WHAT HARD WORK AND SERVICE MEANS TO UTAH BUSINESS’ CEO OF THE YEAR AND SOUTH JORDAN RESIDENT, JAY FRANCIS
By Rebecca Olds
InJay Francis’ interview for CEO of the year by Utah Business, he was asked, “If you weren’t working right now, what would you be doing?” He listed off hobbies including boating, golfing and traveling, “But,” he said, “the first thing I would be looking for are some ways to give back to the community and serve others.”
The irony wasn’t lost as he told me of his work helping local businesses thrive and his accomplishments in his 40plus year career. He spent more than 30 years with Larry H. Miller Group of Companies where he worked as CMO and senior vice president for the Jazz and eventually entered the philanthropic side of the company.
In 2020, Francis started at the South Valley Chamber of Commerce.
South Valley Chamber of Commerce serves and helps local businesses grow their business by connecting, advocating and educating them and by working with government and community leaders in five different cities including South Jordan, Cottonwood Heights, Draper, Sandy and Riverton. Herriman will soon join the ranks, too.
While still holding his current position as president and CEO of the chamber, he serves on several different boards including the anti-bullying group, “Stand 4 Kind,” and the larger community and its businesses in a big and authentic way.
Here are four life lessons he’s learned and is passing onto his community.
Jay Francis was nominated for Utah Business’ 2024 CEO of the Year. (Photo courtesy Utah Business)
Never a dull moment with these South Jordan summer events
By Laura Spendlove Crapo | l.crapo@mycityjournals.com
Museum Mashup: Pioneer Pal
July 1 to July 31 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Gale Center of History & Culture.
No-sew rag dolls were a fun toy for pioneer children.
Movies in the Moonlight:
Food trucks start at 6:30 p.m. before activities at 7 p.m. Movie starts between 9 and 9:15 p.m. at Oquirrh Shadows Park & Splash Pad (4000 W. South Jordan Parkway).
• July 5 “Jurassic World”
• July 12 “Kung Fu Panda 4”
• July 19 “The Nightmare Before Christmas”
• July 26 “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”
• Aug. 2 “Wonka”
• Aug. 9 “Barbie”
Fizz Fest Art Festival:
July 20, 6 to midnight at SoDa Row, 11274 Kestrel Rise Road.
There will be a silent auction (6 p.m.), art festival (6 p.m.), Gina Marie Osmond concert (8 p.m.) and silent dance party (10 p.m.). Free event.
Dragon Boat Festival:
Aug. 24, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Eastlake Beach Park.
Dragon boat racing with official 40-foot boats and an Asian Festival including traditional food and cultural performances. l
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Bryan Scott | bryan.s@thecityjournals.com
EDITOR
Travis Barton | travis.b@thecityjournals.com
Mieka Sawatzki | mieka.s@thecityjournals.com
Jason Corbridge | jason.c@thecityjournals.com
Ryan Casper | ryan.c@thecityjournals.com
Greg Tanner | greg.t@valuepagesutah.com
SOUTH JORDAN TEAM
The Dragon Boat Festival will take place Aug. 24. Visit mydaybreak.com to register a team. (Photo courtesy LIVEDaybreak)
South Jordan is on the Dowdle map
By Laura Spendlove Crapo | l.crapo@mycityjournals.com
South Jordan is one of the very few cities with a personalized map painted by artist Eric Dowdle.
“After we put the offer out to highlight a city with a personalized puzzle painting, South Jordan was one of the first to jump on it,” Dowdle said. South Jordan received the email in 2022 with the offer and decided to promote the idea. This project gained steam and was eventually approved by the city council.
“A town like this, I mean it’s a good story that takes everybody and what they do,” Dowdle said. “That’s why we like the idea of the wall being a puzzle, because with 5,000 pieces every piece matters.” Dowdle’s staff and South Jordan City’s staff worked together to thoroughly confirm every detail. Dowdle advised city members to be careful in sending photos, because they’re what he goes by to paint them.
The puzzle’s location was also a careful decision. They looked at the splash pad and play park equipment situated together. These adjoining features create a natural group magnet. This helped make the placement decision for the city’s newest accessory become clear. Confirming the addition of the beautiful Dowdle puzzle wall to this cluster was a good location because it is a community gathering place.
“We did put together an internal committee for the Dowdle puzzle project,” South Jordan City Mayor Dawn Ramsey said. “Eric Dowdle worked with the City Manager and council because he really wanted to paint individuals and make sure it was right.” Because of his thoroughness, Ramsey was impressed by the interaction between
Dowdle’s staff and her committee.
The puzzle’s unveiling event drew great interest by city residents and many visiting puzzlers. After welcoming the crowd, Ramsey introduced Dowdle. He greeted the crowd and coached them to cheer every time he said South Jordan. After the black drape covering the puzzle was dropped, confetti cannons were shot off and South Jordan’s momentous and significant celebration began. South Jordan’s puzzle is titled on top with the phrase “The Future is Beautiful.”
“I’ve had the good fortune to do this in several cities all around the world and this one is a little more personal and tremendous,” Dowdle said. “I’m working outside of Utah now and it’s weird that the West has patriotism that’s a little different, most people think all the history is in the East, right? We like to make puzzles because each piece is important and we don’t have to add ethnicity to be different.”
The South Jordan puzzle can be purchased at City Hall, Mulligan’s Golf & Games and Fire Station #64 for $20. Dowdle is scheduled into 2025 and will be painting cities in Minnesota and Rhode Island. He can be seen in action on BYU TV’s Painting the Town with Eric Dowdle and in HBO MAX’s Peacemakers Series and on the Magnolia Network. South Jordan is on the famous Dowdle map. l
Eric Dowdle presents a personalized painted map. (Photo by Darrin Crapo)
Local students celebrate ancestors’ legacies with award-winning essays
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
Eliza
Melvina Richardson hid thousands of dollars in a bucket filled with nails, horseshoes and old iron, hiding it from people who had threatened harm. She also hid two pistols under her dress as they left their familiar Nauvoo home, crossed the Mississippi River and protected the family’s assets from those raiding the pioneers. She did this at age 17 while helping five children from her husband’s previous marriage before having 15 kids of her own.
This story of her ancestor is what South Jordan Elementary fourth-grader Hannah Irion learned and wrote about for the Jordan River chapter’s Sons of Utah Pioneers’ 250word essay contest.
“I emailed my great-grandma and learned about Eliza,” Hannah said. “Her story is inspiring. She crossed the Mississippi and traveled much of the trail with the children without her husband. I’m so glad I got to learn about her and her bravery. I hope I can be like her and overcome anything.”
Hannah won the pioneer ancestor writing contest and received a $50 cash award. Her classmates Finn Midgley and Lohi A’Alona placed second and third, respectively, and were awarded $25 and $15.
Guy Moore, chairman of the Sons of Utah Pioneers’ essay and scholarship committee, said the intent is for students to research and learn about their pioneer heritage and write an essay about one of the pioneers or about someone who has contributed to society in the sense of being a modern-day pioneer.
Those elementary winners, along with their parents and the three $1,000 scholarships winners, Riverton High seniors Austin Segelke, Hunter Gledhill and Luke Horner, were honored at a recent banquet at the Gale Center. Gledhill provided the evening’s entertainment on the piano.
The high school seniors’ essays focused on their pioneer ideals of faith in God, loyalty to church, country and family, courage in adversity, service to others and hard work. In addition to the essays, grade-point average, extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation and financial need weighed in on the decision, Moore said.
“We are very impressed with the quality of youth we have with us; their parents and the schools are doing a great job with their education and character,” Moore said.
He said many of the elementary students’ essays have stuck with him the past couple years. He recalls reading one about Henry Ford as a modern-day pioneer to last year’s winner, Bree McCleary, writing about how her great-, great, great-grandfather prayed for new shoes on his pioneer journey and happened to find some that were just the right size in a patch of grass.
“In judging the applicants, we are impressed with stories that touch our hearts,” he said.
Finn’s essay was about his fourth-great grandmother, Susanah Stone, who came to America for freedom of religion; she had joined the Church of England. During her journey, her boyfriend died, she was cold, hungry and tired, but she persevered to Salt Lake City where she met and marries Thomas Lloyd.
He wrote “their sacrifices because of their religious beliefs help with my religious beliefs.”
“They had a lot of trials they overcame with faith by being brave and determined,” Finn said. “It’s taught me that we’ll all face challenges and if we work hard and have faith, we’ll succeed.”
Lohi shares her middle name with her ancestor, Elsie Berthelson, who was brave, honest and disciplined and one of 18 siblings.
“I’ve been told that I’m a lot like her by being kind and outgoing,” she said. “I’ve learned to try hard and to be brave from her.”
Lohi said Elsie traveled three months from Denmark to Utah when she was 14 years old. She provided a home for her children with honesty, discipline and hard work — as well as plenty of food.
“The smell of bread, pies, sweet soup and chicken soup with Danish dumplings was always there,” she wrote, adding that her relatives’ recipes have been shared to more than 100 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. “Elsie was known for hosting many family parties and get-togethers.”
The fourth-graders’ teacher, Carrie Wardell, appreciates the essay contest both because it ties into her class curriculum learning about Utah history as well as because it provides them the opportunity to connect with their relatives.
“This empowers them to learn how our ancestors connect with us today,” she said.
“Many left a legacy for their family and by learning it, it brings them closer to their family. By having this opportunity to write them, it preserves their stories for future generations.” l
South Jordan Elementary fourth-grader Hannah Irion reads her essay about her pioneer ancestor at Jordan River chapter’s Sons of Utah Pioneers’ banquet where she was the winner of the fourthgrade essay contest. (Karrie Wardell/South Jordan Elementary)
South Jordan Elementary fourth-grade Sons of Utah Pioneers’ essay winners, Lohi A’Alona, Finn Midgley and Hannah Irion, pose with their awards along with their parents, teacher, administrators and Guy Moore, chairman of the contest. (Karrie Wardell/South Jordan Elementary)
Elk Meadows students perform timeless Wonka show, dazzling community
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
After Elk Meadows Elementary’s first performance of Roald Dahl’s “Willy Wonka Kids,” many of the 85 students in the show were as excited as if they had truly found a golden ticket.
“I’ve done theater before, but this is my biggest part and so far, the most fun,” sixth-grader Jaxon Bell said, who played Charlie Bucket and is to play Fletcher Blake in Hale Centre Theatre’s production of Freaky Friday this July and August. “I learned how I should play Charlie. He’s a nice kid who is honest, but he doesn’t have everything others have since he comes from a poor home. I’ve loved being in the show with my friends; we’ve become a cast family and it’s awesome the way the props and set transformed our school stage to match the story.”
Sixth-grader Evan McEntire, who played Grandpa Joe, agrees: “It’s been a real fun adventure and I appreciate learning acting skills so I could be in this story and share it with the entire school.”
Their May performances began with auditions in January, where the students recited lines, sang and learned a few steps of choreography. Once assigned their roles, they rehearsed every weekday one to two hours after school.
“We learned how to be team players,” sixth-grader and stage manager Avery Oldroyd said. “I learned to help people who needed an extra hand.”
Sixth-grader Johnny Orton learned how to do sound production for the show.
“We had to work together, and we did just that,” he said.
Sixth-grader Maeli Moon learned lighting and how to work the tech board.
“It was good to understand how one thing can impact another, so together, we knew it would work great,” she said.
Fifth-grader Jack Mallory, who was the microphone operator, agrees: “If I mess up on mics, we can’t hear an actor very well. A couple days ago, we had feedback, but we worked through it as a team to make it work.”
Fifth-grader William Morley was a light operator.
“It’s exciting coming together; we faced a lot of challenges, and learned from them,” he said.
Their director, Beverley Taylor Sorenson theatre teacher Spencer Duncan, gives credit to the students.
“They starred in the show and ran the show,” he said. “Each night there were parent volunteers backstage, but they reported that the kids know exactly where to go and how to help each other. I was really impressed with the amount of work the kids did. Being together so much, they developed a close kinship.”
In addition to helping create set pieces, the student-actors learned their speaking parts, their songs and dances.
“I had to learn how to move my feet while singing,” fifth-grader Mark Morrison said about his character, James. “Luckily, I got my speaking part down in two weeks so I could work on the music and dance.”
Sixth-grader Kace Bate, who played Willy Wonka, said it took him two months to get down the hip hop moves in the Pure Imagination scene.
“It was an important part of the show,” he said. “It’s super fun to have an important role and share the stage with my friends.”
Students learned many acting skills and how to have a stage presence.
“I learned how to project my voice and do big movements, which felt silly, but looked good on stage,” said sixth-grader Jameson Stanford, who played Veruca Salt’s dad.
It was sixth-grader Jaron Prince’s first show.
“I wasn’t confident; my stomach muscles tightened,” said the Oompa Loompa performer. “But as we rehearsed, I learned what to do and it ended up being so much fun.”
Sixth-grader Lucy Lauritzen thought she would never be in a show, but she found herself cast as Violet Beauregarde’s mother.
“It sounded fun to be involved in the show, but I had to overcome my stage fright,” she said.
Fifth-grader Jordyn Payne also was a first-time performer. She played Mike Teavee’s mother.
“I had to learn how to act, how to show emotions, how to move, but I could do it together with friends,” she said.
Sixth-grader Eli Stephens, who played an Oompa Loompa, learned “not to be afraid if you’re expressing something weird. It makes the show.”
His classmate Matthew Wimmer, who was a news reporter amongst his several roles, learned “to put myself out there, not be
shy.”
About everyone had a favorite scene to the show.
Veruca, or sixth-grader Aidia Hall, said her favorite part was being in the nut room with the squirrels.
“It’s a fun song and scene,” she said. “I love to sing; this was a really fun show.”
Sixth-grader Quincy Zollinger played Violet Beauregarde.
“My favorite part was getting blown up and getting to look like a big blueberry,” she said, learning how to quickly apply and remove the blue-violet water-activated makeup.
Mrs. Gloop, played by fifth-grader Addie Elvidge, thought the shrinking room was fun while sixth-grader Duke Andrewsen, who played Mike Teavee, appreciated the TV room.
“I liked the family environment and getting to be obsessed by the TV; I had to show a lot of energy,” he said.
Sixth-grader Zian Lack, who played Augustus Gloop, said his favorite scene was the Candy Man.
“Honestly, the most fun was to eat a lot of chocolate and getting to know the cast,” he said.
Thanks to the show’s dramaturg, fifth-grader Liam Morley, students learned a little history about various kinds of chocolate and sampled a few kinds, said Tricia Troester, a production assistant at the school who created several set pieces and props for the show.
Duncan said chocolate was incorporated into the show more than just the lines.
“We did talk about different brands of chocolate at the beginning and then organized them into teams by names, Mars, Cadbury, Hershey. We learned from our dramaturg the history of some kinds of chocolate and their production and sometimes we gave
them a treat at rehearsal. Sometimes it was chocolate, but most of the candy on stage was fake,” he said.
Liam also suggested with the $500 worth of chocolate Scheels donated to the show that each night of the performance when an audience member found a golden ticket taped to their seat, they’d win a chocolate gift basket.
“He thought this is a show where people get incredibly lucky, and dreams come true. So, we should give the audience golden tickets and have them experience what Charlie Bucket experienced — something remarkable,” Duncan said.
Another fun part was that the first-graders saw the book they listened to come alive, he said.
“This was their read-aloud book. They picked it because of the show and that was great because the first-graders came in and knew all the characters,” Duncan said.
The whole community, in fact, was supportive of the show, from more than 40 volunteers helping to three nights of packed audiences.
“Our school is so fortunate to have a fulltime theater teacher,” Troester said. “(Our) staff and volunteers have spent hundreds of hours helping. Elk Meadows is known for good community involvement.”
Being able to teach seven years full time at Elk Meadows, Duncan has considered himself “the luckiest person in the world.”
“I’ve been able to teach these kids since kindergarten and first grade and we have some really good character actors in this group who could play all the crazy different characters and have really good chemistry together and a number of them are really talented,” he said. “I greatly appreciate our community, the Beverly Taylor Sorenson arts program and our school and our school community council for supporting our theater program.” l
Eighty-five students, along with volunteers and staff, helped make Elk Meadows Elementary’s first performance of Roald Dahl’s “Willy Wonka Kids” a memorable experience. (Photo courtesy Natalie Bate)
1. Find a role model and work hard
Francis said that he has taken pages out of the books of several people throughout his life and career— the value of hard work from his dad, the desire to be a businessman from a previous religious leader, and that giving back is the biggest accomplishment from Larry and Gail Miller.
“I think it’s important that we have role models, rather than trying to blaze a trail by ourselves,” Francis said.
He speaks from experience from a time when he started transitioning from a career in construction to business.
While his father wasn’t a businessman, he worked hard during his career, often working on weekends and into the night, Francis said. So Francis started as a construction worker and followed his father’s example by working hard. But his outlook of what he wanted to do with his life changed when he saw men in suits and carrying briefcases in Salt Lake City.
“I just knew I didn’t want to have slivers in my fingers and mud or concrete on my boots,” he said.
From that point he worked to make the transition from construction to business by knocking on doors to network and asking CEOs and vice presidents of major corporations how they became what they were.
“Don’t worry about the time you clock,” he said, “just work hard.”
2. Give more than expected and serve
When someone goes above and beyond what’s expected of them, it leads to service. Francis said that it can be boiled down to, “Grow to give back and be better.”
Francis spoke of multiple times when he was asked while in his position as president and CEO why he attends almost every ribbon cutting and is up and at the stadium with bagels for early morning ticket sales, regardless of if he could work the ticket computer or not.
His response was simple.
“If I can be there to support them as the president of that chamber, then maybe, then maybe it lifts their day,” he said. “If people can count on you and depend on you, then you’ve got their trust,” he said.
Part of doing more than expected is wanting to do something that doesn’t benefit you, it’s to serve.
Before Larry H. Miller coined his renowned phrase, “Go out into the world and do good until there is too much good in the world,” he told Francis about it and emphasized the importance of it being the foundation of the company.
It’s something that Francis took with him.
3. Relationships aren’t something to hoard in a bank and withdraw for a favor
The more modern phrase “social capital,” Francis said, makes relationships sound like something you stuff away in a safe until
you need to withdraw.
“I’m not building them to put them in a bank,” he said, adding that he prefers the term “genuine,” and his approach focuses on being authentic in every relationship he makes.
Rob Brough, EVP of Marketing and Communications at Zions Bank and chair of the South Valley Chamber, has known and worked with Francis for more than 25 years.
“Jay’s influence as president and CEO of the Chamber has been foundational to the growth and success of the Chamber,” he said. “The relationships he has nurtured over his more than 40-year career have been critical to elevating the Chamber to its current position of prominence within Utah’s business ecosystem.”
Francis said himself that previous relationships that he’s made and kept can be invaluable to help his chamber members connect with people who can give direction and guidance.
4. Live what you teach
Through all of the other tidbits of advice he gave, I asked Francis how he has mentored and taught others what he’s learned.
“I think you teach it [and] you have to talk about things, but then you have to live them,” Francis said.
He said that living what you teach is always the best form of teaching—it’s being an example.
“Everyone who has ever associated with or done business with Jay admires and
respects him,” Brough said. “In my role as Chair of the South Valley Chamber, I have seen example after example of Jay’s brilliance, which he exhibits in a most humble and welcoming manner. He is a collaborator, a mentor, a builder and a true leader.”
Francis said that growth for the sake of growth “doesn’t have a purpose.”
“[You can] grow to grow just to maintain, or you can grow to be able to give back and to be better,” he said.
“I could be golfing, I could be doing more boating—which is probably my first love—but I really feel like what we’re building here with the South Valley Chamber is doing service.” l
Jay Francis (left) stands alongside Beth Colisimo and Mayor Monica Zoltanski at the South Valley Chamber awards. (Photo South Valley Chamber)
Jordan Ridge Elementary unifies cultures through dance, art and stories
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
Along with their classmates, fourth-graders Zachary Thompson and Clara Bennett had the chance to demonstrate the mid-1800s “Alabama Gal” folk dance.
This Southern U.S. dance was one of many that were performed by students during Jordan Ridge’s cultural arts night.
“It’s really fun and it took us one month to learn,” Zachary said. “We went through it until we got better and better.”
Clara caught her breath after the performance.
“I’ve gotten to learn about dancing in other parts of our country; it was fun to perform it for others so they could learn about it, too,” she said.
Parent Shelti Thompson appreciated students learning traditional dances.
“They got to learn about the dance and see other dances from around the world,” she said. “It broadens their understanding of others and their culture.”
Kindergartners kicked off the festivities with “Agadu” from Israel, followed by first-graders performing “Little Bird” from Germany.
First-grader Sophia Parkin said “Little Bird” is “what we call the Chicken Dance. It was fun, but now I’m going to get to check out the booths before hanging out with friends and get snocones.”
Her mother, Kimber, was excited to see her daughter’s artwork on display as she entered into a student art contest, “Exploring New Cultures.” Festivalgoers could vote for artwork to be on display — one piece for next year and one permanently.
“She learned about the French culture and studied Monet’s ‘The Artist’s Garden at Giverny,’” she said, referring to the French artist’s painting of his garden filled with pink and purple flowering hues shaded by trees near his home. “Her entry was modeled after that.”
Second graders danced the Russian “Sasha” on the school lawn while third-graders had fun with “The Grumpy March” from the Eastern U.S. Fifth-grade students learned the Samoan “Sa Sa” and sixth-graders concluded the performances with the Irish “Sashay the Donut.” Students learned the dances from Beverley Taylor Sorenson teacher specialist Autumn Montgomery.
Sixth grader Theresa Vo liked learning her grade’s dance.
“I like to dance and learn new ones,” she said, while her classmate Charley Basile added, “It’s a fun dance to do together with friends.”
The second annual cultural festival, which also brought together several different countries’ displays, was coordinated by the school PTA President Nicole Kerr.
“We added the cultural event to unite the community and make them aware of other cultures,” she said. “We’ve continued with
the cultural art on display, included the dances from different cultures, and reached out to our school community to share about their heritage. It’s a fun celebration which brings our community together.”
Several community members shared their cultures, allowing students to admire Dala horses at the Scandinavian table and play games at the Samoan booth. Bingham High Latinos in Action taught school children how to make tissue paper flowers and its People of the Pacific demonstrated traditional dances.
Students flocked to try an El Salvadoran candy from “Mr. G,” custodian Geovanni Perez, who dressed in his native country’s peasant clothing — white cotton shirt and pants, a straw hat and sandals.
“I’m hoping the kids learn there are more countries south of the border than Mexico,” Perez said. “El Salvadorans always are happy and helpful people.”
He recounts his country’s history from the indigenous people to when the El Salvadorians held off the Spaniards when they first tried to conquer.
“We’re mighty even though our country is the same size as Wisconsin,” Perez said. “In the early 1900s, when people heard about the United States and the opportunity there they started migrating. Not that many came until our Civil War; that’s when more people left.”
His family moved to the United States in 1980, during his country’s Civil War. They moved first to California, where he grew up as a teenager. Then he moved his family to Utah.
“People understand this country is made up of people from around the world. We come here because we all want a better opportunity,” he said. “It’s important kids realize that.”
Reading interventionalist Amie Summers shared her Dutch heritage with families with a warm “welkom.”
“My grandparents were from Holland, so I brought these trinkets to show and these stencils of a ‘klomp’ (wooden shoe) and tulips for students to paint art projects,” she said as she helped several students.
Summers was dressed in a traditional skirt and her pinned braids crossed her head.
“I appreciate students learning about other cultures,” she said. “Not all learning comes from books; they’re gaining understanding by learning the dances, doing art, hearing about other countries.” l
Jordan Ridge students learn how to make tissue paper flowers from Bingham High’s Latinos in Action group at the elementary school’s cultural arts night. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Holy Cross Hospital – Jordan Valley honored for commitment to patient safety
By Christine McSweeney
Each and every day, our incredible physicians and nurses work relentlessly to uphold our values of excellence, innovation and compassion. Central to this effort is our unyielding commitment to the safety of our patients.
That is why we are honored at Holy Cross Hospital – Jordan Valley to receive recognition from The Leapfrog Group with an “A” grade for Hospital Safety in Spring 2024. Leapfrog is a national nonprofit watchdog that assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on over 30 measures of errors, accidents, injuries and infections as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent them.
Our recognition of an “A” grade at Holy Cross Hospital – Jordan Valley belongs to our exceptional physicians and care teams who constantly strive to improve our care and protect patients from preventable harm. We are grateful for the dedication of all our caregivers to the safety of our patients and ensuring they are protected at every stage of their care journey.
“Everyone who works at these Mountain Region hospitals should be proud of this ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “It takes complete dedication of everyone at every level, and an ironclad commitment to putting patients first. It is our patients who illuminate not just our common spirit, but our shared mission to improve health, advance social justice, and make known the healing presence of God. We are proud to serve all in our communities, and nothing is more important than the safety of every person who comes through our doors. Together, we will achieve our vision of a healthier future for all.
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Daybreak’s Fiesta event provided a big cultural hug for Latinos and non-Latinos as well.
“This is the second time Daybreak has celebrated the Latino culture,” Natalie Garcia said, liveDaybreak community council member. “Our goal is to build a community that embraces art and diversity.”
The full parking lots were the first sign the party had started. It was apparent this event had attracted many visitors. There were men and women of all ages. Some people even chose to share the experience with their dogs.
The sounds of pulsing music, shouts, applause and even dance instruction were those of a genuine celebration. The Latino culture is known for throwing enthusiastic, colorful and fun parties with gusto. The energy at these parties is contagious.
Children with fancy painted faces showed more of the details involved in planning this big party. The international food was enjoyed by couples and groups seated at the many sets of table and chairs. Several food trucks serving food from many countries kept busy. Their customers enjoyed entrees, treats and ethnic frozen desserts to help the crowd cool down.
Daybreak fiesta embraces Latin culture
By Laura Spendlove Crapo | l.crapo@mycityjournals.com
“We rotate the cultures being highlighted in our celebrations,” Garcia said. “In August, we’re focusing on Asian cultures with a Dragon Boat Festival and will have actual races between dragon boats.”
Everyone interested in details and announcements of future activities is encouraged to regularly check the South Jordan City website. Please visit sjc.utah.gov to be informed. l
“This
is the second time Daybreak has celebrated the Latino culture,” Natalie Garcia said, liveDaybreak community council member. “Our goal is to build a community that embraces art and diversity.”
(Photos by Darrin Crapo)
NeuroHealth in South Jordan earns national designation
By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com
Despite awareness campaigns and efforts to reduce the stigma of mental health disorders, the state of mental health in the United States is a critical issue, affecting millions of individuals across all demographics.
People experiencing Anxiety, Depression and OCD tendencies often find their mental health tested by social, economic and environmental stressors. Access to mental health care continues to be a significant challenge but Jason Corbridge, owner of NeuroHealth, located in South Jordan at 10437 S. Temple Dr., Suite 200, thinks he’s found the solution.
“There are people who use antidepressants and they get side effects and they get frustrated because the things that were working two years ago aren’t working now,” he said. “This is the answer. With NeuroHealth, you’re using technology with TMS to actually heal the brain, fix the issue and get you back to where you should be.”
TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) therapy uses magnetic pulses to awaken dormant synapses in the brain to help it heal. The treatment is FDA-approved and is covered by most insurance companies.
After only one year in business, NeuroHealth was awarded the Better Me Guarantee designation from NeuroStar, the maker of the
non-invasive TMS system. This designation is reserved for clinics that have proven to deliver the highest level of care for every patient who walks in their door.
Corbridge said NeuroHealth stats mirror those from the national NeuroStar numbers showing more than 80% of patients who completed TMS therapy have measurable depression relief and more than 60% experienced full remission of depression. The complete TMS process includes 36 sessions but Corbridge said showing up is half the battle and treatment is painless and over in about 20 minutes.
“Our quality of care is so high because we take the approach of being all about the patient, the person,” Corbridge said. “If we don’t have a solution for you, we’re still on your team and we’ll get you connected with the right person who can help if you need something that we don’t offer.”
Sophia Pitts, office manager at NeuroHealth, echoed those same thoughts, “Each staff member of NeuroHealth strives to put the patient first in every way possible, which is why I’m happy to be part of this team. Watching each patient’s journey is both inspiring and rewarding, and I’m honored to be a witness to their progress.”
Receiving the BMG designation from
NeuroStar took a lot of effort from the NeuroHealth team. They supplied information for audits, were secret shopped many times, and maintained an online presence that was professional and accurate.
People interested in TMS therapy can contact NeuroHealth at 385-464-3150 or visit NeuroHealthutah.com to schedule a free consultation. Because of demand, NeuroHealth is looking to expand into Davis County.
“Our niche is for medication-resistant depression,” Corbridge said. “It’s also
long-lasting. We tell people, look, we love you but we hope we don’t see you again. But we do keep tabs on our patients. Later on, after treatment, if they feel they’re sliding backward, we have them come in for mini-treatments. Nothing is 100% and everyone’s brain will be different.”
Editor’s Note: City Journals publisher Bryan Scott is a co-owner at NeuroHealth. l
(From left) NeuroHealth owners Bryan Scott and Jason Corbridge are joined by Sara Solomon, Jessica Brown and Sophia Pitts in celebrating the clinic’s Better Me Guarantee designation from NeuroStar. (Courtesy of NeuroHealth).
Bingham’s car show tradition showcases students’ skills, vehicles
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
Hoods were popped as enthusiasts checked the engines of old-time Plymouths and Chevys parked on the grass. They paged through a 1967 Plymouth service manual.
Down the row, students gawked at displayed Lotus, Porsche, Lamborghinis.
On the road was junior Jaxson Sanderson, who stood by his blue Plymouth race car parked next to his dad’s bright orange car.
“I’m in both the auto body and mechanics classes,” he said. “I thought it would be cool to bring my racecar and my dad’s racecar to teach kids about drag racing. There’s not a whole lot of drag cars here so it gives them a chance to see them up close.”
It was Bingham High’s 28th auto show, which featured about 75 vehicles. Students, wearing T-shirts in support of the event, were excused from class one of the last days of the year for the tradition, complete with grilled hot dogs and soft drinks.
“There’s a ton of things I’ve learned in class, but I knew a little bit about painting. I’m considering this to be a career for me,” Sanderson said.
He bought his car last fall to drag race, having “pretty much” grown up at the track.
“I’ve been around it my whole life. I like the speed, I’m an alright driver, but I can be better. We used to have a drag strip, Rocky Mountain raceways, but they shut that down. Now we have to travel to race in Las Vegas or Boise,” he said.
Sanderson was one of more than 50 students who displayed their cars at the show. He stood near the vehicles displayed by his teacher, Travis Lucero.
“I helped work on the struts and some other stuff,” he said about the bright green 1950 Chevy roadster. “He has done everything to that — pretty much custom built, painted it, modified it.”
Lucero said rebuilding the yet-to-benamed truck wasn’t him alone.
“It went from rusty parts to this beauty over the span of a decade, with numerous students helping along the way and countless hours of mine after hours and on the weekends,” said the 18-year teaching veteran. “We were able to pull it together. It’s not just me; there’s tons of student work in it. The whole wood bed was built in the woods department. All these metal strips were cut out in my welding program and then sent off to be chromed. The whole dash is student work.”
Many of the cars were rebuilt by students, and not just their own.
“The Nova was rebuilt, along with that Thunderbird and those three in the corner,” Lucero said, pointing to those directly around him. “There are a lot of the cars students can afford; a lot of the tuners (cars adjusted to go fast) and imports tend to be student’s cars. Some students do drive classics, but these here take a lot of time and a lot of money.”
The 1956 salmon red Thunderbird on
display belongs to his mother, Karen, who proudly wore a Bingham High car show shirt.
“It was a gift from my husband for our 11th anniversary,” she said. “We knew about the car and then the owner, a woman who lived in Los Angeles, called and she said, ‘Do you want to buy it? I’ll sell it to you.’ We had no money. We were broke and we had kids. My husband worked as a plumber pipefitter, and he took the pictures she sent us of the car to the credit union — and they gave us a loan. We flew there and drove it back to Utah.”
Her son, Travis Lucero, was only 11 months old at the time.
“Once the kids were on their own, we were able to start putting some money into it to get it fixed up,” Karen Lucero said. “We changed the color from black to the salmon kind of red they had in 1956 and that matches the upholstery. Travis is the one who helped restore it and my husband’s been helping him. He’s here about three times a week. The students have helped, putting in a lot of hours.”
The Thunderbird won first place in the (Sandy’s) Autorama three years ago when it was a convertible.
“Then, we decided to do the top so worked on the top to make it a complete car,” she said. “It won first place in this category and when it was announced they wanted to give a special award to Bingham High School’s Travis Lucero, he went white. I thought he was going to faint.”
As a proud mother, Karen Lucero has
appreciated what that meant, as well as being named one of Jordan School District’s top teachers of the year for 2024.
“We encouraged him to take this job; he wasn’t sure it was the right fit for him. He loves it and we’re proud of what he’s been able to do for so many students,” she said. “This event is a community favorite.”
Lucero said this year’s car show is twice as big as recent years. Next year, with the show extending another hour, it may be larger yet.
“It is the pinnacle of all of our hard work for the year,” he said. “It’s just a chance for everyone to take a deep breath and have some fun.” l
Above: Teacher Travis Lucero and his students from the past decade turned rusty parts into the bright green 1950 Chevy roadster, which was on display at Bingham High’s 28th auto show. (Julie Slama/City Journals) Bottom: Bingham High’s 28th auto show, which featured about 75 vehicles, is a favorite year-end event amongst students and faculty. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
City’s ‘Round It Up’ program provides extra funding for arts
By Travis Barton | travis.b@thecityjournals.com
SouthJordan found a unique way to fundraise for its arts programs.
The city recently held a community theater production in June of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” and featured a familiar face in the cast.
“I love community theater, and wanted to take that extra step to show our city’s support for the arts by auditioning for this fantastic production,” said South Jordan Mayor Dawn Ramsey, who was cast in the role of the Narrator. She added the show was oversold every night.
“So we know the community loves this and we’re so glad they’re coming out,” she said in a video released by the city.
A South Jordan City press release said the production, presented by the South Jordan Arts Council and Sandbox Theater Company, is supported by typical funding sources like the County’s Zoo, Arts, and Parks (ZAP) program. Some of the funding, however, comes from a unique source: the City’s Round it up for the Arts program.
The Round it up for the Arts program allows South Jordan utility customers, if they choose, to round up their billing payments to the nearest dollar, which is less than $12 a year for any customer, according to the press release.
“We recently did a process to develop an
Arts Master Plan, and the consultants told us that this program for fundraising for the arts is especially unique,” Ramsey said.
If enough participate in this voluntary program, it can have impactful results. The city received nearly $18,000 from the Round it Up program over the last year, but they hope to grow it even more.
“We know that having art, both visual and performing formats, is essential for the quality of life of our residents,” Ramsey said. “We hope we can continue to promote the arts in our city through programs like these.”
“Joseph” ran for 10 shows at the South Jordan Community Center and Ramsey said it’s a unique method to support these programs without being invasive of people’s time and pockets.
“It’s a fun way to add arts and culture to our city in a way that everyone can enjoy and it’s not a burden,” she said.
The program, which is advertised at the shows, also allows for one-time donations, which you can find on the city’s website at sjc.utah.gov/SupportTheArts.
Up next for the arts in South Jordan will be Art Summer Camps with Art Haven, set for July 8-11, July 15-18 and July 29-Aug. 1 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Gale Center for ages 6-12. Registration can be found at register.sjc.utah.gov. l
South Jordan’s Round up program allow residents to give extra funds to the art programs in South Jordan, such as for “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” which ran to the end of June. (Screenshot via South Jordan City)
Jordan School District’s Sports Day: Celebration of camaraderie and competition
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
About300 students from 16 elemen-
tary schools took part in Sports Day, an event for students with disabilities that has been a tradition in Jordan School District for more than 30 years.
Students competed in a sprint, a softball throw and a standing long jump against other students of similar abilities. A ¼-mile cross country race was an option for students as well, said adaptive PE teacher Nancy Merrick, who has been coordinating the event for 29 years.
“They do their best, but we emphasize the fun and not winning,” she said. “It’s a day out where they show their parents what they can do. A lot of parents don’t get to see their kids compete like some of the gen(eral) ed(ucation) parents do, so this is nice for the students to have the opportunity as well as their parents, who can watch them compete.”
Many of the skills the student-athletes demonstrate are learned and practiced in their adaptive PE classes, which Merrick teaches.
“We work on locomotor skills like throwing, jumping, hopping and those skills during regular class time. We try to keep the kids active all through the year, showing them different things. We teach them these skills so they can go out with all the kids at recess,” she said. “Sports Day is something that kids look forward to at the end of the year.”
New this year at Sports Day was the addition of partners, or peer students, to help the student-athletes; it follows the Special Olympics unified sports model, where in middle and high school as well as college, athletes and partners play together on unified sports teams.
Many of the schools’ students supported their peers who were competing by having a clap-out as they boarded
Sports Day was moved from its
Riverton High, because of scheduling issues and it was held on a Thursday, to allow more time for teams to enjoy lunch afterward at the high school. l
the bus for the event as well as share their successes on school announcements or have bulletin board displays.
long-time host, Herriman High, to
During Jordan School District’s Sports Day, elementary students with disabilities took to the track. (Photo courtesy Abigail Slama-Catron)
New to Jordan School District’s Sports Day was students helping and competing against their peers with disabilities at the events. (Photo courtesy Abigail Slama-Catron)
Elementary students with disabilities and their supporters celebrate accomplishments during Jordan School District’s Sports Day. (Photo courtesy Abigail Slama-Catron)
schools online
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals. com
South Jordan Journal is offering readers more education stories. To read these stories, go online to www.southjordanjournal. com
Jordan bus drivers compete in state ‘Road-e-o’ — Bus drivers compete to win state driving title and chance to compete this June for international contest.
Bingham seniors return to former schools to inspire younger students — Bingham High Grad Walk celebrates accomplishment, motivates youngsters in their schooling. l
Welby students reach out to give high fives to Bingham High seniors, many of whom attended the elementary school years ago. (Aaron Ichimura/Welby Elementary)
Joe Wright appointed president of Merit Medical
Courtesy Salt Lake Business Journal
Merit
Medical Systems Inc., a healthcare technology company in South Jordan, has announced the appointment of Joe Wright as president, effective immediately. As president, Wright will be responsible for the oversight of Merit’s global commercial, marketing and manufacturing operations, the company said in its announcement.
Wright has been part of the Merit team for 19 years. He most recently served as chief commercial officer, where he led the development and expansion of Merit’s global commercial activities. Prior to that, he served as president of Merit’s International Division, leading Merit’s business units across APAC and the Americas. In that role, he oversaw the development of Merit’s commercial strategy and led the expansion of the company’s international footprint, including the creation of Merit China in Beijing and the Merit Asia headquarters in Hong Kong.
“Investing in our people is a core part of the growth and profitability of our Continued Growth Initiatives Program,” Fred P. Lampropoulos said, Merit Medical’s chairman and CEO. “Joe has been central to executing our strategic plan and positioning the company for continued success, including spearheading our commercialization efforts and overseeing significant international expansion, engineering the advanced capabilities of our renal therapies group, including the integration of the business and assets we acquired from AngioDynamics in 2023 and
directing the development of our commercial excellence initiatives globally. He is a valuable member of our leadership team, and I look forward to continuing to work closely with him to improve the lives of patients and drive sustained value creation for our shareholders.”
“I am honored to take on the role of president at this important point in Merit’s journey,” Wright said. “I have been a part of this team for almost two decades and have developed a deep appreciation of Merit’s innovative technology, global access, unique and successful culture, alignment of values within the healthcare system and opportunities for growth. I look forward to advancing our CGI objectives, improving the profitability of our business and investing in our future.”
Merit’s board of directors is continuing the process of identifying potential internal and external CEO candidates in preparation for the previously announced retirement of Lampropoulos at the end of 2025. The process is being overseen by Merit’s independent directors with the assistance of Korn Ferry, a leading executive search firm. Merit said in a release that it does not intend to provide further updates on the process until such time as a successor is designated.
Prior to joining Merit, Wright held sales, marketing and business development positions with Motorola and Micron. He holds bachelor’s of arts and MBA degrees from Columbia University. l
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With new upgrades, the nearly 50-year-old Bingham High serves students better
By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com
Sophomore Jenna Perry had walked Bingham High halls before being a student at the school. Her sister is a graduate.
“It was dark, but now I like how spacious it is, how much bigger and brighter it is with wider hallways and skylights,” she said. “We don’t get jostled or bumped into as much.”
About five years after the May 16, 2019 pipe-breaking ceremony, construction at the 49-year-old Bingham High school building is nearing completion — on time despite interruptions caused by supply-chain issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the kick-off, it was estimated the $31 million in renovations would extend the life of the school for at least 20 years, less expensive than building a new high school, district officials said.
“It’s been long overdue and we’re grateful that the (Jordan) Board of Education walked through the building and could see the need for the renovation,” said former Bingham High Principal Christen Richards-Khong in 2019, before she took a position in the district office. “Throughout the building, we’ve had pipes burst and spray all over classrooms, equipment and materials. Cuffs have been placed on the pipes, but then they break in another place or in the hall and it just creates havoc.”
The renovations were done in five phases, mostly in the summer to minimize disruptions to students. It began with providing the science and math areas with new water lines, LED lighting, new data lines, heating and air conditioning upgrades and new carpet. That upgrade process continued in other areas.
There was a complete renovation and expansion of the music room, updates to the auditorium and the small theatre, fondly named the Copper Pit. There were upgrades to the entire upstairs, the vocational area, the art rooms, counseling offices and media center. The school office moved closer to the front doors, an elevator was added to be compliant with ADA regulations and the roof was replaced.
The last phase was everything from the cafeteria area to the east, which included the gym, weight and dance rooms, locker rooms — and the list goes on.
Now, the construction is down to the last items on the checklist, said Principal Rodney Shaw, who has worked with the team to ensure the renovations are in the students’ best interest and have minimal disruptions to the 2,400 students’ education.
“There are still some things they have to do this summer that were delayed because of COVID and budget constraints,” he said. “They’re going to switch out rooftop air conditioning units, because those were ridiculously backordered. Some of the big electrical panels will be switched because they
didn’t have those available and were backordered almost a year and a half. The whole school is going to be rekeyed for security. Nothing that will impact the inside of the building or schooling. We only had to start the year remotely once and that was three years ago. There were so many classrooms in that one phase, we had to give crews a couple weeks to finish it.”
Before crews leave, Shaw will go over a “small punch list” to fix, such as some ceiling tiles that are broken in the PE storage room and touch-ups in other areas.
“It’s like when you buy a house before you go to the title company to sign the papers and assume the loan, you walk through with the builder and the inspector and say, ‘the baseboard’s coming off the wall, you need to fix that,’ and ‘this light switch is missing a screw.’ It’s stuff like that. The teachers have sent us things that aren’t right in their rooms, so we want to make sure everything is right and that it’s all working. I can see the end in sight; we’re to a point now to where it’s small stuff,” he said.
Trophies — athletic and academic region and state championships — will be dusted and put in their new display cases as well as memorabilia dating back 116 years when the first Bingham High began with 12 freshmen as a branch of Jordan High School in the old town of Bingham.
Construction isn’t new to Bingham students. This South Jordan school opened its doors to 1,250 Bingham students in 1975 while crews continued to carpet, paint and put in the gym floor.
“There’s a fine line between tradition and habit,” Shaw said. “You have to evaluate things and if it’s a habit, you probably ought to reevaluate; if it’s a tradition, you maintain. We focus on tradition at Bingham, and I honor and respect its history and its traditions. It’s part of who I am. What I love so much about being the principal of a legacy high school is the endearing memories, not the color of the brackets or the walls. It’s memories of how this place impacted me as a teenager and my friends and how much we all love this school.”
With the renovations, there are some unique features to the building which are appreciated, he said.
“In phase four, they built a building within a building so the counseling center and the tech atrium and all the upstairs offices, they’re part of a freestanding building. It’s not tied into the high school structure; it has its own seismic stuff,” Shaw said, adding it was less expensive to build it that way. “I love the cafeteria and how bright it is and how inviting it is. There’s a different feel for when the kids gather in midday to decompress. I’m happy with the upgrades in the athletic area since they’re a big part of high school life. I made it a priority when I got here to increase
technology, so those resources now are available. We’re one-to-one with Chromebooks, there are upgrades in the audio systems, we all have laptops and high-definition TVs. Five years ago, the teachers were still using VCRs.”
Security has been upgraded with double secure doors, secure passes, additional cameras and other state-of-the-art safety features, he said.
Already, the Bingham Alumni Association is anxious to have an open house and there may be a rededication ceremony or ribbon-cutting, but it is a Jordan Board of Education decision, and no date has been set, he added.
“It still feels like the old Bingham, but there is a new feel to the school. There’s a
brightness to the school and with the glass, it’s more open. That has changed the environment quite a bit because before, it was old brown, dingy brick, and it was dark with fluorescent lighting. It felt cavernous and cold. Kids learn better in brighter environments that’s clean and new. We’ve remodeled and we’ve refurbished almost the entire building with new classroom furniture. The kids were sitting in the same seats I sat in 1988 that were literally 40-year-old desks. We also updated the technology so it can be able to handle today’s world. It’s pretty much a new school, but with the same footprint,” Shaw said. “There’s a lot for us to be proud about and take pride in, in what’s going on and how the building looks now.” l
A new weight room for students was part of Bingham High’s five-phase remodel. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
Bingham High Principal Rodney Shaw appreciates the cafeteria — “how bright it is and how inviting it is” — which came about with the school’s remodel which is intended to expand the life of the school. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
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Bingham lacrosse: Six girls, three boys named to All-State teams
By Brian Shaw | b.shaw@mycityjournals.com
Theseason might have ended in a way that the Bingham Miners as a team did not want.
But the postseason honors that several of the Miners received as a result of their performances on the field takes a bit of the sting out.
Leading the way for 6A All-State First Team honors by coaches’ votes: two midfielders for the Miners who both go by the first name of Sophie.
Senior Sophie Curtis leaves the program having put it in a great spot over her high school career. Her school-record 48 goals will be hard to duplicate and so will the 91 ground balls that Curtis forced in her final season. It was the first time, believe it or not, that Curtis has been named All-State.
Sophie Grizzle was a junior midfielder for the Miners who scored 41 goals and forced a Class 6A-best 157 ground balls for Bingham. In a similar fashion to Curtis’ trajectory, this was also the first All-State selection for Grizzle.
On the 6A Second Team is where you’ll find junior attacker Aspen Little. She scored 30 goals and forced 24 ground balls for the Miners. This was the second straight year that Little has been named Second Team All-State by the coaches’ votes; last year, she scored 28 goals, forced 12 ground balls and caused 12 turnovers.
Three other Bingham players were named as 6A Honorable Mention including senior midfielder Brenna Miller. She scored 22 goals and forced 38 ground balls, improving on the totals she had as a junior by 14 goals and 20
forced ground balls.
Junior defender Norah Davis was also given an honorable mention by coaches’ votes; she was on the 6A Second Team last year. Davis scored 10 goals, forced 65 ground
balls and caused 10 turnovers this year—a vast improvement from her 1 goal/38 ground ball/9 caused turnovers performance as a junior.
Senior Morgan Edman was the sixth and final Miner player to have been named to All-State by the coaches’ votes. She had a school-record 117 saves for a Bingham team that completed the 2023-24 season with a record of 11-7 and a fifth-place finish at the 6A tournament.
On the boys side, the Miners had two players named 6A Second Team All-State by coaches’ votes.
Senior Curtis Carlson scored 35 goals and had 23 assists for the Miners, forced 43 ground balls and caused 13 turnovers in his final year at the school. As a junior, Carlson was named 6A Honorable Mention after he scored 37 goals and 22 assists, forced 36 ground balls and caused 12 turnovers.
Sophomore Cash Moon was named to the 6A Second Team as well for his efforts as a long-stick midfielder. Moon forced 34 ground balls and caused 10 turnovers. It was the first time in his high school career that he’s been an All-State selection.
Senior midfielder Ryken Whitney rounded out the Bingham boys lacrosse All-State selections by the coaches’ votes.
Whitney had a great final season for the Miners and was given a 6A Honorable Mention. The senior scored 27 goals, forced 37 ground balls and caused 17 turnovers for a Bingham team that completed the 2023-24 season with a record of 13-7 and had a fifthplace finish at the 6A tournament. As a junior, Whitney scored nine goals, forced 22 ground balls and caused 12 turnovers for the Miners.
Sophie Curtis (12) graduates having scored 48 goals her senior season, a school record. (File photo City Journals)
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Bingham football begins a new era under Josh Johnson
By Brian Shaw | b.shaw@mycityjournals.com
Now that Eric Jones has headed off to West Slope High School in Weber County to be closer to his home, a new era of football begins at Bingham High under head coach Josh Johnson, a Bingham alum who begins his first season as the Miners’ head coach.
There’s a whole lot of new and a little bit of old in the Miners’ 2024-25 schedule, too.
First, national power Mater Dei of Los Angeles has been taken off the slate. In its place will be a state heavyweight, 6A semifinalists Lehi. That game will take place Aug. 30 at Lehi.
Under their new coach, who served as a top assistant to Jones last season, the Miners will open the 2024-25 campaign against Lone Peak at home Aug. 16.
That game will be a rematch of two teams that have had notable showdowns the past two seasons. The Miners, of course, made it back to Rice-Eccles Stadium two years ago this November for the first time in five years and ended Lone Peak’s season on Bingham’s bone-chilling home turf in a 2519 win.
Last year, LP returned the favor in Bingham’s season opener, handing the Miners a 7-27 loss.
This year, a more mature Bingham team
that grew up a lot last year en route to a 6-6 record and early exit at the 6A quarterfinals will travel to defending 4A champion Crimson Cliffs in a regionally televised game Aug. 23.
After the road game at Lehi on Aug. 30—another regional broadcast—the Miners will host Skyridge, the school that ended Bingham’s Cinderella season two years ago at the 6A semifinals at Rice-Eccles, on Sept. 6.
Bingham will wrap up the preseason with its third road game of the year, a Sept. 13 date at Syracuse, a rematch of last year’s 6A second-round game, a 29-21 Bingham win at home in which Triston Brimhall ran for 139 yards rushing and three touchdowns.
After that, the usual suspects will be left on the Miners’ schedule from Region 2: Copper Hills at home [Sept. 20] and Herriman at home on Sept. 27. Neither game will be a cakewalk; the Miners trailed 10-14 after three quarters of action at the home of the Grizzlies last year and needed a furious fourth-quarter rally led by two fourth-quarter TDs from Carson Sudbury, who is now playing for Idaho State University.
At Herriman last season, the Miners outlasted their rivals 47-36 behind 190 yards rushing and three TDs from Sudbury, who
will not be walking back through that door now that he’s graduated. The same rationale applies to Triston Brimhall.
Back to the present: A short bus ride to Riverton [Oct. 4] will follow for the Miners, and then Bingham will host Corner Canyon on Oct. 11 in what could be a showdown for the Region 2 title.
Last year, the Miners got over 300 yards rushing from three guys [Brimhall, Sudbury and Chase Swensen] in a 31-6 pasting of rival Riverton at home. But they were pummeled by a Corner Canyon team led by Utah signee Isaac Wilson, the brother of Zach Wilson who threw for 276 yards passing and two TDs and ran for another 58 yards on the ground as Bingham suffered a 3-38 loss.
The Miners will wrap up the league slate Oct. 18 with a rivalry road game at Mountain Ridge—another game that could prove pivotal as far as the Region 2 title picture goes.
That game last year, which had some bad blood to begin with after Mountain Ridge players and students impersonated Mater Dei fans earlier in the season, ended in a 37-26 Bingham win at Ron Thorne Stadium when then-senior Bode Petersen picked off a MR pass late in the fourth quarter and returned it 51 yards for a TD. l
Bingham girls soccer: The future looks bright
By Brian Shaw | b.shaw@mycityjournals.com
For a Bingham Miners team that lost 10 seniors to graduation, an easier preseason schedule in the 2024-25 calendar year might do wonders for its confidence.
The season opener will come quick; it’s scheduled to take place against Hillcrest on Aug. 8. Preseason games continue with a game versus Skyline Aug. 13 and Juan Diego Catholic Aug. 15.
Region 2 play gets underway after that. For the Miners, their first league game is at home versus Corner Canyon on Aug. 20.
A busy month of August concludes with a cross-town showdown Aug. 27 against Salt Lake Academy [formerly Real Salt Lake Academy] and it wraps up with a game at rivals Mountain Ridge on Aug. 29.
For this Miners team looking to rebound from a record of 3-14 last year, getting off to a better start in preseason and hitting their strides will be crucial.
To that end, winning rivalry games such as the one at Riverton Sept. 5 will be vital.
Another rival in Herriman visits Bingham on Sept. 10 and exactly one week later [Sept. 17], Copper Hills will come calling to Ron Thorne Stadium.
The Miners will wrap up the month with a home game Sept. 24 against Mountain Ridge.
The month of October will be rather short in terms of games on Bingham’s schedule due to Fall Break and the upcoming state tournament.
Bingham will host Riverton on Oct. 1 and visit Herriman Oct. 3.
For a team that finished last year with a 2-10 record in Region 2 play and that lost 10 seniors from a squad that earned a trip to the 6A state playoffs, it will be a tall order.
And, when you consider that four of those graduates earned athletic scholarships
to play soccer at the next level, you begin to realize that Bingham as a program is aware it has shortcomings and is taking steps to not only advance their players in the sport but nurture them.
In fact, the Miners don’t just rebuild their program when dozens graduate—they simply reload it. Of the 10 who left, another 30 that have been getting minutes at the JV and sophomore/freshmen levels lie in wait for their opportunity.
Of those four graduates that signed athletic scholarships to continue playing soccer at the next level, it was announced several months after the conclusion of Bingham’s 2022-23 season that Olivia Myntti would be heading to Casper College [Wyoming].
Myntti, a midfielder and three-year letterwinner at Bingham scored 3 goals and had an assist for the Miners. She scored a goal in each of her three seasons at the school.
Two other girls that played alongside Myntti in Bingham’s midfield also signed their letters of intent to play college soccer.
Addison Campbell inked hers with USU Eastern. A defender/midfielder, Campbell had 2 assists over her high school playing career, one during her senior year at Bingham.
Midfielder Ellie Jensen signed a letter of intent to play at Western Wyoming in Rock Springs. Lexi Shelton rounded out the four Miner signings. A defender, Shelton played one year on the Bingham varsity squad and scored one goal. She’ll be headed to Peninsula [Washington].
For all involved, seeing that their Bingham predecessors are having success being recruited by out-of-state college programs is not a thing that should be taken lightly. Only five other schools in the state of Utah sent more girls to college soccer programs in the 2023-24 calendar year. l
Bingham alum Natalie Swain is making noise
By Brian Shaw | b.shaw@mycityjournals.com
Natalie Swain has had quite a year.
Not only did the Bingham graduate wow the competition during her first few months at Utah State University, earning Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Week honors, she’s continued to make noise as her first year in Logan winds to a close.
What Swain did at Utah State in 2023 was impressive. In cross country, she placed second at the Sagebrush Invitational 5K, lifting the Aggies to the team title at the event USU hosted.
At the Virginia Invitational later that year, Swain crossed the finish line in 138th place and finished 235th at the prestigious Nuttycombe Invitational hosted by the University of Wisconsin at Madison.
With those grueling finishes under her belt, Swain wrapped up her first season of cross country at Utah State with a 59th place finish at the Mountain West Championships 6K race, crossing the tape in 22:23.1.
What was just as important to Swain though was the fact that she was named Academic All-Mountain West for her efforts not only on the green grass of the courses she ran but the efforts she gave in the classroom.
It was Swain’s dedication to her academics that kept the Utah State freshman from competing during the indoor track season.
But Swain didn’t let that sway her once she returned for the track and field season this past spring. The Bingham graduate finished 10th in the 1,500 meters in a time of 4:33.00.
Swain also set a personal best in the mile, crossing the finish line in third place in a time of 4:56.92 at the Robson Invitational that BYU hosted.
And in the 5,000 meters at the Mountain West Outdoor Championships, Swain
notched another personal best time of 16:59.32 to go with some of the other honors she collected to wrap up her freshman year.
In Eugene, Oregon at the USA Track and Field Championships, Swain collected two medals.
She took fifth place in the women’s 1,500 meters with a time of 4:37.92 and finished sixth in the women’s 5,000 meters with a personal record time of 16:42.05.
For Swain, academics come first; that has been the case since she was at Bingham and on the National Honor Society. Not even the fact that she’d miss crucial region championships or big meets swayed her decision.
In the end though, Swain would make up for lost time, turning a 28th place finish at the 6A state cross country championships as a senior into a 5th place medal at the NXN [Nike] Southwest Region Championships in Phoenix, Arizona.
For the record, Swain set a state record that November day in the valley of the sun and that undoubtedly helped her cause to earn a spot on the Utah State University cross-country and track and field teams.
For those directly involved in making the Aggies’ program accessible to all, the future in Logan seems very bright for one of Bingham’s track and field greats—even for a freshman like Swain.
“We had a bigger group here at the U20 meet [in Oregon] than I’ve ever brought across a lot of events so that’s great for the future of the program,” Artie Gulden said, USU’s director of track & field and cross country. l
Bingham alum Natalie Swain took her running talents to Logan. (File photo Roger V. Tuttle)
• $50 / month (1 member)
• $75 / month (party of 2)
• $100 / month (family of 3)
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Estate and Trust of Letitia Marshall
/s/ Letitia Emily Marshall-Mellor Letitia Emily Marshall-Mellor, Trustee 15037 S. Winged Bluff Lane Draper, UT 84020
With exit doors blowing off, landing gear falling on neighborhoods, wings ripping apart and engine covers shooting into the skies, you’d think airlines would be handing out free puppies and hundred-dollar bills, trying to convince people to support air travel. You’d be wrong.
Instead of lowering ticket prices (in your dreams), dropping baggage fees (you’re bonkers) or making flights more comfortable (ROFL), airlines double down on lazy, expensive service.
Even when Southwest Airlines (whose motto is “Sit Down and Shut Up”) was fined $140 million for leaving thousands of holiday passengers stranded, the industry knows we will travel. And we’ll pay any price.
If airlines have open seats, and the flight takes off in a week, instead of offering reduced prices, ticket costs rise. Once, after we purchased airline tickets, we got an alert that prices had jumped $1,000 per ticket. That’s bananas!
Recently, my husband and I flew Hawaiian Airlines for the first time. With its slogan, “Well, you could just drive to Honolulu,” we didn’t expect great service, and we weren’t disappointed.
Peri Kinder
Life and Laughter
Fight or Flight
However, we could download the airline’s app to watch movies on our phones, as long as it was downloaded an hour before boarding. So, as soon as time travel is invented, I can go back, download the app and have access to movies for our flight.
We left early in the morning and breakfast sandwiches were offered to passengers with normal digestive systems. If your body treats gluten like poison, you get to starve or purchase a box of gluten-free crackers and hummus. I’ve learned to pack snacks because, like the United Airlines motto states, “Suck it up. We’re not your mom.”
of Hawaii, we ended up running through the Honolulu airport because our connecting flight was late. We dashed to our terminal, which is not the best way to end a vacation, especially after eating your weight in kalua pork and fish tacos.
cause a passenger is stuck in the bathroom, Boeing knows people will fork over handfuls of cash to travel.
Passengers expect delays, cancellations and lackadaisical assistance. Any other industry would hire a fancy PR team to encourage people to use its services but the airline industry doesn’t give a flying fig about its image.
SOUTH JORDAN
We settled into our six-hour flight with its panic-inducing, claustrophobic seating, only to find movie screens weren’t provided.
As we flew through the skies, we played games like, “Is it turbulence or did we just lose the landing gear?” and “Annoy Fellow Passengers.” I think I won that when I reclined my seat from 90 degrees to 95 degrees. The woman behind me sighed like a passive-aggressive parent who was not mad, just extremely disappointed.
On the way home from the Big Island
Net profits for the airline industry are set to hit more than $30 billion this year. Even Boeing (“Safety is Our 15th Priority”) knows it can install faulty parts, disregard safety inspections and hunt down whistleblowers because people will always want to fly.
Boeing stock is dropping faster than its Max 737s but the company doesn’t seem concerned. Even when people bounce off the ceilings due to cockpit issues or have to make an emergency landing in Denver be-
Even with its rock-bottom reputation, the airline industry has us over a barrel. With wheels ricocheting off the runway, engines catching fire and toilet waste flooding the cabin, passengers continue to pay increasing costs for the “luxury” of travel. And, like the Delta slogan states, “We Really Don’t Care.”
