl Diener, another neighbor, said maybe this will happen eventually, but they don’t want it on their street.
“We’ve been here a long time, we bought them because we wanted horses, we wanted property, we wanted things,” she said. “We didn’t want our property to be divided and have more people move in.”
Klotovich said Milar is doing it for the money. “We feel like we’re being bullied out and we don’t like it.”
Councilmember Jason McGuire was nervous it could become a “rental community” with four homes with renters until Milar’s family are ready to move in.
Milar, for his part, said if this was money motivated, he would’ve made different decisions to maximize profit.
“The land is expensive,” he told the council. “There are other areas that are better to buy and do rentals. I know that game, this isn’t where I would do that.”
He also pointed out there are other homes in the area currently being rented out
and a flag lot already exists in that neighborhood.
Under current city code, South Jordan’s Director of Planning Steven Shaefermeyer said, if you have a lot two times the size of the average lot, you can do a flag lot without needing to rezone the property. These two properties didn’t meet that size threshold, thereby needing the rezone.
The flag lot overlay rezone was adopted by the council in 2020, Shaefermeyer said, to “allow flag lots in limited circumstances where it may be reasonable and appropriate.”
“This is the first application being presented to the council,” he said.
The neighborhood conflict brings a statewide issue down to street level, with flag lots and ADUs proposed as a housing solution without bringing further density via condos or townhomes. But it still means change and increasing population for those living next to it. It’s a conundrum councilmembers acknowledged prior to their votes.
“I feel compassion for the folks that live on that street and for the pain that change brings,” Councilmember Don Shelton said, later adding “I feel compassion for people who are trying to buy homes right now.”
But they need to consider where future generations will live.
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“We have to think about ways to allow more housing in our city with the least impact on the residents that currently live there,” Shelton said.
Councilmember Tamara Zander said the decision would be challenging, noting “some families that don’t want homes on their street and some families that want desperately to have more housing for their family and both are good, viable reasons.”
She felt the joining of the two new lots with a single driveway would be less burdensome on the street and community.
But for other councilmembers, flag lots weren’t the solution.
“It doesn’t make for good development over the long run,” Councilmember Kathie Johnson said, adding it makes for a disjointed and incoherent development.
McGuire said he sympathizes with the housing crisis, but this area was set up for larger lots.
“We are doing our part (to help with the housing crisis) but I think we can also do our part to honor these subdivisions that were built a long time ago to help establish South Jordan as a great place to live,” he said.
Councilmember Patrick Harris was the deciding vote, disagreeing with the approach for the development agreement (denied 2-3) and how they handled the ADUs, but approving the flag lot rezone for that area (approved 3-2). l
The two properties along 3010 West were rezoned to allow for flag lot homes to be built behind the existing ones. (Map courtesy South Jordan documents)
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Spotlight on Wightman Legal: Estate Law with Heart
At Wightman Legal, they’re not just about providing legal services—they’re about helping you protect your family, your future, and the things that matter most. They take pride in making estate planning approachable, understandable, and maybe even a little fun!
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When people think of estate planning, they often think it’s just about wills, but estate law also involves trust planning, trust administration, trust funding, special needs planning, beneficiary designation advisement, guardianship/ conservatorship, review of existing estate documents, probate: formal and informal, and powers of attorney: medical and financial.
Rebekah Wightman, the founding attorney of Wightman Legal, emphasizes that estate law is the poster child for the idiom an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Her decade of experience has repeatedly shown her that ANY amount of planning is helpful after the death or incapacity of a loved one.
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Bingham football players dotted all six Division I Utah college rosters this past season
At Utah’s colleges, the Bingham Miners football team was well represented in 2024. From St. George to Cedar City and from Provo to Logan, BHS alums dotted all six Division I rosters.
Isaiah Glasker – Linebacker & Weylin Lapuaho – Offensive Tackle – BYU
No Bingham High School Miners football player got more publicity this past season than Isaiah Glasker. The 6-foot-5-inch 235-pound sophomore linebacker played sparingly as a freshman for the Cougars.
But, Glasker and his Cougars shined in a big way in 2024. The Bingham Miners standout went from three total tackles in 2023 to 70 this past season, a team-high.
In addition to notching those 70 tackles at linebacker for BYU, Glasker helped lead the Cougars to a final No. 17 national ranking and 36-14 win at the Alamo Bowl against No. 22 Colorado.
BYU ended the season with a 11-2 record and was ranked among the top 20 teams in the country in fewest yards allowed per game, passing yards allowed and points allowed.
Glasker completed his sophomore season at BYU with 70 total tackles, 3.5 sacks, 3 interceptions and an interception returned for a touchdown.
He joined Weylin Lapuaho, a 6-foot-4, 310-pound junior offensive tackle who appeared in all 13 games for the Cougars in 2024 and had one tackle in the Alamo Bowl victory over Colorado.
Lapuaho transferred to BYU in 2022 after starting in 13 games as a true freshman at Utah State. In 2023, the Bingham Miner had 10 starts for the Cougars.
Junior Tafuna & Simote Pepa - Defensive Line – Utah
Junior Tafuna has always been the player to lead the team’s traditional Haka, a Polynesian dance to send his Utah Utes warriors into battle. He’s been doing the same at the postseason Hula Bowl in Orlando, Florida.
In 2024, the Bingham Miner Tafuna had 31 total tackles for the 5-7 Utes along with one interception. It capped a four-year career at Utah in which Tafuna, who is a mid-to-lateround NFL Draft prospect according to news services, compiled 108 tackles, had 53 solo tackles, seven pass deflections, eight sacks and two interceptions.
Simote Pepa battled injuries the past two years—he had a career-high 27 tackles and four sacks in 2022 during Utah’s Pac-12 championship winning season that led to a Rose Bowl berth.
In 2024, Pepa registered 10 tackles for the Utes, recording a season-high four solo tackles in Utah’s 23-14 win against Baylor. In 2023, Pepa finished his sophomore year with eight tackles for the Utes.
Pepa is currently in the transfer portal and has committed to the University of Washington for 2025.
By Brian Shaw | b.shaw@mycityjournals.com
Bo & George Maile – Defensive Tackle/ Offensive Tackle – Utah State
The Maile brothers highlight the Bingham Miners who played in Logan in 2024.
The 6-foot-2, 295-pound junior Bo had his best season for the 4-8 Aggies in 2024 from a statistical perspective, racking up 19 tackles, 12 of which were assisted, and helped himself to a quarterback sack.
Bo Maile has continued to earn more playing time and become more involved at Utah State as a player. He had 14 tackles and a sack in 2023, helping lead the Aggies to a 6-7 season and a berth in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
In 2022, Bo even saw varsity action as a freshman, recording seven tackles en route to a 6-7 team record and a spot in the First Responder Bowl in Texas.
Maile joined brother George Maile, an offensive tackle, as a Bingham Miner on the Aggies roster.
George, a 6-foot-3, 305-pounder who transferred from Baylor to USU before his junior year, played in 11 games for Utah State as a junior.
Lavaka Taukeiaho – Offensive Tackle –Weber State
The 6-foot-4, 315-pound sophomore played in a career-high nine games for the Wildcats in 2024, having come off a redshirt year in 2023 in which he saw action in four games.
Ulli Angilau – Defensive Tackle – Utah Tech
As a 6-foot-2, 270-pound sophomore, Angilau had a solid season from a statistical perspective. He recorded 14 tackles and registered a sack for the Trailblazers.
Prior to that, Angilau was at Snow College in Ephraim and had 25 tackles, four tackles for a loss along with two fumble recoveries in 2023.
Braedon Wissler – Running Back – Southern Utah
The redshirt junior transfer is certainly the smallest in stature of the group of Bingham Miners that made this list of guys that played at Division I schools around the state.
At 5-foot-9 and 192 pounds, Wissler may look small to most. But he can certainly pack a wallop. In 2024, Wissler ran for 249 yards, averaging 5.1 yards per carry and had 86 yards receiving.
This 2024 total was significantly lower than the 790 total yards and six touchdowns that the Bingham Miner scored as a sophomore in 2023.
As a freshman at SUU, Wissler had 422 yards and one rushing TD and also had a career-high 240 yards receiving for the T-Birds.
During his three years at the Cedar City school, Wissler has had over 2,300 total yards once you count all of the kick return yardage he’s amassed, capping a very successful 2024 for your Bingham Miners in the world of Division I college football. l
Utah senior Junior Tafuna at the 2024 Hula Bowl in Orlando, Florida. (Photo courtesy Hula Bowl)
people@thecityjournals com
Miners boys basketball squad goes 4-0, wins title at Las Vegas Tarkanian Holiday Classic
For most people, Las Vegas is the kind of place you drive past on the way to Disneyland or your grandparents’ winter home in Arizona.
For the Bingham Miners boys basketball team, they felt right at home in this adult playground right around Christmastime at the Las Vegas Tarkanian Holiday Classic.
Named after the legendary Tarkanian coaching family – primarily for Jerry Tarkanian, former UNLV basketball coach – the Classic attracts teams from all 50 states and Canada.
After arriving a week before Christmas, on the seventh day the Classic gave to Bingham a 64-60 victory over Rancho High of Las Vegas Dec. 18 and advanced them to the next round. Juniors Luke West and Parker Snedaker poured in 20 and 15 points, respectively, to lead the Miners, who trailed 30-24 at the half. A 21-10 third quarter broke open a tight ballgame and then Bingham hung on for a narrow win over a team that could be considered one of the hosts.
Later that evening, the Miners played Miami Palmetto [Florida] in yet another nailbiter. Bingham again trailed at the half 4138 but ignited in the third quarter, outscoring
By Brian Shaw | b.shaw@mycityjournals.com
the visitors 19-11. In that second half, West buried three shots from behind the arc, but it was the length of Ayden Larsen that bothered Palmetto most, as Bingham’s 6-foot-4 senior forward knocked down jumpers inside and outside the three-point circle en route to a game-high 16 points and a 71-66 victory that moved them on to the semifinals.
On day two of the Tarkanian Classic, the Miners played another Florida school in North Tampa Christian Dec. 19. The visitors took an 18-16 first quarter lead, but the Miners took control early in the second quarter and cruised to a 39-31 halftime lead. Bingham would let the visiting team back in the game in the third quarter but would hold on for a 74-69 win to advance to the championship game. West had 18 points, junior center Lucas Neidig 16 points and seven rebounds and Snedaker 15 points for a Miners squad that ran their record to 3-0 in the tournament.
On the final day of the tournament, Bingham played Eaglecrest out of Colorado Dec. 20 in the championship game. The Miners took a 22-12 first quarter lead, held it for the next two quarters and withstood a furious fourth-quarter rally to capture a 73-66 victory and a title in the Spalding Division of the
tourney. West led all scorers with 29 points, burying six three-point jumpers. Neidig added 15 points and four rebounds and Snedaker tacked on 14 points for Bingham.
For the Miners, an undefeated record at the Tarkanian Holiday Classic will hopefully give the team the kind of push it needs to be in the hunt in Region 2 that began in January. Though it’s hard to believe that the 6-foot-2 West is only a junior, he led the Miners from start to finish in Vegas, averaging a team-high 20 points. Snedaker was Mr. Reliable for Bingham, pouring in 12 points per game in Vegas. Neidig is hard to move off the block at 6-foot-7; at the Tarkanian Classic the junior center was instrumental in the semifinal and championship, dumping in 31 of his 45 points in those two games. Junior Ayden Larsen averaged nine, four and two in points, rebounds and assists for Bingham, while senior Jason Peterson averaged eight, three and three. Juniors Denzel Peoples and Brayden Ericson each had a three-point-per-game average at the Tarkanian Classic. Seniors Jace Bagley and Dawson Allen each scored a total of nine points in Vegas as well.
By the time you read this, the Miners will be underway in Region 2 action. l
New UTA bus line to connect Herriman to Daybreak and Draper
By Elisa Eames | e.eames@mycityjournals.com
Traveling around the South Valley is about to get much easier.
Last year, responding to stakeholder feedback, the Utah Transit Authority put forth possible new routes around Utah, including one called Route 126, which would serve the Herriman area on an hourly basis during weekdays. This new service is part of UTA’s April Change Day for 2025—one of three each year (April, August and December) during which the agency implements service changes.
Herriman’s Mayor Lorin Palmer and many others helped determine the Herriman course using estimated ridership and data for transit vans already serving the city.
“The Utah Transit Authority has worked with the city, elected officials and other stakeholders around the community on a proposal for a new bus route,” City Communications Manager Jon LaFollette said.
The route would connect the Daybreak and Draper Trax stations and is expected to begin running on April 13. “You’ll start seeing bus stops pop up pretty quick here in the city,” Palmer said.
“Route 126 will be a new east-west service between the TRAX Red Line Daybreak Parkway Station in South Jordan and the TRAX Blue Line Draper Town Center Station via 12300/12600 South and 13400 South corridors with connections to Draper FrontRunner Station and Herriman SLCC/ Real Academy,” UTA said. “UTA regularly reviews and adjusts our services… to ensure the system is working well for our riders and communities.”
The route also covers the city hall area, including adjacent townhomes and apartments, and then continues to Redemption Bar and Grill and Sentinel Ridge Boulevard. “There’s a lot of growth out there,” Palmer said. “This connects from Daybreak TRAX station all the way over to the FrontRunner station in Draper. It weaves through the city.”
The bus line also runs the opposite way from Draper to Herriman. The city expects UTA to make adjustments to the route in the coming years as it collects ridership data.
“We’re grateful that UTA has decided to implement a bus line in our city.
And while we hope for more bus lines in the future, this is a great start and something that’s needed and appreciated,” LaFollette said.
During a comment period that closed Jan. 1, UTA accepted public input regarding the route in Herriman and other proposed bus lines. “The public has the chance [during a public comment period] to share how proposed changes may impact them and how UTA can support the community should any changes be approved,” the organization said on its website.
Apart from public comment periods, UTA’s customer service department collects and tracks service requests. Herriman has posted all proposed routes on its social media platforms, and maps can also be found on UTA’s website.
The public review process was in compliance with Title VI and helped finalize and approve service changes before they are implemented. Title VI is a section of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and bars discrimination based on race, color or national origin within programs using federal funds.
Still subject to change, the route is part of a five-year service plan adopted by UTA’s Board of Trustees in December. Additional changes based on research and community collaboration are planned for later this year and next year.
Objectives for the five-year service plan include preparation for future service
projects, implementation of community and stakeholder feedback, increased access and the restoration of service in areas where it had previously been decreased.
UTA has also begun the final phases of a new multi-phase fare system and fare capping program that aims to be simpler, more convenient, equitable, affordable and easier to understand. Multiple fare products will be eliminated, and customers will use
pre-paid, reloadable accounts, electronic tap cards, bank cards and mobile phones.
For more information about the April Change Day for 2025, visit www.rideuta. com/Rider-Info/Change-Day/April-2025Change-Day, and for more information about the five-year service plan, visit www. rideuta.com/Current-Projects/UTA-FiveYear-Service-Plan-2025-2029. l
A new UTA bus route in Herriman is expected to be operational in April. (Photo courtesy Herriman City)
The proposed Herriman bus line will include stops near city hall and the RSL Academy. (Photo courtesy UTA)
UTA aims to implement a five-year service plan by meeting specific goals. (Photo courtesy UTA)
Boundary change set for Aspen Elementary as enrollment continues to surge
After receiving considerable feedback, the Jordan Board of Education approved a boundary change aimed at easing the large student enrollment at Aspen Elementary School in the upcoming school year.
With Aspen’s enrollment exceeding 900 students and another 150 students expected next fall, the board voted 5-2 to shift students living south of 11800 South and east of Mustang Trail Way to Bastian Elementary School in Herriman. The boundary adjustment will take effect for the 2025-26 school year.
The move will bring Bastian Elementary’s enrollment to about 900 students.
“This boundary change will provide much needed relief for the overcrowding problem at Aspen Elementary,” outgoing board president Tracy Miller said. “There is room in surrounding schools for additional students, so it makes sense to move some students.”
While no other options were considered, she said the board will continue to investigate further boundary changes in the upcoming months.
“Aspen will need further boundary changes in the future, which the board will consider as part of a bigger study of the area, including feeder system alignments with middle and high schools,” Miller said.
While the board recognized the necessity for change, some dissenting votes questioned the urgency of making an immediate decision without fully evaluating the entire feeder system.
Board First Vice President Niki George expressed concerns about the potential disruption to students, stating she didn’t want to see students moved only to be relocated again the following year. While not the board’s intent, she voiced uncertainty about whether that might happen.
“This conversation is not finished…let’s keep working,” she said before the vote.
Board Second Vice President Darrell Robinson questioned the lack of consideration for other options, such as offering students— many of whom are Spanish-speaking—the chance to attend Herriman Elementary, a du-
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
give them. They brought a lot of great things to Aspen, and our students, some of them, really needed them here to learn from them, to learn about their culture and learn about their lifestyles and learn about differences. But I’m looking forward to the new challenge of the boundary change and seeing how the dynamic changes and kind of where we go from there. It’s bittersweet, because the last four years, we’ve poured our hearts and souls into all these kids and to just say goodbye…”
The fifth grade teacher also said the change is distressing for many families, particularly for students who fear losing their friends and adapting to a new school environment. For some of these students, the move could add stress.
al-language immersion school.
“I just don’t think we’ve done our homework to make a good long-term solution,” he said at the meeting.
Aspen Elementary, which opened just four years ago with approximately 400 students and three teachers per grade, has seen its enrollment more than double. The growing student body now requires five to seven teachers per grade, and faculty and staff have had to adjust to accommodate the increased numbers.
Outgoing board member Marilyn Richards supported the boundary change, recognizing both its advantages and challenges. She noted the positive aspect of students not having to cross 11800 South, but also acknowledged the emotional difficulty of losing a community the school staff had grown attached to over the past four years. She also sympathized with teachers instructing from a cart.
“I’ve been a teacher with a cart,” she said. “It’s hard, extremely hard and it’s not conducive to quality instructional time.”
Mikayla Miller, an Aspen teacher who had previously addressed the board about the school’s enrollment issues, explained some of
JORDAN SCHOOL DISTRICT - Public Notices
SPECIAL EDUCATION CHILD FIND
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SPECIAL EDUCATION RECORDS DESTRUCTION
On January 31, 2024, Jordan School District will destroy special education records of students born prior to September, 1996. Former special education students who are 27 years old may request their records from the school last attended; otherwise, the records will be destroyed.
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the adjustments staff have made to cope with the growing population.
“We’ve had to push up our lunch times, and we’ve also had to shorten the time they can sit and eat, just because we have to get them through the line and get them through the tables since we only have so much space in our cafeteria,” she said. “We’ve also had to manage adding more classes to our rotations and having rotations on carts, the music rotation on the stage while PE is going on. We’ve had to split up our kids for assemblies and other changes where we’ve had to adapt to provide the best support and the best education for these students.”
Despite these challenges, Mikayla Miller emphasized the emotional impact of the boundary change, particularly for the students who have been part of Aspen’s community since the school’s opening.
“This will impact us a lot, especially moving students to Bastian from the (Copperwood and Emerson) apartments,” she said. “It has been a big focus for the last four years to help the ML (multi-language) students, making sure we’re providing the resources they need, and providing the best growth we can
“Many families are upset about the change, with students worrying about not knowing any friends and having them into a new school,” she said. “It will be a heartbreak at the end of the year, but they’ll be just as successful at Bastian. We’ll talk with the teachers there to help make a smooth transition, and they will do the things that we did to help those students, because they care too.”
Mikayla Miller expressed hope the boundary change would provide a long-term solution for students living on the borders of both schools.
“The board did promise in the meeting that if they move the apartments’ (students) with this boundary change that they would not move them again. I hope, for the sake of the kids, they stay true to their word,” she said. “There are projections we will grow by 150 kids next year, so it doesn’t alleviate our longterm issue of growth in the area. I hope the board takes that into account and does stand by what they’ve said; I hope they will follow through with the long-term study of the boundary changes and what makes the most sense for our area so when the boundary change discussion for Aspen comes up again, they’re ready, and will know what fits best with roads and numbers and future growth projection.” l
Jordan Board of Education approved a new boundary change which will shift 150 Aspen Elementary students to Herriman’s Bastian Elementary in the fall. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Bingham High’s new comedy class is no joke
Comedy is a skill which can be learned and honed, much like playing an instrument or building a car.
This fall, 34 students at Bingham High learned that as they took Chris Hults’ new class, Science of Comedy.
“Once you learn the craft and the skills, anybody can do it,” he said. “We learn nine or 10 elements of comedy, or laughter triggers, and we categorize the types of comedy, like different flavors of comedy. Much like a science course, we count, measure, categorize and learn the rules. Comedy requires vulnerability and courage to fail, just like science. Stand-up comics experiment for years before they succeed and sometimes, their jokes still fail.”
Sophomore Quinn Burnham, a member of the school’s 17-person improv team, joined the class to further explore comedy.
“At first, I thought, things are either funny or they’re not,” he said. “But now, I’ve learned there are many ways to make things funny, like, ‘Is it funny because you can relate to it? Is it funny because it’s ironic? Is it funny because it breaks the rules just a little bit?’ I learned I don’t have to be a stand-up comedian to make people laugh, but I want a career which brings joy and laughter. When you’re affecting people, it’s changing the world.”
The class focused on comedians like Steve Martin, Robin Williams, Jerry Seinfeld and Bob Hope, analyzing their joke-writing methods. They studied late night hosts and Hults explained those late night writers and hosts excel in comedy that makes connections from observations.
“It takes time to make observations, collect material and write lists,” he said. “To be funny, you need to be well-read and knowledgeable. You have to make connections, especially for topical comedy with what’s going on in the news.”
Students practiced this by listing ideas and finding connections between them. Hults said many struggled to wait before turning their lists into jokes.
“We did exercises like creating roller derby names using our own names to get students to focus on the process,” he said.
Along with studying comedy, students read, “How to Fly a Horse: The Secret History of Creation, Invention and Discovery,” which challenges the idea of innate genius and emphasizes success comes from repeated failure.
“Comedy requires failing—famous comedians talk about how often their jokes don’t work,” Hults explained. “Failure is part of learning, and this book helps kids learn how to be OK with that.”
Throughout the semester, students explored various forms of comedy, including short-form, long-form, improvisation, storytelling and clowning.
Burnham recalled exercises that pushed them to think creatively.
“We explored how Jerry Seinfeld observes
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
the world. He writes observations and later finds connections that become jokes. We did the same, writing about everyday things like garbage or classroom temperatures. It doesn’t always turn into a joke, but (Hults) taught us to make the observations first before trying to be funny,” he said. “Even though we’re studying Jerry Seinfeld and Steve Martin, (Hults) wants us to find our own comedy. He doesn’t want us copying someone else. We may practice a bit of their method, but it doesn’t mean we should become the next Steve Martin. He wants us to find out how our mind makes the world funny.”
Hults emphasized comedy often involves an element of surprise, requiring an understanding of audience expectations.
“To surprise, you have to cross a line,” he said. “But how far? You must study those lines and know your audience. High schoolers in Utah may have different limits than the standard American audience, so we talk about how far to push boundaries without going too far. Those conversations are fun to explore alongside the kids.”
After working on Bingham’s production of “Comedy of Errors” and learning about clowning, Burnham discovered a passion for physical comedy.
“I fell in love with clowning—it’s how Robin Williams started, doing mime on the streets,” he said. “In ‘Comedy of Errors’ the
mimes helped tell the story without speaking. I realized my face is a powerful tool in acting and comedy, and I’ve been practicing how to use it.”
Hults, who taught the class previously at Maser Prep Academy, brings a diverse background in philosophy, theater, English, history and critical studies to the course.
“Comedy comes from studying theater
and film,” he said. “I learned by reading about it and doing it.”
Burnham added Hults’ unique teaching style makes the class stand out.
“Not everyone could teach a class about being funny,” he said. “He knows how to connect with us, and he’s always ready to make a joke.” l
Theatre teacher Chris Hults smiles with students during his Science of Comedy class, the first time it has been taught at Bingham High. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Stilson helping Herriman boys basketball play at high level
By Josh McFadden
Through 15 games, the Herriman boys basketball team had the best record in all of Class 6A.
The Mustangs have used a team effort to climb to lead 6A in the RPI rankings, sitting at first overall as of Jan. 17. Several players have helped Herriman achieve success this season. For instance, junior guard Carlo Mulford leads the Mustangs in scoring with an average of 18.3 points per game. Senior forward/center Cale Barclay isn’t far behind, scoring 16.9 points an outing while grabbing a team-best 7.7 rebounds a game. A third player, Stockton Blanchard, a senior guard, scores 10.5 points a contest and collects nearly five rebounds a contest.
Other Herriman players have been big contributors in other ways.
Senior guard Dray Stilson might not fill up the stat sheet with gaudy numbers, but he makes his presence known in other ways. He was on the football team this past fall and uses his physical gifts on both ends of the basketball court.
“Dray brings some toughness he gets from playing football all offseason and during fall,” head coach Doug Meacham said. “He's not afraid of contact and likes to play defense. He is really fun to coach.”
Stilson is averaging 3.2 points a per game to go along with 1.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists every game. He also has just over one steal a contest. He’s the kind of player that will do whatever it takes for his team.
For Herriman, Stilson sees himself as a good all-around player who likes to get his teammates involved. He’s not shy about having the ball in his hands and does well guarding bigger players.
“My strengths on the team are playmaking,” he said. “I have good vision on the court and can handle the ball under pressure. Defensively, I am a quick defender with a strong base, which is hard to move when a big tries to post me up.”
Basketball has been part of Stilson’s life for years.
Before he was even in grade school, Stilson started playing the sport. Thirteen years ago, his mom and dad signed him up for Jr. Jazz, and he quickly fell in love with the game. That passion has stayed with him since.
“I love the pace of the game and the scenarios,” he said. “I love playing with my teammates.”
Stilson also enjoys being a part of the Mustangs. He appreciates the team culture at Herriman. While some teams have one or two standout players, Herriman has a large cast of contributors. Stilson also said
everyone on the team helps one another out and isn’t worried about personal accolades.
“I love the development we have as a team, and I love building a winning culture,” he said. “I like how unselfish we are as a team and what we do to win games together. The chemistry of the team is great.”
Like many of his teammates, Stilson wants to win a region and state championship this season. He also has a goal to make the state All-Defensive team. As the season winds down, Stilson is focusing on improving some areas of his game.
“I am working on moving to open space to create a shot for myself and the team,” he said.
One challenge Stilson has faced as a player is his size. Though he is currently 6 feet tall, he sometimes goes up against bigger opponents. “I haven’t been the tallest player on the floor, so I overcame that with strength training In the weight room so I can play bigger,” he said.
After high school, Stilson plans to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After he completes his volunteer service, he wants to go to college, though he hasn’t yet decided what he will study.
Meacham is confident that Stilson will be successful in college and beyond. He said Stilson had excelled in the classroom.
“Maybe the most impressive about him is his attention to his studies,” Meacham said. “His is a high-honor roll student, and obviously, his work ethic carries over from the classroom to the court as well.”
Things could not have gone much better so far this season for Stilson and his teammates.
Herriman’s 14-1 start is coupled with a 3-0 start in a challenging Region 2. Through 15 games, the team’s only loss was to a squad from Colorado on Dec. 6 in the Tournament of Champions. Herriman began Region 2 play with three impressive wins: a 60-47 win at Mountain Ridge on Jan. 10, a 63-47 victory over Bingham on Jan. 14 and a 71-49 blowout of Corner Canyon on Jan. 17. In the win over Corner Canyon, Brady Ninow erupted for 36 points while Barclay added 20.
In the first 15 games, Herriman had won 11 by double figures and eight by at least 20 points. The dominant Mustangs look poised to capture the region title and be a force at state. Herriman’s final regular-season game will be Feb. 14 at home against Riverton. On Feb. 19, the Class 6A
state tournament begins at the home sites of higher-seeded teams. The second round follows on Feb. 21. By Feb. 24, the quarterfinals arrive, and the games move up to the University of Utah.
Last season, the Mustangs were 20-6 and advanced to the 6A semifinals, falling in heartbreaking fashion to Lehi, 63-62. l
Herriman’s Dray Stilson goes up for a layup against Riverton. Stilson, a multi-sport athlete at Herriman, is an excellent defender and team leader. (Photo courtesy of Dray Stilson.)
For Bingham girls basketball, the new head coach feels his team is in a good spot right now
By Brian Shaw | b.shaw@mycityjournals.com
By the time you read this, the Bingham Miners girls basketball team will be tunnelling into a Region 2 slate that they will be trying to chip their way out of.
At the outset, new head coach Hector Marquez admitted that things were a bit topsy turvy during the Miners first four games.
“The season is going well. We have had some ups and downs, but we are in a good position,” Marquez said.
In the Region 2 opener Jan. 9 against rival Riverton, Bingham used a 12-1 third quarter run to erase a halftime deficit and chip away until the scoreboard clock read zero and the Miners were winners by the final score of 57-41. Senior Addy Horsley led the way with 14 points and had four steals to go with three rebounds, but two other players in senior wing Lena Casperson [10 points, 8 rebs] and junior guard Stacia Peoples [7-2-2-2] contributed for the Miners in ways other than just scoring the basketball.
All season long, the Miners have been trying to live up to their namesakes. They’ve been chipping away at this blank slate of games that did not start so great at two wins and two losses.
Since that point, Bingham [10-4, 1-0 Region 2] has been on a roll, having only lost two games out of 10, a streak that included a 3-1 record at the prestigious Nike Tournament of Champions over the holidays.
At the Nike tourney in Phoenix, Arizona the Miners dispatched two area schools in Basha and Kellis and held on in a squeaker over Rialto [California]. Even in their lone defeat against West Linn [Portland] of Oregon, Horsley led a team effort.
Horsley has often been joined at the top of the scoresheets by 5-foot-7 Casperson, who pumped in a season-high 24 points in a 54-47 win over Basha.
In the 53-44 victory over Kellis High, Horsley’s 16-point outburst was helped by 5-foot-10 wing Raylynn Richardson, who dropped in 10 points and had five rebounds to go with two steals.
And in Bingham’s 47-45 squeaker over Rialto [California], Horsley got 13 points—but Casperson contributed 10 points and 10 rebounds to lift the Miners. Junior guard Stacia Peoples pumped in eight points and senior Iman Finau went 8-6-5 in points, rebounds and assists. Bingham trailed this game 22-18 at halftime, but a 16-8 third quarter burst gave the Miners the impetus they needed to hold
on for their third victory of the tournament.
On their return from Arizona’s Nike tournament, the Miners played Syracuse in a non-region game. Bingham fell 43-41 and despite getting 13 points from Horsley could not find a way to win. Peoples and sophomore Evy Roberts pitched in eight points apiece.
Key to that push to improve upon last season’s 13-11 record has been Horsley. In her second season at Bingham, the Mountain Ridge transfer has taken on the reins of the operation, averaging 15 points, four steals, three rebounds and two assists per game, a severe uptick for a player who was on the 6A third-team a year ago but was named to the 6A first-team two years ago.
If Horsley is anywhere near her 202223 form that she displayed at Mountain Ridge, opponents will need to keep an eye out. The senior is already at 45 steals on the season and is now ranked on the school’s all-time modern-day top 10 list. If Horsley gets 24 more steals, she will break Bingham’s all-time modern-day single-season record set by Shawnee Nordstrom back in the 2020-21 school year.
In addition, Casperson is already scoring the basketball better than last season. The senior wing’s 10 points per game are a huge value added to a team that really needed someone to contribute more on the offensive end—particularly since last year’s leading scorer Brianna Badonie graduated.
Bingham is also getting good production from Roberts and Peoples, each of whom average six points per game. Finau is pitching in about five points per game and is the team’s leading rebounder at seven per outing and the Miners’ top passer, at three assists per contest. Finau is already at 29 blocks on the season and needs just three more to become Bingham’s all-time single-season blocks leader.
As the team heads into the teeth of Region 2 play and will play 10 league games from Jan. 14 to Feb. 13, they’ll be chipping away at a Region 2 slate that will give the Miners an opportunity to notch a win every 2.85 days.
It’ll be up to Bingham’s girls basketball team to handle that drill wisely. l
Senior Addy Horsley is averaging 15 points, four steals, three rebounds and two assists per game. (City Journals)
Sophomore Evalyn Roberts puts up a three against Herriman in region play. (City Journals)
Bingham football saw six players named to the 6A All-State team
By Brian Shaw | b.shaw@mycityjournals.com
F or Charger Doty, getting recognized for the hard work he’s put in since he was in Bingham’s Little League is even more reason that the blood, sweat and tears were all worth the sacrifices that he and his teammates have made over the years.
In December, Doty and five other teammates were recognized for their efforts by the Deseret News.
Doty, a senior signee who will attend and play at Utah State University, was Bingham’s signal caller in the secondary. He amassed 86 total tackles, had 20 pass breakups and had five interceptions along with a pick six against Herriman that he’ll remember for the rest of his life since it was the first of his high school career.
“All I was thinking is I have to secure the ball and make sure we still get the ball to get our offense back on the field,” Doty said to City Journals. “When I secured it and looked up, I saw that I had to make one guy miss and then I had a chance at scoring … I made the defender miss and saw all my teammates in front of me and that’s when I knew it was going to be a pick-six.”
Doty joined junior Viliami Moala, the University of Oregon commit, on the first-team roster. Moala was a monster on the gridiron, amassing 13.5 sacks to go with 22 tackles for a loss. He also had 99 total tackles—second-most of any player in Class 6A this past season.
On the 6A second-team, three Bing -
ham Miners joined Doty and Moala. Senior Nick Hallock will soon be off to the University of Utah having signed to play his football and attend school there in early December, but the mountain of a young man at 6-feet-5-inches tall has always been a player and person that former Bingham head coach Eric Jones has admired.
“That’s awesome! He’s such a great kid,” Jones said of his former player Hallock, who started getting noticed by area colleges toward the tail end of his junior year.
Hallock is joined by 6-foot-2-inch junior offensive guard Moli Toia on the 6A second-team. Senior defensive end Will Van Cott rounded out the Miners’ selections on the second team. At 6-foot-4, Van Cott finished out his football at Bingham High with 13 sacks and 45 total tackles during his senior season. The two-year starter is also back on the 6A All-State team for the second time, having been an honorable mention two years ago.
Last but certainly not least was Lincoln Tahi, the Miners’ junior battering ram of a tailback who at 5-feet-9-inches reminded you of Miner legend Braeden Wissler and other Bingham backs. Tahi had 1,008 yards rushing and six touchdowns and 11 catches for 159 yards receiving, in addition to kicking three extra points for the Miners.
New neighbors in Class 6A, Region 2
The Utah High School Athletics and Activities Association, or UHSAA, announced sweeping changes to the regions in which Utah high schools are classified in early January. For Bingham, the Miners will be staying in Region 2.
But, Corner Canyon will be moving into Region 3 and with that change comes
two new neighbors.
Cedar Valley and Westlake will now be placed in Class 6A Region 2 for all sports including football.
The new realigned Region 2 for the 2025-26 school year will consist of Bingham, Copper Hills, Riverton, Herriman, Mountain Ridge, Westlake and Cedar Valley. l
Salt Lake Volleyball brings professional game back to Utah
By Tom Haraldsen | t.haraldsen@mycityjournals.com
Utahns have always been fans of volleyball, whether it’s through recreational play or their local church leagues. And boys’ volleyball became an officially sanctioned high school sport just last year. Now professional women's volleyball returns to Salt Lake City as part of the League One Volleyball (LOVB, pronounced “Love”). The city has one of six franchises for the first-year league that kicked off on Jan. 8 in Atlanta. It was founded in 2020 as a “holistic volleyball ecosystem” that covered players from the beginner level through clubs and the pros. The plan was to start a pro league after the Paris Olympics, and now play is set to begin.
The teams don’t have names, other than the cities they play in. The six teams this year are in Atlanta, Austin, Houston, Madison, Omaha and Salt Lake. Utah’s team includes two-time Olympic medalists and 2020 gold medal winners Haleigh Washington and Jordyn Poulter, who lead
a roster with 21 collective All-American honors. Several come from local colleges like former Brighton High and University of Utah player Dani Drews, and former BYU teammates Roni Jones-Perry and
Mary Lake. Reigning VNL Best Libero Manami Kojima of the Japanese National Team will patrol the backcourt. U.S. National Team assistant Tama Miyashiro will instruct the squad, and she’ll be assisted by Bruno Chateau, who’s found success coaching internationally and in his native France.
Salt Lake played its first home match against Houston on Jan. 22 at Salt Lake Community College, where all of its home matches are scheduled except for the “Weekend with LOVB" on Feb. 7-8 at the Maverik Center in West Valley City. The team will play matches on both days that weekend.
Other home matches are set for March 20 against Madison, April 4 against Madison, April 5 against Austin. League finals will be held in mid-April in Louisville, Kentucky.
Members of the 15 player roster for Salt Lake Volleyball are as follows:
• Jordyn Poulter, S, Illinois
• Tamaki Matsui, S, Japan Women's College of Physical Education
• Morgan Miller, OH, Cal
• Maddie Haynes, OH, Cal
• Skylar Fields, OH, USC
• Tori Dixon, MB, Minnesota
• Sophie Fischer, MB, Georgia
• Serena Gray, MB, Pittsburgh
• Roni Jones-Perry, OH, BYU
• Haleigh Washington, MB, Penn State
• Manami Kojima, LIB, Aoyama Gakuin University
• Dani Drews, OH, Utah
• Mary Lake, LIB, BYU
• Claire Hoffman, OH, Washington
• Heidy Casanova, OPP
Every game will be broadcast through the ESPN family of networks, streamed on ESPN+ or broadcast through the league's website at LOVB Live. Ticket information available on line at www.lovb.com. l
Bingham senior Charger Doty in 7 on 7 action. (Photo courtesy Bingham High Athletics)
The new logo for Salt Lake Volleyball, which has begun play in the LOVB league and will host home matches at the Maverik Center and Salt Lake Community College. (Logo courtesy of LOVB)
With visions of Jack White, Prince and Sophie Lloyd strumming in my head, I started taking guitar lessons last year to prove that old dogs can still be tricky. After months of lessons, I confidently state Jack White can rest easy. I won’t be coming for his job.
Guitar lessons have challenged my patience but expanded my capacity for playing incorrect chords on a slightly outof-tune instrument. I pluck through terrible-sounding riffs and know practice time is over when I drop the guitar pick in the sound hole for the hundredth time.
Each week, I meet with the ever-patient Emily at Guitar Center so I can go over my lesson. I spend most of the time trying to convince her I really did practice while ignoring the eye twitch she develops whenever I play an F chord.
She’ll give me advice like, “Press the strings harder” or “Change the position of your thumb” or “Maybe take up baking.” I go home and practice chords and strums and fingerpicking until even the dog leaves the room. But after practicing “Blowin’ in the Wind” for six weeks, my husband finally recognized the chorus.
I’ve gained an appreciation for guitar players, and I get enraged by people who say they taught themselves to play the guitar because that can’t possibly be a thing. Like every child in Utah, I took piano lessons, and that background has helped with counting and timing but that’s the extent of its helpfulness when it comes to the guitar.
The hubby and I visited Nashville in October, where even toddlers can play the intro to “Stairway to Heaven,” and it highlighted how much I still have to learn. Every dive bar had an exceptional guitarist strumming chords while holding a beer bottle. I ate chicken wings and sipped margaritas, mesmerized by their talent.
Time to face the music
Peri Kinder Life and Laughter
Not only were they exceptional, but they could play any song by heart. My brain has no storage capacity. My hard drive is full. I can’t memorize songs, and I can barely remember chord progressions. I’m still looking at chord charts like they’re hieroglyphics.
Learning guitar is mostly about finding new ways to use your nondominant hand. In theory, a plucked string should create a musical vibration. In reality, a plucked string provides a muffled thud because I’m not on my fingertips or I’m too far from the fret or I can’t stretch my hand into a barre chord or I’m just inept. All of those things can be true.
After I played “If I Had a Hammer” for several weeks, my husband said if he had a hammer he’d smash my guitar. Not nice. But fair.
I grew up listening to singers like Joan Baez, Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash. Mom and my aunt would visit assisted living centers (they were called rest homes in the ’70s) to sing and play the guitar, entertaining the captive audience. Sometimes I’d sing along and screw up their “Leaving on a Jet Plane” harmonies with my squeaky 8-year-old voice.
Learning to play the guitar is a connection to my late mom. I can’t say my guitar music honors my mom because no one deserves that kind of honor, but I can imagine her
smiling (and probably grimacing) whenever I pick up the guitar. Maybe there are earplugs in heaven.
Watching Prince perform at the Super Bowl, seeing Jack White in concert and hearing Sophie Lloyd shred has become an act of reverence. I stand in awe at their talent as I slowly pick through “Five Hundred Miles” for what feels like the 500th time.
